WhIP

by footfungus

nederlands verhalen over mijn otp

251. Arcane bs1

My Boy Savior

Elsanndra

Summary:

After Silco's death, Jinx loses the will to fight and gives herself up. Instead of being sent to Stillwater, a solution that honors the peace with Zaun changes Jinx's fate. In the custody of those that loved Powder, can Jinx truly escape the ghosts that haunt her and find redemption? Or is the twisted poison that flows through her veins determined to shatter any chance of a better life?

An alternate take on the Act III finale and Jinx's journey to find a place where she belongs.

Notes:

Heyo, I decided to write a story that changes the ending of Arcane and further progresses into it's own story. Not that I don't love cannon, but I just need to write about this series and can't wait for season 2. Like many others in this fandom, Arcane came into my life, punched me in the gut, made me love it, then vanished. At this rate I'm gonna end up re-watching the series for the sixth time in two weeks T-T.

Please leave a comment or review if you enjoy the story or have constructive criticism to provide!

Thanks!

Chapter 1: Empty

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter fornotes.)

Chapter Text

"I never would have given you to them."

The words pierced through her heart the moment she heard them. Pale hands held desperately onto his face, holding so tightly that she could feel every ounce of his strength fading away. How did it end up like this?

"Not for anything."

Oh how wrong she was for not trusting him. Her savior, her father, the man that had been by her side the moment she was abandoned. He had never once forsaken her in all the years they spent together. Silco was many things, but a liar, a trickster, was not one of them.

"Don't cry…"

His request was hollow, pointless. Tears had already pricked the corners of her eyes and blurred her vision. She couldn't stop them. Just like she couldn't stop herself from pulling the trigger a few moments ago.

"...You're perfect."

His final expression, a gentle, loving smile, had been permanently etched into her memory like a chisel carving into marble. As trails of hot tears streaked through her eyeshadow and stained her cheeks she couldn't help but be thankful he had passed with love in his mismatched eyes. Love that would only ever be meant for her.

Her hands dropped, holding onto whatever piece of his clothing that could find purchase before her head dipped and her body crumpled onto her knees. The agony of her loss was crippling.

Silco had saved her in her dark world of chaos and confusion and this was how she repaid the man? The soft sobs she tried to hold in her throat bubbled and burst forth against all her strength. She'd never been so broken.

It only took a few moments of silent grief before incoherent whispers began spirling through her head. As if her body was no longer just hers to control. Burning tears halted and the pained arch of her brow leveled into a flat line. Ever sincethat manhad injected her with that disgusting, vile purple liquid she'd never quite felt like herself. Dark murmurs of violence and rage remained ever present at the edges of her consciousness.

She pulled herself upwards, scraping her pistol into her palm while she stood. She trailed the gun over the bullet-ridden wood of his chair and walked out from the dark shadows and into the candlelight. The dinner party she had so eagerly prepared still needed her attention.

"Powder." Vi's voice was shaky at best. Entirely unfamiliar to the strong, confident personality that defined her big sister. So much has changed in these past years...

"It's okay." Vi tried while Jinx felt her body still, taking in deep, grounding breaths in order to gain back just an ounce of control that she'd had before everything went to hell. "We'll be okay."

Liar. Nothing was okay. Maybe for Vi this was all salvageable because the older woman hated the man that was shredded by her gatling gun. Maybe she thought that her little sister was finally free from whatever chains she imagined Silco had placed upon her.

The barrel of her gun tapped against the metal frame of her chair and she turned her entire body away from the pink haired girl at the end of the table to stare at the bright graffitied name that stained the seat.

Did Vi understand just how much Silco meant to her? Did she understand that he'd been by her side, helping her find peace and serenity the moment his arms wrapped around her all those years ago? No. Vi didn't understand. How could she? She spoke as if she'd be reunited with her sister but Powder was dead, drowned in the harbor where Silco had so gently lowered her into the murky depths.

She took her seat and in doing so assured herself that this was right. Thisfeltright. She was Jinx and nothing would ever change that.

"I thought, maybe you could love me like you used to." Her voice cracked in her throat as she struggled not to release the despair she felt in her chest. "Even though I'm...different."

Maybe she was a fool. She'd thought that everything could return to the way it once was. Before that fateful night in the factory. Before Vi had destroyed every ounce of self-worth she had for herself with a single slap.

"But you changed too."

Her glowing pink eyes glanced towards the unconscious woman on the ground before her.The enforcer.She remembered when Vi held a hatred for all top-siders. She remembered when Vi convinced her that resources from above were ripe for the taking and every stolen possession was a trophy to be proudly displayed. She'd seen Caitlyn's home. It looked like her big sister had not only forgotten her hatred but outright contradicted her old beliefs, all for a pretty face.

The glow of the gemstone in the center of the table caught her gaze for a moment and she wondered about the weapon she had created. Fish-bones, the magnificent rocket launcher she'd worked so hard to build for her father lay in the shadows, waiting to be used. But she couldn't find the strength within herself to stand.

The dark, violent whispers of rage and hatred writhed within her skull, demanding she fire the missile into Piltover and create the chaos that was so desperately deserved. But she ignored them. Instead, she lifted her arm holding her pistol and aimed it directly at Vi's chair.

"Powder…wait. You don't-" The fear in her voice was clear but Jinx only smiled sadly with the knowledge that her sister had truly lost all confidence in her.

"Here's to the new us." She gave a hollow laugh before she pulled the trigger.

The bullet ripped through the thick ropes that held Vi down, missing any portion of skin or clothing on the woman's body. She watched as wide eyes realized that she had let her go. It only took a few moments for her sister to wiggle her way out from the confines of her chair and the moment she was free, she raced to Caitlyn.

She couldn't help the ache that pounded in her heart at the sight. Vi wasn't hers and after all she'd done, she never would be. How fair was it that the only person that could love her was now dead and the person meant to love her by birthright had found someone better?

"Cait! Cait!" Vi cradled her palm over the high cheekbone of the violet-haired woman and used her other palm to nudge her shoulder.

Jinx closed her eyes, wishing she could ignore the concern and worry she felt laced within her big sister's voice. How long had Vi actually been in prison? A few months? A year? She had no clue. The idea of Vi living with the top-siders all this time made her tense uncomfortably and question just how much more she needed to be for Vi to look at her the same way she looked at Caitlyn.

Pink eyes warily watched the two women gather themselves, arms wrapped around one another in support while they stood. They stared at her carefully and Jinx could feel the many gears in their heads turning, wondering just what they would do next. The irritating scratch of Mylo's teasing voice and Claggor's silent judgement sat on the outskirts of her peripheral senses.

"What do we do now?" Vi questioned with a voice so low that Jinx was certain she wasn't supposed to hear.

It was always like this. Vi never once trusted her with the truth, the responsibility or the harsh reality of life in the undercity. No. She had to figure it all out for herself. A sharp giggle spiraled out from between her lips. Then again, her dinner party hadn't exactly been the best way to prove she was anything other than insane.

"We have to bring her in. She has to stand trial for her crimes." Caitlyn's voice was more firm, more sure of herself and communicated exactly what needed to happen to appease the greedy, self-serving topsiders that knew nothing of the hell they had so deliberately created down below.

If only she had the strength left to fight...

When Silco's eyes lost their light, she too lost a flame that burned within her core. Was this how it was meant to be? For the longest time she thought she was a force of chaos and freedom. She did as she pleased and loved what she did, but without someone to scold her...without someone to love her despite her many flaws-

"What will they do with her?" Vi asked carefully.

If she really tried to listen to her older sister, maybe she could recognize the worry for her wellbeing within the question, but it was misplaced anyway. Vi was worried for Powder. Not her.

"I- I don't know. But it's the right thing to do."

A few moments of silence passed over the three women, not a single word uttered and yet it felt like their thoughts were swirling around them as if they were tangible and real. She sighed and held her wrists together while pushing her arms outwards. Like she realized earlier, she had no strength left to fight.

She never once looked up to see who had tied the thick rope around her wrists and she didn't pay any mind to the hands that traced over her clothes looking for weapons. The only thing she could think about was how the air felt so thick and heavy on her tongue. She'd only spent a few days on the topside and already her body knew how filthy her home truly was.

She had half a mind to mention the rocket launcher that had been carefully concealed within the rubble of the ruined factory to the girls escorting her away but decided against it. Who knew if the will to fight would ever come back, but if it did...She'd know exactly what to do.

"I won't let them hurt you Powder." Vi spoke softly with her palm pushing the small of her back forward. "I'll figure something out."

She didn't reply. The message wasn't for her anyways. Instead she focused on Mylo's laughter, cheering louder with each passing second, knowing that her inevitable demise was something to be celebrated. She clenched her teeth and shut her eyes tightly. Mylo, Claggor, Vander, Vi, all the ghosts in her head would finally get what they wanted.

The doors to the council chambers loomed over her head with an indescribable intimidation but they did little to threaten her. Bright pink eyes scanned the perfectly formed metal that varied in all sorts of dignified colors such as gold, silver, and obsidian. Her brow furrowed in irritation. They were much too symmetrical for her tastes. No blemishes, no flaws, exactly how she imagined the esteemed councillors thought of themselves.

"Hmmm." She hummed to herself and tilted her head as she imagined where she'd like to add a few dents into the brushed metal doors, perhaps even some fluorescent spray paint. She'd love to add some character! She paid little mind to the nervous glances of Caitlyn and Vi as they wondered what she could possibly be thinking about.

"Here goes." Vi sighed before reaching out to push the steel entrance open.

Jinx really couldn't help the drop of her jaw at the mere sight of the council chambers. The ceiling was so high that she could imagine setting off one of her many fireworks without issue. It was exactly like Silco said. The councilors thrived on excess, flaunted it just because they could.

"Councilors." Caitlyn announced as they stepped into the room. The enforcer's hand pushed her from behind to keep her moving. "We've brought Jinx."

"The Terrorist?!" A councilor with a bald head and pointy brown beard gasped at the statement. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the strangely proportioned frame of the man. Skinny in his limbs but fat in his gut. She idly wondered if there was a chance this councilor was a half yordle, half human. She shook her head, no that wasn't possible...or maybe it was...she giggled to herself.

Another man stood tall, surprised by the entrance of the three women and yet still held an air of confidence and control. "Silco delivered faster than expected-."

"Progress man." She murmured to herself as she squinted to get a good look. She'd known she had seen his face before. It was every bit as squarely framed as the many blimps portrayed.

"-But this is good timing. We've unanimously agreed to the deal of peace with Zaun."

"Peace?" Vi gasped along with Caitlyn. Jinx couldn't help but roll her eyes. Weren't they listening to Silco at the dinner party? Just another reason added to the list that proved the man never lied to her.

"You made a deal with Silco?" Vi continued and couldn't help the anger from coating her words.

"On the demand that he cease all shimmer production, return the gemstone, and deliver Jinx...Was that not why you came?"

"Silco is…" Caitlyn stepped forward and removed her palm from her back. "Silco is dead."

A chorus of gasps and a general tension of worry spread through the council chambers. She could practically feel it brushing against her pale skin. Oh the feeling was so wonderful. She reveled in the uncertainty.

"Who or what killed him?" The golden boy of progress wondered aloud and she couldn't help but be impressed by the phrasing. A smart cookie he was to assume that the killer might not have been a person, well, if you didn't count shimmer filled behemoths as people. Monsters filled this world they lived in but Silco had a particular knack for keeping them close by.

"Guilty!" She cheered as she raised her bound hands upwards in glee. It truly was something special to kill Silco. The anguish that came with the act still festered beneath her skin and if she thought about it too long she'd surely break down, but the achievement was something worth claiming. Just like she was the only person that Silco ever loved like a daughter, she would be the only one in the whole wide world to ever claim his life.

"With Silco dead there's no sense in proceeding with the deal of peace." A pale man with green eyes and cheekbones so high they made his face look like a triangle spoke up.

"We should still honor the decision we made. We need peace between the two cities." Another spoke up, his accent thick and his light brown hair shaggy and unkempt. Surely this man was not a councillor. He looked like he could be blown over by a light breeze. Talk about being on death's door.

"Honor a deal with a dead man?! A crime lord nonetheless?" The short, fat yordle/human raged in his chair as he slammed his palms on the table.

Ugh. This was getting boring. Too many shouting voices all with nothing to say. Nonsensical chattering of rats, far too worried about the profits or lack thereof that came with whatever decision they made. Politics. She snorted at the thought.

Her eyes drifted to the large pane of glass behind them all. Maybe the view of the city was something to behold on any given day but tonight the moon was bright red and so very captivating. For all their high and mighty arrogance, she bet none of them would have seen the missile coming. The explosion played out in her mind as she imagined her big smiling rocket shattering the glass.

"Boom." She whispered.

A palm rested on her shoulder and squeezed. No doubt it was Vi's hand trying to provide any sort of comfort to her, but there was no need. She was perfectly calm, if not just a teeny bit irritated at the arguments flooding the room.

"Enough." A commanding voice sternly exclaimed and the room quieted. "I believe this matter should be discussed at a later time. We have a more pressing issue standing before us."

When she finally caught a good look at the speaker, she had to squint her eyes from all the gold jewelry that littered her dark braided hair. The woman stood tall and proud at the center of the table, and certainly held the respect of everyone in the room as all eyes were on her. Jeez, why even have a council when the power was so clearly spread unevenly.

"You're referring to Jinx." Jayce commented and he received a short nod.

The whirling sound of machinery created a unique sound that caught her attention. She swiped her gaze to the owner of the noise and her eyes widened. It wasn't everyday you saw a man made of metal. The more mischievous side of her wished that she had a large magnet...just to see.

"Six enforcers killed in the attack on Progress Day. Eleven killed in the attack on our bridge a few days ago - Including our sheriff. A life sentence in Stillwater Prison is the obvious punishment."

"Stillwater? If you ask me this demands the death penalty." The elven-featured man replied.

"You can't." A horrified whisper limped through the air only ever reaching her ears and she realized that Vi was watching their decision with growing distress.

"My daughter nearly lost her life in both attacks and I don't sense an ounce of regret from this...Jinx. We are dealing with a particularly twisted individual. An execution would ensure no harm could ever be caused again."

She giggled at the older councilor's words. Hit it right on the head. What was regret other than a foolish game for weak people to keep themselves in line? She had many crimes under her belt, many of which the council couldn't possibly fathom, but not once had she regretted her actions. Nameless faces, nameless deaths. She learned early on that the ghosts of her sins would never haunt her if she never knew them to begin with.

The ones that stayed though...well that was another story.

"Yes I agree. The death penalty does seem appropriate given the deliberate and focused method of the attacks." A woman with a golden disc around her that ticked like a clock chimed in.

The scales of the argument were tilting. She could see the weight of her actions tipping closer and closer to a permanent end to her story. With each passing moment, the voices in her head cheered for the darker outcome. She wanted to believe it couldn't affect her, but her shaking, nervous twitches were giving her away.

The woman in the center coughed and once again all voices quieted and focused on her voice.

"We are not wolves."

Huh? She tilted her head in confusion and it seemed that everyone else in the room shared her feelings.

"Wolves," The woman continued, "Do not show mercy. They hunt. They destroy. But the City of Progress was not built from savagery and dominance. We must grant mercy where applicable."

"Councilor Medarda, did you have an alternate punishment in mind?"

"Indeed." The jeweled woman nodded, "Given that Silco has been killed, it will be quite difficult to broker a peace between Piltover and Zaun. I believe if we want to begin a healing process we must offer Jinx's fate for them to decide."

"The Firelights!" Vi shouted at her side and suddenly her future became a bit brighter.

"The undercity gang?" Jayce asked.

"Not a gang." Vi denied vehemently, "Good people. Hard working trenchers that care about Zaun and it's citizens. They've committed themselves to cleaning the streets of shimmer and helping all those that Silco had left behind. You can give Jinx to them. They'll see the gesture as a sign that Piltover will respect them."

"We know nothing of this organization."

"It's true mother." Caitlyn stepped forward, "I've personally met their leader and can attest to their character and good intentions."

Why was Caitlyn suddenly trying to help? Wasn't this the same woman that claimed she was too far gone? Pink eyes glanced from the enforcer to her older sister and back. Oh. She knew what this was about. She sighed as her gaze fell to the ground.

"Well we need more than a judgement of good character before we entrust this...terrorist to an unknown group within Zaun."

"Agreed." Councilor Medarda nodded before turning to stare directly into her eyes, "I think we would all like to meet their leader. Until then, Jinx will be held in a cell within our tower with constant surveillance. If the Firelights are determined to be a trusted group and have the methods and resources to control the undercity, it would be in our best interest to offer them Jinx in good faith."

Great. Nothing like feeling like a bargaining chip between two political entities. She rolled her eyes. You get a terrorist! And you get a terrorist! Everybody gets a terrorist! She could only imagine the fury and rage that Silco would release if he were here. He would have told them all to burn for playing such fickle games with her life...but that wasn't possible. He would never be by her side again.

"Councilors, are we agreed?"

She paid little mind to the light show of beams that rained from above. It was too hard to focus with silent, unshed tears aching in her eyes.

She missed him so much.

The ropes on her wrists were swiftly exchanged for something more secure. Heavy metal braces held her hands together and her ankles were connected by the same device. With her limbs contained in that particular way, her mobility had a limitation similar to a worm. The enforcers that carried her to her cell weren't very chatty either.

Piltover, the City of Boredom.

Curious eyes took in the cell which would be her new bedroom for the foreseeable future and boy was it a bedroom. A bed, folded blankets, a sink and toilet, this tiny little cage was more preferable to the majority of rooms available in the undercity.

Shadows of red light cascaded through the window nearby, illuminating a fraction of the cell in the moon's light. She wiggled until she was able to lean herself against the metal walls. Hallucinations taking the form of little, disorienting scribbles took shape on the edges of the cell where the moonlight hadn't been able to reach.

"Shut it." She growled at the screech of Mylo's laughter. Why wouldn't he ever shut up?

In another corner she could make out the sheen of Claggor's goggles as they floated in the air and cast critical judgement on her restrained body.

"What? You think I deserve this?"

Claggor didn't speak, he never did.

She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and taste iron on the tip of her tongue. Her fingers clenched restlessly, wishing she could spin herself into a violent rage to quench the insanity that surrounded her. Her whole body strained with a pressing need to move but her cuffed limbs were truly limiting.

A sharp cackle of a crazed woman snapped through her teeth and she couldn't help but smile as the laughter consumed her. Death, destruction, violence, and war had been so close. How grateful Piltover's citizens should be for her sacrifice. She'd accept a statue of herself in their town square, but it had to be bright blue. None of that boring silver and gold. More giggles escaped her at the thought.

"Crazy bitch." She heard one of her guards outside her cell murmur and she laughed harder.

"Crazy? Yes. Crazy!" She repeated the words as if they were all she had left to hold onto.

She was no longer a sister, no longer a daughter...what else did that leave her with other than crazy.

In her fit, she missed the sound of a key being inserted into the lock of her cell. The metal jiggled and yellow light swept in from the hallway into her prison. While one of her eyes squinted at the sudden light, her other eye stared at the woman entering the room.

"Cupcake?" She questioned.

Sharp, confident eyes stared her down as Vi's precious girlfriend towered over her. She must've cleaned up after the meeting with the council since the dirt and blood of their scrap had been all but erased from her angular face. Violet hair was perfectly brushed back into place.

"Do you find your predicament funny?" Caitlyn asked sternly.

"Funny? A little." She smirked back.

"I hope you realize this cell is temporary. I imagine your next one won't be quite so...accommodating."

"Well that's assuming the big strong firelights don't kill me." She replied with a shifting tone that sounded like she was singing a melody.

The enforcer continued to stare her down without saying a word. Critical eyes pierced through her and suddenly her wonderment and laughter wasn't quite so satisfying. In a sudden shift of emotions, her twinkling eyes and smile fell into a blank stare. This is why she hated Caitlyn. Her judgment mirrored the goggles floating in the shadows. Her eyes glanced towards Claggor and she stuck her tongue out at him in defiance.

"You see things don't you? Hear voices that aren't really there."

Her brow arched at the question. If she saw them, heard them, and felt them, didn't that make them real? Ghosts visible to her naked eye. It was one thing to imagine her deceased family, but it was another thing entirely to be haunted by them.

"They don't excuse your actions." Caitlyn continued, "What you did is unforgivable."

She rolled her eyes. Nothing like a little Piltover arrogance to bore her to sleep. How grateful she was for the wealthy princess of a councillor to come ease her into a night of restless dreams. She felt her breath getting shallow and she closed her eyes to focus on the tiredness of her muscles. So much had happened today. She was ready to drift off.

Everyone betrays us Jinx.

Pink eyes shot open, wide as can be and her light, shallow breaths froze in her throat.

"What did you say?" She questioned as her frightened eyes flashed towards the enforcer who still towered over her.

Confusion swirled within Caitlyn's visage at the question and Jinx felt her heartbeat suddenly pounding in her chest. Like a wild animal was trapped underneath her ribs, screaming to get out.

Vander. Her.

"No." The word slipped between her lips in horror. She could see something in the shadows just behind the enforcer. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." She repeated like a prayer, hoping that her mind was truly playing tricks on her. Begging for reality to stop twisting against her will.

Her lips trembled at the figure that lay slumped against the cool metal walls of her cell. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the body, riddled with bullet holes. Her scream lodged in her throat as stinging tears streamed down her face. One cerulean eye and one bright orange stared at her in anger.

You betrayed me too.

"I- I- I- didn't! I DIDN'T MEAN IT! I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" Her voice ripped from her as she thrashed in her bindings.

The cold metal braces dug into her wrists and ankles as she struggled to breathe. Blood from her violent movements began dripping down her limbs as she rubbed her skin raw. She was blinded by her tears, her hearing felt disoriented and entirely absent in the moment. Not even the pain of her torn skin could shatter the nightmare that tortured her soul.

"Jinx!" The muffled sound of Caitlyn's voice echoed in her ears as if she were drowning underwater.

She struggled against the metal cuffs, falling face first into the rough stone ground beneath her. Limbs twisted and turned, trying her damndest to crawl her way towards the man she saw in the shadows. She wanted to curl up to him, beg for forgiveness and weep in his loving arms once more but slender arms had suddenly wrapped around her twitching body.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She cried.

She tried to escape, tried to reach him. Her chin was scratched and bloody as she attempted to grind it into the ground and pull herself forward. But the arms around her were unrelenting.

"Jinx!"

Something bashed her roughly in the back of her head. It was enough force to make her vision go blurry and the ghosts of her mind shimmered out of existence for the briefest of moments. The arms that held her turned her body upright and her unfocused eyes managed to catch Caitlyn's concerned ones. In her delirium and panic she tried one last time to escape the hold before realizing Caitlyn was the one holding her, hugging her tightly through her personal hell.

She went limp, relishing in the warmth and comfort. The hug was exactly what she wanted. Tight, strong, unbreakable in the face of resistance. The idea of Caitlyn holding her should have sent her into a more violent rage but instead she nuzzled into the arms that held her. The faint scent of perfume eased the tight tension in her body and she wondered why she didn't want the moment to end. Wasn't Caitlyn supporting her death? How odd that she would find comfort here...

"I'm sorr-'' She tried, but the words fell incomplete as she succumbed to the darkness, not knowing what the future would hold for her when she woke.

Notes:

So that's the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it so far! If you did, don't forget to leave a kudos or possibly a comment to let me know what you think! I'm not sure when the next chapter will be complete, but I hope to aim for about 5k words per chapter to keep some sort of consistency.

Until next time!

Chapter 2: The Monster I know I Am

Notes:

Wow! I'm amazed by the reception that this story got and I want to thank everyone who left a comment or kudos! I definitely felt motivated to get this next chapter out for you all and I hope you enjoy! Please continue to leave kudos if you like it and comments/reviews if you want to give me constructive criticism or your thoughts about the story.

Seriously! Thank you all so much! 300 Kudos in just a few days! Writing this story has been the highlight of my week.

Chapter Text

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,orpity. 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'sher 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, theuselesschild 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 meanthisgemstone?" 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.

Thiswas 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. Maybethisis 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.Powderwas 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 ifshe 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.

Chapter 3: A Prison of Familiar Faces

Notes:

So back with another chapter! So soon right? I've still been so amazed by the reception of this story and hope to keep it going! Also, I think the chapter notes of CH 2 are bugged cuz it just put CH 1's end notes on it and I can't delete it. / Oh well.

I hope you all enjoy where I took this one. And please let me know what you think as a comment! I really wanna make sure I'm keeping character's consistent and it's a constant doubt in my mind despite the many who have already pointed out that I'm doing well.

I love you all and I hope to respond to everyone's comment as well so please leave one if you wanna give thoughts or constructive criticism. I even like when many of you make suggestions about what you want to see. I can't guarantee I'll listen but it might help me add fun or unique elements to the fic. Kudos are also much appreciated!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

The polluted air in the undercity felt like a thin layer of slime lined the insides of her lungs. A normally unnoticed sensation but always present whether one considered it or not. Zaun had always been a cesspool of filth while industrial mines and poorly designed infrastructure preserved a bubble of toxin that hung over it's streets like it's own personal atmosphere. Add a burlap sack over her head and breathing was downright awful.

But the Firelightsreallywanted to keep their hideout a secret huh?

She tried to memorize their movements, noting distinct sounds and turns in their journey from the bridge of progress but the voices and illusions in her head weren't always the best at maintaining a coherent grip on reality. All she could rely on were the small dots of color that seeped in through little holes in the sack and even then, she wouldn't call that much help. As soon as they went into metal tunnels, all she could see was darkness.

She knew they arrived when the group stopped for the longest period of time since leaving. A flurry of knocks against metal had given her the understanding that a door was blocking their path. Darkness from the tunnels they traveled shifted into brighter color as the screech of a thick vault entrance opened. A breath of cool wind soothed her throat as she inhaled. It was much lighter than expected too.

Where exactly was this place? In all her time living in the undercity, never once had she savored such a fresh taste of air.

Suddenly, the world was alive. While her escorting group had been completely silent aside from hushed whispers of personal conversations, the lively squeals of children, nature, and construction tickled her ears. It was a stark contrast to the usual sounds of drunkards fighting, blood pumping music, and pleas of addicts that she was used to.

"We'll keep her up there." She heard Ekko comment to the group and she was carried up winding stairs that scaled far higher than she would have guessed.

The higher they climbed, the more confused she became. And then they entered a dark room with very little light. It sounded less natural and more industrial than the rest of the environment she'd passed. The low hum of pipes and whatever they carried within laid a consistent white noise over the space.

They removed her from the many leather straps that held her down and began cuffing her with metal braces attached to chains to keep her anchored around metal beams. It meant she could move in a radius around the anchor point and her wrists were separated more with plenty of distance to move her arms. However, her ankles only allowed for the tiniest shuffle. She groaned. Better than before, but still sucked.

The silence that held an incredible weight of seriousness was also killing her slowly.

"So," Her muffled voice started, "When you said one month, does that start today? Cus' that's technically twenty-nine and a half days which seems totally unfair."

Her bait for conversation went unanswered.

"Anyone?"

Still nothing. But she knew they were there.

"Also this whole, 'Get well soon'program...does that start with games? Cards? I call first deal but someone's gotta spot me some money."

"We're not here to play games, Jinx."

Ah! Caitlyn. If there was ever a time she actually wanted to hear her voice it was now. What has the world come to? She was actually bouncing in her seat at the chance to talk to her sister's girlfriend.

"Why not? Games tell a lot about someone." She smiled coyly behind the bag over her head, "How smart are they? How loyal? Do they cheat...Steal?"

As the final word passed her lips her tone lowered menacingly. Pink eyes glaring at the brown fabric that covered them but directed exactly towards Caitlyn's voice. That's what she did right? She stole her sister from her? The thieving top-sider who couldn't possibly understand how much damage she had caused?

The combative emotion was forgotten the moment the bag was lifted from over her head. It was all irrelevant now anyway. She wasn't the same needy little sister that feared abandonment. No. No! That would mean she was weak and that couldn't be farther from the truth.

The first person that greeted her vision was Vi, looking at her with a mixture of regret and some other gooey, icky emotion that irritated her to no end. To her sister's right, Caitlyn stood with a much more pensive look and lastly she saw the boy king himself leaning against the door frame.

She was right about the metal pipes too. The space was filled with them shooting up from the floor and lining the ceiling. Their big bad prison was pretty shabby if you asked her. Now she really wanted to go back to her cell in the council tower. At least they had blankets.

"We can't keep her locked up like this." Vi murmured loud enough for the room to hear.

"I said,'restrained at all times'." Ekko replied.

"I know. It's just," Her sister cast her eyes downwards and took a breath, "Can't we come up with a better way than to chain her down? How is she supposed to feel safe if-."

A sigh from the Firelight's leader cut her off. "The professor and I have been working on something. I'll...see what I can do. But she stays locked up for now."

"Thanks Little Man." Vi offered him the faintest smile.

Ekko didn't say anything as he nodded and turned to go outside. It was silent in the room once more and she glanced between her older sister and the violet-haired woman that remained. Caitlyn's gaze was on Vi, and when she walked closer, she reached a palm out to rest on the red jacket sleeve.

The sight had her clenching her teeth. It was like the bitch was trying to flaunt their relationship in her face.

"You want me to stay?"

Vi shook her head and offered a sad smile. The attraction she saw in those eyes was making her sick to her stomach. The wild mix of emotions that were so muddled together in her heart had sunk to her gut and forced her to stretch and shake her limbs lest the dizziness of it all make her head pound harder.

"Nah Cupcake, I got this."

Caitlyn nodded "Okay, I'll be right outside if you need me." and Jinx realized there was a conversation that occurred without her knowledge. She was in the dark. Left to wonder what the next few moments would bring. Her eyes darted between Vi as she came closer and Caitlyn who was walking away. What did Vi want? Realization struck her.

Oh...Great. She wanted a little heart to heart. That went so well last time didn't it?

"Powder, I-." Lips shut tightly and eyes clenched in thought, her sister didn't even know what to say. Where to start?

"I'm not-. I mean you're not-. Damnit." Vi swore under her breath and began pacing back and forth in front of her. It was all so exhausting. The bumbling words kept coming, kept restarting as if Vi thought she was a fragile piece of glass that would shatter the moment a single truth was uttered. Her brow furrowed in frustration.

"Let me go first." She cut in and her sister's eyes widened, considered the request, and then nodded.

Good. She already knew what she wanted to say.

Jinx smiled. She truly smiled and offered the most sincere look she could possibly give her big older sibling. This was the first moment they've had solely to themselves and there was no way she was gonna waste it. With bright, shining emotions in her pink eyes she felt her throat prepare her words, wrapping them with a fresh coat of happiness. She loved the truth and the truth was...

"I hate you."

Frozen. Frozen in utter shock was the best way to describe Vi. Her eyes wide and mouth parted with nothing to say. The elation she felt in her chest filled her with excitement while she betrayed the smile on her face. Bet you didn't expect this huh sis?

"I hate you." She repeated, and the pain in her sister's eyes was clear as day. Did it hurt? Did her words really, truly hurt? She hoped it did, but even then it wouldn't be enough. It would never be enough to match what she felt inside. But it felt so good to watch the one person who claimed to love her break. She would prove that it was impossible to love her.

"I hate you. I hate you. I hate you."

Her once cheery voice cracked and broke with each sentence. Her whole world was spiraling into a darker and darker hell as everything around them faded out of existence. There was a fine line between hurting her sister and revealing too much. She was losing herself. There was so much to say but she just couldn't find the words.

Despite all the dark resentment that fueled her and gave her strength to destroy what she once held dear, she still found her throat aching. Her eyes stung with unshed tears and she fought to ensure they would never fall. She would NOT cry. But Jinx kept going and going, stuck and unable to stop repeating herself, unable to silence the sheer devastation that entangled itself in her voice and coated her words with her agony.

Stop it! Stop it! Say something else! There's more to say! You're not thisweak! It was like she was losing her own game that she decided to play.

Her teeth gnashed in her mouth like some sort of beast. Rage was the only emotion she could feel for herself and even then it wasn't helping. She had opened a bit inside to play a cruel game with the pink haired woman, and now her carefully locked away feelings were wrenched open and flooding out uncontrollably.

Vi rushed forward. Her muscled body slammed into Jinx's own smaller frame and wrapped her arms as tightly as she could. Any tighter and she wouldn't be able to breathe.

"I hate you." Her voice was completely muffled by the red leather pressed against her.

"I'm here."

The first words Vi spoke and all they did was amplify her seething anger. Who the fuck cared? Not her...Not her! No. It was too late for that. She needed Viyearsago. Her eyes widened at the sentence that ran through her head. No. That wasn't right either. She didn't need Vi at all. Spending all this time in her presence must have twisted something in her mind because only Powder needed Violet and that child was gone. Dead.

Her next move was difficult due to her restraints and her sister's unrelenting embrace but she managed to squeeze her arms under the hold and blasted her fist right into hardened abs. She heard the gasp of pain. It echoed right next to her ear.

So she did it again.

Another gasp and Vi's legs wobbled as her body hunched over to catch some of the air that had been forcibly pushed from her lungs. Even still, the bandaged arms never once broke their tight hold on around her. When her sister's knees lowered to rest on the wooden floor, she was dragged along with her.

"I won't leave you. I'm not gonna run away."

Liar! Liar! Liar! Memories of her abandonment played through her mind as she started to thrash her limbs in an attempt to escape. You left me. You always leave me! I saw you on the bridge that night and you turned your back on me. Tell me the truth. Tell me you don't want me!

Her thoughts screamed through her skull so loudly it silenced everything else in the world including Mylo. She was slipping. Forgetting herself as her struggle continued. She wouldNOTlet her sister do this to her.

She pounced and tackled Vi, pining the woman beneath her while her chains rattled at the constant movement. The attack had Vi's embrace loosen just a bit and she saw an opening, so she took it.

Her fist connected with Violet's unguarded cheekbone and she watched her sister's face snap to the side with the force of it.

A hearty, malevolent chuckle tumbled from mouth as she smiled. Come on sis. Hit me back. Just like that night. I know you want to. Hit me! HIT ME!

Pink eyes stared at the woman beneath her. She was shaking the dizziness of the attack from her mind and those light blue eyes of hers were staring up at her with nothing but acceptance. Jinx bit her lip as it started to wobble uncontrollably and her sister went completely loose. The tight embrace that once suffocated her shifted into open, vulnerable arms.

She straddled Vi beneath her and the woman relaxed to show nothing but her unguarded body.

"I won't stop you." Vi whispered encouragingly with the light nod of her head. "You can keep going. I deserve it."

Her eyes clenched shut and her entire body hunched over to rest her forehead on her sibling's collarbone. Those words were disgusting. Weak. All her life she'd been told by her sister, by Silco, to fight for herself and prove her strength, but here she was...too tired to keep going.

The warmth of Violet's body was becoming more noticeable. As her panting, exhausted breaths became steadier and steadier she could only wonder how her life had been so broken. How nothing ever went right. She just wanted to feel right again.

Just...one.

The thought provoked her mind with an enchanting, alluring suggestion. She wasn't weak. She wasn't! But just one. She could afford herself just one right? Then she'd go right back to forgetting it even happened. Her arms lifted, pink eyes staring directly at Vi's torso as she reasoned with herself that this was okay. She reached out, prepared to wrap her arms around the woman in a single hug. It would be quick. Just a few seconds was all she needed.

She only got halfway before the chain linking her wrists dug into her sister's chest and prevented her from going farther.

Incomplete…She froze as she realized it.

Her mouth opened while a scream of frustration tore through her throat with everything she had. She wrenched her arms away and pulled her body upright, no longer leaning on the body below. Her head lulled back so she could stare absently at the ceiling above her. Lips pulled into a thin, crooked smile.

She should have known better. Now she felt even more empty.

It didn't take long for Piltover's finest little cadet to rush into the room at the sound of her frustrated scream from before. Of course, sharp blue eyes were back to glaring at her once she saw that Vi had been bruised and bleeding on her cheek. Good. That's how it's supposed to be. All this lovey-dovey shit was clouding her judgement.

She watched Caitlyn help her sister to her feet and with a single glance that told her she would return, Vi was escorted out of the room. Finally…

Wait. Damnit. There was nobody here to entertain her. Nobody to talk to. A scurrying form raced across her vision, sticking to the shadows of the cell room. Nevermind. She shouldn't have forgotten that she's never really alone.

She stared into those beady, glowing white eyes of Mylo's corpse.

"She's weaker than I remember." She told him, "Can't even throw a punch."

She giggled at the statement. Her laughter fueled her return to a more tolerable state of mind. His spiky hair bobbed up and down as he spoke back to her in screeching, incoherent strings of words. But that was the thing, she understood him anyway.

"I did NOT lose it." She growled in response, "I taught her a lesson."

Before he could reply the door opened and with the light that entered the room, his ghostly figure dispersed into wisps of imaginary smoke. Oh wonderful. Caitlyn's back.

The sound of her boots against the wooden floor made deep thumping sounds as she walked closer. It was almost intimidating, especially with that critical stare in those eyes of hers that remained locked on her chained form.

"So I'd say that the first session went well." Jinx teased with a smile and twisted her next words with sarcasm, "I feel better already. We don't even need a month. Tell Ekko I'm good to go!"

Caitlyn didn't reply. Which wasn't entirely unexpected, but when the woman fiddled with the chains that anchored her to the pipes, her brow tilted in confusion. What? Was she seriously being let go already?

She watched the violet-haired girl grab the end of her chains and started to head towards the door.

"C'mon. We're going to get you cleaned up."

Pink eyes widened. She can't be serious. Nevermind the conflicted feelings that bubbled in her chest at the thought of being dragged on a chain like a pet, but really? Get cleaned up? She tilted her nose downwards and gave herself a quick sniff.

"Do I smell that bad?"

"C'mon." The top-sider repeated.

She had half a mind to make a break for it the second she got outside the room. Caitlyn wouldn't be able to hold her, she knew that for a fact, but when she got her first glance of the Firelight's hideout she realized how difficult an escape might be.

There was so much green! Her head twisted with her jaw open to just stare at all the pretty colors that were so uncommon in the undercity. The stone walls that lined the encampment stretched high into the sky and all around, platforms of buildings and rooms hung on them and looked like they were floating.

The biggest shock were the leaves that filtered the sunlight. A tree...in Zaun? Were they really in her hometown?

A tug at her chains reminded her that she was a prisoner in this wondrous place and she suddenly had the urge to blow it all to bits. Burning leaves, plumes of smoke, rubble to cover the grass below, she sighed in bliss at the thought. It would be so beautiful.

There were more people than she imagined too. Children, the elderly, creatures of different races. She thought the Firelights were a rag-tag group of outcasts but this was more like a community. She tried to stare down each person that passed her but none of them returned eye contact.

When they finally arrived at what seemed to be a bathhouse, she felt a shiver of nerves run through her spine. It wasn't that she was nervous. No, why would she be? Just...was this really necessary?

The entire complex was empty, with a few shower heads, porcelain tiles, and raised boxes to bathe in. Her eyes peeked over to the other woman beside her, who seemed to be more interested in fishing out a key from her pocket.

"I'm gonna unlock you so you can undress, but they go back on right after."

Her eyes glanced from the key in hand to Caitlyn's face then back to the key. She extended her wrists and played along. The moment her cuffs came off she was getting out of here. It was an easy decision.

"Ekko and a few others are keeping watch outside." The words intercepted her thoughts and she wondered if the top-sider could read her mind.

Damnit.

"So what, you wanna sneak a peek at your girlfriend's sister?" She grinned as the bindings on her wrists came off. "Naughty naughty." She taunted while her eyelids curved upwards.

For once, some actual emotion shined through blue eyes and she saw Caitlyn's cheeks turn bright red in embarrassment.

"N-no of course not!" She vehemently denied, "I would never!"

"That's what you say buuut…"

Caitlyn straightened and gathered herself. It looked too much like a soldier standing at attention. Emotion swept off her pretty face while a cough cleared her throat.

"We all agreed that I should be the one to assist you. You and Vi need some...distance after what just happened."

Yup. She believed it. Vi always thought distance was something she'd want. Stupid stupid sister.

"I can get another Firelight to help you if you'd like?"

She shook her head. There was no point. If anything, she wanted Caitlyn here. It would give her a chance to poke and prod for information. There were so many blanks when it came to Caitlyn and Vi. Of course, her sister would be useless in answering her questions but Caitlyn...Oh the poor girl really wore her emotions on her sleeve. She intended to take advantage.

In her thoughts, she failed to notice all her chains and cuffs had been removed. She glanced once at Caitlyn and the girl's eyes widened before she turned around. She shuffled to take her boots off first but the ends touched the metal chains on the ground and she paused.

Chains. Back turned. Unguarded. It was all making sense in her mind. She crouched to fiddle with her laces before pale fingers touched the cool metal on the floor.

Fuck.

She couldn't do it. It didn't feel right. Yeah! It just wasn't the right time. There were people that would notice. That's it! There was a long con at play here and she needed to remember it.

When her feet touched the porcelain tiles she sighed at the fresh feeling, like the sensitive skin could finally breathe. She hastily shuffled her rugged pants off her legs and threw her top into the air. The remaining underwear was slowly tugged at the waist band until the fabric slid down her exposed legs.

"There." she confirmed.

Undressed. Naked. Now let's get on with it.

Being in this state really didn't bother her. She was used to ghostly eyes watching her at all times, that included more private moments. But something about her hardly knowing the woman in the same room as her was making her foot tap impatiently. She wasn't nervous or embarrassed. She had no reason to be!

She watched the privileged officer as she too unbuttoned her uniform and began to strip down. It wasn't like she was seeing anything that she hadn't seen before. But her memories of that night were clouded in the violent fury from the shimmer that swam through her veins. The memory had the clarity of fog in her mind. Her brow twitched in irritation though as she couldn't help but glance down at herself and compare their bodies.

Caitlyn was tall, toned, as if she were sculpted by a master artisan. Thin muscle that accentuated her tanned form was starkly contrasted to her thin, borderline sickly colored skin. Cait had curves, soft and beautiful in all the right places and she understood why Violet would find attraction there. She frowned. This was like comparing a girl to a woman. In every comparison she came up short. Too thin, too small, too flat. Her teeth grinded in her mouth.

When Caitlyn turned and they both faced each other, her eyes stared down the top-sider with intensity.

Look at me. Show me what you think in those eyes of yours. When she saw nothing but a blank, emotionless face she couldn't help but feel disappointment. She knew Caitlyn would do her best to remain professional, but it still left her with questions. Was she not worth looking at? Was she not...pretty?

Within a few moments, her cuffs and chains were back on her body and she took a seat on a small wooden stool nearby. With her back turned to Caitlyn, she listened to the sound of hot water being pumped through metal pipes and sprayed outwards.

Maybe she was a little dirty. Her eyes trailed the many splotches of blood and grime that stained her pale skin. She didn't flinch when she felt the soft material of a warm rag brushing her back. It felt nice. Not that she'd tell Caitlyn. She should treat it like the woman was her servant. Yes! That made it more fun. A noble woman reduced to a poor, classless servant. It was a wonderful fantasy. She closed her eyes to revel in it.

"I'm disappointed in you." The words made her frown. She was just starting to enjoy the bath. "Sisters shouldn't hurt each other."

She laughed out loud because that was so damn hilarious.

"She started it." A fit of chuckles had her shoulders twitching. She doubted Vi had told her about what she'd done back then. How she abandoned her.

"I can tell she cares about you, Jinx."

The conversation was thought provoking, distracting her as the rag began to run up the underside of her arms and she lifted them automatically in response. How could Caitlyn say that? It was a lie! So obviously a lie!

"She can't even say my name." When she heard her own voice crack she straightened her body and focused on her resolve. Just a slip of emotion. She had it under control.

"Give her time."

She hated those words. Hated how soft and caring Caitlyn sounded. Like she actually wanted them to reconnect as sisters. What a bunch of shit. The image of a devilish smile on the officer's lips had her clutching the sides of her head and groaning. What was real? What was a lie? She hated the confusion that made her dizzy. Her body and mind worked against each other and she felt her nails dig deeper into her head at the sensation.

Deep, deep pain was pricked as her nails furiously twitched on the sides of her temples. Her own eyes staring widely at the tiles below. She scratched more and more. The pain felt good, felt right. It stung more with each passing second.

Suddenly smooth fingers brushed her own and she stopped clawing into her own scalp. It was just a touch, so faint it was almost dismissable. In fact, she was certain that Caitlyn hadn't meant to touch her because in the next moment the woman gathered blue hair in her hands and undid her braids. She was just reaching for her hair. She didn't...didn't what? What was she so startled by? Touch?

"So," She tried, anything to distract herself from the war in head, "How long have you and her been together?"

The fingers that were threading through her hair paused for a brief second before continuing to brush through blue strands.

"We're not together."

She rolled her eyes. Either the woman thought she was a fool or she had some serious issues. The sexual tension she felt between her sister and the top-sider was so suffocatingly obvious. Was she embarrassed?

"Fine. How long have you known her then?"

She forgot about her question for a moment when soapy hands coated her hair and those long, manicured nails scratched gently at her head. Her vision wavered as the feeling melted the tension in her muscles. Oh now this felt good. Much appreciated my servant!

"Hmmm." Caitlyn pondered while her magic hands continued their massage. "I believe it's been a week."

Her relaxed eyes shot open, staring straight ahead. The waves of nausea and confusion rippled through her body. A week? A week. Was she serious? Another lie? The words didn't seem like lies. Or was this all a game to Caitlyn? All one elaborate trick to break her down into the dirt everyone thought she was?

"Oh."

She didn't give any emotion away, no sudden spasm or movement from her body. No anger, no sadness. She just said it. She didn't know what to feel, except that she knew something in her snapped.

She just wasn't sure what that something was.

Her legs dangled over the edge of the wooden platform that she found herself on. High up in the Firelight's hideout she was granted an hour of peace with herself. It was Vi who advocated for it. Oh yes, surely an hour to herself, still chained to the wall behind her would make her feel less like a prisoner.

She had to admit though, it was needed. The stuffy, hot metal room they kept her in was suffocating in it's own way. She almost felt like she needed another bath after she started sweating in that cell. Pale hands reached out to grip the iron railing that sat in front of her and she peered down at all the lights and distance chatter that were below.

Her eyes caught the form of her sister and Caitlyn watching children play some sort of game as they rested on each other's shoulders. She could see Vi whisper something into the woman's ear. She watched the hand come up and cover her mouth as the top-sider laughed with manners. She clenched her palms around the railing harder.

A week.

She laughed.

A week.

More laughter as she started to lose herself in the feeling. It was so funny! So funny! Her belly strained and hurt as she continued to shake and giggle. The open air was filled with her merriment. Mylo leaned right over her shoulder and screeched alongside her. She laughed even harder. It brought faint tears to the corners of her eyes and her body spasmed with hardly any control.

"A week!" She shouted and the corners of her lips were starting to hurt. "Can you believe it?!"

She paused to check her surroundings, wondering if there was another person she could share the information with. It was funny right? If someone else heard it they would laugh too, right? The only person she saw was Ekko, perched off in the distance and leaning against the giant tree trunk of the hideout. He was far away, but she could tell he was watching her, he could maybe hear her too.

Her mood soured immediately. He wouldn't get it.

The pitter-patter of something else caught her attention and she checked behind her shoulder to see someone approaching her from the stairs. The first thing she saw was wild hair sticking straight up before the figure came further into view.

"Ding Dong." She greeted with a smile, she didn't remember his name, but it was something silly like that.

"Ahem. Heimerdinger." He corrected.

She shrugged nonchalantly. He was cute, cuddly. She imagined him as if he were one of her many stuffed animals. She missed them.

"What brings you up here?" She asked.

"Well, curiosity of course. I heard you laughing all the way from my laboratory."

She smiled and shook her head. He wouldn't get it either. It was an inside joke at this point. Only funny to her. But strangely the company was nice. Vi still didn't understand that the last thing she wanted was to be alone.

"You came up here to see me? Don't you know who I am?"

His bright blue eyes seemed to drift off, there was sadness in his pupils, but not pity. At least, if there was, she didn't recognize it.

"Regretfully, I do. We've all been told of your...situation."

Ah. That also explained why nobody here would look at her. Good. When she finally burnt this place to the ground and made a beautiful fireworks show for the city to see, it just meant none of them would return to haunt her. There were those thoughts again. That ambition for violence. The proof that she was a Jinx.

"They think they can change me." She growled as she returned her eyes to Caitlyn and Vi. They'd joined the kids in their game and the smiles on their faces put a scowl on hers.

"Impossible." The yordle commented.

Amazing. Someone was actually smart enough to understand.

"Nobody changes another. Only the individual has that strength."

What? Her brow furrowed and she glanced back towards the man who had now taken steps to approach the railing by her side. His eyes cast outwards towards the many faces below and his moustache ruffled as he spoke.

"I've seen much over my lifetime. Civilizations rise and fall." There was a wistfulness in his gaze that held her attention, "We all grow accustomed to the past, think it defines us. I too was unwilling to change. It wasn't until I came here that I was able to see how stagnant I had become, unwilling to consider possibilities beyond my imagination. But no-one could have led me to that conclusion other than myself."

"All I do is hurt things around me." It was a moment of vulnerability that she would never have shown her sister. "I'm a Jinx."

He turned to her and his gaze connected with her own.

"Perhaps you need to stop living in the past, my dear."

She sighed. She didn't sign up for another lecture. However, something about his words meant something. But so much of who she is, so much of who she wants to be...can she give it all up? How much of her would be left?

She leaned over to rest her elbow on top of Heimerdinger's head. He was soft and the perfect height to do so as she rested her cheek in the crook of her arm. It filled the void of her stuffed animals that she missed so much and she just wanted to rest.

"Oh!" He reacted surprised before closing his eyes and releasing a humming laughter, "Hmhmhmhm."

She smiled. This yordle was quirky and strange...but he was alright.

Notes:

Hopefully this end note isn't bugged. But what'd you think?

Like I said, much more to come! I hope you leave a comment or kudos if possible to keep me motivated and understand what you all think. Also I wanted to get this out pretty quickly so I may need to go back and update with more edits to grammar and stuff like that.

Until next time!

Chapter 4: Pretending to be Okay

Notes:

I have returned! Sorry this one needed a bit more time in the oven than I expected. I really hope you enjoy the chapter. I mean, 1,000 Kudos! I love you all so much for the support you've given me! This chapter doesn't have as much dialogue as I initially planned, but I'm still very satisfied with it. A lot of different, much needed interactions going on here. Honestly, this chapter has a bit of everything too.

Please leave a Kudos if you liked it and comment to let me know what you think!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

She was in a good mood today.

After the shitshow that has been the past few days, it was a miracle.

Her pale fingers plucked a slice of fish from the wooden bowl she hovered over and inspected the marinated meat with her bright pink eyes. Slimy, dripping unknown juices, faint steam seeping from it, just the way she liked it! She wiggled it between her pinched fingers before tossing her mouth, her cheeks bulging while she chewed.

Finally some tasty food, fresh from the Pilt river. Well, as fresh as it could be.

She had to admit, the Firelights had some talent after all. Wait. No. Just their chef. Everyone else was yet to be determined. Her eyes shifted to her right so she could take in the big hulking muscle man eating on the same bench just a few feet down. The half-bat looking Chirean. He ate his food as if he were pissed at it. So serious.

A worthy target.

She extended her pale arm outwards, chains rattling as she did so and tucked in her pinky and ring finger to form the shape of a gun with her hand. She tilted her head and clenched one eye to look down the barrel. The game of getting on target was nothing but an effort to keep her entertained. She shot her wrist back.

Bang.

The muscled man's green eyes narrowed sharply as his attention fell on her. A low growl in his throat spurred her excitement within her chest. What? Her wide, innocent eyes feigned ignorance and he snarled at her before turning back to his lunch. It was just so great that all the Firelights could be so easily fucked with. It really did make her day.

The sound of a smack teased her ears and she swiveled in her seat to see Caitlyn's hand swatting at her sister's sleeve.

"Will you slow down?" Caitlyn scolded. "You're making a mess."

Vi looked both bewildered and embarrassed as the fish in her mouth was poking out from her stuffed face. Hah! Yeah sis, what do you think of your girlfriend? Bet you didn't think you'd be getting scolded at the table. She's different, you know? A top-sider won't ever understand us, and I get sick just watching you follow her like a lost poro.

"Mmmph, I can't help it." Vi replied after making an effort to swallow the food in a single gulp. "It's so good! Didn't know you guys had food like this here, Little Man."

Her words were sent back across the table and over to her side of the bench. Ekko sat two spaces over, separated by her new fluffy friend. Which was for the best. She already lost her silverware privileges when she tried to stab Ekko's hand but really, who's bright idea was it to give her something sharp? Amatuers.

She giggled to herself while Ekko eyed her warily. He turned back to Vi.

"We do a lot to make sure we can sustain ourselves. Just so happens the harbor is the richest nearby food source, so we had to get good at preparing it."

Ah. Harbor nearby. It wasn't much, but the map of Piltover that was sketched in her mind was becoming smaller and smaller by the day. Subtle clues, casual mentions, it wouldn't be long before she had a good idea of where she was being held. And that was just the first of many steps towards her escape.

A glance down at her empty wooden bowl had her pouting and folding her arms across her chest. She didn't even realize she'd eaten all her food. She turned to peek at the yordle next to her. His bright, cheery disposition was blind to her jealous stare and his bowl was still mostly full, the result of careful eating with silverware and manners.

Don't mind if I do.

She lurched to the side and swiped a piece of fish from under his unsuspecting watch.

"Jinx!" She paused with her mouth open as her eyes found the voice that called her out. Caitlyn seemed to be particularly upset with her face put in a deep scowl.

What? What'd she do?

"Huh?"

"You can't just take other people's food without permission! Give it back."

Okay, nowthatwas strange. Silco had told her that top-siders of all people knew how to take and steal. Practically knew how from birth. They'd done it to the people of Zaun for decades... besides, her whole upbringing she's learned to take what she wants. Anyone who complained and couldn't fend for themselves was weak.That'show the world works. She was confused.

"But...I want it?"

Blue eyes widened in response and she wasn't exactly sure what part of her statement was supposed to be so shocking. Was it because she was technically their prisoner? Sorry, but finders keepers.

"It's quite alright." Heimerdinger commented with an uplift in his mustache, "Us Yordles have a small appetite anyhow."

See. No harm done. The only one that's upset is you, princess. She didn't say those words aloud but the emotion in her eyes was clear as day as she tossed the fish into her mouth. She smirked as she chewed, loving how Caitlyn sighed with her loss and facepalmed in exhaustion.

"Although, it would be nice to have a little heads up next time, dear."

Her chewing paused. Ugh. She was getting soft. A sudden twist in her gut at the professor's words actually had her feeling some sort of...remorse? She wasn't very good at identifying it, but her shoulders slumped as she sat down on the bench.

"Fine…" She grumbled. This whole thing wouldn't be a problem if they gave her more food to begin with though.

Their little afternoon "picnic" as she called it, continued after the scene she'd caused and damnit she was so bored. The downsides of being chained wherever you go, you have to wait on other people's whims. With a groan she let her forehead fall to the wooden table, right next to her empty bowl. Pink eyes stared through the small space between the table edge and the bench she sat on to watch her feet dance in the dirt below.

It wasn't much fun when her ankles were still locked together.

"We've been tracking Sevika's men with a few of our scouts. As far as what she's planning, she's keeping it close to The Last Drop."

Holy cow! The Ogre was still alive? She remembered seeing the bitch upside down, missing her special mecha arm while the purple shimmer made an even bigger mess in the aftermath of her sister's battle. But still, Jinx couldn't care less. As far as she was concerned, Sevika wasn't even on her radar.

Of course, her older sister nearly killed herself trying to brawl with the woman. Hah! She would have made quick work of the both of them with a few well placed shots between the eyes. Oh! An idea!

"Psst. Can I see a piece of that, Dingy?" She whispered while a chipped, blue nail pointed at his food.

"I suppose," He sighed, as he cut a small fraction of the filet and dropped it in her palm. "It's Heimerdinger."

Yeah. Yeah. She'd remember his name later...maybe, it was sorta complicated. The type of name that was begging for a nickname, but she had more pressing matters to attend to. While the group continued to talk about whatever plans they had for Silco's second in command, she closed a single eye and calculated her aim.

"As far as the shimmer production, one plant is still active but they haven't made any effort to repai-'' Ekko was cut short in his discussion as a piece of slimy fish slapped against his cheek.

Pale cheeks puffed outwards and teeth bit down on her lips to seal the rising humor inside. She tried to hold in her laughter. Shereallydid, but the piece of meat rolled down his skin so slowly and the pure, violent irritation in his eyes was justtooperfect. Just like her aim. She clutched her stomach while she giggled. All eyes at the table were on her as she shakily pointed her finger to mock the boy savior.

"Bullseye!"

"I think she's had enough sunlight for today." He tried to sound intimidating in his threat, but she just couldn't take him seriously. The splotches of slime on his cheek took away any and all authority he had.

The pads of her fingers swiped the faint tears from the corners of her eyes as a dull ache settled in her stomach from all her joy. Sure sure. Lock her up in that stuffy room for the rest of the day. Whatever. She was in a good mood. No regrets either Little Man.

She spun on her heel to give the rest of the table an exaggerated salute as she was dragged away.

The Firelight community still avoided her like the plague. If nervousness and fear wasn't shown in their averting eyes, hatred certainly was. And she could feel it too. Almost as if it cast itself on her skin like another tattoo. While Ekko led her through the community by her chains, she observed the wide berth people gave them, like she had a forcefield around herself.

It didn't bother her in the slightest. Actually, she rather liked it. Silco's lesson was to be what they feared. Consider her goal achieved! The mental realization pricked the edge of her mind though. It was hard not to think of herself as a monster andalsofeel like Silco would be proud. Could someone have a monster as a daughter? Would they still love them the same?

No! She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She couldn't follow that line of thinking. It was already too unstable, too unsafe, and evensheknew when to stop sometimes. Her shimmer-filled eyes were now alert and flashing back and forth, ahead and behind, left and right, almost expecting his bullet ridden ghost to be leaning against one of the many buildings in the area but she came up empty. Just Mylo and Claggor following from a distance, big surprise.

She spun her head to watch Ekko's back as he led her up the stairs of the giant tree that was her prison. A splash of color caught her attention. Bright pinks, blues, and a myriad of playful colors made her dizzy. Her breath caught in her throat and she questioned whether or not she was choking.

What was that?!

Heels planted into the ground and halted the two as her wide eyes stared at the graffitied wall. What was she looking at? Why did she see all her nightmares memorialized? Horror etched onto her face as the many scribbles of her mind seemed to breathe life into the faces she loved as they laid themselves over the portraits.

Like monsters coming alive…

She wished she could scream but her muscles had completely locked up, like something was holding her tightly within its grasp. Fear was powerful and right now, it gripped her with all its strength.

"W-what are-" Her finger shakily reached out to point to the mural that she struggled to comment on.

Was it even real? Was her mind breaking further? Had the cracks gone too long without repair? It was as if the whole world was splintering, fragmenting without reason. This wasn't reality, it couldn't be. She was imagining it. The thought didn't do anything to quell the terror that iced her veins.

"The price of our freedom." Ekko muttered from her side.

The chains that wrapped around her arms and legs were nothing compared to the ones that had suddenly latched onto her heart, squeezing so hard she was afraid it might burst. Why would anyone want this? This was permanent. Didn't they realize that? This little corner of the world was forever occupied by death and she was frightened at the idea thattheycould exist beyond her mind. It made her question if the ones she saw in her head were not the only ones out to get her.

"Those are all the loved ones we've lost. We honor their memory as Firelights. Not that you care."

"L-loved ones?" She questioned. So many faces, so many people, some of which she remembered killing.

A sharp ache pierced her head and she clutched her temple in response. No. They wouldn't come back. It wasn't possible! She didn't know them, so they couldn't haunt her. That's how it worked! Her knuckles started feverishly knocking against her skull. Get that disorienting pain out and replace it with something else! Get out! Get out!

She stopped hurting herself and froze at the face of her younger self that was like a beacon that drew her attention as she stared into her once beautiful, innocent eyes. Why was she up there? She was still here! She was still- Realization cut the thought short. Ah. So the Firelights understood it too then? Powder was dead. Dead. Gone, and in her place was something unloveable. Yes, that made sense.

"Let's go, people are staring." Ekko tugged on her chains but she wouldn't budge.

How could she? Didn't he see them? Didn't he see all the decayed hands that broke through the ground and held onto her as if they wanted to drag her down to hell. She could feel their grip on her. So many hands, all rotting and wrapped around her. It was hurting.

"Hey, I said-" His light brown eyes came into her vision as he made an attempt to get her attention but she was utterly still. His shock was just about the last thing she noticed.

Her lips were quivering. She felt cold. So cold. Like the ghostly spirits were draining her life with each passing second. The starving souls were looking for something to bring them back, but she wasn't enough. She couldn't bring any of them back.

"H-help."

A single whispered word felt so lonely as it passed through her lips, like she was shouting it into an abyss. No one was there to respond, no one ever was.

"Forget about the wall, let's go." He tugged once more at the metal that was attached to her.

"I can't."

"What do you mean y-?"

"I can'tmove!" Her voice grew increasingly stressed as the words were acknowledging what she wouldn't let go! "I don't wanna be here. I wanna go- I wanna go home."

Home. Where even was that these days? Was there a single place where she could feel safe? Was there any hope of her finding a place like that again? It seemed so distant, so impossibly out of reach.

A hand extended out and warmth burst on her shoulder as Ekko's palm placed itself on her chilled skin. Her eyes flashed towards the contact. It was so clearly contrasted to the shivers she felt all over that his touch almost burned.

Fearful eyes glanced up towards his own. He was silent, watching her with confusion and maybe something more akin to concern. Her voice had all but died in her throat and she could only hope that her continued plea for help could be seen in her pupils. She didn't care that she hated him. She didn't care that she'd been so humiliated in their battle on the bridge, or all the times she failed Silco by being unable to kill the boy. Please. This was life or death. She was hanging on the edge and she didn't want to fall.

Jinx couldn't fall down the well too. She couldn't. There'd be nothing left.

The many undead, ghostly hands were eventually ripped away as her whole body was lifted from the ground. One step took her farther away from them and she closed her eyes and placed her hands over her ears to block out their horrid moans, begging her to come back and give them what they were owed.

Her side was pulled further into Ekko and her body felt a movement as if she were on a boat. She bobbed and swayed with little control and that's when she realized that Ekko was carrying her, chains and all. She had to give him credit, he must've grown quite strong over the years if her body, wrapped in metal, did little to slow him down as he took her away.

Lips parted in shock and she tilted her head up to see the underside of his chin. His strong, determined gaze was facing forward while his expression was settled onto that confident, arrogant form that she loathed so much, only the usual smirk was missing from his lips. A brief consideration that she was grateful for Ekko left her head almost as quickly as it entered. Really. She didn't bat an eye at the thought, but the lingering warmth in her heart was spreading as he continued to travel up the stairs and towards her room.

Why was he so warm? Like a candle, no, a furnace on a cold, winter night. Her cheek pressed deeper into his chest, it was pleasant. This was okay right? She was just using him anyway. The comfort wasn't doing any harm and if he was uncomfortable, too damn bad.

When they arrived, she was dreading the extra heat she'd feel being locked in such a place but the alternative of helplessly struggling as corpses dragged her beneath the ground was decidedly much worse. He placed her on the floor, not a single word uttered as he linked the chains around metal pipes. Even if he wanted to talk about what happened, he didn't make any outward sign that he was going to ask.

Good. She didn't want to talk about it. Sheneverwanted to talk about what she saw ever again. All those memories, all those corpses...She'd have to be more careful. The once thought to be harmless hideout was a hideous lie. There were things outside of her mind capable of breaking her now.

Ekko stopped at the edge of the doorway, his back still facing her but his head tilted to the side as if he was contemplating turning around. She watched him, waiting for a snide comment or hurtful joke at what he'd seen but instead he just huffed.

"I swear if you're faking…" He didn't finish his murmured thought and continued walking outside.

Faking?

Time ticked onwards, ever so slowly as the word registered in her head. Her lips parted while her eyes blankly stared forward. It was like a crank, similar to her toy monkey, was being twisted and twisted, harder and harder in her gut. Faking...the idea didn't seem real. Is that what he thought? She was faking all the twisted shit that lived inside her mind?

Faking…

But she'd lowered her guard for him...Asked him for help...

Faking...

Faking?! Her bubbling hatred surfaced in an instant. It was as if a switch was flicked on, flipping her into an entirely different state than before. Get back here you coward! Come back and look at me while you call me a liar! A little man. That's all you are! So little he was beneath her in every conceivable sense of the word.

"Fuck you!" She shouted after him so harshly that her throat immediately felt raw. "I'll kill you, every last one of you damn Firelights!" Her body lurched against the metal chains as she thrashed and spiraled into a red haze. Her eyes were glowing with the shimmer bursting in her veins. Pale hands were clenched, itching to be wrapped around his neck. She hated him. Hated him!

How dare he? Her rage masked the terrible ache in her heart. She wasn't faking. She wasn't a liar. Her body rocked as it swung from rage to sadness like a pendulum, entirely out of her control. Another regret was added to her near endless list as she thought about how she'd asked to be rescued. Dignity tossed aside, she pleaded for him to save her and he threw it in her face at the last moment. Didn't he know how much that hurt? How vulnerable- Stop! She clenched her teeth and snarled at her own thoughts. All she wanted was fury to cloud her mind. All sheneededwas that potent wrath to consume her. Not those…patheticthoughts.

She'd show him. Oh she'd show him. Just like Silco once whispered in her ear. There was nothing good waiting for her enemies.

The door remained open, but his form never once made another appearance. Her chest heaved as she took huge gasps of air within her lungs. A sound, not quite coherent enough to form words, was screamed outwards towards the entrance to her cell.

Her screeching voice took everything she had including the passion that blazed within her iris'.

Maybe it was all pointless anyway. What use was her resentment here? If she could actually do anything about it, her death would just be delivered faster...Ekko was her enemy, her greatest threat. She was stupid to forget. Why waste her breath when he knew it too? He was smart enough to destroy her, no matter how much she wanted to believe otherwise.

She'd find no safety with him. No point in trying then.

When she exhausted herself of all the energy in her body, she crumpled to the floor. Pink eyes stared at her hands, wondering when exactly she'd lost all sense of control? She used to have authority over her emotions, containing them within a tiny little box inside. She could detach herself and find solace in her childish whims. The loose cannon! Unhinged in all the ways that made her unique, but strong of mind and will. If there was something she wanted, she had the determination and strength to get it.

But now, wait,nowwasn't accurate enough.Ever since her operation, she's been a slave to her revolting feelings. Extreme and catastrophic in nature, she's always seconds away from snapping.

A small whimper left her at the thought and she held herself close.

Why couldn't she just be normal?

When night time came and the moon soared high in the starry sky above their hideout, she truly felt drained. Her confidence, her passion, it was all so distant. She stared blankly at the floor and for once embraced the boredom that came with her prison.

With boredom came silence and with silence came a static, numb feeling that wrapped around her brain and tempted her with it's promise of more time. So much time, ticking by slower and slower. It was almost magical to think she was prolonging the way she experienced her final month of life.

"Crazy how time works huh?" She asked aloud while staring at the ceiling. Her eyes turned to Vander who made a surprise appearance as he growled and roared in the corner of the room. She winced. Did he have to be so loud? Go bother someone else. She wasn't in the mood.

Of course her request was entirely out of her control. Sometimes they listened, sometimes they found ways to become even more irritating.

A faint knock against wood had her senses sharpen just enough to realize someone was coming inside. When her sister appeared in the doorway she didn't say anything. Her eyes didn't even acknowledge the woman. The only indication itwasher sister was the bright red color on the edge of her vision and a greeting with that name she always used. Powder. She didn't even bother trying to fight it. Just tell me what you want and leave.

"I spoke with Ekko a few minutes ago" Vi started, her voice was gentle despite the rough nature of the woman's voice. "Said something about new restraints being ready. I think you'll be getting them tomorrow."

Oh! Cool! Thank you dear sister and thank you my gracious host for allowing me to remain your prisoner in the comfort of new restraints. The intense sarcasm came easily to her twisted mind. Perhaps afterwards you can grace me with another nibble of food to ease my rumbling stomach? Hah. She sounded like Caitlyn. She'd remember to use the exaggerated top-sided accent the next time she saw the girl.

When silence was the clear indicator that she didn't feel like talking, Vi took steps forward and looked at her with such comfort in her bright blue eyes that she made sure to never make direct eye contact. It didn't feel right. It felt…well, she really didn't have a name for how it felt.

"Would you like me to take you to the balcony you were at last night?" Violet asked.

A slight nod of her head was all she gave, but really, that was all that was needed. She heard the chains behind her rattle and with robotic-like movements she was shuffling her way out of the heated room and into the cool night's air. Mortality was weighing heavily on her now, with her limits finally being understood. The world was so full of danger, so full of horrors, and she'd just about managed to find them all. Nightmares, dreams, heroes and villains, everyone and everything she encountered was an enemy. If not right away, a little time would prove her right.

But was that because of them? Or because of her? Her headache returned and she mentally backed away from the question. Not worth confronting it now.

A few flights of stairs and a journey across a bridge had her back in the spot she'd been the night before.

Perhaps it's time you stop living in the past, my dear.

Wise words, but useless for a dead woman. The scales of fate had already been decided. She knew herself, knew what this next month would bring. If she didn't die by some freak breakdown where she'd take one step too far, she definitely would find some way to screw it up at the very end. Jinx couldn't even fake her way out of it. Not like she was now.

Would Silco be turning in his grave if he saw how she turned out? His pride and joy, worth more than the nation of Zaun. If he saw how little hope she had for herself, what would he think? Tears blurred her vision as she stared out towards the large stone walls that kept her out of society. She wouldn't let them fall. Not tonight.

Oh god. Was he even buried? Her heart ached painfully at the thought of his real corpse still sitting in that chair, surrounded by rubble and death, so alone. She wanted to see him again. Not the demon that she saw that night in the council tower. No. She wanted to see his soft, scarred face, gentle and content in his final expression. That's what she saw in the end. A man, so driven by his own ambitions, so unable to stop the march of progress that death was welcomed in the end. He could finally rest.

Would she embrace her ending the same way he did? Nothing but doubt was her automatic response.

Her palms gripped the railing tightly as she hovered over and made a silent vow to ask Caitlyn about it. Maybe she would go and check for her? A dry, humorless laugh echoed into the night. Yeah right. The request was just stupid, but a part of her just wanted to know. Maybe if she spun it in a way that made them more willing to oblige?

She was…haunted and wanted to make sure he was dead? No. Maybe…Ah! She'd use a line like, we are better than our enemies, we honor the fallen no matter what side. Yes! She'd have to tweak it a bit more but the idea was there. The officer would like that. There was a sense of duty and justice within that excuse.

But for now she wanted to forget. It wasn't worth getting excited over, at least, not right this moment.

She sat down and let her feet dangle over the edge of the platform. The gentle wind in the night was able to give her legs the slightest momentum to swing. She was content with the silence of the world right now, but she could tell the person behind her was not. Wooden platforms squeaked while Vi shifted her weight in her boots. She heard a footstep come creak against the floor as she came closer and could practically feel her sibling's need to reach out.

"I- ." Vi started, only to be cut off.

"Don't." Her voice was a light whisper that was spoken just loud enough for her sister to hear.

Don't talk. Don't ruin tonight. It might be considered one of my last. Spoken words meant conversation, it would bring unwanted volatile feelings. She was tired of it all. She didn't want to spiral out of control. She'd already done that once today and it left her with nothing but emptiness.

"Alright." The dejection in Vi's voice was easy to identify.

Sorry sis, you just don't get it.

Her sister's boot took one step away from her and suddenly she was reaching out. Wait! Pale fingers pinched the tiniest fold of fabric on Vi's rugged pants. The tug was so light that it could be easily ignored, but the gasp from above was enough to tell her that she'd noticed.

Don't. She repeated in her mind this time. A silent plea. Don't make me regret this. Don't make me angry. Don't leave. It meant so many things, all of them true.

The pink-haired girl seemed to understand the request and sat down while throwing her legs over the edge alongside her own. Vi leaned backwards to rest on her palms while staring into the night sky. Eyes filled with uncertainty watched her sister relax next to her, noticing the distance between them was still so vast. Despite the calm expression on her older sister's face, she could see the gears within her mind turning, wondering if the chance to speak would present itself.

Not likely.

Violet said she wouldn't leave her. She said she wouldn't run away. Jinx wasn't a fool. Lies upon lies spewed from Vi's mouth when she proclaimed such things. But maybe...maybe Vi didn't even realize she was lying to begin with. How could she possibly understand how broken her little sister was? How could she know how deep her insanity went? Not evensheknew.

Some days it was all just one big surprise! A smile pulled at her lips while she thought about her inner excitement. There was just no way to predict the future. No way to know what would set her off tomorrow. But she did know some things. She was certain...if she killed Caitlyn, if she killed Ekko, if she burned this hideout and the people inside to the ground, any one of those acts, Vi would leave her. It was a fact, an inescapable truth, but her big sis wasn't ready to face such a reality. It wasn't even considered in that thick skull of hers.

Odd how Stillwater prison could harden someone so clearly on the outside but the inside was just as young and naive as she was under Vander's watchful eye. So exhausting. So disappointing. Then again, her sibling was sitting beside her. Not like she could really say that about anyone else in her life. Yeah. Mylo, Claggor, Vander, even younger Vi and Silco, she wouldn't count them in the roundup.

Sorry. She tilted her head in apologies towards her demons that clung to her shoulders. There was such a difference between the living and the dead, Jinx just had a more unique understanding than most.

The silence of the night that surrounded them was welcomed and did wonders to soothe the many emotions that itched inside her. It was…nice to share time with Violet in a way that didn't end up with her screaming, fighting, or Vi professing some stupidly profound sense of love. No. They were just together, under the night sky, sharing the edge of the platform above the Firelight's base and that was enough for now.

Bright pink eyes glanced towards her sister, tracing the woman's gaze into the many stars above. She tilted her head upwards to get the same view. When they both looked upon the brightly lit clouds, the glowing moon, and the twinkling stars that framed it all, did they see the same thing? She shook her head to correct her line of thinking. Did itmatterif they saw something different?

If Vi could pretend to love someone like her for an entire month, she supposed she could pretend to be fine with it for a single night.

Notes:

That's the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed the more...thought focused portrayal of Jinx in this one. It's weird because I write in her perspective but really found this chapter expanding on her character and what exactly that "Surgery" did to her. It was rather hard to show off how different she's become since the show ended before it was able to be established, BUT at the same time I'm trying to push her towards a more healthy, meaningful introspection. I just hope it connects well with you all. Oh! and wasn't the lunch (family meal) sweet? I was smiling the whole time while writing it.

Don't forget to leave a comment and let me know what you think! Next few chapters are planned and hopefully I'll be able to get CH 5 out in a decent amount of time. I'll see many of you in the comment section. Until next time!

Chapter 5: Lonely

Notes:

Hi everyone! Back again with CH 5! Really excited to post this one too! I hope you all enjoy it. I really worked hard to get this one out before the weekend because I'll be on a short extended family vacation. And the next weekend is Christmas! My god where did December go? My work is giving me an entire week off after the Holiday so I plan to write a bunch more but for now I can confidently say that my current pace is about one chapter a week.

Hope you like it! If you do, be sure to leave a comment to let me know how you feel about things!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Thunk.

The sound of her metal chains collapsing to the wooden floor beneath felt wonderful and robust in an environment where whirling electronics and high-pitched gadgets seemed to be so abundant. Sure, Heimerdinger's laboratory was a pretty interesting and fun place to be, she'd once nearly spent an entire afternoon "fiddling" with much of the tech, but Ekko and the professor managed to keep anything potentially explosive, er,usefulfrom her grasp and thus the entire place was more irritating than interesting. Like an arcade with no games.

She swirled her arms in large round circular motions and hopped on her feet, relishing in the freedom that was granted. Of course, she'd had her cuffs removed a handful of times like when she undressed in the bathhouse, or when she once caused a spectacular knot in the chains by a series of cartwheels in the fields.

Buncha fun suckers her wardens were,"Strenuous, complicated, physical activity is not allowed".Caitlyn and Ekko scolded her. A sigh of irritation slipped through her breath at the memory.

But something about the freedom in the laboratory felt different. An invigorating sensation! Maybe it was just because she was momentarily free in a new place, or maybe her anticipation of"new" restraints was indeed exciting. God, she hoped they actually made something cool.

"Here you are my dear." The old yordle waddled over as he set four identical metal rings on the table in front of her.

She stared. Rings. Plain, silver metal rings. Couldn't she at least get them in a nice, bright color? Pink? Blue? Honestly, she'd even prefer Firelight green and her own disposition slumped at the admittance.

"Is something the matter?" Heimerdinger's voice asked before nudging the metal rings that were thicker than his own arms towards her. "Go ahead, try them on. They are quite the improvement!"

She couldn't help but smile at the professor's own enthusiasm at his invention. He was just so stinkin' adorable. There had to be someway to take him with her if she ever escaped the Firelight base. What was better than a plushie that talks to her? AREALplushie that actually talks to her!

She slipped one ring over her wrist, noting how much space there was between her own skin and her new cuffs. Intuition told her there was more to it and she twisted the metal clockwise, feeling the air shrink and a new grip press against pale wrists. Ah. So not too different from the handcuffs the enforcers would use on their everyday criminal.

Pink eyes turned to stare at the three others in the room, all posted by the door in case she tried to make a break for it. While Caitlyn and Ekko had no true revealing emotions on their faces, she could see Vi worriedly biting her lip. Nervous? Why? Her mind spun a hundred different theories like a spider web with no real answer being concrete. Whatever. At the end of the day, all their actions revealed the same truth. She was a criminal. She was to be contained. Somehow her sister and not-girlfriend(?) managed to also slip in something about being worth saving, although that was still very much up for debate.

With the yordle's help, she had each of the rings placed on her wrists and ankles. She had to admit, the brushed metal was significantly less rough against her soft skin but was this it? A subtle, almost insignificant upgrade? Man, she hung out with some seriously low achievers.

"Okay," She started while shaking her limbs out to show that the rings were snug at their intended location, "Good work everyone. Great effort, especially you mister smarty pants" She winked at Heimerdinger, "I'm starving. Let's get the main chain back on and call it a day."

"Oh no no no no no no." Heimerdinger shook his head repeatedly while wagging his pointer finger at her.

He walked over to a silver chest and slid the lid back to reveal a small metal box with a little antenna attached. She squinted her eyes to see the little device in his palms. It kinda looked like a remote detonator she'd use for a series of fireworks or bombs and it had a dial that marked [0, 1, 2]. Her stomach dropped. No way. She lifted her wrists to stare at the metal that was now attached to her for the foreseeable future with a newfound fear and honestly, she was a bit impressed at their decision.

A cackle of laughter burst through her as she worked through a scenario in her head.

"So lemme get this straight. I go a little wacko, maybe club one of the kids outside, you flip the dial and then...Explodey boom boom for Jinx?"

Oh man. Another fit of giggles. She had to admit, it almost sounded like something she'd make. Hilarious!

"Explodey...boom…boom?" Curious blue eyes worked through each word trying to decipher their meaning before he gasped aloud. "Absolutely not! I would never engineer something so intentionally problematic, not to mention the moral dilemma it would bring!"

Huh? She stared at the metal cuffs then back towards the detonator. Cuffs. Detonator. Possible explosives inside…what was she missing here? Her head snapped towards Mylo who was insulting her intelligence and she frowned.

"Sooooo not gonna explode?" She asked while raising a cuff on one wrist and pointing to it with her other hand. "Then what the hell is in these?"

"Magnets child! Electromagnets!" Heimerdinger exclaimed while he shuffled over to stand next to her and reached out to show the remote. His thumb hovered over the dial and she stared at the piece. "At '0' the magnets are inactive."

"But, if I move the dial to '1' then," His thumb spun the dial and suddenly her hands were forced together. Her two metal cuffs connected so suddenly that she could feel the many bones in her arm rattle under the pressure. A few attempts to pull her arms apart proved to her that even her unnatural strength couldn't contend with the power of her restraints. Not bad. Still wish they were pink and blue though..

"This completely minimizes the need to keep you restrained at all times. While inactive, you'll be completely mobile!"

Hey…Now the little yordle was talking. High five little guy. She paused, oh yeah, her arms were still stuck together. But that didn't matter, she forgot the praise the moment her mind started racing with the many ways she could incorporate her new restraints into her escape plan. She already thought of a major oversight but-

"How can we be sure her handler will know when or when not to press the dial? What if she takes the remote?" Caitlyn's voice asked from behind her and she felt her head lull backwards with a groan. Just had to speak your mind didn't you, Cupcake?

"Not a problem." The professor commented before walking over to a heavily cluttered desk, covered with notes, schematics, and the leftover tools and pieces for future projects. He dipped behind the desk, only letting his wild, lengthy hair be seen before coming back into view with a briefcase. One flick of a buckle and she was suddenly staring at dozens of the remotes used to control her restraints.

You gotta be kidding me.

"These will be handed out to the rest of the Firelights per Ekko's suggestion." She turned towards the boy behind her, hoping her nasty glare would give him any indication that he'd been such a pain in her ass. "A single dial will override the rest, meaning that if one person flips the dial, it will activate and restrain Jinx."

Damn. No way to steal a couple dozen remotes. Maybe…

"Could I see one?" She asked with an innocent look on her face.

"Of course my dear." Heimerdinger smiled with his mustache before placing the box into her waiting palm. She shook it in her hands to get an idea of the gadgetry inside and inspected the antena. Felt solid enough, but it communicated through some sort of-

"It's also a secure, one-way transmission." Ekko commented from behind.

"Fiddlesticks." She muttered quietly under her breath. There goes any attempt to hijack or block the signal…Nope. She's out of ideas! At least for now.

"So that was '1' but what's '2'...dooooAHHH!" The twist of the dial to '2' sent her wrists flying down towards her ankles. The four metal cuffs combined and she fell to her side with her newfound helpless state, the remote bounced across the floor towards the yordle scientist. It only took a few attempts to separate her wrists from her ankles before she began pouting. She was seriously stuck.

"2 is a more, incapacitating state, as you can surmise. Only to be used if necessary."

Yeah. She rolled her eyes. Pretty obvious one there. So great…The boy wonder and his sidekick professor actually managed to find a way for her to be sorta thankful and immensely pissed off at the same time. When Heimerdinger reset the dial, she bounced onto her feet in a huff, shaking her head and clearing her dizziness from the sudden, un-approved movements of her body falling to the floor.

"Just…" Ekko's voice caught her attention and she turned to see his confident expression soften for the briefest moments, "Try not to have your arms or legs in weird positions when it goes off. Might connect from behind and you could dislocate something."

"When…it goes off?" She asked with the uplift of her brow.

Light brown eyes widened at the offense and he put his palms up.

"Right uh…Ifit goes off." Ekko paused to think over his words before becoming increasingly self-aware, "Not that you should plan to set it off either." He took a breath. "Look. I'm trying to make sure you don't hurt yourself or-"

A palm from her sister rested on his shoulder to freeze his rambling.

"She's got the idea."

An embarrassed turn of his head away from her gaze was the best thing she's seen all week. Little confident man suddenly feeling all flustered huh? She swore that she could hear him grumble and complain about doing too much for a 'traitor', but she did get the message.

Much appreciated? It was all rather awkward. She'd rather not have to nurse a dislocated shoulder if she decided to let loose one of these days, but at the same time...She hated him so, where did that leave them?

The silence that filled the room like an uncomfortable fog had her itching to break the tension.

"So!" She clapped her hands together and suddenly the entire room's attention was on her. She felt her lips pull back to show a toothy grin, "Does this mean I can do cartwheels?"

"You're leaving again…" The statement came from her lips, laced with irritation and a bit of surprise at the news. The word,'me'was unspoken between them but she had a feeling Violet would hear it all the same.

They both knew the involuntary feeling that came when they separated. For Vi, she probably wanted to find some way to never cause that emotion inside, but Jinx just wanted it gone, burned out along with all the other troublesome baggage that was littered deep within.

Whatever. She didn't care if her sister left her here. It was expected anyway. Violet always leaves…

She watched her older sister offer the slightest apology in her expression as she bent over to grab the two Atlas gauntlets in her arms. Both metal tools were still decorated with the marks and blemishes of battle and the faded spray paint she used on them that night.

"I'll only be gone for a day, maybe two. The Council wants an update and we have to return these."

"Why? Keep em." Her brow furrowed. Why bend down to those pompous assholes? Giving them back the power they'd so clearly misunderstood was just going to have Piltover's elite suffocating the undercity further with it's absolute tyranny.

Listen to her, talking like her father.

"Trust me. I'm not keen on it either, but Ekko and Caitlyn think it's for the best." Her sister sighed before turning to face the entrance to the Firelight base.

Two guards posted on either side of the vault door, staring her down with a stern, oppressive gaze. Her own muscles itched under her skin at the thought of their masked eyes watching her so closely. She didn't like them, didn't like the way they were looking at her. The way their fingers hovered over the little metal boxes in their hands, ready to flip the dial in a split second put her in such a foul mood. When she killed them, she'd stuff those transmitters down their throats and make them choke on it.

Her own glare was distracted as Ekko passed by the two of them with supplies on his back. "Itisfor the best. The sooner the Council trusts us, the more we can focus on cleaning up our home."

Hah!

Heads turned and she realized she chuckled aloud. Whoops. But fine, if she had their attention, she'd let them know what she thought.

"You think giving them that Hextech back will make them respect you?" She sarcastically smiled while leveling a piercing glare towards the boy. "I hope you still think that when they crush you with it once you eventually interrupt their cash flow. Firelight or not, you're still just an insect to them."

Ekko paused, no expression on his face before he leaned forward with a confident stance that showed just how uninterested he was, "You done?"

Her teeth grinded in her mouth and she could feel her skin grow hot with the sheer need to beat the shit out of the wannabe king. One day she'd wipe that stupid smirk off his face. One day she'd teach him exactly why he was nothing but a child. Too busy pretending to realize that there's true horror waiting out there in the real world.

He may have kept himself hidden in this sanctuary, avoiding all the truly disgusting filth that flooded the undercity he claimed to love so dearly. A fighter! Yeah right. She's seen it all, grew up in it, thrived in the muck and mire of the polluted streets. It stuck to her like the ink of her tattoos. She was on an entirely different level than him.

'Says the broken toy!'A snide joke from Mylo caused her to snap to the side, "I don't need your input!"

Her outburst caused a worried glance between her sister and the Firelight leader. Like she cared what they thought. Insane. Crazy. Psycho. The words were worn like badges of honor on her chest. The sooner they understood that she was never going back to that innocent little girl they wanted, the better.

"What about you princess?" Pink eyes glanced behind her at the easily recognized heels clacking on the stone foundation of the ground. Caitlyn's blue eyes widened at being called out. "Gonna go see mommy and daddy? Wash out all the filth of the undercity?"

"Actually." Caitlyn coughed into her hand before responding, "I'm staying."

She waited for further explanation but the top-sider was giving her nothing. Why was she staying, didn't she want to get out of here? What about Vi? Didn't she want to spend every waking moment next to the girl? It certainly looked like it. God. This was all too confusing. At least she'd have a familiar face, but if she has to sit through another lecture about siblings being nice to each other, so help her…

"Do what you want." She shrugged nonchalantly.

The metal door screeched as the Firelight's entrance opened for Violet and Ekko to travel through. She hoped they'd be gone longer than two days. Hell, if she was lucky Sevika and her goons would take care of them for her. That left a nosy little detective and band of rats for her to take care of which was considerably better odds.

"Bye! Stay safe!" She sarcastically cheered with an enthusiastic wave of her hand. It was unbearably difficult containing her laughter at her sister's surprised and ecstatic joy with her sendoff. Poor thing thought she wasactuallyserious in wishing them well on their journey. A cough of hers masked a bubble of laughter as it rose up her throat and Ekko and Vi soon disappeared into the depths of the tunnels ahead.

Jinx swiveled on her heels to face Caitlyn and her bright smile immediately fell into an irritated straight line. She wondered if the topsider noticed just how fickle her emotions could be. Happy one moment and the next, feral with rage. Talk to me if you like but I'll bite your head off the first chance I get. Well, not likeliterally "bite" but the point was clear in her mind.

"Would you care to join me on one of the benches in the fields?" The violet-haired woman asked.

A scoff left her lips, "No thanks."

The last thing she wanted was a little one on one time with the officer from Piltover. The woman was like a stain of ink on cloth, entirely too difficult to remove and always noticeable. Out of all the eyes that watched her in this dreadful place, it washerpiercing blue ones that stared the hardest. One foot followed the other as she walked past the woman only to feel her palm reach out and hold her bicep. The touch startled her. It was just so unexpected and shockingly stronger than she figured Cait's hand would be.

"I think you should join me."

There was sincerity in the woman's voice. A need for conversation that was entirely unfamiliar to Jinx. Talking was never her strong suit. No, tinkering, blowing things up, ruining lives, that's what she was good at! But talking? Ew. Gross.

She ripped her arm out of Caitlyn's grasp and responded with a hardened glare. "I think you should back the fuck off and return to whatever mansion you crawled out of."

"You don't trust me because I'm a top-sider." The words were spoken like a question and a statement at the same time. But that was exactly how Caitlyn was. She'd already picked up on the overwhelming aptitude for investigation that permeated every feeling she got from the girl.

"I don't trust you for a lot of reasons." She growled before walking away.

The following footsteps sent twitches of utter annoyance through her muscles. It was like she was being stalked, preyed upon, and that just wasn't okay! She already had a fair share of the dead hunting her, she didn't need some spoiled princess doing the same.

"Don't follow me!"

"Someone has to watch over you." Caitlyn's voice replied from behind.

"Yeah, well get Dongle or Big Muscle Man to watch me because you're annoying."

No response. Just the consistent sound of following footsteps following her wherever she went. No use in going back to her room either. Not only would the heated pipes be absolutely unwelcome but it was a dead end. Nowhere to go if Caitlyn trapped her there. Wait. This whole place was a dead end wasn't it? One large cage that contained a smaller cage for herself. Pink eyes stared at the silver metal rings around her wrists…scratch that, another cage to be added to the list. Did that make three?

"Ugh." She groaned while her arms flailed upwards into the air, "Fine. If I go sit with you will you leave me alone?"

"I find those terms acceptable." The noble woman nodded and that was how she found herself following Caitlyn to a bench that looked outwards towards the fields of the Firelight base.

The moment she sat down her pale arms crossed over her chest and she clenched her teeth to stop any words from being spoken. Nope. She wasn't gonna talk. Piltover's finest cadet can follow her all she wants but talking was out of the question.

"Have you thought about why we decided to bring you here?" Caitlyn asked while leaning forward to connect her eyes with Jinx's. Pink eyes darted away. Don't look at me.

Of course, she did. She was a science experiment, a freak that needed to be fixed and you idiots think you can actually fix me. News flash, you can't! No one can. Despite her racing thoughts, none of it was voiced aloud. She wouldn't give the detective any clues and instead silence reigned over them both.

"We can help you, Jinx. Do you think you could let us help you?"

Help? Help?! Last time she checked this was the same woman who declared she was too far gone. If her sister hadn't pleaded to not pull the trigger would she even be alive? Hypocrite. That's what the bitch next to her was. A lying hypocrite.

Caitlyn sighed at the silence that continued to create a rift between them on the bench. They may be only a few feet away, but it could've been miles and she wouldn't even know the difference.

"I spoke with Vi…about your past." Her shimmered eyes widened with the words, "I couldn't gather much, but something bad happened a long time ago, right?"

Hahahahaha. Bad? No. What happened that night wasn't bad. It was an atrocious, unforgiving bloodbath. The topsider had no idea the kind of territory she was stepping into, the kind of nightmarish horror that clouded the past. The demons that were born that night continued to feed on her and the woman next to her thought it wasbad. The thought made her laugh.

"Bad! Bad! Bad! Bad! Bad! Bad! Bad!"Mylo danced in a circle beside her while his screeching voice had her scratching her scalp feverishly to block the noise. The nails digging into her blue hair made plenty of sound within her skull but Mylo's voice went deeper.

"Stop it!" She screamed, breaking her silence while she spun away from Caitlyn to rage at the boy who continued to distract her. "Just stop!"

Fuck. She'd lost her temper and faltered right next to Caitlyn. Not like the woman didn't know she heard voices. She'd already mentioned that a long time ago in the council's prison. Was that enough proof for you detective? Do you need any more reasons to put her down like a rabid animal? Just stop pretending to give a shit. I'm sick of the act.

Silence once again permeated the air for a few minutes and Jinx was beginning to wonder if she could go now. Surely Caitlyn realized her questions would go unanswered…

"What are their names?"

Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and her lips parted in open shock. Surely she wasn't asking…No. No, she could be asking about the voices. Why? In what way would that help her? She didn't want to talk about the voices. Not to anyone, and luckily nobody ever asked.

"W-what?"

"The names of the voices you hear. Do they have names?"

Something inside her ached. Like her heart was constricted by someone squeezing it just enough to hurt. The blood in her veins felt sluggish, like her entire body was shutting down, and along with it, all the barriers she had were crumbling like old stone walls.

Stop.

"I-..." She started before she even realized she was speaking. She didn't want to talk, not about them! But the words were being dragged out of her by something that wasn't fully understood.

"There are so many." Her voice broke and cracked, how exactly could she even tell someone about them. She'd never done such a thing. It was like acknowledging they existed outside of her own mind and she didn't want that. But her entire being was in a trance and a deep, urgent need to release just a fraction of the pain she kept bottled inside was overwhelming her control.

"Can you name one? How about the one you just heard?"

"Mylo." The name that she hadn't dared utter in years spilled from her without a second thought, but she found some of the anger and frustration deep inside and continued, "He's a lying little thief who loves to taunt me."

"Is he the one you hear most often?"

She nodded her head, "Claggor too. The big dumb oaf who never once said anything to me. He hates me and stares at me all the time."

"I see."

Did she? Did she really truly see? Because if she did, she'd understand that nothing good came from associating with her. Even the voices of the dead knew that she was the one to end their lives. It would be better if Caitlyn, Vi, and Ekko all realized it too.

"They were your friends."

The statement had her pulling her legs off the ground and tucking her knees into her chest while wrapping her arms around them. Eyes clenched tightly as she curled into herself. Friends. She used to have them. Now the term was foreign, unfamiliar. That's right, they were her friends, but what once was and what nowishas changed so much. She was abandoned, alone, and all of it was so doubtlessly deserved.

"I can't replace them. I wouldn't want to either. But I want to be your friend Jinx, if you'll let me."

She shook her head. That wasn't possible. No matter how much she wished deep down that there was an actual possibility in Caitlyn's words, it wouldn't work. It was just a fairytale, a naive little dream that had to be crushed under an unforgiving reality. Cait would eventually die through some jinxed accident. The idea of the violet-haired woman's corpse haunting her for the rest of eternity sent a seizing fear through her stomach. She could barely handle the ghosts of her past, she couldn't fathom adding another to that list.

The disappointment was clear in blue eyes but the top-sider didn't say another word. She stood up from the bench and offered a hand to assist but Jinx made no move to accept it. A sigh followed from the woman before she offered her final words of their conversation.

"If you ever want to talk, all you need to do is ask." Jinx stared up at the older woman, entranced by the warm expression and small smile displayed on her beautiful face as she continued, "I'll listen."

Tired, heavy steps eventually carried her up the wooden stairs of the tall tree in the center of the hideout and she couldn't think of anything better than locking herself in her room for the rest of the night. Screw Caitlyn for playing with her emotions, screw the Firelights for watching her every move. Tonight she'd get away from it all and while it was dangerous to be alone with her thoughts, some sick part of her treasured the illusions in her head.

When she walked through the open door of her prison and spotted a new cot placed in the corner of the room, she smiled and jumped high into the air to land on the bed. Oh happy day! She had a bed now! No more sleeping while locked against metal pipes. These new restraints brought some actual relief into her life.

Her body slammed onto the mattress and in an instant she realized it's firmness mimicked that of a metal sheet. Her entire skeleton rattled in her skin as her body weight connected with the surface, but the mere idea of sleeping on a cot was too exciting to worry about the possible internal damage she received from her rash act.

She sighed and felt the tension in her muscles fade after the long day. Hands tucked behind her head as she stared at the ceiling, trailing the maze of pipes that led to who knows where. With the addition of a bed, she could actually envision this prison as a room.

A couch would go perfectly in the center of the room where she could greet her wardens casually, and Oh! The other wall across from her would be a great place to make all sorts of pretty designs with a little spray paint. Jinx's hideout 2.0! That's what she'd call it. Then, despite being locked away, held against her will in the Firelight's base, she'd carve out a little piece of it to make her own. Perfect!

She nodded to herself as a smile tugged at her lips.

Suddenly, she caught sight of another person and froze. He was laying against the wall with his legs draped over the end of the bed. The bright smile on her pale cheeks faded as she watched drops of blood ooze from bullet holes and stain the thin sheet below. Her entire face scrunched into pain and regret, waiting for the harsh words of his ghost to scream at her and break her further, but nothing ever came.

Why? Why are you here?

Silco lay, resting upon her bed without moving an inch. His mismatched eyes cast downwards to the side in the same position as when he died. He looked so broken, so empty. The sight clawed at her insides as if a beast were trying to tear her apart. She made a hesitant move to crawl towards him, hoping to find some sort of salvation in her effort.

Are you really here? Please. Please don't be upset. I'm so sorry. I'll- I'll never forgive myself. The words played through her head like a broken record, different statements each time but they all meant the same thing.

When she finally got close enough to tilt her head into his drooped gaze, she found nothing. No anger, no disappointment, no life, just…nothing. And that hurt her more than anything. An excruciating reminder that she'd taken everything from him.

"Please," She whispered to herself as she reached out her fingers, pausing just before coming into contact with his scarred face. A watery smile split her trembling lips and she wished with all her heart that he would forgive her. "Look at me. I'm here…It's okay. I'm here."

In part, she wondered if he would say the same words to her if he was still alive. There was a fantasy somewhere in the depth of her twisted mind that played with the idea. All the pain that she'd deliberately ignored was surfacing and his kind words of acceptance was all that could quench the agony. But of course, that wish, that dream, was pure fiction now.

Impossible.

Her fingers trembled before him, never quite committing to settle on his skin. If she touched him, would he disappear, would the illusion be shattered? No, she wouldn't risk it. Instead, she pulled herself even closer and lay her head against the wall that propped him upright. She curled onto her side, just a few inches away from his ghostly body. She'd spent the last few days learning to sleep upright while chained to metal pipes, she could do it again.

Only this time, she would be next tohim.

The comfort of that thought eased her mind as she closed her eyes and drifted off.

Notes:

That's the chapter! I hope it was a worthwhile read. If you have constructive criticism or feedback I'd love to hear it. Or if you just wanna speak your mind in a compliment or review I'd love to see that as well! Seriously. I keep all my comment emails from Ao3. It's kinda blowing up my inbox but each one is so treasured and I love keeping them as reminders of all your support. Also, I plan to respond to every comment that I can but I've been so busy that I have had barely any time. Apologies!

Anyway, CH 6 should be written by next week but I'll be sure to take my time and not work too too hard before Christmas. Happy holidays to you all! 3

Again, Comments are so wonderfully welcome :)

Chapter 6: You Know Why

Notes:

Whew! Sorry about the delay. I had this chapter about 90% done but then Christmas and well, the days after were still focused on family so...Anyway back with another chapter finally passing 30k words and holy cow 1,900 Kudos! Amazing that you all enjoy this story so much and I hope I continue to live up to your expectations!

Please don't forget to leave a comment letting me know what you think!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Sneaky.

She had to be sneaky. The tips of her boots stretched out to ease into quiet, absolutely silent footsteps. Creaky wooden planks had plagued the Firelight base, much to her annoyance but she memorized the route. They wouldn't be a problem.

The idle chatter of two guards caught her attention and she pressed against the shadows on the wall. They were far enough away, backs turned so they wouldn't be able to notice the subtle shifts of her illusive form. Good. Bright pink eyes, wide and alert watched for any potential danger and she slid into another stealthy step.

She wished the voices in her head would participate in the silence but alas, that seemed impossible.

Before her, an open door signaled her destination. Almost there. A small bead of sweat fell uncomfortably down her temple and her concentration almost wavered at the feeling. She couldn't afford to screw up. Not now. This may very well be the most important thing she'd done in her captivity.

When her pale shoulder touched the wooden frame of the open door she tilted her head to peak inside. Her target was inside, perfectly vulnerable. She couldn't stop the sly smile from spreading across her face. She'd be quick, effective, and it'd be perfect.

The heels of her boots lifted as she prepared to burst into the room.

3…2…1…

"HEIMY!" She shouted at the top of her lungs while leaping inside the cluttered laboratory, hands outstretched to the ceiling.

"Waaahhh!" The little scientist screamed while the wrench in his hands flung into the air and clattered onto the floor.

The yordle nearly fell over as he slipped from his wooden chair and managed to catch himself before face planting on the ground. Shaded goggles glared up at her and she returned the expression with a wink.

"Jinx. Child." Heimerdinger sighed while lifting his shades and pinching his brow between his furry fingers. "I believe I requested you not to startle me while I'm working. I was explicit after the last scare."

"Actually," She twirled one of her long blue braids around her hand, "You said that I had to announce when I was coming in. Technically, I did."

"Well consider that another stipulation to my request then."

"Yeah. Yeah." She waved his concern away. It was hard to take such a small ball of fluff seriously. Besides, she was bored. Story of her life.

Walking into the laboratory her eyes scanned the shelves, looking for any sort of interesting knick knack but the majority of Heimerdinger's lab was filled with schematics and useless contraptions. She swiped an inscribed metal cube from the bookshelf beside her and inspected the object before tossing it over her shoulder. Yep. Useless.

"Is there a reason you've decided to visit my laboratory today?"

"Hmmm." She placed a pale finger over her chin while glancing towards a stack of papers on the yordle's desk. Nope, nothing mentioning the metal rings around her wrists and ankles. Then again, she'd searched many times and came up empty. "Not particularly. Bored mostly."

Heimerdinger hummed while his tinkering resumed behind her. She had to admit, she was impressed that the professor could continue on with his daily life in her presence. Not at all like anyone else in this god forsaken base. Nothing but wary eyes, straightened stances, and the damn dials of her restraints permanently within reach. Idiots. When their time came, they'd be too slow to stop her.

Her daily, routine scavenger hunt of the laboratory came to an end and she sighed while walking over to the small yordle while he continued to mess with his tools on his workbench. A strikingly white whisker caught her attention and her pale digits immediately reached out to pluck the strand off his face. A slap of his wrench tapped her knuckles.

"Ow."

"Please refrain from touching me, my dear."

She shook the insignificant pain out of her hand before glancing towards the man's project. Small, thin pieces of metal scattered on the wood and it almost looked familiar, like something she'd made only deconstructed. She tilted her head. Curious…Wait a sec!

"Butterflies?" She asked aloud.

The yordle stopped with a piece of thin golden metal between his fingers before turning to stare at her.

"You know about this machinery?"

"Duh." She rolled her eyes before leaning over to take a few pieces into her palm. "I made them. What're you doing with them?"

"It's a weapon. I'm investigating the chemical reaction between…wait…You made this?" He asked with an incredulous tone in his raised voice. "Where did you come up with such a design? The chemtech vials with trace amounts of aluminum on a mechanical timer to spark a reaction. Highly effective. Dangerous in numbers."

"Don't forget pretty." She added to his list of adjectives.Thatwas her favorite part about the little things. The green, glittery explosions played back in her mind. There were a lot of reasons to hatethatnight but the sight of her creations and the destruction they caused so beautifully had plenty of pride swell in her chest.

Killer. Monster. Murderer.

Her face twisted bitterly at the sound of Mylo's voice. She couldn't see him, but he was here. Somewhere…Get out! Nobody wants you here! His mockery continued and she did her best to ignore the screeching, piercing taunts.

"To think the very creator of these devices was right under our nose this entire time." Heimerdinger pondered to himself, "How interesting! Jinx my dear, you never mentioned being an inventor."

Inventor? Her? No, that didn't sound right. She never once thought of herself as one of those scientists who created devices to be paraded around Piltover on Progress day. No. That was definitely not her crowd. Besides, the word felt odd, like it carried a responsibility along with its nature. Her creations weren'tdevices, they were allies, pets, protectors and they all tended to be a tad violent admittedly. Heh. You could say they all had explosive personalities!

Her shoulders shook with internal laughter.

"But that also means…" Heimerdinger recovered from his exuberant excitement to connect the dots she wasn't she he had quite yet made about her crimes. Oh he knew about her criminal status but he didn't trulyknowdid he?

"The bridge attack- That was you."

She hated how his round, innocent blue eyes now swirled with a deep sadness. Betrayal had her staring at the floor in shame before a stream of anger pooled in her heart. Yeah she killed them. So what if was her? He should've guessed sooner. What kind of genius was he, huh? Her hands clenched at her sides and her teeth gnawed at her trembling lip. It's his fault for not seeing it sooner! Damn him. Just another one to add to the list.

How long was that list now anyway?

Maybe she thought he'd be different from the rest. The closest thing she could call a friend, but screw that. No. She was stronger than this. He was just a tolerated stranger. Yes, no attachments required. She was capable of standing up and declaring her past with confidence. Maybe the little yordle would learn his place and finally watch her with caution like everyone else. Stupid, stupid Heimerdinger.

Why was it so painful though?

"Yeah I did it." She lifted her arms while a hollow chuckle echoed in the room. "Blasted a whole platoon into a red mist!"

"Jinx…"

"I enjoyed it too!" Her pink eyes glanced away from him. Her tone, her words, they failed in their act as her body involuntarily revealed her deeper emotions. "A-and I'd do it again."

He didn't say a word. Silence only continued to spur her into a further rant. Knees crouched so she could lean over the small creature with as much intimidation as she could muster. Her pointer finger jabbed into his chest, "So go on! Tell me what you think of mydevices.Tell me how disappointed you are! Or better yet, lock me up again because if you don't, you're gonna die."

Not that she'd try to kill him. No. This fucked up world would just find some way to make it happen.

"We've all done things in the past. Things we're not proud of."

"Didn't you hear me?!" She growled, "Iamproud. Not a single regret."

For the first time since she's known the professor, his blue eyes hardened with resolve. A brewing confidence had him unfazed by her looming disposition. The shift in her weight to pull back from leaning over the yordle was her response.

"I am…startled at the revelation of your crime, I must admit. But my shock is not relevant, you are behaving irrationally. You're here for a reason my dear. There are people here that believe you are capable of good. I am among them, whatever your past may suggest, we must try to rise above it."

She threw her arms into the air in exasperation.

Why? Why did the people that held her captive insist on "fixing" her? Eleven enforcers killed her with butterflies that night. Eleven! Did nobody see how heinous that was? How unredeemable she is? She giggled at an epiphany. Of course they knew it. How silly of her to not realize sooner. This was all a ploy to stretch out her torture, it had to be. Give her hope right? Then rip it away just when salvation is within reach.

So damn cruel. Exactly what a monster like her deserved.

Her thoughts loomed over her like a deep, impenetrable fog. Hopelessness. That was what she needed to embrace. The coming month would be a breeze if she could just stop. All these manipulative, ulgy emotions they were trying to pull out of her soul stood no chance against the sheer weight of her sins.

Her distant eyes became alert at a sudden movement in her vision. A twitch. A flap of a mechanical wing. In the professor's outreached palm stood a fully assembled butterfly. Missing the chemtank vial that made it so incredibly dangerous. Its wings continued to twitch and flap as if the creature were actually alive.

"You have a gifted mind, Jinx." Heimerdinger murmured, "So much good can be created from your imagination, you just have to learn how to wield it."

Pale arms wrapped around herself and Jinx wished she could scream. So many conflicting thoughts. None of it made sense. It was as if she were really three beings that wanted entirely different outcomes in this wretched world. Acceptance. Destruction. The last one…no she didn't want to think about the last one…it was too much.Allof it was too much.

Shut up. Just shut up. Stop. STOP.

"Why are you all doing this to me?"

"Please understand dear, it is not us who are causing you turmoil…"

What did that even mean? If not them, then who? Tell me. She'd kill them, gut them like the river fish. This curdling, writhing pain in her skull that chipped away at her very identity. Who was to blame for it? Who could she kill?

"...It's yourself."

Pink eyes widened while her own balance faltered. Lies. The yordle was a liar just like all the rest. He'd finally seen what she truly was and was determined to drown the hideous creature beneath pale skin. Her teeth bit down on her lower lip.

The Firelights, Caitlyn, Heimerdinger, her own sister, just how far would they push her until they realize she was always meant to break?

She stormed out of the laboratory with her head down.

Focused, strong strides carried her down the many wooden steps of the tree base. Where to even go? Was there a single place where she could just…be? Her cell was too hot, too stuffy, and her ghosts loved to fill the space with their rambles, taunts, and broken expressions. The balcony near Heimerdinger's laboratory was too close to the professor and she'd be damned if she could tolerate his presence for another moment.

The increasing chance of seeing Caitlyn would surely set her off as well. The officer needed to leave her alone and the feeling of the older woman's eyes on her was a sensation that never truly faded while out in the open air. She could be anywhere, watching, plotting her next move.

"Raaagh!" She roared while stomping the dirt as she touched down on the fields. She repeated the act again and again. "I hate it! I hate it here!"

The Firelights weren't just a thorn in her side. They were a knife in her abdomen. Any way she sliced it, she'd eventually bleed out and die but all this struggle was just causing more agony. Her entire sense of self was being questioned. NO! It was being forcibly ripped apart from every seam.

A ball came skidding next to her feet and she stopped her tantrum to glance towards a group of young kids who had been playing in the fields. Oh? Want your ball? Want to go back to being all doe-eyed and happy? Fuck you! She bent her leg backwards and kicked the ball as far in the opposite direction as she could. Maybe it was petty, but she didn't care. The stupid brats were gonna grow up hating her anyway. Why not kick-start the process?

"Hey!"

"What's your problem?"

"It's her."

The individual voices of the children filled her ears and in turn she sighed. Anger. Confusion. Fear. The emotions that would permanently define her character were clear within their tone. Give em' time. They'd learn eventually that she was no good. Rotten to the core.

She laughed, letting her twisted humor startle the kids further. It was muddled with her own confusion. When would she finally break? When would all the weight of her emotions finally cut away from her? The broken yet lingering ties that bound her soul needed to go.

A little hand shakily raised and her brow quirked as one of the children glared at her with a look that could kill. A true radical one we got here. She smiled, so hilariously entertained by thebigstrongattitude of the little boy. Almost reminded her of Ekko.

It wasn't so funny when she saw the remote transmitter in his palm.

"Go get our ball."

The command made her stance straighten and her eyes steeled themselves with a menacing glare. She may be a captive, but she wasn't a servant to be ordered around.

"No."

The flick of his finger had her arms bound immediately.

"I said go get it….prisoner."

She tilted her head. Oh? Think you have power over me? Prisoner…already sounding like a Firelight. Wait. He actually sounded more like an enforcer. Yeah, that comparison made more sense. She gave him a toothy, cheshire smile but refused to make a single move.

"Get it yourself."

When her arms shot down to her feet, she didn't have time to twist or brace for impact so her pale forehead slammed into the dirt. A grunt escaped through her lips as she fell on her side. The brats were quick to surround her, shouting and cursing her for the unnecessary tension that caused the incident in the first place but she just let their angry words wash over her like rain.

"I heard she's a murderer!"

The kick of a ratty shoe dug into her stomach and forced a bit of air from her lungs. With the expulsion came a fit of giggles. Great, now children were trying to beat her down. Their attacks continued but were nothing compared to the enforcers in the council tower. Although, there were more kids and they seemed to put plenty of energy into it all.

"Take this!"

Another flurry of kicks launched themselves around her. The heel of a shoe managed to catch her chin and forced her to bite her tongue. The taste of iron in her mouth was so wonderful. They had no idea did they? The amount of pain, fear, even oppression they imposed on her was nothing compared to what she did to herself.

Each kick, each punch, each bloody reminder of how despicable she could be was like a breath of fresh air. She'd never forget. Jinx found nothing but pleasure in the pain. Hell, maybe she'd assign these twerps to be her personal torture buddies. Another gasp of laughter shook through her. Time for your daily torture Jinx! kicks or punches today? Much better than whatever therapy shit they were trying on her.

"What the hell are you doing?!" A distant, enraged voice shouted.

It sounded so muffled with the bodies that surrounded her and the ringing in her ears.

"Get the hell off my sister!" Another voice growled.

Ah Vi? Ekko? Back already? Don't mind me, just getting to know the locals. So welcoming by the way. Can't wait to see what they become when they grow up!

The swarming, little bodies that covered her vision were taken away and suddenly she was staring up at the horrified face of her older sister. Oh relax. Not like they actually did any significant damage? That was a walk in the park compared to her operation.

Her gaze fell to the side just in time to see the Firelight leader furiously swipe the remote from the child's hand.

"What happened?"

"She kicked our ball away."

"She kicked…are you kidding me?!"

Wow. First time she'd ever seen Ekko so pissed at someone other than herself. Her linked cuffs separated and she slowly got to her feet. Okay, maybe she was a little wobbly but her sister's arm around her stung more than anything she experienced that day. With a sudden jerk she distanced herself from Violet. Ekko continued to scold the children for their actions but she was already walking away.

Calls from her sister went unacknowledged as she traveled back up the stairs that she had ventured down earlier. Her finger swiped across her bloody lip and she sighed. Was it wrong to wish the brats hit her a little harder?

Whatever. She didn't care. There'd surely be more opportunities in the future.

Her back was resting on the thin, uncomfortable mattress of her bed while she stared at the ceiling above. Fingers threaded through unbraided, dirty blue hair, smoothing out the knots. Little brats managed to mess up her braids. Her hair wrapped around her like water, the length travelling down to her toes and Jinx began playing with it, wrapping it around herself. It was so pretty, so comforting.

Her hair made her unique. In her upbringing, she tried in many ways to make her father proud. He had his eye, Sevika had her arm, the traits that made them stand out in the undercity were so inspiring. She couldn't just copy them, besides, cutting off her own arm or stabbing her eye seemed a little extreme. Instead, she grew her hair to a near impossible length. The curious, almost non-believing stares of the people she met when they saw her braids made her excited. She'd worked so hard to manage it's length and now it was a way for her to stand out.

A small smile spread across her chapped lips as she stroked her fingers through the pool of blue hair around her. Silco was impressed when he saw her dedication. She'd never forget the look in his mismatched eyes when he commented on her braids.

"It's a good thing to have the focus and will to stand out, Child."

A breathy sigh slipped through tired lips. She wanted the past back. The experience of her first working chomper, Silco's unsure, yet comforting embrace, the joy and wonder of tinkering in her very own hideout. All those memories were there, lost in the past, and she wanted them more than anything right now.

No. It's all gone. They wouldn't let her go back. They wanted her to forget. She wouldn't. She WOULDN'T!

Footsteps upon the metal floor of her room grabbed her attention and the nostalgic reminiscing of her mind faded into the air. White dreadlocks illuminated under the sunlight before fading with the lighting of the room.

Speak of the devil.

She expected him to taunt her, scold her, or show her just how much he didn't care about what happened to her in the courtyard. Her mind was already imagining his light brown eyes glare at her while he explained that what happened was her fault. Afterall, she was the prisoner here. She had no rights. The leader of this little misfit group would understand this most.

Her eyes and mind were sharp. Her guard had been breached in the last interaction they had. She wouldn't let it happen again.

"Are you ok- uh…your hair." Ekko paused while his eyes widened at the sight of her unbraided hair.

"What about it?" She replied. What did he think would happen if she unraveled her braids?

"I- um." He paused before that irritating smirk spread across his lips followed by a brief chuckle, "Nothing. You just look even more crazy with it like that."

Crazy. That word had her pause and her pale lips parted in astonishment. He called her crazy. In a rare moment of reflection, she imagined what he must see. Having never seen her with her braids undone and the sight in her head was spot on. Crazy! Yep, that's me!

She giggled and held her stomach while shaking her long flowing blue hair to enhance the effect. "Crazy? What makes you say that?."

Pink eyes stared into brown for just a few moments before they both started laughing. Ekko's rugged voice sounded odd in her ears while he laughed but damn it's been so long since she could share the feeling with someone. Funny right? It was funny and the little man got the joke.

The moment was short lived, as if both of them realized the extent of their laughter and the roles they'd adopted in life. It wasn't right. They shouldn't laugh with each other. With all the bad blood that had been spilt, they were pushing it too far. Hell! This whole "save Jinx" plan was pushing it too far and the two in this room were the most aware of that reality.

A cough from the Firelight's leader returned their joy back into business.

"Those kids…what they did was wrong. I swear, I never intended for that to happen with the new restraints. I'll restrict access to onl-"

"Yeah, yeah save it for someone who cares."

He took a step forward, face twisted into frustration. "Well, maybe you should care." He turned to the side and began pacing, "I was gone for one day. One day! And thoseidiotswere already disobeying my orders."

Her eyebrow quirked upwards. What orders?

"Upset you can't control your little Firebugs?" She shrugged her arms in a questioning stance, "I've been saying it…you think you're their leader but-."

He spun, eyes ablaze with fury.

"Iamtheir leader. You have no idea how much I've sacrificed-" He paused and huffed a breath, "God. And here I was trying to apologize for their actions and make sure you're okay."

She returned his fury with her own. Pity. That's where this was coming from wasn't it. Pity on the poor broken girl, too fractured to take care of herself. A few punches and kicks from a few scrawny kids were far from any real danger. Stop treating me like a helpless little girl!

"Those brats couldn't hurt me even if they tried. I've been through worse."

He stilled, gloved fists clenching at his sides. You wanna say something tough guy? Think you can prove me wrong? Nobody knows what I've been through, so don't get all high and mighty with me.

"That night you joined him, did you know?"

Her eyes narrowed at the curveball question. What was he getting at?

"Know what?"

"That Violet was alive?"

She didn't say anything. Why should she? He knew the answer as well as the rest of her enemies from the undercity. She made a choice that night, and like it or not, she stuck with it.

Ekko's brown eyes lifted upwards to stare at the metal pipes above their heads.

"I thought she died in the fire. Figured, you'd lost it, maybe you were even kidnapped and forced into his clutches." He gave a joyless, hollow chuckle, "All I know is the next time I saw you, you'd changed and nobody could tell me why."

"..."

"..."

"She left me. Abandoned me in the rain." Her words were laced with the darkness that dripped over every moment of her memory.

"Vi wouldn't do that." Ekko countered.

She slammed hands onto the mattress and created a loud enough sound to snap his attention to her. "Well she did! You can believe whatever you want, but I know the truth!" She growled while pushing her thumb into her own chest.

"So you thought that Silco was the next best choice? Why join up with him?"

"Why do you care?"

He rushed towards her and gripped her shoulders with a crushing strength. It was hard to look him straight in his furious eyes but she did it anyway. She would never let him intimidate her. Never.

"Why should I care? You've killed my allies, helped a criminal lord spread his disgusting shimmer through the streets, and time and time again prove you have no regard for human-life other than your own. So yeah. I do care. Especially when I once called you my friend."

She laughed. Right in his face. Poor little guy, so upset by her actions. Almost sounded like the kids when she kicked their ball away. A whiner, complainer. Grow up, Ekko. The world isn't some sanctuary you can control and she sure as hell wasn't going to march to his drummer's beat.

The disbelief on his expression made her more giddy in her stomach. He was probably wondering how she could seriously laugh at all the accusations. How could she just disconnect from the horror of it all? That's the neat part! She doesn't! Another fit of giggles erupted from her throat.

The shock in his face cleared and he stared her down as she shook within his hold.

"I see through you, you know. You laugh, and maybe some of it is real. But I've also seen the way you reacted to the mural outside. You might not even realize it, but this villain act…you're just faking it."

Her laughter cut short at the mention of the graffitied wall. There was that word again…Faking. How dare he. She leaned closer to him, letting him see the entirety of her soul behind her menacing pink eyes. They were close, close enough she could feel his angry breath mix with her own in the small space between.

"Remember on the airship," She hissed with venom in her tone, "When I shot her in the back with my pistol?" His eyes widened at the memory. "Was I faking it then?"

She expected his fist to connect with her cheek, or maybe her restraints would activate for some lengthy humiliation, but no. Ekko backed away. She tracked his movements as he took a few steps backwards and headed towards the door.

What? Got nothing to say? Good. Go wallow in your own pity cuz' I don't need any!

His body paused just before leaving and he turned once more to watch her as she gave him a nasty glare.

"Ten seconds."

Huh? Mind repeating that? What the hell did time have to do with anything she just said? Her confused face was more than enough for him to continue, but she knew he would anyway.

"Your grenades take ten seconds to explode from when the pin is pulled." He turned to fully face her and there was something swirling within his pupils that had her nervous. Like he was preparing to unravel something that wasn't meant to be undone. "I jumped away with about five seconds left."

His calculating eyes glanced down towards his own leg that was once broken before trailing his eyes over her body. She pulled her palms up to cover the many lingering scars on her pale skin, but she had a feeling that his thorough stare could see them all. Stop it. Stop looking at them.

"Tell me…"

No! Shut up! Don't say another fucking word!

"If you had enough time, why didn't you jump away too?"

The question pierced her heart with such precision and power that her arms went limp. Pink eyes lowered to stare at her own body and she felt her strength crumble. As if every bone in her body was crushed under a new, unknown weight. The truth. What was the truth? That's what she cares about right? She's only ever wanted the truth. Buthertruth. The answer to his question…She'd locked it so deep inside. Now it was leaking through like a dam with a tiny little crack. It was spreading. Jagged lines in her heart letting her deepest secrets spill through to an eventual flood.

The lonely, tired woman underneath all the rage, unhinged laughter, and psychotic ramblings took a shaky, cautious breath. Her vision burned with the ache of hot tears clouding her sight. Hold it in. HOLD it. Don't let it out.

The truth. It wasn't in her vocabulary. She wasn't ready to admit what she wanted. What shereallywanted. It hurt. It hurt so much to even think about. Jinx never once looked at him. How could she? The strength needed to keep herself afloat took everything, and when her lips parted with words she never wanted to utter, her murmured voice had her heart constrict painfully in her chest.

"You know why."

Notes:

And that's the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it and again sorry for the wait with the release of this one. I sometimes worry about the pacing (That things might feel like they're moving too slow) But overall I'm very satisfied with how it's going and I hope you can leave a comment if you think otherwise.

As always, comments are greatly appreciated! It always makes my day reading your kind words and gives me so much motivation to keep writing so thank you if you decide to leave one. CH 7 is already being written and roughly expected to be complete by the end of the week. No promises, but that is my tentative goal.

Until next time!

Chapter 7: Friends?

Notes:

Happy New Year everybody! I'm back with another chapter. I realize I said this would be done by last week but I have a knack for coming up with deadlines during holidays and then obviously missing them...what's wrong with me? Still, I managed to finish this in a week. HOWEVER, fasten your seat belts cuz this chapter is going on an emotional, angsty rollercoaster. Special shoutout to all the people that want to see more of Caitlyn and Jinx together. Also, 6.5k words. That's breaking my 5k chapter structure but I wanted to give a little extra on this chapter. It's definitely needed.

Content Warning! - Mentions of suicide and severe depression (Way more than usual).

Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

They're here.

Nervous, uncontrollable spasms of her muscles shook through her body as if she were being electrocuted, while the whites of her eyes were wide with unparalleled alertness. Left? Right? Where were they? She could feel their beady, judging eyes covering her skin. Hot, panicked breath left her to choke while the shadows of the room grew in numbers.

"You know why."

She shouldn't have said that. She should NOT have said that! It gave life to her darkest truth and they all knew it. The echoing sounds of Mylo's laughter, Vander's animalistic, inhuman growling…Palms slapped over her ears to block the noises. It didn't do much. Not when they echoed within her head.

Surrounded from every angle. They cornered her like starving wolves.

Mylo, Claggor, Vander, Vi, Silco. Their corpses crowded her bedroom and thrived as the only beings beside herself to exist within the space. Ekko left. How long ago, she wasn't sure, but the moment those truthful words left her she became their prey. The very definition of being hunted.

"Get away from me." Her lips quivered in fear and her eyes shut tightly, "Go away!"

She was in control. She was! She just needed to contain it. Somehow force them back inside. Vander's hulking, purple veined foot took a step forward with an outstretched hand itching to wrap around her neck. She snapped towards the monster with a fire in her pink eyes.

"Don't fucking test me!" She snarled. Pale fingers slipped from over her ears to claw at her temples feverishly. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you all again. I'll kill you. I'll do it."

The repetition of her violent rambles had her demons pause, just within reach but not close enough to touch her. A continuous, splitting headache in her skull pounded just behind her eyes and her vision was wavering with each pulse. Reality was twisting, distorting and she was once again helpless to stop it.

This was allhisfault. Damn firelight just had to push for answers. Why? Why did he ask about that night? He survived the explosion. That's it. That's all he needed to know. Why did he need to know what happened to her? Why did he even care? They were enemies.

"Why didn't you jump away, Jinx?" Mylo teased with a tilt of his spikey haired head. The glowing white smile of his teeth did nothing but fill her with more rage. He always knew how to get under her skin.

"It doesn't matter!" Her roar ripped through her throat and flooded the room.

It didn't. None of it did. She just had a moment of weakness. A lapse of judgement. She could fix this. It wasn't too late to put it all back inside, lock the cage and throw the key away.

She could fix this.

Contain it. Focus. Contain it. Dribbles of warm blood streamed down her temples as her nails continued to dig. The feverish, desperate clawing at her own skin, it was real. Unlikethem. The heat of her blood, the stinging pain behind each tear, it was so very real.

Pink eyes opened with a newfound ferocity as she glared down every single one of her ghosts.

I'm in control. She told each one with a nasty glare with every ounce of strength she could muster. You're all dead. Nothing. So back off!

Her strength faltered when she stared into Silco's empty eyes. This was all a mess. She never wanted him to see her like this. No. And he was never meant to be here either. He should be alive, confident in his ambition to make Zaun into a prospering city.

"Just go away." Her once angry, menacing aura dissolved into a desperate plea. She could try to let him go and he could still find peace without her. The strange, convoluted bond they shared was but a fragile thread with his presence, but she couldn't stand that empty look in his eyes. Silco deserved better. Better than this.

He didn't even acknowledge her. The man she loved as a father was truly and utterly dead.

"You want them gone."

Her head spun wildly. The voice she just heard, the familiarity of it…It didn't make sense. Who said that? Vi? Vander? No. Their voices were all too rough in their tone. Every rapid glance of her gaze spun around the crowd that surrounded her. What? Were they playing games with her now?

"Which one of you said that?" She growled as her eyes continued to flash towards each and every one of the corpses that stood before her. The truth was here in this room. The white, jagged scribbles that covered their faces blocked her from identifying the culprit. Which one of you was it?

"I want them gone too."

There! Her vision sharpened on a single figure. A shadow. An extra. She spotted them, hiding like a coward just behind Vander's powerful, shimmer-oozing body. Another mistake appearing to remind her of all she'd done? Fine. Show yourself. She'd deal with them too.

She couldfixthis! It wasn't too late.

"Nobody cares what you want!" Jinx exclaimed.

This wasn't a conversation. They could bitch to their heart's content, remind her of all the horrible mistakes she's made in the past, but it was all pointless, wasted breath. If she had it her way, none of thesethingswould even exist. Whatever they thought meant nothing to her.

NOTHING!

"So why don't you get that through your stupid, dead head and-!" Her words cut short as Vander's beastly body moved to the side allowing the shadowed figure to enter the circle.

What was happening!? What sick hell was this?

Horror struck her like a bolt of lightning and forced her throat to choke on her own words. This room…it only had metal pipes and a ragged old cot. That was it right? Right?!

Her head fell, eyes flashing with little flurries of movement as she tried to remember every detail of her cell when she first walked in. No! This wasn't adding up. Someone was playing a joke on her! A cruel, cruel joke. There was never a mirror in this room.

So why did she see herself standing before her?

"What are you?"

The emotions inside her thrashed as if being controlled by a tornado. It left her frozen before her own self.

There wasn't a mirror. The zap of shock eventually vanished and Jinx could recognize that. The truth was in the details. The burnt, flaking grey skin on half of her body was the first mismatch she recognized. Lonely, hopeless blue eyes were another. This wasn't her…not anymore.

"I tried. You believe me, right?"Her copy murmured and her own heart lurched at the utterly defeated tone in her crestfallen voice. Those dim blue eyes never once looked at her, only ever staring at the floor.

"What are you?" Jinx repeated with a growing uncertainty and dwindling confidence.

Was this it? Has she finally snapped? She was talking to herself…literally! The depressed aura of the woman before her pricked tears at the corners of her eyes. Despair leaked into the air and weighed over them in a thick, suffocating fog.

"I wanted them gone too."

The muscles in her face tightened as she tried her damndest to hold back the sorrow that threatened to bubble in her throat and stream from her watered eyes. It was thewayshe said it. The heartbreak, the failure, it coated every word like an inseparable poison.

"They'll never go away." Jinx replied.

Her gaze hit the floor with the soft murmur, copying the hopeless woman before her. Another truth, one she had forgotten in her haste to stop them from surrounding her. Mylo, Claggor, all of them, they'd never truly go away.

The woman shook her head before lifting her tired blue eyes to stare into pink ones.

"You're wrong."

Wrong? She couldn't be wrong. Every moment of her life since killing Mylo, Claggor, and Vander she's tried to escape them. They never left. Maniacal scribbles illustrated her world and seeped into every little nook and cranny. Violent tantrums, begging sobs, everything in between, none of it worked. It never worked!

"If we died on that bridge…"

Her pink eyes widened at the words. Something inside her broke. The pieces lay shattered within and the idea of putting it all back together was impossible. Was it the way her copy uttered those pain-filled words? Or was it the understanding that she felt beyond them?

"...It'd be so quiet."

The many specters that surrounded her faded beyond her perception while she curled into herself and wrapped her arms around her shaking knees. It was just herself, the defeated copy and the truth that lingered between them. The idea of death, of suicide, she could still feel it's alluring pull. That night…she tried didn't she? The consideration, the thought behind pulling the pin of her own grenade and laying it beside herself came to the forefront of her mind. She almost succeeded. Jinx tried to bury the feeling but in the end she couldn't help but nod her head. She understood.

"It would…" She agreed. Quiet. The mere concept was like a dream, a fairy tale with the perfect, happy ending and that frightened her more than anything.

Her gaze dropped to the floor once more, unable to stare at her past self that tried so hard and was devastated by her own failure in the end…The picture that was painted before her very eyes was pure, unforgiving torment. A pained realization.

She couldn't fix this.

Her knuckles hovered in the air.

This was stupid. Stupid, dumb and absolutely pointless! It wouldn't work. It obviously wouldn't work. But…There was nothing, nobody else. Her cold, lonely world frosted over everyone and everything, leaving her empty.

A small, sad smile spread on her thin lips. This is probably what they wanted. What theyallwanted. Firelights, Vi, each one of her ghosts. The enemy of their story was cornered, hopeless, with no way to escape. Why did defeat have to taste so bitter?

The closed metal door that stood before her beckoned with an indescribable offer.

"If you ever want to talk, all you need to do is ask."

Damnit! She spun away from Caitlyn's room with her back to the door. She was better than this! She didn't need some privileged top-sider to help her through all the shit she's buried. What would the bitch even do? Nothing! Nothing could save her.

Fate had already decided that she'll be dead. Today or by the end of the month, what did the difference make? She could see it in the way the Firelight's stared at her. Men, women, and children, all of their eyes watching her, waiting for the chance to kill the psycho criminal in their midst. The sheer need to silence their judgemental eyes had her considering all the ways she could bring the apocalypse to their shitty little sanctuary. Where's Fish-Bones when you need him?

She'd prefer to go out in a bang.

Her body stilled as the corners of her vision filled in with her sickly reminder. Her past self was here. Somewhere. A flicker of a shadow. A shift in the breeze. Her own, defeated blue eyes were staring at her, hoping to get another moment alone. Heels swiveled once more to return towards the simple, metal door.

Heh.

Hahaha!

She was actually chuckling, enjoying the savage irony of her own self becoming another one of her many tormentors. It was perfect. So inherently obvious that she should have seen it coming. Her strained, fractured soul was eroding as if a tsunami rushed through her core. Little chunks of herself splintered off and cascaded into the unknown. They were returning with a focused vengeance now.

How could she fight something like that? How could she kill the pieces of her own essence that threatened everything she's ever wanted. Her past, the copy that desperately wanted to die, what would those sweet promises of silence and peace bring? What would happen to Jinx?

Jinx.

Her hand pressed into her forehead to quench the ache of the name as it drifted through her mind.Shewas Jinx. The need to remind herself sent a fearful shiver through her spine. It was so hard to even remember…just who was Jinx? A fighter? A prisoner? An empty shell of what could have been?

"Jinx!" She shouted the name into the open air, entirely uncaring of the many heads that turned to watch her. She kicked the door in front of her with rage. "I'm Jinx. Me! It's me!"

With each shouted word she kicked the door harder and harder. Her toes felt damaged and raw as the metal collided with her boot.

"Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!"

She pulled back her leg as far as she could to unleash her most powerful attack against the inanimate object and swung with a fury that would surely rattle within her bones. Only her boot never made contact.

The door swung open and her kick whiffed through the air, nearly knocking herself off balance. Concerned, blue eyes of the officer she'd come to see stared at her, questioning the very sight of Jinx standing outside her bedroom.

"Were you planning on busting down my door? Have you heard of knocking?" The top-sider questioned while staring at the oddly shaped dent that adorned the entrance to her room.

Jinx was quick to recover her footing. Her confusion and rage drifted into a stunned silence. Caitlyn wasn't supposed to be here. Not yet. Go back inside. I'm not ready. I- I need more time. What did she even want to say? Was there anythingtosay? The only thing she could do was open and close her mouth like a fish gasping for water.

When would the words come to her?

Caitlyn lifted her brow in question when she never received a reply. A frustrated sigh came from the older woman as she leaned her shoulder against the door frame, waiting. It didn't help that she could feel the eyes of the Firelight's on her back, the air was thick with unknown tension and she could imagine every single hand had their fingers on the dial to her restraints.

"Jinx? Did you need something?"

No! Yes? It was all too confusing. Her thoughts were scattered into a maze of conflicting responses. She just stood still, frozen as she tried to piece something together, some string of words that would get her out of this mess. Tangled in a web of her own desires, nothing made sense.

The officer had a newfound wariness about her. Her shoulders straightened, as if she suddenly understood something that wasn't said. It made her nervous. What did those knowing, piercing eyes see that she couldn't?

"Would you…like to come inside?" The question was gentle, tender as if the girl was trying to calm a wild, feral animal.

Caitlyn's room…a curiosity of what it was like was coming to the forefront of her unhinged mind. Her imagination ran rampant with the idea and she nodded her head once. Just once. The hesitation behind the response was clear, even to her.

From the outside, the room looked dark, like an abyss, filled with whatever her mind could conjure within. Despite everything, she took a small step forward. She could do this. Another step. She could do this.

"Cait? Who's there?" Another voice called from within the depths of the room and she froze.

What little she could make out from the inside, was soon blocked by her own sister stepping into view. The usual red leather jacket was missing, allowing for Vi's muscled arms to be displayed in her grey tank top. She looked so comfortably casual, like the room was a second home.

No. This wasn't right. Violet wasn't supposed to be here.

"Pow-." Her older sister caught her greeting before softly smiling, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

The urge to take a step back was overwhelming. She was right. This was stupid. Coming here was a mistake.

The two women glanced towards each other. A silent conversation was clear. They were saying something within their expressions and before she could commit to running away Vi walked towards her.

A single palm reached out to take a supportive hold of her pale shoulder and she clenched her eyes shut. Don't touch me. You don't get to do that. The feeling of her sister's palm on her skin never came. When a single eyelid lifted, she saw an understanding smile grace her sister's angular face.

"I'm gonna head to the training arena. You two spend some time together."

The sound of Vi's boots against grass faded behind her and she breathed outwards in relief. Good. Not that she was afraid of Violet. No. She had no reason to be! It was just…just- just what? Ah! It just didn't feel right. That's it. Definitely not afraid.

"Come on in." Caitlyn tilted her head to offer the space and she took a deep, much needed breath. Enough of this timid shit. She was Jinx. Jinx didn't act this way.

Her once hesitant steps now took powerful, determined strides into the mysterious bedroom and was greeted by an ordinary room. A bed, more comfortable than her own but certainly not extravagant lay pressed against the wall. A small couch with an equally small table was placed in the center of the room, littered with a spray of playing cards upon the wood, as if a game had been interrupted. But…

"Is this it?" She asked in bewilderment.

Caitlyn laughed behind her, "Expecting something more fit for a top-sider?"

"Well, yeah." She walked towards the couch, leaning to check the small space behind it. Maybe there was something- It was empty. Seriously? Nothing else? "Where's your ten-foot tall mirror? Or your…uh…walk-in closet?"

"All my clothes are packed in my bag here." She replied while ushering towards a little brown leather pack. "And it's not like I'm staying here permanently."

Oh. Right. This wasn't Caitlyn's home. Not really. She almost forgot. But why live here in this dump? There was a safe, spacious and beautiful room waiting for her up above and she wanted to stay here? What was wrong with her?

"You're probably wondering why I've stayed for as long as I have."

She nodded her head.

The older woman walked towards the couch and took a seat upon the stained, dirty leather. Even the way she sat screamed "pampered child". God. Something was seriously wrong with Caitlyn. A small giggle passed through her lips. Maybe everyone here was crazy. It definitely fits. Too bad their crazy had no hope of matching her own. She was just too good at it!

"It's refreshing, getting away from it all." Caitlyn sighed as her shoulders relaxed into the couch.

Refreshing? Well, the giant tree, green grass, and clean air was refreshing but didn't Piltover have all that and more?

"You're nuts." She laughed.

Caitlyn cracked a cheeky smile at her response.

"My parents sheltered me. Did everything in their power to make sure their little girl never once stepped outside the Noble's district." The officer shook her head in disbelief at her own memory, "They wouldn't even let me be a proper enforcer."

"So?" She didn't understand. Caitlyn was a grown woman, who cared what her parents wanted? "Just ignore them."

"Oh I did. Plenty of times." She tilted her head upwards to stare at the ceiling. Jinx wasn't sure, but it almost looked like the girl was in pain. "But being the daughter of a councilor, it comes with responsibilities. I can't ignore them, no matter how much I want to."

"That's stupid. Just run away if you don't like it so much."

"It's not that easy."

"Pfft." She rolled her pink eyes, "Sounds like a bunch of excuses."

Her sister's companion straightened in her seat, a newfound aura resonated around her and those striking blue eyes stared into her own. Her own feet shifted in her boots nervously. Her skin felt uncomfortably hot under the calculating gaze.

"I know what it's like," Caitlyn started, "To feel like you're being forced down a path you don't want to take."

"Hah!" She laughed, "Trying to comfort me? If you know what it feels like, why do it?"

"Because the path you were heading down, it leads to nothing good."

A hollow, empty laugh echoed in the room and she raised her arms in wonder, "Oh that's rich." Caitlyn knows better huh? They all do, don't they? Just how far beneath them did they think she was? "Is that your grand justification? I'm not weak. Not like youorthem! You all think you can change me, but you'll see. It's all pointless."

The top-sider didn't reply and the disappointment that came with the silence was overwhelming. Well? Say something if you know better! Why don't you prove it? Convince me. You can't!

"..."

Why wasn't she saying anything? A tentative frustration was growing in her chest. She began pacing, taking her eyes off the seated woman to rage in her mind. Her pale skin was uncomfortable, itchy and she used her nails to scratch over her arms. She's quiet. Too quiet. The need to fill the air with further conversation had her voice raising as continued to argue.

"You're all idiots. Children! None of you know what it's like. You think you do but you don't! I'm too far gone right? Hahaha! That's what you said! You did!"

"..."

"Got nothing? Where's all that arrogant intelligence all you top-siders think you have?" She paused at the sight of her past self sitting in a dark corner of the room. Those pained, dejected eyes, watching her every move. There was a plea in those eyes, an unspoken need that Jinx struggled to ignore. The sight made her falter for just a moment. "I-It's useless. Useless! I'll be dead in a month. Just watch. I'll make sure of it and there's nothing you can do!"

"..."

She spun, entirely too consumed by the feeling of the bedroom walls caving in around her. The shimmer in her veins boiled from the inside, fueling an increasingly violent tantrum. She snarled at Caitlyn still sitting on that stupid, ugly couch.

"SAY SOMETHING!"

Those piercing blue eyes of the officer never once flinched at her outburst. When Caitlyn's lips refused to move, she had enough. Her boots slammed against the wooden floor as she marched towards the infuriating bitch. What was the point of coming here? Nothing. She should have known.

"You agree, don't you? That's what you really think!" She grabbed Caitlyn's collar, pulling her face close and allowing her hatred to glare deeply into those resistant, knowing blue eyes of hers. "Say it. Tell me I deserve to die. We all know it! Just say it!"

Her chest was heaving, her pink eyes glowed with the dark, foreign substance that filled her. A lost cause. That's what she was. There was nobody rooting for her, not even herself. Could Caitlyn finally see it? Could the infuriating officer see what she saw? There wasn't a way to fix this.

When would the restraints around her limbs activate? It should be any second now, lest Caitlyn end up choking to death. Her pale hands were so close to her vulnerable, slender neck and she wanted to do it. Didn't the wannabe enforcer understand? She was a killer.

"Maybe you'll realize it when another Firelight ends up dea-."

A flash of movement had her eyes widen. So fast she couldn't anticipate it. With a flinch she pulled back only to realize Caitlyn had her arms so tightly wrapped around her. She could feel an open palm cradling the back of her head. The entirety of her lithe body was pulled into the hold. She could feel the side of Caitlyn's temple resting so tenderly against her own.

Get off me! Get off!

Wide eyes burned with tears threatening to fall. The insistent strength of the hug, the enveloping warmth, it was too much. She didn't want it!

"Stop it. Stop." She tried to wiggle out of Caitlyn's embrace, using as much resistance as she could muster. A sound escaped the top-sider's clenched lips. The first sound she heard from Caitlyn since her tantrum and it was a whimper of commitment to keep holding on.

"Please." She begged, feeling her own strength become overpowered by someone else's will. How was Caitlyn this strong? Why was she doing this to her?

In her struggle, a thought, an unwanted question waned her resolve. When was the last time she was hugged so tightly? This feeling…it was ancient, like a memory long forgotten. It felt like-

….

It felt like a loving mother holding her treasured child. It was a promise of unrelenting, unbroken love. Did- did her mother hold her the same way? All those years ago? She couldn't remember…

Something was rising within herself. The anguish behind it was crippling, but with her resolve disintegrated and her walls utterly destroyed she couldn't fight it. Her throat was aching. Tears that she always refused to let fall had streaked down her cheeks uncontrollably, staining Caitlyn's clothes with dark splotches.

Why?

Why go this far for her?

She was unredeemable. Unlovable!

Finally, when she had nothing left, a desperate wail tore through her. It filled the room with untold sadness. Sharp, gut-wrenching memories surfaced within her broken sobs. The sound was so powerful and uncontained, it drowned the chattering ghosts that haunted her and hurt her own ears.

"I-I just want it to end!" She stuttered into a heart clenching whine. "Ithurts! I can't take it! I can't!"

Jinx could feel Caitlyn's head shaking in refusal. So her fingers clenched desperately onto the older woman's clothes. Knuckles were white from the strain as she held onto the only thing that could keep her tethered.

"Let me die!"

Her fragmented soul resonated with the plea. Some part of her screamed that she was weak. Another part wished for death with a similar, internal sob. Plenty of other pieces shouted in unrecognizable babbling. They were all suffering in their own way. Maybe that was what Jinx was…pure, unfathomable suffering.

She killed them. Mylo, Claggor, Vander, Silco. She killed everyone she loved. Violet left her, abandoned her when she had nothing. Ekko, her once best friend, wanted her dead. The despair behind it all. The torture of losing everything. She tried to bury it so deep inside that it could never be found, but now…It was being ripped out of her in ruptured, deafening sobs.

She was choking, running out of breath but she only screamed harder, letting it all out. Every last bit. Someone finally knew. No. Not just someone.Caitlynknew. The depression that dripped alongside every fallen tear. The regret that rumbled within her strained sobs. She was exposing everything inside and it left her so vulnerable.

The slightest movement of Caitlyn's body had her gasping in overwhelming fear and holding tighter.

"D- don- don-." She tried, but nothing but blubbering, wet whimpers burst from trembling lips.

Don't let go of me. Please don't.

Caitlyn's renewed, matching strength quelled her frenzied fear and she pushed her face into the woman's clothes. Not even the fabric could muffle her continued cries.

Her sins. Her ambitions. Her dreams. They laid uncertain before her as she wept. But the only thing she cared about…

Could she have a friend? Would it be okay?

Please?

She swiped her forearm across the bridge of her nose. Palms pressed into her reddened eyes trying to clean herself and put it all back together. It was a slow process. Really slow.

Damnit.

Sniffles and hiccups continuously interrupted her thoughts every other second. God. Would it ever end? If Caitlyn found her many, involuntary noises annoying, the woman didn't say anything. She sat beside her, side by side on the couch while her hand rubbed circles into her back. It felt good, like she was being soothed back into sanity.

After she erupted and every lingering ounce of guilt and fear burst forth from quivering lips, the room seemed more sharper, brighter even. The many scribbles and jagged lines of her mind were a little less pronounced. Even Mylo appeared more translucent than she's ever seen and his teases only tickled her consciousness rather than bash incessantly against it.

Her hand lifted before her face and she spun her palm to scan over the pale surface. Stains of her eyeshadow had her cringing with a wrinkle of her nose. Her imagination could already envision the faded black streaks on her cheeks accompanied by loose saliva and snot.

"I look like shit, don't I?"

Not like it mattered. Good looks were never at the top of her list growing up and that hadn't changed. But compared to the beauty of Caitlyn beside her…Well, it wasn't a good comparison.

"I've seen worse." Was the top-sider's nonchalant reply.

She laughed tiredly while shaking her head in disbelief. "You're a terrible liar."

When she first laid eyes on the officer from Piltover, she was so sure the girl was a devil in disguise, horns and all. Evil intentions hidden with a crafty façade. But everything Caitlyn did, all the stupid decisions backed by gentle yet earnest purpose…The girl was either the worst liar in the world or the best. She doubted the latter, despite Mylo's insistence.

"She'll betray you. Watch out! Watch out!"

"She's had plenty of chances." Jinx replied, glancing to the side of the couch to address him. The paranoia, the endless questioning of intentions, she was too tired to give them weight.

"Mylo?" Caitlyn asked. A nod of her head gave the answer, "What did he-."

"Doesn't matter." She cut the woman off.

She didn't want to talk about Mylo, not right now. The afterglow and relief of emptying all her twisted fears was still lingering in her veins. It wouldn't last, not forever. Every passing second was a breath, a needed moment of reprieve from all the pain.

"I admit, I'm not a good liar." Caitlyn started, "But I wasn't lying. I've seen worse."

"Yeah? Where?"

"Your sister took me to a brothel in the undercity." The woman paused before offering a sly smile with humor hidden in her blue eyes, "Ever seen a yordle in a gimp suit?"

She blinked…what?

A second later Jinx doubled over in laughter. She put her arms on her stomach while her body shook. A yordle in a gimp suit? What a silly idea! Okay. Maybe she looked bad, but with the mental scarring of the image that occupied her head, she could only imagine what Caitlyn would never forget.

The bubbling giddiness faded and she repeated the top-siders' words in her head. So many questions.

"So…she took you to a brothel?" The insinuation behind her words was unmistakable.

"We were there for information. Not…ahem…otheractivities." She coughed into her hand, struggling not to blush. Jinx could see it.

Her eyes lifted with mischief and couldn't help but tease the woman further.

"Suuuuure. And how'd you get this-." She lifted her hands with two fingers in the air to quote herself, "-information?"

"Oh stop it." The weak slap against her arm and the increasingly reddened cheeks of the refined woman had her giggling all over again. She was just so giddy, revitalized!

It was also too easy. The mighty, confident enforcer reduced to a flustered young girl with just a few words. This was fun. How could she push further? Just a little more.

"Ah!" She straightened as an idea popped into her head. It made sense too! She turned to Caitlyn and gave a toothy smile. "You saw each other naked and fell in love at first sight!"

"W-what?" A gasp of disbelief echoed into the air.

She leaned closer.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"No! And I told you, we aren't together."

Jinx threw her arms up in the air. Yeah, yeah. She heard that one before. But she also had eyes. She was crazy but she wasn't blind. There was something between the two and dancing around the truth was annoying her enough to get involved. Caitlyn being embarrassed to talk about it was another plus.

It was a win-win. Lucky her.

"Well you're also terrible at acting." She chuckled.

"You think I'm in love with Vi?"

"Duh." Did she really have to spell it out for her? I mean, she wasn't the only one that could see it right? It was getting borderline gross. Annoying. What's with all the lovey-dovey looks and the touchy-feely stuff? She shrugged her shoulders, "Then I again, I see dead people."

Caitlyn didn't react to her joke, or maybe she didn't think it was funny. Dang. She thought it was hilarious!

"Have you ever been in love?" Caitlyn asked timidly.

Her pink eyes widened at the nervous tone of the woman's voice. Oh she was really confused wasn't she? Relying onherfor answers? That had to be a new low. Fine. She supposed she could help her out.

"Of course!" She chirped.

"Really?!" Caitlyn gasped before walking back her outburst, "I-I don't mean that I'm shocked, I just didn't think-."

"Didn't think what?" She rocked in her seat with an uncaring disposition, "That I've ever been in love? Well, buckle up babe cuz' my man is a keeper!"

"What is he like?"

Where to even begin? He was perfect! The moment her eyes laid upon him, it truly was love at first sight. The memory that reserved a permanent spot in her mind made her release a breathy sigh.

"He's tall, much taller than you'd expect. Oh and the bluest, most captivating eyes. Just like the ocean." She smiled as she stared into the distance ahead. "His body is so angular and defined, and boy can he pack a punch."

"Really? He can fight?"

She nodded her head enthusiastically, "You know it! Even his teeth are really sharp, scary even! But I kinda made him that way so…"

"Made him that way?"

"Yep! Ohhh and don't get me started on his piezoelectric fuze. I spent so much time getting it just right. And the chemtech fusion with hex-"

"Jinx?" Caitlyn interrupted.

"Hm?"

"Are you talking about a weapon?"

"Rocket launcher." She clarified with a lift of her pointer finger before falling backwards into the couch and sighing dreamily, "Fish-Bones really is one of a kind."

"Um...right."

"Hey, you're the one asking the crazy girl for love advice."

"I suppose I am…"

"Then what the hell did you expect?"

There was a pause between them. The moment gave her mind time to wander. It was hard to believe that a week ago they had the barrels of their guns aimed for each other. What changed so quickly? It almost didn't make sense.

They erupted into fits of laughter. This was weird! Fun. But also weird. Was this okay? Was she doing a good job of, well, whatever this was? Bonding?

"Look. All I know is Vi is a big dumb idiot that can't do anything right, so if you wanna get the ball rolling you're gonna have to do something."

"Do what?

She groaned and rolled her head back. This was starting to feel like a chore. And it wasn't like she knew all the answers! Vi's been absent from her life for years. Didn't Caitlyn know that?

"How should I know? Kick her ass maybe?"

That might work. Beat Vi in the head enough to knock the stupid out of her. A brilliant idea if she did say so herself.

"I'm not going to kick her ass." Caitlyn retorted, "That doesn't even make any sense."

"Want me to do it for you?"

"Absolutely not."

She would. Oh she definitely would. How strange to help someone get with the person she hated the most in the whole-wide world. Wait. That was Ekko. Okay second most hated person. No, that didn't feel right. Vi was definitely number one. Ah hell, why not have a tie? She hated them both, and there was a fine, blurry line she walked with the tentative trust she gave Caitlyn.

Shit. The thought made her pause.

Were they even friends? It's been so long she'd forgotten how it worked. Was it a spoken thing? Did it just happen? Or was there a certain amount of time they needed to spend together?

Jinx suddenly sat up from her seat and swiveled her butt to have the entirety of her facing Caitlyn.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

She opened her mouth but had the words she prepared caught with a bob in her throat. Nervous. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden?

"Could we…" She started. That part was right, but how was she supposed to say the rest? "Um…"

It felt foreign and awkward in her mind. The right words to set up the question were avoiding her. Her mind raced to find something to say and eventually found a memory, a children's promise she once made long, long ago. The feeling behind it, the meaning, that's what she wanted.

Jinx shot her hand outwards and lifted her pinky finger straight into the air. Her pink eyes darted to the side while an embarrassed blush warmed her cheeks. She was screwing this up, already her words were disjointed. But whatever, she hoped Caitlyn would understand.

"...Friends?" She murmured softly, still avoiding eye contact for fear of what she may find in the top-sider's reaction.

The feeling of Caitlyn's slender finger wrapping around her own sent tingling butterflies through her stomach and a cheerful smile spread across her lips.

"Friends." Caitlyn agreed and she couldn't believe it.

For the first time in a long while, Jinx actually made a friend.

Notes:

So that's the chapter!

What did you think? To be honest, this chapter was very rewarding to write and I really choked up while putting myself in Jinx's head for this. I hope I was able to keep the consistency of her character here and hey, she made a friend, like an actual friend! This chapter was certainly a giant leap forward for Jinx, but I want to make it clear that there's plenty of steps going backwards in the future. Friends can definitely fight.

I hope you leave a kudos if you can and I gotta say that all the comments of last chapter were once again so wonderful to read. Please leave a comment to let me know what you thought of this one. I've been struggling to reply to many of them but I hope to go back and address a few and continue to engage with you all because at the end of the day, we all just love talking about Arcane am I right?

Until next time!

Chapter 8: Testing a Bond

Notes:

Hi everyone! So excited to be back with another chapter! Sorry I took so long with this one. I took a break from writing last week to make sure I wasn't gonna burn out on the process. It's my goal and ambition to see this story to the end (still very far away), but I wanna make sure I'm doing it right. This next chapter kinda marks the beginning of a new Act. Not like a time skip or anything, but I would say Jinx is finally starting to settle in the Firelight base and we'll see how things move forward from there.

I also sincerely, SINCERELY appreciate everyone that let me know they approve of how I've treaded Jinx's mental illness and depression, especially after that last chapter. It was a tough one. But I'm very grateful to have fans that can communicate their opinions to me and motivate me to continue writing this story with everything I've got.

Please let me know what you think and leave a kudos if you can!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Something was burning…She could perceive it through all of her senses.

The waves of rolling heat that stung her pale skin, pulsing light that glowed underneath closed eyelids, and the faint scent of death led her to that conclusion. Careful breaths slipped warm air through her lungs, wary of the smoke that surrounded her. Splatters of water soothed the scorching atmosphere and the sensation had her tilting her head in confusion.

Rain and fire. What an odd combination?

When her eyelids snapped open, pink eyes widened to absorb every familiar detail of the scene before her. With her senses open, the roar of rain and cackle of nearby fire deafened everything. Glancing to her right and left, Jinx realized she was in an alley. The bright light of the fire reflected within the streams of flooding water on the street.

She was alone.

With a gasp of breath, followed by frenzied intakes of air, she tread a line between choking on the smoke that threatened to singe her lungs and screaming until her throat was raw. She knew where she was.

Had she traveled back in time? Nervous eyes glanced downwards towards her forearms, trying to match some sort of self identity with her own image. Surgical scars and blue clouds floating on her right arm were comforting to see. She was Jinx, but that didn't make any sense.

Jinx was neverhere.

"You did this?"

A voice called from behind and she scrambled to turn around and face the speaker. Violet, only much younger, stood over the hulking dead corpse of their guardian. The realization behind spoken words had her heart dropping in her chest. A hasty glance to her left only deepened that feeling when she spotted bloodstained goggles of her friend amongst the rubble.

"Why…why would you do this?"

"I did- I didn- I was saving you." Her response tumbled through her own lips before she could stop them. Fists at her sides clenched tightly as rage immediately followed her words.

Powderdid this! Not her! That scared little girl was long dead. So why then, were the girl's words still echoing in the alleyway. Why did she feel the need to speak on Powder's behalf? Whispered pleas of explaining her actions rumbled in her mind.

"I only wanted to help. I only wanted to help. I only wanted to help. I only wanted to-"

Her teeth clenched, refusing to speak the words that seemed so desperate to release from inside. The words of a weak, dependent child. They had no right to exist in her mind now.

"I told you to stay away." Vi scolded, her brow twisting as anger overcame her older sister's expression.

Don't say anything. Don't do it. Her own willpower clashed in her head as Powder's words gained increasing desperation. Her mind couldn't help but fill in the spaces of conversation. Reliving the worst night of her life.

"Please. Please. Ple-"

Jinx was too focused on the internal battle. Too determined to resist repeating the past. She never saw it coming.

"I TOLD you to stay away!" Vi's hand shot out and connected with her cheek, the force of which sent her tumbling to the ground.

She was granted a single moment to sharply inhale and brush her pale fingers over her face.

"You bitch!" She screamed as her cheek pulsed with a swollen ache. Jinx wasn't weak. She wasn't! She could fight for herself. Things wouldn't go the same as last time…

She tried to recover, spinning her body to leap back up but Vi's grip seized a choking hold of her jaw. The pressure of the grip hurt, sending waves of muscle spasms as she tried to escape and fight back. Pink eyes went wide as her sister was no longer the younger teen she once was but now the grown woman she had become over the years.

"You're a jinx. Do you hear me? Mylo was right!"

The fury in Violet's eyes sent a fearful shiver through her spine. Her sister was saying what she wanted. She was acknowledging her as Jinx, something that seemed impossible before, but what sent a crippling ache through her body was the lack of love in her eyes.

Nothing but pure hatred stared into her soul. A monster of unquantifiable menace holding her down with an unwavering grip. The scowl that Vi carried in her expression pierced through everything. And when she tried to think of some way to make her sister understand, she came up empty.

That's right. It was so clear. Even if Violet called her by her true name...she would never truly love a jinx.

With a gasp of air, her body jolted upright in her bedroom cot. Pale fingers shakily rose to brush over her jaw that still ached from an imagined pain.

"A dream." Murmured words of realization grounded her back to reality. It wasn't real. Not entirely at least.

She responded with a sound that felt like a laugh and cry mixed into one. The sounds were fragile, unsure. Just like everything else around her, she could feel her own sanity crack under the pressure of the mysterious future that laid before her. Things weren't how she imagined them. The slipping resolve and contradictions that ate away at her from the inside were just too confusing to understand. Her death, her abrupt ending, was all but guaranteed until earlier this afternoon. Pointless, hopeless acceptance had been thrown into question the moment Caitlyn's finger wrapped around hers. The ripples of that promise still echoed through her core.

Was she gonna die by the end of this month? Probably. But the piece of her that connected with the top-sider glowed with the slightest hope and that at least meant she had a chance. No matter how small.

"She's my friend." Jinx growled as the voice in her head teased her endlessly. Mylo's confident outbursts that argued against that pounded in her skull.

"She's a liar! A liar!"

"You don't know that." She replied offhandedly. He didn't. None of her ghosts did. It was an epiphany worth exploring further. Maybe her demons were wrong…about her, about them? What the hell did they know anyway?

The dead couldn't possibly understand the living.

When she finally came down from her startled high of the nightmare that played through her slumber, she realized her single sheet stuck uncomfortably to her sweaty skin. Damnit. The fabric was thrown to the side and landed in a wrinkled clump on the floor.

She couldn't sleep. Not right now.

Barefoot, she took lengthy strides towards the entrance to her room and hopped into the cool night's air. The eerie calm that settled with the temperature of the air cooled her skin allowed her to sigh in relished comfort. Sounds of shuffled feet had her glancing towards her left, then her right. Firelight guards straightened under her gaze and she smirked, knowing they were watching her every move.

"Gentlemen." She dipped her head with a chuckle, "Isn't it past your bedtimes?"

They didn't respond because of course they wouldn't. They treated her like the plague here. And they expected her to call this place home! Hahaha! With a roll of her eyes she began walking down the stairs to her left. She could use a walk. And while her mood was generally calm despite the nightmare she experienced, the gloved hand that caught her by the shoulder sent a wave of fury through her veins.

Don't fucking touch me.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Bright pink eyes tilted upwards to stare directly into the black eye holes of the Firelight's mask. She could feel the uncertainty of the man that stopped her. It was the way his palm re-adjusted itself on her shoulder and the shuffling of his feet to maintain his balance.

Her darkened glare that promised certain death, shredded the man's confidence. Some sick part of her actually wished he would try to stop her. To throw everything away on whim by killing this man who dared touch her. She could do it. It wouldn't be hard.

With a lift of her hand, she wrapped her fingers around his wrist and squeezed just hard enough to send a shiver down his spine. He knew who she was…whatshe was.

"Just going for a walk." She started before tilting her head to the side, "Is that a problem?"

She'd break his wrist first. Snap the bone irreparably before sweeping his legs and going for his throat. The other guard behind her wouldn't have enough time to react. Her restraints weren't an issue if she was fast enough. Maybe she'd be able to kill both and hide the bodies before anyone else discovered they were missing.

The thoughts that planned murder in her mind seeped into the air as her very aura darkened with evil intentions. Do it. Try and stop me. I'm just as eager as you are to see how it plays out.

"Just-" The man started before removing his palm from her shoulder, "Just don't stay out too long."

She gave a toothy smile and continued walking past the man. He made the right choice. She'd rather not have to explain why she killed two Firelights to Caitlyn the next time they met. Yeah, that'd be a tough conversation to have.

Hey bestie, wanna help me hide a couple bodies? Heh.

"Didn't know I had a curfew." She lifted a wave of her hand before continuing down the stairs of the great tree. "I'll be back when I feel like it. Don't stay up too late."

"Hey-!" She heard the guard behind her call out before the other one stopped him and murmured something about letting the psycho go. Ha! She giggled to herself and grinned alongside Mylo who laughed harshly beside her. He liked when she tempted fate and honestly…she liked it too.

The risk of execution was a thrill like no other.

But now where? Without a destination in mind she was left to wander the camp without any direction. Most of the lights in the community were off, leaving only the night stars to illuminate the fields that she walked.

Lights shafts that glowed in the corner of the darkened base were like a beacon that had her attention. Like a moth to a flame, she found each step bringing her closer to the white lights. What part of the community would still be up at this hour? She lifted her chin in thought as she stared at the moon directly above. It was the middle of the night…

As she neared the strange lights, her eyes adjusted to the steel walls that formed a large dome. The lights were coming from inside alongside muffled sounds that sounded like someone hammering into wood. When she arrived at the entrance, she peeked around the corner.

Ah.

So this was the training arena. If the many broken, wooden dummies that littered the ground didn't give it away, the sight of her sister in the center of the room, practicing her boxing form was a clear indication.

Jinx watched in silence as Vi's bandaged fists struck her target with coordinated precision. If she squinted her eyes she could just barely make out the blood stains on rugged knuckles. Had Violet really been training since the afternoon?

And here she thoughtshewas supposed to be the crazy sibling.

Her pink eyes continued to observe her sister's movements. The quick dodges against imaginary counters, a duck of the shoulders and lightning fast strikes that followed. There was no scoreboard, but she could clearly imagine the one from their old childhood hideout floating above Vi's head.

The rapidly scrolling numbers had her teeth grinding in her mouth. The memory of her own attempt to beat Vi's score was fresh in her mind. Even now, she could tell from a glance that the score she was trying to beat was so beneath her older sister now. Just how much stronger had her sister gotten over these years?

Her fists clenched at her sides.

With a slam of a bandaged fist against wood, Jinx watched another dummy splinter under the weight of Violet's strike and the woman swiped her wrist over her sweaty forehead. Her muscled chest heaved with large breaths as she knelt down to pick up her abused wooden victim.

When she rotated her gaze to see all the destroyed training dummies broken and laid aside she could only question whether or not Violet was to blame for it all. She must be so strong…

…But Jinx was stronger.

She could prove it. No. Sheneededto prove it! Another cursed thorn in her side that needed to be ripped out. The unknown of it all plagued her mind and suddenly, all she could think about was exchanging blows with the one person who claimed to love her so much.

Without realizing her own actions, she was already marching towards the taller woman with fierce determination in her eyes. A startled expression flooded Vi's face as she recognized her approaching form.

"Powder?"

"Tch-." Jinx clicked her teeth. Still using that worthless name aren't you dear sister? Just another reason to hate the girl. She'd keep the name in the forefront of her mind to inspire her rage.

"What are you doing here? It's late."

She ignored the question and stood tall in front of her sister. She had no problem staring up at the woman. The height disparity didn't intimidate her in the slightest.

"Fight me."

"W-what?"

"Fight me." She repeated with unwavering confidence.

The bewildered look in her sister's eyes only deepened the frown on her face. What was so hard to understand? She wasn't the weak little girl that was abandoned in the rain. The memory of her nightmare played through her mind like a recording and she cracked her knuckles.

Yeah. She needed to hit something. And she couldn't ask for a better opponent. Payback for all the torment Vi caused in her life.

"I'm not going to fight you." Violet replied while turning away and crouching down to pick up the wooden figure she knocked over earlier. With Vi's side exposed and gaze distracted, Jinx responded accordingly.

Her bare foot connected with Vi's ribs and knocked her sister onto the ground. It wasn't a powerful kick, that wasn't what she wanted. Not yet. She knew Vi and the violent, unpredictable temper that lurked underneath the passive façade she tried to portray. She just needed a push. Something to get the anger flowing.

"I told you to stay away!"

Violet's voice echoed in her head as she recalled the slap that struck her cheek that night. It was all the proof she needed. Vi didn't love her. Maybe she never loved her to begin with. She was probably just taking pity on the little girl that stayed glued to her side and when things got too messy, it was all too easy to lash out.

"What the hell?" Vi growled while she recovered from the kick, "What's gotten into you?"

"I want you to fight me."

"Why?"

Why indeed? Because you left me? Hit me? Because you turned your back on me with every chance you got? They all seemed like plausible reasons, but truly, her request was much more primal than that. The walls that enclosed her and tightened every day, had her cornered and helpless. She wouldn't let them suffocate her without a fight. Besides, she may have also promised her new friend that she'd kick Vi's ass. Whether Cait wouldappreciateher doing so was beside the point.

"Are you gonna keep staring at me with your jaw open or are you gonna put up your hands?"

Vi shook her head and sighed, "I'm not gonna hurt you-" Her words were cut short with a flash of a jab that cut right past her cheekbone. The missed attack was followed by a sweeping hook and the older woman quickly stumbled backwards to avoid the blow. Where was all that ferocity she saw when Vi fought Sevika? She wanted that!

"C'mon sis!" Jinx teased with a smirk on her face while stepping into her next flurry of punches, "We both know you suck at dodging. When are you gonna fight back?"

With each fist that launched towards Violet, the woman struggled to narrowly avoid the hits. A quick duck, a shuffled side-step, Jinx's attacks were missing by a narrowing margin. The low, psychotic chuckles that rumbled in her throat were impossible to suppress. The mere idea of striking her sister was just so invigorating!

Left. Left. Right. Up. Her mind calculated the attacks while pink eyes darted towards every movement, watching for each possible opening. Her older sister was good. When she started to think she'd land a hit, Vi started using her palms to slap away the attack. The frustration on the pink-haired girl was starting to show too. Perfect.

"Powd-!"

She used every ounce of her flexibility to duck low and launch her heel upwards into Violet's chin. The snap of her jaw with the kick silenced any further attempts at conversation and her muscled body arched into the air. Jinx grinned. Vi may be better at boxing, but she had her agility and flexibility.

With a groan, Vi rolled off her back and steadied herself on her hands and knees. She took the opportunity to goad her dear sister a little further. She wanted Vi to unleash herself completely, and boy did she think of the perfect thing to say.

"Huh." Jinx started while lifting her arms in a shrug and pacing to the side, as if she were a hawk circling above its prey, "No wonder Vander died that night, if you were actually strong enough to fight he'd still be alive wouldn't he?"

A choked gasp from Violet's downed form had her lips spreading into a cheshire grin while her pink eyes glowed with excitement.

"What did you just say?"

The whispered shock and rage in her sister's voice sent pleasant tingles through her veins. Mylo was cheering behind her. Tempting fate once again. How fun was this?

"Oh, I'm just thinking that if you were alwaysthisweak, it's no wonder you needed saving. You tried to save Vander…and failed. I tried to save you…also failed. But hey, we both survived right? Although, I'm thinking this whole "not fighting" thing isn't your brightest idea. Look how dull and fragile you've become."

"You…" Vi growled while standing up and wiping her bleeding lip with her wrist, "...Have no idea what you're talking about."

"I mean," She smirked knowing the final push was just too easy, "Stillwater must be a joke. Someone as weak as you surviving there? Yeah right. Guess the stories are all made up. I bet it was easy wasn't it?"

In a split second her jagged scribbles and voices screamed in reaction to the lightning fast punch that cut through the air. Wide pink eyes watched, as if time had slowed down, while her head tilted to the side and let bandaged knuckles blast through the air.

Good. Now they could have some fun.

When she hopped away, she noticed Violet take her usual fighting stance, eyes steeled with a fury that she'd only seen once before. The memory of that night, the grip on her jaw, it brought raw emotions to life and ignited her adrenaline.

"Shut!"

A punch sped towards her and she managed to block with her forearm. The bone rattled underneath her skin and she could feel the hit jolting through her skeleton.

"The hell"

Another attack aimed right for her side allowed her a brief fraction of time to curve away, but knuckles still managed to swipe into her skin and threw off her balance.

"Up!"

A quick breath of recovery had her close her eyes. Vi's speed was something else. Who knew such a bull-ish fighter could move like that?

"Watch out!"Mylo screamed and when she opened her eyes she stared into a mass of pure, unfiltered rage packed into a fist that connected with her jaw.

The hit knocked her off balance and sent her tumbling into the dirt. The world was blurry, doubled as if she were seeing two images that didn't quite line up. Ho boy. It felt like her head was floating and her body was struggling to react to her own commands. She giggled. It felt funny.

Fingers dug into the dirt to find some sort of way out of the dizzying world she'd been forced into and the flowing river of her blood oozing from her parted lips was staining the ground. When she managed to stand on shaking legs, the delayed pain that came with the punch struck her like a second hit. She could only double over, arms covering her stomach as she spiraled into a fit of uncontrolled laughter.

This is what she wanted! Just like that! Do it again! Again!

"I-" She heard Vi start with a hand outstretched. The rage she heard before was disappearing…replaced by an apologetic tone.

Her eyes snapped up towards her sister. Oh no you don't. Don't get all soft on me now. That's no fun.

With renewed strength she pounced and managed to dig her fist into Vi's abdomen. The girl gasped while hunching over, but a counter was coming. She wasn't too late to stop Vi from abandoning the fight. The twist of the woman's muscles gave it away.

A low hook came rushing from below and she leaned back on her heels to let the attack miss just before connecting with her ribs. Suddenly, they were engaged in a battle of reactions. A missed kick into the air. A responding jab that only brushed against her hair. There were plenty of dodges as their feet continued to shuffle and adjust.

Another bone-rattling hit landed on Jinx's thigh and had her gritting her teeth, no longer allowing the pain to be a distraction. This wasn't just about getting some much needed stress out. It was about sending a message, proving to Vi that she wasn't the same little girl she knew.

Her leg shot outwards and cut into her sister's knee from the side. Violet's entire body crumpled with the breaking instability of her balance. Once again, she smiled with giddy joy as she stood above her sister, looking down on the same woman who shattered her whole world in a single night.

You did this to me.

Their fight continued into the night. Groans and gasps of pain echoed through the training arena with each connected attack. It wasn't until the morning light began illuminating the sky above that Jinx found some sort of consciousness beyond battle.

They were both crouched, no, crawling to get one more punch in. One last attack to end it all. Heavy breaths rushed out of their lungs in a synchronous fashion. Her whole body ached, and judging by the freshly forming bruises and cuts that littered Vi's body, she was guessing the same could be said for her sister.

A raised fist caught her attention and she lifted her arm to block it's trajectory. Well, she tried to lift her arm, but glanced down to see her muscles spasming in utter exhaustion. Damnit. She'd have to use her head, take the blow and snap back with everything she had left in a bash of her skull against Vi's. She could win it. She had to. She wasn't weak!

With clenched eyes and teeth Jinx focused on taking the blow, only the punch that she prepared for connected with the lightest tap against her temple. It was soft, no more power behind it than a tiny flick of the finger.

Jinx opened her eyes to stare into Vi's sunken ones. She too appeared to be on the brink of passing out, entirely unfocused and beyond the point of coherent battle. Only the continued, labored breaths they produced filled the air.

"I…win." Jinx panted between words.

The small smile on Vi's face had a brief feeling of confusion take over her mind.

"I…got…the…last hit."

The tired exchange thrust her into a spiral of memories that she'd locked away for so long. Childish rivalry that she used to share with Violet. A series of shouting matches that pushed them to the edge and only ended after someone admitted defeat or a night's sleep washed away the very reason for their fight to begin with. Siblings fought.

Theystillfought.

She leaned forward, letting her sister's fist fall to the side and bumped her forehead against Vi's. Jinx closed her eyes. They used to do this too. A soft, gentle touch of their foreheads to communicate something beyond words…That was so long ago. She wasn't even sure if she still believed in something like that.

"Now…I got…the last hit." She murmured tiredly before her entire consciousness faded at the edges.

She could feel her body weight sliding to the side and soon after their bodies hit the dirt.

*Click* *Flash*

Hm?

The strange, mechanical noise had her nose wrinkled in curiosity while her eyes struggled to open. So…tired.

"Get another one." A light, familiar voice tickled her ears and she questioned the chuckles that followed it.

*Click* *Flash*

Weary eyelids opened with the slightest slit and pink eyes strained to see beyond the sunlight that pierced her vision. Two, blurry bodies stood over her, laughing. What was so funny? With a large yawn she smacked her chapped lips together and tried to push every ounce of her strength back into her body but couldn't find any power to do so.

"Looks like you had a rough night." She recognized Ekko's voice, but it was strange, like he was snickering. That didn't make any sense. The king of the Firelights never laughed. She was pretty sure he couldn't.

When Caitlyn's blurry image focused in her head she smiled.

"Can I get some help up?"

"I would," The top-sider started while placing a hand over her mouth and laughing, "but you appear to be a bit…tangled."

Tangled? What? She lowered her chin to see what the two found so funny.

Oh.

Tangled was a good word for it. Vi lay next to her, completely unconscious while their arms and legs crossed over one another in a tight embrace. She recalled a time when they slept in the darkest, most dangerous cavern in the undercity. Children living with nothing but a small, rusted shack over their heads. They had a habit of keeping warm.

Guess some things just don't wear off with time.

*Click* *Flash*

Jinx returned her gaze to look back towards the origin of the sound and noticed Ekko holding a small, box camera in his hands. His shoulders jumped up and down as he tried to stifle his laughter but was failing horribly. She frowned. What was so funny?

"Sorry." Caitlyn apologized when she noticed the frustration in her brow, "We found you both like this and had to take a picture."

"Where'd you even find-?."

"Enforcer provisioned. Helps document crime scenes." Caitlyn replied.

Ah.

Whatever. They could laugh and think what they wanted about Vi and herself cuddling. It meant nothing. Just a habit stemmed from the harsher living conditions they grew up in. Honest! Though the need to convince herself of her own words was awkward. A tiny piece of her found comfort in the contact…

So she shoved Vi to separate their limbs. The response was an exhausted groan from her sister's lips as she rolled over, still completely out. It wasn't too long after, that she felt Caitlyn slip her hands underneath her arms and lift her up. Finding solid footing was difficult, her body still fought against her mind with every movement but she was able to lean the entirety of herself over the officer. When her arm laid over slim shoulders and Caitlyn's palm secured her side they began shuffling towards the exit of the arena.

"Yeah, sure. Leave the heavy one for me." Ekko sarcastically rolled his eyes.

Jinx chuckled once before an ache thundered inside and she winced. Apparently the boy savior could crack a joke too. As they walked away she caught the last few words of the Firelight chuckling about having something over Vi. She could support that.

"Are you okay?" Caitlyn murmured to her quietly.

"Shouldn't you be more worried about my sister?" She questioned.

"I'm worried about both of you."

"M' fine." The words came from her lips lazily. The pure exhaustion of their fight had taken everything.

Caitlyn didn't respond. Instead, they both focused on careful, limping shuffles towards her bedroom.

"Kicked her ass." She continued with a proud smile.

"I told you not to." Caitlyn sighed.

True. But she didn't do it for Cait. Not really. Last night she set out to prove herself. To show her big sister exactly how much stronger she'd become. Was she successful? Did she win? Their final moments in combat were just so blurry in her memory. It was strange.

And speaking of strange.

"Ekko…" Jinx muttered under her breath.

"What about him?"

Her brow furrowed. The moment stood out to her in a way that she couldn't entirely understand. A focused point that wouldn't leave her head. He was the worst of the bunch. Always finding ways to ruin her mood. But something about him this morning…

"He was laughing."

"..."

"..."

"I've haven't heard him laugh likethatsince we were kids."

It was a different kind of laugh. Unlike the one they'd shared awkwardly in her room a few nights ago. It was careless, like his guard had been completely lowered. The content feeling that settled in her heart was just as weird as her observation, but the words were left in the air, floating, waiting for some sort of meaning to be attributed to them. She didn't have it in her.

It was just strange.

Notes:

Annnd that's the chapter! What did you think? I hope I was able to write the fight scene well enough since I don't really write them that often but I loved the idea of Jinx and Vi truly fighting it out to the point of utter exhaustion.

Also...Jinx noticing Ekko's laugh? Ha ha, I did realize that this story is tagged as a "slow burn" and it definitely is (in more ways than just romance) but with over 40k words in, I think it's fair to say things are being set in motion. Also, more plot beyond the Firelight base are planned, this is a new-ish act in the story afterall.

Please leave a comment to give me your thoughts! I love all your support and hope to be back again with CH 9 next week.

Until next time!

Chapter 9: Flickers of Inspiration

Notes:

Hi everyone! Back again with another chapter :) This one took a bit longer, not cuz of a break or anything, just poor time management over the last week. Oops. But I hope you all enjoy it and I'm very excited to hear about many of your reactions that I see in the comments! It's just so wonderful to read and always lifts me up.

Please leave a kudos if you can (HOLY COW almost 3k at this point...insane!) and comments are very very appreciated. I hope to reply to many of you there.

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

When was the last time she had some fun around here?

Seriously? The last three days had been no picnic and the wild itch of maniacal shenanigans was irritating her to no end. How was she supposed to get through the monotonous slog of her daily life as a prisoner with no entertainment? Things didn't explode on their own after all! Her many childhood inventions were a testament to that.

Her legs wrapped around a tree branch while her blue braids fell upside down in the wind and she swayed. Reality was flipped and the blood rushing to her head wasn't the most comfortable feeling, but hell, it was the most interesting thing she'd thought to do today.

Hang upside down in a tree. Good thinking. Real innovative. Would she ever return to the glory days of making dangerous weaponry in her hideout?

"Got any bright ideas?" She asked aloud while glancing towards the base of the tree. Vander's twisted, shimmer-pumped form just roared with incoherent rage and Claggor just stared at her with his classic judging stare.

"So helpful, guys." She rolled her eyes, all the while ignoring Mylo's rambling as he sat further down on the branch. The little thief never shut up so his words held less value. That's how it worked.

The Firelight base was more alive than she'd ever seen it. Despite the bubble of emptiness that surrounded her immediate vicinity, she could hear the sounds of the rustling community bleed into her space. A few boys in their young teens carried crates to and from what she could only guess was a storage bunker. White, porcelain masks could be seen hanging on many of the Firelights and a litter of weapons were held in their arms.

A mission? Prepping for battle? Ooh! Could she come? The idea already had her trigger finger itching to blast away anything that got in her way.

Pink eyes turned to stare at a group of children watching the Firelight's with a mirrored level of curiosity and interest. She sighed. It was silly to think she could join them. To the Firelights, she was beneath even the children. First to be sheltered from any danger without a second thought. Just like Powder in her days at the Last Drop. Always left behind, always unwanted.

A hollow chuckle belted from her stomach. Like she cared. Jinx was different. Jinx wasn't left behind, she wasavoided. Big difference. And the freedom that came with that understanding was significant.

"Oi! Wesley!"

Hm? A rough, almost whiny voice of a young teenager shouted just loud enough to see a lanky, yet tall boy march up to an equally young boy fiddling with one of the Firelight hoverboards. They were alone and separate from the hustle and bustle of the base.

"What?"

"Leave that shit and c'mon. We got work to take care of and I'm not getting my ass chewed out by Scar again."

"But my board…"

"It ain't even yours idiot. Just some broken hunk o' junk. Leave it and I'll try to talk to the leader and get you an actual working one."

The two boys quickly raced off and that left one tantalizing little treasure in her sights. And it was just lying there, ripe for the taking. Lucky her!

A quick scan of the area revealed no nearby watchers, the guards were seemingly too distracted by the preparation of battle and with that knowledge she dropped from the tree and landed on her feet with a mid-air flip. She took slow, exaggerated strides while whistling, nothing to see here people.

When she stood over the decayed slab of metal, rust, and missing bolts she squinted and knelt down to get a better look.

"Broken huh?" Jinx surmised while plucking a dried leaf from between the metal fans. With the push of her finger she pressed into the blades, trying to spin it but something jammed the motion. Couple that with a less than assuring amount of flayed metal, gaping holes and cracked nuts and you had yourself a deathtrap that definitely couldn't fly.

A cheshire grin spread across her face, wide as can be.

Oh she had big plans. BIG plans. And with those plans, her boredom was obliterated and replaced with racing ideas.

- Scrap it, use the parts to build something new.

She shook her head. Too much work.

- Sharpen the edges, make a sword out of the metal. Anything sharp! Weapons galore!

Hmmm…Not quite inspired enough. But the thought is appreciated! A plan B if you will.

- Repair it. Make it work.

She paused at the thought. Repair it? That wasn't what Jinx did…Jinx only destroyed things, broke them irreparably. Could she even repair something like this? The only possible outcome was disaster…and yet, she found herself wanting to try. An actual challenge.

"Well," She chirped with a shrug of her shoulders, "Guess we're gonna fix you up champ." Pale fingers grabbed the board at the places she felt were most sturdy before lifting it and sorta hiding it behind her back as she shuffled towards the stairs of the great tree.

"Firelights!" A booming voice roared in the base, echoing off the walls of every structure. She could practically feel the 'thump' of the sound in her own ribcage.

Another miracle. She watched as all of the community collected at a single point in the hideout. Over the many heads and shoulders of the people, she could see Ekko standing on an improvised stage, his arms crossed over his chest with a stern look over his face.

Aw, how cute. Little guy thinks he looks so tough. She snickered while occasionally shuffling at an infrequent interval. It was slow, but she was making steady progress to hide the board behind her and make it to her room.

"I know what you're all thinking, but this is the first step! We've been preparing for this moment our whole lives!"

The sound of Ekko giving a speech tickled her ears as she got further away. Whatever. Didn't involve her, so she didn't care. Although…her eyes narrowed as she spotted a familiar pink and violet pair of heads amongst the crowd.

Another shrug of her shoulders and she continued on her journey.

"...-Their last shimmer factory…"

Oh? Gonna try to smash the hive huh? Did they even know what they were up against? Half the undercity guarded that place whether they realized it or not. The addicts that littered the streets would go crazy over the chance at grabbing some shimmer and threatening that, created more enemies.

Well. Good luck with it. She took a few more strides up the stairs.

"...-Squads one and two-...pushing up the front…Three and-...ambush-...cutoff any reinforcements….Hit em'...they even know we're there."

His speech was getting harder to decipher as Jinx got closer to her room, but she got the idea. Some ragtag plan to use their numbers and speed to execute a plan against the deadliest creatures in Zaun. Should go wonderfully. Maybe they did need someone like her to even the odds.

Her pink eyes lifted over the railing to glance down towards Caitlyn and Vi in the crowd. Were they a part of this plan? Were they gonna tell her? Or just leave her here like a child? What if they didn't come back?

She shook her head roughly. They could do what they want. She didn't care. Not one bit.

"Ah, Jinx my dear." A familiar voice had her body frozen and eyes widened. Damnit. She was so close to sneaking away with the board. "Why are you headedawayfrom all the commotion?"

She turned and gave a half-guilty smile to the little yordle blocking her path up. She let loose a lazy chuckle and scratched the back of her head with her nails.

"Oh hey there Dongie. Didn't…uh…didn't see you there."

Things were still unknown with the yordle scientist. Was he an enemy? Would he report her to Ekko and his guards? It was hard to tell since their last meeting was marred with her rage as she stormed out of his laboratory. She hadn't spoken to him since. They used to be comfortable with each other and it was just like her to mess that up.

"Heimerdinger." The yordle sighed before continuing, "It's good to see you child, but you haven't answered my question."

For someone so small and fluffy, his eyes were certainly sharp as he stared through her and towards the board behind her back. She was struggling to find a good excuse and wound up forcing something to tumble out of her mouth.

"Well, why are you here? Shouldn't you be…um…down there too?"

"I was held up in my lab." Dang. He had an easy reply too. Unfair! "And what are you attempting to hide behind your back?"

Her head dropped, the jig was up. No use hiding something so clearly larger than her frame behind her. Jinx sighed and swung the metal contraption in front of her.

"Ah, a hoverboard. Where did you find such a thing?"

"Abandoned. In the fields." She murmured. Would he take it away from her? She was so committed to the little project that dejection reared its ugly head in her disposition.

"And what were your intentions with this…equipment?"

She turned her head to the side. "Repair it."

Her pale cheeks were heating up. Why was it so embarrassing to admit it? It was just a project, a simple thing. It would alleviate her boredom over the next few days and god did she need something like that. Maybe she could convince the little yordle to let her have it. But just how would she manage that?

"Well, I'm not sure how you intend to repair it without the proper tools. Shall I deliver a few to your room later this evening?"

Wait. What?

Either the shock on her face had the professor continuing his offer, or she said those words aloud. It was hard to tell.

"I think repairing such a broken device would be a worthwhile endeavor!" Heimerdinger smiled before putting his finger to his chin in thought. "You'd have your work cut out for you it would seem."

"You're not gonna take it away?"

He scoffed at the words, "Who am I to stop such a powerful mind from turning a piece of useless scrap into an exciting invention? Besides…"

He paused to lean in and suddenly she was all ears. Captivated by his excitement and wise words he was sure to tell. It was in the way his eyebrows and mustache lifted so highly on his face.

"You can't give someone what they need to survive. You need to give them something to live for."

Her brow curled as she glanced down to the hoverboard she held in her hands and then back towards the furry scientist.

What exactly did that mean? Was he trying to say that she needed this board to live? Or that repairing would…Ah she didn't understand. But to appease the professor she nodded as if she did.

At least they were on better terms than she anticipated.

Once she got her board tucked away in a dark corner of her bedroom, Jinx returned to the outdoors and let her forearms cross over the railing to look below. People swarmed across the fields, back and forth like little ants. Heh. Somehow always keeping true to the insects they identified with.

When she focused her vision, she saw a group of teens laughing and pumping themselves up for the fight ahead, something not entirely unfamiliar to her childhood thieving days. Another group of older fighters hugged their families. Even Scar had a little baby chirean in his arms. Huh. Who'd have guessed big meanie could have a child?

They may have been scattered into little bubbles but not one single person was left by themselves. She even saw Caitlyn and Vi talking nonchalantly while leaning against the big stone wall of their hideout. Ugh. The decision on whether or not to go down to the fields and offer a goodbye was weighing heavily on her mind. She hated the idea…But, she would get to talk to Cait again, that's a plus. Oh! And she'd get another look at the shiner she managed to punch into Vi's cheekbone. Yeah,thatwas definitely worth going down there to see.

She pushed her body weight off the railing before pausing.

Hm?

In all the hustle and bustle of the camp, one person stood alone. Entirely and utterly by themselves. She tilted her head in curiosity as she stared at Ekko. Wasn't the leader supposed to be the most social? Wait, Silco definitely liked his alone time too. Maybe leaders were theleastsocial.

He stared ahead at what Jinx knew to be that awful, hideous mural. She knew it's location yet still couldn't bring her eyes to glance over it, no matter how far away the nightmarish art was.

Still…Why was he alone? Didn't he have friends? What about Vi and Caitlyn? Shouldn't he at least be with them? She spun her head back and forth, scanning the wooden planks she stood on and the general area around her. Damn. Nothing to throw. She would've had so much fun trying to launch something towards the isolated boy in her sights.

He didn't look right. Like loneliness and self-survival was all he could focus on. The strange part is she wanted to break that look on his face. I mean seriously, lighten up! It's depressing just watching him from here! If she had to distract him by nailing him in the head with a rock, so be it.

As she took steps down towards the field, her pink eyes relentlessly searched for something. Litter, junk, wood chips, but she came up empty. Leave it to the Firelights to remove even the dullest of opportunities from her.

Ooh!

Just at the foot of the stairs laid her prize. A pebble-sized chunk of metal that must've fallen off from her damaged hoverboard when she carried it up. Perfect. With the cool metal in her palm she took hastened steps to her right, around the corner, arm raised to send the object flying. An eager leap forward had her getting into view of exactly where Ekko would be and-!

Nothing.

He was gone. A frown twisted on her lips as she lowered her arm and dropped the metal in her hand. Her pink eyes scanned the fields and the many people around her only to come up short. Where'd he go?

Great…her entertainment got away. How bothersome. The dejection she felt was surely due to the loss of fun. What else could it be about if not that?

"Jinx!"

She spun to the sound of her name and saw Caitlyn approaching with a wave of her arm, Vi not too far behind. Oh yeah, she was going to talk to them too. Guess that works out.

"Hey, I'm sure you've heard about the plan." Caitlyn smiled while she just sort of stared blankly with her lips slightly parted.

She wanted to respond to the officer but MAN! That dark purple bruise on Vi's cheek was so damn large! The giggles that followed were uncontrolled and it seemed the two could piece together the subject of her laughter.

"Oh shut up." Vi grumbled while looking to the side.

"You're gonna go fight, looking like that?" Jinx wheezed while doubling over. She looked half-beaten already. Some show of strength.

"Hell yeah I am. This is nothing." Vi quickly replied while slapping her palm over her raised bicep. "Squad one, busting down the door."

Right. Her sister was tough. Oh so very tough.

"And you're going too?" She asked while wiping a stray tear from her eye.

"Of course, Squad two." Caitlyn nodded professionally. "Someone's gotta watch your sister's back."

"It's her front that's the issue." She murmured to herself. Violet was always the one taking the punches, fighting head on, but oh well. She had to trust that they'd come back.

Huh.

Trust…Could she do that? Did she have it in her to let them go without her? The insecurity of it all suddenly came crashing down on her small frame. It was so heavy. So unwanted. And yet…

"You're coming back…right?" She asked softly.

Too many times she's been promised that sort of thing. And maybe in the past she would have resented anyone that dared leave her behind, but things were different now. This was her cage, her prison, she wasn't getting out of here anytime soon and without Vi and Caitlyn…Fuck.

When the hell did she start wanting them around?

"You can count on it." Vi winked and the uncertainty in her heart was a little less painful. "We gotta have another rematch after all."

They weren't on the best terms, far from it. But seeing her big sister's confidence and cheeky reply had her feeling more sure of the future.

"Right." Caitlyn agreed before pushing her fingers into her eyes and sighing, "Although why on earth you two enjoy hurting each other is beyond me."

Ha!

Caitlyn had a lot more to catch up on if she was still asking that question.

While she had that thought, the air around them became still and awkward. It was like carefully treading over landmines and hoping that a single conversation wouldn't start something nobody wanted. They could all feel it once the small talk faded into the air.

"So um…" She started, "...Bye I guess?"

The two women nodded and bid her farewell before walking away. Violet's eyes lingered on her for a few seconds longer and their stares connected. If her sister was trying to say something with her expression, she couldn't really identify what it was. She smiled and bit her lower lip to keep from bursting out.

That bruise really was a nasty mark.

When night struck the Firelight base, the squads of fighters were already long gone into their mission. With their absence came an eerie silence and the general atmosphere was filled with nervousness and uncertainty and holy cow it was annoying!

If the damn restraints around her limbs weren't so geniusly infuriating she would have already made an attempt to escape all the doom and gloom surrounding her. You'd think everyone on the mission already died or something. Still…that meant that people around her were worried. Maybe thatgrandplan of Ekko's wasn't as solid as it sounded when she heard his speech.

But hey, that's what you get when you try to fight shimmer. There's too much unpredictability in the drug. Funny how Silco figured out how to control the uncontrollable with it. She glanced down towards her forearm that paled under the moon's light. She was alone, in the sheer emptiness of the fields with nobody insight.

A flash image of purple rushing through her veins caused her to wince and put her hand on her temple. A sudden pain bashed against her skull with the memory. That night. She remembered bits. Just fractions of moments and each remembered experience tore at her insides with an indescribable agony.

Whatexactlydid the doctor do to her? Was she healed by the shimmer? Did the drug sink its claws into her the same way it did to others? She noticed a more rapid healing of her injuries after her fight with Violet. And the strange, corrupting power that clouded her mind from time to time left so many questions in her head.

If shimmer was in her veins, why wasn't she a drooling, frenzied monster like Vander? What happened that night? What did she become?

"Excuse me." A gentle voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned to stare at a stranger that approached.

An older woman, perhaps old enough to be her mother stood before her. She had grey eyes and long black hair that curled around her shoulder in a loose braid. Nothing about the stranger was remarkable in any way. Just another one of the many faces in the community that hated her.

"What?" Jinx asked, not bothering to hide a little bite to her tone. She didn't want to be bothered, not right now.

"I saw you were alone out here. A few of the others made a campfire over there." She pointed and pink eyes followed the outstretched finger towards a group of Firelights around a roaring fire. "With so many gone, I thought you might want some company. Would you like to join us?"

"Hah!" She scoffed at the words, "Yeah no thanks lady. I'm just fine here."

She was crazy, but sitting around a fire with a bunch of no-name losers…yeah no way. Besides, she could see a few of their heads turning in her direction. The murmured whispers were easy enough to imagine. They wouldn't want her in their circle anyway.

"I see." The sadness in the woman's voice was confusing, but it sounded like she understood as well. Good. Cuz she wasn't gonna explain her reasoning either.

The sound of footsteps turning in the grass to walk away had some of the tension built in her shoulders fade. Jeez, dealing with people can sure be stressful.

"I thought you should know…" The woman started again, "...A lot of us don't think of you as a prisoner here."

"Really?" She quirked her eyebrow up in surprise, the sheer absurdity of the statement had a twisted smile spread on her face "What about these then?" Jinx asked while lifting her arm and pointing to the metal wrapped around her wrist. Sure as hell seemed like she was a prisoner, right Mylo?

Mylo nodded his head rapidly beside her.

"I mean to say that, with time, there are people here that believe you could be one of us."

"What exactly is 'one of us'?"

"A Firelight."

She laughed out loud. The sound boomed past her lips and into the open air. What a strange thing to say! No. What astupidthing to say. She was nothing like them and she preferred it that way too.

"Sorry lady but I'm pretty sure I was kicked out of the club the moment I killed a Firelight."

Not just one either. Her kill-count was impressive amongst Silco's finest and she wasn't counting or anything but the number of dead Firelight's on her hands was certainly more than her fingers could count.

"We've all done things in the past we're not proud of." The woman replied, "The undercity is not a forgiving place. If we don't learn how to forgive, we won't ever see a brighter future."

Ugh. Annoying. Like any of theseciviliansknew what she was capable of. What she's done in the past. She tilted her head wearing a smile on her face as she spoke once more.

"You ever kill somebody?"

In a startling surprise the woman nodded her head.

"My husband."

Jinx blinked owlishly with her lips parted. Definitely not the answer she anticipated.

"He was a shimmer addict. Took too much one night and went berserk. He um…well I…" The woman paused and she noticed a visible bob to the stranger's throat as she got choked up on her story. "I did what I had to."

Silence reigned over the two for many seconds before the woman finished.

"We didn't come here to protect ourselves. We came here to find purpose."

"Yeah well, I didn't come here because I wanted to."

"But you lack purpose, no?"

A strange statement. Hm. Maybe it was true though…Ever since coming here, she's been taking everyday one step at a time. No ambition, no anticipation for anything. Is that what was missing? What was her purpose before being sent here? Did she have one?

Guess killing Caitlyn was pretty high up on her list of goals…not really possible now. Mylo laughed and argued at her internal thoughts and she nodded to appease him. Right right, stillpossible, just not a goal.

The woman sighed, "I'm sorry, it's not my place to say something like that. I just hope you can think of this place as your home one day."

"Doubtful." She snorted while her eyes glazed over in continued thought.

The conversation was over and the woman walked away while leaving Jinx to her thoughts. The strangeness behind the interaction and doubts of her purpose sent her into a spiraling confusion. Why would some nobody want her to have a home here? It didn't make sense.

"She was probably making it all up." She whispered to herself. It was the only sense she could make of it, "They just wanna stab me in the back."

"Stab! Stab! Stab!"Mylo's rambling pounded against her temple.

"You agree too huh?"

She lifted her head to stare into the distance. Really? Her? A Firelight? That was exactly the opposite of what she wanted…probably. She sure as hell wasn't going to wear green. Although their masks were kinda cool. Whatever, why worry about the future? Right now, she had a broken hoverboard to repair. That's all that mattered. Yeah. Nothing else.

In the darkness before her, she spotted the dull pink and blue color of the mural painting and paused. No. There was another wish beyond just repairing a stupid board. Those damn ghosts on that wall needed to be destroyed. Maybe she could blow it up in an "accident" one day.

Suddenly she lifted herself from the ground and marched over to the mural with anger in her heart. It wasthisshitty thing that served as another reminder for all her sins. If she could just erase it from existence…obliterate it completely…

She stood before the wall, eyes cast down to the ground in fear of what would animate in the mural before her. Stop! She wasn't weak! She wasn't afraid of some stupid art!

With rage fueling her, she lifted her head and stared directly into the mural. Piercing pink eyes focused as hard as she could while the many jagged scribbles of the ghosts came to life. A thundering pressure rooted her in place as the lines grew in size and pushed outwards towards herself.

Jinx clenched her teeth, fighting the feeling with everything she had. It clawed at her heart, tore at her throat and the tears that lined her eyes were close to spilling over. The horrors that slowly encroached around her had her sweating while the muscles in her body strained under a stress that wasn't entirely understood.

Heels dug into the dirt. Teeth grinded in her mouth. For figments of her own twisted mind to have such a physical power over her…

Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you. Her mind echoed, while she stared into the innocent eyes of her younger self. There's a reason you're dead.You'rethe weak one.

The words in her head repeated endlessly while her will to stand up against her own nightmares began to slowly become overpowered. She could hear it in the way her own inner voice was cracking. What was once a furious declaration of resistance was quickly becoming a desperate, cowardly plea. The mural pulled her in, forced all of reality to fade around her as the overwhelming terror surrounded her from every angle.

With a gasp of air she fell backwards, breaking the haunting connection. Heavy, near panicked breaths had her chest heaving rapidly. Why? Why was this happen-?!

She spun around and heaved, as if her stomach was trying to empty itself onto the grassy dirt, only nothing came up. Tears stung the corners of her eyes as another sensation of vomiting rushed through her core, only to once again have nothing to release other than choking gasps of air and splatters of saliva.

Forearms fell to the dirt as she struggled to keep herself up while Jinx played a scary game of deciding when it was safe to breathe.

How could she fight against this? Her own body, no, her verysoulwas tearing itself apart in an attempt to silence the dead. Once she got enough air in her lungs she immediately released it with a shriek of frustration.

It was hopeless. Wasn't it? There was no escape. No light at the end of the tunnel. All it took to realize it was a pathetic attempt to stare at some wicked mural.

As she collected herself, pink eyes intentionally avoiding the mural before her, she realized she was alone. Caitlyn, Vi, Heimerdinger, Ekko, none of them were here and the ache she felt, knowing they wouldn't be able to help her in this moment had her biting her trembling lip. The campfire that still burned in the distance drew her attention for a second.

Only a second.

No. She shook her head. I don't need them. I don't need anybody's help. I'll show them. I'll show them all.

As those words crossed her mind she noticed Silco, just inside her peripheral vision. He was watching, waiting with those dead, soulless mismatched eyes of his. What did he want? To see her suffer? Or maybe…he too was another that wanted to see her strength?

Disappointment. The idea of it spurred a fire in her heart. She wouldn't disappoint him. She couldn't!

Jinx pushed herself upright and with a newfound determination. Eyes closed as she once again faced the mural and wiped the hanging drool from her chin. Again. She had to try again.

Just before her eyes snapped open she paused at a distant sound that screamed through the air. It was so far away, starting as a low, unidentifiable hum, before her mind made the connection. She tilted her head up towards the open sky.

It was a series of alarms.

The Firelight's attack had started…

Notes:

Annnd that's the chapter! Now. I know what you may be thinkin'...a cliffhanger? really? I hate cliffhangers as much as the next reader but if there's anything I can assure you it's that I hope to get chapter 10 out extremely soon compared to recent chapters. I can't just leave my readers without a resolution to the Firelight attack for another week. I'll be writing this weekend and very excited to get into it. CH 10 will also pass 50k words and that's such an exciting milestone.

This chapter wasn't the most exciting compared to others, but a lot of stuff was put into motion and I hope that's satisfying to read.

Side Note: Jinx with a hoverboard? Yes. Please. So excited to elaborate with that. I think it'll be a great way to help her understand that she doesn't just destroy things and show that she's capable of so much more.

Once again, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts!

Chapter 10: The Powder of a Name

Notes:

Hello everyone! It's an exciting day! I'm back with a new chapter (sorry I promised this one was gonna be out very soon, but ideas changed and rather than post a 4k chapter with a quick resolution to the attack, I wanted to give you all so much more). As an apology this chapter is also 7K words! Yay extra-long chapter :D

I'm also really hyped because this is the official milestone past 50k words total. You all have been so wonderful on this journey to tell an Arcane story and I couldn't be more thankful for your support! Also, weird timing, my PureArts Limited Edition Arcane Figure is being delivered today after paying that off so WOOHOO! Ordered that sucker back in November. Perfect timing all around for this chapter.

I really tried to push things in this one: More league lore, more dialogue, more of the interactions we're all wanting to see and doing it in a way that hopefully feels natural (Like how Arcane can be enjoyed by everyone but the League lore is like a little extra treat for those that know it). I hope you all enjoy this chapter! If you do, please leave a comment letting me know what you think! I've asked for Kudos and comments every chapter, but I also don't want to pressure anyone into that either. However, if you feel like you can leave a comment to tell me what you think, I would love that very very much!

Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

When the faintest glimmer of the morning light brushed over the high walls of the Firelight fortress, she felt all tension leave her muscles. The light, not yet harsh enough to make her squint, was soothing. It painted her world in wonderful colors of orange, yellow and pink.

This is why she woke up so early.

The quiet of the camp was yet another wonderful feature to take note of and despite the silence allowing her inner voices to scream out without any restraint, she was safe here. The light made sure of it. When darkness fell over her, be it in her room or at night, her ghosts lurked in the undefined. There were no surprises in the daylight. Well, no surprises that she'd dislike at least.

"If we could go anywhere, anywhere in the whole wide world, where would we go?" Jinx asked aloud with a chipper tone in her voice as she glanced to her right. Claggor and Mylo sat on the same balcony as her, feet hanging over the wooden planks to dangle in the air. "I'm talkin' somewhere new. Somewhere with some entertainment and appreciation for explosions!"

They didn't reply. Well, Mylo had his incoherent chattering but it didn't mean much.

The two never aided her ideas, not unless it got her into major trouble. The life-or-death kind. But what can you do? She shrugged her shoulders and stared towards the entrance of the base. What are friends if they aren't hoping you die right? Even Caitlyn must secretly wish for that at times. She did sorta break into her home and kidnap her straight out of the shower.

Oops. My bad.

A large thump of footsteps caught her attention and she swiveled to see Vander's huge body taking large steps into her bedroom.

"Nope! Nuh Uh!" She scolded with a point of her finger, "I said don't go in there. That hoverboard is in pieces and so help me if you step on anything fragile…!"

Vander huffed in response before growling and walking away. She blinked. Cool, he listened. Maybethat'show she needed to act. Like a mother to reckless, uncoordinated children. The thought made her giggle. Her. A mother. Yeah, likethatwas her future.

And then a sound she was waiting for caught her attention.

"Whelp." She slapped her hands on her crossed knees and stood up when she noticed the front entrance was opening. "Looks like they're back. Let's go see how our brave little bugs did huh?"

Her throat hummed a cheery tone while she skipped down the many stairs on the grand tree. She was in a good mood, not like she was gonna tone that down for her welcome back party.

Shit!

Jinx paused as she landed on her single foot.

"Was I supposed to set up a welcome party?" She wondered aloud before shaking the question from her head. Nah. The last party she had didn't exactly go well.

When the doors fully opened and she landed on the dirt ground at the base of the tree, she saw the Firelights. And oh boy were there hardly any. Nameless, desolate faces with sunken eyes of defeat waddled into the base, limping from their wounds.

There must've been three or four dozen Firelights when they left and her eyes only counted a quarter of that. Yikes. Went that poorly huh?

She spotted the familiar sight of her sister's red jacket and alongside her Caitlyn walked, seemingly uninjured aside from the empty look on their faces. It almost made her mood sour instantly, but why let them dictate how she felt? She was in a good mood damnit.

Jinx took a few large strides, uncaring how she sped up her pace to greet them faster and just as she opened her mouth to say hello, Ekko and another Figherlight rushed through the crowd. Ekko's shoulder slammed into hers and she stumbled to catch her balance.

"Hey!" She growled before turning and giving the little shit a piece of her mind. "Gonna treat me like-."

"Jinx!" Ekko interrupted before turning to his ally, "Go find the others, we need bandages, alcohol, get everything you can find."

Her eyes peeked over his shoulder to see the stretcher the two were carrying and the broken, bloody body that lay upon it. With a cracked porcelain mask, she could just barely make out the pained face of the person before Ekko put himself in her line of sight.

"Jinx." He nearly shouted, and she caught the way his panicked voice cracked, "Come here!"

She walked over hesitantly before Ekko grabbed her hands and forced them into a bloody fabric the injured Firelight had been wearing. The man beneath her gasped in pain and she watched blood seep through her pale fingers.

"Awwww!" She whined, "But it's gonna get everywhere."

"Please just-." Ekko sounded like he was out of breath, "Just put pressure on the wound. There are others. I have to- I have to-."

He rushed off and suddenly it was just her and the unknown Firelight. Talk about awkward. But he really took a hit. She could feel the wound under her palms. It was a large, open hole as if he'd been skewered by a large drill. She wasn't a medical expert or anything but this wasn't looking good.

And now the silence was getting to her.

"Sooooo." Jinx started, "Hi, my name's Jinx. I like pink and blue colors, stuffed animals, the smell of gunpowder, and I'm also holding your guts inside. What's your name?"

"Ga- Gal-...G" The man stuttered through blood-stained lips and she pushed harder into the wound. It definitely wasn't looking good if he couldn't even say his own name.

"Well Gale, I'm just gonna assume that's your name. It ain't looking good buddy." She surmised while staring at her red fingers. "I mean maybe there's-."

Jinx paused when she got a look at his cracked owl mask. His features were unfamiliar; Except his eyes…She'd seen them before.

Once glance towards her ripped purple pants, scanning over the spot where she stapled her own wound on her thigh. She looked back towards the man's, light gray eyes. Oh. This was the bastard that tried to slash her when she reunited with Vi.

Her vision clouded with the blurry memories of razor sharp steel cutting through her skin and the psychotic, fractured flashes of laughter and pain she had to endure to repair herself. Her bloody fingers eased off the pressure she was keeping…just a little.

"Hel- Help…Me." The man gasped while she continued to stare into his eyes. Pink eyes of curiosity and wonder had her in a trance. This was a bad man. A bad, bad man. He hurt her. He hurt her really well.

"You worry too much Gale." She spoke eerily with a twisted smile on her face. "I might actually be willing to help you out…you know, end it quick? I wasn't lying when it said it looks rough."

Her teeth gnashed in her mouth at the idea of a staple piercing her thigh, while blood stained hands lifted just a little more from the constant pressure of his wound. She had the power here, the control. And nobody would even know. The idea of letting the man die was just so…exhilarating!

"Bleeding out isn't a bad way to go. Much better than an infection. And think about it…you'd be a Martyr! I hear those are pretty neat."

"P-please."

"Can I ask you something Gale?." She leaned closer to the man, getting right into his face, "On a scale of 1 to 10 how excited would you have been if there was a welcome party right now?"

"W-wha?"

"Ah nevermind. You're probably not in the mood right? It'd just be in poor taste."

She continued to tease the idea of letting the man bleed himself to death. Her eyes focused on all the blood slipping through her digits. It was so mesmerizing.

The trance of her potential was shaken out of her the moment Ekko returned to her side. She thrust her palms back into the man's wound with a powerful pressure and he gasped again. Well, with Mr. goodie-two shoes beside her, letting Gale bleed out was pretty unlikely. But hey! She got to cause him intense pain and make sure the man would be indebted for life. How cool was that?

"You're keeping good pressure." Ekko spoke beside her, although she didn't pay any mind to his words. Ekko was clearly panicked, talking aloud to keep his own mind from assuming the worst of the situation.

Hah. If he'd only understood her intentions before he arrived.

Suddenly she was surrounded by concerned citizens, all trying their best to help the man on the stretcher and there went all her power. Fizzled out the moment she stepped away.

Whatever.

Jinx spun on her heel to take a good long look at the injured before her eyes lit up at the sight of Caitlyn. She swung her blood covered hand in an exaggerated wave to the other woman. The smile on her own face was bright, but the distant eyes and stern frown on Caitlyn's face had her expression drop just a bit.

Man. Buncha downers…guess they lost pretty bad.

"It was a fucking shitshow." Vi growled as she threw a half-empty water bottle into the dirt. She looked like she put some actual force behind it too.

Jinx sat on the grassy floor, legs crossed, while she swayed back and forth in the need to move her body. In front of her, Caitlyn and Vi had made an improvised seating area just on the outskirts of the field, sitting on empty wooden boxes.

"Maybe I shoulda come?" She mentioned while staring at all the bruises that littered her sister's skin. It was strange to not like her big sis but still feel enraged at the sight of her wounds. That was her job! No one else's.

Violet sighed in a way that really hit her hard. Like Jinx was more trouble than she was worth. Yeah right. Give her a pistol, gunpowder and scrap and she would have had the factory crumbling into ruins by the end of the night. Simple.

"I'm not sure it would've made a difference." Caitlyn murmured as she stared forward blankly.

"You think I can't help?" Pink eyes snapped to the top-sider's with a focused precision. Was this how her friend thought of her? Was there no trust? "Those shimmered junkies may seem like a bid deal but they're about as dumb as rocks." She paused before turning to Vi, "Actually, you might be dumber so it makes sense why you lost."

The faint smile on her sister's lips had the tension in her muscles drop ever so slightly. Looks like she could still take a joke…not that she was joking though.

"We could've handled it. Didn't even need Hextech. The plan was solid."

"Buuuuutttt…" She sensed there was a "but" coming.

"The Chem-Barons got another gang under their wing. Never even heard of 'em."

"Oh no! Another gang? In the Lanes?!" Jinx sarcastically swooned with the back of her hand placed over her forehead in mock anguish, "How could this be?"

"I know right?" Vi wiped her sweat covered bangs with a swipe of her hand. "But they used Chemtech in ways I didn't think were possible. Practically fucking cyborgs."

"So a Chemtech gang?"

Caitlyn suddenly interrupted, "Not exactly a gang. I recognized a few of them from the prison roster of The Dredge."

Jinx blinked owlishly. The Dredge? Sounds like a cool name. The kinda place she'd love to stir up trouble. Ooh, maybe it was a ship? Out in the ocean? Sensing her confusion, Caitlyn's eyes widened, "You grew up down here and never heard of The Dredge?"

Jinx shrugged nonchalantly, "Nope."

"It's a prison. Similar to Stillwater only deep in the mines beneath the undercity." Caitlyn sighed while placing her forearms on her knees, "From what I hear it's just as rough as the island prison. A place to lock away anyone Piltover couldn't be bothered to watch over themselves."

"So a buncha' Chemtech prison wackos rained on your parade?"

"I have no idea how they escaped, but there were a lot of them. Way more than we expected..."

There was a dark silence that reigned over the trio. The looming deaths of the Firelights certainly hung over the two women that participated in the attack. Jinx couldn't help the giggle that slipped through her lips.

Welcome to the club ladies.

If they were disturbed by her laughter, they didn't show it. Not that they didn't already know Jinx's mind was twisted in ways they couldn't entirely fathom.

"We need Hextech." Vi broke the silence with a growl. "There's no way we win without it."

Caitlyn turned to look at her friend, "Easier said than done. We've already returned both the gem and the gauntlets back to the council."

"Ask your mom for a favor?" Vi tried.

"This isn't just one little favor Vi. We're talking about an immensely powerful technology that isn't entirely understood. We have no idea what we're getting into and the council isn't going to just hand us that much power on a whim."

"I guess."

The three glanced up at the sight of Ekko walking across the field. His head hung low and his shoulders slumped as he continuously glanced towards the make-shift hospital tents for the wounded.

"He's taking it hard." Caitlyn murmured.

No duh. The depression oozed off the boy's body like a tangible slime in the air. It was pathetic…gross even. She could feel her own expression twist into what she imagined was disgust.

"Should've had a better plan." Jinx scoffed with her arms crossed over her chest. A plan that preferably would've included her. She was itching for action. Seriously!

"Don't say that." Caitlyn scolded and the two stared at each other before the officer realized Jinx wasn't one to find remorse in the dead Firelights.

"It was a good plan." Vi commented, "Even with the surprise gang, we still gave them a hell of a fight. I put a buncha those freaks on their asses."

"Oh? Don't forget you'd be dead without me." Caitlyn gave a confident smirk. "How many times did I saveyourass last night?"

Vi smiled, "It's not like you to use such language. Is Cupcake upset that she's not getting the praise she wants."

"I'm gonna be sick." Jinx put a hand to her lips and made a motion like she was gonna puke.

Did they really have to flirt? Here? Now? Ugh it was so…yucky. Yeah that was the right word. Yucky. Like a bad taste in her mouth. And now the atmosphere was a strange mixture of seldom grieving and gooey, cringy love and that was not what she signed up for today. Definitely not.

Go be insufferable somewhere else.

"I think you should go talk to him." Caitlyn interrupted her thoughts and the trio once again glanced towards the leader of the Firelights walking around the base like a lost poro.

"You're probably right." Vi grunted as she stood up from her seat and began walking towards the teen.

Suddenly it was just Caitlyn and Jinx. There were so many questions that floated in her head. What exactly happened? Was there any brightside to the attack? No. An even more important question appeared in her mind and it was infuriating to say the least.

The type of thought that ran circles in her head and refused to fade into nothingness with the attempt of thinking about anything else.

"Did you really save her? Like…a lot?" Jinx murmured with the faintest whisper. She really didn't even understand why she wanted clarity on that point. Her sister's safety was hardly ever on her mind.

"I did. More times than she'd be willing to admit."

"..."

"..."

"Good."

The two sat in a calm silence. It was nice talking to a friend that wasn't imaginary. It seemed like this sort of opportunity was very rare for her.

"You care about Vi don't y-"

"Nope!" She smiled cheekily, "I just don't like other people hurting her. I'm the only one that gets to do that."

"Sure."

Why did it seem like Cailtyn didn't believe her? That was the truth! The honest truth!

"Can we talk about something else? This is boring."

"Alright then, I don't mean to pry about your life with-..um…Silco…but I can only assume you knew your fair share of shady characters."

"Uh huh." Jinx nodded slowly, she definitely knew some sleazeballs while living in the Last Drop, but where was this going?

"One of the prisoners of that Chemtech gang…They said a name." Caitlyn crossed her fingers over her mouth as she leaned forward with a serious, grim expression on her face.

Oh. She wanted information? Sure bestie! I'll help ya out if I can.

"What do you know about a man named Urgot?"

"Hmmm." She placed her finger on her chin in thought.

Jinx was never really good with names. Just ask the yordle professor, but Urgot sounded like a simple name. Kinda spooky, certainly not forgettable and nothing like Heimy-dingy-dongler. Did she get that right? Anyway, had she heard of the guy? After spending a few moments searching though her fractured mind, she scratched her temple with her finger.

"Doesn't ring a bell." She smiled apologetically, "Why? You think he's a big bad dude?"

"Maybe the leader of this prison gang." Caitlyn replied, "I'll need to investigate further."

Wow. Caitlyn sure sounded cool when she got all serious and detective-y. Although, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of worry for the top-sider. Should she offer to help? Wait. there wasn't much she could do as a prisoner was there?

"I think I'm heading back to the top-side soon."

"What?" Jinx suddenly straightened, "But- But you can't!"

Caitlyn couldn't just leave. That wasn't right! She was her friend. They were supposed to be together and how could they be together if the woman was returning to the top-side? It didn't make sense! Her skin suddenly felt hot and uncomfortable. It didn't make sense! Why wasn't Caitlyn staying? She didn't understand! Did she do something wrong?

It. Didn't. Make. Sense. Why did everyone always leave her? It-

Caitlyn's gentle palm around her wrist paused her thoughts and ceased her unconscious clawing at her temples. She didn't even feel the pain until after her nails had been removed from her pale skin.

"Shhh. It's alright Jinx. I'm coming back. There's just a few files I would like to request access to at the station, and well," Caitlyn's eyes averted to the floor, "I would like to see my parents. It's been a while and after last night…I realized I may not always have that opportunity."

Oh. Okay…She could understand that…right? Yeah. She could. Caitlyn had a life. She had a family. Of course she'd want to see them.

"I-I get it."

"I won't be gone long." The officer assured, "Promise."

Jinx nodded her head tentatively. She could handle a few days without Caitlyn. Yeah. It wouldn't be too bad. Plus she had her project of repairing the hoverboard and that would certainly take her mind off her missing friend.

As long as she wasn't gone long, she could handle it.

In the suffocating heat of her bedroom she wiped her sweaty brow with her hand before reaching out to grab a wrench from the floor. A few twists with plenty of effort and boom! Another piece of her hoverboard was connected.

That only left…her eyes scanned the many nuts, bolts, and scraps that littered her room…like a thousand more things to do. Jinx groaned with her head tilted back.

"This is gonna take forever."

Mylo danced beside her, his jittery inhuman movements were distracting and his scratchy voice had her face heating up with frustration. How the hell was she supposed to work with all this noise? It was different from her usual experiments and weapons. Her own mind was sucked into the process, excited to create another powerful explosion, but her heart just wasn't in this one.

She wanted results yesterday! Who knew repairing this shit would take her whole afternoon and even then she'd be so far from completion. Music would help too. Could she ask for a speaker box? In her silent contemplation her attention shifted to the sounds of footsteps walking just outside her room.

"Shit." She cursed under her breath.

She scooped the many metal scraps into a pile with her arms, completely ruining her sorted organization and shoving everything into the darkest corner of the prison she called a room. The footsteps were getting closer and she scrambled to leap into her bed. Nothing fishy going on here!

Her eyes stared towards the open door and it didn't take long for her visitor to appear in the entrance. Ekko stood, seemingly without confidence to come in. She could see the gears spinning in his mind in a way that was unfamiliar. What? Was he hesitant to enter? Did he want permission? That's never been an issue before.

"Can I come in?" The Firelight asked.

"Uh…" Her eyes flickered to the corner where her broken hoverboard lay. It seemed dark enough to hide from the unsuspecting visitor. Hopefully…

"I guess?"

Why the hell was he asking? Not that she didn't appreciate the sudden shift in attitude. Finally she was getting some respect around here. He paused in the center of her bedroom, eyes drifting to random spots, but never quite looking directly towards her. Oh man, he was nervous wasn't he? Or at the very least uncomfortable.

"I uh…Thanks for helping this morning." Ekko commented.

"With?"

"Galrick." Ekko clarified, "He's gonna pull through and it's, in part, thanks to you."

Oh Gale!Thatlittle shit. Well. If you hadn't been there, he probably would've died under my watch so let's just say no thanks is necessary little firebug.

After a long period of silence, Ekko turned and took a step towards the door.

"That's it?"

He paused.

"...Yeah." He replied slowly.

The somber tone in his voice really did piss her off. It wasn't like the boy savior to act all gloomy and sad. Distant, faded memories of his giddy, borderline obnoxious attitude surface in her mind. A time when they were children with so much life and energy. Look at how the world managed to twist them into something unrecognizable and she could hardly remember the good times.

"You gonna keep acting like a pathetic loser?" She asked curiously.

"What?"

She threw her hands in the air with a lethargic shrug, "Just wondering if I should expect you to keep acting like this permanently? It's annoying."

He spun on his heel with a fire in his eyes. The dangerous expression on her face had her biting her bottom lip to keep from bursting into laughter. It was funny how intimidating he tried to be.

"I lost thirty three friends last night. Thirty three! And you expect me to continue business as usual?"

"Kinda."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Wellthatwas a dumb question. How long did he have? She could talk his ear off for the next few hours listing all the ways she's been broken and twisted into whatever psycho she's turned out to be. There was a lot wrong with her, exhibit A was Mylo's ghostly form right beside the Firelight leader.

"You wouldn't understand. You haven't-" Ekko started with a growl

"-Lost someone important to me?" She finished his sentence with her own anger coating her words, "Stop thinking you're so special."

"It's different."

"How?"

His arm suddenly swung out to slam against a pipe in her room. The metal rattled under the pressure and the strength behind the hit was strong enough to waver through the air.

"Because it was my plan!" He screamed before his shoulders slumped and he stared at the floor. The entire room vibrated with his raised voice bouncing off the walls. "I sent them to their deaths. And what was that worth? What did they die for? We didn't even destroy the shimmer factory."

She tilted her head to watch him as he paced through the room. It was strange seeing him be so…vulnerable. The emptiness in his eyes, the complete and utter lack of his guard. If she was quick enough, Jinx could probably kill the boy without much of a struggle.

No.

Something about his words. Something about his attitude, it touched something deep inside her. There was a connection, a common trauma that she could feel in the deepest depths of her heart. Memories of similar words escaping her lips as a child remained on the edges of her thoughts. Like fuzzy little pictures of Powder crying herself to sleep after that night. The night she ruined everything.

"Acting like this will get you nowhere. Trust me." Her words of advice were spoken without thought. Evensheneeded to hear them at times. But they weren't exactly her words, they were Silco's. In the past, Silco was there to pick her up, but her independence came with a price. Silco was gone. She was alone. With the world against her, there was no-one else. She knew that feeling all too well.

"I…" He started, "I'm just a kid. I'm no leader."

She scoffed. Damnit. She wasn't here to listen to his problems. Couldn't Vi or Cait orliterallyanyone else be his shoulder to lean on? She was the last person who wanted to help the poor boy.

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked, "Are you stupid? I'm not your friend."

The boy sighed before a bittersweet smile spread across his lips, "I think that's exactly why I'm here…"

Hm? That didn't make much sense.

"Out there, they all think I'm gonna take care of them. That I'll lead the Firelights to something greater. They can't see me like this. But not you. You've been against me this whole time."

"You a masochist or something?" She asked bluntly.

"No. It's just…maybe you were right. I'm just a boy pretending."

Her pink eyes widened as she recalled her viscous words she spoke to him while locked in the council's prison cell.

"And you think talking to me is gonna convince you that's the truth?"

He shrugged but made no attempt to speak.

"God!" She groaned as she fell back into her cot and stared at the ceiling, "You really are the most annoying brat I've ever met. Your plan failed and people died. That's all there is to it."

The hot, stuffy room was getting to her. If Ekko wasn't blocking her exit she'd probably be outside on her favorite balcony spending her evening in peace. Jinx glanced towards the boy to see him staring at her in silence. It was like he had words on the tip of his tongue but his thoughts were keeping him from speaking. They spent a few moments like that before he finally got the courage to talk.

"Vi thinks that we can recover if we get Hextech in our hands."

"Wouldn't hurt."

"The council may be on our side, but I doubt they'll give us Hextech back." He started while walking to the many pipes that sprouted from the center of her bedroom and sitting on the floor with his back on the metal.

"Are all you Firelight's idiots?" Ekko's head spun towards her as she spoke, "Just steal it back."

"Steal it?" He questioned, "Are you insane?"

"Yeah."

"That's not-." Ekko's frustrated words faded and she could see he was thinking the idea over.

Hell. If the Firelight's were as screwed as she thought they were, that was the only option in her mind. Get the Hextech at any cost. Hah. Maybe she could go on a solo mission for them. It'd give her time to go collect Fishbones and maybe check on…Nah. They wouldn't let her do that.

The back of Ekko's head hit the pipes behind him as he clenched his eyes and sighed. He's been sighing a lot. "If I could just turn back time…" His brown eyes opened with a dream of what could've been. "I could've done it differently."

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda."

His fingers reached into his pockets and pulled out a clock. One she recognized. It's ticker was broken, twitching in the same position and he stared into the timepiece. The guy really loved his watches didn't he?

"Do you remember…" He asked aloud, "...when we were just kids on the street?"

She didn't reply. He wouldn't like the answer.

"We used to ride my Z-cycle together and taunt all the enforcers that littered the Lanes." A sad smile spread on his face as he shook his head in wonder, "The amount of times we crashed trying to flip them off…"

When he actually turned to stare at her for an answer she shook her head. "Not really. All my memories are fuzzy. An explosion going off next to your noggin tends to do that."

His eyes widened and it made her feel like she said something strange. They talked about this before, didn't they?

"Right…Well…Life was so much simpler back then."

It sounded like it. A time before everything in this world spiraled into pure chaos was like a dream. A paradise that was so ironically funny because she knew how much they hated their lives back then. The memories may escape her, but the feelings didn't.

"Not so easy." She commented, "Life, that is."

"You got that right." He stared into her eyes intensely. The feeling of his gaze was strange, probably unwanted. It was like he was searching for something that she wasn't sure was there. "How long have you been here?"

Good question. Sometimes it felt like she's been with the Firelight's for months, but that obviously wasn't the case.

"Dunno. Three weeks?"

"Yeah. That seems about right."

This was leading towards a conversation she wasn't sure she wanted to have. There were volatile emotions stirring within her core. It wasn't hard to imagine the fury and rage that would consume her if he said the wrong thing. God knows Ekko had a special knack for setting her off with words she didn't want to hear. But Jinx also loved to tempt fate.

"You gonna kill me? Hang me up in the big ol' tree in a week?"

"Haven't decided."

"Aw. That's a far cry from how sure you were when we first arrived." Jinx laughed.

"It's unwise to tease me about this."

"Yeah well I'm definitely not the wisest wizard in the tower am I?" She grinned.

The lighthearted atmosphere that surrounded them had a bit of confidence brewing within her. For all her faults, she was being a good prisoner wasn't she? Maybe there was some way she could prove it to him. A way to guarantee her life wouldn't end too abruptly.

When the conversation fizzled into silence he stood up and headed towards the door. The movement was unexpected and she lurched forward in her bed. Who would've guessed they could have a casual conversation like this? There was more she wanted to say right? Oh! She had an idea!

"If you decide to steal the Hextech, can I help?" She giggled to herself, "I've been wanting some action lately and a heist sounds fun. You're also lookin at a girl with experience stealing gemstones."

"I'm not letting you loose on the world again. Besides, I'm gonna ask the council for the tech.That'sthe smart way to handle things."

"And if that doesn't work?" He paused in the doorway and turned his head to stare back at her.

"...We'll see."

Ooh! That wasn't a "No!". The hopeful feeling in her chest raced through her veins and a cheerful smile spread on her face. In her position, the Firelight's response was really all she could ask for wasn't it?

"By the way…" She paused her mental celebration at his words, "If you ever get that junk you hid in the corner of the room working, I might help you learn how to ride it."

Her eyes widened with shock and her jaw fell. What was more surprising, the fact that he knew she was working on a hoverboard or the idea that he'd actually help her with something?

"How did you-?"

"I'm not blind. But you'll have to ask nicely." He smirked and Jinx crossed her arms over her chest in a pout.

That cocky expression was back on his stupid face and here she was thinking she was sneaky. Well…if she had to pick between pathetic, depressed Ekko or arrogant, insufferable Ekko, she supposed she would choose the latter.

As the night settled over the Firelight base, the pained moans of the wounded were much easier to hear. Even as she sat on her usual balcony, the highest point in the base that she was allowed on, she could hear them in the distance.

Pink eyes scanned the fields, watching lanterns replace the sunlight that had disappeared. It seemed they were working tirelessly to help those injured in the failed attack. Well, not like she really cared if the Firelights lived or died. She twirled one of her braids in her hand, wrapping her hair around her palm and swinging it over the balcony edge.

"I figured you'd like it up here." Jinx tilted her head to see her sister approaching from behind. "You weren't exactly ectatic when I first brought you up here, remember?"

She shrugged, "It's a nice view."

Vi moved to stand beside her as she leaned her forearms on the railing of the platform and gazed below. This was the second time they shared time up here together, wasn't it? Why did she come up here? To talk?

Jinx sighed under her breath. Great…

"You can see everything from up here." Vi murmured just loud enough for her to hear.

They didn't say anything after that. An empty, uncomfortable silence brewed between the two sisters. Why was that? When exactly did Vi change? When didshechange? The years of separation did nothing but send them on opposing paths. If anything, they were destined to be enemies forever.

Jinx stared into the starry night. As she counted each little dot of light she remembered her own thoughts all those nights ago. Did they see the same things when they looked at the world? Could Vi ever relate to her now?

The closest they ever got was when they fought each other to exhaustion. Was that the only way? The brilliant, sparkling night sky had a somber feeling wash over her body.

"Will our stars ever align?" Jinx wondered with the slightest breath.

"Hm?" Vi questioned, "You say something?"

She shook her head. Not even she really knew what her own words meant. Trying to explain herself was just too difficult. Her many pieces were still so scattered without any clear way to put it all back together.

"Oh. Looks like Ekko and Cait are leaving for the top-side." Vi commented while ushering towards the entrance of the camp with a nod of her head.

True enough, Jinx stared at the two headed for the giant door below. Caitlyn seemed to turn and glance towards them. With a raise of her hand, the officer smiled and offered a wave goodbye. She found herself reciprocating the gesture. Without words to aid her, she just found herself wishing.

Get back soon.

A movement to her left caused her to glance towards Vi. The older girl's arm swung in the air as she also waved goodbye to her friend. Huh. Guess they were both Caitlyn's friends now.

She could tell Violet was struggling with the silence. It was the way her body moved. Never-ending glances towards herself, fingers playing with her jacket, the constant sway of her body as she leaned over the railing. Her sister was just so easy to read.

"Just say it."

Vi stilled, "What?"

"Just say what you wanna say." Jinx replied, "You're interrupting my alone time and I know you're not gonna leave until you say your piece."

"What if I just wanna spend time with you?"

She stared at Vi with a tilt of her head. Her brow raised to question the validity of that statement. They both knew that wasn't why she came up here. Vi was never one to just…be. Her sister put her hands up in mock surrender as she pushed off the railing and faced her.

"Okay, okay." She started, "But I'm not lying about wanting to be here too."

Sure. Whatever you say sis.

"I've had time to think ya know…" Her sister spoke, "We've been apart for so long. Sometimes I'm not even sure how to interact with you."

Jinx nodded. She felt it too. The immeasurable distance between them. But she stayed silent.

"Since leaving Stillwater, everything's been moving so fast I just…" The older girl took a breath, "I've never had the time to think things through. I just kept wondering why you weren't the same. I didn't understand why we couldn't just be together again. Like before."

"We've changed." Jinx replied. She said it the night Silco died. They were different people now. That was the reason. As complicated as it felt, the explanation was just so simple. So perfect.

"Maybe." Vi nodded her head, "But I'm also not great with words."

She tilted her head to question Violet. What did she mean by that? She didn't have to wait long before the pink-haired woman continued.

"That night…You asked me if we were still sisters." Jinx nodded her head, "And I said nothing would ever change that. But that wasn't a good response, was it?"

"What? Are you trying to say that's not true?"

Vi shook her head, "I'm trying to say that it wasn'tenough."

"..."

Vi took a few steps forward and sat down beside her, close enough for their legs to touch. The sensation sent a wavering tingle through her spine. The closeness of her sister…she's wanted the feeling for years right? A glance towards her blue cloud tattoos on her arm had a distant feeling return.

Why did she get blue clouds again? Because they were pretty? No. That didn't seem right. A flash of their first reunion in the undercity teased her mind and suddenly she remembered. In a world where she thought Vi was dead, perhaps her ghost would return to the clouds that mimicked the flare she was given.

"It's not that we're sisters." Vi whispered quietly before reaching over and placing her open palm on her pale shoulder.

"It's that I will always love you."

She stared straight ahead, out into the fields of the Firelight camp, while her eyes widened as Violet's voice carried in the wind.

"What about all the bad things I've done?" She asked aloud.

"Doesn't matter."

"What if they want to kill me?" Her month was almost up. However slight the chance was, it was still a possibility that Ekko would want her strung up or buried six feet under just like he said before.

"I swear," Vi responded without any hesitation, "that I won't let them. I'll fight them all. Every. Single. One."

"...Even Caitlyn?"

The question struck her sister like an electric shock. She could see in her peripheral vision that Violet's body tensed at the question. But still…

"I don't think she would want that…but yes, even Caitlyn."

This was all so much. It was too serious! Too uncomfortable. Jinx started to giggle to herself as she spun jokes in her head. Why did it feel so real? Just lighten up. She's playing with you. Just telling you what you want to hear. It's obvious! So obvious.

"Whatever you say." She chuckled to herself as her shoulders shook.

"I know you think I'm lying."

"Lying?!" She questioned with a raised voice and laughed into the open air. "You're so silly. Why would I even care?"

Her thoughts were frenzied, like hundreds of little bees bouncing around inside her skull. Where was the way out? What was even the point of this conversation? She loves me? Hah! She doesn't evenknowme!

Beside her, Mylo nodded his head rapidly. She didn't even need to look at the boy to know that.

"You'll be with her a day before she realizes you aren't that girl anymore."

Silco was right. The more time she spent with Violet, the more she'd understand. She was lost. Broken.Nothinglike the sister she thinks she loves. Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt Vi's head dip to rest lightly on her shoulder. It must've been awkward for the taller girl, but the feeling stirred emotions deep within her core.

"I know I've let you down." Her older sister whispered, "So…so many times."

Got that right! If Violet was anything, she was just one big disappointment! And a big, dumb idiot!

"But I'm trying to understand. I'm trying to be the big sister I should have always been."

Jinx bit her bottom lip that was frustratingly trembling against her will while her eyes stared blankly forward.

"So please give me a chance to prove it…" She felt a hand reach out and fingers intertwined with her own.

Why does she even deserve a chance to prove it? Why should she waste the energy? What would be the outcome? That was an easy answer. The same thing that's always happened. She'd be left alone, abandoned. Violet changed. They were on different paths with no point of return. It was just the way it-

"Jinx."

Her breath hitched. There was an ache that burned her throat and refused to let her swallow. Did Vi just…?

Was she hearing right?

Her name. It lingered in the air between them.

Pink eyes fell to the wooden planks below, watching as rain drops splattered into the wood and darkened it's color as the liquid soaked into the floor. Her free hand brought her shaking fingers to press on her pale cheek and brush away the water there. She realized it then.

No.

Not rain drops…tears.

If that was the case, why was she smiling?

Notes:

And that's the chapter!

So much to go over, but I hope it was overall very satisfying to read! Few wonderful surprises, The Firelight's losing hard, Urgot getting name dropped, Ekko and Jinx getting closer, Violet finally saying Jinx's name...UGH is it weird that I like my own chapter so much? It feels a bit narcissistic but I just love how I was able to re-write this CH into something I'm proud of sharing. Not that I'm not proud of the other chapters, this one is just getting to me a lot more.

Anyway, please let me know what you think of it all! 3

Until next time! :)

Chapter 11: Where do I Belong?

Notes:

SURPRISE! Haha! Is this a pleasant reveal? To be truthful, after such a positive reception to last chapter, I just couldn't stop writing. Couple that with the fact that I really wanna get into the next few chapters and Boom! I'm actually very early for once. Even earlier than I anticipated.

Oh! Also, I made a Twitter account. Not like, for any popularity or something like that, but I read that a lot of you were checking for updates daily and I also hate when I take breaks but can't communicate that to all of you who are so very patient and supportive, so I saw the twitter account as a way to give updates on this story when I'm not posting, holding myself more accountable to some consistent schedule, having an opportunity for direct messages since AO3 doesn't allow that, and lastly just to connect with you all about Arcane stuff. No pressure to follow or anything but I think it'd be cool if ya did.

My account: /elsanndra

As always, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and leave kudos or a comment letting me know what you think!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

In what world does Jinx belong?

The question has been teasing her ever since last night. She had unlikely friends and frustrating enemies, but that was all wrapped in uncertainty. She was a prisoner, first and foremost. And the people that held her captive, watching her with malice and demeaning eyes, had an invisible grip on her existence.

Why else would she be helping the Firelight's recovery?!

"Stop bleeding!" She snapped at the near unconscious body laying on the cot before her. Her hands tightened around the gauze she was working so hard to wrap around the Firelight's forearm, "I'm trying to concentrate."

She wasn't the only one in the temporary medical tents, but shehadto be the only one that found this process to be a complete and utter pain in the ass. What was wrong with her? These were the people she'd spent so long trying to destroy.

"This sucks." She groaned. It's not like it was her fault that Ekko's plan was a disaster. She expected some nice appreciation and respect around here for what she was doing.

"I know. I'm not very good at this either." Her sister's voice remarked from behind her. Curious eyes turned to watch Violet standing over another Firelight behind her, his leg lifted with a series of ropes to allow for better access to his wounds.

Jinx rolled her eyes. She wasn't complaining that she wasn't able to do a good job, although looking at her wrappings, she surmised that there was certainly room for improvement. No. This just wasn't what she signed up for. None of it was.

"You're both doing great." A gentle, motherly voice commented from a distance away. "It just takes time and practice."

She glanced towards the woman, that same woman that came up to her the night of the Firelight attack. Marenth…I think. She shrugged her shoulders, not like she cared to really learn about the woman or her name. The older Firelight did seem to be running the medical operation around here though.

When Marenth approached her in the morning, Vi not too far behind, she knew the day was gonna suck. But of course, as a prisoner, she didn't have much say, did she? If only she had an excuse to not help out, but her time in the base could be defined as the very essence of boredom so…

"I wish Caitlyn was here." She murmured slowly, not even twenty four hours had passed and she already felt a longing ache in her heart.

"Same." Vi agreed.

She swiveled her head to stare at her sister's wistful expression as she recycled the bandages on the damaged body near her.

"What's the deal with you two anyway?" Jinx asked.

The "will they" or "won't they" question had long since plagued her mind and always came into her thoughts at the sight of the two women together. From her account, it seemed the two were together…but Caitlyn insisted that wasn't the case.

The dumb, confused look on Vi's face wasn't helpful either.

"What do you mean? We're friends."

UGH. Alright. Alright. She sighed as she took a deep breath. It looks like she had to participate in the stupidity. Well, consider it her thanks to Vi for actually calling her by her name. That was the least she could do right? Also, Caitlyn may not have the best choice of partners, but Jinx could at the very least respect her friend's choice.

"No.I'mfriends with her. You're just a blind, lovesick dummy."

The smile she received in return was not what she was expecting with her harsh words. Did she not put enough'oomph'behind her insult? She could try again.

"I've noticed you and Cait seem to have gotten a lot closer."

Ahhh. Sneaky, sneaky sister. Trying to divert the conversation? No, that won't do.

"Yeah well, she likes you a lot." Jinx replied, "And you're obviously too stupid to see it."

"I…" A sudden shift in Vi's mood caught her attention, like the air around the woman became heavy with regret, "I know. I just- I don't know. I said something I shouldn't have."

"Of course you did." What else was new?

The silence between them was a bit uncomfortable. It reminded her that their own relationship was still just so fragile and new. Did she overstep? Nah. Who the hell cared if she hurt Violet's feelings? She was advocating for her friend and Caitlyn better be proud of her, wherever the top-sider was.

"Well," She started, "Spit it out. What did you say?"

If it was anything mean she'd have to send a fist into her sister's cheek. Caitlyn had been nothing but pleasant to her the moment they became friends and that meant a lot. A helluva lot more than Vi's shitty attempts to repair whatever broke between them.

"I said-"

"Unnnnnggg." The body she was repairing groaned and Jinx frowned.

"Hey!" She growled and harshly snapped her finger with a flick against his exposed forehead, "Can't you see we're talking here!"

The voices in her head cheered on her actions and spurred her with a motivation to continue. How often did she have the opportunity to inflict pain? On her captors nonetheless! Oh it just felt so good. It felt right.

"Jinx honey, please don't cause any more harm to them. They can't help it." Marenth's voice scolded and she groaned while her head tilted backwards in exasperation. So needy.

After a few moments, she turned once more to stare at her big sister. Her back was facing her as she continued to work, but even then she could see the gears of her mind spinning in contemplation.

"I told her we would never work. Trencher and top-sider…Oil and water."

Well that explains it. Yeah, that's just about the stupidest thing she's heard all month. No wonder her friend was so nervous to pursue something with her sister. The idiot had all but crushed any chance of their relationship with words like those.

"When she gets back you're going to apologize." She replied sternly before pausing to reflect on her statement and giggling. Ooh, how fun! She liked playing the responsible guardian. Well, in this case she had fun playing the role. Playing it all the time? No thanks. At least now she got to scold Vi with some sort of moral superiority and help out her friend. Talk about two birds!

"You…" Hm? Violet sounded surprised, "You'd be okay with us together?"

She shrugged her shoulders in response, "Don't get confused. I'm just lookin' out for my frie- Woah!"

Her sentence cut short as she felt her feet involuntarily lift from the ground. Violet's arms wrapped tightly around her midsection in an unbearably tight embrace from behind. Hey! No! This was not okay!

"Thank you! Thank you, Jinx." Vi smiled, "You're right. I should talk to her."

Oh god, what did she create? This was not part of the plan to shame her sister into making her friend happy!

"I promise. The moment Cait comes back I'll-."

"Okay. Okay. Put me down! Stop it." She growled in return.

Not okay!

Despite the frustration at being picked up without her will, she supposed she could forgive her sister this one time. She did use her correct name after all. But not again! She was gonna break some fingers the next time Vi tried something like that.

After shaking off the unwanted feeling of her sister's hug she decided it was time to leave. The Firelights weren't gonna get any better with her around. She did what Marenth wanted. Anything else…too damn bad.

She walked away from the medical tents and into the open fields. God, her sister really thought it was all good now didn't she? When was the last time she wasman-handledlike that? Never! Mylo was at her side, pointing and doubling over in laughter to tease her for it too.

"She's gotta learn boundaries." Jinx snapped aloud.

Mylo's frenzied response only further argued with her.

"I'mnota hypocrite.Ican just do whatever I want." She crossed her arms over her chest with a pout.

The sight of the mural in the fields made her stop. There were plenty of Firelights, young and old, surrounding the art with brushes and buckets of paint in hand. How they were gonna paint thirty three new faces up there was beyond her. There was hardly any space. But hey, maybe it would help hide the ghosts that haunted her. Nameless faces would block the rest.

Yeah…that would be nice.

Her thoughts returned to the memory of her confronting that damned mural with everything she had. The dreaded idea of doing that again poked and prodded her mind. She had to do it again, didn't she?

Jinx nodded to herself. As long as it takes. She'd overcome them. All her demons that threatened to consume her. She'd eventually confront each one.

That was the only way to escape this hell. She had to believe that, no matter how much her very soul screamed that it was a lie.

Ekko's return was hardly triumphant. As she sat on the stairs at the base of the grand tree, she watched the large metal door swing open and the Leader of the Firelight's shuffled out from the shadowy tunnels with a scowl on his face.

Judging by his expression, she could only assume the council refused to grant him the Hextech. Big shocker there. She laughed to herself at the irony behind it all. It was just like those arrogant top-side idiots to give their "support" to the Firelights, only to screw them when things got hairy.

Although, maybe it was a good thing! She could imagine Sevika and her crew eliminating the Firelights one by one until she could just walk out the front door with nobody to stop her. Or! The Ogre would come to burn this place to the ground and she could help her out.

Jinx nodded her head, loving her own thoughts for the potential future. Yes, the lack of power on the Firelight's side could be seen as the best thing to happen in a while…Her brow furrowed. Then again, she had a few things she'd need to look out for, namely a fluffy little professor, her topsider friend and, fine, she'd even sorta, kinda admit that she'd prefer Vi to be outside the walls when everything burned to a crisp. But that was their choice if they wanted to die a stupid, pointless death. She wasn't gonna stop 'em.

Ekko's eyes connected with hers for only a moment before he turned and walked towards the mural she'd been wary to watch. She was able to see the boy grab Scar's attention and the two began wandering to a more secluded spot in the camp.

She frowned. Secrets were no fun.

"Wanna go see what they're talking about?" She asked Mylo and Claggor idly. She didn't wait for their response either.

With the agility of a cat she leapt across the fields, taking large, careful strides to follow behind the two from a distance. They slipped behind a section of metal and plywood near the training arena. It was a small space away from prying ears and eyes. Just not hers!

She neared the meeting area, back pressed against the wall nonchalantly to avoid suspicion from the rest of the community and focused her hearing on the conversation.

"They offered an airship." Ekko's voice growled quietly. "That's it."

"Not enough." Scar's deep, baritone voice was easy enough to identify. The two sounded like opposites. She wondered how a Chirean as big and old as Scar would've found himself as a second in command to a boy, but that query was for another day. She wanted the juicy gossip.

"Iknowit's not enough. What would an airship even do? Their factory is in the under-city."

"What now?" Scar questioned, not a man of many words was he? Actually, did she ever hear him say more than a few words at a time? Holy cow! Her eyes widened. What if he was just a big, dumb brute? That'd explain the chain of command. Brains at the top, brawn right below.

Eh. Her shoulder lifted with a mock shrug. She preferred her methods of smart and deadly wrapped into one. Certainly more effective than this whole operation.

"Jinx said she thinks we should steal the Hextech."

Ooh! He's talking about her idea! There was hope for the Firelights after all. She just had to figure out a way to get in on the plan.

"No." Scar replied.

Hm. Maybe not.

"I know. It's a terrible idea." Ekko sighed, "Besides, she's insane."

Ouch. Why did her chest constrict so tightly when he said that? She glanced towards her feet in reflection, boots shuffling in the dirt. She'd always known she was crazy. That's how it was and she had no problem telling anyone that would listen. It's just…The way he spoke about her without her actually there…

"She's young…"

Her eyes widened with a memory, spoken words that she'd long forgotten. Vi? Was that…Vi's voice? Her fingers raised to clench her head. The painful ache, the piercing betrayal, she could feel it brewing within.

"Don't bullshit me, you were twice the person at half her age."

Mylo? She glanced around herself, unable to find the boy in her sights. Where was he? If he was gonna insult her he should show himself. Coward.

"You know what Mylo, you're right. There's a bunch of things Powder just can't do…"

Jinx bit her lip hard enough to draw blood when she realized what was happening. Her foot tapped impatiently in the dirt below. Get out. Powder had no place in her mind. None! The dead child was a useless weight. These memories served no purpose. Get. Out. The tension in her muscles had her ready to burst into a malevolent rage.

She cut ties with Powder long ago, watched her drown in the harbor. The little brat had no place here! Her nails clawed into her scalp as she tugged on her hair. As if the real sensation of pain could replace what was inside.

Get thesedisgustingmemories out.

"Why bring it up?" Scar asked.

Shimmer-filled eyes snapped open, like a spell had been broken. That's right, she wasn't here to think about the past. She shook the conversation from her head and focused on reality. Whatever that was.

"I don't know." Another breathy sigh escaped from the boy's lips, "I'm just out of ideas entirely."

She heard something like a clap from within the meeting area and she could only guess Scar was placing a hand on Ekko's shoulder. She rolled her eyes at the thought. How grossly sweet of the big guy. It made her want to fuck with him more.

"We adapt. We survive."

"You're right. We'll figure something else out." Ekko nodded and she began shuffling away, sensing the conversation was coming to an end. She'd rather not explain why she'd been eavesdropping. "For now we focus on the injured. We can't think about anything else until we've recovered our strength."

"Agreed."

Damn. There went her chance to get some much needed distance from this prison and a heist for the gemstones. Her shoulders slumped at the realization. It left a bad taste in her mouth. Even if Ekko decided to keep her alive, what then? Would she be caged in this place for the rest of her life? Would they ever take off her restraints? She was reduced to a flightless crow.

How was that okay?

"Murderer. Murderer. Murderer."Mylo repeated in her ear.

"Right." She whispered at the boy's accusations. She was a murderer. Unredeemable. Thiswasher life now. The depressing thought was cut the moment unwanted feelings lingered in her heart. She shouldn't dwell on that. Her other half was surely waiting in the shadows to convince her there was only one true escape.

No. She clenched her eyes shut. Don't think about it. Don't!

She started sprinting away. The escape from her eavesdropping point should have been stealthier. There was great risk in revealing herself to Ekko and Scar, but it was more important to get away. Find safety. Right now, the only way she'd find solace was distraction with her hoverboard.

Yeah. That would take her fractured mind off things for a while.

Hopefully…

"Wrench." She said while holding her palm out in the air. A few seconds passed in silence and most notably, there was no wrench being placed in her waiting palm. She groaned. "One of these days you guys will have to start pulling your own weight."

Knees clicked at the joints when she got up from her seated position on the floor. Her many demons lingered in the shadows of her room while she scanned the area for her lost wrench. Vander growled like a beast as she plucked the discarded tool from the floorboards.

"Yeah, yeah I found it."

She seated herself back in front of the broken board and began twisting the wrench over freshly placed bolts. It was nice of the professor to supply her with new tools and materials to complete the ambitious project. A manual or something would still be appreciated, but she'd make do with what she had.

A brilliant mind. She grinned as she put strength behind her forearms and tightened the metal. At least the yordle could see some method behind the madness. She could count on her fingers just how many people could see that. Jinx tilted her head in thought.

Did Ekko understand? Or was she just "Insane" like he said? Is that all she was to him? Yeesh, no wonder he was always so…awkward around her. That seemed like the right word. Awkward and also a total ass.

Oops. Jinx paused her tightening of the wrench when she realized the bolt would surely crack from extra pressure. She had to be more careful with her strength.

Violet was also a topic that frequented her mind. Last night…that was special right? It felt special. Like something between them had shifted. The idea that her big sister would fight for her, while unnecessary, was worth considering. Could she ask Vi to help her escape? If her only path forward was to rot in this stuffy room for the rest of her life, surely Vi would help right? That's what she promised.

A breath escaped her and she dropped her arms to the floor. So many questions. Nothing made any sense these days. Whatever Jinx was, whatever Jinx wanted to be, it was all just a dream. Not quite an ambition or goal either. Just a dream.

And dreams were hardly worthwhile. This fucked up world would forever hold her in it's clutches. And somehow, at some point in her time here, she forgot just how careful she should have been. Friendship, family, it was never in her reality. It couldn't be. Just like the sun would never shine in the night.

So why was she okay with it? Why did she find herself missing Caitlyn? Why did she smile at the yordle scientist when he spoke his cheery words of wisdom? Better yet, why didn't she break Violet's fingers when the woman picked her up without permission?

The rough scribbles of her mind itched over her brain. They spoke to her.

"I'm not getting soft." She argued in response. "I'm just…tolerating their stupidity."

Yeah! That made sense. This place was full of it. Stupidity, that is. Of course her tolerance would naturally increase over time. It was a good explanation.

Good thinkin' me.

With that comfort in her mind she continued to work well into the night. The only sounds being her tinkering and the nightly creatures that buzzed in the darkness. The blissful, focused state she found let every worry, every concern, fade into nothingness. Amazing.

That is until a sudden sound startled her.

The 'thump' that echoed in her room paused her efforts and wide pink eyes stared at the visitor that had entered her room under her radar. A white porcelain owl mask stared down at her while she sat on the floor.

Ekko. How great. One day and he'd already abandoned knocking on her door.

She stared at him, fully masked and clothed in his large, dark green jacket. His weapon/club thingy attached to his back. Confusion swirled in her pupils before glancing towards the floor to find a crumpled dark green cloak and similar white mask.

"Put these on." His distorted voice spoke and she could see why he chose to wear the mask. It did wonders for his intimidation. Not that it worked on her. You had to not know who was under the mask for it to be effective.

"Why?" She asked while stifling her giggles.

"You wanted to steal the Hextech, right?"

Her lips parted in silent shock. Wide pink eyes flashed to his face and back to the crumpled Firelight uniform on her bedroom floor. Was she hearing okay? Was this a prank? Hesitant pale arms reached out to pull the fabric into her clutches. It was heavy, thick material and she wrapped the cloak around her shoulders quickly. Never once breaking her eye contact from the man that towered over her seated position.

He turned and began walking out the door, nodding his head to follow.

"Mask too." Ekko said before he walked through her door and into the night's air.

She stood up, letting the lengthy outfit fall to her ankles. Definitely a few sizes too big. She tried to extend her arms through the sleeves but found her reach fell short. Whatever. She was too curious about the Firelight and his intentions to care whether or not the clothes fit. Was this a test?

Slim fingers plucked the white mask from the floor and slipped it over her head and flipped her hood over her scalp. Perfect. She sighed as she realized the mask was equally large and she struggled to see clearly through the eye-holes, needing to tilt her head backwards to get any sort of clear vision.

With everything on, she rushed out of her room to follow after the mysterious boy. Her eyes caught his calm and casual walk down the stairs of the great tree and swiveled her head to the side to find her usual guards were absent. Strange…

"What's the- woah." She started before listening to the sound of her own distorted voice, awesome. "I thought you sai-?"

He turned and lifted a single gloved finger over his masked lips.

"Wait till we're outside the walls." He said before returning to his silence and slipping his hands into his pockets.

Ah. They were being sneaky. Got it. Fun!

She followed behind him, trying her best to watch her step with the oversized mask and still remain cool. Was he actually taking her outside? Were they gonna steal back the Hextech?! She could feel the adrenaline flowing in her veins at the thought and couldn't help the chipper hop in her step as she walked closely behind Ekko.

As they crossed the fields under the moonlit sky, her eyes scanned her surroundings. Firelight guards, while drastically reduced in numbers, still stood watch in their usual positions. Aside from the guards missing from her room, everything seemed quite normal. Did Ekko send her guards away?

She didn't linger on the thought, they were moving with purpose, heading directly towards the front door of the base and she could feel a nervous bead of sweat on her temple. A lone guard at the door stood near the lone lever to open the door.

"Sir?" The Firelight asked.

"Going out to scout routes one and five. It's been a few days since we checked those tunnels."

"Right." The gatekeeper nodded before glancing towards herself. "Would you like additional scouts? Andrei may be available."

"No thanks, we'll be fine on our own."

The man said nothing as he pulled the mechanical level towards himself and they waited for the large, gear-like door to swing open and reveal the shadowy tunnels ahead. When Ekko began walking, she too followed.

"Might wanna get an outfit that fits you better, shrimp." She heard the man chuckle as she passed and she snorted while continuing onward. Yeah…right. He could tease her all he wanted, at leastshewasn't stupid enough to mistake a prisoner for a fellow Firelight.

When he wasn't looking she spun on her heel, lifted her mask ever so slightly and stuck her tongue out at the man. There!

The darkness that shrouded their path had her pause for a moment. Her mind filled in the unknown with random, distracting scribbles. No. This was no time to be afraid. She clenched her teeth and continued forward. If Ekko saw her hesitation…

"I thought you told the big guy youwouldn'tsteal the Hextech?" She asked aloud, her voice echoed deep into the abyss they traveled.

"You were spying on us."

Shit. Uhhhhh…

"I happened to be nearby." She replied cheekily. Technically not a lie. No use trying to pretend anyway.

When she nearly tripped over her own feet she clicked her teeth with her tongue and flipped the large white mask to rest on the top of her head. Ah. Much better. She could actually see…well…she still couldn't see but at least Ekko's shadowed back was in her sightline.

"I can't just sit back and let the council screw us over." Ekko replied with a slight glance behind him. "I'm taking things into my own hands. It'smyproblem to fix."

"And I'm along for the ride because…?" Not that she was complaining! Absolutely not. But why her?

"I can't risk the others getting wrapped up in this. They need to focus on recovering. Who else does that leave? Vi…?" She nodded her head in understanding. Her big sister was like the exact opposite of stealthy. "I can't handle this alone. Besides, you said you've had experience with this sorta thing, right?"

"Finally! Someone gets it." She grinned. Took the boy long enough. She could be useful! Rotting in her cage was doing no favors for anyone. "You need m-!"

In the darkened tunnels she never saw the arm swing towards her. His forearm connected with her neck and caught her next words in her throat. The back of her head slammed against concrete as she was forced against the curved wall. Startled pink eyes stared into the dark eyeholes of Ekko's mask.

"Don't get the wrong idea." He threatened as he applied further pressure and constricted her airway. She tried to swallow, even gasp for air but she couldn't find the gap in his hold to do so. His free palm raised from his side with her restraint transmitter in his clutches.

The fighting spirit inside her was roaring to life. She could feel the twitch of her own muscles preparing to retaliate with everything she had. Her nose wrinkled with an angry snarl. How dare he push her like this. She should kill him.

"You try to run, I restrain you." He spoke.

Ha! Like she'd run away without ensuring the boy king wasn't dead in a ditch somewhere.

"You try to fight me, I restrain you."

Oh yeah? Big tough Firelight right? Just look at how much power he had over her and he still had to resort to intimidation. It was pathetic. What a sad, pathetic child he was.

"You give me ANY reason at all to not trust you, I restrain you." He pressed his forearm even deeper into her soft neck and she grunted in response, "I'll throw you in the Pilt river. You won't be coming back."

They stared, their eyes connected with equal amounts of fury and resolve. Her fists tightened at her sides. Could he do it? Could Ekko actually kill her? The doubt was heavy in her mind, but it was a gamble. And she couldn't bet on this.

"Got it." Jinx choked out and his arm pushed off her body allowing air to breathe fresh life into her lungs. She coughed, hunched over with her hands on her knees as she recovered.

"Then we're good." He continued to watch her as she regained her balance and swiped her sleeve against her lips. "Prove to me that you can be trusted and…well…"

He left it at that. Not quite a promise of freedom, but she could sense something akin to that in his words. He was giving her a chance. Fine. She'd have to begrudgingly accept. He was also taking her on a much needed adventure beyond the walls. That was worth focusing on. It helped quell the violent rage that rushed through her veins.

"Heh." She chuckled under her breath while using her palm to rub her throat. She had to admit, Ekko was strong. For a moment she thought he'd actually suffocate her in these dirty tunnels and leave her to the rats. A lone chuckle shifted into a collection of rugged laughter. How wonderfully surprising!

Maybe he wasn't such a bore after all.

"Don't make me regret this." Ekko called as he turned and continued to walk down the dark, empty tunnels.

"Of course not." She smirked after him. Her anger all but fizzled and replaced with a strange, giddiness that bubbled in her chest. Emotions flipping without thought as a smile spread across her face.

Jinx was going to the top-side! It was happening! To taste the cool air up above once again...

She just couldn't wait.

Notes:

And that's the chapter!

A new adventure for Jinx and Ekko awaits! Could this finally be their moment to get closer? We'll have to wait and see ;)

I hope you all enjoyed what was written and I look forward to reading a lot of your comments and feedback. I save every single one in my inbox and it's always such wonderful motivation to keep writing.

Again, I wanted to mention my Twitter: /elsanndra I think it would be a really cool way to keep in touch when I'm not posting chapters or responding to comments but again, no pressure to follow. I don't wanna seem like I'm asking for attention. I plan to post updates about the story's progress regardless if I have 1 follower or 100. It's a neat way to keep me invested and honest with my own writing.

Until next time!

Chapter 12: Top-Side

Notes:

Hello my wonderful readers! I hope your week has been as pleasant as mine! I've had a blast writing this chapter and it kinda ended up being my longest one yet, a bit over 7k words. Now, that's definitely not the norm, but I figure it's better to deliver a consistent, three part chapter that wasn't cut off just because I hit some arbitrary word limit that I placed in the past. I should say that chapters should never be under 5k words, but the potential for going over is there, especially if I'm in the zone. Which these next few chapters are gonna be like that I think.

Thank you all for leaving comments on the last one too! I probably didn't get to yours if you commented and I sincerely apologize. By the time I finished this chapter it felt weird to respond, knowing that a lot of questions, answers, and further comments would come once I posted this one. But I appreciate it nonetheless! Really it's the comments and support that motivate me to write more. I have plenty of excitement for the upcoming plot points but getting there for you all is the real joy in all this.

Please leave a comment or Kudos to let me know what you think! Especially since there's gonna be a ton of dialogue and world stuff. I wanna know if I messed up or if the characters start to feel different in an unnatural way. Having no beta is great to be able to keep full creativity alive and chapters coming consistently, but sometimes I wonder if I get too blinded by my own interpretations of Arcane. This is supposed to feel like a natural expansion of Arcane after all. Keep me honest if you think things are off! Anyway, that's enough rambling...

Follow my Twitter if you want more updates about the story beyond just when chapters are posted (And huge thanks to those that followed me!)
/elsanndra

Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

"Sothisis where you've planted your little bird cage."

Her hands were on her hips as she nodded. She understood now! With the opening to the sewage tunnels at her back, she scoped the horizon. The area was vaguely familiar. Finally she knew where they were actually keeping her and surprise, surprise…Jinx had no idea where she was. The under-city was a large place and the Lanes only covered a fraction of the territory. Whatever wasn't stacked on top of itself was either buried in the mines below or in the wild, uninhabitable outskirts. It looked like they were somewhere between the harbor and the outskirts.

Add a confusing maze of abandoned sewage tunnels as a natural first line of defense and it was no wonder that she couldn't find the crafty little insects. To think that life, people, even a big freakin tree could survive behind concrete walls…It was pretty fascinating.

"C'mon." Ekko commented as he continued to walk towards the city she'd lived in for her whole life.

She followed the boy, eyes shifting from side to side to take it all in before grinning and adding a little pep in her step.

"Hey, hey." She called out to the Firelight, walking beside him with a closeness that would certainly bother him. "So, hear me out, crazy idea.Igo get the gemstones and you keep watch right here." She pointed her fingers to the muddy ground they walked over.

His shoulders twitched upwards and a low chuckle could be heard through his distorted mask.

"You're right. That is a crazy idea." She gave him a toothy smile and batted her eyelashes innocently. It wouldn't be the first time he'd entertain her crazy ideas. They were outside the Firelight base after all. "No."

Damnit. Jinx threw up her hands in a shrug and played off her disappointment. It was worth a try.

"I tried to put it lightly, but I think you'll slow me down. Jeez, take a hint."

"I'm not the same kid you used to know." He replied.

Well duh. She hardly remembered him as a kid. Was he intentionally trying to forget? Or did he think he was acting cool with a response like that? Oh, that was easy to answer, how silly of her to not piece it together sooner. He was just an idiot trying to seem like he knew what he was doing!

What other explanation did she have for him going behind his family's back, sneaking a prisoner out of confinement and needing said prisoner's help to steal the most sought after technology in the history of Piltover?

Desperation was a funny thing, huh?

Ekko paused and she stopped alongside him while his pointer finger raised towards the area ahead.

"See that space up ahead?" She squinted her eyes to see the lower walls that defined the section of the Lanes in the distance, a sliver of a column creating a concrete valley. "We enter through there, follow the sewage lanes around and up through the under-city, it'll spit us out near the Bridge of Progress. We'll need to keep out of sight from there."

She clapped him on the back, hard enough to make him stumble forward. Her legs pushed into a nonchalant skip ahead as she offered the boy a grin.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get moving!"

When her head turned away from the boy, a dark, knowing smirk graced her lips. She didn't miss the way his hands shot into his pockets when she slapped him from behind. The transmitter for her metal cuffs was definitely tight in his grip. Not one to take her lightly, was he?

Good. A knife in the back was just a single whim away. Ekko should be glad that she wasn't bored…or had a knife.

They didn't have to travel far. Just a few hundred meters across a barren wasteland and frequent hops over steamy, bubbly goop. The cratered, desolate land was full of it. Cesspools of slime that supplied the nauseous, unhealthy air they breathed. Wonder what that stuff was anyway? Some called it the poison of the land. Nature's worst. Others claimed it was residue of Piltover's waste, long forgotten in their pursuit for progress. The more curious side of her wished she could touch it, or maybe splash it over Ekko.

Nah. Too icky.

When they entered the concrete valley, she spun on her heels in wonder. Webs of wires and pipes sprawled above. A chattering buzz tickled her ears and before she could snap at Mylo to stop making such ridiculous noises, bright neon green lights twinkled all around her. Ahhhh. The source of the Firelight's name.

"Pretty..." She sighed breathily as the bugs sparkled in the night.

"They are, aren't they?" Ekko's voice carried with the subtle breeze. It was the first time she'd heard him sound content, like he was at peace. A far cry from the angry, frustrated child she loved to antagonize. Maybe there was a side to him she hadn't seen.

A single firelight flapped towards her, planting itself lightly on her oversized sleeve and she smiled as its glow illuminated her face.

Ekko walked closer to her.

"This is the only place they actually seem to thrive here. We found them when-."

Jinx suddenly slapped the bug on her arm, splattering it's luminescent insides all over the dark green fabric.

"…"

When she noticed Ekko's silence she took her eyes away from the green splotch to stare into his silent gaze. Why'd he stop telling her about the firelights? She was curious about them.

"What?" She blinked, "It was annoying."

A sigh slipped beneath his mask as he walked around her and continued down the sewer valley. "Nevermind, we should keep going."

Yeah, he was probably right. They had to make good time to finish the heist before sunrise.

She walked beside him, matching his pace as she smiled at her arm. "Look." Jinx grinned as she extended her arm for the boy to see, "Now it's on me." She giggled.

"I saw."

Her smile fell a bit at his tone. He clearly wasn't as excited as she was. Didn't even glance towards her. She found a way to keep the beauty of the little bugs on her outfit. It stained her with its vibrant color. And without all that annoying buzzing. It was neat!

Why wasn't he interested like before?

Their footsteps clacked against roof tiles as they sprinted above the Noble's district. The roar of the wind, the brilliant shine of the moon above, even her heavy, strained breaths ignited something within her very core. Jinx, with a cheshire grin spread across her face, cackled aloud at the many sensations.

Freedom. It tasted so sweet.

Side by side, Ekko and Jinx rushed towards the looming tower ahead. She leaned into their swift approach and gained speed over the boy beside her. Fluid in her movements she was sliding under pipes and flipping over the protruding chimneys, her acrobatic agility fueling her excitement. She never once slowed down, the thrill of the heist ever present in her veins.

"Wahooo!" She cheered into the open air as she burst from one roof to another, crossing an entire gap over the city streets.

For a moment she could've sworn she was flying.

She landed with a roll before turning her head to glance at her partner in crime. Ekko's leap wasn't as graceful or as practiced. His arms flailed widely without a way to balance himself in the air and he crashed onto the rooftop with a heavy slam. Although, he somehow managed to land solidly on his two feet.

Not bad.

"Idiot." He spat with a hushed voice, "Don't go screaming out when you're leaping from building to building like a maniac. Are you trying to get us caught?"

"I couldn't help it." She chuckled, "This is just so fun!"

"I shouldn't have brought you." Ekko sighed in a moment of regret. He started back into a slight jog as he continued onward.

"Rude!" Jinx remarked before running after the Firelight, "You don't mean that. I'm the best damn thief this city's got."

"Sure about that?"

"Of course." She chirped at his side. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind. Ekko may not realize it, but technically she had Mylo, Claggor, Vi and Silco in her head. They were a part of her now and that was like…one…two…No, four extra thieves rolled into one! How could anyone beat that?

He didn't say anything else and instead, the two eased into a silent approach towards the tower. Its distance getting closer with each taken stride. When they crossed onto the last set of buildings before the council tower, he crouched over the edge of the gutter and held his arm outward to signal their pause.

Pink eyes stared at the tower steps and the street before it, noting the many enforcers that casually patrolled the area with rifles in their arms. She counted six and with the lack of excitement in this city since the tension of war had all but faded, they'd surely be unprepared for an actual attack. Good. This would be so very easy.

"Okay." She started, "I'll take the three on the right side and you take the three on the left. Got anything other than that club for me?"

Jinx held her palm out towards the Firelight, waiting expectantly for some sort of weapon to be placed in her grasp. She saw Ekko look to her hand and back to her face before shaking his head.

"No way."

"What?" She lurched in her seated position with a hushed growl, "You want me to kill them without a weapon? Ugh. Fine. But it'll take longer with just my hands."

"No. No killing. We aren't going to create more problems for ourselves."

"Uh…That's exactly why weshouldkill them. Are you dense?" She replied with her brow quirked upwards in utter disbelief. What kinda shotty operation were they running here? Amatuer alert!

"Think about the aftermath. If they find out it was us that stole the gemstonesandwe killed the enforcers we'll be in much deeper shit."

She fell backwards on the rooftop and let her back hit the tiles. Light gray clouds slowly traveled overhead and occasionally blocked bits of the glowing moon above. Damnit. This was definitely the most bothersome heist she's ever been on. Even Sevika was more fun than the prideful little boy beside her. Sevika actually had the balls to kill.

"You know why you can't handle this alone?" Jinx asked aloud, "Because you're already thinking we're gonna get caught."

"It's called, being careful and thinking things through." Ekko snorted, "You should try it sometime."

"No, it's called being a wimp and it's sad."

They continued to observe the guards, memorizing their routine paths and making note of the time intervals between shifts. In fifteen minutes the six guards rotated once which meant that the best opportunity to move would be after the next shift. They didn't have all night.

"You sure I can't kill them?" She asked again. Didn't he see how much more difficult he was making this? Without the danger of getting spotted, it would be so much easier to infiltrate the structure ahead.

"No. Killing." He replied sternly.

She threw up her hands. "Well, I have no idea how we're gonna do this then."

"Didn't you say you stole the gemstones before?"

"Gemstone." She corrected, "And yeah, but that was during the Progress Day speech from the good ol' Man of Progress and I also set up a distraction that sorta maybe...oh, I don't know…killed all the guards in my way!" She ended with a shout before both their eyes widened and she slapped her hand over her mouth.

They quickly turned to scan the area below and sighed in relief when there was seemingly no reaction to the noisy outburst from the guards. Whew. Close one.

Ekko let out a hollow chuckle, "We're doomed."

"Nonsense." She giggled

"Youjustsaid you have no idea how we're gonna do this."

"Yeeeaaahhh. But just because I don't know how, doesn't mean we can't."

She could sense the annoyed, deadpan expression behind his mask as he watched her in silence. Seriously, no creativity with this guy!? No trust either. A good attitude adjustment would really help him out. He needed to learn how to have a little fun.

"That literally makes no sense. This isn't some game where you can get lucky."

"Watch and learn babe. Sometimes things just work themselves out."

"Wha- what did you just call me?" He whispered harshly as he watched her give a mock salute and leap off the building edge and into the dark city streets. "Hey!"

She landed as silently as she could with a sly grin. Sure, she could try her hand at stealth without killing her enemies. It would make the little Firelight happy, also it was easy enough to avoid detection. Make no noise, avoid any direct light from the street lamps, and stay out of the sightlines of the guards. Simple.

With a hop and skip she crossed into the street. Jinx was relaxed, she had to be. If all hell broke loose…well…wouldn't that just make things even more fun? Her eyes darted to a glass bottle on the side of the curb, all by its lonesome and ripe for the taking. How perfect. She swiped it into her hand while she continued to walk closer to the tower.

The right side guards were in a perfect formation with their backs to her sneaking form. That just meant the left side was her priority.

No plan. Hah! Whatever. She'd be just fine without one. Her arm bent backwards and with a snap of her wrist she launched the bottle far into the distance. When it shattered, the three guards on the left side all turned and her pathway was clear.

"What was that?"

"Glass?"

"Go check it out."

She spun to give the Firelight, who was just now making his way down from the rooftops, a middle finger. See. Things work out. If he saw her little gesture, he didn't make it clear and instead stayed crouched as he followed loosely behind. With a final dash of effort she jumped over a neatly groomed set of hedges and found herself flush against the stone wall of the Council's tower. Ekko made the jump shortly after.

"Easy peasy."

"Okay…I'm impressed." She grinned. That was quite possibly the first time she's received a compliment from the boy. About damn time. "So now we climb?"

"I guess." She shrugged. She hadn't really thought about what she'd do once she got to the other side of the street but that seemed like a reasonable idea. Look at them, actual partners in crime. Just a couple of thieves making it up as they go. This was fun.

No need to dwell on the fact that killing the guards would've been much harder than her improvised approach.

They both lifted their heads to scale the sheer height of the tower. It was pretty high up.

"How far up do you think we need to go?"

She closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest in thought. Her memory of the place was blurry at best. The location they stored the gemstones might've changed after her last mission too. Hmmm. Were they smart enough to move the gemstones? Probably not.

"I'd say at least halfway up. Maybe a little higher."

Ekko approached the wall after removing his gloves and brushed his fingertips over the little cracks and indents that littered the surface. After a moment of gathering his thoughts and surely trying to "plan" his way up, Jinx watched Ekko dust his hands off and reach for the first hold.

Oh. Right to it then? Cool.

She spat saliva into her pale palms and rubbed her hands together before following her accomplice in the effort to scale the Council tower. The portion of the building they climbed was shadowed under the night's sky and with their dark green outfits, spotting them would be unlikely.

They continued upward, one foothold, one reach at a time. The strange pull to glance below was starting to get to her. Just how high up were they? The thrill of the climb and the danger of falling sent butterflies through her stomach and she giggled to herself. It was such a lovely feeling.

She looked up towards Ekko as he climbed higher and higher. The voices in her head teased her while she felt her muscles tense under the strain of her climbing.

"Mylo says don't look down." Jinx called out cheekily, maybe she could get him a little rattled as they went higher up.

"Yeah?" Ekko grunted while shifting his legs to step into another line in the wall, "Well tell Mylo that if I fall, you're coming with me."

Oh. Fair point. If he slipped, his body was gonna connect with hers and there was no way she'd be able to hold the both of them under that kinda weight. Mylo's ghostly form watched her, floating in the air next to her body as she slipped her fingers into another slim space to hold. His chattering in her ear was actually helping with the uncertainty and danger with their path.

Took her mind off things, oddly enough. Nothing like the thought of death by gravity to put her at ease.

"Mylo says he'd like that." She replied. It was the truth. Anything that would get her killed was okay in his book. Did Ekko know her ghosts were out to get her?

"...Oh."

Maybe he didn't.

Well, not like it mattered. Their adventure was fleeting and come tomorrow they'd hate each other once again. The distraction of their objective was only that, a distraction. Jinx did well to remember that. The addition of her friends just meant it was easier to spot her enemies and she was following one this very moment. It would do her good to focus on the gemstones. That's what mattered.

Suddenly Jinx gasped aloud and Ekko cursed as his grip slipped for a fraction of a second.

"What?!" Ekko's panicked voice called from above. "Is something wrong? Did they-?"

She shook her head, "Were the gemstones in the council tower? Or was it the academy?" She tilted her chin upwards in thought and her eyes became distant trying to recall.

"Are youfuckingserious?"

"What?" Jinx growled, the fury in his voice was uncalled for. She was doing her best here! "All these buildings look the same from the inside. Not like I live up here either."

She began giggling to herself as she looked below. The vast distance between their current position and the streets below was making her belly twist and turn. How hilarious if they didn't even need to be in this situation.

Ekko sighed before shifting his weight to lean over the corner of the building. "Okay…Okay. We'll have to find a window and continue our search here. There's no time to stop now."

Good. He could find reason and adapt. That was nice to see. God knows he's shown very little competence to her until now. It sounded like the only option anyway. She also leaned over the corner to scan the many windows that littered the front of the tower.

"We should go up one more floor and…hm?" She stared at the window a floor below.

The dark interior was illuminated by what she assumed was a sliver of light from the hall and rushing away from the window was a shadow that stretched across the floor. The dark outline of a body in a hurry. No doubt belonging to a person…Uh oh.

"We might wanna speed things up." She recommended. It was pretty likely they had been spotted. She didn't need to explain further either as Ekko jumped up and gripped the corner of the building.

The sound of breaking glass might as well have been a bomb exploding in the silence of the night. The harsh shatter and pieces of shards littering the ground below sent a rush through her veins. Maybe they'd get some action after all!

She scrambled up the wall and followed behind the boy as they crawled through the newly created opening. Once inside, her eyes were wide and alert. The moonlight that glowed behind them gave plenty of light. They were in an office. A dull, boring, entirely uninteresting office.

Jinx groaned, "This is definitely not the place."

Ekko leaned over one of the many wooden desks, his gloved hands holding himself up. "This is my fault. I should've planned this better. Damnit!"

"You and your plans." She smirked while casually examining the bookshelves and filing cabinets that lined the office walls. There were a few paintings that decorated the room, and a very real possibility of valuable information within the documents here. "Wanna just take some of this stuff anyway?"

"We're not here to steal random stuff."

"Yeah, but don't you want a souvenir at least?" She laughed before swiping a picture of a top-sider and his family from a desk and presenting it as if it were a valuable treasure. "Look at how happy they are. So gross, right?"

When he turned away from Jinx and dismissed her antics, her bright eyes fell into an irritated stare and her smile straightened into a slight frown. She tossed the picture into the air behind her, letting it fracture on the floor below. The Firelight just wasn't any fun.

"If this is an office, we should probably head up a few more floors to be safe." The boy commented with his finger's pressed onto his mask in thought. "We can still salvage this."

"Whatever you sa-."

The office door suddenly slammed open and the two froze in their tracks while staring down the man blocking the entrance. A blue glow suddenly caught her attention as the man stepped forward into the moonlight, Hextech weapon in hand. It was clear as day to her. There was only one type of technology that shined so brilliantly with that color.

"Stop where you are. No sudden movements or you're dead."

Oh shit! It was the councilor. Jayce right? His tall, built frame was pretty recognizable too. One of the only councilors that appears to have some meat on his bones. Actually there was the half yordle, half human but that was a different kind of meat wasn't it?

It was hard to adhere to the command of no sudden movements when her shoulders were twitching in laughter.

Ekko put his hands up slowly, "I can explain."

"No need." Jayce stated. He took another step forward and let the moon shine it's light over his face. His lips pulled into a tight line and his brows twisted in anger. "The council's decision was clear and the Firelight's couldn't accept that huh? I know what you're here for Ekko."

Oooh. Well there went his attempt for a secret identity. Dropped the moment someone recognized the boy's voice. Or his outfit. He didn't really make any effort to switch that up either. She paused to glance towards the boy, hoping he'd see her facial expressions. It was two on one…she just needed the signal. Surely the councilor was too weak to actually use his hammer-thingy.

"And what'sshedoing here?" Jayce nodded to herself on the other side of the room.

Oh crap! She snapped her chin downwards to let the oversized mask slip back over her face. She'd forgotten that she'd put it up there.

"I'm just following my dumb leader's orders." Jinx said while also lowering her voice to increase the distortion through the mask.

She watched Jayce's eyes roll, "That's Jinx…Isn't it?"

Wow! This guy was good! Then again, he was the inventor of Hextech…How odd to find a councilor that actually has brains. Whelp, it was fun Ekko, see ya in Stillwater.

"No that's-." Ekko tried.

"Don't bullshit me. I saw her face. Besides, you can see her blue hair at her ankles. I've only seen one person with that long of hair."

Jinx glanced down towards her feet. Hah! Progress man was right! She could see the tips of her braids peeking out just below the hem of her oversized cloak. Did she say he was good? Because that seemed to be an understatement. It wasn't very bright in the room but he had already identified them both and determined their objective. Could she switch sides?

Obviously she was on the wrong one.

"We need Hextech." Ekko pleaded, "Our control of the under-city is practically non-existent at this point."

"And you think you can just steal it from us?" Jayce asked, his shoulders lifted as he readied his hammer. The weapon spurred to life, whirling with immense power. "You got your answer."

"One airship won't save the under-city. They're growing in numbers Jayce er…Councilor. We can't stop them as we are now."

Yep. Jinx nodded in agreement. She could've said that from the very beginning. It was clear as day. The Firelight's were always a ragtag group of insects. More of an irritating splinter than a mortal wound, and if someone ever bothered to actually get her opinion, she'd say that the Firelight's probably had less than a year left to live.

"Please…" Ekko pleaded again and her eyes glanced towards the boy as he removed his mask and took a step towards the top-sider. "People are dying. Not just the Firelight's…the under-cityis dying."

The vulnerability in his voice had her jaw clench tightly. Speak for yourself little man. Did it ever occur to the boy that they were dying because they were weak? The world was unforgiving, unparalleled in its ability to deliver tragedy. Maybe death was just a way out. A great escape from it all.

If you can't survive on your own, what good are you?

The Firelights could all burn. She'd walk over the ashes knowing she was stronger in the end. That was her resolve…and here was their leader, begging a top-sider for aid. It was annoying.

The silence between the three was broken with Ekko's voice once more, "Please…"

Too bad Ekko. We failed, and the Firelight's days are numbered.

A sigh from Jayce had her eyes snap towards the councilor in confusion. No, disbelief. Was he seriously entertaining Ekko's request? Why? Why would he even consider it? There was no benefit for him. Was there?

The hammer's immense magical power faded as Jayce's shoulders lowered.

"I want to help. I do." Jayce sighed, "But the council made their decision and I alone am not above the council."

Why? Why would he want to help!? Liar. Top-siders wanted their destruction. They wanted the people below forever bound by the chains of tyranny. Even now, Powder's memories came to her as fragments and they told a story. One backed by her experience, and Silco's and, and…

She paused. Caitlyn was a top-sider though. Her hand went to her temple as she clenched her eyes shut. What didthatmean? Her friend wasn't like the rest of them. She just wasn't. But was she the sole exception?

"We're just asking for a chance. Two gemstones. And once we've gained control back, I swear on my life we'll return them." Ekko replied.

"I…" Jayce opened his mouth before leaning his hammer against the office wall and taking a seat in one of the chairs nearby. His forearms rested over his knees as he hunched over.

Ooh! This was their chance! Did Ekko see it? He put the weapon away. They had plenty of time to attack the councilor and still search for the Hextech. Hell! The hammer would be a great start. Why wasn't Ekko jumping on this opportunity?

"I've taken things into my own hands before." Jayce continued grimly while staring up towards the Firelight, "Kids died that day."

"More will die unless we do something."

"You don't understand. I created Hextech to improve lives, not…not be used for war. If anyone else dies by my technology, in the wrong or not, that's another lifeI'vetaken."

Jinx scoffed internally. The naivety was overwhelming. On both sides apparently. To find anguish in the thought, or to even assume something like Hextech couldn't be used for violence was woefully ignorant of its potential.

"I do understand." Ekko sighed as he too took a seat across from the man. "It was my plan to destroy the shimmer factory. My people died that night, but their blood is on my hands just as much as our enemy's. Their lives, their hopes for a brighter future, even their deaths…they'll follow me. Always."

Pink eyes widened at the conversation. The meaning and shared understanding, when framed by Ekko's words…didn't it make a little more sense? Her own thoughts drifted in the open air, passing through every single one of her ghosts that clung to her shoulders.

The unseen torment…were they able to feel it? Did Ekko and Jayce see them? No. She shook her head. Of course not. But they might be closer to that possibility than most.

"Then can I ask you something?" Jayce lifted his eyes to match Ekko's brown ones. "Can you ask me to give you the gemstones, knowing what I've just told you."

Ekko took a moment to respond. Even Jinx wasn't sure what would come out of the boy's mouth. The silence in the room carried an uncertain pressure that tensed her muscles. Would they return home with nothing because of a single question?

"I can't."

Well. That was it. That's where this ended huh? The Firelight's fate was sealed with two simple words. How interesting…and yet, she could sense sadness at the thought. This room was filled with it. It must be leaking into her like water absorbed through open pores. It felt heavy.

The two men stared at each other with unspoken words behind tired eyes. Jayce's hand reached for his hammer and pulled the weapon into his lap. She watched as he slipped his tanned fingers over a compartment that clicked open to reveal three glowing gemstones.

With gentle care, the man plucked two of the stones out and held the glowing orbs in his palms.

"I've lived my whole life pursuing greatness." Jayce murmured. He extended his palm to Ekko and Jinx's eyes widened in shock. "Will you do better?"

Why was the man giving Ekko his gemstones? That didn't make sense to her at all! He just said what he thought of the technology. He knows the despair of the lives he's taken and he wants more? He was evil then. He had to be. But that description didn't feel accurateorright. No. He wanted no more death. She could see it in his troubled eyes. But he would endure it for them...?

Is that what this offer meant?

"I have to." Ekko nodded his head, "Not just for the Firelight's, but for everyone in the under-city. They all need a better future."

The boy took the gemstones and pocketed them in his dark green jacket. The two suddenly stood.

"I'm so lost." She murmured before the two turned to her and she realized she'd spoken aloud.

"You better leave." Jayce remarked and she didn't miss the way his eyes hardened as he glared at her. "And I'll trust your judgment to bring her just this one time."

Jinx smiled under her mask. Shewasa terrorist in his eyes. It seemed that no good relationship between the Firelight's leader and councilor could change that belief. Cool. Not like she was looking to be friends with another top-sider anyway. Especially not a councilor!

"You'll get a head start, but I will sound the alarms." He said, "I simply failed to stop you from taking them."

"Right." Ekko smiled as if they were talking about an inside joke, but the threat of action was real. She knew Jayce was serious in his statement. "Wearestealing them."

"Leave your masks with me. The enforcers won't recognize your faces but they'll be able to connect the dots if they see the Firelight masks."

"Thank you, Councilor."

"Jayce is fine," The man nodded with a faint smile, "And make sure you get back without getting caught. It'll be much harder to help your people while rotting in Stillwater. I won't save you from that."

The Firelight leader nodded and Jinx took that as their cue to leave. Their heist was a complete and utter failure and yet, great treasure was in their clutches and that meant something. I guess? Ugh. How confusing this all was! The lingering question of Jayce's trust in Ekko was eating at her consciousness. Why did the man trust Ekko? What could he have seen in the boy's eyes?

Well, it may be entirely too stupid for her to understand…At least they had to work for it on their way back.

She felt an excited smile spread across her face as she followed Ekko out the window. She absolutely loved getting chased. It was such a fun game.

"Can I hold one?" She asked curiously as they sprinted across the rooftops once again.

"No." Ekko said, "And is this really the time?"

The sirens in the air were so loud she could barely think and the recognizable march of the enforcers flooding the streets breathed life into her escape.

"No time like the present!" She giggled as they jumped over an alley. Her bright pink eyes caught the sight of an enforcer's mask staring up at their leaping bodies. Finally, someone found them. It'd be so boring if they'd gotten away easily.

"On the roof!"

"After them!"

"Patrol three. Be advised, suspects spotted on 18th street heading south-"

She laughed into the open air when the adrenaline in her chest couldn't be contained any longer. She glanced towards Ekko, watching him stare ahead in focus as he continued to sprint, his arms moving at his sides with purpose. On her other side she stared at Mylo and Vander rushing next to her. Their ghostly forms barreling ahead with a pace that matched her own.

Huh. So eventheycould keep up with her like this.

Her senses prickled at a shift in the breeze and she ducked as a metal bola trap raced over her head. She watched the wires and weights crash into a chimney ahead.

"Missed me!" She shouted with a quick turn to taunt the enforcers that climbed the walls in an effort to race after them. Their shouts to stop and give themselves up was so classically funny.

Oh. Had she committed a crime? Sorry Officer. I'll stop running. Please don't arrest me.

"Heh. I think you're making them angry." She could barely hear the sound of Ekko's exhausted breath but it was clear enough to tell the boy was enjoying this as well. She smiled at him as they sprinted into the night.

Finally, he was able to have some fun too, wasn't he?

They were running out of city to traverse. It wouldn't be long before they crossed the Bridge of Progress and whether or not the city's finest had a chance to set up a blockade was a big question on both their minds.

Her whole world blurred with their speed and when they leapt onto the last building before the bridge ahead, Ekko shifted to run towards the street beside them. They had to get down somehow and it looked like the boy savior was already on it.

He jumped down and swung on the top of a street lamp like a monkey bar, using his momentum to fling himself forward. She followed the maneuver and softened the landing with a roll onto the street below. Without the rooftop view, they found themselves rushing through a maze of alleys towards the bridge.

"They're heading for the bridge."

"Is a patrol ready to intercept?"

"Just keep after them!"

"Hear that?" Ekko asked aloud as they took a sharp turn, nearly slamming into a brick wall ahead. "Sounds like they haven't prepared the blockade yet."

"Aw man!" Jinx smirked and saw him shake his head in wonder and disbelief.

When they exited the alley, the wide bridge was open and clear. She swiveled her head to watch as groups of enforcers raced from either side and a few were certainly behind them. The sheer number of officers rushing them from every angle was a sight to behold. What would she even do if that many attacked her at once?

How wonderful this was!

The pavement on the bridge felt different. Smooth concrete created less traction than the tiles of the roofs or the brick laid streets. She nearly slipped when they crossed onto the differing ground but her stumble was recovered quickly.

"You keepin'...up?" Ekko teased while also taking a deep breath to continue his sprint.

"I could ask you the same." She giggled in return. "You're out of breath."

"This…this is…nothing." Ekko panted.

She stared ahead, nearly across the bridge in its entirety. They didn't have much farther to go. The gondola to the under-city was in sight and the tunnel they used on the way to the top-side was near that. They'd surely lose them in the sewage lanes.

"When we get back…remind me…to never…do this again."

Her eyes shined with joy. Didn't he just say this was nothing? She'd have to hold his words over him. Not a day should go by without her telling the story of Ekko, the worst thief, and even worse runner. Maybe that's why he loved using his hoverboard.

They reached the other side of the bridge and she turned her head towards him as they prepared to divert over to the tunnel.

"Never do what?" Jinx chuckled, "Have fun with me-."

Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She saw it before she heard it.

Blood.

It sprayed out of Ekko's side, bursting outwards in front of them. The sound of the gunshot snapped through the air quickly after and she watched the boy stumble and crash into the ground. His momentum kept his body rolling, painting the concrete red in small marks.

Her entire body froze as she planted her feet and skidded to a halt.

"Shit." Ekko groaned while holding his side.

Her lips opened and closed in confusion and panic was building in her heart. What…what just happened? What should she do? The wound and it's damage was covered by his jacket but she could see the blood seeping out from under the fabric. He was hurt! They were stopped completely!

She rushed to his side, crouched over him and started to pull the boy to his feet.

"C'mon. We gotta keep going!" She tried to spur him to life. They just needed to get to the tunnels! It was so close!

"Agh!" Ekko cried in pain as she tugged at his arm.

Her breathing was catching up to her. Rapid breaths exhaled from her lungs as she stared behind at the bridge, watching the armed enforcers getting closer and closer. She could see one of the rifles still smoking from the fired shot.

"Get your ass up!" She yelled at the downed Firelight in panic, "I'm serious." There were few times in her life that she actually was.

His hand pushed into her arm and she felt the smoothness of the two gemstone orbs being forced into her palm.

"Go!" Ekko shouted back at her, "I'll be fine."

"NO!" She argued as soon as she realized what he was doing. He couldn't just give up. Not when they were so close! "I'll- I'll just steal them for myself. It has to be you. Get up you idiot!"

"You have to get the gemstones to them. Heimerdinger can help." He hissed as he clutched his side. The footsteps of the soldiers behind them were pounding in her head, "I…I can trust you to do that."

Ekko, you stupid, stupid boy! The leader of his people…Trusting her? No. He couldn't. Heshouldn't. She hadn't proven that to him yet. It wasn't right!

"Fuck!" She shouted as she knelt closer to pull his entire body into her arms. He was heavy. So heavy. There was no way she could sprint like this…but they were close right? The tunnel was right there.

Jinx took a step before seeing an enforcer had caught up to her side. He was standing in her way, rifle raised so that she was staring into the darkened barrel of his gun. Her head turned with wide eyes as she found the entire force had gotten too close. They surrounded her in the shape of a 'U' with her back to the depths of the undercity.

Her pupils flashed towards the gondola station. It was the only way now…but it was too far. She couldn't make it. She glanced towards the boy in her arms, straining her muscles just to keep holding him. His brown eyes stared at their pursuers.

"Jinx…" He murmured just loud enough for her to hear.

"Shut up, I'm thinking!" She replied with a snarl. The voices in her head were screaming so many ideas, most of them involving a rage-filled death. A dream to go out in glory. Her options for survival were so…little. She took a step backwards just to get some space. Just to think!

"Be quiet. I'm thinking. I'm thinking. I'm thinking." She repeated to block out the chattering demons in her ears. This wasn't the time. She didn't need their input. She needed something else. Anything!

"Freeze!" She heard an enforcer shout as dozens of rifles raised towards her.

"Jinx." Ekko said again with more urgency, trying to convince her that she could do something. What could she do!? Even leaving him here…Could she really get away? The chance was so slim now.

Another gunshot sounded into the night's air and she clenched her eyes shut to brace for the pain. When nothing came, she opened her eyes to see an enforcer in the pursuing group spin to the ground, his shoulder plating shot off from behind.

The entirety of the force turned towards the empty bridge. Nothing but the lights of the bridge in sight. Another sound pierced her ears as she watched a bullet just barely swipe past an officer's helmet. The man's armored hand reached up to his helmet in panic. He fell backwards onto his butt.

"Sniper!" One of them shouted.

Jinx's mouth opened in disbelief before she recognized the opportunity that was granted to her. She tucked Ekko's body close to her chest. This was the only way…right? It had to be. She just hoped they'd survive.

Her body launched backwards over the railing that guarded from accidents into the sheer drop of the under-city. Pale arms wrapped around the boy as they descended into depths, wind rushing into her back from their descending speed. She closed her eyes tightly, bracing for the inevitable impact.

The edge of her shoulder slammed into the metal roof of a building on the edge of the cliffside, sending them rolling in the air. She gasped at the pain that rattled through her skeleton. Another crash into metal piping flipped her into a rotating spiral, her side throbbing at the bludgeoned hit.

They fell deeper, her body absorbing every single, breath-seizing collision. Their speed fluctuated over time, but the last clash was surely the base of the under-city. Were they at the bottom? Was this the Lanes? She groaned, every breath like a stab in her lungs.

"You…" Ekko gasped in pain, still wrapped around her arms, "You alive?"

She winced as she took another careful breath. The damage was so unknown with the adrenaline still in her veins. "I hope so."

"Shit…" His disbelieving laugh was mixed with an exhausted clear of his throat, "You're crazy. I can't believe you did that."

She coughed and let the Firelight roll out of her arms so they were both able to lay on the ground and stare at the distance to the top-side they'd just fallen from. Jinx grinned tiredly.

"Yeah…I'm crazy alright." But they made it didn't they?

Things just work out sometimes.

Notes:

That's the chapter!

Was it fun to read? I loved having Ekko and Jinx slowly build into a childish rivalry towards the end. Like the time they spent together can slowly make everything else leading up to this point, fade away. Oh and Jayce! I hope his character actions were believable. I really do think that he wants to help the under-city, especially knowing that it's turned into a place where children work in the factories. He's both bound by the council and made tremendous strides at the end of S1 to be his own person. There's a few more details that I hope to get into with comments, but I really hope that this chapter was satisfying to read and that you're excited for more.

Ekko and Jinx aren't out of the woods yet, and next chapter...well...buckle up. Not saying much, but just thinking about the scenes I wanna write is already punching me in the gut with feelings. Some good. Some...less so. But all interesting nonetheless!

Until next time!

Chapter 13: Death of a Ghost

Notes:

Can you believe it!? I'm back already! Fresh new chapter right off the press. I told you that I was excited to get into these next few chapters and I've kept true to my word. I know it's a good day when I spend nearly an hour and a half replying to you all in the comment section so I have to say thank you so much for leaving a comment to reply to! I didn't get to them all unfortunately.

Hopefully this doesn't seem like a quantity over quality situation with how fast I've been writing lately. I've just had these scenes in my head for so long, I could barely sleep without thinking about them and end up staying up an extra two hours practically every night. Next chapter may be more of an actual wait. About a week I imagine. I'm pretty exhausted despite my overwhelming excitement to bring this chapter to you all.

Please enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

The low hum of the Lanes echoed through empty, disheveled alleys. Garbage and grime that littered the streets produced a smell wholly unique to the area and it seemed to ease her mind with familiarity equally as much as it disturbed her senses.

They didn't travel far. There just wasn't any way with the injuries sustained from the perilous drop and the gunshot wound still fresh in the Firelight's side. Jinx managed to shuffle them into a small outcropping of discarded, rusty metal sheets that sufficed for a sheltered tent.

To think she'd find herself back in this place. Considering the bizarre circumstances, it was even more unbelievable. Ekko groaned as his back leaned against the concrete wall and tucked his chin to glance at his hands lifting his jacket and clothes. With his muscled abdomen exposed, the circular wound, smeared with blood, was revealed to her eyes.

It wasn't too bad. The bullet went through completely and definitely wasn't as life-threatening as it could be. She stuffed the dark fabric of her sleeve into her mouth and cut the clothing with her canines. Ripped cloth, long enough to wrap around the boy, fell into her palms and she leaned forward to begin some sort of treatment.

"Agh." Ekko hissed as her pale hands pushed into the wound, "Could you be a bit more careful? It hurts like a bitch."

Pink eyes glanced up towards his pained expression and she stopped her wrapping to flick him in the forehead. How about, 'thanks Jinx for saving me! You're the bestest partner a thief could ever ask for!' The lack of worship at her feet was duly noted.

Shecouldjust leave him here to bleed out. Or maybe some shimmer addict would finish what the enforcers couldn't. The Lanes was a dangerous place and last she heard, Firelights had a pretty hefty bounty to their heads. Er…wings?

"Don't be such a baby."

She leaned closer to him, her nose nearly pressed into his collar bone while extending her hands to reach behind his back with the improvised bandage and circle the fabric around his stomach. He smelled like sweat, bood, and the faintest touch of the forest. Like a mixture of a smokey campfire and fresh dew on a misty morning. It was much better than the stench that festered in the air. Never thought she'd find relief in something as trivial as that.

The silence that surrounded them was getting uncomfortable. Time, like a clock, was hovering over their heads, counting down the seconds until everything would go back to normal.

Ekko would hate her. She'd be locked in that stuffy room, consumed by boredom for eternity. Was it too late to run? She pondered the question before remembering that, even if she stole Ekko's before taking off, there was more than one transmitter in this world and however far she could get was likely not far enough. There was a chain around her neck and the Firelights just managed to make it invisible to the naked eye.

"You've done this before?" A question brought her out of the spiraling thoughts of her punishment and she nodded.

"Marenth taught me." She left it at that. No use in breaking her focus further. Jinx was already unsure if her healing skills were up to par for something like this. But there wasn't much choice, was there?

"You…" Ekko started before pausing and she directed her gaze back towards his eyes. They were wide with surprise. What? What did she say that was so astonishing? "You helped heal them while I was gone?"

Her pupils lit up with a newfound humor and understanding. Oh no you don't. Don't go making me look all weak and soft. It wasn't like she wanted to learn how to fix their damaged wings. He was getting the wrong idea. Marenth was certainly persuasive at the time when she asked for assistance.

"I was bored." Damn…That really didn't have the effect she was looking for when the words exhaled from her chapped lips. It was hardly a defense, but she found it difficult to continue. What other words could she say to convince him otherwise?

"..."

"..."

"...Thank you. Agh!" His gratitude was cut off as she tightened her wrappings. Maybe she put a little too much force behind it, but it was hard to tell if his words were wanted. A little pain to shut him up was just fine. The boy had enslaved her after all. Then again…it was something special. An odd appreciation that Jinx rarely received. She just stopped trying after enough disappointment and pain.

A small smile twitched on her face, faint enough to know he wouldn't see. She'd pretend she didn't hear him, like a secret that would always be kept deep inside. Who knew if she'd look back on this moment fondly in the future…but the possibility was there, slight as it was. That was enough for now.

"There." She nodded before leaning backwards to rest on the floor, her arms bracing her seated position from behind. "Don't you go telling people I fixed you up either. I know where to punch you if you do."

"Seriously?" Ekko's eyebrow quirked upwards at her words, "You'rethatconcerned about what people think about you?"

"I got a reputation to uphold." She scoffed while tilting her chin upwards in dismissal.

"No one would think you're…" The word was trapped in his mouth. She could tell by the sideways glance and furrowed eyebrows. That's okay. She knew what word he was searching for. It was deeply ingrained in her vocabulary.

"Weak." She finished for him.

"Right. That."

"Like I care what people think." She huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Especially you Firelights."

"But you just said…" A soft chuckle had her opening her eyes to see the boy's shoulders lifting as he laughed lightly, his head shaking in confusion. "...I seriously don't understand you."

"Don't think you ever will." She smirked. To understand her meant he'd have to traverse the insane, make acquaintances with demons, and invite chaos into his world with a smile. She had yet to find someone capable of that. Pretty sure they didn't exist.

"I haven't been trying to either." He murmured, like the words were uncertain, hesitant.

She could feel his light brown eyes staring at her in silence. His features softened in a new expression she hadn't quite seen before…and it felt strange. No. Correction. It was seriously annoying! Like she was being watched more closely than before. There were enough eyes watching herthisclosely, she didn't want another pair. What could he even be looking at?

Stop it!

She jerked her arm to pretend to jab at his wound and he flinched before his face twisted in pain. A breath hissed through his clenched teeth as he beared through the sensation. Hah! Take that!

"What was that for!?"

"I felt like it." She giggled.

"Damn you." He groaned while holding his side. "I'm injured here."

"So?"

Their conversation paused as pink eyes matched brown. They stared, expressionless and their minds processed the situation. Broken, damaged, isolated in the under-city and still finding ways to bicker like children.

She started to laugh and surprisingly, Ekko joined in as well. The sounds he made mirrored his laughter in the training arena back when she'd fought her sister to exhaustion. That new, pleasant sound that she'd never really heard since. It didn't last long though. His laugh had him twitch in pain and gasp while clenching his bandage.

"Ah, don't make me laugh. It hurts."

"Poor boy." She chuckled as she mocked him with a sarcastic coo before letting the moment slip into silence.

"...Marenth's a good woman. She's been with us for some time now. Always scolding us when we get hurt." Ekko replied, continuing the conversation before she decided to make him flinch.

"Yeah?" Jinx queried, "Seems like that'd happen a lot."

"Are you kidding me?" Ekko chuckled, "It's everyday at this point."

Jinx giggled at the thought of Ekko truly being scolded like a child. The big bad leader of the Firelights getting yelled at for all the stupid shit he did. What a vivid image she had in her head of the scenario. She needed to see it in person. It'd be hilarious.

"She wants me to be a Firelight. Can you believe that?"

"She's a good woman." Ekko repeated, "Able to see more than most."

As if that meant anything.

"Yeah but me?! A Firelight?! Ha!" Jinx grinned as she looked up into the air in thought and shook her head, "Never."

"You could be." Ekko's voice was faint, just loud enough for her to hear.

Her eyebrow lifted in question while maintaining a straight, deadpan expression on her face. Did heseriouslyjust say that? The blood loss must be getting to the boy. He wasn't making much sense. But seeing her face, Ekko continued.

"You're tough and can hold your own in a fight. Headstrong too. I imagine there's not much you can't do when you put your mind to it. Qualities of a Firelight, you know."

"Enough with the sap, you dork. I'm not joining your little club." Jinx groaned. It just sounded so wrong coming from his mouth. Besides, she was a criminal. She chose a certain path in this life. It wasn't one that could be easily abandoned. Not after all she's done.

"Who says I'm inviting you?"

Cool. They were on the same page then. She was worried for a second that she'd had to knock him around a bit to get that fantasy out of his head. Hell, she still might do it just for the fun of it. But…the compliments were there, drifting as the conversation fizzled into nothing. Thanks? She didn't know how to feel about him noticing the few characteristics that could be considered valuable on a team. She only knew how to fly solo.

When his eyes sharpened, she knew he was thinking more seriously. Good. What's next? They had the gemstones, but the Lanes was definitely an unexpected detour. Should they head back now? Was he well enough to travel that distance? She supposed she could carry him but even thinking of the idea had her mentally groaning at the effort.

"We need to get off the streets." Ekko started, "The enforcers will be down here to search for the gemstones any minute."

She nodded. That was an obvious line of thinking.

"Do you know of a safe place we can go to hide until I can get some strength back?"

"Safe?" She asked curiously, like the word was spoken in a foreign language. That was an odd choice of description down here. Didn't he remember what it was like? If someone was safe in the Lanes they were either blissfully ignorant to reality or they were delirious as they bled out on the streets.

"Somewhere they won't search," He corrected.

Hm? Somewhere the enforcers wouldn't go? Her old hideout was an option. It was deep in a tremor line, perfectly isolated from the outside world. No. She didn't want to go there. That was her space! It was personal. The idea of Ekko in her hideout made her shiver like a chilled breeze brushed against her skin. Definitely not. Personal waspersonaland Jinx liked her privacy.

There were just some places she didn't want to share with others.

Oooh! She had the perfect place in mind! With the realization and a newfound excitement at their destination she leapt to her feet.

"Let's go." She grinned, "It's not too far."

"Great." Ekko grunted while he struggled to get on his feet. His hand held his side and she briefly thought about giving him some help…Nah. He could handle it.

"Oh." Jinx blinked when she remembered something and fetched the glowing gemstones from her pocket. A pale arm, half covered by a torn sleeve reached out to offer the stones to the Firelight. She gave a cheeky smile, "Here. Your souvenirs."

Ekko's mouth parted in for a moment before taking the blue orbs from her palm and putting them in his jacket. "Thanks."

She turned to lead the boy away before he called out behind her.

"Jinx!"

"What?" She asked as she turned to give Ekko a stare. Don't go thanking me some more, idiot. You're the reason we managed to get them from the councilor anyways. I just held onto them. It's no biggie.

He brought his hand out from his jacket pocket and let little bits and pieces of metal, wires, and plastic fall to the ground like coarse sand. Scraps of a device that had her tilting her head in question.

"The transmitter." Ekko identified, "Guess it broke when I fell up there. But I wanted you to know…"

Know what? The reasoning was so blurry in her mind. Know that she was technically free right now? That if she wanted, she could kill him in these very streets and he was helpless to defend himself? That was a strange thing to mention. Stupid, if you asked her. Well, not like she had any grand plans at the moment.

"Trust goes both ways." His words echoed in the alley and her eyes widened in realization.

Trust...is that what this feeling was?

Staying off the main streets of the Lanes, away from the neon signs, food stalls and the near infinite bars and brothels was a stranger feeling than expected. Not like she could lead Ekko into the wolf den and put him under a spotlight. Still, even using the backstreets, she could feel the many disgusting, hungry eyes watching her every move.

She skipped along, a light tune humming through her lips with her eyes closed in merry joy. This was her world. They were in her backyard now and with a bleeding little bug behind her, confidence here would go a long way. Luckily she didn't have to cause a scene. The very real possibility of having to fight off criminals in this darkened part of the under-city seemed unlikely at this point.

Huh? She lifted a finger to her chin in thought. Now that she thought about it, wherewereall the dangerous baddies? If they crossed paths with anyone, they were slumped against the walls, so pale they nearly glowed and nothing but skin and bones. The sea of troubled moans echoed through the air.

Was the under-city really dying like Ekko said? She shrugged and continued ahead. Not like it was her problem. She had no ties now. Nothing kept her to this place and therefore, it wasn't home. That special place was still eluding her to this day.

It didn't take long to find the location in her mind. She'd just been there a little less than a month ago, so finding the abandoned ruins was super easy!

"This place is…" Ekko murmured behind her.

"Yep!" She grinned with her hands thrown into the air excitedly, as if she were presenting a most grand reveal. "Silco's old factory!"

Away from the nightlife they passed, the whole area was shrouded in darkness. The secrets of the past lay here. Even more than that, Fish-Bones, her beautiful invention was somewhere hidden in the wreckage. Also…hewas here.

Hopefully Ekko wouldn't sense trickery in her bringing him here. Itwasa place that avoided all scrutiny. Safe too, if he could believe it. Why not also get a chance to check up on her dear father along the way?

"Knock knock." She giggled as she raised a hand to a dented, already busted open door. The walls that were supposed to frame the entrance had long since been destroyed. It really was like a floating door, hiding everything from those that approached headon.

"I never knew what actually happened here." The Firelight wondered aloud, his eyes scanning the desolate area.

"Turns out fire and shimmer don't really mix." Jinx shrugged as she kicked the door off its hinges. It barely took any effort. "Oh and raw gemstones are kinda dangerous heh."

They walked under the broken arch of the entrance and entered into the main space. Her eyes lit up in relief when she spotted her party decorations exactly where she left them. She spent so long setting up that special night, it'd be a shame if it all wasted away over the passage of time. Her foot stopped while her whole body froze in place.

Pink eyes stared ahead, past all the candles, plates and the many centerpieces on the lengthy wooden table. A large chair at the head of the table…it was turned away from them. But…he was there, right? Nothing else had changed since her last time here. It was all still placed exactly where she left it.

Was he waiting for her?

"Why'd you stop?" Ekko asked as he walked up to her side, before lifting his arms in question of what was before them. "And what the hell is all this?"

"A dinner party." She murmured, still focused on the back of that chair. The many bullet holes that pierced the wood were so distracting. Little black holes that consumed everything. Flashes of her rage that night had her taking deep breaths. Why was it so hard to take a step forward? She wanted to see him again…but what would she find sitting in that spot? Could she handle it?

"Okay then…" Ekko drawled out before turning on his heel to examine the ruins. "Well, this place looks like it'll do for now. We can head back before dawn if we rest here a while."

Her vision was wavering as she focused on the head of the table. Consciousness was drawn in, like the rest of the world was fading from the very edges. Sinister, jagged scribbles laid themselves over the darkness and she could swear she saw her demon's faces in the lines.

"You okay? You're shaking?"

Huh?

Jinx lifted her arms and dropped her eyes to stare at her pale skin. It rattled uncontrollably and if she were anywhere else she'd find humor in being unable to control her body. But this. This wasn't funny. Her darkest moments had occurred in this very place, to lose control here wasterrifying.

Her eyes traveled over the many webs of hardened shimmer, some of it collecting in large clumps over the rubble. It was a short distraction before she found herself locked on his chair once more. It pulled her in like a moth to a flame, physically unable to be attracted to anything but that one, single spot.

"You keep looking at that chair," the Firelight spoke beside her, "What's up with it?"

"Silco." The single name passed through her lips with both love and fear tainting her breath.

"Silco? You mean-." Ekko's shocked voice remarked, before switching to a different, more understanding tone, "This is where he died?"

"Yeah."

He didn't say anything else at that moment and she couldn't be more thankful. Insincere condolences, vengeful satisfaction, anything in between, she wanted none of it. Ekko wouldn't understand. He couldn't even begin to quantify the emotions that swirled in her very core. So the silence that he offered was perfect.

She took a step. Just a small, single step forward. If she focused on her feet, she could do it. Another, and another, Jinx shuffled her way past her party. Her eyes never once shifted away from his final resting place. Vander's gauntlets, Vi's bunny, Mylo and Claggor, none of it could distract her from the mystery behind the chair.

Her hand brushed against the table while she took another breath. The air tasted like ash and death on her tongue. Eyes closed. She could do this. He's been waiting so long for her to return. She took another careful step and turned to face the chair she'd been so wary of.

"I'm back…" She whispered, "I wish it didn't take me so long."

Her knees fell to the dirt, lips trembling as she struggled to fight the ache in her throat. She swallowed thickly and shook her head. The memory of her hands holding onto his face as he took his last breaths was flickering in her mind. She'd been kneeling just like this…

With slow and careful hesitation she opened her eyes to stare at the corpse of her father. The man that had given her purpose and who'd been consumed by the monster that she was.

Wait!?

A gasp left her mouth as her wide eyes took in his slacked body. He was just as she left him, his bullet ridden vest, red collared shirt and dark pants. Of course his clothes would be untouched but…but…His light gray skin, it looked pale sure, but just as fresh as she'd last seen him.

How? How was that possible? It'd been nearly a month!

Her knees scrambled in the dirt to get closer as she reached out and placed a palm on his scarred cheek. His single, orange eye still staring blankly to the side. Her fingers ran over the strands of his black hair. It didn't make sense, but she could feel him beneath her touch. It wasn't the body of a corpse. She'd seen plenty in the past and…Silco was…He was…

Her eyes widened at a theory in her head. Shimmer! She'd injected him with it for years. Could he…? Could he just be comatose? Her hands dropped to his vest and pressed against the fabric to search for a pulse.

"Jinx?" Ekko asked and she could faintly hear him coming closer, "You okay?"

Ba–bump

Her eyes widened. It wasn't possible…but she felt it! She felt a pulse! A sparkling smile spread across her face.

"He's alive!" She gasped.

"What!?" Ekko came rushing over, standing behind her as disbelieving laughter belted out of her lungs.

"Alive!" She cheered, "I didn't kill him! He's alive!"

Her head swiveled to the ruins in the darkness. Shimmer. She needed shimmer. It could save him like it did her. She spun her whole body towards the rubble and purple rock of shimmer that was clumped nearby. In a frenzy Jinx rushed over to the substance that had been cooked into stone. She needed the liquid.

Fingers scratched into the material, grinding against her nails, but the pain and effort was worth it. She could save him!

"Jinx."

Ekko's call of her name went on deaf ears as she chipped away at the burned shimmer. Nails broke with her feverish digging. Her blood was starting to stain the ground and making it difficult to erode the now slippery surface but she continued to try.

"Jinx."

"Give me a sec." She called as a large piece broke away from the clump. She leaned close to the little hole, looking for even a single drop of the purple liquid. None.

She leaned back in despair. She needed shimmer! It was the only way to bring him back! How, how could she find more? The warm sensation of blood on her fingers had her pink eyes widen. Her arms lifted so she could stare at her hands, dripping her blood from the tips in her efforts to scratch at the rubble.

Her blood. It had shimmer in it, right?

She jumped to her feet and rushed past the boy that watched her attempts to find her father's salvation. She got close to him, holding his face in her palms. Her blood smeared on his cheeks but as long as it dripped, she could help him.

"Here." She lifted his chin, letting his jaw fall and held her damaged fingers over his mouth. "You have to drink it."

"Jinx…Stop." Ekko's horrified whisper caught her attention. There was a mixture of anguish in his words, like it hurt him to speak.

Can't he see that she's saving her father? Realization struck her when she considered that Ekko wouldn't want Silco to continue living. How could she have forgotten, he wanted the man dead. Of course he would want her to stop! She let an angry snarl build in her throat while she continued to let her blood drip.

"Fuck you." She spat. "I'm saving him!"

Suddenly, Ekko's arms wrapped around her and pulled her out of Silco's lap. She thrashed in his arms, furious that the boy would interfere. Her elbow jabbed into his abdomen, right above his wound and he gasped in pain as a result. Nevertheless, his hold over her never wavered.

"Let me go!" She roared, "I have to help him. I have to."

"Stop…please Jinx." Ekko croaked, his words were filled with a sadness so deep that she paused.

"Just stop…"

His arms repositioned across her. One over her waist and the other placed so his palm could wrap around her head and hold the top of her scalp. His hold blocked her sight as his arm crossed over her face. Stop? Why would she?! Silco was right there, he was alive and she could...

What?

When she ducked under the Firelight's arm she stared at Silco's resting body. His body wavered. Like a glitch in time. A broken illusion. Her mouth opened in horror as lines crossed over Silco's body, breaking the mirage like it was just another one of her hallucinations.

"Aaa-aaa-aaa-hhhhh." Her open mouth let loose a cracked string of sounds, slowly building as her father was slowly replaced.

It was a skeleton, void of pale skin, black hair, and that single orange eye of his. The only color she could see was on his clothes that were now much too large on the boney frame and the red streaks of blood on the whites of his jaw.

She shrieked as her bloody fingers pressed into her temple.

Why? Why was this happening? Why did reality trick her like this? The torture in her screams consumed everything as she fell. The only brace to her fall was Ekko's arms as he lowered to the ground behind her.

"I-I-I-" She stuttered with wide, unfocused eyes. "It's not fair! It's not! It's not! It's not! I saw him! He was right there! I-!"

"I believe you." Ekko sighed from behind.

"It's not real?" She asked, praying with everything in her being that the boy behind her would explain that this was all some cruel joke. That Silco really was alive. That his skeleton was the true illusion.

He was trying to stop her. This whole time she'd been playing with his lifeless skeleton. Not even an ounce of flesh remained after weeks in the open air.

Ekko's silence behind her was all she needed to know the answer. She spun in his arms, watery eyes staring up at him, hoping that he'd tell her everything was okay even though it wasn't. It so clearly wasn't. Her fractured mind had gone too far. It crossed a line she didn't know existed. Her very soul was being pulled to the very brink and the abyss below was so dark.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

Her forehead fell into his chest, the inevitable stream of tears no longer being held back as she cried. Her screams tore through the open air, alone in the night. His arms tightened in their hold and she pounded her fists into his chest.

Jinx wasn't even sure if she was striking him with force, she just needed to fight. The anger in her heart had no direction, no one to blame. Who could be responsible for such a heinous deception? She knew the answer already...

It was her twisted, broken self.

When she had no tears left to give, no suffering left to expel, she sat in silence on the floor. Ekko sat across from her, watching her with worried brown eyes, but she couldn't find much reason to care.

Actually, she didn't think she cared about anything at all. What was the point? Maybe it was all fake. Everything that made her happy could be a lie. One big, hideous lie. How funny. There'd be no way to know, right? Up until now she'd thought her demons were a part of her, but easy enough to distinguish from life…How wrong she was.

The muted call of her name had empty pink eyes glance up towards the Firelight across from her. Had he been trying to get her attention?

"Huh?" She asked blandly.

"We should probably start heading back. It's almost dawn."

"Oh…Okay."

She stood obediently, no real hesitation or question in her actions. Ekko struggled to his feet, hand pressed tightly to his side as he pressed into his wound. It must be hurting…Well, he could get it re-wrapped when they got back.

Her eyes drifted to the rubble she'd tried so hard to break apart before she remembered something. A once exciting reason to come to this god forsaken place.

"Fish-Bones." She murmured.

"Hm?"

She turned back towards the boy. Maybe she shouldn't have let that name slip. Too late now I guess. A slow rise of her arm pointed to the spot she'd hidden the weapon.

"My rocket launcher."

"You…you want me to grab it?"

Would he? The idea of bringing the weapon into the Firelight base, even the mere idea of him letting her have such a dangerous tool within her clutches was something she never really could have expected. She should be ecstatic…Not like they'd let her play with it anyway. Did she even want him anymore?

She paid no mind to Ekko as he hobbled over to where she pointed and searched through scattered rocks and metal to pull the dusty, pink weapon out from beneath the earth. His mouth parted in shock as he lifted Fish-Bones into the air.

"You built this?" He asked, bewildered at the complex device.

"Yeah." She sighed, shuffling her feet in the dirt below.

"Are those…runes?"

She nodded mutely.

"You know how to use Hextech." He realized with a gasp.

"Uh huh." Was it really that impressive? She imagined that anyone with a brain could figure it out with the vast amounts of documentation and notes that she'd stolen. She wasn't special.

He limped back to her and smiled. She just couldn't find it in her to match his energy.

"You never mentioned that."

"You never asked." She shrugged without any emotion in voice.

The abrupt silence that leaked over them lasted for what felt like an eternity. She allowed herself a single moment to glance towards Silco as she walked away. Goodbye didn't feel right. She'd surely see him again as a ghost to haunt her. Coming here was a mistake.

As they journeyed back towards the Firelight base in the wastelands she caught Ekko taking frequent glances towards her as she shuffled behind him. Fish-Bones was strapped around his shoulders as he continued forward. Funny. She'd normally find herself pissed with someone touching her stuff…she must really not care anymore.

The sun was beginning to rise, warming her back as the light brushed over her. Looks like they were a bit late, but with Ekko's injury that wasn't surprising.

Jinx tugged at her cloak, pulling it tighter towards herself and her eyes blinked slowly. Exhaustion was pulling at her every limb. The many bruises from the fall into the under-city were starting to ache. Not that it could compare to anything else inside. Strange how emptiness can override everything.

"Oh." She paused as they entered the tunnels, "My mask."

What would the gatekeeper do if he saw that Ekko had snuck her beyond the base to steal the gemstones? Would she be in more trouble? Eh. They could punish her however they wanted. She wouldn't fight it. No point in trying.

Ekko lifted his hands to tug at her hood, pulling it further over her face. "Just keep your head down. I'll handle it."

"Okay."

His eyes glanced over her once more, eyebrows tilted upwards in worry before he turned and knocked against the metal door of the base with a rhythm behind each tap. After a few moments, the whirling sound of gears spinning had the giant circular entrance opening up. The gatekeeper immediately ran up to the boy.

"Sir, we've got a problem! Someone reported that the prisoner is missing in her room. Should we activ-?"

"Jinx!"

Her eyes lifted to see Violet barreling across the fields. Strong arms wrapped around her frame and pulled her close. Breathing was difficult with such a strong embrace. Her fingers twitched at her sides.

"I came to find you this morning. God, where did you go? I was so worried."

A small whimper came from her throat before she lifted her arms to hug her sister as tightly as she could. To have her here…when everything was just so broken. She squeezed her arms around Vi to say what she couldn't.

Please be real.

Notes:

Soooo. Hey there. Did I tear your heart out with this one? If it's any consultation, I tore my own heart out the moment I thought of this chapter. Writing it also hurt pretty badly too. I mean, how could I have done this to my poor baby!? Trust me, sometimes I wonder that as well.

I'm getting ahead of myself. I hope the Jinx/Ekko conversation was heart warming to read! We've spent so much time getting to this point, the two have got to share some closeness, right? Like an actual conversation that can be seen through the lens of friendship. And sorry, not sorry for everything after. This is literal rock-bottom for Jinx and a few of you caught how Jinx may be a single moment away from crumbling and reverting back into her old self. Well, what if it's even worse than that? The bright-side, of which there is much to hope for, is that Jinx can only go up from here and the roots of her many relationships have taken hold. She'll need her friends to pull her out of this. But what's in store for the future will be so much more rewarding as a result.

Please, I wanna hear your thoughts! Leave a comment to let me know what you think about this sudden shift for her character and how you felt about the chapter as a whole! I'm excited to see many of you in the comments below. Kudos are also much appreciated!

Chapter 14: Picking up the Pieces

Notes:

Hello :)

I'm back with another new chapter and couldn't be more excited! Did you know this is my longest fic I've ever written? It's like each new chapter is an achievement and the best part? Writing and planning this story out has been so much fun with all your kind comments and support! I mean seriously! Last chapter was the most commented chapter on this story and it was all just so positive! How coly you all showed up to let me know your thoughts and it was wonderful! I replied to everyone this time and I hope I could give back a little of the joy you all gave me this week. I say a little of the joy because damn, I really can't keep up some times. Anyway! I hope you all enjoy this chapter as we see what's happened to Jinx and I'm eagerly anticipating your thoughts and kudos!

Please enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

They laughed at her, surrounded her small, curled form as her arms wrapped around her knees, head tucked down. They werelaughing. The nefarious cackles echoed in her room and bounced through the air, teasing her, finding joy in her misery.

Jinx sighed.

Were they even entertained? She lifted her head and stared blankly into Mylo's face, watching all the twitching lines that covered his features open and close like sharp teeth chomping as he danced around her. Her gaze turned to Claggor, his body hanging in the air as if he were strung up by an invisible rope. Was this fun for them?

She thought bullies only tortured those that they could get a reaction out of. Well, here she was…entirely unimpressed. Anger, sadness, even just the mere concept of irritation was absent. When there was nothing left to care about, did emotions even exist? Her sister tried to talk to her once she was taken back to her room, but half-hearted responses could only carry a conversation so far.

"Are you okay?" Violet had asked her.

"I guess."

Define okay…Was she hurt? Bruised up pretty bad, but not really. Upset? Depressed? Who knows. It didn't feel like it. She couldn't feel much of anything in her heart. Not even her demons could coax a reaction out of her.

She glanced towards the entrance of her room. The sunlight that beamed into the Firelight base made her doorway appear as if it were a blank, white canvas. She couldn't see beyond her prison at all. In this room that felt so stuffy and hot, she just sat on her bed letting time pass as if she were frozen. That was a good word. It was the closest thing she had to describe what her insides felt like. Cold, empty, a true void that consumed her every desire. She could sit here for a while.

A thud had her glance towards the wall right next to her door. Something, no,someonewas being pushed against the surface from the outside. She could tell by the muffled sounds and voices that spoke aloud.

"What did you do to her?" That was Vi's voice.

"Damnit, watch my side!" Her latest partner in crime hissed, "And nothing. I swear. We went to get the gemstones last night and-"

Ah…Ekko was being interrogated. If she had enough energy to speak she'd explain that it wasn't his fault. None of it was.

It was just her. It was always her fault.

"She's barely said two words since she got back!"

They sounded so distant beyond just the outside of her room. In fact, the whole world seemed quieter, like she was placed into a glass box. Would it be better if that was the case? She couldn't hurt anyone like that, and she'd be safe, static behind those walls.

"I. Didn't. Do. Anything." She could hear Ekko growl as he defended himself. "She just…We had to hide out for a bit. She brought me to Silco's factory and…"

"And what?"

"She thought she saw him…like she thought Silco was still alive."

Jinx didn't even wince as the Firelight leader recounted what had happened last night. She was detached after all. Whatever pieces of her that remained, only served as the mandatory functions of her body to keep breathing, to keep living, if that's what you could call this. Empty sure, but still alive.

"Shit. Did she…?" Vi's voice, soft and filled with concern as the events of the night were starting to piece themselves together.

"She didn't take it well if that's what you're asking." Ekko replied, "Look, Vi, I tried to help her but- I just. I'm not close enough."

Close enough to her? What did that matter? For all the times in her life that she felt fear or anxiety in being left alone, she knew whatthatwas like. This feeling, no, this absence of feeling wasn't driven by her need for companionship. She wasn't afraid of being abandoned, not right now.

Her head turned to look Vander in his eyes. Those angry, shimmer-oozing eyes of his. Was he trying to scare her? The attempt was useless. Maybe he wanted to participate in their rejoice that she'd finally become an empty husk, devoid of what made her unique.

"Do what you want." She murmured to the ghostly monster.

Laugh at her. Shout at her. Mess with her things. She wouldn't get angry or frustrated. If he was trying to find a reaction in her lifeless pink eyes, he'd be met with disappointment. It was all so disappointing. But how else could she approach it? Maybe Vi and Ekko weren't even outside discussing her well-being. What proof did she have that they were there? It could just as easily be an auditory hallucination.

When a knock against the frame of her door created sound in her quiet space she took her eyes away from Vander and stared at her sister standing in the entrance. Oh. She must've missed the rest of the conversation outside.

"Hey…" Vi started, "I was wondering if you wanted to get some sunlight? It's nice out today."

"Okay." She replied dryly as she slowly started to get up from the edge of her bed.

"Well, do you want to? I mean, you don't have to."

What did her wants have to do with anything? If Violet wanted to bring her outside then she'd go along with it. Whatever the woman expected the sunlight would do to her was probably wrong. She didn't really have anything she wanted right now.

Empty. It was an all encompassing feeling.

"I'll stay here then." Jinx sat back down on her bed and let her eyes grow distant as her thoughts drifted into nothingness.

The confusion and uncertainty in Violet's eyes should have been a source of humor for her. But her mind let the observation fade. When her mattress dipped under her sister's weight she knew that Vi wasn't giving up.

"You saw Silco?" Vi asked, careful in her tone of voice, as if she were a little animal capable of stirring into a frenzy the moment she felt cornered by such an intrusive question.

She nodded. Although, 'saw' was such a limiting word. She didn't just see him in her mind, she felt him. The heartbeat that spurred her to action had been so real under her palm. So cruel.

"You," Her big sister paused to think about her words before she continued, "You cared a lot about him, didn't you?"

"He's my dad." She replied.

It was just that simple. Did she care about him? Right now that was hard to say, but before her reality had unraveled before her very eyes, she remembered the love she felt for the man. It was only fueled in hindsight. The feelings she refused to consider and the fond memories that never stuck out were forced into her head after that tragic night. The agony that stabbed through her heart when he died…Maybe her new self was better. All those overwhelming emotions that she experienced so vividly were nothing but trouble.

It didn't seem like Vi liked her answer either. The older girl stiffened in her seat beside her and her eyes glanced away to stare anywhere other than at her little sister that had broken. Jinx turned her head to see Vi's fists clenched at her sides, shaking like an unseen anger was writhing beneath her skin. Bandaged hands reached up to smooth back her short pink hair.

Her sister closed her eyes and the hot fury she sensed in the atmosphere faded with a deep sigh.

"Of course he was special to you… I'm sorry." Violet whispered. To think her sister would try to get over her own feelings for Silco to console her. She wished it worked, but she felt nothing. No appreciation. No spark. No connection.

"..."

"Caitlyn's supposed to be back today." Her sister smiled as the subject of conversation switched with a lighter, more positive tone.

"That's good." Jinx responded.

"..."

This must be hard for Vi. She could imagine that conversation would be difficult when everything was so dull and uninteresting. She could just leave her here. Why bother with someone so distant? If there was a cure to get her back to her naive, cheerful self, she wasn't even sure she wanted it.

Like she said, there was nothing she wanted right now. Nothing.

"Do you want to be alone right now?"

She shrugged in response. "I don't know."

"Well…" Violet put a warm palm on her shoulder to offer any comfort she could before she lifted off her bed and stood up. "I have to go meet with Ekko and Scar about our next move, but if you need anything, please come get me okay?"

"Okay." She understood what Violet was hoping for. She acknowledged it with her confirmation, but the offer would be forgotten. Or at least, it'd be pointless to take up. She wouldn't need anything for quite some time.

"I'm proud of you. Ya know, for saving his stupid ass and stealing those gemstones. You did great, Jinx." Vi commented as she left.

"..."

She didn't have the energy to thank her sister for the praise. It just didn't seem like such a big deal. Greatness was such a foerign concept right now.

When her older sister retreated from her confined space, Jinx allowed her mind to wander once more as her fingers absently brushed over her blue braids, traveling down it's length and back up in unconscious motions. It was like she was adrift at sea on a cloudy day. The sky above was gray, blocking out the warmth of the sun and the depths below were just so dark. Here she was on the surface, just…floating.

The next time she received a visitor, Jinx hadn't moved an inch.

An untold amount of hours passed by and she might've actually fallen asleep while sitting upright. It was hard to tell. Reality, dreams, nightmares, oh how blurry the line was now. Her depressed state, coupled with exhaustion from the night before made time seem almost comical.

Was she even moving through time? Or had she found stasis beyond its reach?

"Jinx." Her sister's voice called, tentative in her tone but pleasant as well. "I brought Caitlyn. She just got back from the top-side."

Her head turned to see Caitlyn and Vi standing in the door, timid smiles on their faces like everything was going to be alright. How blissfully naive. Still, Caitlyn was her friend and a missed presence over the last few days.

She found strength, minor as it was, to stand and nod towards the enforcer.

"Hi."

"Thank god you're alright." Caitlyn breathed as she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her lithe body.

Caitlyn gave good hugs. The woman was taller than her but still leaned down to her level. Arms with a tight but not suffocating hold managed to pull her in and keep her tucked warmly into her bosom. Jinx closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment of reprieve from the trauma of her mind.

This was nice.

"I can't believe you." Caitlyn squeezed her arms around her to add further pressure and emotion behind her words, "When I heard the alarms and radio alerts of thieves on the run, I never imagined I'd see you and Ekko in my scope."

Pink eyes widened with the information.

"You were the sniper." She said, it was just as much of a question as it was a statement.

She idly recalled thinking the sniper on the bridge was a shit shot. Never once hit an enforcer in a place that would have done real damage to their bodies. It made sense why that was the case.

Of course it was Caitlyn.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was? You leapt into the under-city." Her friend scolded.

"Wait,what?" Violet's voice cut into the conversation from the entryway.

"Sorry." She murmured softly. It wasn't her intention to make her friend scared about her wellbeing.

She never really had to consider others caring about her health in the past. In fact, she often heard Silco's goons wishing she'd die just to feel safe in their operations. They were careful around Silco to say such things, but with her ears always pressed to the walls she found it to be a frequent topic of discussion.

When Caitlyn unwrapped her arms and the two separated, the older woman sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers.

"I suppose it worked out. But please don't needlessly place yourself in that kind of danger again."

"Okay." She responded, emotion still absent from her tone.

Her words were empty, like the promise to never do something dangerous again. Things may be better for Caitlyn, Vi, Ekko, and the Firelights, but not for her. Is this the reward life gave her for trying to do good? The people she was surrounded by had smiles on their faces but hers was downright impossible to conjure. It was like a party, filled with warmth and happiness, and she was alone in the corner, misery consuming her.

"Is anybody gonna explain the 'jumping into the under-city part?" Vi's exasperated comment went unanswered. If she wasn't so exhausted herself, she might've found the energy to tell her sister what happened.

Jinx was brought out of her own thoughts when she felt her sister's hand around her thin wrist. She looked down to the point of contact slowly before lifting her eyes to see Violet's smiling face.

"Well, besides that, I have a surprise for you. We're going somewhere." She grinned.

"Somewhere?"

Where could be so exciting? Scratch that, there was no chance that any place she'd be taken would be exciting. Her emotional tank had been utterly drained.

"Yep!" Vi continued, "And Cait's gonna come too. Just the three of us."

Jinx nodded mutely. She'd go where she was led. Without her own desires lurking inside, direction from others would be the only way she'd leave this room. Did she even want to go? Well, no use thinking about it. The plans already seem set.

"And," Violet kept speaking as she led the three of them out of the room, Jinx's wrist still in her hold. "Best part. It's outside the base."

Jinx paused in her autonomous walking to stare at her big sister with open eyes. Outside the base? But it was so soon. Shejustgot back from beyond the walls and…Her line of thinking cut short. To think, she was actually hesitant to return to the under-city. Was it fear that was holding her back?

"Are you sure?" She asked. If she got caught sneaking out again the Firelights would surely take notice. She always managed to find herself in more trouble than it was worth.

"Little Man approved it."

"Oh?" Cailtyn commented from the side, matching Jinx's thoughts. "He'sthatcomfortable with Jinx leaving the base?"

Vi shrugged her shoulders, "He was also doped up on morphine, so we'll just chalk it up to him feelin' extra understanding today."

The trio continued down the steps and headed across the fields of the Firelight base. As sunlight filtered onto her pale skin through spaces in the leaves above, Jinx squinted. It was warm, irritating, and pleasant all at the same time.

They approached the large metal doors to see another gatekeeper. Pink eyes stared at standoffish dark brown eyes. The girl wearing a dark green cloak over a tan skin-tight outfit had her mind filtering through hazy memories. Brown, curly hair pulled back into an afro puff. She looked familiar. Oh. Right. It was the Firelight that seemed to act like a bird more than anything else. She'd been a particularly irritating foe that night she reunited with Vi.

"Hey Brina." Vi waved, "We're heading outside, gonna be back before nightfall."

The now identified, Brina, crossed her arms over her chest, head tilted as her foot tapped against the ground. Talk about physical personality. This woman was great at looking annoyed.

"Yeah, I don't think so.Shedoesn't go anywhere." The Firelight nodded towards her when she spoke. Looks like she wasn't well liked. Not like that was news to her. Actually, it made more sense that there were Firelight's that didn't like her. Guess most of them kept it to themselves. Not this one it seemed.

"Ekko said she's okay to leave with us." Her sister replied with a little more bite to her tone than before.

Brina straightened at the words. Her head tilted downwards in thought, "He said that? But-."

"Just let us through. You can go ask him yourself afterwards." Caitlyn commented while raising her hand to show a transmitter to her restraints in her palm. A clear proof that they were still being careful with the prisoner in their company. Not like she'd try to run at this point either. Like most things lately, it just wasn't worth it.

"Okay…" Brina murmured to herself and pulled the level to the entrance of the base, revealing the dark tunnels once more to her shimmered eyes. As they passed the Firelight, Jinx caught the very tail-end of a whisper from the woman, "What the hell is he thinking?"

Truthfully…she was wondering the same thing.

The frequent glances back towards herself as they walked through the Lanes was starting to get to her. Curious pairs of eyes, clearly worried for her wellbeing, kept watching over her like she was growing a second head. There was confusion in those pupils and she was starting to wonder what it is they hoped to understand.

She was tired. Empty. That was it. Wasn't that obvious? Whatever Violet had planned was pointless. This inner despair was rooted in something deep within. Her own image of self was all she had and that was so very little at this point.

"So, mind telling me where we're headed?" Caitlyn asked.

"And spoil the surprise for my sister? No way." Vi grinned.

A sigh came from between Jinx's lips. The cheerful attitude and proclivity to keep the secret was rather dull. There weren't many places that would be a "surprise". If she just put herself into Vi's mind for a second, she'd be able to figure it out. Eh. Why not ruin it anyway.

"It's our old clubhouse." She spoke up, the first words she's said during their trip outside the walls.

"What thefuck?How'd you know!?" Violet paused to stare at her with her eyebrows raised ridiculously high. The frown on her face, clearly stemming from her ruined plans.

"Guessed." Her sister was just too easy to read.

"Damnit!" Vi threw her head back with a groan and slapped a palm over her face before turning to Cailtyn, "Uh yeah…now that the cat's outta the bag…our old clubhouse."

"A place you remember fondly?" The top-sider smiled.

"You bet. I haven't been there inyears." Vi added an extra skip to her walk.

The girl was just so excited to return to that place. Jinx could understand it. She went back to that place occasionally, even if it carried such painful memories. Flashes of her furious fight to beat Vi's score on the punching dummy came to the forefront of her mind. Even those moments of her life were pointless.

Violet came back. She was trying to make amends…So what were all those tears for? Why had she been so consumed by thoughts of her abandonment? Jinx sighed once more as they continued to walk. She was just too fractured. What was important, what is important now, it was just a never-ending list, replaced with new horrors and fears as they were discovered. She'd had enough.

The two glanced back once more at the deep breath that she released, creating a more than audible break in the conversation.

"Do you…not wanna go?" Violet asked.

Maybe. It's not like she had strong feelings either way.

"We can go." Her response was simple, unfeeling.

At the very least, she wouldn't make the two turn back towards the base. Especially since her sister thought of the clubhouse as a place filled with fun and cherished memories. I wonder what that's like?

They arrived to the great surprise that was apparently worth traveling beyond the Firelight walls and getting their leader's approval for such an adventure. Standing before the broken window pane on the empty streets of the Lanes. It was just as they'd left it. Well, as Jinx'd left it the last time she was here.

"What happened here?" Caitlyn asked as she took in the gaping, jagged hole in the green colored glass.

"The enforcers threw some random trencher into the glass the last time we were here. Right, Jinx?"

"Something like that." She agreed.

Caitlyn's mouth parted with silent shock as she glanced between the two sisters who'd now carefully stepped over the shards of glass and into the darkened room. "You say that so casually."

"It's what life down here was like. Can't imagine it's gotten any better." Vi replied.

Jinx nodded slightly. It's probably not better. Things in this world, when left alone, just always seem to get worse. Throw herself into the mix and that process is just accelerated.

The street lamps provided dim columns of light to shine into their clubhouse and Jinx pointed mutely to the wall where Violet had been so clearly confused on where to find the chemtech switch that powered the place.

The mechanical crank of the lever had the entire space lighting up as they were outside in the Firelight base. She squinted her eyes at the sudden harsh light. Had it always been this irritatingly bright?

"Amazing." Caitlyn breathed as she spun to look at all the features in this treasured place.

It was more of an arcade than a clubhouse. Jinx eyed the training dummy, then the shooting gallery and lastly the couch space that housed a large enough speaker box to fill the room with music. She had to admit, for a hangout space, they did pretty well as children.

"You wouldn't even believe it, but Powd-." Vi paused, catching her words in her throat as wide eyes glanced towards herself, "Er,Jinxbuilt out most of this stuff and powered it all with chemtech."

Vi slipped up, but she ignored the mistake. Jinx may be her name, but the value attributed to her name meant everything, right? Right now, she just didn't value much of anything. There can't be any hard feelings if feelings just didn't exist. Like she thought earlier, maybe she was better off abandoning her emotions entirely.

"That's incredible, Jinx." Caitlyn turned to look her in the eyes as the complement was spoken.

She just shrugged in return. Her sister made it sound complicated. If a ten year old could figure it out, surely anyone else could? Gifted or not, it was still a miracle that her efforts even worked. During that time, she faintly remembered all her inventions being failures.

"May I?" The officer asked as she approached the shooting gallery.

Of course, as a sniper, she should have guessed that her friend would be immediately taken to that particular section of the clubhouse. She watched as Caitlyn picked up one of the dusty golden pistols and raised it to fire. Pink orbs shot out from the barrel, hitting a few of the darkened cardboard pieces that were stationary down range.

"This is fun." The woman smiled.

Jinx rolled her eyes before walking towards the table and finding a large red button that directly connected with chemtech piping. "You have to turn it on." She said as she pressed the button.

The gallery spurred to life, cutouts suddenly glowing and moving along their various tracks. When she spun to see Caitlyn's reaction, she just saw pure shock and excitement reflecting in her pupils. The stage was bright with neon colors and the older girl began firing once more.

"What's the high score?"

"1,500." Jinx replied. She knew the number because it was permanently etched into her memory. Years of practice had cemented her skills along the way. 100 points for a headshot and 50 points for a body shot. With 15 total shots and only 30 seconds of active time, that gave the perfect score and that also happened to be her high score. She could almost guarantee she'd hit that number with her eyes closed.

It was a shame that even this contraption was hardly interesting now. Boring, in the worst way.

She continued to think. Just how long would they have to stay here? At what time could she request to go back to the Firelight base? The chime of targets being hit was like a steady background noise with consistent intervals. And when Caitlyn was finished, she placed the pistol back on the table.

"Beat it."

She felt her eyes widened in confusion. What? Beat what exactly? You can't beat a perfect score. She stared at the miny scoreboard that was positioned on the edge of the table. The numbers were there…

[1,900 - 15 shots]

How? How was that possible? She could've sworn she knew the perfect score. Was her memory failing her? Had she imagined the record?

"There were quite a few opportunities to get multiple headshots with one bullet." Caitlyn smirked, knowing her recounting of the feat was sure to grab her attention.

"Do it again."

The top-sider reloaded her weapon and raised her arms once more after pressing the button to reset the score and Jinx watched with a held breath. Caitlyn…she was patient, watching for the moment to pull the trigger and sure enough, the numbers counted twice. One bullet, two enemies, with only thirty seconds she had to be quick enough to identify the right moments to take the shot.

Jinx spun on her heel to reach the other end of the table and swipe a pistol into her palm. No. This wouldn't do. Her record was beaten on Caitlyn's first try too! What the hell? This wouldn't stand.

"Move." She nearly growled as she stepped into Caitlyn's space at the center of the board. Her brow downturned with irritation. Whether that was at herself for not considering that the score could be beaten, or for the top-sider that had embarrassed her record with that knowledge, she had no idea. Probably both.

She raised her single arm outwards as she took a familiar stance to position herself with the targets in her sight. Her free hand slapped the button beneath her and the gallery once again spurred to life. She pulled the trigger, several times. One after the other, the expected chimes rang out. Her arm twitched left to right, holding the pistol steady as each calculated shot was pivoted and scored.

Fifteen shots went by just too damn fast.

She glanced towards the score board.

[1,500 - 15 shots]

"Tch." She clicked her tongue in frustration before slamming on the activation button once more.

A flurry of shots once again spewed from the pistol in hand. For a single moment she saw the cut-outs line up and jumped on the opportunity. The bell rang twice with the single bullet piercing through two heads. On the last shot she groaned, knowing the score below wasn't beating Caitlyn's.

[1,600 - 15 shots]

Again. She could do this. The fact she'd been able to beat her previous high score was proof enough.

[1,600 - 15 shots]

"UGH!" Jinx slammed her pistol down on the table and slapped the button again.

"Maybe you should take a brea-" Violet commented from the side, now standing with Caitlyn as they watched her repeat the shooting gallery process with every failure to match the new high score.

"No chance." She spat as she watched this time, never firing. She had to see what Caitlyn saw. Her eyes tracked the movements of each target, following their destined tracks and noting when paths crossed. Once, twice, three…six. Six opportunities. But with only thirty seconds, there had to be a few missed chances. She couldn't just wait forever for the perfect moment.

Jinx lifted the pistol with the new information. Arm leveled to aim the gun down range and she started the machines up for the fifth time. She was gonna beat that score. Shehadto! With unparalleled focus that hadn't been exerted in quite some time, she placed her shots into the heads of the stupid, stupid dummys and bit her lower lip in concentration.

She angled her head to stare at the calculated numbers below.

[1,900 - 15 shots]

"Nice!" Violet cheered from the side, "You tied Cait."

"Not enough." She said roughly under her breath, while shaking her head. "Not enough."

Jinx paused, running through her head all the different ways she could improve the score. The limit was there, she counted the opportunities. 1,900wasbeatable. Her head suddenly turned to stare at the speaker box in the corner of the room. Music. It'd help. It always helped her work through a problem.

She raced to the corner and fiddled with the box, selecting a disc that would further ignite the energy she felt in her chest. The record was placed on top and she raced back towards the table. She caught the way Caitlyn and Vi shared a knowing smile with each other. Whatever for, was beyond her. That annoyingly stupid score was all she could think about.

Taste what fell from grace. Wanna taste what fell from grace?

As the music slowly began filling the room with the start of her selected song she grinned with a new idea. She turned to swipe the other pistol from Caitlyn's hand.

"Gimmie." She said as she stole the weapon. With two pistols she could be faster. The patience for each moment wasn't necessary if she shot fast enough. She'd just keep track of the bullet count and fire towards two different sections of the gallery. Perfect.

That score was toast.

Her eyes closed, letting her mind meld with the rhythm of the beat in the air and the pounding, chest rattling drums that felt like thunder in her ribcage. She bit her lip as she smiled wide. This invigorating feeling…oh yes. It was so wonderful.

I never felt like this before. I think I might just want some more.

She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, side to side, matching the song. Her head nodded loosely and she shrugged her shoulders up and down as her mind became clear. This was her element. This was her excitement.

I never felt like this before. I might just…Slllliiiiddddeeee!

She slammed the butt of her gun into the button, activating the gallery as the music suddenly blasted in the room. Her pink eyes snapped open and arms whipped upward to take aim. She fired off the pistols, each trigger press rapid and practically in sync with the beat.

One, two, she counted mentally while watching for the expected double points moment. She fired another two rounds. The bell rang non-stop as her pacing far outmatched any previous attempt. Ten, eleven. She was focused. The bead of sweat on her temple went unnoticed as she bit her lower lip harder in concentration. That wide, entertained smile still spread across her face.

Fifteen. She released a breath, hunching over the table as the attempt had been completed.

[2,100 - 15 shots]

"Hah!" She leapt into the air with a pump of her fist, the loud music still assaulting her ears. Caitlyn and Vi seemed to also be holding their palms over their heads to block some of the booming noise. "Take that! 2,100! Whoooo!I'mthe greatest shooter in the Piltover!"

The pistols were thrown into the air as she spun on her heel, arms raised above her head. One of her blue braids was unconsciously taken into her hands and she twirled her hair in a circular motion while staring down her rival.

"Sorry toots. I'm still number one."

"Don't I get a second chance?" Caitlyn smirked back. "I can still tie the score."

"Oh please do Cupcake." Jinx bowed and ushered towards the table. Go ahead, see if you can match my genius. "Don't be sorry when you lose."

Caitlyn eagerly approached the table and Jinx turned to watch…only, she couldn't help but notice the warm smile on her sister's face. It was like she was happy about something. What could…oh. She paused to wrinkle her brow.

She'd been so focused in the moment that she'd forgotten all about the emptiness that consumed her every thought. Feelings, whether she wanted them to or not, had returned with a sudden surprise. Was that okay? Was that something she wanted?

Jinx turned to stare at Caitlyn's back as the woman began placing more shots down range.

"..." She stared in silence before a smaller smile graced her lips.

Guess she could thank Caitlyn for bringing back some of the light she'd lost. Her head turned to stare at her sister once more. And Vi deserved some thanks for thinking of bringing her here.

This was fun.

Notes:

That's the chapter! I hope it was a nice, heartwarming recovery from last one. We got to see a new face in the Firelights be named, Jinx having more empathy in her thoughts too. She may be empty, but I think she was able to reflect on how those around her must be frustrated with her. It's not entirely true, but trying is trying. And speaking of, Vi is continuing to try her best and even though she may slip up, I hope it's clear that she really is making an effort. Of course, Caitlyn, number 1 best friend at this point. I planned the shooting competition scene since CH 2 and was patiently waiting to finally write about the bonding experience of competing in the clubhouse. I hope you all enjoyed reading that part. Also tried something new, featuring lyrics from (Dirty Little Animals - by Bones UK) from episode 4. I think it's the type of beat that Jinx could really get focused with after seeing her tinker while blasting music in her hideout. Maybe try to read that section again with that song in the background, I know it really added to the moment for myself in a cool way!

This wasn't too heavy with the plot that's slowly coming to fruition, and I know Ekko was absent, but those storylines are coming! I really want to make sure that each character in this story really gets a few (or many) moments to shine around Jinx and I'm so happy that you've all supported me to this point! 3,800 Kudos and I couldn't be happier 3. Also, if you want updates to the story my twitter account is up and I post my plans, thoughts, and links to each new chapter throughout the week. Follow me if that interests you!

Twitter: /elsanndra

Please, leave a comment and let me know what you thought. I didn't make things sad this time lol. Your hearts are safe today :D

Chapter 15: Prove It

Notes:

Hi everyone! Sorry this chapter was a bit delayed. I was feeling under the weather on Friday and that kinda lasted through the weekend but all is good now! AND I bring you a new chapter! Yay! Sorry I didn't reply to many of your comments yet again, I tried to start early but I just kinda fell out of it. Seriously, my fault. I will keep trying to do better. Aside from writing this story for you all, I want to engage with you and make sure your questions and comments are being noticed. If it makes you feel closer to this story, that's exactly what I want!

Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

"You almost beat me! I can't believe it." Violet threw her hands up in wonder, gesturing into the empty air as if the shocking realization was visible before her very eyes.

The Lanes had long since passed as they now traveled through the sewage lanes out to the wasteland. There wasn't much difference between the two regions of Zaun. The wastelands tended to be a bit colder, yet the thick, polluted air was a bit more dispersed. Strange enough, she was looking forward to the return to her prison.

Jinx rolled her eyes. Her sister couldn't stop her impressed babbles about the training dummy score that was presented on the scoreboard.

Technically shedidbeat her. It wasn't that long ago that they'd fought until dawn with the sole purpose of determining who was stronger. Admittedly, it was closer than she expected…but the referenced score of the training dummy in the clubhouse was so irrelevant. She's an entirely different person now. So was Vi. Those numbers didn't matter.

"So you've said." Caitlyn joined her as the officer also rolled her eyes, "Was that the fifth time you brought it up?"

Vi paused, her face scrunched into offense as she tried to piece why her companions weren't as invested in her words as she was.

"Do you even know how hard that is?" Vi asked, "That thing is like a professional fight-.

"-Fighting bot." Caitlyn finished alongside her sister, "We know."

She gave a light smile. Seeing her sister and best friend bicker was entertaining. Especially the face Vi continued to make as if someone just spit on her shoes right in front of her.

"Since when did you get so snarky?AndJinx hasn't had any personal combat training!" She paused to glance back towards her as she followed the two from a short distance behind. "You haven't, right?"

"No." She acknowledged softly.

It was an odd feeling. Being in the company of these two while her mind frequently swung from some sort of contentment and the unbearably lonesome emptiness that still leaked in the corners of her mind. If she didn't reply and wallowed in her own thoughts, would they notice? The allure to do so was increasing as they continued back.

"See!?" Vi's smile was large on her face, "She's a natural. You have no idea how much I had to practice to get my high score."

"I believe you said something like a decade of practice earlier?" Caitlyn replied as the trio continued to walk across the concrete environment.

"Whatever." Vi grumbled under her breath, "You two stick to your guns and ammo, when those break and run out, at least I'll have these." She smirked while holding one of her biceps.

"My hero." Caitlyn sarcastically swooned.

It must've been an inside joke she didn't understand. Vi's embarrassed smile was now accompanied by a timid glance away as her cheeks reddened. Definitely an inside joke. Or…god help her, they were back to flirting with each other weren't they? Did it always just happen like that?

Well, her big sister was a total dork for two things, fighting and Caitlyn. Having two together in the same conversation was making her behavior much more understandable. Insufferable, but understandable.

Although…she liked that Vi was filling the silence. Her sister's quirks were appreciated in a time where her own voice was so unreliable. She'd thought her greatest hurdle over the past month would be finding a way not to suffer in the presence of goodie-two shoe idiot Firelights. How could she have ever expected that she'd spend this time mostly frustrated with herself?

No, 'frustrated' wasn't right…Nervous? Cautious? With how split she felt these days, it was hard to tell. One thing was certain, whatever this festering loneliness was…it wasn't going away. She could feel it deep inside, lurking in murky depths like a predator waiting to strike. The patience and resolve of that inner creature…could she overcome it?

She'd always felt like there were many parts to her, broken while still finding some core to hold onto. Now, it was as if she'd split into two different people, a fork in the road. The energetic, maniacal psycho and the lonely, empty husk. But, which one was the truth and which one was the pretender?

She had no answers there.

Her thoughts were cut as she realized they'd already arrived before the metal door of the base. Huh. Usually she's so alert in the darkened tunnels, watching for any shifting forms to jump out at her. Not this time apparently.

The door opened after Caitlyn knocked with a particular cadence and the hidden base was once again revealed to her eyes. The relief she felt in her chest at their return was concerning. The familiarity and safety she felt behind these walls was something she didn't know how to address. Well, safety was never guaranteed, but the outside world, the adventures she once yearned to experience, lost their luster with the possibility of more pain.

"I'm gonna go wash up. I'll see you guys at dinner tonight." Vi said to the group as she gave a wave and headed towards the bathhouse. Her sister did spend more energy than them by practicing a few rounds in the clubhouse.

That left Caitlyn and herself…What now?

"Would you like me to stay with you a while longer?" The top-sider asked.

"Why?"

She received a shrug in response. "I don't have much to do. I guess I can finish unpacking my things in my room."

Right. It was hard to remember that Caitlyn had just returned today. Had she come to see her straight away then? That was kind…

"Jinx." A familiar voice called out and the two women turned to see the great Firelight leader shuffling across the fields, a wooden crutch under his arm once more. Guess it was an attempt to reduce too much movement with his bullet wound.

"I'll be in my room." Caitlyn smiled slyly as if she found humor and entertainment in Ekko's arrival. Like she knew a juicy secret that nobody else knew.

Great. Leave her with the only person in the world that she really didn't care to see right now. How lucky. Mylo made sure to circle around her, dancing in celebration at the awkward conversation that was yet to come. Luckily the void that consumed her heart was growing with the absence of her friends. Whatever he had to say, she was sure to be detached.

"Hey…" Ekko started as he got within arms reach. There was no follow-up, but the light in his eyes was throwing her off and she tilted her head as her confusion became more noticeable. Where was the hard-ass wannabe hero she'd come to expect? This boy was almost as unpredictable as herself. Well, he also seemed completely incompentent at the moment. His lips were parting as if he had something to say, but no words came out. God, the conversation just started and it was already torture.

"Hi?" She replied cautiously.

"I uh…" He stumbled his way through his thoughts as his brow furrowed. They raised once he had something to continue with, "Oh. How are you holdin' up?"

"Okay." Jinx replied. The tiredness in her tone was too difficult to hide behind her usual antics. She really didn't feel like herself anymore.

"That's um good. Marenth's been tryin' to keep me in bed all day, but there's just so much to do."

Cool. I guess? What was this? Why was he just talking about his day like she cared? Oh. His words reminded her that she should've asked how his wound was, right? That was the expected conversation. It was too bad that boring pleasantries just weren't in her vocabulary. The boy seemed to pick up on her struggle to communicate and his face lost a bit of it's shine. He straightened.

"Look." The serious tone had her eyes lifting from her feet to stare at him, "I wanted to talk to you…alone."

"Okay." Jinx nodded, it was just too easy these days to do what others wanted of her. He should have led with that, rather than make them sink into the awkward feelings at the beginning. The briefest of twitches in her eye revealed irritation in her pupils.

"But first," Ekko turned to walk towards the stairs of the great tree, his brown eyes scanning for something in the distance. He raised a cupped hand to his mouth as he shouted, "Kaya! Benji! Jaz! Come over here!"

She leaned to the side to glance past Ekko and watched as three familiar faces came racing across the grassy plains. Children…Great. It seemed they were just as unexcited as their faces fell when they spotted her form standing close by. Little legs, filled to the brim with energy, slowed in hesitation.

Ekko crossed his arms over his chest as he towered over three tiny bodies that had come at his beck and call. Their heads lowered in shame. Funny. To think Ekko would bethisrespected by the younger generation of Firelights. Then again, they were at an impressionable age, ready to latch onto anyone that could be considered a hero.

Not that she thought Ekko was a hero. Absolutely not. Heroes didn't exist in her world.

"Remember what we talked about earlier?" He asked the trio. They didn't reply. "Well?"

Could they go? She didn't want to deal with these brats. The same ones that had been so eager to gang up on her helpless, restrained body, when she got on their nerves.

"Sorry." One of the boys mumbled softly.

Hm? The child really was quite a far cry from how she remembered him, all confident and sure of himself. Was he…apologizing for restraining her? But, that was stupid. Words meant nothing compared to actions and she wasn't even sure she could deal with three dumb kids trying to appologize for actions that made perfect sense to her. Hell, the only complaint she had was that they didn't hit her hard enough.

"We're sorry Miss Jinx." The little girl added with more clarity. Her wide, innocent eyes were brimming with tears already. Hah! Maybe she should shout at them, pretend she was furious. She was sure the little ones would start bawling immediately now that they held no power over her.

Jeez. Jinx groaned internally. This was just pathetic. Was this some grand plan to get her excited? Having children apologize under command?

"Yeah, we promise we won't ever hurt you again."

Unlikely. It was a shame that they didn't realize how impossible that promise was, but she didn't care either so…

"Thanks?" She managed to get out after a few moments of unbearable silence.

Jinx had to admit, their beaming smiles that replaced fearful hesitance struck her somewhere deep inside like a little flutter that tickled her heart and she nodded to the three with a sudden surge of energy. Don't go saying she wascompletelyheartless.

They started giggling as they raced off and she turned to Ekko who had been watching with a smirk on his face. Damnit. What an asshole. Putting her in a situation like that? And he had the nerve to put on that cocky expression she'd come to hate.

"Shut up." She growled.

"Didn't say anything." He chuckled.

"Whatever, let's go." She said while heading towards the stairs once more.

He managed to catch up with a few hasty and limping movements. She could see him stealing glances towards her in her peripheral vision. Ugh. Just like Caitlyn and Vi, she could see the curiosity and worry in his eyes.

"That was long overdue. They're nice kids, but they should've apologized sooner."

"Eh." Jinx shrugged in response before an idea popped into her head. Huh, she hadn't had one of her famously spontaneous thoughts in a while. "Should I prank them later as punishment?"

Ekko laughed beside her, "As long as nobody gets hurt, I'm cool with it."

Good. She liked this laid-back Ekko. She'd have to take advantage of the looser rules around her imprisonment while she could. Still…the image of his serious expression came to her mind as she followed him up the stairs.

Nothing ever stayed light-hearted in her world…

When they passed her room and headed further up the stairs, Jinx couldn't help but wonder where they were going. The only areas ahead that she'd known were her balcony and the professor's lab...but those places didn't seem likely for a chat. Or whatever it was that Ekko wanted.

They walked along the wooden platforms and instead of taking the familiar bridge of planks that stretched towards the wall and led to the laboratory, they continued to the right, wrapping around the tree and climbing even higher.

Wow. She leaned over the railing to stare at the ground that continued to appear farther and farther away. Has she ever been this high up in the tree? Not really. They stopped at a dead end with the only way forward marked by Ekko's club planted into a hole and his owl mask hanging over the tip. A marker for his room?

She looked towards the entrance, noting the room was literally built into the tree. A natural split in the wood allowed them entry into a hollowed portion of the flora and she spun to take in the circular room. Woah. She noted the hundred, maybe thousands of dark brown lines that spiraled around the room. The trunk of the grand tree was here, it's age and history on prominent display.

Other than that, his room was basic. Sleeping mat and small dresser tucked into the side and nothing but small lanterns keeping the interior lit. It was far more natural than she expected from the boy who was something of a tinkerer like herself. She spotted a few gears and metal scraps that littered the floor too.

"This is my place." He spoke as he gestured into the open air. "It's small, pretty shit cooling too, but none of those metal pipes reach this high up."

She nodded in understanding as she continued to stare at the rings that circled beneath her shoes. He must've noticed her interest below because he decided to break the silence once more.

"239."

"What?"

"That's how old the tree is. I counted the lines when I was bored one day."

"Oh." She replied, what else was there to say? She wasn't good at leading conversations.

"Can you believe something like this was here for that long? In Zaun?"

She shook her head. Plant life was just absent from the Lanes. It was obvious that any effort to grow something like a tree or flower would wither within a week. Didn't matter how much care went into it, the thick polluted air and near poisonous water supply just couldn't cut it. Whatever grew in the undercity could hardly be called flowers, or pretty. This magnificent tree was admittedly a clear exemption.

"If something as great and big as this tree can survive out here, so can we."

Sure. However he wanted to justify it, she wasn't gonna argue. The conception behind the Firelight's setting up a base in the wastelands was sorta boring. She didn't really care for history. It always made her sleepy.

"So…" He murmured.

She turned to look at the Firelight. His eyes averted to the ground as he shuffled his feet. The crutch under his arm creaked as he shifted his weight.

"So." She added, waiting for what he wanted to say. What was so important that they needed to come here? Was he uncomfortable? Good. She was just as uncomfortable. At least they suffered together in that regard.

"You saved my life last night. Twice."

God. Was that what this was about? Some mushy attempt to thank her for actions she took without thought? She didn't save his life on purpose. There wasn't any time to think. Give her a choice and time to think it through and Ekko could have been rotting in Stillwater for the rest of his life or died on the streets of Piltover.

"Don't th-"

"Don't thank you?" Ekko interrupted, "Relax. I won't. I know you don't want that."

Well that was mean. Who was he to say he knew what she wanted or didn't want? Though, she supposed he was correct.Thistime. What was the saying? Even a blind squirrel can find a nut every once in a while? She giggled to herself. Yeah. That was the saying…funny as much as it was accurate.

Ekko, the Blind Squirrel. Much better than a Firelight.

Ekko turned to pace around his room, his eyes falling on a clock that hung upon a nail embedded in the wood. She stared at the timepiece as well, it's gears clicking by as the seconds passed without any interruption from their voices.

"Tomorrow will be a month since you've been here." He commented, "I had to think about what I should do with you."

"Right…" She hadn't even been able to really reflect on her time here. Each day passed like a whirlwind. It almost felt like whiplash with all that's happened. What were his thoughts? Was she done for?

"I suppose it won't come as much of a surprise…" He paused to stare into her eyes.

There was that light again. A happiness in his pupils that rarely shined in his brown eyes. It was as fascinating as it was confusing.

"...I won't kill you."

Jinx released a breath that she didn't even know she was holding in. To think that her sentence would still hold so much weight over her…She'd been convinced that this would be the outcome after watching the leader of this ragtag group. He didn't have it in him. She told herself that repeatedly and still the news made her knees weak.

Even her empty heart felt warm at the decision, brief as the feeling was.

"Whew." She flipped one of her braids over her shoulders and sighed cheekily. The idea of showing the boy just how grateful she was for his words just had to be hidden. She could pretend, play it off like it was nothing. The act started with a smile. "Dodged a bullet, am I right?"

His eyes steeled. Oh. Damnit. Did she say something wrong? Was it too soon to tease him? He couldn't just reverse his decision now could he?

"I don't know what to think of you." His voice was rough, like it was sourced from someone with far more years of life under their belt. Dare she say, it made him seem like more of a man. "You're not the same person I used to know. You kill people. You have no morals whatsoever."

Please. He didn't need to remind her. The ghosts that hung over her shoulders reminded her of that truth every single day. With her many faded and fuzzy memories, it was something impossible to forget.

"But last night…Damnit." He sighed as he kicked out his foot and placed a gloved hand in his pocket. Little movements to fill the void that was undoubtedly in his head. "I don't even know what I'm talking about anymore. Just a feeling I guess."

"A feeling?" She asked.

"..."

"..."

They didn't really know how to continue from here. It was a blank space. Like their relationship was lost in the wilds without a map. A leader with a duty to protect his people and a criminal with no regard for human life. How could they even dare to imagine an alternate path forward? Alone, together, any way it was sliced, they just didn't make sense in this world they found themselves in.

"You're fucked up." Ekko suddenly exclaimed.

She tried not to cringe at his bluntness. It was a known truth after all. Still, the tone in his voice, the emotion that swirled in his eyes, they had her rooted in place.

"I know. Crazy, remember?" She smirked. It was getting harder to make it feel like an achievement to be proud of these days. They were skirting a deeper issue. She could feel it in the air like a thick fog of unsettling emotion.

"Not like…well yeah," He nodded, "But you know what I'm trying to say."

"That I'm broken? A lost cause? Irredeemable?" She listed the many ways she thought of herself, her voice as hollow as she felt.

"I didn't say that."

"You'vethoughtit though, right?"

He nodded after a short pause.

There. That was all she needed to know. This was what they were now. She was a doomed woman, at the mercy of her captors. Forever. That was the only way she'd be able to live. If you could even consider it living.

"You're trying to be better, right?"

Seriously? Was he trying to snake his way around the blunt and obvious reality that they both saw. He was starting to sound like Caitlyn or Vi and that just didn't suit him. He wasn't one to seem doubtful about his beliefs. How could he have gotten this far if his worldview and discernment hadn't been honed?

"You'll stay here, with us." She nodded at his words, escape was all but a dream that had long been gutted from her mind, "And the restraints will stay on."

"Expected as much." She mumbled as she stared at the silver rings around his wrists and ankles. The chains that kept her in check. Maybe it was for the best. The anguish that boiled in her heart had a peculiar, unexpected way of lashing out.

She was tired of it all. Just tired.

"Prove to the Firelights that you can be trusted and maybe it won't always be like that."

Pink eyes widened as she processed his words. She could be free? There was a possibility for that? She just had to…what, help the Firelights out? Play the goodie two shoes role for a bit? It still felt harder than it sounded. This place was a wicked, hellhole of resentful eyes. Did she even have the energy to try? It still felt like a struggle just to feel anything right now.

"Prove that you're someone worth saving." Ekko added.

She stared at him with her mouth parted. His brown eyes were filled with something that wasn't quite easy for her to identify. An expression that both fit his features and looked so foreign. Odd. She was about to retort that she didn'tneedsaving to begin with. She was her own person, not some weak little child. He could shove it right up his-

"Can you do that...Please?"

His unexpected plea struck her to her very core. He was asking, no, it sounded more like begging? But…but why? What reason did he have to see this through? Was this some long winded way of repaying her for saving his life? No. That didn't seem to be what he was thinking. At least, it wasn't the whole of it. Those eyes of his that looked upon her more closely than she'd ever felt before, did they see something good in her corrupted, fractured, self?

How? Out of all her enemies…why him? Why did he have to take notice?

She didn't know what to think, what to say. Her mind was blank at the request as she tried to understand. Why? Why? Her demons spun around her, shouting the same word over and over until her head felt like it was going to explode. Eventheydidn't understand.

Still, despite all her reservations, Jinx nodded her head slowly.

"Okay…"

So…How to be a better person? The thought had been cycling through her mind as she walked aimlessly through the Firelight base, both palms raised and placed against the back of her head. What exactly did she have to do? Hadn't she already done some good around here? Healing some of the injured Firelights should've counted. Stealing the gemstones? Saving their leader? Check. Check. Check.

What was missing? Sincerity? Yeesh. That was asking for a lot. Couldn't she just kick Sevika's ass for them? That would be easier. How the hell was she supposed to obtain their trust? Even more so, would the Firelights even be able to tell her intentions? She was a confusing person to fathom. The seemingly random interests and actions she jumped on made it difficult for them to even understand her.

"Why are you even trying?" Her own voice murmured from beside herself and she paused her movements to stare at the shadow. A copy of herself, with slumped shoulders, darkened features and empty blue eyes that stared at the dirt below. "It's pointless. We can never be good."

Somehow, there was relief in seeing this side of her take form once more. A lost piece, found again. The darkness, the abyss of the void inside had a puppet, a mouthpiece and she was here standing right next to her. She was starting to prefer sharpened consciousness over ignorance of the unknown.

"We can be free." She replied to the mirrored version of herself.

"You lie."

"Lie?" Calling me a liar? That wasn't cool. "Who's side are youevenon? You're me!"

Blank blue eyes lifted from the floor to stare into her own irritated eyes. Oh…That's right. Saying that this girl was her, wasn't true was it?Thisperson was lost in the past. Broken by the horror of all the tragedies that plagued her.

"Perhaps you should stop living in the past, my dear."

The old yordle's words suddenly came to her mind. Words spoken nearly a month ago. When her fate had been all but sealed in death, she remembered tossing them aside. But now…now she could live. Ekko told her that her life was safe from execution. The obstacles ahead seemed so small compared to annihilation.

Her pink eyes softened as she stared at the tortured version of herself. If only those words had been offered to her back then. If only this copy could have found something, anything to live for. Just a small, simple reason to wake up.

"Sorry…It's just so lonely." Her ghost said.

She shook her head. This past month, she'd hardly ever been left alone. Much to her own frustration at times. But the people here, they were annoying little insects that couldn't seem to understand what she deserved. Caitlyn, Vi, Heimy, Marenth, hell even Ekko seemed to be offering something more than what she'd always known. Friendship, the foreign concept, was becoming less blurry these days. But the pain and struggle that lurked inside, made it so hard to even consider.

The lies of her demons were understood with new clarity. Fear. That's what it was. So much fear was leaking from deep within. How strange it was to look upon herself and make that discovery. But what then? What could she do? These pieces of herself were hidden behind taunts and jabs, what exactly were they afraid of…What wassheafraid of?

"Look." She turned to herself, "Are you gonna help me brainstorm ideas or what?"

There was no response, her mirrored self just faded into the open air, dispersing with nothing left to say. She blinked. Weird. She'd never seen them just disappear like that before…

She put her hands over her stomach and doubled over in laughter.

Crazed giggles made plenty of others stare at her as she laughed, but it was crazy! The Firelights wouldn't be able to understand. For her ghost to just fade away? If they could do that, why didn't they before? Hah! She wiped a stray tear from her eye as she settled down. Learn something new everyday.

She turned to a group of adults that were watching her from a short distance away. Their concerned eyes meant nothing as she smiled and waved. Maybe they could help her help them. That was a good plan. No time like the present!

"You guys need help with anything?"

"..."

"Hello?" She waved her extended hand from side to side as if trying to wipe away their confusion. "You deaf?"

"N-No." A mumbled reply, so nervous and light was all she heard.

Ugh. Guess it wasn't gonna be that easy. Why couldn't they just have a problem to fix? There wasn't much she couldn't solve with some gunpowder and a plan. Shit. She didn't have gunpowder either. Dammit, this whole good samaritan thing was just getting harder and harder!

Jinx scanned the base, looking for any opportunity to "help" and found nothing. Well, nothing that came to mind at least.

Wait. Hold that thought.

She squinted in the distance to watch a few teens painting dead firelights onto the mural which had been extended. Ooooooooohhhhhh! Help them memorialize their dead? That screamed helpful, didn't it? Sure she'd have to keep away from the side that still held that horrid power over her, but as long as she didn't look atthem…Good thinking. Sometimes she really was a genius!

"Hey!" She chirped as she skipped over to the group. "Can I help?"

A wave of dark glares suddenly inked her skin, but she brushed off the nasty stares with ease. Not like she actually cared about what they thought of her.

"Get lost."

"Why the hell would we want your help?"

"Is that a joke?"

Okay…this was also gonna be harder than expected. Fair enough. Her lips parted to respond with a deep digging insult only to pause as she recognized one of the firelights in front of her. Brina was it? The woman's arms were once again crossed over her chest in annoyance.

"Just get out of here Jinx. We know you don't care about our friends."

"So?"

What was the big deal? She could still help, couldn't she? Jeez. Maybe Brina was just hungry. She always got a little cranky without food. Or she had a stick up her ass. Definitely one of the two. Heh.

Said Firelight dropped a paint can she was holding and took a few steps closer. Jinx tilted her head up slightly to make eye contact. She assumed the woman was trying to intimidate her…Good thing it wasn't working.

"We love these people. They're our family. It'd be an insult to have someone likeyouhelp us. You killed Eve, remember?"

"Eve?" She asked. The question must've been in poor taste because a fire erupted in Brina's eyes.

"Yeah. Eve. Short pink hair, about your age. Shot in the back by your pistol."

Oh…ThatFirelight…oops. Would an apology help?

"I just-"

She didn't get a chance to speak further.

"How about you just fuck off? We don't want you here and you can't help."

Rude. Her own fury was rising in her chest. The itch to tackle this bitch to the ground and strike her repeatedly was heavily considered in her mind. No. She couldn't just attack a Firelight. That was like the exact opposite of this whole operation…But she wastryingto help. Didn't Brina see that? The hostility was fueling a darker rage inside and the only thing she could think about was how difficult the woman was making this! Fuck you!

"Fine." She spat before shifting on her heels and walking away, "Don't let me help you! Those portraits look like shit by the way."

Jinx paused once she had stormed off a good distance away from the group. The nerve of those idiots. How was she supposed to be better if they didn't want her to be? No. Screw that! She'd help them whether they liked it or not. Night time was only a few hours away and that's when she'd act. Who the hell cared if they didn't want her help? They'd thank her once they realized they'd have less work in the morning.

Yeah…She'd just help in secret. A perfect plan if you asked her.

Now she just had to wait for the darkness of the night. They already had a habit of leaving their paint cans out in the open. It would be a simple job.

She glanced once more at the extended section of the mural. Her glowing pink eyes drifted over the many unfamiliar faces of the Firelights that died in battle against Sevika and her gangs. What was it that Ekko said about the mural?

"Those are all the loved ones we've lost. We honor their memory as Firelights…"

"Loved ones lost huh?" She murmured into the open air.

Rest assured, she'd take great care in completing their work. The main features of their faces were already there. It was the little details that needed some love and she'd like to think she was something of an artist.

Jinx could already see it in her mind. That mural would be beautiful.

Notes:

And that's the chapter! I hope it was satisfying. Jinx may have started to consider how to be better at this point, although I'm not sure she's quite committed or even really gets it to begin with. Couple that with her lack of understanding of others and we might have ourselves a little shit show. It's going to be fun though. I would think it's pretty realistic that even if Jinx wants to be better and earn their trust, there are so many others that she's hurt that don't even want her help. It'll be an obstacle for sure. Also I hope you enjoyed more of the Ekko/Jinx content. He's coming around and I hope to have him start to play a bigger role. His portrayal is a bit difficult to convey through Jinx's eyes, but I'd like to think his character is changing realistically too. From a leader set in his ways despite his own wants to now actually asking for Jinx to be better because he wants to have his friend back. His own mask is slipping.

Anyways, I hope everything was up to par with this one and I'm excited to bring you the next when I can. Please leave a comment letting me know what you think!

Until next time! :)

Chapter 16: The Thorns of Love

Notes:

HELLO! How are you? Doing well, I hope! I'm back with another new chapter and this one was very fun to write about. I know I've left you all in suspense about what happened in the last chapter (Rather what will happen in this one) but the wait is finally over! Even better...This is a 9K CHAPTER! That's almost like getting two chapters in one day :D Truthfully, I was aiming for 10k but it started to feel like I was extending scenes that didn't need extending. Besides that, there's a reason for such a lengthy surprise chapter...

This story is now the most kudoed (is that the right word?) story in Arcane under both tags "Jinx" and "Ekko/Jinx". I mean, WOW! I had no idea until one of my friends pointed it out and I couldn't be more excited or proud to have such a well-received story. To think that this story is so high up on a list, representing Jinx as the main character...I really have no words to describe the feeling. Number 1 Jinx fic and that title is both extremely rewarding and nerve-wracking. I promise to keep putting my all into this story for you guys and this chapter is a little extra gift to you all as well 3

Please enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Her wrist twisted with the slightest curve as a paint-soaked brush glided across the wall with precision and grace. Eyes, squinting in the darkness of the night, leaned in to get as close as possible to the strokes that complimented what the Firelights had already started. Subconsciously, her tongue poked out from the side between her lips. This wasn't easy.

Greens, whites, oranges and faded blues had been splattered over her clothes as she added each color to the mural. Even nameless, she could only grin, knowing that these people were beautiful. Just like she planned.

"Annnnnnndddddd." She drew out with another long, careful swipe to complete her work. "There. Done."

Her voice was hushed of course. While there were less guards in the camp, they were still there! She had already stilled against the mural when she thought one was looking her way. Luckily with how pitch black the night was, she probably just looked like she was a part of the art piece rather than someone "adjusting" it.

"Ruin it. Ruin it Ruin it."

Jinx's brow lowered as a frown fell upon her face. Mylo had been repeating the same two words since she first began. The level of irritation that he could pull out from inside was getting harder and harder to ignore.

"Shut it!" She barked to her side, eyes following the boy as he circled her in random, twitching flashes. She could barely keep up with him.

This piece was perfect. Mylo didn't understand. Ruiningthis…no. She just wouldn't do it. It was perfect. Nothing could make this better.

There was an opportunity here. A chance to prove to the Firelights that she could understand them. Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Understand them? Yeah, right. As if that was possible. But at the very least this was a good deed. They'd appreciate her help, even if Brina and her friends were less than enthusiastic about the idea.

She liked her work. Two giddy steps backwards allowed her to get a good view of the entire thing. Yes, she used her skill and many colors to give each one a unique flavor. Before, she could only imagine the dead on that wall as a sea of neutral faces. Not one thing distinguished them from each other. Well, not anymore!

Bright, almost luminescent strokes lined one of the Firelight's jackets, making them stand out amongst the others. Another had actual firelight bugs flowing from cupped palms as if he was releasing them from within. So many features she could gush about, like-

"Ruin it!"

"No!" She roared back before slapping a palm over her loud mouth and waiting to see if she attracted anyone's attention. Her body stilled as a pair of Firelights partoled the outskirts of the fields. It was okay. They couldn't see her from this distance.

Mylo didn't like her resistance. None of her demons did. They appeared one by one, circling her completely. The scribbles in their faces carried little voices with every unnatural movement. They hated this. The voices that scratched from inside her skull were frenzied by her actions.

Jinx gripped her temples with her nails and shut her eyes.

"I don't care what you think!" She breathed through clenched teeth.

"Ruin it!"

"Make them pay!"

"Evil! Evil! Evil!"

"They're not!" At least, she didn't think so. Firelights were a nuisance sure, but evil? To whom?

"They want you gone!"

"Not a part of them!"

So many voices pounded against her head. It wasn't just Mylo. With this many shouting at her, it was as if they were all trying to say their piece.

"You're just afraid." Jinx growled. Like she discovered earlier, fear was all they knew. "Afraid that they'll accept me."

"Liar! Liar! Liar!"

As her fists tightened at her sides, she could feel it inside. A boiling hot sensation in her veins that spread like wildfire. Shimmer glowed in her eyes like two beacons in the darkness that surrounded them.

"Fuck you all!" She snarled before spinning on her heel and rushing to pick up a discarded, unused color of paint and plunging her brush into its contents. "I'll make it even better."

Yes. That would prove her demons wrong. She was committed to the opportunity. The Firelights didn't accept her, they didn't want her here? Yeah right. She would've been strung up in their tree on day one if that was the case. She was closer to them than ever before. Her right, her symbol would join theirs on this mural in joint understanding!

A crazed, cheshire grin split across her face as her glowing pink eyes watched her brush once again. She could hardly focus with all the heart-pumping adrenaline flooding her chest and rebounding off her heart.

She started with grays and blacks, lining a new portrait in the only remaining empty space on the extended wall. Dark reds, a splash of white. Yes. Yes! It was coming together! Her brush sculpted his jawline, defined his features and with a focus on a small little space, Jinx filled in a bright orange eye.

She gasped once the piece was done. Maybe it was exhaustion, maybe it was complete awe. This art before her, it was powerful, magnificent in its glory. Her father, painted with as much passion as she could muster was now standing tall alongside the Firelights.

"Haha." Jinx chuckled before reaching out and pressing her pale digit into his chest, imagining the feel of his vest. The only thing she felt was wet paint and the faintest smudge, but that was okay. Nothing could ruin this. "Hahahahahahahahaha!"

Her demons were quiet. None of them dare utter a word in her shimmered state. It was funny. Hilarious! To think she could understand the Firelight's through this damned mural. Memorializing the dead. Remembering loved ones. She did it.

She understood!

Silco wasn't in her head or a skeleton in the Lanes. He was here! Alive, just as she painted him. The strong, confident smirk on his scarred lips, the power and sophistication in his pose, Jinx could almost imagine that this portrait was coming to life.

"I did it." She smiled with a tired breath and fell to her knees, "I made it better."

The morning sunlight beamed into her bedroom like a gentle caress. She grinned in her sleepy state, snuggling deeper into her bed as she was finally allowed rest from last night. A lightness in her chest was unmistakably foreign. Like she'd actually felt…proud? To say that about herself, it was a wonderful feeling.

She learned something last night. In her shimmer-influenced decision, the purpose of the mural was revealed. Maybe she could look upon the other half, the side filled with her demons, and truly allow herself reprieve from the agony of their clutches.

Well, that was all a bit much to be thinking about this early in the morning. Her chapped lips smacked together as she scratched her scalp. Her unbraided hair flowed like a blanket over her body.

Yep. Before all that epiphany stuff, she wanted some breakfast.

Suddenly, large, 'thunking' sounds of boots entered her room and she curled herself upwards, wiping her sleep filled eyes with the back of her hand.

"What's up guys?" She asked casually with a yawn towards two Firelight's that had entered her room. Without knocking she might add. Didn't they know about privacy?

"Restrain her." One of them said to the other and her wrists linked together at her metal cuffs.

The act had her immediately on high alert. Restrain her? What did she do? What was going on? She had so many questions, none of which were answered as they both grabbed her with a painfully tight grip and began carrying her out of the bedroom.

"Hey! What's the big idea? Let me go you brutes!" She twisted and turned her body to escape their hold but was unsuccessful with such restricted movements of her hands.

They carried her down the stairs of the grand tree and in the open daylight, a sound, similar to rushing rapids of water could be heard. Her neck twisted towards the sound and her mouth parted in sheer astonishment.

The Firelights, nearly every single one, stood in the fields just before the mural. Their shouts and enraged faces blurred together into a single wave of fury that felt like it was actually heating the air above them.

Were they upset…with her?

Dread had already plunged into the deepest parts of her stomach at the obvious answer. Ekko must've lied. This mob…it was a mob looking for execution. Was this the plan from the very beginning? Today was the day she was supposed to die, right? A month. How had she screwed it up at the very end?

It was just as she expected before her captivity. This was always her fate, wasn't it? It didn't matter how hard she tried then. Curse them for giving her hope.

She was thrown into the air and landed roughly on her shoulder, rolling into the dirt. Her unbraided hair was immediately ruffled, splaying outwards from her downed form. The dust of the fall felt extra thick against her skin and hair.

Jinx looked through blue locks that covered her face, slipping past a parted gap in the strands to stare at her executioners. Ekko…she spotted him in the center of the crowd, directly in front of herself with a fury in his expression. She turned, spotting her sister and Caitlyn off to the side as well. They looked more worried than anything, with Vi especially panicked with her head swiveling from side to side, mouth parted in shock.

Was there anything to say? Words died in her throat as she scanned the many faces before her. It was like they knew about every sin she committed in her life and that was just as confusing as the sudden decision to execute her.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Ekko's voice cut through the noise and she could only tilt her head in response.

What was she thinking? About what, this betrayal?

"Why?" He continued as he approached her, hobbling over with his crutch, "Ijustsaid to prove yourself and this is what you do?"

Her eyes widened. The leader's words gave context to this strange situation. This wasn't about wanting her death then? No…the mural? She stared at the Firelights and her father that now shared the space. But…but she thought it was good. She could share the pain of lost loved ones now. Isn't that what they wanted?

"I don't get it." She murmured through blue hair draped over her pale face. "I thought- I don't understand."

"You don't understand?" Ekko asked incredulously while leaning forward as if the mere utterance of her words was a crime in itself.

Pink eyes stared into his own, looking for any of the happiness she saw yesterday, any hope that could shine through his anger. There was none.

Vi? She turned to find her sister in the crowd. Surely the woman would be at her side. She promised…But her heart dropped when she spotted Vi staring with rage in her eyes at Silco's portrait. Her fists were clenched at her sides with a great crease in her brow. Vi wasn't even looking at her.

Caitlyn? She spun to the top-sider, catching her eyes for a single moment before they dropped to the side. As if her friend was ashamed of what she'd done. The sadness she felt, knowing that even her friend that she'd come to love having around, remained on the sidelines.

Heimy? Marenth?...Anyone?

Not a single friendly face. Not a single person looked upon her with kindness in their eyes. They just shouted at her or avoided her pleading eyes, ashamed of what she'd done. Words lost all sense of clarity and instead combined to create an amalgam of fury directed at her disheveled form.

Her knees slid in the dirt as she curled around herself. Surrounded on all sides. Her ghosts behind her, the Firelights in front, and the humiliation of it all was holding her down. She didn't mean to make them upset? She was just trying to do what they wanted. She wastrying!

"What are we gonna do with her!?" A random voice from the crowd screamed out.

"What are we gonna do about the mural!" Another shouted.

Her lips parted with confusion as she stared up at Ekko. What were they gonna do? Can she just explain? Everything would be okay if she could just-. She paused her thoughts as she watched Ekko retreat into his mind, contemplating the situation. Please. Just let her explain.

"I-."

"We'll cover it up." Ekko replied to his people and she was spurred to life.

To paint over her father was horrible. It was like they were trying to erase him from this world. No! NO! They couldn't.

"Stop!" She nearly shrieked in the open air, her restrained arms reaching out towards the art as the Firelights cheered for the decision. "You can't!"

Ekko marched towards her, brown eyes steeled into a committed resolve. His hand wrapped around her bicep and pulled her upright. Despite his wound, he seemed to want to do this personally in front of everyone. His stare was as strong as his grip.

"We're gonna talk about this. Now." He growled lowly before pulling her away from the crowd.

She naturally resisted his efforts to pull her away, flailing her contained arms and kicking her feet wildly. They were destroying her art and her many so called "friends" she had were too ashamed to help her. This was the truth wasn't it? Fuck! Fuck!

Worthless. All of them.

The revelation did nothing but hollow out her insides. She hated it, this feeling that inked over her heart. She fell for their lies and only had herself to blame. It was like she was choking on her own breath, unable to feel any air filling her lungs. Was she screaming? Roaring like the beast they thought she was?

With so many voices inside and outside her head, it was just too hard to tell.

Damnit.

She was pushed back into her prison with a new mindset. This was a PRISON. Not a room. Not a safe place to avoid people. No. A cage. A cell. Historians would find her bones in this very room if they even cared to search for her remains.

Through knotted, dirty blue hair, she let her fingers flow through the strands, climbing their way up her body to take hold at the roots. It was hard with her wrists connected, but pain…she needed it now. Jinx tugged hard enough to sting, any harder and she was sure to rip out her hair.

"Hate you. Hate you. Hate you." She repeated under her breath, mixing in scratches with pulling.

"What you did last night was stupid." Ekko's words reminded her that there was another person in this cell. "Why? Why would you do that? Puthimup there…Do you have any idea-?"

Her pink eyes, filled with unquenchable rage, stared solely at the boy who stood over her hunched form.

"Shut up!" She screamed, letting her throat become immediately raw from the sheer power and volume of her screech. "Shut up! Shut up!"

His continued speech stopped with her outburst. Widened brown eyes just stared, watching as she twitched with seemingly random, jittery movements. Much like the scribbles that loved to cover the faces of her loved ones.

"I hate you!" She roared. "I hate you!"

He didn't reply. Good. There was so much more bubbling from within that needed to be said.

"I hate Vi!" Her terrible, liar sister. Promised to be at her side always and broke that almost as quickly as it was made.

"I hate Caitlyn!" Her back-stabbing best friend. The first person who'd seen just how vulnerable she was underneath. She knew the agony that festered beneath her skin and still backed away.

"I hate Heimy! Marenth! Brina! Galrick! Jaz! Benji! Kaya!" As many names that came to mind she released like pulling the trigger of her pistol.

With shimmer slowly activating in her veins, so many names suddenly topped an imaginary list in her head. A hit list. She'd kill each one. Starting with the least important to the most. Yes. She grinned wickedly at her own new ambition. Yes! She'd take her time, make sure to leave Vi and Cait for last, so theyknewwhat was coming.

"I hate you all and I'll kill every single one of you. Everyone. I'll kill you. I'll kill Vi! I'll kill-!" Her dark words of violence were cut as soon as she felt knuckles punch into her face.

With a startled howl of pain, she crashed to the ground, hair once again splayed out in every direction. Jinx coughed while regaining her senses. The room was lightly spinning while a little drop of blood fell to the wooden floor from a newly created wound. She grit her teeth and used her restrained arms to brush over the tiny cut on her cheekbone.

"Look at you." She growled before turning her head to glare at her attacker, "Did I upset you? Are your feelings hurt so much you need to sucker punch me?You fucking pussy."

Ekko's own eyes fell to his gloved hand still outstretched, as if he was shocked by his own actions. No. The look on his face was quick to disappear. She saw him commit the moment his face evened out into a neutral expression, lips pulled into a thin line.

"You don't get to act like this. Not after everything we've done for you."

"Everything you've done for me?" She repeated his words while laughing. "Hah! Like what? Keep me here against my will? Force me to help you idiots? Pretend like you all care about me? That's rich.Thisisn't help. This is torture!"

"If you can't see that we're helping you, then this was pointless to begin with."

"Finally!" She gasped aloud in relief, "Something we can agree on."

Ekko took a careful step towards her, eyes still locked onto her downed state. Her pink eyes lit up with an opportunity and Jinx pounced. Their bodies clashed with Ekko sent tumbling backwards. With her arms restrained, she used her connected wrists to bash the metal rings anywhere that could find purchase, especially that gunshot wound.

The gasps of pain from the tackled man was like music to her ears. She reveled in the impact that slammed into his chest and rattled the bones in her own arms.

But Ekko was quick too. He recovered enough to raise his own arms and block her shackled attacks. That wasn't all she could do though. Even in her restrained state, her jaw snapped like a feral animal. One good bite would do plenty of damage. She could go for his throat to guarantee the kill.

"I hate you!" She shrieked between attempts to bite his exposed skin. Forearms, face, neck, it didn't matter where, she just wanted to sink her teeth into him. Her demons were screaming behind her like a pack of animals, eagerly pushing for the kill. Senses were heightened. She could barely think with all the noise. A single moment of broken focus left her open.

His fist, fast and accurate, plunged into her exposed stomach and she gasped. Saliva spit forth from her lips as the air in her lungs was forcibly exhaled. Jinx fell backwards, taking sharp, desperately small breaths through her panicked state.

Air. Air. I need air!

Her footing was nearly recovered as her breath slowly came back, but when she rolled to get up, her feet suddenly connected at her ankles and her wrists flew down to complete the full paralyzation of her restraints. Struggling as she might, nothing could be budged from this position.

"Let me g-!"

Her words were cut as his knee pressed over her neck. Pink eyes, wide for the first time with fear directed upwards towards the man that held her entire existence under his foot.

"Is this what you truly are?" He asked aloud, "Have you been faking your way through this entire thing?" There was that disgusting word. Faking. How dare he even try to explain her actions through something as utterly wrong as that. But she couldn't reply with his pressure on her neck. That seemed to be what he wanted too.

"How many chances are you gonna get?" He asked again with his own brow, twisting in rage, "I don't want to kill you, but what else am I supposed to do?"

She merely flailed with her body in response.

"You threatened to kill everyone here and you don't even understand why people are pissed with you to begin with."

"I hate…" She cut through her nearly closed throat with bitter words, "...all…of you."

His knee pressed hard enough to remind her that he could silence her at any time.

"No." Ekko shook his head, "You aren't falling back on that."

What? What the hell was he talking about? Falling back on what exactly? Anger? Malevolence? The dark power that coursed through her was fuelling her most twisted desires.

"I know you better than you think. You do this when you want to lash out." Ekko started, "Don't go hating your friends, or the Firelights that just wanted solace with their dead. They don't deserve it and you don't get to do that."

"I can…do what…I-!"

"Hate me." Ekko continued, his anger and fury fading with the command, "If that's the path you want, hate me.I'mthe one that made the decision to cover up Silco.I'mthe person you want dead more than anything.I'mthe one you should hate. Not them."

"But they-!"

"Theyhaven't even come to terms with the way you see Silco. You think sharing that with Vi, Caitlyn, or the rest of the Firelights was a good idea? You idiot!"

"Fuck you." She growled against wooden floorboards.

"I know why you're like this." Ekko said while shaking his head.

Please. Indulge me. Let me know what you think. It'll just give me more time to think of ways to rip out your tongue.

"You're a child. Selfish and stupid." Her eyes widened with the explanation. "Did you even stop to consider what you were doing to that mural? How other people would react to what you did? If you had, maybe this morning wouldn't have been a surprise."

No! She didn't want to care about what they thought about her art! All they were trying to do was re-shape her into a meek, timid woman with no ambition to fight. They wanted tofixher, like an obedient pet. That's what all this was. Why couldn't she just be the person she wanted to be and still fit in?

"I-." Her own words were cut off. Not by Ekko's knee, but rather, by herself.

Thoughts were clashing together as if a debate were being acted out in her head. Arguments for all that was said and counterpoints for all that was wanted. Why was this so hard? Why couldn't they just understand what she wanted?

"I-."

What was wrong with her? What didn't she have inside that others could use so easily. To make friends, to have fun with others, even the mystery of love…why was it so absent?

"I just wanted-." Her sentence paused as her trembling lips were suddenly hard to control. A burning ache, unlike the physical one on her neck, was surfacing in her throat. Silently, tears spilled over her eyes and dripped onto the floorboards as everything became blurry.

Ekko's knee was removed from her neck a split second after her walls of defense fell. Her strained muscles went limp as the entirety of her body lost any will to fight.

"I thought I understood." She mumbled through the tears streaked over her lips. The power in her veins was fading with each passing second, leaving her more empty than she started.

"Understood what?" Ekko's confused voice drifted into her ears from above.

"I miss him..."

So much. Couldn't she remember him through the mural? Her dear father, the one person who loved her so much, why couldn't he be up there too? It wasn't hurting anyone.

"So that's why…" Ekko's voice carried into the air with the revelation of her actions.

"..." There wasn't anything left to say. This was where it ended. The long, tragic life of hers was over. Death by fighting her warden, or at the very least, left to starve or hung by the mob. Well, if Ekko could actually kill her…

"I understand what you want." Ekko scolded from above, his tone was lighter than before, "But you can't put him on the mural. For a lot of people, Silco's the reason we've lost so many to begin with."

"What am I supposed to do?" Jinx asked aloud. "I just…don't know."

For the first time since coming to this place, Ekko placed a hand on her shoulder. A light, comforting touch that she enjoyed despite her words that were shouted in rage.

"You can't just earn people's trust overnight. These things take time."

"I…can't." She couldn't handle it. Time. Over time things just got worse. So many ways for her to screw things up. Shealwaysscrewed it up.

"You want to help people. I saw it on the bridge when you saved me. You didn't run away. Focus on the people that care about you and you'll get there."

"Heh." She chuckled tiredly, "Sounds like a fantasy…and Silco…"

"We can figure something else out. Just for you."

"Just for me?"

A personal mural for herself? Something unique? But why? Why would Ekko help her discover something like that? He should just kill her for her actions today. It made more sense.

"Yeah…just for you."

She looked up towards the boy, tears still filling her eyes, but no longer streaming down her face. There was warmth in his brown eyes. A small smile graced his lips as he flicked the dials of her restraints to completely release her.

"Why?" She asked in response to his actions. The weariness of his actions and the confusion behind his changed mood were too suspicious.

"Because, I didn't realizewhyyou did what you did. And I can tell you want to be better."

"I said I hate you." She replied plainly.

"You say a lot of crazy shit when you're angry." He smirked his arrogant, cocky smirk and she crossed her now free arms over her chest. "Happens to the best of us."

"I think I mean it."

"Youthinkyou hate me?" He questioned.

"Sometimes." But reflecting back on her words…maybe she was the one too quick to judge. Vi and Caitlyn, they both spent the whole of yesterday trying to cheer her up. Why would they do that if they didn't care? Silco was just a pain point she'd failed to recognize.

Her thoughts were suddenly broken as the back of Ekko's finger brushed past her hair and smoothed the top of her cheekbone, right where her cut from the punch earlier had connected with her face. Her eyes closed, relishing in the warm contact that both stung and eased her scattered mind.

"I'm sorry." Ekko apologized softly, "I should have tried to understand you before deciding what was right and wrong. I…got too riled up."

"I'm used to it." Jinx replied, matching the softness of his voice. Not that she'd taken issue with Ekko's quick and furious reaction, but that most people never even tried to understand her. How could they?

"That doesn't make it okay." He commented as he removed his finger from her no longer bleeding cut, "I swear I'll keep my promise. We'll find a way for you to mourn Silco."

"Okay."

"And I won't hit you like that again."

"Heh. Not sure you can keep that promise." She smirked at him through her blue hair. Jinx always found a way for pain to enter her life.

"I will."

"Really?"

"When I hit you, I'm gonna let you know that I'll hit you. No more surprises."

"But I love surprises." She grinned, "Besides, you'll be at a disadvantage."

Ekko shrugged his shoulders, "Guess I'll have to live with that."

After a few moments of silence she got to her feet, struggling with the atmosphere and how to proceed. What was Ekko? An enemy? A friend? Both at the same time? To have the strength to fight her, and the gentleness to put her at ease with comfort….what did that mean?

"We…um" This was hard. To recover from their spat with a newfound understanding. "We should fight more often."

Was that the right thing to say? It was a joke. She guessed he could take it seriously, but the irony was in the resolution rather than the act.

"And let you try to bite me again? I don't think so."

"Hehe sorry." As if her apology meant anything. It was like pleading guilty to a single crime that not only fell towards the bottom of the "Heinous things Jinx has done" list, but it would surely be a repeated crime in the future.

"We should go back outside. We'll need to cover up the mural and if you do it in front of the others, I'm sure they'll have an easier time forgetting about the whole thing."

"Ihave to cover it up?" She asked hesitantly. Couldn't they just do it for her? She could imagine that it was never there to begin with. Like last night had been nothing but a dream. Removing the art herself, covering it behind empty paint, the act was already hurting her chest.

Ekko nodded mutely and offered her his hand.

"C'mon, I'll help." He said and she slowly reached forward to take his open palm into her grip.

It wasn't much. But to be there, knowing the pain that is tormenting her from the inside, was as much as she could ask for right now. How could he stand her, knowing that they had been so close to killing one another? Ekko was weird. Maybe as weird as her…

So she took his hand and walked back into the light.

When her freshly dipped brush pressed against the mural, she made sure the first stroke covered his orange eye. Remove the most identifying feature first…it was an effort worth taking seriously. The tip of her brush stayed pushed into the wall as she took a steady breath.

Nearly every fiber of her being was resisting the intention to remove her father from the art piece. Any possible way to get out of having to do this had already crossed her mind.

No!

No excuses. Not yet. She'd have her own way to mourn. Thisneededto be done.

She glanced to her side to see Ekko placing his own brush on a section of Silco's shoulder. The boy paused when he caught her staring and gave a small nod. Okay. This was it. Her arm, now trembling slightly at a subconscious fear of her actions, dragged across his face.

"Gonna have to paint faster than that, if we expect that asshole to be off our mural by nightfall." A snarky, woman's voice called and she turned to see Brina smirking as she walked by the two.

Jinx opened her mouth to return an insult only to close her parted lips. Her voice was untrustworthy right now. Whatever she said, may very well be the last before all the Firelight's band together and fulfill their dreams with her execution. Even Ekko couldn't stop them all.

Instead, she turned back to the portrait and began painting over the mismatched portion of his face. It was slow. This was important. She unknowingly miss-stepped last night, but this was going to fix it, right? That meant she had to take time and care to remove her loved one. He wasn't supposed to be here.

"Did you hear me?" Brina asked again, "You better paint fast-."

"Brina. Leave." Ekko's voice cut into the one-sided conversation with a powerfully commanding tone.

The girl's eyes widened at her leader's words and she nodded while rushing away from the two, leaving them to their task.

"Don't let her get to you." Ekko said when they were alone once more, "Take the time you need. We'll get this done today, but you don't need to rush."

"Obviously." She rolled her eyes.

How cute to think he was coming to her defense. Like a true knight to a damsel in distress. Hah! Like she needed his help. She was just gonna let Brina embarrass herself by talking to a wall, but sure, commanding the bitch away was a much more satisfying victory.

"Brina is one of the more…vocal Firelight's about you."

"I can tell. A little ray of sunshine, am I right?"

The Firelight leader beside her chuckled at her description. At least she wasn't crazy in thinking that the woman was anything but a total bitch. It seemed like Ekko could agree. Although, his wording was definitely hidden behind words that wouldn't give too much away in terms of his opinion. But she saw through him.

"You did great with the other Firelights." Ekko complemented as he looked upon the other portraits, "It's really-"

"Hey. Need some help?" Another voice appeared from behind, much more familiar in its tone and Jinx turned to face her older sister.

Violet. The person that said she was on her side…here to help Jinx remove the only person she held dear from this mural. How…unwelcome. No. She shouldn't think like that. Vi never liked Silco. To think that she'd change her mind simply because she was his daughter was hard to imagine. Like Ekko told her before, there was no reason to hate Vi. Not for this.

Still…

Jinx shook her head.

"No." She replied to her big sister's offer. "I want to do this alone."

"But…" Vi's eyes flashed to the boy working beside her.

"Oh. Right." Jinx nodded at the unspoken question. "He's an exception."

"Okay. Well, look. I'm sorry about earlier, I just-."

She held up her beige painted brush to stop her sister from speaking. No. No more apologies. They were tiresome to say the least and just not needed. There weren't hard feelings stopping Violet from helping. It was just a preference. That's it.

"No need." She said, "I understand."

"You do?"

Jinx nodded. She understood the bare minimum at least. That Silco was hated by almost everyone and his character would not be best memorialized here. She could accept that.

"Good. Well, I was wondering if we could hang out later. Just the two of us?" Vi asked carefully, as if she was walking on thin ice.

"Sure." She confirmed, "It'll be a while, but I'll come find you after."

"Great! I'll uh…see you then."

Wow. The happy burst of emotion from her sister was somewhat of a surprise. Still, the bubbly emotion was annoyingly contagious as she found herself smiling while continuing to work. She didn't bother sparing a glance towards the boy beside her. She didn't want to see another one of his stupid smirks.

"You two have gotten closer." Ekko remarked.

"You think so?"

"She's smiling more. Even when your name comes up in conversation. Trust me, that hasn't always been the case in this past month."

"Oh."

How interesting. She wouldn't have expected Ekko to notice something like that. Then again, anytime she saw him, he was posted up on a wall, just watching the Firelight base. He must be a wallflower…wait…wasn't he always spying on Ben- Benny's- No. Benzo's? Yeah. That sounded right despite her foggy memories.

"You stalking my sister?" She asked blandly while taking her brush towards the mural once more. The conversation was helping her avoid the more depressing thoughts in her head right now.

Ekko's body visibly recoiled at the accusation before he started scratching the back of his scalp.

"Yeah." He chuckled, "But I guess I'm stalking everyone in the base. It's part of the job."

"You stalkingme?" She asked with a tilt of her eyebrow.

His sly smirk made her nose wrinkle in irritation.

"Especiallyyou."

"Blegh!" Jinx mockingly pretended to throw up.

The idea of his eyes watching her every move did no favors for the paranoia that plagued her mind. It felt icky and gross, and…well that about summed it up.

"What? Are you actually repulsed by that?" Ekko exclaimed like he was actually offended.

The surprise and frustration in his expression was just too funny. Hilarious even! Jinx placed her free hand over her stomach as she giggled. Her own cackles nearly brought tears to her eyes. Jeez, what a creep! No wonder the kid was so lonely. He probably spooked off everyone he stalked.

"Hey!" Ekko growled, knowing he was the subject of such laughter, "I don't get what's so funny."

"You." She laughed aloud before spiraling into more giggles.

"Shut up." He grumbled under his breath. "It'smyjob."

As if that helped his case. What kind of job was stalking everyone in this Firelight base? Pretty sure Silco had people do that for him. Man, to think that Ekko was the leader of these people. Should she start spreading rumors of the boy and his creepy ways? That would be fun.

"It's not like that." He argued, as if he knew her line of thinking.

She smiled.

"Whatever you say Little Man…"

She regained her composure and lifted her arm to continue to brush over the mural. The playful banter was starting to become a distraction. Although, the silence that filled the atmosphere was notable as well. She could practically hear the tiny little brush strands press against the wall.

Jinx grinned at the progress before pausing to check on the Firelight beside her. Hm? He was just staring at her, brush in his fallen hand. Brown eyes gazed, unblinking, as he watched her with parted lips.

"What?" She asked.

Did she say something strange? Was she not doing a good enough job?

"Nothing." Ekko shook his own trance from his face before turning and lifting a brush to continue covering up Silco's portrait. It was her turn to stare, wondering why in the hell he had such a genuine, dare she say giddy, smile on his face? She shrugged after a few moments of being unable to figure out an answer.

Yeah…Ekko was definitely an odd one.

A deep breath exhaled from her lips, shaking off the events of the day as she stood just behind the corner of the training arena. It was late. Night had already settled on the camp and the mural she worked so hard to fix was finally completed.

Who else would be here at this hour? Nobody was insane enough to train this late in the night. Guess that made her search easier. Taking a guess where her sister was located, was like a coin toss. 50% says training arena. 50% says Caitlyn's room. How utterly predictable dear sister.

"Hey." Violet called while turning to face her at the entrance of the arena and wiping her sweaty forehead with a loose rag.

"Hi." She said plainly. Of course, she had no idea how to actually follow up with her greeting. Why did she even agree to hangout with her big sister? What was she here for? Training? No thanks.

"C'mere." Vi ushered towards herself and took a seat on a beaten, knocked over wooden dummy.

She approached the woman and took a seat next to her. It was that or the dirt and cleaning her clothes was already such a tedious pain. An uncomfortable wooden seat would have to do.

"How's your hoverboard coming along?" Vi asked softly while taking a swig from her canteen.

"You know about that?" She asked, surprised that her secret project was starting to sound not so secret.

"Ekko told me."

"Why?"

"I asked about you."

"Oh. Yeah. It's going well. I'm almost done with it but it's confusing as shit."

Vi turned to smile gently at her. It was an expression that put Jinx at ease. To imagine someone causing her pain while smiling so earnestly just wasn't possible.

"You'll figure it out. You've always been good with that stuff."

"Hmm." Jinx acknowledged with a simple hum. She didn't really know what to say to her sister's words. Was it a compliment? Just an observation? Why did all the people around her think they knew her just because of how she was in the past?

Who cared what she was like years ago, she was a crazy person now!

The whites of her teeth were flashed into the open air as she watched Mylo agreeing with her claim of personal insanity. Yes. She liked to think that made her unique.

"I do that a lot, you know?" Vi commented. "Ask about you."

What was with the creepiness today? Ekko stalks her. Vi apparently is always asking about her. What was with these people!? Maybe Caitlyn dreams about her…a shiver went through her spine at the thought. Caitlyn may be damn hot, but she didn't exactly swing that way. Actually, did she even bat for a team? Not like she had any experien- Ugh! She was spiraling into a useless rabbit hole. So silly. So pointless.

"Just ask me yourself, weirdo." She said while breaking her line of thoughts.

"I wanted to…I guess I was just nervous. I'm not sure I understand what we are right now. Makes things difficult."

"Right." Jinx nodded her head in understanding. Even coming here, visiting her sister, had already caused her tummy to swirl with anxiety. It was nerve-wracking to say the least.

"..."

"Well?" Jinx slapped her open palms to rest over her knees. Time for the big question. She was gonna rip it off like a sticky bandage. "What did you wanna talk about?"

The silence did very little to settle her concerns. Her big sister's clenched fists in her lap wasn't a good sign either. Most likely Vi was planning to start a painful conversation…or she was constipated. Itwaspossible.

"You painted Silco on that mural…"

Ah. Painful conversation was it? Things really did suck sometimes. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to regulate her mood. The blood in her veins was already heating up at the mere topic and she'd rather avoid exploding on Violet like she did with Ekko.

"Yeah. Don't worry." She sulked, "He's gone now."

Painted over. Forgotten by everyone in this stupid place aside from herself. Well, Ekko promised he'd remember too. She'd make damn sure his promise would be kept.

"I didn't mean-." Vi paused to gather her thoughts and also took a deep breath. "That's not what I wanted to talk about."

"I don't get it." Why bring up Silco then?

"It's not much of a surprise that I don't like Silco."

She nodded.

"That's putting it lightly." Vi's brow twisted into an angry scowl, "That fucker can ro-."

Jinx shifted away from the woman. Her entire body vehemently resisted her sister's words before she'd even heard them. The emotion her big sister released into the air with such hateful breaths were clear. Fine. Hate him. But don't tell me how much you despise the man. She would defend her father, and desperately wanted to, but as she opened her mouth to reject Vi's words the woman stopped and placed a palm over tired eyes.

"Sorry. I- I just don't like him."

"Duh." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in petty defiance. Lamest surprise of the month.

"You…" Vi's voice fell to a whisper, "You called him, 'Dad'."

Was her sister baffled? Upset? Could the woman fathom just how much she cared for the man? Of course he was her Dad. The one person that never abandoned her. The one person who cared for her, despite the many ugly flaws she carried. He watched over her since she was half her size. How many years was he by her side…and she by his?

"I did." Jinx nodded, guarded, uncertain how her sister would react.

"And you really believe that?" Vi's eyes revealed as the hand that rested on her brow finally fell and in turn, Jinx stared into the depths of her pupils. There was a pathetic hope in Violet's eyes, hoping that the truth was not what she thought. Too bad.

"I do."

Vi's eyes clenched tightly and her teeth bit down on her lower lip. It seemed like an actual war was happening inside the pink-haired woman's head. But when she breathed again and her sister's eyes opened once more she saw something different. No hatred. No astonishment. Just…curiosity?

"Would you…um…tell me about him?"

He tilted her head in confusion. What?

"Tell you about him?"

"Yeah," Vi nodded, "You care a lot about him. I just…wanna know what he was like."

"What's the point? It's not gonna change how you feel about him."

"Probably not. But he watched over you when I couldn't. All these years…"

Right. Well. Before Violet fell into a considerable depression thinking about the past, the conversation was finally interesting. Finally! Oh boy did she have some crazy stories. Wild adventures, plenty of scoldings, and yeah there was a decent rough patch after her rescue but Silco was kind to her. He always was.

"This one time," She smiled as she tried her best to piece the most treasured memories from her fuzzy brain, "I made him a mug that looked like a monkey head as a gift and guilted him into using it whenever I could. Not really that funny until some of his henchmen were making fun of it. The guy really perfected his "death stare" while sipping coffee."

"He…drank from a monkey mug?"

"Oh yeah." Jinx waved her hand in the air like the concept was inherently true. "He liked a lot of my knick knacks and things I made. Even though he didn't admit it often."

"Huh." Vi nodded while lifting her head in thought.

"He also let me hide in his office when I got too anxious or upset. I kinda made a little fort in his rafters. Never really grew outta that either."

"..."

Despite Vi's silence, she continued. It was like every little memory was a bright light she could snatch from inside the cold, empty space of her heart. It was warming her insides ever so slightly and the sensation was addicting.

"He was useless when my hair got too long. The man couldn't even do a single braid well, but that didn't stop him from trying. When things got messy, I was never upset because his furious outrage was just too funny!"

"Uh huh." Vi smiled slightly at the story.

"Oh! Oh!" Jinx's smile widened as another memory was pieced together. "He gave me these."

She pulled her braids from behind her head and stretched them out, nodding to the brass bands that were scattered down the length of her hair. Sure, she added a few metal nuts and scraps into the mix, but the bands were all his doing.

"When I got my first chomper working. He gave me these as a gift. I think he understood their potential as quickly as I did."

"They look good."

"Right?" She grinned while brushing the pads of her fingers over the smooth metal. "What else?" She put a finger to her chin in thought.

"Did he-?"

"Not a bad hugger by the way." Jinx interrupted, "You'd think because he's so skinny and scary-lookin that he'd be terrible at hugs, but looks are deceiving."

"He let you hug him?"

"Of course!" Jinx leaned closer to her sister, placing a palm over her mouth to muffle her next words as if they were secrets to be taken to the grave. "You ask me, I think he liked 'em just as much as I do."

"Sure." Vi smirked, "Whatever you say."

"It's the truth!"

Silco really was good to her. There were hard times too, like all things in her life. Moments that she didn't really want to remember, especially when he got mad at her and refused to speak with her for days. But even then, it was coming from a place of love, right?

"So he…he really did care for you?" Vi asked. This time, she was certain that the answer she'd provide her sister was wanted.

"Uh huh."

"That's…good. I'm glad."

"You know, he even said he thought I was…" The words died in her throat. A memory too recent, too agonizing was bubbling forth.

"He said that you were…?" Vi questioned.

"..."

"Jinx?"

"...Perfect."

"He said that?"

Pink eyes became distant. The night she murdered her father was playing in her mind like a movie that she couldn't turn off. Her stomach felt full and empty at the same time. The unsettling feeling was crawling up her body. It made her breath shallow and her neck hot.

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

As if his words were once again being whispered right in front of her face, Jinx felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. Just like that night, she couldn't do as he told her. It just wasn't possible.

"Jinx?" Violet asked again with a growing concern.

"He's…gone." Jinx murmured, like she was actually realizing it. Silco was never coming back. Not after seeing his skeleton. The weight of his death was pressing down on her shoulders, as if gravity had multiplied in a single moment. "I killed him."

The ghost of his body that she sometimes saw was an empty, cruel lie. A poor mimic of her own volatile emotions, desecrating every single ounce of fondness she held for him. Silco…

"Hey," A soothing palm was placed on her shoulder but it did nothing. Vi's warmth wouldn't reach her here. "It's okay. You don't have to keep talking about him."

The burning hot tears in her eyes had fallen over silently as she stared ahead in the distance.

"He'll never tell me how proud he is. Or scold me when I do something stupid." She turned to her sister with so much sadness in her eyes. It was suffocating as words continued to spill out, "I can't hug him ever again, can I?"

"Shhh." Vi soothed while pulling her close. Close enough to hold her over her lap. "It's okay."

"I didn't mean to." She croaked while cradled in her sister's hold. "I don't- I don't know what happened."

Everything happened so fast. Things escalated too quickly. One moment she was surrounded by the monsters that threatened to eat her alive and the next her gatling gun was smoking after firing a series of rounds.

"I know."

"Why wasn't he mad? W-w-why? I shot him. He should've cursed me." Her blubbering thoughts continued to pile on, one after another. "H-he should've ha-hated me."

"He loved you."

"He did, right?" Jinx asked with her vulnerability so open, so unguarded. If Violet wanted, she could ruin everything. One foul insult. A stray thought of despise and she'd be utterly shattered. Has she ever given this much power to Vi? The fear of consequence was making her teeth chatter as if she were freezing. "You think so too?"

Her big sister nodded. "I don't recognize this side of him you've been telling me…but I believe you."

She stared up at Violet, so much sorrow in her expression. To hear those words. To know that Violet could sympathize with the pieces of the man that were shared with only herself.

"You do?"

"Yeah…it…sounds like you were his daughter."

She bit her lower lip to hold back the sob that had readied itself in her throat. Did she mean it? Did Vi really mean it? Was it possible for her sister to overcome her own hatred of the crime lord for her? It sounded so difficult. Like the admittance of such a concept was blasphemous to the core. But the truth never shied away from such a heart-breaking reality.

Her tears may have fallen, but the wails of anguish died in her throat as she wrapped her arms around Violet, holding the woman tightly as this new understanding was shared. Violet was trying. It was so clear. Whatever her sister was doing was hurting and she could feel the ache as if it were her own.

If that was the case…maybe she could try as well.

Time. Things took time. She'd do it better. Do it right. Just like Ekko said, things can't happen overnight. With her execution all but in the past, now was a good time to start. It wasn't too late.

She closed her eyes and nuzzled her cheek deeper into Violet's chest.

It wasn't too late…

Notes:

Annnnnddd that's the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed reading this extra lengthy one and liked the extended dialogue/much needed bonding moments between Ekko and Jinx and Vi. It was fun thinking of the things that Jinx would remember about Silco and imagining them in my head. I also loved, loved, loved the extremely thin line of angst and comfort that Ekko and Jinx are straddling more and more often. Eventually something is gonna snap and if they managed to not kill each other now, well, I can imagine a few other ways they can express themselves :P

Also, I'm not trying to make it seem like my audience is dumb. Y'all are far from that, but I can't help but talk about something subtle that wasn't quite explained but hopefully still inferred. Did you realize why Ekko was stunned at the mural in the end of the later scene? I won't say why, but hopefully you all caught that and can gush about it the same way I did haha!

Anyways, more plot to come in the next chapter. These last few chapters have been much needed learning lessons for Jinx to move forward, but there'll be some action and outside forces returning soon. I hope that's something you are all excited about. Please leave a comment letting me know what you thought! Even if it's criticism. I wanna make sure that these characters are acting realistically at all times and you all are great for confirming or keeping that in check. Kudos are also appreciated!

Until next time :)

Chapter 17: Moonlight Glow

Notes:

Hello! I hope your day has been going well! If not, maybe this chapter will make it a little brighter :) I apologize about my delay, I didn't expect to take two weeks to finish this one, but after a short break from writing, I ended up in a writer's block that really sucked. I knew what to write about but it literally felt like I had no idea how to even write words. Ugh. Well, it was gonna happen eventually. BUT I'm back on track and still have plenty of love for this story as well as for you readers that are just the best! Feels like every chapter is another achievement and this one's no different. I think we're about to hit 100K words at this point, which...my god...Never thought I'd write that much and guess what? We're only like halfway through the story I wanna tell! That's more of a guess really, but based on what I know now and the plans I have, there's still so much to write about.

Anyways, I wanted to take a little time to explain my absence and give a few thoughts on the future of this story. Also, hope you're ready for a good portion of Timebomb content 3

Enjoy the chapter!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Her days were spent alone more often than not. It was familiar, expected, and today was no different. She found a secluded spot, just under the shade of the grand tree in the Firelight base, distanced from everyone else. There was something strange though. A shift in the breeze, thick in the air, and she couldn't quite place the feeling.

Sure, she'd been comfortable spending her time alone, bored while others avoided her like she was invisible. Wait. No. Her wording was off. Shewasinvisible, always, like she carried a stench that had others going out of their way to avoid her.

All of this was normal. The worried feeling that rose in her chest and an uncomfortable bubble lodged itself in her throat, however,thatwas new.

An outcast. That particular label she'd once ignored without a second thought was now branded onto her in ways that were much more apparent than previously thought. These Firelights wanted nothing to do with her. It was clear as the daylight that shined from the sun above.

Why was it so hard? To greet someone, or even just wave "Hello" was more difficult than ever before. She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat, more alert and aware of the mundane life in this community.

Ekko expected her to gain the trust of these people?! Couldn't she just stay out of their way? With the vile expressions of annoyance or even pure hatred in some cases, that seemed like the better solution.

"Ugh!" Jinx groaned aloud while leaning backwards to lay her back into the dirt. She stared up towards the kaleidoscope of green leaves and sparkling sunlight that filtered through the tree above. "When did I get so…"

What was the word?

"Weak! Weak! Weak!"Mylo cheered beside her.

"No," She shook her head at the boy's words. "I was thinking…docile."

Yeah. That seemed to sum it up. This nervousness that constricted her like the old restraints she wore in the Council's presence, it was making her soft. She could remember a time, even in her prison, that she would tackle the day head on. Never once caring about the people she lived alongside.

Things were different now, weren't they? She made "Promises". So lame. What was she thinking?

Claggor stared at her, his silent gaze staining her pale skin and with it, the paranoia of her own mind was increasing with each passing second. She hated it. Hated how he just stared, as if waiting for her downfall any moment.

"Look somewhere else you Oaf." She growled at the other boy. She had enough eyes of the living watching her these days. Her ghosts, like usual, were unwelcome.

Pink eyes caught the faintest movement from her peripheral vision. A small object, much too easy to miss, was approaching. Hesitation was taking hold, making her question something as simple as a greeting. He'd been a part of the mob. He never came to her rescue…

Stop. The lies in her head needed to be silenced.

Ekko was right. Her friends were not against her, but theydidhave their own limits. Besides, when had the yordle ever truly hurt her?

"Donger!" She grinned, finally getting over her warried state and raising her arm to wave enthusiastically.

The professor wobbled his way closer and she nearly squealed at just how stinkin' cute the guy was. Seriously! It was too much sometimes. She liked to imagine his insides were actually cotton stuffing rather than blood and guts. Was that taking things too far?

"I've concluded that it is pointless to correct you on the pronunciation of my name." Heimerdinger sighed before lifting his bright blue eyes to her seated form, "How are you child?"

"Eh." Jinx shrugged nonchalantly, "Better than yesterday."

She couldn't have been more truthful. Yesterday sucked…

"That's good to hear. I was worried."

"Worried? About me?" She asked, perplexed that despite her vandalism of the treasured mural, the old yordle still found a way to care about her wellbeing. Man! How weird this was! People caring about her? She could count on her fingers the amount of people she believed that was the case before coming here and she'd only need one digit.

"Indeed," The professor nodded, "That was quite something yesterday, wasn't it?"

"Tell me about it." She lightly groaned, "Sensitive little firebugs."

"Yes…people attach value to things in mysterious ways. Quite peculiar, but all too natural I'm afraid."

"I told you I'm a Jinx." She grumbled under her breath, The reference to her words felt like ancient history and yet the truth of the statement never failed to accurately define herself. Truth was beyond time, never aging.

The yordle took a seat beside her and she couldn't help but rest her elbow over his head as she sighed. Once again, the soft head of his was the perfect rest. She hoped he didn't mind too much.

"I've been meaning to talk to you aboutthat." Heimerdinger spoke. His words were soft and did wonders to ease the tension that brewed within herself. "We scientists have a certain…understanding of the world."

She let her eyes fall to the ground, as close as she could get to having eye contact in this position and her friend continued to fill the empty space between them with his words.

"Patterns." He clarified, "This world of ours is full of them. An academic studying history could certainly appreciate that fact, but there's great danger in that approach of viewing the world. Do you know why?"

Jinx shook her head.

"They can often lead us to false conclusions. For example, you say that you will always be a "Jinx". If you believe that as an absolute pattern, I fear you may lead yourself to the wrong conclusion."

"But it's true!" She exclaimed. Her name, her very identity was based on the concept.

"Bias has a strong influence on you, my dear. What may be a series of unfortunate events, can easily be interpreted as an inescapable pattern."

"You're saying that I'm not a Jinx?"

"I'm saying…" Heimerdinger lifted his paw to rest over her elbow still on his head and gave her forearm a pat. "For all the good you've done, and for all the good you plan to do, don't let this belief overshadow what's truly important."

She closed her eyes. The little yordle definitely had a way of sounding profound and yet, utterly confusing. The ideas laced within his words were there. She could feel a powerful meaning within them as she processed the concept, but it was still foggy, like she was missing something.

She chuckled when the maze of thoughts in her head failed to connect all the dots that Heimerdinger laid out before her.

"You wanna dumb it down for me Smarty Pants?" Jinx asked.

"If you expect a certain outcome, you'll be blind to the multitude of other possibilities and explanations."

Okay. That made more sense. Sorta.

"Take some time to reflect on what I've said."

She tucked her chin into the crook of her elbow and released a long breath.

"Yeah…I think I will."

Her eyes lifted to see Caitlyn and Vi across the Firelight base. They were huddled together with stern looks on their faces as Scar and Ekko were discussing some sort of report they'd held in their hands.

Her eyes clenched shut. Her mind was too full with information. There wasn't any energy to contemplate what they were talking about. She had her own problems. If it was important enough, she'd find out eventually.

When she got back into her room she intended to take the whole day to think about what the yordle had said. Shereallydid, but the nearly complete hoverboard caught her attention and the brief escape from her mind was always pleasant.

Jinx twisted a loose bolt in place, marking yet another task complete in a long list of problems and the satisfaction that bubbled in her stomach was too addicting.

She was close. Very close.

"Why are you even trying?"

Her tinkering paused, flinching at the sound of her own dejected voice floating through the air. The mimic of herself was just beyond reality, as if the world were a bubble andshewas on the outside. Nevertheless, the depression oozed through the thin, invisible film and brushed against her ears.

"Tch." Jinx clicked her teeth with her tongue. It was best to ignore it. Nothing but doubt and resignation would greet her if she engaged with the conversation. Yeah. She should focus on the hoverboard.

"You don't like me do you?"The voice whispered, muffled in the depths of her mind.

She closed her pink eyes. It was easy to envision her past self, standing a safe distance away, watching as the world continued without her. Those sad blue eyes that no longer held any light bore into her hunched over back as she continued to work.

Ignore her. Ignore her! The thought was repeated through her mind. A desperate attempt to flood the dark feelings that lurked underneath her skin and stung wherever possible.

"Sorry…"

"Just quit it." She groaned, taking her attention away from her project and instead shifted her eyes to see her past, slumped against the wall. The ghost's face was darkened, as if light had no hope of ever shining upon that pale face of hers. "I'm not giving up."

"Why?"

Why indeed. What could she say to that simple question? Her ambition, her very purpose was still shrouded in a mist, unfocused and entirely unrecognizable…

But, itwasthere, however faint it may be.

She had friends, people that cared about her wellbeing. The fuzzy goal that was placed before her wanted something. Redemption…if such a concept was even possible. And despite whatever fleeting thoughts or criticisms she held for herself, the great effort she built within was glowing like the beginning embers of a fire.

"I made a promise." She murmured under her breath. If that little, insignificant thing was all she had, well, she'd have to hold on tight.

"You can't trust them. Any of them. They want us gone."

Her breath caught in her throat. Of course, her demons had become so adept at understanding her inner turmoil. Fears that were never uttered aloud were a part of these apparitions. But she's changed…well,changing.Understanding her own weaknesses was the first step and the clarity that came with the revelation was already sharpening her mind.

"They're my friends." She replied. It was too cumbersome to name everyone that wanted better for herself, but the faces came to the forefront of her mind easily enough.

To even acknowledge that she had friends…Caitlyn. Heimerdinger. Violet. Maybe, kinda, sorta even…

"Who are your friends?" Another voice asked aloud and she jumped in her seat. Compared to the whispers of her copy, his voice was much louder.

Damn Ekko. Always sneaking up on her. Learn to knock idiot!

When her head swiveled to see the boy leaning against her door frame, she just barely caught the form of her past self fading into the air. Like all things invisible, she quickly forgot about the conversation she was having and instead focused on the boy in her room.

"What doyouwant?" She snapped a little harshly. She just wanted to escape into her hobby and finish the freakin' board in her lap. Why did everyone enjoy interrupting her?

"Harsh," Ekko smirked while crossing his arms over his chest, "And here I was thinking I was being nice for reminding you about dinner."

Hm? Was it that late already? She peered beyond the Firelight to stare outside and confirmed the time with the faded light, filtered through reds, oranges, and faint blues that indicated the sun was setting.

Holy cow! Had she been working on this piece of shit for that long!? No matter. The challenge was within reach. Her repairs were too close to stop now.

"Not hungry." She said while turning her head back towards the board. If she could just figure out how to get the chem-tech fuel line flowing, everything would be fine, but something was blocking it. Something illusive, taunting her like one of her monkeys that bashed annoying cymbals.

"You sure?" Ekko asked and she could hear the boy limp into her bedroom with his crutch. Seriously, who said he could come in?

She lifted the metal plank in her lap and pressed her cheek against the edge. It gave her the slightest ability to scan along the chem-tech pipe. Ugh! Nothing. No blockage, no leak, what the hell?

"Ah. Working on the hoverboard." The boy behind her surmised as he got close enough to peer over her shoulder.

"Thanks Captain Obvious."

"Is that any way to talk to someone that can help?"

She spun to glare at the annoyance that wandered into her room. Truly an irritating little pest.

"Who said I wanted your help?"

He plopped himself beside her rather ungracefully and her eye twitched. Did he not understand the boundaries that were raised between them? What? One afternoon painting over the mural and now he thought she'd appreciate the company? Get real.

Jinx raised her arm and flicked the side of his temple. His startled reaction with wide brown eyes and parted lips brought a smirk to her face.

"Leave, you dork."

"And have my one and only prisoner starve to death? When was the last time you even ate anything?"

"Ugh!" She threw her head back in exasperation. He was watching when she ate? God, how much of a stalker was he? Then again, she really couldn't remember her last meal so…"I'll eat when I'm done."

He didn't reply. Instead, his eyes were focused on the board in her lap, scanning the metal. She could tell he was using that knowledgeable mind of his to find fault with her repair. Not like it mattered. Whatever was broken was too difficult to find. He wouldn't be able to figure it out.

"Your fuel line-."

"Fuck you." She cut him off as she was proven wrong. How the hell did he do that so quickly?

"What?" He asked innocently at her angered voice. His eyes blinked owlishly like he didn't understand what had caused such a response. "It's missing a valve."

Wait, seriously? Where? She lifted the board once more and traveled down the clear pipes and found nothing out of the ordinary. His pointer finger came into her line of sight as he poked a blank space with the tiniest of lines in the tubing.

"There's supposed to be a pressure valve here. Without one, chem-tech can't properly power the board."

"I hate you." Jinx grumbled as she pulled a screwdriver from the floorboards and jammed the tip into the faint line Ekko pointed out.

"Woah, calm down. You're gonna break it."

"I thinkIknow what I'm doing." She argued with her tongue peeking out from between her lips. The tip of her tool was being wiggled back and forth to slip between the crack.

"Yeah, sure." He remarked sarcastically before dropping his hands to his pockets and pulling out a thin piece of metal trapped between his fingers. "Keep forcing it like that and your whole room is gonna be stained in that shit."

He pushed her screwdriver away with his hands and gently slid a thin lockpick into the tiniest space. Fine. She'd have to admit that he was doing it better. The silver metal slipped into the clear tubing without much resistance.

"You got a spare valve around here?" He asked.

"Does it look like I have a spare valve?" She snapped back. To think, her own genius was being outmatched by such a stupid, STUPID little problem. Blasphemy!

"We'll have to make one from scratch then."

"We?" This wasn't his project. It was hers! Back off!

Ekko sighed before removing his eyes from the hoverboard and staring towards her own gaze. "You can't do everything by yourself. How 'bout you get that through your thick skull?"

"Hey!" Rude.

"Just like Vi." He finished his thought under his breath, but the words were clear enough with them sitting so close together.

Huh…Guess that was a pretty good observation. Stubbornness really did run in the family. Heh. She chuckled to herself at the thought. Maybe Vi could help her annoy the brat from now on. That was certainly a way to get some new entertainment around here.

She sat beside Ekko in silence, watching as he tinkered with her board. His focus was entirely on the little space he'd slipped into while also thumbing around on the floor for spare parts. With his attention completely absorbed in the task he'd assigned himself she had time to ponder.

Why? That was the first question that popped into her head. Why did he feel the need to help her with this? At what point in their twisted, muddled relationship, did he feel able to sit by her side? Her thoughts, plagued with a deep sense of concern, were becoming difficult to quell in her throat.

"Why?"

"Hm?" He hummed to acknowledge her question but it wasn't enough to actually respond. She'd have to be more specific…Fine. If that's how it was, she wanted to get some answers.

"I killed your friends."

He paused his actions but never made an attempt to look at her. His light brown eyes glazed over, considering her words and the stray thought of causing another fight was something that had her blood pumping in her veins. Only…this wasn't pleasant or invigorating. Careful hesitation was inseparably fused with her words.

"I blew some of them up with my chompers." She continued, "Shot Eve in the back." The events of the airship raid were easy enough to remember. Her unforgivable sins always were.

"Don't remind me."

"Why are you helping me?"

"..."

"Is it because I saved your life?" She didn't want repayment or pity.

A deep sigh released from between his lips. She could see the weight of his breath fall from his shoulders and his fingers began playing with the lockpick and tubing once more.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" What kinda answer was that? He didn't know why he was helping her?

He turned his head to stare at her. In the emotions of his eyes she could see more than she would've thought possible. The sheer depth of his tiredness was on display and it had her rooted, unable to think of anything else.

"I just don't know."

His tone was rugged, yet quiet in a way that sent a shiver through her spine. It wasn't quite the same, but his features almost mirrored those depressed blue eyes of her own ghost. The empty husk of her former self could almost be seen in the inky blacks of his pupils. She didn't like this. Didn't like the darkness that was making his bright eyes appear so dull.

This strange, unseen side of the man beside her was anything but comforting. If he was pushed a little farther, would he think the same thoughts as her past? Jinx opened her mouth to crack a joke or hurl an insult at the boy but nothing came from her parted lips. She didn't know what to say, or how to repair what was beginning to seem broken.

How could she even attempt to fix this? An empty cup can never fill another.

"I've lost so many people at this point." He whispered, "Can you blame me for trying to hold onto anything else?"

Yeah. He was slipping. Her own memory recalled the moments before the Firelights had set out to destroy the shimmer factory. Ekko stood by himself. He may be a leader, but that didn't make him invincible.

"I…" He started, only to pause as his clearly scrambled mind was trying to find the right words, "I miss having friends."

Oh…Did nearly dying remind him of that? Or was this feeling always deep inside the boy, waiting for the right set of events to place innocuous little cracks in his armor? She believed she knew the answer. It was both, wasn't it?

"I do too." She nodded her head in understanding. For so long she'd gone without having friendship in her life. There was nobody beside her and that was how the world punished her for the heinous crimes she committed. The sentiment could be shared.

"So we're both losers then." The faint smile that graced his lips hardly made it to his eyes. It looked forced.

She didn't reply. Instead, her own eyes drifted away and focused on hammering a piece of scrap into the shape of a thin enough metal sheet to slide between the chemtech pipe. A valve wasn't easy to make and the hope that the complex shape would distract her was becoming less likely with each 'thud' of her hammer.

"Well." Ekko suddenly clapped his hands together, "No use thinking about it too much, right? We got a board to fix."

She had so many questions. So many curious thoughts in her head that she felt a deep need to continue probing the Firelight for more. He'd revealed something to her just now. Something that wasn't easily shared and there was more. A whole festering amalgam of emotions that she wanted to understand.

Only…No. It wasn't right. The sick, queasy sensation that pooled in her stomach was more than enough warning. This wasn't a conversation she could delve deeper into. The fact he'd shared anything at all was already too much.

She offered a small smile at his words but kept her eyes focused on her own task.

"Yeah. We do."

It took them a long while before the hoverboard was complete, but they did it. A working hoverboard (hopefully) was tucked under her arm and the only thing she could think about was testing it.

Of course, Ekko forbade her from using it in the Firelight base, but luckily he'd offered to take her beyond the walls.

"Just for tonight."He'd said, although the implied restriction was hardly stern.

So the two found themselves just beyond the tunnels. Nothing but the wide, open space of wildlands before them.

The night was bright. Many stars glittered in the dark sky above and cascaded soft light over the barren wasteland. The light purple hue that covered the landscape was wonderfully relaxing and despite the steaming pits of unknown slime littering the ground, she took a deep breath.

Her focus was above, not below.

"You ready?" Ekko asked beside her, his own hoverboard tucked under his arm.

She lifted the large metal board that she'd worked so hard on and mirrored his excitement in her expression.

"Hell yeah."

With an eager flick of her finger, Jinx activated the chemtech valve that fueled the board and watched the glowing green liquid pump through the device. Metal blades whirled to life. The air around her swirled with the power and when she dropped the metal piece from her hands it caught itself before the ground. A low 'hum' vibrated in the air as her hoverboard did exactly what it was supposed to…hover.

"So cool." She murmured under her breath. Even her ghosts agreed. Well, not that she could hear their approval at the moment, but she could tell. Call it a feeling.

"Make sure you take it slow-."

"Yeah, yeah." She waved the boy's concerns away quickly and leapt into the air, planting both her feet on the hoverboard and stretching her arms outwards to maintain balance. "W-woah."

The sensation beneath her tickled her belly with little flurries of laughter. Light giggles echoed around the desolate environment as she experienced the feeling of standing on a bubble. That's what it felt like. A bubble.

Ekko watched from the side, a mixture of joy and concern in his expression. She stuck her tongue out at him in mockery.

"See? Not hard." The smirk that spread on her face was surely reminiscent of the boy's own cocky smile. Her pink eyes widened with the faintest understanding that she wasn't staying in one place. The board was drifting, ever so slowly forward. "Uh oh."

"Use your weight and lean where you want to go. Keeping your balance will get easier."

Right. Lean. She could do that. Her heel shifted behind her and pressed down to ease the forward momentum. Within seconds she was on her ass. The hoverboard soared into the air with a sudden speed and fell to the ground unceremoniously without its rider.

"What just happened?" She groaned while rubbing her backside and patting the dirt that caked her purple striped pants.

Her pale arms began to push off the ground only to pause at the outstretched, open palm in front of her. Thanks Little Man. Much appreciated. She took his hand and jolted back to her feet.

"You stepped on the accelerator." Ekko explained while she walked to collect her fallen board.

Her eyes scanned the surface to see the little metal circle where her heel had undoubtedly pressed down. Oh. Whoops. Another flick of her finger reactivated the board and she let it hover beside her once more.

When she mounted it again, Ekko was closer. His pointer finger stretched out to poke at her boots.

"You can't be so wide in your stance. The accelerator is too close to your feet." The faintest push of his fingers on her legs allowed her to make subtle shifts in her weight while maintaining good enough balance.

"Like this?" She tilted her head down to stare at her own two feet. Jeez. She thought she was rather coordinated but this whole flying thing wasn't easy at all!

"Yeah, that's good. You can click the accelerator with your heel to give it some juice, but be sure to only press on it when you need it. Otherwise you'll end up with a broken board and a bruised butt."

"Right." She clicked her heel behind her and the board began moving forward.

It was getting easier. The lean in her shoulders put her on a rotation around Ekko and the pace was easy enough to control. She remembered seeing the Firelights use their boards to the fullest. How long had they practiced to pull such maneuvers?

Okay. New challenge. Master this thing faster than anyone else. It was already more fun than putting the piece of junk back together.

"Nice. You got the hang of it. Next you wanna-."

"See ya!" Jinx waved before rocketing off as her foot pressed on the accelerator. Her entire world blurred at the sudden speed, but even over the roar of the wind passing her ears she could still hear Ekko shouting something.

Probably something angry.

Hahaha! She laughed, leaning into the speed and squinting her eyes to avoid the wind from drying out her vision. The ground looked like lines, passing by faster than she could fathom and it excited her to no end.

She got a feel for the movement and positioning. With a proper rotation and dip of her shoulder she curved her trajectory back towards the Firelight standing in the middle of the wastelands and took her heel off the gas to slow her arrival. Her braking maneuver she pulled was perfect if you asked her. A sudden skid to a halt with the twist of her legs and weight pulled back to her behind. A blast of air expelled from beneath her board and sent a rush of wind directly into Ekko's face.

He didn't look amused.

"See that?!" She grinned excitedly, practically bouncing in her standing position. The need to share the feeling was overwhelming. "How fast was I going?"

"Too fast." Ekko scolded.

"Bah!" She waved his concern away and rolled her eyes, "You're just jealous. I'm a natural."

He kicked his own board on the ground, lighting up the device and letting it hover at his side.

"Think you're better than me?" He smirked, clearly confident in his abilities.

"Duh." She replied as she eyed his crutch now lying in the dirt, "You're injured."

He jumped onto his own hoverboard and winked at her in arrogance.

"Still better."

"Race?" She asked, unable to keep the fire and ambition of competition from igniting in her eyes.

This would be so fun! To feel the wind in her hair and the adrenaline in her veins, it was spurring her to life. C'mon. He had to say yes. Please, please, please say yes!

After a brief moment of contemplation his eyes lifted to hers. Her own excitement mirrored in his pupils.

"You're on."

With that response, she immediately stepped on the accelerator and he was quick to do the same. Sure, the rules and winning conditions hadn't necessarily been set, but did that matter? Jinx just smiled wide, speeding alongside the boy who'd not only caught up to her, but was easily matching her pace.

It didn't matter how low she leaned, or how hard she dug into the pad under her heel, the Firelight matched her every move. It should have been annoying. It should have driven her wild with irritation to see him keeping up, but that wasn't the case.

The thrill of their journey was too invigorating. Too fun to lower her mood in any way.

His brown eyes caught hers for a second and she could see his expression lift as if taunting her with his next move. He got higher and higher, furthering the distance from himself and the ground and her mind spun with ideas of how she could follow suit.

When Jinx began to rise, she giggled. It was a steady ascent into the open air and their "race" was almost like a spiraling dance. He went one way, she went another, only to meet up at a singular point and shoot off into the distance.

The world was their playground.

A bellowed laugh brushed her ears, slipping through the rushing wind and when she spun her head to identify the sound, her lips parted in shock. The utter joy in his features, the bright, wide smile on his face, it was distracting. So much so that she had to shake her head to break the spell.

"How high do these things go?" Jinx shouted over the roaring wind.

"Not much higher." Was the loud reply.

"We'll see about that." She bit her lower lip to contain the overwhelming excitement that pumped into her chest. She wanted to know the very limits of the hoverboard.

And true to her words she lifted higher and higher. A quick glance below her feet revealed the ground was much farther than she could've ever imagined. Surely if Ekko was standing on the ground he'd look like an ant.

A bright light shined upon her pale face and she lifted her head to find the source. Her breath caught in her throat. Beautiful. The pure, brilliant white light that reflected off the moon was captivating. Like a moth to a flame, she continued higher and higher into the night sky.

Did Ekko see this? How amazing this view was?

Surely he saw it too? The incredible moon that looked too fake to be real, but it was! The glittering, sparkling stars that filled the night sky were little orbs of wonder and it was just so pretty!

Jinx turned to look at the boy that followed closely behind, her own smile was impossible to contain. It looked like she was blocking the moonlight for him. His features were shrouded in the night and she could imagine the white glow that framed her body as she ventured higher.

Despite the darkness, she could see his awestruck expression. Only…his eyes…They were looking at her. But why? Wasn't the view too distracting? Too mesmerizing? Well, she was sure he could see it. He wasn't blind after all.

But still...His expression lingered in her mind and warmed her heart. With so much beauty in the night's sky, could she pretend that his attention was on her? Could she pretend that her own grace was competing with the literal stars?

Higher. Higher! She wanted to go higher! Her own arm reached out in front of her body, as if trying to simply brush against one of the many stars that twinkled in her pink eyes. She was so close. Magic, at the tips of her fingers…To be just like them, how wonderful would that be?

"Jinx!"

Ekko's shout broke her from the trance she was under and her feet wobbled as the spinning blades of her board jittered and stopped with the lack of air pressure at this height. She gasped as her feet lifted from the surface completely, launching her body upward as the hoverboard faltered and fell out of the sky.

It was amazing! She was flying! Flying! This was true freedom, wasn't it? Only…reality settled in her mind as she realized what had to happen. Freedom apparently came with a price.

"Oh shit!" She yelled before flailing her arms and legs.

It didn't take long for gravity to pull her back to the ground and she fell through the air, spiraling out of control while her tummy flipped several times over. Her blue braids were completely above her head, flapping in the rapid descent.

Was this a crisis? Was she doomed? Flew too high and destined to splatter on the ground?

No! NO! She wouldn't let that happen!

Her first thought was to look for Ekko. She spotted him above her, his body leaning towards the earth as he raced after her from above. He was too slow. She could tell. Her body twisted to find her hoverboard. Its blades were still spinning. There was some form of air resistance it was putting out in its fall. Good. She could catch up to it then.

Her arms and legs spread out into a point, like a dart through the air, speeding her up and within seconds she clashed with the board, hugging it tightly to her chest.

"C'mon." She begged, pushing on the accelerator with her palm, hoping to spur the machine back to its original power output.

The ground was nearing. It would be seconds before her collision. This was NOT how she died. It was too stupid!

At the last second the hoverboard whirled to life and her crash was cushioned by the lung crushing power that pushed into her chest. It felt like she was choking, punched in the stomach unexpectedly, and just before hitting the ground she was thrown upward and outwards, rolling into the dirt roughly.

Did she make it? Was she alive? The questions raced through her mind, entirely unfocused on her automatic attempts to bring air into her lungs. When she realized what happened, her shoulders started shaking. Her whole body curled into a ball while she laid on her side.

Ekko's arm was on her shoulder as he raced towards her. He was leaning fully over her downed form, shouting into her ear. "Jinx?! Jinx!? What's wrong? Tell me where it hurts?"

He carefully turned her over and was met with an uncontrollable fit of giggles. She had tears of pure joy, blinding her of the boy's concerned face. His hourglass powder blurred enough to feel like she was staring at one of those training dummies in the arena.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She burst out with pure delight.

"Wha-?"

"Again!" Jinx cheered, "Let's do that again!"

"God." Ekko fell backwards on his ass when he realized she was fine. That was good. He didn't need to worry. "You fucken idiot. I was telling you to stop."

It took awhile for her body to regain control of her involuntary laughter but when she did, the bliss she felt in the silence of the night flowed through her veins. Her eyes closed and her parted lips fell into a thin, but genuine smile.

"I'm so happy." She murmured.

As if the truth of such a statement refused to stay quiet. In all her years, could she ever say such words with meaning? It wasn't a lie. The feeling in her heart and mind, it was beyond the description of words and yet, she had a label for it already. This was happiness. Her first taste in forever.

"Well I'm glad you're having fun." Ekko grumbled sarcastically, "Don't mind me. Still panicking over here."

She turned her head to the side, staring at the boy by her side and giving him a toothy smile.

"We can do this again, right?"

He said it would only be this one time. She could imagine after her little stunt, he'd outright refuse her request, but it was worth asking for. As many times as it takes.

"You're really asking me right now?"

Jinx nodded her head.

As pink eyes stared into light brown, she could almost sense an unspoken conversation between them. With how quiet the night was, his thoughts might as well have been shouted. A myriad of emotions swirled in his pupils, but when his expression softened and a tentative smile appeared on his face, her heart thundered in her chest.

"Only if you promise never to do that again."

She giggled, "No promises."

The boy groaned beside her and pushed his palm into his face in irritation.

"Really?Can't you just lie?"

Oh. Would that work? She'd happily lie for him er-tohim. To experience this freedom again, to revive this tickling merriment once more, lying was just too easy.

"Okay." She grinned before sticking out her pinky finger while she lay in the dirt, "I won't do that again."

Ekko paused before glancing towards her lifted finger and shook his head in disbelief. Whatever he was thinking didn't matter though. She felt his pinky wrap around hers and they squeezed the connection tightly.

The grin on her face faded as something lit up in her mind. A recent memory of a similar pinky promise with Caitlyn played in her mind and the implications now were so…interesting.

Were they…friends?

It may be too soon to think such things, but even so, somewhere deep inside she understood. Another friend. Another person to share her life with. She wanted it to be true.

They had so much fun tonight, didn't they? Imagine how much more fun they could have together! There was a bright future she could envision in her head. Laughs, pranks, just like the good ol' days she could barely remember.

If he was okay with it, she could be too.

Notes:

Awww, See that wasn't so bad. This was a heartwarming chapter, right? Very little angst. My original intention was to setup more plot for their next little journey, but I realized that I needed to actually dedicate a chapter to Ekko and Jinx getting to the friends stage. I hope it was really fun to read and fit into the story well. For anyone wondering, "Oh god, it took 100K words to become friends. How long to become lovers?" No worries! The enemies to friends portion of their relationship really is something that would take the MOST time and I'm happy with how I've planned the rest of their story together. It takes time, and I hope many of you don't lose patience with me about it, but I also totally get those cravings to read Fanfics that immediately dive into relationships. I would just say that the future is amazing and I can't wait to get into the next few chapters. I also hope that the hoverboard scene was detailed enough. It was difficult to write and still convey what I was seeing in my head. I hope y'all loved it as much as I did.

Please leave a Kudos if you can. Oh and follow my twitter for updates on the story if you want!: /elsanndra

And I've said it every chapter, but let me know what you think in the comments! I'm so excited to see your reactions and wanna discuss with you all in the comment section :)

Until next time!

Chapter 18: Danger in the Distance

Notes:

Surprise! I'm back with not one, but TWO chapters for my lovely readers! I hope this is a good little treat for you all. I spent so much time and energy writing out this chapter and the next that I realized I could complete both by the time I'd usually post one chapter. So if I can post two in a week, why shouldn't I?

This is all for you, my wonderful supporters and I couldn't be more excited to deliver you this next arc of the story! I also spent a lot of time replying to you all on last chapter's comments and I was having a blast with a few of the discussions, so thank you so much for letting me know what you think! It was very fun and engaging. I'm also very happy with how this story is turning out and I think you'll all love the surprises I have in store for you. You've made this story the #1 Jinx and Timebomb fic on AO3 and it's my intention to live up to the praise.

So here we go! Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

"Seriously?" Jinx groaned to herself while walking through the open fields over the Firelight base, "Gatherallthe Firelights for a meeting?"

Ugh. When the hell did she become an obedient little messenger? Better yet, why was she doing what Ekko told her to do? She didn't sign up for common labor. This was dumb. Really dumb, but the big musclely chirean just HAD to be on some super, secret solo mission and couldn't use his voice to call them together.Shewanted a super, secret solo mission! This was unfair.

Still…Why did she have to be the one to spread the message?!

"Hey!" Jinx snapped at a group of Firelights playing cards around a small wooden table. She had to admit, their startled faces were really funny though. The fear in their eyes was the best kind of fear. Unknowing in what she would do. "Base meeting, five minutes."

"About what?"

She turned to walk away at the stupid question, "You think I know? Just be there." Her voice projected, never once glancing back at the group.

Damnit. You'd think becoming tentative friends with the leader of the Firelights would have its upsides. Nope. None that she could think of. Her demons and scribbles followed closely behind her as she navigated through the base. Irritation, annoyance, they thrived on it like vampires. Sucking up all those heated emotions that flowed beneath her skin.

Whispers of violence teased the corners of her mind. Dark little murmurs, suggesting that she just return to her grand dream of blasting this place to oblivion. But that was fine, they could ramble all they wanted, she was getting better at ignoring them.

Oh! A new idea had her eyebrows raising in surprise before she cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted as loud as she could.

"Firelight meeting! Ekko's orders!"

Whew. Her throat may be a tad raw from the act, but many heads turned towards her and she eyed each person to confirm that they understood the request. Good. Work smarter, not harder. Now practically everyone knew about the-.

Jinx's thoughts were cut short as her eyes fell upon Caitlyn's room nearby. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen the top-sider today. Well, she was probably one of the remaining few she'd have to tell about whatever Ekko wanted to talk about.

Actually…She paused at the front of the steel door with her knuckles hovering in the air. She hadn't spoken to Caitlyn since the mural incident. Would the woman be upset with her? Even worse, disappointed? No. She shook her head. It was best to pretend it never happened. The older woman was understanding. She had little doubt that the top-sider would be so affected by her actions, especially ones that had already been erased.

"It'll be fine." She reasoned with herself aloud, "Cupcake is nice. She's my friend."

Her very words were used to debate the many uncertainties within her own self and it gave her a surge of confidence. Yeah! Caitlyn was her fucking friend! No way she'd lose time and stress over fears that weren't possible. That'd be pointless.

In her exuberance, she may have been a bit too excited to come face to face with her friend. Her boot slammed the steel door, blasting it open. She smiled wide. Friends can startle each other, right?

She jumped through the entrance of the room and belted out her greeting.

"Cait! Ekko said we got a…."

She paused…Theypaused.

Two pairs of wide eyes stared into her own pink ones. Surely, her eyes were the size of dinner plates as well. Vi was here. Not that it bothered her, absolutely not. Just…

Cailtyn was lying over her sister, practically pinning the woman across the length of the couch while their bodies were separated with the slightest bit of distance that it was almost hard to tell. Oh. Whoops. She was interrupting something, wasn't she?

Thank god they were still wearing clothes. Even so, the sight of the two together had her sorta speechless. And Jinx was hardly ever speechless!

"...meeting." She finished her earlier sentence after such a lengthy break in her speech.

The two immediately bolted upright and sat stiff on the couch, coughing and making incoherent excuses for their actions as if she could understand the scrambled sentences. Her surprised expression still hadn't fallen from her face. Eyes wide, lips parted, eyebrows quirked upwards, the whole thing. What else was she supposed to say?

"I uh…" Vi was the first to speak, "Thanks for letting us know."

The message was intended for Caitlyn, but sure.

"Jinx, perhaps you should knock before you enter my room?" Caitlyn suggested while smoothing out the wrinkles in her clothes and shifting her eyes everywhere but towards herself.

"Heh." She chuckled while scratching the back of her head, "I should, shouldn't I?"

The awkward silence returned. Not that she was bothered by it either. The situation was barely beyond her comprehension. Was there a manual or guide on how to deal with catching your sister and her girlfriend getting hot and heavy? There should be.

"You guys making out?" Jinx asked.

"Jinx!"

"Jinx!"

They both gasped her name in bewilderment.

"What?" She lifted her hands and shrugged, "Just wondering. Looks like it."

They could mess with their clothes and groom their hair back in place all they wanted. It didn't hide the subtle bruising on their lips or the embarrassed blush on their cheeks.

"Oh my god." Vi leaned over the couch and covered her face in her hands, "We'renottalking about this."

"Why not?" She blinked innocently.

"Base meeting." Caitlyn chimed in, redirecting the conversation to why she came here to begin with. Right! Thanks for the reminder bestie.

"Yup. Five minutes." Jinx chirped. More like two minutes at this point.

"We'll be there."

Good! She'd done her duty as a messenger. Now everyone knew about Ekko's big announcement. Mission complete!

Still…they must be really close. Talking about their relationship over the past month had been just that, talking. Seeing it before her very eyes was another thing entirely. When had they talked about this? Was she ever gonna get the inside scoop? Or had they been hiding this part of their love all this time?

Also…What was it like? Was that a strange question to ask? Her own mind was lost, trying to piece together emotions that just never existed to begin with. It was one thing to know about kissing, but it was another entirely different thing to connect feeling to the act.

"Jinx?"

Were those emotions inside her? Did she have the capacity to find warmth and love by kissing another person? Her many kisses to her stuffed animals and crafted weapons just seemed so distant compared to whateverthiswas. Like she was acting out something that was never understood, just observed.

"Jinx?" Caityln's voice called once more.

"Huh?" She asked a bit dumbly. She drifted off for a little too long. How long had her friend been trying to get her attention?

"Could you…um…give us some time to get ready?"

"Oh." She nodded at the request, but made no attempt to leave the room. "Yeah I can do that."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Alone?" Caitlyn added after a long period of quietness that enveloped them.

Right. Of course that's what Caitlyn meant. How silly of her to not realize they were still embarrassed. She shook her head at the funny situation and spun on her heels to march outside.

"Okie dokie."

When she stepped into the bright sunlight, Jinx paused to squint her eyes at the harsh sensation and the faint sounds of conversation were still heard through her ears.

"That was embarrassing." Caitlyn was talking to her sister.

"Tell me about it. Should we be more careful?" Was Vi's hushed response.

"I don't know how we could be more careful." The officer replied, "She kicked my damn door in."

"Heh. Scared the fuckin' shit outta me."

Jinx giggled to herself as she began walking away from the room with a satisfaction brewing in her heart. It was fun to cause chaos! Besides, they shouldn't hide their relationship. She was perfectly fine with it. Was her past talks with them not enough to clear that up?

Well, she might just leave them wondering. Think of all the teasing she could do!

A sea of heads collected in a massive group before a small wooden stage and many, incoherent whispers filled her ears with sound that only made it harder to discern her own voices in her head from everyone else.

Uncertainty was thick in the air and though she could practically taste it on her tongue, she was unbothered. Instead, Jinx was more focused on stepping on the tips of her toes to get a good view of the boy that sat before the crowd. Ekko looked serious, depressingly so. He was sitting in a simple chair playing with a pocket watch in his palm, never once looking at the people that had gathered.

What was this meeting about? A recap of their losses in the last failed attack? She knew the resigned, solemn expression on Ekko's face. It was more noticeable lately. Or maybe she always had the ability to recognize it, she just never bothered…

When Ekko stood up from his seat, the many voices that echoed around her faded like a roaring fire being fizzled out. His brown eyes swept over his people, never once wavering as he scanned the crowd. It was still impressive to her that he had such power over these people.

"Thank you all for coming." He started rather formally. The urge to roll her eyes was strong when she realized this may very well be a boring, political speech that she definitely didn't sign up for. "These past few weeks have been hard on us. I know that. You know that."

He paused only to find nothing but pursed lips and waiting anticipation. It was then that she saw him pull an object from his pockets. He held a tiny piece of scrap between his fingers. It glowed with the faintest touch of chemical green and she tilted her head to eye the piece. Chem-tech? What was so special about it?

"We found this in the outskirts of tunnel six yesterday morning." He raised his arm ever so slightly to show the object better in the light. "It's a part of a chem-tech augment. Nothing like the tools we have around here."

Oh. Cool! Could she get her hands on it? She remembered Caitlyn and Vi speaking about a new gang that was using chem-tech on their bodies. Wonder what that was like? Ooh! What if she gave herself a super cool metal arm? Wait. That'd mean she'd have to lose her own…nevermind. Let's put that idea on the back burner.

Wait.

The reason for Ekko's meeting and the reveal of the metal piece finally clicked in her mind. He started speaking just as her thoughts connected the dots.

"Our enemies are close. Closer than ever before."

Startled whispers suddenly raced through the crowd but Ekko was quick to raise his voice over the growing concerns.

"Confirmation from our scouts suggests they haven't found our base yet. Their movements are still blind, uncoordinated, and we all know how hard the tunnels are to navigate. But…it's only a matter of time before they find us."

Damnnnn! Jinx whistled at the statement. That meant battle was coming right? Out of all the Firelights surrounding her, she was the only one to grin with excitement. How fun! Maybe she could have a weapon of her own? Well, not like it mattered. She'd just as easily be able to steal one from the raiding enemy and let loose a bit of stress.

Oh yeah. Jinx couldn't wait to be found. In this grand game of hide and seek that the Firelight's played with Sevika's forces, she was glad to witness such a dramatic shift in their fight.

"How long do we have!?"A firelight with a voice filled to the brim with fear, shouted into the open air and murmurs of agreement echoed behind the question.

Ekko shook his head. "I'm not sure. Scar is in the field as we speak planting explosives along every tunnel line."

Unfair! She wanted to handle explosives. Her jealousy was growing now that she knew about the mission the big chirean was on.

"We have to be ready as soon as possible. An attack could happen at any moment."

The crowd was shuffling in greater concern. Their voices and movements revealed their thoughts of panic and Jinx couldn't help but sigh. It was pathetic.Thesewere the supposed fighters for the undercity? No. Her memory wasn't painting the full picture. Many of these people never fought a day in their life. None of them were warriors. All of the true fighters died some time ago in the failed attack of the shimmer factory. What was left was clearly a fraction of the Firelight's power.

Looks like the Ogre was pretty smart to be closing in on them now. It was child's play for the vicious leader of the undercity.

"I won't ask you to fight for me." Ekko addressed the crowd, his voice raised to reflect a tone fit for a leader. "Fight for each other. For your loved ones. Fight for yourselves. This place is our home and we must protect it!"

"I don't know how to fight!"

"We can't!"

"Oh god, we're doomed!"

Panic was clearly spreading amongst the people like a disease attempting to kill any resistance to the greater threat of death. Her lips parted to shout at everyone around her. Remind them of how disgustingly weak they sounded. It'd be her words that either solidified their commitment or broke them down completely. Being weak…it wasn't allowed in this world.

Only she never had to speak.

"Listen!" Ekko roared to capture their attention, "I have a plan. We have each other and the home field advantage is ours. Not only will we fight back. We'll prove to the rest of the world that the Firelight's are not weak! Abandon this place if you want, but know that your decision will stay in your heart for the rest of your life…I will not be known as a coward. And neither should you."

He continued, "This is my home. I love it here. I will not be forced to retreat and I swear to you on my dying breath we will see this through." His fist slammed over his own chest, just over his heart, in both resolve and fearlessness. The reaction from the crowd was quick to silence themselves and stare at their leader with trust in their eyes.

Huh. Who knew Ekko had a thing for speeches? Not that she wasn't too surprised given his position amongst his band of misfits. It seemed to work too. Rather than looking at a herd of sheep fearing death, many of the faces in the crowd hardened with a tentative resolve that was growing by the second.

"We'll talk more later. Dismissed." Ekko finished and the crowd dispersed after a few moments of contemplation.

Some of the more veteran fighters that still existed amongst the Firelight ranks stayed behind. She also spotted Caitlyn, Vi, and Heimerdinger approaching the young leader. She shrugged her arms and turned to Mylo beside her.

"Might as well join them."

She skipped nonchalantly towards the group and swung her arms at her sides. Truly, the threat of battle was the last concern on her mind. If you could even consider it a concern. She was more excited than anything. How long had it been since she was able to release the wild bloodlust in her core? That sounded dark. But not wrong either.

"We'll stay and fight too." She overheard her sister confidently claim in front of Ekko.

He shook his head.

"I want you, the Professor and Brina to head to Piltover." He turned towards Caitlyn, "You too."

"Wha-?" Vi tried only to be interrupted.

"We need to get that airship that was promised to us by the council. It may be useless in the under–city but the wastelands should give us enough space to use it defensively."

"But I wanna…" Her older sister paused, thinking over the consequences and choices before her. That was new. "...Fine. We'll go get your blimp."

He clapped his hand over her shoulder. "It should take them time to discover our location. You'll have plenty of time to get back before anything goes to shit."

"Heimerdinger is coming with?" Caitlyn chimed in, curious as to why the little yordle would make the journey to the top-side. Dang! Caitlyn got the little dude's name right on the first try? Impressive. She was also curious about his inclusion.

"He'll need some equipment from his laboratory. Isn't that right?" Ekko confirmed with a glance to the small scientist that had entered their little circle of discussion.

"Indeed." Herimerdinger nodded, "I may abhor the use of violence in my inventions but great peril comes with difficult decisions. I'll need a few of my tools and schematics to build a turret defense system. I don't intend to let these great people fall because of my inaction. I've already failed them once before."

Woah. That sounded awesome! Could she help him build it? She was already imagining a cannon larger than her body with the power to blast a giant hole in these concrete walls that surrounded them. Too cool.

The last person of the group, Brina, suddenly had all eyes on her as the group waited for her input.

"I'd rather stay in case a fight breaks out, but if it's an order…" She trailed off.

"It is." Ekko confirmed, "And we need a Firelight to represent us before the Council. They know you."

The bird-like woman sighed and nodded her head mutely.

The group was silent with contemplation of their planned journey and it was starting to bother her. Where was all the confidence? Buncha downers over here. She cracked her knuckles and all attention was on her.

"You guys go run your little errand. I got this place on lockdown. They won't know what hit 'em!"

"You can't be serious.You'renot fighting." Brina groaned and Jinx's eyebrows fell in irritation.

"Nuh uh!" Jinx whined back, "I'm definitely fighting. Tell her Ekko."

He'd have her back. They were sorta friends now. Besides, the Firelights needed all the power they could get their hands on. That was obvious. Just tell her Little Man. Tell her how valuable I'd be to the cause.

"No."

Wait what? She would be such a good fighter though! Did he not trust her? If a fight broke out, wouldn't that be the perfect way to convince the Firelights that she was on their side now? What the FUCK!?

"Well too bad. I'm fighting." She huffed with her arms crossed over her chest. Orders be damned.

Ekko's eyes steeled themselves in confrontation against her defiance. It was pointless. He should know that he couldn't intimate her or use his words to convince her otherwise.

"I want you to go with them to the Council."

"Huh?!" She exclaimed, and it seemed like Brina was equally confused and upset, echoing her own gasp.

On one hand it was another chance to escape this boring prison of hers and venture out into the world once more. A compelling argument. Like he knew what she found interesting. But on the other hand, what if she missed the big fight? How awful would that be?

"Why?" Jinx questioned, "They got enough people in their group."

"Exactly." Brina once again added to her words and one of her eyes twitched in annoyance. Insufferable little bird. She didn't need her additional input. She was talking to Ekko, nobody else.

"Heimerdinger's laboratory is filled with useful resources that I'm sure you could gather and create something to help out." Ekko said plainly and he wasn't wrong. Thatwassorta her expertise…it just sounded so half-assed.

The words in her throat died when Cailtyn placed her hand upon her pale shoulder. She turned to the officer, looking into her pleading blue eyes.

"Come. We need to get every advantage possible if we're expecting a battle."

Ugh. The Firelight leader better be happy that she wanted to please her friend. Otherwise, she'd argue until the sun went down. But sure, there was an opportunity to get away, and yeah, she did have the knowledge and creativity to come up with something…Fine. She'd go.

Her acceptance of the proposal was given without words, just a frustrated nod of her head. Even so, she wondered what Ekko was truly thinking. Was this just an excuse? What about the gemstones and Fish-Bones? They could be used…or maybe that was for the best that they weren't. Not yet. They seemed like ace in the hole kinda weapons.

Looks like she was going back top-side then…and not even a wild chase from the enforcers this time either. How lame.

You know what wasn't lame though? Her super freaking awesome new hoverboard! The internal squeals of delight were hard to contain, even going at a snail's pace to hover beside the group as they journeyed across the barren land beyond the Firelight base.

"Youreallyhad to bring that thing?" Brina's annoyed voice projected into the air and her mood soured immediately.

"Yeah." She cut back with enough attitude to remind the woman that she was her least favorite person right now, "Idid.I'm outside the walls."

What? Like she wasn't gonna take every opportunity to ride the board beneath her feet? Yeah right.

Jinx danced on the hoverboard, learning to tap her feet and shuffle in all sorts of maneuvers without pressing the accelerator. It was a fun little game that she hummed along to. The others in the group hardly paid her any attention. Serious expressions wrinkled their faces as their worries about the Firelight's safety were questioned.

She was fine with it. Her own little world of playful fun and the ghosts that chattered in her ears was plenty of distraction. Sometimes she drifted ahead, other times she circled the group with a wide enough berth as they walked towards the sewer lanes. Her pink eyes flashed to the slowest of the group. Of course the little yordle was slow. His little strides er- waddles, made it hard to journey far.

Good thing she had an idea!

With a quick dart of speed she zoomed next to the Professor and snatched him into her arms.

"Oh my!" Heimerdinger gasped aloud before realizing where he'd suddenly been taken. "Is this really necessary?"

"We can go faster this way." She grinned, only to internally understand the true intentions of having his tiny, fluffy body in her embrace.

Yup. Definitely like one of her stuffed animals. A little heavier though. But oh so cuddly! Her arms stopped constricting around him involuntarily when she heard him groan at the pressure.

"Whoops. Sorry buddy." She chuckled before lifting her eyes and staring ahead. Focusing on the destination was another good distraction. The urge to speed ahead was starting to become unbearable.

"Jinx. Heimerdinger isn't a toy." Her sister rolled her eyes at her antics while marching along with the rest of the group. She had her gray hoodie over her head and hands stuffed in the pockets of her leather jacket but the entertainment was easily seen in her eyes. She thought it was funny, didn't she?

"Says you." She giggled in return. How could anyone think this little yordle in her arms wasn't absolutely, positively, adorable? Vi just didn't know what it felt like to hold him. She was sure her tough, bad girl exterior would melt, but that meant she'd have to give him up. Not happening.

"Wearemoving faster with him riding with Jinx." Caitlyn commented.

See! It wasn't all bad what she was doing. Exactly the opposite actually.

"Sure." Brina agreed with a bite in her tone. Sarcasm was sure to follow. "Let thefreakdo as she pleases with someone that can actually help us."

The words irked her. Got under her skin like a parasite and stung like poison that had anger rising from within. She knew what to do with parasites. Rip them out. Stomp on them. Get them out of the way. After all…they were wastes of space. Brina was no different.

She dropped the yordle in her arms, letting him balance himself on the hoverboard before swerving to hover beside the only Firelight in their group. As far as she was concerned, Brina was the outsider, the nuisance, thefreak. Not her!

Pale fingers, pointed in the shape of a gun, reached out, hanging in the air just before the bitch's head.

"Wanna say that again little birdie?" Jinx spoke menacingly.

"Hah." The woman laughed while her palm placed itself on the hilt of a pipe strapped to her belt. "Are you so insane that you actually think you're holding a gun?"

Her pink eyes narrowed.

Yeah. She was holding a gun. With her strength fueled by the dark shimmer inside her veins, a sucker punch would definitely feel like a gunshot. Blasting the little Firelight in the temple would be oh so very easy and Jinx was looking forward to the permanent brain damage.

"Keep talking and we'll see what happens."

As the two stared each other down, the jagged scribbles of her reality were pulsing, growing in their sporadic movements and cheering for the violence that was sure to come. She should do it. Whack her upside the head and leave her crumpled body here in the wastelands.

"Ekko must be just as insane to trust a psycho like you?"

She revealed a cheshire grin that exposed her canines as if they were sharpened to a point. This was entertaining! So much fun! She tilted her head slightly, as if looking deeper inside the girl that hated her and finding all the little insecurities behind those dark brown eyes of hers. The attitude was a front, an act. It was so easy to tell. What was the woman actually thinking…

"Jealous?" Jinx asked. It must really get to Brina. Ekko trusting her? Them getting closer? What if the bitch had unspoken feelings lurking in that cold, untrusting heart? Did their friendship claw at her like a wild beast? Hopefully. That would be positively hilarious!

The weapon in Brina's hand had been removed from her belt, held just behind her back as if preparing for a quick strike.

"Are you?"

What? Her? Jealous? What the hell was that supposed to mean?

"Enough." Caitlyn scolded before she felt Violet's arms pulling her shoulders from behind and causing her to drift away. Caitlyn made sure to step into the space between them as a form of physical separation. "I won't have you two bickering while we have much more important things to worry about."

"She started it." Jinx pouted with a cross of her arms over her chest, lower lip pushed out while she scoffed.

"Screw you." Brina snapped back and turned her head away from the group as well. "I'm looking out for us. You're all just blind."

Whatever. She should just leave it. Pretend Brina was just another chattering rat in the sewers. She may be trying to get better, but there was no place for whining rodents in her friend group. That's how it was.

Obviously.

When the group crossed into the valley of concrete and sewage Caitlyn offered her a dark green cloak and white mask to put on. Of course, her identity was the only one that had to be hidden. Well, Brina's too. But she was completely ignoring the brat for now. It was like she didn't even exist!

"Can I also have your rifle?" Jinx asked cheekily, eyes spotting the weapon strapped to the woman's back.

"No chance." Was the smirking reply.

Darn.

Instead, she wrapped the cloth around herself and slipped the mask over her face. The outfit fit better this time. Not nearly as oversized as when Ekko had first taken her beyond the walls. Maybe Cailtyn was smart enough to recognize that before grabbing the disguise. Or Ekko just liked to mess with her.

She reached behind her neck, ensuring that her braids were knotted once to reduce their length and hide them from slipping under the edges of her cloak and stared ahead at the path that would lead them top-side.

Jinx was already done with this stupid mission. Her dispute with the Firelight put a sour taste in her mouth. Gross.

She wished Ekko was here. He would've brought his board too.Andas far as she knew,he was the only one that would be fun to ride with…strangely enough.

Notes:

And that's the chapter! Not too much actually happening, but quite a bit of setup. Not to fear, the next chapter is posted and waiting for you on the next page.

That said, please don't feel like you have to comment on both chapters. I'd love for you to save your energy and write a comment at the end of the next one. I mean, if you wanna be a rockstar I suppose you could comment twice, but seriously no pressure. I want to see your feedback, but I'm completely satisfied if more time and effort was put into a lengthy comment about both chapters on the next one. (If you have the time and energy to spare of course)

If you can leave a kudos though, please do! You only get one and it makes me so happy to see that number rising. Not because of some weird value I place on a number, but because it reminds me that even those that don't comment can still support this story with an easy click.

I love you all! See you in the next one!

Chapter 19: Lies and How to Spot Them

Notes:

Whew! Okay, second chapter of the day. Hello again :D I really had a blast writing this one and if you didn't see my other author's note on CH 18, I'm both excited and grateful to have such awesome readers. This story is all our way of coping with the lack of a Season 2 in Arcane and I hope that we're expanding to the point that this can really REALLY fill that void, hopefully even more so than the original season 1 because isn't Jinx's journey just so…cathartic? I think so.

Anyways, please enjoy the chapter! I'm so excited for this one :)

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

The doors of the council chambers were the same as when she last saw them. Pristine brushed metal, lined with silver and gold and spanning five times higher than your average doors. Yup. She nodded her head. She still wanted to dent that perfect metal and spray paint all over their perfect little home. A mockery of their perceived perfection was all the council deserved. That much remained to be true.

Has much else changed since she was last here? Didn't seem like it.

"What do you mean the council's busy!?" Vi's enraged voice shouted into the reception chambers.

Jinx turned to see the cowering assistant stumble out a response.

"T-the c-council is on a strict s-schedule. An app-appointment must be made."

"Fine." Vi growled, slamming her fists onto the top of the delicate table the assistant sat behind, "I'd like to make an appointment. Now."

"N-not possible. Th-they're booked until next week."

"Are you kidding me!? I swear I'm gonna-."

Caitlyn's hand found her sister's at her side and the fuming woman paused to glance at her companion. All anger faded from Vi's expression, replaced by a bewildered, hesitant curiosity. From where she was standing, Jinx thought she could recognize a silent conversation between them. A staring gaze that spoke many words. It was over when Caitlyn turned to address the man sitting at his desk.

"My mother is on the council." The top-sider started, "And we carry urgent news of the under-city's rebellion. I ask you to please let us through."

"I-I'm not sure I-."

"Please." Caitlyn pleaded softly, "Innocent lives are at stake."

The wide eyes of the man revealed an empathy for their cause that wasn't there before. A longing to do the right thing in the face of certain disaster. He nodded his head stiffly before repeating the act more surely.

"Okay. G-go. Go in. I'm sure they'd understand."

Damn. That was a boring resolution. She wanted to see her big sister put a hole in the desk.

"You don't have to treat all top-siders like they're against you, you know?" Caitlyn murmured to Violet as they left the desk and approached the rest of the group.

"Force of habit." The pink-haired girl shrugged, but Jinx could see the consideration in her eyes. The sulk of her shoulders revealed dejection coupled with self-reflection. She had to admit, evensheconsidered the words that were said.

Looked like Caitlyn's kindness was spreading. Not just to herself either. Interesting.

They pushed open the grand entrance to the council chambers and the doors groaned as they revealed the inner chamber. Much to her humor, she saw the classic council light show, beaming down their decision as if they were casting divine judgment.

What? A new tax on the fishing market? Maybe a nice little bench would be added to the park. The snickers that followed her ridiculous thoughts just couldn't be controlled. Itwaspossible that's what they were deciding on.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion?!" The fat councilor bellowed as if their presence was the most horrid of entrances.

"Caitlyn?" Her mother gasped as she recognized her daughter amongst the group of misfits. "And you brought your…friend."

Jinx smirked at the statement. Did the older woman have an idea of their relationship? Or was there some preconceived assumptions about her tatted up sister from the under-city? It was hard to tell.

"The Firelights as well it seems." Councilor Medarda continued as she eyed Brina and herself. "What is the meaning of your abrupt visit?"

"Intrusion, you mean!" The chubby Councilor repeated his words, flabbergasted at such an imagined disrespect that seemed to strike him at his very core.

It made her happy to see that nobody else bothered to pay the bearded man any attention. He was no better than an addict beggar in the under-city. Oh how she longed to tell that to him straight to his face. Imagine how red he'd get! Maybe she'd slip something towards the end of their meeting.

Brina was the first to step forward.

"You promised the Firelight's an airship. We've come to collect."

Okay…not the best way to address the council. But A in her book. Any chance for hostility was fun to watch. Either Brina would be put in her place or the council would. Now…who would it be? Both options were great!

"How dare you-!" The disgruntled man was cut off by the raise of Mel's hand.

Ah. Council silencing council. She should've guessed. Darn.

"Clearly you make this request in haste. We, of course, honor our decisions, but what is the reason for your sudden appearance?"

Heimerdinger was the next to step forward. Probably for the best too. He had some sympathy points with those among the council and that was plain to see. All their eyes widened at his entrance and she could remember a similar reaction when they were deciding how to punish her for her actions.

Hey! That turned out pretty well, didn't it? Still alive and kickin'. Maybe a tad bored now that she had to once again deal with politics but that was alright. Wonder what would happen if she tore off her mask?

"Surprise!"Mylo burst in front of her with his hands thrown up into the air and she bit her lower lip to keep herself from laughing.

"Exactly." She whispered to herself. Sometimes the little dude understood her perfectly.

"Councilors," Heimerdinger said, "I bring alarming news. We have reason to believe the Firelight base is in danger. Sevika and her unruly gang are nearing our location and we must prepare to defend it at all costs."

"I see." The woman covered in golden jewelry replied with her elbows resting on the council table and fingers crossed over her mouth.

"Can you take them alone?" All heads turned to Jayce, but her pink eyes narrowed as his gaze fell onto her specifically. "Do you have the firepower?"

His eyes bore into the holes of her mask and she shifted her weight on her heels. It was like he knew who she was. The serious expression that formed a thin line on his lips and his hardened eyes were making her uncomfortable.

Right. This one was a smart cookie. He probably knew who she was just by her height and little, involuntary antics in her disposition.

He was asking if they'd use Hex-tech. She could identify the hidden question amidst the concerned words. She shrugged her shoulders ever so slightly. How would she know? Since their little heist, Jinx hadn't once seen the gemstones or heard of any plans to use them as weapons.

"We'll win." Vi said with a powerful resolve and clenched fists, "We just want all the extra firepower we can get."

Her sister's words answered for her. There was truth and honesty in her response and that left no room for secret weapons of war. He seemed to be both satisfied and relieved.

"Then we'll prepare your airship." He concluded.

Smiles broke out amongst their group and the council seemed pleased with the confident decision but she continued to stare at the man that had never once taken his eyes away from her masked face.

She wanted to remove the mask now. Show them all that their little experiment had survived. More than anything, she wanted them to see her smile, also pleased that the airship had been given to them without issue.

But no. That was a luxury that would have to stay hidden. As unfortunate as that may be, it didn't change the fact that she was better than when she had been sentenced here more than a month ago.

Councilor Jayce would just have to keep wondering about her to himself.

"Alright." Caitlyn was quick to take charge of the group as they left the council chambers. The promise of their airship was a clear victory of the day, "Vi, Brina and myself will go to the loading docks and get everything ready. Jinx and Hermerdinger, can you handle getting your supplies?"

"You got it!" Jinx gave an exaggerated salute before spinning on her heel and taking a large step forward.

"Wait." Brina stopped her movement with her words, "We're gonna lethergo with the yordle? And you think she won't try anything?"

"She won't." Caitlyn confirmed, "She's still wearing her restraints."

"What if she figures out how to remove them?"

Jinx scooted back towards the group now that the discussion threw a wrench in the otherwise perfectly fine plan.

"Because Ialwayswanted to chop off my limbs." She cheered sarcastically. Idiot.

"Maybe you should. It'd make watching over you easier."

"How 'bout I chop off your-!"

"Okay. Okay." Vi pushed herself between them and Jinx groaned. Why couldn't they just let it play out? Clearly Brina needed to be knocked on her ass. And she'd be more than happy to do it. "Just go with Heimerdinger and we'll get the airship. It's already decided."

"Come along child." The Professor spoke while waddling away. Of course she followed. He was just so stinkin' cute! She'd follow those little footsteps anywhere.

They left a pissed Brina and exasperated Caitlyn and Vi behind to make their slight detour towards the yorlde's laboratory. Traveling down endless hallways that all looked the same. She was actually thankful that Heimy knew where he was going. There was no way she'd ever be able to remember all these winding paths.

"Can youbelievehow annoying she is?" Jinx wondered aloud, clearly referencing the Firelight that seemed to have a unique and specific hatred for herself. "Gah! Talk about insufferable."

"I'm sure Brina has her concerns." He replied softly.

"About me? What have I done?" She paused, realizing something, "Don't answer that."

"Seems you already know why she's upset with you."

"Yeah, yeah." Jinx grumbled as they took a turn in the hallway. "I just hate how she treats me! Like I'm gonna blow up any second."

"Give her enough time and reasons to trust you and I'm sure you'll find that she's quite caring."

She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah right."

Heimerdinger was quick to interrupt the current topic of conversation.

"My lab is just up ahead. We'll gather our materials and get back to them soon."

"Hopefully nottoosoon."

It was nice to get away from the group. Especially the snarky Firelight. She never was good with groups, always preferring the solo missions over "working together". Blegh. It was also the case that she just so happened to murder most of her previous friend group so there was good reason to keep to herself.

Besides, she had Mylo, Claggor, Vi, Vander, Silco, and herself all up in her noggin. That was a group right? It was already a little too bloated for her tastes, but not much control there.

"Professor?" A new voice suddenly cut her thoughts short and she looked up to see a familiar face. Not a well known one, but his scrappy brown hairstyle and thin, pale frame were easily recognizable. Plus his amber colored eyes with dark rings framing them from below reminded her that this was the man that looked to be on death's door. He looked a little better though. Curious.

"Viktor!" Heimerdinger's mustache lifted with pleasant surprise, "How are you son?"

The man, Viktor as she discovered, was shy with his smile and his thin forearm came up from his side to scratch the back of his head while darting his eyes to the floor.

"Ehem." He coughed once before timidly lifting his eyes, "Better. I've been doing better."

"It would appear so. Seems you've got a little more pep in your step since we last saw each other."

Really? This was peppy? Also, she eyed the wooden cane at his side. "Pep in step" seemed like a poor choice of words. This man screamed frailty and depression. Not the type of company she liked to keep. Could they go to the laboratory now?

"Yes. Well," The thin-faced man gave another timid smile, "I've made peace with my own…condition. Accepting reality was...difficult as you can imagine. But…freeing."

Jinx narrowed her eyes at the words. It wasn't what he said that was suspicious, but how he said them. The long pauses to search for the right words…almost like spinning a tale. A liar's tale. She could sense the deception coating his voice and his eyes that avoided the yordle was another clear indication that something was amiss.

Heimerdinger didn't seem to notice. Instead, his mood dropped low, a somber understanding shining in his blue eyes.

"Yes. I can imagine." There was a long pause, "Perhaps we should catch up another time? Soon? I quite enjoy our brainstorming sessions."

"I would like that Professor." Viktor nodded before taking his leave and venturing down the hallway.

As his body passed hers, she got a closer look into those amber colored eyes of his and her own pupils widened with the faintest spark of purple swirling in his iris. It made her lips part and she watched him "limp" away, only to see the odd mismatch of his cane hitting the ground after his body jerked.

Yes…this was a liar. Shehatedliars. But even more curiously, she wanted to know what she saw just now. What exactly was that man hiding?

"Shall we?" The yordle beside her asked.

Her gaze was still lingering on the man that turned to enter an office just a few doors away.

"You go on ahead. I gotta pee." She said to the little guy beside her.

"Oh um…Very well, the restroom is just down that way to the left. You should see a sign."

Jinx nodded slowly while listening to the pitter-patter of Heimerdinger's boots on the soft carpet in the halls. She waited, frozen in place, until the hallway was cleared and she carefully approached the office that she saw Viktor walk into.

Time was of the essence so she quickly tapped her knuckles on the gold metal entrance and heard a muffled call from the accented man to enter. Well, here goes. Whatever the hell she was doing. Sometimes her curiosity just led her on the strangest adventures.

The door opened and she stepped inside to the shocked face of the scientist before her.

"Firelight?" He pondered aloud, "Is there something I can help you with?"

Her lips were pursed shut. She didn't really know what to say…or how to say it. The accusation that he was a liar would just be strange and who knew what would result from that. Instead, she walked further into the office, scanning the many bookshelves and desk tables for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing in particular caught her eye.

"Excuse me." Viktor spoke again, more than enough concern in his voice to reveal his unease. She also found his thick accent to be quite funny. "What are you doing here?"

He shuffled forward with his cane, limping to stop her wandering presence and she stood still as he approached. At first she leaned in, hoping to see through the eye holes of her mask and stare deeply into his eyes once more. Purple. She wanted to confirm the purple that she saw.

"You're a strange man." Jinx commented while using the opportunity to glance him over once more. He was certainly weak in every physical aspect. But why hide behind such a cowardly body if it wasn't true?

"I don't understand." He replied, confused.

Ugh. Playing innocent. She hoped it would be easier to get a straightforward answer from her peculiar investigation. Then again, she was a complete stranger, wasn't she? Time to get a little more invasive.

"Why do you use a cane?" She asked.

His eyes immediately shifted to his cane and then to his leg beside it. He swallowed a lump in his throat before sighing and lowering his shoulders.

"Muscular atrophy. I've been losing function of my leg ever since I was a child."

Her eyes lifted with humor. He was a really big liar for sure. She couldn't think of anyone that would so easily shift into describing such a disease to a complete stranger. Yet here he was. Instead of getting upset that someone would ask such an insensitive question so suddenly, he was all too eager to explain his ailment…Or so she guessed.

"Uh huh." She nodded to play along while taking a step closer, "So what would happen if I…oh I don't know…just-?"

Her leg flashed outwards and kicked the cane from his grip. The wooden tool smashed into the bookshelves on the other end of the room before clattering to the floor. He stumbled from the sudden loss of his crutch before standing up in shock.

One last little push. Her hand flattened against his slim chest and pushed, hard enough to send him stumbling back. Much to her satisfaction, his balance found itself rather quickly. And even better, she saw that purple flash in his eyes as his body involuntarily reacted without issue.

"What did you-?" Viktor started only to realize what had happened.

"You're a faker." She sang aloud with a chime to her tone, teasing the man for his failed attempt to hide the truth. Next was to spell it out. "F-A-K-E-R."

"How did you…? Who are you?" Viktor asked while his body lowered and his eyes narrowed. It was like he was going to pounce on her. Yeesh. Probably best she didn't start a fight in the council tower.

"Relax." She held her hands up innocently. "Just wanted to confirm something."

"Get out of my office."

Oh that was no good. Sure she was proven right, but she couldn't just leave! Not yet. There were so many questions. Her time was running out though. The little yordle would be expecting her soon. Fine. If she had to speed things up, she would. Just hope he didn't freak out too much.

"Ever heard of shimmer?" Jinx asked, before laughing and lifting her hands as if to shrug away her own silly thoughts. "What am I saying, of course you have."

"I-I've heard of it."

"Taken some before?" She got right up close to his face, leaning as far in as she could with her mask practically touching his nose.

"Who are you?" Viktor asked again.

Oh boy. Here goes nothing. She slapped her mask from below her chin to snap the porcelain up to her forehead. Her pale face and glowing pink eyes revealed in the open for the man to see.

"You're-."

"Jinx!" She finished his sentence for him with a smile, "Nice to meet ya!"

"You shouldn't be here."

"Heh. Got that right. I hate this place. But that's besides the point." She turned her head to the side and placed a pointer finger under her eye to point to its bright, luminescent color. "Know what this is?"

"It looks like…" His eyes narrowed, before widening. As if he saw a ghost. "...Shimmer."

"Ding, ding, ding!" Good. Viktor wasn't a dummy, just like she'd hoped. That'd be a bummer.

"But you-...Why don't you look-."

"Like a roided up monster?" She finished for him again. "Beats me. That's why I wanted to talk to you. You're a…science guy. AND you've taken shimmer. What do you think?"

"Fascinating." Viktor said while pulling his hand to his chin in thought as he took a step backwards and observed her more wholly than before.

Well, go ahead, not like she had any answers to why she was the way that she was. It was all after that disgusting surgery. Her spine tingled with the flash of memories that teased her consciousness.

"Have you shown signs of aggression? Increased strength? Severe exhaustion?"

"Yes, yes, and no."

"Curious." he said before turning and walking away. His limp was entirely forgotten.

Viktor approached his desk and scattered a few loose papers. Amber eyes meticulously scoured for information, of what kind, she had no idea. She just lifted her butt to rest on the corner of the desk, kicking her feet out as if she were on a swing.

Maybe she could get some answers from this guy. He appeared to be just as interested in the strangeness of her condition.

"I've…dabbled with shimmer." He suddenly spoke, never once giving up his search for information. His palm reached down to open a drawer below and sift through its contents. "Its potency is quite aggressive. The side effects are even more so. Where did you get your dosage?"

"From a doctor in the under-city." Another shiver rocked through her core at the slimy feeling she felt just mentioning his name. The man really did place a curse on her, one that she wasn't sure was worth the pain and torture.

"No! No! No! Nooooooooooo!"

Her own terrified voice echoed in her ears as the memories of the surgery came back to her. She clenched her eyes tightly, unable to get the feeling of that purple slime flooding her head and leaking out through every nook and cranny. It was indescribable, in the most nightmarish of ways.

"And you take it regularly?"

"No. Just once."

He paused, eyes flashing up from his search to stare directly at her. He was in disbelief.

"Once? You took shimmer one time?"

"Not by choice. I was…" Her head fell at the memory, "...dying. I think. Silco took me to a doctor. He injected it into me."

That's all she said. That was all shecouldsay.

"This doctor...Do you know where he is?"

She shook her head. She had no clue where the man did his experiments. Not since Silco's factory was burned down. The wretched man was more illusive after such destruction. Only Silco really knew where he was.

"Could you describe him?"

"Pale. Bald. Has a bunch of yucky bandages over his mouth. I think they cover up his burns."

Viktors arms suddenly seized her at her sides and Jinx blinked in shock. She didn't expect her response to spur him into action so quickly.

"This doctor. I know him."

"Really?"

Was that good? Was there a cure for…well…whatever happened to her? She liked the strength and the speed, but the temper and desire for destruction is what she feared. Those feelings, deep inside, they would only hurt the ones she loved.

The brown haired man suddenly clicked open a small box containing a syringe and a series of thin needles nestled between velvet indents.

"Could I take a sample of your blood? I would like to study it in more de-."

"NO!" She jumped off the table and pushed the skinny man aside, "No needles!"

She could already feel it. The cool metal slowly entering her ear canal before being violently stabbed into her head. The searing pain and wavering vision that came with such a disgusting pump of the thick liquid directly into her brain. She wanted to vomit. The urge was forcing her to hold her stomach tightly and her skin was starting to feel sticky with sweat.

"No needles." She repeated more fearfully with her eyes glazed over in absence and Viktor seemed to sense her distress. He set the syringe on the table and took a step backwards.

"I'm sorry. I got too riveted."

"Can you help me?" This conversation had gone on long enough. Just answer the question.

"Help you? Isn't it a gift? You can survive anything. Your mutation is minimal compared to others!"

Jinx didn't like the way his voice was raising. She didn't like the gleam in his eye that almost seemed envious of her situation. It felt slimy, gross. Like this gentle, soft spoken man was already on the verge of addiction despite hardly taking any shimmer. Something much darker was at play here. She could feel it.

Suddenly, the fact that this manknewthe doctor was more alarming than relieving.

"I gotta go. The Professor is expecting me."

"Wait!" Viktor practically shouted as he rushed to block her path out of his office. He put his hand out. "I'll speak to the doctor about your…condition. Perhaps he could shed more light on your mutation."

"Fine." She growled, fully prepared to fight her way out of the wolf's den she seemingly found herself in. "What do you want in return?"

There was always a catch. Top-siders never did good things out of the kindness of their hearts. Heh. Neither did the trenchers below. Guess both groups were guilty of that.

"I would like to study you further." Viktor proposed, "A few non-intrusive tests. General reporting. I need to understand the shimmer variant you possess. If I could-."

He stopped there, as if realizing he was about to say too much. Her curiosity was growing but the discomfort she felt in this man's presence was overwhelming everything else. She just wanted to leave. This might've been a huge mistake.

"Maybe." She pushed past him, hoping that her answer would suffice. "If I come back top-side, I'll stop by."

That was all she could offer and even then, she wasn't sure she would commit. If he said thank you, Jinx didn't hear it. Her escape from the office and into the hallway was swift and she was mildly breathless as she headed towards the Professor's laboratory.

Surely Viktor wouldn't reveal her identity. Not with what they discussed. Her footsteps paused on the red carpet of the hall to realize…She never did figure out Viktor's secret either, did she? Shimmer wasn't the answer. Just a small fraction of something deeper.

Something sinister.

She sighed dreamily into the fresh Piltover air that rushed through her body. Her hands were braced against the side of the airship while leaning over the edge and laughing at the perilous height they were soaring.

The hum of the engine and the roar of the wind made it difficult to hear anyone unless they spoke directly to her, but did she really need to hear them?

Her head turned to glance towards the captain's wheel, watching and Caitlyn stood at attention, maneuvering them through the sky while the little yordle scientist sat beside her on a high stool and assisted in navigation. Good thing the duo knew how to fly this thing.

Well, she asked if she could give it a go earlier, very confident in her own improvised intuition. It couldn't bethathard. Alas, everyone in the group was quick to shoot down her ambition. Unanimous "No"s were very quickly vocalized and the coincidental coordination of their thoughts was just too funny to upset her.

It was probably for the best.

"Hey." Vi smiled with a soft greeting before leaning beside her on the wooden railing of the airship, "Like the view?"

Her head nodded rapidly. It was amazing! The great blue sky, few puffy, white clouds, and the endless blue glow of the horizon that served to remind her just how big the great wide world was…It was all breath-taking.

"You might not remember, but you once told me you were gonna ride one of these things when we were kids." Her sister placed her elbow against the wooden banister and pressed her open palm into her cheek. "Is it everything you thought it'd be?"

Did she say something like that when she was younger? Well, consider that dream checked off on the 'ol bucket list. Despite knowing this wasn't the first time she'd been on an airship - this was the first time she'd been topside while in flight - it was still exciting. Sharing the feeling of freedom with Vi sparked something in her heart.

She was content here.

Removing the Firelight robes and mask was also helping. The air was blowing through her hair and tickling her braids while they fluttered behind her. Yes. She was content here. And she had friends who could revel in the feeling.

"It's so much fun!" She giggled while pushing up on her tippy toes to reach out and let her arms rise and fall with the wind's current.

Violet seemed to like her answer, also reaching out with one hand and mimicking her actions. The soft smile on her face struck her. Not in an odd or peculiar way, just that…it reminded her of how nice this was. Spending time with her sister. Were they both happy right now? When was the last time she could ponder that question and be satisfied with the unspoken answer?

"Ooh!" Jinx exclaimed while pointing slightly down towards the depths below. "I think I see the base."

If she squinted her eyes, she could barely make out the details of the grand tree and its surrounding concrete walls.

"Woah, you're right." Vi gasped beside her.

Her eyes averted from the location to see Brina also walking towards the railing of the airship. The woman must've overheard their conversation. She too leaned over to see the distant observation. Although, she hardly said anything. But that was fine. Any time spent with Brina NOT talking was another reason to be happy.

Suddenly a vibration reverberated through the air. It knocked the airship off balance and rumbled through her ribcage. She glanced down at her chest, confused by the feeling before hearing an explosion blast into the air.

"Fuck!" Brina suddenly shouted and rushed towards Caitlyn and the yordle behind the wheel. "You gotta take us down, now!"

"Oh my god." She swiveled on her heel towards her sister, staring in pure shock at the Firelight base below. Her words were the definition of utter disbelief.

What? What was happening? Why was everyone panicking?

Her pink eyes widened as she too began to understand. An explosion plumed in the air, just below the Firelight base. It was a rapid detonation. She could see a series of them rolling through the many tunnels that led to their hideout.

Scar's explosives. They were being set off…And there was only one reason for that to happen.

The airship lurched at a sudden change of course, the whole ship angled for a faster descent. As they neared the base, she could hear the sounds of battle, the battlecries and the screams of horror. Her eyes tried to see through the plumes of dark black smoke and assess the situation, only to find nothing but uncertainty.

She had to do something. People were dying! She could save them!

Her breath hitched at her thoughts…No good had ever come from such words. Her attempts at saving anyone ended in murder and pain. No. She couldn't act on them. Her palms clenched at her sides.

"Does this thing land any faster!" Vi yelled over the loud hum of the engine.

"Trying." Caitlyn grunted while spinning the wheel and flipping some levers in front of her, "This isn't exactly easy to control!"

She could save them…

Her eyes fell to the hoverboard laid out on the wooden floorboards against the storage cabin.

"We gotta get down there now!" Brina yelled once more as an explosion ripped through the air. It felt much closer and the sound was ringing in her ears. Everything, including the panicked voices were fading into nothingness as her mind kept repeating the same words.

She could save them…

"I told Ekko, I should've stayed behind." Vi snarled while slamming her fist into the wood beside her.

Until this airship was on the ground, her sister was helpless to assist the Firelights. They all were, and the distance between them and their home was too great. Her eyes flashed towards Caitlyn's rifle, perched on the wooden banister a bit further down.

She could save them…

"Damnit." Jinx cursed under her breath and then…she ran.

She raced towards her hoverboard and the rifle. Sprinting past Vi and Brina and ignoring all the voices both inside her head and out. She wouldn't let them control her. Those gut-wrenching fears in her heart had no place dictating her actions. She could save them. If that was the case, she needed to try, whatever the outcome.

She swiped her board into her palm and rifle in the other before throwing herself over the airship and into the sky.

"Jinx!" A chorus of voices yelled after her in concern, but she paid them no mind.

Her braids were shaking above her in her freefall and the board in her hand was catching so much air that it felt like the muscles in her arm were being ripped and pulled to their very limits as she dragged the board to settle beneath her boots.

A click of the switch and pump of her heel into the accelerator had her hurtling towards the Firelight base as fast as she could. The rifle in her other arm was rotated once to cock the level-action gun and pulled to her chest. She lined the barrel with her eyes, cheek pressed into the wooden stock.

Focus.

The speed, the flinching power of the air current, her own safety, all of it discarded as she drew a careful breath and looked for targets in between the spiraling tornadoes of flame and smoke. She saw one, a small target, a shirtless man rushing towards a green cloaked individual.

She squeezed the trigger and the tip of her barrel flared to life, shooting a speeding bullet towards her enemy and cutting him down between his shoulder and head. This thing was incredibly accurate. Good. She didn't waste any time pulling on the lever to reload.

With shifting weight, Jinx curved her board in the descent, firing as many rounds as rapidly as she could while preparing for the inevitable, and nearing, approach to the ground. When she hit enough targets to be satisfied, her eyes darted to the concrete wall edge.

Heels rotated on the metal frame of her hoverboard and she lined up the inescapable clash. The bottom of her board screeched as it slid across concrete. Orange sparks scattered in all directions as she used the surface to slow her speed and fly towards the ground.

With one final push she sent her board up into the air before crashing into the ground and jumped off the device to roll into the dirt. It was rough. Her shoulder bashed into rock, grass, and mud but the deep ache was easily ignored as she put her whole body into the recovery.

Jinx jumped to her feet, eyes wide as the warring sides of the under-city battled all around her. Discarded weapons, slain bodies, blood and ash, she was in the center of it all. How dare they. Her own expression hardened at the sight of those innocent people she saw being rallied to fight just a day earlier were now lifeless corpses before her.

She raised her rifle to find another target but paused at what she saw.

It was too much. To the left of the fields, three chem-tech infused men were laughing while slowly closing in on Marenth and the children she protected behind her. To the right, she spotted Ekko. While it was relieving to see he was still alive, his hand was tucked to his side, holding his bloody wound that had clearly re-opened in the sudden outbreak of an attack. He was surrounded.

The last thing she saw was Sevika. The Ogre. Standing amidst all the chaos straight ahead. The bitch seemed proud of her work, cutting down any that approached with a swift slice of her heated blade. To kill her first would almost guarantee a retreat.

But…

Her eyes flashed to left, right and center, only to feel seized by her own heart and the decision that was laid out before her. Who? The question was immediately in the forefront of her mind. She bit her lower lip in frustration.

Who could she save?

Notes:

And that's the chapter…Uh oh. Cliffhanger. Apologies, but this story was due for some action and the conflict ahead is just so interesting to me. Who will Jinx save? Can she make a decision? Find out next time on- Ah. you get the idea. I'll be working hard to get the next chapter up, but it will probably take my usual week to get it right. Fights are hard and this one is gonna be my best yet (hopefully).

Also! Did you all like seeing Viktor? I was so excited to bring him into the story for a scene and I hope I captured him well. Of course, we see him give up on the Hex-core in S1 but for anyone that knows the lore…well…it doesn't seem like that's entirely the case. I wanted to portray his usual attitude and characterization but also add to the mystery of it all. Like how would he hide his true feelings to those around him, knowing that the doctor (Singed) told him they'd hate him for his experimentation with shimmer. This was my interpretation of him hiding his true self and slipping just a little when the possibility of another shimmer variant is revealed to be possible with Jinx.

Aside from that, I also included a bit more of Vi and Cait's relationship in the last chapter and this one, getting glimpses of how they are developing even though this story is told from a limited point of view. I hope those little nuggets are satisfying. Gah! There's so much more I wanna gush about with you all. I didn't even mention the last scene or Brina. Well. Hopefully you'll give a comment below and I'll absolutely reply to discuss. It's one of my favorite parts about writing for you all.

You can follow my twitter for updates on the story like when I expect to post a new chapter, or if you wanna discuss more Arcane stuff, stop on by: /elsanndra

Until next time!

Chapter 20: I Only Wanted to Help

Notes:

Hello everybody! CH 20 is finally here! The wait is over! I'm so excited to share this with you all and judging by many of your responses, y'all can't wait to find out what happens. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Lot's of fighting. I'm also somewhat nervous about the fight being too detailed...or not enough. It's hard to gauge this sort of thing, so I hope you share your thoughts in a comment! Please don't feel obligated to tell me it was perfect if you didn't like it. Constructive criticism is really important...But like also...if you love it, I wanna know that too :D

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to all the comments of the last chapters. There's a ton! you guys are so awesome. I plan on going back to and responding to quite a few. Especially the lovely people that put a ridiculous amount of effort in their reactions. I love all comments, but those ones are extra special in making my week. So please don't be deterred to leave a comment! Even if it's a short, brief sentence, I still wanna see it and I hope to respond as well.

Anyways, we'll talk more later. Enjoy the chapter!

Oh last thing. Reminder that this is a "Mature" rated story with graphic depictions of violence

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Her breath was heavy in her ribcage, like the air trapped inside her lungs was weighted as if it were concrete. Senses dulled as she scanned the battlefield. Screams of agony fell muted upon her ears. The smoke and ash that slipped between her parted lips had no discernible taste.

Breathing was manual now. Her chest rising and falling on command as the lofty decision before her very eyes demanded action.

Ekko…

Marenth and the children…

They were so far apart. How could she ever reach them both? Sacrifice was not something she handled well. With the power of shimmer in her veins, her mind raced to find a way to beat the odds. A way to save everything she held dear in this hell she frequented.

Why did she have to make a decision like this? Her lower lip stung as her teeth continued to bite down in frustration. Why was it always up to her?

Sevika's men were surrounding Ekko. Dirty, rugged bastards without morals or care for the destruction they caused.There was a difference between herself and the repulsive humans that Silco kept close. At least she found beauty in the fires and explosions. Not them. They were just weak-minded idiots, scrambling at the slightest opportunity to earn some pointless gold. Greedy fuckers.

Disgusting.

Boots shuffled in the dirt and pink eyes fell to watch the automatic response of her body. When did she take a step towards the boy in peril? She wasn't done making a decision. Stop!

Her head turned to the woman who'd treated her so kindly over the past month. The one that had accepted her gently and taught her how to heal others, albeit against her own interests. Marenth's lengthy black hair and olive-colored skin was nearly white with dust and ash. Despite the chem-tech augmented prisoners that neared, her eyes glowed with determination to protect the innocent children that had yet to make something of themselves.

Kaya, Benji, Jaz…Her fingers pressed into her temples, wishing the names wouldn't be remembered. She barely knew them!Anyof them! It wasn't her responsibility to protect strangers.

She took another unconscious step towards the Firelight leader. He was becoming her friend. How could she survive if his flame was snuffed out now? Things were getting better. He was trusting of her, able to keep her irresponsible actions in check. Yes. She should focus on rescuing Ekko. Her mind was ablaze with all the ways she could hold the feat over him, reminding him of all the times that she saved his life. She may even be unlocked from her restraints if her cards were played right.

Jinx took another step, and another.

Her eyes widened at the sudden intrusion of a memory. Her teeth clenched and grinded in her mouth. No…it wasn't a memory, but a prediction of the future. Ekko's brown eyes, dull and lifeless as he stood over the graves of his fallen people. Alive after their battle and yet, not really. Her heart ached for him at that moment. A feeling that she knew all too well. Could he lose Marenth and the kids too? Could she do that to him, knowing that his suffering was already leaking through a tightly concealed mask?

The beast inside her roared for action. The choice was clear though. Selfish wants overpowered all logic. She wouldn't forget. She wouldn't lose another friend. Consequences of choosing him be damned.

"I'm sorry." She murmured a hollow apology, whispered in the wind as she turned her back on Marenth. Her insides felt cold while her heels dug into the dirt and prepared to sprint towards Ekko.

She inhaled deeply, letting her mind clear of all the regret she was sure to feel. Their deaths…she could handle them. This empty coldness that numbed everything underneath, she was used to it.

"Save them!" Ekko's voice broke her concentration. She lifted her chin to stare into his pained face as his weapon swung into one of his many attackers. Even through the pain he snarled with anger as steel clashed into the side of one of his enemies.

"But-." Her whisper was certainly lost in the sounds of battle. Ekko's desperate words were shining in his light brown eyes. It was almost like he could hear and see her doubts.

"Jinx!" He called out, knowing she was present on the fields and capable of fighting, "Go!"

Was that an order or a distressed plea? It was probably both and even so, she wanted to argue with every fiber of her being. What a stupid, reckless boy. He should leave the idiotic descisions to her. She was a natural. And the value of his life was worth so much more in her eyes.

Damnit! Her strides were spun on the ground, her back now facing her original destination. Nostrils flared as she sucked in another heated breath and swallowed the fears that bubbled in her throat.

"Don't youfuckingdie." She growled, sure that he wouldn't hear her, nor witness the intense rage on her face.

Besides, her wish was granted either way. To remember her excitement for the trial ahead was easy enough with adrenaline coursing through her veins. Muddled, conflicted thoughts were shaken away as the opportunity to finally fight was presented to her. The frown and downturned brows on her expression lifted, replaced entirely by the twisted mania in her scattered mind.

It wasn't Ekko, or Marenth or the children she should save. A cackle slipped through her pursed lips at the realization. Of course! Why even try to save them? Saving was such a terrible word anyway. Jinx was no good at saving, no good at ever finding a happy outcome. She'd just have to accept that. Her enemies just needed to die.

Tearing them apart, blasting holes in their chests and showering this field in blood. The art behind it would be beautiful and she'd be sure to paint their sins for everyone to see. All those bright reds would add color to the dull palette of the battlefield she found herself on.

So pretty!

Her legs blasted off the ground and she raced to protect the Firelights. No! She raced tokillher enemies. The gravity behind protecting someone was too great now. Impossible. It was better to give in, crumble, and abandon such a silly idea. She would be measured by the death she delivered today. Not the ones she could save…Even though she wished with all her heart that it was different.

Caitlyn's rifle raised in her grip and Jinx fired a shot, splattering a hole into the exposed shoulder of one of the men. She smiled wide, knowing that the bullet tore through his skin but left his vitals intact. His howls of pain was music to her ears. Of course she could have been more accurate and ended him quickly, but that was no fun. Shewashere to have fun.

The three attackers all spun to face her with the fourth falling to one knee, shakily clutching his slacken arm. Her strides were short but rapid, boots blurring beneath her as she became a literal torrent of speed.

Their mechanical augments whirled to life as chem-tech flowed through tubing attached all over. Opposition ripe for destruction. Senses flared to life, like little hairs on the back of her neck pricking upwards. Their lethality matched her eagerness to face them head on.

Jinx leapt into the air, slamming her two boots into the man that she shot. Her dropkick connected in the center of his back and sent him flat into the ground with a powerful blast. Before falling completely on her side, she threw one arm down to the ground to hold herself up while slipping the entirety of her free palm into the lever of her rifle.

With a rotated, one-arm flick, she reloaded the weapon and pointed the gun outwards. Jinx smiled up at the next man closest to her.

"Hi!" She chirped while blasting through his knee that was level with her sightline.

His scream was drowned by the gunshot that was ringing in her ears and that only spurred her to keep going, pushing off the ground with her braced hand and getting solid footing once more. They must think they're so strong with their metal augments, but what about the fleshy bits?

Weak.

"Fuckin' bitch!" Another roared as he rushed around his fallen comrade, a metal arm pulled back to surely land a nasty blow across her cheek.

She spun around the obvious attack, as if she were dancing, giggling all the while at the fruitlessness of their attempts. She flipped the rifle in her hand to grip its barrel and swung it like a bat into the third man's head. He crumpled to the ground upon the blow and she hoped the cracking sounds she heard was his fractured skull and not the wooden stock of the rifle.

Caitlyn would be so pissed if she broke her gun. Actually, she was already in pretty big trouble for taking it without permission, wasn't she? Ah well. It is what it is. Cupcake would understand.

"Oooh!" She jumped and flipped the gun back into its intended position, holding it in one hand. "Hot, hot, hot!"

Jinx whipped her fingers back and forth on her free hand, trying to cool the subtle beginnings of burns from gripping the hot barrel of her smoking gun. Worth it though, her target was face down in the dirt unconscious.

The last capable enemy in her midst was clearly the most robotic, nearly all but his head and open chest reflected in the sunlight. With her back turned to him, surely he thought he had a chance. Only her reaction to the shifting air and jittery voices in her head gave her time to lean to the side, letting his metal arm slam down from above and miss her by the slightest of distances.

Jinx raised her leg and spun on her heel to land a solid kick into his side. Her entire tibia rattled to its very core as she connected with steel. It was like a jolting electricity raced all the way from her shin to her head.

"Ow!" She yelled at the sensation, only to realize the man hadn't moved an inch. "Uh oh."

With a mighty roar her enemy let loose a flurry of blows, all robotically precise in execution. She hopped backwards to avoid the first punch and danced on the tips of her toes to keep prancing backwards and avoid each blow as he pushed towards her.

She could see his face becoming red with rage upon each whiffed attack.Really?These people were killing the Firelights like it was open season? At this rate, she just might be able to hold off the entire attack by herself.

Her glowing pink eyes and cheshire grin widened at the thought. How funny. It felt good to flex her strength completely. Let loose all the scrambled, destructive feelings and unleash herself upon the world. Maybe the shimmer inside wasn't so bad. Not if she could feel likethis!

In her lost thoughts, Jinx missed the way the man in front of her slammed his foot down before rocketing forward. Her pale arms crossed over her chest to block the approaching fist. A grunt of pain escaped her as it connected with her skin. Shit. His blow was far from over. Mechanical gears twisted in his forearm and blasted into her with a piston-like strike.

Her body was hurtling through the air, flying farther than she could've ever imagined and eventually crashing into a small storage hut. The structure of the building splintered as her back hit the wood. Plumes of dust and debris exploded outwards on impact.

She gasped while trying to shake the dizziness of the collision from her body. The world was blurred and spinning as she sat in the mud, back pressed to the wall behind her. Jinx squinted her eyes to see past the new hole that had been created in the structure where she crashed through.

"Fucker." She cursed while curling her abdomen to sit upright.

Maybeshe got a little careless, had a little too much fun breaking all these new toys she could play with. She threw her arm backwards to smash into the wooden planks behind her. A dent of splintered wood formed under her fist. Fine. No more mistakes. Depressing as it was to take this seriously.

The sounds of crying children distracted her as she walked back into the fields. Her eyes widened at the sight of Marenth on the ground, knocked unconscious while the three children crouched together, hands over their ears and eyes shut. Like that would make the big, bad monsters go away. As if cowering behind an unconscious woman would save them from the living nightmare that approached with slow, thundering steps.

Leave it to her. She was pissed anyway.

"Hey bolts for brains!" Jinx growled, catching the man's attention once more while marching out of the destroyed hut.

She whipped the lever of her rifle in her arm downwards before snapping it back in place, a new bullet readied into the barrel. Laughter came to her naturally, twisted in all the unsettling ways that would freeze her enemies in place. A wide, shining smile on her face stretched to the point of tender pain.

"I hope you bleed lots." She smiled before letting her muscles fall slack and slipped deep breaths through chapped lips. Who knew just how much this metal freak replaced with his augmentation…but she'd go lookin' past all those green-tinted wires and shiny chrome plating. That was a promise. And Jinx kept her promises.

"Heh." The man chuckled, turning to face her and slamming his metal knuckles together, clanking them as if it intimidated her. "You're outta your league little girl."

Her eyes were ablaze with shimmer, coating the world in bright pink. Her head tilted to the side, as if scanning his body to find all the little ways she could make him suffer. Ah fuck it. Like she needed to know where he was weak. Her natural talent would shine through here.

"Don't break too fast."

With her dark words drifting in the air, Jinx flashed forward, rushing towards the man with as much speed as she could muster. Her lips pulled into a thin line of focus as his arm swept across his body, hoping to bash into the side of her temple.

Jinx crouched low, letting her momentum slide her across the dirt and ducking under the blow. His other arm retaliated with a straight punch to grind into her stomach, only she was already in the air, using his shoulder as leverage, leaping upwards and performing an aerial over his head.

With a single eye closed, she pointed the rifle at him from above and squeezed the trigger, slicing through a small part of his exposed shoulder. The muzzle flash hardly blinded her as she was acting on her next move. With the bullet cutting through his side, the man roared in pain before wildly spinning to swipe at his back.

The tilt of her heels gave her enough space to lean backwards and the blow barely brushed against the tip of her nose. A vicious uppercut of her fist shattered the metal arm at his elbow joint. The metal shrapnel that sparkled in the air gave her plenty of opportunity.

Her free hand snatched a large jagged piece out of the air so fast it was like she was plucking a slowly falling feather, but feathers couldn't cut through skin. Her body slammed into him, tackling the chem-tech man to the ground. With a quick bounce to her recovery she got up, only to pin his other metal arm under her boot at the shoulder point.

Jinx growled forcing her boot deep into the ground and crushing it beneath her strength. All those wires and chemicals spilling out from under the crunching power.

Fear. She could finally see it in his eyes, watching as both his arms were destroyed in a matter of seconds. His weak struggles made her giggle. It was so entertaining and that gave her more fuel to burn because she wasn't done yet. No, no, no. If she left him like this, wouldn't he just repair all the damage she'd done? That wouldn't do!

Her grip on the jagged metal piece was so tight it drew blood from her own palm. She saw him flail like a fish stolen from water, knowing that he was vulnerable for a deadly attack. Her fist came flying down, sharpened point in hand, to jam the piece into his forehead.

It stopped just as it touched the brow of his skull under his skin. He looked like he was choking with the way his mouth opened and shut, trying to cope with the tortured helplessness. A small bead of blood oozing from the puncture site. Not deep enough to slice through his brains. Not yet.

"Youdobleed." She grinned, letting her wrath and mania permeate the air.

"Jinx?" A woman's voice called from behind her, distracting her from the easy kill.

"Sevika!" She greeted while turning her body to face the dark-skinned woman that led this sorry group of weaklings. Maybeeveryonewas weak. Firelights, under-city gangs, enforcers…everyone but herself it seemed. "Been too long, right?"

"What are you do-?" Silco's second in command asked only to pause as Jinx lifted a pale finger.

"Be right with you." She smiled before lifting her leg and chopping her heel downwards on the man beneath her.

"No. Nonono wai-!"

His stuttered, fearful pleas for mercy were cut off the second her heel nailed the metal piece in his forehead deeper, shattering through his thick skull and lodging itself in his brain.

"Whew." Jinx wiped the sweat from her brow and hopped over the still, unmoving body beneath her as if she'd just done a little light physical exercise.

"Really making me work for it. So…" Jinx sighed before her eyes shined while staring at the woman that stood before her. "What's up?"

The battle of the Firelight base was fading. What was once an orchestra of clashed metal, screams of rage, and cries of anguish had been all but quenched after such vigorous fighting. It was looking like a stalemate from the sound of it, both sides either dead or on the brink of total exhaustion.

She stared into Sevika's gray eyes, letting the moment of silence between them settle as their minds raced with different questions and ambitions.

"What are you doing here?" Sevika asked, her shocked tone from earlier completely gone after witnessing her creative execution.

"Seems I've been captured." Jinx giggled while raising her arms to present the metal rings around her wrists.

The older woman shook her head in denial, before narrowing her sight in suspicion. "Seems like you're helping them."

"Heheh. Yeah." Jinx nodded her head loosely, all malevolence or thought abandoned to consider what she must look like to the Ogre. "Sure looks like it."

"You disappeared and Silco was never seen again." The woman reminded her, lifting the red blade at her side in both threat and preparation.

What? Like she wasthatdangerous? She was just having fun! Ekko's orders by the way. Oh yeah…guess she was also following his orders. Man, she really was a Firelight at this point! At least she'd say she earned it. Er- not that she wanted it either.

"Silco's dead." Jinx replied, all humor gone from her face in an instant.

"I figured as much. Old man had it coming, one way or another."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? Jinx knew the woman in front of her, knew the undying loyalty that kept her at her father's side all these years. Was she a liar? A schemer? Waiting all this time to take her place at the head of the under-city's greatest collection of criminals, thugs, and drunkards?

If that was always her plan…

Her fists clenched at her sides, shaking in irritation just thinking about how utterly fucked this world was. If she'd never shot him, would Silco still be nothing but a corpse pushed aside by the very revolution he created? If Sevika wouldn't have done it, would someone else?

Death followed her like a shadow…speaking of…

Jinx's thoughts faded as she leaned to the side, peering around the woman that stood before her and staring towards where she'd last seen Ekko. He was hunched over, holding his club like a crutch and lifeline. Scar was there too, kneeled over himself in exhaustion. It looked like the chirean Firelight was able to return for the battle just in time. The immediate threat of defeat was gone. Good. She didn't have time for Sevika if that wasn't the case.

"So!" She snapped her attention back to the person in front of her. "What's new with Sevika?"

"You killed him, didn't you?" She ignored her comment and stated the accusation as plainly as could be. A straight, unfiltered question.

"Mistakes were made." Jinx shrugged, trying to play off the sin that had already been grafted to her very soul, always lying in wait to hold judgment. Her suffering did not need further life breathed into it by cowering in regret. No way.

"And now you've found yourself amongst the Firelights. Playing your little game of family, I assume." Sevika concluded.

She didn't like those words. They sounded despicable, like she was always planning to crawl her way into the arms of others and infect them from the inside. Sevika always thought she was a menace, an untrustworthy wild card. She hated it!

"Shut up."

"How long until you jinx them?" The woman asked, raising her arm and sword in question, "Always acting out the role of the hurt little child until you've killed everyone that lowers their guard."

"I don't know." She grunted through clenched teeth, "How long are you gonna keep rampaging through the under-city? Turning everyone into addicts, slaves, or your own personal army of idiots."

"You wouldn't understand. Zaunwillbe its own nation and I'll crush anyone that gets in my way."

What a load of shit. As if Sevika had even a fraction of the drive and ambition her father had. It was disgusting, hearing such words that stained his legacy with half-hearted passion. Save the facade for someone that actually feared the Ogre.

When she didn't say anything out loud, Sevika continued.

"When I saw you, I was gonna ask if you'd like to come back to us." The woman shook her head in disbelief at her own words, "But on second thought, I don't need the trouble."

Jinx's response was to immediately raise her rifle and aim for the center of the Ogre's forehead. Pink eyes never once blinking nor breaking the concentration behind the planned shot. She reloaded the weapon and Sevika's expression held a new wariness in her features.

"I always knew you were insane."

"Yep."

*click*

She blinked, looked at the weapon in her hand and slapped the side of it, hoping to unjam the rifle. Damnit! Hopefully-.

*click*

Jinx huffed once and cracked the gun at its seam noting the emptiness of the barrel chamber. Ugh! Just great. No ammo left. Her luck knew no bounds. This wouldn't have happened if she just had her damn pistol and gatling gun!

"Shame." Sevika smirked as the blade at her side glowed hot, vapor pooling in the air around it as the woman slid into a fighting stance. "That was your only chance."

Jinx smirked as well, matching the arrogance of the woman in front of her and tossing the weapon in her palms to the side.

"I don't need a gun to kill you."

The ghosts that clung to her soul, holding all that she feared in their depths, roared to life. It was invigorating to see Vander and his bloated, monstrous body snarling towards Sevika. Mylo, Claggor, Vi, they too bounced beside her, leaking all their disdain for the woman before her and the sensation was freeing.

To think, her demons would fight alongside her. Their hatred filled the atmosphere with a heat that flared across her pale skin. Her little game of family? What game? She had her family right here, ready to tear Sevika limb from limb. For once her desires matched their own.

Jinx cracked her knuckles and bounced on the balls of her feet. Such a nice warm-up she had earlier, she'd make short work of Sevika. After all, it was clear that nobody could match her streng-.

A whip of red fire suddenly cut through the air and she twisted on her heel to let the plasma slice right by her. Right. Upgrades. She remembered the technique from Vi's fight not too long ago. Sevika's snarling expression was suddenly right in front of her, inches from her face.

Pink eyes went wide with astonishment…she's fast!

Her back arched as the sword diagonally cut upwards for her throat. Time slowed as she watched the blade pass over her face, lighting up the pale skin and reflecting off her eyes. The off-balance position had her flipping backwards for more space.

It wasn't granted.

Sevika's swift approach continued, chasing after every backstep or side shuffle with a flurry of swings, all heating the air to a point where her skin stung. The glowing purple eye on Sevika's left side reminded her that she wasn't the only one granted with the power of shimmer.

Jinx was quick to dodge the next swing only to double over once a fist plant itself in her stomach. Saliva spattered the ground below as she gasped for air. Her guard was broken in the downed state and the whirling sounds of plasma echoed in her ears. She smiled.

Her own vulnerability wasexactlywhat she wanted.

She spun and dropped her hands to the ground, bracing herself and launching a backwards kick, bucking Sevika under her chin and forcing the woman to stumble backwards. The flinch was enough to follow up, blasting herself forward to slip through Sevika's reach and dance in the tight space that allowed her movement.

The lines of red fire cast a spider web of death around her, but Jinx slipped between every opening, no matter how brief, tapping her feet in the ground as quickly as possible to continue her expert dodges. Her laughter was only fueling her enemy's wrath.

"Did you always have those ugly purple cracks?" Jinx taunted, spotting the lines that crawled up the side of Sevika's jaw. They looked more pronounced than when she'd last seen her. "Or is all that shimmer you're pumping actually breaking you down?"

"Raaaghh!" Sevika roared in response like an animal as the mechanical hatch on her arm raised, filled with purple liquid, and slammed back down, dispersing the power throughout.

A rapid kick to her side had Jinx grunting as she was pushed backwards. That wasn't good. Distance was not advantageous, despite how menacing that glowing blade looked. It gave the woman time to-

Sevika opened the hatch in her arm and shoved two vials of shimmer into their compartments.

Well, it gave her time to dothat!

"I'm trying!"Jinx yelled to Mylo who was shouting an incoherent battle strategy. "It's harder than it looks."

Howcouldshe win this? Being unarmed left hardly any options other than punching, kicking, or dodging. Avoiding her untimely demise or even just escaping the sword that intended to sever her limbs was using all her effort. That didn't leave her with many ideas.

Guess she was going with the "Beat her down until she's a bloody pulp and hope I don't die" strategy then. The cheshire grin was back on her face. How exciting!

With that decided, Jinx rushed back into the fight, leaping to the side as red plasma slashed vertically towards her. It was followed with two horizontal slashes aimed for her throat and legs. She dove, squeezing between the attacks and rolling forward.

A quick feint of a jab brought Sevika's guard to her chest and Jinx spun around her left side to slip past the glowing sword and punch into the woman's abdomen. The counter was coming. A swift knee thrust into the air in retaliation and she jumped overhead, flipping in an aerial to land on the other side of the Ogre.

When the older woman spun to get eyes back on her target she was met with a fist striking her jaw. The skin, muscles, and bones of her face rippled from the blow and Jinx followed up with a flurry of quick jabs to her thigh, forcing the woman to one knee. Her arm charged back and she hurled all her strength into Sevika's soft and vulnerable temple.

Only she never made contact.

Suddenly the red blade extended across the front of Sevika's body and pierced towards her. The skin of her neck was sliced like butter against the steel and Jinx scrambled away, holding the cut that wet her palm with blood. It was shallow, insignificant, but still she was startled by the events that just occurred.

Sevika's blade could extend. If the woman were any more accurate she'd be bleeding out with a hole in her own neck. Damnit.Fucking upgrades!What a sneaky bitch, hiding her best moves until the last second.

Playing dirty like that…fine. She'd play dirty too. Jinx crouched low, taking a sprinter's form with her hands splayed outwards in the dirt. She slipped a bit of loose gravel into her palm and raced towards her enemy.

The expected slashes came, and she bounced around each one, easily tracking the attacks with eyes that twitched rapidly, honing in on every single movement. The path forward was clear. A side-step, followed by a roll, spin, fake out kick, and finally she swiped her arm to throw the dust and rock into Sevika's gray and purple eyes.

The woman gasped and stumbled backwards with her non-mechanical arm rubbing across her face. Pink eyes glanced at the sword and the arm it was attached to. Disable the arm and it'd be an easier fight. Killing Sevika would be a walk in the park.

She slammed the top of her metal shoulder with fists tightly bunched together. The blow rattled her skeleton and sent a counter wave of tingling pain. But the arm should be separated now, and that meant-.

Her lips parted in shock. The arm…it wasn't broken off. But she put all her power into that!

"What the shi-?!" She cursed before Sevika's legs swept into her own, knocking her on her back and suddenly aware of her vulnerability.

Jinx struggled to roll off her back and leap on her feet, only to scream out with the searing pain of the red hot blade stabbing through her thigh. The purple cloth of her pants was singed at the entry point.

Sevika grunted while opening blood-shot eyes and glaring down at her from above.

"You bitc- Aghhhhhh!" Jinx shrieked as the metal in her leg pushed deeper, now submerging itself in the ground underneath her too.

Pain like this…it seized her breath and made her vision waver as if her own body couldn't fathom withstanding such potent and pure agony. And yet, through gritted teeth, she smiled wide. Pain like this…it was what she deserved. In fact, she loved the feeling of the metal cutting through her muscle, knowing that it was very close, but never close enough to what she so intimately knew.

She stared up at Sevika, watching the woman grunt and crack her own body back into place. Was that why she couldn't break the arm from the shoulder? Was it…fused to her very core? Shit. She screwed up. Shoulda gone for the head again instead of playing with her like the typical goons that posed no threat.

The blade was removed and she groaned at the feeling, only to be replaced by the pressure of Sevika's knee forced onto her chest to pin her down. The red sword burned in the air and she saw the rage in her enemy's eyes.

She wasn't afraid. Wasn't gonna beg either. That would be pointless and she never liked the weakness that would undoubtedly be revealed. Let her go in glory, not in fear. She wasn't weak!

Sevika paused, blade hovering in the air just over her throat.

"What?" Jinx cackled, "Giving me my last words?"

"Not exactly." The woman smirked as she moved the edge of the weapon to her pale shoulder, "We got off on the wrong arm didn't we?"

The familiar statement had her laughing into the open air. Hilarious! Who knew her own words would be used against her like this? Seemed just right that life would fuck her like this.

"Leaving you alive might help me out in the long run." Sevika lifted her head to look at the battlefield. "Seems like I'm not winning this fight today anyhow…Consider this payback for that night you took my arm, brat."

Jinx lifted her head to lean even closer to the woman that bested her in battle and gave her a brilliant smile, daring her to follow through with the cruel act.

"Do it."

Sevika lifted her sword to give her some swinging distance and the red reflected off of Jinx's pink eyes, those bright orbs that never carried a single ounce of fear.

"Jinx!"

They both turned to see Vi, Caitlyn, Heimerdinger and Brina rushing from the ruins of the tunnels to enter the battlefield. Sevika clicked her tongue in frustration before leaping off of her body and whistling to her allies. What was left of the attacking force turned to see their leader rushing towards the tunnels and they followed suit.

It was happening so fast.

The trio of women and the yordle tried to take a readied stance, preparing to capture Sevika and her crew only to dodge as red slashes whipped towards them. They all dove out of the way and soon their enemies ran past them and faded into the dark shadows. Vi began racing after the cowards but stopped when realizing there were more important things to worry about inside the base. Jinx groaned, slamming the back of her head in the ground still feeling the pain in her pierced leg and the sore defeat of her personal loss.

Well, it could have been much worse without her "rescue". She might've actually lost her arm if they hadn't shown up.

Twin shadows cast a dark shade over her closed eyes and Jinx blinked at the disturbance. Vi and Caitlyn stood over her, unnecessary worry clouding their expressions. The small smile she offered was enough to ease their concern as she reached out and took both hands.

Jinx was lifted to her feet, nearly bouncing up with a newfound energy at the realization that she'd won…or at least, killed most of her enemies. Only when she put her weight down, her leg twinged in a sudden shock of pain and she stumbled.

"Careful." Caitlyn held her upright while trying to fish some bandages from her backpack.

"Take it easy." Vi followed up, shifting to the side in order to let her pale arm wrap around her sister's shoulder.

"I'm fine." Jinx scoffed, hesitantly pressing harder on her leg to touch the ground, letting the pain build slowly like a rising ache. It was a deep, raw sensation but nothing she couldn't walk off. Even so, Caitlyn crouched to begin wrapping the wound. Her chin fell, staring at the hole in her leg. It seemed that the hot blade cauterized the wound, stopping most of the blood loss there.

"I can walk." She confirmed and the support at her sides slowly stepped backwards to give her space.

The trio scanned the battlefield and what remained. Not much. A few of their enemies lay still, dead, or groaning as they succumbed to their wounds or gave in to exhaustion. The same could be said for the Firelights. Jinx idly spotted Brina in the distance checking on a few of the downed men and women wrapped in dark green cloaks.

"God…" Vi spoke slowly, horrified at the damage that was caused.

"This is awful." Caitlyn murmured.

Luckily not much was broken structurally. The walls stood tall, without cracks or blemishes and the grand tree was largely unscathed. Aside from the few storage huts, tents, and the crumbled tunnels, there wasn't much to be concerned about now.

Her breath cut short as she spun her head to search for him. Ekko…was he okay? When she last saw him he looked like he was on death's door, but no immediate danger threatened his life. She spotted him leaning amongst a pile of rocks, sharing the surface with Scar leaning on the other side. Bodies of their friends and foes lie before them.

He saw her staring and weakly raised his arm to wave.

Jinx immediately limped to him, crossing the vast distance between them, paying no mind to the pain in her leg or the bodies she stepped over. He was okay right? She couldn't see his wounds from here, too far away to discern what was his blood or theirs.

Her two companions followed behind quickly, taking pauses to check on the few that may still be alive, but her mind was focused on this one single task. When she towered over the sitting Firelight she scanned his body. Ripped clothes, dark purple bruises and cuts with varying sizes and depth littering his skin. She released a breath, appearing to see that everything on the outside was okay.

It didn't stop her from asking.

"Tell me where it hurts."

He slowly opened his eyes, lifting his head to offer a lazy smile.

"All over." He chuckled before clutching at his side and hissing as he laughed.

Jinx knelt beside him, tearing the bandage that Caitlyn wrapped around her leg and lifting his coat to get a good look at the re-opened gunshot. The threat of irreparable bloodloss left her mind as she pressed the white cloth to his torn skin.

"You stupid boy." She whispered, watching his body flinch at the pressure she applied, "You almost died."

"Nah." He shook his head, "I'm tougher than you think. Besides, Scar had my back." He nodded to the chirean behind him and the man grunted in acknowledgement.

In her peripheral vision she saw Caitlyn and Vi move to the other side of the pile to tend to whatever injuries the chirean received in the battle. Her focus was hardly broken, too distracted by Ekko's wounds. And they took the occasional moment to glance in her direction.

A hand fell over her wrist and she glanced up to stare into Ekko's thankful brown eyes. She shook her head, tossing the thanks somewhere deep inside where she could treasure it alone. Not much was said between them, just the steady sounds of his breathing and her meticulous work to repair what she could.

"You were awesome out there." He complimented before lifting his hand to brush back his ash covered dreadlocks. "It was hard not to get distracted watching you fight."

"Bet you got hit staring at me, idiot."

"Maybe a few times." He smiled.

His eyes turned to stare at the children being tended to by Heimerdinger and watched as Marenth sat upwards holding her head with her palm. The sight eased a tension in her shoulders that she didn't know she was carrying.

"You saved them." He said softly.

"I wasn't really trying to."

Memories of her fight were fresh in her head. The lust for death, the dark, violent thoughts of killing her enemies trumped the desire to save the Firelights. It left her feeling more empty than before. Dare she say shame pooled in her stomach like an uncomfortable nausea. She was no hero. She just let the shimmer take over and annihilated anyone that dared attack her. Just like she always does.

"..."

"..."

Yeah…that was it. The somber ache in her heart was an added reminder. She wasn't a hero. She wasn'tevengood. Jinx just did what she did best, kill. Whatever else was just-.

"You wanted to help." Ekko's words made her still.

Was that what he saw? But…No. That wasn't right. She didn't even have thecapacityto help. All she did was fight for the sake of entertainment. To quench the beast lurking in her soul.

But what if she did…help? The question lingered in her mind, like a small beacon that led to something greater. An unspoken wish. Hope swelled in her chest at the thought. Ekko's honest feelings threaded through his spoken words somehow made hearing them even more wonderful.

Could he see good in her? Even more importantly could he show her how to find it herself? Please…

It was so distant.

Her lips were already quivering at the mere idea. Her past, the worst bits she could remember, flashed through her head as Jinx wondered if she'd ever done anything right. To believe him and ignore the lie that stained her core like blood on white cloth.

She nodded her head, uncaring of the tears pooling in her pink eyes as she gave him a watery smile, already feeling the ache that accompanied her sorrow. Only, this wasn't sorrow. It was relief.

"I only wanted to help." She agreed as tears began sliding down her cheeks, trailing through her eyeshadow and falling to the ground below.

The same words Powder spoke so long ago echoed in the air around her. A ghostly sentence, as if whispered by the breeze, filled with fear, confusion and regret. But her words were different now. Those gut-wrenching emotions were nowhere to be found. It contrasted the doubt that Powder's voice carried.

"I only wanted to help." Jinx repeated, a bewildered laugh slipped through her cracked voice. Her shoulders shook as her cries messily mixed with her elated relief.

She paused to look at him. His exhausted, yet earnest smile spurred her to take his bloodied hands within hers. She could believe it! She could believe him! Even when her own self so carefully resisted the idea. Whatever way she wanted to twist her actions today, she could instead accept the faintest possibility that she did the world some good. Marenth, the children, they were alive because of her.

"I only wanted to help!" She cheered, celebrating the swell of happiness in her chest. If she could shout it to the heavens, she would. Her hands shook around his, unable to contain the joy and comfort she wanted to share.

He appeared confused, unknowing of the grand revelation that had been thrust upon her so suddenly. Even so, she closed her eyes to lean backwards, cherishing the unique feeling that warmed her from the inside.

"You were amazing." Ekko sighed and closed his eyes as well, exhaustion certainly taking its toll on his battle–worn body. "And you did help…Thank you, Jinx."

Ah! What an amazing feeling! She opened her eyes and released her hold on him to lift her arms up high as if to embrace the sunlight that filtered through the many leaves above. Too many feelings swirled inside, like a glass overflowing with water. It was so…addicting!

"What should we-?" Her question was paused, staring at his slackened face. Light, easy breaths gently passed through his lips and her own lips closed, knowing to let him get his rest.

"He's exhausted." A woman spoke from behind.

"Marneth!" Jinx spun to greet the familiar soft voice of the older Firelight. Had she ever been so happy to see a stranger? No, not a stranger. She wasn't sure what Marenth was, but the previous description fell short of her feelings.

The older Firelight smiled softly, "You saved us."

Her returned beaming smile was the only response she could give before, Jinx turned and raised her hand to excitedly wave at the small brats across the field and was overjoyed to see them return the gesture. She was so delighted she could barely breathe!

"Let's get Ekko to his room. There's much more that needs to be done."

"Okay." Jinx chirped, not quite letting the sad tone of the older woman's voice get her down.

There was plenty of work to be done, bodies to be buried, and plans to be made. Jinx assisted the woman in lifting Ekko's sleeping form and began carrying him towards the stairs of the grand tree. Time passed her by but she couldn't recount any thing else in this moment.

All that mattered is that she actually did it…

…Jinx helped save the Firelights.

Notes:

Did you like it? LOVE IT? I certainly loved writing this one and I'm over the moon with Jinx and her developments. You got Badass Jinx! Crazy Jinx! Happy Jinx! So much fun, right? This is just the beginning of the arc and it's gonna be such an interesting ride to go on. I hoped the fight scenes were done well and that Jinx's epiphany calling back to Episode 3 was equally satisfying to read. Hearing her shout those words in happiness rather than fear just hits me so hard - and I'm the one that wrote it lol.

ALSO, did you think Jinx was gonna lose an arm? HAHAHA I gotta plant the seeds of tension somehow. She and Ekko may have plot armor but their mental and physical state are not safe in this story. Hell, who knows what's gonna happen in the next chapter ;) Subverting expectations and all that. Don't worry though, I ain't gonna pull a GoT and subvert expectations for the stupid sake of just doing things differently. Nonono, I want this to be entertaining AND satisfyin. If I'm doing that well enough, I'm happy!

Equally as important, I hope that this chapter brightened your day - or week! The amount of positivity and support I've received makes me absolutely sure that each and every one of you are awesome people. I hope that is also communicated through every reply I try to give. And even if I didn't get to yours last time...(REALLY SORRY And still planning to go back) I want you to know that I literally read every comment at least ten times. Sometimes multiple days in a row. My readers are the best :)

Of course, please leave a Kudos if you got one, we're actually climbing up to the top fic in the Arcane fandom in general which is mind blowing! I'll see all you wonderful people in the comments below!

Until next time!

Chapter 21: Repairing the Broken

Notes:

Hi everyone! I'm back with another chapter! The story is continuing and there's so much to be excited about. I've been working non-stop to plan the next few chapters and once again, I think it's gonna be a very rewarding and fun read. That said, not much action here. We gotta resolve bits and pieces of the attack first. But SO MUCH MORE is coming. Despite that, I still hope you enjoy the chapter!

A few things to mention.

1.) Holy shit I'm sorry for not replying to MANY of the comments. I finished CH 18, 19, and 20 so fast that I ended up going into severe exhaustion for a week. Couldn't type anything even if I wanted to. It's a bit hard to juggle this and my job, but I'm NOT complaining. I just wish I was better at engaging with you all. It's always my goal to reply and I don't want anyone to feel like their time and effort writing a comment was wasted. IT WASN'T. Your comments make my day, week even. I read every single one multiple times and I will continue to try and be better for you all.

2.) I'm really excited to say that I've commissioned a few artists to make some art based off this story. None of them are complete yet, but I got to the final sketch phase with a lot of people and I'm incredibly excited about it. I can't wait to share the talented results of these artists and I hope that will be fun to see as well. If you have any talent for art or feel inclined to make something, please reach out to me on my twitter DMs /elsanndra) I can't really promise you a lot of money, if any, but I want to work with y'all and come up with some neat ideas. I love art and seeing the potential in this story to re-create some scenes is so amazing.

And with that lengthy author's note...I hope you enjoy! :)

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Ekko wasn't waking up.

Her arms tightened around her knees as she sat on the floor, leaning against the grand tree just outside his room. A few people passed by, their curious gazes always lingering on her before continuing into the room to check on their leader. Unrecognized faces, assumedly Marenth's helpers.

Speaking of, the older woman had visited her occasionally. The wound in her thigh was of little concern, but the Firelight insisted on cleaning the injury and checking her recovery. When the lack of interest regarding her own well-being was noted, Marenth kindly offered her relieving words.

"Sleeping due to severe exhaustion is normal. It's only been 14 hours. No need to be concerned."She told her.

Jinx's anxious heartdidsteady with that knowledge passed along. Still…What if Ekko wasn't okay? What if something terrible or unseen was keeping the boy from recovering? What if he was in pain and couldn't let them know? What if he needed saving and she had completely and utterly failed?

It would be so in-character of the world to find every opportunity to crush her hopes.

Her ghosts weren't helping either. Just the sight of them and the frenzied scribbles in the air made her want to shut everything out. Right now they were like little pests, crawling over her skin and breaking any concentration she could muster. Doubts, fears, rage, all the emotions that drove her uncertainty further.

Jinx tilted her head to tuck into the space before her knees. As ifthatwould cause everything to just be quiet. Her lips split into a smile, finding broken humor even in her own shortcomings that were entirely pointless. How strange it was to find herself on this roller coaster of ups and downs. Wasn't she ecstatic for saving Marenth and the children? Where did that energy go? Living in the moment had a power over her that she couldn't quantify, that much was clear.

"You gonna quit your sulking and help out?" A familiar voice broke her fluttering thoughts.

Pink eyes opened to spot boots in front of her, one of them tapping in irritation against the wooden floorboards. She trailed her eyes up the tan pants, following up form-fitted cloth and crossed arms before staring into Brina's cold eyes, downturned frown, and her curly black hair pulled into her usual afro puff ponytail.

"I did more than any of you." Jinx replied, already missing her alone time with her demons.

"You did." The girl agreed, "But that doesn't mean there's not work to be done. Far as I can tell, you're the only one not doing anything."

Jinx scoffed and opened her mouth to reply only to be cut off as the Firelight in front of her continued.

"Look…I'm…glad you were able to help fight. It could've been a lot worse."

Jinx giggled lightly to herself. It was entertaining watching Brina practically in pain giving her a simple compliment. Like the pause in her words was specifically designed to ease the sting of what she was saying. How far could she push it?

"So youDOappreciate me."

"Not when you're sitting on your ass doing nothing."

Fair point.

"Ugh!" Jinx groaned while standing up straight, "Don't mind me. Just savin' the world from ungrateful bitches."

She stuck out her tongue towards Brina for the added effect of pissing the woman off more before turning to trudge down the stairs of the great tree. The sounds of following footsteps was also bringing a rising heat to her skin. What? Was Brina going to follow her and make sure she actually did something? What about Ekko? Wasn't watching over his vulnerable state a job in itself?

"I'm not ungrateful." Brina replied, "But remember thatnothingyou ever do will prove to me that you're a good person."

Jinx paused and turned her head to give a glowing glare with her pink eyes.

"Maybe I can be." She argued in response. At this point it was about not giving up a single inch. No way in hell she'd let some bratty Firelight beat her, even in something so trivial as an argument. "Maybe one day I'll save your life and you'll have to accept it."

Brina shook her head and it caused Jinx to clench her fists at her sides and grind her teeth in her mouth. The stubbornness, the denial, the doubt, it was pissing her off. For some reason she expected a standing ovation for her actions yesterday, maybe even a celebration thrown in her honor. The fact that resistance was still clashing against her was tiring, frustrating, and least of all stupid!

"See you can save my life and still be a horrible person. Those aren't exclusive traits."

"Heh. You know it all don't you." Jinx rolled her eyes and continued walking down the stairs, no longer invested in the pointless conversation.

"You killed my friends." The Firelight growled from behind.

"I know."

"And you think you can fix that? You think if you help us fight that everyone is just going to forget?"

"Marenth did. Ekko did." Jinx shrugged her shoulders. Would the woman stop following her already?

"They. Did. Not." Was the venomous reply and suddenly Jinx was twisted and pinned to the trunk of the great tree beside her. Brina's enraged gray eyes staring directly into her own. "Ekko and Marenth never forgot. You just managed to weasel your way through their defenses."

Pink eyes widened as the statement brought back Sevika's spoken words from earlier.

"Always acting out the role of the hurt little child until you've killed everyone that lowers their guard."

But she doesn't do that! She doesn't! The insatiable need to scream out that truth was growing within. It wasn't true! But when she opened her mouth, the words of defiance that built in her throat fluttered away.

"What were you to Ekko? A childhood friend?"

Jinx shut her eyes and shook her head. She didn't want to hear it. None of it. Just a pathetic, jealous little Firelight upset that their precious prisoner was inching towards freedom.

"What about Marenth? Did you know she had a daughter?"

Like any of that mattered. For whatever reason, Ekko and Marenth trusted her because she was HER! Jinx! Not some wistful mimic of treasured memories. Brina had it wrong. She had to have it wrong because…because…what was the point then? How could she even-.

"They both like you because you remind them of better times. Not because they've gotten over the murder of our friends, our family. And even as a prisoner you've found a way to be just fine."

Jinx found the strength to push Brina's arm from her shoulder and roughly pushed forward to slam into the woman's side as she walked away. There was enough force to make the girl stumble, but not enough to knock her over.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To help. Isn't that what you wanted?" Jinx cut back shortly, "And don't think you know anything about me toots. Just fine? Hah! Hilarious."

She laughed at the thought. Never enough. If she wasn't starving or hurt, she was belittled by the very people she called friends. If there wasn't fire in the air, there was blood still splattered on the ground. If she wasn't alone in her freedom, she was caged like a beast. Her parents, her friends, her own sister…At every point in her life, she was never enough. How could any of that be measured as "just fine"? No. She was a survivor. Unhinged in whatever way she needed to have fun with this twisted, broken world, but at the end of the day, her feelings mattered too.

Happiness.

Such a foreign concept, and yet, Jinx found herself determined to grasp onto the feeling any way she could. Brina and her stupid beliefs be damned. The bitch could believe what she wanted, but Jinx knew one thing was certain.

Sharp nails dug into the soft skin of her palms as she continued to trudge down towards the battle-torn fields.

Her lifewouldget better and the fact that she maybe even wanted that for Vi, Caitlyn, and Ekko was enough to blindly keep going…

One, two, three.

Her toes danced on the very edge of a concrete path. Just centimeters away from the edge that dropped into a sheer descent and revealing the open wastelands that surrounded the Firelight base.

One, two, three.

She chimed under her breath, counting the numbers and moving her feet to the melody. Pale arms reached outwards to keep her balance as she placed the tip of her boots in front of each careful step.

"Can you please not walk so close to the edge?" Caitlyn's voice sounded off from behind.

Jinx tilted her head to grin at the top-sider who hadn't been looking directly at her, but stoic with binoculars in hand, scanning the horizon.

"But I've never been allowed up here before." She chirped, as if the words were the perfect, reasonable excuse for her actions.

They totally were. And the view was pretty awesome too. As dusk settled in the air, she could barely make out the bright, random neon lights of the undercity and the more refined, orderly lights on the top-side. The Firelight base really did have a view that showed it all.

"I'd rather not have to explain to Vi why you won't be at dinner if you fall."

"Please," She waved the concern away with her hand before wobbling out of balance. Luckily she was quick to find it once more. "You worry too much."

Out of all the tasks that needed to be managed after the brutal attack of the base, she quite liked this one. Reconnaissance. Making sure no unexpected attack was imminent. Of course, the tunnels were still collapsed, which effectively cut them off for any sort of supplies, but a few Firelights were able to determine they had enough for now.

That said, a new base was all but necessary. A worry and concern amongst every mind. Their location was compromised, and it wasn't clear just how quickly they could get their defenses online. She'd worked with Heimerdinger in the afternoon to build his turrets, but she may have accidentally fired one off prematurely.

No one was hurt though! That was a huge plus. It was still decided that she probably shouldn't tinker with his stuff too much. And it only took about five minutes of lifting heavy rocks and rubble with Vi before she was absolutely bored out of her mind. So here she was with Caitlyn, scanning the vast unknown for enemies lurking in the distance.

"It's been a while." Jinx started while turning to face the officer, "Since, you know, we spent time together."

"It has, hasn't it?"

There was so much to talk about…or maybe there wasn't much at all. The last week has been a whirlwind of events, it was hard to tell what was known or unknown. Caitlyn did come along with her to the clubhouse back then, and they journeyed to the top-side even more recently, so where did that leave them?

Oh!

"You find anything on that…"She paused to think of the name, "Urgot dude?"

Wasn't that why the woman traveled to the top-side before? Curiosity was bright in her eyes as she walked closer to the woman. Though Caitlyn didn't drop her binoculars as she surveyed the area. Always the diligent little cadet.

"Some. I'm not sure I should…" Caitlyn's words fizzled out.

"Hm?" Jinx leaned closer to press her ear outwards. "Not sure you should…what?"

For the first time since they were up this high, Caitlyn dropped the binoculars and let them hang from a strap on her neck. Her blue eyes were filled with some sort of apology. It was a message of unspoken words that had Jinx dropping her brow.

"You're not sure you should tell me." Jinx surmised from the look on Caitlyn's face and she couldn't help but be deflated.

"I trust you Jinx." The older girl offered, but the unspoken truth remained, "I do. But we're planning on meeting tomorrow to discuss and…"

"I get it." She replied while taking a seat at the edge of the concrete path and letting her legs hang over the edge.

She kicked aimlessly in the air, not entirely focused on anything. Just another reminder that whatever she thought of the people around her, they had their own reservations about her character. It still felt shitty. Once again forced to watch from the outside while the "grown-ups" made all the decisions. An entirely unwelcome, but all too familiar reality.

Jinx shivered at the sudden feeling of being watched. A glance to her side revealed the expected form of Claggor silently watching her. Judging her through goggled eyes. At least she could see him. All these thoughts and feelings that her friends had about her remained hidden, trapped in their own minds without ever being expressed.

Did Caitlyn think she was gonna tattle? To whom? Did any of her friendsreallytrust her? How much of it was an act? She used to be good at spotting the little things. Quick assumptions was all she had in the under-city. If she couldn't trust someone, then don't. That might even be why she's alive today. All she ever truly had was herself…ever since that night

Caitlyn was quick to sit by her side.

"Do you see one of them?" Caitlyn asked softly.

"Claggor."

"He's the one that stares at you, right?"

Jinx nodded mutely, somewhat surprised that the top-sider remembered from their conversation so long ago. Although, Caitlyn was a smart woman. It shouldn't surprise her too much. A hand was placed on her shoulder, but she made no attempt to glance towards the person beside her. Still…the warmth was nice.

"You still see all of them?"

"Of course," Jinx laughed hollowly. Why wouldn't that be the case? They've never once left her side. At this point, they felt more like a fusion of her own self. A splintered, corrupted piece of her soul that couldn't be destroyed, ignored, or healed.

There was a silence between them. What words could even be said? She giggled to herself. How could Caitlyn even help? Like, "Just ignore them" or "Try to make them go away"? Such useless advice that would be wholly rejected. That wasn't how it worked. She's tried.

"Do they…" Caitlyn started, only to furrow her brow, searching for the right words.

Sorry cupcake, there were no "right" words. Not for someone as fractured as her.

"...Scare you?"

Her eyes widened at the question. What a strange thing to ask.

"What makes you say that?"

Had she ever slipped up and revealed just how fearful of them she was? She couldn't think of a moment she spent with Caitlyn that would indicate that. Annoyed, angry, maybe even remorseful when she first saw Silco in the council's prison…but never afraid. No, she tried so hard to hide those particular feelings.

"I would imagine it would be scary." Caitlyn replied while staring at the darkening horizon. "To feel like you're being judged even when you're alone."

Her lips parted to respond but instead she just nodded her head. It was scary sometimes. But not always. They were a part of her life in all the ways Caitlyn was. They made her laugh, made her smile, made her angry, and made her cry. That wasn't an exclusive thing to just the living.

"I guess."

"We're here for you, Jinx." The top-sider murmured, "In whatever way you need."

She frowned. That isn't exactly something that made sense. This whole "friends" thing was still so new. Brina's words from earlier reminded her of the disconnection. The links that bound them were so fragile. Why would she put unneeded stress on such a thing? She's a big girl. Strong enough to handle her own problems. For the most part…

"Maybe…You still don't trust me."

"I do. It's just information I've been keeping to myself. I wouldn't have told anyone until the right time. Not my parents. Not Vi. Not anyone."

"..."

"I just don't want you thinking you're alone."

Jinx took a shuttered breath. Such simple words, yet they struck her deep in her heart. Any concerns of Caitlyn being a liar were expelled completely in this soft moment. The emotion in the woman's voice grounded her, even up high with her feet dangling in the air.

"Do you think the others feel the same?" She uttered the question in the safety of the moment. She could be vulnerable here. Because despite Caitlyn being unable to comprehend her demons entirely, the womanwastrying.

"You mean Vi?"

"Vi." She agreed. "Marenth too. Heimy…Ekko."

His name was spoken carefully. The least likely to satisfy her fears. But she wanted to know. No. She needed to know. What did Caitlyn think? Blue eyes drifted towards her, a subtle smirk spread across refined lips, as if she understood the question within the question.

"I think they do. You're with us because we want to help you. We all want you to get better."

In a different moment Jinx would've taken offense to the statement. It implied that she needed fixing. That as she was, she was defective, sick, in all the ways that warranted intervention. But fuck it. She was broken. That was the truth. Even though she wanted to turn a blind eye to the truth, she couldn't keep trudging forward in ignorance.

"I'm not sorry for what I've done." Jinx muttered, but it wasn't to debate Caitlyn's claim, nor was it some justification for the heinous crimes she committed. Regret for taking the lives of unknown strangers was just absent inside. She didn't like faking or lying about it either. That would be like pretending.

"No one's asking you to be."

"Pfft. Tell Brina that." She rolled her eyes. "And I'm pretty sure Ekko wants me to be."

"I won't speak for them, but…I'm…I just-." Cait stuttered, once again trying to find the right words. It was expected. The whole fucked situation was complex. Jinx could see that as clear as day.

"Don't worry about it." She waved the officer from the continued conversation.

"No." The woman shook her head in refusal, "I want you to get better. To see that the path you were on before was wrong. You have friends and family here and you can make better choices. But we're not trying to force you to regret everything you've done."

"I'm trying to be better."

"I know." Caitlyn smiled, "And I'm proud of you."

Gah! Her eyes stung with the tell-tale sign of tears pooling to shine in the light. Fuck. She rubbed at her face with her pale forearm and chuckled to herself while doing so. Who knew Caitlyn could get her to feel all these…irritating emotions.

"You don't have to try so hard to please everyone. I just hope that you find happiness with how you live your life."

"Sappy words if you ask me." Jinx giggled, still rubbing her eyes. "Besides, trying hard is fun sometimes.

"Yes." Caitlyn nodded, "Like stealing my gun and jumping off an airship."

"Heh. Sorry 'bout that."

"Last I saw, my rifle was covered in blood and dirt. Unacceptable. I will not be touching it until you've cleaned it thoroughly."

They both stared at each other before for a few passing seconds bursting out in laughter. A light mix of content giggles that put the tension in her muscles at ease. And with the lightened atmosphere, they both stood up to continue the forgotten task of reconnaissance. The binoculars were offered to her, and Jinx eagerly accepted, flipping the lens to her eyes and staring through the magnifying glass. Unsurprisingly, nothing to report. So the lingering question in her mind was easily shared.

"About Ekko-."

"I think he likes you more than you think." Caitlyn interrupted with a teasing smile and glint in her deep blue eyes. The statement was completed with a cheeky wink.

What? What was that about?

"I was gonna say that he hasn't woken up yet."

"Oh?"

"Are you still going to meet tomorrow if he doesn't?"

"We'll have to. There's a lot to be discussed."

"Right."

An awkward tension fluttered through the air. Caitlyn's words were choppy, hasty and that made her nervous. The unintentional response was the culprit. Like a splintered wound, it sat uncomfortably on her mind.

"How does he like me more than I think?"

Caitlyn started to walk away.

"Nothing. Just making sure you know he doesn't hate you."

"That's it?"

"Were you expecting something more?"

Damn Caitlyn and these twisted questions. It was like her own assumptions were being forced back onto her in order to satisfy some strange theory that the woman had. How was she supposed to answer that? And what the hell was with that smug look on her face!?

"No!" Jinx recoiled naturally, "I mean, I don't think so."

Ekko not hating her was a good place to be. She could've guessed with how friendly he'd been since she saved his life on their last heist. But it seemed like the older woman was teasing her about something else. What? Likesheliked the boy more than a friend?

Her eyes widened. Wait. Caitlyn doesn't really think…

"Then we're good." The officer continued walking along the wall and Jinx found herself following behind absently.

Her mind entirely focused on the strange thought that went through her head.

Ekko…and…her? What a silly idea. What a completely, utterly, unequivocally bizarre thing to think. He was a total asshole. An idiot with a cocky smirk that irritated her to no end. Like they could ever be anything. He did have a nice smile though. A pleasant laugh too and he was funny.

When she thought of his warm brown eyes, she couldn't really say what she thought. But the fact that she remembered him so vividly, and in his lowest moments felt her own heart ache with his suffering…There was something different about him, like they were connected in odd ways. Childhood friends that had never lost their bond entirely. Pieces remained.

Ugh!Fucking Caitlyn.

How the hell was she supposed to focus on recon with such an intrusive idea swimming through her mind? And the top-sider thought he had some sort of feelings for her?

God, Ekko must really be an idiot then. Then again, so was she…since she was even entertaining the idea.

Dinner was pretty depressing.

The lack of a warmly prepared meal left the few Firelight's that survived the attack slowly picking at a few loaves of bread, a small portion of nearly burnt fish, and whatever other scraps that could be found amongst the wreckage. Appetites were low for the most part.

Well, more for me then!

Jinx swiped another loaf and tore into it with her canines, tearing the bread and gulping down what she could. The deaths of even more Firelights hung heavy in the air, like a dense, chilling fog. Despite that, Vi seemed to be just as starved for food, shoveling her portions beside her. Caitlyn also seemed less than pleased at her sister's lack of restraint, but what else was new?

"Gotta say," Vi started with a muffled voice, drowned by the food still being chewed in her mouth. "Pretty badass stunt you pulled on the airship."

"Felt badass." Jinx agreed with a swell of pride in her chest. Surely Vi must see how capable she was. She wasn't the same useless little brat from their past. Not by a long shot.

"Your leg okay?"

She glanced at the tear in her pants and scanned the wound that had already closed and began forming a rugged scar. It was hard to remember that she was even stabbed through her leg in the first place. The shimmer inside must heal her more rapidly. The observation was filed in her mind for later. Maybe that creepy scientist she met in Piltover would find that useful.

"Yup. No issues."

"Damn. You bounce back quickly."

She smiled at her sister's response. Talking with Vi felt different now. Not like Caitlyn, where she had offered her weakest thoughts for comfort, but there was a content feeling between them. The anxious, nerve-wracking hesitation in their previous interactions had been all but abandoned. She couldn't really explain why either. Maybe a blood thing? A familial familiarity?

They were sisters. It seemed that after so much pain, confusion, and time, that very concept was lost. But the minefield of tension had slowly but effectively been broken in her time with the Firelights. That still didn't leave her with many answers. She couldn't convey what part of her made peace with Violet. She just was. Sharing a meal with her was a good enough reminder that they were close once. And getting closer still.

"Is it better than Stillwater?" Jinx asked. The words awkwardly tumbled from her mouth and she had to point to the bread in her sister's grasp to clarify. "The food."

Has she ever bothered to ask Vi about her past? About the very reason they'd been separated? Until now, it was only ever ammunition to be used in venomous spats, but with a clearer mind she found herself curious.

"Mmhmm." Vi slowed a mouthful before wiping her lips with her sleeve, "So much better."

Was Stillwater a sensitive topic? Should she avoid the conversation altogether? Why ruin the moment that was already so pleasant? Vi must've sensed her hesitation.

"You curious about Stillwater?"

Guess she was. It was hard to remember that friendship, companionship, was meant to be shared. A two way street. This past month, she'd only ever cared about her own problems, but she could try to care about more, right?

Jinx nodded.

Violet sighed, bread lowered from her hands and placed on a small wooden table. She spent time collecting herself, running rough fingers through her pink hair. Caitlyn appeared to take a sudden interest and concern, leaning into their little circle to hear more.

"It fucking sucked." Vi growled.

Well…yeah. She could've guessed that. Not the most insightful information. She could recall the many horror stories told in the Last Drop. Scared and trembling goons telling tales of Stillwater prison as if it were designed to give children nightmares. Although, it wasn't just terrifying children. The fear in their eyes could be seen even amongst the drunks and addicts.

"Cold stone floors. One meal a day. It felt like the under-city slums, only I never had the benefit of making friends."

She and Caitlyn remained silent as her sister recounted her experience.

"Not that I wanted to be friends with those bastards. I picked a fight with anyone that looked at me wrong. Had to show them I wasn't some little girl they could take advantage of."

"The officers and warden are supposed to keep the prisoners from fighting." Caitlyn commented.

Vi swiveled her head to stare at the top-sider, "That's funny. They must be shitty at their jobs then. Fights were encouraged."

"..."

"But you kicked their asses anyway, right?" Jinx asked. Surely her big sister was a tough cookie. How else did she get so strong?

"Sometimes." Vi smirked, "Other times I woke up in my cell, blood everywhere, barely able to remember my own name. Guess I lost those fights."

She filed a little reminder in the back of her head to blow up that evil prison when she had the opportunity. What was the point of such a place when death was probably easier? Spending all these years, torturing people like her sister…Yeah. Fuck Stillwater.

"You tattooed your own name to your cheek." Jinx added, noting how her sister said sometimes she hardly knew her own name. Was that the reason?

Vi pressed into her cheek with the pads of her fingers before smiling.

"Nah. I mean, it was a clever coincidence. I was prisoner 516. If you read the numerals left to right it's [5,1] and they add to make 6. It happens to also say Vi."

"Sounds like an excuse you made to cover your narcissism." She replied blandly.

Caitlyn found that funny. Giggling to herself while holding her hand to cover her mouth.

"Oh?" Vi smirked before wrapping a single arm around her body and pulling them close together. The embrace was tight, uncomfortable, and clearly her sister's attempt to frustrate her. Like she was a small little thing to be man-handled…or woman-handled? "You think I'm a narcissist?"

"Don't act like you don't stare at your muscles in the mirror." She grumbled, weakly trying to shuffle out of Vi's tight grip around her shoulder.

Her sister laughed, a big, hearty laugh that stood out amongst the rest of the group silently eating. It was strange to hear, but also somewhat pleasing. Like Vi was having more fun with the conversation. That was good. It'd been so long since she heard Violet laugh like that.

"Admiring the results of hard work is hardly narcissism."

"Sure sure."

"Caitlyn agrees." Vi said, and they both turned to glance at the violet-haired woman who was watching them.

"I'm inclined to believe Jinx on this one."

"Ha!"

"Wha-?" Vi asked, mouth parted in disbelief that her girlfriend was siding with her. "Traitors. Both of you."

Jinx bit her lower lip while she smiled, hoping to contain the giggles building inside. Her pink eyes shined with happiness once more. This was nice. Banter amongst friends. It felt right. Suddenly Vi's arm squeezed a bit tighter and she glanced up to her sister's face. Violet's eyes were staring back with silent love.

"I'm only this strong because of you." Vi whispered.

The words felt personal. Quiet and reserved for only her ears. It made her heart pound in her chest, like a slow but powerful drum.

"Me?"

"I fought anyone I thought could tell me what happened to you. I was so scared that you were gone, or hurt, or dead…I spent every night thinking about how to get back to you. I had to get stronger."

She remembered hearing something similar the night of her tea party. Hasty words that felt made up, trivial, and ultimately lies to appease Jinx in the climax of her insanity. What a difference those words made now. Like she was actually capable of accepting them. Internalizing their meaning and only now understanding the love and dedication Violet had for her never died.

"How long…" Jinx started, trying her best to quell her trembling voice, "How long were you in Stillwater?"

That was the question wasn't it? She still didn't have an answer. Her demons like to tease her, shout how Violet had been free all this time, never once looking for the sister she abandoned in the alley long ago. What was the truth? Had she been top-side all this time?

"Six and half years."

Her eyes widened while swiftly doing the math. It really had been that long. The entire time they'd been apart…

"You came looking for me when you got out?"

"It was the first thing I did." Vi confirmed.

Her throat bobbed up and down, but with a little focus she was able to stop the tears and sobs from escaping. She wasn't going to cry, or curse, or scream. That was behind her. These feelings that swelled deep in her core were fragments of the past and she wanted nothing to do with them anymore. Her own desires and ambitions were set for the future.

Still…

She lifted her own arm to reciprocate Vi's hold around her side while they ate. Her palm gripped her sister's waist and settled in that position. If she could offer anything right now, it was the renewed faith in her big sister, born from the truth. They'd both suffered in their time apart.

"You should come to the meeting tomorrow." Vi said suddenly after tearing into another piece of bread.

"Am I allowed?"

Violet shrugged, "Who cares. You fought like hell and protected everyone here. You should be there."

Caitlyn also leaned over to nod her head at Vi's suggestion. They both wanted her there. All this time she felt like she truly was a prisoner, unable to escape the labels and mistrust amongst everyone. Aside from Brina and maybe a few other Firelight's, it was starting to feel like that wasn't the case.

"Okay. I'll be there."

Notes:

SO! What did you think? Personally while reading this, it seemed to fly by despite being 5k words. Nothing too crazy happened either but I wanted this chapter to give Jinx a good opportunity to reflect on herself in the aftermath. I think she's going to be taking a lot of strides to be better and I hope that her development into it was natural. There's a lot of fear, doubt, and frustration with how she acts, but the main decision to move forward for the future rather than linger on the past is something that's been a long time coming (Thank you for your wise words Heimerdinger in CH 3 - They are finally being considered XD).

Also, I really wanted to give Caitlyn and Vi their own opportunities to spend time with Jinx and further their own individual relationships. It's been quite some time since there was just some 1:1 interactions and more feelings being said. Caitlyn becoming more of an understanding comfort point for Jinx is really special and Vi slipping back into that familiar sister relationship has it's own comfort. The relationships they have won't all be the same. I think Caitlyn being a best friend wouldn't mean the same as Vi being a good sister. There are things you feel more comfortable telling other people. There's a different sort of trust with those roles. Despite that, they both love and support Jinx which is all I want for our girl.

Lastly, Ekko. Hehehehehe. Jinx is starting to think of some thingsssss...I think it was important to show her concern about him in the beginning. I mentioned in previous responses to comments that Jinx strikes me as the person who'd act on her feelings first and need to really consider why she does the things she does. Caitlyn's smug little push in that direction is just a spark. I don't plan on playing hide and seek with Jinx's and Ekko's feelings, where they both like each other but because of convenient drama, they just don't get together until everyone already knows. Nah. Caitlyn is just ahead of the curve.

I can't wait to bring y'all the next chapter. Please leave a kudos if you got one. And leave a comment letting me know what you thought about this soft chapter. I would love it very much.

Until next time 3

Chapter 22: A New Plan

Notes:

Hello wonderful readers! I return with another chapter for you all! I hope you week went well and if not, I hope this cheers you up for your weekend! It's another chapter that I'm really excited to share and...could there be some timebomb? LMAO read on to find out!

I'll keep this note short and sweet, although one last thing is to say: THANK YOU SO SO SO SO MUCH for 5,000 Kudos! It's never lost on me with how much support and praise y'all give and I wanted to make sure we could celebrate the success of this fic together. We're all on this journey.

Please enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Everyone's eyes were on her like an invisible spotlight was hanging above her head. Within the biggest room in the Firelight base, every capable fighter was in attendance. And boy was that a short list.

She scanned the room, locking gazes with every person who stared at her. Clearly most were unhappy about her inclusion in the super secret meeting. Ah well. At least Caitlyn and Vi had her back. That left Scar, Brina, a Firelight she heard only in name: Andrei, Heimerdinger and…yeah. That was it. A handful of scraps compared to the once impressively organized group.

Varying degrees of hostility were directed to her, most notably the not so surprising bitch Brina glared at her like she was trying to combust her into flames. Keep trying little bug. That dark look she was getting only made her smile more. Her presence at this meeting was valuable, like it or not, she was staying. However, there was another thought clouding the many minds in the room. Ekko. He wasn't here. The void of his attendance only served to create a need for leadership with the absence. A thought to be smooth discussion was wrought with awkward tension. Who would lead? What sorts of things needed to be discussed?

Well, she was happy to start!

"So," She grinned brightly, "What's first on the agenda?"

Crickets…Silence. Nothing. Really? At least she was putting in some effort here! What kind of shotty operation were they running here?

Vi's hands clashed together and Jinx turned towards her sister.

"Longer we wait to go after Sevika the more time she has to regroup." She wore a deep scowl on her face, indicative of the rage bubbling beneath her skin. "I say we go for her now."

"I don't think that's as easy as it sounds." Caitlyn murmured beside her sister.

"It'd be smarter to figure out how we're gonna survive the next few weeks." Brina interjected, "Limited supplies, injured, and hardly any way to win a battle. We should focus entirely on setting up our defenses."

"Ooh!" Jinx giggled, "The 'scared turtle' tactic! That'sexactlyhow we win. When did you get so smart?"

Her sarcasm was dripping from every word.

"Remind me what the fuck you're doing here?"

"Dunno." She shrugged her shoulders, "After losing so much, clearly you need a winner in the conversation."

"We don't need anything from you."

"Mass grave out there says otherwise." She jerked her thumb to the sealed door behind her and Brina sprung up from her seat immediately.

She leaned forward, wishing for the Firelight to come closer. Yes. Come closer and try to fight me. I'd love to put you in your place. She only offered the truth. If Brina needed her ass kicked to realize it, that was just icing on the cake. The angered woman stomped across the room, slamming her boots into the floorboards as if the thundering sound would intimidate her, but it only brightened her pink eyes with glee.

"Sit."

All eyes suddenly turned to the buff chirean with his arms across his chest. His growl rumbled in his ribcage and it only took a few moments of contemplation for Brina to decide against whatever she thought she was gonna do.

Bummer.

"We defend." Scar spoke once more, his voice captivating the entire room. He was a man of few words after all. "And we scout."

"Indeed." The Yordle in the room agreed, "Battle may be unfeasible, but in our current position the most precious resource is knowledge."

"Scoutingiswhat we do best." Andrei spoke up. His young voice made her consider the possibility that this boy was the youngest amongst them. He had a wiry frame, short brown hair and green eyes to solidify his rather soft appearance. Hardly a fighter, that's for sure.

"So, what?" Vi started, "We wait and hope we catch another surprise attack coming? Sevika is weak. I can go to the Last Drop myself and end this whole thing tonight."

Ah. Vi's twitching proclivity to seek a fight was really showing now. Obviously fighting Sevika head on was stupid. It put so much on so little. Her big sister didn't see the big picture, did she? The Ogre may be a key piece of the puzzle, but at the end of the day she was just that, a piece. Silly sister.

"I think-" Jinx started only to be interrupted by her other friend in the room.

"Playing this smart is the only way we get anywhere. There are resources top-side that we-." Caitlyn was cut off as well. By Brina no less.

"Top-side isn't gonna help us honey. They never have."

Jinx tried again. "What about-"

"They gave us an airship." Vi replied. Ugh! Couldn't she get a word in? All this chattering was pointless. A brilliant plan was slowly piecing itself together in her mind. Just let her speak! "Seems like they're willing to help out."

Oh. Pause.Thatwas strange. Vi actually giving the snobby top-siders a bit of praise? Caitlyn must be wearing off on her. That was clearly the only explanation. No way would she ever hear those words come from Vi's lips without her top-sider girlfriend in the picture.

At least…it looked that way.

"One airship is hardly what I would call helping out. We don't even know what to use it for." Brina argued.

Fair, fair. It was still pretty cool though. The giant flying contraption. If the Firelights didn't want it, she would take it off their hands. Hehehehe. Oh the places she could go! The things she could do!Thatwould be an adventure. When she saw Mylo flapping his arms as if he could fly she giggled. Too true buddy.

Now…Back to business.

"Ahem! Augh! Hugh! Hah!" She interrupted with a series of obnoxious coughs into her fist. Would they let her speak now? All eyes turned to her and she smiled. Good. "You guys are obviously-."

Muffled voices from behind the closed steel door of their little war room swiveled all the heads and once again she lost the group's attention. UGH! But even she was curious. A muted argument was playing out just behind the door. Heated voices with angered tones…although understanding the conversation was difficult. The door was suddenly shoved open. Her eyes widened as she saw Ekko leaning against the entrance, slumped as if the frame was the only thing holding him up. He had a burning fury in his eyes.

"Please go back to your room." The other voice, Marenth, was much clearer with the door open, "You need to rest."

"I'm fine." Ekko growled, pushing his shoulder away from the frame and limping into the war room.

Her pink eyes brightened with his presence. He was fine! That was good! That was really good! Chapped lips spread into a giddy smile and she waved towards him.

"Alive and kickin'!" Jinx cheered, "Perfect timing too. I was just about to give my super-duper brilliant plan."

Nobody seemed to react to her words. Brina and Vi both stood up and approached the Firelight leader. Uhhhh. Hellooooo? Why couldn't they just sit still for five minutes and listen?!

"You don't need to be here." Brina told Ekko, her voice a gentle contrast to the snarky attitude she'd always heard. Gross.

"She's right, Little Man. We won't do anything without your approval but you need to sit this out."

His brown eyes and grim expression were ablaze with hardened resolve as he pushed past both women, grunting as he controlled his limping body to a degree that must've hurt a little. She watched him with wide eyes as he took a seat in an empty chair beside her and glared forward.

"I'm staying."

His desire to be a part of this conversation was something she could connect with. This situation felt all too familiar. Weakness brought doubt, doubt brought exclusion, and it was all masked with an icky excuse of caring. How many times had she wanted to be a part of something greater than herself, only to be rejected because of people that so desperately tried to hide their doubts of her capabilities? She understood this, dealt with it her whole life.

"Ekko-" Caitlyn leaned into the conversation.

"He's said he's staying!" Jinx barked back to the top-sider, her own pink eyes glowing with a strange passion.

It took her a moment to realize what she'd done. Anger, entirely hidden, had sprung forth from her lips like an ambush and left the whole room feeling hot. The responding silence only increased the tension in her muscles. They should just let it go.

Ekko broke the silence himself after she caught his gaze upon her for a few moments. "What do we have so far?"

When everyone returned to their seats, understanding the brewing fight was going nowhere, all eyes were upon her once more. It was difficult to grasp her excitement for the plan again, but not impossible. Her sharpened canines were revealed as she spoke.

"None of you are seeing the big picture." She pushed on her knees to stand and wander aimlessly around the room with a pep in her step. "We need a winning plan."

"And you think you know what to do?" Caitlyn asked.

"Of course! You think killing Sevika is gonna let you save the undercity? Hah! Getting rid of the ol' Butter Knife may buy you some time but someone might replace her. "

"Butter Knife?" Vi chuckled.

Jinx flashed a cheeky grin, "Good, right? Came up with it myself." She waved her tattooed arm as if it were slicing through the air, mimicking the heated blade that stabbed through her leg. Wonder if she could send the ogre into a fury with that insult next time they fought?

"Anyway!" She continued, "There are bigger fish to fry. I'm talkin' BIG fishies. Watching over everything and just letting us kill each other while they sit back and stuff their pockets with coin."

"The Chem-Barons." Ekko gasped in realization.

She sent him a wink in return, "Bingo."

Her eyes turned to Brina when she heard the woman shift in her seat, "The Chem-Barons don't live in the under-city. They're untouchable from where we are. It's pointless."

"Nuh uh." Jinx sneered, "In fact, I happen to know that one of them likes to party it up in her own clubs. Margot."

The dirty blonde with faded black hair dye at the tips, tons of black makeup on her eyes and forehead, and pale skin similar to her own came to mind. Probably one of the youngest Chem-Baronesses to exist. As the overseer of the pleasure district, she was the most accessible. And topple one domino, the rest will follow. Genius! Good thinkin' me!

"Margot? The one that runs nearly every whorehouse in Zaun?" Andrei asked in surprise.

She leaned towards the boy with a calculating eye, "Now how does a little brat like you know about the whorehouses in Zaun? Hmmmm?"

His face went beet red, incoherent stuttering and embarrassment tumbled from the boy's disposition as he shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Hilarious!

"She also runs a few nightclubs. One of my favorites! The Green Glass Room." She grinned while spreading her arms outwards as she spoke the name. Oh boy! This plan was coming together even better than she thought. Making it up as she went was actually working out.

"What's your plan?" Scar cut in, breaking the intense gaze she had on the youngest Firelight and directing her towards the oldest.

"Easy." Uhhhhh. Oh! Right. "I give Margot a little visit, a little beat down, a little torture, bring her back here and BOOM we got a Chem-baroness, information on Sevika's plans, and you guys get to work on your whole boring defense idea."

"Not bad…But you're not going alone out there." Brina said. The bitch just had to rain on her parade, didn't she?

"I agree." Jinx spun towards the voice of her sister, "That's why I'm coming."

"Me too." Caitlyn interjected.

"No."

All eyes turned to Ekko, now leaning forward in his seat, fingers clasped together and hovering over his mouth. His expression was dark, vengeful, and for a moment Jinx actually considered not fighting against his wishes…

"I'm going with Jinx."

Whew. Cool! Looks like she didn't have to argue.

"And the rest of you stay here."

The room was spurred to life as everyone jumped out of their seats, even the yordle professor who'd been silently listening.

"You can't.-"

"You're in no condition-."

"We need you here-."

All the whining and complaining was hurting her ears, making her groan in frustration. Not a single coherent word, just a splatter of refusal to let Ekko make his decision. He stood up amidst the shouting and everyone fell silent. She noticed the way his fists were clenched tightly at his side. His whole body radiating fury as if he were an active furnace.

Ah. She understood. This wasn't some hero act or attempt to bear the weight of the burdens around him. This was personal, wasn't it? After the most recent attack, and with so many of his family gone, surely this was his response.

"I'm going with Jinx." He repeated without a single waver in his voice. No hesitation. No fear. No question. "We need everyone else here to look after the others. Are the turrets ready?" He asked the professor.

"Nearly there." Heimerdinger replied. "With proper care and attention they'll be online shortly."

"Good. Then you'll be ready for anything while I'm gone."

So much was left unsaid, hanging in the air. She could feel it like a thick fog that weighed her down with its heavy vapor. Nearly everyone wanted to object. Nearly everyone had more to say. But looking into those strong brown eyes of his…Arguing was impossible.

In all her time here, she'd never seen Ekko like this before. A leader. Strong and capable to his very core. The way he controlled the room, it reminded her of the many times Silco silenced his men with a single glare. Huh…looks like the Boy Savior was finding new ways to impress her.

Jinx grinned.

Works for her!

"There's another thing." Caitlyn remarked and she turned towards the top-sider. "I found information related to the chem-tech prisoners from the Dredge."

"That's right." Vi wondered aloud, "Do you know how they're out?"

The officer nodded her head and with that small act, had the attention of the whole room.

"In fact, if what I've heard about these…Chem-Barons is true, it makes even more sense than I thought. The Dredge is a multilayered prison in the under-city mines. Starting last month there are reports of missing prisoners throughout the highest level."

Ekko's eyes sharpened with the new information, personally she was still wondering what the connection Cait made was, "So prisoners are being released or smuggled out."

"The lowest levels are still secure from our reports, but this indicates corruption within the warden force." Caitlyn sighed and placed a hand over her forehead as if to soothe a brewing headache, "Everywhere I look, there seems to be more. Nobody even in Piltover seemed to even care."

"That's how it is and the Chem-Barons have the means to bribe the guards. Nobody will look into this." Ekko continued. "Seems like they're trying to make an army."

"That's my estimation." The top-sider agreed. "Although their leader…Urgot, he remains deep in the Dredge. Locked in a special holding cell without any need for guards…But I fear that may not be the case much longer."

"Oooh!" Jinx grinned, feeling excitement burst from within herself, "Let's go to the Dredge and beat the shit out of these guys then! They can't leave if they're legs are broken."

She'd never been in a max security prison before. It sounded so cool! She got a bunch of funny looks in reaction to the starry gaze in her eyes. Hm?

"What?"

"We can investigate and plan that out further," Ekko responded, completely ignoring her awesome idea. Rude. "But for now we focus on one thing at a time."

He turned to her.

"Let's get ready for tonight."

Hell yeah! Sure a max security prison invasion was like the coolest thing she's thought of in a while, but capturing a Chem-Baroness in her own domain was a good enough consolation. Her boots tapped against the floor excitedly while she bounced in her seat, excitement uncontained for the events of tonight.

"You got it!"

Her feet happily skipped up the stairs of the grand tree as she left her own room a few floors below. Not much to pack for tonight. That made it easy enough and while Caitlyn and Vi were insistent that her plan was dangerous and full of uncertainties, she shrugged their concerns away.

Their target, their destination, she knew the area like the back of her hand. This wasn't unknown enemy territory and far from the Last Drop. Sevika would have no idea about their intrusion into her territory and the older woman wouldn't be caught dead at Green Glass. Much too…exciting for her tastes. But exactly what Jinx loved.

Tonight was gonna be so much fun! Now all she had to do was grab Ekko and make their way beyond the walls.

"You're not thinking this through!"

Her movements paused when she heard Brina's shouting voice from around the corner. The Firelight was definitely in Ekko's room. Trying to convince him to stay? Yeah, not likely. The type of fire in his eyes that she saw earlier wouldn't be so easily smothered.

"I'm doing this." His response was quieter than the woman in his room, yet held enough resistance to carry weight.

"First you send us top-side when you need us most and now you're leaving when we need you. What the fuck are you doing?"

Her shoulder pressed into the bark of the tree as she inched forward. The argument was too tantalizing to forget or walk away. Shedidhave a knack for eavesdropping. Why did he send them top-side anyway? She'd been very clear that she would've stayed and fought. The battle might've turned out largely in their favor too.

"I did what I thought was best."

"Best?! Look where that got us. I read the scouting reports. Youknew." The last word was venomous, dripping with hatred as if she was cursing him to the depths of hell.

"Brina-."

"I get it. You care about them. Even that psycho bitch. But you can't save them without damning us. How long have we followed you? Don't tell me you've forgotten."

Save them?...Did he know more about the attack than he let on?

"I messed up, I know. I thought we could handle it." Ekko growled, "You think I wanted it to turn out like this? Don't think for a second that I wouldn't go back and change everything if I could."

His voice cracked. The line between anger and regret was thinning and Jinx bit her lower lip. Stupid. Stupid Ekko. She didn't need to be sent away. Sheneededto fight by his side. Maybe then everything would've turned out better. But that was in the past, wasn't it? No changing that.

No going back.

"Well this is your chance. Don't go with her. Stay." Brina pleaded. "You're still hurt and we can't afford to lose you. You don't have to prove yourself like this."

The Firelight's words were packed with emotion. It made her clench her fists and dig her nails into her palms. Even she couldn't know for certain if Vi or Caitlyn begged for her to stay, that she would ignore them anyway. To have someone on your side like that…it was painfully desired and equally foreign.

"I made up my mind." Ekko sighed, "And if you can't accept that, I think you should go."

"..."

"..."

"Fine. But don't blame me if everything goes to shit."

"I wouldn't anyway."

Jinx's shoulders straightened once she realized the conversation was over and hurriedly rushed away from Ekko's room only to turn and pretend like she was walking up the steps. Brina stomped by, a scowl marring her face and a stern glare towards herself as they passed each other. Sheesh. Not her fault Ekko was stubborn.

Now it felt like she was walking on thin ice as she approached her destination. Hopefully all those yucky emotions would just slip away. This was supposed to be another fun mission, not some intensely serious revenge arc. Well…here goes nothing.

"Heya!" Jinx cheered as she walked straight into the room with her hand raised in greeting.

"Hey." Ekko replied softly. To her dismay he didn't even glance in her direction. Just fiddling with some tools on his dresser. It looked like he was just pushing around scraps without any thought or care.

Damn Brina. Ruining the mood.

"Ready for the under-city nightlife?" She hopped onto his dresser, taking a seat right next to him, hoping to catch a smile or brighter shift in his mood. "Taking one of the baronesses hostage? It's gonna be a blast! But I call the lead torturer. You can be the good cop or whatever."

Her joke seemed to get to him, a small smile gracing his lips. Not that she was really joking either. Thatwasthe plan. She just decided. The extra bit of roleplaying would be fun too.

"Right." He replied while grabbing his large Firelight jacket and swinging it around his frame. When he reached for the porcelain mask she caught him by the wrist.

"You dumb? No mask. That's like begging for a total ass kicking and I'm not saving your butt in that situation."

His brown eyes stared at her pale wrist, remaining silent with obvious gears turning in that thick head of his. His free hand reached towards a drawer in front of him and he searched the contents for something she couldn't quite catch.

"Give me your hands." Ekko spoke, and she shuffled on top of the dresser to better sit in front of the boy, her arms now splayed outward at his request.

Realization struck her the moment she saw a device in his grip. Pink eyes slowly lowered towards her wrist bones to stare at the shiny metal rings still attached to her like an invisible chain. His fingers were soft, gentle, as he touched the bands lightly connecting with her own skin in a way that tingled. Her usually scattered mind was so empty at this moment. Silent. Watching. Feeling fresh air against suffocated skin made her gasp ever so slightly under her breath. He was removing them. He was…freeing her.

"It's probably time to take these off." He murmured.

"So I'm free to escape?" She giggled, "Run off into the wilds as a free woman? What would you do if I just ran off and left you all to die? That'd be hilarious."

As one ring slipped off, he moved to the other. Pressing a button on the strange device while simultaneously pulling the bands outward. Ah, if only she'd thought to search his room before! The key was right under her nose! Er…based on the location of this room, it was rightaboveher nose.

Ekko ignored her previous questions and instead pulled the band off her other wrist. As soon as she could, she grasped herself where they had been and rubbed the fresh skin, closing her eyes and sighing contently at the feeling. When the sound of a chair being pulled towards her rang in her ears she opened her eyes to see the Firelight take a seat directly in front of her.

"You're legs." He said and she gingerly lifted them into his lap.

Pink eyes couldn't avert from watching his fingers as he worked, feeling her abdomen tighten in the company of silence. This strange, raw, and dare she say…intimate sensation. To be freed from her restraints, she'd imagined it so many times. The celebration of it, the relief, the wild shouts of victory that made her throat burn followed by bitter resentment of being a prisoner for so long, but none of that couldn't be farther from reality. This felt…special. As if it were a sacred honor. How silly she must be to think such things.

She couldn't imagine a more tranquil feeling pooling in her chest, softly smiling towards the boy before her and enjoying the quiet. A mixture of emotions ran through her veins, wishing that this moment was not as fleeting as she thought. This was nice. Ekko…

"It must feel good to finally have these things off."

"Yeah." She sighed while closing her eyes and drifting her head backwards.

Itdidfeel good. It surprised her too. Maybe it was the way he was so intently focused on removing them, or the ghostly touch of his fingers occasionally brushing against her skin, even her demons that remained in the outskirts of her peripherals were blurred into obscurity. She couldn't quite pin it down but the pulsating beat of her heart was a wonderful response.

"I don't know what we would've done without you." He commented on her actions from the other day, "So I hope this is reward enough."

His hands slid down her ankles, pulling at her leather boots and slipping them from her feet. She stretched out the arc of her foot when it was free, needing to do something other than just sit still while he worked on the other boot. Was Caitlyn familiar with this feeling in her privileged upbringing? This felt like pampered servitude.

With their positions, herself sitting on his dresser hovering above him while he slid the metal rings from around her ankles, it was hard to remember that she was a prisoner. This private moment between them...Ekko was delicate in his actions, shockingly so. She expected a disgusted response to being so carefully treated, perhaps even violently gagging in response to his touch but instead found pleasant shivers fluttering up her spine. Maybe her twisted mind was imagining things. It was so odd to see him like this. Quiet, reserved, gentle, and somehow she was matching his temperament.

In her bliss however, she couldn't help but speak her unfiltered thoughts.

"You sent us top-side."

Damnit. Why did she say that? What a total mood-killer! His fingers paused around the last ring and he tilted his head to stare into her curious pink eyes.

"You heard."

"Maybe."

Strangely enough, he smiled and shook his head. Her lower lip jutted outwards to pout at such an unexpected reaction. What did he find funny? She was expecting rage.

"Always eavesdropping." He chuckled. "I should've expected."

"You know me." She grinned, realizing that he wasn't upset. "Always in the wrong place at the worst time."

The last of the rings slipped from over her ankles and he held her feet by the base of her heels. With tender pressure he lowered her legs back towards herself and she couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment when he released her. Her feet were now dangling while she remained on top of the dresser.

"It was likely that the attack would've happened while you were gone. We still didn't know for sure."

"But you sent us anyway?" Her words were soft, deliberately trying to avoid Brina's tone she heard earlier when a similar question was asked. Shouting in this moment felt wrong.

He lifted his head, warm brown eyes staring into her own. "I did. You, Vi, Caitlyn, even the professor…This isn't your fight. Not really."

"ButIwanted to fight." Jinx replied, ignoring the other mentioned names. She could understand his reasoning. She could, but she was a prisoner. Her life didn't matter in a cage. Why not let her stay? Why push her away just like all the others?

"I know. Guess I couldn't stand the thought…"

The thought of what? His words were begging to be completed. She wanted to hear his reasons. What sort of stupid, idiotic things was he so afraid of?

"We should focus on the mission." He interrupted and stood up from his chair. "It's in the past anyway."

She caught him by the sleeve, halting all movement. This was dumb. Unnecessary! He couldn't just say something like that and leave her curiosity to suffer. That was totally unfair. Of course, she had ideas, speculations as to what he meant but how could she trust herself to come to the right conclusion?

"Couldn't stand the thought of what?"

They stared at each other for a long time. Unspoken words shining through their eyes and yet no true understanding. It was annoying. Couldn't Ekko see just how much she wanted to hear what he meant? No. How much sheneededto hear it.

"I didn't want to lose you guys." He sighed. "I already did once before."

"You mean Vi and Me." She confirmed.

He froze briefly at her words, as if she said something that wasn't quite right or maybe it was just unexpected. Still, he nodded his head and she released his sleeve from her grasp.

"You may not remember much but you two were my family. We used to be close."

"That's stupid. If you died, you would've lost us anyway." She replied. Didn't he see that?

"It's not the same."

Right. Suppose it wasn't the same. Not really. Only she had the power to keep in contact with the dead and even that was a terrible curse that tortured her mind. If Ekko lost the people he cared about, he'd just carry on, hollowed by an empty void. If he died that day, well…she figured he'd have passed on with the comfort of knowing at least a few made it out alive. Interesting how they both strived to find some sort of peace in death. For her, it'd be quiet, calm, an antidote to the distorted insanity that plagued her. For Ekko, maybe the burden he'd taken on in the fight for the under-city would be lifted.

Jinx hopped off her seated position and took a step towards the boy, uncaring of the way he took a step backwards as she approached. For once in her life since her abandonment, she reached out to him. Truly. She wasn't spurred by her insecurities or doubt. This was a person who needed something, and maybe, just maybe…she had the capacity to offer it. Even that part was a little shaky.

Her hand pushed forward and took hold of his. This whole comforting thing, blind reassurance, was weird. It felt unnatural and icky, like she was trying to grasp for something in her imagination and not quite able to connect. Without sympathy in her eyes, or true understanding or his pain, she hoped she was good enough.

Ummm…Hold on.

Jinx moved to position herself beside him. There. It made the act of holding his hand feel a bit more natural than before. Was she doing this right? It was hard to tell with her ghosts laughing over her shoulders. Maybe this was stupid, pointless…

There was an awkward pause that came after. She wasn't quite sure what to do next. His hand was frozen as she linked her fingers within his own, stitching them together while the apparitions of her scribbled demons surrounded them both. She offered him a tentative smile, trying to cycle through her vocabulary and find the right words.

"Things didn't turn out so bad." She said, her brow furrowed immediately, realizing that may have not been the right thing to say. The attack the Firelight's had suffered still brought countless injuries and deaths. His community was even more fractured than before. Oops.

If Ekko took issue with her words, she didn't see it reflected in face. Instead his hand seemed to squeeze against hers in confirmation.

"I fucked up." He sighed tiredly, "But it could've been worse."

"Exactly." Good. He could attempt to look at the brighter side. God knows this broken world they lived in would only ever offer tragedy. They had to take whatever win they could find. "And now we get to march right into the lion's den and club one of their own."

"Say less."

"But I expect you to follow my lead!" She released his hand to jab a finger into his chest pointedly, "I get to call the shots on this one. No leader complex for you. Tonight your beautiful savior is in charge."

Jinx gestured to herself for good measure. How many times had she saved his ass at this point? Savior was an apt description. Beautiful too. She playfully wondered if he would think the same.

"Mysavior?" His eyebrow lifted in surprise before dropping his head towards his chest, " Sure sure. Just try to make sure we don't get shot at. Still haven't recovered from the last time."

Oh. Right. Part of her just wanted to groan and complain. What was an adventure without guns, chaos, or explosions? Boring, that's what. Looks like she'd have to try and make an exception this time though.

"You better not slow me down either. I won't hesitate to leave your ass behind this time."

She scanned his body, looking at all the little injuries that still littered his body in the spots where she could see skin. For a second she was actually concerned, doubtful in the way he carried himself. It was suddenly clear why everyone else had been so worried when he showed up to the meeting. And why was she talking so softly? It was like this very room was suppressing her obnoxiously loud voice into a whisper.

"I'll be fine. Besides," He smirked at her, a typical expression that offered her the slightest comfort instead of frustration, "If things get real, you got my back, don't you?"

She chuckled at his words and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah right. I'm free now. I do what I want now, you dummy."

He didn't falter in the slightest at her words. Despite them, she guessed they both knew the truth. Shewasright. Shewasfree to do as she wanted. And tonight, she accepted the fact that shewantedto have his back.

They couldn't afford another loss after all.

"Hmmmm." She put a finger to her chin in thought, glowing eyes shifting left to right. In the darkened sewage tunnels beyond the Firelight base, their journey had just begun. "This way!"

"You're lost."

"Hey! This is Jinx's mission! So shush." She marched towards the left. Didn't she say she didn't want to hear any orders from him this time? They followed her lead! An argument that may have been re-stated multiple times as they traveled.

"That's a dead end." Ekko replied blandly.

Her heel twisted automatically and began walking the other way, passing by her companion while he stayed rooted in his original place.

"I knew that. I was testing you." She huffed. Damn maze. Green Glass was somewhere around here. Mental maps of the under-city placed her just outside of the pleasure district.

The splash of water from their footsteps was the only sound in the lengthy, pitch black tunnels. Would it kill anyone to at least leave a few chem-tech lanterns in here? Half the confusion was due to her blindness. Even worse, her demons loved the dark. Faded outlines constantly shifting in the depths before her. It was no easy matter to carry herself forward without hesitation, but no way would she show that weakness to the Firelight behind her.

Caution and fear was painted over through animated actions. Whistling, swinging her arms, and exaggerated skips in her step. Such trivial acts were powerful enough to distract herself from the clutches of her insanity here.

After some time, a couple more wrong turns, and one too many pointless arguments she finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. The dark green atmosphere of the under-city was within reach. As her boots hit the perpetually wet cobblestone streets, she breathed in the stench of her homeland and cringed.

Ew. Definitely worse than remembered.

"So where's this Green Glass place?" Ekko asked, walking up from behind.

She scanned the dirty streets, never once lingering on the trash or shady characters in their midst. See that enough times and it all just bleeds into the background.

"There!" She pointed towards a beacon of light. A building so bright with its pulsing lights that nobody could dare glance at it for too long. Even from this distance, her feet felt the rumbling sensation of blaring music leaking through concrete walls. The sensation made her giddy. Oh how she missed this place. "You're gonna love it. Nothing like that lame-o Last Drop. Nothin' but old-timers there, but THIS, this is where the fun's at!"

"We aren't here to have fun, Jinx."

Her hand waved his words away as they began walking. "Sure we are. We can have fun and capture a Baroness.Actuallythat makes it even more fun." She eyed his stiffened posture and punched his shoulder, "And loosen up. You're way too tense."

"Just keeping my eyes peeled for any trouble. Looks like there's a line to get in too."

"Relax. They totally love me here. We'll get in no problem."

"Really?"

"Duh." Why would she even suggest this place if it was gonna be a pain in the ass?

His wary eyes stared at her unconvinced, even as she flashed him a brilliant smile. Have a little faith Little Man. Itwasher plan. Without any further delay they continued on their path to approach the nightclub, neon green signs and pillars of light reflecting off the small puddles in the street.

The muffled, heart-pounding music grew louder with each step forward.

Notes:

Annnnnddd that's the chapter. An exciting new place coming very soon. What sort of shenanigans will Jinx and Ekko find themselves in this time? To address a few things 1 by 1, Margot. She's a real Chem-Baroness in the show. She has a wiki and everything so if you don't remember her face or features, I suggest googling her. It may jog your memory, especially since she was barely involved in the Chem-Baron meeting with Silco. However, my attempt with this fic is to keep expanding where I can on this journey so I hope y'all enjoy her inclusion and what I've planned out for her character / nightclub. That said, writing a mass meeting dialogue was way harder than I thought so I hope that everyone remained in character for that scene.

Onto Ekko and Jinx :p I hope it was a satisfying section to read. A strong step in the direction of their relationship and Jinx's awkwardness to provide comfort was something I found really adorable while writing. The fact that she would even try I think speaks volumes to her development. Also, her restraints are off! Something about making that into this personal, quiet and intimate moment between them just felt right. For all the drama and theatrics behind her being chained in the beginning, it's an interesting contrast to now. THEY CAN BE SOFT. And for anyone expecting a little more - since I kinda teased timebomb. Apologies. I consider that a timebomb relationship moment and don't think it needs to jump into getting hot and heavy, ya know. Keep it natural I say to myself ;)

But please, let me know what you think! Don't hold back! I wanna hear your thoughts in the comments below and overall, I hope that you are continually invested in the plot that I've laid out. The next chapter will be a ton of fun to write (I can already tell). See you all in the comments :D

Chapter 23: Green Glass

Notes:

Hi everyone! I'm NOT dead and back with another chapter. I guess that also means apologies are in order. Damn time really got away from me. I hope you've been well and that you continue to have an interest in this story and I REALLY do apologize for the random break in my posting. I genuinely don't know how to explain it, but I had a weird funk where I didn't feel like writing and time just got away from me.

Anyways, I'm back on it and definitely don't plan to take a long break like that for a while. Getting back into the groove of writing this past week was so much fun! I'm also just in a spectacular mood. Importantly, it's my birthday today :D I couldn't think of a better gift to myself and to all of you by posting so I really hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

She could feel the shifty, narrowing eyes of the night club line on them. Grotesque in nature, as if their gaze was capable of inking her pale skin with a thin film of slime. Most would shudder at the feeling, question the safety of their lives. For her, it was just another night in this strange place she grew up in. Never once was her attention diverted to anything other than her destination at the back of the line.

Ekko seemed to be doing alright. His stride beside her was confident enough while they passed the large building that practically rumbled the streets like an earthquake with its music. Whilst she was dead set on getting to the back of the line, skipping merrily along the way, he lagged behind intent on scanning all the potential dangers that loomed over them.

Jinx rolled her eyes when she noticed. They'd be here all day if he was trying to sum up their peril. What a silly, naive thing to do in the undercity.

"C'mon slowpoke." Her hand clasped his and tugged, maybe a little too hard…but it was fun to watch him stumble forward. "If we wanna get in tonight, we have toactuallybe in line."

"You're too calm about this." Ekko grumbled in response, yanking his hand away from hers as he caught up. "Think we'll have enough time?"

"You're right. We should just cut the line."

A palm on her shoulder stopped her from jamming between the irritated patrons before her.

"I meant if we'll have enough time to come up with a plan once we're inside. We shouldn't draw any unnecessary attention."

She gasped aloud while throwing her arms into the air in exasperation. Ugh. Plan? Thinking things through? NOT drawing attention? Has Ekko learned nothing in his time with her? Lame. Rather than stand her ground, Jinx sighed and continued to the back of the line, head tilted downwards in mock despair.

Maybe Ekko wasn't the best partner to bring along. Why did she let him come again?

"Paranoid much?" She asked, "Margot won't be expecting us. We find her in the VIP section upstairs, beat the shit out of her and…"

"And…?"

"Shush!" Jinx snapped, "I'm thinking."

His brown eyes didn't seem too convinced so she spun away from him to avoid his judgment. Her hand came to her chin in thought. How would they pull this whole thing off? Getting in was easy. Finding Margot, a little more difficult but certainly doable. Escaping with a chem-baroness in tow…yeah still nothin. Mylo's rambling beside her wasn't helping either. Useless, incoherent strategies flooded her ears and she groaned.

"Will you just let me think!" She growled to the invisible boy beside her. Ekko's eyes followed her eye line before glancing back, wary. "Now look at what you've done." Her voice lowered to a whisper. Not that Ekko already knew she was insane…

They continued to take small steps as they neared the entrance of the club. The music and lights flashing as if to match the rapid tempo inside. Her body was already swaying to the beat, even in her distraction.

"Jinx." Ekko whispered in her ear and she could feel a shiver zap up her spine and blood rush to her face.

"What!"

He didn't say anything, only pointing outwards towards a small framed board a few feet from the entrance. Pink eyes squinted to better see the object of his attention.

[Banned - No Entry]

"Is that you?" Ekko asked while looking at a particular picture.

She leaned forward getting a closer look at one of the headshots as they neared the bouncer at the front door. Sure enough, she saw a picture of her bright, crazed smile. Familiar blue hair ruffled in the photo as if she'd been in the wilderness for days.

"Aw man!"

"This is bad."

"I know! I liked the last picture way more than that one."

"..."

"..."

"Youknewyou were banned before coming here?!"

"Only like…" She paused to lift her fingers, counting in her head. "...Ah shit, I forgot how many times."

"What thefuck? You said they liked you here!"

"Yeah, yeah, maybe that was a stretch. But you were such a worrywort, what else was I supposed to say?" She waved his heated expression away, "Just follow my lead and we'll be fine."

He wanted to say more. She could see it in his furious stare, but the bouncer was just ahead. No time to worry. Of course, getting banned as many times as herself meant she knew exactly how to get in. Ekko really needed to trust her more. Er…Guess she could've prepared him a bit more too.

Oh well. More fun this way.

When it was their turn to approach the big, burly man guarding the front door Ekko's eyes averted, partly in embarrassment. She could feel the tension radiating from him like waves of rolling heat. Amatuer. It was like he was trying to be suspicious! She, on the other hand, leaned towards the man with the brightest smile she could muster. It was hurting her cheeks.

"You both look a little young for this place." The man grumbled while eyeing them up and down. His voice was deep and gravely, as if he spent every waking hour of his life smoking a cigarette.

"Looks can be deceiving!" Jinx cheered in response, never once dropping her smile.

There was a pause. A careful gulp was barely audible from her companion. Their future, their plans were so close and yet so far from fruition. The first obstacle may very well be their hardest.

"Go on in."

Perfect! Easy peasy. She grabbed Ekko by the arm, leading him towards the entrance only to be halted as a large hand firmly gripped her shoulder. The strength of the palm rooted her in place.

"Wait a second. I know you."

"I'm a regular."

She glanced behind her to see the bouncer's eyes narrow and turn towards the banned list just beyond them on the wall. His frown deepened and she was roughly pulled backwards, stumbling as she separated from Ekko.

"Blue hair. Pale skin. Cloud tattoos." The man was listing off her attributes and she groaned. "15,000 in damages if I recall."

"I like to have fun." She replied cheekily, only to wince as his grip on her tightened.

"For real?" Ekko worriedly whispered.

"No way in hell am I-." The man started and Jinx slammed her boot on top of his.

She'd have to be fast. Stomping repeatedly on top of the bouncer's foot as he nearly screamed from the pain. His large body doubled over, releasing his hold on her and she continued to bash into him.

"Jinx! Chill."

"One sec."

The power and fury behind each strike may have been a bit much, but there was purpose here. She had to make sure he couldn't chase them. This wasn't her first rodeo. A few more stomps and a swift kick to his knee crumpled the man as he fell onto the cobblestone streets.

"Okay let's go!" She called to the boy in front of her before rushing past him and into the night club.

She faintly heard the yells from the man to stop them, only to be drowned out by the blaring music in the club. The thumping bass tickled her very core and she giggled as she led Ekko through the sea of people standing around. This entire place was a maze, overcrowded and completely filled to the brim.

Smoke, alcohol and sweat stained the air she breathed, almost burning her eyes as she continued to weave through the crowd, uncaring of all the shoulders she bumped. The trick was to lose any guards in the chaos, get to the darkened dance room where nothing but flashing lights obscured even the most capable eyes. Her pulse jumped, as if falling in sync with the tempo of the rattling music in the air. Fits of ticklish giggles had her smiling in reaction. If not for their current attempt to hide, she was sure she'd already be letting loose.

There were few times that she could abandon her thoughts, her dreams, her aspirations and just…be. For a moment, just a fleeting moment, her body swayed to the beat and imagined dancing with the boy beside her. That would be fun, right? Screw the mission. Screw Margot. It could wait. She could lead him to the dance floor and maybe reveal a little more. A side to her, unbound by the labels they'd placed upon her.

Psycho. Terrorist. Prisoner. There were other titles too, nicer ones. Daughter. Sister. Savior. Good or bad, each of those things felt so heavy in her heart, like a weight permanently attached to her body. Couldn't she just be a girl? A human being? A nobody…wanting a few moments to sparkle in the spotlight of a world that wouldn't glance her way.

Damnit. She was gonna do it. Her body spun to glance at the Firelight she'd dragged across the room. With such a loud environment, she'd have to yell. All the more embarrassing.

"Do you wanna-!?" Jinx started only to be interrupted as Ekko pushed into her, pressing her back against a wall.

Bright pink eyes stared up at him, lips parted in surprise. He was close. Too close. The entirety of his form hovered over her own, leaving little space between them. It was like he was devouring her, his frame so large she couldn't be seen. Words didn't come to her easily, not in a situation so unfamiliar such as this. Why was he standing so close, pinning her in place, stilling her movements in a room where even the air vibrated around them?

It was like she was plucked from time. A small little portal made only for them. The once enchanting music and flashing lights blurred in the background and all she could see was him. Ekko. His dyed dreadlocks and dark skin were so sharply visible. If she tried, her eyes could glide over each one of his features, finding every little blemish that evaded her usual stares. They locked eyes for a moment.

"What are you doing?" An earnest question, whispered softly because she felt he could hear it. The space between them was just that close and the air tingled the tip of her tongue as she spoke, as if electrified and charged.

His brown eyes diverted from hers, staring off to the side as a few men raced by. She could just barely get a peak of their pursuers, scanning the endless crowd for her. Ah. Ekko's actions made more sense. He was hiding her, protecting her from their many pursuers. Pinned and hovered over, they'd have no chance of spotting her smaller form.

When there was no further trouble in sight, Ekko sighed in relief.

"You seriously gotta work on your planning skills." He commented, returning his eyes to hers. "What kinda stupid plan is,'Beat the shit out of the bouncer and run in?'"

Her jaw was still slack. Their little world he trapped them in, not yet settled. Does he feel it too? This quiet, intimate feeling that had taken hold of her heart, squeezing it to the point of discomfort?

"It's worked before. Seems like itstillworks."

"Only cuz I'm here." He argued.

She nodded her head. For once she could give him that point. Sure, she'd always been crafty when placed into difficult situations. Far too many times, she's escaped greater danger than that, but fine. Fine!

"Iguess." Her shoulders lifted in a pout.

He must not feel it. The warped reality around them. Maybe she was crazier than she realized, hallucinating the most random of events. A quick shake of her head would fix it, rattling her brain enough to dizzy hearself and realign her senses. Yeah. That's what needed to happen.

But his eyes were back on hers…and she watched them widen, lips parting with the same distant wonder of howexactlythey ended up here. These uncharted waters confused her, but at least she had something to say.

"Wanna dance?"

His lips twitched. She could see the smallest uptick of a smile forming before his iris's clouded in thought. Would he dance? With her? Could they find a way to bury their troubled past and just live in this moment? There was hope in her heart that they could. She remembered the night they shared riding hoverboards. It would be nice to feel that again.

"Margot." He said hesitantly.

"Not here yet." She replied easily, lifting her arm between the tight space they created to reach out and point to a glass room loft above their heads. The room was empty, without any light other than the flashes of bright colors reflecting off the glass.

"But she will be?" He asked for confirmation. It was easy to tell he wanted to know if their efforts were wasted in coming here. They weren't…hopefully.

Jinx nodded her head to ease his concern, "She will be." There has never been a time when she hadn't seen the chem-baroness in her club late at night. Although it would be funny if she was wrong.

Ekko's arm pushed forward, slipping underneath her arm and curving towards the small of her back. His touch was light, hesitant, and yet still carried intention. Being touched, even as simply as this, sent a shiver up her spine as he used his hand to guide her back towards the dance floor.

"Then let's dance."

It was perfect. A new song entered the queue and its rising intro filtered through speakers larger than herself. It gave them time to walk towards the center of the room. The pit of chaos as she liked to think of it. A clash of body and sound, where soon enough they'd lose themselves in what appeared to be a mob of nameless, faceless people.

Ekko held her hand, guiding her through the waves until they found themselves exactly where they wanted to be. A silent stare was shared between them as they parted. It was just awkward enough for her to lose focus, question what they should do next, but when the bass of the track blasted through the room, it was as if her muscles went limp. Her shoulders rolled before snapping back into place in tune with the melody. A death and rebirth of sorts.

The song was violent, edgy in its composition. It had a sharpness to it that made her muscles tense deliciously as each sound wave collided with her chest. Tangible, earth shaking rumbles flowed through her veins like the rushing rapids of a river. That's what it felt like. Like her body was water, taking shape and form to match the increasingly fast beat.

The steady rise of the song grew louder and louder with each passing second, nearing its first drop. She grinned as her body swayed with anticipation. A glance at her companion had her realizing the boy was a bit timid, unsure. That would pass. He just needed to embrace it. Filter the sound through himself.

A split second later the chorus exploded and she fell along with it, rocking her hips, flailing her arms, it was coordination amongst chaos. Her smile was back immediately, freedom pumping through her veins as everything else faded away. Her heels snapped up and down on the surely trashed dance floor and she spun to her heart's content.

The song glitched, synthetic sounds both disrupting and enhancing the beat. Her pink eyes closed as she nodded her head to the beat. The song was lighter than usual for the undercity slums that embraced the dark and strange. The sound was instead energetic and happy. It brought out the best of herself, as if her very soul could sing along.

Ekko's movement caught her eye. Finally! His knees bent and his shoulders slid from side to side along with her. Took him long enough to get comfortable. A quick flash of a memory from their childhood placed itself over her vision. The childhood friend she used to have overlapped with reality. Little mini Ekko danced without any structure, like a wild child. And his opaque form contrasted wonderfully with the man in front of her, dancing in perfect sync to the music. Her laughter boomed outwards from her throat.

To see such a sight!

He must've heard her. Glancing towards her with a confident smirk. Had they ever been so close? Childhood memories held light echoes of the past but this was real! In this moment, they were real! The dances they performed may be separate, they may be different in their movement, but the energy radiating in the air was shared.

The song was nearly over but she wished it lasted an eternity. If she was still considered a prisoner, then this dance was her greatest escape.

Flashing lights suddenly stopped along with the music. Bright white stilled the room as their dance ended. They were close again. Closer than when they started. She could see the sheen of sweat on his skin, it mirrored her own. And labored breaths came from exhausted lungs, mixing their exhales in the small space between them.

When he flashed her a blinding white smile, Jinx found herself following suit. The pause gave them just enough time to laugh together.

"You're pretty good." Ekko complimented.

"I'mthe best." She teased.

"Another?"

"Shut up and dance."

They continued for a few more songs. The genre switched a few times, but the tempo stayed the same. A rapid, electrifying beat kept their spirits high. But eventually the physical strain became tiring, even for her. They stumbled out of the center of the room, lazily walking towards the bar. She roughly slammed into the counter, using its weight to hold her upright. Ekko pushed past a few patrons to lean next to her. The crowded bar squeezed them together as their shoulders brushed.

"Damn that's exhausting." Ekko groaned.

"Fun though." She shoved against him with her shoulder and offered a sly smile. His cheeks were already flush from their exercise, but she noticed them darken further.

"Really fun." He agreed. It wasn't hard to imagine how red her own face was given her pale skin. She could feel the heat of her blood in her face. God she needed a drink. Her throat felt raw from all the shouting and laughter of the night.

"Thieram!" Jinx snapped towards the bartender behind the bar.

A man with a confused face turned and his gray eyes widened as they fell upon her.

"The usual." She grinned while raising two fingers to order for Ekko.

"They let you back in here?" The man asked while sighing and bending down to get his ingredients. "And how many times do I have to tell you..it's Chuck." He even gestured to a simple name tag on his shirt.

She belted out another giggle as she rolled her eyes and turned to the Firelight beside her. Her hand lifted and jabbed her thumb towards the bartender.

"This guy! Always trying to pull a fast one on me."

Ekko's eyes shifted towards the employee who seemed as depressed as he was exhausted. For some reason she didn't see her companion smile alongside her. It looked like he pitied the man.

Whatever.

Within a few minutes she had her drink in front of her and she leaned forward to swiftly place the straw between her eager lips. Ahhh! Sweet relief.

"You gonna pay this time?"'Thieram'asked.

"Put it on this guy's tab." Jinx smiled while clapping Ekko roughly on the back. The two men shared another sympathetic glance that she didn't quite understand. Did they have some sort of telepathic connection? Unfair!

She leaned over the counter, lazily tapping her fingers across the surface as if they were walking. When the bartender left them, she felt Ekko's eyes on her. She twirled her fingers, imagining them to be a dancer to the songs still playing in the background.

"Bored already?" Ekko asked.

"Hm?" She turned to face him, her head resting against her elbow leaning on the bar. "What makes you think that?"

She wasn't bored in the slightest! In fact, this may have been the most fun she's had in a long time. What place did boredom have here? Her eyes glanced back towards her fingers. Itsy bitsy. Itsy bitsy. The words in her head provided a wonderful rhythm.

"For one, you're tapping on the counter."

"Dancing." She corrected him.

"Uh…right. Makes me think you're bored or trying to distract yourself."

She blinked. Distract herself? There was an idea. She paused her movements to ponder the statement. Strangely enough, it wasn't without merit. Maybe deep down, shewastrying to distract herself. Keep the rollercoaster going, never once getting off the ride. It made a tremendous amount of sense. Because what was waiting for her at the end of all this?

Her eyes shifted to his curious expression. His promise to try to understand her more was clear. Hell, maybe she should promise the same. She hardly knew herself these days.

"Are you nervous?" He asked a bit more softly.

"Maybe." You could call it nervousness. An unsettling feeling felt weighted in her stomach, like she ate too much. It wasn't comfortable in the slightest.

"This'll work. Once Margot arrives-."

"That's not it." Jinx shook her head. No way in hell would she ever be nervous for the mission ahead. More so…the arrival of the mission itself. If that made sense.

"Then-."

"Wouldn't it be great if this night never ended?" She interrupted. Pink eyes stared at him, searching his very core for a favorable answer. Say yes! Tell her just how much he wanted to stay here.

"What do you mean?" Ekko asked.

Ugh! How did he not understand?

She lifted herself upright and turned to fully face the boy beside her. Her warden. Her accomplice. Her dance partner. The time they spent together tonight filled something within her. Like an empty cup suddenly overflowing and she couldn't get enough. Her body leaned closer to his, practically resting against his chest. She eagerly bounced on the balls of her feet.

"Wanna dance again?"

He paused, uncertain. It formed a lump in her throat that was hard to swallow.

"I'm pretty tired…and we should keep some of our strength for later."

Her head fell letting her forehead rest against his collarbone. She could feel his muscles go rigid at the contact, but she didn't care. The only thing she could focus on was the heavy sigh that escaped from her lips. Disappointment consumed her and she couldn't even justify the reason. Ekko was right. They needed their strength. Well,heneeded it more than herself. But the thought of entering the dance floor alone just felt…lonely. Maybe it really was time to get off the ride.

"Hey." Ekko suddenly whispered atop her head and she tilted her head upwards in hopes that he'd changed his mind. Instead she found him nodding towards something.

She followed his line of sight and watched a group of large men pushing through the dance floor as if parting a sea. Between the cracks of their formation…Margot.

"She's here." Jinx confirmed.

"What's the plan?"

"We follow her upstairs. Might get a bit feisty with all the guards but I can take 'em."

His worried eyes glanced down towards hers. Gah! What was with all these looks he was giving her tonight? It was like each glance carried a different emotion that managed to knock her off balance. Maybe she danced a little too hard.

"You sure you can handle those guys?"

"Have you no faith in me!?" She jumped away from him and swatted his arm playfully.

Ekko gave a lighthearted chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Right. Right. Sorry. You're in charge."

"Exactly!" She huffed while crossing her arms, "You can handle Margot and anyone you think you can take. I'll do all the heavy lifting on this one."

He stepped away from the bar, an unpaid receipt left stained on the slick counter. He bowed and gestured towards the stairs near the opposing side of the club.

"I hardly call that a plan, but I'll follow your lead."

She grinned and skipped past the boy. Finally, Ekko was learning!

Jinx didn't have much patience. Her foot was tapping on the floor incessantly while they waited a good amount of time before following after their target. Pink eyes stared upwards towards the VIP room above their heads. The lights inside just blinked into existence and that was more than enough of a sign.

"Finally." She groaned before nodding to her partner and heading towards the stairs. Ekko slowly followed behind.

Of course, she could feel the nervousness coming off the boy in waves. Their next obstacle was just up ahead and she could imagine all the ways the Firelight behind her could guess how this went wrong.

A single man stood at the foot of the stairs. He looked menacing and tough and his lack of features helped with that. Not a single ounce of hair on his head or face and towering over every patron in the room. She liked to imagine the man as a living, breathing, oversized thumb. Hah! A perfect description! Three identical men awaited them upstairs, but first she'd have to take care of this one.

"What kind of distraction did you have in mind?" Ekko whispered from behind. She could just barely hear him over the music still blasting in the room.

She cupped her hand over her mouth and leaned back to share. "A super-duper special one. An undercity favorite."

"What's that supposed to-?" His question was interrupted when they stepped in front of the wall of a man guarding the stairs.

"Miss Margot isn't seeing visitors tonight." The guard bellowed with a deep voice that practically rumbled through the air like the music pumping through the club.

"Oh! Duh!" Jinx slapped her palm over her forehead in mock astonishment, "I guess that means we should-."

She suddenly blasted her fist into the man's stomach with lightning speed. He groaned and fell over like a tree being cut down in a forest. A swift follow-up kick to the head cutoff any lingering noise the man tried to make as he lost consciousness.

"Uhhh…Jinx?" Ekko asked nervously while turning to see many eyes upon them, staring at the incident that had just occurred. There were witnesses. So many witnesses. "That wasn't exactly subtle."

But she didn't spare a single glance towards the crowd. Instead she knelt over the mountain man, digging through the pockets of his suit jacket and pants. Her tongue poked out of the side of her lip while her brow furrowed, looking for the expected prize. When her fingers brushed against a canvas material she smiled.

Ah Ha!

A large bag of coin was swiped into her hand and she raised it in the air as if to inspect the treasured prize. Good thing this always worked.

"Who wants free money?!" She yelled while throwing the bag towards the stunned crowd.

Silence and judgment swiftly bled into greed and excitement as the patrons of the club cheered and scrambled to collect as many coins as they could carry when the bag burst open on impact.

"Told you they love me here." Jinx smirked towards Ekko who was watching their witnesses descend on the loose change like a pack of starving dogs to a pile of meat.

He chuckled before shaking his head and following her up the stairs.

Ascending the metal stairs towards the VIP glass room led them into a shiny hallway. Mirrors that traveled the entire length of the walls had her skipping happily while eying her clone reflection. She could see a lot in the reflection. Like what was ahead and what was behind. She spotted Ekko carefully following her and she hummed a simple melody. Things were going alright so far!

A strange tickle in her brain forced her eyes to close briefly before opening them and staring at her ghosts in the mirror, hovering behind her like a hidden barrier between herself and Ekko. With a jolting twist of her head, she tried to spot Mylo and Claggor but only revealed nothing but themselves in the hallway. Nobody else. Not even jagged, imagined squiggles.

"Something wrong?" Ekko asked.

"No." Jinx shook her head and sighed, "Nothing."

Nothing unexpected. If anything, she was surprised they hadn't been nearby since waiting in the line outside. She must've been too distracted by the music. They were always nearby…Somewhere.

When they arrived at two large doors that marked the entrance to the VIP room of the club she paused to take a breath and ready herself. A glance towards her partner confirmed his resolve. Alrighty! Time to capture a chem-baroness.

She flung the doors open and marched into the glass room, her arms reached out above her head to exaggerate the grand entrance.

"Margot! How's my fourth favorite baron?" She cheered in greeting towards the short blonde casually sitting in a lounge chair, drink in hand.

The chem-baroness's eyes were wide, jaw slackened when recognition took over. A brief moment of shock dissolved into a manufactured smile, entirely, completely fake. Jinx had a good eye for that sorta thing.

"Jinx. What a wonderful surprise." Margot's stare drifted towards the boy following behind her, "...And you brought a friend."

Sarcasm and petty irritation dripped from the woman's voice with the shifting tone in her words and that made it even more fun to push and tease. She paid no mind to the three brutes that positioned themselves like a barrier around their master. Rather, Jinx happily marched forward and took an opposing seat to her target, lazily slacked against her own chair.

"You still got those weird black dots on your forehead." Jinx pointed out while rubbing her own forehead with the pads of her fingers.

Margot straightened, "Yes well, one has to maintain their…uniquefeatures, wouldn't you agree? Take those dreadfully long braids of yours for example. It must be exhausting keeping up with something so plain."

The conversation was a mockery amongst pleasantries, and whatever interest she had in speaking with the baroness fizzled the moment she was distracted by a few peanuts in a glass bowl between them. She leaned forward to grab a handful and launched them into her waiting mouth, chewing lethargically.

"Oh. This is Ekko." Jinx waved behind her, somewhat on target to gesture towards the boy standing behind her with a scowl marring his face. "Hugefan of yours." She relayed sarcastically.

"I see." The pale blonde shifted her gaze once more to the boy and her face twisted in some form of slight disgust. "He looks more like a sewer rat than a fan."

"Sounds like you haven't looked at the mirror in the hallway." Ekko smirked in reply.

The woman's brow shifted downwards, a snarl crinkling the muscles in her face for a split second before her expression neutralized. Jinx smiled. In all her encounters with this particular baroness, Margot hardly had a combative bone in her body. Her words could sting like a viper's bite, it was probably why she found herself leading the pleasure district. But flashy words and splintering insults was just about the peak of her strength and the pressure of violence in the room was already making the woman cower.

"What the fuck do you want?" Margot growled.

Jinx released a fake gasp, pulling her hand to her chest as if she were an appalled top-sider, "Margot! Is that anyway to talk to your friend's friend?"

The glare she received in response was so worth it.

"Is a friend someone that consistently costs me my fortune, ruins my businesses, and allies herself with insufferable street trash?"

"Yeah, if you suck at making friends." She replied bluntly. Oh this was so much fun. The room was already warming with the rising tension.

Margot leaned forward in her seat, "Then let's make it clear that you are not my friend."

"Oh the agony!" Jinx swooned before giggling to herself, "Nah, just kidding. Like I'd want to be friends with a spider-freak." The woman across from herdidsorta appear to be mimicking a spider's features with her makeup.

"Oscar." Margot flicked her fingers simply and pink eyes darted towards one of the three guards who was now approaching her seat. "Would you kindly escort these rats outside? Oh, and maybe teach them some manners on the way out."

Jinx jumped out of her seat and wiggled her shoulders. This was what she wanted. Excitement! She raised her arms above her head, making small grunts as she stretched. With each thundering step of the man drawing near, Jinx leaned from side to side as if to touch her toes. Lastly, she rotated her neck, sighing when a few bones popped slightly from the act. Ah, much better.

Oscar towered above her, casting a shadow over her frame as he glared down. She smiled in return, never giving the man the slightest inclination that she feared for her safety. A quick turn to Ekko allowed her the chance to give the boy a wink.

"Remember the plan?"

"I guess."

Even despite her nonchalant attitude, he couldn't stop the bead of sweat drifting down his temple and Jinx found the sight hilarious. It was as if he hadn't seen her in action. Pink eyes rolled in their sockets.

The guard reached towards her, planning to grab her by the shoulders and throw her across the room, but when he leaned forwards she launched her foot upwards. Her slim leg perfectly arched and took advantage of her flexibility to snap the heel of her boot under Oscar's jaw. The man's feet left the ground by a few inches before he collapsed onto his back in a pained grunt.

She allowed her lips to spread into a crazed smile, eyes glowing as she stared at the baroness across from her. The astonishment on Margot's face made her kick all the more delicious.

If she played it right, she could pretend this was another opportunity to dance. How wonderful!

Notes:

Annnd that's the chapter! I hope you really enjoyed this one and that it brightened your day. The nightclub is really fun to write about but more importantly, I hope you are able to visualize it well. I intentionally left the dance description and song a little vague so you can really picture your own beat, but if you're curious about the energetic and happy beat / song that I had playing in my mind while writing, here ya go: https/watch?v=N-bdKXQcGiM =LL =1

This song is from an anime I watched recently and it really got me hooked with it's beat and lyrics, I couldn't help but imagine Ekko and Jinx excitedly dancing to the song (Falling in love *cough* *cough*). That said, it doesn't totally match the undercity vibe, hence the reason I left the actions and song more vague.

Anywho, please let me know what y'all thought of this chapter! I'm really excited to hear from you all since it's been so long. If you can leave a comment or kudos please do! If not, I at least hope that this chapter made your day or week start off wonderfully! Take care everyone!

Until next time...

Chapter 24: The Will to Survive

Notes:

Woooooohhh! I'm back with another chapter :D I was determined to get this one done a little earlier than a week. After just about the most amazing Birthday week ever (Thanks to all your amazing well-wishes, I was so motivated to write and boy do we have an intense chapter here. I'm so satisfied with the results and I can't wait for you all to read it!

As always, I hope you enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

"Felix! Marco!"

The chem-baron's shriek came moments after the first brute hit the floor from her rapid kick to the jaw. Wide, terrified eyes of their target made Jinx's smile stretch even further. Her dark, hollow insides were home to many malevolent feelings. Creating such horrified screams and birthing new chaos around her was just feeding another broken piece of her heart, and boy did it taste good.

The last two remaining quadruplets of enormous size were quick to rush her, their faces shadowed by unwavering loyalty to their master. Her body swayed, as if to charge up an internal momentum and ignite a new fire in her chest. It seemed like she was the first target on the chopping block. In her peripheral vision, she saw Ekko lower his body and shift his feet. Hebetterlet her handle this.

Two separate fists, both larger than her head, blasted towards her. Ducking was the obvious solution, so she dropped. The gust of wind over her head may have been her imagination, but she'd like to think it was real. That would be so much cooler.

One of the men bent his knees and fell, a strategy she could only assume was meant to crush her tiny frame with his size. She dove to the side, rolling like a ball to re-position away from the impact and Felix stumbled to catch himself. To her great surprise, Ekko sprinted past them, intent on capturing Margot and she couldn't be more proud. He found the opening and did exactly what she asked.

Was that so hard?

The other guard, Marco, grunted roughly and pulled a shining object from inside his suit jacket. The square metal reflected the light of the room and she could swear she saw her face in the reflection. A butcher's knife, large and deadly, was suddenly swiping through the air and the weight of her heels shifted backwards. The cutting edge barely missed her as she leaned away.

"I'm not a stinkin' fish!" Jinx growled in offense. Why anyone would choose a butcher's knife as a weapon of choice was beyond her. So obnoxious! Okay, but also kinda interesting. It was hard to deny the itch to add such an odd weapon to her arsenal.

So tempting.

She swiftly leapt backwards and re-gained her balance. The difficulty of the situation was beginning to present itself. Sure the guards were large and probably had brains the size of the peanuts she ate earlier, but being outnumbered in this way meant mistakes were very, very critical. The cramped environment also made things more annoying. This wasn't quite like her battle in the Firelight base.

Sounds of a scuffle broke her focus and pink eyes flashed to the side, watching as Ekko tackled Margot and wrestled her to the floor. The woman was screaming and failing like a banshee and Jinx cheered while pumping her fist in support of the boy.

"Wooooh! Get her! Just like that!" She cheered.

"Shouldn't you be focused on something else?" Ekko growled while trying to avoid Margot's nails attempting to dig into his arms.

"Oh!" Jinx gasped as she leaned to the side and let Marco's blade slice through nothing but air. "Probably."

With the man's arm outstretched and an opening spotted, Jinx rushed forward, leaping into the air and circled her legs around Marco's throat. Her ankles crossed at the back of his head, securing the hold as she sat on his shoulders and repeatedly bashed into his skull with her fists. Each rapid strike forced the guard to stumble and falter.

Even in such a position, she could feel his movements, sense the ripples of his muscles with her choking leg hold. Marco was preparing to slash her back, his arm extended and curved inwards to cut her open. So she laid backwards, flexing her upper body as far back as she could, dropping along with gravity while still holding her legs around his neck.

"Guah!" Marco gasped when his own knife embedded itself in his face.

Jinx tightened her abdomen to pull herself upright once more and stared into the twitching, startled open mouth of the man she tricked into stabbing himself. His arms dropped, leaving the knife rooted in place.

"Ooh. Let me get that for you." She grinned.

It was only natural that she gripped its handle and pushed it deeper before pulling it out. A splash of blood spewed outwards from the lethal act. Some of it got on her cheek.

The tower of a man fell backwards as she unlocked her legs and jumped off him. The resulting slam of his weight hitting the glass floor echoed throughout the room. Silence consumed them as shocked eyes witnessed such violent destruction executed with ease.

"Definitely stupid." She snorted while twirling the knife in circular, rapid rotations between her fingers.

Her body turned to face the last remaining opponent. Felix, in his massive form, seemed momentarily stunned at his dead partner. He roared, the noise so loud that she briefly considered holding her hands over her ears.

The brute rushed her without thought. Anger in his beady little eyes clouded over any semblance of a strategy and that couldn't be more perfect. His boots slammed into the glass floor with enough strength to send the vibrations through her feet. Just before his shoulder clashed into her body she spun out of the way, swiping her knife upwards to cut his side.

With movement as graceful as a feline, she shuffled her toes and dodged every wild attempt Felix made to attack. His fist swung into the air and his wrist was sliced open in reflex. A desperate tackle was greeted with consecutive slashes from her blade to his back.

Dodge, Cut!Lean, Cut! Spin, Cut!

His movements were slowing, strength being steadily sapped as his body bled. The cloth of his black suit now torn from every abrasion. Her canines were displayed proudly with the intoxicating smile gracing her lips. Every movement, every action sent her deeper into a state of pure focus. This was where she thrived, when the thrill of combat was at its peak and nothing could stand in her way.

Felix's stance was wobbly. For the first time in their short dance he seemed to still, slowly rocking on uneven balance as his blood dripped onto the floor. His large mouth was parted, gasping for breath.

"That didn't take long." Jinx teased while skipping towards the once menacing man. There was nothing to be afraid of now. This fight was all but over.

Cut! Slash! Slash! Cut! Cut! Stab!

The butcher's knife was flying through the air with a flurry of swings. By the end, she was sure not a single part of the man's skin wasn't stained dark red. While her attacks were shallow, there was only so much life the body contained. Her head tilted in curiosity as she took a step back to appreciate her work. The man was utterly carved.

How long would he last now?

As she asked the question in her head, Felix closed his eyes and fell to the floor in a slippery mess. Splattering in a pool of his own blood.

Guess she had her answer. Curiosity and entertainment wavered as her heightened senses fizzled out.

"You idiots!" A shrill scream came from the corner of the room and Jinx turned to chuckle as Margot flailed within Ekko's grasp, "Get up and kill them you useless animals!"

"Don't think they can…help you." Ekko said with a grunt as his arms tightened their hold.

"Oscar!" The chem-baroness's scream went unanswered. "Marco!" Her voice cracked as she stared at the dead man. "...Felix…" Margot's once furious shrieks now broken into a despair filled whine as her final guard lay still, unmoving, permanently.

"Now why would you make me do that?" Jinx trotted over towards the detained woman and leaned over her. "I was being nice this whole time and you just had to ruin it. I thought we were bestie's."

Margot's face darkened, "You fucking psycho! Don't act like this wasn't your plan the whole time. You just couldn't wait to do what you do best." She spat.

"Guilty!" She laughed in response before singing the words in repetition. "Guilty, guilty, guilty."

Margot tilted her head to glance at Ekko behind her. Her desperate attempt to escape his hold had been abandoned and replaced with the sting of words she was known for.

"Ekko, was it? I hope you realize you're dead. How dare you do this to me? Consider your family dead too. Every last person you've ever loved. I'll put the word out. Their days are numbered, you disgusting, low-life rat!"

Her voice was cut as Ekko's arm re-positioned over the woman's throat and tightened, choking her roughly in his grasp.

"You won't be putting the 'word' out anywhere." He growled, "And you've already taken more lives of the people I love than I can count."

Margot's eyes were wide in fear. Her breath was forcibly held. After enough time, she began to twitch and grasp her hands over Ekko's arm, clawing at the man who now held her life in his grasp. Jinx had to admit. It was brutal for the Firelight. She couldn't help but watch in fascination, first at Margot and her pathetic attempts to free herself, but then she stared into the clouded malice within Ekko's usually kind brown eyes.

Should she stop him? Let him keep going until the chem-baron was dead in his arms? Wait! Why the hell was she even asking herself such questions? When the hell did she start caring about something so trivial? Yeah, fuck it. Ekko could do as he pleases.

Although, she couldn't deny the breath of relief she released once his tight grip broke and Margot gasped wildly for breath.

Weird.

"How are we gonna get her outta here?" Ekko's question lingered in the air as she paced back and forth in front of them.

His hold was still tight around their target and luckily, it looked like Margot had wasted all her energy from ranting and flailing about like a fish out of water. Despair had won over desperation. It was a good thing too. She was beginning to think her ears would start bleeding from all the piercing screams coming from the baroness.

"Good question." Jinx spoke aloud while placing her fingers under her chin, walking back and forth. Back and forth. "Bingo!" She cheered once a brilliant idea had cemented in her mind. It didn't take that long either.

She raised the knife in her hand, letting the many flashing lights reflect off the shiny surface. The Firelight seemed confused and Margot seemed scared.

"We'll treat her like the thing she is." She cheered while shuffling forward to raise the edge of the blade to Margot's slender neck. The skin tightened as the woman held her breath. Death was so close, but alas, not what she had in mind. "A hostage."

"That works." Ekko replied, "Walk out of here with the blade to her neck. Can't imagine anyone would try to stop us."

"Pretty sure the big guys she had around her were the biggest threats and…well…" She gestured behind her to the two corpses and the third, unconscious man laying on his back.

"Let's go then." The boy grunted while pushing himself off the ground and maintaining his hold on Margot. She had definitely given up. It was pretty fun to see all the fire and fury fade from her eyes.

"You'll pay for this." A hollow whisper came from their hostage.

Ekko only seemed to roll his eyes and continue walking towards the hallway out of the VIP room. Jinx merrily followed behind. Her pink eyes glanced to the dance floor below them and she giggled, realizing the club was still blasting music and flashing lights. Nobody seemed to have noticed the very violent, very illegal last few minutes that took place right above their heads. Either everyone was way too distracted by the atmosphere, or nobody cared. Both were funny.

In her own distraction, Ekko suddenly gasped when Margot elbowed him in the abdomen. His grip on her broke and Jinx spun to see him holding his stomach, very close to his still recovering gun-shot wound. At first she was preparing to race after Margot but strangely enough, the blonde sprinted towards the only breathing guard still in the room. She collapsed over him, shaking him by the shoulders and screaming into his face.

"Oscar!" Margot shouted, "Kill them! Kill the brats right now! Do something you useless Oaf!"

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers. There was so little patience for stupidity. In a few short strides, Jinx approached the woman from behind and grabbed a fistfull of blonde hair to yank the baroness away from such a pathetic attempt to escape them. Margot cried out and reached backwards to swipe at the locks trapped between pale fingers.

"Yeah, yeah." Jinx rolled her eyes, "Keep calling for help. Nobody's coming."

Her arm was thrust outwards to send the woman back towards Ekko and the boy was ready to catch her once more, this time ensuring her arms were locked behind her and unable to get a lucky punch into him. Her head was cast downwards, shadowing her crest-fallen expression so Jinx crouched before her to get a good look at her eyes.

Bright pink met dark gray. She offered the woman some sort of fake disappointment with her downturned brow and pursed lips.

"Maybe we should knock her out." She spoke aloud, toying with the newfound idea.

"Sounds good to me." Ekko smirked.

Good. That was good. They were on the same page more often.

"Ya did this to yourself toots." Jinx smiled before raising her palm to swipe at the woman's face. It wasn't enough to just knock her out with a single punch to the jaw or temple. No, that would be boring. And how would the bitch be punished if she wasn't conscious?

Slap!

Margot's face snapped to the side, her cheek stinging with bright pink from her attack.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

"This is kinda fun." She laughed, watching the short blonde hair of the baroness flutter from right to left as she swung her open palm. The baroness didn't react much, just a few yelps of pain. "You wanna try?"

"Just knock her out." Ekko groaned, "I'm tired of holding her so tightly."

"Ugh. Fine." She sighed and pulled her palm back as far as she could. Her muscles were stretched to their limits and briefly considered if she might accidentally kill Margot with such a charged slap.

Slowly, the baroness lifted her head to stare into her own crazed pink eyes. Margot's lips spread into a large smile and that made her pause. Confusion swirled in her expression. Why was Margot so…happy?Thatdidn't make any sense at all. Dread inexplicably filled her stomach when their hostage started cackling like a mad witch.

She was all for finding humor in the most inappropriate of places, but not knowing why Margot was laughing was irritating to say the least.

"I hope he rips you in half!" Margot cheered and Jinx tilted her head in confusion.

…Who?

"Shit! Jinx!" Ekko suddenly gasped.

Her eyes flashed towards his own. She could see a new fear in his pupils and turned to follow his eye line behind them. Pink eyes also went wide at what she saw.

A syringe. Empty. Stabbed into the unconscious body of Oscar, right into his neck. While the man remained still, his veins glowed purple. Muscles suddenly bulged, breaking the mold of his already large physique. It was like a monstrous possession without any thought as his body began twisting, transforming, growing into something abominable.

"Get ready to die you stupid BITC-!" Margot screamed only to be silenced with her fist colliding with the woman's temple.

She quickly bounced to her feet and watched as Ekko swung their hostage's limp body over his shoulder. Her hand grabbed his, placing the butcher's knife in his free hand. Brown eyes glanced at the weapon in his palm before lifting with worry.

"You'll need it to keep anyone from fucking with you. Just hold it to her neck." She explained hurriedly.

"What about you?" He asked, eyes frequently darting from hers to glance at the awakening monster in their midst. Inhuman groans and grunts were exhaled through the guard as he writhed on the ground. "We should get out of here now."

She shook her head and jerked her thumb over her shoulder towards the beast, "We can't run and fight at the same time. And don't take this too personally, but you're weak as shit right now."

He began to pull Margot off his shoulder, "I'm not leaving you here." A quick shove to his body paused his actions.

"Who's in charge?" She asked, reminding him of their agreement while she placed her hands on her hips expectantly.

"That doesn't matter right-."

"Blah, blah, blah." She interrupted with her fingers snapping in the air as if her hand could speak. "I'min charge and I'll be fine. Not like big dummy is getting any smarter. I'll meet you back at the base. You take her back, secure the win for the Firebugs, and stay put."

"Jinx…" He murmured worriedly.

Gah! It was so annoying! His words, his expression, Ekko really needed to get out of here if he knew what was good for him. He didn't need to care so much. It was already making a weird pool of muddled feelings swirl in her stomach, like she was suddenly sick and she absolutely did NOT need that before a fight.

Her head turned to see an enlarged, purple veined arm slam on the floor, vibrating the entire room as a roar echoed in the air. Time was running short. If they had noticed the syringe of shimmer earlier, if Margot hadn't escaped for a split second, they would be happily on their way back together. That wasn't an option now. A monster was being born before their very eyes and someone needed to be the distraction. It was just her luck that she was the only one capable of coming out of this alive.

"Just go. This won't take long." Jinx growled and shoved the boy again. She didn't want his help. Not now. The threat of injury to him was just too distracting already.

With a slow resignation, his gaze hardened and he nodded. "I'll be waiting for you." His words were dark, like he was forcing a promise onto her to uphold those spoken words. Then, with a quick burst of speed, he sprinted out into the hallway and she lost sight of him as he turned to travel down the stairs.

"RAAAAGGGHHHH!" A ear-splitting battle cry had her attention spun back to the shimmer-filled behemoth in her midst.

Oscar was oozing purple slime from every orifice. His body was broken and re-shaped with muscle, some larger than others. It wasn't a smooth transformation of course. She'd seen enough of this in her time with Silco to understand that shimmer did not treat the user kindly.

Glowing purple eyes just barely caught Ekko's retreating form and the man pounded his chest in rage, tearing at the black suit that was all too restrictive at this point. She took a step to the side, covering the door and watching for any sort of attack. Once again, she found herself wishing she had even half the weaponry of her usual arsenal. A pistol would be a start.

BUTnooooooo. She justhadto give her only weapon to her partner in crime so he could escape with a hostage. Her eyes glanced below, staring through the glass floor and spotting Ekko hurriedly walking through a crowd, knife placed at Margot's neck. He was able to split the crowd as fearful eyes witnessed the situation and she sighed in relief.

"Mar…Got." The monster growled slowly, his voice deeper and filled with a burning hatred as he turned to observe the fallen, dead forms of his brothers. "Fe…Lix. Mar…Co."

"Dumb and Dumber are dead big guy." She waved her hand as if she was waving it in front of his face, pulling his attention to her. "And blondie is long gone."

He looked lost, confused as he stared at her.

"Did this?"

Little voices began whispering in the corners of her mind, telling her things, offering wonderfully entertaining ideas. Yeah. Yeah she could do that!

Jinx gasped and put her hand to her head in an attempt to give a convincing performance. "You know what? Some dude came in here earlier and killed…uh…" What were their names again? Hejustsaid them, "...Fred and Marvin. Total shocker. I tried to help, I did, but he got away. Let's be friends and look for him together, okay buddy?"

Whatever chance she had at acting her way out of this was shattered when the beast slammed his fists into the floor, cracking the glass beneath himself as he roared once more. All she seemed to do was piss him off more.

"You suck at coming up with ideas." She grumbled to Mylo by her side. Why she even thought to believe him was beyond her.

Suddenly, Oscar was barreling towards her on all fours. Each stride slammed into the floor, shaking the very foundation she stood on and her arms splayed outwards to hold her balance. Okay. Game time. She bounced on her toes and shook her arms loose. It wouldn't be that hard, all she had to do was-!

He was upon her in a second. Pink eyes widened at the sheer speed of the monster as she jumped backwards.

Time slowed as his clawed hands nearly connected with her head. The second her feet touched the floor he was racing towards her once more. There wasn't a single moment to breathe. Jinx ducked and dove through his parted legs, rolling behind the man and leaping upwards to set herself in a striking stance.

The large, malformed body of the beast spun to follow his target and that's when she pulled her arm back and struck. A powerful blow, directly planted into his stomach. Her knuckles plunged into purple skin and idly waited for the man to crumple under the sheer power she put behind the punch.

He didn't utter a sound. He didn't move.

Her lips parted in shock, eyes wide when his fist came flying in a counter strike that sent her flying backwards. She tumbled through the air, smashed through one of the chairs and slid across the floor. Her breath was rapid, panicked as she tried to get air into her lungs after it had been forcibly exhaled from her body. Even her bones ached from the pressure of such an attack.

"Fuck, fuckfuckfuckfuck." Jinx gasped, trying her best to recover. She hadn't expected such a monster capable of taking one of her punches so openly.

A shadow distracted her from the pain as her head tilted above to see two fists clasped together, ready to slam her through the floor.

He's already attacking again!?

She rolled to her side and hastily crawled away as the resulting blast from behind reverberated in her ear drum. Another inhuman roar followed. The bellowing footsteps close behind her forced her to leap from side to side, dodging every furious clawed swipe as the animal chased her. She jumped over the chair Margot had previously sat in, only to watch from behind as it exploded into shrapnel the moment Oscar charged through it.

With finesse, her heel dug into the ground on a single step and her whole body swerved to find a chance to counter. The man raced through her and she leaned backwards, letting her upper-body fall parallel to the floor. An outstretched fist soared above her face and she punched into the man's jaw from below.

This time the monster seemed to recoil at such a critical blow, so she once again placed herself behind him and sent a rapid series of punches into his back. Each slam of her fist into purple-veined skin seemed to stun the creature and force him to his knees.

Jinx's advantage was over nearly as quickly as it started. He spun with his arm and struck a portion of her side, sending her spiraling into the glass wall. She hit the surface with a groan and prepared to ready herself…only she was too slow. Large hands grasped around her shoulders. Purple fingers of each hand were practically touching and she was lifted into the air. She wiggled and flailed within the crushing grip, her own teeth grinding incessantly to deal with the pain.

It felt like he was crushing her, steadily forcing her bones to break in his grasp. She felt it, the beginnings of the bones in her arms splintering under the pressure. A startled yelp was all she could muster before the man slammed her into the wall. The back of her head snapped against the surface, blurring her vision. The grotesque, drooling hideousness of the man became nothing but a purple blob in her eyes. She was slammed into the wall again, her back hitting the glass so hard it cracked. A spiderweb of clear lines spread outwards from the collision.

It was impossible. It was hopeless. She'd never imagined fighting such a relentless animal. Mindless, ruthless strength was easily overpowering her. It was stupid to think she could handle a fight like this. Shimmer coursed through her veins, but not like this. Not like Oscar's total, destructive evolution.

"I'll be waiting for you."

Ekko's trusting words entered her mind. It was all she could focus on. Her body, her thoughts, her plans, everything else was broken, disconnected and shattered as she struggled to survive. She had to get back to him. He was waiting for her.

She'd never had someone waiting for her before…

"Ugly bastard!" Jinx growled while forcing her head to bash into Oscar's.

The resulting clash sent the beast stumbling away from her and she dropped, catching herself upon shaky legs and holding one of her arms that felt cracked. Her lips were parted, breathing heavily as she tried her best to focus her swirling vision and get back on target. The behemoth was shaking his head wildly, screaming and roaring like a delirious predator.

Jinx took a careful step forward, knowing that any second she could collapse and it'd be over. She'd die here, in this very room, if she didn't muster all her strength. Her enemy rose to his feet and began charging once more. As Jinx bent her knees to dodge, a singe of pain raced up her leg and she cursed. She couldn't escape the hit. Her knee was locked in place struggling to even keep her upright. It must've happened when she was first thrown. The adrenaline in her veins was struggling to keep the pain away now.

She closed her eyes and calmed herself. When eyelids snapped open, she was ready for the hit. Ready to take it and respond with everything she had. His large shoulder was tucked in as Oscar raced towards her. On impact her eyes closed tightly, a scream drowned in her mouth as she refused to unclench her jaw. Just before her body was lifted from the air she threw her own fist into the man's side and they both crashed away from each other.

As she lay on the ground, breathing, just breathing, she was able to recall that Oscar was also losing strength in this battle of theirs. He wouldn't have reacted to a punch like that earlier, which meant there was an end in sight.

Could she make it to the end of the fight though?

With a pained groan, Jinx rolled off her back and pushed her hand into the floor to pull herself to her feet. She was down on all fours, struggling to make sense of where she was. Reality was blurry. Her ghosts that clung to her shoulders were all around her, some cheering, some shouting. Her eardrums were ringing so loudly that she couldn't understand them. Any of them.

Suddenly her leg was trapped. She turned her head with wide eyes to see a giant purple hand tightening around her calf. Oscar roared and she was lifted into the air, spinning as he dragged her around his body with powerful rotations. Her blue braids were flailing in the air, matching her own limp body. And then the monster let go.

She was tumbling in the air, twisting helplessly as she collided with another glass wall. The entire surface shattered and she watched the thousand glass shards scatter around her. Her body continued to soar before crashing onto the cobblestone streets outside the club. There was glass trapped under her side. She released a whine upon feeling the sharpened edges piercing her bicep.

Oscar's inhuman shriek forced her eyes to open and stare at the second story of the Green Glass club. In the center of the exposed hole that had just been created, she watched him pound his chest before leaping into the streets. It was then that she saw people screaming and fleeing from the club, but even amongst the chaos, she could see that Oscar's hate-filled eyes were locked on her.

Frantically she grasped at the ground, pulling herself up and scrambling to get away. She had to run! She had to RUN! With every fiber of her muscles screaming to give up, she sprinted, stumbling off balance at times, and others falling over. The beast's thundering footsteps were right behind her, she could hear them as if they were pounding in her chest.

A quick duck into a nearby alley gave her a few seconds of reprieve when the monster barreled past the alley way, unable to stop his momentum.

"The tunnels." Jinx gasped to herself. It's been so long since she heard this much fear in her voice. But she knew what she needed to do. She had to get away.

The large opening of the pitch black tunnels were just ahead and with as much speed as she could be capable of producing she limped into their depths. Concrete walls surrounded her, forcing the outside world to fade as she traveled deeper.

It seemed like she got away.

But she couldn't stop. Not until it was sure to be safe to rest. And what little safety she had was scraped away by the realization that she was enveloped in complete darkness. Ekko wasn't with her anymore. His presence that once eased her heart while traveling these tunnels was no more.

A sudden noise snapped her attention to the left. Was she imagining it? Another hallucination? Or…was it real?

She continued to walk, desperately trying to use her mental map to remember how to get back to the Firelight base. The ghostly sight of Claggor, leaning against the wall in front of her, forced her arms to tighten around herself. Those damned goggles followed her every careful step. The dull ache of her broken bones was helping ignore the paranoia.

Another crashing sound. Her head snapped to attention. Again…was it real? She got her answer soon enough when it was accompanied by a roar that could only be Oscar's. Her pulse quickened and she shuffled through the tunnels faster.

A left here? No. Straight.

She paused at an intersection that could be barely made out in the darkness. The pounding sounds of Oscar's form racing towards her location forced her to make a choice. It was as if the beast was everywhere at once. The echoes of his pursuit masked his location. He could be close. He could be far. There was no way to tell.

She chose to go straight, a choice that she wasn't even sure was sane as her brain pounded within her skull. She was dizzy, hurt, and unable to think. Jinx's heart dropped when she found herself facing a wall. A deadend. The very same one that Ekko had warned her about…how had she forgotten?

"RAAAAGGGHHHH!"

Terrified, Jinx turned and watched the glowing purple monstrosity racing towards her. His big, menacing form nearly consumed all space within the tunnels. She spun to claw her fingers into the stone in a frenzy. She didn't want to die here! She didn't want to die!

In the last second she spun back to face the demon and could only fall to the side as he approached. Within seconds she felt the chilling, breath-seizing sensation of his claws swiping through the side of her exposed stomach. His nails slashed through her, just barely shallow enough to preserve her organs, but still flooded the wet floor with her blood.

A sudden rumble of the sewers caught her attention and she blearily saw Oscar's head collide full force into the concrete wall. The man slumped to the floor as rubble began falling in large chunks from the rattling blast. A large stone nearly fell on top of her and then…she knew what she needed to do.

Beyond all odds, she screamed as she pulled herself together for one final attempt to live. Her fingers grasped the rock next to her and she trudged through murky water towards the downed animal. She raised the rock over her head, swaying, unable to keep her balance anymore. With a roar of her own she slammed the rock into Oscar's head.

Again!

She lifted the rock above her head and brought it down.

Again!

Squelching sounds of her attack echoed through the tunnels.

Again!

Oscar's body was twitching with each blast to the face, but she hoped it was nothing but an automatic reaction to such forceful destruction. When she lifted the rock once more, her target was torn, scrambled, and utterly unidentifiable. Purple liquid stained his body, the surface of the rock, her arms, everything. The rock fell from her palms at the revelation…

He was dead.

Her panting breaths were coming in quick gasps. She stared at her fallen enemy, at first in glory, but then her mood soured. That large muscled chest, those twisting, bulging purple veins, she closed her eyes and tried to steady her breath as Vander flashed in her mind. This wasn't the first time she killed a shimmer fueled monster.

Pale fingers slid to her bleeding side and shakily brought her wet, bloodstained hand to her face. Even in the darkness she could see there was a lot.

It might not have been her first kill…but it could very well be her last…

Shewas a dead woman walking.

Her entire being limped through the tunnels. Blood, sweat, and dirt clung to every surface of her body. Leather boots slowly waded through the small portion of water beneath her and pink eyes stared ahead, no light within her iris. As she tried to make her way back, blood seeped between her fingers that clutched at her side, mixing the red liquid with the murky water below.

How long had she been walking? How far had she come? She had no idea. With every second passing by, these tunnels were beginning to feel like a tomb. Her final resting place.

The tip of her boot collided with an uneven seam on the ground and she stumbled forward, crashing into the water, unable to save herself from such a fall. Her hair was now drenched in the rain water that pooled here, her wounds and cuts stung as water washed over them. It was tempting to just lie there. Let the water wash over her and let her drift off into nothingness. The pain would go away. Forever.

But he was waiting…

With an agonized whimper she rolled out of the water and leaned against the concrete wall. Her lower body may be lingering in the cold water, but she could rest like this. Rest…that's all it was. Yeah. Just a short break. She'd regain some strength and be on her way back to the Firelight base in no time.

Her eyelids closed, too heavy to keep alert any longer.

"…"

"…"

"Just give up."

Her eyes opened at the voice that suddenly spoke. It was a whisper amidst the darkness. A soft, hopeless whisper from her own voice. Jinx leaned her head to the side to see herself, her own ghostly clone resting beside her. Dull blue eyes stared, pleading.

"I can't." Jinx replied softly.

"Why?"

"I have to get home." Pink eyes widened at the choice of her own words.

Home…She'd never thought of the Firelight base as such a thing. She couldn't even recall the last time she'd ever thought of "Home" existing. There was shelter. There was safety. But home…the concept always eluded her.

"We don't have a home."

"I do." Jinx sighed and closed her eyes. She thought of them, the people she longed to see again in this life. Violet, her beautiful, bombastic sister. They'd just started to become family again. Caitlyn, her amazing friend. She was unwavering in her kindness. Ekko…Heimerdinger. Marenth.

"I do." She repeated more assuredly. "I have a home."

"But they don't care about us."Her copy murmured."Would they even come looking?"

The question hurt. It struck her deep within and Jinx felt her lips quiver. Her response before that was so confident, crumbled away. It left her hollow, unsure. Would they? Would they come looking for her? What if she couldn't make it back on her own? What if she really was going to die here?

"I don't know." Jinx whispered while her eyes clenched tightly.

There were new words on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to cry out because maybe they were looking, and maybe all she needed to do was ask for help. There was a time when she thought she never needed anyone. She had herself, and her ghosts, but now…now she was stuck, unable to ensure her survival. Prayers and dreams never once served her well, but desperation was a funny thing.

"They're not coming for us. Nobody ever does."

Her head leaned back to rest against the cool concrete wall. Such hopeless words brought the faintest glimmer of tears to her eyes. She wouldn't let them fall. She wouldn't cry. While abandonment wormed its way into her very soul once more, she could at least be strong enough to hold it back. These agonizing feelings she carried…she could keep them caged a little longer. Until her final breaths.

Her eyes closed again, for how long, she wasn't sure but it felt like a long time.

"Gink!"

Her eyelids twitched briefly at the strange sound. It might've been her mimic trying to continue the conversation, but she didn't feel like speaking. She might just lose herself in sorrow.

"Jink!"

"I'm resting." She murmured to her other self, frustrated at the relentless attempt at conversation.

"Jinx!"

Her pink eyes snapped open at the sound of her name. It was distant, echoed by the concrete tunnels, but clear. Her head turned to stare down the darkened path ahead and she caught the faintest glow of green. A familiar glow.

"Help." Jinx croaked, her voice completely thin and scratched as she tried to yell, but to no avail. "Help."

It was her chance, her one opportunity to survive. Whatever pride she had in herself was dropped at the single realization that she needed help. She wanted, pleaded, and begged for help. Someone. Anyone.

"Jinx!" Her eyes widened when she heard his voice.

"Ekko." She rasped, "Ekko."

Her voice wasn't strong enough. Why? Why couldn't it be stronger?! He was so close. Her greatest fears were vehemently dispelled the second the green glow she had seen before was getting brighter.

"Ekko. Ekko." She repeated in her gravelly voice. "Here."

Twin glows of green were approaching. Two figures barely illuminated by the light. The silhouettes were easy enough to identify. Even in her current state, she could tell it was Ekko and Scar.

"Jinx!" Ekko gasped as he raced towards her.

She couldn't help but smile and melt at the clarity of his voice. Her ears caught the way he leapt from his hoverboard and splashed into the water beneath.

"Oh my god." Ekko gasped, surely he was able to see the damage she'd taken in her fight. Would he be proud of her though? Proud that she'd won? "Please Jinx, say something."

Hey eyelids lifted slightly as she grinned.

"I'm alive."

He was holding her shoulders, carefully inspecting the many wounds that littered her body. She could feel him wrapping something around her bleeding side. His touch was clumsy, panicked and unorganized. It didn't set him at ease when he tightened the cloth at her side and she hissed.

"You idiot." Ekko cursed, "You, you-."

"You should see the other guy." She coughed before wincing in pain at the act.

"Scar, help me get her up. You'll have to carry her back."

There was a moment of silence where Scar didn't move. It gave Ekko time, she felt his thumb against her cheek. He carefully brushed away what was surely blood, dirt, and grime from her battle and she couldn't help but lean into the touch.

Jinx opened her eyes to see the two hovering above her, her eyes watering with the shine of relieved tears. She was gonna survive. They'd come back for her. Her breath hitched in her throat at that single thought. Pink eyes stared into Ekko's. He looked concerned for a moment, then perplexed. Whatever expression was on her face, she was sure he hadn't seen it before. Hell, neither had she, that much was certain given how strange she felt. But instead of dwelling on the feelings bursting from her heart, she reached for him.

Her arms moved past his head and circled around him. It was then that she used whatever strength she had to pull herself into him, pressing her body against his as tightly as she could. Her frame was flush against his in nearly every way. Warmth flooded her chest as she rested her chin tiredly against his shoulder.

"You came back for me." She whispered in his ear. The truth of the words settled her frantic soul and allowed her peace, basking in the bright glow of these unfamiliar, fragile feelings. "You came back."

After a second of hesitation, she felt his arms circle around her back, holding her tightly to himself. His palms gently rubbed up and down in soothing motions on the small of her back.

"Of course I did." Ekko replied before chuckling, "I only listen to you half of the time."

She sighed into the embrace and tilted her head to nuzzle her cheek into his shoulder.

Without any spoken words, he lifted her from the water and led her towards the other Firelight. Her grip on his clothes was tight, tighter than she expected with how little strength she truly had. If she could just hold on to him a little longer. If she could gather whatever courage she needed to translate the odd feelings trapped within herself.

But strength was fleeting and time ever passing.

Jinx was separated from the boy, a small frown marred her expression at the loss of the warmth, but she supposed it was necessary as her body was draped over Scar's back. She didn't expect it to be easy for Ekko to carry her all the way back, even if she wanted him to. Pale arms loosely wrapped around the chirean's neck as he leaned forward. She could feel the big guy's hands settle just above the undersides of her knees.

Soon enough the trio were riding through the tunnels on their hoverboards. Reality loosely coming and going from her consciousness as they traveled back to base.

"We always come back for our own." Ekko said while they continued forward.

Her eyes lazily opened to stare at the boy beside her. His cheeks were darkened by a blush, as if he was embarrassed by the hug they shared earlier. It felt like he was trying to excuse away such tender actions, but she could see past it. He was a terrible liar.

"I told you…" She sighed and closed her eyes, letting her consciousness drift once more, "...I'm not interested in joining your little club."

The last thing she heard was his reply. The tone of his voice was gentle, happy, maybe even a bit sly. She could tell just by the way he spoke the words…he might not have been referencingjustthe Firelights.

"I know."

Notes:

Annnnnddd that's the chapter! My babies! It's official Jinx caught some MAJOR (unidentified) FEELINGS! Oh it was such a treat to write that final scene, but before I get into that,

What'd you think?

I felt very satisfied overall with the way this was written. If you know me, you know that I'm a bit hesitant about major fight scenes, so I really hope that the minor battle at the beginning and the major one after felt fluid and were easy to imagine. If you think otherwise, please let me know! I wouldn't really go back and change anything right now unless it's a glaring issue, but always open to criticism.

Another thing is Ekko leaving. At first I wanted him to stay and fight too, but over the course of planning this, I felt it would be more realistic to have him leave Jinx to fight alone. While love is a powerful motivator, they needed to get a job done, and I think it serves to better produce the little lesson in this chapter about Jinx being able to depend on others, directly seeing that she can't do everything alone is a major development.

And lastly, speaking of developments hehehe sorry, no kiss yet! But in some ways, I imagine that their hug they shared is so much more impactful, a true step into an entirely different relationship. Jinx is fully and completely opening herself to him in that way. Trust is important and I can't wait to see what the two will do next. Plot-wise, they got Margot too! This was an awesome win for everybody and plans for what they're gonna do next are within reach!

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! I'm REALLY excited to hear your thoughts. Like seriously excited. Don't forget to leave a Kudos if you can. I'll be in the comment section chatting y'all up. We got ALOT to talk about 3

Chapter 25: Confession

Notes:

Hello my wonderful readers! I'm back again with CH 25! Woohoo!

This chapter is a bit messy, er...emotionally, but I really like how it turned out. Also, you are all so amazing! I got so many awesome comments last chapter and y'all really wrote a lot. I was overwhelmed at first and not able to reply to everyone, but I sincerely appreciate the effort you all took to let me know what you thought of last chapter. I think this one is gonna be interesting to discuss as well, but we'll see!

Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

It was dark.

Even with her eyelids shut, she found herself awakening in an abyss. There was no sunlight, no irritating bright colors that pulled her to consciousness. No. Her brow furrowed and her chapped lips tilted into a downwards. It felt as if she'd been sleeping a long while, too long.

But she was awake.

She could tell by the way her spine dully ached, how her limbs felt particularly heavy, and the fuzzy numbness that flooded one of her arms indicating she'd unknowingly been resting on it. Yeah, definitely the case of sleepingtoomuch. Awakening in such a state had her blinking owlishly only to stare at familiar metal pipes on the ceiling of her bedroom. Given enough time in the dark, her eyes adjusted. Only a few seconds passed before the mattress hugging her back became unbearably intolerable.

She groaned as she sat up. Palm placed over her forehead, resting there for a moment before smoothing back her loose blue hair that spilled into the corner of her vision. Hm? Her braids were undone. When did that happen?

Pieces of the fight before had brought fresh memories of being carried back to the Firelight base. She'd been rescued, saved, whatever you wanted to call it. It was only mildly surprising to realize that her battle with a monster had been victorious. A true win, and she was alive to tell the tale.

With that realization, her eyes traveled below to glance over herself. What was once an unnoticeable tingle in her abdomen became an increasingly annoying sting that was identified the moment her pupils landed on blood soaked bandages. No, "soaked" was the wrong word. It implied they were wet and clung to her skin like a sticky adhesive. Instead the bandages were dry, slipping in their hold around her frame, and the color of rust. Dried blood. A newfound fascination with the discovery had slim fingers pulling at the cloth, eager to reveal what had once been hidden.

If she looked past the thin film of crusted blood, she could see fresh, bright pink skin striped over her side like a new tattoo.

"Cool." She breathed.

What else was there to say? The shimmer that flowed in her bloodstream had already proven to be a helpful boon in recovering from injuries. A murderous claw to her side seemed to be trivial given what she was staring at. Only…her memories came to her like foggy images, but they painted a chilling truth. Surely, she could've died from a wound like that. If Ekko hadn't come, if her blood continued to pour into the water in the tunnels as she limped back to base, she'd be dead.

Dead. The word echoed in her head like a ball bouncing around the inside of her skull. It was strange to think of the concept now. Death had always been something she'd known. It was the end. For most of her life she was counting on that to be the case. An ending to whatever fucked up story she'd spun was all but deserved.

How things have changed…

The fear of death's touch had resurrected with new promises. An end to a budding new life. A shiver traveled up her core and trembled her lips for a brief moment before she frowned. Insanity,herinsanity, had no place for hesitation, for consequence, and definitely no place for fear. What the hell was that?

Suddenly, she was angry. Her skin felt hot, her teeth grinded in her mouth, her fingers now clutched at the healing wound, breathing new, intense pain that made her vision waver.

She hissed at the feeling. As her nails dug into her skin, pierced the edges just enough to draw fresh blood, Jinx sighed breathily. It was wonderful. A pain so flooding and sharp that she had to lay herself back down, lest the spinning room make her nauseous.

"Fuck." She closed her eyes and whispered in pleasure. "There it is."

Therewas the missing piece of the puzzle. Wandering deep thoughts, curious consideration of the concept of death led her mind astray. Death was not the unsettling part. How silly of her to even consider such a thing. Living withoutthis. The anxiety and fright that chilled her was not an ending. It was forgetting.

For a brief moment she'd forgotten that living was not living at all unless it hurt.

She rolled her head to the side and bit her lower lip, still digging into the wound as the torture she forced upon herself pulsed through her body like waves of an ocean. It flooded her mind, silenced frantic thoughts that had endless questions and no answers. When her eyes fluttered for a moment, she then realized she wasn't alone.

In a chair pressed against a wall on the other side of her room, her sister sat. Pink hair fell over Vi's shadowed face. Arms crossed over her chest loosely, while her legs jutted outwards to rest in a balance on the wooden floor. Jinx watched with hitched breath for a moment, questioning when Vi would see what her little sister was doing to herself. When would Violet's screaming, angered voice fill the silent room?

The answer was, she wouldn't. A subtle snore tickled her ears and she curiously squinted her eyes to see parted lips softly breathing on a steady rhythm. Pink eyes lowered to her exposed stomach once more, staring at the little droplets of blood that now stained the tips of her fingers. It was nearly impossible to describe the intoxicating feeling of pain, how amazing it felt to seize her own breath with deliberate agony. But…

She shouldn't do this.

The light scolding she gave herself in Vi's sted was enough to pull her nails away and sigh. Shame pooled in her chest, tightened her muscles in the strangest way, as if to vehemently deny the feeling.

The pads of her fingers wiped fresh blood on the mattress beneath her, which was already stained red and her legs swung over the edge of the bed to maneuver into a seated position. Vi didn't even have to scream at her. She could hear the thoughts in her head loud enough. Her heart ached at the imagined voice of her big sister, thefeelingslaced within disappointed, startled words.

It wasn't inconceivable to think that Vi had been here since she arrived, whenever that may have been. In fact, her sister was so predictable that she could imagine the woman was in this very room worrying over every passing second while she was unconscious. Her vivid imagination brought a timid smile to her face.

When Jinx stood, her balance wobbled for a moment. The reminder of cracked bones beneath her skin was an entirely different ache compared to the claw marks on her side, but she was functional nonetheless. With a little more care than normal to not cause direct pain, she walked across the room towards the door. Her palm lifted to rest on the frame as she turned back at her slumbering sister.

"You win sis."

There was a genuine sense of defeat looming over her shoulders, though she couldn't explain it in the slightest. So with those simple whispered words, Jinx opened the door and walked outside. After taking a few steps in silence she couldn't help but giggle aloud. Maybe she should've stayed with her sister a little longer, or maybe she should've woken the girl up, but what was so much better was imagining the sheer panic on Violet's face when she woke up to an empty bed and a missing sister.

Ha! She desperately wanted to see the look on Vi's face, but she needed to escape the confined space. The restlessness in her muscles demanded a walk and with a blissful pause in her step to breathe in fresh, cool air. The lightest wisp of earthy flavor tingled her taste buds.

It was nice to be back already.

It was largely silent in the Firelight base. Silent and dark. With nothing but the moon's light casting a gentle glow over the hideout and the muffled chirps of the night-time insects. She could hear every creak in the wooden planks beneath her as she walked down the stairs of the great tree.

Little hairs on the back of her neck raised when she felt Mylo following just over her shoulder. A small flicker of her gaze towards the boy illuminated the glowing white X's over his eyes and sunken features. Frenzied whispers followed soon after and her eyes rolled in her head.

"Upset I'm already walking?" She questioned. "Not my fault I heal fast."

Her best efforts to ignore the relentless conversation did nothing to silence her ghost. So she stopped in her tracks, standing alone in the fields of the base and spun to face the boy.

"I'mNOTthe same as that brute." Jinx growled. How dare Mylo even suggest otherwise. "I'm me. Jinx! I'm different."

Her hands dropped to settle on her hips while a twisted pout formed on pursed lips. She waited a few seconds for a response.

"No. Different doesn't mean weak." She started pacing while counting on her fingers, "Or soft, or naïve, or stupid.You'reall those things. Not me."

She threw her hands in the air and turned her back on the illusion. Annoying! Exasperating! It was like talking to a brick wall.

"Lalalalalala." Her legs stretched to take large strides away from Mylo and plugged her ears with her fingers, "I can't hear you."

Her marching stopped when something else caught her eye.

"Shush!" She swatted her arm behind her through the empty air, "You see that?"

Her gaze was directed to a single light amongst the darkness. The orange glow of a lamp spilling out of an open door was like a beacon that captured her attention. Who was up at this hour? A quick tilt of her head checked the moon's position in the sky and yep, it was really late. Curious.

Jinx walked across the rest of the fields and neared the curious destination. Quiet voices were leaking out of the room, not quite whispers, but certainly restrained. When she neared the entrance, she paused and leaned her ear towards the sound. If people had such an issue with her eavesdropping, maybe they shouldn't make it so easy. Duh!

"What if we split into two teams, coordinate separate routes and take both down at the same time?"

Caitlyn? Her mood brightened at the sound of the woman's voice.

"Two teams won't be enough when we only have two gemstones."Ekko? He sounded tired."And we've got three objectives to deal with. Not two."

Ooh! Planning another battle? Where was her invitation?! Er…she was sorta unconscious, but they were totally leaving her out!

"Forget Sevika and the Last Drop."Caitlyn replied,"The Dredge and the Shimmer factory are the critical targets."

"I know, but I don't think we can afford to separate. We're low enough on numbers as it is."Ekko sighed.

"We're going in circles."Caitlyn also sighed.

"You're telling me…"

The two were quiet. Minutes passed while the only sounds coming from within the room were shuffling papers and frustrated groans.

Her heels dug into the dirt below, muscles tensed as she crouched low. A wide, playful smile spread across her face as she found herself before a perfect opportunity. Yes. A perfect chance. When the anticipation was ready to burst out from her lips in a squeal, that's when she sprung outwards and into the light of the doorway.

"HEY!"

"Fuck!"

Whatever charade she had planned was destroyed the moment she heard that word spew from Caitlyn's mouth. Everything went still. She looked towards Ekko who was quickly recovering from a violent flinch, brown eyes the size of dinner plates. Did he hear that? She looked towards Caitlyn who was equally as stunned at the surprise of her intrusion. Then she looked back towards Ekko, then Caitlyn.

The top-sider gasped and put her hand to cover her mouth, cheeks aflame in embarrassment.

"Potty mouth." Jinx giggled. Who knew the dignified top-sider had such a vulgar vocabulary? Oh yes! She saved the information in her head, filed it away for future use. Give the officer a good enough scare and oopsies. Her mind was racing to think of all the ways she could poke and prod at such a hilarious response.

"I-I-" Caitlyn stuttered, "You scared me."

"I scared you and you said fuck."

"Youdidsay fuck." Ekko commented.

"I know what I said." The older woman hurriedly interrupted while coughing into her hand and trying her best to compose herself. The stiff posture, straightened as if she were prepared to salute only added to her entertainment. "Unexpected situations can sometimes get the better of us."

"Yeah, but I've never heard you say fuc-"

"You'reawake." Caitlyn diverted with a shifting gaze that started at her own heels before lifting to stare at Jinx.

"Yup!" Jinx chirped.

The officer's eyes softened as she gazed upon her. Suddenly there was a shy lump forming in her throat. Her boots tapped against the wooden floorboards in silence as she swayed her body absently.

"And you're okay?" Her friend asked gently.

Her lips parted to speak, but her usually chaotic mind was silent and instead found herself opening and closing her lips like a fish. Was she okay? Such a simple question had an endless sea of answers but the one she wanted to give right now was a bit more positive, so she nodded her head.

The older girl approached her and wrapped her arms around her smaller frame tightly. She was enveloped in the warmth of the hug and closed her eyes. This was okay. Better than okay. Her own arms reciprocated the embrace and squeezed. Worries that lurked within them both over the last few days seemed to evaporate in a matter of seconds.

"Good." Caitlyn murmured close to her ear.

"Yeah." Jinx replied without thought. It wasn't much of a response, but it seemed like a decent enough attempt.

They separated soon after, a renewed glow prominently displayed on her features, not that she could necessarily see it, it was just a feeling she had. And Caitlyn's smile was dropped to take a wary glance towards the only other person in the room. Pink eyes followed to see Ekko leaning over the table, staring at what appeared to be maps of the undercity, dark circles painted under his eyes from exhaustion.

"Ekko you should get some rest, we can continue this tomorrow." Caitlyn said.

The boy's gaze was distant, hollow as he idly shuffled the maps under his hands. For a second, she believed that he was in his own little world, deaf to her friend's words, but soon enough, he sighed and nodded his head.

"Yeah." Ekko tiredly yawned, "I should."

Her senses were alert with a fluttery feeling in her belly, tickling her insides as Ekko started to walk towards herself. He hadn't really said anything to her yet. There was a lot to say, wasn't there? The tips of her toes flexed up and down, practically bouncing in her stance while a bright, confident smile was directed at the Firelight. She couldn't wait to tell him about the fight, detail how insane it was, maybe even sorta possibly thank him for finding her in the tunnels after. A giddy aura oozed from her body as she placed her hands behind her back and tilted her head to receive some sort of cocky remark to her wellbeing.

But he just walked by her without a word, fading into the darkness of the night.

"What's his deal?" Jinx scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest in a pout.

"I'm not sure if he's even slept in the past three days." Caitlyn sighed.

"Three days!?" She gasped, but it felt like a blink. That had to mean she was unconscious that entire time…

"Seems like you and Ekko share the same aptitude for sleeping to recover."

Maybe it was worse than she thought. The wounds that littered her body were easily ignored in the heat of battle. Adrenaline and shimmer pumping through her veins saw to that. And then she was walking, and walking, and…she just fell asleep for days?

"You guys didn't do anything fun while I was out, right?"

"That'swhat you're worried about." Caitlyn laughed, "Nothing's happened, it's why everyone's been a little restless."

"Planning a new attack." Jinx concluded, "Can I help?"

She started to walk around her friend to stare at the papers left on the table only to pause with a palm on her shoulder. A nudge away from her curiosity.

"You should make sure he actually gets to his room. I'll clean up here."

"Awwwww!" She groaned, "But…" Her head swiveled to the door and then back to the table, then finally to Caitlyn's calm yet stern suggestion.

"There will be time tomorrow. It's late."

Not for her. It felt like she just woke up. If the moon weren't so clearly overhead, she'd believe the sun was just about to rise. Ugh! Guess it would be pretty lame to plan by herself. And Ekko, well, she couldn't deny her own eagerness to speak with him. Something was different between them. It was unsettling that her own emotions were so hard to decipher.

"Fine."

She turned and walked out of the room, marching into the fields once more while scanning the area for the boy. In the darkness, it was hard to single him out from all the shadows and scribbles but eventually she spotted him standing alone.

Next to the mural.

Great. Her shoulders slumped and her hand once again pushed her loose blue hair back from her face to clean up her appearance. Smooth out the wild, crazy look of her long strands that naturally ruffled over time. Her brows scrunched up at the realization of her own actions. When the hell did she start giving a shit how she looked? This wasEkko. Not like…well…she couldn't think of anyone she'd ever think to groom herself for.

"Hey dumbass!" She shouted to get his attention, a bit of her own frustration at herself leaking through. When he turned towards her she lifted her finger to point upwards. "Your room's up there."

Guess she really did have to make sure he got back. What a pain. She wasn't a babysitter.

He didn't really reply, at least in any way that she could hear. When she got close enough to stand next to him, her eyes were locked to his face. His chalked hourglass looked smudged, faded, and his eyes never once glanced towards her. He continued to stare at the mural.

"You did a good job with the other Firelight's up there." He murmured.

Her pink eyes flickered to the images she drafted, but averted them as soon as the heart-pounding, violent whispers began drifting towards her ears. For a second she caught sight of Powder, Mylo, Claggor, and Vander. It felt like her vision was caving in, surrounded by those horrid, jagged lines that crawled on the outskirts of her peripherals, looking to dig deeper. She still wasn't good enough to ignore them…

"Thanks." She muttered.

"I finally checked the reports from Sevika's attack." He started, "I don't think this wall is gonna be big enough. There's not much room."

Oh. Right. There were a lot of casualties from that ambush. She nodded absentmindedly, because what else could she say? Comforting advice was the last thing she was capable of, it was so foreign. Should she say that they could just not worry about it? Start writing names instead of portraits? Or maybe make really tiny people? Nah, historians would mistake the Firelights for Yordles. She giggled at the last thought.

"What's so funny?" Ekko asked.

Her laughter was cut immediately as she glanced upwards to see his darkened glare. He had no patience for her antics tonight and that sent a hollowing punch to her gut that rooted her in place.

"Nothing." She said quickly, before shifting her eyes to glance at her feet shuffling in the dirt, "Everything."

His brow raised in curiosity but kept the hardened stare, so she chuckled awkwardly.

"Me and my stupid brain haha. What's so funny about dead kids Jinx?" She said while wagging her finger as if to scold herself, "What's not funny about it?" She turned slightly and argued in the one person conversation, "Don't ask me, I'm just-." When Jinx realized she was rambling away, she paused, "Sorry."

Ekko brown eyes watched her, anger slowly receding to match something akin to regret. She scratched the back of her head, continuing to offer nervous laughter and hesitant apologies with her stance. Wasn't her goal earlier to seem a little less crazy? That wasn't going too well. It was like trying to learn how to speak to someone for the first time. Was he put off by her? Wanting to distance himself? It was slight, but she could feel a sense of panic at those questions. There had to be a way to be normal, just for a little bit, right?

"Don't worry about it." Ekko sighed while running his hand over his face, "I'm just, I don't know, tired? It's not your fault."

Her chance to recover the pleasant atmosphere was presented right before her eyes. She smiled and elbowed the boy's arm a few times as a playful nudge. She could tease him, right? That would fix things. Put them back into whatever weird relationship they had? Her giggles were just a slip-up, and Ekko was irritable. That was all. Easy to fix.

"I hear sleep takes the edge off." She grinned, "Or alcohol."

He chuckled and nodded his head, "Yeah, it's been a rough few days."

"Shots before bed?"

He shook his head, "I'm about ready to collapse as is."

"Then how 'bout you take your ass upstairs and actually go to bed, dummy."

"I'm going, I'm going." He breathed as he turned to trek up the stairs of the grand tree across the fields.

She skipped forward to match his walk beside him. Of course, the disparity between their energy was large. He was practically shuffling forwards while she swung her arms back and forth excitedly.

"So what, you just felt like staying up for three days straight?" She asked idly.

"There's so much we gotta do." Ekko sighed, "It's only a matter of time before they realize we have Margot."

"Where is that bitch by the way? I wanna say hi."

"Later. I'm not sure I want you alone in the same room with her."

"Because she might convince me to join her?"

Ekko smirked, "BecauseI'm not sure she'll be alive the next time I see her, with you playing interrogation and what not."

"Hey!" Jinx pouted, "What's the big deal? I know restraint."

"Iknowyou don't."

She laughed as they continued up the stairs. This was much better. She could sense the tension that surrounded them dissipate with the playful conversation. Banter between friends brightened the mood and Jinx couldn't be happier. For a while.

"I'm glad you're alright." Ekko said quietly. "Really glad."

Her ears perked at the sound. On one hand it was warming her heart to hear such sincerity in his voice, but on the other…her world was shifting beneath her feet. Unfamiliar emotions were swirling in her abdomen and her balance felt off. Why did he have to say that? Say it like that? The happier, blissful conversation was gone almost as soon as it appeared.

"I heal fast. You know that." She said plainly. This was uncomfortable. He didn't need to care…but it was sorta nice.

"I guess. You haven't exactly told anyone why that is." Ekko replied and her breath went still in her lungs.

She didn't want to talk about it. He knew she healed fast, that was all heneededto know. It was already starting. Voices in her head, screaming, mimicking that night on the cold metal table. Needles…So many needles, stabbing all over. A man's cruel laughter or was it Caitlyn's? Vi's? Her own? They wouldn't stop laughing. Just stop. Stop. STOP!

"But when I saw you in the tunnels." Ekko's words snapped her out of the spiraling chaos and she realized they'd arrived at the front of his bedroom. "God, I thought you were dead. Even when you weren't, I had no idea if you'd survive."

She didn't say anything. Her body was still shaking from the trauma lurking in her head, tempting her to re-live the terror and explain exactly why she was able to survive. Why her cracked bones were practically healed. Why her side was already scarring over and sure to be gone within a few more days.

"Are you okay?" He asked while reaching out his hand.

She slapped it away with her own.

"Fine." She grunted, "Just fine."

"If I did something wrong-"

"It doesn't matter!" Her voice raised as she yelled. "Just leave me alone!"

"Jinx."

"Just shut up and go inside! I'm done babysitting you!"

His eyes widened, lips parted in shock as he stared at her. She was breathing heavily now, glaring at the boy that brought to life so many memories she'd all but buried. This was his fault. His fault! The angry puffs of her breath could nearly be seen amidst the chilled night's air.

Suddenly Ekko's eyes were bright with a fury of his own. The involuntary need to take a step back was tempting, but she stood her ground as his expression turned into a snarl.

"This is exactly why you piss me off."

"Ipiss you off?" She scoffed incredulously.

"Yeah." Ekko growled, "You do. And it drives me fucking nuts because every time I think we're good, you do something else and prove me wrong."

What the hell? Her blood was rushing in her veins, fists clenched at her sides while her jaw was clenched tightly.

"That's stupid! You're the one that's all quiet and distant! Acting like I'm some sort of nuisance! What are you? My friend? Or my enemy? Because I have no idea!"

"You killed my friends!" Ekko shouted, "Why would I be your friend to begin with?"

"…"

"…"

Ah…So Brina was right. A piece of her felt broken as she heard his words. Like she'd been heartbreakingly fooled.

Ekko hadn't forgotten what she'd done. The people she killed. So what was she then? An asset? A weapon for the war he'd waged against Sevika? All this time she'd thought she was helping out of the goodness of her heart and considered that maybe…maybe Ekko was starting to care.

Tears pricked the corner of her eyes. Her teeth bit into her lower lip to stop it from trembling. And Ekko kept shouting.

"All you do is just act on your own, do crazy, risky shit. Who knows what you're really thinking. This whole thing is probably just some big game to you! My family is dying!"

"I saved them too!" She shouted, her voice cracking, unsure if she could continue the argument for much longer. "I also saved you, you fucking idiot!"

"That's what I'msaying!" He threw his hands up in frustration. "I-. I-..."

He was stuttering while she watched him with charged breath. Any second she was ready to pounce, attack, beat him to a pulp before storming out and never looking back at his stupid, stupid face.

"I shouldn't be your friend." He lowered his voice to a whisper as his head fell in shame. "I shouldn't give a shit about you, because I've been through this."

His soft words were filled with anguish, like his emotions were flipping inside of himself and his heated temper was replaced with a deep sadness. She didn't say anything. She didn't know what to do. Punch him for shouting at her? Scream at him for bringing nightmares of her surgery back into reality? Or…hug him tightly, like she would want to be?

"I chased after you foryears." He struggled with his words, fists shaking at his sides. "I chased after you, thinking I could get you back. Thinking that we could be friends again."

His fist slammed into the bark of the grand tree.

"And every time, I brought home a different corpse. They wanted me to give up, forget you. I had to look after the Firelights and…"

He lifted his head to stare at her with a pain and sorrow she'd never seen in anything other than a mirror. He gave a hollow chuckle.

"And now you're here…just after I'd given up." Ekko sighed, "Every time we were together, I wanted things to be different. I tried to see you as the monster I wanted you to be and when you lash out or say something wrong, I can justify it in my head."

"I'm not a monster." Jinx argued softly, wishing she could've put some confidence behind it, but who was she kidding? Her history was evidence enough.

"You're not." Ekko agreed and her eyes lifted to his with a hesitant hope. "You're not, and that's what's so infuriating."

He paused for a second.

"You don't piss me off." Ekko clenched his eyes tightly, "I didn't mean that."

"You said I do." She replied carefully, her heart was already thundering in her chest. Because gravity felt heavy. This argument felt heavy. Like Ekko's truth was being ripped out from inside and the need to push back against it was great. The truth would stand against her accusations.

"I know. But you don't. It's myself. It's just…It's so easy to forget when I'm with you. To just fall into something comfortable. I can imagine you're my friend again. But you say something, do something different, like push me away and I get scared..."

"Of what?"

"...I might lose you again. That I'm just waiting to be left behind."

A soft intake of breath was all she could manage. The entire argument collapsed in a single moment. Suddenly, she was unsure why they were even fighting. Memories of just moments before were blurry, distant, overshadowed by the words Ekko said aloud. He was afraid to lose her? But…

"Why?" Jinx blurted out messily. She was too curious to care about the phrasing of the question. She wanted answers.

He could see her confusion, the spinning gears in her mind unable to come to an answer that was sufficient. He just said that he had given up on her, identified all the reasons she was a lost cause and why they couldn't be friends. Even so, she hadn't betrayed them and he was understanding of that too…so why?

"Despite all of it, I like you Jinx." She watched as a blush darkened his cheeks and his head diverted to the side, "I keep trying to convince myself that it doesn't make sense, that I shouldn'twantto be with you…but I do, and it makes me feel like an absolute idiot."

Bewith her…

Words were stuck in her throat, desperately trying to twist and turn into something to say, but it was so hard. The distance between Ekko and herself was just so large. His confession ripped a vast tear in what she thought was reality. He liked her? Like Vi liked Cait? No. VilovedCait. But how far was the difference between like and love? Her sister said she loved her too, but that was family and family was different.

They stood there in silence. Those spoken words just lingered in the air without any sort of follow-up. He didn't say anything. She sure as hell didn't have any idea what to say. And the awkwardness of the moment was making them both shift and avert their eyes.

He couldn't love her. He just couldn't. It didn't make sense. She wasn't-. Her brows furrowed. She wasn't good…for him. For anyone. Who in their right mind would even consider loving her like that? Ugh! No, it waslikenot love. She was getting ahead of herself. Jumping to the conclusion those words would inevitably bring, but not yet because in liking her, he'd realize it too. He wouldn't be able to love her.

What would she even do about it? Whatcouldshe do? Was she able to lov-LIKEhim back? I don't know. I don't know. This was a lot.

I'm scared.

Her eyes widened at her own thoughts but before she could consider them Ekko spoke.

"It's cool, really. I didn't mean to drop all that on you. I shouldn't have said anything. I-…shit." He turned away, shoulders slightly slumped as if he were deflated and began walking into his bedroom, "I'll see you in the morning. Sorry...sorry about earlier."

The door to his room closed and when it did, she flinched at the sound. She could hear the tail end of a whisper to himself,"Moron. What the hell was that?"

She took a step forward and reached for the door, wanting to say something, anything! But her outstretched hand was pulled to her chest. Her unbraided hair was shifting with a sudden breeze that cooled her hot skin. The feeling was enough to calm her for a moment, a second.

Jinx took a breath and stepped towards the door, pressing close to the wooden surface.

"You won't lose me." She said earnestly. Her pink eyes were wide with fear. Fear that it wasn't enough. Thatshewasn't enough. But all she had was this stupid, hasty promise. That's all she could give right now. Yet the closed door, the silence, it was tearing her heart to shreds.

"You won't lose me." She repeated shakily, desperately trying to not make things worse. Her heart lurched at the idea of Ekko giving up, no longer interested in holding out just a little while longer so she could sort out all the messy, muddled feelings that were threatening to consume her. She just needed time. Needed to understand.

If he could just accept that he didn't have to be afraid of losing her. She was going to try to figure everything else out. Panic was making her breath short, blurring her vision as her eyes glossed over in unshed tears. She wished she could just laugh it off, pretend they never had this conversation. If it were anyone else she'd giggle and roll her eyes, maybe through in a few insulting jabs at whoever was stupid enough to say such things, but this was Ekko and his words had opened a box she never knew existed.

Again. She needed to say it again. All sorts of excuses flooding her thoughts, maybe he didn't hear her the first two times, maybe he didn't understand.

"You-."

Ekko's muffled voice seeped through the wooden door and caught the words she was going to repeat again in her throat.

"You won't lose me either."

In the stillness of the night, when everything had settled down and the only thing she could hear was her heart pounding in her chest, she took a breath. A full, deliberate inhale and felt her muscles relax with a relieving exhale. He gave her something. Time. That was all she needed. Just time.

"Thank you." Her whisper was so quiet, she was sure he couldn't have heard, but that was okay too.

"…"

Her eyes were staring at the sectioned portions of rice and fish that sat in a small bowl tucked in her hands. The steam of the meal had long since faded and really, she was staring at anything but the food. It was just in the way.

Hunger was just so…irrelevant.

She couldn't even articulate her thoughts. Just fractured questions that couldn't possibly be answered. Vague answers that had no meaning whatsoever. Jinx was entirely, unequivocally stuck.

"He likes me." She murmured to herself for the hundredth time that morning. In fact, she'd never once moved from her spot on the bench outdoors aside from getting her breakfast when the call was announced.

What did it mean? To like someone as insane as her? Was he stupid? Blind? Or did he see things she couldn't? For hours she tried to list the qualities another human might find attractive and her list was short. Superficial. And she was supposed to believe him, that he wanted tobewith her? And what if she accepted that? What would be asked of her? To change? To act differently? She liked how they were before last night, before everything got so tangled and weird.

"Not hungry?"

Her head tilted upwards to locate the voice and felt a sense of relief once she recognized the person. She sat upright entirely and scooted across the bench while patting the empty space. Her bowl of food was placed on her other side.

"Cupcake." She whined aloud, "I need you."

Yes! Of course, she could count on her bestie to navigate these uncharted waters. She had experience and…well, she was a smart girl, a natural problem solver.

"What's the matter?" Caitlyn asked while taking a seat.

"Ekko."

"What about Ek-."

"He said he likes me."

"..."

"..."

Her own mind was still distracted by the confusion surrounding it all. She chewed on her lower lip in thought before realizing that Caitlyn hadn't replied. A glance towards the woman sent an icky shiver down her spine when she saw the smug smile on the top-siders face.

"Gross!" She snapped, "Don't look at me like that."

"Well," Caitlyn started, unable to drop the smile on her face, "What did you say to him?"

Jinx threw her hands outwards in exasperation, "Nothing! Nothing good or bad. Just…"

She felt a little more vulnerable than before, like telling Caitlyn exactly what she said in response last night was a bit too personal. Just between herself and Ekko. Yeah. Caitlyn would get the point. The top-sider's smile had already fallen.

"How do you feel about what he said?"

"I don't know." She growled and began tugging at her scalp with her nails in frustration. "I think he's stupid if that's what you're asking. Stupid, dense, a jerk for no reason. Yelling at me as ifIknow what he's thinking. I can't read minds, you know!"

"So you're…" Caitlyn paused to consider her next words, "...angry then."

"Damn straight."

"At him?"

"Uh huh." She huffed before swiveling in her seat to suddenly grasp for her friend and grip the fabric of her clothes. She shook Caitlyn incessantly. "Why would he do this to me? We were fine! Better than fine! And what if…" Her words fizzled out along with her animated shaking of her friend.

"What if things change?" The top-sider asked.

She nodded her head, "And what ifI'mthe one that ruins everything?"

Pop. Boom. Explosions. Everything up in flames.

The very concept of love, of a relationship as intimate as the one Ekko was suggesting, it towered over her like a mountain. The sheer height of it all, the weight, it was scary. There wasn't a single point in her life that she'd committed herself to someone in that way. She was just starting to get the hang of friends, but this went beyond, to a place she wasn't sure she could handle. Whenever her own volatile emotions were involved, people got hurt. There were so many ways she could screw it up.

"I think you're trying too hard to think about why it wouldn't work, rather than think about why it would work."

"You sound like Heimy." Jinx grumbled, but a fair point. She was looking at the mountain in its entirety. The idea of screwing up, slipping as she tried to scale upwards, it always ended in a splat. "But I don't know why Ekko likes me either."

"Did you ask him?"

"No."

Caitlyn gave her a pointed stare that didn't really need words, but she spoke anyway. "Maybe you should."

"It wouldn't matter," She suddenly argued, "Because I don't even know howIfeel!"

Her boots were stomping against the dirt while she squirmed in her seat. She nearly knocked over the bowl resting by her side. Just seeing herself devolve into a clumsy, reckless mess pissed her off more.

"Was he okay with what you told him?"

"Sorta? I think so. It wasn't a great reaction if that's what you're asking. But…" Her mind replayed his muffled words in her head, "I think he gets it."

Their conversation was abruptly silenced the moment she spotted Ekko across the field. He didn't see her, not yet. The boy was too focused walking alongside Marenth as they stared at a clipboard and ushered towards a few of the medical tents still up for the injured survivors.

"You can take the time you need to figure out what you feel." Caitlyn murmured, following her sightline and staring at the Firelight leader as well. She felt the officer's palm resting comfortably on her knee. "He'll understand. Just take it slow. Don't think about what would split you apart. Just consider what you want."

"WhatwouldI want though?" She asked. This is why it was so hard. She was completely out of her element, drowning in all the possibilities.

"What if he held your hand?" Caitlyn replied, "Would you like that? What if he kissed you?"

"Okay, this is getting weird." Her pale cheeks went bright red. It was odd to talk to someone about this so seriously. It was awkward, and well, embarrassing.

"You get my point. Just think about the little things. The fact that you're taking his words seriously is a good start." The top-sider smiled, "And when you're ready, you can ask him the same."

"Yeah…" She felt a small smile begin to spread on her lips, "Yeah, I can do that. Baby steps. No need to throw the pipe bomb out with the bathwater."

"Um, sure. That works."

With a little less stress in her heart, she picked up the bowl at her side and began eating her waiting breakfast. It didn't even occur to her how weak she felt until the first bite. Suddenly she was scarfing down the food as fast as she could.

"Jinx!"

Her head snapped up along with Caitlyn's. They turned to each other in understanding. Vi…Oh yeah, forgot about that. Within seconds her big sister was hunched over, hands on her knees as she stood on the other side of the bench.

"Cait," Vi gasped, "I can't find Jinx. I-I don't know what happened. I woke up and she's just gone!"

She giggled while leaning forward and into view of her sister. Ahhh, that was the expression she imagined. Shocked, dumbstruck, and with the most wonderful hint of fury.

"Heya sleepyhead!" She grinned with her two fingers lifted to form a 'V', "Took you long enough to get down here. Totally fine by the way."

Violet's parted lips shut tightly after a few moments. Her arms lifted while she cracked her knuckles over her chest and started walking closer.

Uh oh.

"I worried over you for three days straight." Her sister's lips spread into a false smile, hiding what was so clearly interpreted as promised pain. "And you didn't eventhinkto wake me?"

"Ithoughtabout it, but I also thought it'd be funny if I didn't." Jinx maintained the smile on her face with each thundering step of her sister's boots against the ground.

"Oh!" Vi mused, "I'll show you 'funny'."

She felt the large palm of her sister's hand flatten over the top of her scalp, holding her head in a grasp that was slowly tightening. Vi crouched so they were eye level, still holding her head. Jinx was stifling the many giggles that were bursting from between her tightened lips.

Everything was fine. It wasn't like her sister could actually hurt her physically, nor would the older girl want to. Still, it just so happened to work out that she had an ace up her sleeve. A get out of jail free card. If she knew her big sister like she thought she did, then this was it.

"Ekko said he wants to be more than friends."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Her sister's palm released the top of her head and the woman turned around and began marching away. Leaving the officer and herself mildly perplexed.

"Vi!" Caitlyn called out after the woman. "Where are you going?"

"To find Ekko." The pink-haired woman replied as she continued to walk away, "Wanna talk to him about something."

She finally couldn't contain her laughter and grabbed at her stomach while her body shook in uncontrollable fits. Exactly as planned! No trouble for Jinx! Sometimes she was just too smart.

"She wouldn't actually hurt him, would she?" Caitlyn mused aloud.

Her laughter was cut immediately, pink eyes went wide when her body froze at Caitlyn's words.

"Ah shit." She didn't actually thinkthatfar ahead. Jinx took off after her sister, leaving a mostly empty bowl of food behind. "Vi wait! It's not a big deal! I was uh…joking! Yeah, it was a joke!"

Notes:

Aaaannnddd that's the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it!

I'm very curious to hear your thoughts about how Ekko's and Jinx's conversation went. I think it really encapsulated their relationship being so...unpredictable? They're friends, then not, then friends again, then arguing. With both of them, Ekko with his past / current responsibilities and Jinx with her trauma, I think it would make sense that both of them can sorta be sent into a spiral of confusion with themselves and being the young, headstrong people they are, end up taking it out on others first before thinking it through. I think? I'm sorta rambling that point but happy to discuss it further in the comments.

And I really liked writing the first scene, getting to see that Jinx is far from recovered in a mental sense, enjoying pain, but shamefully realizing that she shouldn't. And the last scene was fun to get a little Caitlyn / Jinx moment to set her on track! Lot's of different emotions in this chapter overall.

As always, I hope this chapter made your day a little brighter or entertaining. Leave a kudos if you can! (Almost in the TOP #3 ARCANE FICS EVER) - So cool btw! And leave a comment if you can! 3

Until next time!

Chapter 26: Pow-Pow

Notes:

I'm baaaccckkk! The 4th of July holiday really messed with my schedule since I went to see some family and the entire time I had no internet so apologies for the delays and my lack of response. I wanted to push the last chapter out before I travelled, and by the time I got back I was pretty busy all week. Still, I hope you've all had a good week, ready to start the next one!

Also wanted to say that I really appreciate all of you readers. Your comments were amazing, your support is amazing, and you, yeah you reading this note, YOU are amazing! We're extremely close to being in the Top 3 Arcane Fics on AO3 which...I seriously never set out to achieve nor think it was possible. I'm over the moon with the reception of this story and I keep saying that I can't wait to get into more of the Arcs I have planned, well, I set out to actually outline what we can expect with the plot in this chapter. It might seem like there's not much left going by conversation, but trust me, the conversations aren't outlining everything lol.

Is there a future where this story is the number #1 Arcane fic ever? Maybe. I would certainly LOVE to see that someday, but I'm content to keep working hard for you all, not just a ranking on how many Kudos this story has. So one step at a time, right? If we get there, we'll get there together!

That's all I got for the intro, so I hope you enjoy the chapter!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

"It makes no sense, right?"

She groaned into the open air. Her back was pressed to the cool concrete floor beneath her. Limbs and blue braids were splayed outwards from her core as she pondered her thoughts aloud.

"Like, why me?" Using her hands to gesture to herself, "I'm pretty sure I've threatened to kill him…I don't know how many times! He's either stupid or a masochist, or insane, or all of the above."

Silence was her response. In the dark room she found herself in, there was nothing but silence and the low hum of metal piping that lined the ceiling. Her chin tilted backwards to stare into the darkness, waiting for some sort of reply. Of course, she heard nothing. So she continued to rant aloud.

"Cupcake thinks I can just imagine how I would feel. Conjure up some sappy dreams in the ol' noggin' and see what happens." Her brow furrowed, "Maybe she's right."

"..."

She tightened her abs and flung herself upright into a seated position. "We've held hands before, you know. IthinkI liked it."

Pink eyes scanned the concrete beneath her, taking a single nail from her finger to trace the cracks on the surface. This thought exercise, voicing her concerns, it was hard. As she'd so clearly realized, things were complicated. It was as if she was lost, forever traveling through an endless maze…but every once in a while there was just the slightest nudge, a brief understanding of where she was and where she needed to go.

"But it's not just touches or kissing, or any of that stuff. I-I just don't know what it's like!" Her hands were thrown outwards in exasperation, "How would I even know if I like or love him? Pretty sure there's no voice that would say, 'Good job Jinx! You love him now. Go make babies.' Definitely not."

She paused and shivered at her own words, "Ew, babies. I'm not ready for that!"

"..."

Her head turned to stare at the single light in the darkened room.

"Helloooo?" She waved her hand towards the light, "Nothing? Some advice would be neat."

Oh. Duh.

She hopped to her feet and began skipping towards the center of the room, entering the weak circle of light and leaning over the lone figure strapped to a wooden chair. Furious gray eyes glared into her own amused pupils as a smile cracked across her face. Poor, poor Margot. Caged, alone, and unable to move or speak.

"Sorry, forgot you couldn't respond." She lifted her fingers to pull at the edges of duct tape over the Baroness's mouth. "So what do you think?"

"Let me go you fucking psycho- mmphhf!"

Ugh. Still singing the same old tune she'd heard since she found her. Jinx quickly slapped the duct tape back in place harshly and spun on her heel to walk away.

"Not very helpful Margie." She continued to pace around the outskirts of the light in the room, "I thought you were supposed to be a love expert or something. I was really opening up there too."

Pleasure district ringleadermy ass.

The chair behind her was rattling as the woman rocked in place, struggling against her bindings and slamming her feet on the ground in anger. Jinx ignored her completely.

"You don't think he's playing me, do you?" She questioned aloud, "Nah. He wouldn't do that. The fact that I'm alive is enough proof. So many times I thought he was tricking me, but here I am. No restraints."

She glanced back towards the only other person in the room and smirked.

"Nowyou'rethe new prisoner. Fun, right?"

Suddenly a metal door opened, the sound reverberating down a hallway of stairs and catching her attention. Boots were rushing down the stairs and her eyes squinted in the darkness before lifting at the sight of the newcomer.

Speak of the devil.

"Jinx!" Ekko growled, anger marring his face as he marched towards her, "I thought I told you not to interrogate her alone."

"I wasn't interrogating." She whined, "Honest."

He stood before her, arms crossed over his chest, an unamused lift of his brow making her giggle.

"How did you even find-?"

"I just asked around." She interrupted.

Figuring out where Margot was being kept was easy. It would probably be best to not elaborate that 'asking around' was closer to interrogation than Ekko would like. Yeah. Let'snotmention that. Besides, what was light interrogation other than…persuasive questioning? That wasn't so bad, right?

"Of course you did." He sighed while pinching the bridge of his nose while she put her hands behind her back and offered an earnest smile in the best display of innocence she could muster.

They both turned to their kidnapped prize, eying the baroness as she writhed in her seat. The woman's usually pale skin was slick with sweat and bright pink from all the effort she was putting into her resistance.

"I call being the good cop!" Jinx cheered while skipping forward towards her target.

"Really?" Ekko spoke from behind, amused as he followed. "It doesn't really work like that. She can hear you too."

She waved her hand in the air to shoo away all his worries. Such a downer, this guy. Always trying to poke holes in her logic. The important part of torture, like all things in life, is to have fun! Rule number one…or something like that.

With sudden lift of her boot, she slammed her foot against the top corner of the chair and hovered over Margot, a wild look glowing in her eyes.

"Here's the deal toots. You tell us what we wanna know, and I won't kill ya."

"Mmphf." Margot's muffled response was easy enough to decipher, the fire in her gray eyes hadn't faded a single bit.

With deft fingers, she plucked a hidden, makeshift blade from under her belt and wrapped her fist around the object before holding it just above the now wide, panicked eyes of their prisoner. If she really wanted, she could just drop the shiv straight into the eye socket. No force necessary.

Then she was pulled backwards by the nape of her neck.

"Ack!"

"You callthatbeing the good cop?" Ekko sharply whispered behind her. "What the hell?"

She rolled her eyes at his words. So silly.

"I wasn't gonna do it dummy. That's your job.Ithreaten to cut her up, but thenyouactually do. And when she's all bloody, delirious and scared…Bam! I come in to save the day and get the info."

"You have the worst understanding of good cop, bad cop I've ever seen." Ekko groaned as he let go of her neck and began pacing behind her, exasperated. He paused, turned to her, and lowered his gaze to her hand. "Where did you get that?"

"Made it." She chirped, before her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Her stance shifted defensively to hide the knife. "I'm not sharing either. You can get your own."

"God." Ekko gasped, roughly pressing his palms into his eyes as if to smother a growing pain in his head. "You are so exhausting."

"Oh shut up. You know you love me anyway." She scoffed before her eyes went wide.

Er…Uh…

"That's not- I didn't mean it like…um." Jinx stuttered through her words.

Shit. Talk about a land mine. Elephant in the room. Good goingme! She never was good with words. Her mouth never once had a filter, especially when she was lost in the moment, just thoughts to speech. But now the air was heavy between them both, like gravity had multiplied and she could feel it in her shoulders. Awkward tension flooded her in all the ways that had her shifting uncomfortably in her boots.

"Yeah." Ekko coughed, "Yeah I know."

He was equally lost in the space she'd inadvertently created. Gone was the friendly banter or the intention of interrogating their captive. Now what? How did they escape this thick pool of hot air that had suddenly enveloped them?

"Mmmph Mrmmpf!"

Ah! Thank you dear Margot! Muffled rage cut straight through the fog and now her attention was redirected. She walked close to the woman and peeled away the duct tape which was met with an immediate gasp of air.

"You fucking brats." Margot growled, "You're both so stupid, I can't believe I let myself get caught by idiots."

"I'd watch your mouth if I was you." Ekko said as he snapped out of his own distant mind, "We don't exactly value your life."

Jinx nodded her head vigorously. Well said! Well said!

"So let's try a simple question." The boy stated, "What's Sevika planning to do with all the shimmer she'd collected?"

"Like I'd tell yo- AUUUGHHH!" Margot started only to erupt into a shriek of pain as a shiv stabbed into her thigh.

"Whoops." Jinx giggled, "My hand slipped."

She glanced towards the Firelight beside her, knife still wrapped tightly in her palm. Pink eyes met brown and she curiously wondered if this was alright. If he was okay with this kinda torture. If he wasn't…well, he should grow up!

Luckily he just gave her a short nod and her held breath was released in relief.

"What is Sevika planning?" He asked again.

"Fuck you!" Margot screamed before releasing another wail as Jinx twisted the knife in her thigh as she roughly pulled the blade from its temporary hilt.

She gleefully watched the blood drip down the metal edge, fascinated in the way it pooled at the tip before falling in little droplets onto the concrete floor.

"How bout I cut a finger off next?" Jinx pondered aloud while moving the dirty blade towards the baroness's hand. "Eenie, Minny, Minnie, Moe."

"W-wait!" Margot screamed in panic, "Wait!"

Ah! Jinx felt a smug smile form on her chapped lips. Her prisoner has such little resolve, clinging to safety and ready to throw her accomplices overboard to save just a finger. Maybe she should cut it off anyway, a small bit of revenge for what Oscar made her go through.

"Jinx." Ekko scolded as he saw her ready the shiv's edge against pale fingers.

Ugh. Fine. She'd get her chance later anyway.

"We paid off some of the guards at the Dredge prison. Smuggled prisoners out from the inside."

"We know that already." Ekko leaned over the woman, glaring down at her. "So tell me why?"

Margot released a hollow, disbelieving chuckle, "Youknewthat and couldn't put it together?"

Jinx whipped her hand out to her side, slicing through the tops of Margot's fingers, deep enough to sting. Deep enough to really hurt, but not separate them. Not yet.

The pale woman screamed through clenched teeth before releasing her held breath and panting. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly while she stared at her shaking fingers, nearly all the skin now drenched in her own blood.

"Enlighten us." Ekko said.

"We know the under-city is dying." Margot gasped heavily, "You think we don't see it? Hundreds of addicts, nothing but skin and bones, looking for shimmer."

They stayed silent while the woman collected her thoughts and continued.

"They started getting uncontrollable. Attacking each other just to get a little more shimmer. Fucking cannibals."

Jinx frowned, lowering her eyes to her own pale skin and staring at the barely visible blue lines of her veins. Shimmer was coursing through her as they spoke…and in a different world, she could've been one of them. But she wasn't and she hadn't the faintest clue why that was…

"But Sevika had a plan. Assured us that we could find others and that we'd make a fortune once Piltover and Zaun had finally split. Trade between two cities is profitable, but two nations? Imports, taxes, scarcity of illegal goods, all of it brings more coin to the pockets of the barons that can play both sides."

"And the Dredge…" Ekko murmured as he slowly started to piece it together.

She frowned, snapping her gaze between Margot and Ekko as they shared a knowing glance. Well? Spill it! What wasn't she seeing here?

"The Dredge has exactly what we need. More bodies." Margot lowered her head as she realized the betrayal she was committing by revealing it all. "More bodies that not only wanted more power, but thrive on augmentation. They understand it better, last longer, and theyloveus for it. Urgot was the best bet we ever made."

"Dammit." Ekko cursed under his breath as he stood up straight and turned to start rushing out of the room, "We need to get everyone together. C'mon."

"Can I kill her now?" She asked innocently.

Margot's eyes went wide with fear as she gave the older woman a crazed smile.

"No. We might still need her, just leave her for now."

"Aw man!" Jinx whined.

"Jinx." Ekko called her name as he started marching up the stairs.

"Coming!" She called after him as she started to walk away from their prisoner. She turned one last time towards the restrained woman and gave a bright smile accompanied by an enthusiastic wave.

"Bye Margie! Hope we can play again soon!"

Within minutes the war room was populated. That's what this kinda thing was called, right? A war room? Her pointer finger lifted to rest on her chin in thought. The place where all their meetings took place, strategies, problems…yeah war room seemed like an apt description. How exciting!

Her pupils diverted to Ekko, circling the large wooden table in the center. Brown eyes scanning the many maps and papers scattered about. He looked all serious, agitated, yet confident? That was a strange combination, but not unwelcome. Confidence did sorta look good on him.

"We got some information out of Margot. We can make a better move now." He said while sifting through a stack of paper and pulling out a single map that focused on the outskirts of the under-city.

Caitlyn was the first to approach, placing a hand on his shoulder while she hovered from behind staring at the same document. Her curiosity clearly captured her undivided attention.

"What did you learn?"

"Sevika's low on men. Really low." Ekko started, "And she plans to get as many prisoners out of the Dredge as possible to fill her ranks."

"More cyborgs?" Violet groaned while she sat, splayed outwards on a couch across the room, almost uncaring to the casual observer, but she could see her sister's interest. It was in the way her legs continually crossed over each other and back, her fists clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

If anyone was eager for another fight, Vi was certainly ready.

"Yeah," Ekko nodded, "But this means that the shimmer factory and the Last Drop just lowered in priority. It doesn't matter how much shimmer she has stockpiled, Sevika won't do anything until her forces are back up."

"Why?" All the heads in the room turned towards Brina who asked the question as she leaned against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. "Why does Sevika need a bigger army? We're weak enough as is."

"Becausewe'renot a threat. At least, not to her." Ekko surmised. "She probably doesn't even consider us a target after the last attack."

"Precisely." Heimerdinger chipped in as he waddled around the room. The need to snatch him into her arms was almost too great to resist. He walked past her and she pouted when the opportunity passed. "I fear the greater ambition lies with the top-side. Where there is power between two opposing forces, war soon follows."

Vi leaned forward in her seat and began cracking her knuckles, "Top-side won't even know what hit 'em. Not while the chem-barons continue to stuff coins in their pockets. Keeps them lazy, ignorant."

"That's not…" Caitlyn started only to become crestfallen, her shoulders slumping in a form of defeat, "No…you're probably right." She admitted, "I'm not even sure we can trust the council to take this seriously. Not without solid proof."

Brina snorted, "Eventhen, princess. It wouldn't be enough."

"Well we don't have time to get proof." Ekko interrupted the two women. "We have to target the Dredge as soon as possible."

"You realize you're asking us to destroy an entire prison?" Brina asked, "We'd be making enemies with the chem-tech gangandtop-side."

"Not if we focus on Urgot." Ekko countered, "He's the missing key to all this. There must be some sort of deal between Sevika and the gang to ensure his escape. If he's out of the picture, and we stabilize the prison security, we can at least buy ourselves time to deal with Sevika."

"Hell yeah!" Jinx leapt to her feet, arms shooting upwards towards the ceiling, "Prison break! Er…Prison fix? Ah, you know what I mean."

"Won't be easy." Scar's deep voice echoed in the small space and all eyes turned to the chirean for a brief moment before falling to the floor. Every mind, every thought, racing to solve a puzzle that wasn't entirely understood.

"I've got experience with prisons." Vi spoke up, "They'll have a schedule we need to understand. As much as I wanna bust open the doors and just start swinging, it would be smart to know the best time to strike."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Holy shit!" She gasped, "Vi said something smart."

"Shut it brat!" Her sister yelled while her cheeks grew bright red in embarrassment. She just giggled in response.

Caitlyn lowered her hand that covered her laughter before speaking, "I could go top-side, try to get clearance to visit the prison and get a look from the inside. Maybe even get two."

"Two clearances?" How did that work?

"I can try." Caitlyn nodded.

"How?" Ekko asked.

"I've…forged a document or two before." Caitlyn slipped her palm behind her neck and rubbed shyly.

"What is it with you people!?" She yelled aloud in astonishment. "It's like I don't even know you guys anymore."

Vi showing restraint and careful planning? Caitlyn doubting the top-side and forging documents? Was she dreaming? When the hell…? This had to be some sick, twisted reality she found herself in. Maybe shereallydid die in the tunnels a few nights ago. It's all been so weird since then.

"Heimy!" She snatched the yordle into her arms and stared into his bright blue eyes, no, she stared deeply into his soul, searching for answers amidst her dramatic performance. "Pinch me."

"That is entirely unnecessary dear. What has gotten into you?"

"She's lost it." Brina chuckled. "That'swhat's gotten into her."

"Guys!" Ekko shouted to regain control of the conversation. His hands slammed on the wooden table and all eyes were back on him. "We have a plan. Not just that, everything is falling into place now. We infiltrate the Dredge when the time is right, after that we target the shimmer factory, and then Sevika."

Yeah, that worked. It actually did seem a lot more feasible compared to where they stood just a few days ago. She nodded her head as she thought the larger plan over. Perfectly structured to weaken Sevika as efficiently as possible and oh boy was it exciting. Looks like she actually would get to see what prison was like.

Her sister suddenly stood up.

"If Caitlyn's going into the Dredge, I'm going with her."

"Care to see yourself become an enforcer, Vi?" The top-sider asked with a smirk. "I'd have thought the role would disgust you."

"I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you're safe." Violet replied in friendly banter while shrugging her hands.

"That works." Ekko nodded, before shifting towards the officer. "But first we'll need to have you go top-side. Get those clearances to enter the prison and report back when you think the time is best. Don't forget we're low on fighters too. Any advantage we can get will be our priority, prison layout, schedules, key targets, and what sort of resistance we can expect."

"Of course." Caitlyn confirmed.

"And lastly…" Ekko paused as he surveyed the entire room, his gaze lingering on hers a bit longer than the rest. She found herself bouncing in her seat as he watched her, excitement spilling over in the most wonderful of ways. "Lethal force is probably gonna be necessary. We've been careful every step of the way, but I don't see any way around it. It's kill or be killed in there…"

The statement lingered in the air for a moment. The expressions of everyone in attendance darkened in contemplation. She couldn't really see what the big deal was. So what if a few prisoners or corrupt guards died. They were bad people, right?

Easiest decision ever.

"If you aren't willing to accept what we have to do, say it."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Heimerdinger sighed and raised his hand in the air to gather their attention. "I'm afraid I won't be of use then, my boy. I will do what I can to assist you, but I will not take the life of a living being. Not like this."

"I understand Professor and I respect your decision too. Anyone else?"

Jinx eyed the yordle with a curious gaze. She knew that he was a big softie, a scientist that thought he could think his way out of most situations. But it just didn't make sense. He built their defense turrets, and she saw what they could do. What difference did the extra push to deliberately fight someone else make? Killing was killing. Death was death. Why care about how it happened?

Her head tilted to the side to stare at the ghosts lingering in the shadows of the war room. Her mind glossed over as her head fell downwards in contemplation. Yeah…death was death. It didn't matter if it was intentional or not. It's never mattered.

Silence continued to reign over the room and all eyes were back on Ekko as he nodded from their quiet acceptance.

"Okay then." Ekko sighed, "We've got a plan."

When the meeting adjourned, she was the first to make an exit. Entering into the cool air was a nice reprieve from the hot, crowded room and stress filled tension that clouded them. It was strange just how frequently she noticed herself breathing the fresh, crisp air. If there was some way to describe the feeling, nostalgia was the best word. Yet, that wasn't exactly right, was it?

"Hey!" Her sister's voice called from behind and she turned to see Violet and Caitlyn approaching. "You're okay with the plan?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" She replied with a tilt of confusion. What an odd question to ask. They were planning a prison break, how cool was that?! If anything, the day of the attack couldn't come sooner.

"Well…" Vi started only to pause and glance to the side. Her boots were shuffling in the grass, fidgeting as if she were uncomfortable. "...I just wanted to make sure you were okay with Caitlyn and me going into the Dredge."

Uh…yeah. She was pretty sure she was fine with it. Actually, not a single concern ever crossed her mind. Why did Vi care anyways? If she really thought about it, she was rather jealous. The idea of putting on an enforcers uniform, sneaking in, seeing what the prison life was really like before the Firelights blasted in. Eh…then again, she'd never once seen an enforcer's outfit that would fit her. Sadly enough, she was just too small.

"I'm fine with it." She confirmed after a moment. "Whatever."

"Oh." Her sister's eyes widened for a brief second, "Right, right…cool. Glad. I-I mean, I'm glad that you're okay with it. That's good."

Pink eyes narrowed. Seriously, what was up with her older sis? Was there something she wassupposedto say?

"Ahem." Caitlyn coughed into her hand as she shuffled closer, and placed a cupped hand to her ear. "Sisters."

Huh? Sisters? Was that some sort of code? What did their relationship have to do with anything…oh…OH! Her eyes snapped towards the top-sider's in appreciation as she nudged the woman with her elbow playfully.

I get it. I get it. Violet wanted reassurance! Or, maybe that was the wrong word too. She was still figuring this stuff out, re-learning how relationships worked, shit's complicated sometimes. But of course, Vi was running off into danger as she always does. Only, maybe her thoughts of the past that never once considered her own mortality had all but perished with their reunion?

There was a chance they could lose each other again…A brief moment in time, unable to help one another. That was the cost, wasn't it? Of feeling like sisters again? The fear that one day, they'd spiral back into the hell of loneliness. Her own heart was aching at the thought that now permeated her mind.

Maybe Vi had other reasons to be afraid, but surely that's what Caitlyn meant.

"Be careful." She murmured aloud. Even speaking such vulnerable words was hard. Her voice was barely a whisper. She raised her head to stare into Violet's eyes, more pleading than before. "You'll be careful, right?"

Vi nodded her head cautiously, clearly unable to manage speaking of whatever concerns were swirling in her mind.

They stood there for a moment, facing each other without words. She didn't really know what to say either. But…

She surged forwards and wrapped her arms around her sister tightly, squeezing with enough strength to convey what she really didn't want to say. There was a time when they were more open, more confident in sharing their feelings. But back then, they were just children, and the world didn't quite seem so harsh.

Her breath hitched when she felt Vi's strong arms reciprocate the embrace. Pulling her close into her shoulder and holding the back of her head in those large, wrapped hands. The hug was different than anything she felt before. Tighter, stronger, warmer, and entirely foreign.

Thiswas the closest person she had.

Pink eyes went wide as the faintest glimmer of tears pricked the corners of her eyes. With that realization, she clenched her eyes shut and buried her head into her sister's chest. It was easy to forget Violet sometimes. In all the chaos, new friendships, and new love she was drawing in uncertainty, but the familiar, unrelenting ties that connected her to Vi were always here.

There were different types of love. Finally, she could understand it at this very moment.

Caitlyn was a good friend. She trusted the top-sider and in a way, loved that feeling that had been solidified in their once rocky relationship. More and more she could be herself and accept the help that Caitlyn wanted to give. Ekko was more difficult. Messy in all the ways that had both her thoughts and heart searching for unsure answers. Where they were going, she had no idea, but there was a hesitant hope lurking somewhere too.

But Violet…she was…family. What they shared, what they were, it would never change. The love that bound them together was beyond a friendship, or a rivalry, it was undying, as long as they were both alive. Suddenly she was aware of the certainty, the security, in knowing that Vi would love her no matter what. Maybe she'd been told that a few times before, but only now did she understand.

"I love you Pow-Pow." Her sister whispered while they were wrapped tightly together. Those strong arms gave a little extra strength in their squeeze to emphasize the statement.

And that name…

…it brought a smile to her face.

In a world where she was alone, where a name meant everything, she would've been upset. She would have pushed her sister away and cursed for such an egregious offense. To call her something other than Jinx was to deny her identity. But…now, that silly childhood nickname was so much more than just an identity. If she could describe it, the name felt like a secret. A little token of love that didn't refuse reality, rather, it pushed beyond it. Not rejection. Not acceptance either. Something entirely, wonderfully new and yet still felt like home. If there was any way to understand the depths of her sister's love, it was delicately wrapped in that little name that had survived all these years.

"Love you too." Her sincerity was evident through the crack in her voice as she spoke those words.

They separated and her lips parted in silent shock as she stared into the depths of Vi's pupils. The older woman was smiling, biting her lower lip as if to stifle the cry that was bubbled in her throat. Whatever concerns that clouded Violet's mind were expelled that very second. Funny enough, like a two way street, she could say the same for her own fears.

She just wished she had a nickname for her sister.

"Jinx!" Her name was shouted out loud and her head snapped towards Ekko. He was waving, beckoning for her to come towards him.

The first thing she felt was irritation. Seriously? Couldn't she have a little bit more time with her sister? They were onto something here! Upon second thought though, the air between them grew awkward once more, because if anything was consistent within their strange little family, dealing with heavy emotions was not a strength of theirs.

"I should go." She said tentatively. The door was open for Violet to say otherwise, but the woman just nodded her head in understanding.

"Yeah, we should head top-side too."

Jinx turned towards Caitlyn who'd been diligent in keeping her distance and ensuring the sisterly moment was uninterrupted. That was nice of her.

"You should be careful too, Cupcake." She grinned while teasing, "I don't think you'll like the prison guard life."

"Yes well, I should hope you'll come rescue us when the time is right." Caitlyn smiled in return.

"If Ifeellike it." She joked before waving and trotting away.

Catching up to Ekko was easy enough. She spared the two women one last glance as they began walking towards the exit of the base to head top-side before turning towards the waiting boy.

"What's up?"

"I have a surprise for you." He gave a cocky smirk while motioning his head towards a direction to walk.

"I love surprises." She smiled while following along.

A quick notice of where they were headed made her brow scrunch in confusion. They'd acted as if they were walking towards the stairs of the grand tree, only Ekko passed the stairs without a second glance and headed behind them. Had she ever been back here?

There was nothing of interest really. A few cardboard boxes, trash, scraps that she'd maybe sifted through at one point in her time within the base, but he seemed to walk as if there was a particular destination in mind. They were facing the base of the tree now, staring at the bark and she couldn't help but scratch her head. Was the surprise not a place? Did he want to talk about something?

Oh no.

Talking…That started to fill her stomach with dread. She didn't really want to talk. Especially if it was about…that.

To her astonishment, Ekko instead reached for a small branch sticking out from the tree. Her eyes stared at the piece, oddly feeling like it was out of place. What kind of branch is lingering at the base of a tree?

He pulled on the wood and it made a mechanical sound. Amazingly the bark in front of them started to separate. A secret door!? Woah! On inspection, she couldn't believe she was so easily tricked. The bark was the slightest shade brighter than the natural color of the tree and the texture of the wall was certainly more smooth. Guess she didn't even consider the Firelights being smart enough to hide something like this.

The inner cavern that was revealed was a dark, hollowed portion of the tree that dropped her jaw. A memory of herself trying to throw a rock at Ekko's head was being replayed in her mind. Just before the Firelight's attacked the shimmer factory, their leader had disappeared out of sight. Was this where he…?

"You've really helped us over the past few weeks." Ekko's voice spoke aloud as he crouched and entered the room. She was quick to follow. "I feel like I can trust you."

"Can you?" She asked while dipping her head underneath the low door frame.

She wasn't exactly testing him with her words. More like, assuring herself that he wasn't crazy. Time and time again, she'd pushed things too far, often without intent. Was it okay to trust her with a secret like this? What sorts of things was the boy hiding?

"I think so." He confirmed.

She continued to walk forward in darkness, unable to adjust her eyes from the rapid transition of sunlight to shadow. A short grunt spilled from her lips when her nose poked into his back.

"Is this your brooding cave?" She chuckled. She could imagine that when Ekko wanted to hide he could come here. Away from all the noise and responsibility.

"Something like that." He laughed before clicking a switch and chem-tech lanterns came to life, illuminating the small space.

It was cramped in the room, only large enough to fit a few people and that was noticed the moment she could see just how closely packed the walls around them were. She poked her head out from behind his frame to take it all in.

Wires, scraps, tools, prototypes, a tinkerer's dream littered the walls, mounted on shelves or hooks. Her attention snapped to an interesting device. The cylinder used to hold the gemstone was laying on the surface of a small desk. She eyed the open container before shifting her eyes upwards towards many sketches, drawings, calculations. Were those…runes?

"Hextech?" She asked in curiosity.

His head turned to stare at his project and nodded.

"Yeah. That's not the surprise though."

"Well what are you doing with it? I could help you know."

"I know you can. I might actually need it too." He agreed, "But that can wait, and your surprise is over there."

She followed his outstretched finger to the other side of the room and gasped when she saw what was waiting. An uncontainable squeal of delight burst from her lips as she scrambled past the boy and nearly tackled the weapon hanging on the wall. She was quick to remove it from the hooks and scanned her eyes along its surface.

"Fish-Bones!" She cheered as if greeting an old friend.

How had she forgotten!? The blue and pink launcher was still in wonderful condition. She giggled with glee as she poked and prodded the sharp teeth in its mouth. Oh happy day! The amount of time she spent developing such an amazing weapon never went to waste. It was a miracle to feel the launcher in her arms once more. She pulled it close, hugging it to her chest and swaying on her feet.

"Oh look at you Fish-Bones!" She gasped once more as she held it up in the light to better see it. Her palm moved towards the lower jaw that had the slightest hinge and began fiddling with it, moving it up and down as if the weapon could speak.

"You came back for me Jinx!" She said in a lower pitch, making the launcher talk.

"Of course I did silly. I'd never abandon you, you know that!"

"I was beginning to think I'd be trapped here in this room forever. "

"No!" She gasped in astonishment, "I wouldn't let him keep you here. Never ever! And now we're together again. Isn't it great?"

She released the jaw in her palm and once again pulled the weapon close, spinning and laughing as one would in such a grand reunion. This was an amazing surprise!

"You uh…" Ekko's voice caught her ears so she turned towards the boy and stared at him quizzically, never once releasing her grip.

"Hm?"

"You talk to your guns?" He asked.

"Yeah." She nodded her head innocently. "Is that a problem?"

His lips parted as if to say something only to close for a moment. He turned his head which only revealed the blush darkening a portion of his face in the soft light of the room.

"No, no." He replied hurriedly before turning back towards her and offering an entertained smile, "It was just surprising. I-...uh…It's nice to see you happy."

Now it was her turn to blush. Blood rushed to her own pale cheeks. God! Had she embarrassed herself? Was this super unnatural? But he said he liked seeing her happy. So then, that was good, right? That meant he cared. It was sorta starting to dawn on her.

Ekko was kinda cute sometimes...

"I don't think we should use…uh…Fish-Bones, for the upcoming attack. It might be a little too explosive." The Firelight said.

Heh. Got that right. By her calculations Fish-Bones could level an entire building.

"But I thought it'd be good to get you armed. Your other surprise is on the floor over there." He pointed to her side and she smiled.

Fish-Bones was quickly placed back on the rack and she crouched over to grip the other weapon lying next to her. In her distraction with her rocket launcher, it'd been all too easy to miss. Her hand wrapped around one of the cool metal barrels and the other wrapped around the soft leather strap.

Her mini-gun was lifted into the air and the feeling of its weight was perfect in her palms.

"I can't believe it." She whispered in shock while staring at the gun. "And my pistol!"

Jinx bent over and grabbed her pistol lying close by. She was certain that the moment she was taken into captivity that she'd never see them again. Never be able to smell the wonderful gunpowder or feel the kick of the recoil in her bones, but WOW! How did the Firelights get a hold of these?

"We've had our fair share of encounters with Sevika's men before you got here." Ekko spoke as if reading her mind. "I recognized those and brought them back here. I'm glad it wasn't a waste."

"Me too." She whispered in awe. It was incredible! This was certainly one of the best surprises ever!

She continued to stay inside the room, unmoving other than to stroke the pads of her fingers over the brushed metal of her minigun and just ever so slightly squeeze the trigger of her pistol. Not to shoot it or anything…just to feel the pressure. To feel powerful again.

"Does that one have a name?" Ekko asked.

She followed his eyes towards the giant weapon in her arms, staring at the gun in contemplation.

"It doesn't."

"Oh."

But it should. It should have a name. Her most reliable friend. A weapon she carried everywhere in her early days with Silco. It didn't matter if she had to drag it in the mud because of her tiny size. It didn't matter that the recoil knocked her on her ass more times than she could count. This minigun, it'd been with her through it all. It was the bombastic, unwavering protection that saved her too many times in the under-city.

"Iwantto name it." She announced confidently.

"Got any ideas?"

Her palms shifted the weight of the minigun in her grip. She lifted the weapon to her lips and gave it a quick, loving peck. A name was immortal, unkillable. Even something like this, metal, nuts, and bolts, could have a name. It should mean something. Something important. Something that breathed life and meaning into even the coldest, most lifeless of objects. Luckily, she already had a name for it!

The perfect name.

"Pow-Pow."

Notes:

Annnnddd that's the chapter!

I had so much fun writing this one. I really feel like I was able to tap back into Jinx's silliness a little more and after everything that's happened up until this point, she can start to be less paranoid and kinda be herself. Maybe it was a bit over the top. Idk. But I really liked it. Also really loved writing the moment between Vi and Jinx now (Caitlyn keepin up the stellar support *cough* *cough*) I know a few of you mentioned that you wanted to see more between Vi and Jinx, I hope it was a really heartwarming scene.

There were also a few really fun references to League in this one. I'm a sucker for linking things where I can. Pow-Pow and Ekko noticing she talks to her guns. I think it makes the story feel more connected to the lore in a good way that others without any knowledge of League can enjoy. Please let me know what you thought about those mentions.

Lastly, the plot! We got a rough idea of where the story is headed now! Perhaps in future chapters you might start to see more links to League and have plenty of guesses to what might happen, but we're going to the Dredge soon! With Jinx re-armed, I'm sure it'll be a wild experience.

If you can leave a kudos, please do! I would really appreciate it. More importantly if you can leave a comment letting me know your thoughts about this chapter (or the story in general) I would like that very much! I've set aside a bunch of time today to really just hang out and reply to everyone that I can. Sorry about not replying on the last chapter's comments. I will apologize everytime because I may not have the free time to always respond. But I WANT TO. And your time and effort is valuable. So please never think that I didn't read your comment or ignore you. I get busy :p BUT like I said, I've committed to spending more time this week replying and I really can't wait to see what y'all have to say!

See you in the comments!

Chapter 27: Looking Towards the Future

Notes:

Hi everyone! It's been a week and I'm actually right on time :D

Chapter 27 is here and I think it's a good one, so I hope this post makes your day (or week) a little better. I hope you have fun reading it and can't wait to see what you think! Oh! And guess what? WE DID IT! This story is in the Top 3 Arcane fanfics on the site and I couldn't be more excited, proud, and just AHHHHHHHH! Thank you so much for supporting this story whether you've been here since the beginning or just finding it recently, or anything in-between. You're amazing!

So before you get into this chapter, let me just say that I have a BIG SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT waiting for you at the end! Of course I'd want to do something for the huge milestone that is Top 3 Arcane fics. I have a commission in the works that looks incredible and will share that when it's done. But that ain't the surprise announcement, I hope you find it as exciting as I do!

Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Well, in some ways it felt like an eternity. When her mind wasn't occupied with the upcoming fight, or searching for illusive answers to address Ekko's affection, life was downright boring.

So here she was, sitting in the grass, splintered training dummies scattered around her with varying degrees of damage from her minigun and pistol. Mindlessly shooting the targets to shreds could only distract her for so long. A small wood chip that had been cut from one of the many wooden enemies was plucked from between blades of grass before being lifted in front of her face. She inspected the damage, spun the little object in her fingers before sighing and letting it drop.

"Still got it." She spoke out of boredom.

Her shooting skills hadn't diminished in the slightest and after so much time had passed since the sharp tang of gunpowder permeated the air around her, it was definitely a point of concern. Ekko gave her back a piece of herself when he offered her weapons back. Like the little wood chip she'd snagged from the dirt, she wasn't sure the piece would easily fit back into place. Doubt was quickly banished on the first day of waiting. The following two days were just passing time. Until Caitlyn and Vi send some sort of message to the Firelights, there really wasn't anything else to do.

So…what else was there to think about? Moments like these were the worst. She could feel Mylo and Claggor's haunting gaze hovering behind her. Dark whispers that questioned everything clawed through the corners of her mind, almost impossible to ignore. Her pulse was beating rapidly under the obscure pressure. Too. Many. Questions.

What was she even doing?

That was a good one to start with. It had been so easy to convince herself that she just needed time to think things through. Maybe that was naive. Questions were supposed to answer themselves, it just took time. For most of her life, that was the case. Every failed invention, every puzzle had a solution. If time wasn't the antidote, overwhelming force and a little elbow grease seemed to work just fine. But her struggles weren't dealing with the top-side enforcers or putting a bunch of brutes in their place for defying Silco. An explosion wouldn't fix her issues with the Firelights, nor would it help her understand her place in all this, caught up with a bunch of ratty under-city freedom fighters.

And Ekko…

Damnit! The Dredge mission seemed simple compared to the task of understanding her feelings. Because, fuck, at least the latter didn't require some sort of icky, gooey introspection. It almost felt like she was carrying a pane of glass, sure to shatter the moment she fumbled, only the result wouldn'tbebroken glass. No. It was her heart that would be the collateral damage. That was scary.

"You look constipated." A voice snapped herself from her thoughts and she turned to glance upwards at the figure standing over her.

"Brina." Jinx's voice turned sarcastic. "Just the woman I wanted to see."

The Firelight scanned the field of broken dummies and stopped when she spotted Pow-Pow and her pistol laying in the grass. Gray eyes sharpened while a scowl began to form on the woman's face.

"That idiot really did give your weapons back."

She smirked. It was the simple fact that she could see the visible irritation on Brina's face. There were few things to feel victorious about these days. Brina's anger was definitely one of them though.

"I've been shooting for the past few days. Haven't you heard? Really making a mess of this whole training arena."

"Well, unlike you, I have important things to attend to. Meetings you aren't needed in."

"Oh!" Jinx perked up in mock surprise, "Can't have meetings without someone standing there with their arms crossed, bitching about everything. I'm sure you wereveryhelpful."

"Hn." Brina grunted as she rolled her eyes, "Hilarious."

"What do you want?" She repeated.

Infuriatingly enough, the other woman didn't answer her question. Instead, Brina scanned the arena before her eyes fell back onto her pistol laying in the grass. Quicker than she could anticipate, the Firelight crouched low and swiped the weapon into her hands.

"Hey!" Jinx snapped. Not cool! Touching her things was a total no no. It wasn't wise to test her like this.

"I came here to remind you of something." Brina spoke while closing a single eye and holding the gun outwards in her grasp. The barrel pointed down range to one of the many wooden dummies laying on their sides.

The crackle and pop of the gunshot rang through her ears as she continued to stare quizzically at the one person who seemed hell bent on ruining all her fun. Splinters of wood exploded outwards from the target with a direct hit. Probably a lucky shot.

"Cool." Jinx rolled her eyes, "You can shoot. You want a medal or something? Now give it bac-."

Her words were caught in her throat when Brina turned, pistol still outstretched and pointed at the center of her forehead. Her vision was crossed as she stared into the black center of the pistol. To say she was scared in this moment, couldn't be farther from the truth. Anger, shock, and defiance bubbled from within her core and her expression steeled into a glare.

"Trying to scare me?" She asked.

Brina's unflinching glare mirrored her own. The woman was just far enough away that she couldn't hope to dodge if that trigger was pulled. Even worse, the Firelight loomed above her seated position, casting a dark shadow over her body, like an active volcano on the outskirts of a village, helpless to the whims of fate. This whole situation had her teeth grinding in her mouth.

"I could save ourselves a lot of trouble and just pull the trigger."

"Why don't you do it then?" She taunted back. Fuck whatever games Brina was playing. She'd take no part in begging or pleading for her life.

"Because Ekko would never forgive me."

"Ah!" Jinx smirked with her pink eyes widening in realization, "I bet you're furious that he's keeping me around. Does it get under your skin? Do you hate him almost as much as you hate me?"

Brina clicked her tongue against her teeth and seemed to tighten her grip on the pistol's handle. Pink eyes darted to glance at the minigun within reach. Was she fast enough?

"No." Brina denied, "What Ihateis that you haven't once realized what you're doing."

She tilted her head slightly to convey her confusion. To the best of her knowledge, she'd been doing everything right. Well, mostly anyway. There were a few hiccups along the path she's taken, but helping the Firelights? Kidnapping Margot? Accepting friendship? Those were all good things. If this was about the stupid mural-.

"Where do you think this ends?" Brina snapped her from her thoughts. "You're so blind, stupid, but hey, you get to unleash the monster for a bit and have some fun, right?"

"I'm not a monster." She growled. Ekko said so himself, and maybe she was starting to believe it.

"You are!" The Firelight's voice was rising and suddenly the pistol aimed at her forehead was lowered as the woman began to pace side to side. "You're a fucking monster."

"You don't know shit."

"I don't?" Brina asked incredulously, "Let me ask you something then. What happens when all this is over? What happens when Sevika is dead? What are you gonna do?"

"I-..." She hadn't really thought about that actually. The future just seemed so far away. "I don't know. Maybe I'll travel the world."

"And leave your sister behind?"

"She'll come with!" Jinx responded confidently while crossing her arms. That was a guarantee. Vi would never leave her.

"So you'd force her to leave Caitlyn behind?"

"Er…no. Caitlyn…would come too."

Brina shook her head with a disbelieving smile, as if her responses to such sudden questions only further deepened whatever theory the Firelight had about her.

"You'd make your sisterandher girlfriend leave everything behind, just so you can find yourself out there? Give me a break."

"Fine!" She shouted, "I wouldn't do that! I get your point."

Suddenly Brina rushed towards her, throwing the pistol into the dirt and gripping the collar of her outfit to glare directly into her eyes.

"No you don't." She snarled, "You don't get it at all. You're putting everyone's lives at risk."

Her insides suddenly felt cold and a heavy weight was pressing uncomfortably in her stomach. That was the unsettling part. In her defiance and anger, she'd let the faintest ounce of fear slip between the cracks. And that left her with nothing to say.

"Let me spell it out for you." Brina growled, "You killed people. Innocent people. You don't just walk away from that. You don't get to find friendship and love and pretend everything is fine, because it isn't."

She winced upon hearing the razor sharp words tumbling from the woman's mouth.

"Top-side wants you in prison or dead. We took a risk bringing you here, but it was to get them on our side. You were nothing but a token of good faith. What happens if the council finds out you're free? You think they'll understand?"

Her face paled when she considered the thought of Jayce. He'd already seen her once before when they tried to steal the gemstones. And Viktor…she'd revealed herself to him. If that secret spreads to others…

"But I'm helping you beat Sevika." She struggled to ease the tension on her throat as she spoke.

"They don't give a shit what happens down here. As long as all the threats are tucked away in a little, inescapable box, they don't care. Butyou…you'd be the one that got out. The poisonous insect that they'd want to stomp into paste just to feel safe in their mansions."

"You're scared." Jinx grinned. It was so easy to see the vulnerabilities deep in those gray iris's. Was that all this was?

"Damn right, I'm scared." Brina clenched her fist even tighter around the collar of her top. "I'm terrified that top-side won't waste a single second declaring the Firelights an enemy of the state. You're just the spark. They realize you're free? They hunt you till you're dead. Fine by me. But it won't stop there. Suddenly we'reallterrorists and with Sevika gone, maybe they'll see it as the perfect chance to seize power down here."

"Shut up." She had enough of this. All these words swirled around in her head, aching as her blindspots were torn open like claws to fragile skin. Only thing left was for the blood and organs to inevitably spill to the ground.

"What happens to Ekko? Does he take the fall to protect us and give himself up?"

"Shut up."

"What happens when you force Caitlyn to choose between her home and Vi?"

"Shut up!"

"You keep on acting like you're able to do whatever you please. Like you have some sort of future. But that's gone. You don't belong here, up there, or anywhere other than a prison. You're not free. You never were."

"SHUT UP!"

She rushed forwards to capture Brina in a tackle and they rolled in the dirt, struggling with clashing limbs and shifting weight. Her vision blurred as knuckles roughly clashed into her jaw but reveled in the gasp of pain from the Firelight as her knee kicked into the woman's stomach. She used the opportunity to twist themselves into one final roll before straddling over Brina's lap.

A flurry of punches and swipes were sent upwards towards her face, desperate attempts to break the control of the fight that had been so quickly obtained. Her own hands swatted away Brina's attacks, maneuvering around each blow as if she were dealing with a flailing child. Her strength doubled Brina's, making it easy to pin two wrists in the dirt with a single palm. Her other hand lifted to form a tight fist, raised and ready to swing.

"Shut up!" She yelled as she struck Brina in the face. Her head snapped to the side from the attack.

"Shut up!" Her next punch landed in the center of the woman's face. Blood coated her knuckles as it spurt from a broken nose.

"I'm trying!" Jinx screamed in rage, before leaning backwards to roar into the open air.

Immediately after she began pulling at her hair, climbing up the braids until she was digging her nails into her scalp. A desperate attempt to settle the frenzied emotions bashing the insides of her skull. Her ghosts were howling, cheering as Brina's words continued to echo in her mind. Stop! Stop it!

"I'm trying!" She screamed again only to feel the rage morph into a strangled whine. Wasn't that enough? She wastryingto be better. Wasn't that…enough?

Despite her rationalizations, the sting of Brina's words continued to press into her heart like a knife, sliding deeper and deeper. She couldn't take it!

"Truth…hurts, doesn't it?" Brina's voice floated in the air through struggling gasps and wheezing breath. Her eyes, bright with fury, glared at the woman she'd so easily beaten. Yet somehow defeat tasted bitter in her own mouth. "You'll always…be…the bad guy. No way around it. So quit…the bullshit."

Her lips curled backwards into a snarl as she raised her bloodied fist.

Choke on this, stupid bitch.

"Jinx!"

Her eyes widened to the size of plates, anger drowned with the sudden impending sense of doom. Her head turned.

No. Nonononono.

Ekko and Marenth were frozen in place at the entrance of the training arena. Her gaze shifted to Brina below, sniffling through a clogged, bloody nose. Droplets of blood fell from her raised fist and splattered on the woman's cheek.

"I…I don't…" She tried to speak, only words never came. Sentences couldn't be formed. And all she could feel was the eyes of the people that surrounded her, imagining all the hateful, terrified thoughts lurking within. She could explain. It'd make sense if she explained! But…

"What the hell are you two doing!?" Ekko shouted.

She didn't turn towards him, didn't want to look at the rage that was sure to be ablaze in his brown eyes.

"I'm sorry." Jinx murmured under her breath, so faint that not even Brina could hear. "I…"

Her body didn't flinch when she felt his arms swing under hers to pull her off the Firelight she'd pinned to the ground. She didn't react when she was tugged to her feet and Marenth rushed past them to assist Brina. If Ekko was saying anything, she couldn't hear. Instead, she continued to stare blankly towards Brina who was spitting blood and mucus into the grass and rubbing at the red stains on her upper lip. Damnit.

Brina wasn't wrong.

The truth hurts.

They walked through the base with a pace slow enough to drive her crazy. The events of what had just occurred continued to squeeze the breath from her lungs and her body was trembling as her demons continued to laugh and cheer in the distance.

Ekko said nothing. He didn't have to. Anger was rolling off his body as if it were steam and the intense need to flee from him was tamed by his unspoken thoughts. What exactlywashe thinking? Not knowing was stacking her shame on thin shoulders, layer after layer it continued to weigh her down. She was slowing her pace. Taking shorter, less frequent strides.

Until suddenly, she was standing still.

The Firelight leader also stopped just a few strides ahead when he realized she wasn't following obediently. He turned to stare at her and she couldn't help but look away. It wasn't right, she was tough, fearless, and just silenced her biggest critic. But just thinking about how Ekko would look at her now, how he would realize exactly what she'd known all along. There was no reason to like her.

It made her want to cry.

Don't hate me. Don't hate me. Don't hate me.

Jinx clenched her eyes shut when he started to walk towards her. A bubble in her throat continued to bob up and down, silencing any chance of conversation. Her breath was beginning to heave in her chest as her pulse raced. Pale skin felt sticky and cold with sweat lining the surface and, and, and…the list went on.

His palm cupped her shoulder and she flinched, nearly cutting her lower lip as she bit into it.

"Wanna talk about it?"

She blinked. The beginnings of tears evaporating away as she did so. His voice…It didn't sound angry at all. There wasn't an ounce of rage that she could detect in his words. It was almost like…he understood?

"I hurt her." She said plainly. If she wasn't so confused, she'd be uncomfortable reminding the boy of her actions he just witnessed. It wasn't even close to a fair fight. She just kept punching, kept fighting and lost herself in the violence.

"Yeah, looked like you fucked her up pretty good." Ekko chuckled and she could only watch him laugh with a slackened jaw.

What?

What was happening? Why wasn't he shouting? Wasn't Brina someone close to him? He should be furious, screaming at her until his face was strained. An even deeper, cowardly fear was expecting him to strike her across the face. A shudder went through her spine at the thought. If he did, she'd understand.

But his behavior just made her unsure, confused, and most notably…annoyed!

"What'swrongwith you?" She gasped as her brows furrowed.

His palm lifted from her shoulder and Ekko took a step back, his own expression lifted in curiosity.

"Me?" He asked, "Nothing."

"Ihurther!" She emphasized. Did he not get it? She did something bad, something wrong! The blood was still drying on her knuckles.

He seemed to glance around, cautious of listening ears. With swift movement, he caught her open palm in his grasp and began pulling her towards the stairs of the grand tree. She was too confused to resist or ask questions, merely allowing herself to be guided as they stepped higher and higher.

They passed her bedroom, crossed the hanging bridge that connected to her favorite balcony. It wasn't until they reached a metal ladder bolted to the concrete walls of the hideout, that she realized they were going to the very top.

"C'mon." He said as he reached for one of the metal bars and began climbing.

She followed without question, too invested in what he had to say. Why bring them all the way up here? Was he finally going to yell at her? At least he was considerate enough to not embarrass her in front of the rest of the Firelights. While her stomach still flipped and turned with anxiety, she could try to calm herself knowing that much.

When they reached the top, she stared at the horizon, scanning the vast outer wilds that stretched farther than she could ever hope to see. It was an awesome view.

"Look," Ekko started and she turned to see him lowering himself to the floor and sliding his legs over the edge of the walls to let his feet dangle. His hands splayed outwards to grip the ground as he leaned backwards. "It's not that big of a deal. I think you're too stressed about it."

Not that big of a deal? Was he joking!? It was such a big deal! If he were the one with a bloody nose and Brina pulled her off him, she was absolutely sure that there'd be no end to the fury and threats roaring into her ears.

Wait.

Was this because of his stupid, careless puppy love? That had to be it, right?

"You're just letting me off the hook." She grumbled as she took a seat beside him, mimicking the way his legs dangled over the edge with her own. Just the mere act of swinging her boots in the air seemed to calm her further.

"Nah." Ekko shook his head, "I'm saying it's not that big of a deal, because it'snotthat big of a deal."

"Sure." She wasn't convinced.

"We're a family out here. We survived together. Fought together. Even with all that, we still fight each other from time to time."

He turned to glance towards her. She couldn't help but feel entranced at the sight of the bright sunlight highlighting his hair as if to turn it into pure white. His skin almost glowed in the light and his brown eyes sparkled in the strangest of ways. When she realized she was staring, she blinked and shook her head, breaking whatever illusion had her in such a trance.

He leaned further back on his arms and raised a single leg to balance the bottom of his boot against the edge of the cliff.

"Every one of the Firelights has been in a scrap or two with each other." He chuckled to himself before sharing, "I got my ass beat by Scar a couple of times."

"What'd you do to piss him off?" She wondered aloud. Though, the chirean did seem to be sorta snappy at times.

"Told him he was eating too much food." He smiled, "It was a real concern. Back then we didn't have a good way to ration our resources. And well, he didn't take kindly to me ordering him to eat less."

She giggled at the story. What a stupid thing to fight over.

"You're an idiot."

He spun to give her a look of mock offense.

"You'reone to talk."

"Hey!"

They stared at each other for a few moments, holding a mirrored expression of annoyance before they both broke the act and began laughing to themselves. The air was lighter in her lungs, her muscles felt less burdened from doubt and that uncomfortable dread in her stomach dissipated instantly.

"All I'm saying is, I've broken a bone or two in my day to argue over food. It didn't mean much then, and it sure as hell doesn't mean anything now. Brina probably said her piece and a bloody nose is just about what you would expect, right?"

"I think I broke it…actually."

"Ouch."

She stared at his nonchalant pose. Watched as he draped an arm over his knee and continued to chuckle to himself while staring into the horizon. He really didn't care? It was okay?

"She said some things…" Her voice murmured between them both as her eyes fell to her lap.

That's what this was about though. Truly. Those hurtful words that were shouted right in her face, forcing her to become consumed in rage. Beating Brina didn't make them any less true.

Ekko seemed to roll his eyes.

"I'm sure she did." He replied, "Brina's been in everyone's ear lately. Complaining how we're all fucked. Demanding that we toss you out before it's too late."

"She's not wrong." Jinx replied. Evenshecould see that Brina was considering the future of the Firelights in a way that she never could.

"Yeah well," The Firelight leader sighed, "Brina's smart.Andloyal to the Firelights. Been here since the beginning, always looking out for us. But she's not all-knowing."

"..."

She didn't know how to respond to that. Luckily, Ekko continued.

"Tensions are high right now. There's a lot at stake and trust me, I feel it too. I'm actually surprised it took this long for a fight to break out between one of us. But you shouldn't let her get to you. Brina's got an incredible knack for getting under someone's skin."

"You're right." She nodded her head and focused her eyes on the vast horizon. Didn't she say earlier that she wanted to travel? To abandon everything here and begin anew?

She glanced at the boy beside her.

For some reason, that didn't really seem worthwhile right now. The pull against her heart was just enough to keep her wanting. Like being tied to this place wasn't such a bad thing. Maybe…Maybe she should consider Brina's words more closely. They were raw, agonizing thoughts, stitched together by a truth she couldn't deny. But in this place, with this view, and by Ekko's side, the sheer weight of it all didn't seem quite so heavy.

They continued to bask in the sights for a while longer without words. The sun beamed down on her pale skin, warming it to the touch and she continued to kick her floating legs over the edge. Then a question appeared in her mind, breaking the slightest portion of bliss.

"Why'd you bring me up here?"

"It's one of the places I like to go when I need to calm down." He replied easily. "Almost feels like you're in the clouds when you're this high up."

She nodded, sympathizing with the feeling he described. She felt it too. A small sense of freedom returning after such an overwhelming event.

"You have a lot of places to escape don't you?" She giggled.

His bedroom atop the grand tree, his secret workshop buried underneath the stairs, now this place…the highest spot among them all.

"There's a lot ofreasonsto escape." He laughed.

Then they were quiet once more. She couldn't think of a single time in her life that she'd embraced the silence so willingly. Letting the soft breeze slip between her braids and cool her heated skin. It almost felt like there was nothing to worry about. That everything would work itself out. She may not have freedom like Brina said, but this place might very well be the definition of the word.

"I'm thinking of the future, Jinx." He said beside her in a lowered tone that it almost sounded like he was whispering. When she turned to glance at him again, he wasn't staring at her or the horizon. His eyes were focused on a mechanical pocket watch in his grasp. "Brina's not the only one who's considered our options."

"She makes a lot of sense though."

"The difference is, I'm gonna be the one controlling my future. Nobody else."

He almost sounded cryptic with those words. And even stranger, they settled in the air with a confidence that eased the tension in her shoulders. Like he was suddenly a man, a leader, and she couldn't help but feel like her concerns weren't even capable of ruining her mood. Where was the boy she looked down upon? Where did he find all this…strength?

Hmph!

Jinx crossed her arms and tilted her chin up in arrogance while her eyes shut. She wasn't about to be outdone either. So what if Ekko was suddenly acting all cool around her? She'd match him every step of the way, if that was the case.

"Then I will too." She declared. "I'll decide my own future."

Maybe if she thought long and hard about it, forced herself to look upon the abyss inside, those illusive answers to the impossible problem of solving her freedom wouldn't be so impossible anymore.

"Hell yeah." He agreed before grunting as he stood up. She broke her defiant pout to stare at his outstretched hand that offered her assistance. "We should head back now."

A smile stretched upon her face as she gladly took his hand in her own and was pulled upwards.

"Guess we gotta sit back and do nothing while we wait for Caitlyn and Vi, huh?"

He smirked.

"Wanna help with the new outfits?"

"New outfits?" Nobody told her they were getting new outfits!

"We're not gonna blast our way into the Dredge looking like Firelights. We're smarter than that. Can't have anybody guessing it's us."

"Oh yeah? Let me think…you're spray painting your green cloaks and masks a different color."

"Tch." He clicked his teeth with his tongue and spun around to head towards the ladder, but not before she could see the clear frustration on his face.

"Damn I'm good!" She pumped her fist in celebration before quickly rushing after the Firelight, "So what color? Pink? Blue? PinkandBlue?"

"Black." He grumbled as he lowered himself down the ladder.

"Ooooh. Slick. Sneaky. I like it." She spun as she gripped the sides of the metal bars. "Can I still put some pink and blue somewhere? I've got an awesome idea already."

He didn't respond.

"Ekko?" She tucked her chin to stare below and saw the boy already at the base of the ladder and walking away.

"Hey! Don't just leave me behind!" She shouted after his retreating form. "C'mon nobody likes a sore loser!"

She giggled as she slid down the metal ladder and chased after him.

Sometimes it was just too easy.

"Hnn, hnn, hmm, hnn, hmm." She hummed to herself as tinkered with the many scraps in the Heimerdinger's lab.

The morning of the next day came quickly after a fiasco of chores and tedious tasks were thrust upon her when she agreed to help alter some Firelight garments. Seriously! When Ekko told her they were spray painting the cloaks, she thoughtshewould be the one to do it! Jeez. You put one little pink and blue outline of a crow on a black cloak and suddenly, "She's not allowed to spray paint anymore". Fun suckers.

At least they let her have that cloak.

But the rest of the day was cleaning them, folding them, mopping up the spray paint that slipped past the tarp they laid out. Her shoulders were sagging just at the thought of it.

No!

She shook her head and focused on the little creations on the work mat in front of her. This was more her speed. Definitely in her element now.

"It sounds like things are coming along quite nicely." The yordle professor brightly commented as he walked into the room.

"Yep!" She chirped in response as she grabbed a small blowtorch and snapped her head downwards to lay a spark resistant mask over her face.

The flames scorched the metal pieces she was fitting together, fusing them into a tight little container full of wonderful surprises for her enemies. When she finished, she lifted the mask and wiped the sweat dripping down her forehead.

"I must say," Heimerdinger started to comment from behind so she turned to look upon the professor, "Your schematics appeared quite…crude. But seeing the creation in person, it's quite remarkable. You're a true genius."

Heh.

When she first handed the yordle her plans for a multitude of explosives he couldn't begin to comprehend them. Er…Nevermind that it was designed with crayon on a napkin from her breakfast earlier in the morning. It was the only thing she could find! And ideas demanded to be documented, lest she forget after waiting too long.

"I call these chompers." She grinned while plucking a hollow shell up from the table and holding it in the air for her friend to see. "They CHOMP onto a target and explode!" She lurched towards the yordle as if she was gonna bite him while she described the device. His resulting startled flinch was more than worth it.

"Ahem." Heimerdinger cleared his throat when he recovered from the silly tease. "Yes. A certainly unique weapon to say the least."

She giggled before tossing the inactive device back on the table and spun backwards to face the more important invention of the day. Ekko said they'd be blasting into the Dredge, which meant they definitely needed a little more firepower than what was currently on hand. Luckily, she was quite the master of improvised explosives. The Firelights could thank her later.

"This one's called Mr. Boom Boom." She wrapped two hands underneath the watermelon sized explosive and turned back towards the yordle with an unsettling glint in her eyes. "He's one of a kind."

"Yes…" Heimerdinger nervously acknowledged the bomb, quickly shifting his bright blue eyes from herself to the object. "An…apt name I presume?"

"I dunno." Jinx nonchalantly replied as she faced the table and dropped the heavy weapon onto the wood. It slammed on the surface, the sound reverberating through the small laboratory. "My plan is just to load this bad boy up with as many explosives as I can fit. Should do the trick and blast through any sort of wall that gets in our way."

"Right…"

"Oh!" She perked up at the sudden reminder and reached across the table to grab a few chem-tech vials. Thank goodness Heimy didn't throw out any of the materials from her butterflies that he de-constructed. "Time for the tricky part."

The danger was getting all these vials wired up inside Mr. Boom Boom without prematurely setting off any chain reactions. Eh…a pair of tweezers should be enough.

"Is that safe, child?"

"Of course it is!" She tried to give the professor her most assuring voice. "There's only like…"

Count it…Six? Seven? Hmmm should probably round up.

"...A ten percent chance of this thing going off."

She started to lean over the open hole of the metal casing and carefully held a small vial of chem-tech between two fingers and readied her tweezers in her other hand. Wait. She paused and lifted her head. It wasreallyquiet in here. Only the sounds of her ghosts and the jagged scribbles scrambling in her brain could be heard.

"Heimy?" She asked aloud, glancing around the room and not once spotting the little mustached yordle.

"Heimy?" She asked again as she bent over to check under the table and desks. Not there either.

What? Did he run out?Thatwas fast. Was it because of the whole ten percent thing? What's the big deal? That's like, one in ten chances of something exploding! Definitely a win in her book.

Oh well.

She'd just have to show him the finished product later.

Notes:

Annnnnnddd that's the chapter! Ending it on some laughs I hope!

While I definitely want to hear all about what you think of this chapter, I did promise a big surprise announcement! Y'all are the first to hear about the official thing, so please listen up and keep and open mind!

The announcement is...

A MY BOY SAVIOR FANART CONTEST!

I'm running a month-long event to host an awesome contest for artists of any skill to submit fanart related to My Boy Savior! [July 22nd - Aug 22nd]
The contest will include cash prizes from $100.00 USD to $10.00 USD and there's plenty of prizes for people to claim!

I wanted to think of a way to get everyone involved in something cool like this event, give back to as many artists as I can, have a friendly competition, and bring this story to life in new ways for all of us to enjoy! And at the very end, a gallery will be created to showcase all the submissions we get! Since this is the first ever announcement of the contest, I hope you think it's a fun idea. I hope that you want to support and participate!

All information about the Fanart Contest can be found on: (WHICH IS LIVE RIGHT NOW)

A tweet announcement will come tomorrow (July 20th) and I would love it if you retweeted, spread the event to others in the Arcane community, tell your friends, and really make this experience amazing! I've put everything in place, set it all up and we're ready to launch on July 22nd, from there, its you, my community, readers and fans, that can have fun and enjoy what you make of it! #saviorcontest

So much love for all of you 3

Was it a neat surprise?

Oh! And I'll still have CH 28 in the works and hopefully still on schedule for the usual week long posting schedule so if Fanart isn't your thing, no worries! The story will continue!

Chapter 28: Target in Sight

Notes:

HEY EVERYONE! I'm finally back with a new chapter! ACTUALLY...TWO chapters! My apologies for taking so long to update the story, it's been a crazy month. That said, these two chapters total roughly 18K words and I absolutely cannot wait to see what you think!

Thanks so much for continuing to support the story! Leave a kudos if you like it, or comment what you thought! I'm interested to see what y'all think of such a crazy arc hehehe.

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

Who was she without chaos?

Even as she drifted through her mind with the faintest glimmer of a day dream, while her head lay tucked into the crook of her elbow, she could imagine the chaos swirling around her. Her muscles were slack, her guard completely lowered, and the allure of a quick nap had wrapped itself around her body and she closed her eyes. A blissful, calm rest.

Even then…

Her brain would rattle off explosions within her skull, rapid gunshots rained over the outside world coupled with the white noise of scratching and chattering demons. Bright bursts of imagined fireworks, collapsing buildings, and the distinct sound of bullet casing bouncing on the concrete beneath. Within herself, a tornado of unpredictable terror spiraled from the top of her scalp to the very tips of her toes.

Chapped lips pulled into the slightest smile, as if everything was okay.

Becausethisreality brought comfort. It brought peace. If she could just dream for the rest of her days, finding solace in the sheer mayhem of it all was second nature to her. A sixth sense. She could connect the dots that nobody else could, laugh at the chain reaction of explosions and despite not knowing when or how the blasts would trigger in the moment. Joy would fill her heart as she giggled at all the startling surprises, like she was on a rollercoaster without any brakes.

However, in the end, everything would burn. And when her quickened pulse calmed itself upon imagining that inevitable ending, she'd just rewind it all and start again.

Theotherreality though.

"Is she even listening?"

Her nose scrunched itself as if she smelled something foul. What everyone else would call the "real world" was nothing but a sea of uncertainty. Betrayal, heartbreak, death, each concept lurked in the shadows of therealworld, waiting to eagerly tear their claws into her wary heart and there wasn't anything she could do about it. Not with everyone pushing her forward. They didn't even consider what would happen if she stumbled, faltered.

"Damnit…Jinx."

Maybe that was wrong. Maybe they were smart enough to know that she wouldn't stay upright so easily. In her bombastic dreamscape, none of this was an issue though. None of it. There was no stumbling, no uncertain fear or pain. Just bright colors to entertain her mind.

"Jinx."

Her head swiveled to search for the voice that spoke her name. Her bright pink eyes traveled across the ash filled sky of her dream. A warm sensation filled her palm and she flinched at the feeling before angling her gaze towards the contact. Fingers slipped into her own and her lips parted, bewildered as she realized the child was now standing beside her, holding her hand.

Dyed blonde hair, curly and short. Dark skin void of any concerning scars. And the brightest, most wonderful brown eyes that seemed to sparkle as the fireworks reflected above.

"Jinx!"

"Ekko!" She shouted as she shot upright in her seat.

Her eyelids fluttered, blinking away the dream as she shifted in her seat. Suddenly she was in the war room, surrounded by confused, irritated eyes and she stifled a giggle that bubbled in her throat. What a fun dream! She could still imagine the little bits and pieces that started fading the moment she was pulled from her imagination.

"You're really gonna sleep through this?"

Her eyes drifted towards the Firelight leader standing in front of a chalkboard. She narrowed her vision to better identify the images on the board and remembered how she got here. Caitlyn's report was intercepted by Andrei. Next came the important planning and blah blah blah. It got really boring when she had to listen to the Firelights argue and drone on and on about the most effective strategy.

Yep.Thatexplained the impromptu nap.

Jinx crossed her arms over her chest, unimpressed by the boy's attitude. She was their best fighter after all. He should be a bit more respectful.

"Can't you make it a little more fun?" She countered. "Obviously I'm booooored."

The slightest twitch of annoyance upon Ekko's pursed lips made her smirk as she leaned back in her chair. Messing with the boy was the easiest thing she'd do all day. But, her smug disposition was quick to fade when she saw him collect himself with the subtlest of breaths.

"I thought you'd like the fact that you get to handle the majority of the fighting, but if that's soboring, I guess you can swap roles with Scar or Brina."

Wait. Majority of the fighting? Her? She quickly sat upright in her chair as her posture straightened.

"Wait, wait, wait, say that again."

The smirk that settled on his face had their roles reversed in an instant.

"No, no." Ekko held up his hands in mock surrender, "You're right. I'm sure you'd have more following me and letting Scar and Brina do all the heavy lifting. Beating dozens of prisoners might be too much for you anyways."

Her hands slammed on the wooden table in front of her as she leapt out of her seat. The pathetic panic in her expression was immediate and involuntary.

"Like hell it is! I wanna fight!"

There was an embarrassing aspect to the conversation. She wasn't a fool to be played, and yet here she was, falling exactly into Ekko's persuasion, helpless to fight it. Maybeheknew her too well. It still didn't stop the desperation to catch up on whatever master plan had been drafted.

"Should I go over the plan again?" He asked innocently, as if she wasn't internally fuming at the little game they were playing.

Her head nodded eagerly, shame be damned. Fucking Ekko. Cocky bastard.

The boy turned towards the board and pointed to the large cylinder that had been carefully drawn. His finger rested at the very top of the sketched image.

"We approach the Dredge at night." He started, "Placing your explosive at this spot in the wall should give us direct access to the guard's quarters."

Brina spoke the moment their leader took a breath.

"That's assuming we can sneak past the lookout towers and get close enough to light the thing."

"Of course we will." Jinx rolled her eyes. Was she the only one capable of optimism and confidence? Also…it was really hard not to snicker at the nasally sound of Brina's voice from her injured nose. She'd already let her laughter slip the first time the woman spoke today and the Firelight looked ready to pounce immediately. Hah!

Ekko nodded his head in agreement.

Wow. She stood corrected. Even Ekko seemed to share her positivity this time. Good. It was about time that he trusted himself with a plan.

"Once inside, we'll have to move quickly. The security center is just down the hallway and with the element of surprise, we should have no issue sap bombing any resistance."

Sap bombing? Wait! Was that those orange crystal thingies she saw them use when they ambushed the shimmer delivery? Sap? Like tree sap? So cool. Bet it comes from the grand tree outside. She'd have to interrogate Heimy about it later.

"Andrei will have control of their security system while Brina keeps him safe. He'll guide us through each sector and make sure we keep everything contained." He paused to shift his fingers towards the center of the cylinder. "That's where things get tricky."

Scar seemed to grunt in agreement.

"The Dredge is a layered prison with three different levels. The upper ring is where most of the suspected chem-tech prisoners are located. The middle ring houses their labor equipment and branches towards different mining tunnels, and the bottom ring is the maximum security section guarded by an entire platoon of high ranking wardens. Of course, Urgot is being held at the very bottom. Lastly, there's a gaping hole in the center of the prison that their mining drill hollowed out."

"How is that tricky?" Jinx pondered aloud. "We just open up the gates, stroll through each ring, fight off all the prison guards and get Urgot. Easy Peasy."

Ekko shook his head.

"We're notjusttaking out Urgot. We have to create enough chaos to show the top-side that their prison is flawed. If they see that their prison isn't secure, they'll have to relocate any existing inmates to Stillwater. That's the best outcome."

"Sooooooo?" She questioned, unable to connect the dots exactly.

Brina entered the conversation with a sigh, "It means that we have to open up the cells too."

Ooohhh. So basically creating a prison riot within an infiltration scheme. Neat. They didn't need to say anything else, she was already bouncing in her seat eagerly.

"Right. We make our way through the first level. Scar and I will push ahead while Jinx stays behind. We only need to open one portion of the prison and everything indicates the top level is the easiest to deal with." Ekko shifted his gaze towards her and his brown eyes hardened as his expression turned serious. "Caitlyn provided us a list of the cells with confirmed chem-tech gang members. So we'll open those."

"Right!" She jumped to her feet and gave a few jabs of her fists in the air to emphasize a fight. A cheshire grin spread across her cheeks. "I put the hurt on those losers and make 'em beg for mercy."

"It won't be easy. It might not be the entire cell block, but there will be a lot of them." Ekko tried to quell her ambition, though there wasn't much he could say to get her mind off of how fun this mission was sounding. "We don't have time to wait either. This is a get in, get out mission. Top-side reinforcements would be too much to handle."

He took another breath before continuing.

"From there, Scar and I keep going down until we reach the lower ring. Caitlyn and Vi will be there to help clear the way past the armed platoon and get to Urgot."

Oh. Of course Caitlyn and Vi were helping with the plan. She'd almost forgotten that they'd be inside the Dredge when everything went down. How silly of her. She trusted the two women enough to know they'd be just fine in the fight.

"Escape plan is simple. Once Urgot is taken care of, we go out the way we came. Andrei and Brina will lock up and nobody but us gets out. We can't let anyone slip outside."

"Hopefully." Brina added.

"Well!" She clapped her hands together, "I like it. Not really much for plans to begin with, but I'll make an exception for you guys."

"You can handle that many prisoners?" Ekko asked. "We're stretched thin on time and people, but we can re-think-."

"You can handle that many- Of course I can! What kinda stupid question is that? They're all big dumb idiots anyway. Just leave it to me!"

Of course, there was the minor disappointment brewing within that she wouldn't be able to take on the big scary chem-tech gang leader, but who cares! She and Pow-Pow would have plenty of fun without him.

"Okay." Ekko sighed, "Okay. The professor and I engineered a few short range transmitters to keep radio contact once we're separated. If anyone starts to get overwhelmed, communicate. This isn't a suicide mission. We'reallcoming back from this."

Well that was a given. No way she wanted to be buried in some shitty mining prison with a buncha weirdos. Having the opportunity to fly somewhat solo in this mission was also a huge plus. There'd be no end to the carnage she'd manifest and finally, she could let loose with all she had. No more handicaps for her! No sir!

The Firelight leader scanned the room once more, making pointed eye contact with each Firelight before settling on her. The intensity of his gaze was nearly making her squirm in place, but she kept a locked stare with the boy's lingering gaze.

Wonder whatexactlyhe was thinking in that noggin of his?

"If there aren't any questions, let's gear up. We leave tonight."

She spun on her heels, breaking their eye contact as she grinned and marched out of the room. Gear up indeed! Her myriad of weapons were waiting for some action. A few giggles escaped her just thinking about it.

"Pow-Pow? Check. Pistol? Check. Chompers? Check. Mr. Boom Boom…"

Pink eyes raised to survey her bedroom and the large pile of gadgets, guns, and explosives that had been collected into a mess of a pile.

"Mr. Boom Boom…" She repeated, unable to spot her volatile creation. "Fuck, where'd did I put him?"

Damn. Normally she could organize herself amongst the clutter in ways nobody could ever understand, only her haste and excitement had really messed with her planning. She kicked her heel into the wooden floorboards and felt a slight weight push back against the act.

"Oh." She spoke while staring at the crumpled form of her black cloak. It was bulging as if it was hiding something quite large. "Duh. Why are you hiding from me? That's rude, you know."

Pale fingers plucked the cloth from the ground and beneath it, her buddy was revealed. The metal casing, painted with a large feral smile and X's for eyes staring up at her. Man, she really outdid herself with his design. If only the guards behind the wall could see him before the grand explosion.

"Ah, you know I can't stay mad at you." She snickered while pulling the bomb into her arms and hugging him close.

With everything accounted for, she placed the explosive on the floor followed by her hands settling contently on her hips. Until she realized there was a minor dilemma. Maybe a bit more than minor. How the hell was she supposed to carry everythingandride a hoverboard?

"Don't suppose you guys would help out?" She asked while turning to glance at the shadows of her room. The eerie forms of her demons skittered about, only ever laughing and replying with twisted, incoherent ramblings. "Course not."

Another shadow began forming on the floorboards, growing in size and length without ever taking shape of her expected illusions. She turned and stared into a broad chest belonging to the large frame of a Firelight in her doorway.

"What's up big guy!" She winked at the chirean as if his appearance wasn't startling in the least.

His looming presence would unsettle most, but she found that the man was hardly a threat. If the dozens of taunts, jokes, and pranks she'd pulled on him had been met with a simple glare, surely Scar wouldn't attack unprovoked.

"Question." Scar's deep, rugged voice spoke. He had a way of vibrating the air with words. It was kinda weird.

"Wait, don't tell me." She put a finger to her chin in thought before lifting it with a bright smile. "You want some spray paint on your cloak too, right? Ha! I knew everyone was jealous of mine. No worries! I'll sneak some from Marenth before we leave. What kinda symbol do ya want?"

His large arms crossed over his body, holding a tight, reserved stance that almost felt like he was blocking her from leaving. Okay…so maybe her guess wasn't that good then. Shoot. She'd still bet there was some truth there though.

"Why do you fight?"

"Why do I fight?" Her words repeated the question aloud. It was a strange thing to ask. What did Scar care? He'd never once approached her like this before. For all she knew, they'd grown to tolerate each other after the ambush on the Firelight hideout. His unrelenting stare left no room to deviate from the question either. It must be important or something. "Cuz' it's fun?"

Off the top of her head, that seemed like a decent answer.

"..."

Ooh. The darkening glare on Scar's face made her wince internally. Probably wasn't the answer the Firelight wanted to hear huh. Well it was the truth so…

"Not good enough."

"Well sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not like all you goodie two shoes. I just like 'splodin stuff. Simple as that."

"Liar."

Her posture straightened at the accusation, while her expression soured into something akin to a glare of her own. If there was one thing she really hated, it was the blatant assertion that she was untruthful. If the big chirean wanted to contest her statements, fine. Wouldn't be her fault if he wound up with a broken nose like Brina. Her knuckles were clenched at her sides.

"What? Not good enough for you? Should I make up some sappy claim that I want peace and love for everyone? That the undercity should prosper without those horrible chem-tech barons running everything?" She swooned mockingly as she spoke. "Bleh. Likethatwould ever happen."

"I want an answer."

"I gave you one."

"A real answer."

What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Arealanswer? There was nothing more entertaining than fighting. The smell of gunpowder in the air, the sparkles of fire and ash, sometimes she almost felt like she'd die without it. So there. That was her answer. Herrealanswer.

I fight because I can. Because I like it.

"Sorry for the disappointment." Her hands were thrown upwards in a shrug, "I'm not like the rest of you wannabe heroes. Just how it is."

"I fight for my child. For his future."

"How brave of you." She droned.

Her eyes drifted from the man in her doorway to stare at the heaps of weaponry behind her. This conversation was beginning to bore her. Just another Firelight attempting to force whatever silly morals they had onto her. As if that would change her. Make her better than what she really was.

Well, one thing was abundantly clear. She wasn't a hero. Wasn't a monster either. Just a girl trapped in the space between and drifting through life without purpose. Maybe that was another answer, though it was probably something neither of them really wanted to acknowledge.

"Why fight for the Firelights?"

"You sure are talkative today, huh?" This was definitely the most she'd ever heard the chirean speak. And what? He was having doubts about her now? That was dumb. Terrible timing if you asked her.

"You avoid my question."

"No." She spun to glare directly into the man's eyes and jabbed a finger towards his chest. "You just don't like my answer."

"True."

Ugh! This was more frustrating than dealing with Mylo or Claggor! Scar was the very definition of talking to a brick wall and it was making her agitated, twitching in her boots while she tried to reason whether or not it'd be a good idea to tackle the Firelight or shout at him to leave. What was the point in asking this stupid question! She should have lied, pretended that she was a changed woman, set on a righteous path in her time with the Firelights.

Who cares! She's fighting. They should be kneeling at her feet, thanking her for all the strength she brings and helping them win some stupid, pointless war with Sevika. But no, they all ask these stupid questions, keep poking a prodding her like she's some broken toy they can put back together how they see fit.

"What do you want me to say then!?"

"The truth."

For the love of-

"You want the truth?" She shouted, stomping her boot into the floorboards as she marched towards the man.

Scar tucked his chin to stare down at her and nodded his head, which only further spurred her rage. The chattering voices in her head were getting louder, fogging her thoughts and making it harder and harder to resist punching the chirean with all her might.

"Fear haunts us all, child."

Pink eyes widened at the sound of Silco's voice amongst the sea of voices swirling in her head like a hurricane. They sent an unsettling chill deep into the pits of her stomach as a distant memory of her father uttering that sentence.

"I'mnotafraid." She snapped to the side, addressing the ghost lurking somewhere in the depths of her mind. "I'm not afraid. You'll see tonight."

Scar seemed to quirk an eyebrow at her outburst, though her attention had already left the man to combat an invisible foe. It was ridiculous to think she was afraid. Afraid?! If that were the case, she wouldn't be so easily ready to throw herself into the battlefield, take up arms against enemies she could have avoided.

"Just keep quiet and let me handle things." She didn't need her dad of all things injecting random utterances to ruin her mood.

I made the choice to fight! I'm in control! All her ghosts would be there to witness the battle in the Dredge. She'd show them all just how unafraid she truly is and how much stronger she's become.

"You fight for them." Scar surmised as if he'd come to a sudden understanding.

A moment of shock seized her muscles. The mere idea of another person referencing her demons was enough to freeze the argument in her mind and pause on the spoken words. He was talking aboutthem, wasn't he? No. That didn't make sense at all. What a ridiculous idea. It was insulting. No.Revolting.

"You don't know what thefuckyou're talking about." Her words were whispered with a potent venom of anger. Her pulse was racing beneath pale skin. How dare he speak as if he understood. He didn't understand shit.

To think she would find purpose in battle, somehow fighting for the very things that have plagued her existence for years. They were disgusting nuisances, abominations. They hated her as she hated them. The dark reality that only she could see was NOT something to fight for. If she could kill them…

Suddenly, her breath was stolen from her lungs, unable to finish the thought because, because why? Why couldn't she commit herself to the idea? She's said it before. Shouted her intentions to kill them all again, right to their faces in a moment of overwhelming…

Fear.

The word echoed in her head in tandem with the words of her father. A revelation so damning that she couldn't help but feel like her world was imploding. What twisted, despicable world was she living in? As if everything she thought she knew, every truth, was fractured into question.

Was there a part of her that wanted them? A piece of her soul, unwilling to abandon the most vile connections of her past? Even merely asking the question seemed to permanently etch the belief in her mind. What if…What if they weren't…

No.

No, that couldn't be. She shouldn't even consider such ideas.

"Right or wrong."

She could hear the sound of Scar's heavy boots take a few steps towards her. Her entire being was shaking, contemplating when the opportune time to lash out would present itself. If the chirean laid a single finger on her…

He walked past her without speaking a word, crouching low to grab at her mess of weaponry and heaving her minigun over his shoulder. Her expression twisted into a snarl and her lips opened to scream at the Firelight to NEVER touch her stuff, only the words died the moment Scar turned and offered a small smile barely revealing sharpened teeth. It was a smile she'd never seen on the man before and the sight made her falter for a single moment.

She didn't even know hecouldsmile.

"You fight for someone. Same as us."

"I don't. I'm not like you." Her words balanced on a thread between absolute denial and crippling desperation. She hated how they sounded.

Even worse, she found herself joining the Firelight in picking up her gear for the fight ahead. The silent contemplation lingered in the air above them as she collected her pistol, explosive and cloak. There was so much to contemplate. And shedidneed help carrying everything.

He seemed to dismiss her denial with a grunt of his own, still assisting her with all the gear she'd need to bring on the mission. It didn't take long, but the settled conversation shifted into a quiet atmosphere. Could they just get out of here?

"..."

"..."

"He trusts you." Scar said as they both stood. His strange smile had long since faded and she understood the conversation had diverted elsewhere. Good. She didn't want to think about her ghosts anymore.

"You're talking about Ekko." She stated blandly. "He's an idiot."

He had to be. What sort of person with an ounce of intelligence could look at her, see her flaws and still find something to admire, to love? He even seemed to recognize the insanity of his feelings. What a joke. A sick joke that served no purpose other than to play with her heart.

"I trust him."

"Yeah, I figured." She mumbled as they both stood up, carrying her equipment for the mission. "All you Firelight's are stupid."

The large man started to walk out of her bedroom, her minigun slung over his shoulder. She followed behind, portions of her thoughts stuck in a trance as the conversation they had continued to bash into foundational pillars of her very essence. Even so, it seemed like the charged, tempestuous conversation had brought her closer to Scar than she could've ever predicted.

He might've stepped into her space, intent on quelling whatever concerns he had about her, but the air that settled between them eased her tension as well. She couldn't explain it. Not in the slightest. It was as if he'd entered her world with his abrasive attitude, shook the very foundations of her beliefs, then settled himself alongside her as if they were friends. The most confusing part…

It somehow worked. What's wrong with me?

"Do you trust him?"

Another difficult question. One she could readily conjure up some fictional reply to appease the giant, but her emotions were tangled in the idea. They were impossible to separate. The moment they shared atop the hideout came to the forefront of her mind, then when he rescued her in the tunnels, then when they flew towards the moon on hoverboards, and even before that as they fell from the top-side into the undercity. The recent memories were already distorting their way into beautiful reminiscences.

Trust was just a door. A stepping stone towards a reality she couldn't control. Her dreams couldn't protect her anymore, not if she breathed life into words that weren't able to be curated by her own caution. This was a step beyond comfort. The start of a commitment she wasn't sure she could fulfill.

"I want to." She felt her lips curve into a somber smile. Did Scar even realize that her words would reach beyondjusttrust? Probably not. But that was okay. She would mourn over her own helpless heart as it fluttered beyond her control later. "I really want to."

"..."

His silence almost felt like a promise, er…rather it felt like muted reassurance. Her words would not be repeated outside this conversation. As a man of few words, she was certain this was the case. So, she turned towards the chirean, clapping him roughly on the back and making the man stumble. Good. Her hit had a little force behind it. It was deserved for making her feel so uncomfortable earlier.

With her guard admittedly lowered, she offered a silly grin to match his frustrated glare.

"Guess that makes me stupid too, huh?"

They kept close to the shadows.

First winding their way through the sewer tunnels, then in the backstreet alleys of the under-city. She maintained a decent enough façade to appear oblivious to the tension in the air, though she couldn't say it didn't affect her. The usual tactics of whistling or skipping in her steps were abandoned for the sake of silence.

As their destination neared, the city grew colder, quieter. Despite taking uncommon paths towards the prison, they all noticed the lacking presence of life in the streets. It almost felt like they had long since crossed into the realm of the dead. The feeling was eerie enough to keep her eyes alert.

Black cloaks fluttered with the subtlest breeze and the world around them shuddered in the form of creaking wooden homes and squeaking rusted metal pipes. Even the bright green glow of chem-tech lights seemed lost in a place like this. Darkness covered them entirely. Where they were going, no citizen of the under-city would dare follow.

Eventually the maze of alleys funneled into the only major street remaining and they took hesitant caution as they left the shadows and continued forward. Her gaze flickered from the right to the left, watching for any sign of an ambush.

"Shit's creepy." Andrei muttered quietly to the group, probably a sneaky attempt to alleviate his own fear of the situation. Heh. Really shows his inexperience. "Nobody lives here?"

"Doesn't surprise me." Ekko replied from the front of the pack, "When they're mining during the day, this whole area shakes from the tremors. It's practically uninhabitable."

"I used to hear stories of enforcers pulling people off the streets at night and throwing them in the Dredge when they needed more labor." Brina said, "Just like that. You don't come home for dinner. Your whole life is stolen from you."

She rolled her eyes, uninterested in the way the group seemed to shiver at the woman's words. Just another tale to prove that the weak were worthless. If you were weak here, you already lost your life one way or another. To be weak was the ultimate sin in this world.

Suddenly Ekko paused at the corner of an abandoned shack. The holes and cracks that littered the building only further proved the absence of life. This was their final opportunity to gather their resolve. She could see up ahead that the street came to an abrupt end, concrete bricks sticking out of the ground, no doubt jostled by the intensity of the mining operation up ahead. Just because the street ended, didn't mean they needed to stop.

There was a clearing beyond the streets. Hundreds of meters of empty space filled the horizon and at the very end, a large metal structure that looked more akin to a factory than a prison towered over the land. In the pitch black, her attention was captured by brilliant beams of light that rained upon the ground from outpost towers. They swept the prison grounds in rotations of separate yet organized movement. They were so bright, it was as if the light was actually solid, tangible to the touch.

Pretty.

"Alright," Ekko started as he stared ahead, "Let's mic up here while we have the chance."

"Okie dokie." Her reply received a few judgmental stares, as if they were surprised how nonchalant she sounded.

Jeez. A little life or death mission never hurt anyone. Wait. That contradicted itself, didn't it? Still, the Firelights were a bit too uptight for her tastes. Then again, every mission she could recall with Silco had similar situations play out among the crew.

Pale fingers plucked an earpiece from her pocket and inserted into the crevice of her ear thinning her digits across a small antenna with a mic at the end to place it near her lips. A little 'click' of the dial introduced a miniscule amount of audible static.

"Everyone hear me?" Ekko asked while his voice doubled in her ear. They all gave a nod and he gave a quick thumbs up in response."We'll have to hold off on riding the hoverboards till we get to the wall."

"It's really dark out there." Andrei murmured as the boy gazed towards the prison. "Good thing the cloaks will blend right in."

"No shit." Brina scoffed, "That's why we painted them."

"Do you have to be a bitch about it?"

"Well you've been talking our ears off the whole way here. It's annoying."

"I can't help it! I-."

"Relax." Ekko cut between the bickering as he turned to face the two Firelights. "We're all nervous about this. I get it. But we need to focus."

"Speak for yourselves." Jinx smirked while crossing her arms, "I'm cool as can be. This'll be fun."

"Funisn't the word I'd use." Brina replied.

It was easy to ignore the woman, much to her delight. She took a moment to collect her gear, double check over everything to be sure it was in the right place at the right time. Scar seemed to notice and pulled the straps of her minigun over his shoulder and offered the weapon.

"Thanks big guy." Her grin was acknowledged with a simple nod and now she had her minigun tight in her grip.

When all the preparation was accounted for, Ekko reached behind his head to pull at his black cloak. "Hoods up, masks on."

With a quick nod of her head, the black mask that had been resting atop her scalp slid down her face to cover pale skin and she lifted the hood of her cloak to further shadow her visage. The rest of the Firelight's followed suit until they were completely shrouded.

After a few moments of silence, her muscles were beginning to feel restless. She leaned her shoulder against the wooden frame of the shack beside them, arms still crossed as her eyes swept over the prison once more.

"So we just wait?"

"Caitlyn will give the signal soon."

"Howsoonis soon?"

"Soon." Ekko repeated with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm just askin."

"Have a little patience."

A minute passed. Then another. Not a single word uttered amongst the group. And holy shit it was bothering her! She didn't exactly want to spend her entire night posted on the outskirts of a prison, waiting for some random signal. She could just speed right past those pesky lights and plant the bomb herself. It'd take like…2 minutes. Less time then they'd spent just waiting!

"..."

"..."

"Okay but like, are you sure Caitlyn said she'd give a sign?"

"Jinx."

"I'mjustasking. Jeez. Don't get your panties in a twist."

"..."

"..."

"How much longer?"

"Oh my god."

"It's a question!"

"I don't know. Five minutes?"

"Five minutes!?"

Brina suddenly groaned in exasperation, "Can you just shut up?"

"What if Caitlyn's in trouble? Didn't think of that, did you?" She tapped her foot against the concrete over and over again in an effort to give herself something to do. "For all we know, Cupcake got caught and we need to rescue her before-."

Before she could finish her sentence, one of the guard tower lights seemed to flicker before shutting off. The absence of its presence left a portion of the courtyard consumed by darkness. She could already sense Ekko's smug smirk despite his face being masked.

"Yeah, yeah." She pouted, "Patience. I get it."

God that word was gross. Her improvised plan woulda worked too.

Without further delay, the small team began running towards the Dredge, twisting their approaching path to avoid the existing lights and aim for the dark portion that would allow them to slip by undetected. Her breath heaved from her lungs as she ran. Carrying all these weapons was a bit exhausting. Thankfully it wouldn't be too much longer before she could ride the hoverboard on her back.

They approached the concrete wall, finally. She pulled Mr. Boom Boom from her back and held the explosive in her stretched out hands. One last glance of appreciation and a kiss on a painted smile for good luck, then she was ready to place her creation at the base of the wall.

"Be a good boy and explode lots, okay?" She smiled at the bomb and tilted her head towards her team, already in position a safe distance away from the blast site.

All it took was the press of a button and the internal timer began ticking. Her hands dropped the bomb, resting it in place as she skipped away. She had enough time to pull her hoverboard from her back, and set it on the ground. Ahhh. Much lighter already.

As the timer continued to count down, each second passing with a definite click, she crouched low to switch her board on. The green glow shined in the darkness, illuminating her face and ruining whatever night vision her eyes had been adjusted to. Immediately more green glows began sprouting underneath each of the Firelights, levitating them just a few inches above the ground.

"Let's do this." Ekko's voice disrupted the static in her radio piece, "No mistakes."

Right. No mistakes. In all her confidence and composure, her goal was still clear. She wouldn't screw this up. There were people counting on her, friends. Were her ghosts watching? Of course they were. They better pay attention.

She'd show them just how strong she's become.

.

.

.

And then the explosion came. The blast blinded her for a split second, her ears ringing from the screech and the very foundations of the wall shattered as the world rumbled around them. Smoke and debris clouded the blast site, but that didn't matter. It had all been calculated. Their opening was made. So she pressed her heel on the accelerator of her board and rocketed towards the hole.

Firelights close behind.

Notes:

Hi again! Hope you liked the chapter :D It was a necessary one to write, fully setting up the largest chapter I've written yet, and don't worry about leaving a comment on this one since there's already another chapter waiting for you ;)
(Unless you want to leave a comment on this chapter you freaking rockstars!)

Anyways, I'm keeping this note short so you don't have to listen to me ramble about my excitement. See you on the next page!

Chapter 29: Party in the Dredge

Notes:

Whew! Second chapter of the day - 12K words on this one. It's A LOT. I almost thought about splitting into three chapters but I can't just leave my readers hanging after such a long break! Again sorry about that. I think I really pushed myself with this one. I hope the quality stands up for how much this chapter covers and I hope that you all keep me honest with your feedback! I love all the comments I receive and I know that you all are such wonderful people that are so eager to enjoy more Arcane content. I'm honored to be able to provide that for you 3

So please enjoy, leave a kudos if you can, let me know what you think! There'll be so much to talk about at the end!

Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

"Head's up!"

Her cheerful shout never had a chance to be processed by the guards. She zoomed past them at full speed, waving towards disoriented wardens before they were blasted by sap grenades. The Firelight's behind her threw dozens of the crystalline orbs, freezing their enemies in place one after the other.

Quickly spotting the exit of the room, she curved her board with a lean of her body and rushed in the hallway. Sirens screeched through the air, drowning out startled voices echoing from behind. Looking ahead, she could see a few wardens scrambling to pull their guns upright. Too bad they weren't quick enough.

She ducked low to her board, holding onto the frame to kick out a single leg into one man's shins. While he fell, agile fingers swiped her pistol on her hip and fired a single shot into his partner's side. They crumpled to the floor over each other, gasping in pain. It was just that easy.

Maybe Ekko would like that she went with a non-lethal shot to the side? She glanced backwards just in time to see the Firelight leader cover the downed guards with another sap bomb, rooting them to the floor. His head gave the slightest nod and she smiled.

Chem-tech powered ceiling lights blurred above them as they continued to speed through the hallway, her cloak flowing like water behind her. If she weren't so alert, she would've missed the sign on her right, marking the security room. It didn't matter though. Ekko was already on the radio.

"Brina, Andrei."

Brina's voice came over the comms quickly after.

"We see it. Go on ahead."

"Right."

The two Firelights split from the group, leaving Ekko, Scar and herself to venture forth towards the very core of the building. A pair of steel doors blocked their path just up ahead, but that was just child's play. With a wild grin, and heart aching for action, she whipped her minigun from her back and held the trigger. It took only a second for the barrels to spin up before the overwhelming power of her bullets began vibrating in her palms. Bullets riddled the sealed entrance, sparking and denting the metal surface. With focused fire, she targeted the hinges and watched them shred apart.

"Let's get this party started!" She shouted excitedly as her weight shifted to the back of her board, raising the tip in order to slam the doors with the underside of her momentum.

As expected, they split apart, flying off their hinges and giving way to the upper ring. For the first time since entering the building, her heel was off the accelerator, and her body shifted once more to slow into a quick stop. It was important to take a moment to survey the surroundings. Well,Ekkosaid it would be important. Not like she really cared. More surprises meant more fun after all.

Oooohhh. Now I get it. The sketch of the prison didn't make much sense in the war room, but with new context everything seemed to click into place. Directly in front of her, a gated checkpoint with a '1' placed on a sign blocked the upper ring. Beyond the gates she could see the wall on her left curved right with a rounded angle, closed prison cells neatly packed next to each other. On her right, there was nothing but a railing. She was close enough to peak over the edge and stare down the giant hole in the center of the Dredge. Far as she could tell, there wasn't even a bottom. The hollowed out space seemed to never end, eventually disappearing into an abyss.

"Woah."

Pink eyes drifted up, lips parting in muted shock as she stared at the largest drill she'd ever seen in her life. It was the same size as their airship! The mining drill was suspended in the air, no doubt inactive, yet surely capable of extending into the depths. High strength cords seemed to brace the machine against the ceiling.

Ekko and Scar leaned into a smooth stop just behind her.

"Looks like our info was right." Ekko said after taking in the environment. "That's one big ass drill."

"Hn." Scar agreed.

"I want one."

"No."

"Party pooper."

One of these days Ekko would have to give in to one of her crazy ideas. It was bound to happen. Maybe she just had to keep wearing him down, find a breaking point, and then bam! She'd have a mega drill in her bedroom. Shit. It wouldn't fit, would it? Whatever, that was a future problem with a future solution. Oh! She could justusethe drill to dig a hole for it to fit nice and snuggly in- No! No. There were more important things to think about right now.

Unfortunately...

Her eyes dropped from the mining contraption to spiral along the walls, watching them slowly descend. Several levels down marked a particularly large steel barrier. She squinted to barely make out a red painted number on its surface.

"Middle ring is waaaaaay down there."

"Looks like it. The scale of this place is even bigger than I thought." Ekko commented, "Doesn't change anything though. Plan's the same."

It was that exact moment Andrei's voice came over the radio.

"All set boss."

Boss? What, was Ekko their boss now? She hadn't heard the boy address Ekko in such a way before. Well, she definitely wasn't calling the Firelight 'boss'. Screw that. The little brat was just a suck-up.

"Lock us in." Ekko replied with a finger pressed over his ear.

Gears began clicking within the walls of the complex, whirling to life as a sheet of metal poured out from a large gap in the ceiling. The blasted open doorway was covered as the material slammed down from above and blocked their escape. Despite hovering, she could sense the vibrations of the barrier's weight rumble their surroundings.

Something was missing though.

"Where's Cait and Vi?" She wanted to surprise them with her grand entrance. Forgotten disappointment was returning.

"They should be waiting on the lowest level." Ekko said, while peering over the edge, "Can't see it from here. But they'll be down there."

Damn. Maybe she could still catch up in time to fight Urgot if she was quick enough with the prisoners on the upper ring. Then again…Her head was almost dizzy counting all the cells on their current level. So many prisoners to fight.

"You good?" Ekko asked and she spun to give him a perky thumbs up. He raised his finger to the side of his hood once more, "Open up the first level."

A red light positioned on the wall next to the gated checkpoint switched to green while an audible click forced the metal sliding door to part. Their boards began to glow beneath them as her heel once again found the accelerator. Together they shot through the entrance and began speeding past the cells as they descended.

She giggled and waved at all the shouting prisoners, their arms outstretched through spaces in their barred cages. Some had expressions of hope, others appeared to be cheering for them as they passed. Heh. Wonder how long it'd take her to break their spirits? She'd mentioned to Ekko that they didn't even need to open the doors. It'd be like shooting fish in a barrel. He wasn't too much of a fan for helpless slaughter though, actually he preferred that she kept the lethal force to a minimum. Now she had to agree. It'd be so much more interesting to give them a fighting chance. Really work for their freedom. Not that freedom was a possibility either. But they didn't know that!

Talk about akillerprank!

Mylo seemed to enjoy her sadistic thoughts too, cackling like a mad man from over her shoulder.

Suddenly a baton was in her face. With wide eyes she arched backwards, letting the weapon slip just over her nose. Her balance nearly collapsed under the quick action, forcing her hoverboard to shake and falter, though she recovered soon enough. Just as she was about to turn around, the sound of armor hitting concrete coupled with a pained grunt confirmed that the stray had been taken care of.

"Hey!" Ekko snapped angrily towards her after freezing the man to the floor with sap. "Pay attention!"

"I'm fine!" She snapped back.

She didn't need some babysitter telling her what to do. It was just one guy and he couldn't even touch her. The yelling was uncalled for, made her defensive, irritated, least of all angry.

"You know there's patrolling officers in here." He continued, "Don't let your guard down."

"Quit whining and catch up."

"Dammit! You know how impor-." The Firelight stopped once he glanced towards his companion. The chirean simply shook his head as if to indicate a fight wasn't worth it. At least someone was on her side…sorta.

They arrived at the second checkpoint just a few seconds later. There may be multiple floors to each ring, but full speed in a hoverboard made the trip short. They're only opposition were a few more guards attempting a shitty ambush. They failed immediately.

"Andrei we're at the middle ring." Ekko radioed to the boy in the security room. "Open it."

"You got it!"

As the second gate opened, Ekko and Scar turned to face her. She smiled under her mask, itching for the chance to tell Andrei she was ready.

"You sure you can handle this?"

She blinked away her thoughts of the future carnage that would take place any moment now to glance towards Ekko. She couldn't see his face, couldn't see the worried expression that certainly marred his features, but the tone of his voice was easy enough to identify. It made her roll her eyes yet again. Did he ever listen to her?

"I told you, I'm good. It'll be a piece of cake!" Her thumb jabbed itself over her shoulder to point behind them at all the cell blocks. "These jerkwads won't even land a scratch."

The boy turned to stare at his partner in silent contemplation. Whatever unspoken conversation Scar and Ekko shared was unintelligible to her. Just black masks studying each other until Scar nodded his head. The moment was broken as Ekko slowly hovered closer.

"You need any backup, radio for Scar. He'll come back to help."

"I'm telling you I won't need help."

"Just…" He sighed, fidgeting with his cloak while he averted his eyes to stare at the prisoners roaring in their cells. "Just promise me."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Jinx. I'm serious." His gaze returned to stare into the holes of her own mask. "I'm not gonna lose you, right?"

It was a simple question, just a simple question and yet their history turned those words into something greater. Inexplicably, a lump formed in her throat while her heart frustratingly warmed. He wasn't referencingthatconversation was he? Now? This was totally not the time! She couldn't just brush it off like any other conversation. What a dick!

"I-."

Fuck, it was hard to even speak. To be reminded that he cared for her just before entering into a prison riot. Maybe he cared for more than anyone else in this shitty world and that thought alone sent her spiraling. Damn him. He just broke the illusion of the game with those words. How could she focus on fighting while- No. She was just flustered. Just flustered. The feeling would pass as quickly as it came.

It had to.

Even so, there was still this awkward, suffocating tension in the air, and she could feel the growing weight of her own soon to be spoken words. Her fist punched him in the shoulder, that was all she could think of to break the spell. It didn't stop her cheeks from heating up though. Thank god for the mask.

"Ow."

"You won't lose me." Jinx muttered quietly, as if she were admitting far more than she wished. She couldn't even look at him. Ugh! This was so embarrassing. "We promised…you dork."

"Good." He replied softly while motioning towards Scar that they were ready to proceed. "Let's go."

The two men flew through the checkpoint in a blur of speed. A quick communication to Andrei closed the gates behind them, finally enclosing her in the upper ring alone. She clicked her teeth with her tongue, watching the green glow of their boards get further and further away before rounding the curved corner. Pink eyes lingered on them even longer, glancing towards the railing and watching their descent for a few spiraled levels before finding the ability to breathe.

One long breath in. One long breath out. Inhale. Exhale. This was all Ekko's fault. Stupid boy. He didn't need to go playing with her emotions like that. The idiot probably didn't even know what he did. She'd call it selfish if not for the butterflies pooling in her stomach. In the end, it felt good to know he cared, to know that he was worried for her. Maybe after this mission she could…

Argh!

She punched her fist deep into her own thigh in frustration. The stinging pain was enough to clear the fog in her head, empty her thoughts. There was plenty of time in the future to wonder about such things. Her board began to spin in place, redirecting her body to face the uphill battle ahead. Her fingers reached for the minigun strap on her shoulder before pausing.

Nah. Not yet. She had some emotions to work out and these prisoners would be the perfect punching bag. Her finger lifted to press into her earpiece while her foot arched to hover just above the accelerator of her board.

Here goes nothing.

"Alright brat…Open the cells."

They opened all at once.

Each cell door containing a chem-tech gang member in the upper ring snapped open accompanied by a loud bell ringing hard enough to rattle her ear drums. The tone was accompanied by an automated announcement echoing through the halls.

[MORNING SHIFT: ALL PRISONERS LOCATE YOUR MINING TOOLS ON LEVEL 2 AND BEGIN WORKING IMMEDIATELY]

The voice made her giggle. It felt so ironic, like an unintentional mirror being held up to the never ending conflict between Piltover and Zaun. Top-side decreeing their precious orders, oblivious to the true reality beneath their great city. While all these trenchers ran amok, warring with themselves and too distracted to care. Hilarious!

The inmates rushed out of their cages, with many showing expressions of excitement and hope. Too bad she had to crush their dreams of escape. Hey. She was just doing her job. Didn't mean she didn't have to enjoy it either. Her hand lowered to palm her pistol's grip, waiting for the first sign of trouble. They could make it as easy or as hard as they wanted.

"Hey creeps!" She shouted as loud as she could. When enough people paused and turned towards her, a feral smile stretched across her cheeks. "You wanna escape?"

A chorus of cheers and shouts drowned out the ever-present sounds of the alarm blasting from the above-ground facility, however muted it was through these concrete walls. Their eager voices rumbled through the air. Perfect. All that's left was to offer them a deal they couldn't refuse.

"Well you can't!" They paused, confused and wary. "Unless you kill me!"

The stares she received weren't exactly what she expected. Not at all. The following collection of laughter and snickers weren't great either. Were they…? Hey! They were running away from her! What the hell?! That wasn't the plan!

Like a rampaging horde of animals, the prisoners ran towards the top floor, ignoring her shouts to stop. Her voice was drowned out, practically muted compared to the roars of excitement and stomping boots. Shit. This seemed so easy in her head, there wasn't even the slightest consideration that it'd be difficult to even get them to fight! Ugh. Maybe she should've known better.

The chem-tech in her board glowed bright as she pressed on the accelerator, speeding after the mob. It was easy to catch the stragglers in the back of the pack. She neared one and yanked on his collar, throwing the man onto his back. His face met the barrel of her pistol and his gray eyes went wide.

"Fight me!" She shouted, still needing her voice to be heard above all the chaos. God she was gonna shout her voice raw at this rate.

"What are you fuckin' crazy lady? We gotta get out of here!"

Seriously? Maybe this one was just stupid.

"Hey you!" She spun, pistol aimed for the center of another man trying to rush by, "Fight me!"

"Outta the way bitch! I'm leavin' this place."

She swerved away from the man as he ran past, scratching her temple with the tip of her pistol in confusion. In her distraction the man she downed also got to his feet and raced off. Really?Really?All this time spent thinking about her fighting strategy, how she would manage beating down a bunch of criminals, and this is how it went down? They didn't even think twice! They laughed at her!

Fuckers.

With a groan of frustration she sped towards the ground floor, riding fast and climbing up the many floors, traveling alongside the sea of people. Not once did a single person spare a glance at her unless it was to enviously watch her speed past on the hoverboard beneath her feet. Nope. Her eyes didn't deceive her. Not a hostile glare among them.

Ho boy. This was getting complicated, wasn't it?

Upon reaching the highest floor, her nose wrinkled at the sight of prisoners crammed against the closed checkpoint while they bashed against the impenetrable metal with their bare fists.

"Hey!" She tried once to no avail. Nobody turned to face her. "Hey!"

Nothing.

Okay then. First things first. Get to the front of the line and push them back. That'd be a start. Then she'd figure out how to get the whole battle started. With that simple plan, she backed up her board just a bit before rocketing towards the group. No way she'd make it through them, which meant…

Her board lifted in the air, levitating higher and higher until she could clear the space above the many heads blocking her path. Desperate hands sprung upwards from the mob, reaching for her as if she could help carry them to their fantasized escape. Her head shook with disappointment. This was just pathetic.

The Dredge was supposed to be the baddest of the bad. Such a let down.

When she reached the front of the chaos, she hovered high in the air. The sheer number of inmates beneath her made it impossible to count the numbers. So many voices, so many heads.

"Will you listen to me!" She yelled as hard as she could and still her voice died in the crowd. "God dammit!"

Her pistol lifted in the air and she squeezed the trigger. In the concrete structure of the prison the gunshot echoed through the arena and suddenly her world went quiet. Nervous eyes stilled on her, no longer distracted by the concept of leaving this place. Finally.

She took a breath and lowered herself on her board. Her bottom wiggled into a comfortable position, legs swinging over the edge as she continued to hover over the mob. Not a single word came from the group. Instead, they looked upon her with silent curiosity. Guess she could try shouting now that they would listen…but her throat was hurting from all the shouting earlier!

"You know." A breath left her while she continued to kick her legs in the air, "When he said raid a prison, fight a bunch of prisoners, and stick it to Sevika, this wasnotwhat I had in mind."

She faced away from the crowd to stare at her ghosts lining the shadows of the wall beside her.

"I'm starting to think he was pranking me."

A series of whispered replies bounced around the inside of her skull and she nodded.

"I know! It was a total bait and switch! I could be down there fighting Urgot with them."

The crowd was getting restless once again. She made the observation as her conversation with her hallucinations ended. It looked like they wanted answers. But what was the point? The mood was totally ruined. With such an annoying twist, her mental exhaustion was climbing. Fuck it. She didn't have the energy to deal with this.

"Look." She started, addressing the many prisoners. "I don't really feel like dealing with this anymore. I was expecting you dumbass prisoners to grow a pair and fight me, but all this desperation to escape and yapping about blah, blah, blah. It's stupid."

She definitely felt a headache coming on.

"I don't really give a shit, so I'm just gonna start shooting."

Before she could even draw her minigun a blurred projectile raced through the air and latched onto the edge of her board. She glanced towards the object…was that…a hand? Her vision trailed the metal cable connecting to a split metal arm on one of the inmates. Uh oh.

Well at least she spotted someone sporting a menacing glare now. That was progress-.

"W-woah!" She gasped when the cable rapidly retracted, pulling the hoverboard out from beneath her.

Suddenly she was plummeting to the ground, landing roughly on her feet in a small, parted circle, surrounded from every side. Immediately her eyes were locked onto the largest man before her, cracking his neck from one side to the other. The most identifiable feature was his shiny metal jaw that surely intimated the average trencher. Not her though and he'd be the first one to go.

"You ain't askin for a death-wish, are you sweetheart?"

Gross. Sweetheart? Also, side note, what a shitty body mod. The jaw was half-rusted and moved in a jittery fashion, out of sync with his words. That was besides the point…Did she hear him right? Her palms dusted off her cloak before lifting her eyes to properly face the man just inches from herself. Oh how she wished he could see how excited she was behind the mask.

"That'sexactlywhat I'm asking for." She replied giddily. "Only two ways outta here. It's your life or mine."

"Hear that boys?" The man roared with a deep laughter, "Easiest prison break ever!"

Her brow furrowed at the sound of more bellowed laughter. Her eyes flashed to the others, noting their shaking shoulders. Were they underestimating her? The thought made her teeth clench tightly. All she could hear was laughing. Again. They were laughing at her, like she was weak. Weak, weak, weak. Even Mylo laughed alongside these repulsive men like they were his best friends in the whole wide world. Howdarethey.

She. Was. Not. Weak.

"Listen." The man spoke, still stifled by a fit of his own disgusting chuckles, "How 'bout you be a smart girl and let us through? No need to throw your life awa-."

He was interrupted as her pistol jammed into the underside of his metal chin. She allowed him a single moment to realize the situation before her finger pulled the trigger. Shrapnel of metal shards splintered into the air as his mechanical jaw shattered from the bullet. Through the muzzle flash and smoke, she watched as he fell backwards, blood leaking from his deformed face as he sputtered unintelligible words through his fractured face.

Technicallynot lethal. Shit, maybe the Firelights were rubbing off on her. Yuck.

The surrounding circle got wider as each inmate took a step back in shock. They shared horrified expressions, too stunned to speak, yet the voices in her head continued to howl and scream. It was like music to her ears and pink eyes began glowing through the holes in her mask as her pulse raced.

"I don't really negotiate." She giggled aloud. "So who's next?"

It wasn't the right question to ask, evensheknew that. A better question would've been 'how many were next on the chopping block'. Yeah. That was definitely a better question because when the prisoner's faces darkened, snarls erupting into the air like rabid dogs, she knew the fantasy she'd conjured up many times while thinking of this night would finally come true.

Agility matched her heart rate, eyes flickering towards every possible enemy as her mind flooded with calculations. Her small stature and speed were her greatest strengths, they'd be useful against such overwhelming numbers. Time slowed as they all leapt towards her. To the naked eye it seemed like she'd be tackled immediately, but the little details made all the difference.

Her eyes darted to the side, catching the sight of outstretched fingers reaching for her shoulder. A quick backstep gave her enough time to catch the inmate's wrist in her free hand, yanking him deeper into the center of the collapsing circle of bodies. He was battered immediately by the bodies crashing into his center.

They kept coming anyway, as if the man was merely a cushion to be smothered by their numbers, his cries were muffled in the trampling. Another quick step back had her shoulder blades pressing against the metal checkpoint behind. There was hardly any room to move.

What next?

Rapid thoughts flooded her mind, sheer concentration filtering through the jumbled mess of ideas and deciding her next move. She lowered, tensing her muscles to jump while her arms flew behind her to grip the bars at her back. Her boots pressed into the steel before launching forwards like a pouncing cat.

She soared through the air, clearing the first wave of bodies and letting them slam messily together in a heap. There wasn't time to look back. Only forward. Just keep moving. Just keep breathing. That's all that mattered.

Her body collided with another man, tackling him to the ground, but her momentum carried her forward into a roll. Whatever space she gained in the few seconds she had was already closing quickly. With a tilt of her neck, a fist brushed past her cheek and the maneuver left the attacking man close and vulnerable. With lightning fast reflexes, she angled her pistol to fire into the prisoner's foot. As he howled in pain, she grabbed the back of his neck and tossed him behind.

Without a second passing she felt the weight of another shoulder bash into her side. A quick stumble was recovered by bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her head tilted to the side giving her enough time to glimpse at another fist rushing to land a blow to her spine. She spun around the attack, planting her elbow deep into an unguarded stomach.

Eyes widened, feeling a rush of air on the back of her knees with a sweeping kick from behind. A split second gave her enough time to jump, yet even before she landed the dodge, her shoulders dipped to duck under an attempted grapple.

Her lungs were burning already. There wasn't enough time. It was getting harder and harder to identify her opponents. Nothing but fists, legs, and metal augments clouded her vision. Where they were coming from, who was attacking, she had no idea. This wouldn't last.Shewouldn't last.

A new strategy was selected instantly.

It started by throwing her pistol overhead. Then, with as much strength as she could gather amidst the chaos, she leapt into the air, planting her palm on someone's head for more leverage. She twisted in the air, holding onto the scalp as she pulled a chomper from her cloak with her now free hand. A quick press of her thumb against the invention spurred it to life and she attached it to the man's unsuspecting back.

She landed on her feet, shoving him towards the others and swiping her pistol back into a tight grip. No time to revel in the success. Her arm crossed over her body, pulling the trigger a few times near her hip to land a succession of hits towards her side where she could hear more men approaching quickly.

The distinct sound of their bodies collapsing to the concrete floor was enough to divert her ever changing attention elsewhere. A rage-filled roar from behind gave away an attempted attack so she spun on her heels to grab another prisoner by the shoulders, using his incoming momentum to swing him around and shield herself from the inevitable blast of the chomper.

An explosion tore through the horde of enemies, filling the claustrophobic arena with fire and plumes of smoke. She didn't spare her human shield a single glance at his gaping, horrified face. Her grip on his shoulders released and he fell to the floor, his exposed back charred black from the detonation.

The chomper devastated their numbers. While her eyes stung as ash clouded her vision, the entire battle stilled to a halt, as if time had frozen. It gave her the chance to catch her breath, though her mind continued to race, still identifying shadows of the threats that remained within the smoke.

So much for non-lethal force. Ekko wouldn't be too upset, would he? Dammit. Who the hell cares? Her efforts to be a good little freedom fighter were abandoned the moment she felt her muscles spasm and seize in exhaustion. Yeah. She took another breath. Fuck that.

"Andrei, I'm at the lower ring."

Speak of the devil. Wait. They only just got to the final level of the prison? Was it really that far down, or had less time passed than she thought?

"What took you guys so long?" The young Firelight's voice practically shouted into her earpiece.

So she wasn't imagining things. Ekko and Scar really did take their time getting to the next checkpoint.

"Ran into more guards, Scar's finishing up with them as we speak."

She pressed her finger into her radio and chuckled tiredly.

"How many guards? Two? Three?"

She cackled like a mad woman while she teased the boy. Even with the ash still fogging the air, she counted at least fifteen bodies lying still on the floor, likely dead, unconscious or too injured to move. Should they have a competition? It was always fun being ahead.

"Five." Ekko seemed to ignore her taunting, "You sound tired, Jinx. Thought you said it'd be a piece of cake handling those guys up there."

Never mind. He hadn't ignored her. Heh. Cocky little Firelight.

"It is." She insisted. Her gaze locked onto a man stumbling towards her as they spoke. His eyes dull, spirit nearly broken, and yet he reached towards her still intent on obtaining victory. When he got close enough, she rocketed her knee into his groin followed by an overhead hammer of her fist to the back of his skull when he hunched over. "Down goes another one. Wanna know how many that makes?"

"Not interested."

"C'mon guess. Don't be a baby about it."