Cherry's Adventures of Mulan

chapter 2

Cherry, Peach, Grandma, and Li were all standing together, waiting for Mulan to come back outside. There were crash noises which made Li worried of what could be going on. 

"I think it's going well, don't you?" Grandma asked Li and the girls.

Cherry and Peach shrugged.

Suddenly the matchmaker came out with ink stains on her face looking like a mustache and her butt was on fire. "PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!!!!"

Mulan threw tea over her to put the fire out, but she was terribly embarrassed over what happened. She came to her family and guests as the cricket hopped out of the building and back in the cage where it belonged. 

"Don't beat yourself up, Mulan." Cherry consoled, holding her arms out to hug the poor girl.

"YOU ARE A DISGRACE!" the matchmaker snarled, thrashing the teapot down on the ground and glaring horribly at Mulan. "You may look like a bride, but you will NEVER bring your family honor!" she stormed off.

Mulan felt very bad. Cherry decided to hug her while Peach and Grandma glared at the matchmaker for insulting Mulan right to her face like that. Mulan felt very, very bad and the group walked back to Mulan's place to rest and think about what happened today. Li took the horse back to its stable and walked Cherry and Peach to their home and discuss their new living conditions for the next few weeks away from home.

Cherry and Peach looked to be very sad for Mulan. They sat with the family as they got settled and talked about their family and their culture. Once the girls got settled and comfortable, they decided to help Mulan as she sat alone under a cherry blossom tree.

"I don't know what that matchmaker lady's problem was, I think you're great." Cherry said with a smile, sitting next to Mulan.

Mulan didn't answer, she turned and kept looking sour. She could never do anything to please her family. 

"You know, I always say, don't care about what other people think, they don't do it often." Peach advised with a friendly smile.

Mulan still didn't speak. Today was so embarrassing and horrifying to endure for her. The girls only knew her today and yet they really wanted to help her and do something to make her happy. They then looked and saw Mulan's father come over. Cherry smiled, she knew fathers were good with cheering up their daughters, she was a daddy's girl after all, unlike Peach who wasn't very fond of her own father. 

"My, my, what beautiful blossoms we have this year," Zhou sat next to his daughter with a smile. He then took one of the blossoms, combed back Mulan's hair and placed it in to make her happy and spiritual. "But look, this one's late. I bet when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all."

Mulan smiled back at him.

"Aw, Peach, doesn't that just make you wanna cry?" Cherry cooed, enjoying the father daughter moment.

Peach rolled her eyes.

"What?" Cherry looked at her.

"You are such a girl!" Peach teased.

Cherry growled and was about to tackle her, even though she always failed before, everyone heard drums in the background. Zhou stood right up, taking the drums as a signal to him somehow.

"What is it?" Mulan asked.

Zhou walked out to meet with the other citizens as there was serious business going on. "Mulan, you and your new friends stay inside." he walked off.

Grandma passed the three girls. She then cleared her throat a bit and pointed on the roof, knowing they were very curious about what was happening in town today. Mulan hopped on the roof and grabbed Peach, then she grabbed Cherry. Cherry had a bit of struggling, so Peach threw her up in the air and made her plop on the roof between them. 

"Duffnut." Peach smiled.

Mulan, Cherry, and Peach then took a look as they saw general army men had come to visit China. The newsreader, Chi-Fu, had a scroll. "Citizens, I bring a proclamation from the Imperial City! The Huns have invaded China!" 

Everyone gasped in shock and fear.

"Don't be scared, mate." Peach put her hand on Cherry's hand.

"I'm not scared of anything," Cherry sounded determined, then glared. "Shut up."

"Sorry mate, but you're not the bravest knight in the castle." Peach tried to bring that down gently the best she could.

"Please keep quiet, this is important." Mulan hushed the girls as they listened in for more news.

"By order of the Emperor, one many from every family must serve in the Imperial Army." Chi-Fu continued as he read each family name out loud to give them scrolls to serve in the camp and army to defend their country.

"I wish I could serve in the army," Peach licked her lips. "The thrill of a knife nearly being held to your throat with the crimson blood dripping, the excitement of being kidnapped in a hostage situation, the very impending doom of being held at gunpoint!" she grinned wickedly.

"I worry about you sometimes..." Cherry told her in a shallow voice.

Peach chuckled. "I envy you, you always get kidnapped and nearly killed... How come you get all the luck?"

"The Fa family!" Chi-Fu called.

"No!" Mulan gasped.

"What's wrong?" Cherry and Peach asked.

"He got injured the last time he went into attacking," Mulan explained to them before jumping down and stopping. "He's in no good condition! He could get killed!"

Zhou handed Li his cane and came close, nearly wobbling. "I am ready to serve the Emperor." he bowed respectfully, then reached for the scroll.

"Father, you can't go!" Mulan called for him, making him face her and the other two girls.

"Mulan!" Zhou protested against her protests.

"Please sir, my father has already fought for--"

"SILENCE!" Chi-Fu hissed at her. "You will do well to teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man's presence!"

"Okay, now I'm glad we're not from here." Peach darted her eyes at Cherry, who shrugged and shuffled her foot awkwardly.

"Mulan, you dishonor me," Zhou nearly sneered. 

Grandma then came to escort her granddaughter and guests back home to keep from interfering. Mulan nearly cried. She didn't want to lose her father like this. It would be a great honor, yes, but he is a lot older and could get himself killed or seriously hurt. 

"You know a lot of men retire after 65," Cherry tried to comfort Mulan like before, but failed as usual. "My Daddy's still working and he's close to older age. I hear that he's still doing what he can until I move out like when my brother went to college."

"Cherry, please stop talking, it never helps." Peach said, quietly.

Cherry curved her face and followed the others back home as it was getting dark and time for dinner.