Ch 10

It Started With Tea

Jebinnam

The smaller brambleback edged away curiously from its mother to sniff a small daisy.

It peered down at the young life with eyes steeped in wisdom. It had lived on Summoner's Rift all of its life, and knew death multiple times. It's mother had been brought out of near extinction, its angry nature confined to the Rift. But now all three were peaceful, and lived peaceful lives outside of matches.

The young creature sniffed the daisy softly, taking in the small pleasures of life.

"WoooooHHHOOOOO!"

Then something broke the sound-barrier in its face.

Lulu screamed with delight, zipping around towers and trees and over water. She was rapidly approaching a tower with a red crystal, ("GASP! ARE THERE PURPLE TOWERS?") when a magic sphere came from a bush.

A cage made by two perfect circles caught her. Lulu gasped at the perfectly white, pristilline magic.

"It's like a laundry basket made of light!"

Bubbling energetic laughter met this claim. From out of the river jogged Lux. A smile was plastered to her face, and to Lulu's delight, it looked far more real than the mask-like one she wore from their first practice.

"You didn't let me finish talking about the importance of mejais!" said Lux, huffing a bit and shaking water off of her boots. She had to sprint to catch up to the tiny figure on the map that her summoner, Leigha Kestrel, provided.

"I'm sorry! But I saw this frog in the forest, and it reminded me of a frog from back home! And then I saw this butterfly, and these two-headed wolves, and a little baby walking rose sniffing a daisy! Well, it looked like a daisy, it was actually a-"

"Alright," Lux giggled, then pointed at the tower Lulu was about to run into. "But didn't I tell you what that was?"

"A tower. A third tier tower which fires magical elilium shot, which-"

"It's ehllyzium! And it's an enemy tower, silly. lt'll attack you if you get too close. Be glad the Rift is off, or my binding would've just passed through you." Lux closed her eyes and softly rubbed her forehead, yet her smile refused to budge. If only towers weren't captured stone-skinned Enerthides, we could turn them off, too.

"Ms. Lux."

Lux opened her eyes to find brilliant emerald green ones staring directly into hers. All her stresses seemed to sink into them.

"You look like you need a picnic."

Lux blinked, then smiled. Lulu's logic was unmatched.

"Ok! Although that would make it our shortest practice yet. Ready to take a break and get lunch?"

"No, can I stay out here a bit more? We're covering shopping today, right?"

"Right! Ok, so remember last time? We need to think 'Return to Base', alright?"

"Got i-"

WAAAZIP!

After the fourth Rift lesson, Lux was no longer surprised by Lulu's proficiency with magic. Marcus had apologized for how long it was taking, since Lulu, in Marcus's words, "suffered from some ancient form of ADHD that would turn a sloth into an caffeinated Cheeta." But Lux truly didn't mind all the time she had with Lulu. Lux was happy for the joy and the better sleep.

Lux backed, herself, trying to be as fast as Lulu was, but to her surprise, was a second longer. She arrived at the baseplate to find Lulu arguing with the shopkeeper.

"No. I want a kettle, two cups, some bottles of water, some bags of tea, a pound cake, fresh strawberries, two carrot and turnip flans, some crackers, and a tulipian cheddar."

The shopkeeper's blank stare looked slightly weary as he explained, "Miss Lulu, I'll say it again, this is a weapon's shop! I don't even have bottles of water, or whatever that last thing was. You don't need food or water on the Rift. If you're hungry, go to the dining hall."

Lulu's cheeks puffed, and she crossed her arms.

Suddenly the world slowed for Lux.

Ms. Kestrel?

"Yes, Ms. Lux?"

Do you remember last snowdown-

"Where we had a Christmas feast on the Rift? I could ask the kitchens to whip up something."

Lux imagined a beaming smile for her summoner.

"Really, though, if Noxus knew how susceptible you were to… 'adorableness', Kat would always be in her Kitty Cat skin."

Oh! That thing's not cute, just lewd! A-And wadyoumean susceptible….

Her beaming smile was now a pout of its own.

"While I get the food, make sure she learns what shopping ACTUALLY means."

Clink!

In the top lane, their backs to the three bushes, Lulu and Lux drank tea, the spillings of a well-earned lunch around them.

Lux sighed and rubbed her belly.

"This was fun, Lulu!" Thank you, Ms. Kestrel.

"You're welcome!"

Lulu's eyes grew wide with gratitude. "Really?"

Lux gave a smile of her own, nodding softly.

Lulu laid down on her back, looking quite content, then both eyes snapped wide. "Let's make it better!"

Planting her staff into the ground beside her, Lulu pulled herself up into a cartwheel. Then she spun and aimed at the now empty basket.

"IMAGINATIOOoooooops, I forgot."

Lux looked strangely between the basket and Lulu.

"What?"

The yordle girl smiled sheepishly. "I can't cast that spell. Marcus said it's too powerful."

Blonde hair tumbled to one side as Lux tilted her head in confusion. "But the Rift is off. Only very powerful nerfs…"

Lux stared with renewed curiosity at her young friend. "Tell me about yourself, Lulu."

Suddenly, Lulu's smiled changed. It was still sheepish, but her eyes became somewhat distant. More importantly, it took on a characteristic Lux once only saw in photos of herself in her military years. It was fake.

It also seemed very hard for Lulu to hold a fake smile, because it soon deflated.

The light mage was quick to reassure her companion. "You don't have to! We can talk more about the Rift if you want."

"Ms. Lux?"

"Yes, Lulu?"

"How old are you?"

That question from a human might have earned a slap, but Lulu got a small smile. "Twenty-two." She waited a second before responding, "How old are you?"

Lulu's hat sank a bit. "Seventeen." The yordle stood there for a moment more before taking a seat, wrapping her hands around her legs. "When were you born."

Lux giggled in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Twenty-two years ago."

The hat lifted as Lulu smiled appreciatively, giggling a bit herself, her hat rising to reveal watery eyes. "I found out two weeks ago... I was born four hundred years ago."

Lux blinked, then blinked again. Her mind began to reel with questions, when suddenly she felt a weight on her lap.

The young yordle had collapsed onto Lux's skirt. All of Lux's queries drifted off with the soft breeze, and she ran a hand along the small head.

Lulu's hair was as soft as lilac petals, and lay like purple silk on the Rift's blue-green grass. A small black butterfly circled a yellow butterfly nearby, and the reeds swayed softly in the river. Lulu's red hat had tumbled onto the grass beside Lux's silver baton.

For several minutes, the two simply lay there. Suddenly, Lulu began to giggle a bit. Lux looked questioningly at Lulu.

"Piix, stop it! Pix, hehehehee!"

Lux's confusion doubled when the small black butterfly from earlier revealed itself from Lulu's hair, then dive bombed Lulu's ribs.

"Eeek! Pix!" Lulu sat up, eyes alight, her smile fresh again. "I was enjoying Ms. Lux's lap!"

"She'll be alright," said Summoner Kestrel.

Yes, she definitely will.

"Now… she knows what towers are, minions, mejais. and how to recall… sooo."

Lux realized there was a lot more to this training. But first, my curiosity has gotten the best of me, Lux confided to her summoner.

The response was an exasperated sigh.

"Lulu? Who's this?"

Lulu spun from mock lecturing Pix about the finer points of lap-napping. She outstretched a hand towards her companion, who promptly hid behind it.

"This is Pix, and he's shy around adult humans. But he loves kids, and I think he'll like you alot!"

"Is that a reference to your maturity, Ms. Lux?"

A giggle burst forth from Lux, and she outstretched a hand towards the small creature clinging to the back of Lulu's. Pix leaned out, thought for a moment, then hopped over. Lux softly pulled him close. She glanced over him, decided he was gorgeous, then began to stroke her finger delicately over wings.

The shiver was almost imperceptible, but the slow lean of the fae to one side was a more obvious sign of what was happening. In a few moments, the fae was asleep.

Lulu tiptoed over, in awe of Lux's fae-taming skills. "Quick, find a tulip," she whispered.

On their way to find a tulip, Lulu pointed out a rising white line in the sky. "What's that?"

Lux's eyes narrowed slightly. "They're turning on the Rift. Ms. Kestrel?"

"I'm… not sure, lemme check."

"More lines!"

Three more lines rose into the air, following the fourth one. Lux looked behind her. Four red lines stretched into the sky over at the enemy base, stretching up from the inhibitors and Nexus. It reminded her of her first Rift match. Those lines had seemed so imposing and scary.

A glance to her side told her Lulu was not having the same reaction. Her eyes were wide with awe and wonder. Then Lulu was looking at the ground with an expression of surprise.

"Hm? Oh, hi Marcus! … I'm fine now! Lux's lap was nice."

Lux hid a giggle with her unoccupied hand.

"Oh cool. Who's Kawmaw?"

"Kog'maw?" asked Lux. "He's an attack damage carry. That's a-"

"I got a message from Marcus," said Kestrel urgently. "Since Lulu's judgement described her as helpful and passive in fights unless with friends, she is now being relegated as a support."

But she's so good at magic! She's definitely a mid.

"Well, some supports can go mid, anyway. And I doubt Lulu is an exception. However, it's more her her personality than her viability. Anyhow, that's the good news. The bad news is Marcus said that she should probably be ready for her first official match by the Return of the Champions and start of the new Season."

What? That's in one week!

"So her first practice match is… now."

A guttural bugle sounded over the Rift. Lulu giggled beside Lux.

"W-w-wait. Isn't this a bit early? She doesn't even know how to farm!"

Lulu turned her attention from the distant base to her companion. Lux could almost see the rakes, spades, and seeds floating among the question marks in Lulu's head.

Supports don't farm, Lux. Don't you duo with Ez every once in a while? You don't…? Oh.

Lux tried to hide the blush from both Lulu physically and Kestrel mentally. I was a bit confused about why he was always shouting at me. But we share everything!

A flash of a bright pink face beneath a purple hood filled her mind for a moment. "Erherm. I know Lux. Everyone-I mean me, as your summoner-I am quite intimate with those details… I mean-not like that-what I meant to say was-"

"MINIONS SPAWN IN THIRTY SECONDS."

Lux turned red, a mix of embarrassment and frustration building. She was careful not to turn her outstretched hand into a fist, Pix still sound asleep on the palm.

"Woah," Lulu gasped, eyes searching the distant clouds for the mysterious voice, before shouting back. "WHAT'S A MINION?"

Sigh… I'm sure I told her that at some point.

"You did."

It was like a dance. In fact, it was almost exactly like the fae's Winter Week snowball fight. She was wistfully thinking back to the fortnightly activities when a glob of goo flew in front of her face. As time slowed dramatically, Lulu stared intently at the green substance, watching as it folded in on itself, half-spun, and did a half-forward flip.

Time resumed as the projectile smacked a caster minion in the face.

"Haha! Ewww!"

Lux, nearby, gave a sigh of relief.

"Glad she's over the whole 'minion death' thing?"

A memory replayed itself in her head, Lulu crying in the corner of her room, Lux consoling her and sympathetic yet flabbergasted Marcus and Kestrel carefully explaining how minions are just magical constructs. They also took the time to explain respawns for champions.

Yes, I am very glad that's over.

"You know, I didn't want to replay that memory over again myself."

Sorry, Lux apologized to her summoner, before calmly asking, So do you know... why I am ADC?!

"No idea. You've missed at least two minions in every wave."

Lux tried to frown. She failed. It's hard with Lulu doing pirouettes around Kog's attacks! It's adorably distracting, but at least she's kiting.

Her summoner could only giggle in agreement, as Lulu did a twirl then leaped over some ooze that Kog had fired trying to make the hyperactive creature stay still. Meanwhile, Kog's support was constantly covering her mouth, or warding the brush every time Lulu would make a minion her dance partner, spinning and even dipping them, which was about every 50 seconds. It was obviously Soraka's first meeting the sorceress.

Suddenly, ADHD struck again.

"Hi! Who are you?"

Soraka had just come out of a bush, and turned, surprised, to find Lulu not three steps from the enemy support. A smile overtook the healer's lips, as she bent over to Lulu's level.

"I'm Soraka! What's your name?" She knew, since Lulu already had quite a reputation, but, being empathic, she knew the joy it brought the young yordle to introduce herself.

"Lulu!" The irrepressible yordle jumped, spun, dodging some goo, and landed, one foot on a melee minion, striking a heroic pose as she pointed her staff at a distant cloud. "The Fae Sorceress!"

Soraka extended a hand, which Lulu shook energetically (having rediscovered what a handshake was only a two weeks ago).

"It's wonderful to meet you. I hear you're a support?"

In response, Lulu bowed beneath a ooze shot, Pix diving over to grab the rim before it fell off, then rose with a proud smile.

Soraka returned the smile. "I'm one too! I hope to see you in a lot of matches!"

Lulu's smile became wide and excited. "Really? That's so cool! Are there a lot of supports? What do they do? Can-"

"Lulu! I told you what a support does! Now-eep!" Lux's rant was interrupted by a very irritated ooze monster, tired of being ignored.

It had tilted itself back and was firing a rapid stream of green at Lux.

A frown overcame Lulu's features. "Hey! Off my friend. Pix!"

Suddenly, a shield appeared around Lux, patterned with butterflies and flowers. It faded slightly with each shot, but stopped them from hitting Lux.

Lulu then spun her staff at Kog. "Hiyaaa!" She fired off a brilliant spray of purple, which mesmerized the other three combatants, before hitting the void-dweller.

Soraka's eyes widened. The magic had not left any marks, but could tell that Kog was weaker. It was a pretty powerful attack, four more possibly taking out her lane mate.

Kog retreated a bit, slowly, regaining a bit of strength, before turning and staring down his attacker. He then turned and watched Lux, who was busy farming. Just as the shield dissipated, Kog inclined his head back and fired some goo straight up.

Lulu scowled, "Hey! Leave those clouds alone!"

Then the goo came back, hitting Lux. She spun her baton, and her own shield appeared around her. A light-magic copy of the baton flew out, creating a shield around Lulu as well.

Lulu aimed her staff at Kog, and then fired the purple spray again, this time copying her best friend. "GLITTERLANCE!"

At the same time, Pix fired a similar bolt at Soraka.

Soraka felt her energy become temporarily siphoned, as well as some of her health leaving her.

Lulu turned angrily to Pix. "Hey, she's nice." As Lulu said that, a circle appeared around Lulu, and a star came down and bopped Lulu.

Soraka giggled as some of Lulu's health came in a form of a wisp to refill Soraka's.

Lulu mocked scowled, but the scowl broke as Lulu began to giggle. It was contagious, and after a moment Lux was giggling along with Soraka, while Lulu was laughing loudly and clearly. Kog'maw was just staring, hoping someone would tell him the joke.

Suddenly Lulu bounded forward. "En garde', dino!"

Kog immediately began to fire at the approaching yordle, landing several hits.

"Lulu!" cried Lux. Confusion overtook Lux as she watched Lulu's smile hold strong through all the hits. But then she realized, Lulu was truly treating this as a game. Her ribs hurt from all the laughing she had done today, but she some more jubilation warming her lungs.

Soraka had noticed the same thing. It was refreshing after playing with an AD Carry like Sivir or Ashe, who treated the match as either a job or politics. She noticed Kog seemed to be smiling, even while firing. Glitterlances, goo, light magic, and falling stars rained down as the "battle" continued.

Finally, Lulu drove straight towards Kog, and yelled out.

"HUGIFY."

Kog's smile became even wider. He was flying. His stomach hurt from a tree stump hitting his stomach, but now he could finally find out what a bird tasted like.

Lux was gaping at Lulu's spell. The small yordle girl wasn't so small anymore.

"What the…"

Lulu had simply been flying in, when suddenly she twirled and released purple magic which flew around her in lifting spirals. At the same time, she began to grow, until she was taller than Malphite. At the same time, Kog'maw and Soraka had been sent flying skyward by logs that seemed to grow from the ground.

She watched Kog nab a bird from the sky as he flew, seeming to enjoy himself. Meanwhile, Soraka was holding down her dress, with an expression of utmost confusion on her features.

Then she got an idea. Closing an eye, she lifted her baton as if sighting a bow, then, drawing upon magical reserves, she leapt in the air, hands above her head.

"HYYYYAAAAA!"

Soraka's eyes widened to circles as she recognized the battle cry, and the small target laser that Kog was rapidly approaching.

My ultimate.

Drawing upon her own magical reserves, Soraka channeled her global healing spell. Feeling magic flood her veins, she releas-POP!

Wait, what?

Soraka felt quite different. She watched as Kog, unhealed, kept falling towards the red line. Did Kog seem bigger than usual?

Lulu watched in awe as a giant beam of light lit up Summoner's Rift, pinning a falling Kog'maw. What landed was a purple burnt mess.

She giggled, but then remembered Soraka. She dashed forward, (making loud stomps as she ran) and caught a small furry object in one gigantic hand. The sorceress was about to check it for wounds when grumbling and groaning came from the purple mess that was Kog'maw, that, after a few seconds of groaning, blew up in a small purple acid cloud.

"Woah!"

"Good job, Lulu!" Lux called.

Lulu turned towards Lux as she shrank, smiling appreciatively. The object she was carrying went from a handful to an armload. She placed her staff on the ground and sat down, cuddling whatever it was.

Lux walked over, finding the cutest baby goat she had ever seen in Lulu's arms. She reached down and pet it on the head, but froze when she noticed the violet fur, soft orange horn, and small staff the creature was clutching.

"Lulu, is this…"

She didn't finish the question. She was 99% sure of the answer.

"We have a problem."

What? What is it?

"Soraka's summoner, Ingrid, just came in livid. She can't turn Soraka back."

Wait, what?

"The match is cancelled. Marcus is already losing his head about studying the spell."

Oh… ok, but save a picture of goat-Soraka please!

"Already done!"

She mentally fistbumped Kestrel. Lulu truly was special. The yordle, respawned voidling, light mage, and goat all left together, as Marcus rubbed his temples in preparation for a patch.

So why two chapters at once? Why didn't I release one earlier instead of saving up two… I might have written this one first, then read the comment I left at the end of chapter 7... I'm good at this…

xD

Once again, suggestions and critiques are awesome! As long as they are founded or helpful. Or funny.

Btw, thank you, T. S. Atlas-senpai for the follow! People, check out this author! Amazing stories, including a VeiLu! In fact, thank you ALL for the follows and favorites! I give thee cyberhugs!

Jebinnam out.