A/N: Finally a new chapter! I'm sorry it took me so long to post, but these last months have been crazier than ever... But anyway…..It's Summer! Yay!

Tell me what y'all think is about to happen :)

Disclaimer: Repeating this once again…..I don't own the characters from Mulan…or the use of the song lyrics…

Chapter 10

Mulan woke with a start when she heard someone knocking on her door. Not remembering what she wore to bed last night, she grumpily opened the door.

"Morning sleepyhead," said a very amused Shang, this making a very sleepy Mulan become a fully awake Mulan as she remembered what she was wearing and more importantly, who was at the door. Before Mulan could stumble out an excuse Shang walked past her, and looked around the room. "You might want to get dressed; the emperor isn't going to wait all day." She nodded numbly but she didn't move. Mulan just stared at the ground, wishing she had the nerve to tell Shang to leave. The problem was that she didn't want Shang to leave, she wanted to talk to him about that kiss. But, she didn't. Instead, they just stood there looking anywhere but at each other. Finally, Shang cleared his throat before saying, "I should probably get going," and then walking out the room.

"It's about time! I thought pretty boy would never leave," Mushu exclaimed as he untangled himself from the curtain rod. "What are you standing around for? Go get dressed!" Mulan rolled her eyes and did as Mushu ordered her to do. But as Mulan started to put her kimono on, she couldn't help remember the times that her grandmamma was there helping her and making sure Mulan had it on properly.

Maybe showing up with branches in my hair wasn't such a good idea, and maybe yelling out "I'm here," wasn't a good idea either. Mulan could tell by the look on her mamma's face that she was disappointed in her as she ushered her into the building.

"This is what you give me to work with," the lady said with a look of disinterest before continuing to say, "well honey I've seen worse." The lady, who Mulan secretly named Jingfei because she wouldn't stay quiet about Mulan's state of appearance, made Mulan get into to the bucket of water, before saying, "We're going to turn this sow's ear into a silk purse."

Fa Li noticing the writing on Mulan's arm asked, "Mulan, what's this?"

"Ahh, notes,in case I forget something…," Mulan trailed off as she watched her grandma hand Fa Li a cricket stuck in a cage.

"Here, hold this. We'll need more luck than I thought," grandmamma Fa said as she left the preparation area.

After the ladies finished Mulan's hair, Mulan followed Fa Li and stopped as she pass a xiangqi game. Mulan had a smug look on her face as she made a winning move for the guy who was stumped. Fa Li came back and started to drag Mulan away.

Fa Li places a hair comb in Mulan's hair, "There, you're ready."

"Not yet! An apple for serenity," grandmamma Fa said as she put an apple in Mulan's mouth, "...A pendant for balance, beads of jade for beauty. You must proudly show it. Now add a cricket just for luck and even you can't blow.."

"Hurry your lazy butt up," Mushu yelled bringing Mulan back to earth, "the emperor isn't going to wait all day."

"Shang said that this morning," replied Mulan as she tied her sash.

"Yea, well you should listen to him more." Mulan just sighed. "There's no chance at winning with him," she thought.

"Where is she," Shang thought as he paced in front of the emperor's door, "she better not have went back to sleep." Just he decided to go tell the emperor she wasn't going to come, Mulan showed up. "You're late," Shang said when she approached him.

"Like always," she replied shyly. "Do you think the emperor will let me stay with my family," she asked before she went into the emperor's quarters.

"I hope so," Shang said after she left.

Shang didn't realize he was staring off into space until Ling came behind him and said, "Boo!"

"Ahhhh…you really shouldn't do that again," Shang said as he helped Ling off the ground, "unless you like being pushed to the ground by the person you just scared…"

"Ehh...I'm used to it," Ling said while rubbing his neck nervously. "She's still in there?"

Shang replied, "Yes," and left it as that. Sooner rather than later, Chien Po and Yao showed up. And together they waited for Mulan and the fate that lies for her.

~3 hours later~

Shang shifted nervously in his chair, his hands intertwined with each other repeatedly as he fidgeted with them. He watched the doors, waiting for Mulan to come out. He would give up anything to hear what they were saying. "At least I have the gang," he thought before looking at them, "…never mind." Shang couldn't help but smile a little as he watched Ling and Yao use Chien Po as a pillow. Shang decided to mess with them in order to pass the time. Just as he was about to draw mustaches on them, the doors opened and Mulan came out, running. He had to run in order to catch up with her. When he finally caught up with her, she was already mounted on Khan. "What did he say," asked a very out of breathe Shang.

"I get to go home," Mulan said before leading Khan out of the stables. Well, she tried to lead him out but Shang held on to Khan reigns. "What are you doing?"

"You're not leaving yet," Shang said as he led Khan back to his stall.

"And why not," asked a very furious Mulan, as Shang watched her unmount Khan.

Shang thought about it for a second before saying, "One: I promised the gang that they would get a chance to say goodbye. Two: It's way too late to start heading back. And three: We have things we need to discuss."

"We have nothing to discuss," Mulan said as she stormed off.

"Tomorrow is going to be a long day," Shang thought tiredly.