folkooc | TFLN aka Tales From Folkmore

I could teach you other things. Like how to identify valuable metals in scrap.

[she doesn't need metal for much, but she could definitely sell it]

I'd like to learn that.

If the creature is not bothered, then that sounds good. The way that Slugcat looks, I'm not even sure if they have bones. Or organs. Just in case, keep them away from salt.

Thank you, Mel. You were what we needed, too. Someone who didn't just care about benefits or riches, someone who could see that the city could be so much more and tried to do something about it. [ Jayce's next reply takes a few more seconds to come. He knows he's never going to see home again, and sometimes the realization flares vividly and painfully. ] I'm going to miss it. Piltover.

And yes, basically all that. There's little point in complicating things further.

[ This is not the most fun point to focus on, but it's important to talk about it. Jayce is reminded of his conversation with Inanna back during Christmas time, and how the goddess has helped him. ]

We are just humans, Mel. And a single person can't take responsibility for all the problems in a society. True, we should have done more. We were also dealing with decades of inequality, inaction, and elitism. Here, we can try to do better.

You can do plenty of things I can not. [ That last question gets him smiling again. ] There's only one way to figure that out, give it a try.

[Din tilts his helmet and nods.] I'll keep it in mind. If I ever need another ship. [At this point, it's a big if.] No. It's got it's usefulness. Even if it's still faster, than what I know to do with.

[That gets a snort of amusement out of him.] Found a reason to not ignore us. Funny how it's all for money.

Ah hell, Mando, that's the point of a ship like that. You can outrun the stars in it. [ Is he a little envious? A little. He loves a good fast ride. ]

Of course it's for money. All the Core Worlds care about is credits and not where those credits come from or who suffers for 'em. [ He shakes his head. ] Don't get me started. You'll regret it.

I have some I'm processing. If you want to see it, come over quick. I gotta get it cleaned up before Jyn gets home or she'll have my hide.

They have a tongue, and they eat. That much I can tell you. I'm not sure how bright a light I want to shine through mine.

You're welcome. The irony of course is that it more than paid off financially, personally and for the city. [ Mel sighs. ] I miss it too, Jayce. I miss what Piltover was, what it could have been, what it still could be someday. I don't miss what it's about to become. Perhaps what it's become already.

Not that Thirteen is some neutral observer.

The rest of the Council wasn't going to handle them, that's for certain. Not until— That's why I wanted you on there with me, so there'd be someone else who gave a damn and would take action. What's done is done, but we cannot forget it. It's part of doing better here.

Beyond my skills with diplomacy, which have not nearly the same need here, I have magic I barely know how to use. Though dragging you off, I am highly confident in my skills at doing. I'll have to show you.

I can be there in six minutes.

Hmm, I would take you for a flight. But it's not that big. [As it is, the N-1 barely fits him and Grogu.] Then you could get to see space.

[He waves a hand in understanding at the not getting Cobb started.]

I know some on Tatooine are liking the trade profits. Fett likes the help it's given for Espa.

Can't even sit in your lap. [ He gives a sad shake of his head but his eyes are sparkling with amusement. ] Guess I'll stay planet side a little longer.

Good for Fett but the smaller settlements are still struggling.

[There's a huff of amusement.] Maybe with the pod open. Then again, you'd likely have an easier time, getting in and out of the seat. Than I do. [With all the armor it's a tight fit. But Din makes it work.]

Can they not bring wares to the city? To trade?

You ever swing around again you can teach me to fly it. I'll take her for a spin myself. [ He toasts Mando but he doesn't believe for a second he'll see him again in Freetown. ]

The Jawas come around but most of the small places don't have enough to make the journey worthwhile. That's life out in the Wastes.

Let me drive your speeder, and it's a deal. [Of course the speeder wouldn't be as fast as the ship. But it's still pretty fast.]

Hmmm. What could be done to help the smaller ones?

Oh, you don't ask for much do you? [ But he's laughing about it. ] Sure, you can drive it. Been thinking about gettin' it here.

That is the million credit question, isn't it? We look out for ourselves as we always have.

You can bring vehicles here?

[He smiles under the helmet.]

...and you do a good job at it.

New friend of mine here Marc has a motorcycle. It's a wheeled land vehicle from his universe. Looks like a speeder but not as fast. [ The friction of the wheels on the ground really slows it down. ] Figure with enough spoons you can get whatever you want.

They're my people. Gotta look after 'em.

That's good enough. Let's leave the rest a mystery.

It did, I'm aware. That's a plus, I suppose, even if it wasn't Viktor and I main goal. Creating new technology is expensive, so it's good that we can afford it. It worries me as well but there's still Caitlyn. I regret how our last conversation ended but I know for a fact that she could do great things as well. We need to cling to that hope, that not everything might be lost.

They were not; they were far too comfortable with their positions. But a bad example is still an example of what we don't want to repeat. We will do better.

You never know, diplomatic skills could come in handy during a trial. Not every fight might be physical. When we met dragons, some months ago, they were not violent, but they also tried to keep us with them in their caves. We had to either reason with them or sneak out of their reach. I've got a nice gift out of that trial, though.

Let me know when and where, and I'll be ready for you to show me everything.

No, it wasn't a goal either of you had in mind, but it's important so that you can keep making new technology.

I am sorry for all the pessimism. I have been through so many upheavals, and with my mother in Piltover with a Noxian warship—

We're the City of Progress, and she is not so easy to convince of anything as the Council.

I would appreciate more trials like that and to meet dragons. Imagine that! You don't have to, but are they still reachable? To talk with?

The next time you work late.

That's geniuses for you, we often focus too much on how to make something a reality and forget the basics, like funding.

Don't apologize. I want you to know you can always talk to me honestly, especially when you feel like this, Mel. You had to deal with a lot in the past, and being here gives people time to think and process these sorts of things, so it's normal.

She is used to a different reality than Piltover, and it's hard for certain mindsets to be changed.

No, the caves the dragons used to reach us were sealed time ago, I figured that they moved elsewhere. I still have the golden scale I was gifted after the trial, it allows anyone who holds it to turn into a dragon for half an hour or so. Would you like to try it?

This week, then.

That was how we worked. When I did my job well, it was invisible to you both.

Some of this isn't best explained over text. At it's most basic, my mother has her own problems, and Piltover in chaos from the bombing presents an opportunity—she can take advantage of it faster than anyone else. Her warship is already there, and if she doesn't, someone else will, possibly to use against her. She'll have her due one way or another.

Piltover's position was precarious before, Jayce. I'll get to the figuring things out stage in time. There's just so much bad to process.

Talking to dragons would have been fascinating. Turning into a dragon? That's incredible! Of course I want to try it!

Yes. This week.

That also means that no one thanked you for your hard work. That happens all too often. Back home, people also failed to recognize Viktor's contributions to Hextech.

[ And frankly, it pissed off Jayce. ]

We can switch to video, or talk in person if you'd like. Yes, all that is true. There's one thing she can't get now, and that's Hextech. With Viktor and I gone, no one will be able to create the weapons she wanted, so that's a small comfort.

However, if Jinx reverse-engineered our tech, and that's really how she managed to bomb us, she won't share that with her. Zaun will look after itself, but they will give your mother trouble. And Piltover will suffer in the crossfire, which is what worries me the most.

[ Heimerdinger is supposedly also still alive, but Jayce isn't sure if that is a big comfort. He's a smart man and could rise to the occasion, but Ambessa, in the short time Jayce has known her, has proven to be challenging.

And now they are both depressed and negative. ]

Then you can use my scale any time you want.

I knew he was your partner, but I didn't give Viktor his due either.

[ Mel switches to video. ]

Neither of you are confirmed dead. That's what I was doing before I came here—trying to protect everyone. Outing myself. If they live to exile me again, at least you'll have all lived. I'm not letting some HexTech rocket destroy everything that easily. I'm not letting it kill anyone, if I can. You and Viktor are relatively close. You might live. Please don't talk about yourself like you're dead.

[ She crosses her arms and leans back. ]

Though that about undoes everything you said about my mother not being able to get HexTech. Jinx was the one who did it? I suppose she wouldn't like the peace deal.

[ Mel looks thoughtful. ]

I failed him too, but here we were able to talk about it and fix things. There's no reason why you can't do that too.

[ Hello there, beautiful. ]
We can't know anything for sure, Mel. Nor the extent of the damage, the deaths, or how many times the academy was hit. There's no telling if the whole tower went down, and not even your armor coudl stop a building from collapsing. I'm assuming the worst-case scenario, so I am able to figure out countermeasures, but that's all we can do. To speculate.

But if we keep it up, we will drive ourselves mad. I've done that many times in the past. [ It wasn't good for his mental health before, and it won't help Mel either now. ]

I'm speculating. I can't confirm if Jinx was the one who did it, but it would make sense. We've seen both her talent for building weapons and his affinity for destruction. Maybe Silco talked to her about the peace conditions, or he told her to attack the council to end it all. Who else could have been?

[ Mel's face goes through a journey, a terrible journey, as she thinks about how many people are in the building and near the building. She— she could possibly protect it from one hit, but Mel in that moment hadn't thought of that approach. Her death, no other destruction. At least, not in the moments before the fox arrived.

Then she focuses on the word countermeasures. ]

You think we might go back with tech you built here? Or powers we've learned? That we could change what happens...

[ Mel considers Zaun and what they know of it... and of skills with Hextech weaponry. ]

You and I can probably name everyone we know of in Zaun on one or two hands. I agree Jinx makes the most sense to build the weapon, possibly to use it given the treaty. Anyone who feared Silco would rule Zaun with an iron fist might opt to ruin the peace treaty he forged if the news slipped out to anyone. Again, speculation.

I wish we knew more. I want to be ready in case we go back, but—

[ It's hard for her to say it. ]

I don't know what that means.

[Jayce is quiet as she processes everything, feeling a little bad about making her realize that things might be even more screwed up than she originally thought. Sorry Mel, you're dating an overthinker. ]

Perhaps. I'm not sure if keeping our memories is a possibility, but statistically, there's always a chance for that to happen. Even if the odds aren't the best, I do believe in numbers. [ Magic spirits like Thirteen and her power might be unpredictable, but math is a universal constant. ] And who knows, perhaps if we go back, we will also retain some of our muscle memory. And you'll always have your magic.

Ey, we will figure things out. We have time, Mel. One way or the other, we will find a solution. We always do.

Edited 2023-05-20 17:31 (UTC)

TFLN aka Tales From Folkmore

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