A.N; So I thought about this chapter for a good, long while. I was thinking about how I could make this chapter a "turning point" in this fanfiction, and I've decided that it's time for a few more... Events... to happen. Sometimes, you just need a certain push in life to help you figure out what you're going to do, and in this chapter, that's what happens to David. Between the kidnapping of a certain person and a proposition, David's finally fully comprehending that life's not just entirely smiles and sunshine. Sometimes things happen for a reason. But that's enough of that, hopefully you enjoy the next entry in this story. :3
The course of the next day passed by rather quickly, between those with plans to attend obtaining said formal wear for the occasion. On top of that, David, Kevin and Tormenta helping set up for the dance, Ossarian, Fiora and Sejuani helping find proper nooks for the security (Garen, Leona, Kayle) to occasionally check up on the areas and as for Ahri and Irelia... Well, they were left helping prepare the meals for the evening (And to that, only Irelia was really successful). Afternoon turned to dusk, and dusk to night bringing about the start of the dance.
"I can't wait for the guys to see us in our dresses!" Ahri exclaimed, possibly the only one who was actually excited about showing off her appearance. To the other three; dresses restricted movement. More precisely, the heels did, and that could prove fatal in combat. That wasn't to say that they didn't look stunning though. Irelia wore a light blue dress, with the Ionian crest (at her insistence) embedded on the back of the dress. Silver frills adorned the edges of the dress, and the dress itself had the Mantle of Decorum on the upper right part of her dress (almost like a badge), allowing for a corsage to be pinned over her heart. Irelia's long silver hair was done up into a ponytail, with two hairpins woven into her hair.
Ahri's dress on the other hand was rather... revealing, as per her usual attire. This time Ahri had allowed the hair to tumble down her back in waves. Her amber tinted eyes sparkled amidst the soft lighting from the overhead chandeliers. She wore a strapless white dress with a small slit in the lower half of her dress for her tails to pop out of and float around gracefully. On the back of her dress was the Ionian crest, which she had tried to opt out of, but Irelia forced it upon her. The front of the dress gave a rather generous view (intentional nonetheless) of her assets. Her tails gently swished through the air behind her, as her ears perked up; a display of happiness for the youthful fox.
Meanwhile, Fiora stood to the right of them, less talkative than usual. In truth, she was slightly shy that she was in a dress again, but more so that Ossarian was going to see her in said dress. Her dress was crimson red, adorned with lighter red lace at her extreme request. Unlike her fellow females, Fiora bore not the crest of her country in plain view, but she bore it on each of her shoulders. She had the crest of her family, the Laurents, on the back of her dress with rather high pride in her eyes. Part of her was moderately saddened however, as she had been forbidden from bringing her rapier into the dance (leaving her feel slightly vulnerable and empty), but she was able to discreetly smuggle her main gauche underneath the dress (which was more uncomfortable than the heels she was wearing...) Her hair was done the way her Night-raven style.
Sejuani, on the other hand, was exceptionally nervous. Not only was she trying to impress Tormenta, but she was Bristle-less. Her boar had been forced to stay outside, due to multiple complaints that Bristle would eat everything in plain sight... And then some. Sejuani's dress was unique in the sense that it was line with white fur from an unknown animal (which Ahri hoped wasn't one of her siblings). At her cousin's request, she reluctantly put the Freljordian crest of the back of her dress. The dress color itself was an icy blue, similar to the color of Irelia's dress, but a lighter shade than Irelia's. Her dress extended to the floor, purposely hiding her choice of shoes (her fur-lined boots) for the evening. Sejuani had a few extensions added to her, allowing her hair to tumble down past her shoulders, but only just slightly.
"Where are they...?" Sejuani grumbled as she fiddled with her dress. "We've missed the first three songs because-" she started to say, as an arm wrapped around her waist.
"Good evening, beautiful. Sorry I'm so late." Tormenta whispered in her ear, as he kissed her cheek. Sejuani blushed furiously as she spun around in place, trying to cover the blush on her face with an angry look. However, that angry look faded away as she began to size up Tormenta.
Tormenta was wearing a black tuxedo, with a red vest underneath it. On the upper right pocket of his tuxedo, Tormenta had the crest for the city of Piltover embroidered on it. His hair was unusually flattened, though it was gel-less, which might explain a fair bit. He wore plain black dress pants and plain, but polished, black dress shoes. Tormenta had an expression of surprise on his face at Sejuani's appearance, but it was not an expression of disgusted surprised, but an expression of joyous surprise.
"About time you showed up! I was beginning to wonder if you would ever show up, you inconsiderate jerk!" Sejuani proclaimed, as Tormenta chuckled at Sejuani's protests.
"Yes, yes. I heard you from across the room. Never in all my life did I think you could look as beautiful as you do now, my lady. Still, I had a bit of difficulty finding you. It's weird, not seeing Bristle without a boar riding on top of him." Tormenta said, as he gently took Sejuani's hand and kissed the top of it. Sejuani retaliated by punching hi shoulder, but very gently.
"W-Well excuse me for looking better than you, you ignorant prick!" Sejuani shot back, as she thought about pulling her arm back but left her hand in Tormenta's hand. Tormenta merely smiled and leaned in, kissing her again.
"Shall we dance, my wonderful lady?" Tormenta asked, as he motioned to the dance floor. Sejuani looked to the dance floor, slightly frightened, and looked at Tormenta with a smile on her face.
[I guess with Tormenta, there really is nothing to fear...] Sejuani thought to herself, as she nodded.
"Hold a minute, Tormenta." Irelia said, as Tormenta looked over at her.
"If it's about David and Kevin, the two of them are over by the drink table, talking with Talon. Rather, debating about something." Tormenta added, as he walked off to the dance floor with Sejuani at his side. Ahri and Irelia looked at each other for a second, and then sprinted off, unintentionally abandoning Fiora.
"For the last time Talon, you are *not* going after them!" Kevin shouted over the music. David and Kevin had come to stop Talon from attacking Darius and Draven after the three of them had learned that Katrina had been assaulted by two unknown assailants. Talon knew better than that though; after the disappearance of Katarina's father, General Du Couteau, Talon had always had a sinking suspicion that Swain would target the two daughters of the house eventually. Tonight, he was proven right. Katarina had been attacked in her own by two people. No one had obtained a good look at them, but Talon didn't need to know who they were; only one duo would dare attack a Champion off the fields of justice with no regards for the rules.
"You can't stop me, Kevin. I'm going to see to it that those idiotic and egotistical brother get what they deserve for everyone that they've harmed." Talon stated firmly and coldly. "Besides, only Darius will be harmed tonight as it is. Draven's been here all night, trying to show-off and hit on the ladies. I don't think I need to mention who specifically..?" Talon asked, as Kevin and David shook their heads.
"I have a good idea who..." David muttered, as he looked over his shoulder for Irelia, or anyone that he knew for that matter. As David began to question where they were, something white with a black tip and fluffy covered his eyes and his mouth. Talon began to chuckle slightly, as the same thing happened to Kevin.
"Who turned out the lights?!" Kevin shouted, as a sultry giggle echoed behind them.
"What's wrong, Kevin? I could swear that last night you were just having such a wonderful time with my tails..." Ahri whispered into Kevin's ear. The music had died down to fade into the next song, as Irelia's eyes widened, hearing everything that Ahri had said.
"Y-You two did wh-what with each other!?" Irelia shouted, as she wrapped her gentle arms around David. Ahri lifted her tails away from the boys as she spun Kevin around to admire him and see how well he cleaned up... But more so, she wanted Kevin to admire her. Kevin was dressed in a black basic tuxedo, but the adornings are what captured Ahri's eyes. The fringes were light blue and gold, and his auburn hair was combed down, much to Ahri's excitement. She began to ruffle his hair, as Kevin looked at David with a look of questioning on his face. David shrugged.
"Just go with it, Kevin." David told his friend, as Kevin threw his arms up in protest.
"It's so soft~" Ahri said, while giggling. Kevin sighed deeply, as he pulled a small black box from the pocket on his dress pants, and produced a light blue rose for a corsage.
"And it's nothing, Irelia. Ahri was just having one of her usual fanatical dreams again." Kevin said as he went to go pin the flower on Ahri's dress. "... Could you have worn anything more revealing?" Kevin asked, as he fiddled around with the corsage.
"Stop trying to cop a feel, and pin it on. We have plenty of time for other things later~" Ahri whispered in his ear, as Kevin looked up at her, and narrowed his eyes.
"Get real. But for the beautiful woman in front of me, I bequeath a rose to her. Only the most beautiful for the fairest of them all..." Kevin muttered, as Ahri leaned in and kissed his forehead and then his lips.
"Well aren't you just prince charming tonight. Seems you might give me a run for my money if you keep this up~" Ahri cooed as she kissed him again.
"Get a freaking room you two." David commented dryly, as Ahri flipped him off, leading to laughter from Irelia and David. David pulled out a box of his own from his own pocket, and within this box was another rose but a light purple color. However, beneath the rose was another gift...
Flashback: Two days ago
Location: David's residence, 7:20 PM
"Are y'sure, lad?" David's father, Joseph, asked him again.
"For the third time, I'm sure father. I have no more doubts in my heart nor my mind. I'm going to ask for Irelia's hand at the dance." David said firmly, as his father chuckled.
"I told your mother the same thing maybe a year or two no older from how old you are now. If you truly do love her, then I'll have a ring forged from the finest gold by the dawn of the dance. Though..." David's father muttered to his son, "Be wary of who the own of this ring is. It might seem like nothing, David, but marriage is naught a joking manner, do you hear? Marriage is a token of exceptional devotion to another being. So if you truly feel this strongly about Irelia... And don't get me wrong, I know you said you have no more doubts in your mind but..." Joseph stated, as David shook his head.
"Father my love for Irelia is unmatched. My thoughts occasionally drift to a life of what could have been with Ahri, but... I have not once questioned my love for Irelia." David stated firmly. "My heart and mind are both in unison; Irelia is the only one I could truly love this deeply and this powerfully. I will not toy around with Ahri's heart, or mind, nor will I ruin the trust I have built with Kevin and Irelia. The three of them have shaped me into who I am today; the man that stands before you. I owe them a debt of gratitude that I fear shall never be repaid." David stated as his father looked into his son's eyes. His son was no longer the naive boy that had once been oblivious to the wonders of the world.
"You've grown, David. And I'm proud of ye. It feels like not too long ago that you came home, your shoulders on fire and bleeding like a waterfall. You were in incredible pain, and not once did you flinch or tell me it hurt and that you wanted it to stop. I thought that was the limit of what you were capable of; what you were able to endure. I was certain you'd be home within a week. I was wrong, and I'm happy that I was wrong David. Look at me, my son. I want you to realize something, okay? Not matter what you decide on, I am proud of you, my boy, and your mother would be proud of you too. Never stop growing, David, and never settled for anything less than what you deem is the most important to you. I love you, my boy." Joseph concluded, as he wrapped his arms around David and hugged him tightly. David returned the hug with equal heartfelt emotion and nodded as they let go and then stepped away from each other.
"Thanks, father..." David's voice trailed off, trying to keep it from breaking...
"D-David... Is this..." Irelia's voice broke, as she looked at the slender golden ring, with a fairly large diamond embedded in it.
"Irelia..." David's voice trailed off slowly, as he got down on one knee, choosing his words very carefully and lowered his head, "I'm not one of noble origin, nor am I of high status in life, but if one is certain, it is my feelings for you. I cannot love another as deeply and as powerfully as I do for you. I know it has only been maybe two months since you and I met, and sooner still since we officially started dating, but I know my feelings for you are unmatched, and that you are the woman that shall complete my life. So I ask of you, my beloved Irelia, will you marry me?" David asked as he gently reached for Irelia's hand and kissed the top of it, evoking a soft "awww" from a nearby beaming Ahri.
"I... I... Oh, of course I will David! Ever since I met you, I've managed to experience what true love really feels like. David, you captured my heart since the first day I glanced at you, and you have yet to harm it. David Firebrand, I love you and yes, I will marry you!" Irelia shouted, as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. The two began to kiss, as Ahri leaned on Kevin's shoulder.
"This is the part where you give me my ring too." Ahri told Kevin, as Kevin scoffed.
"You'll get a ring when you stop trying to ruin my innocence with your devious plans and your tails." Kevin shot back, as Ahri kissed him.
"My 'Devious Plans' might include a bit more than just kissing and tails." Ahri's voice whispered seductively in Kevin's ears, as Twisted Fate's voice came over the intercom system;
"Pardon the intrusion ladies and gents, but we've got a special song from a long distance summoning world; it's called 'Gangnam Style', so I'd like to invite all of you that know how to dance to that song to come right on up to the big ol' dance floor and dance your heart out!" Twisted Fate concluded, as Draven took center stage, mocking Twisted Fate's dance.
"Let's all stand back and admire me for a while! ... Not like you chumps don't already, but hey, doesn't hurt to keep doing it! Oppa Draaaaaaaven style~" Draven shouted, as Tormenta and Kevin glanced at each other from across the room, a plan already formulating in their heads. Tormenta walked over, with an arm around Sejuani and Fiora, as he nodded.
"Have any of you seen Ossarian?" Tormenta asked, as Kevin shook his head.
"Not tonight, nay. Why?" Kevin asked, as Tormenta shook his head.
"We can't find him anywhere. But we'll look for him later. For now, I need your help, Ahri's help, and Irelia's help." Tormenta said, as Ahri frowned.
"Why can't you get David to help you instead of Kevin?" Ahri asked, as Tormenta shook his head.
"I need someone that I know will work with me and do almost anything. Namely punching Draven in the nads." Tormenta said.
"Yeah, I can't do that. I hate Draven, but not THAT much. I'll watch." David offered, as Ahri giggled, and leaned on Kevin.
"Shall we then, sweetheart?" Ahri asked, as Kevin looked at Irelia.
"You don't have to help us, you know." Kevin told Irelia, as Irelia walked over and linked her arm around Kevin's.
"If it's to harm Draven, then yes. I'll go along with it. But only this once." Irelia stated firmly, as Kevin and Tormenta grinned.
"Excellent..." Tormenta and Kevin said, as they both began to chuckle darkly. David face palmed and turned back to Talon to discuss matters, only to find that the assassin had already left.
"Tsk..." David muttered aloud, as he noticed a white card on the table with his name on it. Had Talon written it while he had confessed to Irelia? Or was it a pre-emptive not, in preparation for tonight? Either way, David knew he had to open the letter and read it... Only to find it wasn't from Talon at all.
"To my Dear David,
Greetings, David Firebrand. Until now, I have avoided actual contact with you outside of Summoner's Rift. I write this letter to you in hopes that you are in good spirits, so that I may savor crushing the life out of you and your friends in our upcoming battles. Oh yes, David, I know all about your little 'resistance' charade, that group of Champions and nation that cling together for support. I humbly offer you a chance at joining myself and my allies. Think it over, I insist. I'll be expecting your response in the courtyard at the end of this week at High Noon. Should you choose to ignore this request, I will proceed to execute the Du Couteau daughter. It would be a real shame if something happened to her, and that Demacia or Ionia was blamed for her death, now wouldn't it?
~ General Jericho Swain"
Furious with himself, but more furious with the turn of events, David slammed his fist into the catering table.
"Dammit!" David shouted, barely audible over the music, :This is an obvious bait for a trap but... I can't just allow Swain to kill Katarina... Gods, damnit all..."
"Oh, oh oh oppa..." Draven began to say, as Tormenta and Kevin danced up to him and they began dancing around Draven...
"Oppa dickpunch style!" Tormenta roared, as he took his arm away from Fiora and Kevin let go of Irelia's arm, and the two of them punched Draven in the manhood as hard as they could. Draven's eyes widened as he was lifted off the floor from the force of the punch and fell backward, in intense pain.
"That's what you get you, you egotistical Noxian prick! That's vengeance for all the lewd jokes you used on us women!" Sejuani shouted, as the final for the song started playing, prompting Tormenta, Sejuani, Fiora, Kevin, Ahri, Irelia and Twisted Fate to take center stage, blocking Draven from view and begin dancing. David looked on at his friends' action, and sighed deeply. He knew it was hilarious that Draven finally got what he deserved, but he couldn't help but feel regret and remorse that he failed to protect another person. A gentle hand rested on David's shoulder, followed by the soft flapping of wings, as he looked over his shoulder into the soft eyes of Kayle, the Judicator.
"You seem troubled, David. A chance to insult and mock Draven, and you didn't laugh at it, much less take the chance to do it? Something must really be bothering you." Kayle inquired, as David frowned slightly and nodded.
"Aha, that there is, Kayle. It would appear that Swain has heard of our resistance group after all. He is currently holding Katarina captive, and I do not understand how Swain could have known about this, much less delivered this note to me in the middle of the dance, when he purposely opted out tonight..." David pondered, as Kayle shook her head.
"Birds have eyes and ears, David. Do not find yourself surprised to know that Swain potentially used his raven, Beatrice, to spy upon our meeting the other night." Kayle reminded David, as David nodded slowly.
"Aye, I know. I think I have a faint idea where Katarina might be held actually. There's a place where a Raven constantly enters and exits on the fourth floor of the main building. There is no visible entrance from that floor to that room; I've tried looking myself. If anything, I feel that's where swain must be keeping her, or at least, where Swain does his plotting." David said, as he accidentally dropped letter on the ground. Kayle shook her head.
"And you intend to go alone?" The angel asked, as David shook his head.
"Of course not! You're coming with me, Kayle. Surely you didn't assume I would just exclude you from this?" David asked, as Kayle smiled and shook her head again.
"I've oft wondered who the tactical mind was out of your group of four; I think I have my answer. And what of Irelia and your friends? Will you just exclude them and run off?" Kayle asked softly, as the song just stopped playing. David began to make his way towards the exit, using crowds of people as cover.
"I shoulder, I know, but that would be far too many that would want to go. I cannot endanger Irelia with this; I know we'll be fine if we hurry and are careful about this..." David concluded, as he allowed himself one last long glance over at Irelia.
[I love you Irie, I do. But there are things that I must take care of without your help, to ensure that you and I are both happy...]