Water and Blood

Vi took a deep breath. The needle in her hand was trembling, and she could not accept that. It had to stop, had to be steady. It would be an unbearable shame to have that fucked up. She focused on her breathing, and her heartbeat.

One, two. One two.

Her hand got steadier.

Without a second thought, she stung herself. The pain was not as bad as she had expected, but she needed to remain steady. Using a shard of broken glass as mirror was challenging enough, she had to do it straight, neat.

The ink was dripping down her fingers, hand and arm, all the way to her elbow. A few drops stained her dirty shirt.

She did as she had been explained : not digging a line in her flesh, but poking through, dot after dot, to create a straight line without too much blood.

She started by the two horizontal lines. Those would help keep things straight. The pain was bearable, but sting after sting, she felt tears coming to her eyes, natural reaction of her body to an annoying feeling.

It took her time, more time she would have guessed. She was almost running out of think, which pissed her off, considering what she had to do to get it.

- Easy, had said the tattooed man. This guy here owed me for the last delivery and hasn't paid. Wardens are keeping a close eye on me, I can't go and... persuade him myself.

- You think I can? I've been to the Pit already three times!

- Exactly! One more, one less, changes nothing for you! Probably feel at home down there!

The man had laughed and handed to her a small box, the size of a matchbox. She opened it, finding two needles and a small vial of black ink.

- You in?

She hesitated a second.

- Yeah alright. I'll talk to him.

- Talking. Sure.

In the end, he was right. The man blew her off, so she had to make her point with her fists. And another journey to the pit. But she got what she wanted.

Her work done, she admire the result, as much as she could in that broken glass. Few drops of blood were still tainting her face red, but otherwise it looked clean. Two letters under her left eye. This way, no would would ever need to ask who the hell just fucked'em up. No more stupid nicknames. No more innocence on her face.

This way, she would never forget who she is, even buried in this pit.

- So, I've been told you wanted to talk to me.

Silco considered the little girl in front of him. Just a couple of months had passed since he had taken her in, and the scared little thing was scared no more. She was cold. Distant. Angry. The only one who could still get a smile and a decent conversion out of her was Silco.

- Yes.

- We dine together every single day. Yet you had to interrupt an important meeting. What is there to talk that couldn't wait tonight?

Powder looked straight at him, without blinking. A few weeks before she was still looking at her feet while talking.

- I want in.

- You want in.

- Yes.

- In what?

- Don't play with me. You know what I'm talking about.

- Yes, but I want to hear you say it. I need to make sure you understand what it means.

- The nation of Zaun. If want to create it with you. I want in.

- Why?

Powder winced, destabilized for a second. She hesitated.

- And what would you bring to the table, he insisted. Building bombs for us?

- I'm pretty good with a gun, she answered, unsure. I always beat Mylo at the range.

He stared at her, looking for her resolve to show up again.

- I see. In that case, come back when you why you want in. And when you're better than "pretty good" with a gun. Then we'll find you a mission suited for your talents.

She bit her lips, torn between anger and excitement. Was it a promise, or a way to get rid of her?

- Okay. I'll come back, and you'll see. You better keep your word!

She turned back and slammed the door.

- Well, said Silco to the empty room. I'm looking forward to that...

He smiled. For the first time in a long, long time.

- What do you mean, you are not coming back?

Jayce instantly regretted raising his voice. Lashing out was not something he could afford, especially not when begging for help.

- You clearly don't need my help.

Heimerdinger hold no malice nor resentment in his answer. It was just a statement. He explained :

- You have been doing a very fine job without me, young man. I see no reason to change a gear when the machine works!

The young councilor sighed heavily, and let himself fall on a chair.

- It's been six months, professor! We're still down two Councilors, and despite his best efforts, Mr Kiramman is far from the knowledge of his late wife! He's still catching up on pretty much all current affairs. Viktor is still in the coma, Mel still cannot talk!

- Yes, I was sorry to hear about Viktor's and Councilor Medarda's health. Even sorrier to hear about her mother's passing.

- She did not pass, Professor! She was murdered ! Murdered right under our noses! That's exactly what I'm saying, I cannot do this! I cannot keep doing this! I'm going to explode.

Heimerdinger gently sighed.

- Nonsense, boy.

He got down his chair, and walked slowly toward Jayce, to sit back on another chair, closer to him.

- You were right, Jayce, he whispered. When you voted me out of this council, I could not understand why. Why would you do that? After everything I had done for you and this city. But now I understand. Seeing these young people trying so hard to make something of their short lives... You were right, yes. I had forgotten, working here alone in my lab, focusing on theories that would take decades to help anyone. Down there, I see all the good I can make, all the good I used to bring. I can help them, every day, save lives, as you had described. How could i turn my back to them again? How could you ask me to, when you're the one who accused me of not paying attention to them?

Jayce passed a hand in his hair. Yes he understood. I didn't like it, but he understood.

- I guess the Fates played a cruel trick on me. Having me calling you out for not caring about the people in the streets, and on the next day putting me in charge of the whole city.

He felt like crying.

- I just wished I could go back to my lab, you know? Get a wrench in my hand, and start creating again. Instead of drowning in this paperwork...

Heimerdinger felt as pained as him.

- They say that the most suited people to rule are always the ones who want it the least. Do not worry Jayce. I have complete trust in your ability to handle this crisis. I know that you will find the way protect this city, and go back to those brillants inventions of yours before you know it.

- I wish I had the same confidence as you, Professor...

- One of the perks of being several centuries old, my young friend. Now I shall leave you to your work, and get back to mine.

- Thank you for coming Professor. I had hoped for a different outcome, but I understand. I'm just glad to know you safe. It took us an awful lot of time to find you, we were all very worried. Are you sure you still do not want to tell me where you were all this time ?

The old Yordle laughed.

- Very sure, my boy. Good luck.

Jayce buried his face in his hands. He wanted to sleep so badly, but the city's Sheriff should be here anytime soon for her report. He could not delay it. Barely a minute later, loud knocks on the door made the wood crackle.

- Come on in!

Caitlyn and Vi entered, step heavy and decided. They looked tired, exhausted even. Jayce heart sank a little in his chest when he noticed traces of blood on Vi's gauntlets and the tears in Cait's uniform.

- Again? he asked.

- Sadly, yes, confirmed the Sheriff.

Vi sat next to her, and crossed her arms in front on her, on the table, not even taking the time to take her weapons off. As if they were comfy pillows she laid her forehead down against them. She could have slept there.

- I don't get it, she said. It's getting worse every week. Young folks deserting their families to enroll, who knows what for... Old men getting back to the business when they can barely walk straight. What in the hell is going on down there?

Jayce was as miffed as her. Vi, at first, had been a bit reluctant to the job. She felt like she had sold herself to the enemy, the ones who had killed her parents, and kept her people drowning under water with an iron hand pressing their head down. She was doing this for Caitlyn, and that was it. However, in the first few weeks, she understood she good she could do. She and Jayce had slowly become, if not closer, at least warmer to each other, spending nights discussing their plans and ideas to make the life of the undercity better. She had opened the Councilor's eyes to many of the truths and issues of the life out there.

People in the Lanes knew her, at least they used to before she disappeared. The aura of Vander surrounded her, and despite the defiance of the locals against the enforcers, they started to trust her. Of course at first she had been accused of being a sell-out, of forgetting where she was coming from. But people saw, people heard, that all she wanted to do, was to try to use her newly found position to help her childhood neighborhood. They started to open themselves to the dialog, and slowly allowed Vi and her Topsider allies to be part of their lives, for the better.

And then came the Chem-Barons, and everything went to shit again.

- How much? asked Jayce to his trusted Sheriff.

- Based on today's report, we're up to seventeen of those "Chem-Barons". At least eleven have built a crew of hundred members or more. Sevika's seems to still be the most prominent one.

- I really thought I had killed her in that bar, muttered Vi. The old hag sure is tough...

- And those holes in your clothes? The blood on the gauntlets?

- Not even a gang, spat Vi. Just a bunch of motherfuckers who thought they could make themselves a name by taking us down, hoping to start their own thing...

- Are they...

She shook her head.

- Nah, don't worry. They're alive. They won't eat nothing but soup for the next year, though.

- There's something new, cut Caitlyn. I can't really say if it's real or not, good or not but...

She seemed to hesitate. Jayce pressed her on with a sign of the head.

- There have been whispers. Rumors of a rumor, this kind of thing, but some people start to believe that a monster is now roaming the streets, targeting the gangs.

Jayce raised an eyebrow. This indeed sounded like an old tale to scare children.

- A monster?

- Yes. No accurate descriptions so far, except that it's definitely not human.

- What makes you think it's relevant?

- Me? Nothing. But Vi thinks it is.

She didn't say it like it was a source of conflict, just a matter of opinion. So far, Jayce had never seen them fight, or even argue, only teases. He turned to the pink-haired woman, waiting for an explanation.

- There never was any tale like this when I grew up. We already had a monster, and it was the topside. I know these folks, they wouldn't make that up just for the fun of it.

She raised her hands in the air, the giants metal gloves making her head looking ridiculously tiny next to them.

- I ain't saying it's true. Could be a kid thinking he saw something. All I'm saying is that it COULD be true. We should not ignore it.

- You want to investigate?

Vi shrugged.

- Maybe. But on the other hand, we do have more urgent matters.

- Yes, added Cait. This is actually why I wanted to talk with you so urgently.

- What? It was not for my handsome face?

Jayce's joke fell flat as both women looked a him with a hint of disapproval in their eyes.

- Ahem. Yes. What have you found?

- One of Vi's snitches got word of an attack coming soon. One of those new Barons, going by the name of Crimson, has his eyes on ChemJack's factory.

- ChemJack is an old one, explained Vi. Was here even before Silco, but usually just stuck to his lane, supplying whatever he was asked to supply. Not a violent one, but quite smart. He got his factory and ressources with good deals and betting on the right guy at the right time. His money is enough to buy a small army of mercenaries.

- And this Crimson thinks he can take him down?

- Looks like it. There's a big prize for him if he can pull it off.

- ChemJack is not a real threat, explained Caitlyn, but the Crimson clan is aggressive and expanding quickly. We cannot allow them to get their hands on all ChemJack's ressources. They could become number one overnight, and I don't think the others would appreciate that. It could trigger an open war.

- Plus, added Vi, Old Jack's factory is usually full of kids, either in it or nearby. If there's a fight, it will be big, and innocents will get caught in the crossfire.

Jayce laid his hands on the table and entwined his fingers. He knew what they wanted, but he didn't like it. He didn't have dozens of enforcers to send down there to keep the peace between two small armies.

- What do you want to do, then?

- We want to contact ChemJack. Bring him a squad to support his troops, and make sure he doesn't get wiped off the board.

- Jack is a businessman, more than a warlord. He'll take a deal if it can save his ass, and that could be good for us to have a Baron owing us some favors. Could make our jobs easier. And if we can give the Crimson a good lesson at in the same time, it's a perfect hit, baby.

Jayce grunted slightly.

- It makes sense. How long do we have ?

- According to my guy, less than three days,

- Damned. How are you going to convince a full squad to help this ChemJack? It's hard enough to get them to help downsiders, even innocent ones, so a Baron...

Vi smiled.

- We could maybe offer some bonus ? I suppose some of the guys wouldn't spit on extra cash for their kids...

- You alright, dear? asked Caitlyn, concerned, as they walked back home in the cover of the night.

Vi looked at her, eyes empty.

- Yes, I'm just tired. It was a rough day.

Cait didn't know what to answer, so they walked in silence, a silence heavy on her heart. She felt Vi slowly getting more distant, and that scared the hell out of her.

After a few weeks living at her place, Vi's mattress had been removed from Cait's bedroom, and they started sharing the same bed. She even got used to the overly fluffy and squishy cushions. Their relationship, if it ever was ambiguous, had become very clear when Caitlyn had decided to kiss her one night, then to climb on top of her. Her grief was no longer in the way of her feelings, and she had decided to give in to them.

The night had been hot, exhausting, delivering. Cait hadn't felt an ecstasy like this in a lifetime, and Vi had proven herself less inexperienced as the Sheriff would have guessed. Or very good at improvising. From that point, their romantic relationship had been known and public, although sometimes frowned upon, especially in the peacekeeping forces. Caitlyn's father, still burdened with the grief of his loss, had accepted that truth with a genuine smile. Whether he was accepting his daughter's sexuality, or very good at hiding his disapproval, no one knew... He had welcomed Vi in his life with nothing but a gentle but grieving smile.

For Vi, living in the Kiramman's mansion was still not an easy thing. In the end, maybe oil and water could mix, a bit, for a time, but she still could not get used to having her food being served by servants at the table, and she didn't want to. At first she had stayed just to be the support Caitlyn needed, this was a sacrifice she was willing to make for her. Now it was more a compromise for her relationship, and she was not feeling at home. Maybe, one of way or another, Cait had felt it as she saw her partner getting colder and colder over the past two weeks.

Her concerns grew suddenly bigger while she was taking her shower, to the point of exploding. The hot water, the only luxury Vi really appreciated and would hate to loose, at her own admission, was slowly but surely washing away the stains of blood and eased her bruises and cuts. She heard some noises behind her, and closed her eyes, allowing herself to be surprised. The naked skin of Vi suddenly touched hers, her breasts against her back. She gently put her head against Cait's neck, and hugged her, her heavy arms wrapping her at the chest. Despite the romanticism of the situation, Cait's heart stopped in her rib cage. Time seemed to stop, and when she talked, Vi talked at the same time.

- Please don't leave me again.

- Please don't die.

- What?

- What?

Caitlyn turned like a windvane, almost slipping on the wet floor. She faced the full height of her girlfriend.

- What do you mean "don't die"?

- What do you mean "Don't leave"?

They stopped, looking at each other awkwardly, unsure what the next step would be.

- You first, offered the blue-haired girl.

- No no no! You first, Cupcake! What did you mean by that?

She sounded mad, almost furious.

- I meant that I believed you were distant, these days. I thought, maybe you wanted to leave, go back to the undercity. I know living here is not easy for you. You know.. Oil and Water, or whatever bullshit theory you said last time.

- Is this what you think of me? Of what I feel about you? That it means so little?

- You did it once before.

- And I learnt my lesson! This is not a sacrifice, this is a choice! My choice!

Vi stepped back, visibly hurt.

- Listen, said Caitlyn calmly, trying to reassure her. This is not what I think of you. This is what I'm scared of. If you tell me you don't want to leave, I'll believe you. If you tell me that you do want to leave, I want to talk about it.

Vi crossed her arms in front of her.

- I'm not leaving.

- Good.

Cait's smile came back.

- Now do you want to tell me what you meant by "don't die"?

Vi uncrossed her arms, revealing her breasts, which spiked Cait's interest, much to her frustration. The pink-haired scratched her head, now visibly more ashamed than angry.

- Well I... Today was a close call. You got just scratched but it could have been much worse. Yesterday was barely better. The whole past week was just a giant trap.

- Yet I am okay.

- No, you don't understand, Cupcake... please don't get mad for what I'm about to say. I absolutely don't mean this as a competition, and I don't want to minimize your loss and what you've been through. But... But you still have your father. You still have Jayce. This house. A career and a whole life But me? I lost my parents. Then Mylo, then Claggor. Then Vander. Then my sister. I've lost my home. All I have left is you, and the freedom you gave me back. And trust me when I say that if I had to choose, I'd give up the latter rather than you. So yes, I am scared. All the time. I don't want to go to work, I don't want to go back to the undercity. I just want to stay here with you. Or better, just leave all this madness behind, get on a ship to Ionia or Freljord, together.

Caitlyn smiled. She could have been offended, she could have been mad at Vi for wanting to abandon all they wanted to protect, but she was not. Vi looked so honest, so true, so bare in front of her, she chose to accept this confession of love.

She extended her hand.

- Let's make a deal then. You don't leave, and I don't die.

- This sounds more like blackmail...

- Well, maybe it is!

Cait looked mischievous. Vi hesitated just half a second, and slapped the hand away. Instead, she leaned forward and closed the deal with a kiss.

She kissed hard and strong, as she usually did. Her tongue then left Caitlyn's lips to slid down her neck, down her chest, always further down.

The water raining down on her suddenly felt hotter and more delightful.

Vi grunted. She didn't like it. She looked around, and Caitlyn seemed to share her concerns.

Only half a dozen of enforcers had answered to the call for this mission. To the pride of the Sheriff, every single one had refused the bonus offered by Jayce, doing this because it was the right thing to do to save lives. To her shame, they were very few to think so. The vast majority of the force was not willing to risk their lives to protect a Chem-Baron. She understood, in a way, but she wished more of her people were righteous and selfless enough to inspire the people of both cities to trust them.

She caressed her new sniper rifle. At least that was something. Jayce had delivered those new Pulsefire rifles in the morning, a side project of his, the new jewels of the Hextech technology and the craftsmanship of Piltover. What made those guns special was that the condensed energy blasts they produced were not deadly.

- I will not create weapons of murder, had declared the Councilor. I've done it once and it's already too much. No, this is better this way. Folks dont there will never respect us if we keep killing their people. And it's the only way so I can still look at myself in the mirror.

The whole group but Vi was equipped with those babies. All also wore helmets and masks, giving them the grim allure of an army of doom. Still, they were looking less like a death squad than the army of mercenaries waiting alongside them. They were at least thirty, from sixteen years old to fifty, half-naked or armor-covered, tattoos, scars and missing teeth all around. They were all tensed, watching the enforcers with a defiant look, avoiding any unnecessary chat. Despite the lack of trust, they knew they were on the same side. The deal brokered between ChemJack and Caitlyn had sealed the alliance, at least for the night, and hopefully for longer than that.

According to the spies of the both allies, the attack was supposed to happen that night. Judging by the unusual silence in the streets, Vi could only agree with the assessment. The Street could feel this kind of thing, like a sixth sense engraved in people's flesh, to warn them of an incoming bloodshed.

Vi didn't believe for a second that her squad of topsiders had gone unnoticed, despite all the precautions they had taken. Crimson had to know that ChemJack had received reinforcements. Hence, there was a good chance that he would have cancelled his plans. Maybe he would just wait for the enforcers to leave, and attack at this moment where everyone would lower their guard.

It was already past midnight, everything would have been pitch black if not for the few neons lighting up the warehouse. The tension could be cut with a butter knife.

- They won't come, grunted Vi again, pessimistic.

- They will. If Crimson can take this place and send topsiders back home, their tales between their legs, all at the same time, he would be Zaun's number one. The new big shot. He can't resist the idea. He's a gambler, and we're the jackpot. He will come.

- I'm not sure that makes me feel better...

Of course, with the cruel sense of humour that the Fates could have, it was at that exact moment that all lights turned off. Sounds of guns charging and war cries slithered in the building from the outside.

- Get prepared... whispered Cait.

She turned toward ChemJack.

- You know what to do.

The old man nodded and ran, leaned forward to offer the smallest target possible, to his office where he locked himself up. Cait and him had prepared several traps in his office, in case anyone would make it through the defense lines.

An explosion scared everyone, making a young mercenary drop his gun, which fired and shot the metal ceiling. Two gates crashed down in a thunderous noise, and a wave of screaming shades poured in.

- NOW ! screamed Caitlyn.

Two of her units turned on the projectors plugged on their own independent batteries, lighting up the whole warehouse like the midday sun. The enforcers had positioned themselves in tactical vantage points all around the warehouse, on platforms and stairs, and fired at will on the incoming army. The crew of Crimson was probably twice bigger than Chemjack's, but their brute-force strategy quickly played against them. Within a couple of minutes, half of them were lying on the floors, on both sides the entrances of the warehouse they had broken down, either stunned by the Pulsefires or killed by ruthless mercenaries.

Vi looked at Caitlyn. Her partners strategy looked effective, she allowed herself a little smile. Unfortunately, Jack's forces were bound to be overwhelmed by the sheer number, and while that had seemingly equalized the numbers, the Crimson Clan had approached enough to engage in hand-to-hand combat, where they clearly had an advantage.

Some fighters looked enhanced by Shimmer, remnant of the Silco era. The number of gunshots quickly dropped to zero. The Pulsefires, while precise and effective, had a very low firing rate.

Cait fired hers, dropping a massive man glistering in purple, and nodded at Vi.

- Go !

With a smile, Vi jumped across the barrier and fell downstairs, her Hextech Gauntlets shining in the lights. Her presence, her aura, seemed to draw ennemies like sharks to blood. Two goons ignored the mercenaries they were battling against to turn and run toward her, oblivious to the danger of turning their backs on armed men.

Vi's smile turned into a grin, and violently, she smashed her arms against each other, in front of her. The connection of the two Gemstones produced a massive shock-wave, which, channeled through the Gauntlets, blew away the two aggressors like dolls of straw. She jumped into the melee, covered by Cait's shots, and gave herself whole to the fight, punching and dodging like she was born into it. After all, she was, several times over.

The course of the battle seemed to change... And then, the battle itself changed. Something dark, something terrible, like a black omen, had fallen on the battlefield, awaken by one terrible, inhuman scream, coming out of the ChemJack's office, and the sound of the traps triggering. The scream was so bad that it stopped every single fighter in the warehouse, even the drugged ones.

Quick as thunder, Cait moved and went to the door. She didn't have to open it, it burst open in her hands, propulsing her over the metal barrier, down to the floor below.

- CAITLYN ! screamed Vi, panicked.

A dark shaped landed in the middle of the field. Before Vi could react, not to mention attack, it was gone again. Several thugs were cut in half, geyser of blood painting the walls, the stench of opened guts filling the air like poison. Vi did her best not to throw up at the smell. People fled in panic all around, from both sides, without a care for their original feud or their own allies.

Screams lefts and rights, cries cut short, Vi's every senses were on fire. A severed head landed in front of her, the macabre spectacle of an enforcer's mask and helmet stained with blood.

A terrible cry ripped her out of her stupor. Another uniform crawled on the ground as best as it could, one hand missing and one leg ripped beneath the knee.

- RETREAT ! yelled the vice-commander to the remaining forces of Piltover.

It was probably too late, all her squad was probably either dead or already gone.

- Ugh...

Cait's groans triggered something in both Vi and the beast. They reacted at the same time, with the same speed, and a flash second later, Vi was standing in front of her girlfriend like a titan. The Hextech shield of the Gauntlets engulfed them whole, leaving the deadly claws of the hunter away by a few centimeters only.

There, finally, in the lights of the projectors, she saw the monster. The wolf. The nightmare.

Tall as two men, a massive reservoir of a disgusting green liquid sticking out of his back, and nightmarish metal claws ornated the top of its right paw. The fangs of it bottom jaw were so long they almost reached its eyes. His fur, a greenish gray, was stained with red from its paws to its tail. Drops of blood drooled from its jaws.

The beast turned around the shield, searching for an opening. Vi knew it wouldn't hold long, so she prepared herself, and rose her fists to her cheeks, the boxer's defense. Her targets were easy : hit the monsters in the fangs until it could eat nothing but soup. She just had to dodge a few claws, that was all. Easy peasy, she thought. She didn't have a choice. If she failed, Caitlyn would be a midnight snack.

But when the shield dropped, the monster did not attack, it kept studying her.

It open its horrible mouth.

- You... it growled with a voice way too human for such a beast.

The wolf howled, and turned away, disappearing into the night, with a sea of blood left behind.

A/N : A bit of a longer chapter, cause you deserve it! I tried to explore more the relation between Cait and Vi, but I wanted to picture them as smart, communicating adults, not those silly dramas that we always see on Hollywood's TV. Hope you liked it and it didn't feel too off-character.

A/N 2 : I will be on a trip for the next days, so the next chapter might take a bit longer. Sorry about that.