Scrapyard Angels [League of Legends Insert]

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Act 1 Chapter 14
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    • Scrapyard Angels Act 1 Chapter 14

    Jinx's little stunt would have me and my family visit the cause of Jinx's newest obsession, Cindy. Our trip there would be a fun distraction from the contract I made.

    There we were in Bob's workshop with me thinkering away outside after I borrowed some of Bob's older tools, Jinx playing around in the dumps and Vi keeping watch. Bob was out visiting a colleague of his leaving us with only Cindy.

    Cindy sat beside me smiling nervously as Mr Floofington snored near both of us. I've decided to allow Jinx to bring her pet over.

    Sure the beast was friendlier than usual thanks to looking like it was well fed, probably being able to muscle out any rats from their lunch. Vi was a bit apprehensive about it, I didn't like it, and Whump absolutely hated it but Jinx loved it and I didnt have the heart to say no especially when Jinx apparently just takes it to the dump to feed it.

    It was scarily smart as well as Jinx easily commanded it. We could touch it after Jinx made sure to remind it that we were "family". I do not trust it one bit

    "I never knew they grew this big" Cindy replied as she eyed the Plague Rat warrily. Floofington was tied to a nearby pole but it looked like it could just easily snap the pole.

    "Yes, indeed. Still think it was a good idea to tell Jinx about Plague rats without discouraging her?" I asked while trying to make an electromagnet. Simple enough right? Just run a coil around a piece of metal and it'll start attracting metal?

    "I already told you, I just described to her what a plague rat is! I didn't expect her to actually get one and tame one all by herself!" Cindy defended herself

    "Well now we're stuck with Floofington"

    "You guys seem fine"

    "Jinx was so much calmer before"

    "I just made her more outgoing"

    I rolled my eyes as I went back to doing stuff. I had the makeshift electro magnet attached to my crystal via the wire loop in my belt

    "Boring! Make it spark or something. Are you going to be a Voltician?"

    "Aren't you supposed to talk Targonian?"

    "Nah, they got bored. They're so… primitive. They don't like gears!"

    I snorted at that. Well Pantheon was just a literal spear chucking warrior while Leona was a Solari something. They can be quite conservarive considering they're persecuting the Lunari heavily.

    "How often does Jinx go down here?" It might have been a bit of a mistake leaving Jinx back at our home and expect her to stay part

    "She comes like every other day. One day we were working and then suddenly Jinx just came out of the sewers!" Cindy animated replied as he pointed at the manhole Jinx supposedly come out of

    Well, I did show Jinx about the service tunnel map. I didn't expect her to use it to go down to Bob's workshop. Still, a smart decision on her part considering it's far safer than going down here alone.

    "Thank you about keeping Jinx entertained" and Safe which was left unsaid

    "Oh that? Pfft, I should be the one thanking you instead! She makes my day way more fun. She could make for a competent funsmith one day and not just thode quacks who tinker with things like monkeys with a wrench."

    "That she could be. She's one smart cookie"

    "Speaking of cookies, you still have one? Jinx kept bragging about it earlier"

    I rolled my eyes before shaking my head "Nope, I have this though" I replied as I gave her a piece of candy to appease her.

    "Gimme!" She eagerly grabbed the lemondrop. For a few moment w ehad silence befire she said "So have you heard the news?"

    "The bombing in the Veraza district?

    "No, the other news! Pops have been scaring me about kidnappings happening again."

    I frowned at that. That was new and so something I haven't heard about. "I'll keep that in mind."

    "Hey Cindy, if it isn't too much, can Jinx stay here most of the time? I'll be sure to pack her lunch so it wouldn't be a bother to you guys"

    "Well that'll be up to pops but I'm sure he'll be fine so long as I don't teach Jinx chemtech… but he didnt said I couldnt teach her basic engineering!"

    I smiled at that before I got back to work.

    I placed a magnet nearby my electromagnet, a simple iron nail wrapped in copper wire. I had the two on the table just far enough from each other that the magnet wasn't pulling the iron nail. I concentrated on the crystal and poured in my mana, letting it burn bright

    There was a loud spark before the nail and the magnet was violently flung apart. The iron nail slipped through the coil and rocketed away towards the nearby wall while the magnet did the same.

    Everyone heard the sound as Floofington jumped in alarm and ran off, snapping its leash in the process, while Jinx and Vi took cover.

    I grabbed Cindy as the magnet ricochet against the sheet metal wall of the house. We hid beneath the table for a while before we both peeked up from our hiding spot

    The nail flew off to who knows where while the magnet laid on the ground wobbling after being flung away from each other.

    "That… wasn't supposed to happen" I whispered as I tried to wrap my head around just what happened.

    "Maybe it's repealed?" Cindy cautioned as she picked up the magnet. I shrugged before pulling out the embedded nail.

    "Take two?" I asked as I redid the coils around the nail

    "Let's tape it down?" Cindy suggested as she pulled out a roll of tape.

    "You know what, let's make a shield first"

    With the help of Vi, we managed to make a makeshift barrier. Jinx was off to the side comforting Floofington.

    I doubled the length of the wire. That should add more resistance but then again, this was magical lightning so… might as well. This time around, I was writing things down.

    "So in theory this should weaken the electromagnet right?" I said out loud as I peered out of the cover. Thankfully, I remembered which magnetic pole was facing the magnet when we first tested things out

    "Just get on with it!" Shouted Cindy as she covered her ears.

    "Three, two, one!" I counted down before I sent a current down the line. There was a spark before the two magnets clanged against each other. It should have been the end of it until the magnet decided to act weird as it ripped itself from the weak tape and started floating.

    It was an utterly baffling sight as the thing floated with the electromagnet on top while the magnet was pointing down.

    "No bang?" Asked Jinx as she stared at the thing. Even I was expecting a similar result from earlier but things just got a lot weirder.

    "No bang…" I cut off the power and the two pieces came back down to the surface of the table. Some people would have been fine with that but I felt like I haven't really completed the entire makeshift experiment. Sure the poles were probably just different but this magnet was acting way weirder than anything I could think off

    I did one more run, this time flipping the two magnets so that the other pair of poles were facing each other.

    I counted down, peering up from the shield until a moment that would be embedded in my mind happened. The same damn spark happened before the nail and magnet were flung away from each other. This time the electromagnet just stayed up in the air instead of flying off. It was far weaker this time around but the results were clear as day.

    We did the test again and again, trying different configurations but for whatever reason, the electromagnet rejected one pole but was attracted to the other. No matter what position I did, the result was the same. Finally we brought out a compass.

    "There's no way this could only have one pole" I said as I looked at the compass

    "It kept flinging the other pole around so it must have only one pole" replied Cindy

    "Well, lets see if it's that the case"

    "Are you betting against me buster?"

    I snorted before bringing the magnet close. I figured out pretty easily that I could regulate the power of the magnet as I was the source of the electricity after all so the needle wasn't in danger of flying off towards me… I hope

    As I circled around the magnet, the same pole kept pointing at it. Even if I started with the other pole, it still ends up in the same pole it's attracted to. Over and under and side to side, nothing could make it change.

    One thing was clear, I accidentally made a monopole and I don't know how it even works in the first place. I honestly wasn't sure what I was going to do with them. They were the find of the century but now what. Jinx however gave me an idea thanks to one innocent question

    "Can we make wings out of them? I want to fly!"

    "Jinx you're a genius!" I kissed my sister in the forehead, making her blush and giggle before looking back at the flying magnet. I wasn't really sure if it was a monopole magnet but it was as well be one plus I wasn't complaining that it could somehow float

    My head was awash with ideas on making something an impossible device. It will be more magic than tech but it will be something that I created.

    I added another goal to my list of things I wanted to do and flying just became one of them. It will not be just floating above the Grey and smog choking Zaun but I will be a powered flight that would reach even beyond the clouds.

    While I dreamed of touching the sky with my family, I wasn't going to be a modern day Icarus that would fall to his death just because he ignored his limit. I will rigorously test this device until I reach its highest potential.

    With copper coil on one hand and a weird crystal on my belt, I went to work. Metals of all shapes and sizes were made into monopole electromagnets, testing things just to see what would happen. It was a crude experiment but it was baby steps on the way to progress.

    Time would pass by quickly. Until I knew it, it was already getting late and was time for us to go back home. With the sound of Old Hungry echoing in the distance, it will soon be night time.

    We left Bob's workshop soon after saying our goodbyes with Cindy and Jinx hugging each other like sisters.

    "You guys can always come back here ok? Especially my bestie Jinx!" Cindy said as she nuzzled against Jinx's cheeks

    "Cindy! Space!" Jinx shouted but she looked like she wasn't too keen in getting Cindy off

    It was honestly a touching thing to see. It was also comforting knowing that there was at least another person in this world that cared for Jinx.

    The walk back home gave me time to think. All it ever did however was give me more things to think about. There were so many questions and things I could pursue now but I had to remember to take one step at a time. I couldn't exactly fly just yet but soon, I would be. It just a matter of effort now
     
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    • Interlude 2
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    • Interlude 2

    I watched as the girl came running off. I wasn't afraid that she'll tattle about us, Sump-snipes are far smarter than other Zaunite kids after. Snitches get stitches and whatnot

    Speaking of smarts, it's something I wish my underlings had. I grabbed one by the neck before giving him a slap.

    "Didn't I tell you to make it look like an accident!" I whispered harshly, trying to get the point across

    "But boss! We burned it anyways? Why the fuzz?" He asked and he had the audacity to look confused. I growled out in frustration as squeezed down on his neck

    "Because the boss told us to make it look like an accident!" The creaking of his bones and his gasp for air showed him his error "And because I told you so. Now look at what you've done!"

    The Veraza's were now on high alert snd the only reason we weren't murked here was that their patrol group did not pass through this area

    I throw him against the wall. It was therapheutic throwing my incompetent men against the wall. The sickening crack of bone echoed in the alley. I looked around, daring my incompetent to say a word

    That's right you're miserable fucks, all of you are expandable fodder "Toss him off to the heaps. I don't care if he's still alive, I'm sure the Plague Rats wouldn't mind having their meal twitch from time to time"

    We headed back to our base of operations, a repurposed warehouse just outside of the Veraza's control. We were not in the bosses territory so we had to be extra careful not to fuck up in this araa or else we'll have two Chem barons breathing down our necks. Having one is already bad enough as is

    I walked back to my "office" to nurse my growing headache with a glass of alcohol only to be greeted by the man himself.

    Sitting right in my chair was my benefactor. He was a tall thin rakish looking man with hair immaculately combed back. He probably thought it looked stylish but it only made him look weak and pathetic. He must have spent hours in the bathroom to get everything done right. He looked like a foolish crow with his long beak-like nose and dark attire.

    I held my tongue for now. He paid well. He might call me a dog but the gold in my pocket made for great earplugs.

    "What the fuck was that" my bosses growled out no doubt angry about my underlings little stunt. I was tempted to just back hand him but I knew full well that these people don't really travel alone

    "I already took care of the problem" Throwing them off the cliff can solve that problem pretty fast

    "The problem? The problem is that you're getting too overt with your actions. I wanted the Veraza's weakened yes but being implicated with that will have dire consequences!" Then you shouldn't have probably started this war in the first place.

    "We didn't get caught" I growled out

    "For now at least. You at least knew to hit them across their territory." I might be just an attack dog but I know that I was a bit smart when it comes to getting things done

    He stood up before walking over to the map to the far right of the room. Slamming his hand against the large canvas, he asked "Why don't we give you a refresher on why we're doing this hmm?"

    I bared my teeth but didn't reply "The Veraza's for too long have been a dominant part of the market. We need to put them down a peg. Simple enough for you?

    We strike at them, nipping away at their heels, tiring them down until we can crush them once we have manufactured the proper casus belli. If they become a hive of scum, unable to control their vast holdings, maybe it's time that somebody else takes their reign from them"

    The man rubbed his face before adding "We already did this once. One Baron down and my reign secured. Why are you making it impossible to do it again"

    "If you give me better me-!" He hushed me with a wave of his hand.

    "I don't care about your excuses, I want results!" He shouted. We glared at each other for a while, neither of us backing down. If he didn't have the money, I'd gut him like the worm he was but we both have use for each other

    "You'll get better men once you prove you can handle this scale of operation Mr. Warwick. You might be my best enforcer but that doesn't immediately translate to being a competent Lieutenant" I'm having second thoughts in this gig now but the pay was way too good and the blood I could spill was too tempting to pass up on.

    He turned his back on me before he walked out the back door. Just as he was about to grab the doorknob, he turned back and said "Before I go, one more thing. I need you to send more test subjects back to my research facility. Make sure they're the two legged variety"

    Kidnapping again? I was sick and tired of that job especially with all the screaming and squealing. I still don't get how some of my men find some entertainment from them. To each their own I suppose

    With a heavy slam of the door, I was finally left to some peace and quiet. I plopped down on my chair. Fuckers sharp ass dented the cushion

    Pressing a buzzer on the table in front of me, I called one of my messengers. They didn't took long to arrive

    "You called Sir?" One of the new kids came. She was a girl called Vi and she had and smart to boot. She knew her numbers and had deft hands in fixing small things. Sump snipes were always the best

    "Send this letter off to the guys at the pound, tell them I need more strays for the medicine man" I gave him a small letter further detailing that order. It was sealed and the boys would know if it was opened before they went there.

    She nodded before dashing off to deliver my orders. I looked back at the map, studying it intently. My eyes locked onto the Cultivairs and the Rose sigil of the Veraza's. The chaos will be glorious

    A/N:

    Dum dum dummm! New Interlude. Finally got to show who's causing all the chaos in thr background

    Thanks to that one interlude, I kinda decided to make interludes a regular thing every 7 chapters. As for the next chapter, hehe about that. It'll come out tommorow. Welp, now I go back to sleep
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Act 1 Chapter 15
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    • Scrapyard Angels Act 1 Chapter 15

    For every technological achievement in history, there's at least a hundred failures behind it. Every tech had to go through several testing and prototyping before one could achieve some viable results. If I was to unlock the secret of my accidental discovery, I had to work tirelessly on it

    Currently, I decided to test out just how much it could lift. Reproducing the results of my accidental discovery on a bigger piece of metal needed some trial and error but it seems the monopoles can only be made from iron and steel. Weird magical laws but hey, Magnets are made out of Iron and some other metals which I do not know.

    Whump chittered happily, almost laughing as Mr Floofington stood in the center of our room. He was rather twitchy, fidgeting a lot while glancing over to Jinx

    He stood on all fours while a harness with a crude metallic wing was attached to his back. There were exposed wires everywhere. There on the bottom of the pack was a long thin copper wire that will hopefully break if it shot up way too fast. He was also given a crude helmet for safety reasons. I had to give it to Jinx, she made it look decent compared tl my orignal sheet metal design experiment

    "You can do it Mr Floofington! Believe in yourself" Yes Mr Floofington, believe in what Jinx is saying. Your baleful glare will only make this worse

    "You really don't like him dont ya?" Vi asked as she looked amusedly over at our little experiments. I turned towards her before tilting my head

    "Whatever made you say that? I like Mr Floofington" He's the perfect test subject after all. Turning back to my experiment, I rubbed my hands eagerly as I begin the experiments

    "I mean, just look at your first experiment" She gestured at the sack of bricks and the crack at the roof.

    "That was why we had to do test without live subjects"

    "You almost had Whump strap to that" I gave Whump another Puffcap. I was running low on the stuff and might need to go harvest more of it down at the lower levels

    "Well I made precautions this time and I'm regulating the amount of mana I pour into it"

    "If you say so. Just don't come back to me when you get yourself electricuted or something"

    "Aww you do care! Come here" I walked over her as she scrambled back as she waved her hands with threat of violence

    "Don't you dare!"

    "Less kissing, more experimenting!" Jinx shouted impatiently, looking eager to see her creation fly as well. She made the designs, I made the stuff. I ruffled her hair as I turn back to my stuff

    "Test run on Monopole wings beginning in Three! Two! One!" With a pulse mana, Mr Floofington started to float. It began slowly as if an invisible hand pulled at the wing in Floofingtons back. The rat scrambled for
    purfaches on the ground as he was lifted up in the air. He struggled mightily, chittering angrily and probably cursing me and my ancestors, until he could no longer hold on.

    "He's flying! He's really flying!" Jinx shouted as she circled around Floofington who was on the verge of panicking.

    "Well at least we know that my magnets could hold up Floofingtons weight" I held onto the line and carried Floofington around like the world's ugliest balloon. Everyone was happy but not Floofington.

    "Now we should discuss the landing strategy"

    "Landing Strategy?" With Jinx's question, Floofington went into full panic mode afterwards

    -x-x-x-

    I held back a smile as I stared at the growing fruit in front of me. It took several days but once the flowers fell off and the pods began growing, it was clear that almost the entire flowering batch was fertilized.

    Standing beside me was Miss Carmen who inspected the plants in front me with barely concealed wonder.

    Rows after rows of vanilla vines with tiny developing pods. It was one thing seeing it in pictures and another to see a whole garden of it up close.

    I couldn't help but feel happy at how things was going but the decision still rest upon the Veraza's if they see me as a worthwhile investment

    Schooling her features, she nodded as before gesturing me to follow her "Come on Mr Arc, there's someone who wants to meet you"

    I swallowed nervously as I followed her closely. The Cutivair I worked one wasn't just one single cultivair but a collection of them. 6 cultivairs arranged in a hexagon with a central tower at the center. Mazes of corridors and tunnels spiral around the the various Cultivairs allowing for easy access to anywhere if you know where you were going

    Now, we were walking up various flights of stairs and passing people I haven't even met before. Their judging stares made the walk rather uncomfortable. I resisted the urge to wipe at the the oil and grease in my shirt as it would jsut be useless

    Finally after what seemed like a dozen stairs, we reached the top of the main tower. The windows by the side of the room showed the various domes of glass below. They looked like giant steel bird cages from up above.

    "In here Mr Ark" Miss Carmen reminded me as she held the door to the only room atop the tower.

    I walked towards the door as she opened it and entered inside. A dark, dimly lit exterior greeted me inside. The dark wooden furnishing adorning the walls was decorated with designs inspired from plants but mostly flowers. Books of various kinds lined the walls with titles that escaped me. Vases and stutrs from the various cities sat in displays for all to see. All of this was illuminated by the yellow light of Chemtech lamps lining the walls.

    The display of wealths showed the disparity between the common Zaunite to the rich Barons. They own all the cards and we just had to play by their rules.

    "Ahh the man of the hour, Mr Ark was it?" Replied a familiar voice. My eyes focused on the figure behind the massive mahogany table near the back of the room. Her short stature, the dark skin with barely any wrinkles and the fine silken white hair on top of her head made her an unmistakable figure to anyone that worked long enough in this part of the town.

    "Madam Corazon! Good morning" I hastily gave a respectful bow to the Veraza matriarch.

    Beside the woman was a short girl who was right around Vi's age. She looked like Mrs Corazon's mini me but way younger and with curly black hair. The look of disinterest on her eyes was more apparent as she looked around in boredom with eyes passing over me as I sneaked a glance

    "Enough groveling. You and I both know that it's nothing more than useless pleasantry" I straightened myself up and gave a nod to the woman

    The smile on her face didn't make me feel any more comfortable around her considering who she was. "So, you're the little girl that's causing all this fuss, hmm?"

    I bit back a retort as I just nodded along.

    "I'm going to be honest with you girl, what you did down there might just be revolutionary so why, why only show us this method. You could made a bidding war over this but you chose us"

    Why? "I took a leap of faith Madam. Out of all the choices, you had the best track record. Even factory workers wear your sigil" The Veraza's took care of their workers. As much as they also control their territory with violence, at least they hold a carrot on the other hand

    There was silence between us as the inhabitants of the room stared at me. Sweat started dripping down my brow as her eyes bore into me. Even the mysterious girl besides her focused on me

    The corners of Madam Corazons eyes crinkled as she started chuckling, her laughter echoing in the room until it was a full blown laughter.

    "I couldn't believe that Singed was right about someone. He's not really a peoples person you see" She laughed, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eyes

    "You might just be either the most daring or foolish person I have ever had the chance of meeting and we both know which one of you are Mr. Ark" I was the biggest fool of them all but I also like to think I'm a risk taker. A foolish risk takerx what a horrible combination

    "You choose well Mr. Ark. You have Moxie kid and I like that. Lets see if you're actually worth the time" Madam Corazon reached for something beneath her table before pulling out several items; a letters, an envelope and a small poach.

    I could hear the clinking of coins from within the poach as she pushed the three items towards me.

    "Written within this letter is my personal recommendation to the College as well as the proof of the Veraza's backing.

    Congratulations Mr Ark, you just earned your chance to be a researcher for the Veraza family"

    I could scarcely believe it. Walking closer to the table just to be sure. The letter there ok the table had the seal of the Veraza boldly stamped on the smooth surface of the vellum. It was all I needed to see to know that I had official backing from one of the powerful families of Zaun.

    She gestured for the girl beside her to fold the the document and insert it inside the envelope

    I watched numbly as the girl poured red sealing wax over the seal before stamping it with the Veraza rose. There was a breif glow beforr something malicious wrapped around the envelope

    "Just your standard curse. Prevents talentless clerks from tossing away letters of recommendation. We experienced those enough times to make these specifically. You should have seen them dance" The dark toothy grin in her face made me shiver in fright

    "I won't let you down, I promise" I already wasted enough chances on one life. I won't let it happen on this one

    She gave me a snort of amusement before waving me off "Carmen dear, take him back down to the workers lounge"

    I was given the letter and the poach before being guided back down. Just before I got out, I caught a brief instance of conversation between Madam Corazon and the mystery girl. "Now this is why we treat our workers fairly Corina"

    -x-x-x-

    Corina's POV

    "Now this is why we treat our workers fairly, Corina" Said my great-grandmother. I knew well enough that you can get more out of a horse with a carrot than a stick but a sponsorship?

    "Grandmother, do you think it's a bit too hasty giving this boy such a thing? Also, do you think it's a bit too… juvenile for you to joke about his gender?"

    "What? It's not my fault he's making it too easy and you'll understand why I act like this when you get to my age" I shivered at the thought of growing so old and wrinkly

    I just nodded along before asking once more. "We could have saved money if we just killed him off. We already hd the family intelligencer just waiting for your signal"

    The sight of the end of gun just barely sticking out of a painting still made me shiver at times

    "We could, after all it's not exactly uncommon for one hit wonders to come from even the most unexpected of places"

    "But you didn't"

    "No I did not"

    "But why? The records showed he had no educational background, nothing."

    "Corina, consider this. A boy who barely worked in the garden for several months managed to not only figure out something, which took as more than a year to steal, just from various circumstantial evidence but also give his own novel solution to one of our problems all the while having shown no tangible evidence that he worked for another garden or was the assistant of a Horticulturist"

    I had to give the boy credit where its due. "So he's merely has a green thumb"

    "And there's his clothing dear"

    "His clothing?" I tilted my head in confusion. "It was oil stained and had grease marks all over it. Probably from his own hands thanks to the size of his fingers"

    "Exactly. Plants might not be his only interest. If Singed was right and my own gauge is true then we might just found ourselves a very interesting researcher"

    I was quick to apologize for my oversight "I'm sorry grandmother, I didn't mean to be so quick on my judgement"

    "That's why I brought you here dear. You need experience and one of our relatives might just help you in that. The rare plants of Runeterra could only extend my life so much" The reminder of her mortality dampened my mood a bit

    "Of course grandmother. I assume that I'll be here as well to watch over your latest investment?"

    Grandmother gave a nod. I prenned at her silent compliment only to be flustered by her thanks to a comment

    "Who knows Corina, maybe he'll be your relative if he proves to be extraordinary. He could very well be your husband!"

    "Grandmother!" Why must I have such a teasing grandmother? Well, it's not like the boys ugly or anything. He looks rather cute in the girlish way

    "Enough teasing for now then and let's get back to business." I nodded as I straighten my posture and standing in attention

    "Some whippersnapper's getting a bit uppity around my territory. I may be old but I'm not blind to a challenge. Young Marvin might have fallen for this mystery baron's tricks but not me!"

    "What are we going to do about it grandmother?"

    "War dear, we will have war." It seems that my stay here in the Entresol wouldnt that boring after all. With a cute boy to look at and a warnon the horizon, my days will be rather interesting

    A/N:

    I knew I forgot to post something.

    And so the there will be war. In the streets or in the shadows, things will get heated soon enough. Tears will be shed and blood will be spilled and in the middle of the crossfire is one innocent family.

    Welp, that was hard. My posting schedule is way too hectic. I need to slow down or I burn out. Starting today, I'll be posting every two days. Who knows, maybe I could finally get a back log.
     
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    • Rule 2: Don’t Be Hateful
    Girlish...... this fic is a failure I declare I am now debating if I should quit reading or not on one hand I would rather not see a trap on the other the abyssmally low hope that puberty will make him more masculine
     
    Stop: Banned Word
  • Staff Post
    • stop: banned word
    Trap is a slur we don't allow on SV. Yes, it's a slur, yes, it's been prohibited here for literally years now, and it's even specifically used in the rules as an example. We've had Staff and regular posters have that screamed at them IRL as an insult and worse, so it's not just a fluffy anime term because it's used that way on some sites or forums.

    This has come up before. I'm just going to reuse the words one of our directors used in a similar case a while ago: The term isn't a mystery. A lot of the trans people we have on SV are themselves otaku and familiar with the term, the character type it refers to and so on. It's not some mystery that they, or us for that matter, had never encountered before.

    Moreover because we are familiar with the term we can say that the idea that it's not a bad term is somewhat naïve. Even setting aside that it's a gay panic joke where the gay panic has subsided somewhat, the character type itself - the otoko no ko - is very often used in pornography that sexualizes young boys or is pretty much rape. It's not all Juns and Totsukas. Moreover, it is not uncommon for transwomen to be treated like they're actually crossdressing men who catch men in insidious gay sex traps, so they're understandably sensitive about this. Considering the inherently negative connotation in the word 'trap', its origins as a gay panic joke, and the concerns of a significant portion of our userbase, we don't allow the word to be used.
     
  • Staff Post
    • Woah, that is a large red post. Huh, always expected to be warned first rather than be the one that gets defended. This was a rather pleasant surprise to wake up to.

    Also, funny post above the mod post. Sure buddy, it sure was ruined aint it? /s
     
    Act 1 Chapter 16
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    • Scrapyard Angels Act 1 Chapter 16

    I came back to my home with the letter in hand and a pouch of gold in the other. It wasn't copper nor silver but actual gold. I hid our gold inside the decorated box while keeping my letter close

    The last time I saw gold was when I managed to get up to the Promenade and begged for a while. The regulars there ran me off but I received some gold coins from kind passerbys. They might be suckers but I still thank them because of how long it lasted me and now I had gold once again.

    Was it some kindness or just something the Veraza's give so that those that become indebted or those that swear fealty to rhem night get a taste of what it's like to serve under them. I didn well much on these thoughts as I just concentrated on the here and now.

    As soon as Vi came back from work and Jinx came back from her trip down to Bob's workshop, I decided to tell them the good news. Vi seemed a bit distracted while Jinx looked a bit bored after coming back from a day of playing. Even Whump and Floofington then were bored enough that they looked like they were considering if it was worth playing. They're only considering it at least for now. My news should help make the mood less somber

    I cleared my throat to get their attention which was easy enough. "Ok, Vi remember those cookies we had back then?"

    "You have more?" Jinx asked as she leaned forward and gave me those big doe eyes of hers. I just gave her a pat in the head

    "Well not exactly but I have something better. Jinx, can you open Mr Sparkles?" With my loot hidden inside, I think Jinx was going to find something interesting

    All of us sat down as Jinx pulled out the box. Vi and I sat down behind her and hovered over her shoulder as she opened it. There inside she would see not only the other crystal but gold, piles of it for us to spend. The glittering pile lit up from the light of the crystal

    I smiled as Jinx cried out in happiness. She reached down and grabbed a small pile and held the glittering coins between her fingers before letting them fall back in the chest..

    "I impressed my boss" Sure it made for some nightless sleep but it was well worth it.

    I could already see the various emotions in Vi's face as her frown turned to slack jawed awe at the amount of money we had. Yes we were doing well and were no longer sticks and bones but this was a major step up.

    I was nearly bowled over as she launched herself at me. The feeling of her chest was what made the bone crushing hug worth it.

    "Air!" Tapping at her back at least saved me from suffocating.

    "Oh sorry, it's just I think we're finally going somewhere" she loosened her hold enough that I hugged back. It was… relaxing just holding someone.

    "Group hug!" Jinx shouted as she joined the hug. The joy I felt was almost overwhelming. This might just be the second best thing that ever happened to me. This was second only to meeting Jinx and Vi.

    "I'm so happy right now" Vi made it way to easy for her to tease

    "Happy enough to kiss me?" I asked, making Jinx recoil

    Vi stared back at my grin before she shrugged and replied "You know what, since you really want to do this"

    I barely had time to think before Vi grabbed me by the back of my head and kissed me in the lips. Her lips still tasted of bubblegum.

    "Ewww your giving each other cooties!" Jinx shouted as she covered her face.

    "You really want to kiss me don't you?" Vi asked as she placed her hands on her hips. My goofy smile might have tipped that off.

    "You are beautiful" I replied as I gave her a wink as Jinx just took the brunt of our flirting who wretch at the sight

    "You're just teasing me" Vi replied as she gave me a light hearted shove

    "Not lying, if you want we could have another round" I leaned close to her while wagging my eyebrow. Her laugh was sound like music to my ears

    "Ew ew ew!" You'll understand when you're older Jinx

    "What are cooties anyways?" I asked. I never understood that thing anyways, might as well as from someone who might know. That actually got Vi thinking as well.

    "Cooties… cooties are…" I laughed as Jinx stomped her feet in annoyance."I know what cooties are! Just give me a minute!"

    Never change Jinx, never change. "Stop giving me headpats! Vi, not you too! Ugh!"

    -x-x-x-

    Things settled down back to some normality. Sure gold was nice but it was a thing of folly to spend more when the windfall we received may just be temporary. I really hope this wasn't just a one of thing but for now, we might just have a bit more comfort

    I worked in the green house. Most of my hours spent watching over the vanilla vines growing as well as chatting with some of my co workers

    I studied magic, weaving my mana till I could do it unconsciously. It all felt like a breeze at this point as I headed back home. It felt like clock work.

    My nights were spent teaching and taking care of my sisters. I didn't even notice how busy my days have become until Vi decided to drag me out of our home for some time to relax

    "You're just trying to get out of my lesson aren't you?" No matter how you looked away, my eyes knew what they saw. I can smell the shame Vi even if we both wear gas mask

    "Well what if I'm trying to get you to see that you haven't taken a break or played at all since we adopted you" I laid down, trying my best to be a nuisance so she might give up

    "I feel like I'm the one here that adopted you" Vi didn't take no for an answer as she picked me up easily. Her rock hard muscles reminded me just how stupidly strong she has gotten. Three regular meals a day works wonders on a person

    "Who has to take care of us then?"

    "I do. I have to do the cooking and grooming. I also do the cleaning and the washing"

    "Well who brings more money to the household" I stared at her asking her if she really want to go there

    "Ok fine, you adopted us. Why do you even argue with me on this one? You have nothing to gain" I finally gave up on resisting and tapped on her back

    She thankfully decided to put me down but not before grabbing my collar. "I thought that was going to work this time"

    "You already did this trick once. We've been living together for months now?" Time does fly by if you're not paying attention to it.

    "Fair and why did I argue with you? Well I just want something to be smug about" I received a knuckle to the top of my head for my sass.

    "You like teasing way to much"

    "What can I say, it's one of the few joys in my life"

    "We have to fix that. Now come one, there's going to be some parade at a nearby district. The baron there might throw candy or something" She ran while dragging me with her.

    Well, I couldn't argue with that and tried to get my footing as I ran with her. I might not be as strong as Vi or agile as Jinx, I was still fast thanks to how much I ran.

    I kinda was thankful that Jinx wasn't with us. Less of a hassle trying to watch over here in a crowd when it was just us and Vi. I didn't really feel sorry for unleashing Jinx on Cindy since she probably like having Jinx around

    The place where the parade was being held was a far cry from the violence that had happened here. There were still large swathes of burnt down factory districts but people were rebuilding. The new management at least made it their duty to clean up the mess I had to give it to them.

    While the Veraza district was on high alert, this district looked a bit better? People were celebrating, streamers and banners livened the place up but there was a crucial difference to things. The people didn't really feel happy around the thugs but to each baron their own ways

    We brought some coins with us so we had plenty of things to buy. We bought food with extra to give to Jinx once she comes home.

    Finding a way up some of the abandoned buildings was easy. The ineffective yet omnipresent fire exits made for a great way to get up the roof tops. There we could have some privacy to ourselves

    We sat down and watched the parade below. People watching was fun especially when we took turns guessing what the people down below did for a living

    "So, what do you think of that one?" Vi pointed down at the man in overalls with a a large wrench and a hard hat. He was also currently eating citrus

    "I think that guys a pirate"

    "A pirate? I think he's a Voltician or something" Vi argued

    "It would have been easier if we saw his arms but see the thing he's eating? If this guy was a Voltician, he probably would have eaten from one of those meat stand but he went for the fruits"

    "He could really like fruits" Vi argued

    "He could but why buy the more expensive ones when you have local fruits like apples and pears"

    I then pointed at his waist "Also, where's his belt"

    Vi hummed for a bit before nodding. We sat there in silence, watching as the main parade finally came.

    First came a marching band of Vigilnauts in all their armored glory. Their glass helm might have shown their face if it wasn't for all the chems in the tank obscuring their faces to mere silhouettes.

    They were accompanied by groups of armored men with guns who walked in formation, waving at civilians and throwing some treats here and there. They had the same look as the "cops" of the Veraza's but wearing the colors of another baron.
    One person stood out from the rest of them and that was the same wolfish man from before who led a company of men in formation. I didn't dwell on him for to long as the crowd applauded, drowning out my thoughts

    Finally, we saw who this parade was all about. There in the middle of the parade was a tall thin man with a prominent beaked nose. He looks kinda like a raven with all the dark clothing he wore or maybe a vulture with how long his nose was.

    While people below cheered as order came back, all I saw was another dictator coming in to fill in the void left by the disposed one. Oh sure I supported one Chem Baron with my actions but that doesn't mean I approve of all of them. Heck, that person over there probably wasn't the Baron himself and more of a body double. He certainly didn't have the jewelry from the looks of it

    My train of thought was broken when Vi suddenly asked me one innocent question. The most innocuous could often be the most meaningful "Hey Ark… do you really think I'm pretty?"

    I looked back at her. Sure she cut her hair short and had a lot of sharp features but she looked roguish and handsome even.

    I reached out to her and placed my hand on her shoulder. "Vi, don't let anyone tell you otherwise but you're pretty"

    "Pretty enough that you want to kiss me?"

    I chuckled before giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. It was a mere peck but she got the message real quick

    "Hey Ark… what are we?"

    "What do you mean"

    "Are we a family or something more?"

    I paused for a bit and pondered the answer. The parade below us was now firing fireworks up above, illuminating our rooftop in a familiar red tinge that I grew to like.

    "I'm not sure really but I wouldn't mind if I have you as my girlfriend"

    "Naw, you're just teasing me again. Here I thought you were through that" She brushed her hair as she looked away, still smiling and blushing

    Slowly, I reached out to her hand and held it. The rough feeling of her hand didn't make it any less exciting as we stared at each other. We leaned towards each other before our lips met once more. No more words were spoken afterwards

    I didn't know how it exactly happened by the time we got out of that building, we were holding hands.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Act 1 Chapter 17
  • Threadmarks
    • Scrapyard Angels Act 1 Chapter 17

    The College of Techmaturgy was an imposing sight to behold. It was a huge tower suspended between the crack where Zaun built with nothing more than metal support beams, suspension wires and what I assume is magic. The thing defies logic but then again, logic in Runettera has magic put in the equation

    The singular bridge connecting it to the outside world made it look like a fortress monastery especially with its tall buttresses, sharp gothic arches and liveral use of glass and steel. Some would say that the building was built to keep the students in but I say that this building was built to keep the undesirable out.

    "Ark, it's just a simple registration" Vi reminded me why we were here.

    "Yeah, just a sec. Just trying to psyche myself up" I ran my hands across my hair as I paced back and forth. We were by the edge of the bridge, away from the crowd coming in and out of the building

    I felt Vi's arms wrap around my shoulder before she pulled me close to her chest and rubbed my back. "Come on, I'll be there with you. I promise" she reassured me

    For a few seconds I stood frozen before relaxing in her hold. Pulling back, I nodded as I finally got myself some semblance of control.

    "Ok, let's do this, '' I said before we walked to the building.

    We walked past the main gate and there inside was one of the largest rooms I've ever had the chance to step in. It was a large circular room with various booths and registrars accommodating the countless students, parents, guardians and hopeful applicants

    A person once said that fear was the mind killer and I have to agree with them as fear is absolutely killing my mind right now. I wasn't afraid of registering my application, it was the easy part. I was afraid of the security

    If Plague Rats were normal City Rats bigger and meaner cousins then the College Security were the Vigilnauts bigger and meaner cousin. They were more machine than man at this point, huge hulking armor with random tubes and gears sticking out of them. Their huge clawed hands reaching out to me, trying to rip me-!

    My attention was brought back to reality as Vi snapped her finger in front of my face. "Ark, look at me. Look at me"

    I stared into her eyes as I let go of the breath I didn't know I was holding. My heart was thundering in my chest as sweat dripped down my forehead

    "Into the registration, in and out" Vi reminded me as she guided me to the seats. She held my head, stopping me from gazing towards them.

    We sat down in one of the empty seats as the line moved slowly towards the registrar. The line was long with many children and young teens alike accompanied by their guardians. They were here like me, hoping to get in

    "Hey Vi, have I ever told you why I didn't take a part time job in the College?" I asked, trying to distract myself from the puffs of steam and grinding of gears

    "No but you could have, right?" She asked.

    Laying my head against her lap, I then guided her hand against the side of my head. I felt her hand brush against my head

    "I once tried but I was a bit foolish back then. I was a lot less wiser and more daring. I thought I could get a better job if I could just impress one of the professors but all I got was this and a broken rib" I was afraid, I was so very much afraid but here I was going to try and study in a place that brings nothing but bad memories.

    "It's funny right? Here I am trying to get an exam in a place where one of my fears can be found'' My feet feel cold even with the thick woolen sock and heavy boots I wore. A sense of dread loomed over me as I could feel them behind me

    Vi, my angel, gently ran her hair across my hair. "No, not really. I think you're actually brave Ark"

    "I'm just a coward who hides behind his bravado. I could barely even fight back to my childhood "friends", what can I do with these giants" I asked

    "I'm not really good at this emotional stuff but I know what I'm good at. Ark, we're going to teach you how to fight"

    I just nodded as we waited for the line to move. Looking back, I should have probably backed out but I was too distracted. Maybe it was for my own good.

    -x-x-x-

    The registration was thankfully an uneventful one. The clerk was thankfully too tired to give a fuck about my stuttering. I gave my papers and in turn, I was given a piece of paper that would serve as a reminder when and where my exam was scheduled and also the slip I was going to use

    I'm finally registered and with that, my place in the College was all but secured. All I had to do now was survive Vi's grueling training.

    "Vi, I think I should really be studying right now" I shouted as I felt the burn in my arms from lifting the heavy metal bars Vi called her weights.

    "Says the guy that taught Jinx division and alge whatchamacallit. You'll do fine~" Vi said as she pumped iron with me. It was just simple weight training but I could already feel my arms giving up. Was I really this weak?

    "Ok, just a few more repetitions! The guys at work always shouts about those"

    With a few more lifts, it was finally over. I let go of the weights as they thud against the concrete ground. Vi was there to give me some water

    I silently prayed to Janna to get me through this. Small mercies that the hard work of living in the sump at least made the process of getting stronger far more easier. I wasn't exactly starting from Zero after all

    "You know, maybe in a month we can get you to tip top shape!" Vi said cheerfully

    "Vi, I love you but you're killing me here!" I shouted as I laid down.

    "I love you too, Ark but this is for your own good!" I complained a lot but in truth, I was kinda enjoying this… if my muscles can only stop hurting for a bit

    -x-x-x-

    Making a wing from scrap parts was… harder than I thought. Sure I finally got the "propulsion" down and it was merely directing pulses of magic in my main wing and tilting forward so the "push" of the magnet can be directed.

    I really wished I could get to learn how to make electronics so I could automate the process but for now, it was all manual

    This was one of the reasons why I hired Bob to help me make the machine. It involved a lot of begging and forcing money in Bob's hand but we finally got our wings. Damn it old man, just accept the money. I really don't want charity when I could afford it

    What I got was a collapsible and expandable wing backpack. It was articulate enough that I could make the wings wrap around me. It was a nice touch.

    It was made of multiple "feathers'' arranged in a series in parallel against the ground. I had to do the wiring myself but the crude electromagnets help keep me aloft

    Floofington could only glare at me as I brought out the backpack.

    "Stop teasing Mr Floofington!" Shouted Jinx as she laid down beside the huge rat and rested her head against its chest.

    She was eating a cupcake and tearing small bits of it to feed her giant pet.

    "He's overreacting" I grinned and was met with a shiver from the huge rat. Whump was taking satisfaction from watching Floofington even if he was just right besides the huge Plague Rat.

    "He's just fidgety, that's all. '' Jinx defended her pet while giving it headpats. I had to admit though, I was wrong about the smell of Plague Rats. They smell like dogs if you give them a good scrub.

    Wearing the backpack and feeling its hefty weight against my back, I asked her "Hey Jinx, want to come see my test? Vi's already there and tying the rope that should hopefully keep me from falling"

    Jinx mulled at the thought a bit, humming before sitting up. "Are you really going to jump off the cliff?" She asked as she slowly pushed Floofington up

    "Well, I tried hovering a bag off the cliffs and it hasn't fallen down so why not?"

    "Sounds dumb but I like dumb ideas! They're always more fun if they work!" Her words suddenly filled me dread. I was going to jump off a cliff… I was really going to jump of a cliff with nothing but a rope around my waist and my experimental wings

    It does kinda sound dumb once I say it out loud inside my mind… well, it was too late to back out now

    The trip to the cliff's edge wasn't too hard. Zaun after all was just a series of bridges linking the two cliff faces and buildings attached to the walls. Finding an edge to jump from was easy

    I was regretting my decision as I stared down into the abyss. The world below me seemed to stretch on for eternity.

    "Do a backflip!" Shouted Jinx as she gave me some thumbs up for encouragement. The spirit of her words was well meaning but it didn't fill me with confidence

    "Vi, I just want you to know that I really love you"

    Vi rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless while Jinx booed.

    "Enough talking! More jumping!" Shouted Jinx

    "Also, I need you to pull me up because I'm not sure I could even pull myself up"

    I took one last look down below. Only the railing I was stepping on and the rope tied to one of the lamps stopped gravity from pulling me all the way down. I closed my eyes and let my magic flow

    The familiar hum of it coursing through the crystal in my belt while the wings flared out. I stepped forward and I finally took my first step into the abyss.

    For a few seconds I felt everything become weightless. A video once taught me that free fall was similar to having no gravity. I felt… free, with nothing to hold me down but the abyss was heading up fast and there was no holding back.

    With a flare of mana, I felt gravity pulling me down once more. My momentum arrested as I came to a complete stop before I looked up. I reached up to the sky before the sky came to greet me. I greeted it in open arms as I soared up high there in the sky, I felt free.

    A/N:

    New chapter yay! Finally got the reason why Ark is persuing the legal route to becoming a student of the College of Techmaturgy. He could have but his lack ran out that day. Also, it is a bit insane for Ark to plan about getting in that place but isnt he already a bit insane? Also, this is partly the reason why Ark let his hair grow.

    Also, holy shit new trailer for Arcane. Hopefully this chapter makes you as happy as I was when I was watching the Arcane trailer. Now I'll go watch it again. You guys should do to. Peace!
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Act 1 Chapter 18
  • Threadmarks
    • Scrapyard Angels Act 1 Chapter 18

    Flying is an addictive experience. The rush I felt while in the sky made me want to stay there. I felt like I belonged up there as I felt the wind against myself while I hover over the abyss without a care in the world. It was a freeing experience once I let go of my fears and just faced things head on but reality reminded me that I was still tied to a pole as I felt a tug in my hips

    Damn, I really wish I could just reach out higher. Maybe get past the thick omnipresent smog separating Piltover and Zaun for just a few seconds

    Looking back, I watched Jinx and Vi from down below. Jinx clapped enthusiastically while Vi gave me a grin

    "You're doing great, Ark!" Vi shouted as I hovered over them a dozen or so feet up in the air

    "Yeah, this feels great! I dont get why Floofington doesnt like this"

    "Of course he wouldn't like it, he lives underground!" Shouted Jinx

    "But we live underground!" I shouted back, making Jinx pause. That gave Vi a chuckle

    I looked at the rope before shouting "Hey Vi, can you untie me? I kinda want to fly. You know, make some loops here and there?"

    Vi shook her head and gestured a negative just to be clear. "No can do Ark! Didn't you say it was still unsafe?"

    I let out a sound of disappointment but Vi held on to what she said. It was my idea to have this rope tied around my waist. "Yes dear". I got a tug from the rope for my cheek

    And so I stayed up in the air for a while. Of course, I couldn't stay there for too long as Vi and Jinx reminded me that I had to go down once again. "Ark, you've been there for hours. Get down" Vi looked tired, nodding off while Jinx was just bored out of her mind as she slumped against a sleeping Mr Floofington

    "I'm flying" Even a balloon tethered to a pole was still flying

    "Ark, get down" Vi shouted and this time Jinx decided to join in

    "I'm boreeeed! Let's go already" Jinx hollered as she bonelessly rolled off Floofington

    "I'm flying and your not" Come on, just let me fly for five more minutes? Is it too much to ask?

    "Damn it Ark, stop being such a child!" Vi shouted as she finally got up.

    "Your not my mom" I probably shouldn't have said that as Vi grabbed the rope and started pulling me down

    "Ok, you asked for it"

    "Vi come on! You know I was just joking right!?"

    After some mishaps, I finally landed down without much fuzz. We walked home afterwards with Jinx just running off with Floofington in tow. Even Whump couldn't wait to get back home as he jumped on top of Floofington leaving just me and Vi to walk home alone.

    I looked away from Vi while nursing a bruised shoulder. I felt her arms wrapped around me as she said "Oh come on Ark, it wasn't that hard"

    I stayed silent, I was mildly annoyed right now "Forgive me?" She asked as she pressed against me

    My defense wavered but I had to show her that she should have allowed me to fly and I was not being a child about it. This off course couldn't last as she gave me a kiss in my cheeks

    "If I didn't love you this much…" my ears burned but that only made her want to cuddle up to me more

    "But you do"

    "And I do forever and ever"

    "You're such a sappy romantic Ark"

    That I was, that I was and I was more than happy to admit it

    -x-x-x-

    I had to admit, maybe my schedule was a bit too much. Vi was right that I had barely enough time for my own. Ten hours in the Cultivair, two hours cleaning, one hour of getting taught magic, another hour teaching Vi and Jinx some basic stuff like Math and maybe another language, an hour or two hour of getting taught how to fight and maybe an hour on the inbetween of all the stuff I do before I could finally get to actually wind down a bit or do some tinkering with my wings

    Sure I had seven or eight hours to sleep but the day was jam packed and I felt like I needed more time with Jinx and Vi to teach them. There was also my training with Vi

    Thankfully, it seems that my contract with the school is finally over as Miss Irene invited me over for one last lesson. I didn't have to clean anymore as she gave me a "day off".

    "Mr Ark, you have been a wonderful student." It was probably her first true genuine praise to me. It was usually adequate or acceptable but now it was this. I felt like I actually earned that instead of it just being a normal praise. Months of training finally paying off

    "Thank you Miss Irene" and I meant every single last word.

    She smiled before she gestured for me to pick up several boxes worth of papers. Vi's strength regimen was paying even if it was just a week since we started as I bent down to pink up the stack of boxes. Knees bent before lifting the entire stack

    We walked to the back of the school, out in the covered court where the physical fitness classes were held. I paced down the large boxes and wondered what was in them

    "Now we will be holding our last lesson. You might be wondering why we will only have one lesson for the last part of the basics of magic and the reason for that is simple '' Miss Irine then picked up one of the boxes from atop the stack and plopped it down on her feet. Opening it revealed stacks upon stacks of exam papers

    With one hand, she picked up a stack while her free hand started shaping the mana within. First came letting the mana flow as the silk like thread of her mana flowed between her hands. Second came the shaping of the mana, storing it and giving potency to her spell and finally she swept her hand and the papers flew out of her hands. They swirled around us before they were suspended in the air with the same silken threads she had been working with

    "The final step is merely putting your intent and letting it all flow out. It doesn't require concentration but rather the will to force what you desire upon the world. Sure there are spells that one could learn but the steps I taught you is how my school of magic taught things. Chants and magical incantations, runes and and magical circles are there to help people get into the mindset to cast these spells and get the same effect" She casted silently, pulling up stacks after stacks of exam papers and lining up for target practice

    "Now Mr Ark, I want you to let your magic flow. Let your intent be known. Let your magic sing!" She started slinging spells destroying the paper. The smile on her face showed the glee she had as the papers with low scores were shredded to pieces by her spell.

    I couldn't help but get swept up as I started slinging spells as well. I started off slowly, gathering my mana before picking my shot but slowly I got used to it. Magic felt as easy as breathing as lances of a shaped lighting started cracking across the yard.

    I laughed out as we made a veritable snowstorm of shredded papers. These exams will not be missed. It was cathartic just destroying stuff, almost therapeutic even. Soon we ran out of stuff and all that was left were scraps of papers along with blackened bits of things I burnt

    "You know Mr Ark, if you weren't a boy, I might have just taken you as a personal apprentice" She casually said as she gathered the paper with her thread

    That got me to pause as I looked at her. "You would have fit nicely in my Alma Mater but they only specifically choose one gender."

    "You studied in the College of Techmaturgy?" I asked

    "Oh no, if I had I might have gone half mad with how pretentious people are there. I studied in a private Noxian institute." I nodded. I was a bit surprised that she studied in Noxus of all places but then again, has Piltover and Zaun ever produced a local mage of renown that isn't using Hextech?

    "You know, Noxus could use mages like you. Even if you can't make the cut to the coven I studied in due to your gender, I'm sure the Noxian High Command would find a place for your in the Mage Corps"

    I briefly taught about it. Me in Noxus? Come to think of it, Vi and Jinx can join with how the Noxian power structure was made. It was a martial meritocracy but then… there was the likes of Katarina and Talon in the shadows and then there's the like of Swain

    "I'll keep that in mind Miss Irene" I kept my options open. It's good to always have a backup option even if your current one is going smoothly.

    "Of course Mr Ark. Just remember, the doors to the Sister Rose Private Academy is always open and ready to help you in getting to Noxus"

    I thanked Miss Irene one last time for that day before heading out. I was now at least competent enough to do the basics of magic, now all I need was to be good in fighting just like Vi

    -x-x-x-

    Strength training was the easy part and will always be a part of her workout or rather our workout.

    If you said to me back then when I was still all alone that I would be doing squats, burpees, push ups and pull ups then I would tell you I would starve to death before I could even gain muscle mass. Now with all the money we have, we could at least workout and not starve from all the energy we spent

    Today, I was dodging lessons. It would have been easy considering how light I was on my feet but Vi decided to have me wear my flying pack and had Jinx throw things at me.

    I bobbed and weave and still Jinx could throw more than I could dodge but I was getting there

    "Come on you can do it" Vi shouted in encouragement but the weight of my pack was making it too hard. I was flagging as my legs started to waver

    "Jinx! I need to rest!" I shouted as I tried to dodge the ever increasing hail of junk

    "I'm not throwing~" Jinx replied in a sing sang tone

    "Then who's throwing!?" I couldn't dodge anymore and used my wings as a shield against my shoulder. The cana clanging against the metal surface

    "It's Mr Floofington off course!" I stared incredulously at Jinx and lo and behold she isn't holding anything and there just in front of me was Mr Floofington using his tail to launch accurate shots at me

    "Vi! Do something" Vi laughed at the sight of me being pelted by Mr Floofington. The rat had the gall to look all to smug about things right now. The god damn rar was a crack shot

    Thankfully, Vi got him to stop. I was tired and beaten but I was still learning. I was getting a bit more fleet footed and stronger each day. With less time spent cleaning floors and toilets, I had a lot of free time to spend with Vi and Jinx.

    For now however, all I wanted was to lay down with Vi. Jinx of course didn't want any part of it as she stayed on the other end of the bed now while Vi and I slept clinging to each other. I was the little spoon and she was the big spoon.

    "I'm a big girl now so I can sleep on my own." Jinx said as she erected a small pillow barrier between us and her.

    "Sure Jinx, sure" Vi said as she rested her head against my forehead

    "Goodnight!" With a huff, she went to sleep. We spent a few minutes of silence to make sure she was at least partially asleep.

    "Bets on how long she'd stay there before she sleeps on top of us again?"

    Vi hummed for a bit before replying "I give it an hour. Just move when she decides to sleep ok? She can be quite pointy"

    "At Least she's not all skin and bones now" Vi nodded in agreement to that. "She's really trying to push that she's all grown up now huh?" I added.

    "Let her be. Her birthdays coming close"

    "Her birthday huh?" That brings me down memory lane. Birthdays brought back good memories of that life. I only celebrated my birthday in Runeterra once, my new birthday that is, and only once. I didn't really have to celebrate afterwards as I was put in the street. It sucks really

    "Hey Vi, think we can give something for Jinx that day?" Vi nodded before she snuggled closer to me as she wanted to catch some shut eyes before the days started anew. Celebrating Jinx's birthday would be nice. Just a normal celebration for our little family

    A/N:

    Ark is officially now a mage that knows the basics. He could sling basic spells but thats about it. There's also thr Noxian offer~ Well atleast Ark might have a way out. Also, birthday! Ain't it going to be be fun when that starts eh?

    Welp, here's hoping y'all like the new chapter. Didnt get to sleep that long today so maybe I'll go back to sleep but already hungry so breakfast might be better
     
  • Threadmarks
    • I wouldn't trust going on noxus to much secret shadow politics and schemes plus it would stun his growth in power

    He should become a wandering mage scouring the enture world for new and different technologies magics and martial arts along the way also honning his magical and martial combat prowesses(he needs to know how to fight using his own body and train it otherwise he is a glass canon and we don't want a glass canon) not to mention the artifacts and precious research samples and materials he can obtain in his journey plus this way is optimum for gainning most amount of chance at gainning various types of power and meeting most amounts of champions!!!!!!
     
    It's cute seeing the three of them together like this. This is probably one of the stories I look forwards to updating the most.
     
    Act 1 Chapter 19
  • Threadmarks
    • Scrapyard Angels Act 1 Chapter 19

    Vi and spent our nights training. We trained relentlessly to get me up to shape to actually be of use. Yes I knew how to throw punches but what use was it when your opponent was like Vi or a Chemed up goon, a stupidly strong person with steel in their hands and an iron chin.

    I had to get stronger while also leveraging what I already had. I had to build up on what I had, which was being light on my feet.

    Vi wasn't exactly an expert at teaching as she was more of a kid who learned to fight in the streets but I threw suggestions from what I remembered. Drills to enforce muscle memories, basic exercise drills to tone the body and a lot of cardio

    "Ok! Just five more laps around the tunnels!" Vi shouted as we ran laps deep in the service tunnels. The place was perfect for us. We could run laps in it and there were plenty of rooms where we could train. The only problem was it was quite close to the toxic river where I get most of my puffcaps

    I breathed in deep as sweat dripped down my form. I already tossed aside my shirt to stop it from being soaked in sweat. I lost count of the laps we've done. It wasnt just running but also running over and ducking under obstacles. The yellowed bruises I had over my body was testament to the learning

    It was more than worth it as lean muscle now stretched across my slight frame but compared to Vi, it wasn't quite there yet… or ever as it was already close to a month since we started. I still had hopes. There was also the sight of Vi in her under shirt. Even after weeks of getting used to Vi getting down to almost nude, I still couldn't help but stare and she knew it

    "And stop staring at the Ark! We have later for that" I sputtered but didn't deny it.

    "If I wasn't tired, I'd say something back!"

    "Well if you can still talk, you certainly aren't yet. I think you're just speechless!" She gave her ass a spank. Damn she got me on that one

    "Come on already! Just finished your run!" Jinx shouted as we passed by her. Jinx was nimble and made piecemeal with the obstacles Vi set up.

    It took us a few more minutes before we finished. I walked around a bit to catch my breath while Vi toweled herself.

    "First order of business! Lets get your punches polished" I groaned in response to Vi as she lifted up the lightly padded metal plate. It was originally part of a door but now it was our mitts.

    I hesitated before until Jinx showed me how it's done. I really had to remind myself that Jinx had been sisters with Vi for longer than I've been sisters with her.

    Jinx did not hesitate as she struck the padded metal. Her last three knuckles aligned perfectly to give that satisfying clang. Of course, I wrapped their hands just to try and minimize the damage but magic does wonders in healing from what I experienced. Arms, knees, elbows and feet, Jinx could throw a lot of them

    I was up next and I tried to do my best. I stepped forward as I delivered my jab before pivoting my foot as I delivered my cross. I bobbed from the return fire before going back to a neutral position and repeating it.

    My nights were spent like this, honing my body and hardening it. Vi didn't hold back as I felt new bruises in my hands when I had to block but it was getting fewer now as the old yellowed bruises outnumber the new black ones.

    We had different drills and most importantly calisthenics. Vi actually knew a lot of them and she could just go on forever much to Jinx and my dismay. Vi had us beat in them

    Of course, the day wouldn't be complete if we didn't have sparing. It was mostly mock, limiting the strikes to taps but it still was grueling. Vi was trained as a boxer, but boxing in Runeterra takes a more older approach, an approach that one could only watch in the black and white. I finally figured out why Vi's glove had a full set of fingers

    "Jinx go easy on him! I don't want him to have a black eye, ok!" Vi shouted as I circled around Jinx. Jinx was younger, yes but she had more experience. Jinx jab before I grab her wrist and have her stumble to the direction I want.

    Grappling was a thing and clinches were a matter of overpowering your opponent. Parrying was a lot easier when you can simply grab your opponent's wrist.

    This of course infuriated Jinx as she started to give her punches a little more weight in them. I felt her tap hard against my rib as she tied my other hand up. She can give quite the push especially when she puts her knees into it but I had been training with her for the last few weeks and I spun her around when she tried to push me down.

    "Break it up! More punching less hugging"

    "Vi! I wasn't hugging him" Jinx shouted as we broke our clinch

    "If I didn't know any better, I thought you were trying to steal him away!" Vi joked as I laughed out with her. Jinx stomped her feet before lashing out again.

    While I was getting hurt, all this banter we had and the time we spent together was something I couldn't quite deny. I really like spending time with them.

    We spent hours there but eventually we had to stop. We didn't have to spend the night being sweaty however as we could gather water to our hearts content. Who knew having a guard Plague rat helped us get cleaner of all things

    We shared our baths together. Technically, Jinx went first before Vi and I helped each other but it was more or less together. Hormones were taking over but we still were a bit shy with each other. Jinx and a lot of cold water helped dampen the mood.

    I lathered Jinx hair, which now reached past her back, while Vi did mine.

    "I don't get it, why do you two grow your hair so long? Jinx is letting her hair grow even after I taught her better" Vi complained as she was down to her shorts and chest wrappings. I was down to my shorts while Jinx was much like Vi

    "Well, it looks good doesn't it, Jinx?" I asked

    "Yeah, you should really get your hair longer. I look like one of those fancy Pilties now! Look at me I'm rich and important" Jinx shouted as she tilted up her head and sound all snobby and mocking

    Vi chuckled "That's exactly what I'm afraid of. It does look good on both of you"

    "Hey Jinx, can I braid your hair? Maybe it'll catch less often on things if we had braided" I asked. Jinx was just getting used to having such long hair. She had it free flowing while I had it in a hair tie.

    "Hmmm, sure. So long as you do it!" Jinx agreed.

    After Vi and I were finished giving Jinx a bath, we were quick to give each other a cold bath.

    "Hey Ark, you've been doing ok now for the last few days. You aren't stumbling as often and you can actually catch Jinx's hands. Maybe you're ready for an actual street fight" Vi said as we faced away from each other. Drying off can be awkward at times but we make due.

    "Do I really have to?"

    "Come on, it's just a fight. Plus, it'll give you some street cred!"

    "I don't know…" The last fight I had didn't go so well exactly. Partly why I just want to run away at times

    "Don't you want to punch a smug son of a bitch?" Vi was making a good argument

    "I'll give you a reward if you win, anything" Vi was really making it hard to resist

    "Ok, ok, I give. Why do you want me to get involved in a fight anyways?" I asked

    "Well I want to show everybody that my boyfriend is not a pushover." Vi replied. I heard her stand up and walked closer. Feeling her hands wrap around my form, she traced her hands across my chest before she said "Plus I kinda want to show you off"

    I snorted at that before we pulled away from each other before things became steamy.

    We didn't really want to rush into things and the slow burn we had going was more than enough for both of us. We soon cuddled up in bed together with Jinx intent to sleep away from us but I will have the last laugh

    "Hey Jinx, do you want to hear a story?" I asked. Jinx ears twitched and I knew I got her there

    "I told you I'm all grown up! I've heard Frodo's story ten times already!"

    "It was your favorite story after all" I still remember how she cheered when the one ring was thrown into the fire. It was a shame I didn't memorize the dark speech version of the one ring she didn't like the One Ring and how creepy it was

    "But thats young Jinx story and we all know only babies like stories" she claimed

    "Oh well then, shame I really wanted to tell you a new story" there was a pause between as while Vi held back her laughter

    "But it looks like you're all grown up so you wouldn't like to hear the gripping tale of adventure, betrayal and bloodshed. Its even set in the vast skies above!"

    It didn't take long before Jinx broke as she got up and sat on top of both of us.

    "Didn't you say you dont want to hear my story?" Her pouty face was all to precious

    She mumbled something but I couldn't quite hear it. "Come again?"

    "I said I want to hear your story!" Vi laughed at that point causing Jinx to blush from neck to ear.

    "Ok, this might take a while so why don't you sit down between us while I tell you a story" Vi and I scooted apart while Jinx plopped down between us

    "In a galaxy far far away…" and so I told the tales of a young slave boy from Tatooine and his journey. It wasn't long before Jinx fell asleep as she laid down in between us. She got all pouty about that but she always did came back to listen for more

    -x-x-x-

    "Vi, I take back what I said yesterday" I whispered as we stared at the target Vi was thinking about fighting. We were hiding behind an exposed pipe while my target and his friends were just hanging about and chatting with each other

    It was my old nemesis Damon. I've run into him several times since Vi gave him a beating and our hatred for each other only grew. I became more wary of him just because he might pull off what he did last time so I made sure to not to encounter him if possible. So far, its been working but now Vi wants me to intentionally go up to him and fight him

    "He's right around your level Ark. I decked him with one punch, you can do that too" Vi whispered back

    "One, your… you. You punch harder than anyone I know. Two, I'm smaller than him and three he has friends"

    "Well you have me and what did I teach you?"

    I sighed as I recited it out "Initiate, Isolate, Incapacitate, and then escape"

    "That….sounds way better when you said it but yeah, just fight him one on one and I'll have your back when we're bailing it ok?"

    "Ok" I psyched myself and Vi's kiss to my cheeks only hardened my resolve.

    "Go get them tiger!" Vi whispered as she pushed me into the fray. I can do this, I can do this!

    "Hey fuck face! Yeah that's right dumbass, I'm talking to you" First step initiate. Call their attention, make yourself known. It makes it so your back up doesn't get noticed.

    That got their attention real quick as they stared at me with confusion before it morphed into anger. Ah, they did remember. How touching.

    "Look who's talking. You have a lot of guts showing up here after your stunt" Damon growled out as his goons started pulling out their pipes and shivs

    "I can say the same to you. Didn't you know, get your ass handed to you?" I asked as I confidently strode forward. In truth, I was scared but I was already swept up in the moment. There was also the heavy feeling in my back that reassured me that I had a way to bail out if things get hairy

    "Piss off! You had your girlfriend to hide behind back then. What? Broke up already?"

    "Nah, we're still together and pots calling the kettle over here. Don't you have a harem behind you?"

    Damon looked confused as he turned around before he fumed as he faced back at me. His posse snickered as they cat called Damon making him even more furious

    "Well that's enough chit chat and let me get to the point. Why don't we settle our hate for each other in a friendly fight? One on one, let our fist do the talking" that got him laughing as he gestured at my arms

    "You and me, with your noodly arms? Don't make me laugh. Why don't you call your girlfriend to make things even huh?"

    "What, you scared Damon?" I asked as I pulled my inner Jinx, mocking him

    "Your real-"

    "Oh look at me, I'm Damon! I'm scared of little old Ark! Bok bok bok!" I was pulling my childish taunts, strutting about while miming a chicken. Why wouldn't I when it was more than enough to rile up Damon. He gave his weapon to one of his friends before marching up to me. He took the bait, he was now Isolated

    He pulled up his right sleeves to show off his meaty arms as I got ready for a fight. It was now show time. I allowed him to throw the first shot, a nasty look if I couldn't see it from a mile away. He had loaded it up just as he was getting near giving me time to think. I ducked low, leaning to his right and stepping to his side before twisting my hips firing back a hook of my own.

    I let go of my fist and gave him a thundering left hook to the ribs right where the liver should be. I backed away, bouncing on my feet as he doubled over. With his arms down, I fired back once more and gave him a right hook just as his chin was right at eye level. Feeling his jaw move just as my fist meets his mouth was so satisfying

    He crumpled to the ground groaning and coughing out in pain. It was quick and painful just like all street fights. I was surprised he was still awake but that was my cue to back away and book

    "Peace!" I flipped a bird at them just as they ran after me

    "Fuck yeah!" Vi cheered as she ran with me and gave me a high five. I laughed out loud as the rush of the fight was intoxicating. I honestly felt like I could take on the world right now

    "I kinda want to fight those guys but it's way too risky. I don't want to break my hands in their faces!" I shouted as we made a turn on the sidewalks of the street ahead.

    Vi nodded as shouted back "There's nothing wrong with this!"

    We led them on a merry chase, making fun of them as they stumbled against surprised passerbys but there were many and we were only two. Their group simply couldn't keep up with both of us and soon we escaped through one of the many manholes dotring Zaun

    I couldn't help but laugh.as we sat there celebrating. "Damn that was good! I would have gone for the nose but that works and you should have seen his face!" Vi cheered as he slapped my back.

    "Yeah, he was way slower than Jinx!"

    "Told you you can do it!"

    "Yeah" I slumped against the walls of the service tunnel as the high finally died down.

    We sat there resting for a while in silence before I turned to her and asked. "So… about that reward"

    Vi blushed as she turned towards me "Yeah?"

    "I know what I want" I leaned close to Vi before whispering to her ears "I want another kiss"

    "Of all the things you could have asked" She broke into a smile as our lips met once more. We held each there, secreted away from the chaos from above the ground with only the two of us to enjoy this moment. I couldn't get enough of her. I don't I'll ever be the same if I lose her.

    -x-x-x-

    While I spent most of my days underground, the sky always called to me. I couldn't stay away for too long. I wanted to go back and maybe even touch the clouds beyond the smog of Zaun.

    Vi and Jinx were always there in my test runs, encouraging and supporting me every step of the way as well curtailing any bad ideas I might have. Hearing Jinx encourage me to do something crazy does put things into perspective real quick

    "Ok, I think we covered everything so far that we can think of. We tested how much I could carry and it turns out I can carry two Jinx and how high I could fly off the ground which turns out to be pretty high and we haven't even reached the ceiling yet. We also tested out how fast I could go and how long I could last" I shuddered at the last test. It was boring just hanging there and Floofington took satisfaction in myself being the balloon for once.

    "Sounds about right. Jinx, got anything?" Vi asked as he turned at Jinx who decided to bring a crate to sit down on especially with how boring some tests were.

    "Hmmm, well we could try checking how much of your wing needs to be functional before you start falling," Jinx replied.

    "We… did that with Floofington." Floofington hissed at the reminder.

    "Well that settles it. I think it's time I take this out on a test run!" I said excitedly as I walked close to the edge

    "Your mask?" Vi reminded me as she held the full on gas mask. I would be getting close to the smug so best that I have both lung and eye protection.

    "Right" I unstrapped my mask before wearing the gas mask. I kinda look like a bird man now with the large stylized beak hiding the breathing apparatus.

    "I'll be sure to do a backflip this time, Jinx" I said as I got closer to the edge once more. Jinx whooped out as Vi rolled her eyes at our antics

    I was fully clothed to keep myself warm as well as well protected as I had some basic "armor" to protect my soft bits in case I landed. I looked silly with my knee and elbow pads along with the various belts strapping myself to my backpack.

    I checked the crystal, taking comfort in its glow before hiding it behind a simple cover. I had upgraded my belt so the parts are less noticeable and the crystal can be hidden from view. I wouldn't want people thinking that I stole something and that I was worth hunting because of that.

    "Don't touch the sun alright? I don't want you to go all Icarus on us" Vi replied, reminding me of a story I told them. I didn't intend to be stupid about this. I didn't have a gas tank on so I might pass out if I get to high

    "I won't. Hey Jinx, can you tell me something I could shout while I dive down?" I bent down close to the edge as if I was diving from atop of the diving board. My wings extended and I could already feel a bit lighter as the pack tugged up from behind me.

    "Jinx is the most beautiful there is!" Vi gave her a rap

    I grinned as I dove down, the wind rushing in my face as my wings stretched out wide while I flipped in the air "Jinx is the most beautiful after Vi!"

    I could hear Jinx squawk in protest as I flew upwards, passing them as I rapidly climbed up

    "That is totally false! Slander!" Jinx shouted as they rapidly shrink as I flew in the cliffs of Zauns.

    People shouted in surprise as I wove through the bridges, mindful of my speed less I became a pancake against the steel structure.

    Without a more traditional means of propulsion, I was as silent as an owl as I glided through the air with ease. My wings are merely decorative in nature rather than a means to fly. They pointed up at me and thankfully they didn't raise their arms as I passed over head.l

    I tucked my wings closer as I passed through narrow spaces, while spreading them wide as I circled around the buildings of Zaun. I flew around to my heart's content

    I took one last look down below, taking a good look at the city of Zaun while I skimmed through the underside of the fog above. Past all the darkness and suffering in it, the place had a certain allure to it with its chaotic structures of glass and steel. There was no rhyme or reason to it all and it's what makes every last thing in Zaun so unique, almost beautiful even.

    Everything stood out, even the people with the loud and brightly colored clothes. The city and its people called out, hey I'm here and this is what I am, what are you going to do about it? I was kinda glad I grew up here because is there really a place like this anywhere else?

    I looked up in the fog. Maybe there was something like Zaun if only a bit brighter. I dipped down, building up momentum before heading straight up. I shot through the clouds and straight up the Promenade. Maybe a look up above could show me what Piltover is all about.

    A/N:

    As promised, this chapter is bigger than usual. Partly as an experiment as well as to push things a bit faster. Hope you guys like it and as usual, I'd like to sleep more cause I woke up to early for this one again.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Thanks for the longer chapter. I want to say that I would not be opposed to some time skips. I think it would be better to see some wider world of runnetera.
     
    I should really be replying here. I dont get to reply that nuch cause I just really crosspost here

    onurpower said:
    Thanks for the longer chapter. I want to say that I would not be opposed to some time skips. I think it would be better to see some wider world of runnetera.
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    Oh there will be timeskips but its not yet time but dont worry, things will heat up realllll fast

    Sir_Swagalot said:
    With any luck these three will grow up to be a fine band of murder hobos.
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    Heh, also thank you for reply earlier. Didnt get to reply to eat but its nice seeing some people actually appreciated this story here.
     
    Sir_Swagalot said:
    I mostly read this over on qq but the lack of comments here in SV is sad.
    Click to expand...
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    Yeah, kinda sad about it but eh. I do get replies over there and discussion so I stay motivated. The like here is just as important though. I just have to keep trucking on and post. I remember thst one fic over in FF that barely had any reviews. It was a Kancolle fic but the author keeps trucking on and it was inspiring
     
    Thank you for this story, I love it! As some already said, there aren't enough LoL related stories around. Hopefully Arcane will bring more!
    Will we get to see Ekko or is he too young (he's four years younger than Jinx)? Will we see more of Warwick? And what of the many more (known) denizens of Zaun? Anything to tease us with? ;)
     
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