We are now at a scene that has recently been running through my head. Let us see how well it goes.
Disclaimer: And I still have no ownership over Mulan.
Here the Chapter Starts
This was something she really missed. Tubs are nice and all, but she couldn't really move in them comfortably. A hot spring would be better, but this still felt nice.
"Alright, now get out of there before you get all pruny," Mushu said, holding a towel up while also using his ears to keep his eyes covered for her modesty.
"Mushu, if you are so paranoid, go stand watch," she told him as she started to wipe down her limbs.
The dragon muttered in annoyance, mockingly sashaying over to the cricket with the towel over his shoulders. She smiled slightly and shook her head, ducking underwater just long enough to get her hair wet then came back to the surface. Once she broke the water, though, she could hear excited whooping.
Sharply turning towards the sound, she hid as much as possible underwater as Yao and Ling jumped in. Chien Po dipped his toe in the water first then walked backwards in order to jump into the water. His massive size resulted in a small wave that picked the other two up.
Not that she hasn't bathed with men before, but these men discovering her real gender could result in her untimely death. That wasn't exactly something she was looking forward to. So she tried to discreetly make her way to the nearby boulder and hoped that she wouldn't be noticed when she leaves. The water is barely murky, and only so deep. They could still see something that they shouldn't, or not see something that they believe should be there.
"Hey, Ping!" one called out, spotting her before she could make it to her cover.
She swore under her breath before planting a fake smile on her lips. "Hey, guys! I didn't think anyone would come out here this late," she said, trying to keep her voice deep. "I just finished anyway, so I'm going to go. See ya!"
"Come back here a second," Ling called out as he did a backstroke towards her. "I know we were jerks to you before, so let's start over." He held his hand out and said in a charming voice, "Hi, I'm Ling."
"Hello, Ling," Mulan accepted, shaking his hand before feeling the massive soldier behind her.
Looking up, she stifled a snicker at seeing a lily pad on his head like a hat. "And I'm Chien Po."
"Nice to meet you, Chien Po," she said, lowering more into the water.
"And I'm Yao!" The loud proclamation made the three look up. Mulan had seen naked men before, but this was still a bit of a shock since she wasn't expecting the stout warrior to be standing on the boulder she was trying to hide behind a moment ago. "King of the Rock! And there's nothing you sissies can do about it."
"Oh yeah? Well I bet Ping and I can take you!" Ling challenged, getting into a fighting stance and bumping Mulan with his elbow.
"I don't feel like it right now," Mulan deflected.
"But Ping, we have to fight!" the skinny soldier exclaimed in disbelief.
"No, we don't," she returned firmly. "Besides, fighting now means being sore for training tomorrow."
"He has a point," Chien Po supported.
"You're both wimps!" Yao declared as he jumped back into the water. Unfortunately, the water is deeper than Yao is tall, so he submerged completely and Mulan wasn't fast enough to hide her body. Nor was Mushu quick enough to distract the man from jumping, if the terrified look he directed to her was any indication. Yao popped back to the surface in shock then sputtered out, "You're a girl?!"
"What?" the other two asked in disbelief.
"Shh!" Mulan hissed, covering Yao's mouth before he could speak again. She can already hear another group of men coming, so she needs to get out now. "If you promise to stay quiet, I can explain. But I cannot stay here because more of the guys are coming!"
"Then get out of here, we'll meet you by your tent," Ling told her, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder.
"We won't say anything," Chien Po promised with a solemn nod.
Giving them a silent thanks, she made her way to the water, calling Khan over to act as her cover until she managed to wrap a towel around herself. Feeling a tug on it, she looked down.
"I'm sorry, Mulan," he apologized as Cri-Kee chirred sadly beside him. "I tried to distract him before he jumped, but I'm just too slow…"
"Don't worry," she reassured, picking him up and placing him on her shoulder. "Even if they try something, I can get away from them and out of here easily enough. And now I have a general idea of where to find Shan." A sigh slipped out of her as she gazed over her other shoulder where the cricket sat. "If they do talk and I end up getting killed, Shan will know about it soon enough and nothing will stop him."
"You're really sure this guy loves you that much?" he asked, not skeptical but somewhat hopeful. Even if he doesn't get his job as a guardian back, at least his girl will be with someone that actually loves her right.
"Yeah," she answered with a small smile.
Here is a line!
By the time the trio of men arrived, she was dry enough to put on a tunic and kept the towel around her head for her still wet hair. Deciding the tent was too small for all of them, Mulan sat outside with the three, her back to her tent so that Mushu could remain hidden yet still be close.
"Right, so… sorry about earlier," Yao started, rubbing the back of his head as he blushed in embarrassment.
"You're fine," she reassured him, ignoring Mushu's muttering about indecent exposure. "Trust me, I've seen naked men before. I just wasn't expecting you to be standing on the rock like that."
"I would ask, but I have a better question for you," Ling interjected, placing his hands on his knees as he leaned forward. "What are you doing here? If the captain finds out, he'll kill you!"
She sighed, trying to decide how much she should tell them. Figuring that one truth would be much better than the other one, she settled her mind. "When the conscription notices came, it was supposed to be one man from every household to fight. The only man in my home is my father, Fa Zhou. But a few years ago, he got injured while fighting a tribe of Huns, and it gave him a permanent handicap." When Shan gets mad enough, he usually aims to kill. Fa Zhou is tougher than he lets on.
Taking a deep breath, she continued. "He can walk without the use of his cane, but he limps and he can only move so much. Otherwise, he has to have it. If he came here, he would have been discharged because of his handicap, which would dishonor us, or because he's so proud, he would have gone with General Li to the front. The first battle against the Huns, he'll be killed.
"I took the notice and disguised myself as his son so that he would not get killed during this war. Even if I am found, at least my father will be safe."
The three looked at her with awe and surprise. "But your father would be greatly distraught if you were discovered," Chien Po pointed out.
"And not only would you get killed for impersonating a soldier, but your whole family gets dishonored," Yao added on solemnly.
"Which is why we need to keep our lips sealed," Ling adamantly decided, crossing his arms with a huff. The others looked at him with wide eyes. "What? Come on! She's not doing this just to be here! She's doing this to save her father! What, we should just blab to the captain that Ping is a woman because of that?"
Mulan snickered behind her hand humorously as the other two men looked to each other and then to Ling before nodding sharply in agreement.
"Your secret is safe with us!" Yao assured.
"We won't tell," Chien Po promised.
"Thanks, you guys," she said with a smile.
"There is something else bothering me, though," Ling stated, looking over Mulan curiously. "Call it instinct or whatever. But I feel like there is more going on here than what you're saying. I mean, I believe you on the whole 'saving your father' thing. It just seems like there is more."
Well, she could spare a little bit of the other truth, but just enough that they won't questions much. "You're right," she sighed in defeat, shushing the dragon over her shoulder when he tried to warn her against saying anything until they call their lawyer. "I was kidnapped by Huns when I was nine years old. The injury that crippled my father was received while he rescued me from them."
"So you're also getting some revenge," Yao noted before rolling his shoulders and smirking. "Well, I can't blame you for that one."
"They didn't… um…" Chien Po rubbed his head, trying to figure out how to ask the question without blurting it out rudely.
"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I was taken to a tribe that, thankfully, greatly disliked rape. Hell, they've killed others because of it."
"We'll still keep quiet," Ling reassured with a smile as he got to his feet. "But we better get back to our tents before the captain sees us all around here and decides he should make sure we're not causing trouble." The other two men agreed with a groan, but stood to follow him.
"Thanks again, guys," she said, getting to her feet as well and giving each a hug. "I'll see you bright and early."
Mushu watched them leave without much fuss, but something was making his scales itch. "Hey, Mulan!" he called out, earning her attention. "I'm going to follow them just to be sure they don't say anything."
"Got it," she accepted with a sighed, climbing onto her bedroll. "I'm going to try and get some sleep. Wake me if someone's coming."
"Always, baby girl!" the dragon swore with a salute before slipping underneath the side of the tent.
Here is a line!
It was only a few days to wait, and the men were getting restless. But upon seeing another platoon of soldiers arrive, it was decided among the army that Shan-Yu did make a wise choice. If they charged as soon as they arrived, this other army would have been right behind them, tracking them down and making things a bit more difficult. Sending Hayabusa to track along the worn path the Imperials marched showed no more would be coming their way.
"So, it is decided then," Ulagchi said, tearing off a bit of meat from the deer that was brought in.
"First thing in the morning," Shan-Yu replied as he scratched his falcon's chest. Hayabusa stretched his wings out at the act, head tilting back to free more space for the finger to rub.
"About time!" Batu spat with a kick at the rocks circling the fire.
"You will get your vengeance, Batu," Husun pointed out calmly. "You couldn't have doubted that."
"I don't," the archer sharply replied. "I am just impatient."
Shan-Yu hummed in thought, gazing into the fire before a wicked grin came to his face. It really was unfair to make his best friend wait so long to avenge his murdered mother. Chuluun deserves a chance to repay the murderer as well. Jaliqai should, too, but due to certain events, she wasn't able to come along for this war. Really, the whole family should make an event of it.
"I have a better idea," he announced. "Capture that General." Batu snapped a glare his way, lips pulled back in a snarl. But before he could argue, the warlord added, "Killing him too quickly means he gets off too easy. A crime like the one he committed deserves a fitting punishment. Don't you agree, Batu?"
The skinnier man chuckled under his breath, returning the grin on the other's face with his own feral smile. "Yes, I believe so." His whole body trembled in anticipation. "I can't wait!"
"Make sure to take Chuluun with you once we capture him," Shan-Yu advised. "He should have his fair share, too."
"Too bad Jaliqai isn't here," Husun chuckled lowly, using a stick to poke the fire in order to keep it going.
"Isn't it your fault that she isn't here?" Jungsai inquired teasingly.
"Well, we didn't know that Shan-Yu was going to be starting a war this soon," the longhaired man huffed. "Otherwise we would have waited before having a baby."
"Oh, don't worry!" Nogai laughed, shoving the other man. "I'm sure we can bring back something as a present for her!"
"The General's head would be nice," Batu commented blandly.
"We shall see how it goes," Shan-Yu interrupted. "In the morning."
Here is a line!
The announcement the following day was both surprising and suspicious. Mostly suspicious to Mulan, since her dragon guardian was looking quite proud of himself considering all he was supposed to do last night was make sure the trio of men didn't say anything about her gender. Yet it was still something the men were both excited for, and scared of.
Tents were packed in a hurry, armor donned, and weapons strapped to their waists. Since the only person that is supposed to have a horse is the captain, and Chifu because the man is just that entitled, Khan was strapped to the cart hauling the cannons. She did apologize to her steed for his burden, knowing her stallion would much rather be carrying her into a battle. Khan seemed willing to do this job.
The front line was quite a distance away. And unlike the army that General Li had led, they are on foot instead of horseback. Meaning it was taking longer for them to get there than it did the General.
Some of the men grumbled and complained. She rolled her eyes and shook her head at their fuss. Even though she was out of practice, her body seemed to remember the long walks and rides during her time with Shan-Yu and the others. Meals were mostly provisions that were packed away before they left, but she still went out and hunted some real meat or a group fished from a nearby stream.
After three days of travel, Ling had an idea to distract the rest of the men from their frustrations. He started talking about what kind of girl he would fight for, which led to Yao saying his type. Chien Po was the only one that said he didn't care for looks or clothes, but cooking skill. Reasonable, she supposed. The conversation went on for hours, Chifu even throwing in the fact that he has a girl of his own. Yao muttered that it was probably his mother, which the advisor did hear. The only one that stayed out of it was Shang.
Someone asked her what kind of girl 'he' would fight for. She replied that she prefers someone that has a brain and always speaks their mind. That seemed to confuse a lot of the men, but the trio that knew her secret snickered behind their hands.
It was a topic that seemed to lift their spirits until, a couple days later, they came across a gruesome scene. The village where they were to meet the general was burned. Nothing left but stone and framework.
"Search for survivors!" the captain ordered. The men started to separate, looking through the burnt village to try and find someone still alive.
Mulan, however, was looking for both clues and potential survivors. From the prints in exposed dirt, there are many men in the Hun army, more than likely all on horseback. Some prints led from the village, petite and small pairs running from the place. She followed the trail, seeing horse prints following them as well. But eventually, the rider turned their horse back.
Searching for any bodies yielded only the finding of a small doll, spared of ash and burns. Meaning it was probably dropped after the survivors came back to see their dead.
When she found it, Shang came up from behind her. "I don't understand," the captain said lowly. "My father should have been here."
"Captain!"
They looked up to see Chifu on the top of a small hill, pointing downwards with horror on his face. Shang marched up towards him only to freeze in place at the sight below. Men and horses slain, left to rot or be picked at by scavengers of the mountain. Wagons broken to splintering boards. Flags ripped and burnt.
The screech of a bird snatched Mulan's attention from the battlefield, as well as some of the jumpier soldiers. Her eyes widened upon seeing Hayabusa perched on the burnt windowsill of what was once a hut. Seeing her, the bird chirped curiously, head tilting sideways before his eyes glowed as he flapped his wings a couple times. One day, she is going to sit Shan down and have him explain how this eye thing works between them.
Shang grabbed a bow and notched an arrow, aiming for the bird in anger. Hayabusa took off before the arrow could hit him, but stayed in the same area. He wants them to see something, or Shan-Yu is looking through his glowing eyes. Either case is possible, in Mulan's opinion.
"Wait!" she said, holding a hand out as she approached the falcon, acting cautious so that she wouldn't raise suspicion. When she was nearly to the house, Hayabusa's eyes stopped glowing and he flew off, more than likely heading back to his master. "Captain…" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Don't come over here," she found herself saying.
She knows when angered, the Huns are capable of massive destruction and unlimited brutality. Such anger was what labeled them as barbarians by the more 'civilized' people. But this was more than just being angry. This was a strike for revenge.
Despite her advice, Shang came up to her side, as did the other soldiers. She could hear Chien Po gasp in shock, Ling whimper to withhold his shocked cry, and Yao trying not to throw up at the sight. Shang was silent, eyes wide and mouth agape.
Placed inside the burnt hut was the corpse of General Li, identifiable only by the helmet that he wore and the red cape fitting of his rank. His armor was stripped and thrown about. His body cut everywhere, rending his clothing bloodstained. Arrows pierced his body, none of them as kill shots. If anything, the wound that was most probably what killed him was the massive gash across his stomach spilling his intestines on the snow-covered ground. Across his eyes was a deep wound that would have rendered him blind for the rest of his life, if he was still alive. And his face was burnt badly enough for his skin to peel back and his head scalped.
They wanted him to suffer, to die painfully. Animals being hunted for food or because they were diseased were granted more mercy than this. He wasn't even killed in this spot, or the fire would have charred more than his face. He was killed somewhere else then placed here to be found.
Closing her eyes, she could see the cairn built around the burnt bodies of the Elk Tribe. A mournful sight meant to show that they are no more and to give others a place to grieve, should they wish to do so. Then the body of the Imperial solider that attacked her hanging above what was left of the sacred elk. A message to tell who was responsible and why it happened.
This wasn't placed here just to torment.
It was placed here as a warning.
A threat.
A promise.
Here the Chapter Ends
So supposedly, the reason Chien Po brought back the helmet, considering how strong that guy is, is because the state of the general's body was too much. It was so bad that it was not safe to show in a kid's movie. Well, I hope this lived up to that expectation.
Next chapter, we finally enter the Pass. Shan-Yu and Mulan reunite! How will this go, I wonder? We'll see, because I have a million different versions running through my head right now.
Let me know what you guys think! ^^
Also, to those of you who received a notification the story has update and couldn't find chapter 10, I apologize. I have no clue what happened. Usually FanFiction gives me a hard time when posting because my computer doesn't think I'm administration. Weirdo. Anyway, it may be because of how the file was located, I'm not sure, but hopefully this one posts just fine.