EKKO
Though the night sky loomed over the limited space of the Firelights haven within the Undercity, the breach resulted from the recent battle with the now gone Ironhands was now under a constant light provided from the spotlights installed by the now official enforcers keeping watch since they first arrived, led by that Councillor whom just *happened* to be friends with the Sheriff whom turned herself in along with Vi. The same enforcers that were keeping them - literal and figuratively - grounded, and Scar was having a hard time keeping everyone else's tempers in check. Some had preferred the Ironhands had just finished the job. Others wanted to make a last act of defiance.
Of course, those guys didn't see what that... monster did to that Ironhand leader - a monster on his own right - before their eyes. If anything, if that wolf-like beast returned, at least there'd be the enforcers to greet it. And at least the topsiders didn't demand for Heimerdinger to be taken back to Piltover. That and the... other thing, that Ekko figured the real person behind all this, the killer grandmother named Camille, was after.
There was also still no sign of the supposed relief in supplies, especially food and some medicine, that pompous Jayce had said would look on about. 'At least he didn't remember me that easily...', Ekko thought, recalling the time Jayce had visited old Benzo's pawn shop, and Ekko was able to price-gouge the topsider and then tail him to the workshop. The same where he told Vi and her former gang. And then the rest happened.
None of this made anything easier of the Firelight's new situation for Ekko, though, whom watched with a stern expression from a balcony from his home by the treehouse, overlooking the breach and thus the spotlights and patrolling enforcers, no doubt hotheads whom *wanted* to disobey orders and come in shooting. Ekko wished they tried, but the Firelights were now about as outgunned and outnumbered. Weren't for the limitations of that invention Ekko had to keep well hidden, he maybe could've driven those can-heads off... or distract them, as the Firelights moved to a new place, much as he hated to admit. The cat was now out of the bag, and anyone - especially Silco's former outfit - could now hit them, and they would definitely be more nastier than these enforcers or the Ironhands ever were.
"They wouldn't dare, lad.", a familiar voice called besides him, and Ekko turned to see Heimerdinger approach him, an equally spent expression. "Going behind a Councillor's back isn't generally healthy for one's career. And Jayce isn't known for a patient man."
"So you say, little guy.", Ekko shrugged. "Not much guarantees on that Camille granny, though."
"She's not as foolish, either.", Heimerdinger said. "If she were to do something against us and Jayce knew, she'd have another headache. And one she doesn't need bear, she has the gemstones back."
"Not even for... payback?", Ekko asked, having to choose his words carefully as to avoid the 'other' prize acquired from that night. "She didn't take getting her ass handed, up there, any nice."
"Intelligencer, Ekko.", Heimerdinger answered. "If it were about everytime someone is bested and wanted payback, we'd be using the term 'Ego-gencers', instead."
Ekko spotted that. "Don't do much good of the mood right now, Professor...", he said.
"Was worth the try.", Heimerdinger said, a second later. "We know it would've been worse..."
"Yeah. We wouldn't be here, weren't for... them.", Ekko felt a bit of the pain, recalling what just happened to both Vi and Caitlyn. "That... monster, though..."
"I didn't see the creature itself, but if what I've seen out there is any indication...", Heimerdinger followed. "It still doesn't pale in comparison to *whom* I've seen."
"That bomber furry guy?", Ekko asked, staring at Heimerdinger. "I've heard him yelling your name, yeah. Old buddy?"
"An apprentice.", Heimerdinger said a second later, the tones of regret visible. "From a long time ago..."
"That where your lesson of 'some things just can't be fixed' came from, huh?", Ekko asked, after a couple of seconds.
"If you put it that way, young man...", Heimerdinger shrugged.
Ekko nodded and took a breath, glancing at the breach. "No way of fixing that, either.", he shook his head. "And none to blame but me, again..."
"Didn't I tell you before to not let your pain speak for you, Ekko?", Heimerdinger asked.
"You also told me going up there for the blue balls was a bad idea, yet I went on anyway.", Ekko answered. "Big mistake..."
"It's not!", Heimerdinger suddenly got a lot more serious, getting Ekko's attention. "A bad idea because it'd draw problem? Definitely. But because you wanted to help protect all these younglings?", the Yordle shook his head. "No. Intention is *never* a mistake. In fact, you're the one most living up to your word here, lad, doing more to help these people than *any* of us ever did, me especially. I should be *ashamed* of myself. I am, in fact..."
"Thanks, I guess?", Ekko asked.
"You're welcome, young man.", Heimerdinger said, waiting a few more seconds. "There is something that can still be fixed, however.", his eyes met Ekko's. "Miss Kiramman and your Vi friend."
Ekko read through the Professor's eyes. "Guess now I'm the one to say that's crazy.", he said. "We're barely out of a fight-"
"Not us, young man.", Heimerdinger cut him. "Me."
Ekko's eyes darted to the breach and back. "Jinx-crazy level, then!", he exclaimed. "Hextech is one thing, but that's the girls whom turned up to save our asses, part of the deal! That Jayce fella finds out, that's it, we're done."
"I don't think it'd make much of a difference.", Heimerdinger said. "By how Jayce acted, he was clearly forced into it, he has only so much power, now. And this chemical attack story, for the lack of the proper term, stinks. We'll need all the help we can get, and Miss Kiramman and Miss Vi won't be of much help behind bars."
Ekko, while seeing some point behind Heimerdinger's explanation, still shook his head. "Still, only you...", he said.
"Better the odds of not being seen or easily caught.", Heimerdinger said. "You forget I braved the Undercity prior to meeting you.", he allowed himself a brief snicker. "Compared to this, my home, my very city would be..."
As Heimerdinger remained lost at words, Ekko gestured at the breach. "There's still them, out there, anyway.", he said. "And we've got nothing left."
Heimerdinger frowned as he stepped back a bit and pushed something by the corner of a tree. It looked like a leather backpack. He opened the backpack and took something out of it. It looked like something retractable, almost like a chair or table, apparently harmless.
As he unfolded it, like a fan, the shape Ekko didn't think would see took shape. The shape he thought was all gone since it all played out but hours ago.
The shape of a flying board, only divided in segments, now put together.
Ekko could swear feeling a bit dizzy on that, but light as well. He couldn't hold his smile. "Guess leaves only distraction, then...", he said, subtly.
"I fear I've beaten you to that one too, lad.", Heimerdinger said, producing a remote control which Ekko found just too familiar. "Can you please call mister Scar?"
Outside the breach, patrols and watch shifts became a thing for the small contingent of enforcers charged of keeping the so-called 'troubling' Firelights, revealed to have been just a bunch of rascals with a fighting spirit, in place. Not that any of the sixty would've been there by choice, orders were orders.
The issue however was that the orders were being conflicted between the Warden-Marshall and Councillor Talis, whom oversaw the occupation and also witnessed the brutality of the Firelights that, according to them, wasn't theirs. The orders from the Warden-Marshall declaring otherwise hadn't come in, yet, but it seemed several of the Councillor's personal friends were there too, and two of them had turned in, which somewhat explained why there was no forced occupation and detaining.
"Royalty Actual calling up callsign Gardener. Come in Gardener."
The slightly distorted voice, coming up from the radio transmitter, got Col's attention from the breach and his thoughts in clouds. "Gardener.", the officer replied.
"Gardener, new info dispatch, crates with supplies en route to your location.", Royalty Actual continued. "Contents class essential, acknowledge and relay."
Col's eyes returned to the breach, a tinge of disgust behind his mask. "For our... tenants, I suppose, Actual?", he asked.
"Affirmative, but you are to receive only.", Royalty Actual answered. "Delivery is still pending-"
Suddenly, a loud crashing sound was heard from the breach which Col noticed, making him ignore the rest of the dispatch message. And then another similar sound.
"Gardener, do you read?", Royalty Actual insisted.
Suddenly, something came running out of the breach, running non-stop down the debris mound from the explosion towards the enforcers' blockade, on a high speed. It looked like some sort of automaton, mostly humanoid, except for the wrenches for hands, which were being jiggled erratically and being driven on wheels.
"The hell!?", an enforcer became alarmed as the automaton advanced at full speed, homing at an enforcer and bumping into her as she readied her rifle to fire. The violent bump made her fall to the ground in pain and the machine bumbling a bit before continuing it's advance.
"No- GET OUTTA THE WAY!", a voice was heard from the breach, a slim teenage girl and another almost as young with her, all as the automaton passed by, it's arms hitting another enforcer when he raised his rifle, bashing it away at the same time he pulled the trigger, firing the rifle at one of the spotlights, bouncing it off.
"Hey, watch it!", Col shouted to his men.
"Gardener, come in, what's going on?", Royalty Actual asked, but Col didn't bother listening or answering, as the automaton ran over and tackled another enforcer, running towards the second spotlight, as the other enforcers gave chase and to the young Firelight teenager and her friend tried approaching the blockade, but remained outside. Everyone was too busy to the scene to notice another figure, the large gray one, using some sort of device. Some would say with a grin on his face.
The automaton reached the base of the spotlight, it's wrench claw grabbing and getting stuck to one of the handles which the automaton pushed, tipping over the spotlight and getting it's focus away from the breach as it crashed on the floor. The automaton, whose wrench hand had got loose from the handle, continued with it's roaming rampage, which already started drawing rifle fire from most enforcers, which fired at will at the machine, the two teenagers apparently shocked and backing away from the blockade, horrified at the wanton police brutality. Or it seemed so.
The shots were enough to pierce through the automation for it to start leaking steam out, and the automaton eventually stopped as it looked more and more like a target dummy made of steel plates, turned into a simulacrum of cheese. In the distance, Scar could notice the fading green-ish trail, a trait of the flying boards, one the enforcers wouldn't notice in time with all that ruckus. He allowed himself a smile as he returned to the treehouse, the remote control in hand.
Outside, Col noticed the two youngsters whom followed the machine and walked with a vengeance. "Growing bold again, huh!?", he asked, angry. "You tree rats have some spine, I'll give you that."
"It's not our fault, it went nuts!", the Firelight girl said.
"Has it, now?", he asked, nodding in sarcasm.
"That's Professor Heimer-whatever's robot assistance thing.", the young boy said. "We just turned it on to help clean up and it went nuts!"
"It was an accident, we swear.", the teenage girl pleaded.
"Oh, we can have an accident here, too!", Col said, letting out a baton, intimidating both kids, whom walked a bit backwards before an enforcer cocked her rifle, and he pointed it at them. "I've a *very good mind* to break the legs of you both for that stunt! Maybe the arms too!"
The kids remained in silence, hearts racing.
Col, after a second, pointed the baton at the downed automaton. "Take that piece of shit.", he said, slow and clear. "Preferably before I change my mind!"
The young ones nodded. "Won't happen again, sir, I swear.", the girl said.
"There won't be an again.", Col grunted. "*That*, I swear! Get it outta here!"
The kids went and did as they were told. Col, as he turned around, let out a little air in frustration.
His wife *did* want children after all.
And if that was a preview, she'd keep on wanting kids all she wanted...