EDIT: I accidentally left in a name in the list and had 17 champions needing roommates. Whoops... Thank you EvilGeniusFan for pointing that out!
"Did you hear the news?" the incessant summoner shouted for the third time into my ear.
"No!" I snapped. "Would you just spit it out already?" I was at my limits. A cute little yordle summoner with her high pitched voice squealing about some fantastic new thing at the top of her lungs in an obvious attempt to ruin my auditory senses. No wonder I wanted to kill everything.
"The Institute has declared that they are trying out a new system to build relations between city-states!"
Just what I needed. The last time the Institute had tried something like that, it had led to mass brawls. "Great…" I mumbled.
"I know, right!?" she prattled on, oblivious to my annoyance. "They haven't released any information on it, but they said it will be starting tomorrow! I can't wait!"
To my luck, she sprinted off down the hallway and left me alone, letting me finally enter my room in privacy. My ears would have started bleeding if she'd stayed any longer than that. I turned back to the door and struggled to pull the key out of my pocket. As much as I liked the feeling of leather, it did make storing and removing anything from my clothing a much bigger hassle than they needed to be.
For fuck's sake, come on!
They slid out, finally, and I stormed in to my room. I had just completed five matches in succession, and I wanted rest. I let out a sigh of relief as I kicked off my shoes into a corner, my jacket and gloves soon followed them as I tore them off too. I hung my normally blade-laden belts on hooks by the door. I hated not being allowed to carry the actual blades, but I was too exhausted to complain. Instead, I grabbed a towel from my drawer and stepped into the bathroom.
I turned the hot water on full blast and let it fill the tub. Meanwhile, I undid the knots holding my bustier in place and ripped the garment off, doing the same to my pants with some effort (a difficulty of storing and removing things from them apparently extended my own body, it seemed) and underwear and collapsing into the water as soon as I'd shed all the layers of clothing from my body.
I wasn't sure how long I stayed there daydreaming while letting the water ease away the soreness, although when I next saw them the tips of my hands looked closer to raisins than fingers, so it was apparently quite a while. I'd clambered out some time later and gotten into bed, about ready to fall asleep. It hadn't lasted, though, as some angry knocking on my suite door had startled me awake again in short order.
"Ms. Du Couteau!" the voice roared, and I just rolled my eyes and rolled over in bed. "This is a warning! If you aren't in the summoning hall by 1500 you will be summoned in whatever fashion you so happen to be in." The voice went quiet after that. I buried my head further in my pillow. I wanted that early sleep.
I let my eyes roll about the room, catching on the clock on the far side of the room. I struggled to read the hands, so grudgingly I got up to get closer. I glanced down at my attire, a belly cut shirt and panties, and groaned. After my inward groan, I glanced at the clock. 14:30. I nod my head limply as I make my way to my cabinets. I pulled out a box of cheap breakfast bars and lamely began to choke on the taste. After downing two, I felt like I was forgetting something. I rubbed my eyes, and I reopened them on the clock. 14:59, was there something happening today?
It took me a second to remember the incessant yelling and knocking at the door this morning.
Oh crap!
I sprinted to my closet, just barely managing to put on a pair of pants and bra before the blue light enveloped me.
Disoriented, I found myself among a group of about a hundred other champions though only those of rational stability. Around me were almost nothing but friendly faces. Almost. To my left was an eternally smiling blonde Demacian mage who noticed me looking and grinned at me. I scowled and turned away.
"Excuse me!" a voice announced, her voice echoing throughout the amphitheater. All other chatter among the champions quieted as they turned to stare at High Councilor Kolminye, who was standing up behind the lectern on the raised platform with a notepad and a glass of water in front of her. "I am sure some of you have heard about our attempt to improve interstate relations," she began. "Those of you who have been here long enough will remember our last attempt led to more violence; however, we believe that we have discovered a solution."
She paused to clear her throat and take a sip of her water. "It is experimental and before we issue it large scale we have chosen a few select individuals to partake at first." I groaned, remembering the Yordle from last night. "For those of you whose names I will call out, please join me in the Atrium." Fuck, I was ready to leave.
"Ashe, Diana, Ezreal…" I let out a sigh as she continued calling names. I began to pick under my fingernails. "…Katarina…" she called. Oh great, and my week gets worse… I missed the rest of the names as I grumbled to myself; however, I did hear her close out and call for those she had called to go to the Atrium.
Shuffling, I managed to make it before most of the group. There were six of us there, myself included. Lulu played with one of the creatures she had with her. Then there was Taric inspecting one of his many "fabulous" gems. They all just looked like worthless rocks to me. Fizz sat atop his scepter eyeing us with a devious smile. Nidalee was too busy cooing a mouse out from the corner to pay us any heed, and Riven just looked onwards with glazed eyes. I was tired, upset, and now annoyed. I threw myself down in one of the chairs and waited for the rest of the group. Bored, I turned my head up to the glass roof, watching the clouds waltz by.
I blinked as the scene shifted and I found myself staring into blue orbs set in a pale face. I came this close to lashing out and trying to snap her neck out of instinct and sheer irritation but caught myself before that.
"Hello!" she said cheerfully. My eye twitched. Her voice was so sickeningly sweet I felt like I was about to acquire spontaneous toothache.
I turned to the side, meeting the gaze of all the other champions and the High Councilor's.
"I am glad you decided to join us, Ms. Du Couteau," Kolminye said, pissing me off. "Now that we have everyone here I shall explain."
I glanced about at the newcomers: Lee Sin, Ashe, Ezreal, Diana, Irelia, Quinn, Twisted Fate, Leona and Olaf.
"From today on you will not be participating in matches; however, you will be compensated for this. This will last for four months when the experiment ends." I groaned. "This experiment consists of you and your assigned partner to share a room." She turned to me, stopping when she saw my confused look.
"Partner?"I gawked, ignoring the looks everyone else in the room gave me.
Kolminye nodded and consulted her notepad for a moment. "Your partner is… Luxanna."
"… what?"