WhIP

by footfungus

nederlands verhalen over mijn otp

250. Arcane

Second Chance

Nerodith

Summary:

The damage had already been done, and the only thing that could ever make a change at this point was to undo it all. As their eyes fell upon the time capsule, they activated the Z-drive. This was their one and only second chance.
_

The heist at Jayce's apartment doesn't go as planned. Powder mysteriously falls unconscious and the gang receives a grim message from the future. "Save Powder, do not let Jinx be born". But who the hell is Jinx? For the first time maybe ever, Piltover and its undercity need to work hand in hand to prevent a tragedy from happening.

Notes:

Inspired byTV:s, Shark-faced Rocket Launchers and a blue-haired menacebyaRainyFriday

Inspired byJinx and the GremlinbyZzephre

This idea has been living rent-free in my mind since I read all those time-travel and characters-watch-the-show AU on AO3, so I figured out that I might as well just write it down to prevent any further Arcane brainrot in my head, heh. Releases will most likely be sporadic, as I mainly write this when I need a break for my original story but still keep the creativity flowing. Hope you enjoy nonetheless !

PS: For those who don't really care about the plot and only want the part where the characters react to the show, feel free to skip tochapter 7. And for those who want the fix-it part, uh... You might have to wait a bit longer.

Disclaimer: This fic is NOT fandom blind friendly. Although it will be recounting all the events of season 1, you must have seen the show, otherwise it won't make a lot of sense.

Lastly, I'm not a native speaker, so I apologize in advance for the occasional awkward grammar, or misuse of vocabular. Don't hesitate to point them out in the comments. Now then, have a good reading session !

Chapter 1: Retry

Summary:

The heist goes wrong and Powder falls unconscious.

Chapter Text

Fuck.

This was all what Vi could think about when she heard noises in the hallway and this was all what she could think about as she got up to her feet after being thrown on the floor by an explosion. The sudden rush of adrenaline in her system commanded her to move, not even allowing her to think about the 'how' or 'why' there was even an explosion in the first place. The booty still secured on her shoulder, she blindly raced through the thick clouds of smoke toward the balcony and was soon rewarded by a much needed breath of fresh air.

Still disoriented, Vi took in her new surroundings with frantic eyes. The annoying blue sky of Piltover? Check. Claggor? Check. Mylo? Check. Powder?

…

"Where's Powder?"

The silence she received from her brothers was the only answer she needed to rush back inside, letting the sack fall from her shoulder. They had come for it, yet, the booty didn't seem that important anymore.

"Powder!"

When the smoke finally subsided, Vi noticed her sister laying unconscious on the floor. A cold dread set in her heart as the grim memory of her mother's body on the bridge came to overlap Powder's unmoving figure. She rushed to her, trying to ignore it, as she immediately let herself fall on her knees and gently took her sister in her arms. Surely enough, Powder was breathing. But she wasn't waking up. Vi inspected her body, trying to find an injury, but beside the soot on her face, she failed to notice anything different. Why wasn't she waking up?

"Vi, we gotta go!" She heard Claggor's voice pressing her from behind.

She shook her sister once. Twice. Thrice. Nothing. As Powder remained unresponsive, Vi felt her mind spiraling down in panic. What if… What if Powder never woke up? What if she died, just like that? Gods, they shouldn't have come up here. This whole thing seemed so silly now, her sister unconscious in her arms. No amount of gold was worth Powder's life.

When she noticed her knuckles turn white on her sister's shoulder, Vi forced herself to swallow down the ball of anxiety in her throat. She couldn't afford to panic. Not now. She tore her gaze from her sister and scanned her surroundings, trying to find the slightest clue regarding Powder's condition. For a moment, her eyes fell on the Piltovan girl in the hallway. In other circumstances, Vi might have found her charming, but the urgency of the situation prevented to even process her as she broke the eye contact, and the girl continued to attend her own unconscious body—probably the young inventor they had raided.

"Vi!" Claggor pleaded a second time.

"I'll be fine! I'll… figure something out," she responded, trying to keep her voice as convincing as possible. "Go!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Mylo immediately interjected. "We're not going without you!"

"I can't leave her here."

The moment his eyes fell on the unconscious body in her arms, Mylo clicked his tongue.

"Fuck…! I knew this would happen!"

And he did. Sure, he hadn't predicted the explosion. But he knew things would go wrong the moment Powder joined the party, because they always did when the girl was here. Powder had this…talentto bring troubles with her, whether she wanted it or not. Wherever she went, chaos was sure to follow. And up here, in Piltover, this was the last thing they needed. He had tried,oh he had triedto convince Vi not to bring her. But although he trusted her judgment with anything else, when her sister was involved, there was no more room for negotiations.

He could have told her that he was right and that his was all on her. In other circumstances, he might have. But this was not the moment nor the place. Besides, he was pretty sure Vi was already beating herself over it, so he simply joined her side. And when he took a better look at Powder's unconscious face, all the annoyance he felt died down, replaced by worry.

Although he would never admit it out loud, Mylo didn't actuallyhatePowder. She was annoying, sure. Incompetent even. But she was still one of their own. And as Vander taught them, they needed to stick together and have each other's back. This was the one thing the Undercity was good at and the one thing that allowed them to survive this long: loyalty. So despite everything, despite all the misfortune she brought, Vi was right: they couldn't leave Powder behind.

But how were they going to get out of this situation? They couldn't leave the way they came, climbing and running through the roofs of Piltover no longer being an option now that Powder was unconscious, and the streets were crawling with enforcers. But they need to make a decision quickly. The sirens outside indicated that they were running out of time.

Vi turned around to exchange a quiet, but meaningful glance to the boys, who nodded in understanding. The streets it was. No matter how risky, it was their only chance. But before that, they needed to exit the crumbling building, and that meant going through the girl guarding the only entrance.

Resolute, Vi carefully lifted her sister up. She didn't have to say a single word for the boys to come and help her. Claggor took Powder's left arm and wrapped it around his shoulder, and Mylo supported her right side. Now relieved of her burden, Vi cracked her neck as she took threatening steps toward the entrance.

Caitlyn immediately tensed up, sensing her menacing aura. She abandoned Jayce's body to rise up to her feet and face the intruders, putting on her face the most intimidating look she possibly could in this situation.

"S-Stay right here!" She ordered, trying to keep her voice steady. "Enforcers will be here soon, don't you dare move a finger!"

But her threat was only received with a scoff, as the girl in front of her invaded her personal space, forcing her to take a step back until she was against the wall.

"Or what? You gonna tell your parents, Cupcake?"

Although Vi was prone to use violence, she never did so meaninglessly, and certainly not against innocent people. But there was no such a thing as an innocent topsider. Each time they took a breath, a trencher died inhaling toxic gases, and each time they eat to their fill, a trencher kid died starving in the streets. This, in itself, was already crime enough. So if it meant bringing her brothers and sister to safety, Vi could and totally would fight this girl right now, pretty or not.

But fortunately for all of them, Caitlyn had enough sense of self-preservation to avoid the conflict. She had zero experience in fighting and since the intimidation approach had clearly failed, she certainly didn't feel like taking her chances here, three versus one. She figured out Jayce wouldn't be too mad at her for prioritizing their own safety and letting his robbers go. She needed to take care of him first. Besides, it was the enforcers' job to catch thieves, and Caitlyn was pretty confident that they would arrive before those managed to get away.

She bit her lip, settling for a simple glare at the robbers and Vi took the hint. She bobbed her head, signaling for the boys to follow her and they all passed by the powerless Piltovan girl who could do nothing else but watch them leave.

Once they were gone, Caitlyn squatted back down to inspect Jayce. He still showed no signs of waking up and Caitlyn knew better than to shake him. Since he didn't seem too badly injured, she rolled him to the side and lifted his head to rest it on her tight. And she waited. There was nothing much she could do. Her father would attend to him better than she could hope to once enforcers found them. So in the meantime, she simply replayed the incident in her head.

It would surely be an encounter Caitlyn would never forget. She had never been in the Undercity before, but it wasn't hard to guess where those kids who weren't even older than her came from. And that girl… That fierce gaze had burnt itself into her mind, whether she wanted it or not. For a moment, Caitlyn didn't know if she hoped that they would get away or that they would get caught. In either case, the shouts outside indicated that the chase had began.

"Will it work?"

"We can only hope…"

Jayce pulled the chair next his partner to let himself fall in it as they both contemplated theboard in front of them. He was exhausted and his old bones didn't allow him to pull all-nighters anymore, but finally, their long efforts and hard work would be rewarded. Hopefully. But he no longer had anything to lose, so they figured it would be worth a try.

Years ago, the love of his life died in the Council Bombing which he, himself, barely survived. From then on, everything went south. Piltover demanded blood, which the new council, supported by the Noxian general, was more than happy to provide. The loss of Mel had been too great for Jayce to find the strength in him to stop them, and if he was honest, back then, his heart screamed for vengeance as well. However, the consequences had been an all-out war which never ended, up to this day.

A cornered beast doesn't hide, it fights back. Zaun had retaliated as strongly as Piltover did and the Piltovan citizens never slept soundly ever since. New threats emerged every once and then, and each time, the Council thought it was a better idea to send armies rather than to negotiate for peace. The spite had grown too strong for either side to consider a truce.

And if he thought he had nothing else to lose back then, time proved him wrong when Jayce ultimately lost his best friend. His relationship with Viktor had greatly deteriorated when the war started, as Viktor very explicitly expressed against it and Jayce didn't do much to stop the violence. Eventually, Viktor defected back to Zaun, and the next time Jayce saw him, he had completely changed and was now considered one of the many new threats of Zaun.

The Machine Herald, the Loose Canon, the Mad Chemist, the Wrath of Zaun, the Dreadnought… The cycle of violence never stopped.

The only good thing that came out during all these years was his partnership with this Zaunite inventor, whom Heimerdinger introduced. He, too, was desperate to put an end to this carnage. Unfortunately, despite all their good intention, time proved them that no amount of help would ease the tensions. The losses had been too great in both sides, and the bitterness too strong. The Twin Cities were now both ready to go down, so long as it meant bringing the other with them. The damage had already been done and the only thing that could ever make a change at this point was to undo it all.

The project was ambitious, foolishly so Heimerdinger had commented. But it was also their only hope. Ekko's Z-drive had already proven that time travel was possible. If only they could extend those few seconds to a few minutes, to a days, to a few years… Things could change. Now, after years of intense research, trial and error, their project could finally come to life.

They would only have one chance. The Z-drive had been heavily modified to allow the trip, but only a limited quantity of non-organic matter would withstand such a big travel in time. Moreover, the amount of energy needed to activate it would surely destroy it upon activation. There was no room for failure this time.

The two partners sighed in anxiety as their long awaited project was finally coming to an end. Ultimately, it was Ekko who broke the silence.

"You ready?"

"Always."

Their eyes fell upon the time capsule with only two words written on it: "SAVE POWDER." And after long seconds, together, they activated the Z-drive. This was their one and only second chance.

Chapter 2: Time Capsule

Summary:

Viktor and Jayce find a mysterious capsule in the aftermath of the explosion, and the gang is caught in their escape.

Chapter Text

"Let's go over it again," the sheriff suggested.

"You have to believe me, I didn't do this!"

"Relax, kid. We know it was a break-in, but that doesn't explain this. There's a lot of restricted items here and I don't see any permits."

Jayce sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose in a futile attempt to get rid of the headache growing in his skull.'Not a concussion', Tobias Kiramman had assured when he regained consciousness. And as soon as the medical examination was over, enforcers escorted him back to his apartment to interrogate him. The irony. It wasn't enough that his place had been robbed and wrecked, now he was being interrogated like a criminal.

"What happened here?" Someone asked, bringing him back to reality. The man leaning on a cane and inspecting his board was unmistakably from the Academy, judging by his outfit—the very same one he was wearing.

"Maybe you should ask those responsible for this instead," Jayce suggested, barely hiding the annoyance in his tone. "Weren't they arrested, already?"

"Oh, we will," the sheriff assured as she went through her notes again.

So what am I doing here?He was growing more and more irritated by the second and the headache wasn't helping. Years of work had been reduced to nothing in an instant. Most of his notes were intact, but he had yet to determine what had been destroyed and what hadn't. And to cap it all, his secret project wasn't so secret anymore.

"Who, or what is Powder?"

"What?"

Jayce turned his attention to the man once again. This time, he had picked up some kind of oversized pneuma-tube. Sensing his confusion, he rose his hands to show him the inscriptions written on the side of the capsule: "SAVE POWDER". Jayce frowned at the sight.

"That's… not mine."

He had acquired a lot of trinkets over the years, some of which he never touched upon buying ever again, but not only he was pretty sure he had never seen the capsule before, this "powder" didn't evoke anything to him. Did it?

"The kids must have left it behind," he reasoned. "You should be careful with it. Maybe it'll cause another explosion if you open it."

It was a joke only meant for him. After all, Jayce knew better than anyone else exactlywhathad caused the explosion. The crystals were highly unstable, and this was exactly why he had secured them into a safe. But those goddamn kids just had to find it and steal them. And the worst thing in all this? He couldn't find the will to stay angry at them. All the relief he felt when he found out they were arrested soon vanished when he heard that one of them still hadn't regained consciousness. It was, in a way, his fault. His half-serious warning didn't seem to stop the man from the Academy though, as he heard a click and the hissing sound of the pneuma-tube opening.

The capsule certainly wasn't empty, and it was very different from the regular pneuma-tube used to send messages. Small and larger pieces of gear were connected on top of each other in a train, with a single empty spot in the middle, clearly reserved for something round. It seemed to be some kind of device. For what? Viktor didn't know. But it was complex enough to arose his scientific mind.

He removed the scroll that had been carefully inserted between two wheels and unrolled it to read its content. If he had been slightly interested at first, now, he was very,veryintrigued.

"Do we know each other?" He asked, his eyes never leaving the paper.

"What?" Jayce squinted, unsure if he was addressing him or not.

"My name is mentioned on this," Viktor explained as he continued to inspect the scroll. "There is a lot of interesting theories. Instructions and calculations about something called Hextech. If it was to be applied…"

Viktor couldn't finish his sentence. Before he realized it, Jayce had launched forward to snatch the paper away from him. No one should know about Hextech. The very idea that magic could be harnessed was something thathecame up with. And even if, hypothetically speaking, someone, somewhere in this world, had the very same theory, the name "Hextech" washis. But the longer his eyes went through the scroll and the wider they became.

The man apparently named Viktor hadn't lied. It was indeed talking about Hextech. In fact, it was mentioning finding Viktor and, with his help, stabilizing the hex crystals following very clear instructions and finally, using the refined gemstone obtained to activate the device. Calculations and theories he had never imagined were being detailed. But the most surprising fact of them all was maybe the writing. Was that…hishandwriting? It would make sense. No one should know about Hextech but him after all. But the scroll was mentioning things that never crossed his mind and people that he never met. And clearly, this Viktor didn't know him either, so it wasn't just him randomly forgetting about a past encounter.

As Jayce tried to make sense of all of this, the sheriff brought both men's attention back to her.

"So, want to tell me where and why you got all this illegal equipment?"

"Uh, that's…"

Too confused by the whole situation to come up with a good excuse, Jayce could only blankly stare at her. Fortunately for him, Viktor stepped in before he dug his own grave.

"They were required for an independent study," he lied. "That the Academy authorized, of course."

Jayce frowned, trying to comprehend why in the world he was trying to help him, but Viktor's expression remained imperturbable.

"And the permits?" Grayson asked.

"At the Academy. I will make sure to bring them to you."

"So long as everything is in order. You were lucky there were no casualties," the sheriff commented as she inspected the damages one more time. "But since the culprits were arrested, I think we're done here. They seem to have ran away empty handed, but do make sure that there is nothing missing. We don't want any of this stuff circulating freely, alright?"

Although Jayce nodded, he was only half listening. His mind was way too busy trying to process the informations of the scroll and the man at his side.

"Anything else?" The sheriff finally asked as she put her helmet back on, readying herself to leave.

Viktor inspected the note listing all the dangerous items the Academy had commanded him to remove. For a second, his eyes stopped on the name "Jayce Talis". But when he recalled his own name being mentioned on the most intriguing piece of paper he ever seen, his scientific heart won over his reason. He folded the note back into his pocket and faced the sheriff with, he hoped, the most genuine smile he could possibly pull.

"No, we're done here."

At this time of the day, the Last Drop was always overcrowded with patrons, so there was always something to do. Filling the empty glass of a thirsty customer, cleaning the inevitable mess at this or that table, fixing the jukebox every now and then, washing the dishes before they ran out of glasses, making sure the kegs were never empty… There was never a dull moment, the bar was always full of life. Sometimes, it was eventoofull of life and a fight would break out, but very rarely did Vander had to intervene. One thing was for sure, though: between the chatty, thirsty and aggressive patrons, the Last Drop wasneverquiet. So the second silence fell in the bar, Vander couldn't help but abandon the nasty stain on the counter and throw his towel over his shoulder to redirect his attention to his newly arrived customers.

Enforcers never meant good news, especially if they bothered to venture this far down in the trenches. But the fact that the sheriff herself had come was especially worrisome. He hid the scowl on his face and rested an elbow on the counter as he waited for Grayson to take a seat, her enforcers right behind her. The other patrons didn't bother to hide their hostility as they spied the unwelcomed newcomers' every move.

"Something I can help you with, Sheriff?"

"There was an attack in the Academy district," Grayson started as she took off her mask. "A building was blown to pieces."

"Huh, a real shame," Vander commented as he served the woman a glass of beer. A mere act of courtesy for the patrons, but a sign of trust between the two old friends. "I wish you luck with the culprits."

"We've already apprehended them," the sheriff continued as she took a sip of her beer, before she set a hard gaze on him. "Four children. A red headed girl, a blue haired one and two boys."

This time, Vander couldn't hide the frown on his face and that's all Grayson needed to confirm her theory that he would know them.

Vander had known Vi would eventually pull off something stupid, her anger issues going out of control these days, but he couldn't find it in him to be disappointed, especially since his kids had yet to return.

"Are they alright?" He asked. And it was Grayson's turn to frown.

"Mostly," she explained. "The oldest has a few scratches here and there, and the boys are completely fine. The youngest though… Though she seems unharmed, she's still unconscious and our doctors have yet to find out what's wrong with her."

The board of the counter split under the pressure of Vander's fist at the news.

"They're taking care of her, Vander," Grayson immediately assured to appease him. "But we've been trying to figure out what happened and… the others aren't being quite cooperative."

Of course they weren't. No trencher would want to cooperate with enforcers, let alone his kids, who had been orphaned because of them. Vander took a deep breath to repress the growing frustration within him. He couldn't afford to lose control if he didn't want things to escalate. The others were already on edge, and most likely waiting for the slightest hint from him to jump the enforcers right here and then. And the kids had already caused enough problem like this, they didn't need to give Piltover another reason to send more enforcers down here.

"I thought you might want to see them," Grayson proposed when he reestablished the eye contact. "And maybe persuade them to talk. They're growing restless."

As they should be.

Vander gave the sheriff a nod of aknowledgement before he took the towel on his shoulder and put it down the counter.

"Alright, folks. Bar's closed for today," he then loudly announced to his patrons.

Had it been any other day, the notice would have been received with groans, rude remarks and maybe even some mild insults, were any of his patrons feeling courageous, or simply too drunk to remember who they were talking to. But the presence of enforcers was good reason enough for them to exit the building without a complain, satisfied to simply glare at them on their way out.

Once the bar was empty, Vander left the counter to join the sheriff.

"Let's go."

He needed to have a word with Vi, but most importantly, he needed to make sure all his kids were ok.

Shit, shit, shit, shit.

How long had it been? A couple hours? Three? Four? It was hard to tell from here, but Vi was sure she was losing her mind.

Unfortunately, the gang hadn't gotten far in their escape. Getting away from all the enforcers would have already been a difficult task should they have all been well and running, but while carrying an unconscious Powder? It had been impossible. They had taken their chances and it had failed miserably. And now, they had been left to rot in some kind of temporary cell, waiting for their judgment—though that said judgment would probably just be a formality. Being born in the Undercity was good enough of a reason to be sent to Stillwater, Vi had no doubt. But that was a problem for the future them. Right now, her mind was fully occupied with only one thing.

Powder, Powder, Powder...

Was Powder ok? Her sister had been torn away from them the second they were arrested to be sent to a doctor. At first, Vi had been relieved to know that Powder would receive proper medical care. But the more time passed and the more she was convinced that her sister hadn't actually received any and that Piltover just left her for dead. After all, there were thousands of kids already dying in the trenches and Piltover never batted an eye. Why would Powder's case be any different? Piltover didn't do charity. They probably figured out there was something wrong with her and only used medical care as an excuse so that she and her brothers wouldn't put up any resistance when they took her away. And now, her lack of judgment was eating her alive.

Vi wasn't the only one to lose her mind. Being stuck in a prison for Janna knows how long would be enough for anyone to lose their cool, but having to deal with a very distressed Vi on top of that? It was suffocating.

"She'll be fine, Vi," Claggor told her, more to calm her nerves than because he believed in it. "Stop pacing."

But that didn't stop Vi from pacing.

"How would you know that? We haven't had any news in... hours!"

"If you cared so much about her, maybe you shouldn't have brought her in the first place," Mylo spat, without bothering to get up or to even look at her.

"Mylo," Claggor warned.

But hours of laying down in a cell without anything but his thoughts had brought Mylo on edge, and now, the filter was off.

"What? It's true!" He rose to glare at them both. "Don't you dare tell me I'm wrong, we all know if it wasn't for Powder, we would've gotten away!"

"You don't know that!" Vi snarled as she immediately grabbed the boy's collar to force him back on his feet. "And that's not the problem. Powder's unconscious right now, so don't youdaresay anything about her while we don't know if she's dead or alive!"

Mylo clicked his tongue, but he didn't say anything more. It wasn't like Vi was the only one worried about Powder here. Evenhedidn't want anything bad to happen to her. But none of it would have happened if Vi would finally admit that her sister was not fucking ready to come with them for jobs.

"What happened back then anyway?" Claggor tried to change the subject.

"Who knows?" Mylo grumbled as he let himself fall back onto the cold floor. "Probably some kind of trap."

"What kind of idiot puts bombs in their own house as traps?" Vi asked, though it wasn't really a question.

"The kind of idiot who has a lot of valuable and doesn't want trencher trash like us to rob them."

And that idiot certainly did have a lot to rob. Shame they couldn't keep the loot.

For a moment, the teenagers stayed quiet, each one of them replaying the events of day in their head and trying to figure out what exactly had gone wrong. They were soon broken from their thoughts though, as they heard someone coming.

"Vander!" The three of them exclaimed in unison as they saw the bulky man appear, a mixture of anger and concern on his face.

When Vander approached, the cell's bars immediately rattled as Vi slammed against them.

"I'm so sorry Vander, I lost Powder! They took her, they...!"

Vi's hurried talk was immediately interrupted as Vander rested a hand on her shoulder through the bars. Any lecture about their recklessness that he had prepared on the way flew out the widow the moment he saw the distress in her eyes. The speech about responsibility would have to wait.

"Slow down, Vi," he tried to soothe her. "Are you guys alright?"

"We're fine, Vander. But Powder...!"

"I know. Topside's taking care of her, right now," Vander repeated Grayson's words, putting Vi's doubt to a rest for now. "But I need to know what happened."

Before Vi could start, she noticed the sheriff walking in right behind Vander and didn't hide the suspicion on her face.

"It's ok, Vi," Vander insisted. "Tell me."

"I... I don't know," she eventually recounted. And that was the truth. "We were just supposed to go in, rob a few things and leave as soon as we came. But then I heard the topsider coming back, and before we could make it out, there was an explosion."

"And you don't know what caused it?"

Vi shook her head.

"No. And next thing I know, Powder is on the floor, unconscious..."

Vander sighed at the lack of new information. They weren't going to go very far at this rate. But Grayson didn't seem to share the thought as her interest suddenly perked up.

"Your sister's name is Powder?" She asked.

"... Yes," Vi eventually muttered, her voice barely audible. She really didn't want to say anything to the sheriff. "How is that relevant?"

"Maybe more than you think," Grayson told her as she recalled the capsule the assistant to the Academy's dean collected earlier. "Have you lost anything during the heist? A pneuma-tube or something of the like."

Vi rose an eyebrow at her question.

"Beside the loot, no," she said. "Why would we bring anything that could track you guys back to us?"

That was ridiculous. They had come here to rob, not to make donations—though Vi refrained herself from saying that out loud.

The sheriff hummed, seemingly lost in her thoughts for a moment.

"Grayson?" Vander called. "Anything in mind?"

She turned around and lightly patted her friend's shoulder.

"I think I might need another word with the Talis boy."

Chapter 3: Deadline

Summary:

As Caitlyn pays a visit to her friend, Jayce and Viktor try to pierce the secrets of the time capsule.

Chapter Text

"So they got caught, after all..." Caitlyn hummed as she munched the toast on her fork mechanically, too absorbed by the paper she was holding in her other hand.

"Caitlyn," her mother called. "Will you please put this journal down and eat your meal properly?"

But Caitlyn wasn't listening. Her eyes kept reading the same article over and over.

It wasn't everyday that Piltover woke to the sound of explosions and sirens, so she had guessed the incident would be covered in the news. But she could only admire the speed and efficiency of the reporter in charge as yesterday's events were already in the daily journal. She was a bit disappointed by the lack of details, though.

The article was clearly focused on praising the enforcers' rapid coordination and efficiency in catching the thieves and on how the citizens could sleep soundly and trust them to keep them safe. Nothing about the thieves, except that they were from the Undercity—something to be expected, the article had not so subtly implied—and that they had been arrested. Not even the fact that they were only children like her.

"Caitlyn," Cassandra warned a second time, with a much harsher tone.

Reluctantly, the young girl put the journal down to focus on her meal. It never did any good to defy her mother.

"Anything interesting, my dear?" Her father asked, clearly amused.

"They didn't say anything about Jayce or about me," she replied as she cut her toast into smaller pieces instead of putting it in her mouth all at once like a savage. Her mother had only given her the side-eye, but that was enough for Caitlyn as she could hear her voice lecturing her anyway.

Tobias chuckled.

"Being in the news while they're reporting about explosions and burglary isn't a good thing, Caitlyn. And I'm sure Jayce is fine."

She hadn't heard from him since enforcers escorted him back to his apartment yesterday, but she trusted her father's judgment. Still, it would do no harm to check on him. She had been confided in her room all day yesterday as per her parents' instructions so that she could recover from the incident—although she knew the actual reason was so that she wouldn't hinder the investigation—and now, she was itching to find out about what happened. She proceeded to gulp down the rest of her meal much to her mother's displeasure, although she refrained from commenting on it, and hopped off her chair to hurry back to her room to prepare herself.

"Where are you going, Caitlyn?" Cassandra asked.

"I'm going to pay Jayce a visit!" She replied from the hallway.

"Let the man rest, he needs it!" Her father advised.

But Caitlyn pretended not to hear. Jayce had an entire day and night to rest after all.

The trip to the Academy was a fast one. Cassandra's job at the Council required for her to regularly attend meetings, so the Kiramman's residence wasn't too far from the University, where most council meetings took place. Since Jayce's apartment had yet to be repaired, Caitlyn figured out her greatest chance of finding him would be in his laboratory.

Thanks to her family's patronage, Jayce was able to obtain his own workshop at the University—a luxury for most unknown scientists his age. And although it was relatively small in size, it had everything the Academy could offer, namely an almost endless supply of equipment and materials. Despite this, Jayce preferred to conduct most of his research at home, and for a good reason. A good part of his inventory came from the Undercity, where the market was not regulated—or at the very least, where enforcers never really bothered to check if the law was being applied—which meant that most of the items he used were restricted and wouldn't be allowed in the Academy. Jayce's laboratory was therefore left cold and empty most of the time. This time, however, Caitlyn wasn't surprised to find its door unlocked and slightly ajar.

"Jayce?" She called after knocking a few times. Receiving no answers, Caitlyn allowed herself a peak inside, and since she failed to see anyone, she pushed the door open and entered the workshop.

It had been used alright. Diagrams and lines after lines of calculations had been laid out on the board, the several desks had been overcrowded with all sorts of items she didn't recognize, and an unusual amount of paper had been stacked wherever there was space. Caitlyn took in her new surroundings, trying not to step on the few sheets scattered on the floor, and her eyes eventually noticed the dozen cups of coffee laying on one of the tables. Clearly, someone hadn't taken the rest they needed. Whatever Jayce was up to, he spent the night working on it.

Caitlyn approached the central desk that had been cleared of, she assumed, most useless stuff. She inspected the notes that had been left here, trying to guess what he was working on, but to no avail. Whatever it was, though, it had to be something big if Jayce went right back to it just after losing his apartment, and possibly even almost his life. Eventually, she abandoned the gibberish texts, and a blue crystal attracted her attention. It was rougher, yet shinier than any precious stone her mother owned. And it was probably just as priceless, considering the support it had been safely placed on.

"Wouah wouah wouah, careful with that, Cait!" She heard Jayce exclaim from behind her as he returned.

Whatever he was carrying had been dropped on the floor when he came to rush at her side and soon, another man entered the workshop right behind him, carrying his own box of…tools?and yet another cup of coffee.

When he realized she hadn't touched the crystal, Jayce let a long sigh out and ran his hand through his already disheveled hair.

"You look fine," Caitlyn quipped. He didn't. If the cups of coffee hadn't been clue enough, the bags under his eyes were clear evidence of the sleepless night he had spent. "What are you working on?"

Jayce hesitated for a moment as he continued to ruffle his own hair. He did often talk about his project with Caitlyn whether she understood them or not, but it wasn't everyday that he needed to explain that he had found in the aftermath of an attack on his apartment a mysterious capsule that explained step by step how to achieve his long life dream. So when his accomplice came to join their side, he decided introducing him would be better.

"Oh, Cait, this is Viktor. Assistant to the dean of the Academy and my new partner. Viktor, this is Caitlyn, an old friend of mine."

"Daughter of Councilor Kiramman," Viktor commented as he took a sip of his cup and put the box down, apparently recognizing her. His eyes were as puffy as Jayce's. "I know."

"Nice to meet you," Caitlyn greeted.

"The pleasure is mine."

But once the handshake was over, she immediately returned her attention to the blue crystal. Caitlyn never let herself be distracted when she had something in mind, after all.

"So, what are you guys working on?" She asked a second time.

Jayce sighed, abandoning any idea of lying or changing the subject. Keeping things from Caitlyn was the best way to get her to dig in further, and generally, it didn't take long before she found out whatever she was looking for. The teenage girl had a naturally sharp instinct. And considering the last time someone went through his stuff it ended with a destroyed building, an unconscious kid, and lots of enforcers, he'd rather not take any chances. Besides, he knew he could trust her. Whether it was just a way to emancipate herself from her mother's control or out of genuine interest, she had always been eager to help him.

"You know, always the same thing," he explained. "Remember that project I talked to you about?"

"The one about exploiting magic using science?" She guessed.

"Yes, that one," he confirmed. He gave a quick glance at Viktor, who showed no signs of wanting to interrupt, before he continued. "Well, I think we might have found a breakthrough."

Caitlyn's face immediately lightened up with wonder. She had heard about magic through her father's stories—Ionia was rumored to be gifted of endless magic and beauty—but considering Piltover's stance on the subject, she had never witnessed it before. However, before she could share her enthusiasm, another person announced their presence with a loud knock on the door, and when she turned around, Caitlyn noticed the sheriff standing there, accompanied by her captain.

"I see you've been busy," she noted, observing the disordered workshop.

While Jayce and Viktor couldn't help but frown at her unannounced visit, Caitlyn couldn't help but beam. She admired the woman, so it was always a joy to see her.

"Hello, Sheriff," she greeted. And Grayson replied with a smile of her own.

"Hello, young Kiramman. You've grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you."

That probably wasn't true. It had only been a few months since the shooting competition and her growth spurt was over. But she didn't comment on that.

"Sorry for imposing myself, kids," Grayson then stated as she joined the two scientists, followed closely by the captain. "But I need to ask you a few more questions."

The two men exchanged a concerned glance, but before they could think about doing anything, Marcus decided to take over the investigation.

"You haven't been completely honest, have you?" he accused, circling the scientists in a slow pace.

But Jayce feigned ignorance. "About what?"

And if there was one thing Marcus hated, it was being taken for a fool. He took his job very seriously and did not tolerate any form of mockery.

"Listen, you little fraud," he snarled as he aggressively put his helmet down on the desk, making the different trinkets placed on it jostle with each other. But if Marcus failed to notice the blue crystal rolling down its support, Jayce certainly hadn't and before he could continue with his threat, the young scientist shouted.

"Catch it!"

Caitlyn immediately complied as the crystal rolled in her direction. Before it could touch the floor, she caught it with a swift movement of her hand, earning loud sighs of relief from the two scientists.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jayce barked. "You almost blew us all!"

"Jayce," Viktor cautioned. But the information was out.

"That thing explodes?" Caitlyn stated more than asked, inspecting the ball of hazard in her hand. The wheels turned in her head and she fully realized the implications for this. "That's what caused the explosion yesterday?"

Curse that kid's instinct… She probably hadn't realized that she had said it out loud, but the two enforcers had heard it loud and clear, and although the sheriff would probably have reached the same conclusion at some point, now, she was looking at Jayce expectantly.

"No! Maybe… Yes?" He eventually settled for the truth. If they decided to confiscate the crystal and test it, they would find out about it anyway.

"And you just forgot to mention that?" Grayson asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"I just… thought it was irrelevant. Since the investigation was about the thieves... And it was classified information," Jayce tried to justify himself.

Not good enough of a justification, though, judging by the grimace Marcus was pulling. But this time, before he could say anything, Grayson placed her hand on his shoulder, putting him to a stop.

"How about you let us decide what's classified and what's not from now on, kid?" She proposed, and Jayce could only nod at her.

"In that case, I don't suppose you have anything else to tell us about…" she marked a pause, surveying the zone until she found what she was looking for. "…thiseither?"

Jayce followed her eyes and spotted the mysterious capsule they had found the day before. It had been partially covered by some piece of paper that flew over when Marcus slammed his helmet against the desk, but clearly, it hadn't been enough to escape the sheriff's eyes.

He ground his teeth in frustration. If there was one thing he didn't want the enforcers to find out about and confiscate, it was this. The unknown device seemed to not only hold the key to his Hextech dream, but also to something maybe even bigger, and Jayce fully intended to pierce its secrets. He had spent the night studying and testing the theories detailed on the scroll with Viktor, and they had all succeeded so far. However, they hadn't had enough time to finish the refining process described in it. But Jayce hadn't made this much progress in years and was fully resolved to maintain momentum.

He glanced at his partner, who shared the same uneasy expression on his face, and Viktor shook his head silently. They couldn't lose the capsule, not before they found out what exactly it was.

"This is important," Grayson urged when the silence stretched on. "I've got an unconscious kid at the infirmary, a restless father, and three very angry teenagers who are most likely trying to break out at the moment. Andthismay be a clue to this whole situation."

Caitlyn frowned in incomprehension, and she wasn't the only one.

"Are you... refering to yesterday's incident?" Viktor inquired. "How is it related to...this?" They needed to know exactly what the sheriff was looking for.

"The unconscious kid," Grayson explained, "her name's Powder. Her doctors still haven't figured out what affliction she has, but they're starting to think she may never wake up. And here you've got something that conveniently says 'save Powder', and that her siblings insist isn't theirs."

"Wait... What?"

Jayce hadn't thought much about his robbers since yesterday, his mind too occupied by his recent discovery. He had heard one of them had lost consciousness during the incident, but he assumed that, just like him, she would eventually wake up. It had been more than 24 hours since the explosion though, and he didn't need a medical license to understand that there must have been some kind of complication if she still hadn't regained consciousness. And if her doctors themselves estimated that she may never wake up, then the possibility she might die was very real. The guilt suddenly came back like a punch in his guts.

Viktor, on the other hand, was a bit more dubious about this situation. He couldn't understand how the capsule was related to whatever curse fell upon the kid. He and his partner had long stopped trying to figure out where the capsule came from, preferring to focus on the secrets it held, but it was clear by now that it didn't belong to Jayce and, thinking about it, it was unlikely to belong to the Undercity kids either. So what was that inscription about? It was, for sure, a curious coincidence. Did that capsule really predict the kid would fall ill? That was ridiculous. Then again, everything about the recent events was ridiculous.

"Where did you get it?" Grayson interrogated, pulling both men from their thoughts.

"I don't know, we... Wait. You're not thinking that I have something to do with whatever ailment that kid has, are you?" Jayce started to panic as he saw in the sheriff what he could only assume to be accusing eyes. "We just found it, it's not mine! Why would I want to hurt her? It's not like I could have known she would break in— Hey! Be careful with that!"

Before he could protest, Marcus had already picked up the capsule to inspect it.

"If it's not yours, you won't mind if we take a look, right?"

Without even waiting for an answer, the enforcer turned the capsule in every possible way. Jayce and Viktor could only be grateful that it was sturdy, because Marcus was most definitely not delicate with it. However, no matter how many times he opened it, turned it over or even shook it, he failed to notice anything suspicious about it.

"Where's the scroll?" Grayson eventually inquired as Marcus grew significantly more impatient by the second.

"What?"

"Wasn't there a scroll in it?" The question was rhetorical.

The sheriff certainly didn't forget any details. It was no wonder she managed to obtain her position. Still, there was no way Grayson would be able to tell all their notes appart so the two scientists stayed quiet. Under the pressure of the situation, however, Jayce couldn't refrain himself from glancing at it when she mentioned it, detail that Marcus didn't miss, much to his dismay.

The enforcer followed his gaze and when he noticed the scroll, he exchanged the capsule with it. It was evident when he read it that he didn't understand what is was about, but when he looked up to look at their board, the scowl on his face disappeared, replaced by a smirk.

"For something that isn't yours, the handwritings sure are similar," he scoffed.

Yes, that was a disturbing detail that Jayce also noticed and now, it was putting him in a delicate position. How was he supposed to explain that? He didn't understand either. There was so much he didn't understand and the enforcers' presence didn't help in solving the mystery.

The annoying grin on his face never fading, Marcus brought the scroll to Grayson so that she could inspect it in her turn. The sheriff read its content with a stern expression.

Viktor stepped in and when Jayce felt his hand on his shoulder, the tension that had crept up in his body slowly disappeared.

"As you can see, there is nothing about the child," he commented.

"What is this about?" Grayson asked with a slight frown as her eyes left the scroll to inspect her surroundings one more time, with much more apprehension this time.

"Instructions," Jayce explained. There was no point in hiding it anymore. "For a project. A new technology that could allow us to... harness magic. Through science."

The sheriff stayed silent for a moment, observing him. Jayce couldn't tell what she was thinking, her expression never changed. Then, her eyes shifted to Viktor.

"I doubt this was approved by the Academy," she noted as she raised a suspicious eyebrow. While Grayson didn't know much about the Academy's work, she knew the law and it was unlikely that this study had been authorized by either the dean or the Council. Anything related to magic was frowned upon.

"It wasn't," Viktor admitted. "But this could be a major breakthrough for our city. Something that could change people's life."

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to convince the sheriff. It wasn't her place nor her job to question the law. Grayson had only one duty and was to protect the citizens. Not only was this study breaking the law, it was also dangerous. Yesterday's incident was the very proof of that and clearly, the Talis boy hadn't learned his lesson since he was still handling those crystals.

"I'm going to have to confiscate this," she announced with a sigh. She admired their intention, but she couldn't risk the safety of others.

Marcus took the cue and immediately went for an empty box that was lying around. Without an once of care, he shoved everything that was on the desk in it, including the capsule, as the two scientists could only watch helplessly.

"Please, Sheriff," Jayce pleaded. "We can prove that this work. And if... If you're correct... If you are right and the capsule indeed has some kind of connection with this...Powder, then we could find a clue and save her!"

Grayson considered the offer for a moment. The life of a child was certainly something that was worth to take some risks for, especially when that said child was the youngest daughter of the Undercity's de facto leader. Vander was respected enough that a single one of his words could lead to another uprising. He had given up violence for the sake of his kids' future, but should any of them be threatened, Grayson wasn't sure he wouldn't fall back into his old ways. But ultimately, beyond her responsibility as a peacekeeper, it was the desire to help an old friend that made her decide.

"How much time do you need to prove this?" She asked, immediately earning the hopeful smiles of the two scientists.

"One day," Jayce affirmed. "Just one day."

Grayson pulled out a stopwatch from her pocket. As her gaze rested on it for a moment, a frown appeared on her face.

"You have four hours," she then declared, turning her attention back to the two men.

"Four hours?!" Any delight he felt vanished in an instant as Jayce's face twisted in bewilderment.

"In exactly four hours, the trial for yesterday's incident will be held," the sheriff explained as she put the watch away. "Once the trial is over, there will be three kids behind bars, and a furious father at your doorstep. Not even I will be able to stop him and trust me," she patted his shoulder in an almost sympathetic way, "you don't want that to happen."

Jayce gulped down, trying to put a face to the man the sheriff herself claimed not being able to stop. And if he was even half as unhinged as some of the people he met during his trips to the Undercity, then he would indeed have a problem.

"Four hours," Grayson repeated. "For now, I'll pretend I haven't seen anything, but in four hours, I'll come back to confiscate all of this." She marked a pause to give the two scientists a hard stare. "And the next trial will beyours, boys."

Jayce looked at Viktor. His firm eyes, full of resolution, were mirroring his own. They exchanged a silent nod of the head before returning they attention to the sheriff.

"Four hours," they declared.

Chapter 4: A Message from the Future

Summary:

The day of the trial has arrived, and Jayce and Viktor make a grim discovery.

Chapter Text

Vander progressed through the hallways of the Academy with heavy steps. How big was this building, exactly? It was ridiculous how many rooms there were and even more ridiculous how much space was wasted. You could probably house a good part of the Undercity here. But while some trenchers fought for a single square meter to live in, Piltover consecrated entire areas to expose trophies, certificates or whatever decoration they obtained through the exploitation of his home. This entire place had been built on the blood, sweat and tears of his people, and topsiders were showing it off proudly like a medal.

Vander stopped in his course for a moment to take a breath, and fight the feeling of outrage that rose to his heart. Anxiety had kept him up all night. He hadn't been able to rest well, and now, the fatigue was starting to get him.

Today wasn't about this. Piltover's abusive treatment toward the Undercity wouldn't go anywhere. For now, he needed to focus on his kids. The trial was going to begin soon, so he needed to hurry if he didn't want to miss it. When the burning fire calling for justice died down, he resumed his course at double pace.

Vander had parted ways with Grayson the day before, when the woman seemed to have found some kind of lead. He trusted her enough not to press her and let her do her job, but the lack of feedback was worrying. The sheriff had convinced him to be patient and not do anything drastic in the meantime, but the closer he got to the court, and the more he felt his brain going irrational.

He wouldn't let his kids be sent to Stillwater. He couldn't. A prison was no place for children to grow up in, and as hot-headed as they were, his kids had good hearts. They had all future ahead of them, he wouldn't let topsiders lock them away for a silly mistake. Powder's state was concerning enough as it was like this, Vander needed at least to save the other three. Even if that meant using brute force to do it…

But before his suicidal plan could come to fruition in his mind, his thoughts came to a stop as a rounded the corner into someone. The young girl fell pretty badly, her sudden race halted in an instant. She tried to reduce the impact of the fall by twisting her shoulder, but her momentum prevented her to turn sideways in time and she still fell flat on her face. Vander immediately reached out to help her up.

"Are you ok?" He asked as he extended his hand to her. When she took it and looked up at him, her face wincing in pain, he noticed she was probably not even older than Vi. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you."

"Oh, no! It was my fault," the young girl assured as she got up to her feet. "I was… I shouldn't have been running." She dusted off her dress, paying no mind to her bruised and bleeding knees, and before Vander could offer his help in tending her injuries, she suddenly remembered the reason why she was running in the first place. "I have to go, I'm sorry!"

"Wait!" he called after her as she resumed her race. But she didn't stop nor turned around. "Your nose is bleeding…"

The young girl disappearing in another corner, Vander sighed in concern. It seems that Piltover also had its own handful of reckless kids.

Caitlyn definitely had a broken nose. She hadn't felt it at first, but now that her brain had fully processed the injury, the pain forced her to breathe exclusively through her mouth. She had never broken her nose before, and her parents would most certainly not be pleased to find out about it, but this wasn't the priority right now, so she ignored the pain and continued her race through the Academy, being careful not to bump into anyone else.

She needed to stop the trial.

She didn't know exactly how far she had went, but her burning lungs indicated her that she had been running for quite a long time—that, or that she needed more exercise. Fortunately, before she could collapse in exhaustion, she finally found the person who she was looking for.

"Professor Heimerdinger!" She called when she spotted the blond yordle from a distance.

"Little Kiramman," Heimerdinger recognized as he turned in her direction. "You shouldn't be running inside, you might injure yourself."

Too late for that…

Caitlyn stopped right in front of him, resting her hands on her knees and finally allowed herself to catch her breath for a moment. When he took a better look at her, Heimerdinger's joyful face twisted in concern.

"My dear, you are hurt!" he uttered, finally noticing her injuries.

"I'm… I'm fine, Professor," she tried to articulate between two breaths. "You need to come with me!"

"You need to attend to your injuries first, Caitlyn," the yordle urged. "What happened?"

"Later. We need to go!"

"I'll gladly follow you, my dear, but I have a trial to attend to first, and—"

Caitlyn didn't let him finish. As soon as she decided that she had recovered enough stamina for the way back, she scooped him up in her arms and retraced her steps back to Jayce's laboratory.

Had her mother seen her right now, she would have without a doubt fainted. It was a disrespectful thing to do to someone who was older than Piltover itself, something that she would've never dared to do and that wouldn't even have crossed her mind normally. But desperate situations called for desperate acts. There was no time for explanations, and even if there was, Caitlyn doubted the professor would be willing to listen, let alone to believe her. He needed to see it for himself. So if she had to kidnap the esteemed dean of the Academy and the founder of the city to stop the trial, so be it.

She tried not to think about the very,veryfluffy creature in her arms and focus on her mission instead. Fortunately, Heimerdinger helped in making himself forgettable, too aghast by the situation to utter anything but sounds of confusion, so the way back to Jayce and Viktor was a fast one.

Her hands being full, Caitlyn slammed the door open with a kick, immediately earning the full attention of the two men inside with her loud entrance. Neither relief nor concern had time to set in their face, though, as they registered what, or ratherwhoshe was carrying. They stood agape, staring at the strange picture for a while, before Jayce finally found the energy to say something.

"Is that…?" He hesitantly pointed at the yordle in her arms.

And as if she just only realized how outrageous her action was, Caitlyn's eyes immediately widened. She tried to open her mouth to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat. She flushed, unwilling to comment on the situation, and finally put the yordle down.

"Professor," Viktor greeted with a neutral tone as if nothing was wrong. A good call, he supposed, since Heimerdinger loudly cleared his voice and fixed his clothes, before pretending himself none of this just happened. Sometimes, being the daughter of a councilor had its advantages, Caitlyn thought. Or maybe the yordle already had some experience being manhandled by children.

"Viktor," he acknowledged, "I've been looking for you." When he shifted his attention to Jayce, the young man immediately regained his composure. "And Jayce," he added. "It is a relief to see you are alright. Though I must admit I'm a bit surprised to see you twotogether."

Viktor felt a pang of guilt forming in his chest. That emphasis was directed at him. The professor had asked him to retrieve Jayce, and not only did he ignore the command, he also willingly collaborated with him behind the yordle's back.

"Professor Heimerdinger, we've discovered something incredible," Jayce announced as he prompted the yordle to follow them.

Since he was already here, Heimerdinger decided that he might as well see what this was all about, and as the trio of scientists moved to the central desk, Caitlyn preferred to stay behind, not wanting to hinder their job. This was too important, too urgent.

When the yordle inspected the strange contraption on the desk, Jayce and Viktor exchanged an apprehensive glance. They knew Heimerdinger's opinion would be critical in the matter. If he decided to destroy it, they wouldn't be able to stop him. Their concern was justified, as a frown immediately appeared on the yordle's face when he saw the device, and more precisely when he noticed the runes inscribed on it.

"What is this…?" There was a hint of fear in his voice.

Heimerdinger knew to recognize runes, and they were always a bad omen. Those cursed symbols were remnants of World Runes, instruments used to forge and alter reality. They could channel magic, and more often than not, it ended in chaos and destruction. They were the very root of this world's greatest disaster, the one that ended so many civilizations. The Rune Wars.

"Jayce, Viktor, what have you done?" He quizzed as he turned to the two confused scientists.

"Professor Heimerdinger, we… We found a way to harness magic," Jayce started to explain. And this was exactly what Heimerdinger feared.

"My dear boys, this is a dangerous path you're walking on," he cautioned.

"But this—"

"The Arcane is dangerous, Jayce," the yordle interjected with a firm voice. "Whatever you're doing, you must stop at once."

"Professor, give us a chance to explain," Jayce pleaded to no avail.

"No, my boy," Heimerdinger slowly shook his head as a sigh escaped his mouth. "I'm sorry, but this ends here."

"Youauthorized this, Professor," Viktor suddenly declared, causing the yordle to scrunch up his eyes.

"I most certainly did not," Heimerdinger denied.

"Yes, you did."

Viktor nodded at his partner, and Jayce immediately took the hint.

Before Heimerdinger could stop him, he reached for a wheel and activated the device. There was a spark, and the blue marble, which had been placed on its dedicated spot, started to glow. A light filled the lines engraved on the metal and illuminated the runes one by one. Soon, the entire room was brimming with blue light. There was a creaking sound as the different parts of the contraption triggered each other, and then…

"H-How…?" Heimerdinger froze in place, gaping like a fish, as his eyes grew wider and wider at the image in front of him.

"Like I said, you authorized this project, Professor," Viktor reiterated.

Reaching the highest levels of Piltover was a bittersweet feeling. As the elevator went up, Vi couldn't help but think about how everything seemed so small and insignificant from up here. Even the city didn't seem as grandiose anymore. It was no wonder topsiders didn't think twice about the Undercity, you could barely see anything beyond the bridge from here. Vi probably could have enjoyed the experience in other circumstances—with her sister, and most definitely without the handcuffs. Powder would have liked the view.

It was in a grim silence that the three teenagers got escorted to their trial by the sheriff. There was nothing to say, really. Every complain, every morbid thought and every pessimistic hypothesis regarding their fate had already been said. Now, they could only wait and see. The gang trusted Vander to get them out of this situation. He had assured them he would, and even if he didn't, they ended up like this because they went against his word in the first place, so they weren't going to risk making things worse by attempting something.

When the elevator came to a stop, Grayson was the first one to get off, before she waited for the three teenagers to follow her. It was disheartening to see them so lifeless and resigned, but she knew,they knew, that this trial wasn't going to end in their favor. The Council didn't have a good track of being merciful, after all, especially toward the Undercity. It would have been cruel to give them false hope so she didn't say anything, and the uneasy silence lasted until they reached the court. She wished she had some good news about their sister to give them before they entered the lion's den, but she hadn't heard from the two scientists since she left them earlier, so she supposed her lead had either been a fluke, or that they hadn't had enough time to see it through the end. In either case, it was too late. The sheriff opened the door, and the teenagers braced themselves for what was coming.

Something was wrong.

As soon as they entered the dome, Grayson noticed the restless atmosphere reigning in the court. There was a silent commotion in the public, and the council members were visibly annoyed. Councilor Medarda was standing in front of a window, looking absently outside. Councilor Shoola was resting stiffly against the back of her chair and Councilor Kiramman had her arms crossed, both with a frown on their face. Councilor Bolbok was taping his fingers impatiently on the table, and Councilor Salo alternated sighs and eye rolls every few seconds or so.

When he saw her entering, Councilor Hoskel, who had been pacing around the others, heaved an exasperated sigh.

"That's it," he growled, "we've waited long enough!"

He passed by her, stopped to glare at the three scum trash at her side, and exited the court stomping. There were a few silent exchanges between the remaining council members before an enforcer came to see her.

"Sheriff," he greeted.

"What's going on?" Grayson immediately inquired.

"The trial is canceled," the enforcer explained. "Councilor Heimerdinger is absent and nowhere to be found."

Grayson raised her brows at the notice. The professor was never late, let alone absent, from council meetings. As the founder of this city, he was diligent about his responsibilities and insisted to attend every single meeting, no matter how small and trivial the problem would be about. And a heist in the Uppercity that ended in an explosion was certainly no trivial matter. But when she thought back about the events earlier this afternoon, the light bulb went on in her head. After all, what else but a scientific breakthrough would hold a scientist back?

"Escort them back to their cell," Grayson ordered the enforcer in front of her, who nodded in understanding, as she gently pushed the teenagers forward.

"Wait, what's happening?" Vi asked, a mixture of confusion and concern on her face.

Grayson gave her a small smile.

"Rejoice, kids," she told them. "Your trial is postponed. You get a brief respite."

Not expecting for an answer, the sheriff walked away, preparing herself to exit the court, but before she could leave, she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Grayson!" She heard Vander calling her from the audience. The large man forced his way through disgruntled Piltovans to join her. "What's going on?" he asked in turn.

"Some development," the sheriff disclosed. She looked back at the three teenagers, and gave a nod at the enforcer at their side. "Stay with your kids, Vander," she shifted her gaze back to him. "I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

Vander furrowed his brows, but did not object, nor tried to stop her. Sensing the urgency in her voice, he didn't press the matter. He silently watched her leave before he joined his kids side. He needed to trust her.

Grayson didn't look back when she almost raced her way throughout the Academy. Thanks the supposedly ongoing trial, the building was mostly empty, so with almost no one to question her presence, she reached her destination in no time.

Just as she had suspected, there was some activity in the Talis boy's laboratory. She saw it before she could hear it. A blue light was peaking out from under the closed door, and when the commotion reached her ears, she decided to enter the room unannounced.

"—single perturbation could have major impacts. This is too dangerous, my dear boys."

"But professor, you heard it yourself. It was bad enough thatwedecided it was worth the risk! We—"

Whatever debate they were having, it was put on hold when they saw her coming, and when they all paused to exchange an eye contact, Grayson frowned at the sight of them.

Councilor Heimerdinger was indeed here, but he wasn't his usual composed self. The yordle was visibly very shaken, and clearly, it wasn't because of the missed trial. The duo of scientists looked even worse than when she left them. They seemed two seconds away from collapsing from exhaustion. Even the young Kiramman looked like she had gotten into a fight with her swollen nose and the dried blood on her knees.

What happened in four hours?

Before Grayson could ask, her attention shifted to the central desk. It had been cleared off of everything but what she assumed to be the strange capsule from before. It had been completely striped down and reassembled into some kind of contraption, and now that it was no longer all squeezed into one reasonably tiny pod, she could see how large the device actually was. And it was evidently also working, judging by the light it was emitting. The caffeine abuse had paid off. The most eye-catching thing, however, wasn't the device itself, but the image it was projecting.

Piltover was said to possess the most advanced technologies in all of Runeterra. With its forward thinking and constant race toward progress, Grayson was used to see new innovations flooding the market every now and then. Yet, she had never seen something like this. She had seen photographs before but this? This wasn't a photograph. It was as accurate as one, but it was being projected into nothing, floating in the air, and it was actuallymoving.

"What is this?" She inquired, her eyes never leaving the holographic screen.

"A recording," the dean's assistant replied as he pivoted a wheel on the contraption one quarter of a turn, and the image froze.

When the initial shock subsided, she took a closer look at what therecordingwas actually displaying, and it didn't take long for Grayson to recognize two faces. The first one was widely known in Piltover, a blond yordle with a white mustache, and the second one, though a bit different, was unmistakably the Talis boy.

"Is that what I think it is?" The sheriff turned to the trio of scientists. Though Heimerdinger shut his eyes as he let a heavy sigh out, refusing to confirm her suspicion, Viktor and Jayce nodded.

Grayson brought a hand to her temples, trying to get her thoughts together.Thiswas getting beyond complicated.

"What about the child?" She eventually managed to focus on the reason why she let this happen in the first place. "Anything about Powder?"

The two partners exchanged a worried glance and gulped.

So this was going to get even more complicated, huh?

"We should break out," Vi suggested, her patience running out.

And as soon as suggestion was out, several sighs resonated in the room.

"Come on, guys!" she urged. "We're not going to get another chance! Do you really think Pilties are going to let us go? The next time an enforcer comes here, it will be to escort us to Stillwater!"

"And how do you suggest we do that, exactly?" queried Mylo. "I don't have my tools, they confiscated them. How are you going to pick the lock?"

"I'm sure we can find something," Vi insisted as she started looking around their cell.

"We're in a piltie cell, Vi," Claggor sighed, "with a piltie door. Nothing to do with the rotten locks we find in the trenches, you can't pick that."

"Hey, I couldifI had my tools!" Mylo protested.

But his brother was not convinced. "Sure," he shrugged.

Before the three teenagers could start something, Vander immediately put an end to their antics.

"Chill out, kids," he ordered. "Be patient."

Thanks to the sheriff's command, Vander had been allowed to accompany them back to their cell, and so long as he didn't try to smuggle in anything, he was free to stay until she returned. There was not much he could do for them while they were still separated by bars, but he was suddenly very grateful to be here to stop them now that they were talking about a potential evasion.

"Patient for what, Vander?!" Vi challenged. "We're going to be sent off to Stillwater at any moment, and we still don't know anything about Powder!"

Vander winced, unable to refute that.

"I'll figure something out," he assured for the umpteenth time, massaging his forehead.

The teenage girl, however, had no intention on stopping venting. The lack of news about her sister was really,reallyworrying, and being caged like an animal and dragged around for Pilties to see was getting her worked up. They were sitting here, patiently waiting without a fuss for their inevitable incarceration like good little puppies.

"I don't understand how you can trust her, Vander. She's an enforcer!" she growled, and it didn't take the brightest mind to understand she was referring to Grayson.

Fortunately for Vander, the other two didn't join her in her accusation, although he didn't doubt they agreed with her. They all shared the same hatred for Piltover, and more specifically for enforcers. It was their legacy from the bridge attack. A direct consequence of his failure. He had hoped they would outgrow it and become more reasonable with time, but they grew bolder instead.

As Vi went on about his lack of actions, Vander sighed in frustration. Maybe she needed that talk about responsibility, after all. A reminder about how they got themselves in this situation in the first place. She was dangerously walking the same path as him, and he couldn't let her do the same mistakes. But before he could come to a decision, the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted his train of thoughts.

"Speak of the devil, and she shall appear," Mylo scoffed as the sheriff entered the room.

Whether she heard them or not, Grayson didn't let it show on her face. She greeted Vander with a slight nod of the head, which he returned, before she turned her eyes to the caged teenagers.

"I need you to come with me," she stated bluntly.

"So much for a respite," muttered Claggor loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Vi sneered.

"Finally decided to get rid of the trencher trash?"

"Vi," Vander warned.

But the sheriff took no offense in her provocation.

"All four of you," she then precised, shifting her attention to her old friend.

Noticing her serious gaze, Vander squinted in apprehension.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I may have some news about your Powder," she revealed, earning everyone's full attention. But when her expression turned grave, a dreadful silence settled in the room.

"No..." Vi muttered—whined, really. She wasn't ready to receive this kind of bad news, and probably never would be.

Fortunately, Grayson almost immediately cleared the misunderstanding she caused.

"She's fine," she assured. "Nothing happened to her. But..."

But...?

No answers. Instead, a long sigh escaped the sheriff.

"Just... Follow me, alright?"

Wherever they were going, Vi couldn't settle her heart. There was this itchy feeling inside her begging for a fight—anything to let some steam out. Powder was fine, the sheriff had said so herself. But she didn't say she wasfine-fine. Just fine. Meaning she still hadn't woke up. And there had been some kind of worrying undertone in her words. Still, she refused to elaborate any further, insisting that they should come with her so that they could seeitthemselves—whatever "it" was. The gang had been more than willing to comply, finally granted some form of freedom, but Vi wasn't the most patient person in the world, so the trip had been unnerving her. Fortunately, Vander was with them. His presence was grounding, and probably the only reason why she hadn't lost her mind yet. At least, they were no longer in handcuffs, she supposed.

When they finally reached their destination, the sheriff signaled them to wait as she knocked at the door to announce their presence. A voice immediately replied from behind, telling them to come in. And whatever the gang had been expecting, it hadn't been this.

It was some kind of workshop. A very disordered workshop. Their room was a heaven of neatness in comparison. But if there was one thing that was similar, it was the lack space. The small room was so congested they had to enter in a single line. There were definitely more people in the room than there should have been, especially with all the clutter in it, but ultimately, everyone managed to get in.

As Grayson closed the door behind them, Vi inspected the strangers. Immediately, she spotted a familiar face. It was the Piltovan girl from yesterday, from the apartment—what happened to her face?Her eyes widened in recognition, and her expression was soon mirrored in the other girl's face.

"You—!" She started, when she realized Vander had spoken the exact same thing, at the exact same time, pointing at the exact same person. She exchanged a confused glance with him, before they both cleared their voice and dropped the matter.

Flustered, Caitlyn immediately broke the eye contact. She hadn't expected to see the man she bumped into and rudely abandoned earlier, and she had even less expected to see the girl she let go after miserably failing in intimidating yesterday. And of course, they knew each other.

"A lot of explanations are in order," Grayson declared, "but before we start with the introductions, maybe you could show them," she proposed, focusing her attention on Jayce and Viktor. "It'll be easier if they see it themselves."

When Vi finally tore her eyes away from the Piltovan girl, she noticed two men wearing some kind of uniform nodding at the sheriff. Since Cupcake was here, she assumed one of them must have been the inventor the stole from yesterday. She hadn't really paid attention to him before, so she didn't know which one it was, but she really hoped it wasn't the one with the cane—and if it was, she hoped that the cane wasn't a direct consequence of their failed heist.

As the two partners once again activated the device, Heimerdinger sighed, shaking his head in disapproval, but he did not stop them. Sparks and lights illuminated the room, pulling the little family from their thoughts as they watched the scenery both in awe and apprehension. And when the holographic screen appeared, they all froze in place.

"Is that… him?" Claggor asked in a low voice, pointing discreetly at Heimerdinger when his replica appeared on the screen.

Vi slowly nodded. It was indeed the same yordle.

"Yeah, I think so," she replied quietly.

Dear Janna, what kind of technology was that? She didn't have time to make assumptions, the image moved and another man appeared.

"This should be working now," a deep voice suddenly announced. Except that no one had talked. "It should be recording."

The second time, Vi managed to pinpoint the origin of the voice. It was coming out from the very same contraption that was projecting the image. Whatever purpose this device had, one thing was for sure: the Undercity was going to fall further behind Piltover with this kind of technology.

"Don't be too optimistic, my dear boys," the holographic yordle spoke. "We're not sure it'll work."

"It's worth a try," the man at his side replied. It was a middle aged man with unkempt hair, but his neat uniform betrayed his affiliation with Piltover. His face seemed a little familiar, though Vi couldn't remember where she had seen him.

"I hope you don't hang on too much on this idea. Disappointment is a terrible feeling."

"We know, professor. But we have to try. It could change everything."

Another man appeared, and this time, a feeling of uneasiness came to crawl on Vi's skin. If the first man had this vague feeling of We-may-or-may-not-have-crossed-paths-with-each-other-before, this one was awfully,awfullyfamiliar. It was a dark skinned man with white dreadlocks, and judging by his clothes, he was clearly from the Undercity. He could have been one of Vander's acquaintance, they were about the same age, but no matter how much she searched in her memories, she couldn't find him.

"I hope you're right, Ekko," the Heimerdinger-replica sighed as he disappeared from the frame. "I really do."

Right. It was Ekko. Of course it was Ekko. How could she have not guessed it? He was little bit bigger, older, and definitely more mature, but this was Ekko. Damn, he became quite a man, huh?

…

"Little Man?!" Vi gasped once she actually processed the information. And she wasn't the only one. Mylo and Claggor both shrieked at about the same time, and although Vander hadn't said anything, the horrified expression on his face spoke for itself.

Little Man wasn't so little anymore. And he was actually aman. How was this possible? As if the yordle-replica wasn't enough, now, there was an older version of their friend. And thinking about it, if this was indeed an older Ekko, then the other man…

Vi took her eyes off of the holographic screen for a moment to look at one of the two maybe-inventors, and her face recoiled in recognition. So that's where she had seen him… Of course he seemed familiar, he was right here!

But if the projection was showing them an older version of their friend, of this man and of the yordle—was he even older? Yordles didn't age so it was impossible to tell, but that was a safe assumption—then was this the future? In that case… What the hell was Ekko doing with a Piltie?! How bad was the future for Little Man to side with the enemy?

Her question was soon answered, as adult Ekko came to take a sit next to the older version of the guy she didn't know the name of, and both men faced them.

"Hey guys," Ekko spoke as a weak smile played on his lips. Was he addressing to them? "If this worked, and we managed to go back as far as intended, then everyone should be here." The soft expression on his face suddenly turned somewhat melancholic, and Vi gulped at the grim implication of his phrasing.

"We have something to tell you about," the Piltie continued. "Towarnyou about. As you've probably guessed by now, we are from the future. Well, future for you at least," he snickered. He marked a pause, as all the playfulness on his face died down. "And the future isn't great," he then revealed. "Neither for Piltover nor for Zaun."

Vi wasn't sure what Zaun was, exactly, but she had a pretty good hint Vander did, seeing that he was the only one to react to the name. She did think about asking him about it later on, but soon changed her mind when she saw the scowl on his face.

"War is raging," the Piltie went on with the same grim expression, "has been for years. There isn't a single day that doesn't end with funerals, nor a single day that doesn't start with screams. We've lost a lot of people. Some have died, others have…changed."

Both men lowered their eyes on the floor, their face twisting in frustration. They had both clearly experienced it first-handed.

"That's why you need to do better," Ekko emphasized, the resolution in his gaze stronger than ever. "Make sure you don't repeat the same mistakes than we did. There is no future for us, but it doesn't have to be the same for you."

The Piltie nodded as he gave a small pat on Ekko's shoulder, and Vi couldn't help but frown at the friendly gesture. Even in an apocalyptic future, she just couldn't imagine getting close to a Piltie. But the dynamic between the two was unmistakable, and it was annoying to see. Little Man wastheirfriend.

"You have to make a change," Ekko insisted. "This time… You have to save Powder."

Any conflicting feeling she was feeling disappeared in an instant, as Vi's attention perked up at the mention of her sister's name. And had she paid attention to her surroundings, she would have noticed it was the same for Vander and her brothers.

"This time," Ekko had said. Which meant they had failed to do so in his timeline. Something had happened to Powder in the future. It was a dreading thing to think about, but at the same time, it was good to learn about it in advance. They would be able to prevent it. But how? Powder wasn't even conscious at the moment. Was this somehow related to whatever happens to her in this Ekko's timeline? Did his Powder also fainted and never woke up?

Vi shook her head, willing the invasive thoughts out, and forced herself to focus on the screen. She just needed to listen.

Adult Ekko licked his lips, his throat seemingly having gone dry. He swallowed his saliva, and when he looked back at her—them—his eyes were burning with rage? Grief? Regret? It was impossible to tell.

"No matter what happens, do not let Jinx be born," he declared.

Copy that. Vi clenched her fists as she engraved the directive deep into her mind. She didn't know what happened in the future, but she trusted Ekko. And if that meant saving her baby sister from whatever unfortunate fate awaited her, if that meant allowing her to wake up, then she'll gladly do that. But…

"Who the hell is Jinx?"

Chapter 5: Warning

Summary:

Everyone needs to cope with the warning they receive regarding the future.

Chapter Text

"Who the hell is Jinx?"

It was Mylo who voiced everyone's unspoken thought. And that was a fair question. If this Jinx was the reason of Powder's (future?) misfortune, then Vi would gladly do whatever it takes to eliminate the threat. But in order to do that, they needed to find them first, and they weren't going to get very far with the current information they had.

"It won't be enough, though,"continued Ekko."Jinx was… a catalyst. But she wasn't the root cause of everything."

He clenched his intertwined fingers as the Piltie went on.

"Piltover was,"he revealed, casting his eyes down on the floor."We… We're the ones who created her. The Council's inaction is what allowed her to become the downfall of everyone else. You'll need to change that as well."

"She". So this Jinx person was female. It was a start, but it wasn't enough. It only reduced their research efforts to half of the population. Just that. Then again, her gender might not even be relevant since apparently, she wasn't even born yet.

Their attention solely focused on the Jinx individual, the remaining information regarding Piltover and its Council completely went over the Undercity kids' head. It wasn't new to them, after all. It was no secret that if Piltover had been willing to share only a tenth of its resources with the Undercity, they wouldn't be so miserable. But the Council was dead set on ignoring them and sweeping the problem under the carpet instead. It was only a matter of time before things escalated and reached a point of no return, and it seemed that in the future, they had.

This harsh reality was a much harder pill to swallow for the Piltovans. Despite his relocation to the Uppercity, Viktor had only ever wanted to help and make a change for his hometown, and clearly, he had failed. Jayce also couldn't comprehend how they allowed whatever tragedy happening in the future to arise, since they apparently managed to achieve his Hextech dream. Although, if he was honest, the Undercity had never really been a priority, Hextech was meant to improve lives. So how did a war happen?

Caitlyn didn't really know how to feel about this. Although Piltover wasn't perfect, as far as she knew, it was a land of prosperity and progress. Countless people like Sheriff Grayson assured to maintain its peace. It was because she admired them that she aspired to become an enforcer, much to her mother's dismay. And even her mother, as harsh as she may be sometimes, only ever wanted what's good for her and for the city, and worked in their interest. That was the very nature of her job as a councilor. So to learn that the Council's inaction was the cause of everything? It was a hard blow to take.

It was Heimerdinger, however, who took the hardest hit. He was, after all, the founder of this city. Yet, he had somehow failed badly enough to go against his very own principles and not only allow magic to happen, but use it as a mean to undo his mistakes.

The only ones who weren't surprised about this future turn of events were Grayson and Vander. Grayson had received a grim reality check years ago, during the bridge attack. She had done everything in her power to appease the tensions between the two cities since, but the fragile peace they obtained was hanging on by a thread, and she couldn't say she was surprised that it had broken in the future.

Vander, on the other hand, couldn't help but be frustrated at the news. He knew better than anyone how much the Undercity suffered because of Piltover. The Council's inaction is what led him to fight in the first place. But he had given up his rebellion for the sake of his kids, and now, he was learning that it had been all pointless because apparently, one of kids still dies in the future. And it was still the Council's fault.

"Jayce is right,"Ekko confirmed."Jinx was only the trigger that set off the chain reaction that lead to the current situation."He took a breath, and his expression softened a bit."You might not be able to save everyone this time around either, but preventing Jinx from being born is a good start."

Future-Jayce nodded.

"Although the Council was mostly uninterested in Zaun, not all of its members were entitled. We made mistakes. Bad choices,"he admitted."But if given the occasion to learn from them, I'm sure some will be willing to listen. Find Mel, she'll—"

Whatever he was going to say, it was interrupted as the audio froze, the image flickered, and a few seconds later, the holographic screen disappeared.

"Wait, wait, wait!" exclaimed Vi as she slammed against the desk to lean over the device, where the image just vanished. "What about Jinx, Ekko?!" she tried to call. "What happens to Powder?"

"He can't hear you," said Caitlyn. When Vi snapped her angry eyes at her, she instinctively averted her gaze away, despite knowing the ire wasn't specifically directed at her. "It's just a recording," she continued her explanation, fiddling with her fingers. "You can play it over and over, but you can't interact with it. Like… a phonograph record."

It made sense. They had photographs and phonographs. A technology combining the two didn't seem that far-fetched. But it was even more frustrating for Vi as her questions remained without an answer. As her brothers gently removed her from the desk, Viktor inspected the device, and it didn't take him long to identify the problem.

"What happened?" Grayson inquired. "It didn't do that earlier."

Jayce groaned when he saw his partner taking the blue marble out. It had lost most of its shine.

"The gemstone is defective…"

"The crystal? I thought you refined it."

"We did, we just didn't have enough time to do it properly."

Science couldn't be rushed. Even with all the resources and all the motivation in the world, there was only so much they could do in so little time. The refining process of the crystals wasn't that complicated once they had the method, but it required a lot of resting times. In only four hours, the two partners didn't have a choice but to greatly reduce them. They had somehow still managed to obtain a stabilized gemstone, which was a feat in itself, but a lot of its power had been sacrificed. It was even surprising it had lasted this long. The two scientists had proven their point, though.

"There's more?' Vander frowned.

"Yes," Viktor simply replied, "although we didn't see that much more before the sheriff decided to bring you."

"So you can repair it?" asked Vi. There was something about this man that made it easier to speak with him than the others.

"We can'trepairit," he clarified, "but we can refine another gemstone." He marked a pause, giving a meaningful look to the sheriff. "Ifwe have the time for it."

Grayson considered the underlying demand. The situation had changed. It was no longer about saving a single girl's life, but about the future of the entire city. The Talis boy and his partner seemed to have managed to stabilize the crystal, and now that she actually knew why, she wasn't so adamant in confiscating their equipment. Having instructions coming straight from the future made this whole thing seem much safer and acceptable, though now the threat would be coming from elsewhere.

"How much?" she asked.

"A day," Jayce reiterated his earlier statement.

Grayson nodded.

"A day it is, then," she conceded. "And take the time to rest, kids, you need it. Is that alright with you, Councilor?"

Heimerdinger was pulled out of the temporary state of hollowness he had fallen into when he realized the sheriff was talking to him. He stared silently at her for a while, then at his two students, looking expectantly at him, and when his eyes finally stopped on the trio of kids from the Undercity, he let out a heavy sigh.

"It's a reckless and dangerous undertaking," he noted, "but if my future self allowed this project to happen, then I'm sure there must be a good reason why, and that is worth finding out."

A delightful smile spread across the face of the two partners at their professor's approval.

"You won't regret it, Professor!" Jayce assured, and Heimerdinger wished he could be as convinced as him about this statement. "You should report our discovery to the Council."

His suggestion, however, was only met with scoffs of disbelief.

"You mean the same Council that is responsible for whatever shit happens in the future?" mocked Vi, just before Mylo added his own humorless comment. "And notjustin the future."

Jayce glared at them, but remembering about their circumstances, he tried to ignore the condescendence in their remarks. He had been in the Undercity before, he knew the situation wasn't exactly great there. And although it was ultimately the result of their own choices, those kids just faced the Council for judgment, it wasn't so surprising they didn't trust them.

"I know how it sounds, but you heard…me," he hesitated, unsure how to refer his future self. "I specifically said some councilors will be willing to help."

"Some," emphasized Vander. "We've spent generations trying to get the Council to just listen, and look how that turned out."

"That's— Who are you anyway?" Jayce inquired, unable to find anything to retort.

Vander crossed his arms and gave a slight nod in the direction of Vi and the boys.

"These three little thieves' guardian."

Oh, yes. The infamous one. Now Jaycereallydidn't have anything to say.

"What do you think, Councilor?" The sheriff turned her attention back to Heimerdinger.

"It might be better to keep this among ourselves," he cautiously proposed, "for now. We have yet to grasp what this is all about, and if the Council indeed had a role to play in whatever upcoming tragedy awaits us, it might be best to carefully consider our options." Once he received the understanding nod of the sheriff, Heimerdinger shifted his gaze to Jayce. "Though you may inform Councilor Medarda, Jayce. Your future self specifically mentioned her, there must be a reason why."

"Right…"

The young scientist tried to ignore the disapproving glares he received from the trio of Undercity kids, and most specifically from their guardian. Clearly, the little family thought it was a terrible idea. Fortunately, the sheriff didn't allow the uncomfortable silence to stretch on.

"Alright, let's leave the scientists to their own devices," she announced. Ignoring the defying glares she received as a protest, she started herding the teenagers out of the room. "There is nothing else for us here until they're done."

"I'll stay," Caitlyn declared when she realized Grayson was including her in the bunch, "I can help."

But the sheriff had no intention of giving in.

"It would be best for you to go home, Kiramman. Your mother was quite upset earlier, she'll be looking for you. And you need rest. We all do."

The sound of Jayce collapsing in a chair for a small moment of respite confirmed her statement. His partner, however, was already getting to work. Grayson was really hoping she wouldn't be welcomed by the sight of his corpse the next day. The possibility was becoming increasingly real. Pushing that thought to the back of her head, the sheriff turned to her old friend one last time before they could all go separate ways.

"Vander," she called. The large man looked back at her, the burden of their recent discovery already apparent in his face. "You might want to bring thisLittle Mantomorrow."

"Long day?"

Cassandra was welcomed home by the sight of her husband brewing some tea. She didn't know if it was for her, but she was grateful anyway as she felt her body relaxing instantly as the refreshing scent reached her nostrils.

"An unfruitful one," she replied, as Tobias put the pot down to come and greet her. Cassandra received the kiss gladly. It was light and chaste, but it had never lost its tenderness over their many years of marriage.

"Can I pour you some tea?" he proposed, returning to the parlor.

"Gladly."

Cassandra took a seat at the coffee table, and her husband soon came to join her with two freshly brewed cups of tea.

The day had indeed been long. Dealing with the canceled trial had delayed her in her work, and if that wasn't upsetting enough, the trial needed to be rescheduled. She would have to find some extra time in her already busy agenda. So much trouble for a quartet of undisciplined children who casually decided to explode one of her properties. Now, speaking of children…

"Where's Caitlyn?" Cassandra asked when she noticed her daughter still hadn't come to greet her. "Has she not come home yet?"

As if to answer her question, the double doors of their home creaked, and the couple turned to the entrance to spot the figure of their daughter failing to sneak inside discreetly. Before she could put on the mask of Councilor and Clan Leader Kiramman and question her regarding her whereabouts, her motherly instinct kicked in and Cassandra promptly jumped from her seat.

"Caitlyn!" she gasped. "What happened to your face?"

The young girl tried to look away, but her father didn't let her as he immediately came to scoop her cheek, his expression as concerned as his wife's.

"It's nothing, it doesn't even hurt anymore," she assured. But the wince on her face as her father inspected her injury said otherwise.

"Oh, Honey… Come, let's take care of that," he prompted her to follow him in the parlor.

Caitlyn took the farthest seat away from her mother, trying to avoid her gaze, as her father left to bring a first aid kit. She could deal with her when she was disappointed, but when she was concerned? That was another kind of burden. When Tobias returned, the two of them still hadn't said a word.

"What happened?" Cassandra eventually repeated as her husband prepared the cleaning solution.

"I fell…"

The moment the drenched cotton ball touched her nose, Caitlyn recoiled in pain.

"You…fell?"

She wasn't sure why her mother was doubting her words. It wasn't even a lie. Shedidfall. Couldn't her mother see her knees?

"I hope it doesn't have anything to do with Jayce," her father then accused as he tossed the soiled cotton ball on a metal plate to replace it with a clean one.

Caitlyn frowned. She knew her father hadn't been so keen on letting her mingle with Jayce after the heist at his apartment. For some reason, he seemed to be convinced he was responsible for almost blowing her up—and technically, she now knew he wasn't completely wrong… But this and that were different issues. Jayce was her friend and she needed to stand up for him.

"It wasn't Jayce's fault. Ifell," she insisted.

"So he's not doing anything dangerous?" Tobias raised his eyebrows suspiciously. "You haven't been back all day, Caitlyn."

"It's not dangerous!" Caitlyn argued as she defiantly leaned away from her father's touch. "It's a very important project and Professor Heimerdinger himself approved of it!"

This time, it was her mother's turn to react.

"Professor Heimerdinger? You've seen him?"

By the time Caitlyn realized her mistake, it was too late. It was probably something she shouldn't have said, especially in the presence of her mother, who was a member of the Council. But it had been a very long day, and she was tired. Moreover, she hadn't technically revealed anything yet, had she?

"Caitlyn," Cassandra now demanded, as her daughter suddenly fell silent, "please tell me you don't have anything to do with his absence from today's trial session."

She… didn't…? Her answer didn't sound convincing, even to her own mind, and she hadn't said it out loud yet. She didn't have to, though, as Cassandra knew her daughter enough to know how to read the guilt on her face. The tension that had left her muscles earlier thanks to the tea her husband generously prepared came back full strength as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"What exactly happened, Caitlyn?"

The young girl fidgeted in her seat, trying to come up with a good story, but between her exhausted mind, the pressuring silence and her parents' demanding gaze, she felt her throat go dry.

"I went to see Jayce at the Academy," she eventually began, as she decided to start with the truth. Lying in her mother's face was not an option. "He was working on a project with his new partner and they needed to see Professor Heimerdinger to… ask his opinion about something."

"And it couldn't wait?"

"No, it couldn't." Right? Probably. Perhaps? She didn't know. It had definitely been more urgent than some random trial, though. Even if that trial was about the incident that could have cost her her life. So many things seemed trivial, now.

"And what was that project about?"

Right. Of course she had to ask. Her parents were Jayce's sponsors, and her mother was especially optimistic regarding his future. He was her protégé, and she was impatiently waiting for the day one of his works would contribute to society, so that she could proudly announce to everyone that she had a keen eye for geniuses. Of course she would want to know all about his projects, especially one that included the dean of the Academy, and Caitlyn knew she would eventually find out what she wants to know—her own obstinacy didn't emerge from nowhere, after all—so she might as well focus her attention on the least important part.

"It's about… harnessing magic. Through science."

Ironically enough,thiswas least important and shocking information of the entire day. Who would have thought?

The shadow casted by the moonlight of a bird flying by on the cold floor was the only sign of life in the cell. Hidden in the darkness, the teenagers seemed to merge with their environment. The silence of the room was oppressive, interrupted every so often by the sound of a rubber ball bouncing against the wall. Enforcers had so kindly given it back to Mylo after realizing it was just that—a rubber ball—and although the gesture made him scoff at first, it was now much appreciated as it allowed him to distract himself ever so slightly.

No one had spoken a word ever since they returned to their cell. The gang had been so eager to leave their cage earlier, but now that they were back in it, they couldn't find it in them to care. Their trial had been postponed. Heimerdinger had assured that there wouldn't be a free slot in all the councilors schedule for at least the next three days, and so that they wouldn't have to worry about it until then, but the teenagers had long stopped thinking about their trial. It seemed like such a trivial matter now.

Powder, Jinx, war, Powder, Jinx, war, Powder, Jinx, war…

The upcoming war was also a minor concern as of now. Surviving in the Undercity was already an everyday fight, so the gang figured it wouldn't make that much of a difference if a war broke out. And if Piltover suffered as much as the Undercity, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad. They would finally get a taste of their own medicine. The problem regarding Powder, however, was not something they could ignore.

"We need to find thisJinx," Vi finally declared after what seemed to be an eternity, spitting the name like it was poison.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Mylo sputtered as he continued to make his runner ball bounce against the wall without a care.

Vi's face immediately twisted in outrage at what was basically a declaration of wanting no part in this.

"Did you not hear Ekko?" she snarled, snatching his rubber ball mid air to force his focus on her. "We have to if we want to save Powder. Do you really not care if something happens to her?"

"Idocare," Mylo barked back, matching her tone. "But I'm not choking a newborn baby to death!"

"No one said anything about killing anyone!"

"Oh yeah? Then would you rather push a pregnant woman to miscarry? Because that's the same thing all together."

"That's not my point and you know that!"

"Then whatisyour point?"

"Guys!" Claggor butted in-between them before things escalated. "Chill out, ok?" When Mylo abandoned the glaring competition to stomp away, he turned to Vi. "Mylo's not completely wrong Vi, we can't act recklessly. We don't even know anything about this Jinx."

"I know that! I just— I'm just worried about Powder…"

"We all are, Vi," Claggor rested a hand on her shoulder, "weallare…"

Mylo turned back for a moment, her own frustration mirrored in his eyes, before he walked away to disappear in the nearest spot of darkness. Claggor was right. He was just as worried about Powder as her.

"Yeah, sorry…"

When the tension disappeared, Vi moved to lean against the wall as her gaze lost it's course on the small frame of light the barred window offered. The silence returned, but her thoughts were as loud as ever.

Mylo had a point. Jinx or no Jinx, they couldn't just murder a newborn or her mother in cold blood. Preventing the conception was probably their best option, and if that meant saving her baby sister, then Vi was fine with being a cockblocker for the rest of her life. But if they ever missed the timing, then she wasn't sure she wouldn't resort to murder after all. As disturbing as it was, it had to be worth it. Otherwise, Ekko and his piltie pal wouldn't have gone all the trouble to warn them.

One life against her sister's future—and incidentally everyone else's. Yeah, it had to be worth it.

Vander never really knew whether people came to his establishment to get drunk or because they genuinely like his beverages, but now that he was downing his eighth beer, he was starting to think it was the former. The liquor was not disgusting by any means—well, not to everyone at least—and it had some particular taste you could get accustomed to. It was definitely not something you could love though. But hey, it was the best thing he could get his hands on down here, and if his patrons wanted quality stuff, they just had to go Topside, right?

As he poured himself another pint, there was a slight pinch of guilt in Vander's heart. He hadn't opened the Last Drop for the entire day, and now he was enjoying the alcohol on his own. He could hear people outside, hanging in front of the entrance, probably lurking for the moment he would open the bar. He had no intention of doing so, though. Not tonight.

Who would have thought the absence of four little mischiefs would be so noticeable? Vander certainly hadn't when he decided to take them in. The guilt over their parents death had pushed him to give the orphans a roof, some clothes and some food, but he certainly hadn't planned on becoming a father in the process. Before he knew it, those kids had become the very core of his life, and he fought every single day to give them a future. But what was the point if there was no future at all?

His face twisted in regret as he placed a hand on his right forearm. He could feel the scar stinging below the leather scrap, the phantom pain always here to remind him of his failure. A failure that would have great consequences, it seemed.

Zaun.

There was only one man beside him who would think of uttering that name, and Vander himself had forgotten about it. He had buried this name deep in his heart the same time he abandoned his fight. But if Zaun existed in the future, then that meanhestill hadn't given up his ambition, andhewould come back for it. He would come back to destroy the little peace he managed to salvage, just as he had always known he would, and suddenly, the idea that war was raging in the future made total sense.

He really should have killed him that night.

Chapter 6: Throwback

Chapter Text

There were very few things Vander regretted in his life.

He regretted lighting the spark of justice in the heart of his people, ultimately leading to the failed rebellion that resulted in the death of hundreds trenchers. Men and women left without a partner, children left without a parent, siblings torn apart and entire families destroyed. All because of a fatal error of judgment on his part.

He regretted leaving the kids to fend for themselves the first few weeks he took them in. Somehow, he had thought giving them some space after the loss of their parents would be a good idea, when in fact, they had needed his presence and comfort more than anything else.

He regretted ever scaring little Powder into thinking he was a big, mean bear. It had made the others laugh, so he thought it would bring a smile on the younger Powder's face as well, but clearly, the night terrors that had followed and the way she hid behind her sister to avoid his gaze the next days had proved him wrong.

And now, more than anything, he regretted the dozen pints of beer he consumed the previous night.

His awakening had been brutal. He hadn't even made it to his bed, so his entire body was sore. And if he thought the headache was bad when he woke up, then the moment he reached Topside and the blinding sun came to assault his vision, he realized how much of a blessing it actually was for the Undercity to have little to no natural light sometimes. The noise was all the same, though. It wasn't until he reached the Academy that he found the solace of silence.

He was the first one to arrive at Jayce's laboratory, it seemed, so Vander embraced the solitude to try and find some sleep. He sat down against the door, closed his eyes, and willed the migraine to go away. It was somewhat successful, as he managed to regain some energy once he stirred from the semi state of slumber he had fallen into.

"Rough night?"

Vander grinned. Ignoring the teasing remark, he got up to greet his friend. Seeing Benzo in the Academy was a strange picture, to say the least. The dealer had clearly been busy this morning, and the oiled shirt suggested he hadn't taken the care to change before coming up Topside. He looked totally out of place here.

"I'm surprised to see you've managed to find your way," said Vander half-jokingly.

"Yeah, this place is a real maze," Benzo snorted, "but I've seen worse in the fissures."

And that wasn't a lie. While the halls of the Academy all looked the same, they had the decency of being just that: halls. In the fissures, anything and everything was considered a pathway. Sewers, roofs, pipelines… So long as it sturdy enough to support someone's weight. And if it wasn't, then better luck next time—if there was a next time, that is.

"So, what's all the fuss about? You owe me half a day of work, you know that?"

The smile on Vander's face disappeared, as he thought back about yesterday's events.

"Yeah, sorry about that," he apologized despite knowing Benzo wasn't being serious. "You brought him?"

Benzo turned around, and before Vander could see what he was looking at, a shadow flinched at the dealer's voice.

"Ekko!" called Benzo. "Stop hiding, will ya? Vander ain't gonna eat you."

The boy hesitantly stepped into the light, leaving the safe corner of a decorative column. He was clenching his pants nervously and aggressively biting his lower lip when he joined them, his eyes never leaving the floor. He just couldn't bring himself to look at Vander in the eyes.

Guilt had been eating Ekko alive this past couple of days. Candidly, he had given his friends the tip to the Topsider's apartment, thinking the job would go smoothly, like it always did. Granted, there were some times where things didn't go exactly as planned, but he had never imagined that the gang would get arrested. He had then deluded himself into thinking Vander would fix the situation somehow, but the fact that he came to meet him yesterday had proven him things wouldn't be that easy.

Ekko wasn't sure how much Vander knew about his implication in the incident. He had avoided him the past couple of days, and hadn't had the courage to admit his role in the heist when they met yesterday. However, the fact that he was here convinced him that he knew everything. Why else would Vander have asked Benzo to bring him Topside, otherwise? He was probably going to be handed over to the enforcers in exchange for the other four's freedom. And that was fair, he supposed. The whole mess was his fault, after all.

When Vander put his hands on his shoulder, Ekko finally mustered enough will to look up at him, and he was surprised to see a gentle smile on his face instead of an accusing glare.

"Don't worry, Ekko," he told him. "You're not in trouble. You just had an important role to play in something big, and we need you here until we figure things out, ok?"

Alright, now he was confused. He indeed did play an important role to put his kids behind bars, so why was Vander comforting him instead of scolding him? Ekko didn't have time to figure out the answer. The sound of footsteps interrupted his train of thoughts, and his attention was redirected on a group of newcomers, arriving in the distance.

"Little Man!" exclaimed the trio of teenagers, running by their escort to join his side. Grayson didn't stop them.

A wave of relief overcame Ekko as he recognized his friends. All of them looked fine. Enforcers didn't mistreat them, it seemed. That was at least one weight off his shoulders. He was already overburden by guilt, he didn't know if he'd be able to bear it if he learned that they were being abused because of him.

"Are you guys alright?" he asked anyway.

"Oh yeah. Piltover's cells are more comfortable than any motel the fissures have. Did wonder for our sleep!"

Mylo's joke wasn't well received though. Ekko's smile washed off and his lips tightened in a straight line, as his brows furrowed in guilt once again.If it wasn't for him…His change of mood didn't go unnoticed, and Mylo received an elbow in the ribs.

"Ouch!"

"What about you?" Claggor ignored the cry of pain. "How are you doing?"

"I'm… fine I suppose," Ekko hesistated. "But where's Powder?"

Powder wasn't as imposing as Claggor, nor as talkative as Mylo. She always stayed in the background, content to blend with her sister's shadow, so she was easily forgettable. For Ekko, though, she was like a small ray of sunshine. Always brightening her surroundings, always making his cheeks flush and always making his heart beat at an unreasonable pace. There was no way he wouldnotnotice her absence.

His question didn't receive an answer. As the three siblings frowned, their eyes cast down on the floor, a knot formed in his stomach.

"Did something happened to Powder?" he quavered. "Is she hurt?!"

"No, she's fine!" immediately stressed Vi. "She's not hurt."

"Then what is it?"

"I— I don't know…"

"But that's what we're here to find out," Grayson interjected, finally reaching the group.

When her gaze stopped on the boy, her eyes narrowed in surprise. The sheriff hadn't expected Ekko to be this young. She knew he would be younger than Jayce, based on their older selves, but she hadn't expected him to be a literal child. To think she and everyone else in this city might be saved from a tragic future by this young boy…

"Grayson."

Her attention shifted to the two other adults in the hallway. Vander looked terrible, even more so than the day before, but she pretended not to notice as she acknowledged him and Benzo with a nod of the head and they returned the greeting.

"Ah, great! Everyone's already here!" a new voice declared.

Another group arrived around the corner, lead by Piltover's most famous yordle. His assistant and his student followed him closely from behind, and just a little further, a dark skinned woman with a white gown and adorned with golden accessories brought up the rear.

While her face was no stranger to the sheriff, it took longer for the others to figure out her identity. She had been mentioned in the recording though, and Vander and the kids had seen a glimpse of her during the trial the day before, so they eventually recognized her. Councilor Mel Medarda.

"I'm afraid Jayce's laboratory will be too small to accommodate us all," Heimerdinger announced, completely oblivious to the hostile atmosphere that had settled as the gang didn't care to hide its animosity by glaring at the councilwoman. Mel, however, remained imperturbable. "It will be best if we move to another room."

But before the yordle could prompt them to move, Jayce obstructed his path.

"Caitlyn isn't here yet," he noted.

Heimerdinger looked around to assess the statement. The little Kiramman was indeed missing. That didn't seem to be a problem to Vi, though, who clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"So what? Let's just go," she urged, her near non-existent patience already running out. "Why does she even need to be here?"

The night had been long, and Vi only wanted one thing: finding more about this Jinx to save her sister. Who cared about the Piltovan girl? She had nothing to do with it. She was probably here for own entertainment too the day before, whatever fancy stuff she had in her mansion not enough to occupyHer Highness.

"Mind you, if it wasn't for her, you three would have been sent off to Stillwater long ago," notified the scientist with a hard expression.

Yeah well, as far as Vi knew, their incarceration to Stillwater still wasn't off the table, just delayed. Whatever thisCaitlyndid, she wouldn't thank her for it. And it still didn't justify her presence. Fortunately for all of them, her arrival put an end to the argument before it could really start.

The girl appeared a bit further in the hallway, fidgeting with her hands. Her nose looked better than before. The dried blood had been cleaned off completely and the swelling had significantly decreased. She was one of the few people here whose night actually did something other than aggravate the signs of stress. Her worried eyes, however, betrayed some kind of discomfort, and it didn't take long to understand why. Caitlyn wasn't alone.

"I don't think I've been informed of a meeting taking place today," observed the woman behind her as she came to view. "I must say, I'm quite surprised by the choice of… attendees."

Mel chuckled softly.

"Believe me, I'm as curious about the situation as you are, Councilor Kiramman," she agreed before she shifted her eyes to the yordle and his student. "But I've been told it was a matter of upmost priority, so I had to clear my schedule for the day."

"So I see."

When Cassandra reached the group, Jayce turned his attention to Caitlyn. He gave her an inquisitive gaze, and she replied with a silent, but apologetic look. It was enough for him to get the gist of the situation. The poor girl must have been grilled all night long, and Caitlyn was never good at putting on a front with her mother. Jayce couldn't blame her. Cassandra hadn't just earned her position through plain nepotism, after all.

"Councilor Kiramman," greeted Heimerdinger, "I assume you're here to join us?"

"As Jayce's patron, I do believe I have the right to know what this project is all about."

The yordle acquiesced in understanding.

No one uttered any objection as he opened the way and lead the group toward another room. The two councilwomen were the first to follow, cautiously eyed by the Undercity kids as they passed by. Viktor, Jayce and Caitlyn were next, and it wasn't until the group had created some distance that Vander and Benzo signaled the kids to move, Grayson bringing up the rear.

The trip was short, and spent in absolute silence. The room Heimerdinger had moved them in was significantly larger than Jayce's laboratory. It was some kind of storage room devoid of anything but tables and benches, piled on top of each other. Clearly, it hadn't been opened in a while—another proof of Piltover's waste of assets—but it was all beneficial for the group as the chances they would be bothered here were low.

As Viktor waited for his partner to move a large table in the center, the others set up a few benches so that they could get comfortable. The remaining furniture were moved away, and once everyone but the duo of scientists was settled in their seat, the glaring competition silently resumed. It was mostly one-sided, however, as the two councilwomen took no notice, or at the very least pretended not to, of the teenagers staring menacingly at them. Caitlyn, who was sitting next to her mother, noticed them alright, though, and felt as if the hostility was directed at her all the same.

The silence in the room was only interrupted by the muted noise of tools working against metal as the two partners prepared the hextech device. Their motions were practiced; fast and efficient. The capsule was stripped down and reassembled in no time. It was clear that they knew what they were doing, and if it wasn't for the strange situation he was in, Ekko would have gladly joined them to take a closer look at their work. Whatever they were making, he was genuinely intrigued. His tinkerer heart was almost enough to make him forget that he was in Piltover, in presence of councilors. Almost.

Once they were done, the two scientists looked up at their unexpected gained audience, and Heimerdinger got up from his seat to inspect their work. He nodded approvingly before turning to the others and clearing his voice.

"Before we begin, I believe introductions are in order," he began. "As most of you already know, my name is Cecil B. Heimerdinger, though you may call me Professor."

Despite the friendly proposition, none of the kids from the Undercity was going to do so. While the fluffy creature wasn't as unbearable as the two walking sticks over there, he was still a councilor. And the first one at that. A symbol of their oppression.

"My name is Jayce Talis," continued Jayce, "and this is my partner Viktor. We're the ones who discovered… this."

Oh… Oh. Oh!Something clicked in Ekko's mind the moment the man motioned the contraption on the table, and it took him every bit of self-control not to fall out from his seat as he recognized the Topsider he ripped off, and the very same one he sent the gang to rob.

He hadn't noticed him yet, but he really hoped he wouldn't also recognize him.

"Cassandra Kiramman," Cassandra simply said, not hiding the irritation in her tone. She clearly thought this whole introduction thing was pointless. "And my daughter Caitlyn."

As the young girl mindlessly swung her legs, her gaze lost in front of her, Vi had to suppress a snort. So Cupcakewasa princess after all. Maybe she should really call her Her Highness next time?

"My name is Mel Medarda," Mel went on next, before moving to the trio of siblings, "and you are?"

But the gang refused to give her an answer, dead set on keeping their mouth shut.

"Endearing," she scoffed.

Ultimately, it was Vander who introduced them.

"Vi, Mylo and Claggor," he pointed out each one of them with a sigh. "And I'm Vander, their guardian."

When Ekko felt his turn coming, he tried to shrink in his seat. He really didn't want all eyes on him, especially not Jayce's. Maybe if he made himself small enough, people would forget him. But his mentor had no intention of giving him a pass.

"This one's Ekko," he announced much to his dismay, messing up with his hair on top of that, "and I'm just a shop-keeper. Name's Benzo."

Fortunately for Ekko, the Topsider didn't seem to recognize him, and the attention soon shifted to last person to introduce herself.

"Grayson, Sheriff of Piltover."

The formalities over, Heimerdinger nodded at his pupils. Understanding the silent cue, Viktor pulled out the newly refined gemstone from his pocket. On the surface, it looked exactly the same as the previous one. It had the same smoothness and the same dazzling shine, yet, it was superior in every way. As Viktor carefully placed the gemstone into its socket, the hextech device switched on.

"I know this must be confusing, but… just watch," Jayce loudly assured, mostly to addressing the councilwomen. "You will understand on your own."

The gemstone sizzled as it filled the device with blue light, and runes and engravings that couldn't be seen from afar were being illuminated, one by one. The gang already knew what to expect next, but it didn't make the whole thing any less surprising. Muffled gasps sounded in the room as the holographic screen appeared.

"Professor…?" Mel muttered, unsure, a yordle coming into sight on the projection. "And…"

"Jayce?!" interjected this time Cassandra as she recognized the man at his side.

Both Heimerdinger and Jayce acquiesced, confirming their suspicions.

This is it.

A chill ran across Mel's spine as she realized that this was it. The innovation that she had been waiting for, to put Piltover's name across every map. The one that would prove her qualification as a leader and would show her family that she was not a failure after all. That she hadn't needed them to rise to the top and that she could surpass them.

Cassandra, on the other hand, couldn't stop beaming. She wasn't sure yet what purpose this device exactly had, but this was sure to turn the market upside down. And this innovation had been realized underherpatronage. It was another accomplishment to add to her family's renown, and if it could be monetized, another source of income.

The two women's train of thoughts was interrupted when another man came into sight. And when the holographic yordle revealed his name, it was Ekko and Benzo's turn to be surprised.

The boy worked his jaw wordlessly as his mentor turned to him, his eyes wide and confused. Ekko could see he was silently demanding for an explanation, but he was just as confused as him. The man on the screen had a different voice, a different vibe, and a different face—well,sort ofdifferent. It wasn't him, and yet, it was him. A much older him. And this older version of himself was apparently friend with the poor idiot he ripped off?

'You had an important role to play in something big', Vander's words echoed in his mind.

Soon enough, the gears turned in his head, and just like Jayce had assured, Ekko suddenly came to understand the situation.

'Holy fuck. I invented time-travel…!'

Well, maybe not invented, but he was definitely involved somehow. Why else would his older self be here, with the Piltie? He had seen the man work, he was a scientist, and apparently also a pupil of the Academy's dean. Hell, he saw his place, he was aninventor! It was totally plausible.

Nowthatwas something he needed to tell Powder about.

The excitement the newcomers felt didn't last, however, as the two future partners on the screen started to explain the grim future that awaited them. Just like it had the day before, Vi's heart sank at her sister's implied misfortune. The Piltovans clenched their jaw in frustration, while Vander and his kids clenched theirs in anger.

For Ekko though, it was all new. And it was hard to take.Powder's going to die.He failed to save her.She's going to die because I failed to save her.Ekko only ever wanted one thing, and it was to protect that smile of hers. He wanted to be the shoulder she cried on when she was sad, the friend she turned to whenever she had a trouble, and the hero she admired. He wanted to be her savior, andhe had failed.

The councilwomen took the news in much more composedly. The business part of their brain turned off completely the moment war was mentioned, going on full politician mode. It was not a time to think about profits or pride. Piltover's future was at stake. They absolutely needed to prevent repeating whatever mistakes Jayce accused them to do.

When the recording finally reached the part where it had cut off the day before, Vi readjusted her position, gulping in apprehension.

"We made mistakes. Bad choices,"the recorded Jayce admitted."But if given the occasion to learn from them, I'm sure some will be willing to listen. Find Mel, she'll be able to help."

The councilwoman perked up at the mention of her name, finally understanding the sudden visit of the professor and his pupil. But before Jayce could continue, she noticed a subtle change in his expression. There was a hint of softness in the weak smile that appeared on his lips, and something about it bothered her.

"She was the best one of us all when it came to diplomatic matters..."

'Was'. Mel wasn't sure if the others had picked up the implication of this simple word, but she certainly had. She wasn't part of the Council anymore, and she couldn't consider the possibility that she could have been dismissed from her position, let alone that she might have resigned herself, which meant only one thing. She had died. She was going to die in the future. And if a war was going to break out, this hypothesis seemed more than plausible.

Mel hadn't known what to expect when the professor and his pupil came to her, insisting that she followed them. She just thought to use this opportunity to earn a future favor from a follow councilor, and believed this would be a good waste of her time. Well, this had definitely not been a waste of her time. Whatever she had planned, it was of minor priority compared to everything she was learning here. That not only her city was going to be ravaged by war, but that she was also most likely going to die from it.

"And she's the only one who can stop Noxus' involvement."

Definitelynot a waste of her time.

A humorless smile spread on her lips as she immediately understood that whatever was going to happen, her mother had a role in it. And of course she had. Why else would a war break out in Piltover?

"There is so many things we need to warn you about. So many disasters you need to prevent,"groaned future-Jayce,"so many lives to save…"

"But no words can possibly explain how we reached this situation,"lamented Ekko."So it'll be best for you to just see it for yourselves."There was a short moment of silence, before a regretful smile played on his lips."And remember: save Powder, do not let Jinx be born."

And just like that, future-Ekko and future-Jayce disappeared once again.

Vi blinked a few times when the screen went black.

That's it?

She turned her attention to the two scientists, expecting them to fix whatever problem occurred, but they seemed as confused as she was—as everyone was.

That's it?!

There was absolutely no new information regarding this Jinx, how did Ekko expect them to prevent her birth? How did he expect them to save Powder?

She was ready to jump from her seat and smash the contraption with her bare fists, before redirecting her frustration on present Ekko—how could his future self not think about such an important detail?—but fortunately, it was at that moment that the audio crackled and a grim image appeared on the screen.

Thick clouds of smokes were rising in the sky, blocking any ray of sunlight, as flakes of ash were dancing in the air. The bridge was burning, red flames casting ominous shadows everywhere. And amidst the chaos and the muffled cries, there was a voice singing.

"Dear friend, across the river…"

Chapter 7: Divergence

Summary:

The recording shows a different version of the heist.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)

Chapter Text

"Dear friend, across the river, my hands are cold and bare."

The air on the bridge was oppressive. Too thick to see through and too hot to breathe. The large statues that were once erected to commemorate fallen heroes were now turning into heartless gods, standing by and watching silently as the massacre unfolded. In the distance, shouts and screams were being drowned out by gunshots.

What was this…?

"Dear friend, across the river, I'll take what you can spare."

A sudden explosion dispersed the smoke, and a man who was unlucky enough to stand close by was thrown off the ground. The ominous figure of an enforcer appeared behind him, prowling around like a bloodthirsty predator, as the rasping sound of his breathing, distorted by his mask, came out like a warning; low and menacing. The man was injured, unable to move, unable to fight. But the enforcer leveled his rifle on him anyway, and another gunshot resonated, muting any pleas for mercy before they could reach his ears.

Caitlyn flinched at the coldhearted execution. She wasn't sure what she was watching, but she certainly wasn't looking at her heroes right now. Enforcers were supposed to use their guns to keep people safe. That's what the sheriff had taught her. They were protectors, not executioners. So why? Whatever threat this man may have presented, he was clearly unarmed and not offering any resistance. What exactly was happening?

"What's going on?" she heard Jayce echoing her thoughts.

Her friend was as confused as her, and they weren't the only ones, judging by the deep frown on the councilors' face. Was something wrong with the recording? They were watching future-Jayce and future-Ekko just a second ago, and now, the scenery had completely changed. But future-Ekko did say it would be better for them to see'it'for themselves. Was this'it'? Could this be the future war that they mentioned?

As the Piltovans worked the gears in their head, trying to figure out what exactly was happening, there was a grim silence on the trenchers' side. Becausetheyknew exactly what they were watching, andtheywere reliving it at the very same moment.

"I ask of you a penny, my fortune it will be."

They remembered it like it was yesterday. The acidic air burning their throat, their lungs, the smell of burning flesh, the ground sticky in blood… It was hardnotto remember. For many of them, it was the worst day of their life. It was the day they were crushed into submission and the day they lost their loved ones. It was a day of defeat and grief.

"This isn't the future," muttered Viktor, mostly to himself, but the others heard him anyway. He hadn't been there the day it happened, but he had seen the aftermath. The level of violence was something he had rarely seen, even in the Undercity.

As Jayce raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him, it was the sheriff who clarified the situation.

"No, this is the past."

Explosions kept ringing in the background as the smoke slowly revealed bodies all over the bridge. Men and women left to rot in the midst of the flames, sometimes piled up into stacks for easier future disposal. The pool of blood underneath them was still fresh and running, yet, flies were already feasting in their corpses, as enforcers lurked around for survivors to add to the bunch.

"This is the bridge attack," finally understood Mel.

Cassandra and Heimerdinger's eyes widened at the realization. Neither of them had been on the scene in the aftermath of the tragic event. They had only experienced it through piles of endless reports. They hadn't realized how brutal, and most importantly, how one-sided the bridge attack actually had been. Seeing it with their own eyes was absolutely jarring. When the councilors shifted their attention back to the screen, it was with gruesome awareness that they took a better look at what they were watching.

A misplaced compassion that was much too late for Vi. She would have shoved it back into their face if she hadn't been so focused herself on the screen. Because beyond all the haunting flashbacks it triggered, the recording felt way too familiar. And it had felt this way the second the scenery had changed, and more precisely, the second she recognized the voice singing.

"I ask you without envy, we raise no mighty towers."

There was no way she wouldn't recognize this voice.

In the midst of all the chaos and death, two sisters were trying to make their way through the smoke. The younger one was singing, her soothing voice contrasting with the traces of dried tears on her sooted face. She was covering her eyes, guided by nothing else but the warm hand of her sister. Her older sister, though, took in the brutality all around them entirely. She staggered forward hesitantly, fighting the urge to turn back or look away, but she was her sister's eyes and her protector. Only for her, she needed to be strong.

"Our homes are built of stone, some come across the river, and find…"

The two girls wandered for a while, unable to orientate themselves as the fog rendered everything around them fuzzy, so when her older sister suddenly stopped in her tracks, the younger one risked a glance at her. She was frozen in place, her eyes full of disbelief and her lips slightly parted. The younger girl followed her sister's gaze, trying to figure out what had caught her attention, and when she noticed the destruction all around them, she gasped in horror. Whether it was because she sensed her fear or because she tried to reassure herself that her little sister was still here, and wouldn't disappear like all those people around them, the older girl tightened her hand around hers.

Caitlyn tried very hard not to tear her eyes away from the screen and steal a glance at the girl named Vi. The hair color was right, the face too, probably. The sheriff had already confirmed that this was an event from the past, and if this was indeed the day of the bridge attack, then the age would probably match as well. This was most likely her past, and it suddenly felt so very wrong to pry in it, but this was also something she couldn't—wouldn't—stop watching. Because if this was the bridge attack, then this was totally different from what she knew.

Caitlyn, like many other Piltovans, had learned about the incident through the news. It had been said to be a very unfortunate event where residents of the Undercity organized a violent uprising, forcing enforcers to retaliate with equal violence in order to prevent them from crossing the bridge and endanger the honest citizens of Piltover. That was the narrative. But clearly, the recording was showing a completely different side of the story.

Distant sounds of fighting attracted the older girl's attention, and when she turned to see a large man beating up an enforcer, she instinctively took a step back before hiding her sister behind her. Once the enforcer was down, it didn't take long for the man to notice he had an audience. His eyes stopping on the two sisters, the raw fury on his face subsided, replaced by sorrowful recognition. He walked up to meet them, and as the older girl recognized him in turn, she let her guard down. Her eyes darted around, frantically looking for something—someone—and when they stopped on him, full of expectation, the large man sighed. He redirected her gaze toward a large screen of smoke, and whatever hopes the girl held in her heart at the moment, they all disappeared when the wind revealed the bodies of a couple, shot down like animals.

Mylo and Claggor shared a sympathetic smile. They knew exactly who those people were, and they could relate better than anyone on how it felt to discover your loved ones turned into cold and lifeless puppets. The scene arose unpleasant memories of their own.

The younger sister didn't fully understand what she was seeing. She could recognize their parents, but there was something disturbing about the way their father was sleeping on the bare ground with their mother unmoving on top of him, her gaze lost and unfocused. She didn't like it one bit. It scared her. She nestled in closer, seeking comfort in her sister, but the facade of the older girl fell apart the next moment.

Tears fell down her cheeks like cascades as she collapsed on the ground, and for the first time in forever, she couldn't stay strong. Not even for the little one at her side. She could always return to being a sister later, but at that moment, she allowed herself to just be a daughter. Her heart sinking in despair, this time, it was her younger sister's turn to comfort her, and she felt warm little arms closing around her neck.

A deep scowl appeared on Vander's face. He tried to swallow the ball of guilt stuck in his throat, but his mouth had turned dry. Seeing the two sisters hanging onto each other once again as the world left them to fend for themselves was a cruel reminder of the consequences of his actions. He had never and never would forgive himself for this. There was no way he could possibly make it up for them. For Mylo, for Claggor, or for every kid orphaned that day. He might have taken the place of their parents, but he was also the one who took them away from them in the first place.

The hand Benzo offered for comfort on his shoulder was a much welcomed distraction to prevent him from falling deeper into the endless spiral of regret.

The girl's cries echoing in his head, the man looked down at his gauntlets. They were soiled in blood—enforcers', most likely, but also the blood of his people. The blood of these sisters' parents. Looking at the carnage all around him, he realized that no future was worth fighting for if it was at the cost of children's innocence. He let his gauntlets drop on the floor, and as he picked up the girls in his arms, he promised himself to give them a better life—or at very least, a peaceful one.

The two sisters nestling in his embrace, the man walked away from the violence. But while the younger one quickly fell into slumber, despite the emotional exhaustion nudging her, the oldest refused to look away. She watched as the flames turned the bridge into a giant pyre, she watched as enforcers walked away, returning to their life, as if they hadn't just destroyed theirs, and she watched in the distance the city that allowed all of this to happen. Everything was engraved in her mind.

Her fists clenching in rage, she vowed to never forget this day.

The holographic screen turning black once again, an uncomfortable silence filled the room.

"This, uh… This isn't what I expected," stammered Jayce as the urge to say something— anything—was too strong to ignore. His attempt at breaking the ice unsurprisingly failed, however, as most pretended not to hear him.

A few glares were sent in the direction of the councilors, silently demanding an explanation. It was no secret for anyone here that the bridge attack was the result of the Council's failure in managing the Undercity, yet, the councilwomen remained silent.

It really was an unfortunate event, but it wouldn't have happened if there had been no uprising in the first place. What had been done had been done. They were here to fix the future, not to dwell into the past. Mel had barely just taken up her position as a councilor back then, and Cassandra had been busy with Ionian envoys. They had done everything to secure Piltover's position among other nations, who could have guessed the threat would be coming from inside?

"I'm… very sorry for your loss," Heimerdinger offered as sincerely as he could. The bridge attack was only but a glimpse of the wars he witnessed, but as fleeting as human lives were, there was no denying those deaths had been unnecessary.

His condolences came as a joke for most trenchers, however. If the yordle had truly been sorry, he would have improved the situation somehow, but what had he done since? What had he changed? Vi didn't have time to confront him about it, as the scenery on the screen changed, and she saw herself climbing up a building.

"We're almost there," she declared, looking down.

Below her, Mylo and Claggor appeared, along with a blue haired girl the Piltovans easily identified as the younger sister they had seen in the previous scene.

"Oh, man…" Mylo complained as Vi effortlessly reached the roof.

"Hey Powder, come take a look," she called, her younger sister following closely from behind.

So this was Powder. Jayce had assumed she would be the same age as the others, but she was even younger. And this young girl had fallen into a coma, partially because of him…

The sky was bright, clear of almost any clouds—a real contrast to the everlasting darkness and the artificial lights they were used to in the Undercity.

"Whoa."

From up here, Piltover was stretching for miles, only ever bordered by the ocean, and in the distance, the Council's building was towering over everything else, the city's grandiosity pale in comparison.

"It's nice to get above it all, huh?" smiled Vi at her sister.

There was a sudden gust of wind as an airship passed over their head. Powder watched it fly away in awe, a dreamy smile forming on her face.

"One day, I'm gonna ride one of those things," she vowed.

"And one day, I'm gonna shoot one of 'em down," Mylo added, aiming at the airship with gun fingers.

The three teenagers shared a meaningful look as they watched the recording. This wasn't the future either. Despite the obvious time jump, they could very clearly recognize the events unfolding. It had happened way too recently for them not to.

"Vi, are you sure about this?" Claggor doubted as the gang moved forward, jumping down onto another roof. "Look, if we get caught, we're—"

"We're not gonna get caught," interjected Vi. "We'll be in and out before anyone notices."

She stopped on the edge and leaned over, calculating the upcoming jump.

"Alright everyone, follow me. Just, don't look down."

She led the way, letting herself slide down the roof, as the gutter at its bottom stopped her from a fatal fall. She hopped onto the nearest balcony, and leaped over the unaware crowd thirty feet below, landing flawlessly onto the next roof.

Unimpressed, Mylo went next. He followed her path, falling onto the nearest balcony. He steadied himself onto the balustrade, and joined Vi onto the roof of the next building with a perfectly executed leap on his own. The smug smile on his face was erased almost as soon as it appeared, though, as Claggor landed right next to him, splashing the icing of his stolen cupcake around.

Caitlyn couldn't tell if she was fascinated or absolutely horrified by this display of dexterity. It wasn't exactly everyday that she saw people jumping on the roofs of Piltover after all, and she'd be lying if she said it didn't look exciting. But it was also absolutely reckless, and a dangerous thing to do. As the disapproving expression on her mother's face told her that she shared the same opinion, she opted to hide her wonder.

Jayce was much more transparent with his feelings, as he watched the scene his mouth wide opened in quiet dread. Despite being well-aware that they were all fine, he was almost expecting one of them to fall. Who does that? They had streets!

"Couldn't we have at least just walked there?" asked Claggor.

'Exactly,'the scientist prevented himself from commenting.

"Gotta stay out of sight for this one," Vi replied, when she noticed her younger sister still hadn't joined them.

Powder was stunned in place, frozen by fear, as she watched the void separating her from the rest of the group. Her sister had told her not to look down, but how was she supposed not to if she was to jump?

"Called it," Mylo complained. "This is on you, Vi."

"I'll get her," proposed Claggor, before an arm thrust before him.

"No. Powder, look at me!" Vi called, forcing her sister out of her stupor. "What did I tell you?"

The blue-haired girl paused for a moment, remembering the encouraging words of her sister.

"That… I'm ready," she quoted.

"That's right! So?"

Powder took a deep breath as she willed the fear out of her body and pictured the jump in her head. It was doable—it had to be—the others did it just fine. If she wanted to keep joining them in their heists and not be left behind, she needed to prove herself and show that she wasn't a burden. She was ready, Vi had told her so. And Vi never lied.

Finally mustering enough courage to move, Powder dived in. She reproduced her sister's moves the best she could and stopped her momentum with the roof's gutter. It rattled worryingly on the impact, but she tried to pay it no intention as she jumped onto the balcony below.

"Phew!"

She positioned herself against the rambarde, and before her courage ran out, she leaped to join the group. Her jump was successful, her landing not so much.

There were a few gasps of horror as the blue-haired girl fell backwards, but fortunately for her—and for everyone's nerves in the room— her sister caught her wrist, stopping her fall in time.

"Thanks," she breathed as Vi pulled her up with a comforting smile.

Mylo wasn't nearly as supportive. The two sisters passing by, he rolled his eyes in exasperation.

The narrowly avoided disaster hadn't escaped Vander's eyes either, as he glared at the three teenagers disappointingly. Them running through the roofs of Piltover was one thing, bringing and endangering young Powder was another. They were going to hear from him as soon as this was over.

"What if Vander finds out we're all the way up here?" worried Claggor as the group edged along the roof.

"Look around you. You think anyone Topside's going hungry?" argued Vi. "Besides, this is exactly the kind of job Vander would've pulled when he was our age."

A regretful sigh escaped Vander. He had told them too much about his exploits. When the kids were younger, they enjoyed hearing about his younger self's adventures. They made good bedtime stories. But clearly, it was backfiring now.

"I'm going. Are you with me or not?"

Claggor glanced at Mylo, being perfectly aware Powder would follow her sister no matter what. Receiving an unconcerned shrug as an answer, he sighed in defeat.

"Vander's gonna kill us."

"Yeah, only if we screw up," Vi noted. "So don't screw up."

They had screwed up. Anticipating the rest of the recording, Vi passed a hand through her hair, chewing her lower lip, as Claggor shut his eyes, and an ironic smile spread on Mylo's face. They had screwedreallybadly…

"All clear," Vi announced after landing onto a much larger balcony.

'What are they doing?'Jayce quietly wondered, still trying to figure out why they were risking their lives like this.

As Claggor helped Powder to climb down the roof and join them on the balcony, Mylo walked to the door. When he reached for the handle, though, it resisted his attempt at opening it.

"Who locks their balcony?" he groaned, before crouching down and pulling a lock-picking key out of his pocket.

Wait a second…

As Jayce finally recognized his own balcony, he swiftly jumped from his seat to turn in the direction of the three teenagers.

"This is my apartment!" he accused, glaring at the little thugs.

The gang apathetically shrugged at him. The way things ultimately turned sour was definitely disappointing, but they weren't particularly sorry for trying. It was a relief to know that wonder boy over there—AKA future friend stealer—and his perfectly square jaw was indeed the inventor they robbed, though, and not the other guy. Although they couldn't exactly put the finger on why, they liked the limping guy better.

A few"Oooh"resonated in the room as everyone was starting to figure out where things were going.

"This is a heist that happened two days ago," muttered Caitlyn.

"There's a ton of enforcers down there," noted Claggor, leaning over the rambarde.

"Means we're in the right place," Vi replied, her determination unwavering, before she turned to Mylo. "You're gonna get that door open any time soon?"

"Working on it," the boy grumbled as he pulled out his key from the lock to try another combination. "Seeing as I'm the only one who knows how to pick lock, I suggest—"

The sudden apparition of Vi's foot right next to his head interrupted him, as the girl kicked the door open. She nonchalantly entered the apartment, closely followed by Powder and Claggor, as Mylo was left frozen in place.

"Animals."

Ekko had to suppress a laugh at the scene. It was a shame Powder wasn't here, he would have gladly made fun of Mylo with her.

"You know, Claggor, for once you're right," Mylo declared, joining them inside. "We're definitely not supposed to be here."

The apartment was a bigger version of Jayce's workshop, and a much organized one. The countless books there were were all neatly arranged into shelves, and even the different trinkets were strategically grouped together on the desk, or in boxes… There were actually very few things lying on the floor, unlike in his laboratory.

"Must be an inventor," speculated Vi, inspecting the giant chalkboard full of symbols and numbers.

As the others rummaged through every drawer and every box, Powder stopped in front of a shelf, picking up a small item.

"Whoa, I think this is a real Valdiani," she marveled, pressing its top and revealing a musical box.

"Oh yeah? What about this?" Mylo taunted, activating a device of his own.

"That's a nose hair trimmer," she deadpanned, unimpressed.

Again, Ekko choked down a laughter. He really missed Powder's presence.

"Keep an eye for everything that looks valuable, Powder," her sister told her, "before Mylo fills the bag with junk."

Jayce groaned helplessly as he watched his apartment being vandalized. Most of these stuff had been lost, but it was still disheartening to see them carelessly tossed into a bag.

"Uh… Guys?" Mylo called, his attention stopping on a blue crystal.

Jayce immediately tensed. He knew the crystals were responsible for the explosion.

"Wait, Vi, how the hell did we find this place?" asked Claggor, as his brother quickly removed his finger from the crystal after receiving a small shock.

"It was a tip from Little Man," replied Vi.

Ekko tore his gaze away from the screen and looked down at his feet in embarrasment. If Vander and Benzo didn't know about his role in this mess before, know they knew for sure. He pretended not to notice the eyes directed at him as he played with his feet. They suddenly seemed much more interesting than whatever was happening on the screen. He had never noticed the hole on his left sole. He probably should replace his shoes...

"Little Man?"

"Just leave it, come on."

As her siblings kept bickering, Powder left to explore the other rooms.

"How can anyone have so much stuff?"she heard Claggor's voice in the distance.

"Simple, just get born lucky."

This simple statement earned a few frown from the Piltovans. As much as everyone prefered to credit their wealth to their own efforts, there was some undeniable truth behind it. Caitlyn didn't even understand what cas the deal about. Despite beeing largely financed by her family, Jayce's apartment was nowhere close as luxurious as their residence. She knew to some extent her family was privileged, but wasthisreally considered impressive?

Powder settled for the nearest door, and entered a smaller room. The presence of a bed seemed to indicate it was a bedroom, but it was so cluttered with books, vials and tools that it seemed much more like a workshop of its own.

As Powder inspected the room, picking up a few baubles here and there and putting them into her pouch, her attention stopped on the two sandwiches that had been left on a table. Her stomach rumbled at the sight.

"Woo-hoo!"

She immediately took one and took a bite, savoring it. It wasn't everyday she could eat something so fresh, and for once, she didn't have to share. But when she noticed the metal chest partially hidden by blueprints right beside her, she put her food down to examine it.

"Fuck", muttered Jayce, earning a look from Caitlyn.

How could he swear in the presence of her mother? But the man's attention was completely focused on the screen, as he watched the blue-haired child manhandling the chest and its precious content. When she finally managed to open it, he gritted his teeth.

"Whoa," Powder marveled as the chest revealed six blue crystals.

When she took one of them to inspect it closer, it was Grayson and Caitlyn's turn to frown. They knew by now that these little things exploded, and knowing how the heist ended, it wasn't hard to guess what was about to happen.

The main room, once tidy and organized, had been completely turned upside down—shelves knocked over and drawers emptied on the floor. As Vi stowed a contraption Mylo just tossed her into the bag, a distant chatter attracted her attention on the entrance, and when the footsteps drew closer and a shadow appeared through the glass of the door, she immediately turned to her brothers.

"Mylo!" she called.

The boy didn't need any more directions to jump onto his feet, take the chair he was sitting on just before and rush to place it against the door, blocking the handle.

"Powder, we gotta go!" Vi immediately went to look for her sister.

Sensing the urgency in her voice, the younger girl hurriedly took the blue orbs and put them into her pouch, before following her sister back into the main room. In her haste, though, she didn't notice one of them falling.

"Hello? Is someone in there?" a voice called from behind the door.

Jayce winced when he saw a crystal land on the floor. The impact immediately triggered it.

"Come on," urged Mylo when he saw the sisters.

"We'll be fine, just get back on the roof," Vi ordered as she picked up the sack and placed it on her shoulder.

The crystal sparkled as it continued its course, rolling down the bed. Its core was getting brighter and brighter, growing more unstable by the second, and when the orb reached the wall, its surface cracked. As the sisters finally went for the balcony, the crystal exploded.

Everyone flinched as the kids were thrown off the floor by the sudden blast, expression varying from pure shock to mild concern. They knew they had survived the incident, but it didn't make the violence of the explosion any less impressive. However, when Vi was seen walking out the apartment unharmed, there were a few whispers of confusion among the gang.

Wait a moment…

As Claggor and Mylo coughed the smoke out of their lungs, little Powder rising on her feet, a crack sounded, and Vi turned around just in time to see the floor collapse beneath their feet.

"Hold on!" she ordered, pushing her siblings away for the crevice.

"That's not what happened…" the real Vi mumbled, confused by what she was seeing.

The balcony's floor collapsed, missing a couple of enforcers patrolling below by a hair. The racket was deafening as the debris piled on top of each other, creating a large cloud of dust. If the explosion hadn't been enough, this was sure to attract even more unwanted attention. Once the fiasco was over, the pink-haired girl risked a glance below to assess the damages, and she saw the enforcers looking back at her, she immediately cursed her luck.

"Shit."

"That's not what happened!" exclaimed Vi much louder this time, rising from her seat, as she saw herself and her sibling fleeing the scene.

They didn't actually manage to flee, the two previous nights they had spent in prison was the very proof of that. And Powder?TheirPowder fell unconscious and never woke up, whilethisone was completely fine and running. What was going on?

A few curious glances were sent in her direction, as most people didn't understand her sudden fit, but when Mylo, Claggor and even Caitlyn confirmed a different version of the story, the confusion spread to everyone.

"Powder never made it out," noted Claggor.

"And I saw them pass by me," added Caitlyn. "They took the stairs…"

"And we were caught almost as soon as we left the building," finished Mylo.

Grayson could assess that. She hadn't done the arrest herself, but the reports her enforcers gave her did mention the thieves were apprehended two streets further from the scene of the explosion. Yet, on the screen, they could see not the three, but the four teenagers running through all of Piltover, much further from the Academy district.

"Stop right there!" an enforcer ordered, throwing mechanical bolas in the direction of the escapees.

The weapon missed Claggor by a narrow margin, entangling itself on a street lamp instead.

"This never happened," repeated Vi for the umpteenth time.

As the gang was seen crossing the Sun Place, forcing their way through the unconcerned crowd in direction the of the bridge, Viktor remembered the surprise he found in Jayce's apartment.

"Our timeline changed," he eventually concluded, earning everyone's full attention.

"The capsule!" his partner immediately understood. "It must have arrived then!"

"What are you two talking about?" Mel inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"This," Jayce pointed at the hextech device, "this is something we found in the aftermath of the explosion. The message from the future."

"And if time travel is possible—and we have here the clear evidence it is," Viktor started to explain, "then a single change in the past could trigger a different outcome in future events. We didn't see the time capsule in the recording, yet, Jayce and I found it right after the explosion."

"It already changed our timeline."

It took a few long seconds for the others to understand the implication of their words.

"Then this…" began Caitlyn, her eyes shifting back on the screen.

"Yeah, this is what was supposed to happen," her friend confirmed her unspoken thoughts.

But then what? If this was what was supposed to happen, then what about Powder? Was she not supposed to fall unconscious? Then why did she? The irony. Did future-Ekko's attempt at saving Powder make her fall into a coma instead? Vi tried to calm the new surge of questions assaulting her mind, as Claggor nudged her to sit back down. When she returned her attention to the recording, she noticed her alternative self and siblings had already crossed the bridge, arriving in the Alcove district.

"This way!" The pink-haired girl shouted, leading her siblings into an alley.

A few enforcers were still on their trail, most having given up the chase when they crossed the bridge. But across the river, the gang had home advantage. Vi knew the streets like her own pocket. She knew which corner to take to throw off their pursuers, and which street would make them go in circles. She opted for a back alley on her right, as she punched a valve away, letting its pipe blow a blinding cloud of steam.

"Go, go, go!" Mylo urged his brother as the sound of the enforcers' footsteps drew closer behind them.

When they arrived, the gang was already out of sight, so they waited for the steam to subside to consider their options. Ultimately, one of them took the lead to split the group in two and cover both directions.

A little bit further, the gang stopped in front of a manhole entry. It was infested with flies, but Vi paid it no attention as she yanked the cover away. When Mylo crouched down in front of it to inspect it, he retched as the smell assaulted his nose. He didn't know—and didn't want to know—what the slimy substance covering the walls was made of, but based on the smell, the pipe hadn't been cleaned in decades.

"Oh, man, not again. I just got this shirt—" he tried to protest before Vi shoved him inside with a kick.

"Dude, what the fuck?!" Mylo snapped at the pink-haired girl at his side.

Unapologetic, Vi shrugged in reply, still hazed over her own thoughts. She would have done the same. They were being chased by enforcers, they didn't have time to put up with his inner princess. It was his own fault he came for a job with clean clothes to begin with.

Seeing the four teenagers sliding down the sewer pipe elicited very strong reactions among Piltovans. Caitlyn winced, momentarily forgetting about the pain in her nose, her mother's jaw dropped—despite having lectured her so many times that keeping your mouth opened was bad habit—Jayce heaved, and Mel willed her gaze away, trying to keep a straight expression but failing as the disgust crept onto her face anyway. Only Heimerdinger seemed mildly amused if somewhat repulsed by the bold, but efficient choice of way out. The trenchers' reactions were much more tame in comparison, varying from simple frowns to raised eyebrows.

Mylo was the first one to land on a large mountain of trash, the different metallic junk in the pile not cushioning his fall by much. He barely had the time to rise, Claggor arrived next, sweeping him up in his descent. The sisters' landing was much smoother.

"Thought last time was the last time we were gonna do this," he grumbled as he removed a rotting leaf from his hair.

"Well, this time's the last time," declared Vi.

"Guys, what was that?" asked Claggor. "What the hell happened back there?"

When everyone turned to her, Powder flinched, her eyes going back and forth between the two boys.

"I don't know, I didn't do anything," she defended when she finally registered the blame being silently put on her.

Mylo scoffed.

"We could fill a damn library with all the things you didn't do,"his alternative self spat on the screen.

And he was right. They had seen the explosion, they now knewwhatcaused it, andwhotriggered it. As always, little Powder ruined everything—well, maybe not everything. They had managed to get away in this alternative reality after all. But there was no denying she was responsible for the explosion that almost got them caught there, and did get them caught here. But although he would have loved to remind everyone how he, once again, was right about her, her current state made it difficult to put the blame on her so he refrained himself from commenting about it.

"Guys, we just emptied a Piltover penthouse right under the enforcers' noses," reminded Vi. "So, if you're done beating yourselves up, let's get this home."

There was a strange feeling of pride filling her heart when Vi she saw herself leading her siblings out of the sewers, the bag full of loot on her shoulder. They'd done it. They had managed to get away. Or at the very least, they were supposed to… But if the heist had succeeded in this alternative reality, then what exactly had gone wrong?

An apprehensive sigh escaping her lips, she repositioned herself in her seat and focused her attention on the screen. Only the recording would tell, she supposed…

Notes:

At this rate, this fanfic is going to be 30 chapters and 200,000 words, and I don't even care, I'm having so much fun hahaha! (And I hope you are too!) I do apologize for those who are waiting for the spicy stuff though, it might take a while.

That being said, since I know everyone will be waiting for episode 3, I'm aiming to get in done for Arcane's first anniversary, so the 6th of November :)

Chapter 8: Foreboding

Summary:

As they watch Powder losing the haul, a feeling of foreboding starts to rise among the gang.

Notes:

Ah, yes. I totally missed Arcane's anniversary :')
Sorry for the hiatus, guys. Some health issues, and then the festive season came, and then it was just a matter of getting back to it. But I am back, now, and hopefully the wait will be worth it !

Chapter Text

Vander knew the Undercity's way well enough to recognize the problem before it even happened. No one just hung out around a place without a purpose, so when he saw his kids being circled by a clique of teenagers that had been loitering around on the screen, he cringed.

"Nice haul?" A blond teenager asked as the gang passed by him.

"You could say that," replied Mylo, earning a warning look from Vi.

Minding your own business was the best strategy to survive in the trenches. Strangers were never friends, only vultures stalking for the slightest sign of weakness to jump and rob you of anything you had to offer. Mylo knew that, but their successful escape and the impressive bounty they were bringing home had went over his head, and he spoke without thinking first, brimming with confidence. A fatal mistake, he soon realized, as their way was blocked by the strangers.

"I heard there was some action across the river," continued the blond teenager. "Someone really kicked the nest, huh?"

"Is that so?" Vi kept her tone flat and uninterested, but she could feel trouble coming.

The stranger rose from the crate he was sitting on. He paced around the group, slowly, but surely closing the distance between them.

"But now, you're tracking this mess of yours through my streets," he noted.

But if the underlying threat succeeded at intimidating her sister, it only managed at pulling the thin threads of Vi's patience.

"Your streets? What makes you think—"

"Listen, we don't want any trouble, ok?" interjected Claggor before the situation escalated.

"Hear that, Deckard?" A scrawny teenager snickered. "They don't want any trouble."

"You know, in my experience, trouble finds you." As his eyes shifted to the sack full of clattering loot on Vi's shoulder, the hard expression on Deckard's face subsided, replaced by a smug smile.

"There's no reason this has to get ugly. How about you share a little taste of your treasure there, and we'll call it even?"

Vander sighed. That was the way of the Undercity. Anyone could claim anything as theirs, including entire places, so long as they had the power to protect it. And should anyone else trespass their property, it was their right to demand a toll. It was this unspoken rule that allowed him to become the protector of the lanes. Vander knew his kids, and Vi especially, would never go along with it, though. For the better and for the worst, Vi never went down without a fight, even if that meant involving her siblings. The pure outrage he read on their expression as they watched the recording only confirmed his suspicion.

"No, no, no. We worked too hard to—" Mylo began to object before Vi walked before him.

"Just a taste?" She asked, stopping right in front of Deckard.

"Just a—"

Deckard didn't have time to finish his sentence. The complacency on his face was immediately wiped out as Vi slammed the sack of loot against his jaw, sending him on the ground.

"Woo-hoo!" Mylo cheered while Vi snorted proudly.

As the two teenagers shared a fist bump, clearly pleased by this turn of event, Vander placed a palm across his face. Even Ekko was on the edge of his seat, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He had taught his kids to stand up for themselves, but didn't he also teach them to only use violence as a last resort? Clearly, they needed a good reminder regarding this last lesson. At the very least, Claggor seemed much more grounded than the other two, his brows furrowed slightly in concern. That was one out of four, he supposed. Amused by his inner conflict as a father, Benzo chuckled, offering a small pat on his shoulder as support.

Vi tossed the loot at her sister, who caught it out of pure reflex. The two boys shared a confused look, and the few seconds of silent communication that followed were enough for them to get in stance and ready themselves for the imminent fight.

As Deckard got up with a grunt, the scrawny teenager launched himself on Mylo. Landing flatly on his back, he didn't have time to put his guard up before his assailant bashed his fists against his face.

The two remaining kids pounced on Claggor. He avoided the first one just in time to catch the second one, and threw him against his accomplice.

Confused and terrified, Powder stepped back until she reached a wall. Her eyes darted all over the place, unsure how to help and unwilling to jump into the brawl. The background blending into one fuzzy picture, she watched as her siblings fought for their due.

The initial excitement the trencher kids felt died down a little, the uncertainty of the outcome now looming over them. Fights were a common occurrence in the Undercity, it wasn't unusual to witness one every now and then. But watching themselves fight brought a whole new level of investment. No one made snarky comments about how Mylo awkwardly pushed his attacker off of him and used his forearm to hit him in the face instead of his fists, nor did anyone said anything about how Vi leaned forward, almost offering her head to her opponent instead of keeping her guard up. It was too personal. They were both spectator and participant in this fight. Only Benzo was detached enough to appreciate the fight for what is was. And although Vander would never admit it, he, too, was quite proud to see his kids hold their ground.

Piltovans were also on the edge of their seat, but for a totally different reason. While brawls were common in the Undercity, there were exceptionally rare Topside. People preferred to settle disputes verbally. A scratch to their honor was a bigger disgrace than any bruise they could form, and it lasted in time. Physical fights were unsightly. Even Mel, who had been raised the Noxian way, could only frown at raw brutality displayed by the teenagers on the screen. It had nothing to do with the choreographed moves she had witnessed from the soldiers of her native land. It was just clumsy and unruly. It was violent enough for Caitlyn and Jayce to flinch every few seconds or so, though. They didn't have the councilors' self-control, they didn't even try to hide their shock.

Cailtyn was suddenly relieved she hadn't tried her chances against the gang two days ago. This Vi girl wasn't just all talk, she did know how to use her fists. And now that she knew what a broken nose felt like, and since she was pretty certain this fight would result in more than that, she could only be grateful to her own sense of self-preservation.

Powder was suddenly broken out of her confusion when Claggor tossed one of their assailant right in front of her. The boy was a mess; his nose was bleeding and a bruise was already forming on his left eye. But he was still very much a threat, bigger and stronger than her, so when he locked eyes with her, it was her cue to leave. She scrambled to her feet, tossed the bag on her shoulder and ran toward the nearest alley, only just avoiding Mylo and his opponent as they slammed against the wall right beside her.

"Fuck," Vi cursed when she saw the boy running after her.

As Mylo shoved the scrawny boy away from him, taking advantage of his loss of balance to hit him in the guts, Vi received a blow in the face. She quickly come around, however, and she evaded the next punch by twisting her body to the side, retaliating with a well aimed knee kick in the stomach. Before Deckard could recover, she grabbed his hair and threw him on the ground, finishing him with a powerful kick on the back.

"Alright!" muttered Vi as she clenched her fist victoriously, and even Vander couldn't help but break a proud smile at her triumph.

Bashed into a wall, Claggor took advantage of his fallen position to grab a clump of dirt and throw it into his opponent's eyes. Using the small window of confusion he created, he pounced, lifted the boy by his hips, and violently slammed him on the wasn't as fortunate in his fight. He had long lost the upper hand, pinned on the ground, as he received blow after blow. It didn't take long for Vi to notice it, now that she was rid of her own opponent. She quickly assessed her environment, looking for something that could help, until her attention stopped on an old wooden plank. She split it by stepping on it and, her new improvised weapon in hand, she rushed to free Mylo of his attacker. The plank slamming against his face, the scrawny teenager collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

"Yes!"

The final outcome decided, the tension broke in the room.

Caitlyn almost cheered when the last opponent fell on the ground. Fortunately for her, Jayce was faster to react, and jumped from his seat to raise a victorious fist in the air, a genuine smile on his face. The surprised gazes he received from her and from the councilors quickly broke him out of his ecstatic state though, and his enthusiasm turned into embarrassment. His face turning beat-red, he sat back down on the bench, awkwardly clearing his voice. Caitlyn knew, however, that the councilors shared his enthusiasm. She had seen the way her mother's shoulders relaxed when the teenager collapsed, how the lips of Councilor Medarda very slightly curled upward, and she had heard the sigh of relief escaping from the professor's small figure.

The three siblings were much more open about their excitement. As they gave each other a high five, a weak smile played on their guardian's lips, and Vander decided to postpone the morality lesson. His kids deserved their moment of glory. His expression was mirrored by Benzo, who pretended not to notice the wonder filling his pupil's face. Ekko loved the gang and always regretted not being able to follow them in their adventures, so it wasn't hard to imagine the admiration he felt witnessing them first-handed. Maybe he should give him more days off to accompany them sometimes? As talented as he was in tinkering, no one could survive in the Undercity if they didn't know how to defend themselves, and although the boy did receive a few fighting lessons from Vi, nothing would compare to on-field experience.

"This day's turning out alright after all," snickered Mylo proudly as he failed to notice the blond teenager rising to his feet behind him, pulling out a knife from his back pocket.

"Wait!" ordered Deckard.

Silence filled the room once again and tension returned.

When the gang turned around to meet his threat, Deckard didn't receive the reaction he hoped. Vi walked straight up to him and, despite the knife hovering in front of her, she leaned forward to reach his eye level, her face only a feet away from his.

'Yes, she is good at invading people's personal place,'Caitlyn suddenly remembered.

Vi didn't let any fear betray her as she broke the eye-contact only for a second to stare at the knife, because she truly didn't have any. If Deckard intended to use his knife, he would have done it from the beginning. She was confident he wouldn't have what it takes to gut her.

"Wanna see how that ends?" She called his bluff.

Her bold move wasn't as appreciated among the Piltovans as in her entourage, though.

"This is reckless," commented Heimerdinger, shaking his head, while the others held back their breath.

Fortunately, it proved itself to be efficient, and everyone let out a long sigh of relief when they watched the boy lower his knife and flee the scene in defeat.

"She's going to get herself killed someday…" Jayce quietly muttered as he remembered this was the same girl that lead the heist that ended up blowing his apartment.

"Mmh…" Although Caitlyn nodded at his statement, she was silently developing a new form of admiration for her. It certainly wasn't here, in the Uppercity, that anyone would dare to pull something like this off. She hated to admit it, but she really inspired respect.

"Where's Powder?" asked Vi as looked around for any signs of her sister.

As soon as the scenery switched to the blue-haired child running with the bag of loot clattering on her back, the real Vi cursed her alternative-self for not noticing her absence sooner.

Her pursuer still hot on her trail, Powder grabbed a pile of crate and made it fall right behind her, in a desperate attempt to create some distance between them. The boy barely had the time to slow down and raise his arms defensively. He received the pile right in the face and stumbled under the weight.

"Oh! Oh, you little…" he cursed as he bounced back onto his feet and resumed the chase, now more enraged than ever.

Powder continued to blindly race along the alleys of the Alcove district, hoping to shake off her pursuer. Unfortunately, she didn't know the sector as well as her sister and the panic prevented her to think about the path she was taking, ultimately driving herself into an impasse. When she reached the dead-end of a harbor, she hid behind a corner, desperately hanging onto the sack of loot like a life line. She was completely out of breath, but she forced herself to quiet her respiration down anyway as she heard her pursuer's footsteps drawing closer.

The boy halted his race when he reached the harbor, failing to notice her anywhere. There were only two ways, however, so he walked along the dock to find her. His footsteps subsiding in the distance, Powder risked a glance to see if her escape route was clear, but by doing so, she knocked off a couple of boards that were resting against the wall. She failed to noticed them in time to catch them, and the boards fell on the ground with a thud, alerting her pursuer of her presence.

"Oh no," fretted Vander. He really didn't want to watch his youngest being beat up on-screen, a sentiment everyone in the room shared, especially Vi, who was now gritting her teeth in apprehension.

Running out of option, Powder let go of the bag, letting it drop on her shoulder, as she grabbed the small decorated contraption on her waist. She opened its lid, trying to ignore the closing presence of the boy, reached for another box in her back pocket and poured all of its content in the gadget with shaky hands.

"Come on, Mouser, I need you," she pleaded as she closed the lid and twisted it to trigger her invention's inner system.

"What is she doing?" Mel frowned, already guessing the answer. Despite the childish drawings depicting it as a toy, the situation and the nails she put in it made it clear it was a weapon.

Powder threw her invention toward the boy, and there was a mixture of interest and concern among the trio of scientists. Regardless of what it was supposed to do, it was impressive a child her age manage to build something with the little materials she had. It was hard, however, to overlook the innocent eagerness on her face as she waited for her contraption to go off, especially if its purpose was indeed what they thought it was.

The boy stopped in his track when he noticed the gadget rolling to his feet. Too confused to do anything else, he watched the lid spinning until it revealed the crude drawing of a mouse. It twitched, its smiling face mocking him, and the second later, it exploded. Out of reflex, he brought his arms in front of his face, but when a reopened his eyes, completely unharmed, he only notice a large cloud of pink dust.

"No!" whimpered Powder.

The boy scoffed.

"Dammit…" Vi muttered, now furiously tapping her foot against the floor.

The teenager closing the distance, Powder backed away until she reached the dock's railings. She looked behind her in panic, and for a moment, she considered jumping down. The toxic waters of the Undercity almost seemed like a better outcome than whatever the boy planned to do—she had seen her siblings fight, and it terrified her. Her better sense of self preservation decided otherwise, however.

She unclipped the brace of her bag and tossed it above the railing. The boy ran after it almost immediately, but failed to catch it in time. He watched the precious bag sink down, and as the very reason why they fought in the first place disappeared deep into the toxic waters, he turned around to vent his frustration onto the child, but she had long ran away.

Although Jayce had no doubt the child's safety was more important than anything in the bag, it was still a bitter feeling to watch his belongings sinking down the soiled waters of the Undercity. He tried to suppress a groan, remembering that this alternative reality hadn't happen and that although most of his stuff had been confiscated, they weren't lost forever, left to rust and decompose.

Mylo didn't care to do the same effort to hide his exasperation, however. He gaped at the screen for a while before he turned to his siblings.

"Did she just…?" He pointed at the hologram.

Vi sighed, placing a hand across her face. It was a relief to know her sister was safe, but she would be lying if she said she didn't share some of Mylo's frustration. The loot was the very reason why they got into so much trouble after all.

"You did what?!"

Powder flinched as Mylo snarled right into her face.

"I'm sorry. I tried to fight him off with Mouser, but… she didn't work," she tried to explain.

"Who saw that coming?" Mylo mocked as he rose his hand in the air, urging the others to do the same. But they didn't follow his lead.

"We never should have gone over there," Claggor complained.

"Doesn't matter. The stuff's gone." Vi put an end to the discussion before it could truly start. When her eyes stopped on her sister, cowering in shame, her expression softened. "It's alright, Powder. At least you're ok," she added with a much softer tone, gently cupping her cheek in comfort.

'Really?'Mylo didn't have to say it out loud, the word was written all over his face as he gesture at the screen with his hand and stared at Vi, his mouth wide open and his eyes narrowed in disbelief. She pretended not to see him. Powderwasmore important that the haul, after all.

"Ok?! What about us?"seethed his counterpart as if to voice his outrage."I get my face bashed in, and she just gets a pass?"

"Yup."

"Unbelievable!" he exasperated, throwing his arms at his sides.

"Just let it go, Mylo," sighed Vi, despite knowing it wouldn't be enough to convince him. It never was enough. "You and I both know she couldn't have won this fight."

"She could have at least… tried!"

"She did try!" interjected Ekko. "It just… didn't work…"

"That's not what I call trying! Everyone else is getting beat up, and she just goes home without a scratch."

"So what? Would you have preferred she came back all bloodied and injured, andstillwithout the haul?"

"Yeah, I would actually!"

His callous declaration earned him several frowns, and probably a ticket for an imminent beating, based on the way Vi twitched her eyes and scrunched up her nose as she rose from her seat, but Mylo didn't back down. Being incompetent was annoying enough as it was, but being babied for it? It was just ridiculous. It wasn't enough that Powder kept messing things up, she was practically being praised for it, and it drove him insane. Why did everyone always jumped to her defense? It wasn't like he was being unreasonable here, was he? Based on the judgmental stares he received from even the Piltovan girl and her friend, it really seemed like he was.

"Alright, enough. Remember why we're here," reminded Vander as he forced the two teenagers to sit back down. "None of this happened, it's pointless to fight about it."

Was it? It wasn't like it was the first time the subject came up. Powder kept messing things up, and Vi kept dismissing it. Mylo was fine with her bias toward her sister, but he drew the line to when he actually had to suffer from it. He didn't contest his guardian's order, but he hadn't dropped the matter in his heart, and evidently, neither did his counterpart.

The gang moved to an old, but well maintained elevator. The lights went on as soon as Vi pushed the lever down, and it even had the luxury of having a chair. It was nothing compared to the grand elevators of the Uppercity's tallest buildings, but it served its purpose well enough.

As the elevator went down, Mylo broke the silence to address his unresolved frustration once again.

"Every time," he started, eying the blue-haired child, who was still moping. "Every time she comes, something goes wrong. She jinxes every job!"

This time, Powder had enough, and lifted her face to meet his eyes with equal irritation.

"Just drop it, Mylo."

It was almost comical to see the argument being reiterated in this alternative reality. The way Mylo complained and the way Vi rolled her eyes at him were all the same. Caitlyn was starting to pick up on their quirks, and it wasn't so hard for her to get a grasp on the dynamic within the group. She was an only child, and although she was close to Jayce, he was much older than her, so it was quite refreshing for her to see the siblings bicker like petulant children while still having each other's back. Despite their hardship, she could help but envy them.

The gang wasn't nearly as amused by the situation, however.

'She jinxes every job!'

In one moment, all their spite vanished, their previous argument long forgotten. The world paused, their surroundings faded away, and the ambient noises and the voices coming out of the hextech device were silenced into oblivion, as the only thing that remained was the deafening sound of their own heart stopping.

Vander was right. They needed to remember the reason they were here, and how could they not remember it when future-Ekko had given them only one instruction, which had been plaguing their mind since?

'Do not let Jinx be born.'

An ominous chill crept up their skin as a new conjecture they hadn't considered before emerged into their mind. Ekko never mentioned anything about a newborn, did he…?

No way…

How many time had Mylo called Powder a jinx? He never cared to keep a track, but probably a lot. It was something he threw at her as commonly as an old Piltovan lady throwing bread crumbs to pigeons. She hated it, but he kept taunting her on a daily basis anyway, and even Vi had long stopped trying to put an end to his mockery. At this point, it was part of his routine, and no one truly reacted to it anymore. But how could they not pick up on itnow, after the huge emphasis Ekko put on it?

'Jinx was a catalyst.'

There is no fucking way…

Little Powder was a real magnet to problems. She would sneeze whenever they needed to hide, anything she repaired was for some reason even more broken when she was done, and her toy grenades never worked when she wanted them to, but of course they did when they weren't supposed to—like anytime she was tinkering in the basement and they would blow up right into their face, making a mess they needed to clean right after because"watching over her was their responsibility". Hell, she nearly jinxed herself by almost falling to her death during the heist! But despite everything, there was no way in hell she would start a war… right? Although her incompetence was legendary, she was only just Powder in the end. She could only be insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Vander couldn't make a change despite his influence over the Undercity, so how could little Powder have?

Rationalizing the situation, Mylo forced a chuckle out of his dry throat as he mocked the feasibility of the little urchin becoming a menace. Powder was a jinx, but she couldn'tbeJinx. It was probably just a coincidence. He was over-thinking this. He had to. It was just the stress making his mind spiraling down into incoherence. He turned to his siblings to share the inside joke, but the moment he saw the look on their face, the words died on his tongue and the anxiety doubled.

Claggor's brows were furrowed in concern. His eyes met his own, and for a moment, his mouth opened to say something, but a flash of dread passed through his eyes, and he looked away almost immediately. Vi wasn't any better. She didn't look at him, but it wasn't hard to guess what was going through her mind with the way she was furiously chewing her thumb, a hard expression on her face.

Clearly, his siblings were considering the very same thing he just had. No matter how ridiculous, how improbable it was, the thought refused to leave their mind. None of them was willing to vocalize it, however—whether it was exactly because of how ridiculous the thought was, or by fear itwouldn'tbe once it was said out loud, Mylo didn't know. But they worried too much. He knew they did. So he gulped down his doubts away, ignored the chill on his skin, and forced a smile back on his face. If he kept it there long enough, surely it would convince him it was genuine at some point, right?

There is just no fucking way…

Chapter 9: Welcome to the Lanes

Summary:

The Piltovans discover a whole new world in the Undercity.

Chapter Text

The Undercity was very much everything Piltover wasn't. The light was dim, filtered by the fumes leaking from the fissures, and an endless network of pipes was spreading like a spiderweb. The architecture was chaotic, buildings sprouting all over the place without a clear outline. Every space was occupied. It was a dark mirror of the city above, yet, it was vibrant and full of life.

The Piltovans could only gape at the sight as the elevator went down further and further into the fissures. How many of them had been there before? Caitlyn certainly hadn't, and it was so different from what she heard. Even Mel had to admit that despite the disorganized mess it was, the Undercity had a certain charm to it.

The elevator coming to a stop, the gang ventured into the Lanes. The Undercity was mostly alive during the evening, when Piltover went to sleep, but despite the early hour, people were already milling around. They moved with and without purpose among the many stalls. Food, weapons, but also a large amount of illegal goods were being displayed for sale out in the open.

The councilors could only shake their head in disapproval at the painfully obvious lack of regulation in the fissures. The Undercity had never really been their priority, but seeing with their own eyes its citizens breaking the laws without a care put a frown on their face, even more so when they watched the boy casually steal an apple from a stall with suspicious ease, and when they saw brothels being open for customers at this hour of the day.

Although the Undercity was its own entity, it wasstillpart of Piltover, and it certainly wasn't the image of Piltover the councilors wanted to look at, so when a man was thrown out half naked, visibly drunk, from the establishment, a few more sighs resonated.

Caitlyn couldn't hide the blush on her face as she tore her gaze away from the screen. But the fact that the gang didn't bat an eye at this, clearly used to this kind of situation, was somehow more disturbing than the old female yordle trying to seduce Claggor on the recording.

"Babette still got some game," Benzo chuckled as he jostled his friend with his elbow, and Vander snorted in response.

How can they joke about something like this?!

Only the sheriff seemed unfazed by all this. Grayson was well aware of everything happening underground, but despite her position as the chief of enforcers, ignoring the fissurefolk's law-breaking was part of her deal with Vander. So long as it didn't impact the Uppercity, she trusted Vander to take care of it.

At the Last Drop, a small man was patiently waiting for his order. As the barman finished pouring his second pint, he eagerly accepted it and left the counter, missing to spill his drink by a hair when he bumped onto another patron.

A few glances were directed at Vander as they recognized him on the screen, but as soon as appeared, he disappeared once again.

Huck headed to a remote table, slightly away from the ongoing bustle. The relative calm it offered was a much welcomed atmosphere for the deal he was concluding. He offered one of the drinks to the two associates already settled here, before he took a seat in front of them and sipped on his.

"Well, I suppose that concludes our business," the largest of the two traders began. He could have easily passed off as a mercenary with his build. As his partner stayed silent, her eyes glowing in the dark, he threw a pouch full of coin on the table.

"I suppose it does," beamed Huck as he accepted the payment. But when he inspected the content of the pouch, his smile fell off. "Wait a minute," he forced a laughter. "This, uh, this isn't what we agreed on, so…"

"Demand for your wares has dropped since we made our arrangements," explained the bearded man, as composed as ever. "This is the new value."

"Wait, wait, wait. We shook on it. Ten thousand."

"Such are the risks of business."

"Ten," Huck insisted. But the man in front of him had no intention of budging.

"It's a fair price. I think you should take it," he suggested.

"No, no, no, no. I can't do that," stressed Huck as he grabbed his head. "I can'tdo that!"

He took the pouch and threw it back to the dishonest traders. A coin fell off, rolling on the table, and before it could fall, the female trader stabbed right through its center, pinning it to the table.

"Make your choice," she leaned forward, leaving the shadow of her seat. The contrast between her glowing eyes and her dark skin rendered the unspoken threat even more efficient.

"That's… not even a choice," muttered Jayce, bewildered by the unfairness of this "trade". The sad smile playing of his partner's lips told him it was a common occurrence in the Undercity.

"Classic…" confirmed Benzo.

Huck gulped, his eyes going back and forth the pouch of coins and the bowie knife. His life had certainly more value than whatever business he could ever run. Then again, his businesswashis life.

"You folk need anything?" the barman suddenly broke into the conversation.

"Leave us," the bearded trader responded flatly.

"You sure about that? Sounded to me like—"

"Piss off," his partner snarled.

"Ah."

As the barman walked away, the pair of traders stared at Huck, silently urging him to accept the deal. But the sound of scraping against the floor brought their attention back to the barman, who casually placed a chair at their table and took a seat, as if he just hadn't been dismissed.

Benzo snorted. He had already guessed his friend wouldn't give up that easily. Despite the last few years of relative peace, Vander had once led a rebellion against an entire system. A couple of foreign traders certainly wouldn't be enough to intimidate him.

"I think I know what you need."

"You don't seem to listen, barman—" snarled the female trader before she was interrupted.

"A bit of advice," Vander warned, pulling out a pipe from his chest pocket. "Don't threaten the guy who pours the drinks."

He prompted them to look around them, and the pair of traders noticed the bar had fallen completely silent. Every patron had stopped their activity to focus on their every move, faithfully waiting for a single word from him to pounce on them. The previous carefree atmosphere was completely gone as the Last Drop had transformed into a den full of hyenas.

Jayce swallowed the knot forming in his throat. Even from his seat, he could feel the tension in the bar. Suddenly, it made a lot of sense as to why the sheriff warned him about the children's father. This man pretty much controlled the Undercity. He really hope he hadn't gotten on his bad side. The explosion wasn'treallyhis fault after all, right?

The councilors were much less impressed. As the actual leaders of Piltover, and therefore, the Undercity, this power move was mostly all bark and no bite. But this level of control required an equal amount of respect, so Mel took note inside her head to keep an eye on the man anyway.

"So you're Vander," speculated the bearded man.

"Hound of the Underground," his partner added. "I expected something… younger."

"And we were expecting traders who would honor their words. So I guess we're all disappointed," sassed the barman as he lit up his pipe.

"You got us all wrong, my friend. We were just… negotiating."

"Now you're speaking my language. How about you give Huck the rest of what you owe him, and I'll let you walk out of here in one piece?"

Although his expression remained unchanged, the underlying threat behind his intonation was very real.

"Do we… have a deal?" inquired Vander as he offered his pipe to the foreigners.

The two traders considered his proposition for a moment, before realizing soon enough they didn't really have a choice in the matter. An irony from the gods, surely, considering they had tried to pull the same trick just a couple minutes before. Understanding their situation, the woman groaned. She accepted the smoke without ever breaking the eye-contact, but the moment she took a puff, a coughing fit forced her to look away.

"This is vile!" she shot as she returned the pipe.

"You'll learn to love it."

It was then that Vander noticed the main door of his establishment opening and the four teenagers scrambling their way inside, trying to avoid his gaze. The smirk on his face disappeared. He knew his kids well enough to recognize when something was off. Not that it was needed. He had made the connection between the recent commotion in the Uppercity and his kids as soon as he heard about it.

"Welcome to the Lanes," he told the pair of traders before leaving their table to follow the gang to their room.

They had crossed a line this time, he wouldn't even give some time to rest.

The three siblings groaned, already bracing themselves for the upcoming lecture. Somehow, they had managed to avoid it in this timelime, but their counterparts wouldn't be so lucky.

In the basement, the four children settled around and old coffee table. The couches they collapsed onto were worn-out, different tissues patching them up.

Very different from the furniture from her parents' home, Caintlyn noted, which were mostly there for decoration and were replaced at the slightest stain. These were actually being used, and despite the lack of harmony, they looked comfortable enough.

"Vander learns none of this," declared Vi from her seat. Her tone was firm, but her slouched posture and the hand supporting her forehead betrayed her resignation.

"No worries there, Powder took care of the evidence," reminded Mylo as he placed his feet on the table.

He never lets it go, does he?Although Ekko didn't vocalize his thought, the several eye-rolls which followed Mylo's statement told him he wasn't the one to think so.

For a moment, Powder abandoned her fetal posture to defend herself.

"I tried, ok? You don't get it, you're older, you're bigger… It isn't fair!" She argued, her arms waving around.

"So stick with us! Take a punch or two!"

The sound of the door opening interrupted Mylo's complain, as everyone's attention shifted on Vander, who just entered the room.

"Everyone all right?" he asked.

"Never better." Mylo tried to regain his composure, but the words came out like a spat anyway.

"Good. I don't suppose you can explain why is it that I'm hearing about an explosion and a foot chase Topside?" continued Vander as he walked down the stairs and circled the gang. The intonation of his voice told them he wasn't really asking. "Four children fleeing the scene."

The large man marked a pause, giving them a chance to explain themselves, but the teenagers stayed silent, still avoiding his gaze.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"That we can handle a real job," admitted Vi.

"A real job?"

"We got our own tip, planned a route, nobody even saw!"

"I beg to differ," Cassandra commented, and even Vi cringed at her own statement.

"You blew up a building!"

"That wasn't—"

"Did you even stop to thing what could have happened to you?" Vander interjected. "To them?"

Whatever futile defense Vi was about to utter never left her throat. She had been confident in the heist, and never doubted a moment it would succeed. But although the gang did manage to escape unharmed, this mission had undeniably been a disaster. She turned his question—accusation—over and over in her mind, and slowly blanched at the prospect of being responsible for one of her siblings' misfortune.

For the real Vi, though, this supposition wasn't just hypothetic. It had very much happened, and had not only cost her and her brothers' freedom, it had also put her sister in a coma. She couldn't help but be envious of her other self. Granted, being scolded was never a pleasing experience, but at least, her other self would only have to guess how it feels like to jeopardize your siblings' future. Vi knew, and now more than ever, she understood her father figure's point.

"Where did you even get this tip?" Vander demanded. But the eldest refused to speak any further.

"We heard it at Benzo's shop," admitted Powder after a few seconds of silence, her face barely rising from her curled figure.

"From who?"

"Little Man…"

And there goes his immunity. Ekko had hoped his alternative self would luckier, since his involvement had already been disclosed in this reality, but it seemed like not even his other self would be spared the lecture. He wasn't particularly mad at Powder for ratting him out, especially considering the massive consequences the incident had, but he was surprised Mylo didn't comment on it. He never missed an occasion to complain about her, so it was almost out of character of him to stay silent.

He glanced at him, ready to jump to his best friend's defense to whatever nonsense Mylo was about to spit, but the accusations never came. Instead, the older boy clenched his jaw.

Weird…

"I took us there." Vi redirected the attention on her, rising from her seat. "If you want to be mad, be mad at me. But you're the one who always says we have to ear our place in this world."

"I also told you time and time again, the Northside's off-limits," reminded Vander. "We stay out of Piltover's business!"

"Why? They've got plenty while we're down here scraping together coins. When did you get so comfortable living in someone else's shadow?"

An uncomfortable silence settled in the room. The accusation was harsh, but not completely unwarranted. After having a glimpse of the teenager's past, even the councilors had to acknowledge that.

"Everyone out."

Vander's order was received without a complaint. Everyone but Vi silently exited the room.

"Sit down," he instructed once they were alone.

"I'm fine," protested the teenager.

But this wasn't a request.

"Sit. Down."

With a resigned sigh, Vi complied.

"Those kids look up to you," Vander noted as he took a seat in front of her, his tone a tad softer.

The teen rolled her eyes. This much was obvious.

"Yeah, I know."

"You know, but you don't know," he continued, ignoring the rude gesture. "When people look up to you, you don't get to be selfish."

"I'm not—"

"You say run, they run. You say swim, they dive in. You say light a fire, they show up with oil."

Mylo and Claggor exchanged a brief look. They did indeed trust their sister more than anyone, and they would indeed follow her right into fire. Not always without protests, but ultimately, she was their leader and they trusted her judgment.

"But whatever happens, it's on you."

And once again, the lecture came like a punch to the stomach for Vi, her sister's absence a constant reminder of her failure.

Vander had wanted to spare his eldest the speech about responsibility for later, once Powder regained consciousness, but it seemed like it was pointless. At least, now, he was sure the lesson would stick with her. It was just a shame she had to learn it the hard way.

"Just like it's on me what happens to us down here,"his counterpart continued."We make ourselves a problem for Piltover, and they will send the enforcers."

"So? Why answer to them? These are our streets, someone should remind them of that!" insisted Vi.

"You're not hearing me. That path? This?" He grabbed her bloodied fist to emphasize on his point. "It's not gonna solve your problems. Just makes more of them."

As Mylo awkwardly grabbed his neck, his eyes lost on the ground, a solemn expression settled on Ekko's face. The lesson wasn't directly aimed at them, but they felt concerned all the same. Suddenly, the earlier fight wasn't so exciting anymore. Even Claggor, who had been more grounded, couldn't help but regret his other self's lack of actions.

Observing the teenagers' reactions, a weak smile played on Grayson's lips. There were a few things she could reproach Vander for, but his parenting skills weren't one of them. Granted, as the sheriff, knowing that he did encourage them to steal left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth, but it was not her place to judge the way Undercity children were raised.

"How'd you get this?" Vander asked as he cleaned the wounds on Vi's face.

The young girl flinched when the cloth touched her bruise—it was still fresh and very much sensitive—but she did not withdrew from the fatherly touch of her guardian.

"Some idiot was following us," she shrugged as Vander drenched the towel with even more alcohol.

"On our side? Who?"

"I don't know, he was after the stuff."

"And where is it now?"

For a moment, Vi hesitated, remembering how all of it had ultimately been pointless. But despite this, the thought of blaming her younger sister did not cross her mind. A sigh escaped her mouth.

"We lost it."

"All of it?" She nodded. "Good. Nothing can tie you to what happens up there. You're gonna have to lay low for a bit, understand?"

Exhausted by the day's events, Vi conceded the fight. She didn't have the energy to protest anymore. She had ran through half of Piltover to escape enforcers, but more than this, confronting Vander yet again about their miserable fate had exhausted her emotionally.

"Ok. We're gonna be fine, right?"

"I'll take care of it," assured Vander as he rose from his seat.

He grabbed a bag that was laying there and placed a few trinkets the teenagers kept just in case in it.

"Oh, you did put that idiot on his ass though, right?"

Vi didn't have to say anything. The smirk on her face was enough of an answer.

Recalling the earlier fight, the three siblings shared a knowing smile, this time more discreet about their satisfaction over its result.

Vander didn't miss this behavior change. Seeing his lecture—or at the very least, his counterpart's lecture—already bearing fruits was the best reward he could receive as their guardian. But Cassandra did not share his opinion.

"Violence is nothing to be proud of," she commented disapprovingly.

For she, who had never witnessed the atrocity of war like Heimerdinger, the cruelty of the Noxian culture like Mel, or even the brutality of the Undercity like Grayson, violence was never the answer. Just the peak of barbarism, which she sought to eradicate diplomatically.

An unwarranted opinion for the trenchers, naturally, who glared at her full of animosity.

And who was it who forced us to live this way?

The words weren't spoken, but they were delivered all the same.

At the other side of the door, Mylo was listening in the conversation. When the words were replaced by closing footsteps, he withdrew from the door and pretended to play with the ornament he just used to eavesdrop on his guardian and his sister under the curious eyes of his brother.

"Get up, Claggor, we're going out," Vander announced as soon as he opened the door.

"Wait, now?"

Disregarding the boy's silent complain, he turned to Mylo and tore the ornament from his hands, before shoving it into the bag.

"Hey, hey, that's mine!" accused Mylo.

"You wanna be treated like adults, right? Then you should know better than to come back from a job empty-handed."

Frustrated, Mylo huffed. He crossed his arms and rested his back against the wall, already mulling over this new punishment.

As if the lost haul wasn't enough.

"I'm gonna have a little word with your informant."

Followed by his oldest boy, Vander exited the basement.

"All right, give me the details of exactly what happened up there," he demanded when he left the Last Drop through the back door.

The duo passed by Powder without seeing her. The young girl hadn't seen them either, too busy searching through the clutter accumulated in an old pipe. Garbage for most people, but a real hidden treasure for the little tinkerer. A smile drew on her face as she managed to pull out an old claw trap that had long lost its sharpness.

If most people failed to see the appeal, Ekko, who often accompanied her during these treasure hunts when he wasn't working, could definitely see the potential. He was already re-purposing the bauble in his head when he saw the change in his friend's expression.

As Powder put away her new discovery in her pouch, she paused, the feeling of a rough stone brushing her hand. Remembering her personal finding during the heist, she pulled out a blue crystal.

"Oh shit," cursed Jayce. "Right, she still has those…"

An extremely volatile source of energy in the hands of a little girl with, apparently, a predisposition for making grenades. What could possibly go wrong?

Jayce had enough sense to keep this last thought to himself, but he had no doubt that he wasn't the only one to have noticed this particularly alarming detail.

Suddenly, Powder realized that not all of the haul had been lost after all. Eager to share the news to her siblings, but more specifically to her sister, she returned to the basement. Her enthusiasm, however, disappeared as soon as she reached their room.

"She's a problem," she heard Mylo complain.

Understanding he was referring to her, she put a halt to her race and hid behind the door, peeking through its gap.

Mylo was stretched out on the sofa while her sister was slouched on the armchair, exhausted.

"Mylo, I'm really not…" Vi started, rubbing her forehead.

"Do you remember what was in that bag?" Mylo continued anyway, bouncing his rubber ball against the metal board hanging on the wall. "The biggest payout we've ever seen, and she just lost it."

"She made a mistake."

"Name one time she hasn't."

"She's young!"

"Don't bullshit me, you were twice the person at half her age."

Despite her sister jumping to her defense, Powder grew smaller each time Mylo added something. She knew more than anyone else he was right. She knew she was lacking and she knew how much her inexperience impacted the others. But she was trying anyway. Wasn't it enough?

"You know what Mylo? You're right." Her sister replied to her unspoken thought. "There's a bunch of things Powder just can't do."

It wasn't enough.

Regardless of how much the others berated her, Powder was always willing to do her best so long as she had her sister's support. Because only Vi's opinion mattered. So no matter how many time Mylo mocked her, so long as it was good enough for Vi, she never gave up.

But she wasn't good enough.

Unwilling to listen to any more, Powder retraced her steps.

"Oh, come on…!" Vi lamented as she watched her heartbroken sister silently leave the basement like a ghost. She already knew that this wasn't what she meant to say, but she couldn't help but curse herself for hurting her sister's feelings anyway.

"You don't have to tell me twice."

As the real Mylo received a warning glare from all three members of his family, he mouthed a"What?", completely baffled.Hehadn't said anything—not the real him anyway—so why glare at him? Even he wouldn't have twisted the knife had he known she was there.Probably...

"Like complain about everything,"the other-Vi went on, clearing the misunderstanding a tad too late.

"What?"

"And brag nonstop."

"Ok, ok, I see where this is going," Mylo rolled his eyes, as he continued to bounce his rubber ball with renewed frustration. But this time, the teenage girl caught it mid-air.

"Pick fights with the group when we need to focus…"

"Vi, I—"

"… and tell strangers on the street we got a nice haul?"

Yeah, that definitely wasn't the smartest move. Even the real Mylo had to acknowledge that.

As Vi threw the ball at his feet, her own internalized frustration coming back all at once, Mylo tried to defend himself. But she didn't let him.

"I didn't mean to—"

"Powder's my problem, ok?" She declared with a firm voice. "You're problem is never knowing when to shut up. But I'm gonna help you with that. Ready? See this look on my face?" She pointed at her own exasperated expression. "This will always mean it's time to shut up."

"But…" Mylo started before Vi emphasized on her expression.

"I…" Once again, the teenage girl interrupted him, gesturing frenziedly at her own face.

In an instant, the tension within the room disappeared, replaced by mild amusement.

If Ekko didn't have a mother at his side to watch his every action and let out a hearty laugh without a care, Caitlyn tried very hard to fight the smile forming on her lips. Fortunately for her, her mother seemed too busy, rolling her eyes at the petty argument, to notice.

Suddenly self-conscious, the two siblings looked away, trying not to meet anyone's gaze. Especially not Ekko's or Claggor's, as they knew they wouldn't miss the occasion to tease them about it.

The adults didn't spare them. Most of them didn't care to hide their amusement as snorts and chuckles resonated within the room. This much needed respite, however short it was, lightened up the mood.

After walking for moment, Vander and Claggor reached a less animated part of the Undercity.

Benzo placed his hand on his apprentice's shoulder to bring his attention back to the screen as he immediately recognized his own name on the sign.

"Nobody comes in," Vander told Claggor before he retrieved the bag from him and entered the building.

"We're closed," the shopkeeper announced as he heard the bell ringing, barely lifting his eyes from the ornament he was inspecting.

A bright smile on his face, Ekko looked up at his mentor. Understanding his silent eagerness to finally see themselves appear in this alternative reality, Benzo nodded.

"Well, open up," Vander said as if it was obvious.

"For good," Benzo insisted. "You can take your worthless junk elsewhere."

"Just as well. Owner's shittiest businessman I know."

There was an uncertain pause between the two men as they eyed each other. For a moment, the Piltovans worried that they might witness another fight, and considering the difference in weight class and the fact that it would involve the de-facto leader of the Lanes, they didn't doubt the altercation would be even more brutal. However, before they could tense in their seat, both men burst out in laughter, betraying their close friendship.

"Ekko, what's going on with that thing?" Benzo asked, turning to a boy tinkering an old clock a little further inside the shop.

When he finally saw himself appear, Ekko jumped from his seat and turned to his friends, pointing at the screen.

"That's me!" he exclaimed.

"No shit," deadpanned Mylo before a smile broke onto his face. "As little as ever, huh?"

"You aren't that much bigger, you know?" Claggor noted.

"Hey!"

Watching the boy full of enthusiasm, Caitlyn wondered if she was also going to appear at some point. Did she have an important role to play in this other reality? She hoped she did. She had always stayed in her mother's shadow after all. Then again, as far as she knew, this other reality also ended in a complete tragedy.

"Give me a few seconds," Ekko replied as he continued to work on the clock. "The cannon pinion's still busted."

"Finish it later," Benzo objected. "Vander and I need a word."

"But…"

"Uh-uh, off you go."

Upset, the boy threw his spanner on the floor. His frustration didn't last long, however, as he picked a couple of box and left the shop to join his friend just outside.

"Claggor!"

"Hey, Little Man!"

"You're a little early," Benzo pointed out once Vander closed the door behind the boy. "My guys are still roungin' up this months' collections. Won't have numbers until next, uh…"

As his friend emptied the content on his bag on the counter, he narrowed his eyes. Those were mostly useless gadgets; good enough to tinker if you knew what you were doing, but otherwise pretty much unsellable. They were, however, still the prized possession of Vander's kids. Though one might have thought that it was a petty punishment to take them away from his kids, Vander hoped the lesson would last longer if it had actual consequences for them. For Benzo, however, these trinkets were just cumbersome.

"Why are you muckin' about with this?"

"I assume you've heard," Vander speculated.

"Yeah," Benzo snorted, "me and half the Undercity."

"How could they be so stupid?"

"The younger folk think it's the right thing to do."

"Yeah, and Vi's one of them. Throws herself at trouble wherever she can find some."

Hard to deny that, cringed Vi.

"They're growing up, Vander. Looking to write their own stories. You can't protect them forever."

And that was exactly what he feared. Standing all powerless amidst the crowd during his own kids' trial had proven Vander his friend was right. He would still fight for them, though. So long as he was standing, he would still do everything within his power to protect their future. Even if he had to give his soul for it.

"Someone was following them,"his counterpart went on, as if to warn him about the threat.

"Whole lot of someones from what I've heard."

"Not enforcers," Vander emphasized. "Someone on our side."

Catching the underlying concern in his tone, Benzo furrowed.

"Who?"

Vander stayed silent for a moment as his eyes fell to the leather scrap covering his right forearm. Burried memories suddenly reemerging in his mind, his brows furrowed.

"There's worse things than enforcers out there," he continued, placing his other hand on the invisible scar. A shameful reminder of a shameful past. "We both know that."

And they certainly did. Vander had never forgotten abouthim. He was once his biggest regret. Now, he was becoming his biggest fear. The shadow of a past he tried to leave behind was catching up, threatening the small peace he managed to attain for his little family. A retribution for his sins, surely. But while Vander was always willing to make up for his past mistakes, this time, punishment came in the worst possible way. The man he once considered his kin would be coming after his new family.

And while the others hadn't picked on the underlying meaning of his other self's warning, their attention had certainly perked at the mention of something apparently worse than enforcers.

After all...What could possibly be worse than enforcers?

Chapter 10: Under the Surface

Summary:

On the recording, Vi makes a vow to her sister, and the appearance of an old friend unnerves Vander.

Chapter Text

While the two men continued their discussion, the youngsters were left on their own outside. For a moment, Ekko tried to steal a glance through the door's window. But as soon as he determined that whatever discussion Vander and Benzo were having wasn't worth his attention, he immediately turned to his friend.

"Did you guys go?" he asked, his eyes full of expectations.

"Sure did," Claggor confirmed. "Hey, listen, how did you find that place?" he inquired as he took his goggles off, unknowingly displaying the bruise forming on his right eye.

"Wouah, did you fight the enforcers?" guessed Ekko in awe.

There was no better medal of honor in the Undercity than bruises and scars.

"What? Oh, no, just some bums."

"Did Vi kick their asses?"

It wasn't a real question. The knowing smile his younger friend gave him was enough of an indication for Claggor to understand that Ekko could already guess the answer.

"Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't be here otherwise," he joked.

"Oh, she showed me a couple moves to practice, look!"

As Claggor took the boxes which were handed to him, Ekko prepared himself to show off his best moves. Once he was ready, he executed a perfectly memorized series of punches, improvising a few kicks here and there.

This time, it was Ekko's turn to be self-conscious. Despite his diligent practice, he had figured he wouldn't reach Vi's level anytime soon, but he had thought… He had hoped that he would look… cooler than this. It was the first time he was seeing himself from an outsider's point of view, but even to his untrained eyes, he looked clumsy. Maybe he should start practicing in front of a mirror from now on…

And dear Janna, he almost showed off to Powder!

If the gang was generous enough not to comment on it —though he didn't miss the way Mylo tucked his lips in and how Claggor conveniently looked away— the unfiltered laugh of Benzo at his side only deepened the red on his cheeks.

"Yeah, it's… it's coming along," hesitated Claggor. "So how'd you find that place, anyway?"

Uh oh…

"This weirdo came into the shop."

UH OH!

"Bough a whole bunch of stuff Benzo only keeps there for display. He paid in gold and didn't even haggle. I charged him double price, sucker."

His earlier embarrassment forgotten, Ekko hid behind Benzo, using his mentor's body to block himself out of thesucker'sline of view. Despite this, he could still feel his gaze piercing through his soul. He tried to ignore it, dismiss it, but his mentor's chuckle told him that he was indeed being glared at.

Used to buy his materials here and there, Jayce never really paid attention to the dealers, only to the materials. So up until now, the boy's face didn't so much as rise the slightness hint of familiarity in his mind. But now, his eyes were lightening up in recognition.

As soon as he remembered the transaction, he rose from his seat, bewildered. He looked for the boy, but failed to notice him anywhere. It was Caitlyn's eyes, silently urging him to sit back down, which brought him back to his senses. Realizing he was only going to ridicule himself even further, he turned his attention back on the screen with a forced cough.

Right. It was embarrassing enough to learn that he'd been scammed like that. By a boy nonetheless. Who called him a sucker, and who also just happened to also be indirectly responsible for the heist that ended up blowing up his apartment. But what was the point in confronting him about it now? There were greater things at stake. It was just a child doing what he had to do to survive. He supposed. Hoped.

The disappointed sigh of Caitlyn's mother did make it difficult for him to try and be the bigger person though. But that was fair, he guessed. It was her money he wasted after all.

"But how did you know where he lived?" Claggor inquired.

"Uh, followed him, how else?"

Oh, but of course. It wasn't enough he got scammed, he also let himself be followed. At this point, Jayce couldn't tell if he was disappointed by his own naivety, or impressed by this kid's… versatility.

The abrupt arrival of two visitors from the other side of the river put an end to the two friends' discussion. From a distance, the foreboding yet familiar sound of metallic boots resonated, the figure of two enforcers appearing in the fog.

Despite not being familiar with seeing her with her mask, Caitlyn was the first one —excluding the sheriff herself— to recognize Grayson, which meant the man at her side must have been Marcus, her deputy-sheriff.

"Oh, crap," worried Claggor.

"They'll be fine, go!" his friend urged before the pair of enforcer noticed them.

Claggor didn't need to be asked twice. He only hesitated a second before he ran off in the opposite direction.

Although Vander did ask him to guard the door, he didn't doubt he would rather have him put his own safety first, especially if the enforcers were here for him. His father figure would be in a better position to deal with them.

His friend now gone into the shadows, Ekko quickly assessed his surroundings, before opting to lean on the monocycle resting on the wall. The poor ride had suffered his and Powder's many adventures and was in a desperate need of a repair, but with his tool box nearby, it offered the perfect alibi to just be there.

"Well, hello!" he greeted as naturally as possible, putting on his most charming smile.

The two enforcers barely acknowledged the boy.

The three siblings exchanged worried glances. So far, they had only been envious of this alternative reality. Although they didn't doubt it would change sooner or later, their current fate seemed much more miserable than their counterpart's. Even with the lost loot, their counterparts had managed to get away from enforcers after all. But evidently, it seemed like it wouldn't be the end of it.

Inside of the shop, the two men had long moved on from their serious discussion to a more lighthearted one, cups in hand. But when the door opened, their smile faltered and Benzo lowered his drink.

"Evening, friends," he greeted out of pure professionalism as the enforcers took their mask off, revealing their faces. "Something I can help you with?"

The official apparition of Grayson created a strange feeling of anticipation among the Piltovans. She was the first of them to make the scene and manifestly play a role in this other reality. So far, they had only be spectator. Only now it felt like they were becoming participants.

The two enforcers stepped forward, joining the two friends at the counter. But while the sheriff had the decency to take her helmet off —the clear sign she was going to be there for a while— her deputy didn't care to do the same.

"Some trencher trash attacked one of the buildings in the Academy district," Marcus stated as he inspected the shop before his eyes set on Vander. "But you already knew that."

"We're looking for the culprits," continued Grayson.

Unperturbed, Vander took a mouthful of his drink.

"Got a description?"

"Yeah. It's exactly who you're picturing in that thick head of yours," accused the deputy-sheriff.

"Mh. You think my head is thick?"

"Uh, just past the average," shrugged Benzo.

There were a few snickers in the trencher side. It was clear that the two friends didn't take this interrogation seriously —or at the very least, that they didn't take thedeputy-sheriffseriously. They had no reason to. Their friendship with Grayson was based on mutual respect, built by many years of mediation. Not only Marcus lacked the sheriff's sagacity, he was also very transparent about his feelings; he had no intention to consider them equals.

The councilors weren't nearly as amused. Regardless of his character, the deputy-sheriff was a representative of Piltover on official duty. And if they hadn't missed this pure display of disrespect, neither did Marcus.

"Listen, you shady son of a—" he started before Grayson interjected.

"How about you go for a little walk, Marcus? Cool off a bit."

Although it was offered as a suggestion, it was clear that is was an order. The deputy-sheriff glared at the two trenchers at his side, unwilling to drop the matter. But Marcus knew better than to contest the word of his direct superior. Begrudgingly, he complied.

Well that looks familiar.

Having already had a glimpse of his poor character, Jayce couldn't help to empathize a little with the trenchers. Being cornered like an animal before even having the chance to defense yourself was a terrible feeling —although, to be fair, in their case, they were indeed guilty. It was to wonder how he even got to his position. Marcus was the perfect opposite of Grayson: young, inexperienced, and clearly impulsive. And although Jayce wouldn't dare to claim knowing anything about official affairs, he couldn't help but be concerned about the future if this man was ever to succeed the sheriff.

As the deputy-sheriff walked to the door, Ekko, who had been watching the whole interaction through the window, got away just in time to miss him.

Completely unaware of the boy climbing the roof just around the corner, Marcus put his mask back on and stayed on guard, waiting for his superior to finish.

Ekko climbed through an open window and arrived in the storeroom, directly above the shop. There, he rushed to an old pipe that he had re-purposed into a periscope connected —and cleverly hidden by a mask— to the room below, and adjusted the mirrors to get a better view of what was happening down there.

Benzo rose his brows. He let Ekko entirely manage the storeroom, so it had been a while since he last put a foot in there, and while he couldn't say he was surprised the boy reorganized the space to his convenience and tinkered a few things here and there,thiswas not what he had expected.

He directed his gaze on his pupil, silently demanding an explanation, but Ekko had already adverted his eyes away.

Well, at least he can't hear them.

But even this last thought was refuted as he saw on the boy hit a cylinder horn on the recording to adjust the sound, transforming the indistinct chatter into clear voices.

He sighed.

"To each his own kid problems," he heard Vander snicker at his side.

"Lovely chap you've brought," sassed Benzo.

"Don't mind the kid," Grayson replied. "Doesn't know when to pipe down."

"Some things are the same Topside and bottom," Vander noted as he offered the woman a drink.

Grayson gladly accepted. She drank it down in one.

"You know this crossed a line upstairs," she returned to the subject of interest.

"Was anyone hurt?"

"A building was blown to pieces. What do you think?"

"Those who did this will be dealt with," Vander promised as a sigh escaped his mouth.

But this wasn't good enough for the sheriff.

"That workshop belonged to the Kirammans,"she continued as both Caitlyn and her mother reacted to the name."You know what kind of stuff they had in there? Makes this place look like a candy shop." She gestured all around her to emphasize on her point, ignoring Benzo's offended expression. "The Council needs someone to make an example of. People need to feel safe."

"Yeah," Vander snorted. "Topside people."

"We had a deal, Vander."

Did they now?

Both Vander and Grayson frowned as their secret deal wasn't so secret anymore.

"You keep your people out of my streets, and I stay out of your business."

Everyone's attention perked at this new information. But while the councilors decided to keep it aside in their head for later —you didn't justallowfissurefolks to run wild, after all— the kids were much more transparent about their emotion.

Mirroring Ekko's expression on the recording, the three siblings turned to their guardian, as to confirm what they just heard.

Vander did not react. He knew their hatred for enforcers was too deep rooted for them to see the bigger picture now. Once, his also was. But being in charge also meant overlooking your own feelings to do what's best for everyone.

"Give me a name, we'll do things quietly," Grayson offered. "No one will know you were involved."

"I can't do that."

"You don't seem to grasp how serious this is. If I don't put someone behind bars tonight, the next time I come down there, I'll have an army of enforcers with me. We both know how that will go."

If learning their father figure was bargaining with enforcers hadn't been enough, this threat for sure brought the kids on edge.

Vi clenched the edge of her seat, Mylo gritted his teeth, Ekko furrowed, and even Claggor, the most composed out of the four, tensed in his seat. But if they all felt varying levels of concern at the prospect of enforcers once again roaming the streets of the Undercity like they owned the place, they all shared the same sentiment: indignation.

"I'm sorry Grayson, but I can't offer up my own people," insisted Vander.

Understanding it was pointless to push the matter any further, the sheriff opted to give him some time to think about it.

"If you change your mind, this will reach me," she explained as she presented a pneuma-tube on the counter. "And only me."

Grayson sighed.

The Undercity had a strong survival of the fittest mentality, so it wasn't so rare for its inhabitants to stab each other in the back. One wrong look, one wrong word, and a brawl broke out. People died for nothing down there. Yet, whenever Topside was involved, they were loyal to a fault. It was almost ironic to see how they had each other's back as if they just didn't try to kill each other just a few moments before.

Grayson had concluded her investigation in a day, but she knew her counterpart wouldn't be as lucky. Vander wasn't going to cave in. He wasn't going to surrender anyone in,especiallynot his kids.

In the basement of the Last Drop, the phonograph was playing. The room had been vacated by all but one occupant, lying upside down on her bed. Determined to forget about the day's events, Powder distracted herself by already putting to use her newly found scraps.

There was a melancholic smile drawing on Viktor's face as he watched the child work. The Academy served pretty much everything on a plate, but once, he too had to salvage his own materials from junkyards. He too had been isolated from others, his talent unrecognized. There was this strange connection he couldn't help but feel with this young child. Her skills were crude, but the aptitude was undeniably there. It was a shame it couldn't be nurture in a better way.

Her latest contraption over, Powder grabbed a crayon from her tool box to add the finishing touch: a threatening mouth displaying an impressive amount of razor teeth.

"What are you calling this one?" her sister's voice broke her out of her focus as she appeared on the bed frame.

"Whisker," she replied with a barely audible voice as she continued to color the toy-grenade.

Sensing her dejection, Vi sat at her side.

"You wanna talk about today?"

"What's the point?" Powder rose to curl on herself. "I ruined everything, I always do."

"Nobody said that."

"No, just that you were twice the person at half my age."

"Good job Mylo," deadpanned Vi.

"Oh, come on," the boy argued. "It's not like I knew she was there!"

"And that's why you shouldn't speak behind people's back," Caitlyn chimed in.

Both siblings turned to her, a bit surprised by her intervention. Even her mother raised an eyebrow at her. To be fair, Caitlyn hadn't meant to say this out-loud. After witnessing all these disparities between her life and theirs, the last thing she wanted was to pose as a lesson-giver. But the words had escaped her mouth somehow, so she pretended to focus on the screen and ignored the stares.

"You heard them. I'm not a fighter."

"You don't have to be," Vi assured softly. "Look I've got these," she showed her fists, "and you've got those," she gestured to the many contraptions her sister had made, hanging from the bunk bed.

"They never work!" Powder argued.

"They will." There was no doubt in her tone. "Come with me."

As Vi rose from the bed and walked away, Powder abandoned her fetal posture.

"What?"

"Come on!"

The sisters walked for a while until they reached the higher levels of the Undercity. They moved to a two store building; and old mill that had been abandoned, and was now mostly occupied by squatters. Once they reached the roof, Vi sat on the edge and invited her sister to do the same.

"What are we doing here?" Powder asked, still unsure of the purpose of this trip.

"See that gutter running along the canal?" When her sister squinted, unsure what to look at, Vi took the monocular she had wedged in the railing and offered it to her. "That's where Claggor got his foot stuck running from enforcers," she continued once Powder found the spot she was pointing at. "They thought it was funny, so they left him there."

Embarassed, Claggor rubbed the back of his neck. Not his most glorious moment for sure. Fortunately for him, most Piltovans were too busy to scowl in disgust when they saw a man peeing out in the open directly into the gutter to pay attention to the story. For so many reasons, this was something that they would never see in the Uppercity.

"He was out all night before we found him."

A small smile drew on Powder's lips.

"That sign?" Vi went on as she redirected the monocular to a large sign, which art had been covered by a crude middle finger painted in red. "You see it?"

"Oh, come on!" Mylo complained, immediately recognizing his own painting. "That was supposed to be between us!"

The young girl shrugged unapologetically.

"Mylo tripped over his own paint bucket and nearly fell off, trying to paint a giant middle finger. His ass made that splotch."

Powder's soft laugh wasn't the only one to fill the the room. His own embarrassing story forgotten, Claggor tried to choke down a laugh. Ekko wasn't as reserved. The image of the scrawny boy tripping over his bucket of paint after cursing the world was too much for his self-control. He burst out laughing.

Mylo's cheeks turned red. There was only so much embarrassment he could take, but even the Piltovans were silently chuckling. Betrayed, he glared at the pink-haired girl and this time, Vi sent him an apologetically gaze.

If she didn't mind punishing the boy a little for her sister's suffering, him becoming the laughing stock for the Topsiders' entertainment was not something she had planned and even he didn't deserve this kind of humiliation.

"And that?"

This time, Vi pointed at a stuffed rabbit tangled between cables just a few meters from them.

"When I was a kid, some guy took my favorite toy and threw it up there," she recounted. "I used to come out here at night and stare at it, hoping maybe the wind or a bird might knock it down."

"What a tragedy," grumbled Mylo ironically, still not over the pink-haired girl's betrayal.

The melancholy settling in her face, Vi paused.

"We've all had bad days," she turned to her sister and gave her a loving gaze. "But we learn, and we stick together."

As if to emphasize her point, she brought her sister closer. A soft smile spread on Powder's face as she nuzzled in her embrace. Once again, there was no hint of doubt in Vi's voice, so she could only trust her words.

A proud smile stretched on Vander's face.

It was undeniable that his girl had some major anger issues, and even if she was slowly starting to challenge his authority, he could only be grateful by her soft approach with Powder. His youngest was a difficult child. Sometimes, even Vander had troubles connecting with her. She wouldn't let anyone but her sister in. And he could understand why; the way Vi nurtured her sister was irreproachable.

Vander wasn't the only one to think so. When Caitlyn had first met Vi, she'd been this fierce girl —borderline frightening— threatening to chew her up if she didn't get out of her way. The recording only confirmed her first impression. She saw a ferocious fighter, a hot-blooded leader, a frustrated daughter, but now, all she could see was a supportive and ever loving sister. And that was really endearing.

"Oh, I forgot," Powder remembered, her spirits now lifted. She turned to search in her pouch, pulled three crystals out and presented them to her sister. "These were in my pocket. They're from the apartment."

"What are they?" Vi inquired.

"Very dangerous," Jayce commented, this time out-loud. And despite his sprouting affection for the girl, Viktor could only nod in agreement.

"I don't know. Should we show Vander?"

"Yes," Vander urged. But unsurprisingly, his eldest had other ideas.

"No!"

The loud chuckle of Benzo drowned his sigh. Resigned, Vander did not react to the way his friend lightly patted his shoulder.

Vi shifted in her seat, the guilt unsettling her. She'd never realized how much trouble she caused Vander. Seeing it like that was strangely eye-opening. Maybe she'll try to listen to him a bit more once this experience was over…

As Vi read the uncertainty on her sister's face, her expression softened.

"Let's keep this our little secret," she suggested as she gave Powder a knowing smile. The younger girl mirrored it almost immediately. "Mylo's wrong, Powder. You're stronger than you think. And one day…"

The teenage girl rose to her feet, her gaze settled in the distance. From up there, Piltover seemed so far, and yet, there was only a bridge between them. But while even in the dark of the night, the Uppercity shone in all its glory, the Undercity stayed in the shadow, invisible. Forgotten.

"… this city's gonna respect us."

It wasn't a simple statement. Vander knew; it was a vow. And as he watched the same fire that once burned into his heart lit into is kids' eyes, an unsettling chill crept along his skin. An old memory arose in his mind, and for a moment, he felt a familiar presence beside him;theytoo had once made the same vow, and he regretted it every day.

Vander didn't have the time to reminisce too much though, as the scenery on the recording completely changed.

Piltover faded, slowly replaced an everlasting blue. It took a few seconds for everyone to understand they were watching at the ocean.

The Topsiders were especially taken aback by the sight. They had seen the ocean before —their tallest buildings offered a nice view of it— but they had never seen the world underneath it. Despite all its glory, Piltover had been exclusively built on the surface, none of its grand windows offered such a view on this underwater world.

However, before the Topsiders had the time to get lost in its beauty, a boy suddenly appeared in the frame, thrown against a chair.

"Is that…?" Claggor asked as he recognized his face.

Vi nodded.

"Yeah, that's the prick who tried to rob us."

"Not that anything you were carrying belonged to you anyway,"Jayce smiled dryly at the thought.

Deckard was panting, his eyes frantically inspecting his surrounding. His entire body was betraying his anxiety —a real contrast to the hairless cat relaxing only a meter away from him, lazily yawning its fatigue away— but despite the way his heart screamed at him, he didn't move an inch.

"In trouble, now, are we?" scoffed Mylo.

Vi had done wonders to his face. The bruise over his eye was a small consolation for the loss of the haul.

Two men circled around the boy. The first one, a large man covered with tattoos, was clearly unimpressed by the boy. He barely spared him a look before he stopped in front of him. The second one, however, eyed him disturbingly, without ever blinking.

The feeling of something brushing against his leg, Deckard's frantic panting stopped for a second, as his attention shifted to the cat. Seemingly oblivious to his stress, the little beast was rubbing affectionately its body against him. But before he could even think of reacting, the smaller man of the two forced him to look up again as he pressed a pipe under his chin.

"You were supposed to follow them and not interfere."

For a moment, Vander's heart stopped beating.

In the shadow, the figure of a man seated at a table appeared. He was lean, almost bony, but he carried himself with a strange elegance that was foreign to the Undercity, and could almost be compared to the mannerism of Piltovan aristocrats. Almost.

Despite his face remaining hidden in the darkness, Vander knew; this man was no Topsider.

He knew that voice. It had changed slightly over the years and became hoarser —most likely the result of tabacco— but it was still very recognizable.

If just a few seconds before, he had been grateful for the change of scenery, allowing him to clear his head, now, he was spiraling down in his past faster than ever.

"I'm sorry," Deckard tried to articulate —which wasn't an easy task with the pressure against his throat. "They just… caught us by surprise."

"What does he mean we caught them by… He's the one who jumped us!" exclaimed Mylo. His two siblings nodded.

"Now his accomplice is asking questions about you," the man continued, seemingly deaf to the boy's defense. "That's not a risk I'm willing to take."

There was a stranger device in his hands. Most people couldn't recognize what it was, even when he assembled the two pieces together. It was only when he brought it to his face and the needle stabbed his eye that they winced in aversion.

"Ew! What kind of lunatic does that?" Ekko cringed.

What kind, indeed. If the scientists could guess that the syringe contained some kind of drug, a direct administration to the eye was peculiar, to say the least.

"The kids. It was their fault," Deckard accused through clenched teeth, panic rising in his system. "The explosion, in the Uppercity."

"That was them?"

"Yeah, the Topsiders are up in arms looking for 'em."

The three siblings clicked their tongue almost in unison.

"What a snitch."

They had no empathy for Deckard. Not only had the boy tried to jump them and caused them to lose the fruit of their hard work, he was now also putting the blame on them. It did raise a question though: since this man had apparently instructed Deckard to follow them, who was he and what did he want with them?

Vander had an idea, and so did Benzo. Although no word was spoken, the concerned glance they exchanged had said enough.

The man ran his fingers along his chin, mulling over the new information he obtained.

"Vander's in trouble."

When he turned around, revealing a glowing eye, Caitlyn flinched. It was undoubtedly a rude thing to do, but it was hard not to react when she's never seen something like this before. Even her mother couldn't prevent a frown from appearing on her face —although it did disappear almost as soon as it appeared. What kind of injury was this?

As if to answer her unspoken question, the man rose from his seat and stepped into the light, revealing a nasty scar on his face. Caitlyn knew what a burn mark looked like —her father sometimes treated imprudent firemen— and it didn't quite look like one. Instead, it almost seemed as if the skin was necrotized.

Vander winced. He had never seen Silco since he disappeared that night, so he had never seen the result of his… decision. He knew it would have at least left a scar —the toxic waters of the Undercity were sure to infect any wound after all— but he hadn't expected it to look this bad. Could he even see from his left eye?

"Smartest thing you ever said, boy." The scar-faced man told Deckard, who let out a nervous chuckle. "Get him a meal. But keep him off the streets."

His men complied. As he stopped in front of the glass facade, admiring the underwater world in front of him, Deckard was dragged away.

"Our timeline has moved up," he announced.

Behind him, someone was handling a couple of test tubes at a workbench. There was an array of laboratory glassware on the desk on front of him, and all of it was filled with some kind of purple liquid. And it wasglowing.

"What is that…?" worried Mel.

Being constantly surrounded by war and death, Mel had developed a sixth sense for danger in Noxus, and although she knew nothing about chemistry, right now, every inch of her was warning her about a potential threat.

But while the councilwoman was completely focused on the unknown purple liquid, two other men in the room were much more alarmed by the identity of the man handling it.

Over the last couple of centuries, Heimerdinger had taken a lot of brilliant pupils under his wings, and while some disappeared into the abyss of his memory, others left a bigger mark. Singed was one of the latter.

Heimerdinger didn't remember where he came from, or if he even ever mentioned it, he just remembered being intrigued by the genius of his mind and inviting him to the Academy, until discovering there wasn't much he could teach him after all. Soon, the pupil became a partner, and eventually, the partner became a stranger.

Singed had no respect for the Ethos. His scientific mind was bound by no ethics nor morals, so he had been not only banished from the Academy, but also from Piltover all together.

Heimerdinger had hoped the punishment would open his eyes and hadn't though much about it afterwards, but now, he was starting to seriously doubt it had.

For Viktor, this wasn't so surprising. The man had once been his mentor, so he knew how he worked. It was this exact lack of boundaries that had brought him to walk away from him. Viktor's interest for science had always been oriented toward altruism. He wanted to use his knowledge to help people. Singed wanted to gain knowledge at the expense of them. This was a fundamental difference that prevented the two men to pursue any form of partnership.

Viktor had never regretted his decision. He had since found a better mentor, whose morals aligned with his. But it was still a bitter feeling to see the old Singed again. Unsurprisingly, he hadn't changed.

"It's almost ready," the chemist said, inspecting the test tube.

"Show me."

Now completely awake from its nap, the hairless cat moved to a glass tank nearby. There was a rat sleeping in there, completely unaware of the predator watching him.

"Feeding time," Singed said as he picked the cat up and put it into the vivarium.

Without a glass to keep its prey out of reach anymore, the feline instinctively crouched low to the ground and slowly started to creep forward, deaf to the sound of the tank closing and being locked above it.

Jayce frowned. It was a suspiciously advanced locking system for a tank containing a single rat.

"And the side effects?" Silco asked as he joined the chemist.

"Stabilizing."

Singed tapped the glass of the tank with his finger. Receptive to the sound, the rodent woke up in a startle. Finally noticing the presence of the predator, it rushed to its sipper bottle, containing the purple liquid.

"What is it doing…?" Caitlyn mumbled as she watched it drink the unknown liquid.

Suddenly, the rat squeaked in pain, and its body jerked, overtaken by spasms. The liquid quickly spread into its system, forcibly mutating it. The rodent's eyes soon turned purple, emulating the same glow as the drug's, and its muscles significantly grew in size.

"Oh gods… Please tell him it's not going to kill the cat," Jayce prayed as even the cat on the screen seemed to have sense the danger.

The appeal of an easy meal had suddenly disappeared, and survival instinct had overtaken hunting instinct. The cat stopped in his track, alarmed by this unexpected turn of event, and with nowhere to escape, it arched its back in a desperate attempt to appear bigger and yowled at the prey turned predator. Unfortunately for it, it wasn't enough to deter the mutated rat.

It was in a distressing horror that everyone watched the cat being mauled to death. The faintest of heart had averted their gaze just in time to avoid the slaughter, but the cat's screams as its life was being stripped away from him were enough to fill in the details in their head anyway.

"You have a subject in mind?" The chemist asked, completely unfazed by the horror that just happened.

"Someone just volunteered."

Right. This… was not good. This was not good at all.

Chapter 11: Some Mysteries are Better Left Unsolved

Summary:

Everyone gets a glimpse of Jayce's past, as he realizes his counterpart might not be as lucky as him.

Chapter Text

Parenthood was a strange thing.

Once, Vander had been willing to do everything to achieve his dream of independence. A few lost lives wouldn't have made him falter. No one could expect to fight a war without casualties after all. Albeit sorrowful, they were necessary sacrifices for their long awaited freedom. It was worth it.

Until it wasn't.

Although Vander never particularly wished to have children of his own, he always marveled at how the little creatures woke up every day without a single care, happy to discover the world around them. Even in scarcity and hardship, they seemed to find hope where none of them adults could. And yet, in the matter of only a couple of days, these same children lost their spark. All optimism had disappeared from their eyes as they became orphans and were forced into adulthood.

Suddenly, his dream didn't seem that important anymore, and when he took the orphans in, his priorities changed even further.

As the sole caretaker of four children, he couldn't risk getting injured and leaving the kids to fend for themselves for Janna knows how long, so he stopped fighting all together, found other ways to make ends meet. And as if it wasn't enough, he also swallowed his pride back and negotiated peace with the Topsiders. Anything for his kids.

It was something that would have been unimaginable for his younger self, but no matter how humiliating it was, the soft giggles that were sure to await him at home made it all worth it.

Vander had always regretted the way he turned against the man he called his brother all these years ago. Their newly found difference in opinion shouldn't have been enough for him to kill him. But he had tried anyway. He betrayed the trust Silco had put in him and used the same hands that once protected him to strangle him. And although he had, thankfully, failed to kill him, it was a terrible mistake that he would never be able to erase.

He regretted it. He really did. And yet, right now, his treacherous and hypocritical heart couldn't help but lament on how he failed to finish the job.

Parenthood was a strange thing. If Vander had sought to apologize to Silco if he ever saw him again, at the moment, he was sure he would try to strangle him again instead, for the only sin of preying on his kids.

"What was that?!" Jayce jumped from his seat, having finally recovered from the gruesome scene he just watched.

"A clear violation of the Ethos," sighed Heimerdinger.

For the yordle, there was no worse disappointment than seeing an old pupil walking the wrong path.

"They're not… going to use this on humans, right?"

Of course they are, Viktor thought dryly.

Singed had no regard for life, and based on what he'd seen so far, the other man didn't seem much better.

"We can't afford to wait to find that out," Mel said, her voice firm and decided. "We need to report this to the Council."

""This won't be needed," Heimerdinger shook his head. "Singed is well-known in the Academy."

"Singed?" Jayce furrowed his brows as he picked on the familiarity in the yordle's tone. "You know this person, Professor?"

"Yes. Singed was… an old student of mine. He was expelled from the Academy."

"I can fathom why," quipped Cassandra. "All the more reason to find him before he carries out whatever evil-doing he's planning," she waved her hand at the hologram, expressing her clear distaste for the man.

"What about the other man?" Viktor asked.

Singed was a lone wolf. He only allowed a handful of people near him, and even then, most didn't stick around. A man who not only shared the same apathy as the mad chemist but also supported his projects could only be dangerous.

"Well, I suppose you could enlighten us about his identity," Mel started as she turned around to the trenchers, her eyes stopping on one person specifically. "Vander, was it? He seemed to know you."

The barman frowned. They did know each other, but he had no intention of disclosing his past to these people. He wasn't going to sell out an old brother of his. Despite the personal feud between them, Vander couldn't betray Silco like this. Not again. Kill him with his own two hands, maybe, but offer him to Topsiders? He had enough regrets weighting his shoulders like that.

"Vander?" Vi called as he silently held the gaze of the Piltovans. "Who was this man?"

Her eyes were narrowed in suspicion and her tone almost accusing, but Vander knew his girl well enough to pick on the concern hidden in her voice. Concern for her siblings' safety, surely. His expression softening, he gently squeezed the girl's shoulder to appease her fear.

"No one you need to worry about," he lied.

Of course they needed to worry about him. The very reason why he tried to kill him was that he couldn't make him budge about his radical ways in the first place. But the last thing Vander needed was for his kids to get involved. He could still handle this on his own, there was no need for anyone else to interfere. This was a personal matter. He could end this alone.

Well, maybe not alone,he thought as Benzo gave him a meaningful nod of the head.

But if his words were enough for his kids to drop the matter —for the moment anyway— the Council wasn't nearly as convinced.

"This man is about to experiment on achild," Mel insisted. But her argument was only received with a scoff.

"And since when do you people concern yourself with our children's safety?"

"Vander," Grayson warned.

But once again, the barman held the councilors' gaze.

"A'right, none of this has happened yet, anyway," Benzo tried to reason. "If you're this worried about what might happen, why don't you keep watching?"

That was exactly Vander's intention.

Silence fell for a moment as the councilors mulled over the suggestion. Benzo was right. If the man didn't want to talk, they'd let the hextech recording do it in his stead. There was no hurry. Whatever these men were planning, it'd take some time before coming to fruition. Moreover, their timeline had already changed since the heist. Gathering as much information as possible before acting was their best option.

"These people don't know what's in their best interest," muttered Cassandra as they all resettled in their seat. Her voice was loud enough for Vander to hear her, however.

"Piltover's involvement is never in our best interest," he retorted.

Before another argument could start, Viktor —who had taken the liberty of pausing the recording when everyone either winced or cringed away after the previous scene— walked to the hextech device. He gave a quick glance to his new partner and his professor and, when they both nodded at him, he replied with a nod of his own before turning the device's wheel on, resuming the recording, and returned to his seat.

The scenery changed. The underwater world was gone, replaced by a large hallway, and if most people didn't immediately recognize the place, the bright light penetrating the window was good enough of a clue to determine they were no longer in the Undercity.

In the distance, there was the sound of a door closing as footsteps resonated in the building.

"You really went to the Undercity to get these?" A young girl asked as she came into view. "Weren't you afraid?"

Her eyes, full of admiration, were directed at the man at her side.

"A little danger is worth the risk, don't you think?"

Oh!

Caitlyn straightened up in her seat as she recognized herself. Her whole body suddenly fueled by eager expectation, she turned to Jayce to share some of her excitement. The same feelings going through his system —although more apprehensive than excited, really— Jayce gave her a smile.

It was their turn to appear.

Caitlyn was carrying a box full of gadgets as she followed her friend. Too focused on his elusive answer, she noticed too late the ornament falling down the box.

"Oh," she stopped as it clanged on the floor.

"Be careful," Jayce said. "That's your parents' money you're dropping."

Right, a councilor's daughter, Vi remembered as a humorless laugh escaped her.

The gang usually obtained this many goods after doing several jobs, but these Topsiders were bringing full boxes of them after only one trip to the Undercity. She was seriously starting to think that they wouldn't have seen the difference had the heist been successful. But the worse part? They seemed to consider the mere fact of putting a foot in the Undercity a feat.

Having reached his apartment, Jayce pulled out his key to unlock the door as Caitlyn crouched down to pick up the fallen ornament. But when he tried to push the handle, he noticed something was wrong. He tried to press it down once, twice, yet it wasn't budging. As if something was blocking it.

"Powder, we gotta go!"he suddenly heard from the other side of the door.

Oh.So it wasthattime.

"Hello? Is someone in there?" Jayce called, turning Caitlyn's attention back on him.

There was no vocal reply. The shadows moving through the door's glass answered his question instead.

"Hey, open up!" he demanded as he dropped the boxes he was carrying to force the handle.

"Oh no…"

At the other side of the door, a blue crystal fell on the floor, ominous sparks appearing on the impact.

This time, everyone knew what to expect. It was with cold dread that they watched Jayce futilely try to enter his own apartment, completely unaware of the imminent explosion.

Obtaining no results, Jayce abandoned the handle to try and break through the door with his shoulder instead. He rammed into it a couple of times, but it was to no avail. So he switched his strategy yet again. But as he took a step back, ready to kick the door open, at the other side of the door, the crystal cracked.

Jayce gulped, blessing himself —or rather his other self— for the impact to come.

The crystal exploded and flung the door open. Out of pure reflex, Caitlyn dropped her box to cover her face as the scientist was sent flying into the wall. The impact was violent, but not enough to knock him out immediately.

"Jayce?" Caitlyn tentatively called in the aftermath of the explosion.

Completely stunted, he couldn't quite hear her. He barely had the time to spot a hazy figure running away, his eyes rolled in his skull and his body dropped on the floor.

"Jayce!"

The gang cringed, a slight feeling of guilt rising in their stomach. They knew the scientist had survived and was mostly uninjured —he was right here after all— but that didn't make the impact look any less painful.

Jayce couldn't quite remember it, and with no aftermath injuries, he hadn't realized how violent the impact had been. Seeing it himself, he was suddenly grateful to have suffered no trauma.

"You were very lucky to be unscathed," Heimerdinger told his pupil.

"I know," Jayce replied quietly.

He really was. The blue-haired child hadn't been this lucky.

As Jayce fell unconscious, an old memory rose in his mind and suddenly, he found himself in a blizzard.

Icy winds were coming down from the mountains, howling in the sky, as ice petals danced furiously in the air. The many layers of clothes they were wearing did nothing to protect the younger Jayce and his mother from the cold. They tried to preserve the little warmth left in their body by holding each other as they advanced, but the air was so icy that each breath they took was painful, and the wind so violent that they could barely see anything at all.

Jayce?

He had never told her about it, so Caitlyn never knew something like that happened to him, but that was undeniably her friend and his mom on the screen.

What are they doing in the middle of a snow storm? Where is this?

The duo advanced in the blizzard blindly, unable to orientate themselves. Each step they took became more difficult than the previous one as their body seemed to sink further and further in the snow. There was no end of it.

The last of her strength leaving her, Ximena collapsed on the ground.

"Mom!" Jayce exclaimed, kneeling in front of her as soon as he felt her weight disappear from his shoulder. "Mom, mom wake up."

He tried to shake her gently, lift her even, but his mother remained unresponsive.

An uncomfortable feeling of compassion rose within the gang. Sympathizing with a Piltie was the last thing they wanted, but they knew what it felt like to lose a parent, so it was difficult for them not to draw the parallel in their heart.

Jayce stayed silent the whole time, reminiscing about the scene.

He had… forgotten. The cold, the uncertainty, the fear… Fear of dying, of losing his mom. He had mostly forgotten it all. The upcoming encounter had completely overshadowed all of this, transforming this near death experience into the most beautiful memory of his life, but now, he was reliving it all. The good and the bad. Right now though, it was mostly the bad.

It wasn't until he felt a light pat on his back that he noticed how tense his body had become. Jayce glanced at his partner. Viktor said nothing, preferring to offer his support in silence, but the gesture was much appreciated. A smile drawing on his face, he willed the tension away from his body.

"Help! Please, please help us!" Young Jayce pleaded in the air. But there was no one but them here. They were left to die alone in the midst of nature's tantrum.

Or so he thought.

"Help,please!" his voice cracked in despair as he collapsed on top of his mother's unmoving body.

It was then that a man appeared through the fog, in the middle of the blizzard. He seemed absolutely unperturbed by the violent gusts of wind lashing at him as he approached the duo. Alerted by the sound of the snow crunching under his feet, Jayce rose his head to meet his eyes.

The stranger was tall, wearing nothing but a thin, long hooded coat, and his skin seemed discolored. The visibility was low, so Jayce couldn't quite see his face, but it was hard to miss the glowing of his eyes in the darkness.

Before he could assess the situation, the stranger extended his hand in front of him, and suddenly, a spark appeared. Lightning danced around the tip of his fingers as a crystal shard floated in the middle of his palm.

"What…"

Jayce flinched away in shock. There was a mixture of fear and awe in his heart, but when the stranger closed his palm and turned around, all of it disappeared, leaving only concern —concern for him, but mostly concern for his mother.

"No. W-Wait!" he tried to reach the stranger.

But it wasn't needed. The stranger only walked a few steps away before he stopped, facing nothing but the blizzard.

A sudden flash appeared, forcing the young Jaycee to cover his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was greeted by a sight he'd never seen.

The stranger —no, themage— was standing in the middle of a light. The fog had completely disappeared. As he reopened his palm, the crystal shard dancing in it, he raised his other hand in the air, and it was only then that Jayce realized he was holding what was actually a staff. Rings of runes answered his summoning and appeared all around him. The mage twirled his staff in the air, and everything started to come to life as the lightning returned stronger than ever, coming and going like a capricious thing.

In the midst of the blizzard, a force of nature that shouldn't have been stoppable, the man was standing like a god.

"Dear Janna, what in the world is that…"

The scene was surreal. Bewitched by what they were seeing, no one could take their eyes off the recording.

The world could be quite remarkable, full of hidden wonders here and there, but this? Remarkable didn't quite cover it. It was astonishing.

Piltover was the City of Progress. Its influence was entirely based on constant innovations and forward thinking, and although its Undercity wasn't nearly as advertised as the North side, it was almost as ingenious when it came to craftsmanship. Both Topsiders and Undercity folks had seen oddities in their life but this? This was on a whole new level.

Jayce had always been borderline obsessed with magic, Caitlyn knew that. The scientist shared most of his studies with her, and while many of them served to simply improve this or that, the ultimate goal had always been centered around magic. In the middle of a nation that always promoted technology over anything else, she thought it was just an eccentricity of his. But now? Now she was starting to understand.

For the Undercity kids, the experience was even more bewildering. They'd heard about magic before, naturally. But the concept was as abstract to them as the idea of eating three meals a day and waking up in a silk bed every morning. It was foreign. They had always been so busy trying to survive that even thinking about magic was a luxury. The very concept of it had just been pushed in the deepest parts of their mind. Not exactly forgotten, but rather abandoned.

There was a silent explosion in the room. An explosion of feelings, of new possibilities and of new horizons. But in the middle of all this awe, only one person looked at the scene with unfiltered aversion.

It was beautiful, yes. Breathtaking, even. Heimerdinger could admit that. But for him, the Arcane was only associated with destruction, so he couldn't help but frown the entire time.

The whirls of runes rose in the sky, spinning faster and faster as the mage drew circles with his staff. He smashed it on the ground, and everything disappeared, except for the newly formed tornado.

Suddenly, the young Jayce and his mom found themselves levitating in the air. The boy barely had the time to register what was happening, they were both transported into a void. His body became weighless as he watched everything and nothing at the same time pass before his eyes all around him. It was as if they had been trapped between two worlds.

In the midst of this interdimensional realm, the wizard was there, folding both time and space to his liking. The runes were answering his command, seemingly bending Runeterra itself to his will. He was almighty.

A gaping grin stretched on Jayce's lips as he relived the experience once again. It was almost as powerful as the first time.

Thiswas the reason for his studies. For his life's work. The beauty, the potential, the power… Power to change despair into hope, power to save lives. It was sumptuous.

This single experience had changed his entire life, and now, he hoped he could change the life of others.

Suddenly, a flash appeared, blending everything together, and when the light subsided, the young Jayce found himself seemingly waking up from a dream.

"Uh… He's not dead, is he?" Mylo asked in confusion.

"Shut up, Mylo," Vi ordered, her eyes still locked on the screen. The boy couldn't even find it in him to be offended. "Just watch."

The cold was gone. The blizzard was gone. The magic was gone.

But all his senses had returned.

Still shaken by the experience, Jayce wobbled up on his feet, as he was greeted by a soft breeze. All around him, meadows stretched for miles, wildflowers blooming under the warm sun. Blankets of greens flowed in the wind, full oflife. Butterflies, bees, and even birds. The rare patches of melting snow and the raging clouds blowing on the mountains in the distance were the only evidence left of the frosty hell Jayce and his mother just escaped.

The initial shock subsiding, the boy returned his attention to his mother. Weakened but alive, Ximena mustered just enough strength to lift her head and mirror her son's confused expression.

Oh, so she was alive after all.

Relief washed all over him, as only one question lingered in the young Jayce's mind.

"How?" he asked, unable to contain the smile on his face.

The stranger didn't reply. He turned around to face the boy, extended his hand in front of him, and waited for Jayce to do the same before he offered him the crystal shard. It was no longer glowing, no longer displaying any signs of magic, yet Jayce received it like it was a treasure.

His heart buzzing in elation, he looked up at the stranger with the brightest smile his face ever formed.

A new dream was born.

"Wow."

For a moment, everyone forgot about the Ethos as they let the beauty of the scene sink in. Everyone but Heimerdinger.

The Arcane was beautiful, but it was also a force of nature that couldn't be controlled. He could understand how Jayce had been enamored by its potential –anyone would have– but the best intentions sometimes had unintended consequences when acted upon. The yordle knew what the consequences would be, and he couldn't let that happen in Piltover.

"Youactuallysaw magic?" Caitlyn marveled as quietly as possible to her friend.

"Yeah," Jayce replied with a smile. "Magic saved my life."

Too bad it didn't save theirs, Vi silently lamented.

How many lives had been lost in the bridge attack? In the mines? To the toxic gases? But of course a Piltie would be saved.

This isn't fair.

On the hextech recording, the scenery changed yet again.

Birds were chirping outside under the sun, as the city's bells marked the beginning of the afternoon. Jayce had yet to eat his lunch. It was on an empty stomach that he was being interrogated by the sheriff, sitting on one of the rare chairs that had been spared in the explosion of his apartment.

His place was in rubble. His balcony was completely gone and there was a large hole in the exterior wall, offering a panoramic view of Piltover.

"Let's go over it again," the sheriff started.

"You have to believe me, I didn't do this!"

"Relax, kid. We know it was a break-in, but that doesn't explain this. There's a lot of restricted items here and I don't see any permits. You want to tell me how you got them?"

Nowthatwas familiar.

"Back to the heist, I see," Mel commented as several others nodded in recognition.

All his previous elation gone, Jayce gulped down in uncertainty. He knew the heist was the point at which their reality started to diverge, so he knew his other self wouldn't meet the same fate as his.

In the middle of all the debris, it was a complicated task for the enforcers to determine what was a clue and what wasn't.

"Hey, hey! Be careful with that, please!" Jayce exclaimed in an almost demanding tone when he noticed one of them handling dangerously a blue crystal.

"Looks like Powder missed one," Mylo tried to joke. But his joke was received coldly as his siblings interpreted it as yet another one of his critical remarks.

"I believe someone should have said that earlier," commented the man standing in front of the board. Viktor had seen experimentations going out of control, but never to this scale. "What happened here?"

"Science, I guess?"

"Last time I checked, science didn't require illegal equipment," Grayson observed.

"Nor was this approved by the Academy," added Viktor.

Grayson smirked as she remembered him saying otherwise a few days ago.

"Who authorized your research?"

"It was an independent study," Jayce admitted. "Who are you anyway?"

Being interrogated by the sheriff was one thing, but being interrogated by a stranger? There was only so much he could tolerate as thevictimin this story.

"I'm assistant to the dean of the Academy," Viktor replied as he continued to inspect the apartment. "Who it may serve you to remember is also head of the Council. He sent me here to ensure that anything dangerous is removed safely."

He paused, his eyes settling on the dejected scientist.

"Which, according to my list, includes you," he then continued, earning his full attention.

"What? How am I dangerous?" Jayce suddenly straightened up in his chair.

"Uh, that's for the Council to decide."

Viktor turned to the sheriff and gave her a simple nod of the head, signaling her he was done. Grayson took the cue. She unhooked the handcuffs on her belt and walked to the scientist, who had no other choice but to cooperate.

Jayce was having a very bad day.

Claggor grabbed his neck, suddenly feeling guilty. He hadn't thought about the aftermath of the explosion for the Piltie at all, beyond any possible physical injuries. Granted, he was still a Piltie. He didn't deservethat muchpity. But it was undeniable that he hadn't asked for anything and he and his siblings turned his life upside down.

Vi and Mylo, on the other hand, were much less apologetic. They suffered from Piltover indirectly all the time after all. Yet, Piltover never seemed to consider this a problem. This time? It was their turn to shrug the incident off.

Not their problem.

"I didn't realize you were supposed to arrest me," Jayce noted wryly as he turned to his partner.

"Yes, I was…distracted," Viktor admitted.

Understandable.

A capsule coming straight from the future would be enough to distract even the most focused general. Jayce himself had forgotten all about his misfortune the moment they found it, before even figuring out what it was. How could he blame Viktor for being distracted from his original purpose? Not that he would have.

To think he was supposed to be arrested…

On the recording, the scenery changed to the precinct.

His cell was large, offering all the basic necessities –a blanket if he ever needed to rest, a warm meal to fill his stomach, and even some books to pass time– yet, Jayce's only source of comfort was the crystal shard encrusted into his wrist band.

He had spent the rest of the afternoon lamenting over the events of the day. In the matter of only a couple hours, he had lost almost everything. His apartment, his research, his freedom, and even almost his life. Everything had gone south.

It was the sound of his cell's door opening that pulled him out of his thoughts.

His attention now focused on the entrance, he noticed an enforcer guarding the door as footsteps closed in and a shadow grew in the hallway. Suddenly, a furry, blond head peaked in.

Professor Heimerdinger!recognized Caitlyn. The yordle smiled at his own appearance.

"Imprisonment," Heimerdinger started. "What a curious principle; we confine the physical body yet the mind is still free. I do love a good conundrum."

He chuckled as he stepped into the cell.

"I remember the first time I saw you at the Academy. You reminded me of myself; a scientist ready to forge a new vector of experimentation. But sometimes, we venture too far."

The yordle paused, seemingly lost in his own memories, before his expression hardened.

"No great science should ever put lives in danger. Be honest, now. What manner of inquiry was this?"

"Professor Heimerdinger, I believe I've discovered something truly incredible," Jayce tried to explain. "A way to harness magic through science."

"Magic?" Heimerdinger repeated with a hint of offense in his voice.

"Yes!"

"No."

"No?"

"The Arcane is dangerous, Jayce," he reasoned. "A force of nature. Science cannot control it."

"But maybe it can," the scientist insisted. "I'm close to a breakthrough, I know it."

"How old are you, my boy?"

""I'm 24."

"Ah. Well I am now 307 years old," the yordle disclosed as if it was a trivial matter.

Ekko choked on nothing, as Mylo widened his eyes comically. Caitlyn tried not to look at them. Did they not know that Heimerdinger was the founder of Piltover in the Undercity? The lack of reaction from the others seemed to suggest otherwise.

"All my life, I've pursued the mysteries of science," Heimerdinger went on. "Only to discover some are better left unsolved. This, I'm afraid, is one of them."

His tone was calm but decisive, leaving no room for protests.

"Own your mistakes before the Council, admit your work was dangerous, but speak nothing of magic," he advised, emphasizing on this last part. "Do that and I theorize you'll get away with, um, how do you say… a slap on the wrist!"

Vi snorted.

Theydidn't get the private visit of a councilor when they were in custody, andtheycertainly wouldn't have gotten away with 'a slap on the wrist'. She'd seen it in the councilors' eyes the day of their trial. They'd all seen it. Had the trial not be postponed, they would be in Stillwater by now. Because apparently, being a grown ass man handling dangerous stuff knowingly wasn't as bad as being Undercity kids trying to survive.

Suddenly, all the little guilt she could have felt for jeopardizing the Piltie's life vanished, replaced by spite.

This is unfair.

Chapter 12: The Spark of Uprising

Summary:

On the recording, the gang continue to flee enforcers who carry on their investigation in the Undercity, and the spark of uprising is lit.

Chapter Text

There was a popular song among children in the Undercity. A song about two friends separated by the river. Vi never understood how those two friends got separated in the first place, and when she had asked her parents about it, they had simply told her with a sad smile that it was a song about loyalty. About never forgetting where you came from. She hadn't really understood then, but now she did.

It wasn't a song about loyalty. It was aboutbetrayal. About a friend leaving the other behind and never looking back, forcing them to beg for their scraps.

Funny.

The Undercity and Piltover were once one and the same. Piltover oncewasthe Undercity, built on the isthmus that would eventually be destroyed and become the fissures. But then, the Sun Gates were built, and the sudden inflow of wealth they brought led to the elevation of mercantile clans and the construction of the Uppercity.

And Piltover never looked back.

Dear friend across the river, my hands are cold and bare.

Vi hated that song with a passion now. They weren't friends. And it was this exact aloofness of theirs that forced them to live in scarcity.

Dear friend across the river, I'll take what you can spare.

She wasn'tjustgoing to take their left-overs…

I'll ask of you a penny.

… and she was certainly not going to ask them for anything. She wasn't a beggar. She didn't need their sympathy. Whatever she needed –they needed– she'll take it by force.

For her, for her family, for her people. Because despite being a bunch of thugs, drunkards and junkies, the fissurefolks were her people. And if Piltover was all about affluence, the Undercity was all aboutloyalty.

The boxing machine was huge, and the large cushions covering its strategizing hitting points were well-worn through regular use. Attached to the ceiling by a single articulated arm, it had a greater mobility that one could expect at a first glance. It was a machine built to overpower its opponents by its sheer size and speed, and yet, it couldn't land a single hit on the girl facing it.

Vi was faster. She had no difficulties dodging the punches the machine threw at her as she followed with punches of her own. Despite the large hitting area the cushions offered, her blows were precise, always hitting the center, and each time they did, her name went up on the scoreboard, already filled with her previous attempts.

"Not bad," Benzo sneered, recognizing his friend's influence in her combat style.Like father, like daughter.

Not bad indeed, Vander thought. Now, if she could only apply this in real combat situations…

It was clear that his girl did know how to dodge. Yet, for some reasons, she had this tendency to block with her head whenever a real fight occurred. It was almost as if she took pride in the bruises she collected afterwards.

Ekko seemed to find nothing wrong with that. There were many things he shared with Powder, and although his admiration for Vi would never measure up to her younger sister's pure adoration for her, she was still his role model, so it was with great pride that he watched her fight the machine, a huge grin on his face.

Caitlyn felt a bit more conflicted. She couldn't really tell if it was awe she felt watching the girl, but although she wasn't familiar with fist fights, it was impressive enough that even a beginner like her could tell she knew what she was doing. Once again, Caitlyn thanked Janna for not pitting herself against her the first time they met. But… was that –what was his name again?– her brother's face drawn on the machine?

Neither Mylos seemed to mind.

As the real one shrugged, watching his counterpart casually picking his nose, the Piltovans recoiled in disgust.

"Remind me why we bother with this dump," Mylo asked as he inspected the barrel of his gun, standing behind the counter of a shooting range.

Caitlyn's interest peaked at the sight.

I had no idea they had firearms in the Undercity.

It was clearly a toy, but a firearm nonetheless. Considering the Undercity's inclination towards hand-to-hand combat, she hadn't expected to see one there. They were rare enough, even in the uppercity, as very few people had shooting licenses like her family, save for enforcers.

"Vander said to lay low," Vi replied, wiping the sweat on her forehead. "Enforcers never come down here, so this is as good a place as any."

"What's the matter, Mylo? You worried that Powder's gonna beat you again?" teased Claggor who was leaning on the wall, content to watch over his siblings.

"Hey, if she didn't keep fixing these things, I wouldn't keep missing!" Mylo accused.

But his mask of confidence fell off the moment the younger girl emerged from behind the counter, cables in hand. He flinched, unable to hide his surprise, but upon realizing it was only her, he frowned.

Powder grinned, satisfied to have scared him. She had heard him loud and clear –he never really bothered to spare her his criticism anyway– so she wasn't sorry at all.

She plugged in the two cables together and power flowed in them. Blue lights lit up in the shooting range as human targets, drawn and carved into wooden boards, rose and started to move behind her.

Caitlyn's heart lurched in excitement. She had never gone to a shooting range before –not one like this– and although part of the fun in shooting was to chase the target, the arcade had its charm.

As Powder climbed the counter to join his side, she sent a challenging glare to Mylo, and the boy pulled a face at her, unwilling to acknowledge her but unable to ignore her.

"You guys know I wouldn't take you on a job you couldn't handle, right?" Vi said, taking off her boxing gloves as Mylo started to shoot behind her. None of his balls touched the targets.

Clearly a beginner, Caitlyn noted with a smile. He was holding the gun with only one hand in a tilt position, and shooting with only one eye open. Despite the confidence he was displaying, both his stance and hold were unstable, causing him to recoil each time he fired. And those are only rubber balls.

"Are you kidding? That was the best job we've ever done!" Mylo exclaimed, unfazed by all his missed shots. "Maybe… just don't take Powder next time."

Irked by his constant berating, Powder shot him a glare as she finished loading her gun. If there was one thing she was better at than him –than most people really– it was marksmanship, and she well intended to use this occasion to shut him up.

Her attention shifting to the moving targets in front of her, she raised her gun, her grip firm but not tight, and relaxed her body.

Oh?

Caitlyn noticed her much more natural stance before she even started shooting, but when Powder did start shooting, her lips parted, slowly stretching into a beaming smile.

The younger girl hit target after target, without ever breaking her focus or losing her aim, as her annoying brother stood there, mouth agape, and most adults in the room mirrored his expression. Caitlyn, however, did not hide the awe in her face, because this time, she knew; it was definitely awe she was feeling.

While Caitlyn didn't know much about boxing, she did know about shooting, and this was without a doubt incredible. She couldn't find a single flaw in the girl's marksmanship. How old was she? Did she use to be this good at her age? She wasn't familiar with close ranged shooting, so it was hard to tell, but she certainly wanted to try now. Tocompeteagainst her.

Her heart swelled with excitement at the thought. Caitlyn had never met the girl, yet there was this new feeling of kinship between them she couldn't ignore. Who would have thought this morning that she would have something in common with these kids from the Undercity?

Cassandra noticed her daughter's unfiltered enthusiasm and, for once, she didn't care to correct her behavior. Caitlyn loved shooting, but very few children her age shared her interest or talent, so she allowed her to have this moment. Even she, as rigorous as she was, had to admit the girl was brilliant. Hunting was a familial tradition among the Kirammans; Cassandra had taught her daughter how to shoot herself. Yet, this girl, whom she could only assume was self-taught, could probably rival her. Displeased by the thought, her brows furrowed ever so slightly.

"These kids are frightening…" Jayce muttered, half-jokingly.

A scammer, a boxer, a lock picker, a shooter… What was next?

Viktor cracked a smile, amused but also saddened by the remark.

You have no idea…

In order to survive, kids in the Undercity, more often than not, were required to develop a certain set of skills which would be, more often than not, frowned upon in the uppercity. Even he had done his share of questionable actions in his childhood.

Her last shot fired, Powder set down her gun on the counter. None of her bullets had been wasted. She turned to Mylo, who was still standing there stunned –but not surprised– by her performance, and imitated the grimace he gave her just a few moments ago to mock him.

As his counterpart groaned in frustration, the real Mylo clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Yeah, yeah, she was good at shooting. So what? Her skill was utterly useless during jobs, and it didn't change the fact that she was still a jin–

A burden… that she was still a burden.

Well, at least the real Powder wasn't here to rub this victory in his face.

"Heh," sneered Ekko as he leaned forward to meet his eyes.

Yeah, he was taking that back. Even in the urchin's absence, of course her little savior would still be there to taunt him.

Not completely satisfied by her victory, Powder walked away, and stopped a little bit further at the arcade cabinet her siblings had long grown tired of. Her hand absent-mindly reached for the control panel as she was still mulling over Mylo's words. The game failed to distract her, but the sound of muffled clamor caught her attention.

Her eyes snapped to the window as moving shadows betrayed the growing commotion outside. Her brother's taunting now completely forgotten, she left the cabinet to peek through the hole of the partially shattered glass.

Enforcers were moving through the streets of the Undercity, keeping an eye out for any suspicious individual. Most people avoided their path, but a few others stayed on their ground, openly glaring at them. Among the patrols, the deputy sheriff was there, interrogating a man who had been unlucky enough to be caught by his men.

"Tell me where I can find them," he demanded, pen and notebook in hand, ready to take his testimony.

"Topsider business ain't my concern," the man refused to cooperate as he tried to take a threatening step forward, before an enforcer forced him to step back by pulling his collar.

The gesture earned a frown from both Caitlyn and Jayce. Neither knew much about interrogation procedures, but it definitely seemed… excessive, and by now, they had enough reason to believe that this ruthlessness was absolutely deliberate. Their stomach clenched at the thought. Caitlyn especially didn't want to believe in it. She hoped the deputy sheriff would correct the behavior, but much to her disappointment, he didn't.

"It's every one of you trencher's concern now," Marcus warned through his mask. "Give me a name."

The man jerked his shoulder, forcing the enforcer holding him in place to let go of him. He leaned forward, closing the distance between him and the deputy sheriff, and opened his mouth, seemingly ready to speak. But he didn't. Instead, he spit on his shoe, never breaking eye-contact.

Grayson's expression hardened. She knew her deputy well enough to guess what was about to happen. And although they didn't know him personally, the trenchers knew enforcers well enough to guess the same.

"Hey, guys?" Powder called, turning to her siblings. "You should see this—"

The glass shattered before she even had a chance to finish her sentence, as the uncooperative man was thrown against the window and his body flew right inside the arcade.

Horrified gasps filled the air, and even the dignified Cassandra couldn't hide a flinch of surprise.

Vander clenched his fists, trying to ignore the raging fire within him. He had seen it coming and, in a way, the man had asked for it, but it didn't make it easier for him to watch his people treated this way. Again and always.

"The hell?!" exclaimed Jayce.

"Such brutality…" Heimerdinger shook his head in disapproval, as Cassandra cleared her voice to regain her composure.

"It does seem a bit much."

A bit much? A man was thrown through a window, mother!

Caitlyn had to bite her lip to refrain herself from snapping at her mother.

The barely concealed malice the enforcers had toward the people of the Undercity in the previous scene had bothered her, but this? This was way too much.

Enforcers are protectors of peace,she tried to remind herself and chase the uncomfortable knot in her stomach.They protect people.

Their surprise seemed genuine, not that it surprised Vander. How could any of them know about this violence if they never put a foot in the Undercity? And that was exactly the problem. They just didn't care enough to.

Alerted by the sound, all siblings' attention snapped onto man. Vi barely had the time to register what just happened, she locked eyes with the enforcers as soon as she redirected them outside.

"Search them," Marcus ordered when he noticed the four children hiding inside.

His men complied. One by one, enforcers trespassed the gang's secret sanctuary, entering the arcade through the now completely shattered window.

"We're so fucked," Mylo commented bitterly.

"Go ahead idiots, we got nothing,"his counterpart taunted as he raised his arms in the air, his confidence contrasting with his nervosity.

But Powder disagreed. An enforcer approached her, and instinctively, she backed away until she was against the shooting range's counter, her hands reaching for her pouch and its precious content. Cornered, she sent a glance full of distress to her sister.

She just couldn't leave those at home, could she?

Vi didn't have to think twice about it. She looked at Claggor, and the boy immediately understood her silent command. He turned to reach the lever behind him and pulled it down, turning off the light. The trick was enough to distract the enforcers, as they looked around them in confusion. The arcade was now illuminated by a single overhead projector and the ambient lights of the shooting range.

Powder took advantage of the moment to slip away, and Mylo reacted next. He kicked the enforcer in front of him, using the momentum to push himself behind the counter, and reemerged with the shooting range's gun.

Ekko wasn't sure how to react. He wanted to laugh at Mylo's ridiculous attack, but at the same time, his friends' freedom was being threatened here.

Unimpressed by the rubber balls that bounced against their uniform, the two enforcers in front of him nodded at each other before they marched forward. But before they could even take two steps, one of them was knocked unconscious as he received the metal plate with the Mylo drawing on it to his head. The other immediately looked up to search for his attacker, as Vi made sure to wait until he noticed her before she ran away, luring him into a chase.

"Stop!"

"Alright!" Vi cheered her other self. She really hoped this distraction would allow her siblings to get to safety.

Following his sister's initiative, Claggor pushed a third enforcer out of the way and ran to the door, right behind her, and Mylo was next.

Powder tried to make her way through the targets to join her siblings, hidden in the shooting range, but between the panic and the lower visibility, she failed to notice that she had been seen and followed. She hid behind a mechanical raptor to catch her breath, and just as she was about to leave her spot, an arm suddenly grabbed her hair and yanked her back.

"This motherfucker–!" Vi snarled, jumping from her seat. And she wasn't the only one.

Caitlyn barely had the time to, once again, be disappointed by the man wearing the uniform of her heroes, the room drowned in insults, some of which she had never heard before.

The Piltovans scowled in horror at the sudden display of pure vulgarity. Mel raised her eyebrows, Cassandra blanched, on the verge of fainting, Heimerdinger blinked several times, his eyes widening further and further, and Jayce just stared, his mouth agape.

Caitlyn was so startled she almost forgot about the reason for this sudden outrage. They had barely flinched when a man was thrown like a vulgar sack of potatoes through a window, their reaction almost seemed disproportionate this time. The girl was, of course, one of their own, but even the Mylo guy was spurting all kinds of obscenities at the deputy sheriff. And the worst part? Instead of correcting the kids' behavior, the two guardians were nodding along.

Marcus neither flinched nor let go when Powder shrieked, decided to catch at least one of the little rats, but Powder hadn't given up yet. Her brain barely registering the pain, not allowing her to think about anything else but her escape, she turned around to smack the button placed in the middle of the raptor's jaw, and removed her arm just in time to avoid its teeth. Marcus wasn't as lucky. With a loud thud, the teeth closed on his arm, forcing him to lose his grasp on the girl as a pained scream escaped his mouth.

"Good job, Powder!"

"Serve this fucker right!"

The Piltovans tried so very hard to focus on the screen, but the trencher kids didn't make the task easy.

Powder took advantage of the moment to resume her race and rejoin her siblings, as Vi smacked the backdoor open, barely slowing down in her race, and guided the gang into a back alley.

"Get them!" The deputy sheriff barked at his men, right behind them.

"This leecher never gives up," groaned Vi.

Just as well,Grayson smiled.

What kind of enforcer gives up on a running suspect?

Unfortunately for the gang, their run came to a sudden stop a little bit further, as they noticed two enforcers blocking their only way of escape. Noticing them in turn, the first one released the elderly man he had grabbed and pinned up against the wall to turn his full attention to them, and the second one lowered his baton to do the same.

"Crap," Mylo cursed.Cornered again.

The Piltovans were much more focused on the elderly man dropping to his knees, though. Yet another example of unnecessary violence. How common was this, exactly?

Vi turned around, tempted to retrace her steps and avoid the confrontation, but the arrival of the deputy sheriff and his men changed her mind. Cornered on both ways, the gang's salvation came with the sound of whistling, as a safety ladder suddenly dropped down to their level.

"Over here!" Ekko urged as he appeared from a balcony above.

"That's me!" Ekko beamed, turning to his friends, who returned the smile.

"Yeah, thanks for the save, Little Man," Claggor gently bumped his shoulder with his fist.

Vi jumped and grabbed the ladder, using her weight to lower it a bit further and allow her siblings to reach it more easily after her. She quickly climbed to safety, followed by her brothers, as enforcers rapidly closed the distance between them. Powder was the last one to climb. An enforcer missed to catch her by a hair when she started her ascension. Grabbing the last rung instead of her foot, he started to climb right after her.

Unwilling to lose his suspects and decided to make them pay for the humiliation, the deputy sheriff reached for his gun and aimed at the young girl reaching for the balcony.

This time, no obscenities crossed Vi's mind, as her heart stopped at the possibility of having to watch her sister die, completely powerless. Her entire body filled with dread.

'Save Powder.'

No, no, no… Please.

Every trencher froze in their seat as they all considered the same thing. Fortunately, the tension didn't last.

Vi helped her sister climb over the railings, and before the deputy sheriff could shoot, she kicked the ladder down, making its last climber fall onto him.

"Oh, fuck…" Vi sighed in relief as she passed her hand through her hair. "That fucker scared me."

With a grumble, Marcus removed both the now unconscious enforcer and the ladder from him, as he looked up at Vi, his eyes full of hatred. He hadn't yet decided whether they were guilty or not, but after this humiliation, he promised himself to put them all behind bars the next time he saw them.

"You need to hide those crystals," Vi told her sister as she stepped away from the railing and joined her siblings inside.

"Yeah, no shit."

The trenchers snorted at her quip, the previous tension now all but forgotten, but Caitlyn couldn't bring herself to laugh. This wasn't funny at all. She had almost died. The more the recording progressed, and the worse she felt. She had been thrilled for a moment over the possibility of bonding with a girl sharing the same interest, but that same girl had almost been killed for the only reason of… running for her life. Everything she thought she knew was being challenged at the moment. Her belief, her love for enforcers… Her dream. But then, she looked up at Grayson, her eyes as warm and resolute as ever, and all her doubt disappeared.

She didn't have to be like them. She just had to be like her.

"This deputy of yours, Sheriff," Mel started, her eyes still locked on the screen. "Perhaps you should consider appointing him to another post."

The gratuitous brutality displayed against the Undercity citizen had bothered her, but the use of a lethal weapon against a child? It really didn't sit well with her. She had seen enough girls being unfairly killed for the rest of her life.

"Perhaps," Grayson simply replied.

Although the councilwoman wouldn't be able to force her hand in the matter, she did have a point. Marcus was taking things too far. He was about to become a father, and yet, he pointed his gun toward a child without a second thought, whether he intended to shoot or not. At this point, Grayson was seriously starting to doubt whether he would ever be able to let his prejudices against the Undercity folks go.

The sun was high in the sky, its rays blinding the city, but inside, the light was dimmed by the tall stained-glass window displaying proudly the Medarda emblem.

"The house Ferros received your letter. They insist business is steady."

"Steady is stagnant, Elora."

Ah.

"Where is this now?" Vi thought out loud.

"It appears to be my house," Mel answered, as she recognized her own voice, her attendant's, and the familiar setting of her home.

Mylo widened his eyes, clearly not believing her.

"There's no way that's someone's house."

"She's a councilor, Mylo," Claggor reminded him in a low voice.

A bitter smile played on Mel's lips. She was more than wealthy, and up until now, she never had an issue with displaying her affluence. Quite the contrary. It was a way to show people her power. Now, however, she almost felt ashamed seeing her immense reception room.

"They wished me to remind you that it's thanks to their innovations that you are the richest person in Piltover," Elora said as she approached her mistress, clipboard in hand.

"Yet I remain the poorest Medarda."

"What a tragedy," jested Vi, the sarcastic tone of her voice a clear provocation.

But Mel decided not to pay her attention. After everything she saw, even she had to recognize her own statement sounded extremely aloof.

Mel was standing behind a table, inspecting the many kinds of puzzles displayed, as a tubby man kept adding more from his chest.

"Excellent choice, Councilor Medarda," he praised when he noticed she had picked a cube. "Supreme challenge. If I may…"

But the councilwoman didn't pay him any attention.

"We need something revolutionary, Elora," she continued as she put the puzzle down. "Something to put Piltover on the map."

She walked around her table, pensive, before she turned back to her attendant. "What of today's trial?"

"His name is Jayce of House Talis," Elora explained as she read her notes.

Oh, right.

Jayce had almost forgotten about his own trial.

"A house? Remind me."

"They're tool makers. I believe they came to renown for their design of the collapsible pocket wrench."

"But Heimerdinger favors him?"

"As far as I can tell."

Her attention returning to the contraptions on her table, Mel's eyes stopped on a cylinder puzzle.

"Hmm. This one," she decided as she picked it to inspect it better. It was a slide puzzle with three rows, framed by golden rings.

The vendor raised his brows, clearly taken back by her choice.

"But that's…" he chuckled nervously as he clasped his hands together. "Well, that's a child's toy."

"Good," Mel snickered.

"What's she gonna do with that?" Ekko tilted his head in confusion. It seemed like the kind of puzzle he would solve in a minute. Why would a councilor buy this?

"Dunno," Mylo shrugged, "but it looks expensive."

It did, and suddenly, a brilliant idea sparked in Ekko's mind. It looked simple enough to reproduce. If he found the right materials, he would probably be able to replicate it and sell it at a full price to some unknowing Topsider.

A brilliant idea indeed, Ekko smirked as the scenery on the recording changed.

A double staircase was illuminated by dim rays of light, its railings coated with gold. In the middle, a gilded frame displaying a familial portrait had been hung on the wall, the Kiramman symbol unmistakable above it.

Cassandra and her daughter immediately recognized the picture. It had been taken after a successful hunt at one of their countryside domains. Tobias was sitting in the middle as Cassandra was standing proudly at his side, their daughter between them, holding the rifle. With the dead raptor at their feet, the portrait captured their family's aura perfectly. It didn't take long for the others to recognize both mother and daughter.

"That's a real tight-ass family here," Vi mocked. Her siblings snickered at the comment.

Caitlyn frowned.

Unable to ignore the insult toward her family, she turned to glare at them. As soon as her eyes locked with the pink-haired girl's however, her words got stuck in her throat. She was openly staring at her, her head slightly tilted upward with an arrogant smirk on her face.

What? Got a problem, Cupcake?She could imagine her voice taunting her.

She was purposely getting under her skin, and very clearly enjoying it.

Unwilling to give her any more satisfaction than this, Caitlyn turned back to face the screen. She tried to ignore her, but she could feel her ears reddening anyway –out of frustration,naturally.

This girl was insufferable.

"The boy's got ambition."

"Ambition? Darling, he nearly blew up our daughter!"

"It seems everyone here finally made an appearance," Mel commented as she saw all three members of the Kiramman clan reunited in their parlor.

"Jayce had nothing to do with that, he was robbed!" Caitlyn argued, fidgeting with her father's top hat. "We need to help him."

"Caitlyn's right," Cassandra agreed as she fixed her earrings in front of a standing mirror. "We've known Jayce for years. Besides, we're his patrons. If anyone is meant to speak up for him, it's us."

Jayce sighed in relief. His other self's fate had been weighing on him, so he was very grateful to know he would have support.

Cassandra was a councilor. Her opinion would greatly matter in the trial and thankfully, she hadn't given up on him after all these years, despite the grave consequences of his experimentations. And although her daughter's opinion didn't matter nearly as much for his trial, it did in his heart –not that her stance surprised him. Caitlyn always had his back.

He turned to the two women to give them a grateful smile, and they politely returned it.

"We should hit them back!"a husky voice snapped their attention back on the recording as the sound of coins clanging against a table resonated.

They were back in the Last Drop. This time, however, the bar wasn't just full of patrons.

"We've got the numbers to beat them," the dark skinned woman asserted, her voice as fierce as her eyes.

"Yeah, let's teach them what it means to mess with us!" Another man seconded as he raised his fist in the air, encouraging the others to voice their discontentment.

"Yeah!"

"That doesn't look good at all," Jayce worried.

"Perfect," sneered Vi. She wanted to fight.

Vander, however, was unimpressed by the clamor. Leaning against the counter, he waited for the agitation to die down a bit before he spoke, as he struck a match on the wood of his bar and brought the newly lit flame to his pipe.

"You sure that's what you want?" he asked, extinguishing the fire.

"Let's do it!"

He took a slow puff, enjoying the smoke in his mouth for a moment.

"We crossed that bridge once before," he reminded them, "and we all know how that ended."

"You're just protecting your kids!"someone accused, and everyone recognized the man who had been thrown through the window just a few moments ago.

Well, at least he seems fine.

Vander glanced behind him. His kids were there, withdrawn near the basement door with Ekko.

"I'm protecting our people," he corrected, snapping his attention back to the unhappy crowd as Benzo nodded at his side. "I'd do the same for any one of you. We look out for each other. It's the way it's always been."

Most people's face softened in understanding.

"This will blow over. We just need to stand together."

"The Vander I knew," the dark-skinned woman noted, "the one who built this underground, he wouldn't be afraid to fight."

Vander left his counter as he took another puff. He stepped forward, his whole demeanor exuding confidence, and stopped right in front of her.

"Do I look afraid?" he challenged as he blew a cloud of smoke into her face.

"No," she didn't step back. "You look weak."

Holding his gaze, she whistled to signal others to follow her.

"This is reckless," Viktor muttered mostly to himself, as he watched a crowd joining her, clearly ready to fight. He could already imagine a second riot happening.

"Sevika always was," Vander sighed.

Grayson's face hardened. She could see the tension rising in both sides, and although she admired Vander's attempt at calming things down, she knew it wouldn't be that easy.

"Why isn't he doing anything?" Claggor asked, as the gang watched the crowd divide itself into two sides.

"We kicked the enforcers' butts with just the four of us,"Powder added, a few eyebrows raising at her statement."Imagine what the whole of the Lanes could do!"

"Jeez, even Powder wants to fight," Mylo mocked as he walked down the stairs to their room.

"So why aren't we?" Vi complained, sharing her sister's eagerness to fight back. She was about to follow her siblings to the basement when she noticed Ekko's weird behavior.

The boy was unusually quiet with his hands joined in front of him, and his eyes wandering on the floor. He could feel her gaze on him, see her squint in his peripheral vision. He tried not to meet her eyes to ease her suspicion, but his demeanor was so unnatural he exacerbated it instead.

Great at lying and scamming, but terrible at keeping secrets, I see,Jayce snickered.

"Spill it, Ekko," Vi demanded.

The boy hesitated only for the sake of it.

"Uh, ok well… Vander's got a deal with the enforcers."

Oh, she's not gonna like that.

"What deal?"

"What deal indeed?" The pink-haired girl shot a glance at her guardian. She hadn't forgotten about it, and she still wanted explanations. All of them did. But once again, Vander only sighed at them.

"You wouldn't understand."

No, he was right. She wouldn't.

Chapter 13: Sentence

Summary:

As Jayce witnesses his own trial, things get worse and worse for his other self.

Chapter Text

The more the elevator went up, the brighter the light became. Jayce couldn't bring himself to lighten up, though. He had spent the night preparing himself for his trial, rehearsing his lines, but the closer he got to the court, and the faster his mind was racing with worry and anxiety.

What if it didn't go the way he hoped?

His escort was much more relaxed under her mask of professionalism. It wasn't everyday Grayson had to escort someone to their own trial, but despite the relative peace of Piltover's streets, there was always a fool to push the limits once in a while. She hoped the boy would learn his lesson.

All councilors were already present, reviewing the case before the trial started, when Mel arrived. She bypassed Councilor Salo, who was casually nibbling on Ginkgo nuts to fill in the time, and stopped right next to Councilor Hoskel's seat.

"For your birthday, Councilor," she leaned forward, presenting him the puzzle she bought just a few moments ago.

"Is that…?"

"Yeah, that's the child's toy," the Undercity kids snickered, clearly amused by the undeniable shade thrown at a councilor –from another councilor on top of that. It seemed like the hyenas didn't get along. Not that it surprised any of them; only narcissists could retain a seat around that table.

Cassandra raised an eyebrow towards her fellow councilwoman, and Mel simply replied with an unabashed smile. Although she couldn't say she appreciated the woman's disguised denigration, Councilor Hoskel was undeniably insufferable, the most foolish of them all. Like most, he had inherited his seat from a parent, but unlike most, he had never cared to prepare himself for that position. A little reminder of his complacence wouldn't hurt, she supposed.

"Oh, Mel! This is too kind," Councilor Hoskel chanted as he picked up his present, completely unaware of its hidden meaning.

"I'm told it was built only for the sharpest of minds."

The snickers became louder in the room. They may not like the woman, but the trenchers had to admit that at least, she had some wits.

Councilor Salo immediately stopped nibbling as he overheard the conversation. His eyes falling onto the pouch containing the precious nuts, he cleared his voice and put on his most amiable face.

"And bought you some Gingko nuts," he told the man as he bowed respectfully to present the pouch.

"Ah! Don't you know I'm allergic?" Councilor Hoskel recoiled, slapping the pouch away. "What are you trying to do, kill an old man?"

"That would do everyone a favor," Benzo only half joked as his friend snorted, and even the councilwomen cracked a smile.

Suddenly, the council's room's door opened, and everyone's attention snapped to the boy being escorted inside by the sheriff.

It wasn't everyday that an explosion occurred in the city, so the court was full. Every Piltovan wanted to see exactly who caused such an uproar.

Jayce tried to keep a straight face as he went to meet the councilors, keeping his eyes low on the floor so as not to meet the judgemental gaze of the audience. The more he approached, the quieter everything became. Soon, the only sounds that reached his ears were those of his own heartbeats and the grating noise of the large panels moving to cover the stained-glass windows, sinking the council room in darkness.

"Is that really necessary?" Claggor wondered, his eyes squinted. It all seemed very theatrical. Then again, the whole of Piltover was.

"It's to represent your future," Mylo said half-jokingly.

He still remembered walking into that room. That all did. And although the circumstances had been a little different, he remembered feeling only one thing as he was offered on a plate to the Council for the entertainment of the crowd: despair. Why not add a bit of darkness on top of that?

As silence fell in the now pitch black court, the trial began.

"Jayce Talis."

A spotlight came to illuminate the defendant, standing in the middle of the circular table.

"You are accused of illegal experimentation and endangering the citizens of Piltover. What do you have to say for yourself?"

His gaze lost on the floor, Jayce tried to calm his nerves. All seven councilors were here, waiting to hear his excuse to decide his fate. Hisdream'sfate. He took a deep breath.

"The materials were far more dangerous than I was aware of," he recounted, "and I… I now know my actions were against Academy regulations. What I did endangered people. It was reckless, and for that, I'm sorry. I ask the council's forgiveness and I hope that I can continue my studies."

What a load of bullshit,Vi snorted. He perfectly knew what he was doing. He came to theUndercity, of all places, to buy his goods, and he's saying that he had no idea that they were this dangerous? Who would have thought a pretty face and pretty words were all it took to beguile the Council?

"As Jayce's patron for many years, I can speak for his character," Councilor Kiramman defended. "I believe that one day, he will be a great contributor to our society."

Cassandra nodded. She did believe that. It wasn't just a matter of pride, of wanting to protect her beneficiary. She wasn't one to throw money out the window, she wouldn't have sponsored him if she didn't think he had potential. And now, seeing the fruit of his studies in front of her eyes, she knew she had been right.

"He destroyed a building," Councilor Hoskel mocked, fidgeting with his new puzzle. "Is this the sort ofcontributionwe can expect?"

Jayce couldn't help but frown. Technically, he wasn't the one who destroyed a building. And Councilor Hoskel was the last person he wanted to hear talking about contributing to the city. He wasn't the one playing with a child's toy, after all, he was.

"If you were a scientist, you'd know you can't make a prototype without breaking a few wrenches," Councilor Heimerdinger countered with a light chuckle.

At least, he could count on the professor.

"Do you have anything to show for your work besides an explosion?" Councilor Medarda asked.

"Uh no, it came to nothing…"

"So you're saying your study was meaningless?"

For a moment, Jayce forgot about his situation.

"It was revolutionary!" he retorted in an almost accusing tone.

"Revolutionary how? All I see is a boy meddling with things he doesn't understand."

Jayce groaned as he felt his entire being screaming in frustration. He couldn't imagine what his counterpart was feeling, unable to defend himself as he was being humiliated and his dream belittled, especially now knowing that he had been right all along and Hextech was real.

He could see himself shutting his eyes tight, trying to fight the urge of interjecting, but also gradually losing the fight as the councilors kept arguing.

"The Academy seems to have loosened its standards."

"This is a fine line. If we condone this, what's next?"

"Ridiculous, really."

"The council has more important matters to deal with."

"Perhaps we should finish this…"

"I was trying to create magic!" Jayce snapped, unable to listen to any more than this.

Heimerdinger sighed, mirroring his counterpart's disappointed expression. He should have known the boy wouldn't follow his advice. What's an old yordle's intake worth when you're a young boy full of dreams?

Jayce tried to fight the smile forming on his lips as he heard him sigh. He respected his professor's opinion, he really did, but he couldn't help but be relieved for his other self.

Silence fell again in the court. All councilors but Councilor Heimerdinger froze at the revelation, and in the audience, worried glances were being exchanged.

"Magic?" Councilor Hoskel repeated, spatting the word like if it was cursed.

But among the offended crowd, one man lightened up with interest. Viktor had come to assist the trial purely out of formality, as the Academy dean's assistant and as the man who participated in the arrest. He hadn't expected much of it. Young scientists trying to come to renown with new innovations were common in the City of Progress, but never once had someone been bold enough to actually try and tame nature itself.

An unreasonable idea indeed, mused Viktor silently. He, too, had once hoped to make a change in this world. To improve lives. But only an overly optimistic fool would hope to exploit magic. And Jayce, he was starting to understand, was just that.

"Arcane talents are something you're born with," Councilor Shoola pointed out. "They can't be fabricated."

"Actually, I believe it is possible," Jayce assured.

"Has anyone even tried it before?" Councilor Medarda turned to her colleagues, her eyes tight and doubtful. She received no answer.

"The Arcane is the curse of our world," Councilor Bolbok spoke in a robotic voice after a moment of silence. "My race was nearly destroyed by it."

"Surely we, the pioneers of science, can use it for good! We're the champions of discovery, why fear it when we can master it?" Jayce tried to appeal.

An almost indiscernible smile drew on Victor's face. Suddenly, he was no longer an assistant. He was back to being a boy, full of dreams, full of ambition.

I suppose I can also be foolish and overly optimistic,Viktor mused.

"Jayce, enough," his professor warned. But the boy continued anyway.

"This is the City of progress, think of the wonders we could create. Let me prove—"

"Enough!" Heimerdinger now demanded, his voice rising at once.

All Piltovans flinched. The yordle was famous for being a fur ball full of joy and optimism, to the point where he almost seemed disconnected to whatever misfortunes happened. They had never heard him shout before.

"You don't understand what's at stake," Heimerdinger continued, his voice and eyes suddenly softening. "But how can you? That's a burden that only I here carry; time."

"I've seen this power in the wrong hands," he recounted as old memories emerged from his mind. He remembered them like they had happened the day before. The screams of panic as people tried to flee the chaos had been engraved into his mind, and the sight of the ruins left –whenever there was something left– had plagued his soul forever.

"It corrupts, consumes. Lays waste to civilizations…"

Did it, really? Mel too had witnessed magic being used as a tool to subdue entire nations. How many civilizations had Noxus erased from Runeterra? And yet, beyond their aggressive territorial expansions, Noxus was also a land of prosperity and inclusion. It probably had the richest culture of the globe. And magic was at the center of it.

But what was the point if it was at the expense of others? Cassandra was born and bred Piltovan. She hadn't experienced magic like Mel or Heimerdinger, but her husband was an Ionian refugee, victim of Noxus' many conquests. Yet, Tobias talked about it like it was a wonderful thing, often recounting to their daughter tales and stories about the wonders it could do. She always had mixed feelings about magic, but Piltover's general stance regarding it had tipped the scale in favor of wariness. If there was a way to control it, though, it was another story. But the professor's warning made her falter for a moment, as she realized she had never seen him this terrified before.

"That cannot happen here, my boy," the yordle stressed. "It mustnot."

"Heimerdinger is right," Councilor Shoola seconded. "Piltover was founded to escape the warmongering of mages, not cultivate it."

"The Ethos is clear. He must be banished from Piltover," finished Councilor Bolbok, leaving no room for discussion.

Panic barely had the time to settle in Jayce's heart, he heard a familiar voice interjecting the condamnation.

"Please, let me speak!"

Councilor Heimerdinger tilted his head toward the audience as a middle-aged woman tried to make her way through the crowd. With a simple gesture of the hand, he invited others to let her pass and allowed her to join them.

"As a lower house," Ximena started once she was in the light, just a few meters away from her son, "my voice doesn't carry much weight here. But as a mother, I have a voice that matters deeply."

Her lips tightened as her face scrunched up in uncertainty.

"My son isn't in his right mind," she confessed. "His entire life, he's chased an impossible dream."

"What…?" Jayce mumbled inaudibly, not noticing the few glances being directed at him.

He had been told he was mad numerous times when he shared his dream with others –which was why he only shared it with a handful of trusted people like Caitlyn now– but his mother had always supported him. No matter how hard it became, no matter how many times he failed, she always encouraged him to continue. Because she knew better than anyone exactly why he was pursuing such a dream. She had witnessed it –experienced it herself.

She, out of all people, would never have called him mad. But as if to prove him wrong, the image of his mother continued the defamation.

"What he did was foolish," Ximena went on. "And unwise. But he has a good heart.Please, let him come home."

Her plea didn't reach Councilor Salo, however, who only rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"A crime like this can't be overlooked," he said. "The boy must be punished."

"A violation of the ethos calls for banishment," Councilor Heimerdinger agreed, but his soft tone betrayed his real intention. "But I can sympathize with a young man's dream to change the world. Perhaps in this matter, a lesser sentence may suffice. I move that Jayce be summarily expelled from the academy and remanded to the care of his parents."

Ximena's face lightened up in relief at his proposition. In contrast, her son shut his eyes tight, his nose scrunched up in frustration. This wasn't the outcome he had hoped for.

"All those in favor?"

Councilor Heimerdinger raised his hand in the air, and an overhead light turned on above him. As he looked at his fellow councilors to encourage them to vote, his gaze stopped on Councilor Kiramman, whom he knew would take his side on the matter. As expected, the councilwoman followed his lead and raised her hand, a second light turning on, and the two colleagues exchanged an understanding nod.

Most other councilors avoided their gaze. Once again, Councilor Salo rolled his eyes, finding the idea of exempting the boy from punishment ridiculous, as Councilor Hoskel had his full attention on his puzzle, the ongoing trial all but forgotten.

Eventually, a third light turned on, as Councilor Medarda voted in favor of the lesser sentence. She glared at the distracted councilor playing with his toy, and not a single word was needed for him to understand the message. He straightened up in his seat as soon as he noticed her, and raised his hand almost out of reflex.

The trenchers scoffed. It was clear who was the top dog at this table.

"You may take your son home, Mrs. Talis," Councilor Heimerdinger announced. "But he's never to set foot on Academy grounds again."

A small smile drawing on her lips, Ximena's face relaxed at once, knowing she wouldn't have to lose her son. Jayce, however, couldn't bring himself to look up from his feet. Not even when the window panels uncovered the stained-glasses and light filled the room once again, like a promise for a better future.

It was a disaster.

"I got expelled from the Academy…" Jayce muttered to himself as he watched the scene completely dumbfounded.

His inner turmoil went unnoticed by the gang, however.

"He got it good," Vi scoffed, unamused by what she was seeing.

"He breaks the law, and yet, he walks away a free man," Mylo chided in turn as he crossed his arms behind his head. "Wouldn't have been us."

He got it… good?

Jayce turned around to stare at the nonchalant teens, baffled by what he just heard, and soon, his stare turned into a glare.

How could they say that? He had lost everything! His reputation, his research, his position at the Academy… All gone! And because ofthem! And yet, they were saying he was let off lightly?

Didtheyknow what it was like to work day and night, and lose the fruit of years of labor in one instant? No! Of course they didn't! They were thieves! They didn't work to get what they wanted, they just stole it! Uncaring if they ruined the life of others in the process!

"Jayce," Viktor called softly, as he noticed him getting riled up, and put a hand on his shoulder to calm the boiling rage in his guts. "They're just children."

Yes, he knew that. Of course he did.

Realistically, he knew their situations weren't comparable, and he could understand where they were coming from. He had seen their past. He didn't hold them accountable for their actions, despite the dramatic domino effect they had on his own life. It wasn't as if they had purposely ruined his life after all. But in that moment, it was very hard for him to empathize with them as they belittled his dream as if it was worthless while displaying zero signs of regret regarding their role in his downfall.

But he was the adult here, so he bit down the words that threatened to go out, clenched his teeth, and forced his gaze back on the Hextech recording.

Right. TheHextechrecording. It wasn't over yet for his other-self. Hewouldachieve his dreams.

At the other side of the bridge, the old cannery near the docks had been abandoned for quite a while. Yet, it showed clear signs of activity as Marcus walked in.

"Him again?" grunted Vi as her siblings imitated the displeased wince on her face.

They had seen the fucker's face enough for at least two decades. Unfortunately, he seemed to play an important role in this alternative reality. When would they get back tothem?

The deputy sheriff ventured inside the building cautiously as he inspected his surroundings, looking for someone.

The sudden hissing sound at his feet broke him out of his trance. He looked at the strange purple root he just stepped on, and when he tried to follow it with his gaze, he noticed the veins all spread from the same room. A room from which he was hearing closing footsteps, now.

Silco appeared from the shadows, approaching the enforcer slowly, but confidently.

Vander furrowed instantly, and this time, he wasn't the only one. Everyone was wary about the man now, and this seemingly secret encounter with Marcus definitely didn't help in easing their concerns.

Grayson was particularly apprehensive. Her deputy wasn't bound to report every single one of his encounters, especially within the scope of an inquiry, but Marcus was hot-blooded, and very transparent about his feelings towards the Undercity and its people. It would be very easy to use that against him, and the man obviously had some kind of grudge against Vander.

"First time I've been invited to the Lanes. It better be worth my time," the deputy sheriff warned.

"Ah, you see, that's your weakness, Marcus," sighed Silco as he circled around him. "You carry your chin so high, you fail to see the opportunity below."

"Who are you?" Marcus asked, now more suspicious about the man than ever.

That was the million-coin question. Unfortunately, Silco had no intention of responding.

"You're looking for four children," he continued as if the enforcer hadn't spoken. "The ones running circles around Piltover's finest."

"What about it?"

"Don't look so concerned," Silco said, finally stopping in his tracks to look Marcus in the eyes for the first time, a grin growing on his face. "I'm about to make your day."

"He's going to sell us out," Claggor muttered, his brows scrunched in worry.

It wasn't a conjecture. He knew. That man had asked people to follow them, he knew who they were. And evidently, he also knew Vander. He was going to sell them out to the fucker, and enforcers were going to barge on their door any time now.

A sudden chill crept up his skin as Claggor could finally see how things would go out of control.

In the Uppercity, the sun had completely disappeared. The sky was now completely covered by clouds, as rain poured down heavily on Piltover. A good weather for his current mood, Jayce supposed.

He was back into his mother's home, in her care, the Council no longer trusting him to live without supervision. But if his childhood home had always been a comforting place for him to return to whenever he needed, right now, he found it suffocating.

It had been a few hours since he shut himself into his room, stroking the crystal shard on his wristband tirelessly with his thumb, when a knocking on the door interrupted the soothing sounds of the raindrops splashing against his window.

"Can I come in?" he heard his mother ask from behind the door.

Still unwilling to speak to her, Jayce didn't answer. Ximena took his silence as a yes. She entered his room cautiously, not wanting to offend him any further. Her eyes stopping off the amethyst crystal proudly displayed on his shelf, a small smile drew on her lips.

"I still remember the look on your face when you found these," she said, her voice full of affection.

Yes, he remembered too. He had developed a crystal obsession after his encounter with the unknown mage, and started collecting any kind he found. The amethyst crystal had been the first of his collection. A gift from his mother after she saw the awe on his face when he noticed it on one of the market stalls.Harvested in Shurima, the seller had told them. It had been her way to encourage his dream, to show him that she supported him. And yet…

"Jayce, please, if I hadn't spoken, you'd be lost to me," Ximena tried to reason as she came to sit beside her son on his bed. "I had to say something."

At the expense of his reputation?

"Magic saved your life," Jayce replied, finally looking up at her.

"Yes, but it won't save yours now. You need to let it go," she pled.

There was no way he could. She didn't understand; magicwashis life.

"I could've convinced the Council," he insisted, deaf to his mother's words. "If my own family won't help me, I'll find someone who will."

Without leaving her a chance to retort, he stood up and walked away from her. Ximena didn't have the will to follow him. The cold tone of his voice and his accusation had swept away all of her strength. Her heart twisting in regret, her head dropped forward.

It was difficult for Jayce to watch his other self leave their mother behind, hurt and abandoned. But he had been too. And although he did understand why she had done it, it didn't make her betrayal any less painful.

Cassandra's eyes softened a little, as she, too, could understand Ximena's actions. She was a mother as well, and although children could sometimes be cross with them, parents knew better what was best for them. Their occasional spite was a small price to pay to give them a better future.

"Ah, that foolish boy," Heimerdinger sighed in his lab.

Sorting all the belongings of his now former pupil had proven itself to be a tedious task. He had spent the hours following the trial working on it with the help of his assistant, and he was only starting to finish.

"I must admit, his theory intrigues," Viktor noted, his eyes never leaving the notebook in his hands.

"If dangerous ideas didn't excite the imagination, we would never wander astray."

And we would never progress either,Jayce thought bitterly.

Heimerdinger had said so himself: you couldn't make a prototype without breaking a few wrenches. How many airships had crashed before the first one was sent flying safely in the sky? How many towers had collapsed before people had enough knowledge to build the highest buildings of Piltover? These too, had probably once been considered dangerous ideas.

"Could it work? Could these stones really invoke magic?" Viktor mused, as he skimmed through the notebook, the theories and diagrams in it arousing his curiosity each time a bit more.

"Nonsense. It's far too unstable."

"Could you stabilize it?"

"Me? Why would I?" Heimerdinger quizzed, his eyes narrow and cautious. "That only leads to more problems, and that poor boy has enough of them already."

He extended his hand to Viktor, and his assistant handed him the notebook.

"There," Heimerdinger said as he placed it on a shelf, next to the blue crystal and its support. "Come tomorrow morning, his research will be safely disposed of. Lock up."

He left the lab, not noticing the hesitance on his assistant's face. Viktor didn't immediately follow him. His eyes falling upon the notebook full of promises, the passionate speech of the Talis young man replayed in his head. For the first time in forever, Viktor allowed his heart to win over his mind, and swept the notebook inside his jacket.

"Your pupils seem to have a tendency not to follow your advice, Professor," Mel chuckled softly.

"So it seems, Councilor Medarda," Heimerdinger sighed.

But despite the weak smile on his face, he couldn't help but worry. What if his failure in guiding his students was the reason why things went downhill in this alternative reality? He had already failed Singed, and clearly, this failure alone would be disastrous. What about Jayce and Viktor?

Viktor cracked a smile, a little embarrassed by the councilwoman's joke, but the understanding, and probably also grateful glance he received from Jayce alleviated his guilt.

Jayce felt indebted to him. They hadn't had the time to get to know each other yet, and yet this almost stranger had put more trust in him than his own mother had. It was a strange thing to know that he probably owed him his dream in both realities.

Under the surface, Silco brought a test tube to his eye level, rolling it between his fingers, as its purple liquid glowed in the darkness.

"Will he live?" he asked the man behind him.

Singed didn't bother to lift his head from his papers, too busy to improve his recipe, and not interested enough in the boy's fate.

"Long enough," he assured.

"How reassuring," Mylo spat.

Long enough to do what?

Unaware of what was in store for him, Deckard stood in front of the glass facade. The view it offered on the underwater world was not like any other. Beautiful, some would have argued, with the phosphorescent crystals growing on the oceanic rocks, the only light source this far down in the water. But for Deckard, it was only horrifying. He could only notice the enormous creatures that had evolved to survive the toxic wastes of the Undercity swimming in there.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Silco said, as he approached the startled boy from behind. "Yet, up there, on the surface, no one knows they exist."

Vander clenched his jaw at his words. He couldn't help but think he wasn't only referring to the sea creatures.

"They're monsters," Deckard pointed out, clearly disagreeing with him.

The scar-faced man cracked a smile as he slowly turned to him.

"There's a monster inside all of us," he said, lifting the hand holding the test tube.

Deckard's eyes immediately widened at the sight of the purple liquid.

"What? No, no," he frantically refused the silent proposition as he took a step back. "It'll kill me!"

Indifferent to his panic, Silco grabbed the dagger attached to the boy's belt.

"I'd like to let you in on a very important secret I learned when I was about your age, boy," he began, playing with the knife without a care.

He's coercing him, Mel furrowed.

Panic started to grow in Deckard's heart as he watched the man wave the weapon in front of his face, but as if to make a point, Silco discarded it almost immediately.

"See,power," he emphasized on the word, "real power doesn't come to those who were born strongest, or fastest, or smartest. No." He marked a pause, leaning in closer. "It comes to those who will doanythingto achieve it."

A cold chill settled on Caitlyn's skin.

What hadhedone to achieve whatever power he had? She wasn't sure she wanted to know, but that glowing eye of his was probably a good clue.

"It's time to let the monster out," Silco finished, extending the flask to Deckard.

The boy glanced at it. His heart raced, his breathing quickened, and all of his muscles tensed up as his entire body was warning him about the danger. But as he shot a glance at the chemist at their side, who encouraged him to take it with a simple nod of the head, Deckard decided to ignore the most primitive part of his brain urging him to run.

Don't…

His hand trembled as he reached for the flask, his eyes lost and unfocused. Thousands of questions poured into his mind. Would he survive if he took it? Would he survive if he didn't? With one flick of the thumb, he uncorked the bottle and drank the purple liquid in one go, silencing his worries into oblivion.

"Why would he drink that?" Ekko exclaimed, confusion all over his face.

"I don't think he has a choice, Little Man," Claggor responded with a sympathetic frown.

A grimace curled over Vi's face.

He didn't.

Vi hated the guy. He had jumped them for no reason, caused them to lose their loot, and sold them out to some kind of narcissist. She had had no compassion for him when he was surrounded and then dragged away by the scar-faced man's men, but even he didn't deserve this. Another beat up, maybe, but to be forced to be someone's little experiment? No one deserved this.

Deckard dropped to his knees as the liquid quickly spread into his system. He grabbed his throbbing head, trying to soothe the sudden pain growing inside his skull, but it only grew stronger instead.

Indifferent to his suffering, Silco watched the boy transform with interest.

His veins became apparent with the drug flowing quickly inside. His muscles twitched, growing rapidly in size, and his eyes –similarly to his own– glowed in the darkness.

The old memory about a pink salamander arose in Viktor's mind, overlapping with the spasming figure of the boy. The purple veins, the screams of pain, the mutation…

This is what he was doing this whole time…he realized.

That evening, the sounds of a monster growling resonated inside the old cannery.

"This is an abomination," Heimerdinger muttered in horror.What have you done, Singed?

"What is he planning to do with…that?" Mel hesitated, as the tone of her voice indicated that she already had some idea. She knew how to recognize a weapon when she saw one, after all.

Probably start another uprising,Benzo and Vander guessed.

This was reckless. Had he not learned the lesson? How many more lives needed to be wasted before he understood he couldn't win a war against Piltover? They had the technology to destroy them. And even if, hypothetically speaking, he managed to win, what would be left of them if he transformed everyone?

What are you thinking, Silco?

Once again, people glanced at Vander, expecting an explanation from him, but this time, Vi wasn't one of them. She didn't have time to think about the "why". All she could think about at the moment, as the monster's grunts haunted her soul, was about how he was probably going to go after them.

For the first time since the beginning of the recording, Vi was grateful that the heist had failed. Even if they were humiliated, paraded around like animals for Topsiders to see, being arrested was better than being dead. She could pay the price of her own mistakes, but her siblings? She would never be able to forgive herself if something was to happen to them because of her.

On the recording, the scenery changed back to Piltover. It was still raining when Jayce was seen walking to a large iron gate, giving access to an even larger house.

Jayce approached the Kiramman domain with very little hope. He had not cared to cover himself from the rain to make the trip. Completely soaked, he was sure to catch a cold the next day. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to think about the future.

He reached for the gate and tried to open it, but much to his fear, it didn't budge. Out of frustration, he gave it a couple more tugs, the gate clanking loudly in protest, but it was pointless. He knew what it meant.

"They won't see you," a voice suddenly ended his effort.

Jayce raised his head, and at the other side of the gate, he noticed his friend sitting on the edging stone of the wall separating them.

"Your name's no good now," Caitlyn said. "My dad says you're a misfit, and that we can't be friends anymore."

Caitlyn's heart clenched. The idea of losing her only friend was absolutely jarring. The lifestyle her parents imposed on her was suffocating, but Jayce had always been her saving grace. He wasn't like the other kids she met. He was older, yes, but he was also real, transparent with his feelings and so painfully optimistic. Everything he did was fascinating. She was grateful to have him in her monotone life. She couldn't lose him.

Her face was partially hidden by her umbrella, but Jayce had no problems sensing the hurt in his friend's voice.

"So why are you out here?" he asked, already guessing the answer.

A weak smile played on Caitlyn's lips.

"I'm a misfit too, I suppose," she shrugged.

That, she was,Jayce chuckled softly.

Sole heir of the Kiramman clan, daughter of a councilor, and yet, always eager to explore the world outside the privileged one she was born into, and always willing to leave the lady behind to get her hands dirty and help him. They made a good pair of misfits, the two of them. And that was why they were such good friends, he supposed.

"What will you do?" Caitlyn asked as she gave him a worried glance.

"Join the Talis hammer business, I guess," Jayce replied, his voice devoid of motivation. He didn't want to, and evidently, neither did Caitlyn.

"You can't do that!" she exclaimed, almost offended by this suggestion.

Part of the reason why she admired him so much, Jayce knew, was that he managed to forge his own path outside the one predetermined for him –everything she hoped to do one day. By abandoning his dream and returning to his family's business, he would be letting her down.

"No, I can't,"his counterpart agreed, his head dropping against the gate.

But what else was he supposed to do then? What other options had he left?

The sound of heels clicking against the paved floor brought Jayce's attention on Cassandra, who just appeared at the entrance of the mansion.

"Come inside, Caitlyn," she ordered, barely taking a few steps in the rain to give her daughter a hard stare –one she wouldn't be able to ignore. "Now."

Reluctantly, Caitlyn rose from her seat. She gave her friend one last glance, and she silently left his side, rushing inside her home under the watchful eyes of her mother.

"I'm sorry," Jayce tried to apologize as his throat swelled with emotions. But Cassandra didn't let him. "I just wanted to explain…"

"I think you've done enough," she interrupted him, unwilling to listen.

It was with mixed feelings Cassandra watched herself walk away, following her daughter inside as the boy was left to languish under the rain.

It was an unfortunate situation, and she was most certainly disappointed with her other self, but she couldn't say she didn't understand. She hadn't sponsored Jayce out of good will, after all. She was a businesswoman. She had always expected a return on investments, some day. The moment this prospect disappeared, it made sense to abandon him. Not to mention that she had her family's reputation to protect, so if his had plunged, it was no longer in her interest to keep him at their side. She didn't dare to look at Jayce, but she hoped he understood.

For Jayce, though, the reasons were trivial. All he knew was that she had abandoned him. Just like his mother had. Just like his professor had. And despite all the good will Caitlyn had, she wouldn't be able to go against her mother, and her father apparently hated him since she almost got caught in the explosion –not that he blamed him. So in this other reality, his other self was all alone.

Jayce caught Caitlyn staring at him in the corner of his eye, concern all over her face, with a mixture of remorse. She probably blamed her other self for not standing up for him. But why would she when not even his own mother had? So he tried to appease her worries by smiling at her, but he could feel that it was weak and ingenuine. She probably could too. Yet, he couldn't do more to hide the heavy weight on his chest. He felt empty. He had managed to somehow avoid this fate in this reality, but he felt betrayed and abandoned all the same.

His other self had really lost everything.

So this time,justthis time, Vi allowed herself to feel sorry for him.

Chapter 14: The Price of an Ambition

Summary:

In the other reality, Jayce takes a drastic decision, and Vi takes another.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)

Chapter Text

In the council's room, the Sheriff and her deputy had been summoned to report on the progress of their investigation. All council members but Councilor Heimeidinger were present. The Talis boy had been dealt with, but their concerns regarding the incident had yet to completely disappear.

"You said it was a robbery," Councilor Medarda started, facing the glass facade giving a view of all of Piltover. "Did they take anything dangerous?"

Yes, in fact, they took the worst thing they could have possibly taken,Jayce wanted to say. But he no longer had the energy to banter.

Standing on a stairway above them, the council members' presence was stately.

"Hard to say," Grayson admitted. "We don't know exactly what we did find, let alone what we didn't."

"This mention of magic has the people afraid. The culprits must be apprehended," Councilor Hoskel pressed.

"We're doing our best, Councilor, I assure you."

"Your attitude makes me question if your best is up to the task," Councilor Salo accused, wine glass in hand.

"We'll find them," Marcus avowed. "Don't worry."

This ass-kisser…

This Marcus guy had been nothing but an arrogant prick for the trenchers. Always looking down on them, insulting them, and barking at them like a rabid dog. Seeing him standing straight, helmet under the arm and a hand behind the back, offering sweet promises to the Council while they undermined his work was a jarring contrast to the image they had of him.

"We've conducted exhaustive interrogations, frozen commerce for half the district," reported Grayson. "With all due respect, Councilors, don't you think we've pushed them hard enough?"

They had. Vander had seen the spark of uprising kindling in his own bar. There was only so much his other self could do to ease the tensions. Sevika and a few others had already defected. If the enforcers didn't back down, it was only a matter of time before the whole of the Underground took arms once again. But as much as he was grateful to Grayson for trying to reason with the Council, some things really were the same Topside and bottom. His people weren't the only ones to be stubborn.

"Do whatever it takes," Councilor Bolbok ordered, ignoring the Sheriff's warning. "Turn the Undercity upside down if you have to. Just find them."

Marcus' eyes lightened with purpose, as the little restraints he had disappeared in an instant. The Council had given him free reins to deal with the Undercity folks however he deemed fit, and he fully intended to take advantage of it.

A sigh escaped the Sheriff as she massaged the nose of her bridge, trying to get rid of the growing headache in her skull. She knew what was coming, and so did Vander and Benzo. The three partners had spent years trying to rebuild a semblance of peace for their two cities, and the actions of a few hot-blooded youngsters were causing it to crumble.

Mel was also starting to get worried. Her other-self might not have been too aware of what was happening in the Underground, but she had seen enough to come to the same conjecture as the other three.

In The Last Drop, business was slow that evening, as people were becoming more careful with their outings with the recent commotions with the enforcers. For Vander, it was all beneficial. The tensions had been weighing heavily on him, and the decrease of patrons allowed him to breathe a little.

Grayson's proposition was plaguing his mind. He knew he needed to make a decision soon, but he still couldn't bring himself to sacrifice one of his people.

A fatal flaw in his leadership,Mel noted. And yet, she couldn't help but admire him for that. This world lacked compassionate leaders. Too many people would be willing to sacrifice innocent lives to avoid conflict. But Mel had always been convinced mercy was not a weakness.

His head full of contradicting thoughts, Vander rolled on his counter the pneumatube the Sheriff had given him absentmindedly, until the sound of bells announcing the arrival of a new patron broke him out of his haze.

"Welcome to The Last Drop," he greeted. But the neutral expression on his face soon turned sour, as he realized the newcomers weren't patrons.

The bar fell silent. Everyone eyed the Deputy Sheriff and his men walking to the counter with alertness. Although they were starting to get used to the sight of them here, it didn't make their presence any less undesirable.

Vander put the pneumatube away, turning his full attention to the enforcers.

"What can I get you?" he asked with disguised professionalism when they reached the bar and Marcus took his mask off.

"Four sump rats will do," the Deputy Sheriff answered.

A scowl appeared on Vander's face. They were here specifically for his kids.

"See? He sold us out!" Claggor told his siblings, and it didn't take them long to understand he was referring to the scar-faced man they had just seen meeting with Marcus.

Vi and Mylo gritted their teeth. Running from enforcers when they stumbled upon them was one thing. If the enforcers knew who they were and where to find them though, it greatly complicated things. Their counterparts might be forced to leave the Lanes, and that was not an option for any of them.

"Search the place," Marcus ordered his men without breaking eye-contact with the barman.

The two enforcers accompanying him left his side to look around the bar, and much to Vander's horror, one of them went straight for the basement.

"While you're wasting your time, how about a proper drink?" He offered the Deputy Sheriff.

"I'll take the strongest shit you got."

Under the watchful eyes of Marcus, Vander leaned to grab a bottle under his counter. Next to it, out of the enforcer's line of sight, there was a hidden button, personalized with the drawing of a monkey. The barman didn't let anything in his behavior betray him as he pushed the button, before he took the bottle out to pour his customer a drink.

The button activated the emergency alert system his youngest had set up. The fragment of a stone fell inside a pipe, and under its weight, the string connecting it to a wind-up monkey ruptured. The toy unwound, the monkey clapping its hands loudly as it moved forward.

The alarming sound of cymbals resonating in the basement, all five kids stopped to look at the shelf from which the monkey was about to fall. They were all up on their feet by the time it crashed on the floor, its rhythmical clanging slowing down, as most of the energy stored in the toy had been released.

"Thanks Janna Powder's monkey was there," Vi said, a sigh of relief escaping her mouth. A proud smile then stretched on her lips as she realized her baby sister had saved them.

"See? Powder can be helpful if you give her a chance," Claggor added, turning to their brother, coming to the same realization as her.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Mylo rolled his eyes.

Her attempts to help generally did more harm than good though. But the boy kept that last thought to himself. It was pointless to put the subject back on the table, and it was true that her toy did save them here. Even he could admit that.

Ekko rocked side to side in his seat, unable to contain the pride he felt. This emergency alert system was actually something Powder and he had worked on together, but he was absolutely fine giving her the whole credit. He just wished she was there to see it save the day.

When the enforcer reached the basement, the monkey was no longer moving, and the room seemed deserted, plunged into the dark. He lit up a flashlight as he walked down the stairs, his eyes scanning the area for movements. The teenagers tried to stay still, not to give away their hiding spot. The enforcer's wheeze through his mask and the clicking of his boots were the only sounds to cover their heartbeats in the silence.

Caitlyn gulped nervously. She hated how aware she was of her own uneasiness at the enforcer's presence. She had always admired them, and yet, at the moment she was only hoping for one thing: for the enforcer to disappear and for the gang not to get caught.

The enforcer checked inside the ventilation system. An adult wouldn't have been able to pass through the fans, but a teen might have. It would have been an ideal hiding spot. But his flashlight revealed nothing inside, so he abandoned the ventilation to venture deeper into the room. He inspected every corner, failing to notice anyone, so he crouched down to check under the bed. But once again, his flashlight only revealed trinkets, lost crayons and a forgotten stuffed rhino.

Caitlyn would have recoiled at the unhealthy amount of dust in there if her heart wasn't so busy skipping beats each time the enforcer checked a potential hiding spot.

Where were they?

A basement should logically only have one way out, and it had been blocked by the enforcer. The gang had to be there, somewhere.

Upstairs, Marcus was in a good mood. He was sure to return to Piltover with the four little rats in cuffs, so he patiently waited for his enforcers at the bar, as he swirled the drink in his glass. When he brought it to his face, however, the smell made him wince. He shot a glance at the bottle on the counter to identify the beverage he had been given, and only then he noticed a small creature bathing in it. Whatever it was, it was definitely not something that he would have found in the Uppercity.

"Nearly forgot," he started as he turned his attention to the barman. "I ran into an old friend of yours," he chuckled. "He had some stories."

Vander barely had the time to register the meaning of his words, the Deputy Sheriff nonchalantly stole his pipe from his hand. He slammed his fist against the counter as a warning, and all his patrons rose from their seats, ready to jump the intruders. But Marcus was unimpressed. Only the enforcer at his side reacted, deploying his baton in one quick motion as a warning of their own.

Vander shook his head, signaling his patrons not to make a move. He couldn't give the enforcers a reason to send more patrols down here.

"You weren't always the peacekeeper, were you?" Marcus sneered as he dropped the pipe into his glass. The beverage immediately caught on fire.

"Yeah, well, you can't escape the past, right?" Vander responded, keeping his expression neutral.

His patrons couldn't do the same. The anger was clear and bright on their face as the Deputy Sheriff provoked them.

"Be a shame if I had to put them on again," continued Vander, as he directed the enforcer's gaze on the gauntlets hanging over them with a gesture of the head. "Cast iron's, well, it's hard to clean."

Underneath them, hidden on the basement's supporting beams, the gang could hear everything. They didn't keep their attention on the pair for long though, as the enforcer below was still looking for them.

Oh, so that's where they were hiding!

A smart choice, Caitlyn noted. No one ever thought to check above them. Even her mother seemed impressed, if slightly horrified by their choice of a hiding spot. But then, the frown on her face deepened, so Caitlyn brought her attention back on the screen, and immediately, she mirrored her mother's expression.

Right above the enforcer, Powder was suspended between a beam and a pipe. She tried to keep a firm grip, but she was rapidly losing strength supporting her entire weight. Vi could do nothing but watch as her sister almost fell, her hands slipping on the pipe.

"You've gotta be kidding me," groused Mylo.

They weren't going to get caught just like that, were they?

"Come on, Pow-Pow…"

Everyone was on the edge of their seat as they watched the enforcer walk toward the exit. But he didn't leave just yet. He turned around one last time, and verified briefly if he hadn't missed anything by shining his flashlight into the room.

"Come on…!"

Finally, he closed the door, and several sighs sounded, relieving the tension as Powder was seen falling right after. Even Grayson couldn't hide a smile on her face. Her enforcers were doing their job, but those kids were growing on her, and she now knew that arresting the kids of the Undercity's de facto leader under his nose was the last thing she needed in this context of high tension.

When his man returned upstairs, it was not to deliver the news Marcus hoped to hear. The smug expression on his face disappeared, replaced by a scowl, as the enforcer shook his head to signal that his search had been fruitless. Vander did not care to hide a smirk, even giving the Deputy Sheriff a challenging shrug.

"You people down here are all the same; mistaking arrogance for bravery," Marcus growled at the barman before he turned to face all the trenchers. "You think you're standing up for something, but we all know there is a crime behind every coin that passes through this place."

He turned back to face Vander, the scowl on his face deeper than ever.

"You're just a small man in a little hole the world forgot to bury," he added in a snarl.

"Says the small man with a small ego," Benzo scoffed.

Piltovans did not know how to choose their leaders. This guy was next in line to become Sheriff? He had bigger anger issues than Vi, and Vi was just a child, one who has been mistreated by the system. What had mistreated him? The toxic fumes of the Fissures? They breathed those everyday just fine.

Not satisfied with just a verbal warning, Marcus pulled his baton out and smashed his glass, spilling the burning alcohol all over the counter.

"And I'm gonna bury the lot of you!" he vowed before storming his way out of the bar.

His enforcers followed, making sure to bump into anyone they crossed.

As The Last Drop's door slammed shut, the patrons looked at Vander expectantly, but the barman only closed his eyes in resignation.

"You're just… going to let him do that?" Vi asked as she turned to her guardian, the outrage blatantly obvious on her face.

"Vi…" Vander tried to reason once more.

But this time, even the others voiced their discontentment.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" puzzled Claggor.

"You can't just let him insult you in our own home and do… nothing!" added Mylo.

Ekko also wanted to say something, but Benzo's hand on his shoulder prevented him from joining the discussion, so he simply nodded in agreement.

The Piltovans preferred not to meddle. Pride was no foreign concept to them, but they could also understand the man's difficult position, and his wish to protect his children.

Cassandra tried to put herself in his place and imagine what she would have done, but soon figured out she couldn't. She had never been in a situation that couldn't be fixed with her influence, and where she had to choose between her pride and her daughter. She couldn't even fathom it.

Vander barely just managed to calm his kids a little, the argument resumed on screen.

"Are you all okay?"his counterpart asked as soon as he arrived in the basement.

"No, we're not okay," Vi immediately snarled as she dropped down on the floor.

Her siblings followed, leaving their hiding spot with slightly less dexterity than her.

"They almost saw Powder. What if they took her?"

"No one is taking any of you," Vander assured as he ignored her challenging tone. "Never let that happen."

"It's already happening!" Vi insisted. "You heard him, they won't stop. We need to fight back!"

Her fist slammed against the wall, and a pipe rattled in protest.

"And if you won't, I will," she vowed, cupping her own bloodied fist to make a point.

Heimerdinger furrowed. The girl was so young, and yet so full of anger. He couldn't understand her insatiable need to fight. But Vi was becoming beyond frustrated by her guardian's lack of action. She knew she was mostly responsible for all this mess, but it didn't mean they should let the enforcers push them around, on their own turf. She was more than willing to fix her mistake, and no matter what Vander believed, it wasn't by doing nothing that things were going to get better. They were only going to get worse.

"I've heard this kind of talk before,"her guardian muttered on the monitor, with that same resigned tone he always used just before he gave her the whole speech about how violence was not the way.

Hestillhad no intention to fight.

Vi groaned, not hiding her irritation, but Vander did not address it. His other self was already preparing the lecture, anyway.

As they had both expected, on the recording, the pair moved away from the group, as Vander took Vi aside to the bridge to reason with her.

During the night, the bridge was calm, mostly empty of travelers. Yet, Vi couldn't help but hear the distant sounds of explosions, gunshots and of people's screaming resonating in her head. She tried to will them away, but the numerous lanterns and candles that had been placed at its entrance in commemoration of the victims did not help.

"Why are we here?" She asked in an accusing tone.

She was eager to leave this place. The bridge often aroused unpleasant memories, but it was always worse at night.

Vander sighed.

"You still don't understand."

"What I don't understand is how you can work with them," retorted Vi as her father figure widened his eyes in surprise. "We were here, we saw what they did. I grew up knowing I'm less than them, that my place is down there. I want Powder to have more than that, and I'm willing to fight for it."

Caitlyn's throat tightened.

There she was again, the loving sister. Her words were resolute, and her eyes as fierce as ever, but the crack in her voice betrayed her distress. And how could she not be distressed when apparently the world itself taught her she was worthless?

Caitlyn's uneasiness grew when she drew the parallel to herself; she had been the opposite. As the heir of the Kiramman's clan and the daughter of a councilor, she had been raised to stand above others. How many times had her mother corrected her about a behavior that was 'unfit for someone her stature'? She always needed to be better. But as suffocating as it was, it couldn't possibly be worse than the opposite.

"So was I. I was angry, just like you," Vander recounted, his voice soft and wistful. "I led us across this bridge thinking things could change."

There was a pause, and Vi furrowed, her gaze falling on the ground before he even finished. She knew exactly where he was going.

"If I hadn't, your parents would still be alive."

There was rim silence among the trenchers. No one blamed Vander for the fiasco beside Vander himself, yet no one said anything. They knew no words would convince him otherwise.

Vi hated how he used this parallel. The incident had been the enforcers' fault,Topside'sfault. But if she could go back in time and tell Vander and her parents not to fight, would she? She didn't know. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. She feared the answer would shake her convictions.

"I know you wanna hurt the Topsiders for what they've done to us. But who are you willing to lose? Mylo? Claggor?" His voice softened. "Powder?"

All anger in Vi's face disappeared, replaced by anguish.

Vander moved next to her.

"Nobody wins in a war, Vi," he finished, raising his eyes on the black sky.

Mel wished her family agreed with that.

Vi's fists clenched white, but there was no more fight inside her. Just resigned frustration. She knew he was right, and she didn't want to admit it.

This is unfair.

What was her other self supposed to do, then? Quietly wait for the enforcers to grow bored of spreading terror and discord in their streets? Was that all they could do? The only choice they had down there?

Endure and live, or fight and die.

A humorless smile spread on her lips as Vi realized why Vander had brought her here. She knew what she wanted to choose, but she also knew she couldn't do so, not so long as she was responsible for her siblings.

This is unfair.

Mylo and Claggor also fell silent, unable to offer her any support. When Vander had said they would be willing to follow her into a fire, he had been right. They too wanted to fight, even if it put their lives at risk. But they couldn't bear the thought of having Vi living with their death on her conscience, should anything happen to them. She was her father's daughter. They knew she would blame herself.

Depleted of all her energy, Vi let her head drop on her guardian's shoulder.

"What are we gonna do?" She asked, letting some vulnerability seep into her voice. "The enforcers will come back."

"I don't know," Vander admitted, his own uncertainty unfiltered. "I'll… I'll figure it out."

The teenage girl looked up at him, gnawed by guilt. He rarely let her or any of her siblings see him this exposed, and yet, and seemed mentally exhausted. Even more than her.

Her eyes falling onto the candles, the lanterns and the pictures laying down at their feet, she was reminded of the heavy price of freedom.

And she made her decision.

Vander frowned. He knew that look. He could see a new resolution sparking in her mind, and he wasn't sure yet if it was a good thing. His message seemed to have gotten across, though, so that was already a small victory.

At the other side of the river, Jayce hadn't had the heart to return to his mother's place and face her. Instead, his feet brought him back to his ruined apartment. His eyes were hazy, devoid of any emotions as he stood in front of the breach in his wall, facing the city that had robbed him of his dream.

Something they had in common, huffed Vi.

He had stood there long enough for his clothes to be completely dry. Yet, he still hadn't found any reason for him to keep going. A sigh escaping his lips, he took a dangerous step forward, now standing alarmingly close to the edge.

"What…?"

What was he doing? He couldn't be trying to… end things, right?

The next shot confirmed everyone's unspoken thought, as the scientist's precious wristband was seen placed next to a letter, sealed with the Talis emblem.

There was an uncertain pause before realization kicked in.

Heimerdinger's ears fell flat against his head, his eyes widening in horror. Jayce was one of his favorite students. He had had a brilliant future ahead of him, and although his own ambition had jeopardized it, he hadn't doubted for a second the young man would find other ways to make use of his creativity.

When his counterpart lessened his sentence and expelled him from the Academy, he had genuinely thought it was for the best. Yet, that boy he tried to prevent from walking on a dangerous path was the same one trying to end his life for it.

Cassandra had also greatly underestimated the impact of her decision of cutting her support. Although she didn't know him that much personally, he was close enough with her daughter that she had invited him several times to her house. And he had always been so optimistic about everything, so full of smiles, she had never once imagined seeing him so miserable, about to jump to his death.

Jayce wasn't sure how to react either. It felt surreal to see himself about to die, on his own volition. He had felt resentful for his other self, hopeless even. But suicidal? No. Or maybe he had, without realizing it… Hehadlost everything, after all.

The gang, on the other hand, was absolutely disconcerted. None of them liked the guy, but none of them wanted to watch him die either. And why did he even have to die? They didn't understand. What was so terrible about having to abandon an aspiration? They had always been so busy trying to survive, the concept of even having an aspiration felt foreign to them, but most had survived years without one, so why couldn't he? He was free, affluent and healthy –by their standards anyway– what else did he need? People would kill in the Fissures to be in his position, and yet, he was throwing his life away over… a dream?

Vi could understand to some extent the frustration over having to abandon an ambition –her other self was about to make that exact same decision, she knew– yet, the idea of taking her own life had never crossed her mind. How desperate was he to have been pushed to make this decision?

As Jayce finally mustered enough courage to jump, he closed his eyes and spread his arms, ready to embrace his ending.

Horrified gasps filled the room as he was seen leaning dangerously forward. Heimerdinger shut his eyes tight, while Cassandra tore her gaze away, both unwilling to watch what was about to happen. The gang, on the other hand, couldn't stop watching. On the spur of the moment, however, most expected Jayce to jump, as they forgot about his future self.

"Am I interrupting?" a voice suddenly broke the scientist out from his almost peaceful trance.

Jayce's eyes shot open and his body straightened up out of reflex, his fall cut short.

Relieved, Heimerdinger and Cassandra let the breath they had been holding escape into a sigh. Their nerves calmed down in one instant as they didn't have to watch a boy they indirectly pushed to die jump to his death anymore.

More detached about the matter, Viktor and Mel had managed to stay more analytical, so they weren't surprised by his intervention.

"The hell's your problem?" Jayce snapped at the newcomer. The reality of his decision had come crashing down on him at once and suddenly, the promise of death didn't seem so sweet anymore.

"What's that?" His eyes fell onto the notebook in Viktor's hands. "Another list with my name on it?"

"Actually yes," Viktor replied, completely unfazed by the near suicide he just witnessed. "But only because you signed your notes. Every page, I might add. A little egotistical, don't you think?"

The kids tried to muffle a chuckle. The cripple's quip was more than inappropriate given the atmosphere, but they liked his approach. Being caught in your most vulnerable moment would be embarrassing enough for anyone, in his place, they would have hated it if he had walked on eggshells on top of that.

The on-screen Jayce, however, wasn't nearly as amused.

"Is that why you came? To insult me?"

Viktor shook his head.

"No, no. I was intrigued by what you said at the trial," he admitted, joining the grumbling inventor as his cane clicked on the floor.

"That makes you the only one."

"Yes well, I wanted to talk about your work; this Hextech theory of yours."

"It's not a theory!" Jayce exclaimed, suddenly regaining some spirit. "I saw with my own eyes what magic can do. The lives it could save! You've no idea how beautiful it is."

And as rapidly as passion had returned in his heart, it disappeared once again.

"Now it's gone," he muttered, the despair coming back to gawk at him. "No one believed me."

"Nobody's ever believed in me," Viktor revealed as he stood closer to the edge, right next to him. "A poor cripple from the Undercity? I was an outsider the moment I stepped foot in Piltover."

All trenchers' attention perked at the new information. No one had expected the man to be one of them –or at least, someone whousedto be one of them– but suddenly, everything made sense.

The wit, the accent, the vibe… even the cane. All were very unPiltovan like. And yet, at the same time, he was alsosoPiltovan. The clothes, the demeanor, the way of speaking… No one would guess he came from the Undercity.

The gang wasn't sure how to feel about this. The man wasn't as unbearing as the other Topsiders –he was even almost likable– but the knowledge that he had walked across the river to join their side didn't sit well with them.

Trenchers stuck together.

Ekko, on the other hand, beamed at this news. He had always been told he was brilliant for a kidfrom the Undercity. Always this last part, like a stigma chained to his feet. So he had started nurturing this dream of walking alongside the greatest scientists of Piltoverdespitehis origins, to show everyone being from the Undercity wasn't a stain. And now he knew it was possible.

How had Viktor done it? He wanted to ask him.

"I didn't have the benefits of a patron, or a name. I simply believed in myself," Viktor continued before shifting his gaze to the inventor at his side. "Which is why I'm here. Because I think you're onto something. I want to help you complete your research."

But Jayce wasn't so convinced about it anymore.

"No one thinks it can be done," he muttered under his breath.

"When you're going to change the world, don't ask for permission."

The councilors frowned. It was a dangerous principle to live by. But a glimmer of hope bloomed inside Jayce's heart as the words echoed in his mind, and he suddenly remembered the very reason of his dream. It hadn't been about renown, or even acknowledgment. He had just wanted to help people, just like he and his mother had been helped. How had he forgotten about this?

Who cared about the Council's opinion, it wasn't like he hadn't known Piltover's stance regarding magic. They would change their mind the day he showed them results. And he would obtain those results, so long ashe kept going.

As Viktor raised his hand to present him something, Jayce realized it was his wristband, the very symbol of his dream. He hesitantly reached for it, almost feeling unworthy of it after removing it. But once it was in his hand, the weight on his heart lifted, and he felt whole once again.

As he looked up at the man in front of him, feeling grateful for the glimmer of hope he had given him, Jayce realized he was still a stranger to him.

"I don't even know your name," he noted.

"It's Viktor."

"You saved my life," Jayce said, as he turned to his new partner.

Viktor cracked a smile.

"Yes well, maybe not completely without interest," he admitted jokingly.

Jayce let out a heartfelt chuckle. It was twice, now, that the man saved his dream –in two different timelines– as if fate kept pushing their paths to cross. He really owed him everything. But before he could sincerely thank him, a scraping sound resonated within the room, and everyone snapped their attention on Caitlyn.

The teenage girl had gotten up so suddenly from her seat, she almost tipped over her bench, missing to send her mother on the floor at the same time.

"Cait…?" Jayce tried to call.

She looked absolutely furious. Her fists were clenched, her body was tensed, and her face was contorted into a scowl, as her piercing eyes seemed to drill into his soul. He had seen her mad before, but never like this.

"What were you thinking?!" She exploded.

Caitlyn had stayed silent during the whole scene, unable to utter a single word as her throat swelled with emotions. Seeing her best and only friend standing on that edge, ready to end his life, had filled her with a cold dread she had never known before. Never in her life had she felt this powerless, frozen by fear. And now that her brain had fully processed everything, she could not stop her fury from spilling, manners be damned.

"Were you really going to jump?!"

She was fuming, Jayce could almost see the fire in her eyes.

"No, I mean… I don't know," he told her truthfully, unable to lie to her.

"Why?! Why would you do that! Have you thought about your mom?"About me?

"I know, I'm sorry! I just– I just thought I had lost everything, I guess…"

How could he say that?

He could he say that?!

What about her? Did she mean so little to him that he would have jumped, letting her other self think she had let him die? Did he even think about how guilty she would have felt?

She knew his dream was important, but was it so important that nothing, no one else mattered? How could he abandon his own life like that? He could have just started over! She would have helped him, she knew she would have. Jayce was more than a friend to her, he was her brother. She would have convinced her parents somehow, and if she hadn't managed to, she would have helped him behind their back anyway.

But Jayce didn't even think about that. He didn't trust her enough –or she didn't matter enough, whatever it was. Neither possibility soothed her heart. He preferred jumping to his death, leaving her, his mother, and everyone else behind. And now he dared to undermine that and laugh about it?

"You are horrible," she mumbled under her breath, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Jayce's heart dropped, as he realized he had never seen her cry before. He tried to stand, to reach her, but Caitlyn turned away from him before that. She sat back down next to her mother, and kept her head low, refusing to look at him –or anyone else for that matter.

He was about to say something when Cassandra's throat clearing put him to a stop. She was glaring at him, somewhat awkwardly, probably still feeling guilty about almost pushing him to his death, but her gaze was cold enough for him to get the message and leave the young girl alone. For now anyway.

"She will calm down," Heimerdinger told him. "But I do agree with her, Jayce. You acted impulsively."

"I know," he sighed. "I'm sorry."

So was he.

Mel politely pretended not to notice the softened gaze Cassandra gave her daughter. Even a woman of her stature couldn't help but hide her motherly side, she supposed. But she offered no sweet words of comfort, no embrace. Just a warm hand on her back as her daughter quietly fought her own tears to keep her dignity.

A bitter smile spread on Mel's lips as she remembered her own mother. She might have been a great commander, she certainly hadn't been half the mother Cassandra was, and Cassandra was far from being the most affectionate parent, even she could guess that. But she was the living proof motherhood wasn't completely incompatible with having political responsibilities, and thus, the living proof her mother just hadn't tried enough.

On the trenchers' side, the kids moved restlessly in their seats, as they tried to keep their focus on the screen and ignore the awkward atmosphere. They had tried not to listen, but there was only so much they could do not to hear them, especially when the Topsiders didn't care to lower their voice. This room wasn't that big, after all.

Vi had been especially taken aback. Out of everyone here, the Piltovan princess was the last person she had expected to have an outburst. She had been so quiet and reserved all this time, she really had to check twice to see if her hidden twin hadn't burst in or something. It was surprising. Everytime she tried to provoke her, she never reacted. Who would have thought she was capable of such vivid emotions? But that meant she cared, and that was good enough, Vi supposed. Topsiders never cared.

In the Lanes, Vi and Vander were back at The Last Drop. Having come to terms with what she needed to do, the teenage girl took a deep breath before she pushed the door of the basement.

"Vi, where have you been?" Mylo asked as he looked up at her from the armchair. He was changing the bandage wrapping his left hand.

"Rumor is the Lanes are gonna fight," Claggor added, preparing his own weapon –a small dagger that had long lost its sharpness.

Vander sighed, vaguely aware of his friend's hand on his shoulder.

So he hadn't managed to prevent another riot after all…

"Do I want to know what you're planning to do with this dagger?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, although he could already guess the answer. He knew his kids too well to think theywouldn'tthrow themselves into the fight.

"Probably not," Claggor said, forcing a chuckle out of his throat as he awkwardly grabbed his neck.

Vi did not reply to any of them as she walked down the stairs, her eyes scanning the room. It didn't take her long to find the blue-haired girl she was looking for.

A little bit further from the boys, Powder was sitting cross-legged on her bed, giving her toy grenades a last couple of tweaks. When she looked up to see her sister approaching, the focused frown on her face subsided, replaced by a broad smile.

"Look! I made them for the enforcers," she proudly announced, presenting her inventions as Vi came to sit beside her. "These are smoke bombs, and these two are full of nails."

Wonderful, Mel thought.The child is still making bombs.

No one commented on it, though. Whether it was because they were getting used to the idea or because the atmosphere was still a bit tense, Mel didn't know. And she thought better than to try and find the answer.

At least, they are non-lethal.

Even she wouldn't be able to stop the Council if the child really happened to kill an enforcer by mistake.

"They're gonna work this time," Powder assured, tweaking the nail bomb in her hands. "I know it."

I don't,Mylo doubted in silence.

A small smile stretched on Vi's lips.

"Me too," she said as she got closer, tucking the strand of hair hanging in front of her sister's eyes behind her ear.

She cupped her cheek tenderly, and Powder immediately leaned into her touch. It was almost an instinctive reaction for the younger girl.

When her sister broke the contact, she tried to chase her warmth, but her attention soon shifted on the object placed within her arms; an old stuffed rabbit worn out by time and bad weather.

Powder gasped as she recognized her sister's favorite toy, the very one that she had shown her stuck in the pipelines a few days before.

"Oh no," Vander mumbled, finally realizing his eldest's plan.

"What?" Mylo turned to his guardian, catching the concern in his voice. "What is it?"

Neither Vander or Vi replied, but the somber expression on their face indicated something was seriously wrong.

"You know, Powder, what makes you different makes you strong," Vi told her sister as she took her hand to give it an encouraging squeeze. "Always remember that, okay?"

This time, it was Mylo and Claggor's turn to scowl.

"Uh… Vi?" Claggor called, his eyes not leaving the screen. "Why does it sound like a goodbye?"

"Yeah, where are you going?" quizzed Mylo suspiciously.

Once again, the teenage girl stayed silent.

Powder looked down at her present with a soft smile on her face, but when her sister got up to leave her side, an uncomfortable feeling filled her. It always did whenever Vi needed to leave. But she trusted her sister, so she tried to ignore it, bringing the stuffed rabbit closer to her heart.

She always returned.

Not this time, Vi quietly lamented.

It was hard to watch her sister soothing herself with the bunny, hoping she would come back, while perfectly knowing she wouldn't. She was well aware of Powder's attachment to her, so she could already imagine how heartbroken she would be once she realized she wasn't coming back, but Powder wouldn't be alone. With time, she would be fine.

"What the hell were you thinking, going to The Last Drop?"

Jayce had long stopped paying attention to the recording, too distracted stealing not-so-subtle glances at his friend. Caitlyn had kept her gaze low on the floor, silent and unmoving the whole time, except for the occasional sniffle. So when she finally raised her head a little to peek at the screen, he turned to see what had caught her attention.

It was the Sheriff –of course it was– but her hero wasn't in her usual composed self.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Grayson demanded as she shoved an accusing finger in front of her deputy's face.

"I was getting results!" Marcus answered as he slapped her hand away. "You heard the Council!"

But his defense fell flat in the Sheriff's ears.

"You're a fool."

That, he was,everyone agreed.

"There is no stopping what happens now."

Suddenly, a clank preceded by a hissing sound brought both enforcers' attention to the pneumatube machine, as a message arrived. Grayson's eyes widened in recognition at the sight of her own capsule, the scowl in her face softening.

"Maybe it's not too late."

Jayce frowned at the implication of her words. He, too, could recognize the pneumatube she had given to Vander. But the trencher had been so adamant on selling anyone out, he couldn't understand how the pneumatube found its way back to the Sheriff.

Did Marcus' whole intimidation number in The Last Drop really work? Had it eventually convinced the Undercity's de-facto leader to give up on his kids? It made no sense. Jayce had seen enough of the man's character to understand that. So what had he missed?

"Janna dammit, Vi…!" Vander cursed, a hand supporting his head.

"I'm sorry, Vander, it was the only thing I could do…"

"You could have talked to me!"

What…? What were they talking about?

Dispirited by her sister's absence, Powder left the basement to seek some comfort in her father figure. Her stuffed rabbit clenched close to her heart, she climbed one of the stools, as Vander cleaned the bar.

The barman threw his towel over his shoulder when he noticed her presence, and a smile drew on his face as his youngest splayed an arm on the counter and rested her head on it. It was something she often did when she was upset about something, and he knew exactly what would cheer her up. As Powder carefully placed the bunny on the counter, right next to her, Vander leaned to reach something in his bar. He pulled out a cup –her cup– and poured some juice in it, finishing by adding a straw. The special Powder, as he liked to call it.

The young girl stroked her bunny's ears absentmindedly, seemingly oblivious to him now, so he pushed the cup nearer. The scraping caught her attention. When the cup entered within her eye-sight, she lifted her head a little to look at him, and Vander offered her a soft smile, hoping to chase whatever was plaguing her mind. But Powder didn't return it, neither did she touch her favorite drink. Her head dropping back on her arm, a concerned frown settled on Vander's face.

Knots formed in Vi's stomach, as she tried to fight the urge of comforting the sister who wasn't even here. She almost didn't notice in the corner of her eyes the concerned glances her siblings sent her, or the grimace her guardian was making.

It was the right thing to do, she repeated in her head.For their sake.

The young girl refusing to acknowledge him any further, Vander took a better glance at the stuffed rabbit monopolizing her attention. It was only then that he recognized the favorite toy of his eldest. The gears turning in his head, his face collapsed in realization.

"You should have talked to me," Vander repeated as he pinched his nose bridge, his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry Vander," Vi said, her gaze low on the floor. "I had to stop the enforcers."

"So you just gave yourself up?" Mylo demanded, the betrayal clear on his face.

What?

Jayce snapped his eyes to the teenagers.

The hot-blooded girl who had robbed his apartment, never apologized for it, and who was ready to go to war against Piltover was about to surrender herself, submitting to the people she hated the most? It seemed almost out of character. Maybe he had been a little quick to judge.

"This whole mess was my fault to begin with. I had to fix it."

"Ourfault," Claggor corrected. "You shouldn't have gone without us, Vi."

"Do you really think we would have wanted you to go down for us?" Mylo accused.

"It doesn't matter what you want, it is my responsibility to protect you!"

"And it is mine to protectyou," Vander interjected, frustration all over his face. "You– You should have talked to me…"

When Vander had lectured her about her responsibility as the eldest, he had wanted Vi to understand that her actions had consequences for her and all of her siblings. And she had. She had learned her lesson a little too well, even. Vander hadn't expected her to turn herself in. Had he known, he would have surrendered himself instead.

He was proud of her. He really was. This selfless act was proof that she had a good heart, and that one day, she would become a better leader than he ever have been. But as a father, he couldn't find joy at the thought of his little girl being taken away by enforcers. It was his role to protect her, and clearly, in both realities, he had failed.

It was with a singe of guilt in his heart that he watched the enforcers cross the Lanes with purpose on the recording, the sounds of their metallic boots breaking the silence of the night. And it was with a singe of despair that he watched his daughter break into his friend's shop at the same time.

There was no anger in Benzo's face as he watched his boutique being vandalized, only sadness. The glass of his door shattered with each kick from the burglar, and yet, he couldn't find it in him to care. Not when he could see the faces of his friends, his kids and his apprentice twisting like this.

By now, everyone understood where this was going. As the teenage girl on-screen waited nervously for her inevitable arrest, several eyes were directed on her off-screen version. There was no spirit in her eyes, almost like she was already in Stillwater. Like a counterpart, she had accepted her fate. The thief had been caught, and now, everything was going to return to normal. It was the way things were supposed to be. So why did this feel so bitter in their mouth?

One thing was for sure, though; there was a newfound respect for her among the Topsiders. Not everyone would be willing to sacrifice their freedom for the sake of others, after all, especially in an individualist society like theirs. The councilors knew how to recognize the qualities of a good leader, and Vi had many of them.

But now, the same question lingered into everyone's mind: if everything seemed to be going back into order, what exactly had gone wrong?

Notes:

Brace yourselves, people, and get your popcorn ready. It's happening. (‿ )

Chapter 15: Despair

Summary:

The fuse is lit, and the trenchers realize that Stillwater is actually the least of their problems.

Notes:

Hey guys, for those who've seen it, sorry for the technical mishap a few days ago :') I was testing the corrupted font, and I hadn't realized I had published the draft instead of saving it. It wasn't much, only a few hundred words and very much in its earliest version, but I suppose it is technically still a spoiler of what's coming, so sorry again. Also, thanks to the commenter who warned me. I panic-deleted the draft as soon as I saw the comment, so I couldn't thank you properly ' And for those who have no idea what I'm talking about, you haven't missed anyting. No,really.

Now, without further delay... HERE, ENJOY YOUR ANGST.

Chapter Text

There were very few taboos in the Undercity. Where the law of the most brutal reigned supreme, chaos was always around the corner. The line between what was acceptable and what wasn't was unclear. People fought all the time down there. They stole, they killed, they died, in a complete full circle. And if that often led to endless settling of scores, it was just their way of life.

There was one thing, however, that no one forgot and no one forgave in the Fissures. One thing that everyone deemed worse than murder itself. And that was betrayal.

In the land of lawlessness, people had no need for pretense. Disguised compassion and fake smiles were something Pilties did. Trenchers were always true to themselves. They didn't pretend to care; they either did –alot– or they didn't.

With no family name to pass on, blood ties were often irrelevant. Family was chosen, and chosen for life. Fathers and mothers protected their children. Sons and daughters looked after their parents. And brothers and sisters?They never betrayed each other.

"Ever wonder what it's like to drown?"

The sudden headache assaulting Vander's mind seemed to disappear for a second, as he re-opened his eyes to the familiar voice.

On the recording, someone could be seen sinking in the water.

"Who's that?" Mylo queried as his siblings shrugged, not recognizing the man who had been threatening to jeopardize their lives.

But Vander and Benzo had.

He was younger than he had appeared earlier in the recording. His hair was longer, his clothes much more modest, and with both his eyes intact, it was no wonder the others hadn't recognized him yet. For the two friends, however, he was just as they remembered him.

"Story of opposites. There's peace in water."

Indeed, Silco seemed peaceful. He didn't struggle as the water gently pulled him deeper into its embrace.

"Like it's holding you, whispering in low tones to let it in. And every problem in the world will fade away."

"Should have tried to drown instead, then," Jayce tentatively joked.

His clumsy attempt at lightening the mood naturally fell flat, however, and he received a couple of warning looks. Caitlynespeciallydid not find this amusing at all. What a distasteful thing to joke about after his near suicide! But Jayce could be foolish, sometimes.

She knew he kept glancing at her. She could see him in the corner of her eyes assessing her emotional state, and although she had managed to calm her nerves and dry her tears, she was still very much annoyed with him and refused to give him any other reaction than an eyeroll.

Definitely not earning points, Jayce realized as he grabbed his neck awkwardly.

"But then, there's this thing in your head, and it's raging."

Suddenly, Silco was drowning, and there was nothing serene about the water prison around him anymore.

A couple of people flinched at the abrupt change, while others frowned in confusion.

Water rapidly filled his lungs as he struggled to break free. He kicked and trashed with all his might, but the hands clasped around his neck were stronger.

"What's going on?"

No one but Vander and Benzo knew.

Shame and regret filled Vander's heart as he watched himself drown Silco, who desperately fought for a breath of fresh air. It had been a cruel and brutal way to try and end his life.

Benzo, on the other hand, had never been close with Silco, but the bond he had shared with his friend was undeniable, so he knew how much that event had affected Vander. Once again, he offered silent support, patting his shoulder.

"Lightning every nerve with madness. To fight. To survive,"the voice continued its narration. "And all the while, this question lingers before you: have you had enough?"

It was only then that everyone noticed the injury in the man's left eye, as blood quickly diffused around it in the water.

"That's… the guy from before!" Ekko exclaimed.

Were they finally going to get more information about him? Vander certainly hadn't helped. And soon, everyone realized why.

"It's funny. You could pass a lifetime without ever facing a choice like that. But it changes you forever."

Deprived of oxygen, the last of Silco's strength left him as he reached the threshold of consciousness, and only then did the man above him release him from his hold. But Silco no longer had the energy to rise. His eyes rolling inside his skull, the last thing he saw through the blood-soiled water was the shadow of the man he once considered a brother, watching him die from his own two hands.

"For that, I thank you,old friend."

Vander…?

There was no need for Vi to voice her thoughts. She could see everyone coming to the same conclusion as they turned to glance at her guardian. The silhouette by itself might not have been enough, but there had been plenty of clues in the recording to safely assume it was him.

It was twice, now, that the two men had been referred to as friends, and although Vi didn't know what kind of complicated history they had, she couldn't comprehend why Vander would ever try to kill a friend of his. She had seen him fight before, and it was never with the intent to kill. Here though? He had definitely tried.

Why? Vi didn't have the time to form an hypothesis. The thought was pushed in the back of her mind as the scenery on the Hextech recording changed back to her other self, and she was forced to recall her own miserable fate.

The wait for her arrest was excruciating. Vi sat nervously on a box in Benzo's shop, her leg bouncing up and down as she tried to calm her racing heart.

She would be in cuffs in no time, and although she had left her family to protect them, the idea of spending the next few years apart from them was dreadful. She tried not to think about how life in Stillwater would be, and instead focused on the moments of freedom her siblings would enjoy thanks to her sacrifice.

Claggor would have to step in as the leader of their group in her absence, and she hoped he would be able to keep Mylo in check, so that he doesn't bully her sister too much. And Powder… would be fine, eventually. But it was a bittersweet feeling to imagine her smile and happy without her.

The sounds of footsteps outside broke her train of thoughts, and Vi looked up to see movement through the door's glass. Ready to accept her fate, she rose to her feet. The faces she met as the door opened, however, were not the ones she expected.

"Vander?"

"Yes!" the three boys exclaimed as Vander and Benzo appeared.

They knew they wouldn't have let Vi go to prison. The two adults, on the other hand, were much less dubious about this change of situation.

A relieved sigh escaped Vander's lips as he realized they had fast enough.

"We don't have much time," he said as he walked to his girl.

"How did you find me?" Vi asked.

"Yeah, how did you?"

"You are more predictable than you think."

He gave her a knowing look, but despite his grin, the uneasiness kept growing in his heart.

"I'm proud of you,"his counterpart said, cupping her face."Always have been."

"I'm sorry, I— This is the only way to protect the others."

"Vander!" Benzo called, noticing movement outside.

"You've got a good heart," Vander told his daughter urgently. "Don't ever lose it. No matter how the world tried to break you. Protect the family."

This, too, sounded like a goodbye.

"What are you–"

Before Vi could finish her sentence, Vander pushed her toward the lookout basement. She tried to resist but quickly lost her balance on the stairs.

"No!" she protested as Vander thrusted her inside.

By the time she got up to her feet, he had already locked the door.

"What are you doing?" Vi asked, turning to her guardian to give him a worried look.

"Protecting you."

"Vander!"her counterpart called through the door."Let me out, this isn't right!"

But Vander didn't. His hand clenched around the handle as her fists banged against the wood.

"I'm guessing that's for me."

His attention redirected at the entrance of the building, he noticed the Sheriff and her deputy standing on the doorstep, and through the window, he saw a couple more enforcers standing guard outside.

With a simple gesture of the head, Grayson signaled Marcus to fetch their culprit. But as the Deputy Sheriff stepped inside to head to the lookout basement, his path was blocked by Vander.

Grayson narrowed her eyes. By this point, there was nothing he could do to prevent her from arresting the girl –she had confessed after all. His stance didn't suggest he intended to fight them either. Which meant only one thing…

"You gonna let us make the arrest or not?" Marcus asked, clearly annoyed.

"Of course he isn't," Mylo scoffed.

This man was even more stupid than he thought if he hoped to arrest Vi under Vander's nose. What kind of leader– offatherwould he be if he let enforcers take her away?

Ekko chuckled in anticipation. He, too, couldn't wait to see Vander kick the sucker's ass. He had grown too bold in his latest trips to the Undercity, and Ekko was more than ready for Vander to finally show him why he was called the Hound of the Underground.

But whatever expectations the boys had, they were crushed with his next words.

"You'll oblige a doomed man one last smoke," he said as he lit a match with a flick of the nail and brought the flame to his pipe. "Won't you?"

"What…?"

He was offering himself to the enforcers. Of course he was. Vi had sacrificed herself for them, and now he was sacrificing himself for her. But how was that any better?

The Sheriff's eyes widened in realization.

"I'm not putting you away, Vander," she declared, pushing her deputy aside to step in front of him.

Thanks Janna the Sheriff had some sense.

"The council needs its pound of flesh."

"Fuck the Council," Vi spat with all the venom in the world.

It was always the Council this, the Council that. Progress Day is coming? Let's increase the working hours in the mines so that Topside has enough coal to keep the celebration going. A Demacian envoy is visiting? Let's freeze half the district so the Undercity's illegal activities don't reach their ears.

The Council never cared about people, only about their interest, and now, for the only sake of saving face, they were going to send the most important figure of the Fissures to Stillwater.

She couldn't let that happen, she couldn't let him take her place…

The councilors didn't react to her insult. She was young, full of hatred, they didn't expect her to understand politics. This arrest was a necessity. It wasn't just about sending a message, it was also about showing the people they were safe.

'Yeah, Topside people', Vander's voice echoed in their head.

Without this feeling of safety, society was sure to fall into chaos, and they had seen how well it fared with the Undercity. They couldn't let Piltover become like this. It was… a necessity.

'They've got plenty while we're down here scraping together coins!'

It… wasn't fine at all. Since when had they started to consider Piltover and its undercity as two different entities?

"Without you down here, it all falls apart," the Sheriff reasoned.

"She's right!" pressed Vi, her desperate eyes locked on her guardian. Mylo and Claggor were nodding fervently at her side. "There's no way a riot isn't happening without you."

And as if he had heard her, his counterpart on the screen spoke up.

"Benzo will handle things. He may not have my devilish charm, but he runs a tight ship."

"It won't be the same," Mylo protested without real arguments, before his brother provided one.

"He's not the one who united The Lanes, people won't listen to him!"

Benzo didn't even bat an eye as the kids argued like he wasn't here to hear them. How could he be offended when they were so desperate to reason with their father?

The Piltoans were growing more and more unsettled, forced to witness the familial dispute. No child should ever have to be separated from their parents, and yet, they all knew it was happening anyway.

"Vander, no! You can't do this!" Vi desperately tried to reach them through the door. But despite her loud bangs, neither adults acknowledged her.

"You won't be coming back for a long time," the Sheriff noted.

Vander walked past her and stopped right in front of her deputy, presenting his hands to him.

"I know," he said as Marcus clasped the cuffs around his wrists.

"Why?"

"It's the only way."

"No it isn't. We could have found another way!" Vi insisted.

Vander tried not to look at her distressed eyes.

"It was either you, or me."

"Then it should have been me!"

"Benzo, open the damn door!"her counterpart pleaded, fists still banging on the door.

But Benzo ignored her. A pained expression on his face, he left her behind to follow his friend and the enforcers outside the building.

"Why are you letting him go, Benzo?" Claggor asked.

"You know it's a bad idea!" Mylo added.

Even Ekko was looking at him with questioning eyes.

"Sorry, kids."

As Vi tried to force the door open and run after them, the muffled clamor outside caught her attention.

"What's happening?"

She ran to the window and rose on the tip of her toes to take a better look outside, but she couldn't make much of the blurred figures on the frosted glass. One thing was for sure, though: it was nothing good. The muffled screams and the moving shadows seemed to indicate that a fight was occuring.

"What's going on?"

"It's a riot!" Ekko exclaimed. "The people are rising!"

"It must be Sevika and the others," Claggor assumed.

See? You couldn't just arrest the de-facto leader of the Undercity! People had enough of the enforcers, and Vander had just been the final straw.

But Vander and Benzo weren't convinced.

A riot in this part of the Lanes, at this time of the day? It was very unlikely. People were used to the occasional whims of enforcers. A lot of time and a lot of talking would have been needed to organize an uprising, and there was no way neither of them wouldn't have heard about it.

This wasn't a riot. This was an ambush.

"Stop right there!"Vi heard the Sheriff demand through the glass.

She could vaguely see her figure, gun in hand, looking all around her. But then, something flashed by, and suddenly, blood was splattered all over the window.

"What the fuck?!" Jayce sputtered, almost falling from his seat.

And he wasn't the only one to flinch.

"Wh– What happened…?" Caitlyn tried to articulate, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her heart raced as she tried to make sense of what had happened, and if she thought the splash of blood was horrifying, what she saw next shook her to her core.

"N-No…"

Several bodies laid outside, blood pooling around them, and right in front of the window, the Sheriff was there, unmoving on the ground, her lifeless eyes staring at nothing.

"Oh, Janna…"

"Is she…?"

A wave of shock and disbelief washed over Caitlyn as she barely registered the horrified gasps all around her. She felt as though she was in daze, unable to move or speak. She had always known the life of an enforcer could be dangerous and that death was always around the corner, but she had never imagined to see her hero lying dead in her own blood, her face twisted in pain.

Grayson was dead.

Her brain processing that information, her stomach twisted in knots and the world around her started to spin.

Grayson wasdead.

Cassandra didn't even notice her daughter's chest heaving, too caught in her own horror. No amount of reports she read about the violent crimes taking place in the Undercity could have prepared her for the gruesome scene before her. She felt like she was going to be sick. It wasn't anyone either, it was the Sheriff of Piltover laying there, not a nameless person who held no influence over the city.

Mel was barely more composed. It wasn't her first time witnessing a murder, but it had been a while since she left such violence behind, and its implications kept gnawing at her. She did notice, however, that the Undercity children weren't nearly as distraught as them by the murder. Surprised, yes, but she had clearly seen them displaying more emotions when their sister or their father was about to be taken away. It wasn't their first time witnessing a murder either –they were there during the bridge's protest– but their lack of reaction suggested that they were used to it, even more than her, and it was a disturbing thing to think about.

Strangely enough, it was the Sheriff herself who seemed the least affected by her murder. Grayson barely frowned upon seeing her own body on the screen. It was a strange feeling to see yourself die, but her professionalism forced her to stay focused and think about the bigger picture. She had always intended to give her life to her duty, so it wasn't so difficult to accept. She just hoped that she hadn't died in vain.

Her trained eyes, however, compelled her to notice the girl silently panicking on the first row of benches. She rose from her seat to join her, receiving a few surprised glances –they had just seen her die after all–, and gently put a hand on her shoulder to gain her attention. Caitlyn flinched at the touch.

"Take a breath, young Kiramman," she told her.

Caitlyn forced herself to obey. She tried to will the gruesome image in her head away to focus on the Grayson in front of her instead, and took a deep breath, remembering that none of this had happened yet. It worked to some extent, but she couldn't quite stop her hands from shaking yet.

"What the devil…"

As Benzo picked a pipe laying on the ground for defense, Vander's gaze lingered on Grayson's body for a moment, before the urgency of the situation forced him to look up.

The three survivors were on high alert as they searched for the slightest hint of movement around them, clustered close together.

The kids held their breath in apprehension. They didn't care about the deaths of a few enforcers. They did care, however, about what had killed them, and was probably still in the area, lurking to attack their guardians next. And that was not something either of them was ready to see.

The sounds of footsteps brought the three men's attention a little bit further in the street. In the midst of the toxic fumes, a shadow stood there, slowly closing the distance as its glowing eye stared right at them.

"Fuck," Vi cursed.

She hadn't forgotten about the guy, but she hadn't expected him to do something this violent this soon. Even she wouldn't have dared to slaughter this many enforcers –with the Sheriff among them on top of that– on their turf.

"Silco? You animal…" growled Benzo. "Go crawl back into whatever hole you came out of!"

Vander's short moment of realization was cut short as he saw his friend dangerously stepping forward in the midst of the enforcers' bodies.

"Benzo, stay back."

"You never did know when to walk away," Silco said. His voice was low and calm, but there was a slight hint of nostalgia in it.

"Oh no…" fretted Vander.

He knew the man well enough to recognize the finality in his words, and as he turned to his friend, his eyes told him that he, too, could see where this was going.

"Wait," Vander tried to call.

But Benzo was deaf to his warning, set on making the man in front of them disappear from their sight once again. He raised his pipe in the air to strike him, but before he could reach him, the flash of Deckard slammed into him, breaking his bones on impact.

"No!" Vander yelled as blood spattered, and his friend joined the bodies on the ground.

The Piltovans shrieked once again. This time, however, the trenchers were louder.

"No!" Ekko screeched, rising from his seat.

"B-Benzo is…" tried to articulate Mylo. But the rest of the sentence got stuck in his throat.

Dead. He was dead.

Benzo didn't have the time to lament over his own death, he wrapped his arms around his apprentice and brought him into a bear hug. The boy gladly accepted it, comforted by the immediate reminder thathewas still here. The others didn't dare to join –they weren't as close to him as Ekko was– but the terror on their face was bright and clear, so he tried to reassure them with a warm smile.

Grayson gave the man a sympathetic gaze before she returned her attention to her own panicked girl. Her mother had taken over in soothing her, but the hand clenching on her uniform prevented her from leaving her side.

"Stubborn until the end," Silco commented, absolutely unperturbed by the death of a former comrade.

Vander collapsed on his knees. His eyes locked on the body of his friends, his brain completely overlooked thethingabove it.

Deckard had almost doubled in size. He resembled a monster more than a human with his animalistic eyes and purple veins glowing in the darkness. And hesnarledlike one on top of that.

"What the hell have you done?" Marcus demanded, walking hesitantly in the midst of the carnage. "This wasn't the deal!"

"What?"

As the others processed that information, Grayson took note in her head to have aseriousconversation with her deputy.

She had known he was impulsive, but never once had she considered he would cause her death. She had greatly underestimated his short-sightedness and would have to rectify that. Marcus' strong sense of justice and duty had allowed him to rise quickly in ranks, but evidently, it stopped at the border of the Undercity and its folks, and this fatal flaw would be a catalyst for a tragedy, it seemed.

"Deal's changed," Silco answered simply, tossing a pouch full of coins to the enforcer's chest, who caught it by reflex.

A coin fell from it, landing on the puddle of blood at his feet.

"This… This motherfucker!" Vi cursed, rising to her feet.

"Vi," Vander called, his voice firm and demanding.

"It's all his fault, because of him–!"

"Vi!" He shouted before she could get too worked up. "Sit. Down.Please."

The teenage girl looked at him incredulously. Why would he stop her? It was the truth. Because of this one corrupted motherfucker and his inflated ego, the Sheriff was dead. Because of him, Benzo was dead. And because of him, Vander was… he was going to follow them too.

It was all his fault. He hadn't just condemned their guardians, he had condemned the whole of the Undercity. How was Piltover going to react when they found out that the Sheriff had been murdered? And how were the trenchers supposed to defend themselves without their leader? They were all doomed. If it wasn't for him, they might have found a way to fight the scar-faced man. But now everyone was dead.

Her fists clenched in rage, Vi was ready to spat out all the hatred she bore for the man, but Vander's expression took the words out of her mouth. It wasn't the usual expression he wore when she was about to challenge him. There was nothing but sadness in his eyes. A sadness that was comparable –no, maybe even worse than the one that always accompanied him whenever he was talking about the Day of Ashes.

Her fury suddenly left her as she took a better look around her. It wasn't just Vander. Mylo and Claggor tried to stay strong, fighting the tears welling up in their eyes, but she could see that they were on the verge of breaking down. Ekko didn't even try. He had no care for the world as he sobbed against Benzo's chest, clenching on him like he was his life line. Hell, even the topsiders were blanched to their core. It almost seemed like they spent less time in the sun than them. And among them, the Piltovan princess looked especially bad. There was no more ounce of dignity in her as she trembled like a frightened little girl.

They were all struggling with what they were watching.

Frustration building in her heart, Vi forced herself to swallow the ball of anxiety swelling in her throat as she sat back down, fighting the bouncing of her legs. But no amount of effort would have stopped the tremors overtaking her body.

"No…"her other self mumbled as she watched the tragedy unfolding at the other side of the window.

With a simple gesture of the head, Silco gave Deckard a silent order. The creature complied, growling as he crept toward the defenseless man on the ground.

"No!" Vi banged on the window.

Please, please, please…

The children silently prayed to the Goddess of Wind, the Veiled Lady, the Protector, whatever god out there willing to listen to them so that they wouldn't have to watch their guardian being killed, slaughtered like an animal. They had already lost a family before, they couldn't bear to lose another one. But despite the seemingly inevitable outcome, they were unable to take their eyes off the screen.

As Deckard clenched his fist, ready to strike, Vander looked up at the creature who murdered his friend with a mixture of anger and resignation. But between the shock and the cuffs around his wrists, he didn't have time to think about even doing anything before the monster's fist landed on his jaw.

No…

Vi's heart collapsed in her chest, and her siblings finally mustered enough will to tear their eyes off the screen. She heard a sniffle escape Mylo, but she didn't have enough strength to comfort him when she herself felt like the entire world was crumbling under her feet.

Silco watched with morbid curiosity as his friend dropped unconscious on the floor and Vi collapsed at the same time in the basement. The fleeting feeling of loss he felt was quickly brushed over as he turned around, barely sparing the surviving enforcer a glance. He walked away, and Deckard followed, dragging the now unconscious Vander by the head.

Marcus' eyes fell onto the pouch in his hands, and he realized that he had been used, and that no amount of renown or coins could erase his mistake. Frustration and regret taking over, he threw the pouch against the ground.

The silence was deafening in the room, only ever broken by the occasional sob or sniffle.

"He's still alive," Viktor spoke, feeling the need to give the kids some kind of hope.

"He's right, kids, calm down," Benzo continued. "Look, he hasn't killed him. Vander is still alive."

"But you aren't…" Ekko's voice came like a whimper.

Benzo had nothing to retort. No one had. Because fact was, he and Grayson had died. And whatever fate awaited Vander, it probably wasn't going to be much better.

Vander desperately wanted to comfort his kids, tell them that it was going to be fine, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to them. He knew Silco, it wasn't going to be fine. So he kept his mouth shut, lowered his gaze on the floor, and gave the kids the space and time they needed to process things, as they all refused to look at him.

This is all my fault,Vi lamented.

If only she had listened, if only she hadn't brought them topside to rob that apartment… And if only she had talked to Vander before surrendering herself like he had wanted her to… Vander wouldn't have had to take her place.

This is all my fault,Ekko lamented.

If only he hadn't followed that topsider to his home, if only he hadn't given the tip to his friends… Benzo would still be alive.

This is all my fault, Vander lamented.

If only he hadn't led that uprising on the bridge, if only he hadn't been a coward all those years ago and finished off Silco… None of this would have happened.

"This entire time, I thought I needed to dampen the oscillations,"the other Jayce announced as the scenery changed on the recording.

But almost no one was paying attention to it anymore.

"The crystals will only stabilize at high frequency," Viktor replied, tracing a graph on the board. "You have to—"

"Crack it!"

"Yes. Yes, you have to… crank it."

The duo was still in Jayce's apartment, but its grim atmosphere was completely gone as the warm light of the lantern illuminated the board, filled with new equations and diagrams.

Papers were scattered everywhere, and several cups of coffee had already been consumed, based on the cups laying there, in the midst of the mess. Caitlyn would have smiled at the familiarity of the scene if her heart wasn't so unsettled by what she had just seen. Heimerdinger did notice, though, and he was the only one capable of cracking a smile at this sight.

"It works!" Jayce exclaimed.

"Eh, on paper…" shrugged Viktor.

"Well, we could test it if we had access to my equipment."

"Which is being destroyed tomorrow."

Jayce suddenly rose from his seat.

"What?"

"Oh, yeah…" Viktor abandoned the board for a moment to turn to the man. "I— I meant to tell you."

"That research is everything. My, my whole life!" The inventor was starting to panic now. "Maybe if we showed them the equations, they'd let us—"

"We need more than promises. We needproof."

"Not without the crystals. The enforcers took them all, they're gone."

The despair creeping back in his chest, Jayce collapsed into his chair once again.

"Yeah, locked away in Heimerdinger's lab."

As his assistant on the recording pulled out his own set of keys, Heimerdinger frowned.

"No. No, no!" Jayce fervently refused when he understood Viktor's intention.

At least one to have some sense, the yordle thought.

"You heard the council, if we're wrong…"

"Better be right, then."

"Why?"

Or not…

"Why would you risk this?"

"Do you think it was my life's ambition to be an assistant? Scientists seek discoveries. Ways to make the world a better place!"

Yes, Viktor remembered his younger self. He had wanted to change the world, reward his parents' effort to send him to the Academy by improving the life quality in the trenches, and making sure the Undercity kids would have as many opportunities as their Piltovan counterparts. He had been naive then, but although the harsh reality soon caught up to him, the dream never went away.

"This Hextech dream of yours has the potential to do that."

An understanding look drew and Jayce's face, and he rose to join Viktor's side, in front of the board full of promises.

"Our Hextech dream," he said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

This touch conveyed more than a million words.

A small smile appeared on Jayce's face at the sight, but it disappeared almost immediately. This man had not only pulled him out from his darkest moment, he also trusted him and offered him help in realizing his dream. He hadn't just gained a savior in this scene, he had also gained a friend and a partner. It should have been so meaningful to him, his dream now closer to reach than it had ever been, and yet, he couldn't find any joy in him.

Not when everything else was going to shit.

Chapter 16: A Dream of Freedom

Summary:

Vander confronts an old brother as Vi and the boys prepare themselves for a suicide mission, leaving behind a distressed Powder. In Piltover, Jayce and Viktor gamble everything to sneak into Heimerdinger's lab.

Chapter Text

In the basement, Vi had no more tears to shed, collapsed on herself on the cold floor. The rattling of the lock summoned just enough energy for her to raise her head and see the door finally opening.

As Ekko walked down the stairs mechanically, the shock clear on his face, Vi wiped the remaining tears on hers. She got up hesitantly, unsure what to do or what to say, but when the boy finally acknowledged her presence and his expression collapsed in grief, her sisterly instincts took over. Forgetting her own sorrow, she immediately went to hold him.

"I saw everything," Ekko sobbed. "Benzo… T—They…!"

Benzo's eyes fell onto the boy at this side, his brows furrowed in concern. He had just barely managed to pry him off him, he could feel another fit of tears coming as his other self acknowledged the harsh truth he tried to deny.

"What about Vander?"

The others regained some life at the mention of their father's name.

"They took him."

"Where?"

And why?

That was the only question lingering in their mind.

At the cannery, Vander was only starting to get back to him as the blurry figure of the blond teenager came into focus, and a large, tattooed man dragged him by the cuffs.

Deckard was back to his normal self. There were no more monstrous characteristics left in him as he trailed behind in pain.

Ekko chewed on his bottom lip, fighting the tears welling up once again in his eyes. The monster that killed his mentor was back to being human again.

"It's a little crude, I'll admit," Silco began as he stopped in the middle of an overpass and Mek threw the barely conscious man against the railings.

Below them, people were actively working. Several trolleys full of purple vials were being moved around as the sound of hammer working against an avail resounded in the hangar.

"The base violence necessary for change."

The councilors immediately scowled at the sight. They had been worried by the unknown drug –rightfully so, they had just seen what it could do–, but now, the alarm bell in their head was going off. The Sheriff hadn't been killed on a whim. These people were preparing for a war. They had a smith forging weapons, and several workers mass producing the drugs. The threat was no longer hypothetic, it was imminent.

"But we both know Topside won't listen to anything else."

They wished they could say otherwise, but fact was, the Undercity was never a priority. Unless they directly affected the Uppercity –with a riot on the bridge, or an explosion in the Academy district for example–, its problems were always pushed aside. The recording had made it very difficult for the councilors not to acknowledge that.

"Even with your monsters, you won't win a war against Piltover," Vander stated as a simple truth.

It was hard for the children not to give into the despair gnawing at them when they saw their guardian's swollen lips and the black eye forming on his face. He seemed so much weaker than they were used to seeing him.

He's going to be fine.

"I don't have to," Silco replied as he leaned over the railings to observe his workers.

A little bit further, Deckard grabbed his guts, arching his back to throw up the remaining drug in his system. Mek openly laughed at him.

"I just need to scare them. They won't dare set foot in the Underground again."

"You'll get people killed. For what? Pride?"

"Forrespect! Opportunity. Everything they've denied us."

This man was mad. He was ready to sacrifice lives for this? Cassandra couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Viktor, on the other hand, could. His hand clenched around his cane as he remembered the harsh reality that crashed down on him when he joined Topside; for trenchers, opportunity had a price. And while he didn't believe it was worth it to pay with lives, he could understand the man's reasoning and frustration.

And so did the kids, as much as they hated to admit it. But they refused to acknowledge the fact that this man was fighting for everything they wished for. It was easier to hate him if he was only the narcissist who had Benzo killed and abducted their guardian.

"You had my respect," Vander reminded him. "The Lane's respect. But that… that was never enough for you."

Silco spun around to face him, offended by this accusation. It was so much more than that.

"We shared a vision, Vander!" he in turn reminded him. "A dream of freedom. Not just for the Lanes, but the whole of the Underground, united as one. The nation of Zaun!"

This time, the kids couldn't ignore the spark lit in their heart. And they hated it. They hated how much his words echoed in their mind, how much they related to this dream. The last thing they needed was to empathize with the madman. But being freed from Piltover's clutches was all they ever wanted, and yet, now that they had seen a glimpse of what it would cost, they weren't so sure it was worth it anymore.

For the Piltovans, it wasn't so much the madman's ambition itself that echoed in their mind, but rather its name.Zaun. They had heard it before, when future-Ekko and future-Jayce mentioned something about a war. And suddenly, it all made sense. The madman didn't seem so mad, and his ambition so absurd anymore. The future war would be internal. The Undercity was going to rise once again.

'War is a failure of statecraft.'

Her brother had been right. They had failed the Undercity, and now, Mel was going to pay for it with her life.

"Do you even remember?" Silco asked, his tone suddenly softening. "I trusted you. And you betrayed me."

The memory of Vander's hands choking him, holding him down in the water as he trashed for air reemerged in his mind.

So itwasVander…

Not that it surprised any of them at this point.

"What I did to you… I've never forgiven myself," Vander admitted. "You were my brother."

But his words didn't reach Silco. What he wanted wasn't an apology.

"No, you still don't understand," Silco sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "Can you imagine what it's like? When your blood mixes with the filth and the river toxins eat through your nerves?"

No, he didn't. And although his eye injury had been an accident, it was undeniably his fault, and the fact that it hadn't healed up to this day and still required, it seemed, medical attention did not help in easing his guilt.

"Oh, I've hated you for what you've done. But as time passed, so did my hate. And I was left with an understanding," Silco explained, recalling about the resignation he felt as he lost consciousness in the water.

The despair, the knowledge that his own brother would kill him… just before the adrenaline rush commanded him to fight, and he grabbed the knife at his attacker's waist.

"The only way to defeat a superior enemy is to stop at nothing, to become what they fear."

"And what is that?" Jayce asked, gulping his anxiety down.

"Someone who has nothing to lose, I suppose," Mel replied.

And he was right. There was nothing worse than an enemy that didn't know when to stop.

"I hated you, but you've kept my respect," Silco continued as Deckard opened an armored door at the end of the overpass, revealing a room containing a single restraint chair.

"Until you made peace with them, played lapdog, after everything we suffered."

His tone was harsh, accusing, and unnerved Vi how she could recognize the same venom she used whenever she challenged Vander about Topside. She really,reallydidn't want to agree with him.

"I had no choice."

"Perhaps. But now you do."

There were a few gasps of horror as Silco pulled out a purple vial, and the grim implications of this flooded their mind.

"W–What's he gonna do with that?" Claggor asked.

But his question was mostly rhetorical. He knew the answer, and so did everyone else.

"Shimmer. We have the power," Silco said. "We can finally realize our dream,brother."

"Look at what you've done! Benzo. These kids…" pressed Vander. "In fighting Topside, you'd sacrifice everything that we are. It's not the way. Can't you see it?"

Yes, Vi had heard this speech before, and now she knew where it originally came from.

"Kill me, if you have to. But please, spare the Lanes."

"Ki– You'd let him kill you?"

She snapped incredulous eyes to her guardian, but he didn't give her any reply.

"You'd die for the cause, but you won't fight for one?" accused Silco.

A scoff escaped Vander. He, too, could recognize the hypocrisy in his own stance.

"I'm just… not that man anymore."

"Oh, I'll show you what you really are," Silco declared as he got up to his feet and walked away.

Mek didn't have to be told anything to grab Vander by the arm and follow his boss.

In the distance, the battered man barely noticed the familiar woman standing there, watching him being dragged away as she smoked her cigarette in satisfaction.

Sevika…

"That fucking traitor!" The kids yelled as they rose from their seats.

"Kids, sit down," Vander demanded. But they weren't listening.

"She betrayed you!" spat Mylo, conveniently dismissing the fact that his guardian had done the same to his own brother a few years ago –it wasn't something either of them was ready to acknowledge yet–, but the accusation stung anyway in Vander's heart.

"She must have had her reason," he tried to reason. To defend her, him? He wasn't sure.

"Reasons my ass, she stabbed you in the back!" snarled Vi. "She's even worse than those defectors wagging their tails at topsiders!"

This time, it was Viktor's turn to be offended. He didn't know if she was specifically thinking about him, but he was certainly sure the feelings would be the same anyway.

"Just… sit down," Vander asked once more, a sigh escaping him. It was pointless to argue with them when they were this worked up and he knew it.

This time, the kids complied, although not without a groan. The bouncing of their legs, however, indicated that they had not let the matter go.

At the same moment, two scientists were sneaking into the Academy. Viktor led the way to his professor's laboratory as Jayce silently followed, frequently checking for any presence around them.

Vi rolled her eyes in annoyance, Mylo huffed and Claggor sighed loudly. They couldn't care less about the nerds at the moment.

"So far so good," Viktor told his partner as he entered a key inside the first lock.

Before he could continue, however, a sudden light blinded him, and he was forced to snap his attention to its source.

"Hmm. Willing to risk exile for your endeavor," Mel noted, lowering her torch to allow the two men to adjust their sight to the light. "That's quite the conviction."

Mel scoffed. She should have known her other self hadn't been lenient on the boy out of pure altruism.

"Councilor!" Jayce gasped, trying his best to appear composed. "What a surprise to see you, huh?"

Viktor was barely any better as he forced a chuckle out, his attention suddenly on his set of keys.

"Wait a minute, this isn't my bedroom," he feigned surprise, holding his chin. "How could I have…"

'Really? That's your excuse?'Jayce silently asked him with his eyes, brows raised in disbelief.

Viktor simply shrugged, ignoring the muffled scoffs behind him.

Ok, maybethatwas funny, the gang had to admit. Even Caitlyn managed to crack a small smile.

Understanding it was pointless to lie, Jayce dropped the act.

"Please, we can prove that it works," he pleaded.

"You couldn't do so earlier today," Mel reminded him, "how is tonight any different?"

"We figured out how to stabilize it," Viktor replied in his stead.

"You're the Professor's assistant."

"No, he's my new partner," Jayce corrected.

The councilwoman quickly dismissed that new information.

"Even if you manage to prove your theory, the Council would destroy it," she said.

"Heimerdinger would recognize the potential."

A scoff escaped her.

"He already does. It scares him. It scares them all."

"What about you?"

What a question to ask a Noxian, mused Mel.

She could already see where this was going, and so did Heimerdinger, much to his displeasure.

"I recognize that any worthwhile venture involves risk,"her other self admitted.

A whistling in the distance brought the little group's attention to the hallway. Just around the corner, an enforcer on patrol duty was slowly approaching, his boots clanking on the floor.

"Councilor," Jayce whispered urgently. "This technology, it's real. And no matter what happens here, it's going to change our world. We should be the ones to lead it. Piltover, the land of progress, equality, innovation."

An incredulous laugh escaped Mylo's chest.

"I'm sorry, did he just say 'the land ofequality'?" he repeated, emphasizing on the last word.

The trenchers scoffed in disbelief. If Piltover was an example when it came to equality, then Runeterra was doomed.

The battle for power was constant between the top clans, nepotism was rampant, people were as equal as a raptor and its prey in the Uppercity, let alone in theUndercity. Piltover was a full ecosystem, and the fissurefolks were at the bottom of its chain food. After everything they've seen, even the topsiders had to recognize that this title was ridiculous.

Jayce tried to ignore the mockery.

"I know it sounds impossible, but when have we ever let that stop us?"His other self went on."Please, just give us a chance."

For a moment, her counterpart stayed silent, seemingly weighing her options, but Mel knew she had already taken her decision. She knew herself, and there was no way she would let such an opportunity to raise her city's renown go like that, especially when she wasn't the one who had anything to lose.

"One night, gentlemen," she announced, raising her index finger. "Impress me, or I'd suggest you pack your bags."

Vi huffed. See? What 'equality'? The councilors could and would turn a blind eye to the law if it was within their interest.

The councilwoman turned off her torch and retraced her steps, as the patrolling enforcer approached dangerously. She blocked his path before he could turn around the corner.

"Harold," she greeted innocently with a charming smile.

Her sudden appearance startled the poor man.

"Oh! Oh, Councilor Medarda, you… you nearly scared me to death," he admitted, rearranging his helmet.

"Ah, another late night. The work just doesn't end," she said, swiftly guiding him away.

"Well, I suppose that's a sign of good business, huh?"

Good business for who, exactly?

The kids were growing more irritable by the second, forced to deal with the Topsiders' trivial affairs while their guardian's life was on the line. Fortunately for their nerves, the scenery in the recording soon changed back to the familiar setting of their room.

In the basement of The Last Drop, the two brothers stood proudly in front of the coffee table.

"Well, if the enforcers hit tonight, we'll be ready," Mylo flaunted with a confident smile, mirrored by his brother.

"…I think."

All sorts of weapons were being displayed on the table; a wooden bat personalized with Powder's art, an old twisted pipe with no more use, their father's cast iron gauntlets, a glass bottle, and even an emergency flare –with a decent blunt power and to provide a good distraction if needed.

Grayson raised dubious eyebrows. How did they plan to confront herarmedenforcers with that? She had no idea. And she supposed neither did Vander, based on the half tired, half amused smile on his face.

Parenthood.

"Dibs on the bat," declared Claggor.

"No, no, no, I found it," Mylo immediately reminded him in protest.

"But I called it."

"ButI found it."

"Respect the dibs, I already called it!"

"Respect the– stop being such a big baby!"

Benzo wasn't the only one snorting. The petty argument between the brothers drew a few smiles in the room. But it was with a bittersweet feeling that everyone watched the boys quarreling over weapons, unaware of the tragedy that had occurred the same night. Vander especially couldn't shake this feeling of loss growing within him. He knew they wouldn't be able to stay this carefree for long.

A little bit further, Powder was laying in her bed, mechanically stroking the stuffed rabbit in her arms. She was completely oblivious to the boys' argument, too lost in her own misery. Her sister's absence was seriously starting to afflict her, and now that Vander was gone as well, she was left to stick with her brothers. The boys, however, were never really good at cheering her up. Despite their presence, she felt like a shadow in their room, lonelier than ever.

Vi pursed her lips, trying to ignore the guilt eating away her guts. Seeing her sister in such a state was never easy.

The rattling sound of a handle brought Powder's attention to the door, where her sister just entered, and her face immediately brightened at her sight.

"Vi?" Claggor tentatively called, reading the distress on her face.

"Where's the–?"

Vi couldn't finish her sentence. Powder's body slammed into her as soon as she reached the last step of the stairs.

"Oh, you're back!" The younger girl sighed in relief as she latched onto her.

Her sister's familiar warmth made her worries disappear in one instant. When she looked up at her to give her an affectionate smile, however, Vi didn't return it. In fact, she was avoiding her gaze, facial muscles twitching to fight the emotions overwhelming her. Powder's anxiety returned at once as her sister walked away from her touch. Vi always returned her hugs. Andshe never looked so scared.

"Hey, those are Vander's," Mylo grabbed the teenage girl's wrist as she reached for the gauntlets. "Slow down, what's going on?"

It took all of Vi's willpower to keep her breath under control and maintain a somewhat strong facade in front of her siblings.

"Benzo's dead."

The kids winced. Hearing this wasn't going to become easier anytime soon. Benzo lightly squeezed Ekko's shoulder to prevent another burst, but sorrow had completely disappeared from the boy's face, replaced by pure anger.

"Dead…?" Claggor repeated in a half whisper.

"They took Vander," continued Vi before her courage left her.

"Who took Vander?" queried Mylo.

"I don't know, but I need to help him."

Oh, no…

"We're going with you."

"No, you're not," Vander forbid. "None of you is going anywhere."

His voice was firm, unwavering, but despite being sure of having voiced his thoughts this time, none of the kids reacted. The slight nose scrunch his eldest did, however, indicated that they had heard him loud and clear, but just chose to ignore him. Even now, after seeing for themselves the fortress in which he was being held, they were hell bent on rescuing him.

This wasn't good. At all. The last thing he needed was for his kids to go after him on a suicide mission. But of course they would, he had taught them himself to never leave one of them behind.

Although regretful, Vander was at peace with the idea of dying at the hands of his brother. It was the logical repercussion of his own actions, his sins. His kids, however? They were innocent. They had all future ahead of them. And although Silco wasn't a monster altogether, he wasn't a good man either. He wouldn't shy away from murdering children if they got in his way.

Fortunately for him, the counterpart of his daughter had enough sense to try and dissuade her siblings from coming.

"Whatever killed Benzo…" Vi gulped, remembering the slaughter, "was nothing like I've ever seen. It tore him apart."

Unfortunately for him though, he had also taught his kids to be brave and to stick together.

"You're not doing this alone, Vi," Claggor said as he brought an arm around her shoulder to comfort her. Her facade was breaking.

"He's our father too," Mylo joined, putting a hand on her back.

Vander's heart swelled with emotions. Although he never doubted the kids considered him their father, they never called him so.

As the three siblings took a moment, embracing each other, Powder ran to her personal box, doodled with her drawings and filled with her creations.

"Do you know where they took him?" asked Mylo.

"Ekko followed them," Vi replied, filling a bag with the different weapons the brothers had prepared.

She placed the strap around her shoulder and picked the flare in hand, leading the boys out the room.

"The old cannery next to the docks, he said…"

The sight of her sister waiting, her own bag in hands and ready to follow them, put a stop in her tracks.

"She can't come," Mylo stated, his voice devoid of any scorn. It was just a simple fact.

"No, she's not coming," confirmed Vi. She wouldn't risk her sister like that, and neither would her counterpart, based on the sigh that escaped her mouth.

"I need you to sit this one out, Powder," said Vi, as softly as she could.

But her gentle tone wasn't enough to prevent her sister from spiraling. Powder's face collapsed in confusion.

"What?"

"You're not coming," she added, coming closer.

"I'm not afraid."

"It's too dangerous."

"But family sticks together," Powder argued, "you said it yourself."

"I know what I said…"

"I wanna fight, I can help!"

"You're not ready!"

Vi didn't miss the flash of hurt before shock settled on her sister's face. She knew how much Powder wanted to help, to be part of the group, and Vi had always encouraged her to try, even if her attempts failed. It was unfair to tell her to stay behind now, but if it meant keeping her sister alive, then Vi was fine with breaking her heart.

This wasn't any mission. They weren't going to play tag with the enforcers, or some hoodlum. A failure wasn't just going to end up in a beating, they were risking their lives. Benzo haddied. It wasn't the time for Powder to get involved. For her own safety, and for theirs. Because as much as Vi tried to convince her otherwise, her sisterwasa liability.

"You're all I have left. I can't lose you," her other self said, extending her hand to caress her cheek.

But what if she loses you?Caitlyn couldn't help thinking.

The boys didn't say anything as Vi didn't mention them. They knew she cared for them, but they also knew how special the bond between the two sisters was, and it wasn't just because they were the only blood relatives of the family. Powder was especially attached to her sister, and Vi was just as protective of her.

Powder leaned into her touch, a tear escaping her eyes.

"Here," Vi showed her the flare before putting it into her hands. "If they come for you, take this, and run. Wherever you are, light it up, and I'll find you. I promise."

She pressed her forehead against her sister's for a moment, sharing all the love she possibly could through this simple touch, before breaking the contact and joining the boys who were silently waiting for her at the top of the stairs, as Powder watched, once again, her sister walk away.

"You did good," Vander told her, reading the uncertainty on her face.

Although he would have preferred for them toallstay behind, if they were adamant on rescuing him, leaving Powder to safety was the right thing to do.

As if to second their guardian's words, Claggor put a hand on her back, giving her a small nod, and Mylo hesitantly followed, hoping she wouldn't get the wrong idea and think that he was happy about leaving the girl behind. He had wanted for her to acknowledge Powder was a burden, that was true, but not even he felt an ounce of satisfaction seeing her sad face as they all left her in the basement.

Vi gave them an appreciative smile.

In Heimerdinger's lab, Jayce had just finished soldering the last two pieces of his contraption when Viktor arrived to bring him a blue crystal.

"It's all here," he said as he removed his protection glasses and put the soldering iron down.

The machine was built from a light metal to ensure better conductivity. Jayce didn't even have to activate it for it to react to the crystal. It started glowing as soon as it was placed onto its support.

"It's time to crank it," Viktor announced gleefully, putting the notebook in his hands away.

The young inventor wasn't as confident. He was having second thoughts seeing the first sparks crackle around the blue crystal.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

The grimace on Viktor's face answered in his stead.

Heimerdinger blew out a sigh.

"This is a very dangerous undertaking, my boys," he reprimanded. "Do you realize how reckless this is?"

Vi rolled her eyes.

"Of course they do, they saw the explosion. They just don't care."

Jayce tried not to pay her or her scoffing siblings attention.

"I know, Professor, but this could be a breakthrough."

"It has the potential to change lives," Viktor added.

"Byriskinglives," the yordle condemned. "Safety shouldalwaysbe your priority, Viktor."

The two partners didn't insist any further. They would convince him, eventually. They knew they would. Just like they knew Hextech was real. This recording wouldn't have reached them otherwise. Jayce just hoped that Heimerdinger's fears wouldn't be materialized, and thattheirdream wouldn't be achieved at the cost of innocent lives.

Viktor activated the device, and its outer ark started swirling around the now levitating crystal.

"I don't think it's gonna hold!" Jayce worried as the sparks became stronger and the whirls faster. "Look at the buildup!"

"The resonance will stabilize it," assured Viktor calmly. "Trust me."

Whatever fears Jayce held in his heart, they subsided for a moment at the man's unwavering confidence. Viktor had trusted him when no one else had, he could afford to do the same now.

Outside, however, the signs of their clandestine activity were starting to attract attention.

"Hey, you seeing this?" a patrolling enforcer asked his partner, noticing the flashes of blue light escaping the Academy's dean lab.

Wow… They were so not discreet. Coming from the Piltie, it wasn't so surprising, but was the cripple really from the Undercity? Discretion was one of the most important skills there, being noticed was never a good thing. It must have beenreallya long time since he moved over. Oh, well. They were probably just going to be caught, sent back in custody and then released just as fast as the first time.

But the two partners weren't nearly as relaxed as the gang regarding their fate. While they did know they had achieved Hextech, they didn't know in which conditions. Who knew? They might have been caught, exiled and continued their research overseas. And while it was still a better outcome than prison or… death, neither of them wished to leave their natal land.

The recording didn't ease their nerves just yet though, as the scenery changed back to The Last Drop's basement.

Vi barely had the time to recognize the familiar bunny with her name written on it sitting in a box filled with drawings and trinkets, her brain registered the crying and her heart dropped in her chest.

Alone in the basement, Powder was huddled up on her bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Tears were streaming down her face as she tried to soothe herself, hugging her knees to her chest, but nothing calmed the panic in her heart.

"Oh, Powder…" Vi mumbled.

The wind-up monkey in her hands was staring at her, judging her. It had always been her favorite toy, but at the moment, she couldn't bear to look at it.

Useless, useless, useless.Just like her.

She grabbed its head and tried to pull it out, but the monkey resisted her. In a fit of rage, she threw it across the room, and finally, the toy broke apart. A frustrated scream escaped her chest.

"Oh, that poor child," Heimerdinger furrowed his brows in concern. "She looks upset."

That was an understatement.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Powder grabbed her head, struggling to catch her breath as her heart was pounding and her mind racing. She felt like she was drowning in despair.

She left, she left, she left.

She lefther.

Because she wasn't ready. Because she was a burden. Because she was Powder.

Gone, gone, gone.Vi was gone, and Powder was alone.

'Benzo's dead.'

She wasn't coming back.

'It tore him apart.'

She was going to die. All of them were.

"Is she alright?" Caitlyn asked.

It was a rhetorical question.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Her thoughts were a muddled mess, screaming at her. In a desperate attempt to silence them, she pounded her fists against her head, but it was all so loud and the monkey kept clapping, and clapping, and clapping, and Vi was gone and Powder was alone and everyone was going to die and…

The panic finally overwhelming her, she let out a pained shriek.

"The fuck is wrong with her…" muttered Mylo, his face twisted in confusion.

"Mylo," Vander warned.

"What? She's totally freaking out!"

He had seen her throw tantrums before. Frequently, in fact. Powder was an emotional mess. She took everything personally, every little joke to heart. She was so easy to vex, it wasn't rare for her to throw a fit. But it had never been this bad.

"She's never done that before!"

"No, she has," Vi admitted through gritted teeth.

"What?"

The light foot-tapping had evolved into a full leg bouncing.

"A long time ago, when she was little. I thought… It thought she had outgrown it."

Vi remembered, and so did Vander.

It had started shortly after he had taken the girls in and before the boys came. Powder had been too young to understand death back then, so he had focused on comforting Vi. But then, she finally realized their parents weren't coming back and she began having meltdowns. She became glued to her sister, refusing to leave her side even for a minute, and if he tried to separate them, the meltdown happened and the girl became absolutely inconsolable. It had taken weeks and weeks of desensitization before it started to get better.

Those days had been particularly exhausting for Vander, who was just starting to learn how to be a parent then, but it had been even more overwhelming for Vi, who had only been a child herself. She had to force herself to be an adult, forgetting her fears and her grief to prevent her sister from harming herself, often ending up being the one harmed instead.

"After all this time, why…?"

"She's having a panic attack," Viktor stated.

He was familiar enough with the science of the mind to recognize the symptoms.

The teenage girl snapped her eyes to him.

"What?"

"Her entire family is gone on a potentially lethal mission, of course she's panicking," Mel added.

She had witnessed people having panic attacks before in her homeland and she had suffered from a few herself after her exile. Seeing such a young child having a full meltdown was heartbreaking.

A pang of guilt hitting her, Vi bit her lower lips.

"I– I shouldn't have left her alone."

"No, Vi, you did the right thing," Vander tried to reassure her.

"I shouldn't have left her alone!" she insisted. "I should… I should have brought her to Ekko."

"You didn't know!" Ekko argued.

As much as he, too, wished to be there for Powder, he hated seeing Vi blaming herself.

"You are too harsh on yourself, Vi," Claggor added before Mylo chimed in.

"You did whatever you could."

But their numerous consolations did not chase her remorse away.

"Oh, shit!" Jayce suddenly shouted, bringing everyone's attention on him.

He had risen from his seat, eyes widened and mouth agape.

"The crystals are in there!" He pointed at the screen.

On the recording, Powder had grabbed her box and lifted it above her head, threatening to throw it onto the floor.

"What?!"

Her vision blurred with anger, the sound of the monkey's cymbals was the only thing to keep Powder's mind focused and prevent her from lashing out.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Finally, the clapping stopped, and exhaustion washed over her. Her rage turning into despair once again, she collapsed on the floor, dropping her box at the same time.

Sparks of lightning crackled as the crystals rolled out of their container.

"Oh, Janna…"

Vi's heart skipped a beat and her body froze in fear, remembering that Powder was supposed to die. Was this the moment?

A cold chill crawled on her skin. No matter how much she tried to prepare herself, she still wasn't ready to see it. Neither was Vander, Claggor, Ekko, or even Mylo.

Everyone held their breath, anticipating the disaster, but the explosion never came.

The crackles catching her attention, Powder looked up to see the crystals sparking. Her tears stopped flowing as her eyes widened in recognition. Their familiar blue light arose in her mind the memory of the recent heist in Piltover and the explosion that followed.

And finally, she connected the dots.

Her previous despair now completely gone, a small smile spread on her lips.

"I can help them," she said as she wiped her tears.

Vi blew out a sigh of relief. Her sister was alive. But her small moment of respite was cut short.

"She's hoing to follow us, isn't she?" fretted Mylo.

And now, it was Vi's turn to panic.

Chapter 17: The Hope Before Doom

Summary:

Jayce and Viktor take risks to discover Hextech. The gang takes risks to rescue Vander.

Notes:

IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE! Wow, this chapter had troubles getting done. Sorry guys, life's shenanigans had like the worst timing ever. But the chapter is twice as long as usual to make up for the wait. Now take a seat, ready your popcorn, your tissues, and enjoy the torture :)

Chapter Text

"Look who's here!" Benzo huffed, his eyes directed on the entrance of The Last Drop where a man just entered.

"Well, he looks like shit," Vander scoffed, already preparing the guy a stein of beer.

Otto came to join them at the bar with the energy and coordination of a drunkard after his tenth drink, and it was not only the beginning of the evening.

"Parenthood suits you," Benzo mocked, clearly noticing the stain of… vomit? on the man's shirt.

His wife had given birth to their first daughter a few weeks ago, and they hadn't seen him since.

"The girls finally gave you a break?" Vander asked, offering him the stein.

Otto downed the beer in one swing and slammed the mug back on the table.

"Gods, I'm exhausted," he sighed as Vander refilled his drink.

But despite the bags under his eyes, the ruffles in his hair, and the numerous unidentified stains on his clothes, the smile on his face betrayed his happiness.

The three friends just sat there for a while, catching up as they chugged down beer after beer.

"You should see her, she's so beautiful," Otto rambled as he started feeling tipsy.

"Oh please, don't start," Benzo said with feigned exasperation. "Sentimentality doesn't suit you."

Vander chuckled.

"I'm serious, man! She's so… wonderful."

Yep, all that alcohol was getting into his head. Time to change the subject.

"And how is Evie recovering?" Vander asked.

"She's fine. She wants a second," Otto simply answered as if he hadn't just dropped a bomb.

Vander paused, his beer raised midway to his mouth, while Benzo choked on his.

"Please tell me you talked her out of it," the latter said once his coughing fit subsided.

"I quite like the idea actually."

Now, they were both looking at him incredulously.

Vander didn't understand. He had seen the newborn, and it was true she was quite a beautiful thing with her lush hair already full on her head. But that was about it. He couldn't see the appeal ofwantingto raise a child.

Kids popped out all the time in the Undercity. If he was completely honest, Vander wasn't entirely sure he didn't have one himself somewhere from one of his previous flings. Unmarried mothers rarely seeked out their children's father. That's how it was. Kids just happened. They weren't planned.

Seeing Otto not only drunk with love for his daughter but also talking about wanting a second was bewildering.

"Don't you have enough shifts like that?" Benzo asked in all seriousness.

"We'll manage with the two of us," Otto said, shrugging off the problem.

"You're going to collapse in exhaustion," Vander added to reason with him. "People die all the time in the mines, Otto."

But the man snorted, clearly not considering this a problem.

"Well, I don't mind," he said nonchalantly, swirling the beer in his mug like a fine whiskey. "For them, forher, I wouldn't mind dying."

Benzo and Vander shared a confused glance. It wasn't the reaction they had expected.

"Do you know what's a parent's greatest fear?" Otto continued, his eyes bearing into both of them. He didn't really expect them to answer. "It's to watch their child go before them."

There was a dragging silence for a moment before a smile broke onto his face and the man burst out laughing.

"You fuckers wouldn't get it!" he chuckled as if he just shared a private joke only he could understand.

He took a moment to calm down before he gave them a knowing look.

"You will, when you have kids of your own."

Now, Vander was the one laughing. A father, him? That was ridiculous.

The moon was full and the toxic fumes never accumulated in the docks, so the gang had full visibility to climb and reach the top of the cannery. They crouched, edging along the roof in a single line so as not to be seen, but there seemed to be no patrols out there. Neither of them thought much about it as they reached the skylights, grateful for the easy infiltration .

"Let's get Vander and get out," Vi said before leading the way inside the building.

The concerned frown on Vander's face contrasted with the proud smile his kids exchanged.

This was too easy. Silco was paranoid, it didn't seem like him to be this lax in security. And what had happened to the guards? There were dozens of people working and patrolling before, why was the building suddenly empty?

A feeling of uneasiness settled in the pit of his stomach.

In Heimerdinger's lab, the blue crystal had finally stabilized in its support.

"I told you it would work," Viktor told his partner, giving him a knowing smile. "All yours."

"Oh, come on…" groaned Vi.

They were just about to break Vander out, and now, back to the nerds again.

Jayce took a moment to take in the sight before him.

"Wow," he mumbled, unable to put words to the awe he was feeling. "It's never done that before."

And that was a good sign, mused Mel.

She was already marveling at this seemingly unprecedented progress. Her other self had made the right call trusting them.

The two partners exchanged a delighted smile, ignoring the unfading frown on the yordle at their side. Heimerdinger did not like this development at all.

"Alright," Jayce gulped. "Here we go."

He reached for the machine's wheel and gave it a quarter turn on the left. The runes suspended on the arches immediately reacted to the new inflow of energy, spinning around as the blue crystal rose higher in the air. But when Jayce gave the wheel another turn to adjust the frequency, the crystal crackled and sparks of lightning appeared, dancing all around it.

The memory of the recent explosion overlapped with the recording, as everyone half expected the crystal to burst. But the optimism in the young scientists' heart didn't disappear just yet.

Itwouldwork.

"Disengage!" Viktor shouted, raising his left arm to protect his face from the sudden blast.

Jayce didn't immediately follow his advice, feeling bolder after this recent progress. He placed his hand above the deactivating button, but didn't push it just yet, observing the crystal's reaction through squinted eyes. The sparks and gush of air didn't make it easy.

A second blast of energy, however, prompted him to react. The laboratory's window exploded and shards of glass were sent flying outside in the middle of lightning bolts. But then, the eruption paused, the shards slowing and stopping in their course. It was Jayce's cue to stop the machine. He tried to reach for the button once more, but he couldn't deactivate the machine in time before the blast returned and a rain of glass shards fell onto the two scientists.

Jayce could only recoil seeing a piece of glass cutting his other self's cheek. He didn't think the shards would have killed him, but he hadn't missed how close to his eye the injury his counterpart received was. But it had to be worth it. The greater the risks, the greater the reward. Even now, he didn't doubt that Hextech was worth losing his sight for. Fortunately, it wouldn't come to this, it seemed. His other self smashed the button with his fist, and deprived of energy, the crystal dropped back onto its pedestal.

"Incredible," Viktor muttered as the lab was plunged into the dark.

Grayson raised an inquisitive eyebrow. She hadn't thought much about the dean's assistant –he wasn't the kind to leave a strong first impression, despite his strong accent. But now, she could see the Undercity in him. Just like the gang before him, he seemed to have no care about his own safety, his attention entirely focused on the mysterious crystal before him. It was almost admirable how the Undercity folks could disregard near death experiences like that –although, to be fair, the Talis boy wasn't that much better in that regard. Despite a fleeting moment of concern, the elation was clear on his face.

Their professor, however, hadn't missed the nearly avoided disaster. If the two partners could only see the beauty of their experimentation, Heimerdinger could only see the danger of it. A sigh escaped his lungs before he could start another lecture. Just another proof that the Arcane couldnotbe controlled. And yet, the fact this recording reached them proved otherwise, didn't it?

"These two are insane," Mylo said in a semi-amused huff.

At the very least, Powder hadn't known the crystals exploded when she accidentally dropped one during the heist. These two, though? They were perfectly aware of how unstable they were. They were toying with their lives, and for what?'To make the world a better place'? They could, just by acknowledging the undercity Piltover abandoned. Clearly, this whole operation was just a way to boost their ego, and the gang didn't think it was worth it.

"Pilties," Vi simply commented.

She had no interest in seeing how this would go.

In the cannery, the gang advanced carefully, staying low on the ground as they crossed footbridge after footbridge. It didn't take long for Vi to find the person she was looking for. Around the corner, Vander was there, tied onto a chair and barely conscious.

Her eyes widened in recognition, but she didn't let the emotions overtake her just yet. She checked her surroundings once more for any guards –the way was clear– and she guided her brothers to their guardian. The room's door was wide open, allowing them to reach him without difficulty, but none of them registered this peculiarity, too relieved to find Vander alive and well –mostlywell.

This is too easy, Vander's inner voice screamed once more, the alarm bell going off in his head.

He really hoped this to be a coincidence, that the workers simply all took a break at the same time, and that they just conveniently forgot to close doors and windows, but the more rational part of his brain knew better.

This is a trap.

"Vi,"his counterpart spoke as he noticed the newcomers.

The teenage girl immediately threw herself on him, closing her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

Lucky her…

Although Ekko managed to keep his face straight, he couldn't prevent the puerile jealousy growing in his heart as he, too, wished his other self could have held Benzo like this. But Benzo wasdead.

As if sensing his inner turmoil, his mentor lightly squeezed his shoulder to prove him wrong.

"What are you doing here?"

Vi gave him a soft smile, letting her hand linger on him as she broke the embrace.

"We're breaking you out," she said, appreciating his warmth for a moment before rising to her feet.

"Mylo."

"On it," the boy answered as he crouched down to inspect the lock on his feet and carefully inserted his lockpicking key.

"Hell yes!" Mylo cheered.

It was his time to shine.

He didn't have Vi's leadership skills, wasn't nearly as good a fighter as her, or even Claggor –in the earlier brawl, he was the only one out of the three who couldn't win on his own–, and his climbing skills were decent, but still nothing exceptional compared to his siblings. If it wasn't for Powder,hewould be the weak link. Unlike her, however, he did have a unique skill to contribute to the group, and that was lockpicking. It had been largely overshadowed by Vi's impatience during the heist –he loved her, but she could be a brute sometimes–, but now, he would finally be able to put them to use.

"How… How did you get in?" asked Vander as Mylo worked on his restraints and Claggor inspected his injuries. "There's guards everywhere."

"It was easy. We found an open window and…"

The rest of her sentence died on her tongue.

Similarly to her counterpart, Vi's smile faltered as she realized the whole masquerade. She had led her brothers right into a trap.

"Shit."

"Oh god. You have to get out, now," pressed Vander.

But it was already too late.

"Welcome," another voice announced, bringing the little family's attention outside the room.

"Shit, shit,shit."

The sound of his slow clapping came like a taunt before they even saw him.

"You have my congratulations," Silco said as he finally appeared on the other side of the footbridge. And he wasn't alone.

One by one, his henchmen appeared behind him, until there were a dozen of them, forming a barrier blocking the gang's only way out.

"But I'm afraid this will be a very short reunion."

"This isn't good," Vi vaguely heard Claggor at her side.

It was a trap. Of course it was, how had she not thought about this? She should have known. She should have thought about a plan, and maybe rally the Lanes against Silco. Vander was a well-known figure, people would have been willing to fight for him. But instead of calling for reinforcement, she rushed headlong, leading her brothers right into a trap.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

"Have you heard the rumor?" Silco continued, a smug expression on his face. "Vander the coward fled town with his children. And they were never seen again."

Vander had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but Silco fully intended in getting rid of himandhis kids. Or maybe just his kids to spite him and force him onto the path of violence again. He definitely would shred the man to pieces, regardless of their history together, if anything happened to his kids, and maybe that's what Silco wanted.To show him who he really was, as he said.

"This is barbaric," Cassandra said, an incredulous huff escaping her chest.

It hadn't been enough for this man to lure in children, using their father as bait, he was planning to kill them as well?

"It is, and yet, this is probably the best plan," Mel commented with a straight face.

Cassandra frowned in displeasure at her words, but she did not deny. She knew she was right. In politics, the fastest way to gain control was to get rid of your opponents. To avoid resistance afterwards, you could even go further and discredit them. And what better way to discredit a leader than passing them off as a disloyal coward? The lives of a couple children weren't a high price to pay for the control of an entire city, Cassandra supposed, but it still left a bitter taste in her mouth.

In a desperate attempt to free their guardian, Claggor tried to use his knife and force Vander's restraints open, but the blade split in two as soon as he put pressure on it.

"Claggor, see if you can find another way out of here," Vi ordered as she put on Vander's gauntlets, readying herself to fight.

"Okay."

This was bad. In any other situation, seeing his girl wearing his gauntlets like a token of his teachings would have filled his heart with pride, but right now, there was only dread in it.

"You don't have to do this," Vander tried to reason with her, but Vi knew better.

"Yes, I do."

What else was she supposed to do? Drop to her knees and beg the lunatic to spare their lives? Vi was perfectly aware of her tendency to rush headfirst –it was the reason they were trapped in this situation in the first place– but she also knew how to recognize situations where punching her way outwasthe only option, and this was one of them.

His chest heaving in panic, Vander could do nothing else but watch as his daughter went straight to her death.

"Vi!"

"Uh, this kind of sucks, doesn't it?" Mylo tried to joke, but the chuckle he forced out of his lungs came out as a cough instead.

Neither his siblings or father reacted, their attention entirely monopolized by the screen.

The four of them were trapped in a room with no way out, Vander was restrained, and Vi was off to fight an entire group ofarmedadults. This couldn't get any worse.

Outside of the cannery, the figure of a young child appeared in the shadow of a tunnel, as Powder finally caught up with her siblings.

On second thought, it could get worse. Mylo had almost forgotten about her.

"Oh no…" fretted Vander, Vi, Claggor, Ekko, everyone, really.

Now, thisreallysucked.

The situation was desperate enough as it was, they really didn't need Powder to show up. What could she do? At best, she would be able to distract them for a few minutes before being captured –because there was no way she wouldn't be–, and at worst, she would get killed with the rest of them.

"I knew she would follow us, I fucking knew it…!" groaned Mylo.

"Powder…"

There was only one thing Vi feared more than losing Vander, and that was losing her sister. A feeling very much shared by Ekko, who had already lost Benzo. The idea of Powder dying because of him was stomach-turning, and he knew her future was grim.

I shouldn't have followed them, I shouldn't have told Vi…

Now, despite his earlier stance, hewasstarting to blame her for leaving Powder alone, and he hated it.

As Vi advanced on the footbridge, Mek came to meet her. The man was twice her size, triple her weight, and clearly unimpressed by her. He was completely different from her usual opponents, but she tried not to let the anxiety slip in on her face as took a deep breath and raised her fists. There was no point in thinking about the outcome, she just needed to focus on what she did best: fight.

"There is no way she can win this," Jayce muttered mostly to himself before turning to the others and reiterating his question. "Right?"

Viktor didn't voice his thoughts. Rationally thinking, there wasn't. But people in the Undercity could be full of resources, and outcomes weren't always the ones expected. Who would have thought the poor cripple would survive the early years of his life and the Undercity to rise and make a living in Piltover? No one, not even him, and yet, life could be full of surprises. He just hoped fate would be as lenient on the girl as it had been on him, no matter the odds against her.

They had all seen her fight, they knew she was good at it. Excellent, even. But a one versus one was highly different from a one versus ten. And not only this time, her opponent wouldn't be another teenager but experienced adults, but weapons would be involved, and so was the intent to kill.

Caitlyn was starting to feel sick. She hadn't completely come to terms with Grayson's murder yet, she wasn't ready to witness another death. She barely knew the girl, and yet, it felt like she did. She had seen her past, she knew about what motivated her, and she was getting familiar with her quirks. She wouldn't be just another nameless face, another number on her mother's reports –if her death would even be reported. She washere.

Vander either couldn't shake off the panic growing in his heart. He trusted his girl. He had taught her how to fight himself, he knew the extent of her abilities. She was a better fighter than most adults in the Undercity, but in this context, he wasn't sure she would be able to win, and he certainly wasn't ready to see her lose.

Unaware of what was happening inside, Powder climbed the wall of the building, encouraged by the sight of her sister. She didn't peek inside long enough to notice the large man in front of her looking back at his boss in uncertainty, nor the nod of confirmation he received.

"Come on…"

As Mek cracked his neck in nonchalance, his eyes set on the girl before him, everyone tensed in their seat. They all knew what was coming, and none of them was ready to see it. This was no longer a street fight. Their lives were on the line, and just as they had seen with Grayson and Benzo, none of them was safe from a sudden death.

Mek pulled his armed hand back, and decided to end it quickly and not to go easy on the girl, he thrust his knife forward, going straight for her face. Vi, however, was ready. With her guard already up, it wasn't so difficult to block him. But the man's sheer strength still forced her to turn on her hips to redirect the attack to avoid being pushed back.

Caitlyn flinched at the sound of metal against metal. She couldn't help but tear her eyes from the screen for a moment, fearing for the worst. But whatever she had expected to see once she forced her attention back on the recording, it certainly wasn't this.

Before Mek could recover, Vi used the advantage of her stance to lower her waist and used her whole body to thrust upward, delivering a powerful uppercut to her opponent. Mek didn't have the time to register anything. The gauntlet clanged loudly against his chin, and the whole of him was sent flying backwards as his brain hit his skull and he lost consciousness on impact.

"Hell yes!" the gang cheered, tension all but forgotten at the moment.

One down.

The Piltovans had nothing to say as they watched the scene, mouth agape. It was absolutely surreal. And although the gauntlets had undeniably helped, even Vander and Benzo hadn't expected Vi to knock the guy out in one hit. But the fight wasn't over yet, so they didn't allow themselves to relax before all her opponents were down. The surprised look of Silco, however, did soothe their heart a little.

The enemy reacted almost immediately. Vi raised her guard up once again, making sure to protect her face but leaving no opening to her torso as a woman came launching at her. She avoided a slice to the left, and promptly retaliated with a jab on her chin. Just like Mek before her, the woman lost consciousness on impact, and her body dropped over the railings.

Two down.

A second man came over, immediately followed by a third one. He tried to get back at her, hitting her in the face, but Vi ducked just in time to avoid the punch, and smashed a fist against his shoulder, before finishing him with a nicely placed knee strike on the sternum.

Three.

She couldn't dodge the third man's kick, but her arm managed to lessen the impact on her ribs, so that she could strike back immediately. A right punch connected with her assailant's jaw, and he dropped onto the ground as his head bashed against the railings.

And a fourth.

"Woohoo!" Mylo cheered, exchanging a high-five with Ekko while Claggor brought his sister closer to him by wrapping an arm around her and forced an embarrassed smile out of her, squeezing her shoulder.

She was winning. She was actually winning.

One by one, Vi knocked her opponents to the ground, and each time she did, the kids were slowly regaining hope. Maybe they could get out of this alive, after all.

Vander and Benzo were a bit more dubious about this, but a hopeful smile crept onto their face anyway. One thing was for sure though: Vander had taught her well.

The trenchers' lifted spirits didn't leave the Piltovans unaffected. They, too, were starting to consider a more optimistic outcome for the group, no matter how ridiculous it seemed.

"She's a fucking monster," Jayce huffed incredulously. And he meant that as a compliment.

Viktor snorted. That she was. Not a lot of people would be able to maintain consciousness after being hit by cast iron gauntlets, but not a lot of people would be able to wield those in the first place. They were ridiculously big on her, they had to be at least a quarter of her weight.

But more than that, he was starting to see that the girl wasn't as senseless as he initially thought her to be. Whether she knew her gauntlets wouldn't be enough for her to counterbalance the odds, she actually used the pitch to her advantage, preventing her opponents from all coming on her at once by staying on the bridge.

Inside the restraint room, Mylo kept working on Vander's cuffs, but although he tried to keep his focus on the lock, he could hear the sounds of fighting behind him. Even if Vi won, it would be pointless if he couldn't free Vander in time. The thought of being the cause of his family's doom looming over him, he tried to work faster, but the urgency of the situation prevented him from keeping his hands steady, and the key escaped him, falling on the floor.

"Come on…" Mylo grunted.

He could see himself making beginner's mistakes out of frustration, and it was maddening. He knew he could do it, but he was getting worked up and his hands were betraying him.

Outdoors, Powder continued her climb to reach one of the open windows of the building. In contrast to the boy inside, she was in total control of her movements, displaying none of the uncertainty that usually accompanied her. But the cannery had long been abandoned, and exposed to the four winds, its wall planks were slowly rotting from the inside. One of them gave way under her weight, and the young girl barely managed to catch herself in time and avoid the fall.

"Fuck. Powder, please…"Go home.

Seeing her sister confidently climb the building wasn't nearly as satisfying as Vi thought it would be, now that she wasn't here to catch her in case she fell. By the Aspects, would she even find her if she did?

The idea of Powder dying from her injuries because no one found her in time wiped the smile that had stretched on Vi's face as her opponents kept falling in an instant.

"Mylo," Vander softly called as Vi continued to repel their assailants outside the room. "Take a breath, you can do this."

The boy looked up at his guardian, and as if to affirm his counterpart's words, he gave him an encouraging nod. He replied with a weak smile.

Vander wasn't a man of many words, it wasn't everyday he voiced his support to his children. Receiving his trust in a moment like this was even more impactful for Mylo, and he could see his other self regaining confidence as he followed his advice and took a deep breath.

At the other side of the door, the enemy count kept decreasing, but so did Vi's energy. She barely managed to dodge the man before her, trying to strike her with a club, behind her, one of the henchmen she took out a few moments before recovered and grabbed her in a chokehold.

"This fucking coward…!"

But there was no such a thing as a fair fight in the Undercity, was there?

Vi took advantage of the hold on her to kick the man in front of her, and used the momentum to push herself back against the railings and force the second man to let her go as he fell over.

"Yes! Serves him right!"

Caitlyn didn't quite agree. She was more than relieved that the pink-haired girl was outshining her opponents, but it was difficult for her to cheer when she thought about the severe injuries of the man,ifhe survived the fall.

Never in her life had she been this exposed to violence and death in such a short amount of time. And despite the fact that those people were clearly trying to kill Vi, it didn't make it easier for her to see them dropping one by one like flies. For someone who aspired to protect others, how had she never realized things were this bad just across the bridge of the city she lived in?

His head now clear of thoughts, Mylo regained his cool and after a few more attempts, the lock finally gave way under his expertise, and Vander's right leg was freed from its restraints.

"Alright!" the gang cheered as Mylo moved to the left leg.

Just a little bit further from them, Claggor was inspecting the exterior wall. The concrete coating was cracked, and there was a spot that seemed especially weakened with the dim rays of light seeping in through the rotten planks below. Claggor ran his hand on it, and the bits breaking under his touch confirmed his assumption.

"We're gonna get you out," he declared, reaching for the pipe in his backpack.

And with a loud clang, Vander's second leg was free.

An almost delirious laugh spread among the kids as things were starting to look good. Vi had the advantage against the enemy, Mylo was freeing Vander, and Claggor was securing a new way out. They could see it: the prospect of triumph was becoming less and less unlikely by the second. Even the adults were growing more optimistic about this.

Outside, Powder finally reached her destination. She pulled herself on the edge of the window, and immediately spotted her sister fighting inside. They were both on the same level now, and she could easily reach her if she wanted to. From her spot, however, she could neither see Vander and the boys, nor the man commanding this entire operation.

"Please, don't ruin this," Mylo said in an almost begging tone.

And this time, no one told him anything. They all agreed with him. So long as Powder didn't do anything to give her presence and position away, they might actually be able toallget out of this alive. The odds were in their favor now.

The lasts of Silco's men advanced on the bridge decided to end the girl, and despite her clear superiority in skills, the fatigue was starting to show.

A blond man approached, licking his knife in morbid excitement, before thrusting the blade forward. Vi managed to avoid it by taking a step back, and dodged a second stab by leaning on the side. But Dustin was proficient with the blade and her reaction time was increasing. She barely succeeded in blocking another thrust, his partner landed a hit on her face, throwing her guard off.

Thanks to the adrenaline in her system, she managed to retaliate almost immediately and forced her opponents to recoil, swinging her arms around, but the panic was clear in her motions, and despite the advantage she maintained, her punches were losing in speed and accuracy.

Of course. No matter how monstrous she was, the girl was, after all, still human. There was only so long she could last with these gauntlets on her fists and with this many enemies coming at her, not giving her a break.

Jayce was familiar with physical work. From time to time, he exerted himself in his family's forge, so he knew how exhausting it was to work with such heavy tools. He could only admire the girl as she not only wielded one, but two iron cast gauntlets despite her size.

'Come on… You can do it,'he silently cheered, his jaw tenser than ever.

On the other side of the bridge, Silco's gaze hardened as he observed the girl taking out his men one by one. Sevika, too, was losing patience. She was tired of this mockery and of the incompetence of her associates in front of a single pubescent girl. She left the wall she was resting against to teach the girl a lesson herself, but Silco's arm stopped her.

He reached for his back pocket, and his attention turning to the blond teenager leaning over the railing, seemingly distracted by his own thoughts, he pulled a shimmer vial out.

"Ready to rise to the surface?"

Deckard's tired gaze immediately lightened up in interest at the sight of the drug.

"Fuck. I forgot about him," admitted Claggor.

Well, Ekko hadn't, and the moment he appeared on the screen, all the excitement he felt seeing Vi absolutely obliterating the enemy turned into fury once again. But there was a mixture of dread as well. He had no shortage of admiration for Vi, he firmly believed there was no better fighter than her in the whole of the Lanes beside maybe Vander. But that monster had killed Benzo, and Ekko wasn't naive enough to disregard the fatigue parameter. He knew Vi wouldn't stand a chance, and despite his desire for vengeance, the only thing he wished for at the moment was for Vi to turn away and run.

There was only one of Silco's henchmen left, but it wasn't without difficulty that Vi confronted him. Her motions were slow now, and she no longer had the strength to block his attacks. With a powerful kick, he sent her on the floor, and at the same time, Deckard desperately reached for the vial and downed the shimmer in one go.

"This isn't good," Vander mumbled in a barely audible voice.

As her opponent tried to smash her while she was still down, Vi rolled to the side, just barely avoiding the hammer.

Further away, Deckard's body reacted to the shimmer now flowing in his bloodstream. He tried to fight the pain assaulting him as an excruciating heat spread within him and his veins threatened to burst, but nothing could stop the drug from ravaging his body. The vial in his hand exploded under the pressure of his newfound strength.

"This isn't good," Vander repeated, much louder this time.

No one commented on the way panic seeped into his voice. They all felt the same way.

As her opponent swung his hammer to her head, Vi ducked to avoid it, and took advantage of the short moment where he needed to catch his balance to strike him in the ribs. He retaliated by raising his hammer once more and smashed it down, but only grazed her gauntlets. She used this missed opportunity to finish him with a jab on the jaw.

The man dropped on the bridge, but there was no time for anyone to celebrate the girl's win. The odds were no longer in her favor, and soon, this victory would turn into an utter defeat if she didn't get away in time.

Vi could barely catch her breath, Deckard's squeal snapped her attention to him. His mutation had completed. There were no more traces of the teenager he was before in him. He had greatly grown in size, his muscles grotesquely bulging in an unnatural way and the shimmer could be seen flowing in his veins.

Vi didn't even recognize the boy she defeated before. She could only see the monster that killed Benzo.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

By the gods, Vander really prayed that this time,just this time, his daughter would be a coward and turn on her heels to save her life.

But she didn't.

Deckard stepped on the bridge, and without an ounce of consideration for the man that just recovered from his loss and barely managed to rise on his feet, he grabbed his head and threw him off the bridge with one hand.

"They were on the same side…" Ekko muttered.

But of course the monster didn't care. It was to even wonder if he was able tothinkin this form, but he had to be since he was still taking orders from Silco.

From her spot, Powder gasped in horror. It wasn't difficult for her to put the pieces together and guess this was the monster that tore Benzo apart. He was dreadful. But her sister was always good at keeping the monsters away, wasn't she?

Vi's expression wasn't one of confidence. She hadn't forgotten about the way the creature butchered Benzo, but neither had she forgotten about the purpose of her coming. Her determination unwavering, she swallowed the ball of anxiety forming in her throat and raised her fists once more.

"Vi?" Claggor called, not liking her stance at all.

The girl didn't reply, too busy chewing on her lower lip and bouncing her legs.

"Mylo, hurry!" Vander pressed.

Vi took a deep breath, gathering the last of her strength, and before her courage could leave her, she forced her feet to move and ran forward.

"Wrong direction, Vi!" slurred Mylo. "Wrong direction!"

"This is a terrible idea," Heimerdinger added.

She jumped, using the railings as a foothold to propel herself in the air, and raised her gauntlets above her head. Deckard didn't even react as she screamed, ready to strike. It was as if he hadn't noticed her. But he had. It was just that he didn't need tolookat her to see her. Before she could reach him, still without sparing her a glance, he grabbed her by the throat with a swift movement of the arm.

"Vi!" Mylo, Claggor and Ekko all shouted in unison, echoing with Powder's voice on the recording.

'No, no, no,'Caitlyn internally screamed as she shut her eyes tight, failing to conceal a flinch.

This time, her mother noticed her turmoil almost immediately, but the circular motions of her hand on her back did nothing to appease her.

She tried to lessen his hold on her, punching his arm to the best of her ability given her position, but it was to no avail.

Was this it? Was it her turn to die?

Vi barely noticed the boys panicking around her as she imagined the monster snapping her neck with a simple squeeze of the hand. She had no doubt he could.

"Silco!" Vander shouted from his seat. "Let her go! This is between you and me!"

"You had your chance!" The scarred man replied in a snarl.

He was going to kill her. In cold blood. Because of him.

Vander, too, didn't quite register the panic unfolding around him as his brain turned this idea over and over. And no matter how many times it did, it was still a hard pill to swallow.

Silco had once been his brother. They fought together, bled together, dreamt together. Despite the regretful way their ways parted, it was a history that would never disappear. It was a bond that was unbreakable, and there was hardly anything stronger than this.

But Vi? Vi was his daughter, his little girl. He may have not always raised her, but he did watch her grow. He watched her throw her first punch and lose her first fight. He watched her get back on her feet and learn how to protect others. He watched her becoming the great person she was always meant to be.

And now, he was going to watch her die.

'Do you know what's a parent's greatest fear?'

Why was he remembering this now? Were the gods mocking him?

'It's to watch their child go before them.'

Otto would probably be turning in his grave if he had one. But most trenchers, especially those who died on the Day of Ashes, did not have this luxury.

Once, Vander had thought he was crazy, but the old fucker had been right. There were many times in his life Vander had almost crossed the threshold of death, many times where he thought his time had come. But even during these moments, the fear he felt then didn't compare to the one he was feeling now.

Tired of the girl struggling in his grasp, Deckard threw Vi on the floor. One of her gauntlets fell as her body rolled away, and she coughed desperately for air. Powder gasped in horror.

Right, Powder. She was still here.

She reached for the case hanging at her hip, brought it in front of her to open it and grabbed the wind-up monkey in it.

Alright, Mylo was taking back everything he said earlier. Maybe they could use her help, after all –whatever she planned to do with her toy. At his point, they needed everything they could use. A simple distraction could overturn the situation.

Her body suddenly heavier than ever, Vi crawled away from the monster, using her remaining gauntlet to drag herself. But Deckard wasn't done with her yet.

"Vi!" Vander shouted as he saw the monster behind her.

He took his sweet time to follow her. There was no rush. There was nowhere for her to go.

"Come on, come on…"

As the brothers continued working on their respective tasks, Vi finally reached the room her family was in.

It took all of her will and energy to drag herself up and reach the door's handle, but even more to push it. It was only when he saw the door sliding that Deckard hastened his pace. But he wasn't fast enough. Vi managed to close the door and lock it just before he could get in.

Her body dropping back on the floor, she felt the monster's powerful hits on the door against her back. But even with the threatening thuds, she allowed herself to catch her breath as she removed her remaining gauntlet, and Mylo freed Vander's left arm at the same time.

"You did good," Vander told her with a soft voice.

Tension suddenly broke as several sighs filled the room. The kids didn't know for how long they held their breath in, but it felt good to let it out. Caitlyn allowed herself to open her eyes while Vander closed his in relief, and everyone's body relaxed as Vi managed to get to safety.

They knew the little family wasn't out of trouble yet, but this small moment of respite was much needed for everyone, so this time, no one complained when the scenery changed in the recording.

In Piltover, the two scientists' nightly activities hadn't gone unnoticed. Escorted by two enforcers, Heimerdinger rushed along the Academy's hallways. He was furious. His instructions had been deliberately disobeyed, and traces ofmagichad been spotted inhislab.

"Open up!" the enforcers ordered, banging at the door once they reached the lab. But the two felons had blocked the handles with Viktor's cane.

"Stop this lunacy at once!" Heimerdinger shouted.

Inside the lab, Viktor eyed the door worryingly.

"They're almost through," he warned, before turning his attention back to his partner. "No pressure."

"Open the door!"

"That sounds like pressure!" Jayce replied in a yell.

They had reactivated the machine, and although the crystal wasn't as unstable as before, they hadn't reached for the expected results yet.

Out of consideration for the trenchers, the two partners tried to hide the interest lighting up in their eyes. But this was –most likely– the moment that was going to change their lives, so it was hard not to be eager.

As the banging on the door became louder by the second, Jayce tried to focus on the crystal before him. He closed his eyes, shutting out all noise and distraction in his head, and summoned his most precious memory. He reached for the machine's wheel and, the magician appearing in his mind, he tried to reproduce the same pattern of runes that once saved him.

Heimerdinger's frown deepened at the sight. Runes were both a capricious thing and a powerful tool. One wrong combination, and they would be giving the opposite result of the one wanted. They weren't something to be toyed with. But neither Jayce or Viktor had seen what he had, so they insisted on playing with fire. And too many times had Heimerdinger witnessed bright souls being burned.

One by one, the runic plates around the crystal stopped spinning, brimming with blue light. The crystal, on the other hand, kept whirling in the air, increasing in speed as it generated endless lightning bolts, magic runes dancing all around it. Its light was almost blinding by now, it almost seemed as if the crystal was going to explode. But instead, it suddenly paused midair, and just like the magician a few years ago, it generated a beam of light, and rings of runes appeared, rising in the air.

Finally, its overflow of energy erupted, but it wasn't quite the explosion Jayce had feared would happen. The blast burst the doors open, forcing both enforcers waiting outside the lab to cover their face as a flash of light spread out around all of Piltover. And when it subsided, the two officers' eyes widened in astonishment.

"Excuse me, underfoot," Heimerdinger said as he made his way through them to finally reach his lab.

The moment his sight was no longer obstructed, however, the hard expression of his face collapsed and a gasp escaped him.

His lab was a shambles, but it wasn't this particular fact that left him speechless. It was the fact that everything in it that hadn't been secured on shelves was actuallyflying, defying every law of physics the scientist was familiar with. And in the midst of this supernatural phenomenon, his former pupil and assistant were there, hovering around a sphere of blue light.

"Janna's grace," Cassandra muttered in shock.

There was nothing else to say, really. Even the trenchers momentarily forgot about the grim fate looming over their counterparts at the same time in the Undercity. It was beautiful. They already had a glimpse of it in Jayce's childhood, but there was something even more surreal in seeing the same magic that saved his life unfolding intheircity.

The expression on Jayce's face was one of pure bliss as a spur gear came flying in front of him. He couldn't contain his chuckle as he gave it a light poke and sent it into the magic sphere.

The gear seemed to flick in and out of existence as it approached, but then, the sphere absorbed it, and in less than a second, it was teleported to the other side of the sphere, appearing right in front of Viktor.

As if to make sure he wasn't just seeing it, Viktor grabbed the gear; it felt real in his hand. A smile stretched on his face as he looked up to Jayce, and the two scientists chuckled deliriously.

An elated huff escaped Jayce's chest. There was no more ounce of self-control in him as he watched his life's dream being accomplished. Hundreds,thousandsof hours working on Hextech while people called him mad. Countless nights spent without sleep, and dozens of false leads and dead ends.Yearswithout ever knowing if his efforts would be rewarded or not. And it had all been worth it.

"I did it," he muttered as his toothy smile stretched impossibly wide, and another, almost hysterical huff escaped him. "I did it!"

Just like his counterpart on the screen, he couldn't contain his chuckles, completely oblivious to the world and the people around him. Except for one.

"Wedid it," he then corrected as he turned to Viktor and put a hand on his shoulder.

Viktor wasn't as vocal or obvious as Jayce regarding his elation, but his beaming face rivaled his.

Heimerdinger wasn't sure how to react. The memories of warmongering mages turning entire civilizations to ashes flashed in his mind, and his brain kept screaming about how reckless and dangerous this whole enterprise was.

The Arcane can not be controlled. It couldnot.

And yet, there wasn't a single hint of it going out of control on the recording. It seemed more stable than ever.

"You've actually done it…!"his counterpart gasped once he finally recovered from the initial shock."But just because it can be done, doesn't mean… Will you please stop hovering?" he then demanded, half-exasperated by the two men flying above his head.

He was used to looking up at his interlocutors, but even for the yordle, this was a bit much.

"I'm not sure how to do that, sir," Viktor admitted, not displaying the slightest hint of remorse.

Well, of course. As much as he respected the Professor, the mere act of walking was a challenge to him, why would he want to stop flying? Viktor hoped he, too, would experience weightlessness soon.

"This is not what Piltover's future looks like, my dear boys," Heimerdinger tried to reason, shaking his head in disapproval, but the sounds of closing footsteps brought his attention behind him.

"That's for the Council to decide," Mel said, stopping right at the entrance to admire the discoverysheallowed to happen.

A proud smile played on the councilwoman's lips. Her instincts hadn't failed her. The Arcane being accessible to non-mages was unheard of, and thanks to her, Piltover would now have the monopoly of this knowledge. If this didn't put the city on all maps, then nothing would.

The irony. Her mother had exiled her to this land of idealists for being weak-willed, and yet, it was here and by her hand (mostly) that a power that Noxus would kill for was discovered.

Cassandra didn't hide the smile on her face either. Her husband hadn't lied, magic was truly beautiful, she could understand why he was so smitten by it. And Jayce, a promising mindshenurtured, had found a way to harness it. None of this would have been possible without her patronage. But beyond the return on investment, she was simply glad for the young lad. Cassandra was quite fond of Jayce, and it was with almost maternal pride that she watched his life's efforts pay off.

"Perhaps it's time for the era of magic," Mel said, the grin on her face slight but confident.

"Uh, Hextech," Jayce corrected, still hovering in the air. "For the era of Hectech."

Seeing the pure bliss on him, Caitlyn couldn't stop the warm feeling filling her heart. For the first time since his suicide attempt, a smile cracked on her face. Yes, Jayce could be a fool –she wasn't going to forget that so soon, and she would make sure he didn't either–, but he was also her best friend. She had seen him sweat for his dream, and listened to him while he talked about it for hours. How could she not be happy for him now that it was being fulfilled? Even now, the poor idiot was completely oblivious to everyone, drunk on euphoria. It was impossiblenotto be happy for him, really.

But Jayce wasn't the only one oblivious to his surroundings. As most Piltovans bathed in elation, already relishing in their city's upcoming glorious days, none of them noticed the grim mood reigning in the trenchers' side. The initial magic had dissipated for them, and all that was left now was bitterness.

The heck?

They were dying just across the river, and the Pilties were having the best moment of their lives. For fuck's sake, when would the Aspects stop spitting at their face?

Vi couldn't stop clenching her fists and jaw. She was almost sure she was breaking her skin, but she didn't care. The frustration was killing her.

This is unfair, this is unfair, this is unfair.

It made her sick to think about Piltover thriving even more than it already was while her people were dying, but she tried to ignore it, convince herself that it had always been like this anyway, and that so long she and her family were safe, she could endure the unfairness.

As if the recording had reacted to her thoughts, the scenery changed back to the cannery, and the Piltovans' mood died down as they all remembered the tragedy happening there.

The sight of Powder putting two blue crystals inside her monkey toy was especially efficient to break the little cloud Jayce was sitting on and bring him back to Runeterra, as the smile on his face was wiped out almost immediately.

As Powder twirled the monkey's head back onto its body, she risked a glance inside the building. The sight of Deckard growling and pounding his fists on the door of the room her family had taken refuge in chilled her to the bones, and a gasp escaped her as she tore her eyes away from him, but it also reaffirmed her determination.

Her sister was trapped in there with no way out, and the monster's banging on the door echoed worryingly. It was only a matter of time before it smashed it down and dragged Vi out to tear her apart, like it had with Benzo. Powder couldn't let that happen. She needed to save her.

"You have to work. For me, okay?" She told the monkey in her hands, before she closed her eyes and brought it closer to her, affectionately resting her forehead against his.

It was something Vi often did with her and it always did wonders to soothe her heart and fill her with courage. She hoped it would have the same effect on the toy.

Her action brought a small smile on Vi's face. She really hoped her sister would be safe.

Completely unaware of the younger girl's presence outside, Claggor kept on smashing the wall down with his pipe, while his brother kept working on the last of Vander's restraints.

Vi had finally recovered enough strength to stand back onto her feet. She could feel the door slowly yielding under the monster's pounding against her back, and a quick glance above her confirmed her fears as she saw part of its architrave breaking apart.

"Come on, Powder," the gang quietly cheered on.

Finally, Claggor's efforts paid off, and the first breach in the wall appeared. At the same time, Powder wound up her monkey and once the spring reached its maximum tension, she sneakily put the toy inside. The monkey started clapping the crystal around its neck as soon as she let it go.

'Oh? Smart!'Ekko marveled, seeing her improvised creation.

While the crystals were unstable, they didn't always explode on impact. They had during the heist, but –fortunately– they hadn't in The Last Drop's basement. Throwing them inside wouldn't necessarily have triggered them, but the monkey's continuous clapping would, all while keeping Powder at a relatively safe distance from the upcoming explosion.

See? Powder could be ingenious!

But while Jayce didn't necessarily disagree with that part, there was a much more concerning thought invading his mind.

"H-How many crystals did she put inside again?" he asked, almost choking on the sentence.

"Two," Viktor replied solemnly, his brows in a deep frown.

So that made it a total of three crystals.

Oh, no…

This wasnotgood.

If seeing the girl inserting two crystals inside her monkey toy had caused him to blanch, now, Jayce was paler than a Freljordian warrior.

Despite his counterpart's claims during his trial, he was perfectly aware of the extent of the crystals' hazardous nature. One was enough to tear a building apart, as seen with his apartment. Three? It was a disaster waiting to happen.

Motivated by the breach he managed to create, Claggor doubled his efforts, and one by one, the wall's bricks fell down under the thrusts of his pipe.

Powder covered her ears as her monkey advanced on the platform, closing the distance with the monster, still furiously banging on the door. Vi was desperately trying to hold it from the other side.

'Oh no, oh no, oh no…'Jayce bounced his legs against the floor.

His strange change in behavior didn't go unnoticed as Caitlyn raised a curious brow.

Finally, the monkey reached Deckard and it was only then that he noticed its presence. A frustrated growl escaped him before his attention snapped onto the toy, and for a moment, Deckard stopped attacking the door.

At its other side, Mylo's imperturbable focus had paid off, so did Claggor's efforts. The last of Vander's restraints came off with a loud clang and the gap in the wall was now large enough for all four of them to get out.

They did it! They were free!

Hope found its way once again in the gang's heart, completely unaware of the scientist silently panicking just a few meters away from them.

'Please, please, please. Hurry and get out of here,'Jayce pleaded.

Confused, Deckard stayed still, eying the toy at his feet as he momentarily forgot about his purpose. But the monkey had stopped moving, all the tension in its spring now released. Alerted by the lack of explosion, Powder leaned to peek inside.

"Really?" Mylo huffed in disbelief, earning a look from both Vi and Ekko.

They had regained some spirits now, so their tolerance towards his beratings had greatly decreased. But the boy paid them no attention, used to it.

A failureagain? Well, they were going to get out anyway, so it wasn't so dramatic, but at this point, he was really going to think Powder was indeed cursed.

But as if to prove him wrong, a final clap on the screen triggered the crystal, and everyone flinched as the explosion happened. Its scale, however, was much more powerful than the kids had expected.

Shit.

Most people gasped in horror when they saw Powder falling, thrown off by the blast of the explosion.

"Powder!" Vi shouted, her heart dropping inside her chest.

She almost didn't care about the woman pushing Silco out of the way as the blast threatened to kill him.

Vi hated Sevika with all her heart for betraying Vander, and she hated Silco even more. In another context, she would have gladly cheered when the woman's arm was burned off, and maybe complained a little that the scarred man hadn't, but at the moment the only thing that filled her mind was the sight of her sister falling.

As the first crystal exploded, tearing the toy apart, a second one was propelled a bit further. The spark that lit upon its explosion set the purple veins crawling on the building's floor on fire, and shimmer unexpectedly highly flammable, the blast was exacerbated, every single vial of drug stocked there igniting one by one. The flames quickly spread to the underground of the cannery where Singed was working. The chemist barely had the time to turn around, the blast destroyed everything in his lab.

Both Viktor and Heimerdinger's jaws dropped at the sight. Despite their disagreements regarding his work ethics, even a mad man like Singed didn't deserve such an end. And he was still Viktor's first mentor, just like he had been Heimerdinger's partner. It was difficult to watch him die.

But their horror didn't end just yet. In fact, it only worsened.

An icy dread settled in the pit of their stomach as everyone watched the third and last crystal fly into the room where the little family was hidden. The door had been blasted off with Deckard at the first explosion, so the way was completely clear.

The crystal flew by Vi and Vander, who were standing right at the entrance, before landing onto the ceiling. The violence of the impact triggered yet another explosion and Claggor, who was the nearest to its source, was propelled against the nearest wall. A trickle of blood splashed onto his goggles as the blast sent them flying.

Mylo barely had the time to cover his face from the explosion, a flying pipe pierced his chest and threw him off the ground, before he landed against the wall, right next to his brother.

His brain didn't even register the pain as he reached for the piece of metal stabbing him out of reflex. His mind was much more alarmed by the sight of the unmoving body of his brother at his side. But before despair could settle in, a rumbling above his head brought his attention to the ceiling, right before it collapsed on him.

What…?

Very long seconds stretched on as the screen suddenly turned black and everyone refused to acknowledge what they had just seen.

This can't be happening…

A suffocating silence filled the room, and they all waited for the recording to continue and show them that they had seen wrong after all, that this wasn't really happening, but the images refused to come back.

It took a while for people to start noticing the man that had risen from his seat to reach the Hextech machine and turn it off.

The fuck…?

"I think," Jayce started, but the dryness in his throat forced him to cough before trying again. "I think we should stop here."

The fuck?!

The previous ecstasy he had felt just a few moments before was now completely gone as he kept his gaze low. He couldn't bring himself to look at anyone. The slight tremors in his hands, however, went unnoticed by the trenchers.

"Turn it back on," Vi demanded, her voice low and threatening.

But Jayce didn't react.

Her teeth gritting in pure rage, she rose from her seat in a swift jump.

"Turn it back on, you motherfucker!"

Her siblings followed and soon, all four of the trencher kids were up on their feet, spurting all kinds of swears and insults. They kept yelling over each other, so Jayce didn't quite understand them, but despite the obvious profanities being thrown at him, he stubbornly refused to reactivate the device.

This was too cruel.

The other Piltovans didn't say anything as they watched in morbid silence, a sorrowful look on their face. Not even Cassandra, in all her glorious properness, could find it in herself to frown at the unprecedented vulgarity assaulting her ears.

The one sided exchange, however, didn't last long. A sudden thud forced Jayce to look up as a couple of gasps resonated, but he didn't even have time to notice the knocked over bench, Vander was right into his face.

Jayce wasn't quite the frail guy. In fact, he was actually pretty athletic under the deceptive uniform of the Academy. But right now, he felt small as the man before him grabbed his collar and almost forced him off the ground. His hand wasn't even on his throat, his grasp was so strong he felt like he was choking anyway.

"Turn. It. Back. On," Vander snarled.

His voice was almost a whisper, and yet, it was more powerful than any shout.

Grayson reached for her gun instinctively and in a trained motion, she drew it out to level it on the barman.

She had known Vander for a few years, and although their relationship had a rocky start, it was now cordial enough that the two could call each other friends. The feral look on Vander's face at the moment, however, was completely foreign to her, and the Sheriff within her commanded her to act.

"Vander, let him go," she demanded.

But the man was deaf to her words, completely uncaring for the gun being aimed at him.

No one dared to move as tension peaked in the room, and people half expected for a brawl to break out, right here and then. But even in these conditions, Jayce refused to reactivate the Hextech device. It was his Professor's words, ultimately, who convinced him otherwise.

"Jayce," Heimerdinger gently called. "They need to see."

The scientist stayed silent for a moment, not breaking eye-contact with the beast in front of him, but after very long seconds of consideration, he finally yielded.

"Okay," he sighed. And it was only then that Vander let go of his collar and Grayson put her gun away, much to everyone's relief.

He waited for the man to return to his seat, but although Vander did pick the bench up, neither he nor the kids sat back down on it. The tension in their body didn't allow them to.

He blew out another sigh, and before his mind convinced him this wasn't the right thing to do, Jayce reactivated the Hextech device and returned to his own bench.

Sprinkles of light illuminated the night as a large blue cloud rose into the sky. Her stuffed rabbit seemingly hovering above her, an enthralled smile stretched onto Powder's lips, completely oblivious to her own fall, as she watched the beautiful scene unfolding before her eyes.

Why was she smiling? Why would she be smiling?

What are you so happy about, Powder…?!

At the docks, Marcus lamented over his choices as he inspected the blood soaked coin in his hand, before the explosion in the distance caught his interest.

For fuck's sake, nobody cared about Marcus. What had happened tothem?!

Finally, the scenery changed back to the cannery. But it wasn't quite the sight the gang hoped to see.

"This can't be…"

As strength left his legs, Mylo collapsed on the floor. But even then, he felt like he was sinking further and further into it as the entire world seemed like it was collapsing underneath him.

Sometimes, he liked to imagine what his future would be like. It was something he always kept to himself, as daydreaming was something Piltovans did –trenchers lived from day to day. But it could be fun to imagine how different or how similar things would be in the future.

Most of the time, things weren't too different. Vander was still working at The Last Drop, and the gang was a bit bigger. Just like Vander before her, Vi had picked up orphans somewhere, and taught them everything they needed to know to survive in the Lanes. Claggor was staying at the bar to help Vander as he never truly enjoyed the risks of jobs, andhewas Vi's right-hand man. Powder… was still in her sister's shadow, but she was useful now, or at the very least, she wasn't a hindrance anymore.

Sometimes, he was more ambitious, and instead of staying in the gang, he had his own group of people. He was still on good terms with Vi and the others, and they regularly helped each other, but he was his own man, and people looked up tohim. Ekko had also formed his own group, and they had this friendly rivalry between them. But despite Little Man's legendary scamming skills,hewas the master lock picker, so he always had the bigger loot.

Other times, in his most peaceful days, he imagined himself living in a better version of the Undercity. Vander had taken back his old role and united The Lanes. There were no more internal conflicts, people all worked under his command, and the Undercity had nothing to envy anymore to Piltover. And him? He was one of Vander's successors.

One thing was for sure though; whether Mylo imagined himself as Vi's right-hand man, as a master lock picker or as Vander's successor, never,neveronce had he imagined that he would have no future at all.

Chapter 18: Goodbye

Summary:

The aftermath of Powder's bomb is reveaded. The rivalry between two siblings ends, and another begins.

Notes:

Oh well, would you look at that ! It's even longer than the previous one, who could have guessed~?

Before you jump into the angst, here's a little heads-up: I gravely underestimated the content of this chapter, so ultimately, I had to cut down the reactions quite a bit. Don't be surprised if you don't see this or this character's POV. Don't worry, I'm not cutting them down entirely. Their thoughts and feelings will be explored in the following chapter(s), but this one was becoming ridiculously long, and the pace was quite terrible to be honest. It just didn't flow well. So try to be patient and settle for this in the meantime :)

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Vander was a light sleeper.

Most people were in the Undercity. Years of fighting had taught him to rest whenever he could, so he fell into slumber rapidly, and he woke up just as easily, always ready to strike at whatever threat would be upon him.

When the door of his room creaked ever so slightly, his eyes snapped open, and the next second, he was up on his feet. His hand reached for the pipe resting against the wall right next to his bed instinctively, but when he noticed the small figure standing on his doorstep, he let it go.

A sigh escaped his chest. What time was it? He really needed his sleep. He never got much of it, but he got even less now that the kids were here. Still, he pushed the annoyance at the back of his mind and forced a soft smile on his face.

"Claggor?" he tried to call.

The boy didn't immediately react. He rarely did. He was quiet, quieter than Powder, and Vander wondered if it was just his nature, or if it was because he shut down after his parents' death. He had only been there for a few weeks, so he didn't expect the boy to open up to him so soon –it had taken months for Vi and Powder, and he had known them even before the Day of Ashes– but he hoped he knew he could rely on him.

"Claggor?" Vander tried once more. "Did you have a nightmare?"

The girls often did after he took them in, and still occasionally woke up in sweat before they came to seek comfort in him, whether he was asleep or not.

But as his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, Vander noticed the boy's expression wasn't one of distress or fear. Rather, he seemed hesitant about something.

He walked up to him, crouched down to his eye level and coaxed him to look at him.

"It's okay," he said, as gently as he could. "Tell me."

The boy worked his jaw for a moment as his eyes darted back and forth between him and his feet.

"It's Vi and Mylo," he finally mumbled. His voice was so quiet Vander barely heard him. "They're fighting."

Now, Vander was completely awake. He blinked a couple of times, processing the information, then, the fatigue was suddenly gone and he was darting down the stairs.

Surely enough, the kids' room was in disarray. It rarely was in order, but there was more stuff than usual on the floor, the coffee table had been pushed away and a couch knocked over. It was a wonder how he hadn't woken up before.

Neither Vi nor Mylo noticed him come in, too busy grabbing and pulling each other's hair while a few clumsy punches and kicks were thrown here and there.

"Vi, Mylo!" Vander shouted as he ran to separate them.

The kids didn't acknowledge him until he grabbed each one of them by the arm and kept them at a safe distance from each other –it didn't stop them from trying to reach the other, though.

"What happened?" he demanded.

His voice was firm, but he wasn't so loud anymore. He didn't want to work them up anymore than they already were.

"He pushed Powder!" Vi accused once she managed to catch her breath, pointing at the little girl crying in the corner of the room.

Powder was quietly sobbing, partially hidden behind the bed as she gripped her shirt, creating more creases than there already were.

"She tried to steal my robot!" Mylo shot back, holding eye contact.

"She was only going to look at it, you asshole! You didn't have to push her!"

"Well, it's mine! Keep your sister out of my stuff!"

Vander was almost tempted to sigh at the triviality of the matter –kids be kids, like Benzo would say–, but when his eyes fell upon the toy in question, his heart sank in his chest instead. The 'robot' was just a few pieces of metal from the junkyard randomly assembled together, and yet, the kids were fighting over it.

Once he was sure they were calm enough not to jump at each other's throat once again if he let them go, Vander lowered himself to face the boy.

"Mylo, you have to share," he said.

"Why? It's mine! I found it!"

"I know, but Powder is your sister now, you have to share everything."

"No, she's not!" the boy retorted, his face recoiling in aversion. "I don't have sisters, and you're not my father!"

Vander took absolutely no offense in the statement –it wasn't like he was trying to replace his parents anyway–, but for Vi, the impudence was totally out of line. He felt her move behind him, and before she could take another step forward and attack the boy, he extended his arm to stop her. She groaned, but she didn't try to avoid him –although he didn't doubt she must have been glaring at the boy, because the boy was too.

"Alright," Vander conceded.

He had hoped Mylo would be able to bond with Claggor and the sisters –they desperately needed each other–, but it seemed it was too soon. Well, it was to be expected, he supposed. The boy had barely just lost his family, it would take time before he adopted another.

"But you're not alone here, Mylo," he continued, giving the boy a soft gaze, hoping he would understand. "You have to learn to live with the others. Vi, Powder, Claggor and me. We're on your side. We have to stick together, that's the only way we can survive."

The grimace on his face didn't quite disappear, but it did lessen a bit.

"Can you apologize to Powder?"

Mylo seemed to consider it for a moment, his eyes softening in his, but then, they flicked to the side, and whatever face Vi must have been pulling behind him, it really pissed him off, because his expression hardened once more and a loud groan escaped him.

"Whatever, she can take it," he grumbled as he threw the toy on the floor in renewed frustration. "I don't want it anymore."

Vander blew out a sigh, but he didn't try to stop him as he walked away to sulk in his bed.

"Asshole…" the girl behind him quietly muttered.

"Vi," Vander chastised, turning to her. "You shouldn't have attacked him."

It wasn't an assumption, he knew. Although Mylo had a big mouth, he wasn't really violent physically. Clearly, he didn't let himself be pushed around, but there was no way he would have thrown the first punch.

"He hurt Powder," the young girl simply replied, as if it justified everything.

"I know, and it's good that you're protecting her, but you'll have to protect Mylo too from now on."

The boy wasn't the only one to have difficulty accepting the idea of this new found family, apparently, because Vi immediately grimaced at his words. But while Vander couldn't force them to get along, this was non-negotiable.

"We have to stick together, okay?" he repeated, emphasizing on each word.

Vi refused to look at him and her nose scrunched up in displeasure for a moment before she looked down at her feet in defeat.

"...Okay, sorry," she mumbled under her breath.

Well, that was already a small victory.

He ruffled her hair affectionately, and although Vi didn't seem to appreciate his idea of a reward based on the way her eyes rolled, she didn't avoid his hand.

Finally, Vander turned to Powder, ready to comfort her, but the young girl had already left her spot. Mylo now out of the way, she crashed into her sister, wrapping her small arms around her, and Vi immediately returned the embrace before, much to Vander's amusement, hypocritically proceeding to ruffle the lush blue hair on her head as if she hadn't groaned earlier when he had done the same to her.

Hearing the soft giggles escaping the younger girl's chest, a small smile drew on his face. Maybe he should let Vi comfort her after all. Clearly, Powder had a favorite.

Problem resolved, Vander turned on his heels, eager to reunite with his bed and catch some much needed sleep. Before he could reach the stairs, though, he spotted Claggor standing a little bit further, so he walked up to him.

The boy must have joined them at some point, and in his usual quietness, he hadn't even noticed it.

"Thank you for warning me," he told him as he rested a hand on his shoulder. "You did good."

As expected, Claggor didn't answer. Vander did notice the slight curl of his lips though.

He gave the boy a light pat and, finally ready to return to his room, he walked up the stairs of the basement. The barely concealed voice of Vi reached him before he could leave, however.

"Touch my sister again, and I'll kill you."

Well.

Small steps, small steps. At least, they weren't fighting anymore.

One day, the kids would understand. They would have each other's back. Being alone in the Undercity was a terrible thing, and the only thing Vander wanted was for them to grow up safely, together as one, whether they decided to call themselves a family or not. And him? He would do everything to ensurenothinghappened to them.

When Vander regained consciousness, the cannery was in ruin. It was out of pure reflex that he tried to rise, too stunted by the blast to think, before he realized he couldn't. A large concrete chunk had fallen on him when the ceiling collapsed, trapping the lower part of his body. He barely managed to rise on his elbows, the meager change of position tore a grunt out of his lungs. But the pain was nothing compared to the one he felt as he looked up around him to assess the situation.

His brain still hadn't completely processed what just happened, the father in him prompted him to look for his kids, and it didn't take long for him to spot all three of them. They were, however, not in the state he hoped to find them.

His eyes stopped on Claggor first. The boy hadn't been as lucky as him. It wasn't one, but several chunks of ceiling that had collapsed on him. His body was worryingly still, yet, his expression seemed almost peaceful. Vander might have thought he was asleep if it wasn't for the soot on his face and the trickles of blood running down his nose and mouth.

Unluckier than them both, however, was Mylo. The boy wasn't too far from Claggor, yet, Vander almost missed him, completely buried under all the rubbles. Only one of his arms stuck out for him to see.

And at his left, trapped under the blasted armored door, was Vi. Her face was turned away from him so he couldn't see her expression, but she, too, was laying still on her back. Unmoving. Unresponding.

This can't be…

Vander's heart sank in his chest.

They're just unconscious…

Death was always around the corner in the Undercity, be it by accident, illness or murder. Vander was familiar with it. He had buried many friends over the years, and grieved many more when there was no body left to bury. He had long come to terms with it. People came and went. Such was the way of life, and such was the way of the Undercity.

Something hit different, however, in seeing hiskidslaying there –unconscioussurely.He had no patience for the usual'it happens'mantra as his mind straight up refused to make sense of this all.

His kids were strong, stronger than anyone he knew. He was called the Hound of the Underground and many were those who feared his name, yet, the four siblings were the only ones to have the ability to sap all energy out of him in one instant. He had seen them fall many times, get sick, but every time without fail, they got up and recovered, becoming stronger than ever in the process. There was no way they would be…dead.

Something broke within him each time Vander's eyes moved from one body to another, until there was nothing else to break –not even his will to live. Tears built up in his eyes, but they refused to fall as his head dropped in despair.

What had he left to fight for? Nothing. Everything was pointless now. What kind of father survived his children?

What kind indeed?

No matter how much he wanted to deny this all, the more his brain turned the idea over and over, and the more he felt himself coming to terms with it.

His kids were dead.

Vi, his stubborn little girl. How many times had he been frustrated with her? She always challenged him, always pushed the limits, but it was never out of pure egoism. The fire pushing her forward was only ever fueled by her desire to protect her own, give them a better life.

Claggor, his gentle boy. Always quiet and content to follow others. He was the most empathetic out of the four, and his distaste for conflicts often put him in awkward situations. How many times had he come to seek him for advice, unwilling to do or say anything that could upset either of his siblings?

And Mylo, the prickly pear. He could be harsh sometimes, especially with words, but Vander knew under this aloof shell, Mylo did care. That he wasn't as confident as he claimed to be, and that he often masked his insecurities by putting up a front.

Vander remembered the day he encountered each one of them. He remembered the first time they took his hand, and he remembered the first smile they gave him. They made everything else worth it, the soft giggles filling his home the only reason he needed to keep going during harsh times. He wasn't the perfect parent, but he had hoped to be good enough to allow them to grow up safely into adulthood. But evidently, it would never happen.

Dead. All three of them.

How badly had he failed not to lose one, but three of his kids? How terrible of a parent was he to outlive them?

The kids were part of him. They filled his empty heart, giving him a new sense of purpose after he so terribly failed his first one. But he had failed them too, and now, it felt like his soul was being torn apart. He couldn't find it in him to scream, to cry, to do anything as he once again became an empty shell devoid of emotions. He didn't even notice the kids –the real ones, alive and present– collapsing one by one around him as realization hit them like a punch in the guts.

The silence was grim and suffocating in the room as the little family broke down. No one dared to say anything. What could possibly have been said? Grayson and Benzo's deaths had been sudden, but at the very least, they had been murdered. They had a culprit to hate. The kids, however? The circumstances of their death were far more disturbing. Who were they supposed to blame? Most of them refused to even consider the obvious answer.

This was far too cruel...

On the bridge, Deckard finally came to himself. His reinforced shimmered body had largely absorbed the blast, so he was mostly unharmed despite being so close to its source.

Silco was much more shaken by it. The explosion had thrust him inside the opposite room the little family was in, and despite being mostly unharmed as well, the blast had been violent enough to shake all of his senses. His lungs burned as he coughed for air and used the door frame as a support to rise to his feet.

Sevika was lying right in front of him. Her left arm had been completely blasted off, and a pool of blood was starting to form below her, but the rising of her chest indicated she was still alive.

A sudden fit of laughter caught everyone off guard as they all turned to Mylo. The confusion, however, subsided as soon as they saw the misery in his eyes. There was no humor, no amusement in his laugh. It was incredulous, pained and unhinged.

Of course,of coursethey would be alive. The bomb had been intended for them, yet, they were all alive and well, andthem?She was supposed to save their life, but she took it instead. Once again, Powder jinxed everything.

And they were going to get out…

"Kill them," Silco spat, filled with anger.

The precious stock of shimmer and material he had been building for months, and the numerous followers that he had gathered for years were gone. Whatever was left of it, it was surely burning down in the flames of the aftermath at the moment.

The disbelief the trenchers felt was nothing like they had ever known.

What right did he have to be mad? What right? They weredead!

But none of them had the energy left to curse at the man, too miserable to do anything but watch in silent disbelief.

Deckard didn't need another word to comply. He rolled his tensed shoulder, preparing himself to finish this, and walked forward as a couple of surviving henchmen also rose to their feet. There would be no more doors to stop him this time.

Vander could see them coming from his spot, but the urgency of the situation didn't quite dawn onto him until a small whine caught his attention, and his eyes snapped to Vi. The young girl was regaining consciousness and the pain was starting to sink in.

Suddenly, Vander sparked back into life, and a small hope, as meager as it was, lit into everyone's chest.

'She's alive!'Caitlyn beamed as a single tear fell down her cheek before she even realized they had been building up in her eyes.

Perhaps the others would be too?

No one dared to vocalize the thought, fearing the cold shower if it turned out not to be the case, but it lingered into everyone's heart, especially the brothers'.

The fog in their eyes disappeared and they refocused on the recording as the dry laugh in Mylo's throat died down and Claggor gulped down the ball of despair growing in his.

Maybe… Maybe it wasn't over yet. Right. There was no way they would be dead.

The trio of scientists, however, were much more dubious. There was a grim expression on Heimerdinger and Viktor's faces. Jayce tried to be a bit more optimistic, but his frown betrayed the thoughts forming in the more rational part of his mind.

Who the heck survived a ceiling collapse? Vander was big, his build allowed him to sustain more damage than most, and Vi hadonlybeen knocked out by the door. The brothers though? Their chances of survival were near non-existent.

But the kids didn't care. If Vi had survived, then surely Mylo and Claggor would have too, right? Right. Vi, Ekko and the boys wouldn't accept any other answer. The desperate hope creeping into their face was bright as day.

The next time Vander peeked behind him to see the mutant and the goons approach, it was with a renewed sense of panic. His girl wasn't dead yet, but she would be soon if he didn't manage to get out of here.

Suddenly, adrenaline rushed in and determination filled his body. He placed his fists against the ground and, no amount of pain capable of stopping him from summoning all the strength he thought had left him, he pushed his body upwards. A scream escaped his chest as the concrete chunk above him started to move.

The pure display of raw strength did not go unnoticed, and although Piltovans mostly put this surreal performance on adrenaline, the trenchers were much less surprised. Despite the last few years of relative peace, Vander had once led a rebellion, and he was still widely respected throughout the Lanes. Such features wouldn't have been possible without a minimum of fitness, and Vander lacked none of it.

Slowly but surely, the concrete chunk slid off of his back, and soon, Vander was free. He managed to escape just in time to stop the first of Silco's surviving henchmen.

The man charged into the room swinging his club, yet, it wasn't its sound against Vander's bones that resonated next, but the sound of metal clanking. A grunt was heard, and the man was shoved out the room, visibly stunted, as his club fell beside him. He collapsed unconscious onto the ground next.

Benzo huffed, almost amused.

What did he hope to do?

Deckard and his partner were only taken aback for a moment before their faces scrunched up in indignation and they rushed in Vander's direction next. But the man was waiting for them.

He grabbed two of the hooks that had fallen with the ceiling, kicked their supporting bar away and, his improvised brass knuckles in hands, he stepped out of the room, ready to fight.

Not nearly as impressive as his gauntlets, but when it came to Vander, it was never about the weapons, but the man wielding them.

It was almost nostalgic to see him step out of the smoke, confidently marching forward while surrounded by enemies –well, there weren't so many of them anymore, but the feeling was the same. Benzo remembered them as if it was yesterday; the days where there was never a moment of respite, where they constantly fought their way up in the Undercity until people feared them, respected them. This respect had lasted up to this day.

The kids, however, were much less used to seeing the fierce expression on his face. They knew about Vander's reputation –of course they did–, they had also heard about his many prowesses, whether by his own mouth or by others, but they had rarely seen him in action. He had changed after taking them in, gone were the days of violence, and despite the occasional drunkard or brawl breaking out in The Last Drop, Vander was so respected that people would intervene in his stead before he truly had to do anything. And more than anything, he was just so adamant on keeping peace that seeing his face twist in feral anger was almost unreal.

For a moment, the memory of him beating out enforcers during the Day of Ashes rose from the back of Vi's mind.Thiswas the real Vander.

Vander was furious. There was a fire burning inside him, demanding blood. It wasn't just about protecting Vi. He was furious against the people willing to murder children for an impossible dream, furious against the monster that killed his friends, furious against the treacherous man that allowed this all, but more than everything, he was furious for his sons. His two little boys, currently buried in rubble.

If Silco wanted to see the Hound so much, he would show him, and he would make sure he regretted the fact that he wasn't restrained anymore.

Grayson's expression hardened. The last thing she needed was for Vander of all people to give into violence. There was only so much the man could tolerate though, and the safety of his children was evidently not one of them.

Deckard didn't move any further on the bridge, waiting for him to come, but his partner did. He hesitantly advanced forward, keeping his stance to the side, and once Vander was within his reach, he raised a leg to kick him. His foot never connected with him, though. Vander barely spared him a glance as he avoided it, he knocked him out with a swift punch on the jaw and pushed him out of the way by lifting him with a single hand and throwing his body over the railing. Neither man batted an eye when he screamed as he fell.

In another context, the kids would have laughed, and the Piltovans would have gasped. No one could do so much as flinch though, as they watched Vander completely overpower his opponent, too invested in the stakes. The real danger wasn't him, but the monster behind him.

With no one else to get in the way, Deckard finally made his move. He growled, taking a threatening step forward, and threw a punch to Vander's face. Without the effect of surprise though, the fight wasn't nearly as easy as it was in the Lanes.

Vander had no difficulty dodging it by leaning to the side, and he didn't stop just there. He hooked his arm under his armpit, holding the monster firmly in place, and his guard now completely open, he hit him in the ribs with his free hand. Not even the drug in his body prevented Deckard's bones from cracking under the impact. The punch was so brutal he was even forced to spit out some shimmer.

Silco could do nothing but snarl as he watched his little monster squeal and recoil in pain.

A hopeful smile curled on Jayce's lips.

Of course, if the girl was a monster, her father had to be one too. And what better opponent to defeat a monster than another one? He already had a glimpse of the man's strength when he grabbed his collar, but it was nothing compared to the sight of him actually beating the mutant to a pulp. Themutant.Full on drugs, shimmerized to the core, to the point where anexplosioncouldn't take it out. And yet, it could do nothing in front of him.

The man's reputation was well deserved. It was no wonder the Sheriff herself acknowledged it. Maybe the fight wouldn't be so hopeless, after all? And Janna knew how much everyone needed this tiny hope. Too many deaths had occurred already.

Benzo was especially grateful to see Vander win this fight. It was a small consolation to his death, but knowing his friend had this back soothed his heart, and he hoped it would also soothe the kids'. They had been quite upset to see him go. Unsurprisingly, however, none of them was cheering. Not even Ekko, who had been so eager to have him avenged. The shock that had settled deep into their bones refused to leave.

Vander screamed out all the rage in his heart as he continued to pound the monster, forcing it to step back. But if the shimmer didn't completely suppress the pain, it did manage to lessen it to the point where Deckard could grit his teeth and retaliate. He ignored it just enough to raise a fist in the air and slam it in the crook of Vander's neck, choking a yell out of his lungs as he took advantage of this short moment of respite to grab both sides of his head and deliver a sharp blow into it.

The sudden turnaround of the situation caused Piltovans to flinch as the kids slowly shook their heads in denial.

No.

The impact wasn't powerful enough to knock him out, but it was powerful enough to stunt him, and that was all Deckard needed to lift him and place him across his shoulder.

No!

Their hearts dropped as for a moment, the kids were sure they would have to watch their father being thrown over the bridge, like a vulgar bag of trash being thrown into the sea. Their fear was only slightly appeased when Vander was thrown against the bridge floor instead. But then, the scenery in the recording switched back to Vi, and the sickness brewing in the pit of their stomach grew stronger.

Vi was fully conscious now, but she almost wished she wasn't as the living nightmare unfolding around her refused to end. The panic of being trapped as soon as she woke up barely had time to sink, the sight of her brothers caught her attention. None of the chaos around her mattered as she recognized the bloodied arm of Mylo buried under all the rubbles, Claggor's body just a little bit further.

Caitlyn tore her gaze away from the screen, unable to watch this again, but if she thought she did a decent job at keeping her heart in check, the moment her eyes stopped on the trio of siblings, the horror bright and clear on their face, she felt tears building in her eyes once again.

It had only been a couple hours since she had found them arguing in the basement right before they followed her to their death, and as much as his endless blabber annoyed her sometimes, Vi wished Mylo wouldn't be so quiet now. That he would say something, anything. That Claggor wouldn't be so still, that he would turn over in his sleep like he usually did. But her wishes didn't matter as the reality of the situation started to sink at the same time as her face twisted in agony.

'No, they're… not dead yet,'Mylo tried to convince himself.

He wanted to tell her, he really wanted to tell her that there was no need for her to panic. He wanted to mock her even, for getting so worked up, for no reason at all, for spilling tears for them even though they were well and alive, but no words could form in his mouth. It felt as if he was missing his tongue altogether.

Vi was well aware of how her shoulder screamed at her, begging her not to move, but it hardly mattered as she rolled over onto her stomach anyway under the armored door, her eyes refusing to leave her brothers' bodies. The deep sobs that left her chest worsened the strain of her muscles, yet, it was her heart that ached the most. Her pain, however, didn't peak until she noticed the familiar monkey head laying there, just a little bit further from the boys.

Powder's toy.

There was a flash of…somethingin the siblings eyes, but Caitlyn couldn't quite figure what it was before she looked away, suddenly uncomfortable prying. She would have seen the anger settle in otherwise.

Powder.Right.Herwind-up monkey,herbomb.

If only she had stayed put…

If only she had listened.

If only she didn't meddle in!

They were going to get out, Vander was free!

'What even happened to Powder?'Ekko wondered, as he remembered seeing her fall just before… everything else.

It unsettled him, yet he couldn't even bring himself to voice his worries. How could he in this situation?

As if the knowledge her sister was here wasn't enough to break Vi's heart, the Aspects continued to mock her and the remains of chemicals around her caught on fire, as the spark of a broken light fell on the floor.

Outside, Vander gathered just enough energy to roll over and, his brass knuckles clanging against the floor, he rose to his feet with a groan. Deckard was visibly injured, holding his sides and breathing heavily. Vander, on the other hand, still had a lot of energy left to take him out, and he wasn't nearly done venting all his rage on him. A grunt left his mouth like a warning, but before he could act on it, a sharp pain spread on his back like an electric shock, and a shriek was torn out of his lungs as Silco stabbed him in the back.

"Noo!" the kids yelled, having suddenly recovered their voice as Benzo huffed in disbelief beside them.

"This fucking rat…"

A coward to the core.

This had to be a joke. Vander too? How many more deaths were they going to witness?

Mel knew, logically speaking, that this was what happened in battles –and this was very much one. People died. But these people weren't strangers –not really. She knew their names, and despite having barely exchanged words with them, shehadspoken to them. Worse: they were all here, present with her as they watched themselves die. It was hard to disregard their deaths as 'unfortunate casualties'.

For Cassandra as well, keeping up a straight expression proved itself a difficult task. Years of experience as a councilor and a clan leader had taught her not to let her emotions be apparent, but if there was one thing worse than watching a child die, it was to watch an entire family collapsing. And despite her reputation, she was far from being a cold-hearted woman.

Caitlyn and Jayce didn't even try. Each time they thought their face couldn't collapse anymore, it did. Only Heimerdinger, Viktor and Grayson managed to keep a somewhat calm facade.

Vander groaned, fighting the need to collapse right here and there. The blade leaving his flesh was almost as painful as it tearing it apart. Before the adrenaline rush could end though, he spinned on his heels and grabbed the treacherous man behind him.

The hatred on Silco's face collapsed as soon as he felt Vander's hand on his throat, and in an almost instinctive response, he cowered in fear.

On the spur of the moment, he was no longer seeing Vander –not the current him anyway. He was staring, but his mind was elsewhere, somewhere cold and frightening. The unseen expression of a brother trying to murder him, blurred by blood soiled water, overlapped with the furious man in front of him. For a moment, Silco wondered if Vander had worn the same expression back then, when deciding to betray everything they stood up for and drown him.

Suddenly, all his rage came back and he forced the memory away, ignoring the way his heart pounded and how the grasp around his throat tightened. His face twisted in acrimony once again, and just like his past self, who in a moment of terminal lucidity grabbed the knife at his enemy's waist to turn it against him, he plunged his dagger into Vander one more time.

A cold shiver ran down their spines as the Piltovans were unable to conceal another shudder.

'He's not surviving this,'Viktor mused.

One stab wound on the back was already bad enough as it was. Two? With the second one in the guts? Even if he was lucky enough for the blade to have avoided all of his vital organs, he would die from blood loss anyway.

But there was no need for Viktor to voice his thoughts. Even without the basic medical knowledge he had, he could see the trenchers significantly growing paler at the inevitable realization.

No, no, no…

A pained grunt escaped Vander, but he didn't let his rage die down just yet. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him.

He, too, remembered the day where everything went sour between them. How Silco emerged from the water in frenzied panic right after he stabbed his forearm as the thunder rumbled. How he tried to grab him and he struggled away from him, slashing his already injured arm. The pain and the frustration he felt in letting his victim get away. And the regret. All of it was coming back at once.

Suddenly, the fight within him died down, and all that was left was resignation. Vander gave into the exhaustion gnawing at him, dropping his head onto Silco's shoulder, who gasped in relief as the hand grasping his throat fell back to his side.

Life had presented him choices, and the decisions he had taken had determined his future. In an almost poetic ending, he would die at the hands of the brother he betrayed and tried to kill.

Even the best warriors had their breaking point. Mel had seen it many times. Whether they were a civilian, a soldier or a general, the gaze on people's faces when they were about to die was always the same, and Vander was displaying it right now.

No… He couldn't… He couldn't give up. He needed to keep fighting. That's what Vander did.

The hope the kids entertained died down quickly as the fatigue seeped into their guardian's face, and even the real Vander frowned in defeat.

He had tried. What else was he supposed to do? How could he maintain anger in the face of the brotherhetried to murder? The regret never left him, and evidently, neither did Silco's hatred. Death would be the logical result of his own actions. His kids just had the unfortunate fate to be caught up in it. It washisfault.

"I knew you still had it in you," Silco said before he pushed Vander off of him.

Despite the man's much smaller stature, Vander no longer had any strength to resist, so his body leaned backward, and with no railings to stop him from his spot, he dropped into nothingness. His fall was barely cushioned by the leftover crates of shimmer below. The vials shattered on the impact, breaking the skin of his already battered body.

No, no, no, no, no!

Panic settled inside the brothers' hearts. They had yet to process their own death, they weren't ready to witness the one of their father. He was their only hope. If anyone could make a difference and turn this miserable situation into something better, it was Vander.

Vander couldn't die.

Vander didn't die. Not yet. His fingers flexed as he struggled to open his eyes, desperately holding onto life.

The call for rest was strong, and the sweet embrace of death tempting, but beyond his acceptance toward his own end, there was still one fire left burning in him, urging him to hold on. To fight.

"Find the girl," he heard, barely making sense of the blurry figures above him as Deckard moved toward the room where his kids were in.

Vi.

If Vander was at peace with the idea of dying by his brother's hands, he most certainly wasn't for his girl to suffer the same fate. In an almost primal need to protect her, he forced his body to move.

He had already lost his sons, he couldn't lose Vi as well.

His arm, however, didn't quite cooperate as he tried to reach one of the intact vials of shimmer at his side. His body had come down from the peak of adrenaline rush and now, he could feel all the pain and exhaustion weight down on him. He barely managed to graze the vial, it rolled away from his touch.

"This is a terrible idea," Jayce muttered in cold dread as he realized what Vander intended to do.

This time, his partner didn't quite agree.

Was it, really? Viktor had no one to protect, but on the verge of death, he didn't doubt he would be willing to do anything to cheat it. The man was dead anyway. If the drug allowed him to survive a few extra seconds to protect his child, then surely this was a risk worth taking, wasn't it?

For Vander, the answer was clear on his face. There was no doubt, no fear, no care for his own fate. Only concern for his child.

Alone and surrounded by flames, Vi was slowly sinking back into slumber. She tried to fight the exhaustion, but she was both physically and emotionally drained. There were no more tears left in her as she half-heartedly struggled to get away from the door trapping her. She had no idea why she was even trying. Vander was nowhere to be seen, Mylo and Claggor were dead, and soon, she would be joining them.

'No, she wouldn't,'Vander vowed silently, clenching his jaw.

As if to confirm her expectations, she felt the door on top of her moving, and her weight suddenly lifted, she turned around to see Deckard growling. Despite all her efforts, the door hadn't budged, yet, Deckard had no trouble lifting it with one hand and throwing it out of his way like a vulgar piece of paper. He was snarling, eying her like a prey. At this point though, Vi was too numbed to really fear him.

He's going to kill her…

Much like her other self, Vi hadn't come around this idea yet, too shocked by everything else to truly care about her own fate. The Piltovans had, however, and the pounding of their own heart was deafening as they already imagined the next scene.

The others' death had been gruesome enough as it was, but watching a child being torn apart? This was too much. Too cruel.

When was all of this tragedy going to end?

Before Deckard could take another step in her direction, however, an unexpected tremor in the floor forced him to pause. Silco recoiled in confusion on the bridge. He barely had time to even think about what was happening, Deckard was pulled out from the room, away from Vi, and suddenly, he was in the air.

Several gasps filled the room assomethingappeared on the screen. If Vi had thought Deckard was huge, then the creature mauling him was enormous. It was easily twice his size.

"I-Is that Vander?" Ekko asked, trying not to let the fear be apparent in his voice. There was no way he would be afraid of Vander.

It looked like Vander, and yet, at the same time, it didn't.

The growl that came out of Vander as he bashed Deckard against the door frame was feral, animalistic. Deckard could do nothing to weaken the grasp around his throat. He trashed, scratched the man's arm, but even with all the shimmer running in his veins, he was powerless in front of the real monster before him.

Silco's eyes widened in terror as he watched. Even in his most brutal days, Vander had never been so terrifying.

His fear was justified. Vander had always been powerful, but now, his body was massive, his veins pulsating with power, and the grunt that came out from him was nothing like he ever heard. Not even Benzo could suppress the shudder in his body.Thiswas not his friend.

The kids had been terrified by Deckard's mutated form, but Vander's? It froze them to the core. There was no trace of the affectionate father they were so used to left in him, and it made them sick to see his shell being corrupted this way.

Deckard's struggle didn't last long. Vander didn't leave him any chances. The shimmer was bringing the worst out of him, and the foggy haze of thoughts in his mind didn't help. There was this primal need to kill within him, and he had no reason to fight it. He smashed the boy once again against the door frame and, his grasp around his throat strengthening, he snapped his neck in half.

Dead. Deckard had killed Grayson and Benzo in a flash, and now, he was dead. Just like that.

The fear of seeing him maul Vi to death was gone, but another immediately replaced it. Was Vi truly safe? How much in control Vander was of himself? Surely he wouldn't harm his own daughter, right?

The sight of Deckard suddenly becoming limp while another, much bigger monster than him choked him to death elicited from Vi a much stronger reaction than seeing him preying on her. A gasp of horror escaped her chest as fear came back within her. But then, Vander tossed the boy aside and entered the room prowling, looking for another victim to to pass his anger on, and Vi's eyes squinted in recognition at the same time as Vander froze, recognizing her in turn.

In a short moment of lucidity, Vander fought the urge to destroy everything around him as he forced himself to remember the reason why he allowed himself to become a worse version of the man he tried to leave behind. The call for violence, exacerbated by the shimmer, was strong, but the need to protect his daughter was stronger.

'Yes, fight it,'Vander urged his other self.

He didn't want Vi to see him like this, much less hurt her himself.

Not trusting himself at the moment, he walked away from Vi, almost tripping as he grabbed his head, fighting the sudden throbbing sensation pounding against his skull. The seconds stretched on, but finally, a raging yell left him, and he reclaimed control of his own mind.

A relieved sigh escaped Vander. He had proven Silco wrong. He had shown him that no, he didn't still haveitin himself. He wasn't the same man as before.

Before he could fall under the influence of shimmer once again, he turned to the man standing just a few meters away from him. Silco didn't stay frozen for long on the bridge. Vander wasn't sure if it was fear, aversion or even disappointment on his face, but the man didn't look away from him as he moved backward, disappearing in the smoke.

"Silco!" Vander bellowed, commanding him to come back.

Benzo snorted.

Of course the coward would back down now. He had the guts to have him killed, to stab Vander in the back. Where was all his will now that he didn't have any more goons to hide behind?

Benzo hoped to see his friend shred the man to pieces. He knew of the complex history between them, but now, after all this, he didn't doubt Vander would do what he couldn't years ago. Unfortunately, time was against them.

Before Vander could follow him, the sound of combustion and grating distracted him, and his attention was brought back to Vi.

The flames had gained ground around her and whatever was left of the building was threatening to collapse, its metal structure dilating under the heat of the fire.

"They need to get out of here," Jayce fretted as Viktor nodded at his side.

He really hoped not to see a reiteration of the earlier tragedy.

Vi was crawling, trying to get from the burning blaze around her, but even uninjured, she would have had trouble getting to safety in time.

Vander only hesitated for a second. He looked back at Silco, and all ideas of mauling him right here and there left his mind as whirled around to save his daughter.

He rushed into the fire, uncaring for the flames burning his skin, grabbed her, and used his body to shield her from the impact as he bashed through the exterior wall. The explosion happened the next second.

Several sighs of relief could be heard as the tension broke in the audience.

This time, they managed to get away before it was too late.

But whatever reprieve the Piltovans felt at the moment, it disappeared as soon as Mylo spoke.

"What about us…?" he asked, still hanging onto the tiny,tinyhope that maybe he was just unconscious.

They were still in there, buried in the rubbles.

No one spoke, unwilling to state the obvious, but there was no need for anyone to. He could only deny the undeniable for so long. Eventually, the situation hit him and shock settled on Mylo's face.

He was dead.Theywere dead. There was really no future for them both.

If Mylo thought he couldn't sink any further in the floor, he was wrong. But his and everyone else's torment didn't end here.

Soon, they all realized that the relief of seeing father and daughter escape would be short-lived. That they had cried victory too early.

The gigantic flames engulfing the cannery could be seen for miles around. It was the only time the Undercity was brighter than Piltover in the night. Vander had managed to get away from the blast just in time, but the fall had proved itself too much for his body.

No…

The sight of Vander sprawled out on the ground, unmoving, his chest rising with difficulty between spasms was like a bucket of cold water hitting them in plain winter.

At his side, Vi dragged herself up, ignoring the pain of her sore muscles as she leaned across him.

"Vander," she tentatively called, cradling his face between her hands. Her voice was a desperate whisper, full of longing. "Vander…"

No, no…

The way his gaze seemed so lost and unfocused worried her. Despite his current form, she had never seen him so weak, so mortally human. He had always appeared so invincible, it felt like she was looking at a stranger. But even with the shimmer grotesquely deforming his body and the purple veins bulging out, the soft features on his face were his, so Vi pushed back all the fears she felt when she initially saw him to desperately hold onto him.

No, no, no…

Vander couldn't quite see her and he could barely hear her. His organs were shutting down one by one, and despite the urge to hold her, comfort her, the most he could do was suck some air in a sharp gasp as his last words left him.

"Take care of Powder."

Life left his eyes, and not even Vi could prevent his head from dropping down on the ground. The shock of having him slip away from her touch made her retreat her hands, and for excruciating long seconds, she did nothing else but watch, waiting for him to suddenly come back to life. He didn't.

No. Not Vander…

The reality of the situation hitting her, she cried out to the rumbling sky an anguished scream.

Vi wasn't as quick as her counterpart to process Vander's death. Maybe it was because she wasn't there to feel his body grow cold or to hear his heartbeat go out, but for very long seconds, she simply refused to believe he was gone.

Vander was… Vander. He was a force of nature, undefeatable and unstoppable. No matter how many times life had tried to break him, he never bent, never backed down, never surrendered. That's who he was: the Hound of the Underground. A beast that Piltover may have managed to appease, but never fully tame. Numerous were those who seeked protection in his shadow, and numerous were those who feared to cross his path. He was more than a man, he was a symbol. But more than everything, he was her father.

He was the one to pick her up when she wanted to give up, to let Piltover trample over her like it did to so many people before her. He was the one to show her how much more she had to fight for when she thought she had lost everything. He was the one to teach her how to fight, how to survive. If she was the light guiding her siblings forward, Vander was hers.

He couldn't just… die. Heck, Deckard had survived abomb.It had exploded right into his face and was powerful enough to destroy the entire building, and he had survived it just fine. Surely Vander could survive a fall, right?

But he was already dying before he took shimmer,her treacherous brain reminded her.

He had been stabbed twice, and Janna knew how many bones he broke falling from the bridge. Shimmer mutated the body, made its user stronger, but did it heal? Did it mend lacerated flesh and broken bones? Did it ignore the blood loss its user may have suffered? Obviously, it didn't. Or at least, not to the point where one could recover from mortal wounds. And Vander's had certainly been mortal.

Her mind finally coming around that fact, she felt her knees growing weak, and before she even realized it, she had collapsed back on the floor.

Vander was dead.

How was she supposed to go on without him? To survive after all this? This was too much. Too much death, too much grief. Her brain was overwhelmed, she couldn't even find the will to cry. For a moment, the world ceased to exist around her as she was left to drown into her own despair. It almost felt like she was going to disappear in it herself.

But Vander wasn't dead yet. Neither was Benzo, Mylo and Claggor.

Remember,she forced herself to focus on the presence of her father and brothers and breathe.None of this has happened yet.

Vi stayed there for a while, unmoving on top of Vander's mutated body. Too much had happened in too little time. She was both overwhelmed and numbed by it all. There were no more tears left inside her for her to grief, even if she wanted to. The sounds of fire crackling and thunder rumbling in the distance were the only things to keep her grounded.

Silco.

In a sudden moment of clarity, her brain forced her to remember that she was still on enemy ground, and that Silco and his men would probably be prowling around the area if they survived. And apparently, they had; she had heard Vander shout his name right before he ran to rescue her.

She knew she needed to leave, but the mere idea of leaving Vander's body to rot broke her heart, so it took unreasonably long for her to will herself to move and rise on her feet.

The pain in her shoulder was still here, but it hardly mattered. It was merely out of reflex that she grabbed her injured arm as she took a moment to gather her thoughts. Her eyes only reopened when she heard little footsteps behind her, and the familiar voice of her sister reached her ears.

"Vi, it worked!" Powder gleefully announced as soon as she turned around the corner and noticed her.

Oh, no…

The air was thick with tension, and the silence deafening. Everyone froze in anticipation. The room had seemed large when they first entered it, but now, it felt small and claustrophobic, the walls seemingly closing on them. They could all feel the disaster coming, and they could do nothing about it.

Powder…

Vi felt her mouth go dry as she tried to fight the apprehension seizing her.

"What?"her counterpart choked out almost in a whisper, and her heart dropped in her chest as she registered the disbelief on the face that was her own.

Her sister, unfortunately, wasn't as quick to notice.

"Did you see me?" Powder asked in unfiltered eagerness. "My monkey bomb finally worked!"

The happiness on her face was so bright, so clear it physically hurt. Vi felt her stomach lurch, twist inside her as she realized her sister had no idea what she just did.

She thinks she saved them…

She hadn't. Far from it. Her involvement had gravely worsened the situation, and yet, here Powder was: victorious, clenching her rabbit close to her as she proudly announced the disaster she was unaware she just created.

Swallowing could almost be heard all over the room. The tension was so thick it seemed to weigh down on them like a physical force.

"You did this?" breathed Vi, and it was only then that Powder realized something was wrong.

First, there was confusion. The praises she had expected never came, and there was an almost accusing tone in her sister's voice. Even the look on her face seemed incredulous. No soft gaze, no proud smile.

Powder wasn't sure how to respond. The glee on her face died down, replaced by a frown as her eyes darted all over the place, trying to make sense of her sister's curious response. Then, she saw it; behind Vi, there was a body. It was deformed, mutated, very similar to the monster she saw attacking her sister with its enlarged muscles and prominent veins, yet, its face… Its face was unmistakable Vander's.

"Why…? Why did you do this?"

"She… She was only helping," Ekko weakly tried to defend.

There was no need for him to. Vi knew that, of course, they all did. They had seen the way she panicked when she was left alone to believe her family would die. They had seen the relief washing over her when she realized she could help. They had seen whatshesaw. Powder had every reason to believe her family was doomed, to believe her help wasneeded.Heck, most of them had believed it too! Ekko had genuinely cheered for her when she sent her monkey bomb, and so did Mylo. Of course Vi, of all people, would understand that her sister hadn't meant all of this to happen.

But Vi had the presence of Vander to ground her, to comfort her, to remind her that none of this had happened yet. Her other self didn't. Her other self had just lost everything. Vander, Mylo, Claggor. She was still in the process of grieving, and humans werenevergood at coping with grief.

For a moment, Powder's brain short-circuited. The connection between her neurons seemed to fail as she tried to process what she was seeing. What it meant.

"I— I didn't…" she tried to talk, to explain herself, but the sudden contraction of her diaphragm –a clear sign of her growing anxiety– forced her to pause. "I was saving you."

Unfamiliar with dealing with an unhappy Vi, she let her gaze wander low, looking everywhere but at her sister. Something caught her attention then. On her left, there was a pair of broken goggles lying on the ground, which she immediately recognized as belonging to Claggor, and on the lenses, there was the unmistakable red splash of blood.

"Oh, Powder…" breathed Vi as she saw in her sister's eyes the moment she finally realized what she just did.

"I only wanted to help," Powder choked out, shaking her head in denial as the emotion suddenly flooding her spilled in her voice. "I only wanted to help… I only wanted to help! I only wanted to help!"

"Oh gods, I can't watch this," Jayce said, tearing his eyes away from the screen.

He placed a hand across his face, feeling the need to support itsomehow,but it barely did anything to chase the dizziness seizing him. He was genuinely starting to feel sick.

How would it feel to realize that you killed your loved ones? He didn't know, he didn'twantto know, and a child like Powder certainly shouldn't have to either.

This was too much. How could the trenchers bear to watch this?

She was just trying to help. She just misjudged the crystals' power.

He had done that too in the past, numerous times, but the results had never been this bad. Suddenly, Jayce realized how badly it could have gone for him too, and he felt ever sorrier for the child.

Caitlyn couldn't watch this either, but she also couldn't will herself to look away. It felt like her brain was punishing her. For what? She didn't know, but her entire being was frozen as she was forced to watch the tragedy. Tears were profusely falling from her eyes now, and she neither had the intention to stop them, nor the intention to wipe them.

Why was this happening? This was too unfair.

"I told you to stay away."

Oh Janna, please no…

Vi could hear the edge in her own voice and it made her stomach lurch. She knew herself well enough to guess what was about to happen. She knew how her other self was feeling –she had felt the same just a few moments ago– but she hoped–shebeggedthe Aspects she wouldn't act on it.

Don't, don't, don't…

"Please, please, please…" Powder implored, her face now stained with tears.

The elation she felt in seeing her bomb work for the first time, in finally managing to do something was now long forgotten, and all that was left was dread. Dread of acknowledging she just killed her family, but most importantly, dread of losing the only one she had left.

She could feel her sister's anger in her posture, in her voice, in her gaze, and it was directed at her. She wasrejectingher.

Panic creeping inside her heart, Powder hoped she could appease Vi somehow, but her pleas were all drowned to oblivion.

"I told you to stay away!" Vi spat, raising her voice at each word.

The slap happened without any warning. Caitlyn's hand flew to her mouth as she tried to cover a gasp, but others weren't so discrete. None of it mattered for Vi though, as the only sound that echoed in her head was the sound of her hand shooting out to connect with her sister's cheek.

The force of the impact made Powder stumble and, unable to maintain her balance, the young girl fell backwards.

"No…" she whined, bringing her hand to her cheek as she barely registered the hit.

She looked back at her sister, her eyes widened in shock, and suddenly, her mind tuned out everything else as only one question remained in it.

"Why did you leave me?" she shrieked.

"Because you're a jinx," Vi snarled right into her face, grabbing her jaw with much more strength than needed. "Do you hear me? Mylo was right!"

Her heart shattered into a million pieces. Vi knew she wasn't always in control of her emotions, but she had never let her anger get the better of herself. Powder could frustrate her sometimes –heck, she frustrated her a lot–, but she had never lashed out on her. She had neverhither. She was her older sister, her only blood family left, she was supposed to protect her.'Take care of Powder,'Vander had told her just a few moments ago, and yet… She raised her hand against her. Against her baby sister.

This wasn't who she was supposed to be. This wasn't who shewantedto be. This wasn't Powder's fault, she knew that, and yet… And yet…

How could she hit her? How could she call her a jinx?

Oh gods… She called her a jinx…

At that moment, the grim realization was lost on Mylo, too stunted by the sight of Vi, of all people, attacking her sister.

Vi's patience toward Powder was legendary. Unreasonably so. Granted, she had succeeded this time, but it wasn't the first time Powder almost got them killed. And everytime, Vi had casually dismissed it, encouraging her sister to keep trying anyway.

It always drove him insane. He had long stopped counting the number of arguments they got into about Powder –she was the only reason they ever fought. Heck, she was the reason of their first fight!– it seemed like they would never find a common ground. Still, Mylo never backed down. Not about this. Because he knew Vi was being unreasonable. He knew Powder was a liability. So he kept arguing, and arguing, and arguing, hoping that one day, she would finally open her eyes and realize that love did not equal trust.

He had imagined the moment many times; the satisfaction he would feel when she finally acknowledged thathe was right.He felt none.

"No, no…" Powder whimpered as terror settled in her heart.

The pain on her cheek was sharp, and there was a sting in her nose as well as a trickle of blood ran down from it, but her brain acknowledged neither, too busy trying to process the sight before her. Her sister was looking at her with such hatred, all the feelings of safety and comfort she ever felt at her side seemed to have never existed in that instant.

'She's afraid of me…'Vi realized.

"Vi, please…"

The feeling of her sister's warm blood connecting with her hand snapped Vi out of her anger. Suddenly, the realization of her action hit her and she released Powder from her grasp. Her breathing quickened as she stared down at her hand in disbelief. The blood of her sister was on her palm, and at the back of her hand, the blood of her enemies was on her knuckles. She had given her sister the same treatment she gave her enemies. A gasp left her as Powder's sobs echoed in her ears.

"Violet, please!" Powder continued to beg desperately.

There was a mixture of fear and regret in Vi's heart as she truly saw Powder as she was; the blood on her nose, on her elbows, the soot on her face, the tears on her cheeks, the terror in her eyes… But the rage boiling in her was still here, and she couldn't bring herself to comfort her. She couldn't even bear to look at her. She was her sister, but at that moment, she was also her family's murderer.

Unable to stand her presence, yet unwilling to hurt her any further, she stood up to walk away from her. Powder cowered, covering her face with her arm.

'She thought I was going to…'

Vi's breath caught in her throat as she couldn't finish her own thought.

As Vi walked past her, Powder lowered her guard. The fear of being hit disappeared, but another immediately replaced it, and it was ten times stronger. Her chest tightened in panic. She turned to reach her, but her body was frozen in place.

"Vi! Vi, come back!" She pleaded, unable to contain the sobs racking her. "Please, come back! Please, Violet, I need you. Please…"

But Vi didn't come back.

Why?

Vi could feel her own chest tightening as her sister's wailing echoed in the room. It was a terrible, haunting sound that she hadn't heard since their parents were gone and it destroyed her heart. She so terribly wished her other self could just turn back and hold Powder, but she didn't. She knew why she didn't, still, it didn't make it any easier to listen to Powder's cries.

"W-Where is she going?" Caitlyn choked out in confusion.

It was too much; all this death, all this tragedy… She couldn't handle it anymore, she couldn't even think straight anymore.

"I think she needs time, Caitlyn," her mother answered with a soft tone that was quite uncharacteristic of her.

Her daughter, however, was deaf to her words. All she was seeing was the two sisters being torn apart and at the moment, she just couldn't understand why.

Despite her sister's wails, Vi kept walking. She didn't stop nor did she turn until she reached the corner of a building. She couldn't. Once she was finally out of her sight, she let herself slide against the wall, and her body hit the ground without any grace as she broke down in tears. Everything was catching up to her at once, she couldn't stay strong.

"Violet… Violet! Please…!" Powder cried one last time into the void, only receiving a thunder rumble as an answer.

The inevitable realization that her sister wasn't coming back hit her, and she buried her head between her knees, trying to soothe herself to no avail.

Why?

Hunched on the ground, however, Powder didn't see the stranger arrive.

In an almost automatic response, Vi jumped to her feet, her body immediately with renewed energy. She wasn't the only one alarmed by the appearance of Silco.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding," Benzo snarled.

Didn't he do enough damage like that? He should be glad to be alive and go on his way, but he was going to go after little Powder too?

The disbelief he felt was so strong, he didn't even register the way his pupil's breath hitched.

No, no, no… Not Powder too.

He already had enough guilt for three lifetimes with the deaths of Benzo, Vander, Mylo and Claggor. If something happened to Powder… If she… If she died… Ekko didn't know how he would be able to live with himself.

Silco approached the crying mess of a girl a bit confused, but it didn't take him long to recognize her as Vander's youngest. He had no idea what she was doing here, but he had intended to kill all of Vander's children, so her presence made his task easier. Without an ounce of sympathy for her, he tightened his grasp around his dagger. The blade was still soiled with her father's blood.

The Piltovans gasped in horror. They weren't sure what to expect when they saw him appear on the screen, but the sight of the weapon settled their fears.

"He's going to gut her," Viktor thought out loud.

Blood drained from Cassandra and Heimerdinger's faces.

"S-Surely, he wouldn't, right?" Jayce queried with a forced smile.

But even with all the optimism in the world, he couldn't maintain it for long as his partner's grim expression didn't change.

Oh, he would.

Mel knew his kind very well – the kind of people who would do anything to achieve their goal. She had been raised with them.

He would absolutely gut this child alive.

The adrenaline in Vi's system had dropped and its effects were wearing off. Her head was clearer now, but with nothing to override the pain anymore, she felt the full impact of the armored door bursting on her.

Her face contorted in agony as she brought her hands to her ribs. She hadn't even realized they were broken. She tried to move, to find a comfortable position to rest, but it only worsened the pain, so she dropped her hand to her sides, deciding to endure it for now.

'Go find Powder, go find Powder, go find Powder...!'Vi urged her counterpard.

Vi had long stopped listening to her sister's cries, but now that she felt calmer, she realized she could no longerhearher. She turned to see if Powder was still there, and although her sister indeed hadn't moved from her spot, there was someone else with her. Her eyes widened as her brain took a couple of seconds to process what she was seeing – who she was seeing – and suddenly, the pain of her broken ribs didn't matter anymore.

"Powder," Vi breathed.

Her heart raced as she recognized Vander's murderer.

She tried to rise, but the soreness in her body betrayed her and she stumbled forward, almost falling back onto the ground. She used the wall to catch herself and, never slowing down for a second, she ran to her sister.

"Pow—!" She tried to call her, but out of nowhere, a hand appeared and silenced her.

Someone suddenly emerged from the shadow and a couple of gasps filled the room before people started to recognize Marcus.

"Shh," Marcus said as he grabbed Vi from behind.

The fuck? Him again?

The girl didn't even acknowledge him.

"Powder!"Vi tried one more time. But the handkerchief covering her mouth muffled her shout.

"He'll kill you if he hears you."

She tried to fight him, to resist the poison invading her lungs as she breathed through his handkerchief, but the drug was strong and her body already exhausted.

"Come on, let's go," Marcus said as she started to go limp in his arms.

The sight of Silco looming over her sister with a knife in his hand was the last thing she saw before her eyelids dropped and the Deputy Sheriff dragged her away.

The fuck?!

"This motherfucker!" Vi cursed, outraged by his intervention. "The fuck he thinks he's doing?!"

"He's saving your life," Mel replied.

She had her reservations towards the Deputy Sheriff, but if it wasn't for him, she didn't doubt the girl would have run to her death.

"I don't give a fuck, Powder's still there! What about Powder?!"

This, however, was not a question Mel was willing to answer. Vi wouldn't have liked the answer, and it seemed like the recording would answer in her stead anyway.

Completely curled up on the ground, Powder didn't even notice Silco's presence. She was deaf to the world, prisoner of her own mind as she fell into a thought spiral.

Why?

Why, why, why? What had she done so wrong?

She just wanted to help. To be like her sister. And Vi never backed down from a fight. Vi… She needed Vi.

But why…?

Because she was her sister and she would always be there for her. Even if she messed up. Family stuck together. She'd told her so, and Vi never lied.

Only that wasn't true, was it?

No. She did lie.

Y̶o̸u̷'̷r̴e̶ r̵e̷a̷d̸y̷.̴

Ỳ̵͎͛o̸̙̼̠͑ṳ̴̓̾̕'̶̗͔͒̇͠r̶̛͓̪͓ẻ̸̢͎͈̀ ̶͖̈́ņ̵̬̑o̴̢͐̊͜͠ẗ̶̨͒ ̸̦͊̍r̸̫͔̩̓̏͝e̵̡͕̥̒͝a̶̩̎̐d̷͙̳̗́̊̓y̴̲̤̻͗!̷͖͉͔̂̃̾

Vi was a liar.

What?

M̸̯̊́̀ÿ̸̢̻͔̙̓l̸̲̫̈́̇̌o̸̮̕'̶̬̠͍̳̈́̑ś̷̟̮ ̶͈̜͘͝ͅẁ̵̨͓̳̣̉̌̾͝r̵͇͂͋͆o̵̝͓̅͐͛̐͐ñ̴̨͖̻̦ğ̶̨̤̼̝̏ͅ,̵̛͔́̆́ ̸̞̬͒̏͆Ṕ̷̛̝̹͕͂͜ȍ̵̳̳̘̫̫͐̆̓͠ẁ̸̘̹͔̫d̵͔̹̦̼̑̎͝ȩ̷͇̱̒͠r̴̫̰͚̯̆.̸̛̻͉̫͓̅̊̂.Y̵̛̭͎͆ò̵͈u̷͆ͅ'̴̨̙̎̔r̸̨̘͎̈è̶̬͕̋͘͜ ̶̡̢̜̓̑s̵̨͔̣͊t̷̮̤̞͗͝r̷̡̫̻̐̿̅o̶̢͚͐̀͗n̵̻̞͑̿g̶͍̀̌ȅ̵̞r̷̬̍̔̿ ̵̳̙̈́̀t̴͈͌̓͝ȟ̶̗͋̌ä̶̯́̃͛ń̷̨́͠ ̴̼̟̪̔ÿ̸̗́̽̚ơ̶̢̠͚̇̀ū̴̲̲͑ͅ ̸̢̙̙͋̈͠t̸̰̻̗̉h̷͕͛̈́̇ȉ̵͙́n̶͚̆k̸̻̗̣̓͗͠,̴̢̣̈́.

She had lied to her.

No…

̵̢̦̙̅B̶̜̜̕ė̶̼͔̟̂̊c̴̦̠͎̃́̑ã̵̰͈ǘ̸̩̳͈s̵̬̪͎̉̓e̷̘͐̑̿ͅ ̴̠̭̾́͑ y̴̛͙͍͈o̵̦͉͐̄͠û̴͙͔̣'̶͎͊ṙ̴̻̟͝ẽ̵̖́͋ a̴̡̢̋̏̕ͅ ̶jḭ̷̤͈̍̇ǹ̸̤͊̕x̵̼͖̜͑̀,̶͇̔͑̈́ M̵͚̝͆y̶̫͕͈̓̓̀ļ̴̬̾̀o̷̧̔ ̸̉w̵̞̍̊a̴̭͊̋͑s̷͔̖̿ ̴ṛ̵͝i̷̧̬̟̋̓g̴̜͈̪̋̅h̶̲̆̈̽t̵̺͈͓̆͗!

Liar.

No.

Y̸͈͕͉͇̅̚̕͝o̸̜͂̎̎͘u̶̢̧͎͚̻̅̓͠͠͝'̵̲͒̇̅̒̉r̵̟͊͗͌́̀e̸̗̥̜͆͗̇ ̷̳̯̞̥̋̓̀̽̐a̴͔̳͑̌l̸̙̬̔̎̀͋͜͠ͅl̴̦̝͌͝ ̴̨͓̮̱̯̐̃̋̈́͠I̸̛̝͚͖͕͜ ̵̧̛͈͈̙̀̃̋̚h̷͉͓͍̋͜á̴̞̰̾͝͝v̵͚͉̏͘ȅ̴̲̔ ̵̙̜̘̚l̶̨̙͖͇̰̾̕ȅ̶̡̳̠͔f̴̘̈͗̆̑t̷͔̔̈́͝,̶̡̜̙̼͎̂͌͘͠ ̷̺̖͙͌̓̑̕ͅI̶͇̝̣̼̲͊ ̴̪̹̜͈̮̌̆̅̌ć̷̢̦͚̺͓̕a̴̢̹̎̔͝ǹ̸͉͑͝'̴̳͗̏̆́͝t̶̨̛̗͕͇̄̈́̔̾ ̴͖͉̈́l̷̝̹̳͉̍̈́̋̈͜͝ö̸̙̹̦̮́̂͒͂͝s̶̜̅ȅ̴̡͗ ̴̥̣͓̖͛͛͜y̷̳̲̙͘͘o̵̢̗̾͛ṷ̴͠ ̸̼̎͊͝à̷͔̠͇̀s̶̟̻͚͒͐͝ ̸̻̣͛͐͜ŵ̴̟͝ë̶̖̙͕́̋l̶̝͙̹̄̏̊̆l̶̢̍̍͑̑͝.̶̨͉̂̔

Liar!

No!

F̸̨̲̓ä̴͍̳́͊̐̊̅m̶͓̫̌͗͌̈́͘͝ī̷̟͗͒͠l̵̟͖̬͍͉̓̏̓͋͜͜y̷̮͈̼̲͚̏̉̉̓̔̏̇ ̷̳̳̑̂s̷̛̺̐̃͑̈́̔t̴͔͌͆̾̔͂̀͗i̷͖̘͉̩̮̤̳̍̔͌̑c̵̞̦̋̅̈͘k̵̢̙̯̜͑͜s ̵̗̘͈̬̓̃̌̓̚͝t̵͎̝̂́ȍ̷̬̩͚̥͂̽̏͐͐ǵ̷̥͙͎͊̏e̵̠̺̩̞̊̈́̍ͅt̶̛̟͎̩̬̮̮̎̐̍̍͘h̸̦̅͐͌̿͗̈́e̴̞̮͋̓̆͑̈́̆̈́r̸̡͖̬͍͔̈́͌͗̍͐̓̚.̷̜͍͂̿̀

Liar. Liar. Liar!

Vi, Vi, Vi… All she does is lie.

The rage and panic in her heart dissipated almost instantly as Vi watched her sister spiral down into negativity. The distress had become too much, and the emotions too overwhelming. Her own mind was betraying her andshe wasn't here to stop it.

Powder…

What had she done so wrong? She'd only ever followed her sister's example.

Vi did tell her to stay away, but Vander had told her the same thing when it came to Topside, and what had Vi done? She'd gone topside anyway. To prove a point. To prove herself. So Powder had done the same thing. She had wanted to prove herself, like everyone wanted her to.

Oh gods, this was her fault.

Mylo was never going to acknowledge her until she proved she was useful. Claggor was never going to stop looking at her like she was a fragile thing to protect until she proved she could fight on her own. Vi told her time and time that she was ready, encouraging her to keep trying even if she failed, because that was the only way she was going to learn and become stronger. Even Vander encouraged them to find their own place in this world. That was the Undercity's way. This was what people did. That was what she was taught to do. So why was she being punished for it?

Why?

'They never work,'she'd lamented over her failed contraptions just a few days before. But her sister had encouraged her to keep working on them anyway.

"They will,"she assured.

This was her fault.

And they had. Her monkey bomb had worked. Just like her sister had promised. It had been her most powerful and efficient invention, so why?

Why would she look at her like that? Why would she hit her? Why would she walk away?

Why... Why would she abandon her…?

B̷͎͚͓͓̳͉̼̟̰͖̮̹̜̙̄̾͊̋̈́̅͜e̴̡̝̗̰̖̗̥͖͍̘̱̱͂̊̽͒͑͊͜c̶̼̘̘̯͚̅̐́͆̽̕̕͝a̶̪͈̗͎̘͎͇̬͎̱̣͙͎͎͆̔̽͠ư̵̢̬̲͖͙̖̿̏̈͗͘s̸̠̝̩̊͊̄͐̀̀̊̓̀e̸͉̗̯̓͘ ̵̢̤̩̠̻͆́̂͑͋̓̽͛̐̒͐͝y̷̪͎̗͈̟̳̩̯̌̔́̉̌̔̎̅̾͐͗̈́̚͘o̶̯̘̦̮̰̣̺̬̖͆̄͋̑̍̅͜ṷ̷̰̪̝̰̜̩̟̜͗̇̀͒'̵̫̬͔͓̹̠͙̖͕̋͌͋r̴͓̙̪̐̑̊̂̈̂́̅́͝͠ḝ̶̛̥̭̘̙̱̰̤͈̰̞͙̱̜͖͔̇̍̀̄ͅ ̸̫̹̜̣͖̲̤͉͎̘͇͈̲͍̫̘͐̐͆̈͋͒a̸̢̡̻̤͙͖̠̮̤͙̪̲̺̯͈̋́̀͑̍͒́͠ͅ ̵̙̘͍̯̗̣̝̍ͅj̷̧̢̼̭̘̘̥̬͔̜̬͕̯͎͔͔́́̌͒͘į̸̭̘͕̪͈̮̲̹̤̦̣̜͍͚͖̿̈́̑̊̊̉̎̈́͛̉̿̏̈́͠͠͠ǹ̷̯̄͘͝x̴̨̨͓͚̭͈̪̘̰̮̍̈́̇̀͑̆̀̃̾̈́̚͘͜ͅ!̶̧̧̧̛͍̟̖̻̻͕̺̍̔͛̃͂́͒̃̄̀͊̎̄͑̚͝

This was all her fault!

For a moment, Vi forgot about Silco. Her breath hitched as he reappeared on the screen, his surviving men coming into sight one by one behind him. There weren't so many of them anymore –she could recognize the tattooed baldhead she knocked out first carrying Sevika, the weirdo licking his knife, and one of the woman she fought on the bridge–, but they still had suffered less loss than them.

Vi could feel her heart pounding loudly in her chest, and her thoughts racing, but she wasn't sure what she was so afraid of anymore.

Silco hid his knife behind his back.

"Hello, little girl," he said, trying to appear as non threatening as possible as he crouched down to her level.

The maneuver wasn't lost on the adults, and every single one of them grimaced in distaste.

"Where's your sister?"

His voice wasn't quite soft, not the way Vi's and Vander's was, but his tone was gentle enough to catch her attention. Powder weakly lifted her head to meet his eyes, and despite the scar on his face and the glowing eye that had made more than one child cry, there was no fear in her.

She was broken, vulnerable and desperate for a human connection, and at that moment, the man gently smiling at her seemed like the warmest person in the world.

The tears that she managed to contain came back full force as Powder felt safe enough to release the emotions she pushed back down. She sniffled, fighting a sob, and without any warning, she threw herself on the man.

If Vi had thought her heart couldn't shatter any further, she had been wrong.

Powder was different from others. She didn't give her trust, much less her love easily. As much as Vi loved the special bond she shared with her sister, it could be frustrating sometimes to see her isolate herself.

Powder was special. And just like she was special, her love was special. It was in the way she looked at her as if she was her entire world, in the way she lit up in her presence. It was in her smiles, in the way she followed her like a shadow, in the way she seeked for her approval. And it was in her touch, in her hugs.

Powder, no…

Physical touch was her love language, and it unnerved Vi to no end to see her sister offer Silco of all people the same hug that she always reserved for her, for Vander, for her closest friends.

Silco stumbled backwards, too taken aback by the sudden embrace to truly catch the girl. His knife escaped his grasp and clanged loudly on the ground as he fell. Neither he nor the child around his waist paid it attention however.

His henchmen seemed almost as surprised as him as they silently stared down at them.

"She left me," Powder choked out, pressing her face against him, completely oblivious to their shock.

The words echoing in him, Silco looked up to see the body of the man that turned his back on him. Flames were dancing behind him, and despite the shimmer that had transformed him into… something almost unrecognizable, he couldn't help the feeling of loss rising in his chest. Vander had been his brother once.

"She isnotmy sister anymore."

Once.

What…?

The statement hit her like a sledgehammer. Vi wasn't someone so easily affected by words, but these ones? It stripped her bare, taking away everything that made her who she was.

Powder…

For as long as she remembered, Vi had only ever looked after Powder. If people often mocked her sister for being glued to her side, the truth was that Powder was as central in her life than she was in hers.

Or she used to be, apparently…

Powder…

The rejection stung like nothing else in her heart. And maybe it would have hurt less if her sister had sought comfort in someone else, but of all people, she had to turn to Silco. The man had murdered Vander, he was responsible for all this mess and yet, her sister's mind had somehow convinced her that he was a better person than her.

Powder…

Vi felt like she was suffocating as her mind tried to process the enormity of this reality. And she wasn't the only one to feel that way.

For a moment, Vander stood there in stunned silent. His eldest's inner turmoil hadn't gone unnoticed, but there was something much more concerning occupying his mind at the moment.

Silco had intended to kill Powder, he was sure of that. He was going to kill the other three, why would Powder be any different? He had prepared his heart the best he could, focusing on the fact that this reality wasn't theirs, and that he would be able to use this knowledge to prevent any of this from happening, and yet…

Vander could see it. There was no way he wouldn't be able to. He knew Silco. Powder may have lowered his guard for a moment, he should have reached for his weapon and gutted her as soon as he realized she disarmed him. But he didn't. Instead, the initial confusion on his face was replaced by something much softer. Much more concerning.

Understanding.

Oh god…

When Silco looked down to the child latched onto his waist, it was to look at her in a new light. His eyes softened as he realized she, too, had been betrayed by a sibling. She, too, had been discarded for being weak. Suddenly, she wasn't Vander's child anymore. She was likehim.

"I really don't like where this is going," Jayce muttered in cold dread.

Neither did Vander, Vi, or anyone really.

Under the watchful eyes of his henchmen, Silco raised his hand. He hesitantly let it hover above the girl for a moment, suddenly unsure, but the little arms around him settled his mind, and he lowered it.

"It's ok," he whispered as he closed his arms around her in his turn. This time, there was no pretense in his voice.

You've got to be joking…

"We'll show them."

Let her go, let her go, let her go,Vi's mind screamed in her head.Get away from her.

But despite her silent protests, Silco did not separate himself from Powder. In fact, he only held her closer.

"We will show them all…" he promised, the spite bleeding in his voice.

Powder shifted in his hold, and an eye peeked out above his arm, staring in the distance where her sister disappeared. It was puffy, bloodshot and wet with tears, but more than anything, it was full of hatred.

As the thunder continued to rumble in the distance and rain poured down on them, as if to make all evidence of the tragedy that happened disappear, Powder readjusted her grip on the man. She didn't know his name, didn't know who he was, but at the moment, he was her sole source of support and comfort. At the moment, she felt safe in his arms. At the moment, she thought that maybe,maybethings wouldn't be so bad.

She didn't need her sister.

Jayce could feel his jaw drop. He knew he must have looked ridiculous with his wide eyes and his mouth wide agape, but there was nothing he could do to prevent it, as it felt as if the muscles in face faded out from existence altogether. No one was watching him, anyway. Although there was no audible gasp this time, the shock –and horror– was the same for everyone.

Everyone seemed frozen as they realized what was happening.

Caitlyn's grimace was one of confusion mixed with disbelief, and with the tears on her face, she looked quite terrible. Her mother had the decency to cover her mouth, but the poker face that was so characteristic of her had completely shattered. Heimerdinger's usual positivism was also gone as his ears flattened against his head. The Sheriff? The frown on her face was worthy of a funeral, and so was Viktor's and Mel's. The brothers' expression was quite similar to his. They had been shocked to see themselves die but now, it was a different kind of shock that settled onto their face. Benzo seemed like he had eaten something foul, and Ekko seemed like he had eaten something even worse. The worst of them all, however? It was Vander and Vi.

The collapsed expression on Vander's face, however, didn't stay there long as he noticed the way his eldest's breathing quickened.

"Vi," he tried to call her.

She didn't hear him.

She hates me. I left her. I left her and she hates me. She's alone with him.

Her thoughts were cluttered, scattered, and she couldn't make much sense of them. All she knew was that everyone was dead, that she had left her sister alone with the man responsible for breaking apart their peace, their family, and that her sister hated her.

"Vi."

She gasped for air, trying to breathe, but it felt like she was suffocating, trapped into a whirlwind anyway. Everything blurred and everything moved around her.

Too much, too much, too much.

It was all too much. Before she realized it, her feet moved and she bolted out of the room.

"Vi!" Vander shouted after her.

She didn't hear him.

Notes:

Obligatory bad news after the long awaited chapter: I'll be quite busy in May so the releases might be more irregular than usual.
(But hey! It's not like I was leaving you hanging onto a bad cliffhanger, right? :3)

Chapter 19: Interlude: Turmoil

Summary:

The aftermath of watching the first act.

Notes:

So. Have you guys heard about the fanfic writers' curse ? It is said that if something bad happens to your characters in your fandom, it will happen to you as well. And you know how Jinx and Vi both lost their father (several times in fact) ? Well, I guess we have something in common now ! Hehehe.

Joking aside, I apologize for the extended hiatus. It wasn't supposed to last that long, but well. Life's shenanigans just hit sometimes, and I needed time to grieve, get my life in order, and recover. I am fine now, so don't worry about me.

Thank you for staying patient, and I hereby declare that this fic is back~!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

'So tiny…'

Her mother had been growing the little thing for months inside her belly and her parents had repeatedly told her about becoming a sister (and yes, she could be an airhead sometimes but even she didn't need the daily reminder), but it hadn't truly dawn onto her until now, now that there was an actual human being in her mother's arms.

The babe was much tinier than she had expected. Her mother's belly had been so large she thought it would be at least twice its current size. It was a wonder how such a tiny thing could even be alive. It barely moved too, seemingly only ever sleeping. When it did wake and decided to voice whatever discontent it had though –yep, it's alive alright– the loud cry was so powerful Vi wondered if Piltover could hear it too from up there.

Powder. That was the name of her baby sister.

She was quite ugly to be honest –no matter how many times her father seemed to say otherwise, this wrinkly face wasnotcute– but that's okay, because she already liked her anyway (and apparently, the wrinkles would go away as the days passed too).

"Do you want to hold her?"

Vi's attention left the newborn to shift on her mom.

"What?"

"Do you want to hold her?" she repeated.

For a moment, Vi didn't say anything as she stared incredulously at her mom.

Shedidwant to hold her, but at the same time, she was afraid to. Powder seemed so fragile, so breakable, and Vi was perfectly aware of not being the most delicate child of the Undercity. Her baby sister seemed comfortable too, nuzzling against their mom's chest, she didn't want to bother her.

Seemingly reading her mind like an open book, her mom chuckled.

"Here," she said, deciding in her place as she placed the babe in her arms.

Vi immediately tensed up, unsure what to do and what not to do. She tried to imitate her mother and held her close, supporting her head with hand, but there was a small frown on Powder's face as she shifted against her.

Panic started to rise within her when she realized she was going to cry. She immediately looked up at her mom, pleading with her eyes to take her back, but she simply gave her a soft smile.

'She's going to cry, she's going to cry, she's going to cry…'

She didn't. As her sister settled in her arms and let out a contented sigh, the nervousness on Vi's face melted down, and soon, awe replaced it. Powder felt warm against her.

"See?" her mom laughed lightly.

"She's not crying," Vi said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"She knows she's safe in her sister's arms."

"She does?!"

"Well, you're her sister after all," her mom explained, and Vi supposed that it made sense. "She trusts you. And so do I."

The unexpected statement made her look up at her once more, but her mom's gaze didn't leave the babe.

"Daddy and I won't always be here to look after you, Powder, but since you have your big sister, you have nothing to worry about, okay?" she continued with a high-pitched voice, now addressing the sleeping baby.

Powder unsurprisingly didn't respond.

"You'll spend a lot of time together. You'll play together, you'll love each other, and no matter what happens, you'll always be there for each other." She marked a pause, now directing her attention to her eldest."That's what having a sibling means," she finished with a soft smile.

Vi silently pondered for a moment on her words before her eyes fell on the baby in her arms. She had never looked after anyone before –she had always been the one people looked after– and it didn't seem like an easy task. What was she even supposed to do? But she liked the idea of having someone to play with as she waited for her parents to come back from the mines, she liked being the responsible one. And her mother trusted her enough to do that too.

In her arms, completely oblivious to the world, her sister snuggled in closer. Whatever she must have been dreaming of, it must have been pleasing, because Powder seemed content. Unknowingly,Vi reached for her sister's hand; it was so tiny compared to hers –even tinier than hers was in her dad's hand–, and this tiny hand was wrapping over her finger. It was a reflex, her mom had said so, but it didn't stop the fuzzy feeling growing in her heart.

She was seeking her warmth, her protection, trusting her just like her mom said she would, and that feeling was more intoxicating than anything else she knew.

"Will you do that, Violet?" her mother asked, taking notice of her changing expression. "Will you look after your sister?"

Vi nodded.

"Yeah," she replied. There was no longer the slightest trace of uncertainty in her voice. "I"ll look after her."

She wasn't aware of the soft smile that had curled on her lips until her mother mirrored it.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Oblivious to their moment, Powder let out a small groan in her sleep and both Vi and her mother chuckled at her unexpected intervention.

This tiny being was her sister. Hers to protect and hers to love. Because that's what having a sibling means. And she would be committed to keep her promise forever.

"Vi!"

Before anyone could realize what was happening, the room's door slammed open and the teenage girl was bolting out, closely followed by Vander. In an almost instinctive response, Caitlyn rose from her seat to run after them, but her mother's voice put an halt to her chase before it even began.

"Caitlyn."

It was stern. Demanding enough to snap her out of her haze and force her to sit back down next to her.

What was she even planning to do? Whatcouldshe do? None of the events they watched unfold really happened, thanks to the intervention of future-Jayce and future-Ekko, and yet, it felt like they did anyway.

So many deaths in so little time.Again. But while Caitlyn only learned about the Day of Ashes through whispers and articles, she had experienced this tragedy from the front seat. She was no stranger to the concept of death. Her father was a doctor, and she herself aimed to become an enforcer. Still, nothing could have prepared her for this, especially when the first death she witnessed was the one of her hero. And it hadn't stopped here, had it? The shop-keeper, the two brothers —kids not even older than herself—, and the de-facto leader of the Undercity…

As her eyes strayed to the door, where the father-dauther duo just disappeared, Caitlyn couldn't help but think about howshemust be feeling.

At the very least, in this tragedy, Caitlyn had only lost Grayson, and despite the endless admiration she bore to the woman, she was completely unrelated to her. Vi, on the other hand, had lost everything. Her entire family was dead, and the only survivor had fallen into the hands of the man responsible for this all. Who would be able to stomach this?

The echo of her own footsteps didn't even register to her ears as Vi ran and ran and ran. To where? She had no idea. All she knew was that she needed to get away. As it turned out, she hadn't run for that long. She only crossed two corridors before she doubled over and clutched her stomach, vomiting all of its content on the floor.

"Vi!"

Vander was right behind her, quick to join her side. But as he tried to hold her, soothe her, the teenage girl fiercely fought his touch, trying to get away from him as she struggled to catch her breath. The sudden surge of emotions inside her was overwhelming her, and not even her body knew how to deal with them.

She gasped for air, desperate for relief, but despite the large quantity she inhaled, the feeling of suffocation rising in her chest as invisible walls closed around her, trapping her in her own panic, could not be suppressed.

'Vi!'

She was vaguely aware that she was spiraling down, but no amount of rationalizing could stop it.

'Vi come back! Please, come back!'

She's not here, she's not here, she's not here…

Only she was. Vi could feel her, hear her.

Her vision blurred in and out, but no matter how many times she tried to will the image away, her sister was there, miserably collapsed on the ground as she cried for her under the rain, blood, tears and snot mixing on her face.

Unable to bear the sight of Powder in this state, she shut her eyes and buried her head inside her arms, but even then, the image refused to leave her mind.

'Violet, please. I need you.'

She did. She always did. She had needed her to catch her whenever she fell, to teach her how to soothe her fear and fall back asleep after a nightmare, to take care of her after their parents were gone…

From the moment Powder became her sister, she had always needed her. What would she do without her? She probably wouldn't even survive a week. Vi could not leave her.

And yet she had. Vi could still see herself walking away from her.

Turn back, turn back…

She didn't.

'Violet! Please!'

Powder's desperation was so clear in her voice, Vi could physically feel it. The strings of her heart were threatening to break. Her sister's shriek was like a dying call, and she had ignored it anyway. She had kept walking away from her and left her to think she had abandoned her. And in a way, had she not? There had never been a moment where Powder had needed her more than then, and yet, Vi had willfully refused to look at her.

'I'll look after her.'

The sudden memory of her mother proudly smiling at her as she held her baby sister in her arms flooded back into her mind, and if Vi had thought she couldn't feel even more miserable, she'd been wrong.

'Promise?'

'Promise.'

There had been many things Vi promised her parents throughout her childhood, but she truly only ever committed to this one. Once they were gone and Powder truly had no one else but her to look after her, the promise became her raison d'être, and Vi started to live only to give her sister a better life. She hadn't minded it, so long as it meant protecting her smile, so who would have thought she would be the one to take it away from her?

'Take care of Powder.'

It had been her one job, it had been Vander's dying words, and she still failed miserably.

Her throat was burning, her stomach was lurching, but despite already having emptied its content, she couldn't help but keep retching.

'When people look up to you, you don't get to be selfish.'

She chose to walk away from her sister.

'Have you ever thought about what could happen to them?'

She chose to lead her brothers to their death.

'Whatever happens, it's on you.'

She chose to disobey Vander and raid Piltover.

Too much, too much, too much…!

"Vi, it's okay, you're okay!"

Vander tried to call her, snap her out of the frenzied state she had fallen into, but her unfocused gaze told him she wasn't even aware of his presence.

"You're okay," he repeated anyway, hoping to break into her shell, "I'm here."

His hands hesitantly hovered over her. She was dangerously staggering now, but each time he tried to reach her, support her, she flinched away from him. He had always managed to soothe her. This time, however, his presence only seemed to worsen her distress and he had no idea what to make of it.

Powder could sometimes have episodes like this, but Vi? Vi never did. She always dealt with her emotions by throwing punches, almost purposely hurling herself at troubles sometimes, leaving him to clean her mess. And as bothersome as it could be, Vander wished she would fight him right now. He would gladly take all of her punches if it calmed her. He had never seen her this dispirited since the Day of Ashes, and it was killing him not to know how to help her. What was he supposed to do?

"Vi!"

She ultimately tripped on her own feet, and Vander ran to catch her. But once again, Vi fought his hold.

"Come on, kiddo, it's me."

Desperation was starting to bleed into his voice as he tried to shake her, but the teenage girl stayed despondent, drowned in her own panic.

"You're making it worse, just leave her be."

The unexpected voice immediately caught his attention. The last person he expected to see when he turned around was a councilor, and yet, Mel was standing there with her arms folded, just a little bit further, as she watched the teenage girl collapse in on herself with a critical eye. How long had she been there?

Vander tried not to acknowledge her as an exasperated grunt left his throat. He had no patience for topsiders –not now– and the last thing he needed was for a councilor of all people to tell him what to do with his daughter. Since when did they care? They were the very reason all of this happened.

"She needs space and time," Mel insisted as he returned his attention to Vi, unperturbed by the obvious hostility in his body language. "She clearly isn't responding well, is she? So leave her be."

Vander turned once more to glare at her. This time, however, Mel abandoned the perfect facade of the politician to let her features soften in compassion.

"Believe it or not, I've seen my share of people having panic attacks, and the best thing to do is often to wait for them to ride it out," she continued, a hint of vulnerability seeping through her voice. "Sometimes, there is just nothing you can do."

Noxus was merciless with the weak, she had learned to deal with her own panic attacks on her own before she started to rely on others to support her –then again, she only allowed her closest aide to see her in such a state. She knew better than anyone what it felt like to have the world collapsing around you and give into despair, despite having been taught your entire life to be strong.

There was nothing to do, really, beside waiting for the feeling to pass.

Vander's harsh expression softened when he saw her face. He had assumed her unsolicited opinion would be out of arrogance, but her concern seemed genuine. He hated to acknowledge this proof of compassion from her, but more than anything, he hated to acknowledge her words. The councilwoman wasn't wrong; Vi was not responding well to his attempt to calm her down, and her state only seemed to worsen each time he tried to reach her. Was there really nothing he could do to help her through this?

"Being there for her is enough," Mel went on, reading the frustration on his face. "It helps –sometimes– to have someone by your side. Do make sure not to shake her or shout at her, however. She'll calm down… eventually."

So they just wait. Great.

A sigh escaped Vander's chest as he ran his hand through his hair and walked to the nearest wall to lean against it. His eyes never left Vi as he reached for the pipe in his inner pocket though.

Smoking was most likely not allowed inside the walls of the prestigious Academy, but he'd just watched his friends, his kids, and his own self die, and now had a daughter freaking out on top of that, so he decided to indulge. He brought the pipe to his mouth, and Mel didn't comment on it.

"How are the others?" he asked, taking a long puff. The nicotine filling his lungs had never felt so relieving.

"As well as people who just watched their own end, I suppose," replied Mel, and Vander couldn't help but snort.

They had just done that, hadn't they? Of all the crazy things that happened in his life, this experience would definitely among the craziest.

"And what are you doing here?" he queried, now eying the councilor curiously.

"Someone with a clear head needed to make sure you two would be alright," Mel responded.

Right.

"Well, as you can see, we're fine."

As fine as people who just lost everything, he was tempted to sass. But there was no need to as Mel detected the bitter sarcasm in his voice anyway.

When she raised an eyebrow at him, Vander sighed.

"We'll be fine," he corrected, this time with a softer tone. "I'll handle things."

Mel didn't say anything, although the look she gave him betrayed her skepticism. She did ultimately decide to give the pair some privacy and return to the others however, but not without making sure the girl had somewhat calm down first.

Once she was finally gone, Vander decided to leave the wall to sit closer to his daughter, making sure not to touch her. She was now completely curled up into a ball. She still showed no signs of acknowledging him, but at the very least, her breathing had stabilized somehow, though the occasional sob still racked her body. He really hoped she could sense his presence.

"It's alright, kiddo," he breathed, "we'll be alright."

In the watching room, the atmosphere was grim. It was all so silent people could almost hear each other breathe. There was no clock to keep track of time, but it almost felt like an hour had already passed.

When Jayce finally risked a glance around him after avoiding to meet anyone's eyes for so long, the miserable sight of the Undercity kids immediately filled his heart with guilt.

"It's my fault," he sighed, his head dropping back in his hands. "It's a disaster."

At his side, Viktor hummed softly.

"You can't control everything in life, Jayce," he said. "What happened wasn't your fault."

"Those were my crystals. If I hadn't brought them here in the first place, none of this would have happened."

"You're not the one who caused the explosion."

"I might as well have been. I knew they were dangerous, I should have secured them more safely, I should have… Gods, Cait often comes by at my apartment, she would have fallen upon them eventually, it was an accident waiting to happen…"

"Jayce," Viktor called, prompting him to look at him. "It wasn't your fault. We all make our own decision in life, and those children choose to rob your apartment."

Though did they really have a choice? Debatable, but Viktor kept that thought to himself.

Jayce's expression hardened as he thought back about everything he'd just seen.

"They were just trying to survive…" he mumbled under his breath.

He could see it now, and he could only be ashamed of the annoyance he felt when he learned his place had been sacked.

"Is it… always this bad in the Undercity?" he asked, remembering that his new partner originally came from there too.

"Yes," Viktor admitted simply.

"Is that why you left?"

The scientist didn't immediately reply. Viktor never forgot his roots and there was a certain charm to the Undercity, but only a fool wouldn't admit its harsh way of life. He remembered the toxic fumes filling his lungs, the gangs filling the streets and the occasional body rotting in the gutters. He remembered his parents overworking themselves, desperate to keep their boy alive, trying to send him away because they were so sure he wouldn't survive down there. He remembered Singed.

"Yes," he finally replied. "But that's why we need to make things better."

A bitter scoff escaped Jayce.

"It seems I only made things worse for them," he said, glancing at the trio of Undercity children.

They were hollow shells of despair. A far cry from his younger self when exposed to magic for the first time. What had saved his life destroyed theirs.

'You don't understand what's at stake,'Heimerdinger had warned in this other reality. It seemed that he had been right.

Jayce thought he had. He had studied the crystals for years, he had known how powerful and thus how destructive they potentially were. He'd been careful handling them, studying them. They'd never been completely safe, but the reward was worth the risk. Or at least, that's what he had thought. If Jayce would have been willing to give his life for his dream, he had never thought others would be the ones to pay for it.

"Hextech was my dream. I thought… I could change things. Help people."

Become the hero who gave children hope, just like the magician that saved his life was to him. But instead…

"You still can."

His train of thoughts interrupted, Jayce looked up to glance at his partner. There was no sign of doubt in Viktor's eyes.

Despite the tragedy they'd just witnessed, Viktor's conviction hadn't wavered. Quite the opposite, actually. It had never been stronger.

Death was omnipresent in the Undercity. People lost their loved ones everyday. What happened to the little family was undeniably a tragedy, but the hex crystals hadn't caused it. They had only been a catalyst, the problem lied much deeper than this. It was rooted in the system, and with or without the crystals, a disaster would have happened one day or another. They had seen the scared man planning to gut them all. They would have been chased down like stray dogs and murdered one day or another.

Uncontrolled, the crystals' power was alarmingly hazardous. Viktor understood that. But not only did he also understand their potential was worth the risk, he now also knew they could control it.

They had managed to do so in this other reality. They just needed to secure the crystals better in theirs.

"They were too late," he explained as his partner showed no signs of cheering up. When Jayce only raised a confused eyebrow at him, Viktor directed his gaze at the recorder. "Our other selves; they were too late. They couldn't avoid another tragedy."

Another Day of Ashes.

He marked a pause, letting the dispirited scientist take in his words, before he continued.

"But we can.Wecan change things."

"Can we, really?" Jayce sighed as he risked another glance at the Undercity kids. Riddled with guilt however, he couldn't bear to look at them for more than a few seconds before he redirected his gaze on the floor.

But Viktor, who hadn't missed the little interaction, was determined to reassure him.

"Yes, we can. They're fine, Jayce. None of this really happened, nor will it ever happen. We'll make sure of that."

"How? That kid…Powder. She's still unconscious right now, isn't she?"

"But she's alive and we'll find a way to wake her. It's not your fault. What happened wasn't your fault," Viktor repeated.

But despite the firm reassurance, Jaycee wasn't so sure.

Caitlyn glanced at the door for what felt like the hundredth time as she absentmindedly nibbled her lower lip and bounced her legs nervously. She was expecting the father-daughter duo to return anytime now, but each time she heard footsteps approaching, the sound disappeared in the hallway and the door never opened.

"Caitlyn, will you stop that already?" demanded her mother.

The young girl was almost startled by her voice.

"Sorry…"

She placed her hands on her knees to keep them in place and be mindful of her manners, but it didn't take long for her to forget once again about her mother's words and resume the anxious bouncing and nibbling.

Exasperated, Cassandra sighed. She didn't push the matter however. Considering the circumstances, she could tolerate the small lapse.

The somber atmosphere was affecting everyone and not even she could maintain a perfect facade.

Heimerdinger was pacing around the room silently, mumbling under his breath. It wasn't hard to guess what was going through his mind with frown on his face; it was only ever present when people mentioned magic after all. Jayce was completely down, his shoulders slumped and his head hanging low (which wouldn't be that strange of a sight for her to see if her protege wasn't the incarnation of optimism itself). His newly found partner was faring a little bit better, trying to cheer him up, but judging by the way Jayce stayed despondent, it wasn't truly working. And the trenchers? Well…

Cassandra was a businesswoman, and as such, she had never been too interested in the money pit that was the Undercity. But as a mother, she could only feel for those children. Trenchers had always been a thorn on her side, and this new generation of thugs hadn't exactly made a good impression on her. They were rude, filthy, unapologetic andblew up her building(she would certainlynothave voted for leniency during their trial). But they were also children. It was hard to remember this fact sometimes, but now that they now longer put on a bravado and were fully vulnerable in front of her, she couldn't help but think about her own daughter.

Caitlyn too could be a handful sometimes. She'd raised her with so much care to make her a befitting member of their society, a future leader of Piltover, yet, she still found ways to frustrate her, to defy her. But what happens when the society doesn't expect you to be respectable? When the adults around you don't guide you toward the proper path? Of course those children couldn't make a good impression on her. Most of them were even younger than Caitlyn, yet, their future was already doomed. Hells, most of them already no longer had a future. When she thought aboutherdaughter intheirposition…

It was a dangerous land to step on, so she decided not to dwell onto it and focus on another matter.

"Are you alright, Sheriff?" she asked.

The question also managed to divert her daughter's attention away from the door.

"Yes, Councilor," replied Grayson simply, "thank you."

If anything, she was actually relieved. Watching her own doom was a small price to pay to have a chance to change things.

"But… you died," Caitlyn immediately protested, her voice barely above a whisper.

Grayson smiled.

"I am an enforcer, young Kiramman. Line of duty death is to be expected."

Yes, Caitlyn knew that. Of course she did. But still. Expecting the risk and knowing it was supposed to happen —worse, watching it happen— were not the same things.

Reading the concern on her expression, Grayson continued, "I gave my life the moment I accepted to carry the badge. Dying trying to protect the peace is a fitting end for me. And I have no family, no one will weep for me. Well, no one except for you," she teased. The young girl immediately tried to hide the creeping blush on her face. "And I'm still alive, am I not? None of this really happened."

Still, it didn't make Caitlyn feel any better.

"I'm much more concerned about them," the Sheriff finished as she glanced at the Undercity children.

All three of them were silent, their eyes unfocused and their posture slouched. Reminded of the short glimpse she caught of Vi's expression before she ran away, Caitlyn couldn't help but drop her head once more.

"Are they going to be alright?"

No one replied.

His eyes were dry. He had cried —of course he had, he had just learned he died after all—, but at some point, the tears stopped coming and he hadn't even realized it.

He was exhausted. There was not an ounce of energy left in his body and he could do nothing but blankly watch the floor in front of him. There had been many days where fatigue washed over him —the trenchers' lifestyle was hardly a restful one— but no race across the Undercity, no escape from enforcers had ever left him this exhausted.

Mylo hadn't really thought much about it this morning when they sat down to watch the future unfurl in front of their eyes. He had been unsettled to learn the future was grim, but part of him had been pleased to know a war was going to happen. After all, a war was exactly what he had been waiting for.

Well, maybe notexactly. Unlike Vi, he had never wished for an all-out war with Piltover, but he, too, had been nurturing deep resentment against everything the city represented. He, too, had been craving for any form of retaliation. He, too, had wanted to fight. So far, he had stayed content simply hurting the stuck-up Topsiders' pride by humiliating enforcers here and there, but if a war was to happen, he knew he would have gladly jumped into it.

Those feelings were long gone.

People died in wars. Of course they did. Mylo wasn't naive enough to think there would be no casualties. Yet, for some reasons, he had been naive enough to never consider he would be among them, and somehow, that changed everything.

There was no fight left within him.

How many times had Vander told them about it? About the price of freedom?It's not the way,he'd say.It's not worth it.This frustrated Mylo to no end, and he knew he wasn't the only one. Vander was his and his siblings' hero, but although he would never admit it out-loud, there were times he thought he was a coward. Now though… Now he understood.

Wars were fucking nasty and sacrifices were to be made.

But what war? What sacrifice? If his own death had been a hard pill to swallow —he had yet to completely process it—, it was even harder to realize that he had died for nothing. Over a petty dispute that didn't even involve any Piltovan or enforcer. Because Powder couldn't stay put.

Oh, right, Powder.

Fucking little Powder.

She actually killed him, huh?

Somehow, his brain had completely overlooked this particular piece of information until now, but now that he was slowly processing everything that happened —or should have happened— he couldn't help but snort.

She actually killed him.

This sheer absurdity sinking in, an incredulous laugh grew in his chest and suddenly, he was laughing.

Because that was funny, wasn't it?

Fucking little Powder. The liability of the group.

She claimed to be a tinkerer, but she destroyed more than she created, she tripped over her own feet, and she fell sick at the slightest drop of rain. She was a dead-weight that couldn't do a single thing right and yet, she managed to kill him. She managed to kill Claggor. And most importantly, she managed to killMother. Fucking. Vander.

How many people had tried to kill Vander before? It was already a feat to survive until adulthood in the Undercity, but to raise in ranks? Vander was a unit, he hadn't earned his fame for nothing. The Hound of the Underground. He was a legend. The only mention of his name would be enough to make people tremble and yet… Little Powder killed him. Sure, that Silco guy was the one to deliver the final blow, but he certainly wouldn't have been able to sneak behind him if Powder's explosion hadn't seriously injured him.

How funny was that? All three of them died at the hands of the incompetent Powder.

While Mylo had always said Powder would be the end of them and that she would kill them all one day, he had never actually believed in it. Well, he had been right, and it was fucking hilarious.

The light giggles evolved into a fit of laughter and suddenly, the more than religious silence in the room was broken. People were looking at him now, Mylo could tell, but he didn't care. Why would he after all? He'd just died, because ofPowder, nothing seemed to matter anymore.

At his side, Claggor only sighed. He, too, was starting to feel the concerned glances the Piltovans were sending in their direction, but he, too, didn't care much for them right now.

Mylo was losing it.

Usually the cool headed one of the two, Claggor knew he should have tried to calm him down or something, but he couldn't find it in him to move. He wasn't the only one to go through a catharsis after all.

Dead.

He was dead.

Claggor was a simple boy. He liked simple things and had simple dreams. He enjoyed the friendly rivalry he had with Mylo, he enjoyed raising hell with Vi, he enjoyed the innocent eagerness Powder always had when following them, and he enjoyed the calmer evenings when the gang would gather at Vander's bar to listen to his stories while he worked. He enjoyed the good and the bad with his adopted family; the races, the fights, the banter…

Life wasn't great in the Undercity, but it wasn't always so terrible either. There was a simple routine in his, and naively, he believed it would last forever.

It wouldn't, and just like thousand others during the Day of Ashes, he had died without accomplishing anything, soon to be forgotten.

Nothing, not even Mylo's nervous breakdown or Ekko's not-so-subtle glances, could deter him from that thought. What was he supposed to tell them anyway? He was never good at comforting others. That was usually either Vi or Vander's job, and Vi just took off and Vander followed after her.

So he dropped his head in his hands, pretended to hear nothing, see nothing, and let himself disappeared in his own thoughts.

If there was one thing the Undercity folks were good at, it was surviving. They were fighters. No matter how many enforcers Piltover sent or how much toxins filled their lungs, they always lived to see another day. Because surviving meant fighting, and fighting was all that mattered in the Undercity. As such, managing to stay alive was never something to be shameful about. The weak died and the survivors fought on. That was the way. Yet, at the moment, all Ekko could feel was shame.

Vander wasn't weak. Benzo wasn't weak. Mylo and Claggor weren't weak. But they all died anyway. Vi and Powder were taken, and only he was left. He, who started everything.

If it wasn't for him…

If it wasn't forPiltover, the more bitter part of his brain would remind him, trying to alleviate the guilt, but then, one glance at his friends or at his mentor would make their death replay in his mind, and not even Piltover's existence seemed to lessen his role in their tragedy.

He should have been the one to die…

Despite their more "diplomatic" approach these past years (as they would say), Vander and Benzo were veterans in wars. They had fought more battles than he could count, and even to this day, people trusted them to lead the Lanes to a better future. Vi was their successor, and her siblings were her feet and hands.

Compared to them, who was he? What did he do? He didn't even partake in heists, he just.. repaired stuff and scammed idiots. How come he was the one to survive? Why did he have to be the one to survive?

"They need time, Ekko," Benzo said as he caught him glancing at the brothers.

Mylo was going mad and Claggor was avoiding his eyes. Clearly, they needed more than time. Would they ever forgive him? Would Benzo?

"Aren't you mad at me?" he asked. His voice was hoarse from all the crying.

"Mad?" Benzo repeated, raising his brows curiously. "For what?"

"For causing all this…"For killing you."If I hadn't followed that topsider…"

A light snort interrupted him.

"All you did was fleece a fool. Ain't the first time, ain't the last," tried to reason Benzo. But despite the genuine smirk on his face, Ekko couldn't find comfort in his words. "You didn't cause any of this."

If the boy wasn't so sure about that, his mentor believed it firmly. It was true that this wasn't the first time Ekko tipped the gang on a job after all. He wasn't as recognizable as the other four as Vander's kids, and his work often allowed him to spot the good places to raid. It wasn't even the first time one of these jobs went wrong (although it was the first time it went this horribly wrong).

Heists were a regular occurrence for anyone in the Undercity and although, granted, they probably shouldn't have targeted Topside, why would he blame Ekko for it now? Especially when he could be hotheaded himself sometimes (he justhadto go after Silco despite having just watched the Sheriff get mauled).

Speaking of Silco…

"You ain't the one to have transformed a kid into a monster, and you ain't the one to have kidnapped Vander."

If there was anyone to blame, it would be Silco. The old rat had clearly been planning to take them out for years, and even went as far as having the Sheriff killed for his plans.

Benzo had never liked Silco, not even when they used to fight for the same cause. He never knew when to stop and this incident only proved that. Getting rid of Vander and himself was to be expected, but actively plotting against children and using them as means? Vander's kids hadn't been collateral damages, their death had been premeditated.

Out of everyone involved in this tragedy, Silco had been the only one to plan for murder. And that included the stuck-up asshole the Sheriff used as a deputy.

For a moment, Benzo thought he had succeeded in alleviating the guilt off of the boy's shoulders, as a frown appeared on his face. But then, his features softened, and the rage washed off, replaced by worry.

"Do you think Powder is going to be alright?" asked Ekko.

Thatwas a question he didn't want to answer.

"Err, kid is strong," he said, suddenly not looking at the boy anymore. "In her own way."

Benzo knew how much Ekko cared for the girl ((if he thought he could hide his crush, he was so deadly wrong, because everyone and their mother in the Lanes knew about it), so he couldn't bring himself to reply any other way.

Truth was, Powder would probably not be alright. To begin with, she was almost never alright on her own. It was almost as if she didn't know how to function without her sister (or Vander for that matter, she usually tolerated the replacement in the short term). But now that she was in Silco's hands? The girl was doomed.

Out of everyone in the Lanes —hells, in the whole of Runeterra— she just had to latch onto that one bastard. Whatever semblance of sympathy Silco felt towards her, it wouldn't last. Benzo was sure about it.

"Are you alright?" Caitlyn asked as Jayce decided to join her side and Viktor walked away to give the two some privacy.

"I don't know, are you?"

"I- I don't know."

An awkward silence settled between the two.

Despite their age gap, Jayce and Caitlyn had always been close. Jayce's ambitions had managed to catch her mother's eyes years ago, and had been her family's protege since forever. Caitlyn just couldn't remember a time Jayce wasn't there, at her side. He was like an older brother to her, and she knew he thought of her as a little sister as well. There was no pretense between them, they were always comfortable between each other. Yet, at the moment, Caitlyn couldn't help but feel awkward around him.

"I'm sorry, you know," she said eventually, still not meeting his eyes.

"Sorry? What for?" Jayce replied, furrowing his brows in confusion.

"For shouting at you… Earlier."

"Oh. Nothing I didn't deserve, I suppose. And I'm sorry too. For… trying to jump."

As Caitlyn finally decided to look up at him, the two exchanged a soft smile—a far cry from the ones they usually exchanged, but familiar enough to alleviate the strange awkwardness between them.

"And it's not your fault, you know?" Caitlyn added, a bit hesitant. "What happened."

She knew Jayce enough to know he would blame himself, and she cared too much about him to let him do that. As expected, Jayce's expression faltered a little, but he did his best not to let his face sunk once more.

"I know," he sighed.

And he did. No matter what he heart was telling him, he knew it wasn't really his fault. Viktor had repeated it enough as it was, and he really didn't want to worry Caitlyn as well.

"Do you regret it? Hextech."

"I don't know… I don't think so. It's been my dream for so long. I just hoped it would have happened differently."

"Yeah, me too."

This time, the silence settling between the two was a comfortable one. But once again, Caitlyn didn't let it stretch for too long.

"But at least you flew," she said.

Jayce narrowed his eyes for a moment, before understanding which scene she was referring to.

"More like floated," he scoffed.

"No, you flew. And not for the first time as well. You did it as a child too, when you were saved from the snow storm," she huffed, feigning a pout. "You never told me that."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think my near death experience was an appropriate bed-time story for someone of yourstature," he teased, imitating her mother.

Half-annoyed, half-amused, Caitlyn rolled her eyes.

"Would you have let me tried?"

"What? Flying?"

She nodded.

"Would your mother let you try?"

"Probably not."

Cassandra was close enough to probably hear their entire conversation, but neither of them cared as soft giggles erupted from their chest.

"Ah! Councilor Medarda," exclaimed Heimerdinger, immediately snapping everyone's attention back to the entrance. The councilwoman entered the room alone. "How is the girl?"

"Fine," replied Mel as she came to join the Sheriff and the other councilors. "She just needs a break."

"Of course, of course. We all do."

"What about Vander?" asked Grayson.

"Keeping an eye on her."

The Sheriff nodded.

As her eyes settled on the trenchers, Mel raised an eyebrow.

"They seem to be doing worse than before," she noted. Not that she was too surprised. Anyone would be in shock after witnessing all that. The more they processed it, the worse it would be.

"Those poor children were robbed of their future," sighed Heimerdinger. "This is why the Arcane is so dangerous. Its power is too volatile, it just can't be controlled."

"With all respect, Professor, the recording proved otherwise," argued Mel. When the yordle frowned at her response, she continued, "We did see our two scientists over there managing to harness its power."

As Jayce straightened his back, startled by the many eyes turning to him, Viktor simply nodded at her words.

"We don't know what we saw," Heimerdinger insisted. "But if one things is for sure, it is that as long as the Arcane exists, things are bound to go wrong. It corrupts."

"Power corrupts," corrected Mel. "The Arcane is just a tool. It did not cause this tragedy."

Her eyes settling on the trenchers once more, her expression softened.

"It did not cause the uprising on the bridge, orphaning these children, nor did it create the growing resentment the Undercity has for Piltover, pushing a madman to prepare for war."

Her voice was clear, resolved, but there was an undeniable hint of shame in it.

'War is a failure of statecraft.'

There was nothing she could have done about the uprising on the bridge, but she could have prevented this. It had been years since she took up her duties as a councilor. Years she could have spent improving things. But she'd done nothing, noticed nothing. Or rather, she chose not to notice. Her obsession towards proving her mother wrong lead her to forsake the very thing that drove them apart; her compassion.

As her words sunk in, all Topsiders lowered their head in shame. The poor state of the Undercity was a secret for no one, yet, none of them had ever stopped to even try to really think about it.

How many times had Jayce gone down to the Undercity to acquire new trinkets for his studies? There were orphans and beggars at every corner, yet, he'd never stopped to look at them, had he?

Cassandra never really put a foot in the Undercity, too unsightly to her taste, but she had read enough report to guess what it was like. Yet, she'd never seen the people, only the numbers.

Heimerdinger was the city's founder and doyen. He'd been there since before the rift between the two cities even started. He could have prevented it, should have prevented it, instead, he let things reach that point. Human lives were fleeting, not inconsequential. It seemed at some point, he just forgot about that.

Even Caitlyn couldn't help but regret the stereotypes she'd harbored against the trenchers. She should have thought better than to believe what people who never went to the Undercity said about it.

"When did things get so bad?" sighed Heimerdinger.

When indeed? They were once one and the same city, one and the same people.

Seeing each and every one of the councilor ponder about their responsibility in the matter, a small glimmer of hope started to shine in Viktor' heart. Having the people in power acknowledging the problem was the first step that the Undercity tried but failed to achieve for so long. It was surreal to see it happening now. Even Grayson held her breath, unwilling to interrupt the moment. She'd warned them so many times in the past, and had been dismissed every single time.

'If Vander could see this…'

"I believe that we can all agree we failed our people," Cassandra said.

The unusual softness of her voice and hint of regret in it sounded foreign to even Caitlyn's ears.

'Our people.'

Her mother's distate for the Undercity citizen was well known, who would have thought she would one day have acknowledged them?

"We did," Heimerdinger admitted, his ears flattening on his head. "And I am to blame for this failure."

"We all are, Professor," emphasized Mel. "We all are. But it's not too late for us to make amends. What is done is done. We can't change the past, but we can change the future."

Heimerdinger may fear magic, she knew better to do the same. The Arcane was just a tool. It destroyed, consumed, but it could also create and save. In their instance, it had given them an opportunity; to learn from their mistake, to do better.

As the three councilors exchanged a meaningful glance, they knew they had reached a consensus; they had been given a second chance and they weren't going to waste it.

Notes:

Oh, by the way.We have a discord now.Free cookies for anyone who wants to join. Arcane simping assured.

Chapter 20: Interlude: Intentions and Consequences

Summary:

Vander comforts his kids to the best of his ability.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)

Chapter Text

His head was fuzzy, his temples pulsing. Vander couldn't tell if it was due to the lack of sleep, the abuse of nicotine or these past few hours' revelations, but none of it mattered as he emptied his pipe's bowl to refill it yet again with fresh tobacco.

Vi was completely calm now, her breathing slow and steady. She was still huddled up, her head buried between her knees, and still refused to talk to him or even look at him, but she was calm and that was all that mattered to him.

The pipe now full, he brought it to his mouth and reached for a match in his chest pocket. He lit it with a flick of the thumb, set the tobacco aflame, but only drew a couple of times before putting the pipe away and extending it in front of him.

"Want some?" he offered, trying to coax a reaction out of the young girl. He hadn't expected her to respond, however.

"It tastes like shit," she said, her hoarse voice barely above a whisper.

Vander raised his brows.

"You've tried before?"

The teenage girl didn't reply.

"Of course you have," he scoffed, bringing the pipe back to his mouth to take a puff.

He'd done much worse at her age, so her stealing his stash of tobacco was the least of his worries (though he must admit that he was both impressed and concerned by how she must have gotten a hand on his pipe, because he always kept it in his pocket or on his nightstand when he slept).

"You were right."

Vi usually wasn't one to admit her wrongs. She preferred apologizing through concrete actions or by making sure not to repeat the same mistakes, but acknowledging them out loud? It involved talking, which itself meant putting your feelings on the table, and there was nothing she hated more than having her heart bare for anyone to see. Right now though, there was no point in putting up a front. She'd already hit her lowest and if there was anyone she could allow herself to be vulnerable around, it was Vander, so she let the words flow wearily.

"Benzo, Mylo, Claggor, you." Powder. "Nothing's worth your lives," she sniffled.

No promises of a better future, no dream of freedom. Not even the sweet vengeance she'd dreamed of since the Day of Ashes.

'Who are you willing to lose?'

Now she knew; no one.

"I should have listened to you. If I had…"

Vander sighed. Vi didn't finish her sentence, but there was no need for him to guess what she wanted to say. He knew better than anyone what she was feeling at the moment after all.

Being responsible for other people's death was a terrible thing, and no matter how much he believed her not to be accountable at all, he knew nothing he would say would convince her otherwise. No matter how many times the kids told him they didn't blame him, no matter how many times they hugged him with their tiny arms, he knew that if it wasn't for him, they'd never have been orphaned. He'd been the one in charge then, leading the uprising on the bridge, and he'd be the one standing alive while all the people who believed him laid dead at his feet. Nothing would change that, just like nothing would change the events of this other reality. It was a price the survivors always had to carry; the burden of guilt. And in a way, hadn't he taught her himself to carry that burden? Be a leader, he'd say. Beresponsible.

After the catastrophic events of the Day of Ashes, Vander had been resolved to raise the next generation not to repeat the same mistakes as him. Mylo had been too skittish to take on the role of a leader, Claggor too gentle and Powder too timid. Vi, though? Vi had been like a fire; her light attracted others, but her flames threatened to burn everything around her if not tamed. He'd seen the potential in her. He'd seenhimselfin her. And that's why despite raising all four kids the best he could, he was never as harsh with the others as he was with her. Because she was the eldest, the leader, the responsible one.

Right now, he could only regret his way of teaching. It was a cruel joke from the Aspects; by trying so hard to teach her not to make the same mistakes as him, he'd only put her on the same path instead. Now, she had to live with the same burden of thinking she failed everyone as him, a burden much too big for anyone to carry, let alone a child like her, who wasn't even half the age he was that fateful day. Because he'd taught her that, again and again; being a leader meant being responsible.

"Do you remember the first time I've brought you to The Last Drop?" Vander recalled the two tiny girls he had to pry off when they arrived at his place. Despite being worn out by grief, anger and confusion, Vi had refused to fall asleep on the entire way back home. "Quite chaotic wasn't it? A bar is hardly a place for a kid to set foot, and I had never imagined mine would one day shelter two, soon to be four of them."

Fatherhood really had fallen upon him like a sudden strike of lightning.

"I tried my best to adapt it to your needs, but you girls weren't being quite cooperative," he continued, now remembering how Vi categorically refused to let go of his shirt and how Powder imitated her. "Spent three whole days running around to get supplies, cleaning the basement and turning it into a nice bedroom, only for you two to refuse to set foot in it."

He'd been so out of touch with how to deal with this new situation he had to visit a couple of Babette's workers who were much more familiar with children than him, but despite all their advices, no matter how many blankets, pillows and makeshift toys he brought them, the two girls just refused to settle in.

"It wasn't home," Vi croaked weakly.

Yes, Vander had known that.

"You spent the next few weeks in my bedroom. And then Mylo and Claggor came in, and there were five of us in the bed."

It had been a pretty rough time for him. His bedroom had always been his sanctuary. He never even let women in, and all of a sudden, his poor twin bed had to accommodate five people, including four children whose nights were often filled with nightmares, causing them to almost constantly kick him awake.

"But you didn't stay, did you?" He continued, now a nostalgic smile on his face. "One by one, each one of you ultimately moved into the basement. It took some time, but you found your feet, made it cozy and turned it into your room. And things got better from then on."

Noticing the slight shaking in her shoulders indicating she'd started crying again, Vander abandoned his wall to sit at her side. As gently as he could, he enveloped an arm around her and brought her to his chest and this time, she didn't fight his touch, only buried herself closer.

"We're alright, Vi," he said. "It'll get better. I promise."

Brooding was not something Jayce was used to. He had little regrets in his life and with a dream turned towards a better future, he didn't really have the time to mull over what was done. But with no one to distract him anymore, Caitlyn having returned to the sheriff's side and Viktor now gone to discuss with the Professor, he couldn't help but think; what could he have done better to avoid this situation? What could he have changed?

Cassandra had to clear her voice to gain his attention. She wasn't used to being ignored like this, but evidently, the boy was too lost in his own thoughts to have noticed her approach.

"Mrs. Kiramman," he immediately rose from his seat to greet her.

"Jayce."

"Caitlyn is—"

"With the Sheriff, I saw."

As she sat on the bench he was on just a few seconds ago, Jayce took the clue to take a seat at her side.

"Thank you for comforting Caitlyn," started the councilwoman. "She didn't take the death of Sheriff Grayson quite well, but talking to you evidently cheered her up."

Jayce snorted.

"I'd say she cheered me up more than I cheered her up."

"Perhaps, but that is only further proof of the bond you two share."

He smiled, glancing at the girl he considered a sister. She was still talking to the Sheriff.

"She is quite fond of her, huh?"

When she realized he was referring to Grayson, Cassandra couldn't help but sigh.

"Unfortunately."

Jayce rose his brows curiously.

"You don't approve of it?"

"The Sheriff is an honorable woman, and I suppose Caitlyn could have chosen a worse role model. She might be a littletooadmiring of her, however."

"I suppose she told you about becoming an enforcer," chuckled Jayce.

"I'm hoping it'll pass."

Caitlyn hadn't always wanted to become an enforcer. In fact, she never really had to think about a future career, naturally assuming she would one day succeed her mother just like she intended her to. But then, there was the shooting competition, and with the kind heart and natural predisposition towards' helping other she inherited from her father (and she couldn't even blame Tobias for that as they were the very things that made her fall for him), Caitlyn started nurturing this idea of following the Sheriff's footsteps instead, and there was little Cassandra could do about it.

As she told Jayce, Sheriff Graysonwasan honorable woman after all. What could she have reproached her to discourage her daughter from idolizing her? Not to mention the fact that Caitlyn didn't have many people she held close to her heart. Cassandra would be damned if she stole one of them from her for the only reason that she distracted her too much from the career path she forged for her.

"I believe I also owe you an apology," she continued, looking at the other person her daughter almost lost because of her (well, not exactly, but she definitely didn't do much to prevent it anyway).

Jayce frowned, clearly confused.

"For not supporting you further in your trial and withdrawing my patronage. For that I'm sorry."

Finally, the light bulb light on in his head and he remembered the not-so-glorious moment of his everyone witnessed.

"Oh," he forced a nervous chuckle out his throat. "Don't be. I understand. I wasn't completely honest about the nature of my studies either."

Would he have liked further support for his other self? Yes. But did he blame Cassandra for not standing up for him? Absolutely not. He understood her position well. She was a councilor first and foremost. One of her duties was to enforce the Ethos, the very one he deliberately broke usingherpatronage money. What could she have done to defend him without jeopardizing her own position? Not to mention he did indirectly put her daughter in danger.

"I apologize nonetheless," insisted Cassandra.

As a businesswoman, she expected a return on all her investment, so it was only natural for her to withdraw her patronage the moment Jayce was exiled from the Academy. Jayce wasn't just an investment however, he was also her daughter's dearest friend, and that alone was reason enough for her to regret turning him away so coldly after his trial.

"Thank you," Jayce said. "And I apologize too. For everything, I guess."

He offered her a smile and she returned it.

If anything, he probably saved them all with his illegal research, so why would she hold it against him?

When Vander returned —alone— all eyes snapped towards him. He didn't hide the strain on his face as he entered the room where he witnessed his own demise. He had barely slept the last night, the stress of not knowing what would happen to his kids keeping him awake. Now, it was the stress of actually knowing that was gnawing at him.

When he noticed the two boys all slumped on their seats, not even raising their heads to acknowledge him, he sighed.

"You look terrible," Benzo stated.

"You look fine," replied Vander a bit surprised. Almost as if he hadn't witnessed his own death.

Benzo shrugged. "Eh, I've seen worse."

"Did you now?"

"Don't remember? When we were just boys, not even older than this one," he gestured at Jayce as he started his tale, "there was a mine collapse, both barely made it out. We were still completely covered in soot when we decided we would celebrated staying alive and went to Babette's, who introduced her new girls, a pair of sisters who—"

"Okay, shut up," Vander elbowed him, now chortling as he recalled the infamous episode.

Thatwas something he didn't necessarily want to reminisce about. They had both learned there were a lot of things they weren't into that night.

As their laughter subsided, Benzo adopted a much more serious expression.

"What about Vi?" he asked.

"She's… better," replied Vander. "Still recovering, but better."

"Blaming herself, huh? I know a guy just like her."

Vander snorted.

"Yeah, I guess. The boys?"

"As you can see."

Neither Claggor or Mylo had budged from the position he found them in when he entered the room.

"Won't talk to me, I've tried."

A sigh escaping his lungs, Vander passed a hand through his already disheveled hair.

"I'll talk to them," he said. "Could you go check on Vi? I can't leave her alone for too long, she's still very shaken by this whole situation, but I don't think she's ready to come back just yet."

Before Benzo could reply however, a new voice suddenly chimed in. "I could go!"

If both friends were startled by the unexpected intervention, the real surprise came when they turned to see the young Piltovan girl looking at them with expectant eyes.

"Caitlyn,"her mother tried to call, equally taken aback by her intervention. This time however, Caitlyn had no intention of listening to her. Pretending not to hear her, she left Grayson's side to walk up to them.

"I could go," she repeated. "I could watch her, stay by her side for as long as you need me to. I-If that is of any help."

Now that she was in front of them, hesitance was starting to bleed in her voice, but neither friend took notice of it as they exchanged a silent, confused look. When Benzo shrugged, Vander shot a questioning glance at the young girl's mother next, and Cassandra simply sighed, pressing her fingers on her forehead in a frustrated but resigned gesture. She was not winning this one and she knew it.

"Alright," Vander ultimately accepted, deciding why the hell not?

While he wasn't fond of Topsiders, this one was clearly harmless and good-intended (not to mention he did have a soft spot for children). Vi would probably still be blaming herself, so having someone completely unrelated to this whole fiasco stay by her side didn't seem like such a bad idea, especially when he noticed Ekko's relieved sigh as he realized his guardian wouldn't be going anywhere. A good call, he supposed, watching the bright smile spreading on the young girl's face.

"O-Okay!" beamed Caitlyn. " I'll be going then!"

And just like that, she disappeared in the hallway.

For a moment, Vander wondered if he should stop her after all, but the appreciative nod Grayson gave him put any fear he might have entertained at ease. After all, if the Sheriff herself vouched for the girl, what was there to be worried about? His mind tranquil, he turned his attention to his sons.

Cassandra, on the other hand, was growing a headache. She could really use a cup of tea, right now.

"I'm surprised you let her go," commented Jayce at her side, slightly amused.

She sighed. "She wouldn't have listened regardless."

That wasn't necessarily true, but seeing her daughter so miserable and then suddenly so eager, Cassandra couldn't find it in her to stop her. Of course Caitlyn would jump on the occasion to help. Perhaps she should blame Tobias after all for passing onto their daughter this endearing, but sometimes frustrating, unselfish concern for others…

Watching the future unfold in front of her, Caitlyn had felt many things; excitement at first, when she was still blissfully unaware of the upcoming tragedy, guilt when she realized all the wrongs the Undercity and its inhabitants suffered while she naively admired the system that allowed them all, wonder when she watched her dearest friend's dream come true, horror when bodies started to drop… But most of all, she had felt insignificant. Powerless.

She had felt powerless to watch her hero die, powerless to know there was nothing she could have done to prevent that, powerless that even now, there was little she could do at all to help.

Jayce, Viktor and Ekko were the very reason this Hextech technology managed to reach them. Vander and Benzo were leading figures in the Undercity, Grayson clearly considered them her equals. Her mother and the other councilors? They were part of the Council. They had the power to decide the state of Piltover. Even the trio of siblings fought in its own way the unfairness of the system. Her? She had no role to play in all this.

She'd felt so out of place, so uncomfortably impotent in this crowd of people directly concerned by this tragedy, she'd been happy to offer her help when she heard the two men talk. However, in her eagerness to finally be able to actually do something (anything), she forgot to ask about something else very important; she didn't know where Vi was.

She had run for about thirty seconds when she became aware of her mistake. Candidly (hopefully), she continued her race for another minute or so before she realized she wasn't finding her. Panic started to set in. Hoping to find her in another direction, she retraced her steps. Caitlyn wasn't lost, she knew the Academy. But knowing the Academy was also precisely the reason why she didn't stop panicking just yet. The building was huge, Vi could have been anywhere. Perhaps she should return to the others and ask them for directions? It would be awkward, surely, but the longer she wasted her time running around, the more she failed at her task of actually keeping the girl company.

Fortunately for her, she found Vi before it came to that. Huddled into a ball of misery on the floor, she almost ran past her. The pink hair was the only thing that cued her to stop.

Vi was like no one she'd ever met before. She was rude, intimidating, not exactly friendly, but also strong, resolved, and overflowing with confidence. Right now though, she displayed none of these traits. She was so small here on the cold floor hugging herself. So broken and so vulnerable. It felt almost wrong to see her in this state. Caitlyn had to double-check to make sure she hadn't gotten the wrong person, but the hair was unmistakable, and the choice of clothing an obvious proof that she wasn't from the Uppercity.

It seemed that she had been staring too intently, because blue eyes peeking out suddenly snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Uh… Hi," she stammered.

She could have sworn she saw an eye roll before Vi decided she wasn't worth her attention and buried her head in her arms once more.

Caitlyn stayed frozen in place for a moment, unsure what to do in this situation. She hadn't exactly thought of a plan when coming here.

"Are you okay?" She tentatively asked.

The desperate attempt to break ice turned into a regret as soon as the words left her mouth though.

Of course she's not okay, what an idiot!

Fortunately, Vi didn't react, determined to ignore her.

Once again, Caitlyn was left without anything to say. Because what could she say? What was she supposed to say?

Suddenly, she regretted even being here. She'd been happy to help and ran all the way without thinking, but now that she was here, in front of her, she realized there was still nothing she could do, nothing she could say.

"Vander is checking on your friends," she ultimately settled on justifying her presence. "He sent me so you wouldn't be alone."

Still, Vi didn't react.

"He seems… kind," she continued, hoping to catch her attention.

And that was true. As intimidating he could be, she'd thought so ever since their first meeting.

"You know I bumped into him yesterday," she recounted. "Fell on my face first and broke my nose. I had never broken anything before, it was quite painful. Still is, sometimes. I imagine you'd know."

No response.

"My dad is a doctor, you know? He has seen some pretty bad injuries throughout his career, but I'm pretty sure he's never been as panicked as yesterday."

A light chuckle left her chest.

"You should have seen his face."

Still nothing.

"Even Jayce never hurt himself this badly before, I'm pretty sure. You know, the inventor guy? Don't let his stature fool you, he can be quite clumsy. And thinking about it, considering the amount of time he spends in his family's workshop, it's quite a miracle he still has all his limbs."

Suddenly, she had a lot of things to say —most of it having absolutely nothing to do with everything they'd just seen, which was probably for the best. At absolutely no point did Vi show any signs of acknowledging her. Still, Caitlyn kept going anyway. The more she talked, the more she felt her nervousness disappearing.

She was exhausted. She had no fight left in her, no energy. Her body was fine, she knew. She had spent the entire day yesterday pacing in her cell, and the entire morning sitting on a bench. There was no way her body would be strained. The mental toll of the past few hours' revelations did certainly make her feel like she had fought the entire population of the Undercity as every single one of her muscles screamed in agony though.

For a moment, she forced herself to look up. To ground herself, remember where she was.

The Piltie girl was still talking. How many minutes of (one-sided) conversation she lost, Vi wasn't sure, her fuzzy words disappearing in the distance, as if she wasn't just here. The tired and unfocused she gave her, however, made her pause. The girl –Caitlyn seemed to have noticed she hadn't been listening at all and pressed her lips together, her eyes suddenly avoiding hers. She shifted under her gaze, a slight blush creeping on her cheeks, but Vi didn't share her discomfort, or rather, she didn't care. She was too spent to care as she openly eyed the stranger with unfiltered distrust.

Why was she here? She said she had come on the behalf of Vander, making sure she was okay, but why wasshehere? Why did she care?

The sorrowful expression of her face spoke for herself.

Of course.

She must have been a sorry sight, seated on the bare floor, her shoulders slumped and her face sullied with dried tears. Sorry enough to evoke sympathy even from a Piltie. If she had any spirit left in her, Vi would have scoffed at the situation. She didn't need anyone's pity, and certainly not a Piltie's of all people. Still, she made no efforts to appear more presentable.

Vi had always hated to appear weak –she wasn't. She masked any signs of vulnerability through layers of violence and anger. Right now, though? Right now she didn't care. Not even a Piltie's judgmental gaze was enough to reignite the fight within her. She was too comfortable brooding in her own sorrow.

"I'm– I'm sorry about what happened," the Piltie girl eventually said as the silence stretched on for what seemed to be an eternity. "Or rather… about what should have happened? It really was a misfortune."

Misfortune. Understatement of the century. Vander was dead. Mylo was dead. Claggor was dead. Powder was as good as dead. It wasn't a misfortune, it was a catastrophe –though she supposed a few trenchers' deaths wouldn't be of much importance for Piltover.

"It shouldn't have happened at all, I'm really sorry," she apologized again.

Yeah, Vi was sorry too. But being sorry wouldn't change the situation, would it? It wouldn't bring back Benzo, Mylo, Claggor and Vander, nor would it save Powder from that monster's clutch.

Still receiving no answer from her, Cailtyn chewed on her lower lip, seemingly pondering on what to say next as her gaze wandered on the floor and before she realized it, the ghost of a smile crept on Vi's face. Somehow, the Piltie princess was reminding her of Powder. Powder did that too, biting on her lower lip. A lot. Although in her case, it was something she did when she was excited rather than nervous.

Powder.

"It wasn't your fault, you know?"

And just like that, her smile was gone.Thatwas enough to reignite her fire.

"What would you know?" she spat. The venom of her voice startled the Piltie girl.

Cailtyn obviously hadn't expected this kind of reaction as she blinked several times at her. Vi hadn't either. She had been set on ignoring her until she grew tired of her and dropped the charity act, but those few words had stirred something in her, and suddenly, her fight was back.

"I–I'm just saying this wasn't anyone's fault."

This time, Vi did scoff.

"Did you not pay attention to the recording?"

"Of course, I did."

"Then you should know it was my fault. You can keep the sympathy speech."

Caitlyn looked at her incredulously before she found her voice again.

"I fail to see how all of this was your fault," she said, earning an eye roll from her.

"I abandoned my sister, leaving her in the grasp of a monster."

"You didn't, you… You were understandably very upset and needed time to regain your composure."

"I lead Mylo and Claggor into a deadly trap."

"You were trying to save Vander."

"Who got captured because of me."

"Surrendering yourself was the sensible decision to make."

"Just like robbing your boyfriend's place?"

"My boy– Jayce isn't my boyfriend, and fine. Perhaps this wasn't a sensible choice, but you're hardly to blame for how it all escalated and… And I can't say the feelings that pushed you to target Piltover were misplaced."

Now would you look at that. A Piltie admitting Piltover sucks.

"What I'm trying to say is that no one can truly be blamed. You didn't intend for any of this to happen, did you? It wasn't your fault."

"Intentions don't matter," sighed Vi. "Consequences do."

And now she sounded like Vander. How funny was that?

"Intentions do matter, otherwise…"

Otherwise what was the point of this tragedy? Why did Grayson have to die? Why did anyone have to die at all? Intentions did matter. Caitlyn had to believe that. Still, it was a losing battle to insist on the matter. How would that bring comfort to someone who just lost everything? Caitlyn hadn't come here to fight; she'd come here to help.

She took a breath, forcing the tension she hadn't realized had been building in her face away, and sat on the bare floor right next to Vi. The uninvited approach unsurprisingly made the pink-haired girl frown, although she didn't make any effort to move away.

"I heard my mother talking with the other councilors," Caitlyn started, now bringing a knee up. She wasn't looking at anything in particular, and certainly not at Vi, but she could still imagine her rolling her eyes. "They intend to take responsibility for the matter."

A scoff. Expected after everything she'd seen, she supposed.

"Right, like they took care of everything else until now."

"They didn't know."

"Of course they did. They just didn't care."

Once again, this was not a battle she wanted to fight. Not against Vi, and certainly not now. She was never winning that one anyway. Piltover was her home and everything she'd ever known. She had grown to respect the city, and despite her being so stiffly, she respected and loved her mother just as much. And yet, there was no defending them. Nothing could justify hundreds of years of neglect after all.

"Well, they do care now," Caitlyn went on, "and it might be too late to correct the wrongs that have been done to you, but it's not too late to prevent new ones. It's never too late to try to do better. Wasn't that the whole point of Jayce and Ekko's project? The future them, I mean."

They had talked about a war and now, she could see how things could escalate to that point. But this night's tragedy was evidently a turning point in that grim future, and their intervention had already stopped it from happening.

"They told us to do better."

Caitlyn was almost startled by the deep blue eyes staring right back at hers when she chose that moment to finally look up at Vi. She was glaring; nothing new coming from the pink-haired girl, but it didn't make it any easier for Caitlyn to fight the urge to look away again.

"And we can just do that. We can save everyone."

'None of this really happened,'Grayson had repeatedly told her, and she hoped Vi could understand that too. But Vi didn't reply; she just glared and glared and glared... Until she was no longer glaring, just staring.

As the silence (and Caitlyn's discomfort) stretched on, Vi's features softened. The deep furrow between her brows relaxed, her lips slightly parted and her gaze drifted out, her mind seemingly coming to a realization. For a moment, tension completely left her face and Caitlyn couldn't help but think she almost looked… soft.

"You're right," Vi muttered.

'Save Powder.'

"We can save everyone. We just have to prevent this. I can…"

Suddenly, her eyes sharpened and the frown was back.

"What are you looking at?"

Caitlyn flinched.Caught staring once again.

"I just thought you looked… dehydrated," she looked away, but not before noticing Vi's furrow deepen.

Commenting on her miserable state after her obvious breakdown was not the smartest thing to do, but it was still a better option than telling a total stranger with whom she just started exchanging a few words that for a moment, she thought she looked like a puppy. Yep, Caitlyn was not doing that. Not to mention that Vi didn't seem the kind that would take this as a compliment.

"Yeah, well, I haven't had a drink since yesterday," she finally replied —almost deadpanned— after long seconds of staring (judgmentally no doubt) at her.

Vi hadn't been especially thirsty this morning, but it had been already a few hours they were here, and with all the tears she shed (and if her raspy and dry voice was any indication of that), she supposed shecouldbe a little dehydrated.

"Would you like a drink then?" offered Caitlyn, suddenly lighting up at the prospect of being able to do something. "There is a fountain nearby, I could bring you a cup of water. I mean, if you want of course."

For a moment, she thought Vi would refuse her help yet again and go back to ignore her as she didn't immediately reply. But just as her smile started to falter, the pink-haired girl shrugged.

"Yeah, sure," she said.

Caitlyn's face brightened. It wasn't much, but if there was anything she could do to help, she was glad to do it.

"Okay, I'll be right back then," she announced as she rose on her feet. She took one last glance at Vi —who only stared back at her with a raised brow— and darted.

She should have thought sooner to offer her something to drink.

As Vander looked at the two boys in front of him, he couldn't help but remember about the night he found them.

It had been months since the Day of Ashes. Despite the seeming recovery of the Undercity, the streets still remembered and everyone was on edge, so Vander hadn't been particularly surprised to hear some commotion when he arrived at his alcohol supplier and noticed a child getting shouted at by some nearby trader. Orphans had never been rare in the Fissures, but they'd become so incredibly common since the tragic day of the Undercity's defeat, most traders' tolerance towards the increasing number of beggars picking through their trash quickly decreased.

It hadn't been the first time Vander saw that child, but for some reason, that day, his gaze lingered on him. On the small frame, the trembling hands, the hunched shoulders. On the eyes devoid of hope. That day, completely on a whim, he took the child home with him. Then, as a strange twist of fate, only a few days later, it was his trash being dug through. The culprit, however, apparently decided that whatever he found wasn't enough, because he tried to break into his bar's pantry next, only to come face to face with a frightened Powder, and thus, a very angry Vi.

It was a long time ago. Mylo and Claggor weren't so small anymore, but seeing them like this —sitting slumped on the bench, staring at nothing with their eyes red and puffy—, Vander couldn't help but remember the two lost boys he picked up all those years ago.

A sigh escaping his lungs, he sat between them.

"How are you guys doing?" he asked.

No response. Claggor didn't acknowledge him and Mylo buried his head deeper into his arms, pretending not to hear him. Nothing too surprising. Whatever they had expected to discover of their future, it certainly hadn't been this. And considering Vi's breakdown, Vander was actually grateful that they wereonlyignoring him.

"Alright, we don't have to talk," he said, his voice low and gentle, "do know that I'm here for you though, okay? Whatever you need."

Vander knew when not to push the matter. He was ready to wait for as long as necessary for them to be ready to open their hearts. Becoming a parent had taught him patience was his best ally in this kind of situation. He just hoped his presence would be enough to comfort them if only a little until then.

For a while, the three of them just sat in silence, deaf to the world and uncaring of the barely concealed glances sent in their direction. Vander had no other interest than his kids' well-being at the moment, and clearly, the two boys had bigger concerns than a few topsiders' displaced sympathy.

"We're dead," a small voice eventually broke the miserable stillness settling between them.

Vander turned to look at Claggor. He hadn't even slightly moved from his previous position, so if he hadn't recognized his voice, he wouldn't have guessed he spoke.

"Yeah, I guess we are," he said.

Because he'd died too, hadn't he? But if Vander had had the time to imagine and accept his death throughout his long life of violence, Claggor hadn't, and these simple words of acknowledgment from his guardian were the only push needed for the dam to break. Suddenly, his vision blurred, his throat tightened, and Claggor realized he was crying. He was still so confused about everything, he wasn't sure what he should even think about it all.

Dead.

No trencher was foreign to the concept of death. It was easy to dismiss it as something natural, something that was part of life when you grew up alongside it from a young age, but it was much harder to ignore it when it was looming over you, threatening to end everything you built and fought for in one instant.

When his parents died, no one remembered them. What was once their home was quickly claimed by someone else, every single belonging they had was stolen or destroyed, and with even their position not staying vacant for long, it seemed like the entire world was working together to wipe out every trace of them, the boy they left behind the only proof they ever existed. What would be left of him after his death? Would the world forget about him and move on like it did with his parents?

"Do you think there is an afterlife?" he croaked once the sobs wracking his body somewhat subsided.

Vander tightened his hold, pulling him closer —he hadn't even realized when he put an arm around him.

"I don't know," he admitted.

Having lived his entire life day to day, he had never really thought about it. The concept was mostly foreign in the Fissures, but after the Day of Ashes, some people started to turn to religion and the idea that death was not necessarily the end started to spread in small communities.

"I hope there is," Claggor went on. "Maybe dying wouldn't be so vain, then."

His voice was devoid of any conviction but the idea was comforting, so he tried to hold onto it anyway. Mylo, however, was not having any of it.

"Don't be stupid," he spat, his once blank face twisting in anger. "Dead is dead. That's it. There's nothing after. We just died and now rats will feast on our corpses."

"Mylo," Vander warned, as softly as he could in this situation.

"Oh no, you're right. There would be nothing to feast on since we probably burned to the bone, buried under rubbles."

"Mylo."

"What?! It's true! We'redead!" He was shouting now, and everyone was probably looking at him, but he didn't care. "And for what? Because Powder couldn't stay put and nobody would listen to me when I said times and times thatshe's a fucking jinx!"

Vander closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking carefully about the words he should choose despite Mylo clearly not being receptive to a real conversation. He had known this would be coming.

"Listen, Mylo, I know you're angry and you need to vent, but—"

"Don't you dare tell me it's not true! You saw it! We all saw it!Shekilled us!"

"She was only trying to help…" Claggor weakly muttered. Despite also being a direct victim of this tragedy, in the absence of Vi, he felt obligated to defend the younger girl.

"You think I don't know that?" Mylo snapped."I know that!"

His chest was heaving and if topsiders didn't have such fancy walls, he was sure his voice would have resonated in the entire building.

"I know that…!" he repeated much quieter, his voice now cracking as tears filled his eyes once again. "I know that… But it doesn't change anything, does it? We're the ones who died..."

Claggor shrank on himself, unable to find anything to retort. Because Mylo was right, wasn't he? Regardless of everything, they had died and nothing would change that.

Vander's heart tightened. He only ever wanted to provide safety for them and evidently, he failed. Breathing in deeply, he rose from the bench to kneel in front of the two boys, and put a hand on each's shoulder.

"Listen, I know it feels like the world is crumbling down right now," he started, his expression soft but firm, "and it's overwhelming. Pain, anger, confusion… You are allowed to feel them all. But it's important you don't forget; none of this really happened. You're not dead." His gaze was piercing, almost burdensome, but Vander was determined to get the message across. He looked at Mylo first, then shifted his focus to Claggor. "You're not. I will never let that happen."Not in this timeline.

For the first time since a while, Claggor rose his head, sniffling. While he still looked unsure, hope started to bleed in his face as he listened. Mylo, on the other hand, clenched his jaw. He didn't want to cry, not again, but even he could feel the knot in his chest loosening if only a little. Their father-figure was just impactful like this. His presence was grounding, his words comforting. Gently, Vander pulled them closer, and Mylo only resisted for a moment before he let his head rest against his shoulder, while Claggor immediately leaned in.

"We'll be alright, boys. I'll make sure of it.Wewill live."

They wanted to believe him.

For a moment, the room was silent again. This time however, it wasn't as heavy. The quiet was soft, almost soothing. The three of them huddled together, it almost seemed like they really were going to be alright. As the tension in their body faded away, the two brothers allowed themselves to melt into their father's comforting embrace.

Most Piltovans shifted awkwardly, trying to look anywhere but at the trio. They tried their best not to intrude on the little family's privacy, but there was only so much they could do not to hear (it wasn't a large room, after all). All their efforts not to disturb the moment, however, went for naught, as Caitlyn unceremoniously barged in, loudly slamming the door open in the process.

"Caitlyn!" chastised Cassandra as quietly as possible.

But her daughter's poor timing and rude entrance were soon forgotten when she noticed the clear panic in her eyes.

"Cait?" Jayce tentatively called, also catching onto her heaving chest.

She had clearly run all the way here.

"I lost her!" she sputtered, but no one truly had the time to comprehend what the teenage girl just said before the words started to spill out her mouth like bullets from a Gatling gun. "I was gone for only a couple minutes, I swear, five at most, I went to fetch a cup of water at the nearest fountain and I came back as soon as possible, but she wasn't here, and I looked everywhere but I couldn't find her and no one saw her and—"

"Wow, slow down, Cait!" Jayce exclaimed as he ran to her side and rested his hands on her shoulders, prompting her to look at him. "Take a breath."

She did as told, all the while Vander processed her words, a frown appearing on his face.

"What are you trying to say, young Kiramman?" Grayson asked once she regained a somewhat steady breathing.

The initial panic having now partly subsided, Caitlyn hesitated as she worked the phrase in her mouth.

"It's Vi," she explained before settling very apologetic eyes on Vander. "She's gone."

Once, twice, he blinked, then a palm came sliding across his face. He sighed.

Of course.

Vander should have seen this coming.

Notes:

Yes, yes, we're getting back to the reactions soon, I promise. There is just so much to process for everyone. ( /invite/8rQWT7D6R5

Chapter 21: Interlude : Seeing It Through

Notes:

SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 SEASON 2 !

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

"What do you mean she's gone?"

His headache was growing but Vander didn't try to fight it anymore.

"It means she'sgone!She just disappeared!"

He raised his head, considering to keep his focus on whatever imperfection he would find on the ceiling, butof coursehe found none, so he closed his eyes instead.

"Perhaps… Perhaps she just went to the restroom?"

"I checked, Jayce, she wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere, I checked the entire floor!"

He took a deep breath and tried to think, gather his thoughts. The incessant bickering in the background, however, made the task impossible.

"We should ask around then. Someone must have seen her."

"Are you even listening to me? I just said no one did!"

"Well, I don't know, Cait! No one just disappears like that!"

Feeling a firm hand on his shoulder, Vander turned to see Benzo, a sympathetic look on his face and a worried Ekko at his side. No break for him. At the very least, his sons didn't seem as distressed as before, their mind now distracted by this not-so-unexpected turn of event.

"Calm down, kids," Grayson stepped in between the pair of siblings in all but name. "Kiramman," she called, "what exactly happened? Did she say anything before she disappeared?"

"No, she… She was just so upset, I tried to comfort her, we just talked. It wasn't even about anything special, I just told her that she shouldn't blame herself and that whatever happened in this other timeline, we would be able to prevent it in ours."

A frown on her face, Grayson looked up at Vander, who in turn shot a glance at Benzo. The three of them shared a silent but understanding look.

Prevent it.That was exactly what Vi was going to do.

Her head low and her eyes wandering on the floor, Caitlyn chewed on her lower lip hesitantly for a while before she spoke again.

"I'm sorry… I didn't think she— I shouldn't have left her alone at all…"

A sigh escaped his lungs, but it wasn't plaintive.

"Don't worry about it," Vander told her with a soft smile. "If she wanted to leave, you wouldn't have been able to stop her anyway."

Vi had a long history of running away from enforcers, gangs and muggers. What could a councilor's daughter have done against her?

"He's right, Cait," Jayce comforted her in turn. "You did your best to help."

Vander shifted to face Benzo, his expression set in a frown once again.

"I need to find her."

The underlying request was clear. Benzo nodded immediately.

"I'll keep an eye on them," he said.

Understanding they were talking about them, Mylo and Claggor jumped from their seat, ready to protest. Despite having yet to swallow the hard pill that was their own future, they were not going to sit there and patiently wait while their sister was gone. Unfortunately for them, Vander shut down any discussion they could have had before they truly started.

"You're staying here," he ordered, his tone final.

"But—"

"I can't have you two disappear as well."

"We could help look for her!"

"Technically, the two of you are still under arrest," Grayson chimed in, "so you can't go anywhere without any surveillance."

A scoff of disbelief left Mylo's chest, but neither she nor Vander paid it any attention as she turned to face him.

"I'm coming with you," she added.

Vander tried to protest, but Grayson didn't let him.

"Grayson."

"This is not a request, Vander. She may be your kid, but until her trial, she is under my responsibility."

Vander shut his eyes, fighting another sigh. He may have had the final word with his kids, there was no point arguing with the Sheriff.

"Besides, you're going to need some backup on this one."

Definitely not the kind of backup he would have wanted though, wearing the badge and armed with a rifle. An enforcer was the last company you wanted to show up with in the underground, let alone the Sheriff, but Vander didn't have a choice. He didn't have the time to argue, not when his hot-blooded daughter was headed to do what she did best; punching her feelings away.

"Alright then" he conceded. "Let's hurry."

Before Grayson could reply anything though, a small voice chimed in.

"Are you going to arrest her?" asked Ekko, the concern clear on his face.

Grayson was tempted to remind him that despite having escaped their custody for a moment, she, too, was already under arrest. However, taking in consideration the kids' wariness of enforcers and everything they just learned, she chose a more reassuring approach.

"We're just going to bring her back to safety, here," she said.

Perhaps not entirely too convincing, but good enough for the boy who returned to his mentor's side.

"Councilors," she turned to address her superiors. All three of them nodded at her.

"Do what you have to do, Sheriff," encouraged Cassandra.

"We will wait for your return," added Heimerdinger.

"I will send an officer to guard this room while we're gone."

"Actually, I believe it's best you didn't," Mel remarked. "Until we know everything, it would be preferable to keep things between us."

They were barely just learning about their impending tragedy. The last thing they needed was for the information to spread and be misused by ill-intended people.

"We are not in danger, Sheriff," she added as she read the hesitation on her face.

Grayson thought for a moment, unwilling to leave the room unguarded. Three councilors and an unknown technology holding the secrets of the future?Thatcalled for protection. But remembering how her own deputy had been the indirect reason for her death, she realized Mel was right. Their best option was to keep the information contained. The worst threat they had in there were the three clearly hostile Undercity kids that Benzo would keep in check.

She looked at him, and as if reading her mind, he nodded to confirm her unspoken assumption.

"We will be quick," she announced.

The trip to the cannery was a fast one. Topside, people knew better than to question the Sheriff, and in the Underground, it was for the Hound people made way. The sight of the unusual duo raised more than a few eyebrows, but it wasn't enough for anyone to stop them. They arrived at their destination in no time.

Vi knew the streets like the back of her own hand; she knew the boundaries of each district, which gang owned which alley, who to avoid and who to ignore, what shortcut to take and what path was a dead-end, but so did Vander. Despite no longer roaming outside like he did when he was in his prime, he had spent a good thirty years learning the streets, and as the protector of the Lanes, he had to stay updated on any changes out there. Still, Vi was younger, nimbler, and with a Topsider attached to the side, Vander knew they couldn't have possibly arrived before her. Yet, there was no sign of the pink-haired girl.

"It seems we're early," noted Grayson, equally surprised by Vi's absence.

The place wasn't empty. A few crates were being moved in and out the cannery, a clear sign of the activity inside the supposedly abandoned building, and many people were guarding the perimeter. Not as many as they saw in the recording, but enough that it wouldn't allow a single girl from entering —not when they weren't purposely trying to get her in, anyway. With no signs of fighting or intrusion however, the duo could only assume Vi hadn't arrived yet.

In this reality where Vander's kids hadn't slipped away from enforcers but annoyed the Council all the same, Grayson had yet to be ordered to send her officers to terrorize the streets, causing the growing dissatisfaction of the Undercity folks. Still, the sheer number of guards prowling around was evidence enough for Vander that people were losing faith in him before that and that Silco had already started recruiting them.

Disappointed but not surprised, he pulled his pipe out of his pocket to bring it to his mouth. At this distance, hidden in the shadow of a nearby building behind a broken wall, he figured that he could allow himself a smoke without giving their position away.

"They were preparing for this for a long time," observed Grayson grimly as he inhaled the disgusting yet soothing smoke.

"Years," Vander guessed.

Probably ever since the day he tried to drown him. Silco was the type to hold a grudge, after all.

"Do you think it's shimmer inside those crates?"

"That, or weapons. Your guess is as good as mine, Sheriff. Either way, it's not good."

Grayson sighed. She would have to raid the place sooner or later to confiscate all that, but even with the element of surprise, she knew the people here wouldn't go down without a fight. She had seen how dangerous a single person pumped with shimmer was —it had been the very cause of her death after all— how deadly an army of them would be? How could she prepare her enforcers for this? They might have to fire on sight, and she really didn't need to give the people from the Underground another reason to hate enforcers. But that was a concern for later, for now, she needed to focus on the reason they were here; the teenage girl who was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you sure she's coming here?" started to doubt Grayson after a while.

"This is the only place she knows where to find Silco."

And yet, even after waiting for a few more moments, Vi didn't show up.

"Perhaps she's already inside," the Sheriff now mused.

"We would have known if she was."

It was too calm, too normal. Silco was paranoid. He probably had people closely watching over him, so even if Vi somehow managed to slip past the guards, the alarm would have sounded the moment she got close to him.

She was still outside, probably waiting for an opportunity. She wasn't stupid enough to barge in and take on this many people, even blinded by raw grief, anger and guilt, but Vi wasn't patient either. She would have tried something by now, something Vander would have most definitely noticed.

They waited for a few more moments, even going around the guarded perimeter to look for any places where she could be hiding, but with still no sign of her, they were forced to realize she wasn't coming.

Did something happen to her on the way? It was unlikely. Vi was resourceful. And even if it did, surely they would have heard about it on the way, right?

"Vander, I don't think she'll come."

"I don't think so either."

But then, where was she? He'd been so sure she would go after Silco, where else would she go?

Oh.

The realization hitting him, Vander passed his hand through his hair.

Of course.

Vi only fought for one reason; to protect.

"We need to return Topside."

"Five coins they catch up to her."

Lazily sprawled on the bench, Mylo made minimum effort to turn to his brother, seated on the bare floor with his back resting on him.

"Ten," he proposed after considering the offer.

Still not bothering to look at him, Claggor extended his hand to him, and Mylo shook it.

"You're gonna lose," the scrawniest of the two snorted once the bet was made.

"I don't think so," disagreed Claggor.

"Ever caught up to Vi before?"

"No, but this is Vander we're talking about."

"Yeah, with a Piltie on his ass."

"He can just ditch her."

"Like Vi ditched her own Piltie?"

Mylo snickered and Claggor soon joined him. It had been such a Vi thing to do. Picturing Vander doing the same with the Sheriff was certainly hilarious. But if the boys found some fun in this imaginary race, Caitlyn wasn't nearly as amused.

She was trying not to listen, but there was only so much she could do not to hear, especially when everyone was trying their best to whisper and not bother the others while the two brothers didn't have a single care for their surroundings.

They were talking about her, most specifically about her absolute failure at keeping an eye on Vi. She was still embarrassed about the whole thing. She had one job and yet…

"It's alright, Caitlyn. It wasn't your fault," her mother assured, having no trouble guessing her inner turmoil after reading her like an open book.

The young girl gave her a small smile. It wasn't everyday Cassandra chose the comforting approach over the lecturing one after a mistake, but although she would have preferred for her daughter not to meddle in this family affair, Caitlyn had so kindly extended a helping hand, she wouldn't blame her for the Underground girl's disappearance. It was only because of the weight of what they'd discovered that she didn't glare at the two uncaring boys for hurting her daughter's feelings. Everyone was already so on edge.

It had been over an hour since the Sheriff left with the Underground children's guardian, they were losing patience. While they initially preferred to brood in silence, the boys were now throwing untasteful quips here and there, coping with the situation however they could. Sometimes, the white haired boy would join, and despite their "jokes" becoming increasingly morbid, much to everyone's dismay, the Underground shopkeeper didn't seem very concerned. Fortunately —finally— the door opened and the wait ended.

"Ah, Sheriff!" exclaimed Heimerdinger as Grayson entered the room just before he noticed no one following her. "And you're alone."

Everyone shared the same look of confusion upon realizing the same thing.

"See? He did ditch her," Claggor said, elbowing his brother. Mylo only watched mouth agape. Neither of them had truly expected Vander to do so.

"Where's Vander?" asked Mel.

"By now, probably with Vi."

"And you're not with them?"

"It seems my presence wasn't required after all. They're not in danger."

Mylo and Claggor scowled at that. An emotionally compromised Vi and her fists about to rain violence on Silco's gang sounded like danger alright, but okay.

"And they needed some time alone," added Grayson, causing Ekko's lightbulb to go on first.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "They're gone to see Powder, aren't they?"

If there was one thing stronger than Vi's anger right now, it would be her need to keep her sister safe.

"Oh," everyone else said.

Oh, indeed.

Down in the trenches, you could never see the sky. The view was always obstructed by the chaotic architecture that was characteristic of the Underground and by the sticky fumes that never seemed to leave the air. The skyline of Piltover was one of the rare things Vi envied Topside —that, the never ending supply of food and the fresh air.

Everything seemed so peaceful up there, on the roofs of Piltover. The gentle breeze blowing on her face was almost enough to make her forget about everything she learned these past few hours.

Leaning forward to peek down the streets, Vi noted no major decrease in the number of patrolling enforcers. It had been relatively easy to reach this part of Piltover without being noticed —Topsiders never checked above their heads—, but now that she was here, she found herself unable to reach her destination.

The hospital of Piltover was a ridiculously huge building made of white bricks, its beautiful facades ornated with columns supporting absolutely nothing. Everything was proportionate and symmetrical, a complete opposite of what was built in the Undercity. Its most annoying features right now, however, was that it was situated right in the middle of a large plaza, with no surrounding buildings within a jumpable distance.

Did these enforcers never take a break?

She sighed. Powder was just here, and she still couldn't reach her.

She could just walk up there, she supposed. Most enforcers wouldn't know her face. But would they let a trencher rat like her inside? It was well known that trenchers didn't go to the hospital. Most dealt with illnesses and injuries with bad alcohol and homemade medicine with uncertain efficacy. Even resting was a luxury. Those who could afford it did visit healers—only on rare occasions, when whatever ailment they had couldn't be cured on its own—, but an actual physician with a medical license? That was a Piltie thing.

No, they would never let her inside.

Frustration building up within her, Vi almost didn't notice the new presence behind her.

"Nice building," Vander commented as he reached her.

Vi snorted. "Just a waste of space and resources."

On that, Vander could agree.

He didn't say another world as he reached her side. He took a glance down at the plaza, and just like her before him, he observed no clear path to reach the building unnoticed.

"I'm sorry for disappearing," Vi said after a couple minutes of heavy silence. Vander obviously hadn't come up here to admire the view with her, but it seemed like he was waiting for her to start the conversation. "I wasn't going to be gone long, I just… I needed to see Powder."

"Well, can't say it was completely unexpected of you.," he smirked. "You did give her quite a scare, though."

"Who?"

"Caitlyn."

The teenage girl rolled her eyes.

"She'll get over it."

"Vi. She didn't have to, but she went to check on you and you disappeared on her."

"Yeah, well, I didn't ask anything from her."

She had been perfectly fine brooding alone, she hadn't asked for company in her misery. She didn't even know her! She didn't owe her anything.

Her father figure clearly disagreed though, because he was doing that face he did when he was trying to make a point and was not going to let it go; his jaw shut tight, his brows furrowed, and his eyes hard, judging, expecting.

"Alright, alright," she grunted. "I'll apologize."

Satisfied —and probably also amused— a grin broke upon his face.

"You gave me quite the scare as well," Vander then admitted. "I thought you went after Silco."

This time, it was Vi's turn to give him a judgmental stare.

"Vander, I'm not that stupid."

Clearly unconvinced though, he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Fine. I may have thought about going after him." In fact, that had very much been the plan. Silco was the very root of all this tragedy. No Silco? No problems. It was that simple. Except that it wasn't. She had almost reached the bridge before reason caught up to her. "But the last time I went after him unprepared, well…"

It had been a cruel lesson. Despite having avoided it in this reality, it would probably haunt her for the rest of her life. It was hard not to learn from it.

"And then I thought about Powder."

Sweet Powder, her one and only sister, the very reason why she was fighting in the first place.

"I needed to check on her." She hadn't seen her since the heist. "But as you can see…"

Can't even get in. Whatever she did to piss the Aspects, it was really starting to get to her. Today was becoming a close contender for the title of 'Worse day of her life.'

Vander snorted.

"Not as easy to break in as an unsuspecting topsider's apartment, huh?"

No shit.

She really wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"Here," Vander then said, tossing something at her.

She caught it by reflex, but upon seeing what it was, immediately recoiled.

"What's this?" she asked, almost demanded as she moved the enforcer badge away from her, prompting him to take it back. He didn't.

"A favor from Grayson," Vander said. "She thought you would need it to visit Powder."

Oh.

Suddenly, it didn't feel as heavy anymore. The symbol of her parents' murderers, but now also the pass to see her sister. Was she grateful or was she not?

"So what's the deal with her?" she asked, almost absentmindedly as she toyed with the badge in her hands.

"Grayson?" guessed Vander. "She's…"

Could he really call her a friend? They weren't exactly partners, but their shared desire for peace had led to some partnership anyway.

"... someone I trust and respect. We don't interfere with each other's business."

Not exactly an ally, but definitely not an enemy.

"I see…"

Funny. Hours ago, Vi had felt so betrayed to learn Vander was working with her. Now, the woman seemed tolerable, and their deal understandable. Just like Vander had said in the other timeline, there were indeed worse things than enforcers out there. She could see it now.

"Well, aren't you going?" Vander asked. "You wanted to see Powder, didn't you?"

Yeah, she did. More than anything.

"Are you coming with me?"

"Of course, kiddo."

The hospital's interior was as fancy as its exterior, but Vi almost didn't notice it, her eyes now set on the floor. The more they advanced, the more she felt her will leaving her. It was good Vander was here. She probably wouldn't have had the courage to continue if it wasn't for his grounding presence, she realized.

Grayson had kindly given him all the information he needed, so despite having never put a foot here, Vander had no troubles guiding his daughter throughout the maze of corridors. When they arrived at Powder's room, the enforcer guarding her door straightened his previously slouching posture.

Vander didn't say a word as he handed him the badge Grayson had entrusted him, and neither did the enforcer as he stepped aside to let them pass once he was done reading the signed letter she'd also written to prove the badge wasn't stolen —never had Vander dealt with an enforcer faster than this without using his fists.

The moment the door opened however, Vi froze in place.

Powder was right there. She'd wanted to see her for so long, but now that she was here, she couldn't bring herself to move her feet.

'She is not my sister anymore!'

What if her Powder also thought that? She had been blissfully sleeping the whole time, unaware of anything yet —thanks the aspects for that— but when she wakes up?

Vi couldn't get that look out of her head; those eyes filled with hatred, directed at her, while inhisarms. What if her Powder also looked at her like that?

Vander didn't press her and patiently waited on the threshold for her to sort out her thoughts. He had to glare at the guarding enforcer a couple of times for him to stop eying curiously his daughter, but fortunately, Vi was too lost in her own head to really notice him.

"Vi," he finally called after a few minutes. The young girl was almost startled by his voice. "It's okay."

Vi doubted so —she really did— but letting Vander's encouraging words resonate in her head, she worked up the courage to move again and finally followed him inside.

The room was huge, ridiculously bright with its large window letting the light reflect on the marble floor, but none of that registered in Vi's mind as her eyes settled on the little girl laying in the middle of it all.

Powder.

Suddenly, her previous hesitation was gone and she ran to her side. She took a few seconds to inspect her body, making sure she was alive and breathing, then, with as much care as she was capable of in her haste, she lifted her body from the bed to press it against her own, tightly hugging her with trembling arms.

Powder, Powder, Powder.

Her sister's scent filled in her nose, and her heart, beating at a slow and steady pace, soothed her own. Never had Powder felt so comforting in her arms.

Vander slowly approached, not wanting to interrupt the moment, a smile plastered on his face. Watching the two sisters like this reminded him of their younger days. Powder had never quite stopped being snuggly, but it was now rare for Vi to be the one to desperately hold on like this.

When Vi finally seperated herself from her sister to watch her face, Vander took a moment to inspect her in turn. Grayson had told him about her state; a few scratches her and there, but no other injuries. By now, her scratches had healed, so she really only looked asleep, but no one slept for two entire days —no one healthy anyway.

What's going on with you, Powder?

Seeing her peaceful face, however, he couldn't help but feel relieved. He, too, couldn't get her hateful expression out of his head. He'd seen it before, and it was especially unnerving to now see his youngest display the very same expression ashim. Shewasn'tanything like him.

Powder was sweet, harmless. She was willing to try, but it was clear to him and anyone else that she wasn't a fighter, not in the traditional sense. Violence scared her. Silco on the other hand… He may not have been a fighter in the traditional sense either, but he knew how to fight his battles. He didn't fear violence, he thrived in it, used it to his advantage.

Powder wasnothinglike Silco.

Unaware of Vander's silent concern, Vi brought her sister close to her once more, feeling her warmth.

'She is not my sister anymore!'

It's okay. It was okay.

Even if she hated her, even if she no longer wanted her as a sister, Powder would always be hers.

'Will you look after your sister?'

She'd promised.

Vander and Vi returned half an hour later, much to everyone's relief. The atmosphere had somewhat relaxed with Grayson, but it was only now that all tension truly left.

"Vi!" Claggor exclaimed as soon as the father-daughter duo stepped inside the room. He jumped onto his feet and ran to her, followed by Mylo and Ekko. "Are you okay? You're not injured?"

The young girl frowned.

"Why would I be injured?"

"We thought you went after Silco."

"Why does everyone think— Ugh, forget it!" she groaned, her eyes now rolling in annoyance much to the others' amusement.

As Vander left their side to join Benzo, Ekko hesitantly stepped forward.

"Is… Is Powder alright?"

The mention of the girl brought the tension back at once.

"She's fine," replied Vi, rubbing her neck. She didn't sound very convincing. "Still asleep."

"Oh..."

Ekko wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. It didn't sound 'fine' to him. They did say her sleeping state was abnormal. At least, her condition hadn't deteriorated?

"It's good," Claggor said, seemingly deciding in his stead. "She didn't have to witness all this, this way."

True. Vi had only waited for the moment her sister woke up for the past couple of days, now she was starting to fear it. How would they deal with the aftermath of all this? Would they be able to go back to the way they used to be before?

"At least one of us isn't having a bad time," sneered Mylo.

The quip was instinctive. He hadn't exactly thought about his words before they left his mouth. The regret, however, was immediate, because everyone was now staring at him with a mixture of pity, sorrow and discomfort.

It sounded like a reproach, he realized.

Mylo, always the blusterer who complained and criticized others.

Except that this time, it wasn't even real denunciation, only a joke. And yet, instead of the usual glares and eye rolls he received, there was only awkward silence as everyone avoided each others' eyes.

"I didn't mean it as…"

He tried to explain himself, but the words died on his tongue the same time a sigh escaped his lungs. What was the point? He did always criticize Powder, anything he said would sound ungenuine at the moment.

How often did people take his jokes too seriously?

"Listen, guys," Vi started, only to be interrupted. Mylo knew that tone.

"Don't."

Confused, she blinked a couple of times before she found her voice again…

"What?"

"You're gonna apologize, aren't you? Just don't."

… only to lose it once more.

"Mylo's right, Vi," Claggor joined as Ekko nodded at his side, "there's nothing to apologize for."

Nothing to apologize for?

"You died!" she exclaimed before turning to Ekko. "Benzo died!"

"Yeah, and it sucks, but it wasn't your fault," Claggor shrugged.Shrugged!"We all made our own choices."

"Ibrought you there."

"And we chose to follow you, whatever," reminded Mylo almost nonchalantly. "Our deaths aren't your responsibility. It was…"

He paused, scowling and sighing as he forcefully worked his next words.

"It wasno one's responsibility."

Did he blame Powder? Sure did, to some extent anyway. She made the freaking bomb that buried him alive after all. But he also understood. How could he not? She went to save them just like they went to save Vander. Life just sucked sometimes and luck wasn't on their side this one time.

Would he ever forgive her? He wasn't sure. He would try, but he was still mad about his death. Hell mad. Vi didn't need to hear about that right now though, and Powder not being here at the moment helped in rationalizing his thoughts.

Dying sucked, it really did. But Mylo wasn't the only one to have died. Claggor, Vander and Benzo did too. And Powder and Vi? It didn't seem like they would fare any better. How does one go on once more without their family —be it the one they failed to protect or the one they killed themselves? Mylo didn't know, nor did he want to know.

Now wasn't the time for blaming and arguing, especially for a reality that didn't happen yet.Family sticks together.

Not that any of that mattered at the moment, really, because tears were now pooling in Vi's eyes and the unusual sight made Mylo froze. Vi never cried, never in front of them anyway.

Coming from him, those words meant everything for Vi, so she didn't even try to fight the new wave of emotion inside her.

"Don't even think about it," Mylo warned.

But she did. She did more than think about it in fact. Before he could avoid her, she closed an arm around him and suddenly, he was in the crook of her neck. He tried to fight her hold but of course, she was stronger than him. Still, it wasn't without a groan that he accepted his fate.

Claggor —that traitor— smirked at him before finding himself in the same position. The older boy, more comfortable than him with this kind of familial affection display, didn't even try to struggle however.

"Thanks, guys," she breathed, breaking a small smile, the first since what seemed like an eternity.

"Yeah, ok, let me go now," Mylo pressed.

Because if Vi was turned away from them, Mylo could very much see the Topsiders watching, some more discreetly than others.

Did the Piltie girl just smile at them?

The humiliation. Being forced into a group hug by your sister in front of a bunch of Pilties. An arguably worse fate than being killed by Powder (at leastthathadn't really happened).

Finally released, Mylo straightened his clothes, pretending not to see the Topsiders in the corner of his eyes as Ekko was next to be caught in Vi's sudden hugging spree. Benzo snickered at the sight.

When she was done, Vi stopped for a second before she unexpectedly turned to Caitlyn and hesitantly walked up to her.

'Huh?'

Caitlyn's heart jumped inside her chest.

Surely she wasn't going to hug her next, right?She silently started to panic.

"I, uh... I think I owe you an apology," Vi started, "for disappearing on you. Sorry about that."

Oh. Of course, she wanted to apologize, what else? What was she thinking?

"It's quite alright," Caitlyn said, hoping no one would see the embarrassed blush that was surely appearing on her cheeks right now. "I understand, I'm glad you're safe."

Vi paused for a moment, unsure whether she should add something else, then, deciding it was good enough, she returned to her brothers' side. They were giving her the side eye, clearly confused as to why she would even apologize in the first place, but Vi paid them no attention as she shot a glare at her guardian.

'Happy?'

The grin on his face was all the answer she needed.

The adults gave the children a moment to recover from their feelings, exchanging relieved smiles in silence. To everyone's surprise, however, the kids then returned to their respective seats.

Claggor was the first to sit after cracking his back and willing the fatigue away. Mylo was next. Gone were the morose and the sluggish attitude. At their side, Vi leaned forward in her seat, resting her elbows on her knees and intertwining her fingers together, focused, as Ekko returned to his place, saving Benzo's seat next to him.

When no one reacted, Vi shot a glance at the Piltovans.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she groaned.

"Uh, what about you?" asked Jayce. "What areyouwaiting for?"

"Aren't we going to keep watching your magic recording?"

"You want to keep going?"

Are they crazy? After everything they just saw?

"You and Ekko sent that recording for a reason."

"I know, it's just that… are you okay? Shouldn't we take a break?" he asked as he glanced at the others. The councilors were nodding in agreement.

"Ugh! We just had a break!" Mylo snapped.

"But you…"

"Died! Yeah, and now I won't be able to rest until I see whether the fucker who's responsible for it all pays for it!"

"I watched my sister leap into his arms," Vi reminded him, spitting every words with renewed rage. "I need to know if she's safe."

"We don't know what happens to Vi either," added Ekko.

"Or to Little Man," Claggor finished.

Jayce couldn't find anything to retort. It made sense, but he still wasn't sure it was a good idea. When he looked at his new partner for guidance, he was surprised to see him give him a nod. He turned to the councilors next, and although he could read the hesitation on their face, they too were considering continuing.

"Well, if everyone is alright with it, I think it's best we keep watching what the future holds for us then," Mel suggested.

"I agree with Councilor Medarda," Cassandra spoke next. "Your future selves mentioned a disaster— a war," she corrected. What they had seen already counted as a disaster. "And we have yet to see it happen."

Although he didn't add anything, Heimerdinger nodded at their side.

"When Vander and I went to look for Vi, we went to the Undercity first. To the old cannery," Grayson now recounted. "We didn't see Silco, but we did see people working there, handling what is probably shimmer. If we're going to fight him, we need more information."

The Piltovans having come to an agreement, they turned to Benzo and Vander.

"Well, we are all here for the same reason," the former said. "To change the future."

"Then it's settled."

The decision made pretty much unanimously, Jayce exhaled loudly.

"Alright."

Jayce walked to the Hextech device and the others took seat, as the Undercity kids were now fidgeting with impatience in theirs.

Reaching for the activating wheel, he hesitated. He, too, was curious about the future —his other self had made his Hextech dream a reality after all— but now, he was mostly fearing it. What they saw happen on the other side of the bridge had been horrific, and it would happen on their side soon as well; that was why his future self sent this recording in the first place. They'd known about it since the beginning, it was the first thing his and Ekko's future selves had said, but now that he was seeing how bad it could be, he wasn't sure if he— iftheywere ready for it. The others had a point though; the recording had reached them for a reason, and if they wanted to make a change, they needed to see it through.

He turned around, glancing at the others, and once he made sure everyone was in place, he turned the wheel. The gemstone lit up and filled the Hextech device with blue light as Jayce went to sit next to Viktor and Heimerdinger.

And finally, their watching session resumed.