A nine year old Mulan dragged her feet as she entered her family shrine. Her head hung low, her long hair sliding over her shoulders. Every inch of her body was soaking wet. The thunderstorm raged on outside. Mulan held her layered dress up from the floor. It was dark in the building. The only light was from the lightning as far as Mulan could see. Why hasn't Father come home?
Mulan saw light in another room of the shrine, the deepest room in the building. Mulan stands behind the divider with the Dragon carved in it. Her mother was sitting on her ankles, a wax candle is in front of her in a saucer. Sitting across from her mother is a woman. She's slender with strong arms and a short haircut that doesn't pass her ears.
"I've seen you before." Her mother began. "You were a part of the Yakuza in Japan. Right?" The woman nods, "Correct. I was raised in Japan." The woman replies. "So.. you can't do anything... can you?" Her mother questions, her fists tightening in her lap as she looks down and to her right. "...Correct." The woman nods once. "My daughter... She has a problem. She's so angry, she fights everyone! I'm afraid she'll follow in her father's footsteps... She can't take on everyone, or anyone that matter. She's weak-" Mulan scowl in anger. She wasn't weak. "Please, help her." Mulan's mother began to sob. "She's all I have. Please. Please protect my daughter. Please protect my baby girl." Mulan's mother began to sob. "No." Mulan said. They both turn. There's a crack of thunder and flash of lightning and Mulan was gone.
Mulan didn't even bother to lift her dress to keep from tripping. When Mulan did trip she steadied herself and kept running. Where's Papa? Where's he gone?! Mulan blinks and tears fell. She wipes her eyes. I can't cry! Papa says- A sob escaped her lips and she stopped running, sliding a bit in the mud. The dress was ruined. She wipes her eyes with the long sleeves that passed her small hands. "I- I don't need anyone else's help! I'm s-strong! I don't need to be protected. I c-can p-protect mys-self!" Mulan told herself.
"Can you?"
Mulan whirls. It was the woman that was sitting with her mother in the shrine. Mulan scowls. The woman was dressed in cargo pants and combat boots. She was wearing a high front tank top, exposing her belly button. "Go away!" Mulan throws her arm across her chest. "Can you protect yourself?" The woman began moving towards Mulan. Surprised and slightly afraid, Mulan takes a step back. "I said go away!" She shouts. "Can you protect yourself against a group of men with swords and guns?" The woman continues, still advancing to Mulan. "You fucking creep! Stay the hell away!" Mulan yells. "Can you protect your mother?!" The woman yells back. "Stay away!" Mulan screams. The woman pauses five feet away from the now panting Mulan. "I don't need anyone! I don't need anyone else to help me! I don't need anyone!" Mulan hollers at the top of her lungs. "Is that any way to live?!" The woman shouts sharply, forcing Mulan to flinch. She closes her eyes and more tears fall. "It's the way I live-!" "This road you're on, leads to nowhere!" "I. Don't. CARE!"
Mulan leaps at the woman. The woman steps aside and punches Mulan across the face. Mulan falls at the woman's feet, covered in mud. "My name is Aiko, and I'll help you-""I don't need your help!" Mulan jolts up and tries to punch Aiko again.
Aiko steps back and snatches Mulan's wrist. She slams her back into the mud. More thunder cracks as the rain doesn't break. Mulan spits mud out. She swings her leg under Aiko. Aiko hops over Mulan's small leg before kicking Mulan in the face. Mulan flies back on her head. She growls angrily and gets up again. She tears half of the dress of and rips the sleeve off. She picks up a glob of mud and hurls it at Aiko. Aiko easily dodges the mud. But when she sees Mulan, she's up in the air, drawing her leg back to kick her.
How could this nine year old girl possibly be able to execute a move that complicated with her body weight and no muscles?! Aiko punches Mulan mid air, sending her back into the mud. Mulan began to tremble with anger. "You're weak, Mulan. You'll remain weak until you allow me to help you." Aiko requests sternly, offering her hand. Mulan's fists ball up. She stands, head bowed. She slaps away Aiko's hand.
"Never."
