XII
She's Mine!
"It's been awhile."
"I know. What brings you here? Have you forgotten that you are wanted here?"
"Since when I forgot that? My temper is stable, don't you dare provoking me."
"I am not provoking you, I am wondering why are you here."
"..Is there any problem that I wanted to see you?"
"No. But I object."
"What?"
"I am taken by how you wished that we didn't met."The woman in red crosses her arms as if she was annoyed to the person she was speaking. "And so. I am up for it."
"That part was nothing. I am completely mistaken that I muttered something ridiculous." Said by the woman now in a form of a malevolent mage that was egoistic in terms of power.
"Ridiculous? I wonder. You got fed up on how you saw me with the one you also hated."
"I am but.."
"That's enough. I am interested why you are not hating me as well." The woman in red halted.
"I told you, you are different. Zed and I have stated that so many times, and we decided to shift away the plans we have been planning."
"Oh. I see." She started to face away, but the mage followed her.
"Don't follow me." She snarled, facing at the direction where the mage was. "I have work today. You should be on your way now."
"But I wanted to-"
"No." She interrupted. "I hope your wishes have finally shed its light for now."
"I didn't EVEN said that you should leave!" The mage fought back, trying to persuade the captain.
"I EVEN said that you should leave!" The captain cried, glaring intently at the mage. "Please."
"Wait!" The mage pursuits the captain as she saw how the woman was about to enter a light that will make everything vanish.
"F-Fool Captain!"
"Forget everything. If it is that what you want." She said in final after she proceeds to walk away, the mage was in turmoil that the captain rejected to talk with her, she kept moving forward until she caught her flowing hair with her hand.
Until..
Her eyes bursted open and a typical ceiling invited her vision, she was breathing heavily after on what she have experienced, so is her chest beats up so fast that she can't think straight.
"Dream. It was all but a dream." She mumbled as she massaged her head to calm her down.
But she have wondered why did she dreamed that? It was clear that she pursuits someone that wanted to avoid her, she was wearing red and has a blade that floats around.
"Why.." Syndra saddened a little. "What does that mean..? I saw her."
She is perplexed on what she have dreamt, after she realized that Irelia was inside her dream that tells her to forget about her. How wonder she kept thinking about the fact, she rose up her bed and idled.
She wanted clarification about the dream, she felt that, what if all of those words that Irelia told about her was true?
Her phone is the first thing that caught her eye. She was about to pull out the device but her mind halted her, hesitating to make an action.
"I.. I." Syndra stuttered. All of these emotions were the effects of her sudden jealousy, yet her power was affected as well.
With her minor depression, the power she possesses creates a vile, purple atmosphere that enveloped the land, her room was filled with mist that came from her spheres, coloring the whole room.
She just slumped her bed, she remembered how Irelia took care of her while she was sick, served her with loyalty, and treated her as one she respected.
"She hates me." Syndra whispered, the dream she have seen made her believe that Irelia hated her, even though she didn't do anything that could anger the captain.
Her mana caused a disturbance to the grounds below the fortress, making a certain being got the attention.
Ahri. She was idling at a tree with a certain book, she was taking a break after she entered the ride that brought her imagination alive. She was delighted on the stories that humans created, fiction or not, she still loved the books.
Now she was completely annoyed, the mana was an interruption of her trance, she grunted and stared at the fortress that Syndra lived. Those golden orbs have seen a purple mist that continuously spreading across the landmass.
"Wow. What is happening? Is Syndra alright? This mana was.." She paused and felt the mana that are full of dark energy. "Hate. Sadness. Just like how humans feel."
And then, the mana also caused an alert of a certain order that was located at the northern part of Ionia. It stood in the middle of nowhere that was surrounded with shadowy mists, gloomy forests and haze, one man that was busy counting was interrupted by a notice from his students, literally Zed made a grunt on how it loses his focus.
"Master." Said by a ninja that was wearing a dark, skinny suit with a mask that is same with Zed's. "We collected a massive trace of mana surrounding our temple. Should we investigate?"
"I sense it as well. It appears that I must be the one investigating it." Zed answered while he recounts his savings.
"Master. Leave us the investigation." The ninja bowed, persuading Zed to accept the offer.
"Leave. Can't you SEE I am busy? I told you, my fellow student, that I WILL investigate the matter." Zed snarled, his fist contacted to his desk because his counting was lost again. "Tsk. That's it."
"Count this gold coins for me. YOU better count it accurately or else." He glared at the ninja and threats the ninja with his blade. "Discipline."
"Y-Yes.. I understand.."
Quickly, he made hand symbols to summon the shadow technique, the floor he stood below made a dark circle that sucked him whole, teleporting to where he wanted to be.
At last, he reached the grounds of Ionia, above him was the Celestial Fortress that was enveloped with purple mist. He saw Ahri grunting while watching the landmass above while holding a book.
"You again? What are you doing here?" Zed started, he went closer to the fox.
"I am asking too, the same question." Ahri replied, leering at the ninja with disdain.
"My Order reported a disturbance that the shadows are completely interrupted with their training." He explained. "And so, I have deduced that it came from her."
"Well yeah, look at it." Ahri pointed at the direction where the fortress was. "She was losing too much mana, I am asking the question why."
"That's why I am here to investigate." Zed prepared his stance for teleportation.
"I would like to come as well, I must know why she is acting strange lately, it will be troubling if the humans got alerted by her power." Ahri persuaded.
"Fine."
Both of them got teleported above with the use of Zed's energy; even it costs more of Zed's usable energy for any techniques he will pull later on.
They saw how eerie the fortress was, the purple mist brings haze that blocks the vision, Zed leads the way towards Syndra's home, not until Ahri went ahead of him.
The fox saw how remorseful Syndra was, her figure was slumped on the bed idling like a sick person does, the spheres around her continued to bring mists that Ahri got hostile. She moved closer and nudged the mage, but what she have got was a sober.
"What are you? Drunk? Stand up!" Ahri pulls Syndra away from the bed.
"Nngh..mooove..Get..OUT." Syndra mewled, her form sluggishly untouchable. "JUST. GET. OUT."
"What is WRONG with you?!" Ahri cried, her tails shrilled a little. "You are being helped right now, so can you accept someone's EMPATHY?!"
"You? Help me? Pathetic. You only came HERE to laugh." Syndra added with a glare.
"Hmph. Hell. What's wrong with you?" Far from the corner was Zed, crossing his arms and chuckled at Syndra's foolish actions as his eyes were being obscured by the mists.
"Hell, why are YOU here?" Syndra barked at the ninja. "Get OUT!"
"Before I could set my foot away from this veranda of yours, you have to tell what in the Gods is YOUR problem." Zed spats, he moved close and made a glare. "My students can't focus their energies because of YOURS."
"Please. Just tell us what is your problem. I will be pleased if you will tell it right now." Ahri puffed, she wagged her tails as a sign of impatience. "Also, you don't want SOMEONE from below would try visiting you because of your magic that causes disturbances, right?"
Syndra hesitated at first, she believed that her story was so ridiculous that the two may laugh at her, with her hopes up saying she should be fine since the two visited her to check her status, especially on the moment she was causing a major disturbance across Ionia.
"I..dreamed." Syndra started.
The two just glances at each other before Syndra.
"So dreamed. We'll take it, but what?" Ahri pressed.
"This is infantry." Zed huffed. He felt Ahri nudged him to shut him up.
Syndra used her pillow to cover her face, and then she mewled while she mutter words about the dream she had.
"Ihh shaww herr.." The words ended like a mumble, then she uncovered her face. "I hate this."
"What?" Ahri scratched her head.
"She said she sawed her hair." Zed laughed, seeing it as a joke. Ahri made a piercing glare and prepared an orb that could penetrate Zed any minute.
"I said, she said she saw her. Can you just give it a damn?" Zed countered immediately.
"Ok, so you saw her. Who?" Ahri pressed the issue again.
"Plaything.." Syndra ended a sober. "That plaything.."
"Plaything? You CRIED over a toy?" Zed remarked before Ahri could speak. Ahri literally facepalmed on how Zed is oblivious.
"..I am so going to stick that metal over your rear." Ahri threatened, pointing at Zed's blades that are locked inside his gauntlets.
"Oh? Can you?" Zed dared, he made a silent snicker.
"Of course I can." Ahri smirked. "I know where places that could..hurt."
Before Ahri prepared to make an act, Syndra sniffed, some of her cold survived a little. Quickly, she sat up and reached her desk, what she have done is to get a medicine for her cold but she realized that only one person prepared such item for her, and this made her feel the distress again.
She looked down and saddened, the mists intensified as she kept on thinking of her situation.
"Syndra." Ahri sighed. "Please tell us. What is going on? Really. I will keep my word of preventing fun to this kind of matter."
"Hmph." Zed crosses his arms and sighed. "You saw that captain in your dream. Is that it?"
Syndra nodded.
"And she may have done something that..made you unhappy about?" Ahri added.
Again, the sobering mage nodded.
"So. What is the problem?" Both visitors inquired, ready for the fact of Syndra's unhappy thoughts.
"She said I must forget her." Syndra started. "I told her that I wanted to see her but she said that I must leave."
Zed nodded on the information, he thought of something that could break the puzzle of this kind of situation. He now made a sigh to start his reasoning.
"I have a conclusion that this could be the reason why you have such dreams like this, it must be that time where you saw that elder. Am I right?"
"How does that connects the logic?"Ahri pressed, interested on the idea that Zed explained.
"Experiences can cause distortions from the mind. Anything that brings disturbance to one's body will surely effects him in an unaware situation." Zed logically explained.
"Is that the reason WHY you are having an affair with the Fool Captain's binoculars?" Syndra interrupted.
"..So you have found out, interesting." Zed nodded. "So. Thank you, you REALLY made me spent my SAVINGS." And he rolled his eyes and glared back at the mage.
"Not now, Zeddie boy." Ahri interjected.
"What did you JUST called me?!"
"Ok, shut up. We have to finish this matter immediately."
"..Tsk."
Ahri sat the bed and looked at Syndra's form, the mage looked grim, she never had seen Syndra like this before, and so her outburst of emotions. She thought that helping Syndra overcoming her depression will end this.
"Syndra, here is the thing. I knew that you and Irie have created such bond that humans can do as well, and so, I have seen that you are a kind of a human that cares so much to those who allotted their time to focus on your distress." Ahri sympathized. "..And also, you have felt jealousy. Jealousy that is attaining that subject to be as yours, only."
The mage got silent from that reasoning, of course all of those words are true, she can't deny it from the fox that is currently serious this time.
"I guess I am true, that time will come you will be having desires of attaining someone to be yours." Ahri smiled, it was a geniune one.
"..Tsk. You are not mistaken, in fact you are right. I HAVE this stupid, pathetic feeling from that Ionian." Syndra confessed. "..Yet I am hesitating that you will make FUN of me."
"Of course it will be fun! Because a villainess got infatuated by a mere and cute human like her." Ahri chuckled, trying to cheer up the mage a little.
"I-I AM NOT INFATUATED!" The mage barked.
"You don't call it an infatuation after YOU followed the captain along the way to give that letter of yours?" Zed laughed, and got entertained by the mage's denial.
"I ONLY HAD DONE THAT JUST TO GIVE IT A TRY!"
"Wait..So was it SUCCESSFUL?! The letter I mean?!" Ahri's tails began to wag endlessly until it brushes Zed's mask.
"I AM SO GOING TO USE THESE TAILS AS A-" Zed got irritated and made a cringe as Ahri's tails slides his metal mask.
"What? A wig for your fancy because of how bald you are?" Ahri disdained.
"What the-"
"SILENCE!" The Sovereign barked to shut the two.
The mists have gone purple again, Syndra stood up and glared at the two.
"Okay, where are we..Oh! I found it." Ahri hastily excused, she smiled nervously as she sat innocently on the bed.
"Just admit that YOU liked her, and we are done! I have to check my student if HE really counted my SAVINGS." Zed impatiently tapped his boot on the floor.
"Just ADMIT that you are poor and we are DONE!" Syndra offensively corrected while a small blush entered her cheeks.
"But let me guess." Ahri started a question. "You really felt jealousy to the Duchess, am I right?"
The spheres orbited endlessly and whips the air around, everything fluttered as the magic circled like a torpedo, the madness she felt surged once again as she remembered how the Duchess made a progress to the captain she really liked, even though she denied it.
"THAT. VILE. ELDER. MUST-"
"Stop. Ok. I understand." Ahri calms Syndra by placing her hand on the mage. "Before that, have you given the letter?"
"..I don't need that. That FOOL elder went ahead from me." Syndra said with anger.
"So, where is it?" Ahri asked.
"She killed it." Zed ended. "I was there with her, she asked me to see if I could spy the captain using the binoculars. But, I have seen a moment where two people in a silent garden, where the other confessed like those in the plays."
"R-Really?! The Duchess Karma of Ionia have c-conf-.." Ahri gasps.
"It is not romantically. Perhaps." Zed remarked.
"PERHAPS?! You called her actions as a perhaps after HER CONFESSION IS LIKELY CONFESSING HER FEELINGS!!" Syndra scowled.
"So is this why you are in jealousy right now? Likely you are admitting that you really liked that captain." Zed added, honestly he was impatient.
"W..WELL I-!" Syndra blushed.
"Psh.. Okay it is settled, YOU HAVE FALLEN BY THE IONIAN CUTENESS OF IRIE!" Ahri squealed.
"SHUT UP!"
"No way you can't deny it."
"SHUT-" Her words are interrupted after an idea went inside her head, she strolled around that made the two wondered.
"Now what?" Zed was so impatient that he grunted with his shadows.
"I want YOU to do something for me!" Syndra declared.
"What me?!" Ahri pointed at herself.
"Just like what we did last time, go to her house and see what she is doing!" Syndra added, the spheres increases its speed as her thoughts were into it.
"Ok. Fine. Just that?" Ahri agreed, it will be good if she accepts the task just to prevent angering the mage.
"Now. GO!" Syndra used her powers to lift the fox and guided her below.
The mage and the ninja are left alone, Zed has something in his eyes that counts as delightfulness, he thought that his visit was over that he could leave by now but..
"No. You are STAYING HERE until that fox came back." Syndra ordered. "Or maybe..FOLLOW HER. Shouldn't you have to ask the captain about her binoculars?"
"Of course, and I will TELL her that you ruined it." Zed snarled. "I can't keep myself aware by the expensively item she had."
"Hmph.."
"..Looks like you ARE the most aware than me."
"What."
"How did you found out?"
"..By those shards."
"Hmph. So? What did YOU FEEL? Remorsed?"
"Ask yourself."
"Just admit it, you felt that way. That is why you wanted to keep the shards away as a memento."
"Tsk! SHUT UP!"
Zed really knew those feelings that the mage has right now, of course he once felt this from before he was working under the Kinkou.
"Hmph. So?" The mage clarified.
"Alright. I should tell her." Zed prepared a teleporting portal, he sighed because his energy has been depleted.
Syndra waited for the two, but she gasps as she saw Zed returned like just seconds.
"That captain, you must see her." Zed said before he looks down. The portal lingered below his figure. Syndra went beside Zed and waited for the portal lead them to the captain's house.
They ended up landing on a branch of a tree, Syndra slipped her foot as she adjusted herself. She made a growl to Zed because of the faulty landing.
"You. ARE MAKING ME KILL MYSELF!"
"Apologies for the landing." Zed grunted as he felt the pain.
"You ninjas-"
"Shh.."
Zed pointed at the direction where a window is located. They saw Ahri landed beside them, the space was now cramped, making the branch sounded like it was about to snap at any minute.
"MOVE! CAN'T YOU SEE IT'S CRAMPED HERE?!" Syndra complained in whisper.
"Can you just shut up and listen?" Ahri replied with annoyance. "Follow me."
They followed the fox branch by branch until it reaches the point where they can see the window clearly, Ahri pointed at that direction and glanced up to the impatient mage.
What Syndra saw is that Irelia was doing something too serious, the captain grunted like a troubled student as she was fixing something that made Syndra gasp in delight.
"This is too difficult.." Irelia murmured while she scowled as she wondered how to finish her work. "This letter had torn up to bits that I cannot return it where it was originated.."
Ahri has a sparkle to her eyes after she presented what she have seen to the mage, she saw Syndra smirking like she made up her mind.
"Isn't it the time where you have to apologize to the captain how you made her troubled with your letter?" Zed cuts in.
"Oh, let her be." Syndra immediately replied, the spheres around her disappeared and returned back to normal state. "I want to see how she was up to the challenge on bringing back my letter."
"That would be perfect. If Irie finally solves the problem, she will read your cute letter without knowing that you are intended to give it to her." Ahri chuckles, her tails wagged again endlessly.
"Cute in my face." Syndra growled, staring at the fox that screams murder. "IT WAS YOU WHO RUINED IT!"
"Humph! Even though you liked the way how I wrote that line."
"SHUT!"
"Look." Zed interrupted and pointed at the window.
They paused and followed the ninja, they have seen Irelia made expressions that are telling them that the captain may have fixed some parts of the letter.
Irelia took a tape and taped the torn gaps of the letter and reads it.
"And, I forgot to say that.. I really like that.. kiss..that you gave me, I wish I could have some more..? Wait, what?" Irelia scratched her head before she blushed.
Ahri gasps and screamed internally, she giggled due to that her writing was the one that Irelia read.
"HOW COME SHE FIXED THAT STUPID LINE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!" Syndra's face went red.
"OH MY GOD!" Ahri squealed with her tails.
"You wrote that? I never knew." Zed raised his brow and laughed.
"IT WASN'T ME! THIS STUPID INFANT WROTE IT!" Syndra countered by pointing at the fox.
"So she made lip contacts with you? Interesting.." Zed teased and laughed sinisterly with his shadows.
"IMBECILE! I SAID-!" Syndra gave up on reasoning.
"Yes, yes, yes~! she REALLY made lip contacts. I loved that word, Zeddie boy." Ahri winked at the ninja and returned laughing.
Zed just coughed and avoided eyeing at the fox, he cringed a little after he saw Ahri winked at him.
"Don't CALL ME THAT! I AM THE MASTER OF THE SHADOWS!" Zed barked as he corrected the fox.
"Yeah, yeah, fine. No fun.." Ahri disdained and returned back watching Irelia.
She saw how Irelia was literally entertaining, every reactions that she made is a form of cuteness behind Ahri's golden eyes, she loved the way how Irelia acted on a sudden thing that brings out embarrassment to her.
"Hmph." Syndra saw Ahri's expressions as she watched the captain. She wondered that she might taking the captain away from her again like she had done on the festival, or that time where she took the captain's number.
"She's mine." She muttered in the air.
"What?" Ahri gasps.
"Nothing."
"Hmm~.."
"She's mine she said." Zed crosses his arms. He was given a stern look from the mage.
"Oh, I see, she is your Plaything after all." Ahri giggled.
"Tsk." Syndra just blushed and looked away, she returned watching the captain fixing the letter again.
"Thank you.. um.. uhh.." Irelia reads the words that the letter formed. "No good, the paper is torn up so well that I can't read it.."
"Aw.. Too bad. It seems that she only fixed that last line~" Ahri sighed before she smirked at the mage.
"Shut up." Syndra finished. "Maybe she could deduce that who wrote it."
"She could deduce YOU since you and her made lip-" Zed was slapped on his arm.
"SINCE WHEN YOU SIDED WITH THE FOX?!" Syndra snarled.
"I am siding with her because she was telling the truth more THAN you. You are a coward when it comes with this."
"Coward? Me? HMPH! How dare you." Syndra prepared her spheres.
"Not now people. Look!" Ahri calms the tension and pointed back the window.
She have seen Irelia walks out the room, they waited for her until they have seen her went outside. They stayed low as they kept their eyes on the captain.
"Where will she go?"
"I don't know. Maybe that?"
Irelia stopped at the arch and waited, it was like she was waiting for someone but..
"Hello! Good morning. Miss Will of the Blades!" A man with a robe greeted her.
Behind those branches was a mage that grunted in disbelief.
"WHO the hell is that?!" Syndra barked with anger.
"He is wearing a robe so it must be a summoner, that's rare." Zed answered truthfully.
"Now now, don't be jealous, he must be a messenger from the Institute!" Ahri added.
"Hmph.."
The summoner bowed to Irelia, as a sign of respect and so Irelia does the same, the summoner fidgeted as he saw Irelia up close with the casual Ionian garb.
"Is there anything new from the Institute?" Irelia asked first. "The Duchess left me a message today that a summoner will come at this hour and visit me so I am wondering."
"Oh! Well.." The summoner looked down as if he was embarrassed. "Um.."
"Hm?" Irelia tilted her head that shows wonders.
"Oh! F-First, I was told that the upcoming summer will be a vacation for all Champions." The summoner said.
"Really? That's wonderful! I have been waiting for the moment that I would take a full day-off from working." Irelia smiled.
"You are working? You are also a Champion, Ma'am."
"No need of calling me that." Irelia chuckled. "Please call me by my name, summoner."
"W-What? Oh.. Um.." The summoner fidgeted.
Far from the two were three people that eavesdrop the conversation, Syndra was the MOST affected. She prepared her madness to inflict more punishment to the summoner for interrupting the work that Irelia was doing. And by that, she is squirming and having an itch to plant spheres at the summoner as in right now.
"Can you just, CHILL?" Zed grunted, his space got so occupied with Syndra's movements.
"Chill in my FACE. Can you SEE THAT summoner was doing hideous to the FOOL CAPTAIN?!" She replied with anger.
"I sense jealousy." Ahri smirked.
"Hmph! W..What else?! That captain is mine." Syndra spats without thinking.
"Oh..? You FINALLY ADMITTED that you wanted her as YOURS." Ahri giggled, teasing the mage as well.
"S-SH..SHUT UP." Syndra blushed furiously.
"Look." Zed pointed.
The summoner summoned something that made the three gasp. It was a rose.
"Oh..?" Irelia gasp with delight as if she was entertained by a magician. "How did you do that?"
"Um.. I am practicing summoning magic." The summoner answered, forming a blush to his shy face.
"Amazing. I never knew that summoners can do that too." Irelia clapped her hands. "Can you summon anything else?"
"I am sorry but, my mana is not that much. I am not like those mages in the Noxian chambers.."
Irelia silenced at the moment before she spoke.
"I see, you are a Noxian. I thought-"
"Forget it. I know you will hate me." The summoner saddened. "I knew that you resent Noxians because of what they have done."
"I resent their pride as strength, underestimating the resolve of Ionia." Irelia answered in a stern tone. "They show no mercy, I get that. But, they lack the true meaning of power and strength."
"..That is what Noxus is trying to say." The summoner tightened his hold to his robe. "There is no way change could happen."
"Still. I am impressed that you have the will to visit me even it costs of your confidence." Irelia appreciated.
"Well.. you see. Yesterday was.."
"The event, yes. That Valentine's they say."
Now the mood returned, Ahri anticipated something that will bring Syndra to madness. Again.
"Hey! Shadow Wannabe!" Ahri whispered at Zed.
"Huh?" Zed raised his brow.
"Let's get Syndra out of here!"
"What?"
"I have the feeling where a certain boy offers solitude with the girl he likes." Ahri said in whisper, she blocks the space between her and Syndra for her to avoid their conversation.
"Hmph. Let her be. I would love to see no mercy just like Noxus did." Zed crossed his arms with delight and went back watching.
And then, this time it was the fact that Ahri was right. The summoner bowed to Irelia while holding the rose he had summoned.
"I know that the event just ended yesterday, but I can't keep this feelings anymore. I e-enjoy summoning you at the Rift, I love the way you fight, you made me get out the Bronze Division of my ranks, you are also..b-beautiful. In fact, I-I don't know what will you say because I am a Noxian.." The summoner confessed, blushing so much that he kept on fidgeting.
"Um.. I.. appreciated your confession." Irelia just don't know what to do this time. Until..
"Will..you g-go..out with-" The summoner was interrupted by a malevolent voice above.
"SHOO!" The mage barked, her tone is somewhat driving a stray dog, she immediately summoned a blast of wind from her magic that made the summoner stumbled on the ground.
"Oh goodness.. poor summoner." Ahri stayed low on the branch with Zed.
"Poor indeed, I am so going to watch this." He made crunching noises that made Ahri wondered.
"HEY! What is that?!" Ahri gasps on what Zed is holding.
"Oh? This is a brand of food that the captain has on her cooler I think." Zed introduced. "It says that I have to heat it up, so I called my student to heat it up for me without you two knowing."
"So YOU steal other people's things? I liked that.." Ahri smirked.
"No, I borrowed this."
"You BORROW food? Seriously?"
"I left a note. See?" Zed pointed at the desk of the captain.
"So, HOW WILL you pay for that?" Ahri asked.
"It's just food, maybe I will compensate it along with the binoculars, or maybe food as well." He removed his mask, but Ahri saw was all dark.
"Do you have a face?" Ahri asked bluntly.
"What?" Zed said as he eats the food. "Hm. This is good."
"Let me? I want to try the foods that HUMANS made!" Ahri pressed with excitement.
Zed offered her the food, it was almost like a corn but popped, it was too, garnished with orange powder that made Ahri wondered.
"It says; A brand new experience with the popcorn that you always loved with its Cheddar Cheese flavour! " Zed reads the details of the packaging. "It is made from Piltover as well."
"Irelia loved Piltoverian things, isn't she?" Ahri took the popcorn to her mouth and eats it. "WOW! IT'S YUMMY!"
"Hmph! She said she bought things along with her shopping to her aviation. It must be the reason." He said while he was chewing, loving the taste.
"Hm Hm~ I like what we are watching.." Ahri said with delight. Watching Syndra kicks the summoner like a bully does.
"Indeed, with this food, I can watch Syndra show no mercy." Zed laughed as he took the popcorn to his mouth while they watched Syndra like they are having a movie.
Back on the scene, Syndra gripped the summoner's robe and spat words that are threatening for him.
"DIDN'T I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE?!"
"Mi..Miss Dark..Sovereign?!"
"DON'T CALL ME MISS, WE ARE NOT WELL KNOWN FOR EACH OTHER YOU DIMWIT."
"Syndra!" Irelia called her.
"Yes?" Syndra got the attention, blushing after she heard her name was spoken by the captain, and went innocent. "What is it? I am busy."
"Put him down. Please?" Irelia most likely ordered her.
"Okay. I put him down." Syndra let her hold go and made a smug. "So? What?"
"Are you okay?" Irelia went to the summoner and checked him.
"I am fine.." The summoner replied but he was invited by a deathly glare of the mage behind Irelia.
"P-PLEASE TAKE THIS!" The summoner handed the rose to Irelia forcedly and scampered away.
"Ah! Wait! Be careful!" Irelia sighed. The summoner ranted as a reply for Irelia.
"Hmph." The mage huffed.
"Syndra.. What was that all about?" Irelia asked, completely worried.
"I am just driving a pest away for YOU." Syndra stated.
"Well. Huh." Irelia sighed again, she moved close to the mage and stared at her. "I should thank you for that."
"Oh. Really?" Syndra got delighted. "Why?"
"Well, I have been offered to go out with people recently because of the event yesterday." Irelia tells the truth.
"So you don't want to go out with people who offers you to." Syndra huffed, she wanted to bring out the topic about what happened to the garden where she saw the captain and the elder.
"Only if it was important." Irelia now faces the mage. "I say, I must thank you."
"That's nothing." Syndra grinned.
"I never knew you're healthy right now." Irelia smiled.
"Of course I am healthy! My power got well too."
"The medicine worked well, isn't it?"
"It made wonders." Syndra stated in a playful manner.
"That's wonderful!" Irelia said after she laughed. "Would you like to have a tea?"
Syndra gasps immediately, she quickly leaned and showed excitement.
"I WOULD LOVE TO!" Syndra screamed.
"Why are you excited about?" Irelia giggle as leads the way with the mage.
"You don't LIKE HOW I AM EXCITED BECAUSE SOMEONE OFFERED ME?!" Syndra followed and acted along with the flow of the mood.
"Okay, Im-patient."
"Hmph!"
While Irelia leads the way, Syndra saw the two on the branches eating popcorn, she cringed how Ahri waved at Syndra like she was being taken, and there is Zed, busy eating.
"Where on earth did they got a food like that?!" Syndra whispered.
"Hm?"
"Nothing!"
"Hey Syndra, I have found a letter today!" Irelia excitedly opened the topic about the letter.
"W-What? Letter?!" Syndra blushed upon hearing the letter.
"I'll show you later."
"Su..Sure! Why not?!"
Right after the two entered the house, Ahri huffed because there is nothing to watch anymore.
"Too bad." Zed said. "It's over."
"Yeah, it's over.. Hmm?" Ahri anticipated something that will trigger events.
"ZED! BORROW MORE POPCORN RIGHT NOW!" Ahri shooked Zed back and forth.
"What is WRONG with you?!"
"Look!"
On the arch where it was the boundary between the path and Irelia's home was the Duchess. She was wearing a casual robe, her look was so serious that it will bring any person get hostiled.
"Zed! Popcorn!"
"On it." Zed presented 3 packs of popcorn that are different with flavors.
The Duchess knocks the door that gave the captain an attention.
"Syndra, wait for a moment." Irelia stood up and leaves the mage.
Syndra got the thing about Irelia's situation, she followed Irelia and prepared, her spheres orbited ruthlessly as it was calling for killing. She hides behind the partition of the wall and peeked.
And her eyes met on a familiar figure that she had been hating for years.
"Irelia. Good day." Karma greeted.
"Karma! Hello." Irelia smiled and greeted as well.
"May I come in?" Karma asked permission.
"I am sorry but I am busy at the moment." Irelia stated in a trustworthy manner.
"So, I can't come in?"
"Is it not like I don't want you to come inside.."
"I guess you have a visitor right now." Karma deduced, her face was indeed threatening.
Now back on the trees, Ahri likes the scene. She likes it more than the popcorn she is eating.
"Oh my god. This is it!!" Ahri gasps.
"I sense murder." Zed continued to eat more popcorn, shoving pieces to his mouth.
"Hey, give me a little can you?!" Ahri said, her face was not impressed from Zed's greed.
And then..
"She said she is busy so LEAVE her." Syndra immediately popped up nowhere.
"I guess it was more than a visitor, perhaps?" Karma glared at the mage.
"Why yes, of course! I am more than just a visitor." Syndra moved close to the captain, she was now behind Irelia.
"Syndra.. Karma.. please can you-" Irelia tried to stop them but the tension rose.
"Why are you here?" Karma said in a stern voice.
"I am asking YOU the same question as well, elder." Syndra fights back with malevolence of her voice.
"A summoner reported me about you." Karma answered.
"Hmph. What a cowardly Noxian, how ironic." Syndra laughed.
"Irelia. Why is she here?" Karma asked Irelia instead, she gripped Irelia's robe tight as a sign she was serious.
"She came out as she drove the summoner away from going out with me, and so I invited her to have a tea since she stayed inside her home alone. I thought she need a company so I did." Irelia honestly told the truth.
"Hmph! Jealous? She invited me! So leave!" Syndra nudged Irelia and pulls her towards her.
"She is not YOUR keeping." Karma pulls Irelia as well.
"P-Please.." Irelia did nothing but to let the two people who harnesses magic pulls her.
"She is mine! So LEAVE!" Syndra summoned her power to created a binding that envelopes Irelia's wrist.
"She is NOT yours! She is ours!" Karma did the same, she summoned a green binding and pulls Irelia towards her.
Irelia has now a hard time knowing what is happening right now, she was being pulled like a stuffed animal that was fought by two children. Yet she heard two people screaming at them at the trees, she saw Ahri and Zed eating popcorn while ranting about the two mages.
"Pull her more!~" Ahri screamed, rooting for both mages.
"What?! No! KILL HER!" Zed shouted and rooted for his friend.
"No! PULLING IS FAR MORE ROMANTIC!!" Ahri squealed.
"Which SIDE are you?!" Zed snarled. "I bet on Syndra!"
"I bet on both SIDES!" Ahri fought back. "Oh wait, maybe the Duchess or..SYNDRA."
"Fine, let's have a DEAL." Zed started. "If Syndra wins, you WILL persuade that captain to forget about the binoculars!"
"If the Duchess wins, YOU WILL borrow more POPCORN!" Ahri declared proudly.
"And if it is a TIE, I will send YOU two to the precinct after I heard about my BINOCULARS!" Irelia screams at them. The two immediately hide themselves behind the leaves.
The two mages paused and let go, Irelia wondered why they stopped pulling her.
"Oh. Are you two done?" Irelia said as she crossed her arms.
"I am done. Let's have a tea now, Playth-" Syndra was about to drag Irelia away and stating the name for her but the elder dragged Irelia as well.
"Irelia, I am here to invite you to have lunch." Karma bluntly stated, her face lightened as she said this.
"Karma.. This is the first time I heard you like that." Irelia laughed and wondered.
"Of course. I am. So please?" Karma now persuaded.
"No, she invited me first, Elder." Syndra pulls Irelia again. "Am I right? ..Irelia?"
The moment Syndra spoke her name was so different among to others, as if her name was rolled by the tongue at the last letters of her name, it made her flustered and uncomfortable.
"W..Well. I did.." Irelia looked down and blushed.
"Hmph.." Syndra smirked after she saw Irelia acted bashfully again. "You loved how I state your name?"
"Um.." Irelia went silent because of how intimidating when Syndra calls her name.
"Irelia." Karma repeated her name, with a gaze that was pleading. It was unnatural for an elder like her.
"Irelia." Syndra did the same, smirking as she loved it while saying it.
"I-I.. I DON'T KNOW!" Irelia shoved them away towards the door and closed the door, slamming it shut.
The mages gasp, that was indeed an experience for Irelia that two mages fought for her. Syndra snarled and prepared her spheres, while Karma put on her mantra and the markings etched on her skin lit up with green, mystical light.
"Excuse..me." Irelia said as she peeked to the slit of the door as she opened it lightly. "Please..don't fight in front of my home. I am not mad. Really.." She was showing an eye that was indeed cute.
"Why did you shoved me out as well?" Syndra asked.
"Because you two may blow up my home at any minute if I didn't drove you away with Karma." She said in a whisper.
"I admire how you respect our harnessed magic, Irelia. Truly, you are so interesting.." Karma smiled at the peeking captain.
"Glady.. and good day. I have to fix a torn up letter." Irelia was about to shut the door but Syndra quickly stopped her from doing it by placing her hand on the slit of the door.
"So. Am I still welcome to your home?" Syndra slyly asked, she leaned forward that made Irelia flustered.
"Why yes, you are certainly welcome anytime. Just..don't do something reckless.. I am taking care of my belongings.." Irelia smiled.
"But I destroyed your binoculars.." Syndra thought, she was hostile because of this.
"Hmph.." Karma made a sound. She leered at Irelia that also tells the same question.
"Of course, you are also welcome Karma. But, I am aware that you also an observing type that you.." Irelia stopped, she knew Karma that she had once teased by the Duchess because of the things from her childhood or things aside to her likes.
"Anyway. Good day! See you tomorrow." And then, Irelia shuts the door.
The Duchess walks out, she was not comfortable with Syndra, she made last words before she would take her leave.
"I say, as Irelia's friend, I am aware of what acts will you do to her. And I am not going to let that happen." Karma glared, she made her mantra shows up a little.
"Said from her friend. Hmph.. I am not going to let you advance her as well. In fact, she is mine." Syndra prepared her power once again, she glared at the elder maliciously.
"Tch!" Syndra averted her gaze and grunted, she flew towards the trees and vanished out of sight. The elder also walks away with the promise that she will drive Irelia away from the malevolent mage.
Syndra returned back to the destination where the two at, she saw Ahri covers her face while Zed was doing the usual.
"YOU ARE STILL EATING?!" Syndra screamed at the ninja.
"This food is surely taste worthy. I must thank that captain as well for making me have this new experience of popcorn." Zed was delighted while he continued eating.
"GIVE ME THAT!" Syndra snatched the pack and took a piece.
"You are an INTERRUPTION!" Zed barked, he snatched the pack back to his hands.
"Oh my GOD! A PROGRESS!!" Ahri squealed. "Syndra! How was the cat fight?"
"Hmph.. That captain was a good referee." Zed laughed as he eat.
"Well..heh." Syndra made a smug before she took the popcorn into her mouth. "It was not a big deal. That elder is annoying."
"But too bad, Irelia stopped the fight." Ahri chuckled.
"Well good for her that she stopped us, or else I couldn't hold my temper anymore. I could've also destroyed this country."
"Speaking of destruction, that summoner was telling about the news. Summer vacation I think?" Ahri pondered.
"I could spare some training with my students WITHOUT an interruption." Zed glared at Syndra.
"Oh I forgot, your ninjas feared me. Poor things.." Syndra laughed.
"Tch. YOU made me reminded that I have to check up on my student if HE really counted my SAVINGS!" Zed stood up and immediately summoned a portal.
"Now what, he really cares of his savings." Ahri sighed.
"I guess he should thank me of destroying the binoculars." Syndra laughed, she made a last glance at the lone house ahead.
"What? Missed her?" Ahri teased, her tails wagged excitedly.
"So much." Syndra anticipated to leave and floated, her face lightened with a beat of her chest, she followed her trail towards her floating fortress.
"Hm~ So you really liked her." Ahri made her last words after her turn to leave as well, she just loved the events today right after she saw how depressed the mage this morning.
"I guess, rivalry with her is fun as well~" She surged towards the trees and disappeared out of sight.
NOTE:This chapter is very fun to write! While I am writing the mockery and dialogues of Zed, Ahri and Syndra, it sure made me laugh a little. Zed here is very keen of borrowing things; though it is almost stealing, to our captain! He is very fun to write though! And that popcorn scene is sure a blast!
Please give me a review what thoughts you have gotten in this chapter!
Now additionally, this chapter starts the rivalries and there will be a lot of moments in the future chapters!