PAIRINGS SHOUT OUT FOR THIS CHAPTER: Disney Princess - she requested that Mulan and Shang get their props as a pairing! I agree - they are great!

sultal's note: May I just say you guys ask AMAZING questions! This is why I joined Fanfiction in the first place - to get feedback to be a better writer! Sooooo on that note, I answered "Guest's" concern with Flounder's telepathy in the last chapter at the end of this chapter!

Also, Guest - you asked if I could provide an image of the dresses Ariel and Wendy will be wearing at the ball. Ok, this is how obsessed and psycho I get with my stories - WAYYYY back when I was story boarding this story (last year!), I actually made a power point of the dresses that I would be using for the main characters. I literally Googled prom dresses and made collages. It's kinda cool actually. NOW, I WILL BE DESCRIBING THE DRESSES in the ball chapter BUT I realize that a picture is worth a thousand words. SOOOOO, here is what I can do: (1) I can upload those pictures to my deviantart page so people can see what I was going for OR (2) I could make a FB page (for sultal)and upload them there OR (3) I could make a specific email for sultal and have people send their emails. Let me know what you all think, or what you all want, or if you want/don't want to see the images at all.

sorry, that was a lot...here's the next chap! Pairings will appear in 2 chapters! be prepared for those shout outs bc I got many great suggestions!

oh and lol...I know that sushi is Japanese and not Chinese...you'll see why ;)

Chapter 64: Secret Admirer

"Where are all the girls?"

Heads turned back and forth. Dumbly the male student body avoided eye contact with Captain Lee Shang.

Then Mulan raised her hand. "Right here."

Peter sniggered. "I think the Shang-ster wanted to know where all the girls are, Mulan."

Mulan glared as Flynn and Aladdin raised high fives. "That's rich coming from you Pan, considering Wendy just kicked you're a – "

"Students!" Shang glared Peter, Flynn, and Aladdin back into formation. "I asked a question and I except it to be answered in five, four, three, two – "

" – girls all skipped Captain Sir, Sir!" Ling burst out, saluting zealously. "Getting ready for the ball tonight!"

Captain Lee Shang looked thunderstruck. "Excuse me? They are what?"

"Getting ready for the ball!" Ling saluted again, throwing out his chest. "Ball is tonight! Sir, Sir!"

"Very stressful preparation for a girl." Chein Po added. Soothingly, he smiled at Shang – who looked ready to explode. "Dress, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, hair – "

Shang shook his head. "This is unexcepta– "

"—fragrance, handbag—"

Shang cracked his knuckles. "—completely disgracef—"

"— lingerie."

Shang shut up.

Chein Po peacefully laid his palms together. "It is the way. Every accessory must be perfectly balanced."

"All for that magical cosmic moment." Yao growled with a disproportionately dreamy expression. He sighed like a lovesick bulldog.

Mulan rolled her eyes at Jim. "Girls." she muttered. "I don't even own a brush."

Jim reclined as Captain Lee Shang paced furiously. "Shocker."

"Shut up, Hawkins."

Jim grinned. Glancing at Shang, he nudged Mulan. "Hey. Did Wendy really – "

"All right, Gentlemen!" Captain Lee Shang announced, passing Mulan without pause. "Thanks to your lady friends, you will spend all of basic training making up for their disloyalty."

"Shidanza..." Naveen cringed "…this sounds very sweaty, no?"

"Sweaty." Shang barked. "And painful. Plan on every inch of your body being sore on the dance floor!"

"Gllllory be!" Flynn exclaimed. "An excuse not to dance!"

"Oh you will dance!" Captain Lee Shang looked every boy in the eye. "Being a warrior – being a man – requisites you to the standards of chivalry and honor. Sore or not sore, ALL of you will spend tonight dancing every dance –"

"—whaaaat?"

"—and acting –" Shang's muscles were taught, "—like gentlemen."

Flynn threw his hands in the air. "Well, my evening is spoiled."

"It's only just begun, Rider." Captain Lee Shang pointed to a monstrous pile off dirt and rocks. "See that pile? The seven dwarves unearthed those rocks last night. Each rock weighs less than a small child. Much less."

Shang turned back to the students. "In the event of war, you must be able to combine strength and speed. For instance , running from a shelter to save a screaming infant, or discard a ticking bomb."

"Not on my watch." muttered Aladdin.

"So." Shang continued. "Your assignment is to take a rock and run it to the edge of the forest. There you will stack the rocks into a wall."

Jim frowned. He glanced back at the forest. "Why a wall?" he asked, remembering Petrified Forest.

Shang lifted a whistle. "Headmaster's orders." he said curtly, lifting the whistle to his lips. "And you will learn how to build a barricade swiftly and efficiently. Ready! GO!"

The whistle blew.

Dejectedly, the students trudged to the rock pile.

"Fa!" Shang barked. Emotionless, he stepped in front of Jim and Mulan. They slowed to a trot before halting.

"I know, I know, Captain." Mulan demonstrated a perfect squat. "Lift the rocks with your knees not your ba—"

"The color of your dress, please."

Mulan stopped. She looked at Mushu and Jim before returning to Shang, clueless.

"Sorry? Captain?"

Shang's jaw tightened. "I believe it is traditional," he said hands clasping behind his back, "For the man's tie to mach the color of his…" a bead of sweat trickled behind Shang's ear, "…date's dress."

Mulan's cheeks blossomed.

Shang was stiff but his knuckles were turning white. "The color, Fa?" he asked again.

"Ummmmmm fushia!" Mushu suddenly popped up. "It's uh….it' like a dark fushia!"

Shang twitched at Mushu scampered onto Mulan's head. Animatedly, Mushu started to mime the dress. "It's a gorgeous strapless fushia with ruched fabric pulled every which diagonal way that leaves very little to the imagination – "

"—Mushu!" growled Mulan, snatching the little dragon off her head.

"—and we got this lovely lotus hair comb with matching – "

"—Mushu!" Mulan stuffed Mushu into her pocket. Crippled with embarrassment, she brushed the stray strand from her eyes. "Captain I…I didn't think you…that bet was just—"

"The bet was one I agreed to and lost. However unfairly." Shang glared at Jim. "But, I am a man of honor. I expect you to be a woman of honor. We both shall uphold our end of the bet. Agreed?"

Mulan blinked, bewildered. "Um…" she nodded, muffling Mushu's cries. "…yes. Sure. Agreed. Captain."

Shang nodded. "The limousine will be ready at six forty five. I will pick you up at seven. Your parents will be addressed, then we leave at seven thirty. Dinner is at eight. Do you like sushi?"

Baffled, Mulan nodded. Mushu gave a thumbs up.

Ignoring the dragon, Shang looked at Mulan. "I will arrange for your corsage to be changed to a lotus flower."

Again, Mulan smoothed the fly strand from her eyes. "That's…a lot of trouble."

"No. It is not."

"What type did you order first?"

Shang's eyes softened. Just for a moment. "Cherry blossom."

The confusion and hardness melted from Mulan's face. She smiled. "I love cherry blossoms."

Captain Lee Shang stared. He opened his mouth, then stuttered. "I uh…eh hem!" Gruffly, Shang cleared his throat. "Fine then. Get on Hawkins! Mula – "

Shang closed his eyes. "—Fa. Fa. Eh-hem. Both of you. Get to work."

They obeyed. Shang left, wiping sweat from his hairline.

"Well…" Jim said. Bending over, he hefted a rock. "That was awkward."

Mulan searched for a rock. She looked dazed. As they ran towards the forest, Mulan suddenly slapped her pocket. "MUSHU!"

"Owww! What'choo hitting me for girl?"

"What am I hitting you for!?" Mulan heaved the rock onto the wall construction. "How about: I don't have a dress!"

"Ohhhhh!" Mushu squeaked, waving a hand. "You mean the strapless fushia with ruched fabric that leaves little to the imagina—"

"Yes, Mushu! That one!"

Mushu rubbed his jagged jaw. "Well I can see how that would be a problem."

"MUSHU!"

"Okay! Okay! Cool it girl!" Mushu slithered down Mulan's leg and into the grass. "I'm on it. One dishonorable fushia dress coming right up."

"Dress?" Flynn skipped between Mulan and Jim. A group of boys jogged behind. "Mulan! You seriously going with Captain Blood?"

Mulan sped up. Jim followed, trying to outpace Flynn and the cat-calling boys.

"Yes. I am." Mulan hauled a rock onto her hip. She shouldered through the cooing boys. "And at least he has the guts to keep the bet. Not like any of you have dates."

"Oh contraire!" corrected Flynn. He galloped beside Jim. "I sent an email to the entire female student body, offering my services."

"Yeah." Mulan muttered, tossing her rock onto the wall. "I got it. Creep."

"We're more suave than you think." Flynn grunted as Mulan helped stack his rock. "Phew. And manly. All my bros have dates for tonight."

Mulan raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Sure!" Aladdin piped, lamp swinging from his belt. "I'm going with Jasmine, Prince is going with Snow, Naveen's going with Tiana, Charming is going with Cinderella, John is going with Pocahontas, Peter is going with Lana, Eric is going with Ariel – "

"—You just haven't asked them yet." Mulan guessed.

Aladdin beamed. "Exactly!"

Mulan rolled her eyes. Averting eye contact with Shang, she ducked quickly for a rock.

"Jim, how about you?" Mulan asked, trying not to look at Shang. "Going solo?"

Jim didn't answer. Rock cutting into his neck, he glimpsed Eric running alongside Peter.

"No." Jim said, suddenly breaking from Mulan's side. Rock balanced on his shoulder, he crossed the field and ran up to Eric.

"Well look who the Hell it is." Peter hacked and spit as Jim approached. "Rat Tail."

Jim clenched the rock. "Heard Wendy beat the shit out of you."

Peter grinned, unexpectedly. "Yeah. She's feisty when she's sexually harassed."

"You fu – "

"Hawkins! Pan!" Captain Lee Shang bellowed as Peter dodged Jim's rock. "Get BACK to work!"

Jim's blood boiled. "Someday…" he promised through clenched teeth. "…I am going to hurt you."

Coolly, Peter adjusted his rock. He nudged Eric. "Hope you're listening to this Eric. Gonna need a witness when Rat Tail goes psycho path."

"More like serial killer." Jim growled elbowing Peter as they slapped their rocks onto the wall. Belligerently, the boys turned.

Peter threw his elbow into Jim's ribs. "Anything else, Rat Tail?"

Jim shoved back. "Where the Hell is my orb?"

"Cute."

"Not kidding Pan. We had a deal. Where is it?!"

Peter glared. Panting he and Eric lifted rocks from the pile. "How should I know? Last time I saw it, my soul was being ripped apart. After that – well I didn't have it."

Jim frowned. "Whatever."

"Damn it, I'm telling the truth, Rat Tail!"

"Whatever." Jim repeated, shouldering between Peter and Eric. Peter's account was infuriating, but Jim could not deny it's liability. Annoyed, Jim made a mental note to search the ravine and finish line for the orb. "Whatever. Not here to see you anyway."

Darkly, he addressed Eric. "Ever fight?"

Eric turned with stunned crystal blue eyes. "What?"

Jim ignored Peter's profanity. Slamming down the rock, he grabbed Eric's sleeve. "Ever fight? To win something?"

Eric raised a thick eyebrow, considering Jim's reputation. "Gamble?"

"No." Jim said. "A fight. Earn the win." Spurred by Shang's speech, Jim lifted his chin. "Like a man."

"Whoa." Peter grinned as Eric lowered his brows. "Sounds serious. What's the challenge Rat Tail?"

"Whoever can pile the most rocks." said Jim. "Wins."

Caught in the tension, Peter, Eric, and Jim stopped. Oblivious to Captain Lee Shang, their classmates, or the task at hand, they considered the confrontation.

Eric looked at Jim. "What's the prize?"

Jim clenched his fist, preparing to put his heart through the shredder. Gaze intensified, Jim delivered the ultimatum.

"Ariel."

Eric stared. Jim felt his muscles strain with anticipation.

"No cheating?" Eric finally asked.

"No cheating." said Jim.

"No…creative thinking." Eric said, referring to the push-up incident with Mulan and Shang.

Jim clenched his jaw. "No resourcefulness."

Peter gazed at Jim. Slowly, he grinned. "She worth it, Rat Tail?"

There was no dispute. No hesitation. Jim nodded, Silver's words reverberating in the back of his mind.

You give up a few things...chasin' a dream.

"Yeah." Jim lifted his face into the sunlight. "She's worth it...win or lose."

"Okay." Peter rose a breath above the grass. "I'll keep track. May the best man win."

sultal's note:

Okay, so TELEPATHY. Guest, that was a great question. It was DEFINITELY a gamble. For sure. I actually re-read that last chapter at a rest stop on my way to Buff, and was like ehhhhhhh...mas o menos.

I'm glad you thought it "pulled off" okay. But, here is where I actually got the idea: Aquaman. I know, I know...I'm a DC comic geek. But Aquaman communicates with sea creatures via "telepathy" - like signals. I was actually going for the "vibrations" referred to in the last chapter. (I think it said something about vibrations going over Flounder's scales). I was thinking like sound-wave vibrations, bc they travel fast underwater...that energy is actually coming from Ariel's trident (that is why Flounder pointed at the trident).

Does that make more sense? Again, PLEASE keep telling me when things are a little unclear! That's one of the advantages of FF - now I know that I need to add a little more explaination in upcoming chapters.

Thanks again dude!

keep writing.