Confusion with Bandits and the Last of the Wildcat Riders
Don Shizumi: Welcome to the most exciting world of fiction, buried deep within Fan Fiction. Net. As you can see, I am Don Shizumi, the author of this fiction and also, the master Ninja of the reviewers.
Zhao Xing: It has come to our attention, most specifically Shizumi's, that all that he found in his reviews lately are either one time reviewers or greedy people only submitting characters. People, submitting characters, then short reviews that say:
"Good job"
Or
"Write more"
This will not speed his progress. I've seen these types of reviews on other interactive fiction, people reviewing only once, with their characters.
Don Shizumi: I wish to be inspired. When writing in the reviews, don't always say something about my writing prowess. I don't appreciate simple words of compliment. Please tell me what YOU want, what you WANT to see, and what I NEED to do to please you. (Besides putting your character in, how greedy can we be people?)
Zhao Xing: Also, we are unable to fix the "Block paragraphs" as noted by some reviewers. The blocky-ness can't be helped, as the author writes on "Word" and refuses to do anything but traditional story and paragraph form.
Don Shizumi: And also, if you want a little advertisement for your fiction, tell me and I'll punch you up in the fiction. Really, I'll put the name of your story and your name right across the top.
Zhao Xing: Almost finished with the author's notes, don't worry. And for those who don't think I review the other stories, I'm sorry. I don't have time to read yours anymore, with school and all. I'll TRY to read your stories, Shizumi and I, but we don't have guarantees! And also, thank you to whoever helped out by giving us ideas. You know who you are!
Don Shizumi: Indeed. Well, remember! Don't just compliment me; push me to what you want! Just don't be too greedy! Find something that you want and that other people may want! Not just another character or something that you want YOUR character to do. Besides, it's my fiction. I can just kill your character if you get too "happy" with your reviews. So heed that warning. Well, you're all probably hungering for the story. Without further delay, here is:
Chapter 2
It was early morning in the quiet little village town that had been blockaded by bandits earlier. And, although one side of the village was practically torn down, everyone resumed their daily lives within the small town. Farmers would go up and down the streets, tending to their business, only stopping to talk about their crop or trade. The same baker going down the street with that tray of biscuits he wish to sell, and that librarian carrying new scrolls and books down the lane towards the main building where he housed all his papers and rental books. All the houses looked pretty quaint and shabby; taking a more folk-styled type of look with the straw and thin wooden roof and the weak white walls that housed the villagers and concealed them within when needed.
The morning musk hit Zhao Xing as he would wake up. The sun was already burning up in the sky, and the noise of the busying people attracted his attention. Zhao Xing would turn his attention to his surroundings. He hadn't really paid any attention to them since he was too tired the morning before, but he had given it towards the woman, Qing Yuan who had appeared by his bedside watching over him until Yu Chai would return. Snapping himself to attention, quickly sitting up and glancing around, he'd see that he was in some sort of inn, seeing that that he was in a small hay bed and the room was small. Turning his head to his left, he'd see Qing Yuan sleeping on two chairs that she had put together for a makeshift bed. Seeing as she was most definitely uncomfortable, he would quickly stand up.
A strange breeze would hit him as he'd look down to himself. He was, and undoubtedly so. NAKED?!
"AHHH!" his eyes widened as he jumped behind the bed, hoping that Qing Yuan wouldn't wake at that moment. Looking down at himself, he had wrapping all around his body, across his chest, on his legs and around his stomach. Why did they have to strip him down though? His face would flush red at the thought that Yu Chai and Qing Yuan would've let doctors do that to him and leave him unclothed in his sleep. It was kind of immoral or irresponsible to him. But he'd quickly shake the embarrassing feeling off and took a look around the floor. Where the hell was his things?! "If those doctors took my things into the medical ward, I'm going to have to take something up with Yu Chai."
He was going to either get mad, or extremely angry at the moment, but soon, he'd cower in fear. When he stood up to take a look over the bed, he'd see Qing Yuan stirring within her sleep. Zhao Xing's hazel oculars wouldn't tear away from her as he'd just freeze, hoping she would calm down in her sleep and let him move. Much to his relief, she settled down upon her shoulder. He'd quickly get up, jumping on his feet and then jumping over the bed, landing on the stone floor with a slight "thump". He now REALLY hoped she didn't wake up, as he stood stark naked over her, still trying to look for his clothes. Finally finding his clothes under the chairs, he'd creep under her position to reach for his folded clothes.
Qing Yuan's hazel eyes would flutter open. She had enough sleep and was ready to follow Zhao Xing to the ends of the world if it meant getting to learn how to fight like the man. She'd look up and glance around her. No Zhao Xing in site. Hmm, maybe he went out? But he couldn't have, the doctors had removed his garments and Yu Chai was sent out of the house so he couldn't have left without her. Or could he? Would he really leave a friend? Ah, it's just overreacting. Soon, she'd jump up and shake out long black hair that seemed to shimmer when she shook it out near the light peering out the window. Smoothing out her dress, taking any of the wrinkles out, she'd bend down to do the same to slip that fell freely in front of her that covered her and completed the decency to the dress. As soon as she was done with the smoothing, she'd turn around and headed out the door, to look around the village for Zhao Xing.
"Mr. Zhao Xing. I don't believe you'll leave me or her that easily." She said before closing the door behind her and heading off into the village to find him.
Good thing Zhao Xing had a sense of timing. As soon as he had heard her stirring, he hid under the chairs of the makeshift bed and would be out of her sight. Now clutching his clothes to himself as she had left, he would crawl out and let out a deep exhale, sighing that she didn't see him indecent.
"That would've been a disaster. I must control myself from just rushing to what I need to do." And with those words set to inspire him, he'd start to re-dress himself up with the robes. As soon as he had on the half torn monk robes on, he would head towards the door, open it and then trolled outside the little inn they were in. When he looked out, his suspicions were correct. All the people outside were bustling with business and there were even more people within the village than he thought. This was odd and somewhat amusing. They talk like they were from the capital cities or a main trade station. Ah, what can you do? Perhaps it was a main trading area. Zhao Xing didn't waste any time thinking to what the area was though. He would work quickly, walking around the area to see if he could spy Yu Chai somewhere. Sure enough, he narrowed the places down to one lonely bar that was at the east end of the building, built along the stone gate that surrounded the entire town. It wasn't the best looking bar by the looks of it, since it looked like it was built with hand-me-downed wood and stone, but it had charm within its simplicity. Walking to the front door of the place, he'd open it, which felt more like a paper door rather than wood. Once he headed into the area, he'd seen much more drunkards than he'd thought. At the far end, two men would be singing as they waved their mugs of beer and one before them, passed out from drinking too much, would be constantly poked by another man, who was hiccupping, asking the same question over and over again. Xing was disgusted by the drunkards. Had they nothing to do but to sit around and drink all day? Obviously not!
"How utterly repulsing." He'd mutter to himself, trying not to get in a bar fight with about another fifty men. He wouldn't fight well if he was surrounded in closed quarters. Now scouring about, he'd stop at the front bar to find a drunken and passed out Yu Chai slumped over at the counter, her head buried in her arms and her curly brown locks tossed about. He had better get Chai out before anything happens, either alcohol poisoning or maybe some lusty barfly comes and picked her up. Taking her over his shoulders, he'd start towards the door when he felt something tugging at his long hair.
"What the?"
"Xing-xing! Whazha doin' in heeeeeeeere...heh heh heh! Loooookeeee meee! I'mz a purtularific ladeyyyyy!" Zhao Xing's long jet blacks were being pulled by the drunken Yu Chai. Her forehead and nose were red and her cheeks were a tad pink. She was most definitely drunk and she was going to feel a hell of a hang over in the morning. Zhao Xing would just shake his head and kept going towards the entrance. His expression would shift to an utmost seriousness when three men blocked his way, his eyebrow arching and his mouth opened to make a protest.
"Get out of my way, sir. I am carrying a friend out." Zhao Xing would say to the men blocking his way, but they would only grin and wobble back and forth.
"Now wayyyyy shonny...Dats our ladeyyyyy! We're not lettin' some boyyyyyy like YOU take her awayyy...We gotta haf some fun fer ourselves, ya know?" He said doing a little pervert notion by doing a pelvic thrust. Xing just cringed at the thought of Yu Chai being used by these three drunkards and struggled to keep the contents of his stomach from spilling out of his mouth and onto the floor. Stepping forwards with Yu Chai still over his shoulders, he would only feel a palm at his chest, stopping him from exiting the accursed building with its foul smelling stench of alcohol and liquor.
"What'd wez tellz ya? Youz ain't goin anywherez!" the first drunk said taking a swing at Xing. Xing would jump back and throw Yu Chai up into the air so they both won't get hit. He would land on a table behind him and Yu Chai landed on top of him as he clasped his arms around her, ready to lift her off. Now if she wasn't drunk, that little action he did wouldn't be a problem.
"Awww, Xing-xing, I didn't know you felt that way!" she said still drunk off her mind. Xing just shook his head as he would roll off the table with Yu Chai still in his grasp and then he'd walk towards the exit once more. There was no way he could fight the drunkards in closed quarters like this. He needed to escape with a person in his hands, and so far, this escape looked like it would end in injury.
"I'm tellin' yaz...Leggo o' her..." he said now grabbing his arm, almost causing him to let go of Yu Chai completely. She would drop from his arms, her head threatening to hit the floor. He'd quickly do a front split kick, bringing his right leg forwards and putting it between the open stance of the drunkard's legs and his left leg aiming backwards. He'd sigh and smile upon Yu Chai as he barely caught her in his arms. What a close one when she barely landed within his arms, mere inches from the floor.
"You drunken men, get out of my way. She needs a bed to sleep and get this alcohol out of her system." He said now pleading with them one more time. They wouldn't listen. They just chuckled idiotically and advanced with an eager grin, a show of violence when they clenched their fist in aggression.
"Yu Chai, you better thank me for this." Xing mumbled as he backed up, still carrying her.
"Weee! Mommy! I wanna ride da pony!" Yu Chai mumbled into Xing as he held her to him
"Ah! I'll make a note never to bring you to a social gathering!" Xing said as he backed against a counter. Prepping Chai's body on top of the counter, he'd jump over the next table to meet the bar flies. As soon as one came up to him, he'd bend back to dodge a poorly coordinated hook punch and then would move forward and deliver a punch to the man's nose, a giant "CRACK" as the man's eyes would glaze over as he flew over his comrades and at the door, his body knocking it open and him rolling out into the outside morning. The other two would look from their counterpart to Xing, only contempt and hate within their gazes. Xing would just shrug and move forward to greet some new competitors. "Here we go again."
Xing would encounter the next man to be exceptionally smelly. He wouldn't want to keep this man as a disturbance in the bar. Soon, the man would try to grab Xing, but Xing knew better than just to stand still. He would head butt the man as soon as he grabbed his shoulders and then did a back flip kick, stepping on his chest for support, then kicking off, giving spectators something to gawk at. His aerial spectacle wouldn't be finished though, because as soon as he was mid-through the back flip, he'd bring back his fist and punched the odor-bounded goon in the same part he had already hit in the chest. The man would lose his breath and gasp as soon as Xing had landed, and in turn, Xing would duck low and deliver a spinning roundhouse sweep to the man's legs, causing the man to drop on his back. The second man, a behemoth of a man would tower over Xing. But the man wouldn't just back out. Throwing a punch to the man's face, the man would only look at Zhao Xing, baring his teeth at him and growling like a feral demon.
"Xing-xing -hic- over here!" Yu Chai called out, waving at Zhao Xing. She was still drunk, but good enough to see what was going on. Tossing him a wine pot, Xing would look back up to the man and then without further hesitation, smashed the wine pot on his head. The man would cringe in pain and turn his face away for a moment, but only for that moment. Soon, his eyes were wide and upon Xing. Flexing his muscles and then cracking his neck muscles, he would prepare to grab Xing and bear-hug Xing until Yu Chai would call once more. "Xing-xing! Catch!"
Throwing, this time, a metal pole, Xing would catch it and looked towards the large thug. The thug would widen his eyes at the pole and then looked to Xing. Getting on his knees, he would start to cry and shake his head as Xing would actually smile as he crumbled before him in a fearful pile. Now THIS was his kind of fight. Xing would shake his head in disapproval and kept the smile as he carefully KO'd the man on his knees with the pole then beckoned Yu Chai to come to him. Yu Chai, nodding her head to Xing, would stumble over the bar and towards him, landing in his arms again.
"That was a close one Yu Chai, don't do that again."
"Yup! -hic- stop bein such a show off!"
"I was helping you." Xing said as he helped her out of the bar, carefully helping her step over the bleeding drunkard that he left in a pile outside of the bar. They were off, back to the inn again.
O O
Cao Cao stepped around the war room, his temper steadily decreasing thanks to quick quotes by Zhang He, Xu Huang and Xu Zhu, who had appeared to share their intelligence on the unsuccessful raid by Zhang Liao. So far, they had gotten Cao Cao's face to stop being red and they had also gotten Cao Cao to stop throwing everyone.
"Sir, this is certainly not beautiful." Zhang He said as Cao Cao still kept pacing.
"Shut up before you end up like General Sima Yi." Cao Cao quickly snapped back
"I see, I am sorry, my lord." Zhang He would start to rub his chin as he watched Cao Cao slowly regaining his temper.
"Yes, yes. I forgive you, but not Lord Xu Zhu who had forgotten to tell me about the certain incident yesterday." Cao Cao shifted his eyes to Xu Zhu, who had all of a sudden had gotten nervous beyond reason. But why would anyone, especially one as powerful as Xu Zhu, be afraid of the normal sized Cao Cao? Xu Huang was thinking about this while Zhang He just watched as Cao Cao brought the fat man up by the collar and brought him face to face with himself. Cao Cao glared into Xu Zhu's eyes and Xu Zhu would just close his eyes and look away.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Xu Zhu said, trying to plead with his lord. But Cao Cao would have none of this. Cao Cao would scoff at his pathetic attempt at an excuse, and thought that he didn't have the cranial capacity, or the mental prowess to think of anything other than that. He wouldn't take anything but perfection! How could ANYTHING be of use like that? Cao Cao's eyes turned from a glare to a normal and calm look. Letting Xu Zhu down to his feet, he'd turn around to his two other generals. Xu Huang would turn his attention to his lord and Zhang He would raise an eyebrow, also turning his head towards his leader.
"Then it's settled! No more mistakes!"
"I assure you. All of our plans will be gorgeously prepared." Zhang He said, standing up, and bowing to his lord, then exiting from the war room after he gave him a nod of approval.
"I'll make sure that the men are in tip-top shape!" Xu Huang said, standing up and bringing his giant battle axe to his shoulders. Nodding his head to Cao Cao, he would in turn, exit the war room, exiting as Zhang He did.
All that left was Xu Zhu. Cao Cao would keep his back turned from Xu Zhu, but he would speak to him as if he was already looking at him.
"Xu Zhu?"
"My lord! I am... Sorry!" Xu Zhu said while scrambling himself as fast as he could and then trying to run for the door. But then, he froze at the sound of Cao Cao's voice as he took one step towards the door. His face turned deadly pale and his eyes widened at the calm, yet eerily threatening voice of his lord Cao's.
"I didn't give you approval, like all the others..." Cao Cao would say now, turning around to Xu Zhu, who was still frozen in terror. Xu Zhu would turn around to give his lord a reasonable explanation, but he would only feel Cao Cao's fist go into his stomach, and unbelievably so, it would throw him backwards, his feet literally leaving the ground as he soon felt the punch of Cao Cao's digging deep into his stomach, the pain being immense and terrible. Xu Zhu would hit a wall, and combining the momentum and the huge weight of himself, he would go through the wall, wooden splinters and painted pillars going everywhere and some of it landing on top of his body. He would now just lie there, in a heap of pain as he would already be groaning. His eyes would glaze over and his mouth would open as if to say something, but he couldn't. Soon, he was knocked out and he would just keep the position, only the whites of his eyes showing and his face still pale. He couldn't. He just couldn't say anything now.
"Imperfection during chaos can mean failure! And I hate failure! So make sure it never happens again!" He said stepping over Xu Zhu's laying body and carefully stepping over the rubble and the hole in the wall, walking through the area now and resuming his normal business.
"Heh! At least it wasn't me this time!" said Dian Kamo as she walked by the war room's new passage, stepping over Xu Zhu and walking down the other end of the hall. She just shook her head and muttered something to herself. When she had opened her door, she would just look around and spy her bed...She was getting bored of Cao Cao's frustration and beating up his own officers was well...Ignorant to her. So instead, she just shrugged it off and jumped upon the bed. Closing her door and taking off her long shirt and tossing it aside, she'd take off her pants and threw it into a pile at the side as well. She was in the nude at the moment, so she'd take special precaution to stay away from the windows, since there were always sex-starved soldiers on patrol. Tossing her long dark brown hair back over her shoulder, she would grab the robes that were lying on her bed, a full dark blue robe, with the dark emblem of Wei. She certainly didn't lay it there. But there was a tag upon it. It said:
"From your Uncle Wei, I thought this would be a nice present from me. Tell your mother I said hello ~ Dian Wei".
She smiled at this and just pulled the robes on. Looking into the mirror, she spread out her arms and tilted her head to the side. She did look good in it... "So he's no so evil when it comes to family."
She'd continued murmuring about her uncle. She'd have to tell her mother greeting from her uncle.
"I'll give Uncle Wei a nice gift when I get the chance. He's so nice."
O O
Meanwhile, outside of her door, a man would be eavesdropping on the almost incoherent mumbling of Dian Kamo. Smiling to himself, he'd run off towards the other end of the castle and stopped as he approached the weapon storage. Going inside, he'd see a figure, sorting out the weapons. Bowing his head deeply to the figure, even though the man wouldn't turn back to see him, he'd keep his head bowed low and only speak to him on this position.
"Sir, your niece likes the gift."
"I'm sure she does...Send roses to her mother and a sword with a jeweled hilt to her father. And send them insurance that their daughter is safe with us in Wei and tell them not to worry." The man said, now sorting spears on a ledge above him self.
"Yes sir, General Dian Wei. I'll make sure!" with that, the man departed, leaving Dian Wei to himself.
"My family is my only source of happiness. My life is only for my lord Cao Cao. But let them be happy, when I have to be the Coming Evil." He said as he took off the spears he sorted from the ledge.
O O
"Mei Yi?" A voice rang out. It was sharp, woman's voice that had been brought out, ringing through the halls of the Wu Kingdom's Jiang Dong castle. A young woman would respond to the call, running down the labyrinth type halls and turning sharply at each end, successfully rounding each corner with speed.
"Coming, milady!" she would call back to the woman who wanted her. She had a lithe body by the looks of it, one that could be easily pushed around or carried. As she carried herself to the door, she would stop before the chamber doors to look down at her self. Bringing her bright blue eyes down to her form, she'd find herself presentable. She wore a black dress with one split on the right side for easier and more fluid movement, and it would go down to her ankles. There was a serpent design on her, embroidered with a generous amount of silk blue thread and silver studs. The dress doesn't seem to have a strap to hold it up and the sleeves seemed detached. They were more or less attached to the main dress, but they went down the length of her arm with no appearance of holding onto her shoulder. They were black, like her dress and it had silver linings running down the whole sleeve and blue Chinese lettering, right on the edges. She had on her feet, small black boots, that didn't look to showy, but it was good enough, as it let her walk without any fault. Inhaling then exhaling deeply, she would open the entrance of the room and walked in.
"Milady! I have arrived!" she said, bowing to the woman before her. She had fair skin and green eyes that were almost that of an emerald. She had on a happy expression as she looked upon Mei Yi. She wore red pants that were covered with a black sash and a shirt, a vest on top that bore the emblem of Wu. She had chestnut brown hair that shined with the little light within the room and she would just nod to let Mei Yi know that she may approach. Mei Yi, in turn, would walk up to the woman and bow to her. It was pretty obvious that the woman was none other than the Royal Sun Family's youngest child, Sun Shang Xiang, the princess and one of the youngest warriors of the Wu Kingdom.
"Ah, Mei Yi, we've been waiting for you!" Sun Shang Xiang exclaimed, before motioning to her brother; Sun Ce, who was in his usual clothes. It compiled of red and gold armor that covered his whole body, but showed off his muscular arms. He had his black hair tied back with a red band, but his sister wanted him to put a bow on, so for kicks, he decided to tie the band in a bow manner to please her. He leaned on a pole as Sun Shang Xiang showed him. Of course, Mei Yi would only bow once more. Sun Quan, clad in his robes was seated by Sun Ce, his usual hat upon his head. He would just nod to Mei Yi and looked up to Sun Ce.
"Brother, is it wise we should tell her about this?"
"Yah, I think so. 'sides, it ain't gonna do anythin' with the situation."
"Well then, I suppose. I just don't want anyone to start a rumor that Wu may have a potential downfall. It may scare our people and demoralize our soldiers."
"Nah, we don't have a downfall! We have ourselves a challenge!"
Mei Yi would wonder what the Sun brothers were talking about. Looking to the Sun Shang Xian, she'd just wait for her to give her an explanation.
"Well, I see you're anxious." Sun Shang Xiang would note how she'd look and listen to her brothers' conversation and would only shake her head. "Come on, I'll talk about it with you."
"Yes, milady."
"Well you see; we've been hearing rumors, about a man that can beat a whole army. He's not Lu Bu, whom can slay any man. And he's not Guan Yu, whose dedication and skills can match that of Lu Bu's. It's a whole new person, who can complete the three, who can fight as well as either of those."
Mei Yi's eyes widened at the mention of the man's skills. Surely no one could be as powerful as Lu Bu? Who had single handedly held back Yuan Shao's forces a long time ago and had been on the run from the Wei kingdom? This man had to be a spectacle of a man or a God to match Lu Bu in such a way that her lady Shang Xiang would commend him.
"I heard he was such a handsome man!" Sun Shang Xiang went red in the cheeks and smiled, closing her eyes and thinking about how the man would look like. She would just laugh idly. She would gain the gaze of her brothers, who would question what she was thinking. With an annoyed look, Sun Ce stepped forward, interrupting the thoughts of his youngest sibling.
"Well I heard SHE was a woman!" Sun Ce said grinning at the now wide eyes Sun Shang Xiang. Mei Yi would only bring a hand up to suppress any laughter at this. "I heard that SHE had long black hair and can fight with her fists. I heard that SHE was better than most men. You know what that means. You gotta rival! Heh!"
"But brother, the reports and the men from Wei said it was a man. A pretty man, at that, but it is a man, indeed. I believe that he won't be to Sun Shang Xiang's taste. And I don't think you can fall head over heels for another woman, considering Da Qiao would be insulted as your woman and over protective as your wife. And also, you'd have Xiao Qiao to worry about, since she always hangs around you, and your son in law, Lu Xun always seems to have a unit next to yours in the battlefields. Needless to say, you're in no position for a woman." Sun Quan would run a hand on his facial hair, stroking and grabbing the tip of his beard intently and looking much like an intellectual at doing so. Of course, he was always considered the intellectual of the family and a wise person at that. He would just think and smile at yet another thought. "And brother, you wouldn't want him to be a woman in the first place. I know you like a good fight. And Sun Shang Xiang, this will be a most unique battle between our eldest sibling and the man, wouldn't you agree?"
"Oh really? Weren't you going to say "If Zhou Yu thinks its best, we'll do it!" again?" she said now mocking her second oldest brother. Sun Quan would just nod to himself, still stroking and pulling a bit on his beard. He would then look to his little sister and give a response.
"I only think him best when we are on the battle field. Otherwise, he would just keep to internal affairs. I mean look at him, always taking care of his little sisters and teaching the littlest one martial arts. It's obvious he needs a woman."
"Hey, watch your mouth when talkin' 'bout ol' Zhou Yu! Me an' him are best buds ya know? I can't have people sayin' that he needs a girl bad...Although what you say is usually true, ya know?"
"Exactly, my elder brother, exactly."
"I say that Mei Yi marries her!" Sun Ce exclaimed pointing to Mei Yi, who would now just blush furiously as she had her masters trying to find a fate for her all of a sudden. Luckily for her, Sun Quan would grab Sun Ce's arm and pushed him lightly.
"Are you mad?! Zhou Yu can't marry her! She's not a general and she's definitely not a woman of nobility!"
"Well it's better than nothin'!"
"The answer is NO Sun Ce! She's just someone under Sun Shang Xiang!"
"Well who do you think she really IS good for?"
"She's a bit young...Lu Xun!"
"NO! I say Zhou Yu!"
"And I think Lu Xun needs a proper woman!"
"But you said she's just "someone under Sun Shang Xiang", didn't you?!" Sun Ce yelled at him, mocking his voice at the end.
"I changed my mind!"
"How about she doesn't get married?" Sun Shang Xiang said, glaring at her brothers, both of them would just look at Sun Shang Xiang before they both gave their response in unison.
"NO!"
Sun Shang Xiang would reel back from their loud voices combining and then just sat next to Mei Yi, watching them still going at it.
"Lu Xun's a lil' kid and he ain't gonna age any time soon!"
"Zhou Yu's a pedophile that wouldn't be in his Kingdom, but bypassed MY denial due to him being your friend and father seeing him as a "Great Mind", is that not true?"
"Well he's smarter than Lu Xun!"
"No he's not!"
"Yes he is!"
"Don't I get a say in this?" Mei Yi would ask, her voice emitting meekly and timidly from her, as not to disrespect her lords. Both of them turned their heads to Mei Yi and frowned upon her and then both would yell at the same time.
"NO!" After they both yell, they both would glare at each other, Sun Quan would shout at his older brother first.
"Stop copying my ideas!"
"Shut up!"
"You're being an irrational, insecure, idiotic man!"
"I know what you are, but what am I?" Sun Ce would smile and nod to himself, congratulating himself for the response.
"Takes one to know one..." Sun Quan responded, now smiling back. Sun Ce's smile would disappear and he would bow his head in defeat.
"Damn, you're good."
O O
If the Sun brothers weren't so busy arguing, they would've noticed their sister and Mei Yi sneaking outside and running from the room they were in. Mei Yi was still bothered by the fact that there was a man that people compared to Lu Bu, but it wasn't in her best interest to keep thinking about things like that. Sun Shang Xiang would notice the facial expression of her companion.
"You all right?"
"Yeah, I'm good. It's just bothering me about the man that people are rumoring about. I can't see that as a good thing for our kingdom."
"No! We're better than them! We're the best of all, you know? And besides, he has a common name. What kind of name is Zhao Xing? It sounds like a unisex name too. No wonder why Ce thought it was a girl...Ah well."
"Heh. Your brothers can be real idiots. I'm glad that we're out of their presence, we can talk normal now."
"Yup!" Sun Shang Xiang and Mei Yi would keep running down the long hall to a spot they would be able to talk about their own things and be left alone from the harsh news from the outside. But again, the man troubled Mei Yi. She knew a boy named Zhao Xing, her own brother who lived within Wei. She was older by a couple years and only saw him once as a baby before she got lost within a forest. She was discovered by Wu a long time ago and brought to Sun Shang Xiang, and when she grew up, they became friends. But still. The name of her brother could be oddly frightening when mentioned in such an evil manner, being able to fight a whole army and all.
"Hey Shang Xiang..." she asked as they now slipped into the courtyard, walking through the grassy areas now, instead of running.
"Yes?"
"Did I ever tell you about my family?"
"No, you really never did. All you told me is that your father left you."
"Well...Yeah, pretty much. I had a brother and little sister too. And a mother. You know? I got lost the day my mother told me to out and pick some mushrooms."
"Really?"
"Yeah. But I'm glad I did. I wouldn't be able to become friends with you or your dumb brothers."
"Heh, right! We got to think in the bright side, right?"
"Yeah, who cares about my brother and sister, and who cares about my mother?"
The two women would now just sit down upon the grass and lay down; looking to the blue sky and watching the clouds roll past them. Their attention would soon be taken away from the skies to the pitter patter sounds of someone walking towards them upon the stone path to the courtyards. Turning their heads to the side, they would look to see a woman, instead of any of the Sun Brothers, much to their relief.
"Hello Lady Sun. Hello, Miss Mei."
"Ah, don't be so formal!"
"Yeah, Ming Jujie!" Sun Shang Xiang said teasingly. "You're so soft spoken! Be LOUD!!!"
"But- tis rude! I will absolutely not!" She retorted, shaking her head to Sun Shang Xiang's request. She was a woman, looking like how most of the female were dressed when they were in the bodyguard units, in a red dancer's top and in a uniformed red skirt, boots coupling her appearance. She had shoulder length brown hair that seemed to cascade down to her shoulders and brown eyes that would match with her hair. Her thoughts seemed to be on the current conversation. She liked how they were open and friendly to each other, but she didn't appreciate how loud the two were being. Ah well, might as well keep the peace rather than complaining. Sitting down next to Mei Yi, she would bring her knees up close and wrapped her arms around them, hugging her knees to herself as she looked off to the courtyard, the blossoming peach trees littering the ground with pink leaves. "Well, then, let us talk about something, without being a disturbance, though."
"Fine...Have it YOUR way."
"Heh, at least she doesn't wake up the whole kingdom, milady."
"QUIET YOU!"
"See?"
O O
Finally getting into the inn without further delay, Zhao Xing laid the now sleeping form of Yu Chai on his bedding. She was all red and smelling of alcohol, but still, this was the least he could do. Knowing that she'd be safe within the inn, he'd head out once more into the now afternoon atmosphere of the village. Opening the door to the sun drenched village outside, he'd hear some of the children playing the in the overflow of the river outside and some people swimming. He may as well look for Qing Yuan while he was outside. He hadn't seen her since this morning and he feared that she may have been lost during his little exhibit match with the drunkards. Walking around the area, he would not see her amongst the townsfolk, so he decided to check the outskirts of town. Heading for the gate, he'd hear some rustling within the leaves next to him. Jumping up into the air, he'd promptly avoided a horizontal swipe from a spear point. Looking to his assailant, he'd see a woman wearing a pure white cheongsam, with different designs embroidered into it, including blue designs of dragons and phoenixes. She had knee high brown boots that seemed to be made out of leather by the obvious folds. The woman had a jeweled comb in her short black hair. Her accessories also included a platinum chain around her neck with a jade ring pendant on it that seemed to swing from side to side as she had her spear in attack form. She had flawless brown eyes that seemed to hold much calmness, showing no emotion wavering from happiness or anger, just one of normal stature.
"Who are you?" Zhao Xing would quickly ask as he dodged another spear blow, this time a stab motion. He'd sidestepped it and brings it under his arm as the woman would bring the brown eyes to lock onto his hazels.
"Your redeemer, you sick bandit."
"Bandit?" Xing would wonder what made her think of such a thing, as he would step back, letting her spear go. She wouldn't waste any time on it, though, as she brought her spear up and tried to slash him upon the face. Though he had injured hands, he would bring them up to catch the spear, mere inches from his face and he'd just give a look of wonder to the woman before him. "You're pretty strong."
"I AM strong."
"Well I'm stronger." He said closing his eyes, waiting for her to give up on pulling at the spear. He wasn't going to let her use the simple made, metal tipped spear and attack him again, just because he let the woman go. He would wait until she would surrender.
"Bandit, I'm not going to let you go." She said with added venom in her voice, glaring at Zhao Xing as she tried to pull the spear in vain from his grip. "I saw what you did to those simple drunkards."
"I suppose I was supposed to let them take my friend away?"
"..." That part the woman seemed to absorb into her mind, as she loosened her grip upon her spear, causing Zhao Xing to give the spear back. As soon as he let his own grip loose, she would twirl her spear on one hand, her nimble fingers showing great dexterity while doing so, and then placed it in the carrying case on her back. "Then why must you fight drunken men to save your friend. Is it the only way? If so, that's barbaric."
"Well, I've lived through barbaric times. Don't tell me what I must do." He replied coldly to the woman who attacked him. Closing his eyes, he turned and walked to round the rest of the outskirts of the village. He didn't have time to deal with this woman who thought he was a bandit. The fact she thought him to be a bandit in the first place didn't exactly appeal to him either. So, there he was, walking away from a woman that had mistakenly attacked him, her not apologizing once.
"..." Something drove her to follow this man. Maybe it was his fighting spirit. It was something about the man that she needed to follow. Nodding to herself, she jumped into the trees and started to follow the man.
O O
Qing Yuan was lost, most definitely lost. She had been running around the town in search of Zhao Xing and Yu Chai, but now. She was getting a little worried about what would happen if she had never seen him again. No lessons, no being taught by someone she thought would be better than her, no looking into his sparkling hazel eyes or sitting by his bedside and talking with him every day.
"Huh?" She blinked and stops for a moment. Now why did she think that of all things? Hmm, it's something about him. In any case, she wasn't about to stay down, listening to herself think about whether or not she'd be able to see Zhao Xing again. He was being a traitor to their promise. That's right. Their promise, the promise she made him take while he was sitting in his sick bed last night.
"Don't break our promise, Zhao Xing..." she murmured.
"He doesn't look like a traitor." Behind her, the deep voice of a man would ring out in her ears. Taking out her fan, she turned around quickly to see if this was a man trying to trifle with her. She was ready and then struck a fighting stance when she saw how the man was dressed, dark blue armor and a navy blue turban. He was too short to be Xu Huang. But he didn't look like one of those turban men either, the ones who caused rebellions back the neither. He carried himself with a medium stature and his facial expression was cold and menacing to her. This made her jump back a bit, but she still kept her fighting stance.
"Don't talk about Master Zhao like that!"
"Master? He hasn't taught you a single lesson yet." He said, stepping towards her, his dark, dark eyes looking down at her menacingly. She would just shake her head and spread out her fan, ready to attack the moment he would come near. "I know everything, even Yu Chai. I know that he was injured. And I know that he was in a fight. Several recently resulted in him gaining a high fever and hallucinations one night before. I know everything."
Qing Yuan didn't like the man already. Pointing her fan at his face, she would keep the glare upon him and wouldn't move from her fighting stance.
"Just who are you? If you're one those men chasing Zhao Xing and Yu Chai, I can end your life right here. I would like you to refrain from attacking him before I have to step in and teach you some self restraint."
"Was that a threat?" Responding to her threat by quickly disappearing before her eyes, yet another illusion trick that Sima Yi taught the Wildcat Riders, he would appear right before Qing Yuan, mere inches from her as he stood before her, looking more threatening and provoking than before Qing Yuan would raise her fan to strike at his head, but it would only result in him grabbing the wrist of her arm. He would keep the emotionless bit up and he would look down at her, his cold, dark brown eyes peering into her hazels. He opened his mouth to make a response. "I don't make threats, I make promises. Take me to Zhao Xing. I need to see him."
"No! I won't betray our promise!"
"Ah! He makes promises too! That's something to admire. Well then, if he is going to keep a promise, then I guess he FAILED!" Suddenly, he would let Qing Yuan fall to the ground as he pushed her when he jumped up and above her, successfully flipping over her. He had avoided Zhao Xing's kick.
Zhao Xing was a bit surprised that the man holding Qing Yuan in a threatening position would be able to act upon his attack, considering he was holding her up and all. Zhao Xing struck the traditional 'Flaming Crane' stance, bringing up his foot and hands in the proposed crane mannerism. (Think Karate Kid)
"Qing Yuan, come here."
"Right, but let me do something first."
Qing Yuan would smile upon Zhao Xing's form as he came to her view. It was getting darker every moment she stayed out here and she didn't want to be in the night when encountering someone like that man clad in the Wei Calvary Armor. But he didn't know how to treat a woman right either. Standing up, she would quickly turn to the man, the man raising a brow at her looking at him. She would smile unto the man when-
THWAP!
She would slap him across the face. The man would go wide eyed, his mouth opened letting out a groan of pain as he was now side ways in the air from the powerful slap across the face. The slap sound even echoed through the trees, causing several birds to leave their perches and take flight. Small animals would run at the sound of the large smack and people inside the village walls would start murmuring amongst themselves if that was some sort of explosion or avalanche. Qing Yuan would turn as soon as Cao Kai landed on his side, clutching at his face. She was smiling contently to herself as she trotted over to a wide eyed Zhao Xing.
"I'm done."
"I see, but what was that for?"
"For not knowing how to treat a woman..." She said, lifting her arm up and showing red marks on her wrist from the man's powerful grip. "Oh yes! I almost forgot!"
Bringing her hand up, she'd give Zhao Xing a similar treatment that she had given Cao Kai, slapping him across the face causing the man to reel in pain. He didn't go flying down to the ground like Cao Kai, but he did clutch his face and groan as she finished the slap.
"ARGH! What was that for?!" Zhao Xing would shout at Qing Yuan, who would only smile at Zhao Xing's angered appearance. She would only let out a small laugh and shook her head, keeping the smile ever present.
"Yu Chai was right; you're really cute when you're angry."
"Oro...?"
"Don't worry much about it. That slap was only for making me think you left me in the village."
"Hmph, fine, I'll forgive you that time...And further more- umph!" Right at that instant Qing Yuan would slam right into him, wrapping her arms around him. He didn't expect it and thus would nearly choke from her surprisingly strong hold. He had just enough strength to ask her what the embrace was for. "Why this? URK!"
"Because you didn't leave me here..."
"ARGH! What if I did?" He asked between chokes
"Then I wouldn't be embracing you. Now what?"
"Get the hell off me and go hug Yu Chai! It's because of her we're still here, UGH!"
"Oh, all right. Hey, you should hug people too, it makes them feel better. Plus it improves your social life since you're being friendly."
"OK...Urk...LET ME GO AND PROCEED TO THE INN NOW!" He finally got tired of the embracing and pushed Qing Yuan off of him. Inhaling and exhaling deeply after he got feelings in his lungs back. He would thank the goddesses and then looked back to the exceptionally strong Yuan. Sighing she would turn away and respond.
"Erhm, all right." She said while bowing to him turning around fully and then running back towards the inn. She would call to him one more time before she disappeared into the inn "You don't need to be so cold..."
Cao Kai would be shouting and clutching his face with his hands, rubbing the giant hand mark that Qing Yuan left upon his face. He was rolling on the ground, trailing mud on himself, but he was trying to nurse the little injury the woman bestowed upon him.
"ARGH! IT BURNS! OWWWW!" Cao Kai was rolling around grabbing at the face wound he had. "IT WON'T STOP THROBBING! OH GODDESSES IT HURTS!"
"Er-hem." Zhao Xing would interrupt the person he once thought to be a potential threat, but now he only saw him as a person who was either foolish, or someone who can switch on and off from killing. It was sort of amusing that a man that looked like him would bawl around from a slap.
"What?!" The man looked himself over before jumping up in front of Xing and clearing his throat. "Sorry about that, I was a bit busy."
"Yes, I saw."
"Everything?"
"Yeah."
"Even the part with the-"
"From the moaning to the crying."
"Damn you!" Cao Kai stomped his foot before glaring at Zhao Xing, before he quickly regained his cool. He would cough into his hand, clearing his throat and bowed before Zhao Xing. Looking up to him he would keep the emotionless eyes upon him and just looked to him. "I haven't come here for pleasantries. And who the hell is that in the trees?"
"You mean that forest woman? She's nothing but someone who thinks I'm a bandit."
"Watch it, I'm no ordinary woman. Quite like yourself. You were able to suppress my attacks without a weapon." The same woman that swiped at Zhao Xing would jump down and looked upon him and Cao Kai. But before any more words were said between her and Zhao Xing, Cao Kai stepped forward.
"I am Cao Kai, last of the Wildcat Riders. Like your brother."
Zhao Xing was easily stirred by the man's words. Brother...
"You don't know anything about my brother...Wei hypocrite."
"I believe I do, Zhao Xing. I know your name, and I definitely knew Lian. I think I would know my best friend from the Wildcats. I don't lie, like I told your lady friend. I make promises, and I keep them."
Zhao Xing's eyes widen and his hazels seem to flare up at what seemed to be a potential threat. Gritting his teeth, he'd clench his fist and pointed it at him, cracking his knuckles by squeezing his fingers into his palms.
"You don't know anything about Lian! You're just saying that because you were part of Wei! Don't lie!"
"I told you...I don't lie. Believe me and you'll go far, young Xing."
"Leave me alone!"
As the two men would continue talking about the man, this Zhao Xing, who seemed to be the more important amongst the two, she would just sit down on the base of tree and keep her spear within her two hands, waiting for the two to finish. She had no business with either, but she was definitely curious to the man's past and training. She was already revealed in her position, so why bother to hide herself. That and she was already getting a decent story about this man and she always enjoyed something like this.
"Don't deny your past Zhao Xing, you know I'm telling the truth. I know about Ma Yuan Li, I know about Dian Wei, everything. And you know what? I don't think you're strong enough."
"Not strong? I'll show you...I'LL SHOW YOU!!!" This man had just insulted his pride. With the knowing of his mother and mentioning of Dian Wei and thinking he wasn't strong enough. His fist was shaking. This man was crossing his line. "I CAN hurt you!"
"Hurt me? I told you I don't think you're strong enough. And look at your self. Look at your feelings. You can't even control it. If Xiao could see you now, you won't be able to stand proud with her. I can see it all now..." He would now smile, giving an evil sort of grin that would strike fear in any normal man. Of course, Zhao Xing wasn't any normal man either. "You're not able to hurt me. You won't be able to hurt Dian Wei either. He is too powerful to be brought down by the likes of you. You weakling."
"Weakling...I'll show you who's the weakling." Bringing a hand back, he would throw a punch that was coordinated at his head, but Cao Kai would simply crouch down bending his knees a bit as the powerful punch would sail over his head. Quickly standing up, he'd knock up the arm of Zhao Xing with nothing more than the little thrust.
"Exactly. Weakling."
Xing would bring up his other arm in an attempt to attack the man, but he would only be grabbed at his weakened fist by Cao Kai, who would lift Zhao Xing up by the broken fist. Cao Kai would now look to his side...A rushing river.
Xing couldn't bear it. The pain was too much! Here was a man he had just met and he was being beaten by him. Damn him. Damn his Wei uniform. He was hoisted into the air by one arm, and before he knew it, he felt cold, he couldn't breathe. Xing struggled by rushing to pull himself together. Water. Cold water. He was drowning.
Cao Kai scoffed at the man's weakness. And here he thought he had found someone that could actually beat the Wei Kingdom single handedly. Cao Kai would only watch as the man would drift off into the river, seemingly drowning and trying his best only to hang on and not die. What a pathetic waste of his time. He would turn to meet the angry gaze of the woman who had followed Zhao Xing through the tree tops.
"Who the hell are you?"
"I am Shen Xiu, but you don't deserve to know my name. What in the world was that for?" She would look to the river, her eyes shifting from the Cao towards the river, and then shifting back to the Cao again.
"That is his test. If he is truly the weakling I thought of him to be. He will not survive this...If he can't even dodge a little blow like that..."
"Well I'm not going to stand for it. It's going to be a terrible waste if he is going to die, him being the spawn of Zilong...The brother of your great friend."
"What you heard is of no matter from now on. It is if he dies or comes back to fight, is what matters."
"Then you shall see this from the-" Shen Xiu took her spear and was about to strike at the man, for harming an innocent and insulting his friendship with a most amiable person. But she was suddenly cut off from her intentions when a cry came out to interrupt the already tension filled sky.
"Xing!" Shen Xiu would turn to see two women, one still dressed, obviously that woman with Xing earlier, the other, half dressed, her hair tossed loosely and her face not too awake, a bit red too.
Xing had no choice but keep himself with the current, try to keep himself afloat with the damn rushing river in hopes he won't drown and die.
Will Xing prove his worth to Cao Kai? Who is this woman Shen Xiu? How can Yu Chai and Qing Yuan find Xing again? Find out next time on Beautiful Requiem.
O O
Preview
O O
Zhao Xing: This is a most unpleasant view....my death is a bad thing, most definitely a bad thing.
Yu Chai: I hope you don't die; the rest of us won't be in the story if you do.
Zhao Xing: See? That's the pleasant thing about being the main character...
Qing Yuan: Well, again, let's just say something happens, concerning Tian Shui. We meet this man whom anyone would consider a genius and profoundly talented in fighting. We see a woman who can fight AND cook at the same time. A good looker to boot!
Yu Chai: Tune in next time to see her fight, and who exactly the Genius of Tian Shui is and who the talented woman is...
Zhao Xing: And also, a very special woman comes into the scene...I mean special....To me.
Qing Yuan: Next time on-
Tian Shui: Beauty
Sorry it took so long...if you guys give me progressive reviews and tell me what I have to do to please you, it can be up in a matter of DAYS. You know? It'll help, trust me.
Don Shizumi: Welcome to the most exciting world of fiction, buried deep within Fan Fiction. Net. As you can see, I am Don Shizumi, the author of this fiction and also, the master Ninja of the reviewers.
Zhao Xing: It has come to our attention, most specifically Shizumi's, that all that he found in his reviews lately are either one time reviewers or greedy people only submitting characters. People, submitting characters, then short reviews that say:
"Good job"
Or
"Write more"
This will not speed his progress. I've seen these types of reviews on other interactive fiction, people reviewing only once, with their characters.
Don Shizumi: I wish to be inspired. When writing in the reviews, don't always say something about my writing prowess. I don't appreciate simple words of compliment. Please tell me what YOU want, what you WANT to see, and what I NEED to do to please you. (Besides putting your character in, how greedy can we be people?)
Zhao Xing: Also, we are unable to fix the "Block paragraphs" as noted by some reviewers. The blocky-ness can't be helped, as the author writes on "Word" and refuses to do anything but traditional story and paragraph form.
Don Shizumi: And also, if you want a little advertisement for your fiction, tell me and I'll punch you up in the fiction. Really, I'll put the name of your story and your name right across the top.
Zhao Xing: Almost finished with the author's notes, don't worry. And for those who don't think I review the other stories, I'm sorry. I don't have time to read yours anymore, with school and all. I'll TRY to read your stories, Shizumi and I, but we don't have guarantees! And also, thank you to whoever helped out by giving us ideas. You know who you are!
Don Shizumi: Indeed. Well, remember! Don't just compliment me; push me to what you want! Just don't be too greedy! Find something that you want and that other people may want! Not just another character or something that you want YOUR character to do. Besides, it's my fiction. I can just kill your character if you get too "happy" with your reviews. So heed that warning. Well, you're all probably hungering for the story. Without further delay, here is:
Chapter 2
It was early morning in the quiet little village town that had been blockaded by bandits earlier. And, although one side of the village was practically torn down, everyone resumed their daily lives within the small town. Farmers would go up and down the streets, tending to their business, only stopping to talk about their crop or trade. The same baker going down the street with that tray of biscuits he wish to sell, and that librarian carrying new scrolls and books down the lane towards the main building where he housed all his papers and rental books. All the houses looked pretty quaint and shabby; taking a more folk-styled type of look with the straw and thin wooden roof and the weak white walls that housed the villagers and concealed them within when needed.
The morning musk hit Zhao Xing as he would wake up. The sun was already burning up in the sky, and the noise of the busying people attracted his attention. Zhao Xing would turn his attention to his surroundings. He hadn't really paid any attention to them since he was too tired the morning before, but he had given it towards the woman, Qing Yuan who had appeared by his bedside watching over him until Yu Chai would return. Snapping himself to attention, quickly sitting up and glancing around, he'd see that he was in some sort of inn, seeing that that he was in a small hay bed and the room was small. Turning his head to his left, he'd see Qing Yuan sleeping on two chairs that she had put together for a makeshift bed. Seeing as she was most definitely uncomfortable, he would quickly stand up.
A strange breeze would hit him as he'd look down to himself. He was, and undoubtedly so. NAKED?!
"AHHH!" his eyes widened as he jumped behind the bed, hoping that Qing Yuan wouldn't wake at that moment. Looking down at himself, he had wrapping all around his body, across his chest, on his legs and around his stomach. Why did they have to strip him down though? His face would flush red at the thought that Yu Chai and Qing Yuan would've let doctors do that to him and leave him unclothed in his sleep. It was kind of immoral or irresponsible to him. But he'd quickly shake the embarrassing feeling off and took a look around the floor. Where the hell was his things?! "If those doctors took my things into the medical ward, I'm going to have to take something up with Yu Chai."
He was going to either get mad, or extremely angry at the moment, but soon, he'd cower in fear. When he stood up to take a look over the bed, he'd see Qing Yuan stirring within her sleep. Zhao Xing's hazel oculars wouldn't tear away from her as he'd just freeze, hoping she would calm down in her sleep and let him move. Much to his relief, she settled down upon her shoulder. He'd quickly get up, jumping on his feet and then jumping over the bed, landing on the stone floor with a slight "thump". He now REALLY hoped she didn't wake up, as he stood stark naked over her, still trying to look for his clothes. Finally finding his clothes under the chairs, he'd creep under her position to reach for his folded clothes.
Qing Yuan's hazel eyes would flutter open. She had enough sleep and was ready to follow Zhao Xing to the ends of the world if it meant getting to learn how to fight like the man. She'd look up and glance around her. No Zhao Xing in site. Hmm, maybe he went out? But he couldn't have, the doctors had removed his garments and Yu Chai was sent out of the house so he couldn't have left without her. Or could he? Would he really leave a friend? Ah, it's just overreacting. Soon, she'd jump up and shake out long black hair that seemed to shimmer when she shook it out near the light peering out the window. Smoothing out her dress, taking any of the wrinkles out, she'd bend down to do the same to slip that fell freely in front of her that covered her and completed the decency to the dress. As soon as she was done with the smoothing, she'd turn around and headed out the door, to look around the village for Zhao Xing.
"Mr. Zhao Xing. I don't believe you'll leave me or her that easily." She said before closing the door behind her and heading off into the village to find him.
Good thing Zhao Xing had a sense of timing. As soon as he had heard her stirring, he hid under the chairs of the makeshift bed and would be out of her sight. Now clutching his clothes to himself as she had left, he would crawl out and let out a deep exhale, sighing that she didn't see him indecent.
"That would've been a disaster. I must control myself from just rushing to what I need to do." And with those words set to inspire him, he'd start to re-dress himself up with the robes. As soon as he had on the half torn monk robes on, he would head towards the door, open it and then trolled outside the little inn they were in. When he looked out, his suspicions were correct. All the people outside were bustling with business and there were even more people within the village than he thought. This was odd and somewhat amusing. They talk like they were from the capital cities or a main trade station. Ah, what can you do? Perhaps it was a main trading area. Zhao Xing didn't waste any time thinking to what the area was though. He would work quickly, walking around the area to see if he could spy Yu Chai somewhere. Sure enough, he narrowed the places down to one lonely bar that was at the east end of the building, built along the stone gate that surrounded the entire town. It wasn't the best looking bar by the looks of it, since it looked like it was built with hand-me-downed wood and stone, but it had charm within its simplicity. Walking to the front door of the place, he'd open it, which felt more like a paper door rather than wood. Once he headed into the area, he'd seen much more drunkards than he'd thought. At the far end, two men would be singing as they waved their mugs of beer and one before them, passed out from drinking too much, would be constantly poked by another man, who was hiccupping, asking the same question over and over again. Xing was disgusted by the drunkards. Had they nothing to do but to sit around and drink all day? Obviously not!
"How utterly repulsing." He'd mutter to himself, trying not to get in a bar fight with about another fifty men. He wouldn't fight well if he was surrounded in closed quarters. Now scouring about, he'd stop at the front bar to find a drunken and passed out Yu Chai slumped over at the counter, her head buried in her arms and her curly brown locks tossed about. He had better get Chai out before anything happens, either alcohol poisoning or maybe some lusty barfly comes and picked her up. Taking her over his shoulders, he'd start towards the door when he felt something tugging at his long hair.
"What the?"
"Xing-xing! Whazha doin' in heeeeeeeere...heh heh heh! Loooookeeee meee! I'mz a purtularific ladeyyyyy!" Zhao Xing's long jet blacks were being pulled by the drunken Yu Chai. Her forehead and nose were red and her cheeks were a tad pink. She was most definitely drunk and she was going to feel a hell of a hang over in the morning. Zhao Xing would just shake his head and kept going towards the entrance. His expression would shift to an utmost seriousness when three men blocked his way, his eyebrow arching and his mouth opened to make a protest.
"Get out of my way, sir. I am carrying a friend out." Zhao Xing would say to the men blocking his way, but they would only grin and wobble back and forth.
"Now wayyyyy shonny...Dats our ladeyyyyy! We're not lettin' some boyyyyyy like YOU take her awayyy...We gotta haf some fun fer ourselves, ya know?" He said doing a little pervert notion by doing a pelvic thrust. Xing just cringed at the thought of Yu Chai being used by these three drunkards and struggled to keep the contents of his stomach from spilling out of his mouth and onto the floor. Stepping forwards with Yu Chai still over his shoulders, he would only feel a palm at his chest, stopping him from exiting the accursed building with its foul smelling stench of alcohol and liquor.
"What'd wez tellz ya? Youz ain't goin anywherez!" the first drunk said taking a swing at Xing. Xing would jump back and throw Yu Chai up into the air so they both won't get hit. He would land on a table behind him and Yu Chai landed on top of him as he clasped his arms around her, ready to lift her off. Now if she wasn't drunk, that little action he did wouldn't be a problem.
"Awww, Xing-xing, I didn't know you felt that way!" she said still drunk off her mind. Xing just shook his head as he would roll off the table with Yu Chai still in his grasp and then he'd walk towards the exit once more. There was no way he could fight the drunkards in closed quarters like this. He needed to escape with a person in his hands, and so far, this escape looked like it would end in injury.
"I'm tellin' yaz...Leggo o' her..." he said now grabbing his arm, almost causing him to let go of Yu Chai completely. She would drop from his arms, her head threatening to hit the floor. He'd quickly do a front split kick, bringing his right leg forwards and putting it between the open stance of the drunkard's legs and his left leg aiming backwards. He'd sigh and smile upon Yu Chai as he barely caught her in his arms. What a close one when she barely landed within his arms, mere inches from the floor.
"You drunken men, get out of my way. She needs a bed to sleep and get this alcohol out of her system." He said now pleading with them one more time. They wouldn't listen. They just chuckled idiotically and advanced with an eager grin, a show of violence when they clenched their fist in aggression.
"Yu Chai, you better thank me for this." Xing mumbled as he backed up, still carrying her.
"Weee! Mommy! I wanna ride da pony!" Yu Chai mumbled into Xing as he held her to him
"Ah! I'll make a note never to bring you to a social gathering!" Xing said as he backed against a counter. Prepping Chai's body on top of the counter, he'd jump over the next table to meet the bar flies. As soon as one came up to him, he'd bend back to dodge a poorly coordinated hook punch and then would move forward and deliver a punch to the man's nose, a giant "CRACK" as the man's eyes would glaze over as he flew over his comrades and at the door, his body knocking it open and him rolling out into the outside morning. The other two would look from their counterpart to Xing, only contempt and hate within their gazes. Xing would just shrug and move forward to greet some new competitors. "Here we go again."
Xing would encounter the next man to be exceptionally smelly. He wouldn't want to keep this man as a disturbance in the bar. Soon, the man would try to grab Xing, but Xing knew better than just to stand still. He would head butt the man as soon as he grabbed his shoulders and then did a back flip kick, stepping on his chest for support, then kicking off, giving spectators something to gawk at. His aerial spectacle wouldn't be finished though, because as soon as he was mid-through the back flip, he'd bring back his fist and punched the odor-bounded goon in the same part he had already hit in the chest. The man would lose his breath and gasp as soon as Xing had landed, and in turn, Xing would duck low and deliver a spinning roundhouse sweep to the man's legs, causing the man to drop on his back. The second man, a behemoth of a man would tower over Xing. But the man wouldn't just back out. Throwing a punch to the man's face, the man would only look at Zhao Xing, baring his teeth at him and growling like a feral demon.
"Xing-xing -hic- over here!" Yu Chai called out, waving at Zhao Xing. She was still drunk, but good enough to see what was going on. Tossing him a wine pot, Xing would look back up to the man and then without further hesitation, smashed the wine pot on his head. The man would cringe in pain and turn his face away for a moment, but only for that moment. Soon, his eyes were wide and upon Xing. Flexing his muscles and then cracking his neck muscles, he would prepare to grab Xing and bear-hug Xing until Yu Chai would call once more. "Xing-xing! Catch!"
Throwing, this time, a metal pole, Xing would catch it and looked towards the large thug. The thug would widen his eyes at the pole and then looked to Xing. Getting on his knees, he would start to cry and shake his head as Xing would actually smile as he crumbled before him in a fearful pile. Now THIS was his kind of fight. Xing would shake his head in disapproval and kept the smile as he carefully KO'd the man on his knees with the pole then beckoned Yu Chai to come to him. Yu Chai, nodding her head to Xing, would stumble over the bar and towards him, landing in his arms again.
"That was a close one Yu Chai, don't do that again."
"Yup! -hic- stop bein such a show off!"
"I was helping you." Xing said as he helped her out of the bar, carefully helping her step over the bleeding drunkard that he left in a pile outside of the bar. They were off, back to the inn again.
O O
Cao Cao stepped around the war room, his temper steadily decreasing thanks to quick quotes by Zhang He, Xu Huang and Xu Zhu, who had appeared to share their intelligence on the unsuccessful raid by Zhang Liao. So far, they had gotten Cao Cao's face to stop being red and they had also gotten Cao Cao to stop throwing everyone.
"Sir, this is certainly not beautiful." Zhang He said as Cao Cao still kept pacing.
"Shut up before you end up like General Sima Yi." Cao Cao quickly snapped back
"I see, I am sorry, my lord." Zhang He would start to rub his chin as he watched Cao Cao slowly regaining his temper.
"Yes, yes. I forgive you, but not Lord Xu Zhu who had forgotten to tell me about the certain incident yesterday." Cao Cao shifted his eyes to Xu Zhu, who had all of a sudden had gotten nervous beyond reason. But why would anyone, especially one as powerful as Xu Zhu, be afraid of the normal sized Cao Cao? Xu Huang was thinking about this while Zhang He just watched as Cao Cao brought the fat man up by the collar and brought him face to face with himself. Cao Cao glared into Xu Zhu's eyes and Xu Zhu would just close his eyes and look away.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Xu Zhu said, trying to plead with his lord. But Cao Cao would have none of this. Cao Cao would scoff at his pathetic attempt at an excuse, and thought that he didn't have the cranial capacity, or the mental prowess to think of anything other than that. He wouldn't take anything but perfection! How could ANYTHING be of use like that? Cao Cao's eyes turned from a glare to a normal and calm look. Letting Xu Zhu down to his feet, he'd turn around to his two other generals. Xu Huang would turn his attention to his lord and Zhang He would raise an eyebrow, also turning his head towards his leader.
"Then it's settled! No more mistakes!"
"I assure you. All of our plans will be gorgeously prepared." Zhang He said, standing up, and bowing to his lord, then exiting from the war room after he gave him a nod of approval.
"I'll make sure that the men are in tip-top shape!" Xu Huang said, standing up and bringing his giant battle axe to his shoulders. Nodding his head to Cao Cao, he would in turn, exit the war room, exiting as Zhang He did.
All that left was Xu Zhu. Cao Cao would keep his back turned from Xu Zhu, but he would speak to him as if he was already looking at him.
"Xu Zhu?"
"My lord! I am... Sorry!" Xu Zhu said while scrambling himself as fast as he could and then trying to run for the door. But then, he froze at the sound of Cao Cao's voice as he took one step towards the door. His face turned deadly pale and his eyes widened at the calm, yet eerily threatening voice of his lord Cao's.
"I didn't give you approval, like all the others..." Cao Cao would say now, turning around to Xu Zhu, who was still frozen in terror. Xu Zhu would turn around to give his lord a reasonable explanation, but he would only feel Cao Cao's fist go into his stomach, and unbelievably so, it would throw him backwards, his feet literally leaving the ground as he soon felt the punch of Cao Cao's digging deep into his stomach, the pain being immense and terrible. Xu Zhu would hit a wall, and combining the momentum and the huge weight of himself, he would go through the wall, wooden splinters and painted pillars going everywhere and some of it landing on top of his body. He would now just lie there, in a heap of pain as he would already be groaning. His eyes would glaze over and his mouth would open as if to say something, but he couldn't. Soon, he was knocked out and he would just keep the position, only the whites of his eyes showing and his face still pale. He couldn't. He just couldn't say anything now.
"Imperfection during chaos can mean failure! And I hate failure! So make sure it never happens again!" He said stepping over Xu Zhu's laying body and carefully stepping over the rubble and the hole in the wall, walking through the area now and resuming his normal business.
"Heh! At least it wasn't me this time!" said Dian Kamo as she walked by the war room's new passage, stepping over Xu Zhu and walking down the other end of the hall. She just shook her head and muttered something to herself. When she had opened her door, she would just look around and spy her bed...She was getting bored of Cao Cao's frustration and beating up his own officers was well...Ignorant to her. So instead, she just shrugged it off and jumped upon the bed. Closing her door and taking off her long shirt and tossing it aside, she'd take off her pants and threw it into a pile at the side as well. She was in the nude at the moment, so she'd take special precaution to stay away from the windows, since there were always sex-starved soldiers on patrol. Tossing her long dark brown hair back over her shoulder, she would grab the robes that were lying on her bed, a full dark blue robe, with the dark emblem of Wei. She certainly didn't lay it there. But there was a tag upon it. It said:
"From your Uncle Wei, I thought this would be a nice present from me. Tell your mother I said hello ~ Dian Wei".
She smiled at this and just pulled the robes on. Looking into the mirror, she spread out her arms and tilted her head to the side. She did look good in it... "So he's no so evil when it comes to family."
She'd continued murmuring about her uncle. She'd have to tell her mother greeting from her uncle.
"I'll give Uncle Wei a nice gift when I get the chance. He's so nice."
O O
Meanwhile, outside of her door, a man would be eavesdropping on the almost incoherent mumbling of Dian Kamo. Smiling to himself, he'd run off towards the other end of the castle and stopped as he approached the weapon storage. Going inside, he'd see a figure, sorting out the weapons. Bowing his head deeply to the figure, even though the man wouldn't turn back to see him, he'd keep his head bowed low and only speak to him on this position.
"Sir, your niece likes the gift."
"I'm sure she does...Send roses to her mother and a sword with a jeweled hilt to her father. And send them insurance that their daughter is safe with us in Wei and tell them not to worry." The man said, now sorting spears on a ledge above him self.
"Yes sir, General Dian Wei. I'll make sure!" with that, the man departed, leaving Dian Wei to himself.
"My family is my only source of happiness. My life is only for my lord Cao Cao. But let them be happy, when I have to be the Coming Evil." He said as he took off the spears he sorted from the ledge.
O O
"Mei Yi?" A voice rang out. It was sharp, woman's voice that had been brought out, ringing through the halls of the Wu Kingdom's Jiang Dong castle. A young woman would respond to the call, running down the labyrinth type halls and turning sharply at each end, successfully rounding each corner with speed.
"Coming, milady!" she would call back to the woman who wanted her. She had a lithe body by the looks of it, one that could be easily pushed around or carried. As she carried herself to the door, she would stop before the chamber doors to look down at her self. Bringing her bright blue eyes down to her form, she'd find herself presentable. She wore a black dress with one split on the right side for easier and more fluid movement, and it would go down to her ankles. There was a serpent design on her, embroidered with a generous amount of silk blue thread and silver studs. The dress doesn't seem to have a strap to hold it up and the sleeves seemed detached. They were more or less attached to the main dress, but they went down the length of her arm with no appearance of holding onto her shoulder. They were black, like her dress and it had silver linings running down the whole sleeve and blue Chinese lettering, right on the edges. She had on her feet, small black boots, that didn't look to showy, but it was good enough, as it let her walk without any fault. Inhaling then exhaling deeply, she would open the entrance of the room and walked in.
"Milady! I have arrived!" she said, bowing to the woman before her. She had fair skin and green eyes that were almost that of an emerald. She had on a happy expression as she looked upon Mei Yi. She wore red pants that were covered with a black sash and a shirt, a vest on top that bore the emblem of Wu. She had chestnut brown hair that shined with the little light within the room and she would just nod to let Mei Yi know that she may approach. Mei Yi, in turn, would walk up to the woman and bow to her. It was pretty obvious that the woman was none other than the Royal Sun Family's youngest child, Sun Shang Xiang, the princess and one of the youngest warriors of the Wu Kingdom.
"Ah, Mei Yi, we've been waiting for you!" Sun Shang Xiang exclaimed, before motioning to her brother; Sun Ce, who was in his usual clothes. It compiled of red and gold armor that covered his whole body, but showed off his muscular arms. He had his black hair tied back with a red band, but his sister wanted him to put a bow on, so for kicks, he decided to tie the band in a bow manner to please her. He leaned on a pole as Sun Shang Xiang showed him. Of course, Mei Yi would only bow once more. Sun Quan, clad in his robes was seated by Sun Ce, his usual hat upon his head. He would just nod to Mei Yi and looked up to Sun Ce.
"Brother, is it wise we should tell her about this?"
"Yah, I think so. 'sides, it ain't gonna do anythin' with the situation."
"Well then, I suppose. I just don't want anyone to start a rumor that Wu may have a potential downfall. It may scare our people and demoralize our soldiers."
"Nah, we don't have a downfall! We have ourselves a challenge!"
Mei Yi would wonder what the Sun brothers were talking about. Looking to the Sun Shang Xian, she'd just wait for her to give her an explanation.
"Well, I see you're anxious." Sun Shang Xiang would note how she'd look and listen to her brothers' conversation and would only shake her head. "Come on, I'll talk about it with you."
"Yes, milady."
"Well you see; we've been hearing rumors, about a man that can beat a whole army. He's not Lu Bu, whom can slay any man. And he's not Guan Yu, whose dedication and skills can match that of Lu Bu's. It's a whole new person, who can complete the three, who can fight as well as either of those."
Mei Yi's eyes widened at the mention of the man's skills. Surely no one could be as powerful as Lu Bu? Who had single handedly held back Yuan Shao's forces a long time ago and had been on the run from the Wei kingdom? This man had to be a spectacle of a man or a God to match Lu Bu in such a way that her lady Shang Xiang would commend him.
"I heard he was such a handsome man!" Sun Shang Xiang went red in the cheeks and smiled, closing her eyes and thinking about how the man would look like. She would just laugh idly. She would gain the gaze of her brothers, who would question what she was thinking. With an annoyed look, Sun Ce stepped forward, interrupting the thoughts of his youngest sibling.
"Well I heard SHE was a woman!" Sun Ce said grinning at the now wide eyes Sun Shang Xiang. Mei Yi would only bring a hand up to suppress any laughter at this. "I heard that SHE had long black hair and can fight with her fists. I heard that SHE was better than most men. You know what that means. You gotta rival! Heh!"
"But brother, the reports and the men from Wei said it was a man. A pretty man, at that, but it is a man, indeed. I believe that he won't be to Sun Shang Xiang's taste. And I don't think you can fall head over heels for another woman, considering Da Qiao would be insulted as your woman and over protective as your wife. And also, you'd have Xiao Qiao to worry about, since she always hangs around you, and your son in law, Lu Xun always seems to have a unit next to yours in the battlefields. Needless to say, you're in no position for a woman." Sun Quan would run a hand on his facial hair, stroking and grabbing the tip of his beard intently and looking much like an intellectual at doing so. Of course, he was always considered the intellectual of the family and a wise person at that. He would just think and smile at yet another thought. "And brother, you wouldn't want him to be a woman in the first place. I know you like a good fight. And Sun Shang Xiang, this will be a most unique battle between our eldest sibling and the man, wouldn't you agree?"
"Oh really? Weren't you going to say "If Zhou Yu thinks its best, we'll do it!" again?" she said now mocking her second oldest brother. Sun Quan would just nod to himself, still stroking and pulling a bit on his beard. He would then look to his little sister and give a response.
"I only think him best when we are on the battle field. Otherwise, he would just keep to internal affairs. I mean look at him, always taking care of his little sisters and teaching the littlest one martial arts. It's obvious he needs a woman."
"Hey, watch your mouth when talkin' 'bout ol' Zhou Yu! Me an' him are best buds ya know? I can't have people sayin' that he needs a girl bad...Although what you say is usually true, ya know?"
"Exactly, my elder brother, exactly."
"I say that Mei Yi marries her!" Sun Ce exclaimed pointing to Mei Yi, who would now just blush furiously as she had her masters trying to find a fate for her all of a sudden. Luckily for her, Sun Quan would grab Sun Ce's arm and pushed him lightly.
"Are you mad?! Zhou Yu can't marry her! She's not a general and she's definitely not a woman of nobility!"
"Well it's better than nothin'!"
"The answer is NO Sun Ce! She's just someone under Sun Shang Xiang!"
"Well who do you think she really IS good for?"
"She's a bit young...Lu Xun!"
"NO! I say Zhou Yu!"
"And I think Lu Xun needs a proper woman!"
"But you said she's just "someone under Sun Shang Xiang", didn't you?!" Sun Ce yelled at him, mocking his voice at the end.
"I changed my mind!"
"How about she doesn't get married?" Sun Shang Xiang said, glaring at her brothers, both of them would just look at Sun Shang Xiang before they both gave their response in unison.
"NO!"
Sun Shang Xiang would reel back from their loud voices combining and then just sat next to Mei Yi, watching them still going at it.
"Lu Xun's a lil' kid and he ain't gonna age any time soon!"
"Zhou Yu's a pedophile that wouldn't be in his Kingdom, but bypassed MY denial due to him being your friend and father seeing him as a "Great Mind", is that not true?"
"Well he's smarter than Lu Xun!"
"No he's not!"
"Yes he is!"
"Don't I get a say in this?" Mei Yi would ask, her voice emitting meekly and timidly from her, as not to disrespect her lords. Both of them turned their heads to Mei Yi and frowned upon her and then both would yell at the same time.
"NO!" After they both yell, they both would glare at each other, Sun Quan would shout at his older brother first.
"Stop copying my ideas!"
"Shut up!"
"You're being an irrational, insecure, idiotic man!"
"I know what you are, but what am I?" Sun Ce would smile and nod to himself, congratulating himself for the response.
"Takes one to know one..." Sun Quan responded, now smiling back. Sun Ce's smile would disappear and he would bow his head in defeat.
"Damn, you're good."
O O
If the Sun brothers weren't so busy arguing, they would've noticed their sister and Mei Yi sneaking outside and running from the room they were in. Mei Yi was still bothered by the fact that there was a man that people compared to Lu Bu, but it wasn't in her best interest to keep thinking about things like that. Sun Shang Xiang would notice the facial expression of her companion.
"You all right?"
"Yeah, I'm good. It's just bothering me about the man that people are rumoring about. I can't see that as a good thing for our kingdom."
"No! We're better than them! We're the best of all, you know? And besides, he has a common name. What kind of name is Zhao Xing? It sounds like a unisex name too. No wonder why Ce thought it was a girl...Ah well."
"Heh. Your brothers can be real idiots. I'm glad that we're out of their presence, we can talk normal now."
"Yup!" Sun Shang Xiang and Mei Yi would keep running down the long hall to a spot they would be able to talk about their own things and be left alone from the harsh news from the outside. But again, the man troubled Mei Yi. She knew a boy named Zhao Xing, her own brother who lived within Wei. She was older by a couple years and only saw him once as a baby before she got lost within a forest. She was discovered by Wu a long time ago and brought to Sun Shang Xiang, and when she grew up, they became friends. But still. The name of her brother could be oddly frightening when mentioned in such an evil manner, being able to fight a whole army and all.
"Hey Shang Xiang..." she asked as they now slipped into the courtyard, walking through the grassy areas now, instead of running.
"Yes?"
"Did I ever tell you about my family?"
"No, you really never did. All you told me is that your father left you."
"Well...Yeah, pretty much. I had a brother and little sister too. And a mother. You know? I got lost the day my mother told me to out and pick some mushrooms."
"Really?"
"Yeah. But I'm glad I did. I wouldn't be able to become friends with you or your dumb brothers."
"Heh, right! We got to think in the bright side, right?"
"Yeah, who cares about my brother and sister, and who cares about my mother?"
The two women would now just sit down upon the grass and lay down; looking to the blue sky and watching the clouds roll past them. Their attention would soon be taken away from the skies to the pitter patter sounds of someone walking towards them upon the stone path to the courtyards. Turning their heads to the side, they would look to see a woman, instead of any of the Sun Brothers, much to their relief.
"Hello Lady Sun. Hello, Miss Mei."
"Ah, don't be so formal!"
"Yeah, Ming Jujie!" Sun Shang Xiang said teasingly. "You're so soft spoken! Be LOUD!!!"
"But- tis rude! I will absolutely not!" She retorted, shaking her head to Sun Shang Xiang's request. She was a woman, looking like how most of the female were dressed when they were in the bodyguard units, in a red dancer's top and in a uniformed red skirt, boots coupling her appearance. She had shoulder length brown hair that seemed to cascade down to her shoulders and brown eyes that would match with her hair. Her thoughts seemed to be on the current conversation. She liked how they were open and friendly to each other, but she didn't appreciate how loud the two were being. Ah well, might as well keep the peace rather than complaining. Sitting down next to Mei Yi, she would bring her knees up close and wrapped her arms around them, hugging her knees to herself as she looked off to the courtyard, the blossoming peach trees littering the ground with pink leaves. "Well, then, let us talk about something, without being a disturbance, though."
"Fine...Have it YOUR way."
"Heh, at least she doesn't wake up the whole kingdom, milady."
"QUIET YOU!"
"See?"
O O
Finally getting into the inn without further delay, Zhao Xing laid the now sleeping form of Yu Chai on his bedding. She was all red and smelling of alcohol, but still, this was the least he could do. Knowing that she'd be safe within the inn, he'd head out once more into the now afternoon atmosphere of the village. Opening the door to the sun drenched village outside, he'd hear some of the children playing the in the overflow of the river outside and some people swimming. He may as well look for Qing Yuan while he was outside. He hadn't seen her since this morning and he feared that she may have been lost during his little exhibit match with the drunkards. Walking around the area, he would not see her amongst the townsfolk, so he decided to check the outskirts of town. Heading for the gate, he'd hear some rustling within the leaves next to him. Jumping up into the air, he'd promptly avoided a horizontal swipe from a spear point. Looking to his assailant, he'd see a woman wearing a pure white cheongsam, with different designs embroidered into it, including blue designs of dragons and phoenixes. She had knee high brown boots that seemed to be made out of leather by the obvious folds. The woman had a jeweled comb in her short black hair. Her accessories also included a platinum chain around her neck with a jade ring pendant on it that seemed to swing from side to side as she had her spear in attack form. She had flawless brown eyes that seemed to hold much calmness, showing no emotion wavering from happiness or anger, just one of normal stature.
"Who are you?" Zhao Xing would quickly ask as he dodged another spear blow, this time a stab motion. He'd sidestepped it and brings it under his arm as the woman would bring the brown eyes to lock onto his hazels.
"Your redeemer, you sick bandit."
"Bandit?" Xing would wonder what made her think of such a thing, as he would step back, letting her spear go. She wouldn't waste any time on it, though, as she brought her spear up and tried to slash him upon the face. Though he had injured hands, he would bring them up to catch the spear, mere inches from his face and he'd just give a look of wonder to the woman before him. "You're pretty strong."
"I AM strong."
"Well I'm stronger." He said closing his eyes, waiting for her to give up on pulling at the spear. He wasn't going to let her use the simple made, metal tipped spear and attack him again, just because he let the woman go. He would wait until she would surrender.
"Bandit, I'm not going to let you go." She said with added venom in her voice, glaring at Zhao Xing as she tried to pull the spear in vain from his grip. "I saw what you did to those simple drunkards."
"I suppose I was supposed to let them take my friend away?"
"..." That part the woman seemed to absorb into her mind, as she loosened her grip upon her spear, causing Zhao Xing to give the spear back. As soon as he let his own grip loose, she would twirl her spear on one hand, her nimble fingers showing great dexterity while doing so, and then placed it in the carrying case on her back. "Then why must you fight drunken men to save your friend. Is it the only way? If so, that's barbaric."
"Well, I've lived through barbaric times. Don't tell me what I must do." He replied coldly to the woman who attacked him. Closing his eyes, he turned and walked to round the rest of the outskirts of the village. He didn't have time to deal with this woman who thought he was a bandit. The fact she thought him to be a bandit in the first place didn't exactly appeal to him either. So, there he was, walking away from a woman that had mistakenly attacked him, her not apologizing once.
"..." Something drove her to follow this man. Maybe it was his fighting spirit. It was something about the man that she needed to follow. Nodding to herself, she jumped into the trees and started to follow the man.
O O
Qing Yuan was lost, most definitely lost. She had been running around the town in search of Zhao Xing and Yu Chai, but now. She was getting a little worried about what would happen if she had never seen him again. No lessons, no being taught by someone she thought would be better than her, no looking into his sparkling hazel eyes or sitting by his bedside and talking with him every day.
"Huh?" She blinked and stops for a moment. Now why did she think that of all things? Hmm, it's something about him. In any case, she wasn't about to stay down, listening to herself think about whether or not she'd be able to see Zhao Xing again. He was being a traitor to their promise. That's right. Their promise, the promise she made him take while he was sitting in his sick bed last night.
"Don't break our promise, Zhao Xing..." she murmured.
"He doesn't look like a traitor." Behind her, the deep voice of a man would ring out in her ears. Taking out her fan, she turned around quickly to see if this was a man trying to trifle with her. She was ready and then struck a fighting stance when she saw how the man was dressed, dark blue armor and a navy blue turban. He was too short to be Xu Huang. But he didn't look like one of those turban men either, the ones who caused rebellions back the neither. He carried himself with a medium stature and his facial expression was cold and menacing to her. This made her jump back a bit, but she still kept her fighting stance.
"Don't talk about Master Zhao like that!"
"Master? He hasn't taught you a single lesson yet." He said, stepping towards her, his dark, dark eyes looking down at her menacingly. She would just shake her head and spread out her fan, ready to attack the moment he would come near. "I know everything, even Yu Chai. I know that he was injured. And I know that he was in a fight. Several recently resulted in him gaining a high fever and hallucinations one night before. I know everything."
Qing Yuan didn't like the man already. Pointing her fan at his face, she would keep the glare upon him and wouldn't move from her fighting stance.
"Just who are you? If you're one those men chasing Zhao Xing and Yu Chai, I can end your life right here. I would like you to refrain from attacking him before I have to step in and teach you some self restraint."
"Was that a threat?" Responding to her threat by quickly disappearing before her eyes, yet another illusion trick that Sima Yi taught the Wildcat Riders, he would appear right before Qing Yuan, mere inches from her as he stood before her, looking more threatening and provoking than before Qing Yuan would raise her fan to strike at his head, but it would only result in him grabbing the wrist of her arm. He would keep the emotionless bit up and he would look down at her, his cold, dark brown eyes peering into her hazels. He opened his mouth to make a response. "I don't make threats, I make promises. Take me to Zhao Xing. I need to see him."
"No! I won't betray our promise!"
"Ah! He makes promises too! That's something to admire. Well then, if he is going to keep a promise, then I guess he FAILED!" Suddenly, he would let Qing Yuan fall to the ground as he pushed her when he jumped up and above her, successfully flipping over her. He had avoided Zhao Xing's kick.
Zhao Xing was a bit surprised that the man holding Qing Yuan in a threatening position would be able to act upon his attack, considering he was holding her up and all. Zhao Xing struck the traditional 'Flaming Crane' stance, bringing up his foot and hands in the proposed crane mannerism. (Think Karate Kid)
"Qing Yuan, come here."
"Right, but let me do something first."
Qing Yuan would smile upon Zhao Xing's form as he came to her view. It was getting darker every moment she stayed out here and she didn't want to be in the night when encountering someone like that man clad in the Wei Calvary Armor. But he didn't know how to treat a woman right either. Standing up, she would quickly turn to the man, the man raising a brow at her looking at him. She would smile unto the man when-
THWAP!
She would slap him across the face. The man would go wide eyed, his mouth opened letting out a groan of pain as he was now side ways in the air from the powerful slap across the face. The slap sound even echoed through the trees, causing several birds to leave their perches and take flight. Small animals would run at the sound of the large smack and people inside the village walls would start murmuring amongst themselves if that was some sort of explosion or avalanche. Qing Yuan would turn as soon as Cao Kai landed on his side, clutching at his face. She was smiling contently to herself as she trotted over to a wide eyed Zhao Xing.
"I'm done."
"I see, but what was that for?"
"For not knowing how to treat a woman..." She said, lifting her arm up and showing red marks on her wrist from the man's powerful grip. "Oh yes! I almost forgot!"
Bringing her hand up, she'd give Zhao Xing a similar treatment that she had given Cao Kai, slapping him across the face causing the man to reel in pain. He didn't go flying down to the ground like Cao Kai, but he did clutch his face and groan as she finished the slap.
"ARGH! What was that for?!" Zhao Xing would shout at Qing Yuan, who would only smile at Zhao Xing's angered appearance. She would only let out a small laugh and shook her head, keeping the smile ever present.
"Yu Chai was right; you're really cute when you're angry."
"Oro...?"
"Don't worry much about it. That slap was only for making me think you left me in the village."
"Hmph, fine, I'll forgive you that time...And further more- umph!" Right at that instant Qing Yuan would slam right into him, wrapping her arms around him. He didn't expect it and thus would nearly choke from her surprisingly strong hold. He had just enough strength to ask her what the embrace was for. "Why this? URK!"
"Because you didn't leave me here..."
"ARGH! What if I did?" He asked between chokes
"Then I wouldn't be embracing you. Now what?"
"Get the hell off me and go hug Yu Chai! It's because of her we're still here, UGH!"
"Oh, all right. Hey, you should hug people too, it makes them feel better. Plus it improves your social life since you're being friendly."
"OK...Urk...LET ME GO AND PROCEED TO THE INN NOW!" He finally got tired of the embracing and pushed Qing Yuan off of him. Inhaling and exhaling deeply after he got feelings in his lungs back. He would thank the goddesses and then looked back to the exceptionally strong Yuan. Sighing she would turn away and respond.
"Erhm, all right." She said while bowing to him turning around fully and then running back towards the inn. She would call to him one more time before she disappeared into the inn "You don't need to be so cold..."
Cao Kai would be shouting and clutching his face with his hands, rubbing the giant hand mark that Qing Yuan left upon his face. He was rolling on the ground, trailing mud on himself, but he was trying to nurse the little injury the woman bestowed upon him.
"ARGH! IT BURNS! OWWWW!" Cao Kai was rolling around grabbing at the face wound he had. "IT WON'T STOP THROBBING! OH GODDESSES IT HURTS!"
"Er-hem." Zhao Xing would interrupt the person he once thought to be a potential threat, but now he only saw him as a person who was either foolish, or someone who can switch on and off from killing. It was sort of amusing that a man that looked like him would bawl around from a slap.
"What?!" The man looked himself over before jumping up in front of Xing and clearing his throat. "Sorry about that, I was a bit busy."
"Yes, I saw."
"Everything?"
"Yeah."
"Even the part with the-"
"From the moaning to the crying."
"Damn you!" Cao Kai stomped his foot before glaring at Zhao Xing, before he quickly regained his cool. He would cough into his hand, clearing his throat and bowed before Zhao Xing. Looking up to him he would keep the emotionless eyes upon him and just looked to him. "I haven't come here for pleasantries. And who the hell is that in the trees?"
"You mean that forest woman? She's nothing but someone who thinks I'm a bandit."
"Watch it, I'm no ordinary woman. Quite like yourself. You were able to suppress my attacks without a weapon." The same woman that swiped at Zhao Xing would jump down and looked upon him and Cao Kai. But before any more words were said between her and Zhao Xing, Cao Kai stepped forward.
"I am Cao Kai, last of the Wildcat Riders. Like your brother."
Zhao Xing was easily stirred by the man's words. Brother...
"You don't know anything about my brother...Wei hypocrite."
"I believe I do, Zhao Xing. I know your name, and I definitely knew Lian. I think I would know my best friend from the Wildcats. I don't lie, like I told your lady friend. I make promises, and I keep them."
Zhao Xing's eyes widen and his hazels seem to flare up at what seemed to be a potential threat. Gritting his teeth, he'd clench his fist and pointed it at him, cracking his knuckles by squeezing his fingers into his palms.
"You don't know anything about Lian! You're just saying that because you were part of Wei! Don't lie!"
"I told you...I don't lie. Believe me and you'll go far, young Xing."
"Leave me alone!"
As the two men would continue talking about the man, this Zhao Xing, who seemed to be the more important amongst the two, she would just sit down on the base of tree and keep her spear within her two hands, waiting for the two to finish. She had no business with either, but she was definitely curious to the man's past and training. She was already revealed in her position, so why bother to hide herself. That and she was already getting a decent story about this man and she always enjoyed something like this.
"Don't deny your past Zhao Xing, you know I'm telling the truth. I know about Ma Yuan Li, I know about Dian Wei, everything. And you know what? I don't think you're strong enough."
"Not strong? I'll show you...I'LL SHOW YOU!!!" This man had just insulted his pride. With the knowing of his mother and mentioning of Dian Wei and thinking he wasn't strong enough. His fist was shaking. This man was crossing his line. "I CAN hurt you!"
"Hurt me? I told you I don't think you're strong enough. And look at your self. Look at your feelings. You can't even control it. If Xiao could see you now, you won't be able to stand proud with her. I can see it all now..." He would now smile, giving an evil sort of grin that would strike fear in any normal man. Of course, Zhao Xing wasn't any normal man either. "You're not able to hurt me. You won't be able to hurt Dian Wei either. He is too powerful to be brought down by the likes of you. You weakling."
"Weakling...I'll show you who's the weakling." Bringing a hand back, he would throw a punch that was coordinated at his head, but Cao Kai would simply crouch down bending his knees a bit as the powerful punch would sail over his head. Quickly standing up, he'd knock up the arm of Zhao Xing with nothing more than the little thrust.
"Exactly. Weakling."
Xing would bring up his other arm in an attempt to attack the man, but he would only be grabbed at his weakened fist by Cao Kai, who would lift Zhao Xing up by the broken fist. Cao Kai would now look to his side...A rushing river.
Xing couldn't bear it. The pain was too much! Here was a man he had just met and he was being beaten by him. Damn him. Damn his Wei uniform. He was hoisted into the air by one arm, and before he knew it, he felt cold, he couldn't breathe. Xing struggled by rushing to pull himself together. Water. Cold water. He was drowning.
Cao Kai scoffed at the man's weakness. And here he thought he had found someone that could actually beat the Wei Kingdom single handedly. Cao Kai would only watch as the man would drift off into the river, seemingly drowning and trying his best only to hang on and not die. What a pathetic waste of his time. He would turn to meet the angry gaze of the woman who had followed Zhao Xing through the tree tops.
"Who the hell are you?"
"I am Shen Xiu, but you don't deserve to know my name. What in the world was that for?" She would look to the river, her eyes shifting from the Cao towards the river, and then shifting back to the Cao again.
"That is his test. If he is truly the weakling I thought of him to be. He will not survive this...If he can't even dodge a little blow like that..."
"Well I'm not going to stand for it. It's going to be a terrible waste if he is going to die, him being the spawn of Zilong...The brother of your great friend."
"What you heard is of no matter from now on. It is if he dies or comes back to fight, is what matters."
"Then you shall see this from the-" Shen Xiu took her spear and was about to strike at the man, for harming an innocent and insulting his friendship with a most amiable person. But she was suddenly cut off from her intentions when a cry came out to interrupt the already tension filled sky.
"Xing!" Shen Xiu would turn to see two women, one still dressed, obviously that woman with Xing earlier, the other, half dressed, her hair tossed loosely and her face not too awake, a bit red too.
Xing had no choice but keep himself with the current, try to keep himself afloat with the damn rushing river in hopes he won't drown and die.
Will Xing prove his worth to Cao Kai? Who is this woman Shen Xiu? How can Yu Chai and Qing Yuan find Xing again? Find out next time on Beautiful Requiem.
O O
Preview
O O
Zhao Xing: This is a most unpleasant view....my death is a bad thing, most definitely a bad thing.
Yu Chai: I hope you don't die; the rest of us won't be in the story if you do.
Zhao Xing: See? That's the pleasant thing about being the main character...
Qing Yuan: Well, again, let's just say something happens, concerning Tian Shui. We meet this man whom anyone would consider a genius and profoundly talented in fighting. We see a woman who can fight AND cook at the same time. A good looker to boot!
Yu Chai: Tune in next time to see her fight, and who exactly the Genius of Tian Shui is and who the talented woman is...
Zhao Xing: And also, a very special woman comes into the scene...I mean special....To me.
Qing Yuan: Next time on-
Tian Shui: Beauty
Sorry it took so long...if you guys give me progressive reviews and tell me what I have to do to please you, it can be up in a matter of DAYS. You know? It'll help, trust me.