"Man… you're one ugly son of a bitch." Xavier squinted and examined the left side of Silco's deformed face and eye.
The well-dressed man frowned and raised a hand, stopping one of his two large bodyguards who stood behind him. Xavier eyed them with little regard and walked to his kitchen to grab a water bottle.
A rare luxury down in the Undercity.
A luxury that a water filtering system he created for Zaun's disgusting water had granted him.
"You know, Silco, I was beginning to wonder when you'd come find me. What took you so long? It's not like I was hiding or anything." Xavier said and took a drink. Only to frown at the taste. "Note to self. Improve the filters. Again."
"Show some respect, you rat." One of Silco's bodyguards growled, a hand resting on the sharp dagger hanging by his hip.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know I was the one who broke into your house without wiping my feet."
The guard growled and stepped forward.
"Enough," Silco stated with authority, his gaze fixed on Xavier as he leaned against his custom-designed refrigeration unit. "I have been observing you... assessing your objectives and intentions. An individual of your caliber does not simply appear out of nowhere to sell weapons that can compete with those of the Enforcers." Silco leaned in slightly, his orange eye glowing with intensity. "Who are you, and what do you seek?"
"Watching me? Ah… those annoying kids. The ones who thought they were watching me from the shadows. Those were yours." Xavier nodded and grabbed a spare fold-up chair tucked away between his fridge and counter.
With it in hand, he walked up to Silco, causing his bodyguards to tense. Xavier grinned and unfolded the chair to take a seat, right in front of The Eye of Zaun.
Silco narrowed his eyes at the lack of fear in Xavier's eyes.
The boy clearly knew who he was and his reputation. Yet he showed no hesitation. No fear. This made Silco reassess his original plan.
"Who I am doesn't matter," Xavier grinned and leaned in close. "But I will tell you what I want."
"...Do tell." Silco slowly said.
His patience was beginning to wear thin. Still, he would humor the boy. The weapons and inventions Xavier could build held promise and potential. Potential that could help Silco near his aspirations of creating the Nation of Zaun.
"I want to stick it to the man. You know our neighbors up north. What am I talking about? Of course you do. You're the biggest Piltover hater around," Xavier abruptly stood up, knocking over his fold-up chair.
Strolling over to the weathered window of his humble shack, he drew back the tattered curtain, revealing a breathtaking view of the distant city of Piltover.
The sprawling metropolis glimmered under the soft glow of the evening sun, its towering spires and intricate architecture standing proud against the horizon. Xavier raised a hand and pointed towards the magnificent skyline, a sharp smile spreading across his features.
"You see, Silco," Xavier began, his voice steady yet charged with emotion. "I have a deep admiration for the underdog—the ones who fight tooth and nail against the odds stacked impossibly high against them. Up in Piltover, they all sit in those opulent mansions of theirs, with their pristine air and sunlit gardens. Meanwhile, the people of Zaun exist in our cramped, dilapidated sheds, breathing their exhaust and living in waste." He turned to Silco, intensity radiating from his gaze. "Isn't it a bit unjust?"
Silco stood still for a few seconds, seemingly contemplating Xavier's words. He then got to his feet and walked over to stand beside Xavier, hands clasped behind his back. His mismatched eyes gazed toward the distant city, filled with simmering hatred.
"Indeed, it's a bitter injustice," Silco replied, his voice dripping with frustration. "They bask in opulence while the people of Zaun languish in misery. They wield all the power, treating us as nothing more than second-class citizens." He paused, his intense gaze locking onto Xavier. "So, your aim is to bring Piltover to its knees?"
"Bring Piltover to its knees? That's not my goal. My mission is to elevate Zaun from the depths that Piltover has buried it in. I will see Zaun rise and become a metropolis that dwarfs Piltover a dozen times over," Xavier declared with a confident smile. "Any run-of-the-mill revolutionary can fight to gain their freedom or respect, but not every revolutionary possesses the vision to build a palace from the ashes left by their enemies. When I'm finished, the world will recognize Zaun as the epicenter of progress. No! It will be hailed as the city of the future!"
God, that was cringy... did he buy it?
Xavier thought as he watched Silco's expression. He was using his meta knowledge to push all of Silco's buttons.
Silco narrowed his eyes, his voice steady and commanding. "Do you genuinely think achieving that goal is a simple task? Anyone can boast about grand ambitions. Crafting a few weapons and flashy gadgets doesn't amount to establishing an empire. Now tell me, Xavier—are you just a fool spouting empty words?"
"A fool? Nah. I'm a visionary," Xavier chuckled. "And besides, do you think weapons and handy equipment are all I can create?"
With a sharp snap of his fingers, the worn roof above Silco's guards suddenly gave way, sending debris cascading into the dimly lit room. From the swirling dust emerged two rust-covered robots, a peculiar fusion of mismatched machinery and salvaged components that seemed to thrum with a life of their own. They were designed in the image of the robots from the movie Chappie, their bodies an eclectic mix of metal plating and exposed wires, each movement a blend of stiffness and fluidity.
As the guards turned in startled unison, their eyes widened in disbelief, but before they could react, the robots lunged forward with blinding speed. With unrelenting grips, they seized each guard by the neck, their mechanical fingers tightening like vice clamps. The terrified men struggled against the iron holds, but it quickly became evident that resistance was futile.
The men had no time to fight back due to the robots ripping their heads off their bodies. Blood gushed everywhere, staining Xavier's one clean home.
Silco's eyes were wide as he watched his men be easily ripped apart by the two machines.
The robots stood at the ready. Their small glowing eyes stared at his form. Waiting for their next directive.
"What?" Silco muttered. "You… made these?"
"Obviously. I kept all my best stuff for myself. " Xavier smirked a glint of mischief in his eyes.
With a swift motion, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a striking weapon—a large pistol that boasted a distinctive square head and vibrant yellow accents. This was no ordinary firearm; it was the legendary Plasma Cutter, renowned for its precision and deadly efficiency in the treacherous universe of Dead Space.
Raising the gun, he aimed it at Silco before pointing it at one of the bleeding corpses on the ground. Pulling the trigger, three bolts of ionized plasma sliced through the body like a hot knife through butter. The beams didn't stop until they reached the ground.
At the sight of such formidable power, Silco stood frozen, astonishment written across his face. He had anticipated leveraging the boy to aid him in crafting weapons to equip his men for his looming assault on Piltover, but what he discovered was far beyond his expectations. The boy—no, Xavier—was not merely a simple inventor; he was a wellspring of untapped potential, radiating a brilliance that hinted at capabilities Silco had never imagined possible for a resident of Zaun.
Xavier was a genius, unmatched in his ability to engineer formidable robots from the most unlikely materials. The sheer power he could harness from mere scraps of metal and discarded parts was nothing short of astonishing.
Silco couldn't help but wonder: if Xavier could create such dangerous machines from limited resources, what incredible feats might he accomplish with access to a broader range of tools and high-quality materials? The possibilities were endless and thrilling.
Silco took a moment to compose himself, smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt as he turned to face Xavier. A calm demeanor settled over his features, masking the turmoil that swirled within him. He understood the stakes all too well; displaying any hint of fear would jeopardize any of his remaining power.
This was a challenge, considering he stood sandwiched between Xavier's robots and a flesh-slicing pistol.
With a steady gaze, Silco met Xavier's eyes, determined to hold his ground.
"Cool, isn't it? So far, it can only slice through biological material, but in time, it will be able to cut through solid steel." Xavier chuckled while waving the plasma cutter around as if it were just a toy. "You're a powerful figure in Zaun, aren't you, Silco?"
"...Indeed I am."
"Great! I have a proposal for you… I suggest you listen."