Chapter 2
Caitlyn couldn’t just leave her soulmate in there. Even if they parted ways the moment she was let out, she couldn’t just leave her there to rot. It was never in her nature to turn a blind eye to injustice. Where others would sigh, shake their heads and move on, Caitlyn was constantly searching for why. Why was this woman locked up? Why did she attack a key character in her investigation? Why did she bring up Silco’s name?
Why did she have to be her soulmate?
Despite her better judgement, despite every fibre in her body screaming at her to run and never return, she found herself striding determinedly, head held high down the corridor of solitary once more. Her breath caught as she found herself in front of Vi’s cell, broad shoulders rolling in tandem with the metal door, rippling tattoos and muscle straining under a dirty tank top as she prepared herself for a confrontation. Vi was so tense, it seemed like her default. Caitlyn’s heart sank as she remembered what the guard had said just moments before.
How he so casually asked her, “You, uh, want us to have a chat with her?”
The clang of the steel cudgel he thumped on the ground froze Caitlyn’s blood right in her veins. Marks and scratches in the metal, so evident even in the low light of the prison, still burned into her eyes.
“W- No!” She had exclaimed, barely masking her horror at the implication.
“Oh.”
“It’s for her release.” That seemed to surprise them more than the thought of beating someone senseless, clearly compassion was a break from the ordinary rigmarole of Stillwater life.
Could she even blame Vi for being so on edge?
Her eyes flicked to the side momentarily, the guard who escorted her, holding the keys, barely noticed her. He slouched to the side of the locking mechanism, picking his nose. A voice, spoken as clearly in her mind as if it had been out loud, pierced her own racing thoughts.
Let’s get this over with, you fuckers.
Caitlyn’s heart broke.
Vi?
She turned to Caitlyn, grey eyes blown wide as they peeked out through her fringe. DIsbelief shining in those stormy depths though her face gave nothing away.
You’re right. I can’t do this on my own. Caitlyn sighed. I- I need your help.
Vi was silent. Her eyes scanned Caitlyn, the doorway, the room around her. A caged animal waiting to get caught in a trap once more. Caitlyn couldn’t change that overnight. She dropped her gaze, exhaling heavily.
Come on. She turned, walking back down the hall without a second glance at the inmate behind her. Now or never to get out of this ‘hellhole’.
Vi said nothing.
Not a single sound emerged from that loud mind or daring mouth until they were on the boat on to make the treacherous crossing back to Piltover once more. In stark contrast, Caitlyn was practically babbling. She worries her hands nervously before her as she stood by the mast of the rickety boat once more. Her eyes darted between the grim looking man steering them, just behind at the rudder, to the breaking waves crashing against jagged rocks. Anything but the pink-hair, stoically silent woman standing beside her.
Will we find Silco? Do we have other places to go to first? How does this all connect to the explosions? And why was Vi’s file completely clear- No, that doesn’t matter right now. Who’s graffiti was that? And how does Silco connect to it if he wasn’t even on the manifest of the original cargo ship? Who are those masked riders written in the reports? Do they connect into this?
Her mind whirred and her knuckles paled as she clasped and wrung them out, the itchy fabric of her skirt brushing against her legs with every shift from one foot to another.
“Stop.” A croaking voice broke the silence. One that clearly hadn’t been used in a while. Caitlyn stilled, her back ramrod straight. She turned, eyes dragging to meet Vi’s gaze. She looked irritated, angry. She was still tense. Not far enough from Stillwater, not safe yet… gotta keep calm. Gotta keep calm. A dull voice whispered through the quietening haze of Caitlyn’s thoughts.
“Hm?” Caitlyn puzzled. The barest twinge of a smirk nestled in the corners of Vi’s mouth. Like everything about her, it was tense.
“Shut up.” Vi huffed, shaking her head a little. She looked back out towards the city looming just beyond them. Keep calm. “You’re thinking to loud. Just stop and shut up.”
Caitlyn rolled her eyes, scoffing as she turned away from Vi, her arms crossed. Childish? Maybe. Was Vi right? Perhaps. Still, she couldn’t believe that the first thing out of Vi’s mouth was that.
“Do you ever say ‘thank you’?” She muttered.
Vi barked a hoarse laugh. She said nothing but spat into the ocean before leaning back upon the mast herself.
No.
It was exhausting, keeping up with Vi, Caitlyn was actually glad to have the distraction of the pretty woman lounging before her as she nestled back into the cushy brothel sofa. It was a nice break from being dragged around by a snarling ex-con. Even if she was still feeling hot under the collar from their last interaction. She found herself replaying it in her head, goose pimples dusting her skin as she remembered that striking silver gaze.
“So what’ll it be?” Vi was so casual, voice like silk as she leaned closer, mouth slightly agape. “Man,” A flicker of a smile, did she have to be so beautiful? “or woman?”
Women, you - uh, women. Caitlyn gulped as she tried desperately to school her mind, hoping Vi didn’t hear the slip of her thoughts. The sharp-tooth smile that spread across that cocky face told her that, much to Caitlyn’s utter dismay, she had.
What was it about the woman that got under her skin? No other person on this planet had such an effect on Caitlyn, so why her?
Of course, she knew the answer. Even if she would never admit it.
“Tell me more about the gardens?” Caitlyn murmured to the vision in front of her, tilting her head to elongate her graceful neck. It was nice to just shamelessly flirt with someone, listen to them speak and gush without them knowing anything about her. No one in the shadows whispered about how she was slouching, how she was being too direct in a way that was unbecoming of a high house scion. It was refreshing and was just the relaxing distraction she needs.
But alas, all good things must indeed come to an end.
As she focused on the smiling, full lips of the woman before her, just visible under the ornate mask obscuring the rest of her face, Caitlyn heard a shout from beyond the beaded curtain. A figure darted past the hallways, bursting out in the bustling streets. Another two close on his tail. As they passed, she could just about make out muffled voices.
“She’s supposed to be locked up!”
“She’s supposed to be dead!”
Vi.
She was on her feet in an instant, muttering apologies to the startled woman behind her. With only a quick glance towards the swinging door to the street, she started in the direction from where the men ran.
She stumbled into a moment of silent carnage. The room was sparse but held the tell-tale hallmarks of a brutal fight. Poker chips and coins littered the floor, smashed furniture scattered across the room. At the centre of it all, a gaping hole through a patchwork wall, cracked plaster and crumbling concrete cladding slipping from a sturdy steel column. She ran her hand lightly over a large scratch across one wall, some heavy metal object leaving claw like indents. Her eyes flickered downwards taking in dark splashes of purple liquid intermingling with congealing red blood. One foot crunched and snagged on broken glass while the other stubbed out the smouldering end of a cigarette as she slowly inspected the scene before her. Shuffling and a sigh behind her and she was whipping around, reaching but not quite grabbing for her gun.
An older yordle caked in heavy makeup observed the broken scene around them. She tightened the red robe around wrinkled shoulders, a bored if not slightly disappointed expression seasoned her features as she took a long pull from the cigarillo balanced between her fingers. She looked up at Caitlyn, regarding the Topsider with a curious gaze as smoke plumed from her mouth and nostrils.
“You with Vi?”
Caitlyn hesitated, unsure of what the truthful answer would mean. The woman must have sensed her reservations, snorting a guttural laugh.
“Honey, you’re not in trouble.” She rasped, taking another short drag of her cigarette. “But if you are with Vi,” She continued, a solemn frown settling on her face. “She might be.”
Caitlyn bolted, not out the door but out the gaping hole in the brickwork towards a back passage. Rats scurried out of the way of pounding footsteps. She slowed her pace only to creep around the corner, following a steading trail of dripped blood.
Was she already too late?
The buildings were crowded in, suffocating the throughways as they teetered on the edges of dank alley. She needed a better vantage point. Scoping out a fire escape, she shook the metalwork, ensuring it was sturdy and launched herself upwards. The building was decrepit but - Jackpot - It led to a bridge-like balcony. As she moved towards it, she noticed a flash of pink on the ground below.
Vi had been cast aside by a swinging, purple mechanical arm wielded by a hulking woman who made the ex-con’s frame seem lanky in comparison. Caitlyn gasped as the arm transformed, piercing Vi’s stomach with a blade as sharp as a night. The glint of metal reflecting the neon greens and pink hues of the flickering signs about them. Sinister, like a warning it flashed as it pulled out of Vi’s abdomen, ready to strike again.
Caitlyn didn’t even need to think, it was her reflexes that unsheathe and unfolded her gun in a single fluid movement. With a long exhale, steadying her thumping heart and her already impeccable aim she found her target and let off three quick warning shots ensuring that Vi, her soulmate, this perfect stranger that landed in the way of her investigation, was safe for now.
Cupcake? She heard Vi’s weak voice in her head. Even as a thought, she sounded exhausted. A pang of guilt shot through her chest as cleanly as any bullet.
I shouldn’t have let you run off. She sighed heavily.
Not your fault.
Caitlyn jumped from her perch, it wasn’t far to leap, still very much on edge as she held her rifle steady, ensuring that the assailant was gone and not lurking down an alley. When she was sure that was the case, she regarded the slumped figure on the littered ground.
“Why did you let her go?” Vi panted out.
“Do you ever say ‘thank you?’”
“He's gonna know we're here now.”
“Whose fault is that?” Caitlyn had to roll her eyes but her face paled as she noticed the steady trickle of blood beading out through Vi’s hand clenched around her stomach.
You’re bleeding.
A beat of silence rolled between them. She saw the barest corner of a smile tracing the edges of Vi’s mouth. Despite it all, she was smiling.
“You're an alright shot.” Vi smirked, sighing heavily.
“I'm an excellent shot.”
Can’t argue with that.
Vi groaned, shooting a hand up.
“You gonna help me out, Cupcake?” Caitlyn grasped her hand, hauling the woman to her feet and trying her best not to panic.
“Stop calling me that.” She grumbled, readjusting Vi's weight so that she could hold her more securely. She felt the raw strength through taut muscles, though she did her best not to think about that. Not when she’s bleeding out.
“Hmm?”
“I said stop calling me that.” Caitlyn huffed as she dragged them limping away from the alley. “My name is Caitlyn.”
“Okay, Cupcake.” Vi teased. She dragged her feet, halting their progress. Her grey eyes met Caitlyn’s as she frowned. “Wait, my jacket-”
“Now is not the time, Vi!”
“Please, I’m cold and I-” Vi’s gaze clouded over in a way that made Caitlyn bite her tongue. She waited as patiently as she could for the bleeding woman to speak up and find her words. Vi shook her head and looked down, pulling them over to a wall she could slump on. When she spoke next, it wasn’t aloud. Please. I don’t wanna have to wear my prison clothes everywhere I go. I just want something that doesn’t… feel like there.
Caitlyn’s heart plummeted in her chest. She let out a heavy exhale before she was slipping her grasp from Vi’s.
“You sure you’ll be okay here for a minute?” She murmured, eyes scanning Vi’s paling features. The other woman just nodded. Caitlyn didn’t feel good about it but she backed away, turning to dash towards the hole in the wall. It didn’t take long for her to find the discarded red leather, dirty but somehow not ruined by the fight. She noticed as well a knit cloak alongside. Hesitating, she grabbed it too, shoving both sets of fabric in her pack.
She rushed out towards Vi once more, sighing with relief to see the woman still standing. Barely, but still upright.
“Got it.” She said softly, looping her arm around Vi’s waist once more. Now what?
There’s a place we can go to. Vi said weakly. Down in the sumps… I think- I think it will be abandoned.
Are you sure it’s safe?
Please. I want to go there one last time if…
Caitlyn glanced worriedly over at Vi. The pink hair seemed fuller around her pallid features. Blood oozed from her ribs.
Vi, you’re not going to die.
Vi seemed to hesitate. Her eyes met Caitlyn’s for the briefest moment before looking away but it was enough for the topsider to see all the fear, defeat and pain of the world in those silver depths. She hugged the arm around her waist a little tighter.
I’m not going to let you die. She set off again, letting Vi tug her this way and that until they were standing at the top of a massive gorge. When Vi tipped herself over the edge of it, there was nothing for Caitlyn to do but follow her down.