"Hey! Horison? Did it suck?" Mylo smirked.

  "Knock it off Mylo."

  Cggor's head turoward Mylo as Orion walked in expressionlessly.

  "I'm just asking. You know, was the food first css?"

  "How about this," Cggor said dryly. "If you don't knock it off, I'll let Gert know who I caught you leering at this m."

  "Please don't…" Mylo muttered, immediately defting. "It was an act."

  For a quick remembrahe arcade has a rge, archway stained-gss window o the entry door. The walls o the window were lined with arcade maes, while the back wall has a robotic boxing arcade mae and shooting range, all still maintained by Powder.

  After walking in, there is a bulletin board and armchair to the left, while the far right was refurbished. Faint, buzzing new lights hung overhead, illuminating a once-dusty ste room now repurposed. A circur metal table and several chairs occupied the space, alongside an artificer's table cluttered with tools and gadgets.

  pared to the past, the entire arcade looked… maintained. er. Even the walls had a fresh coat of paint- shades of blue and purple repg the dull greys and broypical of Piltover and the Uy.

  Looking up, metal beams supp the structure were still visible but with gss panels now dotting the ceiling. Two makeshift walkways- more like lounging spots- had been added, metal sheets curved into a 'C' shape and held up by thin struts.

  Ekko and Powder were up there. Powder y ft on her back, one arm dangling zily over the edge as she watched Orioer, anticipation gleaming in her eyes.

  Ekko, however, sat upright and ready to act, legs hanging off the beam. Unlike Powder, his expression was unreadable, and his grip on the beam visibly tightehe moment their eyes met.

  Cggor and Mylo sat at the refurbished table, their hands busy with their test projects. Mylo had his feet propped up, artificer goggles c his eyes as he held a circuit board in one hand and a s iron iher.

  Each time the tool touched the board, faint trails of smoke curled into the air. Despite his usual antid sharp tongue, his hands moved with precision.

  Beside him, Cggor was at work with a welding tool, a protective mask shielding his face. Bright fshes illumihe table as sparks sprayed, then faded.

  He leaned in, iing his weld, befroaning in frustration and tossing his tool onto the table. "I'll have to fix it ter..."

  "Stop sug so much. Ow!"

  Mylo's body jerked as Cggor kicked him uhe table. Despite the impact, his hands never wavered, still steady as he worked.

  "It's like I never left," Orion remarked dryly, but the familiar jab cked the chuckle it might've once carried.

  he entrance, Vi sat in a worher armchair, mirr the way she lou The Last Drop- sprawled out like a mafia boss, resting against her fist, studying Orion carefully.

  "Cupcake will be here soon," Vi gruffly said, pushing herself up from the chair. "She wao talk about something serious. Hope you don't mind."

  "You are this close, sis-" Powder scowled from the rafters, fingers less than an inch apart. "This close to being a Pilty."

  "She's been for rounding up Silco's goons and filthy bastards," Vi said, dismissing her sister's ents. Powder wasn't letting it go. "Mom and Dad would be really disappointed in you."

  "You have no idea how they would've felt," Vi snapped, her gaze shifting into a gre up toowder.

  "Maybe not, but I'm sure dying fighting Enfives a pretty good hint."

  Orion exhaled sharply, deg to ighem as he stepped forward. "How's it going, Mylo? Cggor?"

  The room's focus shifted as Cggor and Mylo set their tools down and rose to their feet.

  "Pretty good. You?" Mylo asked.

  "Getting used to freedom."

  Cggor squinted, studying him. "How's your head? And your eyes… prison got to you that much, huh?"

  Sighing, Orion shook his head. "I didn't take Shimmer. This is because of some magical fuckery. Though...it might be as bad as Shimmer."

  "Does it make you go cross-eyed? Woozy before bed?" Mylo started with a smirk, then quickly adjusted when he caught the gres. "Or- y'know- unstable. Like Shimmer?"

  All eyes turoward Orion expetly.

  "I don't know." Orion exhaled, rubbing his forehead. "More angry? Votile? I 't tell if it's because of prison or the Void."

  "The Void? You mean the horror stories they told us as kids? The thing that corrupts and es?" A skeptical voice echoed from the rafters.

  "See, I told you, he's a time bomb."

  A flicker of anger sparked in Orion's chest. For a brief moment, he sidered sending an arc of energy straight at the rafter. But with a slow breath, he forced himself to hold back.

  "The beam of light six years ago? That was some type of Void entity trying to break through- caused by the explosion a year prior."

  Gng up at Powder and Ekko, their gazes shifted unsciously. "Certain Hex Crystal explosions."

  "My god, that was six to seven years ago!" Vi scowled. "It's time to get over it and move on!"

  "The fuck did you just say?" Orion's head so Vi.

  "Get over it!" Vi shot back without hesitation. "Shit happens! We've got bigger problems with Silco these days!"

  Orion stood there, stuhen, slowly, the anger began to bubble over.

  "What- the- what-" He couldn't even find words.

  "Woah, woah!" Mylo quickly stepped in, holding his hands up. "Too much, Vi! Yn something major he just said!"

  "Like what?!"

  "The Void magic stuff? His magic? Remember?" Mylo's voice was a little shaky. He had turned fully to face Vi, but his eyes flicked nervously back to Orion.

  "You're being too harsh, Vi." Cggor's voice cut in, firm and disapproving. "He's helped us out a lot. He didn't deserve that."

  "You guys are just scared because of his magic," Vi accused, scoffing. "But I bet he couldn't win squat without it!" She poi Orion, her smirk widening. "Isn't that right?"

  "Way to blow things up, sis."

  "Seriously."

  "Fine." Orion's voice was hushed but steady as he gestured toward the ring. "Like old times?"

  Vi's grin sharpened. "You wouldn't st."

  Around them, the roaned or facepalmed.

  At that moment, the door creaked open. Isha, who had been waiting outside, stepped in- with Caitlyn right behind her. Both paused at the sight before them.

  Powder, however, tilted her head curiously toward the kid again.