Chapter VI – Please let me go

Caitlyn was lost in thought, unable to stop wondering how Jinx could have survived such a fall. She needed to return to the Hexgate to investigate the air ducts. She also knew how quickly rumors spread between Piltover and Zaun. If word got out that Jinx had died in the Hexgate, it would inevitably raise questions. Those questions could lead someone there, searching for answers. And above all, she feared that someone would be Vi.

Unfortunately, it was already too late—Vi interrupted her thoughts.

"I'm going down there," Vi announced, her voice firm.

"What? Why? What do you think you're going to find?" Caitlyn replied, startled.

"I don't know," Vi said, her voice cracking under the weight of her thoughts. "It's just… I need to go. I need to see."

"To see what, Vi? What might be left of your sister's body?" Caitlyn's voice rose, sharper now, almost incredulous. "You think that's a good idea? Because I don't."

Those words—your sister's body—hit Vi like a blow. Until now, she'd been the only one to speak of her sister's death. Hearing it from someone else made it feel unbearably real. Vi had always been rational, but a part of her clung to the hope that Jinx was still alive. She knew it was irrational, yet the feeling wouldn't go away, no matter how much it hurt. Somehow, she believed that seeing the truth with her own eyes might silence that desperate hope—but she feared the pain it would bring.

"I'll go instead, so you don't have to," Caitlyn offered, her tone steady despite the storm of thoughts in her mind.

Caitlyn knew this would give her the perfect excuse to search the tunnels without raising any suspicion. But it also meant she'd have to lie to Vi—pretending to search for answers she already had. Until now, she felt like she was merely withholding the truth, not outright lying. But soon, she'd have to look Vi in the eye and lie to her about what she found down there.

"Please, Jinx, stop pointing that gun at my face. It won't change anything," Ekko said, tired of the constant tension. But Jinx didn't flinch.

Ekko explained the conversation he'd had with Caitlyn, how she was planning to keep everything from Vi. At that moment, Jinx finally lowered her gun and sat heavily on the ground, her head buried between her knees. She was exhausted, but a faint sense of relief crossed her face—things weren't completely lost.

Ekko watched her, the vulnerability he had seen before reminding him why he kept fighting for her. Despite everything, he couldn't help but see Powder in Jinx now. Carefully, he sat down beside her, cradling his injured arm. The vent was silent except for the sound of their breathing, which gradually slowed.

"What are you gonna do now?" Ekko asked, breaking the silence.

"I have to leave," Jinx replied, her voice calm but resolute.

Ekko wanted to protest—there had to be another way—but before he could speak, Jinx raised her gun, stopping him in his tracks without even looking at him. A war raged inside her mind: should she kill him or let him live? He knew her secret, and that made him a threat. She also knew how loyal he was to Vi; he'd want Vi to know the truth. She'd had plenty of chances to pull the trigger before now, but she just couldn't.

"Ekko, I need you not to tell Vi. It's better for her this way."

"She's tougher than you think."

"Vi is strong because she's afraid. Her fear of losing her people is what makes her fight so hard. I don't want her fighting for me anymore. There's no good version of me, Ekko."

Her words echoed in Ekko's mind. He'd heard them before. He knew she was right about Vi's strength being rooted in her fear. But she was wrong about herself.

There was a good version of her in that other universe. And in their current one, he believed that somewhere deep inside, Powder still remained. But he wasn't sure if telling Jinx about the alternate universe was a good idea. He feared how she might react and the consequences it could bring. He had just witnessed how unpredictable she could be. She wasn't ready to hear it—not yet. She needed time for her mind to heal, and he needed time to find a way to reach her.

They sat in silence for a long time—Jinx wrestling with whether or not to pull the trigger, and Ekko working on a way to not lose her.

In the end, Ekko broke the silence. "There's an airship leaving tomorrow morning for Bilgewater. I can help you get on it without anyone knowing."

Vi needed some fresh air; she needed time alone. She wandered the streets of Zaun for hours. People were starting to return to their normal lives. For once, Piltover had suffered more than Zaun—there was little to rebuild in Zaun, as most of the destruction had been in Piltover. But behind the structures, people had to rebuild themselves. Many had lost loved ones in the battle. On top of the personal grief, the closure of the Hexgate would have serious consequences. Piltover and Zaun, both heavily reliant on trade, would face tough times ahead.

As she passed one of the few open street vendors, her eyes caught an object. It was a flare, like the one she had given Powder when they were young, but this one was pink instead of blue. She stared at it for a moment, her mind swirling with thoughts of the past. Just as she was about to turn away, the elderly vendor emerged from her shop, her eyes softening as they met Vi's. The old woman seemed to see something in Vi's gaze—something lost, something painful. Without a word, the vendor reached out, gently pushing the flare toward Vi.

"Take it, child," she said, her voice carrying a quiet empathy.

Vi hesitated, the weight of the woman's words sinking in, but she didn't argue. She took the flare, the warmth of the gesture unexpectedly comforting in her aching chest.

While she had been aimlessly wandering all night, she now had a goal. She made her way through the city, climbing over buildings of every shape and size until she reached the highest point she could find. It was the same place where she had once found her sister. It was almost dawn, the sun was about to rise. She lit the flare and raised it to the sky. She didn't know what to expect from this smoke signal. She knew her sister was dead, but a part of her still couldn't believe it.

Jinx was resting, hidden in the airship. She had found a small gap, enough to see outside. As the darkness of the night slowly faded into light, she noticed it—a pink smoke signal coming from Zaun. She immediately knew it was from Vi. She wanted to return so badly, but she knew she mustn't.

The bilge suddenly shook as the airship took off.