Reuploading in the right order, since this was posted before the right chapter before.


Chapter 10: By Any Other Name

There was no other way to describe how Rory moved through the temple, than skulking.

She skulked through the corridors towards the dining hall for breakfast. She'd gotten up first for once, managing to be dressed and away from the others before they'd even tried waking Raimundo for the second time. She tried to act casual, greeting the older monks with a polite bow as they passed her, saying good morning to her, and continued on.

Rory took a seat at their usual table, spooning porridge into her mouth quickly, in hopes that she could be finished before the others arrived. However, before she could finish her breakfast, Kimiko took her seat, followed by Omi and Clay.

"Morning Rory. You're up earlier than usual," Kimiko greeted with her usual bright smile. She was much more of a morning person than Rory, which always made her smile.

"Yeah...guess I got a good night's sleep," Rory managed back, shifting in her seat. Her behaviour didn't escape their notice, and they exchanged looks.

"Are you okay?" Omi asked, tilting his head. Porridge stuck to the corner of his mouth, before he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

"You look jumpier than a flea on a dog's back," Clay told her, already halfway done with inhaling his breakfast. Raimundo then joined them, falling into his seat with a grunt that they took as a 'good morning'.

"Thanks," Rory wrinkled her nose at the comparison, before her spoon clinked against her empty bowl. "I'm grand, just ready to get on with the day, y'know?" she stood, lifting her bowl as even Raimundo stared at her.

"Rory, what's-"

"Ah, Aurora," Rory jumped, whirling around. Master Fung arched an eyebrow at her, but didn't comment as she gave a nervous laugh and smiled weakly at him. "This arrived for you," he held out a package, and Rory resisted a groan.

"Thanks, Master Fung," she took it from him. Aware the others were still watching, Rory resisted the urge to run off with it, and sat back down to open it.

"What is it?" Omi peered closely. Rory's fingers stilled as she stared at it.

"Let her open it," Kimiko pulled him back as Rory sighed and finally managed to rip the tape off to open the box. Peering inside, she couldn't help but laugh at the amount of snacks that were there, all reminders of home.

"Aw man, I want a care package from home like this," Raimundo complained as he peered in.

"Here," Rory tossed him a bar of chocolate, and his eyes lit up despite how tired he still was. She then reached in and pulled out a bulky item that was wrapped up. Curious, she tore the paper off and leaned back in her seat, speechless.

"Whoa," Kimiko breathed as she saw the intricate carving on the wood that made up the front of what seemed to be a book. Vines were woven along, splitting off and ending with beautifully carved flowers that had been painted in muted tones.

"He remembered…" Rory murmured, opening it to find blank pages.

"Who remembered?" Clay asked, just as curious.

"My da," Rory elaborated. "I told him all I wanted was one of his carvings," she told them, running a finger along the paper before closing the book over.

"Your dad made that? It's beautiful," Kimiko breathed, edging closer to get a better look.

"Yes indeed! Your father is very skilled," Omi agreed, and Rory smiled softly.

"Yeah he is," she agreed with a nod.

"So what's all this for?" Raimundo asked, and Rory tensed, having completely forgotten. She was quiet for a moment, before sighing. There was no escaping it.

"It's...it's my birthday...today," she muttered, keeping her blue eyes on the table. There was a brief moment of quiet, before Kimiko gave a shout.

"What?" she gasped. "Why didn't you say anything?" she demanded as Rory's face went redder by the second and the tips of her ears burned. She didn't look up, but she was all too aware that they were all watching her.

"I didn't want to make a big deal of it" she told them honestly, returning the book to the box it had come in.

"Hey, at least we know something about you, other than how hard it is to understand you when you're mad," Raimundo smirked, and Rory's stomach seemed to drop at his words.

"Rai!" Kimiko punched him hard, and he cried out.

"What?" he groaned, and Rory lifted her head with a fake smile.

"I'm gonna go put this stuff away before training starts," she told them, standing and leaving before they could think of what to say.

"Great job," Kimiko spoke sarcastically, glaring at the Brazilian boy.

"What did I do?" he groaned, still rubbing his arm.


Disappearing into her room, Rory knelt down and pulled the book from the box again, admiring the beautiful details carved into it. She then sighed, setting it on her pillow before sliding the box and the rest of the contents into the small area designated for her belongings. Rory then pulled her legs in close, thinking about Raimundo's words.

"Dammit," she muttered to herself, resting her chin on her knees.

"Rory?" she looked up as Clay called in to her. For a moment, she didn't want to answer, before she shook her head.

"You can come in," she answered, letting her legs stretch out in front of her as Clay pulled the curtain aside to step in. Rory couldn't help but smile as the bulky cowboy managed to make her room seem tiny.

"You shouldn't take what Rai says to heart," he told her, instantly getting to the point. Rory sighed, and gestured for him to take a seat. "You know he means well...most of the time," Clay amended as Rory arched an eyebrow.

"He's right though," she shrugged, lifting the book to hold in her hands. Somehow it comforted her, and keeping it in her hands helped her. "I mean, you don't all tell each other literally everything, but you're a lot more open than me," Rory sighed, having known it for some time.

"We're friends, you know? And we're a team. You don't gotta hide from us," Clay told her gently, watching her with only one blue eye visible.

"I told Kimiko more about it, but...I never really left home before coming here. I was even homeschooled," Rory told him, her grip tightening on the book in her hands. "I've never had friends before you guys," she admitted. Rory looked down at the book in her hands, too embarrassed to look at him. "I don't...it's hard to figure out how I should be around you all," she admitted.

"You just gotta be yourself," Clay told her simply, and a wry smile tugged at her mouth.

"I'm not even sure what that means," Rory admitted. Clay reached over and patted her shoulder.

"Well partner, we're here to help you figure that out," he told her, and Rory managed a small but genuine smile back.

"Thanks Clay," she said quietly.

"Guys!" they looked up as Kimiko peeked in. "We gotta go. Dojo's sensed a new Shen Gong Wu," she warned them.

"Another busy day then," Rory pushed herself back to her feet.

"Come on Rory, maybe beating up Jack will be a good birthday present to yourself," Clay told her, and Rory laughed a little.

"Now you've got my attention," she declared.


A shiver ran through Rory, despite the layers she'd wrapped herself in, as Dojo flew over Greenland. Below them, snow covered the land, and the clouds overhead threatened that more snow was incoming.

"I thought this was Greenland," Raimundo shivered, rubbing his arms. He'd worn a coat over his usual short-sleeved hoody, but even that wasn't enough to fight off the biting cold. Rory pulled her pale yellow and blue scarf up around her face; protecting her nose and mouth from the sharp winds, deciding not to tell him about Iceland.

"Hope you kids are wrapped up, cause we're coming up on the new Wu," Dojo called back to them.

"What is the new Shen Gong Wu?" Clay asked, and Kimiko fished the scroll from her bag. They gathered around, appreciating the warmth from being huddled together.

"The Golden Gopher," Kimiko read the words that appeared on the scroll. "It shoots laser beams, and whoever holds it can fly," she surmised from what showed on the scroll.

"A twofer, huh?" Raimundo commented, moving back as they all settled again. He glanced at Rory, who had her headphones back on as she looked out over the icy lands, and he chose not to try and speak with her. He still wasn't entirely sure why his words had upset her.

Dojo landed in the snow, complaining about the cold as they leapt off. Their boots crunched in the thick snow, and Dojo shrunk down to land on Rory's head. He shivered, and Rory pulled her scarf open so he could hide inside.

"Where to, Dojo?" she asked, kicking snow off her heavy brown boots as she sank down a little.

"This way," he pointed up the hill, and they all groaned.

"I am not meant for this much snow," Raimundo complained as he shivered. "I'm meant for golden beaches and blue seas," he continued to complain, before his footing gave way and he almost fell with a yelp.

"Careful," Rory caught his arm and stopped him, helping him regain his balance. When he was steady, she released him with a small smile, and continued pushing up the hill with careful steps.

"Thanks," he said, and she glanced back, seeming a little surprised. Rory then gave a faint smile, nodding, and kept walking.

"Any sign of Jack Spicer?" Omi asked, looking up at Rory. Seeing him sinking a little too far into the snow, she reached out and helped pull him free.

"Nothing yet, but it's only a matter of time," she answered, not feeling anything other than cold. Watching Omi sink down into the snow again, Rory laughed a little. "Maybe try that control over water?" Rory suggested, and his eyes lit up.

"Great idea!" he nodded, closing his eyes and focusing. Omi then jumped up, and landed on the snow without sinking. "Yes!" he cheered, only to immediately sink down with a yelp.

"Didn't Master Fung tell you it's all about focus?" Clay asked, pulling Omi from the snow this time.

"Yes of course! I am very much focused!" Omi insisted with an eager nod.

"Right," Kimiko nodded, but it didn't sound like she believed him. Rory didn't blame her; she didn't believe him either. Especially after the fiasco with the Ring of Nine Dragons that had cost them two Shen Gong Wu.

"Pick up the pace folks, you're almost to the top," Dojo called from his nest in Rory's scarf.

"Easy for you to say," Clay murmured to himself, but kept moving, and eventually they reached the top of the slope.

"Wow," Kimiko breathed at the view. "It's so pretty!" she exclaimed, admiring the expanse of snow and ice that covered their surroundings. In the distance, they could see a chasm, surrounded by more snow.

"Yeah," Rory breathed, stunned by the beautiful view.

"Yeah yeah, so nice," Raimundo grumbled as he shivered. "Can we keep moving? I'm freezing my butt off here," he complained.

"Too bad it's not your mouth," Rory muttered just loud enough for Kimiko to hear, and the girl covered her mouth quickly to hide her laughter.

"It's not far now," Dojo insisted as the air fogged up in front of them, and they kept going in the direction he was guiding them in, closer towards the chasm.

"Are we gonna have to go digging in the snow?" Rory asked, reluctant as she crunched through more snow that had been left unmarked until their arrival.

"I did not bring a shovel!" Omi gasped. Rory rubbed her hands together, which were covered in fingerless woolen gloves, and she breathed on her fingertips to try and warm them.

"Maybe the Serpent's Tail could help us out? Or the Star Hanabi?" Kimiko suggested as they looked around. Rory shivered, but this time it wasn't from the snow.

"Or maybe Spicer's robots can do the work for us," she suggested, jabbing her thumb in the direction where silhouettes could be seen approaching.

"Great," Kimiko grumbled as they turned to face Jack Spicer, who was bickering with Wuya as usual.

"Oh look, the Xiaolin losers!" Jack smirked down at them, swaying in the air on his helipack. "You're looking pretty frostbitten down there. Be a shame if you froze before you found the Shen Gong Wu!" he taunted.

"We'll be plenty warm after kicking your sorry butt," Raimundo told him, glaring up at the boy still hovering in the air.

"You'd be a lot scarier if you could say that without your teeth chattering," Jack smirked, unfazed. "Jackbots, attack!" he yelled, sending in the small group of robots.

"Water!" with a yell Omi leapt out of the snow, slamming into one with enough force to knock it backwards into another. As he dropped down, he spun, kicking away another that got too close to the small boy.

"Fire!" Kimiko fought the three robots that tried to surround her, and even with her slower movements as she struggled in the snow, she still managed to shatter the one that rushed in, and used the momentum to dodge the other two.

"Wind!" Raimundo jumped from the snow, landing on one of the Jackbots. He used it to bounce over and kick the other, sending it flying into the chasm nearby.

"Earth!" standing tall, Clay didn't budge as a Jackbot slammed into him, and it ricocheted off him, spinning into another. They collided with a loud crash, collapsing in a heap of scrap.

"Light!" with quick movements to stop herself from sinking back into the snow, Rory moved around the Jackbot flying at her. She then kicked out, hitting another flying at her, before slipping and falling back with a curse.

"Nice moves, Rapunzel," Jack taunted as she landed in the snow. Rory's face coloured red, and she threw a snowball at him, hitting him in the face. He let out a yell, swerving in the air as Rory got back to her feet.

"Do you ever do anything other than make comments from up there?" Rory called up to him. When another Jackbot flew at her, she flipped over it and let it continue flying over to Clay, who smashed through it with a punch. "I mean you could at least get whoever you brought with you to help out," she added, only for Jack to frown.

"Who, Wuya?" he glanced at the purple spirit floating over his shoulder.

"I mean whoever is hiding out nearby," Rory told him, and watched as he raised a dark eyebrow.

"Uh, what? I didn't bring anyone else with me," he folded his arms, staring at the girl with a wary look, as if wondering what she was trying to do.

"What?" Rory looked around, for a moment doubting her senses. But the more she focused, the more convinced she became. Past Jack and Wuya's presences, there was a third feeling, which she could only describe as pride.

"Oh?" Wuya looked around as well.

"Don't tell me that you believe this," Jack rolled his eyes. "She's clearly stalling so they can find the Shen Gong Wu before us," he told her, scowling down at Rory. She glared back up at him, not speaking, but Wuya just floated away.

"Foolish boy, you've no idea," she muttered.

"No idea indeed," everyone looked up as another voice practically purred, and they saw a young woman, looking to be in her early twenties, walking through the snow. Her hair was black and pristine, sitting neatly around her shoulders while braided out of her face. She was pale skinned, and despite the cold she wasn't flushed in the slightest, while her brown eyes shone with amusement.

Unlike the rest, she barely sank into the snow as she walked towards them, wearing a pair of denim shorts with a dark purple t-shirt tucked into them, and a pair of black low-tops. Another shiver ran down Rory's spine as she watched the girl, still holding onto one of the robots. She then stopped a small distance away, and gave a smile that screamed danger. "So! Are we all here for the same reason?" she asked pleasantly, as if discussing the weather.

"Who are you?" Jack asked, staring at the newcomer with a baffled look that told Rory he wasn't playing dumb.

"It's not really important who I am, at least right now," she shrugged. "But I suppose you can all call me...Rose," she seemed to decide at that moment.

"Pardon me, Rose," Omi walked up to her. "This is a dangerous place, and you appear very underdressed for this weather. Please get to safety, while we defeat the evil here," he requested.

"Omi-"

"Aren't you a sweet thing?" Rose cut Kimiko off with a soft laugh. "Perhaps I will do that…" she considered it for just a moment, before moving so suddenly nobody registered her kick until Omi was sailing backwards, landing on the edge of the chasm in the snow.

"Omi! You okay?" Raimundo pulled him from the snow as the boy looked dazed.

"Good distance," Wuya commented as the other Xiaolin Warriors ran to their friend. Jack laughed loudly at the sight, and Rose arched an eyebrow.

"I fail to see what is so funny here," she said, and leapt into the air. Jack screeched as she was suddenly at his height, and grunted when she punched him, throwing him into the snow.

"Okay, so she's not on Jack's side," Clay murmured.

"I think she's after the Golden Gopher as well," Rory said as they watched her warily. Rose turned back to them with a smile. "But how does she know about it?" she asked the others.

"Dojo?" Omi looked up at the dragon still hiding in Rory's scarf.

"No idea. Never seen her before," he said, peering out suspiciously at Rose.

"Why not ask me yourselves?" Rose asked, tilting her head and smiling at them.

"Oof, don't need Rory's juju senses to tell there's something off about that little lady," Clay shivered at the look.

"We will not let you have the Shen Gong Wu!" Omi told Rose, stepping forwards and trying not to look nervous as he sank into the deep snow again. Rose's eyebrow lifted again.

"Are you going to stop me?" she asked, lifting her fists and shifting her stance.

"If I must!" Omi ran at her, leaping up to kick out at her. Rose blocked it, and punched Omi hard. He yelled, thrown over the edge of the chasm.

"Omi!" Kimiko yelled, and Dojo leapt from Rory's scarf to follow the boy down. "You'll pay for that!" Kimiko shouted as she turned back to Rose. "Star Hanabi!" she held up the Shen Gong Wu and threw fireballs at Rose.

"Oh, you have the Star Hanabi? Lovely!" Rose moved around each fireball, letting them sink into the snow with loud hisses. "Too bad!" she rushed in towards Kimiko, who cried out as she was thrown over the edge.

"That's it!" Raimundo growled. "She can't stop all of us!" he called to Rory, who nodded and rushed at Rose with him.

"Such confidence from Dragons-in-Training," Rose's words took them by surprise, before she caught Raimundo's arm and swung him into Clay. The cowboy staggered backwards, barely avoiding falling over the edge. Rose then caught Rory's punch, and the girl inhaled sharply when she was yanked in close.

"Who are you?" Rory whispered at her, too stunned to fight back. Rose's smile widened.

"Trust me dear, you're not ready for that answer yet," she told her, and shoved her back. Stumbling in the snow, Rory collided with Clay and Raimundo, and the three fell off the edge with loud cries.

The three weren't falling for too long, as they hit the soft snow, sinking down before coming to a stop and coughing as the air was forced from their lungs. Rory lay in the snow without moving, letting herself catch her breath despite the cold getting through her thick clothes.

"Are you guys okay?" Kimiko stood over them as Omi stumbled in the snow trying to reach them, with Dojo on his head having been too slow to try and catch them.

"Peachy," Raimundo grumbled. "Maybe would have been better if someone had helped," he glared at Clay, who shrugged as he tipped snow from his hat.

"I told you before. I won't fight a girl," he said firmly, before turning and pulling Rory from the snow.

"Thanks," she nodded to him, starting to brush the snow from her coat. "Dojo, you sure you didn't recognise her? She even knew about the Star Hanabi," Rory turned to the dragon, who shook his head.

"Sorry, never seen her before," he shook his head.

"Who cares? We need to get back up there and stop her before she gets the Golden Gopher!" Raimundo shouted impatiently, earning several frowns.

"How exactly? She kicked all our butts without even trying," Kimiko reminded him.

"We need a plan," Rory said, arms folded. "If we rush in without thinking, we'll just end up back down here," she said, and Raimundo huffed, but didn't argue. "But first...heads up," Rory warned, and they heard a squeal before Jack landed in a heap in the snow nearby.

"Geez, talk about rude," he complained as he spat out snow, before looking up as the warriors gathered around him.

"Alright, spill. Who is she?" Kimiko demanded, hands on her hips as she glared at the boy. He shrugged, sitting in the snow.

"How should I know? She kicked my butt as hard as yours, and she took my Wu," he complained, getting to his feet to brush the snow from his coat.

"How terrible, having your Shen Gong Wu stolen," Rory's tone was dry as she folded her arms. He pulled a face at her, but she ignored him and turned back to the others. "So..what now?" she asked the others.

"Let's start with getting out of this hole," Raimundo suggested, looking up. "If we can take her by surprise, maybe we can use all this snow to our advantage," he considered.

"Whatever losers. You're never gonna get the Golden Gopher, so you might as well give up now," Jack warned, taking off and leaving them in the chasm.

"Delightful lad," Rory rolled her eyes. "Using the snow is probably our best bet to stop her. She didn't have a problem with Shen Gong Wu, or our own fighting," she pointed out as Dojo changed to his bigger form.

"I was merely holding back! This Rose is no match for my true skills," Omi insisted as he jumped up onto Dojo's back. The dragon flinched, grumbling about how cold it was.

"Sure," Raimundo rolled his eyes as they took off.


Whistling to herself as she walked through the snow, Rose seemed to be wandering aimlessly through the snow. Her footprints were light in the snow, and she looked around as if admiring the scenery.

"How long are you going to follow me, witch?" she asked lightly, not looking around as she made Wuya aware that she knew of her presence.

"You know how to track the Shen Gong Wu," Wuya accused lightly, all too aware that Rose was headed straight for the recently awakened Golden Gopher.

"Who knows? Maybe I'm just having a nice stroll," Rose shrugged, still not looking around as she kicked some snow out of the way. Wuya hummed to herself, watching the young woman closely.

'There's power in this girl,' she thought to herself as she floated along. 'Hidden, or buried deep, but it's there. And that Dragon, her abilities are already stronger than I expected. Interesting…' Wuya kept following Rose, curious to see what she would do.

After Wuya fell quiet, Rose started to hum a gentle tune, continuing up to the top of the hill. She stopped at the top, looking around at the stretch of land around her. "How beautiful," she commented airily. Wuya made a derisive noise, unimpressed. "Oh, and here they are," Rose looked up, right as a shadow fell over the pair. Wuya glanced up, and saw Dojo fly overhead. The five leapt from his back, landing in the snow and sinking in as they surrounded Rose.

"Fair lady, we will not let you reach the Golden Gopher!" Omi declared.

"Did you have to start that with 'fair lady'?" Rory muttered, fists raised as Rose's brown eyes lingered on her.

"If you want to stop me, let's see what you've got," Rose challenged. With a yell, Omi leapt at her, and she blocked his kick with a grin.

"Star Hanabi!" Rose's smile faded very slightly when she realised it was Raimundo who held the Shen Gong Wu up. He threw fireballs at her, and she threw Omi into Clay so that she could move out of the way.

"Falcon's Eye!" As Rose was distracted, Rory used the eyeglass Shen Gong Wu to search through the snow.

"Oh? Now that's smart!" Rose noticed and rushed Rory, only for Kimiko to intercept. With a yell, she bombarded Rose with punches and kicks, keeping her away from Rory.

"Come on…" Rory hissed, heart pounding as her open eye darted quickly, searching for anything hidden in the snow. Her heart then leapt when a flash of gold caught her attention. With a quick breath, she ran towards it, listening to the fighting going on behind her. Rory then fell to her knees and quickly started digging in the snow, ignoring the stinging cold on her fingers.

"Rory!" the Dragon-in-Training didn't hear the shout as she finally uncovered the golden statue buried in the snow, and as her fingers brushed it, another hand landed on it. As it lit up with golden light, Rory looked up in surprise to see Rose smirking at her.

"How fun! I was hoping it'd be you, Dragon of Light," Rory's stomach flipped at the quiet comment. "I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!" Rose declared. Rory swallowed, her heart pounding as the other Xiaolin Warriors got back to their feet after Rose had fought them all off.

"What's the challenge?" Rory asked, ignoring the cold of the melting snow that was seeping into her jeans.

"Hmm," Rose hummed as she thought about it for just a second. "Whoever can last the longest on a thin sheet of ice wins," she decided. "My Indigo Pyramid, for your Falcon's Eye," she offered the Shen Gong Wu that she had stolen from Jack.

"I-"

"Oh! Let's make it a Shen Yi Bu Dare as well, and we use one of each other's Shen Gong Wu instead," Rose decided, interrupting Rory. "I'll wager the Monkey Staff," she decided. Rory frowned. It was only her second Showdown, and so far Rose hadn't seemed like she was beatable.

"I'll wager the Serpent's Tail," she decided.

"This does not look good," Omi murmured as the other four exchanged nervous looks. Raimundo nodded, having to agree with him.

"Let's go, Xiaolin Showdown!" the two called, and a wind suddenly picked up. It caused the snow to swirl around the group, blinding them and causing Rory's hair to whip her in the face as she raised her hands to shield her face. When the wind died down, the two stood facing each other on a large circle of ice. The ground around it had risen, creating a ring of snow around them that the others stood on.

"As wondrous as expected," Rose laughed. Rory frowned, wondering just who the stranger was.

"Gong Yi Tanpai!" the pair yelled, and instantly the ground began to crack under Rory's feet. She cursed, and started to move as Rose laughed, watching her. Below her feet, the ice cracked at a much slower rate.

"She's cheating!" Dojo shouted as Rory made careful, deliberate moves to prevent the ice from completely shattering under her heavy boots. "Ref! We need a ref!" he shouted.

"Come on Rory! You can take her!" Kimiko cheered, ignoring the angry dragon.

"Can she? Both Shen Gong Wu she has are completely useless in a fight," Raimundo commented as Rory used the Monkey Staff to move with agility that kept her from breaking the ice as much.

"Where...where's safe?" Rory murmured as she continued to move lightly along the ice. Her heart leapt into her throat as she took a wrong step and the ice shattered under her foot. However, she twisted, moving her body with the dancer's grace that she'd learned from years of lessons, and slid along to a safer spot. "Closer to the sides, might be safer," Rory turned to move towards the edge of the arena, only to stop. "No," she decided, and frowned as she moved. "Hey!" she turned back to Rose, who was holding up the Indigo Pyramid.

"I have to admit, I really wanted to try this one out," she admitted. "To make a person change their mind, how fascinating," Rose laughed, taking another deliberate step.

"Hey! That's mine!" Jack shouted as he finally arrived.

"Then you should have held onto it better," Rose retorted without looking up. Rory's fists clenched as she struggled to find a safe spot to stand. Being forced to monitor each step drew away from her focus of coming up with a way to stop Rose.

"Falcon's Eye!" Rory used the other Shen Gong Wu she had, scanning the layers of ice until she spotted a part that seemed thicker and less cracked.

"Come on Aurora," Rose called. "Aren't you going to do anything other than dance? If that's all you wanted to do, you should have become a figure skater," she mocked as Rory made it to a safer spot and breathed a sigh of relief. She then turned a glare on her opponent.

"My name is Rory. And considering you barely seem to weigh anything, I figured you'd be the one doing more to end this," Rory bit back, and watched the smirk grow on her opponent's face.

"But that's no fun unless you give a good fight in response," Rose replied. Rory rolled her eyes. Of course she got stuck with the weird one. "Well? It doesn't look like you're going to get a long respite," she commented as Rory tensed, feeling the ice starting to crack under her feet.

"Come on...think," Rory hissed to herself, holding the Monkey Staff with her long pale brown tail to keep her hands free. She watched as Rose used the Serpent's Tail, gliding through the ice without falling to reach a safer spot as well. In her free hand, she kept the Indigo Pyramid tucked under her arm. 'Wait, that's it," an idea sprang to Rory's mind, making her eyes light up. Without waiting, she suddenly rushed Rose as her opponent landed.

"What are you doing?" Raimundo cried out as the ice shattered behind Rory, revealing a large drop below.

"You're supposed to be light on your feet!" Omi groaned. "I thought girls were supposed to be graceful!" he complained. Clay instantly caught Kimiko before she could toss the boy into the hole below.

"You mean to use force?" Rose asked as Rory sprinted at her. "Desperate, and boring. I'm disappointed," she sighed, shaking her head sadly. "Indigo Pyramid!" she raised the orange and blue Shen Gong Wu as it began to glow. Rory's pace only increased, and Rose's eyes widened as Rory then barrelled into her, slamming the woman to the ground as the ice began to crack.

"Monkey Staff!" Rory used Rose as a springboard, leaping up and stabbing it into the snow wall. She hung from it, and watched as Rose plummeted without a sound. Immediately the wind began to pick up again, blinding everyone, and their surroundings returned to normal.

"That was amazing!" Kimiko ran over and threw her arms around Rory, who immediately slipped and fell into the snow with a laugh.

"Kimiko's right, that was more exciting than an all you can eat barbecue buffet!" Clay exclaimed, making Rory grin as she held the five Shen Gong Wu in her arms.

"That's pretty exciting," she admitted.

"I do not understand," Omi shook his head. "The Indigo Pyramid should have stopped you from doing what you planned. How did you ignore its power?" he asked, confused. Raimundo looked just as confused.

"I didn't," Rory admitted, looking at the Pyramid in her possession. "I knew that if I tried a full-on attack, she'd just make me change my mind. So…" she bit her lip, a little embarrassed as her ears tinged pink. "All I was gonna do was run past her. So when she used the Indigo Pyramid…"

"She changed your mind so you'd run into her instead," Kimiko realised.

"Not bad," they looked around to see Rose brushing snow off herself. "Okay, you've impressed me," she decided. Rory frowned. "Take care, Aurora. I'll see you soon enough," Rose then wiggled her fingers at her in a goodbye, and walked off.

"That was...weird," Raimundo decided.

"How does she know your name?" Omi wondered. Rory was quiet, having wondered the same.

"Something about her is odd. Almost familiar," Dojo considered, before shaking his head. "Nah, I think the cold's just getting to me," he decided. Rory groaned.

"Aurora?" they looked around as Jack snorted. Wuya hovered over his shoulder, eyes on Rory. "Like you weren't enough like a Princess," he laughed. Rory's eyebrow twitched.

"Hold these, please," Omi was surprised when four Shen Gong Wu were suddenly dropped into his arms. They watched as Rory stalked over to Jack, holding the Monkey Staff tightly. His laughter stopped as his eyes grew wide, and a moment later his shriek echoed across the quiet snowy lands.


"Kimiko," Rory whined as she was pulled along by the shorter girl. "I just wanted to shower and relax," she complained. "Master Fung gave us the evening off. I was going to read," Rory told her.

"Trust me, this is better than reading," Kimiko told her. Rory frowned, biting back a comment about how she liked reading. "Come on!" the Dragon of Fire tugged her by the hand, and finally they arrived in the main hall.

"Surprise!" Rory jumped at the cheer from the other three Dragons-in-Training, as well as Dojo.

"W-what?" she blinked rapidly.

"I haven't quite forgiven you for not telling us it was your birthday," Kimiko turned and put her hands on her hips. "But that doesn't mean we aren't going to celebrate," she decided. Rory blinked rapidly, trying to process it.

"Yes! Kimiko even displayed her feminine skills in the kitchen and made cake!" Omi said, and Kimiko scowled at him when she realised he had icing smeared across his face.

"Omi! I told you to wait!" she scolded.

"Can my birthday request be that you never sing happy birthday to me?" Rory asked, laughing as they walked over to the cake that had been cut up. It was a little lopsided, and the icing had slid off the side a little.

"That's a pretty easy birthday wish," Clay laughed, patting her on the shoulder.

"It's chocolate, is that okay?" Kimiko asked, looking up at the taller girl.

"Yeah, we don't even know if you like chocolate," Raimundo snorted. Clay sighed and Kimiko glared at the Brazilian boy as Rory fell quiet. Instead, she walked over to the cake and lifted a slice. Before he realised it, Rory was shoving the slice into his face, making him yell in surprise. Clay, Kimiko and Omi burst out laughing as Rory smirked at him.

"Chocolate's my favourite, wind-boy," she told him as Raimundo wiped the icing off his face. "So quit complaining that you guys don't know anything about me," with confidence that hadn't left her after her win in the showdown earlier, Rory stood up to Raimundo, who blinked rapidly at her, surprised.

"About time," he shot back, grinning as he recovered from the shock.

"And hey, you got that birthday present you wanted," Clay told her, and Rory tilted her head. "You whacked Jack good with the Monkey Staff," he declared, and Rory couldn't stop herself from bursting out laughing with the others.


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