herrald-of-machines

[herrald-of-machines]

[Moments after you leave the alleyway, you hear the chemical reaction reach its conclusion and explode. Pieces of the gun go flying everywhere, imbedding themselves in the surrounding buildings. You realize why it was so poorly constructed - so its parts would be loose enough to function as shrapnel.]

[As you walk, your mind goes over the information you have. Crude weapons were not Renata's style. The large man - Borrim? - if he worked for her, would have had a real pain inhibitor that matched your designs perfectly, not a roughly constructed imitation. She could and would kidnap Naph, but she didn't need to. If she wanted your attention, she could simply summon you... No, this was not Renata. It had to be another chem baron...]

[Nearing your lab, you begin to hear the deadpan, robotic "laughter" of Blitzcrank. He knew laughter to be an appropriate response to certain things, but you doubt he had an actual sense of humor.]

[You turn the corner and there Blitzcrank is, standing in front of the broken-in door to your lab. In his hand is the corpse of a goon, partially dissolved. Four more bodies are scattered around him, no one you recognize. Splattered across Blitzcrank appears to be the remains of another one of those rifles. Pieces of it are imbedded into him and the chemicals from the gun are doing their best to eat away at his metal plating. But you designed him to clean up chemical spills, so he's in no real danger.]

[He groaned, shaking his head at the explosion. It was one thing to want to hunt him, it was another to try to create as much collateral as possible. As if their streets weren't already covered in enough filth and gas they had to go and spoil them even more. And to sully one of Jayce's designs for such idiotic measure, for shame.]

[He kept going over who might have sent them, and why. It really could not be Renata, that was true, her goons didn't carry knockoffs or were so... Distracted. She would have kidnapped Naph, true, but she would have been efficient about it. If it was not her, he would have to tell her that there were goons profiting off knock-offs from her property, maybe that will put him on her good side.]

[As he sees Blitzcrank with the goon in his grasp, defeated, with his creation having come victorious. He was so proud his stepd even rejuvenated a little, approaching Blitz and tapping his carapace.]

"Good job, Blitz." [He leans on him a bit, trying to not make it look obvious.] "Has anyone been injured?"

[herrald-of-machines]

[The crowd had begun to disperse at the start of your encounter with the first man, but after firing the hexclaw, twice now, they're being much quicker about it. All that's left in the immediate area is a couple of onlookers who are giving you a wide berth.]

[You heard no grunts of pain when you fired the death ray behind you, and as you turn to search for the object on your leg, you catch a small figure darting away with the rest of the crowd. A yordle, from the looks of it, and you suddenly remember the "child" you saw running out of the other end of the alley when you first approached the man.]

[The device itself has a simple clamping mechanism. You could likely rip it off with minimal damage to your armor, though that would send some of the electricity into your arm. It's pulses seem to be getting weaker, so you could choose to wait it out.]

[You can hear the chemical reaction in the alley intensifying, and, doubt any of your enemies would approach from that direction. The crowd has given you enough space that no one else would be able to sneak up on you. Though there could be a fourth somewhere poised to take a shot with another one of those rifles.]

(Apologies for the bamboozle. I needed the plot device).

[He takes one last look before his attention is drawn back to his leg, narrowing his eyes at the device in it. If he reached with his robotic arm it could disable it to, but he didn’t trust it to just give him a little shock. Overriding everything that was telling him not to, he reached to it with his more human hand, gripping the device tightly and pulling until it ripped off, some of his fingers going taut as the electricity reached the metal in them.]

[He threw it to the ground, its pieces scratching against the hard floor of the alley, then stood up propping himself on his stuff. There were definitely some fried connectors that he would have to replace or fix if he got back.]

[He tried to look for anyone that may be watching him, other than other members of the public, before making his way to the lab. If he just reached it, he would be safe. He had pieces and tools there, so he made his way while limping against his staff, his leg only serving to prop him up but not to walk. He anxiously kept a watch to his surroundings for anything that may be suspicious, wanting to avoid the humiliation of being caught again.]

[herrald-of-machines]

[The man licks his thumb and forefinger and pinches his singed hair.] "O' course, Mr. Tin Man. Goin' there right now." [He moves deeper into the alley, hurriedly, and kicks the beggar on his way past]. "Let's go, Borrim."

[The bundled up shape in the alley rises to reveal an absolutely massive man. As the cloak falls off him, you see metal prosthetics on each arm, and something that looks suspiciously like a knockoff of the pain inhibitor you designed for Renata on the back of his neck. He spares a glance in your direction and looks - sad? - before following after the first man.]

[You have little time to process this second man as you suddenly feel something metal clamp on to your right calf. A bolt of electricity shoots up your leg and you feel your knee begin to buckle - the parts in your leg are being overwhelmed with electricity. You recall the first man putting strange emphasis on the words wrong leg when he spoke to you. The expression is wrong foot. You assumed he was an idiot, but now you suspect he was giving instructions to someone who snuck up behind you.]

[Your self preservation matrix is has kicked in to high gear, and has started funneling extra power to various augments. Your hearing augment among them, which has just informed you that you are picking up a bubbling sizzle sound - the kind of sound that heralds the start of a violent chemical reaction - and its coming from the rifle you're holding.]

[He hisses falling to one knee, the electricity overriding the systems in charge for its stability. It had been a trap and he had let stupid emotions to override his rational man. Looking at the men go, slack jawed, he feels the pressure of the rifle in his hand and hears the sizzling. His mind was going to a more primal, survival mode. Making him act out of instinct, he throws the rifle towards the two men, his anger taking over as he shoot his death ray just behind him, not knowing if there was anyone there but acting like an injured animal snapping at anything.]

[How low was it for them to trap him by chasing after Naph, by making a shoddy copy of his invention. And the worse part is that it had worked. Did they seek to humíllate him, or were they waiting to lay a final blow? Panicked, he searches for whatever may have clamped around his leg, thankful that he had sent Naph to alert there’s of his followers.]

[Did Renata send them? Why had that man looked at him with such pity? He shivered, knowing if she had sent them it was not a simple visit. He had been slow to pay her back, true, but he was doing it! Did she want to get rid of him already?]

[herrald-of-machines]

Jayce wanted me to tell you that your butt looks nice. Very shiny.

He... He said that? Oh, um. Thank you. We are still enemies though!

[herrald-of-machines]

"I don't know anything about no kid, guy. I don't get told e'vrythin'. Does your kid like it when you call 'em a dog? They bark for you? Does that get you off, tin man? Woof, woof!"

[The man sees the hexclaw starting to glow, the light of it reflecting in his eyes making him look manic for a moment. But he changes his attitude immediately.]

"Hey now! I think we got off on the wrong leg here. You seem to be threatenin' to kill me. And look, I don't wanna die. But you gotta understand, I tell you about my boss, and he'll make me just as dead. 'Sept he gonna take his time about it. Real slow like. I'm talkin' weeks."

"So how's about a deal? You lemme go, I'll tell my boss you want a meeting. Heck, I'll come back and bring you to him myself once he picks the time 'n place fer meetin'. Here, you can hold on to this as collatty-ral (collateral). I go inta real debt with him if I lose it, so yous can be sure I'mma be back."

[He thumbs a small lever on the rifle and you can see the "hextech" glow beginning to fade. He hands you the gun, slowly, other hand still palm forward in a gesture of surrender].

[A shot of the hexclaw burns through the air right next to his head, the hair of singed hair littering the air.]

"Do not talk like that about a child, you obsolete creep!”

[He growls at him, disgusted by the other one’s words. How dare he talk like that about Naph? About him? Snarling, he grabs a hold of the gun, yanking it from his grasp like a teacher confiscating a phone.]

“Go call your boss, or you won’t be seeing this no more. And tell him to stop hiring idiots who relinquish their weapons at the mere visage of a fight.”

[herrald-of-machines]

[The man raises both hands in front of him, defensively. One is empty, palm facing you, the other holds the rifle still but its pointed toward the sky.]

"Whoa, man! I didn't shoot no dogs! You got the wrong guy. I love dogs. Why you care who I am anyway? You know e'vrybody else on this street?"

[The Herald goes to say something but then just looks deadpan at him. An idiot it was then. Was being this deeply unaware a requirement to be a goon nowadays?]

"Not a literal dog. One of your associates chased down one of my followers, a kid. I just need to know who paid you to go clear things up with them instead of you."

[His hexclaw points at the man, the tip of it starting to glow orange as it heated up.]

"Unless, of course, you are their spokesperson."

[herrald-of-machines]

"The fuck is it to you where I go? You don't own this street," the man sneers at you. [He shifts the business end of the rifle in your direction but doesn't lift it to fire.] "An evry'body'll know us here soon enough. Not gunna spoil the fun. So piss off!"

[The Herald tilts his head, pouting under his mask. He really wasn't in the mood to fight.]

"I may not own it, but I like to know my neighbors. Especially when they are shooting up my dogs."

[As he notices the rifle moving, the tip of his staff starts sparkling, ready to activate at any moment.]

"I do not care much for spoilers. Care to share who, exactly, you are?"

[The last bits of his tone sounded more menacing, his patience running low with such a smug idiot. Did he not know who he was or was he too stupid to stop running his mouth? It's not like anyone had to fear him, but at least they should respect him.]

[herrald-of-machines]

Do you machine evolve cats. How does that work. Because they are already perfect beings how does one improve upon that

Makes them live longer, of course! The only flaw our furry friends have is their relatively short lifespans, so it is the only thing that needs fixing. My friend von Yipps has gotten some augments of his own!

[herrald-of-machines]

[You are a known entity in Zaun. As you make your presence known, with the hexclaw and your staff, a few people in the crowd hurry in the opposite direction. A few others post up to watch. Your target sees you, eyes widening slightly, and he slides the rifle off his back and into his hands. He doesn't point it at you, but keeps it at the ready].

[As you approach him, you get a better look at the rifle. There's a blue glow coming from where you know a hextech gemstone sits in Caitlyn Kirramen's rifle, but this is not the glow of hextech. Some chem glowstick designed to imitate, most likely. The weapon is certainly capable of firing, and likely hurts a great deal, but with its design impeded by imitation, you doubt its very stable. The man himself does not match Naph's description of the enforcer, which means there's more than one of these rifles in play].

[Movement catches your eye at the other end of the alleyway, a small child darting away from the confrontation. You also see a bundled shape sitting in the alley, likely a beggar.]

[He approached the man, standing with his chest out, taking his time. He was also checking that no one was close enough when the fight eventually broke out, wouldn't want to send the wrong message by harming a civilian.]

"These are not your parts, friend."

[The Herald's voice seemed elevated by his mask. He takes a look over the rifle, humming in satisfaction knowing now that it was not one of his. Truly a pity for the bastard that carried it. He stops some feet in front of him, not yet attacking, though ready too, his stance more taunting than aggressive.]

"We do not have to fight. If you tell me who sent you, that is."

[herrald-of-machines]

[Viktor huffs, leaning back against his, the hexclaw petting the top of Jayce's head. It felt... Nice, he had to admit. He could feel Jayce's heartbeat with his heightened senses, the rhythm of it calming.]

"Of course, how hard can it be?"

[He had offered to augment Jayce more than once, how hard could some pots get? He knew how to work metal better than anyone, he was made of it after all. Perhaps he was overconfident in himself, he was being overtly smug.]

[He gives the pot one last stir before turning off the stove, trying to remember how Jayce had done it.]

( @paragon-of-progress let's continue here if you want :3)

[The sun had set over the cities before Viktor had arrived. At that point, Jayce was probably wondering if he was even going to come at all, maybe too stubborn or a coward to go back on his word. But he always came, of course, and Jayce was reassured of it as he heard a small tapping on his bedroom window, the only thing visible from the inside being the yellow/orange eyes of Viktor's mask, the rest of his body obscured by the dark cloak he used when traveling to Piltover.]

[herrald-of-machines]

[Naph nods without turning around. You can feel his pulse quicken under your fingertips before he pulls away from you, continuing to move toward your lab.]

[The punks have started to walk off together, their business seemingly concluded with the man with the rifle. He's moved into an alleyway and has posted up, facing back into the main street. You don't know if he's looking for more customers, or perhaps watching one of the routes to your lab. Regardless, he will see you coming.]

[He lets Naph got, watching him for some seconds and then starts moving towards the man. He didn't care if he saw him coming, either he runs or he fights back. No matter what, he was ready, weaving towards the crowd as he tried to lock eyes with the man. His hexclaw got ready too, pointing towards him, not yet heating up to shoot but definitely a warning, looming like a lighthouse above the people there.]

[herrald-of-machines]

[Viktor tenses up a little at the touch, looking back at Jayce for a couple of seconds, trying to decipher what, exactly, he was planning. He is not pushing him away, letting him do as he wants.]

"I could make them for you..."

[He whispers, the energy of the conversation getting lost at the anticipation of touch. It was somewhat comical that no matter how hard Viktor was trying to hide his thoughts, his fans picked up in noise like an overworked machine.]

( @paragon-of-progress let's continue here if you want :3)

[The sun had set over the cities before Viktor had arrived. At that point, Jayce was probably wondering if he was even going to come at all, maybe too stubborn or a coward to go back on his word. But he always came, of course, and Jayce was reassured of it as he heard a small tapping on his bedroom window, the only thing visible from the inside being the yellow/orange eyes of Viktor's mask, the rest of his body obscured by the dark cloak he used when traveling to Piltover.]

[herrald-of-machines]

[The next time you put your hand on Naph's shoulder, within a minute you feel a gentle tapping on your fingers. You can see Naph's hand, and he's alternating between tapping you and pointing off towards the edge of the crowd.]

[You look in the direction he's pointing and spot a couple of punks talking to a thin but dangerous looking man. The three of them appear to be making some kind of deal. You're not sure why Naph drew your attention to them, until the thin man turns to leave and you see something slung across his back - something that looks suspiciously like a shortened version of the rifle Jayce built for Enforcer Caitlyn. Except this one is roughly constructed and, if you had to guess, looks more dangerous than it actually is].

[Viktor looks at the scene unfolding between the group, hissing under his mask at the visage of the rifle. He gave Naph a squeeze, then adressed him without taking his eyes off the man.]

"I have an important mission. Go the rest of the way without being seen and tell them to lock down the lab until I am back, got it?"

[He whispered to Naph, his other hand gripping his staff and tapping it against the ground, making sure it was powered up, the tip of it sparking with a blue glow as he funneled power towards it.]

[herrald-of-machines]

[He thinks it over, going in his mind down a list of metals that must occupy his brain at all times. There was an impulse to say steel, even knowing it was factually wrong, but he liked steel.]

"Graphite. It is quite resistant to heat, it is used for molds and rotary tools. And it is food safe."

[Viktor holds the stare for a moment, before he turns back to the pot and stirs it. If Jayce focused, he could see his eyes faintly from the small eye-windows of his mask. He had retained his ability or need to blink, it seemed.]

( @paragon-of-progress let's continue here if you want :3)

[The sun had set over the cities before Viktor had arrived. At that point, Jayce was probably wondering if he was even going to come at all, maybe too stubborn or a coward to go back on his word. But he always came, of course, and Jayce was reassured of it as he heard a small tapping on his bedroom window, the only thing visible from the inside being the yellow/orange eyes of Viktor's mask, the rest of his body obscured by the dark cloak he used when traveling to Piltover.]

[herrald-of-machines]

"Oh. I'm sorry. I know you don't like it when your body doesn't do what you want." Naph says, looking a little sheepish. [You think he's realized he was being rude before when he mimicked you.]

[Naph walks ahead of you, as instructed. You can tell he's a little nervous, and hangs back closer to you when your path brings you through more populated areas. You are nearing your lab now, and so far the walk has been uneventful].

“It is fine, it is not a danger. Not this time.”

[He is one the lookout for anything or anyone that may look out of place, putting a reassuring hand on Naph’s shoulder in the more populated places. Perhaps it had truly been a one off event. Maybe it had been a mistake. Still, he would send some of his followers to keep watch once they get to the lab.]

[herrald-of-machines]

[Viktor tilts his head at Jayce’s apology, a sound he had not heard in years, while putting the pot on the stove.]

“I still maintain lasers are much more efficient, you just need more resilient pots.”

[He keeps staring at Jayce. He didn’t know well how to fill their gaps in conversation, specially since he barely talked to people.]

( @paragon-of-progress let's continue here if you want :3)

[The sun had set over the cities before Viktor had arrived. At that point, Jayce was probably wondering if he was even going to come at all, maybe too stubborn or a coward to go back on his word. But he always came, of course, and Jayce was reassured of it as he heard a small tapping on his bedroom window, the only thing visible from the inside being the yellow/orange eyes of Viktor's mask, the rest of his body obscured by the dark cloak he used when traveling to Piltover.]

[herrald-of-machines]

"If things go wrong... with the inhibitor? Or something bad happens?"

[Naph is keeping his tone conversational. You're pretty sure you've confused him now, and the promise of spending more time with you is enough of a distraction that he's not thinking too hard.]

[He walks to the door of your lab and peeks out.] "I don't see anybody."

“With the inhibitor, though bad things can damage it. We will check later.”

[He lets the kid check for any danger, checking behind him himself, then humming in agreement.]

“Such a keen eye. Good job.”

[Before leaving, he activates the alarm of his lab, making sure the door is closed fully before they start their little trip.]