Settling In

[Ekko, 6 years Later]

He stared at the collapsed entrance of the mineshaft for the umpteenth time. It's been over a year. And he still couldn't believe it. His new parents' death that is. They were good people.

Wanting nothing but the best for their son. Believing that everything they've gone through, every suffering, every hungry nights, every extra shifts would be worth it if they could give him a better future in Topside.

'As if the Pilties are gonna accept what they see as a sump rat like me.' He thought remorsedly before becoming amused. After living in the Undercity for 6 years, he too sounded like a proper son Zaun.

"When in Rome huh?" He thought outloud as he looked up at the smog filled sky that only Zaun has to deal with. One of these days, he's gonna get a power to fix it. But not today. Not with the fucking Great Wall to his dreams that is his power. Contray to his delusions of grandeur-Yes he knows those are delusions now, shut up-he didn't become a omnipotent world breaking god in just a few years. You see... his powers are limited. More limited than he initially thought.

He doesn't get 5 charges per day. He get 5 per year. But as always, there's a silver lining. They grow every year. Not much. Merely one charge per year. This year he's gonna get 11. But that doesn't mean much when the initail charges of most powers starts at five...FIVE CHARGES. He's gotta burn 5 charges for every new power.

Thank Janna that he waited until next day to use the charges. And also there's the potency of the powers...

It starts at five and they all still doubled from there. Also some powers cost more. He got a feeling everytime he thought to make a power. Some like super strength or speed starts at five. Some like Biokinesis?Encompassing all life? That starts at twenty. TWENTY! So yeah, his dream died a dog's death loooooong ago. It was shot so many times that the corpse barely resembles a corpse.

But he supposed it was all good in the end. Truthfully, he didn't know what to do if he suddenly became powerful enough to solve every problem with a snap. Would he became the second coming of Jesus*cough*Viktor*cough*. Would he burn the world down in madness?

"I suppose we'll never know..." He said serenely.

"Never know what?" A mischevious voice nearly make his soul leave his body. And no matter what anyone says his did not screamed like a little girl, it was...a roar yes! A manly roar, deep from the chest like a lion.

"Eeeeeeee! Powder!! You scared the crap outta me." The blue haired girl just laughed at him, pointing.

"Your*laugh*voice" She said between guffaws. His cheeks darken in a pink hue.

"Why you little!" His angry expression was not entirely faked as he lunged for her, she started booking it the moment his expression changed. She sticked her tongue out and nearly tripped, a brief flash of worry passed through before he continued chasing her after seeing that she's fine. He held back of course. No need to go full throttle in a game between children.

He used to come here every now and then after his parents died. He met Powder when they were both young and the two were thick as thieves. Powder like to tinker and he helped her whenever he could using the tools from Benzo's workshop.

She knows he usually come here around this time of the month. Benzo too. Knowing the man, he probably sent Powder after him to get him out of his funk.

Not long after they're sitting on a roof with Powder leaningon him, exhausted from the run but happy. It's hard to believe that this girl would become the biggest menace that Zaun and Piltiver would ever see in the original timeline.

He glanced over her in thought. Not knowing that his face became coptemplative. But Powder noticed.

"What's wrong Little Man?" He was silent for a while without any replies. Little Man, that nickname didn't change.

At first he thought it was a nick name the original Ekko got because of his small stature during his childhood, his self-biokinetic power-one of the two powers he got-took care of that but really it was just Benzo calling him a little man for acting so mature for his age that one time and Powder was just happens to hear it. He hated it. Powder thought it was cute and now he was stuck with it.

"Nothing, Pow-Pow. Just thinking about tomorrow." He also got a nickname for her too, from Vi of course. Powder face changed at being reminded about tomorrow. Becoming worried. Even though she didn't truely know what is happening tomorrow.

Tomorrow was the revolution. Tension was high between Zaun and Piltover for years now. And it reached it's tipping point. Vander, Silco and Felicia, all three of them are leading Zaun against topside. The battle will most likely be on the bridge. The whole fucking bridge the Pilties built that they can seperate from Zaun at any moment. But still use it for their own benefit.

Just an another reason to fight.

"I'm scared." He was brought out of the dark thoughts by Powder, who was on the verge of tears.

"I don't know why. But I'm scared." Ekko eyes softened at that. He took her hands into his .

"Hey... it's allright." Everything's gonna be fine. Vander told us to stay inside the houses and everything's gonna be fine." He lied like a filthy liar.

"Now C'mon. Let's go back. It's getting late." He pulled her up and carried her into his arms before jumping down. Powder's fear evaporating in the excitement.

Wordlessly he put 10 charges for an another power. Leaving him with 6.

[Biomass Production] is a useful power. His [Self-Biokinesis] is heavily reliant on it. The first rank net him five pounds of Biomass a day. Now it doubled. 10 pounds.

He's been meaning to make some changes to his skeleton for a while now. He supposed this is a good time as any. He burn out another 5 charges on Regeneration.

He's gonna need something to keep him alive when he gets knocked out before he could use his Biokinesis. Currently he regenerates twice as fast as a normal human being.

'Yayyy go me.' He thought sarcastically as he landed on the ground. Powder jumping down from his arms and gushing over him like usual.

"C'mon Powder, let's race to Benzo's" She was already oon her way straight to Benzo as soon as she heard race. He shook his head ruefully before taking off after her. Ducking under and Vaulting over various obstacles as they raced into the lanes.

"Wait Up!"

"Let's one there is a rotton egg." She laughs as he joins her in it.

All in all he's been settling in this new life quite well.