Disclaimers : Still in the first chapter if no one stole them...
Author's note: Enter our second contestant for Mal's heart
A Happy end for a Dragon
Emma and Mulan entered the busy diner were Regina and Henry were already sitting at a table with Maleficent and Lily. The younger dragon's eyes seemed to linger a bit too much on the warrior as Regina noticed.
They approached the table when suddenly something jumped from Mulan' shoulder right into the table and spoke directly to Maleficent "Well hello beautiful, I am the mighty Mushu, the powerful dragon of the East. The Guardian Beast of the Rising Sun. And also, do a mean karaoke."
Maleficent simply raised an annoyed eyebrow at it. Exchanging a quick look with Regina that said darling-don't-you-dare getting a oh-you-are-so-not-going-to-live-this-down-dear.
Emma to her credit tried to diffuse the situation "Mushu here is visiting Mulan" to which the small dragon added dramatically "I hadn't seen her since she joined some group in the Forest! They grow up so fast..." he was sniffling and Mulan blushed muttering something quietly in mandarin.
Ruby had approached the table "Hey Mulan, where is your ancestor" she stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted the red dragon, looking at it,then at Maleficent, then at Emma. So, okay she had convinced Mulan to invite her dragon ancestor over, it had never occurred to her to ask about size...it really should be implied in the dragon part... She mouthed an "How was I supposed to know?!" to Emma who was shooting daggers at her, while everyone else was still distracted by the dragon.
Maleficent looked still totally annoyed at the amorous tiny thing, Regina thought it was priceless...
Lily however was the first to speak "Mulan, I just can't believe you are related to a lizard!" the comment as derogatory as possible "He is my ancestor's spirit" she defended meekly.
"Hey! What lizard?! I am a mighty dragon of the Rising Sun!" Then, turning winking with all the charm he could muster to Maleficent "You know, size is completely overrated" Regina had to hold on to the table to stop herself from laughing at the appalled look on Mal's face.
Unfortunately, Lily still wouldn't leave it alone "We are dragons. You are nothing but a glorified asian iguana! Look at your size! What destruction are you capable of?!" Mushu looked dejected for a moment and the whole table fell silent...
"I bet you are the stealthiest of dragons!" Henry said looking at the red dragon, Mushu's eyes lit up instantly "The stealthiest of all!", "You are a real dragon and yet I bet you could sneak on your enemies without them knowing before it was too late!" Henry continued.
Maleficent looked amused at his antics, further confirming the boy's true calling. Ruby sighed in relief, Mulan looked at Henry in pure gratitude and Emma and Regina exchanged proud parent smiles.
Mushu smiled at Henry "You can bet that boy! I have a few good stories I could tell you. That is, if you are brave enough" he jumped to his shoulder "I like your style kid".
Meanwhile Hook and Tinkerbelle had entered the dinner to get lunch, they greeted them and Tink noticed Mushu " You know, I would love to draw you one day. You would make an awesome tattoo".
They agreed that Henry and Mushu would go to Tink's shop so he could model and then Henry would show him around until the end of Mulan's shift. "And no getting a tattoo for yourself kid!" Emma warned making everyone look a her "Gee, I always thought that sort of warning would come from Regina" Ruby said, Regina just smiled sweetly while Henry and Tink looked to each other and the boy clarified "Neither of us has a death wish..", "Yeah somethings go without saying" Tink added.
Lily got up next, grumbling under her breath, turning to Mulan before leaving "You look nothing like your ancestor" she said coyly before snapping "With that puny thing as a mentor, it's a wonder you survived the army" she left hurriedly before Mulan could reply.
Ruby patted Mulan comfortingly "don't pay attention to that" before leaving to tend to other tables. Emma kissed her wife and got up putting an arm around the warrior "C'mon lets go do our work" they left with Mulan complaining she didn't understand what was going on.
As soon as everyone was well out of earshot Regina burst out laughing while Mal glared at her.
Gold was in his shop, minding his own business and looking at inventory when an almost imperceptible flapping noise caught his attention. He muttered to himself but, try as he might, he could not get to the source.
Suddenly the unidentified source crashed into a cupboard making itself know. Gold could not believe his eyes when he saw a pink silicon dong with matching wings! He caught himself in time to avoid using magic inside his own shop, and so, armed with a fly-swatter he charged against the intruder "Bloody blasted thing!" he swatted around furiously but to no avail.
He chased, pounced on a table, but the thing kept evading his strikes "Do you know who you are messing with?! You just made yourself a powerful enemy!" He pointed the fly-swatter menacingly at the enchanted object.
He was just about to corner it,when the bell ran announcing a visitor.
It was Ashley's former stepmother "Mr Gold, how do you do?" She greeted in her usual over polite affected voice, the imp stared powerless, while the cursed pink demon hovered just above his costumers head. "I... cannot... should not...complain. How about you madam?" The woman huffed completely oblivious to the foreign object over her head, " I was wondering if, by chance, you have a sea green brooch." The man still couldn't take his eyes of the flying thing which had apparently taken an interest in the woman's strange updoo.
Gold tried to stall as best as he could "I have some jewelry I can check", "I would be so very much obliged! It is a family heirloom you see.." out of the corner of his eye he could she Cora approaching with a butterfly net and in a swift dash apprehended the thing. The movement caught the woman by surprise and she turned to see Cora, with her hands behind her back. "Maybe its best if I look for it dear... You know how men are. One asks for sea green, just for them to rummage through hundreds of shades of teal" she quickly slipped behind the counter and expertly found the brooch "Indeed" the woman said surprised. Cora smiled "I will leave you to do business with my husband, but if there any other such items you may want, I will be right in the back-room" and with that she existed smuggling her enchanted prey into the back-room leaving a very flustered Gold to deal his usual business.
Regina was working from her home office this afternoon. It was getting close to dinner time, so she crossed to the living room to ask her son what he wanted to eat "Mom may we have pizza?" He asked from the couch where he was playing video games, when a second voice joined "Yeah mom, can we have pizza?"
She turned to see Mushu playing video games with Henry. "Since when did we get an additional ancestor?" She inquired which made them pause mid-play. Henry entered full diplomat mode "Uh.. mom..you see... Mulan is working late and, you know, he has nowhere to go... So I though he might wait here with us."
Regina quirked an eyebrow "How about Fa Mulan's house?", "But he will be all alone there!" Henry defended while Mushu did his very best impression of a puppy dog look, suddenly as the though came to his mind, he added sincerely "She just doesn't seem to need me anymore" Regina sighed "Fine he can stay for dinner, but.." the doorbell interrupted her thus saving Mushu and Henry.
She opened the door to find a fuming Gold and her mother. "Yes?", Gold just said very calm and collected "This. Has. To. Stop" only to suddenly fall into a full blown rant "I run a respectable pawn shop! I was the true Dark One! I have a reputation to uphold!" Regina looked at her mother "What now?","Well dear, you see... Belladonna and Lily-of-the-valley apparently give them wings" Cora replied matter of factly. "Oh." was all Regina could say.
"Look here, one thing is having this.. business.. and making the potions in the back of the shop, but in this experimental phase, it is just not possible!" Gold said under his wife's glare "It could interfere with the magical objects in the shop! There's no telling what could happen. It's too unpredictable" He defended.
He did have a point "You can use the shed in the back of our yard, if that is acceptable mother" Cora smiled "Its more than acceptable dear thank you" with that settled, they left and Regina texted her wife "Dear, dinner will be pizza. Please inform your deputy to pick up her ancestor at our house when you are both done".
A/N: There are still three eligible bachelors for Maleficent left. Please let me know if you think any of them is the perfect match! I had an idea for who I would chose but know I am having second thoughts. So, if you guys have a favorite do tell.
