Crouching Guardian, Hidden Yokai (Dusty, Pretzels)

[Blueblood]

 

Feng paused a bit in his own disguise application to watch Yanhua at work.  She made it seem so effortless, even though this was nothing like he'd ever seen her before.  Visually, the thing looked perfect, but... He viewed the wings with a small frown.  "That could be a bit problematic; you've got the slight rustle that I do every once in a while down pat, but its gonna look weird if you don't ever take off the whole time you're in Long Kong.  Most longma take at least one flight a day if their wings work... maybe you could make them look as if they didn't?  Would go a long way to explaining how you turned to a life of crime."  Though he may lack magical illusion powers, he knew the ins and outs of keeping false identities believable.

 

Speaking of little illusion talent... "Hm, yeah, I guess talents differ across yokai, huh?  Well, I can do your makeup... hope you don't mind if I take a pair of scissors to your mane, make the military cut a little more uneven.  Look as if you haven't seen a regulation barber in a year or so.  Hold still."  A little snipping of the mane, a little scuffing of the scales- "Slouch a little more, bend a bit, don't worry so much about hiding your inner snake.  Actually, since you've kept that part a secret from the guard, letting folks think you're a disguised hebei will make it less likely that they'll pin you for being an undercover agent!  Brilliant!"

 

He stood back with a grin, one that faltered a bit when the issue of conflict with his sister was brought up.  It occurred to him then that, despite him having once taken an oath to put the Empress before all other connections, he'd never been put in a position where his word and bond had been so tested before.  But... many things Feng was, an oathbreaker he was not.  "Understood."  He nodded, trying to still be optimistic.  "I doubt she'll make any moves like that, she was always too lazy to make trouble for herself."

 

 

With all that taken care of, Feng took a step back to review the guises of both his companions, then stretched out, snapping his tail like a whip.  When he emerged from his pose, the last bit of his disguise fell into place.  It was all about the attitude; the military posture and honed keenness fell away, leaving something rather rougher and a little more erratic.  Yanhua might still be able to see Feng through Bao even now, but that would be because she knew the old village troublemaker he used to be.  Now, she was getting a glimpse of an alternative life for him, what likely would have become of that rambunctious outcast had that Imperial Watcher not expressed confidence in him.  "Now..."  He pulled down his shades with a bit of a leer, his voice changed to mimic a faux-sophisticate typical of the upwardly-mobile bandit, "How about you lovely ladies come with me on a little trip to the big city?"

[Pretzelparty]

 

 

 

"I've taken this form a couple times in the past so I can fly in it ... well, not so much fly as I can glide." She stretched the wings out a few times and flapped them, "perhaps I could wither the muscle down somewhat to make them look weak, or smaller?" A fox of Yanhua's age was beyond mere illusion when it came to their disguises, hers was tried and true shapeshifting. The occasional caveats were inescapable quirks that originated in her true shape that could be shared by creatures of the shape she borrowed, For example: Her allergy to goldenrod flowers.  If exposed to some on this job she would react the same as she would if she were in her normal shape. Thankfully that flora native to the west was unlikely to show up on this job. 

Feng got to work helping Rongyu put together her disguise... or rather a clever loosening of existing deceptive spellcraft. Yanhua would stroll over to get a look at Rongyu from a couple angle, "If needed I could lend some aid. I might need to stay close but I could put a sustained glamour to alter one or two features... but I doubt it will be necessary."

"As for Feng's Sister... I doubt she'll be a problem... and if she is I'm sure I can keep her out of the way for a while until she can get whatever justice the court will decide." Not that Yanhua trusted Long guo's judicial system in the least,but she had promised to play nice with the empress for both her own and Feng's good. Whatever may come the fox would do her best to keep things running smoothly.

 

 

 

[Dusty]

Rongyu felt. Uncomfortable. And the fact she did was striking in a way. Has she grown so attached to this lifestyle that losing it up made her feel weird? It was alienating to drop her persona and try to act out a different one, let alone let… Her real self peek out. Was it her real self? And was this soldier just a persona? It was a strange feeling to suddenly notice this change in… Herself? Whatever it was, some part of her was worried her old drill sergeant was going too leap out of a bush and make her run until sun down for having her mane out of regulation. “This is…” She looked over at Feng, doing her best to follow his advice and ‘slack up’ was it here… Give out a little more of what she really was. “This is… How do I even say this. Hard. Wrong even.”

 

She huffed and looked down at her huge sword, eyeing its long length. “And this… Maybe it's too obvious. If they have a soldier from the wall, or from my time in command of the troops outside the city they will know this sword. We will need too stash it in a safe house so I can retrieve it swiftly if needed.” With that she looked at them both, then rolled her big shoulders and grunted as Feng spoke. “Do not call me that again or you will come back to the empress as an eunuch.” With that she shakes her head and looks west. “Well, we best get walking. Or head back into the city and get a ride on a sky-junk. Much rather we fly than spend a month trotting but that’s your call… ‘Big Boss’.” She spoke the last part with so much venom one may wonder if she is in fact venomous. A fact that seemed too have some truth given her fang-like canines. The tone shift was one part acting and the other part… Just disgusted at how Feng sounded and looked. He pulled the act well, from look down to speaking. It just so happened the act made him everything she hated in males. It just screamed slimy and wanting too sleep with every mare they saw. So a perfect disguise and all the more easy to slip in to her own.

 

And Yanhua she… Well, the new look was somewhat off putting. But the fox still had that sweetness around her that made Rongyu feel… Nice. “And thanks to the offer Yanhua, we can do that if needed. But we still have time to fit in to this act better.” She grinned a fanged smile and winked at the sweet mare. “Maybe get some one on one training along the way?”

[Blueblood]

 

"Bao" nodded at Yanhua's adjustments, before returning to the last finishing touches on Rongyu's disguise.  "Eyy, don't forget who we're going as!  If it feels wrong, that means it'll look right!"  The wink he gave after that sentence was pushing his luck with not getting clocked by his subordinate, and he knew it, but the adrenaline fizzing through his veins was too much for him to keep down!

"We'll keep the pig sticker in a little bunker I know of down the road, which is on our way to the old rail line.  No first class cars, but it will take us straight to Shenyang port, and we can catch a Sky Junk direct for the south."

 

Feng beamed to see his officer so ready to train his friend.  Such attention to duty!  She'd have to be commended for that.  "Alright, let's not burn any more daylight here, the bright light's are calling, and they're already pulling up the gold paving.  Don't want to miss the rush!"

 

~***~

 

Felicitously, most of the trip down to Long Kong was uneventful, for the most part.  Feng's commitment to stay in character had gotten himself slapped once or twice, to no lasting injury and, what was more important, no suspicion that he was anything other than what he presented as.

They all had to book one cabin on the sky-junk down, but Feng had given Yanhua the bed.  "Civilians won't be made to sleep on the floor, no like we haven't roughed it before, eh Rongyu?"

 

Most of the time, he had a map of Long Kong out, marking likely spots of interest and memorizing places and routes.  "Not that this covers all the side streets and alleys, but at least we won't look like gawping tourists.  Sis works on the docks, but we'll have to likely pay a call at her apartment, since she works the outward-facing port, not the one that's riverside facing Long Guo."

[Pretzelparty]

The now longmafied fox blushed faintly at Rongyu's suggestion, "One on one Training... I've not been a student in ages. This should be quite the experience." Her last time getting training was back in neighpon. Her family back home always made sure to train their kits thoroughly in the use of their magic and shapeshifting and always stressed the importance of conditioning and practice. It was only recently she had been slacking in such fundamentals: Running the palace kitchen was a busy affair, and that wasn't getting into her need to check every dish in case of tampering.

Training would probably help her keep her mind off the growing disappointment in her dear friend and crush as he threw himself into his work. Thankfully, it did on the ride on the sky-junk. She'd ridden one of these contraptions not too long ago on their journey to Equestria to attend those games. Even now she felt very nervous on the trip so high in the sky. Rongyu's stoicism in the face of such high altitudes was impressive, Hanabi was visibly nervous on the way and kept her distance from windows or the edge. Magic or no, Foxes weren't meant to fly and seeing the ground so far down was unnerving for the chef: even with her freshly shaped wings. 

 

"Is there anything I should be wary of once we get there?"

 

[Dusty]

Rongyu made it very well known how much she disliked leaving her blade behind this early on. She wanted it stashed in some apartment in the city, not a train ride, then an airship ride away! Yet there was nothing much she could do other than fuss when the orders were given. And fuss she did. ‘Bao’ Got to enjoy a full day's worth of it from her along with a conseringing amount of hints that his stallion blade was going to go missing if her sword got stolen. Thankfully by day two she cooled down and just enjoyed the airship, spending much of the time watching the land pass beneath them. She still snuck in smacks and even one bite on ‘Bao’ when the stallion pushed his act a little too far. 

 

The first night on the airship was less than she hoped for, she was hoping too snag a room alone with the cute fox. But it was what it was and she put some old skills picked up on the Wall to use. To much amusement from her friends she showed off the skill of sleeping well standing up. She never used this on duty on the wall, never ever. Nore do other wall troops! But the first night she slept standing up, gently rocking with the airship’s movements as Yanhua got to enjoy the basec bed. If one can call even that. It was unclear if the bed was even better than the floor in the long run. But at least it has a pillow. 

 

Day two of air travel was full of going over maps, how they will act and behave with each other. Basic stuff mostly. “Hope this sister plays nice.” Ro says with a huff, then leans back on the wall of the small room. The brown side of three ponies in one sleeper was space. Even worse for Ro as she took up twice as much room! They may have well shoved four ponies in this room for how cramp it felt to her. But at least managed to talk Yanhua in to being a pillow for this meeting. She needed too rest her neck after sleeping standing up. Totally. Even as a longma Yanhua was nice and soft. Warm even. Sadly using Yanhua as a pillow did not seem to even draw notice from Feng, all he had to say was how sweet it was that his friends got along so well. Oh well. “First can we get some real food? I am sick of eating what we packed. Can't believe you got tickets that didn't even come with meals.” she fussed. 

 

It was not that big of a deal, they’d be landing early in the morning. But she wanted some real coffee and some real food when they did. “As for you-” She says looking down at the mare acting as a pillow. “Only thing you have to be wary about is other things thinking you look too nice. Or mugging you. If someone touches you I’m ripping the hoof off. So don’t worry.” She says with a confident grin, her sharp teeth and big fangs on full display. She then glanced at Feng, or well, ‘Bao’. “At least I think that is the worst. Between me and you we’d shred even a full gang of thugs if they pulled a blade."

[Blueblood]

 

To be fair to Feng, he wasn't so oblivious that he did not notice the budding intimacy between Rongyu and Yanhua, nor the former's active attempts at growing it.  He viewed it without a hint of a jealousy, though if he had to judge the reactions of his old friend things hadn't *quite* advanced beyond the point of friendship.  His officer using her as a pillow notwithstanding.  She'd only ever been willing to do that for him before, but again, no jealousy.  He honestly thought they looked rather cute together.

 

But such thoughts only lingered at the back of his mind.  At the front was the landing ahead, and what would follow.  "Actually, we won't have to watch out for too much at first.  The high presence of organized crime in the city means that there's not much of the disorganized sort, and the rackets that the Triad operates on a day-to-day business tend not to make randomly mugging folks good for their main business.  It's when we get all up in that business that feathers are gonna start flying, but hopefully we can make our strike sufficiently surgical, and get out before things get too crazy."

 

At the sound of the ship's horn, he rolled up the map and slipped it back into his pack.  "Dockside food is exhorbitant, which is one of the Triad's rackets, so I gladhooved the crew during the trip.  Off to the side of the corridor, there'll be some steamed buns and coffee for us, which should tide you over until we meet Yin, who can get us insider pricings in the restaurants.  Alright, in character everyone, Let's be off!"

 

Cricking his neck once, Feng slunk back into his 'Bao' guise and led the way down the corridor, following somewhat behind the big rush of passengers to the docks, so as to allow them time enough to snag the quick breakfast laid out for them.  The buns were... not as good as Yanhua's, but they were hot and fresh and filled with custard.

[Pretzelparty]

 

 

Rongyu's honeyed words managed to coax out a subdued blush from the disguised fox. It was nice to actually curl up with someone again and given her new friend's cold blooded nature she was probably enjoying the shared warmth. Her declaration of protection was just as endearing, though Yanhua knew that she was in little need of protection unless things went truly awry. Still, the gesture earned Rongyu a sidelong hug that brought her closer to the chef's fluffy warmth. "Oh undoubtedly." She smiled and looked between the two warriors, "I'm truly fortunate to have such mighty bodyguards."

 

After some more time on the vessel, the horn had sounded off: It was time to head out. 

Disembarking was an easy enough task. Staying in character as well was, on the flight she figured to truly try  and avoid sticking out. She stuck close to Rongyu as if she were her personal guardian and changed her demeanor to appear more meek and nervous. On the flight here she remembered a pastel yellow pegasus with a subdued presence back in ponyville who seemed like the perfect choice for a wallflower based guise. "Bao's" force of personality was probably enough to draw enough attention for the group while and so it did to breakfast. 

The dumplings they'd offered the group were... satisfactory. It took all her willpower not to jump into the kitchen and show the chef how it was done, but the mission took precedence. Hanabi swallowed it down though to her pallet it merely registered as 'edible'. 

[Dusty]

Rongyu was not thrilled about the food, she’d rather get some pork and noodles. But after you spent years living on army food just about everything was better than that. Don’t even start her on the grub she had way out on the north-wall. Boiled rice with maybe, if you are lusky, lard. No spices, no nothing. Just water, rice and sometimes lard. That post sucked, most of all her. She had to do everything she could to stay close to the fire pits. But that was all in the past, now she got to enjoy some ship-crew mates lunch as she followed Feng, er well, Bao down the ramp and out into the city's docks. It was busy, loud and full of life. Far more than the dockyards at the capital, they had way more guidelines than out here. 

 

She instinctively moved to nuge Hanabi along, keeping the smaller mare close and between her and Bao. Something about the mare acting shy and mellow made Rongyu feel a deep need to safeguard the foxy cook in hiding. What did wonders to help the three all blend together in their disguises. Rongyu did have to focus on herself in some ways. It was hard to drop the lock-step march drilled into her. So she did her best to mix it up with more movement in her body. Soon she found a movement that worked that had her body moving almost serpent like side to side as she trots. It did make her remember how… small this body felt, but she soon forgot about that. Live long as she did in a pony body and you sometimes forget you're not one. 

 

“So bossss, wear the siss?” She asked, looking about the city. She felt stuped for pulling the S, but it was something she did early on when she first did try to blend in with ponies. You learn to drop too drop it fast. No way she’s keeping that stick, just no. She rolled her eyes. “Nuff of that. Still, this place looks like a rat nest.” She looked past the docks walls and the buildings all around the place. Stacked on top of eachother in ways that just did not seem safe.

[Blueblood]

 

"Bao" noticed both his companion's disappointment in the modest ship's fare, and reassured them both in-character.  "Don'tcha worry, Yin's gonna fix us up with some of the best grub the locals have to offer!"  Take-out, probably; if the lazybones ever cooked a single dinner for herself that wasn't some kind of instant packaged noodles, Feng would be shocked beyond belief.  "She's up there."  He pointed out one of the buildings coming out of the ratwork nest of dockside apartments.  If Rongyu could fly, it would be an easy trip.  As it was, they had to part the departing crowd to get to a maze of street names, surrounding by chatter in the southern dialect.  Thank the long that the writing was the same as in the north.

 

Feng did not rebuke Rongyu's serpentine speech; it honestly fit in well with her character.  Hanabi's acting was, naturally, quite good.  The kitsune could pull off most any role, in all likelihood.  For now, the trio projected an attitude that promised a double return for any trouble given, especially to the diffident pegasus under the protection of the larger mare, so they were unmolested through the twists and turns that Feng led them through.  "Jai Li street... Chun Court... ah, that's the building number... outside stairs, of course..."  Looking up, he saw that the fire escape had been jammed into a kind of slide that would let the third floor resident just hop out the window and be down on the ground in seconds, saving much effort.  And... yup, there was a simple pulley elevator, too, for getting up.  This was his sister's apartment, alright.

"We'll take the stairs; I don't trust that contraption with all our weight."  Rongyu probably wouldn't trust it with any of her bulk, but Feng was not so dense as to not understand the foolishness of alluding to a lady's mass.  Tromping up the stairs, they arrived at the outer door of the apartment, bare of any decorations save the number.  "I hope that slugabed is actually awake by now..."  He muttered in his normal voice, beginning to knock on the door.  No answer.  A louder knock.  Some muffled noises from inside, a thump of a sleeping body hitting the floor, the cursing of sudden wakefulness.  "Nope...."  He sighed, waiting for Yin to answer the door.

 

 

There were footsteps, the lifting of the latch, and the door opened to reveal a tattooed qilin of a rather vivid coloration, a pink and yellow scales with a deep blue main and tail tuft.  Her expression was a contrast to her vivid coloration and decor, though; a mild and lazy smile, befitting a sense of humor that rarely departed from her.

 

"Eeeeyyyyy...."  She'd greet, initially showing no sign of recognition.  "Is it only you three?  I swore it would take a long to drag-on me out of bed this early on a Saturday morning."

Hearing the familiar voice slip into the punnish speech he knew so well from foalhood warmed Feng's heart a little bit, and he pulled down the shades from his eyes to look Yin back in hers.  "Only a long from the same ma, who'd regret your work ethic more than your work."  He replied, with undisguised voice and a wink.
Yin's eyes grew wide in recognition, the humor rather departing from her face.  "Feng!  What are you- Didn't I tell you-"  She looked, in a much sharper way, at his two companions.  "Who the heck are these?"  She looked over the two mares, then back at her brother.  "Did you actually come to arrest me..."  She pulled a hurt expression... for about two seconds, before cutting in with, "Or are you just pulling a harem-scarum wedding announcement to your two marefriends here?"  She then laughed like a loon through Feng's choked and sputtering embarrassment.  Seems that family could disturb his cool more than anyone else they'd met...

[Pretzelparty]

"... If only." Spoke the chef in a brief break of character, "But this is um... actually a business based visit. May we come in?"

Hanabi didn't need to be told that they were related. Her demeanor alone was very reminiscent of the mischievous young feng before he was possessed by some deep drive of duty. Besides that they had a very similar scent that was easy for the yokai's magic sense of smell to pick up. The contrast between the two ponies' personalities was incredible though. Would Feng have ended up like her if he'd not discovered his drive to join the watch? That thought would linger in the back of her mind while she looked over the apartment with an apprehensive eye. 

Behind the tattooed qilin, she noticed piles of magazines, clothes, and disorganized shelves of books. The kitchen probably wasn't in much better shape but if she got inside, The chef could probably put together something better than what they'd had upon arrival to tide them over. "Ahem." She cleared her throat and put a hoof forward, "Mind if we come in? It has been a long voyage and I believe we all are suffering from Airship-lag."

 

[Dusty]

Rongyu looked around the… Slums with a snort. What else can she call this mess? His sister lived here? At least no one messed with them, even the type she’d mark out as a ‘thug’ took one look at her and cleared out. At least they were smart and knew better than to start something with her. Sometimes it was nice being as big as she was. But the down side came at the stairs. No way she’d trust the lift with her flank… And even the stairs made some rather upsetting sounds as she trotted up them. “This place sucks.” She huffed. She didn't fear falling. She’d be fine. Her friends… Well. She was just happy they got to the top without a fast trip down. A short knock later they were just standing at a door for an awkwardly long moment. “... What a interesting-” Her comment was cut off as the door opened with such a lazy movement she had wondered if the wind did it. 

 

But nope, it was a mare. A mare that made her eyebrow go up some. She was honestly kinda nice looking. But had all the energy of a sick Ox. At least the joke got a snort out of her. “Harem? Him?” She says looking over at ‘Bao’ with an even more arched eyebrow and smile full of sharp teeth. “Now that is a joke. The only harem he’d have is being in one. Look cute in a nice dress.” She winked at ‘Bao’ then looked back, and down, at the mare that was his sister. “Names…” She didn't think of some cover name. “Shiratsuyu.” She can’t say that was the best cover name, but it's one no one here will know. As that was her real name. “And I’m coming in. You three stay put.” 

 

With that she trots inside, simply walking through Yin to make her way in. For the mare it felt as if a cloud of water mist flowed over her. Rongyu looked around the room and sniffed a few times before snorting. “Bleh, clear.” She then pushed on deeper without regard to privacy for the other mare. Everything was inspected, moved about and all the doors, closets and boxes inspected. Even the bedroom was not safe as Rongyu poked her head through the closed door, leaveing a glittering spot of moisture. Then pulled it out and looked over her back at Yin with a look that yelled ‘you really live like this?’ without words. “Clear, nothing noteworthy. Come on in fillys and colts.”

[Blueblood]

Feng, unsurprisingly, missed the muted regret in his old foxy friend's voice, still feeling the tease from his sister.  A situation not helped by the follow up from Rongyu.  "Ai!  Uncalled for!  I do not look at all convincing or attractive in a dress!" His protests immediately undercut by his sibling.

 

"Speaking from experience, eh big bro?  They have to pull you from a covert job because you weren't maid to order?"  Feng was not quite able to suppress the grumpy look that confirmed that, yes, the experiment had been tried, and his boss had not been impressed with his efforts.  Yin cackled, her mood already picked up, even if her energy wasn't.  "Well, sure thing."  She nodded at Hanabi.  "You can come inside as long as you ain't come to take me away- ai!"

 

Making a noise of similarly offended surprise as 'Shiratsuyu' passed through her in the mist, Yin looked back over her shoulder with a shocked expression that quickly shifted into a shrewdly assessing one.  Hanabi would see the same expression mirrored in Feng, confirming if it needed to be comfirmed the family resemblance.  "So..."  She said, forcing her tone back down to feigned disinterest.  "Your superior officer?"

"My immediate subordinate, actually."

"*Snort* If she's a sub, I'm a sandwich.  Speaking of, you want me to shout down for some take out?"

"Buckets of Wingapore noodles sound great right about now."  Feng, with effort, re-established control of himself, filing away the revealed abilities of Rongyu as she returned to signal the all-clear.  "Right, come on."  With a wing, he gestured Hanabi to follow, as the four gathered around a tea table, Yin briefly excusing herself to yell down at a ground floor restaurant to start their kitchens up.

 

"Long Kong's finest'll be here in a few."  She said upon return, swishing a tufted tail as she looked over the party.  "Well, if you ain't here to arrest me, I gotta say I don't buy that you're here for a social visit.  Mind telling me what's up?  I won't ask for all yall's real name, I just want to know what crazy scheme my big bro dragged you all in."

Feng took a big breath.  "It's a long story..."  He tried to tell it as briefly as possible, reporting that he was on a mission from the Empress to perform a sting operation on the Triad.  Yin herself listened, deliberately impassive except for her tail, which was lashing with undisguised vigor as her eye went from Hanabi to Rongyu in turn, watching for confirmation.
"Okay... that explains why my brother is here, but not how in the name of the wish-granting stones he got you both to come along.  He might have decided to be a concubine to the powers that be,"  She winked at Rongyu as she continued their joke, "But what about you two?"

[Pretzelparty]

At the description of Feng as a 'Concubine' Hanabi's tail bristled. It still stung to hear. All the time she had spent and he still he chose the empress. The vulpine chef choked down her feelings and stifled a frustrated growl. After a millisecond to gather herself she would speak up to answer Yin's question, "I am his former imaginary friend: The fox from the forest that played with him. Now I work as the palace chef to keep and eye on your brother and perhaps serve some kind of penance for kidnapping Yu Yue's Ancestor to attend a past emperor's banquet." 
 

In a flash of green flame her real shape was revealed before she began to stroll around the apartment. It felt a little cramped now with all the space her tails took up. With her demonstration over, she clapped her paws and returned to the Ryuma guise she'd arrived in. 

"Your brother desires my skills to make his mission easier... And sadly that is all." 

[Dusty]

Rongyu was dumbstruck by how… Open they were being. Yes, this mare is Feng's sister. But she was still an unknown element and a possible hostile. She needs to be treated as such. And so she glared at Feng for all of his story, looking like she was about to eat his ears off. But in the end she just let out a huff and snorted as the joke came back, she found it very hard to keep her resting grumpy face with anetics like this going on… And then the fox gave up on playing  a part and switched back into being a fox for a moment to show off… Still, a very nice looking fox but really Yanhua? What if somehow they were being spied on? Not sneakily at all… But Rongyu can’t be mad at her. In fact she felt… Sad. That last remark was… Why did it make her feel like this? Why can’t Feng see how much this fox loved him? She’d be over the moon to have someone care that much about herself! And the blind fool just… Pranced on about, clueless. 

 

So she leaned her head down, pushing her big muzzle close to the guiseed foxes ears and spoke softly so only she’d hear this. “I’d pick you a dozen times for the company alone, but the cooking is a nice treat as well. Hopefully you can cook me something on this trip. Take it over some fast food.” With that she raised her head up and looked down at brother and sister. “I am here as it's my duty to be here. That is all.” No opening up, no telling un-needed details. “Regrettable as it is, I work for him. I know, I know. How did that happen? Well that’s a secret. But someone has to keep him safe. He’d end up some bulls concubine otherwise by now as you may imagine. It's the golden hooves I think.” She smiled smugly, grinning ear to ear with her sharp teeth at Feng knowing full well she was now the one playing in hot water. She was going to regret this later. But for now… Worth it. 

[Blueblood]

Hanabi's revelation was enough to provoke a genuine reaction out of Yin, a full startle and whinny, eyes wide with surprise and fascination.  "WHAAAAAA?  You gotta be foxing kidding me, bro!  You had this beauty following you all along and didn't introduce me?"

"After you fell asleep the second time I tried to bring you out to the forest, I figured you were just bored."

 

Yin raised a hoof as if to make a rejoinder, but lowered it with a shrug.  "Uh, yeah, fair, I was.  In my defense, you're exhausting to be around, you know?  Did you let these poor girls sleep on the way over?"  She gave a cheeky grin.  "Or did they not let you?"

 

Feng, for his part, was becoming inured to the teasing, returning to his old pattern of banter with his sister.  "Yup, Rongyu snores like the village lumberjack.  Sadly, there were no frogs to slip in her bed as a reprimand this time."  It seemed to be a time of shedding disguises, and the 'dutiful captain' poise that Feng wrapped himself in like a suit of platemail was discarded on the floor, revealing a longma that could just as well have been an ambitious Triad enforcer as a law-enforcing guard.

 

"Well, besides that, you do know how to pick 'em.  Magic, cooking, and muscles; that'll get you pretty far in life.  And if you're aiming for a high-level snatch, I suppose bringing the former kidnapper of an Emperor's consort's about as good as you can get."  Yin nodded, almost respectfully, in Hanabi's direction.  Given her profession, she was not one to hold any such act against her.

 

With his new, or rather reassumption of an old attitude, Rongyu's concubine remark didn't fluster Feng as much as it previously had.  "Eh, still sounds better than cleaning the latrine with a toothbrush, which you'll be doing if I hear another smart remark from you.  Hup, food's here!"  The bell by the bucket was ringing, signaling Yin and Feng to work the pully to haul up multiple buckets of steaming wide rice noodles, veggies, and seafood, cooked according to no recipe in particular by a little hole-in-the-wall place next to the apartment block.  Which meant, of course, that it was one of the most delicious things that any of them would have tasted in their entire life.  Never mind how much MSG had to be used to create that unique tang.  

 

"I ordered 5, that should be enough right?"  Yin directed her remark towards 'Shirayatsu', as if her disguise wasn't present at all and she guessed her true nature.