SHOWDOWN

The main hall and living room of the Kiramman Manor was about an akin mess to the one outside, except for no blood on the floor, only the windows as refugees stood sitting down on the floor while enforcers cleared off the bodies of the cultists from the broken frames and glass as the mansion's staff provided basic necessities' aid to the refugees. All as Tobias stood by amidst the stairs, watching it, disheartened that something like that could happen right on his home. And the worst of it being that Cassandra, technically the one most qualified to take the decisions and knowing what to do, wasn't there and wouldn't *ever* be again.

Most of the furniture was moved out of the way to make room for the refugees, whom did let out screams of terror while the fight was going on outside. But, at least, it seemed to be over, now. At least some help was being provided to these refugees... evacuees... he couldn't really grasp the word. But the nightmare of the new situation for all of those whom survived would certainly remain.

The doors suddenly opened, exposing the fresh or rather corpse-reeking air of the outdoors as two figures walked in on rushed steps, one of which he knew too well, and that did jolt heat into his blood to have him out of his trance and walk towards them.

As Vi and Gilhil rushed right within, a figure right ahead of them, with her back turned but a dark blue hair tied to a ponytail had turned around, in her militaristic-clad uniform and a bit of a frustrated, cold face, staring at both, trying to keep firm, as if she were facing her would-be parents after she did something terrible. Which wasn't totally wrong.

Upon seeing Caitlyn, the very root of all that happened on this day, Vi's bloodstream, heart and temper sped up, something Gilhil immediately took notice upon seeing the disobeying enforcer, and thus pushed the brawler back as he walked ahead faster.

"Where the hell were you, princess?", Gilhil shouted, livid. "Better yet, what the hell were you thinking? Were you even thinking!?", he pushed Caitlyn by the shoulder, where her radio was, as he then took notice of it's absence. "Of course you were..."

"The moment I heard the distress, I knew you'd try and dissuade me, Gilhil.", Caitlyn said a couple of seconds later, as Vi stood behind Gilhil, with a deadly stare just as she was back in the cell at Central. "Even with all Jinx did today. So, yes, I did it. Do as you like."

"She got away, didn't she?", Vi asked a second later, trying to keep herself under control.

"No thanks to Ekko.", Caitlyn answered a second later, on which Vi made a confused face, knowing well he was supposed to be at the Haven, as was agreed by Jayce. But then, Heimerdinger had released both her and Caitlyn from Central, too, when they surrendered themselves. "He got me off a bind out there, just to ensnare me the next second."

"He did?", Vi asked, as Caitlyn simply stared. "So what good did it do running off, then!? Did you even notice the Noxians out there!? They're the reason we're even here, talking!"

"They wouldn't even need to be, if you didn't get in the way, the last time!", Caitlyn retorted, anger bubbling up.

"That's enough, Kiramman.", Gilhil ordered.

"And did you even notice the *bodies* all over the city!?", Caitlyn asked. "That explosion that began all this!? Something that didn't even had to happen, either!?"

"Kiramman!", Gilhil raised his tone.

"For how long will you keep defending her, Vi!?", Caitlyn asked. "For how long!?"

"CAITLYN!"

The sudden, loud calling voice of her father did cut off the heat as she turned to face him, gesturing around at the place, at the very people whom were staring at the arguers. And so were the enforcers and the mansion's staff. Vi, whose temper was prevented by the shouting from exploding on that remark, also noticed it and looked down to the floor for a second.

"Now, they said Jinx surfaced again.", Gilhil said, a second later, attempting to be more civilized.

Caitlyn simply raised her left hand, showing she has holding a folded, rather runout piece of paper all along. "A kid just gave this to me. Said he was threatened, as well as his family.", she said, coldly, as Vi picked it up.

She opened it to reveal the bold, rashly written bold words on it, written in sky blue and pink, as well as the toy monkey that was indeed her... sister's motto.

X

'STUPID BRIDGE, SUNDOWN'

'JUST YOU AND ME'

'TIME WE ENDED THIS'

X

Vi read through the message, twice.

The words couldn't be anymore clearer, any hopes of denying otherwise being in vain. "It's for me.", she said, a tone of dread coming out. "It's for me..."

"Of course it is.", Caitlyn deadpanned. "But you can't just believe she'd *suddenly* make it a duel, just like that. That's why I'm going with you. And I'm not taking a 'no' for an answer, this time."

"Oh yes, you are, missy.", Gilhil immediately stepped ahead. "For starters, this is a *coordinated effort, from now on."

"Is it, now?", Caitlyn blew back.

"And let's not mention you just proved and even *confessed* to be unreliable!", Gilhil continued.

"You faced the same numbers I have, Gilhil, what good would a single rifle do?", Caitlyn asked.

"Every rifle counts, princess!", Gilhil retaliated.

"You don't even have people to spare!", Caitlyn protested.

"That's my problem! Yours is re-learning how things work around here!", Gilhil pointed a finger at her.

As Caitlyn and Gilhil argued, Vi could only stare at the note, recalling the conversation she just had with Gilhil by the Pilt. The chance apparently presenting itself, even though Vi knew it also didn't make any sense.

Powder - or even Jinx at that point - wasn't like one to settling in for a one-on-one fight, something Vi herself taught her, early on.

To not get into a scruffle you can't get out of.

'Your sister works for him not because she has to. But because she *wants* to. I'm sorry, but that's who she is, now.'

Unless *this* was the intent. For either one of them to not get out of it.

Something she did dread, but as Gilhil did state, how long before her sister did something, again? She didn't even show *any* sign she was going to stop, from the last time they've met.

And whatever slim chance there was otherwise had vanished the moment Caitlyn entered the scene...

'She can't be saved, Vi. No matter how much you try.'

Vi's eyes focused on the monkey symbol sign, that was her sister's trademark. The one thing she associated with all that tragedy from that day. Vi remembered giving that monkey from a pile of scraps to Powder as her birthday present, only for her to dismount in the first five minutes to see how it worked, before remounting it back. A sign of prodigy if any, rare in Zaun.

And that same prodigy now had to be put to a stop...

"As I stated, do as you like, but you won't keep me out of this!", Caitlyn continued her arguing.

"Caitlyn, please...", Tobias attempted to start, as Caitlyn stared at her father, incredulous.

"Father, after all Jinx did!", the enforcer protested. "To Mom! To these people!"

Those seconds of distraction were all that was needed for Vi to immediately step in and grab Caitlyn and, before thoughts of regret could come into her mind, immediately landed two left hooks to the enforcer's face, as she dropped into the floor, unconscious and to the shock of all spectators, especially Tobias whom saw that in horror.

The lord of the Kiramman Manor then looked at the Trencher and pointed at her.

"Out.", he ordered, a second later. "Leave this house, now! And don't you dare come back!"

"I won't.", Vi answered, trying to sound cold and stoic, but clearly hurt for having to do it, as she then glanced at Gilhil. "No matter the outcome, I'm not coming back."

She took a couple of steps back, glancing one last time at Caitlyn, before she then turned around to leave, heart and breathing racing, the sobbing having to be ignored for the moment, making an effort to not look backwards.

The worst was yet to come up.

The horizon sky looming over the City of Progress was now glowing into a dying fiery orange, clashing with the once blue skies as the sun was descending far away, continuing it's trajectory over the humongous globe that was Runeterra itself, as if it were coming to an end. It seemed fitting, at least, that this hour would symbolize the end of everything that made her life. As this place, where all the misfortunes of her life started, would fit properly as the end of them, in a perfect, bloody symmetry.

Indeed a bit over-dramatic, but she could care any less about that, now.

At least, it'd be over. She'd be in a better place. Whatever was next couldn't be *any* worse than the crappy 'here and now'. It just couldn't...

The ammunition seemed a bit scarce, and about all the Chompers were gone. Only one or two rockets left for Fishbones, no chance to reload or rearm. She could only hope it'd be enough to... force the final deed. At least all the enforcers were likely too busy with cleaning up the mess of the battle to bother with securing the bridge. That or trying to root out whatever was left of the nutjobs still in the city.

More like maniacs, as nutjobs wouldn't be as violent as the ones she saw...

The only other issue was... the other one. Whom *might* get in the way of it, in the wrong time or before it. But she doubted the one invited would allow this involvement, after all this. There wouldn't be anymore interference, but then that one got in the way down in the Undercity, before, in an uncalled time. But even then, it'd be too late, this time.

That was the least Jinx could hope for.

The Loose Cannon started to descend from her vantage point, the rooftop of a building just by the Bridge's southern isthmus entrance. About the same spot she once used to peek both her and... the other one, before the whole mess on that Bridge started that night. The mechanical Firelight mess that did define everything. Jinx walked into the Bridge, Pow-Pow dangling as the weight of Fishbones on her back and the sidearm on her holster could all be felt by her and thus stopped about close to the first pair of pillars which extended upwards, holding diamond shapes above.

She stood there, exposed, looking down and only ahead once in a while, waiting for the arrival of the supposed invited one. And it wasn't a long wait, given a human shape did appear from one of the corners of the bridge, on the side of the once-opulent side of the river, and started to walk in.

But, as the shape, clearly feminine, started to walk forward and Jinx could see more clearly, it was definitely not the tall, long haired one, sporting a rifle.

It was instead the shorter, but nevertheless tall, short haired and sporting the most inhumanly biggest of hands. Walking towards her.

That made Jinx almost step back, surprised. It wasn't supposed to be her. It was supposed to be the demon Cupcake instead, with the due reason of all Jinx had done. Took her mother from her, and then her city. Except she also had done harm to ex-sister as well, and even far before. The Loose Cannon's heart raced as Vi approached the supposed site of the final deed, and then stopped ahead of her, a stern warface of an expression glancing at the blue-braided one. One made of stone, aside from the very imperceptible tones of guilt beneath it.

Both stared at each other for a while, no words and the only sounds but the distant splashing of the waves of the Pilt below them, as well as the subtle blow of the wind and the almost silent ringing of the bells of the wharfs on both sides.

"And where's Cupcake?", Jinx broke the silence first.

"Just you and me.", Vi replied stoically, a second later. "I made sure of that."

Jinx's eyes darted aside, still not believing it. Even in *that, it wasn't going as designed. Jinx was called because she brought bad luck, she didn't have bad luck brought TO her.

Unless... Unless it was all indeed setting up to that.

No wonder Caitlyn, the demon Cupcake, had no luck with getting Jinx, the best she got being that day, on the cannery.

It was never for Caitlyn to finish it all, even if Jinx wanted it, as it felt right.

It had to be HER.

The sister, finishing it all.

Just as Vander had once done with Silco.

Because of this. And the Council. And demon cupcake mommy. And the family.

All come full circle.

And, right there, the chance to end it, once and for all. To end both their pains. Jinx always believed there was a place, better than that one. Where Jinx and sister would go. Except Vi would take longer to get there.

At least the boredom of waiting would be worth it.

Jinx raised her eyes, facing her sister, retaining her poker face. She couldn't afford *any* weakness Vi could notice, not now.

Not at that moment.

"I'm glad it's you.", she said, as she then looked down for a moment. "Had to be you...", she then glanced back at Vi.

Vi, in spite of her attempted stone-coldness, was forced to look away for a moment and shut her eyes squeeze, on seeing her sister's face and hearing that statement. Vi couldn't let her feelings interfere, this time. Not if she ever was to prevent *anything* like that day, anymore. Jinx could see it as well, from where she was, as she had that as well, deep within her. Some would call it intuition, but such a thing wasn't that much required when it was obvious.

The need to get it over with, as quick as possible, lest the affections for one another overtook either any of them, or both, and it got in the way.

Vi clenched her hands as she stared back at her sister, the gauntlets clearly revving up, as Jinx's heart now raced like it never hasn't.

There weren't anymore words left.

The Loose Cannon immediately drew Pow-Pow, already spinning, and started firing the first bullets of the hail on which Vi immediately triggered the gauntlet's shielding, the bullets hitting and bouncing off the shield bubble harmlessly for about a few seconds, before Jinx stopped firing, only for Vi to shut the shielding down and immediately starting to charge towards the Loose Cannon, on which Jinx immediately dodged away, the Shimmer within her quickly helping gain distance before Vi could even touch her.

As the brawler, rushing in as a bull would it's target, ended up taking notice at the last second that Jinx dodged her. She turned around to see the Loose Cannon rapidly unholster her sidearm and try to fire, but Vi used the left gauntlet to shield her head from the incoming bullet, the muzzle hitting and bouncing off harmlessly against the brute steel powered by the gemstone within. Vi charged again towards Jinx, dashing as quickly as she could as the blue-braided girl tried raising the rotary cannon to fire, but Vi brushed the cannon aside as Jinx dodged at the last second the massive, larger-than-life steel hand, the Loose Cannon's heart racing like never before. Jinx, out of instinct head-butted Vi and kicked her back, taking the chance to pull back as Vi recovered, almost falling.

The Loose Cannon, by then, already prepared Fishbones to fire, but didn't aim directly at Vi, instead aiming at the ground almost by her left, close to the bridge's guardrails, and immediately pulled the trigger, the rocket flying too fast for Vi to trigger her shielding and the rocket hitting it's target and blasting away a shockwave along with a fireball plume to match. This shockwave sent Vi flying aside, hitting the other lateral wall of the bridge, and also made Jinx fall with her back to the ground, making her get herself back up. Vi, as hurt as she was, wasn't wounded and thus could rapidly get on her feet as Jinx holstered Fishbones back and tried drawing Pow-Pow again, but Vi, knowing that trying to charge again would make her sister dodge again, immediately grabbed a nearby lamp post and used the gauntlet's power to rip it off it's original place, throwing it towards Jinx's direction, forcing the blue-braided girl to dodge it as Vi took her chance to charge again, at full speed.

Jinx, noticing the pink-haired sister coming, dropped down and slid-tackled the brawler, making her trip and fall as the blue-braided girl attempted to bash her with Pow-Pow, but Vi was able to grab the rotary cannon and spinned around before releasing it, throwing the gun away with Jinx along. The blue-braided girl flew a few meters towards the Piltover side of the Bridge, falling down and bouncing painfully.

The Loose Cannon's heart was racing, as Vi charged again, fists ready to deliver a violent knockdown.

Rare were the times she saw Vi like *this*. Her fury, let out unleashed.

Just as it was, on that accursed night.

Not wanting a repeat of that, Jinx dodged her sister's charge again, fueled by the Shimmer within her, before she took off the strap tying Pow-Pow to her body and threw the weapon towards Vi, whom while being hit, had brushed it off and resumed her charge. Jinx then took Fishbones' strap off her body as well as she dashed again before Vi could reach her, but also came in behind the brawler and bashed her with the rocket launcher on her back, making the brawler fall to the ground. Vi turned around and instinctively shielded her body as Jinx tried bashing Fishbones again, the launcher hitting and bouncing off the metal gauntlets as Vi tried kicking whatever was ahead that the feet could hit. And as the feet had hit Jinx's legs, the blue-haired girl caught off guard twitched back, yelped in pain and almost fell down as Vi took her chance to get back on her feet again.

Vi rapidly grabbed the rocket launcher with the left gauntlet and yanked it away, and tried swiping with her right gauntlet before Jinx had ducked, dodging the massive metal hand formed into a fist as she immediately let out a few quick blows into the brawler's face before kicking her back and Shimmer-dodging away. She circled around Vi, as like those pesky Firelights usually would with her, to confuse the brawler, as Jinx hit her face before running off, to repeat it again, and then one more time, before she stopped to try and catch a breath. Weariness was grappling the blue-braided girl, but she knew Vi's anger was as well, increasingly.

That's at least what Jinx was counting on, now. She *knew* how her sister acted on anger let out unchecked. She knew *that* was the only way that Vi would be able to finish the job, lest the chance to cool down would allow her sisterly 'love' to get in the way. And bar the final deed on it's last leg.

Jinx charged again, dashing aside before trying to move in on Vi, but the brawler immediately triggered the shielding of the gauntlets which the blue-braided girl impacted violently, bouncing and falling to the ground. Vi attempted to advance and pin Jinx down, but the Loose Cannon was the fastest and could pull back as she got herself on her feet, but stopped a bit ahead of Vi, heavy breathing and weariness gripping both. Vi advanced, as Jinx remained there, and dodged the two attempted punches Vi had made as the blue-braided girl dashed to besides Vi's right side and let out a straight blow on Vi's face, the little sister's fist landing on the big one with the impact of a mallet. Jinx kicked Vi as well as she jumped back, allowing Vi to recover and attempt to advance again, attempting a single punch, but Jinx dodged it as well as let out multiple punches to Vi's face, but the brawler instinctively pushed forward by Jinx and knelt the Loose Cannon's diafragm before pushing her back, and then pulling back.

As Jinx got her feet and recovered, feeling the pain, Vi took a glance into the gauntlets she carried. While they didn't seem as heavy thanks to the power of Hextech that allowed her to keep them aloft, she could still feel their weight. And she could thus realize the advantage her sister had, and thus had to remedy that as well.

Vi thus took the gauntlets off, letting them fall into the ground, bare hands exposed as Jinx had noticed.

The blue-braided girl's heart raced.

This. Definitely it was *this, when sister was dangerous the most.

So close, now...

Jinx was the one to charge her sister, this time, advancing to attack as Vi brought up her arms to deflect Jinx's attempted punches and then dodging two of them as Vi pushed Jinx back and used the momentum to deal two quick blows to her 'sister's' diafragm before letting out a straight punch to her face, making Jinx bounce back, yelping in pain. Jinx tried a straight punch, but Vi dodged it and took advantage of the delay to grab the Loose Cannon's arm and the other one, locking both with the left arm, a trick learned from her first fight with Sevika since the release from Stilwater. Vi tried punching Jinx's face with her right arm, missing twice before hitting a punch below, by her left kidney. Jinx instinctively and hurting from the pain, headbutted Vi as she headbutted as well, both feeling the violent impact that hurt both their heads, making Vi release Jinx's grip to clench her head, as her sister backed away and did the same.

As Jinx recovered and stared at Vi, whom recovered as well, she charged the pink-haired sister and dodged to her left as Vi attempted charging and punching the blue-braided one, taking the chance to land a quick blow to the pink-haired's face, then pushing her all the way to one of the walls of the bridge, using the strength the Shimmer infusions granted her, grabbing her face before Vi bashed both arms to push Jinx away and grab her and try to throw her away as well, as both charged away to clasp at each other and attempt to deliver blows and push each other towards anything they could find.

Anyone present, if there ever were, could've seen the fight that once involved weapons and powered gadgetry had devolved to a visceral fistfight, one where pure rage and apparent hatred of these two girls clashed against each other. But it went far beyond that. It were the wounds of two hurt girls by their past coming at full force, fueling their fight, as much as the ideologies of those whom 'fathered' both, the once *brothers* of a long gone era as well.

The abandonment at that cannery, the loss of the brothers and foster father, the leaving behind at the bar, the statement that one wasn't ready... it all came at full force, at that moment, to be all let out as a raging river when the dam is opened at last.

Powder and Violet. Silco and Vander.

The past, defined by betrayal and abandonment, fighting as much as the present, defined by pain and anguish.

The fistfight continued as such, with either blue or pink-haired trying to force their way to overpowering each other. However, Vi had the edge that Jinx did seem to be lacking more and more, and became noticeable - endurance. For Stilwater had forced the brawler into an evolution, enduring the worst possible. It was what allowed her to recover from near-death so many times, especially both fights with Sevika, including the one in the Last Drop. That and about every night in solitary where practicing her fists was all she got to survive, in spite of the cruel conditions and beatdowns imposed by the local thugs for guards.

Jinx just didn't ever have to *endure* any of that, instead allowing the flurry of fists and bashing of weapons to speak for her, in hopes of getting her adversaries down as quickly as possible. She always let out all her energy all at once in her punches, never having to fight anyone for so long, anyone whom wouldn't back down no matter what. So it was with the Noxian down at the Dredge, and now it was so with her very sister.

In one of the pushes, Jinx tried pinning Vi as she let out some blows to the brawler's diaphragm before trying to punch her face. However, Vi dodged as Jinx's left fist landed straight to the wall, making a thump sound but one that indeed made the Loose Cannon yelp in shocked pain as she retracted the injured hand. That was what Vi needed to charge forward and punch Jinx's face as she pushed her to the wall on the other side of the Bridge.

Pinning her little sister to the wall, caught up by the rage and heat, Vi let out three strong blows at Jinx's diaphragm and headbutted the blue-braided girl, and then knelt her before grabbing the blue-braided girl wrapping both hands around her tiny throat, trying to squeeze them for a couple of seconds before Vi, weary and sweating, took her right hand off and backed it away, forming a fist that she prepared to deliver as her left one then grabbed Jinx's cheeks, in preparation for the final blow.

The blow on which Jinx could barely see the final blunt instrument aimed at her, and so in weariness, she shut her eyes.

Ten minutes before...

She had awoken amidst the softness of the sheet-spread mattress, the chin hurting latent, the blurred vision coming stark.

As her first breaths came in as well, so did the most recent memories. Especially the one connecting her newfound mouthly pain.

The breaths became faster as her body awakened and pushed her up from the bed, as she immediately took to her surroundings. She was clearly on her bedroom, the light of dusk barely entering as the shadows creeped in. She was still on her uniform, although, as she touched her pouches, she could notice they were all emptied of their contents, and her rifle was nowhere near.

A thousand thoughts passed in her head, especially the ones of betrayal. That... she... could do this to her. Clearly she was intending to finish it all by herself, no matter the result.

That or she couldn't bear seeing her get hurt, again.

She shook her head, as she knew she still had to head to the Bridge. Maybe she could catch them still at it, if she was fast enough. Another weapon wouldn't be a problem, either.

She reached the doors, attempting to spin the knobs and trying to pull the doors.

No movement, bound together. Of course they were locked.

"Did you hear that?", a voice, male, came from the other side of the doors.

"Yes, it is locked, princess!", another one shouted, a second later. "Will stay locked until said otherwise, cry all you want!"

She kicks the door in frustration. Of course it was Gilhil, the punishment having come due.

No matter, it was still as she declared him - he wouldn't keep her out of this.

Her eyes fixed to the broad window before her, clearly locked as well, in spite of the view of the Piltovan rooftops and the skyline on the other side.

Her eyes turned to the furniture around. for something that could deliver what was needed, to apply the proper strength required. Her eyes then caught something close by, lying on it's own in a corner since the map on the floor was taken back to the drawer days ago.

Her bench, which none of them clearly thought of taking it from the room. Maybe they didn't expect one as her to do something as brazen or irrational as she was about to do.

But then, that was expected from her as if she were so from days ago.

And in those days ago, Mother *still* drew breath.

And the world was indeed a different place, before it came crashing down.

Just like the bench past the window.

It was right before her.

The chance to end it and the blunt instrument prepared to carry it through. Both were wearied, but her target was more. The cheeks and chin were held tight to finish it, once and for all. The pain to end all pains.

Those soft, small cheeks and chin, in spite of the bruised, hurt face and eyes above them.

Just like she had them before, on that day. The image flashed as stark across Vi's mind as before. A scar of many.

The fist was indeed shaking, and Vi couldn't be sure if she was clenching to tight, or if it was... something else.

'Take care of Powder.', his voice echoed, from deep down in her mind. The promise she failed to keep the moment she left her behind for another to take, even if it was meant to be for a moment.

The breathing became more and more erratic.

'You got a good heart. Don't ever lose it, no matter how the world tries to break you.'

Vi shook her head. That wasn't the time for that, she couldn't do that, not now, not there...

She tried focusing on the face, the one that brought all that misery, all that pain.

The face with those eyes she remembered being so innocent, *destroyed* by that outburst...

That hair that, as messy as it was, *still* recalled a small spark of a good place. A spark of what she had left, when the rest was taken.

Whom just wanted to help, and was called a jinx for it...

She tried pushing her fist forward, wrapped on those bandages, as with before, but couldn't, the same hand being held back. And Vi knew *too* well it wasn't to any invisible force or any magic.

It was her and she knew it.

She *knew* what was going on and she couldn't do it.

Sisterly love. The thing indeed Caitlyn had every right to fear.

Jinx's eyes opened up, simply gazing at her in equal weariness. The eyes practically begging to finish it.

The one thing she had left, and had to put down, for everyone's sake. She gave about every reason for it.

And yet...

"I can't.", Vi almost choked at that, too weary as well, as she lowered her fist and released her grip on Jinx's cheeks, arms all lowered, feeling all empty, all resigned.

Staring at her sister, whom also stared back.

Jinx, on the other hand, at first dumbstruck at what was going on, started reading through the eyes of 'sister', catching on to what was happening.

And getting all the more *triggered* by it, in spite of the pain and weariness. She just couldn't believe it and it did tick her off more than the Mylo's annoyances.

It was so close... only one punch away... and she *couldn't* do it!?

Even THAT, she'd be denied!?

Jinx pushed her sister back with a violence, Vi almost tripping on her back, as Jinx could leave the wall she was pinned to, walking slowly towards the wearied sister whom simply stood there, staring at her.

Staring at weakness itself.

Jinx, heart racing, let out a right punch to Vi's face, even if clumsily, as it didn't seem to affect her as much. The Loose Cannon then let out a left blow, a bit more prepared, one that made Vi back off, but Jinx also felt her hand hurt, a clear sign of that impact on the wall. Vi recovered, still not fighting back, still not getting any of that anger.

Vi was simply standing there, aside from the bruises and the blood dripping out, not even resisting.

Jinx proceeded to punch Vi's face three more times, with her right fist, despite it being wearied as well. She then pushed Vi even more violently, enough for her to tumble down to the ground. And Vi yet didn't bother to even try and pick herself up.

The Loose Cannon readily approached, climbing on top of her torso, where she could see Vi still staring at her.

Just staring. And not even with any hatred on her eyes. Only pity, and resignation. As much as Jinx had resigned herself but minutes ago, and was denied even *that*. A look that could only stir Jinx's frustrated anger at it. She then punched Vi's face seven more times for it, still not even budging, even as she tried grabbing Vi's face and pressing it, getting nothing but a whimper of pain on Vi's part.

Jinx roared in frustrated anguish, before she got up on her feet, not knowing what to do, and then starting to look around. It took a while before she did find Pow-Pow before she grabbed it and then returned to Vi, still laying down there, not even moving.

Vi couldn't blame her. She knew Jinx couldn't ever understand, having grown so much into an uncaring world.

It's that Vi just couldn't cross that path. So much so she'd rather give her life for her sister, instead.

It was nothing special. It was just what love was - to give away from yourself for another's sake.

"Come on.", Jinx ordered, pain in her tone. And yet Vi didn't do anything. The Loose Cannon planted her foot into her sister's chest, aiming the rotary cannon's barrels at her. "Come on!", she raised her tone, slightly pressing the trigger that made the barrels start spinning. "Come on!", she shouted in a commanding tone before she raised up the cannon slightly and pressed the trigger, the thundering sounds of smaller cannon letting out the purple muzzle that hit the ground close to Vi, whom only had shut her eyes in a natural reaction.

"COME ON!", Jinx roared, and still got nothing.

Not a movement, not a word, or a change in expression.

"COME ON!", the Loose Cannon roared again, but again got nothing.

And Jinx, too, was trying to hold as best as she could, but that wasn't possible, either, no matter how much she tried to hold on to Silco's last words.

'Don't cry. You're perfect.'

Coupled with the whispers, which were just that, but still audible to an extent, thanks to the silence of the bridge... the torment was just too much.

And as much as she wanted to squeeze the trigger as well and finish it, she *couldn't* either.

She didn't want to get the misery. Except it was coming up, anyway.

How could ever a little girl bear so much?

"Goddammit...", Jinx weakly said as her fingers naturally let out of the trigger, as she started to sob, like she never had ever since that miserable day. Her grip on Pow-Pow's handle also faltered as she let it slip and fall to the ground and backed her feet out of Vi's chest.

"GODDAMMIT, SIS!", she shouted, one last time, before she finally broke, tears glowing in neon-purple of late Silco's product, streaming down on her eyes, wails of anguish and pain long stockpiled now starting to come out as a raging river. She rose her hands, stains of blood across the back and close to touching the colored pink and blue nails, before she then covered her face, in complete anguish and shame.

She couldn't even notice Vi breathing faster, eyes slightly widening in realization, as if new life was *jolted* into her. And the reason couldn't be anymore clearer for her.

For, against all odds, the thing she *desperately* tried to find the most, was now before her, after all this time.

"You're still there...", Vi said, almost said, close to sobbing as well, as Jinx's wailing ceased and got to become silent sobs. "You're still there... You're still there..."

Jinx's sobs now became quieter, and silence seemed to dominate the empty void of the Bridge of Progress, home to so many tragedies, once again.

And then, as her heart felt all emptied out, a sudden click and cocking was heard, one that caught Jinx's attention, to the source of the sound.

The sound that did belong to a Piltie rifle, one that many enforcers did use. One that was now in the hands of the tall, uniform wearing, long dark-blue haired one, staring coldly at her, clearly wanting Jinx to look and recognize her killer.

Caitlyn.

Jinx, heart racing, took a breath of relief and closed her eyes.

However, if only Jinx and Caitlyn were present...

For Vi had heard the rifle loading sound as well, and quickly realized what it meant.

"No!", she gasped, as she mustered the strength to get on her feet and jump ahead of Jinx, embracing her.

Right as Caitlyn immediately raised the rifle and squeezed the trigger, the thundering noise of the rifle's barrel coming out like the roar of an angry god to unleash the iron bolt of justice at it's target.

As Jinx's body received Vi's sudden embrace and gunfire, she opened her eyes jumpscared and taken aback to seeing Vi's eyes, also open wide, staring at her as much.

"What'd you do?", Jinx asked.

Vi gave no answer, just stared at her.

The brawler's eyes clearly denoting pain.

The Loose Cannon's heart raced. "WHAT'D YOU DO!?", she bellowed, alarmed, as her shoulders felt Vi's arms weighting down and the pink-haired body's starting to slouch and collapse, Jinx's heart racing faster as the world felt empty, Vi letting out whimpers of pain, unlike any she had faced.

Jinx crawled slightly to realize something by Vi's back, on her red jacket, which only increased the Loose Cannon's realization of dread and horror.

A bullet hole, almost at the same height level where Vi's chest was. The heart region, now having been dealt a stab from the back.

A tiny, but nonetheless fast and armor-piercing stab.

Jinx's world had just collapsed as she held her sister on her arms, whimpering in pain and shock by the gunshot, on total despair.

The one thing most sacrosanct, now violated, and Jinx didn't know what to do, right there and then.

She raised her eyes to the shooter, to Caitlyn, whom she saw was clearly caught off-guard as well, shellshocked. It was clear Caitlyn did not expect to hit Vi.

Hot blood, the heart beating fast, it all started growing within the grief-stricken Loose Cannon, whom immediately dropped Vi to the ground, rushed to Pow-Pow, grabbed it and opened fire on Caitlyn, whom was forced to immediately run away, amidst both the thundering sounds of the rotary cannon, almost choked by the resounding, inhumanly pained shriek of the blue-braided girl, whom continued firing, despite missing the enforcer whom dashed towards the right column of the bridge, firing until clicking could only be heard on the weapon, taking Jinx some seconds to notice that fact.

The Loose Cannon's body shook as she dropped Pow-Pow to the ground, shock gripping her tight for seconds before she remembered Vi, and thus ran back to her, kneeling before the shot brawler, whom whimpered in pain. She knew her sister needed help, and needed it right now. She ran to grab Vi's gauntlets, equipping them before grabbing her sister and running back towards the fissures' side, even leaving her weapons behind.

She could get them later, for all she cared.

Notes:

Still not over yet! Hang your hearts tight for the next and final conclusion of this chapter, and thus of Act V.