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

One week had passed.

And the Last Drop was alive.

The kind of alive that only happened when the afternoon hadn't settled in yet, but the people really needed to relax a little.

Laughter echoed from the booths. Coins clinked against wooden tables. The scent of cheap liquor and old smoke filled the air.

It was warm, in a way only Zaun could be.

But Powder felt off.

She didn't know why.

Maybe it was just restlessness.

Maybe it was because she hadn't seen him in three days.

Her fingers tightened slightly around the rag she was using to clean a glass.

Three days wasn't that long.

She told herself that.

But still,

She felt it.

The distance.

Powder swallowed.

She wasn't mad.

She just wanted to see him.

She placed the glass down carefully, glanced at Vander, and before she could overthink it—

"Hey, Vander?"

The big man glanced up from the barrel he was moving.

Powder hesitated—just for a second—then forced the words out.

"Can I leave early today?"

Vander paused.

Powder felt her heart skip.

"I just—I got some stuff I wanna work on," she said quickly. "Y'know, at the factory."

Vander didn't answer right away.

He just watched her.

Powder shifted on her feet.

"I mean, I haven't been there in a few days, and there's this—uh, this gadget I've been thinking about, and I really wanna—"

A snort cut her off.

Powder's stomach dropped.

She knew that sound.

Slowly, she turned.

Vi was leaning against the bar, arms crossed, smirking.

"Oh, sure. Your gadgets."

Powder's heart sank.

Oh no.

Vi's smirk widened.

"You just wanna see Lukas."

Powder choked.

"I—what—no!"

Vi grinned.

"You so do."

Powder's entire face went red.

"I—no, I don't!" she sputtered, gripping the rag in her hands like it had personally offended her.

Vi chuckled.

Milo, who had been stacking empty mugs behind the counter, perked up.

"Wait, wait—what's this?" His grin was already forming. "Pow-Pow got a crush?"

"I do not!"

Milo's eyebrows shot up. "That's exactly what someone with a crush would say."

Powder whipped around to Claggor for help.

Claggor—being Claggor—just grinned behind his mug.

"Don't look at me," he said, clearly enjoying this. "I'm just here for the show."

"Ughhhhhh—" Powder groaned, covering her face with her hands.

This was not how she wanted this to go.

Vi, still smirking, leaned her elbow on the bar.

"Come on, Powder. We all know you love spending time with your favorite inventor."

Powder peeked between her fingers, glaring.

"He's your friend too!"

Vi looked offended. "Making a lot of assumptions there Pow, and even if that were the case I wouldn't sneak off early to go see him."

Powder made a dying noise.

Vander, who had been watching the whole thing, finally decided to step in.

"Alright, alright," he said, wiping his hands on a rag. "You can head out early, Powder."

Powder snapped her head up.

"Really?!"

Vander nodded.

"Just don't cause any trouble, alright?"

Powder beamed.

Then froze when Vi slung an arm around her shoulders.

"Guess what, Powder?"

Her voice was dangerous.

"We're coming too."

Powder blinked.

"Wait, wha—?"

Vi stretched, cracking her knuckles.

"It's been, what, five days since we saw him?"

"he's been locked up in that factory of his the whole time. Time to kick his ass and remind him the world exists."

Powder frowned.

She wanted to argue.

But... Vi wasn't wrong.

Ever since a few days ago, he'd been different.

Something must have happened.

Powder huffed.

"...Fine."

Vi grinned.

"Good. Grab your stuff—we're heading out soon."

---

The bell above the door rang violently.

"—GUYS, YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS!"

Ekko.

The kid practically skid across the floor as he rushed inside. His breathing was heavy, like he'd run all the way here.

Powder turned. "Ekko?"

Vi raised an eyebrow. "What's got you in a twist, little man?"

Ekko stopped in front of them, grinning wide.

"You're heading to the factory, right?" He barely waited for a response before barreling forward. "Okay, okay, listen—you'll never believe what just happened!"

The excitement in his voice was infectious.

Even Milo and Claggor turned, listening.

Ekko leaned in.

"This weird Topsider came into the shop today."

Vi's brow furrowed.

"Okay?"

Ekko shook his head.

"Not just any topsider. He looked rich."

Powder tilted her head.

"How do you know he was rich?"

Ekko grinned.

"Because he paid for everything in gold, and he didn't even haggle."

The words hit like a hammer.

Even Vi seemed interested now.

Gold? From Piltover?

Milo whistled. "Damn. That's some serious money."

Ekko nodded quickly.

"Yeah! And get this—he bought a bunch of stuff. All expensive, all random. And when he left, I kinda… followed him."

Vi's arms crossed.

"You followed a topsider?"

Ekko grinned. "Damn right I did. And you won't believe where he went."

Powder leaned forward.

Ekko let the suspense hang for a second—then—

"He lives in this massive-ass building. Fancy as hell. I think he's some kinda Inventor."

Vi's lips parted slightly.

Inventor? That meant expensive equipment. Expensive tools. Expensive materials.

Powder's mind raced.

Expensive loot.

Expensive loot for Lukas.

If they could pull this off…

She turned to Vi.

Vi was already thinking.

A heist.

A real one.

Powder's heart pounded.

Ekko smirked.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Vi took a breath—

Then nodded.

"Yeah."

A slow, confident grin spread across her face.

"Let's rob that rich bastard blind."

---

Powder beamed.

Milo pumped his fist. "Hell yeah! Time to get paid."

Claggor smirked. "Finally, some action."

Ekko grinned. "It's risky, but if you guys pull it off…"

Vi cracked her knuckles.

"Then we plan it right."

Ekko nodded.

"Yeah. We should Tell Lukas, he's got all these amazing—"

He stopped.

Powder kicked him in the shin.

Ekko yelped. "OW—WHAT—"

She glared at him.

"Secret."

Ekko's eyes widened slightly.

Oh.

Right.

Vi sighed.

"Lukas is busy. He's got his hands full with his factory. We can't keep running to him every time we wanna stick it to Piltover."

Powder frowned.

Vi's gaze hardened.

"We don't tell Lukas."

Powder hesitated.

Then—

"...Alright."

Ekko rubbed his shin, muttering.

Vi grinned.

"Good. Now—let's get to work."

---

---

---

Meanwhile, at Fontaine Futuristics.

Lukas stood in his office, staring at his and Ekko's Radio blueprints, when—

He exhaled sharply.

"Why do I feel like something really bad is about to happen?"