"Aaaaaaaaaaaand done! That should be the last Floor cleaned up, repaired, and re-organized! How does it look, Netzach?"
"Eh. Looks the same as before. Which is a good thing, I guess. It's not really inspired, but it stores books. Not looking like a war-zone isn't really a bad deal, either…" Especially considering the Library fought for seven days straight before being expelled to the Outskirts. The place was utterly devastated in every known and unknown sense of the word.
"You guess?! I've been working my butt off for hours on end while you've been on yours without lifting a finger!"
"It's only been half a day, right? Isn't hours on end a bit of an exaggeration?" The long-haired man shrugged. " 'Sides…Can't you just wait for Angela to come back from her meeting with Mr. Mustache over there and fix the place up with the Light?"
"You know what I mean! We're trying to give Angela something to be happy about when she comes back, y'know!"
Malkuth lightly kicked her lounging peer on the smooth, wooden floor of the General Works office of the Library, with the Patron Librarian of Art giving back a simple yawn in response, his completely nonchalant and sloth-like demeanor highly contrasting with the ever-so-energetic work ethic of the Librarian Assistants around the two of them, even though they were winding down their work.
With seven of the eleven Patron Librarians, plus the Library Director herself, gone for the day on their journeys to visit Piltover and Zaun respectively, those who remained made an effort to properly clean up and make some much, much needed repairs throughout the various Floors that have suffered damage from the various invasions they had to endure recently, with the efforts being spearheaded by the Patron Librarian of History herself, whose leadership and guidance had allowed the team to restore the various Floors to their original state, though it would be a good while before they would be able to properly receive guests once again. It wasn't as if there was much to do, anyway; there was no television signal and no internet in this strange new world they found themselves in, and reading books got a little boring after spending a few months in the City doing nothing but reading books from fallen guests to learn more about them.
"Honestly, is there anything that can get you motivated?" The long brown haired woman pouted, putting her hands on her hips, "Why don't you try and be more like Hod over there!" She pointed to the Patron Librarian of Literature, who was by the entrance and helping the assistants put away the surplus materials they'd been using to rebuild their home, all summoned courtesy of the Light they still had left.
As if sensing the fact that she was being talked about, Hod turned to look at Malkuth and gave a friendly wave.
Malkuth returned Hod's wave with an enthusiastic one of her own, then turned back to Netzach, her expression shifting to one of exasperation. "See? Hod's been working just as hard, if not harder, and she hasn't complained once."
Netzach shrugged lazily. "Well, Hod's always been more diligent. I'm just… conserving my energy. Work smarter, not harder and all that jazz."
"Conserving your energy? For what?" Malkuth scoffed incredulously. "That's a fancy way of saying 'being a lazy bum,' Netz..."
Netzach gave a slow, half-hearted grin. "Tomato, tomahto." He gave a chuckle. "Besides, how come you have so much energy after seven days of fighting? I'm more so replenishing my energy than anything."he shrugged, glancing at the usually-cheery Patron Librarian.
Hod approached the two, wiping her hands on her work apron. "Is everything alright here?" she asked, her tone gentle but concerned.
Malkuth threw her hands up in exasperation. "Netzach's apparently going to spend the rest of eternity recovering from the past week." She pointed with a thumb at the less-than-energetic man, who was clearly unaffected by her words. "I get we're all tired, I really do, but we can't just do nothing until Angela and the others come back!" Especially when the people she personally procrastinated with were too tired or too busy with the Library repairs for her to slack off. Sometimes, she couldn't help but admire and yet fear Netzach's ability to procrastinate under any circumstances. You could put him in a white room with no one else and a pickaxe to break out and there was a non-zero chance he could spend a while procrastinating if he wasn't pressured by anything.
Hod chuckled softly. "Well, we all have our strengths, don't we?" She glanced at Netzach, who met her gaze with a lazy smile. "Still, it would be nice to have everyone pitching in, especially when we're this close to getting things back to normal."
"Looks like your wish is gonna be granted," The green haired Librarian stated flatly, his grin remaining. At the questioning look of his peers, Netzach nudged his head toward the entrance once again, this time showcasing the return of the Library Director and three patrons she had chosen to go with to the meeting with the council of Piltover. "There. Now you can all have fun cleaning up the place."
"Oh? Have you all managed to get so much done while we were gone?" Angela stated with an impressed expression as she, Chesed, Hokma, and Binah walked up to the other librarians, nodding with approval. "Excellent job, though you didn't need to tire yourself."
Malkuth's chest puffed up in pride, practically preening at the praise while Netzach rolled his eyes at her display; at least she got the praise she wanted for all her hard work. "Thank you, Angela! We've been working hard to get everything back in order."
The blue haired AI smiled warmly at that, or at the very least, as warmly as she was capable of as she was. "It's good to see that the Library was in such capable hands while we were away. You've all done an outstanding job." Hopefully that was a sufficient enough comment. Angela still wasn't really sure of how this 'emotions' thing worked, and so she feared some of her comments or praise might seem a little…awkward, which wouldn't have been great for the calm, collected, and knowledgeable image she admittedly enjoyed projecting of herself, regardless of the fact they she knew her Librarians knew she could sometimes lack one the aforementioned three qualities…or all of them, if the circumstances were bad enough.
"Especially considering some people's… unique work styles," Hokma added, glancing at Netzach with a knowing look.
Netzach responded with a lazy eyebrow raise. "As I said before: conserving energy is important too. Can't have me burning out now, can we? With all of the important new people you guys are meeting, I'm pretty sure you might need some sort of artist to draw you a portrait; it doesn't seem like cameras are a big thing in this world. Place. Whatever." He adjusted himself from his sitting position as he looked at the returning Librarians. "Seriously, I've been preparing all along for such an opportunity."
Malkuth rolled her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me. You wouldn't know burnout if it hit you in the face!"
Binah chuckled knowingly, her eyes glinting with that typical black-hearted amusement from her days as an Arbiter. "Curious that, despite our disdain for such acts, it is often the beings who retain their energy and delegate the menial tasks to others who survive the longest in our world while said others perish from the efforts they exerted."
"...Uh. Yeah, that's. Uh." Netzach blinked at the Arbiter's remarks, coughing into a fist, conflicted between wanting to agree with someone who indirectly defended him and not wanting to agree with the grim implications of her comment. "Something along those lines, maybe."
Chesed, who somehow already manifested a cup of coffee into his hand when he'd been in the Library for less than a whole minute, took a small sip as he looked around at the newly restored area, not commenting on Binah's cryptic words. What was new there? "Glad to see you all make so much progress. Is Yesod still checking what changed, or didn't change in the Library after it became Angela's personal E.G.O.?"
Hod nodded. "Yes, he is. He should be reporting on his check up soon. And what about you guys? How did the meeting go? Anything we should be worried about?"
Angela's expression became thoughtful. "The meeting was… enlightening. The council of Piltover is understandably cautious but open to dialogue. It's a step in the right direction, but we must tread carefully."
Binah nodded in agreement. "We have made quite the impression, or so I reckon, although it seems that this Council does not have the absolute word on the sway of everything in both cities. They worry about things the Head would never consider, perhaps indicating that they are not as all-powerful as the Head." Though that was hardly a surprise; the Head had the patents of every Singularity that ever existed in the City. Having extraordinarily advanced technology, super soldiers and extremely capable espionage agents usually meant that being a hegemon wasn't a big deal.
Netzach yawned. "Sounds like a lot of politics and careful maneuvering. Not my cup of tea."
"I am afraid that's something you are going to have to put up with, given how precarious our situation is, and you might find yourself doing a favor, artistic or not, for those Council members, just as you suggested." The Librarian Director replied, letting the alcoholic sigh in resignation, muttering something to the extent of "me and my big mouth", which Angela made a point to ignore. "Can one of you call Yesod up here? We will be having an all hands on deck meeting to properly discuss everything."
Before they could exchange any more pleasantries, the sound of footsteps echoed through the halls, the group turning to see the source of the footsteps being Powder, Roland, Gebura, and Tiphereth emerging from the entrance, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction, with the redhead librarian, in particular, standing out due to holding a large item on her back that was in a brown sack tied to her person.
Powder gave an eager wave with a slight bounce in her step, "We're back! Zaun was… definitely the kind of homecoming I was expecting, more or less." She turned to look at Angela. "Looks like we came back at the right time, too! I haven't seen any Pilties on our doorstep, so I'm going to take the liberty to assume you took care of that without any complications." Which wasn't a big surprise; from what she knew about the City and its Wings, the Nesters weren't that different from Pilties, and Angela had a ton of experience with the former, so it was no surprise she managed to deal with the latter.
Roland sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, if by homecoming you mean chaos, violence, degeneracy…Though I guess I can't really talk considering the fact that also describes the City. Huh." He caught himself mid-sentence, moving his hand to tap his chin as he started considering the similarities between the two.
Gebura, ever the fighter, had a gleam in her eye. "Chaos is just another word for fun, Roland. It's been a while since I had some fun kicking the rears of goons out of the streets, no holds barred brawls without the Library supporting us or holding us back." After all, while Roland only spent a few months in the Library, it's been more than a decade or perhaps even two since Gebura was able to go out and about into the streets. "Besides, we got what we came for and more."
Tiphereth, still fuming from what she experienced due to her youthful looks, crossed her arms. "I'm just glad we're done with that place." She huffed as she bumped shoulders with Powder, walking past her. "Next time you want to go to your 'adult' places, maybe remember to take everyone you brought with you inside…" She grumbled, stomping the wooden planks of the Library, to the confusion of all those who haven't been with the Zaun expedition party.
Malkuth looked at them with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Did everything go alright? You all look like you've been through… well, something."
Powder shrugged. "Nothing we couldn't handle. But we did bring back a little… souvenir."
With a smirk, Gebura stepped forward, untied the sack, move it in front of her, and opened it up, dropping a beaten and bloody, tied-up body onto the floor. The figure groaned, barely conscious, and everyone's attention immediately shifted to the unexpected guest.
"I…I…" The figure began to cough, raising a broken finger. "I stand by my words…you…raised…that brat…wrong…" He passed out immediately after, letting Roland sigh as he ran a hand on his face:
"Damn it, now he's never going to let that go. I knew it was a bad idea to string him along…"
Hokma, always the meticulous one, leaned over to Angela and whispered. "Would you like to move up that meeting?"
Angela's lips curled, her gaze still fixed on the unmoving body. "Yes. Yes, I would."
The meeting room was a grand and elaborate space, reflecting the opulence and mystery of the Library. Intricate designs adorned the walls, with towering bookshelves filled with ancient-looking tomes stretching up to the vaulted ceiling. At the center of the room was a large, ornate table made of dark wood, polished to a reflective sheen. Each seat around the table had a name card placed before it, denoting the places of the Patron Librarians.
Angela sat at the head of the table, her presence commanding and authoritative. To her right sat Hokma, his hands clasped together in a contemplative manner. On her left was Binah, her expression inscrutable as always. Chesed, with his ever-present cup of coffee, sat next to Binah, while Netzach lounged beside him, appearing as relaxed as ever. Malkuth, brimming with energy, sat across from Netzach, next to Hod, who offered a gentle smile to those around her. Yesod, meticulous and precise, took his place next to Hokma.
Gebura, Roland, Powder, and Tiphereth filed in last, each taking their designated seats. Gebura was leaning back in her chair, with both feet up on the table, while Roland's demeanor was more guarded. Powder's curiosity was obvious for all to see as she picked up the plated name tag in front of her, and Tiphereth's youthful face was set in a determined expression.
Angela looked around the table, ensuring that everyone was present. "Thank you all for gathering on such short notice," she began. "We have much to discuss."
"Oh! Oh! Me first!" Powder yelled out, waving her hand like a student trying to get the attention of her teacher.
"Yes, Powder?"
"Did you always have this room or did you just happen to make it just now?"
Angela raised a pale blue eyebrow, a faint smile playing on her lips at Powder's enthusiasm. "This room has always been part of the Library, Powder. It's just not used very often. Consider it our own council chamber." If by 'always' you technically considered the fact it was part of the Light before materializing into physical being a few minutes ago. So what if Angela liked the Council's chamber and its design? They weren't privy to this room, and so she was safe from any attempts to sue her for architectural plagiarism. Maybe.
Powder's eyes widened with curiosity. "Wow, it's really fancy! I never noticed it before."
Angela nodded. "It's meant for important discussions, like the one we're about to have. Now, let's focus. Yesod, would you mind beginning with how things are with the massive shift in the Library due to the sudden teleportation and its transition into my personal E.G.O.?"
The purple haired patron cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the room. "The diagnostics I've managed to run through indicate everything is more or less intact without any lasting damage. However, with the Library now being your E.G.O. Angela -congratulations for that by the way," The Library Director nodded at him with a small smile. "I'm not particularly certain what that means for our ability to displace the Library back to the City…or even to the Outskirts for that matter. While it doesn't seem as if the Library will collapse or anything of the sort, I believe we'll have to remain on this bridge for the time being."
"I see. Not exactly ideal, but things could be worse considering the situation we were in." Angela note with a slight frown, calmly tapping a finger on the sleek table in contemplation, "Is there a timeline for how long it will take for everything to get back on track on that front again?"
"Unknown for now. Will need more time to get an accurate timeline." Yesod replied. "It is also important to note that our teleportation here was a result of Head technology being disrupted with the 'magic' orb Powder had. It's possible that, even with the Light entirely under your control, Angela, we may need a push from the 'magic' here." Even though Yesod wasn't really convinced of that magic, he witnessed stranger things since he joined the Lobotomy Corporation, so he couldn't write it off just yet.
"Hmm…well, given what occurred at the meeting with the council, you may put such a task on the shelf for now as I have a more immediate issue that requires your help."
Yesod blinked at that, "Really now? Pray tell what job is that?"
"This actually involves the arrangement we've managed to secure with Piltover's leaders for the Library's continued presence on the bridge." The director answered.
"Arrangement? The way you're phrasing it makes it sound too under the table for my liking." Malkuth stated, her expression worried at such a possibility, "We aren't getting into any dirty business with Piltover, are we?"
"Hah! Wouldn't be surprised if those uptight jerks jumped at something like that if it meant getting their grubby, fat hands on more shit they could take and call their own!" Powder sneered from her seat, causing her caretaker to pinch her nose.
"Powder, please save your anti-authority rhetoric for later. You know, when being a pain in my ass is something I can afford to deal with."
"Hey!"
"Now, onto more pressing matters at hand," Angela continued on, making a point to ignore the loud protesting of her ward in the background, "Do not worry. From what I have managed to gather thus far, nothing we have done has warrant any true worry on our end as everything thus far is fair, equal, and most definitely above the table…for now."
"...I don't like the way you added that last part. What do you mean 'for now'?!"
"Just something to keep our options for now," Angela replied in a dismissive manner, causing Malkuth to nearly choke in disbelief, "Back on topic, we've managed to secure a deal for the Library's continued presence on the bridge without being considered trespassers."
"And this detail includes?" Roland beckons dully.
Angela's expression turned more serious, her gaze meeting each Patron Librarian in turn. "The arrangement involves providing Piltover with access to some of our resources and knowledge. In return, they grant us a degree of autonomy and protection. This is necessary for us to maintain our position here without constant conflict."
Roland raised an eyebrow. "And how will this access be handled exactly?"
"One three levels, with the appropriate people assigned to the job." Angela answered before pointing towards Hokma and Yesod, "The first way this will be done is by aiding in the progression in their Hextech research."
"Hextech?" Yesod echoed, turning towards Powder, who gave an ignorant shrug at the term.
"It's been a good bit since I've been back home, so I am not surprised that the Pilties have come up with some new fancy stuff." Powder stated while looking like she sucking on a lemon, "This Hextech stuff wouldn't have to do with those giant ass gates in the air?"
"Indeed. In fact, this Hextech seems to be connected to this." Without much fanfare, Angela took out and placed the same crystal that brought the Library to the bridge on the table - the same crystal that brought Powder to Angela all those years ago.
"Ohhh shiiit." Powder hissed, blue eyes wide in worry, lowering her head to directly get the orb into her line of sight, her chin resting on the table as a result, "You didn't tell those Topsiders that you had this with you, did ya?"
"Nope~!" Chesed chimed in, popping the 'p', "In fact, our director here had elected to leave out some specific details regarding how we got here at all~!" The blue haired librarian stated cheerfully, causing Angela to click her tongue in annoyance.
"Is such needless judgment necessary considering the chaotic circumstances surrounding our arrival?" Binha interjected smoothly, " Given our untimely arrival, speaking the truth will only upset our new landlords even further than needed, which is compounded by the fact that our Library manifested right before Piltover was due to celebrate the founding of their great city from what we've gathered. It truly is best that we keep certain details about ourselves underwraps until otherwise." The former Arbiter's yellow eyes than shifted towards the youngest patron librarian in the room, who shrinked back at the sight, "Though I am curious why you look so skittish about the topic of the crystal."
"It…may or may not have to due to the fact that me, my sister, and my brothers kinda stole it?" Powder answered sheepishly, which was followed by nervous laughter, "Honestly, considering the fact that shit literally blew up, it would be best that you never ever mention this little tid-bit, m'kay?"
"...Fair enough point," Hokma said slowly, digesting the information. "But this just reinforces the need for discretion and careful handling of our interactions with Piltover. Though I note that they seem to have created more of that crystal, considering the achievements they've accomplished thus far."
Angela nodded. "Exactly. Which is why I need all of you to be vigilant and precise in your roles. We'll be providing Piltover with enough to keep them engaged and satisfied, but not enough to give them leverage over us. I can trust you and Yesod in aiding with the Hextech research, correct?"
"Understood," Yesod said. "I'll handle the Hextech collaboration with the utmost caution."
Hokma nodded in agreement. "We have to ensure that our contributions are beneficial but controlled. We must tread carefully or else this could cause things to spiral as a result of adding outsider knowledge to the process."
Nodding in approval, Angela then gestured toward the Patron Librarian of Philosophy. "Binah will be taking care of public relations and overall city culture assessment. This means she shall be our primary liaison with the city of Piltover itself going forward."
Binah's eyes glinted with intrigue. "So, shall I take it that I'll manage our interactions with the general public of Piltover and gather cultural insights and potential shifts?" She gave a low chuckle. "I suppose it is true what they say: the more things change, the more they stay the same." It was, after all, just her reprising her job as an Arbiter, and so you would excuse the black-haired woman for being unable to overlook the irony in such a situation. "Very well. I will gather the city's essential dynamics and state of affairs to know when and what we shall be dealing with at any given time. In this task, shall I also presume that I will not be alone in this endeavor?"
"No, no you won't." Angela confirmed, before gesturing towards Hod, whose eyebrows were raised in surprise at her nomination, "As the Patron Librarian of the Floor of Literature, you have a unique perspective and a deep understanding of human emotions and social interactions when it comes to this kind of work. I believe you'll be a invaluable asset to us all in this regard."
Hod blinked, then smiled warmly. "I'll do my best to assist Binah and ensure that we get the job done. We'll make sure to present ourselves and the Library in the best possible light!"
Angela's expression softened. "Thank you. It's essential we tread carefully and build trust on all fronts. As for myself, me and Chesed shall be directly interacting and dealing with the council of Piltover and whomever else is responsible for making sure Piltover run."
Chesed raised his cup of coffee in acknowledgment. "I'll be sure to see to it that we don't want to come across as too overbearing or too aloof~."
Angela nodded in approval. "Exactly the kind of wheeling and dealing I will need at my side. We need to show that we're here to collaborate, not dominate, not squabble, not anything else. It will be crucial that we build relationships and gather information that will help us navigate our new environment. At the end of the day, we just want to leave as quickly as possible while marking the fact that there is life beyond the Outskirts, and I hope we can leave without the Piltover folks shooting artillery at us." She just got out of a war against the entire City, after all. She wasn't fond of starting another war so soon. "Now with that done, may I ask how was the trip to Zaun?"
Her gaze drifted to the bound and unconscious figure now placed at the far end of the room, guarded by a couple of Assistant Librarians.
"Uh…suitable…language…" The thug mumbled in his sleep, and even without detailing who he was talking about, Angela squinted towards Tiphereth, who scoffed indignantly. What exactly did he hear to be complaining about language? Did Angela want to know…?
Powder gave a sheepish grin, "Ah that. Well, ya see, as we were sightseeing and ran into this fool and his thug friends. Turns out, it has some pretty interesting things on him, which points to him being on the inside!"
Raising her head up with great flourish, Powder reached into her coat pocket and placed on the time a vital filled with a glowing, almost otherworldly pink color.
"...Okay, so I know I've been half-asleep for most of the meeting, but that's a drug right?" Netzach questioned, blinking owlishly at the mysterious vital that Powder was twirling a bit too carelessly in her fingers. "Are those even allowed in here? This…What is that stuff?"
"No idea! First time seeing this and managed to wrangle it from our new guest here just as he was about to use it. Though something tells my gut that this stuff is apart of the reason why Silco has had Zaun in his grip since the years I've been gone."
"Silco…" Angela repeated the name carefully, talking as if she was walking in on glass, her steel memory recalling the exact day Powder told her about him. "Isn't that the same man who-?"
"Yes. Yes he is." The blue haired teen answered sharply, before taking in a sharp breath and continuing on, if a bit shaky compared to before, "And our new guest is gonna tell us what he's all about about what he's been up to and what exactly his little drug has been doing to my home." Powder pointed towards the bounded up thug using the vital, who was still unmoving, but breathing shallowly.
"From how you are talking about this Silco figure, you make it sound like you plan on going to war with him and his empire." Hokma noted pointedly, putting a fist under his chin.
"And what if I am?" Powder shot back, her voice quivering with a mix of defiance and desperation. "Silco's been a plague on Zaun for too long." She paused. "He's been a plague because of what I did. Because of what I jinxed in the past." She admitted, her tone low. "If I don't do something about him, who will?!"
Hokma's expression remained stoic. "Then would it not behoove you to actually explain just who he is to you and why you seem so hellbent on taking him down?"
Powder scowled at that, "Is my reasoning that important to you? I like to think that I'm allowed to keep some things to myself!"
"Perhaps that is true. But it is worth noting that you know much more about us than others due to Angela explaining the circumstances surrounding the Lobotomy Corporation. It is truly unreasonable to ask that you afford us the same level of trust we have given you already?"
For a moment, the room fell into a tense silence. Powder looked around at the faces of those gathered, each of them showing varying degrees of concern and expectation. Finally, landed on Angela's beckoning expression.
"Go on and take your time. It is your tale after all."
"...Alright, fine," The teen muttered, running a hand through her blue hair. "You want the truth? I guess I gotta start with that break in me and my siblings did seven years ago…"
The room was pitch black, the air thick with the scent of must and dust. The thug's eyes fluttered open, groggy from whatever had knocked him out. His head throbbed with a dull ache, and he tried to move, only to realize he was tightly bound to a chair. Panic began to set in as he struggled against the restraints, the ropes digging into his skin.
"Ugh... where... where am I?" he muttered, his voice hoarse.
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he began to recall fragments of his life. His name was Clive Rooker, but everyone in Zaun knew him as "Crusher." Growing up in the bleakest parts of the undercity, Clive had learned to fend for himself at a young age. Orphaned by the rampant violence and corruption, he quickly fell in with the wrong crowd, using his considerable size and strength to survive.
Clive's rise to power began in the fighting pits of Zaun. He earned a reputation for his brutality and unyielding tenacity, never backing down from a fight and always coming out on top. It wasn't long before he caught the attention of Margot, one of the most notorious Chem Barons in the city. She saw potential in Clive and offered him a place among her personal enforcers.
Under Margot's guidance, Clive's power and influence grew. He became her right-hand man, leading her personal group with an iron fist and ensuring her control over her territories. He was feared and respected, known for his ruthless efficiency in dealing with anyone who dared to oppose Margot.
As Clive's memories coalesced, the reality of his situation became clearer. He was no longer in control. Someone had taken him, and they wanted information. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door creaking open. A dim light flickered on, illuminating the figure standing before him.
"Welcome back to the land of the living." Powder's voice was calm, almost too calm compared to how she acted during their previous interaction. She stepped into the light, her sharp blue eyes fixed on Clive. "We have some questions for you."
Clive's instincts kicked in, and he spat on the ground, defiance flashing in his eyes. "Go to hell, kid. I ain't telling you nothin'!"
Powder sighed in an exaggerated manner, shaking her head like a parent needing to discipline their child. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to. But let me assure you, we have other ways of getting what we need."
Clive's jaw tightened, but he remained silent, glaring at Powder.
"We already know who you are," Powder continued, "and we know who you work for. Selkva, right? One of the Chem Barons. You've built quite the reputation for yourself, Clive. Crusher, they call you. But even the toughest walls have cracks."
Clive's eyes narrowed, but he kept his mouth shut. He knew better than to give anything away.
Powder leaned in closer, her gaze piercing. "You have two choices here. You can cooperate, and things will go much easier for you. Or you can resist, and we can do this the hard way. Either way, we will get what we need."
Clive's silence stretched on, the room thick with tension. Finally, he gritted his teeth and muttered, "...Do your worst."
"Have it your way!" Powder's expression turned cold as she reached into her coat pocket and pulled an EGO card.
Powder then suddenly smiled, looking almost sympathetic as she nodded towards the card. "You know, Clive, I really hoped you'd choose the easy way. But hey, it's your funeral."
"Funeral? What, you lot are going to pull out the mallets and hot iron right away?" The thug sneered. "So much for my morally upright captors…" At least…they were morally upright captors, right? They beat him up because of the drugs- No, that wasn't it…Because he bothered Babette? Then again, it wasn't as if that old hag was some beacon of morality. Because he threatened that sassy, horrible-mannered blonde child? She was an affront to morals in general!
…Hold on. Were his captors actually as morally upright as he'd assumed? They were going to try being good guys, right? Maybe dangle him above some lava or something? He should've really asked for a contract to read before immediately choosing the hard way…
"Wait, can I-"
Of course, there was no time for him to come up with anything to delay the inevitable, for Powder had already used the card in her hand, immediately watching as it manifested into a large, humanoid being with no flesh. It bore two mouths, one on its head and the other on its stomach, and its flesh was writhing, as if every muscle had a mind of its own, morphing and changing shape as the bone encased within changed shape as well, poking and prodding out of the Abnormality before Clive as it manifested into an axe, a saw, and a massive sword in each of the being's hands.
"HELLO?!"
"What the HELL is that?!" Clive's jaw dropped, watching as the gargantuan thing in front of him took a thundering step forward.
"Oh, looks like you've met my little friend!" And despite how much Powder wanted to introduce said 'little friend', she had to admit that the name 'Nothing There' was pretty dumb. There was no way she'd scare Crusher with a name like that. "Listen, Clive, I like ya' man, I really do. But my friend over there doesn't like you. It doesn't like anything or anyone, really. And you know what it does to things it doesn't like?"
"GOODBYE."
The bones fractured and reformed into a massive sword in the Abnormality's right hand, its panting occasionally forming what seemed like a human word as its vocal cords tore and shredded themselves to 'speak', the shredding accentuated with a wet tearing sound as the blood vessels, too, tore and reformed as the creature pleased.
"I-It's gonna kill me?" Clive tried to put on a brave face, even though he was already dry-heaving. "Th-That's all you got?"
"MANAGER. MANAGER. HELP. HELP. HELP ME. OH GOD. SOMEONE HELP ME."
"I mean…" The Zaunite beside him shrugged, leaning on the wall. "That's not all we got, but from what you can hear, this guy was more than enough for the people before you."
"B-Before me?"
"HELP. HELP. SOMEONE HELP ME. PLEASE. SOMEONE HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP."
"R-Right. Before me." Clive shuddered in his seat, his bladder's muscles being tested with the biggest test they ever had to endure in his life as he shuddered, whimpering a little as the creature's sounds, squelches and screams got louder as it slowly approached him so, so quickly. It didn't make sense for something that big and strong to move so quickly. "I…I…This- This isn't real!" He finally screamed at a pitch far too high for a man of his size and age, attempting to jump back with his chair.
"...Excuse me?" Powder repeated, baffled. "What do you mean, this isn't real?! Did the word 'real' somehow change its definition while I was gone?" She gestured towards the giant man-eating monster that clearly had a kill count well in the hundreds.
"This- This is Shimmer! This is- You took the stuff Silco makes, right? You took it, and you- you made me take it somehow while I was out from…from whatever you guys did back then!" His memory must've blocked the beating that he received, which probably wasn't a good sign; how bad did things get if his mind already developed a coping response to the memories? "This big- This big whatever, it's not real! Yeah!" Well, if the word 'real' did change in meaning, then the world 'delirious' was still applicable in full-force. "This isn't even a real monster!"
"Clive. Clive, my dude, listen to me, I don't want to play good cop here, but I would not recommend not taking this guy seriously." Powder seemed genuinely worried, grabbing the E.G.O. card from her pocket and holding onto it as a mere meter remained between the Abnormality that slaughtered hundreds with ease and a very puny man who was bound to a chair he could not move out of "Clive. Clive you dumbass, don't make me sympathize with you! Do something! Move your chair a little! Get out of its way!"
"N-No! No, no, I won't f-f-f-fall for that trick! I-I'm not scared of you! You're- You're nothing! Yeah, right, I bet that this warm air in front of me is just- maybe it's just some steam that you're using a fan to blow onto me! And- And this is probably really purified sh-SHIMMER!" He began screaming his lungs out to try and convince his mind as Nothing There stopped in front of him, beginning to wind up its attack. "THERE'S NOTHING THERE! I'M SAFE, THERE'S NOTHING IN FRONT OF ME, THERE'S NOTHING THERE, LALALALAL-"
"...Okay. I guess we broke a man today." Powder pulled the E.G.O. card out, sighing into her hand as she used the control she had over the Light to re-contain the Abnormality just a second before its sword was about to turn Clive into a former citizen of Zaun.
"There's nothing there….There's nothing there…I'm safe…there's nothing there…" Okay, now he was just going to start whimpering and crying and being all awkward, wasn't he?
"Yeah, yeah, shut up already…" Powder kicked the bigger man's legs in frustration. Okay, plan number one failed, and she might've just broken him beyond repair. "You sure you don't wanna speak up, Clive? I've got plenty more where that guy came from, and- uh…I've got really dangerous Shimmer up my sleeve! The kind that gives you ultimate cancer and Hepatitis Z and…other diseases, probably." Just how did this 'Shimmer' work, anyway? She'd have to find out soon, if it was so important to ol' Crusher over here.
"N-No…No, I won't snitch like a disloyal dog, I…I don't have anything to tell to you people…Whoever the fuck you are, even…"
"Okay, back to the drawing board…Looks like I'll-"
"Hey." Someone entered the room. Powder's head turned, and she remained silent, the familiar, high-pitched voice entering the chamber as her brown boots clicked against the wooden planks, her dark yellow eyes filled with barely-leashed wrath and unruly hatred. "I see you woke him up."
"Wh-Why is she here?" Clive turned to Powder, making the bluenette shrug as she turned to her fellow Patron Librarian, blinking repeatedly.
"I…I don't know. Tiphereth, what do you-" Of course, she didn't have any time to inquire about the reason for which the shorter blonde was interrupting her interrogation of Clive, as she was pushed to the side by the short-tempered, hot-headed, and incredibly furious young woman, who continued her march to Clive.
"Hey, [WHY IS SHE BACK?! SOMEONE CONTAIN THIS WOMAN]! You think you're so tough, huh? You think you're so tough, so unbreakable, is that it?" She spat, letting Clive jut his chair closer to Powder, of all people.
"What do you want?! You're gonna come back here to keep throwing curse words at me? Is that what you're going to do? What, am I going to backstab my people because I'll be so disgusted by your dirty ass tongue?!" Despite his brave face, a small tremble reached his tone, similar to the one he let out when being attacked by Nothing There.
"I'm here for vindication." She snarled, damn near sounding like an animal. "You know, back where I came from, nobody batted an eye about fighting with me. No holds were barren, no tricks went unused. It was fine, and I was able to fight and win."
"W-Well, maybe not everyone wants to hit-"
"A child?" Tiphereth suggested, her tone dripping with venom as she practically spit out the word, pulling out a…a gun from her pocket? What? "Is that what you were going to say, huh? You saw me beat your friends up back there. I beat you up. But you didn't hit back. Do you think I'm too childish to be hit, huh? Does your shitty [OMITTED FOR GENERAL PUBLIC SAFETY REASONS] believe that I'm some weak, incapable snot nose brat, huh? That I'm some sort of kid?"
"I- I didn't agree to this sort of interrogation!" Clive turned to Powder, who tried to intervene between her hostage and her fellow Patron Librarian once again.
"Pretty sure we kidnapped you without consent…" Powder muttered to herself, before looking back at her peer, ""Tiphy, that's enough-" And once again, she found herself being pushed to the side as the shorter girl shoved the gun she had into Clive's hand, letting him gasp at how forceful she was as her eye-twitched.
"Come on, you [REDACTED], shoot me. Shoot me so I can get back up stronger and beat you into the ground like the pathetic [STOP, STOP, THE CENSORS WILL TAKE THIS WHOLE SITE DOWN AT THIS RATE] you are." She panted heavily, her face red with rage. "Come on, you don't think I can get back up? That I'll beat you half to death? Huh? You don't think a child can break every bone in your body?"
"I-I don't like this anymore! Someone pull her away! This- This is a trick, isn't it?!" He turned to Powder, his face looking like he solved the world's most complicated puzzle. "If I shoot her, she's going to turn into some monster and eat me, isn't she?! You planned all of this, didn't you?!" No, not quite, but Powder was starting to think she knew just the guy if she ever wanted to write a conspiracy theory compilation any time soon.
"COME ON, YOU BASTARD! PULL THE TRIGGER, [THIS CONTENT HAS BEEN DEEMED AGAINST THE RUNETERRA CONVENTION FOR BEING RIGHTS]. SHOOT ME!"
"I GIVE UP! FUCK, YOU WIN! YOU WIN!" Clive yelled back, jutting his chair closer to Powder again, who finally managed to used her full strength to deliver a quick blow to Tiphereth's arm and disarming her, ignoring the shorter girl's objections and dragging her away as she continued hurling obscenities towards the taller man, managing to grab the shorter blonde by the scuff of her coat jacket before throwing Tiphereth out and closing the door, but just managing to hear a faint:
"You're welcome for the help!"
Before she closed the room's door. Damn, that girl knew how to act. Or maybe she had issues that ran far deeper than anyone assumed? Food for thought for a later place and time.
"Fine, I'll tell you some stuff I know! I'll tell you about the Shimmer and the factories that make it! Just make sure that girl doesn't turn into a dragon or a monster or anything!" Powder approached him, part of her unable to help but admire his unyielding resolve in the face of an actual monster versus how easily be broke against what he thought was a monster. "And…And don't get that girl back here again, or our deal will fall through!"
"Deal." Powder grinned like a gremlin, grabbing Clive's chin and making him look into straight into her blue eyes. "Now, about Shimmer… What exactly is it?"
Yeah…Tiphereth is a bit sensitive when it comes to her looks, isn't she?
Thank my co author for that scene! Really good writer, that man is! Apparently, he was inspired by that Far Cry 3 scene, where Vaas was yelling at Jason to shot him in the head in that trippy sequence.
So, hope you all don't mind that this chapter is a bit of a catch up one for our dear PLs so that they are all on the same page and something to let you guys know what they will be doing in the future during their stay.
Hope you are all on board for that! Until next time!