A Promise of Vengeance

[Flame Burst Kick Technique Observation: 4%... 8%...]

[Willow Steps Footwork Technique Observation: 3%... 6%...]

[Wing Flurry Hands Technique Observation: 2%...]

[Ruyi's Special Flying Kick Technique Observation: 10%...]

"Whoa!" Riku half-stumbled back as Ruyi went-all out and pulled off her Personal Secret Skill, practically trying to take his head off with her flying kick.

"Hold still!" Ruyi darted forward, fire erupting around her right fist.

[Alert! Danger Rating increased to Level 4! Fatal attacks incoming!]

[Burning Palm Technique Observation: 1%...]

"No way!" Riku leapt to one side. Ruyi spun and charged again; Riku started running.

Master Huang and his regular disciples took a short break as they watched Ruyi chase Riku around the drill yard, a girl with fire in her fist swinging and lunging at a guy covered in gray stone who kept trying to ward her off with the most clumsy and untrained flailing of hands they had ever seen.

"Somebody teach that kid to block." Master Huang grunted, shaking his head. Then, he reconsidered. "AFTER she's had her fun. Otherwise, she might change her target…"

"I said, STOP!" Ruyi ordered Riku.

"Forget it! I don't wanna die!"

Shui arrived at the drill yard. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Ruyi is giving Riku some pointers." Master Huang said smoothly.

Jin arrived at the drill yard. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Ruyi is chasing Riku around in circles." Shui informed him. "She's trying to murder him."

"And we're okay with that?" Jin asked, eyes wide.

"Better him than me." Shui cupped both hands to his mouth and yelled, "Run, Riku, RUN!!"

"Don't teach him wrong things!" Ruyi barked at him. "Or you're next!"

Shui decisively shut his mouth on the spot.

Riku meanwhile, had all but exhausted himself running around in full body Granite Skin mode. He tripped, stumbled, and landed on all fours.

Without another word, Ruyi proceeded to beat the daylights out of Riku. She was glorious! She had fire on her fists, her feet, and her heart and pummeled the poor guy off the stage and back, kicking when he was up, kicking when he was down, kicking when he was in the air and when he was rolling on the ground…

She stomped on the drill yard until bricks flew up at her stomp, and threw those at him. She punched them in mid-air so that they shot at him like arrows. She picked up a stick and lit it on fire from her hands, then whacked him over the head with the burning club…

As a finisher, she even grabbed Riku up entirely, leapt up some six feet into the air and threw the poor guy into the ground with all the force and weight of a teenager throwing a tantrum. Riku crashed there in a sorry state, stuck halfway into the drill yard floor, completely bullied by the triumphant Little Miss.

Shui clapped his hands enthusiastically. "Good show! Good show!"

"Humpfh!" Ruyi snorted at him, then stomped off the yard.

Peeling himself off the floor slowly, Riku found next to him an even sorrier practice dummy, the very one who had endured Herman's beatings just days ago.

Riku crawled over to it, threw his arms around its neck and cried, "My buddy! You understand what it's like, don't you?"

The limp head of the battered straw dummy flopped forward as if nodding in morbid agreement.

Ruyi returned then, but this time, she had a box in her hands. Sitting down next to Riku, she opened it and took out bandages, salves, and a couple of small potion vials.

Master Huang cleared his throat. "Careful not to get too attached to that one, Ruyi. I haven't acknowledged his strength yet! My son in law has to be a terrific fighter, or he won't be able to protect you."

"Yes, dad." Ruyi said obediently.

Who wants to be your son-in-law?! Riku could only cry into the dummy's shoulder.

Shui clapped his hands. "Okay, that's enough theatre. Ease off the Stone Skin Riku, are you even hurt at all?"

Hesitantly, Riku lowered his defenses, then examined himself. Ruyi looked him over. Shui looked him over. Master Huang looked him over.

All of them reluctantly agreed that on the outside, at least, Riku was pretty much unharmed.

"You do seem to have some internal damage and muscle bruising." Master Huang observed. "You should take a warm bath tonight. Shui, help him prepare the herbs. Let's have him recover by tomorrow."

"One medicinal healing bath, coming up." Shui straightened. "Goodness, Riku, not even Tu was this tough. How did you manage to hold up that level of Stone Skin for so long?"

"Sheer terror." Riku confessed.

"Well, you did a good job. To have mastered Stone Skin so quickly… I was not mistaken about your talents for earth-element." Master Huang said, congratulating himself as much as Riku. "I haven't seen progress like that since Baron Tarn! At this rate, it won't be long before the Five Elements Formation can be practiced."

"Good! Soon, we will have the power to find the Spider Brothers and take revenge for Tu!" Ruyi's eyes blazed, and her hand caught fire once more. The bandages in her hands burned to ashes.

Gingerly, Riku edged away from her and her burning hands, cautiously activating Stone Skin again, at least to the sandstone level. Just in case.

"Ruyi, you shouldn't obsess too much about Tu and vengeance." Master Huang said, shaking his head. "Perhaps you should let it go, allow your Senior Brothers and Sister to handle it."

"No way. Tu was my friend. I'm never going to let this go!" Ruyi vowed. "I promise you, and I promise Tu's grave! I will take revenge for him!"

"One thing at a time, Ruyi. Let's not pressure Riku too much too soon." Shui said. "He has his own affairs and concerns to worry about, after all."

"What affairs? Riku has an affair?" Jin asked, blankly.

Shui bopped him over the head. "I'm talking about the Xi Clan issues. Master Huang can only help him out so far. If he wants to take revenge for his clan, or even find the full Xi Clan legacy, he is going to have to make some serious effort himself."

"About that…" Master Huang turned to Riku. "We need to talk."