“Trouble, then?” Lu Ting-Pin said, sitting down next to the odd-shaped boulder, the shadows of its crags and hollows making the rock look like a deformed companion. He motioned for Mulan to sit down, which, after giving Black Wind a reassuring pat, she was only too happy to do. While Lu Ting-Pin and the Rabbit were greeting each other as if they had happened to meet in a teahouse, Mulan’s knees were shaking. Had she almost just been thrown into the river? She felt more dazed than when she had fallen off the roof as a child. Mulan took a deep breath and shook her head in disbelief.
Lu Ting-Pin studied her, his keen eyes scanning her face. “I see you chose your companion here for battle. Her destiny of—”
“Mulan is with me by chance,” the Rabbit interrupted hurriedly, “and the only destiny we need to concern ourselves with is that of her sister.”
The Rabbit wiggled out of the pouch and onto Mulan’s lap. Lu Ting-Pin’s eyes widened as he saw the Rabbit’s bare, injured leg.
“And yours!” Lu Ting-Pin gasped. “Tuzi! This is a mortal injury.”
“I know,” the Rabbit said. “Mulan’s sister suffers from the same. We need to get to the Queen Mother’s garden by the new moon. Can you take us?”
“Of course!” Lu Ting-Pin stood as if to make ready immediately.
“Wait,” the Rabbit said, “there’s more. We need to stop at Green Island as well. And our adversary is the White Fox.”
“Ah,” Lu Ting-Pin sat down again. “The White Fox. And she is still with—”
“Yes,” the Rabbit said. Mulan looked at them both curiously.
Lu Ting-Pin’s jaw clenched. “It’s good,” he said. “In fact, it is perfect.” He stood and pulled the sword from his back, the red sash swirling from its handle. As he held it in his hands, Mulan was startled to see that the sword was carved of wood, not forged of metal. But Lu Ting-Pin did not notice her look of surprise, for he was gazing at his sword with a somber, prayerful look. “She will be the one to finish my penance,” he said.
“You only have one more?” the Rabbit asked. “Nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine already?”
“Yes,” Lu Ting-Pin answered. He was still looking at the sword solemnly, but Mulan could see the hint of a satisfied smile tug at the corner of his mouth. She shrugged. Maybe the Rabbit would explain these cryptic exchanges to her later.
Lu Ting-Pin looked up from his sword. “So, we should not wait any longer,” he said, and then glanced down at the Rabbit. “In fact, my friend, with the amount of chi you are losing from that wound, I think we should leave immediately.”
The Rabbit nodded. Mulan stood up, carrying the Rabbit in her arms.
“We can pick up supplies at Green Island,” Lu Ting-Pin said. He looked at the Rabbit and Mulan and tapped his fingers against his chin, mouthing numbers as he measured their weight in his mind. “We’ll need a large rock or boulder to help keep the boat stable.”
“And don’t forget the horse,” the Rabbit said. Mulan looked back and forth between them in confusion. What boat? And what about Black Wind?
“Ah, yes,” Lu Ting-Pin said, gazing at Black Wind. Then he looked at Mulan. “He’ll have to return home. A sea voyage to Kunlun Mountain is not the place for a horse.”
Mulan put the arm not holding the Rabbit around Black Wind. “Home?” she asked. “By himself? How will he get there?”
“He knows the way,” Lu Ting-Pin said. He placed the wooden sword under his arm and pulled a red thread from the sash attached to the handle. He handed it to Mulan. “Tie this onto your horse and he’ll get home safely.”
Mulan lowered the Rabbit to the ground and took the thread, watching it sway in the air as she walked to Black Wind. She placed the thread around Black Wind’s neck, expecting it to be too short, but the string magically elongated and she was able to tie it securely. The horse nickered and nuzzled her ear as she patted his muzzle.
“Don’t forget the saddlebags,” said the Rabbit, who was standing by her feet. Black Wind neighed and lowered his head down to the Rabbit, who reached up to tap his nose.
“He’ll be all right?” Mulan asked the Rabbit as she gave the horse one last hug. It would be hard to leave Black Wind behind.
“Yes,” the Rabbit said, and Black Wind neighed again as she picked up the saddlebags. “He will be fine.”
“He has much more cause to worry about us than we do about him,” Lu Ting-Pin said, surveying the riverbank carefully. “Now, which rock should we use?” he mused. “It should be fairly large…”
“Why don’t we just use that one?” Mulan said, nodding her head toward the strange-shaped boulder he had sat next to. She had noticed that rock the moment she was brought to the river, with its top-heavy, crouching shape and weather-aged perforations. It was misshapen and slightly monstrous looking, but as Mulan looked at it longer, there was something sadly beautiful about it as well.
Lu Ting-Pin hesitated and then cocked his head at the Rabbit, who shrugged in return. “Interesting choice,” he said. “But a good one. I think it’s just about the right size and weight for the boat.”
“Uh, good,” Mulan said. However, now it was her turn to hesitate. She glanced up and down the empty river. “But, uh, Master Lu? What boat are you talking about?”
Lu Ting-Pin looked around to make sure no stray townspeople were about and then grinned at her. “This one,” he said.
And, in a swift, fluid motion, he whipped the sword out from under his arm and hurled it at the river. The sword spun in the sky, faster and faster, and then arched downward like a diving crane. As it hit the water, giant splashes flew into the air, showering all of them with droplets. Mulan wiped the water from her eyes, gawking, and then wiped her eyes again.
For instead of a sword floating in the water, as she expected, there was now a wooden boat.
SHE WAS dripping and bedraggled as she crawled out of the river, the water darkening her crimson fur to a murky brown. When she finally pulled herself onto the bank, she lifted her head and then spat out the white fish she had been holding in her mouth. The fish leapt upward and a clapping sound filled the air as the fish transformed into a lovely, graceful woman.
“Lu Ting-Pin!” Daji said the name viciously, as if she were cursing. “How dare he!”
She remained a wet fox panting on the ground.
“Xianniang!” Daji barked, not bothering to speak the rest of her order.
With a shudder, the fox transformed into a woman. Her clothes and hair were wet and she lay on her back, panting.
“Get up!” Daji said impatiently. “You have work to do.”
Xianniang pushed herself up, still slightly breathless. “What do you want me to do now?” she said, trying to keep her petulant feelings from her voice. She did not succeed, for Daji snapped back with anger.
“You ungrateful mixed egg!” Daji said. “Don’t you forget what you owe me! Everything you have is because of me!”
That was true, Xianniang knew. With the skills Daji had taught her, she could fit in anywhere. She had the power to be anyone and anything. Except for herself.
For when she was herself, she had nothing. She belonged nowhere and was not only unwanted but rejected by all. Her exile was also because of Daji.