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

Goodbye

I sat there with Powder, her blood on my hands. Caitlyn cradling me. I couldn't remove my eyes from her. She was gone and I would never see my little sister again. I'd never touch her again. I kept my hand on her shoulder, lightly feeling her blue smoke tattoos under my thumb. My hands were trembling, my heart breaking into a thousand shattered pieces.

All those years counting the days I couldn't be with Powder, laying on that mother fucking prison floor,  and now I could never be with her again. I felt my throat closeup — nearly suffocating my breaths — muffling my sobs. Even though we had won the war around us, I felt I had lost just about as much as I could handle. The only thing holding me together was Cait. I tried to focus on her arm around me.

Slowly most of the armies gathered around us. I didn't notice for a while. I threw my face into Caitlyn's arm not letting her go.  One-by-one the fighters I had grown to respect took a knee near us. Finally, I looked up. Garen threw his sword into the earth and it quaked, bringing the other footmen and battalions down to a knee as far as we could see. The sound that rippled through their numbers as they moved gave me chills.

Garen stood slowly placing his armored hand on my shoulder. He said very little. "She honored us, we shall honor her." He nodded towards his sister.

Lux cast a bright light above where we knelt. At first blinding, and then warm. That warmth filled our bodies. It brought me a little bit back to reality. The reality that my sister was gone, but that she had saved us all. I cried out, much like I had when Vander died. I was unable to help him as much as I was unable to help her now. Caitlyn wrapped her arms around my back struggling to hold my pieces together.

After a few minutes of reverent silence, Ashe spoke strongly and her voice carried over the crowd, "For Runeterra, for Jinx!" She hurled a magic arrow across the sky that reached nearly to the mountains - it burst, lighting up the twilight in what looked like blue stars. Several other mages stood and followed suit honoring my sister. Guns fired. Hextech weapons shot off into the sky across the field below. The sight was surreal. The pit in my stomach grew and Caitlyn squeezed my shoulders trying to ground me. Lux held her light high above us the whole time until the last spell and sound went out. She faded it away slowly down to us, now just a small glowing ball no bigger than my fist. She walked towards us. 

"May she rest in peace. May her sacrifice not be in vain." Lux said softly and bowed.

Kai'sa stepped near, she called out over everyone. "You fought valiantly today! Tell your people of this battle. Of our strengths in working together. Tell them that one person can turn the tides. Tell them what Jinx has done here today. Give your people hope and a reason to be that one person themselves." The armies shouted in acknowledgement for a time, then the shouts slowly faded. The crowd dispersed.

Many came and bowed in respect as the minutes passed. Then most left the battlefield slowly — with the last hints of light from the day fading away into darkness. 

Caitlyn held me fast, keeping me barely on my feet. By now Jayce and Viktor, Mel, Singed and Ekko stood near us until the crowd dispersed. Ekko reached and embraced Caitlyn and I both together. He shed some tears then looked back to Jinx as he pulled away. "Let's find a resting place for her." he choked out.

Caitlyn paused, her hands on each of our shoulders. "I believe I know just the place." 

Heimerdinger brought a larger hoverboard over. Ekko and Jayce gingerly picked Powder's small body up, placing her gently onto it. Mel removed her cloak then placed it carefully over Jinx. She left it at her neck. I paused, just watching it all. I walked over slowly — taking one last look at her face. Then I covered her completely with the white silk fabric adorned in gold at its border. The luxury of such a thing she would never know in this life. We began to walk under the light that Lux provided. We walked to a foothill overlooking both Zaun and Piltover. A hill that could see everything our lives had touched. That could see the sunrise and the sunset. Her birth and her death.

There we buried her that same night. Mel was able to assist and made the preparations easier. Lux still illuminating our efforts. Ekko placed his staff as a temporary marker. Caitlyn had held Jinx's pistol and then gave it to me. I walked slowly over to the earth that was freshly placed over Powder's body. I knelt down to place the pistol a top the burial mound. My eyes filled with tears, but I no longer anguished in full out cries. Caitlyn knelt down beside me. She placed a calming hand on my shoulder. 

"Vi—"

"She would have liked this place. Thank you for bringing us here." I said softly but still looked at the resting place in front of me.

"Violet would you like to?..." She placed another hand on my knee reaching for my hand, "Do you want to say anything in honor of— of Powder?"

I looked up to her, then behind her shoulders; only now seeing that the same familiar faces of our friends were surrounding us. My mouth fell open. I hadn't even realized they were all still there. And that Lux and Ashe were still accompanying us silently. Kai'sa had even joined the procession in the background. I blinked trying to dry my eyes some.

I stood slowly, Caitlyn still steadying me, "Thank you..." my voice cracked.

"Thank you, Powder." I shook my head. I looked out over the view. I couldn't bare to look at any of their faces. "In the end she did what no one else could do. She did what was right, and she did it with her own free will. She, she...sh-"

Caitlyn held my cheek. I couldn't continue. She looked at me for permission which I freely gave I slowly nodded my head.

She finished, "She was our sister and our friend. A true daughter of Zaun and Runeterra. May she never be forgotten." Caitlyn brought me in for another long embrace. The sun began to rise over the hills beside us. It would have otherwise been a beautiful morning. Lux put out her light, tilted her head again, then walked away with Ashe and Garen. The laag of the small party dispersed. Only Ekko and Caitlyn and I stayed. Most of the day just sitting in silence looking out over our world in front of us. Seeing the destruction and the sunlight illuminating our cities.

Finally Ekko got up. He nodded to Caitlyn who followed. Together they lifted me one at each arm. 

"Come on Vi. It's time to go home." Caitlyn placed a hand on my chest patting me — getting my attention. I nodded to her.

Ekko gave me one last hug while holding my head. "I love you, you know. I'm here whenever you need me." He whispered into my ear then fluttered off on his board.