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The saying often goes that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb.
Though the sun shone brightly, the wind was pleasantly warm, and flowers had just begun to bloom throughout the open field, the day still felt like a wild beast to Jayce. Or perhaps he was the lone lamb left behind in a playground of lions—it certainly felt that way and more than usual.
Thumbing at the torn tulle of his favorite, most special skirt, he was starting to understand why his mother encouraged him to bring something else for his classroom's show-and-tell presentation.
"Why don't you bring something from your rock collection, mijo? I'm sure your classmates would enjoy hearing all about where you got them, maybe even what some of them mean? Or how they're formed?" his mother tried.
Jayce pouted, crossing his arms for emphasis. "Mamá, that's what I brought last year… Most of the other kids have seen them already," he explained, exasperated. "Why can't I bring my skirt? I promise with all my heart that I won't get it dirty!"
His mother sighed, crouching down in front of him. There was a part of him that didn't like feeling so small—he was one of the shortest kids in his class—but his mother always reassured him that he would grow big and tall one day. His father had been a late bloomer too. He tried to be patient, but it was awfully frustrating for the time being.
"Jayce. I know you love your costume and I'm not worried about you getting it dirty. I just know that some of your classmates haven't always said the nicest things about your show. Yes?" Jayce nodded slowly. "I do not want them saying anything unkind about your outfit."
"But maybe… maybe if they see this, then they might realize how cool The Defender is and then they will want to watch the show! Mamá, I really want to try. I want to show them and they'll have to listen this time!"
And listen they did. Perhaps Jayce should've listened too, to the concerns his mother had. Perhaps he should've realized one outfit—even a very cool outfit—wouldn't change their minds about Magical Guardians of the Arcane. Perhaps it was just a silly show for babies that want to dress up…
"Am I interrupting?"
Jayce quickly wiped his eyes with his sweater sleeve, sniffling slightly, before he looked at the voice above him. Standing there was a boy, probably in a different grade since he didn't recognize him. He had rich brown hair that curled around his ears and warm amber eyes. Unsure of what to say, Jayce simply shook his head no.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?" Jayce shook his head again. The boy smiled softly before plopping down next to him, stretching one of his legs out long. It was then that Jayce noticed his cane. He almost asked if the boy was hurt, but held his tongue like his mother often told him to. Sometimes thoughts came out of his mouth before his brain had a moment to catch up, and the last thing he wanted to do was offend the nice boy that decided to sit with him.
"Are you okay? You…" the boy hesitated. "I don't wish to intrude, but you seem upset."
Jayce took a deep breath. "I wore my special skirt for show-and-tell… but the kids in my class thought it was silly," he croaked, his voice cracking slightly. "And then I was in such a rush to get out here and away from them that I tripped and now the skirt's torn. They laughed at that too..."
"Who's they?" the boy asked, snapping towards the playground, tightening the grip on his cane. Scanning the field, his eyes narrowed at the sight of a few boys from Jayce's class snickering in the corner by the swing set. Panicking, Jayce reached forward to grab the boy's hand.
"No! No, please don't say anything to them. I just… I just want to forget it happened. And you better not get involved or they'll be mean to you too." Here was the part where this boy would realize what he was getting himself into. That hanging out with him probably wasn't a good idea. Surprisingly, the boy flipped his hand over to squeeze Jayce's own.
"You think they wouldn't do that anyway?" he asked, calling attention to his cane with a nod of his head. "Besides, I'd like to see them try," he scoffed.
Jayce couldn't help but giggle himself. "Yeah, you could probably fend them off pretty well with that."
"I bet I could," he agreed. After a moment, the boy squeezed his hand again before shaking it. "I'm Viktor. It's nice to meet you…?"
"Jayce. I'm Jayce," he replied, shaking Viktor's hand back. "It's nice that you're here too. I mean! It's nice to meet you too."
"Well Jayce, now that we're aquatinted, why don't you do your show-and-tell for me? I'm sure there's more to this than it just being pretty."
He could barely believe his ears. "Oh! Oh, there's so much more! You see my abuela made it for me because I really love this show, Magical Guardians of the Arcane. And the main character, well one of the main characters, when she transforms into the Dawn Defender—there's even special music for it—all of her armor appears and she has her staff that can turn into a hammer and she wears this beautiful, puffy skirt. So my abuela made this one to match, so I can look like her, but… but she doesn't live nearby," Jayce realized, losing steam. "So I probably can't fix it… My mother got these new prosthetics for her fingers and she's still getting used to them. I don't wanna ask her to try to fix it."
Jayce started fidgeting with the hem of the skirt again, worrying the fabric between his fingers. The other kids usually tuned him out or interrupted at this point, but Viktor was holding his gaze and nodding as he went along. He seemed… interested.
"Well, my mom fixes my clothes all the time. I'm sure she could fix your skirt for you, if you wanted," Viktor offered.
"Really? Are you sure?" Jayce questioned, feeling rather shy. "It's… it's just a silly skirt. I don't want to make your mom fix it."
"I don't think it's silly. It seems very important to you. And to… the Defender? Was it?" Jayce nodded. "So then it's worth fixing! And, um, and maybe you could tell me more about the show? Or we could watch it together? If you came over while she fixes it."
Now Jayce was certain that he must be dreaming. Not only did Viktor want to spend more time with him, but also wanted to hear more about Magical Guardians of the Arcane? He had the sudden urge to hold Viktor's hand even tighter and never let go.
Oh. They were still holding hands. Well, if Viktor wasn't letting go, Jayce sure wasn't going to either.
"I would love that! I would really love that! We can start all the way from the beginning. I think you'll really like it. I hope you'll like it. But I'll probably talk during parts of it," he paused. "I will talk during parts of it… But I can try to be quiet, I just don't want you to miss out on any details." Jayce felt like he was running out of breath due to so much enthusiasm coursing through his veins. He'd never had someone to watch with other than his mother, and she didn't count.
Viktor's laugh bubbled out of him, causing his eyes to crinkle slightly. He had a mole right under his eye, another by his mouth, and a few more on the hand that was holding Jayce's. For the first time, Jayce understood why they were called beauty marks—although, he thought they looked like little stars.
"I don't mind. I like hearing what you have to say," Viktor reassured him. "And the transformation part sounds cool. I want to see that."
"It is cool! And there's more than just the Dawn Defender. Her rival, the Lunar Herald, has a whole transformation too. And she has a cane, just like you! It grows into this tall staff with gems on it and she can even levitate with it."
Viktor's eyes widened. "She… has a cane?" he asked, his voice filled with quiet wonder.
"Yeah! And her armor has special supports built in too. The Defender helped her build them because they used to be partners," Jayce explained, before realizing what he'd said and slapping his hand over his mouth. "Oh, you're not supposed to know that yet! But I promise that doesn't spoil anything—it'll still be good."
"Would you want to come over this weekend?" Viktor asked hesitantly. "If you're not doing anything, of course. And if that's not too soon."
Jayce would walk there with him this very instant if school wasn't still in session. "This weekend would be great! I'll even bring something for you too! My mom helped me make the Herald's mantle with paper mache. So you can dress up… but only if you want." Jayce hoped he wasn't being too eager. He wasn't sure how he could possibly be any other way at this moment.
Viktor smiled, nodding his head so forcefully that it knocked a few curls out from behind his ear. "Yeah, yes. I'd like that a lot."
Even though he'd be able to see Viktor on the playground for the rest of the week, the thought of getting a whole afternoon together was overwhelmingly exciting. Saturday couldn't come fast enough.
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- Magical Guardians of the Arcane: Season 3, Episode 10 -
The vine-bound creatures clawed their way up from the ravine, shrieking and shoving in their effort to advance towards the city. Though they were not fast, their advantage laid in their numbers and their mindless desire to follow orders. The horizon was still breaking over the water surrounding Piltover and the hoard would surely penetrate the city's walls before the completion of the sun's rise in the sky. Something had to be done before the Black Rose was upon them!
Jocelyn sprung into action, activating the ancient amber stone on her bracelet. With a crackle of electricity, she was enveloped and suspended in warm light. A series of golden runes shone all around her, triggering her armor to appear piece by piece—just as she'd engineered them to. The Resolve rune burst over her chest, wrapping her torso in sturdy bronze armor. The sun's rays cast down her body before they turned to silk as a flowing skirt of glittering ribbons materialized around her waist. Then, the Sorcery rune shimmered above her head as she spun further into the air. A braided copper helm adorned her as her hair grew longer and blew in an invisible wind. Jocelyn brought her wrist to her forehead, the amber stone sparkling before it suddenly duplicated, its new twin at the center of her crown. With a flourish, she reached the same arm high above her to grasp the Acceleration rune as it took shape. From her clenched fist grew a giant golden hammer, with the same amber stone at the end of the hilt. With a final ray of light, the original amber stone in her bracelet glowed one last time, holding the charge sustaining her transformation.
Now, as the Dawn Defender, she jumped from the roof. A blast of power from her hammer allowed her to fly towards the enemy. Years of research lent themselves to the design of her current form—a unique blend of magic and science—but she still had to carefully manage the power coursing around her. Expending herself too much could cause her to lose focus and, as a result, her magic. The armor would remain, as it had already been summoned and she had never quite figured out how to send it back through the arcane without access to her equipment in the lab, so at least she would still have some protection.
She barreled through the growing mass of thorn-covered fiends, using her hammer to slam some into smithereens and to blast golden rays into others causing them to shrivel and die. All too soon, she realized that she was outnumbered. The Black Rose's enchantment sprouting more and more vines from the cracked earth fracturing the lands outside of the city, the dark green growths coalescing into monsters that continued to join their brethren in the quest to scale the ravine's walls and swarm Piltover. The Dawn Defender knew that the sinister Lady LeBlanc would be upon her soon as she saw dark petaled blooms sprout alongside the creatures. Could she hold out long enough to save the city from certain doom?
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Jayce peered over at Viktor from the other side of the couch. He was trying so hard not to spoil anything as his friend (His friend! He had a best friend!) was on the edge of his seat, worrying his lip between his teeth. Viktor's eyes were wide as they watched the Defender stumble toward the giant crimson rose before her, still attempting to keep the creatures at bay as she was knocked prone by a rogue vine. Even though Jayce knew what happened next, he could still feel his heartbeat pick up as the petals unfolded and turned to dust, revealing a cackling Lady LeBlanc.
"Jayce… Jayce, how is she going to get out of this?" Viktor asked, his voice wobbling.
Jayce moved closer, bumping his shoulder against Viktor's softly. "Shhh, just watch."
"I let you chatter throughout all our viewings without telling you to shush," he whispered, bumping Jayce's shoulder back. They'd been spending nearly every weekend together for the past couple months, working their way through Magical Guardians of the Arcane, and they were finally at the third season's pivotal finale.
Then—as Jayce knew she would—the Lunar Herald appeared in the iridescent flash of her teleportation spell, the arcane flowing through her form as she raised her staff to ready another spell. Her abilities were innate, though she had lent much of her magical knowledge to the Defender during their time working together. Throughout the seasons, Jayce and Viktor had watched them clash, their years of separation and contrasting loyalties straining their once strong bond, though neither could ever truly bring themselves to seriously harm the other. Now, the Herald was not looming above the Defender in triumph—as they had seen before—but rather stood protectively between her and LeBlanc, using her own body as a shield.
The Herald quickly cast her gaze over her shoulder, looking down at the Defender, who was struggling to catch her breath from her fall. Though she was smiling coyly, the single tear that shimmered as it rolled down her cheek gave away the Herald's true feelings.
"Let us do this once again as partners," she offered, hand outstretched and eyes full of reverence. A halo of runes surrounded her head like stars.
The Defender giggled softly, breathlessly, as she took the Herald's hand. Power flowed through their grasp, giving her the strength to continue the fight. "Valerie… I thought you'd never ask," she professed.
The Herald leaned in to bring their foreheads together, something Jocelyn knew was sacred in Zaun—Valerie's home and Piltover's sister city on the other side of the river. The amber stone on the Defender's crown and the crescent shaped sapphire stone on the Herald's helm met as the partners came together once again.
Viktor gasped as the two women floated upward, enveloped in rainbow light as they turned towards LeBlanc, whose face had paled significantly. "Yes, yes, yes!" his friend cheered, patting Jayce's knee as if to make sure that he was seeing this too. The Dawn Defender and Lunar Herald took their fighting stances side by side, preparing to take on Lady LeBlanc as the music swelled, before the ending credits theme started to play. Viktor's jaw dropped as he stared at the "To be continued…" plastered across the screen.
"No, no, no! Jayce, what is this?" he exasperated, his face painted with betrayal.
Jayce snorted, holding up his arms in surrender. "I wanted you to be surprised! Especially because you like the Lunar Herald so much! And the cliffhangers are part of the fun!"
Viktor huffed and crossed his arms, angling away from Jayce. Although he knew his friend wasn't nearly as upset as he had been the first time he watched this episode, he still wanted to make sure his anger didn't lie with Jayce. He scooched forward until he was close enough to gently place his head over Viktor's shoulder. As he shyly glanced up, he murmured "You're not mad at me, right?"
Viktor tilted his head to rest it against Jayce's. "No, I'm not mad. Just frustrated that they didn't show the fight… And there's so much for Jocelyn and Valerie to talk about!" he bemoaned. "Do you really have to go home tonight? I know my mom won't mind if you sleepover and then we could bake cookies and keep watching!"
Jayce shook his head dejectedly. "We have to get up early tomorrow to visit my cousins. I can't."
Right on cue, Viktor's doorbell rang, the chimes echoing throughout the house. The two boys sighed. Viktor grabbed his cane from where it rested against the couch, moving towards the door. Jayce quickly ejected the Magical Guardians of the Arcane DVD and put it back in its case before following his friend. As he got closer, he could hear Viktor animatedly telling his mother about the episode they just finished. He watched the two of them for a moment—just enjoying having the two most important people in his life in one place. Eventually, his mother caught his eye, giving him a knowing smile.
"Come on, mijo. I know you don't want to go, but we have plans tomorrow morning," she reminded him. "Did you thank Viktor's mother for hosting you, hmm?"
"Oh! She went out to run an errand quickly, so she's not here," Viktor admitted sheepishly. "But she said Jayce is always welcome," he added. "Thank you for letting him come over, Ms. Talis."
His mother turned towards Viktor, patting his cheek affectionately. "You can call me Ximena, cariño. I'm just glad Jayce has such a sweet friend to spend so much time with. He's very fond of you."
"Mamá…" Jayce whined as he walked closer, dragging his feet and hoping he wasn't blushing too much. He had told his mother that in confidence. She wasn't supposed to tell—
"I'm very fond of him too," Viktor promised, his voice unwaveringly sincere, before punctuated his statement by teasingly sticking his tongue out at Jayce, his nose scrunching as he did. Jayce giggled, mirroring his action.
His mother placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "We have to go, Jayce," she whispered. "I'll be in the car. Say your goodbyes. Quickly, please." She gave Viktor one last smile, before turning to head towards the car.
"I'm sorry I was frustrated over the cliffhanger. I just really want to know what happens next, but it's really good, Jayce. I like watching it… with you. I'm glad you've been showing it to me."
"Of course! I mean I'm just glad you even agreed to watch it in the first place! It's way better watching with you than by myself. I think everything's more fun with you there. I'm…" Jayce hesitated, taking a moment to gather his courage. Viktor had reminded him time and time again that he didn't mind Jayce's chattering and that he wanted to hear what he had to say.
"I'm glad we're friends, Viktor. Super glad," he said, looking up at his friend with stars in his eyes. He hoped his mamá was right and that, one day, he'd be as tall as Viktor.
"I'm glad too… I've never really had a friend like you before." Viktor fidgeted with the handle of his cane, not quite meeting Jayce's eyes.
Before he could second guess himself, Jayce pushed up to his tip-toes to press their foreheads together, just like the Dawn Defender and Lunar Herald. The plastic gems atop their paper mache crowns clacked as they met in the middle. He felt more than heard the soft laugh that tumbled out of Viktor as he realized what was happening and leaned into the gesture.
They didn't have powerful crowns with crystals to envelope them in light and twirl them around. There was no triumphant music, nor sparkling wind to blow their gleaming capes…
But having a best friend like Viktor felt pretty magical too.
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