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I am so fucked.
The thought ran through Vi’s brain at least six times a day, usually the product of a common alley brawl, a little too much to drink, or just her breaking some expensive vase in the mansion and dreading Caitlyn's reaction. It was a multi-purpose sort of thing.
And tonight of all nights, the sentence was all Vi could think as she ran through the Lanes in Zaun, trying her best not to die.
It had been a peaceful enough evening. She’d just been popping down for a quick visit to the Firelight sanctuary. No street fights started, no chaos incurred. She hadn’t even brought her gauntlets. Safe to say, she definitely hadn’t expected a big wall of grey fur to slam into her on her way up to Piltover.
She’d barely had enough time to make sense of what had just hit her - some sort of giant wolf-like beast with tubes in its back and down its arms - before it had pounced at her and she had been forced to flee. Now she was tearing through the alleyways with the wolf-man still on her trail, snapping and snarling, occasionally leaping forwards and slashing out with its huge claws. Green liquid sloshed in the tubes fused into its skin and it seemed to be strengthening it somehow.
Vi had absolutely no idea why this beast was after her - and she had absolutely no way of stopping it. Her best hope was to outrun it in the narrow, twisted streets of the Lanes, which she had been trying to do for the last three minutes, succeeding only because the huge beast couldn’t navigate the cramped, narrow streets as easily as she could. She’d grown up here, and knew the streets well - but it was a little hard to keep track of the twists and turns when there was a giant monster trying to kill you.
Just as that occurred to her, she took a turn and nearly slammed into a concrete wall. She’d cornered herself, stuck in some dead end with no way to escape, now that the wolf-man had filled the entryway. She stood with her back to the wall, fists brought up in front of her. the massive wolf loomed over her, green sludge oozing from its tubes, razor-sharp claws on full display. A low growl came from its throat.
I am so fucked. Vi’s heart was pounding and what little courage she had managed to summon was fast running out. I am so, so fucked. Her eyes darted around frantically, searching for anything that might help her-
Wait. There, half-hidden by a leather strap. A shiny rope of scar tissue on the beast’s left arm. Hardly notable, but the sight of it invoked a memory.
“How’d you get that?” Twelve-year-old Vi had asked, looking up at Vander from her bar stool. He had rubbed the scar on his arm, a distant look in his eyes, and maybe a hint of regret, too. He seemed to consider his words before replying. “I let my guard down, kid.” He set a glass down and tapped vi’s fist, a smile on his face, the faraway look gone. “You can lash out all you want, but always keep your guard up. Remember that, huh?”
That had been ages ago, but Vi remembered it as clear as day. Her brain made the connection and dozens of other memories came rushing back - Vander picking her and Powder up on the bridge, Vander bringing a cloth up to the cut on her face, Vander chained to that chair, bruised and bloody, Vander, Vander, Vander-
No. No, it’s just not possible, Vi thought, fighting to keep her shock down, her eyes still glued to that scar. I saw him die, I watched him go, I was right there, it- it can’t be-
But in that moment she knew it was true and there was no denying it and before she could open her mouth to yell Vander’s name the beast brought its claws up and Vi’s world went black.