It was a serene afternoon when Riser, Chun-Li, and Tai Lung appeared in front of the grand mansion. The teleportation magic had worked seamlessly, and they now stood before the grand estate. The mansion was a gift from Riser's parents for his 10th birthday, and today he was returning to it, but with a new purpose.
Before leaving for his trip, Riser had ordered his subordinates to arrange for their transfer and tasked Miwa with informing his peers of the move. Now, as they arrived, Riser took in the sight of the massive structure with a sense of pride and nostalgia. He opened the door, and they stepped into the grand hallway.
Inside, Miwa sat on the couch, engrossed in her work. At the sound of the door opening, she glanced up and saw Riser. A bright smile instantly lit up her face.
"Riser-sama!" she exclaimed with excitement, leaping off the couch and sprinting toward him. Her voice echoed through the large hall as she threw herself into his arms.
Riser chuckled warmly, catching her in an embrace and spinning her around, lifting her off the ground. Miwa's laughter filled the room as she clung to him.
"I've missed you, Miwa," Riser said with a soft smile, setting her back on the ground but still holding her close. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, making her blush.
Just then, Yubellena and Isabella entered the hall. Yubellena had a book in her hand, while Isabella wiped the sweat off her brow from what seemed to have been intense training.
"Riser-sama!" they both called out upon seeing him, hurrying over.
Yubellena smiled, a little out of breath, and Isabella's face lit up as they reached him. They both hugged him tightly, and Riser returned their embrace, placing a light peck on their lips in greeting.
"I missed all of you," Riser said softly.
Miwa, Yubellena, and Isabella then turned their attention to Chun-Li, who stood beside Riser. They smiled and greeted her, though their gazes shifted suspiciously toward Tai Lung, who stood silently observing them.
Isabella narrowed her eyes, looking Tai Lung up and down. "And who's this?" she asked cautiously.
Before the tension could rise, Yubellena chided her, "Isabella, at least wash yourself before interrogating our guests."
Isabella huffed but didn't retort, still eyeing Tai Lung warily.
Riser stepped in between them, placing a hand on Isabella's shoulder. "It's alright. Allow me to introduce Tai Lung. He's my knight chess piece and a formidable martial artist. ."
Yubellena raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Where did you meet him, Master Riser?"
Tai Lung opened his mouth to respond, but Riser held up a hand. "Let's sit down first. It's a long story, and it would only get confusing if we start here."
Miwa, ever attentive, excused herself to go prepare tea for everyone. The group moved toward the spacious lounge area and took their seats.
As they settled, Riser turned to yubellena and isabella and asked, "So, how have you all been while I've been away?"
Yubellena's eyes sparkled with excitement as she spoke first. "Master, I've been diving into new projects. I've started learning sculpting, magical engineering, and artificing. Your phrase, 'art is explosion,' has resonated with me, and I've begun to see the beauty in creation… and in destruction. There's so much balance between the two."
Riser smiled proudly. "You've always been talented, Yubellena. I'm glad to hear you're finding new ways to express yourself."
Isabella chimed in, eager to share her progress. "I've been learning barrier magic master suggested from Yubellena and combining it with my combat ability. I've become much stronger."
Miwa returned with a tray of tea, distributing cups to everyone before sitting beside Riser, her presence as warm as ever. She smiled at the group, happy to see everyone together.
After taking a sip of his tea, Riser looked around at his companions. "It's good to be home. Now, let me tell you about the journey we've been on." He glanced at Tai Lung and Chun-Li, who nodded in agreement.
He began recounting their story .
As the group sat together in the lounge, sipping tea, Riser leaned back and began recounting another chapter of their journey. His voice took on a reflective tone as he described their encounter with a dimensional gap.
"We were nearing the end of the map Chun-Li had pointed out. There was this gap—this portal in space, unlike anything I've seen before. We knew it wasn't just any ordinary place, and of course, being who we are, we jumped right in."
Miwa, Yubellena, and Isabella listened closely, their eyes widening in curiosity.
"When we crossed through, we found ourselves… changed. We weren't human anymore. We were animals—transformed by the energy of that world. And that's when we reached the Jade Palace, where we met Po, the soon to be Dragon Warrior."
At the mention of Po, Tai Lung scoffed audibly, his arms crossed in discontent. Miwa, Yubellena, and Isabella immediately glanced at him with questioning looks, sensing a deeper story beneath the surface.
Riser smiled slightly, waving off the tension. "Don't mind him. Tai Lung is still a bit sore from his defeat at Po's hands."
Yubellena leaned forward, clearly intrigued. "What happened? Why was Tai Lung fighting the Dragon Warrior?"
Riser's expression grew serious as he began to explain. "Tai Lung trained his whole life to be the Dragon Warrior. He was the most talented martial artist in the Jade Palace, raised and trained by Master Shifu. But when it came time for the mantle to be passed, Master Oogway—the wisest of them all—denied him the title. Oogway saw a spark of ambition in Tai Lung that could lead to darkness."
Tai Lung's jaw clenched as Riser spoke, his eyes hardening at the painful memory.
"Tai Lung didn't take that well," Riser continued. "In his anger and sense of betrayal, he attacked the Jade Palace. But Oogway defeated him and had him imprisoned. For ten long years, he was kept in a comatose state, locked away in a high-security prison."
Isabella's eyes widened as she imagined the scene. "Ten years... that's intense."
Riser nodded. "But Tai Lung escaped. The news of his escape spread quickly, and the Furious Five—a group of skilled martial artists train by master shifu along with Chun-Li, went to stop him. They failed."
At that revelation, both Isabella and Yubellena exchanged glances, their respect for Tai Lung deepening. They knew how strong Chun-Li was, so hearing that even she couldn't defeat Tai Lung made them realize just how powerful he truly was.
Riser continued, "After that, Tai Lung reached the Jade Palace once again, determined to claim what he thought was his. I fought him myself…"
Isabella, on the edge of her seat, almost interrupted but caught herself in time, not wanting to interfere with Riser's storytelling.
"…and I lost," Riser admitted, his tone humbled.
Tai Lung, smirking slightly, was about to add something, but Riser raised his hand, signaling for patience.
"Ultimately, it wasn't me who defeated him," Riser said. "Po, the Dragon Warrior, stood in his way and sent him to the Spirit Realm. But when we returned, I decided to take Tai Lung in. I saw potential in him beyond his defeat."
Isabella, still processing the story, finally spoke up. "Wait… you're saying Tai Lung is stronger than you?"
Tai Lung's smug grin widened. "Indeed, I was a better fighter. Riser gave me a good battle, but he couldn't best me."
Riser's eyes gleamed with competitive fire at the remark. "That might've been true then, but I don't think it holds anymore."
"Oh?" Tai Lung raised a brow, leaning forward. "And what makes you think that?"
Before Riser could respond, Chun-Li chimed in, her voice calm and assured. "Because in your world, we weren't able to use mana."
Tai Lung's brow furrowed in confusion. "Mana?"
Riser nodded, standing up. "Yes, your world has chi—an energy you're familiar with. But in our world, we have mana, demonic power, sacred power, chi, aura, taiki… many forms of energy some with different application some with different name. Let me show you what mana can do."
He gestured toward the practice ground outside. "Come on. Let's go."
Isabella immediately perked up. "I want to spar after, too."
Tai Lung, unbothered, cracked his knuckles and gave Isabella a sly grin. "Very well, woman called Isabella. Let me taste what this 'mana' of yours is about."
The scene shifted to the training ground, where the group stood . The battle had already taken place, and Tai Lung found himself embedded in a stone wall. He shook off the impact and walked forward, breathing heavily but wearing an expression of grudging respect.
"You fought completely differently from before," Tai Lung commented, wiping dust from his fur.
Riser, standing in the center of the training ground, nodded. "That's because, during our previous fight, I did not use my mana. previous My martial technique was lacking quite non existant and the 2 reason for my trip. so my trip with Chun-Li, I focused on improving my physical combat skills. "
Tai Lung's eyes narrowed, his voice tinged with frustration. "So I fought you at your weakest?"
Riser smirked slightly. "Don't be like that. You can still train and catch up. You're vastly ahead of me in technique."
Isabella, leaning against the side of the arena, called out teasingly. "Oh, mighty leopard, don't tell me you're exhausted from only that? I still want to spar."
Tai Lung, showing no signs of backing down, grinned. "Of course. I would never turn down a challenge."
As Tai Lung prepared for his next battle with Isabella, Riser turned to Miwa, who had been watching the entire exchange from the sidelines.
"Miwa, Yubellena," Riser called out, "let's catch up. What's been happening in the devil society? And also, any letters addressed to me that I should know about?"
Miwa nodded, pulling out a stack of correspondence. "There's quite a bit to go through, Riser-sama. We can catch up on everything while Isabella and Tai Lung spar ."
Yubellena smirked, glancing at the sparring ground. "I can't wait to see how this plays out. Isabella's been itching for a good challenge."
Riser smiled. The mansion was alive with energy, and his companions—old and new—were bonding in ways he hadn't anticipated. It was good to be home.