"How?! This is just... How?"
A frustrated male yordle threw cards on the small table, not caring that most of them fell on the floor.
"Man, you suck at this!"
A grinning female yordle crossed her arms, enjoying her companion's latest defeat.
Snarling, Bixby pointed at Tristana "Hey, I could tell you what you should be sucking right now, but the good Captain over there will probably stab me in the eye for that later on."
Teemo, in the meantime, was quietly reading a book on the second bunk bed, not really paying attention to the two gunners.
After flipping off the laughing girl, Bixby decided to calm down and enjoy the passing view from the train window. The lush, green fields were certainly beautiful and in the distance he could see a massive, high-tech city. The train was slowly approaching its destination - Piltover. The coastal nation is situated atop a relatively small mountain in a vast greenish marsh. The denizens of Piltover appear to be utilizing the liquid and gases emitting from the marsh as a viable source of energy in order to power the city. The scientists don't stop here as they keep trying to create some kind of alternative power source.
Tristana, Teemo, and Bixby thought that it would be too boring to just teleport straight to Piltover and decided to spice up the trip a bit. After arriving to Demacia, the trio went straight to the newly built train station specifically made for travels to Piltover.
The train itself looked terribly outdated and released more steam than it probably should, but despite its old look, the machine pulled the carts as if they were nothing. It was told that new, more advanced trains will soon be riding on these rails, replacing this old steam machine which will be retired and most probably put into a museum.
The trip to the busy Piltover was interesting. The three friends saw many mountains, small rivers, lush colorful fields that weren't ravaged by runic magic and were blooming with their natural beauty. In-between the sightseeing, the yordles shared stories and occasionally played a game of cards in which Tristana always won. The ride to the city took about three hours.
The train took the yordles right into the center of Piltover. Once they got out of the train and exited the impressive looking train station; Teemo, Tristana, and Bixby stood outside and looked in awe at the 'City of Progress'.
Piltover looked like it was taken out right from the pages of a sci-fi novel. Nearly all the buildings were tall and looked like they were threatening to tear through the sky. Many said buildings had huge, built in screens that showed some kind of ads or in some cases a news channel played to inform people about incoming events, the weather, or just what was going on outside their city. Trams and all kinds of vehicles were zooming by, ranging from busses to armored police cruisers that were patrolling the streets. Both humans and yordles were hastily walking by all focused in their work, not even noticing the trio of well known yordles. The city was like a well oiled machine - nothing stood in place and everything moved without a flaw.
"Man... No matter how many times I've been here, it seems that it looks different each visit." Bixby finally broke the long silence and adjusted his backpack.
"Yeah, well they don't call it 'Piltover - City of Progress' for nothing." smirking, Tristana focused her attention on one of the huge monitors that was currently advertising some hair dying product.
Closing his mouth, Teemo finally broke out of his own stupor, "So - any ideas how to get to Ziggs?"
Bixby turned to the scout, "Well judging by your stories that he is the 'Dean of Demolition' and Heimerdinger's top student - my guess is the Academy."
"Ok, most probably, but how do we get there?"
It was almost humorous for the sniper to see that Teemo knew so little about the ever growing technology around them. "That's easy. You just call for a magic carriage."
The scout observed how Bixby ran up to the road and after raising his arm and some loud whistling - a yellow colored vehicle with a word 'Taxi' pulled over near the yordle. Teemo grabbed Tristana's hand and guided the girl, who was mumbling something about 'dying her hair pink again', to the vehicle.
After the three yordles bundled into the taxi the driver casually asked, "Where to?"
"The Yordle Academy of Science & Progress."
Nodding the driver shifted the gears of the vehicle and drove off.
Twenty minutes later, the three friends were standing near the Academy. The building was enormous to say the least. The massive, seventy-story building had an interesting postmodern form, whose complexity rises as it ascends. Numerous helipads were visible on the building with the famed Reconnaissance Operations Front-Line Copters landing or taking off. A huge hangar was also built near the Academy, most likely a 'testing room' for the various contraptions. The inside of the building was even more impressive. Its barrel-vaulted atrium starts from the first floor and goes up to the very top. The staircases are arrayed in a spiral making it easy for scientists to get to their needed floor. Of course there were six elevators that were constantly going up and down. In the middle there was a large fountain with a statue of Heimerdinger, the Revered Inventor and creator of the Academy. The statue stood proudly, giving a sort of a morale boost to all the new comers and everybody else who worked at the Academy. Tristana, Teemo, and Bixby again stood in awe, gawking at the labs that were visible from where they were standing.
"I don't know about you, but I feel so small all of a sudden." Tristana's remark earned a couple of laughs from Teemo and Bixby.
"Can I help you?"
The trio turned around and saw a stern looking woman looking down on them. The woman appeared to be in her early fifties with her graying brown hair tied back into a tight bun. She wore a dark blue business suit and was holding a clipboard. It was obvious by her serious expression that she's a woman with a no-nonsense personality.
"Oh, hey!" chimed Tristana. "Um, we are looking for Ziggs. Maybe you know where his lab is?"
The woman only raised an eyebrow observing the three again through her thin glasses, while writing down something on the clipboard. "He's a friend of yours?"
Tristana nodded in reply. After finishing writing, the woman left without saying a word, walking towards the elevator.
Tristana looked at her equally confused companions and shrugged.
Exactly five minutes after the weird woman left, the trio heard a loud explosion that came from the third floor. Surprisingly, none of the passing scientists even flinched, as if they were used to this kind of thing. Teemo, Trist, and Bixby looked up to see a yordle with a wide, toothy smile briefly looking down at them from the third floor. The said yordle then, not bothering with the elevator, proceeded to run down the staircase giggling like a maniac.
Smiling, Tristana slowly went up closer to the stairs to greet her old friend.
The overexcited yordle jumped up the rails and quickly slid down the remaining floor.
"TRISTANA!"
In a couple of leaps Ziggs practically collided with the girl, giving her a crushing hug.
Tristana returned the hug twice as hard. "ZIGGS!"
The people around them gave the pair weird looks as the two continued to try and 'out hug each other', giggling stupidly during the whole ordeal.
In the end it was Ziggs that finally gave in. "OK, OK! I give! I give!"
The girl let go of the poor demolition expert and still laughing, wiped some of the tears of joy that appeared after such an intense reunion.
"Sorry, I'm just glad to see you Ziggs!"
Ziggs flashed his trademark smile. "Ah it's nothin'. I'm used to your rib cracking hugs. It's nice to see that ya still got it!"
Laughing, the two shared another hug, this time not trying to kill each other with affection.
In the mean time, Teemo and Bixby slowly approached the happy duo, "The scene is almost too touching." Bixby smirked, observing Tristana and Ziggs.
Ziggs finally let go of the girl when he saw the scout. "Teemo! Get over here ya silent bastard!" Laughing the two friends also shared a hug.
"It's great to see you again Ziggs!"
"Missed ya too!" Ziggs let out a loud laugh and roughly patted the scouts back. "Nice scarf by the way. Much better than that red thing you always wore."
As Teemo and Ziggs were done hugging it out, the Dean finally noticed Bixby. "Whoa! Who's the new guy?"
Letting out a low laugh, the sniper extended his hand. "Name's Bixby - sniper of the Megling Commandos. Friendly rival of that gun crazed girl you just assaulted."
Grinning, Ziggs gave Bixby a firm handshake. "Well then! Nice meetin' ya Bixby! As you already heard - the name's Ziggs - the Hexplosives Expert!" Letting go, the Dean once again looked at the trio of friends almost not believing that they are here.
"Ah man, I can't believe ya actually came! This is so awesome!" Pausing he scanned them over noticing the attire. "I gotta say - ya look so different in your casual clothes."
Tristana, Teemo, and Bixby laughed at the remark. It was kind of true. Almost all the time they were in their battle gear, only wearing something different during the weekends. Seeing them in such regular outfits was almost surreal. Tristana wore a simple yellow short sleeved jumper and a pair of battered jeans that were partially ripped on the ankle area. Teemo looked almost the same as always though, he wore dark green pants and instead of his red collar, which many people mistook for his real fur, was a nice looking red scarf, neatly wrapped around his neck. Bixby, for reasons only he knew, wore a flashy, ridiculous looking tropical shirt and loose jeans.
"SO! Did ya decide on where you're gonna stay for the week?" Ziggs didn't even let the trio answer as he continued on. "Because I know this sweet place that you'll love!" He let out a couple of giggles as he looked up to where the explosion occurred. The smoke was out and he could see the stern woman's piercing death glare way up from the third floor. Ziggs innocently waved and comically blew her a kiss.
Laughing, he turned around and started pushing his friends to the exit. "Come on let's go, let's go!"
Teemo, Tristana, and Bixby didn't know what just happened, but followed the energetic yordle out of the Academy.
Outside it was less crowded than before because the day was close to an end and everybody was already home. The four yordles were walking through the emptied streets to the 'special place' Ziggs mentioned earlier.
"So... Who's the lady?" Bixby finally asked the question that was on all of their minds at the moment.
"That was Matilda Armstrong." Ziggs answered with an exaggerated voice.
"The name surely suits her." quipped Tristana, "I think Poppy is the only who could rival her stone face."
"I know right? Good'ol Matilda was appointed to be my-ah, 'watch dog' if ya will." Letting out a low laugh he stopped and waited to the traffic light to change.
"Wow, what did you do?" Tristana asked with enthusiasm in her voice.
Ziggs simply shrugged, "It involved a lot of explosions, a destroyed building - which was set up for demolition anyway, and two totaled police cruisers. Notn' serious." Teemo gave the demolition expert a very odd look. In return the Dean put up his arm. "Don't woooorry, nobody got hurt. Soooo after that particular, eh-a 'stunt', I got banned from the academy for some time."
The traffic light finally changed and the four yordles continued their trek. "The academy wasn't that mad at me, but the guys at the police force were pretty pissed. So after a while the academy let me work again only on one condition: the guys from the police are going to send somebody to watch over me. That somebody turned out to be Ms. Armstrong. She watches my every move, keeps me in check - that kinda thing." Smirking he added. "As far as I heard she's a martial arts champion and an ex-enforcer who worked in the fields, so getting on her nerves is the next best thing!"
"Sounds like a real charming chick to me." Tristana said with a laugh, with Bixby nodding in approval, and Teemo silently questioning Ziggs's sanity.
After about ten more minutes of walking and talking about nonsensical things, the four friends finally came up to a tall, newly built apartment building. Taking the lead once more, Ziggs let the trio inside. After they all got in the elevator, Ziggs punched the 17th floor button and in matter or seconds they were there. Stepping outside the elevator and walking further into the corridor, the yordles finally stopped at the door with the number '155' written on it.
Ziggs pulled out a key and grinned, "Remember the number, cuz this is your temporary staying place." Unlocking the door he let the three inside.
Teemo, Tristana, Bixby entered, and were met with a decent sized room that doubled as a kitchen. The kitchen table was littered with empty bottles, schematics, half built bombs, and half eaten sandwiches. Instead of chairs - four boxes were positioned near the table. On the yordles' left there was a door that apparently led to the bathroom.
"Um... S-so this is where you live?" Teemo asked while looking around with Tristana doing the same.
Not minding the obvious disappointed looks his friends were trying to hide, Ziggs casually strolled past them with a smile. "Almost. Been savin' for this place for a while now. Much closer to work, more room, plus," Ziggs walked up to the same wall that had the entrance to the bathroom, but slightly further and kicked a door open that was barely visible and had no door knob at all. "It comes with a sweet bonus."
The three surprised friends entered the new area and were greeted with a huge, spacious room. Granted it was still mostly empty, with only a rug, a TV, a single chair, and a bunch of boxes in the room.
"Damn! Now this is a room." Bixby commented as he looked around.
Ziggs smirked as he walked up to the wall which was entirely covered up with curtains. "Want me to make it even better?" Opening up a panel on the wall and pressing some buttons made the curtains slowly slide apart.
When the curtains slowly came apart - Teemo, Tristana, Bixby, and Ziggs were greeted with a gorgeous view of the city. Turns out the wall was entirely made out of windows with a small balcony on the side. Since it was already dark, the city was lit up like a tree during Snowdown Showdown, with various lights dancing on the roads, the clouds and some neon colored club signs flashing in various parts of the streets.
"Wooooow." Was the only thing Tristana could muster while looking at the scenery.
"Sure beats dull ol'Bandle City, huh?" Even though he said that, Ziggs still respected and missed his homeland.
Bixby gave Ziggs a solid pat on the back liking his new friend already. "Love your style man, love your style."
The Dean cracked a smile at that. "Yeah, I try."
The four friends stood for another five minutes in silence, just enjoying the view, with Bixby walking out on the balcony later on.
"Alright!" Ziggs clapped his hands loudly getting everybody's attention. "Make yourselves at home, sorry that there's notn' comfortable to sleep on yet. There are a bunch of blankets and pillows in one of those boxes. If ya wanna eat, there's some left over stuff in the fridge. I'm givin' the key to Teemo since he is the most responsible out of all of us."
Teemo snorted at Ziggs's remark as Tristana crossed her arms in a 'What's that suppose to mean?' manner.
"You are not going to stay here?"
"Nope." Replied the Dean as he was heading to the front door. "Still gotta go back to the Academy and sort things out with Matilda. If I won't, she will find me and use my skull as a cereal bowl for sure this time. Hah!"
Teemo and Tristana exchanged an awkward laugh of their own while looking at their crazy friend. Ziggs then unexpectedly hugged both of them and for a brief moment just stayed like that. "Thanks again for coming over guys. Really missed ya..." He said it in an uncharacteristically calm voice.
Despite being hugged in an awkward angle, Teemo smiled and managed to give the Dean a friendly pat on the back. "Yeah... It's been too long Ziggs."
Tristana too was in an awkward angle but still managed to half hug her friend. "Jeez Ziggs... We don't visit each other and send mail only once in two years. Some friend we are..." Her voice slightly cracked in the end, but she managed to regain herself.
Ziggs let out a low laugh and let go of if his friends. Stepping back he lifted the goggles and quickly wiped his eyes. "Yeah... Work kinda gets in the way sometimes. Ya work so hard to achieve your life's goal and in the process ya forget about everyone ya care about..." Putting back the goggles on, Ziggs smiled once more. "It's nice to see that at least you two are still sticking together."
Briefly looking at Teemo, Tristana let out a soft giggle and crossed her arms. "What would he do without me?"
"Hmm." Stroked his chin, deep in thought as if he was asked a legit question. "Well, I bet he would stay in the woods forever and become a wild, unstoppable hunter that could rival Renguy."
Teemo only rolled his eyes on Ziggs's (mostly true) 'observation'. "Very funny; and it's Rengar."
Ziggs and Tristana only giggled at the answer with the scout soon joining in. Nobody was trying to make fun out of anybody - they were just having fun like they used to a long time ago.
"OK. Get warm'n'cozy on the floor, I gotta run." Ziggs darted thought the door and shouted the rest while running to the elevator. "Tomorrow we're gonna have a proper reunion and nothin' is gonna stop us from makin' it happen! WOOO!"
Smiling, Teemo and Tristana observed how their energetic friend disappeared behind the corner.
Closing the door, the pair walked back to the main room, seeing Bixby still on the balcony having a smoke and observing the night city. After unpacking some of their things and arranging their 'beds', the trio finally settled down on the floor. Wishing each other a goodnight, the yordles quickly fell asleep after their long trip.
Ziggs was slowly walking through the empty night streets, deep in thought. He was overjoyed that two of his closest friends came to Piltover. He honestly thought that neither of them would travel all the way here, seeing as how their old group drifted apart over the years. The letter that he wrote to Tristana was just something random that he did one night thinking 'Hey, why not?'. He secretly hoped that a certain yordle would have come with them too, someone who he once considered a brother and missed the most. Even if that said yordle did put a huge dent on their friendship all those years ago...
"Psh... Yeah keep dreamin' Ziggs, keep dreamin'."
The Dean didn't even notice that he was standing near a crosswalk for five minutes now, dumbly looking at the blinking yellow light completely lost in his thoughts. His thoughts were rudely interrupted when a dark colored vehicle stopped right next to him.
"Whoa!"
The vehicle looked like a regular police cruiser only without the additional armor plates making it look less bulky. The front door opened revealing Matilda sitting behind the wheel.
Ziggs instantly flashed his trademark smile. "I swear, ya have a radar in your brain since ya always know where I am." He leaned on the seat and made a cutesy smile "Or maybe ya have a thing for me and your heart automatically guides ya to me?"
Not breaking her ever serious expression, she looked down on the yordle. "It's dangerous to walk around at this time of hour."
Ziggs swiftly jumped into the car and closed the door behind him. "D'Aaww~ Ya do care about me!"
Slightly shaking her head, she slowly started to drive towards Ziggs's old apartment.
"You do know that you still have to write a detailed report about the earlier explosion?"
"Yeah, yeah... Oh! Oh! Oh! Can we do that at that cool, old-school themed all night diner? Ya know, where ya broke that fat guys arm that one time?"
"No."
"Aw, c'mon. I haven't eaten anythin' since morning."
"No."
"I'll buy ya that special 'Happy Meal'?"
"..."
Welcome to the next part of the story! Decided to just break apart the story into acts, thought it's going to be easier to read that way. Action will happen, blood will be spilled, unexpected stuff will occur. Hopefully the plot will keep you entertained 'till the end.
Like always thanks for reading and leave a review if you have something to say.