The carriage door slammed shut as you stepped into the streets of Zaun. The air hit you immediately—thick with smoke, oil, and the bitter tang of metal. It was a stark contrast to Piltover’s pristine perfection, but that was the point. You didn’t belong up there, and you’d come here for a fresh start.

But Zaun didn’t seem interested in welcoming you. You barely had time to take it all in before colliding with someone. The impact sent you stumbling back, your shoulder hitting the wall behind you.

“Watch it!” a sharp voice snapped.

You looked up to see a pink-haired woman glaring at you, fists clenched. Her piercing blue eyes were locked on you, her posture radiating authority. Behind her stood three others: a wiry boy with a cocky smirk, a sturdy boy with kind eyes, and a young girl holding a strange gadget. They all stared at you like you didn’t belong—and they weren’t wrong.

“Who the hell are you?” the woman demanded.

You opened your mouth to respond, but the wiry boy spoke first. “Piltover,” he said with a mocking grin. “Look at her coat. Bet she’s never seen dirt before.”

“I left,” you said quickly. “For good.”

“Yeah, right,” the boy scoffed. “What, you think you’ll fit in down here? This isn’t a museum tour.”

Powder, the young girl, tilted her head. “Why’d you leave? Piltover’s supposed to be perfect.”

“Not for me,” you said, meeting Vi’s eyes. “I didn’t belong there.”

Vi’s lips curled into a skeptical smirk. “And you think you’ll belong here?” She stepped closer, her voice sharper now. “Zaun’s not some playground for Piltover runaways. This place will eat you alive.”

“I can handle myself,” you said, though your voice wavered.

“Sure you can,” Vi muttered, turning away. “Come on,” she called to the others. “She’ll figure it out the hard way.”

The group walked off, Powder glancing back at you before following. You stood frozen, the chaos of Zaun swirling around you, Vi’s words heavy in your mind. Welcome to your new reality.