Okay, first off, I just witnessed a debate between Levy120 and stefanie1992 about my story via my reviews. One thought that this needed more obvious romance and fewer flashbacks; the other thought that the amount of love was fine and too much would make it corny (there were other comments from these two, but these are the most obvious ones to me). I just want to say that I am not changing the amount of signs of love I am scattering in lightly. I am also about finished with the flashbacks. I may or may not add one more later on, but I used up the ones I already selected. On another note, thank you to everyone who reviews. I truly appreciate it. These two and their discussion just really caught my attention.
The next little bit will be happening simultaneously to Mushu's fight against Wei at the end of the last chapter. Basically, while the dragon takes on the tiger, I'll see how Shang is doing against Heng. I just want to warn you that fight scenes are harder for me, so I have to put more effort into making them effective. Hope you like it.
Shang knew he was one of the best warriors that ever took part in the army. He'd been top of his class and his father had trained him to be a soldier and commander. The man possessed the fighting skills that such a lifestyle brought. He'd led troops against the Hun army and dealt with the smaller group of bandits. And though he'd never expected to one day combat a stranger that a small, crimson dragon led him to, General Shang felt confident that he would succeed against Du Heng.
But his plan of quickly disarming and delivering swift justice against the man proved ineffective. Rather than being an easy target, Heng moved his sword through the air gracefully and his strikes were powerful. Each move the homely man made seemed perfectly executed. He might be a cowardly traitor, but his combat abilities were not to be ignored.
"You are a war hero, your father a general before you," exclaimed Heng. "But you accept that conniving woman as your bride after she infiltrated your troop's ranks and deceived you. How could you?"
"You will not mention Mulan again," Shang declared, his temper rising. "You have no right to speak of her." He swung his sword around, aiming at the homely man's side. Heng moved his own blade to block the strike, the steel ringing out as they collided. "She has done more for this kingdom and risked more for its people than you shall ever know."
It was true that she'd done so much for others. She was even willing to sacrifice her happiness so the princesses and her friends could be together and the truce with Qui Gong could be put into place. And the arrogant, self-righteous soldier dared to harm her and speak of her like that? Shang could feel his hot-headed temper flaring as he considered the vile things Heng had done. But he knew that his temper could cause him to act foolishly and cause problems. When he allowed his anger and sense of betrayal about "Ping" being Mulan to overwhelm his common sense, did he not ignore the warnings she brought about the Huns? If he allowed his temper to rule his actions, he could lose this fight.
"That's right, Pretty-boy," Mushu shouted from where he grappled with his own opponent. The creature, a tiger smaller than normal, seemed to be having little luck dislodging the red guardian. The differences in size and apparent dangerousness were as extreme as Shan Yu and Mulan. However, it was not the obvious warrior who survived the fight on the roof of the palace, but the delicate-seeming woman. Perhaps her guardian dragon could be just as un-expectantly successful. The serpentine creature, after all, possessed the same reason to see Heng, and Wei if the tiger remained a problem, suffer. And the scaly being made his feelings clear. "Tell that ugly loser the facts and then cut his head off."
The furry guardian growled something in response to the dragon's words, but Shang missed them. The blade snaked towards him, slicing his shirt as he moved a hair too slow in dodging Heng's attack. When the sword was momentarily out of position, the general struck out with a kick to the traitor's face. While the blow was not as effective against Heng as the one that knocked "Ping" across the sparring ground, it did cause him to stumble back. Before he could recover from that, Shang followed through with a punch to the throat.
Coughing as the air left his lungs, Heng tripped back and landed on the ground. But the homely man did manage to bring his sword to deflect Shang's. In fact, from his position upon the forest floor, he swiped his weapon towards the general's legs in an attempt to disable him. Shang jumped back and saved himself from injury. On the other hand, the lumpy-nosed man used this free moment to roll to his feet.
With a limping movement, Heng tried to lunge at the general. The awkward motion called Shang's attention to the fact that his opponent was injured. His ankle was bleeding sluggishly, but the wound was not the work of this current fight. The savage snarls and shouts of Mushu and Wei reminded him that another had already been fighting Heng before this. Even more evident of the dragon's earlier attempt to handle the man was the streaks of soot on his face and armor. Granted, the scaly guardian did not defeat Heng and Wei, but the small creature did do his best against his more powerful enemies. All his effort and Shang's current duel was for one girl, the most important woman in their world.
"I know you don't see it now," hissed Heng, his blade seeking to impale the general as the man lunged forward, "but what I've done is for the best."
"No, it is not," he growled. "What you have done benefits no one."
The homely man responded to this by suddenly throwing his arm out and striking the general's head. The armor upon Heng's body made his blow more effective and the impact knocked a stunned Shang to the ground. While he tried to clear his head after the hit, the general heard his opponent starting to move away quickly.
"Wei, kill it and come on," the man urged.
When Shang tried to get to his feet and stop Heng from escaping, he heard the distinct sound of galloping hooves. Less than a second later, a very familiar voice stated a firm order towards the fleeing man.
"Surrender yourself now. I will not ask again."
How she found the energy to remain upright on Kahn for the fast-paced journey, Mulan didn't know. But a deep sense of urgency kept her begging the horse to keep going. Cri-Kee seemed to share the feeling and his soft chirps seemed to encourage the galloping creature as well. By the time he reached the forest, however, Kahn had to slow down. Moving through the entangling mess of vegetation would be dangerous enough without increasing the speed. Besides, the black-coated animal was breathing hard and needed to slow his pace.
By now, the sky was nearly dark and the fiery glow within the forest was clearly prominent. Something was aflame and it was fairly large.
"What have those guys been up to?" Mulan muttered to herself.
Shang would have some kind of plan and Yao, Ling, and Chien Po would be following his lead. Mushu, on the other hand, could easily be trying her "making it up as they go along" strategy. But whichever of them decided on the action that set fire to whatever was burning, it served as a clear beacon of the target.
But she did not reach the crackling fire deep within the shadowy forest. Instead, Cri-Kee began chirping urgently while his long antennas waved frantically. Kahn responded by turning away from the orange and yellow light and breaking back into a gallop. While she didn't know what the insect or horse sensed, she was willing to go where they led. Perhaps they could hear or sense something she could not.
She was nearly as startled when she came upon the impromptu battle field as the man who nearly ran into the black-coated Kahn as he fled. But Mulan, recovered from the surprise first, drew her blade quickly and trapped the stranger against a tree at sword point.
Trying not to show that she was already hurt and tired, she called down to the man as forcefully as possible, "Surrender yourself now. I will not ask again."
Her captive stared up at her on Kahn's back. He wore full armor and was streaked in soot. His face showed little that would appeal to a woman. To find a wife, he'd need something special to impress the matchmaker (like extreme honor, great wealth, or a charming personality). But his expression was one of pure shock and fury.
"You disgusting insult to the ancestors," he spat hatefully. "I killed you. You should be dead and gone from this world."
"Not quite," she replied, glancing around the area. "I'm still here."
While the homely man glared at her, she spotted Shang. He was climbing to his feet, rubbing his head carefully. A slash through her husband's shirt demonstrated that he'd been fighting her captive, but didn't seem to be harmed. He frowned slightly at Mulan's presence, likely feeling she should be at home resting, but did not voice his concerns verbally.
Cri-Kee, no longer on her shoulder, began chirping as loudly and frantically as the small insect could. She shifted her eyes towards the sound and spotted a strange creature. It looked like a tiger cub in size, but adult in proportion if not size. Its golden eyes burned with fury as she held the blade at the man's throat. The animal's size and intelligent gaze sparked the idea in her mind of a possible explanation for its presence and anger. But before she could voice her idea, she caught sight of what the cricket was upset about: the red-scaled serpentine shape under its blackened paws and held between its deadly jaws.
"Mushu," she gasped.
The tiger growled at her, his eyes narrowing and ears flattening in aggression. The black-striped feline remained in place, however, and kept a watch on her weapon aimed at the man trapped by her. While the homely warrior still held a sword himself, he could attempt to deflect her weapon or escape without risking the woman stabbing his throat before he could succeed. She glanced at her captive.
"What are your name and your guardian's?" she asked, jerking her head at the tiger. When the man attempted to look innocent, she added, "I know he is a guardian. Most tigers are bigger and he's too concerned about you being in danger."
Taking a breath, he answered proudly, "I am Du Heng. My wise ancestor sent Wei to assist me in my efforts. He is to ensure I am safe and that the Du family is not dishonored."
"I highly suggest, Wei," she stated, trying to look cold and heartless to cover for the fact she was tired, in pain, and worried about her motionless friend, "that you take your mouth off my guardian, now. Because if you don't, I won't be a very forgiving of the man who tried to kill me."
Shang shot her a look. He could obviously tell she was bluffing. He knew she could never slay a man in cold-blood like she just suggested. She would battle an armed Shan Yu or fight a bandit ambush with her full abilities, but she would not kill someone who could not properly defend themselves. However, she was hoping that Heng and Wei would think so little of her that such an action would be believable.
Wei glanced at Heng's worried face and dropped his mouthful. Mushu's limp head hit the ground. The feline kept his paws on the dragon, but shifted his weight noticeably. Cri-Kee, disregarding the large creature's presence, hopped even closer to his unconscious friend. Her guardian looked like he'd been smashed into a mountainside. Actually, he looked far worse than the time he had been smashed into a mountainside. Painful-looking slashes along his back could be seen under the cat's paws and puncture marks on Mushu's neck showed where the tiger's fangs had broken through the scales. Wei simply licked his lips as the girl stared in horror at the condition of the small dragon.
"He's rather stupidly annoying," the feline commented. "Ignoring almost every rule. I don't see why you want this failure, but if you release my charge, you might get your lizard back. If you try to harm Heng, I can easily snap the reptile's neck. I am surprised at your presence, Fa Mulan. Heng's aim is usually highly accurate."
"Let Mushu go," she instructed the tiger.
Wei chuckled unpleasantly, never taking his eye off her weapon. He was studying her, searching for weakness. He might be a guardian, but he was also a predator. The orange and black creature could sense if her grip on the blade faltered or she displayed exhaustion. Any advantage he could exploit to free Heng, and likely leave his opponents lifeless, he would take it. Currently, they were in a stalemate because of their hostages. But any action could tip the balance and cause someone to die.
"Unnatural girl," Wei growled softly at her. "I thought the guardian protected the charge, not the other way around. I can assure you, before the sun rises," he bared his teeth threateningly, "my charge will be free and safe, his future secure, and you, your bewitched husband, and this insult to guardians will lie dead at Heng's feet. We are not to be trifled with, woman."
No one moved. The tension was too great to risk it. The tiger's eyes flicked around the group, calculating all possibilities. The only sound was Cri-Kee's insistent chirping.
But it couldn't last long. Mulan's strength was fading. Injury and the horseback ride had tired her. Soon, she would be forced to lower her sword. Shang couldn't draw near their captive to relieve her because the movement could cause the tiger to act. And any action Wei took could be deadly to Mushu.
First thing he noticed was that, while it was still hard, he could now breathe a little. The heavy weight on his back had eased. Mushu knew that he must have blacked out temporarily from lack of air, but it couldn't have been long. The scratches along his back still ached and there was a sharper stinging from several points on his neck. So unless Fluffy had been chewing on him for an hour, he had likely only been out for a few minutes.
The next thing he noticed was he wasn't dead. Though his last memory included the tiger's jaws closing on him, his head still seemed attached to him. The first real question was why Wei didn't finish him off yet. It would be smarter to finish the dragon off when he couldn't fight back and the tiger intended to kill him anyway… So what stopped him?
The third thing that caught the injured guardian's attention was a sound. An insistent, pleading chirping that wouldn't stop. He recognized the desperate, insect voice begging him to wake up. Cri-Kee, the lucky bug, was here somehow. It didn't make sense, but that was his chirping.
Before Mushu risked opening his eyes and drawing the crazy lunatic's attention back to the fact that the serpentine creature wasn't dead, he mentally went over the facts. One, Wei hadn't killed him yet. Two, the feline was still holding him in place with his paws (hopefully they were still slightly scorched). Three, the insect he left with Mulan was nearby now. Four, lying there pretending to be unconscious still wouldn't do anything. He needed to come up with some kind of plan.
Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes a crack. Mostly, he could just see dirt and leaves. Not the most useful, but he didn't see something else promising. Flicking in and out of view was an orange and black shape. Wei's tail was moving just in and out of snapping range. The dragon worked on the timing until he could just…
Mushu took extreme pleasure in jerking his serpentine neck and biting down on the furry target. As he hoped, the tiger yelped at the attack and tried to instinctively jerk away from the source. Which meant that he leapt off the scaly creature momentarily. And while he wasn't quite up to trying to what he was about to attempt, the guardian yanked his body away from the tiger a short distance.
"I was always more of a dog person," he snarled as Wei tried to recapture his prey.
"Mushu!" cried out a voice that paralyzed him with shock.
He froze at the sound, unable to process the impossibility of the speaker. The furry guardian's paws landed on top of the dragon, but he didn't care. His mind tripped over itself as the same idea kept trying to finish. The only person who sounded like that was… The only person it could be was… As impossible as it might be, was it… her?
"Stay still, stupid lizard," ordered Wei. "I'm in the middle of hostage negotiations."
Reflexively, he corrected, "Dragon, dragon, dragon. It isn't that difficult to remember, you flea-bitten cat. Get off me and go catch some mice or something." He jerked his head around, trying to catch a glimpse of the one person he barely dared to hope could be there. "You weigh more than that block-head, Stoney."
"Quiet," the tiger instructed. "You don't deserve to be heard. You don't deserve to be called a guardian. I intend to use you to protect my charge, but after that, you're not worth anything."
"Hey, I might break some rules, but you're a failure too," he shot back. "Let's see… Been spotted by someone outside your family, also known as Pretty-boy. Attacking another guardian is another misdemeanor."
"You attacked first."
"Did you not just pounce on me two seconds ago, when I was moving away from you? Not to mention that you're guiding Heng into a situation that will completely dishonor his family and likely get him killed." Mushu could almost see Shang as he tried to move his head to view over the feline's paws. He couldn't see Heng though. "And it seems like the hostage thing means that Ugly is already in trouble."
"I am nothing like you," the tiger asserted firmly. "I shall uphold the rules and ensure that my mission is fulfilled. Heng will remain safe and his family will not lose honor."
"The family is already dishonored," Shang reminded. "Heng's actions are known to others. He is disgraced by his behavior and you can't change that."
"No, I can still fix it," hissed the furry creature. "My charge will be the greatest of the Du family."
"Great, I'm in the claws of a psychotic tiger," sighed Mushu. "And he doesn't sound like he takes losing well."
The black-striped guardian growled softly at the dragon's words. He extended his claws into the serpentine creature's back, causing Mushu to hiss as the points sunk into his healing scratches along his back.
"Silence," Wei snarled.
"Let him up," a familiar, female voice ordered.
The crimson dragon had to ask. The words, the voice, were too important to him. In fact, the speaker sounded like the most important person to both him and Shang. Mushu still couldn't spot the speaker, but he was almost positive who it was. It sounded like her. Could it be…?
"Mulan?"
I know. Another cliffhanger and this time, we have two individuals in a hostage situation. I hope you can stand it until another update. Let me know what you think.