Chapter 6: That New Guy
Cheers filled the air as the Materia in the room dissipated, allowing the would-be Summoners to leap up in joy and jubilation. Everyone did so.
Except Grey, that is.
Still sitting on the comfy, comfy chair that has been provided for them, he can't help but reflect on the truckload of revelations that mentally slapped him on the face. Even now, he is feeling the onset of a major headache.
Fatigue's setting in. Ugh.
Taking a deep breath, he let out a big exhale and stood up, chasing the other summoners running towards the now-active portal.
Stepping through the portal, they returned to the briefing area they've been to half an hour ago. The gentle snowfall put on a new layer of soft snow, and the wind's chill is significantly colder. If the instructor is feeling a bit too cold for comfort, he is certainly good at hiding it.
"Gather 'round, little mages, and get ready for a debriefing." As he said that, several minions, all without weapons, made their way in front of the small congregation carrying chairs. They were made of varnished wood, and are strangely simplistic, considering the company that will be using them. The area is silent save for the heavily muffled howling of the wind and the sound of human bodies shuffling to their seats. Then they arranged themselves in a semi-circular formation, with the instructor at the center.
He received a what looked like a nondescript deep blue colored doctor's pad, until it's lines started glowing with magical energy.
Whoa.
Runes seemingly carved themselves at the pad's face as the instructor looked intently at what's written. It looked like flames below a gutter as it continued to etch itself on the board. Finished, the instructor did a double take and read everything once again. He let out a satisfied sigh as he handed it to the waiting minion and faced the gathered youth with a contented look.
"Yep, guess most of you got to pass. Welcome to the Academy." A collective cheer rang throughout the small crowd. The remaining Noxian summoners all did handshakes and fistbumps whereas their Demacian counterparts exchanged curtsies. Having no one to shake hands with, Grey decided to walk over to the other blonde mage he knew: Jaina.
She is both shaking and curtsying at people as they pass by, and seeing her new acquaintance broke her rhythm a little.
"Hi, had fun?" She appears to be wearing minimal make-up, and her hair is tied up with a single silk hair tie. The hood of her red cloak is down, revealing a head of dirty blonde hair. Her blue eyes twinkled with curiosity as she looked inquisitively at him. She wore a simple nondescript blue dress underneath the cloak, and brown fur boots wrapped her feet snugly with warmth.
Grey took a moment to notice how similar she is to a certain Warcraft character.
It's coincidence, pretty sure it is.
Before his mouth managed to utter a reply, a voice interrupted the merry scene.
"You. Yes you, the one with the gray gauntlet. Follow me. The rest of you, follow this stone path until you get to the Institute's branch here and they'll be leading you from there."
Curious, Grey complied to the command, tugging his robe closer and rubbing his hands as he went up to the instructor. He is a balding man, looked about in his 60's, and wore a large fur robe with what looked like the embroidery design of the Institute.
After a brief silence, a smile tore through his face as he shook Grey's hand heavily. A bit uncomfortable, but a welcome gesture nonetheless.
"In all my years of introducing young summoners in the academy, rarely have I seen someone so good, so decisive..." As he was speaking, Lux appeared from her own portal, teleporting to the large Nexus-like gem. She had her armor patched up, recovered her fallen breastplate, a brand-new baton, and had her personal effects fixed. She had her wounds treated, and had a light skip on her feet.
"Hey." She smiled at Grey, and shook the hand of the instructor.
"Thanks, mister."
"No problems, Lux. Anyways, as I was saying, the Institute has told me to..." He paused. Seeing Grey starting to sweat bullets, he chuckled, then a chortle, and on to a full-blown laugh. Lux is also giggling happily at the side.
"Told you what?" Grey tapped his foot impatiently. Calming down, the instructor wiped a tear as he cleared his throat.
"Ah, ehem, yes. As of now, the Institute has decided that you skip the Academy altogether and join the League!" He announced happily. Lux approached him and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Wow, great job!" Meanwhile, Grey is in a state of minor shock as his head went blank. Blank darkness swam in his mind until a snowball collided with his face. Wiping the snow off, it revealed Lux sporting a large grin, and on her is a blue-and-white fur coat, with gold trimmings. Flung back to his senses, he noticed that the champions in the match weren't around. That, and the cold weather is starting to get colder.
"Well? Aren't you going to say something?" Lux piped up. Grey slowly turned his head to the instructor, who is now smoking a pipe leisurely. Puffing up a gray cloud, the instructor turned to him with a knowing grin.
"Now, now, don't be so nervous about it. You've got skills, wit, and the doting of a very cute champion. Look, she's already giving you groom-gifts!" He teased. The champion in question looked at her feet, blushing.
"That-that is not how it is! Shut up!" Lux shouted, embarrassed. Grey meanwhile, is speechless. The banter between the champion and the instructor went on for a few minutes until Lux got tired of throwing snowballs. She dusted the snow off her coat and took Grey's gauntleted hand. The faint white light—her own magic—is slowly fading away. The runes etched around the blank orb also started to lose their glow.
"Oh yeah, here..." Grey took the small leather belt of the hand armor. Before he was able to fully unstrap the lock mechanism, Lux gestured for him to stop. She readjusted her coat in a hurried manner before explaining.
"It's yours." Lux clarified. The look on his face made her want to giggle again, but she controlled herself. He had this thousand-mile stare on his face, but this time it isn't a bad thing. It was the look of a person who just won the lottery grand prize, and can't believe it's actually happening. Amused by her escortee's bewilderment, she did not notice a small furry object chasing around a small bird.
She let out a small eep as a poro tripped over her foot. The fuzzy white ball stared at the metal boot curiously, with it's absurdly large tongue hanging out. It tilted it's frame before jumping on said boot and curling up there, causing the owner of said boot to squeal happily.
"PORO!"
She elatedly picked up the rotund furball and snuggled it. Meanwhile, Grey has recovered from his stupor, only to see the light-wielding champion cuddling a deformed goat like one would a puppy. He found the situation surreal. Should he find it cute, or strange?
A third option presented itself as the instructor sputtered a fake cough, catching their attention. Lux stopped cooing as Grey stopped staring, while the poro leaped out of her arms and onto Grey's shoulder.
"How did this furball do what it just did? You know what? Never mind, I'll just remove logic out of this entire world and leave it at my doorstep, that's what I'll do." He patted the creature's head, making it's eyes close in delight.
"Anyway, as I was saying, there'll be a ball later this evening. You don't know this, but there are multiple entrance tests set by the Institute, all over Runeterra. Whether you fail or you passed, you will all attend the ball to meet the higher-ups, as well as a few of the champions that you will be working with." The instructor stroked his beard sagely.
"That, and there are tons of beautiful young women there! Ah, how good it is to be young..."
"A hot meal and some rest might be good, first." Grey cut the old man off. While he wasn't new to extended periods of both mental and physical strain, he didn't particularly like it either.
"I totally agree. I wonder what the League cafeteria is serving?" Lux wondered. "Ah, want to join me in the Champion Cafeteria? Nobody'll ask questions as long as you stick to me. Summoner dorms aren't that far from there either."
"Yeah, sure. And you be my pet. What do you eat? Bread?" The poro joined the three leaving humans, happily grunting as it went. Out of one land and into another, the would-be summoner couldn't help but wonder.
"What's happening over there now?"
"Ow!"
A boy bumped his foot as one of his companions felt his way to the light switch. Light flooded the room as they saw it how they last left it: a mess. Clothes are haphazardly piled on the couch, while empty pizza boxes are stacked over the trash can. Some dishes are also piled in the sink, but a few lay clean on the nearby dish rack.
"It looks like he went here before the shop and cleaned up a few things." The checkered girl commented.
"Yeah, clothes don't fold themselves together like these. Hey Audrey, these yours?" A voice echoed from the large bedroom. The girl known as Audrey caught the flying piece of cloth coming from the voice. It was her shirt, albeit washed, but not ironed nor folded, and smelled like detergent. She shrugged and looked for a towel to use.
"Hey, you're not planning on taking a bath, are you? We're here to find something that might tell us where that guy went off to. Serves him right for leaving us by himself." The voice in the living room said jokingly.
"Unlike you, Grey doesn't whine like a bitch when he gets lost." Audrey retorted, fighting back a chortle. Meanwhile, the voice in the bedroom let out a full blown laugh.
"H-Hey, stop ganging up on me! You too, Raph, you should be helping us find something!"
An hour later, the three sat together on the sofa. Audrey let out a long sigh as she sank in the seat. Raph handed out cans of soda, while Lou twiddled his fingers. They drank in silence until finally Lou put his empty can on the table.
"We should've went to the police early on." He said, in a vindicated tone.
"Oh, so we should go for the police every time one of us is missing for a day? What are we, elementary?" Audrey put up a cool front, but the other two saw through her ruse immediately.
"Uh-huh. Look, we don't have anything telling us where he is, we have no idea where he might be, and no one knows who that cosplayer was." Raph finished his drink and tossed it into the empty trash can.
"Wait, did we try calling the staff yet?" Lou piped up.
"No, not yet." A few silent seconds passed before Lou spoke up again. Apparently everyone forgot what they were thought in elementary school.
"Alright, I'll do it." He sighed as he took out his phone and dialed. The other end rang twice before a young man's voice – post-grad, Lou guessed – answered. He had a somewhat raspy effect to his tone and Lou made a sound.
"Oh, sorry sir." The man cleared his throat before speaking. "You have reached the League of Legends Forums help desk. How may I help you?"
As Lou was talking to the staff over the phone, Raph looked over at Audrey. The brown-haired brunette twirled her hair with her index finger as she waited, bored. He could tell that she'd rather have a match right now and deal with the whole thing later, but on the other hand he can clearly see the worry beneath her eyes. It was clear. The way she bit her lip in anxiety, her twirling suddenly quickening, then slowing down: She is getting frustrated.
After a few moments, Lou put his phone down on the table, a pensive look etched on his face. Audrey and Raph scuttled closer to him as they gave the wannabe socialite a hopeful look. Inhaling deeply, he shook his head. The three deflated into the sofa as they stared at the ceiling, their heads blank.
"Great, wha—" Raph started, but a flash of brown and red froze him in place.
"WAIT! I FOUND IT!" Audrey suddenly shouted.
"What? Your feminine side?" Lou lazily replied, his eyes closed. Cracking his left eye just a tiny bit open, he can see the girl's rather generous behind reared up to him. Of course, it's far from her seducing him and more like her frustratingly scanning each page of Yellow Pages like a scanner on crack. That being said, as far as he's concerned, he would totally take her out on a date if she was a bit more of a kisser and a bit less of a puncher. Ah well.
"There!" Seeming to have found something, Audrey bolted to the next room and after a few seconds returned with a rather sleek laptop. Turning it open and pushing the power button, she was practically abuzz with excitement as she grabbed the phonebook and tossed it at the stack of magazines near the kitchen counter. Raph's amused snort caught Lou's attention. This thirty-something man just had his friend vanish, literally, into thin air, and he acts like it's just another day under the sun? Lou might not look like it, but he's actually very anxious about the whole thing, retreating to his smartphone to somewhat soothe his nerves.
The smartphone guy himself, seemingly not taking the hint, was hit by a flying shoe at the head. Looking up irritably, he identified the source to be Audrey, beckoning him to come closer. As he did, he can hear Raph murmuring gibberish to himself, while Audrey had a determined look on her face as she typed along.
Finally, she stopped her typing as they landed on a sub-forum dedicated to strange sightings. She clicked a link.
"Man Vanishes in Condominium, Weird Ice Found in His Place."
He looked at the Audrey's face, one eyebrow raised. Sighing, she clicked a picture.
"What, it's just a broken—"
Lou's eyes widened. It wasn't just ordinary ice that was embedded on the door frames. It was dark, and it spread like roots on the wall like a creeping orchid. And it looked strangely familiar.
The three looked at each other before simultaneously shaking their heads.
"No. Way."
"So, that was an awesome game, Grey." Lux happily re-stated her thoughts for the nth time as champion and summoner entered the cafeteria. The aroma of delicious food blasted their noses as the noises followed suit. It was packed full with champions, mostly humans, to Grey's relief. The few that aren't are yordles, and are leisurely eating away with their taller counterparts. The champions that were in the earlier match were also present, and are beckoning the two to sit at their table.
Lux gladly accepted the offer, while Grey was left looking in awe at the sheer size of the place.
"This isn't a cafeteria, it's a food court!"
Calling it a food court is an understatement. The "room" would be more fit to call a hall, as it is so large, and the walls are beautifully decorated with portraits. The lighting is controlled by magical lacrimas, a sphere-shaped object that contains magic. Since the time of day is dusk, the area is bathed in a lazy orange haze. Soft lounge music plays in the background as champions and summoners alike join in friendly camaraderie. Minion waiters rush to and fro in an orderly manner as they handled each order efficiently, while human cooks handed over delicious dishes over the counter. What struck him the most is how the aromas didn't conflict with each other, as is typical in indoor food courts, and instead fused into a single mouth-watering sensation. A quick nip from the poro on his shoulder brought him back to reality as they approached the Demacian table, though that didn't slow down his fast-growing appetite one bit.
"Hi everyone!" Lux greeted cheerfully.
They were as before: Garen, Xin Zhao and Quinn. Galio is missing, but in the sentinel's place is Shyvana, who is casually wolfing down a whole roasted leg of lamb. She didn't pay the cheerful girl much mind, as she knew that's how she really is. A bit annoying at times, but bearable. On the other hand, that summoner she's with seems quite unfamiliar…
Ignoring the fawning champions around her, Shyvana went straight to the point and addressed the summoner, using said leg as a pointing stick.
"Hey, you."
The cooing abruptly stopped as the heads turned to her. Grey is in a mix of confusion, fear, and excitement as he gulped in a mouthful of water.
I feel like a hare being stared at by a wolf…
"Uh…yeah?"
At that moment, the half-reptile champion smirked, amused.
"Don't worry, I won't eat you. What's your name?" The draconian female scooted a bit further in, patting the now-vacant place at her right. Grey took the offer, his fingers unconsciously twiddling themselves in anxiety. Sure, he uses Shyv. Sure, he's good at her. Sure, he liked the concept and the champion…and her Ironscale depiction, the one he can see right in front of him, is pleasant to the eyes. All of that, and yet he's still sweating bullets. Shyvana noticed the summoner's discomfort, but paid it no mind. It's always like that the first time around.
"Um, hi." The summoner was caught between looking at the ground and looking at her as the silent table listened intently. Even the poro, who was lavishing in the affection it was getting, stopped to see where the hand with the Poro-Snax went. The stare of her crimson eyes unnerved him even more as his hands started to get sweaty. What did this champion want with him?
Said champion dropped her food on the plate and chuckled. Typical, but at least he doesn't cower in fear.
"Relax, you're not on my menu tonight."
Everybody in the table save the dragoness exhaled loudly. Shyvana didn't get along with a lot of summoners, so they were also nervous that they might have another argument. The last guy who did ended up at the healer's with some "minor" burns.
"Aha, ahaha, ahahaha…" Grey laughed nervously.
"Bet you where one of those college types, hanging around in libraries and scholarly meetings and all that." Shyvana said, using a bone as her toothpick. Grey caught a glimpse of what's inside her mouth, and her teeth are very…white. Sharp too, and tough enough to bite through bone like wet paper, but he tried to ignore that.
"Uh, yeah!"
"So what did you study there?" The woman inquired.
C'mon Grey, pull your shit together. Fake it 'till you make it.
"Well, I studied medicine."
"Oh, now that's actually useful. Pretty sure you know who I am already, but I'll do it anyway. Name's Shyvana, glad to meet you." She offered her non-roast-sauce-covered hand.
"Name's Grey. The feeling's mutual."
Shyvana saw his previously tense posture relax. His forced straight-back posture now gave way to a bit of slouch, but shoulders still held high. A relaxed yet confident pose.
That's quicker than most, Jarvan included.
"What's quick?" Grey said. She must've unconsciously spoke her thoughts out loud. The sudden realization made her blood creep up to her cheeks like a plague, but she held herself down.
"Hmph, nothing." The summoner shrugged it off. She's glad for it. A lot of summoners would've tried to get in her head, either through blunt questioning or by thinly veiled inquiries. A low rumbling broke the silence.
"Ah…" Quickly, Grey picked up the menu between him and Shyvana, opened it, and signaled at the nearest waiter with an orderly haste.
"Give me some of this, and—oh wait—" In the middle of his haste, he totally forgot that he's out of any money or such. Thankfully, Lux quickly interjected, throwing a coin pouch at him. It was full of copper, silver, and gold coins, but mostly silver.
"There. That's your, well, allowance. You're now as summoner after all. Not as ceremonial an entrance as it would've been if you graduated from the Academy, but hey, at least you don't have to burn through all the books…save for the ones already in your room."
Grey looked at her incredulously.
"It's from the match earlier. You can think of it as your first payroll." Lux smiled, friendly. Having had quite enough of her daily fill of social interaction, Shyvana stood up and left the scene. There's something different in that summoner, and from what she gathered, Galio was in that match as well. Perhaps he can shed some light on the matter?
As she silently left the group, she heard the summoner call back.
"Hey, where're you going?" He asked. That's strange, usually she'll pick up a summoner sigh deeply or something similar. She's never had a summoner that actually likes being in her presence, exempting those that have her in their rosters or—irritating as they are—suitors.
"You haven't finished your leg of lamb." He said.
Already he's starting to shake off my intimidation. Odder and odder.
"Somewhere. See you around."
The tense atmosphere soon evaporated as the draconian left the room. Quinn and Lux went back to playing with the poro, Garen continued his stories with Xin, and the Seneschal himself, while maintaining his stoic expression, is clearly interested in what Garen has to say. Grey, meanwhile, took a moment to calm his nerves as he sipped on the recently served juice. The juice tasted good; as if the best fruits of the harvest was squeezed dry of it's liquids right in front of him, and served into a drink.
"Delicious!" He exclaimed. Quinn promptly followed him as she drank the entire cup in one big gulp.
"Right?" Unlike the other champions on the table, Quinn had no reservations and decided to wolf down whatever was on her plate. Grey found the scene quite amusing since she was eating chicken, and Valor is still perched on her shoulder, without any reaction whatsoever.
Speaking of Valor, a question popped up in his mind.
"Hey, what about the other champs? All I see here are from either Demacia or Noxus. A few from Piltover too." He thought he saw Caitlyn and Ezreal conversing on a different table.
Ezreal doesn't look nor act gay at all. And I don't see Taric anywhere.
"Well, they come and go, but those who don't have much to do, or places to go, often stay here. It's free lodging, and the only thing you have to do is to keep your quarters clean and tidy, and to fight in the Rift at least once a day. It isn't that hard, considering that most wounds we get there are just superficial." Lux commented. Grey looked shocked once again, and looked at Quinn for affirmation. The ranger just closed her eyes and laughed silently to herself, shaking her head slowly. It's an unwritten requirement in the League to be skilled in acting to some extent; even if you aren't, it'll eventually rub on you.
"Then earlier, why—"
"Heh, it's an evaluation match, Grey! Just like the Institute, we also want to know who we'll be working with. It would be a pain to work with somebody you're not compatible with, right?" The mage smiled brightly at him. He chuckled back
Makes sense. A necessary lie.
"Still, don't get us wrong, the pain is very real, just not the injuries. The illusion casted in the Rift will make you feel and see that you lost your arm, or you got burned, but actually you aren't. You just think and sense that you did." Quinn interjected.
"And for those champions that are a bit more on the…beastier side, they're pretty much free to go where they please, so long as they prove themselves to be trustworthy. It's not that odd to stumble at Rammus in the middle of the jungle, or to see Skarner heading off somewhere. Of course, champions like Nocturne or Cho'Gath are being guarded very closely." Lux continued, saying the second part in a smaller voice.
A nod and so after, Grey continued to eat his meal silently, partly due to still being intimidated to video game characters come to life, and partly due to the food being just that delicious. He also noticed that Valor is hungrily eyeing a piece of his meal, which he rescued from the bird's gaze and into his mouth.
A few moments later, he was contently wiping off the remaining sauce in his plate with a piece of meat, finishing the meal entirely. Drinking his last cup of water, he stood up and looked at the table. The champions were there, no different from what you'd see with workers drinking after their shift, sans the beer. Now might be a good time to talk to them individually…and ask for directions, of course.
He decided to start with the one he is most familiar with.
"Uh, hi." He greeted. Luckily, Lux wasn't talking to anybody at the moment, so it made things easier. She was cuddling the poro that came with them, so when she looked up to him, the tiny furball followed suit.
"Hi! Are you settling in well?" She asked, standing up.
"Yeah, thanks for, you know, all that." He scratched the back of his head.
"No problem! Hey, sorry if I can't help you like that, at least for now. I've got business to do, superiors to report to, all that. You get what I'm saying, right?"
"Right. Thanks." With Lux taking a seat, Grey diverted his attention to Quinn and Valor, the latter still somewhat untrusting of him.
"Hey there. Nice skills." Quinn grinned. While their partners were shaking hands, Valor and the poro continued their staring contest. He got nervous for a second, but the poro yielded, making Valor puff it's chest up in pride.
"Yeah, thanks. It's all teamwork. Looks like Valor's doing fine."
"Yeah, as Lux said earlier, most of it is just acting, and while our wounds look real, they're mostly just pain illusions or nullified injury. In case you didn't know, our weapons all get dampened to do close to no damage by themselves. If you want to hurt somebody, you're gonna have to try real hard. Of course, the strength of the dampening depends on who or what is being dampened."
"Ah, well, I'm just glad nobody's seriously hurt. To tell you the truth, I was a bit worried with Lux's injuries earlier. She's been pushing herself so hard, I—well, you know—"
"I understand." Quinn grinned. Grey then shook her hands and moved on to Garen and Xin Zhao, who are comparing the advantages of their weapons.
"You have done well, summoner." Garen commended. Xin nodded his head in approval, his aspect as stoic as ever.
"Now, is there something you need?" Grey felt rather unsure at the question. Why did he approach them again?
"Oh, no, nothing, nevermind. Thanks." He left the scene, somewhat embarrassed. Suddenly, something clicked in his mind as he remembered an important detail. With Quinn busy bonding with her partner Valor, he made a beeline towards Lux, who was about to leave herself.
"Hey! Forgot something?" Lux bubbled. Grey thought about the younger Crownguard's endless boisterousness, amused.
Man, that liveliness has got to come from somewhere. Heh, it's as if she's running on nuclear energy. Wait, that would make sense.
."Yeah. Got a map or something—"
As if on cue, Ezreal appeared, apparently having just finished his meal.
"Who needs a map?" He said in his usual catchphrase. As he stood beside Lux, it reminded Grey of a certain "ship", and decided to ask straight away.
"Hey, um, are you guys, ya know…"
"Hm?" Lux tilted her head ever so slightly. Ezreal meanwhile didn't seem to catch on the notion. Grey took a deep breath, and made the jump.
"…dating?" It took a few moments before it registered to the two blondes' what the new summoner just said. Lux just smiled back at him, while Ezreal tried to hide a rapidly spreading blush.
"No!" The female champion said pretty joyfully, though no different from her usual disposition. He also detected a bit of panic from her frantic reply, but just shrugged it off. It's probably from the shock of said question. The Prodigal Explorer, on the other hand, looked not a bit disappointed, unlike what Grey expected. Probably it hasn't started yet? Or they have nothing between each other really, and are just friends? Ah well.
"So, does that mean you're single?" He asked. It was now his turn to be embarrassed, being smacked by what he just said. To call it "flustered" would be a massive understatement. It took all his willpower not to blabber and flee, as what he very much liked to do right now.
Opening his eyes, it seems even Lux was caught unguarded at the next question, and had her staring blankly for a bit. Grey wasn't sure if she was seriously thinking about his question, or she's still in shock. Ez, on the other hand, seems to be genuinely interested on what the teenaged champion has to say. Finally, Lux returned to her regular happy mood and replied.
"Yeah!"
The reply launched the atmosphere's awkwardness up to eleven, complete with a side of silence. It took a few moments before Grey recollected his perennially scattered wits, gathering enough guts to ask her just one time before disappearing into the crowd, at least until the end of the night.
"So…map?"
"Ah, yes, here." Lux pulled out from her side pouch. It looked like a small, compass-like circular object, with one hand-sized perfectly round tablet, with ring-like mechanisms above it. Each ring has small rune carvings, partitioned with vertical lines that doubled as interlocks.
"It's an arcane map, but the cool thing about it is that it gets the information from the carrier's mind, and projects an illusion of what it would look like mini-sized. Sufficiently skilled mages can upgrade and tinker with their own maps, even allowing the immediate surroundings to wear the illusion. Exciting, huh?" Lux happily urged, taking his hand and putting the curious device on it.
"It definitely is." Grey smiled, appreciative. "Thanks for everything Lux. I don't know how to repay you for all you've done to me."
"For the second time, think nothing of it! I've had fun as well, so don't mind." Just after she turned around, a thought stopped her from walking away at the situation. Command won't mind if she didn't report for a night, will they?
"Weeeellll…" She said, slowly facing back to the two men in front of her. "If you really want to make it up to me, then I have an idea." At those words, everyone around the immediate area hushed up, followed immediately with intent stares. The tension of the scene came back with a fury as Grey visibly tensed. He swallowed a ball of spit, both nervous and excited for what this...genki girl has to say. Her wide grinning at him isn't helping things either, as she intentionally delays what's on her mind. Ezreal, while curious, decided that he has some other things left to do and quickly excused himself.
Finally, Lux leaned closer to him and flicked his forehead.
"What was that for?!" Grey shouted, but a cursory look at her movements confused him. Her hands are formed in a loose fist, like they are holding eggs. They are positioned just below the collar bones and she is moving them back and forth.
"What does that mean? Bag?" The girl nodded, somehow looking even more younger than usual. The other champions in the room quickly lost interest, save a certain fox and her nine tails.
"Yeah! You had a bag with you when you went here right? Do you have some Earth stuff there?" She asked, leaning in with each question. Her eyes flared with curiosity, and Grey swears he's seeing her mouth water.
"Um, of course, mostly my gaming equipment and some sleepover stuff. It's mostly tech, really." The girl in front of him nodded rapidly, ever curious. He thought for a moment before sighing in surrender. Beckoning the girl to follow him, the two quickly left the food hall for some privacy.
A few moments later, a flash of light shone from the window. In the commotion of the large room, nobody noticed the split-second glint…except for Ahri who has been patiently waiting for her cue. It's the signal.
She must tail him, and get as much info as she can.
As she silently followed the pale-skinned Lux and her summoner, her enhanced canine senses allowed her to take a closer look on the man. Slightly tall, slightly chubby, skin the color of Karma's. Skin slightly bumpy, hair done in a simple yet complimenting fashion, and posture that spoke of humility yet with confidence. His gait told her he is very relaxed in his way, and is unrestrained by the limitations of schedule. A man of free and unbound spirit.
Her tails unconsciously raised themselves and waved about absentmindedly in the air. Even she had a mild interest…whether it is sexual or not depends on who's asking. As she stalked them further, she thought back on why exactly she accepted this arrangement. It was a beautiful spring day in the forests of Ionia, with her beautiful self taking a stroll in the midst of the bamboo trees.
"Hey Ahri!" A boy, no older than 9, ran towards her, stopping just a few feet from her space. He took a few seconds to catch his breath before delivering his message.
"Duchess Karma would like to see you. She said she wanted to talk to you about something important." The boy said as he fixed his clothes. He could see the foxy maiden in front of him, his long-time crush, and luckily—or perhaps unluckily—he is still far too young to be of the champion's taste, and thus she restrained her seductive aura. Besides, it's wrong and pedophilic. She's a fox, not a molester.
"Did she tell you what it's about?" She asked, combing one of her tails.
"No, she said it's for your ears only." The boy shrugged. He noticed that Ahri's ears are slowly turning left and right, as if looking—in this case, hearing—for something.
"I see. Where is she then?" The fox replied. Her animal instincts are telling him there's something…somebody else in this forest, and they are not alone. Her instincts have saved her more times than she can count; it proved handy when a band of ruffians decided to…"force massage" her, and a quick Orb of Deception scared them away.
"She's in the town center waiting for you. She said you'll know it once you get there." Finishing his quest, the little boy ran along, shouting his goodbye to Ahri. Meanwhile, the fox decided to ignore the tingling feeling for now and headed to the village.
The village, as it has always been, an understatement. While it's exotic and somewhat spiritual designs are certainly alien in contrast to the mainland city-states' aesthetic, the Ionian capital is more or less the same size as Demacia or Noxus. Despite the seemingly simplistic build, the architecture is deceivingly well-thought. Proper engineering design made sure that wind flows through households amply, and weather control can be adjusted by the multiple layers of each sliding door. The style is reminiscent of Earth-Asian make, specifically China, Korea and Japan. Despite these, their colors blended wonderfully, and the bright colors are a welcome sight to the eyes.
Walking through the city, Ahri casually let her tails float freely in the air, leisurely taking in the sights with graceful wonder. Occasionally, a suitor would stop by and hand her sweets to flowers to statues of herself and anything between, but she kindly shooed them away. With so much eye candy to consume, it didn't take long before Ahri found herself in front of the town hall. Fortunately for her, Karma is waiting not in a conference room, but in the lobby. She is in the middle of transcendental meditation, and swathes of green energy danced around her form. Before Ahri can take another step forward, the dark-skinned woman stood up graciously and strode towards her.
As she finished her brief reminiscence, her body yielded to her consciousness as she surveyed her surroundings. Apparently, they're in one of the Institute's parks, and the pair of humans she was trailing is sitting on a bench, casually chatting like old friends.
"So, Lux. To clarify, you have only one sibling, and that is Garen, right?" Grey asked. So far, things have been going, as Fizz would say it, swimmingly. The events earlier in the day had him in a shock, but he prided himself in adjusting quickly. No use for maintaining shell shock after all.
"Yeah, why'd you ask?" Lux replied, slightly tilting her head to one side. Ends of her hair are flying in the wind as a mild breeze flew past the two. A brief silence stood between them as Grey tried to recall the memory. All that he remembers starting from riding that magical motorcycle until just before he got his new Institute dorm are all very fuzzy and dreamlike. In fact, everything that happened today seemed dreamlike, and if it weren't for that drained feeling in his head, he's sure he'll find himself once again in front of the computer, having dozed off after a particularly good game using Lux. Faintly recalling the event, Grey took a few seconds to fit what he had to say in a single sentence.
"I think I met your four siblings, your petite mom and your…big dad." Grey said to the champion, who is staring curiously at him.
"No. I have only one sibling and you already met him. Are you alright? You look pale." Ignoring the understandably ridiculous claim, Lux quickly took a look at Grey's form, and noted the sagging shoulders and slouched back. His eyes seemed to be half-closed, and his breath came with an effort that she wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't been looking so closely. His glasses also seemed to be dirty, but the young man quickly wiped it off with the ends of his shirt.
"Well, while I'm a pretty open-minded guy, and I love experiencing new things, this is all a bit too much to me. And I think that…dream I had may be a, er, I dunno, a side effect of my mundane body having a First-Contact-scenario with the arcane." He said, rubbing his head. Lux calling him out on his streak made him realize just how exhausted he was as the adrenaline started to retreat from his system. His whole body suddenly became heavy, and he was very tempted to just lie down on that bench right there…
And have Lux give me a lap pillow. Yeah right.
Shaking it off, Grey managed to give her a somewhat strained smile, worrying the lady even further. He shot her a resigned smirk in return.
"You should get some rest. There's going to be a ball tonight, and you need to be in your best condition." The worried expression never left her face as she looked over her new friend, anxious. The friend, on the other hand, is in a complete loss. Not only is the day unfinished, he also had to go to a pa—ball (he didn't mind much, but he'll have to walk on eggshells the entire time. Politics is stressing at best). Luckily, Lux has been very accommodating and continues to be so. Whatever mischief that had cracked itself opened earlier is now drowned by the heavy seawashed feeling of fatigue, his mentally strained state not helping either. After a completely unnecessary pro-con weighing, he turned towards the distraught champion and shrugged, half-smiling.
"Alright, you win. I'll be getting some shut-eye. Some potions would be real handy though." It's true. Being a Med student graduate, his best friends at times were coffee, Red Bull, or some other energizer mixed-n'-paired with snacks in his dorm. This brand of exhaustion is not so different really, if it was not for the feeling of slight paresthesia all over his body. Lux shuffled her hands through her small pack, found nothing, and just shrugged, her palms turned up in a disappointed fashion. Sighing, he shook her hands and stood up.
"Well, I'm pretty sure you have much to do, and I need to catch up on sleep, so you go on ahead and I can take care of myself. I can show you all you want later, but as you know, duty calls." Grey voiced, waving her off as she skipped away happily. With map in hand, the tired summoner adjusted his glasses as he started his arduous journey back to his newly-acquired bed.
I feel like I'm forgetting something…
Still within the lush cover of one of the park's occasionally tall shrubbery, Ahri internally debated on whether or not she should charm him—in his state, she doesn't even need to use magic—and gain the lead, while at the same time safeguarding her charge as well. It didn't take a hextech scientist to know that Lux was doing the same thing, intentionally or not. The fact that she's been very accommodating, though not strange, means that external influences will have a hard time to get to him. She had vaguely heard of some other special person under Lissandra's charge—strange as that may seem—but right now what matters more is Grey. Wagging one of her tails ever so slightly, a green shape preternaturally dashed at her near-instantly before settling down just a few feet beside her. The shape tilted her head slightly at the fox, wondering what it might be.
"Should I?" Ahri's seemingly simple question had Akali rapidly considering the options. The original plan was to have Ahri watch over Grey, and have her watch her, the fox. Despite her supposed loyalty, she is still an unstable element, and might have her own motives. Even if the possible sexual agenda is ignored, too many things can go wrong; a big risk with no safety net. Even if the target follows Ahri, there's no assurance that they'll ally themselves to Ionia, or that they're free from threats, physical or otherwise. Even now, Kinkou has no allegiance, and is only doing a favor on Karma's behalf. Having Ahri follow him instead would ensure that her position won't be compromised and at the same time maintain contact with the target.
Giving the signal, Akali leapt and left the fox to her wiles. She has to report back to Karma their progress. Groceries come after that.
It took some time, but finally Shyvana found her way to where she was looking for. She's currently in the "Magical Constructs" arm of the Infirmary, where she's looking for a certain stone gargoyle with a penchant for crag and avian jokes. The sentinel in question is surrounded by human apothecaries—a third doctor, a third technician, a third magician—while aided by their hextech assistant counterparts. The sound of whirring machinery and flowing magic is never out of place in this room.
"Hmm? Ah, Shyvana, greetings. What brings you to this area of the Infirmary?" Galio gently drove away the healers to make way for his reptilian friend. He looked fine, with no more of the cracks, his skin newly polished. His null-magic runes glowed a content, warm glow, signifying his recovery to health.
"I was wondering about that new summoner in the cafeteria today. Heard he skipped Academy immediately, sent straight into the fray. Politics, I mean. What do you think of him?" A considerate look shifted his face as Galio gathered his thoughts and crystallized them into a single idea.
"He's a good lad, with a good head on his shoulders. I think you'll like him." He said finally.
"You think so? I did get the feeling that he's different from other summoners, but he didn't look that strange to me, apart from that gauntlet of his. Wonder what it is." Shyvana continued, looking around the room. Blitzcrank is around, entertaining a few employees with his new dual-grab system, while Orianna is busy tweaking her ball.
"It was given to him by an official just before the match started. As far as I know, it didn't do anything to directly affect the match somehow. Probably a family heirloom? Or he has a relative in the Institute and just passed along the gauntlet? He didn't talk about it and as such, I have no idea where it's from or what it's for. Regardless, from what Lux has been acting, he's been a very good summoner so far. No arrogance, no vanity, no grandiloquence." Galio nodded. "He also didn't crack during the match, and handled the game with the finesse of an assassin. He sent Lux to hit the right spots at just the right time, created diversions while they tore a hole through the enemy's defenses and so on. As I said, I think you'll like him." As Galio finished, he saw Shyvana sitting down an ornate chair, thinking. After a while, she stood up and crossed her arms, with one leg behind her.
"Huh. Sounds interesting. There'll be a match the day after tomorrow, right? The one about the borderlords asking the Demacian government for more land? I might join in." She said. "Besides, it's been a while since I fought in the Rift. Patrol has been boring lately. No bandits, no monsters, nothing. It's as if something in those forests is keeping them away."
"It may also be because it's autumn, and the creatures in the forest are preparing for the winter. I can't say anything for the bandits and outlaws however." Galio replied. "I've read the reports. Apparently, criminal activity has been in an all-time low since the Raids."
"Possible. Still, the point stands. If this summoner proves worthy, then I might consider him an ally. He's being given a hell of an early start, so he'd better not disappoint." A toothy grin formed on Shyvana's lips, leaving a passing Orianna nescient.
"You should get some rest. There's gonna be a ball tonight, and you need to be in your best condition."
"So she says, but I don't even have a tux!" Grey sighed as he crashed on his bed, remembering the suit issue moments ago. Earlier that day, he walked wearily with a nagging thought behind his head, and now it fully manifested itself as the pendulum in the wall clock swung hypnotically, it's ticking sound unhelping. But despite all that, there's a windfall; Grey didn't notice it at first, but the room itself seemed to radiate a calming aura. It felt like a cool wave of sea and breeze washed over his mind and let it flow…
"I wonder where I can get one…It's not as if someone will just knock up the door and give me a black suit…" He mused as he lied down on the bed. "Hell, while we're at it, why not Ahri in her Midnight skin dress? Ahahahaha—"
As he laughed, he heard a quick rap at the door.
Wait…This can't be serious.
Completely forgetting the peephole's existence, Grey once again gulped spitball as he slowly inched his hand towards the doorknob. With each small step his heart hammered faster.
This better not be…
Instead of pulling a crack between the door and the doorframe, his arm pulled open the door with much gusto, unconsciously eager to see who's there.
Let it never be said that God has no sense of humor.
Standing innocently in front of him is no other than Ahri wearing her Midnight suit, with no less than a folded black tux on her hands. She is smiling happily, with her head tilted slightly and her face-whisker markings curved just right. Her nine tails are wagging slowly and leisurely, while her ears are pricked up like summer grass. Her perfume wafted gently on his nose. She smells like lilacs.
"Um…hi. You must be in the wrong—" His sentence was cut halfway through by the foxy lady's svelte fingertip, her index on top of his lips. Her seemingly harmless smile proved itself undecipherable as Grey tried to make sense of why exactly she was here. Also, she's in a formal dress, the type that you go to parties with. Why would she be here?
Probably for the ball? That makes it all the more confusing.
"Hi~" She said. The champion casually strolled inside the room as she took in her surroundings. Aside from the familiar subtle calming spell, the room is surprisingly organized for someone who arrived within the day, and with no helpers too. Everything looks the way they should be, except for the thin black rectangle on the far table, with wires hanging beside it. They look far more advanced than those of Piltover's, but it's there.
As the foxy woman sat down on the bed, Grey took a seat near her and took a breath.
"So…what brings you here?" He asked. He had absolutely no idea why would she be here. Sure there's the tux, but why the hell would she go to the extent of getting him one, and personally delivering to him? That seems odd.
"Just bringing this here. Why? Am I not welcome in your quarters? Do you not like me?" She replied. Her body shifted slightly, except for her eyes, which held his gaze in it's amber irises.
"I can't say that I don't like you, just wondering what you're doing here." He explained, taking a good look at her features. She definitely looks Asian, but with a hint of Western influence. And contrary to her splash art, she is not pale as a ghost, but instead some sort of a milky-ethereal white mix.
"Well…then why aren't you complaining when it's Lux escorting you?" Ahri countered, her soft stare never leaving his face.
"I—well—" Grey tried to come up with something, but the fox's ostensibly innocent questions came like suppressive fire. Her face is also showing apparent sadness, which made him feel guilty.
"Is it because of my reputation? Tell me, do you think lowly of me, Grey?" She said as she slowly walked up to him, bent, and met his eyes at eye level. Her hands are on his shoulders, and they were so close they can hear each other's breaths. Inch by inch, Ahri's face came nearer to his, and just as he closed his eyes…
"Just kidding!" She exclaimed, flicking the paralyzed man on his forehead. Her giggle turned into a full laugh as Grey laid down on the seat, mind static from the sensual overload of the Nine-Tailed Fox's assault. He took a good minute to let his thoughts swim before coming back to his senses, finding the inquisitive champion eyeing his Earth equipment with great curiosity. Ignoring—attempting to, rather—Ahri's generous rear, Grey called out to the purple figure not far from him. Despite the sensual aura that she practically oozes out, he found her curious expression, with the tip of her index on her lips, cute. The champion herself didn't respond as she looked over to him and paused for a bit. Then, catching the unwary summoner, she leapt on him and cried.
"Get naked!"
"I'd appreciate it more if you told it more civilly. Major bonus points if you stepped out of my room as I got dressed." Grey said in defeat, with the vixen champion in tow. Many a summoner of both sexes looked at him with envy, while a few champions hooted at them as they passed by. Graves had this knowing smirk complete with his cigar, and Sarah Fortune, widely known as Miss Fortune, nodded approvingly at his purple escort. They are walking towards another part of the vast city of Demacia for the grand ball to welcome all the new summoners. Most that walked by wore expensive clothing, and had the look of someone important. If it wasn't for the mandatory blue flower attached to their left chest, it would be very difficult to distinguish the summoners from the other guests.
Ahri felt her charge's nerves rattle as they slowed their walking pace when they turned the corner.
"Are you okay?" She asked, tugging slightly at his sleeve. His tux is colored blue with black linings, complemented with a dark shawl and amber pin holding the cloak together. The pin itself worked well, and it nicely "drew out the shine in his eyes", or so the stylist said. It wasn't even a choice; he would've preferred Ahri did his look. The hired stylist wasn't very familiar with the notion of "personal space". But then again, so was Ahri…
Hey, at least you get a sexy fox to feel you up, right?
"I'm fine. I just don't feel as flexible as in my casual clothes. I feel like Amumu, just replace bandages with expensive wear. At least he doesn't have to pay for damage repair." He said, steadying themselves as the reception greeted them and ushered them in.
If there was one non-magical thing that Runeterrabs did better than Earthlings, it's their extravagance in parties.
Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, bathing the room in white light. The double doors from which they were ushered in is situated under a platform connected to the second level, and the staircase splitting in two on either side of the entrance. The floor is made of marble, with carpets of new make. The support columns, likewise made of marble, stood among the crowd as they paid silent witnesses to the lively chatter of the hall. Long tables of food, some of which Grey hasn't seen before, laid on the east side of the hall, their very aroma drawing people in. On the west wing are seats in which people of various importance sat. A few even looked like royals!
But before they were allowed in, another receptionist gently stopped them.
"Is something wrong?" Grey asked innocently. Ahri gave a knowing nod to the man as he faced them.
"The usual for me, please." Meanwhile, her charge is looking at her, confused.
"Oh, it's about how you want to be announced by." She said, nodding at the dark-skinned man, who is waiting for Grey to speak for himself.
"A title…do I even have one? I can just make something up on the go, right?" He looked at Ahri expectantly. People went by them as other receptionists accommodated them, and he's sure another champion or two made it inside already.
"I can't use a title that points or hints at me coming from Earth, so…"
Ahri pulled him in, breaking his line of thought.
"Normally." She said, amused at her escort's serious expression.
"Normally?"
"Well, you haven't made a name for yourself just yet, right? As you grow in fame and power, people start to call you names and describe you by making their own titles for you, and one just, you know, sticks." The fox in purple said, causing Grey to chuckle in amusement.
Makes sense.
"However, champions have the honor of making their own title for themselves. Fun!" Ahri teased, but she was ignored as Grey looked like he was preparing himself. Breathe in, breathe out.
Showtime.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Gregorio Y. Hidalgo de Rivera! Together with his escort, the Nine-tailed Fox, Ahri!" The audience clapped fervently as they entered the hall. Approving glances came their way, though mostly on Ahri's side of the pair. The looks that he received were a mix of both good and bad. He could even hear some whispering here and there, murmurs and sideways glances not exempt from the response.
Lux spat her punch in surprise as one of the servants called out his name. She always thought that the name "Grey" did not fit with the surname "de Rivera". She can see her brother nodding in approval as Grey looked tall and confident, walking with Ahri herself. For some reason, she felt her mood slowly draining down the sink.
Speaking of Ahri, how do they know each other?
Behind a column, Katarina leaned in as she listened to the proceedings from the second floor. Apparently, the new summoner just came in. It would benefit Noxus greatly if he was to join their cause, especially since his strategies appear more Noxian than Demacian. Practical, brutal, and effective.
He is also easy on the eyes. A nice bonus.
Galio watched as Shyvana looked over Grey's form intently. It's rare for her to be like this, he mused. The last time she was this curious was when she was given her first set of armor—the orange ones—for her first match ever on the field. When everyone else had left her to her intimidating self, she jumped around happily, punching and kicking the air as she went. He was perched on top a tower at the time, and was at just the right angle to watch her playfully spin around.
Of course, he can't tell her that. They may be on friendly terms, but dragons are dragons, and her claws can rend stone quite easily. Speaking of dragons, the half-breed herself wore a crimson dress the shade of her hair and eyes, and it hugged her figure quite snugly. He himself wore a silver tuxedo, had his wings polished, and even a hair fixture. Such an industrious effort for a few hours, he mused. This happened only once a year after all. A little extravagance from time to time hurts nobody.
"Do you want to go to him?" He asked. At that, Shyvana settled back on her seat, ignoring the mass of wooers, summoner or otherwise, packing around her. She drank a whole cup of wine in one swig, wiping her mouth with the back of her wrists.
"Now, now, that isn't very ladylike." Galio teased. In response, the dragonborn pointed at a door near the vast windows that overlooked the city-state.
"Come back to me later when that pinkheaded law enforcer inside the casino comes along girlier than Lux. Then we'll talk." She retorted, ignoring the spoon and drinking the soup from the bowl's edge, once again depleting it's contents in one down.
"Touche." The gargoyle laughed, fixing a dent on his suit.
"But that's not your problem isn't it?" Ahri nudged him gently at his right rib, pulling him nearer. She noticed a lot of jealous stares from both sexes, all aimed at the owner of the arm she's holding, but she ignored them.
"No, not really, but it's been a long time since I heard my name being said that way. It feels strange." Grey admitted as they shook hands with some of the delegates that went their way. Most of whom they met are large-scale merchants, eager to make an impression on the impressing young summoners themselves. Came after them are the not-so-subtle politicians of firstly Demacia, then Noxus, followed by various emissaries of different city-states…though the Bilgewater men seem to be missing, or already met them in the guise of being merchants.
In addition to the men and women of power who talked and walked and danced around the hall, Grey noticed champions from far and wide, meeting together here in the grand ball. There's Lux sitting near a table, wiping the spilled punch on her table with a handkerchief. There's Garen, talking to a guard, oddly still in his armor. There's also Shyvana and Galio in a spot below one of the platforms leading to the second-floor rooms, the former leisurely wolfing down the food on her plate while the latter talked with what looked like the guests of honor, smiling along with them in his Debonair suit. Debonair Jayce also appeared, leaving a trail of squealing young ladies in his wake.
"C'mon, let's get some dinner and have a seat." Said Ahri as she pulled Grey across the hall and near the buffet, eager to have her fill of the delicious human food (though just enough to not have herself fat; a fat fox is a slow fox). Grey, on the other hand, is having a hard time ignoring his…physiological reactions as the kumiho's impressive breasts kept rubbing on his elbow. No League summoner, Earth or Runeterran, knows not Ahri's lascivious reputation, and his head is practically screaming at him to get some space between them as soon as humanly possible.
But it's so hard to resist…
He can smell her perfume, as well as a slight sweet scent emanating from her being, and the fur of her tails is ever so slightly brushing against his face…No "fur" from Earth matched this kind of feeling…
"Hey." The sharp, snapping sound caused him to snap from his stupor, and see the young lady in white and blue standing in front of him. Lux had a slight shade of red on her face. She was carrying a red liquid on her wine glass; it looked like a daiquiri, but in liquid form. She also spoke a bit slower than she did earlier, and her eyes are half-closed. She's drunk. Turning to the glass in his hand, he gave it a suspicious look.
He's also drunk.
"Are you listening to me?!" Lux snapped as her punch almost splashed out of it's confines. Grey rapidly shook his head as he did a double take. Those dancers on the floor more than doubled, and the remains of their meal are still being looked after by the staff. The smell of burnt cigar in the air also intensified, and the chatting became far more livelier than before. What once grouped the crowds were intentions, now they huddled by their groups: The adults and above gathered near the vast scenery and discussed whatever older adults do, the younger adults and some teenagers almost past their puberty danced themselves away, laughing and singing happily. What's left of the children are sleeping on the side benches, deep in their own private oases.
Despite the friendly atmosphere permeating the older crowd, a familiar figure stood among them, standing tall, proud, and aloof, as if she was above the vices of men and women surrounding her. Grey realized that he was looking at Fiora Laurent, his theory confirmed by the streak of red hair on her bangs.
The sound of Lux's blubbering took his attention back to her as he saw her this time jumping up and down eagerly, like a young girl receiving the toy she's wanted all year. Amused, he hesitantly took her right hand, calming her down…or at least, stopping her childish jumping.
"Dance! Heeeeey, let's danceeee!" Just now, she sounded like one of those young girls trying to make cute noisesor something similar when they're pleading in want of something. She bent forward as she met him at eye level, her shoulders slightly raised while her hair hang freely in the air. Her eyes had surprising clarity, and she sounded genuinely inviting. Sighing in defeat, he started to respond when the drunk Lux cut him off.
"C'mon! You've been in that charmed state for more than an hour! Is she really that much sexier than I am?!" She blurted out, half-screaming. That little factlet reminded him of his pockets.
"Crap, where's my phone and wallet?! …Oh right, I left it in the room." Recovering from his mini-heart-attack, Lux's words replayed themselves in his head, shocking him as the hammered lady continued to look at him with drunk-puppy-eyes.
"Double crap, I've been floating for more than an hour?! And I didn't even notice?!" Impulsively, he took what's left of Lux's swill and downed it in one go, then slumping down on the chair, slouching.
"G-Greggy? Are you…ok?" She said, barely stopping herself from belching. The boy didn't respond, so the younger Crownguard leaned in slowly, closer and closer until she's just a few inches away from his head, when suddenly he leapt up and cheered.
"Let's go party!" The blonde girl was surprised for a second, but easily matched her companions enthusiasm.
"Yeah!"
"Ah…" Ahri sighed, contended as she slowly picked up her scattered clothes from the floor. Right now, her naked form skillfully skipped past through the unconscious bodies of five men, their faces wearing a smile as long as Renekton's blade, and teeth just as shiny. Squinting under the dim light, she pawed through the top of the four-post bed until she felt what was looking for.
It is her orb, glowing green with energy as she picked it up. It hummed lowly as it responded to her touch. The sphere itself was surprisingly easy to hide, for there was a secret compartment on the ceiling of the queen furniture, filled with toys not meant for children. It also amused her a bit that these men often looked up to it unwittingly in the heat of their…athletics, unknowingly speeding up the process. Holding it in her hand, she let it orbit around her as she continued to fetch her garments, basking in her conquest.
Then there it came. Right as she entered the bathroom and turned on the lights, she heard it. She felt it crawling underneath her skin. Her eyes are starting to glow wildly, her tongue sensually licking her lips, her body warm and formed—
"AH!" She screamed. Peering nervously at the chaotic scene of the bedroom, it was only a fallen vase that startled her. Taking a moment to calm her rapidly beating heart, she looked at herself again in the mirror. That woman, that…beast.
It will always be a part of her. She knew that. The hunt, the chase, the delicious feeling of conquest as she consumes the life force of those she comes in contact with. The thrusting of hips, the chasing of breaths, the hurried kisses as they consume their lust for each other…only for her partner to realize what was truly going on.
That he's about to die.
That side of her, that monster, it lavished it. The few moments it's victims had are consumed in panic as they lay limp on the surface, their souls helplessly watching life being siphoned away at the seductress's lips. The feeling of absolute terror they had as it feasted on the life to the last drop, and how tasty it all was.
Not realizing that she's been balling her fists, she loosened her grip and stared weakly, her heart heavy with sorrow as the memory of consuming and devouring the life off of their passions flood her thoughts. Her heart felt heavy that she was so lost, so trapped in her own flesh. In her own craving. Heavy that she's helpless to her own instincts.
She was once whole; equal parts feral and graceful, equal parts wild and docile. Now? Her growing human nature kills her every time she feasts, her growing hunger followed by a rending heartache.
She raised her head slowly to face her own face in the mirror.
Beautiful.
With shaking hands, her fingers slowly traced down her face, her smooth skin bringing pleasure to the touch. At that moment, tears started flowing down her face.
Grey groggily dragged the surprisingly light Lux away from the dance floor and plopped her down on a nearby sofa. He still can't shake away the movements in her dance, the way her body swayed, the way her hips swung and spun to the music. He would've understood if it was some instrumental performance that the ancient Europeans courtiers loved so much to hear.
The music beating was more like those old energetic Spanish tunes, the kind that made you want to dance by simply hearing it. It wouldn't be out of place in a duel, he mused.
Still, the way she just danced and released on the floor was something to behold. It was in such stark contrast that even as excited as he was, he was stopped, flabbergasted at the once-proper lady.
It's probably the drink. Poor girl was looking for some release, I guess, and the punch gave way for that to happen.
He then remembered that Lux was a child soldier. A somber warmth spread inside him as he saw his companion's soft face sleeping peacefully, red as a tomato. An overwhelming urge spiked within him, and before he knew it he found himself fixing her hair, touching and holding the tufts on her face back behind her ears. Slowly caressing her chin, Grey found himself mellowing inside so much, it's almost bursting!
WAIT A MINUTE! Stop this now, Grey! This is sexual harassment!
Grey thought to himself, but even he was shocked with what he answered.
…and I…don't care.
It took a surprising amount of effort to pull his hand off the unconscious champion. It freaked him out, to say the least.
What's gotten into me? Is this the drunk me? Am I drunk?
Grey took a minute to settle down and stare at the sleeping form of Lux. Heh, she's even murmuring.
Is she safe here? Well of course she is, she's a champion. But…will she be alright if I leave here like this?
Standing up, he decided to take a walk and get some fresh air, leaving the younger Crownguard to rest. The drinks buzzed him up and he needed something to keep his mind clear. Lord knows the booze is starting to get to his head, and he's pretty sure that Lux will be fine where he left her. He'll be back. Besides, clean Runeterran wind is much more pure and fresh than those of the metro's, and he'd like to inhale massive lungfuls of it. Hell, if they had a bottle he might've even considered buying one!
That's just stupid.
Chuckling to himself, Grey slowly walked towards the massive twin-doors—
"Really? You'll leave her alone like that?"
"What the—" The drunk summoner wheeled on his heels, almost falling on the process, but didn't find the source of the voice. It sounded exactly like his tone, but there was something off about it.
Must be the beer.
Sighing, Grey conceded to the voice that chastised him. As much as he wanted to still hang around and mingle with the Runeterrans, talk to them, get to know them and all that, he still had a responsibility to ensure that Lux gets off from the party safely. Nobody assigned the job to him, but it will be a shame to just leave her lying there, after all that she's done for him.
That's what he said to himself, but in truth, the desire to still mingle around rivaled his conscience's effort. It's not as if these things happen all the time, right? Of course Lux can handle herself. She's a woman of age now, and she can handle herself, right? Oh yeah, she also underwent military training too, so she'll know what to do if she gets in a bind, right? And also, there are so many champions and people around that harm falling on her sounds really really dumb, right? And—
"In the end, it's up to you whether or not you want to stay. But please reconsider from leaving your new friend behind." A regal voice spoke up from behind him, causing him to, quite literally, reel back in shock.
"A-Ashe!" Grey stammered out. It wasn't every day you met a royal. A royal of all things! Though, oddly…
"Why are you in your, err, let's go with suit. Don't important people usually wear something more formal than that?" He asked. The tipsy feeling is starting to wear off little by little.
"You should be careful. Some get offended by your words." Ashe said, her face serious. Seeing the new summoner in front of her start to panic, she laughed. He didn't have any of the tact and formality of the courts, but he is genuine.
"Don't worry, I'm not one of them." At this, Grey sighed in relief. "A pleasure to meet you, my name is Ashe, Queen of the Avarosa." She curtsied.
"A-ah, my name is—" The panicking man was cut off by the Frost Archer.
"No need, I already know your name. Just be a bit more careful around some people. Now, if you'll excuse me." She said, leaving him to his thoughts. She'd have to have a scout sent after him, just in case.
How exactly does one hail a cab in Runeterra?
This is the question in Grey's mind as he dragged Lux along one of the brightly-lit luxury districts of Demacia. They weren't very far from the palace, he realized, and he could simply ask for directions there. If he remembered this correctly and wasn't just hallucinating things, he thinks he saw Garen leaving for the palace. From what he saw in who he was, Garen didn't seem the type to ignore their siblings in their time of need.
So why did Lux say that sentence earlier?
"I wish my brother's as awesome as you are!"
Yeah, she was just drunk. There's no way he could tank five fed champs in a late-game clash, nor is he in such close relations to the crown. He also couldn't do push-ups on a handstand while wearing plate armor and with one hand. He definitely can't condense enough Materia to summon a gigantic golden sword in the air and slam it down on someone else.
This girl's drunk-er than I thought. I need to crash too.
He then realized that he isn't looking at the right place, for this was the luxury district. It wouldn't make sense for people frequenting these areas to not bring their own carriages, hexicles (he didn't know what hextech vehicles are actually called, so he made up something on the fly), or some other variant. His best bet would be the Commercial districts, and the nearest one, based on his not-so-quick walk with Ahri, is at least a mile away.
Think now, Grey, think! These kinds of stuff are supposed to be your forte! You're supposed to be the one reliable in case of emergencies. Wait, wait, let's see what we have. We have two drunk youths, one unconscious, and a few gold and silver coins.
He sighed. That wasn't going to help much. He looked around. Nobles are slowly milling out of the hall as they themselves had their fill of the party. Most were couples, faces red with wine, while others are by themselves, themselves a mixed bag of conclusions. Some were happy, while some are sad, and a few apparently had their own music in their heads as they waltzed towards their carriages in a carefree attitude. The champions in the crowd headed off to a singular direction (the Institute, he guessed), while a few apparently still had business to do…wait, is that Ahri? Clumsily wiping his glasses clean, he put it back on and squinted at the now-clear shapes of the fox champion being surrounded by five men, all seemingly tired and out of breath. What could've they-
Now's not the time to be thinking about stuff like that, Grey. Focus.
Looking around once more, he sighed in defeat as he looked back at the hall. He noticed a particular female servant with long hair, dark brown eyes, and (surprisingly) Asian features on her face. If he is to hazard a guess, she'd probably be an Ionian, though she looks strangely familiar. But in the end, it doesn't really matter right now.
Wonder if the lord of the palace will let him stay for the night?
Akali braced herself as Grey—as he preferred to be called—came in eye contact with her. She could feel his eyes scanning her face, as if he's looking at some sketch from the Piltover Wanted posters. Luckily for her, the man was drunk as hell. It probably would've gone worse if he wasn't.
I suppose my work's done here.
The objective was to watch him for a day and see what happens. To study him, to watch how he moves, how he interacts. How he talks to people, what his flaws are. What he wants, what he doesn't, what makes him tick.
And she's made note of all of them.
Now the Kinkou has repaid their favor on the Duchess, and she is once again free to do as she wished—within reason, of course. Still, she had the feeling that she'll be assigned to the same assignment afterwards. After all, this…Gregorio…is a factor completely alien to Runeterra, even moreso than those Void creatures. Balance must be upheld at all costs.
Speaking of balance, she still needed to get her mandatory 10-hour sleep. In order to maintain peak physical and mental performance, any combatant must maintain adequate rest. Just a bit more, and she could go back to camp in the forests…or probably rent an inn.
The two drunk youths are clumsily attempting to walk through a corridor in an effort to find somewhere to crash on. Grey is still even holding the strings of his gold pouch on his hands; for some reason, nobody has yet managed to steal it from him. Odd. Ever slowly, Grey managed to drag the both of them in front of a seemingly vacant room. If she remembered it correctly, this was supposed to be one of the nobles' room, but he had left with a young lady for their, er, appointment. The room left a few clues of what the couple did before leaving. The slight disarrangement of bed pillows – a few strewn on the ground haphazardly – and some wine poured into two glasses, it's bottle chilling in a bucket of ice. The room itself smelled of perfume, with the curtains covering the sizeable mirrors. Fire is burning steadily in the fireplace, and the lights are dim, making the area rather…sensual.
Whatever the reason the couple had for leaving, Akali is grateful.
Taking her mind off such scandalous things, the ninja took a final note on Grey before rounding a corner and jumping off the roof.
The two new occupants entered the room with much difficulty as one of them continued to be dead weight, while the other one is slowly succumbing to exhaustion. He was tired, dammit, and even if that punch somehow had the effect of 10 Red Bulls combined, he still needed his damned rest.
This also meant that he's dog-tired, and the effect of alcohol on his cognitive systems is starting to become less effective. He seems to react a second slower, the world seems to spin a tiny little bit, so on and so forth. Speaking of the world, Grey groggily shifted his head to face East. It's still a few more hours away from sunrise.
Sighing, he forced his head away and swung his head left and right to check where he can lie down. Spotting what looked like a couple's couch, he clumsily threw the young maiden on the bed as his body lost it's balance, the earlier weight taking his equilibrium with it.
Thankfully, he had just enough of brains running to properly crash himself onto the proper furniture as his eyelids started to feel like hanging weights. Tomorrow would be the time for questions. For now, rest is much more welcome.
AN: Finally! Glad to be back on the writer's seat. Thanks for bearing with me, and apologies for taking so long. Had a specially hard time writing down that Ahri part (even now I'm still not satisfied with it). Oh also, just ignore those "Act I" titles from the previous chapters. It just dawned on me how irrelevant it is at the moment. This has no bearing on the content though, just a slight mishap on chapter title-ing. Let me know what you guys think about it (the chapter as a whole) and of course, thanks for reading.