This is a short fanfic based on my resolution to the Mulan story from the Disney universe. It was originally written somewhere back in 1998-1999 as an 8-part fanfic and posted on a now defunct Mulan website. I'm brushing it off, cleaning up some of the dialogue and placing it up here for posterity. You might see some of the melancholy characteristics and themes that were later reflected in my Esca and Kenshin works.

I have no intent to do major plot reworking of this story, even if I think it could be longer. (*sweats*) I hope you enjoy it.

As usual, characters are copyrighted to Disney and despite their animation department going down the tubes, I make no claims on the property. For those who know me very well, fanart for this fic was created. For those who don't , let me know via review or email if you want to know where it is ^_^

Epilogue

lwgirl/eriesalia


Chapter 1: Homecoming

Captain Li Shang paused on the threshold of the gate that led to his home.

Many months had passed since he had last had passed through these gates, filled with dreams of glory and
honor in war. He had left to follow in the footsteps of his esteemed father, the great General Li.

And now he stood facing the inner courtyard, regretting that he had been so eager to face the test of war. For arrogance had claimed his father, and General Li would never return home.

Shang hesitated before taking up the slack of the reins of his horse, and leading it quietly inside. They moved quietly to avoid waking the members and those who lived within the compound.

He tied his horse in the stable and headed towards the ancestral shrine to pay his respects for both himself.

And for father.

As his feet crunched gravel, a little boy slumbered out into his path.

Instinctively he reached out to the unsteady child.

"Chi" Shang whispered as he looked up, his voice both addled with sleep and surprise..

He then rubbed his eyes again. "Shang?"

Shang picked him up and in an unusual display of affection , hugged him tightly. "Little brother."

"SHANG!" the little boy screamed in wide-eyed delight.

"Shh" Shang couldn't help but laugh despite himself. "You'll wake everyone!"

The little boy squirmed out of his arms, jumping down only to hop around. "Shang! Shang! Shang!"

"You've grown," Shang smiled as he realized that Chi was now big and quick enough to scamper away. "Tell me, how are you?"

Chi squared his shoulders in an imitation of his older brother's stance. "I'm six!! I turned six last month, you know!"

"Of course!" Shang knelt down and affectionately rubbed his little brother's head. "And you've grown!"

Chi's eyes shone at his brother's words. "I've grown another inch! And momma says that I'll keep
growing, maybe even taller than you!"

Shang nodded as seriously as he could. Never mind the great age difference between them; his little brother was continually competing with him and aspiring to match 'elder brother.'

"Guess what?" Chi grabbed Shang's hand and dragged him to a small pond. "I have three new
goldfish."

"That's good." Shang knelt down and looked seriously at the fish lazily circling the pond.

These had been the fish father had given him.

Shang's eyes fell slightly, feeling again the heaviness of his heart. . His voice dropped slightly. "--how is mother?"

"Grumpy. She's been stricter since you and Father left. But you're back now!" Chi beamed, "and when father returns, we'll set her straight!"

Shang blanched at his brother's words, suddenly aware that his little brother had not heard the news of General Li.

"Take me to mother ,Chi. I have much news to give her."

Chi grinned, then scooted ahead, unaware of the sad look that had crossed over Shang's face.

Chi's footsteps were heavy and clumsy. Shang could hear them even as Chi disappeared inside the quarters of their mother. And apparently, so could all the other female relatives and servants.

The next few minutes were chaos as a throng of sleepy women and men swarmed out and surrounded him, both sleepy and joyous at the return of the eldest son of the clan..

His family - all his cousins, aunts, uncles, great-grand parents, grandparents, noisily jabbered amongst themselves and at Shang, asking him dozens of questions per second. Shang blinked, unable to take it all in.

"Let me see my son!" A strong voice called out. And immediately, a path cleared for a slight woman who, despite her size, exuded authority.

"Mother," Shang bowed reverently, taking in her appearance from the corner of his eye. As he straightened up, he noted a few more gray hairs and lines of worry on her normally smooth face.

Li Shuelin looked back at him just as intently --studying him in her normal reserved manner. Hesitantly, she
reached forward.

As she touched his arm, she suddenly exhaled and despite the many pairs of eyes that did not approve of open demonstrations of filial affection, clasped Shang to her.

"Mother--" Shang instinctively draped his arm around her own more rounded shoulder and allowed her to press her face into his cloak.

"We have had no word for days, we had expected you sooner. I thought perhaps…" her voice faded off as she realized that she had been putting on a public display. She pulled away, and composed herself. "You must be hungry."

He looked at her, and saw she had returned to her old, quiet and proper self. He nodded.

"We must go eat, come."

She pulled him away from the rest of the family and towards the general's quarters. "Wei-wei," she called over her shoulder, "Bring me a tray for Master Li."

Shang followed obediently, realizing from his mother's serious expression that she had something on her mind. Perhaps she meant to ask of Father.

As they stepped into his father's room, he involuntarily drew in his breath. Despite what he had known and seen and witnessed, a part of him still expected to see his father sitting, smoking a pipe and reading one of the many reports that had often come his way.


But it was empty.

As his mother sat elegantly on several of the cushios, Shang took his position and bowed low to her, his head nearly touching the floor just as he had the morning he had taken leave of her. "Mother, I have much to say."

His mother sighed, and with that he raised his head and saw that she had averted her gaze. "The Emperor's messenger came by several days ago. He gave me the news of your father's defeat."

Shang let out a shaky breath. . "He died an honorable death."

His mother closed her eyes. "Then that is all I need or want to know."

Shang looked at his mother carefully. He noted that while her voice was calm, her hands trembled
slightly. He again inclined his head.

"It is what he desired." She clutched her skirt for a moment before raising her eyes grimly. "The family knows. Except for Chi."

"I gathered as much," Shang shook his head. "But he needs to know."

Lady Li smoothed the folds of her skirt. "Last week, we received word that Cousin Chung was killed in a skirmish in the borderlands… the news has been hard on this family. Chifelt that loss deeply for his cousin."

Shang shuddered at the news. So many dead. But Cousin Chung -- . His cousin Chung was loved by the entire Li clan for his artistic and gentle soul.

"Chi has been waiting for the two of you to return since the day you left. And I could not bring myself to tell him." She paused for words, "--about your father's death, with you still absent. Chi would be even more devastated, thinking that you too could also be gone."

Lady Li wiped her eyes quickly as a slight rap came from outside. Shang watched her with admiration as she composed herself quickly and answered with clear voice. "Come"

The maidservant brought in a large tray of food and hurriedly set it up.

Lady Li inclined her head thoughtfully. "Wei, please tell young Master Li that we would like his company."

The maidservant nodded and quietly stepped back out.

A few seconds later, Chi tore in obviously waiting for the chance to see his brother.

"Chi," Shang felt the weight of responsibility fall upon him. He tried to make his voice stern. "Your mother has summoned you and you come running in here like an animal. Show respect, little brother."

"Oops, sorry" the boy grinned and put on a more serious expression as he quickly bowed to his mother and then sat next to Shang eyeing the food.

Their mother folded her hands in her lap. "Your brother has brought us news, Chi."

Chi looked at Shang for a second, trying to determine why his usually goofy brother was so serious. "Ah…Shang, did you get married?" Chi's eyes widened as he attempted to understand the sudden adult behavior of his brother. "Everyone keeps saying so!"

Shang shook his head a little bit embarrassed. "Chi , I have brought you and mother something." He took out a small medal and a scroll out of his bag and laid it in the space between him and his mother. When Chi's eyes did not register comprehension, he spoke again. "These are things to honor our father."

Chi looked at the objects with much curiosity and delight. "Why didn't father bring them?"

When there was no answer, he looked up at his mother's troubled face and then his brother's grim expression.

"Chi," Shang looked at him sorrowfully."Father will not be returning."

"NO!" Chi stood up suddenly. "No no no no no no!"

"Chi!" Lady Li regarded Chi's outburst with shock.

He was screaming now, his face a picture of horrible grief. "Father is just late, that's all--" Chi blurted out before disappearing.

Lady Li stood up weakly, her eyes also watering."Chi!"

"Mother," Shang found the strength to restrain her and to hold her. "Mother," he repeated, trying so hard to help her, to fill a gap that he knew he could not fill alone. "Do not trouble yourself. I will take care of this."

His mother assented quietly, allowing him to help her slowly sit back down, taking comfort in his reassuring words.

As Shang turned to follow his brother out the door, his mother turned his words over in his head and spoke to herself.


"Yes, Shang," she whispered. "You will have to take care of all of us now."


~

Shang found his brother Chi in the lone tree beside the goldfish pond. The boy was perched on its branches, staring out across the pond, beyond the gate which separated their home from the streets outside.

Shang looked up at the boy, praying for wisdom. But all he could offer was something familiar. . "Can you see the other trees from there?"

The boy nodded mutely and continued to look out beyond the wall.

Shang tested the branches gently with his hands, and seeing that they were as sturdy as he recalled, climbed up the tree a bit awkwardly before sitting near his brother.

"The trees are dead." The boy whispered half to himself.

Shang studied his brothers tear-stained face and the bare trees that lined the avenue outside. "No, they are simply sleeping, waiting for the right time."

"No they won't," the boy choked out. "They're dead -- just like Father"

Shang bit his lip, pushing the feeling of desperation back inside. "The trees south of here already are in full bloom. The villagers there say they will recover from this harsh winter."

The boy looked at him with a little interest, "Have you seen them?"

Shang thought back briefly to the garden in the Fa home, where he had passed two days. He thought of the cherry blossom tree by a pond much like this, and of Mulan under it. "Yes."

"Oh," the little boy quickly looked away, his eyes focusing on the path where they had found one another earlier.

Shang followed that gaze. He thanked the forefathers for both the reminder of their presence, and their wisdom. "Do you know why we pray at the shrine, Chi?"

Chi answered sullenly. "Because we're supposed to."

"No, Chi. " Shang attempted to smile. "Tou have not been paying heed to your lessons." He shifted slightly, a bit nervous about his perch on the tree. "When we leave this world, we enter the next. Our families and friends can not see us… but they can hear us. Father is not gone, he has simply gone ahead to prepare the way for the rest of us."

Chi blinked.

"The world does not always work in a way we understand, Chi." Shang's voice was soft, "Why do the trees bloom, only to die each year? Why do people live, and die young while many people still need them? There's a mystery to this world and the way it works, Chi." Shang smiled sadly at Chi. "Do you know who taught me that?"

"Father." Chi snuffled some more tears.


Shang nodded as he reached over to pat his brother on his back."And he would wish you to know this as well. And –" Shang's voice grew a little more firm, "he would wish you to be strong, to be a faithful son by remembering what he taught and by remembering him."

Chi buried his head in Shang's shoulder. For a moment he said nothing, continuing to sniffle and trying desperately to be the dutiful son that his father had wanted him to be.

They sat there for a few more minutes before Chi finally heaved one shaky sob and raised his head. "I'm ready."

Shang nodded and then slowly climbed down the tree. Once safely at the bottom, he eached up for his little brother.

Chi swallowed before leaping into his arms.

As he caught him and placed him safely on the ground, Chi's voice shook again.

"Chi?" Shang worried for half a second.

Chi responded with a fierce hug. "I'm glad you're home"

And silently, Shang agreed.