Chapter Text
Vi threw her flask against the wall as she stumbled through the alleyway.
“You stopped me.” C̶a̶i̶t̶l̶y̶n̶ said to her in disbelief.
She ripped her enforcer jacket off, hating she ever put it on in the first place.
“I had the shot.” She insisted.
She kicked the random trash around her in fury.
“I wasn't going to miss.” She tried to argue, whether it was towards Vi or herself, she didn’t know.
She spewed the contents of her stomach onto the ground below her. Her hands holding the part where she was hit with the rifle.
“I keep telling myself that you're different.” She said venomously.
She slammed her fists into the wall repeatedly, even when they were bloodied and bruised.
“But you're not. It's her blood in your veins.” She said with hate.
She wailed at the top of her lungs.
“Then why are you the one acting like her?” Vi accused with just as much hate.
She sank to her knees and cried her eyes out, remembering the look of anger and spite on C̶a̶i̶t̶l̶y̶n̶'s face. If there was ever any regret, she didn’t bother to remember, and she honestly didn’t care.
She left her, she left her there to wither in her own pain and misery.
All that crock about showing that not all of them supported Pow-Jinx.
The compliments, the tender touches, the look of want and caring in her eyes.
WAS IT ALL BULLSHIT?!
As she was asking herself this, she noticed the entry to an abandoned building.
She silently made her way inside where she found some stairs.
Her sister had gone insane and was forced to fight her and then nearly kill her.
She eventually found herself outside again on top of a lookout.
She put on the very badge that represented the murderers that killed her parents, practically spitting on their graves.
She slowly walked over to the ledge and looked down.
It was a drop high enough to kill someone.
The woman she loved turned her back on her.
Her feet found themselves just inches away from the edge.
She didn’t know what else to do.
She just wanted all the pain to stop.
She just wanted all of it to end.
So, with a deep breath, she closed her eyes and-
“Am I interrupting something?”
The sudden appearance of the voice and their question made Vi whip around in a startle.
There was someone standing by the doorway, a figure hidden in the shadows. This made Vi clench her fists in defense.
“I seem to be finding myself in a routine with this situation recently.” The male voice said with a thick accent after a moment of silence between them. Definitely someone from Zaun.
“…Does that routine include a tendency to scare people into slipping off buildings?” Vi asked pointedly.
“I was merely trying to get your attention. If you don’t want to slip, perhaps you shouldn’t stand so close to the edge.” The man said with mild amusement, obviously trying to lighten the mood.
“Well gee, thanks so much for the advice.” Vi said sarcastically. “If you’re here to rob me, I already used my last cog to get a flask. Find someone else to bother.” She said dismissively, the statement itself was a lie but she was ready to take this guy on if needed.
“Apologies, but I tailed you more out of curiosity than finance.” The man reassured her. Not much good it did as it just raised Vi’s suspicions of him.
“And what makes me so special?” Vi asked with scrutiny.
“I saw the gauntlets you left back down on the streets. I must say, the thought of them being used for melee combat never crossed my mind. But considering the functions they hold; I suppose one would be tempted.” The man said casually.
That made Vi raise an eyebrow in confusion.
“And how would you know that?” Vi asked, wondering just who the Hell this guy was.
“Because…” The man began to say as he stepped out of the shadows, revealing his blue cloak and purple-metallic skinny body, holding a cane in his left hand. “I helped make them.” He finished as he brought his hood down, revealing his pale face and brown hair that was bleached on the ends.
Vi’s eyes widen in faint surprise, realizing who she was talking to.
“It was my mission to give Hextech to the people, glad to see it somewhat worked out.” He said with a small smile.
“You’re the Golden Boy’s partner. You helped create Hextech.” Vi stated with a suspicious eye. “Last I checked, you were in a coma.”
“Viktor is my name. And obviously, that’s not the case anymore.” Viktor told her as he went to stand by her side, looking out at the Sumps towards him.
“Obviously not…” Vi said as she looked his body up and down, clearly seeing that whatever was going on to his body wasn’t natural.
She first heard about Viktor through gossip at Stillwater, rumors roamed around about Hextech and that someone from Zaun helped make it. She wasn’t sure how much of it was true or how to feel about it if that was the case.
On one hand, she felt disappointment and rage that one of her people would purposely help Topside flourish even more than they already had. On the other, she couldn’t help but respect the fact that someone actually managed to escape the slums and make something of themselves.
The first time she actually saw the guy was when she rushed into Jayce's lab to get his hammer during the memorial attack. As she grabbed it, she took notice of the pale man’s face sticking out of a magic cocoon. Creeped her out to say the least, but at the time she couldn't dwell on the details. Honestly, she was happy to leave the room as soon as she could.
And now here he was out of all places, looking more machine than man.
“So why aren’t you resting up on Topside? Finally got tired of living the fancy life in Piltover? Or did you and the Golden Boy get into a fight?” Vi asked sarcastically.
Viktor stayed silent for a moment, still observing the smoky atmosphere that was Zaun.
“…I realized that my path wasn’t aligned with Piltover’s objectives. Nor Jayce’s for that manner.” He finally said quietly.
“…Is he the one responsible for that?” Vi asked as her eyes gestured to his body’s makeover.
“I was caught in the blast that struck the Councilor’s building. Pretty sure I died.” Viktor said simply.
Vi couldn’t help but look down in shame, knowing he met that fate because of her sister.
“I asked him to destroy Hextech, instead he used it to bring me back to life and then helped create weapons with our technology, both things that were against my wishes. I was disappointed to say the least.” He continued to explain.
Now Vi really was surprised, the fact that this guy was willing to destroy the very thing he helped create, the very thing that helped Piltover prosper was a shock to say the least. She had many more questions about that statement but instead she said with a quiet voice in regard to Jayce, “Yeah…well…join the club…”
They stood there in silence for another moment, both contemplating their next actions.
“…So…did you really come all the way up her to share your tale of heartbreak or did you actually want something from me?” Vi asked. “If it’s the gauntlets, take them. Don’t really need them anymore.” She said quietly.
“Actually, I was hoping you would put them to good use.” Viktor told her, making Vi look at him in confusion. “Having decided to reside back here in Zaun, I need to get myself reacquainted with the surroundings. I thought maybe you could provide some protection so to speak.” He proposed to her.
Vi scoffed and rolled her eyes at that. “No offense skinny, but I’m not exactly in the mood to be helping others right now. Or anymore for that matter.” She said bitterly.
“Fair enough. I just figured you could use a distraction from your current troubles.” Viktor said casually. “And I’m willing to pay for your next hangover in exchange for your assistance.” He told her as he reached into his cloak and pulled out a small bag with cogs inside.
She eyed the bag with a raised brow.
“I could just take that from you. Something tells me you wouldn’t put up much of a fight.” Vi said in a bit of challenging tone, wondering what he was playing at.
“Very true. But something tells me you’re a bit more honorable than that.” Viktor said with a smirk.
They stared at each other a bit longer before Vi finally sighed in defeat.
…
They walked side by side at a slow pace due to Viktor’s condition. Vi observed her surroundings, looking for anything suspicious, gauntlets back on her arms.
The Sumps were filled with malnourished children, people praying to a mural of Janna, homeless families, and shimmer addicts.
They could see the effects that the Grey had on its citizens, burns on their skins and wearing poorly made oxygen masks, ones they constantly fought over.
“I didn’t realize how much worse it’s gotten…” Viktor said sullenly as he looked around.
Vi couldn’t help but put her head down in shame, knowing that she played a part in it.
“Yeah, well…that’s what Topside’s best at. Figured you would have realized that by now.” Vi said bitterly.
“…You never told me your name.” Viktor said, deciding to change the subject.
Vi contemplated telling him. Telling him her name meant opening up, which meant the chance of another relationship that could shatter like all her others. On the other hand, it was unlikely she was ever going to see this guy again so what was the harm?
“It’s Vi.” She said quietly.
Viktor chortle at that. “Viktor and Vi, like something out of the funnies.”
Violet gave an amused snort at that. “Sounds cheesy.”
They wandered around a bit longer and it became obvious that Viktor didn’t have a clear designation.
“Hey skinny, do you actually have place in mind of where you want to go or are we just wandering around aimlessly?” Vi finally asked.
“Wherever my path leads, is where is my place will be.” Viktor told her.
“Do you ever give a straight answer, or do you just like to speak in riddles?” Vi asked, mildly annoyed.
“Only on the weekdays.” Viktor said with a smirk.
“(Scoffs) You’re worst than my sister.” Vi said with quiet bitterness. “Okay, then answer me this. Why did follow me into that building?” She asked bluntly, both stopping in their tracks.
“With how deep we already are in the Sumps, you clearly didn’t need or want protection before. Nor do you care about having your mining gloves back, so why ask me to escort you? Why did you…” Vi couldn’t finish the last part of her question as it venomous to say on her tongue.
Viktor watched her solemnly, seeing the pain on her face.
“It wasn’t too long ago I too found myself in your position, Violet.” Viktor admitted, surprising Vi. “I was blinded by my hubris and arrogance, and it ended up killing my research assistant. She died, trying to help me.” He said with mourning in his voice.
Violet looked at the man with shock, but also a sense of understanding. Knowing what it was like to make mistakes that had dire consequences. Perhaps the two of them were more alike than she thought.
“So what got you off that ledge?” She asked softly.
Before he had a chance to answer, his face lit up in recognition and he turned his head to his right, as if he heard something, this made Vi tense.
“What is it?” Vi asked as she looked in the same direction, putting up her defenses up just in case.
But there was nothing there, just a wasteland of a place that she once called home, now it was filled with nothing but shriveled-up shimmer addicts, wanting to get their next fix.
Viktor started walking towards the area without saying another word, suddenly looking like he was on a mission. Vi looked at him dubiously before following him, wondering what changed his demeanor.
They continued walking pass the tents that held the addicts, Vi glaring at them to make sure they didn’t try anything.
They soon stopped in the middle of its location as Viktor looked around.
“There a specific reason why you wanted to go in here?” Vi asked, not understanding this at all.
“Perhaps…” Was all Viktor said as he continued to look around.
“Okay then...” Vi said wearily, getting tired of the guy’s mysterious attitude.
Suddenly she heard some scuttle around them. She turned around and saw a shimmer addict shakingly hold a knife towards them.
“C-C-C-C-C-Careful not s-s-s-scrape up the gear. Won’t s-s-sell as well.” The addict stuttered as other addicts started to circle them.
“Viktor.” Vi said, getting his attention.
They were soon surrounded by many addicts, looking like feral animals trying to intimidate their prey. Unfortunately for them, Vi wasn’t easily intimidated. Neither was Viktor apparently as he barely reacted to the ambush.
“N-Nothing personal, friends. We got n-n-needs we can’t ignore.” The shimmer addict said as he got closer to them, poorly threatening them with his knife as he kept twitching.
Vi finally recognized who it was.
“Huck!”
Vi gritted her teeth and powered on her gauntlets, knowing she should have done this the last time they met.
“You filthy traitor…” Vi muttered angrily as she started to make her way towards him.
Only for a hand to block her path, Viktor’s hand to be exact.
Vi looked at him in confusion, wondering what brought this on. But Viktor only continued to look at Huck solemnly, as if analyzing him.
“So much senseless pain…” Viktor finally said as he started to approach the addict.
This surprised Vi because while Huck wasn’t exactly a threat, she doubted Viktor was much of a fighter himself.
“What the Hell are you…” Vi tried to say to him.
Huck tried to brandish his knife some more towards the metal man, but he just kept coming towards him. He stopped a few feet in front of him and the two suddenly had a stare down, Viktor’s face remained unchanged.
It seemed Viktor won said stare down as Huck eventually dropped his knife, just as confused as Vi.
Vi quietly approached them, wondering just what Viktor had planned.
She saw him slowly raise his hand up and she could see a purple energy glow through the veins of his metallic skin. The hand reached towards Huck, who flinched back but didn’t run away otherwise.
Vi’s eyes widened with curiosity and anxiety as she heard electricity surge through his hand and his eyes started to glow.
Suddenly, the hand latched onto Huck’s face and a shockwave blew through the area, pushing Vi back a couple of inches and even knocking down some of the shimmer addicts who were watching the scene happen in awe.
Wind continued to blow around them as purple lights shrouded their vision. Vi covered her eyes with her gauntlets but the moments she could see were moments that included a pulsing energy surging from Viktor’s body to Huck’s body. She watched in awe, wondering just what was going on.
Before she could question it more, there was suddenly a blinding white light that enveloped the crowd.
When the ringing left her ears and her vision cleared, she could see Viktor crumpling to his knees in exhaustion. She dropped the gauntlets from her arms and quickly went over to him and crouched down to his level to see if he was okay, putting her hand on his shoulder.
“Viktor! What was that?! What did you…” Before Vi could continue to berate him, her eyes caught a glimpse of Huck, and the words died from her mouth as her attention was now locked on him.
Gone was the growing lump on his head.
Gone were his glassy eyes.
Gone was the twitching, shriveled-up body that was ravaged by shimmer.
Instead, she saw a man with clean skin and a straighten posture.
A man who looked as those he was reborn with the chrome-like material on his arm and face and the white streak that coursed through his hair.
A man who was cured of his shimmer addiction.
“Holy shit…” Was all Vi could think to mutter in her state of shock and awe.
Huck himself was transfixed by his transformation, wondering if he had just experienced a miracle.
Suddenly, she felt a metallic hand on top of hers and turned to see Viktor looking at her with a small smile.
He turned towards the crowd of other addicts. “You need not suffer anymore.” He told the onlookers, his tone meaning every word of it.
Huck stared at the man as he wept with joy, feeling enlightenment like never before.
Vi looked around as the addicts fell to their knees, relief washing over their bodies. Something they had not experienced in a long time.
Vi wasn’t sure how to react to this.
One moment she was escorting a guy through a sea of broken people, the next she was keeping company to a healer with God-like powers. It was a lot to take in to say the least.
Viktor looked back at Vi, who stared at him anxiously, as if silently asking a question that seriously needed answering.
In return, Viktor’s smile grew bigger, and he gave her a simple nod.
To which then a small ray of light showered over them.
Genuine sunlight.
And that was enough for Vi as she let out her own breath of relief and smiled at him.
A smile that was filled with the same emotion that the addicts were feeling.
A feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Hope.