Disclaimer: I do not own either Bluey or Mulan,only how the story goes. Bluey belongs to Ludo Studio and Mulan belongs to Disney. The only thing that I do own are the OC's of the story. I do apologize for any errors in grammar and/or if I was not accurate in reference to something.

A/N: There's a much more touching scene in this chapter, I promise. But I have to tell you that the feeling in the chapter is mostly gloomy. And it took me a while to chose the right name for this chapter.

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TheWriterForGod42: Now we meet with a couple of fathers who can show that they can really care about their families.

Mort Redler: Gooday everyone! Glad to be a part of this. Like my fellow former soldier here, we'd be willing to do anything to protect our families.

Fa Zu: Hello. And yes, my friend. We both have found ourselves serving to protect our families.

TheWriterForGod42, Mort and Fa Zu: Enjoy the chapter everyone.

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Chapter Three: Reflecting News

Chili had her head hanging as she walked with her mother and grandmother back to their home. She couldn't help but feel guilty that she had let her family down today. The walk home was uneventful but had a sad air to it. When they reached the gate, Chili looked about but didn't see her father before coming in. She pushed the door open wide enough and led their horse onto the grounds. But as she made her way over to the stables, Mort walked onto porch. He looked to his daughter with a smile, but when Chili looked to him she quickly covered her face in shame by hiding behind King's face as they walked to the stables.

Mort became confused by this and looked back to the main gate as his mother and wife came through. He could see that there was something wrong as the two she-dogs both had sad looks on their faces. His mother walked right past him while Grace walked up to him. Mort asked her, "How did it go?"

"Oh, Mort." Grace closed her eyes and shook her head. Then she looked in the direction that her daughter went. Mort followed her gaze and guessed that the meeting didn't go well.

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When they came into the stables, Chili removed King's holster and the horse moved to drink from the water trough. Chili sighed as she looked down at the rippling water. Her feelings of shame welled up as she thought about her reflection. So many mixed emotions ran through her heart as she sang…

Chili: Look at me

I will never pass

For a perfect bride

She walked away from King while removing her accessories. Chili glanced over to her parents and could see the looks of disappointment on their faces.

Chili: Or a perfect daughter

Chili left the stables and walked along the grounds of her home. She walked through the opening. The Red Heeler removed the cricket's cage before opening it to release the little creature…

Chili: Can it be

I'm not meant to play this part?

She watched the little creature hop over onto a leaf before turning away. The little cricket watched in sadness as he knew that he was a good deal responsible for her sadness. Chili walked up to the bridge of the estate and continued thinking…

Chili: Now I see

That if I were truly to be myself

Chili walked across the bridge in a fun sort of way by hoping across the accents of it. But when she landed on the ground she sang about how it would affect her family…

Chili: I would break my family's heart

She walked across the bank of the pond and asked herself…

Chili: Who is that girl I see

Staring straight

Back at me?

She stopped at a large statue of a dragon and ran a paw against its side. Chili turned to look up into the sky…

Chili: Why is my reflection

Someone I don't know?

The cricket used a leaf and a stick to paddle across the small pond to the other side. He hopped up the stairs after Chili as she entered the shrine. The Red Heeler looked at all the headstones of her ancestors and sang…

Chili: Somehow I cannot hide

Who I am

Though I've tried

She kneeled before the shines as if in a way to apologize. When she raised herself to sit up again, Chili looked to her reflection in the smooth stone. With a sad look she began to remove the makeup from her face by wiping her face with her sleeve…

Chili: When will my reflection show

Who I am inside?

She looked at the uncovered portion of her face before finishing. When it was all gone she asked again while letting her hair down…

Chili: When will my reflection show

Who I am

Inside?

The young Red Heeler looked about the headstones in the shrine before she sighed. Rising to her feet, Chili walked out of the shrine with same depressed feeling in her heart.

Chili soon found herself beneath a tree with pink blossoms that had a stone bench sitting underneath it. Chili sat down on the bench and hung her head down in sadness. As she thought about what transpired today, she gently stroked her tail and thought about her family.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard her father clear his throat. Chili looked to see Mort standing there. He tried offering his daughter a comforting smile, but she could only look away in shame. Mort's smile fell as he moved to sit next to her. Taking a deep breath he said, "Chili, you shouldn't take what Wendy the Matchmaker said to heart. Everyone knows how she can be from time to time." He chuckled when he thought about it, "Even when crazy stuff like that happens."

That only caused Chili to feel a little worse with a small groan. Mort winced from it and said, "Sorry."

Chili didn't say anything and Mort looked about their home's grounds. When he looked amongst the branches of the tree, he saw something that made him smile again, "My, my. What beautiful blossoms we have this year." Something caught his eye and he leaned close to Chili and pointed when he said, "But hey, look. This one's a little late."

Chili happened to look and saw a single blossom alone on a branch that hadn't bloomed yet. Mort looked to his daughter and meant more when he said, "But I'll be that when it finally blooms, it'll be the most beautiful of them all."

Chili smiled in appreciation to this and it made Mort's smile grow wider. Placing a comforting paw on her shoulder he encouraged, "Don't worry, Chili. You'll get there soon enough."

"Thanks, Dad." Chili said and the two embraced. But their tender moment was brought to an abrupt end when the pounding of drums in the distance could be heard.

Both Chili and Mort rose up onto their feet and made their way to opening. As they walked, Chili asked, "What is it?"

"I don't know." Mort shook his head and they all made their way to the main gate of the estate.

Ar Fe and a couple of messengers rode into town on horseback. As they rode amongst the housing district, a dog stood in a tower and beat on a drum to let the townspeople know that something was up. They pulled up between two homes which one happened to the Redler estate. Mort opened the door as his family joined behind him. Mort looked to his wife before stepping out of the gate. Chili was about to follow when Grace said, "Chili." Daughter looked mother when Grace said, "Stay inside, dear."

Chili did as her mother asked and stayed back. She heard her grandmother clear her throat to get her attention. Chili looked to the older she-dog and Lucy gestured behind her with her head. Looking to what her grandmother was saying, she saw a way to see what was happening. The Imperial horses whinnied as Chili ran over to the railing of the stables. Climbing up onto the wood, Chili looked over the wall to see what was going on. The entire neighborhood was starting to gather around as Ar Fe pulled out a scroll, "Citizens, I bring a proclamation straight from the Emperor in the Imperial City.

"The Huns have invaded China." He informed and it caused a mass of gasps from the crowd. Chili could see that this was very serious as some she-dogs moving their children inside their homes. Ar Fe then said, "By order of the Emperor, one man from every family must serve in the Imperial Army. Come and claim a scroll from one of the messengers when I call the family name."

From her spot behind the wall, Chili sincerely hoped that her father would not be called. Ar Fe unrolled the scroll and read one of the names and called out, "The Hoskin family."

A young dog from said family walked up to one of the Imperials and bowed before taking the scroll. Ar Fe then called out, "The McKane family."

One of the Imperial soldiers held out a scroll to a couple of dogs. The younger dog moved in front of his elder and said, "I will serve the Emperor in my father's place."

"The Redler family." Was the third family name that Ar Fe called out. Chili's eyes widened to this unfortunate news, "No! Not Dad."

She looked over to see what her father would do. Mort handed his cane over to Grace and walked with a slight limp up to the Imperial to retrieve his scroll. Grace watched him walk, but couldn't help but feel sad and afraid for her husband. Mort stopped before the horse and bowed in respect. When he rose to his full height he proudly said, "I am ready to serve the Emperor."

Chili shook her head in shock before jumping down from the fence and running to the gate. Mort reached his paw to take his scroll, but before he could everyone heard Chili cry out, "Dad, you can't go!"

Mort looked back to see his daughter running up to them and moved between him in the soldier. He was a little shocked and said, "Chili."

"Please, sir, my father has already fought bravely…" Chili pleaded to the soldier. But Ar Fe was quick to move in front of Chili and Mort and said with a stern face, "Silence!" Looking to Mort he said, "You would do well to teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man's presence."

He then held his paw to the Imperial soldier. Chili was about to say something when Mort looked away and said, "Chili, you have dishonored me."

Chili looked to her father in shock before her head hung in sadness. Lucy was quick to come to her granddaughter's side and held her back. They both took a step back and Ar Fe instructed to Mort, "Report around tomorrow morning to the Wu Zhong camp."

"Yes, sir." Mort bowed again before taking the scroll from the Bulldog's paw. Then without another word, Mort walked back to his home as Ar Fe called out another family name, "The Dalmatian family!"

Some of the citizens moved out of the way as Mort passed them. As he approached the gate, Grace held the cane out to her husband, but Mort just walked right past her. Ar Fe continued to call out names as Chili and Lucy joined Grace at the gates to their home. All three she-dogs had sad looks on their faces as they knew what could happen when Mort left to join the army.

Inside the house, Mort walked into a pretty big room and up to a cabinet with a dragon's head as the handles. He opened up the cabinet to reveal a set of armor hung up on the back of the cabinet while a sword rested on a shelf underneath it.

Outside the room, Chili walked in with a candle in her hand and came by the door. She thought of a way to at least apologize to her father when she looked into the room just when Mort picked up the sword. He unsheathed the blade and she watched as he started to practice with it. Chili kept out of sight when he turned with the blade standing straight up in front of him before twisting it to where the sharp side of the sword faced him. Chili watched in amazement as Mort swung the sword around in graceful swings and struck the necessary poses. But on a pose where he had the blade facing away from him and stood on one leg, Mort groaned out in pain and fell to the ground as he dropped the blade. The metal blade clanged against wooden floor while Mort carefully picked himself up.

Chili wanted to rush into room to help her father, but she felt like it would only make things between them worse. Mort groaned in pain as he stood up and leaned against a pole. He took deep breaths and removed the recruitment scroll from his belt and stared at the rolled-up paper. Mort continued to take deep breaths as he knew he needed to take a moment.

Chili backed up and pressed her back against the wall as she thought about what her father was about to go through. A tear rolled down her cheek at the possibility of losing her father in this war.

Much later that evening, storm clouds started to roll in over the land. Inside the house, Chili and Grace had made dinner for everyone. They all sat on their knees at the table and Chili poured a cup of tea for each of them. When she poured his, Mort took the cup before nodding his thanks. A boom of thunder and a flash of lightning could be seen and heard outside when Chili poured her own cup. Chili looked around the table as everyone ate. Her grandmother could only give her a glance before taking a sip of tea. She glanced over to their parents as they ate and began to think more and more of the situation.

When she thought about it enough, Chili came to a decision. With a small slam of her cup on the table, they all looked to her as Chili spoke her mind, "You shouldn't have to go, Dad!"

"Chili…" Grace tried to say to calm her daughter. But Chili tried to make a point, "There are plenty of young dogs that can go and fight for China."

"It is an honor to protect my country and my family." Mort said with a firm look on his face. Chili couldn't really understand her father's reasoning and questioned, "So, you'll die for honor."

"I will die, doing what is right." Mort defended himself and rose to his feet. Chili tried to make him see the risk, "But if you-"

"I know my place, Chili!" Mort harshly cut her off, startling the young she-dog. With a deep breath he said, "And I think that it is time that you learned yours."

Chili's face fell in a mixture of shock and hurt from his words. Chili quickly turned and ran out of the room in sadness, her family watching her go. Mort looked as if he wanted to say something but closed his mouth and sat back down. Both Grace and Lucy looked to Mort before hanging their heads.

Chili burst out the front door and ran to one of the columns holding the roof up. She clutched it as tears started to flow once again. She loved her father too much and the thought of him going to war and losing him made her cry in sadness. Chili sank down onto her knees with a sob.

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Mort Redler:Even in the script that I read, I felt that it was still a little too harsh on Chili.

Fa Zu: Indeed. Even I found myself regretting my words to Mulan.

TheWriterForGod42: But at least everything works out in the end and they know that you love them.

Mort and Fa Zu: Indeed.

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Author's Note: I wanted to start the next chapter with one of the key points of the story; Mulan's, or rather Chili's, decision. And we'll also be seeing a familiar face in the next chapter as well. I look forward to reading your reviews. Be sure to leave a comment either about if I've done something wrong or if you want something specifically to happen. See you next time.