#viioletvale

How To Aid Vander||closed

They parted from the embrace almost reluctantly, as if the mere thought of letting go of one another would lead to this frail peace dissolving instantly. The air in the old mines and corridors was stale and corny. The space they all stood in was barely large enough to house Vander. Wooden poles and rafters did their best to contain the loose boulders and make sure the jagged pieces of gneiss stone were well away from cutting fragile skin. Streaks of red mingled with the greyish-brown colours. Not blood, though, Jinx would have loved for it to be blood. The sickly green, almost pale white colour of the bulbed mushrooms nestling in the rock was the only light source the long-abandoned mine had to offer.

Except right now, it did not feel abandoned. Her chest rose and fell in fast, shallow breaths as Jinx was still riding the high of her anxiety. They were no longer fighting anymore, but this peace felt so fragile that she could not trust it. Her purple eyes darted between Vi and Vander. Her fingers clenched around the zapping pistol. Like the Atlas gauntlet, the weapon was lowered. The two sisters stood next to each other, maybe an arm's length away. Neither dared to fully acknowledge what had just happened. Isha clutched her pant leg and peeked around behind Jinx. The normally so lively girl had fallen silent as if she could somehow understand that Jinx and Vi had to digest something before them.

Vander had always felt larger than life, especially to little Powder; however, this was new. Now, he towered over them both in a way the old Vander never had. Where the man who had raised them had felt like a strong, yet comforting presence, this creature was massive. So vast in its proportions, so wide was its frame, so large its massive paws and vicious claws, so enormous the elongated muzzle, it made Jinx feel like they could drown in the body of this beast.

And yet, out of those blue and yellow eyes, Vander stared back at them. He had forced his body into a cowering position as if he wanted to fight the temptation to lash out at them again. Laboured breaths vented between sharp, jagged fangs. When he spoke, his words sounded rough and coarse, yet still understandable: "Powder... Vi... It is good... to see you two. You are still... connected."

Heat flooded Jinx's cheeks uncomfortably. Subconsciously, she took a little step sideways and wound her ocelot tail tightly around her legs. Just because Vi had not killed her upon her return did not mean that they were still tied together. They had not been connected in a long while. Even now, Jinx wondered if Vi would even consider helping her. Sure, they had been able to locate Vander and even prove that the wolf beast before them was their father, but that did not mean that Vi would feel inclined to help her in the slightest.

If she were honest, not even Jinx herself would have known if she had helped herself in those circumstances. Her fingers rubbed over the triangular scar parting her eyebrow. She still remembered the sudden whoosh as Vi came rushing at her and striking her across the face with the Atlas gauntlets. Her purple eyes lingered on the ugly mess of scars on Violet's throat. She remembered the savagery of her strikes as she had tried to push Vi off her. Her glee when she had force-fed her sister the Shimmer, forcing her to heal from a near-death experience. Feeling Vi meet her gaze, Jinx swallowed and stared down at her feet.

Connected... When pigs fly.

Vander gave a laboured and agonised gasp before he dropped heavily on the stone beneath him. Pulling his hindlegs close to his body, he flinched and chuffed, his long, bat-like ears pressing flat against his neck. Finally settling down, the exhausted beast closed his eyes, staring at the sisters through nothing but a thin slit. The fluorescent light of the mushrooms ghosted across his tank, the hoses burrowing into his body and the metal screws and rings securing contraptions to his form. His fur was missing were metal burrowed into his flesh. The skin had swollen, and there were traces of dried blood around the screws and metal edges. Some hoses showed the dents of fangs and swiping claws.

Seeking out her sister's gaze, Jinx finally broke the uncomfortable silence, which had begun to form between them once more: "Look, I do not know what happened to him. I do not know who did this to him." Liar! "Under other circumstances, I might have been thrilled with this transformation. You know how much I always loved monsters. But not like this. He is hurt and confused. I want to help him, but I don't know how to fix this. Besides, he's your father, too. Trying to help him without you feels wrong. So... what should we do?"

@viioletvale

"make sure not to lose it, take it to Caitlyn, but make her work for it " Vi chuckled and ruffled the little goats head. Inside the box was a ring, a gift that I found while shopping around that made her think of her eyes

But vi couldn't help but be a slight bratty and playful to.

Punch mom! The goathorse instantly hopped from the rafters and down towards Vi, the moment he heard her more conspiratorial tone he leaned in and nodded along to her plan. Gasping at the craftsmanship of the collar, he gently offered his neck for her to put it on, tilting his head slightly at the box.

Aaaah! A gift! If Nova could rub his hooves he would, so instead he nodding even harder and gave a little vow. Do not worry Punch mom! Hat mom will have to work hard for this one!

And with that he trotted off towards Cait's office, a mischevious

----------------

**Two hours later**

"NOVA! NOVA GET OVER HERE THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" Caitlyn had been chasing her wayward goathorse for gods know how long, but ever since he showed off the box and she had reached out for it, he darted off, and instinctively she followed.

At one point she asked Vi for help, but as Nova ran past her, she was sure that she saw her partner grin like a maniac.

Oh

Oh so this was HER idea.

How coniving of her, using her SON--

She'd have words with her later...

Grins.

Later...she was enjoying the chase.

Vs Battle Quotes||Accepting.

BATTLE THEME: To Ashes And Blood by Woodkid BATTLE INTRO: "So, what's it gonna be, Tiger Mummy? Just a friendly spar, or are we trying to kill each other, again?" VICTORY: "No! I forbid you to die. Vi, get up!" DEFEAT: "Make it quick, and leave nothing but bone behind." ASSIST: *maniacal laugher* "Cannot let you have all the fun!" TAUNT: "Ooohhh, there is a big, scary beast. Want a scratch behind the ears, Tiger Mummy?" REACTING TO TAUNT: "Lalalala, I can't hear you!" FLEE: "Okay, this was fun, but now, I am out of steam. See yah!" REACTING TO FLEE: "Yeah! Run back to Sheriff Sharlatan, Fat Hands, and hope I am not there first!" TIE: "Soooo, do we settle this via rock-paper-scissors?" PERFECT VICTORY: "Turns out I was ready after all." FINISH MOVE: "And now, you are fully a voice in my head!" *throws Fishbones and fires the weapon from an angle, as the dust settles, a warg pounces upon Vi and clamps their fangs upon her throat*

Vi's eyes were groggy, barely able to focus. Her mind swam in and out of conscious as she couldn't keep her thoughts straight. Her head lulled and slumped against the furry chest. Thick musky scent of familiarity calmed her mind despite the precarious situation. Her hand reached up, brushing against the thick dark gray fur before falling to her side again as once more her mind gave way to unconsciousness. It had been a normal evening, Vi traveled into Zaun in hopes of finding something for Caitlyn. She had briefly mentioned an interest in some paint, and Vi knew of a shop down in the undercity that had excellent paint with vivid colors not found in Piltovers. These colors could glow under the right lights, which might enhance her artwork even more. During the day the painting would look elegant, but at night under a light it would reveal another story.

On her way though, several people had started to follow her. Her hands had dug into her jacket, but her attentive eyes caught one starting to trail from behind her. a second one from the alley way. two from the left side. A common tactic in Stillwater, to gang up and have more fist. Vi rolled her shoulder, a little huff under her lips and then a deep unsettling growl. She rarely gave people warning, but she truly did not want to fight today; all she wanted was to spoil her girlfriend and these people were ruining it! They still trailed so Vi twisted down an alleyway, moving toward the corner. It may look like Vi blocked herself in, but she did this on purpose; the smaller alleyway would allow less partner movement and give her a chance to angle in and take them out. Their numbers would add troubles when them fighting together but unable to fight in an open space. "Really," Vi muttered with another sneer on her lips as she pulled her hood back and turned around. She flashed her teeth, the smile a threatening action toward the others around her. Vi didn't waste a second, her fist making contact with flesh, hitting, punching, clawing and gnashing teeth. But the four turned into twelve. Safe to say, Vi held her own well, but it still wasn't enough as she felt to unconsciousness after being hit over the head. Slowly Vi came too again, her hands pressing against an old bed. Her head throbbed as a growl left her lips and pressed her palm against it, before moving her hand away. Crushed blood fell from her skin where it dried up. "Caitlyn!" Vi randomly thought, not sure how long she's been out and she stood up far too quickly. Blood rushed to her head and made her lightheaded causing her to stagger and drop back down to the bed. "She's going to fucking kill me," She whispered before looking around.

That's when it dawned on her… how did she get here? The old worn desk, though now it was shattered in two. The walls were covered in claw marks, and blood stains on the ground that had not been there the last time she had been here. The door laid on its hinges as if a massive slam busted it from the metal and creaking wood. Fingers curled into fist, prepared for the worse. Her ears twitched slightly, human yet slightly pointed and attentive. "Okay, who's there!" She shouted, trying to draw the attention of whatever had brought her to this place. Yet that familiar smell of wolf caught her nose again, yet she refuse to beleive it. She saw Vander die; he was a mindless creature that had been driven by Viktor to kill. The scent had to be old, but she knew…. It laid fresh upon the walls, the bed, and the entire room.

She felt so...weightless.

If Warwick was honest with himself, they all did. Once you had discovered you had enough strength in your monstrous jaws to pick someone up and toss them around like they were nothing but a fleeing rabbit, weight soon became inconsequential for you. Of course, Warwick could still tell the differences in weight to some extent. Pink Punch was heavier than most prey he hunted. She was certainly heavier than Blue Whirlwind, who always seemed particularly light, despite being a heavy hitter in her own right.

However, right now, Pink Punch's seemingly motionless body filled the beast with worry. Warwick could not tell why. Normally, the sight of a limb body filled him with indifference. Can't save you all... Don't want to! Unless the body belonged to a Chem-Baron, preferably one who was still breathing and whom Warwick could tear apart, a corpse left him cold. And yet as Pink hung between his jaws, her limp body specked with blood and bruises, Warwick could not help but feel a pang of concern. His rage had long been spent, used to deal with the criminals who had dared to attack the girl.

This gang could hardly be called criminals. They may have smelled of blood, but Warwick had smelled people who had been drenched in buckets of the red liquid. Those men were nothing but petty lowlifes who had foolishly assumed that strength in numbers was a power. But it was, wasn't it? "We look out for each other; it's how it's always been." Something in him knew the importance of community. Wolves survived and hunted in packs. This was a truth older than the fur on his back. Even so, why was he so convinced that he did not need a pack? The man long dead must have relied on someone before - and paid the price for it. Warwick vowed to never be put in that position himself.

So, why had he been so determined to save Pink Punch? Why had he not just slain those petty criminals - prey which did not even deserve his time -, but also gone out of his way to carry the girl to safety? It was a question, the massive monster pondered even as he half ran, half jumped across the roofs of the Undercity and descended deeper and deeper into its belly. These hunting grounds were a blur underneath his black legs. Grey, green and black blended into each other, together with the gleam of dark puddles. Water or blood? He did not care to differentiate.

Down and down, he went. Far away from the lively parts of Zaun, into its deep and seedy underbelly. The beast was yawning underneath him, and Warwick welcomed the descent. Monsters like him did not belong in the brightness of day. They were not to be seen in public spaces, only daring to traverse these grounds at night. His claws left marks on the rocks as Warwick dashed into an old mineshaft. Thump, thump, thump. The pounding of his paws echoed in the stone tunnels, and the strange luminescent plants illuminated his path. Not that Warwick needed them. It was like he was following a roadmap long forgotten, an old path ingrained deep into his brain, sanctioned over the clinking of glasses, fuming with whiskey at their rims and a hoarse, familiar voice speaking.

"Blisters and bedrock."

Warwick resented those figments more than others. Whenever fragments of that hoarse voice graced his ears in passing, the beast would growl and snap at air with crooked teeth. If he could tear out the vocal cords of the owner of that voice, he would do it! Anything for a precious few seconds of silence and peace. Even now, as he stormed through the corridor in the direction of the den he had made for himself, his jaws clenched a bit tighter around Pink Punch's scruff collar. Why were these figments so loud today?! As if he did not have enough constant pain without the headaches.

Once in his den, Warwick clunkily and uncoordinatedly half-dragged and half-placed Pink Punch on a mattress, which by now had holes in it. The place was a mess. The desk had been smashed in two. His claw marks littered the walls. The door barely held onto its hinges as Warwick had slammed his massive head against it to force it open. The place reeked of old and new blood. Warwick had clumsily picked up one of the cloaks, which had dropped to the ground in one of his rampages and draped it over the girl's body. He had pressed his muzzle against the side of her head. Why, he did not know.

Only after he had taken care of Pink Punch to the best of his abilities did Warwick settle down on the hard rocks on the opposite side of the room. His body burned from the dull pain of the stab wound he had received. They would close up in time, probably before the day had passed. The tank on his back whistled in irregular intervals, and the potion sloshed around. Warwick continued to smack his tongue against the roof of his mouth, trying to scrape the flavour of the criminals from his tongue. Raw human meat. He had eaten it in such great quantities by now that the taste found its way into his dreams.

He did not know how long he had slept, though it could only have been a few hours. Hearing Pink shout, the large beast stirred awake. Warwick stretched himself, bum lifted in the air, tail raised, and paws flexing. A soft whine escaped his muzzle, and his ears drooped to the side. Shaking his head with another soft grunt, Warwick stood up. His body was hunched forward, trying to not appear too large. His red eyes found Pink looking around hectically in the dark.

"Safe place here...", Warwick growled reassuringly, "Can rest until feel better."

@viioletvale cont. from here.

It was the first time they had been back in Piltover in months. The air smelled foreign again and Vi's nerves itched out of fear something would be drastically different. Her eyes scanned the cars, looked over the lights, the towers. Something should be different, should have changed. Tension laid on Vi's shoulders, as they climbed off the decking of the airship and she tightened her hand on the railing. A gentle word caused Vi to finally unlock her hand from the post and glanced at Caitlyn. "I'm fine," Her response came far too quickly, though tried to play it off as nothing truth bothering her. Yet everyone corner, every stone, every voice and whisper caused Vi's nerves to tick. Is this what Jinx felt like, like a ticking bomb just waiting to explode? No, Vi knew this wasn't something Jinx experienced; despite her title as the loose cannon Vi knew the truth. Jinx held deliberate action and skill to her attacks and violence. If anyone became a ticking time bomb, it was Violet. How often she lost control, rampage, pulverized a person or a building. Collateral damaged happened easily around the brawler.

The streets were littered with crowds of people with the monthly markets coming out onto the streets. Laughter and screams mingled between the talking of merchants as Vi tucked her hands into her pockets, became more agitated by the second. "Cupcake, there's got to be a faster wa---" she stopped, and glanced at her side, noticing Caitlyn was there. "Cupcake?" Vi questioned, twisting around. All she saw were people jostling around, weaving in and out. Vi grumbled at herself as she kicked a rock. "Course, I had my head down and just walking and lost her. I'll just meet her at home, maybe someone pulled her aside," Vi spoke more to herself then anyone. The Sheriff of Piltover being back probably had heads turning and Vi didn't think to stop. Her mind was fast track on getting home, out of these crowds and trying to wind down. Already the overwhelming feeling grew against her chest like a heavy stone and each step dragged her along. With the singular thought on her mind, someone shouted out. "Halt!" Vi didn't pay any attention to it, assuming it most likely was someone else. She had been living in Piltover for almost two years now, established and well known among the enforcers for helping Caitlyn out. While Vi didn't wear the usual enforcer uniform, she still worked side by side with them and had a badge. Which she wasn't wearing today.

Because of her disinterest, Vi face met the hard stone wall with a grunt and her head spun slightly. "What the fuck!" Vi shouted, as she tried to push off, but the hands forced her forward again. "I said Halt! Some Zaunite trash trying to disrupt the market place? And what's this, stealing?" Vi growled, digging her nails into the stone as she tried to stay calm. Vander said never make a scene, and Caitlyn couldn't be to far away. Though why was an Enforcer trying to apprehend her? "Do you know who I am? Seriously, Vi, part of House Kiramman?" Vi tried to sound reasonable, though her tongue snapped bitterly with the words. "Likely story, that ring is most likely stolen, and I know everyone on the force. You can't be Vi, she's an enforcer, and your not," Vi's tail lashed around as she pushed off the wall just to get shoved back against it again. Her hands curled into fist and punched the wall. "Watch it!" The enforcer demanded as the clicking of metal cuffs sounded to the side. Vi's eyes widen, as she immediately lost all sense of civility and shoved back, back handing the enforcer. "DON'T YOU PUT THOSE ON ME!" Eyes started to flood black, shimmering gold now as Vi's hand gripped the enforcer's collar. "How fucking DARE you! I live here, I work here, and you try to arrest me? for WHAT!? WALKING!?"

The enforcer looked startled, unsure of how to suddenly react at first. "I… I…. I," Vi laughed as she slammed the body of the woman up against the wall. "I WHAT?! Doing my duty, judging before even asking. I was WALKING!" The voice finally came out. "You were disrupting the peace… you.. you shouldn't be put here! Zaunites don't come up here, they.. they…" Vi hissed, her tail stiff and fizzed. "I'm taking you to Stillwater! Clearly you're a threat!" those words caused Vi's teeth to grind. No, NO! Before Vi even knew it, her head twisted slightly to the side, painful aches in her skull like something cracking and shifting. Horns erupted around her red hair, glistening dark cherry red with scales along the base of her skin. The fur on her tail started to stiffen, looking like harden scales that laid flat and melded together as a thick long dragon-like tail emerged and slammed against the ground. Even her hand started to develop keratin hard scales, and her claws grew outward. "I am not going back there. I WON'T!" Vi threw the enforcer down, and started to stalk toward her, as the enforcer crawled backwards. "You should have learned not to judge. Clearly, you weren't taught right," Vi flexed both her hands, dark black claws itching to rip and shred. Her feet took a heavy step yet slow and deliberate. The fear bled from the enforcer who didn't know what to do or how to react against this demonic being. Speaking those words, though, made the enforcer think she was a broken out convict now. "I NEED BACK UP, ESCAPE CONVICT, TO AL--" But Vi's tail slammed against the radio, breaking the woman's hand as she screamed. The pain licked against her mind and Vi's tongue licked her lips.

To far… she was going to far! But every pent up bit of rage, injustice, and hatred started to billow out of her. Nothing changed, nothing ever changes. Despite the cars and advancements, she would be nothing more… "VIOLET!" The name caused Vi to stop mid track in her thoughts and her steps as slammed her fist against the wall. Her eyes closed, shaking her head. "VI!" There it was again, familiar. Like sweet honey shifting through the air, pulling her toward it like a siren's song. "Cupcake," The only word that came out of her lips, as Vi had to keep her fist against the wall before she bled the enforcer dry in front of her. If she moved, if she did anything Vi knew she would fully lose it. And she prayed the enforcer would have enough brains to know not to say a word. One word, and Vi would snap and rip that cop without hesitation.

Finally home.

No matter how many times, Caitlyn had to leave Piltover for business in the other nations or the yearly migration, the moment she could see the cyan-tipped towers appear on the horizon always filled her with a sense of relief and accomplishment. Especially, because Caitlyn did not fly in an airship, as fun and exciting as that was, but had to fly herself.

Every beat of her wings brought her closer to Piltover. It was up to her to ensure that, not only did she have enough food in her stomach to be strong enough for the long flight, but also that she remembered the complex routes the Kirammans had mapped over generations before her.

However, those maps were not the same as the ones created by Piltovans on paper and animal leather. They had not been created through the usage of ships or cartography. Instead, they existed in the silver images of a song, Cassandra sang directly into her ears over and over, so that she could recount it at the drop of a hat. It was not even a map in the traditional sense, but instead a route, disrupted by specific landmarks, constellations, sounds and smells.

Though if Caitlyn were to try to explain that route to someone else, especially someone who was not a vampire, it would not make much sense to them. It was why they had relied on physical maps on the airship to arrive safely at their destination. Though before they had headed back to Piltover, Justus had sung Caitlyn the sound map towards Demacia, so she could recall it if she needed to visit him alone before the migration. According to him, every Kiramman family had various sound maps to recall, in case they needed to visit each other in moments of emergency.

A look to the side made her frown. "Violet", Caitlyn called softly upon noticing the tenseness in her mate's posture and placed a hand on the balled fist clenching the railing, "Are you alright?" She inspected her partner with concern, realising yet again that just because she read Piltover as a place of safety, that did not mean Violet shared that type of experience. By the Spirits, just how much generational damage had Piltover's greed done to the Undercity? How could they call themselves the City of Progress when a whole subsection of their population regarded the shiny walls and cyan roofs as if there was a hidden threat within them?

Vi's response was fast and clipped. You're not fine, Caitlyn thought to herself. However, she chose not to push it. Now was not the time or place. They were re-entering Piltovan society, and for Caitlyn this meant yet again entering the complex spider web of intrigue, sabotage, mistrust, pride and corruption. She could not enter Piltover merely as Caitlyn. She had to enter as the Sheriff. Thus, as they stepped off the airship, her entire posture straightened out, head raised high and gait a measure of control itself.

They had returned to Piltover at the height of its market season. The laughter of children filled the air, only disrupted by the shout of sellers, praising their wares. The rich, creamy smells of freshly baked goods, sugary pastries dipped in midnight black chocolate, and the fruity aroma of Amarena cherries, freshly plucked strawberries and heaps of raspberries seduced one to buy.

The crowds were full, forming a tapestry of billowing, multilayered skirts, fluttering silken scarves, long-sleeved coats, decorated with gold and silver and sparkling gemstones as far as the eye could see. Hairdos were twisted in complicated braids and adorned with complex headpieces, showing off the engineering of the merchant class.

The enticing sweet smells made Caitlyn wonder if she should ask Pascal to prepare a freshly made mousse au chocolat for when they got home. They deserved something sweet and creamy after the long journey they had. Besides, Vi surely would love it too. Caitlyn had noticed how much her partner had a soft spot for sweet and creamy treats, especially those enriched with chocolate.

Among the crowds, the blue of the Wardens' uniforms was comfort and a friendly reminder that they kept things in order. The patrol was small, consisting of around six people. They had spread out around the edges of the crowd, calmly pacing as they kept an eye on things. They wore the snow-white hats and small blue caps, which the patrols usually wore when guarding the people of Piltover. Most were armed with a taser and a small pistol. Their weapons were largely concealed by their jackets. Their expressions were calm and hard to read. However, there was a relaxedness in their postures. There was no cause for alarm.

Their return had been noticed by the Wardens. Almost immediately, Captain Holly, who was in charge of the patrol, made a beeline for her. Relief and concern drew deep and sharp lines into the healthy part of his face. His scarred other half was as unsettling as ever. Especially the loss of his eye. Much like Caitlyn, his eye had been surgically removed, and his eyelid had been sown shut. His muscular frame felt barely contained by his Warden uniform. Even though he had donned the blue in reconnaissance, his Noxian upbringing made him one of the taller and more pronounced Wardens. It did not matter that next to his Noxian brethren, Holly would be surprisingly lithe and slim. He still looked built to take down a wolf with his bare hands.

"Captain Holly!", Caitlyn called out as Holly came rushing over, grasped her by the hands and pulled her to the side of the street. The crowd parted like river water rushing past a stone, and Caitlyn immediately lost track of Vi. Focusing on the Captain's urgent expression, she whispered in a conspirational tone: "Whatever you had to tell me, could not wait until after I arrived at the station?"

"Forgive me, Sheriff", Holly hushed, "I would not have intruded upon you if it were not a matter of the utmost urgency. You request me to look into..."

Before Holly could finish his sentence, the low crackling of his radio cut through the air. The static made it hard to make out the words; however, as soon as Caitlyn heard the words "Escape Convict" and the request for backup, her blood turned to ice. She yanked the radio from Holly's belt and pressed the button to open the communication, shouting furiously: "This is Sheriff Caitlyn Kiramman! Cease the arrest immediately! I repeat, cease -!"

Crackle, crunch, pop!

Through the speaker of the radio came the undeniable sounds of metal crunching and wires snapping. There was an even louder crunch as a foot came down upon the radio, grinding it into the ground. The feedback turned into a shrill, uncomfortable beep sound. Caitlyn cringed, pressing a hand to her ear and turning off Holly's radio with her fingers. She tossed the radio back into the Captain's hands. Caitlyn called: "You have to get me to this unit's location immediately!"

Holly did not have to be told twice. He immediately helped Caitlyn through the crowd, commanding the civilians to disperse and get out of the way. Their boots pounded upon the cobblestones as they raced across the marketplace towards its edge. The scene before them caused Caitlyn's heart to leap into her throat. Violet had been cornered by a young Warden, a rookie by the looks of it. Her mate's fist was balled. The rookie had drawn out her baton. Between them lay the destroyed radio and a pair of open cuffs.

"VIOLET!", Caitlyn shouted urgently. Over the years, she had learned to read her mate. Piltover would never understand! They just saw a volatile, untamable Zaunite who snapped at the drop of a hat. But Caitlyn knew better. Even when Vi lost her temper and unleashed all that unbridled fury, there were always warning signs. The subtle way her stance shifted backwards, how her jaw clenched, and her eyes suddenly locked onto the very part of the body she was about to strike. How her nostrils trembled just a bit and her brows shifted downward.

"Vi!", Caitlyn called again, finally reaching her mate's side. Her tone was softer, though no less urgent. She reached for Vi's balled fist and softly closed her fingers around it. Not keeping her eyes off the other Warden, she said, "Violet, go home. I will deal with this."

The rookie's eyes grew wide. Before anyone could stop her, she blurted out: "B-but she is a Zaunite! They are criminals! She must be arrested!" She took a hasty step forward, the handcuffs gleaming dully in the light. Caitlyn stepped before Vi, blocking the other warden's access to her price. Her gaze was cold and harsh.

Caitlyn spoke: "Arrests require cause. Have you seen Violet do anything which might be classified as a probable cause?"

"W-well...", stuttered the young warden, desperately searching for words.

"Your patrol is over for tonight, young lady", Caitlyn said in a tone which allowed no discussion, "Go back home. Tomorrow, I will see you in my office at the station. Understood?"

"But Sheriff!", the rookie tried one final time.

"Understood?"

A defeated nod and a meagre muttered "Yes."

"Good." Caitlyn turned around to leave. "Now get out of my sight."

@viioletvale cont. from here.

And Weapons Don't Weep|Accepting.

The Enforcers' presence in the Undercity had always awoke the ire of its population. Piltover had done a lot of work to convince them all that they were beneath them, but the words of the council meant nothing if they did not have these brutes bullying and persecuting them. Jinx still remembered times when Vi and she had been shoved against walls and randomly searched, especially when little Powder had fingergunned at the Enforcers, imagining shooting them down. These fantasies of murdering the Enforcers grew and matured as she imagined what she might be like all grown up.

However, even when Jinx had been able to have her fun with the Enforcers while she worked under Silco, there had always been a sense of restraint around her. Silco never liked it how freely she committed her crimes, especially if he had not sanctioned those deeds himself. He did not seem to mind so much whenever Jinx was getting carried away with one of his orders; however, his rage at her unbridled bloodlust and joy concerning explosions told Jinx that just maybe he pretended not to mind to appease her. After all, Silco might talk a lot about monsters, but he was neither Vastaya nor an Ashai'rei. He lacked the ferocious animal instinct. And so he needed Jinx to be the monster for him. Except when he suddenly did not.

With that vile snake of a princess in charge of Piltover, the presence of the Enforcer was more oppressive than ever, even if you could not always see them. Large, blue banners fluttered in the wind. Upon them in thick, golden lines was a complicated symbol which looked like a cross between the Kiramman and Medarda sigil. A reminder of who held the power here. Every time Jinx passed by one of those banners, she had to suppress the urge to expose herself by vandalising the sigil with thick, viscous paint. How much she longed to just draw deep red patches, bright neon-pink devil horns, green fume clouds or baby blue arrows. How much she wanted to tell Caitlyn Kiramman to her face what a hypocrite she was, what a snake. After all, once a Piltie, always a Piltie! But she refrained from doing so. Not for her own sake, but for Vi's.

They had not really figured out how to help Vander just yet. Jinx had tried her darnest to reverse-engineer a blueprint of the contraption on Warwick's back, hoping that maybe if they understood how the hydraulic pump on his back worked, they could lessen the pain whenever it drove its needle into Vander's flesh. However, the more she studied the contraption, the more she realised the secret was in the weird chemical concoction in the pump. This liquid rage, which seemed to rile Vander up whenever he was injected with it. The first time she had tried to obtain some of it, her father had freaked out, thrown her off his back in a fit of rage and attempted to maul her. Had Vi not pulled him off her with the help of the Atlas Gauntlets, she probably would have been horrifically mutilated for her reckless act.

Instead of attempting such an insane move again, Vi had suggested they take a walk to get some of the measly air. Maybe being away from Vander would give them some ideas on how else they could approach this issue. So far, they had debated and thrown away a plethora of ideas, from attempting to take some of the liquid while Vander slept to sedating or chaining him up briefly. Neither felt comfortable doing any of this. Neither wanted to hurt their father or trigger whatever unpleasant memories, Vander awoke from with these dreadful, bloodcurdling, hoarse screams.

The sisters had fallen silent after the last suggestion. Neither opened their mouth to speak again. The longer the silence stretched, the clearer the unspoken truth became: For now, Vi and Jinx were out of ideas when it came to helping Vander. Perhaps it was for the best to just ensure his comfort for now. New ideas would come, but they could not force this. As an engineer, Jinx knew that a solution to a problem was not always apparent. There had been days when she mulled over one specific issue with her contraptions, building prototypes with dozens of different approaches, all to solve one problem.

They had been strutting through a corridor, which was covered in various of these Kiramman-Medarda banners as well as dozens of these wanted posters with her face plastered all over them. Had the bounty gotten bigger recently? Sometimes, Jinx wondered how it came that outside of Smeech, no one was tempted by the offered coins to hand her over, but then she remembered the murals and graffiti of her as a saviour or blessed by Janna herself, and the reluctance to hand her over made sense again.

Vi looked off. Her pacing was slower and her head low. She seemed to try to avoid looking at anything. Jinx had been wandering ahead just a couple of steps before she noticed that her sister no longer walked next to her. "Vi?", she asked and turned around. Cocking her head aside, her blue braids flashed underneath her dark hood. "Are you okay? You look sour."

Before her sister could reply, a sudden noise drew Jinx's attention. People whooping and cheering, letting out sharp, inappropriate whistles. Jinx whirled around on the spot. A crowd of people had gathered in the backyard of an old factory. Their rough linen and leather clothes had splatters of oil and grease covering them. Some of them had wrenches, nails and hammers on their utility belts. Immediately, Jinx scanned each of them to see if they had anything that might be worth a quick attempt at thievery. Unlike Vi, who actually earned money with those illegal pit fights, Jinx met almost all her needs through theft. However, she currently had more than enough tools to build herself some new friends.

Still, as the sisters pushed themselves through the crowd to see what the commotion was about, Jinx could not resist the temptation to swipe at least a handful of nails. Sure, most of her Chompers these days were rigged to simply explode or have their huge fangs tear out flesh, but she still liked building a few variants which sprayed acid or threw rusty or poison-tipped nails around. Ekko's shredded throat was still one of her fondest memories. Such a shame that he had survived.

The crowd had gathered around an illegal dog fight. The two animals circled each other. One of them was a lot bigger than the other dog with rougher, grey-brown fur as opposed to the sleek black Doberman with its clipped ears and tail. Their ears were swivelled back, their teeth bared. The dogs darted forward in fints, barking at each other, trying to get the other one's nerves to break. The larger dog kept its stance firm, teeth bared, maw opened in a low growl. It did not let itself be intimidated, even as the Doberman repeatedly barked in its face.

"My money's on the wolfhound", Jinx whispered as she looked at Vi, "It's going to win. It's bigger, stronger and more decisive in its movement. The Doberman may have been bred to be an effective weapon, but the wolfhound will still supersede it." Her prediction was proven true immediately as the wolfhound darted forward, grabbed the Doberman by its neck and tore it down upon the ground. It immediately went for the back of the head, growling and grunting as it continued wrestling with its target. Jinx snickered darkly. "Just like Vander", she mused, "He did not take shit from anyone either. Hell, Silco had to backstab him to actually..."

Vi wasn't next to her anymore. "Vi?" called Jinx, looking around. "Where are you?" A flash of red hair drew her attention. Jinx sprinted after Vi. Her sister stopped in the same corridor they had just walked through. Surrounded by the flags and the wanted posters, Jinx slowed down cautiously. Vi had her back turned to her. Her shoulders were tense. Her hands were balled into fists.

"Vi?", Jinx asked, concerned.

BAM! Vi slammed her fist against one of the banners. Her knuckles did not even leave a dent in the fanciful fabric. She screamed loudly with tears burning in her eyes. Jinx flinched in discomfort. For a few seconds, she was just a little child, and Vi's hand struck her cheek, throwing her off her balance. "I told you to stay away!" Only then did Vi turn around and speak. Her voice was hoarse from screaming, her sentences ragged, and her bleeding knuckles trembled as she nursed her hand.

"What are you talking about, Tiger Mummy?", Jinx asked, cautiously stepping closer, preparing for Vi to potentially strike her, "Who did what to you? What is this about?" She reached forward and gingerly took a hold of her sister's hand. Jinx brushed her fingers across the bleeding knuckles.

"How is it even possible? I mean, you grow as a kid, not as an adult. AT least, I thought," Vi lifted her arms up, before dropping them again and looking at Caitlyn. Why hadn't she noticed that she was looking slightly down at her now? Could she be that oblivious this whole time? "Its nice not to feel hungry all the time, or go without meals several days in a row," Vi canted her head looking at the mirror and Caitlyn behind her kissing her shoulder.

"Weird…. but not bad," Vi said, as she glanced over at her. "Your not upset that I'm taller then you now?" Vi questioned. She would miss getting up on her toes to kiss her girl, but she did wonder about the advantages to being taller. Pulling her into her lap would be one that's for sure.

Caitlyn watched like a lovestruck puppy as she layed on the couch, as Vi twisted and turned to see how tall she was now. It was somewhat surprising she hadn't noticed before, but in fairness the change in height had been incremental and slow. Caitlyn had noticed, even when it was only an inch or two, but by the time she had started to look up to her partner it was impossible to deny.

Or well, she thought so, until she had insisted to look at herself in a mirror.

With a chuckle she stood up, walked behind the zaunite and landed a kiss on her shoulder. "Well, you've had a pretty stunted growth. Once you had access to food, and a proper way to rest it was sure your body would react in time. Vastayan magics probably helped in that as well. Do you find it weird?"

Slowly, she'd put her arms around the woman and rested her head on Vi's shoulder. "I'd never be upset you are healthy, love. And a tall you is a healthy you~ Plus, I've enjoyed using you as a weighted blanketed, considering how much space and weight you now have~"

Mermaid Themed Sentences||Accepting.

The waves broke themselves on the rocks, guarding the entrance to Violet's lair. The late evening sun fought its way through the large hole in the ceiling of the cavern. Fern and moss grew in the shadiest spots. Caitlyn Kiramman sat on the large, smooth rock, upon which she had met the siren for the first time. Originally, she had been meant to serve as a belated dinner to the beast. However, now things had changed. Caitlyn had promised to figure out if there was a cure to the experiment Violet had undergone - and if she could not do that, the least she could accomplish was bring the one who had kidnapped Vi to justice.

Unfortunately, either of those promises was easier said than done. Whoever had kidnapped Vi had covered their tracks exceptionally well. Furthermore, Bilgewater Port was not the town to volunteer its secrets. During her investigation, Caitlyn had been robbed of a good handful of coins and even her Enforcer hat. This place was certainly nothing like Piltover. Instead of putting her faith in a shady inn, Caitlyn had returned to the shore and, with some skill, had managed to find the entrance to Vi's cave.

Violet had no idea yet that Caitlyn was a nix herself. Though unlike the poor Zaunite, Caitlyn was a naturally born mermaid, not some horrific science experiment. It was how she had stayed unaffected by the rather crude and primitive wails, which this enigmatic sister used to lure prey to her. Still, being this close to the water, Caitlyn had to fight with the impulse to equally plunge underneath the cool waves. Yet she could not risk exposing herself to Vi like this. The scientists experimenting on her might still be watching.

Violet had disappeared into the depths of the ocean. Likely to hunt. After all, even if she had not devoured Caitlyn, she still had to eat. Thus, the young Kiramman sat at the edge of the rock and kept peering into the water. It would be so easy to just dive straight in and let the transformation take her over. When was the last time she had taken on her true form? Caitlyn could not remember. Cassandra had always warned her daughter to not shapeshift lightly. As easy as swimming through the Pilt might be, it was still the passage route of many ships, and the last thing her mother wanted was for her daughter to get injured by a spinning propeller. Cassandra Kiramman had the scar to prove it, and she never grew tired of reminding Caitlyn just how dangerous Piltovan ships were.

Thus, with the vast cavern around her, Caitlyn was not given many options to entertain herself. She dabbed her fingers against the surface of the water, watching the wet skin morph into scales for a couple of seconds. Even her nails elongated into fine, sharp claws. The urge to jump into the water and at least dive around the cavern was so strong, it was practically maddening. Caitlyn huffed and brushed a hand through her hair. Her eyes glittered in surprise when she took note of the way the huff echoed off the walls. Maybe she could handle her urges some other way.

Her lips parted, and Caitlyn slowly began to sing to herself. Her voice echoed across the smooth cave walls, creating an eerie chorus that seemed to be always one note behind her. The melody was ethereal, seductive, and low, with a few carefully placed high notes that seemed to almost dictate the rhythm of the luring song. Caitlyn's eyes were shut, and she swayed back and forth on the rocks. Her fingers instinctively went through her hair, a gesture Nix used because men found it attractive. For Caitlyn, it was more like something which helped her stay in the rhythm of her own melody.

The song carried deep through the cavern. It seemed to penetrate the water, where it spread far and wide. On her return, Violet would notice that the flock of fish and even larger ocean predators like dolphins or sea lions were behaving strangely. The fish seemed to gather closer together as if they wanted to obscure the path. The dolphins and sea lions were lap swimming in graceful spirals and twirls, twisting and alternating their bodies. Bubbles rushed through their whiskers. There was an air of curiosity and mischief around the cave, like the complex spinning of an ancient trap.

Caitlyn's eyes opened a slit when the water parted again. She did not stop her singing at first, instinct insisting she get whoever had appeared to come closer first. However, upon noticing that it was Violet, her song slowly faded into silence. The caverns echoed one last time, and then it was hauntingly silent. Looking up at the enormous siren, Caitlyn took note of the string of pearls that Violet must have plucked from a sunken ship. They were a bit dirty and yellowish in colour from their lack of polish, but they must have been beautiful at some point.

"Are those for me?", Caitlyn asked softly, "I thought you had gone out hunting. I did not know you meant treasure hunting." She stepped closer and reached up. Scooping the string of pearls out of Vi's talons, Caitlyn inspected them with a soft smile. "They must have been beautiful once. They look quite old, too. Perhaps Camavoran in origin?"