Chapter 14

Seated behind her polished oak desk, Caitlyn listened intently as Salem summarized his journey with Ahri.

Off to his side, Ahri listened as well. Despite having actually been there, it was interesting for her to hear the story retold. It was still all a bit surreal to her. Trusting Salem based on nothing more than his word, she had faithfully followed him, and so far he hadn't led her astray. They were an unlikely pair, a couple of people brought together by nothing but coincidence. Their story was reminiscent of ones she had heard adults tell their children when she had first come to be human. Stalking around outside windows, she remembered hearing the children's whispered excitement at such epic tales being spun.

When Salem wrapped up, Caitlyn took a moment to process the information she had just been given. "Quite a journey you two have made, though it's not inconceivable by any means. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Is there any way we can book some cheap transport to the Institute, or at least to Roana?"

Ahri's ears perked up. Roana. From what she had heard, it was town that had popped up just south of the Institute of War purely because of the attraction that the League itself brought. People looking to profit off of the Leagues popularity had set up shop there. In time, the little town had grown to be nearly as big an attraction as the Institute itself.

Caitlyn shook her head. "Most City-State run transport out of the city has been shut down due to the recent crime spree we've been having."

"Is that what that whole commotion downstairs was about?" Ahri asked.

Caitlyn nodded. "It has been going on for a few weeks now. We've been trying to keep it quiet to control the panic, but I'm sure by now the news has started to leak out. A loose cannon criminal named Jinx has been wreaking havoc for…well we don't really know why. The damages have been great enough though that we fear she may attack the zeppelins and convoys coming in and out of the city. You are welcome to come and go as you please, but you will have to either book private transport or travel on your own."

Salem seemed a bit annoyed by this news, but Ahri knew that it wouldn't discourage him; it certainly wasn't going to keep her from reaching her goal. "Is there any way you can contact the Institute for us? Ask if they can even help me? I would really hate to go all that way for nothing."

The Sheriff nodded, her giant purple hat somehow staying perched perfectly on her head. "Being a champion of the League does give me certain perks. I will try to get in touch with someone if you two wouldn't mind waiting in the hall."

Salem nodded. Beckoning Ahri, he walked out into the hall with her close behind. Sitting down on a bench, she looked over at him, a slight bit of fear evident in her eyes. "What if nothing can be done?"

Salem apparently hadn't been listening. Perking up, he turned to her. "What?"

"What if the League says that they can't help me? What if I end up stuck in this situation, trapped in an endless cycle of killing just to retain my humanity?"

Salem leaned back and crossed his arms. "Well, that would mostly be up to you. It's your life, so you get to choose how you live it."

Casting her eyes down, Ahri stared at her hands folded in her lap. "I don't think I could go on like that. Being human comes with its perks, but the guilt…it would just become too much to bear."

"So what then?" asked Salem. "Refrain from killing and revert back to what you were before?"

Ahri shook her head. "No. I just couldn't go back to living like that either." She laughed a bit as she realized the predicament she was in. If the League couldn't offer solution for her, then she was backed into a corner.

Salem exhaled, letting it taper off into a low growl deep in his chest. "Well that leaves only one option."

Ahri continued to stare forlornly at her hands. "Yep…"

"So then…how would you do it?" Salem asked abruptly. "Jump off a cliff? Hang yourself?" He reached into the fold of his cloak and retrieved his revolver. "Or perhaps you need some help."

Ahri was taken aback by the brusqueness of the question. "W-what?" When Salem looked at her, the friendly, kind warmth in his eyes that she had grown fond of was gone.

"You heard me," he whispered. "How would you do it? If you decided that you didn't want to go on living, then you better figure out how you're going to end it."

Ahri fumbled her words, not sure what to say. "I…well I never really thought about it. It's not really something that has ever crossed my mind."

Salem sighed again, putting his revolver away. Ahri felt her body relax as the weapon slipped back out of sight. Salem's sudden intensity made her incredibly nervous.

"If it's never crossed your mind, then why would you suddenly consider offing yourself as an option, Ahri?"
Ahri's ears flattened against her head as she felt the burn of shame, a very vulpine reaction to a very human emotion. She felt a tightness in a chest and suddenly realized that she felt very small. She curled her knees to her chest, wrapping her tails around her. It was her way of hiding, even if it was only just to make herself feel better. "I'm sorry Salem."

"Don't be. Just promise that you won't go off talkin' like that again."

"I won't."

The warmth returned to Salem's eyes. "It's too early to be negative anyway. Let's just hope Caitlyn will have some good news for us when she gets off that call."

Ahri uncovered herself, glad to see Salem looking like his old self once more. That had been the first time she had ever seen him take on such a dark demeanor; she hoped it was a switch that she would never have to see flipped again. "I'm not trying to be negative. It's just…it's just that I want to make sure I consider all the possibilities."

Salem nodded his head. "I understand. I've been down that road a few times myself. So how about this? If this whole Institute thing doesn't end up working out, come with me. We'll keep looking for a different solution, even if we have to traverse the whole continent to find one."

Ahri blinked. "Are you serious?"

"Yep."

Even now after the time they had spent together, Ahri was surprised by Salem's kindness. He had already given up so much for her without even asking for anything in return. She smiled weakly. "Okay. I would like that." The sound of Caitlyn's office door opening made her turn as the sheriff stepped out into a hallway.

"You two can come back in now. I've got some news that I'm sure you would like to hear."

The pair wandered back in, eager to hear what it was that the sheriff had to share.

"Well Ahri, it would appear that the High Councilors themselves have taken interest in your plight."

"Really? They have?" asked Ahri. Beside her Salem smiled.

"They have indeed," responded Caitlyn. "Unfortunately that's about all the detail I managed to squeeze out of them. They would like meet you in person to assess your abilities as well as your…requirements for subsistence. From there, they have no guarantees, but they will try to formulate a solution that could be mutually beneficial to both parties."

"Beneficial to both parties?" Ahri asked, looking at Salem. "What do you suppose they mean by that?"

Salem shrugged. "It's hard to say. What can you give to someone who already has everything?" He caught Caitlyn giving him an uneasy glance, noting it but not reacting to it. "It can't hurt to at least go give it a try, can it?"

"Of course not," Ahri replied. She stood, stretching her arms and tails. "Sheriff, thank you so much for your time and help."

Caitlyn nodded. "Anything for the friend of a friend. Sorry I couldn't do more."

Salem also stood. "Don't worry about it, Cait. We'll make the journey on foot. I've done it before, I'll do it again. If we're lucky, we may be able to hitch a ride with a caravan or something."

Leaning over her desk, Caitlyn gave a firm handshake to both of her guests. "Glad to be of service."

"Ahri, would you mind waiting outside for a moment?" asked Salem. "I have something I wanna discuss with the Cait here." Ahri nodded, excusing herself. As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, Salem turned back to Caitlyn. Mindful of his foxy friend's powerful auditory perception, he spoke in a low voice. "Mind telling me what that look in your eye was about when we were discussing Ahri and the Institute?"

Caitlyn leaned back, folding her hands together. "Well Salem, if I'm honest…to me it sounds like the Institute may be interested in crafting your friend into a champion."

Salem tapped his foot a few times; this was unexpected. "You really think so?"

Caitlyn shrugged her shoulders, the minor motion doing nothing to mask the weight of her previous statement. "I can't say for sure, but I know where I would place my bet."

At a loss for words, Salem simply scratched his head. "Well... hmmm."

"If it comes down to it, do you think your friend would be able to do what the League asks? Life of a Champion isn't all fame and fortune, you know."

"It's hard to say," Salem replied. "There are times where she seems so fragile, but when it counts she's tough as nails. I do know one thing though: she's a survivor. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if she stepped up and took the stage on the Rift. She's pretty determined to make sure she never takes another life again. Maybe doing so in a place where you can't really die is a good alternative. At this point, the only way to know what'll happen is to go and do it."

"So you have faith in her then?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Caitlyn allowed herself a slight smile. "I suppose that's all that matters then."

"I suppose it is," echoed Salem. Reaching out, he gave the Sheriff of Piltover one last handshake, this one more sincere than the last. "Watch yourself out there Caitlyn."

"I will," Caitlyn promised, clasping Salem's hand in both of hers. "Take care, Salem."

Back on the streets of Piltover once more, Salem and Ahri began making their way west, toward the edge of the city.

"Hope you're ready for a hell of a lot of walking. The Institute is a couple of weeks away. We're gonna have to head over the Ironspike mountains, so hopefully all the winter's snow is gone by now," the musician stated.

"Damn," Ahri grumbled. "At least I can rely on Cadence to carry me," she said, patting the horse on the snout. "I think he likes me more than you. Seems like he lets me ride him more often."

Salem snorted. "He lets you ride him more because you're lighter."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Ahri scoffed, sticking her tongue out. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in a while. "How are we doing on supplies?"

Still walking, Salem searched around in Cadence's saddlebag for moment before withdrawing a bag of dried fruit, which he handed to Ahri. "Well, we're fine for now. There are only a few stops between here and the Institute though, so we'll have to ration, and to be honest I'm running a bit low on funds."

The thought of roughing it with little food didn't appeal to Ahri very much. "What if we hitch a ride with a caravan like you suggested?"

Salem looked around. "Well that would be ideal, but that depends on us finding a trade caravan of some sort that would be willing to take us on. I guess we'll just keep an eye out for any groups leaving the city. I'm sure there will be plenty given the current crime situation."

Rounding a corner, the duo was surprised to see several people milling around. The sound of many animals filled the air. Elephants trumpeted, tigers roared. Off in the distance, something that sounded a bit like a seal barked. People wearing brightly colored outfits scurried about, packing up equipment into large road cases. Wagons crammed full of supplies and rigs lined the side of the street; off in an empty lot, a gigantic tent was in the process of being deconstructed. Further down the street someone yelled out. "LET'S GO FOLKS! WE'VE GOT A SCHEDULE TO KEEP!"

Intrigued by the sudden hustle and bustle, Salem was surprised to see a sly grin slide across Ahri's face. Almost instantly, he understood why. "I know what you're thinking."

"Are you opposed to it?" the nine-tailed girl asked. She had seen a group like this before. They had wandered into a village she was staying in one night, entertaining the populace for a few days before packing up and moving on.

"Not entirely, but we don't even know if they're heading in the right direction. Besides, I'm entirely sure how I feel traveling with a group like this." Salem admitted.

"You've traveled with a trade caravan before though, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then it'll be fine. Trade caravan, circus. What's the difference?"

Author's note: Well I did it again. I broke my promise of a quick chapter release. Sorry about that. I've been focusing alot on other things, including trying to finish up my other story Light of Redemption. So no more promises. I will try to write as often as I can, but it's gonna have to jsut happen naturally; it cant be forced. Thanks for all of those who have the patience to stick around, and take care!