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

Cid tossed another shirt at Lukas, successfully smacking him in the back of the head this time.

"Less talkin', more dressin'. I ain't got all day."

Seraphine clapped her hands together. "Oh! Can I help pick something out?"

Cid grunted. "Knock yourself out, kiddo."

Lukas groaned again. "This day just keeps getting worse."

Seraphine grinned. "Don't worry! I have amazing fashion sense!"

"That's what I'm worried about."

Lukas stared at his reflection in the cracked shop mirror.

White shirt. Dark gray vest. Matching pants.

Simple.

Practical.

Professional.

It wasn't fancy, not by Piltovan standards, but it had presence.

Lukas adjusted the vest, running a hand down the front, then turned slightly to the side.

"Damn," he muttered. "I look good."

Vander smirked. "Don't get used to it."

Lukas, ignoring him, struck a pose. One arm across his chest, the other extended dramatically.

Seraphine, blinking, tilted her head. "What are you doing?"

Lukas turned sharply, shifting into another pose—legs wide, one hand on his hip, the other pointing toward the horizon.

"Behold," he intoned. "The Peak of human evolution."

Seraphine squinted. "…Huh?"

Lukas shifted again, now crouching, one arm covering his face, the other hand reaching outward.

"Immaculate."

Seraphine's eye twitched.

"…Is he having a stroke?"

Cid sighed, rubbing his temples. "Kid, we just spent an hour making sure you look respectable. Don't ruin it."

Lukas ignored them, still posing.

Seraphine crossed her arms. "I knew this outfit needed some color. A scarf! Or a cravat! Maybe some embroidery—"

Lukas immediately dropped the pose. "Absolutely the fuck not."

Seraphine gasped. "But imagine the elegance—"

"No."

"But if we just add—"

"NO."

Seraphine turned to Vander for backup.

Vander raised both hands. "Don't look at me, kid. I know when to pick my battles."

Seraphine groaned dramatically, defeated.

Lukas smirked, adjusting his vest.

"Perfect. Simple. Clean. Peak aesthetic."

Seraphine crossed her arms. "It's boring."

"It's functional."

"It's lame."

"It's perfection."

Seraphine sighed heavily. "You people have no style."

Lukas grinned. "And yet, here I am. Absolute Aura."

Seraphine fake gagged.

Cid snorted. "Alright, drama queen, you're done."

Lukas finally stopped posing, smoothing down his vest one last time.

Yeah. This would do.

---

Vander turned to Cid. "Alright. What's the damage?"

Cid, ever the businessman, raised an eyebrow. "You asking, or are you actually paying?"

Vander smirked, tossing a small coin pouch onto the counter. "Consider it an investment."

Lukas blinked. "Wait—you're paying?"

Vander clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You think I'd let you go up there dressed like a street urchin?"

Lukas frowned. "I am a street urchin."

Vander chuckled. "Not tomorrow, you're not."

Lukas huffed, crossing his arms. "Alright, fine. But when I'm rich and famous, I'm paying you back."

Vander smirked. "I'll hold you to that."

Seraphine, leaning on the counter, grinned. "Ooooh! If you ever get rich, can you buy me a ticket to the Sun Gates Festival?"

Lukas gave her a flat look. "How about instead, I pay you to never speak again?"

Seraphine gasped dramatically. "Rude!"

Cid chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, kid, looks like you're all set. Try not to piss off the topsiders too much."

Lukas exhaled, glancing at his reflection one last time.

Tomorrow, they would enter Piltover.