𝐚𝐜𝐭. 𝟏
𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲

𝐒𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 in was not the difficult task for Mai as she was dressed head to toe in the Enforcer armour. She waltzed into Stillwater but as she neared the front desk she poised herself in front of the large fat man.

"I'm inquiring about a prisoner who goes by the name of Violet, she's been locked up for eleven years."

The heavy warden seemed almost disappointed as he placed his large wooden can back on the edge of his desk. "You missed her, some girl came with an order from the higher ups to get her out."

Mai felt the light in her brighten, she was alive, though it didn't last long as he continued to speak. "How long since?"

He shrugged, "two days ago."

Mai gritted her teeth as she turned on her heel barging her shoulder into another, they had their helmet off. It was Marcus, he mumbled sorry before heading to the front desk and Mai felt the deafening silence infiltrate her mind again.

She watched him out the corner of her eye with her finger on the trigger of her gun that was hidden away. Her grip tightened, he was the one who hid the truth, he's the reason why they had been separated for so long. Though, the sight of Vi flashed in her mind and Mai sighed tightly before trudging back down the steps and into the row boat that Gabby was settled in.

Mai silently leaned back as the boat began to go back towards the mainland. Link and Gabby looked up to one another and as the young girl went to open her mouth, "not a word."

The girl sighed as she leant her head in her palm as they sailed in silence but it was not one of Gabby's many attributes to remain quiet. "What do we do now?"

Mai scoffed slightly, "we don't do anything, you can go back home and I'll take my cat back."

Gabby started to look worried, "wait- wait I'm sure there's somewhere else we can go to get answers, I can ask around for a few favours-"

"Gabby-"

"Please," the girl went quieter as she lowered ghee gaze to the wooden rowboat floor. "I don't like where I stay, at least if it's with you then I feel safe."

A silence fell over them and the only sound was the sloshing of water hitting the boat whilst some pooled underneath their feet. Mai watched as Link purred sweetly into Gabby's arms as she hugged him tightly to her.

She dragged a hand down her face, "I guess," she started slowly and Gabby already began to lift her head up, "you can look after Link whilst I'm gone."

Mai had never seen such a shift in emotion, she had only ever seen it in one girl, she felt her heartstrings being tugged on as she was reminded of Powder.

"Thank you!" She held Link in her hands as she threw herself into Mai's arms, "thank you," she whispered a little quieter.

Mai didn't instantly put her arms around the younger girl but instead patted her back gently. "Yeah, yeah whatever."

𝐆𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐘 practically crash landed on the bed with a relieved laugh and Mai settled Link onto the floor as he roamed round the apartment.

"Make yourself at home I suppose," Mai grumbled as she took out some cash from under the bed and pocketed it.

"Can I ask you something?"

Mai glanced to her, "shoot."

"Who actually is Vi?"

Mai stopped her movements and sat on the seat that was under her desk, "she's my family and I do anything for my family," for the first time in a while Gabby received a tender smile from the scarred woman.

"What about the sister, Powder?"

Mai felt a mixture of emotions overwhelming her as Gabby stared at her for answers, she didn't know who Powder was anymore. The little girl whose hair she braided and taught to make explosives looked and sounded real but it was as if something else had took over. It was those same explosives she taught her to make that inflicted so much pain into Mai.

"She can be a," Mai trailed off searching for the words, "handful." Her eyes widened slightly as she underestimated her own words, "a hazardous handful but the girl who I cared for is somewhere in there, I just need to find her." 

"Did she give you that scar?"

Her smile fell flat as she slammed a hand on her desk to stand, "no more questions." She went to stand up and put her hand on the door knob, "lock the door behind me."

Gabby rolled her eyes as Link scaled the length of the walls, "yes, ma'am."

𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐋𝐄 smoke wafted in Mai's face that she breathed in like it wasn't any more poisonous than the actual air. She pottered from stall to stall with her best charms at hand, flashing her cash to the right people and eventually she found herself talking to a buyer.

"I'll give you this," she held the vial of shimmer in a tight grip, as if she didn't want to let it go. "Just tell me which way she went."

The skin head man was practically foaming at the mouth as she waved it in front of his face teasingly. "That way," he pointed blindly and Mai scoffed before pulling it away from him.

"You just want the drug." She went to turn away from him when he grabbed the bottle. From out of his pockets he took out a piece of metal he had sharpened and sliced a large piece of her skin off. "Bastard!"

Mai ran after the man, "oi!" She yelled loudly.

He was about to head down an alleyway and when Mai reached out to tear at his hood a body slammed into her and the two toppled to the ground. She landed on her back with their form laying on top of her, Mai shoved them off, not even glancing for a second and went to run after the man but she couldn't even see his shadow anymore.

"Shit!" She kicked the bricks so hard it broke off and from the force of her shout her hood fell back.

"Mai?"

She stilled, not at the mention of her name but the tone in which it was said, the voice in how it was said.

Mai felt her panting nearly cease completely before she slowly turned round and her eyes widened all the more.

A sharp breath sounded from Mai, "Vi?"

At first glance Mai wouldn't have known it was her old friend, she had changed so much, she had grown up. Her stature was muscled with little fat on her body, the scar on her lip still the same and her hair as pink as ever. Though, the kind shine in her eyes had not yet been changed, even after all the time she spent in prison it only burned ten times brighter at the sight of Mai.

Vi barred her fingers and reached for Mai's jacket before pulling her into her arms and wrapping them tightly around her frame.

Mai blinked wildly trying to figure out if this was a figment of a vision that was too good to be true. Yet, as she dug her nose into Vi's neck she knew she was real.

"I- I tried to come and find you the minute I knew that bastard locked you up." Mai mumbled with neither grip willing to relent on the other as they found each other. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Vi pulled away and they rested their foreheads together. The bond that had been broken by shear separation had already began to mend itself back together. "I'm just so glad I found you."

Mai gave her a smile, a warm and genuine smile that was reserved for few but it fell once again as she looked over Vi's shoulder. A figure with a brown shoulder cloak and their hood up creeped up behind Violet but Mai spotted the blue shine of Enforcer clothing and her anger flared, they wouldn't take either of them away from eachother again.

She moved Vi out the way and brought her knee up to kick them in the stomach whilst grabbing their shoulders. They let out a loud shake of air as they became winded and Mai forced the side of their face into the wall whilst pinning their right arm behind their backs, forcing it higher till they yelled in pain.

"Why are you following her?"

Vi openly stared with her mouth slightly ajar, she didn't know she could fight that well.

"I was the one to get her out of Stillwater," her voice bit back to Mai but she didn't like her tone and twisted her wrist some more to make her cry out again. "Violet!"

Vi broke her blank state, "hey, hey ease off, it's alright she wants to help."

Mai released her arm and the woman turned round with a fierce look though it seemed into melt into one of curiosity. Mai hadn't moved away from the Enforcer as she stared her yet in her movements her hood fell down. Her skin was porcelain with her cheeks hollowed and jawline prominent, each feature of hers was sharp. The girls hair was a dark blue and her lips lightly pinkish as she stared up at Mai with them slightly parted.

"This is Caitlyn, she wants to take down Silco." Vi looked to Mai slightly weary, her face was set as she stared down at the officer.

Caitlyn peered up into a cold brown stare and felt herself wanting to look away but she couldn't bring herself to. Her chest heaved and filled the space between them, she scanned over the girls face, Mai was someone who Vi couldn't stop talking about. She would speak of her in high respects but as she saw her up close, felt her up close, she was in awe.

From growing up in Piltover she'd never seen someone so rough, the way her dark skin shone slightly under the streetlight. Blackened curls framing around her face with plump lips and her eyes trailed lower to her neck where they lingered as her eyes traced the scar.

Mai realised what she was looking at and pulled away from the girl, turning her scar to face the opposite side of where Caitlyn stood.

"Take down, Silco," Mai mocked with her hands resting on her hips. "You're about ten years too late."

Caitlyn shook her head, "I've gathered a lot of evidence and since the attack on Progress day so much more has followed." She wanted to have Mai look in her direction again but the girls attention was ahead.

"Powder was behind it," Vi walked besides her to stand in front of Mai, "she's alive."

Mai felt pity pool inside her as she started to scoff, "she's not Powder anymore," she mumbled before turning to walk away.

"Wait- you knew she was alive," Vi's face started to scrunch up, "why isn't she with you?"

"I found out she was alive yesterday," Mai had a snap to her words though her tone remained neutral. "I asked her to come with me and do you know what she said, no."

Vi looked to her in confusion, "what- why would she?" She trailed off with no real answer and started to look distraught. "What have you been doing for all this time?" Her voice became softer once more as she noticed Mai's hardened stance the minute she tackled her to the floor, how bitter her gaze was and how abstinent she seemed.

"Surviving."

A silence fell over them and that's when Vi knew that Mai was a battle scar herself.

"Look," Vi ran a hand down her face, "I know it's been a long time but," she reached out to place a hand on Mai's shoulder and turned her round. Eyes lingering on the burns on her neck that made her eyes sting knowing her sister was the cause. "We can take him down, we can avenge them, I'm certain of it."

They met each other's eye and Caitlyn had never seen such raw a connection between two people, they were putting their faith in one another. Mai slowly began to nod her head and Vi let out a sigh before giving her a small smirk.

"Wanna eat?"

Mai rolled her eyes to stop a smile from growing, "I know you could eat."

𝐒𝐎 much about staying secretive as the three girls planted themselves in the centre of the city. Caitlyn gawked at the food that Vi scoffed down her whilst Mai rested her back on the counter as she watched behind them.

"Oh, Jericho, have I missed these." She talked to the chef who cut up fish heads and gurgled a laugh whilst holding the knife in the air.

Caitlyn sat as weary as ever with her eyes darting between the two figures and scrunched her face in disgust as Vi held a fish covered in orange sauce up to her face.

"No. Thank you."

"You're missing out."

Caitlyn pulled the side of her hood to cover her face and Mai nearly cracked a laugh at how secretive she was being.

"About what? The meat? Definitely not."

Caitlyn looked exasperated and growing increasingly frustrated as her hands started to bare themselves when she spoke. "Silco? His connections. Isn't that why we're here?"

Vi lulled her head to the side, "we are here becuase I'm hungry. Do you know what prison food is like? No, of course you don't."

"Unbelievable, I knew this was a stupid idea," Caitlyn stood up to try and calm herself down whilst staring daggers into Vi's back.

"You're starting to stress her out," Mai pointed out the obvious whilst cleaning under her nail. Vi, slammed the empty bowl down after slurping all its contents.

"Mm, better than I remember," she smiled sweetly to him.

He placed a piece of paper face down and Vi lifted the corner of it to reveal a symbol to Caitlyn that had her shutting up quite quickly. Mai chuckled at the meaning of it and imagined how the enforcer would handle the change of scenery even more than before.

As they were walking up the steps Mai grabbed Vi's arm, "are you sure?" She didn't want Vi to see what their home had turned into, what Silco had done to it, it made herself sick to her stomach whenever she went near the place and avoided it as best as she could.

"I need to see it." Vi responded before removing herself and looking over to the glowing building that was buzzing. The Last Drop, her eyes flickered over the place and she chewed the inside of her cheek to stop herself from getting too worked up.

"Well that place looks like it has bodies buried in the basement." Caitlyn remarked trying to lighten the already gloomy atmosphere. Mai watched Vi's hands tighten around the metal and she thought she was going to punch her.

"You don't know anything," Vi snarked whilst bumping shoulders with her.

Caitlyn furrowed her brows but gulped thickly when Mai blocked her path and her lower back was then pressed against the railing. "Listen, sweetheart, I get it right, you wanna play hero because you were bored lounging about in that big fancy mansion so understand me now." She leaned in closer, "do not piss me off with your play time, this is our world not yours."

Even though, the enforcer had spent a few days in the Undercity Mai could still smell the perfume on her. It was intoxicatingly sweet and reminded her of the topsiders that judged them for who they were but as she smelt it on Caitlyn. The girl who was backed into the railing with Mai lingering over her it made her tongue run over her top teeth.

She pushed herself off and away from her whilst following after Vi, Caitlyn gritted her teeth as she held her fists by her sides. "I do want to help!" Mai fractioned her step as she looked over her shoulder with the non scarred side of her face and saw the emotion pooling in Caitlyn's face. The desperation for Mai, a child of the Undercity, to believe her and what she was willing to do.

She saw her jaw clenched but kept her mouth closed and began her walk again. Caitlyn took it as a small
step pointing in the right direction.

Vi knocked on the door and the eyehole slid open, his large green eye scanned over the two women's face as Caitlyn tried to hide hers.

Mai cleared her throat and his eye snapped up to hers to which he grunted at before it slammed shut and he opened the door.

"Evening, Mai."

She could hear Vi's teasing snicker as she hummed, "evening, Jimmy." Mai held her arm out for Caitlyn to step in front of her as she felt the corners of her lips pricking up in a smirk, "after you."

The Kiramman flared her nostrils slightly before awkwardly shuffling in and flickering her gaze timidly from up and down constantly. Mai couldn't resist herself and she mumbled behind her, Caitlyn felt her breath hit the width of her shoulder.

"Don't be embarrassed, sweetheart, the rooms are on show for a reason."

Mai could tell her features had started to turn red as she heard her breath hitch but she reeled her head back from Caitlyn's figure.

"H-how exactly do you propose we go about this?" Caitlyn stammered and it was clear she was not in her natural element.

Vi looked behind her, "let 'em think you work here."

Caitlyn looked at the red head bizarrely, "excuse me? I will not."

Vi groaned loudly, "you know what your problem is?

"Please, tell me," Caitlyn replied sarcastically."

You expect everyone tk give you what you want, if you really want people to talk to you, you have to have something they want." A sight caught her eye that made her smirk, "look ahead for example."

Caitlyn watched as a shorter woman swayed up to Mai as she walked a few paces in front of them.

"Back so soon, Mai," she purred lightly with her gold masquerade mask staring up at her whilst her hands drifted across her form as the woman circled her.

Mai gave her a polite smile, "unfortunately, it's strictly business, Siobhan." She kept her hands pocketed and let the woman tangle her fingers in her curls.

"It's always business before pleasure with you," Siobhan leant her weight against Mai who remained a pilar of muscle.

"Siobhan," Mai warned gently and eventually the woman relented.

She sighed dramatically before pushing herself off, "fine," she held her hands up.

"Would you take her?" Mai jutted her head towards Vi who was stood with a charming grin next to Caitlyn who stared with her jaw slightly ajar.

"Only if you ask nicely." Siobhan evilly grinned up to the tall woman who dragged out a long sigh as she looked at the ceiling and back.

"Please."

The woman chirped happily, "all you had to say," with that she took Vi's hand and pulled her down the long hallway.

Violet gave her an impressed look to which she scoffed at before Caitlyn caught her eyesight again. She stalked over to the girl at a slow place, "I'm not gonna have to babysit you, am I?"

Caitlyn opened her mouth but no words seemed to be wanting to form, "I- I have no interest in taking part in." She wafted her hands in the direction of the other rooms.

Mai squinted her eyes to her, "Vi, was right, you don't like getting your hands dirty do you?"

Caitlyn exasperatedly sighed, "what have I truly done to offend you, we've only met for a few hours?" She soon regretted her words as Mai's neutrality fell and was replaced by a clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. She curled herself further into the wall as her hand came to rest beside her head whilst her other fingers pointed to her enforcer coloured clothing.

"That was the last thing my parents ever saw," she gritted out before looking into Caitlyn's wide blue eyes. She couldn't help but feel the fire in her relent at the sight of her looking so, so soft, she didn't have the same hard gaze that they all had. Mai tore herself away before trailing further into the dark corridor to where she found the proprietor.

Mai didn't knock but leant against the entrance, "just seen your friend go by." She smoked her cigarette before gesturing for her to enter.

"Did you tell her the truth about her sister?" She looked to the floor and that was all the conformation needed. "They want to take him down," she leant forwards with her elbows on her knees, "and so do I."

The proprietor looked at her with a melancholic expression and sympathetic smile, "it pains me to see such kind souls in so much pain." Mai did not expect her to stand up onto her table so she could meet her eye level.

"Sometimes you have to even if you don't want to, you know that as well as I."

She nodded with a hefty puff of smoke leaving her mouth, "your friend went after, Sevika, she's out playing poker in the third street across." Mai stood up quickly and made a b-line for the door whilst muttering thank you behind her but the Proprietor sunk back into her seat with heavy shoulders.

"𝐎𝐈!" Sevika turned as she held Vi's jaw in her hand only to be met with a solid punch that sent her flying back. Mai narrowed her gaze at her arm that had purple liquid running up and down the metal, "I didn't think you could get any sicker."

Sevika coughed blood and spat it onto the floor as she greedily smiled, "like you don't know anything about Shimmer."

Mai pinched her lip upwards and as Sevika ran at her with her robotic arm acting as a sword with its fingers poised straight. She ducked and tackled the woman so the floor till they rolled upsideown, her foot held the metal arm to the floor whilst she pressed her forearm into Sevika's neck.

"You're a filthy traitor and that's all you'll ever be," she snarled into her face.

"Your parents would've done the same."

She knew she ticked Mai off and with her fingernails digging into her palm so tightly she let out a small shout before punching the woman so hard she was knocked out.

Mai stood up before walking over to Vi who was clutching her stomach, "you, Idiot," she mused.

Vi partially chuckled, "nice punch."

Mai went to pick her up when a gunshot rang out and she hissed as one pierced her shoulder. She looked down the Lanes to see several of Silco's goons but by time she pulled out her pistols they all dropped to the floor.

Mai and Vi turned to look up to see Caitlyn with her gun in hand standing on top of the rickety bridge, the barrel smoking slightly. She arched a brow, slightly impressed though she said nothing as Caitlyn descended down to the floor.

"You're an alright shot," Vi grumbled whilst holding her stomach.

Caitlyn looked down to her, "I'm an excellent shot." She peered to Mai who was staring at Sevika or rather the purple liquid seeping from her metallic arm. Caitlyn squinted her eyes as she saw something small and red on her shoulder but Vi's hand lifted in the air.

"Anyone gonna help me up?" Caitlyn and Mai picked a side and hoisted her up. "Aren't you two the sweetest."

Caitlyn chuckled, "shut up." She looked over Vi's head to Mai whose scars were slightly showing beneath her ear whilst she continued  looked behind her.