Chapter Text
The ceaseless screaming match from all of the councilors soured Viktor’s already low opinions of them. They weren’t great opinions, but he had some respect for them at one point. That vanished the moment they flew into outrage about Jayce’s proposal. ‘Peace in exchange for Zaun’s independence.’ He couldn’t lie to himself and say that he wholeheartedly agreed as well, but that was because he knew who Silco was. He wasn’t an industrialist. Not in the way Piltover sees him, at least. Yet, despite the outrage, Mel raised her hand in support of the proposal. ‘At least Jayce’s relationship with her is paying off.’ The other council members were slow to follow, but one by one, they raised their hands. They were voting for a man who didn’t have his people’s best interest at heart. Viktor wished he could speak up, but he couldn’t jeopardize Jayce’s position. He was truly caught between his position as a Zaunite and as Jayce’s partner. ‘Am I still Jayce’s partner after what he said to me? I am a Zaunite, and that class division is getting to him as well. How far would he go because of it? Would he kick me off the project?’ He frowns.
Viktor flinches and clutches his chest as pain flairs from his heart and into the rest of his body. His head snaps to the window behind Mel as Cassandra raises her hand in support. This feeling is too familiar. It feels like his body is screaming out about whatever is heading this way. ‘How do I know that something is heading this way?’ His brow furrows as an instinct to run flares through him. His mind flashes to the pain he felt only last night. ‘Hexxit’s magic? Why? Why would I be feeling this now?’ He doesn’t miss the way Mel jerks forward in alarm as a golden glow appears around her. Before he knows it, Viktor is throwing himself up out of the chair and stumbling away from the table. There’s a bright flash of light, followed shortly by the ear-piercing sound of an explosion and Viktor feels his body get flung backwards.
Fire. Blue fire is the first thing Viktor sees when he opens his eyes. His vision is spotty, blurred, but he couldn’t mistake the flickering of a fire. When did he close his eyes? He can’t hear anything except for the intense ringing in his ears. He lets out a groan, his body feeling too heavy as he forces himself to turn over. The memories from earlier were blurry, but he could vaguely remember jumping out of his chair before… an explosion? Painfully, Viktor uses the column to help him stand up and leans heavily against it. A wave of dizziness washes over him as he tries to steady himself.
Viktor blinks, shakily raising his hand to his ear and feeling wetness. ‘Blood.’ He looks forward, vision briefly blurring before his eyes widen in shock. The whole side - and half of the ceiling - of the counselor's room was destroyed. He can feel the vibrations beneath his feet and from the shoulder braced against the column as more chunks of the wall crumble. They hit the edge of what was once the floor and plummet over the side. There’s a flickering, iridescent, golden dome covering some of the room. He can make out a few of the council members underneath it, including Jayce. There’s rubble on the floor and Viktor sees a sizable pile where he once sat. ‘I would have been crushed if I didn’t get thrown back.’ His eyes widen in horror.
Against his better judgment, Viktor pushes off of the column and staggers to the crumbling floor. The dome disappears as he does, but he pays no mind to it. He peers over the edge, seeing miniature figures racing towards the building, before stumbling back as a wave of dizziness washes over him. He didn’t know how to feel about this. He felt vibrations through the floor and looked around him. Enforcers were pouring in from the door, along with healers and Sky. Their mouths open in silent screams and yells that reminds him of his ears.
Sky immediately runs towards him saying something but the ringing hasn’t gone away. A healer is close on her heels doing the same thing. Viktor gives them a regretful smile and taps his ear before crossing his fingers in an x motion. This makes them pause before nodding. Sky and the healer carefully support him as they guide him out of the crumbling chamber.
Viktor glances back, seeing the flames being put out, and the others getting lifted onto stretchers. Enforcers were trying to dig through rubble for the missing members. He couldn’t help but wince seeing Bolbok’s crushed body being put on a stretcher. Blood pours out of the metal exoskeleton and Viktor briefly wonders what he looks like inside. Zaun was close to peace, but that would go out the door now. Strangely, Viktor didn’t mind that. In fact, he felt relieved. ‘I was sure I felt Hexxit’s magic. There’s one more day until I can go look for her, and I have many questions.’
The Undercity was buzzing with activity all night long. Children ran through the streets giggling and screaming with their friends. The food stalls were working overtime to meet the demands of hungry customers. The food was free like it always was during this holiday. Even the tattoo artists were chatting away with their customers. The price heavily discounted.
The Heads of the Undercity called for a meeting with you, so you were gathering in The Last Drop. It was the unofficial meeting place in Zaun. Almost every deal was done underneath its roof. At least, before Silco took over.
“Hey, Chuck!” Jinx chirps, “We need drinks for everyone, pronto!” She slaps her hand onto the countertop and makes the man flinch. You raise an eyebrow as he hurriedly nods and gets to mixing drinks. With a chuckle, you take a seat at one of the tables. You pushed them all together so everyone could sit comfortably. One by one, they filed in and took a seat. You gave Babette a smile that she happily returned.
“I know you all heard my speech, but I want to say that your opinions matter to me. I want to hear what you have to say about my declaration of war.” You say sincerely.
“Vander wouldn’t have wanted this.” Babette says, “…but I do. It’s time for us to step forward and show Piltover that we won’t be messed with any longer. They disrespect my workers for choosing to use their bodies when there’s no law against it. Some of them sneak down using fake names in the dead of night and still have the audacity to pretend it’s beneath them!” She spits angrily. ‘The Red Light District does not turn away anyone unless they are dangerous to the workers. Even though it’s obvious to those of us working there, we pretend not to notice any Piltovens, especially when their names are clearly fake. It’s stupid to hate on something you partake in secretly.’
“I agree. Silco was a fool. He helped us move forward quickly, but we lost a lot in the process.” Flit, the Headmaster of Zaun’s College of Techmaturgy grumbles, “So many brilliant minds succumbed to the allure of shimmer and making quick money.”
“War is the only answer, and you have us behind you.” Zealot, the Head of the Miner’s Guild states. She fiddles with her artificial hand with a scowl, “I’ve lost so many miners to preventable conditions. Including your parents, little bird.” She sighs in frustration. Flit places his hand on her shoulder in sympathy. ‘If it wasn’t the shimmer, it would have been anything else in the mines. A cave-in, the toxic gases or overworking to meet material demands. The mines are a horrible place to work.’ The bartender comes around with everyone’s drinks and places them down before disappearing back behind the counter. There’s a pause in the conversation as you sip on your drinks.
“…It was impressive… you calling Janna forward. To know that our guardian spirit has been here all along…” The High Priestess of Janna’s faithful trails off wistfully, “She answered to you and went as far as announcing her support. The coven is behind you.” She pats your hand. You give her a thankful smile in return.
“Yes. It brought a feeling of hope I haven’t had in a while. Not since Vander’s attempted revolt.” Jir chuckles in bitter remembrance, “We have to make sure this venture succeeds.” You roll your eyes at the vastaya.
“Jir, I understand that you’re the Monster of the Pits, but must you be so violence-forward?” The High Priestess scoffs.
“Jir’s right, Priestess. What do you need from us for this to be successful, Hexxit?” Babette questions you.
“I need your cooperation. We must work together to make this possible. If one of us pushes forward when the rest isn’t ready, it will cause problems. We don’t want Piltover to know what we’re planning until it’s too late.” You say firmly, “The rocket that was launched tonight will be seen as something Jinx did. They will only be going after her, so I need everyone to cooperate with the Enforcers. If they ask you where she is, you tell them. They think we’ll sell each other out, so… let’s stroke their egos.”
“Business as usual.” Jinx grins as she sits on the table, “Keep things as normal as possible.”
“That won’t be difficult.” Sevika snorts, “If Zaunites are good at one thing, it’s being a Zaunite.” Her words make everyone chuckle. She had been quietly observing everyone and adding to your notes when she thought it was necessary.
“Everything will be handled behind the scenes. I have people already working on it. Piltover won’t see us coming.” You smirk, “We’ll have six months to prepare. Now as to what else I’ll need from all of you...” You fall into a discussion about what else you need from them. The most important thing is keeping your identity a secret from the topsiders until it is time. Everyone is eager to contribute to the conversation. The last time you saw everyone so animated was when Vander told them to wait out the Enforcers.
While they did that, you were also reading through some papers Jinx took from Silco’s office. The man took meticulous notes about everything he did. Every page has various details about who in Piltover was under his thumb, trade routes, things he did, and even his future plans. ‘Some of this stuff is outdated or the wrong information. My spies did an amazing job keeping his power within the twin cities.’ You smile to yourself. ‘I’ll have to reward them.’
After the meeting, you told Sevika and Jinx to go pack up their things. You were having them move into the Rapids so that they’d have a place to permanently call home. Sevika lived in a run-down apartment that Silco had supplied to his workers. From what she told you, it wasn’t any better than living in the streets. Then, there was the fact that you didn’t want to leave Jinx alone anymore. Whatever Silco did to her ended up fucking with her mind more. You wanted her close by so you could work on it with her, but you also thought it was time for her to stop living alone. The next few days would be busy with people moving into the hideout, so you wanted these two settled first.
You open your eyes at the sound of footsteps and smile at the two women. With one last glance around the club, you walk them into a rift. The sound of running water is the first thing that you hear as you exit. A mixture of surprised and shocked gasps sounds from behind you as the others step through. You walk towards the opening of the cavern and smile at the view in front of you. The grand tree looms above you as the waterfall forms ripples in the crystal clear lake. There were various buildings and platforms suspended over the water. The only things hanging over the grass areas were practice targets. Everything had been created using the tree itself and the things around it. You were proud of this place. This was your home.
“Welcome home.” You smile at Jinx as she stops next to you.
“This… This is home?” Jinx breathes out in shock. Dozens of lights bathe the area in a warm glow.
“Wow… Is this even in the Undercity?” Sevika mutters to herself.
“It is, but you can’t get in here without going through one of my rifts. Once everyone is settled, I’m going to cut through the top of the cliff. The only way in and out will be to fly… or use my rifts.” You grin excitedly.
“Fly? Like the hoverboards the Firelights use?” Sevika raises an eyebrow.
“Oooh, can I get one?!” Jinx gasps.
“Something like that.” You smile secretively before clapping your hands, “Let’s head across!” You grin and start walking across the rope bridge. Jinx whines that you didn’t answer her question, making you giggle at her. The bridge swings slightly, but you had reinforced it so it was safe to jump on or bear heavy loads. You tested it yourself, much to Janna’s chagrin who watched you bounce around on all of them.
“IS THAT A ZIP LINE?!” Jinx screams and points to your right. You laugh and nod your head as she continues to ramble on about everything she sees. You can see the annoyed look on Sevika’s face that was very poorly hiding a smile. Even Jinx’s antics weren’t enough to distract her from this.
“This is the main area. From here, you can access everywhere else in the Rapids. All of the houses are built into the cliff walls and should be able to withstand explosions. I borrowed a few of Jinx’s chompers to test it out.” You grin, “My place is at the top of the tree. I’m a bit partial to it. So, you’re free to choose whichever place you want. The outer wall will be decorated so people know it’s yours.” At the end of your sentence, Jinx takes off sprinting down one of the bridges. A few seconds pass before Sevika turns and walks in the complete opposite direction of the blue-haired menace. You laugh and tag along with her. ‘I’m hoping I can get these two to get along, at least.’
In the light, Sevika’s new metal arm glints a dark greyish color. Most of it is covered by her red cape, so you can only guess what the actual color is. You and Sevika walk downstairs in silence until you stop in front of one of the homes. You glance at her to see a nervous expression on her face. You grab her hand and gently tug her towards the inviting door.
“I know this probably feels like a lot, but you’ll love it here. I can adjust things to make it more comfortable for you. This will… hopefully feel like a home for you.” You give her a tentative smile. Sevika stares at you for a moment before she opens the door and walks in. You pause in the doorway as she observes her new apartment. Everything was powered by chemtech which you hid in the walls and was accessible if it needed to be fixed. The apartment is a simple one-bedroom, one-bathroom place with its own kitchen and living room. You wanted people to be comfortable and not feel forced to interact with others.
“You… made this place?”
“I did. I learned I can manipulate things with my magic. Pretty sweet, huh? Except, I had to create these… five at a time because I’m a perfectionist. I could have tried doing it all at once but each apartment is about 1000 square feet.” Sevika whipped around so fast you thought she might fall over.
“1000 square feet?! The average apartment size in the Undercity is 500 square feet for a one-bedroom!” She shouts at you. You blink.
“As I said, I want people to live comfortably. We deserve that. That means no leaky roofs, no mold or mildew on our bedsheets and clothes, and reliable appliances.” You place your hand on her shoulder, “This place is yours. You didn’t have to earn it, you didn’t have to fight for it, and you don’t have to pay me. It’s yours as long as you want it.” You say softly. Unshed tears glitter in Sevika’s eyes as you gaze at each other. It made you sad to see because you could tell what she was thinking. ‘There’s no catch. Every bronze she makes goes to her.’
“Oh! You’ll love this!” You drag her over to the bathroom, “You have hot water! I set it up so the pipes get warmed by the sun during the day, and the hot water gets stored in a special tank. There’s a water gauge on your shower head that shows you how much time you have left for your shower. It took a while to set up but-!” You pause in the middle of your rambling when you realize she hasn’t said a thing. ‘This is overwhelming for her… It’ll be overwhelming for every Zaunite that comes here. I need to give her some time to process this.’ Your eyes soften and you pat her shoulder.
“I’ll let you get settled in. When you’re done, you can find me in the center and we’ll eat dinner together.” You wait for acknowledgment, receiving a delayed nod after a minute, before walking to the front door. You had just opened it when you hear a sob come from behind you with a low “What the fuck?!” following it. You sigh and close the door quietly before heading across to Jinx. On her side of the cliff, you notice the lights are on in one of the top apartments. ‘I knew she would choose one up high. I think that’s where she feels more comfortable, like me.’
You leisurely walk up the stairs as the sound of music gets louder. You giggle to yourself knowing that Jinx was enjoying herself. You knock on her door, which was already spray painted with her name and little doodles. The music stops and a few seconds later, Jinx opens the door with a wide grin.
“This place is amazing, Hex! Did you know there’s hot water?! Hot water!” Jinx squeals and throws her arms around you, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!!” You grunt as she squeezes you but you hug her back.
“I hope you know that there’s-”
“-No catch to living here?! I know! It’s not like you to do that to others when they’re in need. I completely understand it!” Jinx cuts you off. You blink and give her a fond smile.
“Do you need help with anything?”
“Nope! I’m adding some art to the walls because it was BORING! So, I’m okay by myself, but I’ll meet you at the center for dinner! Byyye!” Jinx giggles before twirling back inside and closing the door. You shake your head and decide to make your way back to the center. You transported your things to your room while you waited for them, so you didn’t have anything to do.
“Berry?” An unfamiliar voice carried to you on the wind, making you pause midstep. Nervous butterflies instantly swarm your stomach at the sound. ‘Thank you, Janna. You didn’t have to alert me, though, I appreciate it.’ You take a deep breath and reappear at the fissure. In front of you is a group of girls illuminated by the flashlights they carry. They shift around nervously and you conjure a flame to light the area. The blue flame bathes the rocks in a comforting glow but the girls shriek as they startle.
“Hello, Chrissy… It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.” You say softly as the girls’ eyes land on you.
“Berry…” Chrissy breathes out in shock.
“I hope you don’t mind, but we must take this conversation elsewhere.” You smile as a rift opens beneath them and they fall in. Their screams are cut off as it closes and you follow them in a rift of your own. You snort when you see them in a pile on the floor.
“You’re brave coming down here not dressed like a Piltie.” You muse, looking at their outfits now that they are fully lit, “It could use some work, but for Piltovens who have never been down here… it’s… passable.” The girls scramble to their feet and you gesture to the chairs. They hesitate until you sit in one and cross your legs.
“There was an explosion at the councilors building, so we decided to sneak out before security got too tight.” Ves starts, “It’s… what? 1 am? I didn’t expect the Undercity to be so active.”
“It’s the city that never sleeps.” You shrug, “Except, most people will be passed out in the morning, so maybe it will be asleep. It’s a local holiday today and we haven’t celebrated in years, so people are partying hard.”
“Where are we? How did we get here?” Chrissy questions, “Was that similar to what happened with the cards? Where have you been all of these years?!”
“One question at a time.” You laugh, “You’re in my meeting room at my home base. I used my magic to rift you here, and yes, it’s similar to what happened with the cards… As to where I’ve been for six years? I’ve been here in Zaun.”
“Here?!” The girls chime together.
“I’ve been looking for you for years, Berry! You’ve been here this whole time?” Chrissy groans.
“I thought you were from Noxus? Like your uncle?” Niki furrows her brow.
“No… I think I should tell you the truth, but I need to know your stances on the Piltover and Zaun power difference.” You narrow your eyes.
“I’ve been studying it since I got my job.” Chrissy scoffs, “It’s disgusting what my people are doing. It goes back for hundreds of years!”
“It’s true. I’ve heard things from working with the Kirammans.” Megan sighs.
“We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t concerned about you and everything going on, Berry.” Niki frowns.
“Well, then…” You hear shouts of pain come from the girls as they grab their hands. “Sorry, that’s a sigil to protect anything shared between us. I forgot you’d feel it more than us Zaunites.” You sigh and rub the back of your neck, “Listen, Professor Uley is not my uncle. He’s not related to me at all. I’m from Zaun. I was trying to steal something from him and got caught.” You chuckle at the memory.
“Turns out that he is a Zaunite too, but left when he was young and got adopted by a Noxian couple. We bonded over being older siblings, and he offered to teach me how to fight. So, he said that I was his niece to get me in.”
“That’s why you didn’t leave with him that day!” Chrissy gasps, “I knew you couldn’t have disappeared! He didn’t mention you to the Enforcers after the explosion.” Your hand twitches before you clench it and take a deep breath. You lean forward and tell them a modified version of the truth. They didn’t need to know the personal details, only the important ones. You’d need people on the inside and they’re willing to help you without even knowing you. At the end of your explanation, a knock sounds at the door and you look over. Jinx waves at you with Sevika scowling behind her. You motion them in and they sit in the available seats next to you.
“Hey!” You grin, “These girls are old friends of mine who will be helping us.”
“They’re Pilties.” Sevika grunts.
“Do you trust them?” Jinx scoffs, “Remember what happened with my sister.”
“Don’t worry ladies, they’ve been tagged like you were.” You roll your eyes, and that makes them calm down slightly.
“I’m watching you.” Jinx narrows her eyes at them.
“Likewise.” Lacie glares back.
“Now that introductions are out of the way, let’s eat!” You chirp as food appears on the table. You were still trying to get a hang of storing things in rifts. You were curious about what would happen if you kept something suspended in a rift. Food was the easiest so far, so you’d be moving up to plants soon.
“You’re eating at 2:30 in the morning?” Jin blinks as the three of you dig into the meal.
“Yeah, why not? I’m hungry! A snack wouldn’t be enough after today.” You snort, “Want to try some? It’s one of Zaun’s cultural dishes. Pickled fish and fried rice.”
“Pickled… fish?” Megan questions skeptically.
“Fried rice? What’s that?” Jin tilts her head. You freeze mid-bite and put your fork down.
“You’ve seriously never heard of this?” Sevika raises an eyebrow.
“Fried rice is like… the best dish ever!” Jinx gasps, “You don’t know what it is?!” The girls shake their heads making the three of you groan in disappointment. You had hoped the dishes would have been shared regardless of the class system. ‘I guess these dishes are below them since they’re made by the sewer rats.’ You scowl bitterly.
“Fried rice is made in many different ways, but it takes regular rice and adds vegetables, eggs, meat, or seafood to it.” Sevika explains, “Pickled fish is cured in a mixture of vinegar, salt, and spices. It lasts a long time as long as it’s sealed.”
“I-I’d like to try some if you don’t mind?” Lacie says shyly, “It looks tasty.”
“Here!” Jinx slides the large container towards her, along with a plate and a fork, “You’ll love it!” Lacie served herself and took a tentative bite of the rice. She let out a happy squeal and excitedly motioned to the plate before scarfing down more.
“Try it! Try it!” Lacie encouraged the other girls and they all followed her lead. Soon, everyone was gushing over the meal and sharing stories with each other. ‘Food always has a way of bringing people together.’ You listen as Sevika and Jinx agree that pickled eggs are disgusting. You smile to yourself. That was the first time you’ve witnessed them agreeing on something. ‘This war will be good for Zaun.’
After eating, the Piltoven girls were allowed to choose where they wanted to sleep for the night. By the time everyone went to bed, it was around 3 am, but the party in Zaun was still ongoing with no sign of stopping just yet. You put out the candle on your bedside table, get comfortable in bed, and close your eyes. The tears you’ve been holding back start falling. The smell of mint surrounds you even after washing the sheets and it makes your heart ache. ‘Why would you choose her, Vi? Why?’