10/23/21

Like I said before, I would update, but this is a series of short chapters with no real significance with them.

Before anyone gets too involved with this, know that this chapter is only half way of being actually finished and I decided to just stop mid-way. Please do not take offence, but this was to get the creative juices out after being obsessed with Arcane since it was out.

...

The Last Drop was a simple tavern in the undercity of Piltover.

It was a place for drink and food - while shabby to anyone who wasn't part of the Lanes - it was a proper business. It was one little act of good Vander believed was more rewarding than the troubles he himself caused in his earlier days.

So, the day went on like it normally would.

People came in and drank, some fights here and there, but whatever the reason anyone had in coming to his establishment, it hardly mattered. And he wasn't oblivious to the other kinds of business that came to his bar, some questionable of course, but none that Vander could not handle. He lit his match, took in a few puffs from his pipe, and gave a content sigh, smiling proudly at his establishment.

This was what it was, to see his people safe and sound.

This is until a young boy came through the doors.

The music didn't stop playing, and not many patrons even noticed he was there.

Vander saw a young boy with unwashed blonde hair, a face covered in dirt and bright blue eyes. The boy didn't even have proper clothing, just covered in tattered rags for clothing.

Vander's heart ached seeing someone so young like this. It was a fat reminder just how life was for his people. Poverty itself wasn't an uncommon thing here - especially for the sick and dying living farther under. Each and every one of them hardly made enough coin - just enough for themselves to survive. It was a thought they hated when regarding just how... lesser they all were when compared to the so-called fortunate living above them - literally.

"Kid?" Vander called questionably. The former brawler wasn't going to kick the poor sod out, he was one of them, and one grand rule he kept by now was that everyone in the Lanes were their family, for better or for worse.

He didn't notice. The young lad turned his head, looking, sniffing before his sight came upon someone's meal that was unattended.

'Oh no' Vander's heart dropped when he saw the blonde boy limp his way towards the food. The old dog had planned on giving him some food, it was the right thing to do, but the moment he saw the youth moving towards the food, and then seeing the imposing man who ordered come back from the restroom - Vander hurried his way over.

.

.

Could being so close to death make a person as hungry as he was?

Naruto honestly did not know. And for the most part, he really didn't care.

Waking up to some back alley battered and bleeding, he made his way through a place so far out of his comfort zone that he was on edge.

People and lights were everywhere. Critters that might have been special summons and questionable establishments like brothels seemed evident considering the pinkish-red lights and half-naked women - Naruto remembered what his brother once told him, never to waste his money and time over cheap whores.

So, he avoided the crowds, ignoring the pain at his leg, and kept moving silently as best as he could. Down a leg could do that after nearly dying.

And when he couldn't make sense of anything, he saw a sign. A sign in the shape of a mug which was meant for drink, at least that was what Naruto hoped? Much of everything was lost after the lightshow blinded him, his clothes and weapons burned away before spitting him out.

Bursting through those doors he looked and saw that the place was lively. The smell of booze and food was in there. Naruto wrinkled his nose after when he smelled something else, and it wasn't food.

Wincing either from the pain or his stomach growling, he looked over the tables and saw those people eating. Was he hungry enough to just take it? A part of him said yes, but he really didn't want to cause a fight, especially in his condition. Naruto salivated. Panting heavily from the need to eat. That's when his eyes focused on a table with lots of food on it.

He didn't care if it was someone else's food.

Naruto was hungry. He was very, very hungry.

He didn't care if the food was cold, or weird looking. Naruto dug his fingers into the grey mush and ate. There were a couple of wooden bowls with things inside. Grabbing one, drinking down the strange broth, the blonde-haired youth bit onto some kind of fish or octopus tentacle, angry that he couldn't bite into it easily, he clamped his teeth shut and tore at it before chewing. He swallowed with a loud gulp, but it wasn't enough to fill his stomach. Naruto grabbed more around the table, licking the plates and chewing again on whatever else was there.

The loud footsteps fell on deaf ears when the person saw his paid meal being eaten by some small, scrawny little shit!

"Hey! That's my food!" The large man bellowed angrily, but the boy didn't even stop from his chewing. He reached for the next bowl until his hand was grabbed by the large man.

Naruto's whole body stiffened. Memories flashing in his mind before his muscles tightened, staring wide-eye at the man who grabbed him.

What happened next became a blur.

.

.

It happened so quickly! One moment Vander was sure the kid was going to get more than an ear-full of what the oaf was about to do to him, and then he saw the kid lift himself up and grab ahold of the grown man's arm and twist himself.

SNAP!

He broke the man's arm.

Cursing and swearing in pain, the large oaf dropped the kid on the floor. He fell with a hard thump, but quickly lifted himself up and jumped on top of the man. Vander saw the boy swing his arm and give a right hook that toppled the big oaf on his back. The people were shocked. Vander was shocked. But despite his surprise he moved to intercept when the blonde urchin.

He pummeled the man with his fists.

With a wide bearhug he grappled the squirming kid.

"Ack!" Vander hissed; the yellow-haired tike scratched his arms.

And he kept scratching! Vander didn't know why, but he had to let go.

Jumping back and away from, the young lad growled angrily.

Much of the patrons got up from their seats, weapons pulled seeing their leader pulling back from the kid. And why they would pull knives and whatever else they could use as a weapon was simple, the little bastard managed to cut Vander and cause his arms to bleed.

It was astounding! Looking the tears of flesh along his forearms looked like they had been clawed by an animal.

"Geeze, kid. What'd they feeding you down there?" Vander asked, looking up at the kid.

And one more surprise of the day, the young man's right arm was disfigured.

It looked monstrous, rough red skin with each digit ending with sharp claws. Vander swore he saw the young lad have blue eyes, but now they were dark red and narrow vertical shaped pupils. Even his hair looked feral, spiking out like the upturned fur of a rabid animal trying to scare off anything trying to harm it.

And now that he was closer, Vander saw blood pool on the wooden floorboards. 'Just what the hell did they do to you kid?!' Vander thought before the young man charged with his claws ready.

...

This chapter would have gone a little further before I decided to stop. I said this is just to get the creative juices out and if any of the two make any sense, I will make a full story. Review and vote which one you guys want cause it's between a story with Naruto and Menma as brothers, or just Naruto and his demonic arm.

I also have another one coming up soon based on something else entirely.