Author's note:
Everyone, please forgive my irrational, rude comments that I've made in earlier chapters. I assure you, that I'm not hateful of the variety that most of the people like, like you
LB x SSX lovers
Or
Yaoi, mary-sue lovers.
I'm sorry for my earlier comments; truly, forgive my impartial speaking through my text. I promise (else I commit senpukku) I won't display anymore offensive comments again.
Also, CoCo...thanks to you for not flaming me, though my words had offended you. But again, you're NOT allowed to use my character Zhao Xing. That is character infringement and I won't hesitate to notify the board of directors of Fanfiction.net if you do something rash to protest against my thoughts by doing as such. Again, I especially apologize to you about my words...Please forgive me, dear reviewer and owner of Qing Yuan.
Again, to all who was offended by my words, I'm sorry.
Now on with my story! This chapter will be long and have multiple song fiction parts because this is my special apology chapter. That and trying how many people I can attract with Linkin Park, P.O.D., and such artists.
O O
The Five Tigers vs. the Wu Elite
It was a quiet morning, many months from the time where Zhao Xing had ran away to Shu to re-establish a relation with his father. Everything had changed for the better perhaps. Zhao Xing had grown accustomed to Shu territory and had been given a rank as the Lieutenant Commander and the nickname "General of the Southern Fist" under General Zhao Yun of Chang Shan. Everyone had also grown accustomed to him as well, Zhuge Liang always trying to teach him a thing or two about troop placement as well as showing him around the various Shu camps that were spread throughout the Kingdom.
He had grown quite close to Jiang Wei, the apprentice and heir to the Prime Minister. The two were about the same age, and thought alike, so thus, the two were compatible. The only problem was that Jiang Wei knew more about the civilized world than the normally isolated Zhao Xing. Jiang Wei knew about the public and people rather than just a few acquaintances like Zhao Xing always knew. Zhao Xing had also grown accustomed to Yue Ying. She constantly asked him questions, concerned about where he was going, always bringing him food, or advice that he didn't need, but gladly, Zhao Xing would take it as there was always a lesson in her words.
Zhao Xing liked the attention he was getting, but some of the attention was negative. Zhao Xing had drawn some negativity out of the ones Ma Chao, Ma Dai, and Pang De. Ma Chao was the Commander in Chief of Cavalry Units while Ma Dai was the Lieutenant of Armed Cavalry. The young Zhao son had supposedly accepted a challenge that the loud Ma Chao was shouting to a crowd, claiming that he was the fastest. First Zhao Xing was beaten in a race upon horseback. But when Zhao Xing had challenged Ma Chao to a race on foot, Zhao Xing had beaten him and left him one hundred yards behind on the three hundred yard race through the palace gardens.
Ma Dai was a different story. Ma Dai liked that fact that his brash older brother had been beaten. The fact that the audacity of "Ma Chao the Splendid" was silenced for a bit was all that took to warm up to the young man. But as Ma Dai started to talk to him, they began talking about weapons and soon, Ma Dai had challenged him to a sparring contest, consisting of weighted poles as weapons. Whoever was to be knocked down first was the loser. Ma Dai had lost, and through his eyes, through unfairness. Zhao Xing used the pole as a levy and then sling shot himself from his position to kick Ma Dai down. Ma Dai argued that he was only supposed to use the pole, but Zhao Xing said otherwise and that he should've specified the rules. Ma Dai, embarrassed and humiliated by the defeat in both verbal and physical contest, started to detest the young Zhao.
Pang De, a man of strong stature, much like Ma Chao and Ma Dai's, was already disliking of Zhao Xing when he had beaten Ma Chao. Now his detesting of the youth was now made twice-fold as he had seen his friend's brother being struck down in a spar due to unfair happenings. Pang De was now trying to screen for weaknesses, and perhaps get back at Zhao Xing for the embarrassment that his friends had suffered thus far.
Zhang Fei was terribly fond of the boy, and constantly tried to show Zhao Xing how to properly fight. And by "proper" he meant drinking, shouting at your enemies, and then charge and slice them down one by one. Not many people could drink and then beat one's enemies, but apparently, Zhang Fei could. Zhang Fei also introduced his sons and daughters to him (Yes, I know he didn't had daughters, but I want to use some people from Kessen as well.) and all of them had taken a liking to the young man as well.
Zhang Bao and Zhang Ren started to join Jiang Wei and Zhao Xing whenever they trained outside of the Shu palace, constantly switching places in spars or offering their own advice to help the people they're training with. Of course, with all these people proficient with the spear around him, Zhao Xing had started to get awfully good with the spear as well.
Most notable was the actions of the eldest Zhang daughter, Mei Mei. Mei Mei was a beautiful woman, and the most noticeable thing about her was that she was a tomboy. No one would ever think in their life that this woman would start dressing up in peach colored dresses and white evening gowns. She had black hair, always that same golden band around her forehead to separate the hair so that it would not flow into her face. Her body wasn't on line with the hour glass figure, mostly petite and not yet developed, she still had a little ways to go, considering she was eighteen, but she was not that far from being a full adult. Her face was soft but not clear as jade yet, not as pretty as Lady Zhen of Wei or Lady Qiao of Wu, more normal on the lines of pretty, but not touching gorgeous. The young woman often came to Zhao Xing talking of the foreign land of Japan and talked of a young man that captured her heart who lived across the oceans within the foreign country.
Li Li, the second eldest of the sisters at sixteen, looked older than her sister. She did develop that perfect figure, and always was clad in that soft Shu color of forest green. She could be found wearing that bodice and short pants, her soft brown hair being pulled back into the headdress. She too was spoiled, but not as spoiled as Luo Luo. Her eyes upon Zhao Xing are nothing more than a little crush, but she knows it won't come into fruition unless she did something about it. She finds attraction in the man due to the fact that he constantly gets along with the generals and the fact that her sister finds condolence in the man.
Luo Luo was an odd one. She was spoiled mainly because of her crying, whining and otherwise, underhanded ways of getting attention. Zhang Fei also favored her because of her light brown to hazel eyes, being just like his own. Luo Luo even gotten to dye her hair blonde, looking just like a foreigner when she did so, without the disapproval from her father either! Luo Luo was the fourteen year old sister of the three young sisters. Apparently, she and Zhao Xing get along just fine.
Huang Zhong and Wei Yan were a little skeptical at having Zhao Xing accompany the Shu ranks, but they were otherwise fine with it. Huang Zhong thought someone relying on their fists would be a sort of liability, and Wei Yan didn't trust anyone without a blade to back him up...but, when he beaten Ma Dai and Ma Chao, they made an exception...And in the words of Wei Yan:
"Wei Yan...like..."
Pang Tong had fun bonking the young Zhao over the head with his magical staff. Of course, he took a rather primitive approach to the young one, letting whoever actually cared to take care of the young lad. If he'd come to him he'd help. Well, him and Guan Yu. Guan Yu was careful with the lad's training, letting the Zhang Brothers and his own sons help out with training.
Zhao Xing had begun to be a revered man of Shu, just like all the other generals, and all at an early stage of his life within Shu.
O O
Within the small clearings of a cotton field, Ma Chao was busy training and taking the horses to be suitable for the Shu army. Most of the stallions were unwilling to let anyone but Ma Chao himself, ride on them, and few had even let Pang De or Ma Dai on, but for the rest of the army, it was a necessity to do so. Ma Chao had not yet been able to find a suitable horse for Liu Bei, and this task itself was getting tedious and ever so time consuming.
Pang Tong, the genius that was next only to Zhuge Liang, was sitting next to some of the other fellow men of Liu Bei, waiting for the moment to intervene and tell Ma Chao that he was wasting his time looking for another horse for Liu Bei. Pang Tong was still his normal self, a piece of cloth wrapped lightly around his mouth. There was a thousand years of wisdom in that man alone, and no one could deny that. Where the Sleeping Dragon was second to none in strategy, perhaps it is the Fledgling Phoenix that is the best at sustaining lasting wisdom.
"Hey, Ma Chao, ole' buddy...what are ya doing?"
"Lord Pang Tong, I'm searching for an appropriate horse for Liu Bei!"
"What?" Pang Tong never heard of such stupidity...well, perhaps the rash tactics of Sima Yi when he feels cornered, but this was just plain stupid. Everyone knew that next to Red Hare, the Hex Mark was the fastest horse. "You gonna just look them over, or ya gonna ask someone what they think?"
Now Ma Chao had a sense of pride that couldn't be shaken from no matter what. He immediately bowed and turned from Pang Tong, looking to the horse; he smiled and brushed a hand on his own horse.
"No worries sir! I, Ma Chao, will find a horse for our lord!
Pang Tong just raised a brow before shaking his head and turning from the near stupefying Ma Chao...
"Good for you..."
O O
During the months that Zhao Xing stayed at the Shu encampment, he'd been getting letters known simply as "Kitsune". The one who delivers them to him was a Wei messenger, always bearing the white flag of temporary truce, and they were always addressed to Zhao Xing himself. The first letter he received was as such...
Zhao Xing...
You know who I am...We've met before. Let's just say that you're the most important person to me, next to me, myself and I of course. I can't tell you where I am, as I will be executed if I let out my location. I'm captured and inside Wei, but that's all I can say, since obviously, the person who's delivering my letters is a Wei. Zhao Xing...normally I wouldn't say this...but I am sort of afraid...especially of what happened to me before...If you can...please respond...
-Kitsune.
Zhao Xing thought that it was probably his long lost friend, Yu Chai, and promptly wrote back. His letter bore a sincere cause and a consolation that was unbelievably dear to heart. Zhao Xing thought this letter would at least console whoever wrote him this letter...On the time he had want to give the letter to the next messenger, he was surprised to see a Wu vanguard comprised entirely of women instead of a lone Wei messenger. In the middle of the women was a teary eyed woman that Zhao Xing was definitely concerned about. Maybe she was the woman that was held captive. No, she would've been surrounded by a Wei vanguard. When he approached the women at the Shu gates, the whole group stepped back, almost terrified at him. All of them stepped back, with the exception of the one teary woman in the middle. She looked at Zhao Xing with such compassion and regret that it could make even Lu Bu cry.
Zhao Xing was sort of startled at what happened next. The gates opened and the female vanguard began to leave the cloaked woman that happened to be still crying. And to further his surprise, Zhao Xing was brought into an embrace by the woman, whom was now sobbing on his shoulder.
"A-are you...Kitsune?!" Zhao Xing asked, being certainly embarrassed to be hugged by someone he didn't know.
"No...Zhao Xing..." She said, soft voice before she looked up, smiling just a bit as she looked to him. There were small tears coming from her eyes. "I did it for you, Xing...I gave my life for you, Xing..."
"What?" Zhao Xing was definitely confused. Bringing a shaking, inconsistent left hand to her cloaked face, he gently wiped a tear off of the woman's face before slowly sliding his fingers to the hood. Pulling the hood down revealed chestnut colored hair that came down to her shoulders, flaring out. Crystal blue eyes were looking up, tears no longer forming as she laid her head again on the young man's shoulder. "I...I know you..."
"I'm your sister...you're my younger brother..." Mei Yi suddenly said, almost offended. A large, almost catlike smile was broad on her face as she leaned on her supposed brother. "I'm Mei Yi...your older sister..."
"I didn't know..." Zhao Xing suddenly was filled with guilt before he suddenly drew his sister into another loving embrace. Mei Yi wasn't sad, and, was in fact, very happy now. But she smiled and knelt down. Grabbing an envelope containing the reply to the mysterious 'Kitsune', she nodded to her younger brother and handed the letter to him.
"Here...you dropped this..." Zhao Xing only shook his head and looked over his shoulder. Immediately, the gate guard took the letter and ran to his superior, discussing the deliverance of the letter to a near Wei post so that it can go to reply to whoever it was that was writing these letters. Zhao Xing took his sister's arm and started into the camp.
"How am I sure that you're not a spy..." Zhao Xing asked...
"You're pretty...I'm pretty..." Mei Yi said, more cheer in her words this time, tears drying on her face. "We're both pretty...don't you see the resemblance?"
Zhao Xing merely chuckled and walked arm and arm with his sister...each exchanging their life as they walked off into the morning mist.
O O
There was a celebration at that night in the camp. Zhao Yun was to be the guest of honor as he had come back from a successful raid of the Wei camps. Waving to applauding crowds, he'd just flash his perfect smile and flick back a stray bang of hair. But he'd direct his gaze to Ma Chao who seemed to disregard the higher commander's coming. Instead of waiting for an explanation, he started to push through the camp's occupants, heading to where Ma Chao was. Upon arrival, there was Zhao Xing introducing Mei Yi to everyone.
"She's my sister...family is almost reunited...one more sister to go!" He said cheerily as he and Mei Yi were greeting the crowd who were slowly going away from Zilong to give proper salutations to the other Zhao spawn. Zhao Yun merely cocked a brow before walking through to the two reunited siblings a stern face on.
"Zhao Xing!" His stern, almost commanding voice rang out. Zhao Xing immediately responded by bowing to his father.
"Father...my deepest apologies!" He pleaded with Zhao Yun, trying to hopefully gain a sort of grounds to his father. But instead of more scolding like he expected, he found a hand on his shoulder, squeezing the shoulder gently and then the hand moving away. He looked up to see Zhao Yun brushing back Mei Yi's hair with his bare hand.
"I wonder why your mother never told me about anyone but your siblings, Zhao Xing...you have a beautiful sister and I don't even know my own daughter's actual name..." Zhao Yun scolded himself this time. He turned from the young woman that was his daughter and started towards the main tent of the camp. "We're to have a celebration, NOW. To commemorate the event that our family has come back together...Zhao Xing, look your best!"
Zhao Xing's eyes widened as he looked to his father that was actually acting like a father now. Mei Yi helped him up as they both now proceeded towards the tent, wondering what they were going to do once they've gotten inside.
O O
"Shen Lu" was being sung as the Zhao siblings went into the tent. Beautiful songstresses were dancing in the middle of the tent area, all officers seated. To everyone's surprise, the Five Tigers themselves were present. Of course they were present...who would miss Zhao Yun's coming back? But this was changed to celebrate Mei Yi's coming.
"Hua li wei lai, shi ji xiang pi lao, zhuang zuo wu suo wei Rou qing si hai, gu li de rong mao, xiang qiou ming yun an wei Pai huei, ren jian zi wei, wei lai, can lan guang huei Zhu fu ni, qing quan li, wei re de mai buo hai peng pai de ben pao Kan guo qu, xian ru yong bao, wu wei Ji muo shi fen, ru meng de cong qian Que ren, zi wuo shi xian Ru guo neng qiu, miao huei de jing xiang, reng huei, fu xian yian qian Wang shi, jie ru ping ju, xiang xing, wei lai wu xian Zhu fu ni, qing quan li, wuo wei ni kai huai yue guo wei ni jiao ao Kan guo qu, xian ru cong qian Zhu fu ni, qing quan li, mei yiu ying wei, mei yiu ying wei, mei yiu ying wei"
The song was a perfect blend of words...
"Glamorous future, is an excuse for tiredness, pretending it doesn't matter
Tender affection similar to the sea, solitary facial features, hoping for fate to consolidate Wander, mankind's various flavors and experiences, future, shining and bright
Wish you good fortune, with all my force, warm pulse is still rigorously running
Look past, sink into an embrace, nevermind Lonely hours, dream-like past Confirm, self realization If it's possible to wish, an artistic scenery, still will, appear before the eyes Past events, all are like unintentional gatherings, believe, future unlimited Wish you good fortune, with all my force, I am even more happy for you than I am proud for you Look past, sink into the past Wish you good fortune, with all my force, no because, no because, no because"
Zhao Xing saw that the dancers was none other than Mei Mei, Luo Luo and Li Li, all of Zhang Fei's daughters. Zhao Yun was sitting on the highest chair before the performance, enjoying himself as he closed his eyes and listened to what they sang out. Jiang Wei, Zhang Bao and Zhang Ren, meanwhile, induldged the eye candy of the three young women before them. Zhao Xing merely laughed at their jealous glares at him when Mei Mei waved over to her friend and Li Li gave off a guile wink.
Mei Yi was entranced by the magical voices, grinning at the words and her eyes went almost half shut as she leaned once again on her brother's shoulder and just listened to the words...not wanting her brother to look dull, she started a conversation with him.
"Xing..." She started, rosey lips parting as she spoken. "This song is so romantic...doesn't it remind you of a sweetheart of yours?"
"Mei Yi..." Zhao Xing begun his reply with an almost wry voice. "Please don't ask...I don't want it to remind me of anyone..."
Qing Yuan was still on his mind...but he couldn't go back to her after the insult he threw into her face, as it was going to be the ultimate insult. The apology would have to wait until after the war so he could give an apology in peace. Qing Yuan...Zhao Xing couldn't shake the fact that his relation between her and himself could've evolved much more than it already had. Mei Yi merely laughed before sitting herself back up, eyes laying upon the others inside the large tent.
"Hey...cheer up...let's play a game, why don't we?"
"...Like?"
"Well, how about we find someone who's cuter than you, my little brother..." She said grinning almost ear to ear now. "...and...since you know them, you have to introduce the cutey to me..."
"..." Zhao Xing wasn't exactly liking the rules of the game at the moment...and he thanked the gods when a special guest appeared on the stage to do a special performance. Directing his sister's attention to their father who was pulled onto the stage for a performance, Zhao Yun merely laughed along and waved to his descendants. They were having fun, putting on a play concerning a "beautiful woman" which was played by a puppet master. A private that was dressed in a mask and a white cloak had responded in the play by trying to swoon the woman. But, as much as he tried, he was unable to and was promptly denied by the puppet woman. Mei Mei had pushed Zhao Yun to the puppet, and the crowd cheered.
"Who is this amateur?" Zhang Fei called out, making the other spectators laugh. Zhao Yun had approached the puppet, only to be swiftly smacked on the head by the wooden arm, leaving the viewers to laugh at the great 'Little Dragon'.
During the little play, Zhao Xing heard a sort of rustling. Looking up, he saw strange indentations, two bumps going down on the tent. Leaving the clapping and laughing Mei Yi to watch their father get beaten down by the puppet, Zhao Xing ran outside. As soon as he stepped out, he felt a hit to his back, which sent him staggering forward. He looked over his shoulder to see something that Mei Mei had described to him, a ninja! A troop of them had arrived...Zhao Xing didn't want to disappoint the festivities either...so the only way he was going to call for help is if these men would make him scream for help. Striking his foot down, reeling his right hand back, he'd grunt and charge towards the lean, agile, Japanese men.
Zhao Xing wasn't expecting the ninja men to make the first move, but they did anyway. They thrown several sharp blades, shurikens, as he believed Mei Mei had told him. Trying to dodge a barrage of shurikens that were so close together that it could knit a blanket together was nearly impossible, and as such, Zhao Xing had recieved several cuts on his back, since the only logical way to avoid death was ducking. Zhao Xing looked over his shoulder again to see that his robes were ripped and tattered from the throwing blades. Getting up again, he again reeled his fist back and charged. These ninja drew their Japanese blades, the short 'Wakazashi' blade which was better suited for defence. But with their speed and agility, there was no need for the bigger 'Katana' to accompany them to their battles.
Unfortunately for them, they weren't expecting Zhao Xing to be such a formidable opponent by himself. One fast withdrawal of his fist and then the sudden eruption of the arm straight out resulted in one of the ninjas getting their face rearranged. The Japanese fell to his back, his eyes open and wide. He was dead, no longer breathing...and on his silken mask, blood began to form from the nose and mouth. The ninjas didn't mind the fall of their ally, but they stopped and looked Zhao Xing over, staying in place with their swords up. Zhao Xing spat at them before narrowing eyes, charging at them.
O O [Begin "Head for the Barricade" By Limp Bizkit]
'Fight...
Sometimes you gotta fight for your right when you're
not sure you're in a fight for your life, right?'
O O
Zhao Xing had ducked under the wide swing of one of the ninja's blades, before spinning on one foot, kicking off the dirt and then spinning in a corkscrew motion, dodging both an overhead blow and a low sweep by two of his enemies. Zhao Xing landed on one knee before a ninja. He looked up to see the ninja holding up his Wakazashi, ready to stab it through the prone Zhao spawn.
O O 'If you ain't packin' any tactics you might get your ass kicked
Even if you are a little knuckle head
I'm kinda sick of being aggravated, I'm glad I'm hated'
O O
Zhao Xing brought both of his hands up, just as the blade was nearly inches from his forehead. His palms were clasped, not letting the blade through. At the same time, the ninja was shouting in the foreign Japanese tongue to call his comrades over. Just as his grip was about to slip, Zhao Xing's life was saved by the "Kunoichi" of Liu Bei's army, the daughters of Zhang Fei! The man that was before Zhao Xing fell to the side, many a throwing blades in his back. Zhao Xing acknowledged the three sisters before he turned around. The whole Shu tent started to pour out with soldiers and generals, ready to attack.
O O 'I guess I'm doin' somethin' right
That's what happened back in columbine
You gotta know when to stop and don't go over the top
' cuz there's a chamber deep inside the brain
That's covered with chains, so don't be shakin' 'em loose
And if ya do, I'd be runnin' for the hills
' cuz I'm ready to rock and now i'm playin' for real
I gotta... fight.... fight
You'd better watch out when my adrenaline kicks
I gotta... fight... fight...
It's too late you already been hit... damn' O O
Many ninja ripped through the tent's roof, about twenty or so jumping down, throwing poisoned needles. The puppet master next to the startled Zhao Yun was suddenly struck down with a barrage of needles, blood pouring out from his mouth and his body becoming a corpse in but a second. Zhao Yun, eyes wide, dashed behind the table nearby, the needles hitting the table and all the food on it as Zhao Yun took cover. Looking for his weapon, he found it right beside him before sighing in relief. He could make a come back now. Jumping back over the table with spear in hand, he'd deflect the needles with nothing but the tip of his spear. Tearing straight through the ninja that was nearest with nothing but a little thrust of his spear; he looked to any who would be next opponent...and this tent was full of them...
O O 'Stick 'em stick em'
Stick em ha ha ha stick em
Stick em' stick em'
Yeah, head for the barricade' O O
Something was wrong...Zhao Xing heard falling of horse's hooves. Kicking the next cloaked man away, he jumped on Zhang Fei's shoulders...he was the tallest one here besides Guan Yu and Wei Yan, but he'd make a decent stepping stool none the less.
"Kid! What're you doing?!" Zhang Fei shouted up to Zhao Xing as he looked over the area, trying to search for something. Zhang Fei grabbed the next man with his left hand and quickly threw him over his shoulder. Taking his spear now, he then jabbed the multiple foes that were quick to react to the man prone on the Voice of Thunder's shoulders.
"I was right..." Zhao Xing said, closing his eyes and hopping off of Zhang Fei's shoulders. Zhang Fei looked at him quizzically, eyebrow raised and his head canting to the side.
"Right about what, we're still being attacked?" Zhang Fei asked now. Zhao Xing just nodded his head.
"More Japanese mercenaries...These people were sent by Wu..."
O O 'This world can make you sick to your stomach so I
Put on my headphones, listen to the deftones
It's gettin' crowded in my spaceship
Livin' in a dream, runnin' from a hate machine
Ya know it's such a drag when there's people talking down to ya
Such a drag thinking everything sucks (do ya?)
Walk away with the spit on your face?
Or do ya draw the line just to give 'em a taste?
' cuz I know its never gonna end,
If it happens again I'm going straight for the throat
Another note, don't forget your had a chance
Now off of the side lines and ready to dance'
O O
Zhang Fei's answer to his next question was put to rest as a legion of Samurai was riding over the high hills that these camp grounds were stationed in. And to confirm the Wu alliance, Zhou Tai was at the head of the Samurai. Shouting out to the Japanese men, they all drew their Katanas, Zhou Tai drawing his famous katana of the 'Dawn'. They all looked down to the Shu soldiers still fighting the ninja force before charging down with their swords pointed forward.
"This isn't working!" Zhao Xing said back to Zhang Fei as he delivered a side kick to a ninja's temple, killing them instantly. Zhang Fei nodded in agreement before he noticed a ninja beside him, and he promptly picked him up and thrown him into the middle of a group of gathering ninjas.
"How the hell are we going to counter them?" Zhang Fei shouted as he prepared to engage the ninjas that were re-gathering themselves since Zhang Fei chucked one of their own into the middle of them. "And we can't keep fighting these damn Japanese! They're endless!"
"I hate ninjas!" Zhao Xing shouted as he delivered a spinning round house to the next one's neck. But behind that man was an opponent that Zhao Xing simply could not stand up to.
O O 'I gotta... fight.... fight
Better watch out when my adrenaline kicks
I gotta... fight... fight...
It's too late you already been hit... damn
If you got the guts (head for the barricade)
Then come on down (head for the barricade)
And head for the barricade
Fight!!
Head for the barricade
I ain't playin' around
Head for the barricade
I ain't playin' around'
[End Song] O O
"Yaaaaaah!" Zhao Xing's body was quickly picked up by the axe part of the halberd that was used against him and then slammed into the ground. Zhao Xing was coughing as he felt his insides were rattled infinitely over. It was Lu Meng, one of the many geniuses of Wu and one of the more formidable fighters that were well trusted by Sun Quan. He remembered what had happened before, and he wasn't going to let Zhao Xing escape with his life once more.
"I remember you...you fought like the devil..." Lu Meng said, a hefty amount of disgust framing his face. He was truly hateful of these Zhao. Bringing the axe blade of his halberd down to his throat, he was ready to slice through him. "I won't let you get away this time..."
Zhang Fei was still nearby at the time and had seen what the Wu was about to do to his young friend. Charging through the ninja that was still pestering him, he practically gored him over like a bull. Likewise for Lu Meng, as he was hit with a giant blow by Zhang Fei's running shoulder attack.
"Hey, kid! Gather everyone so we can make a stand!" Zhang Fei said as he brought his Serpent Spear up just in time to block the incoming attack of Lu Meng. Zhao Xing would only nod to Zhang Fei for appreciation before he gotten up and quickly started towards the tent. To his surprise, on the hill nearby at the rear of the tent, crimson clad men started to charge down...so...the Wu wanted to surround and destroy them...
O O
Mei Yi barely dodged a downwards slice from one the ninjas and she was getting surrounded...she was proficient in one blade, and one blade alone wouldn't stop a group of ninjas. She held her blade downwards, ready to strike...This was bad...Before anything gotten too ridiculous though, Zhao Xing broke through with his fist, bashing a ninja against a nearby pole that was supposed to support a now torn down tent. Mei Yi smiled as she touched her sibling's shoulder in thanks before going to back him up. Each of them spun in almost a ballet of death. Zhao Xing seemed to dance between blades and quickly killed his enemies with his strong fists before any of them could respond to his first dodge. Mei Yi on the other hand, looked to be that she was doing the dance of luck that woman normally performed. Her body weaved in and out of the enemy's range as she carefully stabbed through the defense of any opponent who dared to come. After leaving the mass of ninjas to waste, the two looked to each other. They stared in silence as both of them smelled of blood and sweat and they were both nearly out of breath. The awkward silence was broken by Mei Yi, who went forward, wrapped arms around Zhao Xing to give him a quick embrace before looking back to where her little brother was originally heading.
"The tent?" Mei Yi questioned as she looked at the massive amount of closing troops coming from all sides, minimal Shu personnel trying to counter them. "Shouldn't we be getting out of here?"
Zhao Xing merely shook his head and ran towards the tent. Mei Yi, not wanting to be left to deal with another large group of enemies on her own, decided to follow.
O O
Taishi Ci seemed to jump over the tent and at Zhao Xing as him and his own unit had joined the fight. Zhao Xing was no match for him in terms of strength, but his speed is ultimate. Zhao Xing dashed forward and tucked his legs in, rolling away just as the ground behind him nearly exploded from the force that Taishi Ci had put into the blow.
"Wei Yan...protect..." Wei Yan called out as he ran from the tent with his double voulge in his hands. His Neanderthal-like shouting drawn Taishi Ci's attention, and if it weren't for that, Taishi Ci would've been dead right there. Taishi Ci barely brought up his weapons just before Wei Yan had brought down his, and their weapons were now in a classic deadlock, sparks flying from the metallic surfaces of their weapons.
Mei Yi jumped over Taishi Ci amd Wei Yan, again accompanying her brother's side as they both made a mad dash into the tent. As they entered the tent, Zhao Xing looked back...cries of Shu soldiers filled the air as the Samurai unit that Zhou Tai controlled had entered into the battle. To make matters worst, it seems that even more units were pouring steadily into the back lines of the Wu soldiers, supplying them with even MORE back up. Zhao Xing and Mei Yi hastily went into the tent to seek out their father.
O
O
Yu Chai looked up...it had been a fair amount of time since she had seen Zhao Xing...and it was getting totally boring!!! She wanted action!!! She wanted to steal all of his knock outs!!! She wanted to perturb and disturb the kid as much as she can!!! What was the world coming to? Well, at least she was in more decent surroundings, inside a Wei Castle in Xu, and she was at least treated to more meals and hospitality than the dingy Wu dungeons...now if she could only find a goddamn way to contact her target for insults, THEN these Wei freaks wouldn't be smiling.
"Well...at least it's not that bad..." Yu Chai mumbled to herself, cleaning out the bookshelf of Sima Yi, the self proclaimed greatest strategist. Putting up a hand to remove a book on the end would only become her greatest peril...a large amount of leather, wood and paper started to come from the shelves, their target...the new cleaning girl... "Ah, shit..."
As she got buried by books, a nearby handmaid came forth and called for her.
"Miss Kitsune? We have a letter for you..." She said, fondling the letter next to her stomach. "Sorry miss, but I think you have a rather odd name..."
"...It's an alias..."
"It's still weird..."
"...Yes...it is...now if you excuse me, I'm having fun talking to my friend Mister 'Strategies of Sun Tzu' book man-person."
O O
Cao Kai was still tied down...hmph...in his own home country of Wei in the city where he was born too...Xu Chang...hahaha...this was getting too redundant. Cao Kai's eyes lingered towards the woman that was sitting in the middle of his room, the Shen Xiu girl that was helping the group of people that was attempting to help Zhao Xing. How...opportune...
"Ha...girl, what are you still doing near me? And here I've thought they'd make you a cleaning girl along with Yu Chai and Shi Liu!"
"Funny bastard, aren't you?" She asked, an almost poisonous tone flooding Cao Kai's ears. Cao Kai would just smile at the reply and let out an indignant chuckle.
"Yes...I wish I was a bastard! Bearing the name of 'Cao' is a dishonor...now really girl, tell me why they'd decide not to let you out...before I decide to kick you."
"..." She didn't want to respond to that. Instead of waiting for another answer, she quickly jumped and kicked Cao Kai, whom was strapped in the bed nearby.
"Grah! You...you...you..."
"..."
"I'll get you yet!!!" Cao Kai attempted to get out of the bed to attack Shen Xiu, but his arms were still tied to the bed posts. In angry outbursts, he continued to try to strike at Shen Xiu, who stood just beyond reach of him...so close...so far...
"..."
"Stop mocking me!!!"
"..."
"My head hurts...argh!!!" Cao Kai finally gave up after many moments of trying to grab and/or kick her. The two just continued to glare at each other, none of them making words to respond to the other's face of disgust. But to Cao Kai's surprise, Shen Xiu leaned forward. What the hell was she doing?! She carefully untied the bands that restrained Cao Kai and placed them atop of Cao Kai's chest. Leaning forward to Cao Kai, Shen Xiu gave off a very uncharacteristic smile, which made Cao Kai feel hotter and made cheeks flare up and blush. But again, to his surprise, he fell...
"WAAAAAH!!!"
Shen Xiu pushed him off the bed and then plopped herself on the soft mattress. Cao Kai would just look up at the ceiling with a look of pure hatred...
"You know, Shen Xiu...I hate you..." Just as he said that, the pillow of the bed came down on his face, covering his mouth. "Mmf!!!"
"I keep the bed...you keep the pillow..."
"What?!"
"..."
"It was my bed in the first place!!!"
"..."
"Answer me! DAMMIT!!!"
"..."
"GRAAAH!" Yes...living with Shen Xiu for a while would definitely be hell for Cao Kai. As Cao Kai laid there on the cold floor with nothing but a pillow, Shen Xiu covered herself with a blanket and shifted her position on the warm, comfortable bed.
"It's better than the dungeons..."
"...Yeah...it is..."
"..."
"Why won't you talk...we're both Zhao Xing's allies!"
"..."
"I want to kill myself..."
"...Good..."
Cao Kai was so utterly repulsed by this; all that he could say was...
"..."
O O
Zhao Xing and Mei Yi finally had gotten into the tent, both calling out for their father at the same time. Zhao Yun answered his two children by shouting back to them before killing the last ninja.
"That's the last of them! My son; my daughter! Get out of here now!" Zhao Yun shouted over to them before he went to the back entrance of the tent...there he saw his comrades fighting, Ma Chao, Guan Yu, Huang Zhong and Jiang Wei were fighting there. That meant that Zhang Fei, Wei Yan, his sons and daughters were all fighting on the other side. Something needed to be done...and his own family that was just reunited on his coming home from a battle...he must protect them!
"Father...they're coming from the hills!" Zhao Xing pointed out the hill tops, Zhou Yu and the Sun Brothers all on their mounts watching the battle with their vanguard on mounts as well, waiting for the right moment to charge and finish the Shu off. Zhao Yun cursed before he looked back to his children.
"My family...I'm sorry I've never gotten the chance to know you...I've been too busy...too dedicated to my work..."
"Father..."
"Father, please-!" Mei Yi and Zhao Xing were cut off by the great Little Dragon before he turned and went into battle, helping his comrades and cutting down the man next to Ma Chao. Zhao Xing and Mei Yi followed close behind, both of them trying to avoid the combatants. Meanwhile, Zhao Yun and Ma Chao were talking...
"Ma Chao! We need our cavalry assembled!" Zhao Yun said, rushing his words as there was no time to talk about anything else... "How much men do you have left?!"
"I've go about one hundred or so! How much do they have?!" Ma Chao had to scream out his words since the shouts of the men dying had nearly drowned out their speaking volume.
"They have one thousand cavalry! I think there's about one hundred samurai cavalry!"
"I like those odds!" Ma Chao smiled before patting Zhao Yun on the shoulder. Commanding his men in his surly voice, every one of them would rally towards the tents. In a matter of minutes, Ma Chao had bolted out of the tent with a golden colored horse, his "Storm Runner" as they've called it. Every other man was on a horse, riding right behind their leader. Only seventy four men of the original one hundred came with Ma Chao, but still they charged. Mowing down the men that were still coming from the hills, the cavalry headed towards Zhou Yu and the Sun's forces.
O
O
"Whoa! Who's that crazy guy?!" Sun Ce practically jumped when he saw some men coming up the hills, even though he himself had a much larger force. It was unusual that such small, insignificant amounts of troops could rally to become much stronger. Sun Ce immediately called to Zhou Yu. "How's that possible?!"
Zhou Yu, meanwhile, maintained a perfect, calm atmosphere, waiting while the pathetic Shu cavalry still came up the hill. It wasn't until they came to the middle of the hill before he looked to Sun Ce.
"Even the greatest military strategist doesn't need to tell you what needs to be done..."
Sun Ce was still anxious, wanting to go to melee combat, but instead, Sun Quan had answered for Sun Ce...and it was, in fact, the correct answer to Zhou Yu's standard.
"Archers ready?" Sun Quan looked back to his large line of cavalry archers. Each of them acknowledged with a 'hurrah' and a nod and then flexed their bow string back with an arrow. Drawing back their arrow and aiming downhill, they waited for their leader to command them. "...FIRE!"
O O
Ma Chao's unit had a volley of arrows raining down on them, destroying most of their line. Ma Chao saw his left and right cover was struck down with arrows...in fact, he knew that he was almost alone. Ma Chao continued to ride up along with whatever was left of his unit, and he continued even after he felt an arrow pierce through his left abdomen. Zhou Yu and the Sun Brothers were startled at this, sending uneasiness through their units. Ma Chao and his twenty to twenty five men broken through the frontline of cavalry and Ma Chao himself landed a punch on Zhou Yu's chin, right before stabbing through three men with just one thrust of his spear.
Zhou Yu was lying on the ground, trying to gather himself and not go unconscious. He looked up to see Ma Chao still fighting, even though an arrow had pierced him at the side...was he this powerful? Or was he this arrogant...he didn't know...
"Ma Dai, I need some help, NOW!" Ma Chao signaled back down the hill. From the tent, Ma Dai's own unit, which consisted of his own cavalry of about three hundred strong, came out of the stables of the camp nearby and rode uphill, Ma Dai at the middle of the lead.
"Brother! I'm coming now!"
O O
Zhao Yun smiled; his comrade in arms never failed him. Since the Sun family's unit was blocking the path that would lead to Cheng Du, he needed someone to disrupt the lines, and that was none other than Ma Chao. Seeing as Ma Chao could handle his own, he turned towards the stalls to get horses for his family. As soon as he gotten to the stalls though, it was destroyed and engulfed in a mass of fires. Explosions...that could only mean...
"Zhao Yun! I've come to take your head to my lord!" Huang Gai had arrived to kill Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun wasn't prepared to take down Huang Gai, and Huang Gai was already mounted and poised to attack...Zhao Yun could die...if it weren't for the person who saved him. The giant club of Huang Gai was parried away with the might of the Blue Moon Dragon blade.
"Lord Zhao Yun...they seem to be targeting you. Please retreat to Cheng Du and tell Brother Liu Bei to mount a defensive line." Guan Yu was upon the Red Hare and the Blue Dragon was bared. He turned his horse around and pointed it towards the Wu veteran. "You, Huang Gai, have dared to anger the Blue Dragon! Now you must face the might of the God of War!"
Huang Gai wasn't expecting to duel with the mightiest of generals, but he wasn't the type to back down. He waved his club around his head and then pointed it at Guan Yu. Both of them charged forward to fight, neither of them expecting to come out alive.
O O
Zhao Yun doubled back to his daughter and son, both of them watching each other's backs and attacking side by side. Zhao Yun was impressed at the ability of his spawns, able to fight as well as he and the other generals of Shu and they haven't trained under the Shu program yet. Very impressive indeed... Zhao Yun walked towards them with his spear in hand.
Zhao Xing and Mei Yi seemed to have fought together before...Mei Yi and Zhao Xing both seemed to have a handle on the other's fighting stance and it was very interesting just to watch them fight. Zhao Xing did a low spinning sweep kick towards Mei Yi, in which she would jump over and stab the man that was heading towards Zhao Xing's back, while the low spinning sweep kick would immediately knock down the next Wu soldier. Zhao Xing ducked downwards and backed up, Mei Yi feeling Zhao Xing behind her, rolled backwards, using Zhao Xing's back as a platform, she again was on her original side, in which she used a downwards slice, immediately smashing a Wu soldier's head in. Zhao Xing came out of the ducking position and span into a rising uppercut, catching the next soldier by the jaw and throwing him into the sea of other Wu soldiers.
"I'm going to cry after this, Xing..." Mei Yi said as she turned around to Zhao Xing and grabbed his hand with her left hand. Zhao Xing looked back to his sister, hazels locking onto her sad crystal blue eyes.
"Mei...why?" Zhao Xing asked as he felt his own left hand being gently held by his sister. He turned around to her, fully facing her. He just shook his head and looked past her shoulder...a Wu soldier was coming at her back. Mei Yi looked behind Zhao Xing, a Wu soldier also coming from behind him.
"Because..." Mei Yi and Zhao Xing both did a jumping scissor kick, each of them lifting their right leg up and passing each other to kick each other's assailants and fall him. They didn't let go of each other's hands, using each other's arms as a balance so they wouldn't fall to the ground after the awkward kick. Mei Yi immediately turned back to her brother, as did Zhao Xing turned back to Mei Yi. "These people took care of me...its hard enough I went away...but now I have to kill them..."
"I see..." Zhao Xing quickly let go of Mei Yi and looked behind himself to see their father. "Father!"
Zhao Yun smiled at the acknowledgment. He nodded to both his daughter and son before pointing towards the hill.
"Ma Chao's unit is breaking through the main unit of Wu! We need to head back to Cheng Du!" Zhao Yun said, now becoming serious and looking to his children as fellow generals now. Mei Yi and Zhao Xing nodded before looking up the hills themselves.
"Right!"
"Father, I will obey..." Zhao Xing said as he bowed before him and Mei Yi both went towards the hill, following a small surge of Shu soldiers led by Jiang Wei. Zhao Yun was about to follow, but heard hooves. Seeing the Shu tents being torn down, the Samurai units had gone through the first defense unit and were charging to finish of the last soldiers! Zhao Yun didn't like the look of the man who led them, the solitary Chinese man among the Japanese.
Zhou Tai was poised to kill Zhao Xing after the embarrassment that he had to suffer through at Tian Shui. Zhou Tai raised his sword, cutting down all of the Shu near him, as did every Samurai, whom cut just as many Shu as Zhou Tai himself. Zhou Tai was nearing Zhao Xing before he was suddenly hurtled off of his mount. Zhao Yun had reached up with his spear and threw him off! Zhou Tai quickly recovered, jumping up and facing Zhao Yun himself.
"I am Zhao Yun! Prepare yourself!"
"I am Zhou Tai...come forth..."
With the introductions set, Zhao Yun and Zhou Tai came into a clash. Zhao Yun came forth first, thrusting his spear forth, but Zhou Tai, too fast, dodged backwards, and then pushed his Katana towards Zhao Yun's face. Zhao Yun had no choice but to let go of his weapon. Falling to the ground on purpose, Zhou Tai's sword would just pass by safely overhead. But once again, Zhao Yun had to go on the defensive as Zhou Tai took the advantage by bringing down his sword to try to stab the fallen dragon. Zhao Yun rolled to his left, at the same time his arm shot out and his hand clawed at Zhou Tai's leg, and then the samurai was fallen as well, face first in the mud.
"Take that!"
"It's not over!"
Zhou Tai grunted as he rolled forward and jumped up again, looking back to Zhao Yun, who regained his spear once more and was now looking back to Zhou Tai with a grin on his face. Zhou Tai pointed his sword at his adversary, waiting for the Little Dragon to come forth.
O O
Lu Meng looked past Zhang Fei, his eyes heading towards Zhao Xing. There was his true enemy! He hated the Zhao, and there was an opportune time to take him down! Lu Meng jumped over Zhang Fei, running towards the line of Shu soldiers rushing the hole that Ma Chao had put into the Wu defense and retreating to Cheng Du. Unfortunately for him, he had forgotten to incapacitate Zhang Fei, and was promptly grabbed by the collar.
"Where do you think you're going?!" Zhang Fei shouted at Lu Meng's ear. It wouldn't be long before Zhang Fei lifted Lu Meng high above his head and then hurled him at the samurai nearby that was trifling with some hapless troops. Zhang Fei, now done with his part, gathered any of the remaining troops and headed towards the hole in the defense himself.
O O
Taishi Ci was already having trouble dealing with the wild Wei Yan. He was having a hard time predicting the random slashes that Wei Yan placed on almost everywhere where one would have trouble blocking. He could barely block any of the attacks at all!
Wei Yan on the other hand loved it. He loved when he could outclass an enemy. Spinning, he gave an underhand blow to Taishi Ci, the double voulge not piercing the thick armor of Taishi Ci, but it was enough to make the massive man of Wu cringe. Taking advantage, he spun again, delivering a blow to the right arm of Taishi Ci's. Taishi Ci dropped his club, pain obvious as tears just poured out of his eyes. Taishi Ci tried to counter, raising his last weapon with his left hand, but again, Wei Yan was too fast. Wei Yan quickly spun backwards and before Taish Ci could even pull off the hit, Wei Yan hitting Taishi Ci right on the side of his head, the thick helmet his life saver. Wei Yan, not wishing to be overwhelmed, turned from the unconscious general and headed towards the retreat, spotting several allies heading towards the breach of Wu defenses.
O O
"Whelp!"
"Geezer!"
"Puppy!"
"Old dog!"
"Psychotic little pirate!"
"Deranged old man!"
Huang Zhong and Gan Ning decided not to fight physically, but rather, fight verbally. Both of them didn't feel like lifting their swords, but soon, one of them would strike as the insults were getting heavier.
"You remind me of a little girl!"
"You remind me of my mother, except you have a beard!"
"That's it, you little-!" Huang Zhong brandished his sword, but Guan Yu had ridden by and grabbed the old man by the shoulder and hefted him up to the back of his horse. Huang Zhong, insulted by the fact that Guan Yu interrupted his duel, smacked Guan Yu with the back of his hand.
"Huang Zhong, we need to-AGH!"
"You whelp! I was going to take that little pirate down!" Huang Zhong scolded Guan Yu, but Guan Yu only grumbled as he rode the Red Hare all the way to the retreat point. Huang Zhong was kind of disturbed though...wasn't Guan Yu fighting Huang Gai?
O O
Meanwhile...
Huang Gai was lying on the ground, grumbling as his bombs were placed in the different parts of the now Wu infested Shu camp. Guan Yu had stolen them after he tied Huang Gai to a tree, and then laid them to key points in the different areas of the Wu lines. Soon, Huang Gai sighed and looked on with depressed eyes as his soldiers were torn apart by his own bombs. Great...just great...
O O
Zhao Xing waited for his sister and comrades to catch up. Up ahead, Jiang Wei had just sliced through several soldiers, paving the way for several hundred or so soldiers and received thanks and hurrahs as his reward. Nodding to them, Jiang Wei would only turn to his friend, who was steadying the flow of the soldiers' running back to Cheng Du. Most of the officers had already made it out, including Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, Wei Yan and Huang Zhong. Ma Chao was still stalling the main forces and Zhao Yun was at the bottom of hills, battling it out with the skilled Zhou Tai.
Zhao Xing had just seen off the last of the soldiers that had to run from the camps which were now either torn or on fire, perhaps a combination of both. Zhao Xing smiled to himself, signaling Jiang Wei to retreat as he had just seen Mei Yi run off with the others as well. The young spawn of Zilong was about to go as well, but his path was quickly cut off by the viciousness of Lu Meng, who re-gathered himself up, Sun Quan, and Sun Ce, who was especially happy to see him.
"Hey, kid! Remember me?"
"...Your attitude and your mouth..." Zhao Xing said, mocking the prince of Wu. Zhao Xing smiled and struck a fighting stance, Lu Meng, Sun Quan, Sun Ce, and now, Huang Gai (Obviously had gotten free of his restraints), had each drew their weapons into ready positions and was ready to attack Zhao Xing. Zhao Xing was outnumbered, and both Lu Meng and Sun Ce was superior in attacks, Sun Quan was proficient in defense and intellect, and Huang Gai was stronger than most people he known.
"Well...my lords, let us slay him!" Zhao Xing actually withdrew his stance and stepped back in fear as Lu Meng attempted to slay him again with that heavy halberd of his. As he closed his eyes, he'd only hear a clang of metal before opening again. His life was saved by two people, his two comrades, Zhang Bao and Zhang Ren. Combining their strength, they pushed back Lu Meng and prepared to fight, two spears on one.
"Lord Zhao Xing!"
"Milord, Zhao Xing"
"My compatriots, you came back!" Zhao Xing smiled and appreciated them coming to help him. Huang Gai attempted to charge at them but his path was blocked by a brown horse and the form upon it. Pretty boy visage and a lean, yet strong body was upon the horse's back, Jiang Wei had arrived again to aid his friend.
"I will not allow you to harm an ally of mine!" Jiang Wei shouted down to the Wu before dismounting and getting ready to fight alongside of his fellow Shu officers.
"Oh, so you wanna fight?! No problem!" Sun Ce yelled back to the idiots who were blocking his path to the one he wanted to take down. Before long, more Wu officers had rejoined the ranks of the elite men. Taishi Ci, no longer winded and Gan Ning, who was still fresh, since his battle was taken, had rejoined their leaders. Gan Ning of the bells grinned at Zhao Xing, pointed his sword towards Zhao Xing before his body started to emit a strange aura. Suddenly, his body shook with power and his eyes glowed...he was using the power of his musou.
"Here we go!!!" He screamed out, laughing maniacally. Gan Ning assumed a slightly crouching position before he started to run forward, sword catching on fire and his eyes intent on his target of Zhao Xing.
Jiang Wei, not wanting his efforts of coming back and helping Zhao Xing to be in vain, quickly came in front of the attack, his own eyes glowing with the power of the musou and his hands clinching his weapon even more, the lance's blade suddenly catching on fire and his hands twirling the weapon around before it came down upon Gan Ning's sword as if the showboating was there to ease the allies before anticipating an imminent attack by the musou that Gan Ning wielded. Jiang Wei and Gan Ning ended up in a classic clash of strength, both pushing their weapons forward to attack one another. None of them ever showed any signs of giving into the other's strength.
Meanwhile...Taishi Ci and Zhang Bao were circling each other, ready to pounce to attack position if needed. Zhang Bao was a bit afraid since the fierce Taishi Ci could easily overpower and bury him, but he needed to be brave and make a stand, that's what drove him to fight. Zhang Bao made the strike first, his spear tapping at Taishi Ci's clubs. Zhang Bao knelt down and spun his spear beside himself, hoping to bring his spear to attack Taishi Ci's legs while he was still on the defense. Taishi Ci blocked and only accomplished setting up a pattern of some sorts, consisting of sweeps, blocks and more poking.
Huang Gai had started an offensive against Zhang Ren, trying to smash down the defense of the young Zhang. Zhang Ren did multiple dodges, which was all he could do, considering Huang Gai would've broken him in but a minute.
Now Lu Meng was again free to attack Zhao Xing, a smirk upon his face as Sun Ce and Quan both advanced and he didn't need to advance at all. Lu Meng would just keep his halberd ready...and if something happens, he'd throw it right through his heart. But someone tapped on his shoulder...thinking it was probably Zhou Yu, he'd turn to see someone he definitely regonized.
"Mei Yi?!" Lu Meng jumped back, eyes widened at her appearance...but before anymore words were spoken, Mei Yi brought back her hand back, the hilt of her sword aimed at Lu Meng's face...in one wide swing, it contacted right upon his face, knocking the Wu Admiral down, nose bleeding and now unconscious.
"Sorry..." Mei Yi said softly to the officer that was once one of her most trusted allies. "But I need to watch after my brother now..."
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing was now being attacked by the Sun Brothers. Zhao Xing, confident in his abilities, pushed forth, knocking back Sun Quan with one blow to the stomach.
"Too slow!" Zhao Xing smiled at his improved abilities, looking to Sun Ce and then charging at him. But, again, Sun Ce proved he was superior, flipping back the long end of his tonfar and then punching Zhao Xing square into his jaw.
Zhao Xing, hurt and reeling back now, head turned as his body rocked from the single, powerful blow by Sun Ce. Zhao Xing, now fully turned one hundred and eighty degrees, back facing the Little Conqueror, he was now facing downhill. His eyes lingered to his father, Zhao Yun, who just pushed back his opponent. Looking away from Zhou Tai, he looked up to his son and smiled contently. Zhao Yun drew back his weapon, thinking he was finished with the samurai. Zhao Xing also smiled...Zhao Yun started running, wanting to make it up the hill quickly and rejoin his son. Zhou Tai wasn't done though, as he was merely pushed back. Quickly recovering, he jumped up and ran behind the Little Dragon, slashing at his exposed back.
Zhao Xing's eyes widened...his fear of being alone...had just came closer to fruition...he didn't want that! He didn't want to be alone! He can't be alone! That was impossible...
O O [Begin 'Numb' by Linkin Park'] 'I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless lost under the surface
don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes Every step that I take is another mistake to you' O O
Zhao Xing felt the tonfar upon his back by Sun Ce...but he didn't even move...all he did was watch his father fall down on the battle field...
Sun Ce didn't like this...using both tonfars this time, he administered the most powerful blow he could muster, and broke his weapons upon the young one's back. Ha! Let's see the kid get out of this one!
Zhao Xing just twitched when he felt the weapons crack on his back...his mind was just not there anymore...instead, he looked around himself, spotting the stronger Wu generals putting down all of his allies, and Lu Meng coming up, pushing down Mei Yi. This made him angry...very angry...
O O 'I've become so numb I can't feel you there
I've become so tired so much more aware
I'm becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you' O O
Zhao Xing reared back, howling like a wolf as he grabbed Sun Ce's wrists and twisted both of them down and backwards. Sun Ce's brown eyes quickly caught the now hazels turn red eyes of Zhao Xing, the aura coming from him again. Zhao Xing was utilizing the power of musou again. Zhao Xing head butted the prince of Wu, Sun Ce reeling in pain from both the wristlocks and now the attack on his face. This outburst of a come back was all that Sun Ce needed to know that Zhao Xing had hidden potential. Sun Ce conceded this time, as his body crumpled from the pain and he staggered to his knees.
Sun Quan jumped in, not wanting his brother to be killed on a Wu victory. His King Wolf sword sliced through the air, aiming for Zhao Xing's head. Zhao Xing dodged it, jumping to his right shoulder before catching Sun Quan's jaw with a right hook. Sun Quan, startled by the power shot to his face, dropped his sword, and was in a powerless stage at the moment. Zhao Xing sneered before he let off multiple combo punches. Zhao Xing's fists constantly made contact with Sun Quan's face, combinations of hooks, straights, jabs, under-hooks, before finally coming through with a giant upper cut, knocking Sun Quan into the air. Zhao Xing, already moving faster than anyone there, jumped up, confirming status of abilities beyond compare; flipped forwards and gave a giant kick to send Sun Quan to the ground.
O O 'Can't you see that you're smothering me
Holding too tightly afraid to lose control
Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
And every second I waste is more than I can take' O O
Taishi Ci and Huang Gai both stepped forward. Surely, these surly, massive men could've taken down the lithe Zhao Xing? Zhao Xing caught their clubs with one hand on the weapons they've tried to hit him with. Huang Gai, snarling at Zhao Xing, pushed forward obviously overpowering Zhao. Taishi Ci tried to attack by using his other club, but Zhao Xing just used that to his advantage. Zhao Xing used the momentum that Huang Gai's strength provide and let go of Taishi Ci's first club, hanging on to Huang Gai's club. Using the large club to his advantage, he flipped sideways and away from the two giant Wu men. Taishi Ci's second club had gone through, since Zhao Xing's movements were so fast. Taishi Ci hit Huang Gai right in the stomach, doing something that Zhao Xing's punches could never do, making Huang Gai groan in pain and crumble on the ground. Taishi Ci would repent for his mistakes by attacking Zhao Xing, but as soon as he turned to face him, his face was connected by his fist.
O O 'I've become so numb I can't feel you there
I've become so tired so much more aware
I'm becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you' [Song Ends] O O
Zhao Xing slid down the hill, ready to attack Zhou Tai. Zhou Tai was also ready...his samurai was still around. Zhao Xing would see his father unexpectedly get up, mumbling curses and then groaning in pain before he'd spin around and gave a backspin blow to Zhou Tai's face, knocking him out. Zhao Yun would again crumble to the ground. Zhao Xing's faith was again reinstated...he got up to his father, happy that he was alive, and carried him on his shoulder. Running up the hill as fast as he could to get away and escape...
Lu Meng gathered his lords up while Taishi Ci nursed his bruised cheek. Huang Gai was nearby, throwing up on a shrub. The Shu were no where in sight, and Jiang Wei's horse was gone, so that could only mean that they had fled as well...The Wu had won...and though some of their pride was shattered, they had practically massacred the soldiers at this Shu border camp. And the men were on their way to Cheng Du as they gathered themselves.
Lu Meng smiled...these Japanese men were an aide to Wu. He would consider rehiring them again...
O O
Two months later, after the "Retreat of Yangtze River Base" was known across the lands. The Wu invaders were quickly repelled by arbalests sent in by the great Zhuge Liang himself. Of course, that only rouses more hostile feelings between kingdoms...
Zhao Yun made a recovery, and while in bed, his two children had visited him many times. Zhao Yun found out that Mei Yi was orphaned when he moved to Chang Jian. Feeling deep regret of leaving his children, he bowed to them and asked for forgiveness. Zhao Xing only laughed and bowed as well.
"There is no need for apology...father...we're reunited. We're family..."
Zhao Yun, softly weeping at the words his son spoken, brought both his son and daughter into loving embrace before telling them to go off and let him rest his body. He needed to sleep off the day as well.
O
O
Dian Kamo merely smiled at the quiet girl who was being harassed by several of her fellow Wei officers. The girl who was being harassed was the soft spoken Ming Jujie, and she didn't like it at all.
"Hey girl, need help?"
"Yes I would please!" Ming Jujie just felt her backside get pinched by one of the perverts surrounding her and she squealed in displeasure. Running forth, Dian Kamo offered her help by standing to block the pursuers.
"Ya know?" Dian Kamo said, canting her head, looking to the idiots who were now cursing the presence of the woman. "I hate perverts!"
"Milady, please pay no attention to our actions...she's but a Wu messenger..."
"Lemme think..." Dian Kamo put a finger up to her lips before a giant smile appeared. "Nah..."
"Why you insolent little..." The men all got ready to charge in unison before suddenly, they've gotten a swift round house kick to each of their faces. Funny thing is, Dian Kamo only spun once. Each of the Wei soldiers fell down after the kick from Dian Kamo, who brimmed with confidence now. The confidence would slowly turn into annoyance as he heard a cocky voice behind her.
"Beautiful...for an insignificant little insect..." Zhang He said as he stepped up, looking over the soldiers, fallen and dazed.
"Feh, pretty boy, mind your own business..." Dian Kamo responded to the man as she turned away and gotten to Ming Jujie, not wishing to stay in the presence of such arrogance. "C'mon...let's go back to your squad now..."
"Agreed..." Ming Jujie said, now nodding to the woman beside her before both went, Dian Kamo's shoulder 'accidentally' bumping into Zhang He's chest. Zhang He, keeping his rage from exploding upon the young girl, decided to just stay in his place before he left. Zhang He tore up the room after they left, destroying everything with well placed kicks and sneering at the inanimate objects, thinking they were Dian Kamo's face...yet she still mocked him...does she not know true beauty when it's hitting her right in front of her face?!
Meanwhile, Yu Chai walked into the next room, sighing as he brought up a rag and started to clean up the area...all the while, an eye on the utmost most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life, thrashing the room and just tearing it apart. Of course, preventing all the drooling that may have come to watch him...Sheesh, she was swoon and all she could see was the man's behind. Of course, when he turned around to face her, and though he glared, the woman's face just expressed a drugged, droned smile as he just stared at her.
"State your name...lowly commoner..."
"...You're so good looking..." She said dreamily. "I'm Yu Chai..."
"...Feh...at least some people have some good taste here..."
O O
Shi Liu looked at the gates of Wei...she had escaped the over rated punks that were guarding her, and good thing they didn't take a long look at her face. Now, she needed to get to Zhao Xing...if he wished to bring back Yu Chai, he would have to go through her first and only after that would she take him back to his dear friend. Shi Liu would run into the woods, that long braid flying as he fled the scene, skill of a recon as she went south. Somehow, someway, she would find him.
O O
Zhao Xing, heading out with the Guan and Zhang brothers as well Mei Yi and Jiang Wei, they were headed out to a short trip to train their bodies and mind...
O O
Well, that's the end of the apology chapter. Previews are next...
Previews:
"I am Bei Ryuren...I challenge you to a duel, oh spawn of Zilong!"
"Fine then, I'll take you down!" Zhao Xing and Bei Ryuren seemed to disappear into thin air as they started to fight.
O O
"We are one and the same, Zhao Xing...but I'll only help if you can defeat me."
"It's not like I haven't done it before...let's go!" Fa Ping and Zhao Xing start to circle each other. Zhao Xing bearing a sword this time...
O O
Zhao Xing: Looks like I fight again...
Shi Liu: I escape Wei territory and I actually speak to Zhao Xing for the first time...
Yu Chai: And I meet someone that's actually prettier than that little punk.
Zhao Xing: ...
Mei Yi: I'm soooo jealous!!!
Zhao Xing: ...
Yu Chai: I know...I'm so lucky!
O O
All on my next chapter: Endless Duels
Everyone, please forgive my irrational, rude comments that I've made in earlier chapters. I assure you, that I'm not hateful of the variety that most of the people like, like you
LB x SSX lovers
Or
Yaoi, mary-sue lovers.
I'm sorry for my earlier comments; truly, forgive my impartial speaking through my text. I promise (else I commit senpukku) I won't display anymore offensive comments again.
Also, CoCo...thanks to you for not flaming me, though my words had offended you. But again, you're NOT allowed to use my character Zhao Xing. That is character infringement and I won't hesitate to notify the board of directors of Fanfiction.net if you do something rash to protest against my thoughts by doing as such. Again, I especially apologize to you about my words...Please forgive me, dear reviewer and owner of Qing Yuan.
Again, to all who was offended by my words, I'm sorry.
Now on with my story! This chapter will be long and have multiple song fiction parts because this is my special apology chapter. That and trying how many people I can attract with Linkin Park, P.O.D., and such artists.
O O
The Five Tigers vs. the Wu Elite
It was a quiet morning, many months from the time where Zhao Xing had ran away to Shu to re-establish a relation with his father. Everything had changed for the better perhaps. Zhao Xing had grown accustomed to Shu territory and had been given a rank as the Lieutenant Commander and the nickname "General of the Southern Fist" under General Zhao Yun of Chang Shan. Everyone had also grown accustomed to him as well, Zhuge Liang always trying to teach him a thing or two about troop placement as well as showing him around the various Shu camps that were spread throughout the Kingdom.
He had grown quite close to Jiang Wei, the apprentice and heir to the Prime Minister. The two were about the same age, and thought alike, so thus, the two were compatible. The only problem was that Jiang Wei knew more about the civilized world than the normally isolated Zhao Xing. Jiang Wei knew about the public and people rather than just a few acquaintances like Zhao Xing always knew. Zhao Xing had also grown accustomed to Yue Ying. She constantly asked him questions, concerned about where he was going, always bringing him food, or advice that he didn't need, but gladly, Zhao Xing would take it as there was always a lesson in her words.
Zhao Xing liked the attention he was getting, but some of the attention was negative. Zhao Xing had drawn some negativity out of the ones Ma Chao, Ma Dai, and Pang De. Ma Chao was the Commander in Chief of Cavalry Units while Ma Dai was the Lieutenant of Armed Cavalry. The young Zhao son had supposedly accepted a challenge that the loud Ma Chao was shouting to a crowd, claiming that he was the fastest. First Zhao Xing was beaten in a race upon horseback. But when Zhao Xing had challenged Ma Chao to a race on foot, Zhao Xing had beaten him and left him one hundred yards behind on the three hundred yard race through the palace gardens.
Ma Dai was a different story. Ma Dai liked that fact that his brash older brother had been beaten. The fact that the audacity of "Ma Chao the Splendid" was silenced for a bit was all that took to warm up to the young man. But as Ma Dai started to talk to him, they began talking about weapons and soon, Ma Dai had challenged him to a sparring contest, consisting of weighted poles as weapons. Whoever was to be knocked down first was the loser. Ma Dai had lost, and through his eyes, through unfairness. Zhao Xing used the pole as a levy and then sling shot himself from his position to kick Ma Dai down. Ma Dai argued that he was only supposed to use the pole, but Zhao Xing said otherwise and that he should've specified the rules. Ma Dai, embarrassed and humiliated by the defeat in both verbal and physical contest, started to detest the young Zhao.
Pang De, a man of strong stature, much like Ma Chao and Ma Dai's, was already disliking of Zhao Xing when he had beaten Ma Chao. Now his detesting of the youth was now made twice-fold as he had seen his friend's brother being struck down in a spar due to unfair happenings. Pang De was now trying to screen for weaknesses, and perhaps get back at Zhao Xing for the embarrassment that his friends had suffered thus far.
Zhang Fei was terribly fond of the boy, and constantly tried to show Zhao Xing how to properly fight. And by "proper" he meant drinking, shouting at your enemies, and then charge and slice them down one by one. Not many people could drink and then beat one's enemies, but apparently, Zhang Fei could. Zhang Fei also introduced his sons and daughters to him (Yes, I know he didn't had daughters, but I want to use some people from Kessen as well.) and all of them had taken a liking to the young man as well.
Zhang Bao and Zhang Ren started to join Jiang Wei and Zhao Xing whenever they trained outside of the Shu palace, constantly switching places in spars or offering their own advice to help the people they're training with. Of course, with all these people proficient with the spear around him, Zhao Xing had started to get awfully good with the spear as well.
Most notable was the actions of the eldest Zhang daughter, Mei Mei. Mei Mei was a beautiful woman, and the most noticeable thing about her was that she was a tomboy. No one would ever think in their life that this woman would start dressing up in peach colored dresses and white evening gowns. She had black hair, always that same golden band around her forehead to separate the hair so that it would not flow into her face. Her body wasn't on line with the hour glass figure, mostly petite and not yet developed, she still had a little ways to go, considering she was eighteen, but she was not that far from being a full adult. Her face was soft but not clear as jade yet, not as pretty as Lady Zhen of Wei or Lady Qiao of Wu, more normal on the lines of pretty, but not touching gorgeous. The young woman often came to Zhao Xing talking of the foreign land of Japan and talked of a young man that captured her heart who lived across the oceans within the foreign country.
Li Li, the second eldest of the sisters at sixteen, looked older than her sister. She did develop that perfect figure, and always was clad in that soft Shu color of forest green. She could be found wearing that bodice and short pants, her soft brown hair being pulled back into the headdress. She too was spoiled, but not as spoiled as Luo Luo. Her eyes upon Zhao Xing are nothing more than a little crush, but she knows it won't come into fruition unless she did something about it. She finds attraction in the man due to the fact that he constantly gets along with the generals and the fact that her sister finds condolence in the man.
Luo Luo was an odd one. She was spoiled mainly because of her crying, whining and otherwise, underhanded ways of getting attention. Zhang Fei also favored her because of her light brown to hazel eyes, being just like his own. Luo Luo even gotten to dye her hair blonde, looking just like a foreigner when she did so, without the disapproval from her father either! Luo Luo was the fourteen year old sister of the three young sisters. Apparently, she and Zhao Xing get along just fine.
Huang Zhong and Wei Yan were a little skeptical at having Zhao Xing accompany the Shu ranks, but they were otherwise fine with it. Huang Zhong thought someone relying on their fists would be a sort of liability, and Wei Yan didn't trust anyone without a blade to back him up...but, when he beaten Ma Dai and Ma Chao, they made an exception...And in the words of Wei Yan:
"Wei Yan...like..."
Pang Tong had fun bonking the young Zhao over the head with his magical staff. Of course, he took a rather primitive approach to the young one, letting whoever actually cared to take care of the young lad. If he'd come to him he'd help. Well, him and Guan Yu. Guan Yu was careful with the lad's training, letting the Zhang Brothers and his own sons help out with training.
Zhao Xing had begun to be a revered man of Shu, just like all the other generals, and all at an early stage of his life within Shu.
O O
Within the small clearings of a cotton field, Ma Chao was busy training and taking the horses to be suitable for the Shu army. Most of the stallions were unwilling to let anyone but Ma Chao himself, ride on them, and few had even let Pang De or Ma Dai on, but for the rest of the army, it was a necessity to do so. Ma Chao had not yet been able to find a suitable horse for Liu Bei, and this task itself was getting tedious and ever so time consuming.
Pang Tong, the genius that was next only to Zhuge Liang, was sitting next to some of the other fellow men of Liu Bei, waiting for the moment to intervene and tell Ma Chao that he was wasting his time looking for another horse for Liu Bei. Pang Tong was still his normal self, a piece of cloth wrapped lightly around his mouth. There was a thousand years of wisdom in that man alone, and no one could deny that. Where the Sleeping Dragon was second to none in strategy, perhaps it is the Fledgling Phoenix that is the best at sustaining lasting wisdom.
"Hey, Ma Chao, ole' buddy...what are ya doing?"
"Lord Pang Tong, I'm searching for an appropriate horse for Liu Bei!"
"What?" Pang Tong never heard of such stupidity...well, perhaps the rash tactics of Sima Yi when he feels cornered, but this was just plain stupid. Everyone knew that next to Red Hare, the Hex Mark was the fastest horse. "You gonna just look them over, or ya gonna ask someone what they think?"
Now Ma Chao had a sense of pride that couldn't be shaken from no matter what. He immediately bowed and turned from Pang Tong, looking to the horse; he smiled and brushed a hand on his own horse.
"No worries sir! I, Ma Chao, will find a horse for our lord!
Pang Tong just raised a brow before shaking his head and turning from the near stupefying Ma Chao...
"Good for you..."
O O
During the months that Zhao Xing stayed at the Shu encampment, he'd been getting letters known simply as "Kitsune". The one who delivers them to him was a Wei messenger, always bearing the white flag of temporary truce, and they were always addressed to Zhao Xing himself. The first letter he received was as such...
Zhao Xing...
You know who I am...We've met before. Let's just say that you're the most important person to me, next to me, myself and I of course. I can't tell you where I am, as I will be executed if I let out my location. I'm captured and inside Wei, but that's all I can say, since obviously, the person who's delivering my letters is a Wei. Zhao Xing...normally I wouldn't say this...but I am sort of afraid...especially of what happened to me before...If you can...please respond...
-Kitsune.
Zhao Xing thought that it was probably his long lost friend, Yu Chai, and promptly wrote back. His letter bore a sincere cause and a consolation that was unbelievably dear to heart. Zhao Xing thought this letter would at least console whoever wrote him this letter...On the time he had want to give the letter to the next messenger, he was surprised to see a Wu vanguard comprised entirely of women instead of a lone Wei messenger. In the middle of the women was a teary eyed woman that Zhao Xing was definitely concerned about. Maybe she was the woman that was held captive. No, she would've been surrounded by a Wei vanguard. When he approached the women at the Shu gates, the whole group stepped back, almost terrified at him. All of them stepped back, with the exception of the one teary woman in the middle. She looked at Zhao Xing with such compassion and regret that it could make even Lu Bu cry.
Zhao Xing was sort of startled at what happened next. The gates opened and the female vanguard began to leave the cloaked woman that happened to be still crying. And to further his surprise, Zhao Xing was brought into an embrace by the woman, whom was now sobbing on his shoulder.
"A-are you...Kitsune?!" Zhao Xing asked, being certainly embarrassed to be hugged by someone he didn't know.
"No...Zhao Xing..." She said, soft voice before she looked up, smiling just a bit as she looked to him. There were small tears coming from her eyes. "I did it for you, Xing...I gave my life for you, Xing..."
"What?" Zhao Xing was definitely confused. Bringing a shaking, inconsistent left hand to her cloaked face, he gently wiped a tear off of the woman's face before slowly sliding his fingers to the hood. Pulling the hood down revealed chestnut colored hair that came down to her shoulders, flaring out. Crystal blue eyes were looking up, tears no longer forming as she laid her head again on the young man's shoulder. "I...I know you..."
"I'm your sister...you're my younger brother..." Mei Yi suddenly said, almost offended. A large, almost catlike smile was broad on her face as she leaned on her supposed brother. "I'm Mei Yi...your older sister..."
"I didn't know..." Zhao Xing suddenly was filled with guilt before he suddenly drew his sister into another loving embrace. Mei Yi wasn't sad, and, was in fact, very happy now. But she smiled and knelt down. Grabbing an envelope containing the reply to the mysterious 'Kitsune', she nodded to her younger brother and handed the letter to him.
"Here...you dropped this..." Zhao Xing only shook his head and looked over his shoulder. Immediately, the gate guard took the letter and ran to his superior, discussing the deliverance of the letter to a near Wei post so that it can go to reply to whoever it was that was writing these letters. Zhao Xing took his sister's arm and started into the camp.
"How am I sure that you're not a spy..." Zhao Xing asked...
"You're pretty...I'm pretty..." Mei Yi said, more cheer in her words this time, tears drying on her face. "We're both pretty...don't you see the resemblance?"
Zhao Xing merely chuckled and walked arm and arm with his sister...each exchanging their life as they walked off into the morning mist.
O O
There was a celebration at that night in the camp. Zhao Yun was to be the guest of honor as he had come back from a successful raid of the Wei camps. Waving to applauding crowds, he'd just flash his perfect smile and flick back a stray bang of hair. But he'd direct his gaze to Ma Chao who seemed to disregard the higher commander's coming. Instead of waiting for an explanation, he started to push through the camp's occupants, heading to where Ma Chao was. Upon arrival, there was Zhao Xing introducing Mei Yi to everyone.
"She's my sister...family is almost reunited...one more sister to go!" He said cheerily as he and Mei Yi were greeting the crowd who were slowly going away from Zilong to give proper salutations to the other Zhao spawn. Zhao Yun merely cocked a brow before walking through to the two reunited siblings a stern face on.
"Zhao Xing!" His stern, almost commanding voice rang out. Zhao Xing immediately responded by bowing to his father.
"Father...my deepest apologies!" He pleaded with Zhao Yun, trying to hopefully gain a sort of grounds to his father. But instead of more scolding like he expected, he found a hand on his shoulder, squeezing the shoulder gently and then the hand moving away. He looked up to see Zhao Yun brushing back Mei Yi's hair with his bare hand.
"I wonder why your mother never told me about anyone but your siblings, Zhao Xing...you have a beautiful sister and I don't even know my own daughter's actual name..." Zhao Yun scolded himself this time. He turned from the young woman that was his daughter and started towards the main tent of the camp. "We're to have a celebration, NOW. To commemorate the event that our family has come back together...Zhao Xing, look your best!"
Zhao Xing's eyes widened as he looked to his father that was actually acting like a father now. Mei Yi helped him up as they both now proceeded towards the tent, wondering what they were going to do once they've gotten inside.
O O
"Shen Lu" was being sung as the Zhao siblings went into the tent. Beautiful songstresses were dancing in the middle of the tent area, all officers seated. To everyone's surprise, the Five Tigers themselves were present. Of course they were present...who would miss Zhao Yun's coming back? But this was changed to celebrate Mei Yi's coming.
"Hua li wei lai, shi ji xiang pi lao, zhuang zuo wu suo wei Rou qing si hai, gu li de rong mao, xiang qiou ming yun an wei Pai huei, ren jian zi wei, wei lai, can lan guang huei Zhu fu ni, qing quan li, wei re de mai buo hai peng pai de ben pao Kan guo qu, xian ru yong bao, wu wei Ji muo shi fen, ru meng de cong qian Que ren, zi wuo shi xian Ru guo neng qiu, miao huei de jing xiang, reng huei, fu xian yian qian Wang shi, jie ru ping ju, xiang xing, wei lai wu xian Zhu fu ni, qing quan li, wuo wei ni kai huai yue guo wei ni jiao ao Kan guo qu, xian ru cong qian Zhu fu ni, qing quan li, mei yiu ying wei, mei yiu ying wei, mei yiu ying wei"
The song was a perfect blend of words...
"Glamorous future, is an excuse for tiredness, pretending it doesn't matter
Tender affection similar to the sea, solitary facial features, hoping for fate to consolidate Wander, mankind's various flavors and experiences, future, shining and bright
Wish you good fortune, with all my force, warm pulse is still rigorously running
Look past, sink into an embrace, nevermind Lonely hours, dream-like past Confirm, self realization If it's possible to wish, an artistic scenery, still will, appear before the eyes Past events, all are like unintentional gatherings, believe, future unlimited Wish you good fortune, with all my force, I am even more happy for you than I am proud for you Look past, sink into the past Wish you good fortune, with all my force, no because, no because, no because"
Zhao Xing saw that the dancers was none other than Mei Mei, Luo Luo and Li Li, all of Zhang Fei's daughters. Zhao Yun was sitting on the highest chair before the performance, enjoying himself as he closed his eyes and listened to what they sang out. Jiang Wei, Zhang Bao and Zhang Ren, meanwhile, induldged the eye candy of the three young women before them. Zhao Xing merely laughed at their jealous glares at him when Mei Mei waved over to her friend and Li Li gave off a guile wink.
Mei Yi was entranced by the magical voices, grinning at the words and her eyes went almost half shut as she leaned once again on her brother's shoulder and just listened to the words...not wanting her brother to look dull, she started a conversation with him.
"Xing..." She started, rosey lips parting as she spoken. "This song is so romantic...doesn't it remind you of a sweetheart of yours?"
"Mei Yi..." Zhao Xing begun his reply with an almost wry voice. "Please don't ask...I don't want it to remind me of anyone..."
Qing Yuan was still on his mind...but he couldn't go back to her after the insult he threw into her face, as it was going to be the ultimate insult. The apology would have to wait until after the war so he could give an apology in peace. Qing Yuan...Zhao Xing couldn't shake the fact that his relation between her and himself could've evolved much more than it already had. Mei Yi merely laughed before sitting herself back up, eyes laying upon the others inside the large tent.
"Hey...cheer up...let's play a game, why don't we?"
"...Like?"
"Well, how about we find someone who's cuter than you, my little brother..." She said grinning almost ear to ear now. "...and...since you know them, you have to introduce the cutey to me..."
"..." Zhao Xing wasn't exactly liking the rules of the game at the moment...and he thanked the gods when a special guest appeared on the stage to do a special performance. Directing his sister's attention to their father who was pulled onto the stage for a performance, Zhao Yun merely laughed along and waved to his descendants. They were having fun, putting on a play concerning a "beautiful woman" which was played by a puppet master. A private that was dressed in a mask and a white cloak had responded in the play by trying to swoon the woman. But, as much as he tried, he was unable to and was promptly denied by the puppet woman. Mei Mei had pushed Zhao Yun to the puppet, and the crowd cheered.
"Who is this amateur?" Zhang Fei called out, making the other spectators laugh. Zhao Yun had approached the puppet, only to be swiftly smacked on the head by the wooden arm, leaving the viewers to laugh at the great 'Little Dragon'.
During the little play, Zhao Xing heard a sort of rustling. Looking up, he saw strange indentations, two bumps going down on the tent. Leaving the clapping and laughing Mei Yi to watch their father get beaten down by the puppet, Zhao Xing ran outside. As soon as he stepped out, he felt a hit to his back, which sent him staggering forward. He looked over his shoulder to see something that Mei Mei had described to him, a ninja! A troop of them had arrived...Zhao Xing didn't want to disappoint the festivities either...so the only way he was going to call for help is if these men would make him scream for help. Striking his foot down, reeling his right hand back, he'd grunt and charge towards the lean, agile, Japanese men.
Zhao Xing wasn't expecting the ninja men to make the first move, but they did anyway. They thrown several sharp blades, shurikens, as he believed Mei Mei had told him. Trying to dodge a barrage of shurikens that were so close together that it could knit a blanket together was nearly impossible, and as such, Zhao Xing had recieved several cuts on his back, since the only logical way to avoid death was ducking. Zhao Xing looked over his shoulder again to see that his robes were ripped and tattered from the throwing blades. Getting up again, he again reeled his fist back and charged. These ninja drew their Japanese blades, the short 'Wakazashi' blade which was better suited for defence. But with their speed and agility, there was no need for the bigger 'Katana' to accompany them to their battles.
Unfortunately for them, they weren't expecting Zhao Xing to be such a formidable opponent by himself. One fast withdrawal of his fist and then the sudden eruption of the arm straight out resulted in one of the ninjas getting their face rearranged. The Japanese fell to his back, his eyes open and wide. He was dead, no longer breathing...and on his silken mask, blood began to form from the nose and mouth. The ninjas didn't mind the fall of their ally, but they stopped and looked Zhao Xing over, staying in place with their swords up. Zhao Xing spat at them before narrowing eyes, charging at them.
O O [Begin "Head for the Barricade" By Limp Bizkit]
'Fight...
Sometimes you gotta fight for your right when you're
not sure you're in a fight for your life, right?'
O O
Zhao Xing had ducked under the wide swing of one of the ninja's blades, before spinning on one foot, kicking off the dirt and then spinning in a corkscrew motion, dodging both an overhead blow and a low sweep by two of his enemies. Zhao Xing landed on one knee before a ninja. He looked up to see the ninja holding up his Wakazashi, ready to stab it through the prone Zhao spawn.
O O 'If you ain't packin' any tactics you might get your ass kicked
Even if you are a little knuckle head
I'm kinda sick of being aggravated, I'm glad I'm hated'
O O
Zhao Xing brought both of his hands up, just as the blade was nearly inches from his forehead. His palms were clasped, not letting the blade through. At the same time, the ninja was shouting in the foreign Japanese tongue to call his comrades over. Just as his grip was about to slip, Zhao Xing's life was saved by the "Kunoichi" of Liu Bei's army, the daughters of Zhang Fei! The man that was before Zhao Xing fell to the side, many a throwing blades in his back. Zhao Xing acknowledged the three sisters before he turned around. The whole Shu tent started to pour out with soldiers and generals, ready to attack.
O O 'I guess I'm doin' somethin' right
That's what happened back in columbine
You gotta know when to stop and don't go over the top
' cuz there's a chamber deep inside the brain
That's covered with chains, so don't be shakin' 'em loose
And if ya do, I'd be runnin' for the hills
' cuz I'm ready to rock and now i'm playin' for real
I gotta... fight.... fight
You'd better watch out when my adrenaline kicks
I gotta... fight... fight...
It's too late you already been hit... damn' O O
Many ninja ripped through the tent's roof, about twenty or so jumping down, throwing poisoned needles. The puppet master next to the startled Zhao Yun was suddenly struck down with a barrage of needles, blood pouring out from his mouth and his body becoming a corpse in but a second. Zhao Yun, eyes wide, dashed behind the table nearby, the needles hitting the table and all the food on it as Zhao Yun took cover. Looking for his weapon, he found it right beside him before sighing in relief. He could make a come back now. Jumping back over the table with spear in hand, he'd deflect the needles with nothing but the tip of his spear. Tearing straight through the ninja that was nearest with nothing but a little thrust of his spear; he looked to any who would be next opponent...and this tent was full of them...
O O 'Stick 'em stick em'
Stick em ha ha ha stick em
Stick em' stick em'
Yeah, head for the barricade' O O
Something was wrong...Zhao Xing heard falling of horse's hooves. Kicking the next cloaked man away, he jumped on Zhang Fei's shoulders...he was the tallest one here besides Guan Yu and Wei Yan, but he'd make a decent stepping stool none the less.
"Kid! What're you doing?!" Zhang Fei shouted up to Zhao Xing as he looked over the area, trying to search for something. Zhang Fei grabbed the next man with his left hand and quickly threw him over his shoulder. Taking his spear now, he then jabbed the multiple foes that were quick to react to the man prone on the Voice of Thunder's shoulders.
"I was right..." Zhao Xing said, closing his eyes and hopping off of Zhang Fei's shoulders. Zhang Fei looked at him quizzically, eyebrow raised and his head canting to the side.
"Right about what, we're still being attacked?" Zhang Fei asked now. Zhao Xing just nodded his head.
"More Japanese mercenaries...These people were sent by Wu..."
O O 'This world can make you sick to your stomach so I
Put on my headphones, listen to the deftones
It's gettin' crowded in my spaceship
Livin' in a dream, runnin' from a hate machine
Ya know it's such a drag when there's people talking down to ya
Such a drag thinking everything sucks (do ya?)
Walk away with the spit on your face?
Or do ya draw the line just to give 'em a taste?
' cuz I know its never gonna end,
If it happens again I'm going straight for the throat
Another note, don't forget your had a chance
Now off of the side lines and ready to dance'
O O
Zhang Fei's answer to his next question was put to rest as a legion of Samurai was riding over the high hills that these camp grounds were stationed in. And to confirm the Wu alliance, Zhou Tai was at the head of the Samurai. Shouting out to the Japanese men, they all drew their Katanas, Zhou Tai drawing his famous katana of the 'Dawn'. They all looked down to the Shu soldiers still fighting the ninja force before charging down with their swords pointed forward.
"This isn't working!" Zhao Xing said back to Zhang Fei as he delivered a side kick to a ninja's temple, killing them instantly. Zhang Fei nodded in agreement before he noticed a ninja beside him, and he promptly picked him up and thrown him into the middle of a group of gathering ninjas.
"How the hell are we going to counter them?" Zhang Fei shouted as he prepared to engage the ninjas that were re-gathering themselves since Zhang Fei chucked one of their own into the middle of them. "And we can't keep fighting these damn Japanese! They're endless!"
"I hate ninjas!" Zhao Xing shouted as he delivered a spinning round house to the next one's neck. But behind that man was an opponent that Zhao Xing simply could not stand up to.
O O 'I gotta... fight.... fight
Better watch out when my adrenaline kicks
I gotta... fight... fight...
It's too late you already been hit... damn
If you got the guts (head for the barricade)
Then come on down (head for the barricade)
And head for the barricade
Fight!!
Head for the barricade
I ain't playin' around
Head for the barricade
I ain't playin' around'
[End Song] O O
"Yaaaaaah!" Zhao Xing's body was quickly picked up by the axe part of the halberd that was used against him and then slammed into the ground. Zhao Xing was coughing as he felt his insides were rattled infinitely over. It was Lu Meng, one of the many geniuses of Wu and one of the more formidable fighters that were well trusted by Sun Quan. He remembered what had happened before, and he wasn't going to let Zhao Xing escape with his life once more.
"I remember you...you fought like the devil..." Lu Meng said, a hefty amount of disgust framing his face. He was truly hateful of these Zhao. Bringing the axe blade of his halberd down to his throat, he was ready to slice through him. "I won't let you get away this time..."
Zhang Fei was still nearby at the time and had seen what the Wu was about to do to his young friend. Charging through the ninja that was still pestering him, he practically gored him over like a bull. Likewise for Lu Meng, as he was hit with a giant blow by Zhang Fei's running shoulder attack.
"Hey, kid! Gather everyone so we can make a stand!" Zhang Fei said as he brought his Serpent Spear up just in time to block the incoming attack of Lu Meng. Zhao Xing would only nod to Zhang Fei for appreciation before he gotten up and quickly started towards the tent. To his surprise, on the hill nearby at the rear of the tent, crimson clad men started to charge down...so...the Wu wanted to surround and destroy them...
O O
Mei Yi barely dodged a downwards slice from one the ninjas and she was getting surrounded...she was proficient in one blade, and one blade alone wouldn't stop a group of ninjas. She held her blade downwards, ready to strike...This was bad...Before anything gotten too ridiculous though, Zhao Xing broke through with his fist, bashing a ninja against a nearby pole that was supposed to support a now torn down tent. Mei Yi smiled as she touched her sibling's shoulder in thanks before going to back him up. Each of them spun in almost a ballet of death. Zhao Xing seemed to dance between blades and quickly killed his enemies with his strong fists before any of them could respond to his first dodge. Mei Yi on the other hand, looked to be that she was doing the dance of luck that woman normally performed. Her body weaved in and out of the enemy's range as she carefully stabbed through the defense of any opponent who dared to come. After leaving the mass of ninjas to waste, the two looked to each other. They stared in silence as both of them smelled of blood and sweat and they were both nearly out of breath. The awkward silence was broken by Mei Yi, who went forward, wrapped arms around Zhao Xing to give him a quick embrace before looking back to where her little brother was originally heading.
"The tent?" Mei Yi questioned as she looked at the massive amount of closing troops coming from all sides, minimal Shu personnel trying to counter them. "Shouldn't we be getting out of here?"
Zhao Xing merely shook his head and ran towards the tent. Mei Yi, not wanting to be left to deal with another large group of enemies on her own, decided to follow.
O O
Taishi Ci seemed to jump over the tent and at Zhao Xing as him and his own unit had joined the fight. Zhao Xing was no match for him in terms of strength, but his speed is ultimate. Zhao Xing dashed forward and tucked his legs in, rolling away just as the ground behind him nearly exploded from the force that Taishi Ci had put into the blow.
"Wei Yan...protect..." Wei Yan called out as he ran from the tent with his double voulge in his hands. His Neanderthal-like shouting drawn Taishi Ci's attention, and if it weren't for that, Taishi Ci would've been dead right there. Taishi Ci barely brought up his weapons just before Wei Yan had brought down his, and their weapons were now in a classic deadlock, sparks flying from the metallic surfaces of their weapons.
Mei Yi jumped over Taishi Ci amd Wei Yan, again accompanying her brother's side as they both made a mad dash into the tent. As they entered the tent, Zhao Xing looked back...cries of Shu soldiers filled the air as the Samurai unit that Zhou Tai controlled had entered into the battle. To make matters worst, it seems that even more units were pouring steadily into the back lines of the Wu soldiers, supplying them with even MORE back up. Zhao Xing and Mei Yi hastily went into the tent to seek out their father.
O
O
Yu Chai looked up...it had been a fair amount of time since she had seen Zhao Xing...and it was getting totally boring!!! She wanted action!!! She wanted to steal all of his knock outs!!! She wanted to perturb and disturb the kid as much as she can!!! What was the world coming to? Well, at least she was in more decent surroundings, inside a Wei Castle in Xu, and she was at least treated to more meals and hospitality than the dingy Wu dungeons...now if she could only find a goddamn way to contact her target for insults, THEN these Wei freaks wouldn't be smiling.
"Well...at least it's not that bad..." Yu Chai mumbled to herself, cleaning out the bookshelf of Sima Yi, the self proclaimed greatest strategist. Putting up a hand to remove a book on the end would only become her greatest peril...a large amount of leather, wood and paper started to come from the shelves, their target...the new cleaning girl... "Ah, shit..."
As she got buried by books, a nearby handmaid came forth and called for her.
"Miss Kitsune? We have a letter for you..." She said, fondling the letter next to her stomach. "Sorry miss, but I think you have a rather odd name..."
"...It's an alias..."
"It's still weird..."
"...Yes...it is...now if you excuse me, I'm having fun talking to my friend Mister 'Strategies of Sun Tzu' book man-person."
O O
Cao Kai was still tied down...hmph...in his own home country of Wei in the city where he was born too...Xu Chang...hahaha...this was getting too redundant. Cao Kai's eyes lingered towards the woman that was sitting in the middle of his room, the Shen Xiu girl that was helping the group of people that was attempting to help Zhao Xing. How...opportune...
"Ha...girl, what are you still doing near me? And here I've thought they'd make you a cleaning girl along with Yu Chai and Shi Liu!"
"Funny bastard, aren't you?" She asked, an almost poisonous tone flooding Cao Kai's ears. Cao Kai would just smile at the reply and let out an indignant chuckle.
"Yes...I wish I was a bastard! Bearing the name of 'Cao' is a dishonor...now really girl, tell me why they'd decide not to let you out...before I decide to kick you."
"..." She didn't want to respond to that. Instead of waiting for another answer, she quickly jumped and kicked Cao Kai, whom was strapped in the bed nearby.
"Grah! You...you...you..."
"..."
"I'll get you yet!!!" Cao Kai attempted to get out of the bed to attack Shen Xiu, but his arms were still tied to the bed posts. In angry outbursts, he continued to try to strike at Shen Xiu, who stood just beyond reach of him...so close...so far...
"..."
"Stop mocking me!!!"
"..."
"My head hurts...argh!!!" Cao Kai finally gave up after many moments of trying to grab and/or kick her. The two just continued to glare at each other, none of them making words to respond to the other's face of disgust. But to Cao Kai's surprise, Shen Xiu leaned forward. What the hell was she doing?! She carefully untied the bands that restrained Cao Kai and placed them atop of Cao Kai's chest. Leaning forward to Cao Kai, Shen Xiu gave off a very uncharacteristic smile, which made Cao Kai feel hotter and made cheeks flare up and blush. But again, to his surprise, he fell...
"WAAAAAH!!!"
Shen Xiu pushed him off the bed and then plopped herself on the soft mattress. Cao Kai would just look up at the ceiling with a look of pure hatred...
"You know, Shen Xiu...I hate you..." Just as he said that, the pillow of the bed came down on his face, covering his mouth. "Mmf!!!"
"I keep the bed...you keep the pillow..."
"What?!"
"..."
"It was my bed in the first place!!!"
"..."
"Answer me! DAMMIT!!!"
"..."
"GRAAAH!" Yes...living with Shen Xiu for a while would definitely be hell for Cao Kai. As Cao Kai laid there on the cold floor with nothing but a pillow, Shen Xiu covered herself with a blanket and shifted her position on the warm, comfortable bed.
"It's better than the dungeons..."
"...Yeah...it is..."
"..."
"Why won't you talk...we're both Zhao Xing's allies!"
"..."
"I want to kill myself..."
"...Good..."
Cao Kai was so utterly repulsed by this; all that he could say was...
"..."
O O
Zhao Xing and Mei Yi finally had gotten into the tent, both calling out for their father at the same time. Zhao Yun answered his two children by shouting back to them before killing the last ninja.
"That's the last of them! My son; my daughter! Get out of here now!" Zhao Yun shouted over to them before he went to the back entrance of the tent...there he saw his comrades fighting, Ma Chao, Guan Yu, Huang Zhong and Jiang Wei were fighting there. That meant that Zhang Fei, Wei Yan, his sons and daughters were all fighting on the other side. Something needed to be done...and his own family that was just reunited on his coming home from a battle...he must protect them!
"Father...they're coming from the hills!" Zhao Xing pointed out the hill tops, Zhou Yu and the Sun Brothers all on their mounts watching the battle with their vanguard on mounts as well, waiting for the right moment to charge and finish the Shu off. Zhao Yun cursed before he looked back to his children.
"My family...I'm sorry I've never gotten the chance to know you...I've been too busy...too dedicated to my work..."
"Father..."
"Father, please-!" Mei Yi and Zhao Xing were cut off by the great Little Dragon before he turned and went into battle, helping his comrades and cutting down the man next to Ma Chao. Zhao Xing and Mei Yi followed close behind, both of them trying to avoid the combatants. Meanwhile, Zhao Yun and Ma Chao were talking...
"Ma Chao! We need our cavalry assembled!" Zhao Yun said, rushing his words as there was no time to talk about anything else... "How much men do you have left?!"
"I've go about one hundred or so! How much do they have?!" Ma Chao had to scream out his words since the shouts of the men dying had nearly drowned out their speaking volume.
"They have one thousand cavalry! I think there's about one hundred samurai cavalry!"
"I like those odds!" Ma Chao smiled before patting Zhao Yun on the shoulder. Commanding his men in his surly voice, every one of them would rally towards the tents. In a matter of minutes, Ma Chao had bolted out of the tent with a golden colored horse, his "Storm Runner" as they've called it. Every other man was on a horse, riding right behind their leader. Only seventy four men of the original one hundred came with Ma Chao, but still they charged. Mowing down the men that were still coming from the hills, the cavalry headed towards Zhou Yu and the Sun's forces.
O
O
"Whoa! Who's that crazy guy?!" Sun Ce practically jumped when he saw some men coming up the hills, even though he himself had a much larger force. It was unusual that such small, insignificant amounts of troops could rally to become much stronger. Sun Ce immediately called to Zhou Yu. "How's that possible?!"
Zhou Yu, meanwhile, maintained a perfect, calm atmosphere, waiting while the pathetic Shu cavalry still came up the hill. It wasn't until they came to the middle of the hill before he looked to Sun Ce.
"Even the greatest military strategist doesn't need to tell you what needs to be done..."
Sun Ce was still anxious, wanting to go to melee combat, but instead, Sun Quan had answered for Sun Ce...and it was, in fact, the correct answer to Zhou Yu's standard.
"Archers ready?" Sun Quan looked back to his large line of cavalry archers. Each of them acknowledged with a 'hurrah' and a nod and then flexed their bow string back with an arrow. Drawing back their arrow and aiming downhill, they waited for their leader to command them. "...FIRE!"
O O
Ma Chao's unit had a volley of arrows raining down on them, destroying most of their line. Ma Chao saw his left and right cover was struck down with arrows...in fact, he knew that he was almost alone. Ma Chao continued to ride up along with whatever was left of his unit, and he continued even after he felt an arrow pierce through his left abdomen. Zhou Yu and the Sun Brothers were startled at this, sending uneasiness through their units. Ma Chao and his twenty to twenty five men broken through the frontline of cavalry and Ma Chao himself landed a punch on Zhou Yu's chin, right before stabbing through three men with just one thrust of his spear.
Zhou Yu was lying on the ground, trying to gather himself and not go unconscious. He looked up to see Ma Chao still fighting, even though an arrow had pierced him at the side...was he this powerful? Or was he this arrogant...he didn't know...
"Ma Dai, I need some help, NOW!" Ma Chao signaled back down the hill. From the tent, Ma Dai's own unit, which consisted of his own cavalry of about three hundred strong, came out of the stables of the camp nearby and rode uphill, Ma Dai at the middle of the lead.
"Brother! I'm coming now!"
O O
Zhao Yun smiled; his comrade in arms never failed him. Since the Sun family's unit was blocking the path that would lead to Cheng Du, he needed someone to disrupt the lines, and that was none other than Ma Chao. Seeing as Ma Chao could handle his own, he turned towards the stalls to get horses for his family. As soon as he gotten to the stalls though, it was destroyed and engulfed in a mass of fires. Explosions...that could only mean...
"Zhao Yun! I've come to take your head to my lord!" Huang Gai had arrived to kill Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun wasn't prepared to take down Huang Gai, and Huang Gai was already mounted and poised to attack...Zhao Yun could die...if it weren't for the person who saved him. The giant club of Huang Gai was parried away with the might of the Blue Moon Dragon blade.
"Lord Zhao Yun...they seem to be targeting you. Please retreat to Cheng Du and tell Brother Liu Bei to mount a defensive line." Guan Yu was upon the Red Hare and the Blue Dragon was bared. He turned his horse around and pointed it towards the Wu veteran. "You, Huang Gai, have dared to anger the Blue Dragon! Now you must face the might of the God of War!"
Huang Gai wasn't expecting to duel with the mightiest of generals, but he wasn't the type to back down. He waved his club around his head and then pointed it at Guan Yu. Both of them charged forward to fight, neither of them expecting to come out alive.
O O
Zhao Yun doubled back to his daughter and son, both of them watching each other's backs and attacking side by side. Zhao Yun was impressed at the ability of his spawns, able to fight as well as he and the other generals of Shu and they haven't trained under the Shu program yet. Very impressive indeed... Zhao Yun walked towards them with his spear in hand.
Zhao Xing and Mei Yi seemed to have fought together before...Mei Yi and Zhao Xing both seemed to have a handle on the other's fighting stance and it was very interesting just to watch them fight. Zhao Xing did a low spinning sweep kick towards Mei Yi, in which she would jump over and stab the man that was heading towards Zhao Xing's back, while the low spinning sweep kick would immediately knock down the next Wu soldier. Zhao Xing ducked downwards and backed up, Mei Yi feeling Zhao Xing behind her, rolled backwards, using Zhao Xing's back as a platform, she again was on her original side, in which she used a downwards slice, immediately smashing a Wu soldier's head in. Zhao Xing came out of the ducking position and span into a rising uppercut, catching the next soldier by the jaw and throwing him into the sea of other Wu soldiers.
"I'm going to cry after this, Xing..." Mei Yi said as she turned around to Zhao Xing and grabbed his hand with her left hand. Zhao Xing looked back to his sister, hazels locking onto her sad crystal blue eyes.
"Mei...why?" Zhao Xing asked as he felt his own left hand being gently held by his sister. He turned around to her, fully facing her. He just shook his head and looked past her shoulder...a Wu soldier was coming at her back. Mei Yi looked behind Zhao Xing, a Wu soldier also coming from behind him.
"Because..." Mei Yi and Zhao Xing both did a jumping scissor kick, each of them lifting their right leg up and passing each other to kick each other's assailants and fall him. They didn't let go of each other's hands, using each other's arms as a balance so they wouldn't fall to the ground after the awkward kick. Mei Yi immediately turned back to her brother, as did Zhao Xing turned back to Mei Yi. "These people took care of me...its hard enough I went away...but now I have to kill them..."
"I see..." Zhao Xing quickly let go of Mei Yi and looked behind himself to see their father. "Father!"
Zhao Yun smiled at the acknowledgment. He nodded to both his daughter and son before pointing towards the hill.
"Ma Chao's unit is breaking through the main unit of Wu! We need to head back to Cheng Du!" Zhao Yun said, now becoming serious and looking to his children as fellow generals now. Mei Yi and Zhao Xing nodded before looking up the hills themselves.
"Right!"
"Father, I will obey..." Zhao Xing said as he bowed before him and Mei Yi both went towards the hill, following a small surge of Shu soldiers led by Jiang Wei. Zhao Yun was about to follow, but heard hooves. Seeing the Shu tents being torn down, the Samurai units had gone through the first defense unit and were charging to finish of the last soldiers! Zhao Yun didn't like the look of the man who led them, the solitary Chinese man among the Japanese.
Zhou Tai was poised to kill Zhao Xing after the embarrassment that he had to suffer through at Tian Shui. Zhou Tai raised his sword, cutting down all of the Shu near him, as did every Samurai, whom cut just as many Shu as Zhou Tai himself. Zhou Tai was nearing Zhao Xing before he was suddenly hurtled off of his mount. Zhao Yun had reached up with his spear and threw him off! Zhou Tai quickly recovered, jumping up and facing Zhao Yun himself.
"I am Zhao Yun! Prepare yourself!"
"I am Zhou Tai...come forth..."
With the introductions set, Zhao Yun and Zhou Tai came into a clash. Zhao Yun came forth first, thrusting his spear forth, but Zhou Tai, too fast, dodged backwards, and then pushed his Katana towards Zhao Yun's face. Zhao Yun had no choice but to let go of his weapon. Falling to the ground on purpose, Zhou Tai's sword would just pass by safely overhead. But once again, Zhao Yun had to go on the defensive as Zhou Tai took the advantage by bringing down his sword to try to stab the fallen dragon. Zhao Yun rolled to his left, at the same time his arm shot out and his hand clawed at Zhou Tai's leg, and then the samurai was fallen as well, face first in the mud.
"Take that!"
"It's not over!"
Zhou Tai grunted as he rolled forward and jumped up again, looking back to Zhao Yun, who regained his spear once more and was now looking back to Zhou Tai with a grin on his face. Zhou Tai pointed his sword at his adversary, waiting for the Little Dragon to come forth.
O O
Lu Meng looked past Zhang Fei, his eyes heading towards Zhao Xing. There was his true enemy! He hated the Zhao, and there was an opportune time to take him down! Lu Meng jumped over Zhang Fei, running towards the line of Shu soldiers rushing the hole that Ma Chao had put into the Wu defense and retreating to Cheng Du. Unfortunately for him, he had forgotten to incapacitate Zhang Fei, and was promptly grabbed by the collar.
"Where do you think you're going?!" Zhang Fei shouted at Lu Meng's ear. It wouldn't be long before Zhang Fei lifted Lu Meng high above his head and then hurled him at the samurai nearby that was trifling with some hapless troops. Zhang Fei, now done with his part, gathered any of the remaining troops and headed towards the hole in the defense himself.
O O
Taishi Ci was already having trouble dealing with the wild Wei Yan. He was having a hard time predicting the random slashes that Wei Yan placed on almost everywhere where one would have trouble blocking. He could barely block any of the attacks at all!
Wei Yan on the other hand loved it. He loved when he could outclass an enemy. Spinning, he gave an underhand blow to Taishi Ci, the double voulge not piercing the thick armor of Taishi Ci, but it was enough to make the massive man of Wu cringe. Taking advantage, he spun again, delivering a blow to the right arm of Taishi Ci's. Taishi Ci dropped his club, pain obvious as tears just poured out of his eyes. Taishi Ci tried to counter, raising his last weapon with his left hand, but again, Wei Yan was too fast. Wei Yan quickly spun backwards and before Taish Ci could even pull off the hit, Wei Yan hitting Taishi Ci right on the side of his head, the thick helmet his life saver. Wei Yan, not wishing to be overwhelmed, turned from the unconscious general and headed towards the retreat, spotting several allies heading towards the breach of Wu defenses.
O O
"Whelp!"
"Geezer!"
"Puppy!"
"Old dog!"
"Psychotic little pirate!"
"Deranged old man!"
Huang Zhong and Gan Ning decided not to fight physically, but rather, fight verbally. Both of them didn't feel like lifting their swords, but soon, one of them would strike as the insults were getting heavier.
"You remind me of a little girl!"
"You remind me of my mother, except you have a beard!"
"That's it, you little-!" Huang Zhong brandished his sword, but Guan Yu had ridden by and grabbed the old man by the shoulder and hefted him up to the back of his horse. Huang Zhong, insulted by the fact that Guan Yu interrupted his duel, smacked Guan Yu with the back of his hand.
"Huang Zhong, we need to-AGH!"
"You whelp! I was going to take that little pirate down!" Huang Zhong scolded Guan Yu, but Guan Yu only grumbled as he rode the Red Hare all the way to the retreat point. Huang Zhong was kind of disturbed though...wasn't Guan Yu fighting Huang Gai?
O O
Meanwhile...
Huang Gai was lying on the ground, grumbling as his bombs were placed in the different parts of the now Wu infested Shu camp. Guan Yu had stolen them after he tied Huang Gai to a tree, and then laid them to key points in the different areas of the Wu lines. Soon, Huang Gai sighed and looked on with depressed eyes as his soldiers were torn apart by his own bombs. Great...just great...
O O
Zhao Xing waited for his sister and comrades to catch up. Up ahead, Jiang Wei had just sliced through several soldiers, paving the way for several hundred or so soldiers and received thanks and hurrahs as his reward. Nodding to them, Jiang Wei would only turn to his friend, who was steadying the flow of the soldiers' running back to Cheng Du. Most of the officers had already made it out, including Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, Wei Yan and Huang Zhong. Ma Chao was still stalling the main forces and Zhao Yun was at the bottom of hills, battling it out with the skilled Zhou Tai.
Zhao Xing had just seen off the last of the soldiers that had to run from the camps which were now either torn or on fire, perhaps a combination of both. Zhao Xing smiled to himself, signaling Jiang Wei to retreat as he had just seen Mei Yi run off with the others as well. The young spawn of Zilong was about to go as well, but his path was quickly cut off by the viciousness of Lu Meng, who re-gathered himself up, Sun Quan, and Sun Ce, who was especially happy to see him.
"Hey, kid! Remember me?"
"...Your attitude and your mouth..." Zhao Xing said, mocking the prince of Wu. Zhao Xing smiled and struck a fighting stance, Lu Meng, Sun Quan, Sun Ce, and now, Huang Gai (Obviously had gotten free of his restraints), had each drew their weapons into ready positions and was ready to attack Zhao Xing. Zhao Xing was outnumbered, and both Lu Meng and Sun Ce was superior in attacks, Sun Quan was proficient in defense and intellect, and Huang Gai was stronger than most people he known.
"Well...my lords, let us slay him!" Zhao Xing actually withdrew his stance and stepped back in fear as Lu Meng attempted to slay him again with that heavy halberd of his. As he closed his eyes, he'd only hear a clang of metal before opening again. His life was saved by two people, his two comrades, Zhang Bao and Zhang Ren. Combining their strength, they pushed back Lu Meng and prepared to fight, two spears on one.
"Lord Zhao Xing!"
"Milord, Zhao Xing"
"My compatriots, you came back!" Zhao Xing smiled and appreciated them coming to help him. Huang Gai attempted to charge at them but his path was blocked by a brown horse and the form upon it. Pretty boy visage and a lean, yet strong body was upon the horse's back, Jiang Wei had arrived again to aid his friend.
"I will not allow you to harm an ally of mine!" Jiang Wei shouted down to the Wu before dismounting and getting ready to fight alongside of his fellow Shu officers.
"Oh, so you wanna fight?! No problem!" Sun Ce yelled back to the idiots who were blocking his path to the one he wanted to take down. Before long, more Wu officers had rejoined the ranks of the elite men. Taishi Ci, no longer winded and Gan Ning, who was still fresh, since his battle was taken, had rejoined their leaders. Gan Ning of the bells grinned at Zhao Xing, pointed his sword towards Zhao Xing before his body started to emit a strange aura. Suddenly, his body shook with power and his eyes glowed...he was using the power of his musou.
"Here we go!!!" He screamed out, laughing maniacally. Gan Ning assumed a slightly crouching position before he started to run forward, sword catching on fire and his eyes intent on his target of Zhao Xing.
Jiang Wei, not wanting his efforts of coming back and helping Zhao Xing to be in vain, quickly came in front of the attack, his own eyes glowing with the power of the musou and his hands clinching his weapon even more, the lance's blade suddenly catching on fire and his hands twirling the weapon around before it came down upon Gan Ning's sword as if the showboating was there to ease the allies before anticipating an imminent attack by the musou that Gan Ning wielded. Jiang Wei and Gan Ning ended up in a classic clash of strength, both pushing their weapons forward to attack one another. None of them ever showed any signs of giving into the other's strength.
Meanwhile...Taishi Ci and Zhang Bao were circling each other, ready to pounce to attack position if needed. Zhang Bao was a bit afraid since the fierce Taishi Ci could easily overpower and bury him, but he needed to be brave and make a stand, that's what drove him to fight. Zhang Bao made the strike first, his spear tapping at Taishi Ci's clubs. Zhang Bao knelt down and spun his spear beside himself, hoping to bring his spear to attack Taishi Ci's legs while he was still on the defense. Taishi Ci blocked and only accomplished setting up a pattern of some sorts, consisting of sweeps, blocks and more poking.
Huang Gai had started an offensive against Zhang Ren, trying to smash down the defense of the young Zhang. Zhang Ren did multiple dodges, which was all he could do, considering Huang Gai would've broken him in but a minute.
Now Lu Meng was again free to attack Zhao Xing, a smirk upon his face as Sun Ce and Quan both advanced and he didn't need to advance at all. Lu Meng would just keep his halberd ready...and if something happens, he'd throw it right through his heart. But someone tapped on his shoulder...thinking it was probably Zhou Yu, he'd turn to see someone he definitely regonized.
"Mei Yi?!" Lu Meng jumped back, eyes widened at her appearance...but before anymore words were spoken, Mei Yi brought back her hand back, the hilt of her sword aimed at Lu Meng's face...in one wide swing, it contacted right upon his face, knocking the Wu Admiral down, nose bleeding and now unconscious.
"Sorry..." Mei Yi said softly to the officer that was once one of her most trusted allies. "But I need to watch after my brother now..."
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing was now being attacked by the Sun Brothers. Zhao Xing, confident in his abilities, pushed forth, knocking back Sun Quan with one blow to the stomach.
"Too slow!" Zhao Xing smiled at his improved abilities, looking to Sun Ce and then charging at him. But, again, Sun Ce proved he was superior, flipping back the long end of his tonfar and then punching Zhao Xing square into his jaw.
Zhao Xing, hurt and reeling back now, head turned as his body rocked from the single, powerful blow by Sun Ce. Zhao Xing, now fully turned one hundred and eighty degrees, back facing the Little Conqueror, he was now facing downhill. His eyes lingered to his father, Zhao Yun, who just pushed back his opponent. Looking away from Zhou Tai, he looked up to his son and smiled contently. Zhao Yun drew back his weapon, thinking he was finished with the samurai. Zhao Xing also smiled...Zhao Yun started running, wanting to make it up the hill quickly and rejoin his son. Zhou Tai wasn't done though, as he was merely pushed back. Quickly recovering, he jumped up and ran behind the Little Dragon, slashing at his exposed back.
Zhao Xing's eyes widened...his fear of being alone...had just came closer to fruition...he didn't want that! He didn't want to be alone! He can't be alone! That was impossible...
O O [Begin 'Numb' by Linkin Park'] 'I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless lost under the surface
don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes Every step that I take is another mistake to you' O O
Zhao Xing felt the tonfar upon his back by Sun Ce...but he didn't even move...all he did was watch his father fall down on the battle field...
Sun Ce didn't like this...using both tonfars this time, he administered the most powerful blow he could muster, and broke his weapons upon the young one's back. Ha! Let's see the kid get out of this one!
Zhao Xing just twitched when he felt the weapons crack on his back...his mind was just not there anymore...instead, he looked around himself, spotting the stronger Wu generals putting down all of his allies, and Lu Meng coming up, pushing down Mei Yi. This made him angry...very angry...
O O 'I've become so numb I can't feel you there
I've become so tired so much more aware
I'm becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you' O O
Zhao Xing reared back, howling like a wolf as he grabbed Sun Ce's wrists and twisted both of them down and backwards. Sun Ce's brown eyes quickly caught the now hazels turn red eyes of Zhao Xing, the aura coming from him again. Zhao Xing was utilizing the power of musou again. Zhao Xing head butted the prince of Wu, Sun Ce reeling in pain from both the wristlocks and now the attack on his face. This outburst of a come back was all that Sun Ce needed to know that Zhao Xing had hidden potential. Sun Ce conceded this time, as his body crumpled from the pain and he staggered to his knees.
Sun Quan jumped in, not wanting his brother to be killed on a Wu victory. His King Wolf sword sliced through the air, aiming for Zhao Xing's head. Zhao Xing dodged it, jumping to his right shoulder before catching Sun Quan's jaw with a right hook. Sun Quan, startled by the power shot to his face, dropped his sword, and was in a powerless stage at the moment. Zhao Xing sneered before he let off multiple combo punches. Zhao Xing's fists constantly made contact with Sun Quan's face, combinations of hooks, straights, jabs, under-hooks, before finally coming through with a giant upper cut, knocking Sun Quan into the air. Zhao Xing, already moving faster than anyone there, jumped up, confirming status of abilities beyond compare; flipped forwards and gave a giant kick to send Sun Quan to the ground.
O O 'Can't you see that you're smothering me
Holding too tightly afraid to lose control
Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
And every second I waste is more than I can take' O O
Taishi Ci and Huang Gai both stepped forward. Surely, these surly, massive men could've taken down the lithe Zhao Xing? Zhao Xing caught their clubs with one hand on the weapons they've tried to hit him with. Huang Gai, snarling at Zhao Xing, pushed forward obviously overpowering Zhao. Taishi Ci tried to attack by using his other club, but Zhao Xing just used that to his advantage. Zhao Xing used the momentum that Huang Gai's strength provide and let go of Taishi Ci's first club, hanging on to Huang Gai's club. Using the large club to his advantage, he flipped sideways and away from the two giant Wu men. Taishi Ci's second club had gone through, since Zhao Xing's movements were so fast. Taishi Ci hit Huang Gai right in the stomach, doing something that Zhao Xing's punches could never do, making Huang Gai groan in pain and crumble on the ground. Taishi Ci would repent for his mistakes by attacking Zhao Xing, but as soon as he turned to face him, his face was connected by his fist.
O O 'I've become so numb I can't feel you there
I've become so tired so much more aware
I'm becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you' [Song Ends] O O
Zhao Xing slid down the hill, ready to attack Zhou Tai. Zhou Tai was also ready...his samurai was still around. Zhao Xing would see his father unexpectedly get up, mumbling curses and then groaning in pain before he'd spin around and gave a backspin blow to Zhou Tai's face, knocking him out. Zhao Yun would again crumble to the ground. Zhao Xing's faith was again reinstated...he got up to his father, happy that he was alive, and carried him on his shoulder. Running up the hill as fast as he could to get away and escape...
Lu Meng gathered his lords up while Taishi Ci nursed his bruised cheek. Huang Gai was nearby, throwing up on a shrub. The Shu were no where in sight, and Jiang Wei's horse was gone, so that could only mean that they had fled as well...The Wu had won...and though some of their pride was shattered, they had practically massacred the soldiers at this Shu border camp. And the men were on their way to Cheng Du as they gathered themselves.
Lu Meng smiled...these Japanese men were an aide to Wu. He would consider rehiring them again...
O O
Two months later, after the "Retreat of Yangtze River Base" was known across the lands. The Wu invaders were quickly repelled by arbalests sent in by the great Zhuge Liang himself. Of course, that only rouses more hostile feelings between kingdoms...
Zhao Yun made a recovery, and while in bed, his two children had visited him many times. Zhao Yun found out that Mei Yi was orphaned when he moved to Chang Jian. Feeling deep regret of leaving his children, he bowed to them and asked for forgiveness. Zhao Xing only laughed and bowed as well.
"There is no need for apology...father...we're reunited. We're family..."
Zhao Yun, softly weeping at the words his son spoken, brought both his son and daughter into loving embrace before telling them to go off and let him rest his body. He needed to sleep off the day as well.
O
O
Dian Kamo merely smiled at the quiet girl who was being harassed by several of her fellow Wei officers. The girl who was being harassed was the soft spoken Ming Jujie, and she didn't like it at all.
"Hey girl, need help?"
"Yes I would please!" Ming Jujie just felt her backside get pinched by one of the perverts surrounding her and she squealed in displeasure. Running forth, Dian Kamo offered her help by standing to block the pursuers.
"Ya know?" Dian Kamo said, canting her head, looking to the idiots who were now cursing the presence of the woman. "I hate perverts!"
"Milady, please pay no attention to our actions...she's but a Wu messenger..."
"Lemme think..." Dian Kamo put a finger up to her lips before a giant smile appeared. "Nah..."
"Why you insolent little..." The men all got ready to charge in unison before suddenly, they've gotten a swift round house kick to each of their faces. Funny thing is, Dian Kamo only spun once. Each of the Wei soldiers fell down after the kick from Dian Kamo, who brimmed with confidence now. The confidence would slowly turn into annoyance as he heard a cocky voice behind her.
"Beautiful...for an insignificant little insect..." Zhang He said as he stepped up, looking over the soldiers, fallen and dazed.
"Feh, pretty boy, mind your own business..." Dian Kamo responded to the man as she turned away and gotten to Ming Jujie, not wishing to stay in the presence of such arrogance. "C'mon...let's go back to your squad now..."
"Agreed..." Ming Jujie said, now nodding to the woman beside her before both went, Dian Kamo's shoulder 'accidentally' bumping into Zhang He's chest. Zhang He, keeping his rage from exploding upon the young girl, decided to just stay in his place before he left. Zhang He tore up the room after they left, destroying everything with well placed kicks and sneering at the inanimate objects, thinking they were Dian Kamo's face...yet she still mocked him...does she not know true beauty when it's hitting her right in front of her face?!
Meanwhile, Yu Chai walked into the next room, sighing as he brought up a rag and started to clean up the area...all the while, an eye on the utmost most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life, thrashing the room and just tearing it apart. Of course, preventing all the drooling that may have come to watch him...Sheesh, she was swoon and all she could see was the man's behind. Of course, when he turned around to face her, and though he glared, the woman's face just expressed a drugged, droned smile as he just stared at her.
"State your name...lowly commoner..."
"...You're so good looking..." She said dreamily. "I'm Yu Chai..."
"...Feh...at least some people have some good taste here..."
O O
Shi Liu looked at the gates of Wei...she had escaped the over rated punks that were guarding her, and good thing they didn't take a long look at her face. Now, she needed to get to Zhao Xing...if he wished to bring back Yu Chai, he would have to go through her first and only after that would she take him back to his dear friend. Shi Liu would run into the woods, that long braid flying as he fled the scene, skill of a recon as she went south. Somehow, someway, she would find him.
O O
Zhao Xing, heading out with the Guan and Zhang brothers as well Mei Yi and Jiang Wei, they were headed out to a short trip to train their bodies and mind...
O O
Well, that's the end of the apology chapter. Previews are next...
Previews:
"I am Bei Ryuren...I challenge you to a duel, oh spawn of Zilong!"
"Fine then, I'll take you down!" Zhao Xing and Bei Ryuren seemed to disappear into thin air as they started to fight.
O O
"We are one and the same, Zhao Xing...but I'll only help if you can defeat me."
"It's not like I haven't done it before...let's go!" Fa Ping and Zhao Xing start to circle each other. Zhao Xing bearing a sword this time...
O O
Zhao Xing: Looks like I fight again...
Shi Liu: I escape Wei territory and I actually speak to Zhao Xing for the first time...
Yu Chai: And I meet someone that's actually prettier than that little punk.
Zhao Xing: ...
Mei Yi: I'm soooo jealous!!!
Zhao Xing: ...
Yu Chai: I know...I'm so lucky!
O O
All on my next chapter: Endless Duels