Disclaimer: (For the whole story) I do not own Dynasty Warriors or Romance of the Three Kingdoms in any way. *sniff* But anyway, this story is mainly for the two (in my opinion) coolest characters in the kingdom of Wei: Xiahou Dun and Zhen Ji!
Zhang He: Hello?! What about me?
Natsue: Sorry hun. Not this time... Anyhoo... *flips on tape recorder*
Note: The user Animatized is a writing duo between me, Natsue Arishima, and Kimiko Hiraki. However, Kimi won't be participating much in this... *sniff* I know, it's sad... *cough* Anyhoo, moving on...
Dark Pleasure
By Natsue Arishima
Chapter One: Black
He still felt the blood seeping, even though he had fixed it as best as he could. Pain danced and flickered wildly, and he frowned, breathing deeply.
Damn that Lu Bu.
It felt awkward, that bandage around his empty eye socket. He hated it, the scratch of the fabric, the itch of the blood...
Lu Bu would pay.
Xiahou Dun lifted a hand up to his face, brushing the new purple and gold cloth. He felt wetness under his fingers and quickly pulled them away. Staring at them out of his right eye, he glared at the fresh blood.
His black stallion whinnied under him, and he readjusted his reins. The proportion of his sight was so different with only one eye. How could he still maintain his fighting skills in this condition?
Cao Cao glanced at him from his left side.
His blind spot.
"How is it, cousin?" the Wei ruler asked, staring intently at his wounded face.
Xiahou Dun grunted, his hands tightening around his Kirin Fang. He didn't feel like conversing right now. "It's fine," he mumbled.
Cao Cao sighed, sending a faint glance at Dian Wei, who shrugged back.
Xia Pi faded further into the foggy distance, and Xiahou Dun turned, staring at it angrily. Wei may be retreating now, but they would return.
And he would kill Lu Bu then.
Count my word on it, he thought bitterly, wincing as pain flashed through him again. He glanced down at his scimitar, which was still bloody from the battle.
He recounted the battle in his mind. How foolish he had been! To charge blindly into the enemy's castle, alone, without other troops to back him up...
He shook his head, clenching his fist around the reins.
Stupid. Just stupid. There was no other word for it.
After the arrow had hit him, everything turned red. He had staggered in the pain, his sight cut off from the world.
His hand had instinctively ripped the arrow out, and the pain had increased to an all time high. He had turned away, not wanting to see his eye on the tip of the arrow.
Diao Chan had been close by, running forwards to attack with her maces. He hadn't seen her, too caught up in his loss. He had felt the hard blow against his windpipe, and had slashed wildly at the enchantress.
She had pulled away, clutching a bleeding wound in her arm, and it had been Xiahou Yuan who had torn him out of his living hell.
Pulling himself out of his thoughts, the powerful Wei officer concentrated back onto his reins. His fierce stallion whinnied, and the Wei army slowly neared Xu Chang.
**~*~**
She suddenly paused, the music hanging blankly in the air. Looking out, through the gates of the beautiful, blooming courtyard, her beautiful, slender eyes could make out a faint row of soldiers against the setting sun.
Dropping her elaborate, gold and purple flute from her slim, red lips, she quickly stood up. Her fancy, purple dress covered in gold patterns and lined with black feathers rustled slightly as she stood up, her dark ponytail sliding from her shoulders.
High heels clicked on the floor as she hurried forward, her elegant peacock ornament glowing in the sun. The dark hair framing her face revealed pale and yet rosy cheeks.
The horde of men were closer now, nearly all of them riding proud but tired horses. She slowed to a stop in front of them, dark eyes darting in and out among the mass.
A man rode up in front of her, wearing a battle helmet and the usual battle garb.
"Lady," he murmured. "Are you alright?"
She nodded, slightly put off, noticing that he had indicated towards her right leg. The wound was healing nicely, but she had wished that she could have still stayed on the battlefield. She needn't worry about an injury such as this! And yet she had been forced to flee a few days ago, leaving the rest behind...
"Perfectly fine," she replied in a slightly cold voice.
General Cao Pi looked at her through his helmet, and then dismounted. His black horse whinnied slightly as he was led over towards a stable-hand.
"Don't be angry, Zhen Ji." His smiled faintly, walking up to her and pulling her closer, his arms around her waist. "An injury such as that could have been fatal." He leaned down and made as if to kiss her, but she turned her head the other way.
"I thought I had made it clear that I can take care of myself." Her eyes flicked towards his face, the gentle warmth disappearing into iciness.
Cao Pi sighed, and dropped his hands. "Yes... yes..."
She sent her husband one last disgusted look before turning around to help the others, her flute held tightly in her hand.
**~*~**
Kirin Fang glinted angrily against the star-covered sky. Its bearer growled, thrusting the tip into the ground.
The city of Xu Chang was dark. Only a few lanterns showed, a faint flicker of light glowing here and there through varies curtains. The single Wei officer on the lonely grounds blended perfectly well with the gathering gloom.
Xiahou Dun breathed deeply, glaring at his sword. His vision swam slightly as he reached up and, slowly, untied the cloth.
The wound had finally stopped flowing, though the material in his hand was dried with blood. He didn't dare touch his face, in fear of starting the flow of blood all over again.
Placing the cloth carefully around his head again, he raised Kirin Fang straight into the sparkling sky.
He examined it, running his fingers up and down the familiar curve.
"One day..." he whispered gruffly. "I swear... the blood of Lu Bu will be stained apon you..."
He remained motionless for a few minutes, letting the cooling air flow across his face... through his hair...
Then, wordlessly, he turned around and headed towards the city.
**********
A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short! I promise, it will most likely be longer next time. Okay, and about the chapter titles: DON'T ASK! I just thought it'd be interesting to have color titles... *cough* Constructive criticism is welcome! Please R&R!
--Natsue Arishima
Zhang He: Hello?! What about me?
Natsue: Sorry hun. Not this time... Anyhoo... *flips on tape recorder*
Note: The user Animatized is a writing duo between me, Natsue Arishima, and Kimiko Hiraki. However, Kimi won't be participating much in this... *sniff* I know, it's sad... *cough* Anyhoo, moving on...
Dark Pleasure
By Natsue Arishima
Chapter One: Black
He still felt the blood seeping, even though he had fixed it as best as he could. Pain danced and flickered wildly, and he frowned, breathing deeply.
Damn that Lu Bu.
It felt awkward, that bandage around his empty eye socket. He hated it, the scratch of the fabric, the itch of the blood...
Lu Bu would pay.
Xiahou Dun lifted a hand up to his face, brushing the new purple and gold cloth. He felt wetness under his fingers and quickly pulled them away. Staring at them out of his right eye, he glared at the fresh blood.
His black stallion whinnied under him, and he readjusted his reins. The proportion of his sight was so different with only one eye. How could he still maintain his fighting skills in this condition?
Cao Cao glanced at him from his left side.
His blind spot.
"How is it, cousin?" the Wei ruler asked, staring intently at his wounded face.
Xiahou Dun grunted, his hands tightening around his Kirin Fang. He didn't feel like conversing right now. "It's fine," he mumbled.
Cao Cao sighed, sending a faint glance at Dian Wei, who shrugged back.
Xia Pi faded further into the foggy distance, and Xiahou Dun turned, staring at it angrily. Wei may be retreating now, but they would return.
And he would kill Lu Bu then.
Count my word on it, he thought bitterly, wincing as pain flashed through him again. He glanced down at his scimitar, which was still bloody from the battle.
He recounted the battle in his mind. How foolish he had been! To charge blindly into the enemy's castle, alone, without other troops to back him up...
He shook his head, clenching his fist around the reins.
Stupid. Just stupid. There was no other word for it.
After the arrow had hit him, everything turned red. He had staggered in the pain, his sight cut off from the world.
His hand had instinctively ripped the arrow out, and the pain had increased to an all time high. He had turned away, not wanting to see his eye on the tip of the arrow.
Diao Chan had been close by, running forwards to attack with her maces. He hadn't seen her, too caught up in his loss. He had felt the hard blow against his windpipe, and had slashed wildly at the enchantress.
She had pulled away, clutching a bleeding wound in her arm, and it had been Xiahou Yuan who had torn him out of his living hell.
Pulling himself out of his thoughts, the powerful Wei officer concentrated back onto his reins. His fierce stallion whinnied, and the Wei army slowly neared Xu Chang.
She suddenly paused, the music hanging blankly in the air. Looking out, through the gates of the beautiful, blooming courtyard, her beautiful, slender eyes could make out a faint row of soldiers against the setting sun.
Dropping her elaborate, gold and purple flute from her slim, red lips, she quickly stood up. Her fancy, purple dress covered in gold patterns and lined with black feathers rustled slightly as she stood up, her dark ponytail sliding from her shoulders.
High heels clicked on the floor as she hurried forward, her elegant peacock ornament glowing in the sun. The dark hair framing her face revealed pale and yet rosy cheeks.
The horde of men were closer now, nearly all of them riding proud but tired horses. She slowed to a stop in front of them, dark eyes darting in and out among the mass.
A man rode up in front of her, wearing a battle helmet and the usual battle garb.
"Lady," he murmured. "Are you alright?"
She nodded, slightly put off, noticing that he had indicated towards her right leg. The wound was healing nicely, but she had wished that she could have still stayed on the battlefield. She needn't worry about an injury such as this! And yet she had been forced to flee a few days ago, leaving the rest behind...
"Perfectly fine," she replied in a slightly cold voice.
General Cao Pi looked at her through his helmet, and then dismounted. His black horse whinnied slightly as he was led over towards a stable-hand.
"Don't be angry, Zhen Ji." His smiled faintly, walking up to her and pulling her closer, his arms around her waist. "An injury such as that could have been fatal." He leaned down and made as if to kiss her, but she turned her head the other way.
"I thought I had made it clear that I can take care of myself." Her eyes flicked towards his face, the gentle warmth disappearing into iciness.
Cao Pi sighed, and dropped his hands. "Yes... yes..."
She sent her husband one last disgusted look before turning around to help the others, her flute held tightly in her hand.
Kirin Fang glinted angrily against the star-covered sky. Its bearer growled, thrusting the tip into the ground.
The city of Xu Chang was dark. Only a few lanterns showed, a faint flicker of light glowing here and there through varies curtains. The single Wei officer on the lonely grounds blended perfectly well with the gathering gloom.
Xiahou Dun breathed deeply, glaring at his sword. His vision swam slightly as he reached up and, slowly, untied the cloth.
The wound had finally stopped flowing, though the material in his hand was dried with blood. He didn't dare touch his face, in fear of starting the flow of blood all over again.
Placing the cloth carefully around his head again, he raised Kirin Fang straight into the sparkling sky.
He examined it, running his fingers up and down the familiar curve.
"One day..." he whispered gruffly. "I swear... the blood of Lu Bu will be stained apon you..."
He remained motionless for a few minutes, letting the cooling air flow across his face... through his hair...
Then, wordlessly, he turned around and headed towards the city.
**********
A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short! I promise, it will most likely be longer next time. Okay, and about the chapter titles: DON'T ASK! I just thought it'd be interesting to have color titles... *cough* Constructive criticism is welcome! Please R&R!
--Natsue Arishima