Hello! Thank you for the review and follows thus far! I love hearing from you. Enjoy the next chapter, things are about to change…-AnUnknownStranger
Instead of returning to Caitlyn in Piltover, Vi thought it would be best to start her search for Powder alone. Naturally, the first place she could think of was to go to The Last Drop, since that was their home as children. But that wasn't a very Jinx thing to do. So she went to the destroyed factory where the tea party was held.
The place still brought back old memories that haunted her to her core. That night she had not only lost a father but two brothers. Then looking back to only a few days ago, she had lost a sister. Perhaps Powder was gone and only Jinx remained… Vi pushed that thought out of her head and began searching for any sign of her.
It looked like it hadn't been touched since that night. The table was still set with miscellaneous totems to represent her past family and the dummy's still sat slouched in there places. Her gauntlets still rested on the floor where Jinx had tossed them, which probably surprised Vi most. She bent down and picked them up before placing them on the table to sit while she continued searching. "Powder!" Vi called as her eyes wandered the area. She jumped slightly when a crow replied with his obnoxious caw.
"Where are you Pow?" She frowned and found her eyes wander to the seat where Silco met his demise. Empty. Someone must have taken his body for it to be gone, he was dead she was certain of that. VI's heart ached at the thought of Powder being alone yet again after losing a father. Vi hated the thought of Silco being Powder's father but she couldn't take back the years of raising Silco had been present for with her sister. She wished she could.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Vi quickly grabbed her gauntlets and stood in a fighting position. Her fighting stance quickly relaxed when she saw that it was Caitlyn. "What are you doing here?" Vi signed and lowered her arms.
"I could ask you the same. I told you to stay put remember?" Caitlyn raised her brow and still held that serious grimace.
"I don't listen to enforcers remember?" Vi rolled her eyes and took off her gauntlets. "I thought we were past that?"
"We were till you threatened to kill my sister." Vi glared. "I said I would see to it the council received justice." Caitlyn corrected.
"You and I both know what their definition of "justice" is. Vi raised her hands to make air quotes and then rolled her eyes. "So say you do find her, she gets away with killing three council members?"
"That wasn't her, Cait. You saw the same thing I did that night. She's not in her right mind. What she did was wrong but sending her to the slaughter isn't justice…it's cruel." Vi fought back tears as she raised her voice.
Caitlyn relaxed and stepped toward Vi. "I know you blame yourself for what happened that night. You didn't leave her, you were taken. She knows that now too. Jinx is still a danger to a lot of people and has to be stopped." Caitlyn tried to reason but Vi didn't seem convinced. "I can probably talk Jayce into locking her in Stillwater…" she added.
"Death would be a kinder sentence." Vi knocked Caitlyn's hand away and grabbed her gauntlets before walking away. "And besides, you already went and spoke to him right?" Vi questioned.
"I couldn't find him so I went searching for you." Caitlyn followed after Vi who clearly seemed disinterested. "But keep looking then! I'll speak with Jayce and find out his plan for her…as well at the Undercity."
"Go for it, I already know the answer!" Vi replied before giving a wave goodbye.
-Piltover-
"These are irregular times we live in my boy. I cannot be seen speaking with you while our cities are in such great conflict…" Professor Heimerdinger spoke in a hushed tone to Ekko as he stood in his office.
"We have always been in conflict…but I know what you mean. I will be quick." Ekko clicked his stopwatch with his thumb hearing the familiar clicking once again. "I need to know how my people should be responding, after all we did not start a war with Piltover. Only Silco and his men." Ekko explained urgently.
Heimerdinger rested a finger on his chin and pondered. "I am no longer a part of the council but I will speak to those that remain. Keep in mind that the council has always had a very simple minded view of the Undercity. They view it not as divided but one and will treat it as such." The old scientist explained with much disappointment.
Ekko nodded slowly. "Please tell me what you find out. For now I will start preparing for the worst…" he frowned before walking toward the window to make a discreet exit.
"My boy…" Heimerdinger beckoned. Ekko froze and looked to him from the windowsill. "If I had any advise to give, it would be that perhaps the Undercity should come together in this matter like the council already believes it does. Piltover's numbers are too great I'm afraid…" He looked down with sorrow.
Ekko wanted to scoff at the professors suggestion but decided against it. "Thank you Professor…" He leapt out the window to return back to the Undercity.
Heimerdinger was perhaps taking after Ekko as he too felt time was critical. He quickly made his way to Jayce's office and was happy to find him present. "Jayce, I regret that I haven't had a moment to give my condolences…" he began as he entered the room.
Jayce was so deeply invested in a project that he payed no mind to the Professor's presence. Heimerdinger stood in silence at the realization of what Jayce was building.
"Hello, Professor. We didn't hear you come in…" Victor stepped into the room causing Jayce to bring his attention to the Professor as well.
"Is that what I believe it is?" Heimerdinger asked with immense worry.
Jayce placed his tools back on the table and approached the weary professor. "I'm afraid it is, professor. The remaining council members convened this morning and put it to a vote." Jayce explained somberly.
"You held a vote with only four council members?" Heimerdinger raised a brow. Jayce nodded in reply, "for the first time, it was unanimous."
"A hextechbomb of this magnitude would level half of the Undercity…" The professor informed. Jayce and Victor shared a look of disheartenment. "We know it's rather radical-"
"Radical? You will be killing thousands of innocent people!" Heimerdinger shouted.
"Innocent? The Undercity has targeted us for decades with no radical repercussions. They have set off bombs and killed many of our people in case you have forgotten." Jayce argued with animosity behind his once kind eyes.
"I know you are upset about councilor Medarda but if she were still with us I believe she would vote against this, Jayce." The Professor tried to reason.
"It's councilman Talis to you and I disagree. She recommended Hextech build weapons remember?" Jayce turned away and continued working on the device.
"And if I recall right you were not completely onboard. You called for a treaty to be brokered between Piltover and the new nation of Zaun!" Heimerdinger argued to try and bring sense to his friend.
"Look where that got us. Right in the middle of that vote, they attacked us!" Jayce voice rose with anger. "For all you know that was the action of one individual." Heimerdinger frowned.
"It doesn't matter. Their nation has never wanted peace, that treaty was a lie to keep us naive. I will not standby and let their attack go unpunished." Jayce scowled as he continued working.
"Their nation? How quickly you have forgotten that the Undercity is not independent from us yet." Heimerdinger scowled with eyes full of disappointment towards his prodigy.
"It'll be better off than it was before once we are through with this." Jayce replied angrily. The Professor looked to Victor who hung his head low and stayed silent. "I remember when you used to have a voice along side Jayce." Heimerdinger stated lowly.
"The Undercity was my home as a child…but I no longer recognize the place it is now. I do not need to say anything because I agree with Jayce…" Victor replied firmly. The professor eyed Victor suspiciously, finding his lack of empathy uncharacteristic.
"Let is be known that my position on this matter is totally contradictory. Your invention here today is not progression, its barbaric. You boys have the opportunity to do what has never been done and make peace with the Undercity. That is progress." Heimerdinger cautioned before leaving the room.
Jayce ignored the professor's words and continued working as Victor stared at the doorway that the professor exited through. "Victor, are you going to come help?" Jayce called. Victor shook out of his trance and walked over to help Jayce.