June 27th (Day 2, Night)

Shang sits on the bed with his elbows on his knees and his chin lain over his crossed fingers, deep in thought as the darkness surrounds him. She will tell you when she's ready. "Tell me what? I already know Ping isn't real. What else could she have to tell me?" He stands, defeated, and walks out of the room. He travels down the hall to the training room, but when he realizes he doesn't have his sword he journeys back. Shang walks into the guestroom and is surprised to see Grandmother Fa holding his sword horizontally in her hands.

"Looking for this." Shang doesn't respond, so she slices the air with it. "You know, I was pretty good at handling a sword in my day." She places it in her hands again before holding it up and out. "It's a little heavier than I remember, but I think I could still take you if I had the chance." Shang comes nearer in hopes of taking the sword back, but Grandmother Fa holds it vertically up before pointing it slightly towards him. "Don't underestimate my grandson again."

"What?" I thought he was a she.

"My granddaughter, Mulan. Don't underestimate her again."

Shang slightly laughs through the embarrassment, but then he realizes she's still holding the sword. He pretends to clear his throat, "Don't worry. I won't underestimate her again."

She tilts the sword back to its horizontal position before handing it back to him, "Good, because if I see my grandson cry again it will be your head." She begins to stride away.

What? "That wasn't even my fault."

"We have to blame someone." She exits the room.

Shang places a hand to his head, trying to clear his thoughts, before he exits the room with the sword. He walks into the training room and sees Fa Zhou. What is he doing in here? He has a cane. He can't fight anymore.

Fa Zhou moves closer, "I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

Fa Zhou has his cane out in front with both hands placed over it. "Do you have feelings for Ping?" Shang is shocked by this and almost says no, until he remembers Ping is Mulan— a woman.

"I don't know." He uncomfortably scratches the side of his face. "I don't know him— her— well enough yet." Why does everyone keep calling her Ping?

Fa Zhou steps forward, his eyes stern. "If you do, then don't give her hope. She needs a real man, not just some confused soul pretending to be one."

Shang shakes his head adamantly and opens his mouth to defend himself, but when his eyes open he finds Mulan's father had already disappeared. Is everyone in this family crazy? Shang steps out into the hall once again, so he can go back to the guestroom and sleep but then is stopped by Fa Li.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

"What do you mean?" What does any of this mean?

"Mulan isn't a proper woman. She brings dishonor to this house nearly every day. If you marry her, just know you will have an imperfect wife."

Shang shakes his head, "That doesn't matter to me."

Fa Li takes a judging breath, "Well, it should." and walks away.

Shang stands still for a few minutes as he tries to calm down and clear through his thoughts. When he enters the guestroom again he sees a figure. He steps closer, "Who are you?"

"It's me." Hearing the voice relaxes Shang, and he puts down the sword.

"What are you doing in here?" He reaches the center of the room.

"I had a question for you."

"What is it?"

The figure separates into two beings, "Who is real?" On Shang's right is Mulan, and on his left is Ping. It doesn't take long for Shang to walk up to Mulan.

"You. You're real." He touches her sad face, but it is intangible and when a tear falls to her cheek she disappears.

"I thought you knew me better." Shang turns around to see the tear mimicked on Ping's face.

Ping turns around to leave, but Shang yells, "Wait. I— I love you."

Ping stands sturdy and attempts to strongly comment, "You can't love someone who isn't real." but his voice cracks towards the end, forcing him to run out to avoid further fault and embarrassment.

Shang looks down to the floor in shame. I should have known. When he looks back up he's surprised to see Grandmother Fa standing with the sword.

"I told you not to make my grandson cry." She walks closer.

Shang takes a few steps back, "I— I didn't mean to. I thought he was a she."

The grandmother nods as she comes closer, "I told you she would tell you when she was ready. Now, he has told you, but you underestimated him."

Shang holds up his arms and sees the sword slash through the air, before he wakes up in bed. He pants in worry and confusion, but once he realizes it was only a dream he calms down a bit. He stands from the bed and takes out his sword before heading to the training room. He walks in, surprised. "Ping?" He shakes his head, "Mulan. What are you doing in here?"

Mulan rubs her neck uncomfortably, "Training." She gives an awkward smile.

Shang wonders why she's wearing not only the training-robe but also the male hairstyle, however he ignores it. "You're injured. You shouldn't even be in here. What if someone sees you?"

"I don't care what anyone thinks anymore." It was a lie, but she knows that she's not going to be able to stop being herself just because of that. "Why are you awake so early?"

"I just didn't sleep well." That was one messed up nightmare.

Mulan smirks, "Let me guess, bad dreams?"

Shang partly smiles, "You could say that."

Mulan's smirk falters, "Well. You know." before she leans on the bamboo staff. "Just pour some tea on it and everything will be fine."

Shang watches as Mulan's eyes roll to the ceiling in irritation, "You're still upset about that."

She straightens up, "Well, it wouldn't be a problem— I mean, I'm still irritated that my mother almost convinced Father that it was actually working, just because I was being quiet and calm like a good girl should be— but with the war and everything, I'm just waiting for it to be brought back up. You know what they say: if it doesn't work, then try, try again." She looks at the floor, "And since the war happened, I just know Father might be willing to give it another chance." She shuts her eyes briefly, as she brings a hand up in acknowledgement, "Sorry, if I'm a little emotional. I'm kind of exhausted."

"Did you have a nightmare too?" Shang asks with slight concern.

She looks away for a moment, "Yeah. I did." before gazing back at him with a certain lack of emotion. "What was yours about?"

Shang laughs off the memory, "You know, I don't really remember."

Mulan stares blankly, "Yeah. Neither do I."

Shang takes a step forward, "You know, my offer still stands."

Mulan shakes her head, "What offer exactly?"

"The one I made after you told me you were left-handed, that if you need to confide in someone I'm here for you. You can tell me anything."

Mulan takes a tired breath, "Weren't we already kind of doing that?"

Shang takes another step, "Well, no offense, but considering the circumstances something tells me I got more out of it than you did."

"Oh! Circumstances," Mulan leans on the pole again, this time with a wide smile. "Tell me General, what circumstances are we talking about here?" Shang places a hand on the back of his neck, trying and failing to come up with anything that wouldn't be potentially lies, offensive, or both. Mulan takes a step forward, "Is this the part where you tell me that I deceived you, that I made everyone look like fools." She laughs, "Because I was under the impression that aside from my name and sex that I had been relatively honest— no." She takes another small step forward, "I was more than honest." and continues making those steps. "The tea thing was true. My father's disappointment in me was true. Even the very personal discomfort I felt over my body." She prods Shang's chest with the end of the stick, "It was all true." Now only inches apart, she sees Shang smile. "What?"

You're cute when you're angry. He removes the pole from his chest, "You're right. If all of those things are true, then you were more honest than you needed to be. Which raises a question." He places his other hand over where Mulan's still remains on the training tool, "Is Ping or Mulan more real?"

Mulan slips her hand off of the tool and out of his grasp, before she takes a step back and turns away from him. She brings a hand to her other arm before timidly replying, "You've known me for three years. What do you think?"

"I only knew Ping."

"But this Ping," she twists back around, "did he seem real to you?"

Shang softly answers, "You know he was."

She looks down as she twists her sleeves, "And Mulan." She looks back up to see his expression, "What do you think of her?"

Shang takes a moment to think about the small amount of time he's known Mulan and what his impression of her had been, but he can't help but find it a little odd. "It's just really odd," he lets slip. He looks over his soldier, "When I look at you all I can still see is Ping."

"Well, I am wearing the attire," Mulan surmises.

"No. It's not just that," Shang comments confidently with a step forward. "It's everything. You're still the same: you have the same personality, and you have the same thoughts." He takes another step forward, "You are the same person, and as far as I'm concerned that's a good thing."

Mulan mumbles, "My mother would disagree."

"I don't care what your mother thinks," Shang nearly yells, but then he closes his for a moment as his head bends down to the side. "And it doesn't matter what I think either." He looks back at her, "Only you can know who you truly are."

"No," Mulan softly disagrees. "It doesn't matter what I think." She attempts to smile, as she feels tears begin to sting her eyes, "I have duties. I am to be married, and even if it means possibly living a life of lies, I am still obligated to do it."

"You shouldn't have to," Shang stresses.

"But unless I wish my family to be homeless, then I must." Mulan sees his confusion, "You may still only see me as Ping, but legally I am no man. I can't own property. I must be married."

Shang hesitates, "I know women are typically married young and that your family must be pressuring you to do it as soon as possible, but your father is still relatively young. You still have time. Can't you just wait a little longer, just so you can find someone who understands and is okay with you?"

Mulan widens her eyes, "And who exactly could possibly be okay with this."

Shang watches Mulan gesture to her apparel. I would be. He opens his mouth to speak, but it takes a minute for him to whisper, "Someone. Someone has to be."

"Even if there were someone," Mulan looks away in agitation before taking a slow, deep breath. "There is no time." She looks back at Shang, "Whoever I marry, it has to be sooner rather than later."

Shang shakes his head, still seemingly confused, "But your father—"

"My father is ill," Mulan interrupts.

"What?" Shang questions.

Mulan feels her eyes become warm, "He's ill. He's been ill. You didn't notice?"

Shang bypasses the question, knowing that he probably should have known. There had to have been signs, but Fa Zhou is a legend. He couldn't possibly have been sick, but then again any warrior is still only human. "How long?"

Mulan blinks, "It had gotten worse right before I took his place." and then she feels a couple tears fall to her cheeks. She wipes them away with her sleeves, "I was afraid he wouldn't survive long if he went. I was afraid that if he didn't, then I wouldn't be married in time to take care of our family."

Shang unsurely asks, "How much longer does he have?"

Mulan shakes her head, "I don't know, Shang. It could be a year. It could be another three, but I really don't know. He doesn't seem any worse than before, but then again I didn't ask." She takes an unsteady breath, "All I know is that the tea he has been ordered to drink, it's only meant to reduce pain. No one talks about it, but we all know it's not going to make him any better."

Shang places a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry."

Mulan gulps, "So am I. I wish I could do something, anything, but there's nothing I can do. I'm nothing but a failure."

"No," Shang calmly states, before Mulan looks back up at him. "You are strong and smart."

Mulan solemnly smiles, "It doesn't matter how strong or smart I am if I can't save my family."

It takes a moment for Shang to respond, "You can worry about your family later. For now, let's just get you out of here. You're still injured."

Mulan lets out a small breath, "Right." before she allows Shang to guide her out of the room.

- So, a lot changed after editing. I added so much actually that I wouldn't be surprised to find errors, but if there are then they can be found when I edit it again later. Hopefully the next edit will be the last one, taking place after the story's actually finished. Anyway, changes include a longer scene, where in this version Mulan mentions that her father is ill, it's established that they've spoken to each other about each other's issues before (so they aren't just strangers), and Shang isn't confused about Mulan although he may still be confused about himself and his feelings. In the earlier version he couldn't wrap his mind around her dressing as a guy even though she's physically female, but as that no longer correlates with where the story went about 30 chapters from now and since there seemed to be little progression in that regard it seemed more realistic for him to just still see Mulan as Ping, as that's who he knew them as for a full three years.

- Also, if someone finds it confusing that Mulan's reasons for going to the war seem to change, it is possible to have more than one reason for doing something. Actually, having multiple reasons for doing something risky makes it more likely for someone to take that risk. So, in the end it is possible that she went because she wanted to keep her father alive, her family off the streets, and also because of some subconscious desire to go fight in her father's place as any other son would have done for their ill, weak, or elderly father. Let's just take a moment and be thankful that Mulan was so horrible at being the traditional bride and "proper" woman/wife, because if she had been engaged then she may not have been able to go to war even if she wanted to.