Violet

prologue

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Odette hadn't planned to do what she did. She hadn't planned to venture too far. She was just curious, as many young adults her age are. Plus, she hadn't seen the world. Her life was composed of three things - school, ballet, and sleep. She didn't have time for anything else.

She didn't have any friends, at least not any she sees outside of dance, and even then she doesn't really know them.

All she does is train. She goes to school three hours a day and then goes straight to the studio to train until dark. There's no room for socializing.

That day she planned to do the same thing as always. Leave the studio at around nine, pick up some fruits from food stands on the walk home, shower, and sleep.

She didn't return that night.

It wouldn't have mattered really, her mother and father were hard workers, and would already be in bed by the time she was meant to return, and gone before she even woke up. They'd only notice if her school had called, or her trainer had notified them she hadn't shown at the studio.

She had just left the studio, aching feet, blistered toes, and sore muscles weighed her down as she walked towards her home.

She always enjoyed her walks home, the calmness of the streets compared to the chaos it was during the day. She'd look up at the sky and smile, basking in the soft air and the glistening starts. It was the only time she felt at peace.

As if having a little peace was too much, Odette had begun to hear that all too familiar ringing in her ear, black dots blinding her. She grips onto a pole, biting her tongue as her body gives out, exhaustion taking over.

This has happened before, it wasn't uncommon, but this time was different. She didn't wake up to the starry sky, or an enforcer shoving questions down her throat, but to a curious girl with powder blue hair and a comfortable mattress under her back.

Odette groans, sitting up as she holds her head, the pounding resonating within her entire body, overwhelming her.

She fearfully looks around, seeing a group of dirty people staring at her. She sighs, looking down at her bleeding ankle, dried blood surrounding it.

She swallows, the deafening silence burning through the air.

Thankfully, a gruffy, big, man clears his throat. "Well, I assume you're wondering why you're here." Odette nods, playing with the hemming of her silk skirt.

"Um- W-Well--Y-" He stutters, afraid to say whatever the reason was she was in such a run-down place.

A pink haired girl sighs, running a hand through her short hair "You were being carried by a well-known offender around here, unconscious, so we assumed you needed help."

Odette nods, pulling pieces of her dark brunette hair out of her braid and twirling it around. She's too tired to care. As long as she's safe it's in the past. She has bigger things to worry about. Maybe years later this will haunt her, but not now.

She sighs, standing up with a wince. She gathers her bag, ties her hair back up and straightens her skirt, planning to leave and return home.

"Well," She says "I'll be off. Too many things to do, and too little time to do them."

She goes to walk up the steps, but the big man stops her with his hand in the air. "I can't let you go." Odette looks around, frightened by his words. "By all means, you can go. But it's dangerous out there, this is no Piltover. Plus, you're bleeding, and terribly skinny. I mean, good god, I can see your ribs with you just standing there."

Odette thinks. She knows she needs to go home, but she hasn't had anything more than an apple and maybe some oats a day for weeks now, she hasn't been sleeping more than five hours at night.

She meant what she said. There's not enough hours in the day to get everyone done.

She sighs again, shoulders sinking down as she sets her bag back down in the place it previously was.

The big man grins and nods, holding out his hand. "Vander."

Odette shakes it gracefully, smiling at him. "Odette."

Vander gestures at the rest of the kids, calling out their names as he points. "I'll get the food. Vi will help out with those cuts." He gently pats Odette's shoulder and walks out.

She stands quietly, ignoring the judgmental stares of two
teenagers. Powder jumps on the couch in front of Odette, eyes wide and shiny.

"Is it true you're a real ballerina?" She ask, high pitched voice screaming with excitement. Odette smiles, stepping to sit beside the girl. "Yes, I am."

She hears a scoff, and the pink haired girl, Vi, stands up, her chair moving backwards with the force. She gets supply's from a cabinet then sits on the table in front of Odette.

"Show me where you're hurt."

Odette swallows. She was typically apprehensive about people seeing her cuts and bruises, but she knew she wouldn't see these people again, so she peels off her slides.

The girl beside her winces at the bloody sight.

The were pieces of skin peeled back, blisters, and bruising. Cuts and tears littered her ankles and feet. On the back of her ankle, little burns and peeled skin from her point shoes irritating it.

It was not a pretty sight.

She had tried to conceal it with band aids but it was no use.

Vi seemed to have froze, taken aback by a topsider with such awful injuries. She glances up at Odette, wondering why she would do this to herself.

Odette blushes with shame.

Vi cleans and repairs what she can, while Powder and Odette get to know each other.

Odette finds out Vi is her older sister, and they've been with Vander for as long as she can remember. The two boys lingering around the room, Mylo and Clagger, had come sometime later
She also discovers that they're in a place called the lanes.

Odette has never been out of Piltover, so she has no idea what that is.

That night, Odette and Powder bond over Vander's cooking, ballet, and dreams of becoming something great. Powder was sad her new friend leave but Odette promised she'd visit sometime, or Powder could come to her place- whenever she found time for her friend.

After that, Odette would visit Powder and Vander every friday morning after school. She'd bring her school work and show it to the other teens, hoping for a better future for them.

They never once visited her in Piltover, which Odette could understand, but she wanted to show them the world she knew. Show them the things they should fight to have, give them a reason to better themselves. She wanted the best for them, she wanted them to live the life of luxury she did.

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✩ ♬ ₊.🩰⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧