Ok, this installment might be short, but I figured I should put something
up for y'all. I've gotten about 4 or 5 reviews so recently that I started
feeling bad for abandoning this so long. At least this part isnt dont at 2
AM! (This time its about 11 at night.) :D
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Shang yawned as he woke at dawn, rising before the rooster even crowed. He usually took these wee hours of the morning to work on his toning exercises in the garden by the pond, because he prefered to work out shirtless and with scant clothing, and that was not acceptable daytime wear. Popping his neck, stiff from one sleeping position so long, Shang wandered out to his usual area by the pond.
He had almost walked right out onto Mulan, but he stopped when he heard a muffled noise. Mulan was talking. Shang glanced around quickly, but didnt see anyone. Finally, he looked down to the ground. His handsome brow wrinkled in confusement.
Mulan was talking to a cricket?
~O....kay...~ Shang thought, ~This is weird. I knew she was crazy, but even old Aunt Lili didnt talk to bugs.~ (A/N Yes, Shang has a crazy aunt. Deal.) Shang settled in for a nice little eavesdropping session.
"...and I dont know what I'm going to do." Mulan sighed as she looked down at Crikee. All the insect could do was chirp in agreement.
"Mama says that I should do whats honorable for the family... but havent I already? Havent I saved the emporor and had his blessing in front of all China? What more could anyone want?
I dont need a man. I can do fine on my own. I'm just tired of people trying to run my life. I know what will happen when the matchmakers gets her way. I'll be either honorless or married off to some village dolt who has less sense than Mushu. I dont know any men other than Shang, and well, we're so different its a wonder we're even friends after all of this. Although he IS... Mmmm... no, I'm not even going to go down that road. Foolishness."
Mulan glanced back down at Crikee. He'd fallen asleep. "Anyhow, I feel like taking a dip in the pond before anyone wakes up. Its just getting warmer now, so it should be alright."
Rising, Mulan began to fumble with the ties of her cotton gown as Shang's eyes widened. Poor Mulan!
The gown began to slip from her shoulders, with Shang there, before he abruptly colored deep red and looked away. He would wait until he knew Mulan was in the water before he stole away. Although a little eavesdropping was alright now and then, the honorable captain would not presume to watch a maiden at her most intimate, even if it WAS just Mulan.
He heard a splash, and as quickly as possible, he darted to the other side of the farm to compose himself and the blush in his cheeks. ~Gods~, he thought, ~I havent blushed this much since... since never!~
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"Hey, Shang!" Mulan waved one of her arms as her other was loaded with practice bo sticks.
Mulan jogged to where Shang was standing, overlooking the pastures where Khan was grazing. He seemed oddly contemplative over the last twenty-four hours, not at all as loud or commanding as usual. The young soldier tossed him a practice weapon. "Shang, I need a little sparring practice. Care to lend a hand... or a foot... or a fist...?" Her eyes glowed hopefully. It was really the first time she'd been able to get a few moments to spend with her former comrade. Shang grinned and kicked off his slippers. As an afterthought, he shed his shirt too (A/N I just seem to be making him strip a lot, huh?) and draped it over the newly built fence.
"Alright Mulan." He assumed a ready position, and moments later, they were trading blow after blow, working themselves to a sweat. Although Shang was larger and had more force to his strikes, Mulan was smaller, faster, and more flexible. They were perfect sparring partners. After a few fierce moments of blocking, Mulan landed a kick to Shang's abdoman, shoving him down to the ground. He landed hard on his nicely formed butt. Mulan leaped over and knelt quickly, her knee pressing down on his chest and her bo stick held over his throat in the 'kill' position.
Shang muttered an explitave, then shoved Mulan off. She, in turn, lost her balance and plopped on her own behind as he struggled to lever himself into the sitting position. She grinned at him impishly.
The captain eyed her plaintively. "I thought you said you just needed practice."
"I did."
"It seemed more to me that I was your punching bag to let out some frustration."
"......" She turned away, then started to get up. Shang could see he'd struck a nerve. He grabbed her wrist. and forced her to look at him.
"Mulan." She sighed and stopped trying to get away. "Mulan. I am your friend. I am your comrade in arms. I am also your captain. Now, whats wrong? And dont try to tell me 'nothing'. Your family might buy it, Mulan, but I dont." he added.
She sighed and looked at him. His eyes stared back at hers, and she opened her mouth. She'd meant to tell him to forget it, it was none of his business; then everything spilled out like the rice back at basic training so long ago.
"....and... and unless I find a man willing to take a man-hearted woman as his wife, my family is forever shamed. Thats what the Matchmaker said." She turned brimming eyes to Shang. "And after all I went through to preserve my father's honor... I'm going to lose it again!" She heaved a heavy sigh andfuriously wiped her eyes, angered at the show of womanly emotion.
Shang, on the other hand, was in a blur of human emotion. For one, he was at a loss of what to say. He felt the vague feeling he couldnt identify that came with the feeling of unfairness. He felt anger at the stupid, unmoving elders, and moreover, felt empathy for Mulan. She didnt deserve any of this. Not at all. And he said so.
She raised her eyes to him. "You really think so?" She smiled as he nodded. "Thanks a lot. I know I acted like a spoiled child, and I know I tried not to tell anyone else about all this, but I'm glad I told you, Shang. I feel a lot better now. Anyway, I should go help Mama with the cooking. Its getting late, its almost dinnertime." With that, she left.
Shang sat there for a while longer, not really wanting to move. He was still absorbing what the Matchmaker had decreed. And slowly, almost hesitantely, an idea began to form in his mind of how he could rid himself AND Mulan of a couple of problems.
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Yes, it sucked, I'm aware of that! Sorry! SORRY!
Sorry for the cliffhanger too, but I promise I'll get Day 2 written out soon. I hope. I'm not gonna say I have to have more reviews before I will write it, but I have to say, the reviews help. I may not have written even this part had not the reviews kept popping up in my inbox.
Thanks a lot people, and goow writing to you all!
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Shang yawned as he woke at dawn, rising before the rooster even crowed. He usually took these wee hours of the morning to work on his toning exercises in the garden by the pond, because he prefered to work out shirtless and with scant clothing, and that was not acceptable daytime wear. Popping his neck, stiff from one sleeping position so long, Shang wandered out to his usual area by the pond.
He had almost walked right out onto Mulan, but he stopped when he heard a muffled noise. Mulan was talking. Shang glanced around quickly, but didnt see anyone. Finally, he looked down to the ground. His handsome brow wrinkled in confusement.
Mulan was talking to a cricket?
~O....kay...~ Shang thought, ~This is weird. I knew she was crazy, but even old Aunt Lili didnt talk to bugs.~ (A/N Yes, Shang has a crazy aunt. Deal.) Shang settled in for a nice little eavesdropping session.
"...and I dont know what I'm going to do." Mulan sighed as she looked down at Crikee. All the insect could do was chirp in agreement.
"Mama says that I should do whats honorable for the family... but havent I already? Havent I saved the emporor and had his blessing in front of all China? What more could anyone want?
I dont need a man. I can do fine on my own. I'm just tired of people trying to run my life. I know what will happen when the matchmakers gets her way. I'll be either honorless or married off to some village dolt who has less sense than Mushu. I dont know any men other than Shang, and well, we're so different its a wonder we're even friends after all of this. Although he IS... Mmmm... no, I'm not even going to go down that road. Foolishness."
Mulan glanced back down at Crikee. He'd fallen asleep. "Anyhow, I feel like taking a dip in the pond before anyone wakes up. Its just getting warmer now, so it should be alright."
Rising, Mulan began to fumble with the ties of her cotton gown as Shang's eyes widened. Poor Mulan!
The gown began to slip from her shoulders, with Shang there, before he abruptly colored deep red and looked away. He would wait until he knew Mulan was in the water before he stole away. Although a little eavesdropping was alright now and then, the honorable captain would not presume to watch a maiden at her most intimate, even if it WAS just Mulan.
He heard a splash, and as quickly as possible, he darted to the other side of the farm to compose himself and the blush in his cheeks. ~Gods~, he thought, ~I havent blushed this much since... since never!~
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"Hey, Shang!" Mulan waved one of her arms as her other was loaded with practice bo sticks.
Mulan jogged to where Shang was standing, overlooking the pastures where Khan was grazing. He seemed oddly contemplative over the last twenty-four hours, not at all as loud or commanding as usual. The young soldier tossed him a practice weapon. "Shang, I need a little sparring practice. Care to lend a hand... or a foot... or a fist...?" Her eyes glowed hopefully. It was really the first time she'd been able to get a few moments to spend with her former comrade. Shang grinned and kicked off his slippers. As an afterthought, he shed his shirt too (A/N I just seem to be making him strip a lot, huh?) and draped it over the newly built fence.
"Alright Mulan." He assumed a ready position, and moments later, they were trading blow after blow, working themselves to a sweat. Although Shang was larger and had more force to his strikes, Mulan was smaller, faster, and more flexible. They were perfect sparring partners. After a few fierce moments of blocking, Mulan landed a kick to Shang's abdoman, shoving him down to the ground. He landed hard on his nicely formed butt. Mulan leaped over and knelt quickly, her knee pressing down on his chest and her bo stick held over his throat in the 'kill' position.
Shang muttered an explitave, then shoved Mulan off. She, in turn, lost her balance and plopped on her own behind as he struggled to lever himself into the sitting position. She grinned at him impishly.
The captain eyed her plaintively. "I thought you said you just needed practice."
"I did."
"It seemed more to me that I was your punching bag to let out some frustration."
"......" She turned away, then started to get up. Shang could see he'd struck a nerve. He grabbed her wrist. and forced her to look at him.
"Mulan." She sighed and stopped trying to get away. "Mulan. I am your friend. I am your comrade in arms. I am also your captain. Now, whats wrong? And dont try to tell me 'nothing'. Your family might buy it, Mulan, but I dont." he added.
She sighed and looked at him. His eyes stared back at hers, and she opened her mouth. She'd meant to tell him to forget it, it was none of his business; then everything spilled out like the rice back at basic training so long ago.
"....and... and unless I find a man willing to take a man-hearted woman as his wife, my family is forever shamed. Thats what the Matchmaker said." She turned brimming eyes to Shang. "And after all I went through to preserve my father's honor... I'm going to lose it again!" She heaved a heavy sigh andfuriously wiped her eyes, angered at the show of womanly emotion.
Shang, on the other hand, was in a blur of human emotion. For one, he was at a loss of what to say. He felt the vague feeling he couldnt identify that came with the feeling of unfairness. He felt anger at the stupid, unmoving elders, and moreover, felt empathy for Mulan. She didnt deserve any of this. Not at all. And he said so.
She raised her eyes to him. "You really think so?" She smiled as he nodded. "Thanks a lot. I know I acted like a spoiled child, and I know I tried not to tell anyone else about all this, but I'm glad I told you, Shang. I feel a lot better now. Anyway, I should go help Mama with the cooking. Its getting late, its almost dinnertime." With that, she left.
Shang sat there for a while longer, not really wanting to move. He was still absorbing what the Matchmaker had decreed. And slowly, almost hesitantely, an idea began to form in his mind of how he could rid himself AND Mulan of a couple of problems.
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Yes, it sucked, I'm aware of that! Sorry! SORRY!
Sorry for the cliffhanger too, but I promise I'll get Day 2 written out soon. I hope. I'm not gonna say I have to have more reviews before I will write it, but I have to say, the reviews help. I may not have written even this part had not the reviews kept popping up in my inbox.
Thanks a lot people, and goow writing to you all!