Miyabi, Sakura, Grandma, and Li were all standing together, waiting for Mulan to come back outside. There were crash noises which made Li worried of what could be going on. "I think it's going well, don't you?" Grandma asked Li and the girls. "Doesn't sound like it to me" Miyabi replied. "I agree" said Sakura. Suddenly, the matchmaker came out with ink stains on her face looking like a mustache and her butt was on fire. "PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!" Mulan threw tea over her to put the fire out, but she was terribly embarrassed over what happened. She came to her family and guests as the cricket hopped out of the building and back in the cage where it belonged. "YOU ARE A DISGRACE!" the matchmaker snarled, thrashing the teapot down on the ground and glaring horribly at Mulan. "You may look like a bride, but you will NEVER bring your family honor!" she stormed off. Mulan felt very bad. Sakura decided to hug her while Miyabi and Grandma glared at the matchmaker for insulting Mulan right to her face like that. Mulan felt very, very bad and the group walked back to Mulan's place to rest and think about what happened today. Li took the horse back to its stable and walked Miyabi and Sakura to their home and discuss their new living conditions for their time away from home.
Miyabi and Sakura felt very bad for Mulan. They sat with the family as they got settled and talked about their family and their culture. Once the girls got settled and comfortable, they decided to help Mulan as she sat alone under a cherry blossom tree. "Nobody's perfect. Everyone makes mistakes" Miyabi said as she sat next to Mulan. Mulan didn't answer. She turned and kept looking sour. She could never do anything to please her family and today was so embarrassing and horrifying to endure for her. The girls only knew her today and yet they really wanted to help her and do something to make her happy. They then looked and saw Mulan's father come over. "My, my, what beautiful blossoms we have this year." Zhou sat next to his daughter with a smile. He took one of the blossoms, combed back Mulan's hair and placed it in to make her happy and spiritual. "But look, this one's late. I bet when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all." Mulan smiled back at him. "That's sweet" Sakura smiled. Then everyone heard drumming sounds. Zhou stood right up, taking the drums as a signal to him somehow. "What is it?" Mulan asked. Zhou walked out to meet with the other citizens as there was serious business going on. "Mulan, you and your new friends stay inside." he walked off. Grandma passed the three girls. She then cleared her throat a bit and pointed on the roof, knowing they were very curious about what was happening in town today. Mulan hopped on the roof and grabbed Sakura, then she grabbed Miyabi.
Mulan, Miyabi, and Sakura then took a look as they saw general army men had come to visit China. The newsreader, Chi-Fu, had a scroll. "Citizens, I bring a proclamation from the Imperial City! The Huns have invaded China!" Everyone gasped in shock and fear. 'Euterpe mentioned them before' Sakura thought to herself. "By order of the Emperor, one many from every family must serve in the Imperial Army." Chi-Fu continued as he read each family name out loud to give them scrolls to serve in the camp and army to defend their country. "Mulan, didn't your father serve in the army before?" asked Miyabi. "Yes. Last time he went into attacking, he got hurt. He could get killed if he went into another one. How did you know that?" Mulan replied. "Lucky guess?" Miyabi grinned sheepishly. "The Fa family!" Chi-Fu called. "No!" Mulan gasped. Zhou handed Li his cane and came close, nearly wobbling. "I am ready to serve the Emperor." he bowed respectfully, then reached for the scroll. "Father, you can't go!" Mulan called for him, making him face her and the other two girls. "Mulan!" Zhou protested against her protests. "Please sir, my father has already fought for-" "SILENCE!" Chi-Fu hissed at her. "You will do well to teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man's presence!" "Mulan, you dishonor me." Zhou nearly sneered. Grandma then came to escort her granddaughter and guests back home to keep from interfering. Mulan nearly cried. She didn't want to lose her father like this. It would be a great honor, yes, but he is a lot older and could get himself killed or seriously hurt.
Later, Mulan came to the dinner table after seeing her father. She had a look of pure shock and horror on her face. Miyabi and Sakura were sure it had something to do with her father's condition and what would likely happen if he went to war against the Huns. Everyone was bitterly silent as Mulan was pouring tea for her father, Zhou. Mulan couldn't take it anymore. "You shouldn't have to go!" she said, slamming her hands on the table and raising from her seat. "Mulan!" Li called out to her daughter as she ate rice. "There are plenty of young men of fight for China!" Mulan continued her rant. "It is an honor to protect my country and my family." Zhou defended. "So you'll DIE for honor." Mulan glared at him. Zhou stood up next to her, just as angry. "I will die doing what's right." "But," Mulan spoke up again, trying to get him out of it so he wouldn't get killed. "If you-" "I know my place!" Zhou argued with her. "It's time you learn yours." Mulan stared at her father. She was very angry, sad and flustered. She then stormed out, crying outside. Zhou felt immeditately bad. Miyabi and Sakura got up and went out with Mulan to comfort her. Mulan cried, sitting on the stone dragon outside her home where her ancestors resided and watched over her and the family. Miyabi held her tight and lightly stroked her raven hair. "We'll think of a solution, Mulan. I don't know how or what, but we'll do something. Okay?" Miyabi said in a quiet, mother-like voice. Mulan sniffled, taking in the hug gratefully. She looked at her reflection and glanced at her home as her parents were going to bed. Tomorrow was the big day, Zhou would leave home and to the camp to defend his family honor and vanquish Shan Yu and the Huns. Mulan grew determined and knew what she had to do. "Come with me, guys, I have an idea." Mulan told them in a strict tone. Miyabi and Sakura eyed each other as lightning illuminated the air.
The girls walked inside to the family temple where various Chinese characters were. Mulan placed a candle against a hanging tiny dragon statue. Mulan stepped in her parents' room for a moment and came back out, taking her father's sword. She then cut her hair which made Miyabi and Sakura cringe. "You guys are going to help me with this, okay?" Mulan told them. "You got it, Mulan" said Sakura. "We're in" said Miyabi. Miyabi cut her hair so it would be short like Sakura's and Mulan's. They could be easily seen as a man and a couple of young boys now. Miyabi and Sakura wore army camp clothes while Mulan put on her father's old armor and then they went to the stable to collect Khan, Mulan's horse. The horse instinctively bucked up as he didn't recognize Miyabi, Sakura, or Mulan. However, Mulan managed to calm him down as she looked into his eyes and stroked his muzzle. She then walked the horse out as they were on their way to report to camp as instructed to Zhou earlier this morning. Later, Mulan and the girls made it before the camp as it wasn't raining anymore. They were waiting to make their appearance at the camp so they could make a good first impression, as first impressions are always important. Miyabi and Sakura sat beside Khan to wait for how Mulan would present herself to the men in charge and to take her in as one of them to fight for China. "Okay, how about this?" Mulan cleared her throat to make her voice lower as she was ready to wield the sword. "Excuse me, where do I sign in? Ah, I see you have a sword! I have one too! They're very manly and strong!" she took out the sword, nearly dropping it. "That's actually a pretty good man voice" said Sakura. Khan laughed at Mulan in between neighs. Mulan threw her shoe at her horse, and glared at him. "I'm working on it!"
"I don't mean to be skeptical or anything, but I think it might take us a miracle to get into the army" said Miyabi. "DID I HEAR SOMEONE ASK FOR A MIRACLE!?" a voice yelled, startling them all. "Let me hear ya say 'AAAH!' Miyabi, Sakura, and Mulan screamed once they saw flames and a giant, terrifying shadow of a dragon appear. "That's close enough!" the shadow told them. "Get ready, Mulan and friends. Your seventeenth halter is at hand, for I have been sent by your ancestors to guide you through your masquerade! So heed my words, cuz if the army finds out you're girls, the penalty is death!" "Death!?" Sakura and Miyabi yelped. "Who are you?" Mulan asked the shadow. "Who am I?" the shadow asked, rhetorically. "Who am I!? I am the guardian of lost souls! I am the powerful! The pleasure, the indestructible, Mushu!" the dragon came out revealing to be very tiny and not threatening and overbearing like a minute ago. "I'm pretty hot, huh?" he smirked at the girls. Khan stomped over him, feeling threatened. "Your ancestors sent a cute little lizard to guide you on our quest?" Miyabi asked, picking Mushu up by his tail. "Dragon!" Mushu argued, standing in her hand, folding his arms. "Dragon, not lizard! I don't do that tongue thing!" he hissed at her with his tongue like a lizard to prove his point. "You're... umm..." Mulan looked uneasy by his appearance. "Intimidating?" Mushu asked, showing himself off. "All inspiring." "Tiny." Mulan told him. Mushu frowned and tried to convince them he could help them. "Of course! I'm travel-sized! For your convenience, if I were my normal size, your cow here would die of fright!" "Cow?" Sakura raised a brow. "Down, Bessie!" Mushu told Khan as he tried to pet the horse. "My powers are beyond your mortal imagination. For instance, my eyes can see straight through your armor!" Mulan felt insulted and slapped the teeny dragon down on the ground. "Alright! That's it!" Mushu growled with the cricket taking note of what he said like a secretary. "Dishonor on your whole family! Dishonor on you, dishonor on your cow, dis-" "Stop!" Mulan tried to settle him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm just nervous. We've never done this before." "Then you're gonna have to trust me," Mushu told them, not just Mulan. "And don't you slap me no more." Mulan, Miyabi, and Sakura nodded. "Alright, okie-dokie let's get this show on the road!" Mushu joined them back on Khan's back. "Crickey, get the bags! Let's move out, heifer!" "I've got a bad feeling about this" said Miyabi. "You said it" said Sakura. Khan took them to the campground.