Chapter 24
The walk through Piltover was eerily quiet. Ivy's footsteps felt heavier with each step, the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her. She had no idea where they were heading, but she followed Vi and Caitlyn in silence, her mind still spinning from the chaos on the bridge.
Eventually, they stopped at the base of a grand, elegant house. Caitlyn gestured toward a window, and one by one, they climbed up. Ivy heaved herself through the frame, landing awkwardly on the polished floor. She looked up in awe at the room they'd entered—a bedroom fit for royalty.
A massive bed with thick curtains dominated the room, its frame intricately carved and gilded. The high ceilings bore ornate designs, and an elegant rug spread across the floor. The faint scent of lavender lingered in the air.
"Who even lives here? Another council friend of yours?" Vi asked sarcastically, brushing herself off as she helped Caitlyn walk inside. Before Caitlyn could answer, the door burst open with a loud crash.
An older woman stormed in, a rifle aimed directly at them. The three froze, their breaths catching in their throats.
"Don't move," the woman commanded, her voice sharp and unwavering. Her hands were steady on the weapon, her piercing eyes scanning them. She immediately lowered the rifle. "Caitlyn!" she said.
A man rushed into the room, stopping abruptly when he saw the scene. "Oh, we were so worried. Thank goodness you're safe!" he exclaimed, relief washing over his face as he ran to hug Caitlyn.
The older woman raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting toward Vi. "I see you've found yourself a couple of strays," she remarked, her tone sharp yet laced with curiosity.
Caitlyn stood straighter, brushing off the subtle jab. "This is Vi and Ivy," she said, her voice steady. "They're from the Undercity."
The woman gave a faint, humorless smile and stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she inspected them. "So I see," she said dryly, her eyes falling on Ivy.
Her expression quickly hardened, and in a flash, the rifle was up again, pointed directly at Ivy. "Why is she covered in blood?" she demanded. "Did she hurt you?"
Ivy stiffened, her heart racing, but Caitlyn stepped forward, shaking her head firmly. "No," Caitlyn said quickly. "We just ran into some trouble on the way here. She's not a threat."
The woman's eyes lingered on Ivy for a moment longer, the distrust evident in her furrowed brow. Then, with a slow and deliberate motion, she lowered the gun.
"I'll take your word for it, Caitlyn," the woman said, though her tone carried an unspoken warning. She turned her focus back to Caitlyn. "Could we have a word? In private?"
Caitlyn hesitated, glancing back at Vi and Ivy. "Give me a moment," she said softly before stepping forward and following the older woman out of the room.
Ivy exhaled a shaky breath, her muscles still tense. She looked at Vi, who gave her a slight shrug. "Friendly bunch, huh?" Vi muttered, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall.
Ivy forced a small smile, but her mind was elsewhere. She let out a long, shaky sigh as she slid down the wall, her back pressing against the cool surface. She stared up at the ornate ceiling, its intricate designs a stark contrast to the chaos still fresh in her mind.
Vi walked over and sat down beside her, her arms resting on her knees. She turned her head, watching Ivy closely for a moment before breaking the silence.
"What happened back there at the bridge?" Vi asked, her voice quieter than usual, yet carrying an edge of curiosity and concern.
Ivy's jaw tightened. She didn't answer right away, her eyes fixed on the ceiling as if searching for an escape from the question.
"I lost control," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Vi stayed quiet, letting her continue.
"I saw him... the one who killed my parents. He was working with Silco, but I still don't know how my parents got involved," Ivy said, her voice trembling with the weight of the memory. "And I—" She paused, swallowing hard. "I couldn't stop myself. I wanted him to pay, Vi. For everything. For them. For me."
Her hands clenched into fists, the memory of the dagger in her grip flashing through her mind. She shook her head, tears welling up. "But it didn't feel right. It didn't bring them back. It didn't fix anything. If anything I feel worse."
Vi leaned back against the wall, staring straight ahead. "I get it," she said after a long pause. "I really do. The rage... it's like it takes over, doesn't it?"
Ivy nodded silently, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.
"But Ivy," Vi continued, her tone firmer, "you can't let it consume you. That guy? He deserved what he got, no doubt. But if you keep going down that path, you'll lose yourself. And once that happens... it's hard to come back."
Ivy turned her head to look at Vi, her eyes glossy but grateful. "I don't know if I can just let it go," she admitted.
"You don't have to," Vi said. "You just have to figure out how to control it before it controls you."
Ivy's voice cracked as the tears began to fall, her emotions breaking through the thin veil of control she'd tried to hold onto. Her hands trembled, and she buried her face in them for a moment before looking at Vi, her tear-streaked face raw with vulnerability.
"I don't know how to control it, though," she admitted, her voice heavy with despair. "My entire life... all I wanted was revenge. I thought if I could just make them pay, if I could just hurt them the way they hurt me, it would fix everything. But now that I finally got it..."
She stuttered, her chest heaving as she tried to force the words out. "It doesn't make me feel as good as I thought it would. It doesn't feel like it should."
Vi placed a hand on Ivy's shoulder, grounding her. "That's because revenge doesn't heal anything, Ivy. It doesn't fill the hole they left behind. It just... leaves you with more pain."
Ivy shook her head, her tears flowing freely now. "Then what am I supposed to do?" she cried, her voice breaking. "They're gone, Vi. My family's gone, and no matter what I do, I can't bring them back."
Vi pulled Ivy into a firm but gentle hug, wrapping her arms around her as Ivy sobbed into her shoulder. "I know it hurts," Vi said quietly, her own voice tinged with a mix of empathy and understanding. "And I wish I could tell you there's some easy fix, but there isn't. The only thing you can do is keep going. Keep fighting for the people who are still here. For the ones who still need you."
Ivy clung to her, her sobs gradually quieting as Vi's words sunk in. "But what if I can't?" she whispered.
"You can," Vi said firmly, pulling back to look Ivy in the eyes. "You're stronger than you think, Ivy. And you're not alone. You've got me, Caitlyn, Ekko... you've got people who care about you. You don't have to carry this by yourself."
Ivy sniffled, her gaze dropping as she processed Vi's words. Her tears slowed, but the pain in her chest refused to fade. She leaned back against the wall, her gaze fixed on the ceiling as Caitlyn's name echoed in her mind like a haunting melody.
The look on Caitlyn's face at the bridge replayed vividly in her memory—shock, fear, and something else she couldn't quite name. Disappointment? Betrayal?
Her stomach twisted. She could still see the way Caitlyn had stared at her, wide-eyed and frozen, as if she were a stranger. As if she were something to be feared.
"I saw her face," Ivy whispered, her voice trembling. "Caitlyn. The way she looked at me... like I was some kind of monster."
Vi stayed silent for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, she sighed, her hand still resting on Ivy's shoulder. "It wasn't an easy thing to watch, Ivy. What you did back there—it was a lot. But Caitlyn's not perfect either. She's seen things, done things, and she knows this world isn't black and white."
Ivy shook her head, fresh tears brimming in her eyes. "But that doesn't change the fact that I scared her. Maybe she's right to be afraid of me. I mean... look at what I did, Vi. I lost control."
Vi's grip on her shoulder tightened, her voice firm but gentle. "You're not a monster, Ivy. You're hurting, and yeah, you made a choice back there. But you're still you. You're still the same person who sews dresses, who looks out for her friends, and who's been fighting her way through hell to survive."
Ivy didn't respond, her mind still consumed by the memory of Caitlyn's expression. She wanted to believe Vi's words, but the image of Caitlyn's fear lingered like a scar on her heart.
"She'll come around," Vi added softly, as if reading Ivy's thoughts. "Caitlyn's tougher than she looks, and she cares more than she lets on. Give her time."
Ivy nodded faintly, though she wasn't sure if she believed it. For now, all she could do was hope. Hope that Caitlyn would see her for more than what happened on that bridge—and that maybe, one day, she'd be able to see herself that way too.
Ivy wiped at her eyes, a faint smile breaking through the storm of emotions swirling within her. She turned her head slightly to look at Vi, her voice quiet but sincere.
"Thank you," she said softly, her lips trembling just a little as she tried to hold herself together.
Vi gave her a small, crooked grin in return, her usual rough-edged demeanor softened. "Don't mention it. You've got a lot of fight in you, Ivy. That's not a bad thing. You just need to aim it in the right direction."
Ivy nodded, her smile growing a little steadier. For the first time since the bridge, she felt a flicker of relief—small, but there. She leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes for a brief moment.
Vi nudged her gently with her elbow, a teasing tone creeping into her voice. "Besides, somebody's gotta keep you in line, right?"
Ivy let out a quiet laugh, the sound shaky but genuine. "Guess that's your job now?"
"Damn right it is," Vi said with a smirk.
They sat there for a moment longer in companionable silence, the weight of the night still heavy but no longer unbearable. For the first time in what felt like forever, Ivy allowed herself to believe that maybe she wasn't as alone in this as she thought. She shifted slightly, her head resting against Vi's shoulder. The weight of the gesture wasn't lost on either of them—it wasn't just exhaustion, but a quiet admission that Ivy needed someone right now.
Vi didn't say anything. She didn't need to. Instead, she leaned back against the wall, letting Ivy rest against her. The silence between them wasn't awkward or heavy; it was simply there, a quiet understanding in the aftermath of everything that had happened.
The opulent surroundings of Caitlyn's room felt out of place to Ivy, almost surreal, but for the first time since stepping foot in Piltover, it didn't feel suffocating. The calm was unfamiliar but not unwelcome.
Outside, the faint sounds of the city hummed in the distance, muted by the thick walls. For a moment, the chaos of the world seemed far away.
"You ever think you'd end up here?" Ivy asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Vi smirked, not looking down at her. "What, in a room like this? Not in a million years."
Ivy chuckled softly, her breath catching for a second before she relaxed again.
They stayed like that, letting the silence stretch, unbroken but filled with a growing sense of trust. Despite everything, this felt like a moment of peace—fragile, but real.
The soft creak of the door opening drew their attention. Caitlyn stepped inside, her expression resolute, though her eyes flickered briefly to Vi and Ivy sitting together.
"We'll present our case to the council tonight," Caitlyn announced, her voice steady but tinged with determination.
“That’s awesome.” Vi said smiling.
"You guys can use my shower if you need to," Caitlyn said as she looked over Ivy and vi.
Vi stood up, clapping her hands. "Great, I'll go first." She glanced at Ivy with a small smirk before turning to Caitlyn, who led her to the bathroom. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Ivy and Caitlyn alone in an unsettling quiet room.
Ivy shifted uncomfortably, her gaze wandering to the ornate ceiling as she tried to ignore the growing tension.
Caitlyn walked over and sat at the edge of her bed, her legs crossed, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She stared at the floor for a long moment before finally speaking, her voice soft but steady. "Why did you do it?"
Ivy blinked, her heart skipping a beat. "Do what?" she asked, though she already knew what Caitlyn was referring to.
"On the bridge," Caitlyn said, her tone sharpening slightly. "Why did you kill him like that?"
The words hit Ivy like a punch. She looked away, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "I..." she started, but the words caught in her throat.
Ivy looked over at Caitlyn, her voice trembling as she answered, "Because he killed my parents."
Caitlyn shook her head, her expression a mix of frustration and sadness. "You know he had a family—a daughter!" she said, her voice firm but not unkind.
"Well, guess what? So did I!" Ivy's voice cracked as the words burst out of her. She looked away, her eyes glistening with tears. "I had a family once too," she whispered, her hands trembling as the weight of her pain resurfaced. "Before he took them from me."
Caitlyn stood abruptly, her movements sharp and filled with frustration. "You can't just go around killing innocents—killing enforcers—just because you want to!" she snapped, pacing the room, her hands gesturing in agitation.
Ivy scoffed, her sadness evaporating, replaced by a burning anger. She stood as well, facing Caitlyn. "Stop protecting these enforcers!" she shot back, her voice rising with each word. "They aren't the good people you think they are, Caitlyn. You think your precious system is so righteous, but it's not! It's corrupt, and it's cruel!"
Caitlyn froze, her lips pressed into a thin line, her jaw tight. "I'm not ignorant, Ivy," she said, her tone colder now. "I know not everything is perfect. But killing people who are here to protect and serve isn't the answer—it just makes you like them! Like those criminals."
Ivy stepped closer, her hands clenched into fists. "You have no idea what it's like, do you? To watch your family be torn apart by the very people you're supposed to trust. To have your entire life destroyed because of their greed and violence." Her voice cracked but she pressed on, her green eyes blazing with fury. "You have no idea what it's like to be living on the other side of the coin, do you?" she chuckled. "Guess what Sheriff they protect your people, not mine."
Caitlyn scowled at Ivy.
Ivy's expression hardened. "Half your enforcers are probably running to Silco right now to tell him all your dirty secrets," she spat, her voice dripping with bitterness.
Caitlyn let out a sharp scoff, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms defensively. "One corrupt enforcer doesn't mean we all are," she said firmly, her voice steady but laced with irritation.
Ivy shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "You're so naive, Caitlyn," she said, stepping closer. "You think it's just one? Open your eyes. Silco owns this city—your city. And his power comes from people like you turning a blind eye, pretending it's all just a few bad apples."
Caitlyn's jaw tightened as she glared at Ivy. "I don't turn a blind eye," she said, her voice low and unwavering. "That's why I'm here. That's why I'm fighting to fix things instead of destroying them."
"Fix things?" Ivy shot back, her voice rising. "You think you can fix this mess by playing by their rules? By trusting the same system that's been broken for decades? It's a joke, Caitlyn. And you're the punchline."
The tension in the room was palpable, the weight of their words pressing down on both of them. Caitlyn's hands clenched at her sides, her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and something softer—something almost like pity. Ivy's chest heaved with frustration, her gaze fiery and unyielding.
Neither of them said a word, the silence stretching as their opposing worlds clashed in a battle neither could win.
Caitlyn's glare softened slightly, but her voice remained sharp. "If you hate enforcers and the system so much, then why agree to help me?"
"Because, Caitlyn," Ivy snapped, stepping forward, her voice cutting through the tense air, "you're different."
Caitlyn blinked, taken aback by the intensity of Ivy's words.
"I will admit at first I only agreed to help you to get out of prison, but now Ive seen things. All my life I've seen what your kind does—how they look at people like me, like we're dirt under their boots. But you..." Ivy's voice faltered for a moment, then steadied. "You don't treat me like that. You actually care, even if you're too stubborn to see how broken everything is." She paused. "At least you did."
Caitlyn opened her mouth to respond, but Ivy cut her off.
"And let me be clear," Ivy said, her green eyes blazing as they locked with Caitlyn's. "I don't regret anything that's happened. Not what I did on that bridge, not the blood on my hands. I've spent my whole life surviving, and if I have to keep spilling blood to protect myself and the people I care about, then so be it. Everything I have done was for the people of Zaun. Ive risked my life this entire time for them, for Vi, and for you."
Ivy crossed her arms. "But come to think, you haven't even tried to protect me or Vi. Tell me what happened to your fancy gun during all those fights we almost died in, huh?" she sneered. "What? It wasn't worth waisting bullets for some criminals." She hissed.
The room fell silent again, the weight of Ivy's words hanging heavy in the air. Caitlyn's shoulders slumped slightly, her expression caught between understanding and frustration. Caitlyn took a deep breath, her jaw tightening as she locked eyes with Ivy. "I've actually not had my gun for quite some time," she said evenly, her tone calm but edged with tension.
Ivy raised a brow, her expression sharp. "Oh, really? Care to explain that one, officer?" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Caitlyn didn't flinch. Instead, she took a step closer, standing her ground. "Do you care to know what happened to it?" she said looking down at Ivy.
"Tell me.”