Chapter 6: The First Fight

The Undercity was buzzing with energy as usual, the streets filled with the hum of gears and the clatter of distant machines. The scent of oil and metal lingered in the air, mixing with the faint smell of food from street vendors and the dampness that clung to the walls of the ruins. It was just another day for Ekko and Powder. Another day spent among broken things, gadgets, and wild plans. But this day was different. This was the day everything would change.

It had started innocently enough. Ekko had been in the middle of working on a new invention—a small mechanical device that could help with the city's constant need for power. It was delicate, intricate work, and every part needed to be precisely placed. Powder, as usual, had hovered around, watching him with wide eyes, eager to help. Her curiosity often led her to jump in at the wrong moment, and while Ekko didn't mind her enthusiasm, today was different. Today, he needed focus.

Powder was in her own world, sitting on the edge of the workbench, fingers drumming on the surface. She watched Ekko's every move, but the longer she sat, the more impatient she became. She was always itching for action—always searching for something new to explore, something new to break. It wasn't long before she couldn't resist any longer.

"Hey, Ekko," she said, her voice filled with excitement, "Can I try it? Just this once? I promise I'll be careful!"

Ekko didn't even look up from his work, his brow furrowed as he adjusted a small cog. "Not today, Powder. I'm trying to finish this, and I need it to stay intact. You know how delicate this thing is."

Powder's lips twisted in a pout, but she didn't argue. She had learned that when Ekko said something was important, it was best to let him be. But that didn't stop the restlessness from bubbling up inside her. She looked around the workshop, her eyes landing on one of the unfinished gadgets sitting in the corner—a prototype for a small explosive device. It was incomplete, but to Powder, it looked like it could be fun. And fun was something she needed right now.

She slid off the table, quietly stepping over to the corner where the device rested, and began to inspect it. It wasn't dangerous—not yet—but Powder had always had a knack for taking things apart and putting them back together in ways Ekko didn't always approve of. This time, however, she didn't think it would be too much trouble. Just a quick tweak, and maybe it would do something interesting. She had to know.

Ekko didn't notice her movement immediately. He was too absorbed in his work, his mind entirely focused on the tiny pieces he was arranging in front of him. But when the sound of a small click echoed through the room, followed by a low whirring noise, he snapped his head up.

"Powder!" he shouted, his voice sharp with concern. "What are you doing?"

Powder froze, her heart skipping a beat as she looked over at Ekko, who was now glaring at her, his face pale. She knew instantly that she had gone too far.

"I—uh—I was just looking at this," Powder stammered, her hand still hovering near the device she had tampered with. She could hear the gears inside starting to whir faster, a sure sign that whatever she had done, it wasn't good.

Ekko was already up from his seat, his hands shaking as he rushed over to her. "No, Powder, get away from it! That's not something you just mess with!"

But it was too late. The device had already started to glow, and a small plume of smoke began to curl from its center. Powder stepped back, her eyes wide with fear.

Ekko reached out and slapped the device from the table, sending it crashing to the floor with a loud clang. It didn't explode, but the damage was done. The force of the impact sent small gears and pieces scattering across the room.

"Look what you've done!" Ekko shouted, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and fear. His hands clenched into fists as he turned to Powder, his face flushed with frustration. "I told you not to touch anything! Do you have any idea how long it took me to put this together? And now look—everything's ruined!"

Powder stood there, frozen, her face pale as she watched the mess around her. Her heart was hammering in her chest, guilt and regret flooding her all at once. But instead of apologizing, something inside her snapped. Her pride, her need to prove that she could handle herself, flared up in the heat of the moment. She wasn't used to being scolded, and it stung more than she expected.

"I didn't mean to break it," Powder muttered, but there was an edge to her voice. "You didn't have to yell at me, Ekko. I was just trying to help."

Ekko shook his head, his eyes filled with frustration. "You weren't helping! You never listen, Powder. You always have to do things your way, and now look where that's gotten us. I can't trust you with anything if you keep acting like this!"

The words stung worse than any blow. Powder felt her cheeks flush with anger, tears of frustration beginning to well up in her eyes. She hadn't meant for any of this to happen—she had only wanted to be a part of it, to show that she could do something right. But now it felt like everything she touched was falling apart, and worse, she had broken Ekko's trust.

Without another word, she turned and stormed out of the workshop, slamming the door behind her. Ekko stood there, his breathing heavy, the echoes of her footsteps fading into the distance. He felt a pang of guilt, but it was quickly swallowed up by his own anger. He had worked so hard on that project, and it had all been undone in an instant. He didn't know what hurt more—the mess or the fact that Powder had gone against his wishes.

The next day, Ekko didn't hear from Powder. She didn't show up at the workshop, and when he went to her usual hangouts in the Undercity, she wasn't there either. He felt a gnawing emptiness in his chest, like something was missing, but he refused to admit it. He was still angry, still hurt by what had happened. He couldn't believe she had done that—she had known better.

But deep down, beneath the frustration, Ekko knew it wasn't just about the broken gadget. It wasn't even just about the trust that had been damaged. It was that Powder had hurt herself in the process, and that hurt was something he couldn't ignore. He didn't want her to feel like this—like she wasn't good enough, like she didn't belong. The guilt over his own reaction weighed heavily on him.

Powder, meanwhile, had retreated to her favorite hiding spot, a small abandoned corner of the Undercity, far from the streets she had come to know so well. She sat on the cracked concrete, her knees pulled to her chest, her arms wrapped around them tightly. Her mechanical bird sat beside her, still in pieces, a reminder of what she had done. She had let her impatience get the best of her, and now, Ekko wasn't speaking to her.

It hurt more than she had expected. Ekko had always been the one person who understood her, who never judged her, no matter how reckless or wild she was. And now, she had pushed him away. She couldn't stand the thought of losing him, even though she knew it was her fault.

Her fingers brushed over the broken bird's wings, her throat tight with emotion. She had always wanted to be more than just the reckless, impulsive girl—she wanted to prove she could be trusted. She had failed, and now Ekko didn't want to talk to her.

But as she sat there, the pain in her chest began to feel a little more familiar, like something she had carried with her for a long time. Maybe it was the hurt of losing someone who had always been there. Maybe it was the frustration of trying so hard to be better, only to fall short. She didn't know.

But she did know one thing.

She couldn't leave things like this.

That evening, as the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the streets of the Undercity, Powder returned to the workshop. She stood outside for a long moment, unsure of what to say, but knowing she couldn't leave things as they were. Finally, with a deep breath, she knocked gently on the door.

Ekko's voice came from the other side, quiet but unmistakable. "I don't want to talk right now."

Powder hesitated but then spoke softly, her voice full of vulnerability. "Ekko... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mess everything up. I was just trying to help, and I didn't think... I didn't think it would go that far. I just wanted to be a part of it, to show you I could be useful. But I messed up."

There was a long pause before Ekko's voice came again, softer this time. "I know you didn't mean to. I just... I got upset. I worked really hard on that, and when you... when you broke it, I didn't know how to handle it."

Powder bit her lip, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm sorry, Ekko. I never wanted to hurt you. I know I mess up sometimes, but I just want to help. Please, don't be mad at me."

The door creaked open slowly, and Ekko stood there, his face unreadable for a moment. But then he stepped aside, letting her in. "I'm not mad," he said quietly. "Just... don't do it again. Okay?"

Powder nodded, a small, relieved smile tugging at her lips. "Okay. I promise."

They stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of their words settling between them. Neither of them had the answers to everything, but they knew one thing for sure.

They would always find their way back to each other.