A slice of moonlight shined brightly in Major Fa's tent when the flap was opened. A tall figure in the entrance silently made its way to her side, placing a large hand a hairs breadth from her face. It remained there for several moments, watching the sleeping young woman breathe, feeling the warmth of her small body. Her beautiful face was calm and serene, unaware of the intruder in the night. The figure drew its hand back, watching a smile grace the woman's face. It breathed heavily, whispering something inaudibly.
"I will have you, Fa Mulan."
With that, the figure left quickly, leaving no trace of its presence.
An all-too-cheerful Mushu woke Mulan at dawn, fussing over her like a mother hen. He tied her hair up into a knot-bun, stuffing her face with breakfast and offering trivial advice for the day. He zipped around her tent, faster than the sleepy Mulan could comprehend. Soon, all of her belongings were packed up into a neat roll that she could carry on her back. Today was the day they would finally start the move east.
Mulan thought of the conversation two days ago with Shang. They had never come up with a solution to their inevitable predicament; both unwilling to voice their doubts to jeopardized their friendship. They went back to ignoring the subject completely yesterday, focusing on their task of moving an army over four hundred miles over mountainous terrain. Not a feasible task mind you.
Mulan sighed, loading her pack onto her back and moving towards the main part of camp. When she arrived, she met up with the other officers and discussed last minute details, ensuring that everyone was packed and ready to go. She set down her pack and rushed around camp, helping a few stragglers pack their tents. By noon, she was tired, having carried an oxen's load several times across the camp. Everything was piled into wagons, and whatever could not fit was carried.
Around mid-afternoon they finally began their journey, traveling only four miles because they had started so late before setting up camp. They set up camp at sundown, excited by the first day of movement. The veterans couldn't help but smile at the eager faces of the fresh recruits, setting out on the adventure of a lifetime.
The next day, the troops were able to mobilize by mid-morning and move a solid twenty miles closer to their destination. Shang led the group on his dappled stallion Song, with the rest of the officers evenly distributed in the semi-line behind him. Major Fa took to riding her horse at the rear, making sure no one went off course or dropped anything. Her sanguine personality kept the rear men's spirits high, and by sunset she had become friends with five men under Ling's training. She was surprised how easily some of them were to talk to, especially since the five she had talked to knew of her "secret" identity. She was so glad that she was making friends this time around, without having to go through torture to gain their respect.
When camp was set up and dinner had just started, a figure on a stout horse came riding up to camp. Mulan's face lit up as she ran to the large figure.
"Chien Po!" She ran to knock him over with a hug, but Ling beat her to it. Yao soon joined in, and soon the four of them were exchanging news and gossip. It was a funny sight to the recruits; four officers acting like excited children. Soon, the welcoming committee of three let their friend set up his tent and grab a bite to eat. They talked through all of dinner, promising to catch up later when they departed.
Three weeks later, the Imperial Army had arrived sufficiently close to their destination. The East China Sea was in sight, and all they had to do was travel a day's worth north. It had been a long trek through the rain and winds of late spring, tiresome and difficult for most. The troops as a whole picked up their speed, eager to reach their destination.
"May I join you?"
Mulan looked up at Shang from the stubborn tent post she was nailing into the ground. She used her sleeve to wipe the sweat from her face, only managing to smear a bit of dirt onto herself instead. She smiled warmly. "Sure."
Shang grabbed another corner of the tent and began to nail in a stake with a wooden hammer. They worked in comfortable silence for a while, until they were completely done setting up Mulan's tent.
"Would you mind helping me with mine?" Shang asked, stepping back to admire their handiwork. The midday sun shone warmly on his bare back, tanning the skin to a golden brown.
"I'll be right there. Just let me put some stuff away." She bent down to move her packs from just outside the tent to the inside. Shang offered to help, but she gently refused and moved the things herself. When she was done, they began to set up Shang's tent next to hers.
Traditionally, the tents were arranged by rank, highest in the center, lowest to the outside. That way, if any information needed to be relayed, the person of highest rank would be the easiest to find. Yao, Ling, and Chien Po had set up their tents on the other three sides of Shang's tent, with Mulan taking the fourth side. The five lieutenants set theirs outside of the captains' and major's, and the troops scattered in an organized rank and file system outside of that. Chi Fu had opted to stay far away from the prankster foursome (Mulan, Ling, Yao and Chien Po) and decided to share a double tent with the medical staff.
Mulan helped Shang unroll the large odd-shaped cloth for his tent, finding the four corners and arranging them at a reasonable distance apart. They hammered two corners, set up the three support poles, and hammered the last two corners in. Shang began to move his stuff in, allowing Mulan to help him carry his sparse belongings into the spacious tent.
They both stood in his tent a while, aware of the familiarity but also the unknown. This was to be their home for an indefinite time, and both of them could not help but feel a bit uneasy in their new surroundings. The air smelled of sea salt, unfamiliar to both the Central Plains born major and general. The wind stirred a bit more, and it felt cool against their skin, no matter what time of day or night. The sun rose a bit earlier and the moon was at a different angle than what they were used to. Everything was slightly different, yet the same in this eastern province of China. It was their homeland, yet it was not their home, but they could only make the best of their situation. They shared a quiet moment of reflection, attempting to regain their hardened warrior exteriors. Once they stepped out of the tent they knew that they had to be unbothered by such things like homesickness or nostalgia. They held each others' gaze for a second before silently agreeing to step outside.
It was quiet moments like these that made Mulan feel the closest to Shang. They shared a friendship, not of words, but of glances and interpretation. She knew that she was not good at hiding her emotions, and neither was Shang, but both could tell exactly what was on the other's mind. Mulan smiled at the thought of knowing Shang so well. It made her feel special in some way, being allowed to be in a very private man's life. Only she could catch the smallest glimmer of a smile on his face, or the way his brows dropped when he was sad. Only she knew that he tortured himself everyday against some demons within himself. But even she didn't know what her honorable friend's demons were. She could only hope that one day those demons would be gone, and that she could somehow help her friend in attaining peace.
Mulan stretched on the ground in a clearing that was to become a training field. She was preparing to spar with Yao, Ling and Shang that night, ready to revive their short-lived tradition. It had been postponed while traveling, since all of them had been too tired to fight, and would have no time to recover if they received any injuries. Yao and Ling had only joined in the ritual three times, making excuses about dinner or a previous engagement. Sure, they had only had a few days of stationary camp before moving across China, but they still refused to join in after they had reached their destination. Mulan had a nagging feeling that they wanted to leave her alone with Shang; otherwise it was their wounded pride that kept them away. She smiled at the memory of besting them both all three times they had come. Chien Po had never joined in any such training, since it took place during his hour of meditation. Mulan had a feeling none of the "Gang of Three" were coming that night, or any other night for that matter. She would be left alone with Shang to spar, Mushu keeping tally for comedy relief.
Mulan touched her toes with her fingertips, feeling the back of her knees loosen. Getting up, a quick lunge for both legs stretched out the back of her calves, and a few shoulder rolls loosened up her back. She knew she was going to lose tonight. It was tradition. For every win, there was a loss, and currently Mulan was ahead by one. She knew it was silly to keep track, but Mushu did it for her and his enjoyment, so why mess with a good thing?
Mulan could see a sliver of the moon rising behind the setting sun. It was time.
Shang emerged from an unknown direction, robe flowing behind him like his cape. The fading sun cast faint purple-gray shadows on his chiseled face. He looked confident and powerful, a dusky panther in the approaching darkness. His stride was purposeful, deliberate and unwavering. His eyes were dark with a sparkle of amusement, almost arrogant. The general stopped ten paces in front of Mulan, took off his robe, and waited for her signal.
Mulan drank in his bare torso in the wavering light. No matter how long she had known Shang, he was always managed to leave her breathless with his physical perfection. He was a masterful creature, a sculpted work of art. From his straight aristocratic nose to finely shaped hands, Shang was masculine beauty unmatched, and not in just Mulan's eyes. Or so she hoped.
Snapping out of her daydream, Mulan removed her robe as well, revealing a tight black tank top and long gray pants that stopped midcalf. She didn't know why she had decided to change fighting outfits tonight, but secretly hoped that the new clothes would impress Shang. Of course, she rationalized that they would give her freer movement and more mobility. Of course.
If Shang noticed any change in her dress, he did not show or acknowledge it. He gave her the ritual bow before the fight, waiting for her to do the same. After she did, they both fell into mirrored fighting stances, beginning their silent dance.
The yellow dirt of the coast swirled around them gently, whispering tales of spirits and ancestors long gone in their ears. Shang cleared his mind of all thoughts, letting the breezes to carry them away. He would not lose tonight.
Shang sprang into action. He executed a front flip, landing a hair's breadth away from his opponent. She was ready for his knock to her face, ducking, and knocking him off of his feet with a sharp kick. She missed because he jumped, and now she was in a vulnerable position, crouched a bit off balance on the ground. Shang used her shoulder to vault off of and jumped over her, landing behind her. A weak punch to the stomach from her, an undercutting kick returned from him. Block, punch, block, punch, stance change and a kick. They exchanged blows, neither losing anything, neither gaining anything. Finally, Shang saw an opening on Mulan's left, her weak side. He assaulted her left side with a roundhouse, then a rear kick. Mulan didn't have enough time to block the rear kick after the roundhouse, recoiling from the blow. A swift ax kick to her right shoulder from Shang brought her to her knees, and a low left side kick brought her to the ground. The fight was over.
Mulan laid there on the soft yellow dirt, sighing in defeat. 'I knew it, I knew it, I knew it,' she thought. Shang had won. Tradition had prevailed. Sprawled on her back, Mulan quickly took hold of Shang's offered hand, grabbing his wrist for a firmer grip. She hauled herself up, dusting herself off and mentally checking that she was okay.
"You didn't go easy on me tonight," Mulan said, managing not to wince too much at what was going to be a bruise on her left side.
"Since when did I ever?" Shang noticed her favoring her left side with concern. "Sorry about that. Are you okay?"
"Nothing the major of the Imperial Army can't handle. Or maybe Nurse Wei." Mulan didn't bother to hide her soreness now. "And you," she pointed at his nose with one finger, "used to give me black eyes, so you've definitely gotten soft." She patted his cheek a little too hard for emphasis.
"You want those back?" Shang teased, picking up their discarded outer robes, handing Mulan hers. She slung hers over her shoulder, while Shang put his back on.
"No. But I could always use another battle scar," she joked. She smiled fondly of the memories of finishing her training. The 'boys' had always been trying to prove how tough they were and had welcomed her after she had held her own in a few fights.
"I think you already have one, Ping," Shang said, gesturing to her right side where Shan Yu had injured her with his sword.
"I guess I do. A black eye won't make a difference then anyway," Mulan sighed in false defeat. "I guess I will just have to live with this one." Suddenly, she poked Shang in the side. "Where are your battle scars? Inquiring minds want to know."
Shang squirmed a little, trying not to show that she had hit a tickle spot. She noted his resistance and poked him again a little harder. When he still didn't answer, she began to tickle his side.
"Okay, I give. I don't have any, unless you count where I was cut by some ice in last winter's skirmish." By now he was trying to contain his laughter. Mulan was tickling him with a vengeance, and at this rate he wouldn't be able to walk by the time they reached camp. He managed to fend her off and race her back to camp.
When they reached camp, their faces instantly sobered. Chi Fu was waiting for them, brush and paper in hand, smirking at their inappropriate behavior. "May I see you in private, General Li," he requested with only a twitch of his mustache. Chi Fu practically flounced into a nearby tent, assuming Shang would follow him.
Shang and Mulan looked at each other, exchanging worried glances. "I think we're in trouble," Mulan whispered, nudging Shang in Chi Fu's direction. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder and forced a smile before turning to follow Chi Fu. He would tell her later if there was anything of concern. Her smiled wavered a bit as he disappeared into the tent, her mind plagued by doubts.