Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, I do not claim any rights to any of the characters or concepts created or owned by Viz Video or Rumiko Takahashi. This is just the work of one fan to the others. The only characters or concepts that i claim are the ones I created or introduced. That said, I bring you:
For Love and Money, Chapter 9: Lies amid the truth.
The past couple of days had been interesting, to say the least, for Qiang Pu. Her circle of friends had grown with the addition of Asuka and her friends. Today, she said she wanted to introduce Qiang Pu to another of her friends, a girl who had transferred from Great Britain to visit her father's homeland.
Qiang Pu didn't know much about the new girl, but she was excited to meet her. She was the daughter of a Chinese descended British citizen and a Japanese expatriate. She was relatively new to this school, but was a friendly and outgoing girl.
Over lunch, introductions were made for Qiang Pu and Yaayaa to the new addition to their circle of friends.
The new girl rose fluidly, with the grace of a trained martial artist or dancer and then bowed to Qiang Pu and Yaayaa. "It is a great pleasure to meet you both. My name is Xaph Ti Pyn, please take good care of me." Xaph Ti Pyn said in fluent Japanese with a distinctly British accent.
Yaayaa bowed respectfully to the newest addition, then subtly elbowed Qiang Pu in the side to prompt her to follow suit. Qiang Pu jerked, then hastily she bowed as well.
Qiang Pu had been distracted as she stared into the blue eyes of the dark haired girl. There was something hauntingly familiar about her, but she could not figure it out. It was almost like she had seen her before somewhere. As she stood back up, she decided to broach the subject.
"I'm sorry, but have we met before? I can't help but feel that I have seen you somewhere before. Were you born in China, perhaps?" Qiang Pu asked, wondering if she might have seen her in or around the village, perhaps. That was one prospect that worried the young warrior.
Xaph Ti Pyn laughed lightly. "My dear, do I sound chinese to you? I was born and raised in Great Britain, then my mother and I moved to Hong Kong because her work shifted to there. I have always wanted to come to Japan, or even China, to see where my ancestors came from, but this is the first chance I have had to come here. I'm hoping to make contact with my father's family and get to know them better." She said with an amused little smile on her face. "It is very nice to meet you, though! I would never have guessed when I started making plans a year ago for this, that I would get to live in my father's homeland, and meet someone who is from my Mother's ancestral home, as well!"
Qiang Pu relaxed and returned the smile as she bowed once again. "I apologize for my rudeness, I have had some issues with people from my mother's homeland in the past, and I did not wish to expose my new friends to any awkwardness that it might cause." Qiang Pu said as she stood back up and smiled at their new friend. "So, please take care of us." Qiang Pu said politely and followed the forms and protocols that had been drilled into her head by the ladies of the Teahouse.
"I look forward to getting to know you better, Qiang Pu. I have the feeling we will have a great deal of fun together." Xaph Ti Pyn said with a warm smile that lit up her blue eyed gaze.
Qiang Pu smiled in return. "I am sure you are right. So, do the Art?" She asked while she subtly bounced on her toes.
Xaph Ti Pyn chuckled and blushed a bit. "A little. Just some Wing Chun and Judo. Mother wanted me to be able to defend myself, since her job can attract attention at times. I'm not all that good, just good enough to get myself out of trouble if needed."
Yaayaa had, of course, perked up considerably at the discussion of martial arts. The plump girl had gotten practically starry eyed at the route the discussion had taken. "Do.. you think that there is a chance I could watch you two spar? I want to see Qiang Pu in action."
The two girls had looked at each other, a silent assessment passed between the two of them while Xaph Ti Pyn had paused, then shrugged. "I would not object." Xaph Ti Pyn said with a smile.
Qiang Pu smiled as well. "I will never turn down a chance to spar with anyone, and of course the challenge laws of my village are not in effect." The Chinese Amazon said with a grin.
Asuka blinked at that, and looked at Yaayaa and Qiang Pu. "Challenge rules?" She asked, for some reason not really wanting to know, but morbid curiosity dictated that she kind of had to know.
Qiang Pu nodded as Yaayaa looked a bit nervous. 'I told Yaayaa about it, but, yes. My village has a set of rules that.. What is the word? Cover? Contain?" She looked to Yaayaa hopefully.
Yaayaa smiled, happy to get her friends attention. "Govern, Qiang Pu." She supplied as she smiled warmly back.
"Thank you. I am still working on my Japanese, and I forget some things. So, that governs outsider's challenges. If you are a man and you beat one of the female warriors of the village, we will marry you. If you are a woman, then… Well, we are not so understanding." Qiang Pu finished lamely, uncertain how the more peaceful Japanese would take the truth.
Asuka nodded slowly, not really sure she wanted to know after all. It sounded horribly backwards and barbaric, and made her feel a bit better about deceiving the brutish foreign girl.
"Well, then it's a good thing you are setting aside your cultural bias and embracing what they believe here, then." Xaph Ti Pyn said with a warm smile.
Yaayaa laughed nervously and nodded as she smiled at her friend. "It was a bit of a surprise to me when she told me about it. I mean, I can sort of understand why such rules might be needed in feudal China, for a small village that follows a matriarchal system like the Joketsuzoku do. It just makes her even more amazing, how well she has adapted in such a short time.". Yaayaa said as she gushed just a bit.
Xaph Ti Pyn smiled and nodded, the brief narrowing ofhereyes went unseen by the other girls as they engaged in conversation. Perhaps a chink in the Heirs armor had already presented itself.
Handy, and would make her task much easier. It was a surprise that she had bonded with such a weak outsider, but useful thought Xaph Ti Pyn. Honored Mother would be most pleased.
It was almost a shame to destroy them, but it was what was needed. If the Joketsuzoku were to to survive and adapt changes of the modem age, sacrifices had to be made.
Xaph Ti Pyn smiled as she rejoined the conversation as she contacted to utilize one of the many lessons that her mother had taught her. Always insert your lies into the truth, so that they are more believable, and are more likely to influence how others think and perceive the things you have told them. The best lies are sincere half-truths.
This was going to be a most enjoyable day. And getting to test the Heirs training was an even better opportunity. The fact that it was Qiang Pu's companion that suggested it was even better. She didn't have to try to manipulate the situation to allow it.
Truly a perfect turn of events.
As the school day came to an end, Qiang Pu Yaayaa had a new face added to their entourage. Xaph Ti Pyn and Asuka along with her usual hangers on had decided to go out for karaoke, seeing as Qiang Pu had yet to be introduced to that staple of japanese life. Needless to say, Qiang Pu was rather excited about this new experience, and as was often the case, the more excited she became, the worse her Japanese started to become. It was a fact that Asuka found disgusting, and Xaph Ti Pyn found no small amount of humor in. Of course, neither one of them had shown their reactions to the Joketsuzoku warrior, or her companion.
They all had their parts to play, after all.
Qiang Pu had been bubbling over with excitement since they had left the school, and by now had reached the boiling point. "Is time? Qiang Pu can do the karaoke now, yes?" Qiang Pu said as she bounced on her toes.
Yaayaa gave her friend an exasperated but endearing look. "We are almost there, Qiang Pu. Do try to calm down, okay? You want to make a good impression on your new friends, don't you?" She said with a warm little smile.
"Yaayaa is right, is sorry. Qiang Pu is just excited! Never do this before! Yaayaa, we do again?" Qiang Pu said as she grabbed her shorter companions' hands in hers.
Yaayaa blushed a bright shade of red as she nodded. "Oh yes! Anytime you want! I will happily take you, my treat, whenever you would like to go!"
Asuka sniffed and rolled her eyes at the display, then stopped at the disapproving look she had gotten from Xaph Ti Pyn. She schooled her expressions, not wanting to disappoint her friend. It wouldn't do, after all. She had her reputation to keep.
"I haven't been to a karaoke bar in Japan yet, I do hope it's the same as the ones at home." Xaph Ti Pyn said as she moved up alongside Yaayaa and Qiang Pu.
"Oh, I imagine it's pretty similar, since you said you were living in Hong Kong, right? Well, I know that a fair amount of the society there is based on British, Chinese and some Japanese culture, so I can't imagine it being horribly different." Yaayaa said as she walked just a tad bit closer to Qiang Pu, a fact that the object of her affections didn't seem to notice, but Xaph Ti Pyn took note with a subtle little smile.
'The little buffoon is going to prove most useful' Xaph Ti Pyn thought to herself as she nodded along with the excited shorter girl. "Well, then I leave myself in your care." Xaph Ti Pyn said with a reassuring little smile to Yaayaa, and watched with amusement as the girl blushed and nodded as she moved even closer to Qiang Pu.
Xaph Ti Pyn looked at Asuka and smiled winningly. "This should be fun, shouldn't it?"
Asuka jerked a little and nodded. "Lots of fun, it's always nice to hang out with new friends, right girls?" She said to her tagalongs, who obediently nodded.
It was good to be the queen.
The girls checked in at the desk and were soon ensconced in one of the rooms as Yaayaa looked over the list of songs. She wanted to find one for her and Qiang Pu to do together, to show her companion how it was done.
Soon enough the girls were singing along, with Qiang Pu having a particularly bad time of it. Xaph Ti Pyn performed admirably, but the top had to be Asuka. Her sense of rhythm and singing voice were exceptional. She would never guess that two of the girls were holding back, so as to not outdo the prickly young girl.
Xaph Ti Pyn had good reason to stay in the good graces of her primary asset,at least til she had no further use for her.
Yaayaa had a lot more experience than anyone would guess, even if it was mostly alone. But she didn't want to outperform Asuka, less she found herself once more on the outside,and away from Qiang Pu.
And that, of course, would be completely unacceptable.
The girls chatted and sang for a bit longer, before they decided to leave. As they were walking out, Xaph Ti Pyn looked at the other two after she had said her farewells to Asuka and her lackeys. "So, when did you want to arrange this little spar of ours? I am free most evenings, at least currently. I haven't found a club for myself yet."
Qiang Pu thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Is can do. I mean, we can do it anytime. Elder Nabiki has a house with a practice area, and I do not think she would mind? if not there, then I am sure that Elder Akane would not mind if we used the dojo? I would have to check with her first, though."
Xaph Ti Pyn nodded and smiled, while inwardly she raised an eyebrow at the terms of address. Elder Nabiki and Elder Akane, no less? She has fallen so far from the ideal. To acknowledge outsiders like they were elders of the tribe? She is a fool. All the better I am saving the rest of the backwards hicks from someone like her. "I imagine today would not be a good time, but perhaps another? What are you doing tomorrow, after school? Maybe, if your host doesn't mind, we can spar there?" She asked, hoping to gain entry to the residence of Nabiki Tendo. It would be most useful, after all.
Qiang Pu looked at the star-struck Yaayaa and nodded. "Tomorrow should be good. I will let you know at school, then? Yaayaa, do you want to come over tonight? I know that Elder Nabiki was going to actually cook tonight, if you are interested?"
Yaayaa smiled and nodded as she sidled up alongside Qiang Pu. "I would love that, as long as Nabiki doesn't mind?"
Qiang Pu smiled as the pair started to walk towards her home. "Nabiki said that you can come over whenever you want. You have made a good impression on her."
Yaayaa's little happy step goes unnoticed by Qiang Pu, but Xaph Ti Pyn smiled even more.
Tomorrow was going to be a most interesting and educational day, it seemed. She would have to inform Mother.
All was going well, it seemed.