Freak accidents happened, more so in the environment she worked on. One of Kodaka’s potions backfiring and having unintended side-effects, a wish granted by Alex being twisted so that it went slightly above what asked, or one of Galex’s spells straying a bit far from the expected results. And if there was anything one could say about the results, it was definitely that they were varied.
But none had been permanent, and much less catastrophic, a fancy and even tasteless way of describing her current situation. She was waist deep in trouble, and it was not getting better anytime soon. The transportation had gone horribly wrong, having her appear… hell knows. Alone, completely lost, and with no way to get home.
She had started walking, wandering aimlessly. She didn’t know if it was better to simply hunker down, waiting for the sun to rise, or take the initiative. The first could make her a sitting duck, while the second could expose her without ever knowing where danger came from. And her showgirl outfit certainly wasn’t the best to move around.
The forest that surrounded her loomed like a predator on its prey. Every shadow seemed to harbour a hidden threat, every sound could belong to horrors of the dark that could, and would, feast on her. And the distant faint glowing lights… she refused to even think what those could be.
Her march was slow and miserable, as she wandered aimlessly. Without any idea where she had been going, thorns and bark and rocks she did not see cut her skin time and again. The landscape was wild and untamed, testing her every move. She could have been on the way out of the forest or heading for the very heart of it… or maybe she had just been walking in circles, wasting time and energy. And all along she felt as if something was constantly watching her, waiting for the perfect chance.
Maybe it was better to set up “camp” and wait the night out, going along with what the forest wanted and hoping for the best. Thoughts of things she had never even attempted crossed her mind, but it was worth trying. Catching her breath and steeling her nerves, she looked around. Plenty of trees but none that she could use, as the sturdy trunks were completely solid. But the forest finally gave her a bit of respite, as she found a hollow tree stump. Or what remained of it.
It was sitting under the moonlight, right next to a stream, its body long past its prime as it tried to reach skyward, bare of branches and leaves. Very different from the rose-leaved trees that had seemed so threatening not long ago. The water next to it ran clear and glistening, some small flowers flowing fainty along the shores of it.
Maya had long taken off her shoes, high-heels not the best footwear for a trek in the forest, and she slowly put her feet on the water. It was cold, and the scratches and cuts stung, but it alleviated the soreness. Sitting down on the rocky shore of the stream, she finally calmed down, allowing herself to sigh. With her eyes closed, she simply listened to the sound of the forest, now less threatening and more mystical.
“That was one hell of a first impression.”
She spoke to no one, and to everything around her. And the forest seemingly found it funny, as water splashed and drenched her a bit from head to toe.
“Very funny.”
She stood up, now less worried about threats and more about what she was about to do. She walked to the tree stump, an old tree that was missing most of it, having definitely seen better days. It had been cut by some force of nature if the splintered wood was anything to go by, and with extreme care, she stepped inside. Still, the bark still managed to cut her outfit here and there.
She inhaled deeply, focusing her mind on the stump. It was still alive, but barely. Getting a clear picture of it, she touched the plant on its death throes. A new tree could draw too much attention, but for a night… She was probably way over her head, but she focused on something simpler, something that could carry on without her when she left in the morning.
“If it comes down to that, I guess I could make it a more permanent refuge…”
She felt the plant merge with her, as well as the roots slowly grow longer, reaching for the water. The wood changed and shifted, groaning while doing so. It became new and young, much smoother and welcoming, as it reshaped itself in a bowl of sorts. Giant bulbs appeared on the wood around her, growing as it drank more and more water, blooming into a halo of massive petals.
Looking down, Maya saw her own outfit change, shifting from fabric to an ivy-like plant. Just as revealing and teasing as she was used to, but one that covered all of her intimate areas. All of it shared the same beautiful dark blue, although the petals took a lighter shade the more they approached the wooden bowl she stood in. Her skin had taken a light hint of green too, or that was what she looked like under the moonlight.
She could feel liquid at her feet, quickly making its way up as the bowl filled steadily. A transparent and slightly viscous thing, with a sweet taste to it as she dipped a single finger out of curiosity. Far from the chilly touch of the stream next to her, it was warm and gentle, almost like a shower or a bath.
“A warm shower or a bath… Don’t worry Kodaka, I’ll find my way back.”
Homesickness wormed its way into her mind, as her thoughts wandered from one thing to another. Kodaka, Gale, Alex, Dana, Vale, Galex… she would see them again, she would make sure of that. The golden question was, how long would it be? Following the beat of homesickness, a slight tinge of worry and sadness made itself known in her heart. She knew how her girlfriend was, and she could only hope that she would manage the stress properly.
Her eyes slowly closed, as exhaustion finally caught up for good. Making herself comfortable, she slowly drifted off to sleep, trying to feel a bit less lonely with the memories of her friends and, above all, of Kodaka.
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A loud clang perforated her ears, bringing her back again to the realm of the living. Under any other circumstance, she would have woken up startled and maybe even frightened, but it wasn’t the case any longer. It hadn’t been for two or three days already.
She was starting to lose track of time for good, but it had been more than a week since that night. A week with barely any rest. A week of exhaustion. She never thought she would miss that flower so much, but it was leagues better than her current iron cage. A cage to hold her within, treated less like a prisoner and more like she was an animal or a trophy to be exposed.
“Or worse…”
She shuddered as her captors pulled her out, taking her somewhere else in the camp. She was dressed with the tatters of her outfit and her high-heels, and each walk felt less like an order and more like they were parading her around. She tried to keep a perfect poker face, but she couldn’t help but stumble with her depleted strength.
She had first seen them when she had come out of the flower the next morning. People, finally. And humans to boot! She had approached them, hoping for even the smallest sliver of help.
“Maya, you naïve idiot.”
She had chastised herself time and again, for not having taken more precautions. Because their plated armour and long swords were something not to pay extra attention to! Memories got blurry after that, fading to black. And once she came around again, she was in a cold iron cage. The same cage she had occupied ever since, always with the feeling of being watched from afar.
Ever since she was thrown in there, she had repeated the same story to her captor and interrogator. Or tried to, and very probably miserably failed at, as their language was fully alien to her. She had barely fumbled with a few words, but she had tried taking good care of not mentioning her abilities. Or further explaining them at least.
The surrounding environment was nothing but a blurry collection of shapes and colours, her tired eyes blending all she saw into an all-encompassing landscape. Some noises could be heard, but nothing she could immediately tell what it was. Beside the voices that was, different pitches and tones, but all reacting to her. And as the humiliating parade came to an end, she was shoved by the two soldiers inside a tent.
The same tent she had been interrogated the other times, but the usual suspect, the woman in plate armour and scar on her face, was nowhere to be seen. In her place there was another woman, one dressed in a much skimpier outfit that didn’t cover that much of her. Leather and cloth criss-crossed over her trunk and all the way down to her hips, right leg covered by a piece of long and flowing cloth while the left sported a sock or pantyhose all the way to her calves.
All of it in dark colour to match her short hair, while the gold in her outfit provided some contrast. A cape that flowed behind and around her, with the same decorative patterns as the leg cover; while the headgear was quite eye-catching itself, a golden crown with a gem over her forehead. Something that went rather well with the massive staff she held, some crystal shards levitating on top of it.
Maya remained silent, as the two soldiers had her sit down in a wooden stool, the new woman saying something to them. The moment they were out of the tent, the staff lit up, glowing for a moment before the light vanished just as swiftly. The woman stood before Maya, lips curling into a small smile, like a predator watched her prey.
“I’ve been told that you don’t speak a word of our language. This will make it much easier for you to talk.”
Maya remained silent, simply glaring at the woman while trying to look as stalwart as possible. The woman didn’t even acknowledge her antics, closing the distance and walking around her. Even though she tried to remain still, she couldn’t help but follow her with her gaze each time that she walked before her. Once, twice, thrice…
The woman continued to circle her, only to change direction. Clockwise, counter clockwise, time and again. Left, right, left, right… even in her state, Maya could tell something was off. The pace she moved at did not match how long she had taken before.
“You are a very intriguing captive.”
Left.
“The report about you is… peculiar to say the least.”
Right.
“We know of the nature of the Ionians.”
Left.
“But you, you are unlike any seen before.”
Right.
“The soldiers say they saw you come out of a flower.”
Left.
“A creature part human, half plant.”
Right.
“And that you parted ways with that side of yourself.”
Back.
Dizzy and confused, Maya stiffened when she felt the voice come over her shoulder. She tried to keep facing forward, but fear got the better of her, looking briefly to the side. The woman’s face was uncomfortably close, and her eyes blazed with a terrifying gaze.
“Oh, the possibilities. I do wonder though, what can you merge with?”
Maya shuddered at the woman’s voice. The tone was terrifying, making it clear she was leagues above the rank and file in armour outside. She had considered merging with the cage, just to dip her metaphorical toes on the water. But she hadn’t gone through with the idea. If it worked, what would be the result? And what if while doing so the metal groaned? That would immediately raise alarms, and take out any chances of escaping she had. Should things go wrong, maybe she could use that as a way to defend herself, or buy some time? But would it work?
“Eh?!”
Maya had yelped loudly, as she felt something behind her, and to her horror her ability triggered. Instinctively, she reached behind her, touching the arm of the sorceress after she had put her hand on Maya’s back. The clothing of both started to slither and shift, as it tried to merge around them.
Standing up, the two of them were coming closer and closer, her body jerking and trying to find some comfort in the merging as the cloth attempted to form a cocoon around them. Maya’s mind raced in a panic, her breathing becoming quick and erratic as the merging slowed down. It was still advancing, but at a much slower pace as her mind fought against her own ability.
“No!”
“NO!”
“NO!”
With that shout, the cocoon became undone, the two women fully separated again. Unlike a moment ago, it was almost instantaneous, and she fell to the floor panting. Despite her blurry vision, she could still make the sorceress’ shape. She was glaring at her, despite her cold exterior, Maya smirking weakly.
“So you do trigger it at will, … but it can be caused if taken by surprise.” The witch said. “ It seems to be restricted to living beings too. Interesting, most interesting.”.
The woman closed the distance and knelt next to her, grabbing her face and making Maya face her. Despite the defiance, she couldn’t help but be scared to the very core of her soul.
“Don’t worry, I will get what I want of you, and you will wash that smirk off your face. Who knows, I might find some use for you as a trophy.”
The sorceress stood up again, barking for the guards, who immediately entered the tent. Following her orders, they picked her up and started heading for the entrance, only to be stopped.
“She still seems quite lively. Wear her down, exhaust what remains of her strength.”
They left the tent and the woman behind; Maya being dragged by the two soldiers in plated armour. Better to play dumb, to make it look like she couldn’t understand what they were saying at all. Mockery and insults were little compared to that woman, and she would gladly be limply taken back to the cage. She closed her eyes, maybe she could finally get some rest out of sheer exhaustion and stress.
The way back felt brief, much shorter than before, maybe because of all she could now understand. It wasn’t a constant ocean of senseless sound, instead a myriad of voices talking about… well, everything. From routine and trivialities to complaints about this or that. All of it having the background noise of armour clanking, weapons and blades being sharpened, and orders being barked.
The boots of her captors sounded heavy, footsteps dragging her around and less parading her this time around. But it all came to an end the moment she was thrown into the ground. Confused, she looked up, her two captors glaring down at her. One mountain of a man under heavy plated armour, while the woman next to him had her face visible.
“Orders are orders.” She turned around, walking to a panoply and looking for something. She returned with a whip on her hands, the thing having several tails and making Maya grimace. “You will be exhausted, alright.”
The whip cracked, Maya recoiling at the contact with it. The woman’s expression changed to one of glee, wielding the whip time and again. It didn’t always hit, but each time it did Maya’s vision and mind cleared fully for a split second, right before the pain tried to overwhelm her.
“That’s a pretty fancy outfit.” The massive man commented. “What do you think it’s for?”
“Don’t know, don’t care.” Retorted the woman.
Crack!
Maya winced, taking a couple of steps back. Steps that looked like little jumps, even if her high-heels weren’t the best to do so.
“Light on the feet, aren’t you?”
Crack!
She lifted a leg, trying to avoid the tails of the thing. But to no avail, as some cuts started bleeding.
Crack!
Again.
Crack!
Crack!
Each time, she tried to get out of the way, but at least one of the tails always made contact. She barely realized too that her movements mimicked those she performed at the stage back home.
“Home…”
She tried to hold those thoughts at bay. She missed it so much. Her friends, her job, her dear Kodaka. But she kept the front as well as she could. She wouldn’t give them the pleasure to see her break, or not yet at least. They wanted her to dance? She would make sure they were entertained enough.
With each crack of the whip, she tried to make a rhythm, to use it as a base for her moves. And her captor seemed to catch on, as she tried to throw her off balance by increasing or decreasing the frequency of hits. The whip seemed to hit the ground more often instead of her though…
The spectacle drew in a small group of soldiers. Some clapping, some joking among themselves, some pointing and mocking. And meanwhile, Maya looked around. She wasn’t next to the cage, in fact it seemed like a common ground of sorts. A half-lit fire was nearby, in preparation for the night as the skies took on a rosy colour and light dimmed. Tents lined next to the meeting point, but it was notably on the exterior part of the camp. And not that far… the glade’s edge.
“So close…” She was tempted to make a run for it, but they would be hot on her-
It was a moment, two glistening lights and a whispering sound, followed by the sound of metal tearing flesh. And then there was silence. The whip fell to the ground, the woman taking her hands to her throat as colour was drained from her face and her mouth opened. She tried to scream, to sound the alarm, but no sounds came other than choking. She fell limp to the ground, as the blood started pouring.
And then all hell broke loose. Maya threw herself to the ground, as soldiers sounded the alarm and mounted a defence. The face of the dead woman was horribly close, her empty eyes looking at Maya as if blaming her.
Footsteps sounded nearby, quick and light, as the cacophony of weapons returned. The sound of blades flying around her, striking their targets as the attacker proved horrendously light on her feet. Looking up for a moment, Maya saw the figure of a woman throw herself at the soldiers, dextrously wielding an array of blades. She jumped from one to the next, leaving behind her a body count that only got higher.
“It’s the blade dancer!”
They were disorganized, terror clear on the voices that repeated the name. Some tried to fight back while others attempted to run away, only to be cut down mercilessly. But as the mountain of a man fixed his attention on her, Maya took her chance and ran. Her feet didn’t care about her high-heeled shoes, carrying her as fast as they could into the protection of the trees. Only after reaching the glade, she allowed herself to look behind.
“Enough of your trickery, Ionian!”
The woman was surrounded by what looked like a wall of blades, protecting her from any attacks, only to throw two of them to the side and direct them against the man. They hit the target, and the woman threw herself at him, like a whirlwind of iron and steel.
Her legs complained, soreness threatening to take over if she didn’t make herself scarce. And she would gladly comply, running off into the forest.
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She couldn’t tell how long it had been since she had started her crazy race, running deeper and deeper into the forest and away from the captors. But despite her miserable condition, she refused to stop moving. She had slowed her pace to a walk, as her body was in no shape for prolonged runs, but she would not stop. The moment she did, she would collapse from exhaustion.
“Just like the first night…” She mumbled, panting.
The rose leaves of the trees blended too well with the sky, creating a coat of colour over her head that made her feel lost and confused. She didn’t know if she had been moving in circles or where she was going. If anxiety, fear and anger among others weren’t enough, now frustration wanted to join too.
“At this rate I’m never going home…”
“And where would that be?”
Maya froze for a moment, slowly looking up to where the voice had come from. Kneeling on a branch, it was the woman from before. Lean and athletic, she looked ready to leap into action. Her scarlet, dark grey and silver outfit was much more stylized and graceful, more similar to the sorceress than the grunts she had slain. Her blue eyes looked down at her with curiosity, and had it not been for the situation, Maya would have been mesmerized by the image.
“And where would that be?” The black-haired woman repeated.
“…very far away.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
“Y-you are… the Blade Dancer” she stammered “those soldiers were terrified of just mentioning you…”
“They have every reason to.” The woman said.
She gracefully jumped from the branch, landing right before Maya, who in turn stumbled backwards and fell into her rear. Maya kept silent, simply staring in awe and fear at the woman before her, trying her best to uphold a blank expression. And the woman held her own, kneeling before her and levelling their eyes.
“But you don’t have to.” She smiled, carefully holding one of Maya’s hands.
“And why is that? I could be with them, simply putting up an act.”
“That’s not true. More so regarding your… ability.”
“Hold on! How do you-”
“The ionian winds carry the words the noxian soldiers speak. Both of your ability and how they found you.” The woman explained. “Primarily for ‘merging with living bodies’.”
“Of course, they want me for that…”
“If what they speak of is true… then would ‘merging’ with me be of any aid to you?”
Maya was silent, as she thought of the implications. For herself; for the Blade Dancer; for any that associated with her. But her body gladly gave her a painful reminder. Looking down, she saw all of her wounds and cuts. Some still bled, while others had stopped. And there were the occasional bloodstains here and there.
“You… you´d be ok with carrying my body and mind within you?” Maya asked. “I don’t know when I’d be able to split apart in this state…”
Silence hung heavy as now it was time for the other woman to realize the implications of such a thing. But it lasted only for a moment, as the Blade Dancer smiled and sighed.
“It is alright. At least being with me means Noxus can’t claim you so easily.”
Maya answered with a smile of her own, relief washing over her worries and stress. She was still away from home, but danger would be notably lower. Which only improved her odds.
“I don’t think I have presented myself. My name is Maya.”
“You know me by the moniker of the Sword Dancer, but you may call me Irelia.”
“I… I can’t even say how grateful I am…”
“Then show me.”
The showgirl was happy to oblige, as the clothes of both started shifting and moving around them. Far from the snake-like slither from the time with the sorceress, this time it was different, warm and gentle. It spun and surrounded them with beauty and grace, one fabric merging into the other as it took a shade of peach rose.
The cocoon of fabric brought the two women together, pressing their forms together tighter and tighter. And as it spun, it sailed through their forms, synchronizing the two of them, as if they were dance partners that could flawlessly move as one. For Maya, it was a very different experience from the previous one, now done by her own volition instead.
Their curves could clearly be seen from the outside, but the further the merging progressed, the slimmer the cocoon became. The shape of two women, pressed against each other, became a single one. Under Maya’s guidance, they simply followed the flow, one sinking into the very being of the other. It was seamlessly done, all while the cocoon made sure their shape was fittingly flawless.
For one, it was the denial of a powerful asset to the enemy. For the other, it was a safe haven until she could finally return home. And regardless of how long it would be, she was going to find her way back.
In that dance, the cloth started to take shape. It carefully enveloped the legs, clinging tightly to the body and the bust, drawing a gasp from the inside as it made sure it was a tight fit. And just like on the lower limbs, they could feel it around their forearms and back, reshaping itself. Finally, it took the same delicate care around their head, as they felt cold and hard metal form a crown. Without fanfare or grandiose, the cocoon simply split open, almost mimicking the petals of a flower that bloomed.
“O-oh my.” The woman gasped. “My goodness, I cannot believe how invigorating this feels.”
“It always feels that way.”
The woman looked down, inspecting herself. A curvy and well-endowed body, that nonetheless possessed plenty of athletic strength and swiftness to be more than taken into account. Her long light brown hair cascaded behind her, while the part of it that covered her left eye possessed a distinct black colour, a streak of dark in a sea of lighter shade.
Her outfit was a blend of both. A revealing single piece of red cloth, while having some silver streaks on the edges of it, where it gave complete freedom to her limbs. Small strands of the same silver cloth hung freely from her bust, the tattered showgirl outfit coming back in force.
Her forearms were covered by long and fingerless gloves, a mirror to the long stockings that crawled all the way up to her calves. All of it shared the same palette of red and silver, while her head was adorned by a crown. A single and simple band of silver that emerged from the long hair, nonetheless partially covered at the front.
But the most eye-catching part of the outfit was the petals of cloth on her back. Large and smooth, similar to the outfit Maya usually wore, and rather useful to hide the blades from prying eyes. Glistening in the dusk’s light, they were like sharp and deadly thorns that would keep Maya safe.
“Although, I must say I’m not sure about the outfit. It doesn’t seem that practical in combat, and leaves plenty of soft skin exposed to attacks…”
“It does tend to happen in the merges… my fault.”
“No need to apologize. How are you feeling now?”
“Much better, thanks. Just not as helpless as before.”
The fused woman inspected her body. Her fair skin showed no signs of damage, all the cuts and wounds previously sustained by Maya having healed. But regardless of the physical condition, she would still need time to fully heal, to recover. The woman started walking, a new destination in mind for her.
“Worry not, sweet blossom~” She said with a warm voice “None of Noxus will defile you or the First Lands now.”
As the fused woman started her march, Maya felt exhaustion return. The adrenaline rush of the escape and the effects of the merge were wearing off, and despite not being wounded any longer, her mind needed rest. As she let Irelia take control, she finally dozed off for much needed rest, knowing full well that “Marelia” would be more than capable of handling anything thrown her way.