Y/N knows everything and everyone in the undercity.
For a fair price, they'll help anyone in need with their incredible engineering skills, no matter if they're a notorious shimmer-selling crimelord or a time-manipulating firelight. They learnt fro...
The smell of the polluted sea air permeated my nostrils. Ship horns blared in the distance, noises of haggling and disputes could be heard nearby. I sat, legs crossed on the ground, concealed behind a large crate. This environment was one treacherous and unwelcoming for a child, it was no place to grow up. Yet here I was.
"Interesting, very interesting indeed!" came a high pitched voice.
I glanced up, my eyes landing on a small and furry creature before me. A yordle. He stepped forward.
He was seemingly harmless but his uniform said otherwise. Navy blue and gold. The colours of evil.
I crawled back further into the corner I was tucked away in, e/c eyes now filled with distrust.
"It is ok, little one, I am not here to harm you, I simply noticed this," he insisted, picking up the object before me and turning it in his hands.
It was a mechanical dog that I had hand-crafted, that would walk about when wound up. Well, I say on my own, but a friend of mine had assisted.
"Quite the extraordinary design for someone so young, speaking of which, what age are you?"
"Eight," I whispered.
"Oh wow! you have quite the potential. A bright future is ahead of you young one if you've achieved the likes of this already, splendid indeed."
"Are you from..." I hesitated, looking in the direction of the unreachable city, "There."
"Ah yes I am, I am councillor Heimerdinger, and what would be your name?"
"I am y/n."
"Well y/n, please do not fear. I am just having a look at the undercity for any bright-minded. individuals.."
I nodded slowly.
".. and it seems I have already found one."
"Me?"
"Yes you y/n, as I said you have great potential, I could see you as a future academy attendee!"
The academy. A distant place for the likes of us, the poor. So many creative minds from here would never get to showcase their talents at such a prestigious place.
"I shall maybe see you there in the following years," Heimerdinger concluded bluntly.
My heart dropped, of course I would have to endure the undercity for longer. The bustling and corrupt docks in which I lived, the air rotting my lungs.
But then I remembered him. The innovative 19 year old, my mentor. This would be his one and only chance to shine.
"Viktor."
"Pardon, y/n?" the yordle responded.
"Heim- Councillor, I know a boy who could attend."
"There is not much open spaces at the academy, child-" Heimerdinger began.
"He taught me everything I know! You have to take him, he is exactly who you're looking for."
"I am curious, I will admit. Show me to him."
I pushed myself up off the ground with sooty hands, grabbing one of Heimerdinger's paws and beginning to run.
"Watch out there y/n!"
I did not have time to respond, I ran through the docks with the protesting yordle in tow. People turned their heads at the unusual sight, interrupting their trading to catch a glimpse of the scene before them. We pushed through crowds, feet hitting the uneven planks that soon turned into cobbled streets.
Finally, I skidded to halt in front of a dilapidated shed, letting go of Heimerdinger's small hand. He began to cough, lungs unaccustomed to the thick air.
"We are here," I announced, before bursting through the door.
The shed was filled with inventions, old and new. And working busily at a desk sat the inventor himself. He turned his head, pushing his goggles back along with his brown hair.
"Y/n! What are you doing here, weren't you supposed to be helping your family at the docks today?" he proclaimed in a thick accent.
"This is more important, Viktor. You are going to the academy!" I replied excitedly.
Viktor looked skeptical, assuming this was just some childish gibberish, until his eyes landed beside me. His mouth opened in pure shock.
"Now now y/n, nothing is set in stone!" Heimerdinger interjected, "Although this work does look promising."
"Councillor Heimerdinger.." Viktor muttered.
"Yes boy, and you must be the Viktor that y/n spoke of, would you mind if I had a look around?"
"No sir, that would be fine, great even," Viktor said, astonished.
His chair creaked as he stood up, leaning on his crutch.
I sat on the ground, playing with my wind-up toy absentmindedly as Viktor showed Heimerdinger around, explaining each and every intricate invention.
A couple of minutes of this passed. Then, there was the invitation. Immediately Heimerdinger was making arrangements for Viktor's journey to Piltover. Still chattering excitedly, he had left the shed.
It was just me and Viktor here now, he closed the door and turned around to meet my eyes, his enthusiasm now replaced with sadness.
"Y/n..." he started.
Before he could continue, I flung myself at him and hugged him tightly. He bent down and hugged me back, smiling sombrely.
"Promise me that you'll wait, the councillor sees your capabilities, I know you'll get a place there too when you're old enough."
Tears ran down my face as I gripped him.
Viktor's fate was sealed that day as a future Piltover Academy student and an esteemed scientist in the years to come. I had pulled Viktor out of the Undercity, but as for myself? I was still going to be stuck here, it was a bittersweet notion.
"I will, Viktor, I promise."
However, not all promises are kept, and this would show to be no different.
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A/N- I'll be updating soon I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger
