VI & CAITLYN

Both thought they had enough for that night, after all that.

The explosions and tremors they were caught off-guard as they barely entered the Kiramman Manor had shown otherwise.

And it wasn't even a good night, for starters. They were released and apparently freed of charges, but the fact it came from the *very one* that imprisoned them in the first place, rather than what it was once done in defiance to their jailer, made it more of a defeat. Even more given Camille now had both Medarda and Heimerdinger in her grasp now, which only further increased her power, one which not even the Atlas Gauntlets the brawler had would ever match with.

And now most of the southern isthmus that Vi once knew was gone, and probably - what she feared the most - most of her childhood memories along with it, and that's what made her run along with Caitlyn towards the Bridge of Progress. Regardless if they were but fugitives but an hour ago, they were *still* active enforcers thanks to the pardon, and thus had to answer the call, and a catastrophe pretty much fit the criteria.

At least, that's what Caitlyn hoped the blockade at the bridge would get and let them through. Practically everyone in there, especially their *only* allies at that point - Ekko and the Firelights - relied on it. If they were still there that is...

The bad thought crept into Vi's mind, but she immediately shoved it off. Now it wasn't the time to suppose, but to support.

The ladies' pair, breathing heavily, did reach the northside's edge of the bridge, blockaded almost akin to how the late Sheriff Marcus had done almost a week and half ago, with large spotlights illuminating the length of the bridge ahead, enforcers in numbers unlike any. However, contrary to the last time Vi was there, this blockade now apparently had a couple of airships flying overhead, no doubt filled with enforcer sharpshooters to provide support, of the armed type.

"You...", Vi catched her breath. "You don't think they'll shoot first here, will they?"

"Th... they must've been told we had our search called off...", Caitlyn catched hers too, moving forward with Vi following behind.

As the ladies approached the entrance, some enforcers did take a notice and hurried in, rifles in hand, cocking them.

"You, halt!", one of them ordered.

"Officers Kiramman and Vi.", Caitlyn said in a hurry. "We're her-"

"We were told.", the enforcer interrupted. "And neither of you are authorized, that's higher orders. Authorized personnel only."

"With something like that, authorized personnel only!?", Vi asked, angrily. "You can't be serious!"

"You all just saw the same cataclysm we did!", Caitlyn protested. "Janna's sake, Ferros should've had the heart to scramble everyone for search and rescue, at least!"

"Whatever's on the Warden-Marshall's head is her business.", the enforcer spoke slow and crystal clear. "I've my orders. You don't pass without say so, 'officer'. And you ladies have that fancy home of yours to head back to, unless you're missing the cells at Central already. Now scram!"

The enforcer stepped back as did some others, lowering the rifles, as if the word was final. One of them was using that shoulder radio device, no doubt informing Central - and her - both attempted moving in on the Bridge. Some bullroar of 'lethal force authorized if they persist' was to be expected, by then.

Caitlyn tapped Vi on the shoulder to turn around, as she shook her head on the enforcers, totally inflexible on the matter.

"That bitch...", Vi muttered.

"I know, but I'm not giving her the satisfaction of getting handed back to her.", Caitlyn said. "Are you?"

Vi then, as she walked with Caitlyn from the bridge's entrance, took the glance of the nearby shore, with the section of the river indeed leading to the docks and wharves close by.

Though Vi herself never was much of a swimmer, there was no time like the present, as the old saying went.

She stopped her tracks, the sight being indeed *too* tempting.

"Vi, they can take aim and fire on the water, they're trained for it.", Caitlyn's voice went behind her, whispering.

"Got a better idea, Cupcake?", Vi asked. "I won't take 'just wait it all out'!"

"It's not a choice!", Caitlyn censored, tense. "We don't even-"

"Go on ahead!", a new voice called, in a threatening tone, catching both ladies' attention, whom then saw that same enforcer whom told them to 'scram', with another, rifles in hand. "Feeling lucky, all confident? Go on, give it a try!", he gesture with the rifle to the river. "Come on!"

Vi glanced at the enforcer for a moment, the hot blood speaking for her, wanting to advance before she felt Caitlyn's hand grasping her wrist, all visibly naked, pulling her.

"Vi, please.", Caitlyn urged. "Look at yourself..."

Vi glanced at Caitlyn for a moment and then down, realizing she indeed lacked the Gauntlets, no doubt having been taken away after they were brought in following the battle at Ekko's place. She then stared again at the enforcers before she then turned around to walk away, breathing in anger, as she then kicked a nearby lamp post, venting her frustration.

"Much like an overgrown child...", the enforcer shook his head. "It's unreal."

THE BEAST

As the tremors ceased, so did the instinct to remain holed within the sewer pipe, and thus the large wolf-like creature left it, into the street as debris from above it now littered the floor below. The Beast felt attracted by the crimson scent, as it always had, which tormented the creature until the violence was assuaged.

As it left, it approached the first source of the scent, the couple of Chem-Punks which the Beast had first taken care of before the tremors started. They did not matter now, they would no longer threaten others. Would no longer spill.

However, the scent persisted and went on to other locations, which the beast tracked, heading down the scene of the fissure, coming across someone too unlucky by an alley as a collapsed piece of rock fell on top of that one.

The scent was everywhere, still. Which sent impulses within the wolf-like creature, the impulses too strong to control. It kept pursuing the scent on, as it then came into something.

Something breathing this time.

A young woman, no doubt a worker in simple clothing, with a gashing wound on it's arm, still pulsing with life.

Still letting the Scent out.

The animal within the beast growled, which the woman then saw and froze up, backing up to the wall, almost screaming out. The beast bared it's bloody teeth further as it approached the woman, slowly. The woman, horrified, backed itself down in fear, before the certain final fate before her.

But then, the other thing from within wrested control, impeding the beast, confusing it and dizzying it's consciousness, numbing the blood scent, as the body attempted shaking it's head, the images of something on top of it's mind, wrestling it for control.

"Run...", the Beast growled, almost inaudibly, backing off. "Ruunnn...", it slurred.

The woman did as said, running with what strength she had left, as the beast kept on for a moment, and it then arched it's body back and howled loud and upwards to the starred sky above the fissures, the Howl itself booming and echoing across the emptiness of the fissures and slightly above.

The Beast then collapsed to the floor, the paws and iron claws touching the ground, it's strained body struggling to recover.

It then heard something else, as the senses returned. Sounds of gunfire. Roars and screams. The scent started to return as well.

The beast recovered itself, and headed towards wherever the noises led it to...