-Neighborhood of Navori, borders of Ionian Faction - 6:14 P.M-


"Holy.."

"What?"

Enriching Akali's eyes is the stronghold of the Xans, the house is encased with a huge tree at the back wherein Ionia's infamous type of houses are made of, in the center of a eight feet wall and a gate, having its traditional feel and majestic structure made Akali reminded the place where she was born.

"It's just the same as the Kinkou. But excluding the tree." Akali said, half-way having a sort of worrying on that matter; reminiscing how it looked like from before.

"It is? Shall we then?" Irelia pushed the door, making it creak it's bolts at the side that emanates the building, the sound is definitely like a doorbell that counts someone is about to enter the premises. Akali finds it too difficult to infiltrate for a thief, with that high walls and an alarming door, it needs more skill to do so. But as a ninja..

"I know you can find a way to sneak in because you are a ninja pro." Irelia joked while she leads the way, feet is touching the pebbled path that leads the building.

"Piece of cake." She answered the joke. "Or maybe not, I don't want to mess with the Xans. Especially you."

"Hmph. Good thing you know." The dancer now holds the door of the building and knocks it.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

Silence falls, heart is pounding, completely nervous on what will be the next thing to expect for..

*CREAK*

At the door, an elderly woman came out, peeking at the door with a smile of her face. As soon she opens the door, a trail of earthy smell is escaping throughout the doorway, entering the girls' sense of smell which their brain sends a signal to their stomach for it to growl in hunger.

"Ah! Relia! And Kali! Welcome home. I have been waiting for you young ladies to come." Irelia's O-ma said in a blissful tone, with her wrinkly face, nothing could tell it somewhat brings peace at the atmosphere. "Come in! Come in! And Kali, make yourself home.."

The two entered the building, the manor is simply majestic as if certain generations had passed and it's preserved very well. The scent of old history reached Akali's nose that made her realize Irelia really lives like she had been in royalty.

"Seriously.. My friend is a princess.."

"..Oops, better not to say that loud.."

Thoughts made her redden upon entering the main hall of the building, still that trail of pleasing scent of delicacy lingers the way, as if it teases the girls with a desirable hand. Yet that ended as a swift movement entered the scene.

"Sis! Sis!" A kid raised his arms as a sign he wants to get lifted, it is Irelia's little brother. The dancer reciprocates and lifted Ruu, and the two-year old boy hugged his older sibling.

"Oh yeah, Ruu? This is Akali. Say hi?" Irelia smiled, waiting for her brother to speak.

"A-Kali! Hi, hi!" Ruu waved at the ninja's face.

"Hello, kid." Akali snickered, well, she follows it with a smile. "Be nice to me, and I will be nice to your baby Sister—I mean.." Akali stifled a laughter, covering her mask-covered face jokingly.

And Irelia's turn to react. "Hey! Where did you learned that?!"

"Hey! Looks like Ms. Kali learned THAT from ME!" Out of nowhere, geez, here we go.. It's Zelos, he is wearing an Ionian garb for training, though he usually wears it for daily basis. He walks directly towards the two and laughed heartily. Oh why, bad timing.

"Ugh. Zelos. Why.." Supposedly, she should BE guiding Akali but how come she has to deal with her big brother first!? "Kali, let's go. DON'T LISTEN TO HIM! QUICK!"

"Okie." Akali smiles as she skipped a jump before she follows her friend. Honestly, she enjoys the interactions between Irelia and her brothers.

"Hey that is rude! I'll report you to Mom!" Zelos pouted, of course he is just teasing his little sister. And so he is left behind from Irelia's swift escape. Great. Now Irelia has to encounter her other members of the family.

And so, they kept walking towards the long hallway which it leads to the living room."How did YOU know that." Irelia squinted and glared at the ninja.

"..Wild guess?" Akali said in a manner as if she is saying a joke.

"Tch. You are a secretive woman." She rolls her eyes in disbelief. "I swear you'll be having something inside your sleeve."

"Of course, I am not just a ninja okay? Who knows? I might even learn from Little Kid Ruu here, hm?"

"Oy. No. Don't you dare—"

"Little Kid Ruu! Yey!" The two-year old toddler ranted happily as if he likes the way his name is spoken.

"Great. Now look what you have done." Irelia glared while Akali is laughing. Now Irelia feels this kind of special day for her family will BE troublesome. Which it reminds her.. She has to feast with Akali ALONGSIDE with the members, of course, her dad might be extracting some information from the ninja herself and she fears that her BROTHERS, especially Zelos might go for topics which are misleading to the main idea.

The dancer went directly to the dining area where the elders are, and for preparations for dinner. Akali followed, almost got tripped on the solid floor because of the beauty of the Xan stronghold. Comparing it with the Kinkou Order, this is probably the peaceful and majestic of them all, maybe it's just the ancient walls from the magic came from the old Willow Tree which it serves as the main material of the house, making her eyes fall into awe.

In front of her is a long table, perfect for the whole family. The table holds a variety of food: Beef steak, some steaming pots of something, Ionian BBQ, fruit salad, some freshly squeezed lemon juice and potato salad. Wow. Is she having a buffet right now?

"Oh Kali! Welcome! Please make yourself home, hm?" Irelia's mom greeted before going back preparing the dishes.

Time skipped by and Akali is invited by the Xans to have dinner with them, at first she doesn't know what to say about things whenever a certain member asks her something but as soon she have gotten to know how to interact with them. She sat besides Irelia of course, and that made her comfortable for a reason.

Utensils clanking, noises from the small talks and some rants from Ruu himself are the things that commonly are audible in the dining area. Irelia is just there, focusing her food while the others are enjoying each other's company.

To break the silence, it was Irelia's dad to speak first, and it was addressed on Akali. "So.. How is my daughter in class? I heard she is seen most of the students there because of her involvement to the dance contest once."

"She is quiet and very studious." Akali said straightforwardly, the statement somehow relieved Irelia, yet.. "But she has no friends, and I thought she needs some company."

"OOHH.. really? Hm? HM!?" Zelos nudged Irelia jokingly, kind of making Irelia uncomfortable.

"Yeah? But she smashed my face with a ball as a sign I need some company then." Irelia barked, answering the remark that entertains Akali. Certain gasps from her elderly members are heard, and the most affected is her dad.

"IF someone hits you, then hit them back! That is the rightful answer of—" Lito; Irelia's father, is nudged by her O-ma for him to shut up.

"I plan hitting her but I changed my mind. Maybe If I got to know more about things then I should." Irelia said before she eats up her food. That way of her saying that really is showing confidence. Who would have thought?

"NO! You are making our little girl rebellious!" Her mom fights back.

"No, mom! It's ABSOLUTELY GREAT!" Ohn said. Honestly... Irelia doesn't know if that is a sarcasm or what.

"Even Little Ruu here approves!" Kai added, pointing at Ruu who is playing with the potatoes, literally the potatoes are scattered EVERYWHERE. Goodness..

"Ruu! NO! Don't play with the food! BAD!" Irelia immediately cleans off the mashed potatoes on her little brother's hand, and on the cheeks.

"See!? Why would you hit a BABY SISTER!?" Zelos teased loudly, everyone chuckled. Well.. even Akali does, this made Irelia fell with the embarrassment.

"Oh. GIVE ME A BREAK!" Irelia breakdowns a little bit, so far, this is the most embarrassing thing that happened which it ruin her appetite to finish her food. Though that happens a lot, she is quite used of it, and it really makes everything special. With that, the dining session turns out to be like in the scenes in a comedy bar. Goodness, adding up how Ruu is technically creating a mess in the dining session.

While the others are enjoying each other's company, Akali stopped eating her beef steak dinner because Irelia offered something to her. The dancer showed her a bowl of.. she knows it.

"Eat up." Irelia smiled warmly, though that smile is far the warmest than the soup broth of the bowl's contents. Speaking of contents, the bowl is none other than her favorite, Ramen. Wow.. Her family knows how to cook ramen? That is a perfect for noting an information..

And so she started her usual sounds of eating ramen..

-slurp-

-chew-

-chew-

"Mm.." Akali hummed in delight. The soup is perfectly boiled in degrees, the taste of the noodles is almost made in heaven as each strand is chewy, the beef broth penetrated the noodles which it added further flavors, and the toppings? It is braised in perfection.

Akali is speechless; the sound she makes is the slurping and hums in pleasure. Never knew this kind of ramen is created by the family of her friend. Simple as that. The Xans are something indeed, but that alone is like a shell under Irelia's information about the status of the family. They may be hospitable and fun to talk to but deep inside on the family has something more special. That kind of information must be confidential.

After few minutes of dinner, her mom and father is in charge of cleaning everything. Everyone is full and happy with the food they have eaten, and so Irelia was tasked to fix something upstairs, leaving out Akali for once in a while.

As Akali sits there on the chair, she is invited by Irelia's O-ma to drink tea with her, and of course the ninja is happy to oblige. The grandmother leads Akali on a hallway that is connected at the gardens; a sliding door is the thing that divides it. A chime above her head makes a soft clanking from the winds, telling her the dusk really is peaceful. She sits there along with the Irelia's O-ma, was offered with green tea that will warms her soul. Bitter. But relaxing.

"Y'know, dear.. That is how Relia also reacted whenever I make her tea. At first, she can't even take a single sip, but within hours she got used to it." Irelia's O-ma said, sipping her tea before she stares at the serene garden bathed with moonlight. "And that is what I had observed on her, she tend to understood things she is completely new at."

The sound of a bamboo pod striking on the ground brings balance on the silence, the noise is literally giving anyone a peace of mind, and so the old woman spoke again. "Just like her dances, I guide her then she learns how to adapt it. Until such time she takes initiative and learn all the way. Her passion makes me want to punish her with more challenges that she could muster for."

Again, with the silence, she spoke again, this time, it's different. "How about you dear? What made you strive for your goal to be as what you want to be?"

Akali could speak on behalf of that question, surely that bitterness of the tea distracts her but the fact it helps her rejuvenate her stressful mind from work lately, an answer lights up from her head. "Something that I could look for, a path that will change my fate with the decisions that no one but only I can decide."

"I say, you really are just like her." Irelia's O-ma stated. "She doesn't want to be told what to do. She would do things that really are morally right and ethically appropriate within her beliefs." She sipped her tea and sighed. "Only to find out.. she really doesn't care on how we Ionians believe, the Balance we seek."

That information really is useful, though that is pretty deep within Irelia's personality. However, that doesn't mean they really are the same. "Though.. the spirits are watching her so much that the magic of our ancestors chose her to be the bearer."

"Was this about the blades?"

"Yes, those blades are from our ancestors. The Xan crest. It is made by the shards from the bones of our ancestors imbued with their spirits. We, protect them at all cost."

"Please tell me more about the Xan heirloom.." Akali seeks for more information. It could be the time for her to know more about Irelia.

"Alright." The old woman nodded, she took a next batch of tea for her to enjoy, and for Akali as well. "First, our heritage is the one who protects Ionia, the harmonious land we protect under our name; preserving our honor is what matters as long we keep clean with our name. That is when we created the crest, which it symbolizes: Land, Name, and Nation. Have any ideas what does those three means?"

Akali turned to the older woman for her to answer, well, she really has no idea, but maybe a guess.. "I say, the Land, the Ionia we live on. Name, as for our names that were strengthened with honor. And Nation, for the glory of the land."

Irelia's O-ma chuckled slightly in response. "Almost enough, dear." She sips tea and proceeds her statement. "And so, with the crest, it is broken as if it was separated into different paths.. Thus, only my beloved Relia is chosen to hold the glory of our name. Neither she didn't ask for it nor told to, she is the embodiment of the three symbols."

"Is that so? She must be special.." Akali voiced out internally, literally got piqued on what does the old woman wanting to say.

"Please let this be our secret, hm? Pinkie square.." The old woman held up her pinkie as what she have told her to, and so Akali just play along and made a promise. "The dances that I had been teaching her are nothing but a martial art passed through the Xan generation for the females. Shhhh for that."

"Yeah, shhh indeed.." Akali thought, making a small chuckle on how Irelia's O-ma has a certain humor as well.

"And she only shows a form because she doesn't want to be recognized that much." The old woman added. She only shows a form? What does that mean?

"So she can do different forms in dancing?"

"Yes, maybe you should ask her, I can't tell you that much, hm?"

"Of course, thank you.."

"Certainly."

After that, just some couple of seconds of silence, the old woman speaks again. However, it seems to be crucial. "Akali. Right?"

"Yes.."

"I do want to have a favor, I think you are the only one who can do it."

"Yes?" Akali listens intently, of course, an advice from the one who is far more knowledgeable must be taken a note for. She wonders what could that be.

"Please look after my dear granddaughter; I am literally happy that she has someone that she can share anything with in regards she dances alone before." The old woman laments, that favor can be a burden, which is that Akali hasn't acquired such thing before. "She chose you, as a friend, for a company, and as a dance partner.."

Akali nodded in approval, of course that favor is something she can find it as a challenge. With that, she..

Wait..

Hold it..

"Wait.. Dance partner?" Akali re-thinks on what the old woman said. Her face somewhat got rosy out of the sudden. GEEZ.. Immediately, she shuffled her mask in haste to hide that annoying blush out from Irelia's O-ma of all places.. GREAT. "Honestly, I can dance quite a bit, but.. a dance partner? M-Me? She chose me as her.. Hold it-"

"Oh? There you are, did O-ma taught you more about Philosophy?" Irelia said behind their backs, smiling as she has seen Akali interacting with her grandmother. Well, as for Akali, she slowly averted herself to hide away her face from Irelia's blue gaze.

"Ah! Good ol' days.." The old woman struggled to stand, though Akali and Irelia helped her get up. "Well you young ladies go take a rest now, hm? I am going to see our Little Ruu if he is up or not." Anndd.. they heard a screech upstairs. "Guess not, hm? Good night. Dears.."

They watch the old woman walks slowly, fixing the tray of the tea, but she managed to go upstairs on her own. Speaking of that, Irelia is the one who speaks for breaking the silence. "Was my O-ma great? She really has something in mind that each of us can't even explain it."

"Yeah, your grandmother is something, indeed."

"Of course, and what did you two talked about?"

"Well.. about the your family." Akali pouted. "..Even you."

"Typical." The dancer giggled. "Ah. Yeah, I finished everything upstairs. Bath is also ready, let's go."

Wait, hold up. As Irelia leads the way, Akali can't help thinking what she will expects now. Bath.. and EVEN the bed. Oh yeah what about the attire? Crap, now this is getting..

"Oookay.. this is.. I don't know.." Akali is struggling to focus, the blush intensifies as she makes a think about it. "Ok.. I'll be DAMNED if I will be taking a bath with her.. She will see IT. And, yeah.. this is not good.. at all. I hope she wouldn't.. Please."

Continuing her thoughts while climbing the stairs is what Akali is doing, so far she is not aware of her surroundings..

"Else.. I might also see the full of her if ever that happens."

"No. Ok. I am not.. I AM NOT EXCITED, STOP BEATING UP SO FAST."

"Yep.. Dance Partner indeed.."

In regarding of her thoughts, she lost her focus and turned into a simple Ionian who fidgets a lot, but with that tough demeanor and a physique of a ninja, who wouldn't have known Akali, as a Rouge Assassin turns out to be like this because of this gifted dancer.


NOTE:

UH-OH.. Akali.. :3

I almost hear Irelia's O-ma shipping them a lot XD or maybe the Xans. That will be hilarious if that happens. And WHAT does Akali mean about that 'it'? Hmm..

Anyway guys, I will be in touch of this story because it might be long than I thought!

Also.. Should I make an M- rating version of the next chapter? Uh-Oh.. cuz' my brain is already giving me some scenes for it. / uhhhh.. Maybe.. just MAYBE.. *blushes* Wait.. should I? Hmm maybe after this story, I might do one!

And so.. Happy reading guys!