Hola, so I've been playing League of Legends non-stop recently
So much so that it got me thinking.
(My mains are Ahri, Master Yi, Akali and occasionally Garen)

In my slight obsession over League, I delved into the lore of Ahri
And a few of my favorite characters (Katarina x Garen is my LoL OTP)
and I came up with this story :3
judging by how massive this opening chapter is, I can only hope that this fanfiction
becomes epic in length!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or League of Legends

Chapter 1: Those Fateful Encounters

The leaves rustled softly in the winds of Ionia. Calm and steady, it whispered against her fair skin. In the calm of this beautiful day, her tails swished about as sweetly as can be. Around her, other Gumiho played and danced; like any other day in the Tevasa Mountains of the island country. Her orange eyes examined the scene before her leaving her with a sore emptiness. She took off through the trees, adoring the rush of the breeze and the scents of Runeterra. But there was always one that caught her attention.

With an agile turn and twist of her body, one of nine tails shot forth, grabbing upon a branch. Wind sped through her face, grasping her in its embrace. She reveled in the feeling as she landed upon a single branch. What she saw sent shivers of excitement through her bones with a tinge of curiosity. She tilted her head, hearing the conversation of the humans; smelling their food and concoctions.

Resting her back against the trunk, she watched them; ever so carefully. With the mountains to the North; the forest was their guard to the South. Through the village came a small river from the East that drove a lumber mill, leaving the inhabitants open to attack from their completely undefended western side. With the coast not too far. But none of that mattered; she wanted to know more of these people; these humans. They intrigued her. Unlike any other she'd come across; they were nothing like the Gumiho she knew and always encountered.

It had been weeks since her 'reconnaissance' had begun. The villagers numbered no more than one hundred and they always worked and still played. Children laughed and mothers would scold them. Fathers would work in the fields and cut trees. As early as it was, Ahri stayed where she was, not once leaving her watch for food or water. They worked from the early morning sun when the sun had fallen and moons had come to illuminate Runeterra in its absence. Through the song of crickets and whispering flower and fauna, she could hear the families talk and laugh as they convened over their simple dinners. She was intrigued; definitely intrigued.

Each house was different and had a unique design to it. Despite the lack of population like some of the other slightly more populated towns of Ionia, the village had enough identity to keep the playful fox's attention as greatly as it did. Within each hovel and cottage, a flickering flame was seen, dancing beneath the dim light of the moons. From one of the many chimneys a dark column of smoke had risen, climbing above the great ancient trees. The thick smoke carried the scent of Applewood and sizzling meat. Both, the young fox adored. Humans were amazing to her and she direly wanted to be accepted. There were women who might have been her sisters if only she had the courage to speak to them. The men who could have been great friends and father figures. Cooked dinners, and family to speak to…Ahri wanted that.

As quiet as a fox, her tails wrapped around the trunk, fur scraping against the rough bark, to hold her steady. A family had finished their dinner earlier than usual. With a small curious grin plastered on her whiskered face, she watched them clean their tables and wash their wooden plates and spoons. From the small dining area of the cottage, children ran about, laughing and shouting with glee. They took their pets with them and ran about into the night for one last game. But then, Ahri froze against her branch. The whiskers on her cheeks shivered and shook against the change in Nature's breath. Orange eyes trailed down to see a young child venturing too close to her forest.

Humans were never kind to the ones not like them. Especially to Gumiho. Unwrapping her tails, she jumped back with magic and energy radiating off of her legs. Tails acting on impulse, they shot out grabbing onto nine different branches, never once breaking the songs of the crickets in the night. Leaves rustled never changing in the winds, keeping her in the shroud of darkness. The human child walked up to the forest but stopped at the behest of its parents. They cried out to it, calling its name and making quick motions, signaling their distress.

Ahri looked down, nose and senses twitching. Unwrapping her tails, she dropped down a few feet, landing upon a lone branch. Directly beneath her; a wolf larger than three children combined was on its haunches, pacing closer to the barking dog and the terrified child. With a raised hand, magic began to flow into her palm, almost growing in brightness and size. Surely it would give away her position, but she was not going to risk the little human's life.

"Back! Back animal!" A man cried out with a torch strapped to the end of a pitchfork shaft. "Stay back!"

Cutting her aura short, the glowing ball of Fox Fire diminished, leaving her in the infinite emptiness of night. The wolf beneath her whimpered, snarled and even paced in front of the fire wielding human. Its teeth were barred and the canines protruded. The beast glared heat at the humans, walking up to the man only to back away once the fire was waved quickly enough. Ahri watched in amusement and honest joy to see the wolf bested by nature. Fire was nothing to be afraid of if you were a Gumiho. Channeling magic to her feet and legs, she rushed up to the air, tails banded together to keep from breaking the silent night.

Landing upon the tallest branch, she spared the village a final look of endearment. Humans and the way they interacted was amazing and confusing to the young Gumiho. Wrapping her hands around the smaller branches at the peak of the ancient trees that populated and decorated Ionia, she caught sight of the young child staring at her as it was pulled back to their cottage. The child was amazed at what it saw and Ahri felt something beat heavily in her chest. While the child meant little to nothing to her, she could see and feel the life force within it.

So…innocent. She stared lovingly at the child.

It was at that moment, Ahri knew the humans have a chance to become friends. The child beamed at her silhouette, teeth glimmering in the moons' light above. She smile softly and slipped into the shroud of cover. Leaves and branches snapped and bent as she distanced herself from the village. Her tails extended and wrapped tightly around branches as she swung across like vines. It wasn't long before she arrived at her small hovel in the middle of the forest at the base of the Tevasa Mountains. The other Gumiho had left, heading home to their respective caves or dens.

Heaving a soft sigh, the woman, or Gumiho, stretched her back and arms before succumbing to the beauty of sleep.

Winds were cool, sifting through the world. Green blades of grass tickled the Gumiho's face. A yawn escaped her lungs and with it, sleep had disappeared. She shot from the ground, scratching behind her fox ears and taking in her surroundings. Crawling from the underbrush and the entrance to her hovel, she rolled about in the whirling grass that only seemed to speed in the rushing winds of Ionia. Something was different. The winds were stronger and carried with it a…sadness? Ahri sprang from the grass, eyes springing left and right; ears twitching and nose sniffing the air.

Something wasn't right.

Where are the other Gumiho?

Ahri, with a quick thought, her Hanbok of red and white had exploded into a show of beautiful red flame. In its wake, was revealed a corset of leather dyed red with silk to cover her bust. Around her waist, a war-maiden's waist guard dyed red had replaced the beautiful sash. The long sleeves of her standard attire had disappeared to reveal a pair leather gauntlets that reveled and amplified the growing balls of fire. But what caught the eye; her formerly white tails of snow had been darkened with orange fur; ablaze in the inferno of Fox Fire.

She glared at the surroundings, taking in the different sounds rushing up to meet her. Twitching and feeling a dark foreboding in her heart, she sped forward, free of distractions from her clothing. Taking to the air, her tails went to work, grabbing onto branches to propel her further. Her feet bounced against the branches as she headed closer to the epicenter of the commotion. She ventured deep into the woods but froze the instant, the tiny village against the Tevasa Mountains had caught her attention.

Without a second thought, she dashed towards the mountain village and came to a skidding halt just before her position could be seen. Villagers were in commotion, running and screaming for fear of what was to come. She couldn't comprehend what perturbed the humans so terribly. Men and women clamored for what little they had, pushing and fighting their way towards the east. Ahri was confused. She jumped through the trees, bursting through the canopy, taking no time to stay hidden this time around. Her eyes scanned the horizon with her ears and nose adding to her radar.

A great distance to the South, fires and smoke could be smelled. She could hear shouting and warring men and women. The clash of blades and the explosions of magic and firearms. Dropping a few feet, her eyes landed on the human village to find many of the inhabitants had fled for fear of what was to come. All that remained was nothing short of the handful. But her orange eyes softened at the sight of the terrified child from the night before. The dog barked and whimpered all the same sensing the impending danger.

Racing down to the lower branches, her tails bunched together shrinking her silhouette. In the dull yet bright sun of this morning, she could be easily spotted if she wasn't careful. Nevertheless, she needed to see what was wrong. Her curiosity was getting the better of her. Like a fox, she fell upon her hands like paws and took off through the forest, leaving the remaining humans to their fate. With magic radiating off of her boots and a heart beating with determination, she plowed through the flora and fauna until she came upon a familiar scene.

What are these people doing…? Ahri asked herself.

Men with armor as red as blood were marching through her clearing in the forest at the base of the Tevasa Mountains. There were ten at the most that she could see. She could smell and hear more, but that could have just been a massive battle raging on behind them. While she had little to no understanding of what nations or politics were, something within her ticked and told her these men were not on the side of the villagers. Something told her, the people she had slowly begun to fall for were in danger. But curiosity still tugged at her mind and heartstrings. She wanted to know what these people would do.

Slowly but surely, another ten had followed suit. Each one adorning faces that spelled rage and the intent to kill. She watched them march across the field with weapons singing and clanging in the dimming light of day.

The sun is already setting?! Ahri couldn't believe that she had been running back and forth through the forest all day already. What do these people want? Where are they from?

The men walked calmly, striding through, kicking at her cottage and even breaking down the door. Ahri felt nothing and watched in silence. What they were doing confused her and even sent sparks of worry through her spine. With a scratch at her fox ears, she took off through the forest wood once more, leaving the force of twenty men behind.

But she wasn't careful.

In the distance, she raced through the trees heading towards the great commotion her ears kept hearing and the great battle her nose continued to smell. As she grew closer, she could hear their shouts, their roars and even worse; their deaths. Men and women clawed at one another, flashing steel and firearms. Men and women fell left and right, but she just couldn't see them; not yet. The forest stretched from Tevasa to the southern most states of Ionia, but the journey couldn't have been any longer. As jumped, rushed and even used her magic to propel her forward, breaking and snapping even the thickest of branches if she missed.

It was all for nothing.

Before her, a scene straight out of a nightmare had portrayed itself. She collapsed to a knee and sniffed the battlefield. Smoke billowed into the air and corpses dotted the horizon. Men and women lay in shallow graves, swords in their stomachs and bullets in their lungs. There was so much death that the young fox couldn't even comprehend. Taking to all fours, she carefully examined the corpses as she passed through.

"H-Help…" A man whispered amidst the destruction and carnage.

She crawled up to the man, tails burning with fire and eyes like embers. He laid in the dirt surrounded by corpses of the same red armored men. In his stomach a great dagger had been embedded. Blood slowly trickled from his dry lips and an empty color had taken his probably vibrant blue eyes. He choked against the blood filling his lungs. She held him, feeling his heart beat slowly. He wanted to say something but his life was quickly fleeing.

Something within her triggered and she rested her right hand against his chest in an attempt to ease his pain; at least that's what she told herself. The man's breath went from calm to rustling and pained. She'd never felt such a sensation. His life force and magic began to pour into her, filling her with a euphoria unlike any other. It was intoxicating and overwhelming. But as the sensation had fled, she had come to find that she had become stronger and the world around her seemed far more vivid and clear. Her senses heightened and her abilities and strength had increased.

Someone followed me.

She rushed forward at the whisper of arrows nocking against their bow shafts. Ember-like eyes burned like fire as three orbs of fox fire ignited around her. In her right palm a great ball of red spherical fire had formed, glowing with a magical intensity unlike anything before. She glared at the men in front of her, immediately realizing that their intentions were to kill and maim. Without a thought, she rushed at the men as they drew their bows.

Unbeknownst to her, the orbs of fox fire shot out at three different men respectively. The three were blown back with a force of a great hammer and left dust and magic residue in their place. The remaining seven released their arrows, two grazing her bare right shoulder, leaving soft cuts against her otherwise smooth skin. She dodged and rolled through the dirt, kicking up dead men, letting their armor and corpses take the brunt of these belligerents assault. With a quick thought, she hurled the great ball of magic towards the men nocking arrows once again.

The captain roared a command that Ahri didn't comprehend and rushed out towards the forest. As she ran their screams and shouts of agony that run in her fox ears with an intense echo. Taking but a moment to look back, the men dodged her orb but didn't realize that she could call it back whenever she wanted to. The arcane energy killed them where they stood and even stole something from them that they could never take back.

When the orb was absorbed into her flesh, the life essence of these men was taken as well, sending the woman in a near delirious state. Ten men were struck down thanks to the new and improved control she had over her abilities. She paused to take in the scents of Ionia once more. The winds had redirected bringing the smoke and terror from the village at the base of the Tevasa Mountains. As the euphoria wore off, her tails grabbed onto branches and swung her forward. With time definitely not on her side, she had few choices and wanted to protect the village.

She was curious but damned if she let the innocent die. Especially the humans she so dearly enjoyed and endeared. Taking a deep swing with all the magic she could muster, she sprang through the forest canopy and for a few moments flew through the air only to see greater smoke plumes in the sky in the far distance. In the Guardian Sea that separated Ionia from Valoran, the fox could see a fleet of ships bearing banners from the land she didn't know. There were many that sent magical blasts and canon fire upon the cities of the coasts of Ionia. From the ships, even smaller boats floated to the coast.

She descended to the first branch she could reach. None of this made sense. Who were these people? What were they after? Without a second thought, she took off once more, leaving the worry and the fear for another date. Right now, she could sense the village was in danger. She could smell their fear and their terror radiating like beacons of magic. She paused, sniffing once more. The scent of horses came into her nostrils, tickling her brain. Dropping to all fours, she pounced from branch to branch, covering great distances.

It was then that she found them. The scent of death followed the group like an aura. She crouched through the underbrush, doing her best to keep out of sight. Having fought in enough battles herself; she knew these men were intending nothing short of death. They walked nervously with their hands never leaving the weapons strapped to their backs and hips. Ahri berated herself, deliberately keeping as great a distance as she could. She was certain the captain had caught her position. She was certain he knew where she was; but not a thing was done.

They continued on their path through the forest, pushing closer to the mountains at a dangerous pace. Ahri wanted to deal with these men first hand, but she wanted to know more. With a rush of magic, she disappeared from their rear and took to the trees. Leaves rustled at her arrival, but nothing tipped the Noxians below. They continued on their march and a few even decided to lower their paranoid defense. Ahri was intrigued.

What are they here for? Her tails fanned out, casting a dark shadow as the sun began to set.

She followed until the village came into view. These men were too close; too close to her beloved humans. Suddenly, the Noxian captain turned to the seven men remaining in him employ and spoke softly, giving orders that the Gumiho couldn't understand. Ahri crept closer to the troupe without second guessing her position.

Suddenly, seven hands reached for seven arrows.

"Now!" The Noxian captain hollered.

Arrows shredded through the air, slicing at the bark of trees and even cutting her skin. Jumping back, the flames of her swishing tails created the perfect diversion for the Gumiho. From behind cover, she raised her hand to the sky, relishing in the feeling of her spirit coalesce within her palm. In her Fox-Fire form as she dubbed it, her energy had taken the color of red and green. Her tails fanned out once more, spreading in all directions, reminiscent to a demon and tendrils.

The Noxians nocked their arrows once more, preparing for the inevitable. Without a glance, three motes of swirling flame were birthed. Dodging another volley of arrows, the three motes exploded outwards, engulfing the first three in her vicinity. They roared out in horror as the fox fire melted through their flesh and armor. It wasn't long before all that remained of the three were smoking husks. Once more, the men nocked their arrows and prepared the draw.

Not today. Ahri glared, coiling her tails.

With a quick motion, she was propelled towards the first tree she saw. The Noxians were too slow for the cunning fox. She darted from branch to branch, dodging arrow after arrow, leaving the men frustrated. She smirked and quickly returned to the fight, a new burning look in her eyes. A Noxian rushed at her, swinging and lunging for her with a knife. Unfortunately, Ahri was too quick, dodging and evading each attack with masterful agility and speed. She danced around her opponent before she finished the job and ended his life.

Amused, Ahri took to the trees, full intent on using her favorite weapon in her arsenal. Leaping once more to the trees, she made great bounds closing great distances. Once she reached her preferred height, she took notice of the Noxian captain crouched between the overgrown tree roots with his bow drawn and ready. She knew, if she slipped up and gave him enough time; he could put that arrow in between her eyes. With the dusk and twilight past as her shroud, she silently crept down towards the wary captain. She spoke to him, words laced with beguiling power.

"Human…come to me."

The captain's features went slack and he placed his bow down against the base of the tree. Without a will of his own, he walked from the cover of the roots to meet the woman eye-to-eye. He stared at her with passion and desperation combined in a terrible mixture.

"Climb."

Without hesitation, the Noxian captain rested his palms against the tree trunk, not even releasing a grunt against the splinters. In his enthralled rush for the footholds, Ahri summoned a sphere of luminous energy. As it grew in power within her palm, its innocence belayed the immense power residing within. She drew back her arm in preparation, giving herself a ghost of a vulpine grin before hurling the orb downward.

The orb streaked through the Noxian before returning back to Ahri's palm, leaving the Noxian carcass to meet the forest floor with a resounding thud. The remaining scouts turned tail and fled, but Ahri would not let them get away so easily. Running became just as futile as hiding. She vaulted from branch to branch as she discarded of two men with booming bolts of arcane energy. Her eyes exploded with a burning fervor as the flames upon her tails flickered and danced. There's only one remaining.

The final man fell, collapsing in a tangle of limbs, clutching his own broken bones in fear of the beast before him. Ahri hopped from her tree and gracefully landed next to the man, a soft grin stretched in the glow of the moons. The man hadn't realized it was nighttime already. His eyes burned with fury at the sight. She enjoyed his fear but decided that playing with him was only delaying. She grabbed him by his throat, digging her nails into his neck.

"You brought this on yourself." She hissed as she hurled him with all of her power.

The instant his back met the tree, his life left him in the wake of powerful concussive force. Ahri was victorious.

But now; it was time to gain her prize.

While she was keener on letting humans keep their life; she was more than willing to take from the dying and dead. Kneeling and crawling about, she searched for one of the seven that had enough life force in them to feed her needs and ultimate dream. Sniffing and rummaging through the corpses, she found one with just enough. She placed her hands on either side of his face. The light of his essence flowed gracefully from his eyes and mouth, and the most thrilling and satisfying sensations filled Ahri. His humanity poured into her, and she felt the fox within her withdraw with every beat. Her tails curled in pleasure, her expressions euphoric.

Yet even lost in her glorious expression, Ahri's ears twitched. She could hear the sound of footsteps heading her way. The villagers, having heard the sounds of combat had come ready to investigate. Ahri's heart nearly stopped; they couldn't see her like this, draining what remained of a dying man's life essence. To their eyes, she would be a terrifying monster; a damnable half-breed, neither human nor beast.

Feeling a regretful pull at her heart, she tore away from her feast. Seeing the figures in the forest, she recognized men and women from the village that she watched from afar, remembering the friendship they might one day share.

But today was not that day, and Ahri turned to flee into the woods.

It had been many years since that fateful day.

Since then, the Gumiho had seen nothing but the destruction humanity could cause. While most of the reasons eluded her, confusing her, she was curious and did everything she could to learn more about the darkness in humanity. She travelled across the sea as a stowaway on a Noxian ship. Judging by their banners and the men and women dressed in red armor, she made it her goal to journey to their homeland. Maybe, she thought to herself, she might find a true way to turn herself into a human; without the destruction of more human lives; humans should be left to do that themselves.

Blood was on her hands and she had seen and done enough; from the men and women who died because of her to the ones who laid in her arms begging to die, and the others who were begging for life. Life that she could not give. She could feel the cry of their essence tremble within her grasp, but there was nothing she could do. For many years, she'd watched the humans destroy each other and even watched dark forces rise from the depths and the creation of great orders of warriors. In her years of travels, she even encountered a fellow animal that held human characteristics. A monkey that took pride in his skill with a bo-staff, his name was Wukong, and he was her only friend for a while.

Thinking back on the monkey brought the woman's thoughts upon that small village at the base of the Tevasa Mountains. The young child had died when the Noxians attacked again. The families had been slaughtered or displaced, and now Ahri had no idea where they could have gone. She just could not understand; how could humans attack innocent villagers?

Either way; that was in the past. Ahri told herself many times that it was not her fault, nor was it her job to protect the humans. No matter what she said or whispered to herself at night, it couldn't remove the void in her chest, a void that no matter how many lives she steals, it could not be filled. Thanks to her growing skills and power; she changed her outfit to disappear from Valoran. She wanted to travel as far as she could away from the sole supercontinent of Runeterra.

For years she did mercenary work from Piltover to Noxus and even to Yordle Land. Along the way, she met an amazing cast of varying people and characters; as she put it. In Piltover, she met the beautiful sheriff, Caitlyn who was constantly dealing with the infamous Jinx. Ahri was completely in shock at the blue haired murder machine that plagued Piltover, but did everything she could to learn about Jinx's intentions. In the end, she watched a great shootout between the sheriff and the criminal, which neither won. Bullets rocked the scenery, putting holes in every wall. A few even whizzed past the Gumiho nearly taking her head!

In Noxus, she'd had a short run in with Katarina, the Sinister Blade as she was called. The woman was honorable but vicious in every way. Ahri was at first wary of the woman, but she admired her tenacity and will to get missions done. Helping where she could, Ahri felt she'd made her first human friend. But learned that even with all the honor a human may hold; that Noxian dominance was too strong within Katarina, leaving the Gumiho to continue on her travels.

Leaving Valoran, she traveled to the Shadow Isles, expecting nothing more towards the north-west. But catching the sight of an unruly trade ship bearing bamboo masts and hull; she'd never seen such a vessel before and curiosity got the best of her. In the silence of night, she stowed away into the cargo hold, hidden from the sight of man and light. It wasn't long before night had disappeared and the dawn had broken across the watery horizon.

For weeks, the young Gumiho survived on salted and dried beef and loaves of bread. The trade ship pushed and shook against the beating the turbulent waters were dishing out. She stayed silent for weeks, listening to men and women run back and forth on the top deck. Storms raged above with thunder beating and clapping through the stormy nights and days. Ahri really wanted to come out from within the cargo hold but she didn't want to scare the crew.

I wonder if they know I'm here…. Ahri would ask herself. I wonder what they would do if they saw me…

But thankfully, she never had to risk the chance of ridicule. The storms had calmed, ceasing their roar and cries. At the end of her journey, she found herself in a foreign land, far from Valoran, far from everything she knew. Great expanses of trees were all she could see. In almost every direction; the forest had gone off for eternity. They were great and ancient, reminding her of the forest near the Tevasa Mountains. Humans were here, but she hadn't run into their villages yet.

It was strange.

She could travel for miles and only run into terrified traders and goods peddlers, but never has she found where they came from or where they were heading. For a while, she even tried to follow after them, but found that they would spend too much time walking towards some unknown location and continue walking. Ahri was miffed, confused by the human's indifference to her appearance and their apathy to her. Not a single man or woman paid her any attention and continued off on their way. It was as if she was invisible.

Ahri huffed and continued off towards where she felt was civilization. Judging by the great gather of essence in that area, the Gumiho was feeling confident. For hours she traversed through great fields of grass and even climbed over mountains and climbed trees that could give the ancient trees of Ionia a run for their money. She was amazed at the scenery of this new land. It sent shivers up and down her spine; from the plateaus topped with tufts of green to the glimmering beauty of the sea to the east. But still; no humans.

The longer she lingered on that thought; the more depressing the land became. Dropping her back to the trunk, she slid against the branch she rested upon. Her heart beat softly but not once did regret surface. As the sun began to set, her first day in this new land was soon spent. She began to drift to sleep, her tails wrapping around branches to keep her steady. As her eyes dropped and heart beat calmly, a euphoric feeling spread from her chest and exploded in every direction, tingling and tickling her in every which way.

This was a great decision.

Well into the night; there was a great deafening bellow across the forest. It echoed, radiating from the mountains and spread about, just barely managing to be received by the snoring Ahri. Suddenly, she shot to her feet, tails bunched up behind her. Still groggy, her heart beat with worry in her chest. Her breath was short and her muscles were tense. Orange-brown eyes scanned the horizon finding flocks of birds taking to the air in their great formations; while others were fleeing in fear of what was to come. Ahri had never heard such a powerful screech in her life.

She dropped to all fours and crawled about the trees, jumping from branch to branch, keeping her white tails bunched together. Beneath the moon above, Ahri glimmered softly but thankfully; there weren't enough inhabitants around to truly notice her. She sniffed the air taking in an entirely new scent; it wasn't magic, it was something…else.

What could it be? Ahri asked herself.

She came to a stuttering halt upon the branches; eyes darting left and right. Her nose twitched as her tails writhed. Ears perked and her senses heightened. With a flick of her wrist; she was engulfed in a soft white flame, revealing a great fur coat colored a dark maroon to hide within the shade of the midnight moon. Her tails had even gained a darker hue mixing with the silvery light of the moon. But the centerpiece to her beauty, a tiara of silver and leather had formed on her head, wrapping around her scalp and perfectly shaping to her ears. The gems within were her Fox Beads, glowing with her essence.

She dropped to the lower branches of the trees, yet stayed almost twenty feet off the ground. She pounced ahead, keeping to the shadows. Below, deer, stags and the rest of the peaceful life were running in the same direction as the birds. Picking up speed, the Gumiho finally found her target.

It was a grand clearing within the forest, spreading in all directions. Tilting her head, she ceased channeling her magic. On one side of the field, almost twenty men dressed in red and blue armor stood with great swords that reminded Ahri of Garen Crownguard the Might of Denacia and his massive blade. She and Katarina had encountered him enough for him to leave a lasting impression. Now that Ahri thought about it…

"Madara!" A voice cried out. "We don't have to fight. Stand down."

"Never, Hashirama." The man identified as Madara responded with a great bellow.

Ahri could feel the trees whither beneath his tone and volume. The winds shifted softly sending shivers throughout the cloaked Gumiho. There was a moment of silence.

What will they do now? Ahri wondered.

There were hundreds of armor clad men, each distinguishable by their armor or the crests they bore on their backs and headbands. She stayed silent and watched adamantly. Suddenly, great trees and entire streaks of wood sprang from the ground, tearing the landscape apart. Ahri jumped at the strange phenomenon. Across the field, Madara made strange hand signs that the Gumiho didn't recognize. Once he finished, he took a great breath that made his chest double in size.

"Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku!"

A sea of fire launched from his mouth, engulfing the new trees and even a few of the red armored men and women. Almost instantly, after Hashirama and Madara's attacks met the men and women behind them took off, jumping almost twenty feet into the air. Swords clashed and small knives sung into the midnight air. Their powers were stronger than the magic she had seen in Ionia and Valoran. This was something completely beyond her.

Great streams of fire spread across the battlefield, engulfing even the forest that surrounded them. Men and women did what they could with what they had. But one thing that was constant among them; Ahri noticed they all needed to do a sequence of hand signs. While she couldn't decipher or memorize the order of which they did; each combination had a different effect. Each time, the effects were devastating. She didn't care for the humans and stared off towards the wildfire spreading throughout the forest. Animals screeched and ran as fast as they could.

The earth was ripped open as a great chasm had formed. Madara and Hashirama were the easiest to distinguish, since they both had the longest hair and the strongest life essence. She was amazed at their speed and skill, both seemed almost at equal strength. They punched, they kicked and they sent elemental blasts of…something. Their elements felt natural, but for some reason, Ahri could sense their essence residing within.

As the battle raged and the landscape was ruined beyond recognition, she found herself almost a mile away from where she first caught sight of their battle. The land had been destroyed, reformed and destroyed again. Their elemental techniques were terrifying. She was certain these humans could give the Noxians a run for their money. In the midst of the ensuing chaos, the white haired man in blue armor with white fur covering his shoulders and nape, charged at a man that looked similar to Madara, hell their essence felt the same.

"Hiraishingiri!"

"Unbelievable!" Ahri rose to her feet.

The man disappeared in a flash similar to Master Yi. With a slash, the man was sliced through the abdomen, shooting blood in all directions.

"Izuna!" Madara roared over the settling chaos.

Ahri's ears perked softly. "Madara…you don't have the strength to continue fighting…"

"Please." Hashirama said with an even tone.

The one named Izuna coughed, spitting blood. "D-Don't trust them…brother…please."

From what the Gumiho could smell, the man was contemplating until his brother spoke out. What she saw was unlike anything she'd seen. With a quick hand seal, a great plume of smoke popped out of nowhere. Like she'd hoped, the two had disappeared adding on to her piquing curiosity. But in the wake of the battle, the men who wore black robes with white and red fans emblazoned on their backs began to surrender, falling to their knees with their hands raised high.

Now that the battle was over, the woman took off, detouring away from the destroyed scenery. Now she could return to her quest in peace.

The months past and Ahri had lost the scent.

There wasn't even a trail left behind.

Wherever this great beastly roar had gone, it was similar to Madara's disappearing technique. After the plume of smoke, Ahri had no idea where the man had went. No scent and definitely no trail. It was almost as if, like the Uchiha, the source of the roar had disappeared completely.

It was no matter to the Gumiho; she'd find it eventually. Of course, she'd asked herself why it even mattered when her sole purpose was to become human. She'd question her motives every day, every night. During her dinners and even during her baths. Every moment, she'd ask herself if it was even worth it.

She'd come to the conclusion that she just needed to shut the hell up and stop worrying about everything.

That was behind her now; she had finally caught up to the beast, having found great and incredible foot prints that darted the forested countryside. The sheer size made Ahri gawk with surprise. The prints were so large, she was certain she could sleep in them and fan her tails and still have more than enough room!

Without delay the Gumiho chased after the being who could've caused such monstrosities. But being the fox she was; a giggle slowly found its way to her lungs. To perfect her skill in the large jumps needed to get to the next paw print, Ahri took her time. Each time she landed, the giggle turned to laughter and from laughter to complete enjoyment.

But once the paw prints came to an end, her enjoyment ceased and a great feeling of worry replaced it. Before her slept a beast at least a thousand times larger than her. It was wrapped in its tails almost in a way similar to the way she would sleep. Curiosity got the better of her and she immediately advanced to the creature, amazement and terror held her in a vice-like grip. It was then that she counted the amount of tails.

A Gumiho this large?! Ahri was astounded, even trembling beneath the behemoth. How is it possible?

She backed away, doing her best not to wake the creature.

Snap!

"Who dares to interrupt my sleep?!"

The baritone shook the mountains; even the earth and trees bowed in reverence to such a voice. She had never heard such a voice, especially at that volume. She was surprised that her eardrums hadn't exploded yet. Intrigued, she walked ahead, finding the great nine-tailed fox was definitely more menacing awake than when he slept. But she most definitely wanted to know more.

"I did!" She cried from below. "Who are you?"

"How did a human find me?" The beast asked, blood red eyes seething with a deep glow. "No…you're no human."

"No I am not." Ahri smiled. Fanning out her bushy white tails, she gave the fox a clever smirk. "What are you! I've never seen a Gumiho this large!"

"A…Gumiho?" Kurama asked with a raised brow. "What is a Gumiho?"

"It's what you and I are!" Ahri tilted her head slightly. "A Nine-Tailed fox!"

"You don't look like a fox to me." Kurama lowered his head, sniffing at the woman. The woman blushed at the sudden proximity of the larger, definitely more powerful beast in front of her. "I smell a lot of human influence from you…why are you here Gumiho?"

"I saw your footprints and…" Ahri paused, soft brown-amber eyes widened. "Why do you have a high concentration of human essence?!"

"Eh?" Kurama gave her a look of confusion and even revulsion. "Are Nine-tailed foxes stupid where you're from? I have no human essence within me! I hate humans!"

"Eh?!" Ahri looked appaled. "How can you hate humans?!"

Kurama tilted his fox head. "Don't tell me you're defending those damnable monkeys!"

"Now, I understand humans take enjoyment in killing each other, but what gives you the right to say all humans are terrible?!" Ahri glared. Her tone changed from confusion to rage. "Have you even met humans, you big monster!"

"BAHAHA!" Kurama bellowed with laughter. "A cute little fox, so naïve. Humans are a curse, with no respect for nature, for chakra, hell, even for each other. How could you defend a species that whose very existence is based on exterminating your neighbors?"

"Not all humans are terrible!" Ahri was adamant. "Sure they kill and hurt one another, but so do we!"

"We do it for more natural reasons." Kurama glared, lowering his massive head to meet Ahri face to face. "Your naivety is making my head hurt. These humans that you're so keen on defending fight and murder each other for ridiculous things like country and kingdom and greed. We do it to survive, for sustenance. Nine-tailed foxes from where you're from really are stupid."

"Say what you want about humanity. I won't deny that they fight for stupid things, but even you have to have run into at least one good human!" Ahri glared. "And stop avoiding my question! Why do you have so much human essence! It's almost as if you're made completely of human essence!"

"Enough with the talk of human essence and good humans!" Kurama roared, cracking the mountains and even tore a few of the great trees from their roots. "You obviously know nothing of how the shinobi world works, you stupid girl! If you're not willing to accept the truth, then leave me be!"

"Someone clearly pissed in your dinner." Ahri glared. "I knew it was a waste coming to a being like me. Why am I the only one that wants to be a human?"

She collapsed to the dirt below, tails swishing around her. As each one danced around her, she grabbed one and calmly stroked the fur, running her hands through the beautiful and soft follicles.

"Look." Kurama sighed deeply, looking at the fellow nine-tailed fox. "My name is…Kurama. For future reference, never use it. The humans are vicious and have attacked me too many times to count. They call me a monster, but use every weapon, every ninjutsu and every technique in their seemingly never ending arsenal to ensnare me."

"Because they're scared? Containment…" Ahri asked. Kurama shook his head softly, running his chin against the dirt.

"No. They want me for the power I hold." Kurama frowned. "I understand that maybe, the humans you've run into weren't as bad…look at yourself then look at me…Ah…what's your name?"

"Ahri."

"I don't suppose you have a surname; Ahri." Kurama shut his eyes softly. "You're the strangest thing I've seen in my many years of life. Kyuubi-no-Kitsune with the body and appearance of a human…I mean, a Gumiho."

"It's the same thing I suppose." Ahri leaned back, pressing her hands against the dirt. "But…continue."

"I don't know why a nine-tailed fox would want to be a human." Kurama frowned. "It's strange to comprehend that you even look the way you do. But…if I were to walk to any of the human settlements and villages dotting the countryside, they'd immediately gather arms and try to kill me. But you; you're beautiful by human standards. They would look at you then maybe take precautions. Maybe they might attack you, but with their superficial nature, I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to take advantage of you."

"They wouldn't dare." Ahri gasped, mouth agape. "But if you're a monster, then so am I!"

"Tell me more, Ahri." Kurama flashed her a cheeky smile before dropping it.

"I have powers that you don't even know of." Ahri smirked. "Humans wouldn't dare lift a finger in my direction if they knew what I am willing to do to complete my goal and be one of them."

"You steal their essence don't you?" Kurama yawned. "And you were just now wondering if I did the same. For your information; no. I didn't. My origin story is too long to say in a single sitting, but all you need to know is I am a being of pure physical strength and essence combined into one."

"Sounds amazing…" Ahri smiled. "Just how powerful are you, Kurama?"

"What did I say about using my name?" Kurama frowned. "I am the most powerful of my brethren. There are nine of us."

"Other foxes?" Ahri asked with bewilderment.

"No." Kurama shook his head. "They're eight different animals, each one progressively stronger than the other until it gets to me, the most powerful. I am beyond your comprehension."

"So is your ego!" Ahri giggled.

"Heh." Kurama laughed softly. "You're not too bad, Ahri. If you don't mind me asking. Why do you want to be a human?"

"I want the companionship that they share…" Ahri frowned. "The other Gumiho were great but none of us were a real family…and I don't know. I wish I had one."

"A…nice…dream I suppose." Kurama sighed. "What will you do now? Clearly you're in need of human essence. As someone who loves humans, you sure are willing to go to great lengths."

"Not anymore…" Ahri looked down. "Take enough of their essence you begin to feel what they feel…the regret, the fear…I am looking at better alternatives than taking the lives from men and women."

"I'm sorry to tell you this Ahri, there are no alternatives." Kurama frowned.

The woman stayed silent, eyes trailing to the dirt beneath the great fox. Kurama had a bored look in his burning vermilion eyes, but at least he was being tolerable of her. She thought he was going to eat her before, but now…she didn't know what to think of him. It was a welcome surprise in her opinion. Suddenly, a powerful gust of freezing wind shot by, stinging the Gumiho as it caressed her flesh. The hairs on her neck stood at how cold it was. Almost immediately, her tails shot around her, covering most of her body.

Even with the cloak of midnight attire, Ahri still felt the cold pierce her skin. While she was warm, only so much warmth could go around.

"Come." Kurama's booming voice came to her. "You will freeze to death, Ahri."

She looked confused, standing with shaky legs. Kurama rose, turning about swishing his tails about as he repositioned himself to face her. His tails laid out forming a protecting dome of sorts. Kurama shut his eyes and nodded at his fellow nine-tailed fox even motioned her to enter the opening he left with one of his human-like hands.

"T-Thank you, Kurama…" Ahri said in a near whisper as she entered the warmth of the dome. It was protective, shutting off all light from entering, even from the moon above. She sighed in relief and collapsed to the dirt, shooting her tails in all directions.

Suddenly, a sinister smile spread across Kurama's face.

No…Ahri…thank you. You've given me the perfect chance to finally hide and be free of humans…

The sounds of birds awoke the woman from her sleep. The songs of the early morning played wonderfully in her bushy fox ears. But it was the beating sun that truly bothered her. The cold was gone and – wait.

"Why is there light?!" Ahri shot to her feet, confused and obviously groggy. "What happened to Kurama?! Kurama!"

She was met with silence and the soft breeze.

"K-Kurama…"

Desperation grew in her chest as she took off through the woods in search of her first possible friend. She reasoned with herself, he was probably out looking for food or maybe he was just out for a walk! Yes, she told herself. He was out on a walk and would return to greet her good morning!

She continued running, dashing through the trees, feeling the wind pulsate against her whiskers and tails. Finally she came to a shuddering halt, picking up the scent of Kurama. Dropping to the foliage of the forest floor, she crawled about preparing to pounce through the thick shrubs and bushes.

In the forest clearing, she could easily see other animals but nothing that warranted the great towering fox, hell most of these animals were probably a speck of dust compared to her giant foxy friend. She smirked thinking about the giant fox. Crawling through the brush, pushing branches and leaves out of her face, she came to find the animals had dispersed and the lake was left vacant.

Why are they so afraid of me? Ahri asked. I'm nothing like the giant Kurama is…and I'm not armed like humans are…

She stood, dragging her boots through the dirt and grass. As she approached the scent of Kurama, it almost permeated through the land itself. It was everywhere and it was beginning to bother her. Kneeling to drink from the lake, she froze immediately. Heat rose to her cheeks. She couldn't believe what she saw.

Eyes like Kurama's stared back at her. Blood red with slits for pupils. Her body was cold from how menacing she appeared. No longer were her eyes a soft orange-amber, they were monstrosities filled with rage and hate. What happened to me last night?!

Her heart beat heavily.

What did Kurama do to me…?

Her breath fell short.

How could he do this to me…?

Everything came to a halt.

Pain radiated throughout her body as her rage exploded. Chakra shot from her skin tearing at the lake and the dirt, slicing through nature. She cried out, screaming for help, but no one could help her. No one could hear her. Her tails writhed in her pain, swishing through the air and even tearing through the dirt as well. Suddenly, her legs gave out. Ahri clenched her fists, ignoring the blood cascading down her palms. The blue chakra turned dark, taking a red hue instead. It felt wrong; it felt foreign. It was Kurama's doing. It had to be.

This must be the power he spoke of.

She cried out, clenching her legs. They burned as did her arms. Ahri could barely move as she fought against the growing pain. It was then, the worst possible thing could happen; orange fur sprang forth. Her tails lost their white hue and adopted the orange of Kurama. Her boots shot from her human feet, only to be replaced with fox hind legs.

"No!" She begged. "NO!"

Hunching her back, her coat ripped from her body as fur and more vulpine body structure replaced her torso. Her breasts shrunk as her arms transformed as well. Skin ripped apart leaving her bare and covered in fur. Her face finally changed, extending and her nose morphed into that of a fox's button nose. Her teeth extended and before she knew it; she towered over some of the trees.

NO! This can't b-be!

Great tears fell from her blood red eyes. How could he do this to me?! I thought…I…I'm supposed to become a human! NOT SOME MONSTER!

She collapsed into her new arms and before she knew it; her body began to shrink. The fur began to recede. As the anger left her, so did the appearance of a giant fox. As the rage shrunk, so did her height and before she knew it, she was back to normal. Taking deep breaths, the fox appearance had disappeared, leaving a naked Gumiho laying in a fetal position. Tails wrapped around her nude body, trying to hide her private areas. She rose to her feet, channeling her magic.

What? She looked confused, almost distraught. This isn't magic…

After a while, she channeled the new power and before long, an explosion of fire and smoke surrounded her. Like she'd hoped, she was dressed again, leaving her in her classic outfit. Emotionally worn, she fell back into the ruined dirt, feeling the winds blow against her skin. Tears still streamed down her cheeks, but at least she wasn't sobbing.

"I will find Kurama one day…and I will kill him."

Months passed by like wind. As quick as the months began, they fled.

I am alone.

I am alone.

I am alone.

She told herself, over and over again.

How could anyone love me now…?

Tears welled in her eyes as her hands slowly descended to her base vulpine features.

How can I be human now?

She gritted her teeth, cursing the length her canines had.

I'm back at square one…the amount of human souls I'll need to remove these effects…

Her tails were wrapped around her, keeping the cold midnight winds from freezing her. But in the midst of her silent reminisce, a loud snap was heard.

"Who goes there?" She called, gathering magic and chakra into her palm.

"Kyuubi." A deep voice that sounded terrifyingly familiar broke through the shrubs. "I've been in search of you for months…only to find you've taken the form of a woman…"

"Madara…" She whispered.

The man in question broke through the shrubs, a clever smirk on his face. "It seems you know my name and I haven't even introduced myself."

"What do you want from me?" She glared, doing her best to reign her rage. "And what did you call me?"

"I called you the Kyuubi." Madara glared, eyes shifting in color. "And what I want is your power."

"Whatever power you're searching for, you won't find it from me." She spoke off-handedly.

This isn't right, Madara. A dark voice echoed in Ahri's fox ears. That's not the nine-tailed fox the Sage of Six Paths created. But she holds all of his chakra. She carries his scent.

"What do I do, black Zetsu?" Madara asked, narrowing his sharingan eyes.

Take her. The voice said with a deep baritone. What we need is the chakra…do what you please with the girl.

"I don't know what you're intending but if you dare attack me, I will show no mercy!"

Madara didn't respond and simply continued his advance.

"So be it."

With a smirk and a slight build-up of chakra, she brought her hand to her lips. With a quick motion, she shot forth a great cloud of pink dust, surprising the Uchiha and the strange being attached to his back. Taking no care, the blast crashed against Madara, expecting it to be nothing short of a genjutsu; little did he know, it was far stronger than a mere genjutsu.

"W-What?!" He lost control of his body.

"Come to me." Ahri said with a deathly tone.

Raising her hand, spiritual energy, separate from chakra, swirled, coalescing in her palm. It was a bright blue, mesmerizing and beautiful. With a smirk, she hurled the orb at the man expecting the same result as she always had.

But Madara Uchiha was no mere man.

"No!"

He broke free from her charm and even managed to dodge Ahri's attack in the same move. The look he sported was nothing short of cocky.

"Well, well, well." He smiled, obviously unable to control the laughter trying to escape his lungs. "It looks like the Kyuubi has missed her first – shit!"

The orb rushed back, digging into his back and through his chest. The surprised look on his face was more than amusing to the woman. The instant the orb returned to her palm, she sighed, relishing in the power radiating from the orb.

"Teehee…play time's over!" Ahri gave him a deathly smirk.

Madara shot to his feet, dodging a barrage of magical blasts. The bolts of magic shot forth, digging into the ground, splashing about. In the wake of the bolts, deep barreling holes were left. Madara's sharingan was spinning wildly, doing his best to read her movements. None of her attacks were done with chakra and it was beginning to make Madara nervous. He couldn't use her attacks against her.

"Let's have some real fun!"

Ahri dashed for him, closing the distance in a blink of an eye. Her fist lodged into his armor, sending him back a few feet. What the Uchiha didn't expect was the barrage of fire bolts heading his direction. Dodging them to the best of his abilities, he didn't expect her to do the same attack once again. Dodging her spirit rush as he dubbed it, he managed to weave in between the following fire bolts this time without getting hit. Madara chided himself. This beast is full of surprises. He jumped back speeding through hand seals.

"Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku!"

With chakra in her legs, she hopped away, letting the great blast of fire engulf the ground and much of the forest floor. As the man sped through more hand seals, ready to fight her again; he didn't take into consideration the fox's skill in the woods. Madara glared at the elusive fox. He could hear jumping from branch to branch. She was purposely snapping branches and twigs. She was even purposely throwing leaves around to throw him off.

"I know what you desire…Madara." She said in a near sensual tone. "Indulge me!"

"Okay, what the hell?!" A shrill shout ended the story. "That sounds like something right out of those perv books that Kakashi-sensei reads!"

Ahri glared at the boy in front of her. "Well let me finish you dolt."

"Like hell I'll let you finish!" Naruto cried back. "You've told enough of you origin story for me to get the picture!"

"H-Hey!" The Gumiho growled. "You asked to know more about me and I told you my story so you can understand my plight."

She gave the twelve year old genin a sheepish look. "I did ask to know more about you; I didn't ask for a history book worth of information!"

"Why you!" Ahri glared. "Byeong-shin, Naruto!"

"Eh?!" Naruto's eyes narrowed at the Gumiho. "What the hell is a Byeong-shin?!"

"It means you're a fucking idiot!" Ahri felt her body reverting to her base fox form. "Anyway!"

"Urgh." Naruto crossed his arms, glaring at the beautiful woman in front of him. "To think, the demon fox that destroyed my village fourteen years ago is this hot, but this annoying."

"ME?! Annoying?!" Ahri clenched her fists. "Of all the people I could get sealed in, I had to get sealed into your stupid ass!"

"Anyway!"

"Anyway!"

"I came to you for help." Naruto glared. "As you know, we're plummeting to our death because of my perverted teacher. So unless you want to die too, you should give me your chakra so we can get this started and get the hell out of this situation, okay?"

"Two stipulations." Ahri said after a long silence.

"Hey, lady." Naruto glared. "You're in no room to bargain!"

"Actually, in death, I'll be free of this cage and I get to continue on to heaven." Ahri sat down, blowing at her nails. "I could care less if I died."

"W-What…?" Naruto quickly deflated, blue eyes as wide as plates.

"You heard me." Ahri laughed softly. "Two stipulations; Find me Kurama, the fox that put me in this situation and the most important of the two; find me Uchiha Madara!"

Naruto backed down when the woman suddenly turned into a giant fox, filled with rage and power. But after a few seconds, she quickly descended back to her human form, eyes burning with a passionate rage, a passion that was betrayed by her playful smile.

"T-That's it?" Naruto asked confused.

"What? Were you expecting more?" Ahri snorted.

"N-No, it's just I thought I'd have to sell my soul or something." Naruto sighed in relief. "Isn't that what demons demand or something-?"

"I am not a demon!" Ahri bellowed. "Okay. Before I transform and try to kill you…are you going to agree or not?"

"I…I suppose we have a deal." Naruto smirked.

Chakra flowed out in a sea of bubbles, slowly surrounding the Uzumaki. Naruto felt nervous for a moment and for a moment berated himself for not thinking this through. But it was what Ahri's smirking face and very ambiguous words.

"Shall we?"

"W-Wait, Ahri!" Naruto shouted out. "Don't you think this is a bit much?"

"Oh Naruto." She sighed.

Don't you trust me?

So tell me what you thought!

For my reasoning to have Ahri meet Katarina
in my search for a good Ahri wallpaper for my desktop (don't judge me)
I ran into a wallpaper featuring Ahri, Blitzcrank, Teemo, Graves etc.
Among those on her team; KATARINA

:3

Okay, so for influences and references, Ahri will be like
the culture her myth originates

(For those who don't know, Gumiho is a Korean myth about a nine-tailed fox that lures, seduces and eats the livers of men to become human)

And because of my fondness of a certain Korean Drama that featured a Gumiho and a human as the main romance
I have been influenced slightly because of Miho lmao

So instead of Romaji, she'll be using Romanized Korean :o

Byeong-shin = the Harshest way to say 'stupid' in Korean

Well, review, follow and favorite guys!

Ja ne!

gottahavekyuubi