A/N: Well, Should i say i'm back? Nah, i never left, i just haven't felt like writing is all. I got the urge now and then to continue writing it and made progress very slowly on this chapter.

I think i'll just have to say that this story might get VERY SLOW UPDATES. The reason for this chapter taking longer than usual was just a combination of: not feeling like writing, trying to figure out where i'm gonna go with this story and... Yeah... That's pretty much it lol. So sorry for maybe breaking some expectations on updates. I'll just make it clear now that updates will probably take long. Especially now that work will start getting more intense in my own little career that doesn't have anything to do with writing :P (i do VFX).

Aaaaaanyway, i hope you like this chapter. Still not straying super far from original scenes in Arcane but there's definitely some differences that sets up for later chapters.

"Come on, over this way." Deep in the alleyways of The Lanes a group of three people were making their way topside to return a precious stone that had been stolen.

"Huh, I've never actually been here before…" Vi said as the three of them continued on, following Ekko who apparently knew all of these secret passages like the back of his hand.

"Some of this was built after you disappeared so yeah." Ekko explained. As they came to a more open area there was a bunch of firelights up above that were flying around, minding their own business.

"What are those things?" Caitlyn asked never having seen anything like it before.

"We call them firelights, I've never seen this many in the same place before though…" Vi answered her. "Ekko"

"Yeah?"

"How long left until the bridge?"

"Just a couple of minutes now, if nothing's changed since I last took this route."

"Hmm." Guess it's time to part ways pretty soon then.

"You still planning on going after Jinx?" he asked, turning his head around to look at her while still moving forward.

"Powder. And yes, that is the plan." Ekko looked forward again and it looked as if he slightly shook his head at her response.

I get that you might not like her Ekko, but I just can't give up on her this easily… I'll find her and we'll have a long talk, I need to.

In the Last Drop things were just as usual. A couple of people were standing in corners with hoods on and sharpening their weapons and some were sitting at tables playing cards and drinking. Behind the bar counter stood Theiram, ready to attend anyone that was in need of a drink. Suddenly a loud bang could be heard from upstairs as the door to Silco's office was slammed shut. Just then everyone quieted down a little and looked to the stairs, and down came Jinx, a visible scowl on her face as she descended the stairs. When Jinx noticed that most people were looking at her she smiled wide and wickedly.

"Oh you guys, just a little family argument! Nothing to see here!" She half shouted out standing goofily with both hands on her hips, giggling a little. At this everyone returned to what they were doing before, used to Jinx sometimes getting a bit out of control.

I feel like I've forgotten something… The handcuffs! Shit! Jinx just remembered that she'd cuffed Silco to his chair and forgot about it in the heat of the moment.

Well I'm not going back in there now. That would be too… awkward… "Chuck!" Jinx said cheerily as she made her way over to the bar counter where Thieram stood, polishing a glass like he usually did.

"Thie— Thieram, it's Thieram."

Thieram really is an innocent one isn't he? Jinx thought as she smiled at him and took out a key that she had in one of her pockets.

"Would you do me a favor Chuck?"

"Huh? Yeah sur— I mean, it depends on what it is… of course."

"Haha, calm down Chuck, I just want you to take this key and give it to Old Silco in his office okay? I forgot and I'm in a bit of a hurry, yeah?" Jinx took one of Theiram's arms and put the key in his open hand, closing his fingers around it.

"Oh! Uh yeah, sure, can do."

"Thanks Chuck!" Jinx jumped forward and gave him a quick hug, slapping his back a little as a gesture of gratitude and walked away.

"No problem." He said back, a bit flustered at the hug. Then he remembered what happened last time when she did this. He quickly looked to his back trying to grab on to something, but nothing was there… "Huh…?" Thieram looked towards Jinx who was now standing by the entrance door, looking at him and giggling to herself. Seems like Jinx had fooled him into believing she would put a decoy grenade on his back again. Thieram gave her a smirk and shook his head, a bit embarrassingly.

Cute. Jinx thought as she left The Last Drop and walked down the Lanes towards her goal up above.

Walking through the lanes wasn't the most pleasurable experience for Jinx seeing as almost everyone down here knew about her and how she essentially was Silco's daughter, Silco being the leader down here. She got both scowls and stares of awe as she walked past, some people whispering about her.

Annoying… Jinx thought as she entered on of the alleyways that would lead to a more secluded path to the topside. But just as she entered she bumped into Sevika.

"Jinx? Where have you been? Silco's been looking for you." She said, grabbing Jinx's arm tightly to not let her escape.

"Ow, hey stop that. I've already spoken with him, I'm just going back to my usual place, you know, to craft some stuff."

"You've already spoken with him? He just let you go?" Sevika wasn't happy about hearing this seeing as Jinx had embarrassed her quite a bit when she tied her up in the roof.

"Oh blablabla, I got a bit of a talking to, so what. Can you let me go now?" Sevika knew that she couldn't really do anything to Jinx because she knew Silco saw her as a daughter. If she did anything to her there would be hell to pay.

"Fine. I'll go to Silco and make sure you've spoken to him though."

"Yeah yeah, you go do that Sevika. See you around!" Jinx said cheerily, skipping away as Sevika released her arm.

"Something's wrong with that girl…" Sevika mumbled to herself and walked towards The Last Drop.

Guess there are some benefits to being so close to Silco atleast. Jinx knew that otherwise Sevika probably wouldn't have held back. And in a situation where Jinx would be forced to fight in melee combat against Sevika, she would most definitely lose.

Did Vi really beat Sevika? She must be quite strong then… and muscular… Jinx remembered the way Vi's body felt a couple of days earlier when they had reunited in a hug. How Vi's muscles had both felt hard and soft at the same time, and how warm and comforting her body had been. Entirely different from the feeling she gets when she hugs Silco. I miss it…

Jinx eventually made it to the place where she would have to start climbing buildings to get all way up to topside. But she was used to it, not being one for taking the main road, preferring to take the more quiet and secluded road instead. When Jinx was about halfway up she saw a light coming out from a window and peeked inside.

Oh! Jinx flushed a little as she saw what was happening inside. A man and two women were laying on a bed and enjoying each other while the TV had a porno playing at a loud volume, so loud that Jinx could hear the moans from out here.

They're really going at it… Jinx thought as she stood on a balcony, resting her head by holding her chin in one of her palms. When she realized she'd stood there for too long she shook herself out of it and remembered she had somewhere else to be right now. No time to enjoy watching other people have sex. So she made her way to the top and saw the bridge.

There it is… now where do I wait… Jinx looked around for a bit and thought about standing on top of one of the buildings to get a view of it all but she wanted to be closer to properly see and be ready to engage if needed. So she climbed up the bridge support and sat down high up above the bridge, looking down at the Enforcers that were putting up a barricade and preparing for anyone that would try and come through.

Almost looks like they're preparing for war… maybe Silco is right… maybe I really need to complete that weapon soon. But the crystal… I lost it. Jinx never said anything to Silco about it because she didn't want to disappoint him, but to complete the weapon she would need it.

Alright, time to play the waiting game I guess… come out, come out Firelights, wherever you are…

Caitlyn, Vi and Ekko where now in some kind of tunnel with a bunch of mechanical parts attached to the walls and ceiling.

"Where, exactly are we now?" Vi asked Ekko.

"We're beneath the bridge, we'll climb up the bridge from the side of it."

"Oh, okay." Ekko really knows his way around huh? And 2 turns after she'd asked Ekko there it was, an opening at the end of the mechanical corridor, supposedly on the side of the bridge.

"That's it." Ekko said, pointing at the opening ahead of them. When they got there Ekko didn't hesitate and started climbing on a couple of gigantic gears that were mounted to the side of the bridge, making his way up. Vi looked to Caitlyn who looked back at her. Vi slightly tilted her head at Caitlyn who just shrugged in response.

"Ladies first." Vi said a little cheekily, clearly aware that Caitlyn still wasn't very good at this parkour kind of stuff.

"And I here I thought you were a lady too." Caitlyn said, laughing slightly as she started climbing.

"You—!" Goddammit, she got me there I guess… 'ladies first'… stupid thing to say…

When they'd all made it up on the bridge they just looked at each other and nodded their heads in unison, walking towards the direction of Piltover.

Guess this is it… Vi thought as she started lagging behind Ekko and Caitlyn. Time to turn around and find Powder again. You have to Vi. Remember what Vander told you. As Vi was struggling a bit with her inner thoughts she had started to slow down significantly and after a while came to a complete stop.

"Vi?" Ekko said. Both Caitlyn and Ekko had turned around when they noticed Vi wasn't following them anymore.

"It's time…" Both Ekko and Caitlyn just looked at Vi worryingly.

"You can't change her Vi." Ekko clearly wasn't very happy with her for choosing to go back to, what In Ekko's mind, was a monster.

"I have to try Ekko." He sighed. Suddenly a sound could be heard from somewhere near, all of them looked around for a bit but couldn't see anything and it didn't really sound intimidating so they let it be, for now.

"Don't get yourself killed okay?" Ekko said as he walked over to Vi and gave her a goodbye hug.

"No promises." She said a little jokingly "But I think I'll be fine."

"Vi…" Caitlyn was still looking worried as Ekko and Vi separated from their hug.

Oh Caitlyn… I'm gonna be fine. Probably. "Come here." Vi opened her arms and beckoned Caitlyn to come in for a hug. Which she did.

"It's been fun, Cait. Thank you. For everything." Caitlyn nestled herself in Vi's neck and they both took each other in for the last time in what would probably be along while, if not forever.

When the trio had arrived at the bridge, Jinx was still sitting at the top of one of the bridge supports, keeping watch for anything. Suddenly she noticed three people walking together towards Piltover so she took out her handheld telescope to get a better look.

Now who do we have here… is that… pink hair? Vi? What is Vi doing here? As Jinx started looking at the other people, she didn't recognize the one with dark blue hair tied up in a short ponytail and looking at the person in front with white hair…

That's a Firelight hoverboard on his back! And the clothes! Vi are you… are you with them? The voices in Jinx's head started laughing.

Haha, she lied to you after all!

She's been in hiding all this time with the Firelights!

She's one of them!

"Shut up. She wouldn't. No way." Suddenly Vi stopped. She stopped? Jinx tilted her head curiously. And then the people in front turned around to look at Vi. Giving Jinx a clear view of their faces.

CAITLYN! That bitch is still with her! And that fucking… firelight… Ekko? He's alive? Jinx grabbed at her head when suddenly the voices got much louder than usual, but she noticed that one of them was gone. The voice of Ekko.

Ekko works with the Firelights!

Ekko betrayed you!

Ekko has tried to kill you!

Ekko left you. Came claggors calm voice, putting an end to the onslaught of voices.

Ekko left me… At the sudden realization, Jinx Clenched her right fist and slammed it into the side of the supporting pillar she sat on as hard as she could. You fucking piece of shit. How long? How long have you been chasing me? When Jinx started to see the trio move again she calmed herself down just a bit and looked through the telescope again.

Ekko and Vi were hugging. Vi wouldn't know what he's done to me. Even I didn't know. But as Vi and Ekko separated, Caitlyn started walking towards her and when they embraced it looked so… intimate.

Vi loves her more than she love you. Came Mylo's ever annoying voice.

"Shut up. It's just a goodbye hug."

She'll leave for her.

"She wouldn't do that. Not again." When they finally stopped their hug Vi kept her hand on Caitlyn's face for just a second, which annoyed Jinx to no end, but when she was done, she turned around and started walking away from Caitlyn and Ekko.

Yes! Come back to me Vi, you know we need each other. Jinx's goal had been to find Vi again, so now that she had she started making her way down quickly to intercept her sister on her walk back. And it seems like Jinx was a bit quicker as Vi was walking really slowly, maybe still a bit sad at having to leave her only real friends, besides maybe her sister Jinx.

As Vi was walking back to find her sister she was still deep in thought and taking it slow.

Fuck this is hard… I know that Powder needs me, hell I need her. But leaving Caitlyn and Ekko like this. Feels wrong. Whatever, I made my decision. I'm coming Powd—

"Up here Sis." Vi heard a quiet voice come from slightly above and to her right. And when she looked she couldn't believe her eyes. What looked like her sister was sitting on a small platform with her legs dangling over the edge. Her head in her hands.

"Powder!? That you!?" The girl on the platform stood up.

"Really?" She said before jumping down and walking into the bridge's street lamps, revealing herself. "I thought I told you my name's Jinx now."

"You…" Vi started crying a little the instant she was it was her sister. "Oh…" was all she could get out of her cracking voice before she ran up to Jinx and gave her a hug, a hug just as amazing as the one they'd shared a couple of days earlier when they first saw each other again. And just like that Jinx forgot all about her troubles, Vi was here, Vi was holding her, Vi loved her.

After just enjoying each others warmth for a while they parted and looked each other in the eyes.

"Powder—" Vi began but was instantly interrupted by a light punch to her shoulder. "Ouch…?"

"Stop, Powder's not here anymore Vi, It's Jinx now, okay?" Jinx said while showing just a hint of anger on her face.

"Listen I know… I know I called you that back then and I…"

"No! Vi, that's not what it's about. I've just… changed."

Haha you've changed alright, the old you is practically dead! The voices in Jinx's head began.

There's no way she'll love Jinx, she loves Powder!

Stuck in the past she is!

"No, she!… Vi…?" Vi a bit taken aback at Jinx's outburst all of a sudden had taken a few steps back and had a look of sympathy and shock on her face.

"Yeah? Is something wrong?" She asked back, slowly walking towards Jinx again, her hand slowly reaching for her. Jinx chuckled quietly but a bit crazily at Vi's question.

" 'Is something wrong?' Everything's fucking wrong. Nothing feels right anymore… except well… except this I guess." Jinx answered her, bringing her hand forward, claiming Vi's outstretched hand in her own, loving the feeling of warmth it gave her at just that small touch of skin.

Everything's wrong except what? Except this… me? Vi thought as she interlaced her fingers with her sisters.

"Listen Powd—" Jinx tensed up "Jinx." And relaxed again "Let's talk okay? I want to know what's happened since I… since I left you." Vi said as they both stared into each others eyes, desperately looking for something. Jinx averted her eyes as one corner of her mouth raised up. And let out a quiet sounding *hmm*.

"That's gonna take awhile probably." Jinx replied. Vi not liking the uncertainty displayed on her sisters face brought her right hand up to rest and caress her left cheek.

"Hey" she said, making Jinx look back into her eyes again. "I've got all the time in the world for you Jinx." Vi laughed a little "Gonna take awhile for me to get used to your new name honestly, but if that's what you want that's fine." Jinx's thoughtful frown from before turned into a smile as she nodded in response to Vi using Jinx as her name from now on.

Suddenly, their moment of peace was shattered when in the distance a gun shot could be heard, towards the direction of Piltover where Vi had just left Caitlyn and Ekko to continue on without her.

"Shit!" Vi cursed and started running towards the sound.

"Don't leave me…" Vi stopped as she heard Jinx quiet voice plead with her. Looking back she could see Jinx standing there, head and shoulders slumped as she watched Vi and grabbed at her own chest with her hands.

DON'T LEAVE ME! Vi could hear a distant voice yell in her head, a distant memory that she desperately wanted to forget.

"Come with me Jinx, Ekko is over there! We need to help them!" Mentioning Ekko's name Vi thought might be a good idea if there was some semblance of affection left for him. She knew that Powder liked him a lot back when they were kids, she had no idea what had made Ekko start disliking her sister though.

"FUCK EKKO!"

Well, guess that answers that question… "I… I can't leave them to die Jinx, I can't."

"Vi you!…" Jinx closed her eyes, clutched at her own head and started screaming.

"Jinx!?" Vi ran over to her, not sure what was happening but something was clearly hurting her, she wanted to help. Inside Jinx's head everything was a mess. Everything was telling her that Vi was betraying her again, leaving her even though she's pleading with her. Telling her that Vi would rather stay with Caitlyn and Ekko than her.

But then she felt a warm presence molding with her body. That feeling that she'd only felt a couple of times the last few days. And then she felt something soft and wet touch her forehead. When she opened her eyes she saw Vi's face just mere inches away from her face.

"Vi?"

"I will never ever abandon you again of my own free will, okay?" Vi kissed her on her forehead again, still holding her in a tight hug. "So please, let me go help. If you don't wanna help why don't you see it as helping me instead."

"Promise me you'll come back." Vi looked deep into Jinx's eyes trying her best at conveying what she felt and seeing what Jinx felt. Vi touched her forehead to Jinx's and their noses just barely touched, both of them closing their eyes Vi finally answered.

"I promise. Of course I'll fucking comeback. I love you after all." Jinx let out a quiet and relieved sigh.

"Fine, I'll help you. But I don't give a fuck about Ekko or that… devil girl."

"Devil?… Ah whatever, come on!" Vi started running towards Caitlyn and Ekko now, she was starting to get afraid that she might be too late now. She noticed pretty fast that Jinx wasn't following her though.

"You coming!?" Jinx was playing around with some kind of small box in her hands.

"Did you forget!? I fight at a distance!" Jinx yelled back and continued with whatever it was that she was doing. "Oh by the way! Avoid the firelights!"

The Firelights? Vi thought as she continued running What is she talking about?

As Vi arrived on the scene were the gunshot had been fired she could see Caitlyn being escorted away by a couple of enforcers.

Where is Ekko? She thought just before she saw his body laying still on the ground. Is Ekko?… Vi quickly refocused on Caitlyn not having the time to dwell on Ekko right now.

"Caitlyn!" she yelled, not wanting to lose her friend. And as she yelled for her a bunch of small little firelights came up behind her and flew around and past her, completely ignoring her.

"What the fuck is happening?…" 'Oh by the way, avoid the firelights' So that's what she meant! Or was it?

Either way Vi decided to trust her sisters word and made sure to not get to close to any of the firelights flying past her.

When Caitlyn and the enforcers heard Vi yelling they all turned around and were shocked at what they were seeing. Flying towards them was a swarm of firelights and in the middle a girl with pink hair running towards them yelling for Caitlyn.

"Vi?" Caitlyn said quietly to herself. Surprised to see her return after having left them earlier.

"Stop right there!" Marcus yelled and aimed his gun towards Vi along with every other enforcer except the one making sure Caitlyn would stay put. Vi stopped in her tracks, not close enough to do anything about all the guns pointed at her. Vi hadn't been thinking clearly when she yelled after Caitlyn and revealed herself before getting close enough. But as Vi stopped the firelights didn't, keeping their speed and flying towards the enforcers and Caitlyn.

"Where did all these firelights come from?" One of the enforcers asked no one in particular, more just voicing his thoughts at the absurdity of the situation. And then the firelights all slowed down and came to a halt, landing all over the area around the enforcers. Some on the ground, others on helmets and or weapons held steadily aimed at Vi, still standing where she'd stopped earlier.

Marcus looked at the Firelight that had landed on the top of his barrel as it slowly moved its wings but… something was weird about it. The wings kind of moved inconsistently, unnatural and the wings had weird pink markings on them…

"Is that…" Just as Marcus began to realize what the marking was the firelight on his barrel and all the ones around him started making a high pitched noise and began glowing bright, stronger and stronger until…

"GET AWAY FROM THE FIRELI—!" Marcus was cut off mid warning as everything around him exploded. Thousands of small explosions making it almost impossible to avoid getting hit by at least something deadly.

Vi stood still. Not because she was afraid of being gunned down, no. But because she didn't know what to do for a minute as the explosions had stopped and groans of severe pain could be heard from inside the thick smoke in front of her.

What the fuck Powder… no… not Powder anymore… Vi was beginning to realize truly how much her little sister, her little pow pow, had changed after what she'd just seen her do.

"Caitlyn?…" Vi spoke softly, afraid for her friend and started jogging towards the scene in search for her, having completely forgotten about Ekko for the moment.

As Vi entered the now thinning smoke, she saw a bunch of people on the ground, everyone completely knocked out. Or dead.

Holy fuck…

At the edge of the bridge Vi saw a bundle of two people, it looked like a man was knocked out on top of a woman.

Caitlyn! Vi realized it was and ran over to her, pushing the enforcer aside and helping Caitlyn to her feet. Although that didn't work as Caitlyn groaned in pain and fell to her knees. Seems like one of her feet couldn't support her at the moment.

"Fuck… my foot, somethings wrong with it." Caitlyn said.

"Come on, lean on my shoulder, we need to get out of here as soon as possible." Vi, being a bit more careful this time, pulled Caitlyn up and gave her the support necessary to stand and walk on one tired and beaten leg.

"Vi… you, why did you come back? And what were those firelights that came with you?… All this, destruction…" Caitlyn looked around in shock. Having a hard time holding back the puke that tried to force itself up her throat when she saw a couple of severed limbs here and there and blood all over the ground.

"I…" Fuck, if I tell her that this was my sisters doing… she'll never be able to trust her.

"I'm not sure what the deal with those firelights were… I— I came back when I heard the gunshot and then all of a sudden those things just came out of nowhere."

"I see… Vi this is—"

"Not now, we need to get out of—"

"JINX!" Vi was interrupted by a familiar sounding manly voice yelling in the distance.

"Ekko?" Vi thought out loud.

"Ekko? I thought he died when Marcus shot him."

"Shot him!? So that's why he was lying on the ground earlier… well come on! Let's get over there. Ekko and Jinx don't seem to like each other very much."

"I don't think a lot of people do Vi…"

"Yeah I'm starting to believe I'm the only one, come on let's go!"

Shit that was pretty loud huh? Jinx thought after she'd pushed the button to detonate her little family of explosively rigged firelight robots. Wonder if it worked? Jinx started making her way over to the explosions. Hope Vi understood what I meant. I mean she's pretty smart right? I'm sure she understood. What if I managed to get Ekko and Caitlyn in the explosions? Oh that would be just grand haha! Although Vi wouldn't be too happy about that would she?

Of course she wouldn't, she loves them quiet a lot after all. Maybe even more than you. Mylo whispered in hear ear. Jinx gave herself a light tap to the side of the head in an attempt to kill Mylo's voice.

She might like them but she… She said she loves me, that she wont leave me.

Which she's done before… Mylo countered back. Jinx found it hard to argue with his point so she shut up and continued forward, emptying her head as best she could.

Oooh, big smokey cloud. Where's Vi?… "Vi?" Jinx asked as she stood on the middle of the bridge and looked around her. Where did that girl go.

Left you…

"No! She did not." She did not… She tried to convince herself and took another step forward. Moving towards the smoke created from the explosions she had sat off.

"JINX!" Jinx froze on the spot. She recognized that voice.

That voice… She thought as she slowly turned around from where she'd come. Ekko!

Ekko was standing in the middle of the bridge, seems like he'd tailed her for a bit and waited for his moment to make himself known.

What's that container he has strapped over his shoulders… Jinx thought as she saw a faint blue glow seep through the edges of the metallic container device.

"Ekko." She just said, in a deadpan voice, no emotion showing on the outside.

"This ends now Jinx. Vi might not realize it but you're a danger to everyone, including her."

"Oh bla bla bla, I'm a danger to everyone here and there, whatever. I do what I have to survive. Where is Vi by the way?" She switched the tone of her voice so quickly it almost sounded like she was on good terms with Ekko all of a sudden when she asked him. Jinx usual goofiness showing even in a situation like this as she tilted her head to the side and looking straight into his eyes. A mix of confusion and fear bubbled up somewhere deep within Ekko but not nearly enough to overwhelm him.

"Hah… stupid girl is looking for you, can't seem to give up on you for some fucking reason."

"Hmm, that's nice." She said as she raised her pistol and took aim at Ekko's head. "I however, can't risk you being involved anymore. Vi is mine, you and that… Caitlyn girl are trying to take her from me. Well…" Jinx began to slowly pull on the trigger "Wasn't nice knowing you, see you never, bye bye." She finished with a sinister smile on her face. But her eyes didn't show any joy at all.

"JINX WAIT!" She heard someone yell from behind her just as she pulled the trigger and shot straight for Ekko's head.

A/N: Okay so yeah, a bit of a cliffhanger. sorry :P But i just felt like i had to finish this and get it out here.