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Chapter Text

Viktor was walking back to the lab from the hospital wing when Sky came running around the corner and collided with him, his cane clanking against the floor.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you," Sky apologized, bending down to get his cane and handing it to him.

"Nothing happened..." Viktor stopped, Sky's eyes were red from crying and she was crumpling a piece of paper with the Council stamp in her hand. "What happened?" He asked. Sky didn't answer and tears started to run down her cheeks again. Viktor took the paper from her hands. "Miss Young,…" He started to read and as he read further and further, he started to turn pale. "Come!" He took her hand and led her towards the laboratory.

***

Viktor threw open the laboratory door.

"Viktor, I thought..." Jayce smiled, his smile falling when he saw Viktor's expression and Sky standing behind him with tears in her eyes.

“Can you explain this to me?” Viktor thrust the paper into Jayce’s hands.

"We wanted to prevent this...But the Council overruled us," Jayce replied.

"So the Council thinks the stone thief had accomplices inside and is going to kick out innocent people? Excellent. Do you think Sky would be capable of something like that? Or me?"

"I...I didn't mean it that way."

„Maybe I helped her out of revenge because you didn't announce our projects." Viktor said bitingly. „So, when should I expect the enforcements to kick down my door?" Viktor sneered. "And you know what? Don't answer that, let's go Sky. You'll help me pack." Sky nodded and left the lab with Viktor.

“Where are you going?!” Jayce called after him.

"It's none of your business, Mr. Councilman." Viktor replied.

***

The enforcements grinned as Viktor and Sky passed them on the bridge. “Look, the rats are going back into the canal,” one of them grinned, wrinkled his nose in defiance. Viktor gripped the handle of his cane and Sky put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ignore them."

"You're right," he nodded. "We don't need it."

"So what now?" Sky asked. Viktor shrugged. "Let's go eat first and then we figured something out."

“I agree.” Jericho was packed at his booth, but Viktor and Sky managed to find the last free spot.

“Hello,” they nodded to Jericho. “Give us the best you’ve got.” Jericho nodded. They both tried to look inconspicuous, knowing that the people of the undercity would consider them traitors just for going to Piltover, and doubting they would accept the fact that they had both been exiled.

"We can figure out how to help them here. Just like I wanted to do with Jayce." Viktor sighed, remembering his lab partner.

"I have my diary in my things, I have a suggestion in there that I wanted to discuss with you," Sky smiled.

"I'd be happy to look at it," Viktor nodded. "When we find a place to lay our heads."

***

Vi walked the streets of the Undecity, hoping that something remained that hadn't changed in the years she'd been in Stillwater. Powder was gone, now all that remained was someone Silco had changed and who called himself Jinx. She stopped in front of Benzo's workshop and sighed, this is where it all began. The beginning of the end. She would never get the image of Benzo, Vander, Mylo, and Claggor dead out of her head. The night she left Powder, if she hadn't left, none of this would have happened. She had no idea why, but she opened the door to Benzo's workshop, and to her surprise, the workshop wasn't deserted. A man and a woman stood behind the counter, bending over something.

When the door creaked, Sky looked up.

“What can we do for you?” she asked the girl who came in. “I…This belonged to my father’s friend, I had no idea someone had taken it over.”

"Yeah, we didn't expect to end up here either," Viktor replied. "I'm Viktor and this is Sky," he introduced them.

"Violet…Vi," Vi introduced herself. "What are you doing here? You look more like someone from …"

"That's a mistake, we're from the undercity," Sky shook her head. "But we went to Piltover to study..."

“What are you doing here?!” Vi asked. “On Progress Day, someone stole a very valuable stone and the Council thought that the person had help from the inside and had everyone in Zaun exiled,” Viktor explained.

“Wait,” Vi interrupted. “You mean that glowing blue stone?”

"Yes," Sky and Viktor nodded. "How do you know about it?"

"My sister has it. Caitlyn and I got it with the help of a friend and we wanted to return it. But it didn't work out."

"So we're back where we were," Sky sighed.

"My sister works for Silco."

"That's even worse," Viktor sighed. "If your sister figured out how it works..."

"Could Silco have commissioned her to make weapons?"

"It's possible," Viktor sighed. "Exactly what we wanted to prevent."

"We can't stop the war between the Chemobarons and Piltover. But we can still help the common people."

"I know, that's what I wanted too. And Vi could help us with that," Viktor looked at her.

"Me? Hardly, I prefer fighting."

"But you know more about this place than we do. We've been gone a long time, we want to help clear the air."

"How?" Vi asked.

"Sky has come up with a way here," Viktor nodded at her.

“Show me.” Vi leaned over the counter. “Ekko might like that,” Vi raised her head to the two Zauns. “I’ll take you to him.”

***

"Ekko, I bring help for you." Vi, Viktor, and Sky entered Ekko's community center.

"That's beautiful," Sky breathed admiringly.

"Who is it Vi?" Ekko asked. "That's Viktor and Sky. They came up with a way to help clear the air. I know there's the tree, but what if there's more to it than just the tree?"

"Show me," Ekko challenged Viktor and Sky.

"I'll let you explain it to him."

Sky nodded and started talking to Ekko about her plants.

***

Viktor was walking through the center when he saw someone he didn't expect to see there.

"Professor?" He asked in surprise.

“Viktor, my boy!” Heimerdinger addressed him.

“What are you doing here?” Viktor asked.

"I was dismissed from the Council and wanted to offer help to the residents of the undercity."

"Why?"

"The appeal or the help?"

"The appeal."

"The council wanted to used hextech for weapons, and Jayce had me recalled."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too, I didn't want it to end like this."

"I guess none of us," Viktor sighed.

"Professor," Sky reached them.

"Miss Young."

"So what?" Viktor asked.

"Ekko, he said he'd get people together and we could start to plant."

"That's great!"

"What?" Heimerdinger shot a glance between them.

"I figured out a way to clean the air here." Sky replied.

"Show me.“ Heimerdinger asked Sky.

Chapter Text

Jayce came home, sat in his chair, and put his head in his hands. Everything was falling apart, and he didn't know how to get out of it.

“What happened?” Ximena asked. She sat down next to her son and put her arm around his shoulders.

"Viktor is gone," Jayce replied. "Everything is gone. There was an attack and theft on Progress Day, the Council believes the thief had help from within and had all the Zaunites expelled from here."

"I'm sorry, but you'll see that it will get better. Viktor will come back sooner or later. When the situation calms down a bit."

"It won't calm down until we find the real culprit. The only thing I can hope for is that Viktor is okay in there."

***

During the planting, Sky's and Viktor's hands touched, Sky looked away. She couldn't, she couldn't handle it. Viktor smiled and touched her cheek. She looked up at him. "I know how you look at me," Viktor began. "But I... You deserve more than I am. A dying cripple. You have everything ahead of you, I have a few months, maybe a year at most."

"I know," she replied. "We've known each other since childhood, we've been circling each other. Or rather, I've been circling you, and you..."

"I pretended not to see it. But I saw it...I just told you the reason why I pretended not to see it."

"I hope we can still be friends," Sky smiled.

"Of course," Viktor nodded.

***

Viktor and Sky were caught up in the sheer bustle of the streets as they reached the bridge, Sky gripping his hand, both staring at the work of destruction. Someone, Jinx, as they guessed, had fired a bomb at the Piltover Council Chamber. "This will have consequences, I'm guessing the Council won't just let it go."

"The question is. Is there anyone left of the Council after this," Viktor sighed.

"Do you want to go there? And find out if..." She didn't have to finish her sentence, Viktor knew exactly what she meant and nodded.

"And I don't care if the enforcers shoot me."

"I think they have other concerns now," Sky replied.

"You're right," he nodded.

***

Viktor and Sky joined the crowd at the memorial service, it really didn't matter here that they were Zaunites and Councilwoman Metarda was right, they were one nation. But the enforcers liked to forget that. When Viktor noticed Vi pushing through the crowd, he noticed the man she was following and he straightened up and nudged Sky, she followed his gaze and gasped.

"Get out of here," he whispered in her ear.

"But what about you?" she asked in a whisper.

“I’ll be fine. Go, I’ll find you.” Sky nodded and started backing away through the crowd. She knew this was going to be a disaster.

Viktor watched Renni, he had no idea why she had targeted Jayce. But he could tell from the attack on the memorial that something was up. On the other hand, he knew that even people of Zaun wouldn't attack memorials. We can honor our dead. Someone had to have provoked this. Okay, Viktor took a breath. I hate violence!

“Hey Renni,” he said to her.

“What do you want?” She turned with a growl. Before she knew it, he hit her in the face with his cane, and then again.

"It wasn´t bad," Viktor grinned. "Hi," he turned to Jayce.

“Viktor!” Jayce gasped in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

"Sky and I came to honor the memory of those who died at the attack. And I also needed to know if you were okay."

"I do...But..."

“Yes,” Viktor looked away. “Give Caitlyn my deepest condolences. I have to go.” Viktor turned to leave.

"Wait, stay."

"I can't," Viktor shook his head.

"You can, we'll figure it out somehow."

"I have to go back, the enforcers will arrest every Zaunite now. I can't stay."

"I will protect you."

"I can't leave Sky there," Viktor replied. "Goodbye, Jayce!"

***

When Jayce learned that the Noxians and the Enforcers they about to attack Zaun, he decided to take action. He had to get Viktor out of there before he get arrested.

***

Sky and Viktor joined the crowd of people who had come to the meeting. Perhaps, like the others, they needed reassurance that Jinx was still here with them, watching over them. But Jinx did not show up; instead, the Noxians and the enforcers stormed the meeting place at Vander's statue.

"Run!" Viktor hissed at Sky.

"But what about you?"

"I'll find you, if we split up they'll have a harder time to catch us. Plus, a cripple will be easy prey for them."

"Be careful," she told him before the crowd swept her away.

"I'll try," he replied into the void. Viktor was trying to hide from the intruders in one of the side streets when someone covered his mouth. Viktor didn't even have time to scream before darkness engulfed him.