"Pop!"
Down in the Sump, the first people to spot the smiling signal flare blooming over the Promenade were the residents of Hope Community.
"Is today some kind of holiday or something? That firework is gorgeous!"
One look and everyone knew that design was the blue-haired lunatic's work—but so what?
The blue-haired lunatic was terrifying as an enemy, sure. But if she was on your side, that was a completely different story. Besides, Hope Community was right next to the Spirit Blossom Gang and had become the most prosperous community in Zaun. People saw the blue-haired lunatic around here all the time.
Sometimes she had a little blonde girl with her. Sometimes it was Vi, the red-haired Sump Enforcer. Sometimes it was the new leader everyone respected—Mr. Logan himself.
Honestly, setting aside the rumors, she was just a cute, beautiful young woman.
So when the smiley-face firework appeared, nobody panicked. Nobody felt afraid.
"Wait… but there's nothing to celebrate today, is there?"
"It's so pretty. That braid is done so well. Think we'd still make it in time if we went to the Entresol to watch?"
"Hold on—this doesn't look like fireworks. Doesn't this look like a signal flare?"
Someone said the words "signal flare," and the crowd instantly erupted. A wave of people sprinted straight for the Spirit Blossom Gang's base.
Zaun had been peaceful lately. Hope Community didn't even need daily patrols anymore, because no one dared cause trouble near the Spirit Blossom Gang. Vi's violence was carved into her bones—anyone she caught stirring up trouble got beaten at best and forced to do community service, or at worst got their arms and legs broken and tossed out.
Zaun didn't need laws and rules right now.
Because Logan's word was the rule.
News reached the Spirit Blossom Gang in no time—and the entire gang snapped into motion.
"Move, move, move—gear up!"
"Manzu, go tell the boss! I'm taking a group to hold the bridge first! That's Jinx's flare—Piltover is definitely coming!"
"Be careful!"
"Relax. A hundred percent. I'm not who I used to be."
Marsen grinned. Then he waved an arm and led dozens of people onto roller carts—tools Ekko had made to run perfectly through Zaun's messy terrain.
They shot toward the Promenade at blistering speed. Marsen's smile faded, his expression hardening into something steady and unshakable.
When Logan heard, he was in the middle of reading and teaching Isha letters with Jinx.
The moment he learned a Promenade flare had been fired—when that smiling face burst across the sky above Zaun—Logan didn't waste a second. He grabbed clothes from the side, pulled them on, then turned—
To see Jinx clutching the hem of his jacket, her small face serious as she looked up at him. Her enticing lips parted.
"Take me with you."
"You…" Logan looked at Jinx.
A flicker of pleading flashed through her eyes. Her hand tightened around his jacket so hard her knuckles went pale.
Of course she'd listen to him. If he told her not to go… she would stay.
But she wanted—desperately—to go with him.
And when Jinx was spiraling in that anxious, terrified place where she couldn't tell if she was about to be abandoned—
Logan's hand settled on her head.
He rubbed her hair hard, forward and back, turning that thick blue mess into total chaos. Then he flicked her forehead with a bent finger and snapped, annoyed:
"What kind of stupid question is that? Grab your weapons and move. Bringing you with me is the most obvious thing in the world."
"!"
Jinx's eyes lit up instantly. She popped onto her toes, kissed Logan on the chin, then spun around, hands on her hips, and shouted at Isha with a laugh:
"Ha! Isha, let's go!"
"Yah!"
Isha tossed the book aside—she'd wanted out of reading for ages!
She sprang up, slapped her hat on, and started rummaging through everything. She pulled out a pile of things that made Logan's mouth twitch.
Bombs. A pistol. And a half-assembled rifle…
What the hell had Jinx been teaching Isha in private?
Logan didn't object at all to Jinx bringing Isha. Jinx was doing it to give an answer to the Powder she used to be.
Care and protection weren't always the best thing.
Sometimes, being acknowledged mattered more.
Logan scooped Isha up. Jinx looped her arms around his neck from behind, clinging to him as they hurried outside—just in time to see Vi and Vander coming out too.
Vi raised her brows at Logan's whole setup, whistled, and said, "Oh—Logan. Taking the whole family out for a nice field trip?"
"Shut up, Vi!" Jinx stuck her tongue out at her.
Vander's expression was grim. "So they really came at us?"
"Probably. That flare is a first-level alert." Logan nodded. "Come on, Vander. We need to get there fast."
Logan led them out. At the Spirit Blossom Gang compound, Scar had already gathered the Firelights—everyone was here. Ekko too.
When Logan appeared, all eyes turned to him.
Logan looked at Ekko. "Get me a few hoverboards."
Ekko immediately signaled, and several Firelights handed over their boards.
Logan passed boards to Jinx and Vi, then glanced at Vander and frowned. "Vander, you run. Full speed."
"I leave right now?" Vander asked, thinking it over.
Logan nodded.
"Wait—Vander." Logan stopped him, voice low. "On the way, notify Silco. Tell his people to get here fast too."
"If Piltover really is pushing in, then we push right back."
Vander dropped to all fours, ready to sprint, and Logan added, cold and sharp, "They don't want to take the hint we gave them—then we won't be polite anymore."
Vander broke into a grin. "Good."
Then he launched forward, turning into a blur and vanishing from the Spirit Blossom Gang compound.
Logan handed Isha over to Jinx and looked at her. "You know how to use it?"
"Of course." Jinx puffed out her chest.
Vi stared at Isha, frowning. "Jinx, she's still too young. You're taking her to a place like that?"
"I'm her sister." Jinx rolled her eyes and started ranting. "And since you're so concerned, how about you stop sticking your nose into my business? If you've got energy to control me, maybe use it to figure out how to get rid of those tattoos—stupid. If you like drawings that much, just paint them on. Getting them inked for real—doesn't it hurt?"
She ignored Vi after that and crouched to coax Isha.
Isha hugged Jinx's leg and snorted at Vi.
In the past, Logan might've tried to explain Jinx's thinking to Vi, might've talked about what went wrong back then.
But there was no time now.
Logan stepped onto his hoverboard and raised his left hand high.
"Zaun!"
"Piltover is coming at us! They still think Zaun is the Zaun we used to be—so we're going to show them exactly what their arrogance costs!"
"Anyone who isn't afraid to die—come with me!"
"Show them Zaunite strength!"
Logan cinched the belt at his waist and shot up into the sky on his hoverboard.
Scar pulled on his mask, slung his long gun, and roared, "Firelights—move out!"
Vi wore the pair of blue-and-pink gauntlets Jinx had made for her—one with a cat design, the other with a puppy. She slammed her fists together, bared a savage grin, and rocketed upward on her hoverboard, a sea of Spirit Blossom Gang members streaming behind her.
Logan was the leader of all Zaun.
But in the Spirit Blossom Gang's hearts, Vi was the boss.
Loyal. Strong. The kind of fighter people believed in. Vi had leadership in her bones.
She didn't even need to say a word—people followed her anyway.
Above Hope Community, residents stared up in excitement at the sky full of green light—glows from Firelight hoverboards. Hundreds of Zaunites cut through the wind, flying toward the Promenade.
That sight…
"Fuck Piltover!"
"Damn it—I'm going too!"
"Hell—if I die, it's still worth it! If it buys the next generation a future, I can die for it!"
"I'm going to help, no matter what! Even the kids are going—what are we adults doing, hiding behind them?!"
"Zaunites—stand together!"
Someone shouted, and the crowd erupted. People rushed home, grabbed whatever weapons they had, and poured out of the community like a flood.
To hell with Piltover.
To hell with Piltovans.
To hell with being controlled.
Piltover—
Zaun is here.
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