Author's Note: Okay, so I've decided on what my new story is going to be called. The Past and Happily Ever After? I'm not saying more because I will be releasing a little teaser. :P Anyways, to all the readers/visitors, I had a fun time writing this story. :) Thanks for reading! (btw, please don't get angry...in this next story, I won't be releasing chapters as quickly as I did for this story. I've got summer work to do
:( but I will try and release them as quickly as I can. :D)

Special thanks to:

koolbroadwayreader - I am really happy you enjoyed my story! You were always the first to review! And you gave me good ideas! Haha we both have a strong hatred towards Xiaohua. :P I hope you enjoy this last chapter and my next story! :) Thanks for all your reviews!

diamondeyes3411 - you and me both love romance! :) That's why we watch chick flicks! :) Yes this story is finally coming to an end, and I kinda wish this was the Disney sequel (minus the T-rated stuff) instead of the 2nd one that we saw. I mean there was action and suspense just like the first movie. :( Oh well. But thanks for all of your reviews and I'm glad you enjoyed my story! I hope you enjoy this last chapter and my new story! :)

trackrat - I'm glad you love this story! I hope you enjoy the new story and this last chapter! I can't wait to write our new story!

It was early in the morning, but not too early for Mulan, especially now that Shang was leaving. She stood near his horse, who had grown to like Mulan whenever she was around. Occasionally the horse would gently lick her face in a friendly way, and Mulan would feed him an apple. Now Mulan had to greet his horse goodbye, while Shang said goodbye to her family.

Shang hugged Mulan's mother and thanked her for her generous hospitality. He even hugged her father, who wished him luck on his journey. And last but not least, Shang gave a big hug to her grandmother. She winked at him, mostly because he finally had the guts to propose to Mulan and also because she had a special liking to him. Shang would definitely miss this family when he went to go visit his sister. He then turned around and saw Mulan playing with his horse. If there was anyone that he was going to miss the most, it was her.

From the corner of her eye she saw Shang walking towards her. As he strode towards her, she felt her heart melt when he smiled at her. Mulan was going to miss Shang. But she didn't want to show too much in front of her parents, who were standing and watching them. Mulan grabbed his hands and looked deep into his eyes, "Return back soon General. I'll be here waiting for you."

Shang smiled, "I wouldn't have it any other way." He then kissed her on the lips and got on his horse. "I'll return soon," he whispered and waved goodbye to her parents. Shang rode off and took one last look at Mulan. "I love you,"

"I love you too," Mulan mouthed. She waited until he was out of sight before she made her way inside. Mulan went straight into her room and relaxed. "Maybe not seeing Shang for a while will make me know how much I truly love him," she thought. "After all," Mulan remembered what her father would tell her, "'Absence makes the heart grow fonder'." She sighed. "After all it's only two months. I can do this." She smiled and sat on her bed, looking through her drawings. Maybe she would do something like what Shang did in the back of his book.

She looked to her desk and found a piece of paper. Curious, she walked over to her desk to take a look at it. The paper was tied up together by a silk red ribbon. Mulan carefully untied the ribbon and took a look at the paper. The words were still a little wet, but still readable. It wasn't long until Mulan realized that this letter was from Shang. The letter read:

"Dear Mulan,

This is from Shang, if you haven't already noticed. You're reading this letter because one, you're bored. Two, you noticed this on your desk, while reading your dream book. Three, you already miss me." Mulan laughed. Shang knew her so well.

"I couldn't say goodbye to you, but writing this letter isn't really going to make a difference either. I wanted to say that I love you, and show you that I would always be there for you. But I couldn't really do that, so this letter was written just to make you smile." Mulan smirked. Shang certainly had a way with words.

"So I have a surprise for you. But you have to follow these clues. And once you find the correct place, there will be a little note waiting for you there. Pick up the item where the note was and bring it along with you.

Here is the first clue:

Though we were fighting, you cooled down the fight with this.

Good luck Mulan. I hope when I come back, I'll see it done.

Love, Shang."

Mulan smiled. So Shang was sending her on a treasure hunt. Fine, she was ready. She studied the clue again and noticed that cooled was darker and larger than the rest. "What cools you down?" she thought, "Water!" Yet this cooled down the tension between Shang and Mulan. Aiguo cooled their fight at camp, but he was the opposite of water, he was fire. She decided to go and visit Mushu anyway.

Mulan took a walk into the kitchen, where her parents were sitting. "Where are you going Mulan?" her father asked.

Mulan laughed, "I'm not exactly sure. Shang is sending me on a hunt to find something. I'll see you in a little bit. If you need me, just call me. I'll be outside." She walked out the door and her mother giggled.

"So she found the letter," she smiled, "how long do you think it will take her to find the treasure? I'll give her till sunset, which is in about two hours."

Granny shook her head, "No, I say she'll give up and work on it tomorrow."

Her father disagreed, "Have more faith in Mulan. She is a brilliant woman. I'll give her thirty minutes. That should be enough for her to find it and come in yelling what Shang gave her."

…

Mulan walked over to the temple, where she found Mushu and Mei sitting on the steps laughing and flirting with each other. "It's not here Mulan," Mushu laughed.

Mulan sighed. "Well he only gave me one sentence."

Mushu smiled, "Go with your original thought. Water."

"The only time Shang and I were involved with water was when I saw him naked…"

"You what?" Mushu screamed, while Mei laughed and gave Mulan a thumbs-up.

"It was by accident Mushu. But back to the clue," Mulan was in deep thought, "Or the other time was when I was here and I threw…the bucket of water at him and pushed him into the lake." She smiled and immediately ran to the stables, "Thank you Mushu!" she yelled as she ran away.

Mushu turned to Mei, "Why did you give her a thumbs-up?"

Mei blushed, "Shang has a nice body. It was good that she saw him then."

"I have a nice body!"

Mei rolled her eyes, "You're a dragon. You'd be lucky to even have any muscles."

"As Aiguo, I was pretty buff," Mushu boasted.

Mei scoffed. "You wish."

…

Mulan took a quick look at the pond. There were no notes there. Besides, Shang wouldn't be dumb enough to put a paper in water. She looked at the bucket and found a note in there that read:

"Congratulation, you found the note. I hope it didn't take you long. As for your clue:

Admit it, when I was harvesting in the field, you kept looking at me work. I see that smirk. But next to the tool I was using, is the one that you'll be using. I couldn't be more obvious, in where I'd hide the next clue. Just think of where you'll always be happy, and that's where you'll find…"

Mulan grunted. Leave it to Shang to not end it. She grabbed the shovel and the bucket. And Mulan immediately knew where to go. The source of all her happiness was under the cherry blossom tree. This was where her father and she spent time together. This was where she was able to reconcile with him. This was where Shang found her, after he followed her home. And it was where Shang proposed to her. There were so many memories under this tree, and she couldn't bear to part with it. She walked to the tree and found Mushu and Mei under it.

"That didn't take you long," Mushu replied.

"That's because she's a girl and smart!" Mei answered and smacked him on the head.

Mulan smiled. She loved Mei and she knew she would always be there for her. "So I was led here, and I'm guessing by the X in the ground, that is where I am supposed to dig."

Mushu sighed, "What would you do without me girl? You gotta pull on the rope."

"I don't know," Mei replied, "Actually win the war?" She turned to Mulan, "I heard about the whole Tung Shao Pass thing, where he gave away the army's position. Yeah smart move guardian!"

Mulan smiled, "Well in all fairness, Mushu did mess up, but he did light up the canon, which killed the entire Hun army except for five guys. And Mushu was the only one who actually helped me kill Shan-Yu up on the roof. But anyways, I need to find this thing." She looked at the rope for a moment. "Shang, you never said anything about pulling a rope."

In her mind she heard Shang, "Sorry. I forgot about that. But do pull on the rope!"

She then pulled on the rope and down came a small magnolia tree, with a note on it. Mulan gasped as she looked at the small tree. It was her favorite flower and Shang knew that. She then grabbed the note and it read,

"Congratulations, you found the gift. I couldn't say goodbye without giving you something. Now I'm glad you found this, but there's one more thing to do. Get the clues I gave to you and dig a hole in the most obvious spot." Mulan looked at the X where she meant to dig first. She then looked at the note again, "But be careful where you dig. After all you never know what you may find."

Mulan looked at the X. Maybe she would have to dig with her hands. "What did the letter say?" Mei asked.

"It said to dig in the X, near the cherry blossom tree. But I have to be careful because something else may be lying deep within the soil."

Mei and Mushu both smirked at each other and then nodded. "We'll dig it for you." They immediately started working on it. It wasn't long before they finished digging and found a note. Mulan sighed. How many notes was she going to find? It read:

"The hole is deep enough, and soon you will find. That when this tree grows, the treasure you'll find, will grow in its vines. But as for now, impatient you are. Look down in the ground, where your treasure still lies. You will find it comes from the heart."

Mulan then reached into the ground and found a case. Inside the case was a beautiful necklace, made just for Mulan. It was a magnolia made of a special silver, and engraved in the magnolia was her name. Mulan smiled. "Shang you spoil me too much."

She then showed it to Mei, who awed at in and then ran inside to show her parents. Her mother grinned at it and told her how Shang had planned it last night. Mulan then ran back outside to plant the tree.

Her father hadn't said a word, even when Mulan came in showing the necklace, yet he had a smug little grin on his face.

"What is wrong Zhou? You didn't say a word." Her mother told him.

"I know. I'm happy for Mulan, I truly am," he grinned, "but I won this bet. She finished in fifteen minutes!" Granny and Fa Li groaned. Fa Zhou laughed and said proudly, "That's my girl!" And they walked to the window to watch Mulan carefully plant the tree.