Chapter Text
“I’m not so sure this is a good idea, Powder.”
Ekko was eyeing the new and improved Z-Drive warily as Powder fiddled with the dial. He was the only one who knew what had happened six months ago, when his body had been taken over by Other Ekko, as Powder had affectionately dubbed him. Other Ekko, who she had danced with at the Innovator’s Competition. Other Ekko, who she’d kissed on the rooftop of The Last Drop. Other Ekko, who had painted a mural of a grown-up Vi for her. A mural Powder hadn’t been able to stop visiting since.
I had this dream…where things went another way.
Her Ekko didn’t hold any hard feelings about what she’d done with Other Ekko. In many ways, Other Ekko was him. He was an Ekko, even if he wasn’t hers. And her Ekko understood that.
He’s not a better kisser than me, is he? he’d joked, after Powder had told him
Powder had rolled her eyes. Not a chance.
Honestly, Other Ekko had acted really weird from the moment he’d been zapped into their universe. He was so…jumpy. Throwing things at Powder, watching her warily with wide eyes, flinching at the sight of Silco, asking about Vi’s death as if he didn’t know better than anyone how it had happened.
Her Ekko had blamed himself after it happened. They had all blamed themselves in their own way. They all harbored their own guilt. Mylo, who had practically worshipped Vi, regretted every snide comment he’d made towards Powder over the years. Claggor grew quieter and more mumbly than usual. A dark side of Vander had been brought out, darker than Powder had ever seen before, his fury directed at Piltover. And Powder herself had spent the aftermath of the explosion numb with grief, unable to even speak for weeks on end.
But Ekko saw himself as responsible for the whole thing. He admitted tearfully to Vander that he had given Vi the tip about the apartment and even though Vander didn’t blame him, Powder could tell that Ekko blamed himself. He sulked around Benzo’s shop, constantly on the verge of tears. He secluded himself from the group, unable to face any of them.
Despite all that, it had been Ekko who had finally pulled Powder out of her own grief. Her brothers had tried their best. So had Vander. Even Silco, whom Powder had barely known before the incident. But it was Ekko who’d gotten through to her in the end. When Powder made it clear she didn’t blame him, that she wanted him around, he was happy enough to sit quietly with her in her hideout until she slowly found her voice again.
Vi’s death had shattered them all and even today they were still picking up the pieces. And ever since that day, Powder swore off her inventions, preferring to help Ekko or her brothers with theirs instead. When before she’d been intent on making smoke bombs to throw in the faces of teenagers like Deckard who had made her life hell as a kid, after Vi’s death she didn’t want to take any more risks. She’d hidden the gemstones from Jayce Talis’ apartment away in a locked drawer labeled with her sister’s name. A drawer only she had the key to.
But after Other Ekko arrived, Powder could feel some of that old spark flickering back to live. To create. To invent. To build something remarkable. Even after he’d left, his words had stuck with her.
You aren’t the kind of person who helps other people with their projects. Your ideas change the world. I can’t shake the feeling that that’s who you’re supposed to be.
Their world had changed so much over the past eight years. Piltover and Zaun were now at peace, the deaths of a daughter on each side motivating those in charge to do better. The air in Zaun was clearing up bit by bit, even if progress was slow. But sunlight now streamed down into the dark, smog-filled alleyways Powder had grown up in and little kids ran through the streets, giggling and laughing without a care. Crime was no longer running rampant. People were safe. People were happy.
So why, when she had all this, was Powder so insistent on finding her way to Other Ekko’s universe? Maybe Other Ekko had a point. It was who she was meant to be. There was only so long she could sit back and watch her life unfold from a distance.
So here she was, standing in front of the new and improved Z-drive, wondering whether the hell she should use it or not.
She looked up at Ekko with a sigh. “But I really think this could work. I have a bunch of gemstones and Other Ekko only had a few fractals. There were some flaws in the last design but we’ve tightened things up. If I go, I won’t be taking over another Powder’s body or whatever. And besides.” She patted the Z-drive. “It’s portable now. I can travel across time and space. Heimerdinger had to build a whole big cage-y thing for that.”
Ekko still seemed hesitant. “Yeah, but, the other me…from what you told me it seems like he came here by accident. It’s probably not a good idea to go universe-hopping whenever you feel like it.”
Powder groaned, flopping onto her chair. “That’s not what I’m doing. This is important, Ekko. If I can get to this other universe, then maybe there’s a chance I could meet…” she trailed off.
“Vi,” Ekko finished. Powder nodded and he sighed. “Pow, you do realize she’s not gonna be our Vi, right? She could be a completely different person. Besides, what if she has a Powder of her own?”
Powder knew he had several points. The logical thing to do would be to destroy the Z-drive and the gemstones and never think about interdimensional travel ever again. It was selfish to assume she could go to another universe, meet another Vi, and have her sister back–even if it was just for a short while. But Powder was finding it incredibly difficult to care about logic. She wanted to see her sister, even if it wasn’t her sister.
“I wouldn’t have to talk to her,” she offered after a long silence. “I just…want to see her. Y’know, from afar or something. I wanna see what her universe is like.”
Ekko raised his eyebrows. “You’re telling me you could honestly go to another universe and back without talking to your sister?”
Powder huffed out a sigh. “No,” she mumbled.
“You can’t keep doing this, Pow,” Ekko insisted, his voice pained. “Look, I’ve helped you this far, but…the others are already starting to catch on that you’re up to something. And Vander won’t like it, I’ll guarantee you that.”
He had a point once again. Why did Ekko always have to have a point? Powder usually loved him for it and she knew he was just looking out for her but in this specific instance it was incredibly annoying.
She took a deep breath and stood up from her chair. “It’s getting late,” she said, changing the subject. “We should head back to The Last Drop for dinner before Vander worries.”
“And what are you gonna tell him?” Ekko asked, raising his eyebrows.
Powder took his hand, kissing him on the cheek. “That I was with you, silly. Duh. You’re my alibi.”
Ekko snorted. “You really wanna tell your dad you were late to dinner because you were out with your boyfriend all day?”
Powder smacked his shoulder playfully. “Mind out of the gutter, Little Man. Besides, we’re both adults now, so who cares?”
“If we’re adults then maybe you can finally stop calling me Little Man,” Ekko countered teasingly.
Powder giggled, pulling him towards the hideout’s exit. “Not a chance, Little Man. Not a chance.”
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The Last Drop was bustling as usual by the time Powder and Ekko made it back, but Mylo and Claggor had already snagged a table. “Well, well, well,” Claggor commented, raising his eyebrows. “If it isn’t the Little Man and the Little Lady.”
Powder rolled her eyes at the nicknames—coined by Benzo when she and Ekko had started going out two years ago—and plunked down across from him. “Ha-ha.”
“Sorry we’re late,” Ekko added, scooting into his seat beside her.
“Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much,” Claggor said, nudging his brother. “Just Mylo’s moping.”
Powder sighed, raising her eyebrows. “What is it this time?”
“Excuse you,” Mylo snapped. “I don’t mope. I’m brooding.”
“Gert asked if he’d ever consider shaving off his mustache,” Claggor clarified.
“Thank you!” Powder said, grabbing her glass of water and raising it to the heavens. “I rest my case.”
Mylo looked deeply offended. “It’s not that bad. I told you, it just needs time to grow out.”
This earned him groans from around the table and Ekko shook his head, grimacing. “Let the mustache die, Mylo. Let it die.”
“You know I just think you’re jealous since you can’t grow any facial hair,” Mylo shot back defiantly.
Ekko smacked Mylo’s arm. “Hey, low blow!”
As the three of them continued bickering, Powder’s mind drifted back to the Z-Drive safely stashed away in her hideout. It was always at the back of her mind these days, whether she liked it or not. And now that it was finished, she was sure it was only going to get worse.
Whether Vander approved or not, Powder wasn’t going to be able to let this go. The nightmares had already started creeping back in. She’d woken up in a cold sweat more than once in the last few weeks, her own screams echoing in her ears.
No, no, no! Come on, just open your eyes. Vi, please! I need you, please! Don’t–don’t leave me. Not like this. Please, Violet! Please…
Even now, at twenty years old, Powder could still feel the weight of her sister’s body in her arms. Could still see the ash and blood smeared across her freckles, her closed eyes. Could still feel the coldness of her skin beneath her fingertips as she forced herself to say goodbye to her sister in the depths of a Piltovan morgue.
Come back, please come back!
“Powder?”
She blinked, realizing Mylo was waving his hand in front of her face. “You good?” he asked and Powder realized Gert was standing at their table, ready to take their order. Ekko was watching her worriedly and she quickly avoided his gaze.
“Sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “Um…I’ll just get whatever the soup special is today.”
Gert nodded, writing down her order, through her eyes flickered back to Powder again when she was done. “You sure you’re okay?” she asked.
Powder nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah, sorry. Just zoning out.”
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Powder stayed long after the last stragglers made their way out of the bar, keeping herself busy with stacking chairs and wiping down tables. She’d even sent Ekko home after he offered to stay and help her.
“No, get some sleep,” she insisted. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
Ekko gave her that look he always did when he was worried about her, his brown eyes wide and soft, his eyebrows raised as if to say, Are you sure?
Powder gave him a quick peck on the lips. “I’m fine,” she insisted. “I promise. Besides there’s no way in hell Vander or Silco would let you sleep over.”
Ekko snorted and pressed a kiss against her cheek. “See you tomorrow.”
With Ekko gone and most of the staff clocked out, Powder was left alone in the empty bar. She wandered over to the jukebox, scanning the list of songs until one caught her eye. She pressed the corresponding button and a record was loaded onto the turntable before a familiar melody began to play.
There’s a girl in town
And word’s gone around
She’s just fine
“Picked a classic I see.”
Powder’s head jerked up to see Vander emerge from the back room, making his way over to the bar. She smiled half-heartedly and made her way over to him, plopping down on one of the stools and resting her chin on top of her crossed arms. “Can’t a girl be in the mood for a familiar song?”
Vander studied her for a moment, his eyes softening, before he pulled out a cup and straw and poured in the juice she always used to drink as a kid. He slid it to her and she scoffed. “You know I’m old enough to drink now, right, old man?”
Vander chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t think a drink is what you need right now.”
Powder rolled her eyes, lifting one hand to stir the straw absentmindedly. “Guess not,” she mumbled.
“Rough day?”
Powder shrugged. “Eh. It was fine.”
It wasn’t how she wanted to answer. What she really wanted to say was, I’ve been spending the past few months building an interdimensional travel device so I can go visit my dead sister in another universe where she’s alive and I finally finished it. But that, as Ekko had already warned her, probably wouldn’t go over well.
“Anything you want to talk about?” Vander ventured, raising his eyebrows.
Powder’s gaze drifted towards the tattoo on his hand. “I don’t know,” she mumbled. “I was just…thinking about Vi.”
Vander followed her gaze, nodding in understanding. “Ah.” He’d gotten the tattoo about a year after the incident and now Vi’s name was permanently inked onto his hand. His way of keeping her with him. They all had their own. Powder’s was the pink streak in her hair that Ekko helped her dye.
“We all miss her,” Vander said, as if reading her mind. “And we all still have bad days. There’s no shame in that.”
Powder nodded. He’d given her this speech plenty of times. On the days when the hole of Vi’s absence yawned too wide to bear, Powder could always seek comfort in her father’s arms.
“Do you ever…” she began, before trailing off. “Nevermind.”
“Do I ever what?” Vander asked gently, waiting for her to continue.
Powder took a deep breath. “Do you ever think about…what could have been? What our lives would look like if she had survived?”
Vander’s eyes darkened, his smile fading, and Powder could almost see the grief hit him all over again. But he’d learned how to bear it better these days. They all had, with each other’s help. “All the time,” he said finally. “But it doesn’t do us any good to think like that.”
“I know.” Powder took a sip of her juice.
“What brought this on anyway, hmm?” Vander continued. “Are you having those nightmares again?”
Powder shook her head. “No,” she lied. “I’m fine.”
“You know you don’t have to be,” Vander reminded her. “Listen, kid. I’m proud of you. I feel like I hardly blinked and you grew up so fast. You’re so smart, so capable…”
Powder raised her eyebrows, knowing where this was going. “But?”
“But,” Vander echoed, his tone serious. “I don’t want you to think you need to pretend to be fine all the time. Your sister…” He shook his head grimly. “I put the weight of the world on that girl’s shoulders. And I promised myself I wouldn’t make the same mistake with you.”
“I know,” Powder said again. “You’re not, okay? And I’m fine, I promise.”
“Having a party, are we?”
Powder turned to see Silco enter the room, joining Vander behind the bar. “And without me?” he added in mock offense. “You two should know better.”
Powder rolled her eyes as Vander chuckled and grabbed two more glasses. He poured drinks for himself and Silco and Powder raised her eyebrows. “Come on, you can’t even give me a little?”
“Now, what kind of father would I be if I did that?” Vander teased. “Teaching my kid to drown their sorrows whenever they’re down.”
“Oh, let her have a little,” Silco insisted, taking the bottle from him. “One drink won’t kill her. Besides, she deserves it.”
Powder perked up as Silco topped off her juice, even as Vander sighed disapprovingly. “Strict” had never particularly been in Silco’s parenting vocabulary since he’d joined their family. That was Vander’s area of expertise. Powder figured it was for the best. They balanced each other out.
“By the way,” Silco added, picking up his own drink. “Councilor Kiramman sent me a message the other day. She wanted me to let you know if you’re thinking of applying to the Academy this year, she’d be more than happy to write you a letter of recommendation.”
Powder groaned, taking a generous sip of her drink–grateful for the added kick the alcohol gave it. It wasn’t as if she had anything against Councilor Kiramman. She liked Councilor Kiramman. She was one of the few Piltovan councilors who had remained steadfast in her support for Zaun’s independence after the apartment explosion. And she’d always had a soft spot for Powder, who reminded her of the daughter she’d lost–Caitlyn.
It was the mention of the Academy that made her groan. She’d thought about it plenty of times. She knew she could get in easy-peasy. She didn’t even need a Piltovan councilor’s support. But she’d put off applying for years, too afraid of her own potential. It was easier to stay in Zaun, help her brothers and Ekko with their own projects.
Now her reasoning was different. The construction of the Z-Drive had consumed her life over the past six months and while it had re-ignited a passion for inventing she’d previously shoved down, she doubted it would be something the Academy would approve of. Especially given she wasn’t even supposed to have those blue crystals anymore.
Hextech, Other Ekko had called them, speaking the word like it was both a blessing and a curse. A mysterious technology that had never been invented here thanks to the deaths of two teenage girls—one from the undercity and one from topside.
If anyone found out she still had those crystals, she’d be in a hell of a lot of trouble that not even Councilor Kiramman might be capable of pulling her out of.
“I don’t know,” she said aloud. “I’m still thinking about it.”
“Well, the deadline is coming up soon,” Silco reminded her. “Just remember, those topsiders would be lucky to have you.”
Your ideas change the world.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Powder murmured, taking another sip of her drink.
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Powder couldn’t sleep that night.
She tried her best–tossing and turning in bed, trying to find the best position–but it was no use. The knowledge that the Z-drive was sitting there in her hideout, waiting for her, was eating her alive.
It was a bad idea. She shouldn’t do it. She really shouldn’t. But then…
Vi.
Early the next morning, Powder crawled out of bed and got dressed as quickly as possible, throwing a bulky brown bag over her shoulder–just big enough to fit the Z-drive inside. She slipped out of the room and crept through the darkened interior of The Last Drop, before pushing out the back door into the alley behind the bar.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Ekko standing there waiting for her.
“For Janna’s sake,” she hissed, clapping a hand over her chest. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”
Ekko was already dressed too, and was looking at her with determination in his eyes. “You’re doing it aren’t you?”
Powder stared at him uncomprehendingly. “What?”
“You’re gonna use the Z-Drive,” Ekko clarified.
“How did you…” Powder glanced back at the bar, frustration building in her chest. “Ekko, I love you, but swear to the gods if you’re trying to stop me—”
“Who said anything about stopping you?” Ekko held out his hand with a grin. “C’mon. I’ll cover for you.”
Powder blinked, her anger dissipating. “Wait, seriously?”
Ekko shrugged. “The way I see it, you’re gonna do it whether I help you or not. We’ve already gotten this far. Might as well see you the rest of the way.”
Powder felt a grin spread across her face and instead of taking Ekko’s hand, she launched herself into his arms, tackling him with a kiss. He made an adorable, startled noise, before kissing her back. “You’re the best boyfriend ever,” she said when she pulled away. “Have I ever told you that?”
Ekko laughed, shaking his head. “You’ll have to tell me more often. Now, c’mon. Let’s get out of here before anyone finds out you’re gone.”
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Ekko carefully helped Powder fit the Z-drive into the bulky brown bag she’d brought, easing the device into its place. She figured it was probably better to not zap into an unfamiliar universe with a big, shiny hextech device at her hip. The bag was suspiciously clunky but it would have to do.
As she carefully turned the knobs, making the necessary calculations, she could feel Ekko watching her. “Thank you for doing this,” she said, looking up at him. “Really.”
Ekko nodded, though Powder could still tell he was nervous from the way he was fidgeting. She could see the guilt in his eyes too and took a step forward, reaching for his hands. “Hey,” she said softly. “You know I don’t blame you for what happened to her, right? None of us do.”
Ekko sighed, pain flickering across his expression. “I know.”
“I just need to do this,” Powder insisted. “I need to see her. Even if it’s only one last time.”
Ekko nodded, pressing his forehead against hers. “Just promise you’ll come back in one piece.”
Powder leaned forward and kissed him again. “Promise,” she whispered.
Ekko reluctantly let go of her hands and stepped back as Powder powered up the device. For a moment, there was nothing but a whirring sound before the mechanism clicked into place and a colorful, spinning ball of arcane energy appeared around her. A rushing sensation came with it and Powder took a deep breath, trying to catch one last glimpse of Ekko through the energy field.
He caught her eye and lifted two fingers to his forehead, wiggling them in a familiar gesture. Powder felt her heart swell and mirrored the motion, just as the rushing sensation overwhelmed her and she was yanked into a terrifying blur of shapes and colors.
A shriek escaped her lips as the world twisted and turned all around her, the crackling of arcane energy sparkling along her skin and she squeezed her eyes shut. Only one thought echoed in her head as the world tilted and faded into nothingness.
Please. Just please let me see Vi.