•To The Simpler Times ~Vi x F!Oc•

•16•

Brandy's POV~

"It's not what they offered him. It's what he had to loose."

We walk into the council hall as they ponder about Marcus, the Chief, and his intentions and motives. With clean clothes and Caitlyn in her uniform, I felt more confident in myself to begin with.

"Counsilors, my daughter has a unique insight into our situation."

"Thank you. Councilors, these people are Vi and Brandy. They were born in the Undercity. Even though we have failed them in countless ways, they risked everything to show me what life was really like down there. People are starving, sick, ravaged by Shimmer. They live in constant fear of the coordinated efforts of violent crime lords. One man leads these efforts. Silco."

"We've done investigations of Silco. They yielded no such level of organisation."

"And who led these investigations?"

"What does this Silco even want from us?" Going off what Caitlyn has said, this should be Jayce, her friend on the council.

"He believes the Undercity should be independent. He calls it the nation of Zaun."

Jayce pulls out a bomb covered in pink and blue writing and me and Vi share a glance.

"What about these? Do you know who made them?"

"No. Well..."

Vi steps forward.

"Her name is Jinx."

"This Jinx has the Gemstone?"

We nod at his question. I step to my girlfriends side and I hold her hand.

"Then we have to go in by force." Jayce pushes himself out his chair. I frown and look to Caitlyn who has the same look on her face as I do.

"That could trigger war."

"There are good people down there."

"And bad ones too."

"Even if we wanted to invade, they have shimmer."

"We have Hextech."

"What happened to you?"

"Counsilors, if I may. Are there not bad people here too? Do people not commit crimes here too? It is utterly unfair to categorise an entire nation based on a dictatorship. There are good people too, just like here, who are living and thriving down there. To say we are all bad is completely prejudice."

"What's your name again?"

"Brandy, ma'am."

"Brandy is right, we can't go to war over this. Its unfair and not thoroughly thought through enough."

"We've been talking about talking for weeks now. They're still cleaning the blood off the bridge. When do we say enough is enough?"

"Jayce, you don't know war. I do. It must be our last resort. They may be a diplomatic solution."

"Councilor Medarda is right. If you've been talking about talking for weeks, talk. It's literally not going to hurt anything but someone's ego. But you go to war, thousands of innocent people die, in Piltover and in the Undercity. Those deaths will be on your hands."

"They're right."

"You want to negotiate with him?"

"It may be the only way to avoid further bloodshed."

"This is insane. Did you learn nothing? You cant talk to him. He hates you. Everything you stand for. He will never back down."

"Enforcers, please escort them out."

"Forget it. I remember where your fancy damn door is."

"What? That's not fair! We've done nothing wrong!" I desperately try to reason with them and an enforcer grabs my arm forcibly. "Ow!" I pull my arm away from the enforcer and they immediately point their gun in my face.

"Put the gun down. You hurt her. She has every right to express that."

They did as the councilor told and I ran out the room to Vi waiting impatiently. Caitlyn stays behind a moment.

"Come on, let's go."

"Yeah, ok."

We link our arms and we walk through the tall corridors and out into the heavy rain.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"I don't know. Back where we came from?"

"Seems that that's what everyone up here wants."

"I can fix this."

"No you can't! This is how things are. How they've always been. We were so stupid to think it could change."

"There must be something else we can do. Some other way. We'll make a new plan. We have to try."

She walks a step closer and we walk a step back.

"We tried. Ok? It wasn't enough. Topside and Bottom. Oil and water. That's all there is."

"What about us? Our friendship?"

"Oil and water. Wasn't meant to be."

"You're just saying that."

"Do yourself a favor, Cupcake. Go back to that big, shiny house of yours and forget us. Ok?"

With our arms still linked, we walk away.