Arcane Anew

'This guy's such an idiot! Why doesn't he know the sign language?!' Isha thought, grumbling to herself as she rolled her eyes at Orion.

At first, she had been confused. How did he know her name? Were people finally recognizing that the sign language came from her? That thought sent a small flicker of joy through her chest.

Unfortunately, it was all for nothing.

'This guy, this idiot, he just doesn't know anything!' She huffed, arms crossed. He looked so skinny and pale- probably just another beggar from the Undercity.

Blinking, she frowned. 'But how does he have so much money to buy all this delicious food?'

His face and body didn't match his wealth.

People with money in Piltover always showed it somehow, even in the Undercity. They lived on the Promenade level, got augments, or at least looked well-fed. Even those who didn't flaunt their status still had something that gave them away.

But this guy?

Unhealthy. Pale. Gaunt. And his eyes… she had never seen eyes like those before.

And then-

"Take it and go," he muttered, his voice oddly strained as he pushed the bag of meat skewers toward her.

She hesitated, expecting something. A reaction. Anything. But fear? Why was he afraid of her after being so kind?

What a strange reaction.

His head turned toward the distance, and her gaze instinctively followed until it landed on a female Enforcer approaching with an irritated expression.

Immediately, Isha's head snapped back toward Orion, silently hurling accusations at him.

He denied them fervently.

Isha glared at him before retreating behind his form, praying he was telling the truth. He might be an idiot, but that Enforcer was far scarier.

Yet once again, nothing bad happened. Instead, the conversation only got weirder. They knew each other? And- did the Enforcer think she was his kid?!

'Yes! I'm a kid! Keep talking to each other!' Isha thought triumphantly as she stuffed more food into her mouth, trying to devour as much as possible in case this was just a ruse to snatch her away.

She didn't understand much of their conversation, but the tension was thick. There was some kind of betrayal involved. Had they been friends before?

Isha was starting to feel stiff from the pressure in the air, so she used the moment of ease to brazenly ask for more food and break up the conversation.

'What are you going to do? Deny me and stay stuck in a conversation with an Enforcer?'

And like a charm, it worked- eventually. The tension flared up again, but Orion broke away using her as an excuse.

"Some more skewers?"

"Nn!"

----------------

'This is the best day of my life!'

So many different foods, candies, even toys and gadgets she thought she would never be able to enjoy!

'How does this guy have so much money?! This is at least several weeks- no, months worth of food spent!'

A guy with so much wealth, on par with Piltover, blended so well as an Undercity resident. 'I have to know how this guy does it- and where he does it.'

She wasn't going to let this slip away. Whether it was by working with him or using him to get to the source, this was too grand an opportunity to pass up. She would be insane not to take advantage of it.

Still, despite all these treats and treasures bestowed upon her for free- something she gloated over intensely- his eyes unsettled her.

Sometimes he looked distant. Other times, like he was struggling. And sometimes, a strange glint ran through his eyes, like he was on the verge of a fit of rage.

This wasn't uncommon in the Undercity with all the drugs, Shimmer- yes, that's it! She finally pinned his eye color to Shimmer and assumed that was the cause. But it was still unsettling.

'I just need to stay cute and figure out how he's making this money.'

What she didn't expect, however, was for him to try and ditch her. She tried her cute and endearing tactics, but feared it was all for nothing.

'Damn it... At least I got something out of this...' she thought, believing the run was at its end as Orion turned to leave her behind.

But then-

"You're abandoning the kid?"

Isha turned her head, and her eyes went googly.

'Oh. My. God! They're from The Last Drop!'

She had heard numerous tales about the Hound, his children, and their battles over the years- the riots, the fights against Shimmer, Powder's ingenuity, Ekko's bravery.

Her heart raced with excitement but also shyness. She was standing next to people she thought of as legends and...

'They knew this guy too?!'

'What the heck?!'

Little did she realize, in her starstruck moment and bewildered realization, that she was clinging to Orion like a shield to hide her expressions.

'I'm not using you this time! I swear, I just—AAA! You know what?! No. No! I'm going to use this!'

But as their conversation continued, her excitement faded into a deepening frown.

'He saved the city? Disappeared? Explosions? He was talking about that with the Enforcer- six years ago?'

The thoughts raced through her mind, and for a brief moment, she made a connection- it was the same time her parents had abandoned her.

'No, my parents transferred mines…' Isha shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought. But deep down, doubt clawed at her. She knew those so-called transfers were just an excuse. Her parents could still be alive. What condition? Who knows.

Could she still call them parents too if they were alive and well?

And then, as if to completely shatter her already chaotic thoughts, Orion spoke a single name.

"Silco."