It's early morning and Ruri was playing with an orb as he waited for the right time to wake Ahri. Sensing that it was time, he began his routine in which he practiced for a month. Heading towards an old-style kitchen, Ruri jumps on the counter to retrieve a small tea pot then heads outside to a natural spring. Filling it up with clear, clean water and returning to the yard of Ahri's shrine. He then runs into the brush to retrieve some thyme and later placing it in the pot. The last thing Ruri did before taking the pot to Ahri was something he couldn't previously do as Shin, being breathing fire, more specifically blue fire. Heating the bottom of the pot for a few minutes to the point of steaming, Ruri carefully walks over to Ahri's room.
Setting the pot on a short table in Ahri's room, Ruri barks at first only making Ahri groan in her sleep. So the next plan of attack was the usually "Get up in yo face" method, being Ruri nudging his soft face against Ahri's cheek until she woke up.
Back with Shen in the void, he is taken back on how lazy the Nine-Tailed Fox was. Lazy to where she has an animal cub serving her.
"Mmmm good morning, Ruri. Did you make tea for me?"Ahri says rubbing his head and taking in the nice aroma of her morning drink. The morning routine for Ahri was simple, tell Ruri what to do from retrieving clothes to fetching light snacks for the purpose of starting the day.
Taking a ship inland, Ahri decided to use Ruri's unnatural strength to her leisure by obtaining a free carriage with her charm then attaching it to Ruri.
"Uh... can this thing really pull the carriage, Miss Ahri?" The shopkeeper asked, attaching a modified harness onto the puny animal. The carriage wasn't your average carriage, it was crafted from sturdy, heavy materials including steel framing and maple wood panels. From a distance, the carriage looks as if nothing was going to pull it, but Ruri was definitely there.
"Don't you trust me?" Ahri asks him before jumping on top of the silk cushions.
Ahri playfully calls Ruri's name, getting him excited and floats an Orb of Deception in front of him. The last thing the shopkeeper saw was a trail of smoke heading towards the Institute of War leaving him dumbfounded.
It wasn't long before the orb disappeared causing Ruri to stop in his tracks, whining while trying to search for the fun toy. Ahri walked over to unlatch the carriage, since they reached their destination. Picking him up, Ahri notices his sad expression from losing sight of the orb so as a reward for his effort, she placed him in her garb in between her sizable bust, removing the small Hannya mask and placing it on a tassel.
Despite a whole month of embarrassing moments watching Ahri, this made Shen spit out his drink. His father would often head out to meditate, observing the equilibrium, but it was the constant giggling of his mother as she watch every second of Ruri's life that made the experience even more uncomfortable.
Ahri made her way to the mess hall to grab a light meal, feeling the soft fur rub against her causing bliss. Placing a bowl of rice and a plate of smoked fish on her tray before finding a sit across from Wukong, who stopped eating his meal when he spots Ruri looking straight at him.
"It seems that Ruri has gotten further with you than any man you've been with." Wukong said with a bored face, continuing his meal.
"Maybe. Are you jealous or something, Wukong?" Ahri asked in a teasing tone, feeding Ruri a piece of fish with her chopsticks.
"No, but there are definitely those who are." He answered, but then watched Ruri yawn then buried himself further in between heaven. "Maybe a little." Wukong whispers.
"What was that?"
"N-nothing. Geez."
Ahri just ignored the last part and finished her meal before heading out. Unfortunately, Thresh wasn't too far away in the hall to discourage Ahri with threats.
"Bringing a friend along for me to drag to the Shadow Isles, Ahri?" Thresh mockingly asks Ahri, pointing his hook at the sleeping Ruri.
"You must be doing a poor job as a jailer if you're targeting cute defenseless animals now."
"Tch...Then you can join him during our match as I torment you both."
"Sadly, my Ruri can't participate, but he can still maul you. Then again, bitter, dead and rotting is something not worth sampling."
"Are you placing a death wish on that useless sack of fur?"
Ahri got a little annoyed and softly taps Ruri's nose to wake him,"Ruri, I need your help with something."
Ahri then places him in front of Thresh, yawning and shaking his body to wake up. Catching a glimpse of the Chain Warden, he quickly goes in a defense stance and begins to growl and bark at the monster.
"Ha ha ha This is it!? Its soul is not even worth my time."
"Oh, I forgot the most important part. I learned this just a few days ago too."
Ahri places the Hannya mask on Ruri's face. The last thing Thresh saw was blue fire tornado before facing a large ten-tail Beast towering over him. Ragged fur, huge claws, beady eyes, jagged over-sized fangs, ten flaming tails and two horns pointing upwards.
"Trust me, he's still the lovable Ruri on the inside, as for the outside, that's you're own opinion." Ahri tells Thresh, who was slowly backing away.
"I'll remember this Ahri. As for that thing, put it away before I.."
"Before you'll what? Become another beast's chew toy?"
Thresh didn't answer but instead walked away causing Ahri to giggle in triumph. Feeling she had enough fun, she gave Ruri's ear a quick tug making him revert back into his portable-self, confused at first then bubbly after gaining praise.
Shen asked his father why such a thing would happen and apparently the Hannya mask had a history of being a vessel to entrap evil spirits during the earlier years of the Kinkou Order.