"Thank you for choosing The Grand Hotel at Piltover. Your three-bedroom suite is located on the top floor of the main building, with an ocean view. The facilities-"
"It's not like I had a choice of where to say," I snapped and snatched the three keys and hotel guide from the clerk.
"Sorry, my sister's in a bad mood," Cass apologized.
"Katarina's always in a bad mood," Talon added.
The hotel clerk smiled gently and wished for us to have a nice stay, but how was that possible when the lobby was filled with people from the Institute of War?
"God damn this stupid lottery," I growled and stomped toward the elevator, dragging my small black suitcase. Cass and Talon followed quickly, saying hi to our acquaintances as the moved.
"We shouldn't have come," I complained very unhappily as we waited for the elevator to come. "I came here ready for a relaxing vacation in one of Runeterra's best cities, not for Garen to laugh at my black sundress or for Darius and Draven to stare at me disapprovingly."
"Sorry Kat, none of us knew that the Noxian-Ionian Treaty was held here too," Cass murmured.
"I should've just came with Darius and Draven. Look at them, they're going to annoy me about cancelling my position in the Treaty conference. Jesus, I declined the offer to have my voice heard at that conference just to end up at the same place," I continued with my rant.
"It's okay to go on a vacation, Kat. Darius and Draven will understand. You've attended all the other conferences anyway, Try-Hard." Talon rolled his eyes.
"Okay, but what about Garen? You saw how he judged my dress. He looked at me with a face of disgust," I pointed out.
"You guys broke up anyway, you don't have to care about his opinions," Cass said.
I thought about Cass' statement and stopped talking, but just as I was finally pulling myself together, the elevator door opened and out came Emilia LeBlanc and Swain.
"Katarina?" They both exclaimed.
"What, you're going to judge me for taking a break too?" I snapped, narrowing my eyes.
"Relax, little lady. No one's judging you. Calm your assassin instincts and enjoy your vacation," Emilia purred and showed me her large cocktail glass.
"Exactly, you've worked so hard for the past few years, even your dad would approve of your vacation," Talon sighed, then entered the elevator after Emilia and Swain exited.
I remained quiet as we rode the elevator up to the fifteenth floor. Although Piltover was known for its cityscape, our hotel was a big mansion-like building on the beach, not a hundred-floor downtown hotel that rose well above the steam and into the sky.
"I'm so excited!" Cass squealed as I opened the door to our suite.
"I call the ocean view room," I chirped.
"Idiot, you can see the ocean from all the bedrooms," Talon replied.
Talon told the truth, as usual, and we picked the two rooms in the corners and Cass picked the one between ours. Assassins preferred the corners, probably.
"Well, it's lunch soon. Got any preferences, ladies?" Talon asked, snuggling into the big couch in the living room. He had thrown his blue cape on the floor and was in a white cotton T-shirt and black shorts.
"You're sweating onto the couch, you disgusting little boy!" Cass yelped and pushed Talon off the couch.
"How about that grill beside the pool?" I suggested, pointing at the pool outside the window. It was a big outdoor pool with waterslides beside the beach.
"You're planning on getting drunk already, aren't you?" Talon smirked, lying on the floor.
"Watch your words," I warned then explained, "I want Emilia's cocktail. It looks good."
"Oh, that's where she got it? I'm in then," Cass said from the couch.
"Me too. It looked good. Plus, it's big." Talon chirped.
"Wow, look at our house filled with alcoholics," I laughed. "Let's get changed and head to the grill, then?"
"Sounds good," they said, and walked into their rooms. I too, walked and pulled my suitcase into my room.
The bed was king-size, and there were four white fluffy pillows and a crimson cashmere blanket. There was a detailedly carved wooden nightstand beside the bed and a closet of matching design and carvings. I put my suitcase at the corner beside the floor-to-ceiling window and took out a knee-length, tight, strapless black dress.
I changed out of my current floor-length, flowing black sundress and into that new one instead. Katarina wasn't the Katarina if she wasn't sporting her sexy black outfits.
"Damn, are you trying to impress someone, or...?"
I turned around rapidly and found myself staring at Cass at my door.
"You forgot to close the window," she said quickly.
"Close it please, thanks," I replied calmly. She shut it quickly but quietly and said she'll wait for me at the foyer to our suite. I grabbed a pair of black stilettos, tied my red hair in a ponytail, and left my room. Talon was an impatient boy, and I didn't like to make him wait because he had a terrible temper, like me.
"What's with the dress?" Talon howled hysterically, bursting into laughter. He was still in his sweaty shirt and shorts, but it wasn't like I'd be bothered to force him to change.
"I have my daggers with me, you know, so shut your useless mouth," I snapped, glaring at him, grabbing my daggers from my black purse.
The three of us rode the glass elevator that took us to the restaurant wing, and as usual, Cass followed Talon and me quietly, because the two of us were always arguing about something.
We arrived at the grill and were told to wait for twenty minutes. Once again, Cass had to hold me back when I was about to yell at the waiter.
"Cocktail, Kat. Cocktail. Remember the cocktail," Cass said, "Breathe in, breathe out. That's it. Good job."
"Good job your face," I snapped and crossed my legs angrily, staring out the window to the big pool.
"Katarina? It's you, right?"
Some girl waved her hand in front of my face, and my eyes followed the movement of her hand until they stopped and I found myself staring at Syndra's face.
"I didn't think a smart assassin like you would fall for my hand-moving trick," she howled, laughing loudly. "What's up, old friend? I haven't seen you in years!"
"Well, I won a lottery and decided to take a seven-day vacation here, but so far it hasn't been so good," I sighed. Syndra sat down beside me.
"It's only the first day, cheer up! You deserve a break," Syndra chirped.
"What's your occasion?" I asked. Syndra and I grew close during our training days at the Institute of War, but since we didn't usually fight together because our roles clashed, we hadn't seen each other since training ended.
"Zed and I are just travelling around," she answered quietly, blushing.
"'Just' travelling around, my ass. How long is your pre-marriage honeymoon? Also, congratulations on finally getting together," I said, clapping rhythmically and not so enthusiastically.
"Shut up!" she laughed embarrassedly, waving her hand in the air, "Our vacation's a month long. We're travelling across different areas of Runeterra."
"That's nice. Are you making Zed pay?" I smirked, teasing her.
"I didn't make him pay, girl," she replied. "Speaking of which, how's your relationship going with Garen?"
"Nothing, idiot. We've broken up for a really long time," I said quietly.
"You know what, let's hang out a bit after lunch. We should sit at the same table. Does that sound fine to you guys?" she asked Talon and Cass. The two of them nodded, not really sure how to react to my friendship with Syndra.
"You're welcomed anytime, if you're good at making Kat happy," Cass sighed. I glared at her, making her wince.
Zed arrived just then and wondered what was going on. Syndra quickly explained to him the situation and added: "Katarina needs some advice."
"What advice? I don't need any advice," I retorted.
"I said it's okay, and we can discuss it after lunch," Syndra said cheerfully, petting my head.
The waiter arrived then and led us to a table beside the window. The five of us sat down, Zed and Talon showing off their muscles to each other, while Cass and Syndra talked about the fashion boutiques in downtown Piltover. I, on the other hand, annoyed that they were talking so much and so loudly, decided to look at the menu, but my peace was interrupted shortly after when Garen and Lux walked in and sat down at the table beside ours. It was going to be a very long lunch.