thestickslammedintothelargestonebird,knockingoffitsleftwing.Outsidetheshrine,othervillagerslookedupfromtheirchoresattheloudsound,lettingoutacollectivegaspasthewingfelltothegroundwithathud.TheyhadpaidlittlemindtoMulan’santics—untilnow.

Mulandidn’tnotice.Shewasalreadyoutoftheshrineandsprintingbehindthechickenupastairwelltoabalconyonthesecondfloorofthebuilding.Catchingsightofthecharginggirl,ayoungmother,clutchingherbabyinherarms,jumpedoutofthewayjustintimetoavoidMulan’sflailinglimbs.Racingalong,Mulanduckedunderabinofriceheldbytwomen—andrightintoawomanhangingherlaundry.Thewomanscreamedaslaundry—andmorefeathers—wentflying.

“Mulan!Takecontrolofyourself!”

Atthesoundofhermother’svoice,Mulan’sfootstepsslowed.Ahead,shesawhermother,Li,standingbythedoortotheirhome,armscrossedandafrownonherotherwisebeautifulface.BesideherwasXiu.Unliketheirmother,theexpressiononXiu’sfacewasoneofdelightasshewatchedMulan—andthechicken—runningtowardthemalongthethinbalconyoutsidetheirapartment.

Upahead,thechickenhadreachedtheendofthebalconyandonceagainflewintotheair.Thecreature’sshortwingsandheavybodykeptitfromgoingfar,butitwasabletomakeittotherooftop,whereitonceagaintookoff.Mulanregainedheroriginalfastpaceanddidn’tslow,evenastheendofthebalconygrewcloserandcloser.Attheverylastmoment,Mulanreachedoutandgrabbedahangingclothesline.Quickly,sheshinniedupituntilshe,too,madeittothetopoftheslantedroof.

Mulancametoasuddenstop,herfeetbalancedonthepeakoftheroof.Infrontofher,thelushgreencountrysidespreadouttothehorizon.Grassontherollinghillswavedinthegentlewind,likewavesonthewater.Mulan’sbreath,comingingasps,hitched.Theworldwassobig,sovibrant.Shewished,notforthefirsttime,togoandexplorewhatwasbeyondthehorizon.Buttherewasnowayshecouldeverleave.Herlife,herfate,weretiedtotheverybuildinguponwhichshestood.Andashermotherlikedtosay,therewasnoescapingfate.

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BWACK!

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Thechicken’stauntingcluckdraggedMulan’sthoughtsfromtheimpossiblebacktothepresent.Narrowinghereyes,shebegantomovealongtheroof.Belowher,thegroupofvillagersthathadbeenattractedtothecourtyardbythesoundofthephoenixstatue’swingcrashingdownstaredupatMulan.Horroranddisapprovallinedtheirfaces.Afewoftheolderwomenwhisperedamongthemselves,notbotheringtokeeptheirdisappointedtonesquiet.

Asifithaddecidedthegamewasover,thechickenstopped,walkedovertotheedgeoftheroof,andwithaquickflapofitswings,glidedtothegroundbelow.Lettingoutonelast

<i>

BWACK

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forgoodmeasure,itsaunteredintothecoop.

Watchingthechicken,Mulangaveanodofsatisfaction.Onthegroundbelow,herfatherrushedoverandslammedthegateshutbehindthetroublesomebird.Shefeltasmallsurgeofpride.Atleastonecrisishadbeenaverted.

Butasherfather’sgazeliftedandmethers,Mulansawtherewasstillonemoreproblemtobesolved.Shehadmadeituptotheroof,buthowwasshegoingtogetdown?Sheeyedthedistancebetweenwhereshestoodandthespotfarbelowwherethechickenhadlanded.Determinationfloodedthroughher,andsheclenchedherfistsathersides.

“Mulan,”herfathersaid,recognizingthelookinhereyes,“listenverycarefully.Youwilltakeacalmingbreath,andthenslowly—slowly—youwillclimbdown.”Mulan’seyesdidn’tmovefromthecoopandtheoffendingchickennowsafelyinside.“Climb,”herepeated.“Doyouunderstand?”

Mulandidnotreplyatonce.Shefeltasthoughtimehadstopped.Thewindhadceasedtoblowacrosshercheeks,andallshecouldhearwastheaircominginandoutofherlungsandherheartpoundingagainstherchest.Hertoestingled,itchingtomove.Onestepandshecouldjump.Onestepandshe,likethechicken,couldfly.Butthentimeresumed.Breezeonceagainflutteredagainstherface.Shakingherhead,shelethergazedriftfromthecoop,overthegatheredcrowdandoncemoretoherfather.

“Yes,”shesaid.

ZhoustartedtosmilebutthesmileturnedtoagaspasMulantookanot-so-slowstepforward.Inherhaste,shetrippedontheslipperyslateroof.Herarmsswungout,windmillingwildlyathersidesasshestruggledtogetherbalance.Butitwastoolate.Shewastoooff-kilter.Asthegatheredgroupbelowletoutacollectivegasp,Mulanfell.

Foradreadfulmoment,Mulanwassureshewasplummetingtoherdeath.

Butthenhermindcleared.Thesamesensationoftimeslowingreturnedand,asifitwerehighlightedbyarayofsun,alonebeamjuttingoutfromoneofthebalconiescaughtMulan’seye.Contortingherbodyinawaythatseemedtodefygravity,Mulanstoppedflailingherarmsandreachedoutasteadyhandtograbit.Usingthebeam,Mulanslowedherdescent.Herbodystoppedfallingandinsteadbegantoswinglikeapendulumaroundthebeam.Whenshegainedenoughcontrol,sheletgoandflippedintheair,landingsafelyontheground—andonherfeet.

Unhurt,Mulanlookedaroundatthecrowd.Hereyesweresparkling,andhercheekswereflushedfromtheexhilarationandprideshefeltforstickingherlanding.

Andthenshelookedoveratherfather.Zhoudidn’tsayanything.Hedidn’tneedto.Hisfeelingswerewrittenalloverhisface.WhatMulanhadjustdone,thedamageshehadcreatedandthedangershehadputherselfin,weretoomuch.Mulanhaddisappointedhim.

Thesmileonherfacedisappeared.