expiationnet | 04. Video; Now Presenting...

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04. Video; Now Presenting...

[The video opens with Silco standing in front of an new establishment in the entertainment district. There is the sound of renovations coming from within, a pile of old debris and broken items off the side that will be repurposed. Still, the sign is lit up announcing the place.

Silco gestured with a hand at the new establishment, the corner of his mouth twitching in what might be his version of a smile.]

This is The Last Drop, a bar from my home in The Lanes. I have been blessed to have it brought here for all of you to enjoy with me. A little taste of my home called Zaun, and it is as rough as it is eclectic.

[He turned to look at the place as the sounds of hammering and saws continued inside. He didn't even seem annoyed at all.]

Apologies on the noise, but it's not in the state I previously left it due to a ruffian having a fight inside before it arrived here. It's unfortunate, but not unexpected given where it came from. Some people can't handle their liquor and emotions at the same time.

Anyway, The Last Drop will be open to serve the community of Aldrip in one week's time. I invite all of you to attend the grand opening. It will be quite the party.

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[Guess whose memories are still fucked up!! She had been right there with Vi, thinking Silco was the loving father figure for Vi and Jinx, and while it's faded for Vi, it sure hasn't from Caitlyn's mind.]

I'm sorry about Vi. I'm not sure what's gotten into her.

[This memory tampering was becoming tedious. At least he didn't have to worry about Jinx interfering on this one.]

I expect emotional attachment to memories of the place. You know she's hot-headed.

[If there's one benefit for him, Caitlyn hasn't been monitoring Silco's coming and goings like before, because why would she need to?]

I know. After everything that happened with you, and then Vander afterwards, it's been a lot for her. I'm sure she'll come around with time.

[Vi still won't tell her all the details of the shit that went down, but she knows it was bad, and most definitely traumatic.]

[He had noticed her absence from sniffing around, so there was a boon of the memory altering event. Maybe she would be his 'ally' forever. Wouldn't that just be irony.]

Once she gets an idea in her head, she can't easily be dissuaded. It's an Undercity personality trait.

[The irony, indeed. But with Vi's memories straightening out, the blessing might not be lasting a whole lot longer.]

So I've noticed. But some of us in the Uppercity aren't much better.

[How long was she investigating into the Shimmer dealings and wouldn't let it go? Yeah. Exactly.]

No doubt. Their veiled disinterest for the Undercity unless they want something illicit is a common trait. Just as hot headed, which makes sense given where we all came from.

[As much as he hated everyone in the upper city, he knew the history of the city. Generations had separated them, but their roots were similar.]

She's never struck you, has she?

See? We do have things in common.

[just!! trying to create a bridge here!! y'know, being that he's the one that helped raise Vi, after all. Jinx might think otherwise, but she does actually want freedom and improved conditions for the Undercity. What was happening to them wasn't right.

But Silco's next question catches her off guard.]

What? No, of course not! Vi would never--

A taste for things considered illegal by polite society? I didn't think you had it in you, but it's always the smart quiet ones to watch out for...

[This one somehow managed to wedge herself into Undercity affairs, and he knew she was dangerous. He had stopped underestimating what she was capable of some time ago, but this memory alteration would be interesting to dig into.

His expression flitted from concerned to relieved, as if her words pacified him.]

I always feel an obligation to check. She sometimes has Vander's temper, and I wouldn't want you to have to endure what I did when my association with him ended...

I was more referring to being hot-headed, but I am very aware at how many from the Uppercity tend to visit the Undercity's, um-- unique locations.

[look at how many people were trapped on one side of the bridge, after Marcus closed them down? There were plenty of people crossing, going both ways. It's not really a secret, just something that most don't talk about in the upper levels of Piltover.]

She has a temper, yes, but never without reason, and never about something I can't talk her through. [She's seen her break things, but that's different, Vi's never directed any anger like that towards her.]

What... happened, exactly? Between you and Vander? She's never said, and I never wanted to press.

Spirited is a better word, I would say. Whatever the heart or mind desires, the Undercity can provide and if it can't at that moment, it will soon enough.

[The only rules were those enforced by crime lords, and those tended to be heavy handed; however, there was real freedom in that innovation, modification and kinks were welcomed. He knew their cities benefitted from each other, but a slave was still a slave no matter how nicely they were treated.]

Everyone has a temper, but Vi burns hot when enflamed and doesn't use the space between her ears when she's angry. Just be cautious.

[While it might seem like a calm sage suggestion, he was definitely trying to insert uncertainty into that relationship.]

He tried to kill me and very nearly succeeded. [It was technically true no matter which twisted version might be set in this place. He had no interest in details in case it might not be the false memory version.]

[Caitlyn saw up close and personal what it was really like in the Undercity, thanks to Vi's "tour". It was eye opening, in a way she didn't expect. While she still didn't know what the answer was, something most definitely needed to be done about Vander and the Shimmer production. But that was neither here nor now, since they were very far from their home in Runeterra.]

It's funny, how things the Lanes were judged so harshly for, could be easily found at the Council members dinner parties. [The double standard was ridiculous. She was always aware of it, to some degree, but seeing what she saw made her realize how wrong everything was between Piltover and Zaun.]

I appreciate the concern, but I think I know how to handle myself when it comes to Vi. [It wasn't like when they just met, and she was still trying to figure out what made Vi tick. They had been stuck in Aldrip together for how many months now? And the majority of that time was spent living in the same place? She doesn't realize Silco's trying to sneak in doubt, but it's not working on her, anyway.]

Oh. I see. [She..assumed something of the sort, given what she did know. Which wasn't a lot, albeit, but still.]

[If he understood the full extent of the memory alteration, he would find Vander selling shimmer to be utterly laughable. Switching spaces? No, Vander had allowed himself to become weak and Silco... well, he had followed that path at his own pace and somewhat unexpectedly in the end. Did that mean that Vander would be redeemed in the eyes of his daughter in their memories?

I've found it's far more socially acceptable to do taboo things when you're wealthy and can simply phrase it as enjoying the great tapestry of life. It's about phrasing and how fine your silks are. [He shrugged his shoulders. That was the freedom of Zaun; they didn't have to keep up appearances to remain at a certain social standing; wealth and power came to those that seized it. They didn't hide that fact from anyone within the Undercity.]

I'm certain that you do; you're very loyal to her. I simply want you to be safe. Feel no obligation but my door is open if you wish to discuss. [He managed to keep his expression pleasant enough, keeping a small amount of concern in the pinch of his lips.] You are practically family now.

[Memories are funny like that. How ironic, that her new interpretation of events would be considered "redeemed" to him. Eventually she'll know the what really happened again, and be repulsed by what she thought was the truth.]

And about knowing the right person to pay off. [Like Marcus. Like the port authority. Like probably countless others that have been paid off to let Vander run his Shimmer smuggling business right under the Council's noses. But were they much better? Smuggling gods knows what, when it suited them? So high and mighty, in their seats of authority. While she had no evidence, she wondered what her mother had her hands in.]

I-- [No, she shouldn't argue. It's as he said, he just wants her to be safe.] Thank you. I'll keep that in mind, if I ever need to .. talk.

[He had no doubt that her memories would return eventually, but if he had to suffer through these delusions, he would make certain that she would as well. This place had few draw-backs, and this just happened to be one of them.]

Everyone has a price they are willing to take, yes. It's about finding what that is if your cause is great enough to require it. Otherwise, it is down to connections. [Who to ask for in order to achieve a goal. If it was a party, one went with a party organizer with clout. If it was freeing a city, it was a dictator that had the capacity to hold it all together to see it through.]

Of course. She speaks highly of you to me. [A lie. He'd live it even if it disgusted him. He'd spoken worse words to someone.]

[A part of her wants to argue that, but it's true, isn't it? Marcus might've been swayed by money in the beginning, but it was his daughter that kept him loyal in the end. She had no doubt that Vi would do a lot, if Jinx's safety was on the line. And honestly, she herself would go to a lot of ends of the earth to keep Vi safe, too.]

That means a lot. She's always spoken highly of you, too. [or did. before whatever got under her skin all of a sudden. Which, speaking of... ]

I should probably let you go. I'm going to talk to her and get to the bottom of this, and she'll be here any minute. But thank you, for taking the time to talk to me. [y'know, because she's an Enforcer. As much as Jinx hates her, she except Silco to feel somewhat the same.]

[Had she? That was quite the reversal. This memory altering was quite the predicament to have to endure, as he expected Vi had never had anything high to say about him. No, they were always on a crash course but had the ability to walk away previously.]

It is good to know that. Sometimes one never knows what their daughter is thinking. [He was talking about Jinx, of course. She was a teenage - young adult - girl and that was confusing to say the least. She liked tinkering, clothes, boys and causing chaos.]

Of course. Do calm her down. [That seemed partially like the enforcer's power anyway.]

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04. Video; Now Presenting...

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