"Two silvers." The ticket master looked down at Orion with a wry smile, his expression hinting, "I know you don't have it."
"Fuck." Orion thought, his face holding a lost expression as he stared back. He hadn't thought about this, standing in a crowd filled with disdain. Some of them went as far as to cover their noses, blatant disgust, hoping this street rat would disappear.
Clink clink, clink, clink.
Small, slender hands reached past him to place four silvers on the ticket counter. A young, feminine voice, brimming with an intolerance, resonated behind Orion, "Charging two silvers for entry? That's outrageous, even by Piltover standards."
Orion turned, startled as he recognized the appearance of the young lady. Her royal blue tailored coat draped over a pristine white tunic, straight blue hair, and sapphire eyes that burned with incredulity. Her posture represented that of nobility, stiff and authoritative. Caitlyn Kiramman.
The ticket master stiffened, bowing slightly while placing a hand to his chest. His reply, though formal, was only slightly apologetic, "My apologies, lady Kiramman. We are simply upholding standards. Maintaining Count Mei's Menagerie- lustrous as it is- is quite costly."
"Are you sure it's that," she questions doubtfully, glancing at Orion's garb briefly, "And not trying to keep certain people away?"
"No Ma'am! Apologies, ma'am," His tone tightened, waving an arm toward the door, "Please, come right in!"
"Your presence is two silver," She remarked dryly. Her no-nonsense gaze shifted, but excitement in her voice betrayed her tone. "Come on, let's check out the animal!"
Orion barely had the chance to process the situation, let alone speak, as she walked passed and he was forced to quickly step up after her. The ticket master, who remained bowed, gave a sneer of disgust with sidelong glance toward Orion as he passed.
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Orion's eyes lit up after entering, unable to resist his own rising excitement and curiosity to see some of the exotic wild-life of his favorite world. It was a nice contrast compared to the bleakness of the Undercity. Hints of yearning prickled his consciousness, a quiet longing for what he wished he had over his current experience.
Caitlyn, paused several steps ahead, handing him an exhibit map and visitor's guide. Her eyes sparkled openly, betraying her excitement and curiosity in the situation, despite the refined posture she tried to maintain.
"Did you make you're way here because of the new animal?" She asked, her tone bright and curious, as if they were already friends.
"I didn't know there was one," Orion admitted honestly, earning a curious tilt from her head.
"So you came all the way from the undercity... without knowing?" she asked, her voice carrying disbelief. She shook her head, stating with self-reasoning, "Well I suppose coming from there, the menagerie is a sight in-and-of itself."
Orion chuckled bitterly, "Yeah, you could say that. So what's this new animal?"
Caitlyn's face lit up, and some of the rigidity melted away. "I don't know! But they say it's from Ionia! Apparently it took months of time and resources to capture one!"
Orion's curiosity peaked, but he couldn't help teasing, "Excited enough to risk trouble?"
Her quick wit remained true even at a young age as she quipped back, "Says the Undercity boy roaming Piltover. I helped you, remember?"
Orion raised his hands in submission, her energetic gestures undisturbed, "Well, come on then."
"Right", Orion thought. "She's not Vi."
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The layout was simple: a circular pathway surrounded a large oval botanical garden. Along the outer edge, creature habitats offered many glimpses into the wonders of Runeterra, even from the entrance. At the very back, two textured glass doors led into a separate small botanical garden, complimented by grand half-oval ceilings that flanked the entryway. The menagerie's most exotic creatures were on display there, one attracting a large crowd.
Orion paced alongside Caitlyn, who gave consideration and slowed, allowing Orion read and observe what he had never seen before. Together, they traveled the exterior, exchanging comments about the creatures: Poros from Freljord, scarabs from Shurima, hounds of Noxus. All the way to the first grand display, featuring a rather unusual and haunting exhibit.
The Moon Howler monkeys, native to the Shadow Isles, were red-eyed and black furred, and with nocturnal behaviors. They were placed in a dense, more sound-proof habitat behind sound-proof glass. Despite the efforts to satisfy the creatures, they failed to find peace in this isolated, shadowy habitat. Passersby would occasionally hear a scream from the inside, rendering the display unattractive to say the least.
Caitlyn herself couldn't resist a sarcastic comment, "What a grand display. Dark shadows and horrifying screams. Really inspiring." Shaking her head, she adds on, "I feel sorry for them."
Paused, Orion tilts his head up from the plaque. "Yeah... Rare doesn't always mean useful or valuable." He paused again, considering his next words, "Though I suppose that depends on whose talking."
While Orion couldn't see it, he felt a stare boring into the back of his head as he straightened up. Clearing his throat lightly, he tries to deflect any questions with forced enthusiasm. "Let's check out the other one!"
Quickening his pace briefly, he came to an abrupt halt at the rear of the crowd, freezing up. Above the enclosure, meshed vents dotted the ceiling, minimally sized feeding slots secured by locks, but the interior was luxuriously decorated. At the center, lying comfortably on bent jungle leaves and rich wooden beams, rested a magnificent creature. Its glistening white fur faded into a vibrant green at the base of its tail, with a similar hue lining its eyes and ears, shifting and moving with a will of its own.
Orion felt a mystical energy radiating from the enclosure, perhaps recognized because of his growing connection to magic. He didn't need to guess much either with a little kid's excited voice reaffirming his thoughts, "Why is the spirit fox sleeping?"
Deciding to test its sensitivity to magic, Orion channeled for a split second, not enough to create a visual cue. Instantly, radiant rainbow waves rippled across the creature's fur and its eyes snapped open, locking onto him through the glass. The fox cooed softly, remaining motionless, yet still drawing the awe and adoration from the crowd.
"This will be a problem," he muttered to himself. His comment earned a sharp, questioning side glance from Caitlyn, who was silently observing.