hex | chapter one
unedited

Nova, aged five

"Mommy, mommy! Look at me!"

A shriek was heard right after those words, followed by a little girl's cheerful giggle that echoed around the crowded streets of Zaun.

Hair as red blood flew in the air around a child's head as she joyfully jumped around a shining circular bar sign. The sign was familiar to the little girl -and familiar to everyone who knew Vander, the owner of 'The Last Drop'. The smile worn by the girl was brighter than Piltover's blazing sun and it burned the eyes of her spectators.

Yes, spectators. The commotion caused by her mother's yell was enough to bring at least ten people out of their dark hiding spots to watch a child falling from a building. They secretly wanted to save her from a disaster waiting to happen but a side of them wanted to see where it would go. As if, by a miracle, she would be saved by a secret guardian angel.

As if Nova needed to be saved. That's what the little girl thought as she balanced her weight on the wobbly surface. Looking down just a peek, she saw that the ground wasn't that far away. A few scratches would be the outcome of her predicament.

As more and more people stopped by to watch a pleading mother begging her reckless child to descend from a dangerous height, Nova felt their eyes on her and started to her more and more nervous, something she hadn't felt since escaping the meeting her parents were having inside the bar with her godfather and fellow 'friends' -at least that's what she liked to call them, as their faces and rusty weapons were all but friendly.

It was known that Nova was an Undercity favourite. Every single Undercity creature and inhabitant -human or not- was aware of the girl's constant smile and charming personality. They were also aware of her family's reputation: protectors of their city, their streets, and, above all, each other. That was why Nova was protected by everyone who crossed her path in the dark streets, despite the fact she barely walked through those alone.

Her parents were extremely protective of her, an exaggeration if anyone asked the five-year-old her opinion about her parents' constant worrying for her safety. It wasn't like she was going to throw herself in front of a moving cart or try to enter Piltover's guarded streets without getting caught. Their overprotective ways always resulted in Nova bending the rules.

When her mother had told her not to do anything reckless during their meeting -basically ordering her to sit still and look pretty- Nova's eyes shone with pure mischief.

If she couldn't have fun in the little time her parents didn't spend training her to be a complete war machine, she would bring fun to the bar.

How?

Using its dirty and slightly destroyed sign as a personal balancing toy.

"Get your ass back down, Nova!" Her mother stood to her right with hands on her hips and a scowl permanently scarred on her beautiful features. "I swear to the deepest rivers if you fall-"

"Now?" The girl asked, seeming innocent at first but the slight undertone gave her intentions away.

Nova was messing with her mother. And succeeding.

"Right now!" Her mother continued, too furious to notice.

"Alright, you asked for it."

Her angelic features twisted into a wicked smile and Nova laughed loudly. The sound was thrilling to her spectators' ears and she could feel their eyes on her more intently than before. At the early age of five, Nova looked around her for elements that could spice her little stunt up. As soon as she spotted a tube going all the way down towards her mother, the girl smirked.

Time to shine.

But her plans of gliding back down to safety flew out the window -quite literally. The little girl had forgotten, just by a split second, that jumping around a neon sign was dangerous. Even more dangerous was that specific sign, hanging on by a thin metal strap that gave away under the sudden weight and her constant moving around.

Well, Nova was young and didn't realise how something so thrilling and enticing to her creative mind could injure her -or worse, put a horrifying end to her life. Without any protection on the ground, the fall would be ugly, despite it not being tall enough to injure her terribly.

A few broken bones perhaps scraped knees, and a busted lip became a vivid image on Nova's mind.

Her foot slipped on the now tilted sign, due to her weight and the constant jumping around. The adults surrounding her on the street weren't fast enough, not even her mother was. It seemed like the shock had somehow paralysed the woman, leaving her wide-eyed and staring at her daughter's body falling towards the dirty floor.

Her fall didn't quite register in their perplexed minds. It is as some say, disaster is enticing to the human mind and can make the smartest of people freeze in interest towards the macabre spectacle. To Nova, on the other hand, the experience was not very pleasant as she let out a cry that alerted everyone inside the bar.

"Mommy!"

"Nova!"

Nova's mother was standing too far away from the sign and her outstretched arms reached out for her falling child, unsuccessfully. Her yells could be heard from within The Last Drop's walls as Nova's father and godfather ran out in hopes of fixing whatever was happening.

Neither did.

The fall wouldn't be a problem for someone older than little Nora, someone who would be able to flex their legs and perform a landing worth recording for later references. Nora, however, was tiny even for her age and was falling face-down towards her misery. The world seemed to move in slow-motion, Nova's head turning to the side to inspect the shocked faces of her family, friends, and fellow citizens.

Oh no, is this really how I'm going to die? Lame!

The child yelled loudly as cries for help sounded all around her, begging for protection and praying for whatever god protected Zaun and the lanes. Arms, legs, and limbs came from every direction to try and save the fallen girl but none succeeded.

That was until a pair of short legs ran faster than anyone else, and the colour blue became all Nova could see before her eyes closed in fear as she neared the floor.

Letting out a surprised gasp, Nova's eyes shot open once again when she didn't feel the hard ground against her chest. Instead, Nova found a child, probably a few months older than herself, staring up at her with a pained expression on her face. Her blue hair was short and braided on the right side, a cute detail that didn't miss Nova's quick mind.

Nova would like to ask the little girl for a similar hairstyle later.

"Hi." Nova giggled as she comfortably sat on the girl's lap and stared at her deep blue eyes. "I'm Nova, who are you?"

"I-I'm Powder."

The two girls continued to stare at each other -Nova in gratitude and Powder in awe- as the adults finally reacted to what could have happened. Nova's parents and godfather were rushing towards her, arms outstretched to reach their daughter and bring her back to safety.

Their child, however, had other plans as she ignored her mother's voice, too focused on the girl still laying under her with a slight grimace.

"You saved me." Nova smiled brightly at Powder and pulled her up so she could hug her tightly. "Thank you so much."

Meanwhile, Powder was stuck between returning the hug or pushing the stranger away from her aching body. She still didn't understand what came over her but once she and her sister had stopped to watch the commotion, the bluenette was drawn to the situation -drawn to the girl. From the way her hair floated around her hair to the carefree attitude, whatever it was, Powder felt in a trance.

"I-it was nothing."

"Nothing! What do you mean, nothing?" A new voice joined the conversation as Nova's mother picked the girl up and cradled her in her soft arms. "You saved my daughter, I owe you for life."

Nova was the spitting image of her mother: same hair colour, eye colour, and facial features. The only thing that could tell the two apart was the little scar on the side of Nova's left cheek and the mole she shared with her father, right under her lip.

"How can we repay you?"

Powder sat on the ground with her back against her sister's legs, holding the back of her head. Violet had decided to come out of the shadows and now stood behind the younger girl, arms crossed in front of her chest and a somehow friendly smile on her face, pink hair unruly from the many times she ran her fingers through it throughout the day. 

"It's nothing. Powder here is known for her impulsive acts of kindness." Violet spoke for her sister and lifted her up. "We're Violet and Powder."

"Thank you, Powder." Nova's mother knelt by the children's side, still holding her daughter in her arms.  "You'll always be welcome at The Last Drop. You as well, Violet."

The older sister nodded as Powder simply stared, Nova doing the same from her elevated spot on her mother's arms. The two seemed to be having a conversation without spoken words, both smiling shyly before Nova was engulfed in a hug with both her parents, godfather, and crowd that sighed in relief from the positive outcome of the previous 'situation'.

In between arms and limbs, the red-haired girl managed to catch Powder's eye as she fled the scene following her sister. Waving her small hand, Nova sent a wink out to the now blushing Powder, who shrieked in embarrassment.

What neither saw was the smirk adorning Violet's face, as well as Nova's godfather staring at the pair with interest. Vander, with his massive and intimidating size, let out a childlike laugh under his breath, happy that his goddaughter finally managed to make friends with someone her age.

Even if it meant literally falling on her.

Ever since that day, the duo never got separated again. They became the best of friends, confidants, and partners in pre-teenage crime. Together through thick and thin, Powder and Nova. Nova and Powder.

Until the wonderful due was no more.

___
urgh, it suuucks ahah but i don't wanna rush things, i want you guys to get to know nova and powder's relationship/friendship as kids to understand their evolution :) oh well, don't forget to comment what you think and leave a like if you enjoyed this! (: