title: A Similar Love 닮은 사랑
summary: Mercy is a human luxury and responsibility. She's just grateful that her mercy had not been for naught.
character[s]: Ahri, Yi, Teemo, Wukong
dedication: Um, there really isn't much dedication for this fanfic. Really, I am writing this because I have gotten hooked on League (but I suck at playing except for the easiest of bot games). Actually, the only reason I play it is because the art work and characters intrigue me like crazy. And so, here's my first League story loosely based on Ahri's background story. It's super short though, but I hope it's enjoyable.
notes: Okay, so this is my 55th fanfic… Damn, I really need to get a life, and I also need to finish a lot of my other fanfics. Eh-heh heh, I am so sorry for those who are waiting for me to update, but the Naruto manga has so many twists and turns that I've been losing inspiration to write for my fanfics. And now it's like time for me to do college applications, but the deadlines are January 1st, and I've already been accepted into Rutgers, so let's keep our fingers crossed that I don't lose that acceptance (is losing the acception even possible?). Anyways, I'm a confused senior in high school now (having a boyfriend now doesn't help my focus either), but let's all pray that I can get myself together to write again.
notes 2: Also, let's take this time to pray for the Phillipines. That typhoon they got was horrible, so please send love to them.
notes 3: The title of this story is the title of the OST of the K-movie (or was it K-drama?) Nine-Tailed Fox starring Kim Tae Hee. How perfect, right?

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❤❀~A Similar Love~❀❤

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It has been a few years since she's lost her fox fur and gained human skin. Yet, human society and culture will never cease to amaze her. Humans are strange creatures, she has realized. And though she was now human, Ahri will never lump herself with these creatures. Despite wanting to be like them, Ahri will never stoop so low as to associate herself with them—and even though the Institute of War has offered her a more stable life, she would never allow herself to be one of them. The pain and suffering that came along with this human skin assures this.

It was just a few months after her transformation… She met someone. He was young, more appealing than the other human males—oh, what was that word?—more handsome. Yet, it was not because of his looks that Ahri felt drawn to him. No, he was different from the others she claimed life force from. Perhaps it was because her spirit was exhausted that she grew fond of his gentle nature. Or perhaps it was because of his gentle nature that singled him from the rest of his kind that Ahri decided to stay around to watch him grow. After all, while she had been a fox, he had decided to let her go instead of slay her for meat like his fellow villagers. Thus, Ahri had always felt this special connection towards him.

And yet, like all of the other men she slew, he also disappointed her. But unlike with the other men, his betrayal hurt the most. It cut her, almost as if his blade had been stabbed through her heart. She had thought that he would be different. She had thought he would not been driven to the point of insanity by the war. She was wrong. Years later, the Noxian invasion proved fatal to his mind, warped it until all he knew was vengance. Why, he even attacked her when she tried to reason with him. Regardless if she had known the fate of his village, he still shouldn't have pointed his blade at her. And though she was enraged by his blunt attempt to kill her, she turned her back. Three chances, that was the extent of her mercy. The first had been not to kill him when he proved to be too powerful for the Institute of War to turn a blind eye. This was the second. However, there were times when she wondered if mercy would have been to slay him instead of to let him suffer as the sole survivor of his village. No matter, it was too late for her thoughts. He was the last to know of the ancient art of Wuju and, for that, the Institute of War could not lose him before he passed on his teachings.

It has been years now since she's last seen him. Perhaps he's already dead. For some reason, the thought didn't sit well with her. After all, it would be a loss to the Institute if he were to die. He was such a wonderful warrior. Ahri laughs at herself. After all these years of working for the Institute, she has now come to think like them. How pitiful. After years of being by herself, she has become tired of loneliness. She knows she has to cherish herself now, but the missions she gets from the Institute entertain her, and thus she hasn't the time to spoil herself as she'd like.

And now as she treks through the woods of southern Ionia, the place she still calls home, she meets little Teemo—little because she can hold him in her arms as if he were a baby and little as a form of endearment since he is a fox-like yordle and she has grown fond of him because of his resemblance to her kind. He is the only one he has let into her heart since… She refuses to think of that moment, of that battle that had broken her heart. Instead, she listens intently to whatever he has to say. His conversation intrigues her, and she never tires of hearing him talk. She enjoys his company, especially when he grows flustered whenever she teases him about his "non-existant" relationship with the Megling Gunner. Today, however, he is in a rush with something to report back to the Yordle Nation and, after many tries, Ahri successfully loosens his tongue. Apparently, there has been talk about a new Wuju disciple, and Teemo had been sent out to confirm it. And after Teemo gives her the coordinates at which he had been scouting, Ahri rushes to the spot.

She doesn't know why she's running as if her life counts on it, but she's running as fast as she can. She has to see him. She just has to. It isn't a fate-like coincidence that she just happens to be in the Ionian woods today. And yet, she knows what's fueling her isn't love. Love can't be a grudge. She just . . . she just wants to make sure her mercy wasn't misused. That's all. She just wants to make sure, she keeps telling herself. She just wants to make sure…

And sure enough, as she comes upon the clearing where a monkey trains, she sees him smile. And she knows that, since he's able to smile again, he has let go of his cold-hearted vendetta and has begun to live again.

Mercy is a human luxury and responsibility. She's just grateful that her mercy had not been for naught.

✿°. ·∴终わる∴· . ° ✿

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