A/N: Hey there folks, MCN here coming at you with the next chapter of Reconnect! It's been a little while since I last updated, not my longest hiatus by far, but still a hot minute. Anyway, I have an announcement to make, this story now has a BETA READER! He is another author on this site by the username of Dragonexx, he actually has a story published here and on the Spacebattles forums that has a very similar premise to this one, it goes by the name of "Keys to the Contract", check it out if you haven't already, I highly recommend it. Well, without further ado, let's get to the chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Beta Reader: Dragonexx
Between Duty and Heart
Darkness swirled around her, or perhaps around the city itself, she didn't know nor care.
Homura was sat up on her little hill overlooking the city, boredom her greatest adversary as she reconstructed Mitakihara for what felt like the hundredth time. It was strange really, every time she took it apart and reassembled it the city always looked just slightly different from the time before, certain details being added or removed as she recalled them. To think that the years she had spent traversing this one city in a hopeless quest to rescue a single girl didn't give her the knowledge to perfectly recreate it on the first try. Perhaps that was why Madoka had left. Apparently Homura's intricately constructed facsimile of the life Madoka had as a human paled in comparison to the adventures she dreamed about; of the memories of a boy wielding a key shaped sword and traveling parallel worlds to fight creatures of pure darkness.
The devilish girl let out a frustrated sigh. Honestly, the whole thing was absolutely ridiculous, even by the standards of her alien-magic filled life, but she knew that the Incubator would never make up such an outrageous lie when asked an honest question; lies of omission perhaps, but never outright falsehoods. It irritated her to no end how highly they thought of themselves for that little technicality.
The ground tore asunder as Homura began resetting her little puzzle, only to suddenly stop, leaving the buildings hanging in the air as she heard a portal of darkness pop into existence behind her. Standing so fast that her chair fell out from under her, her heart pounded in her chest as she watched her minions file out of the black vortex. However, the adrenaline immediately ceased when she failed to find a head of bright pink hair among the new arrivals, leaving only frustration and disappointment. She took in the scene of Miki Sayaka carrying an unconscious Momoe Nagisa on her shoulder, turning her gaze to one of the Clara Dolls that seemed to cower at the attention.
"What happened?" Her voice was flat and emotionless, for in truth she didn't really care for the specifics. They had failed to bring Madoka home, plain and simple. Still, she listened to the Clara Doll regale the events to her, only mildly surprised by the explanation. "…I see."
"It really isn't surprising that Kaname Madoka would resist." Homura glowered down to where Kyubey sat on the grass. "Humans tend to become defensive once they discover that they have been deceived."
"I suppose you would know that better than anyone." Homura spat back bitterly.
"Regardless, it's a real shame that your countermeasure proved ineffective." Homura's fists tightened in frustration.
She was dealing with a rather delicate issue. At that very moment Madoka was somewhere out there, alone in a parallel world, wielding a weapon that attracted dangerous monsters to her wherever she went; the last thing she wanted was to give her more enemies to fight. That was why she had sent Nagisa and the others; if it were just the Clara Dolls, Madoka would have no doubt tried to fight them off, but she had hoped that if she were confronted by a familiar face, someone she considered a friend, then she could have been persuaded to return peacefully, or at least be unwilling to put up a fight.
A cold shiver ran down Homura's spine as a memory came to the forefront of her mind. The image of Tomoe Mami's lifeless body sprawled on the ground, while a horrified Madoka cried over her, having just killed her friend to protect another.
"…Why must I keep breaking my promises to her?" She cursed under her breath.
Homura didn't want Madoka to have to fight anyone, but especially not her friends. But what other choice was there?
She took a deep breath to center herself before looking up at Sayaka with a cold, indifferent glare.
"Set her down." She ordered. The blunette did as she was told, carefully laying Nagisa's unconscious body onto the soft grass of the hill.
Homura looked her over, as expected there were no physical injuries, but the clouding of her Soul Gem, that she had forced off her finger and into its true form, told her that the fight had taken its toll. With an annoyed sigh, she waved her hand over the crystal, making four little black blocks appear around it. The blackness that had tainted the Soul Gem flowed out in a black mist and was safely consumed by the Grief Cubes. She returned the now purified Soul Gem to Nagisa's finger, and yet she still remained asleep, trapped within her own subconscious.
"You're not sending her back out?" Kyubey asked with a curious tilt of its head.
"There's no point," Homura asserted. "Madoka has already proven herself willing and able to defeat her, and she'll only be getting stronger the longer she remains away from here, isn't that right?" She peered back at the Incubator from over her shoulder.
"I'm afraid so, such is the nature of the Keyblade." Kyubey stated. "The hearts of sentient creatures are capable of producing tremendous amounts of emotional energy, and the Keyblade is able to channel that energy into tangible power, with the only limiting factors being the wielder's experience and stamina. Unfortunately, the Magical Girl system is, by design, unable to keep up with such progression."
"You really love hearing yourself talk, don't you?" Homura jabbed, irritated that the creature felt the need to repeat the information she had already been given.
"I'm simply demonstrating that I understand your reasoning, Akemi Homura." Kyubey defended matter of factly. "Even if Momoe Nagisa were to come across Kaname Madoka again, she wouldn't be able to stand against her, let alone capture her."
"Precisely, all she can offer now is an extra set of eyes in the search, hardly worth the effort to keep her conditioned with how much ground there is to cover." Homura stated, sparing the sleeping girl a disappointed glare. "She's useless to me now."
With a casual wave of her hand Nagisa's body was sent flying up into the air, joining a literal cloud of other unconscious people, floating lazily above the city. Homura, unwilling to maintain some sense of normalcy in the world for their benefit, had simply put them to sleep; leaving them completely unaware of the sorry state their home was in. Her gaze fell back on Sayaka, the blunette's eyes having followed Nagisa's body up to the cloud of sleeping civilians and stayed there. In a moment of a panic, Homura stepped forward and grabbed Sayaka by her cumbersome mask, forcing the blunette to look back at the devil, her anxieties calming, as her blue eyes remained cold and lifeless.
With a relieved sigh, she let go of the mask, Sayaka standing back up straight and at attention.
"Return to the search, and remember, only intervene when it is absolutely necessary." Homura ordered, a scowl on her face.
Sayaka said nothing, gave no form of reply at all, before she turned her back to the devil and marched forward, a corridor of darkness summoned by her Clara Doll companions. Homura couldn't help the satisfied smirk that appeared on her face as she watched Sayaka leave. Finally, at long last, the girl was doing as Homura wished.
The Devil then returned to her seat and began reconstructing Mitakihara City anew. It had to be perfect for when Madoka returned.
When Madoka first began to dream of Sora's memories they were always shrouded in a grainy static haze, like she was viewing them through an old television that didn't allow her to fully appreciate what she was seeing. Even as the memories became more vivid and comprehensible, the static persisted to some degree, but it was much more tolerable than it once had been. However, this time the static had descended upon one of her own memories, or at least, she thought it was one of her memories. It was a scene that she recognized, Madoka meeting up with her friends on their way to school, apologizing for being late. Sayaka teased her as always, but rather than be teased in return by Kyoko, a third, different girl simply greeted Madoka with a polite smile.
'Huh? Hitomi-chan? When did we ever… walk to school with her?' Madoka considered Shizuki Hitomi a friend, but she always walked to and from school with Kamijou Kyousuke, her boyfriend at the time. Not only that, but Kyoko was nowhere to be seen; her absence should have made the scene unrecognizable, and yet… it felt natural, like there was nothing truly out of place.
The scene suddenly flashed to their classroom, or rather their old classroom, the one they used when they were second years in Saotome Kazuko's homeroom. Except, she noticed something was amiss as their teacher ranted; Madoka was sitting in the wrong seat, placed near the center of the class next to Sayaka and Hitomi, rather than upfront next to Nakazawa like she had been in that class.
Now that that's out of the way… let's welcome our new transfer student…
'Transfer student? Aren't I the transfer student? Nobody transferred in after I did… did they?'
Come on in now… Ak…
The scene was cut off in a flash of violent static, giving Madoka no chance to ponder the strange inconsistencies in the memory. Suddenly, she, Sayaka, and Hitomi were now eating at a food court in the mall, the trio discussing something.
Madoka-san, are you sure you've never met… *static*… before?
Well… last night… I first met her in a dream… or something…
'A girl from my dreams? Kairi?' Madoka pondered. The only strange dreams she had ever had were Sora's memories, and the most significant girl from those memories was Sora's childhood friend Kairi. Still, somehow Madoka knew that wasn't the case.
Maybe you actually have met… *static*… somewhere before…
Isn't that a little far-fetched… I mean it's just a coincidence…
…I suppose…
Madoka noticed how she herself wasn't convinced with the dismissal, but before she could dwell on it, the scene changed again, now showing Madoka wandering around a strange, scary looking floor, equipment strewn about suggesting that it was under construction or maintenance.
Where are you…? Who are you…?
Help me…
The voice was in her head, thus she had no real way of following it to the source, forcing Madoka to nervously search around for anyone in need. Suddenly, a panel from the ceiling fell apart, dropping a… creature right in front of Madoka, its matted fur, deep red scars, and heavy breathing showing how injured it was.
Was that you...?
Help… me…
Once again, something else came down from the hole in the ceiling, the loud sound of chains rattling startling Madoka before she looked up at the new arrival, her eyes going wide in surprise.
Ho… *static*
Get a… *static*… from that thing… *static*
*static*
*static*
*static*
"Lass… Lass, wake up."
Madoka's eyes fluttered open as Scrooge lightly shook her shoulder, rousing her from her peaceful sleep.
"Huh?"
"Sorry to interrupt yer snooze, but we've arrived at the next world." Scrooge informed her, gesturing out to the window.
Madoka followed his hand, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and sitting up straight to look at the world that the Gummi Ship was orbiting. From the Lanes Between, the world consisted of a large, oriental looking palace on top, with a small, more modest shrine on the bottom, the two halves separated by a rectangular plaque with what Madoka recognized as Chinese characters inscribed on it, topped off with an engraving of a golden dragon separating the two stanzas of writing.
"This is the world the gate I opened led us to?" Madoka asked.
"Aye, and if we're lucky, it's where we'll find Sora." Scrooge said as he put on his headset in preparation to send Madoka down to the world with Mini-Scrooge.
Madoka looked out pensively at the world they orbited, remembering the taunting way the Cheshire Cat had informed her that Sora wasn't in Wonderland. If the Keyblade could truly take her to the world where Sora resided by just wishing it, then why didn't it work the first time? Or, maybe it did work and Sora had been there, on another one of his journeys, but left before she could find him. Whatever the case, whether Sora was actually in this world or not, she now had to contend with the fact that one of her friends could be in that world too, brainwashed by Homura and looking to return her to Mitakihara City… by force if necessary.
"Madoka!" The pinkette flinched when Mini-Scrooge squawked her name into her ear. "I asked if ye were ready to go." Scrooge repeated himself.
"Oh, uh, right, yes I am." Madoka quickly replied, walking over to the warp point just as she had done before. Scrooge raised a knowing brow at her before turning back to the controls, activating the warp point and sending her and Mini-Scrooge off to the surface of the world.
Madoka stared in awe as she walked out of a thick bamboo forest, the sight of a far off palace beautifully illuminated by the light of the full moon.
"It's night time already?" Madoka said quizzically as she looked up at the star filled sky. "It was still midday when we left Wonderland, did I really sleep that long?"
"Not exactly lass," Mini-Scrooge replied from her shoulder. "The flow of time in any given world doesn't necessarily match up with all the others, it could be morning in one world and the dead of night in another. It really does a number on an adventurer's sleep schedule." He playfully griped, though Madoka seemed to not at all be looking forward to inter-dimensional jet lag. Even now, in the middle of the night, she was wide-awake, and she dreaded how tired she would be when the sun finally came over the horizon.
"So… should we go back to the Gummi Ship and wait for morning?" Madoka suggested, unsure of how well they would be able to search for Sora under the cover of night.
"Aye, not such a bad idea." Mini-Scrooge agreed, its robotic eyes glowing as it began to prepare the warp point.
"Fall back!" A voice rang through the thicket, followed by sounds of frantic footsteps and clanging metal.
"It's too late, we're surrounded." A second, much more feminine voice cried.
"Where did these things even come from anyway?" A third, gruff voice complained.
"Those voices…" Madoka said, recognizing each one.
"Sounds to me like the Heartless are afoot!" Mini-Scrooge declared.
'And where there's Heartless, they could be a Keyblade.' Madoka thought to herself before she and Scrooge rushed back through the bamboo in the direction of the skirmish.
Eventually, they came upon a countryside road, the light of the full moon allowing just enough visibility to see numerous Shadow Heartless surrounding a carriage, with five people trying to fend them off.
"Hold steady! Protect the carriage!" A tall muscular man barked the order as he swung his sword through an approaching Heartless.
His four companions answered not with words, but action, tightening their formation around the carriage and brandishing their swords against the enemy, slashing through Shadow after Shadow as the Heartless slowly encroached on them. However, such diligence proved to be their downfall, as none of them noticed the Heartless that appeared overhead. It was similar to the Red Nocturne and Blue Rhapsody, only it was colored with swirls of green and bluish white; the Emerald Blues. Before Madoka could warn them, the Emerald Blues summoned a huge gust of wind that blew the entire party in different directions, leaving them open to attack from the Heartless.
I'm Mulan… ehem, um, no, I-I mean…
…Ping…!
…Mulan Ping…?
"Mulan, look out!" Madoka cried as she summoned the Keyblade and charged into battle. She dashed towards the only female member of the party, a young woman with shoulder length black hair and sensible, green traveling attire, the woman Madoka recognized as Fa Mulan.
The moment she saw the Heartless move in on her, Mulan reached for her dropped sword in hopes to counter, but the creature was on her just before she could grasp the handle. Fortunately, Madoka was faster, slashing right through the Shadow before falling into a defensive stance, protecting the unarmed warrior. With her sword reclaimed, Mulan looked towards her savior, the only thing she could immediately make out in the darkness was the glimmering Keyblade.
"Sora?" She said, recognizing the unique weapon.
"Huh? Sora? Where?" Madoka looked around frantically, before turning around to give the warrior a good look at her.
"Oh, my mistake, I thought you were somebody else." Mulan apologized, nearly forgetting that they were in the midst of combat. However, they were soon reminded when the wind began to pick up, the two just barely managing to evade as the Emerald Blues flew passed them, four blades of magical wind orbiting around it.
"Slippery little punk! I'll teach ya to mess with China's greatest soldiers!" A short and stout man with a swollen eye bellowed before tossing his sword at the Heartless, only for it to float to the side and the weapon to impale a tree. "Wah oh…"
"You idiot! Now you don't have a sword!" A thin, pointed face soldier reprimanded the first as he and an oversized man took protective positions around the carriage.
"You won't be able to hold the line without a sword, Yao." The third soldier added as a Shadow that attempted to slam into him simply bounced off of his massive gut.
The man called Yao was clearly distraught, especially as he watched Mulan and Madoka struggle to keep their footing against a gust of wind. Yao looked back nervously at the carriage, his gaze meeting the eyes of another that peered out the window, and suddenly all of his apprehension disappeared.
"Ahh sword, shmord, I can take this guy down with my bare hands!" Yao declared as he rolled up his sleeves and charged.
"Yao, stop, it's too dangerous!" Mulan said as Yao bolted passed her, clearly not heading her warning. With an angry cry, Yao jumped at the Heartless, throwing his fist in its direction only to hit the air as it ducked under the punch. Yao tumbled to the ground, leaving him completely open for the Emerald Blues to retaliate with a blade of wind.
"Freeze!" Madoka chanted as she shot a blizzard spell at the floating Heartless. However, when the ice hit, it simply slid off the creature's body, falling to the ground completely melted and causing it no discomfort.
"Huh? What happened, why isn't it frozen?" Madoka asked, her Keyblade still pointed at the Heartless.
"Must be resistant to ice magic, lass." Mini-Scrooge posited, much to Madoka's dismay.
The Emerald Blues turned in Madoka's direction, the startled pinkette lowering into a defensive stance ready for a counter attack.
"Made ya look, sucker." Yao spoke, though the Heartless paid him no mind. That proved to be fatal as the soldier had reclaimed his sword from the tree and leaped off its wooden trunk, coming down at the Heartless with a mighty downward slash that finally managed to knock it out of the air. "Mulan!"
"I'm on it!" Mulan reacted immediately. Dashing forward, with Madoka on her heels, the two swordswomen slashed through the prone Heartless together, defeating it.
With the most troublesome threat out of the way, the rest of the Heartless were picked off with ease, the soldiers remaining on their toes for a few moments longer until they were certain that they were safe.
"Is everyone alright?" The muscular soldier inquired as he sheathed his sword.
"Sure we are! It's gonna take a lot more than that to bring down China's greatest and most honorable warriors." Yao boasted, his sword over his shoulder and flexing him muscles in the direction of the carriage.
"Not to mention the most humble." The thin soldier quipped, his oversized companion giving a short chuckle. Madoka also smiled with amusement at the sarcastic statement.
"Excuse me." Mulan said, pulling Madoka's attention away from the showboating Yao. "Thank you so much for your help, you really saved us back there." She said with a grateful bow.
"O-Oh, no, it was no big deal, you don't need to thank me." Madoka replied hesitantly.
"On the contrary, we may owe you our very lives." The muscular man in charge strode forward, his tone and face stern but with noticeable gratitude. "Without your aid, I can't say for sure if we could have made it out of that ambush unscathed. Please, tell us your name."
"Oh, I'm Kaname Madoka." She introduced herself.
"Then on behalf of the Imperial Army, you have my sincerest gratitude, Kaname Madoka. I'll be sure that the Emperor knows of your deeds this night."
Soldiers! Get back in line!
The Captain!
"Well, I'm just glad that you're all safe, but… you're welcome then, Captain Shang." Madoka politely accepted the gratitude.
"It's General now, actually." Mulan corrected. "General Li Shang of the Imperial Army." She said with pride, Shang himself clearing his throat bashfully.
"Yes, well, it's a new title, I understand no disrespect was intended." Shang quickly saved face, though that just seemed to amuse Mulan all the more. "Hold on, I don't think I introduced myself, how did you know my name?" Shang inquired curiously.
"Come to think of it, you knew my name too. Do we know each other?" Mulan added, Madoka quickly realizing her blunder.
"Uh, well…"
"Of course she knows you, you're the heroes that saved all of China!" The thin soldier boasted as he and the others approached.
"Betcha' she knows us too, ain't that right girlie?" Yao asserted, the three soldiers standing tall and proud before her.
Hey, a space in line…
I wonder what they're serving for lunch today…
Knuckle sandwiches…
Madoka took a reflexive step back, the eager smiles they wore a bit unfitting for the ruffians that assaulted Sora.
"Um… Yao, Ling, and Chien Po, right?" Madoka replied.
"See, we're famous!" Ling cheered.
"Our reputation precedes us." Chien Po added with a tranquil smile on his face.
"Actually, I know you all from… a friend." Madoka corrected, finding a chance drive the conversation towards her goal.
"A friend?" Shang parroted curiously.
"You mean Sora, don't you?" Mulan immediately deduced.
"Yes, exactly, he's told me all about you!" Madoka claimed.
"Oh yeah, that guy with the massive key." Yao recalled.
"I thought her weapon looked familiar." Chien Po admitted.
"You see I'm actually out here looking for Sora." Madoka explained. "You wouldn't happen to have seen him around, have you?" She asked hopefully.
Mulan held her chin in thought for a moment, but eventually she shook her head.
"No, sorry. The last time I saw him was after the war, and that was a while ago." Mulan lamented.
"I'm afraid I haven't seen him either." Shang replied as well, the other soldiers shaking their heads in agreement.
"Oh… ok." Madoka said, her face falling in disappointment.
"I'm sorry we couldn't help, we do owe you for saving us after all." Mulan apologized, looking rather guilty.
"No, it's ok, it's not your fault." Madoka insisted. "I guess I'll just have to keep looking."
"Well, thank you again for your assistance, and I wish you luck on your search." Shang offered before turning to address his men. "Soldiers, prepare to move out!" He ordered, the trio of soldiers shouting their agreement.
However, Mulan herself looked hesitant, looking between Shang and Madoka with a pensive look on her face.
"I'm sorry, but can you please wait just second?" Mulan quickly said to Madoka, preventing her from taking her leave. The pinkette nodded in agreement, if not in clear confusion, as Mulan rushed over to Shang's side.
"Mulan, I know what you're going to say, but the answer is no." Shang immediately refused her.
"Shang, you and I both know we're not equipped to fight off the Heartless, Madoka can help." Mulan argued.
"This mission is too important to entrust to a stranger we met on the side of the road." He shot back, his face and voice as stern as stone.
"She saved out lives, and she's friends with somebody we do trust." Mulan countered, not so easily faltering.
"Or so she claims." Shang remained resolute, shooting Madoka a weary glance over Mulan's shoulder.
Mulan let out a frustrated sigh, patience clearly wearing thin, but rather than throw it in his face she simply, gently, grabbed Shang's hand and softened her gaze.
"Shang, I know how important this mission is, and if we go alone, the Heartless will tear us shreds eventually." Shang remained quiet, unable to refute the point. "If you're not willing to trust her, then please, trust me."
She reached her other hand to a pendant she wore around her neck, in the shape of the white Yang symbol, prompting Shang to reach for a similar pendant he wore, his the black Yin symbol. He looked back to Madoka, and then back to Mulan, his features finally softening as he let out a defeated sigh.
"Alright." He said, earning a small smile from Mulan that he easily returned. The two of them then reproached Madoka, who waited patiently off to the side.
"Madoka, I know we're still indebted to you for saving us, but we need to ask another favor of you." Mulan said to her.
"What's that?"
"You see we are actually out here on a mission from the Emperor." Shang explained. "Mongol forces are approaching our boarders, and the Imperial Army is hopelessly out numbered. So, the Emperor has tasked us with the duty of escorting three princesses to the neighboring kingdom of Qui Gong, where they will marry Lord Qin's sons and secure an alliance so powerful that it will dissuade the Mongols from ever attacking." Shang gestured back to the carriage, where Madoka could see the Yao, Ling, and Chien Po making preparations as three pairs of eyes peaked out from a window.
"So… a political marriage?" Madoka simplified for herself to show she understood. It was a strange concept in her mind; sure arranged marriages hadn't completely disappeared in the modern age, but this sounded like something that would only happen in… well, imperial China.
"Exactly. We had brought so little men because we needed to remain undetected, become one with the countryside, but as you saw, that left us unprepared for the Heartless." Shang lamented.
"They haven't been much of a problem around here since the war ended, but this was the third time this night that they've attacked us." Mulan informed. "If we don't reach Qui Gong in two days time, the alliance will crumble, and at this rate, we may not even make it at all. So, if it isn't too much to ask, we would like you to come with us and help protect the princesses." She requested with a pleading look.
"I see." Madoka said as she began pondering.
She half expected Mini-Scrooge to hop onto her shoulder and just tell her the correct answer, but he remained hidden, his mechanical form most likely much too out of place to risk revealing to the locals. And so, the decision was entirely left up to Madoka, and despite her previous reservations for such a task, this time the answer came much more easily.
"Ok, count me in." Madoka replied with a smile.
"Really? Thank you so much!" Mulan exclaimed as she and Shang gave her a gracious bow.
"We are indebted to you yet again, be sure that the Emperor will hear of your service to this cause." Shang assured her.
"No, it's ok, I don't need a reward or anything." Madoka awkwardly declined. "I just… I'm glad that I can help, it's what Sora would do." She affirmed, Mulan and Shang looking more than satisfied with her response.
"General, all set to move out." Yao informed Shang.
"Excellent. Mulan, take Madoka to the carriage and introduce her to the princesses, she'll ride with them tonight." Shang instructed.
"Good idea, they're probably spooked after being constantly attacked, so hopefully seeing that we have some back up now will calm their nerves." Mulan stated, Shang nodding his approval before he strode back to his horse.
Mulan, Yao, and Madoka marched back to the carriage; Yao took his seat beside Ling on the front while Mulan led Madoka to the back. To be honest, she was rather nervous to meet these princesses, her previous brush with royalty wasn't exactly… pleasant, but she had already agreed to help, and so she would weather the storm.
"Are you alright, your Highnesses?" Mulan greeted respectfully as she opened the door to the carriage.
Sitting within were three women, each one sitting with perfect posture. Even with half their faces hidden behind folding fans, Madoka could tell that each one was incredibly beautiful, their hair done up expertly and what little skin she could see was absolutely flawless.
"Yes, Fa Mulan, there is no need for concern." The tallest princess, holding a purple fan, replied elegantly, her gaze completely neutral as to not reveal any emotion she may have truly been feeling in that moment.
"I'm relieved to hear it. Speaking of relief, allow me to introduce you to your newest bodyguard." Mulan stepped aside to allow Madoka to nervously step forward into view. "This is Kaname Madoka, she'll be coming along to help us protect you from the Heartless."
"Uh…" Madoka nearly froze as the princesses' stoic gazes turned towards her. "I-I-It's a pleasure to meet you, y-your Highnesses." She fumbled through a greeting as she gave them a deep bow.
"Oh no, the pleasure is all ours." The second princess behind a pink fan remarked, forcing Madoka to look up from her bow in surprise. "We saw your battle from the window, you are a rather capable warrior and fought with bravery and honor."
"Oh, um… Th-Thank you, your Highness." Madoka really wasn't used to receiving so much praise, but she didn't want to offend the royal by refusing it either.
"I am Princess Mei." The princess behind the pink fan introduced with a polite nod of the head.
"Princess Su." The princess behind the yellow fan continued.
"And I am Princess Ting-Ting. We leave our lives in your capable hands, Kaname Madoka." The tallest princess rounded off.
Madoka could only let out a concerned squeak in response, the responsibility of guarding royalty suddenly weighing down on her. Thankfully, she was rescued by Mulan, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Madoka is going to ride in the carriage with you, is that ok?" Mulan asked.
"Oh yes, it would be our honor." Princess Ting-Ting replied, causing Madoka's cheeks to go red.
She hesitated to step up onto the carriage, but summoned up the courage once she saw Princess Mei scoot over to make room for her. She climbed aboard and took her seat, at first only staring at her lap nervously. However, she peaked up at Princess Mei, who smiled at her from behind her fan, the shift in the muscles around her eyes being the only indication. The kind gesture helped Madoka relax, returning the smile with one of her own, and earning an appreciative one from Mulan.
"Well, we better get moving, try to get some rest." Mulan said before taking her leave, closing the door and leaving her alone with the princesses.
It took them a moment before they started moving, a horse ridden by Chien Po walking beside the carriage. Madoka's gaze went from one princess to the next, each one staring forward quietly, posture straight and perfect, most likely wide awake from all the excitement. The tension was unbearable, and it made her feel like she was somehow intruding, and so she decided that the least she could do was keep them entertained with some small talk before they went to sleep.
"So… your getting married?" Madoka started with the obvious topic.
"Yes, we are." Princess Mei replied, the others turning their attention to her as well.
"To princes in key… qui… um… the next kingdom over?"
"That's right, the sons of Lord Qin, ruler of the kingdom of Qui Gong." Princess Ting-Ting replied.
"Right, that…" Madoka couldn't help the awkward pause, even as the princesses looked to her as if waiting for her to speak again. "…Are you nervous at all? I know I would be if I had to marry somebody I never met before."
"A little bit, but mostly we're excited." Princess Su answered.
"Really?"
"Of course, it is out deepest honor to serve our father, the Emperor." Princess Ting-Ting stated.
"And the Middle Kingdom." Princess Mei added.
"Yes, thank you again for helping us get there, we really can't wait." Princess Su said rather stiffly.
"Oh… ok." Madoka went quiet, knowing better than to continue prying. She couldn't really tell from their neutral expressions just how honest their answers were, but the way they seemed to stiffen even further at the mention of their impending wedding seemed to indicate that they weren't as happy as they claimed.
Madoka let out a tired sigh, resting her head back against the carriage wall, allowing the journey through the night to continue in silence.
The princesses were silently grateful for that.
Madoka forced herself to get some sleep through the night; she would be no use to them if she fell asleep halfway through a Heartless attack.
"Pssst, Madoka, wake up lass, hurry!" Madoka heard Mini-Scrooge whisper in her ear, stirring her from her slumber.
Her eyes fluttered open only to immediately close when she was met with an intense beam of sunlight shining into the carriage from the window. Once her eyes acclimated to the light, she was met with the breathtaking sight of China's countryside, rice fields decorating the lands in unique patterns all they way up to the beautiful mountains in the distance that the sun was just barely able to crest over. Also, resting on the side of the window looking out was Princess Su.
"Wow~! China is so big! Isn't it beautiful!" She cooed in awe, earning an amused smile from Princess Ting-Ting, looking up at her from a scroll she was reading.
"I'd have to agree." She said simply, sparing a glance out the window before returning to her reading.
"Yeah, it really is." The princesses flinched at the sound of Madoka's voice, their gazes falling on her as if to see if she had truly been the one who spoke.
"Oh!" Princess Ting-Ting gasped as she frantically put away her scroll while Princess Su scrambled to find her fan. "G-Good morning, Kaname Madoka." She greeted, her face once again hidden behind her fan.
"Yes, good morning." Princess Su did the same. Madoka couldn't help but sigh as she watched the princesses take on the same stiff postures as the night before.
"Your Highnesses, I don't mean to be rude, but you really don't need to be so formal around me." Madoka insisted.
"We don't?" Princess Su said quizzically, yet hopefully, though those hopes were dashed when Princess Ting-Ting quickly elbowed her in the side.
"Of course we do. We are proud members of the royal family, and you, our subject and honored member of our escort. Therefore, we must always present ourselves with dignity and grace." The eldest princess said with all of the serenity one should expect of royalty.
However, the illusion was quickly shattered when the carriage shook, perhaps after running over a rock or a ditch, causing the two princesses to awkwardly grasp at the walls of the carriage for stability.
"Sorry your Highnesses!" Ling apologized from the front.
Princess Su broke into hysteric laughter, Madoka joining in after a moment. Princess Ting-Ting let out a defeated sigh.
"Well, so much for all of that." She lamented, snapping her fan closed. Madoka couldn't help but giggle, she reminded her of Mami when her mature older sister image began to falter, although the princess took it much more in stride. "Let's start over, my name is Ting-Ting, and these are my sisters, Mei and Su." She reintroduced them.
"I'm Kaname Madoka, but you can just call me Madoka." The pinkette replied, now feeling much more relaxed.
"Ok, Madoka it is."
"We saw your fight with those monsters last night!" Su immediately, excitedly, interrupted. "I didn't know there were any other women in China that could fight as well as Fa Mulan, you two were amazing, weren't they Mei!" She turned to their third sister, who had remained awfully quite the entire morning. Madoka turned to see that Mei was staring out the front window, the sliding door open just crack to allow her to view the two soldiers that drove the carriage. "Mei?" Su called again, but the princess remained transfixed on the window.
"Your Highness?" Madoka said with a tentative tap on Mei's shoulder, finally gaining her attention.
"Huh? Oh, yes, of course." Mei quickly replied a bit flustered. "They were… incredible." She sighed dreamily as her gaze subtly turned back to the window.
Madoka instantly recognized that gaze; she saw it on Sayaka's face many times when they were little, as she watched her childhood friend Kyousuke perform on his violin. Of course, she was just a child back then, they all were, and so, perhaps out of pure curiosity, she decided to bait the starry eyed princess.
"Well, we can't take all the credit, General Shang and the other guards did a lot of the fighting too." Mei remained distant. "And we were only able to defeat that windy Heartless because of Yao-san." Mei flinched at the mention of the soldier's name.
"Yao? Is that his name?" She turned around with an excited smile on her face, giving Madoka her full attention.
"Yeah, he really came through for us after my attack failed." Madoka said with an embarrassed smile as she remembered her failed attempt to freeze the Heartless.
"Yes, yes, I remember that part! He was so brave and clever and…"
"I'm sorry, are we still talking about the dumb gorilla that threw away his sword in the middle of battle?" Ting-Ting interrupted her younger sister's tirade.
"He threw it at the enemy, thank you very much." Mei defended. "And he's hardly a "dumb gorilla", he's more like a… big cuddly panda bear." She swooned as she took a pillow and hugged it, no doubt imagining it as the soldier she so clearly admired.
Madoka couldn't help but giggle at the display, whether it was a grown up princess or an eight-year-old tomboy, a girl in love was a girl in love.
'An engaged to be married girl in love…' Madoka's face immediately fell.
Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt, the girls stumbling a bit before Mulan came to the window and peaked through the curtain.
"We're stopping to water the horses your Highnesses. Maybe you would like to stretch your legs?" She offered respectfully, Mei immediately looking intrigued.
"Are the, uh, guard fellows out there?" She asked casually, hiding her hopeful expression behind her fan.
"Oh, yes, you're perfectly safe." Mulan assured, completely oblivious to Mei's true intentions.
"I think a leg stretch would be very nice." Mei quickly agreed, folding her fan and stepping out of the carriage with a joyous kick in her step.
Madoka and the princesses followed soon after, watching as Mei immediately made her way towards Yao, who was setting up some snacks and a table to eat them on. Madoka couldn't help but smile at her antics, but the scowl on Ting-Ting's face said that she was fully aware of her sister's feelings as well, and was not happy about it.
"Madoka, may I have a word with you?" Shang called, approaching as the princesses went off to relax in the field that they had stopped in.
"Uh, yes General!" Madoka quickly stood at attention.
"At ease soldier." Shang replied, just a hint of playfulness in his voice. "We were lucky not to have run into anymore Heartless through the night, but we can't afford to take any chances. Once we get back on the road, you'll be riding up front with Mulan, where it'll be your job to take care of any Heartless that get in our way."
"Yes sir, I'll do what I can." Madoka promised with a polite bow, which Shang returned.
"Excellent. In the mean time, keep an eye on the carriage while we go water the horses." He instructed her, waiting for her agreeing nod before taking his horse to join Mulan by the nearby river.
Madoka watched as Shang's whole demeanor changed, his broad shoulders relaxed as Mulan greeted him, a warm smile on both of their faces as they began to converse not as general and soldier, but as… something more.
You two play nice…
Whoa… watch it, soldier…
She couldn't help but giggle, it seemed that Sora was right on the money with those two. She then looked back to where Princess Mei had wandered off two, catching a glimpse of her and Yao sharing a plate of steamed buns and engaging in conversation.
"Well, it's lookin' to me like love is in the air." Mini-Scrooge said as he perched on Madoka's shoulder.
"They really seem to like each other." Madoka replied, smiling as she watched them.
"Aye, it's a real shame that her Highness is to be married soon." He lamented, instantly bringing a frown to Madoka's face.
When she had returned to Mitakihara from America, she was rather surprised to see that Kyousuke had gotten together with Hitomi instead of Sayaka. The blue haired girl seemed to take the rejection in stride, supporting her friends' relationship with a smile, but every now and then Madoka could see the pain in Sayaka's eyes when she watched them from afar. A girl's first love was special, so Madoka could only imagine the pain of losing it… for whatever reason.
"It's not fair." She finally said.
"Life rarely is, lass, especially fer royalty. They rarely get the chance to follow their hearts, not when they have a duty to uphold."
Madoka could only sigh at the old duck's sensible answer. She understood why it needed to be done, why this marriage was so important, but it didn't mean she had to like it… or that it wasn't the right thing to do.
She was brought out of her depressing thoughts by the sound of malicious laughter, Madoka suddenly standing at attention, scanning the area for the source.
"Did you hear that?"
"What's that now?" Mini-Scrooge said quizzically.
The laugh came again, a little bit louder, and a lot more sinister, which didn't exactly reassure Madoka when she couldn't locate the source.
"It sounds… familiar." Madoka said, trying to place where she had heard the voice before.
"I think it's comin' from underneath the carriage." Scrooge stated.
With nowhere else to look, Madoka kneeled down and looked underneath the carriage, and much to her surprise, she found the source of the malicious laughter.
"Now, time to put "Operation Shang" into action." Said what seemed to be a small, red, serpentine lizard, which if pictured over thirty feet long would have looked like a dragon. It ringed its clawed hands together with a mischievous look on its face before scurrying out from under the carriage.
"Wait, is that…" Madoka paused as she stood back up and saw the lizard look around out in the open.
Hey Mushu! We missed you…
Well you better HOPE I miss YOU…
"Mushu!" Madoka cried, the small dragon nearly jumping in surprise.
"Gyahhh! What? What is it? I didn't do nothin'!" Mushu denied frantically, before recognizing who it was that approached him. "Oh, haha, it's just the new girl. Phew, what a relief." He said, whipping the nervous sweat from his brown.
"Sorry, I didn't to mean scare you." Madoka apologized, squatting down to speak with him like she would a small animal.
"Scare me? Aw, you don't have to worry about that, it'll take a lot more than a little pink girl from another world sneakin' around to scare this mighty guardian dragon." He boasted with a wide smile, though his words made Madoka flinch in surprise.
"Huh? A-Another world… w-what… that's…"
"Oh please, don't even try it girl." Mushu said with a knowing grin. "Sora's got to have told you all about the two of us traveling the worlds together, kicking Heartless butt and taking Heartless names, so trust me, I know a tourist when I see one."
"Uh… well…" Madoka struggled to answer.
"It's alright lass, cat's outta the bag so to say." Mini-Scrooge said, hopping out of Madoka's hood.
"Yeah, see, that don't look like any family guardian I've ever seen. It's gotta be one of them doohickeys from another world, am I right?" Mushu deduced as he coiled around Mini-Scrooge, examining it closely. Madoka just let out a defeated sigh.
"Alright, fine, we're from another world." She finally admitted. "Please don't tell anyone, we have to protect the world order." She pleaded.
"Eh, no need to worry girl, your secret's safe with me." Mushu assured, much to Madoka's relief. "But, uh, in exchange…" He continued, suddenly scurrying up to Madoka's shoulder to whisper in her ear. "I'd really much appreciate it if you kept my tagging along on this little cross country road trip on the down low, especially in front of ol' Shanghai, if you know what I'm saying."
"General Shang doesn't know you're here?" Madoka inquired. "I thought he knew about you."
"Yeah, well, sure he knows of me, but he's not exactly filled in on the whole "family guardian" situation here, and the rules kind of need me to keep it that way, sort of like how you can't go around telling people that there are other worlds and such." Mushu explained.
"I see." Madoka nodded her head in understanding. "Ok, I'll keep quite then."
"Great! Oh, here they come!" Mushu warned as he hopped off Madoka's shoulder and skittered beneath the carriage.
Madoka quickly stood back up and at attention as Mulan and Shang brought back their horses from the river.
"Madoka, help Mulan load the supplies, it's about time we got moving." Shang instructed.
"Uh, yes sir." Madoka replied before quickly moving to join Mulan behind the storage cart strapped to the carriage. However, as she approached, she noticed that Mulan was already conversing with Princess Mei.
"Your duty was to stay home, but your heart told you to break the rules. How did you decide between duty and heart?" The princess asked as she tried, and failed, to help Mulan load the supplies.
"Well, it wasn't easy." Mulan admitted as she casually picked up what was dropped. "But, by following my feelings, I ended up doing the right thing. I guess I learned that my duty is to my heart."
"My duty is to my heart…" Mei repeated, a look of ecstatic realization slowly appearing on her face. "Yes, that makes sense. That's marvelous! Oh, thank you Fa Mulan, thank you!" She said before skipping off to join her sisters in the carriage, not even noticing that Madoka had been listening nearby.
"That was… about Yao-san, wasn't it?" Madoka realized.
"Aye, it seems the lass is havin' second thoughts about this marriage business." Mini-Scrooge concurred.
"Between duty… and heart…" Madoka pondered the concept, her hands tightening into fists as she remembered the decision she had made, staring down the magical arrow of a devil girl.
"Madoka?" Mulan brought Madoka out of her thoughts with a startle. "Is everything alright?"
"Oh, uh, yes, everything's fine… uh, let me help you with that!" Madoka quickly changed the subject, taking the surprisingly heavy supplies Mulan had been carrying and loading them onto the cart.
"Oh, thank you." Mulan said as she closed the cart, all of the supplies inside. "Alright, let's get back on the road. Did Shang let you know that you'll be riding with me?"
Before Madoka could reply, they heard a surprised yelp come from their commanding officer, the two girls rushing back to the head of the procession where they saw the awkward, and somewhat amusing sight of Shang hanging from the saddle that seemed to have slipped off the back of his horse and under its belly.
"…Not. A. Word." Shang warned.
The girls were more than happy to comply with the order… particularly because they burst out into a fit of hysterical laughter when Shang lost his grip and face planted onto the ground.
Madoka quickly slashed through two Shadows before ducking under the claw swipe of a third Heartless. It was a rather creepy looking one, floating ominously above the ground with its arms outstretched stiffly in front of its body, the long sleeves of its dark purple robe swaying with each movement it made. The Heartless symbol was placed on a small yellow piece of parchment stuck to its forehead that was perpetually burning in an otherworldly bluish flame that seemed to be what kept it alive; the Nightwalker.
It floated a bit higher in the air before coming down on Madoka in a tailspin charge, but she managed to stand her ground and guard against the attack. With her enemy staggered, she attempted to freeze it in place with a Blizzard spell, but just like the Emerald Blues before it, the ice had no effect, and the Nightwalker advanced.
"Oh come on!" Madoka complained as she blocked the oncoming swipes of the Heartless' claws, retaliating with a rotating slash that sent the Nightwalker flying back… on a collision course with Mulan, who was battling her own Nightwalker. "Mulan-san, look out!"
The warning was all she needed to flip back out of the way, the two identical Heartless crashing into each other and tumbling to the ground.
"Mushu!" Mulan called, the small dragon appearing over her shoulder and breathed a stream of fire at the Nightwalkers.
They writhed in agony as the flames ate at them, allowing Mulan the chance to cut them both down in a single swing of her sword. Mulan wiped the sweat from her brow as Madoka approached.
"I'm so sorry Mulan-san, I keep forgetting that ice is no good against those Heartless." Madoka said with an apologetic bow.
"Hey, it's alright." Mulan assured her as she sheathed her sword. "It took me a long time to get the hang of adapting to different kinds of enemies, it just takes practice, you'll get the hang of it soon."
Despite the encouragement, Madoka's gaze hit the floor. She hadn't been fighting for very long, but she had gotten far too used to being able to shoot off a Blizzard spell when in a tight spot. However, with so many of the Heartless in this world being immune to ice magic, that instinct only left her open for retaliation, and made her feel like more of a liability than an asset. Mulan had to pick up the slack for her more times than she would like to admit, and they could both tell that Shang was getting frustrated with her.
"Alright, it's all clear!" Mulan called out to the rest of the troops. Given the ok, Shang led the carriage into the open clearing of the forest that they had found themselves in. The sun had begun to set and it was about time that they stopped to rest again.
"We'll make camp here. If we leave at sunrise, we should arrive at Qui Gong by midday tomorrow." Shang announced, Yao, Ling, and Chien Po shouting their approval of the plan before they began to set up camp.
"Do you need any help setting up your tent?" Mulan asked as she handed Madoka the supplies she would need to pitch one.
"Uh…"
"If you need the help then take it, we need you on the first watch." Madoka flinched as Shang walked passed, grabbing his own supplies from the back of the cart with a frown on his face.
"N-No, it's ok, I can do it myself." She nervously assured, but Mulan wasn't fooled one bit. She waited for Shang to leave before addressing Madoka again.
"I'm sorry about Shang, it may not seem like it, but he knows you're trying your best and really appreciates all of your help."
"I… I know," Madoka sighed, taking Mulan by surprise. "That's why I'm so frustrated. I'm supposed to be helping you, but I'm not really pulling my own weight. It… makes me feel like I'm letting you down." She admitted with a crestfallen look on her face.
"Madoka…" Mulan said sympathetically.
"Well if you ask me, you're helpin' plenty." Mushu declared as he popped onto Mulan's shoulder. "It's pretty boy that needs to remove that stick from up his…"
"Mushu!" Mulan quickly silenced him.
"What? I'm just tellin' it like it is." Mushu defended. "Ol' grumpy lips has been actin' like somebody peed in his porridge all day."
"Well, you would too after the day he's had." Mulan countered.
Madoka couldn't disagree; the general had in fact been having a rather rough day. Whether it was fishing for dinner, starting a fire, or just simply scouting the area, Shang's every attempt to contribute was met with disastrous, if not fairly comical results. Madoka could understand why the man would be a little high strung at the end of the day. She recalled a time after her brother Tatsuya was born, when her father needed to split his attention between a crying baby and a needy, and admittedly jealous, ten-year-old girl. Sometimes the stress would just be too much and he would snap at her, but it was always followed by a sincere apology and assurance that he loved her with all of his heart.
Her father was the kindest man Madoka had ever known, if he could crack under the pressure of raising two screaming children, than certainly Shang had it worse with the fate of an entire kingdom weighing down on him. She knew from Sora's memories that Shang was a good man who just wanted to do his duty, and that made Madoka want to respond to his expectations all the more.
"I'm gonna go set up my tent." Madoka said, grabbing Mulan's attention.
"Are you sure you don't need any help?" She offered again.
"No, I'm fine, really." Madoka assured. "I'll take the first watch as soon as I'm done." She said with a determined smile before taking her leave, off to find an appropriate spot to pitch her tent. "Pssst, Mr. Scrooge, do you know how to set up a tent?"
"Aye, gotcha covered lass, don't ye worry." Mini-Scrooge whispered from her hood with a playful wink.
"Thank you." She whispered back.
Meanwhile, Yao, Ling, and Chien Po were busy setting up camp, starting with the Princesses' belongings. As Yao carried practically all of the cases himself he was watched by Princess Mei, who gazed out the window of the carriage and let out a dreamy sigh.
"And what do you think you're doing Mei?" Ting-Ting spoke up, startling Mei out of her daze.
"Oh, uh, nothing, just wanted to see if our tent was set up yet." Mei unconvincingly lied, much to Ting-Ting's annoyance.
"Mei, do not take me for a fool. You were looking at that soldier again, weren't you?" She accused, whipping the awkward grin right off of Mei's face. The younger princess looked away, unable to meet her sister's gaze.
"And what if I was?" She bitterly replied.
"I knew it, you're in love with him!" Su excitedly declared, Mei's sour expression softening.
"Yes… yes, I am." She almost proudly declared, much to her younger sister's joy.
"Unbelievable, you've known him but a day." Ting-Ting reminded.
"And I've never even met the princes of Qui Gong, yet I'm expected to marry one of them!?" Mei shot back, the eldest princess taken aback as Mei practically jumped out of her seat. "And what about you two? Su, you certainly didn't complain when Chien Po helped you pick your fruit." Su's playful expression quickly faded, replaced with one of guilt. "And don't think I didn't notice how hard you have to try to remain indifferent to Ling, Ting-Ting." The eldest princess remained silent, putting on her typical mask of indifference.
"I'm sorry… but I don't think I can go through with this mission after all." All of Mei's anger washed away, replaced with just solemn resignation and guilt.
"What?" Su gasped.
"Mei, you can't be serious, we have a duty to uphold!" Ting-Ting pleaded.
"I know we do, but I have another duty; to my heart!" Mei declared, but Ting-Ting was having none of it.
"And what if the Mongols attack and your precious Yao is sent off to battle, what will your heart ask of you then?"
Mei immediately froze, her eyes wide and her mouth falling open in shock. She clearly hadn't considered the possibility of war, and the thought of her love being sent out to fight and die in a conflict she could have prevented instantly took the wind out of her sails. She fell back into her seat, her sisters recognizing the pain in her eyes and moving to her side.
"I know it's hard, but a princess must make every sacrifice for her country. It's our duty." Ting-Ting stated, causing Mei to burst into tears. Su and Ting-Ting did their best to comfort their sister, yet they themselves shared in her pain, in her sorrow.
In her darkness…
As Madoka diligently set up her tent with Scrooge's guidance, a subtle, almost unnoticeable cloud of black smoke began seeping out of the carriage, grabbing her attention.
"Huh? Smoke? A fire!?" Madoka began to panic.
"Not smoke, lass, that be darkness!" Mini-Scrooge corrected, perching on her shoulder.
"Darkness?"
"Aye, and were there be darkness…"
As if on cue, four airborne Heartless materialized around the carriage. They were little, blue, bat like creatures that had large red hooks hanging from their bodies in place of feet; Hook Bats.
"Heartless!" Madoka's cry alerted the entire camp, everyone dropping whatever it was they were doing and turning to the carriage.
"Protect the princesses!" Shang ordered, the entire troop springing into action.
Madoka and Mulan were the fastest, reaching the carriage first, however that also meant they were the first to come face to face with the larger Heartless that appeared between them and the princesses. The creature towered over them, its lower body resembling a black horse while the upper half was that of a muscular humanoid donning grey Chinese armor and wielding a long guan dao spear with an angular golden blade; the Assault Rider.
Before they could draw their weapons, the Assault Rider spun its spear with a flourish, knocking them both back onto their backs.
With the immediate threat knocked prone, two of the Hook Bats secured their hooks onto the front of the carriage, before opening their jagged mouths and biting down on the hooks of the remaining two. Those two then bit down on either side of the Assault Rider's equine body, the large Heartless brandishing its weapon before dashing down the trail, taking the carriage, and the princesses, with them.
"MEI!" Yao exclaimed as he was forced to listen to the princesses' terrified screams as the Assault Rider left them in the dust.
"Everyone on your horses, we're going after them!" Shang declared as he leapt on his own horse while Yao, Ling, and Chien Po rushed to the ones that were originally used to pull the carriage.
Mulan quickly recovered and followed the order, bringing her horse around as Madoka stood back up.
"Madoka, grab on!" Mulan trotted up to Madoka and hoisted the pinkette up onto the horse by the hand before snapping the rains and sending it into a full gallop.
The horses ran in a desperate sprint to catch up with the carriage, with only Shang and Mulan able to keep pace with it. They approached from either side, the princesses inside crying out desperately for rescue, but before Shang could even get close enough to grab hold of the window, the Assault Rider took notice and swung its weapon at him, forcing him to back away. Before Shang could begin to approach again, the Heartless made a preemptive swing at his horse's feet, forcing him back even further.
It then turned its attention to Mulan and Madoka, who closed in on the right of the carriage. It swung its weapon down at them, Madoka just barely managing to summon the Keyblade and block it. The spearhead reared back before the Heartless thrust it forward, too low for Madoka to block, forcing Mulan to steer their horse to the side to avoid it.
"It's not going to let us get close!" Shang shouted over the sound of wind blowing past them and hooves pounding the dirt road.
"Madoka, if we engage the Heartless directly, do you think you can hold it off long enough for the others to save the princesses?" Mulan asked.
On some level Madoka knew it was a long shot, after all she had never fought on horseback before. However, the direness of the situation and the adrenaline pumping through her veins left no room for doubt, and so she gave a consenting nod.
"I'll try my best!"
With a loud "Hiya!" and a crack of the reins, Mulan's horse galloped up to the Assault Rider itself. As they approached, Madoka aimed the Keyblade at the Heartless and shot off a Blizzard spell, hoping to catch it off guard. However, the Assault Rider spun its weapon in defense, the ice freezing the spearhead solid but leaving the Heartless unharmed and undeterred.
It retaliated with a wide swing, the force of impact as its weapon met the Keyblade shattering the ice, but Madoka still managed to slide the spear to the side. The Assault Rider didn't relent, rearing its weapon up again and swinging it at Madoka viciously, the girl blocking each and every strike as best she could while Mulan struggled to keep them steady.
Meanwhile, Shang and his soldiers flanked the carriage at either side, finally able to get in close.
"Mei!"
"Yao!"
"Take my hand, we'll get you out!" Yao cried as he reached his hand out towards the open window. Mei climbed up to the windowsill in turn, reaching out her hand as well, however, just before Yao could grasp it, a blue fist collided with his jaw, sending him flying off his horse and leaving Ling to steer.
"Yao!" The soldier heard his friends call his name as he tumbled through the air.
Fortunately, Chien Po managed to snatch him out of the air, setting him down on his horse safe and sound with a relieved sigh.
Shang was facing a similar problem, being cut off from Princess Ting-Ting by another of the same Heartless that had assaulted Yao. It had beady yellow eyes that were partially covered by a striped headscarf that made it resemble a pirate, and sprouting from its back were two large purple wings that allowed it to fly alongside their captives; the Air Pirate.
"We've got company!" Shang exclaimed as he drew his sword and swung it at the Air Pirate, who blocked it with its golden armband.
"Not for long we don't!" Yao declared, standing up on Chien Po's horse and rolling up his sleeves. "Come here you!" He growled as he leapt off the horse and grappled onto the Air Pirate, preventing it from attacking Ling.
"Take this… and this! Get the princesses!" He ordered as he struggled to keep a hold of the flailing Heartless.
"Gah… I can't, you're still in the way!" Ling replied in frustration, his horse unable to get any closer, let alone help the princesses.
"Cliff!" Mulan shouted above all of the chaos.
Everyone's attention immediately turned to the front, and as warned, they were quickly approaching a cliff, the Heartless showing no signs of slowing down.
"Oh… no…!" Madoka said as she pushed her Keyblade against the Assault Rider's spear.
This was bad; there was no purchase on the other side that Madoka could see, which meant if the Heartless jumped, the only way to go was down. Best-case scenario, it sticks the landing and gets away with the princesses. Worst case, it lands with a splat and takes the princesses with it.
'We can't let it go over that cliff!' Madoka realized, redoubling her efforts to win the clash against the Assault Rider. Eventually, she managed to redirect the spear away from her, giving her a chance to think as the Heartless fumbled a bit to keep hold of its weapon.
"Mmm… Oh! Mulan-san, back up a bit, I have an idea!"
"...Ok." Mulan complied with the request, steering her horse away from the Heartless just before it was able to take another swing.
No longer in immediate danger, Madoka took a moment to focus her magical energy into the Keyblade. She then shot out a Blizzard spell, coating the edge of the cliff in a thin coat of ice. However, she didn't stop there, forcing more energy into the Keyblade and casting another Blizzard spell, compounding the effect of the first and creating a small wall of ice.
"Not enough," Madoka lamented as she saw the Assault Rider refusing to slow down. "Once more!" She declared as she focused once again, the freezing energy emanating form the Keyblade making a coat of frost appear on the tip of the blade. "Freeze!" Madoka cried as she fired two more Blizzards, growing the wall of ice to just above the height of the Assault Rider.
This finally got a reaction out of the Heartless, as it immediately dug its hooves into the dirt, steadily slowing its momentum with a skid and just barely managing to stop before crashing into the ice wall. The change in momentum nearly made the carriage fall over, the princesses inside letting out surprised yelps as they just managed to stay standing. With the creature finally stopped and cornered, Madoka and Mulan dismounted their horse, weapons drawn and ready for a fight.
"Mulan!" Shang shouted as he continued to fight off an Air Pirate. "We'll keep the small ones occupied, you two save the princesses!"
"Got it!" Mulan acknowledged the command. "Are you ready Madoka?"
"Yeah!" Madoka replied, falling into a fighting stance as the duo stared down Assault Rider.
The Heartless met their fiery gaze and immediately charged forward, however the nimble warriors were able to evade the attack with ease.
"I'll keep its attention, you see about unhooking the carriage!" Mulan said, Madoka giving a nod of confirmation before she rushed off to the side to wait for an opportune moment.
Mulan on the other hand charged straight for the Heartless. The Assault Rider saw her coming a mile away and thrusted its spear right where she stood, only for Mulan to jump over the spearhead and dash up the long black handle. She cleaved her sword straight through her foe's eyes before kicking off of its shoulder to avoid a clumsy swing of its left arm.
"Mushu!" Mulan commanded, the guardian dragon appearing on her shoulder and spitting a ball of fire at the dazed Heartless.
As the Assault Rider staggered back from the blast, Madoka took the chance to dash forward, Keyblade held at her side ready to slash through the Hook Bats that held the carriage hostage. Unfortunately, the Heartless noticed her approach, and with a twist of its equine body slammed Madoka with the carriage before she even had the chance to take a swing. Madoka flew back, slamming into the wall of ice and sending a few hairline fractures up its cold surface from the point of impact.
She slid to the ground and struggled back to her feet, Mulan quickly coming to her aid and blocking a swing from the Heartless' spear, allowing Madoka to regain her footing. However, the Assault Rider quickly retaliated and planted its spear on the ground before them, summoning forth a small explosion that they were just barely able to avoid. The ice wall wasn't so lucky, the force of the blast shattering it and sending chunks of ice and frost falling off the cliff side.
However, the Heartless' attention was placed squarely on Mulan and Madoka, the creature swinging its spear in a wide arc that forced the duo to retreat further from the cliff face.
"We have to be careful, if it keeps swinging around the carriage like that, the princesses might get hurt!" Mulan warned.
"Then… we need to defeat the Heartless… and fast." Madoka declared through a few tired pants.
She was running low on stamina, the rapid casting of Blizzard leaving her with some light casting fatigue. But, she couldn't stop now, and she knew just what to do to not only keep herself going, but also give her the push she needed to quickly finish the battle.
She took a deep breath, clutching the pendant around her neck as power flowed from her heart to the crystal.
Sora!
She called forth the boy's name in her heart, releasing the energy in a burst of light and transforming her into the Sora Cosplay.
"Madoka?" Mulan said in awe of the pinkette's transformation. It was a bit of a surprise, but it also felt very familiar, Mulan recalling how Sora had used a similar ability when they fought together in the war.
The Assault Rider seemed to take notice of Madoka's new power as well, immediately charging forward with its spear held ready to pierce straight through her heart. However, rather than try to evade, Madoka stood her ground, falling into a defensive stance and guarding against the strike. The spear bounced off the magically protected blade, the Heartless stumbling back from the intense recoil and giving Madoka the opportunity to counterattack. She dashed into the Heartless' guard and cleaved through its torso with a leaping upward slash, following up with a quick spinning slash that scraped against its helmet.
As she descended, the Assault Rider attempted to grab her with its free hand, only to have its appendage knocked away at the last second by a blast of fire. It looked to the side to see Mulan, two floating balls of flame orbiting around her before she smacked one with her sword, sending it careening towards the Heartless. It was forced to block the attack with its spear, giving Madoka the chance to land safely and roll off to the side.
With the large foe distracted, Madoka slashed at one of its legs, breaking the creature's concentration and balance. This gave Mulan the chance to send the final fireball to the Heartless' unprotected face, and as the flames ate at the creature's shadowy flesh Madoka attacked the same leg again, causing the entire Heartless to buckle under its own weight and the underside of its equine body to hit the ground, dazing it.
With the Heartless now defenseless, Madoka took the chance to finish it off. She took a step back from the creature, the Keyblade glowing with the power of light before she tossed it at the helpless Heartless in a Strike Raid. The attack stirred it from its daze, but before it could react in any way Madoka summoned the Keyblade back into her hand and tossed it again, and then again, until the fourth and final strike completely cleaved through the Assault Rider, the once hulking monstrosity fading away in a puff of black smoke.
"You did it Madoka!" Mulan cheered.
"Yeah! You go girl!" Mushu added, much to the pinkette's embarrassment.
When the Keyblade returned to her, she dismissed it, the Sora Cosplay disappearing with it. It was then that Madoka was hit with the familiar wave of sudden fatigue that forced her to her knees, much to Mulan's concern.
"Madoka, what's wrong?" She said as she rushed up to the younger girl, kneeling by her side and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Madoka panted out her answer.
"I… I'm fine… the princesses…" She forced herself to lift her head, smiling once she saw the now free carriage behind Mulan. At least, that's what she thought, until she noticed the little blue wings flapping just within sight, pulling the carriage closer to the cliff.
"No… wait, you can't…!" Madoka protested in vain, her attempt to stand and chase after the runaway carriage ending with her falling into Mulan's arms, as apposed to into the dirt.
"The Heartless still have hold of the carriage!" Mulan announced, immediately gaining the attention of the rest of the soldiers.
"Huh? MEI!" Yao exclaimed. He and his comrades immediately turned their backs on their foes and gave chase. The Heartless would have followed suit, striking at their unprotected backs, if it were not for General Shang covering their retreat.
Yao and Ling jumped onto either side of the carriage while Chien Po took old of the back and rooted himself to the ground. The carriage immediately slowed its descent, Yao and Ling opening the windows and attempting to help the princesses climb out the sides, however, between the Hook Bats, gravity, and the unstable footing of the wet, ice covered ground, it was only a matter of time before Chien Po lost the contest of strength.
Madoka could only watch in stunned horror as the carriage was pulled over the edge of the cliff, taking the guards, and the princesses, with it.
A/N: BOOM, LITERAL CLIFFHANGER! Kind of ineffectual if you've watched the movie, I know, but... let's be honest, some of you probably haven't. Those of you who have are probably wondering why I decided to use the plot of Mulan II, the shameless cash-grab sequel to the original classic, for this chapter, and... honestly, everything just kind of fitted. Mulan II didn't really perform well so I doubt Square will use it in a future KH title, so I don't have to worry about canon, and looking back at the plot its core conflict of "duty vs heart" actually fits really well with the KH series, and this story in particular. So yeah, look forward to seeing how that pans out next time.
Again, big thanks to Dragonexx for Beta Reading this chapter. Funny story, it was actually reading his fic, "Keys to the Contract", that inspired me to get a Beta Reader for this story in the first place, like I said the story is very similar in premise to mine and does a lot of things differently, and I'd even go as far as to say better, than Reconnect does, so I wanted to get a second opinion on my chapters before I posted them so that they could be the very best they could be. Again, I highly recommend it, go read it if you have the chance (though some of you probably already have). I recommend looking for it on the Spacebattles forums since that's where he posts the latest chapters, I'd leave a link but this site doesn't really do links so... yeah, just google it.
Well, that's about it for now, I'm not sure which story I'm going to update next, and since I'm in the process of looking for a job I may be even less productive on that front than usual but... I'll try my best not to keep you guys waiting for the second half of the Land of Dragons arc. Alright, see you guys later.