Arcane: Echoes of Eternity

It was late when the group made it back to the spot where they left the cargo. The group let out a collective sigh when they saw the barrels still there...most of them at least. One was missing.

It was Powder's. Hers must have kept rolling down the slope when the group was being chased after. Even though it was not exactly her fault, Powder was miserable the rest of the walk back to Jericho's Stand. She was sulking during the entire walk.

"We shouldn't have brought her, she messed up more often than not."

Mylo wasn't helping either with his remarks. He wasn't talking very loudly. Fearing Ekko might heard him. The dark-skinned boy was rolling his barrel behind them with Powder, giving her company.

Ekko eyes were tight as he heard Mylo but he didn't want to bring the bluenette's mood down even further with infighting so he stayed shut.

*Smack!*

"Ouch! Hey!"

Tho from the sounds of it, Vi's taking care of it. He glanced at Powder beside him. Noting the way her eyes looked sadder. She's a smart girl. Smarter than people twice her age really. She could figure out why Mylo got smacked ea. She shrunked into herself even further.

Ekko was about to reassure her but-

"He's right ya'know" she mumbled out softly, catching his body language.

"You don't have to lie. I messed up today. If I hadn't I lost control of my barrel in the first place, we might not have to fight those guys and it might not rolled down where it got lost when we were running away from them." Ekko let her finish. First thing to do when you're solving a problem? Know the problem first.

"Well it's true-" Powder looked like she was about to cry. Ekko hurried the next words.

"-that you let the barrel roll down in the first place but they were waiting for us ahead. They must have followed us and just cut us off when people are scarce. So it won't matter if you let it got away or not, we're gonna run into them sooner or later. As for the losing it part? Well it was the pompous jackass fault. He shouldn't have let it roll away after catching it. Useless bastard." Ekko huffed in mock anger as Powder giggled at his expression.

"And you did extremely well in the fight. Heck! The fight was possible because of your bomb. Don't you get it? The gig was only successful because of you." Ekko continued as passionately as possible.

'He delivered the last part so full of belief.' Powder thought as a giddy smile appeared on her face. Forcing the urge to giggle like a Pilty academy girl down, she turned to face him.

"Thanks...Little Man." She gave him a grateful hug before running off to join her sister ahead. A little embarassed for reasons she couldn't explain. And Ekko unaware of the feelings he caused in his bestfriend, just watch her with a smile as she animatedly talk to her sister.

________________________________

(Later)

The group got to Jericho fairly late. Nearly time for supper.

'Vander's gonna be worried.' Ekko thought as he watch Vi talk with Jericho. Telling him about the goons that were hitting his supplies. Ekko had to interject on this.

"Who did you piss off anyway? The men had a Chem-Tank with them. You know they're personal bodyguards for Barons. And either you pissed him off really good or he trust the leader for the hit enough to lend one of his personal enforcers to steal seafood. Seafood." He emphasized the last part.

The fishman look offended for the first time ever since Ekko met him. Not for anything. But for implying that his seafood wasn't good enough for a Baron to sent one of his attack dogs after it. Ekko just looked unimpressed.

After a few moments, Jericho relented and warbled something. Ekko pointedly look towards Vi.

"Hmm? Oh right! Well essentially, he knocked out the Baron-Wait YOU DID WHAT!?" Vi looked flabbergasted and Ekko didn't blame her. He too was looking at the fishman in a new light.

"Well!? What happened after that? C'mon don't leave us hanging." Mylo demanded as he jumped up and down in his stool, anticipation running through him.

"Umm.. uh after that his goons stowed him away because Vander's guy were eyeing them a little unfriendily." Vi translated but she was still in shock.

"Who was the Baron?" Ekko asked Jericho. The fishman just shrugged his shoulders.

"Well do you at least remember what he looked like before you rearranged his face?" He asked again as the big fishman nodded proudly and warbled something.

"Vi?" Ekko asked.

"Umm he has slantly eyes and a face full of tattoos? Oh and a yellow tacky jacket."

'Finn' Ekko realized but he schooled his features to let nothing show.

"Any other descriptors?" He asked as smoothly as possible to not give away anything. Jericho just shook his head.

"Did you at least break something?" Vi asked as Jericho laughed.

"His jaw? He was out in one hit? Damn! He must have been a pussy."

"*Gasp!* Vi! You can't say that. Vander said not to" Powder gasped as her sister put her arms around Powder.

"And if you don't tell him, he's not gonna say anything." Vi says as she smirked.

"I'mma tell him." Powder sticked her tongue out.

"Why you! Come here you little brat." Vi chased her in mock anger as Powder ran.

Ekko just looked at the pair amusedly before turning to the chef.

"What's the payment on this gig?" Jericho just warbled something before leaning down behind the counter.

*Thud*

*Thud*

*Thud*

*Thud*

*Thud*

He put down five bowls which has more in common with basins, filled to the brim with various seafood and a nice golden brown broth. They're also steaming hot. Looking like Jericho had cooked them recently or he'd kept reheating them.

"Outta the way, little man." Vi pushed him aside as she went straight for the food. The smell attracting her from her little play-fight with Powder.

The rest of the gang soon followed after. A warm,del meal is what they need after today's shenanigans.

"This *munch* is great *munch* Jericho. Thanks a bunch!" Vi said as Jericho warbled happily, before taking out a handful of bronze wheels and passing them over to Vi who just pocketed it. Not even bothering to count.

'THAT was the payment? What's this then? Free meal for a job well done? Gonna have to look for more gigs from Jericho if this is the usual.' Ekko thought in pleasant surprise.

"Man, we gotta do more jobs for him if we get to eat this everyday." Apparently Mylo agreed with him. With Claggor nodding along the smaller boy's words.

Jericho just warbled proudly before an another customer got his attention.

"A bowl of what they are having." A deep voice rang out, making the group pause. Ekko looked over Powder's head and sure enough...

"Soooo I heard you kids had an interesting evening." It was Vander, The Hound of the Underworld and currently and currently a father with an even expression.

Vi paused in the middle of stuffing her face and swallowed to reply as nonchalantly as possible.

"Oh it was fine. Nothing we couldn't handle." Vander looked over the group as Jericho put down an another large bowl of steaming hot goods.

"Oh? A Baron's henchmen is something you could handle now eh?" Vander voice was even, not sounding accusing or anything but the group collectively winced.

"Vader... I-we- it's not what you think!" Vi protested as the group looked at the two. The atmosphere was tense.

"What I think? No... No... I'm not talking about what I think. I'm talking about what I heard." Vander said as he took a spoonful of broth and blowed on it. Letting them chew on that bit of info. News travelled fast in the Undercity.

"Oh yeah? And what did you heard?" After deflecting didn't work, Vi was now openly defiant. Looking for a way to counter anything Vander might accuse them of.

"A Chem-Tank of Finn and his three stooges got blown up." At that he looked at Powder specifically. Making her look down and shrunk. Ekko offering his hands beside her, making her grip it tightly.

"Powder's got noth-"

"I wasn't finished." Vander didn't raised his voice but it was noticeably harder now.

"They got blown up, two of them suffered delibilating injuries on their faces. Another got his knees busted and the Chem-Tank..." he took a sip of broth and a bite of the meat.

"...got bits of his brain pulled outta him." At the last bit he looked acrosd Powder, at Ekko. The kid's unnatural strength relative to his actual size is something Vander has always known. But his brutality in dealing with this one is new.

Even on the bridge, on that night, he wasn't as brutal. And it made Vander worried. Did something happened to his children? Did the mook said anything to set the kid off?

"Ah that. I didn't know it was connected to the brain. We thought it might stop pumping the chemicals and weaken him." The boy sheepish replied. As if ashamed of not knowing that. Vander let out a sigh of relief masked as exasperation.

"And the extra bit of strength you need for pulling it out didn't tip you off?" Vander's voice was teasing now, making the group surprised.

"Ermm No? To be fair I wasn't doing much thinking at the time." Ekko was confused too.

"Heh... Relax. I know what happened wasn't entirely your fault. Though it's your fault for engaging without fleeing." Vander looked a little pointedy at Vi

"We did flee. They chased us for a while before we turned the table on them in the alley." Vi admitted. This time making Vander surprised.

"Well... color me surprised. This was nearly a flawless on your part." Vander chuckled as he took bites out of his bowl.

"Yeah, nearly flawless." Mylo scoffed into his bowl as Claggor elbowed him in the side. Nearly making him puke.

Vander payed him no mind as he looked at the two kids he first adopted. Giving them a smile,

"I'm proud of you. All of you." He turned his gaze towards the rest at the last part. Making his sons also beam.

Powder was so happy that it made it hard for Ekko to look at her face, radiating so much good feelings.

"Thanks, Vander" Vi said while looking away like the tsundere she is. Vander just gave her an amused smile.

"But you're laying low for sometime. Maybe a month or two if necessary. You can take the usual low end jobs in the lanes but nothing outside it. Not until I talk with the Baron whose responsible." Vander eyes were hard as he looked at each of the children, daring them to argue.

"Yeah, that's fair." Vi reluctantly agreed. She knew they stirred some nest with today's stunt. But as long as she could prove herself to Vander, it was a small sacrifice.

Vander smiled, satisfied when he saw that she gets it.

"Well how about we finish up here and hit the sack early. You had quite the day after all." He said and turned back to the food. The rest followed his example and went in for their foods again. During this, Vander was eyeing Ekko which the boy also caught, signaling him to talk later and a silent nod as a thank you for keeping the others safe.

Ekko nodded back discreetly before Powder pulled him away again to talk about something she want to make, probably a bomb Vander mused. Speaking of,

"Powder, From now on you're not allowed to test bombs on your own. Either me, your sister or Ekko has to be by your side everytime you're going on a test run." Vander warned his youngest making her splutter.

"Whaaa! No fair! You used to let me make them by myself. How can I surprise the others if you make me show them before!? Vaaaanderrrr!" Powder whined as she pulled on Vander's spoon holding arm to make him focus on her. The onlookers just laughed at the father/daughter pair.

The evening ended with the gang leaving Jericho's stand with full bellies, laughter and joy, full of hope for the coming day.