Old friends (sort of)
Caitlyn had deliberately avoided returning to the council building. For many reasons, it felt wrong to be here again. With each step, her heart grew heavier, and doubt crept into her mind. She had never feared this place before, but today, the building cast a haunting, almost alien shadow over the streets and its surroundings.
This place had never been kind to her - neither then, nor now. It was where her mother had died, a tragic casualty of Jinx’s breakdown after witnessing Silco’s death. She couldn’t shake the feeling that her mother was watching her every move from above on this difficult course. Yet, in this very council, there was only one person who could help her. The mere thought of their name was enough to make her skin crawl: Sevika. And perhaps she was the only person in all of Piltover and Zaun who could help her find Jinx, or at least provide a clue. Not only did she have connections to Jinx, but she had also known her for the past seven years—familiar with every place Jinx might choose for shelter, her hiding spots, and her usual strategies. These were things neither she nor Vi knew about as good as she did.
But she also avoided this place for a diferent reason. It brought back haunting memories of her brief, disastrous time in power - a time that ended in the deaths of innocents and revealed a dark side of herself she never wanted to confront again. It was her lowest point: losing her mother, succumbing to vengeful desires, and driving Vi away because of it. In her blind rage, she had almost harmed an innocent child. If it hadn’t been for Vi, she might have crossed that unforgivable line. Yet in that moment, Vi saw what she didn't: Something unexpected. Someone who loved her sister unconditionally, willing to sacrifice everything for her. That realization in the aftermath, when she finally gathered her self to reflect this period, shook her to her core. Ironically, it was Jinx who had shown her how easily someone could crumble and succumb to their inner demons under the wrong circumstances. She had realised that she was not a natural leader - and she was done with politics for good. And Jayce was just another example of what happens when someone gets a taste of the sweet, tempting allure of power. Despite his good intentions, he became yet another victim of politics and power.
He and Viktor were gone too. The gods might know where. Along with Heimerdinger, they were the most famous missing persons after things had calmed down. Yet, no trace of them had been found. It was as if they had been swallowed up by something or had simply vanished into thin air. The preliminary investigation pointed to a Hexgate accident as the most plausible cause. Caitlyn knew she couldn't do anything about it until she was officially reinstated as sheriff. Besides, with an entire unit of the Piltover Sheriff's Office dedicated to the search, her involvement wouldn't make much of a difference anyway. And right now, she had her own investigation to focus on.
There was still a heavy lump in her throat - a late consequence of her argument with Vi. And no matter how much she tried to swallow, it wouldn’t loosen its grip on her throat. With every step she took, it felt like the pressure only tightened. Caitlyn knew her own wounds hadn't healed - if they ever would. Only time could tell. She had to carry her own bag and broke down when it became too heavy. But Vi's presence, after they had reconciled, helped her to bear the weight of the pain and even to rediscover joy. Vi was her lighthouse, always guiding her to safety. And it hurt to see that Vi didn't see her the same way. Perhaps this was Vi's way of coping. Maybe she was just grieving differently.
Leaving Vi behind, especially in her current state, wasn't the best idea. Especially alone with her father. He must have heard some of their argument. Especially the last part. She couldn't remember her parents ever fighting with each other, and if so, it was probably because of her and her Un-Kiramman deeds and ambitions.
But either way, she had to do something. And if it couldn't be resolved by talking and closeness, it had to be done otherwise. As long as Jinx's fate wasn't determined, her status still remained: Missing. Her police senses kicked in. Of course the usual way was to just go to the sheriffs office and file a missing persons report. But she was still relieved of her duties as sheriff, and her hearing to determine her readiness and fitness to serve was not scheduled for several weeks. This meant that she could not order investigations behind the scenes, limiting not only her reach but also the resources available for her search. But thanks to Marcus and his unparalleled efforts to obstruct her police work, she had somehow gotten used to it.
But make matters worse, Jinx still had the status of a terrorist in Piltover - a promising bounty included - while at the same time, she been declared a national hero in Zaun. Together with Vander and Silco. She carried a lot of political baggage and would be an unnecessary test for the fledgling Alliance between the two cities. For this reason, too, it was probably best for everyone that Jinx's whereabouts would not change in the near future. But this was not about Zaun or Piltover. It was all for Vi. Solely for Vi.
A hearing on Jinx had already been scheduled, and of course it was Sevika who was responsible for putting it on the agenda, but as usual, the wheels of the Council turned rather slowly. First, the focus was on joint reconstruction. Perhaps, however unlikely, it was even part of a plot to help Jinx back to Piltover.To open her a door for... Something. But Caitlyn decided not to give in to her worst-case scenario. To succeed in this investigation, she had to stay focused. Positive and yet open to all clues and evidence.
When she thought of the investigation she had just started, her heart leapt with joy as she realised that this meant she was somehow back in business. Back doing what she loved so much. Unbeknownst to her, it even held up her steps as she nearly sprinted up the stairs to the Council building.
Like a few months ago, her mission was the same: to find Jinx. But this time the circumstances were different. This time she had to find Jinx to help Vi, not for personal revenge.
Of all people, it was Jinx. To save Vi from drowning in her grief. She just had to find her. Failure simply wasn't an option. Nothing too difficult for Sheriff Kiramman, even though she hadn't officially returned to duty yet.
Leading Pilotover against Noxus and being wounded in battle gave her a kind of special status. And she hated it even more. Was it because of the eye patch, or because of who she once was? She could definitely feel the recognising looks, even if they were few, accompanying her as she took her last steps towards the entrance of the building.
She approached the intimidating looking entrance with a heavy heart. Luckilly, there weren't too many people around. That should at least make it easier for her to look for Sevika. As Zaun’s designated representative on the Council, Sevika was obligated to attend all meetings—whether they were of vital importance or mere formalities. Soon she had positioned herself within sight of the council chamber. It would probably only be a few more minutes before today's Council meeting was over. Once again, it seemed worth Caitlyn's while to study the Council's agenda, even if it was mostly just to satisfy her own curiosity. Then again, perhaps she was like a mother, a person who liked to be informed. Always one step ahead of everyone and everything.
Caitlyn took a moment to gather her thoughts. She knew that Sevika was a tough person who had a straightforward mentality and hated wasting her time with nonsense. Although she probably had a softer side, Caitlyn was well aware that she would most likely never find herself on the receiving end of that side. And after everything that had happened, it was probably a good thing that Vi wasn't with her now, since Vi wasn't particularly fond of Sevika. And vice versa. So maybe it was just as well that these two fronts remained separate, at least for the time being.
Then she heard a loud clamour of voices from the entrance to the meeting room. It was a large group of people - apparently part of the hearing on today's agenda. And in the middle of it all was her: Sevika. Faster and earlier than expected. Looking as tense as ever, though that could just be the result of the exhausting days that being a Council member often entailed. Caitlyn immediately noticed that she seemed to have returned to her old hairstyle. In fact, her hair seemed a little longer than usual. "Definitely a good choice..." Caitlyn's sense of style noted.
Then she took a deep breath "No time for second thoughts", she reassured herself as she began to walk over to Sevika. "You?" Sevika's voice revealed just how surprised she was to see Caitlyn suddenly appear and walk straight towards her. Caitlyn tried her best to keep a neutral if not friendly appearance, trying her best not to sow mistrust in her.
"I need to speak to you, Sevika," Caitlyn explained directly, trying her best not to draw too much attention to herself amidst the group of talking people around them,"In private".
"Fine," Sevika agreed hesitantly. Knowing Caitlyn, she realized this was probably important—or at least intriguing—enough not to be postponed or dismissed entirely. Besides, Caitlyn wasn't the type to engage in idle conversation over a cup of tea - especially not with her, and certainly not without a reason. She made an inviting gesture with her only hand and led her wordlessly into the small office that came with her position as council member for Zaun. It was surprisingly clean and tidy, considering Sevika's rather 'rough' nature. It was likely rarely used for her daily business. The lingering smell, however, suggested it served more as her private smoking lounge between meetings.
Sevika walked over to the office desk and pulled a cigar out of a wooden box before leaning against the desk, only further reassuring Caitlyn in her suspicion. "So, what do you want?" She asked as she lit her cigar with her new mechanical arm. From the looks of it, it looked like the newest and fanciest thing Zaun's Chemtech could come up with these days. And Caitlyn was definitely starting to doubt whether Vi could still handle her with her Hextech gloves right now. Especially if she encountered her in today's mood.
"Is everything good between us?" Caitlyn asked carefully. It hadn't been the question she'd wanted to ask, but now it was out in the open. She could see Sevika raise her eyebrows in amusement as she took a deep drag from her cigar. "That's not why you came to see me. But yeah, sure..." And from the sound of her voice, their fight seemed like nothing more than water under the bridge. Slightly relieved, Caitlyn decided not to keep the tense looking woman waiting any longer.
"It's Jinx," Caitlyn came straight to the point. So straight, in fact, that her words seemed to startle Sevika, her face freezing in shock as she heard the name. "Jinx?" Sevika asked, speechless and confused. She really hadn't expected to hear that name. Her eyes had widened, unable to contain a glimpse of curiosity, if not something else. Was it hope that glimpsed into her eyes for a brief second?
"What's with her. She died during the battle as you know best" Her voice sounded bitter, sad and even remorsefull. So maybe she actually seemed to like Jinx more than she would ever admit. But neither her expression nor her words were lying. She was also mourning. Maybe even missing her. "Is she... alive?"
"Not exactly... I mean... maybe," Caitlyn started to explain, but was immediately interrupted by Sevika. "What do you mean, not exactly... maybe?" Sevika asked irritably, pulling herself up from the desk, suddenly sensing something important in this conversation, "Do you know something, you might want to tell me?" Her eyes fixed on Caitlyn, narrowing slightly. It seemed that Sevika was on her hook.
"I have a strong feeling that she survived..." Caitlyn explained to her. She could see Sevika's eyes widen in shock. Or even disbelief. "What makes you so sure?", She shot back without hesitation, taking a deep drag on her cigar. Caitlyn could hear the doubt in her voice only too well, realizing that Sevika wasn't a person who easily clenched to smallest glimpse of hope. "First of all, it's Jinx. You should know her best. As she said, she's not that easy to kill. Second, we never found a body. We looked for it, but we never found anything..." Caitlyn began to explain her assumption.
"Because there's nothing left of her..." Sevika snapped in between, "That's what happens when you blow yourself up" In a way, she was probably right. But Caitlyn wasn't satisfied with that answer. Only superficial Enforcers would be satisfied with that conclusion.
"I don't think so.,," She countered as the police officer in her took other. "Many believe that this is what happened. Because it's a convenient end to the story, isn't it? For both sides. For Piltover, it means the chapter is closed, and the Enforcers don't have to actively search for her, like raiding Zaun's most remote corners. And for Zaun... Isn't she a hero? A national symbol convenient enough to claim to speak in her voice, because you were one of the few who knew her well enough to even sound believable..."
Sevika's eyes narrowed completely her expression became tense and increasingly angry. Though it wasn't Caitlyn's intention to start a fight with her, she still wanted to lure her out of the reserve. To uncover her true intentions and motivations, and to determine whether she could be of any use to her quest.
"I'm doing this for Zaun..." She said curtly. In a way, it was an honour that Sevika thought it worth defending herself against her, even though she probably didn't have to.
"I know. That's why it's important for me to know if you believe me..."
"But that's a pathetic amount of evicence you have collected" As Sevika's crushing judgement was totally expectable, Caitlyn gave her a brief amused smile. " Why are you even trying to find her? You're not going to kill her, are you? Leave her to rot in Stillwater" The tall woman's face regained some seriousness, her eyes staring at her challengingly. "For what she has done to you and your family."
"No. This is not about me. I may not have forgiven her for what she did, but I have found peace. But I'm only doing this for Vi. She is broken by her loss. And refuses to admit it. And I don't want to lose her. Because I really love her. So if there's a chance of finding her sister alive, I'm willing to take it. I'm willing to take the risk of having Jinx back in my life if it means that Vi will find her happiness again. Because right now she's sitting on my bed drinking herself to death..."
"I know this feeling..." Sevika said with a straight face, her voice tinged with the weight of bitter memories she couldn't or wouldn't forget, "But you need more evidence than this to convince anyone to help you finding her..."
"We both know that she's physically different from us. Her movements are... insanely fast... She might have managed to mover herself away. Or even..." Caitlyn stopped midsentence when she realized that Sevika wasn't aware of the full story. Who the beast really was. Or at least had been.
"What is it?" Sevika asked, her tone a mix of impatience and curiosity about what had caused her to stop mid-explanation.
"You don't know, do you?" Caitlyn asked her after realising that Sevika still didn't know the gruesome and tragic story of the man behind the beast. The man she once had left for Silco.
"What do I not know?" Sevika replied, her curiosity gradually giving way to frustration at Caitlyn's cryptic words
"That thing... that creature was Vander... Her father. Vi and Jinx tried to save him. Twice. But Noxus and Singed used him as a weapon-" Caitlyn explained calmly, though deep inside she felt the opposite—a heavy weight of guilt pressing down on her. She knew she had played her role in this misery, and perhaps this was just another step in her atonement.
"Singed?" Sevika asked her, perplexed and shocked, "He did this to Vander?" Caitlyn only nodded firmly, as no further confirmation was needed. "That monster..." Sevika clenched her fists, crushing the stub of her cigar in her grip. Her anger was palpable, and Caitlyn struggled to hide her unease, forcing herself to maintain a calm facade. "He told me, while Ambessa and I interogated him..." Caitlyn continued in a calm and collected voice after a short, reassuring breath. "You..." Her eyes looked at her, "I never thought you could sink so low..."
"I know... I made a mistake. Many actually. I know my part in this desaster. And I'm regretting it. That's why I try to make up for it..." Caitlyn confessed, only slightly easing Sevika's mind. "Don't do anything rash now," She tried to reason with her, knowing best how badly this could backfire.
"You don't tell me what to do. He was always a rat. Always trying to survive. I should have got rid of him a long time ago..." Sevika fumed and threw the crushed cigar stub into the overflowing ashtray with a sharp flick of her wrist, as if to release her frustration in one violent movement."Did you tell Vi? Whatever... It's not my marriage. But it deserves honesty... And you're not going to tell me what to do with that stinking creature. He'll pay for what he did to Vander. And our people..." A uncomfortable silence spread after her tirade before Sevika refocused to their initial topic, "So even if I assume that this is true... Then, what? Where is she? Why doesn't she come back. We need her"
"I don't know... Caitlyn shook her head, "I'm still working on scenarious. But I don't think she's hiding somewhere in PIltover or Zaun. At best somewhere in the sourounding areas, but most likely much far. I believe she doesn't want to be found after everything that happened"
"What about Isha?" Sevika asked, suddenly remembering Jinx's somewhat adorable attachment. "I tried to find her, but I couldn't. Did Vi take her in or so?"
"The question made Caitlyn's heart sink. The memory of Jinx's anguished scream flashed through her mind: Vi, though injured, using every ounce of strength she had to stop her sister from following Isha to certain death. Caitlyn took a shaking breath, her voice barely above a whisper as she let out a pained sigh. "She didn't make it..."
"Sevika’s face fell, her expression dissolving into blank disbelief. The anger vanished, replaced by a wave of sadness that overtook her. Shaking her head, she almost shouted, 'No... Tell me you’re lying.' A few tears escaped,running down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry" Caitlyn expressed her compassion as she watched Sevika taking in this devastating message. In a way it was wholesome in a sad and brutal way, to see Sevika genuinely caring for Isha. And Jinx. After all, even her heart wasn't made of concrete.
"She sacrificed herself for Jinx. She tried to stop her, but she couldn't reach her in time. Vi stopped her from killing herself aswell. We tried to stop them. But we failed..." Caitlyn then decided to tell her the whole truth, after Sevika quickly managed to gain her compassion. "Jinx worked with you?" Sevika asked, her voice laced with surprise and still shaking from the lingering shock. Her stomach churned, still unable to fully process the news of Isha's death.
"Because of Vi. Yes... We had the same goal, the same enemy. And I'm grateful that you all showed up and helped us during the battle, without you..."
"That was Jinx's effort. And Ekko's. They came to me and rallied the whole undercity. People who otherwise wouldn't have chosen to fight. Especially for people like you," Sevika remarked, her expression slowly recovering from the shock. Her gaze dropped as she half-turned to her desk, absently sorting the remaining cigars in her wooden box. "Go talk to Ekko. He's doing all kind of wonders with his firelights right now and might know something, but I wouldn't waste too much time on your hopeless search," she said with a resigned sigh. Her voice was tired. "Letting go is hard... but sometimes, it's the only way to accept the pain and wait for it to heal."
"I have to find her," Caitlyn said firmly, refusing to accept Sevika's words—no matter how honest, sincere, or even true they might be. "But thank you. I'll go see Ekko then."
"Good luck then..." Sevika said, offering a faint, almost imperceptible smile at the corner of her mouth. Her tone left no doubt, this was the end of their conversation. "Thank you," Caitlyn said, just about to turn away when Sevika's voice stopped her. "One more thing..."
"Yes?" Caitlyn asked, irritated and curious as to what she might want from her. "If she's really alive - against all odds - and you want to find her: Call me immediately" Sevika's gaze was serious, almost intimidating, silently making it clear that leaving her out of this from now on wouldn't be a wise decision.
"I will keep you informed from now on. And if you hear anything-" Caitlyn began to assure her, but the tall woman’s firm nod cut her off, making any further words unnecessary. "And..." Sevika called her back just as she was about to leave the room. "I'm sorry about Vi... about how things went between us."
These were without a doubt the most sincere and honest words she had ever heard from Sevika. This truly came from her heart. Surprised by her compassion, she gave her nothing more but a quick, firm nod before turning to leave the office. It was the first trace—vague yet promising. Hopefully...