Disclaimer: I'm on the fourth chapter. Do I really have to write this? Yes? Oh well. I don't own the characters.
Chapter 4. An Unexpected Enemy
"I don't care how dangerous it is! We have to go back!" Aurora demanded. Phillip tried to reason with her. "Mulan is a warrior capable of her own decisions," Phillip started but Aurora wouldn't let him finish. "I don't give a damned idea of how capable she is, Phillip!" Aurora enraged. Phillip looked at this woman and wondered if this was the same Aurora he had left to protect before being taken away by the Wraith. She was of course, still lovable and had such power, but was she so, demanding? No, demanding wasn't the exact word Phillip was looking for. It was more of a mix of stubborn, but the kind of stubbornness that you'd see more from a warrior than from a princess. 'Perhaps Mulan grew on her,' Phillip thought. "She is in that horrible castle! Alone! And for what we all know, could dying!" Aurora shouted. And Phillip knew. He owed the woman his life and his princess'. He had heard only a brief story of their adventures, but could tell they had gone through many dangers. 'Of course they would have,' Phillip thought. After all, bringing back a soul was not the easiest task, even for the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Was it really noble of him to leave Mulan in the castle like that? Even if that was by Mulan's intentions, it wasn't.
When Phillip did not retort back, Aurora snapped. "While you stand here thinking about what went wrong, I'm going back to the castle to find Mulan and save her to put some sense into that woman!" She grabbed heaps of her dress and stomped towards back the castle. Really, after all they've been through... How could Mulan sacrifice herself like that so easily? Aurora picked up her pace as her heart pounded, searching, yearning Mulan. She didn't even care if Phillip actually did notice her different feelings toward Mulan now. They had gone through so much, and Aurora was definitely not going to lose her to a dead witch.
Phillip could only stare at the trail the princess took off. Did the princess just snap back at him? While Phillip wondered what had just happened in the last few minutes, Neal put a hand on his shoulder and said, "That is one feisty fiancé you have there." Phillip could only murmur a bit of consent before running towards the castle once more.
Such pain, such angst, I couldn't have asked for a better host.
'That voice,' Mulan noted as she stirred. Mulan couldn't tell if she had gotten up. She noticed that there were no vines around her at the least, and she could actually stand up. But all she could see was pure blackness. Mulan reached out for her sword but it wasn't there. 'Of course,' Mulan thought, 'I had thrown it out of my hand earlier.' As Mulan thought back of that particular moment, she hoped everyone had escaped safely. Aurora... The princess had to be safe. She must be.
Such dedication for someone who couldn't even love you. How sweet.
The voice sneered. Mulan glanced anywhere and everywhere she could in this pitch black darkness. "Show yourself!" Mulan growled. She leaned down and took out a dagger from her boot. The voice cackled. Mulan knew this enemy was mocking at her efforts, but as soon as it made any movement... 'I will be ready,' Mulan determined.
You should think less. That way you'd recognize who I am. You'd see how familiar we are at the least.
"I am nothing like you!" Mulan roared, frantically trying to figure out the direction of the voice. The hairs on her neck immediately stood when she felt the voice right behind her.
You'd be surprised.
Mulan turned swiftly to slit her enemy's throat. But when she saw the face, she couldn't. Not when her own face, her own self stood there, smirking at her. The hand that held the dagger fell to her side. "Who are you?" Mulan asked as she backed away.
You see, I am you.
Said the imposter as she merely stepped closer as many steps Mulan had stepped back. A wall out of nowhere appeared and Mulan met it with her back. Trapped, Mulan placed the dagger between her and this... replicate.
I'm merely the monster inside you. I'm your fears, your pain, your guilt. Anything and everything you wish to hide from that precious princess of yours.
Mulan's eyes widened. At the mention of Aurora, her hesitance was gone and pressed the dagger into the stranger, threatening even. "Don't you even dare," Mulan began to say.
Or what. You'll stab me? I am you. You can't and never will escape me.
With that, the duplicate walked straight into the dagger. The strained cry of pain came not from it, but from Mulan. Mulan could feel as if the dagger was sinking into her flesh. Only, it wasn't. But why was all of the pain, the blood real?
I'm just conveniently manifested before your eyes. I am you.
The figure whispered into Mulan's ear as it dispersed into darkness. Mulan dropped the dagger to clutch her wound. She could feel the blood spreading everywhere as she dropped to the floor. Adrenaline pumping through her veins everywhere. Mulan knew there was nothing she could do at this point. She had no first aid kit. Less could she cry out for help when she had no idea where she was. When Mulan slowly succumbed to her tiredness and let herself fall to the darkness, she heard two voices. One was faint and the other was overpowering, booming against her ears. Her eyes fell shut with the latter's message ingrained in her mind.
Free your monster within.