Author's Notes

Hello, everyone! There are some things I'd like to say/clear up about this piece, but I'd rather not spoil anything or plant seeds in your minds before you read on, so please look for the actual "Author's Notes" after the story! Thank you!

The Truth Of My Heart

Incense once more flew in a flash of golden sparks as the fiery miniature of a dragon shot outside the Temple entrance. He didn’t normally interrupt his slumber until later in the day, but a little cricket had just told him some rather unpleasant news…enraging even! How dare she do such a thing without his consent!

Flipping his red head to the left, then to the right, his panicky flight continued as he zoomed down the path toward the house, a certain cricket leaping fast behind him.

Blinded by determination, he failed to notice the squawking chickens he plundered through, the spring blossoms speckling his face, the chirping music screeching frantically behind him; even slamming into the girl who caused his heart to race like mad.

The rattling of fine china revived his senses, realizing, as he winced in preparation, that the inevitable shattering never came.

“Mushu!” an agitated exclamation escaped her lips as she held the platter of tea cups protectively aloft.

Now fully aware of where he was, the dragon couldn’t help issuing a retort.

“I thought that was gonna crash there for a second,” he cracked, wincing at the stony silence that ensued.

“Well, there wouldn’t have even been a possibility of it crashing, if a certain red-tailed lizard hadn’t sped around the corner, without so much as looking where he was going,” she said coolly. Mushu cringed at the word, “lizard”; she knew he detested it, yet she still used the nickname quite frequently.

“You’re up early,” she changed the subject, “any reason why?” she asked, resuming her walk to the garden, Mushu following close behind.

He thought of about a million different excuses he could’ve created, but they all sounded so weak, too untrue, that his heart jumped ahead of his brain in a rush.

“Why are you with him?” he asked bluntly, his words stopping her in her tracks. Her ebony shoes caressed the grass in a crunch as the wind rustled a sorrowful melody.

“Isn’t that all a woman’s good for?” Her eyes flashed him a spiteful glance wavering with hidden pain.

“I could forgive a remark like that sliding out of any other girl’s mouth, but out of you…I just can’t believe you’d say a disgusting thing like that,” he said, sudden contempt glistening in his eyes.

“China says a thing like that; not me.”

“Well that’s funny, ‘cause I could’ve sworn I heard it coming out of your mouth.” He grinned knowingly; he had her cornered.

“I love him, okay?” she said exasperatedly, her voice clearly agitated and reeking of anger, though barely above a whisper.

“Do you?” he questioned, his stare unwavering from hers, as he lost his thoughts in those tea-tinted pools of brown glaring back at him.

“Is that why you’re carrying his little leech around?” Mushu continued, pointing accusingly at her radiant abdomen. Her papyrus hands shielded it protectively, as if to guard against any nasty thoughts he might have.

“Who told you?” she asked in a hushed tone, suspicion and…was it hurt?…evident in her quavering voice.

Taking the question as his cue, Cri-Kee leapt up in excitement, chirping to make the two aware of his presence.

“What are you doing here?” the dragon accused the eager cricket, noticing him for the first time that morning. Cri-Kee merely chirped in reply.

“Cri-Kee…!” Mushu began to reprimand.

“Mushu…!” she sought to drag his mind back to subject.

“Mulan!” he called back in half-jest, though she was clearly not amused. An uncomfortable silence hung in the fresh morning air.

“So how far along is Junior?” he shattered the stillness, making no effort to mask the unhappiness in his voice.

“I felt him just last night,” Mulan said briskly, matching her pace with her words as she began walking once again. She felt, sheepishly, as though she was trying to escape from his very presence. Mushu simply trotted along at her feet, Cri-Kee merely a jump behind.

“Wait a minute, how do you know it’s a ‘he’?” the little dragon queried skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

“I can just sense it,” she answered simply, chancing a glance down at her obsessive little guardian.

“I suppose you haven’t even thought of a name for the little bugger-”

“Ping,” she cut him off, slinging the one-syllable name at him like a pebble out of a slingshot. He did a double take.

“Ping?” She had worried that he might not take this well.

“Mushu…” she began in a coercive tone.

“Ping!”

“Now-” The tiny dragon leapt up to her eye level, clinging to her collar in a spasmodic panic.

“You’re naming your child after my former best friend!”

“No, I-”

“Even worse, you’re naming him the undercover name you used when you met him?”

“Mushu!” But he barely even heard her voice.

“Do you have any idea what kind of taunts he’ll be subjected to? Ping-Pong comes to mind….”

“I named him in remembrance of the memories I have of you!” He was not expecting such a comeback; the flapping of his yellow whiskers came to a halt as her whistling breath subsided. He stared into her fierce, yet sullen eyes. She could see a look of true astonishment wash across his features.

“Of…me?” She felt surprised herself to see a trace of tears glistening in his sapphire eyes…or maybe it was the light playing tricks on her. It was certainly easier to believe the latter.

“Of course….” She felt tears coming on herself as she casually brushed them from her eyes with her silk sleeve.

“I thought you might’ve forgotten since then….” His eyes averted to the ground.

“Mushu…. I could never forget that part of my life…nor you. No matter how much I grow and change.” The beginnings of a smile spread across his dragon face, tail switching in mild embarrassment.

“You’re the best guardian a family could have,” she affirmed, kneeling down before him and embracing him in a tender hug, “that I could have.”

As she held him, he could feel all the anger, all the despair, all the pain, melting into something warm, as the winds of change surrounded them in a flurry of pink blossoms.

“Just so long as I don’t do no babysitting.”

Author's Notes

Okay! Thank you for reading my first Mulan fanfic and especially for staying on at the end to read my notes!

First, I'd like to mention the reason for the title. It's not that big of a deal, but for those wondering, I thought of the title from listening to the song played during the end credits of the movie, True To Your Heart way too much. I'm not a huge fan of 98° anymore, but I still like listening to it once in a while; brings back memories. I thought basing the title off the song fit the theme I was looking for in this piece.

Second, if Mulan's character seems a bit out-of-character in this, that was certainly not my intention. This is my first time writing for her character, but I've watched the movie Mulan since I was ten, and I think I have all the characters nailed down pretty good. If she comes across as being weak and dependent (when her character is actually very strong and dependent), just remember that we all lose sight of what's important once in a while and we all have our doubts.

Third, ever since I was little, I always believed that Mushu had been slightly jealous of Shang and Mulan's blossoming relationship. Don't think too much of it if you are sensitive to this kind of thinking; I feel very strongly about what I believe/think, but that doesn't mean that you have to think the same. I've never seen the sequel to Mulan, nor do I really intend to, for various reasons. Someday, I might see it, just so I don't shelter myself, but as far as I'm concerned, there never should have been a sequel, and the story ends where the first movie ends. That doesn't mean I don't let my imagination run wild though. I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but that's just the way I feel.

And fourth, the last time I saw the movie (which was in May, on the Disney channel), I heard Mushu mutter the origin of the name "Ping" under his breath; I'm sorry if I heard wrong, and please feel free to let me know if that is something I need to correct.

Whew! I'm glad that's over with! Thanks for reading, everyone!