When the 4 friends arrived to the Bai Tao Base , they were astonished by the size of their new training place, it was like three times Camp Wu Zhong and it looked like a palace.
"Looks like weīre sleeping comfortable," Ling muttered.
From a distance, Mulan could see Shang approaching to them. He looked happy, in fact, he was smiling(which was something not very common in him). Maybe it was because he saw Mulan. They were good friends by now, and he had missed her all this time.
"Lookee here, little olī pretty boy," said Yao. He wasnīt very happy at all, to see Shang; because he hated him for all the punishments he received from him while they were at Camp Wu Zhong.
Chien Po told him patiently to shut up.
The closer Shang got, the more intensity Mulan felt in her heartbeats. She knew she must be blushing. Mulan hid behind Chien Po.
Mushu was hiding behind Mulanīs long dark hair, and whispered," Here he comes."
Mulan reached Mushuīs mouth and closed it with her hand.
Shang greeted them,"Hello guys." He didnīt notice the tiny little lady concealed by Chien Poīs back.
The gentle giant moved aside and revealed Mulan who was red like a tomato.
"Mulan!" Shang exclaimed happily; it brought him alot of joy to see his friend.
Mulan wished she wouldnīt be blushing, and was so nervous that for a couple of long seconds, no words came out of her mouth. When she finally spoke up she said," Hello, Li Shang... I mean Captain Li Shang... or is it General..?
Shang cut her off and asked smiling," Why are you being so formal?"
"I think we should leave them alone," Ling whispered into Chien Poīs ears.
He nodded, and told Yao to come with them. Of course Yao started to complain asking, " why did he had to leave when Mulan was his friend, and he could hear everything she said them."
Actually, Yao wanted to spy Mulan, but Ling and Chien Po didnīt allow him to do so. Yao was kinda noisy when it was about couples.
No more than a minute later, when they "settled down" at the new training field, Yao and Ling had started quarrells with the other soldiers. Only Chien Po was the only descent person who was just sitting there patiently, besides Mulan and Shang.
Shang stretched his arms as if he were going to hug Mulan. She looked at him puzzled, then she stood on her toes and gave him a big hug; just like the one she gave to the emperor after he gave her Shan Yuīs sword and the crest. Shang hugged her back. It was a wonderful moment but it only lasted a few seconds, but, none of them wanted to let go.
When they pulled themselves away, Shang asked," What are you doing with a dress on a training field?"
Mulan explained," Well, if you havenīt notice my dad is here and I donīt have training clothes because heīs wearing them."
Shang let out a little giggle and said," I knew that." He was teasing her, but instead of thinking about a good reply for him, Mulan simply smiled at him.
Shang glanced at Mulan carefully from head to toes. "Well, you look pretty in that dress," Shang admitted shyly. He couldnīt belive he had just said that, his cheeks started to turn a little bit red.
Mulan replied this time," I donīt think so."
"Come on, donīt be so modest," said Shang.
Just then, a disgusting face Mulan wished she would never see again appeared. You know who am I talking about: Chi Fu. That stupid old pompous bugger.
"What is she doing here?" he asked in his annoying squeaky little voice.
"Her duty as a daughter of the Fa family," replied Shang. He was angry by Chi Fuīs question.
"Women are not allowed at trainig camps of anything that has to do with war," Chi Fu said with some self-satisfaction inside of him,"and besides, your father is already here."
"Thatīs the point, you idiot!" thought Mulan to herself as she glared at the strange and scrawny old fool. For a moment, she thought he could hear her thoughts .
Shang said," well, if you would excuse us, I would just like to have a word with Mulan"
Chi Fu scowled at Mulan and Shang and left to check on the other soldiers.
Mulan nervously said," Shang, I need to ask you a big favor."
"Sure, what is it ?" Shang asked.
"Well, my father must go home, because heīs too old and his leg isnīt as it used to be twenty years ago," explained Mulan.
Shang nodded. "Iīll see what I can do for you."
"Thank you so much," said Mulan softly.
Shang looked at the small little lady from head to toes once more and said," Ok, but first, youīll need training clothes. You canīt do lots of things with that dress, and besides, you wouldnīt like to spoil it."
Shang went into his room to look for some training clothes he could lend Mulan, that would fit her because she was short and skinny. Mulan followed him.
"Try these on," said Shang, handing her a robe and pants." Oh, Iīll show you your room so you can change your clothes in there."
Shang led Mulan into an empty room that was infront of his.
"Good grief! You said you didnīt come here to flirt and would you just look at yourself!" exclaimed Mushu as Mulan took off her little black shoes.
"Iīm not flirting," she replied."I came here to protect my father."
Mushu covered his eyes with his ears and turned his back on Mulan so she could change her clothes. "Suit yourself."
Those training clothes werenot as dull as the ones she wore the first time, they were kinda elegant compared tho the old ones. No big deal, they were Shangīs and he couldnīt just wear some dirty old clothes , come on, he was the Generalīs son for heavenīs sake.
"You can look now," said Mulan.
Mushu uncovered his big eyes and looked at Mulan. The robes were a little big for her size. Usually all the clothes Mulan wore, was lose, because she usually lost weight often, in the most unexpected moments. But still, there was a little something that reminded him of Ping.
"Itīs great to see Ping again," said Mushu startled," looking sexy for Shang huh?"
Mulan shook her head and immediately slapped the little dragon. "Iīm not sexy!"
Mushu felt a little dizzy and started to rub his head."Easy, I was just joking."
Mulan apologized and walked out of her room. On her way she folded the sleeves of the robe that were too long for her short arms.
Shang gazed at Mulan; she could feel her cheeks starting to burn, but she managed to smile at Shang.
"Shang, could you lend me a sword for a moment?" Mulan asked.
Shang looked at her puzzled. What was she up to now?
"What for?" he asked.
"I need to trim my hair," said Mulan.
"Donīt," Shang replied," You donīt have to if you donīt want."
"Thatīs ok with you?" she asked.
"Itīs fine with me if you let your hair grow," Shang answered. Actually, he liked the way Mulan looked with short hair before, but it was not necessary for her to cut it off. She looked pretty for him with long or short hair. There was something so special in her, Shang couldnīt find out what was it. Besides, everyone knew Mulan was a woman and she was supposed to be RESPECTED by others for everything she had done for the whole country.
Mulan asked," Shang, do you know whereīs my father?"
Shang answered," He must be over there, practicing with the other recruits."
He pointed at the direction of men in quarrells and others just sitting there talking. Of course, Fa Zhou was among the men who were talking, he hated violence indeed.
Mulan sighed.
"You came all the way over here just to take his place again, did you?" Shang asked. He noticed a little impatience in her voice when she spoke, usually he saw Mulan laughing and smiling.
Mulan replied," Why else would I come for?"
Shang was a little disappointed by her question, he really wanted to see if she would come just to visit him, but with what she just said, it seemed hopeless. He nodded and said," I īll see what I can do for you. I admit I would do the same for my father, though."
The memory of the burned out village came to their minds. The place where Shangīs father had died fighting the huns. The General was a brave man, and like Mulanīs father, he would die for honor, for his country, and for his family,(just like it turned out to be.
Shang stayed very silent for a moment, in honor to his fatherīs memory. He looked down at his feet.
"Iīm sorry," said Mulan. Just like that miserable day in which Shang lost his dear father. She knew what was he thinking of, and she always tried to find some words to comfort him, trying to let him know that he could always count on her.
"Iīm ok,"Shang assured," you donīt have to." He patted Mulanīs shoulder gently and she blushed with his touch. Then, she nodded and smiled at Shang. He smiled weakly in return.
It surely was a comfort for Shang to have Mulan around. That shy little smile, yes that was indeed what he missed the most about Mulan; but when will he tell her?
Mushu and Cri-Kee were watching them, hiding behind a rock.
"Why do they talk all this... I mean, they always talk about their problems and not about their feelings," complained Mushu.
Cri-Kee chirped something that meant ," I donīt know."
"Anyway, look at them, seeking for comfort in each otherīs arms...wait a minute...that must mean my little baby doesnīt need me like she used to," said Mushu acting as if he were about to burst into tears. Cri-Kee shook his head and said something about not being dramatic to get othersī attention.
"Iīm being dramatic?"exclaimed Mushu, and the little cricket nodded.
Mulan turned her back on Shang after wishing him a nice day and walked to look for her father. Mushu and Cri-kee catched up with her.
Mushu started with the teasing as soon as he reached Mulanīs shoulder," He missed you!"
Mulan shook her head and tried to act as if she hadnīt hear Mushuīs words.She kept waliking; but Mushu kept bugging,"You shouldīve seen the look on your face when he was doing this ... erm the strangest sign language Iīve ever seen... that simply meant,īhug me` ."
"What ?" asked Mulan.
"You looked puzzled," laughed Mushu.
Mulan quickly glared at him and then she started to laugh too.
"Where are we going?" asked Mushu.
Mulan didnīt answer and kept walking. She was desperate to see her father, she really needed to send him home.
Mulan found her father talking to a man that was around his age, and was as tall as Shang. From a distance, Mulan could see the other soldiers were shooting arrows with apples at a tree with some kind of target painted on it.
Mulan got very nervous because she didnīt know what to tell him; well, actually, she knew what was she going to tell him, but she wasnīt sure about the words to say. She thought about,īdad, go home, and Iīll take care of our familyīs honor.`
Mulan walked slowly without making any kind of noise. Fa Zhou hadnīt seen her yet. Mushu was walking beside her.
"What are you going to tell him?" asked Mushu.
"I donīt know," answered Mulan sighing,"I donīt want him to get mad at me."
Mushu jumped all the way over to Mulanīs shoulder and said," I suggest you do this pleading thing, of course, youīll have to do do this honeyed voice to convince him to go back home."
Mulan and Cri-Kee giggled a little when they saw Mushu blinking his eyes and making this strange, honeyed and squeaky voice which sounded like Chi Fuīs. Mulan raised her eyebrows at Mushu.
"Hey! Iīm just joking, Ok?" he yelled.
Mulan finished for him," Which is something you just canīt avoid doing."
"Exactly," Mushu said," Wait a minute...! Do you want me to be serious with no sense of humor just like Shang?"
"He has sense of humor!" replied Mulan. Her voice sounded irritated; she hated when people said that about Shang. Honestly, Shang was a serious person, but he had his reasons for being like that, and besides, she had seen him laugh a couple of times, just not as much as she did.
"Iīm not very sure about that," declared Mushu crossing his arms.
"He does," Mulan argued.
"Whoa, youīre defending him!" Mushu explained,"Prove it baby, have you ever seen him laugh!"
"Of course, remember when I invited him to stay for dinner ? We had a great time you know, and besides, heīs serious at times because he has a lot of worries, and he must be missing his father," Mulan explained.
"Thatīs no excuse," Mushu said," His father died a long time ago."
"But it still crushes him," said Mulan.
"Ok, you win. You like him and you think heīs perfect," said Mushu.
Mulan rolled her eyes and frowned.
Fa Zhou saw Mulan walking to him and caught up with her.
"Father!" she exclaimed.
"Mulan, what are you doing here?"Fa Zhou asked hugging Mulan.
Mulan smiled at him and made an inocent face."I came to take your place again, father... I...think... you should... you know... go back home. Mother, and Granny are waiting you."
Fa Zhou caressed his daughterīs hair gently and said,"You are the one that should go home."
