~~Ling Fanfic~~

Disclaimer: No, I, unfortunately, do not own any of these characters. Except for the occasional reference to Ling’s family, I own those lunatics, I guess. Of course, in the sequel to this, I actually HAVE original characters! How exciting! Read on.......and don’t sue me!

Author’s note: Hey, guess what, everyone, after awhile you’ll probably figure out that this actually IS the movie Mulan........but don’t stop reading it here and now because of that.......don’tcha think it would be kinda...er....interesting to see how I interpret stuff? Maybe? ............I left out some stuff just because I was getting sick of rewriting the whole movie......so it’s not that I don’t know what really happens at certain parts, it’s just that I was too lazy to put them in and that I didn’t want to bore anyone too much.(by the way, the epilogue is obviously after the movie and basically was going to be part two, but it really had no plot so I made it the epilogue)

"Ooh, ten, and he’s down!" a lanky young man crowed. "Chien Po is the victor!"

A large, shaven headed Buddha got up and bowed to another man-this one short and stocky. "It was a great honor to wrestle with you, Yao," the large man, obviously Chien Po(the victor), said. The other man just grunted and stood up.

Yawning, the skinny man leaned against a tree. "Yeah, good fight, Yao, you almost held down his arm for a second there!" This comment caused him to break down laughing, holding his knees for support.

Yao clenched his fists and said tightly with a glare, "Your turn, beanpole, we’ll see who’s laughing then."

"Oh, no," the skinny man gasped. "It just wouldn’t be fair, having seen your brilliant tactics!"

"Argh!" Yao roared. "I’ll kill you!"

"Now now, Yao, let’s not be hasty," Chien Po said serenely, clamping the short man’s hands to his sides. To the skinny man, he said, "Ling, do not provoke Yao, you know how quickly he angers."

"You bet I know," Ling agreed. "But you think that stops me?"

He danced away as Yao, screaming bloody murder, chased him out of the forest and across the field that lay beyond it. "Aw, the day we play hooky has to end like this," Ling groaned as he sprinted into the army camp where he was temporarily making his home. Confirming that Yao was far behind(as they went through this routine almost every day, Ling knew to expect Yao puffing along about a mile behind his quarry), he grinned and strolled towards the mess hall(which was actually just an open space in the camp). Seating himself with some of his fellow soldiers, he greeted, "Hiya, fellas!"

Their conversations halted as they all looked at him. Ling got up quickly, saying, "Okay, then, I get the message, you don’t want me here, right?"

As he walked away, he heard someone snicker, "Yeah, that’s right, beanpole, go sit with your loser friends."

"Loser Lingy," someone added.

Ling smirked and peered around the room. As Yao was going to kill him, he wouldn’t be sitting anywhere near him....once he got back, that was. So, spotting someone as unpopular as he was(if not more so), the young man sat down across from him. "Ping, how are you? Hungry?"

When you came right down to it, Ling hated Ping. The kid(they were actually around the same age, there was just something about Ping that made him seem younger)had gotten him in trouble(along with basically everyone else)with the captain the day he’d gotten to camp. He and Yao had caused the other man plenty of grief since then. Ling grinned wickedly as he recalled the cockroach he’d dropped down Ping’s tunic the previous day.

Glancing up from his dinner, Ping replied guardedly, "Good."

Giving the young man a bright smile, Ling said, "That’s just great." Grabbing an apple off Ping’s plate, he quickly said, "If you see Yao, I wasn’t here, okay? Righto, I’ll see you ‘round, bye!"

"Hey!" Ping exclaimed. "That’s mine!"

Looking back, Ling noticed Ping rising with a determined look on his face and mumbled, "Uh oh." Taking off again, the young man bolted for the other side of the camp. Unfortunately, Ping was a lot faster than Yao and as a result was difficult to lose. In his flight, Ling failed to watch where he was going and ran into someone while going practically his full speed(which was pretty fast, with his long legs and light build he was a natural runner). Both men fell to the ground, and it was only then that he saw who it was he had practically killed. "Captain L-l-Li! I’m, uh, sorry....."

Realizing he still held the apple, he linked his hands behind his back, but Li Shang had already seen something and demanded, "What do you have?"

"What, this?" Ling studied the apple with a somewhat astonished look on his face. "That guy, Fa Ping, he was trying to steal this from me-"

Ping reached them just in time to hear Ling’s last sentence. "That’s not true!" he yelped. "He took it from me!"

Shang looked between the two men, deciding who was telling the truth. "Ling, give it back. You are nothing more than a petty thief and a liar, with no family name and nowhere to go. If I ever find you have stolen from your fellow soldiers, you will be in very big trouble. Oh, and for skipping training today, you, Yao, and Chien Po will have extra tomorrow. And for this little stunt," he gestured towards the apple, "you will have extra training the following day. Understood?"

Ling nodded and hung his head. For your commanding officer to renounce you, that was bad enough. But to be dishonored in front of Ping.....The kid hadn’t squealed about the cockroach, that was almost worse. If he had been in that position he wasn’t sure what he would have done. Ling shrugged abruptly. At least he would have his.....friends with him during that extra training. He kicked at a clod of earth and muttered mockingly, "Give it back, Ling, be nice to Ping. Don’t steal, you have no honor-"

"Hey, Lingy!"

He looked back, only to see Yao’s leering face. "Ah!" Ling screamed. "Stay away, monster!"

"Yer gonna die, you little worm!"

"No," Chien Po interjected, approaching them serenely. "Yao, count to ten. Ling, chant with me."

"No way!" Ling protested.

Sitting down, Chien Po crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and began, "Hummmmmm...................hummmmmmm...............I take refuge in the Buddha, om ah hum, om ah hum, I take refuge in the Dharma, om ah hum, om ah hum, I take refuge in the Sangha, om ah hum, om ah hum................"

"C’mon, Chien, I’m not chanting."

"Nine.......ten.......one two three four five six seven eight nine ten!"

"Make him chant," Ling suggested, pointing to Yao. "He stopped counting."

"Hey," Yao warned, "I oughtta slit your skinny throat right now!"

"Yao, count," Chien Po ordered.

"One five nine ten."

"The whole way. You will never feel peace-"

"At the rate you’re going," Ling interrupted. He snickered as Yao slowly turned red and started muttering various obscenities at his scrawny friend.

"Hey, yutzes, Captain Li’s making a speech!" someone called.

The gang looked at each other and rushed off to the area usually used for staff training, right in the center of camp. The three of them stood slightly apart from everyone else as Shang began, "Men! I am disappointed in all of you! Even now, Chi Fu is preparing a report that could have us all removed from the Imperial Army! I want you all working harder....put your backs into it!"

Stretching, Ling asked, "Do you think he’s right? I mean, maybe we should take this more seriously......."

"Yes," Chien Po agreed quietly. "It will not be good if we are called to war and are not able to defend ourselves."

They both looked to Yao, who just grunted, "I’ll think on it."

~

Shang was in for a surprise the following morning when three of the slackers attempted their training-and did fairly well. But there was still the question of Ping....the boy was worthless as a soldier, and after a couple weeks he ordered him to return home. He wouldn’t have lasted a second in battle.

~

Ling awoke to the sound of a body falling heavily to the ground. Ignoring it, he sighed and turned over in his bedroll. Another noise persisted, however, that of some kind of metal being persistently hit together. Finally his curiosity got the better of him, he opened the flap of his tent.

The young man considered himself very stupid for placing his tent directly across from the pole where Shang had shot that stupid arrow-that arrow no one could reach.....Ling rubbed his eyes. Was that...........? "No way," Ling whispered.

Ping was climbing the pole.

It wasn’t long before other recruits began dribbling out of their tents. Ling clenched his fists, hoping the kid would make it. And when he did, a cheer went up.

From then on, Ping completed every activity better than everyone else. There was a change in attitude among the recruits. They all began being friendly to each other. But Ping, as always, remained somewhat of a loner.

~

It was a warm, clear night about a week later when Ling, Yao, and Chien Po were strolling down to a nearby pond.

"Hey, looky!" Ling exclaimed. "A horse!"

"Wow," Yao commented dryly. "There’s something you don’t see every day."

"It’s Ping’s horse, isn’t it?"

"It’s not Shang’s."

"Yep, Ping must be here."

Yao muttered something and removed his shirt. "Well, I’m going swimming."

With that, they all removed their clothes and dove in.

"Hey, Ping!" Yao called.

"Oh, hi, guys," Ping said nervously, appearing to notice them for the first time. "I was just taking a bath, so now I’m clean, and I’m gonna go-"

"Hey, come back!" Ling called. Swimming over to him, he said hesitantly, "Listen.....I know we were jerks to you before, so......let’s start over." Extending a hand, he continued, "Hi, I’m Ling."

"I’m Chien Po."

"And I am Yao, King of the Rock." Ling watched Ping suspiciously as Yao stood grinning down at them. "C’mon girls, or can’t you take me?"

"I think Ping and I can take you," Ling replied with a grin.

"I don’t really want to take him anywhere," Ping protested subtly, beginning to back away.

"But Ping," Ling objected in a somewhat surprised tone, "we have to fight!"

"No, no, we don’t," Ping corrected. "We could just....close our eyes and.....swim around....."

"Close our-" Chien Po began.

"Aw, come-" Ling interrupted. Suddenly his eyes grew wide and he yelped, "Ow!" as he searched the surrounding water.

"What?" Yao asked.

"Something bit me!" A little red lizard thing popped out of the water and Ling screeched, "Snake!"

The gang scrambled up onto Yao’s rock, yelling, until the water grew glassy again.

Ling watched Ping make a hasty escape until Yao’s elbow in his side tore his attention away. Batting at his friend, he said cynically, "Some king of the rock."

Yao just pushed him off his perch. When the skinny man resurfaced, sputtering, and pulled himself back up on the rock, he asked, "Do you guys ever think that there’s something......a little.......different about Ping?"

Yao shrugged. "He’s quiet."

"But what else?" Ling persisted.

"He’s....uh....got a strange voice?" Yao tried. "You know I’m no good at guessing games!"

Ling bit his lip, aware that what he was about to say was going to sound incredibly stupid. "Well, um...I......uh......I think Ping may be a woman."

Yao and Chien Po immediately burst out laughing, but it was drowned out in the yells of the rest of the troop as they all jumped into the pond.

Ling slid into the water, indicating to his friends that if they wanted to know more they’d have to follow him.

They came, as he’d known they would, while he was getting dressed. "You wanna know why?"

They both nodded.

Ling took a deep breath. "When he first came...he said he had a "boy’s name". Plus, once I saw him...well, looking at Shang. And then tonight, he wouldn’t look up, wouldn’t get out of the water, except to get away from the three of us, of course. Did you see how fast he got out of the water then? And I touched his arm, I mean, I know-" He broke off. "Er, never mind."

Yao laughed. "Ooh, Lingy, yeah, we know you’ve got experience."

Ling smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I try."

"You try, alright."

"Do you have any proof?" Chien Po inquired.

"Uh.....no."

"You are such an idiot," Yao remarked.

"Well, what about you?"

"Oh, yeah, that hurts, Ling, that really hurts."

"Shutup."

"You started it."

"Did not!"

~

The next day dawned cloudless and beautiful, and the men had the fortune to see it all. A call to war had come, sending them all on their way to the Tung Xiou Pass. Everyone was weary, between the walking and lack of sleep, traveling was not turning out to be fun.

Chien Po and Yao were complaining to each other when Ling appeared behind them and suggested, "Think of your girls instead!"

"Or in your case," Yao mumbled, "the girl you wish you had."

"A girl worth fighting for," Ling continued dreamily.

"What’s she look like?"

"Eyes like stars, paler than the moon-"

Yao snorted. "My girl will think I’m a hero-"

"Think."

Smacking his lips, Chien Po put in, "Well, I just want a girl who can cook."

"Ping?" Ling asked slyly.

"Uh.....I’d kinda like someone who always speaks her mind...."

"Why would you want a girl like that?" Ling asked.

Ping shrugged and Yao said, "Don’t mind him, he thinks he’s a real lady killer."

Ling grinned comically and responded, "At least I’ve had girls."

"I have too!" Yao said defensively.

"Yeah, well-" He broke off abruptly as his eyes widened in shock.

Ahead were the remains of a once prosperous and peaceful village. They ventured in, and Shang promptly ordered, "Search for survivors!"

As Ling and Yao made their way further into the village, Yao asked, "Does he really think we’ll find anyone?"

Ling shrugged. "We won’t."

"I know."

Noticing everyone gathering by Shang, Ping, and Chien Po, the two of them hurried over there. Chien Po was holding General Li’s helmet, trying to blink back a tear.

"Move out," Shang said quietly.

~

When the cannon went off, it nearly took off Ling’s head, too.

"What was that?" Shang demanded of Ping.

"Uh-"

"You just gave away our position!" Immediately after he said this, a volley of flaming arrows rained down on the men. "Save the cannons!" Shang shouted.

Ling and Yao just barely grabbed the last four before the wagon exploded.

Running up a slope to a small barricade of rocks, Ling panted, "We’re never gonna make it!"

"Just shutup and run, beanpole!"

Ling did as he was told (for once), and they soon reached the rocks, where Shang ordered them to fire at the mountain the arrows were being shot from. The archers disappeared after all but a single cannon remained.

"Hold the last cannon," Shang commanded.

The men watched the smoke clear, and as it did, a figure became visible on the opposite hillside. "Shan Yu," the captain whispered. Even as he said it, the entire Hun army appeared. "Stand your ground and prepare to fight," Shang ordered. "If we die, we die with honor."

Ling gulped and drew his sword, watching the Hun warriors charge.

"Yao, aim the cannon at Shan Yu," Shang said. Before the man had a chance to do so, Ping snatched up the cannon and raced down the hill with it. "Ping! Come back!" Shang yelled, running after him.

Yao, Ling, and Chien Po looked at each other. "C’mon!" Yao rallied. "We gotta help!" The three of them took off, eyes fastened on Ping. "You still think he’s a girl?" Yao managed to ask.

"No," Ling gasped, pointing. "No girl’s crazy enough to do that!"

They watched as the cannon hit a peak. A low rumble started, growing louder and louder as more snow fell. The avalanche quickly covered most of the Huns.

"Uh oh," Ling said as they came to a halt. On an unspoken agreement the three dropped their weapons and raced for their lives back up the hill. The rest of the men were gathered under a large rock and it was towards this that the Ling, Yao, and Chien Po ran for. Just before he got to it, Ling slipped and fell on his face. Scrambling to his feet, he jumped over the rock just ahead of the tons of snow and was almost swept over the cliff edge but for Chien Po, who grabbed his arm. Ling drew a breath and smiled shakily. "That was close."

Yao just hit him and said, "Let’s find Ping and Shang!"

As the snow was now flowing around the rock, the gang climbed up with a bow and arrow.

"Chien Po, you’re on the bottom, Ling, you stand on his shoulders," Yao instructed.

"And you’re on top?" Ling asked. "Righto."

Ling and Yao climbed to their designated positions and Chien Po called, "Do you see them?"

Peering around, Yao called back, "Yes!"

"So shoot the arrow!" Ling yelled.

Yao did so, then said, almost to himself, "Now, all I have to do is pull them to safe-" He broke off. "Um, Ling, weren’t you supposed to be holding the rope?"

"I thought you were!"

"You idiot!"

"It’s your fault, you’re on top!" Ling retorted defensively.

"I let them slip through my fingers!" Yao moaned. Immediately after he said this, an arrow landed neatly in his outstretched hands. "What the-" The sudden weight on the other end indicated that it was the same arrow he’d shot. He was yanked to the edge of the cliff.

"Hey!" Ling protested his being left behind. He and three other men leapt to the rescue, which, as Ling informed them as they were being pulled downward, was not enough to hold up two men in full armor and a horse. Chien Po, however, approached them slowly, and, in one motion, picked up the five soldiers and hauled them away from the abyss.

Once the aforementioned horse and two men were within reach, the gang helped them up. "Get back, guys, give ‘em some air!" Ling exclaimed.

"Ping," Shang said, "you are the craziest man I’ve ever met. And for that......I owe you my life. From now on, you have my trust."

Ling grinned and yelled, "Let’s hear it for Ping, the bravest of us all!"

"You’re King of the Mountain!" Yao added.

Ping tried to stand up, but fell back with a cry of pain. "Ping!" Shang said in a concerned tone. Ping removed his hand from his side, revealing his blood stained clothes from a deep gash in his side. "He’s wounded!" Shang yelled. "Get help!"

Ling wasn’t sure, but he felt that Ping passed out at that point. A medic arrived shortly after and set up a tent.

"Is he gonna die?" Ling whimpered.

"I don’t know," Shang snapped. Then, with a sigh, he apologized, "I’m sorry, I’m just worried."

"We all are," Chien Po consoled.

At that moment the medic emerged and whispered something to Shang, who all but charged into the tent. Chi Fu felt he had to know what had happened too, and he barged in after Shang.

The gang looked at each other questioningly. "What-" Yao began, only to be interrupted by Chi Fu’s emergence with Ping in tow.

"A woman!" the man spat, throwing her to the ground. "Treacherous snake!"

"My name is Mulan," she said through clenched teeth. Looking at Shang imploringly, she continued, "Please, it was the only-"

"You know the law!" Chi Fu snapped at Shang. "Death."

The gang’s eyes grew wide and they began to rush forward only to be stopped by Chi Fu’s restraining hand. "Don’t interfere!"

Shang raised Mulan’s sword above her head-and dropped it. "A life for a life," he said quietly. "My debt is repaid. Move out!"

"But-" Chi Fu protested.

"I said move out!"

Ling took one last look at Mulan as they marched away. He just wished Shang wouldn’t have noticed......but then, he thought grimly, that would have been pretty difficult.

"Looks like you were right," Yao muttered.

"Yeah," Ling replied with absolutely no heart. After all, "Ping" had been his friend. Mulan, he supposed, was no different.

~

It didn’t take long for word to get around Xi’an that Captain Li Shang’s troops had saved China. A parade was quickly organized, complete with dancers, flame throwers, and a huge paper dragon. It should have been a happy occasion, but Shang’s men were all grim. Ping had become a great favorite among them, and now that her true identity had been revealed, many were berating themselves for not noticing earlier.

A sound of a horse galloping up startled Ling. "Mulan!" Shang exclaimed. Then, realizing he’d sounded just the tiniest bit happy, he said darkly, "You don’t belong here, Mulan."

"I came to warn you!" she snapped. "The Huns are alive and they’re in the city!"

"Why should I believe you?" he asked.

Mulan reined her horse in directly in front of Shang. "Why else would I come back? You said you’d trust Ping, why is Mulan any different?" Shang ignored her and kept riding, so Mulan turned to the gang. "Keep your eyes open. I know they’re here." So saying, she cantered away.

"We’ll keep a lookout," Yao muttered.

Before long, they were ascending the great staircase that led to the emperor’s palace. The procession halted and Shang bowed to the emperor.

"I know what this means to you, Captain Li," the old ruler said to him. "Your father would have been very proud." He raised his voice to address the crowd. "My children, China will sleep safely tonight, thanks to Captain Li and his troops."

Shang offered him the sword of Shan Yu, but before the emperor could take it, a falcon swooped down and snatched it up in his talons, carrying it to the roof, where it dropped straight into Shan Yu’s waiting hand. Several Huns burst out of the dragon, grabbed the emperor, and rushed towards the great vaulted doors.

Shang, realizing what had just happened, cried, "No!" and raced up the stairs after them. The Huns got there first, however, shutting and locking the door. "We need a battering ram!"

The men lifted a statue and began ramming the door with it. "Guys!" someone called. Ling, Yao, and Chien Po turned around and saw Mulan beckoning. I’ve got a plan," she said. Without waiting to see if they were coming, she ran off.

The three looked at each other, and after a moment, followed her.

~

"So what’s the plan?" Ling asked Mulan.

She smiled evilly and picked up a rug. Underneath it were all manner of cosmetics. And four dresses.

"Put those on," Mulan ordered. She picked up one and hurried away, leaving Ling, Yao, and Chien Po staring at the clothing.

"She wants us to........put that stuff on?" Yao finally asked.

Ling picked up a yellow dress. "Hey, if Mulan’s got a plan, then Mulan’s got a plan!" Pausing, he added, "Don’t watch while I change."

Yao just hit him.

~

It wasn’t long before Mulan had them done up like women. "Well, c’mon boys....er, girls," she corrected herself. In order to get into the palace, the four had to climb up pillars. Shang soon joined them, and minutes later the five were in the palace.

"Alright, all we have to do is get through those doors," Mulan explained. "That's where we come in. Once the guards are down, Shang will run up there."

"Don’t we go?" Yao asked.

"Of course, but he’ll go first."

"Do I get to use my fan?"

"I don’t care, Ling. Now, any other questions?"

Yao squirmed. "Does this dress make me look fat?"

Ling hit him before the four of them sauntered out into the open. The guards said something to each other as soon as they were sighted. One of them waved as the "women" drew close, earning an elbow in his side from his partner.

Suddenly an apple fell out of Ling’s dress. Noticing its absence, he smiled girlishly at one of the guards, who bent and picked it up. Ling batted his eyelashes at the man as he offered it to him. The Huns were both surprised, therefore, when they both got watermelons on their heads and fists in their stomachs.

"Shang!" Mulan yelled.

The man went running up the stairs to where the emperor was being held. "C’mon, guys," Ling said, disregarding gender, "we gotta help!"

The four of them raced after Shang, who, once they reached the top of the stairs, saw was fighting with Shan Yu.

"Chien Po!" Mulan shouted. "Get the emperor!"

With a somewhat startled look on his face, Chien Po bowed to the old man and said, "Sorry, your highness." Picking him up, he looped his handkerchief around a rope(from which dangled some lanterns)and slid down. Ling and Yao followed suit, leaving Mulan alone.

"Was that really a good idea?" Ling asked worriedly once they reached the ground.

"You’ve changed," Yao muttered. "Used to be you'd always avoid trouble."

"Yeah, but Mulan’s my friend."

Yao rolled his eyes. "We’ll go back up then, alright?"

As they hurried through the crowd, someone suddenly called, "Look, up on the roof!"

Ling, Yao, and Chien Po glanced upwards simultaneously. In doing so they saw Mulan holding a sword pointed straight at Shan Yu. Suddenly a burst of fire caught everyone’s attention as a rocket was lit and sped towards the leader of the Huns, slamming into his stomach and causing him to fly off the roof and high into the air,where the rocket exploded. The gang saw all of this from the steps leading up to the palace. They also saw Mulan slide down a rope by way of a lantern, let go, and fall on Shang, who was about halfway down the stairs and running hard.

"That was a deliberate attempt on my life!" Chi Fu yelled as he stormed through the smoke. "Where is she? That creature’s not worth hiding!"

The gang quickly hid Mulan behind them and backed away as Shang retorted, "She’s a hero!"

"‘Tis a woman," Chi Fu said smugly. "She’ll never be worth anything."

"Why, you pompous-" Shang began.

"Go Shang," Ling murmured with a wicked grin.

"Stop this nonsense immediately!" The command came from the emperor, who was slowly descending the stairs. "Stand away from her," the man ordered. when Ling, Yao, Chien Po, and Shang hesitated, he motioned to them. As they couldn’t very well disobey the emperor, the four reluctantly drew back and the emperor approached Mulan. "I’ve heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan. You took your father’s armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, endangered the lives of thousands of men." With each fault, the gang flinched. "And, destroyed my palace. Yet.......you have saved us all." Mulan looked up, astonished, and the gang smiled in relief. Unexpectantly, the emperor bowed to the girl. Chi Fu threw himself to the ground, and following the old man’s example, Ling, Yao, Chien Po, and Shang knelt. Mulan, whirling, saw the whole crowd was doing the same.

As everyone rose to their feet, the emperor said, "Chi Fu!"

"Yes?" he asked, anxious to please.

"See to it that this woman is given a place on my counsel."

"Yes, your-er-there are no counsel places open, your highness," Chi Fu replied, thinking to keep Mulan out of the palace.

"Very well," the ruler amended. To Mulan, he continued, "You can have his job."

Chi Fu fainted at these words and Mulan smiled. "With all due respect, your highness, I think I’ve been away from home long enough."

The emperor smiled back and removed his crest. "Then take this. So your family will know what you have done for me. And this," he continued, handing her Shan Yu’s sword, "so the world will know what you have done for China."

Mulan looked at the old man with shining eyes and embraced him.

"Is she allowed to do that?" Yao questioned.

Everyone just smiled and shrugged.

When Mulan stepped back, she turned to Ling and Yao and hugged them tightly. Chien Po soon joined them. "Thanks, guys," she whispered.

Then, giving a short, piercing whistle, the girl swung onto her horse’s back and galloped away.

The emperor, after saying something to Shang, approached Ling and asked, "And where will you go, Chan Ling?"

Ling cocked his head. "It’s just Ling."

"Ling, then. What will you do? Where will you go?"

Watching Shang mount his horse, he said, "I think....I’ll go see where Shang’s going." Beckoning to Yao and Chien Po, he shouted, "Shang! Where are you going?"

"To see Mulan!"

Glancing at each other, Yao, Ling, and Chien Po shouted in unison, "We’re coming!"

~

"I don’t care what Shang says, I don’t see how changing now is wasting time and I am putting on something comfortable right now!" Ling complained. It had been several days of hard riding in very uncomfortable clothes-the same that they’d been wearing the night the Huns had been in Xi’an.

Yao and Chien Po nodded their concurrence. As Ling was struggling into his shirt, a hand came down on his shoulder and a woman’s voice growled, "Don’t move." Looking around, he saw that Yao and Chien Po were missing.

The woman dragged him through the gate of Mulan’s home. "Mulan!" she called. "What is the meaning of this?! If these are your friends you can inform them that it is unnecessary for them to dress like men to come in!"

Mulan came hurrying around the side of the house with Shang trailing behind. One look at Ling, Yao, and Chien Po caused them to burst out laughing. "No, no, Mother, you’ve got it all wrong!" Laughing to herself, she said, "This is Ling, that’s Yao, and that’s Chien Po. They aren’t women, either. They’re just some......uh......friends I met. Mother, Granny, let them finish getting dressed!"

The two women reluctantly released their captives, who immediately put their clothes on the rest of the way. "Here," Mulan offered, throwing each of them a rag, "Wipe your faces off. You look ridiculous!" As the three of them did as they were told, the young woman inquired, "Would you three like to stay for dinner?"

"Sure," Yao answered.

"Yeah," Ling added with a grin. "Anything for free food!"

Yao, as usual, just hit him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Get out of here and stay out!"

"Touchy today, aren’t we? Ow!" Ling rubbed his head where the pot hit it. "I can see why these places don’t get any customers, they’re so inhospitable!" Watching a couple people walk into the restaurant he’d just been kicked out of, he mused, "Maybe I could use some money."

Ling had returned to Xi’an, feeling that he could probably get a job there. Instead he became a thief just barely surviving on the fringes of society.

"Aha," Ling murmured. He’d spotted a likely target-a lone girl, she wouldn’t be able to get the money back. Prowling up behind her, Ling grabbed her purse and ran like the wind. Suddenly, the girl was in front of him, how, he didn't know, and punched him in the gut. She kicked him in the face immediately after and knocked him to the ground, falling to her knees and closing her hands around his neck after he’d fallen.

There was only one woman in China who could fight like that. "Mulan"? Ling choked.

The grip around his neck loosened immediately and the hood he always wore was pushed back. "Ling!" the girl(it was actually a young woman)exclaimed happily, helping him up and embracing him.

"You look different," Ling observed.

"Do you think I keep my hair short?" she laughed. "It’s been a year, after all."

"Has it?" Ling asked. "Wow. Didn’t realize. So how are things between you and Shang?"

Mulan made a face. "We’re too much alike and too different at the same time. We can’t get married."

"Oh." Ling nodded understandingly. "Can’t have that."

"No." Mulan studied him intently. "You’re a thief?"

"Yeah," Ling replied easily.

"Why don’t you get a job?"

"I tried."

"Why don’t you try again?"

"I like stealing stuff."

She sighed in exasperation. "You’re impossible. Why don’t you go back to your family?"

"Don’t have one."

"You’re an orphan?"

"No, disowned." He answered all her questions matter of factly, without remorse.

"That's terrible!"

Ling shrugged. "Not really. I had it coming. My parents barely knew I was there, anyway." Snickering, he added, "I was a little upstart with an attitude."

"You still are," Mulan informed him dryly. "Do you even remember what you did to me while I was ‘Ping’?"

"Oh, the cockroach?" Ling said innocently. "Rocks? Tripping? Taking stuff? Teasing? No, I don’t remember."

Mulan smiled. "How I could forgive you, I’ll never know."

"Just because I’m nice?" Ling suggested teasingly.

"No, I don’t think that was the reason."

"Aw, c’mon! What would you have done without us?" Ling whined.

Mulan smiled sweetly. "Well, I wouldn’t have had to tell you about my ‘ideal girl’.......I really wanted to kill you for that, but it would have blown my cover."

"Which got blown anyway," Ling pointed out.

"And I think we all learned a lesson from that," Mulan said philosophically.

"Fa Mulan is a stubborn woman?" At her glare, he corrected, "Er, that is, women are a vital part of society and can go to war?"

"Something along those lines." Pausing for a moment, she questioned, "So, did you ever find your girl who’s paler than the moon with eyes that shine like stars?"

"Nope, not yet."

"Maybe.....never mind."

"What?" Ling asked curiously.

"I was just going to say, maybe she isn’t out there....maybe you shouldn’t have ideals like that because what if you really don’t love the person? Maybe it’s better to just......fall in love."

"Ouch, that’s pretty heavy," Ling said with a grimace.

"Will you take my advice?"

"Maybe," he replied with a wink.

"You are impossible!"

"What’s it to you, anyway?"

Mulan smiled sweetly. "I just want to see you happily settled down and married."

Ling looked shocked. "All this from Miss ‘We Can’t Get Married’? I have trouble with women. They tend not to like me."

"Oh." He had expected her to say more, but all she added was, "That’s too bad."

Realizing it had gotten dark, Ling abruptly said, "Where are you staying?"

"Uh oh." Mulan bit her lip. "I was supposed to be on my way home by this time....or home."

"You can stay at my place," Ling offered with a shrug."

"Um.....you have a place?"

"Yeah."

"I........guess so," Mulan answered doubtfully.

"Then c’mon."

~

"Here we are," Ling said as he pushed a rug out of the way.

"You’ve done pretty well, considering," Mulan complimented appreciatively.

Ling raised his eyebrows and grinned. "Think so? Best part isn’t even in here. Check this out." He pulled another rug aside, revealing an opening in part of the wall and ceiling. "The city and the stars."

"All in one," Mulan added with a smile. "It’s a great view."

Several minutes of silence prevailed before Mulan asked hesitantly, "Ling? Are you going to take my advice?"

"I don’t know." He leaned against the wall and thought about his rather pathetic life. A twenty-year-old thief with no family name, practically no home, and almost no chance for marriage. Yet here was this amazing(not to mention beautiful)woman who had been one of his best friends and who now seemed to feel something more than friendship for him. Never one to be cautious, Ling said slyly, "I think I’ll take it now."

So saying, he kissed her lightly. She gently pushed him away and commented, "So you aren’t the idiot you always act like."

Shaking his head, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her again.

~

Mulan woke up the next morning and yawned. Pulling the blanket up around her shoulders, she looked fondly down at Ling, who was still sleeping peacefully. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and smiled. "Well, that sure was fun, wasn’t it?"

She kicked him and replied, "Maybe I’ll tell you someday if you aren’t always so rude."

Ling pulled her down next to him and kissed her passionately, only to be interrupted by her sudden tensing. "What?"

Jumping out of the bed and struggling into her clothes, she exclaimed, "My parents are going to kill me!"

"Tell ‘em you got lost," he suggested.

"Oh, they’ll find me here," Mulan told him.

Catching her hand, Ling asked, "Why did you come to Xi’an, anyway?"

She sighed and answered, "I had to get some things for my mother, but I mentioned I was going to look for you...."

"Nice to know you’re wanted."

A sudden noise and a curse startled them both and Ling hastened to get dressed.

"Beanpole! I’m gonna kill you!"

Ling groaned and relaxed, and Yao appeared shortly. "Uh.......am I interrupting something?"

"Not right now," Ling snickered.

"I’m not so sure," Yao said, his eyes flicking between Mulan and Ling, who was still not fully dressed but working on it. "You’re standing there with no shirt on...."

"Let’s just drop it," Mulan interrupted. "If my parents catch me here I won’t ever see anyone ever again."

"But how will they know-"

"Ling, look at me, look at yourself, and look at the bed."

"Aiyee, I’m in trouble!" Ling exclaimed miserably. "Let’s go."

The two of them climbed up the wall to the roof. Ling got there first and offered his hand to Mulan, who took it. "Where exactly did you learn to offer your hand to a lady?"

"Who says I am?" Ling asked over his shoulder as he sidled over a plank connecting the rooftop they were on with another one. "You’re a war hero, not a lady."

Leaping off the board to the roof and blocking his path, Mulan locked eyes with him and questioned, "Am I yours?"

Matching her gaze, Ling kissed her hand and answered, "Yep."

"Can’t you be a little more serious?"

Ling grinned and knelt. "You will always be mine, fair maiden, forever and longer."

"Alright, alright," Mulan laughed. "That's enough, get up."

"Oh, love of my life, sun in my sky, blood in my veins....."

"Okay! I shouldn’t have asked!"

"Water in my ocean, crust on my bread, frosting on my pastry-"

Mulan broke down laughing and gasped, "Oh, Ling, you’re so poetic, ‘frosting on my pastry’......how do you think of these things?"

"It’s what I do, beloved," Ling responded, his eyes looking towards the sky.

"Quit with the poetry now, alright?"

"Sure," Ling answered. "Whatever you want........apple of my eye."

"Argh!"

He grinned, rose to his feet, and swiftly kissed her.

"So now you’re trying to win me back?" Mulan asked coyly.

"Didn’t the poetry do it?" Ling asked in a shocked tone.

"Hmm, not quite."

"Well," Ling began grumpily, "I love you too."

Mulan smiled and rolled her eyes. "Now, um.....I really need to get home...."

Ling’s eyes dimmed slightly and he inquired, "Where’s your horse?"

"The Imperial Stables," Mulan answered, watching for his reaction.

"Snazzy," was all he remarked.

"I suppose."

~

After the retrieval of Mulan’s horse, Ling and Mulan led him to a hill overlooking Xi’an.

As she mounted the stallion, Ling asked, "When will I see you again?"

After sparing a look to the north, Mulan jumped off the horse and into Ling’s arms, surrendering herself to his kisses, just enjoying the feeling of being held. She’d never experienced anything quite like it.....it was nice.

"I love you, Ling," Mulan finally sighed.

He brushed away a tear that had slipped down her cheek. "Hey, what’s wrong? I’ll come visit you often, you know I will-"

Suddenly she buried her face in his chest and clung to him as huge sobs wracked her body. Startled, Ling held her closer and waited for her sobs to subside. When she had calmed down substantially, she sniffled, "I’m sorry, you must think I’m incredibly girly......."

"Mulan," Ling asked gently, "what’s wrong?"

"A lot," she replied ruefully, giving one last swipe at her eyes. "First of all there’s Shang....he’s pushing our friendship. He wants marriage, I don’t. I can’t deal with marriage, y’know? Just thinking about it makes me feel trapped....Which is what my parents are doing, trapping me." She clenched her fists. "Forcing me into this marriage with Li Shang. Of course everyone thinks that’s what I want. Why would they think otherwise?"

"Have you said anything?"

"No," she sighed. "I can’t. Ever since the war I’ve been treated differently...if I object to this marriage it will make me even stranger. I just want to me treated like everyone else."

"But you can’t be," Ling admonished gently, caressing her cheek. "For Buddha’s sake, you saved China. And you’re a woman. Most people just won’t accept that.....I can ‘cos underneath it all I can still see Ping, awkward and not knowing where he belongs."

"Maybe Ping doesn’t know," the woman replied sadly, "but Mulan does. But where she belongs and where she is are two different things." Sighing she said, "Good-bye, Ling. I’ll see you again, I suppose.....just remember that whatever happens, I love you." With those last words, she swung onto her horse’s back and galloped off.

Ling watched her diminishing figure and whispered, "Yeah. I love you too."

~

A few weeks later Ling received two letters. One was from his mother, telling him that his father had passed away and that he was welcome to come back home. The other was from Mulan. A union had been established between the Li and Fa families through Shang and Mulan-they were now officially man and wife.

Ling curled into a small ball on the floor when he read this. He knew he could never go see Mulan. It was better to shut her out of his life forever. When you loved someone that much..................................

~

It was many days before Chien Po came for a visit and found Ling- mostly dead and surrounded by the charred remains of a document of some sort. What startled Chien Po the most, however, was the bloody gash he discovered that ran down the length of Ling’s leg. Upon finding a letter from his skinny friend’s mother requesting his return home, Chien Po brought him there, explaining all he’d seen.

But only Ling could explain why he’d tried to kill himself. And Ling wasn’t speaking. Ling, in fact, wasn’t doing anything. And nobody knew why.

The End