Chapter 2:

Home Sweet Home

Shang rode on his stallion back to his house where his little sister Li Tang was. As he rode through the towns he couldn't stop seeing the horrifying picture of his father's body lying there in the white fluffy snow. The mountaintops were so lifeless, so many battles were fought on the mountaintops. All leading to many deaths.

Shang shook his head to forget the picture, and continued his way through the crowds of people.

Many of the girls there practically were drooling over him. Some just stared, some tried to get his attention. He ignored them and clicked his heels and made his horse go faster to get away.

He made his way to an open field that was supposedly a short cut. The smells of beautiful wild flowers were in the air. It reminded him of home, just the sense of being free and along made him clear his mind.

He entered his hometown and galloped through the tiny village towards his home. There were so many memories just by passing by the various places. Many people that he grew up with greeted him, he gave a wave and a smile as he passed by.

He couldn't believe how things have changed around there. He approached his house and mounted off his stallion.

He walked in the gateway and made his way to the stables where he placed his horse inside. He went to the front door and knocked. He waited patiently for his sister to open it.

"What do you.........? Shang!" She said with a surprising look, and jumped onto him hugging him ever so tightly.

He laughed as he backed up from her sudden leap into his arms. "Nice to see you to."

They separated and headed inside. "God, I thought you were never coming back." She pored the tea into a cup and handed it to Shang. "So where is dad?" Shang nearly chocked on his tea, and looked at Li Tang nervously.

"Tang, dad.... He.... Um.... He's not coming back." Tang's smile turned into a frown.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Dad was killed by the Hun's Tang....he's not coming home." He looked at Tang with sadness. She placed her hands over her face and quietly wept. Shang being the big brother he was, went over to her and placed his arms around her to comfort his little sister.

She cried harder, he held onto her tighter trying to fight his own tears.

As the night went by, Tang made dinner for both of them. "You sure you don't want any help?" He asked as he entered the kitchen quietly.

"No, I'm fine just go sit down and relax it's almost done." She was one of the best cooks in the house, he couldn't remember how his mother use to cook, She died a couple days before Tang was born.

He still remembered it, he was only five, he was always the one taking care of his sister. His father would always have to leave because he was a general and usually generals or captains don't have time for their family.

Even though his father wasn't always there, they both learned how to take care of themselves.

Tang placed a plate of food in front of him making him forget his thoughts. "Thanks" replied Shang. She sat down next to them and they began to eat the chicken and pork and egg rolls that were on their plate.

She stared at her brother watching him eat his food. She had heard about Fa Mulan and wondered if Shang was there to see her. "Shang?"

"Hum..." He responded with a mouth full of food.

"Do you know Fa Mulan?"

He stopped chewing and stared up at his sister. He swallowed heard on his food. "Yeah, I was her commanding officer, why?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I was just wondering that's all." He began to eat again. She was still interested in the whole story that she heard from people around town. But this she just had to hear it from her brother.

"So is she nice?" She asked making her brother stop everything and look at her.

"How about I just tell you the whole story." He answered with a smile. She grinned and listened carefully to what he had to say.

As he told the story, He made his sister wonder if he had any feeling for her. "So that's it, I mean you just let her leave like that?"

"A... well... no...I mean, I went to her house because she forgot her helmet and I had to return it to her." Tang began to get a smile on her face of knowingly that he was hiding something.

"Sure, you just went to go return the helmet." She said crossing her arms across her chest.

Shang looked at her not knowing what to say next, "W-what do you mean?" He asked mumbling for the right words. He began to blush red in the cheeks.

"You know what I mean, you like her...and don't deny it." She pronounced rubbing it in his face that he liked her. He got up looking annoyed by his sister and took his plate with him to the kitchen.

"Just admit to it and I'll leave you along." He placed the plate down and looked at his sister with annoyance. "What will I say, come on Shang..." He rolled his eyes and returned his gaze at Tang.

"So I think she is cute....." He said with embarrassment.

"Ha.....I knew it, you like her!........." She said jumping in the air pointing in his face that she was right. He began to walk away, she followed right behind him rubbing it in his face.

"Ok, you made your point now leave me along!"

"Ok........" She couldn't keep a straight face she began to smile and giggle. "I'm sorry I just think it's so cute..." Shang went into his room and shut the door on her as he tried to get away from his annoying little sister.

He lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling wondering if he should go see Mulan anytime soon. The glimpse of her came into his head making him smile. He loved everything about her, her strength, intelligence, just everything about her made her seem perfect from all the other girls.

Then by getting up he began to get ready for bed, He slipped on some lighter yet more comfortable clothing and slipped under the covers and feel right asleep dreaming about the heroine Fa Mulan, his Mulan.