One particularly stubborn curl of her jet-black hair refused to straighten, and Irelia decided both her straightener and her scalp didn't need more torture, setting the appliance down and heading towards the door of the apartment.
Irelia never attempted to hide her workaholic nature. Since she had come back to the mainland after spending her Snowdown back in Ionia, she had politely declined offers from a wide array of champions to join in the nightlife and festivities usually going on during weekends at the Institute, when the High Council only scheduled important matches in which only a select few champions would participate. She used training as her excuse most of the time, and while she did sacrifice a good amount of her free time sparring with Riven on the upper floors of the martial arts dojo, Irelia simply declined because the events didn't interest her. She did enjoy a few "girls' nights out" with a few of the Ionian champions, but neither Karma nor Soraka exactly frequented the bar, and Irelia had made sure never to take up an invitation suggested by the Nine-Tailed Fox for good reason. As a result, nothing exciting really came out of such get-togethers besides ingesting a few drinks, making polite conversation, and parting ways before it got too late.
Boring? Most likely. Unfun? Perhaps. But she would never consider herself antisocial, and Irelia had convinced herself that she agreed to meet with Jax so she could truthfully say she had branched out from her inner circle. She didn't quite know the real reason she felt drawn to him, and she started having second thoughts about their little date, if she ventured to call it one, but Irelia always kept her word. Still, she had to wonder what he intended to do besides have a couple of drinks. She never pegged him as the sociable type. In fact, Irelia realized she knew very little about the man outside of his penchant for dominating League matches and an equally large appetite for alcoholic beverages. Despite all of the stories which circulated the grapevine about how much Jax would drink, no one could follow it up with a tale of an inebriated Jax losing control of his actions and doing anything regrettable.
Her reflection in the mirror portrayed a quite different figure than the one people would typically see on the Fields or back home in Ionia, where, as Captain of the Guard, she frequently exercised her duty to defend her homeland and maintain the natural balance and harmony for which Ionia was known. Instead of her typical red armor, she traded in the Mantle of Decorum for a sleeveless yellow dress in tones reminiscent of her Aviator outfit, its modest length falling down to her knees. A white pearl necklace, pieced together with authentic Ionian pearls from the northern beaches, completed her outfit. Slipping on a black wool jacket to protect her from the cold winter air, she looked at the four spirit blades hung on the wall near her door. Debating with herself for a second, she decided to play it safe and take them along with her. The spirit blades could fit nicely into a compact shape at her back so they wouldn't attract attention, and since they did levitate, they didn't bring around any unnecessary weight.
It would take her quite some time to make it to the bar, nestled in the northwestern corner of the Institute, so Irelia gave herself ample time to make the trek, especially considering she had to walk in a pair of heels she hadn't quite broken in yet. True to geographical position on the map, the Institute had placed the Ionian quarters in the far eastern side of the apartment complexes, with only the apartments belonging to the champions of Piltover nearby. She caught a glimpse of the Prodigal Explorer, decked out in a flashy white tuxedo, catch her eye and wave from a distance before running to catch up with Jayce, who dressed in a similar fashion. Irelia smirked to herself as she watched them turn a corner. Two of the League's infamous playboys, the Ionian had experienced their flirtatious natures firsthand not long after her induction into the League, when Ezreal had tried to take advantage of her naivety and take her out to a fireworks show. To his credit, the pyrotechnics impressed her. His half-baked pick-up lines, which he had dubbed "ancient love poetry," did not. Irelia shuddered before a second before repressing the memory further into the recesses of her mind.
The long walk gave her time to mull about some other thoughts, particularly about her impending companion. Though you couldn't see very much below Jax's hood, she could make out a pattern of eyes, and she didn't just see two. She wondered if he had some strange mutation which gave him two extra pairs of eyes, or if he simply wasn't human; she wagered more on the first possibility, since he did sound fairly normal and his mannerisms seemed human enough. The prospect of taking down his hood and revealing a horrifying arachnid face did cross her thoughts, however, and she began to have second thoughts about wanting to see underneath the hood. Come to think of it, the glowing spheres did look very similar to the peculiar headgear donned by her fellow Ionian, Master Yi. She made a mental note to ask Jax if they shared any relation.
Still deeply consumed in her ponderings, she nearly ran into the faded white cloak of a familiar marksman. She hadn't expected the normally grim dark-skinned man to wander out and join in the festivities, but the Purifier stood before her in the flesh, and she saw a red tie and dress shirt underneath his usual outfit. Lucian whirled around, his expression softening when he recognized Irelia. "Will of the Blades. You're out celebrating, too?"
It appeared that he had left his twin relic weapons in his apartment, and Irelia felt a little silly for taking her own weapons with her, although Lucian didn't have the advantage of storing them in a convenient place. "Mhm. I don't typically go here, but Jax invited me earlier today and I decided to give it a try." The sounds of electronic music, backed by a reverberating beat, got louder as they approached the top of the hill which housed the bar.
Lucian nodded in understanding. "Seems like the mob's beaten us here. It's looking like a mighty fine mess in there. I've got to go find Graves, I was supposed to meet him in all of this mess." He started to take his leave, but turned around, his brown eyes darkening as he made eye contact with Irelia. "Keep yourself safe. You'll be in good hands with Jax, but there's something in the air tonight that just doesn't feel right," he spoke in a low voice before returning to his usual tone. Irelia felt the pressure in her ears suddenly change, as if she had gone underwater, and then her senses returned to normal.
"Take care, then. We might run into each other once we get inside," Lucian said, giving her a friendly wave goodbye as he hurried off into the faceless crowd lining up at the entrance. Irelia moved towards the entrance, jostling for position amidst the myriad of people, and tried to find Jax to see if he could tell her anything about the matter.
She found him in the same old robes he dressed in when battling on the Rift, leaning back against a thin pillar, a raised hand waving for her to come over. "You made it," Jax greeted.
Irelia greeted him back before looking him over skeptically. "You use these same robes for everything?"
The grandmaster shifted his shoulders slightly. "These are my drinking robes. I have a set for every occasion: battles on the Rift, casual wear, pajamas. It's a very complex affair, I don't think you would understand. But, rest assured, it's a very daunting task. I have a tailor connection in Piltover sew each one to my exact specifications," he explained. "After all, I have to keep up appearances."
Irelia arched an eyebrow, a bit put off by his exaggerated story. Even if he did tell the truth about his clothing, she couldn't think of any convincing reason to have a plethora of sets of the same clothes. Even if he wished to mask his identity, she didn't think it would kill him to at least pick out a change of color every one in a while.
"But you," Jax continued, "have definitely seemed to dress for the occasion. Those are real pearls, aren't they?"
She brightened, not expecting anyone but a native to recognize the style of necklace. "They are, thank you. By the way," she added, gesturing at the huge line piled up right outside the entrance, "it seems like there's quite a lot going on here tonight. I wasn't expecting such a spectacle."
Jax turned to acknowledge the crowd she pointed at, nodding. "Ah, yes. Tonight they've decided to celebrate that new champion introduced to the League earlier this week. The Void Burrower creature."
Irelia thought back to the announcement. She didn't really pay much attention to the new arrival. Champions from the Void couldn't mean anything but trouble. What was its name? Rek'Sai, I think.
"Can't imagine why everyone would show so much excitement over a new champion of the Void," Irelia observed.
"They don't care who it is, they just care that there is someone," Jax explained. "This crowd just needs an excuse to throw a huge party, and celebrating a big purple Void shark joining our ranks works for them. Gragas isn't one to complain, as it's definitely helping his business."
Irelia nodded her assent. "No matter what the occasion, it's going to be a long wait before we can get in," she said as she started to get in line. Jax, however, pulled her back. Indicating for her to stay put, he walked up to the doors of the entrance. Tapping the bouncer at the door's shoulder, he pointed at himself and then Irelia. After a quick look at the woman, the bouncer, who Irelia swore had to be Dr. Mundo, nodded, after which Jax motioned for her to walk over towards the entrance and bypass the crowd.
Jax stepped aside and gestured an "after you," and after they had both entered, Irelia addressed him. "Did I just see the Madman of Zaun letting us in at the doors?"
"Oh. I guess you did," Jax replied nonchalantly. "Old Mundo and I go way back. It's a very long and strange story, so I'll spare you the details. But come over here, I'll get you a drink." They made their way to the counter, passing a few fellow champions and staff members of the Institute, who all greeted them fairly warmly. At their destination, they were met by none other than the Rabble-Rouser himself, who seated himself on one of the bar stools instead of behind the counter. Gragas had already started celebrating, by the look of the half-empty glass of wine in his hand.
"Well if it isn't Jax," Gragas greeted them heartily as he shook Jax's hand firmly before turning to Irelia. "And what do we have here? None other than the Will of the Blades. Good to see you, and welcome!"
Irelia smiled. "Thank you, Gragas, it's good to see you too." The man was dressed quite sharply today, a stark change from the less than tasteful garb he normally wore on the Fields of Justice. "Enough of the formalities, then, go get yourselves some drinks!" the large man prodded.
"I'd be happy to," Jax agreed as he waved over the bartender.
"So." Gragas turned to Jax. "I already know what you'll be having, mate, but what about the lovely lady here?" he asked.
Irelia hurriedly racked her mind for something to say, but Jax quickly stepped in for her. "Give her the Oriental. Blue Flame. I'll have the usual." She had no idea what kind of drink he demanded, but both the bartender and Gragas understood, as the former went off to prepare the drink while the latter merely sat back against the counter and laughed. "Ah, you know how to treat a woman, don't you, Jax?" Gragas joked, a wide grin spread across his face.
Irelia became concerned, and the wine connoisseur faced her, calming down a bit before explaining, "Don't worry, lass. Jax has a knack for picking the drink to fit the guest, and this one is especially high quality. Lucky for you I've just imported a few kegs from Bilgewater! Mr. Grandmaster over here is definitely living the high class life – but I bet you have mountains of gold to spend, the way you're playing recently, don't you, boy?"
Jax merely shrugged. "I've got enough. My salary shouldn't concern you, as long as I pay well, right?"
"But of course!" Gragas exclaimed as he got off the stool he was sitting on. Turning to Irelia, he added, "You're in good hands here, Irelia. It's not often that he spends some of his attention on a pretty lady like you. Well, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot more guests to entertain, so I'll see you around later maybe. Or not! Hohoho!" he laughed as he walked away.
Irelia looked very perplexed. "I'm not even sure where to begin asking…"
"You can't take half of the things Gragas says seriously, I'll admit," Jax explained, "but he means well, so don't look so stressed." He placed his hands on her shoulders, gently pushing them down as Irelia realized they had tensed up during their conversation. She relaxed a bit and took a deep breath. "I'm fine, just a little caught off guard."
"Now, as to your drink. It's a mixture of rum, cherries, and a dash of those exotic berries that only grow on the islands near Bilgewater. Hence the name Blue Flame," Jax explained as the bartender brought back the drinks they had ordered. Irelia's had a tint of electric blue while Jax immediately grabbed his beverage, an almost pure white liquid mixed with a twinge of grey.
"Bilgewater?" Irelia asked, incredulous. "So something that Ga –"
"No, nothing related to Gangplank," Jax dismissed with a wave of his hand. "I got the tip from Miss Fortune, actually, as she had a hand in the creation of the drink. I'm sure you'll find Sarah's taste in beverages far more appealing."
The Ionian sighed in relief. Though the eccentric Bounty Hunter might say a few strange things, between the two seafaring champions from Bilgewater, she definitely preferred Miss Fortune to Gangplank when it came to any sort of delicate matter, as the woman at least knew what she was doing. That applied to alcoholic drinks as well. Encouraged by Jax's explanation, she took a sip of her glass. It was sweet, with a bit of tanginess, and she chose to try a little more. Before her time at the Institute, she had only occasionally tasted the comparatively bland sake during Ionian festivals. The Placidium guard did have access to harder tasting alcohol, but she refrained from consuming them around the company of the men, as she had to keep up a good appearance as Captain.
She couldn't see any expression from Jax under that hood of his as he too began to ingest his drink, downing almost a quarter of it already, much more than Irelia had sampled. "What's 'the usual' for you, Jax?" she asked.
"This is a Frejlordian drink," he stated. "Mostly vodka and a bit of whiskey, but if you want to know more, you should ask Gragas himself. I'm not exactly sure what goes into this, but it's definitely grown on me. Careful, though," he warned, "it's pretty strong. Not a lot of people can handle it."
She stared at the glass. And yet he just drank a fourth of it right off the bat, with no inhibitions? She expected some odd quirks from Jax, but she wouldn't have associated them with drinking. Many secrets had to lie under that hood of his, and she wanted to figure out at least one of them before the end of the night. Taking a few more sips out of her drink, she suggested they mingle around and talk to other people, hoping the contents of his beverage might loosen him up and get him to blurt something out. Jax agreed, taking a large swig of his glass again. He had almost emptied its contents – and Irelia wasn't sure if she was more impressed or concerned. Making their way around the place, they came across a large table where a few champions who also fought in the top lane cracked jokes and told stories while taking shots in between. Irelia moved closer so she could clearly hear their conversation.
"So I told them, 'If you choose me, you'll like the way you look. I… Garen-tee it,'" a deep, familiar voice boomed, laughing at his own joke. Irelia could also make out the laughter of a monkey, the low chuckling of a canine, and the groans of a certain Rogue Mage.
"I've heard better jokes from Malphite," a female voice with a French accent complained.
"That's probably because he has nothing else to do in a lane against you," Jax quipped from behind Irelia, eliciting a couple of "oohs" and guffaws from the other champions. The table's inhabitants all turned to appraise the newcomers. The sole female at the table glared at the jab Jax threw out, her brown eyes fixated on him with intensity.
"He got you pretty good there, didn't he, Fiora?" a monkey's voice teased.
"You shut your mouth, Monkey King," the duelist retorted, "or should I remind you of the wonderful time you had the last time we laned against each other?" Irelia had to smile at their antics, as she knew from personal experience that Fiora easily had her pride wounded. At first Wukong couldn't come up with a suitable comeback, sitting still in his seat with a blank face, but everyone soon realized it was his clone as the real Wukong appeared behind Fiora, clasping her on the shoulders before switching places with the clone in a puff of smoke and returning to his seat. "You might have gotten me once, but it'll never happen again!"
A low voice at the end of the table calmly greeted the two newcomers. "The Will of the Blades. Grandmaster at Arms. It is good to see you here."
Jax merely uttered a "Hey," while Irelia gave a more complete greeting to the jackal-demigod. "I say the same for you, Nasus. I wouldn't expect a bookish soul like you to be here."
The curator chuckled. "Yes, I've gotten a lot of that tonight. Nevertheless, I feel it is my duty to attend the celebratory party of a new champion to the League – even if it is held in honor of that scourge of the sands."
Irelia could sympathize – a champion related to the Void definitely wouldn't mean good things to the residents of the Shuriman Desert. "I'm surprised you've maintained enough composure to act so relaxed like this in such an environment, though."
"Child, when you've lived for eons like I have, there is little that can perturb me now," Nasus stated solemnly.
A somber silence surrounded the table, but that was quickly broken when Garen raised up his glass and offered up a speech. "So, a toast. For our glorious top lane brotherhood!" Resounding sounds of "Hear, hear" went up all around – with people choosing to ignore Fiora's protests of "Sisterhood, too!" – and a good time was had by all.
Irelia quite enjoyed herself with the other top laners, and though she was usually quite reserved, she still decided to continue drinking a little more throughout the night – though not as much as others at the table. Garen had left the company once he had suddenly picked up his stool and ran around the bar shouting "DEMACIA!" scaring any passerby unfortunate enough to cross his path. The group slowly dissolved as the night went on, but Fiora, who hadn't drank as much as the guys, pulled Irelia towards the balcony of the bar. "The fireworks are about to start, come watch with Wukong and me!" she invited. They made their way to the open-air platform on the second floor, where a sizable amount of people had already gathered.
"I'm so excited for the fireworks!" a small voice said, coming from a yordle perched up on one of the tables.
"Wait till you see what I've got cooked up, Tristana!" another yordle voice said excitedly as he made his way up another flight of stairs to the roof. Ziggs was in charge of the firework display this year and could not wait any longer to show off his hexplosive masterpiece – or maybe it was just his natural, volatile personality showing impatience.
Irelia laughed a little at the yordle's eagerness. "Wow, this is great, Jax. Thank you for invi" – she began as she turned around, looking for the grandmaster, who was nowhere to be found. Thinking he had slipped away earlier in the night, she shrugged, not too worried about him because Jax was not a person she would be concerned about if left alone. He'd find her before the party would end, she was sure.
"Going off in ten seconds!" Ziggs exclaimed triumphantly.
"This is going to be great!" Wukong let out at her side.
"Five… four… three… two… one," the yordle counted down. He then pulled a rope, launching a rocket into the air. It's beautiful, Irelia thought as she prepared for the explosion and subsequent display of lights.
A tremor much closer than she had expected shook the ground where they stood. Everyone looked around in confusion, some people glancing at Ziggs as if to ask what was going on. The yordle was just as puzzled as everyone else. "I'm not sure what's going o" – he was saying as the sound of a large explosion cut him off, seemingly from inside Gragas' bar. The floor tore itself up from beneath them, knocking splinters of wood set aflame everywhere. Irelia, as well as everyone who stood on the balcony with her, was knocked off her feet, high into the air, arms and legs flailing wildly. She struggled to gain some control over her limbs, or even reach out to the spirit blades still attached to her back, but her attempts at controlling her senses were swallowed by the sheer sense of panic which engulfed her. A scream escaped her lips, one of many which rent the night air.
And then she was falling. Gravity took over, plunging her down, deep into the burning conflagration. And all she could see was the night sky lit by the tongues of fire which rose higher and higher, pillars of flame which danced around the edges of her blurry vision. In desperation Irelia reached out for something - anything - but caught nothing as she fell into the maw of the flamberge which roared beneath her.
A/N: less of Jax than I was intending, more of Irelia realizing she needs to go out more and then immediately thinking otherwise. Dialogue scenes might be rushed, but I was trying to get to the ending because those are fun to write. Have I killed off scores of people before my third chapter? Am I really that cruel? We'll see.