Chapter 1

"Caitlyn Crowne' Diary
Weather: Sunny
Topic: Vi. Again.
The Piltover Enforcer, Vi. I've worked the beat with her ever since I offered her a place among the law rather than running from it. She was rough, well rougher, back then, brash, and had no respect for the law at all but when her cohorts were in danger she didn't cut and run nor did she cower or cry. She showed dubious ingenuity, amazing bravery, and a will to protect by using those hextech gauntlets to save them. My father always told me that those characteristics, if shown, no matter who the source, they can be made into something better than themselves. That's what I'm trying to do with Vi but it is...less than successful. Despite even my tracking skills and sleuthing ability, I know next to nothing about about my partner. We work together during the days and at night if needed, but she always goes her own way after we clock out. I do trust her. I have to, she is one of Piltovers Finest after all."

The young sheriff closed and locked her leather bound diary, the cover devoid of any defining characteristics save for a small bronze padlock. She had just come out of the shower to record the days thoughts in her diary after a long day of following leads and making arrests. Night was setting upon the city of progress and Caitlyn was sat in her room before an open window letting the cool night air saunter in, she stared out into the ever busy city pondering over the ever persistent questions about her partner. Her train of thought was derailed by a massive explosion from the easter quarter of Piltover. She rose, beginning to dress herself and radio her partner, hoping she was actually awake.

"This is Caitlyn, we have a problem in the eas-" she spoke hurriedly before being cut off by a voice still fresh with the sound of sleep.
"Calm down, cupcake, I heard it. Think it's Jinx?" Vi asked the sound of car horns and wind being broadcasted through the radio.
"Doubtful, she usually lets us know before she blows up a city block. Wait for backup, I'm on my way now." She said as she made her way out of her home.
"Backup? I am my own backup." Vi said with a chuckle.
"Vi this is serious, we don't know what this is yet." Caitlyn warned her sternly.
"What's that? You're, psshhh, breaking up, pssshhh!" Suddenly the radio cut out, the final sound was the clutching of a large robotic fist.

"This is coming out of her paycheck." Caitlyn thought to herself.

The trip to the Eastern district of Piltover was quick, though Caitlyn arrived far too late. Her partner, Vi, the Iron Vixen of Piltover was currently on her knees in front of the city library with a simple pistol pressed against her head. A hostage situation. She was so stunned that she didn't notice the other humans and yordles tied up behind the crew of barefaced criminals. She continued forward to speak with the negotiator.

"What are their demands?" She asked the man.
"They're demanding we empty the city bank and give them an aircraft ready to go. The situation i-"
"I know the situation. Listen, keep them talking, make sure no one get's hurt and make sure they stay on the ground. Keep your men out of this, I'll be handling this alone." She said before speeding off.

She made her way to the top of a building a few blocks away, getting out her rifle and peering through the scope. She saw 7 people, 3 on the one side of the hostages, with 3 on the other and one in the middle, apparently the leader, who was shouting demands and holding a gun to her partner's head. The temptation to blow his head off was high but she managed to remain calm. She turned her scope to another person, one far in the back. They were clad in a mask, with a long robe, and gloves covering their hands. Whoever this was, they aren't armed nor are they a part of these criminals. She focused back to the armed thugs. Caitlyn was focused perfectly onto the leader. She shifted between the other thugs many times, identifying the fastest shooting pattern. She focused back onto the leader. Bang. Another 6 shots rang out after that, the men dropped to the floor within seconds of each other all taking shots to the legs and arms, except for the leader who was left without the top part of his skull. She gave a sigh of relief, before she noticed one of the men who she'd disabled had a much more advanced pistol bound to his forearm and aimed it towards the still kneeling Vi. Caitlyn shot again, but bullets only fly so fast. By the time she could put the man down, he'd already fired at her partner hitting her in her lower back. Caitlyn felt true panic as she rushed down from her sniper nest back down to the scene. Medics had already gotten Vi onto a stretcher, removing her gauntlets and rushing her into the back of an ambulance, Caitlyn riding along as well. Her mind was blank, only focusing on the limp hand she held between her own.

Vi awoke to the smell of sterility and the metronome like beep of a heart monitor. She looked around to see some flowers next to her and her partner, asleep in a chair next to her bedside with her top hat covering her face but not hiding the little bit of drool spilling out onto her dress. Her gauntlets were nowhere in sight, but she wasn't too concerned about it. She leaned over to rise from her bed, feeling surprisingly pain free. She was alarmed to find, despite her efforts to raise her legs nothing happened. She tried, to the point of grunting, but nothing came of her efforts. The noise had awoken Caitlyn who immediately tried to settle her friend.

"Vi, relax, you're in the hospital!" She said as she gently took her by the shoulders and set her back into bed.
"Caitlyn...what happened to me? I...can't…" She tried to force out the words but she could hardly believe it.
"It's going to be okay, you got hit in the spine, there's some nerve damage and...well you're temporarily paraplegic." She said in a gentle, reassuring tone.

"What do you mean temporary? Last time I checked getting shot in the spine isn't something you just get better from."
"You're in Piltover, something like that can be fixed. Your surgery is scheduled in a few weeks, until then just try not to get into too much trouble, okay cupcake?" She teased.

Vi gave a small smile before speaking up again.

"Still, a few weeks? What am I supposed to do until then? What about the League? And how do I get home, I don't think wheelchairs are exactly street legal."
"It's all taken care of, I've alerted the summoners of your injury and as for getting home, I'll be taking you personally. I hope you're not too tired to give directions."
"No...you sure there's not someone else who could give me a ride? Like Jayce or Ezreal?"
"Jayce is busy with the League and Ezreal isn't old enough to drive. What, don't you trust me? I'm the one who actually goes the speed limit remember?" She reminded Vi as she moved to help her into her new wheelchair.

"It's okay, my legs might be bum right now but my arms work just fine." She said as she tried to lift herself up. The effects of the muscle relaxer that was used when removing the bullet from her back were still strong enough to render the woman weak, making her lose her grip on the side bars of the bed. Luckily, she fell into the arms of her friend. After a moment of embarrassed silence Vi spoke again.

"Okay, help me." She said as Caitlyn began to lift her into her chair.

Vi felt weak, not entirely because of the drugs. She'd been relying solely on herself since she was a child. Now she was incapable of even getting herself out of bed. Caitlyn was not blind to this.

"After you get better, I hope you realize you'll be the one waiting on me hand and foot." She teased before leaning down giving Vi a reassuring hug.
"Without a doubt, cupcake." Vi smiled, returning the embrace with one arm.

After getting Vi into Caitlyn's family car, and a few minutes of Vi giving direction they arrived at her home, if it could even be called that. Even in the city of Piltover, the impoverished still exist, though through the myriad of public assistance programs most are able to make due with what they have. Vi's home was the dilapidated remnants of an old concrete building, clearly built before Piltover's reformation into the techmaturgical wonder it is today. The walls, or what was left of them, were cracked or blow apart, perhaps the early training of Vi's brawling skill Caitlyn thought to herself. Upon looking over at her partner, she saw her gaze cast down at her lap.

"So this was what she was hiding…" Caitlyn thought.

She reached over and set her hand on the womans lap.

"Why don't you come home with me until you're feeling better? Not to toot my own horn, but my family's estate might be more comfortable for you in your current state." She spoke with a smile.
"Thanks, Cait." Vi replied. "Help me out, I just need to grab some clothes."

Caitlyn helped Vi out of the vehicle and wheeled her, with some difficulty, into her home. The place was covered in crushed beer cans, unwashed dishes, and a small T.V set. Caitlyn wasn't one to judge and often tried to see things objectively but when it came to Vi, her emotions dominated her actions. Vi wheeled herself over to where she slept, grabbing an old dufflebag and piling some shirts, pants, and undergarments into it before zipping it up.

"Alright we can get out of here." She said wheeling past Caitlyn, before noticing she wasn't following. "You okay, Cait?" She asked tapping the girl on her thigh.
"Oh, sorry. Let's be off." She said turning around to push Vi.
"I know it's not much…" Vi spoke before they exited. "...But it's mine, you know? I've had a lot of memories in this shithole, good and bad. Feels wrong to just up and split after I get a little bit of cash. Plus there's good people here." She said with a chuckle.

Caitlyn had never seen this side of Vi, at least not with this kind of sincerity. She set a hand on her partner's shoulder and continued to wheel her out.

As Caitlyn and Vi entered the street, a group of people, old and young, were crowded around Caitlyn's car. Vi spoke up, authority in her voice "Hey! Don't chop the car, it's a friends." The crowd, turned around and wore shocked faces at vi. They all rushed over to her, tears in their eyes.

"What happened, V?" One asked panicked.

"Oh god…" A few whispered in disbelief.

"Are you gonna die?" A girl no more than 5 asked with harrowing innocence.

"I just had a little accident, and no, I'm not gonna die. I'll be on my feet in a few weeks, just going out for some R&R until my surgery, I'll be back right after."

She addressed the crowd. As she finished speaking, their panic subsided while they wished her well and returned to their respective homes and alleys. Caitlyn helped Vi into the car, putting her wheelchair into the trunk. It was almost strange to see people other than her genuinely concerned about Vi. It didn't take much to figure out Vi had been taking care of these people, after all, her money had to go somewhere. Caitlyn chose not to comment on it, instead they rode back to Caitlyn's home in comfortable silence.