VIKTOR

In spite of the ambience and how spread out there were, he had to admit he was impressed with the quantity of books and scrolls Morgana kept on her... abode, so to say. But then, being a being as ancient as time, as she proclaimed, time for reading did seem like an abundance to her. But obviously most of them were written in Demacian, a language Viktor wasn't as much fond of it, as linguistics, contrary to popular opinion, rarely fit the intellectual pursuits of a scientist.

While the portal was open and he could've returned to the orphanage in Zaun, Viktor elected to stay as he had to keep an eye on the Beast itself, in spite of Morgana's apparently honest intents with... reforming the man-monster hybrid. The orphanage could make due with Tory keeping an eye on it, and clearly Ziggs and Jinx had their own things to sort out, from all that scene from before.

As he took a glance at yet another book, also written in Demacian, Viktor took a glance at Morgana, whom, clearly was using her chains, eveloped around the ensared beast, and the efforts were *visibly* not being fruitful, with Morgana herself feeling strained from the effort and the beast only writhing in pain, more and more. Eventually, she broke her chains on the beast as the beast itself, released from the chains but not the branches and roots, recoiled and felt too weakened as well to put up any resistance.

Might as well make our own bed, given how things are going...

Viktor didn't even react to Sky's comment, but kept on a glance at the beast, more than at the lady that now retreated back to her sanctum to rest and replenish her energy, him not even noticing her glance at the scientist as well.

I know how much you want to say it to... him, if you'd call *it* that.

"The... Lady... might not react well to that.", Viktor said, stoically.

That's her problem. You might not get another better chance than this.

Viktor pondered his words for a second before he shut the book and stashed it away at the shelf, heading then in slow steps towards the Beast, to confront it, staring at it's feral eyes as the wolf-like monster did so, at the steel-faced person before him.

"So...", Viktor started. "To know it is you, the monster. How fitting..."

The beast growled.

"I know you never met me.", Viktor said, his voice growing more bitter. "But I'm old enough to remember most of your... reign. Me and my parents, at least. What you and your... friend... did, it was quite the masterwork.", he slowly shook his head. "I was still within her when she drank that water. But then, obviously, it didn't come through your head at the time, did it? All that mattered was stirring up our anger... Do you know what contamination can do to an infant in gestation phase? Did you *ever*?"

The wolf-like monster, 'Vander', did look away from Viktor's face.

"One of many regrets he's had. Every single day."

Viktor turned around to see Morgana walking towards him, staring warnings in spite of her weariness.

"Did the chains tell you that?", he asked, a second later.

"I do not need them to tell me everything.", Morgana said, glancing at the beast, looking aside, the clear gaze away of clear guilt coursing through the monster's face.

Viktor looked at the beast, noticing it as well. However, he remained silent, looking away.

"I know his guilt doesn't simply forgive it all.", Morgana said, prompting Viktor to look at her. "Just as punishment doesn't remedy any of it."

"I am not so dense, Morgana.", Viktor replied, a second later, looking at the beast. "And yet, in a way... maybe Jinx was more wiser than I gave her credit for. He doesn't deserve mercy..."

Morgana stared at him for a second before she then sensed something, and opened up a portal. Seconds later, she saw Jinx and Ziggs come out of it.

As the blue-braided girl stared at both the Veil Lady and the scientist, however, she lowered her head, ashamed. Morgana walked up slowly towards the Loose Cannon, in patience.

"The fear... the hatred for change... is *not* without reason, Jinx.", the Veil Lady started. "A story of discomfort, treated on extremes. A phobia of the future and a fondness of the past. Except that, when we have to tread it, we should always tread forward, never backwards. Vander's old times cannot suit the present Zaun. And neither would Powder fit, to this new age."

Jinx looked up to face Morgana in the eye. "Still, the ones I always wanted the most to just get that...", she said, shaking her head.

"It falls to them the role of acceptance, Jinx.", Morgana answered. "In the meantime, it'd be a folly to not treasure those whom accept you for who you are, right here, right now.", she then took glances at Ziggs and Viktor.

"You already know where I stand at, Jinx.", Ziggs nodded, a second later.

"I for one, cannot say I stand for you, yet.", Viktor said, a second later. "We barely met, Jinx. But as far as it goes... you seem... acceptable enough, in spite of all the... peculiarities."

Jinx simply nodded, after a couple of seconds, looking down.

"Any luck on... him, by the way?", Ziggs asked, nodding at the 'Vander' beast.

"Apparently not much.", Viktor said, staring at Morgana.

"The beast and the man are far more intertwined than I expected.", Morgana said. "So much so that, even with focus, trying to drain one also drains the other. And I cannot risk exceeding, not without putting his life in jeopardy."

"Maybe I can help out with that.", Ziggs said, as he then let go of a large bomb on his back that only at that moment did everyone notice.

"A bomb?", Viktor said. "How is an explosion meant to..."

As Viktor spoke, Ziggs turned the 'lid' clockwise as it then popped off, revealing a hole within it as he turned it and started taking things from inside it, revealed to be books and some sort of tied-up parchment, that he laid down right there on the ground. Jinx took a glance at some of the books' covers, noticing one of them did read 'BASICS OF PSYCHOLOGY'.

Ziggs picked up the parchment and handed it over to Viktor, on which the scientist picked up and untied it, opening it up, revealing what was clearly a formula, obviously of Piltovan origin given the noted name and date, full of notes and even drawings of some plants, one of which Viktor was grown fond of since childhood.

"Clearly meant for chemistry, especially medicinal.", Viktor said. "I take it you know, or knew, this 'Bruneen Hildegarden'?"
"Best human lady I met, back then.", Ziggs said, a second later, looking down ashamed. "The one I didn't deserve..."

"Regardless, in spite of your good intent, a chemical solution may prove to be further volatile to the beast.", Morgana replied. "We're not even sure if or how it will affect his biology."

"It certainly will.", Viktor nodded. "I recognize one of these flowers *too* well. Clearly a part of this 'Balsem' formula. In addition, the way the beast reacts to smelling blood is clearly chemically-induced. It's worth a try."

With the right someone, you mean.

"I know someone whom might make sense of this.", Viktor said.

"And is he good?", Ziggs asked. "Enough to craft that?"

"He should.", Viktor shrugged. "He created Shimmer, after all."

This comment drew Jinx's attention. "Wait, you *know* the Doc?", she asked.

"Don't you?", Viktor asked, a second later.

"Well, been meaning to pay him a visit, too...", Jinx shrugged a couple of seconds later, glancing at the 'Vander' beast.