Chapter 75: Spin the Wheel (2)

((Quick research: The workshop Jinx stole from in episode 4 was in the Academy building unless I researched it wrong. So slight change in wording))

Orion stood there, staring at the Academy building, Jayce's workshop visible from the street several stories up, contemplating whether he should act. He had told Silco he wouldn't do anything, but how many times had he been burned?

Thinking about it- honestly, not at all. Silco had given him jobs before Vander cut him off, then saved him from jail after the explosion- albeit with plans to experiment on him- and now he had freed him again.

He exhaled slowly, his gaze still fixed on the workshop. If he blew it up, what would happen?

Jayce, Caitlyn, and the rest of the topsiders would still blame the Undercity, as usual. Enforcers would raid, conduct investigations, search for the culprit, and the problem would remain.

Even if he destroyed the lab, Jayce and Viktor would still create Hextech afterward- Vi's gauntlets, Caitlyn's rifle, the Hexgates. And those gates? Still a problem.

'Those weapons are almost a necessity, too, against Mel's mother… and against whatever catastrophe is coming.'

His mind drifted to the memory of Vi's stomach being cut open when she fought the Noxians without her gauntlets.

And why would Topside listen to Orion now? He was a mage- still illegal in Piltover- and six years in Stillwater Hold, locked away without a trial, had made one thing abundantly clear.

Topside never wanted to listen.

'The closest person to reason with would be Heimerdinger. Or maybe...' His gaze flickered down to Caitlyn, who had yet to notice him. 'Probably not her. She might still think that I betrayed her. Or Greyson told her about me.'

Sitting down on a bench, he idly munched on his meat skewer, his gaze wandering.

Damn, it tasted good. He savored it. The fat, the spices- so much better than dry bread and prison slop.

Tears pricked his eyes. He wiped them away quickly.

Hide his identity? To hell with it.

Only Greyson and a handful of Enforcers knew his face, and they were nowhere to be seen. If they tried something- if they disrupted Progress Day- well…

'Sorry, Silco, but if they touch me, they all burn. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Well… maybe not yet. I'll listen to what you need.'

Orion chuckled mindlessly to himself before reaching for another skewer.

"Nnn!"

A soft, protesting noise came from beside him. Blinking, he looked over.

A little girl, mucky with grease from the Undercity, had her hand in his food bag.

"Nnn!"

She smacked his hand away- his hand, on his own food bag- before glaring at him defiantly and shoving a skewer into her mouth without apology.

Orion started to sit up, his annoyance bubbling, when his eyes fell on her hat. No, not just any hat- a miner's cap.

And not just any miner's cap.

Something about the design sent a jolt through his memory, dragging him back to both his gaming days and a particular little girl.

"Isha?" he muttered in disbelief.

She tilted her head, equally surprised, and started making a bunch of hand signs he didn't understand.

A strange, sharp fear rippled through him.

'She shouldn't be anywhere near me...' 

Stiffly, he pushed the bag of food toward her, unaware that a trace of fear was visible to her.

To her, this ragged man, who somehow knew her name, looked afraid. And then, awkwardly, he offered her his food despite her stealing it.

Yes, she knew she was stealing it and being haughty. But his reaction made her curious.

"Take it, and go," he said, his voice oddly strained.

She grasped the bag in both hands tightly, her gaze locked with his. Yet, she did not leave. Instead, she stood still, childish curiosity flickering behind her inquisitive gaze.

------------------------

Caitlyn's eyes expertly scanned the crowd, her gaze sharp and disciplined. Jayce had just approached, teasing her about her duty post- one her mother had insisted upon.

Despite serving for six years, she still found herself assigned to these menial tasks occasionally. Money spoke loudly in Piltover, and when her mother wanted Caitlyn stationed somewhere, influence often won out over merit.

Yet, her skill set far surpassed what these assignments required. Over the years, her investigative prowess had grown sharper than any other commissioned officer's. What took others months to unravel, she could solve in weeks- sometimes less.

Unlike in Arcane, where Marcus had actively hindered her progress, Greyson supported her.

Under her guidance, Caitlyn shut down key Shimmer factories, disrupted supply chains, and dismantled entire operations. Hundreds of criminals were behind bars because of her efforts- some for life as repeat offenders.

Through her work, Piltover had become a much safer place. Crime had dropped nearly in half, even with Shimmer still in circulation.

In fact, many Undercity residents had learned to use it for less violent means- or so it seemed, at least on the surface.

Caitlyn also made frequent ventures into the Undercity over the years, often seeking the assistance of a particular red-headed brawler she had grown quite fond of.

Where Caitlyn lacked in close-quarters combat, Vi more than compensated with sheer aggression. Vi was willing to do anything- even work with a topsider- to put an end to Silco's operations.

But one case had continued to elude her. One unsolved mystery, after all these years.

Orion.

The closest she had ever come to the truth was when the masked stranger had spoken to her six years ago, leading them to raid the Syntixi factory.

That had been its own mess. A web of corruption that had taken years to untangle. Clan Ferros had walked away unscathed. Their dealings with the factory were sanctioned, after all. But the Chembarons? They had paid the price.

Caitlyn had once asked Vi where she learned to fight. Some of her techniques felt familiar-too precise, too practiced. They reminded her of Orion.

"Just a few things I picked up from a kid I once knew…" Vi had replied, her tone unusually somber and expression downcast.

Caitlyn tried to press further, curiosity piqued, but Vi shut her down.

"Butt out, Cupcake."

And that was the end of that conversation.

Sighing with frustration, Caitlyn's brows tightened and she shook her head, scanning the crowd again.

She blinked, and then smiled.

A man pushed his bag of food toward a young girl who had just stolen from him. No anger, no harsh words- just quiet acceptance. He wasn't scolding her, wasn't striking her.

'A simple act of kindness,' she beamed.

It was a sight that warmed her heart. A reminder of why she did what she did.

Then the man turned.

Caitlyn blinked again, and in an instant, her expression changed.