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sheriff-caitlyn · 3 years ago

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Deep down

Her breathing feels unconscionably loud, no matter how quiet she tries to be. It makes her quite self-conscious that she seems to be the one not able to follow the necessity of stealth.

“This will have to be the last venture before the season,” she notes. Her words rasp and rattle through her respirator.

Her companion nods. “Got too many visitors coming over,” she says, in a whisper, lips pursing. Unlike Caitlyn, the deputy is well used to Zaun’s air, and still has all her old implants. Breathing in this air is not life-threatening for her, though she still squints and coughs now and then. It’s been a while since Vi walked the Sump Roads. “Can’t have them seeing the vans.”

“Mm.” Caitlyn raises a hand to swipe a thumb across the glass of her goggles, clearing some of the residue. It is quite hard to see down here. Her goggles keep fogging up from the changes in temperature, from the steam and the chemical air and who knows what else. She needs to be on the lookout. The thrum of industrial engines and of fluids pouring through and out of massive pipes hides the sounds of their passage and their conversation, but still, they need to be careful. They can’t be seen.

This is Zaun, after all. And they are not supposed to be here.

As per the terms of the treaty of Black Pools, Caitlyn is unarmed. No rifle, no sidearm, not even the knife she usually keeps in her boot. Vi had protested, of course, but then had left her gauntlets behind in solidarity. It’s fine, her body is a weapon, they got this. Both are hooded, goggled, and keeping to the shadows. Just normal Zaunite citizens going about a casual walk, probably looking for something illegal. Technically, they are the ‘something illegal’, but the point still stands. They are something illegal, doing something illegal, looking for places where something illegal could thrive. Normal Zaun things... in theory, and if one’s theory was entirely learned on the sunny side of the bay.

Caitlyn pauses at an intersection, noting places where cameras and lights could be placed. Vi nods, murmuring about this being a good spot. “Plenty of people come an’ go,” she nods her chin to the marks on the road, the prints of vehicles and people passing by in great number.

“We don’t want somewhere too populated,” Caitlyn reminds her partner. She is hiding her accent, relying on a Brigham Brogue, though the mask helps distort her voice further.

Vi shrugs. “Need good places t’keep an eye out, though.”

Caitlyn starts to nod, but then freezes. Something feels wrong, suddenly, though she doesn’t know why or how, and there is barely time for her to gasp. “Look out --”

It is a blur of motion, something vast and swift and metal, and Vi lets out a startled oof as she is knocked to her feet, thrust off into the darkness and pinned violently to the wall of the tunnel. Caitlyn’s head pivots, trying to peer through the fog and the darkness to see, but then her gaze snaps back to follow the length of corded chain that connects the pinning metal to whatever had fired it.

Something vast looms out of the tunnel, big enough to block off the lights behind it, steam hissing out of vents and further obscuring it. Caitlyn hunches, hand reaching to where her sidearm should be. But there is nothing, nothing she can use to even try to defend herself with. She can only stand there, watching as it approaches. Its steps are not as heavy as it could be, so she can hear metal grinding, gears turning, and pistons pulling back and forth within the darkness.

“Run!” Vi says, struggling in the dark. “I got this!” From the sound of her struggles, Vi did not have this.

Caitlyn considers the sound of her partner’s helpless panic, and the approaching threat, and the length of chain that connected one to the other. Slowly, deliberately, she straightens up. And she waits, watching the approach, head held high and proud.

“Cupcake!” Vi’s voice rises to a panicked yell. They aren’t supposed to use names down here, or even nicknames. It is too risky. Caitlyn had factored that into her calculations of the situation; she had needed Vi to yell.

The approaching shadow stops. Ten feet is close enough, apparently. Lights flare up, bright enough that Caitlyn shuts her eyes against the gleam - she does not raise her arm, though perhaps she should, she instead chooses to remain perfectly still - and these lights pan from Caitlyn to the tunnel wall ahead where Vi is pinned and snarling.

Lights. Plural. Specifically, two. Two head-mounted lights. One might even call them eyes.

Caitlyn keeps herself calm. “Hello, Blitzcrank.”

The looming steam construct looks down at her. “YOU ARE AWARE OF MY NAME.”

“That is correct,” she says. She still uses the brogue, in case anyone is around to hear, but she knows an accent alone will not confuse or bewilder this automaton. “Are you aware of mine?”

The automaton dims his lights, enough that Caitlyn doesn’t need to squint to look up at him. He looks at Caitlyn. He looks to the other end of his corded-chain arm, to the massive hand he is using to keep Vi pinned. He considers for a moment, then looks back at Caitlyn. “YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE,” there is a click, and the next part of the voice comes out a good degree quieter, “CAITLYN SHERIFF OF PILTOVER.”

She seems somewhat amused - and grateful - for his choice to ‘whisper’, though the situation seems a bit grave. Vi is still cursing, trying to get free, though Caitlyn considers how easy it might be for the flattened palm to turn to a crushing fist. “I am. And you know who that must be, then.”

“VI ENFORCER OF PILTOVER.”

“Lemme go, you big damn--”

Caitlyn interrupts. “Yes. So. Are you going to call the authorities on us?” She doesn’t have enough of an understanding of the situation. She cannot read him like she can read others... for obvious reasons.

“THE AUTHORITIES DO NOT COME DOWN THIS FAR,” the steam automaton says, his volume returning to regular speaking level. “I AM THE LAW HERE.”

Caitlyn raises an eyebrow. It might not be visible behind her goggles.

The automaton considers what he has just said, and seems to think it necessary to add an amendment. “I PROTECT THESE TUNNELS. I PROTECT THE PEOPLE. THE AUTHORITIES DO NOT COME DOWN THIS FAR. BUT I AM HERE.”

“And you consider us a threat?”

The automaton’s bright lights focus on Caitlyn. “YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.” He bends forward, face moving closer to her eye-level. “WHY ARE YOU HERE.”

“We’re looking for new places to establish the black market,” she says, simply.

The automaton vents steam, aggressively, and his chest rumbles. Some sparks dance across his outer shell.

Caitlyn remains stock-still. “For the past few months, Piltovian agents have been pushing into Zaun and establishing outposts.” She cocks her head slightly, studying him. “Outposts which are run and organised by Zaunite citizens.”

“I WILL NOT ALLOW THE INTRODUCTION OF PILTOVIAN WEAPONS INTO ZAUN.”

“I didn’t say we were selling weapons.”

“THEN WHAT ARE YOUR MARKETABLE PRODUCTS.”

“Root vegetables and herbs, mostly. They seem the easiest thing to grow on a small scale. Mushroom farming is also taking off, but not as successfully. Yet.”

The automaton is silent for a moment, only the barest sound of gears turning and electricity humming. “YOUR BLACK MARKET SELLS FOOD.” It is difficult to tell if it is a question or an incredulous statement. Blitzcrank’s tone was very flat.

“Yes. Piltover-seeded but Zaun-grown. Which is, fittingly, the nature of the whole operation.”

The steam automaton looks at Caitlyn for a moment, then there are a series of clicks and thunks from inside his chest. The corded chain arm goes taut, and then suddenly retracts. Vi yelps as she is grabbed and pulled back to stand where she stood before, though her goggles are askew and her hood has fallen back to show the vivid pink of her hair.

“I oughta hit you for that,” she raises a fist threateningly. “That was a cheap shot an’ you know it.”

“YOU WERE THE BIGGEST THREAT AND NEEDED TO BE NEUTRALISED.”

“I’ll neutralise you, you big --”

Caitlyn reaches up, places a hand lightly on Vi’s wrist, and gently pulls the woman’s hand back down. She only needs to use the barest amount of pressure. Vi growls but then goes quiet.

Blitzcrank looks between the two of them, then turns both gigantic palms ceilingward. “WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS.”

“It’s her idea,” Caitlyn says, glancing to her partner. “I’ll let her explain.”

Vi huffs as she fixes her hair and her goggles, then aggressively shoves both hands in her pockets. “S’less of a black market an’ more of a community thing,” she says, sulkily. “People learn how t’grow some food, get some seeds, get some dirt, purify their own water an’ build their own lights... Bam. Home farms. Ain’t plannin’ on floodin’ the market with cheap crops, jus’... wanted t’get the old neighbourhood in better shape, y’know? Piltover’s taken so much from Zaun. S’time t’give back.”

“WHY THE SECRECY.”

“Because it’s highly illegal,” Caitlyn says, dryly. “We wanted to give people a chance for self-sufficiency that wouldn’t be controlled or subsidised by any of the corporate powers here. Education, production, and community strength are the three goals. Where Zaun takes it from there is up to them.”

Vi shrugs, hands still in her pockets. “Lotta people don’t get a chance t’be anythin’ other than a drone out here, let alone eat good, so... I thought it was a good idea. An’ Cait didn’t say ‘no’ this time.”

Caitlyn smiles behind her respirator. Vi might not see it, but she can probably feel it.

Blitzcrank takes a moment to consider this information. He straightens up. “I KNOW OF SOME PLACES THAT MIGHT SERVE AS SUITABLE LOCATIONS. BUT I WILL NOT HELP YOU LOCATE OR SECURE THEM FOR FREE.”

Vi and Caitlyn exchange glances.

Blitzcrank points a massive finger at Caitlyn. “YOU ARE A DETECTIVE. YOU CAN HELP FIND SOMETHING. SOMEONE.”

Caitlyn looks at the finger, then at the eyes. She reaches into her jacket coat and pulls out a notebook. She scrawls something on a blank page, then holds it up so that Blitzcrank can see it.

The automaton seems confused, hand returning to his side. “WHAT IS THIS.”

“This is the address of who you are looking for. The man they call the Machine Herald.” She pauses, and sees a flicker in the light and hears a change in the ticking sound reverberating from Blitzcrank’s chest. She was right. “Would you like the paper?”

“NO. I WILL REMEMBER IT.” He straightens up. “THANK YOU. FOLLOW ME, PLEASE.” He pivots at the waist, and the feet that had taken him forward now take him forward in the other direction.

Vi gives Caitlyn a pointed look. “You just know that kind of shit off the top of your head, huh?”

“Not here,” Caitlyn says, and the mask turns her whisper into a hiss. “We’ll talk about it once we’re home.”

Vi shrugs, then frees her hands. Side by side, they follow the steam automaton deeper into the Sumps.

#drabble #si vis pacem para bellum #because good neighbours #caitlyn #vi #blitzcrank #zaun #Not Arcane #I cannot stress enough this is Not Arcane

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