Hi y'all! The date thing will have to wait in the next few chappies… Just keep reading and reviewing while you wait.
Chapter 1
A Normal Day in Wu-not
Part 2
As We Fish
xq pov
Hey, I'm here again.
I forgot to tell you about The Tree. The Tree is about twenty feet tall, really old and firm. The Tree was thee ever since I arrived and hasn't changed yet. The three of us, Shang Xiang, Xunie and I, no Gan Ning yet, we've been playing there ever since. Also, The Tree was really attractive to me. I mean, who can't resist a tree so tall and shady? Okay, okay, forget that.
Anyway, I'm so determined now that we're plotting against Da. Besides, we do have the younger strategist. But I felt something hollow within, and that was weird. I started to climb up, when I felt someone tug me. I looked behind, Shang Xiang was there.
"We're going fishing again now. You coming?" she invited me, and since there wasn't much to do, I agreed reluctantly. All four of us would go fishing there and besides, we owned some of the rowboats, but more of the bamboo poles.
First we headed to the stable by the stone bridge over the river to get our horses. It was the middle of the day already so we just put on the reins and galloped off, riding bareback. It was also a waste of time to tack the horses since the lake was not so far from the premises.
We cantered through the shade of the trees, down the secret path and reached there. We trotted towards the bamboo fence that guarded the entrance and tied the ropes there.
Oh yeah, before I forget, the whole scene is a kind of steep hill leading to the docks, but of course there are stones to step on to go up and down faster. The lake was really huge, a deep blue color that blended beautifully with the mist that blurred the dark green forest which encircled the lake. The boats were tied to the floating planks drifting on the water. There, also near by the bamboo fence, was a bamboo shack where the owner lived. Near by, there was a bamboo shed where all the wood and blocks were kept for storage. The grass, by the way, was about ankle high and some parts lower. The lake, beautiful and breath taking, was a secret between us only and some other officers from the other kingdoms.
I still remember the time when we came and fished once, and we had a few too much that some spoiled on the way home on the third trip back. Shang Xiang's poppy wasn't thrilled.
The four of us entered the little home of the owner, whatever his name was. Well, at least he isn't an enemy or an ally.
"Since," the old man, the owner, told us when he came out. "I'm in such a really good mood today, you can have the row boats today." I groaned quietly.
I mean, sometimes it is good, but this time I didn't think so.
Normally, it wasn't a really big deal for Ning-ning to choose, since he'd always choose Xunie as his fishing partner, not that I ever minded that. No, I never did. But this time, I felt that my best friend would actually be his partner. So my heart had a sinking feeling when my prediction was correct.
I guess it showed on my face, a scowl, because Xunie came over to me and asked me softly, "The two of them, huh?"
At first, I just glared at him. After all, he was butting into my life, right? 'But then again, he's your other best friend.' the other voice popped in, and I just agreed. I softened my glare at him and forced out a tight smile. "Yeah." I replied softly. "About Ning, right?"
But I didn't want an answer at all, not especially from Xunie. Why would I want that horrible truth anyway?
To keep him from answering, I sped to the rack and got a random bamboo fishing pole before I went to the docks and sat down on the boat Shang Xiang and I always rode together. I felt a stab of longing for her again.
There was a pat on my back that startled me. I whirled around to find Shang Xiang smiling at me apologetically. My heart flooded with sorrow. "I'm really sorry, okay? I don't want to either. I'd rather fish with you any day. Next time, okay?" My "sorrow" for her turned into a spit of ember. Why was she trying to fool me with that trick, when I saw that she did like Ning-ning? Why can't she see that I already knew it all, behind all things we did?
"No, Shang Xiang." I started calmly, suppressing all my anger. I so wanted to hit her on the face. "You can't hide it, okay? I know the secret and you are just trying to fool me."
She looked at me, her mouth open. "But-"
"XUNIE! LET"S GO!" I hollered, and he was just nearby lugging two pails, one empty and one half filled with plain buns. He also held his pole. When he came in, Shang Xiang stormed off.
I hadn't meant to hurt her that way, not at all. I wanted to cry.
After a few minutes, I took the wooden oars and rowed until a satisfying shade of blue was beneath us. Instinctively, I put my pole pinned between my knees as I groped for a bun. I tore off a small piece not bigger than three of my fingers put together. Then I sank the rolled up bread onto the hook and tossed it into the blue water. There was a small ripple when it landed, as if it had been an echo in a deserted town. In a way, it gave me a wave of solace.
While I waited for a bite, I peered over my shoulder, looking at my other best friend. He was sitting lazily at the opposite side, as if he didn't want to talk to me at all. "Hey, Xunie," I started, waiting for a response.
He said in a few moments, "What?" But I didn't mind the gruff reply. "Do you think that Ning-ning and-" He cut me off as he said, "Yes." in a short tone.
I remained silent, somewhat sad. My best friend was being taken away by an ex-pirate, though he's a friend, not exactly, which makes him an ex-friend-pirate. And here I am, my other best friend who seemed like he hated me for some reason. Right now, I feel so lonely.
"You say that Ning likes Shang Xiang, right?" Xunie asked me suddenly after a few minutes of eerie silence.
I felt a vibration on the pole so I jerked it up, only to see a little fish. Feeling sorry, I released it. I put another bun on and tossed it back, then resumed talking. "Right." was my reply.
Later, when it grew a little darker, I announced, "I won't fish anymore." since I caught some already and put it in the empty pail of water from the lake. I pulled the pole in, with a soggy bun too. I laid it on the boat, hurling the gross bread away aimlessly.
I inched towards the middle of the boat and laid down, facing the blue sky and orange clouds. "What do you think of the couple?" I asked him sourly, referring to the other two. He didn't turn around, but replied, "They could be approved of, if you get me. After all, they have been together long."
"Us too!" I countered, trying to prove my point. " Not that I mean that we should, but … I can't lose her to him just like that!" I wailed. "I just can't believe it's happening now!"
"But still, it's their choice. If they want to-" there was a fish and he unhooked it and put it in the pail. He put another piece and tossed it back in. "It's their own choice. You can't meddle with it."
Can't he understand it at all? I sat up straight. "So you mean you don't care at all?" I almost screamed shrilly. "Don't you?" I prompted, gritting my teeth and waited for his answer.
Xunie looked over his shoulder and I met his gaze, and I almost took back what I said. For some reason, a wave of solace washed over me. Feelings for so- EYAH! NO! I pushed it away.
"All I was saying is that it's their choice. And besides, we aren't sure yet if they would be together, right?"
I couldn't argue. I had to admit, he was right. "You're right." I muttered.
I sneaked a glance at the other boat, and the two were just laughing and talking, having a great time clearly.
"I hope you're right, Xunie." I told him, sighing.
We arrived home a bit late, 'cause we were able to bring home eight buckets. I brought some to the kitchen, until the chef shooed me off telling me that the fish we got was an offering to Shang Xiang's poppy.
I left and went outside, the grounds darkening orange. I skipped to The Tree, seeing Shang Xiang under, huddled. 'Maybe she's just napping, or laughing.' I just told myself. But what I thought was wrong. Very wrong.
As I skipped nearer and nearer, I heard muffled sobs, definitely from Shang Xiang. I went to her and sat down beside her. I patted her back.
"GET OFF!" she screamed, but she saw me and mumbled something like, "I thought it was someone else. Sorry."
Shang Xiang never cried. At all. Never. But this time, she did and her face was horrible, like I couldn't recognize her. Her face was sort of flushed, her eyes were getting puffy as if she cried for a long time, and her face was streaked with tears. This wasn't really THE Shang Xiang I knew.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly, trying not to sound alarmed. "What happened?" actually, I didn't mean to probe, but she was my best friend.
"Xiao!" she moaned, her lips quivering. She kept gulping the air as if it was the end of the world. My heart pounded in alarm. It couldn't be… It was all too soon!
"Gan Ning?" I asked her, forgetting the petty fight I started a while ago. She brushed away her tears. "Yeah." She replied, in a very bitter tone that made me wince. She tightened her jaw as if she recalled what happened, whatever it was. Then she exhaled with frustration.
"Look, I'll bring up your food for dinner, 'kay?" I told her, giving her a smile. She smiled…a little. "We're having the cook out, remember?" she said.
The cookout happens when we catch fish and we eat them outside. We cook it any way we want to, raw or totally black, whichever we want. I call it a tradition, and Shang Xiang and I started it.
"Cheer up, Shang Xiang." I tried to sound convincing, but I guess I failed at doing that.
We talked about the plans, and watched the other two gather the wood and light it up with a small flame.
"C'mon!" Xunie called us, signaling us to go there for dinner. I smiled, and pulled my best friend to her feet. We walked there together, joining the other two. I guess it would turn out to be an okay day after all. And for my sister, I'd get her back. The plans are just perfect.
So I decided that it was just fine if Shang Xiang would like that Ning-ning, since Xunie convinced me to that. (curses) Still, I wouldn't have minded at all. I guess I wasn't up to it just yet, but now it's just fine with me.
So how was it? Was it bad? Or good? Tell me and give me suggestions for other pairings, just might use them, except for XQZY, don't need that just yet :3 hehehe.
R&R!
