ZIGGS
Fifty years ago...
After all the welding, the metal plates cut according to metric precision, the assembly, wiring and all the nuts and bolts put tight, it was time for what looked like would be the definitive test of his invention.
At least it had to be, if it was to be in time for the annual Progress Day Central Fair.
It had been over a month since Ziggs had that meeting with what was practically fate, represented by perhaps one of the very rare kindest souls in Piltover. Else, precluding Heimerdinger, Ziggs found out, at the first weeks at that place, that most of the Piltovans were rather too self-centered and uninterested, rather preferring things perhaps too simple-minded as basic automated machineries, decorative art and cogs, and many weren't as much receptive to those such as him.
Him and Brunny, on the other hand, had been meeting almost on a daily basis, where they did share much of knowledge between each other, with Brunny, though a bit reluctant, learning on some properties of explosives, though rewarded with Ziggs interest in plants growing, though more on those of exotic nature than the usual ones. Somewhat Ziggs suspected that Brunny would've been attempting, in a way, to sway him away from his passion with explosives by trading it with a passion for plantlife, but the Yordle was getting ahead of himself in judgement. He knew this would make him no better than every other Piltovan, especially the way Heimerdinger fell. And Ziggs dreaded that too.
And now all those days of meeting were finally going to pay off, with him having took mental measurements on the Gingko Cycada Spore-tree and attempting to understand some of it's rough workings, all to mount about as close to a replica of it, that looked more like a bulbous ironclad seed mounted on a base, and definitely larger. It took some time to develop the schematics and about three explosions, six counts of malfunction and an initial frame collapse while assembling it the first time and Ziggs tripped and fell, but it was gradually becoming more and more worth it. This wasn't like a bomb, which all that had to be done was set the primer, the fuse, catalyst and explosive components, trigger it all and then let it do it's work. No, this was something else.
Finding the explosion with the destructive intent was easy. This, on the other hand, was to perform an explosion of a specific type, much like the orchestral ones he was conceptualizing before that meeting.
This was an explosion with a purpose. An explosion to mean something more than fire and rubble. An explosion to bring light, to bring sound. To bring life, something that Ziggs could champion a theory and relate to. Something only he understood. Well, he and Brunny, to an extent. He allowed himself a grin as he took a breather from the hard work he now was hoping would pay off.
"Hey, Ziggs.", the female voice he learned to appreciate called behind him, as Brunny entered the reserve workshop where he kept his wonder, definitely away from Heimerdinger's eyes, as Ziggs wanted to surprise him, for once.
"Brunny!", he greeted with his grin. "Glad you got the invitation."
"Thanks, I just don't get why to meet- what's th- is that my...", Brunny started, before she noticed the machine and pointed.
"Yes, it is.", Ziggs nodded, excited, opening his arms. "Surprise!"
Brunny's jaw remained dropped for some time. "Almost like the real thing...", she mused. "But, I didn't think you'd make something exactly like-"
"Oh, no, not so much exact, I put up a few more embellishments.", Ziggs replied.
"Embellishments- wait, you say it'll explode?", Brunny asked, eyes widening, growing a bit concerned, before quickly realizing.
"No, not explode, it'll unravel, just as you said.", Ziggs replied, too excited. "Remember, when we met? Plus a bit more."
"Yes, but the plant only looks volatile, it isn't as harmless except when too close.", Brunny counter-argued. "This is metal and basically, fuel, it's practically a bomb!"
"Oh, I wish to prove otherwise!", Ziggs said, showing a radiowave control on his right hand. "Watch!"
"Ziggs, wait!", Brunny exclaimed, but it was late, as he pushed the button and the machine, the metal 'spore-tree', came to life, with a initial spark noise from the electric current triggered by the radio receiver.
The machine plant started unfolding it's exterior leaves and spinning around in an increasing speed as the pistons around the machine worked overtime and, seconds later, the exhaust pipes spewed flame spouts, like baby dragons. A subtle whistling sound could be heard as it a pot was cooking under pressure. Within the 'cocooned' section of the machine, an orange-ish yellow glow started forming and slightly shaking.
Brunny watched it, a mix between anxiety, excitement, attention and terror, a maelstrom - or firestorm for that matter - of emotions, rolling all into one. It's almost as if it almost brought her back to her initial days as a botanist, when the most exotic plants she researched, even the most dangerous, were a novelty.
The difference though was that she knew what she was doing, she knew the risks.
Ziggs apparently didn't, and if he did, he didn't consider much the precautions of it.
The machine's cocoon started shaking more and more violently, the glow picking up in intensity and power. A power Ziggs seemed to relish on, smiling as he kept his fingers crossed.
Suddenly, an explosion within the machine, a small one, like if a small bomb was set off within the machine, making Brunny jump, caught unaware. Another explosion quickly went as well.
"ZIGGS!", Brunny shouted, looking at the bursting invention, understandably alarmed. "TURN IT OFF!"
The explosions kept going on for another four times before suddenly, the cocoon at the center burst open in a violent flash, which erupted across the room and made Brunny scream and close her eyes on instinct, not prepared for the eventual burn or shockwave.
Instead the shockwave was light and a warm blow of air, which Brunny felt but wasn't as violent.
"Quick, quick, open the eyes!", she heard Ziggs voice calling in urgency, as she saw the opened cocoon, releasing a fire spout upwards, spiraling as if iit were water from a hose all lose, as the machine jettisoned what seemed like small pods upwards, which then detonated, making Brunny jump again despite the recent scare, but she still kept looking, fighting her instincts to protect herself.
She started seeing sparks of fire, almost like a constellation, spark up and start falling like snowflakes before they fizzled away. Others formed fiery streams that beelined downwards, forming quite an exotic, rare sight. The machine was slowing down as the central cocoon's fire spout slow and gradually died out.
Brunny simply remained speechless, her jaw slightly, it was clearly an experience unlike any she had. Such a maelstrom of emotions, of moments, of everything in just a single moment, much more than in her ventures or her years, delivered much more, right there and then, than any other moment would.
Much more emotions given by her friend, there and then, more than any man ever would. Let alone a Yordle.
"So, what do you think?", Ziggs asked, glancing at Brunny whom was taken out of that trance, he almost like a child asking for approval or appreciation of a drawing he made to his mother.
"Well, it was... something.", Brunny started, not knowing the words she could let out, at least those that wouldn't accidentally break Ziggs heart, which was clearly put into that machine. "Something to look at, I mean.", she quickly said. "But, there are already things whom do that, there are fireworks, they even have color."
"Oh, they have the color, they have the style, but they don't have, you know, the substance.", Ziggs tried elaborating, focusing on Brunny, above all people. "But did you at least saw something from it? Anything?"
"Oh, you mean, like beyond what it was, the fire spout and the bombs whom let out sparks?", Brunny asked. "You mean, like trying to find the meaning behind the work of say, an artist?"
"It's not about art, Brunny.", Ziggs answered, a bit disappointed. "It's about science. Well, I'll admit, science and a bit of art, both."
"Well, the fire spout and the sparks did mean something, other than the explosion, which is still a shocking thing.", Brunny admitted, while trying to put together some form of interpretation. "It's like... if things suddenly came to life and... be, I don't know, beautiful before they just... went away? As quick as life usually is?"
Ziggs looked at Brunny, his mouth slightly opening. "Well, you at least are trying to get it...", he murmured, wondered. "And I always tried showing that to everyone."
"You mean that life can... come from explosions?", she asked, shrugging.
"Exactly!", Ziggs answered, smiling, but not a creepy smiling, but one of relief and hope, as it seemed someone was understanding. "See, everyone always think of explosions as just a bad thing, when used against them. Which isn't wrong, I do know this, this is why I'm careful, and I'm also careful of others close by. But no matter how hard I tried elaborating to most I've met or how much I tried showing... it didn't seem like they'd get it. Even Heimerdinger, which I admit is more of a genius than I am. I mean, if only they saw how much it meant, the way it expresses itself, of sudden presence, warmth, color, sound and... and, I don't know, life, you could say that... That it simply comes and goes away, before we can even... feel it's touch or... comprehend it's presence or understand it's language... Like, it wants to live and... bring life."
Brunny simply kept looking at that Yordle whom clearly was speaking from his heart, while his mind attempted formulating the words. Her thoughts constantly repeated, over and over, to simply just dismiss it as if she were interested and just walk away, and not look back. That little thing was speaking non-sense, there couldn't just be a thing as a 'good explosion' as he proposed, and he knew but seemed determined to try and prove the world wrong. An uphill battle against a sea cliff.
Her heart spoke the contrary, to keep on listening and absorbing. As if his words, out of all people in Piltover, somewhat, in a twisted manner, made all the sense of Runeterra. As if he could see what others would not, perhaps by the fear of the unknown or the accommodation with the current, established, determined and calculated laws. Maybe both, and he was the daring explorer of the things yet unknown, no different than navigators and explorer of eons past, much before the founding of the City of Progress.
And Progress was what it was all about. Even with explosions, apparently. That got Bruneen to make her choice in the matter.
"This is what I'm trying to speak about, Brunny.", Ziggs continued. "That explosions can mean more than just... destruction and death. If they can be done right, as with everything else, like fire, water, medicines, even your plants... they can bring life. They can bring sound, and color and wonder, and I mean beyond what fireworks can do. They can bring a meaning. A joy. They can even change a person's life, at some point."
Brunny kept looking at him, all silent.
"You can see that, can't you?", Ziggs asked, nodding. "That's what I'm trying to show them. All of them."
Brunny nodded imperceptibly. "Mind if I'm honest?", she asked, as Ziggs shook his head lightly. "It might be more tough than you think. Trying to get your point across, that is. These things still scare people."
Ziggs smile slowly vanished.
"But maybe, if you brought that to the right place, at the right time...", she started, letting herself a smirk, which let Ziggs start smiling again. "Maybe you'd start something. Maybe."
Ziggs nodded, his energy getting to him, like a child whom's got the meaning from the mother. "Well, then, maybe I should get to it, then!", he exclaimed excited.
"Yeah, maybe you should.", she nodded, smiling, turning around to leave. "I'll see you there."
"See you, Brunny, thanks for dropping by!", Ziggs exclaimed, waving as she left, as he raised his arms and even allowed himself a small, clumsy dance of triumph, laughing high, before he immediately started turning around and heading to the machine to assemble it back up, spirits with renewed vigor and purpose.
A child spirit, satisfied and feeling alive.