Love or Law

Mushu's Secret

Here's a nice long chapter to make up for the last one. Hope you like it! Feedback is always welcome!

Shang sat in his tent wracked with guilt. He had heard the yelling coming from the direction of Ping's tent and assumed that his orders to get Ping out of the camp were still underway. He still wasn't sure it was the right thing to do but it was the only option left open to him. Shang had to get the girl home to her father before she was discovered or killed.

Just then the single lantern hanging within his tent spluttered and went out. Shang immediately lurched to his feet, sword drawn and at the ready.

"Who's there?" Shang called out. He assumed that this was a small prank put on by his men but he definitely wasn't in the mood tonight.

"Answer me! Who's there?"

"CAPTAIN LI SHANG." A deep voice came from the night outside his tent.

At the same moment a light burst forth outside the back of his tent. Centered in the light was the silhouette of...a dragon?

"CAPTAIN LI SHANG. YOU HAVE COMMITTED A GRAVE ERROR! YOU HAVE DARED TO ACT AGAINST A WARRIOR UNDER MY PROTECTION. FOR THIS...YOU. WILL. BE. PUNISHED!"

Shang slowly lowered his blade and sat back down on his writing stool, eyeing the shadow warily.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"ISN'T IT OBVIOUS?! OR ARE YOU JUST PLAIN DUMB? I'M A POWERFUL DIETY! A GOD! A MIGHTY ONE OF OLD SENT BY THE ANCESTORS OF THE FA FAMILY TO PROTECT THEIR SON!"

"Their son? You are aware that you do not protect a male, but a female?"

"YOU KNOW?! HOW DO YOU KNOW?!"

"How did you not know that I knew?" Shang asked in return, beginning to enjoy himself a little.

"DON'T PLAY COY WITH ME, BOY! I MAY BE A DIETY BUT I CANNOT KNOW EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON ALL THE TIME! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD I'M ALREADY PROTECTING A KID HERE AND WAGING A WAR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD AND ANSWERING ALL THE PRAYERS THAT ARE LEFT AT MY TEMPLE AND..."

"My apologies. I understand you have a lot to oversee." Shang quickly interrupted what was sure to be a long and detailed list.

"DAMN RIGHT I DO! NOW HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT PING IS A GIRL?"

"Suffice to say that I saw something I shouldn't have." Shang muttered, blushing slightly at the reminder of all that he had seen that night by the lake.

"IS THAT WHY YOU'RE TRYING TO SABOTAGE ALL MY EFFORTS TO GET MY GIRL INTO THIS WAR?"

"Why do you want her in this war? It's your job to keep her safe. Wouldn't your job be easier if she were at home, marrying a good man and keeping his house for him?"

"THE EASIEST PATH ISN'T ALWAYS THE WISEST. SOME SMART DEAD GUY SAID THAT ONCE. BESIDES CAN YOU HONESTLY IMAGINE MY GIRL SITTING QUIETLY AT HOME, MARRYING A MAN WHO WOULD DICTATE HER EVERY MOVE AND EXPECT HER TO QUIETLY GO ALONG WITH IT AND KEEP HIS HOUSE AND RAISE HIS BAWLING BRATS?"

Shang almost laughed at the thought, "No, I can't"

"EXACTLY! IT IS HER DESTINY TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS WAR! AND YOU WILL NOT RUIN IT FOR HER!"

"Her destiny? What is her destiny? If you are so great and know Ping's destiny, do you know mine?"

"OF-OF COURSE I DO!" Mushu answered, slightly panicked now. How was he supposed to know the stupid Captain's destiny?

After a slight pause Shang asked, "Will you tell me?"

"OF COURSE NOT! LET'S JUST SAY THAT YOU'RE DESTINY AND MY GIRL'S DESTINY ARE LINKED. I CANT TELL YOU YOURS WITHOUT TELLING YOU HERS AND THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT!" Mushu exclaimed, quite proud of his evasion of the question.

"I see." Shang stated thoughtfully, "Deity's like to make deals, right?"

"Y-YES." Mushu stuttered, surprised by the change in subject.

"Then I'll make you a deal. I'll let Ping stay if you tell me one thing of our destinies."

"YOU'LL LET PING STAY?" Mushu asked, buying for time.

"Yes." Shang answered calmly.

And that is when Mushu experienced a truly brilliant stroke of genius.

"VERY WELL. I'LL TELL YOU. MY GIRL IS DESTINED TO SAVE YOUR LIFE. AND NOT JUST YOUR LIFE! MY GIRL IS DESTINED TO SAVE ALL OF CHINA. SHE CAN AND WILL DO IT, BUT ONLY IF SHE HAS YOUR HELP! IF YOU DON'T KEEP HER IN THIS ARMY YOU WILL DIE AND CHINA WILL BE UTTERLY DEFEATED!"

"Save my life? How?" Just then Shang heard the sound of panicked shouting coming towards his tent.

"What is that?"

"OH NOTHING, MY MINIONS WERE JUST TEACHING YOUR MINIONS A LESSON. IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO NOW. SOME IDIOT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD IS ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING STUPID. UNTIL NEXT TIME!"

With those parting words, the light at the back of the tent went out, the silhouette disappearing with it.

"Wait!" Shang yelled. He quickly exited his tent, determined to find whoever had been behind it, but he was stopped when Po and Yao came stampeding out of the dark.

"We-we can't do it anymore, Captain!"

"Ping's being protected by a-a..."

"A dragon deity?" Shang asked.

"You saw it to, Captain?"

"I did. Don't worry, he and I have reached an agreement. He should leave you alone for the rest of the night. Ping is going to stay with us. Go get some rest."

With that Shang strode to the back of his tent but he was too late. There was no sign that anyone had been there.

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When Mushu and Cri-kee reached Mulan's tent, Mulan was already there collapsed on her sleeping pallet, panting for breath and laughing in short bursts.

"That was priceless!" She exclaimed, "How did it go with Shang? Did you scare him good?"

"Oh yeah." Mushu answered with fake enthusiasm, "In fact, he said that he'll allow you to stay."

"Really?!" Mulan sat up and grinned then crashed back down with a groan, "That's great! But I'm exhausted, we'll talk more in the morning. You'll have to tell me what you did to..." Before Mulan could even finish her sentence she was out cold, much to Mushu's relief. Now he just had to figure out what he was going to tell the girl when she woke up.