[Arcane] Departure (Caitvi & Timebomb Post S2)

The Vote

Caitlyn had some errands to run before yet another council meeting. She invited Orianna to join her since Orianna seemed to be very conflicted since the attack on the concert. Caitlyn hoped Orianna would be able to clear her mind by helping her with some of her councilwoman duties. These meetings were becoming more frequent with the rapidly changing politics of Piltover and the undercity. Ever since clan Ferros took over Hextech distribution, the wealthy had easy access to Hextech gemstones. So-called 'Investors' in Ferros could access Hextech items and information. Piltover now has insider trading.

While Caitlyn was spending her morning preparing for the council meeting, Vi decided to take a walk to the undercity. She needed to investigate this new group of Zaunite revolutionists that impaired her at the Seraphine concert. Vi talked to some people in the streets, and got some information about some people who were sneaking around. With there being less crime in the undercity, suspicious activity stood out more than usual. Vi used her detective skills to track information about the Bloodhounds to one of the biggest bars in the area.

"Guess that checks out for gang activity," Vi thought.

She walked into the bar and took a seat on one of the stools. A bartender walked over and leaned on the counter.

"What can I get ya?" She asked.

"Uh... what do you have?" Vi responded.

The bartender looked behind her and started pointing at bottles.

"Well, we got pretty much everything. All kinds of whisky, spiced rums, vodka, ale, ciders, mead, whatever you want!" She listed.

Vi didn't pay much attention, since she was looking around the bar for any info. She spotted one of the blades that cut her hand open underneath the bar.

"Get me uh... just some whisky, thanks," Vi requested.

The bartender nodded and poured some whisky into a glass and slid it over to Vi.

"What does someone have to do... to join the Bloodhounds?" Vi questioned.

The bartender chuckled and put the bottle of whisky back on the shelf.

"Actually, the Bloodhounds aren't real. Just some people paid to pull a stunt at a concert by some big family from topside," she revealed.

"Wait, what? So w-what, some people just put on those costumes cause they were asked to?" Vi stammered

"It was a lot of money. They asked around the bar, even asked me. They also promised Hextech," she continued.

"Which family?" Vi interrogated.

"Uh... I can't recall, sorry." the responded

"Well, there's Holloran, Aurora, Ferros, Kiramman..." Vi listed.

"I think it was Clan Fe-"

As the bartender spoke, a window broke and a metal contraption landed in the middle of the bar. It was hexagonal, and one of the sides was in motion, moving up and down, opening and closing an entrance point rapidly. The device was releasing sparks from that area. When it was open, a blue light leaked out from it. Hextech.

Vi realized what it was, but it was too late. She tried to duck, but the device exploded.

...

Her lungs hurt, but she had to keep running. Caitlyn ran towards the smoke in the distance with Orianna following close behind. Caitlyn noticed a man standing still as he watched the building burning in shock.

"Excuse me, excuse me! Did you see a girl with red hair around here by chance?" Caitlyn blurted.

"Y-Yeah, she was asking about the Bloodhounds. She walked into... that bar," he said.

Caitlyn immediately pushed him out of the way and ran towards the entrance. Most of the structure had already collapsed. Suddenly, a bubble appeared around her and stopped her in her path. Orianna's ball trapped her. Orianna ran inside the building as Caitlyn banged on the bubble.

"You'll thank me later!" Orianna yelled.

Orianna ran into the burning building and saw a horrific scene. People were screaming as they burned alive. Orianna looked around for Vi, but didn't see her anywhere. She looked behind the bar and heard yelling. She leaped over it and saw someone stuck under some wood. She lifted debris off of a lady who was trapped. Her body was severely burned, but she was alive. Orianna dragged her away from the fire and laid her down outside. She went back inside and the screams terrified her. She looked around to find the source of the shouts. Some people were blocked off from the exit by a giant burning beam at a 45-degree angle between the ceiling and the wall. Orianna ran over and slammed her hand on the beam, snapping it in half. The people jumped over the beam that was now lying flat on the floor. They cried and thanked her, and a little girl hugged her for a moment. Orianna let go of the girl and her eyes darted around the room. She saw recognizable hair sticking out from some rubble. She ran over and carefully maneuvered the toppled pieces of the structure and saw Vi. She looked alright, just unconscious.

Orianna carried Vi out of the bar and let Caitlyn go from the shield.

"I didn't want you to get burned in there," Orianna explained.

Caitlyn held Vi and took her out of Orianna's arms.

"Vi? Vi, wake up..." Caitlyn whispered, disregarding Orianna.

Vi's eyes fluttered open. She was disorientated, slowly realizing her feet were off the ground. Her blurred vision struggled to make out the face that was carrying her.

"I'm... floating. Into the arms of... an angel," she mumbled.

"Vi?" Caitlyn questioned.

"Hey... Cait. Oh man, I must've gotten lost on the way to your house 'cause... ended up in that burning bar," Vi joked.

"Can you stand?" Caitlyn sighed.

"Yeah, think so," Vi responded.

Caitlyn gently set her down but kept an arm around her to support her.

"What happened, Vi?" Cait asked sincerely.

"One of the clans on the council recruited people to pretend to be Bloodhounds. Then a hextech bomb flew through the window before I could get a clear answer. Or I just don't remember what she said," Vi admitted.

"What? I... I have a meeting today. If someone on the council did this, they will pay!" Caitlyn shouted.

"What are you gonna do?" Orianna asked.

"With everything going on with Clan Ferros... I have an idea of who caused all of this," Caitlyn growled.

...


Caitlyn slammed the council room doors open and they hit the walls with a heavy thud.

"One of you is responsible for the explosion in that bar in the undercity!" Caitlyn bellowed.

Everyone looked in awe as Caitlyn approached her seat. Sevika looked around at everyone in confusion.

"Someone launched an attack on the undercity?" Sevika questioned.

Caitlyn walked over to her chair, grabbing the back of it firmly, and pushing it back with all her might. It slid across the floor behind her.

"One person in this room paid citizens of the undercity to pretend to be revolutionists to attack Seraphine's concert, then promptly blew up the bar they recruited from to hide the evidence!" Caitlyn screamed.

Everyone looked at each other, and Caitlyn's eyes landed on Stevan Ferros.

"Eyewitness says it's a Hextech bomb!" Caitlyn revealed.

"We give hextech to a lot of people! Who is your witness?" Stevan queried.

Vi walked into the room, slightly bruised and covered in ash.

"It was some sort of timed bomb, it took a few seconds and charged up before going off," Vi announced.

"Ah, this is convenient, Caitlyn! Council members, this girl who has just walked in is sleeping with Caitlyn Kiramman!" Stevan yelled.

"Weren't we just commending Violet last meeting? Why would you now consider her unreliable?" Sevika questioned

Stevan looked around nervously before standing up from his seat.

"I mean, look at the theatrics, Caitlyn has clearly gone mad," Stevan accused.

"Members of the Council, I promise, whatever dirt Stevan Ferros has on you will be immediately uncredible if Stevan were to... lose his status," Caitlyn suggested.

"Are you saying we... remove him from the council?" Seye gasped.

"I'm saying we replace him... with a genius scientist who knows how to safely use Hextech, and won't be giving it to any street beggar who smiles nicely at her," Caitlyn mocked.

Orianna walked into the room, causing many gasps and other reactions.

"A monster? To replace me?" Stevan laughed.

"She is no monster. Her name is Orianna. She is the daughter of Corin Reveck. She witnessed the horrors of his science, and vowed to never let it happen in our city ever again. She has the experience that Ferros clearly lacks," Caitlyn rebutted.

The council members looked around at each other with mixed reactions.

"Let's slow down... you are claiming Clan Ferros were actually behind the Bloodhounds?" Shoola asked.

"And trying to murder my girlfriend, yes," Caitlyn confirmed.

"I know that Ferros has threatened some people in here... but why should we sacrifice our integrity to protect our dignity? If we get Ferros out of the council, we can control Hextech better and stick true to our morals," Boswell explained.

"Boswell, this isn't-" Stevan started

"No price is going to make me reconsider. This is a step too far, Stevan. If you stay on this council, we are at risk of another war with the undercity. It has to end," Boswell declared.

"Then we vote. All in favor of Orianna taking Stevan Ferros's position on this council?" Caitlyn asked.

Sevika's hand went up first.

"Allowing Ferros on the council in the first place was a mistake. Elitists shouldn't control Piltover anymore," Sevika scolded.

Vi watched as hands flew up, all but Shoola had their hands raised.

"Shoola, we won't let anything happen to you or anyone you care about," Caitlyn comforted.

Shoola looked around the room and stared at Stevan for a long moment. Eventually, her hand went up.

"It's unanimous. Stevan, do you need to be... escorted out?" Caitlyn asked.

Stevan looked around the room and made his way towards the door, before stopping by Caitlyn.

"Your girlfriend won't be able to walk after my family is done with her," Stevan whispered.

"I could have you arrested for the things you have done, Stevan," Caitlyn hissed.

"Wouldn't be arrested for long," Stevan remarked before walking out of the room, bumping into Orianna as he left.

"Everyone... this is for the best. If anyone needs any sort of protection from Ferros, we will look out for each other," Caitlyn reassured

"So Ferros was pulling all those strings... will Orianna really be up to the task of being on the council?" Sevika wondered.

"You pulled it off! You can trust me to as well!" Orianna interjected with a smile.

"You alright, Vi?" Sevika questioned.

"Yeah, nothing I haven't been through before," Vi responded.

All the members of the council looked around at each other, still processing what happened. Caitlyn could only hope that this was the right decision for the future of Piltover.