Arcane: The Toymaker AU

A few designs exploration for tm!Jinx's "The Toymaker" outfit for this AU. Can you guess which one I picked for the final version?

Two years before Act 2 starts, Jinx and Viktor founded "The Stellar Circus." As the name implies, it's a group they lead that makes occasional presentations using their and other academics' inventions, having the young generations as their target audience. The said project is mainly funded by the Academy of Piltover.

Jinx unintentionally made herself famous among the young Piltovians and (later) Zaunites because of her highly energetic and fun behavior when testing her new toy creations around open plazas, not to mention the creativity and innovation her toys have.

Nowadays, she's a highly famous and influential pop star, and she uses said fame to discreetly spread messages such as the abuse of power by the Enforcers over undercity people, for example; she does that through her musical presentations, in a way young citizens get the messages easier than adults.

Here I go, changing the acts AGAIN!

I've decided to... sort of "shrink" the story a bit; talking about chapter amount, the story will be untouched.

The former Act 2 will be told by flashbacks through the former Act 3 now. I basically mixed them. Thanks, Final Fantasy VII Remake and Jujutsu Kaisen, for the idea.

I think it adds more mystery and suspense. Plus, it creates curiosity and engages the reader with questions like 'how did this happen?' and 'why is it like this?', etc."

So, by the start of Act 2, we'll have a 10 years time skip. I hope you all enjoy it!

By the way, we are one chapter away from finishing the rework of Act 1. The said chapter has a brand new scene, which will probably add much more angst to the final scene at the Academy.

Hehehe...

NEW CHAPTER IS OUT!

Sorry for the so long wait, but let's goooooooooooo!

This chapter is part of the rework of Act 1; the part where Jinx meets Jayce and Heimerdinger is much more different now.

The tag list is in the comment section. Let me know if you would like to be added to the list!

Reblogs are HIGHLY appreciated! <3

I haven't been able to get some good free time to draw lately, but at least I can write a bit at the end of day 😅

Here's a teaser for the upcoming chapter of Act 1! I'm rewriting the scene where Jinx meets Heimerdinger and Jayce. It doesn't have the same drastic difference as the rewrite of when Jinx met Viktor, but it surely is different now:

Context: They are at Viktor’s apartment, and Jinx just woke up from a long nap.

(This wasn't proofreaded yet).

New year, new... fic(?) Well, kinda. As I said before, I'm reworking the chapters I've already posted of this Arcane fic.

The two released chapters from Act 1 were already updated, and I have split Chapter 2 into three, so the Act now has four chapters (the new chapters 3 and 4 will be posted at a later date).

LINK: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38488807/chapters/96195475#workskin

LINK: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38488807/chapters/96559506#workskin

If you have read the original versions already, the first chapter has barely to no difference; I mostly re-wrote some sentences. BUT chapter 2 has a scene entirely rewritten: when Jinx and Viktor meet. Since it's very different how things roll now, I suggest reading it ;)

Tag list: @thehistoriangirl @writingmysanity @the-scoreboard @potatointhedirt

If you would like to be added to the tag list, let me know!

Reblogs are highly appreciated!

Side note: the fic is locked behind a login to protect it from AI stealing it. If you need an Ao3 invite to create an account, you can DM me for one or ask a friend who has one, too... or use your bestie's login; that works too LOL

New chapter? NEW CHAPTER!

Kinda... it's the rework of chapter 2 from Act 1*. The final scene of when Viktor and Jinx meet is quite different now.

Here's a small sneak peek:

(Not proofread/beta read yet)

For context: they are both kneeling on the ground of an alleyway in Piltover. Plus, this is five days after the monkey bomb incident.

Hopefully, this will be posted by the weekend or by the start of next week! Stay tuned!

*reminder that act 1 has four chapters now, instead of two.

Heyoooo!

I have an update on this AU's fanfic! It's mostly organization-wise than anything lol the story is intact, don't worry.

I've been rethinking my writing when it comes to my fics. I want to do smaller chapters now, instead of super long ones like I was doing with this AU.

I will try to keep something between 5k to 7k (instead of the 15k-17k), but maybe some exceptions will happen since, usually, fight scenes need much more descriptive writing.

SO! If you follow [the fic on Ao3], you saw that Act 1 is being reworked already. I have split the 2 chapters into 4, and some scenes here and there are being rewritten.

The same applies to Act 2 on a larger scale: it was split into 2 acts now because of how the subject changes after a certain point. So now we have 4 acts, instead of 3, of what would be the equivalent to season 1 of the show.

With those changes, we'll have more chapters, but they are shorter, which means less waiting time between updates of the fic!

It used to have a tag list, but since it's been a while I'm going to "reset it", so, if you want to continue on the list or be added to it, let me know!

Thank you so much! I'm glad! ❤️ (well, she's still traumatized. She just deals with it differently).

Yes! She is Viktor's right hand on the Academy and on the Toymaker business.

Also, I'm sorry for the late reply!

OMG! Yesterday was this AU's second anniversary!

Indeed the season 2 teasers are making me think again on The Toymaker... perhaps this calls for a profile redraw of the main six(?). We'll see...

GOOD NEWS! It seems...

All these new teasers of season 2 are making me think more constantly about this AU again! Seems like season 2 indeed will give me fuel to do Toymaker content again!

On a side note, I'll add the new champion, Smolder, to this AU, too (once they finish remaking his face).

New grayscale painting style it seems! For both artworks and comics!

Arcane: The Toymaker AU: Act 2 Chapter 4 - Teaser!

Title: "Smoke and Mirrors"

[...]

"Hey, Viktor… '' Jayce spoke reluctantly as he approached his colleague, "How is Jinx's treatment go-" before he could finish and without turning to look at him, Viktor cut him off with a firm "no."

"Bu- Wha-? I haven't even finished talking!" Jayce responded defensively.

Viktor audibly clicked his tongue in annoyance, "No. Jinx will not be enrolled in a normal school! Not while she's in the middle of psychological treatment."

"Viktor, that's not even what I was going to ask!" Jayce protested.

"Every time you start with this subject it's in an effort to change my mind! The answer is no! NO! It's too risky !" His volume grew louder as his patience began to wane.

"What do you mean by that?" Jayce raised his voice as well.

Viktor took a step back and turned away from Jayce in an attempt to regain his composure. There was no point in getting hostile with him; it was unsurprising for him to be completely ignorant regarding this subject. It was a reminder of how different their realities were.

"Our reality is different from yours, Jayce," Viktor responded, his voice no longer raised but hostile all the same.

It took a few seconds for Jayce to understand what his friend ment, but then it clicked, "It's because you're from the Undercity, isn't it?" 

"Yes…" Viktor replied dryly.

"But… What difference does that make?!" Jayce asked, still confused.

"It makes all the difference! Especially here in the Academic Grounds!" Viktor responded, his tone rising again.

Jayce flinched at Viktors sudden yelling, stunned by how worked up the man had gotten. Was something as simple as being from the Undercity really that impactful? Jayce didn’t know, but with how Viktor spoke of it, he was starting to think it wasn’t as ‘simple’ as he’d assumed.

[...]

Text proofread/edit by @beanswithbones ❤️

The more references and information you have, the easier it becomes to understand the situation of the next, saying from experience and witnessing.

Most of the chapter will be focused on the beginning of Caitlyn's friendship with Jinx and Viktor (but I didn't pick a scene about it as a teaser due to spoilers).

Also, be ready to get angry at enforcers in this chapter. Trigger warnings will be added at the start of the chapter.

Arcane: The Toymaker AU - Jinx's Glorious Evolution!

The "Glorious Evolution" in this AU is an almost literal meaning of evolving (low key digimon inspired). The more you rank up with your arcane embodiment using ArchTech, the more you "evolve" your connection with the Arcane itself.