The morning sun streaked through the window of her cell and the metal bars created a web of shadows on the stone floor. As the room slowly filled with light, so too did her consciousness awaken.

Blurry vision blinked away the haziness of the night. The whole room was sideways from her perspective and she pieced together that she was carried to the bed, laying with a blanket draped across her form. She didn't remember being placed here…

A sharp hiss and intake of breath passed through her lips as the raw, fragile skin of her wrists brushed against the metal of her cuffs. Flashes of her breakdown the night before lit up in her mind and reminded her exactly why she felt so exhausted.

The voices and taunts in her head often became too much to bear, but last night was an entirely different storm.. As the mismatched eyes of her father came into her thoughts she shivered and used her fingers to pull the blanket closer. She didn't want to think about it. She just didn't.

For a moment Jinx allowed herself some peace. Her cage was quiet and the sunlight that cascaded into the small space brought with it a tranquility that was rarely ever found in the undercity. It was calming and gentle, but as her consciousness grew more accustomed to the daytime and her senses increased in their alertness, the scratching, gnawing, scribbles and voices creeped in from the outskirts of her sanity.

She was only afforded a few minutes of relaxation before Mylo's taunts and Claggor's judgement came back. Her nervous pink eyes darted around the room, tracking the movement of her ghosts while she did a head count. She released a breath. Only Mylo and Claggor. Sometimes Vander would appear, and Vi too if she thought about her sister for too long, but her main concern, the ghost she dreaded with all her being, wasn't in attendance. Who knows how she'd react if he came back.

"Sorry," She spoke aloud for the first time while glancing towards the chubby child she used to trust. "Not dead yet."

His stare remained locked on her form, his mouth hanging open as if he were a corpse attached to a string that held him upright. Mylo's lanky body danced around Claggor, waving his arms and pointing as if to say, "Look what you did to your friend!"

Jinx closed her eyes and sighed. Of course she was fully aware of what she did to them. It was strange for her ghosts to haunt her the way they did. In her memories they lived on as her friends, as her family. She had seen the judgemental stares and been at the receiving end of their ridicule even when they were both alive. But killing your family came with a dire cost. The constant reminder of her past created a weird concoction of hate, grief, and love within her heart. It was too much. She couldn't hold all those mixed feelings inside.

There was a special place in hell for people like her.

Suddenly, the sound of multiple footsteps from the hallway beyond her cell caught her attention. Just under the smallest crack of the door she could see shadows sliding underneath. Great visitors. What will it be? Torture? Another boring lecture filled with superiority? Or had the Firelights finally come to her rescue?

The metal of the door screeched as it was flung open and two guards fully dressed in their enforcer gear stepped into the room, batons in hand. Each one took a stance on either side of the door and in walked her darling sister Vi and the girl's little cupcake.

She didn't like the look on their faces.

While Vi had her brow and lips twisted downward and her eyes shimmering with the faintest indication of tears, Caitlyn stared at her with a different type of emotion. It looked like pity.

"I heard about last night. Are you okay?" Vi asked gently while approaching her bed and taking a knee by her side. Her sister's hands seemed to twitch awkwardly at her sides, not knowing if it was appropriate to reach out.

It wasn't. She didn't want any of their worries, or pity. It was far too late to play the concerned, protective older sibling and she saw through the blatant lies of Vi's girlfriend. It didn't take a genius to understand the girl was only acting to make Vi happy.

Her shimmer-filled eyes glared at the violet haired girl who continued to watch her with that infuriating emotion in her blue eyes. She was used to hate, used to disgust and indifference too. But the sadness Caitlyn portrayed went deeper than she wanted to see.

"Stop it." She growled, "Stop looking at me!"

"Powder-." Vi made a move to reach out with her open palm.

"Don't call me that!" She snapped towards her sister as she jerked away from her. The sting of her ankles and wrists against her binding was nothing compared to the unfiltered rage that swam through her mind like white rapids of rushing water. Her breaths were short and quick as her body heat rose uncomfortably.

"Jinx." That's her name! "Jinx. Jinx. Jinx. Jinx. Jinx."

It was hard to tell if she was whispering her name or shouting it, but the distinction didn't matter. If she was destined to die, she wanted to make sure they knew her name and Vi would be the first to hear.

While Caitlyn averted her eyes and distanced herself from her, Vi seemed to move closer. Open hands reached out to offer some sort of calming presence. She didn't want it. As her eyes connected with her sister's, her face darkened in anger. Those eerie whispers that travelled through her veins became increasingly noticeable as her expression hardened.

"Say it."

"S-say what?" Vi replied nervously.

"Say my name."

How hard was it to realize that the little sister she once cradled in that rundown shack within the undercity was no longer of the living? Silco had taught her the truth. Death was a part of this world they survived in. Not just physical, no that would be too easy. The tragedy of humanity was that death had many forms, some more merciful than others. Powder fell. Drifted off in the depths of the toxic water. Her fate was better than others, but if Vi continued to grasp for the helpless, no, the useless child she'd find nothing but emptiness and decay..

"I- " Vi's response had caught in her throat but before she could snap at the older girl once more, a clunking sound echoed through the hallway.

The sounds of footsteps were uneven and jagged in ways that suggested a less than normal walk. Maybe that sickly looking man was coming to check on the council's biggest concern? She'd seen the cane by his side when they last interacted.

When a wooden crutch came into view she thought she was right, but another step followed and with it came the face of the boy she'd been prepared to kill just a few nights ago. Ekko. His borderline arrogant confidence fit so naturally on his face as he took in the room. He'd always had the ability to match her in ways others couldn't. Observation, awareness, reflexes, she could tell despite his injury he'd been using his skills to their fullest to gauge the room.

Speaking of injury, her pink eyes fell to his braced ankle on his left side. A dark jealousy swelled in her chest as flashes of her injuries from that night filled her mind and compared the damage. How the hell did he escape the blast?

"So, this is where they keep the crazies." He pondered aloud while a smirk spread across his lips.

If she wasn't so aware of all the ways she'd be killed on the spot for trying to lunge at him, she'd certainly try. When his brown eyes found hers she could tell he knew what she was thinking. If the intense rage in her pupils wasn't enough, maybe the uncontrollable vibration of her muscles was a good enough tell.

"Only the ones that are able to outsmart you." She sneered. Despite her loss on the bridge that night, she'd still been able to trick the three people in the room. Give her another chance and she'd do more than that.

"Outsmart?" Ekko questioned.

"The gemstone." She cackled. "How's it feel to know your hard fought victory was pointless from the beginning?"

"You mean this gemstone?" He held out his hand, pinching the glowing orb between his fingers before tossing it into the air and catching it. "Yeah, Vi and I made a quick stop at the ruined factory on our way here. Hope you don't mind."

Damn him...Damn him! Damn him! Damn that Firelight wannabe hero! For the first time since her capture she felt the need to fight pump wildly through her veins. That gemstone was hers, a precious treasure and reminder of Silco's dependance for her. He needed her, and she needed the gemstone. It was hers! Hers!

Crack

Wide eyes flashed downwards at the sound. Her pale wrists were bleeding once again but her mind ignored the splattered blood and stinging sensation and instead focused on the jagged line that formed on her metal braces as her strength increased with her rage.

A feral smile spread across her lips. Oh she couldn't wait to break free.

"No. Don't." Vi's pleading voice shouted as her bandaged hands slammed on top of her forearms, fighting against her strength.

She watched the room come alive. The two enforcers at the door came at her from either side, grabbing her shoulders and slamming her backwards in the wall of her cell. The sound of a rifle being readied took her eyes off Ekko for a single moment to stare down the barrel of Caitlyn's gun before she looked back at the little Firelight. Her sister continued to hold her arms down to freeze any attempt at further damage to her restraints.

Ekko's light brown eyes were wide in shock and she maintained the cheshire grin on her face. The fear in his eyes was just faintly visible and oh did it feel good to wipe that smirk off his face. Did he realize it? Could he see what she was now? This wasn't Powder. This wasn't Silco's most trusted accomplice. This wasn't the same girl he'd fought on that bridge.

This was Jinx.

The activated shimmer within her body was slowly fading and her strength started to decline with all the effort of the three people holding her against her will. But she wouldn't drop her smile for a second. It was a message, meant for the one person who thought he was better than her.

Mylo's constant laughter that pounded in her head suddenly stopped and despite the strain of her body, she felt the giddiness swell in her heart. Oh this was perfect. Even her ghosts were afraid of her now. Maybe this is what Silco meant when he told her to become what they feared? No. Even he had no idea of what she would become.

Ekko's wooden crutch lifted and the boy took a careful step forward. Her breath burst forth from between her teeth, panting as her body struggled to keep up it's resistance. It wasn't until the shock faded from his eyes and that infuriating confidence returned, that she faltered. The back of her head slammed against the wall and she thought she heard one of the enforcers trying to tell her what to do. She couldn't care less about what they wanted. If it was up to her they'd just be more canon fodder to test one of her many explosives.

Ekko took another step forward. Oh yes little hero wannabe, come closer. Come look me in the eyes and tell me who's stronger. His face was just a few inches from hers. A clear sign that his worry of her escape had all but fizzled out.

"Vi, Caitlyn," He nodded with his chin to the two women in the room, "They don't know what you are."

She giggled in his face. How right he was!

"But I do." He leaned closer, placing his lips a breath away from her ear and ensuring that no-one else could hear his voice. "You pretend to be a monster, but really...you're still the scared little girl that can't do anything right."

Oh that's how it is huh? Find a backbone in your time with the street trash? In many ways she saw through his words, knew what they really meant. He wanted to play games? Fine she'd play too. But words were no fun.

She snapped her forehead against his and Ekko lost his balance while his crutch clattered to the floor and his butt landed before her. His eyes wide as he clutched his head in pain. This is what she wanted. She was restrained, bleeding, and still able to look down on the boy who thought himself a man.

She smirked, giving him a little bit of that insufferable confidence back.

"I'm not the only one who likes to pretend."

In hindsight, the display of her unnatural strength was not ideal. As soon as the trio left the room, the remaining enforcers slammed a few punches into her gut, hoping her defiance would wither with the pain. She took each attack in stride, laughing and coughing up her saliva onto the cell floor.

"Too scared to try that with my sister here?" She taunted. Weak little soldiers, only capable of violence when their safety was all but guaranteed.

A baton bashing across her face was their response. She smiled, showing the whites of her teeth stained with the blood they had drawn from her. In their attempts to make her submit, she just found pleasure. Mylo screeched in the corner like a wild monkey, cheering on her attackers and Claggor's chest swelled with silent approval, but nothing could bring her down from the high she felt.

Pain. Blood. In her world it was beautifully deserved. There would be no Jinx without it.

When the enforcers slowed their beating, her eyes twinkled in amusement. Their gold and blue armor shifted and heaved with their ragged breaths as they hunched over with hands on their knees. Really put their all into it didn't they?

They grabbed her next and carried her outside her cell. Was it time to see the council already? Lucky her. She was placed into a new form of bindings and wheeled down the hallway before arriving at the large metal doors she still wished to vandalize.

"Your guest has arrived!" She cheered as she was wheeled into the council chambers. She was now restrained in combination of metal locks and thick leather belts that held her back to a slab of metal on wheels.

The many eyes of the council fell upon her and she opened her mouth to request some refreshments because dammit she was thirsty. Some food wouldn't be so bad either. Unfortunately, one of her enforcer guards had other ideas as a metal bob was shoved into her mouth and locked with straps to stop her from speaking.

A few others entered behind her, no doubt her sister and cupcake were in attendance but the two Firelights that accompanied Ekko were unexpected. She recognized them both from previous fights. She remembered jumping onto the big muscly one with her two boots during their raid on the progress day blimp. The other was the lithe, squirrelly bitch that managed to steal the gemstone from her when she had just been reunited with her sister.

There was one last person behind the group of Firelights but their small stature and dark cloak wasn't ringing any bells. She didn't know many yordles anyhow.

"So. You are the leader of the Firelights?" Jayce started before walking around the council table and pushing forward to greet Ekko.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, knowing the next few minutes would be filled with pleasantries that the council and all the top-siders were so accustomed to. She started humming to herself to tune out the conversation and glanced at the enforcer closest to her. She stared deeply, hoping to see irritation behind his shaded eyes and she made a louder and louder melody from her throat. He didn't make any moves to acknowledge her. Bummer.

"Councilor Hei-!" Jayce coughed in his hand, "Heimerdinger, is that you?"

She brought her eyes back to the greetings and stared at this...Heimydingy person. With the dark cloak removed, she realized the yordle in attendance did have some sort of groomed, top-sider look despite his hairy face. She'd never even seen a groomed yordle now that she thought about it.

A former Councilor?

"Hello Councilor Jayce," The yordle nodded curtly. "Councilors."

"It-" He paused, "It's great to see you, but may I ask why you're here?"

The nervousness was clear as day to her ears. A quick glance around the room confirmed her suspicions at the sight of downturned gazes. The mighty council looked ashamed of itself. How interesting.

"Well my boy, I had been spending my time with the Firelights when word came that the council wanted to see their leader. As a former member of this governing body, I thought it prudent to participate in this matter."

"You've spent time with the Firelights? When?" Councilor Medarda cut into the conversation.

The little yordle placed a finger to his chin in thought and began pacing as if to lecture the council like they were his students. It was hard for her to take such an odd person seriously. Did this creature really govern over Piltover at some point?

"After my...retirement..." The word sent a noticeable jolt through many of the members on the council. "I decided to spend time in the undercity. It was imperative to understand the people who lived under our supervision."

Uh oh. We're getting back to boredom. She should have guessed the former councilor would have the same, dull way of communicating. Incoming sob story about Zaun and it's people. How many times has that story been told anyway?

"What I saw there was a clear injustice and misuse of the resources we had allocated across Piltover. On my return, I met this fine young lad," Heimerdinger gestured to Ekko and she snorted in disagreement. "He showed me a community that thrived in ways I couldn't fathom. The foundation of the Firelights is a beacon for what the undercity can become and I want to support their cause."

"With all due respect," The metal man started with his whirling translator, "Their leader looks to be far too young to govern this community, let alone the entire undercity."

Ooh. Hear that little man? If she could smirk she would, but she'd have to settle for the merry lift in her eyelids as she stared at the boy. Just a child pretending he's a king. It was fun to think of all the ways she could get under his skin. The discussion was a bit more bearable with that in mind.

"With all due respect," Ekko copied as he stepped forward, "There's no such thing as 'too' young in the undercity. I pulled the Firelights together, fought Silco at every chance to stop the shimmer from flooding our streets. We've managed to hold our own and do more than any of you.

He paused and gave a hollow chuckle, "But I get it...rather make a deal with Silco than a kid that wants more than what we've been given, right?"

The fire in his eyes was clear and she couldn't argue with his words. She may hate him with a passion but he wasn't lying about his cause. She could remember the hundreds of times Silco stormed into his office screaming about the infestation of infuriating insects who always got in the way. She never did find their hideout. If she had, the city would have seen the largest fireworks show in the history of Piltover.

"Leading a city is hardly comparable to leading a group of street kids." The fat, bearded councilor argued and Jinx nodded her head.

Right. Wait. Why was she agreeing with the councilor? Hmmm. She paused. Ekko or council? Who would she rather end up with? The thought completely slipped from her mind. Wasn't this meeting supposed to decide her fate? The question of how it would play out differently between the two groups was hard to answer.

"We may be street kids, but we have vision. We have hope. Our home, our city can be so much more and we intend to weed out all the rot that's slipped through your governance."

Jinx didn't miss the way Jayce's golden eyes lit up at Ekko's words. That's right. She remembered Silco mentioning something about a councilor hellbent on cleaning out the corruption of the top-siders...How'd that go anyway?

"Do you think we can trust the Firelights to decide Jinx's fate?" The councilor with the ticking clock necklace asked the others.

"Perhaps." The woman in golden jewelry responded.

"My judgement has not always been wanted...or correct admittedly," Heimerdinger started, "But if we want peace between our two cities, the Firelights have the best probability of succeeding."

"Jinx worked for Silco for many years. We know about her crimes and the many that went unnoticed above. She's even killed some of our own. We'll deliver a proper sentence." Ekko added while his sharp brown eyes glanced towards her.

Jayce nodded and clapped his hands together. "It may be premature to discuss how the Firelights plan to govern the undercity, but I believe we can trust them with Jinx."

"Anything to get rid of that terrorist." An older woman agreed. If she recalled their previous meeting, Caitlyn called the woman Mother. So this is the type of person that raised Caitlyn. The girl's even more privileged than she imagined.

"Let us take a vote then." The elven councilor announced while holding up his hand.

Jeez. Did they have to be so dramatic? She envisioned the councilors doing their little light show for every decision they made and her shoulders twitched in internal laughter. No wonder the council never did anything. It probably took them all afternoon to raise their little hands and make a few dozen decisions. Meanwhile, her home and the people who lived there starved on the streets.

If she could, she'd raise her hand along with them. It would be so fun to mock them now.

With the decision made, she found herself being turned around and wheeled towards the exit of the chambers. What would the ragtag team of snot-nosed brats do with her? The possibilities were endless.

When Jinx felt like she was being watched, her eyes turned to see her sister walking beside her. A small, giddy smile graced her lips and Vi's eyes shined with a brightness at the council's decision. It was...almost contagious. The faint emotions that stirred in her heart at the sight was too much of a nuisance to think about though. Besides, Vi was in for a rude awakening if she thought this meant everything would be okay.

She knew what her older sister was hoping for. What that mind of hers was imagining in that thick skull. Disappointment was right around the corner and even Jinx hadn't yet decided how she intended to confront it.

"Damnit Ekko! At least remove the gag around her mouth." Vi growled as they wheeled her through the back streets of Piltover.

The bright sunlight felt warm against her skin, well the portion of skin that wasn't covered by her clothes or the thick leather straps that held her down. The many stares of concerned citizens watching her was nothing but hilarious. She wanted desperately to wave and tell them all the heinous things she wanted to do to them.

"Be my guest." The boy shrugged and she felt the metal bob and strap get removed from over her lips.

A quick inhale of that fresh top-sider air felt invigorating. It reminded her that she'd end up back in that filthy wasteland. Maybe she'd even die there. Should she have asked the council to take her back? A little time in a max security prison might be fun. She could easily imagine all the new friends she'd make...and all the toys she'd break.

"We did it Powder." Vi smiled at her. Again, she wasn't using her name. "We can go home now."

Home?" Ekko raised his brow, "She'll be six feet under or hanging from a tree by tomorrow."

"You don't mean that." Vi snapped and her whole body tensed like she was ready to fight right there in the middle of the street. The whole group stopped.

Do it sis! Kick his ass! She calculated a 40% chance that she'd find a way to get free and escape. That was more than worth a shot. She'd go back to the ruined factory and get Fish-Bones. Getting the gemstone back would, of course, be the next step and she already had a good look at the council's security. A few chompers, a couple pockets of ammunition, and maybe a dozen or so of those pretty mechanical butterflies would be all she needs. Afterwards, the real show would begin.

"You think I'm gonna let her walk away?" Ekko spun and confronted Vi. Despite his smaller frame, he had no issue staring up at her in defiance. "After all she's done?"

"She's my sister. She's your friend!"

"You're wrong. Powder was those things. Not her." Ekko argued while pointing towards her. "I told you...Powder's gone."

"Ding Ding Ding!" She chimed in agreement and the hurt on Vi's face made it worthwhile. She'd been saying it for so long. Honestly, she only had so much patience and the older woman needed to catch up!

"Caitlyn, you agree with me don't you?" Vi's voice was desperate for someone to join her side but the blue eyes of the princess glanced away.

So death was her fate. She shifted her eyes beside her to acknowledge the ghosts that stood silently in the background. Vander towered over the boys. His monstrous, heaving chest sucking in air while purple drool oozed from his mouth. If anyone wanted revenge it was probably him. She saw it in those disappointed, betrayed eyes of his. Violet was his favorite anyway. What was her death other than a wrong to be righted and a problem gone?

"Go ahead, Cupcake. Tell her what you think." She teased while the woman's mouth parted and closed repeatedly in conflict of whether she should speak her mind or not.

Say it. Say what you think. Let Vi know exactly what her little sister deserves. Tell her what the voices in her head have been screaming for years.

"I…" A saddened expression filled the pretty face of the officer and she saw that familiar look of pity swirling in the depths of her pupils.

No. Don't you dare.

"I don't think she should be killed."

Jinx clenched her eyes shut and grit her teeth with a strange ache in her head. Nothing made sense. In a way Caitlyn was saying that she shouldn't die. She should be happy about that right? She had a chance to survive, continue to tinker and toy with her weapons to her heart's content. Then why did she feel so betrayed at the same time? It just didn't make sense.

"Everyone deserves a second chance." Caitlyn continued. "It would be wrong of us to take that from her."

"She's had plenty of chances." Ekko snarled, "Time and time again she makes a choice and my people end up dead. I won't make the same mistake."

"She won't be alone this time." Caitlyn replied, "We'll help her."

Help? Help her? And how exactly did the spoiled little girl plan to do that? A little tea to make her feel all better? Then she would lose her proclivity to destruction right? And the voices in her head would finally go away?

"Fuck you." The words slipped from her mouth before she could even think about why she wanted to say them.

The dark anger in her face collided with Caitlyn's own sorrow-filled eyes and in a way she felt like they were having a conversation without words. No, it wasn't a conversation. It was an apology and she refused to accept it.

As silence reigned over the four of them, high tensions filled the air. She wondered which one of them would break first? She weighed the possibilities. Not dying had the majority vote but technically Ekko had been given the responsibility. Sooooooo. It looked like the boy savoir had a decision to make.

"One month."

All eyes widened at the Firelight leader's words.

"You have one month to prove to me that she doesn't deserve to die."

Vi nodded vehemently while Caitlyn's eyes flashed once more to her own. Jokes on them. She knew herself. She knew what she was. Even if she wanted to change, it would be impossible. There's a reason her name is Jinx, and everyone here had first hand experience as to why.

"She'll be restrained and supervised at all times. No interactions with any of the kids at the hideout. If she steps out of line once I'll kill her where she stands."

"We promise," Vi smiled, "We won't let you down."

They spoke of the decision like she wasn't there. Wouldn't the reasonable thing be to just wait them out and fake it all? If they expected her to play their little game of make believe and turn herself into a model citizen, then fine. That just meant they'd be the first to get burned.

"It won't work." She whispered as they continued to wheel her towards the Firelight hideout.

She knew herself.