Chapter Text
Strolling through the Firelights’ hideout, your eyes trace the rough bark up towards the tree branches looming over the area, shielding the bright light and reducing it to mere droplets on your skin. The pathways were quiet as usual and you wish a breeze would lighten the mood, but the air remains heavy. You slide your hands into your coat’s pockets, tugging down the fabric, and try to enjoy your leisure time. Suddenly, you hear the sound of an incoming hoverboard. From its echo against the pavement, you realize it is too close to the ground and whip your head around just in time to see a young boy in a baggy shirt and shorts, Szean, zipping towards you, his shaking knees trying to steady the machine but it only swivels more.
"Y/N! Watch out, I can't control it!"
You remain where you stand, fully aware that the aircraft would hit your shins if it continued for a few seconds more. The boy continues to panic and attempts to rebalance himself but you don’t flinch. At the last moment before contact between metal and bone you raise your heel before you. Once the tip of the board barely settles in the arch of your foot you slam it down, stopping it completely. The impact causes the child to be thrown off and towards you, landing against your stomach as you catch him.
You softly push away his shoulders to get a better look at him.
"Are you alright?" He looks up at you and his eyes are sparkling.
"Wow, Y/N! That was SO cool I can't believe it you were like so fast and then boom and crash and-and like you could have DIED oh my gosh but-"
"But you could have gotten seriously hurt. You're gonna have to learn to coordinate better if you want a shot at the competition this week."
Szean steps back and scratches the back of his head.
"Hehe I know. Do you really think I have a chance?" His eyes were glittering again as he clenches his fists and holds them in front of his chest, his embarrassment washing away completely.
"I don't see why not, you've definitely got the spirit. Here." You softly hop on the board that is still floating off the ground. "You gotta loosen up your knees and focus more on your hips. Use your full body to shift the weight, it'll better stabilize your movements." You demonstrate your example as he squats to watch your feet, smiling at his enthusiasm but you start eyeballing the empty pathway.
You suddenly ready your stance and the board shoves forward, heading towards the tree. You hear the air tear around you as you gain speed, looping around the base and roots, a hand extended to stroke at the wood before tilting upwards to aim higher. Your loose clothing ripples around you as the saturated crystal-like leaves sway before you. You're now at the branches and you twist your hips to let the metal appear as if it's grinding against it. When you reach the end you let the board turn off, leaving you free-falling as you release backward with your arms spread.
You allow your eyes to close, counting your heartbeats to determine how much time is passing. The board was more than a machine to you, it felt like an extension of your physical self, leaving your confidence to be built from trust in yourself and your abilities. And the rush never bored you.
Slowly spinning as you descend you then crunch upwards and grab the board to slip under you again, turning it back on to catch your weight before you land. Smoothly gliding, you make your way back to the boy.
After stepping off the board you notice his mouth is agape, you wipe the sweat from your forehead and lightly nudge the board back to him. You then spot a figure approaching behind him.
"They aren’t toys you know."
The boy spins around and waves his arms.
"Ekko! Did you see that?! They’re so cool. I gotta go practice!" He turns back around to look at you. "Thank you, Y/N! I'm gonna go out and win that tournament!" He scoops up the board and runs off.
“I’ll wave at you from the judging booth,” you smile as you watch him.
Ekko swipes his hair from his eyes and crosses his arms. A light crash is heard in the distance and you assume it was Szean.
"Of course, you'd turn something used for combat into a fun little hobby. A whole contest? Isn’t that kind of excessive?"
"Hey, it keeps the boredom away and something to look forward to," you shrug. "Besides, if those competitors choose to become part of the scout team they're gonna need these skills."
"I know, I know. You've explained over and over," he chuckles. "You're so into this but I still can't believe you managed to turn something that's such an advantage in battle into…" It goes quiet for a moment and his face grows solemn. You figure there is something else going on. "Look, things aren't looking good. Piltover is amping up its security, especially on the bridge. It’s like walking on eggshells out there, both worlds ready to pull the trigger if anything goes out of line.”
He shifts to lean on one leg.
“This usually wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but there’s a rumor going around. About a plan to manufacture those HexTech crystals into weapons to take us out for good."
"What?" Your hands subconsciously form into fists. “And I thought HexTech was supposed to be helping others,” you scoff.
"By others, they mean those who can afford it. They’ve always seen us as an inconvenience, but any hope for negotiation is off the table, and I can only think of Silco to blame for their rash decision."
You look away and think.
"I can't reach out to Vi anymore, she's set on reaching back out to Jinx but we need to know more about what we're dealing with. Even if she has a sliver of connection to the higher ups through Caitlyn, not much is coming from it, and not soon enough either."
"I'll go." You bite the inside of your cheek as Ekko sighs.
"Y/N, that's not what I meant."
You walk closer and your lips curl into a smirk.
"What? Don't trust me," you pout. There had to be something you could do, and it would be unlike Ekko to approach you with an issue unless he knew you could help resolve it. "You know I'm practically one of the city folks. They're so indistinguishable and bland it's easy to mimic 'em."
"This isn't a game, if you're caught you're going to put everyone else in jeopardy. Hopping in whenever you want to do, whatever the hell it is you do, isn't the same as going undercover."
"Geez, what a downer," you playfully cup his face. Traveling to and from the city was a feat on its own and was mainly an opportunity to study those who reside within, both culture and defense-wise. Through your initiative the research became more than just people-watching, it grew into learning literature and self-educating to the best of your ability through prestigious library selections. However, it was still Ekko who gave you this opportunity by saving you when offered to join the Firelights, and you want to give back to the community as much as you could.
He undoes his arms and pulls your hands away, but holds onto them.
"Y/N, I'm serious."
"I am too. I’ll figure something out, alright?" He rolls his eyes and you scrunch your face at him. If he truly wanted to stop you he would. But at this point, you need all the help you can get.
__________
You slightly cringe at the swirl of smells filling your nostrils, overpriced perfumes and oils crowding the air, and you thought the air in the undercity was stuffy. You smoothen your form-fitting outfit, it took longer than it should have to wash off the smog smell from your skin, layering on lotion to mask it better. The clack of your shoes is light on the smooth stones as you scan around the booths and small shops, watching families swerve in and out of the crowd. Sounds of laughter slightly unsettle you as you recognized many of them being fake but trudge on through, you are in search of supplies.
Your eyes halt at a camera shop, decorative gears clicking within the windows but the prices make you drift away. The logo is a set of simplistic geometrical shapes layered on top of one another, a professional image for a sophisticated brand. However, you spot a leather bag amongst the crowd with the same symbol and slow your pace. A woman slips a rather bulky camera, perhaps an older model, from its case and seems to be peering around as if looking for aid. Her jewelry clinks against each other as her child tugs at her skirt.
You casually walk near her, pretending to be another passerby, but you purposefully nudge the child.
"Oh my, forgive me, young man!" You bend at your waist to fix his coat and smile sweetly as you put your hand under his chin. "I must've gotten distracted, are you alright?" The boy's face slightly flushes as he nods, then pokes his mother's arm to get her attention. She makes eye contact with you and perks up.
"Hello! Would you mind taking a photo of us? My husband's shop's anniversary is today and I want to surprise him." You gently nod and take the camera from her, your hands gracefully grazing over hers, and upon further inspection, it is definitely not the newest model. “He’s been so busy lately, but who am I to pry him from his work? I thought a photo to put in his frame might ease his stress a bit.”
"I believe that would be a kind gesture from a supportive and loving wife." She grins from the validation of her idea.
Backing up and purposefully not looking behind you, you crash into someone and let go of the camera. However, you slightly poke your foot before you, allowing the device to bounce off the tip of your shoe before hitting the ground.
You gasp and scramble to pick it up. The woman walks over and sighs.
“I’m so sorry!” You fumble with the device's loose and fallen pieces, acting jittery from the commotion.
"Oh, what a pity. That was the first device he had gifted me when we began courting." Her mood suddenly switches as now she seems unbothered, her voice bouncing back to high and chirpy. "Oh well, there's always another." Her privileged attitude moderately irks you but you hold the camera up to your chest, lean closer, and tilt your head shyly downwards.
"If you wouldn't mind, my husband loves tinkering with vintage items, I think he would greatly appreciate examining this." The woman clasps her hands together.
"What a sweet idea! It would serve more use than me chucking it away, go right ahead dear!" She turns towards her son and gestures to grab another camera from the shop. Without hesitation, you take the opportunity and swiftly leave her amidst the wave of people.
________
"Please tell me you paid for this." You watch over Ekko's shoulder as he adjusts the small parts with even smaller instruments.
"What if I didn't?"
"Y/N."
"It was a gift, honest. Towards my genius husband I told the lady," you nudge his shoulder with your elbow. "Besides, she didn't need it anyways. It's amazing how disposable everything is to those people." You walk past his seat and lean against the table. Mechanics aren't your strongest suit but you are glad to have him play that role for you.
He clicks the cover back into place and you sweep it from him, angling it left and right, pretending to be a professional photographer aiming for the ‘perfect shot’. Although old, the camera is still one of quality.
"Can you tell me what you're up to now?" You put down the camera and look at him, giving your best professional voice, softly bouncing the camera up and down in your palm.
"I'm Y/N, an aspiring writer interested in exploring the depths of science, the intricate parts often overlooked by the public, the invisible passion and determination hiding behind a single device. Today I'll be interviewing one of the heads of HexTech, Viktor, a figure also glanced over despite his major contributions to the company. This success-bound city is set on pursuing further and farther than ever before through technology, but we must remember to give our gratitude to the pathmakers who began it all. They are the ones who have brought light and prosperity to us as a people., and they will continue to inspire other great minds for years to come." Ekko chuckles.
"Alright, that's pretty good. But stay focused, you're only there to bounce to and from Piltover. There’s no room for error." He stands from his seat. "And make sure you come back to me, to us. I can't bear to lose anyone else."
"Until death do us part." You clutch the camera as you smirk. Admittedly, you are a little nervous directly approaching someone so high up in power but confidence is the only way the plan can have a chance of success. And if it manages to work, you could change the tide of the inevitable war. You start exiting the room but Ekko asks one last question.
"How do you know this is going to work?"
Without turning back to him you respond.
"People love talking about themselves,” you toy, but then your voice drops. "Especially those who don't have much time left to do so."