Good week everyone! Hope you are having a good start, let us go with some surprises, shall we?
AS always, I own nothing regarding League of Legends, that's from Riot, I only own my OC.
Chapter 24. Fishing with fire. The man with the hammer. May EYE help you?
The duo of the Nine-Tailed Fox and the therapist in a wheelchair where approaching the lake outside of the Institute. Ahri was excited, while she wasn't that into fishing, she was happy to spend time with her friend.
They had been laughing while rushing to the lake, not really knowing the presence they had made curious with their laughs. A small figure was curious as to what was making that pair laugh like that. The one hidden already had met the fox. But she wasn't one to laugh like that. What had made her change?
The curiosity was too big as to ignore it. She would have to approach them.
When they arrived in the small lake they were both surprised at the image of Riven and Sona fishing. Riven was the first to notice them. She waved at them and Ahri waved back. Still, as much as Ahri was happy to see her friends, a small part fell at the fact her time alone with Cid had been cut close.
"Hello Ahri, I see you and Cid decided it was a good time to fish"
Ahri nodded and Cid spoke.
"I already got my chair too"
Riven took notice of the wheelchair and nodded. She could tell he wasn't a fan of the chair, yet it seemed he didn't truly mind the chair as he was honestly smiling.
"Well then, take a cane and join us, I asked Nami first this time if we could fish, we got to release them though. She didn't allow us to take any fish out of here"
Sona nodded at them. She was smiling the whole time as she noticed the presence of her friends. Fishing had so far been fruitless. She wondered if Nami didn't take the fish away or told them to stay away from them.
"Is good to see you all, are there canes left?"
Riven nodded.
"Two, three if you count Jax, though I feel like is not a good idea to touch his fishing cane, I got a bad feeling from it"
Cid could only nod in approval. He wondered if Jax would be able to feel someone touching his property, and a part of him could totally believe he would feel it and appear out of nowhere reclaiming it.
It just was asking for problems that they didn't need.
In the end everyone was simply focused on fishing sitting on the floor. Cid had decided to drop himself from the chair. Sona was at the left of Riven, and Ahri and Cid were at her right respectively.
Sona would steal glances from Cid from time to time, though these glances would be blocked by the tails of Ahri, they seemed to move in a pattern blocking her view when they moved from side to side.
Riven just smiled at the interaction surrounding her. It felt nice having friends who didn't need to speak to just have a good time. Silence was soothing, and the feeling of the unmoving lake brought her even more relaxation. Truly she owed a lot to the people around her, they had just become a necessary part of her life in the Institute.
Should she leave one day. She wondered if she could take the others with her… surely Cid wouldn't mind moving around, he had the spirit of adventure in him… sort of. Ahri just loved to see novel places, she would be into the idea of going around. Sona… she wasn't sure, but maybe she would be into the idea of traveling with them if they all promised to stay together.
It would be fun indeed… a trip with her friends. An endless trip with people she cared about…
Ahri thoughts were on the lake and on the still reflection she could see. At her side was the therapist, at her left were Riven and Sona. Her friends, and the one who managed to keep her happy in a way she didn't think before. She always would feel out knowing there was no other nine-tailed fox, she was unique. A vastaya and even between vastayas a unique one. Yet the therapist made her feel as if she wasn't alone. She felt part of something.
She had become friends with others in the Institute, but even then, she never felt as close to them. She always saw a wall between their friendships, feeling that if she ever would express her deeper thoughts they would consider her a monster, an existence that wasn't meant to be.
And yet, here she was now. Fishing.
Simply staying silent sitting close to someone she cared, someone who didn't judge. It was relaxing. She was thinking if their friendship could remain as the reflection of the lake.
Perfectly reflecting their thoughts, no ripples breaking the peace on it…
Sona was trying to look at the therapist but the tails of Ahri just seemed to stop her from it. She focused back on the lake. Her chatting with Draven had made her laugh, even if at the beginning she was just being polite, she found a fun in Draven she hadn't seen before in other champions. The thing is he spoke too much. He didn't give a chance to speak her thoughts or observations on any matter they were both speaking about.
Cid was different, she was able to have a conversation with him, she could be heard without words. And maybe that was the main reason she was enjoying so much the current situation. No matter if they weren't speaking. In a way, everyone was speaking in the same way Sona always did. With silence.
She smiled looking at the reflection the lake offered. She didn't need to try to glance at her side to see the therapist. The still reflection of the lake gave her an image of her friends.
Cid was enjoying the silence, and his mind went to explore the situation around him. He had taken notice of the sound of grass rustling near the lake. Someone was approaching his small group. Yet whoever it was, it wasn't making a decent job at walking in silence. Cid could only chuckle.
Only children would try to walk in silence and fail at it. He doubted the other champions would be noisy, aside from Wukong, but even then, he wouldn't try the stealth, he would announce his presence.
Whoever it was, he wouldn't expose it. If it didn't bring problems, why break the aura of peacefulness in the lake?
He felt the tails of Ahri moving behind his back. They moved in patterns, making circles, almost as if they were trying to offer comfort. He let himself relax on the patterns they were doing. He was holding the cane lazily with only his right hand, closing his eyes and leaving his left exposed.
And it had been exposed, for suddenly he felt the slight touch of a hand in his. He opened his eyes slightly looking at the hand of Ahri, she was holding her own cane lazily. It seemed that only Riven was firmly holding her fishing cane.
Ahri smiled feeling the hand keeping in place, as he wasn't denying her advancement, she grasped softly his hand. Smiling at feeling him answering in kind.
The moment of peacefulness was broken when Riven released a war cry.
"There!"
She stood up bringing her cane to the sky in a swift motion as she took her enemy out of the safety of the lake. A small fish was trying to go back to the water. Riven looked ecstatic at the small fish.
"I knew I would get one, well back you go"
She brought the line close to her and released the small fish. Everyone smiled at the scene, Riven looked proud with her chest puffed with pride. She had, after all, got the first fish, for they had been long in the lake and no fish seemed to have fallen for their canes.
Sona was clapping at Riven, Cid and Ahri could only cheer her up with kind words. The small giggles of a girl brought their attention to look behind.
"Congratulations lady"
Ahri, Sona, and Riven were surprised at the girl who was carrying a stuffed bear with her. They knew better than to mess with her. She could end them in a moment if her fickle temper would be attacked.
Of course, the therapist didn't know this.
"Oh, are you lost kid?"
Cid looked with curiosity at the child who could only move her head as if to point that wasn't the case.
"I am not lost, you are new here right?"
Cid nodded smiling at the child.
"That's right, my name is Cid. Mind telling me your name, and do you mind presenting me your friend?"
The girl nodded albeit slightly shy. But while others might have thought that was shyness, Cid knew that it was an act of a children as to feel safer. She wasn't trusting him.
"Annie, and my friend is Tibbers. Say hello Tibbers!"
Ahri, Riven and Sona all got pale thinking she was going to throw the bear at them. They got their breathing back in order when they saw how Annie was holding Tibbers arm making it seem as if he was waving at them. Cid smiled nodding and waving at the stuffed bear.
"Well, hello Annie, and you too Tibbers, would you like to fish with us?"
Annie nodded slowly walking with care at them. Cid offered his fishing cane at her. She took the cane and sat by the side of therapist having a proper distance. Meanwhile the champions were surprised at the lack of fear. But they knew better. They all knew it was because Cid didn't know of Annie legendary fiery temper. If she were to get angry they would all need to run fast. Outrunning Tibbers wouldn't be hard. But it wouldn't be nice.
The voice of the therapist broke their thoughts.
"I must apologize, but I don't have a cane for Tibbers… I could make one for him"
Annie smiled at the idea.
"Did you hear that Tibbers? You will be able to fish with me"
Cid held Ahri hand asking her for help.
"Mind getting me in the chair?"
Once he stood with her help, Annie took on his lack of extremity.
"Your leg went missing?"
Everyone but Cid was surprised at the question. He nodded.
"It went missing, and I need a new one, but don't worry, a friend will get me a new leg soon"
Annie nodded once more focusing on the lake. Sona and Riven were surprised at how easy Annie was being kept entertained.
"Ahri will help me get something to make a fishing cane for Tibbers, I will be back fast"
Annie once again nodded without looking at them. Her gaze focused on the cane and Tibbers.
Ahri took to move to a direction Cid pointed.
"I just need a long twig from here, if is flexible even better"
Ahri nodded. She spoke once she considered Annie would not hear them.
"Do you know who she is?"
Cid simply chuckled.
"I know few people; the proper question is asking me who I know"
Ahri felt herself giggling. She found a twig and offered it to Cid who nodded.
"She is Annie… the Dark Child, and the name is fitting Cid. She could burn anyone to a crisp if she so feels like it"
Cid nodded before smiling.
"Riven could cut me without a problem, Sona could actually hurt me too without music, and you could end me too… everyone in the Institute can probably end me Ahri. I shall not judge her without knowing her"
Ahri sighed. She guessed he would not understand how strong she was. But that was his charm. Wanting to learn by himself and wanting to help. Not judging, simply accepting. She stopped pushing the chair for a moment to just hug him.
"Don't stop being that way"
Cid could only nod.
"You know I won't change"
As they got back to the lake Annie was still looking deeply in the lake. Cid pointed to Ahri fishing cane. He took a bit of line and cut it. After this, he simply made a know in the twig with the fishing line. Essentially making a small fishing cane.
"Annie? I got Tibbers cane"
Annie concentration of the lake broke looking at the small fishing cane. For an adult it would seem mocking, for a child it seemed like the perfect cane for her stuffed bear. Annie smiled and took the cane showing it to Tibbers.
"You can fish too Tibbers!"
Annie placed the small stick in the ground and Tibbers near her. Essentially both Tibbers and her were fishing. Cid smiled at the scene and simply kept his focus on the lake. Ahri was smiling looking at Annie looking so happy. Riven and Sona simply followed too nodding.
Cid relaxed in the feeling of the outside.
For a moment there was no threat, nothing at all. So, it simply was them and the lake. Cid could see Annie was keeping her guard up. But he also noticed she was happy. What had happened to her?
Why should a kid feel to stay on guard always? What makes a child act like an adult?
If he had to guess, Tibbers had the answers. But it would be rude to ask. If she ever asked for help though, he would kindly help. A shame Tibbers couldn't talk.
"Well, as relaxing as this is, I need to go back to the office. Annie, Tibbers, I apologize, but I will have to go, though I am not sure if Riven and Sona will stay a bit more"
Riven nodded, Sona nodded too signaling at him.
"Not leaving until I get a fish"
Her face was full of decision. Cid nodded signaling back at her.
"Best of luck"
Sona nodded. Ahri stood up going behind him to help with the chair. Annie spoke then.
"I see… well I will go too then, do you want to keep fishing Tibbers?"
For a moment Cid felt the bear shined. But he thought it might be a trick of the light.
"Tibbers want to keep fishing, so I will stay"
Cid nodded.
"Take care both of you, and you two also take care, see you all later"
Riven nodded before speaking.
"I will make sure we all go back without problems, don't worry"
Cid smiled before being pushed by Ahri. He wasn't used to the idea of needing help with the chair, but it would only be temporary... surely Viktor would get him a new leg, right?
Cid was in the office sketching Tibbers. The bear was curious. He had never seen a stuffed bear that looked remotely similar. It had been through a lot it seemed. He would even dare say it survived a fire judging by the marks in it. Ahri meanwhile was softly sleeping on the couch of the office. She had mentioned she didn't have anything to do, might as well rest.
As Cid was focusing on the sketches he could hear a soft knocking on his door. He stopped sketching.
"Is open! Just enter"
A summoner came in the company of a big man behind him. Cid thought the man behind looked uncomfortable. The summoner spoke calmly.
"Greetings therapist… I have come to bring you a patient. Jayce was recently given a report by his teammates regarding his attitude in a recent match. It was decided he should see you, he will not be allowed to have a match until you give your approval"
Cid thought the summoner was reading a file. Either that or his memory was good to remember what he was supposed to say. Cid own memory got a hit remembering Viktor.
"Jayce? From Piltover?"
At this Jayce beamed smiling before getting in front of the summoner.
"I see, everyone knows of my greatness"
Cid shrugged.
"Outside of your inventions, I know your attitude is horrible. You got talent, but you see others as less because they can't do what you do"
At this Jayce had a scowl on his face. The summoner left the room thinking this wasn't his job and left. The therapist could do the rest.
"If they were truly good they would be able to work at my rate"
Ahri was awake now hearing Jayce. She thought maybe she should leave the room. Give them privacy. But looking at how Jayce was standing in the path to the door that would be hard. She decided to do the second-best option and stood walking to a door behind Cid.
"I will be resting in your room"
Ahri walked without saying anything else. At this Jayce stopped his rambling on others focusing on the figure of Ahri leaving behind the therapist.
"… was I interrupting something?"
Cid chuckled hiding his embarrassment. It was better to act as if it wasn't anything.
"Not at all, she just came to rest, but she left so we can have privacy speaking… now"
Cid took out from the desk the recording device Viktor had given him and turning it on.
"Why don't we have a chat? For starters, all I know about you Jayce is from others, so why not you first tell me your story?"
At this Jayce confusion and previous scowl, all went away. If there was something Jayce loved to do, was speaking of his many achievements.
And he did just that. He spoke of how there was nothing he couldn't fix, how he was liked by the clans of Piltover, how everyone appreciated his talent. But he also mentioned how others didn't like to work with him. How he didn't understand why others would speak badly of him. How they simply were jealous.
"I see… you were partners with Viktor were you not?"
Jayce nodded. And spoke about Viktor and his relationship with him. How they worked, and how Viktor seemed to be one of the only ones who didn't mind working with him.
"He simply was civil…"
Cid nodded before speaking.
"Did you never think of him as a friend Jayce? I mean for what you mentioned you two worked a lot together"
Jayce shrugged.
"Not because we wanted…"
He explained to him how they were forced to work together, mostly by the people in Piltover thinking the two geniuses would work well together.
"I see… still, you did manage to work with him"
Jayce shrugged again.
"I guess"
Jayce kept going about how later he started his own project. How later Viktor would be thrown out.
"Don't you think you could have vouched for him?"
Jayce once again simply shrugged.
"It was his own fault… he shouldn't have thought about suppressing their will…"
Cid nodded.
"What happened next?"
Jayce told him how he was later attacked by Viktor who tried to steal the crystal. As the story went Cid nodded. He thought it was funny how Jayce and Viktor story merged. Sadly, it merged in a sad note.
"I see… then Jayce, what happened during the match today?"
Jayce simply lets himself fall on the couch of the office.
"They act like if it was my fault we lost, I won my lane"
At this Cid expressed his confusion on the term, he had heard Riven spoke before of it. After a brief explanation of how the battlefield worked and how they would often take positions, he asked the question he had been thinking.
"So… you can ask the summoner to use a teleport spell as to get you any point you have a mark?"
Jayce nodded.
"A ward, a minion, towers, certain objects two can work as a marker for the teleport spell"
Cid nodded.
The situation had been a clear one. Jayce had a match against Yorick. And it seemed Yorick had been giving Jayce a tough time if his body language was to be believed. He said he had Yorick under control, but his reactions were more of someone who had a demanding fight.
"In the end, I teleported back to the lane to throw the tower, and then later Yorick used teleport to go to the bottom of the field and they ended up rushing all the way to the base. That was their fault, not mine"
Cid nodded.
"I see… but, you said Yorick wasn't in the lane… so wouldn't it have made more sense to simply walk to your position?"
Jayce looked with disbelief at Cid.
"Do you know how much distance you are asking me to walk?"
Cid shrugged.
"Not really… but the way Riven expressed, it isn't so much as you are making it look"
Jayce had a nervous movement in his eye. Cid knew he was caught lying.
"Is… is not that long, but I couldn't risk it, Yorick would have to throw it"
Cid nodded before pointing another part of Jayce story.
"But you said Yorick wasn't there, you didn't know he was coming, for all you know he could have done it to put pressure on you to lose your chance to teleport, so he could place more pressure in the bottom of the field"
Jayce seemed to be in reflection for a moment. Cid knew it was time to push it.
"What did you do then? Why not help them? I mean, for all you mention, you could have gone back to the base and helped them defend… why not do it?"
At this Jayce seemed to be silent for a moment.
"I… didn't want to hear them mention I had lost"
Cid nodded and spoke honestly.
"But you lost. Your team lost, and you lost with it"
Jayce seemed to look down for a moment.
"Jayce… don't you feel maybe you are a bit too… presumptuous? Don't take it wrong, you are amazing, but don't you think you look down on others a bit too much?"
Jayce kept quiet looking anywhere but at the therapist.
"Okay, tell you what. Take this"
He offered the recording device.
"Just… listen to all the things you spoke with me today. You can give me the device once you finish listening to it"
Jayce took the device with a nod and left. No words were spoken. And Cid had an idea of what was on his mind.
Jayce had to face the fact he made a mistake. That his decision maybe wasn't the full reason his team lost, but he did make a mistake and it had consequences. And it is hard to accept when one makes mistake. Especially when they aren't used to accepting that they can make mistakes. Jayce had to reflect on it himself.
Hopefully he would hear the recording and not toss it away. Cid didn't think he would get a new one if Viktor knew he lend it to Jayce. Viktor had shown a heavy disinterest on Jayce. But surely, he wouldn't like to hear that the reason he lost the recording device was because of Jayce.
Cid looked at his desk and finished the sketch of Tibbers. As time flowed slowly in the office he remembered Ahri went to his room. Meaning two things. One that he couldn't go take a nap yet as his bed was surely occupied and second that he had been sitting on his chair thanks to her help. The wheelchair was out of reach.
He sighed before simply deciding to sketch. Surely, she wouldn't stay sleeping long.
In his own room that worked more like a lab as Viktor did. Jayce was hearing the recording with attention.
"I am the best in all of Piltover"
"No one competes with you?"
"They lack the talent for that"
"I see... continue with your story"
The more he heard, the more he noticed what he mentioned.
"Viktor speaks highly of your ability"
"He should, I am the best after all, no one can do what I do"
"I see… please keep going Jayce, what happened next?"
He was speaking of himself. But he wasn't recognizing anyone else in his conversation with the therapist. What's more, the therapist had been nothing but polite the whole time.
He sighed passing a hand through his hair. He really spoke too much of himself.
"No one in Piltover can compete with my talent"
"Didn't Viktor compete with you in a way?"
"I have always been better"
He sighed. Viktor may be his enemy, but he did have a talent he did not have… and in a way that was hard to admit. That the therapist was right… maybe he did was a bit presumptuous.
"No one can compete with me; my talent is endless"
Maybe a bit too presumptuous.
"Geez… this thing sure is bothersome"
He stopped the recording device. He had heard enough.
Cid wasn't sure when it happened. One moment he was sketching, the next he felt the grasp of sleep taking over as he was getting bored hoping for Ahri to wake up. The next thing he knows is that Ahri is looking at him intently. He had fallen asleep on his desk again.
"Ahri?"
The champion perked up looking at his sleepy eyes.
"Morning, you slept the whole day"
That made Cid get awake immediately. Thoughts of how many people must have tried knocking the door and how many he didn't answer were coming around him. All thoughts stopped when Ahri started laughing.
"Don't worry, it was a joke, you have been sleeping for a few minutes at most"
Ahri smile and her eyes showed her honesty. And with that honesty Cid couldn't avoid asking.
"Did you saw me while I was sleeping?"
Ahri smiled mischievously at him.
"Maybe, you will never know though"
Cid could only smile at her reaction.
"You totally did, didn't you?"
Ahri kept her smile as her tails moved from side to side as if they were measuring rhythm.
"Maybe I did… would you have like it? The idea of me watching you when you sleep"
Cid felt embarrassed at the idea and Ahri simply laughed at his face.
"I didn't know you were like that Cid, I know see your perverted habits"
Ahri started to laugh at her own words and Cid could only sigh while he smiled at Ahri. He made a dramatic gesture with his arms as if he had been hurt.
"Oh no, I been discovered, I shall run away before anyone else finds out"
Ahri could only keep laughing as she let herself fall on the couch of the office. Once she regained her composure and the ability to properly breath again she simply kept smiling at him.
"Is good to know you don't mind me watching you sleep, I shall do it from now on then"
Ahri smiled and Cid nodded. But a part of him was considering that she wasn't joking about it.
Ahri was happy about their small chat, she was having a good time with the therapist. She had something she wanted to ask though.
"Do you think Jayce will come soon? I mean, no offense, but he is not one to accept his faults"
Cid shrugged at the question.
"Honestly, I don't know, if he listens to the recording he will have an idea of how he speaks about others, but in the end… is more of something of self-inspection. He will have to get an answer himself, if someone else tells him, it just wouldn't be the same"
Ahri nodded at his words. She found herself agreeing with it. It would be easier for Jayce to just accept things if he was the one to consider it. If someone else said it, he would probably look at them as jealous or less than him. Jayce had no option but to do it by himself.
"I see… hey what happened with Morgana? I haven't seen her in a while"
Cid shrugged.
"I haven't seen her much either, but we just came back from Ionia so is not such a surprise"
Ahri nodded and let herself fall on the couch again. She found herself playing with her tails.
"Will you go with it? The whole courting thing?"
Cid shrugged. He had been thinking about it.
"I don't think so, she is a nice friend and I enjoy my time with her, but I don't think I will go with the whole courting"
Ahri found herself smiling internally. But she decided to keep that to herself.
"Oh, well I know she will be okay with it, she really seems to enjoy your presence too"
Cid smiled before nodding. Ahri had many thoughts in her head regarding the emotional situation of the therapist. And seeing that no one else was coming to the office she thought she might be able to get some answers.
"Cid, what will happen with Sona? Are you two going to get in a relation?"
Cid eyes opened in surprise at the straight question. He wasn't really expecting Ahri to ask that. He looked at her eyes, and they were holding a rather hard conviction in them. She wasn't asking as much as she was demanding an answer.
And he was in thought. What was going to happen between them?
The best road was to simply tell Sona no. And hopefully she would find an interest in Draven. But judging by how she looked at him when they were in the lake, the feelings were still there. And it was hard to say no to Sona.
Yet there was also the fact that technically Sona was still a patient… she said she didn't fear the dark any longer. Technically speaking, should they wait a year, she would essentially stop being a patient, but to make her wait for a year seemed hardly fair. She deserved to be happy with someone who could offer her happiness immediately.
"I don't know Ahri… the proper thing is to tell her no. She is technically still a patient"
Ahri looked at Cid with a smile.
"Would you be willing to wait for her?"
Cid smiled.
"She is my friend Ahri, I would wait for her… but that seems hardly fair, she deserves to be with someone who can make her happy and doesn't force her into waiting"
Ahri nodded but her positive attitude remained as she spoke.
"She loves you. I wouldn't be surprised if she had a picture of you hidden on her instrument"
This made both chuckle at the idea of a picture of him hidden somewhere in the magical instrument. Ahri stood up from the couch and approached Cid. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder while looking at him.
"I think that if you told her to wait… she would wait for you Cid…"
Cid appreciated the gesture of comfort. He ended up smiling before nodding.
"Thanks… but I would like to ask, why are you so curious about it? Don't take it wrong, I don't mind speaking about this… but are you interested in Sona?"
Ahri laughed at the idea of her and Sona together. Sona was pretty sure, but Ahri wasn't into Sona. Nor she thought she would, they were good friends, but there was a huge line between the love of friends and the love of a couple. When her laugh ended she spoke to Cid.
"Not at all, but I wanted to know what your thoughts were"
Cid smiled before nodding.
"Well, now you know… Ahri seeing no one is coming to the office, want to sketch with me?"
Ahri smiled but she spoke something else.
"I would appreciate if you made a sketch of me. I want to pose for it if you don't mind"
This seemed fun to Cid and he accepted. Moving back to the couch Ahri took a position and Cid started sketching. He started to sketch her as she stayed still. Cid thought it was funny how even though she remained still her tails were moving as if to show her excitement.
The sketching went in amicable silence as Ahri kept smiling and her eyes were focused on him. In any other case, one would feel threatened at the presence of the fox looking at them with a smile showing her fangs. But if one were to know her they would know she was happy. She was so happy she wasn't trying to hide her fangs or act as if she wasn't dangerous. She was showing herself the way she was.
And she was okay with exposing herself.
In the halls of the Institute, Annie was playing with Tibbers and she had kept the small fishing cane. The stick with a piece of fishing line had been entertaining to her. She hadn't expected Tibbers to like to fish. It was different from what both of them were used too. She wasn't surprised by the reaction of the guy named Cid.
He didn't seem to be scared of her and Tibbers. Meaning he was new in the Institute. He had been nice. Tibbers had agreed that he didn't do anything bad… yet. Adults weren't to be trusted. She would keep an eye open when near him. He wouldn't hurt her. And if he did… well, Tibbers would always solve that.
"You will never fail to protect me do you Tibbers?"
Tibbers shined for a moment as embers in a fire. Annie smiled and kept her walk in the halls skipping.
Summoners and champions would make space for her to keep skipping around. Everyone knew better than to mess with Annie. One of the summoners thought that maybe she could be sent to the therapist… but maybe he would end up as many others who got on the wrong side of Annie.
A child with too much power was hard to keep in line. Especially one who could summon a huge fire bear.
Annie kept her skipping through the halls when she saw Sona. She was peeking through a door. Her curiosity made her approach the door. Sona heard the small footsteps and noticed the presence of Annie.
Annie questioned her about the door.
"What are you looking?"
Sona made a sign for her to keep quiet and motioned for her to look. She saw through the small open space of the door. She saw Ahri smiling. She looked incredibly happy. Had she ever smiled like that?
Ahri was smiling widely for no apparent reason when Annie moved slightly to see more of the room she saw the man she had met before. Cid, behind a desk and was seemingly drawing. Was Ahri happy because he was drawing her?
Sona was watching intently the movement of the tails of Ahri. It was obvious she was ecstatic about the experience. Sona smiled seeing her friend so happy. A part of her hoped to be in the place of Ahri.
She pushed those thoughts aside. As she was going to go away she noticed Annie had entered the room. Had Sona being able to scream she would have done it in an alert at seeing Annie entering.
Ahri noticed the presence of Annie but said nothing as she didn't seem to be trying anything.
Annie walked behind Cid and poked at his side. Cid stopped sketching and looked at Annie.
"Oh greetings Annie"
He saw she was holding Tibbers and raising him up.
"Oh of course, my apologies Tibbers, greetings for you too"
Seemingly satisfied with his answer Annie smiled and pointed at his sketch.
"You were drawing her?"
Cid nodded before speaking to her, he left the sketch on the desk.
"Yeah, she asked me if I could make a sketch of her"
Annie tried to reach for the sketch on his desk. Ahri saw the action and would have giggled had it been anyone else. Cid took the sketch and gave it to Annie.
The girl looked with curiosity the sketch, it looked really like Ahri.
"Sona! You got to see this! It looks really similar!"
At this, both Ahri and Cid were surprised. The door opened more and Sona entered the room bowing her head slightly as if to apologize. She looked at Cid and started to speak in signs with him.
"I apologize, I was curious about what you were doing and peeked on the door"
Cid smiled before waving her off.
"Don't worry, you know you can always enter the office"
Sona smiled at this before signaling more animated this time.
"Great! You wouldn't mind making another sketch of me, right? I could pose too"
Cid nodded at her.
"Sure, I would love to make a sketch for you"
Annie who had been seeing the silent exchange spoke.
"Can you speak with her, you speak her language?"
Cid chuckled at the innocence of the child.
"I guess I do, we communicate with signs, so even if Sona can't speak, she can communicate with me"
Annie nodded surprised and took to speak to Tibbers.
"See Tibbers? I told you she could speak"
Cid took notice of how she was holding Tibbers. It seemed Tibbers was more than just a toy. It seemed to be truly important to Annie to share everything with Tibbers… as if the bear took the role of family…
He felt curious, but he had said he wouldn't go around poking his nose in her affairs. If she wanted help she could ask for it.
Ahri was standing now from the couch, she looked at the sketch and smiled fondly at it. It truly looked like her. Before anyone else could speak a shout came from the hall.
"You think this can stop me?!"
Cid was surprised.
"Ahri, a hand please?"
Ahri nodded helping him get in his wheelchair.
A roar was heard and they all went to see on the hall what was going on. They saw a creature that seemed to be like a lion was fighting what seemed to be a sort of void creature. Ahri voice from behind him broke the concentration of Cid.
"Rengar and Kha Zix… they are supposed to always be separate, who made the mistake this time?"
Both were fighting savagely, Cid was worried about the scene, at the rate their fight moved, someone would end up hurt.
Annie started to walk close to the direction of the fight. Cid was surprised and found himself unable to reach her, he couldn't do anything to stop her.
Before anyone else could try anything, Cid was surprised at the next scream that was heard.
"Go Tibbers!"
The scene surprised him. Annie threw Tibbers against them. What he didn't expect was the burning explosion released from the bear. The stuffed bear was no more, in its place a huge bear covered in flames was standing. Both combatants were stunned, the next thing that happened surprised him even more. Annie kept walking, Tibbers holding Rengar in place, and Annie walking without fear at Kha Zix.
When Kha Zix saw the girl, he tried to attack her. Only to be thrown away with a huge fireball that came from her hands.
"Stop making a mess! I am in a good mood! So stay down or I will throw another one!"
Kha Zix was unconscious on the floor. Rengar seemed to be in thought for a moment. The hold of Tibbers was strong. Annie looked at Rengar eyes.
"You didn't do anything bad… right?"
Rengar nodded at her. She called for Tibbers who released Rengar.
"Then don't get in troubles… is not the first time the summoners see you fighting that thing"
Ahri giggled at the way Annie spoke of Kha Zix.
It wasn't well known. But Annie had a soft spot for Rengar. Maybe because he reminded her of Tibbers, or maybe because she liked animals and Rengar looked like one. No one truly knew, but what they knew was that Annie hated people making a mess around her.
Cid was surprised about the girl. Sona, Riven and Ahri had all reacted when they saw Annie in the lake. And Ahri had mentioned him to be careful about Annie. But know it all made sense. Annie was by no means just a child. She was a Champion. And she had the power to back up that title.
Cid found himself whistling and Annie looked at him. Tibbers following behind her. And the summoners all working to move Kha Zix away from Rengar who had seemingly lost interest for the moment.
"That was amazing! I didn't know Tibbers was that big"
Annie smiled nodding and Tibbers seemingly imitated the movements of Annie.
"Tibbers if the best, he keeps me safe from everyone"
Cid nodded. Ahri was the next to speak.
"He is always intimidating that's for sure"
Annie nodded and Tibbers seemed to smile.
"Of course! No one can fight against him"
Sona lightly tapped Cid on his shoulder before signaling to him.
"She is really proud of Tibbers, normally anyone who messes with Annie is only asking to get a fireball in their direction as you just saw"
Cid nodded. Before signaling to her.
"Tibbers is more than just a simple bear right?"
Sona nodded.
"Sadly I don't know the story, but we all have come to understand Tibbers is more than just a simple bear of Annie"
Cid nodded and felt surprised at his wheelchair moving. He looked behind him to see Ahri moving him.
"I recall, you were making a sketch"
Cid chuckled. The whole thing had distracted them of it.
"I guess I did…"
Annie poked his arm, Tibbers still behind her.
"Could I get a sketch? Of me and Tibbers?"
Cid nodded.
"Seeing you stopped their fight, I think you deserve a reward lady, you did well today"
Sona and Ahri smiled at the way Cid expressed his thanks. Annie beamed at his words, Tibbers seemed to be surrounded by an aura of fire. It seemed Annie mood played a big role on Tibbers power.
"Yes! See Tibbers! I did well!"
Tibbers seemingly nodded before combusting itself in flames and becoming the stuffed bear again.
Cid was the only one surprised about this. Sona and Ahri were already used at Annie, both in the Institute and in the battlefield.
The group all went back to the office. As Cid finished the details of Ahri sketch, Annie was next with Tibbers. Cid told her to stay comfortable as she would need to choose a pose to stay still with Tibbers. Annie didn't know what position to stay, Tibbers had seemingly just stayed at her side. Cid joked about this with Annie.
"Tibbers have no troubles staying still it seems"
Ahri and Sona thought that Annie legendary mood would come in full in the form of a fireball. But it didn't, instead what came was an answer.
"He is good at staying still, but is like cheating, he can be lazy at times"
The bear seemingly shined for a moment and Annie sends a glare to it.
"Don't start Tibbers, we both know what you did"
Ahri and Sona released the breath they didn't know both were holding. It seemed Annie hadn't got the joke. She thought it had been an honest observation.
Cid smiled looking at Ahri and Sona. It seemed that even though they knew Annie they feared what her powers could do. He found it funny thinking that Annie was in the same amount of danger as them. All the trio had powers and abilities that made them outstanding. It was fun that they feared Annie.
Annie finally decided to simply stay seated in the couch with Tibbers between her arms. Cid worked fast in the main parts of the sketch, knowing Annie wouldn't be able to stay put for long, no child, champion or not, would be able to stay put for long.
In the end, this was right, Annie changed positions all over. She started to ask Cid if it was over.
"Yeah, I am done, you can move as much as you want, though I do need to finish the details for the sketch, you can move around if you wish"
Cid smiled looking at Annie just hopping around with Tibbers. Ahri had taken to move behind him and look at the sketch. She understood what details he was speaking of.
The drawing had three figures in it. The smallest one was Tibbers between the arms of Annie, then came Annie as she held Tibbers, and finally, Tibbers in his original form holding everyone together. The three members of the sketch gave it an aura of protection. Ahri found herself smiling at it. Sona curious of the smile of Ahri came to see the sketch too.
Annie got curious and noticed everyone was watching her sketch.
"Can I see it now?"
Cid nodded at her and offered her the sketch, she stretched her hand to reach it over the desk and saw it. She smiled and laughed while showing it to Tibbers.
"Look Tibbers! Is us! He even draws you two times!"
The excitement in her voice was palpable as she seemingly danced with Tibbers. Cid understood something right then and there.
Annie was an orphan. And Tibbers was probably the last memento of her family.
Her actions, the way she moved, Annie had only Tibbers as family.
"I am glad you like it. If you want to sketch, feel free to visit my office"
Annie heard him and asked.
"So, this is your office? You work here?"
Cid nodded.
"That's right, I am a therapist, I help people when they need to chat with someone of their problems"
Annie nodded. Seemingly understanding.
"Oh, so you aren't a summoner? Shame, I wanted you to see Tibbers in action"
Cid chuckled.
"I think I just saw him in action, both of you are impressive"
Annie nodded smiling proudly.
"As long as I have Tibbers I am invincible!"
Cid could only nod. He thought that if he asked Ahri and Sona they would agree there.
Annie gave the sketch a last look before asking.
"I can keep this right?"
Cid nodded.
"Is yours, so you can keep it"
She laughed happily before skipping away with the sketch. She made the last turn at their direction before waving at them with Tibbers.
"Thanks therapist! I will come for a sketch again!"
Ahri was the first to break the recent silence that had left the office.
"So… that happened, you managed Annie rather well"
Cid could only chuckle.
"She is a child, I am an adult, I am supposed to know how to manage children"
Sona nodded while signing.
"You don't get it. Her temper is fickle, she can get angry in the equal measure she can be happy, you truly did manage to keep her entertained"
Cid nodded at her.
"Thanks for the compliment Sona, but as I said, I am an adult, if I can't manage a child I wouldn't be an adult"
At this Sona smiled before signing again.
"You get Annie because you are just a child too"
Cid laughed at this. Ahri got the message even if she didn't understand the signs of Sona.
"Oh! That's right, you are indeed a child too, that explains everything!"
The trio laughed for a while before silence came again, this time though Sona signed at Cid.
"So, can I get my sketch now? I recall is my turn"
Cid nodded.
"I will be sketching you now Sona, Ahri you want to stay?"
Ahri looked at Cid and then at Sona. She waved them off.
"Sorry, but I got something to do in my room, though I could meet you two to get something to eat, is getting late after all, dinner should be coming soon"
The duo nodded at Ahri as she closed the door behind her as she left the office.
Ahri sighed when she remembered the eyes of Sona. Those eyes had a clear message in them.
Could you give us a moment?
"You are lucky I am a good friend Sona…"
Back in the office, Cid was sketching Sona who was keeping her posture without any problems as she posed for the sketch. Cid chuckled thinking Sona was probably used to it, she would have surely gotten her image on a portrait at times thinking how famous she was on Demacia.
"You have gotten your portrait done before Sona?"
She nodded smiling before taking back her pose. Cid thought she didn't have any troubles with it. Sona posture allowed her to look straight at him. As if it was the idea.
"Well, that explains why you are so good at staying still"
She smiled before focusing her eyes on his hand. He worked efficiently, she thought that more than a work of art, it was a work of technicality. Cid managed to work with a precision that wasn't perfect, but it fulfilled the purpose.
Sona took notice of how he was focusing on her this time and she signed.
"Seeing anything you like?"
She smiled at the teasing joke. She didn't expect an answer being spoken when he kept drawing.
"Yes, I see a dear friend smiling, and that is something I love seeing"
Sona smile grew bigger at his words. She decided it was time to ask a question seeing they were alone for now.
"So… what is going to happen between us?"
Cid saw her and stopped sketching. He passed a hand through his hair thinking on how to explain it.
"You know you are my patient…"
Sona answer came fast.
"I don't fear the dark anymore, so I don't see how I am still your patient"
Cid sighed before answering again.
"You know what I mean, technically speaking you are still my patient"
Sona smile never wavered for a second.
"Technically. Meaning technically, you are my therapist, but not officially right?"
Cid sighed. He was getting caught in loopholes with Sona. She was great at logical situations it seemed.
"I guess you are right… but is not like that Sona… I have a code that I got to respect"
Sona nodded. But her smile only grew. Cid understood then that Sona had an ace in her sleeve.
"Yeah. Nasus showed me books about therapist techniques and codes. Did you know a therapist can date a patient? We would only need to wait a year, two at most"
Cid felt he had no retort. He knew that. But Sona seemed excited about the concept.
"We would only need to wait. And I wouldn't mind it. A year would let us know each other better"
Cid was feeling a knot forming around him. Sona had him against the ropes.
And in a moment of luck for one, and bad luck for the other the door of his office opened with Jayce coming through.
"Hey, I came back to drop by the recorder and…"
Jayce noticed the aura of the room. Sona was looking at him with a glare that showed her anger and the therapist was looking nervous.
"Am I… interrupting anything here?"
Cid took the chance.
"No not all, Sona was getting a sketch from me, I just finished"
Cid offered Sona the sketch who took it. Her glare never really leaving Jayce. Cid signed at Sona.
"We will keep this conversation for another time, we will speak of this later"
Sona smiled kindly at him. So kindly, in fact, it brought shivers to his spine.
"Indeed, we will"
Sona left the room standing and "accidentally" stepping on Jayce foot.
"She looks angry… what happened?"
Cid sighed before offering Jayce to sit.
"Therapist-client privacy, I can't tell you even if I wanted"
Jayce nodded before sitting. It was obvious the therapist had a tough time moments ago.
"I heard the recorder…"
Cid nodded.
"Well then… what did you find out?"
Vel Koz was different from what many knew. He wasn't like many of the Void. Oh no, he was different. He didn't want anything but knowledge. And he needed to find a way to obtain it that didn't need to deconstruct its targets. The summoners had been especially clear about this point.
"No more deconstruction of anyone!"
Communication was inefficient, incompetent even going as far as to call it useless between them. How was he supposed to get knowledge without deconstructing the fountain of knowledge? What medium of knowledge do the humans used?
He needed to know…
Rumors spoke of a mind reader recently. Maybe he could obtain this ability without deconstructing its target? Surely a mind reader would be able to listen to his thoughts and offer knowledge through the means of a mental link.
Meaning not only would it be a competent way of transferring knowledge, but it would also mean the efficiency would reach levels that even through target deconstruction couldn't offer.
What no one understood, was that deconstruction wasn't perfect. There could be holes in the information, and those were the bad part of deconstruction. Hopefully, the mind reader would have a solution for it.
Now.
How to find the mind reader?
Jayce had a hard time admitting his thoughts on the recording. But he had pulled through.
"So… yeah, I guess I was a bit…"
Cid looked with a raised eyebrow behind his glasses at Jayce.
"Okay I am presumptuous"
Cid smiled nodding.
"Good job admitting it, that didn't hurt did it?"
Jayce was about to retort and sighed.
"No… I guess it didn't"
Cid smiled.
"You know Jayce. I am impressed. You do are amazing, I mean, you made your own tool to bring justice, even if that wasn't its original purpose, you have helped a lot of people. Your inventions are incredible, you got a lot of potential"
Jayce found himself smiling. And this time it wasn't Cid but Jayce who spoke.
"But I need to appreciate the work of others, as impressive as I can be. I need to recognize the effort of the others… I mean no one in Piltover stopped trying when their works failed. That is something to admire"
Cid nodded happily that Jayce got what he said.
"Still, I can't blame them, they need to put a lot of effort to keep my rhythm"
Cid could only laugh at Jayce attitude. It wasn't going to be easy nor fast. But the start of any journey started with a single step.
"You keep working on your attitude Jayce"
Cid took a piece of paper and wrote a small note on it.
"Give this to the summoners"
The note was as informal as it could get:
Jayce is good for matches. Should a problem arise again feel free to send him back.
Cid. Therapist for the Institute.
Jayce looked with skepticism at the note.
"Doesn't this look… sort of fake?"
Cid chuckled.
"Don't worry, trust me they will know is mine"
Jarvan was used to the notes of Cid. And he could vouch for him that his notes were always like that. He didn't saw the need to make them elaborate. After all, if they asked for his opinion, well his opinion was simple and short.
"Thanks… Cid… did Viktor spoke highly of me?"
Cid nodded while moving in the wheelchair.
"He recognizes your talent, and while to him you misuse your talents with your attitude, he recognizes your talents"
Jayce nodded.
"He has his own talents… but he is dangerous"
Cid nodded but spoke something Jayce didn't expect.
"Indeed. But he does it because he believes is the right way, Viktor is not looking to enslave humanity Jayce, he just wants them to stop getting into accidents, he wants them to be able to live safer lives with more quality in them. Viktor intentions are not evil. He just needs to find guidance in himself. But his talent is real just as yours"
Jayce was surprised at that. He couldn't really form an opinion on it. He didn't know Viktor well and thinking back on their relationship. Maybe things would have been different had he vouched for him back then…
The past was the past. No use in it.
The future was where he should focus.
Wasn't he after all the Defender of Tomorrow?
"I see… thanks for the insight"
Jayce kept the note in hand before going away.
"Thanks again therapist"
Cid nodded before answering back.
"You are welcome Jayce"
As Jayce left the room Cid rolled this time out of the office. He needed to get something to eat. What he didn't expect was for his chair to seemingly crash with something. Placing attention, a yordle with a hat was on the floor, before Cid could say anything the yordle motioned for him to stay quiet.
A few seconds later the yordle was invisible again.
Poppy came walking a few seconds later with a hammer in hand.
"Greetings Cid! Have you seen Teemo?"
Cid had an idea already.
"Teemo? Yordle? This tall and with a hat?"
Cid motioned with his hands and Poppy nodded.
"He can become invisible, I was asked to find him by a summoner, have you seen him?"
Cid answered her question.
"I haven't seen him Poppy, I will go get something to eat"
As he moved Poppy took notice how Cid pointed with his hand at the floor.
As he rolled out of there, he could hear a hammer impacting against the floor. Poppy seemingly found Teemo then.
As Cid rolled through the halls to find food. He ended up seeing something that was weird in the things he had seen before.
A floating eye with tentacles.
Cid noticed the eye kept focusing on his movements.
"Can I help you?"
The tentacles moved, and Cid found himself unnerved by how well he understood him. He really needed vacations.
"Oh… not sure really, if you are looking for a mind reader you mean a summoner?"
Once again, the tentacles moved in a pattern. That brought Cid attention. He had an idea.
"My name is Cid"
He made motions as he was speaking. The same signs he used to communicate with Sona might be usable with the floating eye,
"What is your name?
Vel Koz had no trouble understanding the signs and understood the imitation process quickly.
"I am Vel Koz"
Cid was surprised at how fast he had understood the signs.
"Who are you looking for Vel Koz?"
The tentacles formed the motions of the sign language. Cid was surprised at how this being was able to adapt to knowledge so fast.
"I heard about a mind reader on the Institute, I was hoping to find his secrets… without deconstructing him"
Cid nodded. Deconstruction of materials… it didn't sound good.
"Well, I guess you found him, but I am afraid of telling you those were rumors, I can't read minds"
Vel Koz looked impassive. Seemingly the revelation didn't affect him. He started to make signs with his tentacles.
"I see. But if they thought you possessed talents for mental links, it must be based on your ability to obtain knowledge about them without the need of deconstructing them"
Cid nodded.
"Than I can do. You can learn a lot of people through studying them, plus the body language offers a lot of information, but it requires attention on the observation of them. If you don't put your full attention you could make a mistake and the whole information end up going wrong"
Vel Koz seemingly nodded as he floated.
"I see. So, while lots of information can be obtained through a process of observation, you need the experience to discern truth from fake. But as it doesn't deconstruct the target the process can be repeated endless times…"
Cid didn't like the way he expressed his ability, but he nodded.
"Yeah, you can try as many times as you want, but when you truly master the ability to read people you can learn a lot from others without mistake. Plus, you could always just read books you know?"
Vel Koz was in thought before motioning his question.
"Books?"
Cid was surprised. For a being that was seemingly so smart, he seemed slow for other stuff.
"Books got a lot of information that can be read by everyone at any time, it allows learning without deconstructing"
Vel Koz made an obvious question and Cid rolled his chair.
"Follow me then"
Vel Koz floated at his side and made a question at Cid.
"Oh, the leg? Lost it long ago"
Vel Koz kept asking questions regarding how one can live without a leg or without an extremity.
"Humans can live without a lot of stuff, but we need the vitals intact to keep working. As you can imagine, you can live without a leg, but not so much without a heart"
Vel Koz kept this information. It was interesting. While the human had no mental abilities to link minds, he was good at reading any being it seems that had the cognitive ability to express thoughts. Maybe even less than that. He could surely discern the other void-beings feelings of hunger.
It wasn't that hard. But many confused hunger with the desire to kill. Two different things.
Things he didn't need.
He only needed to find information and keep always on a quest for knowledge.
Finally, they reached the library.
"All the books are kept here, you can read any book you want here too, I will get going"
Vel Koz signed at him one last time before he left.
"Thanks for the information. It was useful"
Cid nodded before rolling away and making the last question he didn't need an answer for.
"What you plan to do with all that knowledge?"
He left rolling away on the wheelchair.
Leaving a confused Vel Koz behind.
What was he supposed to do with the knowledge indeed….
CUT!
I have always wondered the same, what's the use of having all the knowledge indeed. Hope you all liked this chapter, will see you all next time with Chapter 25.
Celebrating 25 chapters I would like for you guys to suggest 5 champions you wished for to appear in the chapter. If you wish to participate in this, just tell me two champions as the main characters for the chapter and the other three as appearances or I can also work around them.
Thanks everyone. Have a great week.