to ashes and blood

Goodbye

"You nervous?" Viktor watched Jayce pace back and forth in front of the doors that lead to the council room, waiting on Mel and powder to show up the next day.

"Of course I'm nervous, what if I'm wrong about it all and that kid has to go back to a cell?" Jayce bit his thumb nail while turning on his heel to back past Viktor again.

"They'll listen to you," Viktor assured him and smiled seeing Mel and powder walk together down the long hall to them.

Jayce stopped his anxious pace and saw powder holding hands with Mel, she wore a light teal blue dress with white sleeves, new boots and gold charms in her fresh braid. Mel had a proud look on her face when she handed powder over to Jayce.

"Why do you look so worried Jayce? We just had a girls night," Mel purred passing him and went inside first while Jayce watched her disappear.

"How was your night?" Viktor asked.

"She's really nice," powder held her hands together in front similar how Mel did.

"Before we go in, all you have to do is be honest, you don't have to tell anything you don't want to but do not lie, but no matter what... I'll be there for you, we'll show them," Jayce said confidently with a smile. Powder nodded trusting in his words.

"Are you ready kiddo?" He asked.

"I'm ready," powder puffed out her cheeks gathering as much courage as possible and Jayce opened the door for her and Viktor.

Powder waited for the doors to close behind her, watching Viktor go to the side, Jayce put his hand behind her shoulder to lead her with him to the middle, she saw a round table that was missing the middle where her and Jayce would stand, she recognized the professor who was straight ahead, as well as Mel who had her hands clasped over the table. Along with five other adults that lead the council.

"Good morning council," Jayce started off.

"I'd like to introduce you all to powder, she's the buzz on the street I'm sure you all have been informed of," he kept his hand on the girls shoulder.

"This is the criminal?" Cassandra raised a brow at the child. She was just a few years younger than her own daughter.

"In a way yes, but she's so much more, I see a lot of myself in this young girl," Jayce nodded and looked over at Mel.

"Oh I see what this is," salo tsked shaking his head. "Are we to expect you begging to have her be released even though she could've been the reason you would've been banished from piltover not even a week ago?"

"Only because I've gotten to know powder, and to learn that the other day was not zaun planting an attack, and how it was my fault that the danger was there in the first place, I could've hurt her with my research,"  Jayce defended her.

"K-kids like me in the undercity are only looking for a way out," powder spoke up surprising them all.

"A way out?" Shoola asked curiously.

"Not out out, but orphans like me had no where to go, just trying to find a way to survive, and a lot of them have been forced to commit crimes, we have this mind set that if it's from the rich that have never felt starvation so it's ok to steal from them," powder fiddled with her fingers.

"I know I did, and I am so so so sorry, I didn't know how much it can affect so many people," she put her hands over her heart with a sweet look in her eyes.

"And if you continue these actions? Are we suppose to allow it each time because you didn't know any better?" Salo snorted a little not buying it.

"With the right guidance I think she'll be exceptionally outstanding, she's an inventor herself, curiosity is only natural to our minds, I want to take her in, take responsibility for her, teach her the way of piltover and how to help our society, sometimes all we need is a second chance," Jayce begged them to understand.

"I'm not saying to forgive and forget, it did cause a frighten in our people, but to let it be a learning experience than a punishment," he smiled hopeful for them.

"Children don't belong behind bars... I think three months of parole, make sure she isn't a danger to our society, it is a punishment but it doesn't take away her future," Mel offered to the council so she didn't seem bias and they would take it serious.

"What would that include?" Cassandra asked curiously.

"For three months, she won't be working with Jayce under hextech, and if she would like to leave the home she'll be staying at she will need an enforcer to stay with her so she doesn't get into trouble," Mel explained, powder understood she wouldn't go completely free but to not work with gadgets and to have someone go with her to go outside... it's better than a jail.

"She's only ten, if she decides to go breaking laws when she's older then we will treat her as her age," she looked at her other council members.

"It's a solution," heimerdinger sighed nodding.

"I say it's a start, but Jayce this means all the responsibility will be on you, are you willing to risk it?" He asked with serious blue eyes.

"I am," Jayce nodded.

"Does anyone else have anything to add?" Heimerdinger offered for the others to add.

No one spoke against them.

"We will vote anonymously, raise hand to let this child try for a future," heimerdinger raised his small hand. A light flashed on him.

Mel also raised her hand.

Cassandra couldn't help but raise hers as well.

Irius and torman raised their hands together.

Salo and shoola hesitated, shoola looked at the girls innocent face, she hid a little behind Jayce when she waited on the others answers. Shoola raised her hand. Salo balled his hands in fists but sighed sharply, he raised his hand last.

"Then it's settled, powder you will face three months of parole, and Jayce if she is to break her parole or cause any harm to society, you as her guardian will face blame," Cassandra nodded to them.

"Thank you council, thank you so much," Jayce smiled brightly as powder was just as surprised for them.

"Your free to leave,"

Powder followed Jayce when the lights turned back on, she looked behind her at the council, Mel smiling to herself for them, powder shot a small glare at Salo and he caught it. Sniffing out something dark in each other.

But that was a problem for another day.

When the doors to the council room closed again, powder threw herself against Jayce as she hugged him around his waist.

"Thank you," she whispered into his side.

Jayce smiled and only down to her height and pulled her into a hug once more to properly embrace her.

"I told you it'll be okay," he smiled holding her head to him and she squeezed him tighter.

"We're going to show them, we'll show them all who powder is," Jayce whispered to her and powder closer her eyes feeling tears once more.

"I trust you," she whispered back with a tear running down her face.

She didn't feel so alone anymore.