The sky was beginning to clear. The great sun rolled out into its blue plain. Upon the rugged snow- peaked mountains a wisp of light smoke dotted the scene.
Mulan's teeth began to chatter as a horrid, abrupt gust of chilling wind swept past her. Mushu's small fire had died sometime in the night. Mulan clung tighter to Kahn, for warmth. A fresh tear swept down her cheek. It fell into the trail of a flood of quite recent ones. Mushu awoke to the sound of her sobbing.
"There, there, girl! It's not that bad. Look, it's a new day, we can still fix this," he hurried over to her, smiling consolingly.
"No, Mushu! It's over, what more can be done?"
Mushu crawled up to her shoulder. He took the loose ribbon from her hair and re- did it, tying it into a neat bun once again.
"So what if you're a woman. Prove them wrong, show 'em what you've got! Be a man!" he roared, encouragingly.
And with that, not only did Kahn and Crickey wake up with a start but there came a noise from afar. Both Mushu and Mulan froze.
"What was that? Was that your stomach?" the lizard whisper, through the side of his mouth.
Mulan crawled her way to the edge of peak they were on. Below, much to her heart's unease, men were beginning to appear from the snow. The Hun army had survived. Their numbers had been greatly depleted but there could be no doubt when saying that a few remained. Mushu snatched up Crickey by the antennas. "Why aren't you ever lucky!" he whined in a low voice.
Upon horseback, Mulan rode, down the mountain side. Shang had confided in Ping the route the company would be taking, to the Emperor, and so she hurried.
"And what exactly are you going to say to Mister Stuck- up General?"
"I don't know, but he will listen. He loves his China, he'll have to listen. Those remaining Huns will go straight for the Emperor, if not for their first cause, for revenge. We need to warn them."
The snow was deep and the mountain was steep. Kahn found it difficult to travel fast in such conditions. Yet he was forever Mulan's faithful steed and so like a ruby gem in a jar of dirt, the black stallion descended the white mountainside. Once on brown soil again, Kahn broke into a rapid gallop. They raced across the land, taking no notice of the people in the paddy fields or the mules and carts on the roads or even the crowds of villagers travelling to stand outside the Emperor's palace for when the soldiers arrive. With no food or water though, Kahn was tiring fast. It wasn't until near nightfall by the time Mulan reached the palace and by that time, the soldiers, led by Shang, had arrived. Mulan raced up to Shang.
"What are you doing here?" he hissed.
"If I had even the slightest bit of sense, I would order for your head removed."
"Shang, listen to me," she whimpered to him.
The company continued their march towards the steps of the palace.
"The Huns, Shang, they're coming!" she cried in a low enough tone for only the two of them to hear. "You would be wise to flee quickly, Fa Mulan, before I fulfil my duties as a figure of authority." "Shang! The Huns-"
"Shut up!" He pulled his steed to a halt and drew his face in near hers.
"You have deceived me, Fa Mulan, and that I can never forgive. You have abused my trust. You and your words of lies are dead to me. Now get out of my way!" he hissed at her.
Mulan grinded her teeth together. The company began to march once again. Yao, Ling and Chien- Po stopped beside her.
"Mulan!" they whispered in joy.
"Continue men!" Shang yelled.
Ling and Chien- Po squealed and, giving Mulan sympathetic gazes, continued marching. Yao turned to her.
"Help me, Yao, help me win his trust back."
"I always thought you were a bit of a woman," he winked.
"I mean what man is as clean an eater as you! Aside from the General, and that's just because he's a man of standing." Mulan smiled.
"Thank you."
"He likes you, you know, Shang I mean. That's why he's so upset." Mulan was taken aback. Since when is Yao so considerate? Mulan gave a polite nod and the two parted.
And so the scenes played out, the film- roll unravelled. The Huns burst forth from the enchantingly decorated dragon and took the Emperor. General Shang rushed, sword brandished, to his leader's aid yet was delayed and caught in a swordfight with a fierce Hun. Mulan ran, very unlady-like, up through the crowd, to the feet of the steps. There she bounced from one to the other, taking three at a time as she hurried to give assistance. Shang slew the remaining Hun and, with his company, ran to the locked palace doors. Together, the men attempted to batter down the magnificent doors. They'll never get there in time! Mulan scanned round for a solution.
"Guys!" she yelled.
Ling, Yao and Chien- Po looked up. She beckoned them over. Shang gave them a glaring look. The three let go of the battering ram and hurried over to Mulan.
"Men! I order you to return to your positions!" Yao stopped and turned to Shang.
"You know a good leader is often enough a good listener. You might want to try it some time."
And with that he turned and jogged over to Mulan. Together, the four took a pillar each.
"Just like training, boys," Mulan winked as they all swung their fabric round the pillars.
She could not help but smile, staring at her three best friends dressed as women. Yao nodded to someone passed Mulan. She turned to see Shang swinging his kerchief round the pillar next to hers. He gave an apologetic smile. Mulan could not help but let her eyes linger on his for they truly were azure jewels.
"Just like training, women!" Ling shouted and they began their ascent to the Emperor.
Shang burst out onto the balcony where he confronted Shan Yu. Chien- Po whisked the Emperor away and for a second all seemed saved. Shan Yu let out a ferocious roar of irritation.
"You! This is your fault! You have lost me my China!"
Shan Yu threw the hilt of his sword into Shangs jaw and knocked him to the floor. He kicked with cruelty into his ribs and sent Shang rolling. Mulan turned to leave. Her eyes met Shang's, just for a second.
"Get off the roof! Get off the roof! Get off the roof!" Mulan squeezed Mushu in her right hand as she sprinted to the edge of the building.
And with a final burst of energy to her legs, she pushed herself from the edge towards the steps to the palace below. She managed to take hold of a rope supporting lanterns but her grip failed her and she fell into the crowd of the General's company. The men fell beneath her but all hurried to help her up and inquire on her health.
"Girl, you are lucky to have me!" Mushu snorted, snapping his fingers at her.
"And as for you Crickey, you're just lucky, let say."
As Mulan wrapped her arms round the neck of the great Emperor of China and held him in an embrace, her eyes swelled up with hot tears. Yao, Ling and Chien- Po hurried over to embrace her next. Mulan could not help her cheeks from puffing up and her nose from turning red. Once the boys had released her from the embraced and with her head facing downwards, Mulan mounted Kahn. "Let's go home, buddy," she whispered.
As she descended those grand steps from the palace the crowds cheered at her bravery and magnificence yet Mulan could not hear them. The throbbing of her heartbeat pounded in her head. She could not think about the medallion round her neck or the sword strapped to her waist. She could only think of him and his words. I shall never be forgiven by him. I shall never bring the honour my family so greatly deserve. Kahn round out, away from the applauding crowd.
"Mulan! Mulan!" a familiar voice called out to her from the crowd.
She stopped and directed her horse round. Shang came hurrying out to her. The Emperor had begun speaking and so all the attention had been diverted back to him.
"Wait, Mulan," he panted. She slid down from Kahn.
"Shang?" Once he had caught his breath he went to her. Hesitantly, he took her hand.
"I once met a beautiful creature in a pink kimono in a lone village, one night. I promised her I would one day make her my wife."
Mulan's hand began to tremble and he became more evidently nervous.
"I…hope to fulfil that promise. I shall do it the proper way, I shall ask your father for permission, of course. Only for you to say you love me also and I will come back with you." Mulan smiled, shyly. "Shang, I have fought for you, I have done all this for you. I will marry you, gladly. I will marry you." "Say it, first, Mulan. Say you love me."
She placed a hand on his cheek. Her fingers were quivering at the tough. He smoothed his large hand over hers, to steady it.
"I love you, General Shang." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"I shall arrive by midday on the 22nd with my proposal for your father then."