New Star Guardians! -fangirl screams- It's been 2 years and we finally get new skins! I just wish Xayah and Rakan weren't the dark versions though. Anyways, I thought I'd write a story about how they became fallen guardians and how Zoe ended up killing my favorite couple -sniffles-. Hope you guys enjoy this story!

All the Star Guardians will be making an appearance in this story, but will be divided according to Lux's team and Ahri's team.

Setting: Before the deaths of Xayah and Rakan (prior to their corruption by Zoe)

Rating: T (may change to M depending)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to League of Legends aside from my own plot and story!

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Light & Shadow

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Chapter I: Chosen Ones

"Oi Riku! Give that back to me!" Rakan said as he chased his familiar around the area, the former holding his pendant in its mouth while giggling mischievously.

Xayah extended a hand forward and Riku obediently sat down in her palm. She rubbed its furry head with one finger and deftly plucked her lover's pendant from its mouth before it could react. Rakan came over to sit beside her and she tied it back around his neck while Riku began chasing Saki and the other familiars in a game of tag.

"So how long have you guys been a part of the team?" Ezreal, one of the newly appointed Star Guardians asked, casually tossing an apple in the air.

"Far longer than you've been, pretty boy," Xayah responded with a smirk.

"What about me babe? I'm not pretty?" Rakan asked with mock hurt in his voice.

"You're the prettiest and most handsome out of everyone here," she answered with a loving smile.

"Okay, I'm out of here."

Ezreal got up from where he was sitting and went over to his own familiar Yuuto, rubbing him on the head before calling him back inside his gauntlet. The Vastayan couple tended to the fire. Ahri and Sarah had gone off in search of food, while Neeko dragged Soraka off to explore the forest and its creatures. Ezreal wandered off towards the nearby pond, giving the couple some peace as they cuddled against one another.

"Are you adjusting to life as a Star Guardian?" Rakan asked quietly, running a hand over Xayah's silky hair soothingly.

"It's dull and unexciting compared to our previous lives, but it's also a nice change for once."

"I agree, but you're by my side and that's all that matters."

Rakan pressed a kiss to Xayah's forehead, earning himself a smack to the face from Saki.

"Hey! What's the big idea you little fluffball?"

Xayah giggled and cradled Saki in her arms as her familiar puffed its cheeks out at Rakan.

"What? You're just her pet! I'm her lover damn it!"

She giggled again and leaned closer against Rakan.

"We're back," Sarah called, walking into view with a basket full of fish.

"Fish, lovely."

Neeko and Soraka came back at the same time with Ahri and the three of them were holding fruits in their arms. The four girls piled everything in the center of the forest floor and gathered around the campfire. Ezreal returned with all the familiars attached to various parts of his body, prompting the others to call them back to their sides.

Laughter filled the air as the group settled around the warm fire.

While everyone was asleep in their tents for the evening, Xayah alone was unable to rest. Wiggling herself free of Rakan's warm embrace, she poked her head out of their shared tent and quietly slipped outside to look at the moon. Crickets chirped their melodies in the quiet night, but their songs did little to soothe the growing sense of dread building deep within her very soul.

For the past several days, Xayah had the uncanny feeling she was being watched from the shadows by someone or something. Whenever she turned her head back to confirm, only darkness and silence greeted her back. The others weren't aware that they were being watched, but Xayah was determined to protect her friends from whatever threat it was.

"Hey miella, what are you doing out here all alone?" Rakan whispered, sitting down beside her.

"I thought you were asleep?" she cocked her head to look at him.

"I was until I felt you leave my arms."

"Rakan...I feel like there's something out there watching us...but I can't figure out what it is."

"Maybe you're taking this Star Guardian thing a little too seriously," Rakan chuckled, resting his chin atop her head.

Her ears twitched in annoyance as she playfully swatted at his arms.

"You know I don't joke about things like this mieli," she replied with a frown.

His arms snaked around her waist to draw her in for a full embrace.

"I know. We'll protect them from whatever it is."

A sinister laugh echoed briefly in the air around them and the lovers shot to their legs with their feathers in hand. Their ears twitched in various directions as they listened closely, but all they heard was wind whistling around them.

"I know I heard that," Xayah muttered, lowering her hand when she felt the threat was gone.

"I heard it too. You were right about us being watched," Rakan held her close.

Neither of them gained much sleep after returning to their tent.

-Somewhere on the other side of the forest-

"Come on guys! Let's go already!" Jinx said impatiently, tapping her foot in rapid succession as she huffed at her teammates.

"Calm down Jinx, the lake isn't going anywhere," Janna scolded.

"I just want to jump in the water already!" the young Star Guardian grumbled.

Shiro and Kuro bounced up and down on either side of Jinx's shoulders as she rubbed their heads. Lulu and Poppy were helping Lux clean up their tents while Janna tended to their breakfast. Thank the First Star they had the sense to pack a portable campfire stove and some pre-made meals, courtesy of Janna obviously. Syndra was sulking in one corner while her familiar Multi multiplied itself around her repeatedly.

"All done!" Lux announced, rolling up the last of the tents.

"Let's go!"

"Breakfast first," Janna planted a plate of food in Jinx's hands with a warm smile.

"She's right. It's the most important meal of the day," Lulu added, holding up her plate to the oldest Star Guardian.

"Bah! Fine!" Jinx begrudgingly joined her comrades as they ate their meal together.

Xayah groaned and rolled over onto her side, her arm smacking into Rakan's abdomen and jolting the latter awake from his sleep. He was expecting Ahri or Ezreal to be standing in front of their tent, but realized it was merely Xayah who had moved in her sleep.

"Xayah? My love? Wake up," he gently shook her shoulder.

"Ugh...five more minutes..." she mumbled into the pillow.

A smile tugged at Rakan's lips as he untangled himself from her limbs and stepped out of the tent. Xayah spent the rest of the evening tossing and turning, only falling into sleep when dawn was beginning to break over the horizon. Deciding it was best to let her get some more sleep, he went out to greet his fellow guardians and smelled meat cooking from the campfire.

"About time you two got up, we were beginning to wonder if you've passed in your sleep," Ezreal joked.

"In your dreams Ez," Rakan retorted, shortening the latter's name to annoy him.

"My name is Ezreal, not Ez!"

"I know."

"Where's Xayah? She's usually up by now," Ahri said worriedly.

"She's still asleep," Rakan sat beside Neeko and took over roasting the rabbit, the poor girl looked like she was on the verge of tears. Rakan knew why, Neeko had a special connection to the forest so it must be killing her to be cooking a defenseless rabbit like a barbarian.

"Why don't you go find some fruits for us?" he suggested.

Neeko's frown immediately turned into a smile and she bounded towards the forest on all fours, her tail waving happily in the air behind her as she camouflaged from view.

The entourage sat in relative silence until Rakan picked up voices from a distance and leaped to his feet.

"What is it?" Ezreal asked.

"Voices," Ahri answered, her ears flicking in different directions.

Soraka held her staff tightly in case the group became injured because of an upcoming fight.

The group tensed as the voices drew nearer.

"Damn Jinx stop running ahead of us!"

"Lulu, Poppy, be careful where you're stepping!

"Gah! Syndra, get your Multi out of my face!"

Another group of girls stumbled into the clearing and landed flat on their faces in front of Ahri's entourage. The girl with bright pink hair glanced up and upon seeing the star symbol etched onto their uniforms, widened her eyes and straightened herself up.

"You're Star Guardians!" she exclaimed.

"So we are, who might you be?" Ahri asked cautiously.

"We're Star Guardians too!"

The two groups merely stared at each other after that revelation.