106. The Emperor's Judgment

SHANGHAI, CHINA, THE LAND OF DRAGONS

First, it was dark. So dark, Spike wondered briefly if someone had let loose more Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. He'd lost track of the order of events; to his sleepy mind, that might have been possible.

Then he was aware of lying on something soft. He'd previously been somewhere hard. That was new. He must have been carried. Off the roof. Now he remembered. The roof of the watchtower.

He was reluctant for a while to open his eyes, so he left them closed as he tried to remember why he'd blacked out. He'd eaten something that didn't agree with him. Repulsive magic. A gemstone. A Cosmic Reset, actually. That was what it was. He'd taken it from Shan-Yu. Had he really done that? That seemed almost too good to be true: the image of himself careening through the air to grab the gem away from Shan-Yu before he could use it to break the timeline of the world to his advantage. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that was exactly what had happened.

It had given him shakes and nausea, but those were gone now. All Spike felt was lazy, very lazy, and there was a slight sour taste in his mouth. The magic must have run its course in his system. He wasn't sure exactly how it worked. If he'd asked Twilight, she might have been able to explain to him that the magic of the gem had been immediately absorbed into his bloodstream while the physical shards remained in his stomach to undergo the normal digestion process. But he didn't need her knowledge of dragon digestion in order to realize that the worst was over.

He obviously was not supposed to eat a Reset gem. It had done a number on him. But he was alive. He wondered how close he'd come to actually dying. Maybe he, like the Great Stone Dragon, had actually come close to sacrificing himself for his friends. It was a scary thought, but also rather pleasing when he thought of himself as that kind of hero. He'd been able to tell that the results of swallowing that jewel wouldn't be pleasant, but he hadn't shied from doing it anyway. It was what had to be done. If the Great Stone Dragon asked him if he were ready to sacrifice himself, he had a little better idea of what his answer would be.

But it seemed that he'd gotten the best of both worlds. His friends were alive, and so was he. The villain's magic had been ripped away from him. But what of the villain himself? What had happened after all that? Spike had the urge to know.

He also realized that the others must have been worried about him after he'd collapsed like that. Between the desire to sate his curiosity and his duty to let his friends know he was all right, Spike was moved to pry his eyes open.

His first sight was Rarity, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Mulan, Mushu, and Shang all staring at him in a crowd. Once they saw him open his eyes, the former six cried out "SPIKE!" while the latter three broke out smiling.

"You're okay!" Twilight cried happily.

"Yeah…I think." Spike sat up slowly. "What happened?"

"You ate a Reset," Mushu told him. "ARE YOU INSANE? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MAGIC IS IN THOSE THINGS?" He folded his arms. "You're just lucky you didn't end up turned inside-out and dismembered across fifty timelines."

"Mushu," Mulan scolded.

"What?" Mushu replied. "It coulda happened!"

"But Shan-Yu!" Spike urged. "What happened to him AFTER I took that thing away from him?"

"Mulan and I were able to entangle him in Twilight's magic-neutralizing net," Rarity explained.

"And after that, the recruit troops were able to take him easily," Mulan added.

"He's in our custody now," Shang said. "And he has a lot of explaining to do." He then looked around at the company he was in, deeming it the proper time to bring up the subject now that Spike's safety was assured: "As do all of you."

That elicited six rather nervous laughs. "Guess the cat's out of the bag," Rainbow Dash said sheepishly.

"The thing is…" Applejack began.

"Well, it'll probably make more sense if I do this first," Twilight interrupted. She withdrew her wand, giving it a few turns, and a bright magenta light burned beneath the skin of her neck. Identical lights glowed in the same area upon Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy.

When Applejack said "All five of us are actually women," it was in her default, female tone of voice.

Shang nodded. "I know."

"How long?" Applejack replied, somehow not surprised.

"Since your first day at camp," Shang admitted. Applejack wasn't sure what to make of his smile.

"Well…thanks for keepin' our secret," Rainbow Dash told him.

Shang nodded. "I knew you were more than capable of fighting alongside us. Mulan trusted you…and that was all the reason I needed to trust you. But more importantly, I didn't want you to face the consequences."

"What consequences are there going to be?" Fluttershy asked.

"We just SAVED CHINA from Shan-Yu!" Rainbow Dash argued. "They CAN'T punish us for that!"

"I…don't know what will happen now," Shang admitted. "All I can do is trust that you'll be judged as fairly as Mulan was. Were it up to me, I would award all of you the highest honors."

"We should probably go join the others," Mulan suggested.

"You okay, Spike?" Twilight asked.

It was then that Spike got a good look at their surroundings. They were at the end of a back alley. Spike had been laid upon a wagon, a bed of silken fabrics crudely fashioned for him atop said wagon. The "others" were all presumably out in the main street.

"How'd we all end up back here?" Spike asked.

"I explained that I wanted a private discussion between just us," Shang explained. "But now I think it's time we made things…a little more public." He visually surveyed his audience. "If…if you think it's time, of course."

...

The soldiers, the magistrate, and Chi Fu were gathered in the square as Shang, Mulan, and the six Equestrians stood before them.

"We have a confession to make," Twilight began in her own true voice, taking off her helmet and letting down her hair. "My friends and I…aren't men."

This inspired a chorus of sharp gasps from the crowd.

"We were inspired by the story of what Mulan did, and we wanted to help protect this country," Rainbow Dash said somberly. "So…we dressed up as guys, and we snuck in. Shang and Mulan never knew."

Mulan was surprised to hear this, and she nearly spoke up, but Rainbow Dash shot her a glance to stay silent. If she was going down, she wasn't going to take Mulan with her. Mulan held her tongue, though not without some doubts as to the best course of action.

"And I have a confession too!" Pinkie Pie cried, ripping off her false facial hair. "My mustache…is NOT REAL!"

This garnered no reaction.

"We're sorry for any trouble we caused," Twilight went on.

"Though really, I don't think we caused any trouble at all by doing this," Rainbow Dash added.

"This…this is an OUTRAGE!" Chi Fu burst out. "This was nothing but lies and treason! One case, I could forgive, but not THIS!"

"You never gave them a chance!" Mulan asserted. "I was there when you turned them all down. You knew everything that happened when I joined, but that wasn't enough for you. You should have known they would be able to help."

"That decision rests with the Emperor!" Chi Fu argued.

"And what did he say would happen if more women disguised their way in and ended up turning the tide of the battle?" Mulan questioned.

"Well! He…" Chi Fu was stopped short. "I…I mean, he obviously didn't know this would have happened! How could anyone have guessed it? Of course he's made no ruling! But I consider myself able to speak for – "

"Far be it from me to question one of the Emperor's court," the magistrate interrupted, "but I do not think any man can speak for the Emperor based on his own consideration. The Emperor must either grant him that power or speak for himself."

Chi Fu felt hundreds of pairs of eyes upon him, staring him down. No matter what the general thoughts were on yet more women entering the army, it seemed everyone was united in making sure the Emperor was not disrespected by his own employees. "Then the Emperor shall decide their sentence," he relented. "There is to be a ceremony celebrating our victory over the enemy navy in the Imperial City nonetheless. We can simultaneously have these five traitors be judged."

"Sentence?" Rainbow Dash repeated. "TRAITORS? Don't we even get a chance?"

"They can be EVALUATED," Mulan corrected. "Maybe they haven't done as much wrong as you think. Without them, we wouldn't have won."

"I suppose you're right," Chi Fu harrumphed. "But I'd better not hear any reports of any of them trying to run off instead of facing the responsibility for what they've done."

"We're willing to hear the Emperor out," Twilight promised. "And if we really are responsible for wrongdoing, we'll make up for it however we can."

If the sentence passed was execution, however, Twilight wasn't going to go down without an incredible fight, and her Equestrian companions all knew it.

"Make preparations for the journey to the Imperial City immediately," Chi Fu ordered. "The ceremony shall take place as expected."

"Oh, and Chi Fu…" Shang broke in.

"What is it, General Li?" Chi Fu snapped.

"It wasn't a navy," Shang explained. "It was one ship carrying heavy artillery. If you recognized the man you just captured, I think you can guess how heavy that artillery was. Just so you can make your report accurate."

With a huff, Chi Fu turned on a heel and stamped away.

The magistrate followed, trying to entreat him to "Lighten up, Chi Fu! We won, after all!"

After they left the area, the soldiers crowded around the Equestrians all at once, with Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po at their forefront. Twilight worried at first that they were approaching as an angry swarm to chew their female allies out for being deceptive, but instead, the group was hit with questions spoken in eager tones.

"So how'd you do that voice thing?" Ling asked.

"What was with that weird…clothes changing thing on the ship?" Yao added.

"Is it true?" Chien-Po inquired. "Is Shan-Yu alive?"

"Let me start by saying this," Twilight answered. "It's even something I have to remind myself of. No matter how much you know about the world and the way things work, something strange can always surprise you. Something you don't understand. I think you all know that the spirits, like your ancestors and your Guardians, are capable of miracles. All I'm going to say is that if you keep an open mind, you might end up hearing about even more things that seem miraculous. There's a lot more to the world than you think."

...

It was in the dank stone holding cells of the Shanghai prison that the crew of the Riptide awaited their inevitable fate. All of them knew the price. Their crimes were innumerable, and Shan-Yu's actions had taken them across a line. What awaited them was execution, and they were all well aware of this. They'd considered themselves invincible during the reign of Captain Hideki, and even now, it felt inconceivable that this was where the road ended. All were now shaken, anxious about the bringing down of the sword.

All but one.

Shan-Yu had let them lock him up; had let them close the gate. And there, solitary in the tiny cell, he bided his time. He was already greatly amused by the looks on the faces of the guardsmen when they had to arrest an enemy thought long dead.

Even more amusing was the fact that they hadn't made the connection between the net and his inability to use magic. They'd cut the net away from him, leaving him free to strike whenever he wished. It was now an exercise in timing. He could have overpowered the guardsmen, but that was rather risky, given how many of his enemies were still roaming the city. Perhaps it would be best to destroy the bars now, when he was left alone, and make a silent getaway to plot his next step elsewhere, leaving the authorities to wonder where he'd gone. Or would it be a better demonstration of why he shouldn't be underestimated if he waited until his head was on the chopping block before destroying his executioner and picking up the sword of capital punishment as his next weapon?

As he mulled over his choices, the decision was made for him. A dark portal opened in the midst of the prison, in the hallway between the cells, and when it receded, she was there: Maleficent, bearing her staff, her eyes fixed upon Shan-Yu and a rather pleased smile upon her lips.

"What IS that?" one of the other prisoners cried.

"How did she get in here?" another added.

Maleficent ignored all of the chatter, slowly striding toward the cell in which Shan-Yu was contained. "I am impressed," she announced. "You have acted quite commendably, Shan-Yu."

Shan-Yu was rather taken aback. "Those were not the words I would have expected you to give a man in prison. Is that the taunt you've chosen to give me before you dispose of me?"

"Quite the opposite," Maleficent replied. "You may have failed at the goal you set out to achieve, but your path took you exactly where I had hoped it would. Your ruthlessness and your prowess with the Darkness will prove quite useful to me…as well as to yourself."

"And where will I be so useful?" Shan-Yu inquired.

"I implore you to leave this world behind for the time being," Maleficent requested. "I'm well aware you are making plans, but they can only get you so far. Now that you have proven yourself worthy of my attention, I can show you what we are TRULY after."

"And that is?" Shan-Yu asked.

"This world and so much more," Maleficent answered. "You cannot tell me you are not even slightly curious as to what lies beyond the borders of the realm you know."

Shan-Yu briefly thought it over. "I accept your offer," he told Maleficent. There was a chance that she was making an empty promise, but somehow, he felt as though it bore fruit. It was a strong instinct, and he trusted it. Most of all, he wished to know the extent of the power she held. If all of Shan-Yu's actions aboard the Riptide had been a mere test, then what was it supposed to grant entry to?

Upon hearing Shan-Yu's acceptance of her offer, Maleficent let magic flow forth; the staff glowed with a bright green light, and so did the lock on the door to Shan-Yu's cell. The gate swung open. Shan-Yu stepped out, taking his place alongside Maleficent.

"The sooner we leave, the better," he told her with a grin.

This caused an uproar from his crew: his soon-to-be "former" crew. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"

"WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF US?"

"ARE YOU JUST GOING TO LEAVE US HERE TO ROT?"

Shan-Yu was amused at how wrongly they had estimated the sort of man he was. Did they still not realize after all this time?

Then he realized whose voice was missing. He hadn't bothered to pay attention to what half the men sounded like or even their names so long as they got the job done, but one was very distinctive, and that one was silent. Out of curiosity, Shan-Yu turned his gaze to the cell that Itsuki shared with Zhong. The latter was screaming in rage, but Itsuki was silent, his cold, sharp stare speaking for itself. He knew exactly what kind of man Shan-Yu was: one without honor. And while he expected no less of him than an abandonment, he wanted to make it crystal clear that he viewed Shan-Yu as lower than low.

Once he'd gotten his fill of Itsuki's silent disapproval, Shan-Yu turned back to Maleficent to see that she had opened up a portal of Darkness. She turned and stalked elegantly through, and Shan-Yu followed her to the other side. Then the portal closed, and the gate swinging open was the only sign that Shan-Yu had ever been there at all.

As soon as the tyrant captain had vanished, Itsuki became animated, running at the gate to his cell and kicking the lock hard. The impact of his boot against the lock seemed to have no effect whatsoever. That didn't stop him from backing up, taking another running start, and slamming his foot into the gate again.

"What are you doing?" Zhong asked incredulously.

"Breaking out," Itsuki answered through gritted teeth. "By whatever means necessary. And when I do, I'm taking as many of you as I can with me. This is NOT where the legacy of the Riptide ends."

...

THE IMPERIAL CITY, CHINA, THE LAND OF DRAGONS

The Imperial City, the heart of China, was the largest metropolis that any of the Equestrians had seen yet in that world. The path toward it had briefly taken them up higher ground, giving them a glimpse of just how enormous it was. The ceremony in honor of the victory over the Riptide had been scheduled not to start until sundown, at which point the entire skyline was ablaze with lights and lanterns of all colors.

A procession was arranged down the central thoroughfare of the city. The victorious soldiers were alternated with lantern carriers and several entertainers wearing a giant dragon suit, giving the appearance of a silken dragon with many feet parading down the street. Given past incidents, the men working this dragon were checked upon several times to affirm they were indeed employed by the Imperial court. This parade marched from the gates of the Imperial City all the way to the Emperor's towering golden palace.

Shang marched at the front of the procession, and not too far behind were Mulan, Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po. In contrast, Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity walked last in line, Spike trotting quickly beside them. Their judgment had been scheduled after the proclamation of the victors; Chi Fu had been all too eager to be sure they would be seen and evaluated as soon as possible. Among the seven, a sense of dread was felt despite the festivities going on around them. The civilians in the crowd were cheering madly as their heroes passed, some even calling out names of those they recognized.

Then, three voices shrieked, "RARITY!"

Rarity quickly turned to see who had called her name, though from the moment she'd heard it, she had a guess. She was proven right when she saw Min, Lim, and Bao excitedly waving to her from the crowd.

"What did you DO?" Lim cried as the parade walked past. "We left you alone for how long, and you went and won a WAR!"

"You're AMAZING!" Min added, a genuine smile spread across her face. Beside her, Bao gave a friendly wave.

"How do you know them?" Fluttershy asked Rarity.

"Oh, we became friends back in Mulan's hometown shortly after you departed," Rarity explained. "I helped them out with somewhat of a conundrum, and they provided transport to Tong'an for me." She turned to wave back to the trio. "IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU!" she called out as she passed. She could have asked them a hundred questions: if they'd found what they were looking for, what adventures they'd been on, et cetera. However, that would have to wait. The procession kept moving, and Rarity knew it wouldn't do the records of herself or her friends any good if they were late to speak with the Emperor himself.

Shang ascended the high steps to the palace gates, now visible to everyone in the enormous central square; Mulan, Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po were not too far behind. They bowed as soon as they reached the uppermost platform, for there, standing tall and regal, was the Emperor himself: ancient yet not at all feeble, dressed in raiment of yellow, bald-headed but sporting long, silver facial hair.

The first thing he said once the crowd quieted down was "Fa Mulan, step forward. If the reports are correct, the enemy leader was only captured thanks to you. You may take a place of honor beside the General."

Both Mulan and Shang were thrilled to hear this, and Shang looked back to flash Mulan a smile as she scurried forward to bow down once more.

Shang withdrew from his belt scabbard a particular weapon, considering offering it up to the Emperor as custom would have dictated, but he realized that given the opportunity, that wasn't what he wanted to do at all. He passed the sword over to Mulan. She had been the one to make its retrieval possible, after all.

The sword felt strangely heavy in Mulan's hands. She just stared at it, awestruck, for a second before offering it in her outstretched hands to the Emperor. "The sword of…the enemy captain," she said respectfully. She had very nearly called it the sword of Shan-Yu, but she wasn't sure if the Emperor had heard or acknowledged the true name of the enemy.

The Emperor took the sword gently into his own hands. "All China is grateful that you are able to present this to us," he told her. "You have truly saved us from a great threat. I fear, however, that this incident is a warning that we should take caution. There are threats to our empire that we do not yet understand."

He knew. Of course he would know, Mulan realized. Someone would have reported it to him, whether they reported that the enemy was Shan-Yu or a "lookalike." Chi Fu was actually the most likely to have documented it.

"However," the Emperor went on, "it seems that for now, we are safe. We cannot build shelter against a storm that we cannot see on the horizon. Now, I understand that my counsel has been requested regarding a few transgressors."

Mulan and Shang's blood ran cold. They were hoping the Emperor would at least wait until the more celebratory formalities were out of the way. But at least, this way they would know where their new friends stood sooner rather than later.

"Come forth," the Emperor beckoned.

The soldiers parted to let Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Spike through. They solemnly marched up the steps as Mulan and Shang moved aside to let them stand before the emperor. The six women and single dragon all bowed as they had seen the others do, respectfully kneeling.

"I do not know your true names," he said, "but I have heard reports that five of you entered the army under false names against the will of the Imperial court. You disguised your appearances to look as men. One of you, in the meantime, did not hide her identity, but instead intervened as a civilian during a dangerous battle, risking impeding the military."

"But it was the only way – " Rainbow Dash tried to interrupt before Rarity elbowed her in the chest so hard it actually hurt.

"It is clear to see you have followed in the footsteps of Fa Mulan," the Emperor went on. "When Mulan appeared before me, it was a sign that things were beginning to change. Seeing the six of you before me now makes it abundantly clear that there is indeed a change coming, a change we would be unwise to ignore. For just as she had saved us all then, you have saved many of us now. The signs are clear. I have always known that a single grain of rice could tip the scale, but in order to face the threats that come to us in the future, we shall need all the more weight. If any woman requests to be conscripted from now onward, she shall not be turned down."

Rainbow Dash gasped, looking around at all of her friends in turn. They all wore the same expression of glee.

"As for you," the Emperor went on, "I commend you just as much as I commend the rest of the soldiers before me on this day. It was all of you together who made this victory possible. It is to all of you that we owe everything."

He nodded, and the crowd in the square below burst into a raucous cheer.

"But…but this cannot be!" Chi Fu barged onto the steps next to the Emperor. "They lied, your grace! They disobeyed your exact orders!"

"My judgment on the matter is final, Chi Fu," the Emperor warned him, "and I will expect those of my council not to argue if they wish to keep their position."

The flabbergasted look upon Chi Fu's face almost moved those witnessing the event to laughter.

...

After the Emperor's accolades, the soldiers dispersed in order to mingle with the crowd and join in on festivities. Fireworks were set off overhead, filling the night sky with lights of all colors, more vibrant than Spike knew fireworks could even be.

Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Spike, Shang, Mulan, Mushu, Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po ended up in a group of their own down in the square, beneath a canopy of multicolored kites being flown in their honor.

"So what're you gonna do now?" Yao asked the Equestrians.

"As much as we'd love to stay," Twilight answered, "we have to continue our travels. There's so much out there to see."

"Where ARE you from, anyway?" Ling asked in suspicion.

"Long story," Twilight said sheepishly.

"I do not think it matters where they come from," Chien-Po broke in. "What matters to us is what they have done, and what matters to them is where they are going. However, it would not be wise to make it public that you are from afar. The Emperor was wise to accept you as women, but he may become suspicious if he learns you are not native to the land you protected."

"Call me crazy," Twilight replied, "but…I kind of get this feeling he already knows a bit about where we came from. I mean, we all knew when he took that sword from Mulan that he knew he was dealing with Shan-Yu. And he really does seem smart."

"You're crazy," Yao told her. "There's no way he would know where you were from!"

"Well, we're not gonna test it," Rainbow Dash affirmed. "After this, we're outta here."

"After all," Fluttershy pointed out, "there are a lot of others that need our help."

"Well, we're glad you were able to lend us a hand…or seven," Mulan said gratefully. "We couldn't have done it without you."

"Nor could we have done a thing without you," Rarity pointed out. "Mulan, if you hadn't spotted Shan-Yu heading for shore, and if you hadn't been there to help fire those arrows, I don't know what we would have done! We might very well be…well, in a very bad place."

"And Shang was the one who inspired us to think outside the box," Twilight added. "I'm guessing you didn't think figuring out how to get an arrow off a pole would end up having practical applications."

"Actually, it did last time," Shang recalled with a laugh, remembering how he'd used Mulan's method and his own cape to shimmy up the side of the palace where the Emperor had been taken hostage in Shan-Yu's first invasion.

"I think we can all pat ourselves on the back for this one," Rainbow Dash declared. "Go team!"

"THERE you are!" a female voice cut through the crowd. Min weaved in and out between the others in the square, Lim and Bao hot on her heels.

"Min!" Rarity ran forward to greet the trio. When she and Min met, they didn't hold back, culminating in a tight embrace. "It's been so long!" When Rarity and Min let go of each other, Rarity's words spilled out: "I've got so many QUESTIONS! How did you get here? Have you found what you were looking for yet?"

"Well, not quite yet," Min admitted. "We're still a little lost."

"But we figured the Imperial City was as good of a place as any to start," Lim pointed out. "Lots to do, lots to see, people to meet, places to explore…"

"Did you REALLY end up winning the war for us?" Min gushed.

"We all did," Rarity told her. "Together. Though I will admit I had a rather large hand in bringing about the endgame, if I might brag."

"Can't believe the Emperor actually just let women right into the army," Bao pointed out.

"THAT had to be at least partly your fault," Lim teased Rarity.

"It's actually really inspiring," Min commented. "If the six of you could fight tough enemies, become heroes, and show us all that there's a change coming…then the three of us can do things just as big if we want!"

"Just…don't expect us to sign up for the next war right away," Lim disclaimed.

"We're not really in the mood for life-or-death situations," Bao clarified. "Also, Lim still can't hit a target worth anything. If we joined the army, she'd die in the first fight."

"HEY!" Lim snapped.

"Min might make it longer, though," Bao added.

"Stop…" Min blushed. "I'm not THAT good…"

"Anyway," Lim went on, "if you can make it, then so can we! I think this new change the Emperor mentioned means there'll be a place for us to fit in before we know it!"

"I wish you the UTMOST luck," Rarity told them sincerely. "In the meantime, my friends and I were about to take part in the festivities at hand. I'm certain no one would mind if you joined us." She turned back to the group. "Would you mind accommodating three more?"

"The more, the merrier," Mulan answered. "Wait…don't I know you from back home?"
"It's really her," Lim said in awe, practically freezing, eyes wide open. "It's Fa Mulan. SHE TALKED TO US."

"We're all from Leshou," Min explained. "We've just…never formally met before."

"Well, let's change that," Mulan suggested.

"Perhaps over dumplings," Chien-Po added.

"Yeah!" Ling agreed. "We've already wasted so much time talking. Any longer and they're all probably gonna go cold!"

"I also think I heard that there would be a lion dance in the central square," Shang added. "I wouldn't want to miss that."

"So let's go!" Rainbow Dash waved Min, Lim, and Bao toward the group, and they all set off in search of food and entertainment.

...

Eventually, the celebration died down, and it became time to think about returning home. Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike, Mulan, Shang, Mushu, Yao, Ling, Chien-Po, Min, Lim, and Bao made their way to the gates of the Imperial City beneath dark skies in order to say their goodbyes.

"We'll miss you!" Min, Lim, and Bao chorused as they enveloped Rarity in a tight embrace.

"And I'll miss you too," Rarity replied.

Yao clapped Applejack on the shoulder. "If you ever come back, I owe you a spar from when you beat me last time. And don't think I'm gonna go easy on you 'cause I know you're a woman now."

"If you don't go easy on me, then I won't go easy on you," Applejack replied.

"But ARE we ever gonna see you again?" Ling asked Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "We've got a lot of places to see. But I'd LOVE to come back and see all you guys again."

"It was an honor to be able to fight alongside you," Chien-Po told Fluttershy.

"Thank you for everything," she replied.

"Will you be going back to Leshou?" Mulan asked Lim, Min, and Bao once they let Rarity go.

Min shook her head. "We still have a long way to go ourselves in order to find what we're looking for."

"I hope you find it," Mulan said sincerely.

"Thank you." Min bowed her head respectfully, still in awe that she was speaking to the hero of her hometown.

"As for us," Ling suggested, "let's not wait until the next war to see each other again, huh?"

"I think we all know where to find each other," Shang replied with a smile. "But if we want to make any headway, we'd better set out."

A last round of goodbyes was traded. Then the group splintered into three. As Ling, Yao, and Chien-Po went one way, Ling flung one arm around Yao's shoulders and reached the other one to stretch as far as it could around Chien-Po's. "Well, we've sure been on an adventure," he remarked casually. "And now, I think it's about time for the three of us to get some well-deserved rest."

Meanwhile, Lim, Min, and Bao headed in the opposite direction, Lim putting her arms about the shoulders of her two companions. "We've still got a long way to go," she remarked. "But I know we're gonna make it so long as we're together!"

That left the Equestrian contingent with Mulan, Shang, and Mushu. "Well, I was planning on visiting you anyway," Shang reminded Mulan. "Mind if I come along?"

"Not at all," Mulan replied, feeling a slight rush of heat to her face.

"Actually, there's something I wanted to talk to you about," Shang went on, suddenly appearing rather nervous. He turned to the others: "Why don't you go on ahead?"

"Why, of course!" Rarity replied happily. "We'll find transport. Mushu, why don't you come along with us?"

"I get the hint." Mushu leapt onto Rarity's shoulder as the Equestrians gave Mulan and Shang their space.

"So…what did you want to talk about?" Mulan asked, fidgeting, putting one lock of hair behind her ear. "Is it about lunch? Are we still on for that?"

"We're still on," Shang replied. "And…well…first of all, I wanted to say you fought well."

"So did you," Mulan replied.

"Have you ever…thought about becoming a captain?"

The question caught Mulan off guard. "What?"

"This whole time, it's bothered me that I was supposed to think of you as just a foot soldier," Shang explained. "Part of that is because of how I feel about you. What I think about you when we don't have to be on business. But part of it is because I really think you're good for more than that. The way you're able to use the resources around you. The way you can enter a situation without a plan and come up with one on the fly. Those are tactics that are invaluable in a leader."

"Is that even allowed?" Mulan wondered out loud. "It's one thing to let women join the army as soldiers. You're talking about something different."

"I know," Shang replied, "but something tells me it will be possible. It's just a suggestion, of course."

"Well…I wasn't really sure what my future was back in Leshou," Mulan admitted. "If I really could be a captain…"

"I'd write you the highest recommendation," Shang promised.

"You and me being together and being on duty at the same time," Mulan reminded him. "People are going to talk."

"Then let them talk."

"Also…we aren't on duty anymore," Mulan pointed out. "We don't have to keep it just to business."

"You're right," Shang responded with a smile. "We don't." He moved a step closer before shyly turning his head and casting his gaze downward; "Would you…would you mind if – "

"I wouldn't," Mulan told him happily.

As they came together into a kiss, they had a precious few moments to themselves before the sound of cheering and applauding reached their ears. Startled, Shang and Mulan turned to see Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Mushu watching them from some distance.

"YOU TWO ARE JUST SO ADORABLE!" Pinkie Pie cried.

A pair of stern glares from the couple gave Mushu, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie the loud and clear message to stop spying and go find a vehicle.

...

LESHOU, CHINA, THE LAND OF DRAGONS

Fa Li heard the wagon rolling into the front yard before anyone else. She scurried to the window to confirm that she was right. She cried out, proudly and somewhat relieved, "Mulan is HOME!", and that simple sentence echoed throughout the house.

As the wagon, pulled by Khan, driven by Mulan and carrying Shang, Mushu, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Twilight, and Spike, pulled to a halt in the yard, upsetting several chickens and making them hustle off in a huff, Li ran out into the yard to greet her daughter and company, with Zhou and Grandmother not too far behind, moving as quickly as either could.

Mulan leapt down from the driver's seat of the wagon and embraced her mother tightly. "You're home," Li said softly. "And you're SAFE."

"It's good to be back," Mulan replied.

"And look who she brought along!" Grandmother remarked, elbowing Zhou playfully in the side as the wagon's passengers, including Shang, clambered out onto the ground. "Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dreamy!"

"Grandmother!" Mulan and Li snapped as one, turning to glare at their relative.

"It's all right," Shang replied with somewhat of a laugh. He couldn't help but admire Mulan's family: her caring mother, her sassy grandmother, her wise and stoic father. They somewhat helped to fill the space his father's passing had left in his heart. "By the way, Mulan came home a little more than safe. We owe most of our victory to her."

"And to them," Mulan added, stepping back and gesturing at the Equestrian contingent.

"I'm glad to see you all safe too," Li confessed. "I was worried that you would be found out, or wounded in battle."

"I'm sorry we worried you," Fluttershy replied. "But thank you for thinking of us."

"And, really, we're a LOT tougher than we look," Rainbow Dash added. "I think we cleaned up pretty nicely. As for being found out…that's a little complicated."

"What happened?" Zhou asked.

"It's kind of a long story?" Mulan ventured.

"We have more than enough time," Li informed her.

"Well, let's start by saying that if Grandmother really does want to sign up for the next war," Mulan began, "there's nothing stopping her."

...

The group moved indoors for the storytelling. Mulan, Shang, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight all told their parts of the tale of the battle in turn as Mushu and Spike observed.

When they had finished, Zhou remarked, "It is almost an unbelievable tale. Old enemies rising from the dead and using magic…if I did not hear it from my daughter, whom I know to be unfailingly honest to her family, I would think it untrue."

"But we all know it is," Li confirmed.

"Guess bein' a war hero's kinda your destiny," Grandmother told Mulan.

"What is to happen now?" Zhou asked, his gaze fixed upon the Equestrian women.

"We have other places to see," Rainbow Dash told him. "This was seriously AWESOME, and you've all been the best, but we kinda gotta move on."

"But if another strange enemy should attack us as Shan-Yu did…" Zhou trailed off.

Twilight waited to make sure he was done speaking before replying, "Then we'll probably be back. And if we aren't, I know Mulan and Shang can take care of it."

"There is so much left unanswered," Zhou went on. "And yet I know it will have to remain that way. You are set on continuing your travels."

"What matters to us is what they did," Shang said.

"And what matters to us is where we're going," Twilight added.

Zhou nodded. There was much more he wanted to know about this strange tale, but if Mulan and Shang had accepted it, he would content himself with the same and not fret over where these women had really come from, or if Shan-Yu's return heralded a greater storm on the horizon.

"Thank you so much for everything," Fluttershy said sincerely, looking to each member of the Fa family in turn. "For letting us stay for dinner, for giving Rarity a place to lend a hoof – "

"So we can go back to talking like we normally do now?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Good! I get so confused by that 'every-BODY'! It makes everypony sound like…well, a bunch of empty bodies!"

"And thanks to y'all for supportin' us in our crazy little scheme," Applejack concluded.

"It was our honor," Li replied honestly. "I believe I speak for the family when I say that we wish you the best of luck and safety on your travels, wherever they may take you."

"And we hope things turn out all right for y'all here," Applejack replied.

"But we really should go," Twilight said, getting up.

Sensing that the path of the Equestrians was about to diverge from those who called the Land of Dragons home, Mushu gave Spike a pat on the back. "Y'know, you didn't do too bad for your first time as official guardian."

"Thanks," Spike replied. "That means a lot, coming from a professional like you."

"Well, I am one of the best of the best," Mushu bragged. "But seriously. Kid, you're goin' places."

"For now…just home, I think," Spike answered, and Twilight heard him as he went on: "This adventure was great! I'm really glad I came along. And ESPECIALLY glad I was there in the end when it counted. But I think I've had my fill of danger for a while. I wanna go back home where I know it's quiet for a while. No more wars, no more bombs, no bad guys…at least for a while. Just a small town and some good friends. Besides…I've got three friends I have to tell I'm a war hero now!" Spike boasted, thinking of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.

"Then we'll get you right back there as soon as we can," Twilight promised, patting Spike on the head. "Thanks for coming along, Spike. You really did make a great guardian."

Spike looked solemnly at Twilight. "Y'know, if you really do need me, I don't have to go back home."

She knew he was making the offer out of legitimate concern; he really wanted to go back to the Golden Oak Library and rest. "Don't worry," she told him. "We'll take it from here."

...

Mulan, Shang, Mushu, and the rest of the Fa clan waved at the six women and their small guardian dragon as they set off down the road back to where the Starlight was docked.

...

THE FORBIDDEN MOUNTAINS, THE ENCHANTED DOMINION

Shan-Yu had so far been impressed with Maleficent's dwelling. A fortress that size was no small accomplishment. However, he could sense that for her, it wasn't enough, especially on the field on which she was playing. She had already transported him from one world to entirely another. He might have mistaken it for a faraway country on his homeworld but for the fact that the air tasted distinctly different. Maleficent had informed him that the Enchanted Dominion was not so closely tied to the Spirit Realm as his homeworld, but instead was a gathering place for faeries.

The path Maleficent led Shan-Yu down was not so much a tour as it was a long route to a destination. Down every dark and stony hallway, they encountered diminutive soldiers, piglike and birdlike creatures clad in black armor and bearing sharp pikes. All stopped to bow when they saw their mistress passing.

"Where are you taking me?" Shan-Yu asked.

"Somewhere I can show you something that may catch your interest," Maleficent replied.

At last, they came to a room stocked with potions, flasks, and glass laboratory equipment. A black, circular table dominated the center of the room. One wall was lined with shelves containing jars of various suspicious-looking ingredients, many of which looked as though they'd been plucked off bodies human and inhuman. At this wall, a tall figure in a black cloak was surveying each jar, idly extending a finger to touch each one.

"Gothel," Maleficent warned, "you know how far you are allowed in this room."

Gothel turned to face Maleficent and the newcomer, her hood falling down and her black curls spilling out of it in the process. "Just looking at the ingredients for youth and immortality elixirs," she said innocently. "Like I was promised. Though you have quite the sordid collection here. I'm impressed. So, who's the new guy?" She turned to face Shan-Yu fully.

Shan-Yu was rather taken aback only because this was the first living being he'd seen in Maleficent's lair that wasn't a tiny soldier or Maleficent herself. Then again, Maleficent had informed him that a few other reputable warriors were staying within these walls. Shan-Yu supposed this was one of them; he wondered what the others were like.

"Shan-Yu has proven his skill and ruthlessness in exactly the way I had hoped he would," Maleficent informed Gothel. "He has more than qualified for our ranks. And as such, I am to show him an important key to truly winning over the world he once called home. You may watch, if it suits you."

Gothel shrugged. "I don't have anything better to do." She joined Maleficent and Shan-Yu as they surrounded the black table. Gothel looked over at Shan-Yu, surveying his thick build. "Well, you've got a pair of guns," she teased.

"I am a swordsman," Shan-Yu replied in confusion.

"I meant – " Gothel sighed and rolled her eyes. "Never mind."

"Observe closely," Maleficent bid the pair, holding her staff out over the black table until its crystalline sphere glowed green. When she removed the staff, the green light remained before spreading out over the table, painting a scene of events happening elsewhere, breaking out mostly into full color but retaining a green tint. "This is the Land of Dragons, which Shan-Yu once called home," Maleficent explained. "And in this land, there just so happens to be another whose heart is tainted by Darkness. I knew this one would never be the warrior Shan-Yu was, but with our influence, perhaps there is potential."

Shan-Yu expected at first to be shown Itsuki in his prison cell. He was pleasantly surprised to see something entirely different: a field where a young woman who looked to be about Mulan's age was busy moving hay about with a pitchfork. Looking around to be sure she was alone, the woman began to play at swordfighting with the pitchfork, dueling several imaginary enemies. There was no sound accompanying the vision, but Shan-Yu and Gothel were sure she was making all sorts of battle cries. While Shan-Yu was relieved that Itsuki, who in the end he judged to be nothing more than a weakling, was passed up, he was perplexed at the sight of this woman. "What makes her so special?"

The woman was interrupted by an older man coming upon her and scolding her. She pouted as he lectured, and when he turned away to storm off, she threw the pitchfork hard into the ground, seething with obvious anger.

"She has a lot in common with Fa Mulan," Maleficent explained. "Were circumstances reversed, she may very well have been in Fa Mulan's place. And yet she is not. She has reaped none of the rewards that have fallen into Fa Mulan's hands. And for that, she holds within her a lot of anger. If left unattended, she may prove to be yet another failure. After all, she is no killer, and no conqueror. However, with the proper guidance, she may be able to channel that anger into great Darkness. Who knows? She may become a full-fledged Overtaker, given time."

"And how likely is it that if she doesn't, she'll steal another sun out from under us?" Gothel asked.

Shan-Yu wasn't sure entirely why that remark made Maleficent bristle and the temperature of the entire room seem to drop by a few degrees. "That incident is why it is vital we reach her in time," Maleficent insisted.

The scene had changed, and the young woman was pouring tea, obediently and subserviently providing cups to what appeared to be her father and a handful of brothers. One of the brothers snapped back to her, and she took the insult calmly, with a nod of the head. But when she turned away, and no one but the Overtakers could see, her expression was filled with rage, betraying an obvious desire for revenge. Already Shan-Yu could see why she'd caught Maleficent's interest.

...

THE RAILWAYS OF FOURTH EQUESTRIA

The Express was chugging its way back to Ponyville from Horseshoe Bay. Twilight happily watched the landscapes pass out the window, glad to be back on four feet in familiar territory. Turning to glance over the interior of the car, she saw Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy looking out the window with the same tranquility. Spike, however, appeared slightly perturbed as he watched the view.

Twilight slid onto the seat next to him. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," Spike replied.

"You okay?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah," Spike replied. "It's just…some of the stuff on that journey is gonna stay with me for a while. Seeing Tong'an after Shan-Yu blew it up, being afraid I was gonna die on that roof…"

Twilight was awash with guilt. Perhaps she shouldn't have suggested Spike go along. He was so young to have seen such things.

"Actually," Spike went on, "it gives me a whole new respect for what YOU do. I don't think I'm cut out for it quite yet. But you have to face that kind of thing every day." He turned to look directly at Twilight. "I'd ask how you do it, but I already know. You're Twilight Sparkle. You can do anything."

"Thanks, Spike," Twilight replied, flattered. "And…I'm sorry we put you through all that."

"Don't be!" Spike insisted. "It was worth it. Believe me. If I hadn't gone, I never would have talked to the Great Stone Dragon, and that's gonna stay with me too. He's the only other dragon I've ever talked to who made me feel proud of being a dragon. Not like those jerks I met here in Equestria." He smiled. "I think I would like to go on more adventures with you…someday. But not now. Now, I seriously need a break. And a LONG one. Does that make sense?"
"Yeah," Twilight replied. She still worried for Spike, but she supposed she just had to trust in his word so they could all move on. "Thanks for everything."

"Thank YOU for letting me come along."

They were silent for a while before Spike asked, "Are you gonna leave right away?"

"I think we can spare a night to spend at the library," Twilight said, loudly enough for the others to hear. "What do you say to one more slumber party?"

"I'm game!" Applejack replied.

"That sounds wonderful!" Fluttershy added.

"All right!" Rainbow Dash cried.

"WE'RE GONNA PARTY TILL THE MOON COMES OUT!" Pinkie Pie cheered.

"It sounds like a lovely idea," Rarity concluded.

"But then we probably have to set back out tomorrow morning," Twilight told Spike.

"That's fine," Spike said. "Everypony out there needs you. Meanwhile, I just remembered that before we left, you were gonna have me look around the Golden Oak Library for more hidden books, and that sounds like exactly the kind of adventure I'm cut out for! Just call me the Ponyville Guardian!"

...

PONYVILLE, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

Outside the library, the seven chatted and laughed upon their approach. All was well until Twilight glanced up at the sky. It was sunny, without a cloud in sight.

Twilight screamed in horror before calling out, "EVERYPONY STOP!"

"Twilight?" Fluttershy asked. "What's wrong?"

"We came back too early!" Twilight hissed. "I set it up so we'd come home later on the day we left. But I got the time mixed up! Spike and I are still in the library!"

"Are you serious?" Rainbow Dash groaned.

"We have to wait for us to leave before we can go in!" Twilight whispered.

"Why can't we just say 'hi' to your other selves on the way?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Because we DIDN'T pass our old selves on the way out," Twilight countered, "so if we changed that on the way in, we might kick off a butterfly effect that changes our entire adventure! Shan-Yu might even win!"

"That's a little extreme, don't you think?" Rarity asked.

"Well, better to be safe than sorry when it comes to time travel," Spike suggested. "Maybe we should wait out back and listen in so we know when we leave."

The group found themselves behind the Golden Oak Library, listening in at a window as they heard the sound of Twilight shuffling books and Spike's steps thundering down the stairs.

"But who's gonna watch the library?" the Spike of the past asked.

"I don't know," the Twilight of the past replied. "I think we're just going to have to close it down for a while. But we have time on our side. By manipulating the mist engine, we can get back here within a week. Maybe even tomorrow! Maybe we already got back an hour ago and are waiting for the two of us to leave so we don't run into our past selves!"

This earned the Twilight of the present six rather annoyed stares.

"What?" the Twilight of the present whispered. "I didn't know!"

Before too long, the Twilight and Spike of the past left the library, making way to the train station.

"It is really gonna confuse everypony that we all got tickets to ride out to Horseshoe Bay right after we came home from Horseshoe Bay," Pinkie Pie pointed out.

"Not to mention that we'll be buying the same ticket tomorrow," Applejack added. "But the conductors switch up enough that nopony should notice."

"Let's just get this party started!" Pinkie Pie cried, zipping for the library door. "I'll get the cookies going in the oven!"

"Cookies?" Twilight repeated. "Who said anything about cookies?"

"Nopony did," Spike informed her, "but chocolate chip cookies are EXACTLY what I'm craving right now."

"Me too!" Rainbow Dash agreed, following Pinkie Pie into the library.

Rarity was the last to enter, hanging back only a moment, looking in through the door at her friends. The friends she was so lucky to have.

"It doesn't matter where I came from," she told herself. "What matters to me is where I'm going. And wherever I'm going, we're going together."

She entered the library to join the festivities, closing the door behind her.

...

Chapter 106:

· Apologies if the way the issue of the revealed women in the army was handled more liberally than it would have been. Like with Osborn replacing Fury in S.H.I.E.L.D., sometimes I have to expedite political issues. But the Disneyverse Emperor seems like a wise guy who knows what's up. And trust me, women being allowed to join in combat without disguise will be relevant next time we see this world.

· Itsuki will return. I don't know HOW he escapes yet, but he escapes.

· Lim, Min, and Bao will return. When I figure out their character arc. I'm starting to have ideas, though.

· I'm trying to figure out whether or not I ship Gothel and Shan-Yu. Gothel's planned endgame in this was actually going to be Charles Muntz from "Up," but I'm not super attached to that ship and I don't even know if I have "Up" slotted as a world on the outline at this point in time. Meanwhile, Shan-Yu and Gothel are two knife-loving Badass Normals from different eras who have deliciously contrasting personalities. So I'm in the stage of throwing them together in the same room to see how they work. Maybe they'll be the ship. Maybe they won't.

· The woman Maleficent spied on is a strange case. Tons of cookies if you can guess her identity. She's going to sort of be my OC and sort of not. She's an established character from something, but she is by no means in modern pop culture, and this is going to be my imagining of her as though she were in a more recent incarnation. The personality will be mine to fill in, but her name has been done for me, and her backstory will be cherrypicked partly from her original background and partly from my own imagination. (So basically, when we return to this world, it's going to be the invasion of JC's OCs.)

· Historybuff was the one who gave me the idea of ACTUALLY having the Mane Six and Spike return home an hour before they originally left and waiting it out until Twilight and Spike left.

· Gonna enter a little hiatus now before we hit up the next world. I have a special one picked out for y'all. It's going to be VERY different from anything we've seen so far, but it's from a work of fiction that is very dear to my heart and nostalgic to me, so I hope we can have some fun.