Chapter 1: Feeling

High Counselor Meegan Pa'Chua was taken aback. He wasn't sure if she was serious, or toying with him. "Could you repeat your request fair one, if you speak the truth that is." Meegan spoke to her calmly, but still with a look of surprise on his face, and with a healthy amount of curiosity.

"I'd like to live with other human beings, in a village, or a city. Somewhere that would accept me, or allow me to be with them." Ahri stated flatly to the High Counselor.

"That's what I thought you said." Meegan uttered as he turned his head to his left, away from Ahri's face, and began stroking his long beard. "May I inquire why you have had this sudden calling, mighty champion of the League?"

"I don't need to express to you my feelings High Counselor, I only come to you with this demand." The 9-tailed fox spoke with a small amount of malice, just enough to get her point across.

This gave the High Counselor pause. He knew by her tone of voice that she was absolutely serious. What if he agreed? He would take Ahri in as one of their own? Would it be safe? What if there were riots in the streets of whatever place took her in?

"I just don't understand why you want this. I'd like a good reason before we would fulfill your… request." Meegan tried to dissuade Ahri, as if she didn't have a right to ask for it. "It's that we already fulfilled our agreement for you to be in the League of Legends, and that was you receive the souls of those you defeated. Which was many, so I'm not sure why we would be obligated to help you with such a thing." The High Counsellor felt well spoken, so he thought she might be deterred by his reasoning. Either she gives a good reason, or she doesn't get the League to help her new found goal. He had her trapped.

"I don't care about your understanding, this isn't just a request, it's an ultimatum Meegan! If the League doesn't do this for me, then I'm no longer a champion counted among its ranks." Ahri fiercely retorted, taking a step forward as she did so, and raised an accusing finger, pointing at the High Counselor's face.

Meegan was taken aback by this, thrown of his guard, and it was clear he was losing his cool. "Now, don't rush to any conclusions here Ahri, we can work this out, just don't leave the League!" The Counselor hurriedly tried to convince the kitsune to remain calm about the situation, as he raised two, outwards palms towards her.

If Meegan allowed Ahri to leave, the League of Legends would suffer a mighty blow indeed. Being a fan favorite of most who paid attention to the League, Ahri was important to them, and her leaving would not end well for either parties. He knew quickly that he should give in to her demand, otherwise, there were large consequences not in his favor.

"Alright, the League will consider your 'request' Ahri, just give us some time to figure out where, and how, we'd send you to your new home." Ahri gave a smile at this, which Meegan found strange. It was just a smile. A small, happy smile. He had never seen one purely innocent from her once at the League. Only ones fully of lust, and violent thoughts. It made him feel, happy in a way. He liked it.

Ahri turned, and strutted out of the High Counselor's office, all nine tails flowing from behind her, closing the door, and leaving Meegan's eye of sight. He gave a sigh of relief, able to relax after the threat that loomed over his head had left the room. Now he had to think of a way to fulfill what Ahri had asked of the League of Legends. Meegan wondered what his predecessor would have done, High Counselor Vessaria Kolminye. Better not think about, he thought, for whatever choice she had made, had gotten her to be assassinated, and Meegan would like to avoid a fate such as hers. Or of the other High Counselor's fates for that matter. There isn't a good track record for their survival, in his position.

Meegan was a highly decorated summoner, taken from his family at a young age to learn the ways of magic. It was not forcefully, but done for a need, as his farmstead had grown too poor, and needed to remove some of their children, somehow, to lighten the financial load. They had taken him to many promising places of work for a period of absolute servitude to whichever company that took him, and the young Meegan had feared becoming a slave at that time. A fateful visit by those of a mage college had dropped by the farmstead, and they were looking for new students. Meegan had showed promise, as one of the mage's had sensed it in him, and decided to offer the family a full ride scholarship, as long as he did as they instructed him to in the university.

With this much more humane way for their son to leave them, they agreed to the mage's offer. Their son had said his goodbyes, and made peace with his departure. Years passed, until he was one of the most distinguished students at the Institute Of War. He had graduated a fully-fledged summoner, and after a time, was dubbed the greatest under the high council themselves! There was only one more step up he could take, and that was becoming the High Counselor.

Unfortunately, the High Counselor before him had made a trip in some negotiations between, Demacia, and Noxus. It was rumored that Talon himself had made the assassination on High Counselor Vessaria Kolminye, however, it was only a rumor.

But still, the assassination had been made, and the role of High Counselor had to be filled, and Meegan Pa'Chua was the perfect candidate. He accepted the seat of power immediately.

Now with Ahri bursting into his office with demands, Meegan had 101 problems. The rest of which were much more difficult to solve. Should he focus all of his efforts on hers now, or continue on with his normal work, and save it for later? He decided against the latter, and made Ahri's problem his main focus. If he were to let this sit, Ahri may get impatient, and decide to leave the League before they could ascertain a stable property for her. This, he could not allow to happen, because preventing the loss of champions in the League should take priority over all other focuses for the High Counselor.

Meegan walked softly over to his desk chair, and sat down gingerly. Careful not to disturb the many manuscripts, and important articles throughout his office.

"What land would take Ahri?" Meegan thought aloud. It was a troubling question. Demacia might seek justice against her, and Noxus might corrupt her to the core, making her even more troublesome than before! Then there were the city states. Ionia was too constrictive, Zaun too little. Bilgewater too unruly, and Freljord too undomesticated. Finally, the Yordle City too unwelcoming to outsider species, and… The last city state, Piltover.

He mulled it over for a minute. Piltover seemed just right to him. Ahri had never even been there, although the government there would know of her past crimes from Demacia and Noxus, it still wouldn't have any reason to jail her immediately. Not to mention, she wouldn't be corrupted. Many would accept her there as one of their own, as she is a fan favorite in that region, and she would get what she desired, as well as freedom and safety.

Meegan had a smile creep upon his lips. Piltover was perfect.

Ahri's anticipation was growing, becoming more and more irrational as time passed. The 9-tailed fox had found herself pacing as of late, in her League provided quarters. What she had discussed with the High Counselor was troubling her thoughts, and it has been a full week since she had walked out of his office.

Was he fooling her? Was she waiting for a decision from the council that wouldn't come? Maybe she should march into his office again, bring the ultimatum to a climax right then and there! Either yes or no, and nothing could change the outcome.

No she thought, she must be patient. Finding somewhere for her to live is difficult enough, with her track record of being a seductress, and a murderer, but then convincing the government of that area, to take her in, was an even larger project!

What if no one in the world would take her in, but for the League itself? If the outcome was to be so, she wouldn't leave the League of Legends, as it was the only place that did accept her, but only for her 'talents'. The thought sent chills down her spine. A life sentence of loneliness, bound to the League for the rest of her existence. The ultimatum she made was simply a show of her resolve, to get the High Counselor to agree to her terms, and to use every extent of his power to gain this for her. If she left the League, she would be absolutely responsible for doing what she mustn't.

The past few months have been an inner hell for Ahri. The fox in her still lusted to devour the human souls she accumulated from the League, but her other side, her human side, began to form a much solider position inside of her. Emotions she had never felt began taking control, dampening her instinctual passions. The human side of Ahri had taken its hold, and preyed on her mind, driving her into anxiety fits, and periods of self-worthlessness.

Ahri had finally begun to achieve what she had been striving for, and that was to become fully human, but now that she has been seeing its effects on her, she began to loathe her desires. Was she worth anything? What was the mark that she was leaving on the planet? What could she achieve before death? Would anyone ever care for her, ever love her? For these past few months, Ahri had wished she could console in parent figures, but her parents were but foxes. Blind to the larger picture around her, and in that thought, she felt truly alone.

With all of her emotions coming to a boiling point inside of her, she became outraged at what she had become. In every battle since her revelation, Ahri had become more aggressive, more powerful, and more reckless. She could not focus, but she did not care. Her ruthlessness gave her countless outbursts of rage when she was alone. Screaming at walls, and attacking shadow enemies of her emotions, became a regular occurrence in her everyday routine. Until she satiated the new emotions inside of her, Ahri would never know the meaning of the word, 'peace'.

What had she done wrong? This was all her fault for sure! What if she had decided to refuse the human souls instead? Rejected the magic, and become like a fox again? She wouldn't have to deal with any of this! Why was she so stupid, so foolish!? Ahri began another assault on the shadow figures of her inner traumatic stress, and her tirade was as powerful as ever before, with multiple curses and vulgar utters of the spoken word. Physically letting out her rage only held the coiled serpent, around her heart, at bay.

Exhausted from an hour of extended punching at air, flailing of her kicks, and scratching her throat to lose her voice entirely, Ahri had collapsed to the ground, devoid of the necessary energy to continue on standing. She was drenched, from head to toe, in her sweat. Between pants of her breath, she let out sobs of desperation, and fear for her being. For the first time in her life, Ahri had begun crying like a babe, devoid of hope, and happiness. She no longer wished to live.

That was her second revelation. She could just end it all. No more pain. If she couldn't handle these emotions, then why should she try to? No one would care if she died anyway! No friends to worry about. Her family not notable. The League would find some way to fill her shoes. With these thoughts, a wave of calm came over her. She felt like nothing had ever been clearer in her mind. "Why not?" she muttered out loud. "I'm just a murderous bitch anyway."

Ahri then looked towards the pedestal that held her weapon of choice, the mystical orb of power that had sucked the souls from her victims, granting her magical strength. It would be easy. All she had to do was overload its power while clutching it. The resulting blast would leech her of her power, and take her life in the same instant. Ahri reached an outstretched arm towards the orb, still on the ground after collapsing.

She then snapped out of it. She couldn't die! The one known as Ahri must live on, that is what the fox inside of her had decreed, loudly in her mind. And then she remembered that her human emotions had taken control of her mind, and that voice mattered little. It was a decree from a dead creature, no longer residing in her. Why had she murdered so many of the innocent people she wanted to become like? What was her goal? Become like them and then be friends? The truth was, she never had a plan, and that's why she was stuck like this. In a war between herself.

This battle had been fought 15 times in the span of a month for Ahri. She wasn't sure how many more times she could fight it, reaching out her arm to death, and then retracting it. What would happen if she had decided to finally let her hands grasp what they sought? Ahri knew she couldn't mull over it, or she would be stuck in that battle again, and again, for the rest of the night. It was already half past midnight, and she was tired beyond any exhaustion she had ever felt. Tonight's struggles had been much stronger than earlier this month, and if they became any stronger, Ahri may collapse, and never get up.

Ahri began lifting herself off the ground with her hands, but realized walking would be too difficult for now. But Ahri wouldn't sleep there, on the floor, so she decided to start dragging herself slowly towards her bed. That's what she needed, lots of rest. It was almost a good thing, the way she exhausted herself to collapsing every time she became too over emotional. Otherwise, her constantly terrible sleep habits would grow worse, or she even may have been able to reach her death months ago.

Passing out at bed was normal for Ahri now. It was the easiest way to sleep, and it meant she didn't have think about every little feeling while trying to dream. Thus, she welcomed the warm, darkness that was her dreams. Even though she had recurring dreams of strange intensity she hadn't experienced until recently.

For the past two months, Ahri was repeating the same dream, over and over again. But each time led to an extra path way, an extra avenue that made it more interesting, or terrifying. Tonight, it was the latter.

Ahri was screaming at the top of her lungs. The shadow she was fighting had taken full form in her nightmare that night, and it wanted to draw her blood. The figure was sitting in a chair, at the end of her bed. She couldn't see its face, but she knew whom it was. It raised a hand, with a scalping knife clutched tightly in its grip. Ahri was flailing, screaming for it to get back, moving to the back of her bed frame, trying to lose any ground between it and her. In life, she would not fear such a thing as much as she did now, but this was her nightmare. She was powerless, and unable to wake up, until the figure had its blood lust satiated.

The figure came forward out of the chair, so slowly, like he was taking his time, savoring every last second of her terror. Her absolute fear of it. It then took a step forward, and moved its face into the artificial light over her bed. Its face was terrifying, a bloody covered smile of every one of her victims she had consumed with her dark orb. They switched at a speed that was barely visible by sight, but Ahri still recognized every last one. She could barely let out more than half screeched sobs now, unable to move any further away from the beast she had created from her guilt. Was this to be her end? Killed by those that she herself had murdered?

Nothing would stay its hand tonight. The beast had begun laughing in triumph. He would have his revenge on the Demon whore.

Taking the blade in both hands, and climbing on top of the bed, the shadow beast become real then swung his dagger towards the screaming 9-tailed fox, and-

Suddenly, a shaking feeling had overcome the dream, as Ahri's body had realized someone was physically trying to wake her up.

"Wake up fair maiden, it is simply a dream!" The shouts from the Steward of the League, Jonas Terellian, had been shaking her by the shoulders, all while she had been screaming in her sleep. "Are you alright madam?" Jonas inquired with absolute concern as Ahri stared up at him with wet, red eyes.

Ahri looked more fragile than she had ever been. She had just seen true terror, and it had tried to murder her, but there was nothing she could do. Defenseless, hopeless, all she could experience, was the pain.

"No, I'm not alright at all!" Ahri began sobbing and laid her head against Jonas's shoulder, as a shocked look came over his face. It was just the Steward of the League of Legends, sitting on the bedside of one of the greatest League champions of all time, holding her shoulders in comfort.

It was all silent, but for the soft sobs from the 9-tailed fox. The Steward felt awkward to say the least, not knowing what course of action he should take. He chose to do the most humane, and friendly thing to do. He began stroking her head slowly with one hand, and began speaking words of encouragement.

"It's alright now, nothing from your nightmares can hurt you. Well, here, at least." Jonah tried giving Ahri comforting thoughts, to make her feel better. What was happening? This is the famed seductress that has killed hundreds of men single handedly! He was coddling her like she was his child! Which was something stranger still, for she was acting like an afraid, desperate child. The Steward hoped that he wasn't getting seduced himself in some way, prey being led to the slaughter. This gave him momentary pause to his soothing stroking of her hair. Besides, he wasn't here to comfort a champion screaming, he was here on business.

"Ahem." The Steward made the universally accepted noise to gain one's attention, which made Ahri's ears perk up, and she looked up at him through her watery eyes. "I have some news to report to you champion of the League. Your request to High Counselor Meegan Pa'Chua has been found with success. A city state has agreed to open negotiations for you, to give you a home."

Ahri's tears then stopped, her emotions then became unreadable, and as if she was struck with a multitude of emotions she didn't even begin to comprehend. And then, she gave a toothy smile, while looking up at the Steward.

"Bring me to the High Counselor Steward, please." Ahri's joyous vibrations went through the Steward like a ray of sunshine.

"Of course my lady. Follow me to the Council room." Jonah had then motioned her to follow, and stood up, outstretching a hand to take hers for support.

Ahri then sat up with full support from her own body, and took Jonah's hand. She then began to standup onto the cold, stone floor. The 9-tailed Fox's legs quivered from pain, and lack of energy, showing that she was unstable to the Steward.

Jonah hurriedly stabilized her with an arm around the inside of her shoulder. "Can you stand on your own my lady? Do you require other means of assistance to walk?" The Steward had a look of sympathy Ahri had never known. No one took pity on her, she was a champion of the League of Legends, a fiery symbol of death and destruction! Who was he to pity her? She loved every moment of it, for she felt as if she was loved, if even for a little while. Another tear rolled down her cheek.

"Yes, I'm in quite a lot of pain, and my body is in a state of exhaustion. Your assistance would be much appreciated Steward." Ahri stated this, and so the Steward continued to hold her weight. Jonah began guiding her, urging her onwards to their preordained destination. This was her fate ahead of her, a pathway to what she dreamed of. A home where people might accept her.

The two of them continued down winding hallways of stone, and torches. Their dim lights calming, and eternal, for they were mage light, a creation of the Institute of Battle. Many summoners walked these halls, from novices, to masters, and professors. Ahri would gain stares, and double takes on a normal basis, that was normal. But the Steward of the League of Legends, caretaker of the champion residents was helping one champion walk. What fate could befall a champion of the League, that they would need him to help them perform the simplest of tasks? Not a single head wasn't turned, either in curiosity, or amazement.

"Steward?"

"Yes Lady Ahri."

"Could you please refrain from speaking the truth, of what happened tonight, in my quarters? It would be embarrassing to say the least."

"Of course Lady Ahri, confidentiality of your personal life is guaranteed." The Steward assured Ahri, and had given her a sense of relief.

The Council could see her needing help, but she didn't want them to know why. That knowledge belonged to her, and the Steward, alone.

At last, the couple had reached the Council room, and with a knock on the door, they were invited inside.

"Come in, lady Ahri." Meegan Pa'Chua had commanded the door to open for them with a motion of the hand. "We have great news for y-." The High Counselor wasn't able to finish that sentence, as he, and his fellow summoners of the Council, witnessed the Steward of the League helping Ahri walk into the room.

"Steward, what is the meaning of this? What has befallen lady Ahri with pain?" The High Counsellor was incredulous at Ahri's limping towards the table.

"Forgive me High Counselor, Lady Ahri has asked of me that I keep what transpired tonight, confidential." The Steward's explanation had the Counselor turn his gaze upon Ahri, and the 9-tailed fox confirmed what the Steward had said with a nod of the head.

"I see… but does this affect what you have requested of us Lady Ahri? Do you still wish to live among other, normal, human beings?" Meegan inquired her in front of the rest of the council.

The council here was comprised of the head professors, and summoners of the Institute of War. Them, and the High Counselor. It was the second highest board of officials within the system, besides the High Summoners themselves, as it was beneath them to mingle within affairs such as these. They had much more pressing matters to attend to. These summoners were mainly here for recording, and book keeping records. Whatever happened in the Council room that night, would be written down, for all aeternum.

Ahri shook her head no. "Not at all High Counselor! I'm eager to hear the news that the Steward has brought me to this meeting for." The 9-tailed Fox enthusiastically conveyed to the Council. "Tell me, what is it that you've done to fulfill my request?"

The High Counselor shifted stance, and turned his back towards Ahri, raising his pointed finger upwards at a crystal viewer screen. The viewing screen leapt to life, bringing a brilliant image of machines, skyscrapers, blimps, and delicious assortments of vibrant colors.

"The city state of Piltover, what we believe to be the perfect society for you to integrate into. Preparations have been made for the government to take you in as a citizen, we just need your say so to open full negotiations with a Piltover statesman in person. This entire week has been a careful, political challenge for these negotiations to open. What do you think my Lady Ahri?" The High Counselor, and the entire Council turned towards her, waiting for her reply.

"I think, it's perfect! I say we move on ahead to the negotiation stages!" Ahri profoundly exclaimed to the Council.

The scribes there had already begun writing down the transcripts for Ahri's decision, making notes on her newer agreement with the Institute of Battle.

"So it is decided then. You, Lady Ahri, will go to Piltover with an Institute of Battle representative by your side, and thus, make your negotiations on the day of your choosing." The High Counselor's words were then met with a momentary air of silence.

Ahri was thrown off her guard.

"I'm going to the negotiations?"

End Chapter 1