AN : Long AN I'll put at the bottom of the fanfic, so I wont waste your time with my stupid ramble.

Disclaimer : I own what LoL doesn't! :D

The Shadows of her memories chapter 9

At the shelter of a dark forest, somewhere into a clearing, a makeshift camp could be seen, only three persons gathered around a fire, laughing and speaking rather loudly, the smeel of alcohol free into the air. The three men enjoyed themselves, as they just had robbed a small travelling cargo, the fourth this week. Unknown to the three happy men, that they just had provisions for another few days, and more gold to spend,a dark figure watched within the shelter of the shadows, the sun already gone, it's last rays barely giving anymore light to the sky.

As the moon slowly but surely made it's way onto the now starry sky, the three men had no worry in the world. They kept ambushing a small travelling road just nearby for a few weeks, and they had never been caught. They could care less who was on the road, as long as it had something valuable, they would get it. But because of the newly procured alcohol, that was vanishing faster than a naked eye could see, they did not heard, nor like they could see, the pair of icy blue eyes, looking at them from the branch of a tree.

In a crouched position, observing the three thieves cheering their newly very well pulled heist, Akyo was waiting for the right moment to dispatch all of them. Killing people was a part of her job, that was for sure. These guys were killing innocent merchants just because they were too lazy to get a job. It wasn't a mission to remove a threat to the balance of the world, rather it was a plea for help from two villages, using the road trough this forest as a trading one. She was quick to answer this call, and night time assasinations were her best domain.

She could've easily got all of them by now, as drunk as they were, they would react too slow to even touch her. But better be safe than sorry. She would just wait for the perfect oportunity, for all of them to fall asleep, or...

One of the men rised to his feet, and said something to his coleagues that didn't reached her ears. He started walking towards the woods. Underneath her mask, Akyo smirked. Funny how things work out sometimes?

The man, having to find his balance by placing his hands on the trunks of some trees, was looking for a bush to take care of a job, and then return to the celebrations. As his blurry vision fell on a rather tall bush, he could have sworn he saw a shadow moving, it looked like a kid with cape.

''Who's there?'' his said, in a rather slurry tone. There was only silence around the place. He was just probably having visions. Being drunk in a dark forest wasn't the best scenario, so he should just hurry up and meet with the other two guys.

Once he found a rather comfortable place into the bush, before he could even start however, he felt a presence behind him. Turning around, he only saw darkness. Scratching his head, while trying to make something out of the shadows, he did not see the crouched form just above his head on the branch of a tree.

Before he could even realise what was happening, Akyo descended with full force onto the man. Even if she was a lot shorter than the guy, she clasped her hands, and the momentum of the fall brought much more force into the strike meant for his head. Before he could even get to his feet however, Akyo grabbed his head and snapped it to the side, killing him instantly. She slowly put his body on the ground, hiding it in the bush. She tried not to gag at the horrible stench of acohol. After she took one last look to make sure he was well hidden, she did the math in her mind. One down, two to go.

His drinking friends observed his absence. Looking in the direction he had left just a few minutes ago, one of the remaining men asked loudly the other.

''Yo, Joe. Why is taking Steve so long?'' he asked, slightly dizzy from the drinks. The other just looked boredly at him and replied, not the slightest concern in his voice:

''How would I know? He's just probably fallen asleep or anythin'...'' the one called Joe said, looking back at the fire, sleep creeping into his eyes.

''I'll go get 'im.'' the other said, rising to his feet, taking a few seconds to regain his balance, and then took off into the woods.

The other just returned to gulping down the remaining of his drink, letting the silence surround him completely. Only the slight cracks of the fire breaking the comfortable night. However just as he was halfway done with his drink, a scream resounded trough the forest, just from where his friends had both disappeared. He tried not to spit his drink.

''Steve? Jake?'' he yelled for both of the men's names but silence only greeted him. Now he was getting worried. Putting down his unfinished drink, and picking up his 'pirate' looking sword, he slowly started to advance towards the forest. For a second, even if his mind was in a dizzy state, he heard somebody running behind him. Turning around fast, and letting a small groan from the rapid action he looked around, only to see nothing.

He grumbled under his breath and looked around him, he was sure he was watched. He could feel it. But whoever wanted to get at him, was going to fail. He didn't had plans on dying any time soon. As he was trying to focus his senses, he heard running behind him again, as the person was going to attack him from the back. He instantly turned around and parried a big runinc staff with his sword. He looked at his attacker and couldn't believe his eyes.

A merely thirteen or maybe even fourteen year old girl was standing in front of him, her cold eyes boring deep into his soul. Her fast reflexes retracted her staff, striking at the man again, but he blocked it. However, she quickly disarmed him, by pivoting around and hitting his hand with her staff. The sword flyed from the man's hand a good distance away, and before he could even understand what was going on he felt a slight pain in his chest.

He gazed down at his chest, and saw her staff going right trough his heart. He looked in her eyes, confushed and scandalized by the situation. Deciding on ending this fast, Akyo pulled the staff from the guys chest, retracted a foot away from him, twirled it in her fingers, and with a small cry of battle, she hit his head heard. The power of the strike sent the man down, never coming back up again.

Silence surrounded the scenery again, as Akyo let out a small sigh. Not even looking at her weapon, the staff shortened, and she crouched down to wipe the blood from it on the man's clothes. After she put it in the holster on her lower back, and began looking around the camp. Surely, everything they've stolen was there, hidden in some of the tents, but also gathered in a pile in one of them. She started walking away from the men's camp. Tommorow she would bring both of the village's elders, who had her called for this job, to make their way with the stollen treasures.

~(o-o)~

As the sun rised on the sky, bringing it's warm light upon a small vilage located in one of Ionia's many forests, kids had already joined in the middle of the village, and started wreacking small havoc, cries of joy and shouts of glee resounding all over.

A little girl observed in awe, as two boys who looked slight older than her, were locked in an epic battle with their wooden sticks. The two parried and attacked the other with as much grace as a seven years old could muster. They were so into this game that neither of them saw the dark hooded figure walking towards them. As a blonde haired boy used his stick to lunge at his oponent, the other one, a black haired one, tried to dodge it, but lost his balance while stepping back, and fell on the legs of a certain person. Groaning in pain, and using one of his hands to rub the spot where his head hit the other person, he slowly opened his eyes to look at his friends and saw them paralised in fear. His brows furrowing in confusion he spoke to them:

''Hey, what going on? You look like you saw a ghost or something.'' he said, before he rised his eyes to look at who he had hit. His eyes slowly widening in surprise, he imediately scrambled away from the person like she was a monster of some sorts. She wasn't, but she was indeed someone to be scared of.

Akyo looked at the little kids, showing no emotion whatsoever. She saw they were scared out of their wits, and let out an inward sigh. The Kinkou surely had a great reputation about showing no mercy. As she looked at the little boy, who was close to passing out, she slowly started aproacing him.

The boy closed his eyes, and waited. Waited for anything to happen. Yet, nothing did. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw that the hooded figure had bent down and reached o hand to help him up. Slowly, he took her hand, and she quickly pulled him off the ground.

''There you go little guy.'' he heard her say, and couldn't believe his ears. Her voice was so sweet and kind, it didn't seemed to belong to a Kinkou ninja. Not long after he was up from the ground he heard a voice call his name.

''Younen!'' he turned around, only to see his big brother call him. They looked alike, with black hair and blue eyes.

''Big bro!'' he said, looking at his brother's slightly angered face.

''Younen!'' he said again. ''What you did wasn't polite at all! You should've apologized to the young lady!'' he said, and the little boy called Younen dropped his eyes to the ground in shame. Then, both boys heard a small gigle, and their attention turned to the girl in fron of them. Akyo took the mask away from her face, revealing her small nose, and soft rosy lips. She smiled at the older boy who seemed around her age.

''There is no need for him to apologize. He did nothing wrong.'' she said, a soft smile gracing her features, while gazing into the older boy's eyes. He suddenly felt like the temperature went up a lot, as his heart skipped a beat.

''Um... He still should've atleast said anything.'' he said lamely. He was at a loss of words with the new girl in front of him offering the most genuine and beautiful smiles he had ever saw. Taking in a deep breath, he tried to calm his racing heart and spoke again, extending an arm to her.

''My name is Ryo. What's yours?'' she reached for his hand, her slender digits wrapping around his, making his heart go on a race again. She then replied slightly amused.

''Akyo. Nice to meet you Ryo.'' she said before turning her eyes on the young one. ''And let me guess this is your younger bother, Younen?'' she asked the little guy, while she let go of Ryo's hand.

''Yes, he's Younen.'' Ryo said, motioning to his younger brother. Akyo crouched os she would be on the same eye level with the boy before smiling to him.

''Nice to meet you Younen.'' she said extending a hand to him. The boy shyly took hers and shook it slowly. Their meeting however, was cut short when an elderly voice was heard behind Ryo.

''Lady Akyo.'' she raised to her feet, and looked at the village's elder. She nodded, and then answered the old man.

''Yes, elder. The mission went without a hitch. The three thieves who kept hijacking your merchants are 'resting' in a makeshift camp inside the forest, one hundred metters away from the road, in the west, usually where you would find your merchants killed. All of the stolen treasures are there.''

''Thank you, Lady Akyo. We should forever be grateful to you for helping us.'' she slightly cringed at the man calling her 'Lady' . It wasn't that she didn't liked being called a lady, but it was remembering her too much of her mother.

''No need to, elder. I shall be on my way then. Bye Ryo, Younen. Hope to meet you guys sometime.'' she said, while waving slightly at them. Putting her mask back on her face, she started walking back towards the forest. Just as she let herself be swallowed by the shadows of the forest, she was out of sight. Ryo stood dumbstruck, looking where she had just dissapeared. The boy realised the small blush spread across his face was because of her. He had never met such a girl, so kind and sweet even to strangers, the warmth she radiated, warmer than the sun itself. And those beautiful icy blue eyes...

~(o-o)~

Just as she opened the doors of the order, Akyo could feel something was slightly off. It was way too quiet. Her footsteps bouncing off the walls of the hallways, she made her way to Master's office, to report her finished mission. As she reached the door, she knocked, and then heard to confirmation to come in. Opening the door she saw Youken standing in his usual spot behind his desk, looking over mountains of papers and scrolls. As she closed the door, the old master raised his eyes to look at her. He let a small smile make it's way on his lips, behind his beard.

''So, how did it went?'' he asked her and saw her scoff.

''Pretty well. I must say I'm glad you sent me on this sensei. Those guys really deserved it.'' she said, annoyance obvious in the voice.

''Well, well. No need to get yourself worked up. I knew this should be a piece of cake for you Akyo, and I'm glad everything returned to normal.'' he said and saw she was staring in the distance. The old master's intuition picked up she hid something.

''Anything else special happened?'' he asked her, looking rather disinterested in his papers, but observing her sudden come back from dream land and a pink-ish hue, barely visble spreand on her cheeks.

''W-well...'' she said trailing off. How did the master knew anything ELSE happened? She just had randomly met a really cute guy, who seemed to instantly like her. Was it that bad?

''Hm?'' the old man asked her, the sly smile behind his beard unvisible. He smelled that something or rather someone happened.

''Nothing of a great importance sensei. May I return now?'' she asked politely, trying to push back her blush of embarassment. The old man chuckled inwardly and smiled softly, nodding to her. Bowing from her waist to the Master, she then opened the door and exited the office. She let out a relieved sigh as she started walking towards the doors of the order. Why she felt so embarassed out of the blue, she did not knew. She had to admit, Ryo was really cute. Black hair and blue eyes made a really nice combination. Together with his polite and soft way of acting, she tagged him as adorable from first sight.

She watched how flushed and embarassed he suddenly got when she removed her mask. She just really wanted to show him that she hold no grudge against his little brother and calm the spirits. But she had to admit, her heart softly skipped a beat when she shook his hand. Suddenly she heard something clatter behind her, before settling down on the ground. Confused, she turned around and picked whatever had fallen. As if on cue, her heart ached badly, and she had to hold back her tears upon gazing at the obejct she had just picked. The good luck charm Zed had gaven her on her birthday was laying in her palm. She kept it on her belt, where ever she went. It was like keeping the good memories, and giving her hope that one day he'll return, and maybe they will work things out with the order. She tenderly gazed at the object, her other hand coming to softly move across the edge of the charm. The only reason it hurt so bad remembering about him it was that she still loved him.

Putting the charm back on it's place, on her belt, Akyo opened the doors of the order and walked across the training grounds. However, that eerie silence was back, and it picked at her nerves. She stopped and watched her surroudings. Nothing moved, only the breeze of the wind breaking the long silence. She closed her eyes, and let the world take form between her closed lids. This way she could feel who ever was hiding better, and maybe see who wanted to mess with her.

Something moved fast trough the air, and in one swift motion, she grabbed her staff from her back, making it take it's usual long form to block an incoming shuriken. It all happened in a few seconds, she even surprised herself. She looked in the direction the shuriken came, but saw nobody. Surely, she heard the sound of something moving fast trough the air, and jumped a few feet back, as in the place where she was standing a few seconds ago, five shurikens stucked to the ground.

She glared in front of her watching trough the darkness of the shadows. Whoever attacked her, didn't knew who they messed themselves with. Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her, and turned around just in time to block another shuriken. This time her attacker had a face, a masked one. A yordle dressed in a purple suit, barely half her height stood there, watching her in the eyes. She didn't knew who he was, but if he wanted a fight, fine by her. She was going to give him a fight.

Before she could attack him, he dissapeared, lightning surrounding his body, as he ran away from her, his shurkines not giving her a break. She jumped, and used her staff to block all of them, even if a few scratched her arms and legs. Annoyed by his unseemingly never ending energy, fueling his fast steps, she had had enough. Hiding behind one of the training dummies, she waited for her enemy just to come closer. He couldn't hit her there, so he either had to come to inspect or change his direction of attack. Both were good situations for her.

The yordle stopped and looked carefully at the dummy she hid behind. Slowly, he started walking towards it, his right hand already having four shurikens ready, if she tried anything. He could hear his heart pumping in his ears as he stepped closer and closer to the dummy. Taking in a deep breath he looked behind it to find... nothing!

Confused he walked behind the dummy, watching around where she could have dissapeared. He didn't observed however, that his own shadow started to grow, coming from 2D in 3D, a hooded figure forming from the pool of darkness. His senses alarmed him immediately but it was too late! Putting one of her feet behind his own, and using her staff to push him forward, the yordle fell flat on his back, the shurkines flying out of his hand. Akyo gave her staff a little twirl before she pointed a sharp peak at the yordle. He just looked at her with big eyes, and then sighed while shaking his head amusedly. Akyo stared at him confused.

''Well, Shen surely was right. You know your stuff.'' she heard his rather childish voice. She still looked at him confused, asking him for more answers. He saw her face and then spoke again.

''Maybe if you stop pointing that at me, I'll explain you everything?'' he asked while pointing a finger at the sharp peak of her staff. Letting out an embarassed 'oh', shortening her staff and putting it back in her holster, she reached for the yordle's streched hand and helped him up. He slowly dusted off his clothes, and then reached another hand to her.

''I'm Kennen, nice to meet you.'' he said, while she reached for his hand, and shook it.

''Akyo.'' she said simply, waiting for the yordle to explain himself. Instead, he just resumed on looking boredly at her, like waiting for her to explain herself or something. She sweat dropped and spoke to the yordle.

''Might as well tell me why in the heavens were you so keen on hitting me with one of your shurikens?'' she asked while crossing her arms across her chest.

''Oh, right! Well, everybody is gone on missions lately, and I'm practically bored. I saw you with Shen and asked him about you, and he told me you are quite a ninja.'' he explained and waited for her to pick everything up. Akyo slightly narrowed her gaze and said.

''You almost got me slashed by those things just because you were bored?'' she asked, anger and annoyance obvious in her tone. The little yordle held his paws up defensively and said.

''They were never meant to actually hurt you. But this I'm impressed you managed to keep your eyes on me so long.'' she just watched him and sighed.

''Well, I must admit, you surely are extremely fast. I saw even lightnings around you when you ran. It's something connected to your powers or...?'' she asked.

He chuckled before answering her. ''I'm not named The Heart of the Tempest for nothing.'' and Akyo gawked at him. This little, attention deficit, hyperactive yordle was THE Heart of THE Tempest?! Her mother had rold her the triumvirate of the order consisted of responsable, serious people. This had to be wrong.

While she tried finding reasons to back up her claim, she did not observed the yordle picking up her good luck charm from the ground, which had fallen yet again. He hold it between his eyes, trying to inspect it, truning it on all sides before voicing his confusion.

''What's this?'' he asked, and she turned to see him holding her charm in his hands. She tried snatching it away from him, but he just dodged it.

''H-hey that's personal! Give it back!'' she told him but yordle smirked behind his mask.

''Maybe...'' he said while looking at her.

''What do you mean by maybe?'' she huffed in annoyance, the ache in her heart regarding the object long forgotten.

''I'll give it back to you only if you catch me!'' he said taking off towards the order. Akyo's faces promised bloodshed upon capturing the yordle.

''Oh, you mangy, little...Get back here!'' she yelled behind him, dashing after the yordle. He merely laughed and started running even faster, as she trailed behind him, keen on making him suffer for running away with her charm.

But still, she liked this yordle none the less. He might have annoyed her, that was for sure, but he was what she exactly needed to help her go trough her really twisted life. He might be small, fast and really annoying, but there's no fun without having a friend with his head in the clouds, isn't there?

AN : Yay! Another chapter! This one might have mistakes (tons), hence it's almost 10 p.m and up since 4 a.m. . I'm glad I've got this one done today, I started writting it yesterday. SO... Another one coming off my list of : Akyo's next friends, which means only one sexy shadow ninja remains to meet her. Now after the good news come bad news. In Romania, our school's semester plans are different from toher countries. We do get winter holiday like everybody else, but after it we have three more weeks from the first semester, after than comes a small holiday. This week as wekk as the next week, I'm having my Chemistry and Math final, which means shit's gonna happen. Also, my laptop it's giving off signs that my video card might go down any moment.

Letting those thoughts aside, I really wish to thank you guys. I've hit over 2k of views on this story, which means the world to me. Also 22 reviews at 9 chapters really, really give me motivation to write. It means you guys are actually enjoying this 'thing' I'm writing, so I keep pushing forward my stupid Writer's Block, and post chapters as frequently as I can. Also, because I have no plans on leaving this story end up in the fall of the Kinkou Order, a sequel it's on it's way! Another yay! This story is close to it's end I'm warning you. Prob three or four chapters away! :(

But as I said, I have a sequel planned out, all I need is to finish this, and wrap it up with a bow. But it's a long time until then. All I want you guys to know it's than, whoever you are, reviewing this or not, only the fact that you're reading this means a lot to me. So thank you, to whoever you are. Stay cool guys! :3

Until next time~