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It’s a cool summer’s night in the Great City of Demacia, a light breeze whistling through the grass surrounding the pedestal of the city’s colossal, petricite guardian. The statue stood watch over the city, currently inert; why wouldn’t it be? No one was fool enough to practice magic in Demacia period, much less in front of such a well-visited monument as Galio. The Mageseekers, as of late, had seen to that. The peak hours had long since passed, however, leaving the white statue standing a lonely vigil.
That is, until a young girl approached, undoubtedly an adult and yet no taller than three feet in height, sporting blonde pigtails and a suit of tiny armor. Worth mentioning, of course, was that she was toting a great hammer that seemed far, far too large for someone of her stature. She seems apprehensive as her feet walk the stone path up to Galio’s pedestal, glancing from side to side as if unsure whether she was truly alone tonight. Ever since the death of the king, security within the capital had tightened significantly, after all.
Once she seemed satisfied that there was no one else there but the colossus himself, however, she removed an aquamarine pendant from around her neck and, in a shimmer of light, her true form was revealed; one with large, pointed ears and a thin coating of blue fur covering her body. The Yordle lets out a deep sigh and sits up against the statue’s pedestal.
“Hey, big guy,” She starts, looking up towards his head about a hundred feet above her, her expression somewhat pensive. “Good to see you. Good to see someone who’s been around here as long as I have. I’d, ah…I’d let you have some of the magic from my glamour, but it’d only wake your head up a minute, and I really can’t spare it right now. You know how it is…I mean, I think.”
She glances down at her hands, a sadness filling her eyes. “I just…I guess I needed to talk, y’know? But, I don’t really know a lot of people I could talk about it openly to. So…you’re it.” A small, nervous giggle. “Ah…sorry to impose.”
There’s about of minute of silence before she continues talking. “It’s just…it’s why I’ve gotta wear this thing in the first place. Because, if the Mageseekers are throwing people in prison or kicking them out of the country just because they happen to be born with magic, what’re they gonna do to a Yordle, right?” There’s a small pause before she holds her hands out defensively. “I mean, I’m still looking for that hero! I bet I’m gonna find them soon enough, just…have to make sure I don’t look like me when I’m doing it. My glamour isn’t really as good as it should be all the time, so if it slips up…hah, what would I be doing if I didn’t bump into Heimerdinger my last visit to Bandle City, huh?”
Poppy gives a heavy sigh. “I still believe in Demacia, you know. The things Orlon believed in when he started this city; honor, and justice, and security for everyone. And, I mean…I get that we can’t ever let what happened to people during the Rune Wars happen again. But…I can’t really help but think when I see what the Mageseekers get up to, ‘What would he think about this?’ …Thing is, though, we’ll never really know for sure, huh?”
She turns her gaze towards her feet. “Y’know, ‘cause…he’s gone.”
Poppy goes quiet again for a good, long while, just…leaning her back against the pedestal and looking outwards. Finally, she shifts, picking herself back up. “Well…I’m not gonna find the person who’s supposed to be using this hammer just moping around with you, big guy. No offense. I just…needed to get it off my chest. Sorry it wasn’t really much of a conversation…I appreciate the ear, though.” She sucks in a breath, shakes the last of her malaise off before slipping the pendant back around her neck, assuming her less attention-grabbing form. The Yordle takes a few steps forwards before turning her head upwards and smiling, giving an appreciative wave. “Take care, big guy. Don’t let the raptors poop too hard on you, okay?”
She treks off into the countryside, a palm going against her forehead partway into her walk. “Stupid…don’t say that. He can’t help it.”