Orion was fed and allowed to stay the night agaio his injuries. Once again, in the dead of night, he dedicated himself tthening his trol. His training alternated between stabilizing rger pools of mana and maniputing smaller amounts with speed and precision. He healed more of the rger cuts beh his bandages, but kept much of the open bruising and small cuts to avoid suspi.

  To avoid waking the boys, he refrained from releasing the mana in bursts a it to a small, steady trickle that dimly lit the room at best.

  What Orion failed to notice, however, was a small, stiff optic peeking out from beh the door. Once he firaining and fell unscious, the optic wiggled aracted with a soft click, disappearing back behind the door.

  The following day was fairly uful. Everyone was rexing after yesterday's ordeal, helping around the Last Drop or causing more shenanigans. Orion excused himself to "settle some business" for a few hours, restog on ammo in the ons alley of the Bck Lanes.

  Of his remaining two silvers, he spent oo buy two more rounds, putting him back up at three rounds. Now that the kids were more aware of him with a gun, he kept one round loaded and the other securely on his person.

  After returning, the gang hung out at the arcade. Powder and Mylo peted at both the shooting range and the arcade, with Orion occasionally joining in. He was no match for Powder iher but had Mylo beat, who scowled and tio practice diligently.

  "I guess habits stick," Orion casually thought, his gaze shifting back to Cggor tinkering on meical parts and Vi practig diligently in the ring.

  She had spoken little since yesterday, avoiding his gaze at every turn. It was a slow process of opening her back up. Of course, Orion's go-to method was just to hop ba the ring and ask her to show him how she fought. It seemed tradually getting her open up with more friendly versation.

  Now and then, Orion noticed Powder staring at him from the side, her eyes wide, burning curiosity and questions. It uled him at times, but he shrugged it off.

  "Overall, it leasant day," Orion thought with a small smile. "Weird to say if you look outside though," he added, chug as his gaze dismissively observed the toxic smog.

  The day tinued and ended ufully. Orion practiced again at night, unaware of the little optical device spying on him for the sed time. M would e quickly, and he would have to depart for topside.

  -------------------

  Dawn came, and Orio out back to his house to check up on it before heading topside. There were no signs of breaking aering, but oable, he noticed a small note. Armed, he drew his gun, cheg the bathroom and upstairs with shaky tension, but found no intruders.

  Sug in air between his teeth, he refused to holster his gun as he picked up the note.

  "Well done, little flower. Your roots are strong, nurturing yrowth. After your time in the sun, e to the Factorywood. You know what awaits. Signed, 'C'"

  "Fuck, how does she know where I live?" Orion cursed internally, pg the gun down briefly to rip the o shreds. "Must've been through the window..." he tried to reason, but after double cheg, he found all of the clips seg the tarp in pce were still there and undamaged.

  Tapping his gun against his leg, Orion's thoughts spiraled around his predit, "What am I gonna do? Set boundaries? Hah! Put Vander's kids at risk? She probably already knows." He could feel his nerves fraying, the tapping growing faster and more erratic before he let out a frustrated sigh.

  "Fuck." Orion cursed aloud, running a hand through his hair as he turoward the door. "Shit just got more plicated."

  -------------------

  "You made it!" Caitlyn gleams from behind the gate as Orion approached. She was donning a fitted leather training outfit, her hair tied ba a ponytail, exposing her eager expression.

  Orion smiled warmly, replying with casual humor, "Couldn't miss the reunion, could I?" before his eyes darted to the mansion.

  Cassandra, Greyson, and a younger d in his early tweood just uhe grand mansion doors. With the exception of Greyson, a tinge of disgust and suspi radiated from the other two. The man, in particur, gazed sharply and suspiciously toward Orion as the three versed just outside of earshot.

  "No, no you couldn't." Caitlyn giggled and leaned in slightly to whisper after notig his shifting gaze. "That's Jayce Talis, a minor house. He's worried you're dangerous or have ulterior motives." She added with a mischievous grin.

  "Well..." Orioantly aowledged it internally but kept it hidden behind an amused face as his gaze flicked back to Caitlyn. "He's ly wrong."

  "I guess I'll be the baddie for a while," Orion joked again, softly chug as a household servant came to unlock the gate.

  "Oh, I'm sure you are the most evil person I know," Caitlyed with yered sarcasm, rolling her eyes as they began walking inside.

  Their versation slowly came into earshot, and Orion heard Greyson's raspy voice speak in ed tones, "Perhaps revenge?"

  "Perhaps," Cassandra replied with the typioble authority. "What do you think- Orion?" Her gaze focused more ily on Orion, unnerving him.

  "I think it's a nice day?" Orion quipped sarcastically, briefly waving up to the clear sky. This ent earned him a hard gre from Jayd Cassandra's disapproving look but he tinued, "What are you talking about?"

  Sheriff Greyson stepped ione direct as she began to brief him, "After the i at t Mei's Menagerie, we've noticed dangerous new chemical pounds and alchemical works cirg Piltover." She gave a sad sigh, her gaze l with obviret.

  "I hoped the Ionians would leave peacefully." Greyson tinued, flig a g Cassandra. "But it seems like the flowers they took have found their way to the Uy. I don't know for certain, but perhaps it's revenge for House Mei's as? It's the only logical assumptiht now."

  Orio like a actal master criminal, praying that a bead of sweat wouldn't appear aray him. He couldn't cim the title of criminal mastermind though- that beloo 'C,' with her invisible rope now tightly woven around him.

  Grimag, Orion looked down for a moment when Jayce raised his voice, ced with suggestive i, "Perhaps you know something about this, Orion?"

  Orion rolled his eyes, delivering a mog verbal jab, "As a genius of the streets, I might indeed have some insight."

  "Enough." Cassandra interrupted, her tone anding as she waved a hand to silehem. "What do you know?"

  Jayce didn't say anything when Orion flicked a disdainful look at him, but noted his jaw tightening. He adopted a casual, nont attitude, though his words were calcuted.

  "From what I've been hearing oreets, some criminals acquired it from a group of i-looking travelers." Orion said, fog malicious suggestive i on 'acquired' and 'i-looking' as he fed the story on the fly.

  It wasn't the truth, but a safe middle-ground. He didn't want the dy from the menagerie trag him down to kick his ass again, nor did he dare put the bme on "C" who could gut him in his sleep.

  Cassandra and Greyson exged gnces, Cassandra's tone ced with skepticism as she inquired, "Stolen...?"

  "Perhaps," Greyson replied promptly, her voice steady. "We 't firm either sario yet. It will take time."

  Greyson smiled warmly, her gaze returning to an impatient and eager Caitlyn, who crossed her arms and began tapping her foot impatiently.

  Caitlyn spoke, disregarding the situation at hand, "May I take Orion to the training grounds now?"

  Cassandra's gaze lingered on Orion for a moment before sighing, rolling her eyes upward with a tone nation, "Of course, Caitlyn."

  Caitlyn perked up visibly, excitement evident, while Greyson chuckled softly. Jayce stepped festuring upward with his hand as he asked politely, "If you don't mind, Sheriff Greyson, may I watch?"

  "I see no problem with that," Greyson replied with a small nod, giving him a thoughtful gnce.

  "Yeah, I know what this is about..." Orion thought, sighing at Jayce's as before shifting his attention back to Caitlyn. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him roughly past the group, "e on, the servants will help you ge into something more fitting!"

  "More fitting?" Orion asked, looking down at his worn, dirty clothes.

  "You're not fighting in that," Caitlyn stated matter-of-factly, pletely ign Cassandra's disapproving look and Jayce's amused gnce. Without looking back, he could hear Greyson's raspy chuckle, prompting him to shake his head with a chuckle of his own as he let Caitlyhe way.