So, sorry for the lateness. We all kinda got carried away. Um, 16K words mean anything? Yeah...so...I kinda decided I'm chopping it in half. This is the aftermath of the prank...someone is not going to take this laying down.

Chapter VI

Helios had wisely chosen to ask Andrew for a room of his own at the Institute. He didn't trust Cira not to pull anything while he slept in the temple. It was nothing special when he first entered, but with a bit of renovation and some redecorating, it fit his tastes.

He'd then been awakened by a high-pitched scream. He'd eaten breakfast and gotten dressed (gods didn't need to brush their teeth) in the span of two seconds, zipping down the hall in a simple red t-shirt and a pair of dark grey cargo pants. The scream had been coming from Ahri's room.

He kicked down the door, bursting into the room. "Ahri, what's wrong?!" He asked. "Are you okay?! I-"

He saw what she was so worked up about.

He deadpanned. "Cira visited you in your sleep, I see."

Ahri's face had clown makeup plastered all over it. Pale skin, exaggerated bags under the eyes and bulbous red lips made up the ensemble. It was genuinely creepy to look at, which was especially insulting for a champion known for her beauty.

Helios felt a twang of guilt in his chest. If he hadn't convinced her to help him with his prank, this wouldn't have happened. He'd have to make it up to her somehow.

She managed a slight nod as she continued frantically looking through the room, seemingly trying to find something. "Where's my makeup…."

"Knowing her, probably not in your room." He replied, helping her rummage through her drawers and closet.

The champion sighed before flopping on her bed. "Nah leafin' thin." She said, her voice muffled by the blankets.

He chuckled, moving to sit beside her. "Here. Let me see."

Ahri slowly sat up, ears folded against her head. Her face remained downcast as well.

He gently cupped her chin, turning her face from side to side as he examined the clown makeup that had been applied. "Huh. It's the same stuff I used on Ornn a few decades ago." He winced, pulling his hand away. "It's gonna take at least three days to get off, I'm afraid."

"I'll just stay in here then," she huffed, curling several tails around herself.

Her eyes flashed blue, "We'll go hungry before that plan works," Ariel murmured.

"Hm…." Helios scratched his chin thoughtfully. A lightbulb went off a few moments later.

"Wait for a bit. I'll be right back." He said. The opportunity for repayment had come sooner than he thought.

He zipped out of the room, then instantly returned with a gigantic pile of microwavable food. He zipped out once more, returning with a pile of movies, games and drinks.

"Found these in the storage room." He said, leaning against the ensemble. "Should be enough to last you three days. Then I can just return what's left of it."

She blinked, then hugged him. "THANK YOU!" She nearly screamed.

"It's nothing." He replied, putting one arm around her. "I roped you into this, after all. It's only right that I help you out in return."

She offered him a smile before pulling some blankets over herself. "You should probably head out, not that I don't mind your company. Cira might think we're conspiring again."

"That would probably be wise." He agreed. "I'll see you later, then."

"See ya, Helios," Ariel waved.

He waved back, heading out the door.

He paused.

Wait. He thought. If Cira got revenge on Ahri, then that means-

He ran off to the Demacian wing as quickly as he could.

He knocked on Fiora's door.

"Fiora?" He asked. "You awake?"

The door opened and the Demacian noble's slim form greeted him. Her characteristic red streak was now ivory as her scarlet gaze looked him over. Her Nightraven skin, rather than 'classic'. She...did not look happy.

"She got you too, didn't she?" Helios said.

She gave him an annoyed look that screamed "what do you think?!"

"Come on, what'd she do?" He asked. "Ahri got clown makeup on her face, so I doubt it's any worse."

A violent shake of her head as Fiora crossed her arms, a metallic growl rising from her chest.

"I think. It. Can," came the ticked off, terse reply.

Helios's eyes lit up.

"I stand corrected." He said, beginning to laugh.

Fiora's voicebox had been tampered with, causing her voice to rise in pitch until it sounded like she'd inhaled helium. The accent remained, which made it all the more hilarious.

Her form gave a flicker and her hand twitched before her Chosen took control.

"It's not funny…" Victoria huffed.

"Oh, I think it most certainly is." He replied, snickering.

"Shut up!" Victoria snapped, her voice pitching even higher, "Zis is your fault she did zis to us! If it wasn't for your prank I wouldn't be sounding like a Munchkin on helium!"

"What, you think you're going to go unavenged?" He asked. It was getting harder and harder to keep a straight face. "It's not like I'm not going to retaliate."

"Cira doesn't start things...she finishes them," Victoria warned, "I'm staying out of zis war. I'm glad she gave me a timer on how long zis was going to stay. She was nice enough to do that. I don't know what she's going to do to LeBlanc and Ana though…"

"Oof." He grimaced. "Wonder how she's going to get revenge on those two."

The Grand Duelist shrugged, obviously not wanting to speak because of Cira's Revenge.

"I'll go check on her, then." He said, waving goodbye once more as he sped off to Ana's room.

How does one play a trick on the Institute's number-one trickster, anyways? He thought. On his way, he couldn't help but notice several champions and Summoners reading from some sort of...book? All of them were snickering, which couldn't mean anything good.

He heard the shrieking even before he'd reached the door.

"Just a shot in the dark here." He said, opening it. "Clown makeup?"

"Worse!" Ana wailed, hurling today's copy of the Journal at him.

He turned the pages, eyes widening as he realized what it was.

"She published pages of your diary?" He asked.

"YES!" LeBlanc snapped, "I don't know how she found it but she did! This is horrible! There's a reason it was priva-"

She stopped, eyes narrowing.

"Oh that was low for her…" she growled, "leave it to the teacher to give a lesson,"

"I'll admit, this is pretty below the belt." He said, flipping through the pages. "Dare I say it, I'm impressed."

Ana huffed, crossing her arms as she sat down on her bed.

"This isn't fair," she growled, "All I did was give them the food. That's it! You were the one who humiliated her,"

"And it was worth it." He smirked. "I'll see what I can do about the diary. Consider your work done."

He huffed, stepping out the door.

He turned to those who had the copies of the diary in their hands.

I could give them a warning, but where's the fun in that? He thought.

He snapped his fingers.

The books spontaneously combusted, burning up in their hands. All of them yelped, dropping their newly acquired piles of ash.

"Shame, those took a few hours to make," came a female voice from behind him, "But oh well. I just wanted to teach her that private things should stay private. Dark secrets, crushes...romantic lives…I'd say she learned that now,"

He grinned, turning around to face her. "Aww, you're not still mad about that, are you?" He laughed. "I gotta say, you did good with your payback. Not the best, but definitely entertaining."

"Oh, you think I'm done, do you?" the blue and gold eyed Radiant Dawn asked, "Oh no, I believe there was a fourth on that little prank of yours. And since you're not yelling at me or telling me what you thought of it? Well...that just means you haven't found it yet,"

"Don't keep me waiting, now." His grin turned feral. "I'd better be impressed with what I see."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Leona said, "Just know I don't forget. And I finish things,"

"Oooh, now I'm excited." He replied. "I guess I'll just have to see for myself, then."

And would he ever.


Some would say that returning to Mount Targon wasn't the wisest thing Helios had done, but others would argue that it would be less fun if he hadn't. The looming 'threat' of Cira's prank on him was just too interesting to ignore.

"Helloooooooo?" Helios opened the door to the kitchen. "I smelled food."

As a god, Helios's senses had been cranked up to eleven. He could hear things on the other side of the planet, if he so wished. The same idea extended to smell, too. He'd caught one whiff of Cira's cooking and promptly hightailed it over to the peak.

"Hi!" came Artemis' cheerful wave as she stood on her tiptoes to grab a tray of what looked to be carmel apples, "I made candy apples Mister Helios! What you think?"

His nostrils flared.

"That depends. Is there enough left for me?" He asked.

"Here!" Artemis chirped, handing one to him, "Made it for you!"

"Thanks!" He grinned.

In hindsight, he should've expected it to happen, but Artemis was too innocent for him to suspect anything.

He took a bite, teeth sinking through the sweet layer of candy.

And his mouth was instantly met with the most revolting taste he'd experienced in a while.

He instantly jolted backwards, cupping his mouth as he involuntarily swallowed what was not a candy apple but a candy onion.

He coughed and sputtered as it went down his throat. He felt like he was going to vomit any second.

"I thought you said you made candy apples!" Helios said, thumping his chest as he gagged.

"But...they are!" Artemis sputtered, taking another one and took a bite, showing him, "See!"

Helios leaned in to take a closer look. Sure enough, it was a genuine apple underneath.

"So that means-" He deadpanned. "Did your mom stop by earlier, by any chance?"

"Mama had to dip them," she admitted, "I'm not allowed to touch the fire,"

"She must've known which one I was going to eat, then." He replied. "I'll admit, that was a good one."

And then, to Artemis's amazement...he took another bite of the onion.

He chewed it slowly, carefully, almost like he was afraid it was going to hurt him somehow. Cira's daughter couldn't help but watch in morbid fascination.

"...Huh." He said, after swallowing. "It's actually not that bad, if you can separate the candy and the onion and swallow them individually."

He shrugged. "Guess this'll do for a snack."

Eventually, he'd picked it clean.

Artemis shuddered.

"Ewwww," she whined.

"It was either that or give your mom the satisfaction of a completely successful prank." He replied. "My pride's pretty firm on what I'm expected to do in that sort of situation."

"Oh," Artemis blinked, "But why is Mama pranking you?"

He sweatdropped.

"Uh...Ahri, Fiora, Evaine and I might've pranked her and your dad." He said. "Please do me a favor and don't ask about it. You really don't want to know."

"No, Sunshine, you don't," came her mother's voice, "It'll give you a headache and blackout...remember how Torin gets?"

"Oh…" she blinked, seeming to process it before breaking out into a bright smile, "Kay Mama!"

"You must feel ever-so-proud of yourself right now." Helios said, folding his arms as Cira walked into the kitchen. "Looking to one-up me, are you?"

"Oh I feel very proud of myself. But I'm not finished. You were the grandmaster here, for that prank," Cira grinned, "It wasn't just me you embarrassed, you embarrassed Leona too. We're not finished. And I have a feeling, that you're the same way,"

He chuckled. "I hope you know what you're asking for, Leona. Do you really want to go to war with me?"

Back at the Institute, every single divine champion shuddered simultaneously.

"Who said anything about War? I'm just saying I've got at least one left. If you retaliate then oh yeah it's on,"

"Oh, you'd better believe that this isn't over." He replied. "You'd better bring your A-game, Cira, because I am going to annihilate you."

"You started this, so alright. Bring it on Mister Sunny Sunshine,"

"NO!" A chorus of voices shouted, somehow audible from several hundred miles away.

They both blinked.

"Like I said, I don't start things, I finish them," she repeated, "Helios started this...I'm not just going to sit here and take it. Neither me nor Leona will,"

"It's not really that part they're worried about." He replied. "They just remember the last time somebody challenged me to a prank war."

Even Ornn was unable to suppress the flashbacks.

"I've already been embarrassed and the rest of the Institute is not going to let me forget it, so what else do I have to lose,"

"Uh...you sure you want to ask that question now?" Helios asked, wincing. "You'd be surprised."

"We'll see,"

He shrugged, almost looking disappointed. "Alright. If you really want to do this."

"I don't, but if you continue, I'll fire right back,"

"So be it." He said. "May the best prankster win."

"Now, where's the actual food?" He asked. He spotted a jar full of M&M's on the counter, digging into it with earnest.

It was then that he discovered Cira had mixed Reese's Pieces and Skittles in.

Oh, she was so going to pay later.


Three days had passed, and after experiencing a nasty encounter with a box of jelly donuts filled with mayonnaise, Helios felt that it was time to check on Ahri. The clown makeup was most likely gone, which meant that he could finally repay her in full for agreeing to go along with his scheme. The heavy load of supplies was only the start.

"Ahri?" He poked his head through her door. "You in here?"

"I'm here," she responded, peeking her makeup-free face out of the blankets before sitting up. "Oh, hi Helios."

"Finally got that crap off your face, I see." He replied. "How long has it been off?"

"To be honest? Only a few minutes." she let out a huff. "Cira definitely didn't go light with my punishment."

"The stuff I found did the trick, right?" He asked. "No need to start eating your own clothes or anything?"

Jokingly, the nine tailed fox began nibbling at the blankets she was wrapped in before sputtering and coughing. "Ew! Hell no. I'm glad I didn't have to eat that."

He chuckled. "Not enough salt?"

"I'd need a bronze player for the amount of salt these sheets need."

"Well, while I unfortunately can't offer seasoning for an unsavory meal, I can offer you something else." He gestured to the door. "Come with me and we can buy all the things."

Ahri's ears twitched as she crawled out of bed. "All of the things?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Every. Last. One."

She ran to the door grabbing his arm. "Let's go."

"Hold your horses." He replied. "We still have to get some cash first. As you might remember, I don't get a salary like you guys."

She paused. "Oh, right," she looked around for a moment before grabbing a bag. "Okay."

"Oh, there's no need for that." He placed a hand on her arm as she picked it up. "I already know how we can get some money."

"Is this… illegal?" Her tails stood stock still as she stared at him.

"Not at all." He replied. "I just need Lee Sin, Camille and a single game of Monopoly."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm intrigued."

"Oh, just wait until I get started." He replied. "It'll be even better."


"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" The Summoners chanted.

Camille kneed Lee Sin in the face, drawing a nosebleed. She was given a roundhouse kick to the ribs in reply, but she was able to shrug off the blow. She tackled him to the ground, and the two began exchanging blows as they rolled around on the floor of the Institute's main atrium.

"Place your bets right here, boys and girls!" Helios called from the booth he'd set up. "Only a minimum of fifty gold coins is accepted!"

It was common knowledge that a single game of Monopoly could potentially ruin friendships forever. Yet no matter how destructive it could be, it was far too addicting to resist.

And thus, this was why Helios had selected Camille and Lee Sin as candidates.

Who didn't want to see a Leg Fight?

"You do realize that she's going to win, right?" came the slightly amused laugh from Krista as she leaned on a spear, "Delta training beats standard martial arts any day. Plus she's had sparring bouts with Demetrius since she got back to the states,"

"I know. But people are still making bets on Lee." He replied. "I'm profiting regardless of where this fight goes."

"Then they're all going to be very poor by the end of the day," Krista deadpanned, grinning in savage satisfaction as her former commander continued to beat the Blind Monk, "Though...some people are gonna complain that this is totally unfair. Him being blind and all,"

"Considering what happened with Rakan and Xayah when they first met him, I wouldn't be so sure." He said. "If I recall correctly, he was the reason they started viewing humans in a more positive light, no?"

"Eh...honestly I think their Chosens really opened their eyes there," Krista shrugged, "Lee might have had them have some respect for humans...but Kristen and Fabien are the ones that made them warm up to humans more,"

"And thank gods that they did." He replied. "I was about ready to slap them both silly."

Another cluster of Summoners raced up to the booth. Helios had been using simple pans to hold the loot at the start, but they'd quickly started overflowing. He'd brought out sacks that were five feet high as a replacement, but even they were close to full.

"I give it less than a minute before he quits." He gestured to the melee. Camille was currently in the process of strangling him.

"I give it less," the Spear of Vengeance grinned, "I know my commander,"

"He looks like he's about to pass out." Helios noted. "Ten seconds, tops."

Krista smirked, holding up a hand and beginning to tick down seconds.

Five. Four. Three. Two. One…

THUD.

Lee Sin fell to the floor, unconscious. Camille stood, dusting herself off. She'd barely even broken a sweat.

"WE HAVE A WINNER!" Helios announced. "Welp, for those who voted for Lee, sorry guys. Guess your money's going to the victors. And me, of course."

They all groaned as Helios split the winnings between himself and the Summoners who'd placed their bets on Camille. Eventually, the crowds dispersed, and the three were left to themselves.

"Placing bets on my fighting prowess is not very polite, Helios," Vivian deadpanned as Krista came up to inspect the unconscious Chao.

"C'mon, Viv, anyone who knows you know you'd win," Krista snorted, "Wow, you really knocked him out...he's going to have one nasty goose egg when he comes to…"

"Yeah, but it was worth it." Helios patted one of his sacks. "Now Ahri and I can go on a shopping spree!"

Only Vivian saw the sly, trollish grin from the other sniper as said Spear of Vengeance stood up.

"Don't you dare," Vivian hissed softly.

"What? I haven't done anything," Krista blinked.

"You know, I've got a lot of cash in here." Helios said, checking inside the bag. "More than enough for several people, actually. I know that Camille and Vivian aren't interested, but what about you, Krista?"

"Nah, I'd just spend it on video games," Krista shrugged, "Give it to Chao...he's gonna have a lot of doctor visits,"

"If you say so." He fished out a few coins, then sprinkled them on Chao's body. "This should be enough, right?"

"Eh probably," Krista stated, "I don't go to the doctor so…"

"You're dead," Vivian deadpanned.

"Exactly,"

"You should abuse your inability to die, you know." Helios said, grinning. "Just upload videos of you trying to kill yourself. You'll become an internet sensation with what you can survive."

Krista shifted uncomfortably and Vivian chuckled.

"Krista is extremely camera shy," the Steel Shadow smirked, "Might be from all those years being Delta, but who knows,"

"Meh." He frowned. "Welp, in that case, Ahri and I are off to the markets." He hummed, scratching his chin. "Might be able to pick up some more minions on the way too."

"Eh, I should go too...Cira said she wanted to talk to me," Krista started.

Helios narrowed his eyes.

Krista suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"If you're going to do what I think you're going to do…"

"I don't know what she wants to talk to me about, just that she does," Krista reassured him.

"Oh, please." He said. "What else could she want if not to wage war against me? Though, to be fair, I shouldn't have been expecting any less…"

"She's First Chosen and one of my closest, and only, friends. She likes to keep tabs on me to see how I'm doing. She's done that ever since I got Chosen and had no memories whatsoever. Downside of being Kalista's Chosen. I have to constantly remember myself,"

"Mh."

"I might be the personification of Revenge, but come on, no need to talk to me in Ornn grunts," Krista huffed, crossing her arms and almost pouting like a child

"Mhhhh."

"Fine," Krista deadpanned, turning to go through a column of mist, "see ya later!"

"MMMMMMMMMMHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH."

Finally, Ariel walked up and just grabbed him. "What are you doing?" her blue eyes stared at him intently.

"She's so going to help out with a prank." Helios said. "There's no way in hell she isn't."

"Krista? Probably." She let go of him with a huff. "She likes pranks in the first place and Cira wants revenge. Even better for the Spear of Vengeance."

He sighed. "I guess I'll just have to deal with that." He offered his arm to her with a smile. "Shall we get going? I'd hate to make you two wait longer than you have to."

She smiled, one eye blue, one gold. "Let's go."

Helios put two fingers in his mouth and sharply whistled.

A portal opened next to him, and Zoe's head popped out.

"Yeeeeessss?" Vesper asked.

"Mind holding on to those?" Helios gestured to the loot. "Just until we get down to the markets."

"Sure!" she chirped, grabbing the loot, "I'll see you there!"

And with that, she was gone.

"Right. Off we go then." He said, as Ahri looped her arm through his.

They were going to pick the entire market clean, if they had their way.


The markets were even more impressive than Helios thought. They took up an entire district of the city that surrounded the Institute of War, constituting an absolute maze of shops, booths and restaurants. A vast spectrum of cultures mixed within, offering goods from the Freljord to Shurima.

The two of them had decided to dress for the occasion, sporting casual outfits instead of their standard attire. Helios was dressed in a maroon short-sleeved flannel shirt with a golden-yellow t-shirt displaying the words "Praise Me Heathens" underneath, complete with blue jeans and a pair of brown hiking boots. Ahri was wearing a red leather jacket with a white blouse, along with a pair of black shorts that barely went halfway down her thighs. She'd slipped on a pair of high heels of the same color to match. Helios had to admit, she was rocking it.

"This is one hell of a melting pot." He whistled, as they wandered among the stalls. "Where do we even start?"

Ahri hummed for a moment. "We could start in one region's area," she motioned to a collection of Shuriman goods, "then move to another after we've done everything we wanted to in that area."

"Sounds good." He replied. "Anywhere in particular you're looking to go first?"

Her tails curled as she thought. "Maybe the Ionian area. I remember seeing something I wanted last time I passed by."

"I've always wanted a katana." He said, grinning. "Ionia area it is."

They slowly but surely made their way to their destination, weaving their way through the cluster of stalls and stores. Occasionally something would catch their eye, and they'd stop to take a look. Helios took great amusement in the booths that sold charms and other supposedly divine trinkets. The Shuriman markets proved to be a bit more difficult than expected, however. Azir's subjects worshipped the sun almost as fervently as the Solari, and when any of the shopkeepers recognized him they had to make a quick getaway. There weren't any detours they could make, unfortunately. While the other regions offered considerably less chaotic scenes, they were farther away from the Ionian markets, and neither of them felt like making a two hour detour.

"I'm getting us segways next time." Helios said, frowning behind them as they finally reached the Ionian market area.

The champion's eyes flashed blue as the nine tailed fox smiled. "That's sounds perfectly fine by me; haven't seen those since we were still on earth."

Helios's expression soured, putting his hands in his pockets as his mood dampened. "Right. The Barrier."

Ahri immediately noticed his change in demeanor.

"What's wrong?" she tilted her head as she moved slightly closer to him.

"Oh, y'know." He sighed. "Just...everything. Andrew hasn't given an update on how the Tribunal's handling things. I'm starting to get worried. And annoyed."

She gave a nod before looking ran off suddenly, disappearing into a crowd. After a few moments, she ran back, grinning before stuffing a dumpling in his mouth.

Helios blinked, startled. He chuckled, then started chewing. "Thanks." He said, after he'd swallowed. "I needed that."

She laughed. "Figured food might help." She held up a small plate containing several more of the food. She offered them to him before continuing.

"I'm sure Andrew is just busy. Maybe it's a huge issue and he as well as the Tribunal will get back soon."

"It better be." He grumbled. "Or else I'm going to get even crankier. And that's not going to be a good day for anybody."

"IS THAT AHRI?!"

"The hell?"

Both of them turned to see a swarm of Ionian Summoners dashing towards them in a stampede, all of them male.

"HOLY CRAP IT IS!"

They blanched.

"Holy SHI-" Helios was violently torn away from Ahri, his muffled cries fading under the tide of fanboys that enveloped him.

The crowd of fanboys all cried out as one, their voices melding within one another so that the clamor was unbearable. All of them were talking at once, so it was extremely hard to pick out what they were saying. Though, every once in a while, a "Marry me!" or "You're so gorgeous!" carried out over the clamour. However, of all of them, it was probably the lone voice that stated "Let's go to my place," that set Helios off.

Ahri squirmed around in the mob, in an attempt to get out of the mob, but it didn't do much.

"GAH!" Helios exploded from the crowd, thrusting both arms in the air.

"NOT LIKE THIS!" He yelled.

He grabbed the tunics of a few Summoners and hurled them aside, clearing a space in front of them. They didn't take kindly to his advance, swarming all over him in an attempt to halt his advance. His divine strength ensured that he was able to handle it, however.

He staggered over to Ahri, with more than a dozen Summoners plastered to him. "You might want to brace yourself." He said.

"Wait, what-" She only had two seconds to react before Helios grabbed her, tossing her sky-high. As an appropriate response, she started screaming on the way up.

"I'll give you guys - ngh! - one chance to scatter." He grunted, as more and more Summoners piled on top of him. "Don't make me put my foot down."

"What are you going to do?" one sneered as they kept piling on.

"Suit yourself." He replied.

He put his foot down.

He raised his foot, then smashed it into the ground. The ground exploded from under the sole, throwing debris and Summoners in all directions. The shopkeepers yelped, ducking for cover as bits and pieces of the street shredded their stalls.

When the dust cleared, most of the mob was unconscious, though a few stragglers audibly groaned from the crater Helios had created.

He held out his arms.

A still-screaming Ahri dropped right into them.

"Can we agree never to do that again," she asked, eyes wide.

"So long as you stop attracting a horde of fanboys." He replied. "Though I don't know if you can willingly stop being hot."

She laughed, one of her ears twitching. "Don't think it's possible for me to stop being me." She paused before taking in a deep breath. "But please, that was terrifying."

"Of course." He smirked, putting her down and dusting her off. "Just wear a paper bag over your head next time we go shopping and we'll be fine."

She stuck her tongue out at him teasingly before looking around. She'd apparently just realized the state of her entourage.

"Oh, yeah, that." He said. "They were a bit too stubborn for their own good. I disciplined them accordingly."

"I… see." she sighed. "I felt like I was trapped while surrounded, but I kinda feel bad that well, that had to happen to get them to stop. It was… somewhat deserved though, I think."

"Indeed it was." He said. "And, y'know, they're just unconscious, so it's not like I went too far or anything."

Ahri nodded. "I suppose we should get going before they wake back up? Or should we make sure they aren't hurt…?"

"Nah. They'll be fine. I went easy on 'em." He replied. "A few hours of rest is all they need."

She nodded. "Let's get going then, I suppose."

A loud commotion caught their attention. It was coming from the other side of the Ionian area, a large crowd gathering around...something.

"Hm?" Helios squinted, trying to get a better view. "What's that all about?" Whatever it was, people certainly were eager to see it.

"Is that… Xayah and Rakan?" Ahri asked quietly.

It was Rakan at least, the golden vastaya was performing on a little stage, wowing the crowd with magic tricks and some dance moves. The darker form beside him, however, was far too small to be Xayah. It was a little girl. Her feathers were a brilliant violet color rimmed with an even brighter scarlet. Her bright blue eyes sparkled in absolute joy as she danced around the older vastaya, all the while strumming a tiny guitar-like instrument as she giggled. In the corner, or rather in the shadows, was Xayah, holding a small, dusky-gold feathered boy toddler, watching with a small smile.

"This oughta be good." Helios smiled, as he and Ahri made it to the back of the crowd.

"Riya! Come here!" Rakan called and the little girl skipped up to him, looking up at him with wide blue eyes, "Have you seen that pretty flower I told you to keep a hold of?"

The little girl's face fell and she scuffed the stage with her foot, digging little furrows into the wood with her talons.

"Sorry Papa," she apologized, "I had it in my pocket like you told me to but…"

"I don't think you heard me," her father hummed, placing a hand behind her ear, "Because you had it in your ear!"

He drew his hand back and revealed with a flourish a lovely red rose that glimmered with golden specks of light. The crowd gasped in awe as Riya giggled and Rakan gave the flower back, tucking it right in her long crimson hair.

Helios chuckled. "I've probably seen that trick millions of times in my lifetime, but the audience loves it every time."

"Riya, play a song for them," a now dark-eyed Rakan smiled, "Let's send them off with a dance in their step and a song in their heart, ?"

" Papa!" Riya chirped as she began to strum on her guitar and her father started to sing in an old, flowing language that lifted the spirits, and feet, of those around them.

Magic was for certain in that music as their hearts whispered 'Go on! Dance! Have fun! Let your worries go away!'.

"I've always admired the crazy things vastayans can do with their magic." Helios said. He shot a sidelong glance at Ahri, grinning. "I guess that's part of the reason why I like your charm magic so much. ...Well, that and how useful it can be for pulling pranks."

She laughed. "I suppose it was instrumental in our little prank." She paused then huffed. "I still need to get more makeup."

"I'll see what I can do after this." He said, returning his attention to the performance. "For now, let's enjoy ourselves and see where this goes."

Rakan whispered something in the little girl's ear and Riya gave an almost sly grin. Her fingers flew over the strings of her guitar and the crowd for some reason started to dance away, soon leaving just Helios, Ahri, Rakan and his daughter near the stage.

"Well done Iminha!" Rakan praised, picking up the little girl and tossing her playfully in the air before catching her and nuzzling her nose, making her squeal happily, "I swear you're going to be better than me!"

Riya shook her head.

"No?" Rakan blinked.

"Papa's the best!" she chirped.

"And you know it!" he laughed, hugging her again as Xayah and the little toddler came out of the shadows now that the crowd was gone, "What did you think, miella?"

"Flashy, as per usual, mieli," Xayah replied as the golden vastaya came to the toddler and tickled him under his chin.

Helios walked up to them, clapping slowly. "While I didn't get to see as much as I'd like, that was quite a show. Nicely done, you two."

"Thank you!" Riya beamed.

"Glad you enjoyed it," Rakan agreed, "Riya is quite the little show woman,"

"I figured." He replied. "Already playing a guitar at the age of five. Pretty impressive, and that's a high compliment coming from me."

"She takes after her father," not Xayah, but Kristen replied, "Doesn't matter what instrument it is...she picks it up and just goes. Not too much of a dancer she told me though,"

Riya shook her head in agreement.

"I play. Papa and Afi dance," she said, "I just trip,"

"Having talons for feet will do that to you." He agreed.

"She kicks hard though," Rakan chuckled, fluffing Riya's feathers on her head, "Like her Mama, leaves some nasty scars. I think I learned that the hard way when she was a baby,"

"At least Afi doesn't kick," Xayah countered, shifting the little boy's weight in her arms.

"He bites, if I recall correctly." Helios smirked.

"More like nibbles!" Kristen protested.

"HA!" Fabien snorted, holding up his hand which had faint marks on it, "I wouldn't give him chocolate and he got mad! He is your son, love,"

"Ours,"

"Before sundown he is...I wonder if you have some bat in your bloodline because of how nocturnal he is,"

"So? Night time is best time," the violet vastaya huffed.

"Now KISS." Helios said.

"You need to tell us to do that?" Fabien asked with a devilish grin as he swung his wife into a kiss.

"Ewww," Riya frowned.

"No!" Afi cried, giving a smack on his father's chest.

"Yes." Helios said. "Do it again."

"NO!" The kids screeched, feathers puffing out comically.

"I think we've traumatized these two enough for today," Fabien chuckled.

"True. Besides, there's plenty of time for getting mushy once you're in a more...private setting." He winked. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"As long as you don't have her use her charm magic…" Kristen deadpanned, crossing her arms the best she could with Afi.

"Everyone heard about what happened," Fabien agreed.

"It was worth it." He replied. "I mean, now I'm in a prank war with Cira, but still."

"If that's how you see it," Kristen shuddered, "I wouldn't want to be in a prank war with her...Krista is the other one I wouldn't want to mess with,"

"Oh, you think they're bad?" Helios asked. "They're completely sane. I'm not." An evil grin spread across his face. "I prefer my pranks to be...original."

His sinister expression deflated, replaced with an awkward smile. "Buuuuuuuut you don't need to know about that. You'll see for yourselves anyway."

He glanced behind them. The crowd had partially dispersed, though those remaining milled about in loose clusters around the courtyard.

"They look eager for more." He noted. "You planning on entertaining them all day?"

"Not for a while. Even Miss Hyper here needs to rest," Rakan grinned.

Riya smiled, smoothing down her fluffed feathers.

"Ahri and I were going to a bit of shopping after we finished watching you." Helios said. "You guys can come with, if you want."

"ME! ME!" Riya squealed.

He looked back at her parents.

"If that's alright with you." He said.

"Sure," Xayah shrugged.

"Really?" Helios raised an eyebrow. "Just like that? You don't want to come along to make sure she doesn't get lost or anything?"

"Who's to say we won't," came the reply as Xayah shifted her hold on her son.

"Just checking." He replied. "My track record with looking after kids isn't all that great."

"Oh you mean what happened with Leo's kids?" Came the question from the mother vastaya.

"What? No, that was fine." He said. "I mean-"

He stiffened.

He paused, mouth drawing into a thin line.

He sighed. "Never mind."

"We've got parental supervision so I think it'll be ok," Fabien smirked.

Only Ahri noticed the way he'd suddenly switched gears. She didn't say anything, though. She'd ask him about it later.

"Well. In that case." Helios looked up at the sky. "HIT IT!"

The sound of a saxophone playing mixed with a dubstep beat materialized out of nowhere. It was an old song, but all too familiar.

Kristen shook her head in amusement as Fabien grabbed their daughter's hand and followed Helios and Ahri.

"Courtesy of the god of soundtracks." Helios explained. "There's a god for just about everything." He shuddered. "Even feeding, trolling and salt."

"I didn't know Krista was a goddess, since Trolling is a thing," Rakan smirked.

He shrugged. "The more you know."

He waved a finger around in the air. "Cue the montage!"

And oh, was it glorious.


Selene had been dealing with her brother's shenanigans for centuries. From the very moment she came into existence, she'd been exasperated with his schemes. From the spicy ramen incident to the rabid chicken incident, she'd put up with him through trial and tribulation.

She could only take so much, though. As soon as she'd gotten wind of Helios's prank at the restaurant, she'd asked Andrew for a room and holed herself up in there for days on end, only coming out when invited by the champions. She'd found companionship with the League's more prestigious and sophisticated elite, Elise and Cassiopeia among their number. At the moment, she was enjoying lunch in the Institute's food court, eating with Syndra, Camille and Evaine, along with the two previously mentioned.

She sighed contentedly, taking a bit out of a quiche she'd ordered. "I can't begin to describe how much I need moments like these. It's nice to be able to relax on a regular basis for a change."

"I can imagine," Vivian smiled, stirring her tea with a spoon, "Ah, it's a pity we don't have Earl Grey here...but this is good,"

"At least you don't have to deal with children," Syndra's Chosen, Sylvia, deadpanned, "Well...one little girl and her father who still has episodes,"

"When Tracy comes back from Demacia, that's when we have issues," Kaitlyn stated, smoothing her scales down, "But Gabriel makes it all better,"

"He's rather sweet, isn't he?" Selene smiled. "A pity that my brother most likely has plans for him."

"Seems that way," Cassiopeia sighed, wrapping her manicured hands around the teacup delicately.

"I have the distinct impression that I seem to frighten him," Camille smirked, "at least...at first,"

"You did." Selene took a sip of her wine. "I've been told that you don't frighten him as much since the incident with the paint, though he's still unlikely to want to engage you in combat anytime soon."

"My Chosen is former Delta Force. She quite formidable in her own right," Camille smirked, sipping her tea.

"Indeed." She replied. "Though Helios is a god, he wouldn't dream of crossing the both of you." She chuckled. "He's quirky like that."

"He definitely seemed that way," Eva murmured, slowly tapping a foot on the ground. "Do you plan on stopping this prank war, or let it play out?"

"Good gods, no." Selene shuddered. "The last time someone challenged Helios to a prank war, we gods acquired Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have every intention of staying as far away from that as possible."

"And the rest of us will have it if it isn't stopped," Ana sighed, still scarred from Cira's revenge.

"It's a package deal, unfortunately." She sighed as well. "Making friends with my brother means you've signed on for absolute insanity." She brightened up a little, taking another bite. "But on the bright side, he's always been good about cleaning up after himself, and he can be trusted to refrain from doing anything spiteful. Whatever happens, it's bound to be as entertaining as it is maddening."

She hummed, turning to face Syndra. "Come to think of it, Helios probably has his sights set on your daughter, as well. I've been told by Braum that she rather enjoyed his company."

"Aiko is a friendly soul," Syndra explained, "Zed and I are afraid that people will use her trusting personality and her kindness and destroy her with it because she's our daughter. She'll be quite the mage I feel...maybe even an assassin. But, time will tell,"

"I doubt she'll come to any harm." Selene leaned back in her chair a little. "My brother's always been sympathetic towards you, even before you joined the League." She grinned. "He's even expressed a desire to see if you're a decent sparring partner."

"I'm always one for testing my limits," Syndra smiled, "I'm not as evil as a lot of people think. I just don't like being restrained. Which is why I barely handle being a member of the League. Though...if I hadn't said that I'd join, I probably never would have met Zed and I probably never would have had Aiko. And I am for certain I never would have met Sylvia,"

"I'm just grateful that Irelia finally saw sense." She replied. "Helios was about ready to tear her a new one, consequences be damned."

"Come to think of it, there was a time when he had a vendetta against you, as well." She told Elise. "Your, ah...eating habits disturbed him greatly."

Eva sputtered a little, and Elise took over for her. "My Chosen has, well, helped me with that more than a bit. She found it repulsive herself, so I had to change my ways." She took a sip of her tea before continuing, "I do admit though that I don't mind some of the things that she makes." Eva took control back, giving a little huff.

"Believe me, we're both relieved that that's the case." Selene said. "I'd go into detail about how we didn't enjoy watching you eviscerate your victims, but I'd rather not lose my appetite."

She sighed, then smiled. "But, above all, you've reformed. As has Cassiopeia. And for my brother, that's good enough. It's one of the reasons why I love him dearly, even if he drives me mad most of the time. His heart is always in the right place, volatile as it may be." She fingered the edge of her glass. "It's hardly a wonder that lions are his sacred animals."

"Wonder if that is the reason your sister refers to Leona and Cira as 'Mother Lioness'," Vivian hummed, looking at Eva.

She shrugged. "Dianne is Dianne. She's played with Cira in the bot lane and knows how protective she can be. Also probably had something to do with Leona's name as well," Eva mused.

"Very true," came the agreement as Camille sipped her tea.

Selene suddenly groaned, massaging her temples.

"What's wrong?" Cassiopeia asked.

"I just got a splitting headache." She replied, burying her face in her arms upon the table. "Whenever that happens, it means Helios is up to something."

"Is that so surprising?" Syndra asked.

"No." Selene groaned, her voice muffled.

Next we see some fun stuff. well...fun for some people, not for others. Also, Projects have a 'default' skin for when they get mad. Leo's is her Project skin, Fifi here's Nightraven.

Chosens Used (We Are Warriors)
Leona- Cira Noble (Jonson)

Pantheon-Arthur Jonson

Fiora- Victoria Meraux

Zoe- Vesper Jonson

Xayah- Kristen L'Amour

Rakan-Fabien L'Amour

Kindred-Dianne Faye (Diamond)

Kalista-Krista Rhon

Ahri-Ariel Royal

Camille-Vivian Vauclain

LeBlanc-Ana Testarosa

Lee Sin- Chao Long

Shyvana-Sonja Chadayev

Chosens Used (We Are Chosen)

Kindred-Dianne Faye

Lucian-Arthur Jonson (Senna-Cira Noble)

Leona-Janie Noble

...And then there are Helios and Selene.

Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!

Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)

Máriessë ar mára tecië

Farewell and fair writing

Elhini Prime signing off.