Sister Cities

Part 5: Ekko (10 Years Ago)

We were infinite

There was no time in those days

When all we knew wasn't stolen

There was nothing real to lose

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"Dare you to try to catch it."

"You bet."

"Back up. All the way to the back. Yeah, there."

"Okay, go."

"You're not gonna miss it, are you?"

"No. Throw it."

She throws it, and I miss it. 

It hits the wall and makes the loudest noise I've ever heard. We stare.

"Shit," Powder says. I nod. She comes across the room and we get as close as we can without stepping on the pieces, since we're both barefoot. Benzo just got it last night— a cut-glass chalice with gemstones around the rim that Snake stole from someone's package when she was in Piltover. He said we'd get a mountain of gold for it.

"Why didn't you catch it?" Powder asks.

"I don't know. Why did you decide we should throw it?"

"I thought you could catch it!"

"You threw it over my head! How was I supposed to catch it if you threw it over my head?"

"Your arms can reach over your head, can't they? What'd you want me to do? Did you think I was gonna throw it at your feet?"

"I thought you were gonna throw it at my arm level!"

"I just said your arms can reach over your head!"

I watch a ruby wink and then blur into a red splotch on the floor. "Benzo's gonna be so mad."

"Don't cry. I bet we can fix it. I bet—"

"We can't fix it! Look at it! You threw it at a wall!"

"And you didn't catch it!"

Without another word, we race down the street and into the Last Drop's basement, where we hide behind the couch, facing away from each other. We always do this when we break something and we always get found, but it's not like we have anywhere else to go. We're not allowed out of the Lanes in case somebody ends us.

It only takes a few minutes before Vi comes down the stairs and looks around the corner at us. "What'd you guys do this time?"

"Nothing!" we yell.

"Then why's Ekko crying?"

"I'm not," I say while Powder says, "He's not."

"You have to tell me if you want me to try to cover up for you."

"Powder threw Benzo's chalice at the wall," I say while Powder says, "Ekko let Benzo's chalice hit the wall."

Sometimes Vi laughs at our misdeeds and this is one of those times. It's easy for her, since she's not the one who has to watch the shop and look at sparkly things for hours on end. Her and Mylo and Claggor get real missions.

"That's bad," she says. "That's actually super bad."

"Viiiiiiiiiii," Powder wails.

"Sorry, Pow-Pow. We're not gonna be able to hide this one. That chalice was Benzo's baby. Where'd you leave it?"

"All over the entire floor!"

"Shit."

"We could blame Mylo," Powder says.

"Yeah," I say.

"Mylo's out with Vander," says Vi. "Benzo knows where they are."

"Okay, then it's Powder's fault," I say. "It was her idea."

"Ekko said he could catch it," says Powder. "I asked if he was sure he could catch it before I threw it and he said yes."

"Sounds like it's both your fault," says Vi. "You could just team up and face Benzo together—"

"No!" we say, and then the door slams open and Benzo shouts, "Oi! Anybody seen those kids?"

Powder pops up to shake her head vigorously at Vi. Vi stays quiet, but Benzo's shoes thunder on the stairs a second later. I yank Powder back down.

"Couch?" Benzo says.

"Couch," says Vi. "Sorry, you two."

Powder and I jump to our feet as he comes around, not that it actually helps us measure up to his height. He stands in front of us with his arms crossed.

"Can either of you tell me why my Topside chalice is shattered on my floor?"

"Powder," I say while Powder says, "Ekko."

"Why would you mess around with something like that? Do you realize what it could have meant for our rent? I told you that you weren't to even touch it."

I stare at my feet and feel Powder staring at me. Benzo and Vander always stand around waiting for answers when we misbehave because they think disapproving silence will drag it out of us. They're right.

Powder squeaks and blurts out: "I wanted to see if we could get away with playing with it. It was my idea. Ekko wasn't part of it."

Vi climbs onto the couch and puts her hand on Powder's back. I squeak and blurt out: "I told her I would catch it if she threw it." Vi puts her other hand on my back.

"Ah," says Benzo. "You fancied yourselves some little rebels, did you? You figured it was worth the risk that it'd go wrong?"

"We're sorry," we say.

"Yeah, you'd better be." He's quiet for a long moment after that; Powder creeps closer and grabs my sweaty hand with her sweatier one. "You're good kids," he says eventually. "You just make bad decisions. A lot of them. All the time."

Vi snorts. I glance at Powder and she gives me a tiny grin.

"We can still sell the gems," Benzo says. "You two can go sort them out and pick up all the glass. Put some gloves on first."

We nod.

"And if you ever want to be rebels again, go vandalize a public area like normal kids do. Leave my merchandise alone."

We nod again and take off.

"Thanks, Powder," I say while Powder says, "Thanks, Ekko."

We get back to the shop and study the broken chalice again. Then Powder looks around the room and says, "What should we throw next time?"

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Intro lyrics from "Summer Skeletons" by Radical Face.

thanks for reading my lovelies :,)