Manic || Arcane Fan Story (Silco x OC)

Chapter 6. Oh, Vander...

With the help of Sevika, we managed to run back to the cannery with all my bags. We got inside to see everyone whispering and muttering between each other, as I grabbed the rest of my bags from Sevika. I gave her my thanks before rushing downstairs and into the bedroom. I quickly put the bags down before Silco walked out of the wardrobe. I think I might've scared him slightly as he jumped a bit.
"Glad to see you got back ok. Enjoy lunch?" He asked me, as he stood in front of the mirror, finishing the buttons on his vest.
"Very. I even got some more clothes for down here." I stated, as I grabbed one of the bags and walked into the wardrobe, closing the door behind me.
"I was going to ask if you wanted to go soon." I could hear him chuckle slightly. I took off my Piltovian outfit as I change my underwear as well, choosing a more comfortable option. "But I guess, Viktor enjoys shopping with you more than I possibly could." I chuckle at his words as I pull out a pair of black cargo pants, the lining done in bright blood red, a white sleeveless crop top and a one-arm jacket that goes over one arm, and straps up under the other. I quickly put them on before walking out.
"It was easy enough to do while I was in town today. Plus it was funny watching Jayce complain about how much I got." I buckled my sleeve up as I looked up at Silco, him watching me. His expression is what got me, it was almost a look of admiration, like he's never seen me before. He paused for a moment as we both stared at each other.
"You know, Rosebud, you've changed since we last saw each other." And he wasn't lying. My once long brown hair, now chopped short at the shoulders, my "assets" have grown over the last two years, being more prominent under clothing.
Silco, on the other hand, hasn't changed much. He's grown taller over the years, the scar on his face. And a couple of times that I've seen him shirtless, I've noticed the muscle that he has gained since his near-death experience.
"I could say the same about you." I said as I looked away, grabbing my mask off of the drawers. I looked back, a slight smile appearing on his face before it turned serious.
"Come on, we've got a collection to pick up." He said bluntly. It was only then did I notice that Sevika was standing in the doorway. I nodded as I put my mask on and walked out the door. I noticed Deckard, one of Silco's men, walk into the office area downstairs. I shrugged as Sevika walked out as well.
"Come on. We've got work to do." She gestured to me as we walked out of the cannery and further into town. We soon walked past the Last Drop, but it was only then did I notice that the undercity was too quiet for a Friday afternoon, especially the Last Drop. Wondering what was going on, we continued walking past the quiet buildings and towards Benzo's shop. I remember this place from Vander taking me here often. Sevika nodded towards the alleyways around the shop, as we hid in the shadows.
"What are we doing?" I asked quietly, as we waited in the dark.
"Vander's prodigy is in that shop right now. She's gonna hand herself in. But, knowing Vander, Silco knows he will show up to stop him, so once he's here. I'll go back to the cannery to let Silco know." She stated bluntly, as we watched the streets in front of us. I simply nodded, climbing up onto a overhang as I kept my eye on the streets from above.
Two hours went by, and by this time we were getting bored of waiting, but we can't go against Silco so we stayed put. Soon enough, Vander showed up with Benzo, and they kicked the door down, walking inside.
"Stay here." Sevika whispered, as she disappeared into the shadows. I kept watch over the situation before I saw three enforcers walk this way.
"Shit." I whispered, as I jumped around the building to the other side. I watched as two of the enforcers, the ones without masks on walk into the shop. I stayed in the shadows as I heard familiar voices come through the open door. "Double shit. It's Grayson and Marcus." I whispered again, pulling my mask up over my nose again, securing it in place so it doesn't fall down. I kept to the shadows as I see Silco, Deckard and Jameson walk through the green smoke. Silco notices me and gestures for me to go to him. I quickly get to him, as I looked at Deckard, covered in purple veins and twice his normal size. Shimmer.
"Progress?" Silco asked, causing me to look at him.
"Grayson and Marcus are in the shop with Vander and Benzo." I said softly, standing next to Silco. We watched as the door to the shop opened. Silco made a gesture as Deckard charged and killed the enforcer outside instantly. I gasped slightly. And to think, that stuff is in me. I kept watching as Marcus walked out with Vander in handcuffs. Grayson followed behind with her gun drawn and Benzo just behind her. Deckard turned to look at them, as the purple veins glowed.
"Hey. Stop right there!" I heard Grayson say, as her gun was raised at Deckard. But it was too late. Deckard charge at her and killed her in one fell swoop. I screamed as I fell to my knees, tears ran down my face. The one person that acted like a mother to me, was lying dead on the floor. Marcus looked up, noticing us but not saying anything.
"What the devil..." Benzo said, as I could see the three huddled in a group. But that's when I noticed Silco kneeling in front of me, wiping my tears away.
"Come on." He helped me stand up slowly, as I took some deep breaths. "Believe me. I didn't want to kill her, I can't control Deckard." I nodded as he hugged me briefly, my head against his chest. He rubbed my back gently, before letting go and walking through the thick green fog. I watched as he walked towards the others, I, myself, not to far behind me. I am, after all, his bodyguard still. He trusts me with his life and I trust him with mine. Good relationship starts.
"Silco?" I heard Benzo say through the fog. I pulled the hood further over my head and made sure that my mask was up. "You animal. Go crawl back into whatever hole you came out of." He yelled, as he made moves towards Silco.
"Benzo, stay back" Vander said after him, the handcuffs rattling as he tried to break them. I tilted my head to the side, only got see Deckard, waiting in the shadows to strike.
"You never did know when to walk away." Silco said, watching Benzo with a careful eye.
"Wait!" Vander yelled. But it was too late. Deckard flashed out of the shadows, killing Benzo in his path. I gaped slightly but it was inaudible to the human ear.
"NO!" Vander cried out, as he watched his best friend die in front of him. I looked down at Benzo's body, manoeuvring around Silco before standing by his side. I noticed that he glanced at me, as my eyes went from Benzo's cold body to Vander's fear-filled eyes. His own moving from his friend to me, as I tilted my head, knowing that my eyes were glowing. I saw it in the murky puddle on the ground only moments before.
"Hmm. Stubborn to the end." Silco shook his head as he looked between Marcus and Vander.
"What the hell have you done? This wasn't the deal!" Marcus shouted at Silco. I watched as Silco walked closer to Marcus as eh pulled out a bag of coins.
"Deal's changed." The bag was tossed towards Marcus, some coins spilling from it and clattering on the blood soaked ground. Silco gestured to Deckard, as Marcus steps back. Deckard stalks towards Vander's body as his gaze was still on me.
"Rose-" Deckard hit him. Deckard kept punching him til he was out cold. I saw the look in his eyes, and the tears forming in them before they closed. I heard screams of who I can assume was Violet, before Silco turns around and walks away. I watch as Deckard grabbed Vander by the collar and drag him behind, as he followed Silco. I stood there, looking at the carnage before me, before laying my eyes on Marcus. He threw the bag of coins on the ground as some were thrown into the air. I caught one between my fingers, before looking at Marcus.
"You made the deal, Marcus. You should always know the risks and their consequences." I tossed the coin back to him, before kneeling down in front of Grayson. I sighed as I kissed her forehead. Using my hand, I carefully close her eyes before standing up again.
"Did you know this was going to happen?" He asked, the anger still present on his voice, but it wasn't directed at me.
"No. If I did, I would've stopped it. Don't forget, she was like a mother to me. Remember my face, Marcus. I'll be back up top again." I said before turning on my heel and walking back to the cannery.
It was quiet, the wind was howling through the dead alleyways. Everyone else had gone into their homes, or retreated further down. So the little footsteps of tiny feet were loud to my ears. I knew it was Ekko. He was always one to follow people around to find the best loot spots for customers, but I know it's because of Vander. I eventually reached the cannery, as his shadow was fleeting away. I walked into the cannery, everyone was hard at work.
"Hey James. Where's the boss?" I ask my favourite man here, James. He was the guy I beat up on my first day here. But we're now best of friends.
"Hey Rosey. He's up on the catwalk." He pointed up to the catwalk where I could also see Vander.
"Thanks man." He nodded, getting back to his work as I walked up the stairs and onto the catwalk. I watched as Jack was pulling Vander along by the handcuffs before tossing him against the railing. Deckard was coughing up any shimmer that was left in his body, as Jack laughed.
"Even with your monsters, you won't win a war against Piltover." I heard Vander say as I walked closer. Deckard and Jack watched as i walked past them. I continued walking along the catwalk, past Vander and Silco and to the other side, where Sevika was hanging. I sat down next to her as I watched the conflict happen between Silco and Van.
"I don't have to. I just need to scare them." Silco said, turning his head away from the shimmer production down below and to his "brother". "They won't dare set foot in the underground."
"You'll get people killed. For what? Pride?"
"For respect." Silco pushed off the railing." Opportunity. Everything they've denied us."
"You had my respect. The Lanes' respect, but that..." Silco moved to be in front of Vander. "That was never enough for you."
"We shared a vision, Vander. A dream of freedom." I stood up as Sil yelled. "Not just for the lanes, but the whole of the underground, united as one." The original dream of our trio.
"The nation of Zaun." I said, as I walked out of the shadows. Van and Sil looked at me. "Our original dream." I pulled my mask down. "What we've wanted for so long, because of our problems."
"Do you even remember?" Sil looked back at Van, as he kept looking at me, his good eye wide in surprise. "I trusted you. And you betrayed me." I stood at the end of the catwalk, watching them.
"What I did to you..." Van said. "I've never forgiven myself. You were my brother. And you my sister." He looked at me again. "I never meant to hurt either of you."
"No, you still don't understand." Sil's hand brushed against the scars on his face, his own memories of that night escaping into his mind. "Can you imagine what it's like? When your blood mixes with the filth and the river toxins eat through your nerves." He sat back on his heels, his eyes closed, as Van's eyes kept looking between the two of us.
"Oh, I hated you for what you'd done. But as time passed, so did my hate." He opened his eyes again, looking at his brother. "And I was left with an understanding. The only way to defeat a superior enemy is to stop at nothing. To become what they fear." He waved his hand towards me, before gesturing his head towards Deckard, who was at the other end of the catwalk. I understood and made my way over there, helping Deckard the rest of the way. He gave me a small smile before coughing up more of the purple liquid.
"I hated you, but you kept my respect." I heard Sil say to Van. I look back to see him in Van's face, almost spitting his words out at him. "Until you made peace with them." He must be talking about the deal that we made to keep the Lanes as it is. "Played lapdog after everything we suffered." I helped Deckard push open a heavy metal door, revealing an old electric chair witht he bindings still attached.
"I had no choice." I heard Van say as I turned on my heel to face them.
"Perhaps. But now you do." Silco held up a small vial of the shimmer and hunger pains echoed through my body. I tried to ignore them, as I try to every time I see the stuff, but this time, I almost couldn't ignore it. "Shimmer. We have the power. We can finally realise our dream, brother." He said softly, as he put the vial away in his vest, and my pains disappeared. I shook my head as I helped Deckard unlock the restraints on the chair.
"Look at what you've done. Benzo. These kids." I turned around, wanting to listening to what Vander had to say. "In fighting topside, you'd sacrifice everything that we do." I looked to see James standing just a little bit behind Silco, awaiting his role in this mission. "It's not the way. Can't you see that? Kill me if you have to, but please spare the Lanes." As much as I adore Vander for what he has done, what he hasn't done weighs down the options in whether to stay with him or not."
"You'd die for the cause, but you won't fight for one?"
"I'm just... not that man anymore."
"I'll show you what you really are." He pushed up off the ground and stood up, just as Deckard and I had finished unlocking the restraints. I watch as Silco walks over to me, and I could feel Vander's eyes looking towards us. I saw James grab him by his arm, and drag him down to the room. But he stopped looking at me, instead at someone at the other side. Sevika. She flicked the cigarette that she was smoking onto the ground, a resounding sizzle sounds came from it. I looked back to Silco to see him standing next to me, as he placed a hand on the small of my back. I smiled slightly at his gesture as James and Deckard put Vander into the chair, placing the restraints over his ankles and wrists.
"So this is where you've been staying since Astra died? With Silco?" I could hear the venom on his voice as he spat his words. I grew angry, my eyes glowing.
"Silco was the one who killed Astra, because she was killing me. He could've left me there to rot, even kicked me out when he found out that I had amnesia, but..." I sighed heavily, calming my nerves as my eyes went back to normal. "He saved me, kept me alive and is helping me regain my memories back. More than you ever did." I looked at Vander, as anger took over his features.
"So... you still love him then?"