Disclaimer: I own my own people.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – Betting
Dedicated to: JoEbLoG, you leave the funniest reviews! Thank you!
A/N: I have not updated for months and months! I AM SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY! I really am! But I really didn't have the enthusiasm to write, but now I do! I'm so sorry to people who have been waiting for ages. I really am :(
"How many months are you now?" Chien-Po asked Fa Li.
"About six," Fa Li replied, running her hands over the bump in front of her. "I know Mulan's still not taking it very well but I'm very excited," She paused, "That doesn't sound very good, does it?"
"It depends what side you're looking from," Chien-Po reasoned. "You're excited because you're going to have another child. You feel excited for your mother-in-law having another grandchild and for Mulan as she'll have a sister,"
"It doesn't sound good," Fa Li insisted.
"Only if you look at the child as the product of a rape, being born to a woman whose husband is now deceased and the eldest son of the Emperor and whose half-sister is the heroine of China who people either hate or like," Fung said, looking up from a scroll he was reading. He was nestled in a chair in the corner of the room, apparently ignoring the conversation that Chien-Po and Fa Li were holding.
Fa Li glared at him. "What?" She snapped.
Chien-Po sniggered. Fa Li glared at him. "Sorry," He muttered.
"Seriously," Fung said, getting up and walking over to a chair opposite Fa Li. "Most people are going to look at it the way I just described,"
"They don't know that the father is Tao," Chien-Po said.
"Yeah, so?" Fung said. "They will either think that Fa Li had a child with Fa Zhou and Fa Zhou was killed or they will guess that she's been raped,"
"I don't think people will think of that," Chien-Po said.
"How do you know? People nowadays are crazy, they'll assume anything," Fung went on.
"You are not helping Fung!" Fa Li snapped, suddenly angry.
"Hormones…" Chien-Po hissed.
-----
"Just keep calm," Tiao Zao said. He held out Shang's cape. "How you doing?"
"Freaking out," Shang stuttered.
They were in Shang's room. Shang had decided that he wanted to tell Mulan how he felt about her but he was now having doubts.
"I can't do this," He said, taking his cape from Tiao Zao's outstretched hand.
"Yes you can," Tiao Zao snapped.
"No I can't," Shang miserably said, dropped the cape and covering his face with his hands.
"What did we just talk about?" Tiao Zao glared at him.
Shang looked up. "Nothing," He started but then deflated under Tiao Zao's penetrating gaze. "I told you why I wanted to tell Mulan I love her,"
"And why do you want to?"
"Because I'll regret later if I don't,"
"Yeah! There we go!" Tiao Zao cheered. "So just be positive,"
Shang nodded and stood up. "You're right. I can do this," He puffed his chest out and strode out the room.
Tiao Zao watched him go and waited until Shang reappeared, grabbed the cape from the ground and hurried out the room.
-----
"50,"
"100,"
"200,"
"500,"
"1000!" Mushu snapped. "How far are we going to go up?"
Cri-Kee shrugged. "As far as you're willing to lose,"
"I am not going to lose!" Mushu yelled, blowing fire at Cri-Kee, whose antennae burst into flames. A satisfied Mushu watched as the terrified cricket jumped around, waving his head around in an effort to put the fire out. He finally put the fire out by jumping into the pitcher of water sitting on the table.
The door opened and Fung, Ling, Yao and Shui Jing came in.
"Hey guys," Mushu said. Cri-Kee chirruped from inside the water jug.
"Hey, what's happening?" Fung said, collapsing onto a chair.
"Nothing much. How's Chien-Po?" Mushu asked.
"He's getting a lot better," Yao said. "Give him a week and he'll be up and about,"
"Seriously? A week? That's really quick," Mushu said, watching Cri-Kee clamber out the water jug.
"Yeah, it's really amazing," Ling said. "Those flowers were a miracle,"
"You're a mean dragon," Cri-Kee snapped at Mushu.
"Who me?"
"What?" Shui Jing asked.
"Oh, the lucky bug jumped into the water jug because I set his antennae on fire because he said I was going to lose the bet,"
"What bet?" Shui Jing asked.
"We're wondering whether Mulan's sibling will be a boy or a girl. Lucky Bug says girl, I say boy,"
"Guys! That's horrible! You can't bet on flesh and blood!" Shui Jing said. "That's disgusting!" She got up and stormed out the room.
"She still thinks morals are important?" Mushu scorned. "That girl is way behind times,"
"I'll take that bet," Fung said. "I bet you it'll be a girl,"
"Hey, wait! Am I betting both of you? A bug and a guy?" Mushu protested.
"Tell you what," Ling said. "Let's split into two groups, boy and girl. We pool all our money and which ever team loses, they have to double their money and give it to the other team, who split it,"
"Yeah, that sounds great," Yao said. "What about your girlfriend?"
"We're not courting," Ling said hurriedly.
Yao sniggered. "I actually meant how come she's gone off and you haven't followed her offering her comfort?"
"I need a bit of money. Besides, as long as neither Mulan nor her mother find out, we're okay!"
"Huh?"
"Fine. I have no morals or principles," Ling said truthfully.
"There you go!" Mushu said, applauding him. Cri-Kee, Fung and Yao joined in.
"Okay then, well there's five of us," Mushu said. "That's not divisible by two,"
"Who else could we add?" Yao asked.
"What about Jun Dui?" Ling asked.
"Nah, he's too like Shang," Fung spoke up. "He has morals,"
"Tiao Zao?" Ling suggested.
"What if Ming Hua hears?" Fung asked.
"He'll freak," Yao said.
"Grandma Fa!" Ling said suddenly.
"That's not a bad idea…" Yao said. "She'll be up for it,"
"She's the baby's grandmother," Fung said. "She might be against it, the woman is smart"
"You think? This morning, she walked around the Palace with her eyes shut, preparing herself if she goes blind. She only stopped when she walked straight down the Palace stairs, tripped and fell into a bush," Ling said.
Mushu burst out laughing. "Isaw her walking around this morning. I just thought she was sleepwalking,"
"At ten o'clock in the morning?"
"She must have gone to bed really late!" Mushu said.
"Guys! Guys!" Yao said. "We got to get going on this bet. How much?"
"Lucky Bug and I got up to 1000," Mushu said.
"I can't afford that!" Yao whined.
"You think we can?" Mushu said scornfully.
Fung started to laugh. Everyone looked at him.
"What?"
"This is nice, you know? Us guys, just hanging out and talking,"
"Huh? We're not all here, Shang, Mulan and Shui Jing aren't here," Ling said.
"I know and it would be the same with Mulan and Shang as we're the original lot," He turned to Ling, "Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Shui Jing I just don't prefer it went it's just us, you know?"
"I know,"
------
"Hey, Mulan…?" Shang started.
Shang had been planning the confession since the morning. It was the day after Chien-Po's recovery and Shang's brain had been working furiously during the night to find a good way to tell Mulan he loved her. He kept reminding himself he had to do it now, the whole Chien-Po and losing friends thing had really sped the process up.
"Hmm?" Mulan answered but she hadn't fully heard what he said. She was looking at the water reeds she was braiding into long plaits but not really seeing them. She was seeing the reflection of Tao pulling the white flowers from the ground and pocketing them.
"I…er…um…"
They were sitting by the lake in the Palace Gardens. Shang had suggested Mulan get away from the Palace to get a bit of fresh air. Mulan reluctantly agreed, she wanted to stay with Chien-Po and, with Tiao Zao, find out how Ling and Shui Jing were doing. Yao was with Ming Hua, helping the doctor fill in the medical forms for Chien-Po and his illness.
"Hmm?" She replied, still not fully woken up from her reverie.
"Mulan?" He bent down, peering at her face. "Can you hear me?"
"Yeah," She looked up, brushing her hair out of her eyes.
"Okay…this is it," "Mulan…"
"Yes?"
"I…I think I'm falling in love with you. I mean, I have fallen in love with you. Not falling. Fallen. As in, now I am. Fallen. You know?" Shang's cheeks flushed and his mouth went very dry. "Great Shang, mumble your way through your big confession,"
Mulan's mouth dropped slightly and her cheeks reddened. "What?"
"I love you. Not as a friend, as in love. You mean the world to me, you are my world. You…cheer me up when I'm sad, you give me encouragement when I need it and you console me when things that I really want don't happen the way they should, or I want." Shang's voice grew stronger and more confident as he went on.
"You bring the light into my dark world, you change everything when you come into a room. Your smile can cheer me up and you're perfect in every way. Being around you makes me so happy, happier than I thought I could really ever be.
"You mean more to me than anyone has ever. You're my best friend, you're my confidant and I love you so much."
Silence.
"Wow," Mulan breathed out. "I had no idea you felt that,"
"I'm sorry," Shang said, looking crestfallen.
"What for?"
"For embarrassing you and saying all this stuff… I'm such a jerk, I'm…I'm just…I'm going to go," Shang jumped up hurriedly and hurried off before Mulan could react.
"What? What was that? Why did he just leave?" Mulan thought frantically, watching Shang disappear. "Go after him, you stupid girl!" Her conscious snapped.
"Shang! Shang!" Mulan scrambled up and ran after him, the hidden pebbles nipping her feet making her wince. "Wait!"
"What?" He said sullenly, not looking at her. "I really thought this would be it. I'd tell her how much I love her and she'd tell me she felt the same way. Of course, I should have seen that she'd shoot me down. I was right all along, why did I listen to the rest of the guys!"
"Look at me," Mulan said softly. Shang looked up at her, his frown softening at her smile. "I didn't say I didn't love you. Why did you run off?"
"I was embarrassed," He replied. "That was so lame,"
"Why?"
"I thought you shot me down,"
"No I didn't," Mulan smiled. She reached over and took Shang's hand. "I never told you because…I always thought you deserved better than me. I mean, you're a General and you're a really respectable man. I thought your reputation would be lowered by…well by me. I love you Shang,"
"You love me?" Shang repeated in disbelief. His mood changed abruptly from the despair in his stomach to light-headedness and clouds in his head.
Mulan smiled gently, but inside her heart was pounding and butterflies were flying around her stomach.
"Yes,"
-----
"Guys! Guys!" Tiao Zao burst into the room, his cheeks red and a grin spreading from ear to ear.
"Just a minute," Ling said, not looking up.
The Gang , Mushu and Cri-Kee were clustered around a table, all their heads down. Fung was counting something and Mushu was rubbing his hands together.
"What are you doing?" Tiao Zao asked.
"Counting," Yao murmured when no one else did.
"Well, I got great news!" Tiao Zao said excitedly. No one looked around. "People!"
"Hmm?" Yao said.
"Oh well…" Tiao Zao sighed. "I guess no one is really interested in Shang telling Mulan he loves her,"
The reaction from the Gang, Mushu and Cri-Kee was incredible. The table holding many gold coins toppled over in Yao's desperate attempt to get across it to the balcony. Fung abandoned his counting and shoved Ling out the way to follow Yao to the balcony. Mushu had a sudden coughing fit, allowing sparks to fly out of his mouth and Cri-Kee had to pay another trip to the water jug.
"Where? Where?" Yao frantically asked.
All six of them were facing different directions on the balcony, each trying to see where Shang and Mulan were. They had all seen Mulan wandering in the garden earlier and they knew that she wouldn't have left it yet.
"Here!" Ling yelled, jumping up and down, his arm pointing at the figures, ting amongst all the green.
"Has he done it?" Tiao Zao demanded, trying to force Fung out the way so he could get a good view.
Yao was hanging by his hands over the balcony, all his weight forward. Mushu was perched on his shoulder and Cri-Kee was standing on Ling's head, jumping up and down in his annoyance at not being able to see anything. The continuous bouncing would have annoyed Yao but he was too preoccupied at watching the two figures to notice or mind.
------
Shang pulled Mulan into a hug and smiled at the familiar scent of flowers. He gently brushed his lips against the top of her head and felt Mulan hold him tighter. He could feel the tears welling up inside him and blinked rapidly to stop them from falling on her glossy black head.
The moment was broken by a loud amount of cheering. They broke apart from the embrace and looked up to the Gang leaning over the balcony's rail, whooping and yelling. Fung's long arms were waving frantically, Mushu was blowing flames in celebration, Tiao Zao was jumping up and down, Ling's laughter was broken with snorts and Yao finished it off with a continuous round of wolf whistles.
"So you finally did it!" Ling yelled.
"'Finally'?" Mulan turned to Shang, her eyebrows raised. He grinned awkwardly.
"Come up here!" Tiao Zao called.
-----
"What's that?" Fa Li looked up at the sound of yelling. Chien-Po shrugged. "It sounds like shouting," She pondered.
Chien-Po shook his head at the stupidity of the elder woman. He immediately stopped the action when he realised how disrespectful it was but Fa Li didn't notice him.
"I better go have a look," She said. She was in the process of pushing the door open when she stopped, clutched her stomach with both hands and her face contorted in pain.
"Madam Li? What is it?" Chien-Po said, sitting up sharply.
"I-I…" Fa Li didn't manage to get any words out before she staggered back and toppled back on the sofa.
"Are you having pains?" Chien-Po asked hurriedly, hoping to confirm his suspicions.
"No, this is how I act when I feel totally relaxed," Fa Li snapped angrily, breathing heavily.
"I think you're about to have your baby," Chien-Po went on.
"I think I know! I've had one before!" Fa Li cried. She pushed herself up and tottered over to the door. "I have to go to the doctor,"
"I'll come with you," Chien-Po said, pulling himself out of the bed.
"No, you can't. You're too weak," Fa Li protested.
Chien-Po ignored her and swung his legs out of the warm covers and winced as they touched the cold floor. He gingerly pushed himself up and his legs instantly felt like lead. He dragged one foot forward and discovered it took all of his strength to move.
"No, get back into bed. You're too weak," Fa Li insisted.
"I am taking you to the doctor," Chien-Po snapped.
"Okay," Fa Li agreed. "We better hurry," She wobbled out the door, clutching her stomach and pulling faces at the pain.
-----
The Emperor sat in his library, reading a scroll but nothing was going into his mind. He was restless and began to wish he had some company. He rolled the scroll up and tied it with a red ribbon, adjusting the lengths to make them even. He walked around the table and was about to leave the room when he heard a slight thud. He turned around.
A man stood in front of the window. The window was small and at the top of the wall but the man had somehow managed to get through it.
The man wore a brown cloak. His matted brown hair was in clumps and was messily bouncing on his shoulders. Scratches could be seen on his arms and legs, blood still slightly dripping.
His face would have been a very handsome one if it was not covered in scratches and scars. He had a stern mouth, sharp nose and coruscating eyes.
"What are you doing here?" The Emperor asked him.
"I've been here for two days," The man replied.
"Why?"
"I had to help out an old friend," The man said, his voice catching in his throat.
-----
After five minutes of being interrogated, Mulan and Shang had exhausted the questions aimed at them and settled back on the sofa, Shang's arm around Mulan's shoulders.
"Do you reckon we ought to tell people now?" Tiao Zao asked.
"I guess you could," Fung said, his eyebrows lowered. "Yeah, I don't see why not,"
"I'm so happy for you babes. This is such a good day for you! It benefits me also!" Mushu said, sitting in Mulan's lap, basking in their happiness.
"Huh?"
"Think about it. You're in love with some guy from a good family. This is a good thing for the Great Ancestor, see?"
"What?" Shang snapped, angry at being called 'some guy'.
The door burst open.
"What are you doing up?" Fung said, hurrying over to the exhausted Chien-Po.
"What's going on?" Mulan asked, scrambling out her seat and helping Fung lower Chien-Po into a seat. Chien-Po was out of breath and his face was red.
"It's your mother," He panted, looking worriedly at Mulan.
Mulan froze. "What? What's wrong with her?" She demanded.
"She's having the baby," Chien-Po wheezed. Fung pushed Chien-Po's head between his legs, into the recovery position.
Mulan snatched up Mushu and Cri-Kee and flew out the room, slamming the door behind her.
Shang watched her go. "Did she just pick the dragon over me?" He said, turning to the Gang.
"Yeah," Ling nodded. "How's it feel coming in second to a dragon?"
Tiao Zao looked at them scornfully. "Mulan's mother is having the baby! Come on!" He flung the door open and shot down the corridor. Fung followed him, Yao, Ling and Shang trailing after him.
-----
The next half an hour was the worst Mulan had felt a while. Her blood was turning steadily into ice and she could feel the bitter taste rising in her mouth. She could not bear to be in the waiting room as the doctor forbade anyone to be in the delivery room.
Everyone else was gathered in the waiting room, exchanging awkward conversation. Grandma Fa, Shui Jing, Ming Hua and the Emperor had joined them and were also in the waiting room. Mulan had no wish to sit down so she was pacing up and down outside the doctor's rooms, her palms sweaty and her head blurry. She wasn't aware of anyone watching her until Shang came out.
"Mulan?" He asked. "Don't worry; your mother is going to be fine,"
Mulan looked up at him. "She's a month early! What happens if something happens to her? To the baby? What if they both get ill and then neither of them survive and then it's just me and Grandma and she's not going to be around forever and then it's just me-" She cried before bursting into tears. She could feel the water flowing down her cheeks, she could feel her vision becoming more and more unclear, she could feel Shang's strong arms around her, and she could hear Shang's crooning words of comfort and reassurance but she did not feel any better.
She kept on babbling nonsense, wanting to get everything out. "I've been so horrible to her. I haven't asked her how she is, I haven't even acknowledged her or the baby's presence!"
"It's going to be okay. Let it all out now and then talk to your mother later. She loves you, she'll forgive you and then you'll feel much better. It's natural to find it strange that your mother is pregnant, it's always a shock. You'll be fine,"
"She's been in there for ages! What is something really bad-" Mulan wept.
Shang held her for a few more minutes before she broke apart, brushing the remaining tears away and regained her original state. "You're right. There's no need to cry," Her voice faltered but she shook her head.
Shang looked at her worriedly. "Mulan, are you hiding your feelings again?"
"Will you get me some water?" She asked, avoiding the question.
Shang nodded and gave her a strange look before disappearing back into the doctor's room.
Mulan sank down onto the floor and miserably drew a shape on the floor with her finger. She felt really hot and cold at the same time and it was all she could do not to burst into tears again. Her foot started to feel fuzzy so she waggled it around.
"Cramp?" A voice said.
Mulan glanced up and stared at the man.
"Tao?" She whispered, bewildered.
Tao smiled at her. "Long time no see, huh?"
She remembered that smile so well. The one that made her feel weak at the knees…and still did.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him, walking slowly over to him. She wasn't sure whether she was daydreaming.
The doctor's door opened and Shang came out, holding a glass of water. He noticed Tao straight away, recognised straight away and felt the same anger and jealousy as he always did but now, he also felt satisfied at having Mulan love him and not Tao.
"To be honest…I was kind of hoping to see my child," Tao said softly.
Mulan nodded. Her fingers flexed and she groped around for the first thing she could find. She grabbed the glass of water and flung it at Tao. "You bastard!"
A/N: Well…I hope that chapter was okay. I'm SOOOOO sorry if it isn't very good, especially if you've been waiting long. Please leave a review, good or bad!
