The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the path as Naruto and Irelia made their way through a particularly serene stretch of Ionia. They had been traveling for several days now, and though their spirits were high, the weariness of the journey had begun to settle into their bones.

Naruto stretched his arms above his head, letting out a content sigh. "Man, I could really use a

break. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a nice place to rest up for a bit."

Irelia nodded, her gaze scanning the landscape ahead. She could see the outlines of a small farm coming into view—a humble homestead, with tilled fields and a wooden house nestled against the edge of the forest. A figure worked in the field, her movements strong and practiced, and beside her stood an older man, his back slightly hunched but his spirit clearly still intact as he helped her tend the soil.

As they approached, Naruto noticed the woman more closely. She looked to be a little older than them, her build athletic and her skin tanned from hours under the sun. Her platinum white hair was tied up in a loose bow, and her clothes were simple—meant for farm work. Despite the simple attire, there was an intensity in her movements, a sense of focus that spoke of her strength and discipline.

"Hey, Irelia, looks like we might have found our place to rest," Naruto said, nudging her gently.

Irelia looked toward the farm and nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "It wouldn't hurt to ask. They seem like good people."

As they drew closer, Naruto saw the young woman suddenly tense. Her eyes darted up, locking onto Irelia, and for a brief moment, her entire posture changed—from relaxed to poised, as if ready for a fight. It was subtle, but it didn't escape Naruto's keen eyes. He also felt the stir of Kurama's chakra within him, a low growl reverberating in his mind.

"Naruto," Kurama's voice echoed, laced with warning. "That woman—she's carrying a lot of negative emotions. Anger, guilt, fear. Something's not right."

Naruto cast a quick glance at the woman, his expression neutral, but made a mental note of Kurama's observation. Instead of reacting, he chose to play along, keeping his smile easy as they approached the pair working the fields.

The older man looked up as they came closer, and his face split into a welcoming grin. He set down the hoe he was using and gave them a wave. "Hello there, travelers!" he called out, his voice friendly. "What brings you to our humble farm?"

Irelia stepped forward, her posture relaxed and her smile warm. "Good afternoon. My friend and I have been traveling for a while now, and we were hoping we could find a place to rest for a bit. We don't want to impose, but if there's a chance we could stay for a night, we'd be grateful."

The old man looked between the two of them, his eyes crinkling kindly. "Well, we don't get many visitors around here. But we believe in Ionian hospitality. You're welcome to stay, but there's a condition." He gestured to the half-plowed field. "You'll need to put in a bit of work first. We're short on hands today, and there's still a lot to be done."

Naruto grinned, stepping forward. "Deal! We'd be more than happy to help. Just point us in the right direction, and we'll get started."

The old man nodded, clearly pleased with their willingness. He turned to the young woman, who had been standing quietly, her eyes still flickering over to Irelia. "Riven, show them where they can start. I need to take a break for a bit—these old bones aren't what they used to be. The name's Jiro, by the way. My wife, Emiko, will have dinner ready shortly."

Riven nodded, her expression carefully controlled. She didn't speak, but she gestured to a section of the field that needed work, and Naruto and Irelia followed her over.

Naruto could feel Riven's gaze on them—particularly on Irelia—as they worked. He decided to try and break the silence that hung heavily over them.

"So, Riven, is farming something you picked up recently?" Naruto asked, trying to keep his tone light. He turned the soil with the hoe, his movements fluid and easy, looking over at her with a friendly smile.

Riven barely glanced at him, her eyes narrowed slightly. "It's work that needs doing," she said shortly, her tone revealing nothing else.

Naruto raised his eyebrows, his smile never faltering. "Fair enough. It must be nice, though, to have a place like this—quiet, peaceful. I imagine it's a change from… whatever you were doing before."

Riven paused for a moment, her grip tightening on the hoe she was using. She didn't answer, simply continuing her work, her movements almost mechanical.

Naruto exchanged a glance with Irelia, who had been quietly observing Riven. Irelia's expression was thoughtful, her eyes studying Riven's posture, her guarded stance. There was something familiar in the way Riven moved, an aura of discipline and determination that Irelia recognized from her own past.

The sun began to dip lower in the sky, painting the fields in shades of orange and gold. Jiro's voice rang out from the distance, calling them in. "Dinner's almost ready, you three! Why don't you finish up, and I'll go help Emiko set the table?"

Naruto straightened up, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "You got it, Jiro. We'll be right behind you."

The old farmer gave them a nod before turning and making his way toward the house, leaving Naruto, Irelia, and Riven alone in the field. The atmosphere seemed to shift as soon as Jiro was out of earshot, the silence growing heavier.

Riven finally stopped her work, her eyes meeting Irelia's for the first time. There was an intensity there—something between suspicion and recognition. "I know who you are," Riven said, her voice low, almost a whisper. "Irelia of the Resistance."

Naruto noticed Irelia stiffen beside him, and her gaze sharpened, a flicker of recognition flashing across her eyes. "Your accent," Irelia said, her voice suddenly hard, "it's Noxian, isn't it?"

Riven looked away, her jaw clenching, and Irelia's expression darkened, a storm of emotions crossing her face—anger, confusion, disgust.

"You're one of them," Irelia said, her voice rising as she stepped forward, her hand beginning to glow faintly with energy. "Riven… Riven the Butcher. I remember that name from the stories. The destruction you caused, the lives you took. What are you doing here, pretending to live peacefully among the people you helped slaughter?"

Riven's eyes met Irelia's, her expression filled with guilt but also defiance. "I left Noxus a long time ago. I'm not that person anymore."

Irelia's face twisted, her lips parting in a snarl. "You don't get to just walk away from what you've done," she hissed. Her blades began to materialize behind her, swirling with a dark, malicious energy that seemed to pulse with her emotions. "People died because of you! Families, children—all because of your precious Noxian conquest!"

The air around them seemed to vibrate with tension, and Naruto knew he had to act quickly. He stepped forward and, without hesitation, grabbed Irelia by the wrist.

"Come on, Irelia. We need to talk," he said firmly, dragging her away before her rage could boil over into something irreversible.

Irelia struggled for a moment, her eyes flashing with fury. "Naruto, let me go!" she snapped, but he didn't relent, pulling her further from Riven until they were out of earshot, near the edge of the fields. The darkening sky above them bore witness to the tension that had reached its breaking point.

Once they were far enough, Naruto released her wrist, stepping back slightly to give her space. Irelia turned on him, her face flushed with emotion, tears threatening to spill.

"Are you defending her?" she demanded, her voice breaking. "After everything we've been through, after what her people did to my home, to my family. Why are you taking me away from the enemy?!"

Naruto's expression was pained, his eyes softening. "Irelia, please… I understand why you're angry. I understand why you hate Noxians. But Riven doesn't seem like the others. She's trying to be different."

Irelia's lips quivered, and she shook her head, her eyes filled with anguish. "You don't understand. You can't understand. You weren't there, Naruto. You didn't see what they did to us. How they burned our homes, tore our families apart. How they left us with nothing."

She swallowed, her voice trembling. "You… You were the one I thought I could count on. The one who understood me. But now, you're standing here defending one of them. It feels like you're betraying everything we've fought for."

Naruto felt his chest tighten, her words cutting him deeper than any blade could. He wanted to reach out, to take her hand and tell her that it would be alright, but he knew she wasn't ready to hear it. The pain was too fresh, the betrayal too deep.

"Irelia, I never meant to hurt you. I just…" He paused, struggling to find the right words. "I just believe that people can change. I know Riven has done terrible things, but she's here now, trying to live a different life. If we can't give people like her a chance, then what are we even fighting for?"

Irelia's shoulders slumped, her eyes closing as she let out a shaky breath. "Maybe you're right," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Maybe people can change. But I can't see it right now, Naruto."

She looked up at him, her gaze filled with pain and something else—a sense of something lost, something shattered between them. "I need to be alone," she said, her voice barely audible. Without another word, she turned and walked away, her figure slowly fading into the darkened landscape.

Naruto watched her go, his heart aching. He had wanted to bridge the gap between them, but instead, he had only widened it. He stood there for a long moment, the silence around him heavy, before finally letting out a sigh and making his way back to the farmhouse.

xxx

As he walked back toward the farmhouse, Naruto's head hung low, his thoughts in turmoil. He glanced up at the stars twinkling above, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on him.

"Kurama?" he called out internally, his voice filled with uncertainty.

The great fox's presence stirred within him, the deep rumble of his voice echoing in Naruto's mind. "I heard everything, kid. You've really gotten yourself into a mess this time."

Naruto nodded, his expression pained. "Yeah… I don't know what to do. I thought I was doing the right thing, trying to give Riven a chance. But Irelia—seeing her like that—it felt like I was betraying her."

Kurama was silent for a moment, then spoke, his tone measured. "You have a big heart, Naruto. And that's both your strength and your weakness. You want to save everyone, but you can't always do that without hurting someone else. Irelia has lost so much, and to her, a Noxian can never be anything but an enemy."

Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know. I just… I wanted her to see what I saw. Riven's different now. She's trying to make things right. Doesn't that count for something?"

Kurama huffed softly, almost a sigh. "It does. But pain isn't something that can just be reasoned away, especially not when it's as deep as Irelia's. You have to understand, Naruto—she's not ready to see it from your perspective. Not yet."

Naruto's heart ached at the memory of Irelia's tears, the way her voice had cracked when she spoke to him. "… I feel like I broke something between us."

"Maybe you did," Kurama admitted, his voice surprisingly gentle. "But you did what you thought was right. And that's all you can do. You have to let Irelia find her own way through this. If her feelings for you are real, she'll come to understand why you did what you did."

Naruto swallowed hard, nodding. He looked up at the sky, his eyes glistening with emotion. "I just want her to know that I'm here. That I'll be here, even if she doesn't agree with me right now."

"She knows, Naruto," Kurama said, his voice a low rumble of reassurance. "She knows."

Naruto let out a shaky breath, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks, Kurama. For always having my back."

"Don't get all sentimental on me, kid," Kurama snorted, though his tone was warm. "Just don't lose sight of who you are. The world needs someone like you—someone who can see the good, even when it's buried under a lot of bad."

Naruto nodded, feeling a renewed sense of determination. "I won't. No matter what happens, I'm not giving up on anyone—not Irelia, not Riven. I'll just have to prove to both of them that there's a chance we can all get along."

xxx

Naruto walked back into the farmhouse, the warm light spilling out from the open doorway. He could see Riven still standing near the barn, her gaze distant, her posture tense. He approached her slowly, making sure she knew he was there before he spoke.

"Riven," he called out gently, stepping closer. She turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting his with a guarded expression.

"Did she go?" Riven asked, her voice devoid of emotion, though Naruto could see the way her hands were clenched tightly at her sides.

"Yeah," Naruto said, his tone gentle. "She needed some time alone. Irelia… she's been through a lot. It's not easy for her to see someone from Noxus and believe they could be different."

Riven let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "I know. I don't expect her to forgive me. I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for what I did."

Naruto stepped closer, his eyes searching hers. "You see like you're trying, though. And that

matters. Irelia might not see it now, but someday, she might. People can change, Riven. You're proof of that."

Riven looked away, her expression pained. "I don't know if I can ever make things right. Sometimes, it feels like no matter what I do, it'll never be enough."

Naruto reached out, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You can't change the past, Riven. None of us can. But we can choose what we do now. You're here, trying to live differently. That's worth something. You just have to keep moving forward."

Riven looked at him, her eyes glistening in the dim light. There was a vulnerability there—a fear that she might never escape the weight of her past. "Why do you care so much?" she asked, her voice breaking. "You don't even know me."

Naruto smiled softly, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a mix of warmth and understanding. "Because I know what it's like to be judged for what people think you are, not for who you want to be. I've spent my whole life proving that I'm not what everyone assumed I was. I believe in second chances, Riven. And I believe you deserve one."

Riven stared at him, her eyes searching his for a long moment. Her lip quivered slightly as she fought to keep her composure. "I've hurt so many people," she whispered, her voice cracking with the weight of her emotions. "How do you atone for something like that? How do you even begin to make it right?"

Naruto took a deep breath, his expression softening even more. "You do it by taking one step at a time. By choosing every day to be better than you were before. You can't change the past, but you can change what you do from here on out. And, sometimes, just trying to be better is enough."

Riven's gaze dropped to the ground, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "I don't know if I can do it," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I'm strong enough."

Naruto squeezed her shoulder gently, his tone filled with conviction. "You are strong enough, Riven. I can see it in you. The fact that you're here, away from the battles and trying to live a new life—that shows more strength than you realize. You're trying to be different, and that's not easy. But you don't have to do it alone."

Riven looked up at him, her expression filled with a mixture of pain and a faint flicker of hope. "Thank you, Naruto," she said, her voice still trembling. "For giving me a chance when no one else would."

Irelia had walked until her legs felt heavy, her heart still aching from her confrontation with Naruto. She needed space, a place away from everything that made her think about the pain she was feeling. Eventually, she found a small pond, secluded and tranquil, surrounded by tall grass and wildflowers. The moon had begun to rise, its light shimmering on the surface of the water, casting an ethereal glow over the quiet scene.

Irelia knelt by the pond, dipping her hand into the cool water, watching as the ripples spread outward, distorting her reflection until it disappeared. The stillness of the place should have brought her peace, but her mind was a storm, her heart clenched in confusion and anger.

She didn't turn around when she heard footsteps approaching. She knew who it was before he even spoke. Jiro, the old farmer, moved slowly. His silhouette illuminated by the faint light of the stars above. He carried a small bundle wrapped in cloth, and as he came closer, he settled himself beside her, letting out a soft groan as he did.

"I brought some dinner," Jiro said, his voice gentle. He unwrapped the bundle, revealing a couple of simple rice balls and some pickled vegetables. He set one of the rice balls in front of Irelia before he took his own, taking a slow bite as he looked out over the pond. "Figured you hadn't eaten yet."

For a while, they just sat there in silence, the air filled with the gentle rustle of the breeze and the occasional croak of a frog. Irelia didn't touch the food, her gaze fixed on the water in front of her, her hands resting idly on her knees.

Jiro chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then swallowed, glancing sideways at her. "You know, you can let it out. Whatever it is you're feeling right now, it's okay."

Irelia remained silent for a long time, her face expressionless. Finally, her lips parted, and her voice came out in a shaky whisper. "I'm angry. So angry." Her hands clenched, her fingers digging into the fabric of her pants. "It's like a fire that won't go out. I see her face, and all I can think about is what they took from me. From our people."

Jiro nodded, his gaze still on the pond. He didn't say anything, letting her continue at her own pace.

"And Naruto…" Irelia's voice broke, her eyes filling with tears. She turned away, hiding her face. "He stood there defending her. Defending a Noxian. The man I was starting to love… betrayed me. For her. A Noxian bitch. I just don't understand. How could he do that to me?"

The tears finally spilled over, and Irelia's shoulders shook as she tried to contain her sobs. Jiro set his rice ball down, turning to face her fully. He reached out, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, a reassuring presence as her emotions poured out.

"I understand," he said quietly. "It must feel like a betrayal. Like everything you thought you knew is being questioned."

Irelia wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to steady herself. "I trusted him," she whispered, her voice breaking again. "I thought he understood. But now… it feels like I never knew him at all."

Jiro took a deep breath, his gaze thoughtful as he looked back out at the pond. "You know, when I first found that young woman—Riven—out on my way home, I had a similar thought. I found her bruised, battered, and barely alive. A Noxian, alone in Ionian territory. My first thought was to leave her there, to let her fate catch up to her. She was the enemy, after all."

Irelia glanced at him, her tears still glistening in the moonlight. "But you didn't," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Jiro shook his head, a faint, rueful smile touching his lips. "No, I didn't. Because as I stood there, I heard her cries—desperate, broken. It wasn't the cry of a warrior fighting for glory. It was the cry of someone who had lost everything, who was betrayed by the very people she fought for. I don't know what it was, but something in me couldn't just walk away. I thought I was crazy at the time—Emiko certainly did. We argued about it for days."

He paused, taking another bite of his rice ball, chewing slowly before he continued. "But I brought her back, and when she finally stabilized, we talked. I was wary of her, of course. I kept my distance. But the more she spoke, the more I realized just how broken she was. She told me about her unit, about how they were sent in as a test, used like disposable pawns. The poison fumes that killed both Ionian and Noxian alike—those were meant for her squad, just as much as they were for our people. She lost everything that day. Her comrades, her purpose, her belief in what she was fighting for."

Irelia listened, her expression softening as she looked at Jiro, her eyes filled with questions. Jiro continued, his voice low, steady. "She regrets what she did. She regrets being part of that war. And since then, she's wanted nothing to do with Noxus. She's worked hard to try and live a simple life, here, on this farm. She helps me and Emiko, not because she owes us, but because it's all she knows how to do now. She wants to atone. She wants to be better."

Irelia was silent for a long moment, her gaze dropping to the rice ball in front of her. "Why are you telling me this?" she asked finally, her voice small.

Jiro smiled, a gentle warmth in his eyes. "Because people can change, Irelia. Riven showed me that. When I first saw her, I saw a Noxian. I saw the enemy. But as I got to know her, I realized she was just a person—like you, like me—trying to find her way after everything fell apart. And if someone like her can change, then maybe… maybe not all Noxians are as bad as we think."

Irelia's gaze was distant, her fingers tracing patterns in the dirt beside her. "It's hard," she whispered. "To let go of the hate. It's all I've known for so long."

Jiro nodded, his expression gentle. "It is hard. And no one is asking you to forgive her right away. But maybe, just maybe, you can start to see her as more than just an enemy. Just like Naruto does."

Irelia swallowed, her eyes glistening with fresh tears. "I don't know if I can."

Jiro gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "And that's okay. Take your time. No one is rushing you. But remember—anger and hatred are heavy things to carry. They'll weigh you down if you let them. And I think, deep down, you know that Naruto is trying to do what he believes is right. Just like you are."

Irelia looked up at the sky, the moon reflecting off her tear-streaked face. The stars above twinkled faintly, a reminder of the vastness of the world beyond her pain. Slowly, she nodded, her heart still heavy, but a small crack of understanding beginning to form.

"Thank you, Jiro," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "For telling me. For being here."

Jiro smiled, patting her shoulder once more before picking up his rice ball. "Anytime, child. Now, eat something before it gets cold. We'll figure the rest out in the morning."

Irelia took a deep breath, finally picking up the rice ball in front of her. The cool night air settled around them, and for the first time since the confrontation, she felt the tiniest bit of peace. She knew it wouldn't be easy, and she knew that there were no simple answers. But maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to move forward—one step at a time.

A/N: A major fight between our duo! Riven was one of the champions I took a lot of time to learn hard when i was getting serious into League of Legends. Her old lore story was so vague, but how Riot has expanded the lore so much over the years, it's awesome to add more stuff to it and go in my own direction for her. She is gonna be a work in progress character, but I feel I have an idea how to get her implented in our story fully. Thanks for reading!