Hic Sunt Dracones [OPEN]

[conspiracy]

S C E N E . M U S I C
I'll Make a Man out of You (Instrumental)
from Mulan

When in a strange, unfamiliar land, survival demands only three simple things: food, water, and shelter. But as any traveler knows, none of those will help you find your way or truly orient to your surrounds. For that, a fourth quintessential is needed: information.

The small hill peaked out of the bamboo forest, just enough of a clearing in the towering shoots of green to see the smoke rising from cooking fires and the array of walled-in tents that surrounded them. Shifting the weight of his pack, young Theron d'Metreon gazed across the distance at the sight. He had seen many strange things in this land: fields of rice growing in watery bogs, shrines to deities both strange and exotic to him, towns and markets with produce and wares so different from those of his homeland that, had he been pressed to, he could've scarcely described them to his tutors... but there were some things that were universal, it seemed.

And an army camp was one of them.

Where there was an army, their was information: maps, records, scouts and messengers, to name a few, were quintessential to any commander. A slight smile rose on his lips; this place could also offer opportunity. Whether it was war, domestic protection, or peacetime training, the rallying of an armed force was always ripe with tasks to be done and valor to be earned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Who do I see about mercenary work?"

The Chinese man sitting in an open-faced tent at the edge of camp looked up from his scrolls and parchment, a bamboo quill still damp with ink held in one hand. Before him stood as strange a person as he had ever seen: a foreigner, no question, with hair the shade of freshly hewn wood, clothes as white as mountain snow trimmed with thin lines of gold, a regal cape of deep purple pinned at his neck by a crest of some kind, black gloves, boots that seemed military but also highly ornamental... and a straight-sword sheathed at his side that most definitely had not been forged anywhere in China. The boy's green eyes met the man's dark ones and there was a moment of awkward silence as the children of two worlds each seemed to wait for the other... at length, the keeper of lists and manifests turned his gaze inward to the center of camp.

"Captain Shang commands this post -- he will decide who finds work under China's banners." The man pointed at Theron's sword. "Keep your blade sheathed here, outsider; the captain is not a man to be trifled with."

The young prince nodded and bowed slightly in thanks, as seemed to be the local custom. He wasn't accustomed to bowing to anyone except his father ordinarily, but there was no sense in causing offense to the locals. Travel bag in tow, the young d'Metreon set off looking for the biggest tent; that, he assumed, would be the captain's dwelling.

[Ellie who has 0%]

“He’s been sighted here, here, and here,” the masculine voice of the Captain rang.

“Well even so there should be a resting place nearby,” a softer and feminine voice replied.

“True enough, but we don’t know how far it will travel just for, for THIS.”

In the captain tent, General Li Shang was pacing about the room cladded in full armor; his cape waved violently with his sharp turn. He was still as stoic, muscled, and disciplined as ever with his focus eyes and tightly bound hair. He wasn’t alone talking to himself, since there was a woman sitting at his desk watching him in concern. Shang was always so stiff with concern, especially when it came to the protection of China. Now with a wife of his own and the demanding tradition to build a family of his own, Shang became tenser with this new hurdle to jump. If it were the Huns, it would’ve been easier.

Having enough of his nervous tick, his slender wife removed herself from her seat to approach him. With the world accepting her as a hero of China and after a successful mission guarding the Princesses, her presence was common and welcomed. Her hair had grown since she’d cut it, reaching down to her shoulder blades. Her attire was now her own military uniform rather than the one she’d ‘borrowed’ from her father.

“Listen,” a small hand gripped his shoulder gently until her turned to her, “you are a great general, and I know you’ll get him, and I’ll be there with you.”

That’s when he pulled from her, “I don’t want you anywhere near this assignment. It’s too danger-“

“No!” Her armor clang together when she stepped in front of him, then dug into her armor, into her shirt, to pull up a trinket, “we’re in this together.”

Spinning slowly on a leather cord was a lone Yang piece; it’s black eye searching for its mate to join its puzzle. Although it was just a necklace given during their engagement, it held sentimental values of how they forged on through that thick patch, and with a sigh, the general revealed his own with a reply, a smile, “stubborn.”

“And so are you. Plus, I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t,” Mulan smiled back while opening the tent up to bring in some sunlight overlooking the campsite.

“True, but a smart Captain can’t only be stubborn. He…or she have to be wise and not jump into things to quick,” his voice grew louder as he approached from behind her.

“Mm-hm, and I’ll have my heart to guide me…and Mushu, and from the looks of it General,” her voice piped up once noting an unfamiliar man who stood out amongst the men like a sore thumb, “you have company. “

She made her way towards him feeling her husband’s frown trying to decipher this one out. He certainly didn’t look like he was from this world. The world didn’t get too many foreigners, which only meant one thing in Shang’s book. His narrowed eyes looked to the skies wondering what could possibly going on and is Sora tending to it; his silent question halted once hearing his wife’s voice directing the man towards him.

[conspiracy]

'Interesting...'

The single telling thought flew through Theron's mind as both a man and woman, both clad in military attire, stepped from what was most certainly the commander's tent. He'd only caught the tail end of their conversation as he approached... but it was enough to give him a hint of what was going on. Something about wisdom and not jumping into things too quick -- no details, true, but given that one of these two was likely the captain it meant that something was afoot. Something that required a deft hand, perhaps.

Theron made a loose fist with one hand, palmed it with the other, and bowed respectfully at the waist as he caught the attention of Shang and Mulan. "Greetings. My name is Theron, a traveling mercenary seeking work." It wasn't quite a lie -- he was traveling, seeking work, and willing to do so as a mercenary. It simply wasn't the full story; there was no need to tell anyone that he was a prince far, far from home with no real idea how he got to China in the first place. His attire was certainly drawing enough attention as it was -- not that changing into local fare would really have disguised his non-Chinese appearance all that much -- but rattling off too much information at first brush with these people certainly wouldn't be... discreet. As he rose from the bow he added, "The steward at the edge of camp said I should offer my services to the captain -- is it safe to assume one of you is the person in command?" It was hard to tell; they were both dressed as important military persons and, not knowing what attitudes about gender this land held, it would be equally indiscreet to make any assumptions.

[Ellie who has 0%]

His name was enough to clarify Shang's speculations, but he didn't inquire further. He wasn't running around in the ominous black cloak, and if there was a change in this elaborate games of hearts, surely the keyblade wielder would've visited sooner for a warning. Still utilizing him in a few assignments could keep this Theron, an unusual name it was, in sight. He couldn't tell if his wife was thinking along the same lines with the glance she gave him, but knowing one another, they were bound to see things differently.

Despite the infantry of the Huns and the heartless, she seemed more warm-hearted to strangers. After Mushu had informed her of his quest with Sora promptly a year ago, the warrioress was more empathetic to lone and lost wanderers. Not everyone can be blamed with the responsible burden of a fallen world, which she presumed was the case. It may had unknowingly happened to her own for Mushu to even had met Sora or something else along those lines. The mechanics of the worlds and heartless were still a mystery; perhaps she could learn more through Theron in time.

Mulan nearly chuckled at Shang's speculative and slightly offended expression before casting a glance towards his Yang, "Well in that case, that's me, Li Mulan, but I'm sure General Li Shang would like to further discuss your services. I'll just go have a talk with that steward."

It's been a while since Shang was a Captain; actually not long after the defeat of Shan-Yu, Shang was promoted as General, a great honor and pride he took diligently in homage to his late father. Naturally as General, he politically outranks her, which Mulan hardly had any problems with since being appointed a Captain was a surprise within itself. Perhaps The Emperor saw it that they worked well together or at least they should. Still, she'd thoroughly enjoyed watching him react to the mix-up; with a polite farewell, she left the two be before seeking out that steward.

As she walked, she could feel a familiar slither up her leg as friendly lithe dragon crawled up to her shoulder. He slithered from one side to the other with perked ears trying to ease drop on the rest of the conversation between Shang and Theron, "So who's the new kid? And I knooowidon'tgetaroundmuch, but Theron is definitely not a common name!"

"Oh don't be so loud, and yes, he isn't from here. I wonder...where is he from. He says he's a traveling mercenary, so is he just stopping by like Sora?"

"Mmmm I don't know, buuut I know a way to find ooooout," her face narrowed at the mischief in his eyes.

"Mushu," her voice took on a maternity tone.

"Heeeey, I'll just slip on in be discreet. Girl, and Discreet is myyyy middle name."

She stopped and eyed the red dragon skeptically....before sighing in defeat, "Okay fine, just, just...stay out of sight alright?"

Without a reply, Mushu leaped of her shoulder and scattered away with a familiar little cricket hoping in pursuit. The General had already invited Theron in his tent moments ago. As the noisy pair crept closer they could already here Shang's voice.

"So how long have you been here," his sharp eyes were picking up the silk of his clothes and an odd unfamiliar crest that held his cloak in place. Seeing how he wasn't filthy yet, he doubt he'd been her long unless someone had opened their house to the wanderer. His eye then zoomed to his sword, and a calloused hand reached with beckoning fingers, "May I?"

From behind the desk, Mushu slipped inside and his underneath it.

[conspiracy]

(OOC: Sorry, I botched it on Shang's rank there -- I haven't actually seen Mulan 2, but I still should've guessed he'd be promoted. My bad; hopefully we can just play it off as the steward poking a bit of fun at the happy couple. ^_^;


The General's eyes fell on the blade and Theron wondered for a moment at his intent... but the request wasn't really one he had any reason to deny. "A family heirloom," was all he added as he unclipped the sheathed blade from his belt, offering it to Shang for inspection.

"I've not been here long, no," He responded to Shang's earlier questions. There was dust from travel on the boy prince's boots but, beyond that, his clothing was quite clean and fresh -- a fact he was sure the General had not missed. As Shang studied the foreign blade Theron studied Shang; a military man through and through, creases of focus and discipline marking his face, movements calm and precise, eyes seeking and discerning. Shang, Theron decided, would probably make for an exemplary opponent in a game of chess... but perhaps another time. Both of them were in search of information -- Theron for anything that could further his own purposes, make him stronger, or perhaps explain how or why the Blade of the Inheritor had sent him here, and Shang no doubt weighing the value and trustworthiness of the outsider who had suddenly appeared on his doorstep... and maybe his interest ran deeper. Theron watched the man's eyes for hints, doing his best to keep a flawless poker face in the meanwhile.

"In the lands of China, only about a week or so; traveling overall, several months." He confessed, gently putting his satchel down on the ground next to him. For a moment he weighed his next move... then decided to take a chance. What could the harm be, anyways? "The sword is named Sangfroid; it's three hundred years old and was used in war by several of my ancestors... but it's nothing compared to the one I'm looking for."

Reaching down into the travel bag, the prince shuffled through his meager belongings for a few moments before grasping a piece of paper, folded and lightly crumpled. This he pulled out, unfolded, and presented to Shang.

"It's a rough sketch, I know, but that's the weapon I've been traveling to find. Truth be told, I almost had my hands on it, but... before I could claim it, some kind of magic took hold. All I remember is a bright flash, and the next thing I knew I woke up in China."

"... I don't suppose you've seen anything like it before, General?"

[Ellie who has 0%]

//XD It's totally fine hence why I just rolled with it for my amusement, and don't worry << >> you didn't miss much with that movie.\\

For an three hundred year old heirloom, it was in good shape; if this one knew how to care for a sword, then he should know how to use it. After all it should be expected from a man raised by family who engaged in warfare. Since he was looking for work, he'll let his assignment and missions dictate his efficencies. In this time and age, the world didn't need anyone wet behind the ears. No longer need to inspect the blade, Shang handed it back, but his brows furrowed at the next phrase. What was he looking for that could possibly be here?

Mushu was wondering the same hearing crinkles of paper. Curse his potstickers, he couldn't see from under here, and he couldn't just hop on the desk and peak over Shang's shoulders to look at it either. Serpentine eyes smiled as it fell on Cri-Kee, who's antennas dropped at the attention. Crouching down, he tried to hop away, but was caught in the dragons talons, "Oh no no no, you are going to see what's up there."

The bug chirped in concerned, but the dragon merely brush it off, "Squish you. Naah, they aren't gonna squish you. You're lucky; now get up there."

The poor bug was thrown up towards the desk, and landed on a map of China ungracefully. Watching Shang tilt his head at the picture, the cricket jumped up towards his shoulder. It was an odd looking sword. It's blade was literally split, and there was an awkward curve towards the jiànfeng, the tip of the blade, but on one side of the curve was unordinary for a typical jian. The silhouette of the weapon resembled a key, and the word made the General's brow knit more at the irregularity as well as the implications. He tried to pursue this blade, and it dumped him...here.

"So this brought you here," there goes one of the common speculation of his world and heartless, but he wasn'te sure if him seeking out this blade of all blades was a good omen or not, "This is...unusual, and no we haven't seen anything like this here."

He handed the paper back lieing without a second thought, "I'm sorry your travel was futile, but if you're still interested in work, it is open to you. There's been problems in the Bamboo Grove; we usually have trade routes there, but there's been recent attacks there. It hasn't been clarified if they're just robbers or worst."

Feeling something tickling his neck, Shang casually flicked it off sending a little bug flying behind, skidding on the desk, and falling off of it.

"1...2...," an outstretched paw waited out from underneath the desk, while an impatient dragon counted, and on three the little cricket bounced on his scaled pads with a deep sigh,"Sooo little buddy what you learned?"

It chirped weakly.

"A what? Are you sure," Mushu poked the little thing only to get the same answer, "you're serious? Hmmmm, come on Cri-Kee; mission accomplished."

[conspiracy]

Theron watched the man very carefully... but couldn't quite gauge his reaction. Was he lying? Telling the truth? Or merely surprised by the unusual design and the story that went with it? Theron couldn't help the feeling that there was something in the man's momentary pause and choice of words.

No point in pursuing it further, anyways. Theron slipped the drawing back into his pack as Shang continued.

The boy-prince nodded. "Reconnaissance work, then. If it is robbers I shouldn't have any difficulty; I encountered a small group on my way here, through the mountain pass. They weren't a challenge."

"And it's not futile at all, honestly. The blade was one path I might take to becoming stronger; from what I have seen of your forces, I think China may have much it can teach me, and that alone is quite valuable."

"So," He reached up to thoughtfully rub his chin with one hand. "Locate and identify the threat in the grove. Should I engage the attackers when I find them, or report back here to you?"

[Ellie who has 0%]

"Locate, identify, engage, then report back. There's been too many delays with deliveries to the point it's starting to show in the markets. There you have your first assignment."

---

"The picture was of aaaa," Mulan was trying to keep up with what the fast talking highly animated dragon was saying.

"A keyblade!"

"Are you sure? I mean it's sounds far-"

"Yes I'm sure. I've been around Sora looong enough to know what a keyblade looks like. Now I don't know why he's looking for it, since back in the day people were trying to get their grubby hands on it."

"B-but wouldn't that mean he's a keyblade wielder?" Mulan was sitting idly at the camp fire. It wasn't being utilizied at the moment, since lunch was served not to long ago.

"Well if he's a wielder, then why does he's lookin for it? Hm? HMMMMM?"

"Okay okay, I got it, so...what does this means then?"

"I," the dragon started with his high of victory, then deflated, "I don't know. But so far your hubby isn't taking it lightly."

"I know. With this that, out there, he's been a little tense."

"A little?" Mulan didn't even look to see the dragon with his claws on his bony hips cocked to the side.

"You know how he gets. He even doesn't want me in on that assignment; he'd probably rather defy the emperor, then let me near it." She was at a fork in the road understanding him, but she wants to protect her world just as much as he does, yet at the same time, he wants to protect her.

"Girl, he doesn't have to worry about you; you're the HERO of CHINA!"

"Yes, but I'm not Fa Mulan anymore; it's Li Mulan. It's not just about me any-," looking up, she could see movement from Shang's tent, well their tent. He exited out, while pointing Theron in a general direction towards...the Bamboo Grove, and left him be with the pat on the back, "He's...he's letting him stay. Come on Mushu."

Getting up, she jogged over to Theron with a bright smile, "So you're staying with us? If you are, I'll make sure you'll have a tent set soon."

[conspiracy]

"I'd appreciate that, thank you." Theron nodded, graciously accepting Li Mulan's offer. He took a moment to look around the camp, seeing the soldiers exercising, training, and sparring. "Also... would it be acceptable for me to train with the soldiers here? I just want to keep myself sharp, perhaps learn a bit."

"And my apologies about the confusion earlier, Captain. It seems the man I spoke to has... an interesting sense of humor."

He pulled the satchel up over his shoulder; it wasn't terribly heavy or full, just a few food provisions he'd picked up in a village on the way, a local set of simple clothes, and a manuscript he'd bought at the market there. He couldn't yet decipher it fully -- the shopkeep had taught him a bit about Chinese writing to convince him of the sale -- but with a little time to sit and study he could hopefully start making his way through it. Still, even a light load over long distances could wear one down; it would be nice to change out of his current outfit and recoup a bit. Yes... a tent would be nice.

"Is there anything I should know about your culture or lands? I'm a stranger here, after all, and I don't want to give undue cause for offense."

[Charme]

Syn paused, staring at the field of tents around him. Donned in a light armour, dyed blue with a light fur, he felt that he fit in quite nicely. Not one to generally change his uniform, he felt that his more contemporary uniform would be vastly inefficient in this place. This way he looked like a wandering soldier, not too far from the military, but not too far from the barbarians in the frozen wastes. The synthesizer admitted he didn't feel comfortable- his arm was light and ridiculously cold. The metal that was generally refined and supporting of it was on his back, hidden in a sheath. The black blade's onyx lay at the base.

If one looked close enough they might see a glowing yellow center, the same hue of a Heartless' eye.

He brushed his hair to the side as he anxiously walked through the camp. This new-guy thing was getting really old. However Sora had managed it for years was beyond him. With a sigh he aimlessly wandered through the canvas forest until he heard a female's voice over the riffraff of the soldiers.

"So you're staying with us? If you are, I'll make sure you'll have a tent set soon."

That girl...

Syn made his way towards them, his brow furrowed slightly. "Can I get some help? Just... where do I go to enlist?"

[Ellie who has 0%]

“Of-course you wouldn’t want to be rusty while just starting off,” she chuckled remembering the awful straining drills she put herself through while playing her masquerade of a Chinese soldier. It was one thing to blend in as one of the guys and stay up to par with them for it isn’t obvious that she was a woman. Yes, Mushu did coddled and pushed her within the safety of her tent or out of sight, but it took a lot of resilience, perseverance, and motivation just to stick it through, especially when she was turned away for not being suitable or adequate for the army, “It really wouldn’t open the door for good assignments unless you’d like to stay in vigorous training all day.”

Seeing how he was going spar, the warrioress was about to make a turn to leave him be, but halted once hearing a question, “Don’t worry if you do well on your current assignment, you’ll be seeing a lot of this place probably from the Palace to the Mountains. In the meantime, just drink in what you see and harmonize, while being true to yourself. And stand strong to what you say, because what you say is what you mean, and with these guys…”

Oooh she won’t even elaborate or go down memory lane in how much she’d done to gain their respect even if it meant causing a culture clash and overall a rebel, “…just be firm, while being respectable. If they see anything that resembles a limp noodle, they’ll try to eat it, but don’t worry I’m sure you’ll fit in just fine. If you need anything, you’ll know where to find me.”

Speak of the devil, she was needed already, but by another newcomer. She looked him over and blinked at the increasing odds of having foreigners in the world. In her mind, it told her it wasn’t a good sign in regards to world order, but her face maintained the possibility of a silver lining, “Oh the General’s Tent is right over there, you can’t miss it.”

[conspiracy]

(OOC: Okay, I am officially back and ready to rock this party. Let's get kung fu fighting, people! ^_^)

M U S I C A L . S H I F T
Unfolding Time
by Broken Iris

He bowed to Mulan as he took his leave, heading for the training areas of the camp... thinking things over in his mind as he walked.

One liar, one honest. The d'Metreon prince smirked slightly. 'Bandits' indeed... he wondered how long it would take the General to realize he'd already seen through that flimsy excuse. An entire army camped less than a day's journey from the trade route would be enough to send every bandit within a hundred miles scurrying for their hideaways. No... the threat here was far greater, without doubt.

Enough that an army of hundreds of men stood undeployed. Enough that they'd sooner risk a stranger to 'test the waters' than their own scouts. 'Have to be wise and not jump into things to quick'; he'd heard the General say that.

It was fine. This was how a d'Metreon forged themselves: in the heat of battles where others feared to tread.

Reaching an open area of the camp, Theron plucked a wooden pole from a barrel nearby, put his sword leaning against the barrel's side, and stepped out onto the training ground. It had been some time since he'd practiced fighting with a staff; rotating his neck side to side until it popped lightly, then doing the same with his knuckles, he began to go over the old drills in his head. Grip the staff as so... plant your feet... thrust, whirl, parry, thrust, sidestep, flourish, swipe, strike, sweep. As he continued to practice his moves became less rigid, more and more fluid, swifter and graceful... almost more a dance with a bo staff for a partner than a rusty training exercise. Theron's feet seemed to be always moving, steps making hardly a sound, the staff 'whoosh'ing and 'swish'ing by as he easily spun it in sweeps, thrusts, and jabs at imaginary foes. Kicks and punches were thrown into the mix as he went along, combating a dozen different opponents at once who existed solely within his head. It quickly became a fair question whether his body was making the staff dance in deadly grace or whether the boy was instead dancing as the weapon dictated, unleashing its innate desire to be used.

It was only normal that he would attract a few curious gazes, putting on a performance like that without warning, but his eyes were closed and he paid no heed. His mind was elsewhere. Long ago his tutors had given him mental exercises to perform during combat practice -- a warrior, they said, knows only the foes he can see and hear, but a commander must fight war at once in person and also detached, "seeing" the battlefield through the lens of his mind's eye and the knowledge at his disposal. If you fight the battle only, they said, you will assuredly lose the war. 'Knight to C3... pawn to H3, Rauzer formation... ' And so he played a silent game of chess as he worked the staff in one graceful arc after another, mind and body not fighting as one but on two separate fronts, mastering the role of detached tactician and front-line soldier as parallel disciplines... so that, when a real fight was needed, he would be ready to unify them.

And then, balanced precariously on his left foot and halfway through a kata, he stopped, froze perfectly in place, eyes snapping open.

A man who will lie to protect his men, his wife, his homeland... what else might he lie about...? Theron's eyes narrowed. 'Shang... what else are you keeping from me?' He had his suspicions, of course. But he'd work the truth out gradually, step by step. First the undisclosed threat needed to be dragged out into the light.

A plan. Bait. He'd need a merchant's caravan wagon. Some empty boxes. Old clothes. Plenty of dry grass. And...

His eyes turned slightly to catch a glance of soldiers hauling a pile of strange, stout, dragon-faced rods along in a wooden cart. "...And what are those, I wonder...?"

[Ellie who has 0%]

One of the watchful eye that observed Theron was Yao; he was a rugged short and squat man whose strength and tenacity made up for his lack of height. One of his eyes was bruised enough to be condemned to remain shut, but he wasn't a man to hide his battle scars. In contrast, he bore them proudly, since they were obtained with honor in defending China. With a nudge, he tagged Ling to look over, "Check out the neanderthal."

Yao was sitting on a log with the closest people he acknowledges as friends, Ling, a lanky string-bean warrior that still managed to cut it in the army, and Chien Po, a round calm nature man who needed to lay off the riceballs. They've been 'together' since they step foot in the camps. Ling overall was like an antagonistic childish brother, who had an uncanny skill with pushing his buttion, while Chien Po always kept him calm with wise words. Their band didn't grew until they adopted Ping, now Mulan, under their wings. After fighting against Shan-Yu and guarding the princesses, they became closer as brother-in-laws and inseparable.

Yao snorted ignoring Chien Po's observation; no, the kid wasn't wet behind the ears with a sword, but he was a new face in the ranks. With his overall foreign appearance, they concluded he wasn't from here. Feeling a playful punch at his arm, Yao growled at Ling and shoved him off. He was known for his short-temper and being a gruff guy to start a fight; after winning the heart of a princess, he wasn't going to act lower than the standards she held him at, "I ain't startin' nothin' with that kid. He's only getting child's play anyways. Tch, he better get to whatever assignment that's been given to him."

"Well maybe he's looooost," Yao rose and walked off being Ling's voice could agitate him more. He walked up behind Theron after noticing he'd stopped his little showy exercise. His arms folded over his chest.

"I wouldn't even think about those, and you won't even need em," his voice came out rugged and raspy; it was followed by a long snort before spitting mucus on the floor away from him, "If you got an assignment you might as well get to it...unless you can't handle it."


Chien Po and Ling watched the exchange; the lankier was snickering the most, while Chien Po shook his head before noticing Mulan coming by. Despite being friends with her Chien Po still couldn't help but to be formal out of politeness, "Hello Captain."

"Tch, you do[//i] know you don't have to call me that," multiple times Mulan told him to just call her Mulan, and only recently she started to conclude he did it on purpose, "and what's Yao up to?"

"Aaaah," Ling start with a casual wave his hand, "he's just talking to the new kid. Heeey, I'm surprised you not with Shang. Anything new?"

The change of subject caught Chien Po's attention as well as he stared up at the female captain, "He have another recruit dropping in, and since he's General he can oversee that. As for anything new, I won't be joining you guys deploy."

She closed her eyes hearing Ling's groan, but it was mainly to not read the question of Chien Po's face.

"Come ooon maaan. Why nooot?"

"You know should know Shang by now. He doesn't want me too-"

"But you're literally THEE HEROO OF CHI-"

Knowing this would just go nowhere Mulan spoke up to drown Ling's voice, "And as Captain I have to oversee the camp especially with the new recruits, and like how Shang was Captain, I won't be called unless its necessary."

"But," the sumo-sized warrior's soft voice finally spoke out, "what do you think of this, Mulan?"

The Captain stopped making eye contact from there; once again the General and Captain was at a discord, but this time the Captain was attempting in being supportive, "I cannot stray from my duties as captain. Regardless how the General sees this; I'll have to stay here at the camp. You guys...just keep an eye on one another okay."

Hearing an unfamiliar acceptance from Mulan, they dropped with a nod. Her duties to China, her General, her husband, and her heart were clashing.