Disclamer: I still own nothing.
Author's Note: 2 years after the prolouge. Rating went down to T again due to lack of comments. I have my reasons. Still SSX POV.
You've gotta be KIDDING me! This unbelievably good looking guy is GAN NING? I can't take him down!
Woah, woah, getting a bit ahead of myself. O' course I can take this loser, I can take out anyone!
"Yeah? I don't care WHO you are, YOU'RE going down!" I yelled, and swung at him.
He caught my arm, almost looking bored. "Please. THESE are Sun Quan's reinforcements? A girl?" he said.
A GIRL? Why that rotten little...
Gan Ning looked at me up and down. "Sorry, I don't fight girls," he said. "But if you wanna 'fight' me anyway, I won't have any complaints. What do you think of tha- OW!" he screamed, when I kicked him, harder than I kicked Ling Tong earlier.
"You little...! Nobody kicks Gan Ning and lives!" He said angrily.
"Yeah? Then fight me, you stupid pirate!" I answered, pretty angry.
Unfortunately, he still wouldn't fight! "Little girl, you should turn around and go home, before you get hurt," he said, cupping my chin in his hand. "I usually don't pick on cute girls, but if you keep pissing me off, I might get angry. And you won't like me when I'm angry."
I shook his hand right off me, and said, "I don't like you NOW!" and hit him as hard as I could. He yelled and staggered backwards, landing on his rear.
"You little bitch, you're going to pay for that!" he said angrily, and grabbed me by my throat.
You know the saying of bells ringing when you're in love? Well, they ring when you're about to die too. The bells attached to Gan Ning's waist were ringing, and it was getting annoying.
Unfortunately for me, Gan Ning looked VERY angry, so I figured this was the end. Until...
Gan Ning put me down on the ground, let go of my throat, and just looked at me for a second. Then he leaned down, and kissed me. Right on my mouth.
1... 2... 3... and he was off.
"W-what the...?" I said, shocked (of course, that was the best-- and only-- kiss of my life) beyond belief. He just glared at me. "Get out of here. If Huang Zu sees you, and captures you, it'll be the end for that pretty face of yours. If I see you, and Huang Zu orders me to attack you... I'm going to have to. Now GET."
"...will I ever see you again?" I asked. He looked kind of surprised, but shook his head. "Yes. No. I don't know. GO!" he finally yelled, and gave me a quick shove.
I glanced back at him, before mounting my horse. "B-but..."
"GO!" Gan Ning said.
I gave my horse a quick shove and she galloped off. Once he was finally out of my line of vision, I let out a gleeful sigh of a girl in love. For a pirate, he's an unbelivably good kisser...
As I headed down the path, not really paying attention to where I was going, Ling Tong, once again, galloped by, but he looked angry. "Have you seen that sleazebag pirate, Gan Ning?" he said, stopping to talk to me.
"N-no," I said, deciding to lie. "Why?"
"That disgusting vermin killed my father!" he said angrily. "And I intend to return that in kind!"
"He WHAT!" I nearly screamed. How could he? Why! It's not fair! I couldn't believe it!
"Ling Tong, you can't... he'll kill you too!" I protested, which, in all honesty, was probably true.
Suprisingly enough, Ling Tong grabbed my hands. "Shang Xiang, please, don't tell me that. Lord Sun Quan, Zhou Yu, Zhou Tai, everyone told me to stay away from him. But I have to kill him!"
Before I could say anything, he continued. "Think of how you felt when you lost your father. That's why you're here, isn't it? To avenge his death? Even though the odds are against you?"
I had to agree, but I did wish he'd let my hands go. "...Fine. I do know where he is. But promise me you'll deck out if things get bad!" I said. I wasn't going to protect a murderer.
"I promise. Where is he?" Ling Tong asked.
"Last I saw him, he was... over there," I said, pointing.
"Thanks, Shang Xiang. If I don't come back... oh, nevermind. I'll see you later." He let go of my hands and raced off.
A year ago, the thought of Ling Tong holding my hands like that would've made my little heart explode with joy. Now... I don't know WHAT'S wrong with me.
Stupid pirate. Why does he have to be a murderer? Why can't be be as awesome as that kiss?
"SHANG XIANG!" the booming voice of my big brother screamed. Oh great.
"Uh... hey, bro," I said sheepishly. This will not be good.
"SHANG XIANG, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM! I SPECIFICALLY ASKED YOU ONE THING! THE ONLY BATTLE I'VE MADE YOU STAY OUT OF, FOR YOUR SAFETY, AND YOU STILL DISOBEYED ME AND SNUCK OUT! WHAT PART OF THESE MEN ARE DANGEROUS DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, I ORDERED LU XUN TO STAY AT THE CASTLE FOR THIS BATTLE, BECAUSE HE LOOKS LIKE A WOMAN!" Quan was now screaming.
"Quan, chill! I'm fine!" I said, trying to calm my brother down.
"NO! I AM NOT GOING TO CHILL! IF YOU WOULD RECALL, I PROMISED OUR BROTHER, ON HIS DEATHBED, THAT I WOULD MAKE SURE NOTHING HAPPENED TO YOU! AND AS USUAL, ALL YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IS YOURSELF, AND PROVING YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU'RE A GIRL! WELL, NEWS FLASH! WHO CARES IF YOU'RE A GIRL! I DON'T! NOBODY ELSE DOES! SO STOP IT! WE KNOW YOU'RE STRONG! YOU DON'T HAVE TO ENDANGER YOURSELF TO DO IT!" he screamed again.
"Bro, will you please-"
"SHUT UP! I'M NOT DONE! THAT INSANE GAN NING COULD'VE GRABBED YOU AND GUESS WHAT? HE WOULDN'T HAVE CARED IF YOU'RE A GIRL! HE'D HAVE KILLED YOU, OR WORSE!"
"What could be worse than dying?" I asked.
"GETTING PREGNANT, WITH THAT PSYCHOTIC PIRATE'S CHILD! HOW WOULD YOU HAVE LIKED THAT!"
"Quan, alright, I'm sorry!" I cried angrily. Quan took a few deep breaths and finally calmed down.
"Bro, I'm sorry! I should have listened to you!" I said, now quite upset. "Just stop yelling! I see the error of my ways, and I am going home!"
I turned around and stormed off, then came back to get my horse. I galloped off, slowing to a stop as I approached the path towards home. Quan was right, Gan Ning WAS a psycho. He killed Ling Cao, and unless a miracle's going to happen Ling Tong's probably down for the count too.
What if something HAD happened to me? He was stronger than me. If something else had been running through his head... I don't want to think about it.
Ow, what was that? I... I don't feel so well all of a sudden... I need to take a quick little... nap... and I collapsed.
AN: And, she's out cold. Next chapter'll be up by tomorrow, maybe.