A Heart Unbound

Chapter 12: A False Reflection (Part 2)

"Princess Mei? She's gone? Are you sure?" Sora interrogated with much concern.

"Yes. She left this note." General Shang held up a sheet of paper painted with Chinese symbols. "She claims that her duty lies with her heart. I wonder who gave her that idea." Shang angrily gestured to Mulan.

"I'm telling you, Shang! I have nothing to do with this!"

"Spare your excuses, Mulan!"

"Guys.." Sora wanted their argument to end, but it seemed as if he couldn't bring it upon himself to intervene.

"General Shang," I approached him shakily, "I was the one who told princess Mei, and the other princesses, that their duty should be to their heart. This is all my fault. Not Mulan's."

"So, you were the one?" The General shifted his anger to me as I nodded. "You are to not speak another word to the princesses!"

"Shang."

"Mulan, be quiet! If she is to come along on my mission, she will follow my rules!" The fuming man turned back to me. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." I shuddered.  

"Shang, you are a brave warrior and a fine leader, but you don't trust your heart. I'm starting to wonder if you even have one." Mulan accused.

"Uh." Sora gasped.

"This mission has made it very clear," Shang explained while expressing his pain caused by Mulan's words, "we are two different people."

"Too different." Mulan stormed off to her post, while Shang sauntered both in anger and despair back to his tent.

"Oh, no. I can't believe I did this. I've caused everyone so much pain."

"Hana, don't say that." Sora reached for my hand, but I pulled away.

"No! Sora, what if I only do the same to you and Donald and Goofy? I don't want to bring you pain. I don't want to be the reason for it!" I ran away from him as quickly as I could. I didn't want to be followed.

"Hana! Hana, wait!" Sora cried out and started to trail me, but the sudden sound of Ting-Ting's voice brought him to a halt.

"Let her go. She wants to be alone."

"What? I can't just...ugh." Sora grunted. "I can't leave her alone with thoughts like that! She might...ah!" He gasped and darted in the same path I took.

I found a small pond and fell to my knees before it. I figured it may be something which could easily soak up my tears. Leaning over the rippling water, I spotted my reflection as it cleared. I focused deeply on my appearance and studied my strangely colored hair and sea blue eyes.

"This isn't me." My sadness promptly turned to anger. "This isn't me!" I slammed my linked fists into the water, breaking its calmness and shattering my reflection. I drenched my clothes with every raging splash, but after constantly flailing with rage, I finally simmered down. The water didn't rise past my wrist, and I found myself staring back at the surface, waiting for my reflection to return through the turbulent ripples. "Red hair. Is that really the real me?" When the water cleared again, it showed the young soul in which starred in most of my recurring memories. My hair changed completely. My bangs didn't spike so similarly to Ven's, and the blonde and blue mix turned entirely red. My eyes also changed to a dull purple. "I guess I look so much like Ventus because I have a piece of his heart, but I don't understand. Where does the blue come from?"

"Huh?" After a few moments of contemplation, I spotted a second reflection in the corner of my eye. I turned my attention to the person who created it and gasped in fear at what stood before my eyes.