Lee Sin's departure went rather smooth. The Noxians had no clue that their second, offhanded target had slipped away during midday. On his way out, the monk did a quick survey of the surroundings as a curiosity had gripped him. Were there more Noxians than the two elites who'd simply waltzed onto the grounds? It didn't take Lee Sin long to determine that there were no others, at least not yet. This confirmation let him leave the dojo behind with a few less regrets. At least his friends weren't outnumbered.
There was only one concern that kept gnawing at the edge of his mind, and that was the fact that he wasn't able to tell Riven about his departure. He'd brought her along to Master Yi's residence on the idea that they'd all enjoy some time together.
Of course, he'd only be gone for a night. That conclusion eased his mind well enough to let those thoughts drift. His focus now was trained on navigating the landscape eastward.
The journey proved to be rather uneventful. The sandwiches Master Yi had quickly prepared for him made an excellent travel meal. They didn't last long, and thankfully, neither did his hunger. With that taken care of, Lee Sin cleared his mind and broke out into a healthy run. The refreshing, gently chilled mountain air was the perfect weather to run in. What few sunrays that found their way through the pines balanced the cool air leaving it simply perfect.
Lee Sin continued east following a slight ascent. After about an hour, the landscape gradually evened out designating the peak of the coniferous mountain. He easily maneuvered his way through the pines and bushes without even an inkling of desire for a true road. Dodging the brush, leaping stones and mossy logs, and keeping the same quickened pace all the while came very naturally to Lee Sin. It was his job when summoned to the Institute after all. In fact, the entire journey was much easier without the possibility of preset monsters and the danger of enemies looking to kill you for sport.
Finally the traveler reached the descent. Lee Sin stopped at a rocky cliff face and regarded the sight before him. A sea of prickly green and stubborn rock blanketed the scene. As Master Yi had hinted, his destination truly did lie within a valley shielded by stalwart mountains on all sides. The leftmost, the northern range, consisted of three massive climbs. The middlemost was the furthest north and colossal enough to gather a white cap of snow. Straight ahead on the other side of the valley was another rise similar to the one he currently stood at the top of, and the southern wall consisted of two large mountains with a narrow pass between them leading into the valley below.
Lee Sin inhaled and prepared to move on.
The sunbeams slipped through the evergreens at a slant and graced his lightly perspiring back; there were still plenty hours left in the day—Enough to reach the base of this mountain, surely.
He started off with a leap forward off of the rocky buildup landing with a solid thump on the packed dirt and pine needles below. The descent wasn't steep enough to warrant slowing his pace too much, but it did make for an awkward shift in stance. True to his course, and to retain his already record timing for this journey, Lee Sin broke off into another run off to his left for a diagonal descent headed northeast.
The mirrored side of the mountain he'd climbed was nearly identical in scenery. Not that he was particularly focused on it, especially with how fast it all flew by, Lee Sin was still impressed by the brisk tranquility of his surroundings.
It wasn't until he happened upon a natural, rushing river impeding his advance further northbound that his run was shifted. His leather boots never stopped pounding against the dirt though—breaking stride meant losing daylight.
Lee Sin instantly knew when he'd fully traversed the mountain and entered the fertile valley below when the two terrains met and blended into each other rather quickly. Still following the river, the foliage creeping up the banks as well as the new varieties of tall, filled out trees marked the change in environment most prominently. Down here the sun was becoming more and more choked through the trees, so much that it reminded the runner of the Rift's unique forest. The difference being that the current one had a cooler temperature signature to the mountains it nestled between.
Another long stretch of time passed that Lee Sin didn't care to discern. He'd only come to notice the last few rays of sunset once his body hinted exhaustion and was given respite through a quickened walk instead of engaging in the dash Lee Sin had numbly been pressing forward with. The monk took some time to regard the river once more—the water was a gentle light blue that seemed to glow with its purity. Fireflies began to come alive and dance among the reeds.
However, the beautiful stream soon disappeared into a cliff face and continued through an unlit passage in the distance. That was acceptable to Lee Sin though for he wouldn't need its guidance any longer. Towering nearby the river was a large, dark blue spire about three stories high with a perimeter of smoothed stones denying vision into its property. The barrier arced into a half circle and met the backside of an expanse of rock formations. The main gate at the front, however, was wooden and just as massive.
Surely the establishment couldn't have been anything other than the bathhouse. The calm and mysterious design was intriguing yet disarming and the double doored gate was wide open to whatever visitors could possibly have found this place.
Lee Sin smiled as the sun finally dropped behind the mountains leaving only the forests natural bioluminescence to light the way. Finally he let himself relax a bit by making the final stretch with a calm walking pace.
Riven took a seat on the short grass, let her forearms rest on her knees, and slowed down to catch her breath. Looking up, she noticed the blanket of stars beginning to return now that the sky was losing its orange tint in favor of a clear black expanse. The passing of time had gone completely unnoticed.
Wukong plopped down next to her a little ways away and idly massaged one of his hands with the other while regaining his breathing as well. Beads of sweat dripped from both of their brows despite the chill of the mountains slowly descending upon the dojo once more.
"I'm impressed by your resilience," Wukong complimented suddenly, though he didn't bother with eye contact.
Riven glanced over and tried not to smile too wide.
"You do this every day, I'm surprised I could keep up."
"I had to step it up several times after seeing that you refused to tire."
The newest student scoffed through her teeth and looked back to the stars with a grin. Her peer sniffed dismissively and did the same—he didn't want the complimenting to get too out of hand.
Wukong's stomach interrupted their second stretch of silence with a hungry rumble. Lowering his back to the grass and spreading his arms wide, the exhausted Monkey King groaned exaggeratedly completely unashamed of his loud hunger.
"We should get some food. All I want now is food."
Riven sighed and nodded, realizing her own hunger.
"We should probably help sensei make it. It wouldn't be fair for him to handle two meals in a row."
The fact that two Noxian assassins stood between them and dinner went without acknowledgement. It seemed both of them wanted to pretend they weren't even there at all. Before either of them could complain however, Wukong shot up and hopped to his feet.
"Well let's get started then. I'll show you the kitchen and we can decide from there what to make."
The exile rose and rubbed her eyes with the bottoms of her palms before joining Wukong headed towards the complex. They walked in silence, not because of each other, but because neither wanted to even cast a glance to Katarina and Talon who stood quietly whispering to one another at the end of the garden walkway.
Talon was the only one unfazed by the intangible aura of hate resounding from the two approaching and the woman beside him. He offered a simple wave to catch the hatred filled gazes of his target and her ally.
"Nice work out there. I didn't think you two would ever quit sparring and conditioning."
Riven and Wukong stepped onto the wooden porch and neared the dining room without giving a response.
"You heading to prepare dinner?" Talon called, "I'm pretty good with a knife. Do you need my help?"
Riven muttered something under her breath about stabbing something else with a knife before slamming the door behind her and Wukong.
Talon dropped his arms to his sides in exaggeration and looked back to Katarina with his typical unimpressed expression.
"Am I really that off-putting?"
"Your idiocy can quickly become grating, yes," she answered while looking at nothing in particular in the distance.
"This is going to be a long stay," Talon said with a sigh, ignoring Katarina's explanation. "Come on. Let's go inside."
Katarina huffed and accepted the suggestion.
"Wukong," Riven called as they entered the kitchen alone and disappeared into a storeroom deeper in. Both of them pretended not to hear the Noxians enter and make themselves at home at the dinner table.
"Yeah?"
"Something's been bothering me."
"I wonder what that could be," he said with a hefty hint of sarcasm while pulling open the door to a modestly sized refrigeration cabinet.
Riven accepted the satire, completely understanding what he referred to, and pressed on.
"No, not them. The other two. Lee Sin and M- sensei."
"What about 'em?"
"Where are they?"
Wukong stopped his shuffling through various meats and stood still for a lengthened moment. Afterwards, he looked up slowly and met Riven's eyes.
"Okay... you're right. That is a bit strange. Neither of them were out there with us since lunch."
"I'm going to go find them," she said, peeking back out of the storeroom to make sure they weren't being eavesdropped.
Riven barely paid attention to Wukong's agreement before she started off. Without glancing into the dining hall she exited the building back onto the porch and quickly stormed down past the doors. Choosing the one she was familiar with, the exile entered the main hall and was met a collection of green lenses staring back at her.
"Riven," Master Yi greeted somewhat downtrodden.
"Master Yi... where- where've you been? Were you in here the whole time?"
"Sensei, and no, I was just on my way to collect you and my other apprentice."
Riven peeked out the doorway she'd entered to confirm she wasn't followed before sliding it shut.
"I was deeply curious. Where have you and Lee Sin been?"
"Lee Sin left."
"Left?" Riven repeated with an onset of dire curiosity.
Master Yi held up his hands to calm her and sighed.
"I was busy attending to something else as well. I had to get a message sent," he said with a low voice just over a whisper.
The pupil nodded her understanding of that and quickly tried to go back to the other sudden development.
"Where's Lee Sin? Why did he leave?" she questioned while trying to keep from sounding awkwardly desperate.
"He had some matters to attend to as well." Master Yi's patience was visibly waning. "Just as we have duties here to fulfill. Listen, you will help us deal with our unexpected guests, right? Let's get back to it then."
Riven stepped aside as Master Yi started forward and exited the hall. She didn't like the explanation at first, but rapidly the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Lee Sin had to slip away unnoticed considering he had to be making some move to hasten the coming of the end to the Noxian's self invited stay.
Tailing Master Yi, Riven accepted that she'd just have to bolster her patience for a little while longer.
Not a soul was in sight as Lee Sin crept up to the entrance with a sudden onset of caution. The atmosphere exuding from the territory fault awfully charged with mysticism and mystery. The soft lights of yellow and blue flickering in various windows offered an inkling of reassurance, but the overall exotic feel to the place produced a constant reaction of caution. Lee Sin stopped his advance as soon as his boots clapped onto the smooth stone designating the position of the large gate when it would be closed.
Straight ahead across a slightly snaking path of buried, carved stone was a much more reasonable entrance. It too was double doored, but this one had knobs and realistically fit the height of the common visitor. To his left and right were paths leading further down and around the main building but they were dead ends and did not lead into the rear area of the complex.
The visitor rolled his shoulders and took a breath to regain a casual attitude. He didn't want to appear rushed, and luckily the sweat lining his brow and back had dried. Approaching the doors came sooner than expected.
Lee Sin quietly pushed open the entrance and closed it behind him before drinking in the vibrant sights and scents. Appearing to be a gathering hall or perhaps a waiting room, the place was large with a high ceiling but didn't offer much variety in furniture aside from several luxuriously cushioned couches and armchairs with small tables and bookcases incrementing their setups within slight alcoves to his left and right. Straight ahead was a half circle counter that resembled the overall structure of the building with the way it met the wall behind it. Between he and the doors beyond the desk sat a peculiar woman looking at him with wide eyes, her hand frozen in mid air as if she was about to write something.
The woman stood up and smiled with a curiosity that Lee Sin found rather sweet. She was a charming girl with long silver hair and striking blue eyes whose pools reflected innocence and perhaps welcoming joviality along with a desire for meeting the man who'd just walked through the doors. A light blue dress that hugged the front of her body and ended with a trimmed cutoff half way down her thighs gave off an interesting impression of noble formality and hinted provocation. Her most intriguing characteristics, however, consisted of the pointed fox ears poking out on her head furred with dark silver. Lee Sin also noticed a single lengthy tail bouncing back and forth behind her as she made her way around the counter with a pencil and clipboard in hand.
"Greetings and welcome," the host chirped cheerfully. Her voice was kept in check so that it didn't echo throughout the empty hall as if it would disturb some ghostly gathering of patrons.
"Hello there," Lee Sin responded kindly. He tried not to stare at her features awkwardly, not that his target would be able to tell with the red cloth shielding his eyes, and noted that her attire reminded him of Ahri's, the supposed owner of this bathhouse and regular champion for the Institute. She, however, had nine tails, not one.
"My name is Sylunis, I will be your host—and your guide, too." Her voice suddenly lowered pitifully as she looked around for Lee Sin's belongings. "Might I fetch you a cane? I would be happy to lend you a shoulder during your visit, but I might not be available all the time."
Lee Sin's lips curled into confusion as he tried to comprehend what she was getting at—and then it hit him. He did look rather blind.
"That won't be necessary," he said with a chuckle, "I can see just fine."
Sylunis' eyes narrowed suspiciously and her cheeks puffed out slightly.
"Are you playing a trick on me? How can you see with that covering your eyes?"
Lee Sin inhaled through his teeth and searched for an offhanded explanation. Finding none, he settled for a cryptic response, just as he often did when questioned about his sight by anyone else.
"I can see—it's different than how you do, but it accomplishes the same goals."
The fox girl wasn't buying it. She did, however, seem to enjoy the impromptu little game. Her tail flicked from side to side with anticipation as she turned the clipboard around and offered Lee Sin the pencil.
"Could you write your name for me then?"
The monk accepted the utensil and quickly signed his name on a line while ignoring the finer details of the rest of the page. From what he glanced at it appeared to be a customer profile. Did he need to complete an interview to take a bath?
Sylunis watched, mouth agape, almost not believing her eyes. After Lee Sin had finished she retrieved the pencil and grinned widely.
"I don't understand how you're doing that, but I find it very amusing! I'm glad you've come to stay with us Mr. ahhh..." Sylunis drifted off as she took up the board and read the signature. Her lips softened with the rest of her expression into a look of shock as she processed the name. Instinctively she met the medallion hanging between Lee Sin's eyes acting as a surrogate for eye contact and slowly retraced a step looking almost frightened.
"Y-you're Lee Sin... you're a ch- you're from the Institute, right?"
The one in question raised his arms desperately trying to show that he wasn't some sort of monster.
"Yes, that's right, and there's no reason to be afraid. I've just come-"
"I'm not frightened, I'm... surprised. It is very rare to see someone of your occupation here. Well, aside from a regular."
Lee Sin raised an eyebrow. Master Yi? The thought made him chuckle.
"Right! Okay... Lee Sin, would you please come with me?"
The monk nodded and tailed the girl's... tail. She led him to the left of the bending counter and through the door awaiting them. They entered another expanse of similarly opulent rugs and furniture lit by a calming blue light from the ceiling. At the end of the long expanse was another set of double doors that probably led to more rooms and walkways before opening out to the backyard of sorts. There were twin staircases that led up to a second story, and even a third set after that. The architecture of smooth, polished wood gnarled with an arcane mysticism felt exotic yet strangely nostalgic and relaxing at the same time.
These surroundings only made up half of Lee Sin's interest, however. This hall was far from an empty ghost-room of ethereal clients eternally waiting for their service. Men and women, all with ears and tails of various colors, lounged about the furniture conversing with each other, reading, playing games, or even expressing affection to each other. Many of them shot curious looks to Lee Sin, the only one without fox ears or tails, then returned to their relaxing while casually observing from afar.
"Would you mind staying here for a bit? I need to hurry upstairs for something."
"Of course-"
"Hey! Hey, Susano! Come here please."
A tall man wearing nothing other than long, dark green pants and a rope belt approached with an exquisite boredom chiseling his face. His hair was long, wild, and blue like the ocean. His eyes matched that color along with his ears and two tails. To Sylunis he gave no other response than an extended blink once he'd approached.
"Stay with our guest here, would you? Offer him something to eat and drink."
"Alright."
"Thanks. Lee Sin, I'll be right back." Sylunis started off but then quickly turned and gave a final, hurried message to the male fox. "By the way, Susano, this is Lee Sin! Lee Sin!"
"Who?"
She sighed.
"Never mind."
Before he could interject, the silver tail was bouncing towards the steps to the second story. Lee Sin then settled his gaze on Susano and waited for him to say something. No response came, only a reciprocated stare that wasn't at all fazed by the fact that Lee Sin was blind, or that he was Lee Sin. The longer it went on, the more the patron came to realize that it wasn't exaggerated boredom Susano expressed, it was simply his unnaturally calm demeanor as if there wasn't a single problem in the world plaguing him.
"Come on, then. Let's get some refreshments. I'm thirsty."
Lee Sin obeyed and strode beside his new host. As they walked he stole several glances over to the couches of fox people and received many pairs of eyes looking back. He couldn't help but feel that some of the looks he received were a bit lengthy and focused instead on his shirtless abdomen. The last girl he looked at before they turned a corner ran a finger over her bottom lip and batted her eyelashes slowly in sultry curiosity. Lee Sin half expected her to reach out and grab him as they stepped into the next room.
Sylunis stopped her rushing pace up the two flights of stairs just outside the most opulent looking door at the end of the hall. Here the entrance was the only one of its kind and the walkway extended out into a broad circle surrounding the room. The paths were an ascent leading to an open balcony that overlooked the entirety of the grounds.
Nimble fingers grazed through her vibrant strands of silver frantically trying to restore them to an impossible state of perfection. Her other hand attended to her dress smoothing nonexistent wrinkles and assuring that there was no other flaw. There was only so much she could do before she finally sighed, closed her eyes, and tried to steady herself as best she could.
Eyeing the polished handle once more, Sylunis took up the clipboard she temporarily held between her thighs and extended a nervous fist to the door. After a brief moment of hesitation, she knocked three times on the hard wood.
"Oh... Get a hold of yourself, Syl. You're professional. You're the head assistant. You can handle this responsibility for Ahri. You-"
Her mental pep talk was interrupted by a muffled call to enter the room.
Sylunis cleared her throat, hugged her clipboard with one arm, and turned the handle to step inside. Quickly but quietly she closed the door behind her.
As the head assistant, she'd seen Ahri's personal chambers many times before—though it wasn't as if it was forbidden to visit the matron in her room should a permanent resident and employee desire. She welcomed it even. However, Sylunis was still amazed by the opulence exuding from the fine detail and luxuriousness of the quarters. Soft rugs and matching curtains of midnight blue adorned the floor and window, a scintillating structure of carved glass and silver protruded from the ceiling giving off a relaxing glow, and wardrobes and dressers of dark pine wood carved and polished by master carpenters lined one of the walls holding many different items and utilities on their surfaces. The piece that immediately grabbed the attention of any visitor was the massive double bed against the right wall lined with silken sheets, feather and down pillows, and covered with a canopy of thin, dark blue cloth. On the other side of that was a sliding door that remained open revealing a cavernous walk in closet filled with much more than just clothing.
All of it was impressive enough to make the assistant drop her jaw in amazement despite her frequenting of the place, but that was not the case this time. Instead she froze and stared with her wide, sapphire eyes into two deep pools of robust amber. In the center of the bed lay Ahri, the Nine-Tailed Fox as many knew her, lost in the comfort of the mattress lying on her stomach. She was dressed in a low cut outfit similar to Sylunis' own, though colored deep red and snow white. In one hand she fingered the open book she was reading while the other casually placed a dark red berry between her teeth retrieved from a tiny bowl near her text.
They shared a lengthened stare, each passing second spiking Sylunis' nervousness higher and higher. Ahri found the reaction charming—she merely chewed and finished the treat before finally breaking the silence.
"You know, Syl," she began with a voice that could charm kings, "you don't need to knock before visiting me. You are welcome any time."
Sylunis shuffled forward, finding security in her clipboard and responded after breaking eye contact and shifting her focus to the rug just before the bed.
"Y-yes well... I wanted to be polite... the last time I walked in I interrupted you when you were... a-attending to yourself," the nervous assistant recalled with an obvious heat rushing to her cheeks.
Ahri giggled playfully and sat up on her hip. Her legs folded off to the side, her nonad of tails calmly undulated behind her, and she leaned into one of her hands propping herself up on the bed. The intense vibrancy in her eyes remained locked onto her assistant's bashful sapphires even though they continued to watch the rug.
"There's no need to be embarrassed. Exploring the pleasures of one's own body is a natural and common thing, as it should be. You didn't interrupt me anymore than you did a moment ago by making me look up from this story I was reading." Ahri's own ears twitched playfully atop her head of dark blue, almost black waves of soft hair and her eyes flared with amusement. "You understand, right? It's not such a strange practice for yourself either, no?"
Sylunis' eyes went wide and she stammered a bit more while finding eye contact once again.
Ahri giggled and waved away her question to give relief to the flustered assistant who was experiencing an intense desperation for the proper answer.
"I am sorry. Seeing you so hot and agitated is just so cute. Do you forgive me?" Ahri questioned with a soft undertone in her voice.
Nervously digging the toe of her slipper into the rug, the trusted advisor was powerless to do anything else other than nod with a weak smile. She'd lost so much control over the conversation that she'd just about forgotten why she'd even come to her employer.
"Though if you have stories you'd like to share about touching yourself, I'm always waiting to hear them," the nine-tailed fox slyly added with a charming wink and smile. The deliberate impact in her voice caught her target off guard even further.
Sylunis squeaked what was supposed to become her next sentence and buried her face in her clipboard desperately trying to shift the conversation back to its intended purpose.
The prurient fox elicited a lighthearted laugh before ending with a disarming hum.
"I don't think that's why you've come to see me, however. Have you got something else to tell me?"
Sylunis breathed a little easier now that she could deliver the message she'd rehearsed on her way up the steps. Looking up from the paper on the clipboard, she smiled gently and jumped right to the point.
"One of my duties is to report directly to you if a client of particular interest comes to the bathhouse, right? A-and, well, you know how much interest I have in the Institute of War..."
"You have a knack for studying all you can of the champions within. You flatter me with the information you collect on myself," the nine-tailed fox said with an exaggerated batting of her eyelashes.
"R-right! Well... one of them is here."
Ahri shot up to a full sitting position and closed her book on a small tassel as she responded with bolstered curiosity.
"...Really now? Who is it that has arrived?"
"He is one of the Ionians, but not Master Yi. It's Lee Sin."
Ahri ran a pensive finger over her lips and grinned. She knew more of Lee Sin than most of the other champions. A certain Ionian often talked of his friendship with him during his time with the matron of the bathhouse—her own self.
"Lee Sin... now that is very interesting. I imagine that his purpose for his visit goes beyond the desire for company and a bath."
Quickly the matron tossed her book aside, grabbed the bowl of berries, and rose to her feet in front of Sylunis. She placed the container onto a nightstand and looked to the door ready to find the blind monk downstairs.
Sylunis, several inches shorter than the exquisite woman she'd back stepped to give room to, hugged her clipboard and smiled. As head assistant, she was ecstatic to deliver news Ahri found so intriguing.
"I will meet him myself. Will you take me to him?"
"Of course!" Sylunis chirped while moving to take the lead. As she stepped out the door she turned her head sidelong for a question. "By the way... Ahri?"
"Hmm?"
"...Is he really blind?"
Ahri grinned.
"You've read about him. What did the sources say? He's known as the Blind Monk, after all."
Sylunis nodded unsurely before continuing.
"Yes but... he can see... I think. Mmm. I don't really understand it."
Ahri snickered lightly and stepped on with a grace that would put entire bloodlines of queens to shame.
"Here—try this."
"What is it?" Lee Sin questioned, accepting a glass from Susano. It was well appreciated after having built a thirst from the sandwich of sliced chicken and leaf greens he was offered.
"I'm not sure exactly," he said while pouring himself a glass from the pitcher, "but I've been drinking it recently. It's just some kind of juice squeezed from the berries they grow around here. They grow so many kinds that I've lost track of what's what."
Lee Sin swirled the container a couple times finding the dark blue liquid rather appealing. He sniffed it covertly, found that the scent was lightly fragrant and desirable, then allowed the drink to grace his lips. It was cold and refreshing with a light sweetness that lingered and made the tongue desire another sip. He bumped his eyebrows in satisfaction and turned to lean against the bar. Susano placed the pitcher back onto the counter where an attendant retrieved it and placed it back into a stone cupboard that refrigerated hundreds of prepared beverages. There were several of these cold storage units against the wall next to an equal amount of similar casings that stored a variety of snacks and foodstuffs.
The rest of the expansive lounge was similar to the hall outside, though less crowded. A few gatherings of fox people happily dined on their dinner platters on a few tables here and there, but the majority of the populace seemed to take part in the social hour in the hall. Lee Sin inhaled another breath of the lightly scented atmosphere and sighed calmly. It would be hard for anyone to not find these surroundings relaxing.
"Well?" Susano questioned.
Lee Sin found it amusing how the man's casual demeanor took such an interested turn in something as simple as the juice. Though, to be fair, the monk found the drink very delicious.
"It's great. To be honest, I haven't had something like this before. It reminds me of blueberries and maybe raspberries, but not as sour."
Susano appeared to accept the in-depth answer with a tiny smile, that of which was a rarity. Rather than continue he simply silenced himself with the beverage.
After a moment longer of glancing from painting to painting lining the walls afar, the blind guest turned and leaned onto the counter comfortably. Susano didn't move.
"As you may have wondered, I've come here with a lot of questions."
"Honestly I thought you came for the berries."
The monk found it difficult to discern Susano's sarcasm through his personality. Judging by the way things were going, it was entirely plausible he meant what he said.
"Maybe I'd better get to the point. I'd like to ask Ahri some things, without a doubt you know of her?"
"Yeah. Go ahead and ask her," Susano replied as if he was busy with a daydream.
Lee Sin turned and caught his eye to determine that he hadn't lost focus on their conversation. The second host simply nodded his head forward to direct Lee Sin's attention from behind another sip. Much to his surprise, the one he sought was approaching from only several steps away. The one he knew as Sylunis was walking beside her, though slightly behind, hugging her precious clipboard as if it were a puppy that'd otherwise run away.
All of the guest's attention was instantly demanded by the astonishing presence Ahri commanded. Each step was deliberate and exquisite in execution as if she'd practiced the approach for years. Her radiance was so manifested that each shifting strand of hair, the minute twinkling in her dashing eyes, and of course the direct presentation of the most feminine aspects of her upper body altogether stunned Lee Sin by catching his attentive gaze simultaneously. The drink in his hand lowered as did his jaw ever so slightly. By the time she'd stopped before him with one hand on her hip and the other idling in the air beside her Lee Sin's reaction still hadn't changed. He'd never truly seen her this close before.
Ahri cocked her head and offered a smile.
"Welcome, champion of Ionia." She seemed to have added the title simply for the enjoyment of speaking it teasingly rather than for its purpose. "Lee Sin, if I'm not mistaken? It's a pleasure to meet you." The most prominent word was accentuated with blatant overtone.
Placing his mostly finished drink off to the side, Lee Sin cleared his throat and regained the majority of his etiquette.
"The pleasure is mine, Ahri. I appreciate your generous hospitality."
Now that he could look around a bit more, the monk noticed that the majority of the furry eared inhabitants within the dining hall were looking on with wide eyes and pleasant smiles. Hushed whispers broke out between them as they regarded the nine-tailed fox with a respect fitting of her demeanor.
It was she who then eased the formality of the greeting with a short laugh.
"My hospitality is secondary and irrelevant in this case. These two here deserve your gratitude. I take it Sylunis here was a gracious host upon your arrival?"
The girl's bright blue eyes blinked happily.
"Her cordial professionalism was impressive and welcoming," Lee Sin responded genuinely more to Sylunis than Ahri. She bounced once and quietly giggled.
"I'm very glad. She's a big fan of yours, you know."
The straightforwardness caused the head assistant in question to bite her lip, glance off to the side, and shrug humbly.
Lee Sin found that fact intriguing. How did she know of him? What did she know of him? Did she have information on many people?
"And I see Susano's spoiled you with some refreshments already."
The shirtless fox glanced over to Ahri, almost like he wasn't listening previously, and nodded.
"Susano was here to see the beginning of this establishment. He's been of invaluable help to me ever since, and to everyone who's set foot within."
"You flatter me," he responded dryly.
Ahri hummed through a grin and set her predator gaze back on Lee Sin's wrapped eyes.
"So tell me, Lee Sin. What's brought you to our home?"
"I've come to see you, actually."
The soft tails floating behind Ahri suddenly shifted in unison producing quite a mesmerizing effect as she giggled. Her leftmost then wrapped around to her front and covered her lips as the matron feigned bashfulness.
"Though I often receive requests for bathing companionship, rarely do I ever answer them."
Ahri started a slow strut forward and stepped just inches from Lee Sin's face. One hand softly expanded over his chest while the other traced his jaw. Despite his headband, Ahri stared into his eyes as if she could see what was underneath with a provocative hum.
"Though for you, Lee Sin? I would be a fool to deny you."
Lee Sin opened his mouth to respond but withheld his words when he sensed that it'd come out jumbled. Her soft touch as she pressed into him and the proximity of the artistry that was her beautiful face sent his mind reeling.
Behind Ahri and her waving tails, Sylunis watched at full attention with a faint heat glowing on her cheeks. Susano still hadn't moved, or really acted interested. He simply stood staring out across the room with the drink still at his lips which wasn't emptying very fast at all.
"That's... well, my purpose was just to ask you some things, actually." Lee Sin's voice came out a bit lighter than usual. His strong presence was diminished by Ahri's twofold. It didn't help that he was caught deep within her territory either.
"And I've come down to answer them." Ahri retracted from with monk with a sly smile and turned to her head assistant. "Syl, would you be so kind as to prepare my personal spring?"
Sylunis instantly brightened to attention and nodded dutifully. Within seconds she was hurrying out of the dining hall.
"I'll go help her. Take your time heading up, Ahri." With a sudden and final gulp, Susano placed his drink on the counter and left, his two tails mirroring the calm demeanor he eternally expressed.
The matron set her captivating amber gaze back on Lee Sin and grinned.
"What have I gotten myself into?" the monk thought helplessly.