Arcane: Ekko and Powder

The Firelights' workshop buzzed with activity as sparks flew and tools clanked. Powder sat at her workbench, surrounded by an assortment of gadgets, gears, and half-finished prototypes. Her signature goggles rested atop her head, pushing her messy blue hair back as she worked with a precision that came naturally to her. She had one goal: to upgrade her arsenal.

Ekko leaned against the doorway, watching her with a mix of admiration and curiosity. "You've been at this for hours," he called out. "You planning to build an army or just arm yourself to the teeth?"

Powder grinned without looking up. "Why not both?"

Powder turned her attention to the minigun she affectionately called Pow-Pow. Its pink exterior gleamed under the workshop lights, but its real beauty lay in its function. Designed for an impossibly high rate of fire, Pow-Pow had already proven itself in battle. Now, Powder was making it even deadlier.

"I've added a thermal regulator," she explained as Ekko approached. "This way, it won't overheat as fast. And see these?" She pointed to a row of cartridges along the side. "Each one is color-coded for different types of ammo: standard rounds, incendiary rounds, and even ones that emit a stun pulse."

Ekko raised an eyebrow. "And the pink?"

Powder laughed. "The pink stays. It's my signature."

She ran a hand over the minigun lovingly before picking it up and testing its weight. The barrels spun smoothly as she powered it up briefly, the hum of energy bringing a satisfied smile to her face.

Next up was Zapper, a compact yet potent pistol designed to immobilize enemies with a high-voltage shock. Powder had been tinkering with its capacitor to enhance its charge time and range.

"I've made it so the voltage adjusts automatically," she said, holding up the sleek, silver-and-blue weapon. "If I need to stun a group, it disperses the charge. But if it's just one target, it'll hit like a lightning bolt."

Ekko leaned closer, inspecting the pistol. "Smart. But isn't that a bit overkill?"

Powder gave him a playful shove. "Says the guy swinging a Swordbat around. Besides, it's not overkill if it keeps us alive."

She loaded a fresh power cell into Zapper and tested it on a nearby dummy, which sparked and shuddered under the jolt. "Perfect," she murmured, satisfied.

Powder's bench was littered with small, shark-toothed grenades, each painted with bright colors. The Flame Chompers were among her favorite inventions, and today, she was giving them a fiery upgrade.

"These bad boys don't just explode anymore," she told Ekko, holding one up. "They latch on first, then go boom. And I've added a bit of napalm to the mix. Now they'll leave a nice fiery mess for anyone unlucky enough to get caught."

Ekko crossed his arms, feigning disapproval. "You're enjoying this too much."

"Guilty," Powder admitted with a smirk. "But hey, they're effective. And who doesn't love a little flair?"

She tested one of the Flame Chompers in a reinforced section of the workshop, watching with glee as it latched onto a metal target and exploded in a burst of fire and sparks.

Finally, Powder turned to her pièce de résistance: Fishbones, her customized rocket launcher. Its shark-inspired design had always been a crowd-pleaser, but Powder wasn't satisfied with just good looks. She wanted Fishbones to be as versatile as it was powerful.

"I've added a targeting system," she explained, pointing to a small screen on the launcher. "Now, I can lock onto multiple targets or focus all the firepower on one."

Ekko whistled, clearly impressed. "You've really thought of everything."

"And I'm not done yet," she said, grinning. "I'm working on a modular design so I can swap out the rockets for different effects—explosive, smoke, or even concussive."

She hefted Fishbones onto her shoulder, the weight familiar and reassuring. A quick calibration test confirmed the upgrades were working perfectly. Powder couldn't help but feel a surge of pride as she imagined it in action.

As Powder finished her upgrades, Ekko stepped in to help her test the arsenal. They set up a makeshift firing range in the workshop, complete with targets and obstacles.

"Ready?" Ekko asked, holding up a stopwatch.

Powder nodded, gripping Pow-Pow. "Ready."

She moved through the range with precision, switching seamlessly between weapons. Pow-Pow tore through targets with rapid-fire rounds, Zapper immobilized moving dummies, and the Flame Chompers left trails of fire in their wake. Finally, she unleashed Fishbones, its shark-shaped rocket obliterating a cluster of targets.

Ekko clicked the stopwatch. "Impressive. And fast."

Powder shrugged, trying to hide her pride. "Told you I've been busy."

After the tests, Powder slumped onto a bench, wiping sweat from her brow. Ekko sat beside her, his Swordbat leaning against the wall.

"You're amazing, you know that?" he said, breaking the silence.

Powder smiled, her cheeks tinged pink. "You're not so bad yourself."

They sat together for a while, the hum of the workshop around them. Despite the chaos of their lives, moments like this reminded them why they fought—to protect each other and the future they were building.

"You think this'll be enough?" Powder asked, gesturing to the weapons.

Ekko rested a hand on her shoulder. "With you on our side? Definitely."

Powder leaned into him, her resolve stronger than ever. "Then let's make sure we win."