Yooooo~ A disclaimer to start off with, to last for the entirety of this story. This is a League of Legends fanfiction; there will be appearances of characters (champions) from League of Legends. I do not own these characters. They belong to Riot.

This story also may or may not make references to other fandoms. These are mere references; I do not own those characters either.

Yes, I realised that this is a very risky area to write in. As this mainly revolves around Yasuo's lore, there's going to be a shitload of you who aren't going to like it. Not that any of you will be here reading, of course. YES, THAT'S RIGHT. DON'T READ.

BUT. If you are going to read, I can't stop you.

Just. Leave. A. Fucking. Review.

And also... Happy new year to all!

Everyone, has a journey; a path. This path includes both obstacles and clearances. Even the wind shares this journey.

Childhood

"I know you don't tell me much, but could you tell me why only I can see you?" the little boy asked out of curiosity. He was around six years, obviously childish and innocent. He had a wild nature, and discovered her a few days ago in the forest near home. Though he was of a wild nature, he was also charismatic, and they quickly became friends. She was a young girl who looked to be around his age. She wouldn't say much, but when she did, she spoke as if she were much older. She would always be there for him, especially when he got in trouble, and he got into trouble a lot. On that fateful day, the little boy had rushed home to tell everyone else at the village about his new companion, but no one else saw her, and they all thought him crazy.

"If," she started, pondering deeply. "If I tell you a bit about me, then you have to first give me a name."

"A name?" The boy asked, obviously confused. "Do you not have a name?"

The girl responded with a mere glance that said, "What do you think?"

"A name… I've never given anyone a name before. I don't know what kind of name to give you. Oh, I know! How about… Chihiro? Or Julie?"

"I don't like those names."

"Oh. My mummy's called Chihiro…"

"I know."

"You don't like 'Julie'?"

"No. Something… wilder."

"Then Doyle!"

"The writer?"

"Holmes!"

"The detective?!"

"Lupin!"

"Lupin… I like that."

"Drew Lupin."

"Okay. From here onwards, you shall refer to me as Lupin! Although, if it's you, a nickname will be fine, too," she grinned, allowing herself to relax.

"Lu! Tell me about you," the boy said, unable to bite back his interest any longer.

The girl danced around the trees in their surroundings, as if she were carried by the wind. Her simple white dress flowed as she danced, her long, near-white pale blue hair almost merging with her dress. Hopping over lightly, she sat on a low-hanging branch and offered the little boy to join her.

"Can you see those?" she asked.

"See what?"

"What you see as glowing specks in the air, are called katen. They are little 'specks' of life in the air. This movement is what you call 'wind'. Katen gather around people, and tend to collect around those who are compatible."

"What about you?"

"Certain katen are drawn towards certain people. If there is a lot of katen drawn towards a particular person like moths to light, this person is what we call a 'compat' – a compatible person. If there is a lot of katen, an entity such as myself, can be formed from the katen gathered around the compat." The girl thought better of speaking too much, then thought better of it again before continuing, "I'm sure you understand already, but only you can see me. I am the wind maiden Lupin."

"Drew Lupin," the boy cut in.

"Musashi!" Lupin snapped, gaining the boy's full attention again. "The wind is in your favour."

"I challenge you, Yasuo!" a young teen shouted. He wasn't that tall, but he was stocky. The boy he was challenging had a childish build, but was by no means weak.

The boy called Yasuo was once called Musashi. In a primitive attempt to calm his nature, the sword school he attended decided to rename him. To give him a name meaning 'peaceful.' It wasn't fitting, and the boy knew it. His hair was tied up in a messy manner, a simple brown tangle. Though he wore the same uniform as the other children, his eyes showed just how different he was. Instead of the tame look that the others possessed, his was of a desire to be free.

After much mock thought, Yasuo replied "I accept, Kazu." Upon entering the arena, both boys bowed to each other as they prepared for the fight.

The arena was nothing more than a small area of the dojo in which the children would compete. The rest of the class sat away as they watched intently. Lupin was there as well, as she always was. She didn't join in any way; she just sat and watched. She was a lot closer than the other children in the sword school, because she wasn't bound by the same restrictions as the human children. No, she knew that no could hurt her. No one could touch her. No one could confine her. She was the wind. The still wind in a room, if that existed. But she was there, and Yasuo knew that. That was enough for her.

They started when both boys lunged at the other, both hoping to make the first hit. Whilst Kazu was fast, Yasuo was faster, going for a clean hit which Kazu skilfully parried. This was to be expected; the children of the sword school were sorted into classes depending on age and skill level. It was natural for the other children to be around the same age, and obviously similar skill levels. Kazu was sixteen. Eiko was sixteen. Shibis was sixteen. Moira was fourteen. She was one of the younger students of the class. "The will of the gods," as many called her. But Yasuo, who looked to be twelve, was barely thirteen years of age. He was younger than the others, years ahead of those his own age. He was hailed as a prodigy, "breathing life" into the shinai with a single touch.

The match ended when Yasuo employed a feint to the arm, but instead landed a solid hit on the chest, deftly knocking Kazu over. Yasuo towered over Kazu as he pointed his shinai towards Kazu's heart, mimicking what would be the killing blow in a real fight. Yasuo offered a hand for Kazu to stand up, and the class applauded as the two boys faced each other and bowed again.

Lupin joined Yasuo as he took his break.

"You're getting reckless," she simply said.

Yasuo made no attempt of a reply, much less so of an argument. If he did, people would think that he had gone crazy again. He had gotten used to her comments, and he knew that she did not expect a reply. Instead, he grabbed his towel in an attempt to wipe of his sweat.

Anyone who could have seen the pair would have thought them odd. The class consisted mainly of sixteen to seventeen year olds, and yet there was a thirteen year old boy leaning against the wall, and a girl who looked to be perhaps ten years of age.

"Yasuo! That was a great match!" Moira greeted, obviously excited. She was the only person in the class who was close to Yasuo's age, and Yasuo was the only one with an age close to hers.

"Thanks," Yasuo replied, but not before finishing his drink.

"You're great at kendo! You always win."

"You're great, too, especially for a girl."

Moira pouted, and chose her words carefully. "Girls are not weaker than men."

Yasuo hesitated before replying. "I accept."

"That was not a challenge! It was a proclamation," Moira half whined, half laughed. "I've fought all the boys in our class and I've won against all of them except for you."

"'Moira, the will of the gods'. Somehow, I feel like you'd be better off as a councillor than a warrior. Better yet, an elder!"

"Even an elder will need to protect herself."

"Those guards are not just for show."

"Haha, even so, I'm sure that it'll be a great advantage being an elder and a warrior of speed and grace."

Yasuo simply laughed. "Ionia needs a leader like you. I'll help you get there."

Moira looked into his eyes, and whispered. "With you by my side, we'll be unbeatable."

"Look, little brother, look at Ryogei. He's cleaving entire trees with a single swing." Yone sat in the shade of a lone tree, facing a forest and watching Ryogei from afar.

"How did you know I was here?" Yasuo asked, still walking towards his brother. "Brother, I am not little anymore."

"A steel sword speaks much more than you think it does. You should listen to it," Yone laughed, gesturing towards his sword which had its tip embedded in the earth. "You will always be little to me, brother. Say, what do you think you'll do when you're older? I suppose only time will tell. You have a promising future ahead, though, brother." Yone was a philosophical child, often spacing out pondering deeply about life. Yasuo, on the other hand, had always been the energetic and too fast for such thoughts to keep up.

"The future's the future, brother! Worry about now!" Pulling out his brother's sword, Yasuo headed over to Ryogei.

"Brother! Do not do anything foolish."

Ryogei was a man who took things seriously. Evidence of the years of hard work was visible just below the skin in the arms, the shoulders, calves and the abdominals. Ryogei had purpose. He was gathering wood to make a boat for the children to play in. Yasuo was conceited. He wanted to prove himself.

"Watch me, Lu!" Yasuo cried excitedly. "I'm going to cut that tree. I know what you want to say. 'Don't be conceited.' But don't be so dull. It's not a big tree. Just a small tree."

"Weird sense of size you've got there, Yas."

"Haha, very funny."

Tightening his grip on the sword, Yasuo made a large swing at the 'small' tree. Yone, who watched from afar, saw that the blade had pierced the bark, but it definitely wasn't even a deep cut. Disappointed and embarrassed, Yasuo dropped his blade.

"Boy, let me share something with you. In my younger days, I practiced my sword techniques on these trees. As I got older and more used to it, my strikes gradually became stronger. Perhaps when you grow older, you will be able to cleave trees like me. It took me years of dedication and harsh training before I was able to do something like this. More than that, it took understanding." Ryogei gave Yasuo a warm smile, offering encouragement.

Yone, who had witnessed the event, made his way over to Yasuo and Ryogei. He greeted Ryogei, and picked up his sword before turning his attention to his brother. "Perhaps we should go home now, brother. Rest your mind."

Yasuo, feeling down, meekly followed his older brother.

"Ah, do you feel that nice breeze, brother?" Yone asked, breaking the silence between them.

"Yes. It is nice, isn't it?" Yasuo replied nonchalantly.

"I like this breeze," Lupin chimed. "The air here is rich in katen." She was heard only by Yasuo, even though the forest nearby echoed her words. To her and Yasuo, it was obvious. To many other humans, it was not. Although no one else could see the katen, some can still sense that katen's presence.

"Yasuo," Yone started, looking straight into his brother's eyes, before looking away to the side, into the forest. "Does the wind flee, or does it follow?"

Lupin froze, as she felt Yone's eyes staring straight at her. No, he was staring though her, for surely he wasn't able to see her. Lupin still found it unnerving how Yone seemed to be looking at her, and not through her. Whilst she certainly wasn't comfortable with people looking through her, she was on edge when there were people other than Yasuo looking at her. It felt like the question was indirectly accusing her, and coupled with the fact that Yone was looking at her, she felt like the focus of the question.

"Just think about it, little brother." Yone said, as he turned around continued on his way home.

Lupin was still recovering from shock even though Yone's gaze was torn away. She followed Yasuo as she usually did, but without her usual superior, all-knowing demeanour.

"Lu, what do you think they meant?" Yasuo asked, lying down and staring at the straw ceiling of his hut. He seemed distracted, as if he were counting the number of straws.

Lupin ran her hand along the wooden planks that made the walls. "What do you mean?"

"About what Ryogei and Yone said. Brother said 'rest your mind', but he also gave me a strange look. Ryogei said 'understanding.' What do they mean?"

Lupin gave a barely audible sigh before replying, "Who knows?"

Yasuo heard it, but he chose to ignore it. "You know, don't you." It wasn't even a question. A simple statement, probing Lupin for answers. He wanted to know.

Lupin turned around to face Yasuo. She thought carefully, as gave a one worded response that couldn't even be considered a proper answer. "Humility."

"Brother! Supper's ready!" Yone called.

"Oh Yasuo, I haven't seen you all day! You didn't even eat the lunch I packed for you!" a woman crooned. Her long brown hair was tied up in a neat bun, and she wore traditional dark Ionian garments. "You must be hungry, dear, have some more," she smiled warmly.

"Sorry mother," was Yasuo's mumble of a reply. He was dazed by a light sense of guilt, but it did not last long. "Delicious! Mother always makes the best food!"

Yasuo attended his future classes with a renewed spirit. His eagerness to learn the way of the sword was renewed, as was his attention span. Yasuo tried hard to view everything in a new light, and it worked well.

Yasuo needed only see a technique once to be able to understand it. Only try twice to use it. Only three weeks to master. As Yasuo's repertoire of sword techniques increased, his mobility, and affinity with the sword also increased. He and the sword were one, inseparable and insuperable.

As the years went by, Yasuo took the title of 'strongest warrior'. The title was especially appropriate as Yasuo was the only one in generations to master the wind. He had discovered his ability to manipulate the wind to his will when he was fifteen. An understanding in katen allowed him to manipulate the air effectively, and thus becoming able to create wind wherever and whenever he wanted it.

"Katen, huh…" Yasuo muttered, as he recalled events from almost ten years prior. He looked to Lupin, who had matured significantly since two years prior. "How old are you really?"

"Nine." Lupin said flatly.

Yasuo scoffed in near-disbelief as he laughed. "Nine? You looked like you were ten two years ago. Now you look like you're my age again."

Lupin stared at him coldly, but soon warmed up as she retorted with a bright smile, "Then that means you're still not good enough. Well, at least I don't look like I'm six."

By sixteen, Yasuo had learnt all the techniques the school had to offer, and refined them to a near-perfect state. By seventeen, he had redeveloped all the wind techniques that bedtime stories had to offer about the sword masters of the old. Of course, Lupin has made a significant contribution to his development concerning the wind; she was the wind. By eighteen, Yasuo had perfected all his techniques, and had grown very impetuous and boastful. His ego had inflated considerably, whilst his patience dwindled.

"Yasuo! You really are the best!" Moira would often say. It was praise such as this that inflated Yasuo's ego the most.

"Thank you, Yasuo."

"We couldn't have done it without you, Yasuo."

"You're a good man, Yasuo."

Yasuo was among the best in Ionia. He understood that quite well. He also knew that everyone else understood it. The praise certainly didn't help with his ego. His mastery over the wind was clear to himself. His wind maiden was at her physical peak strength-wise, which was displayed by her physical peak appearance-wise. He thought that it really was too bad that others couldn't see her; she really was a sight to behold. His mastery over the wind was clear to everyone else, too. Those around him could see the wind at his feet, propelling him through the air, pushing him to where no man has gone before.

"Brother, come. I want to show you something."

Yone led the way through the forest, picking his path carefully. Yasuo wanted to run; run over the rocks, the roots, and any other tripping hazards of the forest floor. He knew the west side of the forest well, all the way up to the river. He first met Lupin there, twelve years ago, and it was where she liked to stay. But Yasuo had never been to the east side. Neither he nor Lupin were interested in looking at trees, only in the shade and serenity they offered.

"Why did you stop, brother?"

"Little brother, we're here." Yone gestured towards the tree they had stopped in front of.

"Is that a maple tree? In a forest like this?" Yasuo's vague interest quickly dissipated.

"Yes, but there is something more I'd like to show you. Wait here, little brother." Yone awkwardly clambered up the tree, evidently not used to performing such trivial acts. Finding it easier just to hop off the branch he was on, Yone landed with a soft thud. "Brother, look."

"A seed?"

"Yes, little brother. A maple seed."

"I know what you want to say. The maple seed is our school's highest lesson in humility. You fear I have forgotten my honour. Brother, let me assure you, that is not so." Taking the maple seed, Yasuo turned around. "If there's nothing else, I'd like to leave now."

Yone watched as Yasuo until he walked and was no longer visible behind the trees. "A seed is just a seed, brother," Yone said to no one in particular, for Yasuo had already left. "But it holds so much potential. You did not stop to admire the tree, brother. Look at how beautiful it is, and look at the seemingly insignificant seed. There are many seeds, brother. But there is only one maple tree here. Brother, have patience. Do not rush."

Well, we all know what comes next. Sorry about that, folks.

A/N: I feel like Yasuo comes from a traditional Ionian village (which may still use ancient Ionian?), which is very much based off ancient Japan. Thus, the names and the concept of a samurai's code of honour would make much more sense. Bound by this setting, I have used the Japanese term 'shinai' (竹刀) in my story. This is just a note for anyone who didn't know; a shinai is a flexible, bamboo practice sword used in kendo. A 'bokken' (木剣) is a wooden training sword. A bokken is less damaging than a real sword, and a shinai much less damaging than a bokken. (A bokken, when used properly, can be lethal.)

You may (or likely, may not) be thinking, 'Then what the hell is katen?' Yes, really. What the hell is katen. It's a word I made, derived from 'kata' (片 as a prefix), meaning 'one', or 'hira' (片 as a suffix), meaning 'flake; wisp', and 'ten' (点), meaning 'point' (as in a dot and scoring-wise). The term is a collective term, akin to 'air', and meant to be used in the same way. Just to clarify: it is, the ability to manipulate katen that grants the user the ability to manipulate air. A bit of random trivia for fun: 'katen' (加点), as a Japanese word, means 'the addition points', which can also be understood as 'scoring'. Anyone here know about Bleach? I just realised that (Shunsui) Kyouraku's Zanpaktou is called 'Katen Kyoukotsu' (花天狂骨; Flower Heaven, Mad Bone).

Just in case you've read this… it means that you've read the story, no? In that case… Won't you kindly leave a review for this chapter? It doesn't even have to be much. All you have to say is whether or not you liked it. But before you criticise it, please make sure that it is constructive criticism, and not "Your story sucks because I hate Yas." Thanks!