You feel warmth as the shower touches your back. Your hands are pressed against the wall as the blood falls from you. You can't stop thinking about what could've become of Powder: "I brought them here, this was my fault" You speak to yourself, nobody but Silco, Vander and Sevika could speak to you without thinking about your actions.
You finally step out of the shower and dress yourself. You leave the bathroom and enter the bar, heads turn to see you but most quickly loom away. Vander tilts his head to imply that you should come talk to him. You sit at the bar and he pours you a drink, you take a sip silently. Vander breaks the silence: "You did what you had to, they'll realise"
You don't care for what they believe your motives are: "I need to kill them, stop them from the source" Your grip on the drink tightens.
Silco sits next to you: "You can't, y/n. It's too dangerous"
You sigh: "I need to try"
***
In Batsor, the leader of the Orange-Cloth gang sits in his wooden stable. Their main base was a town they'd pillaged. He cleans the barrel of both his revolvers.
While he dips the silk he is using into some oil, a gang member who is missing a nose runs through the door and crumbles on his hands and knees in front of his leader: "B-boss! It was horrible. One minute everything's good, we've got a hostage, their strongest is knocked out and the others are too afraid to move"
The leader's voice is grizzly: "Then what went wrong?"
The gang member hyperventilates: "It was like a ghost, they rose from the ground and... oh god..."
The leader's voice becomes stern as he slams his fist on the table next to him: "Say it, Srave!"
"They lifted Roman in the air, and tore him in half" Srave has a shake in his voice: "They said they're coming for you"
He throws the barrel back in the gun, he grunts: "We'll be ready"
***
You're plotting your course to their town on a large map. You know they're expecting you but that makes no difference in your plans. You're going to put bombs under their floors so if they don't agree to your terms, they can't hurt your family anymore.
The door opens behind you: "Jesus, turn a light on in here" Mylo says as he pulls down the string, lighting up the room. Your eyes squint slightly as they readjust to the sudden influx of light. For the last few days, your only light source was a lamp over your desk and whatever seeps through the door when people, usually Silco and Vander, bring you food. "Vander uh, Vander asked I come to check up on you"
You're gaze is still fixed on the map, you have strands of red string linking their routes from place to place: "You can tell him I'm fine"
Mylo wants to accept your answer but as he reaches for the doorknob to close it, he feels he has to make sure: "If you need to talk about it, I'm here" You appreciate what he says but don't have time to think about it. He closes the door behind him, leaving you to your solitude.
You have notes to make sure you know what you're up against: "Saldon, 5 foot 9, female, double barrel shotgun" You read one of the many sheets, taking into account the necessity to stay far from this one: "Jackie, 6 foot 2, male, mace" You read another and another and another until you know exactly what weapons and strategies will be the most effective.
***
Vi had begun fighting for money, she felt like she didn't do enough when the gang member grabbed his sister. Powder, Ekko and Claggor watch as she wraps bandages around her fists. The crowd roars for her and her opponent, bets are placed on either side. People watch in awe as the fight begins.
The large man of muscle chuckles as he sees Vi. She's only 17 by this point so expects this to be a quick fight, he's right. His laughter is interrupted by a strong punch to the gut, blood flies from his mouth as he brings his head down. It's only brought back up again by the feeling of Vi's knuckles hitting his chin: "Haha, I'm glad to see a fighter" He wipes the blood off him as he gets ready to strike.
Vi puts her arms in front of her to block his strike but it's no use, she flies to the wall: "Fuck!" She gets back up and pats herself off. Powder cheers her on from the back, she dashes to his left but quickly switches right. She leaps from the ground, her foot directly hitting his head.
He comes to the ground with a loud thud. The crowd erupts: "Three! Two!" Winning is in sight for Vi but he suddenly rises again, his balance is off so his attempt to grab her is dodged. A loud yell escapes him as one final blow to his stomach sends him back to the ground. He struggles to get up: "Three! Two! One!" A bell is rung to signify Vi winning.
The organiser comes out: "Ladies and gentlemen! Our winner, the Scarlet Striker!" He raises her hand in the air. Some of the audience is overwhelmed with joy as she wins, some in despair. The organiser hands her winning to her in an envelope. A lady dressed in feathers, silk and fur watches.
Outside, Vi counts her winnings while Claggor watches. Powder and Ekko are too busy recreating their favourite moves. "Where'd you even learn that kick?" Claggor asks
"y/n showed it to me when we first met. I never told them but I learnt it in secret" She chuckles to herself for a moment. She stops laughing as she remembers where your violence led you.
Claggor looks at the money: "What're you gonna do with it?" He realises how that sounded out loud: "Sorry, not asking for it. I'm just curiou-"
She shoves some of it in his face, laughing: "Shut up, take this and get some food for yourself and them... and y/n"
He hesitates before taking it: "What about you?"
She stores the rest of it in her pocket: "I'll decide that later. I've gotta see Caitlyn, so get lost before I start to smell like you" They both laugh before Claggor leads Ekko and Powder to get some food. She already knew what to do with the money.
She watches them go before she gets ready to leave and see Caitlyn. Her thoughts are stopped by a feminine voice from behind: "There's more money where that came from, you know" Vi turns quickly to see a heavily decorated lady, she has a 100 in between her fingers, the tip still smoking.
She puts her hand out to shake Vi's: "Felicia, darling"
Vi doesn't shake her hand: "Can I help you?"
Felicia doesn't move her hand: "I'm here to help you. I watched your performance, truly something, darling"
The tension in the air is clear to them both but only Vi is put off by it: "Thanks"
Felicia is stubborn, leaving her hand out. She takes a drag from her 100 before speaking: "There's plenty of these fights to win if you know where to look"
Vi sees what she's offering: "Look, this is temporary. I don't want a manager"
"Darling, I wasn't aware I was meeting the world's most foolish mind-reader" She keeps her hand out: "I've never seen such potential in a fighter"
Vi is about to ignore her and leave when she has an idea. Your violent outburst could be mitigated if you gain access to this: "I'm not changing my answer, but I might know someone who will" an intrigued look emerges on Felicia's face.
***
Caitlyn is in her room, she's sleeping in her queen-sized bed when she hears knocking at her window. Confused, she opens the curtains to see Vi with the injuries still prevalent on her face. Caitlyn opens the door: "What happened to you-" her question is cut off as Vi raises a bouquet of vining clematis.
"I um, I got you these. They reminded me of your hair and they smell like your perfume" Caitlyn blushed dramatically, no one had done something like this for her.
She gently takes them from her: "Th-thank you, Vi" She lets her inside: "Any special reason?"
Vi avoids eye contact: "I felt bad for taking so many cupcakes from you"
Caitlyn puts the flowers in a vase: "They're special. Like you said" She sits down on her bed: "How's y/n holding up?" Vi had told Caitlyn about your violent outburst.
Vi makes eye contact with Caitlyn: "I think I found an outlet for them"
Caitlyn's ears perk up: "Oh really? What's that?"
Vi sits next to Caitlyn: "Pit fighting, make some money while relieving stress"
Caitlyn has a little worry about you getting hurt but trusts Vi's judgment: "Is that how you got these bruises?" She rubs a large bruise on her shoulder.
Vi puts her hand on Caitlyn's, holding it to her shoulder: "I'm glad you're not like the other pilties"
Caitlyn takes a deep inhale: "y/n said the opposite when we first met" They make eye contact for a second, Vi gulps slightly before leaning towards her lips. They fall into a deep and passionate kiss, before long they are in each other's arms as they lie in bed together.
***
While Claggor, Powder and Ekko are getting food, you hear a knock at your door: "It's open!"
Sevika opens the door: "Someone's here to see you"
You move your eyes to the door slowly as a lady wearing high-quality fabrics walks in. Her fur coat falls below her shoulders: "y/n, your sister tells me you're quite the fighter. Would she be mistaken, darling?"
Time passes quickly and before you know it, you're gripping her hand as you shake it: "Welcome on board, Darling"