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 11: Everyone has a breaking point.
The trio of girls, Xaph Ti Pyn, Qiang Pu and Yaayaa made their way towards the Tendo Dojo as they talked animatedly among themselves. Yaayaa was feeling a bit left out, since the other two would break into rapid fire Chinese at times to explain some things that Qiang Pu seemed to be having a hard time grasping in Japanese. Yaayaa could understand the desire to understand things better, and to reconnect in some small way with your home that you are so far away from, but she really wished she could better be part of the laughter and comments that were flying back and forth. She could even have sworn that Xaph Ti Pyn had glanced at her out of the corner of her eye more than once.
Yaayaa steeled herself and kept smiling. It was important for Qiang Pu to be happy, and if that meant a little discomfort, then that was fine. After all, so much of what she did was for her friend! For completely friendly reasons, of course. Yaayaa had to shake her head to get the image of Qiang Pu changing out of her mind once more, but she thought it was understandable. Besides the scars, Qiang Pu was an exceptionally pretty girl. Her proportions were perfect, for her age and her body was amazingly fit. It made her a bit more self conscious of her own more… rounded… figure but as long as Qiang Pu didn't seem to mind, why should she?
Yaayaa smiled, content once more as she picked up the pace to walk alongside Qiang Pu once more. It was where she belonged, after all. At her friend's side, and nothing and no one would convince her otherwise. She worked her way back into the conversation, making a salient point about a martial artist she had heard mentioned. She might not speak chinese, but she did know the names of many prominent practitioners of the Art, regardless of their nationality. She was far from some nationilist snob when it came to martial arts, after all! If anything, her deep admiration of Qiang Pu proved that!
Qiang Pu smiled over at her shorter friend as she went back to using Japanese. "Is sorry, Yaayaa. Is been bad bad friend. I mean, I have been a bad friend. I got so excited that I forgot that you don't speak Chinese. Please forgive this most forgetful and insensitive friend?" Qiang Pu said as she bowed, peeking at her shorter friend through the fall of her hair.
It had the desired effect as the suddenly blushing girl smiled at Qiang Pu. "Of course, never think that I would hold something so simple as that against you. Say, I know! Since I have been helping you with your Japanese, you can teach me the dialect of Chinese that you two share! That would be a fair exchange between friends, right?" Yaayaa asked as she smiled happily at Qiang Pu, unaware of the brief frown that flashed across Xaph Ti Pyn's face.
Qiang Pu nodded happily as she linked arms with her friend, as she had seen many of their classmates do at times, completely unaware of the flustered mess she made of her friend in doing so. "That sounds good! I still have problems when I get too, too excited and forget to speak good Japanese!"
The trio laughed at that, as they neared the gates to the Tendo dojo, and saw the pair of women waiting for them outside of the gates. The trio's first impression of Akane Tendo and Ukyo Kuonji was quite different. Akane was dressed in a white gi, with her long fall of blue-black hair carefully braided and coiled behind her head. She had a friendly, yet serious air to her as she bowed to the trio of younger girls. Her companion was a study in opposites. Her brown hair was up in a ponytail, and cascaded down her back. She was dressed in a much more relaxed style, even if it was somewhat masculine in nature. Her well fitted pants and button up shirt were at odds to her wife's more martial appearance. Resting on Ukyo's hip was a giggling, laughing toddler with dark skin and intense eyes who watched the trio of girls intensely.
Akane and Ukyo bowed to the girls, as the gesture was by the three girls. "Welcome to the Tendo dojo. I am Akane Tendo, and this is my wife Ukyo Kuonji." Akane said formally, then broke into a silly, happy grin that ruined the serious demeanor that she had been trying to keep. "And this little bundle of joy and happiness is our daughter, Kaya! Isn't she adorable? Who's going to be the greatest martial artist in Japan? You are! You are!" Akane said as he gazed adoringly down at her adoptive daughter. Ukyo had to clear her throat, twice, before Akane coughed and returned to a more formal, serious demeanor once more. "Forgive me, I get a bit carried away when it comes to my daughter." Akane said with a mild blush on her face.
Ukyo laughed and bumped her hip against her wife's. "Like my dear, babbling idiot of a wife said, I am Ukyo Kuonji, and you are all welcome to our house. I will be bringing out some food for all of you in just a bit, once I get someone to settle down for her nap." Ukyo smiled as the girls were let into the compound itself, then waved Kaya's little hand as she took the little girl into the house proper.
Akane coughed and cleared her throat once more. "We have gi's, if any of you need one. I should have one that will fit each of you three." Yaayaa had just nodded along, then blinked and pointed at herself in awe as Akane laughed. "Yes, one for you as well. You must be the friend of my niece I have heard so much about. Welcome to the Tendo dojo, Yaayaa. And thank you, for taking such good care of my niece." Akane said as she bowed to the once again flushed younger girl who rapidly and repeatedly bowed in response.
"N..No need to thank me, Tendo-Sensei! I just can't believe I am getting to meet you in person! What you did with that fight sequence in "You Only Die Thrice" with Wuu and Sugimoto was amazing! It was so realistic!" Yaayaa gushed as Qiang Pu laughed.
"Is this another movie we are going to have to watch, Yaayaa?" Qiang Pu asked with genuine interest. When Yaayaa nodded very enthusiastically Qiang Pu laughed and bowed. "I will always defer to your most excellent knowledge of movies, Yaayaa." Qiang Pu smiled at her blushing friend before she turned and bowed deeply to Akane. "Thank you for having us, Elder Tendo. We are all most honored that you will allow us the use of your dojo."
Akane laughed and bowed in return. "I see that your lessons with Koda are going well." Akane said before she led the girls into the dojo and motioned them towards the changing room. "I have the gi's in there. My darling wife will be bringing food out for us shortly, some snacks and drinks then you of course will stay for supper later, right?" Akane said as she eyed the three.
All three girls nodded in agreement, Xaph Ti Pyn a moment behind the other two. "We would be most honored, Elder Tendo." Qiang Pu said.
"Please, don't call me Elder Tendo. Akane, or Mrs. Tendo works for me. I know it's a sign of respect from your village, Qiang Pu, but my father is always going to be Elder Tendo to me." Akane said with a smile as she shooed the younger girls off so she could finish her preparations.
The trio started to change, the chatter of teenage girls filled the austere room as Yaayaa went silent as she held the gi with almost loving reverence. She was the last one dressed, as Qiang Pu helped her make sure that everything was settled properly. "It looks good on you, Yaayaa. Maybe you should think about taking up the Art, instead of just watching, yes?" Qiang Pu asked.
Yaayaa blushed and tugged at her gi a little. "You know I'm not that good with physical things. I'm not fast, or strong or anything." She said sadly as Qiang Pu shook her head.
"Judo, Aikido, many arts would be perfect for you. We will talk to Elder Konatsu, see if she has someone who can teach friend Yaayaa." Qiang Pu said in a firm tone of voice, as she found herself unhappy with how easily Yaayaa seemed to dismiss herself.
Xaph Ti Pyn watched them interact from the corner of her eye, a little smile on her lips. "My little plan should work even better than I expected, I think". She thought to herself as she moved to the exit of the room. "Shall we, ladies? I can't wait to see what you can do, Qiang Pu! Please, be gentle with me, okay?"
Qiang Pu nodded and smiled. "Yes, no village challenge rules apply, so we have fun!"
Yaayaa giggled and nodded as she walked alongside her friend, neither one currently paying attention to Xaph Ti Pyn as she trailed behind them. Neither of them noticed as she received a text message on her phone, and the dark little smile that flitted across her lips before she tucked it back away in the jacket she was holding in her arms.
It seemed that everything was going according to plan. Tonight would be a truly interesting night, for everyone involved. And Xaph Ti Pun hoped that Yaayaa appreciated the… effort.. That she and her little pawn had put into the after practice activities that had been planned for little miss third wheel. It should prove most… Satisfying.
The trio of girls soon found themselves standing in front of the dojo's shrine as Akane led them in bowing and paying respects to those that had come before them. After a brief but thorough stretching regime, the two girls squared off for their initial spar as Akane and Yaayaa watched, the latter with one of the rice balls that Ukyo had provided in her hand.
Akane motioned for them to start and stepped back, keeping a watchful eye on the two of them. The two girls stances shared similarities, both coming from Chinese martial arts that shared common roots. The intensity of Qiang Pu was offset by the much more composed and relaxed attitude of Xaph Ti Pyn. Akane narrowed her eyes as she watched them, and took mental notes. She had been asked to observe and evaluate Qiang Pu's new friend, after all. And Nabiki always had her reasons for everything.
Qiang Pu was the first one to make a move, as she closed the distance to attempt a snap high kick from her left leg.. Her kick was blocked with an efficient roll of the elbow and lifting of a closed fist on Xaph Ti Pyn's right side as she slid her right foot forward and delivered a fast palm strike with her left hand. Qiang Pu twisted out of the way as she swept her left leg back, rotating on the pivot point of her right foot and delivered a quick back elbow with her left arm.
Xaph Ti Pyn ducked the elbow at the last second and retreated backwards as she shook her head. Qiang Pu laughed as she resumed her stance, a broad smile on her face. The two girls regarded each other for a moment before Xaph Ti Pyn closed the distance, as she tried to get into the close range that her Art was better known for. Close, short strikes with the elbows, knees and palms were met with the fluid, powerful and graceful defenses of the young Joketsuzoku warrior.
Once again, the pair parted. They continued this fast and fluid dance until Akane called the point from a particularly fast and fluid series of movements that Qiang Pu delivered. After that, the next point and the third and final point followed in short order as Qiang Pu learned the ins and outs of how Xaph Ti Pyn fought.
The two girls walked over and sat on the mats that were waiting for them as a blushing and excited Yaayaa served each of them with an energy that left her practically vibrating. "That… Was amazing! I have never seen anything like that!" Yaayaa gushed.
Qiang Pu laughed. "Maybe next time we go all out, be serious about fight?" She asked Xaph Ti Pyn.
Xaph Ti Pyn blinked and shook her head. "I don't know what you are talking about, Qiang Pu. Seriously, it was all I could do to keep up with you and you say you were not being serious out there?"
Akane nodded and laughed as she drank her tea, and smiled over their heads as her wife approached. "I would say that Qiang Pu was holding back a bit. She was fighting right around or just above your level, Xaph Ti Pyn. Not a bad performance, from either of you. Next time, you all three come over on one of your days off and we will make a day of it! We can even start training Yaayaa. I know a few styles that should work rather well for you, actually my dear." She said, as she addressed the last bit to the rather flushed, excited teenager.
"You.. You mean that?" Yaayaa said, dumbstruck.
"A Tendo never lies when it comes to martial arts, dear." Akane said as she stood and joined her wife. "Now, let's go eat before we earn the wrath of the mistress of the house, shall we?" Akane said as she looped her arm through her wifes.
Dinner was an animated affair for all involved, with the trio of girls being drawn into conversation equally by the older women. It was some time later that the three parted ways, Yaayaa and Qiang Pu going one way while Xaph Ti Pyn went the other.
"This was the best night of my life…. Well, besides when I got to sleep over at your place, Qiang Pu." Yaayaa said as she yawned and stretched.
"I am glad, Yaayaa. I hope we can have many other nights like this. Are you sure that you don't want me to walk you the rest of the way home tonight? It is late…." Qiang Pu asked for the third time.
"It's not that far, and I don't want you to go even more out of your way. I will see you tomorrow! Thank you so much, Qiang Pu. I will never forget today!" Yaayaa said as she impulsively hugged her friend and then walked off, stopping to wave energetically at Qiang Pu before she vanished around a corner.
Qiang Pu smiled and started on her own trip home. She decided to just walk, and enjoy the night air. When she heard the ambulance go flying past her, she didn't think anything of it, even as the hair on the back of her neck prickled.
She arrived home to see Nabiki sitting in her chair with a napping Chiko sprawled across her lap. The two exchanged a happy, knowing little smile before Nabiki mouthed. "Did you have fun?" to her young ward, at which point Qiang Pu nodded and smiled happily before she made her way quietly into the dining room to check over her homework for tomorrow. She didn't think about the phone as it rang, her mind of the happy events of the night.
"Hello, Mrs. Fujimoto. Is Qiang Pu here? Yes, she is. Is she safe? That is… Oh… Oh no… No, no. I… I am so sorry. Yes. Yes, we will be right there. Is there anything I can do, anyone I can call… I.. I see. Yes, we will be right there." Nabiki said, then as soon as she hung up the phone and slipped it back into her pocket she was hurriedly getting Chiko ready to go out into the brisk air outside.
Qiang Pu looked up, a quizzical look on her face as she noticed the very pale and worried Nabiki as she hurried to get things ready, before Nabiki's red and tear filled eyes locked knot Qiang Pu's.
"Hurry. Get your jacket and shoes. Now. We… We have to go." Nabiki said as she hefted Chiko and grabbed her car keys. "We can talk on the way. I need to know everything that happened."
"Where are we going, Elder Nabiki?" Qiang Pu asked as she hurriedly got herself ready, unsure of why there was a heavy weight in the pit of her stomach.
"The hospital…" Nabiki said as she took a deep breath and headed for the door. "It's Yaayaa… She was taken to the hospital."
Qiang Pu paled and hurried to open the door, and followed closely behind Nabiki as Nabiki continued to talk, the remote start of her car filling the garage with the sound of the vehicle.
"She was attacked on her way home." Nabiki said as she buckled a sleepy Chiko into his car seat and watched a very pale Qiang Pu stare at her wide eyed.
"We need to hurry." Nabiki said as she slid in and the car roared out of the garage.