Post by Mulan on Jun 20, 2011 21:03:34 GMT -5
name: Kat
Age group: 18-25
Number of years rping: Five.
Anything else?:
I know I haven't posted with Angelica yet, but I plan on it tonight. I just know that characters go quickly, and I wanted to save Mulan before someone else snagged her! Age group: 18-25
Number of years rping: Five.
Anything else?:
Character full name: Fa Mulan. Went as Ping for a temporary amount of time.
Nicknames: None, really.
Age: 17
DOB: March 17, 386
Where do you belong?: China
Nicknames: None, really.
Age: 17
DOB: March 17, 386
Where do you belong?: China
Mulan is slender, not broad in any certain areas. She’s very short and petite, and when she dressed as a boy, she resembled a particularly scrawny one.
Mulan is quite beautiful; before she cut her hair, it flowed down to the middle of her back, thick and rich. She has soft, rounded eyes, and a full face with chubby cheeks. Once she cut her hair, it revealed her rather large ears that stick out to a certain degree.
Mulan has never been a fan of dressing up in fancy clothes. She’s much more for comfort and convenience. She’s not perfect, and she has her off days when it comes to looks. Unlike other girls, she doesn’t feel that she has to look her best on every occasion. She actually dresses in soft clothing, with cool colors like green and navy blue. She refuses to wear uncomfortable shoes, as well. Mulan can pull any look off, mainly because she looks good in just about anything. Even though she doesn’t like it, when she wears makeup and fancy kimonos, Mulan looks as pretty as a porcelain doll.
Mulan is quite beautiful; before she cut her hair, it flowed down to the middle of her back, thick and rich. She has soft, rounded eyes, and a full face with chubby cheeks. Once she cut her hair, it revealed her rather large ears that stick out to a certain degree.
Mulan has never been a fan of dressing up in fancy clothes. She’s much more for comfort and convenience. She’s not perfect, and she has her off days when it comes to looks. Unlike other girls, she doesn’t feel that she has to look her best on every occasion. She actually dresses in soft clothing, with cool colors like green and navy blue. She refuses to wear uncomfortable shoes, as well. Mulan can pull any look off, mainly because she looks good in just about anything. Even though she doesn’t like it, when she wears makeup and fancy kimonos, Mulan looks as pretty as a porcelain doll.
Although Mulan is now a famed warrior, she still remains modest and a bit awkward. She doesn’t recognize herself as a hero in the least; in her mind, she was just doing what she had to do. Still, that doesn’t mean she’s faultless. Mulan is quite impulsive, and tends to do things without thinking them over. It’s gotten her into some tight spots before, but it’s saved her in others. On the mountain with Shan Yu, Mulan’s spontaneity saved the troop. Because she shows no fear when she speaks her mind, Mulan tends to get into trouble often. Especially when she’s around self righteous men. The front she shows most, however, is her awkward, clumsy one. While Mulan is skilled when she thinks on her feet, it takes her a while to get to that point, and to gain enough confidence to do so. Mulan is smart and clever, she just chooses to show what a bright star she is in tight situations. She could go around, mouthing off to people, but she chooses not to, for she knows it would bring dishonor.
That leads us to another quirk -- Mulan strives to impress and help her family. She wants to be a good daughter, and tries her hardest to be perfect … but she can’t get it through her head that it will never be accomplished. Because Mulan tries so hard, she often gets disappointed when things don’t work out her way. And believe it, that happens a lot. Mulan is used to things going wrong, especially for her; going into the army was the first thing she’s done right, ever, in her own eyes. She tends to be a little stubborn, and doesn’t back down easily. When Mulan knows what’s right, she’ll never back down.
That leads us to another quirk -- Mulan strives to impress and help her family. She wants to be a good daughter, and tries her hardest to be perfect … but she can’t get it through her head that it will never be accomplished. Because Mulan tries so hard, she often gets disappointed when things don’t work out her way. And believe it, that happens a lot. Mulan is used to things going wrong, especially for her; going into the army was the first thing she’s done right, ever, in her own eyes. She tends to be a little stubborn, and doesn’t back down easily. When Mulan knows what’s right, she’ll never back down.
Fa Zhou, the youngest of two, put a lot more pressure on himself than really needed. After his brother died in the war, Zhou took it upon himself to take care of his family-- the only two remaining members were his parents. When he found he was to be sent off to war, like every other young male in China, he was honored that he was to be chosen for the duty. He was doing this to protect his country and his family-- his mother and his father. He was going with his deceased brother in mind, and he was going to make the ancestors proud.
That, he did. Zhou rescued his entire troop from a prisoner of war camp. With a little help, obviously, but he managed to begin the uprising and led them to freedom. But freedom came with a cost-- in the midst of the battle, Zhou’s leg had been hurt considerably. He was taken out of combat immediately and transferred to the nearest hospital. There, it was where he met Tien Li. Li was a nurse helping the wounded soldiers; she was to become Zhou’s permanent caretaker, and eventually his wife. Yes, after a few weeks, Zhou had recovered, limping, but still able to walk. And with all of his strength he had left, he asked the woman who had taken care of him for the past months to be his wife. Tien Li was to become Fa Li, and she left an arranged marriage behind for the man she loved.
Their marriage was well received amongst Fa Zhou’s family, but not as much for Li’s. They were still very angry that she left a well off, wealthy farmer for a man who was simply a war hero, but they would grow to respect it in time. The pair moved into Zhou’s family home, and began attempting the next step in a successful marriage: having a family.
Zhou dreamt of having six or seven sons, all bearing his healthy genes, and have the fate of becoming a hero, like himself. Unfortunately, he did not get six or seven sons. In fact, he wouldn’t have any children for quite some time. Fa Li was blessed with a pregnancy, but sadly, it was taken away very quickly. The child died inside of her, and Li was lucky it didn’t take her own life as well. Zhou insisted that they did not rush things, as he didn’t want to lose his beloved wife by bringing another life into the world. Li insisted that they kept trying.
Spirits didn’t agree with them, until finally, Li was about to give up on having a baby all together. It was not in the cards for her, or so she thought. About five or so years later, when Li was supposedly past her fertile years, the Fa family was graced with a baby girl. At this point, Zhou didn’t care whether or not he had a thousand sons or a thousand daughters. He was happy to have someone to able to pass the family name down, from one generation to the next.
Though Mulan had been … rather hard to tame, all together, she was still a sweet child with a very curious nature. She was also very intelligent for her age, and couldn’t quite understand why things were done the way they were; why women were so looked down upon and treated like objects. Mulan, even at a young age, had a mind of her own, and refused to let anyone speak for her or against her, especially when she disagreed with something. She was always the girl trying to beat down the boys. As she grew into a pre-teen, she began to see things differently. Why she couldn’t beat up the boys, and why she couldn’t speak out against her instructors: dishonor. It was embarrassing to the family name when she spoke her mind, and for that, Mulan became a bit timid. She still kept her open mind, but as she got older, and her parents did as well, she didn’t want to disappoint them. She wanted them to be proud, to be honored by her actions.
So by the time her seventeenth birthday rolled around, Mulan had lived a fairly normal life. She’d toned herself down quite a bit (as much as it pained her to do) and had grown into a gorgeous young girl. The day she would meet the matchmaker for her future husband was arriving soon, and it unnerved her a bit more every time the teen thought about it. Why did she have to get married? Why did she have to meet a matchmaker? To have her judge every aspect of her personality and body, just to match her with the perfect man? It didn’t seem to make sense, but once the day arrived, Mulan arrived with a bright outlook … oh, and also, forty minutes late. Her mother and her friends rushed to make Mulan over, into looking like a painted porcelain doll. Yes, she looked gorgeous, but she didn’t feel right. When she looked into the mirror, Mulan didn’t see herself-- she saw a girl, ready to begin the first day of the rest of her life. Trying to keep a bright outlook, Mulan prayed to the ancestors, in hopes that she wouldn’t embarrass herself and shame her family tree. From then on, she marched to the Matchmaker’s office.
The meeting did not go … according to plan, as Mulan had hoped. She was a disgrace, a shame to her family who would never be a bride to the perfect man. As hard as she’d tried, she just couldn’t hide her true self. She was forever doomed to be a disappointment. While her father was disappointed things hadn’t worked out, he told her something that would effect her for the days to come. “My, my. What beautiful blossoms we have this year. But look!” He pulled a lotus flower from a branch. “This one’s late. But I’ll bet that when it blooms … it will be the most beautiful of all.” Mulan’s frown faded and turned into a weak smile. It was so nice and peaceful in their garden, and Mulan planned to stay there for the rest of the night, until the drums above their village were pounded upon.
Horse hooves pounded upon the ground outside of their gated community, and everyone came out of their homes to see what the commotion was all about. The Emperor’s council and his guards had come all the way out to their tiny village to notify them that the Huns had invaded China. One male from every family had to serve the emperor in the war. The only male in Mulan’s family? Her father. She couldn’t let that happen-- she begged the officer to allow him to stay. There were plenty of young men to fight for China. Her father had already served! But she was only shooed away; her qualms didn’t mean a thing, all because she was a woman. With dignity, her father accepted his conscription notice and marched back to their home.
Tension was thick in the Fa family home that night. Everyone was silent, letting the news weigh in on their shoulders. Mulan couldn’t take the silence anymore. At dinner, she slammed her teacup down with a loud thud. “You SHOULDN’T have to go! There are plenty of young men to fight for China!” Her mother tried to calm her, but Mulan wasn’t about to back down. Her father stated that he would proudly go to serve the emperor, his country and his family again, with pride. Was he really willing to die for honor? Zhu finally exploded, telling Mulan she needed to learn her place in the world. He knew how much that would sting, which was the exact reason he said it. In an upset haze, Mulan ran outside and into the rain. She saw what this was doing to her family from the outside-- it was tearing her parents apart. She couldn’t sit by and let this happen … she had to stop it. With that, she headed to the ancestor’s temple, prayed for luck, stole her father’s armor and scroll, leaving behind her hair comb in place of it. With a sword, she chopped off her beautiful locks of hair, and she looked like a completely different person. She headed to the stables, untied Khan, and off to camp they went.
She couldn’t do this. It would take a miracle. After riding all night, she and Khan had finally stopped to rest in front of the camp. She tried her very best manly impression … and it wasn’t very good. Even the horse was laughing at her. From behind a rock, a large silhouette called to her, claiming that he was sent by her ancestors to help her through the trying time … only, what she got wasn’t what she expected. Mulan was expecting a big, powerful, intimidating dragon … what she got was a lizard. He was the one who was sent to help her? She had to thank those ancestors later, because this would surely get her into the army with no trouble!
Mushu was officially Mulan’s “man” coach. He told her how to walk, how to act around the guys, and what to do, and also giving her the name of Ping. Unfortunately, his misguidance led a fight to break out amongst all of the soldiers, getting Mulan in trouble with her captain. She and the other soldiers were to clean up the mess they made, and then the next day, they would begin training. As usual, Mulan was late the first day of training.
General Shang was not pleased with the soldiers he had to work with. They did not live up to his expectancy, because they had no skill in the first place. They had a long way to go before they could even suitably fight the Huns. The first day consisted of the entire group, trying to climb a pole with two bronze amulets. No one had succeeded. They couldn’t aim correctly, they couldn’t run, they couldn’t do anything right. Mulan was the worst, because of her biological disadvantages. It had gotten to the point where Shang told her to pack up and go home; he couldn’t work with someone like her. For some reason, that only pushed her harder. Tying the brass symbols together, she pushed herself up the pole, and threw the arrow back down to the ground. General Shang was quite pleased, and that was only the beginning. Mulan slowly became one of the guys as they trained together and got better; she was beginning to fit in.
With a little help from Mushu, Mulan and her cohorts were sent out immediately, because their training had gone so well. The first of their stops was not a pleasant experience. An entire village burnt down by the Hun army, eliminating Shang’s father’s entire troop. Their army was the only hope for the emperor now. Before leaving, Shang stuck a sword into the ground, as a memorial for his father and the other men that were lost. Beside the sword was the general’s helmet, and next to that was a small, cloth doll that Mulan found on the ground. She couldn’t describe the sympathy she felt -- but at the same time, she realized that it could have been her village, her father, and her doll. She was guilty of relief.
They went on the move once more, and things were oddly quiet … until a cannon was “accidentally” shot off by Mushu in Mulan’s caravan. Of course, it was seen, and out of seemingly nowhere, the Huns appeared at the top of the mountain. An arrow wounded Shang, but in a frenzy, he pulled it out and told the troop to get out of range. The only thing they could do was watch the army of thousands, charge their way, with only one cannon and their swords in tow. Shang told Yao to aim the last cannon at Shan Yu, the leader, but Mulan saw potential elsewhere. She pushed Yao out of the way, grabbed the cannon, and charged forward.
Shan Yu was approaching her fast, and before she knew it, he was already there. Before he got the chance to harm her, Mushu’s breath lit the cannon and sent it flying into the mountain. Shan Yu smirked, as though he knew a “little boy” couldn’t harm him that way. … But then he saw its effects. The shot mountain created an avalanche, slowly taking the Hun men out little by little. In anger, Shan Yu lifted his sword, and raised it to Mulan’s bosom. She clutched her chest as she got up, and ran from the raging Hun, and to shelter with her troop.
Unfortunately, in the midst of the avalanche, Shang was drifting farther and farther away from the group. Mulan wasn’t about to let him get away, so let Khan and herself flow right along through the snow, till she reached Shang. It was almost too late, and they almost fell completely … but an arrow, sent by Yao, helped her in the end. She shot the arrow back into the group’s hands, and slowly, Mulan’s friends pulled Shang, Khan, Mushu, Crikee and herself up to the edge of the cliff. So far, it seemed like the Huns had been defeated, and they all escaped with their lives. There was no turning back now.
The wound given to her by Shan Yu had finally begun to effect Mulan, however, and she could slowly feel her world fading to black. When she woke up, she was bandaged and wrapped around her torso, and in front of General Shang. She lifted her body with the little energy she had, but she was forgetting one thing … her bosom. Chi Fu entered alongside Shang, pulling Mulan out of the healing center and into the snow. “High treason! Ultimate dishonor!” He said angrily, pushing her down. “My name is Mulan. I did it to save my father. Please, you’ve got to believe me!” She begged for mercy, and did her best to explain her side of the story … but Chi Fu didn’t hesitate to hand the general a sword. Mulan bowed her head in grace; she was to go out without a fight. She didn’t have any fight left. This was it for her. Shang slowly stepped forward, and acted as though he was ready to raise the sword to the back of her neck … but instead, he dropped it before her. “A life for a life. My debt is repaid.” With that, he told the troops to gather their things, and move out. Mulan was left alone in the cold, without a single human being in sight.
She wasn’t exactly sure what her next move would be. Mushu built a fire for the tiny group while Mulan kept herself wrapped inside a blanket. Mushu finally exposed his plot to her; his plot to finally be appreciated by risking Mulan’s life and making her a war hero. After thinking things over, Mulan came to a realization that she didn’t exactly do this for her father alone, either. “Maybe what I really wanted was … to prove I could do things right. So when I looked in the mirror, I’d see someone worth while. But I was wrong. I see nothing.” In truth, she was a bigger disgrace than she was before. Her father would be forever shamed. But she would have to face him sooner or later … gathering her things, she was ready to hop on Khan, when the Huns suddenly popped out of the snow. One by one, they gathered their bearings, angrier than ever. Mulan knew exactly where they were headed: the city. They were going to visit the emperor. After persuading Mushu a little bit, they made their way to the city, determined to beat Shan Yu and the Huns there.
Mulan caught Shang and the troop in the middle of a parade. She warned him of Shan Yu, but Shang deliberately told her to leave. He no longer trusted her after her charade. “You trusted Ping. Why is Mulan any different?” She got no answer. If he wouldn’t believe her, she’d find someone who would … but no one was willing to listen. All because she was a woman again.
No surprise to her, the Huns were underneath the paper dragon used in the parade; two ran up the steps of the palace, taking the emperor with them. They locked the doors behind them, and of course, Shang and the troop went after them with a gigantic pillar, trying to break the door down. “They’ll never reach the Emperor in time …” She whistled, grabbing the boy’s attention, and called them over to her. The troop traded their swords and armor in for silk robes and face paint. Dressed as women, Yao, Ling, Chien Po, and Mulan climbed up to the Emperor’s room, so they’d reach him in time. Even Shang joined in, though he refused to dress as a woman.
Posing as concubines, Mulan and her friends fooled the Hun guards and beat them along the way. Getting into the Emperor’s room was quite easy, after that. Shang ran ahead, to save the Emperor from Shan Yu. Pinning Shan Yu to the ground, Chien Po took the Emperor into his arms and glided to the ground on a lantern’s string, with Yao and Ling behind him. Mulan was bout to follow, but wasn’t about to leave Shang alone with Shan Yu. He’d already been knocked unconscious. And if Mulan went along, he would easily slide down after them. Mulan raised her arm before Shan Yu could come any closer, and cut the rope. The crowd cheered.
Shan Yu was ready to blame Shang for his problems, but when Mulan pulled her hair back, Shan Yu’s yellow eyes widened. He recognized her immediately. Now, it was time to run. She locked the door behind her, but that wouldn’t hold the burly man for long. He easily punched his fist through the wood! Mushu, following along her side, asked her if she had a plan. Of course she didn’t -- this was all spontaneous. But as they passed a window, and saw the fireworks stand across the palace … well, Mushu was way ahead of her. He hopped a kite, and flew on over.
By then, Shan Yu had broken through the door, and pillars holding up the ceilings weren’t enough to hide Mulan now. In fact, the Hun sliced through them, one by one, until one crashed through a wall. Mulan was now dangling over thousands of people, several stories high, with only a pole to support her. She managed to climb to the roof, but Shan Yu followed, and surprised her. Now, it was just the two of them. Her only defense? A paper fan. “Looks like you’re out of ideas.” Shan Yu said, with a smirk. He jammed his sword right through the fan, and Mulan clasped it together before Shan Yu could get it any farther. “Not quite.” Mushu had since arrived at the other end of the roof, with a rocket strapped to his back. Pinning Shan Yu’s own sword through his cloak, the Hun was stuck, with a hurtling rocket headed aimed straight at him.
Mulan glided to the ground like her friends before her, only this time, there were fireworks behind her.
Out of the smoke and ashes, Chi-Fu arrived, complaining as he usually did. He was ready to punish Mulan for her actions-- for her “deliberate” attempt on his life. But then the Emperor stepped in. Shang was ready to take the fall, when the Emperor gestured for him to move aside. When Mulan faced him, she bowed, ready to take whatever anger and wrath the Emperor would bring upon her. “I’ve heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan. You stole your father’s armor and ran away from home. Impersonated a soldier. Deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese army. DESTROYED MY PALACE! AND--” Mulan winced. This would be the worst of all. This would be the part where he command for her to be killed for her wrong doings, she just knew it. That was how it worked out for her in the past, right? Only, what the Emperor said not only shocked her, but Chi-Fu as well. His rage-filled tone dropped, to a very sincere and kind one. “You have saved us all.” And then? The Emperor shocked everyone once more. He bowed to her. … And one by one, Mulan’s companions and fellow citizens dropped to their knees. All for her. The Emperor even offered her a job at his palace! Mulan politely declined, however, remembering how homesick she was. As thanks for her great deeds, the Emperor gave her his golden medallion, and the sword of Shan Yu. She hugged the Emperor in return-- it was finally time to go back to her father. She hugged Ling, Yao, and Chien Po before leaving, but was expecting a bit more from General Shang. All she got was a measly “You fight good.” She’d never say anything, but obvious disappointment showed on Mulan’s face. She didn’t let it bother her too much, of course. She was going home! She hopped on Khan, and away they rode.
She found her father sitting by their blossom tree, watching the lotuses fall. She arrived with the sword in her hands, and the medallion around her neck; her father exchanged a shocked look with her, but she stopped him from getting up with a bow. “Father. I’ve brought you the sword of Shan Yu. And the crest of the Emperor!” When her father didn’t react, Mulan was slightly confused. “They’re gifts! To honor the Fa family.” She explained, still receiving nothing. Much to her surprise, her father carelessly tossed the gifts on the ground, and dropped to his own knees, wrapping his arms around her. “The greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter. I’ve missed you so.” They stayed lost in each other’s hug for what felt like forever -- until a certain general broke it of, thus beginning his courtship with Fa Mulan.
Mulan didn’t quit being active as an entirety. She’s still called upon to do jobs for the Emperor occasionally, as his most trusted soldier and savior.
That, he did. Zhou rescued his entire troop from a prisoner of war camp. With a little help, obviously, but he managed to begin the uprising and led them to freedom. But freedom came with a cost-- in the midst of the battle, Zhou’s leg had been hurt considerably. He was taken out of combat immediately and transferred to the nearest hospital. There, it was where he met Tien Li. Li was a nurse helping the wounded soldiers; she was to become Zhou’s permanent caretaker, and eventually his wife. Yes, after a few weeks, Zhou had recovered, limping, but still able to walk. And with all of his strength he had left, he asked the woman who had taken care of him for the past months to be his wife. Tien Li was to become Fa Li, and she left an arranged marriage behind for the man she loved.
Their marriage was well received amongst Fa Zhou’s family, but not as much for Li’s. They were still very angry that she left a well off, wealthy farmer for a man who was simply a war hero, but they would grow to respect it in time. The pair moved into Zhou’s family home, and began attempting the next step in a successful marriage: having a family.
Zhou dreamt of having six or seven sons, all bearing his healthy genes, and have the fate of becoming a hero, like himself. Unfortunately, he did not get six or seven sons. In fact, he wouldn’t have any children for quite some time. Fa Li was blessed with a pregnancy, but sadly, it was taken away very quickly. The child died inside of her, and Li was lucky it didn’t take her own life as well. Zhou insisted that they did not rush things, as he didn’t want to lose his beloved wife by bringing another life into the world. Li insisted that they kept trying.
Spirits didn’t agree with them, until finally, Li was about to give up on having a baby all together. It was not in the cards for her, or so she thought. About five or so years later, when Li was supposedly past her fertile years, the Fa family was graced with a baby girl. At this point, Zhou didn’t care whether or not he had a thousand sons or a thousand daughters. He was happy to have someone to able to pass the family name down, from one generation to the next.
Though Mulan had been … rather hard to tame, all together, she was still a sweet child with a very curious nature. She was also very intelligent for her age, and couldn’t quite understand why things were done the way they were; why women were so looked down upon and treated like objects. Mulan, even at a young age, had a mind of her own, and refused to let anyone speak for her or against her, especially when she disagreed with something. She was always the girl trying to beat down the boys. As she grew into a pre-teen, she began to see things differently. Why she couldn’t beat up the boys, and why she couldn’t speak out against her instructors: dishonor. It was embarrassing to the family name when she spoke her mind, and for that, Mulan became a bit timid. She still kept her open mind, but as she got older, and her parents did as well, she didn’t want to disappoint them. She wanted them to be proud, to be honored by her actions.
So by the time her seventeenth birthday rolled around, Mulan had lived a fairly normal life. She’d toned herself down quite a bit (as much as it pained her to do) and had grown into a gorgeous young girl. The day she would meet the matchmaker for her future husband was arriving soon, and it unnerved her a bit more every time the teen thought about it. Why did she have to get married? Why did she have to meet a matchmaker? To have her judge every aspect of her personality and body, just to match her with the perfect man? It didn’t seem to make sense, but once the day arrived, Mulan arrived with a bright outlook … oh, and also, forty minutes late. Her mother and her friends rushed to make Mulan over, into looking like a painted porcelain doll. Yes, she looked gorgeous, but she didn’t feel right. When she looked into the mirror, Mulan didn’t see herself-- she saw a girl, ready to begin the first day of the rest of her life. Trying to keep a bright outlook, Mulan prayed to the ancestors, in hopes that she wouldn’t embarrass herself and shame her family tree. From then on, she marched to the Matchmaker’s office.
The meeting did not go … according to plan, as Mulan had hoped. She was a disgrace, a shame to her family who would never be a bride to the perfect man. As hard as she’d tried, she just couldn’t hide her true self. She was forever doomed to be a disappointment. While her father was disappointed things hadn’t worked out, he told her something that would effect her for the days to come. “My, my. What beautiful blossoms we have this year. But look!” He pulled a lotus flower from a branch. “This one’s late. But I’ll bet that when it blooms … it will be the most beautiful of all.” Mulan’s frown faded and turned into a weak smile. It was so nice and peaceful in their garden, and Mulan planned to stay there for the rest of the night, until the drums above their village were pounded upon.
Horse hooves pounded upon the ground outside of their gated community, and everyone came out of their homes to see what the commotion was all about. The Emperor’s council and his guards had come all the way out to their tiny village to notify them that the Huns had invaded China. One male from every family had to serve the emperor in the war. The only male in Mulan’s family? Her father. She couldn’t let that happen-- she begged the officer to allow him to stay. There were plenty of young men to fight for China. Her father had already served! But she was only shooed away; her qualms didn’t mean a thing, all because she was a woman. With dignity, her father accepted his conscription notice and marched back to their home.
Tension was thick in the Fa family home that night. Everyone was silent, letting the news weigh in on their shoulders. Mulan couldn’t take the silence anymore. At dinner, she slammed her teacup down with a loud thud. “You SHOULDN’T have to go! There are plenty of young men to fight for China!” Her mother tried to calm her, but Mulan wasn’t about to back down. Her father stated that he would proudly go to serve the emperor, his country and his family again, with pride. Was he really willing to die for honor? Zhu finally exploded, telling Mulan she needed to learn her place in the world. He knew how much that would sting, which was the exact reason he said it. In an upset haze, Mulan ran outside and into the rain. She saw what this was doing to her family from the outside-- it was tearing her parents apart. She couldn’t sit by and let this happen … she had to stop it. With that, she headed to the ancestor’s temple, prayed for luck, stole her father’s armor and scroll, leaving behind her hair comb in place of it. With a sword, she chopped off her beautiful locks of hair, and she looked like a completely different person. She headed to the stables, untied Khan, and off to camp they went.
She couldn’t do this. It would take a miracle. After riding all night, she and Khan had finally stopped to rest in front of the camp. She tried her very best manly impression … and it wasn’t very good. Even the horse was laughing at her. From behind a rock, a large silhouette called to her, claiming that he was sent by her ancestors to help her through the trying time … only, what she got wasn’t what she expected. Mulan was expecting a big, powerful, intimidating dragon … what she got was a lizard. He was the one who was sent to help her? She had to thank those ancestors later, because this would surely get her into the army with no trouble!
Mushu was officially Mulan’s “man” coach. He told her how to walk, how to act around the guys, and what to do, and also giving her the name of Ping. Unfortunately, his misguidance led a fight to break out amongst all of the soldiers, getting Mulan in trouble with her captain. She and the other soldiers were to clean up the mess they made, and then the next day, they would begin training. As usual, Mulan was late the first day of training.
General Shang was not pleased with the soldiers he had to work with. They did not live up to his expectancy, because they had no skill in the first place. They had a long way to go before they could even suitably fight the Huns. The first day consisted of the entire group, trying to climb a pole with two bronze amulets. No one had succeeded. They couldn’t aim correctly, they couldn’t run, they couldn’t do anything right. Mulan was the worst, because of her biological disadvantages. It had gotten to the point where Shang told her to pack up and go home; he couldn’t work with someone like her. For some reason, that only pushed her harder. Tying the brass symbols together, she pushed herself up the pole, and threw the arrow back down to the ground. General Shang was quite pleased, and that was only the beginning. Mulan slowly became one of the guys as they trained together and got better; she was beginning to fit in.
With a little help from Mushu, Mulan and her cohorts were sent out immediately, because their training had gone so well. The first of their stops was not a pleasant experience. An entire village burnt down by the Hun army, eliminating Shang’s father’s entire troop. Their army was the only hope for the emperor now. Before leaving, Shang stuck a sword into the ground, as a memorial for his father and the other men that were lost. Beside the sword was the general’s helmet, and next to that was a small, cloth doll that Mulan found on the ground. She couldn’t describe the sympathy she felt -- but at the same time, she realized that it could have been her village, her father, and her doll. She was guilty of relief.
They went on the move once more, and things were oddly quiet … until a cannon was “accidentally” shot off by Mushu in Mulan’s caravan. Of course, it was seen, and out of seemingly nowhere, the Huns appeared at the top of the mountain. An arrow wounded Shang, but in a frenzy, he pulled it out and told the troop to get out of range. The only thing they could do was watch the army of thousands, charge their way, with only one cannon and their swords in tow. Shang told Yao to aim the last cannon at Shan Yu, the leader, but Mulan saw potential elsewhere. She pushed Yao out of the way, grabbed the cannon, and charged forward.
Shan Yu was approaching her fast, and before she knew it, he was already there. Before he got the chance to harm her, Mushu’s breath lit the cannon and sent it flying into the mountain. Shan Yu smirked, as though he knew a “little boy” couldn’t harm him that way. … But then he saw its effects. The shot mountain created an avalanche, slowly taking the Hun men out little by little. In anger, Shan Yu lifted his sword, and raised it to Mulan’s bosom. She clutched her chest as she got up, and ran from the raging Hun, and to shelter with her troop.
Unfortunately, in the midst of the avalanche, Shang was drifting farther and farther away from the group. Mulan wasn’t about to let him get away, so let Khan and herself flow right along through the snow, till she reached Shang. It was almost too late, and they almost fell completely … but an arrow, sent by Yao, helped her in the end. She shot the arrow back into the group’s hands, and slowly, Mulan’s friends pulled Shang, Khan, Mushu, Crikee and herself up to the edge of the cliff. So far, it seemed like the Huns had been defeated, and they all escaped with their lives. There was no turning back now.
The wound given to her by Shan Yu had finally begun to effect Mulan, however, and she could slowly feel her world fading to black. When she woke up, she was bandaged and wrapped around her torso, and in front of General Shang. She lifted her body with the little energy she had, but she was forgetting one thing … her bosom. Chi Fu entered alongside Shang, pulling Mulan out of the healing center and into the snow. “High treason! Ultimate dishonor!” He said angrily, pushing her down. “My name is Mulan. I did it to save my father. Please, you’ve got to believe me!” She begged for mercy, and did her best to explain her side of the story … but Chi Fu didn’t hesitate to hand the general a sword. Mulan bowed her head in grace; she was to go out without a fight. She didn’t have any fight left. This was it for her. Shang slowly stepped forward, and acted as though he was ready to raise the sword to the back of her neck … but instead, he dropped it before her. “A life for a life. My debt is repaid.” With that, he told the troops to gather their things, and move out. Mulan was left alone in the cold, without a single human being in sight.
She wasn’t exactly sure what her next move would be. Mushu built a fire for the tiny group while Mulan kept herself wrapped inside a blanket. Mushu finally exposed his plot to her; his plot to finally be appreciated by risking Mulan’s life and making her a war hero. After thinking things over, Mulan came to a realization that she didn’t exactly do this for her father alone, either. “Maybe what I really wanted was … to prove I could do things right. So when I looked in the mirror, I’d see someone worth while. But I was wrong. I see nothing.” In truth, she was a bigger disgrace than she was before. Her father would be forever shamed. But she would have to face him sooner or later … gathering her things, she was ready to hop on Khan, when the Huns suddenly popped out of the snow. One by one, they gathered their bearings, angrier than ever. Mulan knew exactly where they were headed: the city. They were going to visit the emperor. After persuading Mushu a little bit, they made their way to the city, determined to beat Shan Yu and the Huns there.
Mulan caught Shang and the troop in the middle of a parade. She warned him of Shan Yu, but Shang deliberately told her to leave. He no longer trusted her after her charade. “You trusted Ping. Why is Mulan any different?” She got no answer. If he wouldn’t believe her, she’d find someone who would … but no one was willing to listen. All because she was a woman again.
No surprise to her, the Huns were underneath the paper dragon used in the parade; two ran up the steps of the palace, taking the emperor with them. They locked the doors behind them, and of course, Shang and the troop went after them with a gigantic pillar, trying to break the door down. “They’ll never reach the Emperor in time …” She whistled, grabbing the boy’s attention, and called them over to her. The troop traded their swords and armor in for silk robes and face paint. Dressed as women, Yao, Ling, Chien Po, and Mulan climbed up to the Emperor’s room, so they’d reach him in time. Even Shang joined in, though he refused to dress as a woman.
Posing as concubines, Mulan and her friends fooled the Hun guards and beat them along the way. Getting into the Emperor’s room was quite easy, after that. Shang ran ahead, to save the Emperor from Shan Yu. Pinning Shan Yu to the ground, Chien Po took the Emperor into his arms and glided to the ground on a lantern’s string, with Yao and Ling behind him. Mulan was bout to follow, but wasn’t about to leave Shang alone with Shan Yu. He’d already been knocked unconscious. And if Mulan went along, he would easily slide down after them. Mulan raised her arm before Shan Yu could come any closer, and cut the rope. The crowd cheered.
Shan Yu was ready to blame Shang for his problems, but when Mulan pulled her hair back, Shan Yu’s yellow eyes widened. He recognized her immediately. Now, it was time to run. She locked the door behind her, but that wouldn’t hold the burly man for long. He easily punched his fist through the wood! Mushu, following along her side, asked her if she had a plan. Of course she didn’t -- this was all spontaneous. But as they passed a window, and saw the fireworks stand across the palace … well, Mushu was way ahead of her. He hopped a kite, and flew on over.
By then, Shan Yu had broken through the door, and pillars holding up the ceilings weren’t enough to hide Mulan now. In fact, the Hun sliced through them, one by one, until one crashed through a wall. Mulan was now dangling over thousands of people, several stories high, with only a pole to support her. She managed to climb to the roof, but Shan Yu followed, and surprised her. Now, it was just the two of them. Her only defense? A paper fan. “Looks like you’re out of ideas.” Shan Yu said, with a smirk. He jammed his sword right through the fan, and Mulan clasped it together before Shan Yu could get it any farther. “Not quite.” Mushu had since arrived at the other end of the roof, with a rocket strapped to his back. Pinning Shan Yu’s own sword through his cloak, the Hun was stuck, with a hurtling rocket headed aimed straight at him.
Mulan glided to the ground like her friends before her, only this time, there were fireworks behind her.
Out of the smoke and ashes, Chi-Fu arrived, complaining as he usually did. He was ready to punish Mulan for her actions-- for her “deliberate” attempt on his life. But then the Emperor stepped in. Shang was ready to take the fall, when the Emperor gestured for him to move aside. When Mulan faced him, she bowed, ready to take whatever anger and wrath the Emperor would bring upon her. “I’ve heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan. You stole your father’s armor and ran away from home. Impersonated a soldier. Deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese army. DESTROYED MY PALACE! AND--” Mulan winced. This would be the worst of all. This would be the part where he command for her to be killed for her wrong doings, she just knew it. That was how it worked out for her in the past, right? Only, what the Emperor said not only shocked her, but Chi-Fu as well. His rage-filled tone dropped, to a very sincere and kind one. “You have saved us all.” And then? The Emperor shocked everyone once more. He bowed to her. … And one by one, Mulan’s companions and fellow citizens dropped to their knees. All for her. The Emperor even offered her a job at his palace! Mulan politely declined, however, remembering how homesick she was. As thanks for her great deeds, the Emperor gave her his golden medallion, and the sword of Shan Yu. She hugged the Emperor in return-- it was finally time to go back to her father. She hugged Ling, Yao, and Chien Po before leaving, but was expecting a bit more from General Shang. All she got was a measly “You fight good.” She’d never say anything, but obvious disappointment showed on Mulan’s face. She didn’t let it bother her too much, of course. She was going home! She hopped on Khan, and away they rode.
She found her father sitting by their blossom tree, watching the lotuses fall. She arrived with the sword in her hands, and the medallion around her neck; her father exchanged a shocked look with her, but she stopped him from getting up with a bow. “Father. I’ve brought you the sword of Shan Yu. And the crest of the Emperor!” When her father didn’t react, Mulan was slightly confused. “They’re gifts! To honor the Fa family.” She explained, still receiving nothing. Much to her surprise, her father carelessly tossed the gifts on the ground, and dropped to his own knees, wrapping his arms around her. “The greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter. I’ve missed you so.” They stayed lost in each other’s hug for what felt like forever -- until a certain general broke it of, thus beginning his courtship with Fa Mulan.
Mulan didn’t quit being active as an entirety. She’s still called upon to do jobs for the Emperor occasionally, as his most trusted soldier and savior.
ROLE PLAYING SAMPLE:
Not sure if you want one of these, since you saw the one I used for Angie, but if you do, I'd be glad to type one up. :]