16

Chapter Forty-One

Ekko was not having a good day.

Ekko wasn't having a good week, month, or year.

Ekko, arguably, wasn't having a good life.

But most of that wasn't his fault.

Killing Vi was.

He'd been so scared, after, after what'd happened to Benzo, who was the closest thing to a father he had, especially after his parents...

He'd been scared, so, when he heard someone coming, he ran, and when he heard them calling for his name, he'd run even harder.

Because what he'd seen?

It was something that the guy who killed Benzo, and carried off Vander, then did something to him, and then killed him too didn't want anyone to know about.

And Ekko wasn't sure if this 'SIlco' knew he'd been there, or if he'd just kill him on principle, just to be complete about it.

Like he'd killed Clagor, and Mylo.

So Ekko was in the Junkyard.

Running.

Hiding.

Hoping.

And then, when the one person he'd hoped would come and get him did?

What did he do?

He lured her into a trap and freaking KILLED HER!

"I-I'm so sorry," he cried, like he had been, for days, not sure what else to do. "I-I didn't mean to. Oh god, Vi, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," an impossible voice replied, "just don't do it again, Little Man."

He turned so fast he fell out of his chair, and saw Vi, leaning against the doorway of his hideaway, grinning in the way that only Vi could, though she looked... tired.

But considering she was supposed to look dead, that was a massive improvement!

"You're alive!" he cried, scrambling on all fours as he ran forward, getting his feet under him just long enough to slam into her with a hug, holding desperately onto her, to prove to himself that she was real, that this wasn't another dream, that he hadn't killed his big sister in everything but blood.

"That I am," she smiled, before looking back and calling, "See! Told you he'd be here."

Ekko stiffened, as she'd brought somebody else? But, no, he didn't care, as long as she was alive.

"Still going to be late," another, older, male-r voice called, one Ekko recognized.

It was Jayce, who he'd fleeced.

Who he'd followed back to his apartment and set up to be robbed.

Who'd been there with Vi when Ekko had almost killed her.

Who was Justice.

His voice had been... more, like they said that Spirit's was, but it wasn't until he'd seen his board, the screaming green vehicle the Purger of Stillwater had used, that he realized who Jayce was, and what Ekko had done.

But... but of course Vi had survived, he thought, relief, fear, and twisted humor forcing out a strangled sob/laugh. She was with a Spirit. Ekko had, last night, hoped, maybe even dreamed that being with Jayce was would let Vi survive what was certain death, but Justice killed as much as he saved, and, and Ekko had tried to kill them both.

So... so this was just... Justice.

Wishing he could hold her longer, he pulled away, sniffing, shaking, and faced the Spirit. "I, I'm sorry. I, I'll accept whatever you think I deserve."

"Little Man?" the teen beside him questioned, confused.

"I, almost killed you, Vi! And he's a Spirit of Justice!" he stressed. "I'm not gonna run."

The thing pretending to be a human smiled. "All Right," he stated, voice showing what he really was. "If you want it, you will receive... Justice."

"Jayce!" Vi hissed, standing up to a Spirit for Ekko, which was just... damn. He always knew she was badass, but this took that to a new level.

"For your crime, I sentence you to... live. And take up that apprenticeship offer I was going to offer you with my partner at the Academy."

Ekko blinked. "I, uh, what?"

"Oh, and don't tell anyone that I'm Justice," Justice added, almost as an afterthought. "It would cause far too many problems for too many people that I'm trying to protect. Vi and Powder first amongst them."

Looking to Vi, she was... smiling?

"Um, are you sure you're a spirit of Justice?" Ekko asked, unsure.

Lifting an eyebrow, Justice put his hands in his pockets, and moved to sit down, his board appearing, magically under him as he did so. "Who said I was a Spirit?"

"You did," Vi sassed Justice. "And he is. He's just..."

"Charming? Intelligent? Handsome? Courageous?"

"Really over the top," Vi mock-whispered, getting a laugh from Ekko, who slumped, suddenly relieved.

"That too," the Spirit shrugged. "But this Spirit's got a day-job, and one that I need to bring this nosy little engineer to, along with Powder, ASAP. Oh, cover names. Ekko, 'Vi' and 'Powder' are dead, as far as anyone's concerned. She's Violetta Vandottir, and Powder is Piper Vandottir. As far as I know, no one's hunting you, so you're fine still being Ekko."

The small boy stared at the Spirit, then at Vi, then the Spirit, then Vi. "But, she's obviously Vi."

"Ah, Vi has Pink hair, while Violetta, coming from Freljord, has white," the Spirit said smugly crossing his arms. "Also, Vi wouldn't need to wear a mask down here. Clearly they are two different people."

Ekko looked to Vi, who wasn't wearing a mask, and gestured to her again. The Spirit gave her a look and she rolled her eyes, taking a very slim, very expensive looking filter mask out of a pocket and fitting it over her mouth. It was still Vi, but... "Oh, huh. Yeah, she looks different. That's... easier than I thought it'd be."

"A lot of disguises are like that," the Spirit told him, and, well, he was a disguised Spirit, he'd probably know. "Now, it's time for us to go," he said, his voice going back to normal, and, as he stood, his really cool looking hoverboard vanishing into shadows and vapor, which was also really cool.

Then he looked down at Ekko, for a moment, telling Vi, "Be right back."

And then the Spirit stepped through the air, and disappeared.

"What."

"Yeah," Vi smiled. "He does that."

There was a moment of silence between them.

"I'm really sorry," he repeated. Unsure of what else to say. "I was scared, and, I, I didn't know what to do, and-"

Vi just tousled his hair. "I know. And I've done some pretty stupid things too. Just, try not to do anything that bad again, okay?"

"I'll try?" he offered, with a nervous grin, getting a laugh from the older girl. "Um, what's it like, down there?"

For a moment, Vi froze. "...Bad," she finally said. "Real bad." And for Vi of all people to say that, Ekko understood why anyone else that fell down the rust-pits never came back.

"But you survived because of Justice?" Ekko asked, unsure, and wondering what he could do help the Spirit in thanks. What did Spirits even want anyways? Souls? He wasn't really sure.

"Call him Jayce," she corrected. "And... yeah. But he only survived because of me."

That seemed like a lot. Like, Ekko knew Vi was awesome, but to keep a Spirit alive? Were Spirits even alive in the first place? "Wow," was the only thing he could say, and she smirked at that.

Justi-Jayce stepped back out of, like, the Spirit Realm or whatever, and threw a small jacket at the boy, which he caught. He stared down at the Spirit Jacket, which was made out of some cool Spirit Material that was all shiny and stuff, super thin, but, when he put it on, and buttoned it up, felt really nice. Then Jayce gave him a Spirit Hat, which looked like a normal hat, but came from another world, which instantly made it, like ten times cooler.

"Okay, now, let's go," the Spirit said, drooping a little. "I am sooo late for work."

​

Viktor was starting to worry.

Jayce was always on time. Or at least no more than fifteen minutes late, which, working for Professor Heimerdinger, he had learned was essentially the same thing. Geniuses did lose track of time, an excuse that Viktor himself had taken advantage of a time, or twenty.

But his friend was now over an hour late.

They had made tremendous progress on turning their 'Zero-Gate', as Jayce called it, into a proper teleportation matrix, a process that had been greatly accelerated by the young Ms. Vandottir, who was able to bring an insight into their work that was as astounding as it was hard for the girl to explain, but both he and Mr. Talis had been getting a great deal of experience in deciphering the young lady's borderline philosophical statements.

While Viktor had taken the weekend off, as Jayce had demanded, he may have worked on a few new rune schemas that he wanted to try out, but, without his partner there, he could not. Though such impatience was only a small part of his growing worry.

Should I send a messenger? the scientist wondered, realizing that he didn't actually know where the noble scion lived, and resolved to ask when he next saw his partner. Which, hopefully, would be sooner rather than later. After a few more minutes of fretting, the undercity native decided to go and just ask. Surely someone in the administration department would have his information of file, and then Viktor coud-

"-ere's the lab," could be heard, faintly through the door, Jayce's voice possessing a distinctive timber and cadence that had a tendency to carry, which was quite good for being heard over their sometimes quite cacophonous experiments.

The door opened, and Viktor turned, pretending he hadn't been worrying for over an hour, smiling, only to freeze as his partner walked in, looking terrible. Half his face was discolored, a light red as if he'd been scrubbed with an iron brush, except for the space around his mouth. His hair, normally well-coiffed, was a frizzy mess. There were dark circles under the man's eyes, he was clearly favoring his side, and there was an exhaustion that came off the normally energetic man in waves that he was trying to push through, but, also, clearly, reaching the end of his capability to do so.

"Viktor!" Jayce smiled, a little drunkenly, with a happy relief that, while flattering, spoke quite ill of his recent history. "How was your weekend?"

"Better than yours," the scientist shot back dryly, looking past Jayce, where Ms. Piper stood, along with a dark-skinned young man who was torn between wonder and a clear worry that he wasn't supposed to be here and that at any moment others would realize, setting upon him with all sorts of imprecations.

It was a look Viktor knew well.

After all it was the one he'd worn for several months, when he had first started his studies at the Academy, after all, and he hadn't had access to high-end laboratories.

Jayce laughed, then winced, one hand unconsciously lifting to his side, the man's shirt bulked in a way that suggested bandages. "Right, Viktor, this Ekko, a friend of Piper's," he enunciated carefully, for the boy's benefit. "Ekko, this is Viktor. Viktor, Ekko is light on theory but has been tinkering with devices since he could walk, much like you have."

The man started to nod, before he paused, as Viktor had spoken very little of his childhood to his partner. Jayce seemed far too confident in that statement for it to be a guess, and the blasé way it was delivered... the scientist finally put it down to another of the many, many mysteries that surrounded his partner.

"Ekko, Viktor is from Zaun, just as you are," said mysterious man continued unabated, not noticing his partner's consternation.

"Zaun?" the small boy questioned, showing that the name hadn't been a recent development, as Viktor, not having returned 'home' in years, had suspected.

"The Undercity," Piper explained simply, her ease with the designation likely then stemming from her association with her patron, and not of casual use of it from her home.

"O-Oh, okay. Wait, you're from the Lanes?" the young man questioned, eyes widening. "How'd ya end up here with the Pilties?"

With a wry smile, especially as the boy didn't realize that, had any 'Pilties' other than Jayce been around, they would've taken offense to the title, Viktor informed him, "The same way you have. Through the efforts of an interested patron, who recognized your talent, and gave you a suitable opportunity to match it." Looking over to Jayce, the man had walked over to the side room, and was pulling out the cot they'd had installed, in case their experiments went very long. "Are you alright, Jayce?"

"I will be," his partner called back, exhaustedly, having obviously completed his self-appointed task, and now running out of energy.

With a soft thunk the man fell into the bed, and was visibly asleep moments later.

Turning back to the two children he was now in charge of, Viktor hesitated, unsure. "If you do not mind me asking, what happened to Mr. Talis?"

The boy's look was incredibly guilty, while Piper smiled. "He and Violetta went looking for Ekko and got lost!" she chirped.

From the young man's wince, there was a great deal more to it than that.

"How lost are we talking?" the scientist questioned, skeptically.

"Reeeeeally lost," the girl nodded, adding conspiratorially. "Did you know there's an Under-Undercity?"

Blinking, Viktor looked over to his partner, having the distinct feeling that this was one of the many, many things he would not normally share. The scientist wouldn't share the information his young charge spilled, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't curious.

"I take it you do not mean the Sump?" the undercity native questioned.

"Nope! Waaay lower," Piper smiled smugly. "Oh, uh, do you know what this says?" she questioned, reaching into a pocket and pulling out an oddly shaped steel coin, handing it to him.

Looking over it, the script looked vaguely familiar, but was completely unidentifiable. "I can't say that I have," he commented slowly. "Would you mind if I borrow this for a little, Ms. Vandottir?"

"You can have it, I've got a lot!" she grinned. "Silver ones, and brass ones, and steel ones like that. There were iron ones, but they were just dust," the small girl frowned, before shrugging. "But they probably weren't that special."

Old enough to rust completely? Viktor thought, easily pocketing the coin, and resolving to make a few discreet inquiries. "Well, that certainly sounds interesting. Was Jayce injured in a fall, or..."

"Exploding spider," she shrugged. "But he's fine, and he's Jayce, so he'll be fine! So, what're we doing today?"

"Exploding... spider," the scientist echoed, glancing to the boy, who seemed just as lost as he was. At least I have an ally in this madness. "Well, considering your friend's recent inclusion into our experimental cabal, I think it would be best to bring him up to speed, as it were, on the fundamentals of Hextech. Ms. Vandottir, perhaps you could do so, and I will make sure nothing is left out. As Professor Heimerdinger often says, one learns more from teaching a subject, then they do from merely absorbing it from others."

The small blue-haired girl nodded, pronouncing, "Jayce said something like that too," as if that was what made the advice valid, not the Headmaster's opinion. Then again, the girl had absorbed many of his partner's more... problematic attitudes.

Turning to Ekko, she thought about it for a moment, before slamming a small fist into her open hand, declaring, "Hextech is like Chemtech. Only Magic. More Magic. With energy instead of Chemfluid. And Runes instead of pipes. Also, it's weirder, but can do cool stuff, like make stuff fly, or teleport, or turn stuff inside out, though that last one was an accident."

Turning back to Viktor, she nodded. "Okay, that's the basics! So what now?"

Glancing over at his sleeping partner, and resolving to... repay him for this unexpected task, the scientist sighed. "Perhaps a bit more than that," he stated, with slight admonishment, but the girl shrugged, unbothered. Focusing on their newest addition, he asked, "Do you know what Magic is, young man?"

"Uh, bad?" Ekko offered.

"Nah, it's not any worse than fire, or lightning, or Chemfluid," Piper disagreed.

Interceding, as the boy started to frown, Viktor stated, "Magic is energy, much as fire is heat energy, or lightning is electrical energy. As such, if not controlled, it is dangerous. What we are seeking to do here is to discover how one can control it, if one, like all of us, does not have the good fortune to be born with that particular talent. Follow me, we can use this blackboard... Wait, that one has the... Oh, this one will do," he smiled, walking off, and while Piper seemed uninterested in the review, she was at least being quiet, glancing with mild concern towards Jayce when she thought no one was looking.

Ekko, meanwhile, was staring with rapt attention, as if Viktor was about to share the secrets of the universe with him.

In a way, I suppose I am, the scientist mused, starting to draw out a rune, now that they'd discovered that, without an input, merely sketching them did nothing. Perhaps this is what Professor Heimerdinger felt like, when I first joined him.

It was an odd feeling, teaching, as he started to go into what Mana was, and how, as far as they had discovered ,it acted, with Piper piping up at times, the boy accepting her statements without really thinking about them, a habit he'd have to train out of the young man, as she could be rather insightful.

After all, if he was going to have an Apprentice, Viktor would make sure to do right by him.

It was the least he could do. He was a man of Science, after all!

Chapter Forty-Two

Taking a deep breath, Caitlyn Kiramman steeled herself, about to do something that she'd been spending weeks working herself up to do.

Visit Jayce at his home.

If she were being honest with herself, the young man had caught her fancy the first time he'd come to meet Mother. It had been childish interest on her part, at first, as he'd been so passionate about his studies, willing to explain things to even her, despite her age, though, again, being honest, she really didn't understand what he had been talking about.

Mother had approved of him, though, taking him as an Apprenta of the Kiramman family personally, instead of going through one of their branch or allied families. Her family had kept such things clearly delineated, with only her mother, father, and her as the 'Kirammans' that the City as a whole knew, unlike the Medardas, whose family compound was an eyesore on Piltover. No, her extended family had instead integrated into the city, like her Mother's manor house did. The fact that Jayce had come to them directly had been surprising, but Mother had seen his potential, and, as usual, she'd been completely correct!

He'd been working on his project for years, producing nothing, something that had been mentioned a time or nine by some of her cousins, but Mother had been firm that research took time, and, as someone beholden to the Kiramman family, Jayce was someone that Caitlyn could talk to without having to worry about being a 'proper lady' at all times, making him someone she was able to relax around, talk to, and just be... herself when near. And it hadn't helped that, as she'd gotten older, she noticed he was quite handsome, with his broad shoulders, muscular arms, debonair smile, and-

Focus.

Regardless, she'd fancied him more and more, and then there was that terrible incident, where he'd almost died, the vision of him, bloodied, caring about her instead of himself, sending her away when things got dangerous, something she hadn't understood until Mother had explained it, was something that still weighed on her. On one hand, Caitlyn was not some weak girl that needed to be protected! But, on the other, she couldn't help but appreciate him wanting to protect her, while himself going into danger to try and help others, not realizing it was just Undercity urchins who'd been robbing him.

Though, from what she'd come to understand of the man, he likely would have gone in anyways.

And she was learning a lot more about Jayce, after The Incident.

Before, Jayce usually only talked about his work, which she was happy to listen to, but recently he'd started talking about other things, and, through that, she'd been getting an insight into just who Jayce Talis was. It was an insight that she, embarrassingly, realized that she really hadn't had before.

Mother had said that wasn't uncommon, as people changing after a traumatic event was a known phenomenon. Sometimes they changed for the worse, but, if she was being honest, Jayce had changed for the better. He looked at her now, which he technically did before, but… now it was different. He used to let her tag along, talking about what he was doing, but now he asked her about what she knew, which shouldn't really make a difference, but it really did. Before he'd glance in her direction, but now he turned his attention directly on her, the strength of that intense gaze, as if she was the only thing that mattered in that moment… it was a bit much, but Caitlyn Kiramman was not someone to be daunted by such a thing!

And it didn't hurt that it did… things to her. Good things. Probably. Definitely new things.

She'd always been interested in him, and his work, but now he was interested in her, and what she could do.

And, even better, Mother approved!

He'd even made Mother laugh, something she unfortunately rarely did, but Jayce Talis was special, and Caitlyn was so glad that other people were finally starting to see that!

And so now she was going to visit him. On her own. At his new estate.

You've done this dozens of times before, when you visited his apartment, she chided herself. Why is this different?

It was different, though, because she used to sneak out to go see Jayce. Now she had her Mother's permission to do so, which meant a great many things, and none of which she could think about too hard right now because showing up on his doorstep red as a freshly cooked crab would not present the proper, cultured look belonging to a proper lady that she was going for.

But, could anyone blame her?

Jayce knew she liked to shoot, she was sure she'd mentioned it before, and so what did he do?

He invented something specifically for her!

Mother let her keep one of the 'rifled' weapons in her room, even! The one with the telescope had been sent to their family's personal armorer to examine, while the 'revolver' rifle, as Jayce had called it, had gone into their home's vault.

She knew about proper courtship, though she was far too young for such things to truly move forward, however, still, as such gifts went, it was far superior to those she'd heard of from the girls in the branch families.

Could Cordelia's fancy necklace, which the infuriating girl wouldn't stop talking about at the last ball, reliably put holes in a six-inch target a quarter-mile away?

Caitlyn thought not!

The carriage slowed to a stop outside the Brentsworth estate, her driver opening the door for her. "Thank you, Tobias," she smiled, the older man nodding as she walked up to the door and knocked, looking at the portal as she waited, seeing that Jayce had added an interesting decoration over the top, wrought metal and glass covering the keystone of the arch.

Hearing the latch turn inside, the heiress stood up a little straighter, smiling, greeting as the door opened, "Hello, Jay…ce?"

It was not Mr. Talis who opened the door, but a very rough looking girl, possibly her age, with pure white hair, dressed in only a loose shirt and pants, and wearing a very unladylike expression on her face as she demanded, "What do you want?"

A bit caught off guard, "I'm... here to see Jayce?" Caitlyn more asked than said.

The teen's look was unimpressed as she leaned back, hollering like a common hoodlum, "Jayce! Some girl's here to see you!" The heiress tried not to bristle, as she was not 'some girl', but whoever this, this ruffian was had not even had the courtesy to ask for the name of the caller in question!

"I'm sorry, I must've forgotten to introduce myself," Caitlyn smiled brittlely, to indicate this girl's rudeness. An indication which went right over the commoner's head. "I'm Caitlyn Kiramman. And you are?"

Leaning back again, as someone could be heard coming down the stairs, the still unnamed lout yelled, "It's that Caitlyn girl you've talked about!"

Wait, you know who I am, and you're still treating me like this? the heiress fumed, as the white-haired boor turned back to her. "Nice ta'meetchya. I'm Vi. Vi Vandottïr. Come on in," she directed, which, simultaneously was a bit of courtesy, but also, as she had not done so previously, was not the girl's place to offer.

Stepping inside, this 'Vi' just stood there, not leading Caitlyn to the sitting room which... of course she didn't! Thankfully, The person she was actually here to see came down the stairs, cleaning his hands off on a rag, looking dashing in his slightly smudged loose shirt and pants, likely having been working on something which he set down as soon as he heard she as here!

"Caitlyn" he smiled, "this is unexpected. What brings you to my humble abode?"

"I came to see you, of course!" she replied, happy to be here with Mother's approval, stepping to the Kiramman apprenta and smiling up at him. "Mother had said that I should, but warned that you were quite busy, so I should wait until the weekend."

With a shrug, he replied, "I'm normally busy on the weekends too. If you want to visit, please warn me so I can clear my schedule. Last weekend, I was gone on a very eventful trip, and barely made it back in time for my duties at the Academy."

With a snort, the rude girl, still standing by the door, sarcastically added, "You can say that again."

Caitlyn frowned, looking at the white-haired teen, wondering what her issue was.

"Oh, where are my manners! This is Violetta," Jayce indicated, showing proper decorum. "She and her sister Piper are the daughters of a friend of the family from Freljord."

"Freljord," the heiress repeated, glancing back at that girl that had answered the door, wracking her memory on what she knew about that nation. "That would explain the white hair," Ms. Kiramman stated neutrally, and the complete lack of manners, she added internally. "What is it like, in Freljord?"

The literal barbarian shrugged. "Cold."

Caitlyn waited a moment, but that was all the other teen said, so the visiting noble tried to smile, trying again with, "Well, how are you liking Piltover, then?"

Another shrug. "It's… okay."

Covering for his uncivilized guest, Jayce, stated, "She's still adjusting, as is her sister. Things are apparently a good deal blunter where she's from. Vi, if you could put on the kettle?" he requested, the other girl rolling her eyes, finally closing the door, and walking towards the estate's kitchen, while the two of them moved to the sitting room, taking a seat, with him doing so first, as was proper. "She doesn't mean any offense, Caitlyn, she's just not taking the transition well. That said, Vi's highly skilled in her own areas of expertise, as good when it comes to hand-to-hand as you are with your rifle, and she's been teaching me a great deal."

Casting a glance towards the back, the Kiramman heir couldn't help but ask, "Truly?"

"Truly," Jayce agreed. "Where she's from there wasn't a need for, as she would put it, 'book learnin''. That said, her father made sure she and her younger sister were literate in Piltovan, which has helped a lot in their transition, and furthering their education."

"I suppose it would," Caitlyn murmured in agreement, never having thought of someone not being literate, and wondered how they would even function.

"Only problem, the person who taught them to speak Piltovan was from Zaun," the young man revealed conspiratorially, and her eyes widened.

"Oh dear," the Piltovan noble gasped. "So that's why she sounds..."

Lifting a hand, Jayce requested, "Please don't bring it up, even if she, or her sister, use Zaunite slang. They're getting better, but they're a little touchy about it."

"I understand," Caitlyn nodded, as of course he would try to be helpful and considerate of his guests' needs, though, given their differing statuses, the other girl was a servant, not a guest, though she likely did not realize it yet. Mother had noted the issues with contracting foreigners who did not understand their place in a household. Ionians were not that bad, but those of Bilgewater had no manners, Shurimans often had 'sticky fingers', and Noxians were often restless.

Proper Piltovans were best, of course, but Mother had been clear that recruiting from the Undercity, after extensive vetting, was still better than dealing with foreigners, due to the 'learning period' which Jayce was currently dealing with. Speaking of whom…

"What're ya talkin' about?" Vi inquired, interrupting their conversation as she leaned in through a doorway.

"You, actually, and your tutoring," Jayce called back, not taking offense at the intruding girl's impoliteness.

"Ugh," the white-haired teen gutturally complained, openly displaying her uncivilized nature. "I wanna punch whoever invented math."

Unable to resist, Caitlyn inquired, trying not to smile, "Having difficulty?"

Ms. Vandottïr gave Ms. Kiramman a flat look. "Not that much. Jayce helps a lot."

Wait, what? Turning a momentarily inquisitive look his way, Caitlyn asked the other teen, "Mr. Talis is tutoring you? Personally?"

Jayce shrugged, "It's no big deal."

Which was very nice of him, but Jayce did show that he was from a minor noble house in moments like these, necessitating his lessons on proper etiquette with her. "Jayce, your time is valuable," she informed him kindly, "and the stipend Mother has allocated should be more than enough to secure the services of a tutor for… those in your household."

The Freljordian girl frowned, but the whine of the kettle cut off any response she might've had, Jayce shaking his head. "It's really not that big of a deal, Caitlyn. Vi and Piper are both bright kids, and I like teaching. Besides, her little sister's actually helping me in the lab, so bringing her up to speed is actually in my best interest."

The heiress frowned, as that would be different. She could even see his logic, as she as aware of the public interest in Jayce's works, so having an assistant that lived with him would stop other groups, like the Medardas, from trying to steal his secrets. Not that they could do anything with it, as there was no one as smart as Jayce around to utilize his discoveries, but that wouldn't stop those, those hoarders. "And her sister is helpful?"

"Definitely," Jayce smiled. "Viktor and I both bring our own approaches to things, but Piper, by asking questions and making suggestions, even if the suggestions are wrong, helps to break us out of the box we might've put ourselves in looking to do things one way, when using a different rune schema would be far easier to manage!"

Oh, Caitlyn thought, thinking of how, at times, Mother would speak to her about things, or Father, or occasionally, Carlton, their butler. The heiress knew she was still learning, that Father did not truly care about statecraft, and that Carlton, while very competent, did not have the skillset required for political maneuvering, but their perspectives assisted Mother's own planning, all of them viewing things as someone who wasn't working on the same level as the Kiramman Matriarch always did. Of course Jayce would think to do the same thing, using someone without his understanding as a sounding board, and, in doing so, was training up someone to assist him! He really was brilliant!

"That makes perfect sense, Jayce," she smiled, deciding to change the subject. "What were you doing last weekend?"

"I stumbled across an unexpected research opportunity, and kind of got lost in it," he admitted, with a chagrined expression. "It was definitely different, but I'm likely going to have to a good bit of experimentation before I can turn it into something usable, and I have no plans to return there any time soon."

"Well, that sounds exciting!" Caitlyn commented, pausing at the man's grimace. "It wasn't?"

"It was dangerous," Jayce stated. "Far more than I thought it would be, as the local wildlife was, shall we say, restive."

"What was resting?" Vi butted in, again, bringing in the pot, and three cups? Yes, the girl was pouring one for herself, and only herself, which was very rude.

"Restive, not resting, and the research trip we took outside of Piltover last weekend," Jayce clarified, pouring tea for the two of them, loading his own with sugar while making hers just the way she preferred, showing the same attention to detail when it came to her as he did with his Hextech studies.

"Yeah, that sure as shit wasn't resting," the barbarian commented, including herself in on the conversation. "So, restive, that one of those anonym things?"

"Antonyms," Caitlyn corrected the impolite teen. "They have opposite meanings so they're antonyms. I see why she needs the tutoring, Jayce."

The white-haired Freljordian barbarian shot the blue-haired Piltovan noble an annoyed look, but if she didn't wish to be shown the error of her ways she should have just let them talk. However, rather than take the rebuke with grace, the girl's expression shifted to a smug one as, instead of sitting like a civilized person, she perched herself on the arm of Jayce's chair, leaning over to use his shoulder as a backrest, something that confused the young man, but which he dismissed far too easily.

"Pfft, I'm not the only one," she commented taking a sip of her tea.

What?

"Hey, I'm getting better," Jayce casually replied, smiling.

What!?

Seeing her confusion, as she looked between the two, Jayce told her, "Like I said, Vi's been teaching me how to hold my own in a fight, just as much as I've been teaching her in the various academic fields. Something I'm quite grateful of."

"And, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have survived our… research trip," the teen cockily added.

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have either," he shot back, with far too familiarity, getting a nod from the other girl, as the Freljordian sent a victorious smirk the Kiramman heiress' way.

WHAT!?

"I'm… sorry," Caitlyn said, "but I seem to be missing something."

Glancing Vi's way, making sure she didn't spill her drink when he shrugged, Jayce explained, "Like I said, restive wildlife. Vi had my back through it, and, I must say, thank you, Caitlyn, as without your lessons I likely wouldn't've been nearly as a good a shot, which really helped."

"Just how dangerous was this trip of yours?" the noblewoman questioned carefully.

"Very," Jayce answered her with grave seriousness. "The world outside of Piltover is… far more dangerous than I believed. I thought harsh climates were the greatest threat, as you know from my own history, but I know now how tremendously lucky my mother and I were, and that was before meeting the Mage that saved our lives."

Caitlyn remembered her lessons, information on ships lost at sea, and loss tables for various ventures her family owned. They'd all been numbers before, allotments of new staff required to man mines, farms, lumber-gathering camps, and so on, but for Jayce to speak so cavalierly of such dangers that he himself had faced put a very different spin on things, and she now realized that every one of those 'losses' had, in fact, been a person.

"Honestly, I have both of you to thank," he continued, glancing at each of them. "While also knowing I have a lot left to learn."

"Eh, you're not that bad," Vi offered. "Though I wouldn't mind it if I kept helping you with your," she paused, giving Caitlyn a knowing look, "close quarters techniques."

Oh.

Oh that utter cow!

She was touching him even now, her back leaning against Jayce's shoulder so he couldn't see the Jezebel's smirk, the man so earnest and kind and positive that he didn't realize what this northern savage was doing! Caitlyn knew that other cultures didn't have proper courtships, shacking up and pumping out babies in their backwoods shacks, but she hadn't expected to see such a thing here in Piltover!

At her outraged look, this 'Vi', which surely stood for, for Vice, just smirked even more, while Jayce questioned, concerned, "Is something wrong?"

Yes!

Yes something was wrong!

But, but by Jayce's own admission the... the trollop that was even now rubbing up against her family's Apprenta had saved his life, so Caitlyn couldn't just say anything. And, with how he was giving the white-haired girl no mind he clearly didn't think of her that way. Actually, by Jayce's own admission he thought of her as a 'kid'.

And he was still waiting for a response.

"No, nothing's wrong!" she exclaimed, clearing her throat, and seeing the Freljordian's smug look just get worse. Think! "Tutoring!" the heiress enunciated.

"Tutoring?" Jayce echoed.

"Yeeeeesss, tutoring," she slowly repeated, the thought taking form. "While I have been tutored in statecraft, as I am now tutoring you, I have not been tutored in the sciences. Perhaps I could attend some of these sessions you are giving Vi and her sister?"

The man sitting across from her paused mid-sip, "Oh, um, I'm doing them several times a week, after work, and-"

"You should," Vi commented, surprising Caitlyn, as the heiress thought the Freljordian floozy would want Jayce all to herself. "She might not be able to keep up, though."

Stiffening, the blue-haired teen couldn't believe her ears! This tundral tart, who couldn't even speak Pitlovan properly, thought that she was more educated than Caitlyn Kiramman! "I'm sure I can handle whatever task you may have for me, Jayce," she stated tightly.

It was clear that the young man before her realized that something was going on, but not what, ignorant of the hoary harlot's designs upon his virtue! "I, um, okay, then I'll be glad to have you," he smiled warmly, which did help her mood. "Actually, if we're going to make this a regular thing, Vi, do you mind teaching her how fight as well?"

The barbarian snorted, "Sure, why not. That'll be fun."

Nodding, the young man said, "Good! So, Caitlyn, I know you're a far better shot than me, but having some kind of backup in case someone gets in close, I've learned, is very important."

"I can handle whatever task you have for me!" she repeated, giving Vi an arch look. This white-haired hussy thought she'd have an advantage with Jayce just because they sparred? Thought she could scare away any competition? Well then Caitlyn would be right there with them! And, in trying to force the heiress to quit, the other girl would show just the kind of classless commoner she was! The challenging look Vi sent her was accepted!

Jayce, sweet Jayce, was clearly happy to have her included, as evidenced by his next question, "Actually, would you mind doing some regular marksmanship lessons?"

"I would be happy to help," Caitlyn primly stated.

The other girl rolled her eyes, "I guess Piper could use some practice."

"Oh, no, you'll be learning too, Vi," Jayce stated pleasantly.

"What?" the girl demanded, sitting up straight. "But I don't need-"

"Better to know and not need it, then need it and not know how," he cut her off. "The number of things that fly out there, or that will use ranged attacks, means that even having a harrying option is necessary."

It was deeply satisfying to see the situation reversed, the arrogant girl now on her back-foot! "But… fine."

"Oh, don't worry," Caitlyn promised with false sweetness. "I'm sure you'll learn. Eventually."

The sour look the barbarian sent her was oh so delicious, and Jayce's attempt to be comforting by telling her, "I know it's not your specialty, and your sister trained with it while you focused on boxing, but if you apply yourself like you have to your others studies, I'm sure you'll pick it up quickly!"

Vi tried to be mad at him, but it was clear that she could tell, just as Caitlyn could, that Jayce was being nothing but encouraging, the girl hanging her head with a, "Yeah, sure. I'll give it a shot."

"Nice pun," he commented, and turned back to Caitlyn, who quickly schooled her features. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" Mr. Talis questioned. "We can discuss scheduling, and I can introduce you to Piper. She's working on something upstairs. You'll love her; she's adorable."

"I'd love to stay for dinner," the heiress smiled, not really caring about the barbarian's sibling, who was likely to be even worse. "You have said you're quite good at cooking, and I'd love to experience it for myself, beyond picnicking. If you'll excuse me, I need to tell my driver I'll be a while."

"Of course," Jayce nodded, standing up, as Vi did the same, both starting to walk for the kitchen, the white haired girl pausing to look back, pointing towards her own eyes, then Caitlyn's, in a crude 'I'm watching you' gesture.

Not dropping to the Freljordian's level, the noble just smiled, which succeeded in annoying the uncouth lout, and turned to head out herself, pausing in the hallway, as she heard Jayce say, "So yeah, that's Caitlyn. She's great, and I think you could be friends!"

"Yeah, sure," Vi snorted sarcastically. "That's not gonna happen. I've got nothing in common with that chick."

While smiling at the young man's compliment, the heiress found herself in an odd sort of agreement with the white-haired girl.

The thought of them ever being friends was patently ridiculous!

​

Cecil B. Heimerdinger, Scientist, Professor, Dean of the Academy, and Head of the Piltover Council was having a good day.

Then again, most days he had were good in the last few decades. The bad times were long behind them, peace, moderation, and understanding had been ushered in, and generations of humans had lived and died without ever even uttering the dread name of Zaun.

Those madmen were everything that Heimerdinger fought against, insane 'scientists' that laughed at safety standards, that took what others had done without understanding it and just added on to it, that took no responsibility for the carnage their creations wrought, and that were too enamored with whether or not they could that they never considered if they should!

And if they had only killed themselves, chasing after Mages, and with egos to match, each of their dabblers in the Arcane hoarding their secrets like a dragon would treasures while simultaneously showing them off with no thought to collateral damage, then that would've been one thing.

But no, they had killed millions with their unrestrained, downright gleeful hubris, losing control of their creations regularly and getting away with it merely by being forced to give up discoveries, which were traded like coin, despite the cost of such discoveries in innocent lives!

If anything, the rending of Zaun, and the killing of most of its populace, was just the logical endpoint of their insanity.

It was why, despite the 'convenience' of Chemtech, Heimerdinger had fought tooth and claw to not allow that, that poison into his city, and not only had he succeeded, he'd been proven right, as rates of sickness and mutation had dropped, foreign merchants could set up establishments without worry of the health effects, and the rate of Mages born in the city had not skyrocketed, their lack of such things why the Yordle had come to this region in the first place.

He'd seen what Mages could do, and the Yordle wanted no part of it, as, while the 'Magineers' had been bad, Mages were incalculably worse!

In some ways, Heimerdinger had been too successful, as a century ago there had been enough understanding of Magic that a project like Young Jayce's would never have been approved, but the restriction of such knowledge had been necessary, as there had still been those that had tried to secret Mages into the city for their own purposes, not understanding that Mages could not be controlled, and that they would, in time, bridle against the agreements they thought leashed them to serve their 'lessers', with predictably disastrous results.

However, the Dean's efforts to show that Mages could not be trusted had led to the blame being placed entirely upon them, with none on Magic itself, which had led to the loophole that Mr. Talis had stumbled across, and which, the Yordle had to admit, might have something to it.

He'd frequented the workshop that Young Jayce and Viktor had been using, and, while they could do with being more careful, they were taking precautions, and had the wisdom, and the humility, to accept the senior scientist's experienced counsel without question. Even if Mr. Talis obviously believed such things to be unnecessary, he still did them, and treated Heimerdinger's assistant, who was a great deal more knowledgeable in such things, given the boy's tutelage working for the Dean directly, as a true partner, instead of as the minder the Dean had worried Viktor would be seen as.

Coming in to find they had procured assistants had been a worrying moment, and that they were Zaunite orphans was doubly so, the 'Magineers' of old using impressionable, disposable labor to perform their more dangerous experiments, since, as one particularly depraved 'Chemtechnical Magineer' had flippantly remarked, 'You can always get more'.

However, the children hadn't been allowed to even touch the experimental equipment until they had finished learning proper safety procedures, the younglings not being used as an extra pair of hands, but as an extra pair of eyes.

He'd congratulated Viktor for the idea, the bashful young man trying to push the praise onto his partner, but, while admirable, Heimerdinger knew who was really behind it. After all, it was just what Heimerdinger had done, when an old associate, one who had unfortunately fallen into the bad old ways, though Mr. Reveck knew not who he was copying, had reached out to his friend, knowing, rightly, that the Dean could assist Young Viktor in ways that the Not-So-Young Corin could not.

Time and again, Heimerdinger had had reservations about this 'Hextech' proposal, but time and again, while it had looked like the Magery of old, or, only slightly better, the 'technical revolutions' of Zaun, there had been small but very important differences which put things in a new context, the difference between a bolt of lightning from the sky, and the measured and metered flow of electricity that powered Piltover.

And, today, it seemed they would get another insight into the boy's nature, be it that of a Zaunite 'Magineer', or of a proper Piltovan Scientist!

Heimerdinger was the last to arrive, precisely on time, noting the telescope set up at one window, happy to see the others were ready and waiting for him as he took his seat, the keystone of the Council's arched gear table, asking the lovely woman who had supported Young Jayce, helping to nurture his talent, as much as a non-Scientist could, "Do you know what this is about, Councilor Kiramman?"

The young lady shook her head minutely, always maintaining the picture of stately grace that she'd worked so hard to cultivate, despite being quite the rebellious hellion in her youth. "Mr. Talis would only tell me that, and I quote, 'It's ready.'"

That set the Poro amongst the pigeons, all of the other Councilors ruffling their metaphorical feathers and cooing their interest, their attention focused on the stack of papers that, climbing up onto his chair, Heimerdinger noted had a small note perched on top of that asked them to be passed out to the others.

In Bandle.

The simple, natural looking letters, appearing like curling glyphs, were distinctive, but also something that the Dean hadn't seen in decades, yet here they were, bold as brass, using the phonetic spelling of Heimerdigner's name instead of its actual spelling, along with, also phonetically, being signed by, if translated properly, 'Jaise Tailus'.

Whenever did the young man learn to speak the tongue of Yordles?

Though, getting over his surprise and directing his sizable intellectual talents on the subject, the answer was so clear, the Dean was a bit surprised that he hadn't realized it before.

Young Mr. Talis had openly talked about his studies of the Arcane, though he tried to pretty it up by calling it 'Mana', but the Head Councilor had assumed that the boy had been speaking solely of Mages. Of the ability that he had seen as a child, of the might of the foolish Shurimans, and of the unbridled power that Heimerdinger had seen reap unimaginably horrors during the Rune Wars, but there were other sources of Magic in the world, weren't there?

The Spirits.

There were none in Zaun or Piltover, at least of the greater variety, and the Ionians were unwelcoming of foreigners, though, given the current unpleasantness, that was understandable, while Freljordian spirits were worse. The 'gods 'of Mt. Targon were capricious at best, Demacia had suppressed theirs, Noxians spirits were generally inhospitable, and the less said about the slimy fish of Bilgewater the better.

But who did that leave?

Why, Yordles, of course!

If there was any kind of Spirit one could apply Scientific inquiry towards, it was the ones that did Science themselves, after all! They were the only ones that used Magic, but were not used by Magic, which, at its heart, was exactly what Young Jayce had been seeking to replicate, only with tools, as Humans lacked Yordles unique constitution, the one that made them able to use the energies that invariably corrupted Human Mages. On one hand, if the boy had come to him, he'd have been happy to answer his questions, but Heimerdinger would also have put a stop to Young Mr. Talis' studies, so the fact that the young man hadn't shown up on his doorstep displayed the same kind of forethought he put into his experimentations, which, the Dean could admit, boded well.

"Councilor Heimerdinger?" Ms. Madarda questioned to his right. "Can you read that?"

"Yes, Yes I can!" the Dean smiled. "I'd hardly be able to call myself a Yordle if I couldn't read Bandle, after all!"

The dark skinned girl lifted an eyebrow, "Mr. Talis knows how to write in your native language?"

"Yes, though his spelling does need some work, at least when it comes to names," Heimerdinger grinned, proud of the accomplishments of a member of his Academy. "He likely learned it from a guide, instead of from a native speaker, but still, that does not lessen the impressiveness in the slightest!" After a moment, the Yordle realized that he should do as the note asked, and passed the letters out, turning over the last one, and, as all were silent, he read it aloud.

"Esteemed members of the Council of Piltover,

I, Jayce Talis, thank you for your forbearance and for the opportunity you have presented me with, and, it is with that thanks in mind that I am enormously pleased to announce, after only a few short months, that I, and my partner, Viktor, now have a working prototype for what we have taken to calling the 'Hexgate', given its similarities to our nation's esteemed Sun Gates, and which have the possibilities to do for air-travel what those have done for shipping!

As you might have noted, there is a telescope that we set up, along with two lights, after having everything vetted by Piltover's Enforcers, of course, as safety is our number one concern. To prove the efficacy of our device, if one, or all, of this esteemed Council would turn on the green (left) light by flicking the switch in front of it, and look through the telescope you will be able to see myself, a little less than a mile away!

Once you have confirmed that I am not hiding in the ceiling, or something else similarly ludicrous, like a stage magician, please turn off the green (left) light and turn on the red (right) light, then return to your seats and enjoy the show!

Sincerely,

Jayce Talis"

Looking around, there was a wary yet excited feeling in the room, so, being the Head Councilor, Heimerdinger happily stood up on his raised chair and jumped off it, moving to the stool set up next to the telescope, which, yes, had the ladder-rungs on it just for him!

How thoughtful!

Clambering up, the Yordle flicked the left switch, then looked into the telescope, spying a pacing Jayce, who perked up at something someone said, then turned to look in Heimerdinger's direction and waved with an excited smile.

Pulling away, the Yordle saw that several of the others had gotten out of their seats, but were reticent, so, jumping down, he waved them over. "Come, come, it's perfectly safe! I'm quite looking forward to all of what the Young Misters Jayce and Viktor have come up with!"

That was the kick in the rear the others needed, each looking in turn, except for. . "Bolbok?" the Dean questioned.

"I will be present. But I will not participate in. This foolishness," the fully-covered being articulated, and, while Heimerdinger could understand his reticence, the man was, in his own way, similar to those who had at first believed that Magic could solve any problem, despite its dangers.

"I understand," the Yordle nodded, climbing up onto his seat, waiting for the others. With Young Mr. Salo being the last one, the somewhat flighty young man hesitantly flipped the two switches, turning off the green light and turning on the red, he quickly looked back through the telescope and announced, "He's going somewhere!"

"Yes, that is what he said he would do," Young Ms. Medarda remarked dryly. "Perhaps you should sit, and be prepared for his arrival?"

The blond boy blinked, "A-ah, yes!" Scurrying to his seat, nothing happened for a long moment, before, subtly, a sense of energy filled the air, prickling at the edges of the Dean's fur.

"Is something going to happen?" Councilor Hoskel questioned, looking around.

"It already. Is," Bolbock intoned, disgust in his filtered voice, and, as the Human Councilors looked around, the Yordle nodded in agreement, unsurprised by how the less magical races couldn't detect the difference in the space.

That said, Heimerdinger had a more discerning 'nose' for such a thing than Bolbok possessed, and found the rising sense of Magic fascinating as it was, for lack of a better term, flavorless. Magic carried the emotionality of the Mage that used it, and even that wielded by a Spirit carried a certain intent, but the Magic slowly unfolding seemed, not cold, but sterile, like the taste of a plate devoid of any food.

Something was happening, and it was only because Heimerdinger was paying close attention that he noticed an odd disturbance in the air in the hollowed center of their round table, and a faint breeze that carried with it the barest smell of ozone, and then.

ZAP!​

Wreathed in glowing blue bolts of pure, unaligned magic, Jayce Talis fell out of the air in front of them, easily landing and opening his arms. "Greetings, Councilors! The Hexgate works!"

There was a moment of silence, before the young scientist was besieged with questions from all sides, about what his device worked, about if it was safe, about its capabilities, which, with a triumphant smile, and an indulgent laugh, Mr. Talis started to do something that Heimerdinger had seen no Magic user, Mage or Magineer, ever freely do.

He explained his creation.

Information was given, limitations were outlined, and even the foundations of the processes involved were delineated. They were simplified explanations, but, having dropped by the lab, the Dean could tell that they were accurate, the broad strokes the same he'd heard Young Jayce and Viktor give the even younger Ekko and Piper Vandottïr, the second pretending to be Freljordian but obviously friends with the Zaunite Boy, though the façade of her being from the frozen north would hold up to any not as well-travelled as Heimerdinger himself.

No, Jayce Talis did not appear to be a Mage, expecting others to be in awe of his might, or a 'Magineer' whose intelligence was far beyond that of 'mere commoners understanding'. Instead he was happy to show off his achievements as a Scientist, his creations replicable, and usable by others, going into detail explaining the testing methodology used to ensure the process would be safe, even going out of his way to thank Heimerdinger himself for some of the testing parameters they used!

The young scientist continued fielding questions, explaining that no, it could not be used as a weapon, as it was a transportation system that only moved full items; that the accuracy of the teleportation effect worsened with distance, though it did so logarithmically, and then a quick aside on what that meant, which is why his idea for a 'Hexgate' was for airships only, where being a few hundred feet off in any of the thirty-six possible directions would not be disastrous; that the cost in hex-crystals meant that long-distance transportation was far more economical, and thus would give far greater returns on investment; and so on.

And, through it all, though Young Jayce Talis was very happy with himself for his successful presentation, he displayed not an ounce of the ego that Heimerdinger had assumed the boy would have over having been proven correct. The boy did have an ego, of course, and self-confidence to spare on top, but there was no anger to it, none of the domineering superiority that the Yordle had seen all too often, the Scientist happily giving Young Viktor the credit the boy so clearly deserved, if one knew him, but would just as easily not take for himself.

Watching it all with a smile, Heimerdinger found that his worries were not nearly as pressing as they had been that day, during the trial. That was not to say he would not stay vigilant of course, as Magic was dangerous, but the Yordle remembered the young man's words, which he had thought foolish, of treating Magic as one would other natural forces. He had thought the fledgling Scientist had underestimated the dangers, when, it seemed, Mr. Talis had been properly cognizant of the hazards he was facing, and, were he to go back, as all Yordles considered from time to time, the Dean would not have voted against the young man's proposal.

No, the future was certainly going to be different, the Head Councilor of Piltover thought, and I look forward to seeing where it takes us all!

END Arcane Curiosity Explored BOOK 1