Arcane: Begging for Help in a Parallel Universe!

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Behind the door of The Last Drop bar.

"Sevika, I know you care deeply about the Undercity. You don't want to see Silco's ambitions, everything you both built, go up in flames!"

Link spoke earnestly to Sevika, "But you must understand the saying, 'When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken.' The Undercity is indeed a remarkable place in Zaun, but without Zaun, no matter how prosperous or thriving the Undercity becomes, it will all be meaningless."

"I understand what you're saying, but look at me now. What can I even do?" Sevika shook her head slightly.

"Start small!" Link patted Sevika on the shoulder. "If someone is being bullied, stand up for them. If someone is hungry, provide them with food. If someone has no shelter, give them a place to stay. Once you've done all that, look back, and you'll see a different landscape."

Link's lips curled into a smile beneath his mask. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll do."

Sevika opened her mouth, then finally nodded. "I'll give it a try."

"Jinx—" Link's gaze shifted to Jinx. "Aren't you going to say goodbye to your new friend?"

"Ah, friend—" Jinx sauntered over to Link, one hand on her hip while the other played with her ponytail. "I've always heard that friendship is about give and take... Of course, you've helped me a lot, so it's only right that I repay you. But you know, if I offer to repay you, it feels too transactional. Yet, if I do nothing, it seems too cold. You're really giving me a headache."

Jinx blew a strand of hair out of her face. Link shrugged. "If you want to help, then lend Sevika a hand."

"Ha, her!" Jinx glanced sideways at Sevika. "I've already taken care of her plenty of times."

"Of course, one more time won't hurt."

"If you don't count all the times you've caused trouble, I'd appreciate it if you could actually help me for once!" Sevika shot back. Jinx stuck out her tongue and made a face.

"Alright, I've got things to do." Link turned to Vander. "Vander, you stay here for now. If anything comes up, have Janna contact me."

"Got it."

Vander nodded slightly. Link turned and walked away, disappearing into the smog after a few steps.

"Well then—" Jinx looked at Sevika, then at Vander, her hand resting on Isha's head. "Shall we go have some fun?"

Sevika rolled her eyes but still spoke up. "Smitch has been acting up lately. You dare to go?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Jinx hopped over to Vander's side, leaning on him as she blew a strand of hair out of her face. "My dad's here. I'm not afraid of anything!"

...

"Janna, do you remember where we last met Ekko?" Link stood atop a high tower, looking down at Zaun below. Janna used a gentle breeze to clear the smog. "Of course. Every child in Zaun is under my care."

"Then take me there."

Janna moved forward, parting the thick smog.

"Wind's spirit, at your service!"

...

At the Firelights' hideout.

"Ekko, more and more people are coming. Our food reserves are running low. If we keep taking in outsiders, we'll soon face a food shortage."

Scar sighed, voicing his concerns to Ekko. Ekko sat on a wooden crate, elbows on his knees, fingers interlocked as he rested his chin on his hands, his brow furrowed. "Scar, I know what you're saying, but we can't just abandon them, can we? Should we just watch them die out there?"

"Gang fights are getting worse, the Chem-Barons are becoming more brazen, and even the smog is thickening. The living space for Zaunites is shrinking."

Ekko pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated. "We, the Firelights, can't just stand by and do nothing!"

"I understand, but we need a plan, a strategy!"

Scar said to Ekko, "Maybe we can go out and claim some territory to secure our food and supplies!"

"Wouldn't that make us just like the Chem-Barons?" Ekko widened his eyes at Scar. Scar sighed, "We don't have many options left!"

"What's going on?" Heimerdinger, wearing a colorful mask, walked over leisurely. "I could hear your arguing from afar!"

"It's about food and supplies," Ekko admitted. Scar added, "More and more people are coming to the hideout. Our food reserves are critically low. If we don't find a solution, everyone will eventually fall apart over food!"

"I see!" Heimerdinger's brows knitted together. "This is indeed a tricky problem!"

"But I believe we'll find a way. Wallowing in frustration won't change anything. Staying optimistic and proactive is the only way we can tackle this issue!"

"Professor, not everyone can be as carefree as you," Scar said with a bitter smile before turning to leave. He still had to tend to the gang's affairs.

"Sigh—" Heimerdinger sighed and sat down beside Ekko. Ekko watched the people resting under the tree. Though they looked tired, the fear and anxiety they once carried were gone.

"Heimerdinger, we need to come up with a solution."

As soon as Ekko finished speaking, a lively voice chimed in. "What are you two brainstorming now?"

A girl with bright yellow hair, wearing a large rubber coat with tubes and wires, and carrying a faint scent of machine oil, approached.

"Hey, Zeri!" Ekko waved. Zeri walked over to Ekko, pulling a paper bag from her coat. "I brought you some fried bananas as a thank you for helping me last time. They're caramelized—really tasty!"

"Thanks, Zeri." Ekko took the bag, weighed it in his hand, then handed it to Heimerdinger.

"But I'm not really in the mood to eat right now."

Heimerdinger opened the bag, and the aroma made his ears twitch.

"What's wrong?" Zeri crouched beside Ekko, resting her chin on her hands as she watched the people under the tree. Ekko sighed and shook his head. "Just some personal issues. Don't worry about me."

"Hey!" Zeri patted Ekko's thigh. "What kind of talk is that?"

"My grandma always said, 'Life is full of hardships, and that's why we need friends to help and support us!'"

"Besides, you helped me last time. I don't think a bag of fried bananas is enough to repay you." Zeri grinned, her fingertips crackling with yellow electricity. "You can count on me to help!"

Ekko's furrowed brow relaxed slightly as he smiled. "Then I'll thank you in advance."

"No problem! We're neighbors. Helping each other is what we do!"

"Very spirited!" A voice, neither distinctly male nor female, came from behind Ekko, Zeri, and Heimerdinger. Ekko turned immediately, while Zeri pointed her electrified fingers toward the source. Heimerdinger, startled, dropped the bag, and a few fried bananas rolled out, gathering dust.

"Young man, is this how you treat someone who's helped you before?" Link stood with his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his face as his gaze fell on the girl beside Ekko.

Zeri, the Spark of Zaun.

A unique girl born with magical abilities.

Her presence here meant that, under his influence, the future was indeed changing.

Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 100 on my patreon go take a look and remember if you reach 120 stones of power I will publish the next chapter.