1/2: Nothing Like Being a Guardian A/N: Because you're awesome, BOTH. Two drabbles in succession taking place in seperate timelines. The first one takes place near the beginning of Mulan; the second takes place at an indeterminate time after the movie Hercules and assumes that Rainbow is actually full-horse-sized, so as to fit into the universe. Enjoy. <3
There is nothing, Rainbow Dash has decided, that quite equals the thrill of kicking ass on the behalf of the family she's guardian to. The whole family, which, upon the death of the childless man she'd been caring for, meant seeking out his closest living relative-- his sister's family.
The Fa family is a small family, Dash already knows, composed of a man, his wife, and their daughter. She finds she's slightly disappointed. A family with a son would have meant more action. But at the same time she's pleased; being guardian to a man is already a tricky affair when one is female, even if he never did see her.
She alights on the roof of the family house and peers down, and sees in the yard a slender figure on a black horse, steeling herself against what must be the unknown. Dash shakes the water from her feathers-- she hates flying in the rain --and watches. Is that the father? No, it's much too small and lithe. The daughter? No-- the figure is wearing armor. But at the same time, who else could it be?
She hasn't checked in with the other guardians yet, though they know she's coming, but nonetheless she flutters into the air and takes off, following through the sky as the figure rides off into the rain.
It's a long time before they stop, and by that time the rain has ceased as well, and the androgynous figure is in a clearing above a camp, pacing.
"So you must be Mulan, huh?"
What Dash now knows is a girl jumps, whirls around, and draws her sword. "Who's there?" She asks, in a quaky voice, before remembering herself, coughing, straightening up, and deepening her voice to a laughable impersonation of a male voice. "I mean, uh, who's there?"
Rainbow Dash flies down, landing with style on a large, smooth stone. "Fa Mulan. Don't you know only boys are supposed to fight wars?"
"What?" Mulan says, lowering her sword. "And who-- what-- ?"
"Rainbow Dash." Dash says, flying down proper. "I'm one of your family guardians. I'm here to protect you."
"What?" Comes a new voice, clearly male. Dash turns and quirks an eyebrow, as a very angry-looking little red dragon marches into view. "Excuse me? I'm this girl's guardian-- you can just march your little pony butt back to wherever it came from, because I sure don't recognize you."
"Excuse me," Dash says, lifting her chin to look down her nose at him. "I'm probably way older than you, small fry. Besides, I got here first, and I could use a little excitement."
"Is that right? Well, I have more important things to worry about than excitement, little girl!"
"Who are you?" Mulan cuts in, addressing the dragon.
"I don't know who this is," he replies with an extravagant gesture, "but I am your guardian, the great and powerful Mushu."
"So, uh, wait..." Mulan says, holding up a hand. "...A lizard and a pony are going to help me?"
"Dragon," Mushu growls.
"Pegasus," Dash snorts.
Mulan recoils slightly, clearly unsure as to what to say.
"Pfft, whatever." Dash says, spreading her wings. "We're in this war, right? So we're gonna win it. Even if the lizard has to tag along."