A/N Hello again. Thank you guys for giving those reviews, they have been inspiring me to keep writing. Anyways I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Hopefully by the end of this week, the next one should be up. I got a lot of papers to write so, it's gonna be a bit delayed. Thanks :3
(3 days later)
The mechanist looked at the wreck of a compound. White concrete was strewn along the desolation zone. The charred ground made way as his steps approached the fallen lab.
His staff stabbed into the charred earth.
Behind him, his followers emerged from the forest. Their appendages or other varying body parts covered in metal. Most of them carried boxes or help lead massive carts of various scientific items.
His large overcoat fluttered in the wind revealing his three metallic arms. One supported itself on his broad shoulders. His hair was slicked back behind a silver mask. The slits of his eyes, a glowing yellow.
"My brethren," He called, pulling his arms wide in welcome. "This is where the glorious evolution will thrive." He jumped to a cart using it to add to his charismatic speech.
"Let's begin our rebirth."
(6 months later)
Snow fell in soft specks, the last breath of winter before spring arrived. She huddled into the borrowed sweater as she sipped at the tea mug in her hand. The city skyline had returned with it's massive skyscrapers, threatening to touch the clouds. Winter had been hard for the rebuild, but Piltover endured and so did she.
Her nose pushed into the collar of the hoodie. It smelled like stale coffee, oil, and the perfume the owner usually put on before work. She hummed happily as strong arms came around her waist.
"Morning cupcake, enjoin' the view." Vi asked placing a gentle peck onto Caitlyn's exposed neck.
Caitlyn chuckled and pulled a sip from her tea mug, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. The balcony of Caitlyn's Penthouse had one of the best views of Piltover. It reached as far as the docks by the sea sector. Massive schooners sailed along the gut, across from the bay, in the far far distance, not very noticeable unless you had binoculars, was Bilgewater. To the north of the penthouse was the tallest of all the buildings in Pilotver, where the police and politicians spent their tireless days at work. City hall was a standing monument to the City of Progress. To the west were the manor houses of the upper city citizens. From here she could spot the Deramore manor. A mansion of incredible size, with the latest security systems made by her mother. To the East of them the shopping district with businesses booming, from the new powerful economy, wafted up scents of the busy morning markets of freshly made breads and cooking breakfasts.
This is what Caitlyn fought for.
This is what made all the hard work worth it.
Her city was her legacy, and she put every drop of blood, sweat and tears for this city to blossom and flourish into it's full potential.
The two women stared off into the city skyline in a blissful silence. Caitlyn dragged the tips of her lithe fingers, over Vi's arms, following the pattern of the cog and gear tattoos. Vi chuckled into her ear at the sensation.
She was glad that this worked out.
It took VI and Caitlyn two weeks after their first kiss to finally talk about it. What with all of the city being in panic they didn't have any personal time. She had never seen Vi so baffled or red, when she finally sat Vi down. Even after she teased Vi over the fact at being 'quite the charmer of the ladies'. It didn't take long for the media to catch onto the rumors, and before she knew it she was talking to her parents. Her father wasn't pleased, but after a furious argument from her mother, he turned around quickly.
When they first met Vi, it took Caitlyn's father a while to get used to Vi's stubborn and street rat ways. Caitlyn's mother absolutely adored Vi. The two had spent many afternoons behind the closed door of the workshop ogling at some new invention of Catherine's. During Snowdown, Vi was an honored guest and experienced her first real snowdown feast, with a family. It had been quite the emotional day for the brawler. During that snowdown, Vi and Caitlyn smoked cigars and drank Bilgewater Dirt Whiskey from fancy crystal glasses with Caitlyn's father. After a long conversation, Peter had turned heart with Vi. He even invited her for the annual hunt that took place the day after snowdown, a Deramore tradition that had been brought down from generation to generation. That day Vi learned that she was better off hitting things then shooting things, but she wouldn't mind hunting with the Deramores again.
"Whatchyou thinkin' about , Cupcake?" Vi asked.
"You." Caitlyn admitted, taking another sip from her mug.
"I see you stole my sweater."Caitlyn could her the beaming smile in Vi's voice, still husky from the bleariness of sleep."That's thievery, sheriff."
Caitlyn nodded, letting a vixenesque smile splay on her lips. "I was cold, and I didn't want to bother you." Vi gave a small laugh. She grabbed Caitlyn's waist, turning the sheriff so that they were facing each other. Their foreheads touched in a moment of elation. Red noses touched and eyes closed, both of them slowly drifting into the tiny peace they found themselves in.
Vi pulled her face back, her violet eyes dancing with joy.
"Let's get some breakfast, I'm starving," Vi pitched, pulling her arms away, making a noise of protest escape from Caitlyn.
Before, Vi could come back with a witty retort that was for sure going to drive Caitlyn insane, the sounds of explosions rocked through the air.
Caitlyn rushed to the balcony's edge watching debris pile out into a plume of smoke.
Vi came up beside her. Her violet eyes locking on to the form that stood at the top of the adjacent building.
The maniac cupped her hands over her mouth. "Hey fathands, stop macking on Hat lady and do your stinkin' job!"
Vi gripped the balcony's railing with white knuckles.
"I'm gonna kick your skinny ass all the way back to Zaun, tiny tits!" Vi bellowed.
"What!" From here Caitlyn could see Jinx cupping her ear in mockery. "Can't hear ya over all the people screaming in panic!"
Vi turned on her heels, and stomped to the balcony doors. "C'mon Cupcake. I gotta lil' bitch to beat down." She growled throwing the french doors open.
"So much for peace and quiet."Caitlyn mumbled as she followed behind Vi.
(A year and a half later)
Winter was definitely here.
The wind whipped at her face, the cold starting to make it sting as it carried particles of snow and ice. Her icy eyes were glued to her target.
She dug her boots into the patch of snow, letting herself have a solid grip to help her launch forward from her hiding spot. The ditch of the training grounds gave her ample cover as she lay prone in the frozen earth. Her target trudged through the heavy layer of snow, trying to look through the blizzard. A small curse was uttered from his chattering lips as he tried to keep himself warm.
With exploding speed, Dakota burst from her hiding spot. But her target was ready. He brought up the wooden shield taking the blow from the wooden axes. Dakota ducked as he swung the wooden short sword for her head. She rolled in the snow getting behind her brother. He was quick to turn using his shield to push his sister back from him. She gathered herself to her feet. Her shoulder length raven locks flying with the winter breeze. A cocksure smile splaying on her thin lips.
"Come on Dakota, you can't take me. Let's get this over with so that we can go inside, and get a hot cup of hot chocolate. It's bloody cold." Elric was a man of warm temperatures. The Mountains of Demacia were definitely out of his natural habitat.
Dakota rolled her icy eyes. "Stop being such a baby, El." She called back, getting into a defensive stance, raising the wooden training axes. "Winter warfare training is important."
"It's torture!" He yelled over the blow of snow. Dakota used this to her advantage, watching as the snow striked his saphire eyes and sun kissed face. She threw one of the axes striking his large chest. He took a few steps back in astonishment. She rushed her brother feigning to strike his face. He got his shield up to protect his upper body, but Dakota ducked taking the back of the axe and catching it on his heel. She pulled up and shouldered her brother so that he fell to the snow. She kicked away his shield and placed her boot onto his chest.
"You were saying?" She asked, raising her eyebrow at her brother. Elric rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah , whatever. Can we go inside now?" He asked impatiently.
Dakota nodded. She extended her gloved hand and Elric took it gratefully. He picked up the training weapons that had been strewn to the ground. They pushed through the snow and entered into their barracks.
Elric dropped his winter gear and threw off his boots. He strode over to Abbie and placed his freezing hands up her back, making her shriek in surprise.
"You bastard," She called as he ducked from one of her punches. He side stepped and then B-lined for the wood stove that was used to keep the baracks warm. He dove under the blankets and mattresses strewn around the stove and reveled in the heat.
"Oh gods, this is great." He wrapped himself in all of the blankets, and pushed himself against Matais who scoffed at Elric. "Oh come on Mat, it's bloody cold. Abbie is cold hearted and you are a warm guy. You've been sitting by this fire all day. Share the heat, brother."
Matais rumbled as he pushed Elric away from him.
Elric gave an over dramatic puppy dog face. "You hurt me," He muttered.
Abbie sauntered over. Her feet padded a long the cold wooden floor boards. She sat herself on top of Elric's back, a wolf like smile painted over her face. She pulled back the blankets and pulled the collar of his shirt back, dropping the handful of snow down Elric's shirt.
The inhuman shriek resonated throughout the barracks, following it were two roaring laughs from Matais and Abbie.
Dakota let out a soft smile. She bent to her feet, pulling the frozen strings out of their loops. She pulled off the heavy training armor. She brushed the snow off of the shoulder pads and hung it on the armor stand by her bed next to her foot locker. She unzipped the standard issue winter jacket. The inside was layered with the finest wool and cotton. The outer layer had the light brown of cured leather, that kept a waterproof seal. She removed the cotton undershirt, and huddled into a warm cotton tunic.
She turned to her workbench, pulling out the stool. She looked at the set of gears begging to be placed. She cracked her knuckles and began the assembly. She slid the pin into one of the brackets, letting skilled hands get the gear in place. She set the rotatory cuff along the music box springs. She sauldered wire to the motherboard. She set the wire to the piece waiting for the electricity to conduct and send it's signals to the pistons. She listened as the music box began to play a snowdown carol. She brought the box over to where her comrades all huddled around the stove. She sat crossed legged next to her brother who rolled himself in the warm fleece of a blanket. Alex had joined them, his hair wet from the shower he had come back from. He had his long freckled legs over his sister's torso, his face pushed into a novel.
Elric grabbed the music box, inspecting the craftsmanship of his sister's deft hands.
"I'm still working on the exterior." She explained as she pointed to an inscription of her brother's name. "Do you like it?" She asked.
Elric looked to his sister with pride. "Of course I like it."
Dakota beamed and caught her brother's contagious mood. "Do you recognize the carol?"
Elric nodded as he watched the gears roll in amazement. "Mom's favorite one, Tolken Heart."
"Remember that snowdown when she got you to sing it in front of the statesmen that visited for dinner." Dakota giggled as she recalled a grumpy, eleven year old Elric belting out the tune in his finest suit. His mother had combed back his blonde hair so that it was at a neat and tidy sweep, making sure that it was out of his beautiful eyes. She remembered him begging his mother, pleading for his pride. She remembered her mother's frown "Elric, your voice makes me proud. Do this for me, my darling. It will be the best snowdown present anyone could give me."
Abbie plucked the music box from Elric, inspecting it. "Jeeze, you're getting too good at this shit, Dakota." Her chocolate coloured eyes gazed awestruck at the handywork. Alex peered over his book, giving an nod of acknowledgement, then returned to the compelling novel. Matais swiped the music box from Abbie, and beamed at Dakota. "I told you that he would like it."
Elric pulled his sister into his chest. He placed a small kiss at the top of her head, nuzzling his nose into the raven black abyss.
"Happy Snowdown, El." Dakota muttered into his knit shirt.
"Happy Snowdown , kid."
(That Night)
Zaun was never the land of beauty. Smog covered the ceiling of the city, clouding it in a disgusting green. The slim girl spat at the cobbled street, her hands buried into her black leather jacket. The black beanie she wore pushed her shoulder lengthed lavender hair away from her face, keeping her ears warm from the winter breeze. At her back, her black rune blade hung sheathed against her small shoulders. She pulled the grey scarf up to her full lips. Her emerald eyes peered up the building. She nodded her head as she stalked to the entrance. With a roar, she kicked the wooden door open with her combat boots.
"What in the voi-" She cut off the guard by shoving his face into the wall.
"I'm here on behalf of my father." The girl snarled. "Bring me to Viktor."
The guard sneered. "Your father couldn't be here himself."
The girl scoffed and threw the small man to his pine table. Playing cards fluttered, to the dirty ground.
"My father is placed at the war front, keeping the Demacians and Ioninas at bay, while your," She pulled her fingers to air like quotation marks," 'Glorious creator' works on my fallen comrades and plans for a pointless war." She grabbed the man's collar dragging him up by his feet. "Now I understand Viktor has a progress report that my father needs to see. I'm here in his stead."
"He's in a meeting." The man spat.
The girl sighed heavily. She dragged the man toward the heavy oak door and threw him into it, busting the door to smithereens.
Two men stood up from the room she had just rudely barged through.
The girl nodded to the mechanist. "Viktor."
Viktor gave a nonchalant nod . "Was there any reason to destroy my hand crafted door?" He asked, his robotic voice ringing a creepy feeling through her body.
She shivered involuntarily.
The other man looked at the girl incredulously. "What pray tell, do you think you are doing?"
The girl rumbled angrily. "My father sent me. He apologizes for his absence, but his men needed him. I am here in his stead."
The other man huffed, his jowls slapping his skin. He grabbed his bowlers hat with his meaty hands. "I believe we will have to conclude this later, Professor." The man fulminated, raking his beady rat like eyes angrily to the girl, who rolled her eyes. She was clearly uninterested in the man, seeing him as a weak threat. She picked at her nails as the man stepped over the large whole in the door and exited the building.
"He was an important asset to the plan." Viktor commented unemotionally.
The girl raised an eyebrow to the machine herald.
"I'm on a tight schedule. Politicians can wait." She muttered.
Viktor sighed gripping one of the chairs in his metal hand. His finger joints rolled easily for gears and steam.
"Very well," The machine herald turned his back to the girl and took long strides to another door. He turned the door knob with a twist of his wrists. "Follow me."
She dug her hands into her pockets and followed the machine herald down the flight of stairs.
The lab bubbled with chemicals and Bunsen burners. Scientists and chemists bustled around the lab, fumbling with equipment and parchments. He led them to an area where a pale young man that was strapped to a surgical table. Tubes entered and exited around his body, pumping in black a black liquid. Stitches lined the sweat drenched torso. The young man's arms were replaced with metal and cogs.
The girl's jaw tensed. Her heart split in half as she looked to her former lover. A boy she had spent her entire childhood with. She closed her eyes at the memory of his to her Noxian ways, she swallowed down the pain, and turned the heart break into an emotionless stare. She placed her hands behind her back.
"Sergeant Ritcher, looks like he has seen better days." She turned her emerald eyes to Viktor.
A small robotic chuckle reverberated from his throat. He moved to the side of the fallen soldier. "Your father told me you were quite close to this one."
The girl scoffed.
"Nothing more then something to keep the bed warm during the winters," She muttered crossing her arms over her chest.
If Viktor had a mouth he would've given a devilish sneer.
"This one progresses faster then the other subjects. I had made quite the exquisite discovery in Piltover a few years ago." He mentioned. He lifted his arm turning his hand into a fist. "That blasted Defender of tomorrow got in my way and set me back, but I believe I have recreated what was destroyed." He bent over to a shard of crystal, lifting the piece to the dim spotlight, letting the light bounce of the grimy walls of the underground lab. "Arcane magic dwells, within them. I have harnessed it to create a stronger life force for these souls who have been lost to battle. He splintered the shard into tiny pieces. He ripped open one of the tubes attached to the sergeant's chest. He shoved the pieces into the black substance and reattached the tube with an angry hiss.
It took seconds, for the soldier's body to react. The girl's eyes widened as the young man thrashed, a roar of anger and power ripping from his vocal chords. He ripped through the restraints, breaking the buckles with ease. He stepped from the metal table. His once amber eyes, had turned into black pools. His chest heaved with unnecessary air. She watched as the black sludge spread under his pale skin. He looked to the machine herald, prepared for a fight.
"Now now, Sergeant Ritcher." Viktor warned raising his arms. " You have been awoken from death. You may feel a bit of disorientation. Keep yourself calm. You have a visitor."
The young Sergeant's head turned sickeningly toward the girl.
She swallowed the bile that rose to her mouth in disgust.
Ritcher crooked his head sideways as he looked at the familiar face.
"Illya?" His voice was no longer his. It was nothing like him.
The girl kept herself steady as she drew her sword, with lightning quick reflexes. With a strong swipe the young sergeant's head fell to the stone floor.
She re-sheathed her sword and looked to the machine herald.
"Good work, Professor. I will ensure my father, reaches the news of your success."
Viktor was speechless. Did she really just kill his first success?
"Next time, tell Jericho Swain to be here, not some immature and barbaric daughter of his." He growled. His annoyance clear as day as he inspected the wasted potential.
Illya Swain chuckled darkly.
"Choose your words more carefully, Professor. I just started to respect you." She turned her back to the machine herald as she climbed the stone steps.
"Oh and professor," She began. "Happy Snowdown."
Viktor's cold laugh could be heard as she exited the building, and into the snow and smog covered streets of Zaun.