Chapter Text
“Hey, inventor boy, you’ve got a visitor”, Viktor heard the guard calling out. He raised his head a bit, getting even more confused as there was no one outside his cell, only to then chuckle to himself, holding his stomach in pain a bit. The guards here really didn’t care about their Zaunite prisoners at all. He got premium treatments, as they said, which meant, less food and more beatings. Well, it was a good thing that he was used to both in Zaun.
“Jayce… I really don’t get what was going on in your mind. You should've gone to me first”, Viktor heard a voice speaking from relatively close by. Interested, he forced himself up, even with the painful aching of his body. Heading to the bars, he leaned against the wall as he listened to the rest of the conversation.
“I know professor but… I really thought I had it this time. That it was going to be my big discovery.”
“Oh, you stupid boy. There is still time for you to get your big discovery. You shouldn’t force it by using magical stones.”, Viktor perked up at the mention of magical stones. Was that what the kids brought him?
“Yes, but I just thought…”
“You thought wrong, Jayce. Safety is our topmost priority at the academy”, Viktor couldn’t hold back a chuckle at that. Safety… Zaun had no issue destroying all of itself, it was just an average Friday for them. But his laugh seemed to have alarmed whoever was talking next door, as a small yordle walked up in front of his cell. “Is there something funny, sir?”
“Ah, sorry, I was just thinking how Safety is no way to combat science. Science is volatile. It is dangerous, seeking danger even. You can’t conduct experiments or discover something in pure safety. After all, didn’t an explosion teach you that the magic stones are more than dangerous? So what is a bit of extra danger mixed with that?” Viktor asked as he tried to see if he could recognize the Yordle from somewhere. He seemed quite familiar.
“Ah, I’m guessing you’re also an inventor? But from Zaun?”, The Yordle asked, and Viktor nodded.
“The best inventor in all of Zaun, Viktor, at your service. And who might you be?”, he asked, hoping the name would help him put two and two together. The yordle smirked and twisted his mustache a bit.
“Oh? Best in Zaun? Well, it’s nice to meet you, Viktor. I am Professor Heimerdinger, the founder of Piltover”, as the name was revealed to him, Viktor’s eyes widened as he felt guilty now for acting so disrespectful to someone whom he has been adoring for years now.
“A-Ah. The Heimerdinger I-I see.”, Viktor’s voice faltered a bit, even getting that high pitch in it a bit, making the yordle laugh a bit.
“Yes, yes. And this, in the cell next to you, is my dear assistant. Who hid an experiment from me as he tried to prove himself or something like an idiot.”
“Hey!”
“Anyway, if you were so great, how come you’ve never tried coming to the academy? I don’t remember seeing you in Piltover”, the professor asked, his words seemed genuine. It brought a sad smile to Viktor’s face.
“Professor, please. There is no place for me in Piltover. I am but a Zaunite cripple. And once I serve my sentence here, I am returning there and continuing my research to help my fellow Zaunites”, Viktor said as he pushed some loose hair out of his face. He’s been here maybe a full month, but his hair certainly grew much longer than he expected. He should get it styled when he is back in Zaun as well.
The Yordle was silent for a bit before asking: “What are you in here for?”. Viktor laughed softly before pointing to the wall that separated his cell from Haimerdinger’s assistant.
“I stole from your assistant, and caused an explosion, accidentally. His shiny crystals were of interest to me”, Viktor said, only to hear a slam on the wall from the other side.
“So you’re the one who ruined my office?”
“You call that an office? My room in Zaun looks more like an office than that. And can withstand a little explosion as well.”
“Well, it’s not like you’ll ever discover anything about the crystals without my research. I’ve studied them for years now.”, the person on the other side sounded smug.
“Hm? Oh, I’ve already drafted blueprints for a smog clearer with those crystals at the center.”, Viktor lied through his teeth and watched as the yordle looked towards the other cell as if expecting an answer from whoever was there.
But there was only silence. And Viktor smirked smugly.
“Well, now that your dick-measuring contest is settled, gentlemen…”, Yordle began and Viktor held back a chuckle. After all, he still didn’t have an actual penis in his pants. “Viktor, I’d be willing to set you free, because if you’re truly the best inventor in Zaun, Zaun could use your prowess… But I would also like to offer you Jayce”
“What?!”
“Thanks, but I already have assistants.”, Viktor said instantly.
“You didn’t let me finish. Jayce here, as much as he can be dumb at times, is an amazing inventor”, Viktor doubted that, “It will be a good lesson for him to spend some time in Zaun.”
“Daily trips from Piltover to Zaun would cost a bunch, not to mention how long he’d travel, ‘cause I doubt he knows the shortcuts”, Viktor tried the simplest excuse.
“And that’s exactly why he will be exiled to live in Zaun.”, silence fell upon both cells as Viktor just stared at the professor. He was really pushy, and it seemed like he won’t take no for an answer.
“But prof-”
“Deal”, Viktor said, cutting off the other. Was it now just to hurt him, yes. Sure, an extra pair of hands can always be useful, but he is taking him more so that he can torture him. “And when will this partnership begin? ‘Cause I do need to tidy my place in Zaun to host another person, professor”, Viktor said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I will get the guard to let you go right now. Jayce… Will stay here another week to cool off, and so you can prepare for him.”, Heimerdinger said, and Viktor looked at him surprised. He would be able to come back after but a month? Oh, how he was going to surprise the kids.
“You’ve got yourself a deal, sir”, Viktor said, unable to hide his genuine smile. He really missed his rascals while he was up here.
As he was escorted out of the prison, he tried his best not to smirk in front of those guards. And to think that they planned to beat him up so much more while he was there, but too bad, for them. Being outside, he breathed in the clean Piltovian air. If only he could stay here… But he was needed in Zaun.
As he moved, he bumped into a girl. She had long, straight blue hair and looked rather proper, especially in comparison to his rags.
“Aah, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”, she asked, and Viktor smiled and nodded. She seemed nice.
“I am fine, don’t worry, dearie. Are you okay?”, he asked, and she nodded softly, “Are you visiting someone there?”
“A friend of mine ended up there… Wrongly. His name is Jayce”, hearing the name of his soon roommate, Viktor nodded a bit.
“Ah, if you get to talk to him, tell him that he should bring a mask. Else I can’t vouch for his survivability”, he said, not dropping his soft smile as he headed off. He knew she was going to be confused, but that’s what made it more fun.
On his way through Zaun, he passed next to a hairdresser before stopping in his tracks. He backtracked into the shop to get the haircut he planned back in the prison. He asked for a trim and a bit of styling, and for his bangs to be dyed, white on one side, and blue on the other. It was so it represented both of his darling assistants.
With a new hairdo, he made his way to the Last Drop. As he sat at the bar, he tried to make his voice somewhat deeper than usual while ordering. “One beer here”, he said and watched as a confused Vander turned his way, only to glare before going back to confused.
“Vikky? Did you escape prison?” Viktor just chuckled.
“Yeah, that’d be a story for the kids. No, I was set free by Heimerdinger”
“The founder of Piltover?”
“Yeah, turns out the kids stole from his assistant and the assistant was in prison for illegal experiments”
“So he just set you free as a fellow inventor? ‘Cause you’re a cripple?”
“I kinda lied that I had a breakthrough with some weird crystals Powder brought back. The assistant will be coming here in a week to work with me on it or something”, Viktor said, smiling awkwardly. He had a week to discover something, and he was not even at 0.
“Well, if there’s any way I could help, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks, Vander. I’ll go say hi to the kids” Viktor was about to go when Vander grabbed his shoulder.
“Wait… How was it up there? I know you were in for only a month, but…”, Viktor looked at the hand before smiling softly towards Vander.
“Let’s just say, I will work my damnest, so none of the kids ever have to end up there even for a week.”, he responded as he put his hand over Vander’s before removing it.
He made his way to the basement, where he knew the kids should be at this hour. But as he began entering, he noticed the obvious lack of children. Was he wrong? No, his calculations should be right.
“Viktor!?”, he heard a familiar voice from above him and looked up only to find all four of the kids hiding on the ceiling. Recognizing the man, they dropped one by one, Powder running up to him excited and tackle hugging him. Her force and his, even weaker, legs after prison, caused him to fall back on his butt. He chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around the girl.
“I’m home~”, he said, chuckling happily. Seeing all their faces was like medicine for him. It could easily make him forget all that he went through in prison. Every beating, all the scars and bruises that were somehow hidden underneath his clothes still. “How have you kids been?”, he asked, as he wanted to change the topic from himself before it even started.
“We’re fine. Ekko’s been working hard making stuff to impress you when you come back”, Powder said, without letting go of him.
“How come you’re already back? Wasn’t it a few years that you were gonna stay there?”, Vi asked as she looked over Viktor. As the oldest sister in the gang, he could tell that she was trying to look for any scars and bruises, but he just smiled up at her.
“I kinda struck a deal. And in a week, we’re getting a new friend . And I want you all to treat him nicely .” Viktor said, his smile turning a bit dark, causing Vi to raise her brow.
“Did he hurt you in jail? If he did, I will make him regret it tenfold! My new bombs have been working amazing thanks to you”, Powder said, pouting a bit.
“He didn’t hurt me, he just thinks he is a big shot inventor. And I just want him to see that in Zaun, his Piltover connections can’t get him anything”, Viktor said and the gang nodded. They didn’t know how exactly this new inventor pissed off their big brother off, but they were sure to make his stay here not so fun.
Viktor’s experiments started in the Workshop behind Benzo’s shop but pretty soon he realized that these crystals were not so safe. He immediately went to Vander to see if he knew any abandoned areas where he could test these with ease. It took a few hours for Vander to come back to him on that, the hours used to try to test the crystals as safely as possible. Which, let me tell you, wasn’t easy. His delicate touches let him play with the crystal only so much before the sparks began, at which point he had to stop, not wanting to end up disintegrated.
When Vander had finally sent him the location of his to-be lab, that he made a mental note he should tidy up and prepare for when Jayce comes so that he can show off, he headed there as soon as he returned the crystals to a safe place. He didn’t dare leave them out in the open for someone to accidentally destroys half of the city. And by someone, he meant mostly Ekko and Powder.
His trip was, sadly, cut short as he was grabbed from the back, and before he could even react, a cloth with something on it was pressed over his mouth and nose. Breathing through it burned his already damaged lungs as his vision started getting blurry, and before he knew it, everything went dark.
“Hnn”, he felt a major headache as he started opening his eyes. He was in a room he didn’t recognize, with extra green light everywhere.
“Oh, so you’ve finally decided to join us, Mr. Inventor”, a voice spoke. He recognized the voice… somewhat. Like something he heard once, but the grogginess from whatever they used on him wasn’t working in his favor. Sudden pain across his cheek cleared his mind almost instantly. His eyes opened completely as he turned his head back only to see a somewhat familiar face.
“You’re that… Silco? You visited d-octor”, Viktor said as the face was connected with the man almost instantly. Except this time, there was no patch over his eye, but a huge scar and a weird looking eye were in its place,
“Oh? Ah, you were the boy at doctor’s palace from back then. Hmm~ Then maybe you will be as cooperative as he is and work for me”, Silco said as he crouched down in front of Viktor, grabbing his chin and turning it to face his way, “Sorry for the slap, dear boy, it was the only way to wake you up completely”. Viktor couldn’t tell if he was being genuine or not. But there was some pain buried deep in his gaze. Living with Singed and now with Vander, he started picking up on these tiny, tiny hints.
“What do you need me to do?”, Viktor asked, hoping this could get over with quickly. He wasn’t sure just how long he was out, and inventions didn’t wait for no one. A smirk grew on Silco’s face.
“Straight to the point, I like it”, he let go of Viktor’s face and patted his cheek softly, not that it didn’t hurt, since he chose to pat the slapped cheek. “I want you to kill Vander. Of course, I can provide you with needed tools, but you being so close to him, you’re the perfect weapon for me to use”, he said as he stood up, the dark smirk still present on his face. Viktor held back a sigh. Something told him that it wasn’t all just about killing here.
“I’m guessing you’re the ‘ someone who was like a brother’ he mentioned once”, Viktor said, and almost instantly regretted it as he saw the look on Silco’s face. If looks could kill, he’d already be 6 feet underground.
“ Like a brother , my ass. He is a liar. Everything he said is just to cover his own sins”, Silco’s voice almost hissed like a snake. Viktor swallowed his fear as Silco continued. “The brother he knew drowned. And I emerged, ready to take revenge on him and everyone he cares about.”
“Wouldn’t that mean you’ll also hurt yourself, ‘cause I’m sure he still -”
“Viktor, don’t”, Viktor was surprised as he saw Singed walking into the room. He felt like tearing up, but he tried his best to hold it in. “I’m glad you got confident, but there is a thin line between confident and cocky. And in this situation, one of those will get you killed”, Viktor wanted to respond, but he knew his mentor was right.
“Hm, it’s good to know when to quit, Viktor. So, will you help me with my cause?”, Viktor was silent for a bit. He couldn’t just turn against Vander like that, but at the same time, he was sure that he would not get out of here alive if he were to say no. However, he also wanted to help Silco and Vander. He had a feeling that there was something deeper than what either of them said. There was a story that no one knew about.
And he was going to find a way to solve it… And hopefully before his 1 week before Jayce comes passes as well.
“What do I have to do?”, Viktor asked as he looked Silco in the eye, earning him a grin in return.
His plan was flawed, he knew. There were too many variables that he couldn’t predict, but at the same time, there was only one chance at this.
The location had to be the new lab Vander found him. His bait? The crystal, which, for the sake of brevity in further research, he decided to name Riotal , like Rio and crystal… Okay, maybe he was missing Rio just a little since his short meeting with Singed the day before. He thought that he could use Riotal to bait in Silco to meet him. And after meeting him, it was just to have Vander and Silco face each other.
He took a deep breath, remembering the hate he saw in Silco’s eyes, if he fucks up, he is over. He had only one chance.
Setting up the location, he made himself something to climb on top of where he sat down waiting for his VIP guests to arrive. He had found one very wasteful use of riotal, as a really strong blue light, and it was something he set up right now, having it marking a spot on the ground. He learned that the crystals didn’t waste fast, but he wasn’t sure just how much power they held… and what that power was exactly.
As he sat waiting, he rested his leg. After the beatings he received in the prison, where the guards enjoyed kicking and stepping on his hurt leg, and all the walking he’s done since, his leg was in more pain than ever. This was the first time in a while he felt like he had it completely extended and resting. A sigh left his lips as he remembered the guy shopping at Benzo’s, Heimerdinger’s assistant, Jayce. He must’ve had an easy life up in the city of Progress. Why was he stupid enough to blow it. And for what? Some possible fame? Idiot.
His mind couldn’t linger on the thought any further, as almost perfectly synced, the doors on either side of the room opened and closed. The room was dark enough that the only light was the blue spotlight in the middle of the room that awaited the two. Seeing as how neither side didn’t move towards it, Viktor sighed before speaking.
“Please come to the light… Both of you”, he said simply. There was silence for a few moments before Vander spoke first.
“Viktor, what did you do?”, Viktor didn’t respond.
“I knew I shouldn’t trust you”, Silco spoke from the other side.
Viktor let out a soft sigh before jumping down, making sure to land on his healthy leg, before regaining balance with his weaker leg and cane. It was probably weird to see someone everyone saw as a cripple actually do stuff like that, but he’s lived his whole life in the streets, even if he wasn’t as good as others, he knew how to take care of himself and traverse. He was now standing in the blue light.
There was nothing for a few more minutes and Viktor felt like this was really a waste of time, but then steps came from the left, from Vander. He walked up into the light, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t know what you planned, but for now, I will trust you… But I won’t trust him”, as that was said, a short chuckle came from the other side before there were steps towards the blue light there as well.
“That’s rich coming from you. Last I remember, I wasn’t the one who tried drowning his brother .”, Silco’s words were like poison, as was obvious on Vander’s face as a frown spread across his lips. He put his hand over his old scar that Silco inflicted.
“You had it coming. I told you the revolution wasn’t the way. So many people died for nothing. Yet you believed you were right. You almost got yourself killed.”
“Oh boo hoo. Our people were dying already. Y’know, poisonous smog in the air? Enforcer brutality? Any of that sound familiar?”
“I tried keeping our people safe”
“You kept our people silenced. You told them to live with it, to accept their fate. We deserve Piltover more than those stuck-ups up there.”
“War only leads to more deaths. Thanks to me, there is a Zaun to return to.”
“ Your Zaun have us acting like cowards.”
“I’ve heard enough”, Viktor said, cutting into the heated argument between the two, both turning their glares towards the cripple who stood there, leaning against his cane, “So, what I’m getting here is, You want us to take back what belongs to us”, a confused nod from Silco, “and you don’t want more war and death”, a nod from Vander. Viktor stroked his chin a bit. That was hard… He looked up, as if looking for an answer from Janna herself, before his eyes fell onto the blue lamp. That’s it. “Well, I might have a way to solve both issues… Kinda”
This just caused both to look confused at him. “Whatever it is, I still will not work with this dog.”, Silco said, spitting on the ground in front of Vander’s feet. This in turn made the taller and obviously stronger male let out a low growl as he reached for the other, only to be stopped by Viktor’s extended hand. In it laid a crystal. Riotal, to be exact.
“This crystal is our ticket out of here. I need support in exploring what this is and how it works. And if I’m successful, it will make Zaun rise above Piltover and their spoiled pricks who call themselves inventors”, Vitkro said as he closed his fist around the crystal. There was silence again.
“Yeah, no, I don’t see how that piece of glowing rock can solve our problems”, Vander said, scratching the back of his head. Silco in turn just laughed.
“You tried to talk science in front of this dumb oaf? You’d have an easier time making me believe that you were the one who did the heist you went to prison for.”, Viktor let out another sigh. This was going nowhere. Not only did Silco and Vander not want to put aside their differences, but they didn’t believe in his science either.
“If my theory is correct, the explosion that happened there couldn’t have been done by any of the explosions available in both Piltover nor Zaun, so it had to be these crystals… And for me to be able to study on this, Zaun needs to be at peace. This discovery could really help out everyone.”, Viktor tried to pitch his idea out again, but to no avail.
“Kid, the only way Zaun will be at peace is if Vander dies. I won’t stop trying to kill him just so you can study some blue rock.”
“The mutation must survive”, Viktor said, repeating the words he learned from Singed. Vander and Silco just looked at him confused. “The mutation must survive. If Zaun is just a mutation of Piltover, then we must make sure it survives”
“Kid, you’re more delusional that singed and his damn animal”, Silco said rolling his eyes.
“Am I more delusional to think you two fought over more than just peace in Zaun?”, Viktor asked as he looked over at Silco, “ Brothers my ass, you two were way closer than brothers before you fought.”
Silence fell over the room again.
“We are done here”, Silco hissed through his teeth while glaring at Viktor.
“You both still cared about the other, you just don’t see it. You want the revolution and all to make sure the enforcers don’t only be brutal towards the rest of Zaun, but also so Vander doesn’t need to deal with them every time. And you,”, he turned towards Vander now, “You wanted peace and it all to stop just because you didn’t want Silco to end up dead… Yet in the end, you decided that it was better if he dies by your hands instead of getting taken away from you somewhere where you couldn’t save him”. Viktor was reaching now. There was no way he could know any of this.
“Heh, I doubt this oaf would ever thi-”
“He is right, Silco.”
“Excuse me?”, Viktor and Silco said in unison as they looked at Vander who was once again rubbing his arm.
“I didn’t want to lose you, but you were so set on the revolution and dying that… That killing you myself, somehow, at the time, was the simplest. And soon, the fighting stopped, we patched up somehow and…”
“And what? I’m supposed to take this as an apology? To forgive you just cause? You tried to kill me , Vander. You almost blinded my completely. Like I always said, you’re just a big dumb Oaf.”, Viktor watched as his plan crumbled. How did he think this was gonna work? This ended up cutting a deeper rift between the two. “You will get to live today, but next time we see each other, and you’re dead”, Silco said as he exited the room, leaving Viktor and Vander there in silence.
Vander raised his hand and put it on Viktor’s shoulder. “You tried. Some bridges cannot be repaired. And this bridge was smashed, burned to the ground, and the wind blew away the ashes.” Vander patted Viktor’s shoulder before heading out the door he came in. Now Viktor was left alone, something he was pretty used to.
Maybe you can’t repair the old bridge, but he was sure he could build a new one. Science wasn’t about safety, and relationships weren’t about staying in your bubble of comfort. Just one conversation with them and he could see that there was still something between the two, and love and hate were more connected than any other emotions.
Jayce popped into his mind, but he shook the thought away. His hate for Jayce is different… Not that he wasn’t his type, but type didn’t matter here.
He had some matchmaking to do… And only 5 days before Jayce arrives to be his hindrance assistant.