Chapter 4 - Mending Broken Wings

AUTHOR'S NOTE!~

Hello again anyone who reads this! 
I was listening to This song, 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f51Vtb15cbk&list=UUggCLi4ga96SSxwxDz9YZqA&index=1&feature=plcp

And was Inspired! Seriously, The Yordles are amazing and you should love them as i do. 

Enjoy!

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The champion Riven was a mystery to many of the inhabitants of the League. To the Noxians she was a glorious war hero returned from the dead to represent her City once again. To the Demacians and Ionians she was a powerful enemy and one not to be trifled with. 
But to the woman herself, she was nothing. After her brush with death on the fields of Ionia she had wandered for a time, coming to terms with the shattering of her previous convictions. 

Until she had heard of the League. It had taken a lot to convince her that it was worth anything at all, but after the match to decide the fate of Ionia she gave in to the all most inevitable conclusion. After months, she made it to the League headquarters and signed up. 


Her dream was that of the pure vision of Noxus that she had fought for. That everyone has an equal chance, a Noxus free from politics and backroom betrayal. That illusion of the current Noxus had been broken, but her dream to see it become a reality burned still stronger. 


Life at the League had been easier than just traveling alone. Warm beds, food, showers. Yet it was all most as if she was in exile, albeit with decent living conditions. She could not face the Noxion reps on the Champion roster. Swain was a bastard and was most likely one of those responsible for the attack on her and her Batallion. Singed for the same reason. The other Noxions were to painful to face, they expected her to return to Noxus, still believing that she was worthy of their praise. 


The Demacians hated her on principal, She was a Noxion. Ionians hated her because she was a major name in the war on their homeland that tore them all most to the brink. She could never trust Zaunites again. The only ones she could talk to were the members from Piltover, who were always too wrapped up in whatever they were building or exploring to really care.
And so, she stayed alone, in her self imposed misery. 


Night had fallen over the League. Riven was wandering through deserted corridors. A simple errand, she was hungry. The League kitchens were a sight to behold, and one of the only things that stayed working 24 hours a day. Mind in neutral, she continued along the darkened halls. The path was a familiar one, not needing too much mental effort to follow, so she let her thoughts wander to other things. 


That was of course before a rough voice called out to her. 
"Riven. So excellent to see you." 
That voice was unmistakable. Swain. 


"What do you want." She asked the figure standing behind her. 
"I want you to return to Noxus." He said, cutting to the chase.
"I refuse." She quickly retorted, starting on her way again.
"Oh I'm sorry. I don't think I was quite clear." Swain said. 



A noise like the cawing of ravens rang out and enormous talons locked her feet in place. Chuckling, Swain limped around to look in her eyes as she struggled to get free. "I wasn't asking. I have always respected your abilities. To a great degree. Such a degree in fact that i can not have the possibility of them falling into some other country's hands continue to stay as such." He said. 


"Go to hell!" She spat back at him, still struggling against her magical shackles. She had left her sword in her room. Of course she had. It was heavy!
"Oh I will be. But not before Noxus is the sole country on Valoran!" He said.
"So I will repeat myself. I want you to return to Noxus. Full honors and station will be returned. The people idolised you. They can do so again."
"I refuse." She said yet again. "I will not play backroom politics and be the poster girl of your regime. I have my own dream of how Noxus should be. You aren't what that dream is." 


Swain sighed. He backed off a couple of steps. "Very well. I had hoped that I didn't need to do this, but you leave me no choice. I can not have you anywhere besides Noxus!" He cried, raising his hand. Riven steeled herself. Death was surely unavoidable this time. She was prepared. 


Out of the darkness a flash caught Riven's eye. That flash zoomed up towards them in the form of a blade, shaped like a key, which buried itself in the wall between the two. 


"I hope this is isn't what I think it is." Sora said, striding into view from the darkness, his other key blade still in his hand. With a quick wrist flick the Blade buried in the wall returned to him as he casually stood next to Riven, blades at his sides.


"Because as you know Swain, violence between the champions outside of the Rift is strictly prohibited." He said. 

His stance was casual, relaxed, nonthreatening. But he had put himself solidly next to Riven, slightly between her and Swain. 
The situation no longer in his favor, Swain backed down. 


"Indeed. It was but a chat." He turned his gaze back to Riven and her bonds fell away. Free, she jumped towards him intent on doing something painfull to his face. 


Swain limped back, starting to raise his hand again, before Sora once again jumped in front of Riven, halting her quickly. "The rules count for you as well." He said, a serious look on his face for once. 


"My thanks young champion. I bid the two of you good night. And Riven? Remember my offer."  With that he turned on his heel and limped away. 
Riven watched him leave, hate pouring off of her as she stared daggers at Swain's back even for a few seconds after he had vanished. 


"So. Gonna explain what that was about?" Sora queried, placing a hand on Riven's shoulder. 
That snapped Riven out of it and she slapped him away, taking a few steps away from him.


"Woah! Hey, calm down. Whats going on?" Sora asked, shaking his wrist. She hit him with the gauntlet hand. Pain.
She stared at him for a second or two before she relaxed a tad, standing guardedly back from him. "You are that new guy. The slut from the other universe." She said with a neutral tone. 


That startled a laugh out of him. "Well.. Yea that's me." He said. "What you doing out here this time of night?" He asked her. 


"I go where I will." Riven replied. "But for your information I was getting some food." 
"Oh really? I'm heading that way too. C'mon."  He said, starting to walk away.
Riven considered letting him walk away alone and returning to her room. But how long had it been since she had someone to talk to, free from the petty politics of the City-States. Plus, hunger is a pretty good motivator. 
Riven shrugged, and hustled to catch up. 


A couple minutes later and laden with plates and trays of various dead things they entered the main dining hall.

The Dining hall was a grand affair. A massive hall with two gigantic tables that spanned the length of the room, one mainly for the Demacian, Piltovian and Ionian league staff and one for the Noxian and Zaunite members. Off the main room Champions could access side dining rooms for private dining for groups or just to get some peace away from the normal staff. 

What suprised Riven however was the small knot of champions currently sat around the middle of one of the tables. The one that Sora was walking towards. Stopping in her tracks she paused, before starting to move off towards one of the side rooms. "Riven! Where you going!" Sora called out to her. She paused mid stride, slowly turning around. 


The small group was not what she would call hospitable to her. Lux, Akali, Caitlyn, Ashe, Riku and a beautiful blond who Riven didn't recognise. They had been too deep in conversation too notice her arrive, but all eyes were on her when Sora drew their attention. 


"Its all right. I prefer to eat alone." Riven said. 
"Ahh thats no fun. Come on." Sora called, plonking his tray down next to Ahri. 
"Sora? Lets leave the crazy Noxian to eat alone." Lux said, her clearly displaying her opinion on the idea. That put Riven's back up straight away. 
"You know? Dont mind if I do." She said, moving over to sit next to Sora and beginning to eat.


Uneasily Lux continued the conversation that they had interrupted. "So anyway I give up. Who are you?" She asked the mystery blond She giggled. "That's no fun. I had to give Sora a hint as well. Its like you don't even know me!" She said with a smirk. 

"But I don't know you!" Lux retorted. "I'd remember a body like yours and I cant remember You! Its driving me crazy!" The mystery woman only continued to smirk more. Frustrated, Lux turned to Sora. "So. Spill. Go on." She said. 
With a smirk only he could pull off he glanced over at the Mystery, who caught his gaze and gave a little nod. "Very well. Lets answer with a riddle. Whats massive, furry and is either Brown or White depending on their choice?" He asked. 

"Volibear." Riku responded. 
"Well... Yea... But no." Sora replied. "Ok how bout this. Whats massive, furry, wears a top hat sometimes, A beanie when it's cold, and a dress when he feels like it." Sora asked. 

"Well Tibbers but i don't see how...." Akali started before her head snapped up and she stared unbelieving at the mystery blond. Said blond giggled once again. "And it looks like we have a winner!" She laughed. 


"What? Who!" Lux, Ahri and Riku asked at the same time. 
"Annie." Akail gasped. Disbelief woven into a tapestry across her features. 
"Yep! Zilean owed me. He helped me out getting a body so i could share in your fun!" She said. 


Riven was just as shocked as the rest. That little hot brand grew into This? And why the blond hair? 
"You know there is a very slim line that's holding me back from jumping over this table and ravishing you in ways you wouldn't possibly imagine." Lux deadpanned. 
Annie laughed. "Oh really?" She said, seduction seeping from her voice, creeping into Riven's mind. Riven was shocked. Imagine what that would be doing to the person she was TRYING to seduce and not just a passive listener. That was some power full stuff.


Annie continued. "Would that be the age you see me as? Well lets just say this. Im quite adult. Why last night, I found Sora asleep on his floor. So I tied him naked to his bed.
When he woke up though, Oh sweet mother of mercy, what he did to me, I think you can imagine." Annie stood, moving over to stand behind Sora. "I didn't think it was possible to go insane from pure sexual pleasure. But Sora made that allmost come true." 


She stared directly into Lux's eyes as her hands wrapped around Sora, stroking his broad chest. Still looking directly at Lux she turned her head slightly and licked up the side of Sora's neck. 

Lux broke. She stood, her face emotionless, for just a moment, before actually diving over the table at the intwined two, tackling them to the ground. 
Riven gasped and moved out of the way as the three landed on a soft cushion of white tails that Ahri had graciously flicked under them to break their fall. Sora extraced himself from the two blondes as they furiously made out, tongues and hands roaming everywhere. 


Riven couldn't believe it. The two of them, furiously grappling with everything they could, hands, legs, tongues you name it. Right in the middle of the open dining room!
Sora managed to tear his eyes away from the two beauties and he glanced over at Riven's shocked face.
"What?" He said. "Oh right. New. Hey girls, save it for later, we have company. " Sora said, casually poking Lux with his foot. She broke away for just a moment.


"Like I care what some Noxian with a chastity belt so tightly locked its sliced off her own legs has to think about me." She said before going back to her previous engagement. 


"Woah. Hey no need for that." Sora started to retort before Riven interupted him, standing up. 
"Coming from the Demacian whore who thinks that fucking everything with legs that gets accepted into this place is a good idea!" Riven angrily yelled back. 
Sora tried to intervene but was once again shut down by Lux, who broke away from Annie and stood eye to eye with Riven.


"As if You have any right to judge me! You are the one who ran away from battle to never be seen again! Coward!" 
"RAN AWAY! My entire battalion was wiped out by my own countrymen! I was left for dead!" She yelled back. By this point Annie had moved over to grip Sora's arm, Riku, Akali and Ahri were slowly standing up, preparing to stop the seemingly inevitable violence. 


Riven yelled on. "And not only that! Just as I was walking over here Swain tried to kill me! If it weren't for the Alien in shining armor Id have been dead! And the worst part! I DIDN'T CARE!" 
Riven paused for just a moment to breathe before continuing. "I just didn't care. That was more scary to me than the actual attempt at my life."

"I stopped fighting. For the first time I stopped fighting. I gave up on my dream of a pure Noxus. One that wasn't ruled by men like Swain. I let everything go. I am nothing. I am a bird with broken wings." She said. 

Shock was written over the faces of the group. All save for Sora, who just looked sad. Riven turned on her heel and strode out of the room. 


Sora watched her leave. Her entire world tunred upside down and only surviving on the skin of your teeth? Yea. He knew that feeling all too well. 
"Well done Lux. Really well done." He said, sarcasam dripping from his words. 
"Oh come on! She's a Noxian!" Lux protested.
"Not at all. Swain wanted her to return to Noxus. Have all her titles and positions restored. She said no. She wants no part of Noxus as it stands. And I know exactly what she is going through." Sora replied wearily. "So as it stands, You are going to make this up to me." 
"But!" She started to respond, before Sora silenced her with a quick kiss.
"Lux, if you dont do this for me, no sex for a month." He went straight to the big guns 


"WHAT!" She cried in horror. "You're bluffing!" 
"Not at all." Sora said, deadly serious. 
"....Fine...." Lux gave in, as Sora knew she would. 

"Allright guys huddle up. Heres what we are going to do." 


"VICTORY!" The condescending bitch of an announcer cried, signaling the end of the game.
The champions were beamed up and away from the strange forest that had been their battleground. 


Fully materialised, Sora stretched on the summoning platform. "Man that was easy." He said, cocky smirk fully in place. The one of the summoners broke off from his companions and moved up to join the three champions still standing around. 
Sora recognised him very quickly. "A good game you three!" Justin said, bumping Sora's fist with his own. 


"You were summoning that round? Who with?" Sora asked
"Me." Riven replied as she stepped off the platform, intent on leaving as quickly as possible. 
"Hey Riven, wait!" Sora called out to her, stopping her in her tracks. 
"You have been avoiding me as much as possible, so now that I have you trapped i want to ask you something." He said. 

"And what could that be?" Riven said, turning around to face him.
"I wanted to make it up to you for the situation I put you in the other night. So come to my room tomorow. Talk for a while over some drinks. It'll be fun!" He said. 
"Im sorry but I cant." Riven replied.
"Oh come on, What else do you have to do?" Sora said.
The last member of the group skipped up to Riven's side, catching her massive gauntlet in her small hands. "Please come?" Annie  begged, her huge puppy-dog stare breaking down Riven's composure. 
Riven sighed. "Ok. On one condition. You never put Tibbers in a dress around me again. Its just weird." She said
"Ill try, but Tibbers loves wearing it funnily enough. He is all ways so happy." She said. 


"I suppose that's enough." Riven sighed, walking away. 
"Nine thirty tomorow!" Sora yelled at her retreating form, before turning to Annie with a grin. "Good work you. Your puppy dog eyes wilt even the strongest of wills!" He said with a laugh. 
Annie laughed as well. Justin stood there with a bemused look, waiting for an explanation. 

"Oh yea, You should come along too. It will be an entertaining evening, that i promise you." Sora said. 
"In the usual way?" Justin said, eyebrow cocked in  continued bemusement. 
"Maybe, maybe..." 



Sora's door was answered on the third knock by a beaming Sora. "Riven! Glad you could make it!" He cried, suddenly wrapping the unprepared woman in a tight, friendly hug. She stood still as a piece of wood, not quite knowing what to do. Fortunately for her she didn't seem to need to, as Sora let go rather quickly. 
"I just need a moment to get everything ready. Wont be a moment!" Sora quickly closed the door, leaving Riven to wait. 



Just as she was examining a small oily stain up against the foot of the door it was swung open once again by the beaming Keyblade master. "Allright! Come on in." He said, turning around and walking into the dark room. 
As Riven entered, the door swung shut behind them, plunging the room into complete darkness. Then, as one all of the torches in the room flared into life, reavealing the rest of the room. 
"Welcome!" 

To say Riven was stunned by what was revealed was an understatement the size of a six-stack Cho'gath. Annie, Sora, Ahri, Justin and Riku were reclining easily on a couple of couches around a small table, laden to the brim with delights and drinks. 


The men were dressed in stylish suits, Justin a charcoal and black, Sora in all black and Riku in a white with red shirt and tie. Ahri and Annie were dressed in evening wear, both purple. Annie's gown was a deep shade, with lacy black designs decorating the hem and up one side. Ahri's was very tight, accentuating every curve of her goddess like body. A lighter shade than Annie's. 


Behind Sora stood Lux, a tray of drinks balanced on one hand and dressed up like a sexy french maid. With a look of reluctance, she bowed to the new entry. 
"I.... I cant.... I dont..." Was all that Riven was able to offer, eyes passing over the well dressed group. 


"You dont have to." Riku said, gesturing to Lux. "Come, join us. But before you do I think the armor is a little to much for this gathering. Dont you agree?" He questioned the table, who all replied in the affirmative. 


Lux, setting down her tray, stepped forward, standing uncomfortably close to Riven.
Annie snapped her fingers, and a heat less wall of flame separated the two from the rest of the room. 
"Now we simply must get those gaudy Noxian rags of of you! Put you in something more appropriate!" Lux cried. 
"Im quite happy as is thank you. Hey, what are you doing... No! Enough! Stop that! Gah! NO! Stop stripping me!" Along with other noises of general distaste and alarm for a few seconds.


"Done!" Lux exclaimed, stepping back into sight. 
Annie snapped her fingers back again, and the wall of flame vanished. 
There stood Riven, clad in a shimmering blue formfitting gown, falling from off her shoulders to the ground. A silver locket with a stunning sapphire hung around her neck, a pair of silver high-heels adorned her feet. A pair of silver rods held her hair back in an intricate bun, leaving two strands to fall down and frame her face. Which by that point was deep in an unusual red color. 
The rest of the room just stared, awestruck. Lux stepped back a little further, beaming. 



"Wow." Ahri uttered. The rest could only nod. 
"What can I say. Life amongst Demacia's high class teaches you some things!" She laughed. In less than a second she was back by Sora's side, standing with her hands clasped infront of her. 


Riven just stood there for a few seconds, totally at a loss as to what to do. She was a soldier! Soldiers were not used to situations like this! 
Riku spoke, breaking Riven from her stupor. "Well? Are you going to stand there or are you going to sit down? Those cant be comfortable for you." He said, indicating her heels.
A most unusual of expressions, a blush, crept onto Riven's face as she sat down. 

Thus began a very entertaining evening. The five around the table simply talked, chatting about their experiences over their rather short lives. Riven was shocked to find out that she was the eldest of them. Sora and Riku were only eighteen. Annie despite her body at that time was only nine or ten, she didn't quite remember. Ahri was shockingly the youngest there, only being human for two years, and a fox for three.


Riven started to see the two boys in a different light. She had only just heard the stories from summoners and other champions of their womanising ways, and of the stedily growing harem they had built around themselves during their short time there. But what she didn't think of their similarities. 

Having everything you ever knew torn away from you in the blink of an eye wasn't something easily delt with. Yet delt with it they had, and she had to admit, Better than she had. They kept their confidence, their drive. She could do nothing but admire it.
Nothing changed about her opinion of Ahri. The nympho was rubbing herself up against Riku the entire time. 


After two hours or so however, Lux started pouring the alcohol. "Cheers!" they all called, Riven taking the more dignified approach and staying silent, bumping her glass against the rest. 


Three hours and quite a bit of booze later, only Sora and Riven were awake. Riku, Ahri and Lux had retired away to his room and Annie was passed out on Sora's bed, the deep snoring promising an interesting and painful morning for her. 

Riven was no stranger to alcohol. Soldier and all that.  Though Sora was able to match her drink for drink, impressing the woman. Thus an amazing ammount of alcohol was loose in her system, doing wild things to her. She was actually the most comfortable she had been with anyone for a very long time. So comfortable in fact, that she was lying up against him, wrapped comfortably in his arms.  
"You are beautiful." Sora said, breaking their comfortable silence. 


Riven blushed. Man, this alcohol was wreaking havoc in her head. Yep. The alcohol. That was her story and she was sticking to it. 
"No I'm not....." She murmured. 
"Yes." Sora said, voice free from all of its usual humor. He tilted her head up and stared into her eyes. "You are." 


Riven was dumbfounded. What was it about this alien that made her feel like this! The walls she had built around herself, her stoic self-imposed exile, all fell away in the face of this strange man. 
The walls came tumbling down. She quickly moved forward, and their lips met. 


As they did, a strange noise filled the air. Like the roaring of some beast out beyond the great barrier. Noises of grinding gears joined in. On the other side of the room a small point of light began pulsing , growing more and more until it solidified into a red, windowed box. 


Needless to say, the two were dumbfounded. They just stared. 
The door opened, revealing not the back of the box as they expected, but a room much bigger inside than it was outside. In the doorway stood two men. One was a complete stranger, the light of an intelligence they couldn't fathom in his eys. The other however seemed familiar somehow. Like Sora knew him from a long time ago. 


The two glanced around the room until both sets of eyes fell on the two pairs staring back at them. One's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh." He said. 


The other man glanced at him quizzically. "You know this place?" He asked. "Should have guessed really. Never mind!" He said, turning around to stride into his strange box. 


The other lingered for a moment. "So. Sora. Hows life?" He asked out of the blue.
"Bit strange at the moment." Sora replied, after just a moment go gather himself. 

"Oh it cant be that bad." The stranger chuckled.
Something about this man was so aggravatingly familiar! 
"Yea. Kinda stuck in the wrong universe at the moment. But I like it here."
Sora replied

"And who is this?" The Stranger asked, inclining his head at his companion. 
"Riven." She said, still confused. 
"And how many other women have you managed to seduce around here?" The stranger asked, a knowing smile on his face.
"Lost count at eight." Sora replied with a laugh, coaxing a laugh out of the stranger as well. 


"Would expect nothing less. I know you more than you know." He chuckled. "Well. Best get back to it. Best of luck!" He yelled, walking back into the box and closing the door behind him. After a few seconds, the same noise that had filled the room earlier returned, and the Box faded out. After ten seconds, they had vanished. 


Sora glanced down at Riven. "You get the feeling that you knew him?" He asked.
"Cant say that I did." She replied. 
"Oh well. That kinda broke the mood didn't it!?" Sora laughed. 

Riven cupped his cheek in one hand, pulling his head around to stare into his eyes again. "Oh I wouldn't say so." She said, before pulling him again into a passionate kiss.