Chapter 3: Maps and Invitation

The day past by without much notice since Lux left the library, students and summoners soon left to return home and government officials moved their meeting to another location. The sun started to set on the horizon as Mikki started lighting candles and picked up loose books that weren't put back on the shelves after being used. What few people that stuck around were given a fifteen minute warning for when they must leave as the day drew to a close. The growl of her empty stomach reminded her that she had gone all day without a bite to eat and only lasted so long due to the water she had since the afternoon to quench the emptiness. After watching and checking each room to make sure the library has been cleared out of all guests, she padded her way back to the west wing kitchen to make what would now be 'dinner'.

Gathering an empty bowl from the cabinet, she walked to the ice box that stood along side the counter and opened it to reveal it's contents of cold food stored within. She opened a smaller container within and pulled out four eggs, placing them into the bowl and closing the container as she swept her hand over a shelf labeled meats and pulled out a small package of bacon strips. As she closed the ice box, she heard someone knocking away at the front door. She sighed as she set the bowl and bacon package down into the counter and moved swiftly to answer the door yet again. A quick peek through the peep hole showed a young man standing in front of the door with bright blond hair that wasn't very well kept shuffling around as he waited for her to open the door. With a shake of her head and a slight smile on her face, Mikki unlocked the door and opened it to greet him.

"You're visiting awfully late." She told him as he spun around to face her. Ezreal bowed to her lightly as he held out a bound journal out to her. "I know but I figured you'd like to update some of the maps while I was in the area." He said lightly as Mikki gently took up the journal from his gloved hands. She looked it over and flipped through a few highly detailed pages as she nodded. "Thank you very much, Ez. Would you like to come inside while I get your payment for this?" She asked him as a loud growl sounded from her stomach. He laughed as he heard this and agreed to come inside as he followed her to the information and checkout counter and watched her set the journal down.

Walking around the counter to her side, she leaned down to pull out the gold box as she pulled out the usual fare for his service, but as she leaned back up, Ezreal wasn't in front of her anymore. After a quick listen, she heard footsteps behind her as she quickly spun around and saw a glimpse of his boot heading towards the west wing. Covering her face with embarrassment, she sighed and started following after him only to find him already where she thought he would be, the kitchen. She heard banging as she approach the kitchen, hearing several egg cracks and faint sizzling of the bacon as well as she got closer still. Leaning against the door frame as she stared at Ezreal's back as he kept mixing the eggs in the bowl that she pulled out earlier. "Enjoying yourself?" She asked him calmly, trying hard not to sound a bit upset over being pampered a second time by a champion.

He looked over his shoulder as he poured the scrambled eggs into another pan next to the pan that's cooking the bacon. "I am, of course, but you sounded hungry and I thought I would do this while you put the new map in it's new home." He explained as he started stirring around the eggs, watching them slowly solidify. "Besides, I'm a little hungry myself and helped myself to a couple more eggs and I used the whole package of bacon strips, if that's okay?" He meant it as a question, but why ask when he already used it all? Mikki waved her hand at him, even though he wasn't paying attention, "No, no, that's fine. I'll just take it out of your payment for the food you're making for yourself." He faced her again over his shoulder, making a mock puppy face at her before chuckling himself as he heard her reaction to it.

Mikki told him she'd decided to take the time to register and place the new map journal into it's new spot on the shelf as Ezreal made dinner for the two of them. Leaving the bright kitchen behind, she strolled swiftly back to the counter where she set the journal down. Just before making the last turn to face the checkout count, she heard the soft rustling of pages turning just around the corner. Slowing peeking around the corner, she spied a woman from behind who's long red hair flowed freely down her back. "You're not a very sneaky librarian, Mikki." The woman commented as another page was turned.

Mikki stepped around the corner and approach her as the woman gave a half turn to face Mikki. "Did you have some business to take care of here, Katarina?" She asked as she saw that Kat was looking through the map journal Ezreal gave her. The sinister blade smirked as she closed the journal and tossed it at Mikki and watch as Mikki fumbled with the catch. "I put what I came to deliver in that journal." She explained as Mikki looked over the book, checking for any missing or torn pages and watched as a single piece of paper fluttered out of the pages and landed gently on the floor. Picking it up, the first thing that struck out at her was the Noxus symbol stamped at the top center of the page. Scanning further, she looked towards the bottom where she'd most likely see the signature of the one who wrote the message and had the ability to get Katarina to deliver it.

"I'm sure Swain will be please to have you visit him tonight." She said snidely as she leaned on the counter, watching the young librarian read the letter. Mikki crumpled the paper and tossed it into a near by waste basket. "He expects me to come tonight after he had the gall to wake me up much earlier this morning?" She snapped her eyes onto Katarina's as she watched the sinister blade's reaction. Nothing. "I want you to tell him I'm not coming tonight after what he did earlier and that if he wants me to visit him, he'll come himself during respectable hours of the day to ask."

With a quick shunpo, Kat was behind the defying librarian, baring her blades to Mikki's exposed throat. "You're really lucky this place prevents me from harming you." She muttered at her as she pulled her blades back and stepped to the side before turning around only to face Ezreal, who just came out to get Mikki for dinner. "What are you doing here, Kat?" He said as he raised his hand, prepared to face her in combat. She laughed at the prodigal explorer as she tilted her head at him. "You realize neither of us can fight here, silly boy." He lowered his arm as he glared at the Noxian assassin. "I know that, but what were you trying to do to her?"

Mikki, who was rubbing lightly at her throat, turned as the two of them were talking, taking in the situation they were in and moved swiftly between them before Katarina would answer Ezreal's question, if she ever would. "That's enough." She pointed at Kat first. "You, give Swain my message and if he doesn't like it, I challenge him to come here himself and ask me again." A few moments past before Kat gave an exaggerated sigh and shunpo-ed away from the library. With a sigh of her own, she turned to face Ezreal, who looked at her with a face that screamed 'what's going on' to her. With a resigned look she looked up at him weakly as a growl was heard again from her stomach. "I'll explain while we eat." She told him as they both walked back to the west wing kitchen where two plates of bacon and eggs were sitting neatly on a table in the middle of the large kitchen area.

The eggs and bacon were a bit cold due to the time it took to send Katarina away before they could eat, but it was something they were willing to take since she had a lot on her mind and Ezreal had a lot of questions about what transpired. She already told him about Swain's early morning visits before, but what happened tonight seems to be a new addition to Swain's 'scheme', they assumed. She told him what the letter said and that she wasn't going to visit him while she still had work to do around the library. "That's understandable, but why does he insist on bothering you? Aren't there other, more important Noxians he could be courting or something?" Ez inquired further as he took a piece of bacon and munched away on it.

Mikki leaned back into the chair as she looked up at the ceiling. "I'm sure there are more important people out there for him to bother, but why me, I don't know." She said as she leaned back forward to take another bite of her eggs, suddenly not feeling very hungry. Ez rubbed her back in sympathy as he took another bite of his own eggs. "I'm sure he won't try and get a hold of you again tonight. If he did, you could keep him at bay from here without much effort, thanks to the pacifist spell around this place." He said, trying to cheer her up, but the look on her face told him there was something she didn't tell him about the letter. "Okay, spill it. What else was on that invitation?"

Mikki got up abruptly as Ez looked up at her, perplexed. "I'll be right back, I need to fish the letter from the trash." she said simply as a purple rune formed under her feet one second and the next, she was no longer in the kitchen. Ezreal looked around, expecting her to walk back, but as suddenly as she disappeared, she reappeared on the purple rune clutching a crumpled sheet of paper. The rune dissipated as she took her seat once again next to him and handed him the invitation. "Take a gander and you tell me what you think is bothering me." She mumbled as she stared up at the ceiling again. Ezreal looked over the invitation with careful eyes as he read each word.

"To Mikki Halsnight,

While I have not expressed my gratitude for your tolerance of my presence

during the twilight hours just before the dawn, I wish to thank you personally by

having you attend one of my late night socials tonight after you've finished your duties

as head librarian.

While I'm sure you won't turn down a personal invitation, I've gone ahead and will

be sending an escort to pick you up one hour from the time you receive this letter.

I look forward to seeing you here and be sure to wear you best formal attire.

Sincerely, Jericho Swain"

Ezreal stared at Mikki as she had her eyes closed the whole time he was reading the letter. "He's sending someone anyway? That's outrageous!" He stood up, knocking his chair over which startled Mikki from her sulking as she looked up at him. "Why do you think I told Kat to tell him my answer? If she did as she was told, he will be forced to come himself and, if he doesn't, I'll just send away his escort and go to bed." She said as she gave a shuddering yawn after being awake for so long. He picked his chair back up and took his seat again, now ignoring the food on their plates. The time showed twenty till nine and the time Katarina showed was around ten minutes before the current time. "So nine thirty is when his escort is to show up for you, what are you going to do between now and then?" He asked as Mikki got up and took her plate and disposed of it, no longer hungry.

"Send the escort away when he comes or face Swain if he comes instead. So many outcomes, too little time to plan for them all." She said softly as she looked back at Ezreal. "It would be best if you left before anyone comes. I know you don't care much for Noxians as it is and I'm sure Kat told Swain you were here as well." She said calmly, putting on her best head librarian persona in preparation for the next visitor. Ezreal started to protest with her, but stopped when she raised her hand at him. "I will not have you getting involved in this. If this is about what's he's been looking over the past month, then it's best I kept it between myself and Swain." She shifted her stern face to soften lightly as she tried her best to give him an honest smile. "I'm really lucky to have you as a good friend, truly, but this is personal to me. Please understand this."

Ezreal nodded as he got up and threw away his own plate and walked next to her and pulled her into a bear hug. "I don't want Swain turning you into one of them." He said as he held her tightly, keeping his head next to hers on the shoulder. "You're the only Noxian I don't dislike in the least and something tells me you got something that he wants and he'll do what ever it take to get it from you." He continued to say as he felt her pat his back gently. "I know, Ez. I promise I won't let him change me or take anything I deem valuable." She whispered back as she slowly released him and vice versa. He smiled widely at her as she softened her face more.

They walked slowly out to the front of the library in silence and stood just in front of the doorway, looking at each other with concern. "I hope you'll be okay. Who knows what they'll try once you leave this place." Ez said softly as Mikki gave a small amused huff. "I will be. I didn't train in using magic for nothing, you know." She countered back at him as she gave him a final hug. "I'll see you when you visit next time and try to come during library hours for my sake?" She said to him as he nodded. "I'll try, but no guarantees." With that, Ezreal walked out the door and flashed away in the direction of the Institute of War.

Mikki pulled the front door shut and locked it, not wanting any unwanted visitors for the next forty five minutes as she looked out in the direction of Noxus and giving it a heavy sigh as she headed up to her apartment to prepare for the worst possible outcome.