"Ah, Luxanna. Early to arrive as usual. How are you doing today?" Heim greeted Lux as she entered his lab. He was hard at work behind some kind of machinery, but he took a moment to peek out from it to wave at her, wrench in hand.

Lux gave him a smile, thinking about her day. "I'm doing pretty good actually. Karma invited me to a meditation session this morning and it was really nice."

"Splendid!" Heim said, returning to his tinkering. "I too have attended and enjoyed one of the Enlightened One's sessions. They are quite-for lack of better words-enlightening!"

Lux chuckled. "They really are."

Moving over to the scientist's bench, she took a seat and got comfortable.

"So," she started, "How's it going? What's that machine you're working on?"

"This? This is a weather machine. It creates a small, personal cloud that creates whatever precipitation you need. Rain, Snow, Sleet, Hail-all instantaneous at the mere press of a button!"

Lux arched a brow.

"That's… interesting. But why would you even need to make precipitation clouds? Especially when we have champion's like Janna who can actually control the weather."

"Bah! Think beyond paltry magics, Luxanna! The common man can't simply call upon Janna to change the weather, nor can they perform the act themselves. But with this device, even the most mundane magicless individual can shape the atmosphere around them!"

"...Okay," Lux relented. "But it still begs the question: why does the 'common man' need to make precipitation?"

"Ah, surely you can see the benefit it would bring, Luxanna. Think of the potential! Say a farmer finds his land suffering from a drought one day. With a simple press, he would be able to summon rain to quench his crops! And beyond a practical benefit, it could be used recreationally too! Younglings could turn a boring day into a winter wonderland within minutes!"

"I guess that does sound fun," Lux agreed.

"Indeed, it does! Now… if I could only get it fully functional…" Heim muttered, twisting at a bolt in clear frustration.

Lux giggled. "Need help?

"Help?" Heim repeated, before shaking his head. "No, no. You wouldn't be of aid with this. After all, you've never touched a proper hextech device once in your life, have you?"

"Hey… I have too!" Lux protested.

Heim paused, turned away from the machine, and looked at her. "Was it a toy?"

Lux opened her mouth to protest… but she quickly found she couldn't argue against it.

"...Maybe," she muttered.

The scientist laughed. "As I thought. But it is alright, Luxanna. I will identify the issue sooner or later. As for you, you should merely relax until the others arrive."

"Okay… I guess I can rest my eyes for a moment. I woke up a bit earlier than I thought I would. So I'm a little sleepy."

"Well feel free to do so. I'll merely be tinkering. The others will be here shortly, and I will wake you once they arrive."

"Sounds good. Thank you, Heim."

Heimerdinger gave a noncommittal hum in response and Lux took it as a sign to move along. And with a small, content-filled sigh, she climbed onto the bench.

Closed her eyes, she wished she had brought a book or something to entertain herself. But maybe next time, she supposed.

"Luxanna, you can wake up, now. The others have arrived."

Lux was a light sleeper, and at the voice of the inventor, she was roused from her nap. Letting out a yawn, she blinked open her bleary eyes.

"Hello," she called out to the three champions as the entered the workshop.

"Hey Lux," Caitlyn returned, the first to walk in.

"How did the matches fare? You look worse for the wear." Heimerdinger asked.

The three of them settled down, but looked worn down and exhausted, as if had just experienced one hell of a match-if the limp in Vi's step and the icepack Ezreal was clutching against his head were any indication. Well… all of them besides Caitlyn. She, in contrast, held her head high, with no clear sign of weariness and a smug smirk proudly displayed on her face.

"It went pretty well, I would have to say," the Sheriff boasted, her tone matching her air of confidence completely.

But as Vi rolled her eyes at her partner and Ezreal shook his head, it was clear that they did not share her sentiment.

"Yeah. I bet you would. It's not like you won it and beat the shit of us while you were at it or anything. Oh, wait-you did," Vi muttered.

But the Sheriff's smirk only grew wider at the words. "Well, don't pretend you didn't have it coming. Neither of you is that daft. But hopefully, dying a combined twenty times will teach you two not to bloody take sordid pictures and videos of someone semi-conscious. Especially for insidious purposes, like blackmail material that you foolishly thought you could gain over me. And if not… well, I would be more than happy to thoroughly instruct you both again."

"Wait, pictures and videos?" Lux pointed out, curious.

"...Remember how Caitlyn was completely out of it, that day of the Institute regulated shots?" Ezreal started.

"How could I forget? They said they placed her under enough anesthesia to put a yordle in a coma for a week. "

"Well..." he muttered, closing his eyes and clutching his ice pack harder. "We kinda took advantage of her while she was under and the pictures we took… they were pretty uh… humiliating, to say the least."

"...Why did you think that was ever a good idea?" Lux asked, letting out a chuckle.

Vi shrugged. "I mean, I didn't, but it sounded fun so I went along with it. I was only going to mess with her by showing them to her after the drugs wore off. I was gonna delete them after that. But blondie over here thought it would be smart to go a step further and keep them hidden from her for future blackmail material. I guess it might've worked, but he's an absolute idiot and boasted about them the first chance he had."

"Hey, in my defense, she was getting suspicious because you were being shifty. And when Cait gets suspicious, she goes into detective mode, asking loaded questions and all that. I had to do something-it would've just been a matter of time before she found out. I figured I might as well have some fun with it. Why not? How was I supposed to know she'd snap!" Ezreal complained.

Lux rolled her eyes at them as they began to bicker, turning her attention to the smirking Sheriff.

"So twenty kills on just them? That's impressive, Caitlyn."

"Yep. Twelve on Ezreal, eight, Vi. Of course, I had some assistance from a quite frightening and formidable ally in Zed, but for the most part, I managed to kill them with ease."

"Wow. No wonder they're so exhausted and banged up. But wait-why do you need an ice pack, Ez? We get fully healed whenever we respawn. There shouldn't be any lingering damage after the match ends."

"I was recovered fully. But the thing is-most of my deaths came from Cait's damn headshots. My head was blown off so many times that it screwed with my respawn process a little, leaving me with a killer headache. Something about my brain remembering the events that happened, but unable to understand why there isn't any pain, and being mixed up over it. Like phantom pain or something. The summoners said I'd probably have a persisting migraine for the rest of the week, so I'll be having this stupid ice pack on for a while." Ezreal muttered with irritation evident in his voice.

"Oh quit your mewling. You had it coming to you, did you not?" Caitlyn chastised.

He grumbled and turned away, but said nothing else to her. Instead, he turned his attention to Heimerdinger, who was setting up while listening to the others.

"So who is up for today?" he asked the inventor.

"Hmm? Let's see…" Heim responded, reading off of his machine. "Ah, it appears that the Will of the Blades shall be today's subject,"

"Irelia? That's… interesting." Caitlyn mused.

"Yeah, interesting in how it even works out. Irelia is the most cold-hearted bitch I have ever seen," Vi grunted. Then she frowned.

"Well… besides Katarina… and LeBlanc… and Morgana… and Cait-damn, there's a lot of cold bitches in this place. Anyway, she's pretty cold as far as things go."

"I'm sure she has her reasons for being distant and withdrawn, Vi. Just as you have your reasons for being stiflingly obnoxious and blunt," Caitlyn supplied, not sounding too pleased about being called a cold-hearted bitch.

Vi scoffed at that, but was cut off from arguing back as Lux spoke up, interrupting her.

"Maybe we will find her reasons in the simulation," the mage mused.

"Hopefully. And if we do, we can get her to stop letting those whirling death blades hone in on people whenever they even try to talk to her," Ezreal muttered.

"Perhaps you might find more success in only talking to her, rather than attempting to flirt" Heim stated in a matter-of-fact manner, drawing a huff out of Ezreal and snickers from the others.

"At any rate, the simulation is all prepared," Heim said, returning to his machine, "We will begin whenever you are ready, Lux," Heim stated.

"Alright, we can go now then," Lux returned, motioning to the others to help strap her in. After a few moments, she found herself back into the familiar darkness of Limbo.

Lux found herself in some garden once she came to. It was quite a peaceful environment, with vibrant flowers and a gentle stream framing it. With a calm breeze nipping her neck, Lux felt quite at peace in the garden, wondering what she was doing there.

As she took sight of her surroundings, hoping to gain some understanding, she found Irelia sitting on a mat in the center of the garden. She couldn't herself from quietly observing the still Ionian warrior, taking in all the serenity of the scene. From her viewpoint, it seemed like Irelia was meditating on something, but she didn't get much of a chance to observe much longer as the warrior seemed to take notice of her presence.

"There's no use in hiding. I can sense you." Irelia stated calmly, but in a controlled manner. She made no movements herself, eyes still locked close in concentration, but her blades started to circle around her, warding off and seeking any intruders.

As they neared her, Lux let out a fearful yelp that only helped give them a clear target. And instantly, they surged towards her with impossible speed, rendering her frozen in fear. However, at the last second, the blades pulled back, snapping just shy of her rapidly beating heart.

"Oh… my apologies," she numbly heard Irelia call out. If she was more aware of things right now, she would have noticed Irelia standing, out of meditation and facing her. However, at the moment, she was much too focused on the razor-sharp blades still pointed at her.

However, noticing her blades, Irelia pulled them back. "...Sorry. I believed you to be an enemy at first. Did I alarm you?"

Lux couldn't respond to that with words. Instead she-quite ungracefully, mind you-fell to the ground, her legs giving out. Oddly enough, her embarrassing display managed to draw out a small chuckle out of the usually stoic warrior, confusing Lux out of her fear.

"...Did… did you just laugh at me?" Lux asked, voicing her confusion as she picked herself up. She was taken back from the foreign sound as she had never heard the warrior laugh before, and it pleasantly surprised her, despite herself. But Irelia frowned at her words, making her regret her question instantaneously.

"Yes. Did I… was that offensive? I apologize for my rudeness. I am not quite… accustomed to making such a response. I do not often laugh at other's misfortune. Please, forgive me."

"No no, it wasn't offending or anything!" Lux quickly got out. "It's just… I've never heard you laugh before. It was a surprise to me too and was strange to hear, that's all. But it was nice, honestly."

"Oh, I see," Irelia murmured. Then, after a pause, she blushed before adding, "...You find my laughter pleasant?"

Lux smiled. "Yes. It has a warm, melodious sound to it. It somehow reminds me of Karma's wind chimes almost. I like it."

"Ah… I see. Uh, ahem," Irelia reddened further, getting flustered by Lux's compliments. "At any rate, what are you doing here, Luxanna?" She asked, clearly hoping to change topics and save face.

"Oh? I'm just… exploring. I saw this garden and thought it looked nice, and so I came in to explore it." She lied, hoping it was satisfactory enough to sate Irelia's curiosity. However, unfortunately for her, it was not, as Irelia shook her head.

"I meant what are you doing in Ionia? I have not heard news of your coming and it is quite unusual to see you here of all places on a normal day. Are you visiting on an official basis, perhaps?"

At this, Lux paled, not having a quick-witted answer for the question. "Oh, I… uh…"

Rapidly thinking of an answer, she numbly heard Heim speak to her in the back of her mind.

"Diplomatic meeting with Karma and the other Elders. Several individuals of importance-your brother and other generals-from Demacia are seeking to renew a defensive pact and you are accompanying them." He supplied.

Mentally thanking him, she returned back to the conversation at hand, noticing Irelia growing confused at her silence.

"Yes! Yes, I am," Lux hastily stated. "I'm here with my brother while he and some other Demacian generals renew a defensive pact in a meeting with your Elders."

If Irelia was skeptical at all, she didn't show it.

"...I see. It is atypical and strange that I was not invited to a defensive pact meeting as Captain of the Guard, but not altogether surprising. It is not the first time I have been prohibited from such an event, and I strongly doubt it shall be the last," Irelia sighed.

"Really, why do you think so?" Lux asked, curiosity piqued.

"Bah. The Elders believe I push myself too hard. Karma especially, worries that I will overwork myself, considering the many duties I must adhere to. I suppose it is not a fear without merit. After all, I have died from committing to more than I was capable of. Still, I would prefer if she treated me more like the soldier I am than a porcelain doll."

Irelia sounded annoyed, yet resigned. And Lux could tell she wanted nothing more than to protest against Karma's and the elders' wishes. But it was clear that Irelia was much too loyal and upholding to do so.

"I'm sorry," Lux said, honest in her words. "If it makes you feel any better, I can relate. All my life, I've been seen as the precious child in my family. And it didn't stop when I entered the military, either."

Irelia smiled. "Well, at the very least, it shows me I am not alone in my feelings. Thank you, Luxanna."

"Just Lux, if you don't mind. Luxanna is a mouthful isn't it?"

"Indeed it is," Irelia returned, laughing.

Now that the atmosphere was much calmer, and there wasn't the threat of telekinetic blades impaling her, Lux made her way closer, to the center of the garden.

"So, what are you doing here, Irelia?" Lux couldn't help but wonder.

"Karma encouraged me to take the day off and relax. And as much as I was reluctant, she was more than adamant. Likely wanting to keep me from today's meeting, now that I think about it. As such, I find myself here-expected to find some form of peace through meditation. But try as I might, I am not the Enlightened One, and such does not come easily to me."

Irelia was clearly exasperated with it all-her tone bitter and annoyed. Not to mention, the spirit blades rumored to mirror her emotions danced erratically in the air, scaring Lux. She didn't quite know how to respond to that, but thankfully she wasn't alone.

"I would recommend asking if she needs help," Heim stated.

Oh, right. Thank you, Heim.

"Um… would you like help?"

"Help?" Irelia raised a brow.

"Yeah. I could try to help you relax," Lux clarified. "I mean… if you want me to, and if I'm not a bother."

Irelia shook her head. "No. You are never a bother, Lux. In fact, despite the few times we have truly interacted, I have always enjoyed your company. And while I'm not sure what entirely you could do to set me at ease, I would certainly be delighted if you stayed a while to drink tea."

Lux grinned at that, and moved over to sit next to Irelia on the mat she was on.

"Well, I would be delighted to join you."

Irelia smiled herself, and readied a cup for Lux. "I suppose it is a good thing I prepared more than one cup then!"

"Good thing!" Lux giggled and took the cup, once Irelia finished pouring it. Bringing it close to her face, she took in its scent, recognizing it somewhat. "Mint?"

Irelia nodded. "Ginseng Dragon Mint tea. A special blend of mine, that's been passed down my family. My father used to share it with me, as his father shared did with him."

"That's nice," Lux said, taking a sip of the tea. It was a nice unique blend that left an impression on her and left a lingering minty taste on her tongue. She would have to remember the name of it and get Irelia to share it with her another time-even if she didn't end up in a relationship with her.

"You should share it with me, too, Lux. I'm looking for new blends of tea, and Ionian blends are always refreshing," Lux heard Caitlyn say.

Sure! Maybe we could set up a tea date with Irelia and Karma. That would be fun!

"That does sound delightful. Perhaps we can schedule it for-"

"Blah blah blah. No one cares about your tea fetish, Cait!" Vi interrupted.

An indignant huff was given in response from the Sheriff. "I do not have a 'tea fetish'! How dare you! And even if I did, it would pale in comparison to your fetish regarding combat," Caitlyn returned sharply.

"Fighting isn't my fetish-it's my lifestyle. Which means my life is just more exciting than your boring one."

Another scoff came out from the Sheriff, who Lux could tell was about to blow. But before she could voice a single insult in return, the professor cut her off.

"Ladies, please! This is neither the time nor place for petty fighting. You are distracting Lux."

"Yeah, and you're agitating my migraine!" Ezreal chimed in, prompting Lux to giggle despite herself.

"...Are you alright, Lux?" Irelia asked, causing Lux to remember the environment she was in.

"Oh, sorry" she apologized, blushing in embarrassment. "I was just… uh… remembering something funny."

It wasn't the best lie, but it was all she could come up with on the scene.

"...I see." Irelia said, simply. She seemed to buy the explanation-or at the very least, was polite enough not to probe-which Lux was very grateful of. She didn't want to have to explain that she was laughing at voices in her head, after all. That would just make her sound insane.

But now the atmosphere was somewhat awkward between them. So in an attempt to clear things, Lux spoke up again.

"...This place is really serene. I know you have a hard time finding relaxation, but the rushing water and the wind blowing through the bamboo reeds-I've never seen a place more peaceful." Lux stated in her attempt to make small talk.

Irelia was silent for a long moment, staring at the scenery around them.

"You're right… it is nice. I suppose I am overlooking the worth of this beauty around me," she murmured. "But as I look at it, I can't help but wish to protect it, because there are many out there that would perverse and destroy it. And how can I possibly relax when there is always another threat to my precious homeland?"

Lux frowned as she took in Irelia's words, finally understanding the root of her problem.

"...We're in a time of peace, Irelia. You don't have to worry about those things so much."

"No, I do. I must. We believed we were safe before. Then Noxus took advantage of that blind faith and ravaged our land. I failed and lost my life that time-a naïve young girl thrust into a war she barely understood against invaders more savage than any animal. I'll be damned if I squander my rebirth by letting it happen again."

Lux could hear the pain and bitterness resound in the Ionian Captain's voice. And she wanted to say something about it. But she couldn't find the words.

"...Luxanna… I believe Irelia may be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. And perhaps that is why Lady Karma wishes she relax more," she heard Heim note in her head.

That makes sense… but what can I do about it? I've seen old soldiers in Demacia struggle with it, but nothing really seems to help them much.

"PTSD is a bitch," Vi said, "Me and Cait see it all the time in the department. Hell, even I've had a minor case once. The best thing you can do is just comfort her."

"She's right," Caitlyn agreed. "What matters is that you understand her and show her that it is okay now. Ionia will be safe under the protection of the Institute of War. That's not to say she shouldn't worry, but she shouldn't let stress consume her life."

As Lux took in the words from her friends, she thought on what to say to Irelia, who was brooding in silence as she stared at the tea in her hands.

"Irelia… what Noxus did to your land was horrible. But you can't let them take away your spirit."

"What do you mean? My spirit is the one thing they didn't take from me. My home, my family, my life. And now you tell me those monsters succeeded in stealing my will from me?"

Irelia clearly wasn't pleased by Lux's attempt at encouragement. But despite that, Lux felt those words were the ones she needed to say. And she pressed on.

"But Irelia… I think they did manage to steal it away a bit. Look at you-you're unable to relax and you live in fear because of their invasion. Even though it's years later and during peacetime."

"I…" Irelia sounded like she wanted to argue, but the words died on her tongue. Silent, her face changed from a strong frown to a very weary expression. And letting out a sigh, she stared into her teacup again. "I loathe to admit it… but perhaps you are right, and Noxus did successfully take everything away from me. And now I am nothing more than a hollow shell."

"No… I don't believe all of that. I think you're more than capable of recovering from what Noxus did to you and your people. You just need to let it remain in the past."

"So… you want me to simply forgive and forget the atrocities Noxus committed?"

Lux quickly shook her head.

"No, no, that's not what I meant. I mean don't let what happened then still control you now. Constantly worrying about protecting Ionia from threats isn't healthy. And I'm not saying you shouldn't be wary at all, just take some time to wind down every now and then."

"I see… Perhaps you are correct. Not a day goes by that I don't find myself wondering if we should increase security here or there, or if we will get invaded again," Irelia admitted. "But how do you suppose I 'wind down'?"

Lux thought on that for a moment. Then she grinned. "Actually… it's easy. Just do like me."

Lux moved her teacup aside before laying flat on her back, arms crossed under her head.

"I used to do this all the time with my brother when we were young. We would relax on the hills around our family's estate under the afternoon sky. Sometimes, we'd even stay out until the stars came up. And it was nice."

Irelia, following the instruction, laid out next to her. The warrior's armor protested against the action, but she awkwardly matched Lux's position.

"That sounds nice. But I fail to see how laying down relieves one of their worries."

"Just trust me. It will help. Just close your eyes and stay still. Quiet too, if you want. But let whatever thought that crosses your mind pass. Don't linger on anything in particular and only focus on your breathing and the surroundings."

Irelia sighed, but stayed a soldier through and through-listening to Lux's command with no comments or arguments.

Lux smiled softly at the reluctant compliance of the warrior but said nothing herself. Instead, she looked up to the clouds, soaking in the serenity of the garden around them.

Slowly, she began to drift off, not exactly falling asleep, but becoming less conscious of the mortal world around them. She found shapes in the clouds and imagined what it would be like to be up there.

And in no time, several minutes had quickly passed. Truth be told, she could have stayed like that for hours. But Irelia spoke up, waking her from her reverie.

"...I think I understand now."

The Ionian Captain brought herself to a sitting position. And Lux watched as she stared calmly at the stream before them.

"Understand what?" Lux asked, sitting up herself.

"I understand serenity now," Irelia clarified. "Before, today, I had believed it to be something obtainable. But I was blind."

Lux frowned, and was about to correct her. But Irelia wasn't finished yet.

"It is not something that should be sought, nor is it something instantly gained through a successful meditation session or otherwise. It is something that you allow, something that happens. And it can happen through as little as merely watching clouds pass."

"Oh," Lux said, surprised by the direction Irelia went in. "Yeah, it's pretty spontaneous. And it can happen whenever, wherever. 'Go with the wind' and all that."

"...All this time, I've desperately pursued calm. Never once would I have considered that it is not meant to be pursued. But you have shown me what I've been needing. Thank you Lux," Irelia said.

"Oh, it's no big deal. I didn't really do all that much, to be honest."

"No. You have brought me comfort that I have not known for a very long time. What you have done for me cannot be understated, no matter how insignificant it may seem," Irelia returned. "And if nothing else, you have allowed me to truthfully tell Karma I've sat down to relax. Which is much more than I could have said before."

Lux grinned. "Well I'm just glad I could help. And I'm glad you managed to relax."

"So am I. It wasn't instant, but I as I took in what you shared and focused on the calming wind, I was able to ignore the thoughts that would invade my mind. And for once, I could feel a weight being lifted off my soul. Something I haven't felt in a very long time."

"That's wonderful. I hope peace will come more easily to you now. It isn't healthy to be all that stressed all the time. Just remember to sit down every once and awhile."

"I will. Thank you," Irelia returned, giving her a smile. It was warmer and more infectious than Lux had ever seen from her and Lux couldn't help but smile back. But it marked the end of the simulation and before she knew it, she was in limbo, waiting for the next to begin.

So… what now, Heim? Where are we heading to next? She asked, hoping to get an idea of what to expect.

"The Placidium. Ionia's capital. It appears you are there in celebration of the Lunar Revel. Not entirely unlike what had taken place during the simulations with Jinx and Akali."

Oh. That's nice. Did Irelia invite me or something?

"Hmm. Yes and no… it looks as though you have been living together for some time. Let's see… it appears that after the first scenario ended, you and Irelia began to connect more, developing a friendship. She would often come to you to relax outdoors on occasion, as well. And eventually, love managed to blossom. This festival occurs during your first year of living with Irelia, and as you wanted to partake in the celebrations, you attended it along with her."

I see. Thank you. That tells me a lot.

"You're welcome, Lux. We are arriving now, so ready yourself."

Okay.

As the simulation altered, Lux found herself in a different location but a similar setting. It was still Ionia, as reflected in the beautiful trees and elegant decor, but the Placidium was much different than the garden of the first simulation.

As Lux took in the scenery around her, she found she was in a busy city square. And likely due to the Lunar Revel, merchant stalls and stands were set up throughout, with merchants selling all manners of unique items, festive decorations, and exotic foods.

She didn't get too long to examine everything as someone cleared her throat next to her. And as she turned, she recognized it to be Irelia, who was looking patiently at her. But she looked nothing like her normal self, and Lux was taken back.

Irelia was wearing a long, elegant traditional Ionian dress that was lined with violet flowers decals across its navy silk. It was gorgeous, and she pulled it off well. Lux almost couldn't believe it was actually Irelia even, as she had only ever seen the Ionian Captain in a full suit of armor before.

"...Are you ready, Lux?" Irelia asked, holding a hand out for Lux to take. Lux didn't particularly know what she should be ready for-realizing that she likely came into the simulation mid-conversation-but she took it all the same.

"Uh, sure."

Irelia smiled and pulled Lux in.

"Then let's go. There are a great detail of stalls I wish to visit before the sun sets."

"O-okay. Lead the way," Lux returned, allowing Irelia to take hold of her.

And leading the way was exactly what Irelia did. The captain seemed more than comfortable as she dragged Lux along, taking her from stall to stall. Starting with the decorative items, Irelia bought several trinkets and accessories, including a flower hairpin for Lux-who happily wore it.

Then they moved to games. A lot of them were rigged, as expected, but many were fair play, and both of them won prizes. Irelia won first place in most of them, but Lux had fun regardless of how well she did. The Captain even gave Lux most of her won prizes, as well.

As the day began to wind down, however, they moved over to get some food. And after Lux finished savoring some of the exotic delights being offered, Irelia spoke up.

"Did you enjoy the revelry so far, Lux?"

"Yes. I'm enjoying it a lot. I've had so much fun with you tonight."

"Good. I'm glad. But… the night is not yet over, Lux. There is something else I wish to show you. Come along with me."

Taking Irelia's hand once more, she allowed herself to be led about. She stayed quiet despite her curiosity begging her to wonder where the warrior was taking her.

But after several minutes of being led outside the city proper along a small trail, she no longer needed an answer. For Lux easily remembered the destination.

It was the garden area of the first simulation. It was different at night, lit by paper lanterns instead of the sunlight- but it was no less beautiful.

"Do you remember this place?" Irelia asked.

Lux promptly nodded. But she was curious. "Yes. I do. But why did you bring me here?"

"You once showed me the beauty of stillness here. Since then, I've grown to understand more about myself and serenity, and I've learned to appreciate the beauty in motion as well," Irelia explained. "And tonight, I could think of no place better than here to be with you."

Saying that, Irelia moved to the grass and laid down, mimicking the actions that had taken place in the simulation prior. She then moved a hand to call Lux over.

Lux didn't quite understand what Irelia meant. But nevertheless, she smiled, heeding the call and moving to Irelia's side. Unlike the first simulation, Irelia was intimate, pulling Lux close-enough for Lux to rest her head on Irelia's shoulders.

It took Lux by surprise, of course. But she remembered that the current simulation was one where she and Irelia were in love. And as that processed, she allowed herself to settle in Irelia's warm embrace.

But she was still curious as to what the Ionian Captain had planned.

"What did you mean by beauty in motion?" she asked, bringing up what Irelia had said before.

"You shall see." Irelia returned.

Lux furrowed her brows in a small pout. She hated waiting for things, especially for surprises. But Irelia let out a small laugh at her expression.

"Patience, my light. It will only be a moment. And I promise you will enjoy."

"...okay," Lux returned, resigned. "If you say so."

"Just watch the sky and relax."

Lux listened to Irelia, keeping quieted as she looked up at the night sky. It was almost ironic to her-she had been the one to convince Irelia to stay still and silent in the previous simulation and things were reversed in this one, with Irelia telling her to be patient.

Letting out small hum, she studied the stars in the sky. They were much different than those seen in Demacia and the Institute and she found them fascinating. And just like before, in the simulation prior, the wind was gently blowing around them, providing a sense of serenity in the garden that still remained wonderous to her.

Then, as she began to settle into contentment, a streak of light burst into the night sky, illuminating it with a brilliant burst of gold.

"Ah. It's begun," Irelia remarked.

And just as soon as she said the words, another firework shot out, exploding into red showers. Then another, bright blue and another, silver.

As the fireworks continued to shoot into the sky, Lux couldn't the growing grin from excitement on her face. On her side, Irelia let out a chuckle, obviously catching her expression.

"Are you enjoying the display, Lux?"

Lux turned to face her. "I am. It's amazing. But how did you know we would be able to see it here? This spot is perfect."

Irelia chuckled. "I may or may not have gone to the elders while they were planning the celebration and requested that the display be visible from here. And perhaps a test run was done to ensure a perfect view."

"Irelia, you… you really requested this just for me?" Lux asked, unable to believe her ears.

"Of course I did. I would give the world to you if I could, Lux. Anything to see that brilliant smile on your face."

Lux was taken back by how loving and charming Irelia was. It was remarkable even, that this was the same person as the cold, stoic warrior she would see at the institute and on the Fields of Justice.

"Well, Lux. Love tends to change people," Caitlyn mentioned.

I guess you're right. But it's just surprising. She really opened up more than I would ever imagine she would.

"Well, a lot of the simulations show the deeper aspects of people that you wouldn't expect them to have. Remember Katarina?"

...Yeah. That was definitely a shock.

"You can say that again. I still don't know how the hell that one turned out like that," Ezreal added on.

"Wait, what happened? I wasn't there for that one," Vi asked. "Was she actually gushy?"

More than you could imagine. It's a long… weird story.

"One that will have to wait for later. Right now, we are in a simulation altogether different. And Irelia is noticing Luxanna's distracted focus.

"You don't want to idle in your thoughts too long, Lux. You'll miss the display," Irelia joked, as if one cue, drawing Lux out of her mental conversation.

"...Sorry," she returned, embarrassed. "But thank you. This means the world to me. I love it."

"I am happy you do. And I'm certain that the finale will absolutely delight you. But we have only merely begun. Now, watch closely. The next sequence is remarkable."

"Okay. Will do."

Turning back to the sky, Lux watched as the show continued. As the next sequence came up, she couldn't help but agree with Irelia. It was amazing. And the show only proved to grow better and better as time passed. After what felt like an hour had passed, the long-anticipated finale appeared, bathing the night sky in a myriad of colors, with the last few fireworks forming the Ionian crest.

It was the most beautiful thing Lux had ever seen. And as the green and gold crest shone above, Irelia whispered in her ear, "Happy New Year, my love."

"Happy New Year, Irelia," Lux return, smiling wide. And as Irelia pulled her close, she gladly accepted the kiss.

"That was great, Heim! And much longer than normal. It was nice to have it not cut off on me for a change," Lux said, grinning with glee as she came out the simulation.

"I'm glad you enjoyed, Luxanna. And it seems the adjustments I made to the duration algorithms worked well. Hopefully all future simulations retain similar durations.

"That would be ideal. Compared to the earlier simulations, which were merely snapshots, longer simulations unfold a greater story, allowing Lux to better see how a relationship with a given subject will be," Caitlyn mentioned.

"Indeed," Heim agreed.

"Hey, speaking of earlier simulations… what happened in that Kat simulation? You guys didn't say much of anything," Vi spoke up.

"Not much. Kat just proposed and Lux accepted it. Then the simulation basically ended," Ezreal answered her.

"Wait, what?! You're telling me that psychopath proposed? That's not 'not much'!"

"It was definitely surprising," Lux said. "And she was really sweet about it too."

"Huh. And you guys are sure it wasn't for backstabbing purposes?"

"No. I can guarantee the love that Katarina was showcasing was a hundred percent legitimate. My machine is remarkably accurate identifying circumstances that lead to an amorous relationship," Heim stated, as a matter of fact.

"Uh-huh," Vi returned, obviously not convinced. "I'll believe that when I see it. There's no way in hell. She's even remotely capable of love."

"Well… I still have the sample. We can merely replay it since words do not suffice."

"Alright then, let's do it. Lux, strap back in! I wanna see this. If nothing else, I might get some blackmail material out of it."

"Wait-don't I get a say in this?" Lux asked, frowning.

"...and haven't you gotten in enough trouble over blackmailing?" Caitlyn added.

"Nope and nope," Vi returned, smirking. "And even if I did, it's not you I'm blackmailing this time, is it?"

"...You're incorrigible. And here I thought you had learned your lesson."

"Not my fault you think I learn easily. I'm as dumb as a rock," Vi grinned. Then she turned to Ezreal. "Want in, blondie?"

"What? No! Pissing Cait off was bad enough. The last thing I need is to get skewered by a million daggers."

"Blah. Where's the thrill? And Kat won't find out! The only reason Cait did is because she's Cait. There was no way were hiding it from her for long."

"Nope. Not chancing it."

"Whatever," Vi said, rolling her eyes. "Lux, you ready? And do you have any popcorn, Heim? I want to enjoy this."

As the professor began to explain how he not only did not keep food in his laboratory, but why keeping food in it is a bad idea to begin with, Lux deadpanned, wondering how her life was slowly turning into a reality show for her friends.

Author's Note.

So in case you missed the update note (which has now been replaced by this chapter), I wanted to let you all know that I'm resuming work on this story. So feel free to leave a comment on the champion you want for the the next chapter, and as usual, I'll select the one that receives the most votes.

But since the last time the story has been updated (roughly 3 years now, damn) some things have changed up a lot. New champs have been released, with new lore along with them. And I'm not certain how I'll be approaching some of them, because, after all, this story was made with the old lore in mind. So some champions won't entirely make sense for it (like Kai'sa or Neeko.)

I might still allow them to take place in the story, and come up with some sort of in-story explanation, but that's to be determined. So we will see. For now, however, I'll be sticking to champs that have old lore attached to them. Which means reworked champions like Irelia won't have any of the new changes in the story.

But with that said, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I hope that it wasn't too long. I felt like it was a decent length, but it was also much longer than any of the others. And if you guys felt it was too long, I'll try to keep things short for future chapters. But thank you for reading, and for all the support I've received in my return. It's incredibly appreciated. More than you guys could know.