Painting with Wu

Da Qiao walks into her full chattering classroom and faces her students, a smile forming on her face as the class becomes silent.

"Good morning class!"

Everyone in the class answered in unison, "Good morning Sensei!"

"Today we are going to have some fun and just express ourselves."

Lu Xun raises his hand with a puzzled expression on his face.  "Express ourselves how?"

Gan Ning jumped out of his chair, blade in hand. "With a sword of course!"

Ling Tong rolls his eyes. "You would say that."

Gan Ning swings his blade, pointing it toward Ling Tong. "What'd you say!? You wanna fight or something!?"

Ling Tong stands, grabbing his nunchakus, entering his fighting stance. "As long as it keeps you quiet."

"I'm gunna kick your ass, Ling T-"

"Silence!" Da Qiao yells, slamming her hand on the desk.

Both men freeze and everyone looks at her.

"Sit! Now!"

The two sit quietly, lowering their heads slightly, earning a chuckle from the class.

"You both know I do not tolerate fighting in my class."

Both Gan Ning and Ling Tong mumble, "Sorry Sensei."

"Good." She turns to the class, back to her loving teacher smile. "We are going to be expressing ourselves through painting."

Sun Ce grumbles, "Painting? That's for girls."

Huang Gai, sounding not so happy about it, "That's not expressing yourself."

Da Qiao smiles to Huang Gai. "Not at all. You can paint anything at all." She turns facing a canvas and picks up a brush and paint set and starts painting, continuing to speak to the class.

"Anything at all is good. Just paint the first thing that comes to mind."

"Ha-ha. Don't think you want that Sensei. Some certain 'boys' will paint bad things." said Sun Shang Xiang with a smirk.

Da Qiao turned her head slightly toward Shang Xiang and the 'boys' and smiles. "No. These boys will do no such thing." Her face turns slightly dark. "Right boys?"

Sun Ce, Sun Quan and Huang Gai laughed nervously.

Sun Quan spoke up. "N-never Sensei. Painting is meant to be taken seriously."

"Y-yea, we would never paint that stuff." Huang Gai said glancing off to the side.

"What they said." Sun Ce mumbled, like he just lost an important fight.

Da Qiao smiled and stepped away from her canvas, revealing a beautifully painted pink and yellow lotus flower.

Xiao Qiao squealed, jumped out of her chair and ran to the canvas.

"Uwaa! So pretty sis!"

"Thank you Xiao Qiao." Da Qiao motioned to the canvas. "This is only one of the kinds of paintings you can do in just a few minutes. Now canvases are over in the corner. Grab a paint set and brush and get to painting."

Everyone scattered grabbing anything they needed and Xiao Qiao turned to her sister.

"Hey sis, can me and Zhou Yu paint together?"

"Sorry Xiao Qiao this is a personal project. You need to do it alone."

Xiao Qiao protested. "But we-!"

Zhou Yu walked behind Xiao Qiao and wrapped her in a hug. "Working on a painting like this is supposed to expose your inner feelings. You can't do that if two people are doing it."

"Fine." Xiao Qiao huffed then stomped away to get her supplies.

Da Qiao giggled at the sight. "Thank you for your understanding Zhou Yu." She bowed her head slightly.

Zhou Yu smiled, placing his hand on his chest and bowing. "No, thank you, Sensei." He then proceeded to get his own supplies.

By then most everyone had gotten all they needed and started painting. Da Qiao nodded her approval and sat behind her desk, which to her looked messy compared to her usually clean desk. She looked around to see if she could find anything missing. Her paint brushes weren't in her cup that holds them. She moved books and papers around, seeing if she had misplaced them. Da Qiao looked around the room in the time to see Sun Ce quickly looking back at his canvas. She couldn't see past his canvas to look at his brushes, but she had a feeling she better go and see what he was up to.

She stood from her desk and walked to Sun Ce. "And just how are we doing with our painting, Sun C-" Her words cut off when she saw what he had painted.

"Sun Ce! What is the meaning of this!?" Da Qiao's face turned bright red.

"A picture, the first thing that came to mind, just like you said." He smiled.

"But this is inappropriate! I said nothing bad!"

"But your brushes, paint it so well. I thought it would be okay."

Da Qiao, red as can be, took the painting from the canvas and rolled it up so no one could see it.

"Please, come to the hallway with me, Sun Ce."

Sun Ce stood, nodded and followed Da Qiao to the hall. She then turned to face him.

She held up the rolled paper. "You know this is inappropriate for my class, Sun Ce!"

"Didn't think it was a problem since it was you, Da Qiao."

"A naked picture of me is a problem! Especially done in school!"

"But it's just a pai-"

Sun Ce was cut off by the hall monitor.

"Is there something the matter, Sensei?"

Da Qiao sighted. "Taishi Chi, can you please escort this trouble maker to Principal Sun Jian's office to have him dealt with?"

Taishi Chi nodded. "Of course."

"Take this with you please." She gave Taishi Chi the rolled up paper. "Just don't unroll it."

He chuckled. "I won't. I give you my word. Now, let's go Sun Ce."

He took Sun Ce by the arm down the hall to Principal Sun Jian's office.

Da Qiao sighed and shook her head, walking back into the class.

"Is everyone done with their paintings?" She faced the class.

"Yes Sensei."

"Okay then, bring them up to my desk one at a time please."

Xiao Qiao was first to bring her painting up.

"I did how you said and painted how I felt and it came out as a heart with a rose!" She said smiling.

"It's very beautiful Xiao Qiao. Well done. Zhou Yu? Why don't you bring yours up next?"

Zhou Yu handed his painting in. "Hope it is good enough."

Da Qiao smiled. "It is a lovely painting. She looks exactly like Xiao Qiao."

Zhou Yu nodded his thanks and took his seat.

"Now Gan Ning, your next."

He held up his painting for the whole class to see. "I painted a picture of how my fight with Ling Tong would have ended. I kicked his ass!"

"Ha. In your dreams." Ling Tong chuckled.

"Here's mine, Sensei." He and Gan Ning turned in their paintings.

Da Qiao scanned both pictures over. It was amazing how both of them managed to paint the same thing but in reverse. Gan Ning, standing over a defeated Ling Tong and Ling Tong, standing over a defeated Gan Ning.

She smiled and looked up from them. "Very well done, both of you."

Gan Ning smirked. "Heh. Ya don't gotta be nice we all know mine's better."

"Sure. Keeps you quiet." Ling Tong huffed.

"Sun Quan, bring yours up."

Sun Quan handed his to Da Qiao.

"What a beautiful tiger, Sun Quan. Outstanding."

"Thank you." He said as he sat back down.

"Zhou Tai?" Da Qiao asked holding out her hand.

He placed it in her hand and sat.

"Lovely details on the hilt of the katana. Great job Zhou Tai."

"Un…" Was all he replied.

"Lu Xun, bring your up."

Lu Xun brought his painting up with a large smile plastered on his face.

"Let's see what you did. Oh very beautiful. Very well painted flames, Lu Xun."

"Thanks." Smiling still, he went back to his seat.

"Huang Gai, turn yours in please."

"Here you go, Sensei."

She accepts his painting. "Our naval fleet? Very well done Huang Gai."

He returned to his seat.

"Shang Xiang? Are you finished?"

"Yep." She brings up her painting. "No way would I be slower than these guys."

Da Qiao smiled and inspected the beautifully painted picture of Wu in the sunset.

"Wonderful colors Shang Xiang. Just wonderful."

"Thanks a lot." Shang Xiang smiles and sits just as there is a knock on the door.

"Excuse me class." Da Qiao goes to the door and opens it to see Taishi Chi in the door way.

"I have been sent to inform you that Principal Sun Jian has given Sun Ce in school suspension for the rest of the day with Lu Meng."

"Thank you for informing me."

"Anytime Sensei. I'm off to fulfill my duties." He bowed slightly and left. Da Qiao walked back in the room and looked at the clock on the wall.

"Sorry for the interruption everyone. Since class is almost over, go ahead and just chat."

Everyone went to chatting and Da Qiao sat behind her desk and sighted, thinking to herself.

"My, what a day. My eyes hurt." She closed her eyes to relax.

Just then Gan Ning threw a paper ball at Ling Tong but missed, hitting Da Qiao in the center of her forehead. "Gan Ning!" She shouted.

The school bell chose to ring right at that moment.

~The End~