A/N: Who do you ship an ancient Ice Witch with? How about an ancient Fae Sorceress. Definitely crack and mostly just friendship, but I thought it'd be fun nonetheless. Oh, and if you haven't seen the joke fanart about what's under Liss's helmet, you need to check em out!
Thawing A Frozen Heart
Lissandra hated long, intricate plans. Well, she loved them; she had so many, tied in such a delicate, interconnected web that a human could never have maintained them. Her goals were well in reach, given enough time. There were no errors, nothing unaccounted for. There was nothing that could possibly derail them. She even had contingencies in cases where the creatures of the void became a problem.
The Watchers would return.
But there was a little problem with long, intricate plans. With enough thought, their execution was fairly simple, but very, very spread out. This left the Ice Witch with more free time than she honestly knew what to do with. Living for centuries, and knowing you would live for centuries more, gave the woman endless patience, but even that was of little comfort as she found herself with nothing to do.
So the Ice Witch settled for standing on the balcony of her magically chilled room, laden with icicles despite the warm, summery weather. Many thought it was odd that she requested a south-facing room, looking out towards the mountains and through the pass that lead to the Shurima Desert and Kumungu Jungle. But those lands, warm and tropic, would eventually be as frozen and desolate as the Freljord; the constant reminder pleased her.
Yet, there was nothing to do, and staring at a mountain was not very exciting. Lissandra decided to try and think of a new plan. At least some little side plot that would provide a little amusement. She didn't like to admit it, nor embrace it, but the blood of a trickster ran though her veins. Perhaps she could cause one of the other Freiljordian rulers some distress, or cause some fights around the League. It certainly couldn't be that hard, considering how volatile some of the relationships were.
Her train of thought was quickly interrupted when she heard an odd nibbling noise, oddly close by. The Ice Witch quickly wheeled around, but found nothing. She realized that the noise turned with her.
"Yuck, blue," called a sudden, slightly high-pitched voice as the nibbling stopped.
Suddenly, Lissandra felt a weight resting atop her head. Checking her reflection in the black ice that covered her walls, she found the source of the sudden annoyance. A little purple-skinned yordle in gaudy, vibrant clothes was hanging onto her by the flanges of her helmet. She immediately realized it was the eccentric Fae Sorceress, Lulu.
"Get off of me immediately," Lissandra firmly commanded, "and how did you get into my quarters?"
"Hey! What does this do!" Lulu asked, completely ignoring the Ice Witch.
It took a moment for woman to realize what Lulu was talking about. The sorceress had leaned back slightly, and was clearly staring at the clasp that held her large helmet into place; a helmet she absolutely didn't want removed. But before she could react, the little miscreant popped the clasp and tugged it off.
"Give me that back you little–,"
"You're going to have to catch me first, Fluffy!" Lulu called out before darting quickly out of the room.
Lissandra moved to chase, but quickly halted herself. There was no way she could leave without the guise of her mask. She quickly realized that she had to mask her identity in some way. The Ice Witch decided the best way to do so was to embrace the lack of armor, so no one would recognize her. Her magics quickly split the black ice shell that normally encased her, and she stepped down from the high platform that levitated her across the battlefield.
As Lissandra went to throw on some clothes to protect her modesty, she took a brief pause to examine her true form in the mirror. She put on quite a show most of the time, her ice armor creating a dark, imposing image on the battlefield. The rest of the time, she used illusion magics to become the human leader of the Frostguard.
In truth, her body was smaller and more lithe. Her powdery blue skin looked delicate, especially when she wrapped it in the loose, white dress that her tribe had always worn. Though she had little pride in it, Lissandra was actually the last of the Ice Nymphs, who used to frolic in the northern forests of the Freljord. They were whimsical pranksters, at least before Lissandra betrayed them in her quest for power.
What concerned her the most was the exposed pair of large, fluffy white ears that poked out from her head. They were usually encased in the elongated points of her helmet. She was fairly certain everyone was curious of the reason for its shape, and she would certainly never tell them. They were fairly delicate and sensitive, and she didn't like folding or leaving any pressure on them.
She felt so odd to be out of her imposing armor and once again looking like she should be prancing around the snow-covered forests. It felt uncomfortable to look into her own large, cute blue eyes. But she had something very important that she had to do now.
The Ice Witch darted out into the hallway; reaching out with her powerful magics, she quickly located and began to chase after the magical trail of the Fae Sorceress. Lissandra knew that her body was thin and light; ice nymphs were well adapted to moving atop the snow very quickly, lest they fall prey to wolves and other fearsome creatures that shared their home. Yordles, on the other hand, had stumpy little legs, and unless very well trained like that silly scout or the ninja, had trouble running. They certainly had no chance without the balancing magics that coated the Fields of Justice.
It was no surprise to her when she finally caught sight of the little troublemaker as she rounded a corner. "Give that back!"
Lulu came to a dead halt at the other end of the hall. When she stuck her tongue out, Lissandra released a light growl. "You'll never catch me like that! Zippy!" she called out, lifting her staff into the air. A surge of magic suddenly flooded out, and Lulu quickly darted away, levitating slightly in the air and moving at incredible speed.
"Oh, you are not getting away!" she shouted back with a slight smile, letting her usually suppressed nature take over a little. The Ice Witch quickly picked up her pace, continuing her long chase.
She pursued Lulu through what felt like the entirety of the Institute. She was thankful for her decision to disguise herself, though at a certain point it felt unnecessary. She passed many other champions, but none seemed to spare a second glance to the blue nimble nymph chasing after the little eccentric sorceress. Lissandra was fairly new, but evidently everyone else was accustomed to the yordle's antics.
Eventually they entered a recognizable wing of the building. She halted her running, and with a wide smile, she lifted a hand and let an icy claw puncture through the wall. There was only one path through, and after she let herself flow through the magical ice, she materialized on the other side, right in position to tackle the miscreant.
Lulu was so light and she was moving so quick that the two tumbled out onto a balcony. The little crazy sorceress was giggling loudly the whole time. Lissandra lifted Lulu off the ground easily by gripping beneath her arms. She felt a little silly to have such a triumphant smile for catching the little prankster. Her other plots involved world domination, but this made her feel satisfied.
At least until her helmet vanished into a cloud of purple dust with a little poof. "What did you just do?"
Lulu giggled a little. "Put it back in your room. Now come on Fluffy, it's your turn!"
"My turn for what?" Lissandra asked, ignoring the nickname and tilting her head a little. She was relieved her secret was safe for now, though perhaps she should do something to keep Lulu quiet.
"You caught me! Now I have to chase you! Haven't you ever played tag before?" the yordle quickly explained, rolling her eyes.
Actually Lissandra had; it was a fairly popular game amongst her tribe. Despite this, she shook her head. "There's no way I'm going to do that. I will not indulge your childish games."
"Childish! Psh. I'm your elder, and you should always obey your elders. That's what I tell everyone else when they don't want to play," the Fae Sorceress explained, wiggling a finger for emphasis. It looked a little ridiculous considering the way she was being held up in the air.
Lissandra looked at the sorceress like she was crazy. "There is no way you're older than me."
"Ha! You can't even tell how old magic is? I can see yours! I'm older! 931 to be exact!"
Lissandra went a little slack jawed. If that was true, Lulu actually was a year older than her, as impossible as that seemed. But perhaps she was; the Ice Witch had heard whispers that Lulu passed in and out of the world of the Fae. Time flowed differently and her magics must have grown infused with the Fae's, granting longevity much like her own.
"I used to hear stories about ice nymphs, but I thought you were all gone. I never thought I'd get to play with one! C'mon, lets play!" Lulu exclaimed ecstatically, beginning to bounce a little.
Well that was certainly proof enough for Lissandra. She had erased the world's knowledge of her people; if Lulu had heard of them, she must've been born centuries ago. Though Lissandra felt like she should be a little more aggravated, this little escapade was a fairly entertaining distraction. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to indulge the giggling sorceress a bit more; she had nothing better to do, and it had been a long time since she had enjoyed a game of tag. "Very well, ma'am," she answered with a snide tone.
"Good, now I'll give you a ten second head start. Go!"
Lissandra quietly stared out her balcony again. A little progress had been made in her devious plots, but for now she was once again biding her time until her next move. Somehow, watching a mountain erode was even more boring than before. She hesitated for a moment, contemplating embracing her nymph blood and pulling a little prank. But after a little thinking, a little inkling of an idea popped into her head. Perhaps she would steal something from the little sorceress, as a little bit of revenge. Maybe kidnap the little Fae that Lulu was so fond of.
Once again removing her black ice armor and getting into her white dress, she slipped out of her room, careful to make sure no one saw her. She quietly crept her way across the Institute until she found her way to Lulu's quarters. Each champion was allowed to customize their room, usually with the help of summoner's magic. Lissandra was a little scared of what she would find on the other side, but quietly cracked the door open anyway.
All that she found was purple silks hanging from the ceiling, so dense she couldn't see the opposite wall. A little apprehensively, the Ice Witch pushed them aside, slowly wading into the bedroom. She was a little confused when she realized there was no opposite wall, and she continued to push through for what felt like an extremely long distance.
Eventually, she could see something on the other side of the obscuring fabric, so she quickened her pace. She was unprepared for the sudden surge of sensory overload she felt as she passed the threshold. Lissandra suddenly felt like all of her perceptive sense melted together, and she briefly felt like vomiting as the world collapsed in on her mind in an indescribable way.
It didn't take long for her to realize what happened; she was an incredible smart, wise, century-old witch. Lulu's room was an entrance to the Glade, the world that the more whimsical Fae inhabited. Most other champions would have just ran into the opposite wall, but nymphs were infused with a little Fae magic, having been descendants, so she was able to slip into the world unaided.
Reaching out her powerful magics, Lissandra tried to bend the world into a shape her mind could perceive, but as the cold icy floes began to infuse with the essence of the magical realm, they were suddenly batted away by familiar-feeling glittery purple strands of very ancient magic.
"Nope, none of that! Just give it a minute!" Lissandra smelled. Smelled? She quickly thought to herself, realizing she just inhaled words. After a few moments of stomach wrenching agony, the world began to take some shape, at least as much as her mind could accept from the new inputs it was receiving. Her eyes could taste, her nose could hear, her ears could see.
As the world formed around her, everything seemed to dazzle. The whole world appeared melodic, an odd description, but her ears felt like they were seeing a world made of music. Strong crescendos, rhythmic marches, and a few elegant waltzes. Eventually, the world righted itself again as her ability to perceive this world adapted again; probably only possible because of the Fae magics that flowed through her veins.
Finally, she found herself sitting the middle of a beautiful, multicolored forest. She was startled a little when she realized that the clearing she was sitting on was a small pool of purple water, but she wasn't sinking.
"Hey Fluffy! What are you doing here?"
Lissandra glanced up at the Fae Sorceress, who was hanging from a nearby purple tree, her staff hooked into one of the branches. "Oh, just passing through," she answered with a chuckle. "So this is the Glade. How… quaint."
"Yup. You shouldn't stay too long though, if you can't see the age of magic, you'll spend more time here than you think. It takes a little getting used to."
"I see, how interesting."
"Ever been to a beach, Fluffy?"
The sudden change in subject was a little jarring, but Lissandra just shook her head. "Nope, much too warm for me."
"Figured, but that isn't an issue here! Let's go!" Lulu called out, unhooking her staff and diving face first into the shallow looking pool.
There was no splash as she slid beneath the waters, vanishing out of sight. Lissandra just peered into the water confused for a few moments, before a tiny purple hand poked up, grabbing her dress and tugging her down.
Or rather, up, she soon realized as tumbled out of the water on the other side. The sudden shift in gravity left her splashing around in shallow water. When she got her bearings, she found herself on a beautiful white sand beach. Of course, it was probably as cold as the most frigid winter on the Freljord, but the water wasn't frozen. Aside from the cold, it felt like a perfectly tropical atmosphere.
Lulu was already seated over on the shore. Lissandra quietly rose out of the water and waded over; she was a little shocked that her dress was perfectly dry. The Ice Witch walked over and laid down beside the Fae Sorceress. Lissandra smiled as she basked in the green rays of sunshine. She had never been able to relax on a sunny beach before; she couldn't stand the usual heat that accompanied this particular landform. Perhaps after Watchers returned and froze the world, the beaches would be cool enough for her.
Lulu giggled as she pranced over to a nearby bush– that had white popsicles growing out of it. The whole world seemed quite jarring, but interesting and quite beautiful. It actually made Lissandra a little happy to know that even after the Watchers returned, Lulu's Glade would be untouched and the young girl– old woman, she corrected to herself– would still have a home. 'Or perhaps I could keep her as a pet,' she contemplated for a moment, 'No, I'll just come visit her. That'd probably be nice.'
"Here you go!" Lulu suddenly called out, shoving a popsicle at the Ice Witch.
"Thanks, little one," Lissandra chimed back as she took the frozen treat. She gave it a quick lick; it was quite peculiar. First of all, it was pretty hot. Second, it tasted red, although she wasn't quite sure why she knew how red tasted. Though she quickly dismissed the thought, because it hardly mattered, and red was quite delicious.
Once again, Lissandra suddenly felt some extra weight. Lulu was sitting on her once again, legs resting comfortably on her shoulders and arms resting on the top of her head. Without a second of hesitation, the little sorceress began to stroke at the Ice Witch's ears. "You know what Fluffy, I like you. No one else has ever come to the Glade with me. We should hang out more often."
"If that's what you want."
'Yes, I will definitely visit you, Lulu.'
Ashe was a little confused when the felt the familiar chill of a Freljord winter on the air, especially since she was at the Institute, and it was the middle of July. She was also a little confused when she felt the familiar crunch of Freljordian snow beneath her boots. The Frost Archer glanced around the snow-filled garden, a little confused at what was happening. Suddenly, a snowball pelted her directly in the face. As she wiped away the childish projectile, she noticed a little blood; there had been a small chunk of ice buried in it.
She spotted a familiar hat poking out from behind a little snow fort, and a pair of unfamiliar large, fluffy white ears. Around the garden, she could quickly discern there were two forces duking it out in a flurry of trench to trench snowball combat. She quickly spotted Amumu and Ziggs, fighting beside Annie and Fizz, who were dressed in appropriate looking parkas. On the other side was the mysterious set of ears, Lulu, Tristana, and Teemo.
Ashe quickly dismissed the childish game, applying some pressure to her bleeding lip as she left to find treatment.
"That was a good shot, Fluffy!"
Lissandra snickered a little at her small victory over her enemy, giving Lulu a thumbs-up. The Ice Witch was quickly finding that little pranks were plenty of fun– and with long, intricate, and slow plans, there was plenty of time for a little secret fun.