Chapter 16
Peering through her bedroom window, Vi looked for any signs of Powder awake but only found a lump beneath the bottom bunk’s covers. Sighing in relief, she slowly began to push open the window. Because of the cold fronts sweeping through Piltover and Zaun, it made it extremely hard to open the window without a loud creaking noise—Vi had learned this two weeks ago, but thankfully, Powder had been passed out from a sugar coma.
Once Vi had successfully pushed the window halfway up—quite proud she didn’t make a noise—she readjusted her backpack containing her suit and began sliding into the room. When her second foot found the cold apartment floor, she set her backpack by the window and closed it.
Vi had the decision to crawl her nine-story apartment wall and sneak into her bedroom or walk through the front door and possibly run into Babette— obviously, she chose the former. Vi nearly rolled her eyes at the thought of her. There was no reason for Babette to berate her right now, and Vi was pretty sure she would blow her own head off if Babette complained about her being out so late and slamming the door on her earlier.
Now that she had snuck in, the second part of her mission commenced: avoiding Powder’s gadgets—booby traps in Vi’s words. She knew if she stepped on one, and that song began to play…she was done for.
Once Powder turned thirteen, an official teenager, she entered a new phase. Vi had no idea what it was, but one day, Powder came bouncing over to her and shoved a phone in her face, a hyper song with a loud bass and Powder’s voice screaming, “Get Jinxed!” That was the only way Vi could describe it, but she also learned—more like what she could comprehend over the song and Powder’s babbling— Ekko had helped produce it—where they got the equipment, she had no idea. Despite it, seeing Powder’s shit-eating grin as she ranted about the song made Vi immediately love it…except at times when she was seeking back into the apartment in the middle of the night with her only source of light being the moon.
“Goddamn it, Powder,” Vi muttered, maneuvering through the small room. What made it hard to spot the monkey bombs wasn’t the dark, but the fact they were hidden—hidden under Powder’s clothes thrown throughout the room or tucked beneath pillows and cushions from previous pillow fights they would have with their brothers. Vi felt like a soldier about to step on a land mine and explode into little pieces.
With calculated effort and luck, Vi was fortunate enough to be standing in front of her bunk. With a final glance at Powder, still in her heaps of blankets, she carefully climbed into her bed. The comfort of her mattress and the warmth of her pillows made her fall asleep almost instantly.
Vi couldn’t remember the last time she got a full eight hours of sleep—being Spider-Man and an honors student was not for the weak. Every time she curled up in her bed after a late night, a thought would come into her head: what if I wasn’t Spider-man tonight? How bad could one night be off the job? This thought would vanish as quickly as it came. Despite the appeal of her bed, she knew her city needed her more than she needed her bed. What was the point of having her powers if she didn’t use them for others? But would being selfish for one night hurt? Vi shook her head, physically ridding the nonsensical idea from her head.
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
Regardless of what Vi thought of her late father’s actions, she knew his words were right. She had something that could be used for good, and that was what she would use it for, no matter how badly it broke her body.
Just as Vi felt sleep take over, she heard a low murmur from the bunk below her, “Finally decided to show up, sis?” Powder’s words weren’t to reprimand her, just teasing from sister to sister.
“Had to make sure no monsters would get ya.” Vi grinned, leaning over her bunk and seeing Powder’s face peeking out from the blankets.
“I’m not six anymore,” Powder rolled her eyes.
“Isn’t it sad?” Vi curled her bottom lip in a mock pout. “You’re almost fifteen, but you’ll always be my baby.”
“Vi!” Powder groaned, grabbing her pillow and huffing into it. “You can’t say that!”
“Shh,” Vi tried to mask her chuckles as she shushed her sister. “Babette’ll hear you.”
“Babs isn’t here. But since we’re on the subject…” Going for dramatic effect, Powder slowly pulled down the pillow, revealing her face with a smirk plastered on it. “When Babby was leaving, she was gossiping about you with Sid–”
“Sid? I thought she died.”
“Me too, but I guess not. Anyway, while they were talking, Babs mentioned how you guys were arguing again. Old news, am I right? But this time, she said you got really defensive for no reason–”
“No reason!” Vi hissed, scoffing at Babette’s blatant lie. “She’s the one who got really defensive and secretive. Not me.”
Powder nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Babs got her fair share of secrets. That’s for sure. But her little gossip session gotmethinkin’. What could you possibly be doing? You got a secret girlfriend or somethin’?”
Vi froze as the memory sparked, like a lightning bolt striking a tree. The letter. Vi looked over at her backpack. The letter was still in her suit pocket, and she completely forgot to read it before she changed. Great, another thing to keep me up tonight.
“I’ll take that as a yes. So, who’s the lucky girl?”
Powder clearly misread her silence as confirmation and ran with it. “Pow,” Vi shook her head. “Trust me, there’s no girl.”
“The blush on your cheeks says otherwise.”
Instantly, Vi touched her cheeks, feeling for heat, but her cheeks were still cold from the air outside. “You liar.” Vi scoffed. “You can barely see me. Let alone the color of my cheeks.”
“Yeah, but you still felt them. That’s enough confirmation for me.” Powder shrugged.
“That–I…whatever.” Vi scoffed again and rolled over.
“It’s okay, sis. You can tell me who she is tomorrow.” Vi grumbled in response. Hearing a yawn from below her, Vi figured Powder was ready to go back to sleep. “I’m going to sleep. Good night, Vi. Love ya.”
Vi couldn’t help but smile at Powder’s words. “Love you too, Pow. Sleep tight.”
Dear Ms. Vanderson,
It is with great pleasure that the Kiramman family extends to you an invitation to join us for Friday evening dinner at our estate.
We would be honored by your presence, as it would provide us the opportunity to express our personal regard and enjoy your company in a more personal setting.
We look forward to welcoming you to our home and sharing a memorable evening together.
Yours sincerely,
Cassandra Kiramman
On behalf of the Kiramman Family
“There is no fucking way,” Vi muttered from her starstruck position on the toilet. It would have never occurred to her this would be the reason Caitlyn Kiramman was out in the middle of the night trying to find her—the thought still made her laugh. A dinner invitation from the Kirammans was a winning lottery ticket, but Vi couldn’t decide if she should cash in.
She had told herself she would try to stay distant from Caitlyn. But every time Vi got a glimpse of her beautiful face, she just couldn’t pull away. And she despised herself for it; the one time she chose to be selfish, she would put the only person who saw her differently—saw her for more—at risk. Vi loved Spider-Man. There was almost nothing she would change…except this.
Vi sighed, tucking the letter back into its crested envelope, and stood from her hunched position.
“Vi!” A loud pounding shook the flimsy door. “Finish taking a shit and hurry up! If we’re late again because of you, I’ll– Ow! What was that for?”
“You’re such a baby, Mylo. You would be late regardless.”
Vi heard a scoff from outside the door. “That’s not true–”
“Four lunch detentions this month say otherwise.”
“Whatever.” A pair of footsteps walked away.
“But he’s right, sis. We might be late.”
Vi chuckled. The madness with her family was neverending, but she enjoyed every second of it. “I’m coming. Just let me brush my teeth.”
“Good, because otherwise, I would be the one to shank ya.” Vi heard Jinx bounce away.
After finishing up in the bathroom, Vi grabbed her bag and placed the letter in a compartment she knew no one would find. Once she had hidden it inside, Vi entered the chaotic kitchen and living space.
Jinx had won a giant bouncy ball at the arcade and was gleefully hurling it around the room. Mylo, perched at the kitchen table and desperately trying to finish his homework, let out an exasperated groan when the ball ricocheted off a chair and sent a bottle of maple syrup tumbling onto his papers, drenching them in sticky sweetness.
"That's it!" he barked, snatching the ball without missing a beat and chucking it back at her with pinpoint accuracy. Jinx laughed, ducking the throw, but before she could recover, Mylo let out a battle cry worthy of a front-line soldier and charged at her full tilt.
Meanwhile, Claggor had just finished flipping the last of the pancakes and set the plate on the counter beside Mylo's syrup-covered mess. Oblivious to the commotion, he grabbed his own stack, whistling a cheerful tune, and made his way to the couch. He plopped down beside Ekko—who was somehow here—and dug into his pancakes while Ekko stared intently at the TV, watching PBN. Vi grimaced, still unsure why he liked watching Piltover’s sponsored propaganda program.
Deciding to ignore the ongoing wrestling match between Mylo and Jinx, Vi strolled into the kitchen—leaving Mylo’s mess for Babette to clean—avoiding the syrup now dripping onto the floor, she grabbed one of Claggor’s famous pancakes. If she could marry the fluffy cake of perfection, she would. Already ripping into the pillow of deliciousness, she sat between Ekko and Claggor on the couch.
“Think we could watch something else?” Vi said in between bites. “This is garbage.”
“Shh, Vi. They’re just getting to the good part.” Ekko responded, eyes still glued on the glowing screen.
“There is no–”
“Shh.”
“Alright, everybody.” The female news reporter looked back into the camera. “I know how much you guys love it when we talk about the newborn poros from our friends in Freljord, but I think our next topic will be just as interesting.”
“That’s right, Jen.” The male reporter, turning toward the screen behind him, smiled wide. “Now that our remaining council members have been restored to health,” he said, pausing, and both reporters gave sympathetic looks. “Councilor Kiramman will be holding a short press conference responding to an ongoing issue…. Spider-Man.”
Vi rolled her eyes, huffing as she stood up. “Okay, guys, this is a load of horse shit. Let’s go before we’re late.” No one seemed to pay attention to her, everyone entranced by the screen in front of them. Even Mylo and Jinx had stopped fighting and were watching the TV as they leaned against the back of the couch.
“Vi shut up,” Ekko hushed.
Vi glared at the boy and his white dreadlocks before sighing in relief and sat back down. An unmistakable pout on her face as she shook her head at her family.
Once she looked back at the screen, the reporters were no longer there. Instead, replaced by Councilor Kiramman, standing at a podium with reporters and flashing cameras on the stairs below her. Because of the destruction of the former Councilor Building, the conference was taking place outside of the Enforcer’s headquarters. Vi remembered the last time Councilor Kiramman held something like this…when she announced a warrant for Spider-Man’s arrest.
How’s that going for ya?
Vi chuckled inwardly at the thought.
“Due to recent events, this matter has been delayed far too long,” Councilor Kiramman began, her voice steady as she glanced up from her neatly organized papers to address the sea of reporters. “But now, it is time to confront it head-on.”
She straightened, her gaze sweeping across the crowd with calm intensity. “Spider-Man is a threat. A threat to the community we have tirelessly worked to build. We cannot place our faith in someone whose identity remains hidden, whose motives are unknown. Spider-Man is a vigilante—a rogue actor wielding extraordinary, potentially hazardous abilities the likes of which have never been seen in the lands of Runeterra.”
Her voice carried a measured weight as she continued, “While her actions during the recent terrorist attacks may have provided temporary relief, we must not lose sight of the danger she poses. Her unchecked power makes her no less dangerous than the individuals who openly seek to harm us. We cannot and will not tolerate such recklessness.”
Councilor Kiramman glanced down, shuffled her papers with practiced precision, then raised her head to address the crowd once more. “Effective immediately, enforcers will be stationed throughout Zaun to ensure order and safety. A citywide curfew will be instituted, beginning at midnight. Those found in violation will face penalties. Furthermore, in light of the failures surrounding Spider-Man’s previous escape, we are offering an incentive: a reward of one million cogs to anyone who provides information leading to her capture.”
With that, she stepped back from the podium, leaving the crowd to erupt into a frenzy of shouted questions. Unmoved by the commotion, she turned away as Principal Grayson—restored to her position as sheriff and temporarily stepping back from her academic role—approached the podium to take her place.
Vi had seen Principal Grayson as some type of role model, especially after Vander died. Before Spider-Man leveled her, Principal Grayson gave her comfort—something to hold onto—when life was going to shit. Though she never served as a physical comfort, her words inspired Vi to try—try for her family—push through for them.
When Vi found out Grayson was going to reprise her position as sheriff, a part of her felt betrayed. Grayson knew what had happened to her parents—that they were killed by enforcers. She knew how corrupt the government was and why she decided to retire. Becoming the principal, she was going to help the children of Zaun, and she did. She made a difference. The second she agreed to return to the enforcers, Vi and the rest of the Zaunite kids she helped despised her. If the one good piltie betrayed and lied to them, what does that say about the rest?
Focusing on her surroundings, she heard everyone shouting. The reporters were laying into Sheriff Grayson. Mylo, Ekko, and Jinx were cursing the TV. Claggor, with a mouth full of pancakes, tried to form sentences and join in.
That’s when Vi remembered what Councilor Kiramman said. They were really going after Spider-Man. By going after Spider-Man, they were going after the people of Zaun—forcing curfews and enforcers everywhere. They didn’t care how they got her or what they needed to do, and they were punishing her people for it.
No matter how much Spider-Man helped—from small tasks like stopping a robbery to big ones like FUCKING TERRORISTS FROM KILLING THE ENTIRE COUNCIL—they would always despise her. Spider-Man was a symbol of hope—a beacon they could never match—and they loathed it—loathed the way she was embraced by the people, adored in a way they could never be.
“Alright, alright!” Vi jumped up, tired of listening to everyone yell. “C’mon, let’s get to school.” She shooed them away from the TV and turned it off in the process. Grumbling, they begrudgingly walked over to their bags—Mylo just decided to leave his syrup–covered homework—and headed toward the door. “I told you guys PBN was a bunch of shit.”
“Vi, did you hear what that bitch said?! Enforcers and curfew! I fucking hate Piltover.” Jinx scoffed, yanking the door so hard that Vi thought it would come off the hinges.
“It’s so stupid. We finally have someone helping us, and they want to take it away.” Ekko followed Jinx out the door, matching her stomps.
“You know what would be so fucking cool?” Mylo nudged Vi with his elbow.
“Hm?” Vi held the door for Mylo as he walked out, then turned to Claggor in the kitchen, who was grabbing another pancake. “Clagg, let’s go.”
“Coming.” He half-jogged out the door and caught with Ekko on the stairs.
“What if Spider-Man led Zaun into war against Piltover, and it was some huge fight.” Mylo made exploding noises and animated gestures with his hands.
Vi wanted to laugh at her brother’s stupidity. “Y’know that would do more harm than good, right?” She locked the door before walking over to Mylo on the stairs. “And besides, how do you know Spider-Man’s from Zaun?”
Mylo’s mouth was agape as he thought for a moment. “Well, I…don’t, but no one that awesome comes from the slums of Piltover. Have you seen those freaks?”
Vi chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right, but back to your war proposal. I think you should think twice about that.”
“Why?” Mylo’s bushy eyebrows shot to his head, utterly shocked that his sister disagreed with him.
“Mylo,” Vi tried to contain her laugh. “it is probably one of the most outrageous, stupidest things you said. Maybe the stupidest thing you said.”
“Fuck off.”
“Don’t get mad.” Vi couldn’t stop her laughter as she watched Mylo’s face scrunch up. “Stop being a baby.” Vi pulled him to her and began rustling his hair. “You know it’s your fault we’re gonna be late now, right?”
“Stop it!” Mylo tried to break out of his sister’s grip, but it was no use. “Vi, I’m not kidding. Vi!”
“Is Mylo being a wittle baby again?” Jinx shouted up from the stairs below, her taunting tone making everyone burst into laughter.
“I hate this family.”
“You know what I think? I think they should just raid the whole fuckin’ city. There’s nothing good there anyway.” Vi could hear Jayce’s booming voice across the hall and his friends laughing in agreement. She didn’t bother paying him any mind. That’s what he wanted: an excuse to get her in trouble.
Vi maneuvered through the crowded school hallway as everyone rushed to third period. Pushing through a kid with a rolling backpack, Vi found her locker—it could be spotted a mile away with all the blue and pink spray paint.
“Hey, Vi!” Jayce shouted across the hall. “whatever dump you live in is where they should start. Don’t you agree?” Jayce’s friends snickered and whistled, hyping him up.
Clenching her jaw, Vi slammed her locker shut and took a deep breath before joining the flow of the bustling hallway.
“Oh, c’mon. No response?” A mocking grin spread across his face. “Never thought I’d get ignored by the biggest waste of space in Zaun, and that’s saying something.” Shoving his way through other students, he caught up to Vi. Trying to maintain composure, she didn’t dare look at his face. “Wow, did you hit your head or something? I’ve never seen you look so…normal.” Jayce chuckled. “I mean, look at this,” He gestured to her. “you look so much less animalistic. Almost like a real human being.”
Vi continued to ignore Jayce’s insults. With Marcus as the new principal, she knew the moment she was involved in anything—even something she didn’t start—it was game over. From the corner of her eye, Vi could see Jayce’s smirk growing wider, and almost socked him.
“This is something I never expected from you, Vi. I’m impressed. I know since your dad died, you’ve gone off the walls. Is this like a way to redeem yourself?” Vi felt her nails pierce the palms of her hands, but Jayce kept going. “I know your sister wouldn’t contain herself this long. Is it true she bit someone because they got mud on her shoe? Man, she is one crazy bit-”
That was it. Vi snapped. With a low growl, she grabbed the collar of Jayce’s shirt and threw him against the lockers. The metallic clang echoed as students froze, a collective gasp cutting through the tension. Before Jayce had even a second to think, Vi pushed him up on the lockers, his feet dangling off the ground. The smug grin he’d been wearing vanished in an instant, replaced by wide-eyed fear. His mouth opened as if to speak, but no sound came out.
“Finish that sentence. Come on, I’m all ears.” Vi’s voice was mockingly low as she pushed Jayce further into the lockers. There wasn’t a peep from anyone else, meaning the spotlight was all on them. “What? Scared?” Vi curled her bottom lip, feigning a pout, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “You were all talk a few seconds ago. Why don’t you share with everyone else?” Vi nodded to the people behind them.
Jayce shook his wildly. “I’m–I’m good.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah,” He rasped. “I’m good.”
“What’s going on?” A voice cut through the silence of the hall as the sound of clicking heels became closer. Vi lowered Jayce slightly, turning her head to see the crowd of students part. Long legs stepped forward, followed by the crisp lines of a girl’s school uniform, and a face Vi recognized all too well emerged through the crowd. “Vi? Jayce?” Her calm voice was replaced by surprise as she looked at the scene in front of her. “What happened?”
Jayce whimpered as Vi dropped him onto the floor, earning a scoff from the girl. Facing away from the pathetic man, Vi saw how the students looked at her—fear covered their features, scared they might be next. However, one face was different than the others. Caitlyn.There wasn’t any indication she was afraid of Vi. Instead, her earnest eyes held a pleading look, her features soft with an understanding Vi hated.
Vi couldn’t bear to look at her anymore, her beautiful face saddened by something she had done. Turning to the other students, her expression twisted with anger, her glare sharp enough to pierce through each of them. “Are you not entertained?” she roared, the unexpected force of her voice making everyone flinch. A low chuckle left her mouth. “I hate this fucking school.” With that, she shoved her way through the crowd, without a care of who she knocked down in the process.
“Vi!” Caitlyn shouted after her, but Vi wouldn’t stop. She ran through empty school hallways, trying to find an exit. Despite her knowledge of every back door or secret room, that all went out the window when she was running from something she knew she couldn’t escape. “Violet!”
Vi froze. No one except Babette and Principal Grayson dared to call her that, but here, some piltie girl said it as if it was a part of her daily vocabulary. Vi’s petrified state gave Caitlyn time to catch up, and a moment later, she turned the corner, seeing Vi’s back a few feet away from her.
“Vi…are–”
“What did you call me?”
“What are you–”
“What did you call me?” Vi slowly spun around, dark eyes meeting Caitlyn’s hesitant ones.
Vi’s grimly calm voice sent a shot of fear through Caitlyn. A pit formed in her stomach, unsure of whether she should answer. “I…”
“Caitlyn, answer me.”
“Vi,” A new look of determination set in Caitlyn’s eyes. “what is this about? Because I know it’s not about me calling you Violet. What did Jayce do?”
Vi scoffed. “This isn’t about Jayce.”
“Well, it has to be something. You wouldn’t freak out on me like that–”
“Why wouldn’t I? We’re not friends. We’ve talked—what—a few times? And that makes us best friends?” Vi shook her head, lips curling into a sneer. “This is just entertainment for you. Hanging out with a junkie to escape your perfect little life.”
“That isn’t true,” Caitlyn replied softly. “Vi, what’s gotten into you? Where’s this coming from?”
The truth was, Vi didn’t know. Until this moment, she had convinced herself things were holding together as well as they could. But the weight she had been carrying finally cracked her resolve. It was everything. Babette’s relentless shouting, her constant reminders that Vi wasn’t enough. The unending chaos that came with being Spider-Man—the guilt of knowing her actions caused Zaun more suffering. The man she had idolized her entire life turned out to be a liar, hiding the truth about who he really was. And Caitlyn—Caitlyn, who, with every passing night together, unknowingly gambled her life for Vi’s sake.
“I don’t know,” Vi mumbled, barely loud enough for Caitlyn to hear. The anger that had just consumed her melted away, leaving only the heavy weight of guilt in its place. “I’m sorry. It’s just–well…I don’t know.”
“Vi,” Caitlyn slowly approached her, waiting for any sign against her movements, but none came. “It’s okay. It’ll be okay.” Her hand rose hesitantly, then settled gently against Vi’s cheek—the roughness of her skin meeting Caitlyn’s soft fingers. Caitlyn’s thumb brushed against Vi’s cheekbone in a tender, almost instinctive motion, her gaze steady, searching for something in Vi’s storm-filled eyes.
“You shouldn’t be doing this for me,” Vi mumbled, but made no motion to pull away. “I hurt you, and here you are comforting me.” Vi looked up at her with shame in her eyes. “It’s pathetic.”
“Must you be so hard on yourself? You carry so many burdens. You are allowed to break down. It happens to everyone.”
“But it can’t happen to me. I shouldn’t let myself do this. I have more important things to do than throw a temper tantrum.”
Caitlyn giggled. “Vi, this wasn’t a temper tantrum. Don’t worry about what just happened or what you said. Focus on me, focus on leveling yourself.”
Vi did as told. Listening to Caitlyn’s sweet voice as she took a deep breath, removing any thoughts distracting from the beautiful girl in front of her. Her gaze returned to Caitlyn’s soft eyes, her chest tightening with a mix of calm and something she couldn’t quite name. The world seemed to quiet around them, leaving only Caitlyn’s steady presence and the warmth in her gaze.
“Thank you. I don’t think anyone’s tried this hard for me in a long time.” Vi smiled, trying to play off her words, but Caitlyn saw right through her.
A flicker of sadness flashed through Caitlyn’s eyes. “Of course.”
“Who’s over here?” A voice boomed, causing Vi and Caitlyn to separate. “Class started twenty minutes ago. This is an immediate det–” Marcus rounded the corner, seeing a flicker of Vi’s vibrant pink hair. He tried to contain his smirk, but the satisfaction in his voice gave him away. “What a surprise! Ms. Vanderson ditching class again. This might lead to a suspension.” His glee at the possible punishment of the girl he despised, blinded him from the fact Caitlyn Kiramman was standing beside her.
“Headmaster, I’m sorry if we caused a disturbance,” Caitlyn spoke, catching Marcus’s attention—a frown sulking his haughty expression. “As representative of the senior class, I was asked by former Principal Grayson to interview each senior regarding their futures after graduation. May I continue or…?”
Marcus’s face flushed in embarrassment. He had hoped his predecessor would inform him of all the necessary information for a smooth transition, but instead, he stood unashamed for barking futile orders. “Yes, I’m sorry. Continue.” He gave a curt nod before quickly walking away.
A wide grin spread across Vi’s face—this was certainly one way to cheer her up—seeing Marcus sulk away in shame. Caitlyn instantly picked up on it and giggled.
“Aren’t you happy?”
“I most certainly am. That was hot, cupcake. Not gonna lie.”
Caitlyn playfully scoffed, avoiding Vi’s gaze as a blush—almost as red as Marcus’s—took form on her cheeks. “I didn’t know lying to the principal was so attractive.”
“Seeing that man pout and stomp away like the little baby he is, always puts a smile on my face. And it’s a bonus that you’re the one who did it.”
“Are you flirting with me, Ms. Vanderson?” Caitlyn teased, slipping into an exaggerated detective persona with a playful smirk. “I could’ve sworn a few minutes ago you didn’t even consider us friends.”
Vi tried to hide her shame with a sheepish chuckle. While rubbing the back of her neck, she tried to think of something to ease her embarrassment. “Sorry about that,” Vi internally cursed herself for the weak apology—the only words that would form.
“Vi, I’m just joking. I know you didn’t mean it.”
“Yeah,” Vi awkwardly laughed. Caitlyn may not care about what she said, but Vi certainly did.
There was no reason for Vi to blow up at Caitlyn. She was just there—the wrong place at the wrong time. Vi used Caitlyn as the scapegoat for her problems, berating her for trying to help. Despite only knowing each other for a short period of time, Vi felt drawn to the girl—a way she’d never been to anyone—and hurting her, she was hurting herself.
“Vi…did you hear me? I was wondering if you received my letter.”
“Hm?” Vi cleared her thoughts. “Oh! The letter, yeah, I got it.”
“You did?” Caitlyn was shocked by Vi’s response, her eyebrows rising into her forehead. “Did—this is gonna sound ridiculous—Spider-Man give it to…you?” Vi could see Caitlyn slightly cringe at her own question.
“Actually, yeah. I was pretty shocked to see her at my apartment.” Vi tried to make it sound as real as possible, though part of her thought Caitlyn would see right through her.
“So she did know you,” Caitlyn mumbled, more to herself than Vi. “Did she say anything? Like about me?”
“Well,” Vi paused, trying to summon a lie. “she kinda just dropped it off. But, she did say it was from the ‘Princess of Piltover’ and that I must open it as soon as possible or the princess would find me and make sure I was never seen again.”
Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “That is not true. I wouldn’t kidnap you if you didn’t open my letter.” She scoffed, then her eyes widened, remembering why she had asked Vi about the letter in the first place. “So…I’m guessing you read it. Does that mean you’ll come?”
“Um,” Vi hesitated, torn over the question. Declining would mean keeping her promise to stay away from Caitlyn, but the thought of the disappointment on Caitlyn’s face made the idea unbearable. Accepting, however, meant biting back every insult she wanted to say to Caitlyn’s mother, but it also meant more time with Caitlyn. Choices, choices. You know what? Fuck it. “Yeah, I’ll go. I just gotta ask my aunt.”
Vi watched as Caitlyn's face lit up, bringing a smile to her own face. “Fantastic! I’ll be sure to let my mother know you’ll be joining us tomorrow night. Though, we should probably get going. We’ve missed nearly half of third period.”
Vi shrugged. “Eh, shop class really isn’t worth going to unless you want to hear Mylo blab about nothing. But you probably got some super-duper important class. Etiquette 101?” Vi snickered at her own joke as Caitlyn shook her head, clearly unamused by the bad joke.
“Very funny, Vi. But I’m serious. We should get going.”
“You’re right, you’re right.” Vi surrendered, but one last chuckle bubbled up. “Lead the way, cupcake.”
Vi didn’t plan on staying in school—she just said those words so Caitlyn would be distracted. Caitlyn began walking down the hall, unaware Vi was shuffling toward a nearby exit door.
“You know, I’m looking forward to you officially meeting my mother—your encounter during the burglary doesn’t count. I’m confident the two of you will get along splendidly.” Caitlyn looked back, waiting for Vi to respond, but didn’t see the pink-haired girl. Fully turning around, she didn’t see Vi anywhere. “You’ve got to be joking.”
“A citywide curfew will begin at midnight,” Vi mocked in a Cassandra Kiramman posh-like voice. “Enforcers everywhere and blah, blah, blah.” Vi swung through the air, shooting a web at a nearby building. “All beause of lil ol’ me.”
After Vi decided to skip school, she thought it was best to patrol Zaun in her free time. It had been eerily quiet since Spector had last attacked—the last time it was this quiet, the whole fucking city was bombed.
Vi didn’t have any clue of where to look, but swinging around above everyone should be a good start. But the more she swung, the more she saw how normal her city looked. Everything looked as it should: merchants at their stands, enforcers standing around and talking, kids too young to be in school flying kites.
“Maybe this was a waste of time,” Vi muttered, veering closer to the port district.
As she traveled across the city, her mind wandered back to one beautiful blue-haired girl. It still baffled her that she gave in to having dinner with the Kirammans. Vi considered herself a woman of her word, but the second Caitlyn opens her mouth or even looks in her direction, she has no problem breaking it—that scared her. How could she so easily be tempted by her and keep a distance? She couldn’t, and her fruitless attempts show that.
What would her family think? Vi shivered at that question. The Kirammans have caused them so much pain—especially in recent events. If Vi even considered bringing Caitlyn around, she’d have no idea how they’d react—how Jinx would react. They may tease her about Caitlyn, but there is no way they’d be fine with it.
Vi cringed at the thought of telling them about her invitation to the Kiramman dinner. They would go berserk: shouting, screaming, insulting, and possibly breaking things. Vi could only imagine the scene. Mylo, Jinx, Claggor, and Ekko would probably follow her to the manor and ambush the Kirammans.
Shouting below attracted her attention. Discreetly, she landed on a building and watched the scene on the docks. Two large men were arguing, and a wooden crate the size of a small horse stood between them. The dock they were on led to a merchant ship with other people piling on similar-looking crates.
Usually, Vi would shrug this off, but something caught her eye in the crate. The lid was slightly pulled off, and something shimmery pink could be seen inside. As Vi was going to make her presence known, three enforcers walked onto the deck, coming from the shadowy alley below her. They held their guns carelessly, clearly unbothered by the scene before them. Once they approached the two men, Vi knew they had seen the Shimmer inside. Vi anxiously waited for them to do something—hoping they would stop them—but they only began talking to the men.
Since the attack on the council, scientists all over Piltover had conducted experiments on leftover residue from the bombs used. To everyone’s surprise but Vi’s, they found something new powering the terrorist's weapons—something different from hextech, something more volatile. The news of this Shimmer made its rounds all across the two city-states. People were scared of what could happen next. The council was still recovering and couldn’t provide reassurance to its people, and scientists had no idea how to control Shimmer. Overall, it had been a complete shitshow.
So when Vi saw that these enforcers had no intention of stopping the active smuggling, she knew something was up.
The enforcers were much louder than the men when they spoke—something Vi had connected to be a power move, showing their dominance over the trenchers they ruled.
“What the hell’s the matter? Didn’t your boss say make as little commotion as possible? Are you fuckin’ idiots or something? Making this much noise is gonna attract some unwanted attention.” The largest enforcer grunted, kicking the box with his steel-toed boot.
“It’s not my fucking fault this shithead dropped the box and cracked the lid open.” One of the men shouted.
Vi’s mind was blank as she stared at the scene before her. Horror and fury churned within her—these enforcers weren’t here to stop the crime or reinforce regulations. They were enabling it, shielding the very people responsible for the chaos.
Clenching her jaw, it took everything in Vi not to string up the enforcers and display them for the entirety of Piltover and Zaun to see—a symbol of their corruption.
How could protectors of the law promote this? What is their gain? Are they working for Spector or doing this on their own terms? Why would they help export shimmer? Vi’s mind raced, the relentless barrage of questions making her feel as if the building beneath her was shaking.
“Maybe you shoulda actually lifted it. Instead of giving me the brunt of it.” The other man scoffed.
“Guys, calm down. Why don’t I help you?” Vi jumped down from the building, landing before the docks. “I thought enforcers enforced the law or was that some kind of misguidance? Kinda like when you eat orbeez because it says it’s edible, but you end up throwing up.” Vi watched as the enforcers aimed their guns and the men prepared to charge. “I digress. Can you guys just back down? It’ll make it so much easier for the both of us.”
“I’m gonna fucking kill you, Spider-freak!” One man charged, shouting as he ran at Vi. His screaming caught the attention of the other people who were loading the ship. Instead of joining in on the fun, they hurried their movements, loading the crates quicker into the ship.
“Spider-freak, how original,” Vi mumbled, jumping over the man. She fired webs at his feet, anchoring him to the ground and sending him tumbling over himself before plunging into the water. “That was one of the funniest things I’ve ever–Woah!” Vi ducked as a bullet whizzed right over her. “Almost got me. Better luck next time.”
“Spider-Man, stand down. You are under arrest by order of the council.” The one with a shiny badge said as the three enforcers slowly walked toward Vi. The other smuggler ran further down the dock, helping his comrades shuffle crates into the ship. “Do not resist. We will shoot.”
“Now you guys decide to defend the law. Also, didn’t you already try…” Vi trailed off, baffled by the ironic—basically redundant—statement. “You know what, say whatever you want. It won’t matter when you’re twenty feet in the air, hanging by those shiny boots of yours.”
The enforcers didn’t reply; instead, they began firing off their guns, hoping to hit anything red or blue. Vi, on the other hand, was having quite a blast jumping around and dodging their lackluster shots.
“How did you even get this job? You guys suck.” Vi chuckled, flipping onto the weathered, tiled roof of a nearby shack. “I would hope you’d come even remotely close to hitting a shot.” Vi fired a web, snagging two of the enforcers’ shotguns in one swift motion and flinging them into the harbor with a splash. Another quick flick of her wrist, and the last enforcer’s gun was yanked clean from his grasp. The weapon sat heavily in Vi’s hand as she turned it over, studying it for a moment.
“I could sell this for a fortune, but…” Her grip shifted, and with a sharp motion, she bent the gun clean in half. “Unlike you, I have morals.” She tossed the mangled weapon to the ground, the metal clattering at their feet, and dropped down, stopping just a few feet away.
One of the enforcers, bolder—or more stupid—than the others, charged at Vi, a baton in hand. Without hesitation, Vi fired a web, pinning him against a metal pole. His head struck the surface with a resounding clang, and his body sagged as unconsciousness claimed him.
“Any other volunteers?” Vi waited a moment, but the two didn’t move. “Good, at least you have common–” Vi sidestepped as an enforcer pulled out a handgun and shot at her. “Did you actually think that would get me?” Her web whipped forward, catching the enforcer by surprise as she yanked him to her. Sending a mild jab to his head, the enforcer fell to the ground.
“I hope you’re not as stupid as your buddies.” Vi gestured to the enforcer’s unconscious comrades as she stepped over the one in front of her. She hadn’t realized until then that the last enforcer was the one she believed to be in charge. He stood firmly, and though his eyes were shielded by his mask, Vi was sure he was glaring at her.
“They just haven’t learned the proper way to exterminate pests.”
“And what would that be?”
His tone was cold. Though Vi couldn’t see his face behind the mask, she could hear the twisted smirk in his voice as he said, “To wait, watching as they implode in on themselves.”
Vi seized the collar of his uniform in a firm grip, hoisting him effortlessly off the ground until his feet dangled several feet in the air. “Why are you doing this?! What do you gain?” Vi snarled, pushing her grip closer to his neck—a part of her wanted to watch him choke, watch him suffer.
The enforcer wheezed a chuckle. "You see the world in stark black and white, don’t you? One day—maybe when you’ve shed this façade—you’ll realize there’s more beneath the surface, that the lines between good and evil aren’t as clear as you think. Until then, you’ll watch as this persona you’ve crafted starts to twist, warping into the very people you’re fighting against. Only then will you truly understand the truth."
“That’s not true.” Vi barked, clenching her jaw.
“Oh, yeah?” The man coughed, Vi’s grip coming closer to fully strangling him. “Look at you now. About to kill a man for nothing but being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Vi scoffed. “Don’t lie to yourself. You, a person who’s promised to uphold the law, is working for the scum of the earth.”
“And who would that be?” His tone was curious, wondering if Vi actually knew the truth.
“Spector.”
“Would you look at that? Little spider in blue isn't completely blind.”
“Why are you doing it? Working for him?”
“I wouldn’t say working for him. More like workingwith him.”
“Why?!” Vi shook him. “Why turn your back on the citizens of this city?”
“Like I said before, it’s more complicated than that.” He chuckled again, shifting his head to the docks. “You know…the time you’ve been interrogating me, you could’ve stopped that ship.”
Vi looked over at the docks, seeing the ship already sailing through the rough seas—too far out for her webs to reach.
“Damn it,” Vi muttered, dropping the man on the ground. She watched defeatedly as the boat sailed further and further from the docks.
She stood frozen, her chest tightening with regret as the very reason she had come here slipped away before her eyes.