Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still

The morning light beamed through the large glass panels of the window, sunbeams cascaded between the silken white fabric curtains, illuminating the room like a silent alarm clock.

Lux stirred briefly, moving to lay on her side, and opening a single eye ever so slightly. Being assaulted by the rays of light, while poetic for several reasons, wasn't exactly a welcoming way to wake from her slumber.

Rolling onto her stomach desperately trying to block the bright assault, Lux grabbed one of her many cushy pillows and slammed it on top of her head.

Her futile attempt at drowning out her surroundings was astoundingly useless as she was once again awoken, though this time by the obnoxiously loud knocking on her door.

Burying her face further into the pillows, and hoping that if she ignored it they'd go away also proved to be in vain.

Another knock, though even louder this time.

Lux groaned loudly, rolling back onto her back and wiping at her eyes, still blurry from sleep.

"Come in." Lux called out, voice raspy and tired and hardly functioning.

Immediately the door creaked open and the clanking of metal and heavy pounding footsteps only meant one person.

She didn’t even need to look to know who it was.

"Garen, please tell me you're here to assure me I can go back to sleep soundly."

A deep and guttural laugh roared throughout the room, echoing off the walls, serving to annoy Lux more. Grabbing her pillow again, she once more covered her face.

"Afraid not. Did you forget we had a meeting today?" Garen asked with a hint of amusement in his tone, and made his way over to the large window.

"No, I did not. Though it seems the tiny detail of timing has escaped me. I don't recall being told it would be at sunrise." Lux muffled through her pillow, removing it after and rubbing her temples.

To this Garen belted out another booming laugh.

"Would it matter if we had? You'd still be just as insufferable as you are now."

Once Garen voiced the last part, Lux, too lazy to move, opted for throwing her pillow at her brother.

The realization she had thrown the pillow she was using to cover her face caused yet another annoyed groan to be ripped from her throat.

Garen spoke up again, but this time there was no laughter, it was replaced by the steely serious tone Lux knew meant business.

"Luxanna." Garen began and Lux immediately cringed at her full name being used. It was only ever really spoken in a disciplinary tone, and because of that, she hated hearing her full name.

"You understand how important this meeting is, right? Unfortunately everyone is spread thin with the recent events and this was the only time that managed to work for everyone."

Lux let her eyes open begrudgingly, once more the light assaulted her as she recalled the recent events.

A few days ago the councilors tower of Piltover had been blown up, and with it the council. An event that shook not only Piltover, but most other nations. Piltover was the neutral nation and trading hub, with this event Piltover was vulnerable and it was no secret that Noxus had been moving to use this as their advantage.

"I know Garen. I understand..just -" Lux groaned once more, lifting herself up and over the side of her bed, with her feet planted on the floor.

"Just give me a minute, will you? Let me get dressed and prepared."

Garen nodded his approval, before turning to the window and suddenly jerking the curtains open, the light Lux avidly tried to avoid now filling her room.

"Garen!" Lux nearly screeched recoiled from the light, covering both hands on her face and rubbing her adjusting eyes.

"You know, I always found it rather amusing that as someone who can control light, you are extremely averse to the morning light." Garen chuckled, watching his sister squirm in disdain from the sun.

Lux snorted at the comparison, rolling her eyes, and finally rising to stand on her two feet while glaring at her brother.

"And I find it amusing that for someone who can control a sword, you're averse to being stabbed by one."

Garen grinned and roared with laughter once again, moving to the door and voicing his parting words.

"Good point. I'll take my leave now, make sure you arrive shortly. We are pressed for time"

Lux nodded, watching as he left to make sure the door was fully closed before beginning to undress. Throwing her white gown to the floor, she made her way to the stand at the end of her bed where her trademark Crownguard armor was neatly placed.

Always close by in case of emergencies, Lux ran her fingers over her cuirass before throwing each piece on as neatly and quickly as she could.

Running a brush through her hair, she double checked if her appearance was worthy, and once she deemed it was, she inhaled deeply and opened her door to begin the show.

Lux stood outside the doors to the meeting, staring holes through it before straightening her posture, and sliding it open.

The second she cracked it open and made her way through all conversation halted and pairs of eyes were glued onto her.

It is amazing how out of place someone can feel, despite being invited to begin with.

"About time you joined us Luxanna"

Lux wanted to grimace at the voice and statement, but knew her place. Following the voice back to the speaker, she was met with the cold judgemental eyes of her aunt Tianna.

"My apologies, though I would like to respectfully point out that this time was never disclosed to me." Lux stated plainly, hoping to somewhat hold her ground. Lux loathed that her aunt would scold her publically like an irresponsible child, despite never being given the details.

"Very well. Sit down, we have much to discuss."

Lux kept quiet as she knew to do, and took her place in the seat next to her brother Garen.

"Now that everyone is here, shall we begin?" Tianna Crownguard waited for the confirmation of others. Lux met her mother's eyes across the table, who in turn sent Lux a sweet and reassuring smile.

Lux was always thankful her mother was nothing like her father and aunt. Having not shared blood with either, her mother was by far the most lenient and relaxed in the family. The militaristic trait was absent in her, and for that Lux was thankful. While she still protected the Crownguard name dutifully, she lacked the stoicism many Crownguard's seemed to share. Her mother and Garen were the heart of the family, while the rest were their sword arm.

"As I am sure you are all aware of, Piltover is in chaos. The council has been blown up, and we are here to disclose information and discuss our course of actions." Tianna stated matter-of-factly.

"What have we learned?" Garen was the first to question.

"Piltover has appointed a new sheriff, who I have recently been able to be in contact with, so quite a bit I would say. Allow me to continue." Tianna intertwined her fingers on both hands together, resting them on top of the table.

"First and foremost, we have learned that this attack was spurred by a madwoman. All but one councilor have been declared dead, though severely injured and one person is missing entirely. The attack had no connections to Noxus, and the sheriff assured me she knew that was a fact. So we can rule Noxus out as the underhanded aggressor in a power grab."

Garen was about to interject, but was immediately halted by Tianna raising her hand to stop him, continuing to divulge her information.

Lux froze for a brief moment at the news, the speculation becoming a confirmation was a big deal. The face of Mel Medarda flashed through her mind. As brief as their encounter was, it still saddened Lux to hear the news.

"The undercity and Piltover are now at war with one another, the undercity has now even taken to calling themselves 'Zaun' and shows no signs of slowing down."

Tianna stood up from her seat, brows furrowed and began pacing around the table. Lux was shocked by the body language she was presenting as it showed one thing she was sure she had never seen her aunt express; fear.

"It seems that this 'Zaun' is fighting for independence, and that so far with the loss of the council.." Tianna exhaled, "they're winning."

Lux hung her head back, beginning to grasp the situation. A toppled Piltover is dangerous, and with rumors of Noxus making sudden appearances in Piltover, she had a bad feeling where this was headed.

Still Lux thought back on her time at Piltover, and how beautiful it was. Her little stunt never made public knowledge as her aunt Tianna managed to bribe the enforcers for their discretion. That didn't stop Lux’s family from knowing though, and the punishment sure was harsh.

To this day she has never been able to leave Demacia.

And to this day it was still worth it.

Lux had to stifle a smile as she remembered the adventure, and how she quite literally fell into the undercity. It was just as beautiful as Piltover, but in its own unique way.

She remembered the food, the bright neon colors, but she also remembered the toxic water, thick air, and generally malnourished population.

Most importantly though, she remembered her friend Blue.

Lux would think of her from time to time, some days more than others. To this day, Lux couldn’t shake the feeling of having done a bad thing by leaving her.

She wondered if she had ever decided on a name.

More importantly though, now she was wondering if she was okay.

The sound of Tianna Crownguard slamming her fist down on the large table before them all snapped Lux out of her deep thoughts so harshly she flinched.

"This is unacceptable! If Piltover falls to Zaun, we risk Noxus getting ahead of us! The rumors are true. Ambessa Medarda is in Piltover as we speak! If she has a leading role in aiding Piltover, we can certainly assume she would sway everything in favor of Noxus!"

That piece of information made everyone stiffen in fear, including Lux.

"Even more so if Piltover does fall and Zaun wins we lose the crucial neutrality of Piltover as a trading hub! It is no secret that Zaun's ideals fall more into line with Noxus, welcoming war on their doorstep."

Tianna took a step back to catch her breath, resting her hands on her hip and glancing over every attendee.

"We can not let this happen. If Zaun wins, Demacia loses. If Piltover gets reformed with Noxus as a center influence, Demacia still loses. We must aid Piltover to rebuild as the same way they once were, holding neutrality. We must be the influence that leads Piltover to retain their identity, instead of forging a new one. We must not let Zaun win. Fortunately for us, it seems the sheriff is in line with our ideals, despite having lost her mother in the attack. We will work with her. Any questions?"

The room was silent, everyone absorbing the influx of information in their own way, all brainstorming in their seats.

Lux wasn't even remotely surprised when Garen was the first to speak up and begin interrogating their aunt on the situation.

"You say this attack was caused by a madwoman. Who? How can the sheriff be sure that Noxus was not an influence?"

Tianna nodded, seemingly content to answer this question.

"The sheriff would not release her identity to me. When asked why, she said she had planned to make a public announcement in due time, but first wished to hide it from the public in hopes that pursuing the criminal would be easier. She fears the widespread announcement would cause the criminal to act more violently in retaliation."

Garen furrowed his brows in discontent, a scowl visible for everyone to see.

"As for how the sheriff knows for certain it was not related to Noxus…" Tianna inhaled deeply, meeting Garen's eyes.

"She was there when the madwoman did it."

This caught everyone's attention like a thundering sound in a quiet room.

"There when she did it? And the criminal got away!?" Garen pressed further, getting increasingly frustrated.

"She had allegedly been kidnapped by said criminal, along with a few others. One thing she had told me was that the criminal seems to hold a personal grudge against her as well as all of Piltover." Tianna confirmed plainly.

"Why does she hold a grudge?" Lux suddenly interrupted, surprising even herself. This seemed like crucial information.

Tianna narrowed her eyes at Lux as if she was reading her, before responding carefully.

"The sheriff wouldn't say much, but assured me it was due to the sheriff's personal relations and her being an enforcer at the time."

Personal relations, huh? Lux thought that was awfully specific, and that the choice of words was certainly more revealing than the sheriff had probably meant it to be.

"You said there was a person missing, correct? Who? Any ties to Noxus?" Garen once again pondered out loud, trying his best to close any questionable holes in his aunt Tianna's breakdown.

"His name is Viktor, and no. No ties at all. However…interestingly enough it seems he grew up in the undercity, now called Zaun."

"Do you think there's a connection? Garen questioned, speaking what everyone wanted to know.

"We can not rule it out, but it seems unlikely." Tianna responded, running a hand through her hair before proceeding.

"Though it is worthy to note he was not an actual council member, and was one of the minds behind Hextech. However with the rubble not being fully cleared and examined, it would be just as likely he's buried underneath it all as a corpse."

The room simultaneously nodded in acknowledgement.

"So.." Garen pressed, "Why is this Zaun at war with Piltover for independence? What are the reasons?"

Lux didn't mean to make a sound.

Really. She didn't.

But the snicker that escaped her throat was instantaneous and involuntary.

Shit.

Now everyone gazed at her expectantly, like waiting for the proverbial pin to drop.

"Do you wish to speak Luxanna? Please do grace us with your wisdom." Tianna sneered at Lux, putting her on the spot. Lux knew the wise course of action would be to remain silent, and keep to herself, but Lux felt her blood boiling at the tone of the remark.

"Surely. Considering this is vital, I see no harm in answering that question for you Auntie." Lux responded in kind, voice dripping with spite as she turned to Garen and calmed herself as best she could.

"The undercity has simply likely grown tired of the neglect and abuse." Lux put forward with clarity, shrugging her shoulders like it was obvious.

"Neglect and abuse? What do you mean?" Garen examined Lux with genuine caring and curiosity.

"Oh please, that is all blown out of proportion Luxanna." Tianna cut in before Lux could respond, giving her a sharp glare.

Lux figured she could probably quit while she's ahead, but she snapped without even thinking it over, shooting up from her seat and fists clenched.

"Blown out of proportion? They live with toxic water! The air was heavy and it stung to breathe a little! I was on the outskirts, imagine how bad it must be the further you go! Some civilians looked like they hadn't seen a meal in days! Not to mention the well known fact of chems being pumped into the area as a commodity!"

The room was overcome with an eerie silence, and Lux let out a shaky breath, quietly sitting back down, all while her aunt tapped her finger on the table.

"Are you finished child?" Tianna spat with an unmatched air of superiority.

"While what you say may be true, it is no secret that a large part of what makes Piltover thrive is the working class of Zaun. In order to rebuild Piltover as it once was, we must ensure that Zaun remains as it once was as well. The Undercity and nothing more. It is not our place as a different nation to intervene in one nation's treatment of their own people."

"We can't just turn a blind eye to them! They're people too, not just husks to make profit!" Lux cried out against her better judgement. In reality, she wasn’t sure why she was so worked up about this. Sure she knew she wanted to help people, and couldn't stand to see them suffer, but this was different. Perhaps even personal.

The idea of Demacia being the one to help solidify the suffering of these people rubbed her in all the wrong ways.

"Yes, yes. I know you wear your hopeful wide-eyed naive heart on your sleeve, but that's just the thing, Luxanna. It's naive. You understand most of those people you defend are hardened criminals, correct?"

Lux felt a muscle in her jaw twitch at the bold and cruel statement. The nerve of this woman.

Then something hit her like a ton of bricks.

Blue's face, smiling, and even sad. Curled up on the floor, crying silently.

Lux’s face softened, feeling her jaw go slack, and hanging her head. The image burned into her brain.

"Not all of them." Lux choked out, just barely above a whisper.
"There are kids there, and good people too. We can't endorse something like this."

Garen's eyes darted back and forth between his aunt and sister. After a moment he leaned back in his chair, squeezing his eyes shut with his face pointed upwards and letting loose an exasperated sigh.

"Auntie please forgive me, but I feel Lux is correct."

Lux's attention was suddenly fixated on her brother, studying him. She caught his eye for a moment, and he sent her a reassuring grin.

Straightening his posture, Garen once again voiced his point of view, expanding even further for the room.

"We are Crownguard's. If we cannot protect the weak, what good can we do? We can not sit idly by and send the people to their death knowingly. Demacian or not. It betrays everything we stand for."

Tianna Crownguard resumed tapping her finger silently on the desk, before focusing on Garen. With her eyes narrowed and a vertical wrinkle between her eyebrows, she sized him up.

"I respect your opinion Garen, so please allow me to ask, how would you pursue the topic?"

Garen's eyes locked brazenly onto hers, and without missing a beat he answered confidently.

"I would negotiate with Piltover, tell them that if they wished to have our help they must guarantee to aid those people. Not independence from Piltover, but to be treated as equals."

Lux really did cherish her brother, but even she had to roll her eyes at the proposition. And people thought she was naive? Please.

Garen had a good heart, but he could only see about as far as the end of his sword.

Lux was the one who was forced into overseeing the family state of affairs, which meant endless politics. Garen however, was raised on the battlefield. It was only when she revealed to all of Demacia she could use magic, that they finally began utilizing her in combat.

Still, Lux thought, it doesn't take a genius to realize that Garen's idea went out the window once the bomb hit the council. Equality was no longer an option.

"Close, Garen. You simply have not learned enough. You say to help the people of Zaun, but what if they do not wish to be helped by the people of Piltover? The revolutionaries would sooner be blown up than to accept that deal."

Garen's shoulders sunk, and a defeated frown replaced his eager grin from earlier.

"I'll answer for you, boy. You end the revolution. That is how. If you end the revolution, the people get weaker, and they'll be more willing to accept help."

Tianna stood firmly, laying both hands out flat on the desk and angling herself forward as if to emphasize every word about to leave her lips.

"Most importantly, you kill the heart of the revolution. The face of it. Do you understand? When the leader dies, the followers become unorganized, and fragmented."

Lux bit her lower lip aggressively. It was disgusting what she was implying, but on a political level it made sense. If you undermine the revolution by cutting off the source, it becomes more like a bunch of unruly bandits than an actual threat.

"So…" Garen started cautiously, lifting his hand up to his neck and rubbing it thoughtfully.

"You're saying that in order to help the people, we must first weaken them? Knock them down to build them up? And in order to do that, we must apprehend the one responsible for igniting it?"

Tianna Crownguard's lips etched into a satisfied grin, but somehow Lux still felt as if it was sinister underneath.

"Exactly. Any other questions?"

This time it was Lux who curiously chimed in, still missing a lot of information. Raising her hand as her manners dictated, she grabbed the room's attention once more.

"Why is Ambessa Medarda there? When did she arrive?"

"She arrived shortly before the explosion it seems. To visit her daughter Mel, but we have it on good authority that the visit was unexpected and there are concerning stories about the real reason she might be there."

Lux arched her eyebrow, cocking her head to the side.

"Might I ask what the story is?"

"We heard some...concerning rumors that she was there in an effort to sway her daughter to engage in war, as a ruse to obtain Hextech weapons. Though it has since come to light that her late daughter, councilor Medarda appeared to have gone against it." Tianna sighed, looking downtrodden much to Lux's shock. It actually caught her off guard to see her aunt like this.

"Councilor Medarda was a good woman until the end, of that I have no doubt. She always put her best foot forward. Made sure Demacia and Noxus were on even playing grounds when it came to Piltover, despite having been born in Noxus. Despite her mother. A real shame."

The room took a moment of silence, intended or not in order to grieve the loss of a good woman.

Lux did too, but her thoughts were racing, and when she felt the moment was long enough, she broke the silence. This was important.

"What do you mean she had gone against it?" Lux glanced at her aunt, the question dancing off the tip of her tongue.

"The council apparently had decided to initiate a peace treaty with the undercity, one they all agreed with. Had the council not been attacked in a declaration of war, none of this would be occurring now."

Lux’s eyes roamed upwards, putting the pieces together in her mind and realizing she was still missing a crucial one.

"How did this come to light when all the ones present were killed?"

Tianna shook her head as if she was disappointed about something.

"I said one had survived, but had been severely injured, while one person had been reported missing. The injured councilor, Jayce Talis, and the mind behind Hextech, lived with severe injuries. However he was interviewed when he regained consciousness."

Lux nodded, as did Garen. The pieces are coming together and making more sense now.

All of the information was overloading Lux. There were still so many little gaps missing.
So much is left unaccounted for.

But this all begged the most important question of them all.

Garen clearly understood what that question was as well, beating Lux to the punch.

"Well then...what do we do? How do we handle this?"

Life came to a standstill, everyone lost deep in thought, but to nobody's surprise Tianna Crownguard was the first to speak up.

"We need to be there. Observe, and keep an eye out. Most importantly, our mission is simple. We must not let Noxus obtain influence over Piltover, and we must not let Zaun win the war."

Garen scoffed at the simplicity of the wording, a sarcastic smile playing at his rough face.

"So how do you propose we do that? So what, we just march in there with a unit of soldiers?"

Tianna rolled her tired eyes at the ludicrous idea, standing tall and folding her arms behind her back.

"Of course not. That would provoke Ambessa to do the same. It would be seen as an act of aggression, even by the people of Piltover and Zaun. Out of the question."

Lux watched intently, even pondering herself about the options. There weren't many options at all, and the ones available all seemed to lead down a path of destruction.

"Alright, but what can we do then? How do we approach this?" Garen cut through, waving his hand with every word, obviously becoming a bit overwhelmed.

"We were invited to work with the sheriff in an effort to capture the woman responsible. That is the most clear and rational option to take. The sheriff is also the one who decided this course of action, because she is concerned about the growing influence of Ambessa as well. She fears the tensions and chaos are only being worsened by the war mongering mentality" Tianna let out something between a huff and a laugh, smirking to herself.

"She’s right of course. Noxians are not exactly concerned with peace."

Lux watched the others chuckle to themselves, though she didn't partake. It wasn't even a joke, just the usual insult of Noxus. Barbarians this, uncivilized that, blah, blah, blah.

She was over all of it. All of this.

"We will work with the sheriff. That much is clear. Sending troops is out of the question. Besides being seen as an act of aggression, it leaves us vulnerable. This has to be quiet, small." Tianna paced around the table, the sound of her footsteps ringing out between each word as she kept going on.

"This matter is of utmost importance and must be overseen by one of us, personally. To deal with the madwoman we need someone strong, capable of handling themselves."

Tianna hovered between Garen and Lux, both of whom glanced at each other knowing exactly where this was headed.

Lux inwardly dreaded it and nearly breathed out a sigh in annoyance. It meant she would have to compensate for the absence and do extra work.

She would send Gar-

"Luxanna, I'm sending you."

"What?!" Both siblings yelled out in unison, though the tones were drastically different. One was in disbelief, while the other was almost bitter.

"You heard me. Normally I would send Garen, but he has about as much subtlety as a brick through a window. This also requires a basic understanding of the political landscape which Garen already has shown he lacks experience with."

Garen remained silent for a moment as if he was going to argue, but instead he nodded in agreement with a playful smirk, and let out an airy laugh.

It was true. If Garen so much as saw Ambessa, he'd be likely to fist fight her, which would blow the mission incredibly fast.

The extremely entertaining picture was nothing though compared to the way Lux felt her heart starting to speed up.

She was going back to Piltover.

Being allowed to leave Demacia.

Being given another chance.

She could prove herself.

Lux nearly toppled over when the image of Blue hit her again like a horse stampeding towards her at full speed.

Maybe, just maybe…

She could find her friend again.

"Luxanna I need you to hear me now, and listen closely."

Still feeling her heart in overdrive at the news, and now nauseous from the overwhelming amount of excitement coursing through her, Lux did her best to try and look serious as she met her gaze.

The distraction was so much for Lux, she hardly noticed when her aunt had a grip on both of her shoulders until she felt the painful pressure from the squeeze.

"You're the only option. The only one who can do this. You must succeed. Demacia needs you to succeed."

Lux was frozen in place, eyes now as wide as the moon, and feeling the crushing weight that had just been thrown on her chest.

Eyes stuck wide and pupils blown open big her vision was glued upwards at her aunt.

The intensity of what she saw in those eyes was something Lux has never registered on her aunt before.

Fear.

Pleading.

The taller Crownguard leaned down to Lux's eye level, releasing her grips on Lux’s shaken shoulders and bringing them up to her cheeks.

"Us. Your family needs you to succeed. I need you to succeed. I know you can do this Luxanna. You are a Crownguard afterall."

Lux stood motionless and near sweating. All speech wiped from her brain, and she had no idea when her hands started to shake.

She felt like puking.

"Now go rest. You leave tomorrow morning. Pack a bag, we'll arrange a meeting with sheriff Kiramman upon your arrival."

Tianna, who somehow looked as if she had managed to age 5 years just during this meeting from all the stress, took a final look around.

"This concludes our meeting, now if you'll excuse me, I am going to solidify the plans for Luxanna's arrival."

If Lux had the ability to walk, she didn't know it at the moment. So much was floating through her mind that she hadn't noticed when Garen stood right in front of her, until he started waving his hand in front of her eyes to bring her back to reality.

"Are you alright? Auntie can be a bit overwhelming, can't she?" Garen tried to console Lux, the gentle expression he wore spoke a million words that his mouth didn't.

"I will be." Lux declared almost sounding like a self reminder more than a response.

"I know you will be. If you need help packing, you know where to find me." Her bulky brother reassured her, expressing his tenderness before turning tail to leave the room.

Lux remained there for the better part of a half hour, pacing to her own thoughts, and trying everything in her power to calm her mind and heart.

The excitement of being able to leave again, especially on her own was unreal.

This all felt like a dream.

A dream restricted by the shackles of responsibility. Arguably the biggest responsibility of her life to make matters worse.

It felt like she was being crushed.

All she wanted for years was the opportunity to leave again, especially on her own.

Now she had the chance.

She should enjoy the freedom and experience.

But it was all fake. A lie. A job.

The freedom being offered to her was molded into the shape of a cage, hanging on the Crownguard family tree of responsibility.

Lux turned on her heel and fighting back the tears brimming at her eyes, she made her way to the door.

With her fingers brushing the handle, there was only one thought keeping her together.

The one good thing coming out of this.

She would make sure to reunite with Blue.

Gunshots echoed through an empty street of Zaun, the few uniformed enforcers dropping like flies.

With the twirl of a smoking barrel, and the splashing sound of light footsteps prancing through a pool of shallow blood, a blue haired female fled the scene.

Turning a corner, fluorescent pink eyes glowed through the dark alleyways of Zaun, and the sound of a voice reverberated through the thick air.

"I'll show them all."

Chapter Text

"Until you find something to fight for, you settle for something to fight against"

It was early in the day when Lux arrived in Piltover, the sun spilling out from behind the white gold towers in ribbons of bright light.

The hum of the city rang through Lux’s ears. From the buzzing of the citizens chattering amongst each other to the distant mechanical thundering of airships in the distance.

Pressing onward and glancing around her surroundings, Lux couldn’t help but be starstruck.

Piltover looked almost the exact same as Lux remembered just...somehow bigger. More built up.

The corners of Lux's mouth tugged upwards into a creeping smile, her face lighting up bit by bit with her awestruck eyes gleaming with a childlike, and uncontrollable excitement.

The blonde wanted to take her time, explore the city, and really get to explore what she had missed out on when she was younger. Just roaming the streets with no destination or reason, that would be marvelous.

But…

Lux's eyes found a nearby tall clocktower, and she squinted through the glare of the sun in order to make out the numbers.

10 in the morning.

Lux sighed to herself, recalling her responsibilities. Time had a pension for mocking her, and it lessened her spirits.

In thirty minutes she was due to meet with the newly appointed sheriff and discuss a plan of action.

Which meant there was no time to enjoy the moment.

No time to enjoy this.

The smile of wonderment that once graced her face became an amalgamation of dejection and vexation.

Lux clenched her jaw as she tried her best to bury those feelings, and left them behind her as she kept pressing forward. She had a job she was supposed to do, and though the thought of casting it all to the side was tempting, it just wasn't an option. Lux buried the burning in her blood, and pushed her own desires to the side.

It was all she could do.

Her aunt Tianna had scheduled for Lux to meet the sheriff outside of the old council building, now in ruins. Lux remembered the building from the last time she had been in Piltover, and she knew how to get there. Her time in Piltover had been engraved into her memory, as it had impacted her life greatly.

And in many more ways than one.

Her experience and little impromptu adventure had caused quite a bit of turmoil in her family. It was held over Lux’s head for her entire life, and always used as an example for why she was unreliable and flighty. A personal reminder that her personality and family name were at odds. Add her magic into the mix, and it almost seemed like Lux was just born to let them all down.

Lacking any enthusiasm and practically dragging her feet in disappointment, Lux navigated her way to the meeting spot.

Walking through the same streets she did once as a child proved to be more difficult than she had thought it would be. The streets looked both familiar and vastly different than she'd remembered because of the additions throughout the years.

Lux paused for a moment to try and scope out the area and piece together her location in her head. Not every street connects and a few wrong turns would likely wrap her back around into a circle.

While Lux was playing mental gymnastics all to figure out where the hell she was, the muffled sounds of two bystanders conversing pricked at her ears, and stood out from all the other background noises.

"These zaunite scum are going to get what's coming to them."

Lux could have swore she felt her ear twitch at the passing mention. Her lips pressed into a hard line as she discreetly tried to eavesdrop on the interaction, and the blonde pretended to be lost to justify her stillness. Using her guise as a lost tourist, she inched closer feigning ignorance as she sporadically looked around, but focused her hearing.

"Three attacks in a week, all costing several lives! I say we give them a taste of their own medicine."

Forcing a deadpan expression through seething anger, Lux did everything she could to restrain herself from getting involved in the topic. It wouldn't be pretty if she said something. It would just be another issue and she had quite literally just arrived.

Breathing deliberately slowly in order to maintain her facade, Lux turned on her heels and began walking straight down the road.

Right way, or wrong way. It didn't matter.

Lux knew if she didn't remove herself from the situation, she would come to regret it later.

Hanging her head low, she roamed down the path as the sun still beamed downward onto her.

Lux couldn't help but feel like the streets of Piltover had gotten darker somehow. Even through all the casting lights and rays of sunshine.

Finally back on track, Lux began to effortlessly follow the path she had once taken years ago. It was abundantly clear she'd arrived when some distance ahead of her, she could make out a pile of rubble.

The old councilors building.

Collapsed, broken, and in ruins.

What was once the tallest building in Piltover. What was once standing high above the others in shining glory was now reduced to nothing but loose rubble and shattered glass.

As she approached and focused on the rubble, Lux nearly missed the uniformed woman standing tall just a few feet away from her. The remains of the tower held her attention, and the symbolism of Piltover's highest building crashing to the ground wasn't lost on her. If the woman hadn't spoken up and gotten closer, Lux probably wouldn't have even acknowledged her existence.

"Hello there, I take it you're Luxanna Crownguard?"

Lux instantly twitched. There it was again. Her full name. She still loathed it. No matter how it was said or who, it always felt like a reprimand. Rotating around to face the woman, lux could only manage a weak smile.

"Lux. Just Lux, please."

As if there was some kind of silent understanding, after a brief pause the tall woman nodded and extended her hand, giving a genuinely compassionate grin.

"I'm sheriff Kiramman, but you're welcome to call me Caitlyn. It's nice to meet you Lux, I hope the trip wasn't too gruesome."

Lux met the sheriff's hand halfway and graciously accepted the formal greeting. It was only when the woman announced she was the sheriff that Lux did a double take, looking her up and down.

She expected some older woman with more wear and tear, not someone right around her age. This woman had a fresh face, tall stature, blue eyes, and long blue hair which sent a feeling of welcome familiarity through her.

It relieved Lux though, to be working with someone around her age and not some stuffy old lady.

"Pleasure to meet you," Lux released Caitlyn's hand, feeling a lot more comfortable all of a sudden and flashing a pleasant smile.

Without skipping a beat, Caitlyn turned towards the pile of rubble, and sighed exasperated.

The silence was brief, but felt like a lifetime.

"I used to spend so much time here," Caitlyn started, and Lux listened intently.

"I would spend hours a day here, though never by choice. My father would send me here with food, letters, and more."

Lux observed the way Caitlyn's expression softened, and how her eyes filled with a grief that looked much like a tidal wave, crashing over her.

"When I was very young, I would spend the whole day here when my father was busy. I would watch my mother work tirelessly, and she still managed to take care of me during it."

Lux's eyes snapped wide open as a look of fearful recognition dawned across her pale skin.

"I..I'm sorry. So your mother, did she -"

"Yes." Caitlyn answered as if she was on autopilot, but her face betrayed her. The word left her lips with a cold casual tone, but the her face expressed a fury of emotions threatening to burst.

"I still find myself expecting her voice when I return home, and I still search for her face when I wake up everyday." Caitlyn's voice shook, and the sudden catch in her throat made Lux feel nothing short of heartbroken for her.

"You need to grieve. It has only been just under a week, have you not taken any time for yourself? To allow yourself to grieve in peace?" Lux asked, now genuinely worried for the despairing sheriff.

Caitlyn breathed out a weak chuckle, shaking her head lightly, but also letting a warm half smile find its way to her face.

"Funnily enough, I would say that investigating is my coping mechanism. Plus my mother was a strong woman who always put her responsibilities first. It wasn't like her, nor is it like me to sit idly by and wallow." As if Caitlyn was reminiscing about a specific memory, she giggled at the last part before straightening herself up.

Lux stared on in wonder at the sheriff, genuinely respecting her stance, and finding her response to be commendable.

"Well back to business, shall we?" Caitlyn sent Lux a crooked grin, and folded her arms over her chest. Lux hummed in agreement, respecting the topic change and readying herself for the plan of action, though she assumed she knew what the end goal was.

"I'm assuming you want me to eliminate the one who caused this? Makes sense. If you take out the face of the revolution, the rest would lose heart" Lux chipped in, figuring it was obvious.

Caitlyn jerked her head towards lux and raised her arms, waving her arms with palms facing out frantically.

"Well, actually, you see, it's a bit more compli-" Caitlyn's speedy stuttering was violently interrupted by the sound of loud crushing and yelling from a distance.

"Cupcake! I still can't find anything!"

With both Caitlyn and Lux's eyes trained on the sound, Lux caught the sight of flaming pink hair, and even more impressively, the massive gauntlets being worn by them.

Lux seemed to have caught her attention, because once they made eye contact, the bright haired gauntlet wielder started to make her way over to them. Lux couldn’t help but notice how the girl's eyes never seemed to leave her. Not in a good way either.

It was pretty obvious she was being sized up. Whoever this woman was, subtlety was not her strong suit. Before Caitlyn could utter a word, the rather outspoken woman clearly beat her to the punch.

"This is her?" The brash woman questioned, not sparing another look at Lux. It was getting increasingly obvious that this woman seemed to have a premeditated bone to pick with Lux, and honestly?

It was rather amusing.

Caitlyn nodded her confirmation before formally introducing Lux, as if she knew taking the lead was the wise choice.

"Vi, this is Lux. She’s the one who will be helping us." Lux was doing her best to refrain from smirking, the clear warning in Caitlyn's tone was the same sound her aunt used to pre-scold her all the time.

Lux kept her eyebrow raised, and brought her hands to her hips.

Vi slowly rotated to face Lux, judgement written all over her face as she scrutinized Lux silently. Without even a 'hello' Vi promptly turned back towards Caitlyn, who at this point looked like she was going to slap the rosy haired woman.

"You sure about this cupcake?" Vi turned back towards Caitlyn and spoke bluntly like Lux didn't even exist. It shouldn’t be this hilarious to Lux, but it honestly was, especially the animated way Caitlyn's face was fuming. The toothy grin Vi was shooting Caitlyn told Lux that Vi knew exactly what she was doing.

It was actually pretty cute to watch.

"Violet, please." A red-faced Caitlyn tried to sound harsh, but it came off far more pleading, causing both Vi and Lux to laugh audibly.

"Alright, alright, sheriff cupcake" Vi surrendered, and turned back towards Lux, but far more engaged this time.

"I'm Vi, I'd shake your hand, but uh.." Vi lifted her hands up to showcase her gauntlets, moving the mechanical fingers.
"I'd probably crush your hand so." Vi finished, and Caitlyn visibly relaxed.

"As you heard, I'm Lux. And I'll keep my hands, thank you." Lux instead gave a tiny wave, and grinned.

Lux once again examined the gauntlets and was dying to know exactly what they were. They were obviously a marvel of engineering.

"Hey so, if you don't mind me asking, what are those?" Lux leaned forward to get a closer look, and pointed to the gauntlets to clarify what she was referencing.

"Oh these?" Vi smugly clarified, taking a moment to flaunt them and move around in them, all while Caitlyn rolled her eyes and brought a hand up to her face, resting it in her palm.

"Atlas gauntlets, these things can level a building and punch like a cannon."

"Also fantastic at clearing debris and rubble" Caitlyn added, motioning her hand to the collapsed building.

Actually yeah now that Lux thought about it, she had no idea why the rubble was even still here. It had been nearly a week, it stands to reason that it should have already been cleaned up for safety reasons.

"Now that you mentioned it," Lux outwardly wondered, "Why is this mess still here? Surely you're not cleaning it alone, right?"

Vi exuberantly burst into a fit of laughter.

"Cupcake? Cleaning? She hasn't lifted a finger to help!" Caitlyn in response shoved her hips into Vi's side, nearly knocking her off balance, and Lux could only giggle at the display.

"The actual answer is, this is still a crime scene. I could have dozens of men come and clean up this mess right away, but then we compromise the entire area."

Lux raised her eyebrow, she knew this was a crime scene, but what she was lost on is why investigate? The criminal was known so she was curious about the motive of what could be so vital to prolong a health hazard.

"What are you investigating? Last I heard you knew most of the information anyways?" Lux brought a hand up to her face, cupping her own chin in thought.

"Someone is missing, his name is Viktor. His body hasn't surfaced yet so we are attempting to solve that on our own. I thought you were briefed on this?" Caitlyn questioned, Vi nodding to her every word as she unfastened the gaunlets to remove them.

Lux recalled being told that from her aunt, but honestly it was the last thing on her mind compared to the plethora of other details.

"Oh no I was, but I had figured the chances were he would turn up deceased if I'm being honest."

"That is exactly what we're trying to find out as well." Caitlyn shuffled around Vi, pacing back and forth clearly lost in thought.

"So…" Vi broke Caitlyn's train of thought, "Are we going to talk to her now?" This brought Caitlyn back into reality, and she turned around to face Lux with a deadly serious face.

Lux was the first to speak up, and the immediate regret was so intense it was damn near poetic.

"Yes of course, as I was saying earlier, I'm assuming you want me to eliminate the criminal?"

Silence.

Lux's eyes darted between both women standing before her and when she saw Caitlyn's face, it only confused Lux more.

The sheriff stood before her petrified.

Lux was going to ask what the deal was, and why Caitlyn was looking at her like Lux had personally wronged her.

Was. Was going to ask.

But when a flash of pink flew across her vision and she was abruptly and violenty grabbed by her shoulders, her answer became pretty clear. The sudden impact was so harsh, Lux felt like a boulder had just struck her, even without the gauntlets.

"If you fucking kill her, I'll kill you myself."

The shock Lux was in wore off as it finally registered to her what exactly was happening, seeing how fast it all occurred. The way that warning was thrown at her wss no joke. Lux had never heard such clear intent to kill before. Not even from her aunt.

Lux brazenly peered up into the eyes of the woman threatening her life and she was met with nothing but malice.

Lux wasn't scared, but the amount of questions she had was now overflowing.

Why was Vi being so aggressively protective over this criminal? Who was she? What was the plan?

Lux was many things, but never a coward. Especially not in a fight.

"It was a question, not a suggestion. Let go of me. Now." Lux commanded with her own venom, and her blood boiling at the sudden act of aggression.

She was too often the punching bag for life and the likes of her family.

But Lux absolutely refused to be a punching bag for this woman. No. She got enough of that already.

Making a statement, Lux effortlessly channeled her own magic, but only just a mere amount. Just enough to send a message. Where Lux lacked in physical prowess, she more than made up for with her innate talent for magic.

Vi was still seething angry and ready to brawl when Lux faintly began to glow, and her normally vividly blue eyes illuminated with bright white.

Lux was expecting Vi to immediately back off, but she didn't. They were reduced down to having an intense glare off, until Caitlyn pulled Vi off of Lux.

In turn Lux returned the favor, allowing her glow to fade, and observing Vi carefully for any signs of another immediate assault.

"Vi, relax!" Caitlyn let out loudly and firmly, "I haven't told her a thing yet!" Caitlyn had Vi by the arm, forcing her hardened glare away from Lux to meet her own eyes.

Only when Vi met Caitlyn's pleading eyes did Lux notice how the tension in Vi's body seemed to slip away, her every limb slackening, and no longer in attack mode.

Caitlyn exhaled and sighed in relief, before turning her attention to Lux.

"I'm sorry. I was trying to tell you before. It's...complicated."

Vi scoffed at the statement, looking down at the ground with lament. Lux didn't dare to speak, feeling like she deserved an explanation, she waited patiently for one.

"Complicated, huh? That's putting it lightly cupcake." Vi muttered lowly barely audible, and Lux could only place the emotion behind it as defeat. Caitlyn still had her hand firmly placed on Vi's arm, now rubbing it gently, and Lux was finally starting to get the hint.

"Look," Caitlyn took a breath and vocalized, meeting Lux’s eyes.
"We can't kill her. We need to be able to capture her alive."

Lux was anxiously hanging on her every word, waiting for her to elaborate and when the explanation didn't come, Lux pressed the topic warily.

"But...why?" Lux pressed, still bewildered. Lux could sense hesitation in Caitlyn, the way she clammed up and averted her eyes to her side.

"Because," Vi barely choked out, finally making eye contact with Lux again after the near fight. Seeing Vi also hesitate, Lux who was starting to get a bit frustrated, motioned with her hand to continue.

"Because...she's my sister."

Oh.

The dots are finally connecting and suddenly, things are making a lot more sense with that bit of info.

Realizing she was just zoning out and staring between the two dumbfounded, Lux rapidly blinked her eyes as if doing so would somehow help her adjust to the realization. Not only did this answer a lot of questions, but it opened the door to a handful of new ones.

Including a very important one.

"Why did she blow up the council?"

This seemed to ignite a fire in Vi, who passionately broke away from Caitlyn's comforting hand, and walked back and forth vigorously.

"Because she was manipulated and taken advantage of when she was at her weakest!" The rosy haired girl swung her hands around with every word, clearly in a state of distress and frustration.

"I know my sister is still in there, and I know I can help her! But every fucking time I try, shit goes wrong! Now even seeing me, it's like she causes more destruction just to get me to back off, and I can't fucking sacrifice lives just to try and get to her. I can't bring innocent people into this."

Lux absorbed the information, but made a mental note of the last sentence and tried her best not to point out the laughable hypocrisy.

"I can't bring innocent people into this"

Lux inwardly giggled, because technically to Vi, Lux should count amongst the innocent people category, considering she doesn't know anything about her.

Jokes aside though, Lux caught Caitlyn's eyes and the deep rooted sadness she saw radiated in the now stormy eyes was depressing.

Wait…

The gears were turning in Lux’s head when the implication of this reveal finally clicked with her.

Vi's sister killed Caitlyn's mom.

Damn.

Caitlyn found her way to Vi's side once more, and wrapped her arms around the other female's muscular frame, and now Lux was really beginning to feel like a third wheel.

Lux had no possible idea what to say to any of this. What could she say? Sorry? That would be insulting to someone like Vi.

Caitlyn continued from where Vi left off, and Lux figured it was to help Vi regain her composure.

"We would like you to be the one to pursue her, because it's the safest way to minimize civilian casualties. She has been getting more aggressive as well, and the longer this goes on, the worse it gets."

Lux took a deep breath, and closed her eyes while she rubbed at her temples. Great, now she has a headache. It was kind of expected though, this was a complete overload of info and suddenly this whole mission leaped up in difficulty. Lux still had questions, though she had decided to save the tougher ones for later, not wanting to aggravate her headache anymore.

"Okay, what's her name?"

Silence.

Again.

How could a simple question like this even be difficult? This was the second time in her life this very question caused such a response, but this one was far less enjoyable.

"Powder. Her name is Powder." Vi cut through the silence, a blazing look of determination was cast through her blue eyes.

Caitlyn however, looked at Vi with a muted understanding, but eyes caked with sympathy.

Lux had so many questions, but figured for the sake of her headache and the emotional state of the two in front of her, that it could wait till another day.

Lux nodded firmly, the dull ache in her head only worsening from the motion.

"So...what's the plan?"

With a jaw dropping immediate shift in mood, suddenly the two women seemed to lighten up, optimism replacing the beaten faces.

"It's simple. When she attacks again, you'll be there to chase and catch her. Easy." Vi stated like it was a no shit moment, but Lux was completely lost.

"Am I supposed to just guess when and where she'll attack?" Lux raised her eyebrow, sparing no skepticism since the idea alone was ridiculous.

Vi rolled her eyes with a chuckle, and Caitlyn took over.

"Not at all. She's been following a rather noticeable pattern, and we're simply going to exploit that." Caitlyn announced, assuring Lux with certainty.

"What pattern?" Lux inquired, figuring it was a pretty reasonable and obvious question.

Vi and Caitlyn looked over at one another, before speaking in unison.

"Us."

Lux cocked her head to the side, and raised her eyebrow, pressing for further explanation.

"Every attack has been within a block radius from us, it's the only common thread. It's like a statement of spite clearly, as if she's daring us to go after her." Caitlyn clarified, and Lux felt the dull throb in her head only worsen again.

"So" Vi started, "We made it a point to let everyone know where we would be tonight."

Now it was making sense and seeming a lot more doable than before, Lux thought as she listened.

"We selected an area with minimal civilian traffic, and we're going to set it up in a way to bait her in. The typical approach we have noticed is she often takes the high ground, roofs and such. So we position you on a roof with a vantage point, and you take it from there."

Lux followed the plan to the letter, but the one hole that was glaringly obvious had to be answered.

"What if she knows it's a trap?"

Vi snickered to herself, and Caitlyn answered with a resounding lack of doubt.

"She won't care. She'll be there."

Chapter Text

“The Edge... There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.”

The sun was setting, and the plan was finally in motion.

Lux recalled the plan Vi and Caitlyn informed her of in detail, and explained what they hoped to achieve. Now here she stood, crouched behind the angle of a roof, and wondering why the hell she agreed to this anyways.

"Why would she still come if she's aware it's likely a trap?" Lux inquired, confusion written all over her delicate features. Vi had to stifle a smirk, and shot a knowing glance towards Caitlyn, as if they both had an inside joke only they were aware of.

"If anything, it just might entice her more." Caitlyn said casually, her tall legs now carrying her back and forth.

Before Lux could even press further about just why that is, she was beaten to the punch again by Caitlyn.

"The person we are talking about acts on impulse, like an unrestrained animal -"

"Cupcake." Vi interrupted, and Lux could feel the subtle, but stern defense in her tone. Glancing over at Vi only served to prove her theory right, Vi had a face twisted in both fatigue and conflict.

Caitlyn raised a finger to Vi, quietly willing her to pause before letting herself continue.

"But," Caitlyn emphasized, pointedly looking Vi in her eyes, and bringing her index finger back down towards her chin.

"Despite clearly acting off of impulse, she has clearly shown her ability to reason and think."

Lux nodded silently just to show she was listening intently, but had to restrain herself from interrupting Caitlyn's ongoing explanation.

Impulse and thought? That alone was a huge contradiction.

Her face must have given herself away.
Must have shown the confusion, because Caitlyn wasted no time elaborating on the meaning behind her words.

"The woman attacks with little to no thought of repercussions, even if something is obviously a trap. Even met with the real risk of her being locked away, she'll continue pressing forward anyways."

Caitlyn took a breath, and ran a hand through her long deep blue locks before continuing.

"However, it's almost as if her impulses are...carefully executed. There is always an escape route, always a contingency plan to remain unharmed. For one, she's clearly learned how to evade pursuit."

Lux raised an eyebrow at the lengthy exposition, but still nonetheless opted to remain quiet for the duration.

Vi took the wheel this time, raising her toned arm up in front of Caitlyn to take the reins.

"Basically, if we follow her, she blows more shit up."

Caitlyn seemed like she wanted to huff at Vi for the interjection, but ultimately she simply shrugged and nodded in agreement.

Lux was still pretty much lost, but honestly, rather thankful for Vi's ability to just get to the damn point. Still though, calling the attack's impulse just seemed...wrong. It didn't sit right with her to chalk it up to a simple impulse.

"None of this seems like an impulse. You also said she was following a noticeable pattern, and targeting you both." Lux said monotonously, her blue eyes blinking evenly.

Vi scrutinized Lux for a mere second, while Caitlyn simply nodded in agreement. Lux watched closely as Caitlyn seemed to be gathering up the words to say.

"Normally, I would agree with you fully, but when her attack could be decided in only a few minutes, I don't know what else to call that."

Caitlyn laid one palm on the space of her forehead and the other fell to her hip in a tired fashion.

"She also doesn't attack every single day." Vi clarified, inching closer to Caitlyn and resting her hand on the sheriff's arm.

"Then how can you be so sure she'll attack today?" Lux found herself voicing without much thought, but regardless it was a valid question.

"There's always a chance she might not," Caitlyn admitted, "But if not we just repeat the plan until she does."

Lux exhaled, and could already feel the toll this whole debacle was going to take on her. It was like she could already feel her stress doubling up, pressing against her mind, and eating at her bones.

"How do you know that she won't just blow up everything when I chase her?" Lux apoke, barely audible, but the most she could muster out with a throat that felt like it was closing in on her.

"Oh, we don't." Lux heard Vi clarify, far too perky for Lux’s taste considering what it implied.

"You're our wild card princess, our advantage. No way she's gonna expect you."

Lux’s nose wrinkled at the nickname, though it was clearly meant to be playful, it still felt pretty damn demeaning. Shaking the thoughts from her nearly pounding head, Lux snapped herself back to the moment to assure she caught whatever Vi was saying.

"The best scenario is that while she's focused on us, you can slip in and try to restrain her, then bang we come to capture her. Alive. That's what we're aiming for."

Lux held a blank stare, her body still rigid and unmoving. Blinking slowly, only one question had come to her mind.

"And the worst case?"

Lux couldn’t help but notice how Vi's face twitched briefly, but she had limited time to try and decipher any meaning behind it.

"Worst case scenario is you're caught, it comes to blows, and explosions. If you get caught and a fight breaks out, then we move in to recover you and flee. The last thing we want is to stick around in that case, she'd be sure to start lashing out."

Lux fidgeted with the end of her sleeve, the fabric feeling much tighter than it had moments ago. The corner of her lips traced a path downwards to the ground beneath them, her blue eyes following.

This was all a gamble. A high risk game, and right now Lux was feeling more like a sacrificial pawn than a player.

The only difference is there were real lives on the line.

If she messed this up, people could die.

The weight of that responsibility was much like dragging an anchor neatly fastened to the sinking feeling buried in her chest.

The familiarity of suffocation was becoming far too commonplace.

Muffled sounds hit Lux’s ears, and it wasn’t until there was a hand waving in her face that she realized she had been entirely out of it with no sense of anything external to her own self.

"Are you okay?"

Taking a tiny step back to gain some distance from the person and hand she hadn't noticed, Lux could only nod in response, her thoughts still far from being at peace.

"So...just to clarify, you'll extract me if a battle breaks out?"

Caitlyn nodded her assurance whilst Vi shot a thumbs up, and sported a wide toothy grin.

Lux peered her eyes over the ridge of the roof she was planted on, the sky was darkening, and each passing moment just tensed her nerves more.

There was no way to say which direction Vi's sister...the criminal, would be coming from.

Behind?

Lux shifted her upper body, turning her head to see behind her, hands still planted on the roof. Nothing.

Would she even take a rooftop position? Who's to say she wouldn't just simply try to walk up on the duo planted underneath on the street?

Lux tightened her grasp on the cold metal underneath her fingers, inching herself up to see the ground slightly.

She could see both Vi and Caitlyn, but hardly. The neighborhood Caitlyn picked was a fine choice. The lack of foot traffic proved to be very accurate and helpful. It made it far easier for Lux to keep track of the pair, and would make anyone acting or moving suspiciously stand out like a sore thumb.

Lux blinked repeatedly, her eyes bleary from the long-winded surveillance. She had reasoned in her mind that It had been well over an hour at minimum.

A strained long breath escaped Lux, the time passing only serving to work against her, rather than for her.

The prolonged time to think meant overthinking.

All the ways this could go wrong.

All the ways she could fail.

The ways she could get hurt.

Get others hurt.

Let herself down.

Let her family down.

Let Vi and Caitlyn down.

Lux's thoughts were becoming a dangerous landmine, difficult to navigate around, and easy to explode. Her breathing went from labored to downright hyperventilation, the only thing grounding her was the breeze of the wind caressing her skin, but even that proved to be too little.

Forcing herself to pause, Lux closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, slow and steady. A technique Garen had taught her when she first entered battle and nearly collapsed under the stress.

Lux inhaled deeply.

Timing.

Slow breaths.

In and out.

Lux exhaled slowly, feeling her lungs empty, and repeating the process to regulate her breathing.

Focus on the present moment, take in the surroundings.

Lux brought a hand up to her heart, feeling the steadying of her heartbeat beneath her fingertips, and scanning around her surroundings.

The beautiful night sky, and the illuminating light the radiant stars gave off.

Shifting her gaze around, she kept her focus on finding all manner of sights to help keep her mind at bay.

The warm and welcoming lights pouring out from each building she could see in the distance.

The mind blowing architecture of Piltover, how magnificent and truly unique each building truly was. Even as a child, this aspect of Piltover had held her fascination.

Letting her eyes wander from building to building, Lux took a moment to really take in the beauty of the design.

The different scales of the buildings, how each truly felt like someone had made them their own, some topped with statues, and others not.

The varying colors of the buildings, some with white trim, some gold.

Some buildings looked elegant while others would look more cozy, adorned with plants and personal touches.

Lux smiled softly at the sights, and noted how her body began to start reacting in her favor.

Breathing was becoming easier, and the worrisome thoughts staining her existence were slowly fading into the background.

Not wanting to spiral back down, Lux continued letting herself be in the moment.

Feeling the cool beneath her fingers once more, Lux took in the detail of the roof her hand was resting on.

A beautiful navy blue color with expert craftsmanship.

Each also held its own identity with different shapes and even materials. It was nothing like Demacia, that was for sure.

It was no surprise even the colors of the rooftops were also varied, some were red, blue, black, white, had statues, patterns, had a person standing on them, functionality, and one even had a greenhouse so delicately pla-

Wait.

Lux's darting eyes had suddenly froze, eyes shooting wide open, and in an instant all her efforts to calm herself were in vain.

If her breathing was unstable before, she was just seconds away from a full blown heart attack.

In the distance on the roof across from where she was sitting in wait, there was a silhouette that she could just make out standing boldly visible.

Despite the erratic pounding of her heart, and trembling fingers, Lux tried her best to steady herself to make out any details of the creeping presence in the distance.

Being able to decipher any real details proved impossible from a distance, especially with the darkness of night working against her, shrouding any relevant physical identifiers. There wasn’t much to really take in at all, but Lux judged it was a female due to the small body frame and even smaller stature.

It had to be her.

Vi's sister.

The one she called Powder.

The criminal she had to restrain.

Lux observed the small woman from behind the safety of the ridge of the roof.

Lux felt how her body was rigid and stiff, she was absolutely terrified of giving away any indicator of her nearby presence.

How could she approach this?

Should she move now?

How could Lux reach 'Powder' on the roof across from her when it was on the other side of the road? Especially without blatantly revealing herself?

Does she blatantly reveal herself in an attempt to rush?

Try to make her way over there quietly? That could risk this criminal making the first move, causing an explosion and further damage. This area may have reduced foot traffic, but it was not abandoned.

There were still people here. Even lived here.

Lux's brow furrowed as her teeth clamped down on her lower lip, and fingers clenched so hard that her knuckles were turning white. Eyes trained like a predator on her prey, but lacking all the confidence of a predatory creature, she weighed her options out in her mind.

Surveying the area, Lux took in the terrain and desperately formulated a plan. There was a roof with an overhang to her left that she could flash across noiselessly, but she would certainly be able to be seen.

She could cast her light binding towards the woman pre-flash as that would probably be close enough to guarantee it takes effect.

Perhaps even lucent singularity afterwards as her binding could be on the cusp of wearing off, and slowing down the target would make them rather easy to simply bind again. Damage minimization was a key goal here, sure Lux could simply let loose with a full spark right now, but that would cause devastating damage.

To both the person and the buildings.

A failure.

Lux was so heavily caught up in her mind trying to plan the best possible course of action and path to take, that she almost missed the large object now resting on the criminal's shoulders.

Almost.

In a flash Lux began moving with unmatched haste, like a bullet leaving a smoking barrel and hurling to its target. The staff mounted on Lux's back had never found her hand so quickly before.

Stealth was probably out the window at this point, but as long as she could outspeed her adversary it wouldn't be an issue. Sliding down the roof tiles, and surely shattering some along the way.

It was now or never.

And if her heart was quaking and her body quivering, she didn't let it show.

Finally within reach at the end of the roof, and with a flick of her wrist, Lux locked her eyes onto the target and unleashed her sphere of light to hold the offender in place.

Through the rays of light radiating off the sphere of magic, Lux could have sworn she saw a faint glow of pink through the multicolored beams.

No time to think, just movement. With a flash that was sure to grab attention, Lux teleported across the gap to close the distance.

Her feet barely brushed the surface of the rooftop before she immediately let loose lucent singularity to slow her target down...but it missed?

How was that possible?

All Lux could see was a magenta blur whizzing away, and carried by the wind before slowing to a normal pace.

The thud of hurried footsteps echoing into the night, and Lux had no other choice than to give chase. Rushing after the drumbeat sound of footsteps, Lux trailed it like the predator she had hoped to become.

The cool air chilled her goosebump riddled skin as the breeze smacked against her body in motion, although her eyes never left the target before her.

Now that she was closer some details of the woman became more visible, but not much considering there was a massive shark shaped weapon strapped to her back.

She was definitely on the smaller end of the size spectrum, the big weapon on her back seemed to almost overtake her small frame.

It was impressive she managed to move so effortlessly having to lug that around with her.

Something like that would even tire Lux out.

Most of all though, it showed how deceiving this girl's looks were. To be able to move so nimbly, and not exhaust under the weight of her own gear was something commendable.

This lithe woman surely had overwhelming stamina.

Lux kept her pace up trying to do her best to keep up with the agile short woman, jumping over minor obstacles in the way.

"Stop!" Lux screamed out to the criminal, but the sound came out less like a warning and more like a desperate plea.

The only response she was graced with was silence and a sudden burst of speed.

So Lux mimicked the movement, doubling down on her speed.

Lux's eyes were trained to the back of her prey, but when caught a glimpse of what was ahead, she had to do a double take.

Another gap.

Lux prepared herself for confrontation as she was sure this 'Powder' would have to stop short to not unceremoniously fall to her own death.

So when she didn't do that and kept her speed up, Lux had a chilling notion of what this woman was about to do pass through her mangled brain.

Was she that desperate?

Was she really going to…?

"Hey stop! Don’t do it!" Lux yelled out no doubt, thinking the worst, and extended her hand as if it could reach.

Lux was assuming the worst, but what she witnessed was a blunt reminder to never assume anything, if only to not make a fool of yourself. The woman she thought was about to intentionally jump off the building due to feeling cornered, wasted no time in leaping over the gap.

Lux hasn't ever really felt physically inferior to many other people in her life.

Until now.

The way this woman approached the gap and leapt facilely over the distance was top notch and well practiced. Clearly she was well versed in the terrain, and had been doing this a pretty damn long time.

In no way shape or form was Lux a frail woman, but even a jump like that was out of her league.

Lux scoffed as the criminal landed on her feet perfectly on balance.

Magic however? Fair game.

With another flash of blinding light, and a smirk to accompany it, Lux appeared on the other side of the gap. Lux could keep up with the best of them in her own personal way.

The chase continued on, and Lux was getting increasingly tired of this cat and mouse game the longer it dragged on. It seemed as though her partner in this endless game of tag may have shared her internal sentiment.

Lux watched as the fleeing criminal turned a corner behind a vertical roof, no longer treading a straight path, but finally taking the initiative to get Lux off her tail.

Losing sight of her for a split second, Lux forced her legs to pick up the slack and push harder. At full momentum Lux whipped around the corner, but the very moment she did, it struck.

A violent, blurry flash.

Before Lux even knew what had happened, she found her balance completely shot and her body collapsed like an anchor cast out to the depths. It happened so fast, she wasn’t even able to recoil before the blunt object slammed into the bridge of her nose with punishing force.

The sound of a mad cackle rang out and a lagging flash of pain cut through Lux.

Disoriented and now on her back, the unanticipated impact had her reeling from shock. Instinctively bringing her hands up to hold her nose as she hissed in pain, she nearly forgot the presence of another human as she writhed with eyes screwed shut, until a vaguely familiar voice shook Lux from her stupor.

"Caught you."

Even with Lux's eyes closed she could easily discern the amusement present in the tone. The pain started to fully set in, and Lux felt something warm and wet against the skin on her face. There was no need to guess what that was when Lux's mouth was flooded with the taste of copper, and the warm liquid trickled down her throat. Blood.

Why did she ever agree to this stupid plan?

"Who are you and what do you want?"

The faint but threatening sound of a metallic click was an unwelcome reminder of the very dangerous position she was now in. Her eyes jolted open at the unspoken threat, any previous amusement in her offender was clearly swapped with serious, killer intent.

Uncovering her face and sitting up, the first thing she saw was the unexpected closeness of the barrel of a gun, practically just inches from her eyes.

Even with her vision stinging from the direct hit she suffered moments ago, behind the uniquely crafted gun she observed her own staff in the criminal's free hand.

Shit.

She hadn't even noticed it's disappearance during her less than graceful fall to the ground.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she could hear Garen scolding her for her carelessness.

Pushing that aside, the third thing that she met her sight with was the fluorescent glowing of a pair of wide rubellite eyes trained on her, and it was completely at odds with the vicious tone from moments ago.

Still though, her eyes were beautiful. They gave off their own light, and Lux was so entranced by them, she hadn't even bothered to study the face of this criminal, or even glance briefly.

"B-Blondie??"

Once the long forgotten nickname escaped the criminals mouth, Lux paled like anyone would with the ghost of a memory standing before them. How could a whispered name be so loud? The throbbing physical pain she was feeling was now overshadowed by involuntary quickening of her heart and pulse.

Daring herself, Lux finally took a moment to take in the picture standing before her in full.

It was her...Blue, or 'Powder'.

Lux didn't have the function to be able to form words, that required a working brain, and she was dreadfully lacking that at the moment.

Lux sprang up to her feet with a speed so quick, she was sure it would have set a record. Unfortunately for herself, she had neglected to take her injuries into account, partly due to impulse and simply forgetting the existence of it.

The abrupt and hasty motion proved too much, and she toppled over collapsing onto her knees and palms. Her head was spinning, and she cursed her wretched body for not listening to her.

Glancing up from her new position, what she saw was a statue rooted in disbelief. Scrutinizing her. Studying her every movement with blown open neon eyes, and as tense as a bow drawn to its extent on the battlefield.

On edge.

Forcing the resolve, she betrayed her body's signs of weakness, and spent the remainder of her strength to once again stand up. It didn't matter how her head was swimming in a sea of misery and fog, what mattered was now.

Without uttering a word, Lux wrapped her loose and shaky arms around the smaller girl, and pretended not to notice the way her trigger finger seemed to tighten as she drew closer.

"I never thought I would see you again." Lux rasped out weakly, tightening her arms around her back though partly for the need of balance.

Lux didn't miss the way the other woman's arms went slack, falling to her side and no longer on a pointed defense. A good sign.

"Is this real?"

Pulling back but still keeping an arm resting on the tiny girl's shoulder to help keep her upright, Lux took the opportunity to look the dumbstruck woman in the eyes.

Lux remembered when they were a gorgeous deep shade of blue, but this was just as beautiful, and Lux was dying to know what happened. People don't just change eye colors like that, but Lux figured a question like that could wait.

There were more pressing matters right now.

"I could ask the same thing." Lux barely snickered, the situation almost being too fantastical, even she wasn't sure.

"You're bleeding. Badly."

Lux brought her free hand up to her face while the other remained draped over the shoulder of the lithe female. She already knew she was bleeding, but failed to understand just how much.

Oh well. Accidents happen.

That pales in comparison to the importance of the one standing before her frozen, like a moment ripped from the grasp of time itself.

A mirage.

Then like a ball of ice had been thrown at her with unrelenting speed, her veins chilled over, and a realization suddenly left her blood cold.

If fate existed, it was fickle and cruel.

The one she was sent to capture, Vi's sister, the one who had slaughtered innocent lives, and began a war was…her?

"You're...Powder?"

It was more of a rhetorical question, and evidently one she should have kept to herself.

The moment the name left her lips a forceful palm had shoved her back, and once again found her back on the cold roof's surface. Even more so, once again on the receiving end of a gun to her face.

But...why?

"That's not my name! Don’t call me that! It's Jinx!"

Lux’s body stilled and bright blue eyes flew open at the name, a past memory came flooding back to her from the first day they had met.

"Only wanted to help. I only wanted to help."

"I'm a jinx. I only wanted to help."

"Jinx. Jinx. Jinx. Every job."

"I only wanted to help. It was an accident."

Lux felt her chest tighten at the realization, and her throat felt dry.

Lux had once told her to pick a name that would make a statement, a name to be proud of.

"About your name.." Lux peered at the girl, who finally made eye contact upon hearing the topic. Smiling to herself at the little win, Lux continued.

"It should be something that means a lot to you."

Lux ran a hand through her hair, and started to pace back and forth, her sky-blue eyes cast upwards contemplating.

"It should be something that makes you proud" Lux halted her pacing, snapping her fingers in a eureka moment.

"It should make a statement about who you are! Something that you can own and make your own."

Lux was mid-motion to open her mouth to apologize, but was silenced by the shifting expression of Jinx.

Lux saw the exact moment a metaphorical shadow passed over Jinx’s face, and the very moment her frenzied eyes filled with shock and barely contained rage.

"You're with them, huh?!"

Suddenly the cold metal of Jinx’s gun was pressed flat into Lux's forehead, and even though Lux heard Jinx’s mirthless cackle, anguish was all Lux could see on her face.

"First my sister and now you too! Another one? Is she going to take fishbones next?"

"Wh-"

Lux was interrupted by the metal barrel pressing even harder into her skin.

"No! And people think I'm cruel? Ha! All take and no give, and I'm the messed up one?"

If looks could kill, Lux would have died, not because of the expression, but of the heartache it was causing Lux.

"Nobody is taking me."

It was all Lux could think to say and it really was true. Lux could feel Jinx trembling behind the shaky movement of the weapon pressed against her. Impulse took control as Lux boldly dared to reach a hand up, resting it on Jinx’s holding the pistol, and slowly guided the weapon away from her own head.

Lux felt her chest ease a bit, no longer one finger movement away from certain death. Instead of removing her hand entirely however, Lux moved it up Jinx’s arm to grab it firmly, using it as a support to stand herself up.

She was seriously hoping to not be thrown down again, and to her relief she was able to bring herself back to her feet with no such occurrence.

Lux did what needed to be done.

In one not-so-smooth motion, Lux again wrapped her arms around a shaken Jinx, her chin resting on the top of the smaller woman's head.

"I'm sorry. It's a good name, Jinx. I'm really happy to see you." Lux began gently rubbing small, comforting circles on the small of her back, making sure to tread carefully due to the weapon still planted there.

Lux felt the crushing weight lift off her shoulders the moment she felt Jinx’s hesitation start to come undone, and the slight press of her face against Lux's shoulder was everything.

Just as Lux was starting to feel comfortable, and like she'd broken through a wall, in an instant those walls came back up when Lux felt Jinx stiffen once more under her embrace.

Not wanting to cross lines, Lux released her embrace to look Jinx in the eyes. Fluorescent liquid began pooling, threatening to pour from her eyes.

"I hurt you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

The muffled words laced with a raw desperation hurt Lux more than any silly wound could.

"It was an accident, it's okay, I'm okay"

Lux shot Jinx a reassuring soft smile, which likely didn't look as nice as Lux pictured it to be, considering she was well aware of the drying blood staining her face.

Her efforts appeared to be rather useless though as she noticed Jinx was lost and deep in thought.

In the blink of an eye Jinx’s expression twisted to one of a terribly pained grimace, and wincing at seemingly nothing.

"No, this isn't a trick!" Jinx proclaimed loudly, before hunching over and Lux nearly stumbled over, still not feeling her balance was any better.

Lux remained silent trying to assess the situation, and any confusion regarding who she was aiming those words at were cleared up fairly quickly as the trembling woman continued.

"Shut up!"

The sound of an echoing blast startled Lux, recoiling so hard she shamefully did once again indeed fall over onto her side.

She definitely needed a doctor badly.

Peering up Lux saw Jinx with her arm extended, tensed muscles and baring her teeth, eyes glued onto nothing in particular.

Jinx exhaled shakily through her clenched jaw, and Lux could only stare at the scene playing out before her.

Could only watch as the tides of emotions smacked the shore, the blue haired woman resembled a wave beaten rock, and as still as death.

The seconds dragged on in the dark hours of the night, swept away like crumbling ashes.

"Powder!"

The moment was stolen away by the brash voice booming over the silence and the stampeding of boots followed suit.

Another echoing pop rolled out and Lux saw the smoke pouring from Jinx's gun, and Lux immediately thought of Garen.

She couldn't imagine ever firing a shot off at him.

Lux was broken from her thoughts as blue energy seemed to swirl around her, Vi landing like a meteor crashing to a surface.

"Powder you do-"

Another blast, but one Vi had anticipated, narrowly avoiding it.

The sudden movement next to her had been the furthest thing from her mind, until Caitlyn's concerned voice grabbed Lux’s attention.

"Are you okay!? I'm sorry. We lost track of you."

"Mmhm I'm alright" Lux nodded, but Caitlyn eyed her up as if she knew it was blatant bullshit. In the background the sound of desperate yelling and impacts began to fade away.

"Lux. Look at me." Caitlyn ordered and Lux tiredly obeyed.

"Shit." Caitlyn grabbed Lux's face and focused on her eyes, the closeness would otherwise make her feel awkward, but she was too exhausted to care.

"Vi! I need you to take Lux down from here, I can't do it! She needs medical attention now!"

Lux felt the adrenaline from this whole encounter leave her body, instead leaving behind an unrelenting pain in her head.

"Shit. Fine, I'm on it!"

The sudden sensation of being aggressively picked up and tossed over a shoulder like a ragdoll caused a pained yelp to escape her raw throat, the tension in her head nearly unbearable.

It was getting hard to stay awake even with the agony she was in, her body was weak and she passed her limit a long time ago.

The last thing Lux remembered seeing before her eyes closed were the empty and panicked magenta gems of someone she spent years dreaming of meeting again.

And once again, she was ripped away from her.

The world never tasted so bitter.