//That night//

  Metalliging echoed through the room as Mylo repeatedly tossed a ball against the metal pte in their lounge. Everyone, except Orion- who left early to see Ekko before heading home- was lounging around, though a simmering irritation lingered amongst the group.

  "Vander and him worked on something together, "Vi grumbled, her forehead against her hand. "Why don't they trust us?" She gestured at the group with frustration.

  Scowling, Mylo threw the ball a little harder, "Orion's off doing badass jobs, and we're stuck with these me throwaways."

  "It's not fair!" Vi stood up abruptly, while Cggor tried to reason. "Maybe nothing really happened?"

  Vi scoffed. "e on, do you holy believe that? We've been out te doing gigs for Vander. We don't e back looking like that."

  Cgghed, his tone low and uain, "Yeah..." befng over at Powder. "I just hate being treated like a kid."

  Powder frowned, fidgeting with her stuffed bunny before asking softly, "Why don't we do something?"

  "Oh- See that? Even Prees!" Mylo excimed, sitting up in disbelief auring dramatically at her. His outburst drew annoyed looks from both Cggor and Powder, but Vi's eyes lit up with determination. Her gaze darted around the room before nodding, "No...no, you're right."

  "We o prove we're not kids anymore!" Vi decred, raising a fist with resolve. "We'll show them we're ready."

  An unfortable noise emitted from Cggor as he shifts around, his expression tinged with worry. "I don't know, guys. Remember Old Hungry? What if that happens again?"

  "Don't worry about that. That was months ago!" Vi said dismissively, shrugging it off. "We got this! I'll find something."

  The gang exged gnces, hope flickering faintly in the room. Smirking, Vi pnted her hands on her hips, tilting her head fidently. "We've grown, gang. This time, we'll show them what we're made of!"

  ----------------

  By the end of the day, restris across the city had lifted- though tensions remained high. There was no news of trials, only an emergency meeting from the cil to address the kidnapping and crime in the Uy. Orion saw nothing implig him, which brought some relief.

  Throughout the week, he searched the Sump coast for any factories but found nothing ected to Silco. He informed Vander of his search, who grunted iant agreement, instrug him to immediately report any findings and not to engage.

  By week's end, with s, Orion decided to start searg along the riverline instead. On the bright side, he had been colleg various gears, fans, and meical pos during his outings, tossing them into his old brown sack.

  After sleeping and heading out early, Orion found himself walking to the Last Drop again to deliver moodies" to an eager Powder before stopping by Benzo's shop. Powder had a growing colle of explosion gadgets- none of them w of course- but it was still cute.

  "Hey Powder! More parts-" Orion called out as he briskly walked through the door before ing to an abrupt halt. The gang, usually ing at this time, wasn't there. Frowning, he searched both the front and back but didn't find them.

  'Weird... I guess they went to the arcade?' Orion thought, heading over there. Yet again, no gang. Uainty started to prickle at Orion's scious, his grip tightening on the bag.

  'Where is everyone?'

  Orion, puzzled, paced toward Benzo's shop, rag his brain for as happening today. As he rouhe er, he spotted Ekko boung i the entrah a wren hand, wavihusiastically.

  "You got more parts?!" Ekko called out eagerly.

  Orion chuckled with some relief as he approached. Ekko's energy mirrored Powder whe excited, his eyes widening at the size of the bag.

  "Awesome! I get first dibs?!" Ekko asked, boung between his feet even faster, his arms close to his chest with excitement.

  "It seems like it's your lucky day!" Orion nodded, smiling as he set the bag down for Ekko to dive into. "Say, have you seen the gang? I haven't run into them at all this m."

  Ekko paused, his arms pletely ihe bag. "Oh, uh, Vi said they had something important to do. Didn't tell me much, though."

  Shrugging, he resumed digging and tio respond nontly. "You know how she gets when she has a ps all secretive and stuff- usually when it's fig."

  Orion stiffened, his mind was rag as he looked up at the m sky. Thoughts were ing to him, and he wasn't liking it.

  Ekko looked up at him curiously, "Why? Did something happen? You look on edge."

  "Ekko..." Orion began slowly, "Remember how I asked you to keep a for any fancy topsider who es down and doesn't haggle?"

  "Yeah!" Ekko excimed, standing abruptly. With expectation for praise, he rapidly shot out, "He came after you left yesterday! I did what you said and charged him triple! How did you know? Is he a super-wealth mert? Oh- yeah- yours is inside- AAA"

  Ekko words were cut off when Orion suddenly grabbed his shoulders, hands trembling.

  His as pletely unnerved Ekko, who saw the panid fear in his eyes. "Hey- I did what you asked! What's wrong?" Ekko stammered fearfully, his gaze dartiween the ground and Orion.

  Fearing the answer, Orion sucked in a sharp, deep breath before asking, "Ekko, did you follow him when I told you not to?"

  No response came, only a guilty look cast toward the ground.

  "EKKO!" Orion unsciously shouted, causing him to jump and yelp in his grasp. "Tell me how to get there, NOW!"

  ----------------

  ///Meanwhile, as Orion was jumpiween locations///

  Vi, ylo, and Powder made their way across the Bridge ress. Vi's face held determination, Cggor looked down nervously, Mylo hummed a mischievous tune, and Powder's wide eyes darted around with curious wonder.

  (A/N): Watch Are Episode 1 up to the point of them entering Jayce's Workshop for their PoV!