KINGDOM HEARTS DX
Chapter 6: Land of Dragons
The next day, Akira logged back into the game. Instead of going through Traverse Town this time, Akira managed to figure out how to log straight into the Gummy Garage. The moment he got there, he was in for a surprise. The ship had increased in size, gained brand new weapons, and gotten clean over night. Akira looked around and saw Luna running up to him.
"Good morning, Akira!" Luna said.
"Morning," Akira said. "Did you…"
Kimiko logged into the garage as well. She looked at the Gummy Ship.
"What happened to my ship?!" Kimiko gasped.
"Did you do this, Luna?" Akira asked.
"I had a little help," Luna said.
"Who?" Kimiko asked.
Suddenly, two Chipmunks crawled up onto Luna's shoulders. They wore tiny lead aprons and gloves. One had a black nose and the other had a red nose.
"We have rats!" Kimiko screeched.
"Who are you calling rats?!" one of the Chipmunks asked angrily.
"We're Chipmunks," the other said.
"What are your names?" Akira asked.
"I'm Chip," said the black-nosed one.
"And I'm Dale," said the red-nosed one.
"They said that they are Gummy Ship Engineers," Luna said. "They're the ones who improved the ship."
"We didn't have much to work with, but we did our best," Chip said.
"Luna mentioned that you had a Navigational Gummy," Dale said. "We need to see it."
Kimiko handed the Navigational Gummy to Chip and Dale. The two of them ran into the ship.
"So we're going to fly to another world in a high-tech interstellar spaceship designed by chipmunks?" Akira asked.
The room was silent for a minute.
"We're ready to fly!" Chip announced from inside the ship.
Akira, Kimiko, and Luna stepped into the newly redesigned Gummy Ship. The interior had increased in size since Akira had last seen it. Kimiko rushed to the captain's seat, while Akira and Luna found a couple of passenger seats. Once everyone was buckled in, Chip and Dale began to activate the switches and buttons on the ship's dashboard. The front gate opened, revealing an interdimensional portal.
"And we're launching in 3…2…1…LAUNCH!" Kimiko shouted.
She pressed the ignition, sending the Gummy Ship rocketing through the portal. The ship flew faster and faster as they shot through Pseudo-space. As Heartless ships appeared, Kimiko shot them down with the new weapons. Soon, they exited Pseudo-space, revealing a new world. It looked like a giant Chinese palace.
"We've reached the Land of Dragons," Dale said.
"Please exit the ship in an orderly fashion," Chip said.
Akira, Kimiko, and Luna stepped out of the ship and found themselves in the Gummy Garage. They found a door on the other side of the garage and stepped through it. On the other side of the door was a thick forest of bamboo.
"I will never understand this game," Akira said.
The three of them traveled through the bamboo thicket until they reached a small village. They stopped at the first house they found.
"I wonder who lives here," Akira said, looking at the house.
"The Fa Family," Luna answered.
"How do you know that?" Akira asked.
"It says so on the front wall," Kimiko answered, pointing at a carved name on the front gate's wall.
The three of them then made their way to the front door. Akira knocked on the door, and a middle-aged woman opened it.
"You three must be here to see Mulan," she answered.
"I guess," Akira said.
"She's in the back," the woman said.
"Yeah, doing her 'chores'," an old woman behind her said.
Akira, Kimiko, and Luna made their way around the house.
"I wonder who Mulan is," Akira said.
"We're about to find out," Kimiko said.
They soon found the back yard, where a young black-haired woman was practicing various martial arts techniques using a rake as a bo staff.
"That looks like fun," Akira said.
The woman finished with a powerful downward strike, when Shadow Heartless began appearing around her.
"Heartless!" Akira and Kimiko exclaimed together.
Akira, Kimiko, and Luna ran down to help the woman out. The young woman began to fight off the Heartless using her rake. A Heartless jumped up from behind to strike her, but Akira knocked it away with his Keyblade. The four warriors then began to fight off the Heartless together until the monsters stopped appearing. The young woman turned towards Akira.
"Thank you for the help," she said. "You look familiar. Do you know someone named Sora?"
"Sora?" Akira asked. "I don't know a Sora. My name's Akira. These two are Kimiko and Luna."
"I am Mulan," the young woman replied. "I'm surprised you don't know Sora, seeing how you two wield the same weapon."
Akira looked at his Keyblade. He then remembered something. Back in the tutorial of the game, he saw an image of a boy wielding a Keyblade on the glass floors.
"I think…" Akira began.
"Mulan!" someone called out in the distance.
Everyone turned to face the direction in which the voice came from. He was a muscular young man with black hair tied back in a ponytail. He wore armor, indicating that he is in the military. He ran over to Mulan.
"That armor looks good on you, General Shang," Mulan said.
"Thank you," Shang said as he ran up to her. "I'd like to talk to you about something…"
He looked over towards Akira, Kimiko, and Luna.
"…Alone," he finished.
Kimiko almost immediately realized what was going on.
"Alright," Kimiko said. "We'll…wait inside."
Kimiko dragged Akira and Luna back to the Fa House. When they were inside, Mulan's mother prepared tea for everyone. Kimiko looked outside a window, where she saw Mulan and Shang sitting underneath a tree. Shang looked as if he was asking Mulan something. Mulan shrieked with joy and immediately hugged him.
"She said yes!" Mulan's grandmother announced.
Her mother then began to cry tears of joy.
"I knew it," Kimiko said as she turned back towards her friends.
"Knew what?" Akira asked. "Mulan shrieked. So what?"
"How dense are you?!" Kimiko asked. "The General obviously just asked Mulan to marry him, and she said 'yes'."
"Really?" Luna asked.
"Yep," Kimiko said. "This is definitely romantic."
"Romance?" Akira asked. "Where's the action? I thought this was an action game."
"I win the pot!" Mulan's grandmother yelled happily.
"Actually," Mulan's father interrupted. "You bet he would propose before sundown. I bet he would propose before noon."
"But you don't gamble," her mother said.
"Betting against my mother isn't a 'gamble'," he said. "It's an investment."
"I'm getting out of here before everyone starts crying and junk," Akira said.
Akira left the room and walked by the family shrine.
"It is written!" a voice came from the shrine.
"Huh?" Akira thought. "What's that."
Akira got to the side of the shrine and put his ear as close as he could.
"Once a woman marries, her husbands ancestors take over the duty of guardianship," the voice continued.
"B…bu…but that can't be!" another voice complained.
"Oh but it is!" a third voice said. "You're out of a job!"
"Out of a pedestal!" a fourth voice said.
"And out of our hair!" a final voice shouted.
Akira then saw what looked like a small, red lizard roll out of the front of the shrine. Then he heard cheering coming from inside.
"That…is strange," Akira thought. "Whatever. I guess a videogame has to be strange sometimes."
After the lizard left, a single heartless appeared behind Akira. Akira noticed it just in time to destroy it.
"What's going on?" he thought.
Soon, it seemed that all of China learned of the proposal. Mulan and Shang were being congratulated by many people. Akira met up with his friends in the middle of the party.
"Where did you go?" Kimiko asked.
"Around," Akira answered.
Whenever Mulan or Shang were asked different questions about their marriage, they gave opposite answers.
"They seem more different than fire and water," Akira said.
"All relationships have a few issues," Kimiko said. "It just makes the game that much more realistic."
Suddenly, a solider on a horse burst into the party.
"General Shang! Fa Mulan!" the soldier announced. "A message from the Emperor."
He handed scrolls to both Mulan and Shang.
"Is there trouble?" Shang asked.
"Yes," the soldier answered. "You are to report to the palace!"
"Finally, some action!" Akira exclaimed. "Let's get ready for battle!"
Akira and his friends got ready for their adventure. Because he finished first, Akira waited outside for the rest of his group.
"Those two are too different," a voice from the shrine. "And once the infatuation wears off, their tree of life is going to end up with root rot."
"Again?" Akira thought.
He heard some squeaking after this was said.
"Sure she seems happy," the voice continued. "That's the real tragedy! The girl don't even realize how miserable she is! That's why I got to nip this thing in the bud."
The squeaking continued.
"This is not about my pedestal!" the voice continued. "This is about Mulan making the biggest mistake of my…I mean her life. Cri-kee, I'm going to break them up!"
"A pedestal?" Akira thought. "Does this have anything to do with Mulan's marriage."
Suddenly, two more Heartless appeared behind Akira. Akira managed to fight them off and destroy them.
"What's going on?!" Akira thought. "Every time I hear that voice, Heartless appear."
"Akira!" Kimiko called as she and Luna ran up to him.
"We heard fighting," Luna said. "What happened?"
Akira explained the current situation to his friends.
"So every time you hear this voice, Heartless appear and attack you?" Kimiko asked.
"Exactly!" Akira said. "I think that Mulan and Shang must be in danger!"
"You might just be hearing things," Kimiko said.
"I'm telling the truth!" Akira said.
"I believe you," Luna said.
"I knew I could count on you, Luna," Akira said as he grabbed her hands.
"I knew I could count on you," Kimiko mocked.
"Let's get moving," General Shang said as he and Mulan rode up to them on horses.
"Let's saddle up!" Akira said.
The five warriors rode on horses towards the Emperor's palace. They quickly arrived to the palace. The five of them were soon listening to the Emperor's orders. The Emperor was a tall man with a long, white beard and a yellow robe and hat.
"As we stand here, Mongol forces are moving closer to our border," the Emperor explained. "The threat of attack is growing everyday. As it is, our army's hopelessly outnumbered."
"Your majesty," Shang replied. "Let me lead my forces in a preemptive strike. Each of my warriors will fight like ten Mongols."
"No, General," the Emperor continued. "I plan to defeat this enemy without the use of force. Instead we'll form a union so strong, the Mongol forces won't dare to attack. An alliance with the kingdom of Qui Gong. We will become united through marriage. You will escort three princesses to Qui Gong. There, they will marry Lord Chin's son and seal this critical alliance."
Mulan looked shocked by what she just heard.
"Yes, your majesty," Shang replied.
"My advisors tell me the charts are clear," the Emperor continued. If this wedding does not take place in three days, the alliance will crumble, and the Mongols will destroy us. Mark my words, General: three days."
"Not a moment more, your majesty," Shang said.
"I know that face, Fa Mulan," the Emperor said. "What troubles you?"
"Your majesty," Mulan answered. "An arranged marriage?"
The Emperor gestured her to come closer, so she did.
"Rest assured, child," the Emperor said. "My daughters know exactly what they're doing."
"Your daughters?" Mulan asked.
"They consider it an honor to marry in the cause of peace," the Emperor reassured her.
"Your majesty," Mulan continued. "I…uh…I…"
"Apology accepted," the Emperor said. "General, how many troops do you estimate you'll need to accomplish this mission?"
"Besides these three: three," Shang said.
"Three companies?" the Emperor asked.
"Three men," Shang answered
"You surprise me, General," the Emperor exclaimed. "These are my children."
"This mission does not call for force but finesse," Shang explained. "We must become one with the countryside."
"As Emperor, I trust you," the Emperor said. "As a father, I implore you to choose your three soldiers wisely."
"I know just the men," Shang said. "Fearless, loyal, and disciplined."
"China's most honorable and noble soldiers," Mulan replied.
Akira, Kimiko, and Luna wondered who exactly these mighty soldiers must be.
Meanwhile, at the matchmaker's house, three men got kicked out. One was large, fat, and bald. The second was tall and lanky with a topknot hairstyle. The third was short and muscled with a black left eye and a topknot hairstyle.
"And stay out!" the ugly matchmaker shouted angrily. "I've found wives for hundreds of men, but the Golden Dragon of Unity himself couldn't find matches for you three! Come back when you get personalities!"
She then slammed the door shut.
"Well," the thin one shouted back. "That's a fine way to treat China's greatest…"
Before he could finish, he was hit in the head with a pot thrown by the matchmaker.
"What's her problem?" the muscled one asked. "All I asked for was a woman who would worship the dirt I walked on."
"I just simply asked for someone who would cook for me morning, noon, and night," the fat one said.
"I just wanted a girl who likes to laugh," the thin one said. "And thinks I'm a god."
"Perhaps we weren't specific enough," the fat one commented.
They began to brush the dirt off of them. At that moment, Mulan, Shang, and Akira's group rode up behind them.
"These guys are China's greatest warriors?" Kimiko asked.
The three warriors then noticed them. They ran up to them.
"Mulan!" they said together. "General Shang!"
"If you guys aren't too busy disturbing the peace, I need you to join me and Mulan on a mission," Shang laughed.
"To save China?!" the thin one asked.
"Naturally," Mulan answered.
"I'll be leaving behind a few broken hearts, but count me in," the muscled one said.
"Sign me up!" the thin one said.
"When do we start, General?" the fat one asked.
"Tonight," Shang answered.
"Um…who are they, General Shang?" the thin one asked.
"They will be joining us on our mission," Shang answered. "They are Akira, Kimiko, and Luna."
"Glad to meet you," the muscled one said. "I'm Yao."
"Ling," the thin one said.
"And Chien-Po," the fat one finished.
"Nice to meet you," Akira said.
That evening, everyone met outside of the Emperor's palace. The three princesses stepped outside, accompanied by their father. Akira could barely make out what they looked like. The three of them were of different heights. The tallest one had a purple fan, the medium one had a red fan, and the shortest one had a yellow fan. They all gracefully walked towards the carriage prepared for them. The tallest and shortest sisters stepped into it first. As the medium sister stepped into the carriage, she lost her right shoe. Yao ran over to her and picked up the shoe for her. They then looked into each other's eyes. They both looked at each other lovingly. Yao then held the shoe out and she placed her foot into it. She then stepped into the carriage. As Yao ran back to the other warriors, he had a love-struck look on his face.
"We are about to depart, your highnesses," Shang said. "You have my word that we'll arrive swiftly and safely."
"My sisters and I thank you, General Shang," the tallest sister replied.
Mulan then came up to them with a blanket.
"Permit me to introduce Fa Mulan," Shang said.
"It is a privilege to meet the hero of China," the middle sister said.
"I leave you in her capable hands," Shang said. "Stand ready, men!"
Shang then left the carriage and returned to his men. The Emperor then walked up to him.
"General Shang," the Emperor said. "Though I trust your soldiers, permit me to add a few more members to your team."
"Sure, your majesty," Shang said.
"They are experienced warriors from a far-off land," the Emperor said. "They have assured me that the Mongols won't touch a hair on my daughters."
Three more warriors appeared from behind the Emperor. All three of them were dressed in ninja attire. The one to the right wore a dark-green ninja outfit. He had no weapons on him. The one to the left wore a blood-red ninja outfit. He had a large shuriken similar to Kimiko's on his back. The one in the middle, whom Akira presumed to be the leader, had a deep-blue ninja outfit and wielded two katana.
"It can't be!" Kimiko exclaimed.
"Who are they?" Akira asked.
"They're the legendary all-ninja team!" Kimiko answered. "They're called the Shadow Soldiers. They'll take on any mission for the right cost."
"I see you are a fellow ninja," the leader said. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. I am Yasuhara, but my men know me as Okashira."
"I am Akio," the red ninja said.
"And I am Taiki," the green ninja said.
"Though the three of us prefer not to have anyone else hinder our mission, we will accept your assistance," Yasuhara said. "Just do not get in our way."
"He sounds a little conceited," Akira commented.
"Everyone, move out!" Shang called out.
The carriage, and everyone guarding it, began to make their way out of the palace.
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Sorry about the lack of updates. Preparing for college and my job made me busy. I'll try to update whenever I can.
-Phoenix Neo