Author's Note: I should be working on summer reading...NAH! haha I just wrote the next four chapters and let me tell you...It's suspenseful! But I'm not releasing them all at once, because I accidentally skipped Chapter 10 :) Oops:) I'm glad you guys are enjoying my stories! Thanks to all the subscribers! :) R&R! I want your feedback!

Special Thanks to:

Koolbroadwayreader-We need to fix the whole Mulan thing sounding like your dad...It's probably cuz of the 'true love' thing. But don't worry, she's not acting like your dad here! And my favorite Broadway is Wicked, Les Miserables, but I LOOOVE RENT! I bought the soundtrack!

Trakrat-It is gonna get good! Thanks for reviewing!

Diamondeyes3411-Welcome back LOL. I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Thanks for your feedback! :) And there's a lot of fighting between Shan and Shang! :D What's better than two buff guys fighting? ;) And as for drivers ed...I hated my instructor! I had 4 different teachers and when I finally thought I'd get my favorite teacher for the test...I get some random guy! I never even had him. So I failed my drivers test...NOT because I hit something or broke the law, It's because when I was backing up in a straight line...I didn't check my blindspot. I WAS PISSED! I was almost done with the test too. But have fun:)

The journey was pretty quiet so far. But Mulan was enjoying it. China's landscape was so beautiful. And with the birds flying about, the clouds high above, the sight of China's hard work shown in the fields of workers and changes to the land, and all the flowers filling the breezes made Mulan feel happy and forget the mission for a while. It certainly took a load off of her shoulders.

Shang, on the other hand, was not enjoying himself. The stress of the mission success was heavily weighing down on him. He couldn't see the peaceful nature all around him because he was too busy looking forward. Shang was also a little suspicious of this new guy. He had seen the way Mulan looked at him when he walked in, and he did not like that.

Shan was thinking about Mulan. He loved the way the wind blew her hair back. She looked so carefree and wild, as if this mission was just another adventure to her, something she would do for fun, and if it failed, the more of a game it would be to her to try and regain success. And though the Emperor said he was good in stealth and quick, he was also careless and not much of a perfectionist. In fact he was the opposite of that. But part of his mission was to get to know this Fa Mulan a little more.

"Why don't we rest here in the shade for a while?" Shang asked. He was distraught. He even looked like he was out of it.

"Are you okay Shang, err I mean Jhen?" Mulan asked.

Shang glared at her briefly and then closed his eyes to take a deep breath, "I'm just a little nervous about this whole thing Jia," he emphasized her codename to show that he didn't want to forget. "I need to relax a little. We'll make more distance over nightfall."

"We're traveling at night?" Mulan asked in exasperation. "Are you crazy?"

"No," Shang replied, "We'll make more distance since no one will be around. We'll be able to run quicker this time. We can rest here and then sleep during the day. But someone will have to stay up for a whole day and night. We'll take turns. Besides, Chen agrees with me on this one, we'll be able to stay more conspicuous during the night."

"Jhen is right on this one Jia," Shan replied as he grabbed a few fruits from nearby, "It'll be easier to travel at night and stay hidden if we follow through on his plan."

"Okay," Mulan replied with a sigh, "Because three travelers at night doesn't look suspicious or sound odd in the least bit? We might as well just say our names too!"

"Jia don't you think I've already thought that through?" Shang said with a smirk, "The Emperor has already contacted all the police and patrollers. I've got this under control. If they find someone else out later well then they'll know they're up to no good, which can bring us closer to find Xiaohua."

Mulan sighed. "Okay whatever. But let's hurry up already! I want to get a move on! I want to at least reach another town before we stop and rest."

"I thought you were enjoying the nature all around you?" Shang asked and then grinned.

Mulan growled. "Curse you for reading my thoughts." She then walked with Khan to get a drink.

Shan came back with a basket of fruits and showed them to Mulan. She smiled and wondered where she could get them. But she turned back to Shang and she couldn't leave him alone.

"Why don't you come with me and see if there is anyone nearby, someone that could pose a threat?" Shan asked and then whispered, "And explore the place with me instead of waiting around here and resting?" He smiled and so did Mulan.

"What about Shang?" Mulan asked.

Shan shrugged. "What about him?"

"We can't leave him here!" Mulan whispered.

"He'll hardly notice we're gone," Shan grinned, "Look he's asleep! He won't even notice we're gone! We'll be back before he even wakes up!"

Mulan looked back at Shang who was sleeping peacefully under a tree. She didn't want to wake him up, but she didn't want to leave him here. He would be defenseless, but then again his horse was so protective of his master. Shang would also wake up before any dangers were present anyway. Mulan would be around before Shang would wake up. Besides, Shan and she were just going to check out the villages around to see if anyone had any food or posed any threat.

Mulan looked and Shan and nodded yes. He placed a finger over his mouth to gesture that she should be quiet. He then got on his horse and helped her up. Shan kicked his horse and sped into the forest and it was then and there that Mulan let out a little squeal of joy. For once, she was about to have some fun.

…

Once they were deep into the forest, they slowed down. The nature around them was so beautiful. The trees seemed to touch the sky so high above. From around Mulan found the places where Shan found the fruits and vegetables. They continued to ride till they found a waterfall that flowed into a river, which would lead them back to Shang.

"So where would you like to go Jia?" Shan finally asked with a laugh.

Mulan laughed. "I hate that name! I'm not even used to it! Everyone knows me anyway! I mean this name is useless."

Shan laughed. "I agree. Besides, the name doesn't really fit you. But neither did your other name, Fa Ping, I mean 'flower pot'? Is that the best you could do?"

Mulan laughed, "Hey it was on short notice! I hadn't thought about that part yet. I was so concerned about trying to fit in like a guy, instead of acting like a girl. Well some of the men I was near acted like girls anyway."

"Well I bet you know now what names to use," Shan replied.

"Well now I won't have to hide the fact that I'm a girl," Mulan smiled. "That whole experience seems so long ago. But I've learned so much from it."

"Oh?" Shan asked as he jumped down from her horse. He then walked away to allow Mulan to jump down herself.

Mulan smiled. "I'm surprised you didn't help me down."

Shan turned around and faced her, "I'm sorry did you want me to help you?" He then bowed like a servant.

Mulan laughed. "No I didn't want you to. I was just so surprised that someone finally let me help myself down on my own. Shang usually helps me down. But then again, Shang always helps me do everything, including my own battles."

Shan smiled, "I bet he means well."

"I guess," Mulan sighed and walked over to the river and stared down at herself, "But it's a little funny. It's as our roles have been switched around. I mean I'm supposed to be taking care of Shang, which he lets me do occasionally. But most of the time, I find myself being treated by Shang. But see, that's where I would have been a good wife. I would take care of Shang. I can take care of myself. I don't need a man to get by."

Shan laughed, "It seems to me like you don't want to get married. But I don't blame you, we're still so young. You look barely any older than seventeen?"

"You were right, seventeen," Mulan sighed, "I'm getting married because I love Shang and I guess it's time for me to settle down and have kids and Shang is ready for that too."

"So let me get this straight," Shan asked, "You're getting married because you love Shang and you think he is ready to marry you. Are you ready? I mean Shang can certainly wait if you're not ready. If he truly loves you, then he'd wait, wouldn't he?"

Mulan smirked. "I am ready to get married. I don't think I'd find someone as good to me as Shang. And Shang proposed to me."

Shan smiled and sat down beside her to wade his feet in the pool. Mulan followed and sat down too. "I bet you could find someone just as good as Shang. But you love him and he loves you. Just be sure that when you marry someone, it's someone you want to spend the rest of your life with. Not everyone is lucky to have that option. So use it while you can."

"Do you have a special someone Chen?" Mulan asked.

Shan shook his head. "No," he looked at Mulan in the eyes, "I haven't found the right person yet."

Mulan looked away and laughed nervously. "Was this guy trying to get me alone? Does he like me?" she wondered.

To avoid an awkward situation, she splashed water on him as a joke. But Shan found it funny. He also splashed water on her. The fight got more intense as Mulan started throwing fish at him. Mulan laughed and decided to have her revenge on him. So she charged at Shan and threw him into the water. But now Shan could get wet and not care. He continued to splash Mulan.

"Ah!" she yelled as she realized that her whole dress was wet.

Shan laughed. "You should just get into the water now."

"I'm not just going to jump in." Mulan replied.

"Fine," Shan got out of the river and grabbed Mulan's hand. He led her further into the forest. They had to go through several vines and past several trees. But once they reached their destination, Mulan saw that it was definitely worth it. "I want you to jump from here. I'll jump with you. There are no rocks at the bottom, so you'll be safe. But you have to jump."

Shan walked all the way to the edge of the cliff as Mulan watched. "Just make sure you don't jump in flat. It'll hurt your stomach." He laughed and then jumped in backwards. Mulan ran to watch him flip in the air before diving into the river.

She gulped before she decided to jump in. Mulan took one last look at the river. She closed her eyes and jumped in. She was screaming the whole way. Before she hit the river, she did a flip to jump into the river head first. Once she arose to the river surface, she started laughing.

"Now that was fun wasn't it?" Shan asked. "I guess you are as brave as they say you are, diving in head first. Impressive, I must admit."

Mulan smiled. "They don't just call me the Heroine of China for nothing!" She swam to the river bank and got out of the river. She pulled Shan out also. "Follow me," she told him, "there's one more thing I want to do." Mulan took him to the waterfall top again. "We're going to ride the waterfall!" She grabbed his hand and together they jumped in and yelled at the top of their lungs and they reached the edge of the waterfall and fell down into the river.

Once they got out of the river, it was sunset and they decided that it was time to head back to camp, but not without one last game.

"You have to hit the target I specify," Shan told her.

Mulan smirked, "Easy enough."

Overall, Mulan won, but she was sure Shan didn't let her win. After all, Shan was careless and not precise. She won fair and square. To let Mulan win was not in Shan's character, though it was in Shang's. Either way, she wins.

Once they reached the camp, however, their laughter soon turned sour. They returned to find an angry Shang staring them down. He was busy preparing the camp up. There was a fire going and food hanging above it. The horses were eating and ready, except for Shan's of course. Once he noticed their presence, he stared at them for a long time and Mulan and Shan did not know how to react. But the very irritated Shang just sighed and went back to work, tending the fish. He was playing the silent treatment with them.

"Listen, err Jhen," Mulan started.

"Save it Mulan," Shang angrily interrupted her.

"I thought you said to use codenames," Shan said with a smirk. Mulan glared at him to say, "This isn't time for those jokes. You need to be serious."

"I said save it," Shang said in exasperation.

"Well Mulan was talking," Shan angrily answered him, "Whom you so rudely interrupted."

"Did your parents ever teach you to respect authority?" Shang seethed through his teeth.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Mulan yelled to get their attention. "Now Shan, this is not the time and place for jokes. And Shang, I'm sorry. You were asleep and we didn't want to bother you. We had meant to come back before you woke up, but we just got so caught up in well…" she looked down at her wet dress, "having fun."

"So you abandoned me, and not to mention this mission, to have fun?" Shang angrily asked.

"Sure," Mulan answered back sarcastically, "Whichever point of view floats your boat sir! You were asleep! It's not like you weren't abandoning the mission either!"

"No more," Shang answered her, and turned away from her.

Mulan angrily walked away muttering, "It's not as if you know how to have fun. You don't know how to do anything but stay serious. All there is, is the mission, the mission, the mission, and the mission. The only time you ever had any fun with me or paid any attention to me was when I was the mission!"

She looked back at Shang who was just sitting at the campfire eating his fish. Mulan fought the urge to yell back, "Sometimes I wish you were like Shan." And she gasped realizing what she was saying and what she meant…