Chapter 37: Make A Decision

Present. Zaun. Zaun Military Lab Complex. Underground Chamber: Erebus.

Caitlyn was probably the first, and only one, to really take notice of a change happening in VI. She was shaking and huffing huge gasps of air. She looked absolutely furious. For the first time since meeting VI at her own…no Caitlyn had remembered meeting her before, but couldn't be sure where or when...Caitlyn had never looked at VI and had been unable to see what was going on inside her head.

"Okay everyone just stop!" XJ shouted. "I have question for you," she pointed at Travers, "and you!" Then she pointed at the stone. "First off: I killed like sixty plus people of our kind back when I was three years old! Why didn't you protect them?!"

Hearing this sent a shudder down Caitlyn's spine. 'One or two in a day for someone so young I can see happening, but over sixty people at once!? And were they all as young as she was?!'

"I can actually handle that question better." Travers said raising his hand like he was waiting for a teacher to call on him. "There were one hundred and twenty-eight of you originally."

'One hundred and twenty-eight! What the fuck were they thinking?!' Caitlyn thought to herself. She started to remember the fight that had been carried out in Piltover's business districts. XJ and VI going at it like gods. Then she stopped herself before imagining the horror of over a hundred of them being unleashed at one another in Piltover.

Travers continued, "Each were paired up like the two of you and were supposed to be pushed to kill their partner. They all did, but you two were…well you were listed as rejects. The speculation from the Department Head at the time was that number 18 would be killed off quickly because she hadn't actually killed anyone yet." Travers inhaled deeply. "Then you were supposed to go through many trials of combat to find the best of the last sixty-four. Instead XJ here went berserker on everyone and started a massive free-for-all."

Caitlyn had completely forgotten about the boiling blood of VI and was now terrifyingly fixated on XJ. 'She just…snapped?!'

"Now," Travers exclaimed, "you wanted to know why the stone didn't protect them. Their bodies were of our genetic manipulation, but they lacked life. The stone gave you such life, but the costs were…well…let's circle back to the costs." Travers gave a slight smirk as he made a circling motion with his hand. "Because all of that life is from the stone it protected you as a part of itself. Now here is where it gets 'complicated' okay? The stone didn't have the means to understand how to give life. It exists to divide and compile itself from and with other entities. It was able to divide into one hundred and twenty-nine parts, but not forever. Eventually the parts will have to be returned." He held up his hands in defense. "Let's circle back to that later as well. Anyways, you are all apart of it so it will protect you from life-forms of this realm, all of us." Travers motioned his hand back and forth between Caitlyn and himself. "But because of its nature to divide and compile it will not stop any of you from causing the others to give back their life to the stone and you all as a whole. In fact because the power is shared equally amongst the three of you, as more and more of the genetically engineered bodies were killed, you absorbed equal parts of that life, becoming stronger. But only in the sense of that power." Travers looked directly at XJ. "That power you feel when you can't handle stuff on your own. It is that life."

Surprisingly XJ was not lost and was calmly awaiting the continued explanation of all of this from Travers.

Caitlyn had, at this time, refocused her attention on VI. She still looked incredibly pissed off, but the scary part wasn't her face; it was the fact that she hadn't spoken her mind yet. This had Caitlyn severely worried.

So Travers went on. "Dr. Parson and Mr. Green were well aware of the 'rules' behind how to get from two subjects, down to one. They made a report later that VI's death was not done at their intent, but Dr. Parson kept a separate ledger on the matter. Let me go back a bit here. It was recorded that the Department Head at the time was the leader behind the entire project, but Dr. Parson's notes indicate that the Department Head had been lured into it by himself, and the doctor used him to get a lower spot in the line, which I will explain later, and still make the whole project happen. The stone can confirm this." Travers turned to face the stone.

"THIS IS THE TRUTH. THE SHORT EXPLORER MADE THE DEAL WITH ME. THE LEADER OF THESE EXPLORERS BELIEVED HE HAD POWER THAT HE DID NOT." The stone exclaimed to confirm Travers words.

When Travers turned back around he could tell XJ was confused. "I've tried to explain 'scientist' to it, but it seems to translate my words as an 'explorer' instead. Anyways, Dr. Parson knew that for the reasons of what he described as 'a profoundly tender and passionate affection' that XJ and VI would not have killed each other; i.e. love."

XJ glanced over at VI, and had just now realized she was pissed. But for reasons she didn't completely agree with or understand, she decided not to go embrace her, or wait for a glance back.

Travers went on without a hitch. "So the two of them let her be carried out into the bay. A normal 'flush' involves a long series of pipes meant to make sure the dead were dead. Dr. Parson intentionally hurried VI into the pool without informing the 'flush' team so VI would no doubt live. This might be the scariest thing you hear today, but I promise it isn't" Travers paused to let that sink it.

Caitlyn was finding this 'witness' job to be a lot harder than she would have ever felt comfortable with.

"Dr. Parson did all of this so he can observe VI growing up in the real world, alone." Travers continued. "It was his goal to prove to VI and himself that faced with the harsh realities of life, VI would eventually become an outcast and a pox on the people as she slips further and further into the madness of the world." Travers smiled. "Much to my joy though," He looked at the angry pink haired firecracker, set to be lit, "you proved him wrong and grew to love people instead of hating them. Bravo!"

Now XJ was confused. "Why did you say, 'Much to my joy…'?"

Travers just looked at her and smiled, and then he went on; leaving her dumbstruck. "XJ, on the other hand, Dr. Parson knew she was a cold-blooded killer, or at least it would be easier to make her feel like that is what she is normally, if he gave her the right opportunities. So he made her life a continuance of feeling rewarded for killing anything and everything he gave to her."

XJ's face turned sour. "So he sent her into my cell knowing full well that I would kill her. But did he think I would end up killing her again later?"

Travers sighed. "He was counting on it. He wanted you to develop hatred for VI. He knew that if you felt like any VI you met was a lie the two of you would fight to the death."

At this time Caitlyn was torn. She wanted to hold VI, not just to try and calm her down, but also because this was all starting to become too unsettling. Then she noticed XJ, she too wanted to be held and if only because of that mutual need for comfort, Caitlyn walked over to get XJ in her arms. When XJ returned the embrace she looked into Caitlyn's eyes and said, "She loved me. If she was still alive I wouldn't have to be lonely while I wait for VI. I'm sorry I don't mean to talk about your death like that, but…"

Caitlyn brought her right hand under XJ's chin. "I know you feel confused, and with a clearer head you might have been able to put that in better words; but I understand, you don't want to be left alone." Caitlyn smiled, and it in turn made XJ smile. Then she glanced over at VI. She could have been on fire by the amount of rage that seemed to flow from every pour of her skin. She was still to hot too touch.

"FUCK IT! FUCK IT ALL!" VI roared as she walked up to the stone. "I DON'T FUCKING CARE ABOUT THAT FUCKER'S SCHEMES! HE'S DEAD, WHO GIVES A SHIT?! I DON'T WANT TO KNOW HOW BADLY YOU ASSHOLES FUCKED WITH OUR LIVES! I DON'T FUCKING CARE!" Closing her eyes, she brought her fist down onto the stone from above and slammed hard. She felt the metal stand underneath the stone and realized she had impacted it. When her eyes were open she found that her arm was inside, not because it had gone through it, just inside the stone. "What the fuck?!"

Travers calmly stepped in. "VI? What color and texture is the stone?"

VI looked at him as if he was serious. "Uh…its light blue with a granite-look. Actually I've seen this kind of rock before at The Taric Find Mine." When VI looked back around, XJ and Caitlyn were giving her funny, confused looks.

"VI, its red, with a limestone-look to it." XJ commented.

Then Caitlyn looked at XJ. "What? You mean it's white with a marble-look."

"The stone is not an actual part of this world." Travers explained. "It can't exist in our realm by the rules that govern our existence. This was the only way it could show itself to us. In an instant rock is shattered by force, and over time rock is formed by pressure. This is the best way it can exist in our realm, but even then it can only remain visible, not tangible. You each see it as a rock that can be best identified by you."

"I don't care." VI mumbled.

"What?" Travers asked.

VI looked straight into his eyes. "I don't fucking care. I want to be rid of this stone and you and all this bullshit. Get to the fucking point. I'm not watching XJ suffer any longer. I'm not making Caitlyn feel any worse. I want you to end this. Apologize and let us be free."

Travers wanted to give her knowledge of everything else from her life she never knew, but he could see now that it didn't matter enough to VI to be that burdened by her past. "Very well."

Travers walked up to XJ, Caitlyn noticed it was something personal and stepped away. XJ looked so scared, like she knew but didn't know what was coming. "XJ, XVIIJ, I am so sorry for all those years I stood idly by and assumed that you really were just a monster. When I first met you I knew about you, but I saw something that made me believe you would never be a monster. I wanted to be wrong; it would have let me do my job so easily." Travers pulled a letter from his pocket and waited for her to take it. "This is a copy of my will. I have left everything I own and all of my currency to you. Don't ask why, it's alright. I want you to have it. I want you to have a place that is all yours. A place where no one can make the rules for you. Please live well." Then he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Let me ask, just ask, if none of this had ever happened and I had the chance to adopt such a beautiful child as you; would you have ever wanted a father like me? Would you, or did you ever want a father at all? Could I have been him?" Travers voice was trembling.

XJ was lost, and angry, and felt scared. "I…I would have…I guess so…I, yes."

Travers embraced her and said, "Thank you."

XJ felt warmth in his embrace. Like something she had never gotten before had just been thrown on top of her. It was too much.

Luckily for XJ, Travers soon let her go and walked over to stand next to the stone. He stood in proper military form and paused before speaking. "Now, we come to the end.

"The deal that the stone had made with Dr. Parson was etched in the blood of those involved. I became a part of it later. Fortunately, Caitlyn was able to become a witness only; she will not be subject to this at all." Then he eyed Caitlyn. "Let me be clear, Caitlyn, if you interfere with this you will be made a part of it, and regardless of what you do you will pay for it in one year and this will still happen. In less than an hour the cost for all of this will be paid. Since the girls had reached the age of fourteen a blood price has been required for the continuation of the stones existence in this realm. I am the last cost to be paid. I will die and my life will sustain the stones existence in this world. But only willing participants can be used, so the stone, which has no desire to leave this realm whatsoever will demand a vessel in which to merge it's existence into this realm completely." With that he faced both VI and XJ, collectively. "One of you will become the embodiment of both of you and the stone. The other will no longer be sustained by the stones life. I am sorry to be the one to tell you this; and I am sorry that this has been the point to your entire existence. Today I will die, and so will one of you."

VI put on an enraged expression. "And what if we refuse?!"

Into all of their heads at once the stone exclaimed. "YOU HAVE NO CHOICE."

In an instant they were all taken from the room. The experience felt like their bodies were falling apart and just when they were in pieces, they started to retake their previous shape. Only now they were in a large room.

XJ recognized it immediately. It was the same arena she had fought her brothers and sisters many years ago, to the death. VI and XJ stood at opposite ends of the circular platform with Travers and the stone in the middle. Travers was facing XJ. Caitlyn had been reassembled into the sniper canopy far above. She could see everything clearly.

VI didn't care; she was way too pissed off to care why or how that had just happened. "We're not going to do it!" VI beamed over at XJ. "Right?!" XJ nodded, unsure of what to say at this point.

The stone came into their heads again. "THE TIME FOR A VESSEL IS AT HAND. THE DECISION MUST BE MADE. THE DECISION MUST BE MADE."

"It ain't fucking happening!" VI roared. "You can't make us do this!"

XJ noticed Travers smiling at her. Honestly it was starting to make her feel a little better. Like he had a plan to stop all of this craziness, and defeat the stone. Then he lurched upright and collapsed to the floor. XJ made a face she had never thought she could before. Horror, the same horror she had brought to so many others, and it was all over her face. Then and there she knew it; one of them, she or her sister, was going to die.

The stone seemed to screech its words into the three girl's ears. "YOU HAVE NO CHOICE! THE DECISION MUST BE MADE! YOU HAVE NO CHOICE!"

Caitlyn watched in awe and terror as both VI and XJ were lit up in bright light. VI was glowing blue, from her eyes and mouth and symbols formed all over her skin. XJ was the same in a pink contrast. The horrific nature of these two that had been partially exposed in Piltover once before, was now fully exposed in this arena. She wanted to scream 'No!' but Travers words of warning silenced her emotional outbursts before they were made vocal.

For what could have been minutes, VI and XJ stared at one another. They looked perfect. No flaws in their stance. No nervous twitching from adrenaline. Not even chest movements for breath. They were beyond all existence of the realm they grew up in, and with each holding onto one half of the, now vanished, stone's power they were prepared to end this.

Without warning VI dashed across the room and slammed her right fist into XJ's head, sending her into the wall. Before she could stand VI got behind her, grabbed both of her wrists and hugged around her to keep her arms in. Then VI lifted XJ inches off the ground. Their equal strength made it hard for XJ to break free from VI's grasp.

Their bodies had transcended beyond a point that existed so easily in the realm where they were fighting one another. So VI reached deep, deep inside to find something she knew was still there, somewhere. 'Can you hear me? I know you can! I know you haven't really left! You're in here with us! Aren't you?!'

'YOU HAVE NO CHOICE! THE DECISION MUST BE MADE!'

'Oh but I do have the choice to make the decision. It's decided here and now! I die, she becomes your vessel. Let my sister live!' VI almost begged.

'DO YOU PLACE SUCH LITTLE VALUE ON YOUR OWN LIFE?!'

VI laughed, although it didn't matter to make the noise in this state, she just really wanted to. 'I place tremendous value on my own life. I want to live. I want to see all the people I care about again. I want to shake their hands, and for some I want to hold them so, so tight. I want to have children. I want to see them grow up. I want to try and raise them to be better than me. I want to pray everyday that I can raise them to make the world a better place. I want to be with Caitlyn. I want to hold her every night as I sleep and wake to her face everyday. I want to be with her in good times and bad. I want to grow old with her and watch as she ages but always remains so beautiful. I want to be able to see my sister whenever possible. I want to hold her when we meet and beg her to stay or for me to stay when it's time to go. I want to live for those I care about. I want to see all that life has in one full lifetime. I want to live. Fucking dammit! I WANT TO LIVE!' She paused to calm her thoughts. 'But so much more than any of my desires to live I want XJ to live so much more. I want her to find someone. Maybe even Caitlyn. I'd like that. They wouldn't be alone, they'd have each other. In time they could have what Caitlyn and I have or what XJ and I have; or maybe a little of both. I want XJ to live. I want her to find many people to care about. I want her to shake their hands, and for some I want her to hold them so, so tight. I want her to have children. I want her to see them grow up. I want her to try and raise them to be better than herself. I want her to be able to pray everyday that she can raise them to make the world a better place. I want her to see all that life has in one full lifetime. I want her to live. Fucking dammit! I WANT HER TO LIVE!'

'IF THIS IS THE DECISION THEN LET IT BE SO!'

VI felt a little better, or as good as you can feel when facing your own mortality. 'Wait for my signal, then do it, and don't listen to anything they say.'

'I KNOW OF YOUR SIGNAL. IS THIS HOW YOU WANT IT ALL TO END?'

'Yes, this is how I would most want it to end.' VI replied, sounding so very at peace.

Watching XJ flail her legs around pointlessly was far too much for Caitlyn to bear. On one hand VI could live, but XJ would die. On the other XJ could live, but VI would die. She felt like she shouldn't have to be witness to such a horrible decision. Seeing them flow with energy; energy that had turned a light violet in color as it was mixed, would have been so pretty, if it wasn't so tragic. But just like that the energy stopped flowing and Caitlyn feared the worse. Who died? Who lived?

VI still had XJ suspended tightly in her grasp. She looked up to see Caitlyn. "Listen to me! You will live! You will love! And you will be happy!"

Caitlyn felt like she was choking. "VI, I-!"

"Promise me!" VI demanded.

Caitlyn was in tears. "I promise! VI I love you!"

XJ had just regained consciousness when VI demanded Caitlyn's promise. "VI! What's going on! Answer me!"

VI looked into XJ's eyes. "Listen to me! You will live! You will love! And you will be happy!"

"I…" XJ was so confused and scared.

VI roared, "Promise me!"

XJ didn't want to, she was scared.

"PROMISE ME!"

XJ finally nodded as she started to sob. "I promise! I will! I love you!"

VI looked up at Caitlyn. "You gave me life. I fell in love with you when we first met. When you shot me with your net." VI smiled.

Caitlyn chuckled through choking sobs. "I remember. You were so cute! I fell in love with you at your door step! I couldn't admit it before, but it was then and there!"

VI kept smiling. "I love you, Cupcake!"

Caitlyn put on a smile. "I love you too, Crumpet!" But inside she realized what was happening. VI was making her farewells. She wanted to stop her, but if she ruined this moment she feared she would always regret it.

Then VI looked at XJ. "I've loved you since they first put us in the same room. I wanted to protect you; forever."

"You still can! VI I love you!" XJ cried out. She felt it too. This was VI's last few words, and her last request. She wanted to scream something to stop her, but she didn't know what to say.

VI smiled wide. "I know I still can. I love you." Without another word from XJ or Caitlyn, VI drew XJ in closer and leaned in her head to lock their lips together. XJ felt a cooling relief of so much patience and longing wash over her and settle her heart. VI held the kiss just long enough to make it count. She wanted it to be perfect.

The kiss didn't end with their lips slowly separating and saliva streams stretching until they broke. It didn't end with a wide eyed gaze from each of them to take in what just happened. The first kiss they ever shared ended with VI releasing XJ as she collapsed to the floor, but XJ didn't fall with her. In a shine of bright, white light she was imbued with the existence of a singular, otherworldly entity.