Author's Note: I'm giving the cricket (Your Name) is given non-binary pronouns and yes, I know there is a difference between male and female crickets, but for the sake of this story, the cricket (Your Name) has is non-binary.

*** 

https://youtu.be/2CeCVzGGJJA

A female boar with pepper and salt hair is seen with a wooden clipboard and paintbrush in her hooves as she looks at the wooden clipboard with a serious and unamused mixed look appearing on her face.

Her outfit dawned blue and orange similar to a matchmaker outfit.

"Ping (Your Name)." The Matchmaker called out seriously and unamused at the very familiar name of the adult human woman from the last four times of (Your Name) trying to get matched up with a suitable husband.

(Your Name) stands up from behind her umbrella with a smile on her face.

"Present." (Your Name) said smiling eustatically.

The Matchmaker starts to write the first strike down for (Your Name) as she turns around to head back inside the matchmaking house.

"Speaking without permission...for the 5th time again." The Matchmaker said with an obvious eyeroll that no one even noticed with her facing away from everyone else.

"Oops." (Your Name) said facepalming at her mistake, walking up to the matchmaking house so the Matchmaker can judge her for the 5th time.

Mr. Chen turns to Miss Lin, whispering behind his hoof with an annoyed look on his face as the villagers winced at the mistake (Your Name) made.

"Who spit in her bean curd?" Mr. Chen asked sounding a bit angry on how the Matchmaker is treating (Your Name) for the 5th time.

As (Your Name) walk up the steps and walks into the matchmaking house, the Matchmaker slams doors closed behind them.

Inside, the Matchmaker inspects (Your Name)'s looks.

"Huh. Hmm. Mmm. Too almost hairless with hair in certain places. Hmph! Not good for bearing sons." The Matchmaker said picking at how (Your Name) looked in her natural appearance for a human such as herself.

The cricket hops out of their cage and hops onto the shoulder of the Matchmaker, who walks away from the adult human woman, making (Your Name) notice.

(Your Name) catches the cricket and frantically tries to put them back in, but she quickly puts the cricket in her mouth upon noticing the Matchmaker coming back in her direction.

"Recite the Final Admonition." The Matchmaker commanded with a stern look on her face.

"Mmm-hmm-hmm." (Your Name) muffled hummed with the cricket in her mouth.

Muffled chirping from the cricket is heard inside of (Your Name)'s mouth.

She pulls out her fan and spits the cricket out of her mouth.

"Well?" The Matchmaker asked sounding almost impatient.

(Your Name) breathes a little shakily as she knew that she had to not let the Matchmaker see the notes she had written on her right forearm.

"Fulfill your duties, calmly and..." (Your Name) said trailing off from her sentence, turning her eyes to the notes on her arm.

She glances down at the crib notes written on her arm, which are smeared slightly from when she was in the tub at the bathhouse.

"Respectfully. Um, reflect before you snack... *Corrects herself after looking back at the notes quickly* Act! This shall bring you honor and glory." (Your Name) said quickly finishing reciting the Final Admonition.

The (hair length) (hair color) adult human woman sighs in relief as she fans herself with her fan to calm herself down.

The Matchmaker grabs the fan and searches it for cheat notes. Finding none, she grabs (Your Name) by the arm where the notes are and pulls her toward a table. The writing comes off in the Matchmaker's hoof.

"Hmm. This way. Now, pour the tea. To please your future in-laws, you must demonstrate a sense of dignity..." The Matchmaker explained after she had instructed (Your Name) what to do at the table.

The Matchmaker rubs her hoof over her mouth and the ink rubs off with a squeak, making it seem like the Matchmaker had weird looking facial hair.

"...and refinement." The Matchmaker added in.

(Your Name), staring at the Matchmaker, pours the tea, but misses the cup, then regains her composure and quickly fills the teacup.

"You must also be poised." The Matchmaker finished.

(Your Name) notices the cricket relaxing happily in the teacup.

The Matchmaker takes the teacup without noticing the cricket in the tea.

"Um, pardon me." (Your Name) said in an almost hushed whispering tone, being as polite as she could be in front of the Matchmaker.

"And silent!" The Matchmaker snapped angrily, not wanting to hear a word or peep from (Your Name) had to say or make.

(Your Name) immediately shuts her mouth while she was thinking about how to take the teacup away from the Matchmaker.

The Matchmaker sniffs the aroma of the tea, bringing a smile to her face.

"Ahhh." The Matchmaker said sounding relaxed now.

Soon, (Your Name) gets her knees onto the table as she reaches for the teacup, bringing the Matchmaker out of her relaxed state.

"Could I just get that back? One moment." (Your Name) said trying her best to show her polite side to the now angry Matchmaker, who just wanted some tea.

(Your Name) grabs for the cup, but the Matchmaker fights for the teacup and they both fall back, the tea spilling all over the Matchmaker.

The cricket hops down her dress.

Soon, the Matchmaker gets up with an angry look on her face.

"Why, you clumsy... Whoo, whoo! Aaah! Whoo! Aah!" The Matchmaker yelped out in panic from the cricket scurrying around in her dress.

Fire is heard sizzling as she then trips over the fire-pot, spilling the coals and then sitting on them, the bottom of her dress smoking.

This makes the Matchmaker shriek in fright and hurt as (Your Name) desperately fans the burned spot and it bursts into flames.

The Matchmaker runs around screaming.

It pans to outside as everyone, Mr. Chen, and Miss Lin hear the commotion coming from inside of the matchmaking house as a loud crash is then heard with the commotion.

Mr. Chen looks at Miss Lin with a soft smile.

"I think it's going well, don't you?" Mr. Chen asked in an amusing tone.

The Matchmaker runs outside, screaming as (Your Name) with the teapot in her hands right behind the Matchmaker.

"Put it out! Put it out! Put it out!" The Matchmaker screamed out, wanting the fire to be put out and actually gone.

(Your Name) throws tea over her, putting out the fire.

Embarrassed, she hands the teapot to the Matchmaker, who takes it disgruntingly as she bows and quickly walks towards Mr. Chen and Miss Lin.

Soon, the cricket is seen hopping towards (Your Name) and hops back into their cage, closing the cage door behind them as to not be seen.

The Matchmaker is seen panting furiously as she walks up to (Your Name), Mr. Chen, and Miss Lin with the teapot still in her hands.

"You are a disgrace!" The Matchmaker screamed out in anger.

With the anger boiling inside of her, the Matchmaker smashes the teapot to the ground, making everyone recoil back from her fury.

"You may look like a bride, but you will never bring your family honor!" The Matchmaker exclaimed out of pure anger.

Everyone starts to walk away, whispering about what had just happened.

(Your Name) is crushed as Mr. Chen and Miss Lin consol her to the best of their ability.

After walking back to the noodle shop, (Your Name) is greeted with a warm smile by Mr. Ping, who seemed to be looking out the kitchen window while multitasking with making the food preparations, but, humiliated, she turns away and takes the cricket to her room.

In her bedroom while looking at a cup of water, (Your Name) moves a strand of her (hair color) hair to see her reflection.

[(Your Name):]

Look at me
I will never pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect daughter

(Your Name) takes off the earrings and jade necklace as she sees Mr. Ping asking Mr. Chen and Miss Lin about how it went, but all Mr. Chen and Miss Lin could respond with was a shake of the head as if to say "No, it didn't go as planned." to him.

Mr. Ping sighed deeply at how hard (Your Name) tried her best at the matchmaking thing.

I'm not meant to play this part
Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself
I would break my family's heart

(Your Name) places the cricket's cage on her nightstand and opens the cage's door if to set the cricket free.

The cricket steps out of their cage and stands there on the nightstand, watching (Your Name) reflecting how the day went for her.

Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me
Why is my reflection someone I don't know
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am, though I've tried
When will my reflection show who I am inside

(Your Name) wipes off her make up and looks in the mirror she got from Miss Lin as she saw her own reflection.

The (hair length) (hair color) adult human woman undoes her topknot.

When will my reflection show who I am inside

(End)

Sniffling and crying softly, (Your Name) glumly lays down on her bed in her bedroom.

Mr. Ping gently knocks on her opened door and walks in slowly as he looks at a cherry blossom tree outside of (Your Name)'s bedroom window.

"My, my, what beautiful blossoms we have this year. But, look, this one's late." Mr. Ping says pointing out the late blossoms on the cherry tree.

(Your Name) sniffles and sits up as Mr. Ping walks over to her bed and hops onto it to get a better look at the cherry tree.

Mr. Ping laughs softly as he and (Your Name) both turn their heads towards each other to look at one another.

"I bet when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all." Mr. Ping said gently cupping the side of (Your Name)'s face as a fatherly gesture.

(Your Name) smiles softly and hugs Mr. Ping, who graciously hugs her back.

Out of nowhere, excitement voices clamor about something in the noodle shop.

This catches both the father and daughter's attention, breaking the hug.

"What is going on out there?" (Your Name) asked curiously.

(Your Name) and Mr. Ping both walk back into the noodle shop to see what is going on.

Something has everyone excited about something important.

*** 

Words: 1790 

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"Mulan: "Perfect Bride"/Reflection" scene, song and lyrics belongs Disney 

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