Thank you very much to the people who have been reading along this story
and sending reviews. Lynn, Eris wannabe, Marie J. W., ToughSpirit and
Amb3r for your emails.(I'll reply as soon as I can) ( Jeanine (I haven't
seen you around. Don't get lost please.)
I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I even laughed while writing. I hope you guys like it and give me your opinions.
Chapter 3 A Little Swim In The Lake
The following day, Mulan made a team with Chien Po to do an exercise that involved sparing and bamboo poles. Shang gave the instructions and asked Lao Tsung for help to give an example. The bamboo poles helped them block the kicks, blows and punches. Everyone watched them spar with their mouths open paying real close attention to every move they made. Shang hit Lao's hand with a kick so hard it made him drop his bamboo pole. The lieutenant knew the rules once he dropped the pole he couldn't pick it up for he could only get caught by surprise. He groaned and clenched his fist trying to hit Shang's face but he dodged him. Lao approached to Shang and tried to snatch the pole from him. Shang kicked him on his stomach which made him stumble and land on the ground. The soldiers cheered and clapped their hands to acknowledge Shang's great performance. Lao Tsung stood up, dusting his uniform narrowing his eyes enviously at the General.
Shang remained solemn and cold despite the cheers coming from his soldiers. He commanded for silence and said, "The winners of every match will spare with me."
Mulan and Chien Po got to their fighting positions. They bowed their heads for it was only a friendly match. "I want no mercy from you if you hit me," Mulan said, "Chien Po nodded, although not fully convinced, she was a lady and he respected her. The spar began. Mulan's size gave her the advantage to dodge Chien Po's kicks and arms with the bamboo poles. It didn't take her long to disarm him and defeat him. Her friend accepted his defeat with honour and congratulated her. She waited for her turn to spare with Li Shang. To her bad luck, she was left to be the last and she was quite aware he had done it on purpose to make her angry and lose focus, but she promised she wouldn't give him the chance. All of the soldiers that spared before she, had made a complete fool out of themselves.
Mulan and Shang took their positions and bowed. As they raised their heads, Mulan saw a smirk on Shang's face and he took notice that her childish sweet eyes narrowed turning into a hunter's fierce eyes.
"Chien Po let you win, but I won't," he muttered. His words only made her burn in anger. "I'll be nice, ladies first. But I was wondering, are you truly one?"
She had enough and tried to hit his head with the bamboo pole, but he moved swiftly to prevent being knocked unconscious. Shang shook his head and teased, "Missed me, why don't you give up and play with your dolls?" Mulan groaned and kicked him on the stomach but just not hard enough. "Is that supposed to hurt?"
"Shut up!" She replied, "Are you just too coward that you can't hit me?"
Shang chuckled and attempted to disarm her, the poles crashed and she pushed him making him stumble. The spar went on like that for about fifteen minutes, the soldiers just watched amazed until Shang finally managed to disarm Mulan still she kept fighting. She kicked Shang's hand and made him loosen the grip on that side of the pole, but it wasn't enough. Mulan bent and spun trying to knock him off his feet, he stumbled and used the pole to prevent himself from falling. Finally, when Mulan turned her back to him to spin he kicked her hard and made her fall on the ground. She was pinned on the ground, her back on him. Shang muttered proudly, "Nice try." She rolled her eyes and got up with dignity.
In the afternoon, she decided to practice archery riding on Khan. It took a lot of coordination, but she knew it was useful. She shot arrows to the targets on the trees. Shang came along and observed her quietly. At first she didn't notice he was there, until she heard him say, "You missed it by an inch."
She turned around and saw him standing arms crossed to his chest and a cocky grin on his face. She pulled the reins of her horse to stop and asked, "Don't you have anything better to do than annoying me with your disgusting presence?"
Shang shook his head and laughed, "Shouldn't you be at home fixing dinner for your husband?"
"I don't have a husband," she replied irritated, she got an arrow and aimed towards him threatening to shoot him.
"Put the bow and arrow down," Shang said, "No wonder you have no husband."
Mulan dismounted her horse, went past Shang and said , "What would I want a husband for? All men are idiots like you!"
"You don't think that about Yao, Ling and Chien Po, am I wrong?"
She knew what he meant. Couldn't he just stop teasing her for a minute? "Ahgr! They are my friends." She walked away and dropped the bow and arrows on the ground, besides left Khan free running around the place.
"Pick that up," Shang ordered, "That's not the place for those things."
"I don't want to," she yelled back, "Why don't you pick them if you're so interested on keeping this place clean?"
"Fine, Go and have some sleep, so your bad mood vanishes tomorrow!" Shang replied, "but I don't want you being the last to line up!"
"Ahgr," she screamed kicking the little pebble that stood on her way.
Shang bent down to pick Mulan's mess and turned to see Mulan disappearing into her tent. "Sorry," he whispered, "I never meant to annoy you with my presence." His voice was sad and sincere; all he wanted was a little bit of attention from her. He headed towards Khan and pulled him from the reins to lead him to the stable.
Mulan took off her shoes, socks and robe inside her tent. She felt unclean after a hard day of exercises and her legs were sore from the sparing. The only problem was that the lake was being occupied by all the soldiers that moment so she had to wait her turn until everyone was deep asleep. Meanwhile, she stared at the roof of her tent thoughtful, she fought to keep her eyes open but exhaustion tricked her and she drifted off into the world of dreams.
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Past midnight, Shang was taking a walk around Camp totally restless. He stood before the lake and breathed in the fresh air grinning. Every soldier was asleep by now, so he had the whole lake to himself, to swim around naked if he pleased and just relax taking a break from all pressures and escape a little while from the troubles in his mind. A sigh of exhaustion escaped from inside of him. Then he got into the cold waters of the lake. At first he froze on to his bones but then he got used to the temperature. He detached the tidy bun on his head and sank his head into the water. Shang closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all thoughts; he simply focused on the chirping of the crickets and the long distant sound the wolves in the forest made. Ever since he was very young, Shang had enjoyed and searched for this kind of moments of peace and solitude to leave the real world for a while and trade the worries for moments of complete harmony with nature. All his worries abandoned his troubled soul.
Suddenly he heard the splash of feet stepping on water and opened his eyes to seek for the intruder, but there was no one or nothing in sight, maybe it had simply been his imagination. Once again, he shut his eyes. This time Mulan kindled in his thoughts. Why did she have to haunt him when everything seemed quite so peaceful? Only the heavens knew Shang found such thoughts pleasant and somehow a good distraction. Shaking his head he sank himself for a swim in the depths of the lake. He stopped at the sound of someone yelling, "Don't come closer!" His head went out of the surface, and the first thing he saw was Mulan's face blushing cherry red, and his didn't escape from burning with embarrassment. There, they stood only six feet apart from each other, but the moon's dim light didn't expose their nakedness.
"Don't you dare go any nearer!" she said sternly turning her back on him.
"What are you doing here at this time of the night?" Shang inquired, "I thought you were asleep."
Mulan half turned her face to him and answered, "Duh! I came here to bathe.I always take a bath around this time, you idiot!"
Shang let a laugh and teased, "Really? I thought you never took a shower here. Anyway, you sure needed one."
She glared at him and ordered, "Get out of here."
"Excuse me," he replied politely, "but this lake is none of your property."
"So?" she said defiantly, "I don't care. Just shut up and get your."
Shang cut her off shaking his head, "Ah, ah ah. You're being rude. Honestly, where are your manners?"
In times like this, he really made her lose her patience with his silly overloaded self-confidence. She sighed and groaned.
"Why do you always get mad at me?" questioned Shang.
Mulan rolled her eyes, "I don't. How could I when you're always so nice and gently to me," she said sarcastically.
He pretended not to notice the sarcasm on her voice and replied, "I knew that, you should be grateful."
Mulan stuck her tongue at him and he frowned. Both remained silent for a while, not daring to get out or swim away.
The night carried a chilly breeze and Mulan started to tremble.
"You should get out," Shang suggested, "You could catch a cold with this weather."
"I'm not getting out until I'm certain that you're in your tent," she replied, "I don't want you to see me naked."
Shang chuckled, "Come on, as if you had something I'd want to see."
Mulan frowned, wishing she could slap or even strangle him for his comment, she had been hurt way too deep that she could not think of a reply to offend him and she simply asked in a gentle voice, a shy ladylike voice, "Why don't you get out first?"
"I'm not going out," She said stubbornly.
"Well I'm not going out until you're sleeping."
They turned their backs on each other once again. Mulan looked up at the stars and the moon trembling, her teeth made a sound loud enough for Shang to notice. Then he suggested, "Look, I could just go back to where my clothes are and wait until you get out."
"You could see me from there," Mulan said, "besides I refuse to get out."
"You really are stubborn!"
"And you really are the most annoying person in this world."
"Thank you very much."
Mulan narrowed her eyes at him; it seemed those eyes were preparing to shoot fire bolts towards him when she got angry. She sighed and said, "Look I'm closing my eyes and you could just get out and get dressed. So when you're done you just let me know to open my eyes, and then you can leave."
"You're not gonna close your eyes!" Shang said, "I don't trust you."
She began rather nicely, "Please." The young General was stunned, when was the last time she had said the word please addressing him? But then she continued irritated, "What would I want to see you? My mind is not ill, such as all the filthy men here!"
"That's great for you, but still I cannot fully trust you wont' open your eyes."
"Could you just leave? At least swim away from me. I don't want you here, you just annoy me."
"After you," he said with a grin.
For a moment Mulan fell under his spell. He was like a god when he grinned, and this silly fight had made her not to notice how irresistible he appeared with the strands of hair falling freely inches over his broad shoulders. Mulan reminded herself he was still the same annoying man who yelled at her all day and was always keeping an eye on her waiting for her to make a mistake just to chide her and brag he knew more. "No thanks," she answered through gritted teeth, "I'll freeze to death if necessary."
"You really are the most stubborn person in the face of the earth."
"Wow! I'm so pleased to earn that title."
"Turn around and shut your eyes," Shang commanded.
"Why?" she complained, "What?"
"Look, someone has to be mature enough to get out as quick as possible," replied Shang matter-of-factly.
"You didn't say please," said Mulan.
"Come on, you never bother to use the word please when you talk to me. Let's call it even. It's for your own good," he went on, "but if you see me."
"Ok, ok. I'm not interested on seeing naked people least of all you." She turned her back on him and closed her eyes.
Right then, Shang swam away from her.
'I'll have to thank him for this someday,' Mulan thought, 'Nah, it could wait until he behaves. Though I must admit he's still a gentleman when he wants. Does he really think I'm immature?' Her thoughts were interrupted by Shang's voice calling her, "Ping, you can open them now." He stood right in front of her with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair loose. She couldn't deny he looked so hot like that. Then, he tossed Mulan's towel at her and she caught it. A thank you escaped from her. Shang smiled satisfied as he walked away to give her some privacy. She watched him leave with dreamy eyes and a lopsided grin.
By the way, to all of us Mushu fans I have good news: Mushu will appear on the next chapter. (
I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I even laughed while writing. I hope you guys like it and give me your opinions.
Chapter 3 A Little Swim In The Lake
The following day, Mulan made a team with Chien Po to do an exercise that involved sparing and bamboo poles. Shang gave the instructions and asked Lao Tsung for help to give an example. The bamboo poles helped them block the kicks, blows and punches. Everyone watched them spar with their mouths open paying real close attention to every move they made. Shang hit Lao's hand with a kick so hard it made him drop his bamboo pole. The lieutenant knew the rules once he dropped the pole he couldn't pick it up for he could only get caught by surprise. He groaned and clenched his fist trying to hit Shang's face but he dodged him. Lao approached to Shang and tried to snatch the pole from him. Shang kicked him on his stomach which made him stumble and land on the ground. The soldiers cheered and clapped their hands to acknowledge Shang's great performance. Lao Tsung stood up, dusting his uniform narrowing his eyes enviously at the General.
Shang remained solemn and cold despite the cheers coming from his soldiers. He commanded for silence and said, "The winners of every match will spare with me."
Mulan and Chien Po got to their fighting positions. They bowed their heads for it was only a friendly match. "I want no mercy from you if you hit me," Mulan said, "Chien Po nodded, although not fully convinced, she was a lady and he respected her. The spar began. Mulan's size gave her the advantage to dodge Chien Po's kicks and arms with the bamboo poles. It didn't take her long to disarm him and defeat him. Her friend accepted his defeat with honour and congratulated her. She waited for her turn to spare with Li Shang. To her bad luck, she was left to be the last and she was quite aware he had done it on purpose to make her angry and lose focus, but she promised she wouldn't give him the chance. All of the soldiers that spared before she, had made a complete fool out of themselves.
Mulan and Shang took their positions and bowed. As they raised their heads, Mulan saw a smirk on Shang's face and he took notice that her childish sweet eyes narrowed turning into a hunter's fierce eyes.
"Chien Po let you win, but I won't," he muttered. His words only made her burn in anger. "I'll be nice, ladies first. But I was wondering, are you truly one?"
She had enough and tried to hit his head with the bamboo pole, but he moved swiftly to prevent being knocked unconscious. Shang shook his head and teased, "Missed me, why don't you give up and play with your dolls?" Mulan groaned and kicked him on the stomach but just not hard enough. "Is that supposed to hurt?"
"Shut up!" She replied, "Are you just too coward that you can't hit me?"
Shang chuckled and attempted to disarm her, the poles crashed and she pushed him making him stumble. The spar went on like that for about fifteen minutes, the soldiers just watched amazed until Shang finally managed to disarm Mulan still she kept fighting. She kicked Shang's hand and made him loosen the grip on that side of the pole, but it wasn't enough. Mulan bent and spun trying to knock him off his feet, he stumbled and used the pole to prevent himself from falling. Finally, when Mulan turned her back to him to spin he kicked her hard and made her fall on the ground. She was pinned on the ground, her back on him. Shang muttered proudly, "Nice try." She rolled her eyes and got up with dignity.
In the afternoon, she decided to practice archery riding on Khan. It took a lot of coordination, but she knew it was useful. She shot arrows to the targets on the trees. Shang came along and observed her quietly. At first she didn't notice he was there, until she heard him say, "You missed it by an inch."
She turned around and saw him standing arms crossed to his chest and a cocky grin on his face. She pulled the reins of her horse to stop and asked, "Don't you have anything better to do than annoying me with your disgusting presence?"
Shang shook his head and laughed, "Shouldn't you be at home fixing dinner for your husband?"
"I don't have a husband," she replied irritated, she got an arrow and aimed towards him threatening to shoot him.
"Put the bow and arrow down," Shang said, "No wonder you have no husband."
Mulan dismounted her horse, went past Shang and said , "What would I want a husband for? All men are idiots like you!"
"You don't think that about Yao, Ling and Chien Po, am I wrong?"
She knew what he meant. Couldn't he just stop teasing her for a minute? "Ahgr! They are my friends." She walked away and dropped the bow and arrows on the ground, besides left Khan free running around the place.
"Pick that up," Shang ordered, "That's not the place for those things."
"I don't want to," she yelled back, "Why don't you pick them if you're so interested on keeping this place clean?"
"Fine, Go and have some sleep, so your bad mood vanishes tomorrow!" Shang replied, "but I don't want you being the last to line up!"
"Ahgr," she screamed kicking the little pebble that stood on her way.
Shang bent down to pick Mulan's mess and turned to see Mulan disappearing into her tent. "Sorry," he whispered, "I never meant to annoy you with my presence." His voice was sad and sincere; all he wanted was a little bit of attention from her. He headed towards Khan and pulled him from the reins to lead him to the stable.
Mulan took off her shoes, socks and robe inside her tent. She felt unclean after a hard day of exercises and her legs were sore from the sparing. The only problem was that the lake was being occupied by all the soldiers that moment so she had to wait her turn until everyone was deep asleep. Meanwhile, she stared at the roof of her tent thoughtful, she fought to keep her eyes open but exhaustion tricked her and she drifted off into the world of dreams.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Past midnight, Shang was taking a walk around Camp totally restless. He stood before the lake and breathed in the fresh air grinning. Every soldier was asleep by now, so he had the whole lake to himself, to swim around naked if he pleased and just relax taking a break from all pressures and escape a little while from the troubles in his mind. A sigh of exhaustion escaped from inside of him. Then he got into the cold waters of the lake. At first he froze on to his bones but then he got used to the temperature. He detached the tidy bun on his head and sank his head into the water. Shang closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all thoughts; he simply focused on the chirping of the crickets and the long distant sound the wolves in the forest made. Ever since he was very young, Shang had enjoyed and searched for this kind of moments of peace and solitude to leave the real world for a while and trade the worries for moments of complete harmony with nature. All his worries abandoned his troubled soul.
Suddenly he heard the splash of feet stepping on water and opened his eyes to seek for the intruder, but there was no one or nothing in sight, maybe it had simply been his imagination. Once again, he shut his eyes. This time Mulan kindled in his thoughts. Why did she have to haunt him when everything seemed quite so peaceful? Only the heavens knew Shang found such thoughts pleasant and somehow a good distraction. Shaking his head he sank himself for a swim in the depths of the lake. He stopped at the sound of someone yelling, "Don't come closer!" His head went out of the surface, and the first thing he saw was Mulan's face blushing cherry red, and his didn't escape from burning with embarrassment. There, they stood only six feet apart from each other, but the moon's dim light didn't expose their nakedness.
"Don't you dare go any nearer!" she said sternly turning her back on him.
"What are you doing here at this time of the night?" Shang inquired, "I thought you were asleep."
Mulan half turned her face to him and answered, "Duh! I came here to bathe.I always take a bath around this time, you idiot!"
Shang let a laugh and teased, "Really? I thought you never took a shower here. Anyway, you sure needed one."
She glared at him and ordered, "Get out of here."
"Excuse me," he replied politely, "but this lake is none of your property."
"So?" she said defiantly, "I don't care. Just shut up and get your."
Shang cut her off shaking his head, "Ah, ah ah. You're being rude. Honestly, where are your manners?"
In times like this, he really made her lose her patience with his silly overloaded self-confidence. She sighed and groaned.
"Why do you always get mad at me?" questioned Shang.
Mulan rolled her eyes, "I don't. How could I when you're always so nice and gently to me," she said sarcastically.
He pretended not to notice the sarcasm on her voice and replied, "I knew that, you should be grateful."
Mulan stuck her tongue at him and he frowned. Both remained silent for a while, not daring to get out or swim away.
The night carried a chilly breeze and Mulan started to tremble.
"You should get out," Shang suggested, "You could catch a cold with this weather."
"I'm not getting out until I'm certain that you're in your tent," she replied, "I don't want you to see me naked."
Shang chuckled, "Come on, as if you had something I'd want to see."
Mulan frowned, wishing she could slap or even strangle him for his comment, she had been hurt way too deep that she could not think of a reply to offend him and she simply asked in a gentle voice, a shy ladylike voice, "Why don't you get out first?"
"I'm not going out," She said stubbornly.
"Well I'm not going out until you're sleeping."
They turned their backs on each other once again. Mulan looked up at the stars and the moon trembling, her teeth made a sound loud enough for Shang to notice. Then he suggested, "Look, I could just go back to where my clothes are and wait until you get out."
"You could see me from there," Mulan said, "besides I refuse to get out."
"You really are stubborn!"
"And you really are the most annoying person in this world."
"Thank you very much."
Mulan narrowed her eyes at him; it seemed those eyes were preparing to shoot fire bolts towards him when she got angry. She sighed and said, "Look I'm closing my eyes and you could just get out and get dressed. So when you're done you just let me know to open my eyes, and then you can leave."
"You're not gonna close your eyes!" Shang said, "I don't trust you."
She began rather nicely, "Please." The young General was stunned, when was the last time she had said the word please addressing him? But then she continued irritated, "What would I want to see you? My mind is not ill, such as all the filthy men here!"
"That's great for you, but still I cannot fully trust you wont' open your eyes."
"Could you just leave? At least swim away from me. I don't want you here, you just annoy me."
"After you," he said with a grin.
For a moment Mulan fell under his spell. He was like a god when he grinned, and this silly fight had made her not to notice how irresistible he appeared with the strands of hair falling freely inches over his broad shoulders. Mulan reminded herself he was still the same annoying man who yelled at her all day and was always keeping an eye on her waiting for her to make a mistake just to chide her and brag he knew more. "No thanks," she answered through gritted teeth, "I'll freeze to death if necessary."
"You really are the most stubborn person in the face of the earth."
"Wow! I'm so pleased to earn that title."
"Turn around and shut your eyes," Shang commanded.
"Why?" she complained, "What?"
"Look, someone has to be mature enough to get out as quick as possible," replied Shang matter-of-factly.
"You didn't say please," said Mulan.
"Come on, you never bother to use the word please when you talk to me. Let's call it even. It's for your own good," he went on, "but if you see me."
"Ok, ok. I'm not interested on seeing naked people least of all you." She turned her back on him and closed her eyes.
Right then, Shang swam away from her.
'I'll have to thank him for this someday,' Mulan thought, 'Nah, it could wait until he behaves. Though I must admit he's still a gentleman when he wants. Does he really think I'm immature?' Her thoughts were interrupted by Shang's voice calling her, "Ping, you can open them now." He stood right in front of her with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair loose. She couldn't deny he looked so hot like that. Then, he tossed Mulan's towel at her and she caught it. A thank you escaped from her. Shang smiled satisfied as he walked away to give her some privacy. She watched him leave with dreamy eyes and a lopsided grin.
By the way, to all of us Mushu fans I have good news: Mushu will appear on the next chapter. (