Unstable Matters Chapter 13: We, the Lions (Part 3)

"What a place to live."

Riven had said it to herself, as she stepped down and out of the train car that had been her moving home for the last couple of days. To their side the locomotive continued to spew out a thick black smoke laced with burning embers, in a smothering display that matched the sight in front of her.

It was no secret to anyone that Zaun was different from any place on Runeterra. One of the biggest cities in the entire Valoran continent, packed from its borders to its center with more people living in dirt, filth, squalor, and pollution than should be possible. Of course there was more to the city than just the industrial centers that never stopped operating, or the high rise buildings that held ambitions to enter the domain of the clouds some day. She had done her research dutifully before leaving the Institute of War, and had learned a surprising amount about Zaunites and their culture. The people who lived in this amalgamation of concrete, steel, and asphalt were fiercely independent, but united in an almost self-destructive march forward in the fields of science and techmaturgy. Even where Noxians would hesitate to place their first foot forward, there was always a Zaunite willing to do it with reckless abandon.

"It's not that bad," Zac said, immediately feeling his face scrunch up from the smell of the new world they were entering.

"It smells like a dump," Ahri said, stepping down from the train car's door-mounted stairs right behind Riven. Taking in the sight in front of her it was like she was arriving in a jungle made of steel and concrete, where even the sky was an abnormal color from the regular world. "How can people live here?"

"You get used to it, I imagine," Zac said, stepping out last and behind the two ladies. "I'm sure you've heard a lot about Zaun. What were you expecting?"

"Me? Ugh, I don't know." He watched Ahri's face scrunch up after taking another deep wiff of the air. "Nothing like...this. It's not just the pollution; I can smell the life that's hiding around us too. You can't see it, but there are rats everywhere. I feel like I'm entering a giant garbage dump—"

Before Ahri could finish what she was saying, she was interrupted by a sudden cough from Riven. It was not an attempt to interject or get their attention, but several deep guttural hacks that were coming out progressively worse sounding each time. Riven quickly turned her back to them, leaning against the side of the train car while hunched over. After a few more deep retching coughs, she spitting out what was in her mouth onto the ground without any concern for how it looked.

Zac caught Ahri glancing at him with mild concern, and he did not return her look.

"Are you okay?" he asked, after he was sure she was done.

"I'm fine," Riven said hoarsely, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "It's nothing."

"That didn't sound like nothing."

"Drop it," she ordered, leaning back up and inhaling through her nose deeply. He caught her eyes shifting to something unseen by him. "Get ready, because here comes trouble."

"Did that come from you, Snowflake? I heard that from across the yard. You look like shit too," Katarina said as she walked up, crossing her arms under her chest and looking at Riven with suspicious eyes. "But that's every day, isn't it?"

"It's nothing," Riven repeated, ignoring the jab at her. "Just tell us what's going on."

"Alright, listen up. Because I'm only going to say this once," Katarina put her hands on her hips, and her other at her side. "We're going straight to the harbor district once we unload our cargo from the train. Then we're taking the shortest route there to avoid any trouble. I'll introduce you to the Captain of the ship, and then we have to wait another day for the company we hired for labor to finish loading the ship with what's already at the port."

"Company?" Zac asked, looking at Katarina with a face of mock surprise. "You're telling me the mighty Noxian army doesn't have enough men to load its own ships?"

"It's business, Jumbo. Not that you would understand," Katarina said back, brushing off his quip. "There are a lot of private military companies in Zaun itching for Noxian gold. Putting them to use toward shit they can't screw up builds an economic relationship, and gets the work done we're too busy to divert good men to."

"Right," Zac said, not sounding convinced that that was the whole truth. "So, who is this group? Do we have to worry about anything with them?"

"They're called ZGS. Zaunite Guards and Security," Reaching into her side pocket, Katarina quickly pulled out a folded piece of paper. She threw it at Riven's head, and the Exile caught it before it came anywhere close to hitting her. "They're good enough, which is all you need to know. Hell, I heard they even use the street rats as labor in return for giving them something to do with their miserable lives. For Zaunites, that practically makes them saints, right?"

Unfolding the piece of paper given to her, Riven quickly glossed over most of the writing printed on its front side. From what she could tell it was some sort of receipt; probably about services contracted from Noxus to Zaun, from the same private security group Katarina had just mentioned.

"Who is captaining the Garuda?" Riven asked, folding the piece of paper back up and tossing it back at Katarina's head like she had done.

"No one you know, Snowflake. His name is Gady Kinsey, and he's a veteran of the Noxian navy, specializing in running supply convoys across the Guardian's sea." Katarina caught the folded paper out of the air just as Riven had, before slipping it back into the pocket of her leather pants. "But make no mistake; this isn't a pleasure cruise. Just because the crew of the Garuda will be handling all of the daily operations doesn't mean that you get to stand on the deck and watch the waves go by."

Turning to leave, Katarina stopped herself and looked at Riven again pointedly.

"Oh yeah, I was told that Kinsey will need you for something when we get there."

"Why?"

"I wasn't told. You'll just have to wait and see," Katarina finished with a shrug, before she started to walk away. "You may have a day of nothing to do but watch boxes being pushed around, but don't think that means you can go off and tour the city! You're part of this mission now. Even if you're having second thoughts, don't go running off just because you feel like it!"

"Yes ma'am!" Zac shouted, pushing his chest out and giving Katarina's backside a mock salute. He smiled wider when the assassin didn't stop, and simply flipped him the bird while walking away.

"Whelp, I guess this is a start. I don't know what I expected," Zac said after he was sure Katarina was far enough away to not hear them. As he lowered his arm, he raising them into the air to stretching his back out.

"I'm just glad we're on the ground again," Ahri said, kicking at some of the coarse gravel of the trainyard under her feet.

"Focus on what's coming." Riven said her normal serious tone, to them both for once. "Or did you miss what she said?"

"You mean about the shortest route?"

"Yes, but that wasn't all." He watched her turn and look out at the city surrounding the trainyard on all sides. "She said that Captain Kinsey specializes in running supplies across the Guardian Sea. That means something important."

"Which is?"

"The High Command wouldn't pick the Captain of any worn freighter for this mission. My guess is that he must be skilled in dealing with rogue pirate groups that come out from Bilgewater, which means that we might be attacked on the seas as well. I've never heard of him, though, so we'll have to see what he's like when we reach the ship."

"What was the other thing?"

"The fact that we're taking the shortest route to avoid trouble means that we're going to probably run into it regardless," Riven continued to explain. "There aren't any Zaunite street gangs that are dumb enough to try and steal from a Noxian military convoy, so that means that it could be some group involved with a higher power."

"You don't think she's taking a more dangerous route on purpose, do you?"

Riven stopped to think about his question. "...No, I don't think she would. It's too much of a risk to jeopardize the entire mission just to try and test us."

"What did you mean by a higher power?" Ahri asked, turning her head slightly.

"Someone in the Council of Zaun, or a Champion from the League," Zac explained to her. "But I don't think anyone from the usual roster would risk getting caught looting Noxian military property."

"It would have to be someone who doesn't have any relationship with Noxus," Riven continued, her voice lowering to a serious whisper as she began to think. "Or at the very least someone who is neutral, or not anti-Noxus publically. Someone who has enough personal power that they don't need to rely on the Council of Zaun for protection."

"Who would that be?" Ahri asked, her playful tones still present despite lowering her voice to match Riven.

"...I can't think of anyone," Zac confessed, after a moment of silence. "But what would their problem us be?"

"I don't know, but Zaunites never need a reason to do whatever they feel like doing." Riven stopping looking out at the city and turned to them both. "If it comes down to a fight, I doubt that Katarina will be holding any punches. Just make sure the two of you don't go overboard, alright?"

"Who? Us?" Ahri scoffed out loud, waving a hand at Riven as she did. "Perish the thought."

"We'll be on our best behavior," Zac added too, smiling widely. "But if I accidentally knock down half the city, well, we'll just say the bad guys started it."

Before Riven could say anything to them both, all three of them turned to some sounds coming from where Katarina had left them. Over the noise of the trainyard, they could hear some shouting between the assassin that had just left them behind, and someone else.

"Fuck off! I don't have time for you!"

"Don't you give me the cold shoulder Kitty Kat! I want in on the next big scoop!"

"Is that who I think it is?" Ahri asked, though Zac figured the question was rhetorical.

"...Oh no," Zac heard Riven mutter for some reason. Some distance away from them, Janna and Ekko continued to chase after Katarina.

"Just for a little! What do you say?"

"This is Noxian military yard Windforce, I don't give guided tours. Cut it with the reporter bullshit already, because you and I both know why you're here."

Trying not to make it audible when he swallowed, Ekko kept his hands deep in the pockets of his brown patchwork overalls. He thought Janna crazy when she had started walking into a Noxian military yard like they owned the place, but he had courageously stayed by her without question. They had walked right past most of the soldiers occupying the site, only stopping once on their own to ask where some people going by names the young Zaunite thought he recognized from the League were.

Maybe he should have expected that the only person to stop them would be the most terrifying in the entire facility.

It wouldn't have surprised Ekko to learn that wind mage could magically generate some kind of comforting aura around herself to make others feel better. Some crazy magic that could put to rest the biggest fears, anxiety, or troubles anyone being around Janna had. No matter what it was, being around the Storm's Fury could pacify it. But in spite of that power, he could feel the hairs on his neck standing on end when he looked into the green eyes of the crimson haired woman, and the thin scar she had over her left eye. Zaun had no shortage of madmen, lunatics, freaks, sadists, and even masochists littering the streets and alleyways he lived on.

But the woman in front of him was a different kind of beast. Something he had never seen before; different from the normal Zaunite monsters born from greed and a desperate yearning for success. Even without having spoken to her, he could tell that much.

"If you think I'm going to let you use my mission to push for reform in Zaun, you're insane."

"Oh don't be like that. You know, I could get the office guys at the Institute to write you a propaganda piece about modern might of the Noxian army," Janna offered, clapping her hands together as if she were about to start up a prayer. "Can't you look the other way? Just this once?"

"Don't kid yourself airhead." There was something about the always positive demeanor of the wind mage that made Katarina suspicious. Disregarding their personal differences, it was hard to believe anyone could fight in the League of Legends for altruistic reasons. It just seemed like a facade to her, and the last thing she wanted was a celebrity who had her own agenda getting in her way. "I don't know why you think I would even let you, but let me make it clear: I don't want your brand of trouble anywhere near my mission. I don't give a damn about the people in Zaun, and I'm not going to let you use me as a tool for your stupid attempt at political reformation."

"...Fine. I see how it is," Janna said, puffing herself up and preparing to drop her hopes for a civil agreement. "If you're going to be like that, then what about all of the times I've bailed you out of trouble? On Summoner's Rift? On the Howling Abyss? How many times have I saved you, because you failed to secure a kill?" She watched Katarina frown deeper than what should have been possible, and knew that the assassin was remembering every single instance she could be referencing. It seemed petty to use her pride against her, but Janna knew that it was one of the only weapons she knew would work against the Sinister Blade.

"You're also the reason why I've missed out on a lot of kills," Katarina said in a threatening tone. "Maybe I should hold you accountable for that right now. What do you think about that?"

"Don't try and intimate me. And don't play coy either, because someone like you never forgets. Like it or not, you owe me."

Ekko swallowed audibly, watching both women in front of him refuse to back down from each other. Their standoff continued for what felt like minutes, before Katarina ran her hand through her hair instead of reaching for her sword. "Fuck! You're such a pain in the ass! Fine! Just keep out of my way, and keep your pet on a leash," she said.

Ekko suppressed a shiver when the crimson haired woman's gaze shifted from Janna to him, with her expression of annoyance feeling more like a death sentence then casual frustration.

Resisting the urge to punch Janna in her smug smiling face, Katarina settled for glared at her with a look that could turn milk sour before turning to leave. "And don't think I won't stab you if I catch you where you don't belong. I mean it."

"Freedom of the Press!" Janna shouted defiantly at the assassin's backside. She knew it was a useless proclamation, but she had always wanted to say that for some reason.

"Man, are a lot of Champions like that?"

Janna turned to look at Ekko, who was watching Katarina walk away too. Even though he was trying to hide it, she could hear how tense he was feeling in the way he had tried to light-heartedly ask such deceivingly simple question.

"Not all of them. You have to be careful around some of them though." Only after she had said it did Janna realize that her chosen answer was an honest one, and might not have been the right one to use. "Don't let her scare you. Katarina isn't as sadistic; she's just big into being respected for her...skills. Now, her younger sister on the otherhand…"

"Janna! Catch me!"

"Huh?" Ekko said smartly, before being smacked aside and onto his butt by a thick ball of white fur that had just jumped into the arms of Janna next to him. "What the heck!?"

"Ahri! What are you doing!?" Janna asked nervously, struggling to hold onto her gear and the nine-tailed fox that had jumped into her arms suddenly. She could barely see over the massive pile of fur that came from all nine of Ahri's tails now wrapped around them both.

"You came to visit me, didn't you?" Ahri asked, her voice taking a low and seductive turn as she did. She rested her head in the crane of Janna's neck, enjoying the sensation of the wind mage's toned body against the side of her face. "I knew you couldn't resist my charms, my little avatar of the air."

"Hey, step off you freak!" Ekko said, getting up onto his feet. He pointed at Ahri accusingly, who now had her arms around Janna's neck and tails around her body like a protective shell. "Who do you think you are, just climbing all over Janna like that!?"

"Freak!? Is that what you just called me!?" Ahri let go of the wind mage, and slid back down onto the ground. She let out a loud huff, glaring at the young Zaunite as she crossed her arms under her chest. "Your little friend has quite the mouth, Janna."

"Ekko, calm down. And don't start anything, Ahri." This was said firmly enough that she hoped the nine-tailed fox would understand that she meant it. Taking a second to straighten her clothes, she then pointed to the Gumiho for a more formal introduction. "Ekko, this is another Champion in the League of Legends, and a friend of mine. Her name is Ahri, and she's a nine-tailed fox from Ionia."

"A pleasure to meet you, cutie," Ahri said with her normal flirtatious tones, giving Ekko a wink as she did. When she saw the youth swallow awkwardly, she then turned back to Janna wearing a smirk a mile wide. "I never would have guessed you're into younger men. No wonder you never return the feelings of all of those Summoners back in the Institute."

"Very funny," Janna said in a low tone. Her fears of what the nine-tailed fox would try to do upon meeting Ekko were slowly coming true. "Don't listen to her, Ekko. The stories of my popularity are greatly exaggerated."

"Modest as ever, Windforce," Ahri said, ready to begin anew. She turned back to Ekko, the evil smirk on her face wider than ever. "Kid, you wouldn't believe the number of letters and invitations she gets on Heart Seekers day. And on the Harrowing. And on Snow Down. There isn't a red-blooded Summoner in the Institute that hasn't dreamt of getting a chance to know Janna better, if you know what I mean. I bet there even a lot of female Summoners who—OWCH! HEY! DON'T PULL ON MY EAR!"

"Alright! Let's go meet the other Champions here!" Janna said chipperly, wearing a glass smile on her face as she dragged a squawking Ahri by her pointed ear behind her.

"Uh… Yeah, sure," Ekko said, finding that the image of Ahri and Janna cuddling together, however briefly, had been burnt into his mind. "Lead the way."

"Well hello! I made it just in time, I see." Landing on the ground in front of Zac and Riven, Janna let go of Ahri's ear as she extended her hand out and shook Riven's when she did not make any effort to do the same. "Let me be the first to welcome you to Zaun! I hope your trip here was…?"

"A nightmare," Ahri interrupted from behind her, rubbing her ear sorely.

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry to hear that," Janna said, some of the perk in her voice leaving. "Still, I hope whatever problems you had getting here doesn't keep you from enjoying the sights."

"Kind of hard to do with the pollution everywhere," Riven commented, in the same dour tone as Ahri.

"Well shit. Glad to see everyone is as cheerful as ever," Janna said in a low mutter, now frowning. "Don't let me rain on your adventure. Literally."

"Don't mind them. The ride was a little rough, you know?" Zac said, trying to lighten the mood. "How's things going with you? I heard about you getting a chance to speak at the College of Techmaturgy from Kolminye. That's a pretty big step forward into getting back into Zaunite politics, right?"

"You know it! I'm going to fix the problems of my home city, one step at a time!" Janna said chipperly, before stopping to think. "Wait, did you say Kolminye? As in, Vessaria Kolminye?"

"The one and only." Even when he said it in a passing conversation like this one, there was something about the name of the High Councilor's name that carried weight. Though maybe it was because Janna was another Champion who understand what it meant to be talked about by another woman who sat atop a perch over the entire world. "She talks a lot about your goal of reforming the disposal of magical pollution in the world."

"Really? I never knew," Janna said passively, trying to hide the skepticism in her voice. "Are you and Kolminye...friends?"

"Something like that," Zac said with a innocent shrug, before turning to look at Ekko.

"...So, who's the kid? A fan of yours?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, he's a friend," Janna said, suddenly remembering that she had forgotten to introduce Ekko to the rest of the group present. Maneuvering a step back to stand behind her younger friend, she crossed her arms over his head and laid them down in front of his chest protectively. "I'd like to introduce you to Ekko. Ekko, these are some other Champions in the League that I'm friends with. Their names are Zac and Riven, and they're here with Ahri on some sort of super secret assignment with Noxus."

"Uh, hey," Ekko said quietly, appearing as if he was looking up at the two pupiless yellow eyes of Zac. But in reality, he was more focused on being hugged by Janna from behind. "Nice to meet...everyone...uh… Yeah."

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Zac asked, chuckling as he did.

"No, it's not like that," Ekko laughed uneasily, scratching the back of his head. "It's just… It feels so weird meeting Champions in the League so suddenly, you know? I mean—"

"Zac, don't be so intimidating," Ahri chided, wagging a finger at him threatening as she interrupted Ekko.

"What!?" Zac said in mock shock. "Me? As if. He's clearly looking at you."

"Me!? Well, it's not my fault that he's already enthralled by my charm at one glance."

"He probably just thinks you look weird."

"What!? Weird!?" Ahri spluttered in equally mock outrage. "How dare you! How am I the one that stands out!?"

"Oh, yeah, because a humanoid fox with nine tails and a huge rack is totally normal." Zac rolled his eyes, giving an overly emphasized shrug of his muscular shoulders. "Don't get me wrong, we all love you for who you are. But let's not kid ourselves, okay?"

"Said the giant green jelly man!"

"Yeah, well," Zac went to scratch his nonexistent nose. "Guilty as charged, I guess."

"You are the worst friend, ever. And with the company I keep, that's saying something." Janna watched with an unamused face as Ahri turned to Ekko, ready to whip out the crocodile tears at unparalleled speeds. "Sigh. You see what I have to deal with? Everyone is always so mean to me. It's not my fault I was born this beautiful."

"I think we're pretty good friends, considering how many times we've had to kill each other in the past," Zac said jovially, perhaps a tad more than he should have.

"Kill each other? You mean…?" Ekko asked, not sure of what he was hearing.

"It's not as bad as it sounds. Sort of," Riven said, stepping around from behind Zac. She turned to Janna, pointing a thumb behind her.

"Can we talk for a minute, Windforce? Alone."

"Anything you want to say to me can be said to everyone else here too, I think," Janna said, and Ekko felt her arms pressing his body against her own tighter.

Riven just shook her head, and Zac knew that the small seemingly uncaring melancholy frown on her face meant that there was something important at stake. Maybe it was something that couldn't be said in front of Ekko or Ahri, but he had no way of knowing.

"No. We need to talk, alone. Now."

"Hey, you know, if this is about me then it's fine. Really, it's fine," Ekko said, trying to laugh off the tension he could sense was building up suddenly. Bending down, the Zaunite youth slipped out from underneath Janna's arms. "You can go do what...uh… Champions do. Important stuff, right? I'll just stay here with Zac and Ahri. If they're friends of yours, they're probably chill with me. I won't cause any trouble, I promise."

"Mmm, hmm. Don't worry about him at all. He's in good hands," Ahri said, stepping in and hugging Ekko from behind in the same way Janna had been before. When she began to passively stroke the shaved part of the boy's head alongside his mowhawk, the light glare she got from behind the wind mage's red glasses said enough. "You know how our Riven gets when she has something in her head. So go on. We won't pry."

"...Fine," Janna said, still sounding a little reluctant. She looked to Riven, who was already ready to walk away. "If it's so important, let's go talk about it over there. I'll be back in a little, Ekko."

"Yeah, don't worry about it. It's all good," Ekko said, waving goodbye to Janna's backside as she left with Riven.

Waiting patiently until she knew Janna was out of hearing range, Ahri then spoke. "So cutie, how do you know her?"

"Her?" Ekko asked numbly, then realizing that he was enjoying being petted by an attractive female stranger more than he should be. He quickly shook his head to clear out his mind. "Oh, right. Janna. Yeah, well, it's kind of complicated, you know?"

"Well, we've got time," Ahri said, continuing to stroke the side of Ekko's shaved head affectionately. Zac wanted to voice a warning about how information tended to get twisted and passed around when it came by the fox-woman's ears, but held his tongue because of his own curiosity.

"We're uh… Old friends. Yeah. Before she went to Piltover and become a Champion and all that cool stuff," Ekko explained plainly, shrugging after he did. "We grew up in the streets together, and that's it. I just met her again today, actually. I almost didn't recognize her."

"Two friends reunited after so long," Ahri said with a dreamy sigh. "It's like a Zaunite version of the Lady and the Tramp. That's adorable. No wonder why she's so protective of you."

"Lady and the what?" Ekko asked, sounding confused. "And… Protective? You think so?"

"Definitely. Take my word for it, kiddo," Ahri said, patting his shoulder assuringly. "I bet she would dive in front of a giant monster to save you. Janna is someone who wears her heart on her sleeves when it comes to people who mean a lot to her."

"Heart on her sleeves? I don't get it, but okay." Ekko looked up at Ahri and then back to Zac. "So… What about you two?"

"Us?" Zac and Ahri said together.

"Yeah. You're both Champions in the League, and that woman with gray hair is too, right? But I don't think you just walked in and asked to be made one, right? So how did it happen?"

"Right… Where do I begin?" Scratching his chin in thought, Zac took a moment to think of his answer. "Riven? The woman with silver hair over there," he then pointed to where Riven and Janna were conversing, "She was a Noxian officer in their army. Emphasis on the was. She has the ability to channel something they call the 'Force' in Noxus. Part of an old hokey religion from the olden times that supposedly gives her superhuman senses, so they called her the 'Chosen One' and gifted her a giant magical sword and junk to fight for them. But she realized the High Command of Noxus was lame, and left for the glorious life of a mercenary."

"Woah, for real!?" Ekko said, feeling his jaw running slack.

"Nah, I just made that all up," Zac confessed, and Ahri giggled when Ekko let out loud groan. "Ask her yourself sometime if you want to know the real truth. She'll probably tell you, believe it or not."

"Fine, fine. Cool." Ekko put his hands up. "So… What is your deal, then?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you." Ekko crossed her arms, and stuck his chin out at the Secret Weapon. "You're like a...giant dessert gelatin, you know? How did something crazy like you become a Champion in the League? Are you some kind of Noxian super-weapon?"

"No, nothing like that," Ahri said this time, leaning down to whisper into Ekko's ear. "No one really knows the truth about Zac, but I do. He was a Zaunite horror movie star that fell into a giant vat of radioactive protoplasm. When he survived, his body got turned into that green gelatinous form. He's been fighting in the League ever since, because that same gunk gave him super strength that let him beat any enemy in one punch. It's a shame that he's a hideous bald monster now, because he was really handsome before the accident."

"Woah, for real!?" Ekko shouted, his jaw dropping again.

"No, she's just kidding," Zac said, before Ahri could take her lie any further. "Hideous bald monster… You know, that didn't stop you from sleeping with me before we left."

"Excuse you! Don't put ideas into Ekko's innocent little head," Ahri said reparamandingly, covering Ekko's ears as she did. When she looked down and saw the young Zaunite looking at her uncomfortably, she rolled her eyes and removed her hands so he could hear her clearly. "We did no such thing! And just so you know, Janna is worse than me when it comes to gossip. If she hears that, we'll be on the front page of every tabloid in the Institute for weeks mister Zauntie superhero."

"Well what about you?" Ekko asked, slipping out from Ahri's arms. "And I'm not that young! Don't treat me like I'm a little kid."

"Is it my turn again?" Zac asked, trying to think of an appropriate story to counter Ahri's own about him. "It's a long story, but she was an Ionian scientist who got bit by a magically radioactive fox. Ever since, she's been using her powers like a super heroine fighting in the League. She was going to go with the superhero nickname 'Foxy Legs,' but we agreed that it was too suggestive for the kids that might follow the League of Legends."

This time though, Ekko just looked at Zac with a disbelieving look.

"None of that is true at all, is it?"

"Yeah, I'm still messing with you," Zac said with a laugh. "She's basically a demon fox turned humanoid seductress, now trying to reconcile with her past after she grew a conscious from eating too many human souls."

At first Ekko looked at Zac with the same disbelieving look as before, but then he noticed the very distinct stinkeye Ahri was giving the Secret Weapon. Zac had noticed it too, but didn't seemed too phased by it.

"True story, kid. I swear."

"Riiiight," Ekko said slowly, laughing uneasily as Ahri's sharp glare at Zac was not softening. "Haha, yeah, good one."

"So, what about you kid?" Zac finally asked, once he was sure Ahri wasn't about to slug him. "Tell us about yourself."

"Yeah," Ahri chimed in, still with an icy edge in her voice. "Tell us again, how'd a little cutie like you get to know the Storm's Fury?"

But before Ekko could think of a way to redirect their curiosity away from him, he saw Janna returning with the white haired woman that had led her away for some unknown reason. Neither looked too particularly happy, and he could only speculate what had been talked about if the other two Champions hadn't been included.

"Hey! So, uh… What did I miss?" Ekko asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Yeah, what was so important that we're not allowed to know, huh? Huh?" Ahri demanded, keenly noticing how Janna had silently moved herself right behind Ekko, and into the same position she had been hanging over the young Zaunite from.

"It's nothing for you to be concerned with. We're going to be heading to the port district in two separate vehicles, which are part of a larger convoy," Riven explained, cutting right to the chase. "Kat, Zac, and I will be in the first one. You three will be in the second, alright?"

"Whaaat? I'm a part of this too!" Ahri protested with a loud whine. "You can't just stick me with these two who are only here for a little!"

"It's not like that," Riven said, putting up a hand to stop Ahri's mock immaturity. "There just isn't any room left because of Zac's size. Blame him for you being left out."

"Zac!" The Secret Weapon felt himself flinch when Ahri's voice was directed at him in such a shrill pitch, even though he knew she was kidding. "Why do you have to be so big?"

"Well I do work out," Zac said, at first not really sure what else he could say. But then remembering her behavior before, he puffed up his chest up in a display of gelatinous machismo. "Besides, I thought you liked me just how I am?" He then spread his arms out, striking a pose that accentuated his muscular physique. "Big, strong, and...flexible? Right?"

"Alright you two, save it for another time." Riven said, before Ahri could take their banter a step further. "Katarina is almost ready to go. We need to make sure we're ready to leave when she is, or she might leave us behind."

"Fine, fine," Ahri said passively, crossing her arms behind her back as she did. "I was listening before. I know where to go. So we'll keep watch from the rear...for now."

"Don't play coy. I know you like the view," Zac said, standing proudly and pointing to his butt. He grinned as Ahri gave him a lewd smirk of appreciation, before leaving with Janna and Ekko.

Walking across the gravel of the trainyard at a brisk pace, Ahri felt the wind blow gently against her legs when Janna next to her began to use her powers to float in the air, rather than risk damaging her stilettoes on the rough ground. Behind them both Ekko followed along obediently, keeping his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his overalls and looking around alertly for any signs of danger.

Why did I agree to this? What am I even doing here? Ahri thought to herself, trying her best not to breath through her nose and accidentally draw in more of the characterization of Zaun. The world around her was so foreign that the nine-tailed fox did not even know where to begin describing it. She had been through some of the deepest parts of the Institute of War, but nothing rivaled the jungle of concrete and steel she was now in the middle of. A place where there was no signs of the natural world, every other building seemed tall enough to pierce the clouds, and the tall spires that grew from the tops of factories constantly spewed out thick blinding clouds into the sunless sky. It truly felt like she was wandering through a different world; a different dimension even, that resembled nothing of the places she had considered to be her home.

Home. Ahri felt herself repeating the word in her mind. What did that word even mean for someone like herself? There were more than a few places in Ionia that she dared not return to, even with the protection of being a Champion in the League of Legends. Was the Institute of War her home now? Was she just another piece in the Institute's collection of monsters that were imprisoned there?

What's so special about him anyway? I should have told her that—

"...Ahri? Hey?"

"Hmm?" Ahri blinked out of her thoughts, realizing that Janna had been trying to get her attention.

"You don't seem too happy. A gold for your thoughts?"

"What? Oh, it's nothing," Ahri lied, putting her hand up. "Really. Don't worry about it."

"Well, I was just thinking about how you two were getting along well," Janna continued, trying to sound concerned. But Ahri knew that the wind mage only wanted to satisfy her own curiosity.

"Huh? Who do you mean?" Ahri said, pretending not to know better.

"You know who I mean. You and Zac."

"Do you think so?"

"Yeeeah," Janna said, clearly wanting a better answer than what she had gotten. She then leaned in closer to Ahri, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I do think so. So when did this all happen? Was it on the train ride over? Or maybe you two have been seeing each other in secret? Wait, do Karma and Irelia know about this?"

"Don't go there Janna," Ahri warned.

"Wait, Karma and who?" Ekko asked, as he felt the air around him getting tense once more.

Janna saw Ahri frown deeply, only for it to go away the moment she turned to look at Ekko behind her.

"They're my sisters. Kind of. I'm adopted by them, I guess," Ahri explained, continuing to walk at the same pace Janna was floating by with her powers. "They sponsored my entry into the League of Legends, and supported me when a lot of people from Ionia didn't trust me. I've always felt like I've owed them a debt for what they did for me, but lately, I feel like I've only grown more distant to them."

"Oh. I get it," Ekko said, nodding along. "But, you know, just because you're family doesn't mean you have to get along with them all of the time."

"Hmm… I guess that's true." Ahri shrugged, feeling her long braided hair swing back and forth against her back. "I want to live my own life, but I don't want to make it look like their faith was misplaced, either. They're both really important people in Ionia, after all."

"Uh… How important are we talking here?"

"Irelia is the Captain of the Ionian Guard, which makes her like the commander of their military," Janna explained, as if it were so simple. "Karma is the Dutchess of Ionia, and youngest member on the Council of Elders. She's like the leader of Ionia's political system, sort of."

"Oh. Wow, uh," Ekko said quietly, understanding why the fox-woman seemed so reluctant. "Yeah. Good luck with that."

Riven had been waiting for Zac to stop looking at where Ahri left with Janna and Ekko, but now that they long gone, the Secret Weapon was still staring at where they had went with his blank yellow eyes. The eyes that betrayed how intelligent their owner was, and were always coupled with grossly exaggerated facial expressions to mean anything. It was obvious to anyone how uncomfortable Ahri had been over the three day train ride into Zaun. Going from that discomfort into a pollution laced jungle of concrete and steel couldn't have been much better. Maybe once they were on the open seas onboard the Garuda, there would be a better chance to gleam some information as to why the nine-tailed fox had agreed to tag along for something that she had no reason to care about.

"...Zac."

When he didn't answer her, she tried again.

"Zac!"

"Oh! Huh? Yeah?" Zac said, turning to look down at her.

"Do me a favor and don't humor her," Riven said, and Zac noted that the Exile had waited until they were enough of a distance away that Ahri would not be able to hear them.

"Why not? I'm just trying to relieve some of the tension in the air."

"She treats everything like it's a game. If you get too distracted playing with her, it's going to dull your focus."

"Yeah right. As if," he replied flippantly. "I know I have to stay on top of my game, otherwise you'll leave me behind, right?

"If I was going to leave you behind, I wouldn't have wasted three months whipping you into shape." Looking up at him, Riven raised her fist for Zac to meet with an open palm. Even over the sound of the noisy trainyard, they both heard the light slap caused by the gesture. "Don't forget that this is your mission, and not mine. I hope you're ready, because I meant it when I said that we might run into trouble on the way to the harbor."

"Are you kidding me? I was born ready." But his words didn't seem to elicit any confidence from Riven.

"Do you remember that Janna has that thing following her around all of the time?"

"You mean Zephyr? Of course." He was no stranger to the tiny bird-like air elemental that always followed Janna around like a pet. There was something admirable about the tiny creature, and how it never hesitated to ram itself even into the biggest enemies its master fought against. But thinking about the air elemental, Zac realized that it had been absent from Windforce's side the entire time she had been with them.

"When I took Janna aside before, she told me that she has had Zephyr scouting out the city." Riven explained, affirming what Zac had just realized. "She claims that it's seen a number of groups in the area that could cause trouble for us."

"It doesn't matter they throw at us. Monsters, mad science, crazy weapons, or even giant robots." Zac lowered his hand that was still cradled around Riven's fist. "No matter what is it, it won't stop us. We'll get this mission done, and be back to the Institute before we know it."

"Listen to you, talking big." She turned away from him so he would not see her smile.

"You know it. Let's get to our carriage before Katarina starts yelling again."

"What do you mean that they're not coming!?"

"That's what he said, ma'am," the communications officer said, handing Katarina a piece of paper that was roughly snatched from his hand the moment it was offered. "The Captains says that the majority of guards brought in by ZGS are all children. He doesn't trust them with security around the dock, so he's posting the detachment sent to him around the perimeter."

"It's not enough," Katarina muttered, reading over what had been transcribed while repeating the three words a few more times. "It's not enough! There aren't enough Iron Legionnaires here to defend the convoy from an ambush, and they still haven't been tested in combat!"

"We've been assured by the Grand General personally that the Iron Legionnaires are as strong as some of our finest soldiers, if not more," the overly dressed Quartermaster of the trainyard said, in the informal tone of a soldier that never had to do anything more than sign paperwork every day. The man's uniform was strangely clean for someone posted in a city filled with toxic pollution around ever corner. Every time they had spoken, his demeanor had been cordial, but curt. Exactly like someone who was being burdened by something unwanted, but did not have the courage or authority pass the problem on to someone else. The kind of person Katarina loathed to deal with, both at the Institute of War and at home.

"I know what the High Command says about them!" she snapped angrily, running a hand through her hair that had fallen over her face. "I don't care what they claim! Posing as guards is one thing, but fighting in a battle is another. The gangs here aren't the same as a group of half-dead gladiators right out of the Fleshing. How do I know they won't go insane like Sion does without the magic of a Summoner to control him?"

"You'll just have to trust the word of the High Command about this," the Quartermaster said passively, solidifying her silent hatred of the man she had just met. "I don't know why he thinks we should be giving anything back to the natives, but doesn't the Grand General consider this a very important mission?"

"Very important mission," Katarina repeated sarcastically, crumpling up message and throwing it out into a bin at her feet.

If there was one thing that characterized everything Katarina had run into since being handed down her mission, it was the multiplying volume of unknowns that continued to pile up every time she thought about them.

The animosity LeBlanc held for the Du Couteau family was not public knowledge, but anyone who understood the dogma being preached by Jericho Swain in his rise to power could infer why. The nobility of Noxus were guilty in the heinous crime of stagnation; preserving themselves by stealing the strengths of others that could carry Noxus into its rightful destiny. Even Katarina knew that it was all fanciful conjecture to cover for the bad history between the Black Rose and the Darkwill family that had ruled Noxus for over two centuries. With a single death the political revolution had started, and anyone associated with the late Boram Darkwill had found themselves with a painted target on their back.

Had she been spared because of her job as a Champion in the League? Or was it merely a matter of time until LeBlanc could find a suitable replacement for her and her sister. Had this mission been handed down to her as a test of her competence? Or were the results of the test going to be rigged from the start.

There was just no way for her to know. Even with the powerful information web her younger sibling had created from her days as a jewel of the Noxian court, there were no answers to be had.

There was just a looming feeling she could not shake. It was different from fighting monsters that could hide themselves from her sight through supernatural powers. Or having literal magic-empowered voices in her head feeding her information on how to do her job. The sensation was haunting, looming, and heavy enough that it paralyzed her when she tried to think about it.

Maybe in her younger years she would have berated herself for wasting time, and written it off as her own paranoia. But now?

What would he have done?

"Relying on a bunch of armored corpses to watch my back isn't a comfort; it's a liability," Katarina said, rousing herself after her brief silence.

"What about your...acquaintances?" She watched the Quartermaster lean over to look out the window of the observation tower, and down to the ground of the trainyard. "They're all Champions in the League. If they were brought along, surely they must be useful for something? Isn't the green one some kind of Zaunite super weapon?"

"As useful as using trainees for target practice," the Sinister Blade said, before heading for the door to walk back down the long spiral stairs of the observation tower.

"Send a message back to Captain Kinsey. Tell him we'll arrive with our cargo without his help."

"Yes ma'am." Saluting Katarina's backside out of habit, the Quartermaster waited for the Sinister Blade to leave before he would answer the look on his subordinate's face.

"Something on your mind, Warrant Officer?"

"Sir… Is there a reason we didn't give her the second half of Captain Kinsey's message?" the communications officer asked, opening up the drawer next to him and taking out the piece of paper inside. "The Port Authority in Zaun hasn't cleared them to leave yet. The Garuda can't leave for another two days then, at least."

"Orders from above, I'm afraid." Relaxing his shoulders now that the assassin was gone, the Quartermaster turned again to look out of the windows and down at the yard below. "It's just politics. It's not our business what the elite do to test each other all of the time. They say that discretion is just as important as cunning, after all."

"A test...sir?"

"That's right. That woman young, but she is old blood; the type of fool that's caught between the past and the new world we live in." When the face of the communications officer showed that he did not understand, the Quartermaster rolled his eyes and frowned.

"Do you know who Marcus Du Couteau was?"

"Yes, but I've only heard stories, sir."

"Well most of the stories are true, and then some. He was a true Noxian. It should be no surprise to anyone why our late leader decided to make him his right-hand man." This was said with both solemn reminiceful tones, as if the man were paying his respects in his own way by simply speaking about his own memories. "I've heard the rumors, but personally, I don't think he was killed in the purge. I don't think the Grand General would throw away strength like he had. He's probably got him doing...something...secret that all the assassin-types go around doing."

"But what does that have to do with her?"

"Well… It seems as if his talents were divided between his daughters," the Quartermaster said with regretful displeasure. "And even then, they're nothing compared to what he was at their age."

From the moment Katarina had opened the door to step outside, she had jumped over the railing of the spiral staircase and blinked down to the ground below.

"Fucking asshole," she said under her breath, turning to look back at the top of the observation tower for only a second.

The entire time they had been speaking, she knew Quartermaster had been looking at her with a look in his eyes. The same look she had been getting her entire life, long before she had developed into a crimson-haired beauty that turned heads everywhere for a different reason. It was that look. The one that she hated the most: being compared to her father in everything that she did. It wasn't enough that all of Noxus had turned a blind eye to his disappearance, but they still continued to judge every god damned thing she did against him.

What would he have done?

The question passed through her mind of a second time, and she let out a deep sigh in frustration. She could not think of an answer, and all too often the solutions she could come up with were too late to matter.

Why did it have to happen like this?

"Hey."

Whipping around fast enough that her long hair temporarily blinded her, she turned to see Zac standing behind her. If he had noticed her surprise, he showed no signs of caring. The Secret Weapon threw a thumb over his shoulder at the lead carriage of her convoy, turning to look at it as she did.

"You ready to go, or what?"

Was he there the whole time? No… But why the hell didn't I sense him? Katarina thought, looking at the dimwitted and inattentive face the Secret Weapon always seemed to have when he spoke to her. Remembering the gravel of the trainyard under her boots, it made no sense that he could have purposefully snuck up on her successfully.

What the hell is wrong with me? I don't have time for this.

"Am I ready? Did you forget who you're talking to?" Katarina pushed past him, heading toward where he had been pointing. "It's too late to turn back, you know. When we leave Zaun you better be ready to carry you own weight."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard it before," Zac said, sticking a finger in the side of his head as if he had ears to plug. "Let's get the show on the run first. And if anything goes wrong, I'll show why it was a good idea to bring me along."

"Don't pretend you're more important than you are, Jumbo. With all of the areas we control, there are enough Noxian soliders in Zaun to take over the city if we really wanted to."

"Yeah? Well what if you run into any Vigilnauts? What about then, huh?"

Katarina turned her head around to glare at him, though she didn't know it was for talking back, or being right. "Not many people in Zaun know about them, yet. For someone who's never left the Institute since you arrived, you're full of surprises."

"I've heard a thing or two from some people," Zac admitted. "Hextech this, and Glorious Revolution that. The kid tagging along with Janna says he fought one of them once. A giant muscle-headed guy with machine limbs. Like something out of a Piltover comic book."

"As if. A skinny little prick like that kid doesn't stand a chance against a Vigilnaut." Katarina stopped, and turned around to look up at him again. "They look tough, but they're all a bunch of untrained and undisciplined freaks. Having giant fists made of metal doesn't make you strong. Trash that would mutilate their own bodies have no idea what true strength is."

Zac didn't say anything as he continued to follow behind her, with both of them heading toward where Riven was waiting for them.

"What's your S.O.P. for an enemy attack?"

Katarina didn't look back at him for a second time, even though he had expected her to.

"Destroy anyone that picks a fight with us. Hard and fast, with no mercy."

"Anyone? You really mean it? Just like that?"

"Just like that," Katarina repeated, with a tone that seemed like she was hoping they would run into trouble.

"Huh. Okay then." Zac raised his arms into the air and folded them behind his head. "I guess that's easy enough."

"Still no word from the Herald. What should we do?"

There was a silent pause, before the sound of a massive pair of boots hit the concrete floor under them. The reverberations were loud enough to shake the dust and dirt from all corners of the building, even threatening to crack the dirty glass of the windows.

"...We stay. They will come, and we will be ready."

Almost falling over from the loud sound that was ringing in his ears, the acolyte readjusted how his hood rested over his head. Seeing that he was about to be left behind, he then quickly began to follow the source of the ringing in his ears.

What he was following was a living breathing behemoth of muscle and steel. A Vigilnaut, they called him. Hundreds of pounds of techmaturgy seamlessly woven with his organic body, resulting in a mountain of a man that bridged the world of mortals and machines. The massive metal arm that overshadowed everything else was comprised of intricate layers stamped metal. It dripped coolant from pipes, belched hot gasses in his wake, and glowed with a light that allowed the digits making up his hand to be strong enough to bend steel beams. But there was a lot more to the technological terror he was walking alongside with than raw strength. The elite of the Herald wielded weapons and tools that defied common sense, and seemed more like fantasy than reality. Some nights he dreamt of what it would be like to hold such power. To be trusted by the Herald to wield strength that defied the laws of the universe. But such things were only stories, as far as he had heard.

"Their arrogance will be their downfall. I will go and tell the others: if they do not heed the words of the Machine Herald, we will strike them down like the dogs they are."

"Noxian dogs…" From underneath the hood of his cloak, the Vigilnaut could feel the passion of the acolyte walking with him. Though they were of the same machine heart, he felt comfort knowing that even the newest of their flock were of the same mind. "They think that the world belongs to them. That Zaunites are their slaves because we work for their gold. They know nothing of what we bring to the world."

"When they witness our strength, they will know what it means to be part of the Glorious Evolution." Even through the mouthpiece covering the lower half of his face, his words were said with a conviction as hard as the steel interwoven with his flesh. The massive steel hand of the Vigilnaut open and closed itself before clenching itself closed tightly in a display of mechanical might. "Soon the Herald's vision will be completed, and no one will be able to deny our power. Metal and magic bring unity to the chaos and ruin that is flesh and blood. The Herald's success in the League has brought our cause to the eyes of the world, and now is the time for his acolytes to be his voice on the streets of Zaun."

"What about the woman?" An inevitable question, and one that he had been pondering himself. "The other Champion the message said. The mutant fox with all of the tails."

"It is not our place to question the Herald's decision. If he says that the fox-woman is important to his grand designs, then we will get him what he needs without question. Never forget that we are the chosen few, and the lives we live come from his genius and charity."

He saw the figure under his cloak shrink, and look down toward the ground. "Of course not, brother. I did not mean to sound like I was questioning the Herald's vision."

"We are the chosen few, destined to bring order to the chaos of this world." Raising the massive steel fist that could crush the man next to him like a toy, he brought it down only to rest it reassuringly on the back of the acolyte in an effort to comfort him.

"For hundreds of years, our kind of had to fight to survive against the horrors that prey on humans. With the designs of the Herald, and the power he has blessed us with, that time has come to an end."

Walking up to the last shutter door, the Vigilnaut reached down and grabbed the welded metal bar acting as a handle to the steel barrier. Effortly he raised the massive door that would normally need to be raised by chains attached to powerful motors. Stepping out and under the Zaunite gray sky, countless others dressed in the same garbs as the acolyte next to him turned their heads in anticipation of what he would say.

"Acolytes! I bring good news! Your chance to prove our worth to the Herald has come!" the Vigilnaut declared, raised his steel arm and pointing to all of the acolytes as he did. "Through his genius you have been granted meaning in life! A chance to become something in the miserable chaos of our world!"

Lowering his arm, he then pointed a finger toward the dense cluster of buildings that made up the seaport of Zaun.

"Very soon, a group of Noxian dogs will cross paths with us. Soldiers of their Grand General, who think that the world is theirs to do as they see fit! If they do not submit to our demands, we will take what we want from them, and show them what it means to be strong! This is the first step to proving that Zaun is not the plaything of others! Glory to the Herald! All hail the Glorious Evolution!"

"Glory to the Herald!" one of the hooded acolytes shouted, raising the barrel of his a hextech frost gun into the air.

"Hail the Glorious Evolution!" shouted another, raising the point of the hextech gunblade in his hands too.

"Glory to the Herald!"

"Hail the Glorious Evolution!"

"Glory to the Herald!"

"Hail the Glorious Evolution!"

The Vigilnaut looked at his brothers and sisters in front of him, with the mechanical chorus of their voices beginning to overpower the ambiance of the factories that ran in Zaun during all hours of the day. Where there had once been fear, there was now confidence. Where there had once been mistrust, there was unity. Where there had once been chaos, there was order. All of the human debris in front of him had been transformed, no, evolved into something greater. Now they would repay the Herald for his gift of bringing meaning to lives that had no reason for living.

They were perfect for shedding their blood at no consequence for the Glorious Evolution.

"Stand with me! For the Glorious Evolution!" the Vigilnaut shouted, taking his strides forward with his flock up in arms behind him.

Author's Note: Well, this chapter took a lot longer than I anticipated, like so many others before it.

Recently I graduated with my Masters degree, and have entered the workforce full time. Because of this I haven't had much time to mess with my hobbies (one of which is this story), but that doesn't mean that this is the end. I want to repeat that this story will be completed, even if Riot ends up stopping the development of League in a few years or so for something else.

To anyone who is still reading this, thank you for sticking with this story for over two years. There's still plenty to come, and it will be out soon(™).