Author's Notes: I've been working on this since Ekko's release in League of Legends. It's near and dear to the heart. Please let me know what you think. :P The only way to open this story was with a bang, naturally. Teehee.

Disclaimer: Adding this in: All characters/champions are owned by Riot Games.

Chapter 1- Fight!
"You're everything wrong with Zaun." -Ekko

Leather shoes hit the stone tiles of the floor. Footsteps echoed through the quiet, darkening hall, mixing with the sounds of another ahead. The tinkling of a thin chain being pulled is nearly covered by the hum of a bright machine as it flares to life. A young teen rounds the corner of the high arched hallway.

Yeah, I got this.

"Viktor!" he shouts to the shadowed depths.

The other footsteps pause. The large man in front of the teen turns back toward him. Man? Well… that was left for debate. Viktor, the mad scientist of Zaun, stares back at Ekko.

"I'll make you pay for what you did to her!" Ekko shouts. He charges forward with his sword ready. The bright streak it leaves in the air as he swings at the scientist vanishes after a moment.

The scientist is unprepared. Viktor takes a step back to avoid the shining blade. The metal arm curled at the inventor's neck unfolds its hand. Ekko ducks to the left of Viktor as a red glow shimmers in the metal palm. A bright red flash narrowly misses his side as Ekko twists away from the laser's path.

Okay, maybe this was a bad idea.

A knee slams into Ekko's gut. He gasps as the air is knocked from his lungs. The world tumbles around him as he falls backwards. Ekko tries to pull in a breath but his body freezes up as he stays on the ground.

I don't got this one.

There is blue light as he twists the knob on the back of his right hand.

Rewind.

Ekko rounds the corner of the high arched hallway. "Viktor!" he shouts again, feeling the challenge has lost a little meaning now. The man turns toward him. Ekko cringes inwardly. Why didn't he choose to rewind after he stated his intent? Right… he would keep that in mind next time to save a couple seconds.

"You'll pay for what you did to her!"

The flash of Ekko's sword lights up the dark hallway. Viktor takes a step back to avoid the shining blade. The metal arm curled at the inventor's neck unfolds its hand. This time Ekko ducks to the opposite side as a red glow shimmers in its palm. A bright red line flashes over his head and doesn't come close to hitting.

He lashes out. Viktor staggers to the left as Ekko's sword catches him in the side.

Awesome. A hit.

Ekko ducks away as Viktor swings the sparking staff in his hand. He catches himself against one of the rough walls and shoves off of it. Better to keep moving than to let the scientist regain his standing.

"Unauthorized weaponry usage detected. Please disengage and cease all combat."

The teen glances to the side as speakers in the hall fire up. Damn the Institute of War. They couldn't fight outside the Rift arena?

"Disregarding these instructions will result in penalty."

Ekko felt the static in the air before he saw anything coming. He steps back to avoid whatever device Viktor throws his way. A simple mech-ball? A grenade? It seems excessive in Ekko's mind. The boy pays it no attention as it bounces away behind him.

He's got this. Finish the fight before the Institute's Summoners can intervene. Ekko hesitates as a rumbling laugh escapes Viktor. What? This was amusing the mad scientist now?

"Shut up! You're everything wrong with Zaun!" Ekko shouts at him as he pushes forward again. Well… what he thought was forward was really backwards.

A strong force pulls at the metal of Ekko's machine and clothes. He staggers back a step struggling to break free from the field. Ekko manages to turn his head back down the hall. The mech-ball!? A fairly large lotus looking machine is splayed in the middle of the hall, electricity sparking between its points like spider webbing. How stupid of him. Ekko had been on the edge of the radius and was just close enough to be caught.

Not this time.

He struggles for the knob on his glove as Viktor steps forward. He turns it just as the scientist raises his purple glowing cane.

Rewind.

Ekko rounds the corner of the high arched hallway. "Viktor!" he shouts again. This time it feels like an empty threat. The scientist pauses and slowly turns toward him. Ekko raises his bright sword but doesn't move. Not yet.

A long moment passes before the glow of Viktor's eyes through the helmet narrow a fraction, "What is it child?"

"I'll make you pay for what you did to her," Ekko states. His stance is at the ready, but he doesn't move. Not yet…

"Who?" Viktor legitimately seems confused by Ekko's statement. How could he have forgotten!?

"SERENITY!" Ekko felt the name leave his mouth in a wild screech. Anger flared through him as he rushed forward again. Maybe the scientist would remember his terrible deeds if Ekko spoke his sister's name.

Ekko's sword left a bright trail as Viktor stepped back to avoid the incoming hit. Now for the laser… Ekko stepped to the corrected side to avoid the laser as the metal hand uncurled from Viktor's shoulder.

Pain. Ekko staggered back as a fist planted itself into the side of his face. He hit the stone tiles in confusion. The laser should have gone off… then the staff… then the…

"Do NOT speak of that name in my presence!" the gravelly growl of Viktor's voice was made worse by the mask he wore, but there was something other than anger in his tone. Distress? Ekko adjusted his jaw as he moved to get up. He was just hearing things.

"I'll talk about Serenity all I want!" Ekko shot back.

Another growl left Viktor as the scientist struck out with his staff. Ekko dodged it nimbly. What was this? Anger? Why would his sister's name anger the inventor? She was just another tally on his kill list.

"Serenity! Serenity! Serenity!" Ekko kept avoiding the angry swings of Viktor's staff.

"Unauthorized weaponry usage detected. Please disengage and cease all combat."

There was the announcement again from the Institute. Ekko parried the staff away and stepped into the opening Viktor left.

"Disregarding these instructions will result in penalty."

"For my sister!" Ekko swung at Viktor's exposed body. Seconds before his sword made contact with the scientist's neck he felt the familiar jolt stopping his body. Ekko cried out in frustration as he was pulled backward into the metal field that stopped him from moving before. Just a little more and he would have had Viktor… one more time…

He reaches for the knob on his glove. A metal hand closes around his right wrist. Ekko yelps as he is jerked sideways and into the wall. He winces as Viktor's grip tightens around his wrist. He'll have to maneuver awkwardly to escape… his feet aren't touching the floor. Just a little flip upward to get a hand on the Zero-Drive's switch and…

"Your sister was Serenity…?"

Ekko hesitates at Viktor's question. It was… confused? The anger had died from his voice.

"Yea…" Ekko took a moment to catch his breath from the fighting, "And you killed her."

"I did not kill her!" the anger was there again, but Ekko didn't have time to process it completely as Viktor threw him to the floor.

"Stop this at once!" a female voice rang through the hall.

Ekko looked up as purple robes appeared from around the corner he had come. A few more figures followed the woman as she crossed her arms. The Summoners had come faster than Ekko had anticipated.

The woman was livid, "Unauthorized fighting is not allowed in these halls! Return to your quarters at once!"

"My apologies," Viktor responded immediately.

Ekko wanted nothing more than to skewer Viktor right then and there. The scientist gave a small bow and turned to leave as if he had not just been in a fight. As if he had not been angry moments before and ready to kill Ekko…

"We will not process punishment this time, but if another fight happens in the future we will not hesitate," the woman stated.

Ekko hit the floor in frustration. He could rewind. He could redo the fight and hopefully land a killing blow. He could end a dark mark on Zaun's past, present, and future. But… something seemed off now.

"Okay," Ekko accepted the Summoners' squabbling. For now.

Something just didn't fit with Viktor's anger. His hesitation to kill Ekko was up in the air too. The scientist could have easily killed him and claimed self-defense. So why didn't he?

Ekko marched back to the current room he had been allocated for his stay in the Institute of War. He tapped the Zero-Drive and it stopped its bright humming. Something wasn't fitting… and he was going to find out what it was.