Inspired by the final scene of season 1, this series of au-posting will explore Arcane from a new angle, one where Ambessa and Noxus didn't plan to invade, and just how different it could be as a result.
What to Expect:
- A story centered on the conflict between Piltover and Zaun, and a failed revolution
- Vi and Jinx thrust into roles they never wanted. This did happen with Jinx in the canon, but I'd like to explore it more
- Meljay, and lots of it. They've become my favorite ship of the series over time, and I'm allowed to be self-indulgent here I think
- Ekko's focus episode not to be in an alternate timeline
What Not To Expect:
- Isha. Not necessarily out of a dislike for her, but because I'd like include LoL's Ziggs in her place (kind of).
- the arcane to be villainized. Violence begetting more violence is a stronger point when human nature remains the root cause of it
- A happy ending. There's nothing I love more than breaking my darlings
- a redemption for Caitlyn. I want her to get worse, actually, fictional women should be awful more often
If this au doesn't interest you, or you find it somehow insulting to the canon, or what have you, I recommend blocking my account, for everyone's peace of mind. Otherwise, I hope y'all will enjoy my for-fun what-if
I've always felt like Vi was convinced to attack and kill Jinx way too quickly. When the ads showed Vi's line of "There's only Jinx now," I assumed it'd be the end of the first episode, some reaffirming for Vi that Jinx had done everything she did because she wanted to. She chose to stay with Silco back then, she chose to attack the Firelights, she chose to accept Jinx. I think she also needed more of an affirmation that becoming an enforcer was the right thing to do. We get sort of the minimum needed to see what they're going for without the meat behind it that makes a story really enriching.
For WCB, I want most of that first episode to be Vi's journey to accepting the badge. I want her to meet Loris and actually see her interact with him instead of just cutting to the next morning. I want to see him introduce her to his "co-workers" Maddie and Steb, and watch the four of them genuinely have a good time. I want her to have fun, to feel free, to get to know these people on a more personal level. I want Maddie to talk about her family on the outskirts of Piltover, and how she's underestimated by her family. I want Vi to see Powder in her. I want to learn more about Loris and Steb as individuals.
Then I want her to learn that they're enforcers. I want her to learn that these people she's spent the happiest night in years with are all wearing the badge she hates so much. I want her to reject them, though they try to assure her they aren't like the ones she knew, that they want to make change, that they don't care she's from Zaun. She is from Zaun, though, and to Zaun she returns, trying to escape the voices of her new friends as their words echo in her ears.
I want her to run to Ekko and the Firelights. I want her to run to Ekko, the last person she trusts left. I want her to ask them to help her find Jinx before the enforcers can get to her.
I want him to say no. I want him to tell her that it's too late, that you can't erase the past. She chose to stay with Silco then. I want Ekko's past failure to haunt him then, that he failed to convince her she could leave Silco. I want to see Vi look him in the eyes as she learns that she had the opportunity to leave and didn't. And I want her to break.
I want her to go to the memorial, aimless and frustrated. I want her to feel a conflict within her growing progressively stronger as she tries to rationalize everything she's seen from her sister. I want her to be pushed to her breaking point. And then I want the memorial to be attacked, and for her to not notice until it's almost too late, because she's so distracted. What pulls her attention are the braids. The laughter.
Jinx is one of the attackers, and she cackles with a sense of freedom and joy she hasn't heard since they were kids. This is what brings her joy now; she sends her fire into the innocent crowd as the yordle beside her pulls the pin on one of her contraptions. There's chaos and confusion as one of the stray missiles sails to her head-
She's pulled down just in time, and it sails past her and into the distance. Maddie asks if she's okay. And it's then that Vi comes to a decision- to fight the attackers.
When the smoke clears and the attackers are gone, she runs to Caitlyn. They wrap their arms around each other, the argument of the day before forgotten for a moment, and when they pull away, they're both crying, crying for what they know they've lost.
They approach the Council together with their plan- and their team. It couldn't be just anyone, no; if she was to become an enforcer, she'd work with a team she knew she could trust. A team with the best interests of all the people they were meant to serve at heart.
Lo and behold, a test excerpt for the first "episode" of What Could've Been! I'm thinking these will continue to be posted in chunks, rather than go around trying to write the entire episode all in one go. It just makes more sense this way. I need to get into a rhythm for how I'm gonna write these, so this is just drafting, but I wanted to give my audience of like 8 people something to chew on :) Comments and feedback are appreciated, of course, so long as it's not just complaining. It's fanfic; it's supposed to be different from canon lol
Vi thought that enforcers were monsters. Bloodthirsty, evil monsters, monsters that preyed on everything beneath them.
Every step of her growing up had supported this. Her parents' death on that bridge. That man that Vander would speak with kidnapping her, taking her away from Powder, leaving her in the hands of a kingpin. Seven long years rotting in a cell, getting "talked to" whenever she spoke or acted or breathed out of turn. It was hell on Runeterra, and it was all because of enforcers. Monsters, all of them.
Then came Caitlyn. Kind, earnest Caitlyn, who had her released and took her home. Caitlyn, who helped her find Powder again. Caitlyn, who helped her speak to the Council. Caitlyn, who'd stood down when she asked. Caitlyn, the enforcer from Piltover. And yet, a friend, too. Maybe more, one day. It occurred to her that enforcers aren't just born monsters. That maybe, just maybe, it depended on the person.
Then again, maybe Vi was just a bit too forgiving for the first cute girl she'd seen in seven years.
"They want a full-scale invasion. To invade Zaun, and force Jinx out." Caitlyn couldn't even look her in the eyes. It made sense. It's hard to see through tears. "I can't let that happen. This was my mistake; my burden to bear. I had the shot, and I didn't take it. All of Zaun shouldn't have to pay for that."
I'm the one who stopped you, Vi wanted to say, but she held her tongue. Playing the blame game wouldn't accomplish anything. "Powder- Jinx." It felt wrong in her mouth. "Jinx needs to be stopped. I know that now. That night- the way she looked at me...." If she wasn't careful, she might just cry too. "She's not herself. She needs to be captured."
"Captured?" Caitlyn takes a step back, hands folded against her chest. Then she throws them to her sides, fists clenched tightly together. "Vi. I know that you two are sisters, but you can't possibly think that letting her live after an act like this is a good idea. She took out half the Council and the leader of Zaun, her own father, in one fell swoop and-"
"Silco was not her father." She could feel a bit of spit fly out of her mouth. "He used her. Manipulated her. Made her think that Jinx was what she had to become. He did that to her."
She can see Caitlyn's jaw clench. Her gaze falls to the floor again. There's a deafening silence between them. "I never said he was a good father," she says finally.
Vi lets out a long breath. Let it go. She's in pain. She doesn't know what she's talking about. "I'm not saying she shouldn't be stopped. But killing her outright without at least some kind of trial will send the wrong message." And maybe I can get through to her, she keeps inside. Powder is my sister. I won't let her die. Not to the Council. Not to Caitlyn.
And especially not to this Jinx.
"You're right." Caitlyn's words snap her back into it. "I know you are, but... I don't know that it's possible anymore." She steps closer to Vi again. "I'm to speak before the Council tomorrow evening, after the memorial. They want to have my testimony to decide on a final course of action. I'm going to try and convince them to let me go after her. Myself, and an elite team. We can minimize damage that way." She finally meets Vi's gaze again. "And... I want you to help me."
She takes Vi's hand then, pulling it between them- and presses a badge into it. An enforcer's badge.
She pulled her hand back so quickly, you'd think it'd been burned. The badge clattered to the floor, echoing between them. "You want me to be an enforcer?"
Caitlyn knelt down to pick up the badge, hair framing her face as she tried to disguise her hurt. It wasn't working. Despite herself, guilt churned in Vi's stomach.
"Not all enforcers are like the ones you've met," Caitlyn said, a little too calmly. That same kind of calm she'd seen her have when speaking at her mother's funeral. "Me, for instance."
"...I know. But..." Was Caitlyn standing further away now? No; Vi had backed away. "Enough of them. Enough that I don't ever want to wear that badge. I want to help, but don't make me wear that badge."
Caitlyn outstretched an arm. "But-"
"Please."
Her hand hung in the air. There was silence again. Vi waited for her to say something- anything.
She didn't. Vi turned around slowly. "I need to clear my head."
"Wait." Footsteps, then Caitlyn's hand was on her wrist, and a quiver was in her voice. "Don't leave. I'm sorry."
Don't look back at her. Vi took a breath. Then she looked back at her. Damnit. She looked so pitiful, holding onto her arm like that. Caitlyn's other hand took hers again. "I don't want to force your hand. I just worry how the Council will react to you if you don't. Your last mission with Jayce didn't exactly end well. We need to present a united front."
"Yeah? You're worried about how the Council feels?" What about how I feel?! Vi felt a fire ignite in her again, and she shrugged her hand away. "Well, I'm worried about my sister. And I won't wear the symbol of our parents' murderers and hunt her down like an animal." She pulled her eyes away and kept walking.
"Vi!" Caitlyn's voice rang in her ears, but she didn't turn around. At least she didn't try to stop her again.
Caitlyn had never felt more alone in her life. Her father was a mess, her mother was gone- She's gone, and she's never coming back, and I was so short with her- and now Vi had left. Walked out, just like that.
Safe to say, her life was falling to pieces around her. So it came as no surprise when she zoned out, letting her feet guide her as she paced anxiously, and found herself in the garden she and her mother shared.
Well, what they used to share.
She sat on the bench, her body trembling as she did. She felt- angry? Scared? Mournful? A combination of all three swirled in her head and her heart, tears and snot flowing out of her as she bawled, her raw and unfiltered pain crying out into the garden. Even with Vi, she couldn't let herself truly fall apart, no matter how much she'd wanted to.
She'd left anyways. So maybe that was for the best. Why couldn't she just understand?! Why can't she see the threat that Jinx is?? Jinx is too dangerous to let run free. I trust her; why can't she trust me?
She lost track of the time, crying and crying until she couldn't cry anymore, and then she dry heaved until it hurt her chest, and then some. Petals fell off the trees and floated around her, peaceful and serene, oblivious to the whirlwind of emotion Caitlyn felt. The sun sunk lower and lower in the sky as she sobbed, and when she was finally able to stop, the sky was painted in orange. She wasn't able to enjoy it, instead staring into the water. The surface was smooth and untainted. She stared, jaw clenched, brows furrowed.
Peace is nothing but a lie. She reached down, grabbing a nearby stone an throwing it at the pond. It flew in with a large SPLOOSH! and sunk, sending ripples across the surface.
"Not good at skipping stones, are you?" Jayce's unexpected appearance behind her would've had her jump out of her skin in the past. Now, though, she was too tired to care. He collapsed onto the bench beside her. His hair was mussed up and unbrushed, he hadn't shaved, and his eyes were puffy and red. "You, uh, holding up?"
Caitlyn shook her head, a darkened chuckle escaping her. Nothing about this was funny. "How do you think?" Her hands locked around the front of the bench, knuckles turning white. "My mother is still dead. Now Vi's run off; she's mad at me."
Jayce pressed an elbow on his leg, hand pressed against his forehead. "What for?"
"Jinx." Just saying it put a bitter taste in her mouth, like blood. "She still thinks that's her sister. Won't so much as help me find her." She pulled out the badge. "She resents enforcers so much, she's letting it cloud her judgement."
"I get the feeling," Jayce sighs. "Viktor... He insisted we stop work on Hextech. Made me promise, even. Now, it's all that's keeping him alive."
At that, Caitlyn turned to meet his gaze. "He's doing alright, then?"
"Still in whatever stasis it put him in." He chuckles drily at the thought. "Who knows if he'll wake up. Mel is watching over him for me."
"Don't give up." Caitlyn's voice is steadied again, if still a bit raw, and she puts a hand over his. "He'll be alright."
He takes in a breath. "I hope you're right." He looks out over the pond. "I want you to know, you'll have my full support. Bringing in Jinx, I mean."
Caitlyn folded her hands over her lap. "So you backed out of stepping down, then."
"I resolved to back down with Zaun and Piltover are at peace. That hasn't changed." He stands up then. "But we aren't at peace; not yet. The Council's been attacked, and Silco is dead. So I need to help Mel before I can go back to my research." He looks at his reflection in the water. "Besides, Viktor isn't awake yet anyway."
Caitlyn stood up to meet him. "I'll stop Jinx. I have to." She closed her eyes as she spoke. For everyone's sake. And that includes you, Vi.
Jayce's lab was messy and cluttered; sheets of paper with charts and equations were tacked to a board on the wall, the trash can was overflowing with crumpled papers and food residue, and the work table was covered in tools, near-empty mugs, and the hexcore, which continued its constant glowing and occasional changing of shape and runes. At the end sat Mel, flipping through a journal of notes. Occasionally she'd hum in interest, or glance at the hexcore as it shifted, but otherwise she was silent.
Opposite the table, a blue light glowed from Viktor. He was still encased, of course, the arcane shielding his body from sight. Most of the blood had been cleaned away by now, but the end of a stain was visible just underneath him. Too close to risk disturbing, Jayce had decided.
Mel got up, folding the journal closed and walking around the table. "I must say, Viktor," she said to his sleeping form, "your research is quite remarkable. I daresay you've impressed me more than Jayce." She stopped in front of him, close enough to see him properly but not so close she'd risk touching his cocoon. "Of course, the two of you have always made quite the team, but you have very different strengths. You've always been more the explorer than he, haven't you?"
Something in her face shifted then, akin to sympathy. "It's such a shame what happened to Sky. Unavoidable, perhaps, but still a shame. I can't imagine how that's weighed on you." She watched his face closely, for any sign of change. Any movement, or just stray emotion. When she saw none, she relaxed a bit. "Please forgive him for saving you, when you do awaken. You've always been so important to him. More than me, in a way." Then she giggles. "Well, maybe that's an exaggeration."
Viktor continued to say nothing, do nothing. His stasis remained, and no emotion could be seen on his face.
Mel sighed. "Helping the two of you back then was an investment; I believe it was the greatest choice I've ever made. So should you awaken, and remember all this, I hope you'll understand now why work on Hextech shouldn't be stopped. It's a tool that can heal; It's saving your life right now. Surely we can work together to utilize it to its greatest potential. Isn't that what you wanted?"
But no matter how much she spoke, it didn't change anything. He remained in stasis. Mel just shook her head. But then she perked up, seeming to remember something. She walked over to the door and pulled something out of the shadowed wall behind it and walked back over.
"I'd nearly forgotten after speaking to Jayce," she said, holding the object over her torso, "but this was found in the rubble. I had it fixed for you, for when you wake up."
She set the cane down then, leaning it upright against the table. Pieces of it had been filled in with what looked like gold. "I hope it's of use to you. A memento, perhaps, if it's not."
And with that, she walked back to the chair. As she sat, though, one final thing escaped her lips, so soft he wouldn't hear it even if he could. "...I'm sorry."
I actually really love Ekko and timebomb, so watching them take a narrative nosedive in s2 really hurt. Which is why in WCB, I'd like to make his tragic ending a bit more in line with what you'd actually expect for a tragedy built on a relationship that can never be. For one thing, Ekko's weight of responsibility he put on himself in the absence of anyone responsible and his concern for the Firelight safe haven were all but ignored for the sake of timebomb fanservice. Which, don't get me wrong, I do love timebomb, but I don't know, wibbly wobbly time stuff rocket launching him into an alternate universe felt weird, especially when Jayce wasn't, but was instead launched into the future of their timeline. As such, I'm thinking the hexcore will launch each of the three characters into one of three points of time: past, present, and future.
Ekko is launched into the past of him and Jinx, and has to relieve his failed attempts at saving Powder. Maybe a piece of the hexcore or some other element of the arcane latches onto his watch, granting him his power of time reversal and driving him near mad, trying over and over to convince her to leave Silco, to escape, to come with him. But it doesn't work. Over and over, he tries and he fails, tries and fails, and eventually he has to reckon with the knowledge that he cannot save Powder. Moreover, it's not his responsibility to save her. She made her own choice not to go with him, to stay with Silco. And whether that was the right choice or not, he couldn't stop her from doing so.
As for the tree, I'm actually not sure. The show is pretty clear it's taking damage as a result of the arcane lashing out, so I'm not sure it would even be poisoned in this au lol. I'll have to think on it more
It's been a hot minute since I've worked on this, mostly because it's such a side project, but I've been thinking a lot about Vi again recently so I wanted to go ahead and push out more. Link to part 1
I've been toying around with how I want to characterize Loris and Steb for this, and I think I like what I came up with. Loris was pretty stoic but didn't get the chance to say or do much of anything, and Steb was. A character design that was also there. So this is mostly just me reshaping these two. I worry it's a little cheesy, but oh well. Let me know what y'all think! I do read the replies and reblogs even if I'm bad at responding to them
Vi quickened her pace as she stalked down the street- hands shoved in pockets, hood pulled up, eyes trained on the cobblestones beneath her feet. She barely registered the people she'd sidestep, her mind replaying that conversation over and over. Her pain. Her words. Her plea.
‘Don’t leave. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to force your hand.’
Those words were looping around her mind as she kept walking, the sun receding behind her as she got closer to the outskirts of the city, body on autopilot as she moved around Pilties- until something triggered a reflex, a hand reaching out for her suddenly to her right. Instantly, she pivoted where she stood, fists up and ready to defend.
The man she was met with seemed much less prepared for a fight. He was dressed very comfortably and had a case of beers in one hand. The other was stretched slightly towards her not to grab her, but simply to tap her shoulder. He smiled warmly, and then started trying to move his hand into some symbols, before getting frustrated and going to set the case of beers down. Vi watched him, confusion pulling her out of her stupor. “Uh, can I help you?”
He looked back up from his hands. “Oh. You’re not deaf.”
“Uh... Yeah?”
He chuckled, scooping the beers back up. “You looked like you hadn’t heard me earlier. My mistake.”
“Uh, guess I was in my head.”
“I could tell.” His smile was very warm. He seemed nice. “Trouble?”
Normally, Vi would tell him to shove off. She’s not a ‘feelings’ person, and definitely not with a total stranger. But with the mood she was in, fuck it. Besides, the guy seemed like a bit of a teddy bear. “..Girl trouble, you know?”
His laugh was boisterous, exploding out of him as he gripped her shoulder, shaking her a little- it was a good-spirited laugh, one that felt foreign. “Girl trouble, this one! Drink to that.” Quickly, he tore into his case and broke out a beer. “Find the right woman, and she’ll tear you apart. That’s how you know she’s special.”
Vi watched, incredulous, as he cracked it open with his teeth and chugged it in one go. It was such a bizarre thing to do, it left her at a loss for words.
Just as fast, he pulled out another one and held it out to her. “Here, kid. I’ve got extra.”
She squinted at the drink. “I thought taking candy from strangers was a bad idea,” she muttered sarcastically. At that, he laughed again. She turned the drink over in her hands, debating.
The man watched. “Not your thing?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’ve never had any before. Kinda hard to get this in prison.”
He sobered up quick at that. “Prison?”
Vi’s teeth grit. Of course. Better move-
“But you’re so young?”
She looked back up at him at that, mouth agape. He actually looked concerned. Not judgmental, cautious, scared, or really, anything you should look like when you learn the girl you’re talking to was deemed dangerous enough for solitary confinement. Sensing her confusion, he shifted where he stood. “What, one of those younger faces?”
“Nah.” She opened the beer slowly. “Was 15 when they threw me in. Fun stuff.”
“Rotten.” He shook his head. “They’ve got trigger happy clowns protecting us, that’s what. I’m real sorry, kid.” His voice had become much more gravelly, dripping with disgust.
And by Janna, was it refreshing. “Fucking thanks???” A bit of beer splashed out as she threw her hands up. “Ever since I got out, I’ve had to hear people keep defending them- oh, it’s an accident, a mistake-”
“But you got hurt. People keep getting hurt. It’s corruption, that’s what it is!” This guy was totally matching her energy, pulling out another beer. “I mean, an enforcer shoots the wrong guy, they get honorable discharge. But if you breathe on the wrong commander the wrong way-”
“You’re Swiss cheese!” Vi took a swig. The taste was weird, made her nose scrunch up a bit, but she got over it. It was something to drink as she ranted. “I mean, you come from Zaun and try anything other than keeping your head down and taking it, your life might as well be forfeit.”
“The people in charge are vile. All they’re doing is selling out.” He finished the second beer. “You’d think they’d use that kind of power to do something about it, not make the problem worse.”
Vi slapped a hand to the side of her head. “Yeah. Yeah, you’d think!”
A short while later, and Vi was walking into a nearby club with this guy. Not in like, a weird way; they’d wanted to keep chatting. And drinking. The taste was really starting to grow on her.
“I’ve got a feeling you and Steb’ll get along,” the man said, leading her to the bar. “He and I work together. He’s real chilled out.”
“Steb?” They sat at the bar. “Wait, who are you?”
The man’s eyes widened, before he slapped his hands over his face. “Oh, I guess we haven’t even introduced ourselves. Name’s Loris.” He put a finger under his eye, stretching the skin. “And what’s your name? Vi?”
Vi laughed. “Actually, yeah, it is.”
He stared at her without blinking. “You got your name tattooed on your face...?”
“Don’t tell me you adopted another kid.” One of the bartenders had walked up to them. It was a young Vastayan man, polishing a glass casually as he raised an eyebrow. “Did he adopt you, too?”
Loris folded his hands on the bar. “I would never.”
“Uh-huh.” Steb grinned. “Tell me if this is familiar- Vi, was it?” He put the glass away. “You were down on your luck, feeling like shit. This guy walks up, asks how you’re doing, now you’re talking, and then- BAM!” He slid his hands together like a trap closing. “Now you’re telling him about your traumas and he’s offering you cookies and milk while he looks for an apartment with an extra bedroom ‘just in case you ever need to crash’.” He smirked. “So where are we?”
Vi crossed her arms. “...It was a beer. And I’ll have you know that I’m not up for adoption.” She glared at Loris. “Because I’m not a stray puppy.”
He pouted. “Could’ve fooled me.”
“He admits it!” Steb pointed dramatically at him. “Was two not enough?”
Vi crossed her arms. “Whatever, man. I just want a beer.”
He smiled, customer service mode active. “Of course! What’s that name for the tab?”
She thought for a second. “Kiramman,” she decided.
The smile melted off of his face. Beside her, Loris slowly turned to face her. She crossed her arms behind her head, smiling a little with pride. I’ll have to thank Caitlyn for this later. “Yeah. You heard right. What about it?”
Loris had a hand over his mouth, shaking like he was trying not to laugh. Steb leaned over the bar. “By Janna, you bagged her?”
“Ehhhh....” She shook her hand. “We’re... friends.”
“I see now why you need a drink.” Loris looked back to Steb. “Speaking of?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve got it, old man.” He turned around.
Loris looked back at Vi. “So, what’s the story there, eh?”
Vi looked at the wood. “She helped me. Got me out of Stillwater. Took me home. Tried to help me find my family.”
Loris’ eyebrows went up in recognition. “I’ve heard of you. You were part of that attack on one of the chembarons.”
“Yeah.” She looked at Loris. “I did that. We could’ve kept going, except that councilman Jayce was a total coward.”
Loris didn’t say anything, nodding slightly. Vi continued. “I don’t know. Caitlyn wants to try again, only with a smaller team. Try to find Jinx.”
Loris nodded again, almost imperceptibly. Vi sighed. “But I can’t do it.”
Steb set the beers down. “What’s up?”
Loris shifted, taking the beer. “Thanks, son.”
“I’m not your son.”
Vi took hers too. “Didn’t you ask me if he’d adopted me ‘too’?”
Loris smirked. “See, she gets it.”
Steb pressed his hands together in a prayer. “Do not encourage him.”
Vi smiled brightly, crossing a leg as she looked at Loris again. “So, who’s your other kid?”
“Nooooo……”
“Glad you asked!” Loris pulled out a picture of 3 faces- himself, Steb, and a slightly younger girl, about Powder’s age now, with red hair and freckles all over her face. “That’s her. My first.”
“Your only,” Steb insisted.
“Nope, you claimed it, it’s official now.” He smiled at the photo. “Course, they aren’t really my kids. But I’m responsible for them.”
....Oh. She thought back to her old home under the bar, and being given a home when she thought she'd never have one again. ....He's good. This guy is a good person.
“Actually, Maddie should be coming in sometime tonight once my shift’s over,” Steb remembered then. “We were gonna play darts. Vi, you any good at those?”
She thought about it. She grinned, relaxed. These guys are fun. “What’s the worst that could happen? Lose an eye or two?”
