Preparations [complete]

[Huang Jiaming]

(Oh no. I've viled up the China side!)

Well, that was that. One word from General Sze and everyone would be on the move. Finally. Jiaming had been rather irked at being bothered to be rounded up for the announcement, but left it in a very good mood. Anything was better than pacing around the same rows of tents over and over again--and, shoot, maybe they'd finally see some action!

She couldn't help but smile, even if most of the other enlisted fellows didn't seem quite so pleased. So far, Meiyu--no, wait--Jiaming's glorified ideas of the army had all but been shred to bits, and she'd found herself just as bored and frustrated as she was back home. Just here it was more frustrating, having to watch the pitch of her voice and avoid touchy-feely situations.

After the announcement, Jiaming retreated to a large, old tree she'd taken a liking to that sat just at the rim of camp. She'd welted it up pretty good with the continual lashings of her whips, but hey--it was all for the cause.

She knelt down and picked up the rawhide whip she'd left resting at the trunk and took a few paces away from the tree. It would make more sense to take it easy and rest up for the long haul out of camp, but dammit, she was too hyper now.

Spinning on her heel she jerked her arm and sent the whip sailing towards the trunk, sending a sharp crack echoing across camp. She hadn't made too many friends because of this, but hey....it was all for the cause.

Again!

[Wu Xiaoszi]

The announcement had only been a formality. The entire army had known that they would be moving soon, considering this was just a pick-up point for new recruits. Rumors had been spreading around the camp, running multiple circles, and most of the soldiers, sans the extremely lazy, procrastinating types, had packed most of their belongings. Sleeping mats and other things that were needed daily had been left out, but those were few and could be thrown in a satchel at a moment's notice.

Xue, being a worrywort, had urged the entire team to pack at least two days in advance. Their tent was bare and sparse now, save for three beds, and a three bags. Chances are, even with all that preparation, they wouldn't be the first to get moving tomorrow morning, being that Xiao himself was lost to the world once his eyes were closed. Oh well, it did no good to rain on the kid's parade, he thought, strolling through the camp now that he had nothing else to do.

Purposely, he had walked in the direction away from the prisoner's tent. It wasn't that he was no longer curious, but he really didn't want to be identified for being behind that stunt they had pulled the other day. He doubted the guards had seen him, though, with Xue's skirt flashing in their faces, but it never hurt to be too careful. His sauntering led him to a far end of the camp, not one he frequented. In the midstep, he stopped at the sound of a sharp cracking.

Of course, he took it upon himself to figure out what it was, and ran in the direction of the noise, to find another recruit...whipping a tree. "...What the..." he whispered to himself, "...I guess people really come up with weird recreational activities when left alone."

[Rie Chou]

Rie watched the men's faces as Sze announced their next move. Some looked excited, some looked distressed, but most just looked plain bewildered (while trying to hide it).

Rie himself was not keen on going on to the North-East. It was vast and immensely crucial in a war, especially in one against a northern nation, as he had learnt from history. Long, costly battles were to be expected in the expansive relief of that area. He wasn't worried about losing soldiers, China had plenty of those. He was worried about morale and what would become of it in the sort of battle they were going to face.
But then, it was too soon to be worrying. he smiled grimly to himself as he noted that it wasn't like him at all to be so concerned. He trusted the other generals. They'd be fine.

Preferring not to return to his tent, Rie turned to leave the announcement area, about to embark on a walk - only to hear the distinct sound of a whip rising above the bustle of the camp.

[Huang Jiaming]

Jiaming was quite aware of the oncoming soldier, though her even-paced strikes did not stop. I swear, if he's here to whine about the noise...

After a brief moment, she felt it in her best interest to pay attention to the guy. Hey, if everyone was going to go off and die for the same cause, it wouldn't hurt to try and make nice. Or something.

So she turned a little and swung the whip a bit too close to his toes, grinning.

"You feel bad for the tree or somethin'?" she asked teasingly, and then turned back and began flogging the poor tree again.

[Wu Xiaoszi]

He jumped away before his brain even registered that the whip was coming at him. He may not have been the most observant person in the army, but at the very least he was quick on his feet. Granted, it didn't even reach him, but he wasn't about to misgauge the distance and end up with fewer toes for it.

What a weird guy, Xiao thought, frowning. If that was some sort of greeting, he had admit that he had certainly seen better - ones less sudden and less violent. "Sorta," he replied good-naturedly, a good distance away (which was close enough for his voice to carry, but not far enough for that demonic whip to reach him). "What'd that tree ever do to you, anyway?"

[Huang Jiaming]

Jiaming stopped, staring at the welt she'd made. At least her aim was getting a little better. Glancing over at Xiao as he inquired, she shrugged, smirking a bit.

"I'm not allowed to practice on people," she said casually, gesturing with her thumb to the tree, "so this guy is option two."

She didn't really want to scare the guy, nor did she want to keep hollering over nine or so feet, so it was time to put the whip away. She swung her arm till most of it was over her head and twirled it a few times; it looked a bit like a cork screw until she stopped and the whole thing, looped, fell onto her upraised arm. She loved doing that.

With that out of the way, she stepped over to the soldier, shrugging the whip better onto her shoulder. "Who're you, now?"

[Wu Xiaoszi]

Xiao watched with interest as the recruit rounded up his weapon. He was obviously not in need of practice, despite what he said, if he could handle the whip with that much familiarity and skill. Either way, as long as that thing wasn't aimed at him, Xiao didn't care much either way. He donned a grin as the other soldier approached. "Xiaoszi," he answered, clamping his right hand over his left fist in introduction. He peered at the other's face thoughtfully. "I've seen you 'round before, you're in General Kwok's camp, ain'tcha?"

[Huang Jiaming]

"Xiaoszi, huh?" she repeated, nodding. "Eah, yeahh, that's right. I'm Jiaming. 'Fraid I don't recognize you, but I'll keep your name in mind."

Tilting her head a bit and smiling, she looked him over for a minute, then squinted. "Aren't you a bit young for the whole army thing..?"

[Wu Xiaoszi]

"Yeah, I was in that camp but was transferred a little while later to-..." The pleasant expression dropped off of Xiao's face, and he frowned. He disliked being judged based on his age, especially if it wasn't a vaild assessment. The army was littered with boys even younger than he was - children standing in for fathers too old or sick, only sons of small families. "If I am, wouldn't you be too?" he responded in kind, looking him once over. "I doubt you're much older than me, if you're older at all."

[Huang Jiaming]

"Easy, killer!" Jiaming laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "I was just kidding. Everyone's so uptight around here!"

She shrugged and flashed a bit of an apologetic look--apparently she would have to try to be nicer. Again. Jeez.

"I guess I can't blame 'em," she said lightly, stepping aside and behind Xiao, rocking on her heels when she stopped moving, looking over the rows of tents. "But even drunk half these folks are about as exciting as dirt. 'Cept that crazy guy who was running around in a dress I heard about. Wish I'd have seen that."

Glancing over her shoulder a bit, she addressed him again, "Where're you from, Xiaoszi?"

[Wu Xiaoszi]

Xiao was the sort of person that was easily appeased, so he let the issue slide as quickly as it had come. He raised a hand, rubbing the back of his neck, and was infinitely glad Jiaming was behind him, where he couldn't see the impish smile on his face. "Ah yeah, that guy in a dress...heard he was a riot." Xue probably wouldn't be quite as pleased to know that he was now infamous around the entire camp, even if he hadn't been pegged as the mysterious skirted wonder yet.

"From a village in the north," he answered, turning so that he could see what she was up to. "Nobody really knows much 'bout it. Why? You some rich noble or somethin'?"

[Huang Jiaming]

"Y'know, I sort of guessed you were. You're not as uptight as most of the folks here, so good for you!" Jiaming smiled a bit. She kind of cough-laughed when he asked her if she was 'a rich noble or somethin' and had to swallow it down before answering, almost forgetting to keep her voice in check.

"Haa--no. I'm from a place called the Middle of Nowhere; I'm sure you've heard of it. It's quite famous, even if it's a whole lot of trees and nothing. I bet it's just about as thrilling as the north," she added dryly, turning to look back over the camp, folding her arms over her chest.

"Here's hopin' this war or whatever is a bit more interesting, hey?"

[Wu Xiaoszi]

"Ah, yeah, Middle of Nowhere," echoed Xiao, breaking into a small laugh, "I'm really familiar with that place." He looked over Jiaming's shoulder as he talked. Tents obstructed most of their view, but they could still make out people making last-minute preparations for tomorrow. "Well so far, it ain't too bad," he said, thinking about his utterly dysfunctional team. They weren't the most perfect people, but that was a bore, and they were a better alternative to boring fieldwork any day, even if he missed the loud familiarity of his family.

[Huang Jiaming]

"You're kidding, right?" Jiaming grinned over at him, motivated by his laugh. She went on, shaking her head and gesturing as she spoke. "They need to post a sign right before you get to camp that says: 'Warning: nothing to do here; bring a board game or some booze.'" Blinking, she added, "Or both, I guess, hah. Nothing says time well spent like watching strangers get drunk and fighting over a stupid game, right?"

She curled her fingers around the bulk of whip on her shoulder, rocking on her heels a bit again, still antsy for tomorrow. But at least talking to someone who wasn't ten years older (or younger; some reeeally short people carousing around...) and humorless was helping.

[Wu Xiaoszi]

Xiao grinned, the hints of a secret untold peeking out from under the easy expression. "Well, I don't know 'bout you, but I haven't been spendin' all my time whippin' trees. If you look for it, there's plenty to do 'round here, even if the generals don't hand it to you on a silver platter." Like spying on rumored prisoners, playing pranks on certain mouse-like comrades, and annoying other soldiers too serious for their own good, his mind helpfully supplied.