The Rare Blossom

"I run away from home only to come back after saving China, and this is what I get?" The heroine pulled a lock of her hair out of frustration, "Are you punishing me? If you are, can you being less harsh about it?"

"Mulan! That is no way to speak about family!"Fa Li scolded.

"She's not family," Mulan snapped, "she's a demon-like creature. We just haven't figured out her species yet."

"Fa Mulan, you better behave when they arrive." Li told her, "I promised my brother that I would be in good favor with his wife. He doesn't like drama but lately, it's been hard to please her and you joining the army didn't help."

"Well at least we know why her daughter's such a-"

"Mulan!"

Mulan's brows furrowed more, "Brat isn't a part of the colorful language, Mother."

Li began walking towards the door of Mulan's room. "When they arrive you will be polite, calm, and graceful like you should be. Do not act tomboyish. End of the discussion." Li slammed the door. Mulan climbed onto her bed. She pulled her knees up to her face and buried her face in them.

"That wasn't even a discussion," Mulan murmured, "That was just a bunch orders and expectations of what I'm supposed to be."


"Recite the key qualities of the average Chinese girl," The lithe girl told herself while making a short ponytail out of her hair, "Quiet and demure ... graceful, polite, delicate, refined, poised, and punctual. Recite the key qualities of Mulan…a mess." Mulan's hair failed to stay in its position, causing it to fall back down.

The she heard a familiar voice, "Look at my baby all depressed." She could feel his claws on her shoulder along with hearing a chirp of a cricket.

"I'm not depressed. Mushu, I'm upset."

"Well you're sad in some way."

"How can I be happy when a certain demon-like creature is coming over?"

"Who?" Suddenly, Mulan heard someone trying to open the door. Without thinking, she threw Mushu out the window.

"Ah!" She heard an ear-piercing shriek, "A snake!" Mulan smirked. Maybe her cousin's presence would trigger some comic relief.

"Mulan, are you done yet?" Her grandmother said, "The family's already here and Luli's screaming about a snake in her clothes." Mulan suppressed her smirk and turned to her grandmother.

"Grandmother, I'm having a hard thing doing my hair."

"Wu Luli."

"Fa Mulan." There was silence and tension in the air. No one bothered to say a word for awhile. Fa Li, desperate to get rid of the tension, almost said a word but as predicted her sister-in law beat her to it.

"Where is your husband-to-be, Mulan? I would like to see him…of course; we haven't exactly gotten a wedding invitation in the mail yet."

"Uh, Aunt Meifen, I haven't exactly-"

"He's not here at the moment," Fa Li cut in. Grandmother Fa mouthed 'Who's he?' to Mulan. In response Mulan raised an eyebrow at her mother, but her mother continued.

"He's an officer of the Imperial Army," Li continued. "He came over for dinner after Mulan came home."

Her daughter cleared her throat, "Excuse me Mother, but I don't think we want to keep our beloved guests waiting. Let's invite them inside before it gets chilly."

"Thank you Mulan for being considerate," Aunt Bolin, "but you better watch your timing. Let's just hope your fiancée doesn't mind it." Mulan bit back a comment that almost rolled off her tongue.


Thunder and lightning collided again as the rain poured down harder. Mulan couldn't help but stay awake every night. Memories and gruesome images she'd rather forget entered her mind every time. Sometimes when she did shut her eyes the nightmares would come, but no matter hard she tried her eyes wouldn't open up until a few hours later. Tonight was one of those nights and it had almost traumatized her. After succeeding in opening her eyes, Mulan had hurried to the living room and lit a few candles to light up the room. Curling herself in a ball on the floor, Mulan tried to soothe herself and took deep breaths. It wasn't long till she heard a knock on the door.

Who would be out in this weather? Mulan tugged onto her robe, making sure she would be warm enough to face the cold, windy weather.

"Shang?" She asked as she opened the door, "What are you doing here? Come in before you get sick." She could tell a look of concern spread across her face.

"Thank you Honorable Fa Mulan," He said as stepped in, not before removing his muddy shoes. They both bowed to each other. Mulan frowned a bit at his words. Formality was what she would have to speak to him with. This also made her remember that he probably spoke to her this way because it was proper or because of her higher status.

Her hand surprised him as she placed it on his forehead. "You're freezing and hot at the same time," Mulan said as she moved on to his hands, "I'll make some hot tea for the both of us. It's been a rough night." Shang only responded by nodding, though Mulan was happy she received some type of reply she was still communicated to with silence.

Mulan returned with the tea quickly as possible. After silently praying, Shang began to take sips of his tea while Mulan stared at its vapor. Her almond eyes slowly met his gold helmet. "So you're just going to enter my house with no explanation?" She could hear Shang trying to finish his cup of tea faster. In fact, she noticed how he never put it down. It was to probably to avoid speaking. Mulan leaned over and twirled the red material, on top of his helmet, around her small finger. He had stopped drinking by now and cleared his throat. Mulan leaned back into her place, "I see you've been promoted."

"Yes!" He blurted out. Shang seemed to hold pride in his eyes along with his lopsided smile. He cleared his throat again and calmed down, "Yes, I've been promoted to General which leads me to…I think someone is watching us." Shang leaned his head to get a better view. Mulan turned around to see the figure.

"Cousin Luli," Mulan scolded, "eavesdropping is not your hobby." The feminine figure moved into the light to reveal herself. Mulan was actually relieved that Shang had caught her cousin. She was about to ask him a private and personal favor.

"I apologize," Luli told them, "I just wanted to see who this stranger was."

"Ah yes," The heroine said with a bit of regret in her voice, "I forgot to introduce you. Wu Luli meet General Li Shang, General Li Shang meet Wu Luli."

Shang stood up and bowed, "Nice to meet you, Wu Luli."

"Same to you, General," Luli walked a little closer and bowed also. "I assume you're Mulan's fiancée."

"Fiancée?" He asked.

Mulan's eyes widened and blurted out, "Yes! My admirable fiancée is this General." She went over to him and hugged his arm tightly.

"Uh…" was his only reply.

"Yes, yes I know…you're tired." She continued, "Go to rest in the guest room." Shang eyed Mulan, questionably before heading to the guest room.

"Such a handsome man," Luli said. "How'd you get him?" Mulan fought the urge to glare and retort.

"When you marry an Imperial officer, inform me."

"Oh I will," The girl replied, "I plan to marry Li Shang."

"Excuse me?" Mulan snapped, "You're not at the marrying age."

"But it's just a short amount of time until I turn 16," She said, smirking. "I heard his father had a few wives so there's a possibility that he would like to too. You may be planning to marry him, but I'll make sure that I'll be his first wife." Luli left the room, leaving Mulan in anger and frustration.

"Not if I'm Lady Li first."