A/N: Hey there everyone, MCN here with the second part of the Land of Dragons Arc of Reconnect. Not much else to say for now, so let's just get the good stuff, shall we?
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Beta Reader: Dragonexx
The Lesson of Yin and Yang
Madoka's heart pounded in her chest as she somehow found the strength to stand and limp over to Mulan and Shang's side. The two soldiers immediately rushed over to the cliff side as soon as the remaining Heartless were taken care of, a look of dread appearing on their faces as they saw the shattered remains of the carriage, and their supplies, floating in the shallow river down bellow.
"Yao! Ling! Chien Po!" Mulan cried, her voice echoing down the mountainside.
"Your Highnesses! Is anyone alright!?" Shang shouted, clear desperation in his normally commanding voice.
"This… this can't be… they can't be gone…" Madoka whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes for every second that passed where they didn't receive a reply.
However, the quiet dread was soon lifted, as out from the water below appeared the soaked forms of Mei and Yao.
"Mei! Yao!" Mulan shouted, bringing Shang and Madoka's attention to the floating figures.
"We're… ok!" Mei shouted back up the mountain between deep breaths of air.
"*cough* So are we!" Ling added as he popped out from the water, followed one by one by the rest of the group.
Madoka couldn't help but count them all. Six heads accounted for, safe and sound, if not a little drenched. The three on the cliff all let out a collective sigh of relief, Madoka herself incredibly relieved that her negligence didn't get her new friends killed.
"If everyone's alright, try and save as much of the supplies as you can!" Shang ordered down the mountain, the soldiers immediately wading through the water and taking whatever they could find.
"So, what now?" Madoka asked after wiping away her tears. "We… I lost the carriage." She said with obvious shame, though whatever Shang's opinion on the matter was went unsaid.
"I'm afraid we have bigger problems than that." He lamented. "Chasing that Heartless took us way off the path, and the only way down the mountain is through the forest. Even if we don't get lost, it's going to take time to reach the others, not to mention we'll have to find our way back onto the road."
"If we have to do all that, there's no way we're going to reach Qui Gong in time, not unless we travel through the night." Mulan realized.
"It'll be difficult without the carriage, but it's looking like our only option." Shang said regretfully, Mulan sighing in response.
'This is all my fault, if only I could have saved the carriage.' Madoka kicked herself. To think just moments ago she felt so proud to have defeated the Assault Rider, but of course she overlooked just one little detail, and everything fell apart.
"General!" Yao shouted up the mountain. "We saved everything we could! Awaiting further orders!" He informed them, Ling and Chien Po bringing one final crate that was still in tact onto the shore.
"Just grab what you can and find a secure spot to rest for the moment! Don't make camp, as soon as we meet back up we'll start heading for Qui Gong!" Shang ordered, the soldiers all shouting their compliance.
"Shang, they're bound to be exhausted after all of that, there's no way they'll be able to make the trip over night." Mulan warned, clearly concerned for their friend's health and safety.
"Do you have a better idea?" Shang replied sternly. He seemed certain that she didn't have any suggestions of her own, but was still open to suggestions if somehow she did.
Madoka could only look away in shame as Mulan crossed her arms and tried to think of a solution. She really thought that she was passed needing someone else to solve a problem that she caused, but then again, wasn't her whole journey just that, a quest to find Sora and have him fight a battle she really should have fought herself?
'I can't keep going like this, I caused this problem, so I need to help solve it… but, how?' She wracked her brain for an answer, and as her gaze fell across the other side of the mountain range, she found one.
"Yao-san, wait, don't go yet!" Madoka shouted down the mountainside, the six at the bottom stopping dead in their tracks at the sound of her echoing voice.
"Madoka?" Mulan said in surprise.
"There's a village over that way, in the valley just outside the forest, maybe we can meet you there instead!" She suggested, pointing in the opposite direction that the group had been heading.
"A village?" Ting-Ting said with apprehension.
"Ohh~, I've never been to a peasant village before." Su cooed in delight.
"Sounds like it could be fun." Mei agreed with anticipation.
Mulan and Shang followed Madoka's outstretched hand, and much to their surprise, there was in fact a small village built alongside the river that ran through the valley, with a few roads that could be seen sprawling in a few different directions.
"We could resupply there, and there's bound to be a road that can lead us to Qui Gong! Good eye, Madoka!" Mulan praised, receiving an embarrassed, but prideful smile from the pinkette.
"Now hold on, let's not be too hasty about this." Shang interjected, grabbing the two girls' attention.
"What's the matter?" Madoka questioned.
"It's become obvious that the Heartless are specifically targeting us, or more specifically, the princesses." Shang said. "If we go into town, and the Heartless decide to follow us, we'd be putting innocent lives in danger, not to mention the chaos would make it much harder to protect the princesses."
Madoka gasped, the thought clearly not having crossed her mind.
"Hold on, we don't know that for sure." Mulan argued.
"They went after the carriage, and only the carriage, Mulan. That was obviously a coordinated attack, what more proof do you want?" Shang countered, but Mulan didn't seem willing to back down.
"But…"
"No, he's actually right, Mulan-san." Madoka spoke up, much to Mulan's shock.
"Madoka?"
"The Heartless, they're attracted to the darkness in people's hearts. Feeling things like anger, sadness, regret; they all draw the Heartless to you." Madoka explained. "The princesses… I don't think they're as happy about the arranged marriage as they say they are, and that's probably what's drawing the Heartless to us."
"I… I see." Mulan practically whispered, sad to see that her suspicions regarding the front the princesses were putting up turned out to be true. "Then I guess it really is too much of a risk." She conceded, Shang looking not at all satisfied with the outcome of what felt like their hundredth argument of the day.
"…Actually, sending them there might minimize the risk!" Madoka suddenly stated, a light bulb practically appearing over her head as she had a realization.
"What are you talking about?" Shang demanded.
"The Heartless are drawn to the princesses because they're scared and stressed about the marriage. So, um, if they have some fun shopping around in the village, it'll lift their spirits a little, keeping the Heartless away… maybe." She meekly suggested, clearly not sure of her own idea herself.
"Maybe? You want me to risk this whole mission on a maybe?" Shang asked, not at all fond of the idea. Madoka shrunk back at his intense gaze, but Mulan quickly came to her rescue.
"It's about as much of a "maybe" as we're going to get chancing it through the forest. We've risked a lot more on less." She insisted, putting her lot squarely in Madoka's corner.
Shang crossed her arms, his brow creasing as he was deep in thought, weighing all of their options.
"What are your orders, General?" Yao shouted up the mountain, urging Shang to make a decision.
Eventually, he let out a defeated sigh.
"You all head for the village, we'll meet you there and see if we can't scrounge up some more supplies!" Shang finally ordered.
Madoka's face lit up. She looked down at the others down the mountain and saw that they all looked rather pleased with the order as well, the soldiers enthusiastically shouting their compliance while the princesses looked absolutely giddy. Madoka couldn't help but giggle, to think that the answer to their complex problem was to simply set the princesses up on a shopping date.
"Let's get going." Shang ordered flatly as he turned and walked away from the cliff. Madoka and Mulan watched in silence as he strode back to his horse, double-checking his saddle in order to avoid his previous faux pas.
"Don't mind him Madoka, he's just worried." Mulan assured her, sensing the pinkette's apprehension.
"Right… I really hope this works." Madoka said, clutching her hands together as she hoped for the very best.
"Wow~!" Madoka cooed as she, Mulan, and Shang strode into the village.
As luck would have it, the village was in the middle of throwing some kind of festival. The streets were illuminated with red paper lanterns, acrobats performed to adoring crowds, and the scent of fresh food filled the midnight air. Madoka couldn't help but sigh in nostalgia, recalling her first summer festival after returning to Mitakihara; it was an experience she had missed out on in the three years she had spent overseas, and yet walking through the crowded streets as the villagers ate, drank, and made merry nearly had her forgetting that she was in an entirely different world.
"Well if this won't raise the princess's spirits, I don't know what will." Mulan stated as she admired the sights and sounds alongside Madoka.
Shang on the other hand, didn't seemed as impressed.
"Regardless, the sooner we get back on the road the better." Shang said, his own gaze looking around with much more focus and purpose. "I'll go see about resupplying, maybe even get us another carriage, or at least a cart. Mulan, you go find the others and meet me by the stables." Mulan nodded, accepting her orders.
"What about me?" Madoka spoke up just as Shang seemed ready to leave.
"I assumed you were just going to stick with Mulan." Shang replied simply, looking at her over his shoulder in a way that made Madoka feel small.
"Oh, well… I can help with shopping too, if you need it." Madoka offered, hoping to carry her own weight in anyway she could.
"Do you know what to buy?" Shang inquired.
There were no expectations in the question, for better or worse, like he was giving her a chance to impress him, to prove that she was as competent as she was claiming she was.
"Uh…" And of course, Madoka couldn't give him the answer he would have liked. In fact, come to think of it, Madoka didn't have any money to pay for supplies in the first place, or at least no money that would be acceptable in a parallel universe version of ancient China. Fortunately, Mulan chimed in.
"Madoka, why don't you help me find the others. You can watch over them just in case the Heartless attack again." She suggested.
"That sounds like a good idea." Shang replied for her before turning back around and marching down the street. "Remember, we all meet by the stables." And with that he was gone, weaving through the stalls looking for whatever supplies they would need for the road.
Madoka let out a sad sigh. There was never any condemnation in his words, no malice, no disappointment, but no trust or confidence either. She couldn't help but wonder if he blamed her for getting the carriage destroyed, he wouldn't exactly be wrong in thinking that she was responsible for that unfortunate outcome.
You're welcome in my troop. Your battle skills are encouraging…
'He was impressed with Sora right away.' Madoka thought as she recalled the boy's first meeting with the captain.
Before Madoka could get lost in her depressed thoughts, she felt Mulan place a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Come on, let's go find the others." Mulan suggested with a kind smile, knowing full well not to let Madoka dwell on Shang's less than encouraging attitude.
"…Ok." Madoka complied, her crestfallen look remaining on her face.
However, that was quickly remedied as they began walking around town, the festive mood of the villagers was positively infectious, leaving Madoka unable to so much as keep a straight face, let alone frown.
"Is it some kind of holiday today?" Madoka inquired as a group of excited children bolted passed them.
"I think they're just celebrating a successful harvest." Mulan suggested. "There's definitely enough fresh food to go around."
"You said it girl!" Mushu said as he appeared on Mulan's shoulder. "I can practically taste those dumplings over there, mmm, mmm, mm!" Mushu licked his scaly lips as he caught a whiff of some food on a nearby cart. Mulan and Madoka giggled at the small dragon's appetite, but they couldn't deny that scent was enough to make them hungry as well.
"I hope the princesses are having fun as well." Mulan said.
"I'm sure they are, after all, Yao-san and the others are with them." Madoka replied with a knowing smile. Anything was fun when you were with the person you like, at least that's what Sayaka told her.
"Well, they are a pretty… lively bunch. At the very least the princesses won't be board." Mulan posited, an amused but oblivious grin on her face.
"Huh? Mulan-san, could it be that you haven't noticed?" Madoka inquired.
"Noticed what?" Mulan said, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.
Madoka went silent, a bead of nervous sweat falling from her brow as she realized her blunder. Mulan, though sympathetic to the princesses' plight, was still on a mission to deliver them to Qui Gong to be married. So, letting her in on the secret affection they had for their guards, a secret that could derail the mission and send the country on the fast track to a bloody war, probably wasn't the best idea.
"Madoka, do you know something I don't?" Mulan asked again, crossing her arms as she narrowed her gaze on the flustered pinkette.
"Uh… w-well…" Should she come clean? Should she deny it? As she fought for a decision in her own mind, Mushu took the choice out of her hands.
"Uh, I do believe she's referring to how the princesses have been making googley eyes at the guards ever since we left the palace." Mushu nonchalantly revealed, much to Madoka's horror.
"What!?" Mulan gasped in genuine surprise. "The princesses?"
"Mm hmm." Mushu nodded with a knowing grin on his face.
"And the guards!?" Mulan turned her gaze back to Madoka, the girl letting out a nervous squeak before she nodded her head in defeat, a blush across her face that could have meant anything from shame for keeping the secret, to embarrassment at the current subject matter. "…I see, so that's what Mei was talking about this afternoon." Mulan realized, stroking her chin as she processed this new information. "This is…"
"Mulan-san, please don't be…"
"Wonderful!" Mulan suddenly exclaimed, her face beaming with joy.
"…Huh?"
"Wasn't expecting that, huh?" Mushu said as he hopped from one of Mulan's shoulders to the next.
"Mulan-san, you're not mad?" Madoka carefully, hopefully, asked.
"Of course not, how could I be?" Mulan replied simply, but her joyous smile quickly fell into a more serious expression. "I knew from the start the princesses weren't happy with the marriage. Admittedly, I was never on board with it either; I mean, marrying someone you've never even met before, it's just not right!" She declared, her hand finding its way up to her Yang necklace "Everyone deserves the chance to marry for love."
"…Like you and General Shang?" Madoka said.
"So you noticed that too, huh?" Mulan replied, Madoka just offering a slight giggle in response. "…Yes, like me and Shang." She said, though Madoka couldn't help but notice that moment of hesitation as she clutched her necklace.
"Speaking of General Hardhead, he's gonna be steaming like a fresh pork dumpling once he catches wind of all of this." Mushu interjected, just a bit more flippant than such a warning would suggest.
"Right, the mission." Madoka agreed. It didn't help that Shang was already in a rather sour mood, but if they were to drop this on him at this stage, he could very well blow his top. Madoka didn't even want to know what he would say and do then.
Madoka look to Mulan, who seemed to be deep in thought herself.
"…For now, let's just keep looking, we'll figure out what to do once we're all together." Mulan stated.
"Ok." Madoka complied, more than willing to put off the harrowing decision for a while.
"And so my dear father, I cannot complete this mission. I have come to realize that my duty… is to my heart."
It was with a heavy sigh that Mei wrote these words on a piece of parchment, sitting by herself on a lone table in the village square. It was a simple message, but one that could carry the fate of the entire kingdom, and it was one that she did not wish to deliver lightly. Even after gathering up the courage to purchase the ink and brush for which to write the note, she had spent the following five minutes simply contemplating with which words she was to tell her father of the great dishonor she was about to bring onto their family.
And in the end, all she could do was tell the truth.
"Mei!"
The princess jumped at the familiar voice, shooting out from her seat and scrambling to collect her belongings, only able to hide them behind her back before her beloved Yao was upon her.
"So sorry to keep you waiting, milady." Yao said with a playful bow, to which Mei just couldn't help but giggle at.
Though reluctant, Yao had left her side in order to resign to the "little war hero's room", which from what Mei could tell, meant he needed to use the rest room. Such a strange little phrase, and whether it be one of his own creation, or a common euphemism among commoners, she would have no doubt never have come to know it had she never met him. She recalled that magical moment when their eyes first met, the memory seamlessly flowing into every subsequent moment they had spent together on this journey through China, warming her heart the whole time.
And yet, here she was, hiding the very proclamation of her undying love from her beloved himself. Why? Perhaps, deep down, she believed that in the end, he would choose his duty to deliver her to Qui Gong over his love for her, that he would refuse to run off with her and leave his homeland to an uncertain fate, and frankly, she wouldn't blame him if this were so. After all, he was a soldier, loyal to his commanding officer and the mission they were tasked with, but that knowledge didn't keep her from dreading the moment he would have to hand her off to her betrothed, stoic looks on both of their faces that would mask their true feelings.
A mask that she would have to wear for the rest of her life.
'No, I've made my decision, and whatever Yao decides, I'll respect it.' She declared to herself, and yet she still held the note tightly out of sight.
"Well then, shall we continue our tryst into the world of the commoners?" Yao said as he offered her his hand, which Mei gladly took.
"Of course. Please, lead the way." She replied with a smile as she let Yao guild her out of the square.
"Mei-san! Yao-san!" The couple exchanged a surprised glance before turning to the source of the familiar little voice. "Mulan-san, I found them!" Down the busy street, emerging from the crowd was the pink head of hair that was Madoka, followed soon after by Mulan.
Yao's face lit up at the welcomed sight of their companions. Mei, on the other hand, quickly turned to face them in a desperate attempt to hide her treacherous note behind her back.
"Hey, what took you guys so long?" Yao said with a playful smirk as Mulan and Madoka approached them.
"G-Greetings, Fa Mulan, Kaname Madoka." Mei respectfully greeted, attempting, and failing, to act as natural as possible.
"Thank goodness you both are alright." Mulan said with a relieved sigh. "But, where are the others?"
"Eh, no need to worry about them." Yao assured. "Princess Su is with Chien Po, and Princess Ting-Ting is with Ling. We split up so we could, uh… oh, show the Princesses as much of the festival as possible, yeah, that's it."
"Right." Mulan replied knowingly, Madoka giggling along as well.
"I'm sorry if that decision has caused you all trouble. If you want we can help you look for the others?" Mei offered.
"No, that's ok, we can do it ourselves." Madoka respectfully declined. "You two just go and wait for us by the…"
"By the bridge that goes over the river." Mulan quickly interjected, much to Madoka's surprise and confusion. She looked over to the taller woman and saw her with a perfect poker face, no indication of falsehood on her face.
"The one on the south end of town?" Yao asked for clarification.
"Yes, we'll meet you there once we find the others." Mulan replied.
"But, General Shang…"
"Is resupplying as we speak," Mulan quickly cut Madoka off. "He'll meet us at the bridge once he's finished, right Madoka?" Madoka, though reluctant, nodded in agreement, cementing the lie.
"Understood!" Yao declared, instantly falling into his role as a guard and saluting as he accepted the orders. "Princess, if you'd please." He said, gesturing down the path that led to the aforementioned bridge.
"Y-Yes, of course." Mei replied hesitantly. With no other option, she crumpled the half written letter in her hand and let it fall to the ground, quickly kicking it under the table as she was led away from the square.
Madoka and Mulan watched them leave, the pinkette making certain that they were out of earshot before speaking.
"Mulan-san… why did you lie?" She asked, earning a sigh from Mulan.
"If what you say about the princesses is true… then I just can't allow them to go through with this marriage." Mulan admitted.
"So… we're abandoning the mission?" Madoka guessed, her gaze turning to the floor in apprehension.
"No." Mulan answered simply, surprising Madoka. "Our mission is to secure an alliance with the Kingdom of Qui Gong, and that's exactly what we'll do. We just have to come up with another way to make it happen, and as much I hate to admit it, that's a conversation that Shang is best left out of." She explained, a solemn, almost guilty look on her face as she mentioned her stubborn, honor bound fiancé.
Madoka didn't like it, but she understood her reasoning. They both knew that Shang would immediately dismiss the idea of bailing the Princesses' out of their engagement if they didn't at least have an alternative solution prepared. Otherwise, he would insist that they stuck to the plan, for that was their duty, and the feelings and happiness of the princesses and his fellow soldiers be damned.
"…Do you really think we'll come up with a better solution?" Madoka asked.
"We have to… we will." Mulan replied with the most serious look Madoka had ever seen the war hero make.
'She's made up her mind, and there's no changing it… she and General Shang may be more alike than they think.' Madoka couldn't help but giggle at the thought. If anyone came make this impossible task work out, it would be the two of them.
"What's so funny?" Mulan asked, completely oblivious.
"Nothing, nothing." Madoka quickly denied. "Come on, let's go find the others."
"Uh, you two go on ahead. I'm gonna go grab me some of those pot stickers over there for the road." Mushu said as he hopped off of Mulan's shoulder.
"Seriously, Mushu?" Mulan sighed playfully, but left the guardian dragon to his harmless whim. "Fine, just make sure to come find us later, or we will leave without you."
"You can count on me, girl." Mushu asserted.
With that said, Mulan and Madoka went back into town to search for the remaining members of their party. However, Mushu, instead of going for any of the food stalls, went straight for the crumpled up piece of paper that Princess Mei had discarded, a wide, evil smirk appearing on his muzzle as he read it.
"Oh~, this is gonna be delicious!"
"Maybe we can offer Lord Qin something else in exchange for the alliance." Mulan posited.
"Like what exactly?" Ling asked.
It didn't take too long for Mulan and Madoka to find the rest of their friends in town, and as promised they all met up by the small bridge on the south end of the village to discuss their next move. From what Madoka understood of the terms of the original agreement, after the princesses of the middle kingdom married the princes of Qui Gong, the neighboring kingdom would station their troops at the border between the Middle Kingdom and Mongolia, presenting their commitment to the kingdom's defense should the news of their alliance not be enough to sway the would be invaders.
Other than that, the actual relations between the two kingdoms would remain largely unchanged, so really the marriage was meant as more of a sign of good faith, in exchange for Qui Gong putting their soldiers at risk. Meaning, so long as they offered up something else for the service they would be providing, they should, in theory, still be able to forge an alliance with them.
And so, the brainstorming had begun.
"Well, I guess land would be the obvious choice. Maybe we let them grow their boarders a bit with some good farmland, or a province or two." Mulan suggested.
"I doubt such a trade would please Lord Qin." Ting-Ting lamented. "Qui Gong may not be as large as the Middle Kingdom, but the land it does own is very prosperous, and they were able to keep it that way by carefully managing their size and resources. Lord Qin neither needs, nor wants any more land."
"Well, if all we need are the soldiers, why don't you just trade them some of yours?" Madoka offered. "So long as the Mongols see that your boarder is being protected by soldiers from Qui Gong, it should send the same message that the alliance has been made."
"The point of stationing Qui Gong soldiers at the boarder is to increase the defenses enough that the Mongols won't attack. It doesn't matter which soldiers are protecting which boarders if there are still few enough that the Mongols can break through them." Chien Po regretfully rebuked.
"Oh…"
"Bah! I say to hell with this whole alliance business! Let's just show those Mongols exactly how the imperial army took out Shan-Yu and the Huns!" Yao declared, cracking his knuckles with an intimidating scowl on his face.
"You mean… go to war?" Su said, a horrified expression coming across her and her sisters' faces.
"YOU CAN'T!" Mei immediately cried, laying her shaking hands on Yao's tensing shoulder. "Please, anything but that! I don't know what I would do if I… if I lost you, Yao." She pleaded, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
Yao's scowl immediately fell as he looked up at his beloved Mei's face, his shoulders relaxing as he felt the warmth from her gentle touch. He looked around at his fellow soldiers, apprehensive looks on their faces as their own princesses clung to them, clearly against the idea themselves.
"Uhh… ah, alright. An alliance it is then." Yao conceded, taking Mei's delicate hand into his and looking to her with a soft, loving gaze that instantly eased her worries.
"Will there really be a war without an alliance." Madoka hesitantly asked.
"That's what the emperor's advisors say, and they don't like our chances of victory." Mulan admitted, looking to the ground with a stern look on her face, the look of a soldier dreading a battle she knew she couldn't win.
"I'm sorry, Fa Mulan." Mei said, grabbing her attention. "We know it is selfish of us to go against our duty like this… to ask you to go against your duty like this." The guilt was apparent on not only hers, but the faces of all of the Princesses and their guards, the weight of their decision and treachery becoming much more apparent to them.
"You're wrong, Mei." Mulan replied with a sympathetic smile. "I'm not going against my duty at all, none of us are." She placed her hand over her chest, harkening back to what she had previously told the princess. "It's never wrong to follow your heart, and we will do whatever we can to make sure you are all free to follow yours, right Madoka?" She turned to their younger companion.
"Well… I…"
Her reply was interrupted by the loud whinny of a horse and the distinct sound of hooves hitting cobble stone in a furious gallop. The eight of them all turned in time to see none other than General Li Shang, leaping over the river on his white horse and landing opposite of them.
"General Shang!" Chien Po gasped, he and his fellow guards immediately unhanding the princesses.
"Oh boy." Yao said with great dread as the three of them stepped forward, none of them able to meet the equally discouraged faces of their partners.
"Mulan-san…" Madoka nearly whispered.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this." Mulan assured them all in a soft, comforting voice before quickly stepping forward along with the guards.
"I'm so sorry to break up your little party!" Shang spat into the faces of the guards, the three men trying their hardest to remain standing at attention.
"Shang, before you jump to conclusions, let me explain the situation." Mulan calmly requested as she stood between Shang and the guards.
"Fine, why don't you start by explaining why I found this pinned to the saddle of my horse!" Shang said as he reached into his tunic and pulled out a lightly crumpled, rolled up piece of paper.
"What is...?"
"That's mine." Mei spoke up, a guilty expression on her face. "I wrote that note in town today."
"That's right, it's all in here, your affair with my soldiers, your intent to abandon the mission, and most importantly, the reason for this rash decision of yours." Shang then unrolled the piece of parchment and read aloud. "And so my dear father, I cannot complete this mission. I've come realize that my duty is to my heart. Now who does that sound like?" He accused, glaring at the admittedly flustered soldier whose words the princess had decided to borrow.
"But I didn't…"
"I didn't want to believe it, I thought it had to be some kind of mistake!" Shang interrupted Mei's plea. "And yet, here you are, ready to run off into the sunset and leave the Middle Kingdom at the mercy of the Mongols!"
"N-No, that's not it!" Madoka quickly denied. "We weren't trying to leave without you or anything!"
"Oh really?" Shang said, sparing Madoka a glance before turning his full attention back to Mulan. "Than why are you all here at the bridge, instead of meeting me at the stables like you were ordered to?"
"Shang, I swear we were going to meet up with you, but only after we came up with a solution to this problem we're having." Mulan defended, her voice as calm as she could make it.
"The problem, Mulan, is you!" Shang's words earned a shocked gasp from the entire company, Mulan herself going wide-eyed and her jaw dropping from the hurtful comment.
"W-What?"
"You place your own feelings above everything!" Shang continued. "Duty! Obligation! Tradition! It all means nothing to you!"
"It means everything to me!" Mulan shot back, finally losing her composure. "My heart tells me my duty and I follow it!" Shang let out an irritated growl at Mulan's response, so infuriated that he had to look away from her.
"You!" Madoka jumped as Shang suddenly addressed her with an outstretched hand. "Escort the princesses back to the stables! I need to have a word with my soldiers." He ordered with the sternest look Madoka had ever seen on anyone.
"No Madoka, don't!" Mulan quickly rebuked the order. "If Shang has something to say, he can say it in front of all of us." She met Shang's furious gaze with one of her own.
"There it is again, blatant insubordination!" Shang shouted. "Is this why you wanted to bring her along? Did you think it would be easier to undermine my authority if you had a young, impressionable warrior around that you could turn to your cause?"
"You make it sound like I was plotting some sort of coup from the beginning!"
"Well what exactly am I supposed to think, Mulan? You were against this mission from the moment we received our orders from the emperor, and now here you are having secret meetings behind my back, all while taking advantage of a stranger who simply doesn't know any better than to go along with whatever the "hero of china" asks of her!"
"How dare you! For you information, Madoka sympathizes with the princesses just as much as I do and wants to help them!" Mulan asserted, completely oblivious to how uncomfortable it made the girl in question. "And you know what, Sora would have done the same thing!" Now that one made Madoka really uncomfortable.
"No Mulan, Sora would have completed this mission because he knew it would decide the fate of the Middle Kingdom, and even if he wouldn't, Madoka isn't Sora, and she will do the right thing, isn't that right?" Shang suddenly turned to Madoka.
"Uh… I…"
"That's right, Madoka will do the right thing, and the right thing is to help the princesses, right Madoka?" Mulan countered, putting Madoka further on the spot.
"You'll do your duty, right Madoka?"
"You'll follow your heart, right Madoka?"
"Madoka?"
"Madoka!"
"I… I…" Back and forth they went, over and over again, demanding a straight answer from her. The rest of the company remained silent, their eyes all on her, awaiting her decision that seemed to be what would break the stalemate between their commanding officers. Madoka never did well under pressure, but she could avoid it no longer, closing her eyes and trying her best to weigh the options in her head even while she was being screamed at. And eventually, she came to an answer.
"I AGREE WITH GENERAL SHANG!"
Silence. Complete and utter silence followed Madoka's declaration, not so much as a surprised gasp coming from the rest of the company. Madoka opened her eyes and was met with shocked, and even horrified looks all around, even Shang himself stared at her with his mouth agape, clearly not as confident in her answer as he had led on.
"…Madoka?" Her eyes met Mulan's, surprise and betrayal evident in her gaze, silently begging for an explanation.
"I… I don't like this political marriage deal anymore than you do Mulan-san, really I don't, but… is it really worth risking a war over it?" Madoka began, continuing when Mulan hesitated to reply.
"Before I came to this wor-, er, before I came to China, I came into contact with this really scary girl. I can only really describe her as a devil, with how powerful she was, and how little she cared about who she had to hurt to get what she wanted. I was the only one who could stop her, and if I didn't, lots of other people were going to suffer; it was my duty." She recalled that fateful day, staring down the arrow of Homura's mystical bow, feet glued to the ground and gripping the Keyblade so hard that it almost hurt.
"But, in the end, I just couldn't do it. I ran away, from the fight, from my home, from my duty. And now… people that I cherish are suffering because of it." She thought back to Nagisa, blissfully unaware that was she was being manipulated by a tyrant. And then there was Sayaka, her best friend, her will completely stripped away and left a hollow shell of the kind, righteous girl she once was.
Madoka was noticeably distressed as she recalled the fate of her friends, her shoulders shook as she grabbed her arm tightly, and the looks of shock and betrayal soon turned to sympathetic gazes. After a moment of silence, Madoka turned to address the princesses.
"Your Highnesses, I know this is hard for you, and I really am sorry, but I just… I don't want you to make the same mistake I made."
The princesses remained silent, hanging their heads in defeat.
"Guards!" Shang announced, the three soldiers once again standing at attention as the General approached. "Escort the princesses to the stables on the north side of town. You are to guard them, you are not to make any detours, and you are not to speak to them, not a word. Am I understood!?" Shang commanded in a stern voice that may have been much more explosive had he not cooled off.
"Yes sir!" The guards promptly replied, but immediately slumped over in udder sadness as they solemnly escorted the princesses back into town.
Madoka's heart sank as she watched them leave. She wanted to say something, to apologize again, or to give just a bit more explanation as to why she made such a decision, but she knew it was pointless.
Now, it was just the three of them, Shang standing tall, hands behind his back as he watched the others leave like the commanding officer he was, and Mulan standing with her back turned to the both of them, arms crossed and shoulders stiff.
"You're taking away their only chance at happiness. Not just the princesses, but the guards, your friends, as well. You know that, right?" Mulan said remaining with her back turned to them.
"…Yes." Shang replied, just the slightest hint of guilt on his face that Mulan unfortunately couldn't see.
"And you're ok with that? Do you even care?" Mulan almost pleaded, hoping beyond hope that he would have a change of heart; prove that he even had a heart.
"…It doesn't matter how I feel. We have a mission to complete." Shang replied, swiftly crushing those hopes.
"…Fine." Mulan said bitterly as she turned and walked back into town, not even sparing Shang a glance.
"Mulan-san, I…"
"Don't!" Mulan silenced Madoka, continuing her stride passed her.
Madoka watched in stunned silence as she stomped away, no doubt just as angry with her as she was with Shang.
"Madoka." Shang grabbed her attention as he approached her. "I… I want to apologize."
"Huh? What for?" Madoka said quizzically.
"To be perfectly honest, my trust in you had been tentative at best, and there were even times where I thought of you as a… well, a liability." He awkwardly admitted.
"Oh…"
"But I was wrong." He quickly asserted. "Probably the most wrong I've ever been in my whole life. I never would've imagined that a stranger we picked up on the side of the road would end up being more trustworthy, more honorable, than my most trusted soldiers."
"I don't feel very honorable." Madoka replied, looking at her feet with a crestfallen expression.
"I know." Shang surprised Madoka by kneeling down to eye level with her and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Doing your duty isn't always easy, especially if it means speaking up against people you care about. But it's always the right thing to do. You should be proud of yourself for what you did today Madoka, I know I am."
He offered her a small, but sincere smile, one that she only ever saw him give Mulan, and she couldn't help but feel just the slightest bit comforted. She returned the smile with one of her own.
"Thank you, General Shang." Madoka said with a formal bow, her fist in her hand as the soldiers tended to do, which Shang returned.
"Come on, let's get going." Shang said, the two of them returning to town and heading for the stables.
Madoka's smile quickly faded.
Madoka let out a weak cry as she slashed through one last Shadow, panting heavily in exhaustion along with Mulan.
"There's… so many of them." Madoka said between breaths as she dismissed the Keyblade.
"Gee, I wonder why." Mulan bitterly replied as she sheathed her sword.
Madoka remained silent, hanging her head and letting out a sad sigh. Ever since they left the village, the group has been accosted by Heartless attack after Heartless attack, and they all knew exactly why. Madoka didn't need to sense the wisps of darkness wafting off the group to know that there was a heavy tension among them. Between the broken hearts of the princesses and the guards, and the grudge that Shang and Mulan had held on to from the night before, Madoka was surprised they got any breaks from fighting at all.
"Madoka!" Shang called, gaining her attention. "Is it safe?"
"Uh, yes, all clear sir!" Madoka replied with a wave.
With that, Shang motioned for the others to move forward. He was unfortunately unable to procure another carriage, and so the princesses all rode atop a large ox, with the guards dragging their feet a full meter behind them looking just as miserable as their charges.
Mulan silently mounted her horse, about to take her place behind the Princesses, when she locked eyes with Shang. They both wore pained expressions, eyes narrowed with a mixture of sadness, anger, regret, and heartache. No words were exchanged before Shang simply guided his horse forward, Mulan doing the same as their procession of Heartless attracting misery and woe proceeded down the road into a narrow, rocky pass through a mountain range.
"How ye holding up there, Lass?" Mini-Scrooge whispered.
"I'm fine, a little tired, but I can manage until we get to Qui Gong." Madoka replied with a reassuring smile.
"Ye know that's not what I meant." Mini-Scrooge rebuked, wiping the smile from Madoka's face. Her gaze fell to the ground, remaining silent for a moment before replying.
"I've made a decision. Once we're finished with this mission, I'm going to go back to Mitakihara… back to face Homura-chan." She declared.
"I see. And yer sure yer up fer the task?" Mini-Scrooge Inquired, clearly unconvinced.
'No, not at all.' Madoka admitted to herself. Her heart sank just thinking about it, her hands tightening into fists and cold drops of nervous sweat threatening to fall from her brow. However, she pushed through the unease as she looked up at the downtrodden princesses.
"I don't know Mr. Scrooge, but if I'm going to ask the princesses to face their duty, then what right do I have to run away from my own?"
"…Alright, lass, but if ye really intend to end yer journey here, why not make sure it ends without any more regrets." Mini-Scrooge bobbed his head over to the miserable form of Mulan, Madoka knowing exactly what the old bird was getting at.
With a determined nod, she approached.
"Mulan-san?" She hesitantly called, Mulan turning her hanging head to face her. Her dead expression gained just a bit more life at the sight of the pinkette, though she didn't exactly seem happy to see her. "I just wanted to say… I'm sorry about last night. You and the princesses have been very kind to me, and this is probably the worst possible way I can repay you for it. I'm so sorry."
Madoka gave a low, apologetic bow, silently praying that she would at least be forgiven. After a moment of silence, Mulan's expression softened and she let out a sigh.
"No Madoka, I'm sorry." She replied. Madoka sprung back up in surprise, meeting Mulan's own apologetic gaze. "I put you on the spot to try and win an argument. I didn't even consider whether or not you actually agreed with me. I know there's no easy answer to all of this, and I shouldn't hold it against you just because we disagree. Please forgive me for being a bad friend."
Mulan gave her an apologetic smile, and Madoka could feel a weight be lifted off her heart. Even though they disagreed, even though Madoka didn't take her side, she still considered her a friend, and Madoka couldn't be happier. Madoka returned the smile and gave a subtle nod; the two of them silently agreeing that there was no longer any bad blood between them.
But of course, the moment couldn't last forever.
"Madoka!" Shang called, gaining their attention. "Keep a sharp eye out, this is bandit country!"
"Yes sir!" Madoka promptly replied.
Shang and Mulan locked eyes for a moment, just a moment, before immediately turning away. There was a crack of thunder in the overcast above, as if the heavens themselves were voicing the clear animosity between them. And yet, the moment they broke eye contact, they both reached for the matching necklaces that hung around their necks.
"…Are you and General Shang going to be alright?" Madoka immediately knew she shouldn't have asked when she saw the angry scowl on Mulan's face fall into a depressed frown.
"…No. No, I don't think we are." Mulan said, gazing down at her pendent with the saddest eyes Madoka had ever seen. "If this mission has made one thing clear, it's that Shang and I are just… too different."
"Amen to that!" Mushu said as he popped out of Mulan's bag.
"Mushu?" Madoka gasped at the little dragon's sudden and lively appearance.
"Trust me Madoka, those two were not right for each other. Did you see the way Shang disrespected Mulan last night?"
"Well…"
"I'm tellin' you, the sooner General Hard Head isn't around to stink up Mulan's space, the better, right Mulan?" Mushu asserted with an almost satisfied grin on his snout.
Mulan obviously didn't share the sentiment, her head still hanging in grief for her lost love. Madoka recalled how close the two were during the whole rest of the journey, they obviously cared deeply about each other, was a single disagreement really enough to destroy all of that. Of course the royal politics made things much more complicated, but if Mulan could forgive Madoka for making the "wrong" decision, then why couldn't she forgive Shang?
"You know, back home, I have these two friends." Madoka said, Mulan turning her sad gaze towards her. "They're both really different, but also kind of the same. They also argue a lot, about pretty much anything you can think of, and yet the two of them always seem like they're having the time of their lives when they're together. It's strange, but despite all of their fighting, all of their differences, the two of them just… fit."
It was true. From the outside looking in, you would never be able to guess that Sayaka and Kyoko were the best of friends. When Madoka first came back to Mitakihara, she was actually a little bit jealous of how close they were. If their friendship could survive constant disagreements and bickering, certainly Mulan and Shang could make it work.
Mulan, unfortunately, didn't seem to agree.
"Differences can make you stronger, the lesson of Yin and Yang." She gazed down at her Yang pendant; a tear threatening to fall from her eye before she quickly wiped it away. "I really wish I could believe that."
"Mulan-san…" Madoka traded a worried look with Mushu, all traces of previous mirth now replaced with… guilt.
"Hey, come on now girl, it'll be alright." Mushu said as he hopped onto the saddle. "I mean, look on the bright side; you still have me. The old team, right?" Mushu offered a wide, almost comedic smile in order to cheer her up, and to his own horror, it did.
"You're always there for me Mushu."
"Eh, you know, just… doin' the best I can."
"No, really. I just don't know what I would do without you. You're the best friend I've ever had."
She pet the little dragon's head not unlike Madoka would pet a cat, and the absolute sincerity in her voice made for a very touching scene. However, Madoka couldn't help but notice the cold chill that ran up Mushu's serpentine body, so much so that it made the teeth in his awkward smile chatter.
"Mushu?"
Suddenly, the little dragon let out an agonizing shout, startling them both to the point where Mulan's horse came to a halt.
"Oh I can't stand it no more! The only thing wrong with you and Shang, is me!?" He admitted, prostrating himself before Mulan. "I'm the one who got between ya."
"What are you talking about Mushu?" Mulan said quizzically, his word alone unable to shake her faith in him… yet.
"…You've been sabotaging General Shang, haven't you?" Madoka said, realization dawning on her.
"Madoka?"
"All those things that went wrong, his saddle, the campfire, the bear; all that was you, wasn't it?"
Looking back, it should have been obvious from his suspicious behavior when they first met that he was up to no good. But, whether she didn't want to believe that such a close ally to Sora would do such a thing, or she was simply just naïve, she never put the pieces together, until now.
"What? Madoka, I know Mushu's a bit of a troublemaker, but he would never…" Mulan swallowed her claim as she saw Mushu cower, unable to refute Madoka's claim as he averted their gaze. "But… I mean, all that did was put Shang in a bad mood, that's not what did our relationship in."
"Exactly, nothin' I did was working, so when the chance presented itself to really drive a wedge between you two, I…"
"Chance? What chance?" Madoka inquired, but it was Mulan who answered.
"The note." She realized.
"You mean Mei-san's letter?"
"I thought it was strange that she would deliver it to the stables when we never told her Shang would be there… but it wasn't Mei who delivered it, was it?" Mulan accused, Mushu practically able to hear her faith in him shattering.
"It wasn't easy neither; I tell ya I am just not a horse person." Mushu casually responded, as if ignoring the hot water he was in.
"Mushu, what did you do!" Mulan demanded.
"Well, I took these oats from the stable hand, see, and…"
"No, what did you do!" Mulan and Madoka repeated together, refusing to let Mushu joke his way out of it.
He cracked like an egg.
"You was gettin' married! Everything was gonna change! I was gonna lose you… and my pedestal!"
"Pedestal?" Madoka questioned.
"My place as a family guardian!" Mushu explained. "When a woman marries her husband's ancestors take over the guardian gig! I was gonna go back to gong duty Mulan!" He pleaded for some sympathy, or at least understanding.
Mulan denied him.
"You mean you got between Shang and me so you could keep your job!?" She accused with a nasty scowl on her face.
"Mushu, that's horrible!" Madoka added, her own face contorting into a surprisingly fierce scowl as well.
"I'm sorry~!" Mushu squeaked, genuine regret in his eyes, but it just wasn't enough for Mulan.
"What you did was unforgivable!" Mulan spat, still scowling as she turned away from his groveling form.
Another thunderclap echoed throughout the mountain pass, much louder than any before it, catching the whole company's attention.
"Everyone be careful, it looks like there's a storm coming." Shang ordered over the low rumbling of the pitch-black clouds overhead.
As another thunderclap struck, Madoka noticed that the lightning that struck between the black clouds was an odd color, or rather, that it wasn't the only color in the overcast. While the clouds themselves were black as night, every strike of lightning and crack of thunder revealed that within was a flurry of reds and oranges, a strange color pallet that Madoka unfortunately recognized.
"Wait, it's not a storm, it's…!"
With an earsplitting crack of thunder, a powerful bolt of lightning struck a nearby boulder, the horses whinnying in distress as the entire procession came to halt. Everyone had to look away from the blindingly bright flash, but once their eyes readjusted and they all looked back, they were shocked to find the boulder completely vaporized, and in its place stood what could only be described as a demonic ox.
Its body was pitch black, with red designs all across it that seemed to outline a set of Chinese armor. Its horns were long and jagged, forming the shape of two golden bolts of lightning that still crackled with electricity. It had a horrid face, with yellow swirls where there should have been eyes and an angular red mouth that blew smoke with each breath it took. Finally, hanging from its nostrils, was a nose ring shaped like the Heartless Emblem: the Crackling Kuí.
"Heartless!" Shang exclaimed, as if it wasn't plain for all to see. "Close ranks, protect the Princesses!"
The Guards did exactly as ordered, unsheathing their swords and closing ranks around the Princesses and their mount. Madoka and Mulan prepared for combat as well, the Keyblade appearing in a flash of light and Mulan's blade making a loud shwink as it was pulled from its scabbard.
The warriors stared down the Crackling Kuí, its empty gaze panning over each of them. First at the Princesses and their guards, ready to defend the woman they loved with their lives, then to Mulan and Madoka, the pinkette feeling its line of sight stop at her, or rather the Keyblade, specifically. She lowered into a defensive stance, ready for the creature to charge, and yet, after a moment, it turned away from them all, looking over its broad shoulders back to the only member of their company left, General Shang.
Shang narrowed his gaze once it met the lifeless eyes of the Heartless, and with a loud snort the creature turned to face him, the sharp clang of each of its steps revealing that it had four brass cymbals for hooves.
"Huh?" Yao gasped quizzically, unconsciously relaxing his stance.
"It's going for the General?" Chien Po voiced their confusion.
"Shang!" Mulan exclaimed, about to come to his aid.
"Stay back!" Shang ordered, preventing Mulan's approach. "I'll keep its attention, you all get the Princesses to safety!"
"Shang, we're not leaving you!" Mulan asserted, the rest of the guard sharing the sentiment.
"I'll be right behind you, just go!" Shang demanded as he steadied his horse and unsheathed his blade.
Once the Crackling Kuí had turned to face him, it let out a snort before embedding its left horn into the ground, a great amount of electricity surging through it as it scrapped its brass hoof against the ground in preparation. At that very same moment, Shang cracked the reins of his stead with a loud "Hiya!", and the two charged at each other. They galloped once, they galloped twice, Shang raising his sword ready to clash with the creature that dared bared their path. And then…
FLASH
All Madoka did was blink, and suddenly the Crackling Kuí was a good ten meters down the pass, Shang crying as countless volts of electricity surged threw him, knocking him off his horse.
"Shang!" Mulan shouted, the rest only able to watch in horror as their commanding officer convulsed on the ground in agony.
It wasn't just the initial strike. It was faster than any of them could see, but the Crackling Kuí had dragged its electrified horn across the ground as it charged, leaving behind a current of crackling electricity that was now continuously shocking Shang. As he struggled against the pain, the Heartless strode back to him, letting out a monstrous cry as it raised itself on its hind legs and brought its front hooves down onto the soldier.
A loud metallic clang echoed throughout the mountain pass, as Mulan and Madoka made it just in time to block the two hooves before they could crush the incapacitated Shang. They were visibly struggling, the Heartless pressing all of its weight down upon them, only for Mushu to appear on Mulan's shoulder and blow a ball of fire into the creature's face. It let out a loud shriek as it was forced back, temporarily blinded by the flames, giving Madoka the chance to cast three consecutive Blizzard Spells at its feet, immobilizing it for the time being.
"Shang!" Mulan carefully kneeled down next to him, sparks still arcing from his body even as the charge on the ground dissipated. "Shang, hold on! Shang!" She tried to get his attention, though he seemed to only be barely conscious.
"Hold on, I think I can help." Madoka said as she reached into her pocket. She pulled out one of the potions she had collected from the Heartless and allowed its healing essence to shower over Shang. His body glowed with a faint green before his eyes snapped open.
"…Thank you… Madoka… Mulan…" He said between coughs, his airway having been constricted by the sparks.
"You can thank us when we get you to safety." Mulan quipped, though was clearly beyond relieved. She summoned her horse to her side with a whistle and helped Shang up onto the saddle.
"My horse…"
"We got at!" Yao assured, he and Ling riding the white stead while Chien Po rode with the Princesses on the Ox. "Come on, let's go!"
They didn't need to be told twice, Mulan cracking the reins of her horse sending it galloping forward, giving the Heartless a wide birth as they passed it up the mountain pass. As they flew by, the Crackling Kuí freed one of its hooves from the ice, then another, and before long the fleeing soldiers could hear the loud clanging of its metallic hooves echoing throughout the mountains.
"Here it comes!" Mulan warned once the Heartless came back into sight.
"I got it. Freeze!" Madoka shot a Blizzard Spell at the ground between them and the Heartless in hopes to slow it down. However, before the shot even hit the ground, there was another flash of lightning, and the Crackling Kuí was nowhere to be found. "Huh? Where…?"
"Up ahead!" Ling exclaimed.
Madoka faced forward and standing in their path, sparks still arching off its body, was the Crackling Kuí. For a moment Madoka thought that it had teleported, how else could it pass them without any of them even noticing, but the black skid marks that it left on the ground before it proved that it had in fact just dashed passed them, faster than any of them could perceive.
The sparks then began to culminate into the horns, releasing a powerful bolt of lighting into the black clouds above, and a moment later numerous identical bolts came raining down from the sky in the straight line, forcing the team to hug the stone walls, narrowly avoiding the strike and coming to a halt as the beast blocked their path forward.
"Yao, fall back!" Shang ordered.
"Sir, that thing's too fast, we'll never be able to out run it!" Yao argued, the princesses looking visibly distraught at their hopeless situation.
"You won't have to." Shang assured, much to all's confusion. "Mulan, take us to that bridge!" He pointed down another path; leading to a ravine that did in fact have a rope bridge connected the two sides.
"…Ok. Hiya!" Mulan complied, snapping her reigns and sending them galloping down the other path.
This left the guards and princesses alone with the beast, but just as before, the Crackling Kuí showed no interest in them, charging after Shang and the others and allowing the guards to guide the princesses back down the mountain for the time being.
Meanwhile, it didn't take long for Mulan to reach the ravine, bringing her horse to a stop just before the old, worn out suspension bridge.
"Um, are you sure that bridge is safe?" Madoka asked, nervously looking down the misty ravine, unable to even see the bottom.
"No, it isn't, and that's the point." Shang replied.
"Huh?"
"If it won't hold for us, than it definitely won't hold for him." Mulan explained once the Crackling Kuí came back into view.
The Heartless stopped its approach, staring its prey down as its horns began to spark with electricity. It scraped its front hoof on the ground before turned its head and stabbed one of its horns into the ground.
"It galloped twice before it rammed through me. With how fast it moves your timing has to be perfect." Shang warned as Mulan turned their horse around to face the Heartless, the three of them brandishing their weapons in preparation for their high-risk game of chicken.
"Get ready." Mulan said before she cracked the reigns, sending her horse galloping forward just as the Heartless began to advance as well.
One gallop…
Two gallop…
"Now!" Mulan cried as she suddenly pulled on the reigns, forcing them to the left of the path just before the bright flash that signaled the Heartless' speed. Madoka could feel the electrical energy arc off of the Keyblade's protective guard. They did it. They evaded the lightning fast Heartless and now it would barrel right onto the bridge and fall into…
ZAP
At that exact same moment, Madoka felt the lightning shoot through her from behind, completely bypassing her guard and sending her, Mulan, and Shang collapsing off their horse and onto the ground.
"W-W-Why-y…?" Madoka stuttered through the hundreds of millions of volts that were passing through her body.
Her muscles convulsed, making it difficult for her to do much of anything, but she did manage to turn her head to get a better look at the electrically charged path the Heartless left behind. Astonishingly, the path streaked across the pass as they had wanted, but just before it reached the bridge, it made a sharp turn, plowing straight through them from behind and leaving the Crackling Kuí standing right where it had started its charge.
'That… that's not fair!' Madoka derided.
It seemed that they had underestimated the creature's speed, and it will be there downfall if they didn't do something quick. Madoka struggled against the current surging through her body, managing to get onto her hands and knees, but no further. She turned to Mulan, who didn't seem to be fairing any better, needing to support herself with her sword just to stay on her knees.
It was then that they heard it, the clanging of the Crackling Kuí's hooves at it stalked closer to them, the girls still unable to get to their feet as the Heartless got close enough to breath smoke into their faces. They kept struggling with all of their might, but their muscles just kept tensing the more they tried to move. As the Heartless loomed over them, its horns began crackling with lightning, about so summon down a massive bolt that will finish them both and win it their Hearts to devourer.
However, just as the energy was about to leave its horns, a steel throwing star imbedded itself in its face.
"Hey, over here!" The Heartless, as well as Mulan and Madoka, turned to see Shang, standing at the edge of the ravine.
Unlike before, Shang was lucky enough not to land on the electrified ground, and though he still seemed to be tense from the initial shock, he was powering through it. Once he had the Heartless' attention, he hobbled onto the bridge, both his partial paralysis and the unstable construction making it difficult, but he pressed on. He stopped once he got halfway across, turning back to meet the Crackling Kuí's fierce gaze with one of his own.
"You came all this way for me, didn't you? Well, here I am!" Shang challenged, brandishing his sword and standing in as solid of a stance as he could muster.
It didn't take long for Mulan and Madoka to realize what was happening. Shang was trying to lure the Heartless onto the bridge as planned, but with how fast it could move it wasn't hard to imagine that it could clear the entire ravine before the bridge collapsed from under it. He needed to make sure it stopped on the bridge, and the only way to do that was to be on the bridge when…
"…No! Gener-al, d-d-don't!" Madoka cried, attempting to prop herself up with the Keyblade as Mulan hand, only for it to fall out from under her and land her face down on the ground.
But it was no use; the Crackling Kuí had already begun charging with lightning, scrapping its hoof against the stone in preparation to serge forward and mow down the foolish soldier who dared challenge it. Madoka tried to prop herself up with the Keyblade just as Mulan had with her sword, only for it to fall out from under her and land her face down on the ground.
"Sha-ng… Shang, please!" Mulan pleased, desperately trying to will her paralyzed limbs to stand and come to her beloved's aid.
Shang locked eyes with Mulan from across the bridge, the reality of what was about to happen dawning in both of them. And yet, Shang stood his ground, reminded of what exactly it was he was fighting for… who he was fighting for.
"Mulan… I'm sorry."
FLASH
The moment after Shang said his peace, the Crackling Kuí surged forward, pushing Shang a few meters back on the bridge as it imbedded its shoulder into the General's sword. Shang clenched his teeth as he felt the bolts of lighting arcing off the Heartless' horns, but thankfully he managed to keep the distance they traveled to a minimum, bringing the Heartless to a stop a third of the way from the other end of the bridge. For a brief moment, it seemed like the bridge would hold after all, but one by one each and every plank the Heartless had stepped on either cracked in half or turned to ash along with the rope that held it together.
And then… they fell.
"Shang! SHANG!" Mulan's desperate cries echoed throughout the mountain as she reached out towards the ravine with her free hand, as if somehow Shang could reach out and grab it, sparing him his inevitable end.
The Crackling Kuí let out a cry of its own, reverberating off the sides of the ravine as it faded further and further from earshot. A moment later, the current that held Mulan and Madoka faded, as if to signal their hollow victory.
And yet still, they both remained paralyzed.
A/N: Huh... it just occurred to me that I ended this chapter in almost the exact same way I ended the last one, you know with a "literal" cliffhanger... weird. So yeah, this was supposed to be the last half of the Land of Dragons Arc, but it ended up getting kind of long and I felt like this was just the perfect place to end the chapter. With that said, I've decided that from now on I'm not going to worry too much about chapter lengths and the number of chapters per world and stuff like that, when a chapter reaches a good stopping point, that's where it's gonna stop.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and I'll try my best to get the real last part of the Land of Dragons Arc to you soon. See ya!