It was a few days later, after his morning jog with Shang, that Ping came back to see the camp being dismantled.

"What's going on?" he asked, confused.

"I… have been meaning to tell you. We've been sent orders to move out."

"We're going to war?" Ping's stomach dropped away and he swayed on his feet. Reality came crashing down on him and his legs gave way.

"Ping?" Shang fell to his knees beside him.

"I- I know we are in the army… this is what we're here for." He said shakily, trying to take deep and calming breaths.

"Exactly." Shang didn't look well either, but he held his composure better.

"I mean… I have to remember, I'm here instead of my father." Ping held this thought in his mind. "He's at home, safe because I am here. That's important."

"Yes it is. And you are young, fast and very able." Shang gripped his shoulders. "You'll be fine. I won't let you die."

"If I'm injured and you need to go on, you'll leave me behind." Ping corrected sternly. He may be afraid of dying, but China was more important than he was. Shang couldn't slow the company down for him.

"What if it's me injured?" Shang asked with a shaky smile.

"Then I'll tell Chi-Fu to leave you behind." With plenty of supplies so he could survive till he was rescued… "Promise me?"

"No. I can't leave you."

"I'm not even injured yet... I might not be… Promise me?" Ping shifted to his knees, gazing imploringly into Shang's eyes. "Please?"

"Only if I had to, and I'd come back for you."

"Good to hear." Ping gave him a small smile, before kissing him.

He stood up, still trembling slightly but determined to do his part. He decided to forgo washing for the moment, as he was aware that packing away all the tents would just leave him sweating again anyway.

"Mushu?" Ping hissed as he began to empty tents.

"What's up, Ping?" Asked the guardian as he rolled up sleep mats, the cricket jumping around beside him.

"Why are we going to the front already? I thought Chi-Fu said we weren't ready."

"Well…" There was a silence as Mushu focussed on tying up the mat. "You're ready for war. A letter was delivered ordering you guys to the front lines."

"Front lines." Murmured Ping, not noticed Mushu's careful wording in his misery.

He would have happily remained here, in this little world that was so separate from everything else. The most contact they had with the outside was when food was delivered, and to be honest, Ping really didn't want to leave this little bubble.

"Just think, the sooner you beat the Huns, the sooner you can go home." Mushu said, in a strangely earnest voice.

"Home…" he repeated in a gentle voice. He missed Mulan, that was true, and his Grandmother. His parents though… He had a feeling it was disappointment he felt when he acknowledged the fact that he didn't miss them. He didn't miss his Mother's sighs as she looked at him and he wasn't what she wanted, or his Father's grumbling as he failed to accomplish what the other men in his village could do.

His Grandmother was wonderful though. She always said he could be whatever he wanted to be, do whatever he wanted to do. She had said, in the hours before the conscription notices had arrived, that just because Mulan and Ping didn't match their parents' ideas of successful, or even their village's view of successful, it didn't mean they were a failure. It had been just after Mulan's trouble with the matchmaker, and Ping rather agreed. Mulan was amazing, just because she didn't get along with one uptight woman, didn't mean she was destined to misery.

He began to work harder, his mind filled with thoughts of his family. What would they say when he told them he had found love during the mid-autumn festival? After all, that was a time for true love and just began Shang was a man, didn't mean Ping had it in him to be ashamed of him. It was easier to defy society if it was keeping someone else happy.

"Ping?" Jian called from across the field. "Can we use your horse to move these cannons?"

"Sure. You'll find Tianma… over there." He pointed over to the tree where his horse was bent over, most likely eating again.

"Thanks."

Looking around, Ping saw that they had made short work of packing up, and he grimaced.

"I'm not ready, Mushu." He whispered, watching as the tent canvas was folded.

"You'll do fine, kid." He whispered. "You're not alone, remember?"

The journey was not easy, but they chatted to keep their spirits up. Ping was feeling more accepted by the men, not only Chien-Po, Lei and Jian, but Ling and Yao had finally warmed up to him. To be honest, it was something of a relief to be able to talk to them without fear of being beaten up.

Their conversations drifted from one thing to another, all the men desperately avoiding the topic of war. Not one single person was excited.

However, it was when they passed the fields where the rice was being harvested that another topic of conversation cropped up.

"You know what we need to do?" Asked Ling, his eyes bright.

"Now what?" growled Yao, cracking his knuckles as he glared at his cheerful friend.

"We need to remember what we are fighting for." He said with a nod.

"What?" Ping raised his brow, his mind drifting to his Father, and his need to keep the man safe for his sister's sake.

"Yep. Think of a girl worth fighting for."

"But, I do not have a girlfriend." Chien-Po pointed out softly.

"When we get back, we'll be heroes. That'll make a difference." Ling smirked. "I know what I want."

"Do I want to ask?" Yao muttered to himself.

"Paler than the moon. Eyes that shine like stars." Ling sighed, his mind drifting to the woman he imagined.

"A girl who'll find my scars impressive." Yao said, his mind apparently drifting. "She'll drool over my strength."

"What about you?" Ping asked Chien-Po, noticed he had a dreamy look on his face.

"She can look however she wants to." He said with a shrug. "As long as she can cook, then I'll be happy."

"I've a girl back home." Chi-Fu stated as he passed them. "She's different to all other woman."

"Yeah, cos she loves him." Muttered Ling, at the same time as Yao stated, "It must be his mother."

"Come on guys." Groaned Ping, hoping they wouldn't start mocking Chi-Fu again.

"By the girls we all in love with you, back home." Snorted Yao.

"Not as such, no." Ping sighed, his hand sweaty around Tianma's rein. It was a cool day, but they had been marching for a week now, and Ping found the constant walking heated him up.

"Not that he'd be looking at any girls." Ling mused as he ambled along beside his friend. "Not with Captain Li to lie with."

"What?" Ping startled and looked up, a blush spreading across his cheeks.

"You don't think we missed it, right? You share a tent with him." Ling gave Ping a puzzled look. "And you cuddle together all the time."

"You… don't mind?"

"Everyone here is the closest I have to family right now. You want to say 'fuck it' to being discreet then, feel free." Ling shrugged.

"Right." He breathed, mind jolted from the boredom he had been feeling earlier.

"Urgh, how much further do we have to go?" whinged Yao into the silence that had grown.

"I don't even know where we're going." Ping fought a pout. He had asked, but Shang wouldn't tell him. "I'd guess up into the mountains though. He put the warmest blankets to the top of the pile this morning."

"I think I'd like to be cool again." Chien-Po informed them, and as they continued to put one burning foot in front of the other, Ping agreed in some ways, but he didn't want to reach the mountains. He didn't want to continue on over them.

"I wonder what we'll see when we get there." Ping spoke aloud the words they had been avoiding, his fear forcing them out before he could catch himself.

"Maybe nothing but the wind blowing through an empty space." Replied Ling, without hope in his voice. The men frowned as they kept marching, dread anticipation holding their tongues.