"What do you mean low impact?" A slight frustration resided in her usually neutral voice. Akali looked with minor stern upon the face of her fellow Kinkou, Shen. He stood in his natural stance among the gardens of the league, two fingers of his right hand pressed against his hidden lips, while the other two rested below his chin. Although not visible due to the mask that always accompanied him, his eyes stared forward or so Akali assumed.

It was a while before he spoke again. "I have studied them, as you suggested" his passive tone finally replied. "I do not see what you believe. It will be low impact and not worth the time to study further. I suggest you drop it." His nature indicated fact, even if it was his opinion.

"They are important" she forcefully added, the emotion in her voice rising to a level that Shen moved to face her, his gaze staring down upon her and any other may have agitated in hesitation at his almost automaton like movements, it's not that they were rigid, but it seemed that more logic went into them than should be necessary. She did not waver with his gaze, but instead stared back, her eyes showing no sign of irritation. "Their ties to the leaders are what make them important."

"Have you ever experienced love Akali?"

Her body physically startled at the strange question he asked. He still spoke to her like a teacher, and she always viewed him as such due to his ability to always part with words of wisdom. "I... I have not" she finally finished, she felt a small warmth trying to blossom on her cheeks, their young red petals quickly being pruned by the ninja.

"Have you ever experienced hate?" he again quickly added.

She hesitated less this time to answer, thinking she could see the picture he attempted to paint. "No" she stated flatly and honestly.

"Then how do you see the correct balance between them when you haven't experienced either?" he asked giving a brief questioning gesture with his left hand.

She was hesitant to reply. The kinkou weren't forbidden from such things, but they were considered improper, after all her mother had been the former Fist of Shadow, so love amongst their ranks maybe uncommon, but not impossible. "We as kinkou. Give up those rights. Our emotions cannot be our guides, but the logic of balance is what decides our actions."

"You are correct" Shen stated, again sounding factual. "However, you can experience love and hate without them being a part of you. Look to others. See how they react under such emotions. Love and hate can cause both destruction and peace. I believe your problem Akali, is that you think too broad. You spoke about their ties to leaders. What of them as people?"

She understood the lesson he was teaching. How to experience emotions without embracing them, by seeing how they affect others and what becomes of them through their actions of their chosen emotion. How sometimes the smaller picture was of more significance than the larger image. She nodded in agreement, the lesson being learnt, although the learning experience felt slightly hollow, as with most lessons taught by Shen.

"However, you are free to love and hate as you feel" there was slight emphasis on the you, but he seemed to indicate no emotion behind it. "You are the Fist of Shadow, as your mother before you. Her love for another caused balance to spring into life in the form of you Akali. An excess of one can lead to a balance of the scale. So why you try to hide your emotions so fervently is something I fail to understand for the role of avoiding emotion completely is left to me." He turned away from her now, again taking to viewing the scenery of the gardens.

"I do not wish for my emotions to complicate decisions I will have to make" she replied turning away from him. She glanced over her shoulder slightly, seeing Shen continue to stare forth out of the corner of her eyes. "I do not think love is meant for me, Shen" she added before walking away from him and back into the main halls of the league.


"Akali!" yelled a bright vibrant voice. Akali instantly responded, the voice was obviously non-threatening containing innocence and youth, and she turned to the location where the yell came from. Further down the long elegant corridor of the league leading to the entrance of the grand library stood Lux. She waved one of her youthful hands while wearing a beaming smile and she began a jog towards the ninja, clenching a stack of books to her chest.

"Lux?" Akali questioned as she got within ear shot. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes, everything is fine, why wouldn't it be?" She replied the smile still not fading from her face, although it contained a small hint of worry at the possibility something could be wrong.

"It's just. You yelled?" Akali replied inquisitively, realising though that she may have made a mistake in the importance of Lux's cry.

"To get your attention of course!" She replied enthusiastically. "I was wondering where you were going? Do you have any plans at the moment?"

Akali shook her head. "I wasn't sure to be honest. Maybe to get my evening meal. I hadn't really decided yet."

"That's odd" Lux pondered for a second and Akali raised a curious eyebrow in response. Either ignoring or not seeing the intrigued intent of the ninja she continued on. "Well! I was wondering if maybe you wanted to do something. I enjoyed our talk earlier" her voice was honest, not that Akali even bothered to try to see if there was any deception, but it was more instinctual for the kinkou, just like breathing or knowing how to walk quietly.

"I have no other routine to accomplish. So I see no reason why not" Akali replied with a light smile of her own.

"Great!" Lux exclaimed, not losing any of the enthusiasm from before. "Maybe you can help me..." Lux began to trail off, only the faintest of blush gracing her perky cheeks.

"I will try" she replied a hint of concern trying to break into the passive tone, but was inaudible amongst the neutrality of her trained voice. "Shall we head for the evening meal?"

"Actually Akali, I'd prefer not to. I think privacy would be better suited for this topic" seeing the look of confusion upon the ninja's face she continued with a broad grin. "It's sometimes nice to talk to just another girl, you know? Without ears of men and big brothers around."

Akali nodded the light smile returning to her face. "I think I know somewhere we can discuss things" she replied heading off towards the exit to the league, Lux catching up to walk by her side, books still held tight, like a mother cradling a child that wasn't her own.


"It's nice and warm here" Lux stated running her hands through the tall grass, almost equal to her height. As she entered a circular patch where the grass did not touch, she saw Akali already sitting in a very relaxed positioned. She couldn't help a small look of surprise taking over her face at how relaxed this ninja was, her feet were out stretched, she rested upon the palms of her hands placed behind her back. Her foot that passed over her other leg gently rocked back and forth. She looked forwards not looking to Lux as she entered.

"What is it that you wish to speak of?" Akali questioned gesturing a hand to the dirt but still not looking upon Lux.

She prepared herself for the dirt as best as she could, her desire to keep the casual dress she wore clean proved to be a lost ambition as she placed herself gently upon the ground. "Well you know" she began, inspecting her dress each movement causing more pieces of dry dirt to brush against it. "It went ok" she stated looking at Akali with a reassuring smile.

"I'm glad to hear that. You seemed slightly nervous when you left" Akali replied, the lack of emotion making Lux feel a slight childishness to her desire to speak to the ninja about such a topic.

"I suppose you don't feel nervous talking to people that interest you?" Lux commented the smile fading from her face.

"No. I have no use for that kind of feeling" she replied her eyes meeting Lux's.

"I have no use for nerves either! They still come after me though!" her smile returning to her face. "You will have to tell me your secret."

"It's not nerves that I spoke, but the "interest" that you mentioned" her voice sounded honest to Lux, but Akali tried to contain any inadvertent deception.

"Oh?" Lux questioned giving Akali a strange and curious expression. "Just because we aren't allowed to have certain things, doesn't stop us from wanting them though, right?" She grinned at the suggestion. Akali remained silent for a while deciding how best to respond. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to suggest anything. I suppose our upbringings are different and I do not fully understand" the formality rang harsh in her voice, her head bowed deep in apology.

Lux began to shift as though she was about to stand and leave. "What do you feel, when you see him?" Akali quickly questioned, not wishing for Lux to depart yet, she was enjoying the company and the unusual topic of which they discussed.

The vibrant girl looked back at Akali who seemed genuinely intrigued for the answer to the question. "Well, I feel kind of... silly." Lux replied a small hint of blush captivating her youth and innocence.

"Silly?" Akali questioned a small smile appearing across her face.

"Yes. In a good way though. I also feel warm, nervous and of course, happy" she replied looking away from Akali.

"I see. Is that how most people in love feel?" Akali replied and was surprised by Lux's startling, her hands viciously waving from side to side head shaking in firm disagreement.

"It's not love!" She barked, the redness in her face blooming to full blossom. "Not yet at least" she added giving Akali an innocent smile.

Akali smiled in return, it was broad for Akali, but to anyone else it would be an average quaint smile. "I understand. Sorry for my jump to that conclusion."

"It's ok. Probably no worse than Garen who would probably demand 'When is he going to take your hand in marriage? Are you sure his family have no ties to Noxus?'" she impersonated her brother, sitting herself straight up with one accusing finger pointing forward.

"He is like that?" Akali questioned curiously.

"Well he was like last time" she replied folding her arms in annoyance.

"He just cares for you."

"I was 9!" she cried. The two sat eyes locked on each other for a while before Lux's face cracked and she began to snicker eventually giggling loudly. Akali found her laughter to be infectious and she couldn't help but chuckle slightly herself. "You are nice Akali" Lux said calming down. "It's nice to have another girl to talk to for a change."

Akali just nodded in agreement the smile still upon her face widening the further their conversation grew. It was an interesting experience for her, she had never spoken to someone so lively before, she had a certain appealing innocence that Akali could not help but admire and enjoy. Akali for now was enjoying the normality of it.