Caitlyn & Vi: The Void to Fill (an Arcane Season 2 Story)

Zaun

Caitlyn's POV

Chem Barons have started taking over the sovereign state of Zaun.

Renata Glasc is a wicked baron that rose to the ranks in recent months. Second to none except for the not so very good doctor Singed. But Singed is on a fairly tight leash these days. Between Viktor and Jayce and under guard; for now we're letting him invent and bolster our forces.

"Renata has been left unchecked for too long." I stated. We had assembled a small task force to take her in and put pressure on Glasc Industries by way of sanctions and force as diplomatic solutions had failed. It was, however, a very delicate situation. Renata had built quite the following in both Zaun and Piltover. Her unique alchemical concoctions were given freely to both cities as a major health benefit for all in exchange for her clout and power. She had become quite a celebrity and beloved idol in her own right on both sides of the river. The rich on both sides had begun raising their disdain for her, but she had the power of the people on her side. Albeit a manipulative exploit of many good people and a completely ignorant point of view by the majority of others...

"We're going to follow Ekko's lead on this operation. His people have infiltrated the Baroness's ranks and he has valuable intel. Ekko?"

"Thanks, Caitlyn. Listen, you know I wouldn't be here asking for your help if it wasn't bad. She's gotten into the heads of the majority both here and in Zaun. The Contingent is seeing the repercussions slowly. Minds have been altered and she has many people in financial debt forfeiting their integrity - blackmailing them for their loyalty to her. And things are starting to become dire. I want to stop her now before this goes too far. So here's my proposal for a joint task force. I'm going to go in as a prospective client and bait her..."

"Vi will then take out her 2 muscled body guards along with you 4 that will keep anyone from sounding the alarm." I said.

"I'll take a sniper and Ashe has volunteered to join us at Exodus Tower which is a fine vantage point of the warehouse complex. We are to use stunning rounds unless absolutely necessary."

"The rest of you will follow behind Vi to tie up any loose ends while we bring Renata in quietly. It's imperative we do this without incident. So many people are in her pockets now or adore her and we do not want an uprising."

So we made final preparations and were off with our decisive special tactics team. We were small but exacting. Everything was going to plan initially. Ekko entered, keeping Renata engaged, and Vi took out her guards quietly.

It looked like we may actually pull this off until the room Renata sat in filled with a thick almost shimmer like haze. I could see Vi through my scope and then visibility was snuffed out. "Damn it!" Let's move, we've gotta get down there..."

Approaching the building the few enforcers that were following Vi ran out screaming, "she's crazy!"

We looked on and could hear yelling. It was Ekko and Vi, they were... Fighting? No, they were killing each other!! I called out but it fell on deaf ears. Still no further sign of Renata.

I signaled to our back up to bring gas masks to us. A few excruciatingly long minutes later Ashe and myself entered the purple haze weapons hot. We both had stunning rounds at the ready. Ekko emerged first, his eyes crazed and white foam spat from his mouth as he tried to attack us. Ashe slowed his movements enough I was able to capture him with my stun net which shocked him to the ground. I quickly threw him in hex tech cuffs and Ashe dragged him out of the building.

Now it was just me looking for Vi. Ashe returned just as Vi came swinging at my head from around a crate. I ducked just in time but she threw my hat across the room. She was absolutely mad. Rage filled her face and she didn't speak. We retreated but couldn't keep our distance. Ashe started throwing arrows to slow Vi's advances but it was hardly effective. So then she shot an actual arrow into her foot. That finally slowed her down some. I was able to throw not one but 3 nets and a separate hex tech stunning round at Vi before she finally collapsed. We had to pry the gauntlets off of her to use the cuffs. Having to stun her yet again while we did. She was still somehow swinging.

Finally cuffed both me and Ashe had to pull Vi from the cloud of gas. Her gauntlets weigh a ton so we left and returned for those and back out again.

It was some sort of hallucinogenic drug that had them both fighting their 'monsters' though in reality it was their allies. We had more masks brought in and oxygen administered to Vi and Ekko. They were very beat up. We prepped to enter again. We knew Renata was hiding behind this mist and she had not left the building... Thankfully we had gone in at night and most of the complex was empty. We didn't see anyone else in the building with her. We were wrong.

The haze dissipated and Ekko recovered enough to join us. Vi was wrapping her foot determined to get back in there but we persuaded her to stay unless we needed her. 2 enforcers went in with us one on each flank.

That's when we saw Renata, she laughed a callus "welcome." Her mech arm rotated and moved not unlike Sevika's used to.

"You know Sheriff all you had to do was come speak to me. Now look at what a mess I've made."

"Renata, this exploitation of Zaun's people has to stop. We wanted to negotiate a new compromise on your movement of goods but you haven't returned any of my requests to meet." I tried talking her down but we all knew it was in vain. She kept slipping in and out of view.

Then we heard a peculiar sound. A low, almost indistinguishable growl. And a flash of green. Another alchemical creation, but this time it wasn't hunting us... Renata came into view with terror on her face as she continued to back up slowly and plead with the beast, "no, no you don't understand I help people. I am not the monster you're looking for..." she cried out desperately.

Finally the hounding beast walked into view stalking its prey, inching closer slowly toward Renata. He flashed his metallic claws and gnashed his wolf-like teeth. Suddenly an explosion shook us all. Renata reached for a device and hurled it behind this beast and Ekko's position. Vi screamed out not being able to catch it. And the beast's eyes widened. Instantly he turned and leapt a tremendous bound not humanly possible, hurling himself onto the device. Saving us all!

The beast -maybe once a man- turned looking at Vi but not with the eyes of a hunter. His gaze widened and softened. The pumps on his back worked in overtime as he healed from the blast. He tried to speak but the only sound he could make was a faint, "Vah." He clenched his eyes shut and just as quickly as he had appeared burst through the window to the street below running into the darkness.

Vi and I stood there stunned for a moment then the building shook again. We peered through the broken window and could see a great bronze machine twisting and spinning around the base of the tower. Hex tech arched through the air around him. How did he have it? Ok this was bad.

"Renata, we have to go!" I called out. The building was fracturing buckling around us as one of the largest supporting pillars was taken out below. The tower started to shift. Vi looked at me. I quickly shot a zip line grappling at the street light below.

Renata was at last alone and helpless to stop the machine ravaging the place below. We sent everyone down the line until it was just Vi and Renata and myself.

"Damn it Renata, we weren't here to hurt you." Vi called to her.

"No, we want to broker a deal. As I see it we can save your ass or leave you here." I yelled.

She stepped closer. "If you don't ever mention what happened here tonight, I will go."

Vi and I both agreed. "Deal." And we escaped to the street below.