Chapter Text
Violet closed her eyes, feeling the cold breeze as she stood near the border of the bridge.
Months since she had last set foot here, yet the familiarity of the place was all the same. Vi’s memory always keen on revisiting it in her dreams…
Nobody wins in war Vi.
And in her nightmares.
♪ Dear friend across the river ♪
She took a long breath, willing her eyes back open and ignoring the sound of flames and screams that crept with a faint echo, instead focusing on the memorial at this side of the bridge.
It consisted of a small shrine, adorned with flowers and illuminated with a lantern on top of a golden plaque with the names of those enforcers who lost their lives while guarding the bridge that fated night.
A humming, smoke mixing with the scent of blood and burned flesh.
Because for topsiders, even traitors got a dignified farewell. Of course, this monument resided on Piltover’s side of the bridge, marking the closest she’s been to the city ever since…
“You got my message.” Caitlyn Kiramman stated, approaching under the guise of the night as her cape graciously flowed alongside the wind.
Earlier that day.
Through the lens of a spyglass, one could observe the commotion below as a row of Zaunites lined up to be searched on one of the many checkpoints set up by the enforcers.
As part of their occupation of the undercity, Piltover would control access, search through personal belongings, and enforce the curfew. All in the name of finding Jinx.
Mixed with the boys in blue was a more limited presence of Noxian soldiers, their red colors standing out as their imposing presence said the quiet part out loud about their intentions.
They were not there for their safety, but rather another tool to force the population into submission.
They should know by now, all it does is give Zaun even more of a reason to fight.
One of the more prominent soldiers, due to his stature and being the only one without a helmet, abruptly pulled someone from the queue, forcefully removing their headwear to reveal blue hair for everyone to see.
Honey-colored eyes pulled away from the spyglass, reminded by the scene how that color, the same one she had dyed her hair too, provoked hate amongst their oppressors while it symbolized hope for Zaun.
For Isha, it also belonged to a protector, a Hero.
The young kid glanced at her side at a particular mechanical noise and confident steps from the figure at her side, now climbing down from their vantage point.
It meant family.
Back at the checkpoint, the soldier’s condemnation of Jinx and her followers was cut short by sudden explosions from above, forming a colorful cloud that enveloped the crowd.
Barely a second later, green streaks invaded the airspace accompanied by fireworks to announce their arrival, diving towards the authority figures who could only aimlessly point their rifles and spears in every direction between the confusion. Hoverboarders armed with blunt weapons struck at any enforcer still standing amidst the chaos of the now revolting Zaunites who without hesitation pushed their way past the gates.
The taller soldier attempted to pin down the man from before, until he caught a glimmer of blue through the smoke, shining increasingly brighter as it approached relentlessly towards him and forcing the Noxian to brace for impact.
A pair of gauntlets clashed with his spear with a thunderous force, sparks flying from the massive force that launched the soldier past a fence and into the ground.
In the time it took for him to recover, his aggressor had disappeared once again into the smoke, mixing with the many silhouettes of the rapidly dispersing crowd headed deep towards the many alleyways of Zaun for their escape.
As the curtain started lifting, the airborne menace vanished as swiftly as it had appeared, leaving in their absence streaks of pink paint all over the checkpoint. The soldier focused on one building in the distance, an easily distinguishable monkey caricature painted on the wall.
“Jinx.”
“You could have warned me.”
Despite being closed to the public these days, The Last Drop's interior had a few guests fill the main lounge. Firelights, Jinx’s fans, and anyone who gave a damn about Zaun and still had some fight in them occupied corners of the iconic bar.
Sevika pushed the main entrance open and headed straight for the counter, where a certain black-haired brute stood with her arms crossed, attracting the entire room's attention as they gauged each other in silence.
Six months ago, these women had been at each other’s throats, both with multiple attempts to kill the other accompanied by unparalleled hatred. The two sharing the same room would have been a major cause of concern for anyone near them.
“And let you take the spotlight?” Vi grinned, the woman’s words had been neither hostile nor reprimanding. “Besides, we wanted to keep it clean, if you know what I mean.”
Sevika huffed, not entirely disagreeing with her assumption. People had called her Silco’s attack dog for long enough she got used to that kind of treatment.
With that, the environment around the bar went back to usual. Murmurs and conversations exclusive to each group.
“Piltover won't sit this one out quietly.” Sevika leaned into the table, stating the obvious.
The stunt this morning had been bold, the kind of bold one would expect from the other sister, except that ungrateful brat didn’t give two fucks about Zaun even if her life depended on it (Which it literally did).
“Good,” Someone walked over, stepping to Sevika’s side. “we wanted to be heard.” The firelight’s leader, Scar, added.
“Care to share the plan then?” She raised an eyebrow at the Chirean, who in turn looked at Vi as if wondering if they could trust her.
Sevika wondered what their former leaders would think now that they finally had managed to unite some of the undercity instead of being at each other’s throats. And not under a frail illusion of peace or through fear and an iron fist like before, but truly united against a common enemy.
It was fitting that their daughters were at the epicenter of it. Vi had made the first move to contact the firelights and Jinx… Jinx received all the credit for their efforts, had become a symbol, and was seen as the true heir to the Hound of the Underground.
Worst part? Sevika, despite all her complaining, didn’t help by bringing food to the hideout since for some insane reason she did care for the brat, something that only encouraged that hermit-like lifestyle.
“It’s still in the works.” Vi raised her chin, and the Chirean subtlety nodded with approval.
“Fine.” She dropped onto the nearest stool and lit a cigar.
Sevika felt she was going soft, but whatever. It was their shit to deal with if they didn’t want to share, and they had been working for long enough that she felt she could trust the bugs and the actual daughter of Vander.
The one that betrayed them all, kneeled at the enforcers just like her dad, joined them in hunting down the very same person that united them all now.
While Sevika thought about the confusing mess everything had become, some quick, light steps came from the second floor alerting them of their presence.
Jinx’s pipsqueak came rushing down the staircase and around the table, handing over to Vi a blue cylinder as the kid caught her breath.
Vi hesitated to open the container for a second, eventually acknowledging how both Sevika and Scar eyed her with doubt as she pulled out the written note from inside.
Caitlyn did a double-take as she walked closer to Vi.
She looked… different. Her easily recognizable pink hair was now dyed a black that matched her outfit, only a twin-headed wolf patch on the back of her jacket bringing any color to it.
Maybe she was trying to blend into the darkness, Zaunites on this side of the bridge were seen in an even worse light than before their operation on the undercity. A superstition that she hoped to start changing as soon as the city was safe.
When Vi turned to address her, she had to fight the stream of emotions that threatened to resurface.
Guilt, anger, disappointment, betrayal.
Relief, because it was good to know that despite everything, Vi had found her place in the world to keep going.
Caitlyn pushed away those childish thoughts, their meeting today had nothing to do with the past. She had to act like the full-grown adult she was, her position demanded it.
“Someone recognized you during one of the riots today.” She stated, straight to the point.
“I wasn’t exactly trying to hide Cupcake.” Vi leaned against the railing, looking over the top of the bridge.
It was a good thing she was avoiding meeting her gaze, that way Vi didn’t catch the split-second Caitlyn faltered at hearing that nickname.
“This violence… all it does is worsen your situation, antagonize Zaun in the eyes of the people.” Caitlyn appealed; she knew that they both always had the same thoughts on this matter.
Vi was the reason they didn’t begin their occupation earlier, seeing how things have gone she sometimes wished they could have avoided it. Zaun could take the pressure for so long until they reached their breaking point, and the latest series of riots seemed to be an indication of nearing that point.
“People taken from the streets, sometimes coming back beaten to a pulp or worse.” The Zaunite glared and Cait wished that for once, Vi could stop hurting for every disgrace life kept throwing at her. “Stillwater.”
“I know,” She confessed, no use trying to hide it. “I never wanted it this way.”
It all came to Jinx, forcing the terrorist to resurface. Suffocating everyone until they were forced to give her up.
But she saw the results, even before today and her investigation of the scene. All it did was make them desperate, spawning copycats and false hopes for a population still hell-bent on elevating that monster to a revolutionary figure.
“Sure thing. Commander.” And it was the way Vi clenched her teeth, said that word with disgust and disappointment that made Caitlyn’s stomach churn in regret.
“And let Jinx get away with everything she's done?” Caitlyn unconsciously took a step closer, cursing at her inability to keep it together when it came to that name.
She agreed to this reunion because she agreed that things were going too far and that Vi had spent the months since they separated trying to find a peaceful solution, yet in the deepest corners of her mind, a voice questioned what if?
What if Vi knew the whereabouts of her sister Jinx? What if she, alongside everyone in Zaun, did know and were protecting her? Shielding her from facing justice.
“Jinx hasn’t appeared for months!” The Zaunite raised her voice at the unspoken accusation. “I haven't heard of her since we fought in the temple! She might have left the city for all we know!”
And Vi was right, of course, she was. Caitlyn didn’t dare think how that monster could have run away from her sins and towards freedom, where she could never reach her.
And out of everyone, she shouldn’t be suspecting Vi, the one person whom Jinx had hurt as much if not more than herself. Caitlyn was wrong to say those things in the ventilation systems back then, knew it as soon as the words left her lips, but her anger blinded her-
It’s her blood in your veins.
-It still did. Vi hated Jinx just as much as she did.
“Nobody wins in war Cait.” Vi softened her expression, letting some tension bleed into the cold air.
“I want to end this, but the Noxians will make it difficult,” Caitlyn said honestly, breathing out as she ignored the slight tremble on her hands. “Ambessa has more power than it may seem, and all of Piltover's council wants Jinx brought to justice.”
“So you are just their puppet?” Vi snickered, causing the other woman to roll her eyes.
“It means it will take time.” She clarified, pulling out an envelope and offering it to the Zaunite.
Caitlyn wasn’t blind. She knew how the Noxian Warlord tended to overstep her authority to get results, often resorting to more brutal means than she was willing to employ. The woman had confessed as such during their meeting this morning and argued that it was necessary to catch Jinx and her loyalists.
Ambessa had been right about one thing. She could never rest until Jinx was found, but this wasn’t the way, this was wrong.
Vi reached for the envelope slowly with some apprehension as she opened and read over the information without fully pulling out the letter inside. Eventually, she closed it and put it inside her jacket, looking at her in a silent understanding.
The Zaunite didn’t offer any thanks, because she understood this wasn’t about them, this was Piltover and Zaun. To end the needless suffering and start the much-needed healing process Jinx had denied them all with her actions and countless murders.
Vi turned back, gazing over the water illuminated by moonlight and Cait took it as their reunion to have concluded.
She stepped away, walking steadily towards the city of progress, still sleeping at these late hours.
“I'm sorry.” She muttered, walking away without looking back.
“I'm sorry too.” Vi sighed, aware of how the Commander was long gone for her words to reach.
“You can't trust her.” Came a raspy voice from above, one that she so often heard on the days of pit fighting and wasting herself with alcohol before crashing down as a drunken mess.
That had been months ago, now she knew that voice was very real, and the loud thud heard over the shrine and the sound of glass shattering as the lamp crashed into the ground confirmed her presence.
“I’m not.” She told her sister, who was hunched over the table with those strong, piercing purple eyes shining under the darkness of the night.
“What if she tried to take you?” Jinx asked, her voice muffled as she held her head between her legs
“You were watching my back, I trust you.”
Jinx lacked her usual energy, surely drained from the stress that came from hiding over the bridge’s arch for so long.
She'd promised to keep calm and not shoot the ‘Bitch Dictator’ under Vi's request, and of course she wasn't about to dissapoint her sister and ruin all of that hard work.
Jinx hoped off the ruined memorial, porpusely knowing down a picture or two, and turned toward Zaun.
“C’mon, Isha’s gonna kill me if we are late for playtime.” She told her big sister, motioning with a wave of her hand for Vi to follow.