*Knock. Knock, knock... CRASH!* Oh... look at that, this story just popped out of the coffin. :P Really everyone, I am sooooooooooooooo sorry about the late update on this. Life has been crazy busy, and I could go into it, but I think I've kept you waiting long enough, so I'm just going to make this quick. Thank you soooooo much to everyone for continuing to show your support during the long wait, and I hope that you enjoy this new chapter. No warnings this time, this chapter is still fairly benign, but I am going to reveal one more OC and, after hearing a reply from several of you asking about Gnar, I decided to give him a presence in this chapter as well. Special thanks to Slime6890 for the particular notion of part of this chapter's plot. Full credit has been given in my reply to his review. :) Anyway, I think that's enough for now. Once again, I'm soooooooo terribly sorry for the long wait, and I hope you'll forgive me. T.T Oh, and I don't own anyone or anything, all rights belong to RIOT games.
A New Promise
"Easy, now, Lulu," Pix tried to calm the yordle girl as for the fifth time that day she hurled her stomach's contents into a trashcan. Veigar stood behind her, holding her hair back with one hand and laying the other supportively on her shoulder. Pix looked up at Veigar and asked, "Have you given her any red potion?"
"About three, but I don't think she's keeping them down long enough to do any good," he replied. "Besides, red potions have more to do with healing physical injuries than illness. She needs some sort of medicine, but, once again, that would only help if she could keep from vomiting every few minutes."
Pix sighed in disappointment. Veigar understood the feeling. Lulu had been sick for weeks now after the ordeal with Kennen. Veigar and Pix both privately suspected it had a lot to do with her nerves after the confrontation… and the guilt that she couldn't seem to let go of after Kennen forcibly kissed her. When they realized Lulu's condition, they'd immediately brought her back to her home at the Edge, hoping that it would help calm her nerves. So far, it didn't seem to be working. They'd tried everything they could think of to help her, magic potions, fairy spells, herbs, medicines, the works… but nothing seemed to improve her condition.
To make matters worse, Lulu was getting extremely irritable after feeling unwell for so long. "D-damn it," she swore as she wiped her mouth after she'd finally finished vomiting. Pix and Veigar felt their heads reel again. If Veigar swore, he was a bit upset, but it likely wasn't anything to be extremely concerned about. If Lulu swore, s*** was about to hit the fan in a big way, so it was probably best to start seeking shelter.
"I'm sorry, Lu," Veigar replied, awkwardly trying to console her. He felt both useless and clueless in this sort of situation. Given any evil task, he would excel beyond imagination, and he'd eventually gotten the hang of displaying genuine love to Lulu as well. However, tending the sickly yordle and offering comfort were not activities to which he was in any way accustomed.
Lulu's attitude toward his attempts at comfort didn't help matters. She whirled to face him with an expression similar to Shyvana when she was about to transform into a true dragon. "You're sorry?" Lulu spat angrily. "I've told you a thousand times! This isn't your fault; it's mine! I was the idiot who stayed and talked to Kennen; I should've just run then and there."
"Lulu, blaming yourself isn't going to solve anything," Pix intervened. "If anything, it'll only make you feel worse…"
"Maybe I deserve it!" Lulu snapped.
Veigar angrily pulled Lulu to her feet beside him and kissed her firmly on her lips. "Don't ever say that again," he growled as he pulled away. "You don't deserve any such thing. Kennen is to blame, not you. You trusted him, and he took advantage of you. That's all."
Tears came to Lulu's eyes and she turned away from Veigar, weeping into her hands.
"Please…" she whispered. "Just go away for a few minutes. I want to be alone."
Veigar felt like he'd been slapped. He took a tentative step toward her and whispered, "Lu… please don't make me do that. Don't make me leave you while you're hurt."
More tears burst from Lulu's eyes, but she didn't reply. Not knowing what to do, Veigar walked toward her and wrapped her in his arms gently. She turned to face him and wept quietly into his robes. He kissed the top of her head gently and whispered, "Please, Lu, please let this go. I'm worried about you, and so is Pix. You've barely eaten anything in over a month, and what little you do eat, you just vomit back up in a few minutes. You aren't sleeping, even though you're clearly exhausted… You aren't even acting like yourself. It's like your half-dead, wandering around with no goal in mind. Lulu, please… I love you. I love you more than words can say, and that will never change. So please… get better."
She wrapped her arms around him tightly, clinging desperately to his torso. Finally, she spoke, her voice cracking with sobs. "I love you too, Veigar." The two yordles stood there embracing each other for the better part of an hour, until at last, Lulu's tears subsided.
They stood in silence for a while until Veigar suggested, "Why don't we look around outside? The fresh air might help you." Lulu nodded and let Veigar lead her out by the hand.
They stepped outside of Lulu's tree, and for the first time in a while, Lulu felt herself begin to smile at the sight around her. The Edge looked so much healthier than it had in years. The fairies' wings had healed remarkably, and they now flew about through the air with ease. Every tulip was wide open, with only the delicate fairy babies nestled inside. All the sickly fairies, save for Ariadne, had left their blooms, feeling well at last. Hedgehogs, squirrels, insects, raccoons, songbirds, and many other woodland animals frolicked playfully with the fairies in the warm sunlight or by the lakebed beyond Lulu's house. The air was filled with music from fairy instruments accompanied by singing of birds and fae, and the scents of a thousand different blossoms scented the atmosphere. All in all, it was a perfect scene. Veigar was right; she did feel better out here… a little at least.
Suddenly, she could have sworn she heard someone sniffling… and quiet sobs.
"Do you hear that?" she asked Veigar. Veigar looked at her in confusion, obviously not having heard anything. "I think it's coming from near the lake," Lulu said, scurrying off toward the noise. Veigar followed skeptically.
Within a minute, Lulu had reached the lake, and realized that there was definitely someone crying nearby. She looked around, searching through the reeds until at last she found a body curled away within them. A tiny, orange creature similar to a yordle, but not quite one, lay huddled in a ball, weeping softly. He hadn't realized Lulu's presence yet, so she decided to announce herself.
"Hello there," she coaxed.
The furball looked up at her, fear and distrust entering his large, black eyes. He backed away slowly, but Lulu got down on her knees and coaxed, "Shush now, easy. It's okay. Here, I've got something for you." She reached into her satchel and offered him a vanilla cupcake. The fluffy creature looked at the offering then uncertainly back at Lulu. After a few minutes' deliberation, he quickly snatched the cupcake out of her hand and started to sniff it.
"It's good; I promise," Lulu told him with a smile. His eyes wandered to her again, still unsure of her presence, and her gift for that matter. Lulu just waited, knowing no one could resist her baking forever. Sure enough, after a few more sniffs, the entire cupcake disappeared into his mouth. The creature grinned widely as he tasted it, frosting smeared all over his face from the cupcake. He looked at Lulu and pounced her to the ground in a hug.
"Nngata, opala Gnar ryenga!" he said in a strange, garbled language.
Lulu smiled awkwardly as she hugged him back and replied, "I have no idea what you just said, but you're welcome!"
Veigar finally caught up with her and the fluffy critter hid behind Lulu, clearly uncertain of this stranger.
"Lulu? Who's your friend?" Veigar asked.
"I don't know, to be quite honest. I found him crying in the reeds. I've never seen him before, but he looks kind of like a yordle, just… not."
Veigar gave it a funny look, and the creature shrank further behind Lulu's back. "He seems to have taken a fancy to you."
"Only because I bribed him with sugar," Lulu replied, reaching back and taking the creature's hand gently in her own. "He was skittish about me too at first." She gently tugged at his hand as she took small steps closer to Veigar. "It's okay, little one; don't be afraid. It's just Veigar. He won't hurt you."
The fluffball tentatively peaked out from behind Lulu, then immediately shrunk back again.
Veigar pondered for a moment, then placed his staff aside and took off his hat and gauntlets so that he looked less intimidating. This time, when the little creature peaked out, he didn't shy away. He slowly approached Veigar, crawling on all fours. Carefully, he sniffed at Veigar's robes and sneezed, the scent of excessive dark magic evidently not agreeing with him. Veigar chuckled and carefully patted his head. This seemed to earn the creature's trust, as it leaned into Veigar's hand affectionately.
"Whatever he is, he seems to be only a cub," Veigar mentioned, realizing that the orange boy's size was diminutive even for yordles.
"I agree; which begs the question, where are his parents? This is way too deep in the woods for someone his age to be unsupervised."
Veigar looked down at the cub once more and noticed a familiar brand on his neck. "Oh my evil… Lu, you ought to see this…" Lulu walked over to him and Veigar pointed at a familiar mark on the back of the cub's neck, partially hidden by his fur: the symbol of banishment from Bandle City.
"Oh my goodness," Lulu gasped. "Banished… a cub? Have they lost their minds?" she asked as she pulled the little creature in for a hug.
Veigar had no answers himself. It was obviously that the little guy was no threat, though Veigar was a bit curious about the bones he wore for decoration and the boomerang he carried with him, so what on earth could've prompted the yordles to banish him from their city?
"You poor, little dear," Lulu coaxed as she held him in her arms. "That's why you were crying. You don't even understand what's happened, do you? You were branded and thrown out of the only place you could call home without a friend left in the world."
Veigar sat down beside the two as he pondered a rumor he'd overheard when they'd visited the Institute. He thought he remembered something about a young, yordlesque creature being found and adopted by the citizens of Bandle City. The boy was actually an ancient ancestor of the yordle race, crystallized in ice millennia ago and only recently released from his frozen casket. He'd been introduced as a League champion after the citizens realized that he had extraordinary talent with his boomerang. But… there were rumors about the boy. Supposedly, if he grew angry… well… the sweet, little cub turned into a ferocious monster. If someone at Bandle City had managed to make the cub angry, and he'd caused a scene… yes, that might prompt banishment, as unfair as that seemed.
"Gnar," Veigar stated. The critter looked at Veigar attentively. Veigar nodded, convinced now that this cub was indeed the new champion initiated into the League. He pointed to himself and said, "Veigar."
Gnar cocked his head to the side, as if thinking about something, then said, "Veigah! Veigah, Veigah!"
"Close enough," Veigar replied, then pointed at Lulu and stated, "Lulu."
Gnar looked at Lulu and again seemed pensive for a moment before trying to state her name. "Loulauala."
Veigar looked at the boy in bewilderment and said, "Um… no."
Lulu just laughed it off. "So your name is Gnar, huh, little one?"
Gnar pointed to himself in agreement and said, "Gnar! GNAR! Gnar-la-la-la-loulauala-loulauva-ve-Veigah!"
Both yordles fought to control their laughter at Gnar's adorable antics when Lulu felt her stomach turning sour again. Her face started to turn green, and she muttered, "Not again."
Veigar immediately realized what was wrong and took Gnar out of her arms as the girl turned away and started vomiting into the reeds.
"Loulauala!" Gnar cried out in dismay. He looked at Veigar and said, "Duala ega naga ooga Loulauala?"
"Lulu's sick," Veigar attempted to explain, despite the language barrier. "She's been sick for a long time…"
Gnar tilted his head and waited patiently until Lulu finished vomiting. She cleaned herself up a little at the pond and turned to look back at them, clearly still a bit unwell. A light appeared in Gnar's eyes as he rushed over to Lulu. Without a word, he pressed an ear to her lower stomach, as though listening for her heartbeat. Lulu laughed and directed his head higher toward her breastbone.
"My heart is up here," she told him. Gnar ignored her and moved his head back down to where it was before. Lulu let him listen for a few minutes, figuring he'd probably eventually hear it down there anyway.
Sure enough after a few seconds, Gnar pulled away and said with a toothy grin, "Loulauala igga neer a dampa!" He ran off into the woods and reappeared seconds later with clumps of a root that Lulu and Veigar were unfamiliar with. "Jooga rupata ngyth rida, Loulauala!" he said as he offered the roots to Lulu. The yordles looked at him in utter confusion, not understanding a word he said. Gnar looked from one to the other and repeated himself, this time taking a bite from one of the roots before offering them to Lulu again.
Lulu smiled at him uncertainly and took the roots. Gnar's eyes lit up and he mimicked the motion of eating again. He wants me to eat some of this… Lulu realized. With an awkward smile, Lulu took a bite from one of the roots. To her amazement, after she swallowed the bitter-tasting thing, she started to immediately feel relief in her stomach.
"Oh my word, it's medicine!" Lulu said, looking at the roots in awe. "And it works," she added.
"Thank evil!" Veigar gasped, taking one of the roots to examine it closer.
Gnar smiled and said, "Loulauala hy Veigah igga neer a dampa!" The yordles looked at him awkwardly, clearly not understanding. Gnar's smile widened as he stood on his hind legs put his arms in front of him with his hands resting near his navel, one atop the other, and open wide, as if he were cradling some imaginary item within his arms. Casually, he started rocking his arms back and forth, swaying with his whole body as he slowly chanted to the tune of "rock-a-bye baby." "Ra da la igga, ra da lali, ra da la igga, nngh ga ta ri, e aka di, la rada yn ga, ar ga di la igga, radi la dah!" He finished his song and smiled widely at them.
Veigar's and Lulu's jaws hung wide open as they slowly turned to look at each other, suddenly seeing all of Lulu's symptoms in a completely new and unexpected light. "V-Veigar," Lulu said haltingly. "You don't think he's trying to say that I'm…"
Veigar instantly knelt down by Lulu's abdomen and listened carefully. Yordles had extremely sensitive hearing, so if there was another heartbeat inside Lulu's womb, he knew he'd hear it. Sure enough, after a few seconds of listening, he heard a faint pulse that did not belong to Lulu. His eyes opened wide with a mixture of shock and fear before he fell to the ground, unconscious.
Gnar looked in confusion from Veigar to Lulu. Quickly, he ran up to Lulu's stomach and patted it softly. "Ra da la igga," he repeated.
"A… a cub?" Lulu muttered in utter shock. She sat down, her head whirling.
"Igga," Gnar agreed. He looked back at Veigar, who was still unconscious, then pointed at him and said, "Veigah heima par dilla igga, hahaha!"
Lulu felt so flustered she actually didn't register that Veigar was unconscious and that by now Gnar was poking him with his boomerang. She looked down at her stomach in wonder and quietly cast a spell to sense if there was indeed another life inside her. An orb of fairy magic left her hand and circled her womb a few times before forming itself into the shape of a young, yordle cub. Lulu gasped as she looked at the image of what the creature inside her would one day become. The cub had Veigar's large, golden eyes, ebony hair, and pale skin, but it had her delicate facial shape.
Veigar finally started to wake up, to Gnar's slight disappointment (he'd been having fun mocking the sleeping yordle), and noticed Lulu's spell. He and Gnar looked at the image in awe, for the moment silent.
At last, after several minutes staring at the spell, Veigar asked, "L-Lulu… is that…?"
She nodded and said, "Yeah… Veigar… this is what our cub is going to look like."
He shook his head in shock and said, "I… I'm not ready for this."
"Me either," Lulu admitted. "Just looking at it kind of scares me to death…" She smiled a little, bravely, and added, "But I'll survive."
Veigar looked at her and said, only half-joking, "You might have to help me."
Lulu stood and embraced him, gently assuring him that they were going to be fine.
Gnar pointed at the image, jumping up and down in joy and shouting, "Igga! Igga!"
Lulu smiled and placed her hand gently on Gnar's head, scratching behind his ears. Gnar leaned into her hand with a smile on his face. She gave Veigar a pleading look.
Veigar knew what was coming and backed away slowly.
"Come on, Veigar. He has no one left, and nowhere to stay. Couldn't he stay with us, at least for a little while? He needs someone to help look after him; he's only a cub."
"Lulu… I really don't think that's a good idea," Veigar replied, and to Lulu's shock, she heard genuine fear in his voice.
"Veigar… you're not afraid of him are you?" she asked gently.
Veigar flushed with anger and yelled back, "Of course not! I've heard the rumors of what he can do, but ultimately, so long as people treat him with kindness, he's clearly not a threat. No, it's definitely not him who worries me."
Gnar looked at Veigar in confusion, not understanding what had prompted the angry outburst. He tilted his head gently and looked almost apologetic, wondering if he were somehow to blame for the change.
Veigar looked at his pleading eyes and then back at Lulu before speaking again. "Lu… I don't think I can do it. I'm terrified enough that we're going to have a cub, but Gnar's…"
"Veigar… what's really worrying you?" Lulu asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.
The dark mage sighed and said, "I… I didn't want a cub. I still don't."
"Do you not like cubs?" Lulu asked in confusion.
"That's not exactly it. It's more that I don't like what I'm afraid they'll bring out in me. Lu, I've told you about my childhood. My mother died before I ever knew her, and my father abused and neglected me until the day he died. I know it's horrible to say, but part of me actually felt jubilant that he was gone, and I was finally free. Lu, what if I'm like my father? What if the whole time we are raising our cub, I can't help my impatience or temper? Heaven knows I can be cruel and cold; the only one who's ever seemed to break that barrier is you. What if even our cub can't break it? Lu… I don't want any part of recreating the hell I endured as a cub."
Lulu wept a little and took his cold hands in hers. "Veigar, listen to me," she pleaded softly, with all the love and tenderness in the world. "You're nothing like your father, and our cub is not going to hate you. Yes, you can be evil, but you can also be kind, like you are with me." She hugged him tightly and went on, "I know you, Veigar, and you have nothing to be afraid of. You have some evil tendencies, yes, but there is so very much more good in you than bad. You're going to be a great father; I know it. Besides, you'll have me to help you every step of the way. I promise."
"But what if the cub's like me?" Veigar whispered. "What if it kills you, Lu, like I did my mother?" He embraced her tightly before he went on. "I… I can't lose you, Lulu. It'd kill me."
"Hey, we're going to be okay, you, me, and the cub. We'll all be just fine; you'll see."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I guess I just have hope. I won't leave you, Veigar, not if I can help it, but… if something does go wrong… I know our little one will be in good hands: yours."
Veigar wept softly as his grip on her tightened. He was still terrified, of losing her and that he'd somehow hurt their cub, but at least having Lulu at his side seemed to make things more bearable. To his surprise, Veigar felt someone else hugging him too. He looked down to see Gnar looking up at him, eyes wide with worry. Clearly, the cub sensed that something was wrong, and he'd tried to help the only way he knew how. Veigar managed to force a half-smile and placed a hand on Gnar's head.
"Let's get back to your place," Veigar said at last. "I think I've had enough exploring for one day."
Lulu smiled and nodded. She felt terrified as well, but she knew Veigar needed her to be strong right now, so she was going to be. Veigar let go of her for a minute, then lifted Gnar up and let the cub sit on his scarred shoulders. Gnar clung tightly at first, but, after Veigar held his feet with one hand to keep him from slipping off and grabbed Lulu's hand for support with the other, Gnar felt a little more secure in his perch. The three headed back toward Lulu's house, Gnar's eyes growing wider in wonder by the second as he saw the tulips, fairies, vibrant colors, and animals. Veigar felt him lean to the left to try and touch a songbird and tightened his grip so the cub wouldn't fall.
"Iyr lida…" Gnar stated, awe of the environment completely filling him.
Lulu smiled, "He can see it. The magic isn't blocking him out."
Veigar smiled as well, realizing what that meant about Gnar's character. When they finally reached the house, Veigar let Gnar off of his shoulders and escorted the cub and Lulu inside.
Pix greeted them warmly, then stopped and stared in awe at Gnar and mentioned, "Wow… it's been a long time since I've seen one of these guys." Veigar and Lulu stared at Pix in utter shock.
"You've seen creatures like Gnar before?" Veigar asked as Lulu escorted Gnar into the kitchen for another cupcake.
"I told you; fairies are very long-lived. I personally haven't seen any like Gnar, but I've seen pictures handed down from other fairies who have." Pix looked contemplative for a second, then asked Veigar, "Does he speak any language you can understand?"
"No, I can deduce the meaning of some of his words, but the language itself is lost on me."
"I see… well, I think Ariadne might be able to help you with that," Pix replied with a grin.
"Ariadne?" Veigar asked.
"Of course, I should've thought of that!" Lulu replied, emerging from the kitchen with Gnar following behind her, balancing a plate of cupcakes reaching at least twice his height in his hands. "Before Ariadne got sick, she actually used to be far more adventurous even than Pix. Also, she's several years older, so she might actually understand Gnar's language."
Gnar spun to look at Lulu upon hearing his name, a cupcake falling off of the top of his tower as he did so. Pix caught the cupcake in midair and placed it back on top.
"Are you sure it's a good idea for him to have that much sugar?" Veigar asked as they headed to Lulu's bedroom together to speak to Ariadne.
"Come on, Veigar; he's had a bad day."
Veigar shook his head and thought to himself, This is going to be ugly.
When they reached the bedroom, Lulu took Ariadne's flower from its high perch and set it on the ground so that Gnar could look at it. Gnar looked at the tulip and the fairy girl inside it skeptically, then handed the fairy a small piece of cupcake. Ariadne smiled gratefully and ate it.
Gnar grinned and said, "Ru da gnir Veigah hy Loulauava igga neer a dampa?"
Ariadne burst into a fit of giggles.
"What did he say?" Lulu asked, holding her hand out to Ariadne so she could communicate. Ariadne finally quit laughing then forced herself to sit up in the flower and took a deep breath. For the first time since she'd grown ill, she looked at Lulu and spoke, "H-h-he." She coughed a few times and continued again. "H-h-he s-s-s-aid, 'D-did y-y-you k-know… Veigar and Lulu… a-a-are g-g-oing… to h-have… a c-c-cub?'"
All of the others except Gnar stared in shock at the fairy who'd finally found the strength to speak. In fact, Pix was so ecstatic that he completely missed the message on what she was talking about.
"A-Ariadne… you spoke!" he exclaimed in delight and flew in to hug her tightly.
"Y-y-yeah," she replied, hugging him back. "I-i-if a-a-all g-goes… w-w-ell w-w-with the c-cub, I t-think… I-I'll be m-m-much better s-s-soon."
Of course, Ariadne just had to repeat the fact that Lulu was now expecting…. This time, Pix caught the message. He freefell out of the air in a downward spiral, but this time didn't completely pass out. However, he still was flying upside down and backwards for a while.
"L-Lulu… you're pregnant?" he asked incredulously.
She looked down in embarrassment and said, "I just found out. Actually, it was Gnar who informed us."
Ariadne smiled apologetically and said, "I… I w-w-wish… I-I h-ad known… that y-y-ou didn't k-know. I-I c-c-c-ould h-have t-told you."
"WHAT?!" Veigar and Lulu exclaimed in unison.
Ariadne smiled apologetically again and explained, "T-T-That's why… I-I'm g-g-etting stronger. T-T-he cub… I-I can… bind… t-t-o it… c-c-ompletely… once… it's born. I-it h-h-has a g-g-ood… heart…."
The speaking was obviously wearing Ariadne out. She laid back down in her blossom as if to rest, but with a small grin back at Gnar said, "I-I… think… I c-c-can… h-help… you." Her hands glowed purple after a few seconds, and two tiny little orbs of magic flew toward Gnar, circling about him. Gnar spun around in tiny circles, trying to catch the spots of light, but they extinguished themselves after a few seconds.
He frowned in disappointment and asked Lulu, "Where'd they go?"
Veigar turned around and started walking toward the door.
"Veigar? Where are you going?" Lulu called.
"To clear my head, Lu. Today has been too much, first Gnar, then you're pregnant, Ariadne can talk, and now Gnar's starting to make sense. I'll be back in a few minutes, but I really need to get out of here for a while."
Veigar walked aimlessly out into the midst of the woods, not really knowing or caring where he went. Finally, he found an old log sitting off to the side of a path and sat down at it like a bench. He rested his head in his hands and exhaled sharply.
"What in the hell am I going to do?" he asked aloud. A thousand different thoughts swirled through his mind, giving him the worst migraine he'd ever felt in his life. At the forefront of his worries was Lulu. She had enough on her plate right now, without him, their cub, and Gnar to add to her growing list of concerns. Kennen had somehow left a scar when he'd confronted her…. She would hardly ever talk to Veigar about it, but he could tell she still held guilt in her heart over it, though why he couldn't imagine.
Then there were the Noxians…. Veigar scowled at the thought of Draven and Darius, who almost undoubtedly would attempt to claim revenge against Lulu and him for the events of their last match. He might as well add the list of all the other Noxian champions who'd happily kill her just because she was associated with him. No doubt that secret was already starting to spread.
Another thought came to his mind then, a thought he'd been trying to ignore for a while. If the other champions all began to realize that Lulu was indeed bonded to Veigar, she was going to get a lot more enemies than she previously had. Before, most of the yordles carried an apparent indifference to her, the obvious exception being Kennen. But with Veigar at her side… they would either distance themselves from her even more, or worse, try to attack her as they always did Veigar.
He sighed again and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. All this stress could not be good for Lulu, let alone the cub she was currently carrying. He wanted to help her, but had no idea how he could possibly do that when he felt so overwhelmed himself.
He worried terribly about her and her safety. It would be nothing short of a miracle with all of the chaos spinning around in their world right now if Lulu managed to get through this pregnancy without at least five mishaps between now and the birth, assuming she even managed to carry it to term.
And once the cub was born… he didn't even want to think about that. How could he possibly hope to raise a healthy, happy cub with his nature and background? He had zero ideas on just how precisely to be a good father or even a decent one. Part of him genuinely wondered if it wouldn't be best for him to just leave after the cub was born, or at least keep a very far distance between him and the cub. He remembered wishing many times in his own childhood that his father would've done that for him…. But of course, he couldn't and wouldn't do that. He had every part in making this mess, and he wasn't about to leave Lulu alone with it. Besides, leaving Lulu was never going to be an option in his mind. If she ever decided she wanted to be rid of him… he would probably die of a broken heart. He loved and cared for her too deeply, far more than was healthy. Of course, all mated yordles cared for their mates at a level that humans would consider "unhealthy." It just came with the territory, and Veigar was no exception.
Veigar sighed miserably and shook his head. He needed help… and in the worst kind of way. But he had no one to turn to. He wasn't about to put anything more on Lulu's shoulders, and he had no other friends to turn to.
"Please… someone… help me…" he whispered to no one in particular, hiding his eyes behind the palms of his hands as he felt tears of desperation coming to his eyes. After a while, he felt a pair of gentle arms surround him and his head being lowered onto another yordle's lap. He sighed softly, as gentle hands ran through his hair.
"You've had a long day," a feminine voice stated. It sounded vaguely familiar, though Veigar had no idea when or where he'd heard it before. It certainly wasn't Lulu's voice.
"Something like that," Veigar replied, relaxing at her touch.
The hands stopped combing for a minute, and Veigar felt the yordle bend down to kiss his temple. "I'm so sorry, Veigar."
"It's not your fault," he replied.
"Yes, it is, sweetheart. You've endured so much…" A crystalline tear landed on his face from above, but gentle hands brushed it away for him. "And yet you've kept your heart pure," she went on, combing his hair with her fingers again. "I'm so proud of you, Veigar."
"Why?" he asked. "What on earth have I ever done that was worthy of pride?"
"You've saved that yordle girl's life, gave her a true friend and companion that she so desperately needed. You also helped the fairy, Ariadne. If even once you'd let the darkness they forced on you in Noxus completely overshadow your heart, it would have killed her. Veigar… you've done so much."
"But I've also harmed. With the exception of Lulu, nothing but hurt ever came to anyone for associating with me."
"None of that was your fault," she coaxed. "Don't carry the blame for what happened to Rudin and the others in Noxus. You would have saved them if you could, or else protected them from that fate altogether. Your father… he never hated you, dear. He just didn't know what to do. He was just broken-hearted, but he still loved you."
"He loved her more," Veigar stated, referring to his mother.
The yordle paused again, as if unsure what to say. "I'm so sorry," she whispered at last.
Veigar finally turned his head so he could see who had come to him. As he'd deduced, she was a female yordle. Her skin was smooth as silk and peach-complexioned. Her eyes glowed like golden suns, and hair as black as night reached down to her hips. It was arranged in a waterfall braid with small, white rosebuds accenting it in various places. She wore a long, blue evening gown with silvery, swirling accents and silver flats. Quite frankly, she was beautiful… and she didn't look a day older than he did.
"Y-you!" Veigar gasped, leaping away in shock. "What's going on? Why are you here? How are you here?"
The other yordle bowed her head in shame and said, "I'm not really here, sweetheart. You were so exhausted and frustrated that you fell asleep on the log." She smiled a little shyly and looked at the atmosphere around her. "The Edge is a very magical place, as you know. What you don't know, is that before I died, I was a fairy mage too, much like your Lulu, just not as powerful. Even though my body is dead, my spirit still lingers. I've been following you your whole life, but unless you're in the Edge, you can't see me. My magic as a spirit isn't strong enough for you to see me once you leave the fairy realm." She gave him a sad look and said, "I know you don't trust me. Maybe you even hate me, but I never meant to hurt you. The whole reason I gave birth to you, even knowing it would kill me to do so… was because I love you." Tears were streaming down her face by now, and she could no longer look at Veigar, so great was her shame. "Oh, my son… I'm so sorry."
Veigar still didn't trust her, but he took a tentative step forward. "I've been to the Edge many times before. Why are you only revealing yourself now… Lynessa?" he asked, almost accusingly.
"… I didn't know what to say. I can never apologize enough for the suffering you've endured. If there was any way at all I could have stayed with you, helped you through your trials… I would have done it in a heartbeat. I still don't know what to say, son, but it's obvious you're frightened and confused. I couldn't be there for you before, but I am now. All I want is to help you, to at least begin to make amends for never being able to help you as only a mother can."
Veigar looked at her skeptically, as her arms stretched out toward him, beckoning for him to come to her. He finally did, but he sat beside her, a safe distance away from her. He could tell that hurt her feelings, but he couldn't bring himself to go to her just yet.
Lynessa tried to put a brave face on it and forced a smile. "Well… I suppose that's a start. Tell me truly, Veigar. What's bothering you?"
"Everything," he replied bluntly.
She smiled. "I've got nothing but time." A bit reluctantly at first, Veigar finally poured his feelings out to her. Lynessa listened compassionately, and coaxed him on any time he fell silent or seemed unsure. Finally, Veigar had said all he needed to say, and his mother tapped her chin delicately, trying to reason out how best to help her son.
At last, she spoke. "As for the Noxians and all the other enemies you've acquired, I wouldn't worry too greatly. You and Lulu are both strong mages, and the two of you have more allies than you think. They may try to come for you, but it won't be for a while yet, and believe me, help will come if they dare to try.
"The yordle cub, Gnar, is a kind spirit, but a demon if angered. He won't attack you or Lulu for pettiness, though. He understands that sometimes his actions require correction. He only ever gets angry if he is intentionally wronged. He is also exceedingly loyal, and you and Lulu have bought his trust with cupcakes and a piggyback ride. Count him as a friend, and don't underestimate his value simply because he's young. He comes from an era where even the cubs had to fight to survive, and he is no stranger to battle. It would be wise, not to mention kind, for you and Lulu to keep him close. He is a restless spirit, and I doubt he'll always stay with the two of you in person, but he'll not wander far from any place he perceives as 'home' or people he counts as 'friends.'
"Kennen is an ignorant fool in how he's treated Lulu, but his heart is in the right place. I think if you and Lulu can convince him that you are mated of your own free wills, then he will respect Lulu's decision. He cares only for her well-being and happiness at heart. If her happiness is with you, then he will fight for you by extension. Lulu will probably both distrust him and loathe herself for what happened, but that is something she must overcome herself. All you can do for her is assure her that your love for her is both genuine and endless, no matter what happens.
"Finally…" she paused for a few minutes, not at all sure how to phrase it. After a long while, she continued, "You are not your father, Veigar. In fact, to be quite honest, you've very little in common with him. You inherited my looks and wanderlust, but from him… you received a standoff personality and love for fairy sorceresses." She gave him a subtle wink at that last sentence before pressing on, "You've no reason to fear that you'll be a bad father. Just look at how you've treated Gnar in the few minutes you've known him if you doubt that. If nothing else, your father taught you what not to do. Have some faith in yourself to be a better yordle than he ever dreamed you could be."
Veigar stared at his mother and tried to steel himself as he finally replied, "I'll try."
Lynessa smiled and stood up from the log, dusting herself off. "Your mate and Gnar are looking for you. They're worried." She turned back to look at him with a soft smile on her face and said, "I know you can't always see me, but please know that I'm never far away. I'll always be watching over you, Veigar. I love you very, very much."
Veigar's heart felt heavy. In the distance, he could hear Lulu calling for him and knew it was time for him to wake up. He just needed to do one last thing first; Lulu would understand. He ran up to his mother and gave her a warm and unexpected hug. "Thanks… Mother…" he said at last. "And… thanks for letting me live."
She laughed and replied, "It was the easiest decision I'd ever made in my life." She kissed his head and said, "Now go… your sorceress is looking for you."
Veigar felt his eyes open slowly and found himself looking into Gnar's bushy face.
"I thought you were dead," Gnar stated plainly.
Veigar groaned and sat up stiffly. "How is it I understand what you're saying?" he asked. "And where's Lulu?"
"I'm over here, Veigar," Lulu said, stepping out quietly from behind some bushes.
Veigar frowned and asked, "Why are you staying so far away? And why do you look so frightened?"
"I… I'm afraid you're going to ask me to go away," she admitted, sniffling. "I… I know you didn't want the cub. If you aren't ready… then I'll disappear for a while, or forever if you'd prefer. You'll never have to hear from either of us again."
Veigar could hardly believe his ears. In less than a second, he'd leapt to his feet and wrapped Lulu in a warm, tight hug. "Never," he told her firmly. "Is that why you thought I left? I could never, ever, survive without you, Lulu. You are my life. Don't ever think otherwise. I love you with all my heart, and I'm never going to abandon you, or our cubs," he stated, rubbing her womb gently. "I'm sorry I frightened you," he whispered. "I was overwhelmed; that's all. I'm feeling much better now."
Lulu wept and clung to him tightly. "I love you too, Veigar, and I couldn't live without you either." They kissed passionately, both still a little afraid of what was to come, but now more thoroughly convinced than ever that they could face anything if they just stayed together.
Gnar shuffled his feet awkwardly and looked at the couple. Once they finished kissing, he asked, "Do I have to go away?"
Veigar smiled and ruffled the fur between the cub's ears. "Last I checked, you didn't have anywhere else to go. You're your own yordle, Gnar, and you're free to come or go as you please, but you're always welcome with us."
Gnar's eyes opened wide, and he looked toward Lulu for confirmation.
Lulu nodded at him and said, "Absolutely, Gnar." With a jubilant grin, Gnar rushed up to Lulu and tackled her in a hug. Veigar stared at them awkwardly and wondered what exactly he'd just agreed to. He wondered even more when exactly 0.539 seconds later he was pounced by the orange furball.
"Thank you, Dad!" Gnar cried happily.
"D-DAD?!" Veigar exclaimed in shock.
Lulu laughed and added, "If it makes you feel any better he calls me 'Mom' too. Even though Ariadne adjusted his language so that we can understand him now, he still can't quite pronounce either of our names. He asked if he could just call us 'mom and dad' instead, since that was much easier."
Veigar could have sworn he heard his mother laughing at him from somewhere in the trees.
Teemo wandered around the strange mansion carefully. He'd seen no trace of any life since he'd found the place almost a week ago, but felt certain that this must have been Veigar's residence. He'd tried to go inside the mansion, but after just stepping on the doormat nearly sent him plummeting down the mountain to his death, he'd thought the better of it. Clearly, the place was well booby-trapped. Furthermore, it radiated black auras. There must have been a lot of black magical tomes and items within that house. Even if it wasn't Veigar's mansion, it clearly belonged to someone up to no good.
The fact that he could not, or rather dared not go inside was a bit of a problem though. If he was going to attack Veigar, than the element of surprise was a must. He needed somewhere he could hide, somewhere he was certain he would cross Veigar's path without having to give away his position, when he noticed it. A large garden in the backyard, and full of mystical plants and trees, most of which he'd never seen or heard of before. And there was an unfamiliar magic surrounding each plant. Teemo grinned darkly. The garden was very well tended, and likely was kept by Veigar or whoever owned this mansion as a source of ingredients for dark spells. It hadn't been tended for a little while, which made Teemo feel certain that it's owner would soon feel compelled to tend to it. He would hide there, however long it took.
And finally, Veigar's cursed existence would end.
AN: Once again... "DUN, DUN, DUN" So Teemo's found Veigar's mansion. Fortunately, Lulu and Veigar aren't there right now, but they aren't going to be staying in the Edge forever. Teemo and Veigar will DEFINITELY have their showdown next chapter, but, to be quite honest, I'm not 100% sure how I'm going to have it conclude... Basically, I have an idea in mind, but I hate myself for thinking it because it is SO **** TRAGIC. Write me a PM or review if you have any ideas in particular that you want or, probably more importantly, DON'T want to see. I'm not going to potentially spoil the next chapter and say what I have in mind, but I will say that it's sad enough that there's a part of me hoping someone (or rather, enough people) will explicitly say "DON'T DO THIS!" that I will feel compelled not do what I'm thinking. The problem is that my idea can lead to a LOT of further development in the story and it practically writes itself. Plus, it will definitely impact Veigar and Lulu's relationship, bringing them closer and tearing them apart at the same time. I will say that regardless of the fight's outcome, the next chapter will NOT be the conclusion.
There WILL probably be a delay on the next chapter for two reasons. One: I have a crap load of exams this coming week, and I REALLY need to study. Two: Like I said, the tragic idea I have in mind could easily write itself, but I just HATE it... So... I'm going to force myself to wait before I write it. You guys have about a week before I start writing: one week to change my mind. You'll either have to get enough begging for this idea in particular not to happen (i.e. if you're afraid I'm going to kill Veigar for example, then you'll have to explicitly say "The one thing you MUST NOT DO is kill Veigar) OR you're going to have to give me another idea that I absolutely fall in love with. Obviously, the easy way out would be to say "Just let Veigar kick his butt and let them all live happily ever after." The problem is, that gives me ZERO to work with in the way of further development. So, if you want to submit an idea like this, then also give me a RESULT of your idea. Example: "Let Veigar win the fight and NOTHING tragic happen. The result is that Teemo swears revenge on Veigar, even if it takes the rest of his life." I'll tell you here and now that that idea and result in tandem are NOT going to happen, because I'm going to "redeem" Teemo in a future chapter, but at least now you have an example.
So, here's the bottom line. If I write what I'm planning for the next chapter, you all are probably going to hate me for a while. In order to avoid this tragedy, you must write me either a review or PM to change my mind. In your PM/review, you may do either or both of the following:
1) Tell me ONE thing you don't want to happen. Example: Don't kill Veigar. (By the way, that isn't going to happen. Veigar and Lulu WILL both physically survive the confrontation, of that, be assured. It'd be pretty hard to continue writing this if one or both of them died.)
2) Give me a better idea. Example: Veigar kicks Teemo's butt and Teemo swears his eternal vengeance. - Like I said, this combination won't happen, and to be honest, the likelihood of Veigar, Gnar, Lulu, and the unborn cub all getting out of this fight unscathed is pretty small, so you're going to have to give me a REALLY good result if you want that to happen.
Okay, you've been warned. Remember, I could potentially start writing in as little time as a week, so hurry and speak up if you want to defend against your envisioned worst-possible scenario.
By the way, astute readers may have picked up that I did not mention the gender of Lulu and Veigar's unborn cub. This is DELIBERATE. 3:) Feel free to guess what gender you think it will be, or give me reasons to go one way or the other. I'm already pretty sure I know what I want the gender to be, but I'm not above persuasion.
Anyway, onto the reviews:
Albian: First of all, thank you so very, very much for your review and constructive criticism. I will admit that most of their issues do seem to be due to external rather than internal elements. I'll try to incorporate more internal conflicts, but it's a bit difficult for me to write on that front. Basically, the way I've written them now, although Lulu and Veigar are very aware of their different personalities, they accept each other wholeheartedly for what they are, which means even when the two do something that rubs the other wrong, they usually get over it pretty quickly. If I stick to my original idea for the next chapter, that might change though...
Now, please don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not sure I understand what you mean about Lulu not noticing Veigar's "possessive" nature. Would you mind clarifying how you came to this conclusion, so I can hopefully rectify this error? With the exception of Kennen, I've not been trying to cast Veigar in a particularly possessive light. For example, Veigar is not trying to keep Lulu from making other friends. In fact, he was quite happy when she went skipping off to talk to Amumu, Nunu, and Annie last chapter, and he didn't mind Gnar befriending her in this chapter. He DOES take issue with the fact that Kennen has exhibited interest in Lulu, but that is strictly on a "love" level. Actually, for Veigar's personality, I thought he showed a bit of restraint when he initially realized that he and Kennen were interested in the same girl. Instead of just blasting him then and there, he warned Kennen, twice, and had Pix confirm the fact that "Rudin" and Lulu were dating. Despite this, Kennen stated that he wasn't going to back away from Lulu and basically threatened Veigar to either back down or get beaten to a pulp. Once Kennen threatened violence, Veigar returned in kind. However, once Kennen was distracted, Veigar left and, after some convincing, told Lulu everything. In their follow-up conversation, Veigar tries to explain to Lulu that he takes issue with the idea of sharing Lulu as a lover and for that matter that Kennen would too if he were in Veigar's position. Lulu now is aware that Veigar is essentially being "possessive," and has the opportunity to tell him if she thinks he's being overbearing. She doesn't do that though, and instead tells him, "Don't let Kennen take me." Essentially, she condones his behavior because the LAST thing she wants is Kennen getting any bright ideas about taking her by force (which, by fighting with Veigar, he'd essentially threatened to do). If Kennen were only trying to befriend Lulu, Veigar probably wouldn't mind nearly so much. But the fact that he basically told Veigar that he was going to try to steal Lulu did NOT sit well with him. Despite this, he and Lulu have been trying to avoid the problem (which obviously isn't working). Veigar and Lulu don't want to outright admit that they're in a committed relationship because that would paint a target above Lulu's head with the words "Attack here to get at Veigar" on it. Since they can't admit that they're together, they've been avoiding Kennen at all costs, as exhibited when they fled the hospital after Lulu was attacked by Draven and Darius, and when Lulu subtly (and later blatantly) tried to tell Kennen to stop pursuing her.
Having said all that, I'm glad you mentioned that you felt bad for Kennen. THAT was partly my intention. I'm not trying to make Kennen look like a bad guy. Like you said, he's impulsive and handles his love for Lulu the same way he's handled everything else in his life, rushing in headfirst. Ultimately, he thinks that by going to Teemo he's doing what's best for Lulu. Since Lulu and Veigar haven't told him that Lulu knows who and what Veigar is but loves him anyway, Kennen assumes that Veigar is up to one of his usual evil tricks, and Lulu is his current victim. Therefore, he went to Teemo for help in saving Lulu before it became too late to do so. Have no fear, Kennen will EVENTUALLY realize the truth and come to peace with Lulu and Veigar, but that's probably not going to be for a little bit.
Now, to answer your questions. 1) No, Veigar's father is no longer alive. He died a short time before Veigar left to go on his trip with the merchants. Prior to his death, he was never "cured." He felt embittered toward Veigar until the day he died. It's difficult to explain why exactly Ariadne is sick, so I'll use an analogy. Fairies bind themselves to mortals because they need their "goodness" to survive; think of that as wiring a dead battery to a source of electricity so it can recharge. When Veigar's mother died, Veigar's dad no longer gave off enough electricity to keep Ariadne alive, so, Lulu and Pix made a backup link to Veigar. Veigar is essentially the "backup generator," but the wiring isn't as good (since this bond is magic-enforced rather than natural), and thus doesn't conduct the electricity as well. Ariadne needs to make a true bond with a member of Veigar's family, but can't do that since Veigar is the last surviving member of his family at the moment. Furthermore, because there is an "artificial" link to Veigar already in place, she can't make a true bond with him. HOWEVER, if Veigar has a child (cub, whatever), then she could make a bond with the cub. The "wiring" process has already started between Ariadne and the unborn cub, which is why she is feeling better now, but she won't be able to fully bind to the cub until after the cub is born. I hope all that made sense (I'm clearly not an electrician.)
2) Yes, Lulu did notice that Amumu is no longer undead, but she doesn't yet know why or what effect that will have. It wasn't mentioned in the last chapter since I instead decided to focus on Veigar's discussion with the Councilors. The fact that Amumu is no longer undead will play a part later in the story, but for now is just a "side note."
Once again, thank you for your review, and I hope you don't take offense to my reply. I'm not trying to sound angry; I just want to know if there's any way I can make it more obvious why Veigar feels and acts the way he does and how Lulu is responding to it. I hope you'll review again, and tell me if there's anything else I can improve about my story.
A Lonely Kuso: Well, I've given Gnar a minor role. He's definitely not going to be a constant character. I picture Gnar as a bit of a wanderer, like ancient cavemen. All the same, he needs people to help him sometimes, and somewhere to go if he feels threatened. So, basically, if he needs help for any reason, he's going to come crash with Veigar and Lulu. On the other hand, if they need him, then he's going to come running in to help. Don't worry, there are still going to be several chapters before this story ends. Thank you for your review, and please review again! :)
MoldyChicken: Lol, I'm sorry, there is no funeral planned for Teemo or Kennen at this point in the story. I know both of them seem like they're being jerks, and to some extent they are, but try to look at it from their perspective too. Unlike Lulu, they have seen no evidence of Veigar's change in personality, and never got to know him well enough to realize that he wasn't truly all that evil to start with. So far as they know, Veigar is still a very evil and dangerous individual, and, for some reason, he's interested in Lulu. They have no logical reason to take that as a good sign. Logically, from what they know of Veigar, the only reason he would be interested in Lulu is if he thought she could play a part in helping him take over the world, either as his partner or his pawn. Kennen fears that Veigar is making her his pawn, tricking her into thinking that he loves her in order to make her do things for him. Teemo, on the other hand, is more worried that Veigar may be trying to corrupt Lulu and make her his "partner-in-crime." Okay, done playing devil's advocate now. :) Thanks for your review, and please review again!
Misfit Drums: I'm so glad you liked the new chapter. :) Yes, I am tying up loose ends, but I'm adding a few other plot twists as well, some of which haven't been introduced yet. ;) Just be patient, our favorite yordle team still has many, many adventures in store for them. I can't promise that Teemo won't take Lulu, unfortunately, but I will say that if it comes to that, then Veigar will absolutely get her back, even if he has to rain hellfire down on the entire continent to do it. Anyway, yes, this story will go on, for a long time to come, and the incident with Darius and Draven will indeed come up again, likely multiple times. Thank you so much for your review, and I hope you'll review again!
Gispry1: I'm honored to be a favored writer of yours, kind sir/madam. Thank you for your review and kind words. To answer your question, no, Tristana is not a "bad" character in this story, nor is Kennen or Teemo. Kennen and Teemo are both doing what they think is right, they just don't know the full story, so it's causing them to react in a negative way. Tristana has no idea what is going on. Teemo and she are in a relationship, but it has not yet developed enough that Teemo will tell her everything he's doing, ESPECIALLY in regards to dangerous missions, as he no doubt expects that this will be. So, to be more specific, no, Tristana is not involved in the plot against Lulu and Veigar at this time. I know her role in the story so far has been a bit minor, but she will have a larger part to play in future chapters (hint, hint). Thanks again for your review, and I hope that you will review again! :)
Mrdudeguy67: I have returned once again! :) Don't worry, it may take me longer to update now than it has previously, but this story is NOT going to die. It's just limping a little (unfortunately, college is the bane of my existence). I'm so happy that this story is loved by you and so many others. Thank you for your review; it helped keep me going! I hope you'll review again!
Rengar: Awesome mustache, friend! ;) My brother would DEFINITELY approve (he's the mustache fanatic of the family :P ). I'm glad that this story means so much to you, and I promise to continue updating as often as I can. Yes, Teemo will ABSOLUTELY suffer; in case it wasn't obvious, I hate him too. Stupid mushrooms. :( Anyway, thank you for your review, and please review again! O:) You like my halo? (I'm a girl, so unfortunately I can't pull off mustaches.)
Hipoisthabest: I'm so glad you like the story! :) The status is marked complete because when I first started this story, I intended for it to be a one shot. I NEVER expected this story to get the crazy amount of support that it has, so I literally thought this would end with the first chapter. Once I started adding other chapters, I kept the story marked as complete, because I didn't know if I would continue to get the support for adding more chapters or not. Personally, I intend to ride this train until it runs out of steam, so this story "could" end at any time, but it won't until the support for it dries up or my inspiration finally hits the fan. I hope that answers your question. The moral of the story is that it's marked complete because this story has no definite end. It could stop at any time, but with the support I'm getting, it probably won't be anytime soon. Thank you for your review, and I hope you review again soon.
Angelpopp: Thank you very much for your review and for the congratulations! :D I'm literally flying-over-the-moon happy to be getting married. :) Anyway, back to the review before I start gushing... I'm absolutely thrilled that you liked the new chapter and hope that you enjoy this one as well. Yes, Teemo is definitely a hated character at this point, but I assure you whatever happens in the next chapter, he will eventually get his due for daring to mess with Lulu and Veigar. I hope that puts your soul at relative ease. :) Thanks again for your review and PMs, and I hope to hear from you again soon. :)
ChemJohn2: Lol, I'm glad that you loved the chapter so much, but I'm sorry that I cost you your sleep. :) I also apologize for my long hiatus. It wasn't intentional. Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long. Anyway, thank you so much for your kind review, and I hope you'll review again. :)
Fan of this: The next chapter is: NOW! :D Yes, I know that the publication date says 2013, but if you'll notice, it also has an "updated" section that is more recent. I started this story toward the end of last year, which is why the publication date is still old. However, the story is still going strong and will be for a while. The series is certainly not cancelled. :)
Spisho: Lol, don't worry, I hate Teemo too. Actually, I'm pretty sure just about everyone hates Teemo. Someone seriously needs to write a story full of nothing but amusing Teemo deaths... maybe I'll start on something like that after this story. :P Anyway, I'm so sorry I left you and everyone else hanging for so long. I hope you'll forgive me. :( Anyway, thank you for your review, and I hope you'll review again.Irel: Yes, indeed, the real action begins... and in this chapter, it continues. Next chapter should be the climax of this little story arc. I'm glad that you liked the dialogue between Teemo and Kennen and the way that Kennen was portrayed. I really try to be as true to the character portrayals the LOL lore and website give me as possible; however, since they don't give me a lot to work with, I tend to "flesh out" the characters in ways that still seem relatively believable (to me at least). Anyway, thank you for your review, and for confirmation that I'm getting Kennen right. :) Please review again! :D
Guest 1: Thank you so very much for your congratulations and for your review! :) I'm glad that you liked the chapter and that someone else shares my desire to kill Teemo. :P I know this doesn't in any way, shape, or form count as a fast update, but I hope you'll forgive me. Please review again. :)
Slime6890: I'm so glad that you like my story! :D As you can see, I ran with your idea for Gnar (thank you very much by the way!). I wasn't planning on using Kennen in the fight, but we'll see what happens. ;) As for the amount of time between each chapter... I'm not quite sure what you mean. If you are asking what the amount of time between each chapter, it honestly depends from chapter to chapter. Most of the chapters have a span of several months between chapters, but a few occur in the next day or even sooner. I try to throw something in each chapter to at least imply how much time has passed. If you're asking how long it takes me to update, the answer is... it depends. I honestly do try to update as quickly as I can; however, I am a very busy college student balancing a full course load, a job, a family, and an engagement, so unfortunately, sometimes it takes longer than I'd like to update stuff. :( Anyway, thanks again for your review, and I hope you'll review again. :)
Guest 2: I'm so glad you're interested in the plot. :) As you wish, I have updated. I hope you like this new development. :D Thank you for your review, and I hope to hear from you again!
Disdun: I'm delighted that you like my story! :) Thank you for your review, and I hope you review again.
SweetBitter Lulu: Well, your wait has finally come to an end. I'm so sorry that you had to wait for so long, but I'm glad that you like my story. :) Thanks for sending your review, and I hope you'll review again.
RG .Spex: I'm glad that you like my story overall. :) I know I've incorporated a few other pairings into my story, but I'm trying to keep them fairly canonical or at least logical. Most of them have been thrown in for the sake of giving a bit more depth to the story as a whole, while others are given at the request of some of my reviewers. Hopefully this isn't too big of a let down for you. As for the end of chapter 10, might I inquire what about it in particular that you disliked? I'm really interested in constructive criticism since this is my second fanfic ever, and I'm truly trying to improve my skills. Anyway, thank you sooooooo much for your review! It's great to know that I have your support and that I'm doing a pretty good job. I'm glad that I could provide a story you liked. Please, review again!
Guest 3: As you wish, I have written more. :) Thank you for your review, and please review again!
Jebinnam: It may take a while, but I promise you, I will ABSOLUTELY keep going! :) Thank you for your reassurance about chapter 9... I really struggle with writing that sort of thing, so I had no idea if it would be bearable or not. I can promise you that Veigar is not going to die... at least not anytime soon (how on earth would this story progress without a main character?), so rest easy about that. The death of either Veigar or Lulu would probably mark the end of this story, and they still have far too much to do within this story for me to go about killing them off now. Thank you for encouraging me to continue writing, and I'm glad that I could provide a story that entertained you so much. Thanks for your review, and I sincerely hope that you will review again. By the way, I read your story. ;) THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! You have no idea how happy I am to see more VeiLu stories getting published. Seriously, it made my day, and it is a wonderful story. I hope you'll update it soon. :)
NyanWolfWarrior: Thank you once again, kind friend, for your thoughtful reviews and PMs. :) I'm so glad that you liked my new chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one as well. :) Things are indeed at starting to look up for me and my family, but unfortunately, I'm still very busy. I promise I'll update as soon as I can though. Please review again! :) Btw, I'm not familiar with quotev... at all, but I'll try and see if I can find any of your stories on there and lend you a little support. We writers need to back each other up after all. ;)
Guest 4: I'm updating! I'm sorry for the wait! T.T
Phoenix: I'm soooo glad that you like this fanfic and hope that I filled some of your craving for more info on your main character's lore. :) I'm not a RIOT person, so unfortunately, most of this isn't canon, but I do try my hardest to keep everyone in character while simultaneously "fleshing out" their personalities and lore. Thank you for your kind words, and please review again!
Itsfish3: I'm thrilled that you love this story so much, and I'm sure RIOT is thrilled that you felt compelled to binge play Lulu and Veigar after this. :P Hopefully this satisfies your craving for more to read. :) Thank you so much for your review, and I hope you'll review again!
Chquine-harvinellisse: HUZZAH! I haven't heard from you in forever! (Internet glomp) Seriously, it's sooooooo good to see you again! (well, this is the internet, so I guess I'm not really "seeing" you, but you know what I mean.) Anyway, thank you, thank you, thank you for dropping in and giving me a review! :) I hope to see that other VeiLu fic soon, but I totally understand being busy so I get why it hasn't happened yet. Still, whenever you do get it posted, rest assured I'll be swooping in as soon as I can to review it! (Seriously can't wait!) Okay, okay, now to actually address your review before I get too far down the rabbit trail... I understand missing some of the love from Teemo and Tristana, especially since I at least gave them little cameos in the beginning of the story. I can safely say though that I have plans for those two further into the story. I won't reveal what they are, because I hate spoiling stuff, but I will say that they will still be a couple... I hope that pleases you. :) I know you liked the tragic ending, and if this goes the way my brain is currently thinking... well, it'll be tragic, that much is certain. Let me know if you have any ideas in particular, I'd love to hear them. I personally despise tragedies, no matter how well written, just because I don't like feeling my heart shatter, so I'm really nervous about the next chapter... Back to side notes, thank you so very much for your review, and for the congratulations! I'll be cheering for you once you're old enough, my dear friend! ;) I hope to hear from you again!
Jonius7: You! You, kind sir/ma'am, MADE MY DAY! :D Thank you for one of the most encouraging reviews I've received thus far, and for your support! I have put A LOT of effort into this fanfic, both toward delivering a good story and answering the reviews of everyone who kindly responds to my story. Honestly, I feel that responding is part of my duty as an author, and it bugs me that so few people bother to respond to their reviewers. People who leave reviews are taking time out of their day to let you know their honest feelings about a story, and it's the least I can do to say "Thank you" and respond to their reviews. I'm so glad that you appreciate the depth that I've tried to give to these characters, and it's wonderful to hear that I'm creating a convincing story that still falls in line with their characters and lore. :) Thank you for telling me your specific thoughts about the story and for leaving such a long, detailed review! It is truly appreciated, my friend! I cannot reveal whether or not Valoran will be well and truly healed by the end of this story, though I will admit that I share your hope (wink, wink). I also can't promise how long or short this fanfiction will last. I will tell you that I still have LOTS of plans for this story, so, in theory, I could make it to AT LEAST chapter 30, but I won't do it unless I continue to receive support for this story. I'm a firm believer in only taking a story as far as it is wanted. If people like you continue to adore this story past chapter 100, wonderful! I will keep on writing even then. On the other hand, if by chapter 15 the story starts to lose its momentum, then I will gracefully bow out. Either way, I am humbly awed and honored to have received soooooo much support from you and others like you. Thank you. Thank you very much, and please review again!
Idunnonow: Dead? DEAD? No, no, no, no, no, I won't allow it! :( Lol, yeah, the point I'm trying to make here is that the story is NOT dead. It is being updated tortuously slowly because frankly, my life is a rollercoaster. I'm truly sorry for your wait, and everyone else's for that matter, but I promise this story isn't going to any graveyard anytime soon. Thank you for your review, and I hope you'll review again.
Everybody: Well, there it all is, finally. I apologize once again for the long delay, and humbly ask your forgiveness (bows profusely to the audience). I hope you all liked the appearance of Veigar's mother, albeit in spirit form, and that you enjoyed Gnar's antics. I know the lore for Gnar never explicitly mentions that he was banished from Bandle City, but it doesn't say he was accepted either, and one of the pre-release informational articles about him implies that although he was initially welcomed into Bandle City, there was a conflict later. So, basically, I'm once again taking a few creative liberties to fill out his character and background a little more. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and PLEASE review! You all are the best and your reviews and PMs keep me going! :)
Thank you, all, so very, very much. This is Vitalus signing off...