Arcane: I have Plasmids F*** YEAAAAAAH!!!

Lukas was not okay.

Physically? Drained.

Mentally? Scarred.

Emotionally? On the brink of total collapse.

He trudged through the dirty streets of the undercity, his eyes hollow, his soul vacant.

Every step he took felt lighter—probably because he had left half his body weight in that alley.

He wasn't even mad anymore.

He was contemplating life.

Was this karma?

Was this divine punishment?

Was this some kind of cosmic joke?

--- flashback---

Vivid. Clear.

Echoing in his mind like a forbidden memory.

His old bedroom.

His old Monitor.

A voice played in his head.

High-pitched. Distorted.

Moaning.

"Yamete…! Onii-chan, yamete…! Kimochi~"

---End of flashback---

…

he nodded slowly.

"Okay, maaaaybe I deserve all of that...

...maybe more."

I REGRET NOTHING.

---

He shook his head, snapping himself out of it.

"Right. Focus."

He had a Mission.

And for that, he needed to find Zaun's biggest nerd.

---

After half an hour of walking, one terrifying realization hit him.

He was completely lost.

Oh, for fuck's sake, not again.

Then, suddenly—

A familiar voice.

"Alright, Ekko, watch closely! I'm only doing this once!"

Then—

Laughter.

Lukas grinned.

"Found you."

---

He followed the voice, peeking around a corner—

And found his targets.

Ekko was sitting cross-legged, watching Powder.

Powder was…

Lukas squinted.

She was…

The fuck?

Was she... shadowboxing?

And it was the saddest shit he had ever seen.

Powder threw a wild punch at the air.

She spun too hard—

And immediately face-planted into the dirt.

Ekko burst out laughing.

She groaned, face still in the ground.

Lukas snorted.

"Damn. That knucklehead of a sister is really rubbing off on her."

Then, with the confidence of a man who totally didn't just shit himself in an alley, Lukas stepped forward.

"Yo."

Powder and Ekko immediately turned.

Their eyes landed on him.

Powder's face lit up.

"Hey! It's Mr. Nudes!"

Lukas's soul left his body for the Third time today.

The words physically wounded him.

And then—

His foot landed on something.

Something slippery.

Something deadly.

Lukas's stomach dropped.

Oh.

Oh, no.

---

SKRRRRRRRRT—!

Lukas's world tilted.

His feet flew up.

Gravity took the wheel.

And in a single miserable instant—

Lukas slipped on a banana peel and ate shit.

---

The world was spinning.

He lay there, face-down, absolutely devastated.

Then—

Laughter.

Loud. Merciless.

Both Ekko and Powder were losing their minds.

Lukas considered his options.

1. Stand up and act like nothing happened.

2. Accept his fate and stay here forever.

3. Fake his death.

Option 3 was looking real tempting.

Powder, still laughing, ran over and offered to help him.

"Are you alright?"

Lukas let out a weak, suffering groan.

"Yeah."

He took her hand and got up.

Then dusted himself off.

"I'm fine."

He sighed.

"Can't say the same for my pride."

Powder giggled.

"You're hilarious."

---

Lukas exhaled.

Alright. Enough embarrassment.

Time to get to work.

He straightened his back.

Then dramatically pointed at Ekko.

"I'M HERE FOR THE BOY."

---

Silence.

Ekko and Powder stared at him.

Lukas blinked.

Wait.

That sounded way cooler in his head.

---

Ekko narrowed his eyes.

Then his face lit up in recognition.

"Wait. You're that weird kid who keeps bringing junk to my grandpa's store!"

Lukas nodded dramatically.

"YES, Child! It is I!"

He threw his arms out.

"The one and only! Lukas Fontaine! Genius! Future playboy, Philanthropist and KING OF THE WORLD!"

…

…

…

"Ok."

---

Powder cackled.

Ekko gave him the most deadpan look imaginable.

Then his eyes landed on the telegraph in Lukas's hands.

And they immediately widened.

"Wait. No way."

Lukas smirked.

"Yes way."

Ekko shot forward, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Holy shit! That's a TELEGRAPH!"

He turned it over, inspecting every inch.

"I haven't seen one of these in ages! And this one's in such good condition!"

Lukas grinned.

Hook.

Line.

Sinker.

---

Ekko continued examining it.

"I actually have one just like it in the shop! But Benzo says it's useless without the wires."

Lukas's smirk grew wider.

He stepped closer.

Then whispered dramatically.

"What if I told you… we won't need wires?"

---

Ekko froze.

Powder tilted her head.

Ekko squinted.

"What?"

Lukas simply grinned.

"I...

Lukas Fontaine,

have an idea."