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upsidedowncities · 2 years

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The Eye that Sees and The Heart that Beats

The undercity was never kind to people who had something about them that could be exploited. It would take and infect and pollute and spit you out with nothing. The very air reminded those trapped within it with each breath that they were less. They didn’t deserve to breathe clean air from above. In the eyes of Piltover the people from the undercity were too far gone to be saved. So they were left to choke on the filthy smog.

Hasson had taught you from day one that family wasn’t blood. Blood was a luxury you couldn’t afford. Family were those whose backs you watched, and in turn they watched yours. But as much as his lessons of independence and not relying on anyone were what he spoke out loud, what he did told a different story. He loved you, and he had loved you since the moment he pulled you half drowned out of the river. You knew he suffered more hardship for the sake of protecting you. Two mouths were much more expensive to feed than one, so often he fed one. And growing up you never starved. As you got older you saw the toll it was taking on him. So you began to work, as most children of the underground did. You started off choking in the mines, but then at the urging of Hasson, found something in the Lanes. You worked in a small restaurant. Bussing tables and washing dishes at first, and then ultimately ending up the bartender. Hasson also taught you that you could never let them see you bleed. He taught you how to defend yourself, and gifted you a knife that you kept strapped to your thigh. It was a little thing, like yourself. Easily underestimated. But it was lethal. Just like the undercity.

It was spring when you were walking home from the restaurant. If you could even call it that. Spring in the Lanes was not heralded with clear fresh air or flowers. Rather a couple extra hours of yellowish light that filtered down through the fumes from above. You were grateful for it in a small way. Because if you held your breath and closed your eyes the sun would warm your skin, and you could pretend you were somewhere else. Somewhere kinder. You never dawdled though. That was a good way to get hurt. So you passed quickly through the towering spires of stacked buildings, and over the fissures on your way home. Usually you didn’t stop once.

But today you heard a sound, a high pitched whine. It sounded like a kid. It sounded scared. You stopped and turned to face the alley. And sure enough, there was a kid. Maybe 8 or 9 with bright blue hair. Being backed into a corner by two grown men maybe twice her size. You debated a moment before setting your jaw and stepping over. Your boots made a sizable splash in the puddle at the entrance to the alley before you passed over.

“I really hope I’m not interrupting something important.” you fawned, your voice dripping with false sweetness.

“Actually you are, so get lost.” one of the men said, shifting his stance to face you. It was obvious they hadn’t planned on being interrupted.

“You see I already am, I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the Last Drop.” You picked the name of the most well known pub in town, one they would be stupid to not know the name of. You smiled sweetly.

Your plan had been to distract the men long enough for the kid to slip away. But the kid didn’t move. And one of the men took a step towards you, clearly aiming to swing.

“Ugh, no need to be rude about it.” You pouted just before stepping to the side, feeling a slight shift in air as his fist sailed past your head. You pulled your knife from its place and moved to slash the mans arm. He grunted as blood rained down onto your cheek from the sizable gash in his arm. You had to be fast. There was no way you could match these guys in strength so you had to be quick. And say a prayer.

Sinking low to the ground you lashed out again, your knife finding its mark on the tendon on the inside of the man's knee. You jerked your knife back towards you from behind his knee until you felt a snap and heard his scream. His tendon was completely severed and his leg useless.

“Get out of here kid!” you grunted and that's all it took. A moment's hesitation and that would be your undoing. Can’t hesitate down here, that's when the undercity will kill you.

The second man catches you by the hair. You feel a vicious yanking and cry out as your head is brought up. His knuckles collide with your stomach and you curse the big bulky rings he's wearing as your breath leaves you. Tears well up in your eyes from the impact and your breath is leaving you in shaking coughs. He drops you to the ground and you feel a piece of what must be glass imbed itself in your forehead. Your left eye is red and all you can smell is the coppery scent of your own blood pouring down your face. You curl in on yourself and prepare for him to start kicking. Praying to whatever god who must have abandoned you long ago that it's quick. Everyone hopes to go quickly. But the kicks never come. You hear shouting and the sound of a struggle. The man's shadow leaves your body and you can vaguely hear him fighting someone else. Blows are exchanged for a moment and then there is the sound of mechanic whirring followed shortly by the sound of bones shattering and the thump of what can only be a lifeless body. You didn’t hear any screams. You lift your head and see a tall woman with a metal arm standing above you. And the girl. The little girl you came here for. She is crying and something inside you twists painfully. She says something to the woman but you can’t hear. There's a ringing coming from the base of your skull that seems to be drowning out all other sounds. The last thing you see is the woman bending over you before your head falls to the concrete again and the ringing turns to a piercing shriek and then nothing.

You wake to find yourself in a bed, it's not comfortable. But it is also decidedly more comfortable than most beds in the Undercity. It smells clean, and the sheets have a slightly scratchy unused quality. It’s strange. You look around the room, trying to gather your surroundings. You seem to be in a shoddy hospital. Its shoddy because it's dark, and clearly never meant to be a medical facility. Pipes criss-cross above you, and the air has a wet stale quality. But it's been converted into one. There are a few mismatched shelving units bearing medical supplies. And a few other curtained cubicles, clearly containing other cots. A noise to your right alerts you to the presence of the woman from the alley. She is dozing in a folding chair next to your bed. You shift and she startles awake.

“Well if it isn’t sleeping beauty.” She says gruffly

When you respond with nothing she sighs.

“You really should be more careful. Good deeds are a bad idea.” she says, softer this time.

“I couldn’t just leave her.” you say, your voice coming out less words and more hoarse croak.

“She would have been fine, I was nearly there.” she says, irritation rising in her voice.

“Well good thing, cause I wouldn’t have stood a chance. Thank you.” you said quietly, turning to stare at the ceiling again.

Your head swam with thoughts. Where were you? Why did the little girl have a guard? Whose kid was she to be that important? Did Hasson know where you were? How long had you been gone? Where was your bag? Among a few at the forefront of your mind.

The woman cleared her throat, startling you from your thoughts.

“You’ve been out for about a day, your shit is safe, it's upstairs. I am supposed to give you painkillers and ask where you want to be dropped off.”

You paused, hesitant to tell her where you lived. After a moment you settled on telling her to drop you in the square, you could wait for her to leave and then head up to your and Hasson’s apartment. She would never know which it was.

“Can you drop me off at the square by the Last Drop?” you asked

“Oh that’s easy. We’re in the basement now. I’ll help you upstairs to get your stuff and then you can just go.”

“What do you mean we’re at the drop?” you asked, voice shaking slightly with the implication.

“She means, that girl you saved? Was my daughter.” A smooth voice came from the other end of the room. The woman next to you stood up quickly.

As you turned to see where the voice had come from, blood drained from your face. There in the doorway stood Silco. The king of the Undercity. The man everyone feared enough to have some semblance of law down here. He was corrupt, and a murderer. But he did provide structure. And under him the undercity had seen economic growth unlike the time of his predecessor who was more content hiding than seeking more. You were of the persuasion to be inclined to respect this man. He came up from the mines and made something of himself. He was proof that maybe they had a chance. But he was also of the persuasion to kill people who crossed his path. And here you were, caught like a deer in the headlights.

“I- I’m so sorry, I didn’t know I meant no insult on your guards capability, nor did I try to hurt her. Please forgive me.” Your voice shook as you spoke.

He stood there a moment, before the corner of his mouth quirked up into the ghost of a smile.

“Relax girl. Jinx told me everything, it’s not often I run into those who do something just cause it is right.” He said, and while the words themselves were kind, his tone was measured and calculated.

“I wanted to pay you back for the services, and any wages you may have lost while unconscious.” he said, his mouth settling back into his clearly schooled expression of neutrality. He crossed the room in only a few strides and dropped a small sachet in your lap. You didn’t open it. Silco stood at the foot of the bed and observed you. From your vantage point you could see he was tall, and lean but not thin. He was clearly strong. And his eyes. Everyone knew about his eyes. One a striking green that could be considered quite pretty, the other wide and scarred. Orange set in a black void. You wondered how it happened, and if it bothered him at all.

You shook these thoughts from your mind. He’s Silco, not some dog to ogle at on the street. You pointedly removed your gaze from his face and stared at your hands.

“Thank you, it’s unnecessary but very appreciated.” You said softly as you toyed with the string on the bag in your lap. The bag alone was nicer material than anything you owned.

“Don’t speak of it.” And with that he turned and left.

The woman who was still standing by your side waited until his footsteps before moving to help you up. You winced as you moved your torso. It was slow going. But eventually you were dressed and your items were returned to you. Plus the money and medicine from Silco. As she walked you to the door the woman turned to you.

“Word to the wise, kind is stupid. Don’t be stupid.” She said roughly.

You nodded once and offered a small smile. She looked away from you and opened the door. You stepped out onto the street and looked back at the Last Drop in enough time to see the door swing shut. You exhaled a shaky breath and walked across the plaza to your apartments entrance, cold gray dawn light barely filtering down from topside to the Undercity street at your back.

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