Arcane: I have Plasmids F*** YEAAAAAAH!!!

Day 4.

Three kids.

Two machines.

And a gamble that could change Zaun forever.

Lukas, Ekko, and Powder sat in the back of Benzo's shop, surrounded by a battlefield of wires, metal scraps, and half-melted components.

The two telegraphs before them looked nothing like they did four days ago.

One was Benzo's old telegraph, once a useless relic, now a heavily modified beast with new wiring, an extended antenna, and additional circuit components jerry-rigged together.

The second was Lukas's original find, which at this point was barely a telegraph anymore. It had been stripped, rebuilt, reinforced, and turned into something else entirely—a transmitter, unlike anything Zaun had ever seen.

This was it.

This was the moment.

The one that would cement them as geniuses…

…or expose them as complete dumbasses.

Lukas really hoped it wasn't the second option.

---

Ekko adjusted his goggles.

"Okay. Let's go over it one last time."

Lukas cracked his knuckles.

"Hit me."

Ekko held up their prototype schematics.

"Step one: The transmitter. It creates electrical pulses to send the signal."

Lukas nodded.

"Check."

"Step two: The receiver. It picks up the signal and translates it into clicks."

Lukas smirked.

"Check."

"Step three: The antenna. Without it, the signal won't go anywhere."

Powder poked the makeshift antenna sticking out of the receiver.

"It still looks like ass."

Lukas rolled his eyes.

"Doesn't have to be pretty. Just has to work."

Ekko exhaled.

"Alright. That means…"

---

Powder wiped some grease off her face.

"…That means we either make history…"

Ekko sighed.

"…Or we blow up the shop."

Lukas grinned.

"Nice."

From the other room, Benzo yelled:

"NOT NICE."

---

They hooked up the prototypes.

Connected the last few wires.

Set the transmitter and receiver on opposite ends of the workshop.

Then…

Ekko handed Lukas the mechanical telegraph key.

"Alright. Time to send the first wireless message."

Lukas took a deep breath.

Powder bit her lip.

Ekko adjusted his goggles.

This was it.

The moment of truth.

Ekko cleared his throat.

"…So, uh… what happens if this doesn't work?"

Lukas tapped his chin.

"Worst case scenario?"

Powder smirked.

"We all get electrocuted and die."

Ekko groaned.

"Thanks, Powder. Real comforting."

Lukas grinned.

"Only one way to find out."

---

CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.

Silence.

Then—

A soft hum from the second machine.

A small spark of electricity.

And then—

"WHIRRRRR."

The receiver came to life.

The mechanical printer began moving.

Powder and Ekko's eyes snapped to it.

Letter by letter, a message began appearing on the paper.

Their first wireless transmission.

---

WELCOME TO OUR GLORIOUS FUTURE.

…

…

…

THE ROOM EXPLODED INTO CHAOS.

---

Powder was SCREAMING.

"HOLY SHIT, WE DID IT!!!"

Ekko grabbed Lukas's shirt and shook him violently.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?! DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW INSANE THIS IS?!"

Lukas was too busy trying not to die from being shaken like a maraca.

---

Powder ran in circles.

"WE MADE MAGIC!!"

Lukas yelled, "IT'S NOT MAGIC, IT'S SCIENCE!!"

Powder ignored him.

Ekko's voice cracked.

"WE CAN TALK TO PEOPLE WITHOUT WIRES, DUDE. THIS IS SOME PILTOVER-LEVEL SHIT."

Lukas fixed his collar.

"Nah. This is BETTER than Piltover-level."

Powder grabbed a wrench and held it up like a trophy.

"WE'RE THE SMARTEST PEOPLE IN ZAUN!!"

---

Then, suddenly—

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE?!"

Benzo stormed into the room.

His eyes scanned the disaster zone.

The half-melted wires.

The blueprints everywhere.

The machines still buzzing with static electricity.

His gaze locked onto the telegraph receiver.

He stepped closer.

Read the printed message.

His mouth fell open.

"…No way…"

---

Lukas stepped forward.

The room fell silent.

This was it.

The moment that would go down in history.

His eyes gleamed with madness.

He raised his hands dramatically.

And then—

With every ounce of chuunibyo energy in his soul…

Lukas Fontaine declared to the heavens:

---

"THIS IS THE BEGINING OF OUR GLORIOUS FUTURE!!!"

---

Benzo just stared.

Then facepalmed.

"Oh, dear Janna. He's lost it."

Ekko clutched his head.

"DID YOU HAVE TO BE SO DRAMATIC?!"

Powder gasped.

"Wait, wait—CAN I DO A DRAMATIC POSE TOO?!"

Lukas nodded, very serious.

"You are encouraged."

Powder climbed onto the table and struck the most ridiculous pose possible.

"BOW BEFORE ME, FOR I AM THE GODDESS OF TECHNOLOGY!!!"

Ekko threw his hands up.

Benzo sighed.

"I regret everything."