3 Here's your choices, *I* know what you should do

Chi Fu practically refused to look at Mulan all through the meeting except to occasionally sneer, or, more often, glower. The soldier with the emblem of the Emperor's guards name was Yin Po; apparently he was Chin Po's older brother, small world. It was bizarre, he seemed both interested and curious about China's heroine and his brothers friend as well as condescending, older, wiser and, of course, a man. However, to Mulan's eyes, he didn't seem as much like Chi Fu as she had originally feared, a little persuasion, which Chi Fu would undoubtedly call manipulation, and a chance to get to know the hero he was so curious about might just sway him from the path of snobbery.

"A WHAT?" Mulan practically yelled. "You're joking!"

"Mulan!" Her mother hissed, bringing a blush to Mulan's already rosy cheeks.

"This is a great honor, Mulan," her father added in his usual calm voice.

"Even more so since he has given you the opportunity to CHOOSE to stay with your family, where it is safe." Chi Fu looked down his nose at her; making it apparent just what he thought she should choose.

"What do you mean by THAT?" Mulan snapped before she could stop herself.

"Well," Chi Fu half sneered half giggled nervously, "honestly, the first time was most likely more fluke than heroism, you would not want to put yourself or your family through that again."

"Oh, and I suppose if I DON'T go then my father would have to go in my place?" Mulan demanded.

"That is still…questionable," Chi Fu replied slowly.

"And I SUPPOSE the Emperor just requested that I take this job for the hell of it?!"

"Mulan!" Her mother snapped, more loudly this time.

Mulan glanced apologetically at her mother, but in the same look caught her father's eye. On the outside, for show, it was slightly disapproving, but on the inside she could see the amusement. HIS daughter had this man practically cowering in a corner! Not proper, but Mulan had to be herself, he knew that now, he was just sorry it took a huge act to prove it. Besides, he did not much care for the annoying and crude Chi Fu; he gained new respect for his daughter at the mere idea of her surviving boot camp with him around. Her grandmother also caught her eye, with a mischievous grin that could have reached her ears if that were allowed. Whether it was the people Mulan knew that preferred her to Chi Fu or the simple fact that she could, relatively easily, take him, didn't matter.

"You DARE to have the impudence to speak to someone of MY stature in that TONE?!" Chi Fu growled, taking any miniscule support he could dig out of Fa Li's quick warning to Muan. "Even if you take the offered job of Captain then I am STILL your superior!"

"Then I wonder if that job the Emperor offered me is still available… What job was that again? Oh right, silly me, YOUR job!" Mulan nearly spat. Catching her bad mood and behavior at the last second and looking down to glare, seething, at the floor.

Yin Po looked at Mulan in surprise. All dinner she had been well manner, or at least better mannered than was expected of her, but not silent, that just wasn't who she was. Chi Fu had an unintelligent habit of hitting anybody's nerves that was 'not of his status' but this girl was the first person he had seen actually completely loose her temper with him. Not exactly a traditional response, but hey, anybody who got up the nerve to finally get fed up with the little man and say so was worth looking into, even if it WAS a girl.