Arcane: World Two - AU (Non-binary reader)

XIIX - Unscratched

The room is large and the light is dim. A lot of furniture is dotted around the room, like an alternative to a Piltover room. There's a large window on the side, and blinds cover the high view of Zaun.

The door opens, and Felicia walks in. She still has the 100 in her fingers as she walks to you: "Morning sleepyhead"

You lay asleep on the couch, a bottle of whiskey in your hand. Your eyes flutter open: "I'm up..."

She rubs your shoulder: "Yesterday's fight was a spectacle, wasn't it?"

You roll over, your one eye facing the ceiling: "For you, maybe"

She sits beside you: "Well we won and made some good money" You take a swig from the bottle, but she swipes it from you: "Can't be drinking that, we have a job today" She takes a drag from her 100 before speaking again: "We got a gig"

You consider grabbing a different bottle but decide against it: "Where?"

She smiles at your blind faith: "Wants to meet in the Pardido" She opens the blinds, you cover your eyes at the sudden ray of light.

"Client wants to meet in the Pardido"  you repeat her words, confirming to her that you'll do this job. 

***

In the remains of Batsor, the town you'd blown to pieces, Sevika and Silco trudge through the thick snow. Nobody has been back since the bodies were cleared so their footsteps are the first for a while. 

"What're we looking for?" Sevika yells to Silco, who is further ahead

Silco walks into the barn that Carthon had died in: "A sign of life". He digs around but the only evidence someone had ever been here was the dried blood of orange-cloth members. Sevika stands guard, paranoid of an attack.

After a long search, they find nothing: "Damn it!" He kicks a stool lying by his feet, it flies through the window, landing in the snow.

Sevika turns to him: "It's okay" 

Silco doesn't let up: "There's nothing here!" He throws things around in anger, but Sevika doesn't stop him.

***

There's a bar, not like the last drop, mercenaries meet clients here. The Pardido was built right after the Lanes failed revolution, people wanted things they couldn't get themselves, and this brought an increase in mercenaries. You sit in one of the stalls, your arm resting on the seat next to you as you wait for the client. You adjust your eyepatch, it's the same one that Silco gave you but you changed the colouring, making it unrecognisable.

A man walks in, nobody but you looks, he's short, has his hood up and his head down. He stops by you: "You y/n?" You tilt your head, signifying him to sit across from you: "So, I was in the Babayaga, right?" The Babayaga was a well-known Casino in the Lanes. Its notoriety comes from the fact the owner just supplies the gear, from there it's all for all. "And I keep winning against this one guy, but he keeps betting. Eventually, I get cocky and put my watch in"

You cut him off: "And he suddenly gets real good, and wins your watch" You've heard this same story a thousand times from newcomers, thinking they can win big. "And you want me to get it back"

He looks slightly surprised, hearing you read his thoughts set him aback slightly as he stutters: "H-he lives on the third house on South Westmore Street, he has a few guys posted, three at most. Once you have it, meet me back here"

You raise your hand, stopping him. You're a professional, you can handle whatever is in that building: "How much are you paying us?" He says his price but you shake your head: "Sixty per cent to Felicia" It used to be only five but it went up without you realising.