Struggle for Existence
Chapter 2
By Yukira Tsurama
Disclaimer: All Dynasty Warriors characters used in this fanfiction belong to Koei, but the storyline is MINE~! Teehee.
Author's Notes: Answers to reviews are at the bottom. Is that what you were looking for? ~_^
Random thought: Every time my friend puts a mood ring on, it turns light pinkish. Every time I put it on, it turns BLACK after TWO seconds! Is this something I need to worry about? TELL ME PLEASE!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The days seemed to be longer for Yue Ying. However, everyone else around her did their tasks hastily; in the next day after telling the horrible news, Zhuge Liang's stress seemed to affect everyone--that is, except for Yue Ying.
And even though Yue Ying was assigned to write down new policies instructed by her husband, her thoughts wandered off. Suddenly, writing multiple hanzi was difficult and tiring, and it was such a nice day outside. Although Yue Ying was a diligent worker that always did her taskswork efficiently, she slipped out of the palace grounds and procrastinated from her further duties.
And just what did Yue Ying do outside? She strolled around the vast gardens, at a leisurely pace.
Petals from the cherry trees fluttered to the ground gracefully, and the world seemed to be at ease. However, deep in her heart, Yue Ying knew that it probably wouldn't be for a very long time. Colorful lilies from a nearby pond drew her to it.
Yue Ying could remember what things were like for her when she was very young. The village people called her plain, and often compared her to the other pretty village girls. At that time, no one acknowledged her potential. Yue Ying grew up in a place where people doubted her, the other girls mocked her, and even her mother scolded her for being so grave "on purpose".
And now, Yue Ying gazed back at her sullen reflection in the pond. Now that she had thought about it, she was rather plain. Perhaps it was because she refused to wear makeup, sometimes chasing persistent saleswomen out of the palace grounds.
"I could be pretty if I wanted to," Yue Ying said to herself. "It would just be too much of a sacrifice..."
"How so, Lady Yue?"
Yue Ying turned around quickly and saw Zhao Yun standing over her. Yue Ying smiled.
"The calamity hasn't affected you either, Zhao Yun?" asked Yue Ying curiously, only calling him by his name for the first time.
"No." was the reply. Zhao Yun turned around, his back facing her.
A somewhat awkward silence passed over them.
"Anyway," Zhao Yun spoke, sitting down next to Yue Ying. "I think that you are beautiful just the way you are."
Yue Ying smiled, but she brushed off his compliment. "No, I'm not. I'm plain looking."
This time, Zhao Yun looked her straight in the eye. Yue Ying tried to break eye contact, blushing slightly. "No, you are truly beautiful." Zhao Yun smiled to himself. Yue Ying felt herself blushing.
Zhao Yun rose and bowed to her briefly. "I'm sorry, Lady Yue, but I must help the other generals calm the soldiers. They're getting out of hand."
Yue Ying nodded, and watched as Zhao Yun walked out of the garden.
And for a while, Yue Ying was utterly confused. Never before had she been so puzzled. Zhao Yun had told her sincerely that she was beautiful, and it had shocked her. Even Zhuge Liang himself never took the time to contemplate her, tell her that she was beautiful no matter what, and the like. Yue Ying was also doubtful about her marriage. Yue Ying and Zhuge Liang had never really spoken to each other intimately. Yue Ying herself was still a virgin.
But after letting some time pass, Yue Ying felt belittled. What could a handsome warrior like Zhao Yun see in her, anyway?
After letting the doubts in the back of her mind soak in for a while, Yue Ying went back into the palace to finish her work.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Yue Ying awoke suddenly. Something had happened, something bad. She could feel it. Yue Ying tied up her robe and ran into Zhuge Liang's room, but he wasn't there. Yue Ying then ran into each of the officers' quarters, only to find that they weren't there, either. Yue Ying rushed back to her room, grabbed her spear, and hastily hurried to the palace doors. She could hear faint shouts and cries.
She was more surprised when she saw the murderous onslaught, Wu and Wei generals outnumbering the Shu officers in every direction. In the large mass of people, she saw Zhuge Liang being escorted to safety by Jiang Wei. But the strategist and his apprentice did not see Sima Yi or Lu Xun heading directly to them.
Yue Ying tried to shout to her husband, but her voice alone would not be enough to overpower the cries of a thousand men. She could only watch in sheer terror as Sima Yi took down Zhuge Liang in one finishing move.
Strangely, Yue Ying did not feel as much grief as she had expected. To her, Zhuge Liang had just been a companion, not really a husband. But she still felt sorrow.
Jiang Wei's voice rang out. "OFFICERS! ESCAPE AND HEAD FOR YOUR DESTINATION!" Then Lu Xun rendered Jiang Wei unconscious.
Yue Ying felt even more unsure. Jiang Wei was the only other person that could direct her husband's last strategy, and with him being taken away...
How would Shu reunite?
Yue Ying called out to the Shu generals, but they paid no attention to her. They just scattered out in the direction of their destination.
How would the strategy get carried out?
Yue Ying thought quickly. How would she figure out the positions of the Shu generals? Then she remembered that Zhuge Liang had left a full copy of his complete plan inside the palace somewhere. If she could find it, then she would be able to reunite Shu and keep the information safe from Wu and Wei. If only she could find it...
And then the Wei general, Zhang He, saw her at the entrance of the palace, and informed Sima Yi. Yue Ying ran back inside the palace in pursuit of her husband's written strategy.
If she had been wearing battle armor, then Yue Ying would have had trouble running. But in her silk robes, she could sprint with ease.
Yue Ying ran into Zhuge Liang's study room, and searched for the plan on his desk. It wasn't there. But there were several scrolls and scraps of paper. Yue Ying grabbed them and ran for the meeting hall.
It was at that moment that Yue Ying heard the front doors to the palace slam violently and fall to the ground. She surveyed the meeting hall's desk hastily.
As Yue Ying searched frantically, she could hear light, but agile footsteps somewhere in the building, getting closer and closer to her.
"Come on, come on..." she thought to herself as papers flew in the air. "Where is it!?"
"Who's there?" asked a cunning, sly voice.
Yue Ying saw General Zhang He at the door. Her eyes widened, and she reached for a scroll that fell underneath the desk. Opening it quickly, she saw it that it was the written strategy! Now if she could escape...
Yue Ying ran off, scrolls and pieces of paper tucked under her left arm, her right arm wielding her weapon, and the written strategy in her left hand. In an effort to escape as quickly as she could, she suddenly bumped into someone.
It was the Wei strategist Sima Yi. How fortunate.
Sima Yi smiled a wicked smile at Yue Ying, who was scrambling to her feet. "Hello. Where are you going?"
Another interruption occurred when the wall next to Yue Ying collapsed. This time, it was Lu Xun. He tried to shoot Yue Ying with a fire arrow, but missed and set the other wall on fire. Yue Ying was now surrounded, an open fire behind her, Lu Xun in front of her, and Sima Yi to the side. Then Zhang He showed up. In one leap, Zhang He kicked Yue Ying, and the scrolls that she held fell to the ground.
Sima Yi tried to grab the largest scroll, the written strategy, but Yue Ying tripped him with her spear and grabbed it first. Lu Xun tried to pull the scroll from her, but she kicked him away.
Zhang He kicked her again, and the scroll fell out of her hands, far from her reach. She had to make a quick decision: destroy the scroll, or try to get it back?
The chances of her getting it back were hopeless. She'd have to destroy the scroll.
However, if the scroll was destroyed, then she'd have to figure out the locations of the Shu officers by reading over the planning notes.
Sima Yi tried to grab the scroll again, but Yue Ying reacted first and pushed it into the fire with her spear. The scroll burst into flames and caught fire quickly.
As the three generals were distracted, Yue Ying grabbed the smaller scrolls and ran off again.
This time, she exited the palace through the back doors. There was a stable there, and she could ride one of the horses to safety.
The high-pitched sound of a flute pierced Yue Ying's ears when she got outside. In front of the stable was Cao Pi's wife, Zhen Ji.
Zhen Ji was a beautiful woman, and Yue Ying couldn't help but notice how inferior she looked compared to Zhen Ji. But Yue Ying didn't care at the moment; her life was at stake, and so was the fate of the Shu kingdom.
Yue Ying didn't want to fight. She wanted to get away slyly this time.
"Lady Zhen, how about if we play a game?"
"I have no time for games." Zhen Ji replied harshly.
"If you can beat me, then I shall place my life in your hands. If I win, then you will let me go free."
Zhen Ji seemed amused. "Go on."
Yue Ying thought for a few seconds, then took off her jeweled necklace (A/N: I'm making this up at the last second...it's a really heavy necklace, m'kay?), it was a special necklace that she had received when she married Zhuge Liang. It was adorned with rubies, sapphires, and a jade pendant of high value. Yue Ying noticed Zhen Ji's eyes sparkle looking at the necklace.
"We will use your flute and my necklace to play this game. Each of us will take turns putting on the necklace, and you will have to get it off using the flute."
Zhen Ji frowned. "That isn't possible!"
"Is it?" Yue Ying smirked.
Zhen Ji sighed in an intrinsic way, then spoke. "Alright then, I trust that you are a woman of her word. But if I win, I get your life AND your necklace."
Zhen Ji placed the necklace on first, then took the flute. At first, she slipped the flute under the chain and jerked it up quickly, but it didn't work. She tried to rise it up slowly, but it still didn't work. She then gave up. But she still glared at Yue Ying, and said "I don't lose until you win!" Yue Ying deemed this fair, then placed the necklace on her own neck.
As Yue Ying fumbled with the flute and the necklace, a devious thought came to Zhen Ji's mind.
"You never mentioned any further rules about this game, did you?"
Yue Ying shook her head.
Zhen Ji smirked. "Then I guess it won't be cheating if I--" Zhen Ji didn't finish her sentence, she just backed up and prepared to do a flying kick on Yue Ying, who was still having trouble getting the necklace off.
At that moment, Yue Ying realized the secret. You had to balance both sides of the necklace, then pull it up slowly at all angles.
Zhen Ji's flying kick still knocked Yue Ying to the ground, and by that time, the necklace was off. Yue Ying was furious.
Zhen Ji only smirked.
Yue Ying grabbed the scrolls, her spear, the necklace, AND the flute, then mounted a horse. "It doesn't matter!" yelled Yue Ying. "I won the game, I KEEP your flute! HA!"
Zhen Ji then gasped. "You--You...give it back!"
By then, Yue Ying was already a mile away, and clearly intent on reuniting Shu.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Answers to reviews:
Beast trainer: Yue Ying is so cool. Thanks for the review!
lacitar13: Yes...I do recall saying something about Zhao Yun/Yue Ying in a review! Thanks for reminding me! Zhao Yun will end up with Yue Ying...what do you think? Interesting couple, isn't it?
VampireTybalt: Thank you for the review, and yes. I hope it does get interesting, now that Yue Ying has Zhen Ji's flute...
I'm so tired. I have midterm exams tomorrow...so sleepy...
Review please~!
Chapter 2
By Yukira Tsurama
Disclaimer: All Dynasty Warriors characters used in this fanfiction belong to Koei, but the storyline is MINE~! Teehee.
Author's Notes: Answers to reviews are at the bottom. Is that what you were looking for? ~_^
Random thought: Every time my friend puts a mood ring on, it turns light pinkish. Every time I put it on, it turns BLACK after TWO seconds! Is this something I need to worry about? TELL ME PLEASE!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The days seemed to be longer for Yue Ying. However, everyone else around her did their tasks hastily; in the next day after telling the horrible news, Zhuge Liang's stress seemed to affect everyone--that is, except for Yue Ying.
And even though Yue Ying was assigned to write down new policies instructed by her husband, her thoughts wandered off. Suddenly, writing multiple hanzi was difficult and tiring, and it was such a nice day outside. Although Yue Ying was a diligent worker that always did her taskswork efficiently, she slipped out of the palace grounds and procrastinated from her further duties.
And just what did Yue Ying do outside? She strolled around the vast gardens, at a leisurely pace.
Petals from the cherry trees fluttered to the ground gracefully, and the world seemed to be at ease. However, deep in her heart, Yue Ying knew that it probably wouldn't be for a very long time. Colorful lilies from a nearby pond drew her to it.
Yue Ying could remember what things were like for her when she was very young. The village people called her plain, and often compared her to the other pretty village girls. At that time, no one acknowledged her potential. Yue Ying grew up in a place where people doubted her, the other girls mocked her, and even her mother scolded her for being so grave "on purpose".
And now, Yue Ying gazed back at her sullen reflection in the pond. Now that she had thought about it, she was rather plain. Perhaps it was because she refused to wear makeup, sometimes chasing persistent saleswomen out of the palace grounds.
"I could be pretty if I wanted to," Yue Ying said to herself. "It would just be too much of a sacrifice..."
"How so, Lady Yue?"
Yue Ying turned around quickly and saw Zhao Yun standing over her. Yue Ying smiled.
"The calamity hasn't affected you either, Zhao Yun?" asked Yue Ying curiously, only calling him by his name for the first time.
"No." was the reply. Zhao Yun turned around, his back facing her.
A somewhat awkward silence passed over them.
"Anyway," Zhao Yun spoke, sitting down next to Yue Ying. "I think that you are beautiful just the way you are."
Yue Ying smiled, but she brushed off his compliment. "No, I'm not. I'm plain looking."
This time, Zhao Yun looked her straight in the eye. Yue Ying tried to break eye contact, blushing slightly. "No, you are truly beautiful." Zhao Yun smiled to himself. Yue Ying felt herself blushing.
Zhao Yun rose and bowed to her briefly. "I'm sorry, Lady Yue, but I must help the other generals calm the soldiers. They're getting out of hand."
Yue Ying nodded, and watched as Zhao Yun walked out of the garden.
And for a while, Yue Ying was utterly confused. Never before had she been so puzzled. Zhao Yun had told her sincerely that she was beautiful, and it had shocked her. Even Zhuge Liang himself never took the time to contemplate her, tell her that she was beautiful no matter what, and the like. Yue Ying was also doubtful about her marriage. Yue Ying and Zhuge Liang had never really spoken to each other intimately. Yue Ying herself was still a virgin.
But after letting some time pass, Yue Ying felt belittled. What could a handsome warrior like Zhao Yun see in her, anyway?
After letting the doubts in the back of her mind soak in for a while, Yue Ying went back into the palace to finish her work.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Yue Ying awoke suddenly. Something had happened, something bad. She could feel it. Yue Ying tied up her robe and ran into Zhuge Liang's room, but he wasn't there. Yue Ying then ran into each of the officers' quarters, only to find that they weren't there, either. Yue Ying rushed back to her room, grabbed her spear, and hastily hurried to the palace doors. She could hear faint shouts and cries.
She was more surprised when she saw the murderous onslaught, Wu and Wei generals outnumbering the Shu officers in every direction. In the large mass of people, she saw Zhuge Liang being escorted to safety by Jiang Wei. But the strategist and his apprentice did not see Sima Yi or Lu Xun heading directly to them.
Yue Ying tried to shout to her husband, but her voice alone would not be enough to overpower the cries of a thousand men. She could only watch in sheer terror as Sima Yi took down Zhuge Liang in one finishing move.
Strangely, Yue Ying did not feel as much grief as she had expected. To her, Zhuge Liang had just been a companion, not really a husband. But she still felt sorrow.
Jiang Wei's voice rang out. "OFFICERS! ESCAPE AND HEAD FOR YOUR DESTINATION!" Then Lu Xun rendered Jiang Wei unconscious.
Yue Ying felt even more unsure. Jiang Wei was the only other person that could direct her husband's last strategy, and with him being taken away...
How would Shu reunite?
Yue Ying called out to the Shu generals, but they paid no attention to her. They just scattered out in the direction of their destination.
How would the strategy get carried out?
Yue Ying thought quickly. How would she figure out the positions of the Shu generals? Then she remembered that Zhuge Liang had left a full copy of his complete plan inside the palace somewhere. If she could find it, then she would be able to reunite Shu and keep the information safe from Wu and Wei. If only she could find it...
And then the Wei general, Zhang He, saw her at the entrance of the palace, and informed Sima Yi. Yue Ying ran back inside the palace in pursuit of her husband's written strategy.
If she had been wearing battle armor, then Yue Ying would have had trouble running. But in her silk robes, she could sprint with ease.
Yue Ying ran into Zhuge Liang's study room, and searched for the plan on his desk. It wasn't there. But there were several scrolls and scraps of paper. Yue Ying grabbed them and ran for the meeting hall.
It was at that moment that Yue Ying heard the front doors to the palace slam violently and fall to the ground. She surveyed the meeting hall's desk hastily.
As Yue Ying searched frantically, she could hear light, but agile footsteps somewhere in the building, getting closer and closer to her.
"Come on, come on..." she thought to herself as papers flew in the air. "Where is it!?"
"Who's there?" asked a cunning, sly voice.
Yue Ying saw General Zhang He at the door. Her eyes widened, and she reached for a scroll that fell underneath the desk. Opening it quickly, she saw it that it was the written strategy! Now if she could escape...
Yue Ying ran off, scrolls and pieces of paper tucked under her left arm, her right arm wielding her weapon, and the written strategy in her left hand. In an effort to escape as quickly as she could, she suddenly bumped into someone.
It was the Wei strategist Sima Yi. How fortunate.
Sima Yi smiled a wicked smile at Yue Ying, who was scrambling to her feet. "Hello. Where are you going?"
Another interruption occurred when the wall next to Yue Ying collapsed. This time, it was Lu Xun. He tried to shoot Yue Ying with a fire arrow, but missed and set the other wall on fire. Yue Ying was now surrounded, an open fire behind her, Lu Xun in front of her, and Sima Yi to the side. Then Zhang He showed up. In one leap, Zhang He kicked Yue Ying, and the scrolls that she held fell to the ground.
Sima Yi tried to grab the largest scroll, the written strategy, but Yue Ying tripped him with her spear and grabbed it first. Lu Xun tried to pull the scroll from her, but she kicked him away.
Zhang He kicked her again, and the scroll fell out of her hands, far from her reach. She had to make a quick decision: destroy the scroll, or try to get it back?
The chances of her getting it back were hopeless. She'd have to destroy the scroll.
However, if the scroll was destroyed, then she'd have to figure out the locations of the Shu officers by reading over the planning notes.
Sima Yi tried to grab the scroll again, but Yue Ying reacted first and pushed it into the fire with her spear. The scroll burst into flames and caught fire quickly.
As the three generals were distracted, Yue Ying grabbed the smaller scrolls and ran off again.
This time, she exited the palace through the back doors. There was a stable there, and she could ride one of the horses to safety.
The high-pitched sound of a flute pierced Yue Ying's ears when she got outside. In front of the stable was Cao Pi's wife, Zhen Ji.
Zhen Ji was a beautiful woman, and Yue Ying couldn't help but notice how inferior she looked compared to Zhen Ji. But Yue Ying didn't care at the moment; her life was at stake, and so was the fate of the Shu kingdom.
Yue Ying didn't want to fight. She wanted to get away slyly this time.
"Lady Zhen, how about if we play a game?"
"I have no time for games." Zhen Ji replied harshly.
"If you can beat me, then I shall place my life in your hands. If I win, then you will let me go free."
Zhen Ji seemed amused. "Go on."
Yue Ying thought for a few seconds, then took off her jeweled necklace (A/N: I'm making this up at the last second...it's a really heavy necklace, m'kay?), it was a special necklace that she had received when she married Zhuge Liang. It was adorned with rubies, sapphires, and a jade pendant of high value. Yue Ying noticed Zhen Ji's eyes sparkle looking at the necklace.
"We will use your flute and my necklace to play this game. Each of us will take turns putting on the necklace, and you will have to get it off using the flute."
Zhen Ji frowned. "That isn't possible!"
"Is it?" Yue Ying smirked.
Zhen Ji sighed in an intrinsic way, then spoke. "Alright then, I trust that you are a woman of her word. But if I win, I get your life AND your necklace."
Zhen Ji placed the necklace on first, then took the flute. At first, she slipped the flute under the chain and jerked it up quickly, but it didn't work. She tried to rise it up slowly, but it still didn't work. She then gave up. But she still glared at Yue Ying, and said "I don't lose until you win!" Yue Ying deemed this fair, then placed the necklace on her own neck.
As Yue Ying fumbled with the flute and the necklace, a devious thought came to Zhen Ji's mind.
"You never mentioned any further rules about this game, did you?"
Yue Ying shook her head.
Zhen Ji smirked. "Then I guess it won't be cheating if I--" Zhen Ji didn't finish her sentence, she just backed up and prepared to do a flying kick on Yue Ying, who was still having trouble getting the necklace off.
At that moment, Yue Ying realized the secret. You had to balance both sides of the necklace, then pull it up slowly at all angles.
Zhen Ji's flying kick still knocked Yue Ying to the ground, and by that time, the necklace was off. Yue Ying was furious.
Zhen Ji only smirked.
Yue Ying grabbed the scrolls, her spear, the necklace, AND the flute, then mounted a horse. "It doesn't matter!" yelled Yue Ying. "I won the game, I KEEP your flute! HA!"
Zhen Ji then gasped. "You--You...give it back!"
By then, Yue Ying was already a mile away, and clearly intent on reuniting Shu.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Answers to reviews:
Beast trainer: Yue Ying is so cool. Thanks for the review!
lacitar13: Yes...I do recall saying something about Zhao Yun/Yue Ying in a review! Thanks for reminding me! Zhao Yun will end up with Yue Ying...what do you think? Interesting couple, isn't it?
VampireTybalt: Thank you for the review, and yes. I hope it does get interesting, now that Yue Ying has Zhen Ji's flute...
I'm so tired. I have midterm exams tomorrow...so sleepy...
Review please~!