A/N: I had so many ideas of how to end my fanfiction, "Mulan - Shan Yu Returns", but I decided to choose the path that I published. This is the alternative universe where everyone was captured, even Jianshi, and they were sent back to their country.

After every hun was sent back by the Emperor's orders, Shan Yu bid his good-bye to Wang Wei. 

"I really hope I can see you again," Shan Yu said.

"Well, you know where I live now," Wang Wei said as he chuckled.

"I promise to visit sometimes," Shan Yu said with a smile. 

"I'll greet you then," Wang Wei said. Shan Yu and Wang Wei exchanged a quick embrace before they returned to their villages. 

"Shan Yu," Mulan called.

"Yes, Fa Mulan?" Shan Yu asked.

"Before you become shocked, your house is destroyed..." Mulan sheepishly announced.

"Wh-really?!" Shan Yu asked in shock. "Who would do that?!" 

"It's those three pain-in-the-necks," Shang said. "Zong, Yu Fan, and Chang."

"But... I thought we were becoming friends!" Shan Yu said in sadness.

"Please, they pushed you off the cliff!" Ling said.

"Why would they do that...?" Shan Yu asked. It was a rhetorical question rather than a question that needed the answer. "Why would they play that kind of trick on me...?"

"Shan Yu, you cannot forgive them anymore," Yao said.

"Yeah! Send them back to jail!" Ling encouraged.

"Oh... I'm not sure..." Shan Yu said sheepishly.

"Shan Yu, sometimes you have to look at things strictly," Ting-ting said.

"Those who deserve punishments must be punished," Su said.

"We'll help you," Chien-Po said. "Giving back what they deserve and rebuild your house."

"You'll win the trial, guaranteed," Mei said.

"I hope they did not destroy the bandage..." Shan Yu said.

"Even if they did, you can always go back to Wang Wei's house and get another one," Mulan reminded.

"Oh yes, I forgot about that," Shan Yu said.

"Feel free to stay at our places again if you need," Mulan offered.

"Really?" Shan Yu asked.

"We missed having you at our place," Shang said.

"You did?" Mulan asked Shang. Shang realized what came out of his mouth and switched his focus on the road. Mulan snickered. Shan Yu smiled with relief. 

********

"Wow... they made such great mess here," Shan Yu said as he examined the broken wood, bricks, and stones that once was part of the shape of the house. Everyone walked around in shock and disbelief. 

"Oh, they're gonna get it big time!" Yao said as he examined the broken stove and cracked his knuckles.

"They better have a good explanation," Ling said as he examined the damaged storage as he gritted his teeth and pulled up his sleeve.

"Heaven will definitely punish them for this," Chien Po said as he picked up the pieces of rice that were stored in the storage. 

Shan Yu gasped as he witnessed one of the most cherishable things has perished. "Oh no! The mudan sapling! They cut this down too! Shang gave it to me for a present!"

"Really?" Mulan asked. "He gave you that sapling?"

"Yes, he said it would make my garden look more beautiful," Shan Yu said as he held the broken branches of the sapling. "And now it's... gone..."

Instead of teasing Shang, Mulan decided to view this as an unforgivable action and went back on Khan. "I'm going to talk to the mayor of the village to have another trial," she said to Shan Yu and Shang. "Can you guys gather the three criminals?"

"Will do!" Shang and Shan Yu answered.

"See you later then! Hyah!" Mulan rode out.

"They won't be far," Shang said. "We can find them in no time." Shan Yu nodded. He no longer felt sad about what happened to his house. Rather, his sorrow was slowing evolving into fury. Shan Yu tried to keep the anger in. He did not want to be angry in front of Shang.

"Don't worry, Shan Yu," Mei said. "We can get you more of the pots and pans. There are still extras that we have."

"And dishes and utensils!" Su added.

"The only payment method will be your kindness," Ting-ting confirmed. 

Shan Yu was thankfully able to relieve his fury by a lot after the three princesses soothed him with respect and consideration. 

********

The day of the trial came. 

"Your honor," Mulan spoke up. "The defendants have caused so much damage to the accuser's house. This is not a damage that can be fixed, it must be rebuilt again. They also sliced down the tree that is sacred not only to the house but for the country." Mulan showed the branch of the Mudan tree. 

"The... mudan tree...?" The judge asked as he angrily shook. "Because the evidence is overwhelming and they have caused extra crime of destroying the symbolism of our country. Now, it's the accuser's choice whether to settle this or not."

Shan Yu thought for a moment. He looked at Mulan's eyes, then Shang's, then the trio's. He reflected almost everything: Mulan's kindness, Shang's generosity, the trio's unwillingness to become friends with him, the limit that he can forgive, and how much Mulan would be disappointed if Shan Yu did not refuse to settle. Shan Yu slowly opened his mouth and let out his words, "I'd like to... refuse... the settlement out of this court."

"Well then, the defendants will be charged guilty of destroying other's property and the symbolism of the country. I sentence the defendants in prison for life," the judge claimed.

Before everyone left, Chang and Yu Fan glared at Shan Yu. "You'll pay for this..." Chang said as he gritted his teeth.

"Curse you, monster," Yu Fan said with a deadly stare. 

Shan Yu walked up to them. It was a slow approach but Chang and Yu Fan felt their life being threatened as he approached closer. Then he leaned into their ears and whispered, "You guys should consider yourselves lucky as this is how it ends. If you guys were supposed to be executed, I would've done them myself." When he withdrew, he continued as he watched Chang and Yu Fan turn pale. "Yes, this is my true self. But, how I act around Fa Mulan is also my true self. I will continue to act the same way. How people make me feel will change how I act around them."

"I apologize on their behalf," Zong said, without making eye contact.

"I don't know if I can forgive you guys or not," Shan Yu said. "But, I'll try. I'm sure Fa Mulan would tell me to. But I'll never forget what you did to me. Go behind the bars where you belong." He turned away and walked out. 

********

Shan Yu, Mulan, Shang, Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po stood behind the walls of the destroyed house. "Are you ready, boys?" Mulan asked as she raised her hammer. 

"Yeah!" Everyone else said as they were each holding a shovel, a saw, a ladder, a bolster, or a block trowel. 

Together, they rebuilt the house and it was completely built after four days. Since they remembered some steps, it was quicker than the first time they built it. Shang gave him another Mudan tree so that Shan Yu can replant it and no one will cut it down ever again.

"Thank you so much for helping me," Shan Yu said. "Again."

"We only did it to thank you for becoming a huge help to this country," Mulan said. "I'm sure his majesty is also happy to have you in his kingdom. And I'm sorry Mushu and I are the only ones who can be here for today."

"It's fine," Shan Yu said with a gentle smile. "I'll see you around. Probably out in the farms almost every day."

"Of course, of course," Mulan said.

"We can really meet... right?" Mushu said as he sniffed.

"Are you crying again?" Mulan asked as she held him.

"Please don't cry, Mushu," Shan Yu said as he caressed his head with his index finger. "I promise we can meet again."

"So you're pretty much done, right?" Mulan asked.

"Yes... but I think I'll settle one more thing..." Shan Yu said.

********

The next day, he packed some dumplings and went somewhere. He did not have a smile across his face like he usually did. He walked into the town jail and requested to meet the trio for the last time. 

Shan Yu and the trio sat together on the table. They all stayed in silence for a few minutes and Zong broke the silence. "May I ask... why you came to visit us?"

Shan Yu silently passed them the basket with three plates of dumplings. "Why-" Yu Fan was about to sass him out, but Zong elbowed him.

"We'll enjoy it," Zong said. They all took a plate each, a pair of chopsticks, and carefully chewed Shan Yu's dumplings. "You're quite a cook," Zong complimented. 

"This is my last... present," Shan Yu said as he cleared his throat. "I may not be friends, but it is to show my forgiveness."

"Why are you doing so much to forgive us?" Yu Fan asked, angry yet curious.

"I don't want to live with grudges," Shan Yu answered. "Fa Mulan has forgiven me about everything I have done to her in the past before I had amnesia. Not only she helped me get a new life, but she also made fewer enemies, which she claims that she feels much better now. I want to do the same thing. I want fewer enemies. You guys don't have to be my friends, but I just did not want to be enemies. As much as I forgave you guys for framing me and destroying my house, I'd like you guys to forgive me for deciding to put you guys in jail."

Zong immediately answered, "Yes, we- I mean, at least I'll forgive you."

Yu Fan and Chang thought for a second. Zong cleared his throat. "All right, I'll forgive you." "Ah, what the heck, I'll forgive you." They both agreed to forgive Shan Yu.

"Now, I think it's time for me to go now," Shan Yu said as he slowly stood up. 

Before Shan Yu turned away, he heard Zong call him to stop him, "Wait!"

"Yes?" Shan Yu asked.

"Thank you for the dumplings and..." Zong said.

"And?" Shan Yu asked.

"And... good luck with life," Zong said. "I'm sure whatever you do, you'll be great."

"That's kind of you," Shan Yu said as he smiled. "Thank you. I hope you guys be good that you're excused from your jail sentence."

"Thank you," Zong said. Shan Yu glanced at them for the last time with the respectful smile and headed back home.  

********

When he returned, he saw someone sitting on the large square bench in the front yard. "Fa Mulan? Is that you?" Shan Yu asked.

"Yes, it's me," Mulan replied.

"I'm here too, Shanny!" Mushu called out from her pocket.

"Greetings, Fa Mulan, Mushu," Shan Yu said with a gentle smile.

"So! How did it go?" Mushu was all in ears.

"You knew?" Shan Yu asked.

"Of course I did! There is no secret between me and ma girl!" Mushu said.

"He's right," Mulan answered with a smile. "How did it go?"

"We both forgave each other," Shan Yu said as he sat down next to them. He looked at the sky and said, "When I did that, I realized that I did the right thing. We won't be friends, but there will be no grudge against each other, and I feel very comfortable about that."

"When you told me last night," Mulan said. "I thought you were being ridiculous, but when you used the example of me forgiving you, I changed my mind about you being ridiculous."

"I taught him right," Mushu said as he twirled his mustache.

"YOU taught him right?" Mulan asked as she brought her face up close to his. 

"Well... I mean..." Mushu said as he flinched. "I taught him to... to... listen to your words right! Yeah!"

"Good," Mulan said as she withdrew. Shan Yu silently snickered. "So, Shan Yu, what's your plan from now on?"

"Well, I'll still farm," Shan Yu said as he continued to look at the sky. "Maybe do other things as aside, I'm not sure... I'll just let fate decide what I'm going to do from now on. Oh?" Shan Yu reacted as a petal flew and landed on his cheek. He gently took it out, placed it on his palm, and blew it high into the air, and smiled as he watched it fly away. 

I don't know what is going to happen to me, Shan Yu thought to himself. But I'll leave it to fate to take me somewhere where I can live and possibly fight the obstacles in the way.