A/N: Aaaww yes, gotta love those cheesy romantic teen stories.
I met him because of a careless mistake. In my haste I boarded the wrong ship which lead me to a land I never even dreamed of existing. It was nothing like Shurima and more like Noxus with its streets crowded with people and incredibly tall buildings that hunched down to look down. In the beginning my distaste for Noxus clouded my judgement of the city's people and especially him. But I now see the error in my ways.
Arriving in Zaun was a sad walk to the past for me. At first I thought that I actually landed in Noxus again and hurried back to the docks but the sight of the amount of people and security now bustling around stopped my tracks. With a heavy heart I wrapped my cloak tighter around my body and turned to face what I thought was that corrupted state.
Aimlessly I wandered around the city, picking up on things that seemed odd or different within Noxus until my feet took me in front of a shop with its lights brighter than the sun that spelled: "Welcome to Scrapjack Jack's Shop: Best Scrap in Zaun!"
"Zaun…" I murmured and walked up to the sign. With a sigh of relief I smiled at the sign- this place is not Noxus, thank the Great Weaver. Because of that I wandered the city with lighter steps and heart.
Skipping across the grimy cobblestone path and black colored puddles I went on to search for a place to rest and possibly inquire people about this city. After hours of searching I finally found a quiet Inn on a corner and quickly crossed the large intersection to get to it.
Entering the place what stood out to me the most was how dimly lit it was. I could barely make out the figures that were sitting at some tables or leaning against the wall but I could feel their eyes on me as I crossed the threshold.
My footsteps sang louder than their voices and it made me hesitant of this place but Master Yasuo always said to never let fear consume you. So I marched on in and sat down at an empty stool at the bar.
"Watta ar you havin'?" The bartender walks up with a face that was molded by age and countless fights. He stared down at me with a gaze that made me pull down my hood and glance away.
"A glass of water, please. And whatever type of food I could get for a 10 copper pieces."
He huffed in response and vanished into the darkness.
"You don't sound like you're from around here, babe." A voice says to me. I glance over to the source but refused to turn and face it.
"I am not."
"What's a kid like you sittin' at this bar?"
"I am here for a simple meal. Nothing more, nothing less."
What sounded like a man snorted and remained silent. In his silence I could feel his eyes exploring my body, from the top of my head all the way down to the tip of my shoes. I could tell he was trying to figure out my origin covered my body well and gave the man no information.
"What business you got in Zaun?"
"What business do you have with me, sir?" I clasped my hands together on top of the bar, praying to the Great Weaver that the bartender would return soon so I could leave this place. But my prayers were interrupted when the man abruptly laughed and began to slap me on my back.
The shocks of the slaps froze me still and I dared to inch my face a little towards him to look at him wailing.
But it stopped as quickly as it started and I could feel the man's rancid breath on my face. "Listen brat, Zaun do not take strangers here with open arms and smiles. I do not know where you are from or your purpose here but if you want to leave this bar with all your limbs attached, you better make your business my business."
"I do not want trouble. I just boarded the wrong ship and it lead me here-"
"Are you a Piltie, girl?"
"A wha-?"
"Demacian, maybe?"
"No, as I said before I boarded-"
"What business do you have in Zaun?"
"I told you-" This man's arrogance was beginning to wear on my patience and it was no wonder why the next time he interrupted me I slammed my hand on the countertop and made my way to the door.
But the people in the bar shrouded the opening. In the darkness I couldn't count how many people were within the bar but now that I feel their presence closing in I could tell there were too many for me to fend off.
"Damn Pilties, always sending spies over to Zaun." His footsteps are closing in behind me. "You know what we do to little spies, girl?"
I turn to face the man, my face contorted into one of stoic confidence but deep down in my heart I knew I was afraid.
He reached for my face and I felt the dirt that his finger left behind on my cheek and lips. I could never forget that crooked smile or how his bloodshot eyes wandered from my face down to my body. It sends me horrible shivers everytime and I was glad that my first instinct was to simply run instead of feigning cockiness.
With the earth by my side I called it forth and two large slabs erupted from the ground and pushed the people crowded the doorway out. I haven't ran so fast since my time with Master Yasuo in Ionia. I'm sure he would understand my cowardice at that point in my life and forgive it so I kept running and running until the Inn wasn't even a speck of dust in my eyes.
I ran until I could run no more.