So...two Apocrypha Servants...I swear this isn't an Apocrypha fic.
To be honest, I considered having Ezreal meet Cursed Arm Hassan or Mata Hari. I briefly considered Hundred Faces, but everybody and their mother uses Hundred Faces in their fics, so I'll hold off from that for now. In the end, Jack was a servant I personally though suited Ezreal quite a bit.
You may have noticed Jack says "mummy" rather than "mommy". I'll try using the British pronounciation of things in Jack's speech considering she is a British Servant. I'm not sure how consistent that will be however since I always use the wrong pronouns and keep reffering to her as singular rather than a group out of habit.
Anyway, enough of that section. Please enjoy the chapter!
"I see...so that was what happened." Karna mutters.
Of course, he is reffering to Ezreal's adventure, what had happened in the ruins and the danger that beheld Ezreal and his companions.
"I should have been there to protect you, or better equip you for the challenges ahead." Karna seems to look down.
"Hey hey, don't sweat it for now. It all ended up ok, we got the treasure, a new ally and I got a sick new scar." Ezreal makes placating hand gestures "Coming into near death situations is nothing that I'm not used to."
Ezreal, the three kids now four, have returned to the hideout. They had shared their experiances with the eager children, though at first the three kids looked a bit somber and conflicted, they couldn't argue with the results.
While pawning off the items, even without telling the kids beforehand it seemed they already knew how to haggle and argue, likely due to their young ages as well they could socially pressure merchants in front of the public market for a slightly better price. Though they were not too mean, Ezreal was able to impart some knowledge that ita good to throw a bad deal every now and again to maintain good relations. Rather than spiteful arguing about prices, leading it to be more banter.
Of course, the three kids who saw Ezreal's blood and a bit of guts spill out had...usual expressions when Ezreal recounted the tale as if it were an epic.
"-and then, Jack here handed me the treasure of that tomb. Turns out she had a look through msot of it before we got there. And in return...she found this!" Ezreal holds up a dark blue gem with a bit of a shape of a tear "It doesn't seem like a normal gem...I can sense magic coming off from it."
Ezreal hums a bit before deciding to not think about it and just show off the gem to the kids for a little before pocketing it.
"Hey...Ez, its a bit random, but I need to say this." Nana says suddenly as the other children barrage Jack, Harith and Kor with questions "I didn't know you for long...but I've never seen someone die before. Animals I've seen die yeah, corpses, too many in the slums. When I saw you get stabbed...I thought it was way to soon. I...I thought about how easily Harith and Kor could have been taken as well."
Ezreal's expression lowers slightly, looking back to see if anyone else was looking in, none were, thankfully.
"Nana...I-"
"I wanted to thank you, Ez. I needed to see this, to see stakes like this. I...I probabaly won't stop being me, hehe, the spirits know Harith and Kor need someone to make sure they don't drown themselves in repsonsability and work. But I understand a little better why they are so serious all the time about our safety now...so thank you, Ez." Nana has a bit of a smile, a complicated smile but genuine nonetheless "Hehe, that sounds bad. Thanking you for receiving a mortal wound."
Ezreal replies with a smirk in kind "Hey don't sweat it. Looks like you'll get my sense of humour at this rate, kid."
"Oh spirits no, I'm gonna go head back to Harith before I catch anything more from you." Nana giggles before she flips over the small crowd of children and towards Harith, joining in in answeing any questions.
"...Yeah, they seem like they'll be alright by themselves for now." Ezreal mutters to himself.
"I see. While we aren't their guardians, leaving children to fend on their own still makes you fell uncomfortable, Explorer?" Karna, who seems to have escaped the hoard of tiny anklebiters for now and is stood near Ezreal.
"Its the grand yet transient life of an explorer my friend. We never settle down in one place. Sooner or later we have to leave." Ezreal replies back.
"...You feel bad for leaving them behind." It was not a question, Karna made a statement.
"I didn't have the power to make a difference before. Now that I got a taste of it...I get thoughts. Thoughts like would they be sad if I left? Would they be angry, like how when my parents had left?" Ezreal lightly sighs with a small smile "Now that I have the power to care for people. I feel bad, I feel dirty. After all, if power is all that it took to be kind then..."
Normally, Ezreal would brush it off and say something along the lines of a master explorer no needing any allies, like a cool movie line. But, he had spent a week training with Karna, and in that time he repeatedly learned lying doesn't work against him.
"It is not power that determines it." Karna says "To act for others, to act for their best interest. That reflects the strength of one's heart, not their magic or fists. From what I hear, you always had a kind heart, but never enough power to back it up."
"...I have no idea what you mean." Ezreal pauses as that before turning away "You, Jack and I should head to Demacia. There we can probabaly raid a library to look for information regarding the gem or not. Since its magic, chances are we would have more luck looking into tombs rather than magical items."
"Oh oh! Mummy, Demacia is the place you were comolaining about. We remember you saying they hated mages?" Jack seems to run up to Karna and Ezreal.
"Ah, thats right. So that's why I'll have to place the gauntlet away, its one of my defining traits there. They'll recognise their national hero, Jarro Lightfeather in an instant otherwise!" Ezreal looks almost proud at that.
"Woah...mummy is a well known hero?" Jack seems to be in awe.
"Well of course. Phantom Thief Jarro Lightfeather! With his dashing good looks and mystic might, the Sentinel of Light defends the people from monsters and bandits...and maybe ddissapear with a trinket or two while avoiding the Mage Seekers." Ezreal makes a symbol indicating money "After all, better the hero take that petricite than the Mageseekers...and maybe I borrowed a few gold trinkets from the Buvelle family.."
"Oooh, so mummy has a naughty side to her too?" Jack giggles like this "We are really good at sneaking and killing. We can join mummy!"
"Well, I'm going as Ezreal, not Jarro. We just need some books, maybe drop off some treasure in my base." Ezreal mutters.
"This is the first time I'm hearing about a base, do you not mean your camp in the woods?" Karna asks.
"No, thats just that, a temporary camp. I have a few safehouses all around Runeterra actually. Well, not exactly a house..." Ezreal mutters that last bit "Terbisia. The place got wrecked by an Eerthquake a few years ago, everybody has moved out and they tried to send Illuminators and other people to fix it up. But gave up, its in ruins and everyhing of value has already been taken...so it was the oerfect place. Demacia doesn't even send knights to observe their condition anymore..."
Ezreal glances at the children for a moment, particularly Nana and Harith, two magical Vastaya.
"Demacia doesn't send the Mageseekers there either..." Ezreal looks down for a moment as if thinking deeply but then looks back up "Maybe that's something to note for later. For now, we get to Demacia, try to find any leads on the gem and see if its useful of valuable."
"A sound plan, Explorer." Karna states simply.
"Where you go mummy, we will go with you!" Jack says happily.
"Alright! Lets head to camp for now. We can rest for now and start packing so we can leave in the morning after resting up." Ezreal states to his two Servants.
Ezreal, Karna and Jack start to leave the hideout, however before they leave they receive the blessings and goodbyes of the other children before they leave.
"Will you come back to this place?" Jack asks Ezrral as the three begin walking away.
"...Maybe. Now then Jack, first things first, once we head to camp I'm giving you one of my shirts. What happened to your pants anyway?" Ezreal asks, Karna was summoned in his armour, maybe it was battle gear? To Ezreal it seemed very Noxus.
"Ooh! We get one of mummy's shirts?" Jack skips up and down while giggling.
"Yes, yeah you do Jack. Actually, I have a question. Do all Servants have white hair? I'm noticing a theme here..." Ezreal mutters as he looks at at Jack and Karna.
"No, while there are some servants with white hair. Not all of us have white hair." Karna mentions.
"Hmm...I guess you two could pass as...cousins? Saying youre both siblings is stretching it a little since Karna's clothes look Shuriman while Jack looks to he from Noxus, even has the knives to match." Ezreal comments offhandedly.
"Oooo. Being siblings with Mister Karna?" Jack seems as happy as ever "We can all play together...hmm, we remember. Mister Karna was left behing by his mother too, right?"
Ezreal flinches at that, in his perspective, that's not really somehing you can just ask so bluntly.
"Yes. Due to circumstance and Kunti's accident, I was born and abandoned. Though I found a good family thanks to that action." Karna says simply.
"Found family...We like the sound of that." While still chipper, Jack sounds a little more somber than usual "What about you mummy, how do you feel about it?"
The question made Ezreal think on it. It is still a bit surreal to him that he now has teavelling companions. For years he had travelled alone, ever since his parents dissapeared, while his uncle provided money and education was the type to be dedicated to his job in the end. Even during his time in the Acadamy, his out the box thinking and ability to absorb lessons like a sponge also made a wall between him and his peers as well.
Long story short, Ezreal has no idea on how to respond to positive emotinal support.
"Of course I see you guys as...family. I am using my magic, my soul to make sure you are all alive hehe." Ezreal seems to speed up with his walk, lying doesn't work, so maybe speaking more quietly will work.
Despite it all, Ezreal was happy with these changes.
The walk back to the camp was silent after that, but did not feel awkward at all.