"We are pieces that when joined together, form something new. Something different. Something much more beautiful, that can be glorious." Jinx repeated over and over that he is hers, therefore, Viktor can and wants her to be his. He must just take her, make her as his as he wishes. Whether Jinx wants it or not.
Memory in my veins
My cells scream insearchofyou
Now Iknow what Ihad to be
Fate discovered us once again
Got me bad, bad, bad torturin' me
Dreams wander lookin' for somethin'
It comes to me when you next to me
My name that was briefly forgotten
This blood's pumpin' crazy
'Cause I know you'll save me
Come here and get some (Some)
Leave the mark on my neck
That it's yours
Just come over and bite me
Come here and get some
Sidekick that worships you
That's my destiny
Just come over and bite me
kalós eîdos skopein
She cocks her head and rests her hands on her hips. A new mural, a rather large one. She wonders why everyone in Zaun thinks she cares about this freedom fight they're having. It's a little ridiculous. She just wanted to screw Piltover like they always screw.
A little less murderous and lethal, Jinx must say.
She grabs a paintbrush from the floor, fills it with pink paint, and jumps up to hang from a rung. Still swinging in the air, she writes a simple message:
"Jinx was here!!!!!"
She makes several of her usual drawings and lets herself fall to the ground. Sitting up, she stretches her legs out and swings them from right to left. Looking at this image that has nothing to do with her. However, Jinx is sure Silco would be proud. Too many people in Zaun are on her side.
She became a symbol in the most involuntary way possible.
She finishes lying down and gives a snort. "I'm not Silco or Vander. I don't care about those things… I'm not a hero.”
✧ Quest ✧
You can be one.
If you decide to try.
There's no one better to do it than you, who are Zaun.
Jinx runs her hand over her face and looks to the right, trying to find Silco. Wherever he is. His voice is so low. So far away. No… he's not there. She doesn't hear him, but she repeats his words in her head. Jinx knows he would say something like that. Still… she wants to hear it from him. Let him appear as Mylo does all the time. Let him be here even if it's just to torment her.
Jinx looks back at the mural and hunches. It's too ridiculous. She would give the honor to Sevika. She's the only one who holds Silco's vision so strongly. She's his true heir. It doesn't help that Sevika is the one who also wants her being this symbol. Who offers her help to be what everyone wants.
But she's a Jinx.
What everyone wants is stupid for a reason: if she helps, it will make them all die.
Anyone who comes close dies. A rule that remains and she wants to make Isha the exception to.
Jinx gets up, enough time has passed. She can go back to the hideout without having a new crisis. She continues to regret that Isha saw her. Jinx doesn't usually have outbursts anymore, but this time it was impossible because she had a nightmare…
Isha got scared.
Isha tried to hug her.
Jinx pushed her away and left, asking the same thing: "don't die. Don't die. Please don't die."
Enough time has passed. Jinx can now apologize for seeming like a lunatic. She walks with long steps, carelessly playing with her gun. Unseen, in the building where the mural was made: something moves on the wall. Crawling like some kind of huge white insect. Stopped by reading the fresh paint and continuing on its way.
It jumps to the ground and runs in the same direction Jinx went, catching up to her in a few seconds.
Jinx has the feeling of being watched and chased, when she knows that person is there, she turns and shoots, hitting the head. Jinx approaches humming. "Ufff, dude, where did you come from?" she sneers, resting the gun on her shoulder. That person looks horrible in her opinion.
She gives a squeal of horror as it gets up again, more specifically, lunges at her. It knocks her down, grabbing her wrists and pressing her to the ground. Jinx shakes, teeth clenched and kicking constantly. What looks like a white mannequin leans closer to her face. Some kind of robot?
Releasing one of Jinx hands to try to grab her by the head. Jinx uses her free hand to hit it, shake it off and run. The mannequin gets up in a fluid, graceful movement, running after Jinx.
Being at the same height, Jinx notices one thing: it runs exactly like her.
Jinx stumbles clumsily and the mannequin mimics even that. She tries to hit it, tries to shoot it, but its movements are too fast. Jinx thrashes, both annoyed and scared of whatever this thing is. She's never seen anything like it and it's chilling.
She's grabbed by the neck again and the mannequin spins around her in such a way that it's holding itself up with its legs, grabbing her face and making her lift it up a little. "WHAT THE FUCK…!?”
It burns.
Jimx doesn't know what it is, but…
It burns.
It hurts.
It hurts.
Why does this hurt!?
Jinx screams, backing up and slamming the mannequin against the wall, turning quickly and grabbing its head to continue hitting it until it breaks. He steps back a couple of steps, retrieving her gun and putting one of the Hex spheres in it, thus increasing the weapon's power. Jinx fires four shots at its chest and calls it a day. It's not moving anymore, there are holes in the white material.
Even if she could do something useful with this like taking the material or examining it, she doesn't care. Panting and with her heart racing, she resumes her walk to go to her hideout. Jinx doesn't want to think about this again. It'll just be a freaky event with a freaky robot, that's all. She lets out a heavy breath and lets her arms fall.
"I'm not going out at this fucking time of day again.”
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Viktor opens his eyes and takes a deep breath before smiling softly. It wasn't that hard to find her. Although he admits that there must be a bit of luck involved. Or rather: fate pushing him to find her and soon, they will be reunited.
He clothes again in the blue cloth on his body and takes the staff.
Viktor leaves his sanctuary. He takes a brief, satisfied look at the village that is forming. Growing with the days for each person he manages to heal. He heads to the back, almost hidden. Different from everything else. It's dark here, devoid of vegetation or dwellings and the smell is similar to that in Zaun. The reason?
More than ten bodies perfectly laid out on the ground, exposed for him to choose which one to start with. He rests his right hand behind his back, his subordinates putting more bodies they could find.
"There were only fourteen. Sorry if you expected more." says a girl. Embarrassed. Viktor shakes his head.
"It's more than enough. For now... I only need one.”
He must reach Jinx as quietly and subtly as possible. So he must start slowly. He only needs one more.
As he transforms the body the same way he did with the last one, he thinks with relief of one thing: Jinx is still in Zaun. Due to the lack of results from Piltover and Noxus in finding her, he feared she was gone. Jinx knows how to infiltrate different ships. It would be a matter of waiting for the right moment. No one would notice. They would spend months looking for her and she, in Demacia or Ionia.
Viktor takes this as another great sign. If Jinx hasn't run away, it is because she recognizes that this is her place.
He will shape it for her and so, she will not run away again.
✧ Something beautiful ✧
Jinx hums loudly and foolishly, rocking in place and arranging what is on the wooden desk. The protective glasses even when she does not need them and hundreds of things in front of her. A hand that slides softly down her back makes her smile more and throw her head back. Her bangs hanging down and her braids on the floor.
"You showed up early! That's weird!”
"You said you wanted to show me something important. Curiosity got the better of me.”
Jinx laughs and straightens up, getting up from her seat. Behind her, Viktor. Leaning on a small metal cane. Elegant, just like him in his black and red attire. Jinx stands on her toes, playing with the scrawny, but healthy face. Dark brown hair, straight and combed back. She gives him a little peck and Viktor reciprocates her affection.
Jinx pulls him by the arm and brings him closer to the table, exposing her creation: a robot that has the same shape as Rio. Its eyes shine blue from the Hex gem that makes it move. Viktor takes the robot in his hands and examines it carefully. "You know it's not alive, right?”
"If I turn it and something falls out, we explode." Viktor says, favoring his delicacy.
"It's more fun this way." Jinx jokes, leaning on the desk.
"It's not funny. Because I want my gift to last."
"Don't be a conceited person!" Jinx shoves him hard and Viktor almost falls over, looking at her badly. "I never said it was a gift for you! I just made it and it happens to be shaped like Rio. Just like I happen to have pink to paint."
"I guess if it's not a gift, I don't have to take care of it.”
Jinx shrieks, Viktor lets the robot fall to the floor. The sound is pretty bad. Jinx kicks before picking it up and checking it's okay. Viktor scoffs lightly at this, taking a seat and putting the cane aside. Jinx talks and talks and talks. First she complains, then she mentions what she did, she goes on to say that she wants to paint, she wants to eat, she wants to go out, she wants to have sex, she wants another tattoo…
Jinx never stops talking and Viktor listens intently.
When she finishes with that, Jinx sighs, watching Viktor do the same to her.
"Are you going to stay here? Or are you going to go find someone who doesn't talk nonsense and isn't… Pow" she shoots at her own head with her fingers. "Crazy as hell."
"There's nothing I'd prefer than being here" Viktor states, crossing his legs. Looking refined, as thin and conceited as ever. "You know I'd do anything for you. Even listen to a crazy person babble… From a crazy person to a hopeless idiot."
Jinx shrugs with a smile and leans closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder, taking Viktor's right hand in hers. "Do you promise to stay forever?" she asked quietly. So much so that Viktor wouldn't have been able to hear her…
And he does it for one reason only.
"Forever, Jinx." he says as he kisses her on the head.
It's just a dream.
Jinx opens her eyes, finding Isha asleep in front of her. Jinx strokes Isha’s cheek and smiles. She pulls her into a hug, closing her eyes again. It was a good dream. A nice one. She loves it when they're like this. She doesn't feel like crying, her head doesn't hurt, or her chest doesn't hurt. Everything is fine. Better than ever.
Jinx dreams of Viktor often.
Just like she dreams of Silco.
She dreams of Vi.
She dreams of Vander…
She dreams that everything in her world is perfect.
She dreams that she didn't break anything and can be happy…
And it can only be dreams, because there's no way she can have any of that.
She'd be a lot sadder if Isha wasn't here. Because when Jinx dreams of good things, she can have something just as good when she's awake.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"Why do you put makeup on? You like that stuff? I can paint your nails.”
Jinx bites her lower lip as she rocks back and forth on the desk. Silco has just put the foundation on his scar. Covering the blackened skin and traces of contamination that are still present. He closes the small compact and sets it aside. Silco rests his elbow on the desk.
“I remember a little girl being scared of my face. So… I started using it.” Silco notes, a slight scoff. Jinx pouts, tilting her head. She brings her hand closer to Silco’s face.
Rubbing it gently, removing the product. It’s a soft, calm, patient gesture. Different from her abrupt, unpredictable movements. Most of the makeup is gone. Dark skin, small traces of fleshless, red-hot skin. Just like the pupil of the eye that is constantly rotting.
Jinx moves a little closer, "but I'm not scared anymore… I think it's pretty. You're really pretty."
Silco gives a light laugh, closing his eyes. Jinx finishes taking everything off and rests her forehead against him.
"Do you think I'm pretty? I look like a corpse that was dumped two days ago." Jinx laughs and Silco takes her hand, giving it a loving squeeze.
"There's not a moment when I don't think you're perfect."
Jinx laughs softly, rubbing her forehead against his. As she pulls away, she takes off her little black top and sits on top of Silco, hugging him and having him do the same. Jinx closes her eyes, taking a deep breath while still having a soft smile. She likes the feel of Silco's hands all over her back. It's calming.
It makes her feel loved and accompanied.
And as she opens her eyes, even if she doesn't hear Sevika in whatever she says, she laughs, snuggling better with Isha in her arms.
┈
“Almost ten people were taken to Stillwater. All because they were Jinxers.” Jinx rolls her eyes and continues stirring the huge, slimy bowl. Isha does the same, licking her fingers constantly. “You should-’
“Go break into Stillwater? Why don’t you go?” Jinx asks with a bored expression. “You’re the one who cares about all this.”
“Because everyone wants to see you ,” Sevika replies. She rests her hand next to Jinx’s, who bends so that she doesn’t see Sevika and ignores her existence. “They’re all willing to fight because you gave them the courage to do so. You’re a symbol for all of Zaun-”
“Well they need to find someone else!” Jinx complains exasperatedly. Isha gets up hastily and makes a couple of gestures with her hands. Sevika doesn’t understand her. She tries. She still doesn’t understand how Jinx understands her. “No, I don’t care.”
“We could be heroes if we go help.”
Jinx groans and hits her head on the table before rocking back to Sevika. She stretches in place and stares at the ceiling. “Urgh! FI-NE! UUGHH! WHY ARE YOU TAKING HER SIDE ALL THE TIME!? YOU MINI TRAITOR.” Jinx accuses, kicking her feet. Sevika smirks and fist bumps Isha.
Jinx stands in the same position for a few seconds: Silco would be happy with that…
Viktor would be happy with that…
Vi, the real one, the one she remembers from her childhood and died from sucking that Piltie’s pussy: she would be happy that she is going to help people who were wrongfully dragged to prison…
Yeah. They would all be happy with that.
「WHAT'S CHANGE THAT YOU DISAPPOINTED THEM ALL」
「YOU'RE A FUCKING DISAPPOINTMENT」
「BECAUSE OF YOU-」
Isha notices Jinx's expression contorts and she starts to spasm slightly. Before Jinx grabs her own head, Isha grabs her hand and tugs it. Sevika watches the interaction. She's noticed that Jinx has had fewer of those "neurotic" moments (to call them something, she has no idea what they are), since Isha's been here. She could say that she's a ground wire.
It's the first time she sees Jinx so "sane" and calm instead of exploding with fits of rage or making explosions out of nowhere, destroying everything in her path. Even this place has a dimmer and pleasant light. Before, it was only where they sleep, precisely because of Viktor. Isha waves her hands and Jinx smiles long, confident and believing.
"Yep, for any war, you have to arrive in style.”
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
The small explosion comes as the door opens. The feminine giggle just seconds later. "Looks like we'll need more scrap.”
"No! It worked!"
The monkey twitch, moving in a clumsy and comical way. The teenager sits next to her with a smile, looking at the small music box that can barely be heard among the metal and other things.
"It's your prettiest creation yet, Powder." The girl smiles excitedly, with her hands together and head tilted. Excited by her sister's words.
Vi leaves the music box on the table and sets about combing her sister's hair. Her hair is messy and crazy. Vi does it with more delicacy than anyone can see her. Only Powder recognizes that Vi is like that.
"Vi, would you love me if I do something bad?" Powder asks. "If I-”
"Nothing is going to change what we have. Nothing that happens, what you do, what I do." Vi takes Powder by the face. "We are sisters and nothing is going to change that. We will always be together... Helping- We're both glued to each other." Powder smiles as she leans into Vi's right hand.
Her sister laughs at seeing her start to cry. She throws herself into a hug, as tightly as she can.
"I miss you, Vi... I miss you so much.”
Isha doesn't know if she should wake Jinx up. She's crying in her sleep, but she doesn't look scared or in pain. She carefully wipes her face and lays down in a better position to hug her. Jinx immediately reciprocates.
The girl thinks that she's never had someone hug her so much and it feels amazing! Isha smiles, snuggled into Jinx's small chest and receiving her warmth.
┈
"Everything went well. Everything worked out just as we expected." Jinx just adjusted her gun. She doubts she'll need to use three Hex Gems. That would kill even her, but at least she has the option if there's an emergency. "Don't you see? We could-”
"Uuuughhhhh I don't care! I don't care, I don't care," Jinx repeats, leaning back on the table. Sevika frowns. "I released every single thug in Stillwater, but that doesn't mean what-"
"They want to fight for you." Jinx looks away, and Sevika leans on the table, in front of the broken mirror. "For the first time, someone unites all of Zaun, and it's you. If we take advantage of that, we could do it. We could-" Jinx gently pushes Sevika aside, takes the bomb Isha activated, and twists the top, deactivating it.
Jinx snorts, shaking her head. "I'm not going to be Jinx with all those people. Zaun will be empty, before it is free." Sevika exhales, shaking her head. Jinx looks at Isha who insists the same as Sevika. "They don't need me." Jinx puts the helmet on her.
Isha takes it off roughly and says with her hands: "you promised something."
"Afff... Okay. It was a deal.”
Jinx goes to one of the many packed boxes she has. Sevika rubs her face. What does she have to do to convince her? How much more does she have to show her that it is her role? That she can really do it. Even before she had no real idea of what Silco saw in Jinx at the fighting level...
Now Sevika can understand it a little better. She really does! That it is not about simple love that Silco had for her. Jinx has a genuine purpose and power in her hands.
One that she does not take advantage of. That she does not know how to use.
That she doesn't dare to use for fear of nonsense.
She sits at the entrance of the place, watching Jinx dye Isha's hair, who celebrates looking more and more like Jinx.
Sevika can't resist a slight smile at seeing them playing and laughing, with Jinx chattering animatedly with the silent girl.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Viktor delicately turns the pages. His writings aren't the important thing. That's totally indifferent here. What he really admires are Jinx's drawings and messages on each page of the diary. He gives a small laugh, finding a rather large drawing that resembles a robot.
“Super-Duper Viktor”, as she called him.
An idea comes from that, being the third arm that she insisted so much on putting on him. Viktor looks at his right hand for a moment and moves it gently.
It could be something interesting to try...
As soon as they see each other again.
Maybe it won't be physically.
But they will.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Sevika rests her hand on her hip and takes a deep breath. She knows that this, asking Jinx for help, is like asking a wall for help. However, she holds out hope that if she insists enough, Jinx might eventually relent. So let's keep trying. Approaching her when she's just awake isn't a bad option.
She doesn't talk that much.
She stays still.
She listens to what's being said to her.
She'll be in a really bad mood afterwards, but at least Sevika will be able to make her point.
She walks through the paint-covered propeller. Judging by the dim light and lack of noise, both Jinx and Isha are still asleep. She starts to loosen her arm. It's useful, but impractical. Worse in conversation. In the process of taking it off, she frowns.
Looking straight at where Jinx and Isha are still sleeping.
✧ Double Intentions ✧
She just puts on her eyes plack eyeliner, purple, blue and pink eyeshadow; her plum-colored lips and her new clothes: a sleeveless black dress, which shows her back and sides, so her tattoos are still visible; sleeves on her forearm, several bracelets, nails painted purple and blue to change things up a bit.
Jinx took the time to make two long pigtails with tiny braids adorning them. A lot of effort. She hopes it will be worth it. She puts on her usual boots and goes out. She goes down the stairs and once on the ground floor of the bar, she approaches the only person there.
She jumps up on the high seat and rests her elbows on the bar, cheeks on her hands and a mocking smile. "A little lonely? VikVik.”
Viktor laughs lightly, moving the glass with drink. He wears black pants, a red shirt with black details; suspenders with a gold buckle and the coat rests on the chair next to him. There is no trace of his cane anywhere. Jinx has the impulse to push him to scare him.
Save him before he touch to the floor.
"You took your sweet time.”
"Ummm... I thought that dying people like you, didn't know how to be impatient. Always waiting for death not to come!" justifies Jinx swinging her legs.
"I've been waiting for you for too long. Even the most patient ones get like this." Viktor justifies as he turns to her.
It's weird... Jinx is sure his eyes are gold. Why do they look white? With iridescent colors. She even notices that his hair is not as she remembers it: shoulder-length and several whitish locks.
Jinx reaches out and strokes a few strands, tangling it in her fingers. She tilts her head and raises her lower lip. She doesn't know why it's different, but it doesn't bother her. Viktor takes her wrist and curls her hand in his palm before giving her a soft kiss.
"I miss you so much.”
"We saw each other yesterday and you weren't so pretty! Long time at the hairdresser?" Jinx asks with slight amusement. "You didn't tell me anything! Now I'll dye your hair blue!" She gets down from her seat and takes his face with both hands.
Viktor gives a slight laugh and when he opens his eyes, he stares at her. Jinx perceives it as eternal somehow. Viktor leans down and she stands on her toes, joining their lips. It's a touch that becomes intense with speed: she jumps, hugging him by the shoulders and with her legs intertwined at his hips. Viktor collapses from the sudden weight.
On the floor, Jinx doesn't let go, kissing with such force that neither of them can breathe. Her skin prickles from Viktor's hands sliding down her back. They separate: Viktor stained with lip paint and wet lips; Jinx with part of the lip paint running, a slight blush on her skin as pale as paper and deep panting.
Her fuchsia eyes shining with agitation.
There was no time to get to her room.
The rush didn't help them to undressed.
Jinx moans airily, with Viktor between her legs and inside her vagina. She hugs him and pulls herself together, moaning in his ear. Viktor holds her hips, thrusting his cock in and out as hard and fast as his impatience demands. Feeling the body that embraces him, that reacts so spectacularly to his kisses and caresses.
Viktor rips her dress to kiss her thin chest, sucking one of the breasts and Jinx, laughing, squeezes her pussy to feel everything of Viktor.
She remains smiling, happy and pleased; enjoying every kiss, every bite, every hickey; that Viktor doesn't stop even in orgasm, that he does not stop rubbing himself inside her and leaving his seed in her wet interior. Lying on the bed, legs open on either side of him and his hips rubbing between her thighs, his dick invading the pussy full and with a light layer of blue hair.
Viktor holds her wrists, pressing her down onto the bed. Admiring her ecstatic, cloudy-eyed expression; her shameless moans; her hair scattered all over the bed; the lovely swing of her breasts.
Viktor bends down to lick from mid-breast, up to her collarbone and up to her mouth, where Jinx receives it equally. Interlacing her legs at the hip, she fidgets. Their tongues intertwining and pressing Jinx's body further into the bed.
Jinx tries to turn him around, wanting to mount him, but can't manage it and as she pulls away she jokes about it: "Do you have iron bones now? I wanted to-"
The strangeness becomes obvious. Viktor grabs her face and Jinx moans in pain.
It hurts.
Why does it hurt?
Where are the tips of Viktor's fingers... It hurts.
It burns.
She babbles confused, seeing to one side: Silco with the shots in his chest and blood pouring from his mouth; she tries to take Viktor's hands off, but can't move him; moans, sobs and finally screams:
"Let me go, let me go! Let me go! LET ME GO!
So many things pile up in her head: Silco's death, Vi leaving her; Mylo and Claggor's death; Vander being experimented on. Vi is in this room, pointing a gun at her. Jinx screams hysterically, trying to get away, hug herself.
Viktor, for his part, is aghast. Why can't he get into her mind? She's already here, but it's so- it's too heavy, there's too much going on. Everything around is breaking, exploding and deforming, with monsters screaming, roaring and shrieking. Viktor with white hair and an astral body, just like Jinx's, who is pulled abruptly away from him, covered and hidden.
More monsters form, this time, roaring at him, but not overpowering Jinx's panicked screams in the distance. Cruel words coming from people who were important in her life. Viktor wakes up for a moment, finding himself in his sanctuary.
Breathing hard, sweaty and shaking. He closes his eyes, forcing himself to be there again: to reach her to capture her, to have her. It will be good. Jinx doesn't want to be surrounded by all that hurts her. It's the healing and salvation she needs.
He will eliminate Silco.
He will eliminate Vander
He will eliminate Vi...
None of them will exist.
It will be just his Jinx.
He can't do anything, with that chaotic sphere disappearing. Viktor shakes his head and holds himself up with his hands.
"Damn it.”
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
It takes Sevika only a couple of seconds to process the situation: a person (or a kind of white robot) is tucked into that little nook where Isha and Jinx sleep. Its inhuman posture and color, its something different that Sevika has never seen before. It's holding Jinx by the head. It's not attacking her, it's not trying to kill her, it's just holding her. The problem is that it hurts her.
Jinx suffers small convulsions.
White, slanted eyes that don't stop crying Shimmer.
Moans and sobs escape just like the saliva between her lips.
There's light in that thing's fingers.
Sevika readjusts her arm in one movement and with a grunt runs over there, taking the white head with her claw and throwing the mysterious character away. Jinx takes a long, painful breath, waking Isha. The girl shakes her blue hair and gets on top of Jinx, trying to understand what's wrong. Jinx is foaming and convulsing.
Jinx starts bleeding from his nose. Sevika barely catches a glimpse of it before she's nearly knocked over: that thing came back and pushed her aside. Isha runs to help her, as the robot reaches Jinx, grabbing her head again and causing a broken scream, so long and loud that it echoes in the place.
Shimmer tears and her veins swell.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Viktor sees it again: that chaos that is Jinx's soul and essence. He barely tries to make her way through...
Viktor lets out a breath, collapsing on his knees and coughing. He brings a hand to his chest, panting uncontrollably and his hair soaked in sweat. Her head throbs and vibrates at the same time. He inhales and exhales hard, looking around.
Viktor looks at Jinx. He watches her suffer. It's something she doesn't need. Something that could heal:
"Don't try to resist... I'll help all this suffering go away" he whispers to her, getting close to her face. Jinx is crying and moaning for a long time. Viktor doesn't understand why or how she's holding on to the pain. Jinx could be without any of it if she let him help her. The only thing she's losing is the pain. "Just let yourself take it away.”
"I'm... I'm scared-”
"It's not-”
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Sevika pulls Isha back and hears Jinx's sob: “I'm... I'm scared.”
Sevika points her arm and grabs the robot with her claw, pulling it and hitting it against the propeller. Isha arrives with a belt full of explosives, activates one and Sevika throws the white figure. It explodes a couple of meters below and its pieces sound as they hit the walls. Sevika takes off her mechanical arm and runs towards Jinx who is still convulsing.
Shiny marks on her temples and parts of her skin crystallized. Sevika sits up and pulls Jinx onto her lap, holding her against her chest and rocking. Isha hugs her and presses her cheek against Jinx's.
"It's okay. It's not going to do anything to you anymore." Isha thinks, as if Jinx can hear her thoughts.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"Another... Hindrance.”
Viktor runs his hand over his face and then his hair. Sevika wasn't a problem before, but now she is and the little one he could see in Jinx's mind, she has that girl too.
Why Jinx keep adding people to her life?
Why does she make others important?
More people who would consume her attention, her affection. Which are the ones who have it now. Hidden and monopolized only for them.
Viktor stands up and purses his lips while clenching his fists. He just has to get ride. He won't let anyone take her away from him. Jinx is his.
Only his.
✧ Someone very dear ✧
"What was that thing?
"Good question, I wish I had a fucking answer.
Jinx can't stop feeling like her head is spinning, like everything is burning, even parts that aren't her body. It was a very unpleasant experience. As much as waking up covered in drool, foam, mucus, tears, Shimmer; on the one hand she wants to go look for clothes, but on the other, she doesn't want to risk another of those things seeing her and following her here. Sevika looks at her with some annoyance:
"Have you seen it before?" Jinx shakes her head with a grimace. "And you didn't say anything!?”
"I broke it! I killed it, whatever. I left it lying on the floor and left. I didn't think there was more than one!" she justifies and Sevika rubs her eyebrow. Isha swings her feet, looking at them alternately. "Or that it wasn going to... Squeeze and shake my brain! It's already very, very messy and shook enough! Thanks. But now it's a smoothie." Jinx grumbles.
“That thing was headed straight for you,” Sevika says. “We need to find out what it is- Is it from Piltover?” she says quickly, worried from one second to the next. “I’ve never seen anything like that, but it looked like their technology.”
Jinx throws down the dirty rag and moves her jaw. It could be something Viktor made in the lab, but it doesn’t look like it. It looks too different from the things they created. Less mechanical, even though it is. The material is different, too. She doesn’t know what to make of it. Jinx shakes her head.
“Viktor wouldn’t make sentries like that. Not without me, anyway.” she boasts, stretching in place.
“So? What do you propose they are?”
Jinx shrugs. She has no idea. She rubs her right temple, the burning sensation still present. When Jinx stands up, she feels dizzy so much that she knocks over several things on the table. Isha holds her arm and looks at her with concern. Jinx shakes her head and turns to her.
"Will you join me in finding some clothes?”
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉⋟ ┈
Jinx throws all the clothes that fit in his backpack and abruptly closes the closet. She slides his hand along the wood, frowning, and then rests her forehead against it, taking a deep breath.
Jinx doesn't quite remember what she saw, what happened, but at the same time, she can remember many things. Memories that began to flow and fill her mind. A violent and merciless torrent. Good memories, bad memories. The only thing certain is that it was a sudden attack on her mind.
Because it made her reminds how much she misses everything she saw.
Jinx misses his mom.
Jinx misses his dad.
Jinx misses Vi.
Jinx misses Vander.
Jinx misses Mylo.
Jinx misses Claggor.
Jinx misses Ekko.
Jinx misses Silco...
...
...
...
Jinx misses Viktor.
Jinx shakes her head, refusing to cry about this. There's no point in doing so now. It was stupid and strange. That's all. She picks up the backpack, slings it over her shoulder, and leaves the room. Isha is eating, Jinx laughs at the sight of her.
"Anything good in the pantry? Salamander." she jokes, pushing the helmet. Isha adjusts it and jumps up, following her.
The Last Drop's path to the hideout leads to a group of enforcers. Jinx hides the backpack and joins Isha against the wall. The girl, looking out, notices that they are carrying a truck full of people who will be taken to Stillwater.
Just because.
Same as always.
"Let's do our good deed for the day." Jinx suggests, and Isha jumps up with a huge smile. She receives the bombs Jinx gives her and hears the instructions given in her ear.
Isha climbs up onto the perfect roof and throws the bombs when Jinx gives the signal. The chaos of Enforcers and Noxian soldiers begins; Isha rushes down and opens the truck. Jinx is the one who takes care of the Enforcers. Playing with them. Outnumbering them in speed and strength. Once everyone is free, Isha tries to get their attention.
Holding her breath, scared: a huge soldier was able to hit Jinx and leave her lying on the ground. Due to her slightly fragile state and dizziness, Jinx lies there for a moment, taking long, heavy breaths. Added to this, blood from between her lips and nose.
Isha looks around in panic. She must help her. This is why they are fellow heroes. She takes the rifle from an unconscious guard and even if it doesn't hit, the shot hit another guard and not the Noxian, Jinx stands up, roaring with her eyes blazing and her speed making it impossible to follow with the gaze.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"We should get you checked out. A normal person without Hextech weapons couldn't hurt you." Jinx spits blood to the side. “That thing did something to you.”
“Yeah, turn me part jelly with smoothie-brain” Jinx shakes uncontrollably and can barely stand. “Shimmer cures everything. Just give it time… Also, what doctor? Singed? Kill me. That would make him happier.” Jinx snorts.
“A real doctor. Not a madman,” Sevika clarifies. Isha tries on Jinx’s clothes. They’re a little big on her. “We should—” The three of them look in the same direction: there’s a strange, distinct sound. Jinx grabs the gun, Sevika reaches for the lever on her shoulder, and Isha picks up some nibble bombs. Not only does the sound get louder, there’s also a… Growl? Jinx points at the entrance…
And drops her arm completely. Her expression turns sad and horrified. Sevika tenses. That thing is huge. A hybrid between human and wolf practically. Jinx takes a couple of steps forward. "Vander?"
He growls, twisting his head, but in an instant he runs, Sevika points her arm at him, Jinx pulls her down and Isha drops the bombs accidentally. Catching them in a hurry, Sevika shoots at the ground and Vander in front of Jinx. She looks at him and for a second, she thinks he's going to kill her...
...
"Pow... Der..."
Vander scoots all the way to her, sniffing her until finally hugging her with both arms. Jinx's eyes widen and a pout forms.
"Powder... Little Powd... er…”
Jinx sobs, rubbing her face into Vander's chest.
┈
"Last fucking time it wasn't like this. Singed wasn't supposed to keep experimenting on him," Sevika argues. Vander looks more animalistic than before.
It makes her nervous. Jinx is sitting on top of him, hugging him and being reciprocated in this. Vander is bigger than he was before. One simple movement and he destroys her. The doubt they have right now is: How and why did he get here? It doesn't make much sense for him to just show up. It seems too coincidental that they have the problem before and now, Vander shows up.
Sevika is paranoid, but at the same time she justifies herself that it is natural and good. Otherwise, they will not survive. At first she thought it was Piltover's thing, Jinx takes Vander by the face and says:
"Singed told me what he would do... He wanted... He wanted an ultimate weapon" she whispers rubbing softly and Vander does not move in any way. "That his blood would make him react if he needed help. He was supposed to engineer Vander for that.”
"But he's not here. What brought Vander here?"
Jinx cocks her head and Vander gives a slight, shy snort.
"How did you get here...?"
Vander gives a grunt.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Blood.
He smells blood.
He must go there...
It's important.
It's very important.
Singed is surprised by how much Vander shakes, that he doesn't stop shaking until he roars and runs out of the place. He doesn't know what made him react. If it was a sound. If it was a smell. The only thing certain is that nothing will stop him until he reaches the source.
More blood.
More blood.
He must get there.
More blood.
More blood.
That horrible sound.
More blood.
More blood.
He must get there.
He must get there.
He must get there with Powder.
"Vander?"
His vision distorts by the moment. Seeing the little girl with watery eyes and a round face. He brings his hands closer, stretching his arms and hugs her, cuddling her. She's okay now. He can take care of her...
Although someone is missing.
Someone is missing.
He doesn't feel her near.
Where's Violet?
Where's his other pup?
He must have them both. Protect them. Whether they grow up or not: they are his pups and he must take care of them.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"Are you okay, sir?"
Viktor nods slightly. There are many more people arriving in his community. Many of them he cures from illnesses and from humanity's biggest problem: violence. He feels himself weakening, and he has already sent for Hex energy cylinders to recover. He has created the hypothesis that, if he had a more perfect version of the Shimmer, he would be able to recover energy without having to do it manually.
Said version of the Shimmer is inside Jinx. It is literally the perfect usser. At least that is what she said and he trusts her words. Vander had it too, but Viktor is sure it was mixed with blood from whatever Singed mixed it with. Wolf, he supposes.
It became a lovely exchange. Jinx would give him what he needs to not weaken again. He would give her the peace and companionship she craves, so much validation and affection that she would realize how perfect she is. It is just perfect. Even if she rejects at first, he has no problem waiting for her to be ready to help him.
Because she will. Jinx always helps him. She loves helping him. It is part of the dynamic they always had.
At the same time, he decides to take a much more aggressive route. That way, he will be able to bring her here. Here comes the next problem: he has to be in direct contact with her. Otherwise, he will not have enough strength to do what he promised, which is to free her from suffering.
Viktor needs to get his hands on his baby blue to take over that spectacular soul.
Just like he needs the blood running through her veins.
✧ The favorite ✧
Sevika puts down the basket full of food and pushes it over to Vander, who starts eating erratically and messily. Both Isha and Jinx watch him devour everything. Jinx can't help but laugh. "The big bad wolf didn't eat all the kids on the road. At least he's not that bad!" Isha laughs, swinging her legs with her mouth full.
"So what do we do with him?" Sevika insists, arms crossed. Jinx shrugs.
"Give me more time to think. He just arrived yesterday. Let me enjoy my dad for a few days! Jez... I can't be happy here." Jinx rants, dramatic in her gestures. Isha sticks her tongue out at Sevika and she wrinkles her face.
"There's a war out there we should be thinking about! So is whatever came here to 'attack' you." Jinx leans back on the table, eating with her fingers. "There's no time for you to play house-”
"UH! I'M THE BIG SISTER NOW!" Jinx exclaims with a jump, with a cheerful smile and her arm raised. She turns to Isha and grabs her face. "You're the little sister. I promise not to leave you to your fucking fate after pushing you." Jinx gives her a loud kiss on the cheek and Isha giggles, being that it tickled her. Ishs grabs Jinx before she pulls away and kisses her on the cheek several times.
Sevika rubs her face with her hand and before more scolding, Vander's moans make her spin around. The mutant rests his fists on the ground and shows his fangs before speaking. Isha and Jinx grabbing each other's faces and the girl, with her legs around Jinx.
"Vi… Viole… t… Violet… Vi…”
"Vi? You want Vi?" Jinx asks and Vander nods. "Don't worry, she's jumping on a Piltie's bed sucking her tits. Being a fucking whore who-”
"Vi's not in Piltover" Sevika informs, surprising Jinx, who sets Isha down on the chair. "She's in the pit. She's a fighter they call Hellhound." She leans her elbows on the railing, one Jinx put up just for Isha a couple of months ago. Jinx frowns and looks down. "From what I could gather: she's been there since we fought in the vent."
"Didn't she go with her Piltie?"
"No.”
"Ouh… Ouh! That's why she's a dictator! She doesn't have the big hands to shove her fists up her uterus anymore! She has to be very, veeeery dry down there." Sevika wrinkles her face. Jinx puts her hands on her hips. "Well, bad luck. You can't even trust the women of Piltover. I thought it was just the men. Everyone is a fucking traitor up there."
"Violet." Vander insists, his tone slightly raspy and growling. Jinx drops her arms.
"She doesn't want to see me. She tried to kill me. Maybe she wants to kill you too," she points and He throws up his hands. “Vi is an over-the-top bitch with delusions of grandeur. She’s not Vi! She’s an imposter!”
“Violet.” Vander repeats.
It seems to be the only thing he knows or can say. Jinx rolls her eyes.
“I can’t-”
“Powder-”
“I AM JINX!” She violently slams her fists on the table, her expression twisted in hatred towards him.
Vander growls at her, baring his fangs and Jinx vibrates all over, her eyes glowing and Shimmer churning in her veins. Vander shakes his head, backing away slightly.
“Powde… Vi… Powder…”
“He can’t understand it,” Sevika states quietly, "I think his mind is really damaged."
"Welcome to the fucking club, go sit down next to the dead who don't shut up." Jinx says sarcastically with disdain.
┈
She shakes the pants. Vander is almost naked, so she took it upon herself to make him clothes. While Jinx continues making him gloves, a shirt and maybe some earrings, she thinks about how he hasn't stopped asking for Vi all day. It makes her hands tremble, as well as her lips. Jinx knows that Vander and Vi were very close. That they were perfect as father and daughter…
Vander always loved Vi more.
He recognized that Vi was better. She fought, planned, ran away, did everything better…
And now, after just one night together, he wants her.
Because Vi is better.
Vi is the favorite.
More capable in everything.
Jinx continually pricks her fingers, unable to make straight or good stitches in the fabric she took to work. Her eyes watery and she wants to cry with all her strength.
Isn't her enough? Is that why he wants Vi?
Is he so desperate for her?
Isn't her enough for Vander?
Vander wants his favorite. Powder was never his favorite, Jinx isn't even get in that list and when she was someone's favorite…
«Don't cry... you're perfect.»
Vander gets up from his place, hearing the sobs not far away. He moves forward, careful not to fall, not to knock anything over in the cramped space. He sees the trembling back, reflected in the broken mirror, Jinx crying all her tears; wiping her face roughly with her hand and trying not to be heard. Being a uncontrollable mess, babbling non stop, saying: I'm can do something good, why I can't be- why I'm not enough.
"Powder.”
Jinx shrinks further into herself, giving a sob of anguish. She's not Powder. She's Jinx . Vander will never understand, he'll never call her by that name and to make matters worse, he'll never be able to say it with affection.
Vander hugs her, sitting on the floor and holding her in his lap. Jinx hugs him, desperate not to feel alone. Thinking that... she could go to Piltover. She could infiltrate Viktor's lab. Ask him for forgiveness for disappearing and get him to hug her.
She wants to feel like she has someone.
She wants to feel that even though she's Jinx, she's not alone.
And feeling like she's irreplaceable.
✧ Looking for someone ✧
She doesn't know what she feels. The anxiety and worry are too great. She doesn't dare go out alone, with fear that another of those things will appear. She wants to go out to clear her head, maybe get Silco to appear and talk to her; she wants to get lost for a while and think about whether to fulfill what Vander asked her to do.
Get and bring Vi.
Maybe she's the real Vi now.
She feels stuck. Stranded at a dead end.
After stuffing herself with food and taking Pow-Pow, she comes out of hiding and rushes to The Last Drop. Vander still asleep and Isha leaning against him. Jinx arrives in record time, goes up to the office that hasn't had time to fill with dust. Sevika is asleep on the couch. Heavy as a block.
Jinx sits at the desk and starts swinging the chair from right to left. Perfectly remembering the silhouette of who used to sit there. She hums quietly, taking the needle and placing the barrel that ensures an accurate injection.
"Even at this hour you were here... drinking and thinking about stupid things like ‘I own Zaun’ blah blah blah" She twists the syringe on her finger. "As if it was the only important thing in the world... As if... That" Jinx exhales loudly, resting her cheek and arm on her right knee. "I don't know what to do... I don't know how to move forward now," she mutters in a low, raspy voice. "I should... Go after your dream; look for Vi; not risk it. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Jinx exhales, rubbing her forehead on her knee. Sevika wakes up barely, a little weirded out to see Jinx here.
"Why did you have to die? Why...? Why the fuck did you-”
Why did you abandon me?
「YOU KILLED HIM, WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?」
"Why aren't you talking? Why did you really leave? You… are you really gone?" She hugs both of her legs and hides her face, digging her nails into her skin. Anxious, overwhelmed, scared. Sevika lets her continue draining.
She pretends she didn't hear anything.
┈
"The Enforcers patrol this area every hour. They know you used to come here. If you just want to go with Isha, you have to leave now." Sevika informs. Both at the back exit of The Last Drop.
"I could take them all." Jinx says, confident and convinced. Sevika gives a huff of irritation.
"And have everyone around here end up in Stillwater or dead too."
"If that happens, we free them again." Jinx takes long strides toward the alley exit, one hand on her waist and playing animatedly with her right braid. Sevika rolls her eyes in disdain.
"You should-”
Jinx turns to Sevika. Why she stop? She drops her hands and Sevika moves slowly toward her. Sevika grabs her arm and Jinx turns to look at the same thing she did:
Eight white heads poking out of the alley.
All of them ticking like clocks. Jinx tenses, walking slowly with Sevika. Maybe if they aren't too obvious, they'll go in and out through the other door, confuse them off and there won't be any need to go through the same thing: destroying them after too much effort.
Not to mention that if it cost them just one, with eight it doesn't seem feasible. Jinx grabs Sevika's arm and with that, the robots run off in their direction. Sevika puts Jinx behind her, giving her time to load her gun and get a good grip on the machine gun.
The roulette wheel was on her side, firing small projectiles in that direction. They come out of the smoke, walking along the walls and running past the pair that was left with some damaged part. Sevika gets behind Jinx who shoots with Pow-Pow. Both retreating.
Sevika grabs with her claw the one that tried to jump at Jinx, pressing down twice to break the metal head. “They don’t break!” Jinx complains. Pow-Pow’s bullets aren’t enough to really hurt them. It just leave marks, scratches, and push them back.
Jinx leaves Pow-Pow, Sevika picks her up and puts her on her shoulder, running away. Jinx loads a second Hex Gem into her gun and fires at the closest ones.
Sevika does everything in her power to escape them, to lost them. She really tried.
However, one that wasn’t there before gets in the way and Sevika is forced to stop. The robot grabs her by the human arm, twisting it and causing Jinx to fall. She scrambles to her feet, trying to reach the weapon that slipped quite far away.
Sevika gasps in pain, her arm completely twisted and about to be broken and torn off. Even when she kicks to knock it down, all she manages is for the mannequin to grab onto her hips with its legs.
"Jinx…!"
She swings until she hits the wall, over and over again trying to get free. Even when she calls out to it, expecting it to help her in some way, there is no response. Sevika manages to free her mechanical arm and grab the white head between the teeth of her claw. Crushing it and hitting it. The body falls limp to the floor. Sevika gasps and when she turns to where Jinx is, she initially gets a chill from what she sees.
What do they want to do with her?
Jinx doesn't get the weapon. Three of them jump on her, grab her by the arms, hands, feet. They holds her so tightly that Jinx is paralyzed in the same space, barely shaking her body a little. Using the Shimmer to give her more strength, but it's not enough. One of them crouches slowly, leaning on its knee and bringing its hand closer.
"GET AWAY! LET ME GO…!”
As soon as the fingers make contact with her head, her eyes turn white and the crystalline marks on his skin shine. Jinx stands with her mouth open, moaning incessantly and her body tenser than before.
『Don't be afraid…』
『I'm not going to hurt you』
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Viktor takes a deep breath, making his assistants move towards Jinx and Sevika. They chase them at full speed. He knew he would need a lot of them for this. It gives him a certain satisfaction to manage to stop them and be able to corner Jinx.
When he makes contact with her head and speaks to her, he expected a bad reaction. Maybe scared. It's normal. It's natural with the situation she's going through. However, what he receives makes him clench his teeth, frown, put a hand to his head.
He keeps control. It's not about doing anything but holding her down until he can bring her here.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
They lift Jinx up, carrying her between them while the one touching her head, with his hand made entirely of gold, is on top of her, keeping a firm grip and thus, making her stay still. Asleep with her eyes open, having a nightmare she can't get out of and afraid of the creepy voice that speaks in her head.
Sevika spins the wheel on her arm up to three times, trying to make the smiley face and it doesn't work. It doesn't even offer anything useful. She curses under her breath and aims, giving the fourth and asking in a low voice. "Work damn thing, we can't be that unlucky.”
Her fist shoots out, catching the one holding Jinx's head. Sevika yanks it back, roaring at it. Throwing it away. Jinx takes a long breath, shaking herself from where she is and moving quickly. Just like a frightened prey. She barely leaves a thread of fuchsia light. The robots manage to follow her with their gaze and Sevika runs in the same direction. Determined to get them off of her or stall them until Jinx can escape.
Jinx is left clinging to the ledge of a building, screaming in panic from the tugs on her legs. "LET ME GO LET ME GO! DAMN IT!"
Sevika uses them to climb, getting up high and striking from there. Jinx crying without even understanding where she is. Her instinct telling her to get away and nothing more. Sevika grabs her hand, making Jinx finally notice her, her hands clinging to Sevika's arm.
"I-I don't- I don't-”
She can't speak properly, just sobbing, feeling the tugs on her legs, her hips, part of her chest, her braids; Sevika shakes her head.
"I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU GO, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! YOU DAMN CRYBABY!
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"So much useless resistance." Viktor stands up and brushes his hair back, opening his eyes. "There's no point in killing her in front of Jinx... she'd take me for an enemy. That kind of resentment is annoying," he mutters thoughtfully, clasping his hands behind his back. "Maybe... another approach.”
Jinx is too complicated.
It doesn't bother him.
It frustrates him.
Why is it so complicated to be together?
Maybe it's a sign of how invaluable it is. If it were easy, if it were simple, it wouldn't make sense.
He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes again.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Sevika manages to lift Jinx up, holding her and she, totally hugging the dark-haired woman. Sevika frowns: “Are they leaving...?”
『You want us to be together, just like I want you』
『I'm just trying to get us back together』
『Don't be afraid, Jinx』
『Don't be afraid』
Sevika rubs her brow and turns to Isha, who looks at her with a worried look. Jinx didn't want to say anything. Strange, because the usual problem is that she can't shut up. She hasn't left Vander's side at all. Her eyes are restless and her movements are nervous. Sevika sighs.
"Listen, we can't ignore whatever those things want.”
『I know you feel very lonely』
『I know you're scared』
『That's normal… you're human』
『I can make that feeling go away, as soon as you come with me』
『I can give you anything you want』
『Come with me』
『Just come with me』
『Be mine, Jinx, just mine』
『The same way I am yours』
"I know you're not thrilled with the idea, but we might need your sister.”
Vander takes Jinx's hand, stopping her from biting the corner of her fingers. Hearing the statement, she turns slightly towards Sevika. "Looking… looking for Vi?" Sevika nods and sits down on one of the boxes. She lets her head hang for a moment.
"She knows how to fight," Sevika points out. "She also has the Hextech gloves and maybe, just maybe, she can help us understand what's going on: what these things are and where they come from.”
Jinx looks away again and Vander lightly rubs the thin arm with tattooed clouds and crystals attached to it.
『Don't you want the pain to go away?』
『To be the only one who matters』
『To never be abandoned again』
『I can give you that』
"She doesn't care." Jinx belittles quietly.
Vi would let her be dragged away. To whatever these things want to do with her. Vi doesn't care. She only cares about Caitlyn Kiramman with her huge tits and pretentious accent. If it were to get back with her, she's sure Vi would do whatever it takes, but since it's Jinx…
She's just a crazy woman who Vi wants to kill as soon as she gets in front of her.
"Maybe she does care. She couldn't kill you in the vent," Sevika says, standing up. "And maybe now that she's down here, and Piltover probably scorned her, she'll agree to come with you." Jinx feels her eyes water. "I'll go see if she's where she always was, and then you go talk to her… Start with this." She points at Vander, shaking her open hand. "I'm sure she'll convince herself- it's what separated both of you, isn't it? That Vander died.”
"He's-”
"Very much alive, hairier, stinkier, and uglier than ever, but he's still alive. It's more than Silco can say," Sevika justifies, and Jinx hides her face again. "Don't get out of here. Neither of you- and you." Vander growls. "Take care of them. Anything that comes that isn't me or Violet, kill it.”
Vander looks down, Jinx is still too scared. Trembling and feeling like a little girl who could only sleep if she had Vi by the hand. Sevika considers that enough. Isha jumps up to sit on top of Jinx and hug her awkwardly. Jinx moves away a little so she can see her. Isha smiles at her.
"You're not going to leave me, are you?”
Isha shakes her head and Jinx breathes a little slower.
That voice is wrong.
She hasn't been abandoned. She has someone who is going to stay. Isha... Sevika too! She didn't let go. She even saved her. She has two people... maybe three in case Vi decides to come and if she gets Vi, she'll have Vander too. Two unconditional and two conditional. It's better than nothing.
What is that voice? It's the only thing she can't understand. It's familiar, but mechanical. It gives her a headache that even now, rumbles inside her head.
This is what Jinx feels all the time and can be silenced by softer voices. Viktor waves his hand, watching the shiny energy circulate through his system.
"Do you need more? Sir."
"Yes. I must be very strong for whoever comes" Viktor mutters. "And for who will become the most important support of evolution.”
He stands up and slowly and patiently returns to his sanctuary. He must get more energy. Jinx is going to be very difficult to heal. So he must be in top condition by the time she arrives. Not to mention the project he has in mind. Ideally, it should be before she arrives, but he needs his Shimmer to carry it out.
On the astral plane, it is so easy to shape. The complicated thing is to transport it to the earthly plane. Viktor takes his time to understand it and at the same time, he considers it necessary to move in another way.
Knowing the obstacles in the way well so that he can remove them when the time comes.
✧ Silence ✧
Jinx smiles, tilting his head. He finished Vander's clothes and looks pretty good! A couple of days have passed, Sevika has not returned and they have complied by staying here. The truth is, Jinx is afraid to go out. She has the sensation of all those hands on her body.
And the chilling feeling that something of hers, something she can't name (maybe she calls it fluffber) is being touched by someone. A a very deep part of her being. Too... Delicate. Distant and sensitive, suffering from that boiling, piercing contact.
It's a quiet and very pleasant time. Just playing and having fun with Isha. Vander watching them and feeling pleased to comply.
"You like it?" Isha looks at her nails, shaking her fingers before laughing with a shrug. "You're lucky." Jinx puts the paint away in the box filled with other ones. As well as lipsticks, mirrors and eye shadows. "I would have never been able to do this with my sister." Vander gurgles. "She just liked hitting things. Throwing them in the air."
"Didn't you two play together?" Isha asks and Jinx shrugs.
"I mean... Yeah. All the time, but we weren't…”
「YOU WERE USELESS」
「THAT'S WHY SHE GOT MAD AT YOU」
「THAT'S WHY SHE HIT YOU」
「YOU RUINED EVERYTHING」
「SHE GOT TIRED OF HEARING YOU CRYING」
Jinx rubs her temple and forehead. Now it's so hard for her to remember the good things about her childhood. The moments with her mom, the moments with her dad, the moments with Vi... When they were alone. Without Mylo talking and Claggor staring. It's hard for her to remember just Vi and that absence hurts her a lot.
That she can't even be happy in her memories. Jinx remembers her voice calling out to her, screaming.
「MYLO WAS RIGHT」
「BECAUSE YOU'RE JINX」
「YOU'RE BAD LUCK」
「I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY」
Jinx looks at Isha and smiles, ruffling her hair. "You know? When I'm with you, it's like wearing magic glasses that I don't know if they make me look bad or good, but... I feel really good. I'm happier since you're here.”
Isha throws herself into a hug, Jinx rests her hands on her head and back, leaning forward. The world seems to be collapsing in on itself out there, but at least there's silence here. Here she has Isha.
And that's all she needs.
✧ Willpower ✧
"Vi is right where she always was. I found the entrance to the shit pit where she sleeps... I was able to get in. She didn't even notice." Sevika sneers with a hand on her waist.
"You didn't talk to her?"
"She was way too drunk. I'm amazed she doesn't sleep in her own shit." Jinx rolls her eyes and Vander gives a grunt. Isha rocks back and forth in her chair, watching them alternately.
The teen grabs her braid and starts carelessly playing with the end. Sevika figured that, having agreed on what would be done, she would already be on her way out. Go find Vi and talk to her.
"What if there are more of those things out there?"
Sevika scratches her temple and leans back from the table. Isha plays with her bunny ear headband. Vander walks over and Jinx leans back against him, anxious. Even after thinking about it, she can't come up with a solution to deal with those things. She's tried, but she can't recognize the strength needed to destroy them. Her weapons don't seem to be very effective. Her explosives don't seem to be either.
Sevika has a lot of strength in her arm, but at the same time she's limited to one. Jinx feels enormous frustration in this. It's not just the "calculations" themselves, it's the materials. Zaun has gone to hell and there's barely enough to keep making explosives and keep a stock of missiles for Fishbone.
It's the only thing she hasn't tried and she figures it's her only alternative.
Jinx doesn't have enough concentration or time to reuse any scraps they might bring or give her. Even the scraps of what Viktor left behind on his visits aren't useful. endless memories of the past. She's been spending it on other little things.
"We'll deal with the problem once it's in front of us," Sevika concludes, "we'll go with Vi, you'll talk about… this," she points at Vander for a moment. "And then about the killer robots."
"They haven't killed anyone yet. They're more like confusion robots: what the fuck they want," Jinx grumbles. "Better plan: you bring Vi, even if it means punching you in the face, we show her Vander and-”
"Are you afraid to go out?”
『Don't be afraid』
Jinx twists her head slightly and looks at Sevika with annoyance.
"We'll all go. They won't take you if that's what you're worried about."
"Aw, so you do care about me, my well-being and what I think." Jinx giggles with a hand on her chest, leaning towards Sevika. The woman rolls her eyes and hits her on the head.
"Hurry up.”
┈
Jinx stays alert, though it's not obvious. She wears a cape and has her braids tied at her hips, so that no one will accidentally notice them. They pass by several murals, people with blue-dyed hair discussing their plans, discussing their next attacks.
Jinx hadn't had a chance to see this and it still feels strange to her. How did she have this effect on people? She didn't want it. She didn't expect it. Even now, Jinx doesn't want it and above all: How do they have such blind faith that she'll know what to do?
Jinx doesn't know what to do.
She's stuck.
You can do it. I know you can do it.
"I know how to make everyone end up with a bullet in their chest. That's not exactly what they want as far as I remember." Jinx says through gritted teeth.
She stops abruptly, eyes wide and a rueful expression on her face, furious. Vander turns in the same direction, growling and hunching, pushing Isha away slightly. Sevika narrows her eyes. Some people run out and just as they expected: a white robot runs at full speed. Having blood stains on its neat white surface.
It moves much faster and goes straight for Jinx. She takes out her gun, aiming, but it is not necessary: Vander catches the humanoid figure and throws it away, hitting the ground with a roar and then, raising his arms with his claws exposed.
✧ Help ✧
Vander goes straight towards that corridor that fills with different white robots. Jinx tries to shoot, restless and anxious, with her pulse shaking a little, but still being accurate. Sevika struggles equally and Isha hides behind Jinx, holding on to her leg and retreating at the same time as the teenager.
Jinx makes Isha let go of her and runs in a hurry, climbing onto Vander's back and shooting the one who tried to grab him by the head. Jinx is knocked aside, held back by so many of them, she can't count them.
They touch her.
She feels their hands all over her body.
Her arms.
Her chest.
Her waist.
Her hips.
Her back.
Her thighs.
Her calves.
They don't just hold on.
They rub her.
They even try to get under her clothes.
A few more join in, grabbing her head and neck.
Jinx screams so loud and broken that Vander roars back, tearing apart the two in his reach and going for her, pushing most of them aside. Throwing them away until Jinx is alone. She gasps, leaning her right back against the wall.
"Van-”
Jinx doesn't reach the gun in time, nor to remove it. One climbed onto Vander's head and Jinx knows it's too late for Sevika's attack. Vander's eyes whitened for an instant.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
A lot of corpses were brought in and Viktor decided to do them all. In case it was necessary. Sevika even alone was a problem. Surely she doesn't remember.
It's not a very big risk.
He doesn't approach the little girl yet.
He knows they're going out today. He saw it in Sevika's head. He wants to get to Vander. He's very interested in what he can see in Vander's mind. Not to mention that it's an excellent way to measure how important Jinx is to him and vice versa. To have an accurate measure of it.
He sent forty.
Fifteen towards Vander.
The others towards Jinx.
To hold her back and see what would happen.
It's a curious feeling: he has all these bodies under his control, he can move them at will, see and feel the same as them, even speak through them...
He could feel Jinx's skin without problems and perhaps that made him lose self-control. Being in contact with that longed-for body, going over everything at the same time; trying to touch more and more. Even this one under the dark clothes. Outlining her clouds, even the one under the clothes and occupying one of her breasts.
Viktor found himself smiling at the wide stimulus, the awareness that he can feel everything and more; the ideas emerging through this. Every possibility within reach. Approaching Jinx's face:
『You look... Adorably pathetic that scared』
『Don't make that face. It's nothing I haven't touched before』
『Even though I recognize that I miss you, I wasn't aware of how much』
『Stop being so stubborn, baby blue: come with me and I promise you won't feel pain again. It will be much better than that』
『Didn't you say I'm yours? Jinx』
『Stop running away and be mine』
Jinx vibrated between his hands. Viktor knows she hears him. What is not certain, is that she recognizes him. It must be a new scream inside her head and for that, Jinx screams in panic and pain. Viktor can't help but pout.
『Why is it so hard for you to accept being mine? Isn't that what you want?』
Jinx can barely breathe, unable to consciously process what she sees. With Viktor taking her face and having his very close.
『There would be no one more important than you. You would be my whole world. No one else could push you aside and you would have all the love... without ever being abandoned again. You just have to come."』
Viktor comes to his senses from the pain Vander's blows generate. Viktor takes the slightest chance at his disposal to grab his head.
In comparison, he's much calmer than Jinx, which seems incredible. It's not like Viktor does anything to help him. Standing in front of him, Vander opens his eyes when Viktor grabs his head.
"You were with her before... in the lab." Viktor presses his fingers into Vander's head. "She trusts you-”
"Of course-”
Vander suddenly grabs Viktor by the neck, pressing it, his face deforming. One similar to the one he has in reality, even a little more animal than he remembers. Roaring in his face, trying to attack him, to kill him. Viktor grits his teeth, grabbing his head again.
["Relax, Vi will be back soon. You don't have to cry." Powder continues to cry uncontrollably. I don't know what to do to stop it from being like this.
"She left. Vi left and... and she didn't tell me anything. She doesn't love me.”
Even though I see Powder crying and I tell her the same thing a thousand times, there is no way to convince her that Vi will be back. I didn't let go of her all day. Even walking around the bar, I kept her holding me and at some point, she fell asleep. When Vi came back with Mylo and Claggor, the first thing slVi did was pick up Powder and take her away.
The only thing I could do for this, was admonish her for not bringing her sister…
Powder hangs out with them more now.]
["Do you think I can be strong like Vi?”
"Of course you can. Why couldn't you?
Powder sighs, lying on the bar and playing with one of her many failed inventions. I've asked her too much not to bring them, but it's impossible to stop her. At least she hasn't tried to blow any up here. Coincidentally, all the ones she uses here do blow up. Not like they should at least.]
["Are you done?" There's no silence even with how scared they are. They look at each other, trying to get Powder to stop crying. How do I calm this child down? She just cries, cries… I don't know what to do with her. How do I get to her? "Good, because now…”
Powder is still crying.
But because of what they tell her, blaming her for being grounded.
"If you don't want to be grounded, don't hit Powder. It's simple." I report and Mylo says:
"She was the one who wanted to fight! She can't take a damn punch.”
I checked her over: she's got bruises all over her. No wonder she's crying so much. I bandaged her up, gave her her favorite juice and left her inside the bar with me, hugging my waist.
"It was my fault.”
She's crying again.
How… How do I deal with her?
How do I make her happy?
How do I make her feel at home?
It's not like Vi. I don't know how to deal with her and… I know that's why she cries so much.
"Hey.”
At least I know that hugging her works. I know it calms her down.
"Shall we go to Benzo's later? So you can play with Ekko, do you like that?"
She says yes and I pat her on the back. Powder is… different. She looks like Silco, but at least with Silco I knew that loneliness didn't weigh him down. I knew it was on his mind. With Powder I never know what to do. Still…
She's my little girl.]
["Uh…”
"VANDERR!”
"It was an accident!”
Vi pulls me away roughly and checks Powder, who tries not to panic about her shorn hair. With much effort, Vi manages to fix her bangs a bit and we all sigh in relief. I may not know how to cut hair, but I know how to braid it.
Powder likes it.
Powder hugs me and smiles excitedly.
She looks like Felicia now.
Maybe with more time, I'll finally know how to treat her and make her happier.]
Viktor smiles crookedly. So that's what happened. Vander and Powder were never close! Viktor fractures that memory, makes it blurry, hard to understand. It's the only genuinely happy one.
And without it, that complicated mess that is Vander's mind, becomes even more difficult. Fracture other memories. Make them less defined. The ones involving Vi, Silco, everything he can. Make that little bit of consciousness that still remains inside Vander, even smaller.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"Vander?"
Vander shakes himself free of the robots, but roars and growls. Jinx falls to the ground completely and although she tries to run away, Vander grabs her by the arm, lifting her up. Jinx screams at the same time as he roars in her face. She looks him in the eyes a few moments later.
It's different.
It's strange.
"I-it's me, Vander- Vander." Jinx insists in a broken voice and Vander shakes his head, suffering small nervous tics.
"Powder.”
Jinx manages to caress his face. He lets go, bringing his hands to his head and roaring before running off. Jinx gets up hastily and takes a few steps in the same direction. She turns to Sevika, who looks equally surprised.
"Go get him. Make…make sure he doesn't destroy anything. Make sure no one finds him," Jinx urges, walking towards Sevika. Isha comes out of hiding. "I'll go get Vi."
"You should go for Vander! I…!"
"Vi's going to listen to me. She's going to believe me… I think! I guess! I hope! Those things aren't going to chase you," Jinx says, picking up her gun. "Use red smoke. We'll go there. If anyone can get him to react, it's Vi."
"Are you sure about that?"
Jinx nods slightly, pursing her lips. Vander isn't going to let go of Vi. He wouldn't be able to hurt her, indifferent to what's going on in his head. To whatever that robot did to him. Sevika nods, wanting to let Jinx have control. Let her get used to deciding and maybe with that, move in the expected direction:
Let Jinx realize her own potential.
✧ Nothing left to lose ✧
Vi dreams constantly about Caitlyn.
How much she has wished for her to be more than a dream.
That she hadn't changed…
Why does everyone change?
Why can't she love anything without it changing and becoming something so different?
"Hey Sis! Is that bed-stone you have there comfortable!?”
Vi jumps abruptly, grabbing Jinx by the neck and slamming her against the wall. Vi breathes heavily, shaking, adrenaline rising by the second. Jinx with a goofy smile on her face, as well as nervous. Her name written backwards on her face.
"T-this oil fucks your skin up." Jinx says breathlessly. Vi raises her fist.
"Get lost… Get lost! GET OUT OF HERE YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!”
"We come from the same mother, so we are daughters of the same whore, huh? Aaaand I'm a girl soooo… daughter of a bitch?”
Jinx manages to dodge the blow by a miracle. She lets out a breath and whistles, showing her teeth and slapping Vi on the forearm.
"Yes, you really are Vi, always hitting everything." The next punch is prepared. "LISTEN TO ME FIRST! IT'S IMPORTANT!”
"I'M DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOU! I WANT YOU TO GO AWAY…!”
"IT'S VANDER! VANDER! IT'S ABOUT…!”
Vi tightens her grip on Jinx's neck, making it difficult for him to speak or breathe. Vi looks at her with wide eyes and her body tenser than before. How dare she talk about him? After what she did, she has no right to even name Vander.
"H-he's l-l ..."
“I don't want to hear any more of your bullshit, your dumb shit, YOUR FUCKING DECEPTIONS! I SAID GO AWAY!"
Vi lets go of her abruptly, watching her leave as she demands.
"I… I can prove it's Vander." Vi's lips tremble. She doesn't want to hear her talk about this. She doesn't want to keep hearing or seeing her. She doesn't want to think about her being Powder, some kind of walking corpse who remembers her everything going to hell. The vivid reminiscence of everything being in pieces. "Please… I wouldn't have come looking for you if I wasn't serious.”
Jinx looks into her eyes and…
Vi knows it's true.
She recognizes that she's honest.
Just like the ventilation, when she was ready to die. Vi can't imagine Jinx coming voluntarily either. After so many months? It doesn't make sense. Nor does making up something about Vander. She rubs her face and gives a deep sigh. The door is ajar and she is surprised to see the same girl who saved Jinx.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, usual family reunion. We don’t know how to hug, just almost kill each other.” Jinx says rubbing her neck and walking over to Isha. Vi looks at them alternately and snorts.
“Wait outside. I’ll be right out.”
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
“He went to the mines.” Jinx mutters, puzzled by where the red smoke is coming from.
“Why would Vander go to the mines? If they really exist.”
Jinx snorts and gives Vi a bored look. Vi, for her part, during this little walk they have taken, wonders if Jinx is hallucinating. It wouldn’t be the first time. That possibility escaped her. Vi hopes she is not wasting her time. Maybe Jinx is talking about Vander’s corpse or something and she can say goodbye to him properly.
It's Vi's only expectation at the moment.
Jinx keeps an eye on everything around her. That there aren't any more robots around. Isha is the same, holding Jinx's hand at times, making sure she's not too nervous and calming herself down. She doesn't want that to happen again. At least Vi is wearing her gloves. It's a sign that they'll at least have help. Whether it's nerves or preparation, there's no reason, Jinx feels forced to speak:
"Vander… he never died. He was actually alive when you left," Jinx informs and Vi stops, frowning. Jinx stops a meter away. "The Shimmer doesn't kill you. It makes you stronger." She shrugs. "His will to live kept him alive."
"He was dead. He died there." Vi emphasizes, irritated that Jinx thinks she's stupid. Jinx shakes her head, arms crossed and slightly hunched.
"He didn't die. For years he was in Singed's lab" she clarifies scratching her forearms. "And I… I…”
"What? You killed him again?”
"I wanted to save him. I wanted… him…”
Jinx purses her lips, tense. She doesn't want to remember him on the roof, in the containment tanks, every time Singed experimented on him.
"I tried to fix what Singed did" she clarifies quietly. "Silco-”
"The fucker who did of all this shit.”
"He let me help him.”
"Jeez!" Vi smiles wryly for a moment. "How kind! After kidnapping him, killing Benzo and almost killing us all!" she claims, approaching quickly. "Tell me, what else did Silco do to screw up my whole life?"
Jinx holds her gaze. That's what makes her so different from Powder. No matter how scared she was, she couldn't do this. That's why Vi knows she's not Powder.
She's Jinx.
And so, she can keep the hatred on her face.
"I tried to save Vander. I tried to fix what Singed did to him… it didn't work.”
"When has anything you've done ever worked? Tell me just one fucking time." Vi demands, her mouth clenched, her fists clenched, her Hextech gloves charging. Jinx looks down.
She's not intimidated.
She's embarrassed.
"I hope for your fucking sake this isn't a joke or that you're seeing things. I don't care about any of your nonsense."
"Why don't you just kill me then?" Vi stills, stunned by the question. Isha looks at both sisters, alarmed. She steps in front of Jinx, pushing her back and keeping an eye on Vi. The eldest of the three shakes her head, her face stern and nervous.
"Go on, kill me and take my head to your crazy girlfriend. I'm sure that will open her legs again" Jinx says, fully intending to annoy her. "There are others who want to kill me already. Maybe they will succeed first" she dismisses. More intimidated by the idea of the white robots than by whatever she might feel if Vi really kills her. "So go on, do it, let those dramatic bitch gloves be of some use.”
"Is that the only thing I know What are you supposed to do? Annoy me by talking and using useless toys instead of fighting.”
"Do you want Vander yes or no!?”
"He's dead! You're hallucinating and wasting my time!”
"Then go back if you don't believe me!”
Vi drops her gloves just to rub her face. She doesn't understand Jinx. It's too confusing for her. It's like going back and forth for the same thing, ending in a different conclusion, but restarting in verbal fighting. Jinx pushes Isha away, who is still nervous.
"He's my dad too. Even if you've always been his favorite" she informs just inches away. "You can believe what you want, but he's real, what I tried too and even though it didn't work… I tried. It's more than you will do if you don't move.”
Vi wanted to refute, but was stunned by the sudden slap. Jinx laughs, sticks her tongue out at her and runs taking Isha by the arm to hurry up. The girl holds her helmet in her head and laughs, excited that Jinx has regained some of her humor. Vi takes the gloves back and for a moment, she thinks about going back to her room.
What if it's real…
Vi exhales exhausted. Walking the same path as Jinx and feeling like she's being watched, but not being attacked and not perceiving anything else, she keeps walking.
A part of Vi wants to refuse to think that Vander is actually alive. Too incredulous for that. However, Sevika being at the entrance of the mine and confirming that he is indeed there was reinvigorating the possibility.
Sevika isn't crazy or see things and although they despise each other, her lack of trying to attack was evidence that something is going on. The walk through the mine is not only long, it also feels like a waste of time, but other than clapping, there are no words between the three of them. Sevika decided to stay out for precautions. Doesn't want to be an obstacle if a family moment with Vander just happens.
"How were you going to help Vander?"
Jinx snorts, clapping rather loudly and still trying to get the taste of funny luminescence off her tongue.
"Singed made him a mutant. I wanted to return him to his normal body. I was working with someone to get it done." Jinx explains in the most basic way she can think of. The details would be too much and it annoys her.
Vi wouldn't understand much either.
"A mutant?”
"It's a giant dog now.”
Vi wrinkles her face. A dog? Isha claps and Vi stops, turning around. She squints her eyes and tries to see through the weak, slowly fading light. Clap, more light, and the impression that there's something there that wasn't there before.
"What's wrong? Keep walking." Jinx demands a few meters away.
"There's something following us." Vi didn't expect Jinx's visceral reaction: taking out her gun and giving a bomb to Isha, who also tenses up. She lights up again, constantly looking back. "There doesn't seem to be anything... How are we going to find Vander in all that...?”
The light rises, the sound didn't come from them. Jinx looks around and tries to find what caused that.
『Nothing's going to happen to you. Don't worry, baby blue』
She shoots back, not hitting anything. Her braids swinging and Vi trying to figure out what's going on. For a moment... she can't think of anything. Part of her body falls limp. Isha moans, pointing at what's on Vi's right side: the robot that grabs her by the side and lightly touches her head.
Jinx completely tenses, with the aggressive gesture taking over her face.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Viktor didn't expect Jinx to get together with Vi. He had hoped she was a full-fledged traitor and wouldn't approach. Viktor feels disappointed in her. On the other hand, he needs to see from her perspective. Make sure of everything Jinx talked so much about her. How much importance there is between them...
Vi's mind is chaotic, but simple. It's a chaos typical of someone with many events that have marked and hurt her. There’s nothing stopping him from getting to her. Getting into her mind.
[Are we still sisters?] [Nothing’s gonna change that.]
Viktor takes a deep breath and allows himself to sink even deeper into her memory.
[I have to get back to Powder]
[She’s turning twelve today… happy birthday, sis]
[Maybe she’s with Ekko. He knows what to do. Yeah. She’s okay. I know she’s okay]
[“Sorry for hitting you”… that sounds pretty ugly. There must be something better.]
[Maybe in a few years they'll let me out of here.]
[Always with your stuff… always… so… I'm so sorry.]
[I want to go with Powder.]
[Why did everything have to go wrong?]
[How much more can I miss her… I feel like I can't take it anymore.]
[Maybe she forgot about me. Maybe she's not waiting for me.]
[I know that if we get back together, everything will work out. I know it will.]
[Happy birthday, Powder.]
[I wonder if you've been able to grow your hair out yet. It sure is pretty now.]
[Maybe you've made some cool inventions out there. You were always so bright]
[You're not going to leave, are you? [I'm never going to leave you N-no… you're not going to abandon me- no matter what happens.] Don't go Vi. Don't leave me]
Viktor looks at Vi in annoyance. There's too much interest, too much love… all directed towards Powder and although he despises her for thinking she can still keep her promise, it's helpful that there's this distinction.
He covers his temple and Vi disappears. Viktor wakes up in his sanctuary, holding his head, the sensation being a gunshot. He manages to reconnect with the other robots in the mine, moving them towards them.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"Move! Now!"
Vi barely reacts, confused as to why she feels like crying so much at seeing Jinx. As if her mind has exposed every last thought she had in prison. All of them were about her sister and how much she missed her. Vi runs right behind her, seeing Jinx's back, the braids swinging, and is scared to death by the people who suddenly appear in front of them.
"What are those things!?”
"We have no idea! But they're shit! Break them!”
Vi gets into position and lets out air, punching the first one that comes close to her, but getting terribly scared by the way he dodges her fist. She gasps and even though she tries to fight, it's almost impossible because of the way they move. Jinx managed to get in Isha in a small nook and shoot the one that seemed to be chasing her.
She goes back to Vi and shoots the ones that dodge her, matching perfectly. Vi quickly takes the dynamic, doing the same constantly so that Jinx can shoot without problems. She notices that Jinx is not shooting anymore and when she looks behind her, one of them is holding her head from behind.
Fingers that glow slightly, pressed on Jinx's forehead.
Parts of her skin that sparkle, crystallized in a beautiful, but unnatural way. Vi covers herself, making a barrier around herself, but the robots go straight for Jinx, catching her, getting up and carrying her away. Vi deactivates the shield and takes advantage of their interest in Jinx to knock them away.
Jinx spasms, jaw dropped, eyes white and blood coming out of her nose; crying bright and thick Shimmer.
『Don't get your hopes up. She only cares about Vander』
『She's going to get rid of you as soon as she gets the chance』
『You're not Powder. You're Jinx, but she only wants Powder』
『She looks like Vi and she is... but when has she ever wanted Powder?』
『She only thought about Powder and now, she's disappointed with what she found』
『Jinx disgusts her, makes her angry, she does so many things to her and they're all bad』
『She doesn't love you. She's not going to love you. She'll never be able to love Jinx』
『Before you know it, she'll tell you everything's fine and she'll be gone with Vander. The only one dead will be you』
『If she has the chance to kill you, she would. Without hesitation』
Vi manages to destroy the one who had Jinx's head and she takes a deep breath, stunned. She looks at Vi for a second and twitches when she hears her call. "POWDER!" Vi pulls her arm, drawing her in. Jinx stays leaning on her for a few seconds, tasting her own blood and her thoughts racing.
「YOU DON'T DESERVE HER TO STAY」
「DO YOU THINK HAVING VANDER ALIVE CHANGES ANYTHING? 」
「YOU DON'T DESERVE ANYTHING」
「YOU DIDN'T FIX IT, YOU'RE A FUCKING FAILURE」
「SHE'S NOT GOING TO LOVE YOU, YOU DON'T DESERVE THAT LOVE」
「NO ONE COULD LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE JINX」
Jinx abruptly pushes away from Vi, holding a hand to her head and ending up vomiting. Isha comes out of her hiding place and rushes towards her. Jinx runs away from her, shaking and with stitches in her head.
『I'm going to love you more than anyone else… you just have to come.』
She groans, covering her face and hunching over. She can't bear her head. It hurts so much. Everything burns and vibrates. Her blood falls to the floor and growls can be heard in the distance. Vi opens and closes her mouth, not knowing if she should urge Jinx forward, hide. What are they supposed to do? When it gets louder and closer, Jinx looks in that direction.
"Vander- No! It's Vander!" she says quickly, as Vi readies her gloves and gets into position, several steps ahead of Jinx, covering her with her entire body. "You have to…!"
Vi holds her breath, clenching her fists. That thing isn't Vander. It's-
"PLEASE BELIEVE ME!”
✧ Fixed destination ✧
"I didn't see them going inside. Unless they went through the blocked entrance, there's no way they got to you that fast," says Sevika, irritated to know that they also arrived there. As if they never end. "Did something bad happen?"
"Nothing... new really."
"Have you seen more of those things?" asks Vi, lost in the conversation.
Isha gives her a bad look and continues stroking Vander on the arm. The mutant stares at her, giving soft and calm snorts. Vi for her part spins around a couple of times. Admiring the place. It shouts out Powder, although it's more like Jinx. She's amazed by the dolls that look just like Mylo and Claggor.
"About two weeks," says Sevika. "They increase with the days." She leans on the table. "We don't know where they come from, what they want, the only thing certain is that they always go after Jinx." Vi turns her attention back to Sevika. "They are…”
"They're making a smoothie out of my brain. It used to be a lumpy soup, now it's a smoothie and no one's shutting up." Jinx mumbles, rubbing her temple in irritation. She looks especially tired.
「IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SHE SAYS SHE'S LEAVING」
「DO YOU THINK SHE'S GONNA PITY YOU? SAVE YOURSELF, YOU DAMN WORTHLESS BITCH」
「USELESS. USELESS. USELESS. USELESS. USELESS」
"SHUT UP ALREADY! WHO ASKED FOR YOUR FUCKING FUCKING OPINION! AH!? NO ONE!" Junx reluctantly yanks away a piece of metal. "YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT!"
They fall into total silence, with Jinx screaming to her right, into the mirror where she sees reflections of monsters and figures that don't let go of her. Sevika smacks her lips and turns back to Violet.
"I think they might be from Piltover."
"I don't think so. Before I left, I heard that Jayce and Viktor were missing. No one else knows how to use and create Hextech like they do," Vi reports, Jinx continuing to talk to herself, lower and completely disconnected from the conversation. "Also, nothing about those robots looked… normal. It doesn't look like this." She taps her gloves with her foot.
"It looks like this." Vi takes the journal and turns the pages. It's from Jinx, but there are notes from someone else. Sevika took the time to look through it. It caught her attention that Jinx mentioned that ‘without her help’, Viktor wouldn't be able to create something like sentinels. In the notes, there's something very similar. Doll-like.
"Maybe Viktor went back to them and did it." Sevika concludes with a shrug.
"Still... What does Vander have to do with it?" Vi points out and Sevika shakes her head. She has no idea either.
At the moment, the only thing that seems feasible is the theory that Piltover did those things. Still, both have the same doubt: Why haven't they killed her? Why does it seem to be a constant push? A kind of provocation to something else.
"Well!" Sevika turns to Jinx, frightened that she suddenly has ‘normal’ state again. "We have to fix the big bad wolf. How do we do it?" She puts her hands on her waist and purses her lips. Vi wonders if it's so normal to just... carry on like this. As if nothing happened.
"Can't you help him?"
"No! Are you crazy!? And make him explode like a balloon!?" Jinx exclaims frightened, shaking her hands and pointing at him. "I tried once and it almost killed me.”
"But now-”
"I'm just as lost now," Jinx argues. "I can't fix this from here." She pats his head and Vander just shakes it off. "I can't even handle mine! It's all messed up! At least there are parts here and we could tighten those nuts."
"Isn't there anyone who knows?" Vi leaves the journal closed and takes a couple of steps forward, thoughtful. "Someone who..." She rests her hand on her chin and furrows her eyebrows. "I heard of someone who heals people. He takes anyone from Zaun."
"The Herald?" Sevika snaps.
"That person.”
"Ugh, great, a wizard in a nightgown and a white beard that looks like pubic hair." Sevika and Vi scrunch up their faces. "I don't think it will cure anything.”
"It's better to at least try." Vi suggests and Jinx snorts, leaning on Vander and resting her head on his.
She loses herself in her mind for a few moments.
『I can give you anything you want most』
『If you agree to be mine. There's nothing you can lack』
『Come to me, Jinx』
"Hey." She looks at Vi, who leans in a little. "What matters is trying. If it doesn't work out... we'll think of something else" she suggests optimistically and Jinx looks away. "We'll go tomorrow." she concludes and Jinx nods.
She straightens up and takes a couple of steps. Jinx sees Vi's forehead touch Vander's, giving him words of encouragement...
『Don't get your hopes up. She's only interested in Vander』
Jinx tightens her hands on her arms, digging her nails into her own flesh, frowning.
『She's going to get rid of you as soon as she gets the chance』
She's surprised when she looks down. Isha shows her one of the small balls from the mine. She brings it to her mouth and shows her tongue. Jinx smiles, bending down. "Let's hope you don't get diarrhea, it'll be pretty ugly here" she jokes, wiping her lip and Isha shrugs. She offers her one of the condensations and Jinx eats it.
They stick out their tongues at the same time and laugh. Vi watches the interaction, curious and surprised in equal measure.
"If you're interested in any way," Sevika says through gritted teeth, almost thinking of not continuing to talk. She lowers herself, straight to Vi. "Ever since Silco died, only she makes her happy... She's her new sister."
Sevika leaves and Vi turns to see Isha, who makes gestures with her hands and Jinx understands perfectly. She gives a slight sigh, stroking Vander on the head and having too much on her mind.
✧ Night Talk ✧
Vi wakes up near dawn. She slept more than she should have. It's amazing, but the cushions in this hideout are a thousand times more comfortable than the bed she's used for almost four months. She gets up, shaking her clothes and yawning; they made the agreement to watch Vander. He's asleep, but they never know if he'll have an outburst and try to run away from here. She's surprised to see Jinx awake, not far away and with her hair down, combing her hair.
There's a part of Vi that just can't let go of Powder. She can't accept that she doesn't exist anymore. Seeing her there so small and silent is like seeing her sister again. Without a doubt, and the hope of getting her back is so great.
This time, with Vander present, they could go back to how they were before. Including Isha as part of this family that was always built in pieces that no one else wanted to have. She sits next to him, not having time to say anything. Jinx turns a little, hiding her face and persisting in brushing.
"I'll keep watch. You can go to sleep." Vi suggests. Jinx shakes her head in the negative.
"I'm not sleepy.”
Vi is silent for a few minutes. Thinking. Jinx takes a deep breath. She had a nightmare and her only way to calm down is to comb her hair. She didn't think she would undo her braids for another week, but her anxiety got the better of her.
"Hey," Vi calls. "When this is over: let's live together."
"What?" Jinx looks at her strangely. Almost disgusted. Vi doesn't comment on it.
"If that guy cures Vander, let's be a family again," Vi suggests. "Let's go back to Last Drop." She puts her hands behind her back. "And just keep going.”
「AND THEN YOU FINISH THE JOB OF KILLING EVERYONE」
「OR BETTER YET, MAKE VI REALIZE HOW USELESS YOU ARE AGAIN」
「IT WOULD BE FUN: THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE YOU LOCKED IN THE BASEMENT THIS TIME」
Vi didn't notice the little nervous tics Jinx had.
"Yep, mom and dad are turning in their graves because aside from being psychos, their two kids a're crazy," Jinx scoffs, shaking her head and continuing to comb her hair. Vi raises one heel to the ground and rests her arm on it.
"So what are you trying to do? Stay stuck here forever, is that it? Even the little girl is going to realize how crazy you are," Vi reproaches.
"Her name is Isha," Jinx informs with annoyance. "And in case you haven't noticed, yes, nothing can be the same."
"If it can be. It's a matter of-”
「ACCEPTING THAT YOU'RE THAT STUPID, USELESS LITTLE GIRL YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN. THAT YOU ONLY BRING BAD LUCK」
「ACCEPT IT, YOU'LL HAVE COMPANY FOR A WEEK BEFORE YOU KILL THEM」
「YOU'RE A FUCKING DANGER」
「BECAUSE OF YOU EVERYTHING IS BROKEN」
"I'm not Powder, Vi. It's time for you to accept it and stop waiting for someone who died," Jinx says. Severe, irritated, disappointed.
Going back to how she was before is... Almost like now, feeling less than her sister for her lack of strength, for not being enough at anything, for not achieving anything, for not being loved by anyone because at the slightest opportunity, she will be abandoned again. Jinx doesn't want to go back to that. The mere thought makes her anxious.
「LITTLE POWDER WANTS TO CRY」
「STUPID CRYBABY」
「YOU SHOULD ACCEPT. NO ONE ELSE WILL LOVE YOU EVEN OUT OF PITY」
「IT WILL BE SO FUN THE DAY SHE ABANDON YOU」
"You changed... I changed. You have to accept it.”
"I didn't change.”
"Huh, right, right, that metal Enforcer shit doesn't mean anything." Jinx scoffs, putting the brush aside. Vi stares at the way her long fingers part Jinx's signature blue hair.
"You killed Caitlyn's mom.”
"She killed over fifty people with you by her side. Using The Grey," Jinx points out. "Piltover has been killing us like animals for years and all Piltover mourns is a person.”
"It doesn't take away the weight of what it is. It's about a life." Vi demands.
"Then I have the right to burn all of Piltover down for taking mom, dad, and my sister from me.”
Vi's eyes widen and she lets out a breath, turning her head away. Jinx goes back to her hair, parting it into two parts. The strands fall over the edge of the propeller. Vi opens and closes her mouth until she finally asks:
"Why Silco? Why? Ekko was an option. You could have… go with him. I know it would have been hard for you to survive alone, but why Silco?”
Vi feels like it's the only thing she has a claim to. It's the only thing that doesn't make sense and at the same time, it's the strangest decision Jinx has made so far. Plus, so many strange rumors she's heard... Vi doesn't want to think that her sister really was all that.
"He was there" Jinx answers simply, braided with such patience that Vi has a hard time thinking that Jinx and whoever is here, are the same person. "He stayed" She slid her fingers through the straight hair. "He was honest with me" Jinx repeats with the next hair lock. "And even when everything went wrong... He was still there.”
"He used you." Vi points out.
"He loved me. Even when I killed him, he loved me.”
Vi shakes her head. She finds it hard to believe that's true. Jinx giggles, lost in thought.
"He wore makeup because the first few months, I was scared to see his face" she says, amused. "I started drawing everywhere and he just left everything as it was; if I wanted something, he gave it to me; if they complained about me, we just talked about what went wrong. He made space for me with Singed so I could work better, gave me all the materials I needed, asked me for help." Jinx accomplished a quarter of a lock of braided hair, still slow in her movements and Vi, attentive to those gestures. The emotional and melancholic smile. "Even when everything was screwed up and exploding, he never hated me, never left me. He said I had great potential and everyone would see it.”
"You've always had potential. You're capable of extraordinary things, Powder.”
«Jinx»
"I'm not Powder. That's why I know it could never work to be a family. Not with you.”
They don't say anything else. Jinx is attentive to her hair and Vi is attentive to her, thinking of a thousand things at once.
✧ The herald ✧
The path to get to the herald is long. A little scary, considering that they used to live around here and they know that it became a valley of people addicted to Shimmer. They don't find weird the line, it just irritates Jinx who wants to fix Vander as quickly as possible.
And avoid this open space. The white robots could appear at any moment.
They reach the beginning of the line. There is a constant flash ahead. "Welcome... I must inform you that it is not allowed to enter with weapons. The herald does not wish any acci-”
Jinx rolled her eyes in the middle of the whole speech and pointed the gun at his head.
"Move and let us pass. It's a particular situation." She smiles smugly and annoyed.
The man stares at her and shakes his head slightly. A couple of other people report that they won't be able to let anyone in for today. They have to come back tomorrow. Vi is also starting to lose patience.
"I don't think we'll be long." Vi adds. Feeling like she knows him, but unsure of who he is.
"I insist. The herald doesn't allow the passage of weapons."
Jinx gives an exasperated groan. She reluctantly puts down her pistol, Pow-Pow and Fishbone. Vi puts down her gloves in the same place and walks over to Vander again. Jinx gives a discreet nod to Isha, the girl gives a thumbs up, walking beside her and Jinx laughs.
Taking long strides with her hands clasped behind her head.
"How the hell is there so much light and air in here?" Jinx asks looking around. She picks up a couple of fruits with her foot: one for Isha and one for herself.
"I don't know. I've never seen flowers like that either." Vi says. Just as curious.
They reach the hill, the central and largest space. Jinx finishes the fruit and rests her hands on her hips. Whoever this herald is, he really makes himself wait.
┈
Viktor lets out a heavy breath and throws the energy cylinder aside. He's done too many sentries, his energy diminishes in relation to how much he uses it. It consumes too much. It's giving life to an inanimate object and to make matters worse, also changing it entire organism.
It's infuriating.
Besides, he can't stop his work of helping others. It's part of what drives him to have this power to start. Viktor leaves his sanctuary, noticing that there are more people outside. There shouldn't be many. The day's quota must be fulfilled. Viktor leans a little on his staff as he walks outside, half-opening his eyes and lips in slight surprise at what he finds when he comes out.
His white eyes shine and fill with different colors as he looks at the blue-haired girl. Turning her back, hands on her hips and talking to the helmeted girl. "We should come and get the food from here. It tastes a thousand times better than the rotten fruit that Sevika brings us every day, huh?"
"Jinx." Vi calls. Looking at Viktor strangely.
Jinx turns around and stays completely still for a few seconds. Eyebrows raised, eyes wide open and stuttering. Viktor gives a slight, barely perceptible smile, tilting his head slightly.
"It took you long enough.”
✧ Chatting like before ✧
Vi looks at them alternately, stunned by the atmosphere that was formed in one fell swoop. Viktor freaks out and drops the staff; Jinx, for her part, moves quickly, jumping on him and hugging him by the shoulders, shaking him too hard. Jinx laughs and squeals excitedly.
"You're the herald! If I'd known, I would have come sooner!" Viktor staggers, but manages to stay standing. "And... You're stronger! Why don't you fall? This isn't fun," Jinx claims with a rude tone, pushing his bangs aside. Viktor shrugs slightly. Keeping one hand on Jinx's back and the other on her thigh. "You're all purple and quite changed." Jinx pulls his face, checking his eyes, checking his hair, checking the crystallized skin.
"A lot of things happened," Viktor says. He puts her down on the floor and Jinx rests her hands on her hips, smirking and leaning a little on her right foot. "I guess we can talk about it later." Viktor looks at Vander. "I thought you were coming sooner. With him."
"I still don't know what you're doing, as far as I'm concerned, you're still a smoke-seller." Jinx points out and Viktor sighs, shaking his head.
"You're too stubborn.”
"And you're too stupid to think that a 'miracle cure' was going to make me come."
"Can you cure him?" Vi interrupts. Feeling her presence completely unnecessary. Viktor approaches Vander.
"I've cured every Shimmer addict who's come. Congenital diseases, battle wounds," Viktor mutters, not touching Vander. Just moving his hand in front of his face. The energy is much stronger now. Caused by being face to face, "but he's the first person so broken and different to come here. There's a lot that needs to be changed.”
"Can you do it or not?" Vi insists, crossing her arms. Such talk is of no use to her. Isha motions to Jinx.
"Is that Super-Duper Viktor? He doesn't look as pathetic as you said."
"He fixed himself, I don't know how." Jinx shrugs and Isha frowns.
"It's kind of weird. Why didn't he come looking for you?"
"Because he's an idiot. Like any idiot who goes up to Piltover for something else." Jinx concludes without interest.
In a way, it makes her happy that Viktor was in Zaun all this time. There's no sign of Jayce and he was waiting for her! Maybe he wasn't clear when he looked for her, but he was expecting her and it's something Jinx is very happy about. Viktor gently touches Vander's forehead and even as he tries to do something, he sees Vander's consciousness scattered, mixed in with so many broken things.
Singed's fault.
His fault.
His body shakes and he can't stand, collapsing from exhaustion. Vander grunts, shaking and backing away. Vi grabs his arm, holding him still. Jinx leans over to Viktor, kicking him.
"You're still as pathetic as ever. You like wolves now? You bent down to see his cock." Jinx teases and Viktor glares at her, panting.
Despite that, hearing Jinx's irritating laughter at her teasing him… he's very happy. It's just like before. It's like it's always been. Jinx offers her hand to help him up, giving him a quick hip bump.
┈
"His mind is too broken and tangled up with the beast's mind." Viktor announces. sitting at the community well, tired.
"I left a lame scientist, hoping for a miracle healer, and they gave me a metal fortune cookie." Jinx scoffs.
Isha fills her helmet with water and offers it to Vander. Jinx walks to the edge, playing. Vi is the only one paying attention to what he says. "It's hard to get to him… it'll take time, but" Viktor shakes his head. "I can bring him back and return him to normal."
"How long would it take?"
"Are you in a hurry?" Viktor raises an eyebrow and Vi rubs her forehead.
"I just… I don't want him to be like this any longer." Vi clarifies and Viktor looks back at Vander.
He can do it, he even has a plan for it. However, it's going to take a long time. It might be an advantage.
"Maybe a week, depending on how much strength he has. It's a lot of work and my energy isn't permanent" He notifies and Jinx swings on the well valve. "He wants to be with both of you soon too," Viktor says, both of them looking confused, "I was able to speak to him, in his mind… His vision of Zaun, what he yearns for, what has kept him alive… it is truly beautiful."
"Cookie," Jinx coughs.
"I do have one condition, though," Viktor informs.
"I'd say several." Jinx hums, leaning against the metal. Viktor smirks.
"You have much to offer this community… Powder." Jinx twitches, causing a cogwheel to fall into the water. Viktor picks it up. "As you and I both know… you have an extraordinary gift for creating." He looks at the cogwheel from several angles.
Vi continues to observe them both alternately. What's going on here? Jinx snorts, hissing.
"I stick with what I know and do well, thank you.”
Viktor shakes his head softly and says in a calm voice: “He should be tied up or restrained at night. I can’t let him cause a mess. I’m aware of the… damage he can cause.”
Vi thinks about it for a bit and turns to Jinx. “What do you think?”
“You want my opinion?”
Viktor narrows his eyes. Even if it’s not much, they’re talking quite a bit. He’d say they understand each other better than he’d expect. Considering they tried to kill each other a few months ago and because of Vi, Jinx ended up being a Shimmer Usser. Vi nods slightly and stands up.
“I’ll take care of Vander.” she announces, resting her right hand on Vander’s shoulder.
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you want,” Viktor informs, standing up. “It’ll be best if he takes the greenhouse. It’s big, bigger than any space we have for other people and families,” he says as a couple of people approach, “they’ll show the way… Jinx, come with me. Just you." Viktor clarifies and Jinx looks at Isha, giving her a small gesture.
"I'll be right back."
Isha gives a slight sigh. Jinx skips over to Viktor and walks next to him, clasping her hands behind her back. Isha follows Vander and Vi, a little anxious about Viktor's presence. The greenhouse is indeed large and comfortable, with light filtered in from outside. Vi sits on a wall and keeps a frown on her face.
"You're worried too, right?" Isha nods, taking off her helmet and putting it aside. "They've known each other for a long time?"
Isha makes several signs, Vi doesn't understand anything. Isha takes a stick and uses it to draw on the floor: "they were dating or something."
┈
"I knew you would come, so I made this space for you." Jinx smiles as she walks inside the huge dome. There are several tables, boxes full of materials, notebooks, plans that were clearly the ones used in Singed's lab. "I come here to sleep sometimes, but it's not very often." Viktor runs his hand over the empty desk. "I started to get worried that you weren't coming." He gives her a sidelong glance.
"Well, I thought you'd abandoned me because we have a secret hideout and you never went there again," Jinx says. She climbs up onto the desk and crosses her leg, leaning towards Viktor. "Did something happen? Why the mechanical diva look? Your waist is better than ever." She gives him a slight nudge with her foot. Viktor shakes his head.
"It's a change I wasn't expecting," he admits, exposing his hand and Jinx slides hers in, brushing against every crevice and causing Viktor to shiver. "The Hexcore… it merged with me and I ended up like this."
"Can you feel?" Jinx moves up Viktor's forearm, each little wave of energy brighter now.
"Yeah. I can feel you even more than before." Viktor closes his hand on Jinx's arm and rubs with his thumb. Jinx smiles, looking up and meeting his eyes. Vibrant with emotion.
Viktor speaks much more... softly now. It sends shivers down her spine and it's phenomenal. It's been too long since Jinx felt this kind of sensation. Not to mention the way Viktor looks at her now is so much more sincere. There's such explicit and exposed desire there.
As if Viktor is desperate for her to know how much he wants her. How much he desires her. Without holding back on words. After all, with Jinx they're never very useful. She always values actions more.
"So, you're Super-Duper now Viktor... you're missing the third arm." Viktor laughs, shaking his head. He guessed so well that Jinx would think about that. "Although, why did you let yourself be transformed by the Hexcore? Did you want to see the uuppie duppies dimension on your own?”
"The missile you launched at the council tower almost killed me. Jayce used Hexcore to resuscitated me.”
Jinx stops moving and the smile fades from her face, pulling her hands away roughly. She opens and closes her mouth, looking down and bringing a hand to her head. "Were you there? Why were you there? Y-you didn't-”
"It's not important now.”
"I could- I almost killed you!" Jinx stands up in a hurry, moving away from him. "NO ONE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE!" she claims regretfully. "I-”
「YOU'RE A JINX」
「IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I END UP DEAD」
「THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A SECOND TIME. YOU'RE GOING TO KILL HIM」
「ANOTHER DEAD MAN」
「FIRST SILCO, NOW VIKTOR」
「YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A DAMN DANGER」
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT! I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT!" she argues loudly. Viktor puts his staff aside and approaches her. "NO!" Jinx steps away pointing at him. "I have... I have to get out of here. I-”
"Jinx.”
Viktor grabs her face and Jinx breathes heavily. Staring at him, how is he so calm? Because of her, he doesn't even have his "real" body now. That he's alive is a miracle. He could have really disappeared and because of her missile! Her lips tremble and the urge to cry is very strong.
Why did Viktor say her name like that? Jinx can't understand.
"I'm alive. I'm here," Viktor whispers softly, smiling lightly and lovingly. "I promised I wouldn't leave you, and I'm going to keep that promise." Jinx lets out a sob, resting her hand on Viktor's and resting her cheek on the cold palm. "If there's one thing I've understood from this… it's that our destiny, our purpose, is to stay together." There's a slight change in his voice. Mechanical, serious. "And nothing can ever separate us.”
Viktor kisses her forehead and Jinx hugs him, almost attacking him. Viktor caresses her head and back. Happy and relieved that she doesn't run away.
✧ Proposal ✧
Vi leaves the greenhouse, eating a fruit. She asked Isha to stay and keep Vander company. That way, he might not get upset. They get along very well together. Maybe because Isha reminds him of Powder.
Vi takes a little walk around the community. She takes her time: it's a lot of territory, there are a lot of people here. They all seem to be minding their own business, but she feels watched at times. She even thinks she saw one of the white robots. She dismisses it as a hallucination. Here everyone dresses in white. It seems like Piltover at times.
Behind the sanctuary, she is surprised to find a much larger place. It has a path that connects directly. It's like two spheres. One tall, one shorter, and when she intrudes, she discovers a huge laboratory. There are several Hex gems on the table, also plans and journals everywhere.
Similar to Jinx's hideout. Vu picks up one of the blueprints, recognizing the drawing is of Vander. Notes everywhere. Weight, height, amount of Shimmer needed, amount of energy to return him to normal. Clear evidence that Jinx really tried to do something to help him.
Even if it wasn't enough.
The entrance to the next space is open and Vi can take a look: gold and colorful walls, plush toys everywhere, canopies hanging from the ceiling and wall; wind-up toys and music boxes.
Vi pauses at the door, blinking a few times before fully coming to.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"I'm glad you like it.”
"I just need to paint it a bit.”
Jinx taps the spinning ballerina. She wound up one of the many music boxes. The stuffy, pretty-filled environment feels like a personal paradise. Also the fabrics hanging from the ceiling that are strong enough to lie on if she wants.
She climbs up onto one of the metal beams there, swinging and biting her lip. She loves this place. Viktor watches her every reaction.
"Jinx" Viktor calls and she hangs upside down. "I need your help."
"Really? I thought Mister Miracle wouldn't need a crazy bitch like me.”
"Quite the opposite" Viktor says in a sigh. "I need your help... your blood, I need everything from you.”
Jinx lets herself fall and lands on her feet, rests her hands on her hips and raises her eyebrow, smiling smugly. Viktor raises his hand, a frustrated and slightly exasperated gesture. Jinx watches the magic flow.
"Healing everyone within my reach... weakens me. The energy that flows through my body is not enough" Viktor explains slowly, waving his hand. "It doesn't regenerate fast enough. That's why I must be constantly consuming the energy that the Hex generator under Piltover creates." He turns his gaze to Jinx, "however, I came to the conclusion that the solution lies within you.”
"My organs? I'm not giving them to you. It won't even serve you." Jinx grumbles.
"I mean your blood," Viktor clarifies, "the Shimmer that runs through your veins allows you to heal and restore yourself, right?" Jinx shrugs. "That version of the Shimmer is what I need."
"So you wanted me to come here to suck my blood. Other than a fortune cookie, vampire." Jinx mocks, barely discreet in that she doesn't care that Viktor wants her for what she can offer and then, he doesn't care.
「IT'S ALL YOU CAN BE USED FOR」
「HOW STUPID YOU ARE TO THINK HE WOULD GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU」
"I wanted you to come because you're you" Viktor approaches her. "I need your blood, but even before I thought about it, this place was ready for you… and anything you want, I can do it, just for you" Jinx slides her fingers down Viktor's forearm. He doesn't talk like she remembers. It's weird. Like he's Viktor, but not exactly Viktor and Jinx can't decide if it is good or not "If you don't want to give me your blood… I can ask Singed for help. Although I'd rather avoid it.”
Jinx pulls her lips out and reaches for Viktor's hand, brushing her nails against the metallic skin.
"Is that all you need?”
"Also equipment that can distribute it evenly throughout my body, storage for the blood you'd have to give me… I need many things" Viktor laughs lightly. "Something I hope you can help me build." Jinx smiles softly. "I'll let you paint it however you want.”
"If I don't, they'll be the most boring things in the world." Jinx sticks her tongue out, grimacing. "And Vander…”
"I'll start sooner, but I'm sure if I have the necessary Shimmer: I can make him normal again. Just like you remember." Viktor promises and Jinx nods slightly.
"It's fine. I'm spilling my blood everywhere anyway," Jinx mocks. "On the condition that you promise not to leave me once you have what you want from me. You can't throw me away. Besides," Jinx lets herself fall fully into him, her arms hanging. "Remember that you are mine! You are not allowed to disappear from my life, only if I tell you to." she whisper and Viktor grabs her back.
"I don't plan on disappearing from your life ever again, Jinx.”
Jinx smiles and stands on her tiptoes, joining lips with Viktor.
She didn't expect him to move so fast. Taking her by the head, he leans down and brings her chest to his. She reciprocates without thinking, entwining the fingers between the brown and white strands. Jinx jumps up, climbing on Viktor who can now carry her.
Viktor leaves Jinx on the bed, removing her black top and taking her breasts in his hands. Jinx brings him closer to her body, pulling him with her legs intertwined on Viktor's slim hips. The herald goes down her neck, collarbone and kisses between the small breasts. Jinx caresses his head, smiling amused by Viktor so fast and concentrated.
Her skin prickles, heats up quickly and she feels that she is completely wet. Consequence of Viktor in his constant energy flowing through her body. Viktor looks up at this moment and Jinx bites her lip.
"Are you that desperate VikVik?"
He snorts, eyes narrowing. Yes, he's desperate to death. It's not the same as what he did before. At all. It's so much more intense this way. It excites him so much that… he finally has her in his hands. That Jinx is right where he wants her and he's not leaving.
This time he can't let her go.
Jinx giggles nervously shrugging. Viktor has moved all the way down her abdomen and now, he's between her legs. The man got rid of the purple pants and underwear as well. Jinx sighs, closing her eyes. Viktor runs his tongue over her wet vagina and it's…
Weird?
It's similar to that time Jinx put Shimmer in his mouth while he was sleeping.
Feeling rushed.
Sweet.
Bitter.
Salty.
All at the same time.
The smell is the same variety, but the worst part is…
The urge to have more of the taste.
To keep consuming it.
Jinx exclaims, being taken hard by the thighs and Viktor sucking all her intimacy, sticking his tongue in and moving it in the flesh that secretes more and more viscous, slightly violet liquid. Jinx closes her thighs, squeezing Viktor's elongated and flushed face; pulling the hair that fills with sweat and Viktor looks up.
Glassy, colorful eyes that make her moan, sticking her tongue out for an instant and convulsing her whole body, having an orgasm that makes her arch. Viktor swallows the fluid and continues licking the wet pussy, dragging his teeth and making Jinx moan more.
"Viktya don't do that, don't eat me-”
Drool escapes her and Viktor gets enough control to pull away, panting and chin glistening. Jinx leans back, shaking and giggling. Viktor runs his finger along his chin and looks at the liquid left behind. "Is that Shimmer?"
His throat burns and it's not from swallowing it, it's just soothed by doing so. He releases the hooks of his clothes so he's naked. Jinx tilts her head, still vibrating.
"You look pretty, Viktya."
Jinx breathes through her mouth, agitated and a little dazed that Viktor wants to kiss her so much, that he won't stop touching her. That he kisses her so carefully on her abdomen, on her thighs, on the small spongy part of her belly. When Viktor reaches her crotch again and has his mouth there again, she throws her head back, lying fully on the bed and holding his head.
Viktor isn't aware of the amount of time he's been doing this, but he doesn't get tired of it and neither does Jinx, sweating and generating an intense smell that Viktor perceives as similar: Shimmer that comes out of her pores and when making contact, it only accelerates him and makes him more anxious to have Jinx and not let go.
Jinx trembles from head to toe, noticeable in the way she holds his face, in the way in which she kisses him and just by placing her hands on his body. Viktor kisses her with the same enthusiasm, between her legs and penetrating her in a rough movement. Jinx bites his tongue in a surprised moan and lowers her hand to her abdomen.
"You're such a cheater, you made your dick bigger.”
"It's the same size as always.”
"I'm sure it's bigger."
"It's the same." Viktor insists in a heated snort.
"No~No~ You're a pervert who got a big cock to take more of my pussy, aren't you?" Jinx sticks her tongue out as she laughs, then bites her bottom lip. "I like your fat-ass cock, VikVik."
Viktor blushes and Jinx laughs more, managing to turn around until she's on top of Viktor, standing on top of him. Viktor looks down, as his member enters and leaves Jinx, getting lost in the reddened flesh from all the biting, licking and sucking. He grabs Jinx by the thighs, inciting her to move faster, swinging her hips and moaning shamelessly. Viktor grabs her blue braids for a moment, making Jinx throw herself on top of him.
The teenager kisses him directly, caressing his chest and moving her hips automatically. Viktor made the braids come undone, the bullet casings strewn everywhere and most of the bed with the long blue locks.
Including him, who somehow and as always, is the one who ends up being devoured by Jinx, who even if she was vulnerable, trembling and begging for more attention, more of her desperate hunger…
She is the one who dominates him without problem.
Making him feel so pathetic and ridiculous.
"You see?" Jinx purrs, staying still, both panting with skin shiny with sweat. Jinx's bright fuchsia eyes on Viktor's that have that iridescent and fanciful tone. "You are so mine that you debuted your cock with me for the second time. How good you are, Viktya." She kisses him on the cheek, moving to his ear; she caresses the opposite cheek with her thumb and Viktor lets out a breath, smiling slightly before doing the same.
Hugging her and lying side by side on the bed, kissing. Jinx's thigh on his hip and half of his manhood still inside her. He presses his chest against Jinx's, pressing the small breasts together and feeling her heart.
"You're mine now, right?" Jinx asks, excitement obvious in her eyes and longing smile.
"I never stopped being yours.”
Viktor grabs her head. Discreet, not invasive or attacking. Wanting to know what she thinks…
HE DOESN'T HATE ME!
HE LOVES ME!
HE LOVES ME HE LOVES ME HE LOVEs ME!
Maybe I can make things right with Viktor.
He and Isha will be okay.
Nothing's going to happen to them.
He's not going to leave me.
Viktor and Isha are all I need.
I'm not going to be alone anymore.
I'm not going to be alone anymore.
I'm not going to be alone anymore.
Why does Isha…?
Why does that girl matter?
Why is there anyone else?
"You're mine." Viktor murmurs before kissing her on the mouth. Jinx is too wrapped up in her joy and excitement to notice the annoyance in Viktor's tone.
She's focused on him: on feeling him, on enjoying his attention and pampering. Just like Silco was when he was alive. More intense. The magic and the Shimmer in both of their bodies making them more explosive and constant.
When Vi entered without thinking, what she saw was the two of them. Viktor noticed Vi and didn't care, letting Jinx kiss and bite his neck; sitting with Jinx on top of him, moving and moaning obscenities in his ear.
Vi ran away as fast as she could and Viktor gave a snort of annoyance.
Viktor tilts his head, playing dumb about it. Vi is defensive, clearly upset, and if Viktor hadn’t seen through her mind, he’d think this guard-dog attitude is pointless and out of character.
“She’s getting dressed. I’ve been expecting her arrival for a while, so I took the time to prepare a space for her,” he explains in the same tone as yesterday: calm, almost indifferent. “I have high expectations of you guys staying.” He glances at Isha, who grimaces and shakes her head. She doesn’t want to stay here. This guy still seems very weird to her. “I must also say that there are some added aspects to the agreement we made.”
“My sister being your whore is one of them?” Vi approaches Viktor, almost threatening him. Viktor remains calm and Vi seems close to growling.
"Wow! What's wrong? Did you ask her about her ex? She's the dictator of Piltover, the one who throws gas in the face of every Zaunite she sees."
Vi stutters, annoyed that Jinx said that. She appears wearing different clothes: chest covered with white cloth crossed on her neck and chest, full of blue and pink drawings; bare abdomen; the usual black gloves, also the boots; black shorts and a two-sided skirt, showing her thighs perfectly. She is still doing her right braid.
"And your clothes?"
"He screwed up" she accuses Viktor who blinks repeatedly and shakes his head. He doesn't care if they know? "He was worse than a dog last night. Look how he left my…! What? What?" Vi took Jinx by the arm to take her to a corner. Viktor and Isha look at each other.
Isha doesn't know what she did to make Viktor see her like all the gangsters of Zaun, wanting her to die just because.
Viktor wonders what the hell this kid did to be “adopted”. Being weak and pathetic? Being the only thing that doesn’t get away from Jinx? Maybe.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Vi hisses. “That guy is a lunatic with weird powers and you’re getting into bed with him?”
“Are we going to fight over which bed we get into? Really?” Jinx challenges, arms crossed.
“Don’t bring Caitlyn into this.”
“Oh, I’m bringing her in because she’s the fucking bitch you changed me for.” Jinx argues, and Vi can’t understand why Jinx despises Caitlyn so much. It’s absurd. They don’t even know each other. It goes both ways: they want to kill each other for existing and for imaginary fights.
Or she can say that in Jinx’s case.
At least Caitlyn has Jinx killing Cassandra and kidnapping her from home.
“I didn’t change you for her. I was just with her,” Vi corrects. "And this-”
"This has been around for years. I've known him for almost five years" Jinx clarifies and Vi barely contains her surprise, constantly turning to where Viktor is. "He came dying, we were studying together. As you can see, I really know him well. He's a pathetic little man who loves to be humiliated." she celebrates, placing her hands on her hips.
"You don't understand what you're getting into" Vi claims. "You don't... control him. He just tricks you with that.”
"I control him as much as I controlled Silco: I show them my tits and they go crazy" Vi wants to bury her head in the ground. The last thing she expected from this conversation is to know her sister's sex life. "Or I suck their dicks. Whichever comes first" Jinx dismisses nonchalantly. "Besides, why do you care? I'm not your sister, did you forget?"
Vi grabs her arm again, forcing her to stay in place.
"You are, my sister," Vi emphasizes, tightening her grip and Jinx frowns. "And I don't want to see you with some... degenerate who wants something from you. Who's using you- Don't you understand? He's taking advantage of you. Just like Silco did."
Jinx abruptly lets go and continues towards Viktor and Isha. Vi rubs her face with both hands. Overwhelmed. Even standing in front of them, listening to what will happen now, she can't get it out of her head that she doesn't like it. Something about Viktor makes her uncomfortable. She doesn't know what it is.
Maybe the way he looks.
The way he so obviously hates her being here.
If it weren't for Vander, she would already be fighting to get them to leave. They can survive in Zaun. That's a fact, they don't need this place. Necessity is a bitch, unfortunately. The only thing in her favor is that Viktor is genuine in that he needs Jinx as an inventor, so it becomes a process of carrying parts around, helping out as much as possible.
"Aren't you going to shower? You smell like shit." Jinx says as she welds metal. She decided to start with the blood containers, as well as the needle and generator that would extract it.
"Did you do that?"
"Yep, nothing worse than working with cum in your pussy."
Vi rolls her eyes. Jinx takes off her glasses and blows on the red-hot metal.
"Are you going to keep trying to find out about me?"
"I don't want any more details about what you do with a pedophile." Jinx grabs a magnifying glass, checking that the runes remained intact. "Besides, it's temporary. When we leave here, that ends."
"Who said I'm leaving?" Jinx puts the magnifying glass away and gets up to leave the cylinder next to three others. "Maybe I want to stay here." She puts one hand on her hip and the other on the table, "Wouldn't you like it, little bud? It could be a second home. When we want to eat something else.”
“I don't like it here very much.”
“Traitor” Jinx accuses with a pout. “Besides, I thought you loved the place.”
“Not knowing that guy is there.”
“How dramatic. I thought you'd get over the dramatic-bitch-energy with the gloves off." Jinx mocks.
Jinx takes more metal and brings it to the desk, starting with engraving the preservation runes. Vi shakes her head and crosses her arms.
✧ Different sensations ✧
Watching Jinx working is like going back to one of his favorite times of the day. Her restless way of working, swaying and fooling around, staying still only when it's most necessary. He's not surprised that in one day, she could finish the cylinders containing her blood.
Nor that she'll start the pumping machine to extract the blood. Jinx is very efficient when she's in high spirits and comfortable.
Viktor noticed that Isha never left. On the contrary, she was constantly helping with tools, holding the blade, helping with engravings, revisions, making sure Jinx didn't drop anything. They even started playing in the middle of the day…
Which annoys Viktor.
"Oh~! The founder of Sextech has arrived." Viktor throws his head back.
"Sex…tech?”
"That giant cock could only have come from Hextech. Inspired 100% by Jayce and his big hammer." Viktor brings a hand to his face. He doesn't know whether to laugh or feel deep shame that Jinx actually thinks he did something like that. "You were fine before. There was no need to make it extra large.”
"My spine broke-”
"And it will break again. That thing must be heavy. You must have a hard time walking- Oh! That's why the new cane! Your humongous cock makes you fall into the ground.”
"Jinx." Viktor admonishes and Jinx laughs, leaning back on the table.
"Don't be shy" Jinx encourages, drawing on a sheet of paper. "I like it a lot like that too. And with the Shimmer, it's never going to go down. Remember when…?”
"Shh.”
Jinx pouts and Viktor takes the blueprints she was making. He doesn't want to remember that he fainted on her asking him to do it again. It's not one of his best moments.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"What is it?
"A kaleidoscope." Jinx takes the metal cylinder with a hole in one end. "It's made to have an optical illusion. Preferably three crystals that reflect an image," Viktor says. "I put broken crystals in and..."
Jinx looks inside and a smile forms. It's very pretty. A mix of blue, violet and pink. She draws her legs towards herself and swings. It makes her dizzy, but she's fascinated. Viktor sits down next to her.
"They say that broken things should be thrown away, but" Jinx puts the telescope away and looks at Viktor. "When you appreciate it even that much, it's capable of something beautiful. Like what you saw in there" Jinx gives an unconscious chuckle. "We were broken... Maybe we still are and even so, it doesn't mean we can't be the most beautiful image humanity has ever seen. Become the glorious evolution.”
Jinx bites her lip, swaying as she listens to him say, "You became a super cheesy poet when you turned into Super-Duper Viktor."
Jinx pulls his cheek and Viktor smiles softly.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Finished the containers.
Finished the pumping machine.
Finished the injection machine.
Painted everything with Isha's help.
Viktor has worked with Vander and is able to stand up straight. Something that even they hadn't noticed as a problem at first. Everything is going well. Very well...
Still, Jinx can't explain why she feels sadder these days.
Old memories come to her mind. From when she was a child. Everything is more... Depressing.
It hurts to see Vander, to remember that he was never close to her.
It hurts to see him with Vi, to remember that she is the one Vander cares about.
It hurts to see Vi, remembering their looks of annoyance and complaints about being "slow," about being "a hindrance" to her.
...
She has a hard time remembering Silco's face.
As the days go by, it becomes more blurred.
『You see, Jinx? They've always abandoned you. They've always pushed you aside. They don't love you... They're just using you』
Jinx suffers small spasms, her eyes shining white and part of her thighs, face and sides, filling with patterns in translucent crystals. Shedding Shimmer in her tears and weak moans escaping between her teeth.
Viktor keeps his fingers on Jinx's forehead. Leaning delicately forward, his gaze fixed on the memories he corrupts. Taking away everything that was happy, everything that exposes that they were a family despite the failures and misunderstandings.
『When they have what they want, they're going to leave you behind』
He leans forward a little further and Jinx grits her teeth.
『They hate you. They're afraid of you... You can't trust them』
"I-I'm... Scared-”
There's more screaming now.
There are more monsters.
Everything is so dark.
Vi is a monster too.
《YOU JUST HAD TO STAY QUIET, BUT YOU TOLD VANDER》
《I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY》
《CAN'T YOU STOP CRYING FOR ONE DAMN MINUTE!?》
《I WOULDN'T BE IN TROUBLE WITH VANDER IF YOU HAD NOT SAID ANYTHING》
《YOU'RE A COWARD》
Jinx clenches her hands, shrinking further into herself. With those screams coming one on top of the other, Vi claiming her; Vi about to hit her, wearing the enforcers suit.
《I'M SICK OF TAKING THE BLAME FOR YOU》
《GET LOST》
《JUST FUCKING DIE》
『Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you again』
┈
"And now what's wrong with you?”
Jinx looks away and turns on the machine that will extract her blood. Vi drops her arms. Jinx has been acting very strange with her lately. Jinx doesn't even try to pick a fight with her, which seemed to be her hobby and a strange way to interact, to get some kind of bond.
Now she's... Distant.
"Hey, whatever's going on -”
"It seems to be working fine.”
Vi squeals. Why is Viktor here? He goes straight to Jinx, helping her put the needle in her arm. The blood traveling through the thin tube is fuchsia in color. Deep and vibrant. As it falls into the vial, it turns dark and natural in tone. Jinx giggles.
"A few seconds out of my body and it looks like shit."
"It looks like normal blood," Viktor says.
"Shit." Jinx sticks her tongue out at him and Viktor shakes her head.
"How much blood do we need to take?" Vi asks, arms crossed. Viktor turns and looks at her with discreet annoyance. "We don't have all the time in the world."
"It should be four liters. Given Jinx's accelerated production, with eight hundred milliliters a day, it will be a matter of five days to be ready." Vi nods slightly. "I'll stay to assist her. She'll be dizzy." Vi looks him up and down, hissing with a disgusted smile.
"I'm here.”
"You were also there when The Grey was released and you weren't much help," Viktor mocks and Vi grits her teeth, approaching with a scowl. "Not when that generator exploded either..." They stand face to face. "Or when that kid was killed at the Shimmer factory. I'd say you're not trustworthy when it comes to being a defender."
Vi tried to hit him. How does Viktor know all that? And with what right can Viktor tell her that she's not reliable enough to take care of her own sister. Vi's fist failed to hit the Herald's stomach, Jinx grabbed Vi by the wrist and pushed her a little; Viktor stops it from becoming a fight. The needle stuck too deep into Jinx's arm.
"Let's try the other arm and don't move." Jinx says softly and snorts.
“It was her fault.”
Vi gives a grunt and leaves reluctantly, angry. Jinx watches her go and looks down, turning her attention back to Viktor who treats her gently. He kisses her forehead and caresses her cheek. “I can make her not come here anymore. If it bothers you too much.”
“I don't care. She's a bitch anyway.”
Viktor nods slightly.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
“Are you feeling sick?”
"I feel like there's a lot going on in my head and it's not a smoothie anymore, it's the river of Zaun," Jinx exhales, shaking her head. Isha raises her lower lip slightly. "Did you achieve what we talked about?" Isha nods and pulls Jinx's gun out from between her clothes. "Reeeeally good, more slippery than a salamander, huh?" Isha smiles and adjusts her helmet, since Jinx messed it up on her head. "Hey…”
Jinx rests her arms on her knees and looks down. There's a small tower where the entire community can be seen. Isha spends part of the day up here, pretending to be a sentry. Jinx gave her a telescope so she could see the stars, taking advantage of the low pollution in the sky. Isha has things accumulated that she has gone to look for or that Sevika sends.
"Do you hate that much being here?" Jinx asks with sadness and noticeable disappointment.
Vi and Vander are a separate issue, but it interests and worries Isha. Jinx worries that she doesn't want to stay here. Jinx doesn't want to force Isha to do anything. They've managed to be together this long because she's been able to make her happy. If she's not satisfied, she'll leave. Even if she promised not to.
That's Jinx's biggest fear right now.
“That guy is weird” is the only thing Isha writes in the notebook she brought to communicate with. She's annoyed that Vi doesn't understand her.
“Viktor?” Isha nods. “He's weird, he's so ridiculous… Look” Jinx points down. Isha takes the telescope and looks at what Jinx points at, Viktor being the one talking to some people. ““I'm a purple fortune cookie, everyone would think I'm rotten, but really, I'm a Shimmer cookie”” she mimes making a thick voice. Isha laughs, lowering the telescope. “He's… stupid, too dumb, but he's good” She shrugs. “He could let us live here” She rests her arms on her knees, looking outside. “The air is nice, there’s light, we have something to play with– there’s water! You could take a bath, you stinky flea.”
“You stink too,” Isha accuses, tapping the paper, and Jinx sticks her tongue out at her for a moment.
“Only because you stink.”
They push each other, and eventually Isha climbs onto Jinx’s shoulders, pulling at her hair. Jinx shakes herself off, backing away, and a few people see the small tower wobble. Viktor frowns, tightening his grip on his staff.
They both pull at each other’s cheeks, Jinx is the first to give in, and Isha celebrates, jumping up and down with her arms raised. Jinx rubs her cheeks and pouts, hunched over. Isha hugs her almost instantly, pressing her reddened cheek against the other one.
“I like this place. I think it could be a home" Jinx takes Isha by the arm. "For both of us" she clarifies looking into her eyes and Isha lowers her gaze, "but… If you don't want to! We're going back... we can come get fruit, clothes, whatever Viktor lets me take." She shakes her head. "Just... tell me what you want to do." She kisses Isha's temple and ruffles her hair.
Isha bites her lower lip, anxious. Jinx has been very happy here. Even if with Vi and Vander it's sad and heavy for her, with Viktor she smiles and is happy. Isha notices that Jinx is happy. She doesn't like Viktor, she still finds him very strange and that he hides things...
But Jinx is happy.
And she assures her that they can be happy here.
Isha doesn't know what to think about it.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"Isha doesn't want to sleep with the dog and the bitch, so she comes to sleep with a robot. Does that bother you?”
“Not at all.”
Isha sways on the edge of the bed, not looking at Viktor. Jinx told her that the three of them could sleep together, that they wouldn’t do anything weird with her there. Viktor for his part holds back the urge to get Isha out of here. He recognizes that it would be something Jinx wouldn’t accept. This child is a part of her mind that he can’t reach.
There are insecurities, yes, the problem is that none of them are strong. There’s nothing he can use against her. Isha is literally the sister Jinx always asked to have and because of that, he’s unable to turn Jinx against her.
Or at least Viktor hasn’t found a way to do so.
Jinx taps her chin, looking at Isha and Viktor alternately before snapping her fingers. “She looks a bit like you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah: the cry-puppy eyes, the hair.” Jinx shrugs. Isha wrinkles her face and shakes her head. “Looks like we had a daughter! And I didn't have to get fat. Great!”
"You want to have kids?" Viktor can't help but smile slyly, incredulously. It's a topic that doesn't sound possible or normal to talk about with Jinx. She makes a face.
"I don't know, the idea of sweating, screaming, pushing and shitting to be able to shoot a little human out of my belly, it's pretty disgusting." She plays with her right braid. "And I guess I can't... the Shimmer screwed up my uterus or something."
"Why would it do that!?”
"I don't know.”
Viktor starts to come up with a justification. Jinx distracts him by giving him a kiss on the cheek and throwing him onto the bed with a single push. Isha settles down on Jinx's right side and Viktor on the left. The teenager hugs the girl, turning her back to Viktor.
"Good night!"
Isha woke up in the middle of the night...
Feeling Jinx shaking and... Talking?
Isha sat down and what she saw made her expression distort into a gesture of total panic:
Viktor is doing the same thing as the robots.
Isha opens her mouth, intending to scream, but unable to do so; between stunned and anxious. Before running off to reveal this to Vi, she is taken by the face from behind, put to sleep. Barely seeing a flash of the white robot holding her.
Viktor approaches to whisper in Jinx's ear:
『She is what they want... they will exchange you for her and her? She will leave because she no longer needs you』
┈
Jinx does not understand what she did wrong...
Why Isha spends more time in the greenhouse with Vander, who plays and lets him do it for her.
"Is something bothering you?”
"Do you promise not to abandon me?”
"I promise.”
Viktor doesn't know how many times he has heard that question, but he has no problem answering it as many times as necessary. Hiding his satisfaction at Jinx's panic towards Isha.
Viktor made Isha more familiar with Vander and vice versa, calling her “Powder” from time to time.
And in this way, she slowly distances herself from Jinx.
✧ Unfair ✧
There are already three liters of blood.
Jinx feels like she could vomit at any moment.
She doesn't know where the stress comes from. How everything makes her so sad, overwhelms her so much; only with Viktor she feels calm. Only with him, her head doesn't make her feel like a child abandoned to her fate again. She would like for once, something good to appear.
For something else to be good…
For Silco to appear, even if she can't remember his face, even if she can't remember him standing in front of her.
She still remembers his voice very well.
She clings to his voice with all her strength.
«I wouldn't give you to them. Not for anything.»
«Don't cry… you're perfect»
Jinx removes the needle. She can continue in a bit. There's no rush. Viktor is dealing with some sudden problems in the community. She's not exactly interested. Jinx walks out, taking long strides, swaying slightly and suddenly being grabbed by the arm. She rolls her eyes and huffs to find Vi.
"Are you done for today?"
"No."
Vi lets go and Jinx rubs her forehead before letting out a harried breath.
"I want to eat something. That's all."
Vi walks past her and despite the discomfort it causes her, Vi goes into her room with her, watching her eat. Jinx stuffs her cheeks, similar to a hamster or a poro. Vi considers this the only time Jinx is alone and there's no way Viktor will come and interrupt. It annoys her to no end that this guy won't leave her sister alone.
It's like he doesn't want Jinx with anyone else present. Even with Isha he acts this weird.
Given this chance, Vi lets go some gasps and rubs her hands together. Her hair pinker from taking some effort to get the black paint off. Vi stands up and walks over to Jinx. Hands on her hips and looking awkward as Jinx looks at her.
"Now what did I do?" Jinx asks, pointing at her completely.
"I need to talk about something important with you and I want you to listen to me before you… interrupt with your usual bullshit. Listen first," Vi asks and Jinx huffs, leaning back and kicking the empty plate away. "It's about Viktor, your relationship, the two of us, Vander… Everything. Mostly Viktor.”
"He's just a fucking twink. What's your problem? Is it because he has a better waist than your girlfriend?" Vi's words got stuck in her throat, she didn't expect that comment. "And no, you can't grab it. No matter how much his whore waist scream: your huge hands to come and hold it and-”
"Jinx, please." Jinx starts playing with her braid, sticking out her lips and huffing dumbly. "I understand that you and him knew each other before. That he gave you all this and that he is someone you love very much. You… you love very much. You're so passionate even in loving people who are close to you." Jinx stops her movements and looks at Vi. "I would say that you love too much." Vi crouches down, being lower than Jinx. "And you cling to the first person who offers you affection… I know he loves you. Just like Silco loved you." Jinx looks away, "but it's not an affection that does you any good.”
"How can you know? And how is it not good? I'm not doing anything wrong, nor is it doing me any harm- Since when are you an expert in relationships? You were with the Piltidiot who put you in a prolific killer uniform!" Jinx criticizes, tightening her hands on her thighs and Vi exhales.
"I know. I know. I just... it's easier to see the mistakes in others than in yourself and I know he's hurting you in ways you don't see." Vi grabs her wrist and Jinx shudders. "Caitlyn started doing so many more things. Too many and I wanted to hold on to her because I felt like I had nothing else in the world. I was afraid to be alone." Jinx holds back her complaint. She was there. in front of her. Still: Vi preferred to try to kill her to please Caitlyn, "but you're here... just like I thought and I know it's my fault for giving up, for thinking Powder was dead.”
"Powder is dead." Jinx lets go abruptly and stands up.
"I know you're not the same!" Vi exclaims, standing up quickly. "I know that Jinx, that… you" Vi points at her with both hands, "are what was created in all these years and… I can't… I can't just let you go. I don't want to let you go" Vi emphasizes, hitting her chest a couple of times. "You're my sister. Whatever you did, you're my sister, Jinx." Vi barely touches her, but Jinx abruptly moves away with a terrified gesture.
「SHE'S LYING」
She moves abruptly, with a hand to her head.
「SHE'S ONLY SAYING THAT BECAUSE SHE NEEDS YOU」
She grits her teeth. "Shut up-”
「YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE STUPID ENOUGH TO BELIEVE HER, ARE YOU?」
"SHUT UP!" she claims to the side and Vi tries to take her by the arm, Jinx avoids her. "Don't lie to me! I don't want to listen to you! YOU'RE A LYING…!
"I believed you about Vander, I believed you to the point of being here," Vi says. "I want, I really want us to be together," Jinx shakes her head, "and I want you to be happy, but I know Viktor is doing something wrong. He's not trustworthy. Since we've been here, you've become distant, you're sad, you're more unstable- You don't even remember Silco! You admitted that you don't remember him! Don't you realize that it doesn't make sense?" Vi says and Jinx scratches her tattooed arm.
「IT SEEMS SHE HAVEN'T REALIZED THAT ON TOP OF BEING CRAZY, YOU'RE STUPID」
"We should get out of here. It'll be you, Vander, Isha and me." Jinx grits her teeth. "I promise nothing will happen again. Just... I just have to keep my promise to fix Vander and-”
"And that's when you plan on leaving me”
"Didn't you hear what I said?”
"You say you care about me, but you still want me in here because otherwise, Viktor wouldn't help Vander. I'm the way you get him to help," Jinx accuses and Vi shakes her head in denial. "And for once, just once, when I'm the favorite, I have to go back to being less as usual."
"Now what the fuck are you talking about? Whose favorite?"
"Someone's!"
"Jinx-”
"Vander wasn't even with me for a day before he asked for you!" Jinx claims with a hurt tone and a trembling voice. "And as always, it's all you! Violet, Violet, where's Vi, why isn't Vi here? IT'S ALWAYS ALL YOU!" Jinx feels like she's going to completely explode if she doesn't let go of this anguish. She's so jealous of her older sister. "YOU'RE ALWAYS THE PERFECT ONE. YOU'RE ALWAYS THE STRONG ONE. YOU'RE THE ONE EVERYONE LOVES AND FOR ONCE SOMEONE WANTS ME, YOU WANT ME TO LEFT IT BEHIND TO GO WITH YOU! THE FAVORITE OF EVERYONE.”
"Don't be melodramatic. You're important" Vi argues. "And I was never the favorite. I don't understand what you're talking about.”
"Vander always loved you more. Mom always loved you more... Everyone loved you more and I was just the FUCKING nuisance that could never live up to being loved. I'm never enough" she sobs with barely any air and scratching herself. "Always... Always... With everyone…”
「HOW PATHETIC YOU ARE」
「YOU WERE ALWAYS A USELESS WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE EXISTED」
「CRYING AS IF THAT WAY YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT YOU'RE NOTHING. JUST JINX. A FUCKING HINDRANCE」
「WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT YOU? IF YOU'RE A FAILURE WHO'S USELESS」
"And what about me? Do you think I don't love you?”
"You thought I was useless too. You hit me when I didn't do things right.”
"It wasn't many times.”
Jinx shakes her head, whimpering. "Get out of here.”
"Jinx-”
"GET OUT!" Jinx screams with the Shimmer in her blood vibrating strongly. "GET OUT LIKE ALWAYS! JUST GET OUT NOW!
Vi knew that at this moment, she can't argue anymore. Outside the room, she hears more screams and Jinx arguing with nothing.
┈
Viktor walks through the mechanical parts and broken material. He reaches Jinx, who hugs her legs and whimpers. Viktor lovingly strokes her bare shoulder and murmurs. "Are you okay, Baby blue?"
"Baby blue?" Jinx repeats between whimpers.
"You cry a lot and have a lot of tantrums." Viktor explains, shaking his head and giving a laugh at the end. Jinx shrinks further into herself.
"I'm not a baby.”
"You're my baby. My pretty baby blue." Viktor murmurs, pressing a kiss to Jinx's head.
Jinx keeps thinking about the same thing: Why can't she be happy? Why does Vi want to take her away from the only person who will stay with her? From the only person who considers her enough.
It's not fair.
✧ In his space ✧
"Very flirtatious of you to float around half naked." Viktor opens his eyes. He's not surprised that Jinx is standing in the doorway, having a long, mocking smile.
He goes down and doesn't get a chance to adjust his clothes as Jinx holds him back and starts kissing his neck. She grabs him by the waist and pulls him closer to her body, Viktor hisses, shaking. Jinx runs her fingers between each crevice.
Jinx pulls away with a mischievous smile. "See? You have a whore's waist. You're just waiting for someone to hold it."
"I could say the same about someone else's hips."
Jinx hugs him, rests her chin on Viktor's chest and giggles. He strokes her hair and smiles weakly, tilting his head. Jinx finds it strange that several runes are floating in the air and Viktor finally places his hand in the middle.
Jinx gives an exclamation, smiling in excitement. Viktor continues to summon runes and activate them. In the end, they're floating in outer space. Jinx floats around doing silly things. Viktor takes advantage of her distraction to let her hair down, removing the caps and rubber bands.
In the end, the blue hair floats out in a magical, extended way. Viktor keeps his balance better and sees Jinx humming, playing and fooling around until she reaches Viktor, hugging him from behind, pressing her cheek to Viktor's.
"I adore you and your magic fingers, VikVik." She gives him a loud kiss on the cheek and Viktor exhales, shaking his head, smiling.
"I love you.”
Jinx pulls away, looking at him in surprise. Tilting her head in confusion. Unable to believe he says it to her.
"I love you."
It's not the same voice.
It was Silco who said it.
But... Viktor says it now too.
She smiles excitedly, hugging her leg and floating up.
"I love you too, Viktor.”
Viktor vibrates all over, his eyes turning colorful and the energy in his body flowing voluminously. He reaches out and kisses her on the cheek, holding her against his body and resting his cheek on Jinx's head, tangling his fingers in her blue hair.
There it is.
Jinx loves him .
And that's why they have to stay together.
And she wants to.
As soon as his body is at its best, he'll do the same for her. Vi, Vander, and Isha are a separate issue. He'll get rid of them as soon as he's done with the change.
“She’s not here.” Vi sits down next to Vander. Isha is already asleep. She’s been running around the commune. It’s strange that she didn’t fall asleep before, “She'll be here tomorrow after she finishes what he has to do. So…”
Vi notices that Vander is restless. He’s making more attempts to speak lately, which is a clear improvement. He says monosyllables in general. Her name and Jinx’s (Powder) name, more than he did before. Limited to grunts.
Vi barely contains her surprise and suspicion as Vander tries hard to say:
“Viktor… He’s bad for… Powder. Viktor is” Vander shakes his head and grunts louder. "Bad. Dangerous.”
Vi clenches her fists and looks away. Under what concept would he say something like that? Viktor is helping them. Jinx says it's not bad, she's just being paranoid, but Vander might know something they don't. Sense it, maybe? She also doubts he'd bother to talk unless it was something important.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"Vander's blood?"
"Jinx is having trouble donating so much blood so often." Vi crosses her arms. "Vander is also an experiment of Shimmer and has a lot more mass. It should be easier.”
Viktor shakes his head. It's a valid point, it just annoys him that it's Vi who makes it. Not to mention that he doesn't have a way to refuse a simple checkup. Not even Jinx has an opinion on it. Focused on what she's building. A kind of container that helps flowers grow even deep in Zaun.
Thus starting a possible process of cleaning up the dense air of Zaun.
Are they shaped like sharks? Yes, but at least it will be a good intention with a good cause.
┈
"It doesn't work?”
"It's very dirty" Viktor murmurs, analyzing the liter sample they easily took from Vander. He didn't complain. In fact, he didn't even feel the needle drawing blood. He was too focused on eating with Isha. "It has a set of compounds that take away its purity" Jinx shakes her head, she's just as lost as Vi. Vi looks at her hoping she will explain in a more understandable way what Viktor explains in a low voice. "I even consider it an anomaly that his will is so strong to keep him alive. His body should have given out a long time ago.”
"Then it would be useless for him to give you his blood." Vi concludes.
"I'm afraid so." The ex-convict clicks her tongue. "Tomorrow I will have the necessary amount of Jinx, but it was worth checking, undoubtedly" Viktor says, straightening up and leaving behind the vial full of blackened blood with fuchsia sparkles every now and then.
Jinx jumps off the table and goes to put the needle in her arm. Vi stops her, making her move away and speak to her in a low voice: "We have to go. Vander can already speak and is conscious enough.”
"But he is still flea-ridden." Jinx argues.
"It doesn't matter. We have to go" Vi presses and Jinx looks at her strangely. “Isha is scared of something and Vander told me something last night.” Jinx drops her arms, giving him the chance. “This isn’t about helping, it’s about her wanting something from you.”
“So?”
“Don’t you see that’s dangerous?”
“Vander can barely think. He growls at his shadow and scratches himself with his feet.” Jinx considers that Vander is worse off than her, which is saying a lot. “What can he know?”
“Why are you so blinded by this guy!?” Vi demands exasperated. “He’s not trustworthy and yet-”
“Is something wrong?” Vi steps away with a scowl and Viktor narrows his eyes. He helps Jinx with the IV and sits down next to her, handing her a half-used journal. Vi doesn’t know how to get to Jinx. She doesn’t listen to anything. It’s infuriating. Isha startles her, pulling at her pants to read something she wrote:
“Are we leaving?”
“You go talk to her.” Isha cocks her head.
┈
“Hey little bud.” Jinx jumps up on the desk. “Is something wrong?”
Isha, out of curiosity, grabs some of the flower lamps. She mimics the teeth-baring gesture and Jinx laughs, swinging her legs. Isha walks over still holding the lamp and asks with her hands, “Let’s go out of here.”
“You still wanna leave, huh?” Isha nods and Jinx throws her head back with a groan. “It’s the only good place for miles around. Why don’t you like it? Did Vi put things in your head? That traitorous bitch.” she complains quietly, turning to the right and picking up a paintbrush. Drawing on her pants.
Isha tugs at her arm to get her attention, “I don’t like him. He’s weird,” Jinx rolls her eyes and goes on with her business. “We gotta go. Go back to Sevika. Go back to help Zaun.” Jinx grits her teeth and reluctantly stands up.
"We don't owe Zaun anything. Sevika won't miss me because she doesn't care. We should stay here!" Jinx insists, stretching out her arms. "Everything is fine here. No one is shit here.”
"We are heroes." Isha emphasizes with a scowl. She continues to make gestures and Jinx becomes exasperated.
"Everything I love dies. Here, it may not happen. Here, you will be fine. We have to stay here," Jinx emphasizes, taking her by the face. Her expression is saddened and pained. Isha is overwhelmed and confused by the other's anguish. "I don't know what would happen if I lost you... I don't want to lose you. I don't want you to leave me. I don't want... You to fade away like the others I loved."
Jinx hugs Isha tightly. Isha hugs her back. No one has ever loved her so intensely. Watched over her well-being so intensely. Jinx is the only one who has ever had such an appreciation for her life and it's... Overwhelming. Intense and embracing, but warm in the best way.
Isha moves her lips, her eyes watering.
"I don't want to live without you either. He's changing you. I don't want you to keep pushing me away."
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
She's still mulling over what Isha said. Is there really a change? Jinx thinks it's her who's pulled away. She'd like to think Vi has put things in Isha's head, but Isha isn't manipulable like that. The kisses on her neck distract her, as does the grip on her chest.
"VikVik is excited." Jinx comments, watching the hands slip under her clothes. Viktor rests his forehead on Jinx's neck.
"If it were up to you, I'd be a sex maniac.”
"You're one now. Just like a heated dog.”
She sighs with pleasure at the massage on her breasts. Viktor's hands feel so good there. The texture and the force he applies are perfect. She stands up a little abruptly so that Viktor doesn't stop her and the herald looks confused. Is it a rejection? Jinx bends down and reaches under Viktor's skirt.
The man is initially confused and then holds on to the table, surprised. Jinx takes Viktor's penis in one of her hands and squints as she licks it. It's just like the rest of his body: with different lines where the magic flows; the difference is that instead of having veins, it has golden ridges that get bigger and harder as the erection grows.
Especially easy for her, who plays with the manhood. Using her tongue and lips. Wetting it and making it grow until it's fully erect. She puts her bangs behind her ear, takes Viktor by the hip and swallows the large cock.
Viktor clenches his hands on the desk, closing one eye and hunching over. His face flushes and after a few minutes of occupying Jinx's mouth, he grabs her head. Jinx giggles indiscreetly, sucking more enthusiastically and moving faster, pressing the cock between her palate, tongue and scraping with her teeth.
Viktor grunts as he pounds the desk. Jinx squeezes his balls harder than anyone could handle in Viktor's position. He bends down a little further and Jinx takes the whole cock into her mouth, breathing heavily through her nose and feeling it fill with cum.
Viktor staggers, gasping hot air and Jinx comes out of her 'hiding' spot, smiling as she sticks out her tongue with the sticky liquid. It drips onto her chest and fingers. Jinx laughs. "You make it so easy for me."
Viktor groans and Jinx exclaims, surprised by the tug that pulls her closer. She whistles in amazement at the third arm coming out of Viktor's back. "SUPER-DUPER VIKTOR!" Jinx exclaims after swallowing, hugging Viktor and feeling the area.
She gives a small ‘Pow!’ when Viktor picks her up to carry her to continue what they were doing. He will then tell her about the third arm prototype.
┈
She lies face up on the bed, stroking Viktor's hair, leaning on her chest and hugging her. He breathes calmly, extremely slowly. Jinx would like to understand what is going on between Viktor and Vi. She thought that being Vi-Vi they would get along. The hatred they have for each other is absurd.
Do they fight over being the only one with the "Vi" at the beginning of the name?
Now that she notices, it is the first time that she has seen Viktor sleep. She slides her fingers over the violet skin and makes a pout. "You're not bad, are you? You don't want to screw up my life," she says quietly. Viktor presses his hands a little, energy flowing towards her unconsciously. Jinx gives a small exclamation.
Why is she in space now? She looks at her hands, shiny and like starry trails in the sky. She spins around, her hair long and loose like a long white waterfall. She doesn't walk, but floats. Jinx laughs, moving quickly and smiling happily as she jumps through the stars.
There are clouds in the distance.
She hears familiar, childish laughter that makes her happy.
She puts her hands together and bites her lips, her hair flowing like water and showing her spirit, her freedom in this huge, unknown space, but so bright and wonderful. That her entire being feels so... free and happy, with nothing restricting her. Jinx senses a call not far away.
Jinx fails to move towards it, falling abruptly to a non-existent floor. She looks at her wrists: two large shackles holding her back. Jinx presses her lips, frowns and tries to pull it; without understanding the black metal that contaminates her skin and makes her want to cry, joy fades and freedom becomes clouded.
Jinx screams at the figure with fangs and huge eyes that appears in front of her; a second monster appears in the direction where she tried to flee and there are more and more of them, surrounding her, out of control, like a wave that grows and grows just like them who are enormous and she, too small.
Jinx screams and screams, putting her hands to her head; shackles around her neck, her ankles, her legs, her arms; contaminating her completely and making any positive emotion in her being disappear.
She feels like they are tearing her apart.
Being devoured.
Not letting her die so she can continue to suffer.
"Breath… don't worry. They won't hurt you.”
"Silco?”
Viktor shakes his head. He can't remember the last time he really slept. He is surprised that Jinx is red in the face and seems to be having a nightmare. He touches her forehead to soothe it and then, holds her head tighter, making her spasm.
He must make sure that Vi doesn't manage to convince her to leave.
✧ No impulse control ✧
"Y-you tickle me.”
Viktor slides his tongue all the way in, collecting the translucent, slightly pink vaginal discharge. Jinx squeezes the sheet, her gaze lost and her body vibrating, sweating profusely. Viktor lifts himself up a little, pressing his cheek into the girl's spongy thigh as she stands up on her elbows. Jinx laughs, tilting her head, Viktor looks adorable in situations like these. Looking like he's about to die of excitement and just desperate to keep sucking her pussy.
Viktor looks at her...
He looks at her...
With the desperation in his chest growing at an unbearable pace.
Wanting to devour her.
Wanting to touch her more...
Wanting to do so many things at once.
Through the upper window, four white robots pass. All silent and moving to the back of the bed, incognito and climbing onto the bed, behind Jinx's back, who only notices when she's already being taken. One covers her mouth, another grabs her breast, another her arms, and the last, her neck. Viktor lowers his head, sucking on her wet vagina and keeping her thighs firmly gripped. Jinx's eyes whiten, filling with different translucent patterns on her skin.
Viktor shivers and fidgets even more. Kneading Jinx's breasts, thrusting fingers into her mouth, caressing all the skin within reach. Drinking all Jinx can give of her body across pleasure. Viktor straightens up, desperate and removing the hand that's in the way, kissing her on the mouth and penetrating her in a thrust. He takes a sharp breath, grabbing her cheeks, watching this small, stellar body become overwhelmed and confused.
Held back
In the dark by the covering of her eyes.
Dominated in an unpleasant way.
As if even here, there's something violating her.
Her moans and movements in search of release make Viktor tilt his head.
"Don't cry, Baby Blue. It's okay," Viktor whispers with a smile.
They're just playing. They're having fun. Just like they always do. Jinx opens up and welcomes him just as well, enjoying his cock; enjoying being touched, being fondly caressed. Jinx likes everything he's doing and so they can keep doing it. All night, all morning. The sheet and both of them soaked in sweat, Jinx's skin irritated and her face flushed.
Viktor stops only to hear his name called, but still with a very large erection. He presses his hand to Jinx's abdomen, bulging and hard, her vagina dripping with cum and translucent Shimmer. Jinx spasms a little, drawing herself in. Viktor kisses her temple.
"Get some rest," Viktor murmurs, Jinx just shivers, barely conscious. The robots leave the same way they came: silently, with Jinx unable to understand what happened. "I'll come see you as soon as I'm done.”
Her head is buzzing and burning. Jinx is covering herself in illogical panic at something. She feels everything hurts. Even her fluffber. Jinx sobs and thrashes, hiccuping. She doesn't notice Viktor coming back, her expression aching as she feels him enter her body again. Jinx shrinks further, eyes and mouth squeezing shut, scared, disgusted.
"Jinx...?”
"Let me go-”
"Are you...?”
"LET GO...!"”
Jinx swatted and scratched at him, wanting to push him away. Viktor grabbed her face, pressing her into the bed and holding her down without a problem. Jinx has a few convulsions and Viktor's eyes go white:
Change the memory.
Change the situation...
Change the age...
Change the person...
«Silco wouldn't did that to me.»
«Silco didn't do it to me.»
«Why doesn't that make sense?»
«I don't understand.»
«LEAVE MY HEAD ALONE.»
Jinx shakes her head and laughs at Viktor, who makes a similar gesture. Jinx hugs him by the shoulders, closing her eyes in the eager kiss they share.
┈
Vi finds it strange that Jinx hasn't come out all day. She goes to see what's going on and her jaw nearly hits the floor from how hard it fell. Jinx looks up, jumping on Viktor's cock. He drops his head to the edge of the bed, a little embarrassed by the scene, as well as irritated. Jinx pouts, head cocked to the side. "Do you need something or what? We're busy here."
Vi run off at top speed, wanting to erase that image from her mind. She had barely been able to forget the first image. Jinx takes Viktor's face, leaning forward to kiss him. He takes her by the nape of the neck, swaying her hips to the same extent as Jinx. In the end, neither of them did anything important that day.
✧ Little Deceptions ✧
Jinx begins to calibrate the machine to give Viktor the transfusion. Vi checks that the straps on the table are strong enough. From what he understands, it will be a rather painful process. Viktor shivers a little, intimidated by what it will be like. It's a lot of Shimmer and it's the strongest variant. It's a certainty that it will be an unpleasant experience. He glances sideways at Jinx, who has some nervous tics. Viktor recognizes that it's his fault.
He was too demanding yesterday. All he can tell about his own behavior is that it's the Shimmer's fault. It's too addictive and the effects, too strong. Maybe it's the time she's had it, maybe it's an individual consequence of her organism, there's even the possibility that it happens because Jinx is a woman. He has no way of knowing. Nor does he care at the moment. Maybe later, when the possibility of Jinx leaving it's not existent in any way.
"It's ready. Just mark where I'm going to stab you and we start." Jinx announces and Viktor sweats coldly.
"Stab me?" Viktor stutters, scared.
"Yep" Jinx exclaims with a paintbrush in her hand. "I got stabbed here, so..."
Jinx taps her head, causing both of them present to scrunch up their faces in absolute displeasure and annoyance. Viktor sighs, starting to take off the robe he's wearing. Vi stutters. "I don't think it's a good idea to do it today.”
"Why not?”
"There are like forty people out there," Vi says. "Noxus was a little wild yesterday, so they're hurt from that and they came for the magical cure they're offering all over Zaun," she says in a bit of a hurry, stepping between Jinx, Viktor, and the stretcher. "I think it's best if you take care of them first, then do this. Also, Jinx..."
The three of them look at Jinx's right hand, which hasn't stopped shaking and is a good point. Her pulse is in the negative numbers. It could be a danger given the precision needed for the procedure. Vi wouldn't be able to do it. She could apply more force than necessary or go through something she shouldn't.
Jinx is not a doctor at all, anyone would say she is the opposite. However, it is a fact that given her mechanical ability, she is good at following maps and plans. The human body is not very different, Viktor above all, being half machine. Viktor also gave her very clear specifications on how far to insert each needle, after pointing out the most optimal points and thus, getting the Shimmer to reach his entire body.
Only Jinx can do it.
Although she clearly can't do it now.
"I guess there's no other alternative." Viktor sighs, hiding his annoyance, Vi smiles slyly and very discreetly. Jinx gives a grumble and plays with the needle.
Dropping it and having more nervous tics.
That face...
"It's just a small touch. Don't be nervous. You can do it."
She rubs her hands and leans back from the desk, with more flashes of his face. Just as Viktor was busy fulfilling his self-imposed duties, Jinx was doing her best to keep remembering Silco.
Not just his voice.
The way he moved.
His face.
His hands.
His clothes.
His smell.
The way he treated her...
And she can barely do it.
It's like everything is broken. Even more than it already was. Nothing in her mind can be whole. The memories of her entire life, what she felt for everyone is wrong. It's broken like Zaun itself.
Cracked, corrupted, between gloom and poisonous gas that only makes it heavier to circulate.
Even as fingers slide across her forehead, breaking into even smaller fragments, what terrifies her the most is losing those moments she holds on to so tightly: where she was happy to have someone who loved her.
She doesn't want to lose Mom's hugs…
She doesn't want to lose Dad's hugs…
She doesn't want to lose Vi's hugs…
She doesn't want to lose Vander's hugs…
She doesn't want to lose Silco's hugs…
She doesn't want to lose anything.
『You're not going to lose anything… none of them loved you. Only I do. That's why you must stay with me. I'll give you the love you so desire』
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"Oh shit.”
Part of the lab is dirty, full of blood that spilled from a broken container. The glass is completely destroyed. It almost looks like an explosion or a blow so strong, that it sent several crystals flying.
Viktor doesn't hide the annoyance that it generates in him. He's barely able to retain how much it angers him. To say that it seems strange to him that one of the containers is broken is an understatement. He really doesn't see how it could have happened, beyond a slight suspicion of what could have happened. Jinx is to his right, grumbling and complaining. After all, that's a lot of blood that was lost and she must replace it. Viktor glances at Vi out of the corner of his eye, with the pink-haired girl grumbling about the same thing.
"You found it like that? Are you sure?" Viktor asks. Vi shrugs and drops her arms.
"It was already like this. I was with Vander all morning. I didn't do anything. " Vi justifies. Jinx doesn't see anything strange. She saw her with Isha and Vander earlier.
Neither did she, even though she doesn't remember leaving here and can't imagine how someone did it without her noticing. Viktor snorts slightly. He doesn't trust Vi. Yesterday she stopped him from doing the transfusion, today one of the tanks breaks. It's not a coincidence. Not with her being so defiant and with such annoyance in her gaze.
"There's no alternative but to fill it again" Jinx lets her head fall back, giving a groan. "It's best to start now, if you don't mind. That way, we can start the transfusion during the afternoon.”
"You're going to bleed her out-”
"Vander's consciousness is hanging by a thread and I can't push myself any further. I have no energy for anything else" Viktor argues with speed and irritation, more than he's seen so far. “And, in case you’re forgetting, he’s not the only person in Zaun who needs my help.” Vi’s jaw tense, her face just inches from Viktor’s.
“Whatever.” Vi huffs, shaking her hand. Viktor straightens, eyes narrowing. Jinx sits back in her usual chair, holding out her pale arm. She shakes a hand, causing Viktor to stop glaring at the path Vi left.
“Heeeey. Are we going to do this or not?”
“Are you sure you saw your sister with Vander?” Jinx nods, and Viktor snorts.
┈
“Did you get everything out yet?” Isha nods, and Vi mimics the gesture. “We have to go. When I give you the signal, run. Just run. Understand?” Vander snorts.
"Just... run.”
Vi nods with a slight smile and stands up. She gives Isha a rag, so she can wipe the blood off her cheek. She's just like Powder when she was little: sneaking around anywhere, doing something mischievous, and no one notices what she did. A complete success. Now, it's time to wait for Viktor to leave the lab, get Jinx out, break the containers, and escape from here. She'll take advantage of the fact that Jinx will be dizzy from the amount of blood extracted.
✧ Necessary escape ✧
Vileft Isha in charge of a small distraction. Something that makes Viktor have to concentrate on a point opposite to where he and Jinx spend time together. That would also drive away the followers and she could take Jinx away. Plus they wouldn't bother her about her gloves.
When enough time has passed, there are people running to see what's going on and Vi doesn't see Vander anywhere, Vi makes her way to Jinx's room. She ignores the containers full of blood, the empty gurney; she ignores everything that is here, including that there is a small trail of blood on the floor.
There is a peculiar variety of sensations, emotions and thoughts running through Vi's mind as she passes into that room. It is only a few seconds so loaded in her head, that for that brief instant, Vi just stands there:
She feels disgust, disbelief, emptiness in her stomach and tremors throughout her body.
Rage, sadness and anguish mixed together and turning into deep anger.
The most basic thought is a simple: fucking son of a bitch.
Jinx is here and the blood is hers, coming out of the wounds on her arms and thighs. Large, rounded wounds, from teeth that dug into the soft, pale flesh. Her eyes looking white, different translucent and shiny patterns forming on her, the same as those on the walls and on all the people in this community.
Jinx is not lying on the bed, but lifted by the robots in white and gold. Several of them with their hands shamelessly sliding down the female body. Four hands wandering across the chest, cupping the breasts, pulling the nipples, even outlining the sky-blue clouds; holding her arms and taking her hands; making her gasp for the fingers entering and leaving her mouth; her legs spread wide for the other person in this place.
Viktor biting Jinx's right thigh, caressing it at the same time as the other robots do, overstimulating her in this. Viktor grabs Jinx by the hip, reaching her crotch and starting to suck. Squinting.
Jinx gives a slight moan of pain, arching. Her body in a slight undulation, with sighs and moans barely perceptible. Jinx display her pain in tears and sobs makes Vi clench her teeth, fists and throw a piece of wall in that direction, roaring in the process.
A white robot gets in the way, taking the impact. Vi rushes to smash it, glancing briefly at the pressure gauge. Viktor still pays no attention. One by one the robots leave Jinx lying on the bed and go to deal with Vi.
"It smells so good in here…" Viktor mutters, moving up a little, sliding his tongue from the bulging flesh with traces of blue hair and reaching the lower belly, biting so hard that he draws blood that he sucks, sticking fingers into Jinx's vagina. She brings her hands to her face.
Overwhelmed, stunned; her consciousness still blocked by one of the pale robots. Viktor lifts her head and he jerks his head up for a moment, noticing Vi panting halfway across the room, mechanical debris on the floor. He gives a soft snort and something happens that he didn't expect:
Vi takes off her gloves, runs up to him and grabs him by the hair, throwing him aside; Viktor's complaint about the pull could have been funny, a loudly moan, looking at her in confusion. What was that? Vi pulls Jinx towards herself, moving her away from the white robot and putting her jacket on top of her. Jinx coughs and chokes, not even able to sit up without almost falling on her face.
"I knew you were a fucking piece of shit," Vi accuses in annoyance. Viktor rolls his eyes.
"I can say the same. You're too annoying." His talking so calmly irritates her. Does Viktor think he has the right to whine? Not to mention the lack of shame. There's blood and vaginal fluid dripping from his mouth and chin. Jinx tries to get up. Viktor notices that. "You have the chance to leave. It's what you want.”
"No-”
"You want to leave her behind because you don't know how to deal with her." Jinx puts a hand to her head, in pain. Viktor watches her every move and reaction. "Unlike me, who would be happier than having her here-”
"OF COURSE! OF COURSE I'LL LEAVE MY SISTER TO BE YOUR WHORE!" Vi exclaims. Viktor wonders why she doesn't come and beat him up? It would be just like her. Not even in her "careful" way, she stays with someone vulnerable.
Vi is not so restrained.
There's something here…
"You want Vander," Viktor states, taking a step forward. "I'll give him to you… Get out of here, before you force me to take this to an extreme. One I didn't want to take." He shakes his head in the negative.
"I'd rather be dead than leave Jinx with you.”
"You're too stupid.”
The different runes manifest in the air and Viktor's eyes glow, just like the magic flowing into his hand. Vi makes a quick movement: he grabs Jinx and puts her in a lock so strong that it makes Jinx cough, releasing saliva and holding on in desperation. Viktor stops what he's doing, his expression sad.
"You always tried to take her, to screw with her head. You need her alive" Vi says with a smug smile and tightens her grip. "I'm going to break her fucking neck. Stay, where, you, are.”
"You couldn't do it." Viktor says with a scowl. Vi moves slowly towards the gloves.
"Believe me, I do.”
Vi doesn't want to let him win.
Even if it's the most desperate measure to resort to, she would kill Jinx to know that what she saw here won't happen again. Even if Jinx sobs and tries to break free, more scared by the second, Vi doesn't release her grip even a little.
Jinx starts to see dark, without air, coordination or strength. Vi manages to grab a glove and although Viktor makes the robot go against her, the energy shield repels it. Jinx coughs, choked and exclaiming to be lifted onto her sister's shoulder. Vi starts running as soon as she's in the door.
Jinx sees Viktor, who even in his control and calm, doesn't repress his annoyance. Runes forming around him, robots appearing one after another as they break walls, windows and start chasing them. Vi throws the glove further ahead and puts it on in the middle of the run, barely adjusting it.
Her path is blocked by several people. "Aren't they supposed to...!?”
"Give me Jinx and maybe I won't rip your head off."
Vi twists her expression. Why do they all talk at once and sound like Viktor? She runs down another route, doing the same to each crowd and constantly activating the shield on her gloves. Jinx hasn't said or done anything. Vi prefers it that way.
She can't think when Jinx talks her usual nonsense.
The problem comes when, from one second to the next, the white robots crowd around her. She puts Jinx on the ground, using both gloves for the barrier and to resist. Praying that it doesn't break. Jinx breathes through her mouth, hearing everything with too much echo, closing the black leather jacket and legs towards herself. Cowering beneath Vi.
Her eyes water and the sobbing becomes obvious. Vi looks at her in anguish.
“We're going to be okay, okay? Don't cry-”
«Don't cry. You're perfect.»
She gives an even louder sob, covering her face with her hands. How many times hasn't she heard that? Vi exclaims, surprised. In front of her, Vander roars and pushes everyone out of the way. His claw passes through the weak barrier, carrying them both and running, not caring what he crushes, passes through or destroys.
They reach the outside of the community, where Isha waits with Jinx's weapons in hand. Vi runs towards her, taking the sheet they had hidden everything with and tying it around Jinx's hip.
"We have to- Vander? VANDER!"
Jinx stops Vi from trying to help, being covered by the white robots. Viktor approaches, raising his hand and barely makes contact with Vander, the light is blinding. Huge. When they can look again, the robots move away and Vander looks... different.
Vander doesn't look like him, but he does look changed. With marks on his forehead and a lost look. Isha takes Jinx by the arm, pulling her and standing in front, with the gun in her hand. Viktor moves slowly, obviously tired.
"There's some of Vander in there" Viktor announces quietly, "but not enough to stop him from killing you, Violet" Vi doesn't know whether to look at Vander or Viktor, feeling her whole body failing her. "Don't make him go through something so horrible… You're already outside, just don't bother me. Get out with the girl. I'll have Vander go to you… later."
"I'm not going to believe a fucking word you say." Vi spits and Viktor shakes his head.
"Such a… stupid woman-”
"I don't understand you" They both look at Jinx, who speaks for the first time in all this time, "I thought… I thought we were okay…" she whimpers, tilting her head to the side. Tearful and distressed. "I thought… I thought you wouldn't hurt me. You said you wouldn't hurt me.”
"They're hurting you by wanting to push you away and subject you to an unhappy life, Jinx." Viktor takes a few steps forward, hand on his chest and a sad expression. "I just want to help you. Make you perfect, make all your suffering go away and be together like we promised." He smiles weakly and Vi shudders. It's a tender gesture, but there's so much madness in his eyes that she can't see it as something kind, but terrifying. "Why is it so hard for you to accept being mine?" He tilts his head to one side. "You're overly cruel to me.”
Jinx doesn't know how to express how hurt and betrayed she feels. If Viktor made those robots, it means that all those situations were caused by him; that her head is about to explode and worse than ever, it's because of him; forgetting Silco, forgetting her mother, forgetting all the good things…
Why would Viktor do something like that if he really loves her?
"Come here. I promise I'll-”
"Fuck you and your damn metal ass, fuckin’ jerk." Jinx spits in contempt and pain.
Viktor sighs in disappointment. Isha keeps glancing at Jinx, who can barely stand and looks like she's about to pass out. Isha clenches the gun in her hand, biting her bottom lip.
"In a few days, you're going to forget about all of this, just like always.” The runes appear, but Viktor can't finish the spell. Isha fires before he can.
Isha fires two more times and Vander is the one who knocks the gun away from her, knocking her aside and the white robots rushing towards her, followed by Vander. Jinx screams and Vi grabs her, pulling her back and pulling Jinx with her at full speed.
"NONO! WE HAVE TO GO BACK! ISHA! LET ME GO! I HAVE…! ISHA!”
She keeps screaming hysterically, shaking to escape Vi's grip, but Vi holds on tighter and doesn't stop even for this.
If she didn't take the chance, none of them were going to get out. Vi has trouble seeing where she's going, her face contorted in tears and her strength trying to diminish. She lets out air every now and then, trying not to drown and…
Don't stop.
Just run.
Just run…
Don't let anything bad happen to Jinx.
This time, even with how much it hurts: she has to get her safe.
Without leaving her within reach of a psychopath who's going to hurt her.
Vi drops Jinx on the ground and gasps, wiping the sweat from her chin and face. She leans on her knees for a moment, not noticing how Jinx trembles, eyes wide and clutching the jacket on her shoulders.
"I think… I think for now, we lost them. There-”
Vi staggers, surprised by the slap. Jinx hits her again: again and again, starting to scream and cry. Vi stops her, shaken and red-faced, with a split lip and a bleeding nose. The black jacket fell to the floor and some of Jinx's hair came out of the almost undone braids, half covering her chest.
"What's wrong!? WHAT…!?”
"HOW DID YOU LEAVE ISHA THERE!? YOU ABANDON HER! YOU ABANDON HER!" Jinx pushes her away in an attempt to hit her, something Vi doesn't allow to be repeated. "HE'S GOING TO KILL HER! HE'S GOING TO KILL HER WE HAVE TO GO FOR HER." Jinx screams hysterically. Vi grabs her in the arms, shaking her roughly and getting her to shut up.
"I got you out of there! It's what she wanted! She wouldn't have shot if she hadn't! She risked it because she wanted to see you safe SO STOP WHINING SHIT AND LET ME THINK ABOUT WHAT THE FUCK WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW!" Jinx's expression deforms into an angry one, almost disguising the sadness and anguish.
"We couldn't leave her behind. We can't leave anyone behind. NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND. WE DON'T GIVE OUR OWN AND YOU LEFT HER THERE" Jinx manages to free herself from the grip and put her hands to her head. "She… she…”
Jinx looks around, gasping for air. So many faces appearing and Isha is there too, but she doesn't say anything. Jinx covers her ears, sobbing until she screams loudly, hunched over and curled up in herself.
「IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU SHE'S DEAD」
「YOU WERE SO STUPID TO BELIEVE YOU DESERVE ANYTHING GOOD」
「EVERYTHING THEY DID TO YOU YOU DESERVE BECAUSE OF BEING JINX」
「ANOTHER CORPSE ANOTHER CORPSE」
「WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE AND STOP RUINING OTHERS' LIVES?」
「SHE TRUSTED YOU AND YOU LET HER DIE」
「YOU ABANDON HER」
「YOU DID NOTHING. YOU LEFT HER TO DIE」
「BECAUSE OF YOU SHE DIED」
"Jinx- HEY!”
Jinx faints, having small nervous spasms. Vi loads up and looks around. What am I supposed to do now?
✧ Suffocating hopelessness ✧
Vi keeps a constant eye on Jinx. She doesn't want to risk another faint or hurting herself. She's still very weak from losing so much blood and whatever Viktor was doing to her head. The only place Vi could think of to take her in was The Last Drop.
She's surprised by her room existing. As well as her stuff. There's a lot here that makes her nostalgic. It looks very different from the last time. Although how could it not be? If Jinx painted everything and for some reason, she held on to silly things like some backpacks, her bunny-shaped plush toy, her boots...
There's a knitted doll sitting there. It looks a lot like her. Pink hair, the clothes, a small mark on the mouth.
"Hey..."
Vi exhales, slumping her shoulders and turning her attention to her sister. Jinx sits on the bed, hugging her legs and having the same nervous spasms over and over again. Vi intertwine her fingers together.
"I know it's complicated, but we can't stall now. Not if you want to stay alive or... Not be a sex toy for the rest of your life," Vi says. She doesn't know how to bring this up. It feels too convoluted. "We have to-”
"You should have killed me when you had the chance.”
Vi turns around abruptly, looking at her in shock. Her mouth opens and closes stupidly and Jinx hides her face in her arms. Vi kicks off her boots, climbs onto the bed and hugs her, resting her cheek on her head and rubbing her arm lovingly.
Jinx notices her crying.
She knows she's not crying for her.
That this hug isn't genuine.
She's sad for Vander. That's all.
"Trust me this time, okay? Trust me.”
She doesn't want to.
She can't.
She doesn't deserve it.
Vi... She's trying to be good. She's trying to be Vi again, but she doesn't deserve her. Vi is going to get herself killed and Jinx know she couldn't live with it. She's not going to stand for one more thing to fall apart because of her.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Viktor coughs, spitting blood and putting his hands on the ground. Everyone stares at him. He hasn't released them yet. Which makes this process even more tiring and painful. He doesn't want them to know. It could cause bad impressions and this place has to be perfect. So he and Jinx can have the ideal life that would never have been within their reach.
He barely stands up, looking at the dome he had built. He doesn't have Jinx to do the transfusion, so he has to do it all in a slightly more painful way: absorption. He's going to submerge himself in the Shimmer and even if it takes a few days, he'll be in there until he's absorbed everything he needs.
Viktor spits blood again, with several bullet holes in his body. He's on the verge of death and all this effort is nothing more than an approach to death.
Viktor realizes that in the midst of all the trouble, one of the blood containers broke. Therefore, a liter is missing. He has no time, he doesn't have Jinx, he must go get her. To show her how much he cares! To make her stop being a fucking idiot and accept his love, accept being his and forget about everything else in her life.
He must be complete by that time.
He must have the strength to enter Jinx's mind and have everything be as he wishes.
He has the container with Vander's blood brought in and releases hot air. Maybe there will be some physical change, maybe some mental change will arise. Regardless of that, if he doesn't have the necessary amount it won't work and he's running out of time. The probability of Vi and Jinx fleeing Zaun is quite high. Enough to take this risk.
Viktor enters the capsule, has it activated from outside. Viktor lets himself fall, lying on the rough surface and breathing heavily. The shots in his chest spilling blood. Lightly mixed with the serum that begins to fill the oval space.
"It will be soon..." Viktor speaks in each long, heavy breath he takes. "She'll be here... soon... With me." He smiles weakly, hopeful despite the pain. "We'll be together at last. Without anyone... bothering us."
The serum covers him completely and from outside, almost half an hour later, the process of connecting each liter of blood into the capsule begins.
✧ Tree ✧
"If it weren't for Isha and Vander not being here, I'd think you were just as crazy as her," Sevika admits, moving her jaw. Vi rubs her face and lets out a breath. "It's not safe here. He knows she comes here on a regular basis."
"Outside isn't much better, with Noxus and Piltover breathing down our necks." Sevika nods in agreement. They don't have many options in their favor. Vi keeps trying to think of a solution. "Maybe get out of Zaun.”
"The Hexgates are closed. The port is monitored by all of them. Maybe she could do it alone, but it would be troublesome anyway." Sevika pauses to think.
Maybe fleeing on foot, but that's not very effective either. Not to mention that the nearest place is weeks away. Resources aren't in favor of a complete escape from Zaun. Not to mention that, without knowing what Viktor's course of action will be or what he might do, it's hard to ensure that he won't prevent the exit from the area.
The only feasible option at this point is hide completely. As deep and hidden as possible until she comes up with a plan to get rid of Viktor.
"And what about Vander?"
"Let's just worry about Jinx. Vander... He's for another time." Vi doesn't want to think about that. Sevika snorts. She's still trying to wrap her head around the mental image Vi proposed to her.
Robots above all. It's the least attractive and most chilling thing she's heard. Considering what happens in Zaun in general, that's saying a lot. Vi rubs her face and groans.
"I saw them fucking three times."
Sevika laughs mockingly and long.
"The amount of times I saw that idiot with a dick in her mouth, is the same amount of times I've gotten drunk."
Vi wrinkles her face. She didn't want to know that. She looks to the right, still mulling over the matter and by noticing an ornament on the nightstand, the light bulb instantly turns on in her head.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"When I proposed it, the last thing I thought was that you were going to lead.”
"I've been out here for seven years and you're rotting in a prison. This is normal, fat hands.”
Vi walks side by side with Jinx through one of Zaun's countless vents. There are some discreet signs. Jinx walks slowly, almost lazily. Her loose hair making her look like a ghost when walking in such a dark place. They reach the end of the tunnel and it's Vi who must knock.
Jinx takes several steps back and when the door is fully opened, Vi smiles in relief. Ekko stands on the other side with a surprised expression to see her, even more so than Jinx who is a few feet behind.
"Pow- Jinx.”
She purses her lips, trembling. Why would he call her Powder too? Vi claps her hands together and Ekko trots up to Jinx, almost tackling her in a hug. Jinx furrows her eyebrows. "What's wrong with you now? Last time you almost beat me to death and now a hug? Did sniff something?"
Ekko steps back, holding her by the shoulders and shaking his head.
"That doesn't matter now. That- we'll talk about that later. Come on.”
Ekko must apply force. Why is Jinx here and not moving forward? He doesn't know. He urges her to keep walking and so the three of them pass through completely. The atmosphere is slightly gloomy, but aside from the hour, it's because there aren't many lights. The air is breathable and the tree looks good. As lush as ever. Vi greets a couple of people and turns to Ekko.
"Where are the others?"
"Looking for another place. In case the tree dies," Vi stammers, stunned. "It started getting contaminated a while ago. We were able to stop it, but we have to be ready for the worst," Ekko clarifies and leaves Jinx, who rubs her arms. "What are you doing here? You don't look-”
"There's a neurotic with a God complex chasing us around and the damn psycho likes to suck my pussy until I'm dry." Ekko looks around, Scar's ears perk up, and Vi puts a hand to her face. She should have spoken first. "Nothing else, really."
"I'd better explain it myself."
Jinx carefully scans the surroundings. There are several exits. She sees where are the board that they use to move around. Jinx puts a hand to her forehead, hearing a strange echo. Very distant and-
『You walked away...』
『Why did you go so far away?』
『Do you want to be alone? They're going to abandon you. Vi and Sevika don't want anything with you. Only what's useful to them』
『One will give you Piltover』
『The other will make you die fighting Piltover』
『I'm the only one who cares about you』
『Come to me. You won't be alone again and without someone to love you』
"Jinx?"
She jumps, moving away from Vi who tried to take her by the arm. She snorts, shifting impatiently. Ekko nods slightly, clicking his tongue.
"I think... Maybe there's an explanation and maybe a solution.”
Both sisters look at him curiously. Despite the sparse explanation, Ekko sounds very knowledgeable about what he was told.
✧ Survivor ✧
They follow Ekko to one of the highest parts of the tree. There are some children playing around the back. Scar stays downstairs, waiting for the other Firelights to arrive. As they enter, Vi slowly wrinkles her face, tilting her head.
"Jayce?"
Jinx snorts, letting her eyebrows and shoulders fall. Just what she needed. She can't help whistling, leaning to one side so she can see. Vi asks in a very low voice "What happened to you?" Jayce, for his part, barely notices that they are standing, writing in an almost manic way. Filling a whiteboard with notes and drawings.
"And that ball of fur?" Jinx asks bitterly and Ekko sighs.
"He's Heimerdinger-”
"Ah, the hairy piece of shit.”
"Umm! Miss Powder is definitely much nicer!" Heimerdinger exclaims with his hands on his hips.
"What did you say? Piece of shit." Jinx reluctantly approaches and Ekko stops her. He sees her very capable of kicking him. Jayce spasms and puts a hand to his head. Grumbling under his breath. Vi doesn't understand what these two people are doing here.
She finds the combo extremely strange. Jayce is the one who is the most out of place in her opinion. His appearance is the most striking. Jinx is the one who externalizes it:
"And what about him? Did he think that without bathing he would attract another twink?" She crosses her arms. "I doubt that hair on your balls makes you more attractive.”
"Jinx." Vi scolds.
"Although the beard is not bad. Better than the good boy face" she thinks shrugging. "Same with the hair, his dick grew too and he doesn't need the hammer to compensate for anything.”
Heimerdinger points at her and Ekko makes a couple of faces, not knowing what to say to him. Heimerdinger snorts. "The differences between one world and another are impressive.”
"Jayce" Vi insists. "What happened?" She gropes, coming closer. Jayce shakes his head and feels dizzy. He looks at Vi and smiles, letting his head fall to one side.
"Oh, Vi... sorry, I'm a little... out of it lately," he laughs awkwardly, anxiously. He looks insane and although his clothes aren't dirty, he generally looks very worn out. The unkempt beard, the nervous tics with wide open eyes and long hair that hinders his vision. "I'm glad to see you… Caitlyn's not here?"
"We didn't talk about the uptight girl here." Jinx whispers, shaking her head from side to side.
"We'll talk about that later," Vi says, shaking a hand. "What are you doing here? What happened? Why… so changed? Why weren't you in Piltover?" she snaps, giving him a slight shake on the arm.
"A couple of things happened." Jayce scratches her eyebrow and turns his head slightly. "And…"
The way Jayce frowns, walking with long strides, scares them initially. It seems like he's going to attack her. Jinx steps back at the same time; Jayce grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her, looking her over. From her face down a little further and back up again.
"Jinx, you're Jinx, you're Jinx." Ekko tries to separate them, but Jayce tightens his grip on Jinx, intimidating her. "You... You have to get out of here as soon as possible," he hisses, leaning all the way towards her. "Before Viktor- You have to get out of here fast!" He lets go of her abruptly. "We're all going to die if you don't get out of here NOW!"
"Hey, hey, calm down." Ekko steps between Jayce and Jinx.
"We already met up with Viktor" Vi informs and Jayce turns to look at her with total horror on his face. "We barely made it out of there. We came here to hide-”
"There's no point in hiding in Undercity! Or in Piltover! She has to get out of here." He turns his attention back to Jinx. "Viktor can't get to you. If he gets his hands on you, we're all done for." Jinx bites her lip, tense. "Demacia will be far enough away to prevent a disaster. While I find a way to kill him.”
"Kill him?" Jinx repeats, "Why do you want to kill him now? Are you crazy? What if he finds me? Th-”
Jayce convulses, his body violently distorting in place. He barely manages to stand. Panting heavily. Vi turns to Ekko, waiting for an explanation of what's going on with him or in general. It seems like they have two completely different problems. Heimerdinger steps in.
"Because of the problems with the arcane in Hextech and the tree, we decided to check the Hex core and… there was some Unexpected events," he explains, clasping his hands behind his back and standing on his toes. "The clearest example is that Ekko and I traveled to a very lovely alternate dimension. Where Miss Powder was left like that: Powder," he recounts in an excited voice, "but on the other hand, a less happy one…" He turns his attention to the dying inventor. "Jayce didn't have such a good fate. On the contrary, he found-”
"The damned death of Piltover, Zaun and perhaps all of Runeterra and it's Viktor's fault." Jayce says breathlessly, pointing at Jinx. "And unless you leave, that will happen again.”
Jinx lowers her gaze and backs away from the place.
✧ The reason ✧
Jayce knows that he is being followed.
That there is a reason why he has spent so much time here, but he has not died.
And when he was able to walk in his direction, when he was finally able to follow him, Jayce felt that he would finally find the answers. It is not at all what Jayce expected. On the contrary, it was more surprising than he was prepared for. Seeing Viktor as the person who saved him from dying in the snow and the person who has been monitoring him all this time here.
"Why…?”
"You have always been someone competitive, I thought you would like the idea of reaching the solution on your own" Jayce would like to complain, but he supposes that he doesn't have the way. This Viktor is not the same one he knows, even if they are the same person, "and as usual, you were able to get the expected result" he mutters, turning his back, walking. "You've always been a very capable person, Jayce.”
He chases after Viktor, ignoring the robots everywhere, almost making a path to a place where light delicately hits the clouds. Jayce stops abruptly, confused by what's at the entrance to that small dome. Made of metal and glass.
It's him.
Holding a mutated hammer corrupted by arcane magic.
Why is he there?
As Jayce takes a closer look at the surroundings, the others are a considerable distance away. More than twenty feet away. There are flowers, grass, simple, charming decorations in this place.
Is he a guard? What guard? He enters at a slow pace, finding Viktor sitting on the edge of a small bed. Jayce stops a meter away, fidgeting and not wanting to be too invasive. Viktor removes his white hood, exposing long, brown hair with scattered gray.
"In every world I've seen, in every world I've visited… you and I are companions. It's a charming constant. A demonstration that destiny is in our favor" Viktor relates with affection in his words and Jayce is moved. Happy to know that his partner's affection towards him is genuine and not a coincidence of working together for years, "however, I have never achieved a happy destiny.”
"What do you mean?”
"So much power and so much knowledge has only made me realize how impossible it is to achieve something more" Viktor stands up and turns to Jayce, who notices him... sad. In his iridescent eyes there is so much sadness and loneliness that he feels sorry for him. "Fate is far beyond my reach. Far beyond anyone else…”
"Everyone's destiny, is that it?"
Viktor looks away and sighs.
Jayce decides to look at what's on the bed and opens his lips, taking a couple of steps closer.
It's the only person who isn't like what's outside.
She's a person.
She's breathing.
She has a pulse.
But is she asleep?
Jayce recognizes her. Blue hair and cloud tattoos. He turns to Viktor and then to her again. "Why isn't she like the rest? What did she do differently? Is that what you found out? That I can stop everyone from being like this if-”
"Fate is very funny," Viktor replies, ignoring Jayce's questions and approaching Jinx who is just breathing deeply. "Over and over again I've come to this point. Always the same... Because Fate doesn't want her and I to stay together. We can exist at the same time, but not share. Crossing paths seems to be a mistake Fate wants to fix, but one way or another, Fate makes sure we cross paths.”
"What happened here? Viktor.”
Jayce looks at him with some caution and Viktor takes one of the long blue locks. Jinx has just a white robe on, her hair loose and spread out across the room. As if in all this time, Viktor has just let it grow and grow. Unlike her nails, which are a perfect length. It's clear that he has kept her very well cared for.
The mold, vegetation and destruction outside shows that it has been many years since everything happened and yet: Jinx is in perfect condition. The environment devoid of dust, freshly cut flowers, shiny hair and nails painted in different colors. Viktor himself shows that many years have passed.
And yet, Jinx has not changed in appearance; Guarded by nothingness and with the constant company of Viktor. He speaks quietly, barely audible:
"She broke... without the pieces, there was nothing left but a sleeping soul with no capacity to exist. Not even putting it back together, rewriting in her head." Viktor tilts his head, biting his lower lip for a moment. "No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I traveled, I've never found the solution. A different destiny that would save her from this.”
"But… the rest-”
"Every last one of them went through the same thing, but worse. The humanity in them disappeared… some of them screamed" Viktor mentions, twisting her blue hair around his finger, Jayce feels his heart beat faster with each word, "others just gave up. Each and every one of them was a failure. Hundreds of thousands of people and I could never correct the mistake. I could never find a way to wake her up.”
"You experimented on them…? Are you insane!?”
"Science is a matter of risks and sacrifices" Viktor mutters, gently letting her blue hair fall. "Unfortunately, it doesn't guarantee the results.
"YOU KILLED THEM ALL…! DON'T YOU SEE THAT THERE'S NO ONE ALIVE!? You killed all those people!”
"They exist without suffering. They just chose to stay still.”
"THEY'RE DEAD!" Jayce cries, crawling over to him and grabbing his robe. "Don't you see!? It was about making lives better! ALL WE WANTED WAS TO MAKE OTHERS' LIVES BETTER! IT WAS ABOUT…!”
"It's about me wanting to save her life and have her for myself." Jayce lets go slowly, incredulous at the indifferent and even cruel way Viktor uses to address everyone. "Become the only ones who exist if necessary." A mask forms on his face. Slowly and delicately. His body mutating equally. The white robe turning blue and his skin turning violet. "And keep us eternal company." His voice becomes robotic. Jayce holds his breath, backing away. Eyes wide with panic taking over him.
『What other reason would I have for this glorious evolution? If not to live it with the one I most desire』
The herald's movement is fast, barely able to fit in the place. Without tripping, without damaging or stepping on the blue hair. Jayce whimpers in pain, lying on the ground; Viktor crushes him against the floor and from his back, the mechanical claw constantly spins, making runes and creating a transportation circle under Jayce. Jinx settles on the bed. A movement so small and infimum that it won't even be noticed when Viktor sees her again.
『You have always been my partner and just as I wish you joy, I hope the same for you. Always guarding the door in case of any change and now, I hope it's to help me create a different destiny』
Viktor says in a mechanical voice, Jayce sobs in pain with the magic pressing violently on his body, deforming it.
『One where humanity doesn't decay… and I can have what's mine』
"M-my partner would never… do something like that-”
『Then you didn't know me that well』
Jayce opens his eyes, finding himself in the Hex core. He looks around, finding Ekko and Heimerdinger lying on the floor. Ekko doesn't last long before vomiting and Jayce, vibrating and with a throbbing in his head, just tries to remember everything he heard. Everything Viktor told him.
There are… blank spaces.
There's so much he can't figure out, but the only thing he's certain of is that if Viktor manages to grab that girl, everything will end up like that wasteland he's wandered through for who knows how long.
✧ Like the first time ✧
"Will him going to kill her?"
"No. I'd say it's something worse. That's why we need to get her out of here."
Jayce explained tersely, making Vi look even more overwhelmed and anxious than before. With her hands on her hips and shaking her head every now and then. Jayce would like to remember more details, more that could be helpful, but it's impossible. It's as if there are parts of his head that were damaged on purpose or as a consequence of the trip he made to this dimension.
At the same time, he assumes that being alive, Jinx can't rest in that dimension. Which is the real problem: it's a limbo where she can't rest, she can only hope that Viktor takes pity on her and kills her. Which clearly won't happen.
He's determined to stay alive and with her. Just as promised. Even in the worst situation imaginable.
"What if we kill him before?" Vi suggests. "He's… he's not invincible! We shot him several times and if he didn't die, he's on the verge of it" she says hurriedly. "We can go there, directly to his temple, sanctuary, whatever and kill him with a single attack."
"I'm afraid it's not that simple" Heimerdinger says. "A simple move like that won't work on someone like Viktor. Much less if you've already attacked in that way."
"And blow it all up? We have a bomb expert." Ekko suggests, arms crossed, leaning on a desk.
"The real problem is that as we speak, he's changing" Jayce intervenes. "He's getting stronger… I don't know anything about how he changed. What helped him get to that point, but it's a fact that it's happening now" he clarifies severely. "His power source is the core. If he absorbs it, it will be the end of everyone here because he will be able to get to Jinx. We have to get her away before any other steps.”
"There aren't many ways out, pretty boy." Vi reports folding her arms. Jayce slams his hands together, grumbling.
"Then we have to think of one. As fast as possible." Ekko walks out of the room, looking for Jinx with his eyes. He is surprised that she is taking one of the boards. He hurries to go there, stopping it from flying away through one of the open hatches.
"Where are you going?" Jinx squeezes the board in her hands.
"Away from here, isn't it obvious?" Ekko shakes his head and clicks his tongue before saying.
"There's no point in you going away. It's best if we all stay together until-”
"Until I kill them all?" Jinx interrupts and smiles crookedly. "That's the only thing that will happen if I stay. Everyone who comes near me, dies. One way or another. You did well to kick me to the curb years ago" she praises putting the board on the ground, Ekko picks it up quickly, making Jinx stomp. "Don't mess with me now”
"You're so stubborn," Ekko criticizes. "First with Silco, now with this. Why is it so hard for you to accept help? My help," he emphasizes, patting his chest. "You know I would never have left you alone.”
"I know you would because I killed Vander, Mylo, and Claggor. You would never have accepted it.”
"Do you read my mind?”
"I know, because you always looked at me with that fucking contempt, believing yourself superior to me in everything, just like everyone else." Ekko looks away. "The boy savior, the great savior," she mocks, leaning towards him. "Who never does anything wrong, who was the great hero of the children of Zaun, who wants to be good despite the shithole we live in.”
"Did you want me to be as miserable and groveling as you and Silco? Leaving all those people suffering," Ekko claims reluctantly. "Would that make you happy? That I would become a goon like the others with Silco.”
"No.”
"So what did you want from me? Huh?"
Jinx shakes her head.
"I don't know.”
"You don't k…? How could you not know?" Ekko rests his hands on his hips and Jinx bites her fingers.
She doesn't remember.
She doesn't remember any of that.
She remembers what she felt for Ekko. Her memories of him are suspiciously intact. However, the central point of those feelings is nonexistent. Ekko takes a breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"I don't remember mom." Jinx's expression becomes sad and her eyes fill with tears. "Or dad." Her lips fill with blood from how hard she bites her fingers. "I don't remember Silco either… I don't… I don't remember anything" Jinx sobs in anguish and Ekko changes to a worried expression. "I don't remember what I played with Vi, I don't remember Mylo, Claggor… I don't remember…”
Her head hurts.
And she just feels sad.
Angry.
Desolate.
It's all she's able to feel and remember. It's all she's ever had in her life.
"If I don't go, Vi's going to die too. I don't want her to die because of me" Jinx sobs, abruptly changing the subject and Ekko shakes his head, muttering something Jinx doesn't hear. "Isha's gone, I left Isha. I left her and now she's dead.”
Jinx starts to hyperventilate, thinking about Isha. The last thing she saw of her. She promised they'd be together and left her lying there. Isha couldn't even scream or shout even though they were killing her.
"Hey" Ekko takes her hands. "Nothing bad is going to happen. We'll make it work. Other than Jayce, we have you. With your inventions we could make everything work out," he says optimistically and Jinx shakes her head.
Ekko keeps holding her, even when she tries to free herself from his grip.
"I'm not going to let you go and get hurt. I'm not going to let you go again."
Jinx opens her eyes wide, surprised by the hug. Ekko holds her tightly, almost desperately.
He searched everywhere for her. She wasn't in her hideout, in The Last Drop, nor in the prison judging by the militant search that is still active; no matter how much he searched, Jinx didn't appear and Ekko feared that for some reason, Jinx had disappeared and he couldn't tell her anything.
Tell her that even though she is Jinx, she is someone good.
That she doesn't have to be Powder for that.
The love he still has for her because she is the most important thing in his childhood…
How much he adores her because she was the most brilliant and beautiful person in his life…
The possibility that she was dead made him cry, even though no one saw him at that moment where Ekko felt pathetic. Claiming that it is not fair to lose her without a last conversation.
And now that Jinx is here, about to fall apart, he wishes that a hug from him would be enough to keep her standing; to keep her in his life and that she should not go away to save others.
"I don't want you to die too" Jinx stammers. "I don't want… to know that-”
"I'm not going to die" Ekko assures. "Calm down and let's find a solution. It will be better than giving yourself away… that's what you were thinking of doing, right? Going there to prevent him from going after Vi.”
There is no answer. Ekko assumes that he was right. Deep down, Jinx has the stupid hope that Isha is okay. That maybe Viktor had mercy on both of them and didn't do anything bad to her. Because they were in a hurry, she couldn't see that she escaped or that they just grabbed her without doing anything bad to her.
Maybe Isha is alive…
Maybe if she gave herself willingly, Viktor won't do anything bad to Vi…
Everything is solved if she accepts a mysterious destiny, perhaps a devastating one, but what does it matter? She is willing to throw herself into that fate. The problem is that Ekko isn't letting her fall, grabbing her waist and pulling her away from that abyss.
As they separate, Jinx grabs Ekko by the face. He doesn't look much different to her. Always the perfect, good boy who will do the right thing.
"It's the first time I've seen you without the mask so close... and you don't try to punch my face in." Ekko laughs, tilting his head slightly and snuggling into Jinx's right hand. "You haven't changed at all... You're the only one who hasn't changed."
"There's something you haven't changed about." Jinx looks at him in confusion. "You're still a crybaby." She laughs through her nose and Ekko takes her hand. "Always trying to prove that you were very strong and that you could do everything alone... You shouldn't do it alone. I'm with you."
Jinx laughs and joins lips with him, surprising Ekko. He didn't think it would come to this. It's short, sweet, and gentle. As they pull away, Jinx laughs for a moment. "This is the first time I've kissed someone who isn't twenty years older than me."
"You what-" Jinx stops laughing instantly, her eyes rolling back in her head and her arms falling limp as she collapses completely onto her knees.
✧ Direct warning ✧
"Jinx? JINX!”
Vi, Heimerdinger and Jayce hurry outside. Vi jumps down directly, wanting to get to where her sister is. She sees nothing strange in the surroundings. There are no robots, Viktor is not here. She fails to touch her, being repelled by an invisible barrier. Jinx whimpers in pain, raising her head. On her forehead, four small marks, similar to a tiara, shine. As well as patterns along her skin.
"What's wrong with her!?" Heimerdinger exclaims.
"I-I don't know." Ekko stammers, equally stunned.
Jinx grits his teeth.
『I'm... very surprised. I didn't know you had someone else you loved. I feel like you were hiding it from me』
『Is there a special reason?』
Jinx can barely breathe, trying to get away from Viktor. She feels the cold hand under her chin, making her raise her head. She exhales forcefully. "Let me... let me-”
『You don't seem to understand what's going on, Jinx. I know you're not stupid and you can perfectly understand the situation. You always pretend to be more stupid than you really are』
Viktor's mockery irritates her. The man laughs softly, leaning towards her face.
Vi puts on her gloves and raises her fist, ready to break that barrier that prevents her from reaching Jinx, Ekko stops her. They have no idea how strong it is and that blow would make the blue-haired girl's delicate state even worse.
『You know, I really liked that you wanted to come here. If you did, I wouldn't have to bother getting out of here or removing the obstacles in our life, but another one came up. Is him very important to you?』
"You're the fortune cookie, tell me what's up. Do I have to break you to get it out of you?" Jinx claims, trying to move her arms, but impeded by what feels like shackles. "Or you'll get the damn paper out of your ass.”
『As rude as ever…』
『You made a little mistake, you know?』
『Isha's alive』
Jinx's expression warps into one of total shock and horror.
『She's here, waiting for you. Come get her soon』
Viktor gives her a kiss on the forehead and Jinx takes a deep breath, looks around, a little scared to have Vi standing there with her fist raised. Jinx stands up, staggering where she is and stammering. "Isha's alive."
Vi lowers her fists and shakes her head.
"She's not alive. You said so yourself-”
"Viktor just told me she's alive!”
"He could be lying," Ekko points out. "An excuse to make you go there again.”
"I CAN'T LEAVE HER THERE!" Jinx shrieks, stretching out her arm. "I HAVE TO SAVE HER! SHE'S DEPENDING ON ME! SHE'S…!"
"It's worse if you go after her," Vi insists. "You can't go. It's what he wants and we can't give you to him. You must stay here until we can figure out what to do.”
Jinx takes one of the boards and against Vi's prediction, runs so fast that neither of them are able to follow her initially. Jinx climbs onto a flying board, turning on the board, throwing it into the air and riding it. She grabs her hair with one hand, tying it clumsily and quickly.
Ekko grabs a board as well and goes to chase her as soon as he locates her. Vi follows them not long after.
✧ Priorities ✧
Jinx jumps off the board and although she gets dizzy, she starts running, getting into the many alleys of Zaun. The amount of turns she makes is such that even she doesn't initially recognize where she is.
『It's a good idea for you to get away from them』
Jinx hits her head against the wall. Why does she hear Viktor so clearly now? What changed? Jimx rubs her face and then her forehead, with the feeling of his fingers. She comes out of the small hiding place and keeps an eye on the surroundings.
『You want Isha, don't you? I consider that she is a nuisance, but I can allow her to be present. As long as you come here』
"I am not a dog to obey orders or go looking for a cookie." Jinx grumbles.
『I know better than anyone that you are not a dog and this is not a reward, these are conditions of what I intend to allow and what I do not』
"Can you just shut the fuck up!?”
『I thought you didn't like silence』
"I appreciate that it very much.
『Liar. You don't... because that shows that you're alone and you hate it』
Jinx hits her head constantly. She doesn't want to keep listening to him. She doesn't want to feel like he's searching indiscriminately inside her head, trying to find every last bit of her. Whatever it is that he hasn't discovered. Jinx leans against the wall and breathes deeply, trying to find calm and only finds herself face to face with Viktor.
That body of constellations that looks perfect and alien, belonging to a more beautiful world. Jinx's expression is sad and Viktor tilts his head.
『Why are you going to cry? Baby blue』
"You're not Viktya... he wouldn't do something like this. He's too kind and good for something like that." Viktor's expression shows confusion, surprise, almost pain at Jinx speaking to him like that. "You're… You're just another son of a bitch who wants to take advantage of me and that's why everything is wrong. You're just like them. You're exactly like them.”
Viktor is just another monster.
That's what she hates the most.
That's what hurts her the most.
『It's not true. I want the best for you. For us to have the best of the best. To live in a world where no one hurts us, doesn't belittle us and abandons us… I want to do all that for you』
Jinx shakes her head, twisting, her hands tightening on the sleeves of Vi's jacket.
『It's what you've always wanted, right? To live in a better place than Zaun, to be truly loved and for who you are. Because you're perfect. There's no one more perfect than you, Jinx』
It sounds so much like Viktor, but Jinx knows it's not him. Viktor would never do anything that's happened these days. Always so selfless and concerned for the well-being of others. It's impossible that he would hurt her like this. It's not in his nature.
Just as it's in hers to be unable to genuinely and permanently hate someone she loves. Unfortunately, no matter how hurt and betrayed she feels, she can't hate him.
"I want you to be like before. I'll go if you go back to being the same as always.”
Viktor's expression turns neutral, almost indifferent and he shakes his head, speaking in a soft voice that slowly becomes mechanical.
『It's too late for that… So… so late』
Jinx starts running, passing him by and ignoring him. A direct hit to the face leaves her unconscious and lying on the floor.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"It's her. It's just... the way she looks, everything she wears.”
Ambessa can also perfectly confirm that it's Jinx. It almost seems like a miracle to have found and captured her. Why is she so weak? Hits like that shouldn't have been enough. Rictus was able to knock her down with a single touch. She hasn't woken up yet.
Caitlyn has the feeling that something is wrong. Jinx don't have any weapons on them, she doesn't even have braided hair and there are wounds all over her body. As if she fought something that wanted to devour her.
She shakes her head and orders the process to begin. They will keep her for a while in the lower part of Piltover and then, they will take her to Stillwater. Jinx wakes up halfway, looking around in horror and unable to move more than a little. Chained by arms, legs, hands, feet and mouth with a muzzle. She hits the bed and screams even with the muzzle on.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Vander raises his head, turning towards the entrance of the commune. People watch in the opposite direction, as the purple bud of the sanctuary trembles and threatens to burst open.
“We must begin the full procedure for her execution,” Caitlyn announces, rubbing her forehead. “I still feel… unreal that this happened.” she admits quietly.
Ambessa doesn’t have any thoughts on the matter. It is, however, possible to see it as the greatest stroke of luck of all. They are interrupted by what sounds like a commotion outside the room, and within seconds, Rictus is slamming into the wall, barely standing with the spear in his hands.
“GET OUT OF THE FUCKING WAY!”
Caitlyn stands up in a hurry, her eyes wide and her jaw dropping. Vi enters the room and gasps, looking from Ambessa to Caitlyn, keeping a stern expression. Just enough to not show that she is shaking with nerves.
“Where is Jinx?”
"In a cell, as it deserves for-”
"Where!?" Vi insists. The gloves release hot steam from the pressure. Ambessa gestures for Rictus not to attack. "You don't understand, you don't fucking understand, but there's a huge problem." Vi rushes over, dropping the gloves and grabbing Caitlyn by the clothes, looking exceptionally desperate and anxious. "You have to tell me where she is, right now, and take me to her."
"What are you talking about?" Caitlyn whines, quickly pulling away. "I'm not taking you- Why do you want to see her? What problem can…?"
"I'll explain that."
Caitlyn gasps, stunned by Jayce's presence. Ambessa half-closes her eyes, half-cautious and half-wary of these people's presence and what they might say now. At the same time, it's helpful that Jayce showed up. She won't have any more trouble with Hextech. That's for sure.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Jinx hugs Vi's leather jacket, it's very torn, they tore it open to check her. As if it wasn't obvious that she has no weapons at all. Jinx rubs her face with her arm and lets out a whimper, muffled by the muzzle they left on her. Same as the shackles. They took off her boots, gave her a pair of pants that are too big for her and she wants to smash her head against the wall.
How did she get here?
Jinx doesn't understand anything.
『Vi gave you away, of course』
『She's most likely with Caitlyn now, enjoying that they can now reconcile thanks to you not being around』
『I warned you it would happen』
Jinx hugs the jacket tightly, hiding her face and shaking her head at the same time.
"Vi wouldn't do that. She wouldn't do that to me.”
『Of course she would. You know it: she'll exchange you for that woman's love. She did it since she let you die from that explosion and now, she'll let you be executed. She's more important than you』
Jinx keeps shaking her head. The person who's been with her these days, who got her out of that deceptive place, was Vi. She's real. She's her sister. She wouldn't hand her over here.
Ekko wouldn't allow it either.
『They don't love you the way you love them. No one loves you the same way. They're all ready to throw you away at the slightest opportunity… None of them really love you, Baby blue. That's the reality』
Jinx tenses up, clenching her fists tighter and wrinkling the material, as well as drawing blood on her palms.
『I'm going to come get you. Wouldn't you like that?』
『Go back to the room I made for you… to our lab… Isha waiting for you to play together… Just tell me you want me to go for you and I'll be there』
Jinx cries loudly.
『Say it』
She screams with her hands on her head, breaking down in tears and feeling like at any moment, she could end up collapsing from how much everything hurts... and the only good thing seems to be the voice in her head, promising her a place to go without deception or condition to receive love.
Come for me. Come for me. Come for me. Come for me—
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Vi runs in, having heard screams from outside. She is surprised to see Jinx's back, which has a different pair of pants on. "What did they do to her? Why is she like this?" She turns abruptly to Caitlyn.
"It's the normal procedure: they checked her and gave her clothes because they weren't suitable-”
"She's half naked!”
"It's nothing out of the ordinary. She's a very shameless girl," Ambessa says with her hands behind her back. Jinx doesn't dare turn around. Scared that she's just imagining it and they're not there.
"We have to get her out of there. That's all." Ekko says reluctantly.
"End of the world or not, she's a criminal," Caitlyn argues and Ekko wrinkles his face. "She should stay there... On the contrary, it's best if she stays in there. She'll be protected until we solve the problem with Viktor." justifies with her hands behind her back and looking at Jinx with disdain.
How dare she look so small? So weak and so fragile.
"I don't think he can find out that she's here," Heimerdinger says with a hand on his chin. "It's a very low probability unless he followed us, but there didn't seem to be any moors on the coast.”
"Where I saw her wasn't here, but somewhere in Zaun. Therefore, it's a step to prevent that fate," Jayce comments. "It's better to leave her here.”
"You can't- You're not leaving her in a cell! WITH ALL THAT ON!" Ekko demands, directly at Caitlyn. "This is about saving her, not-”
"This isn't about saving her. This is about saving everyone." Caitlyn argues and holds Ekko's gaze. He moves his jaw, looking at her with contempt.
So much so that it hits her in the face and causes a small commotion. Jinx turns and observes the whole scene. Ekko manages to take the keys, take advantage of the shouting and throw them into the cell. Jinx looks up at Vi, who is leaning on the bars.
"You're going to be okay, okay? Y-you're going to be okay." she assures before turning to Caitlyn.
Jinx opens her eyes wide. Distorting Vi's expression into a cynical and mocking smile; which when she puts Caitlyn on her feet, it is a similar gesture. They are like a small crowd leaving the prison. She drags the keys slowly, hiding them under her body.
『See? They used you』
『They doesn't care about you』
"but Ekko does.
Silence…
Silence…
『That doesn't change that I'm coming for you』
Jinx slouches and lowers her gaze.
✧ Just someone to trust ✧
Heimerdinger helped Ekko with a distraction. Despite his comments, he recognizes that the state Jinx is in is excessive. On the other hand, he is so gullible that he thinks Ekko will just remove the muzzle and shackles. Ekko trots to the cell and leans on the rules.
"Jinx, Jinx" The girl raises her head, tired and reddened eyes directed at him. "Give me the keys. We're out of here.”
Jinx stands up and kicks the keys at Ekko. He unlocks the cell and walks straight to her, freeing her. Jinx coughs, spittle dripping down her chin and wrists red, hands numb. Ekko is instantly embarrassed, seeing as Jinx has nothing covering her chest and the torn jacket lies on the floor.
He takes off his coat and hands it to her. Jinx puts it on without saying anything, looking tiny in the garment.
"Let's go. Now that no one will notice." Jinx nods and follows him silently.
┈
"Where's Ekko?" Caitlyn asks with a small band on her nose. Ekko broke her nose.
"Maybe he went to the bathroom." Heimerdinger suggests with an encouraging gesture. Vi says nothing, hoping it's what she assumes.
Ambessa immediately orders a team to go check and if necessary, look for the escaped prisoner, along with her collaborator.
┈
Jinx takes Ekko by the arm and they detour. She guides him through the long, perfect hallways, entering the academy and at the same time, the dormitories. They enter a specific room, Jinx locks it and Ekko stacks a couple of pieces of furniture to add extra protection.
"Wow, who owns this place?" Ekko asks. There are many blueprints, books and half-built machines.
"Viktor," Jinx says, hands in his coat pockets and taking advantage of shoes that are lying on the floor. "It's his room. I came here many times." Ekko nods slightly. It's obvious that she's been here.
There are not only drawings on the walls, but also on maps and journals. Jinx rummages through the closet for something to wear. She left clothes here and even if they don't fit, Viktor's clothes it's less hot than this giant coat. She finds one of Viktor's shirts, rips off the sleeves and uses them as bandages for her chest.
She's surprised to find the jacket she gave him. She puts Ekko's coat aside and puts that one on, which fits a little tighter. Ekko keeps his back the whole time and only turns when Jinx taps him on the shoulder.
"Can you help me?”
Is this going to take long?
Yes.
Is this a bad time?
Yes.
Is he going to say no to braiding her hair?
No.
They both sit on the bed, taking time to comb the long hair that was tangled for so long without care. It didn't cost that much, but it did take a lot of time to get it straight, as well as to do the usual long braids. Simple due to the lack of ornaments.
"Now what do we do?" Jinx asks, leaning against the wall.
"Hide in the tree. He doesn't know how to get there" Ekko answers. "Noxus and Piltover will help against him. Jayce was able to scare them enough." he clarifies with a laugh. Jinx looks away.
"And I hide like a little and useless kid" She rests her arm on her knee. "Um-”
"We can go get Isha" Ekko gets Jinx's attention with that. "Viktor will be looking for you here, we will go get Isha to that community and hide in the tree until this is all over" Ekko shrugs. "Vi can meet us later-”
"Vi is a traitor.”
"She is under a lot of pressure. Besides, she's covering for me right now. Even if they're looking for us, she didn't say anything about the keys. It was all a distraction.”
Jinx shakes her head, not quite believing it. The sound of an explosion makes them look out the window. They're attacking something on the bridge. Jinx frowns, and without realizing it, the marks on her forehead glow dimly.
✧ Looking for who's his ✧
There's not a single guard left on the bridge.
The gunshots do nothing but create smoke that blocks vision.
At the entrance to Piltover, with the sea breeze hitting directly, Jayce, Vi, Caitlyn, Ambessa, and Heimerdinger await what's to come. When the smoke clears, who's approaching becomes visible. Jayce holds the hammer tighter, pursing his lips and looking up.
It's just like what he saw at the end.
Viktor is taller, with that mask on his face, the halo of runes around his head by the claw on his back and the mechanical body. Now much more mutated: small waist, dressed in a blue and red cape that splits into two long fragments. The staff shines similar to a Hextech gem.
『Nice to see you, Jayce』Viktor greets, stopped a few steps away.
His eyes like two small yellow eyes in the bulky mask.
"Viktor.”
"We know your intentions for coming" Caitlyn announces. "I see the need to ask you to leave. Piltover will not allow such a dangerous criminal to be loose and at the same time, will not accept any kind of threat.”
『Criminal... Is the one who kills a single person or who tortures hundreds and lets them live with their insufferable pain』
Viktor leans forward slightly.
『Criminal, innocent; good and evil... There is no such thing. It all depends on our moral compass』
Vi fidgets at all the talk, fidgeting at her own surprise. Viktor hadn't looked like this two days ago.
『And what others consider justice... That's why you're so hated in Zaun: it's the criminal accusing them of a crime even worse than death』
Caitlyn tightens her hands on her rifle. Viktor straightens.
『However, that's not what brings me here』
Viktor looks up.
『If they recognize my intentions, the best thing they can do is bring Jinx to me』
"I'm not giving her to you. Much less with what you've done to her." Vi demands, taking steps forward. Viktor doesn't make a move.
『Foolishness is the cause of many misfortunes... She won't suffer with me, unlike how she does with you... Who left her locked in a cell』
Vi gasps. How does he know that? Jayce is the one who steps forward.
『One for the common good is what characterizes this city. The abrupt change of mentality seems funny to me 』
"What you're going to do is not help her. Nor have her. You're only going to cause a disaster" Jayce informs. "I can't allow you to take her, just as I won't allow you to leave here.”
『If you wish』
How did you end up in a pitched battle? They have no idea. It's a very messy and complicated environment. One where Jayce tries desperately to attack Viktor, but not only does he move too fast, it's like his attacks are useless at all.
The robots he brings with him are countless and Vander is the worst of them all. Vi can barely keep him at bay and not break down from looking at him. The entire Piltover and Noxus troops are unable to cope against something that doesn't die unless destroyed and that moves in an inhuman way.
Viktor corners Jayce and brings a hand to his face until it covers it. Jayce drops the hammer and his body goes completely limp, suffering spasms.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
"Time to go.”
They leave the room and Ekko holds her hand as they run. Before they cross into the next room of the academy, several white robots peek out the hallway. The glowing markings flash slightly before they run towards them. They turn around, running at full speed. Jinx briefly looks out the window.
There are a bunch of bushes below...
She grabs Ekko tightly and throws him, ignoring his screams. Jinx continues running down the hallway, closely pursued. She enters the lab, closing the door behind her and holding it shut with her back. She uses a staff to block and then, a desk.
Jinx climbs over several tables to reach the window that, even now, is open. Jinx almost falls to the floor, frightened by the robots that accumulate at the window.
『Stay there』
They all say at once and Jinx breathes heavily, backing away.
『I've told you countless times...』
Jinx looks around and rushes over one of the pieces of furniture, pulling it closer.
『Don't be afraid』
Behind this, one of the less polished versions of Pow-Pow.
『I'm not going to hurt you』
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
There's a certain nostalgia in walking through these halls. As softly lit as ever. The doors to his lab that now weigh no more than a feather. When Viktor opens the door, Jinx points the pink-painted machine gun at him, smaller than the one she usually carries.
"Stay away." Jinx orders.
『You asked me to come, Jinx』
She takes a couple steps back, with Viktor approaching at a slow pace. Jinx purses her lips, shaking her head. "I want Viktya to come... You're not him.”
Viktor stops, staring at her. Jinx tightens her grip on the gun and Viktor's laughter sends shivers down her spine.
『I am. That's why you can't shoot me. Not even when I'm this close』
Her breathing becomes labored and she takes a step forward, finger on the trigger in a stubborn gesture. Viktor tilts his head.
『Will you do the same thing you did with Silco? Kill someone who loves you unconditionally and wants the best for you』
Jinx's rueful expression shows that Viktor struck a chord.
『You're free to do so』
Viktor walks back and leans on his knee once he's in front of her, causing her to raise the gun and point it at his head.
『Even if you do it, I wouldn't hate you, I wouldn't despise you-』
"SHUT UP...!”
『You're perfect, Jinx... I'd do anything for you to be mine , even let you kill me』
Jinx lets out a breath and drops the machine gun, bringing her hands to her face. So many attacks to her head, so much pain piling up and the fact that she couldn't bear to hurt him. As if deep down, the idea of Viktya still in there and destroying him, is worse than anything he's done, does or will do.
Viktor stands up and extends his hand towards Jinx, who looks at him in confusion.
『I didn't lie to you at any point: Isha is waiting for you. Come on』
Jinx hesitates, looking at Viktor's face.
"You promise... You promise it won't be bad?”
『I promise』
Jinx takes his hand and Viktor holds it gently. With his free hand he takes the mask that shrinks, just like his body and looks just as Jinx remembers it, a little taller, wearing a black cape and his eyes momentarily golden. He brings her closer and gives her a kiss on the forehead.
"Everything, it's going to be okay." Viktor promises quietly, taking Jinx's cheek. She lies down with a sad expression and a tired look.
Running... It's very tiring.
┈
The robots are aligned in the way. It prevents her from seeing the Piltover soldiers, the general destruction. Viktor walks at a very calm pace, almost without hurry and wearing the mask again. From the corner of her eye, Jinx manages to see Vi and Ekko, both held against the ground, moving like a pair of worms coming out of the ground.
"JINX! GET AWAY FROM HIM...! JINX!”
Viktor gives Jinx a slight tug, telling her to keep walking and not pay attention to Vi. Jinx for her part turns her gaze forward. She's alive. Ekko too. It's what worried her the most and it relieves her that at least, she managed to prevent something bad from happening to them.
The walk to the commune feels short and eternal at the same time. There's not much difference in appearance. Bigger at most. People go on with their lives, not even caring about the way their leader looks or changed. Jinx takes a couple of steps forward, her expression warped into one of horror:
"Jinx!"
Isha just spoke.
Dressed like everyone else, having the marks on her forehead and reaching out to give her a hug as always. Jinx doesn't reciprocate, shaking and feeling like she can't breathe. Viktor behind her, leaning in to speak in her ear.
『I fixed hee for you, aren't you happy?』
Isha wasn't broken.
She didn't need to be fixed.
Viktor touches Jinx's forehead. A delicate caress and with everyone coming closer to admire like so many others, she is saved by the Herald. Isha hugs her tighter and laughs, having empty eyes and bright marks.
✧ A small moment ✧
Jinx looks around, she's been in this place before. The biggest difference, is that something hits her and practically push her, making her spin. Jinx opens her eyes wide, finding Isha's face. The girl just smiles and Jinx imitates it.
Hugging her with all her strength and feeling a similar grip behind her.
"I'll never leave you alone.”
Jinx lets out a breath, still laughing and receiving a kiss on the head from Silco. Ignoring the herald who watches them and as if in a second, he takes them in his hands, trapped between his palms.
✧ Changed ✧
"Even if I had the resources, I can't do a suicide march. We don't have the strength to face that army-”
"You can't ask me to leave my sister like this" Vi complains through gritted teeth. "I must do something.”
"Rest. Because you were unconscious for a whole week" Caitlyn accuses back. "You can't go on a suicide mission. We can't embark on something like that.”
Before the discussion could continue at length, as is expected every time they even talk these couple of days with Vi awake, Maddie enters with an uncomfortable gesture, looking suspiciously at Vi. She stands up straight and Caitlyn gestures for her to speak.
"There's… a visitor. We don't know how to deal with this. He wants to speak to the council.”
"Who is it?”
Maddie purses her lips and looks away.
┈ ⋞ 〈 ✷ 〉 ⋟ ┈
Vi pushes everyone in her way aside and stops abruptly a couple of meters away from those who draw the attention of the people of Piltover. She staggers a couple of steps back, surprise and disbelief on her expression.
"Jinx?"
"Hey sis, what's with the tragedy face?"
Jinx smiles slyly, with a typical mocking gesture that looks... perfectly fine. As if nothing bad has happened to her at any time. Vi gasps, trying to find the right words. Jinx laughs, showing her teeth and leaving one eyebrow raised. She rests her hand on her hip and plays with her hair.
Two long pigtails with rings adorning them; a thick gold necklace that covers her breasts; chains that go from her waist to her chain and hold up the two-sided skirt; black stockings that reach above her thigh. Black, huge boots. The most striking thing for Vi, are the marks on her forehead. They look like a tiara, precious stones embedded in her head and that match the translucent marks along her exposed body.
At his side, Viktor looks just as she remembers him the first time they were in the commune, perhaps the only thing different is that he has a pair of braids on either side of his head, holding his brown hair elegantly.
"So? Did your girlfriend rip your tongue out?"
Caitlyn clears her throat, drawing attention. Vi steps to the side, harried and confused. The Piltovian clasps her hands behind her back, stern expression and straight back. Enforcers around her to protect her if necessary.
"I'm surprised you two have the nerve to show yourselves here after your last visit." Caitlyn hisses. Viktor gives a small chuckle, shaking his head.
"We can say the same about your presence in Zaun." Viktor takes a couple of steps forward and Jinx whistles as she walks in, taking long strides. "We just want to talk, that's all.”
"Are you aware that she's a highly dangerous criminal?"
"I am, though, it's part of what we need to talk about." Viktor turns his attention to Jinx, who's pulling the mask off one of the Noxus soldiers. "And I don't think that being such a capable commander, you want to cause a bloodbath, do you?"
Caitlyn grits her teeth and lets out a breath. Vi can only watch Jinx, wondering how she's standing there so calmly. The way she looked at her… it's like she doesn't feel anything.
Like they're not sisters.
Like they're nothing .
┈
"These chairs are super uncomfortable, no wonder people die by sitting here" Jinx grumbles, rocking hard in the chair. "Are you sure I can't sit on your lap?"
"I don't want an exhibitionist scandal. We came to talk," Viktor says. Jinx snorts, brushing her lock of hair aside in the process. She stands up, dropping her chair and walking to the balcony of the site. The other members of the elected council take their respective places. Caitlyn let Vi stay on the condition that she not say anything.
Ekko under the same conditions, who came like an arrow here, indifferent to the wounds he had on his head. Wanting to know about Jinx and equally stunned by her presence oblivious to everything.
Only attentive to Viktor.
As if she is a magnet aimed at him.
When Ambessa and Jayce arrive, being the last, the meeting is considered to have started. The General feels surprise and strangeness of the presence of Viktor and Jinx. Viktor is the one who takes the word to start.
"I came to propose an agreement between Zaun and Piltover. Starting with the separation and followed with an alliance.”
A couple of people laugh and fall silent just seconds later, Viktor making the third arm emerge from his back and the claw forcing runes at high speed.
"I recognize that there is no desire on their part to help Zaun, as well as fear of what can be done there. However, Jinx and I will take care of that situation." The claw opens fully, with the glowing runes and instantly, what looks like a huge core. Ekko, Jayce and Heimerdinger all express pain at its presence. "It will be our duty and no one else's.”
"What you propose is, essentially, to take over the city by force and for us to accept it." Caitlyn recapitulates and the core rises until it is in the middle of the table.
"To put it more simply.”
"It must be a joke." complains one of the new councilors.
"Why should we accept this deal?" Ambessa asks suspiciously. "Zaun is a threat, one that without external control, will end in a fireball and we will be dragged along." She gets up from her place and puts her hands on the table. "I don't see any-”
Jinx's whines makes them turn around. The blue-haired girl shakes her head, walking with her arms crossed.
"You complain so much! You're not even from here! Why is that pretentious old bitch allowed to speak?" Jinx demands.
"Watch your words, little girl." Ambessa warns.
"Watch what? I can easily kill you," she says with her hands on her waist and a smug smile. "They cry whether they have Zaun or not. How much do they like to treat us like shit and leave us to die? They're useless hypocrites." she concludes with a shrug, a smile and then a grimace of disgust.
Ekko holds back a laugh. That's true. However, he's worried about what Viktor wants. What does he want?
"You're here out of pure courtesy and tempting us to throw you in prison. Don't interrupt anymore, Jinx." Caitlyn orders. Jinx shakes her hands, feigning fear.
"Uuuh~ And what are you going to do? Tell me to shut up, show me your tits and have me obey. That only works with Vi, I don't love tits.”
There is awkward silence between everyone, with Caitlyn giving a groan of disbelief before standing up with a pout.
"This-”
Jinx looks up at the core and snaps her fingers. The core becomes tiny and she plays with it, the same size as a gem. Jayce stands up horrified at the way the two can manipulate the arcane. Jinx pulls the gun out of her boot and places the gem, carelessly pointing it at Caitlyn.
"So what are you going to do?"
"Jinx." Viktor calls and she laughs, fiddling with the gun.
"I'm just playing. Plaaaaaaying," she states, putting the gun down and having Viktor take it. "She was treating me badly," he accuses, pointing at Caitlyn. "And you know I'm right! How much does it bother them that we're not one city? It hurts them not to treat us like their bitches.”
Viktor sighs, shaking his head.
"Calm down."
Jinx snorts, walking over to one of the pieces of furniture and starting to play with what's on it. Viktor talks in general terms about what he intends: to improve infrastructure, to achieve a less polluted environment, to start a functional economic system, to decrease violent and aggressive behavior.
The Shimmer can't be eradicated.
Neither can the fact that the trade of dangerous goods is part of what keeps Zaun's economy running.
However, the most important thing would be covered. The thing that Piltover has never managed to control or tried to fix.
"And what about her?" Mel asks, looking at Jinx suspiciously. She took apart a watch and checks the pieces. "She's caused multiple murders over the years and she's unstable. A considerable danger.”
"She's my partner. She's staying with me. It's not up for discussion. The only reason I wanted to talk about it is so you'll stop with the posters and not try to look for her again… I don't want to kill anyone." Viktor smiles condescendingly, almost bored. Jinx begins to put together the pieces of what's at hand.
"A criminal like that isn't so easy to… ignore."
"You would do it." Viktor belittles.
Caitlyn moves her jaw and before complaining, Viktor turns to Ambessa.
"She and I will dedicate ourselves to what we've always done: inventions that can help the well-being of people. You have Hextech, we will continue to advance on our own" he notifies in a calm voice. "And we can share those achievements. As long as the demands are approved.”
"And if we don't approve?”
"We blow them all up." Jinx croons, winding up what she did.
Resulting in a small mechanical bird. They can't imagine how she could did it so fast. It lands in front of Viktor, who laughs and taps its beak a couple of times. Jinx comes hopping up and climbs onto the table, walking foolishly while humming.
"You can say yes, leave us to our shit and you to yours oooor" She turns on her heels, making guns with her fingers. "We kill each other and I promise we're gonna win!" Jinx states with a long, smug grin, faking gunshots and spinning around again, causing her hair to rise in the wind.
Ekko and Vi realize the same thing: it's her.
It's…
It really is Jinx.
But it's not her anymore.
┈
"Your stuff is yours, you should take it anyway." Jinx grumbles. with her hands behind her head.
"It's a waste of time." Viktor sighs.
"Of course not! My drawings are in there! You're not going to leave them for Jayce, are you?" Jinx argues with an offended look. Viktor shakes his head and laughs at the end. "What's so funny? Rotten cookie."
"It's funny how obsessed you are with Jayce."
"I could see his dick rising from the sight of you with your whore waist and purple ass cheeks." Jinx rolls her eyes in deep disdain. "I'm just making sure your ass isn't his when I stop-" Jinx.
She turns around, finding Ekko and Vi behind her. Jinx looks at Viktor for a moment and then at them. "What?"
"Are you… are you okay?"
Ekko notices the way Viktor looks at Jinx: he watch her. Like he expects something bad to happen. Brows and lips furrowed, eyes half-lidded, staff gripped tighter. Jinx shrugs.
"I'm fine. Hungry and wanting to go home. Why? You guys are being weird."
"He… took you- Don't you remember what happened?"
Jinx looks confused. Like they're the weird ones for thinking something bad happened. She lets out an awkward laugh, shaking her head.
"Nothing happened… Ush, ever since they've been up here, they've gone crazy."
Viktor relaxes his entire countenance and posture, putting his arm out and Jinx takes it, hugging him and resting her head on his shoulder. Vi bites her lip, feeling like crying. What did he do to her?
✧ Pieces that make beautiful shapes ✧
Viktor sees Jayce's memories. That world he traveled to is nothing more than a wasteland without human life. His robots everywhere and himself leading the way. He is surprised to notice Jinx there, lying as if sleeping. It is a memory. He cannot intervene, he cannot change anything.
Viktor can only see her and discover what happened here. The second surprise in this comes when instead of hearing what Jayce and this alternate are talking about, he hears something totally different.
【I know you are listening right now… that you see what will happen if you follow the path you have created and decided to take. I am not going to try to stop you, on the contrary: I want to give you the answer to get what we are looking for】
Viktor undoes the mask, approaching the bed where Jinx sleeps, detailing the marks, her clothes, her light breathing and listening carefully to what his alternate self says.
【For countless worlds and eons, I have searched for a way to save her, to have her, and I have not been able to achieve it】 Viktor sits on the edge of the bed, staring at her. 【However, I have managed to achieve it. I understand the mistake I made and the solution… it's even simpler than I thought. It's a basic one, constantly escaping my thoughts and allowing it to escape like water between my fingers】
Viktor tilts his head, saddened. He detects Jinx's soul. It's there inside, trapped in a body that couldn't bear so much weight.
【You can't kill those she love… you can't make them disappear. Not in front of her. Let her suffer and in the end, her mind in pieces so small that the wind can freely carry them away】 he says in a low voice 【They must live… they must stay alive until the last moment; not erased either… Jinx, who you love and know, is who she is thanks to what she has lived and without it, she is similar to this sleeping body without the strength to move】 Viktor nods slowly, that is very true 【That is why you must mold it… you must order the pieces of her mind and change them. Transform them into a new vision】
"A farewell" Viktor mutters. "To close the life she had and leave it behind… when she stops holding on, but still yearns for the same, allows her to be the same and at the same time, allows herself to be possessed.”
【At the end of the day, when you have your hands on her, create a new kaleidoscope with her fragments and that way, she will be in your arms as you want so much】
Viktor leaves Jayce, who exhales and falls to his knees on the ground. He tilts his head. It's good to know… considering he was planning to bring Jinx the decapitated heads of Vi, Ekko, Caitlyn and Jayce. He thought that would make her happy.
It's a fact with Jayce and Caitlyn.
Vi and Ekko would be a demonstration of what he would do to people who betray and hurt her.
Viktor must stay with the aspiration for that.
Even when they are in the community again and Viktor takes her forehead, he takes time and effort to polish every detail. Making a lovely farewell on behalf of everyone: Vi admitting that she will leave Zaun, but saying that she loves her; Ekko saying that he has missed her very much, but they must let go; Vander cuddling her like a daughter and saying goodbye on his last day; Isha hugging her and thanking her for her company, but leaving to be part of another group, a family where Jinx isn't part…
Isolating her completely.
Except for him, who is the only one who doesn't say goodbye to her.
The monsters still exist, caged in a cell and discovering the tearful soul that remained curled up on the floor, chained and dying from so much abuse, from so many attacks.
"Jinx.”
She raises her head, crying and with the marks on her forehead. Viktor kneels in front of her and gently removes the shackles, freeing her from that crushing pain. Jinx takes a deep breath, staring at him and once free, she doesn't realize that the monsters are still there, the shackles too.
It's all there.
But it doesn't hurt her.
It doesn't attack her…
It just… exists.
She smiles at Viktor, coming closer and hugging him with all her strength.
Viktor catches the body that stumbled and the mask disappears little by little. Jinx opens her eyes and smiles excitedly at Viktor.
It's the same smile…
Brighter.
And only because of him.
There is no other reason for joy for Jinx, than Viktor right here.
✧ The selfish herald ✧
"Do you think they bother us much?”
"I don't think so. Not with Noxus so interested in weapons," Viktor says quietly, eyes half-lidded and on the verge of falling asleep. Jinx's fingers through his hair make him drowsy and it's lovely to feel. "Not to mention they're terrified of the possibilities." Jinx gives a mischievous laugh.
"Super-Duper Viktor could take down Piltover if he wanted to," Viktor laughs, satisfied and confident, "although who cares about their shitty city? Let them keep it. We can do something way cooler."
Jinx jumps out of bed and goes to the adjacent lab. Viktor follows her with his eyes. She's still a walking mess. Jinx talks uncontrollably, her drawings have not stopped being messy and a little disturbing; her inventions and attitude have a childish tint despite their brilliance.
Everything about her is the same...
She just doesn't think about Vi. She doesn't care that she's in Piltover.
She doesn't think about Ekko. She doesn't care that she won't see him again.
She doesn't think about Vander. She doesn't care that he's a sentinel waiting for something to happen.
She doesn't think about Isha. She doesn't care that they hardly see each other by chance in the community.
She doesn't think about Sevika. She doesn't care that she's become some kind of emissary and nothing more.
Jinx doesn't think about in no one else.
Only in him.
And that makes Viktor happy.
It's just as Viktor imagined and he adores it. It makes him feel complete and satisfied. Viktor gets out of bed and goes to her, hugging her from behind and giving her kisses on the head. Jinx hums between laughs. "You're so sweet, Viktya!"
"Will you ever say Vitya?"
"Nope, Viktya sounds better. It's cooler and more special because everyone will know how dumb you are.”
What's the connection? Viktor doesn't know. Viktor rests his cheek on Jinx's head and sighs, closing his eyes.
He loves his life.
He loves his Jinx.
He loves being her .
And Viktor loves not having to share her with anyone else.
Mocking that he's the one who has her, unlike that self in another dimension.
✧ The Herald’s Girl ✧
"Jinx...? Oh, the Herald’s Girl... How unusual. No one looks for her in a regular basis.”
Vi is exasperated that they don't let her through just like that. It's absurd. She doesn't have any weapons on her. Neither does Ekko. Much less Caitlyn despite her bad face. This whole visit is an excuse to see Jinx. To supervise how true what Viktor proposed is. From the beginning it was noticeable: the air in many areas of Zaun is starting to become less dense. A large number of crystal lamps with flowers inside have been placed in strategic places in Undercity.
They didn't see anyone fighting or killing each other.
There is light surveillance by Viktor's robots.
There doesn't seem to be any reason to complain, except for the obvious kidnapping of Jinx and that Vi is not able to accept.
"You can come in, but I must warn you that she's very busy."
Vi rushes past, barely turning her head to notice Isha in the distance, talking animatedly with other children. Vi shakes off the shock and the urge to complain about it. She goes straight to the lab and throws open the door with a single blow.
Ekko peeks in first and whistles in shock. There's a lot going on here. Jinx continues welding a huge sphere of white metal. She blows the lock of hair in her face and notices the three people in the doorway.
"Are you here to take me to prison? Are you real? Or am I hallucinating?"
"We're real," Vi says. Jinx jumps up from where she stands and brushes off her clothes: a top that's completely attached to her chest, big pants, and boots that close around her pants. "And I wanted to…”
"Tease because it's one of those little things that sisters do, but we're not sisters anymore so I don't know what the effort is" Jinx mocks without letting her speak. "Everything is fine now. You care more about that pussy than this pussy that has the same DNA as you. There's nothing wrong with it. I'm over it.”
"Can you let me talk?"
"Nah, you bore me and tire me out.”
Ekko tries not to laugh at that answer. Vi grunts and forces herself to relax.
"What's going on here? What are you doing here? Viktor-”
"VikVik is using corpses we found around. He washes his hands, don't worry" Jinx says shaking her hand and laughing mischievously. "And I happen to be his girlfriend. What's so surprising about that?"
"Girlfriend?" Caitlyn repeats, surprised.
"Girlfriend, lover, cock warmer, cock sucker, all the synonyms you want, Piltie." Jinx says with her hands on her hips.
Vi still has the feeling that something is up. That Jinx has her head in check and should stop this, but how? She jumps, startled by the presence behind her. She can tell by the reflection in the metal. Jinx waves and Viktor walks past with a scowl.
"Any reason for them to be here?"
"Supervising Jinx." Caitlyn replies. Viktor snorts.
"As you can see, she's fine. You can go."
"As bitter as ever. Jealous of them talking to me?" Jinx teases, tapping him on the arm. Viktor snorts. "Ohjojo! you're jealous! You're so stupid, VikVik. As if anyone else matters."
She stands on her tiptoes and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Jinx goes off to her room. Without her present, Viktor bows to the trio present.
"I hope I don't see you here again... I wouldn't want you to accidentally “suffer” an explosion."
Subtle and yet not. Vi dares to ask:
"What did you do to her? How are you controlling her? She didn't want this!"
Viktor tilts his head, his gesture condescending and his voice soft.
"She made the choice to come where she will be loved no matter what. I don't control her. I didn't do anything bad..." He crouches down with a smile and rests his hand on his chest. "I just brought her to her true home.”
Vi shakes her head. That's not true. It's a nonsense Viktor made up to annoy her...
Jinx didn't leave forever.
Her sister didn't disappear...
It's what Vi clings to and she only hurts herself by doing so.
┈
Viktor isn't worried that some dormant feeling will return. He's sure that everything is well tied up in Jinx's head. What worries him is that she might form new bonds with other people or the same ones that were there before. The human being is unpredictable and unmanageable. Still, he wants to hold on to the most complicated person of all.
The most unpredictable.
The most volatile.
The one who bonds easily with anyone who gives her a little affection.
That's why Jinx doesn't leave here.
That's why Viktor makes excuses for her to wander around alone or stay in the lab.
Jinx can't see anyone else. Only Viktor.
Only Viktor.
Because she's his and he hates the idea that she could be, even a little, someone else's.
"Why so sulking? You look like an angry cat.”
The selfish, heavy thoughts only increase in his mind. Jinx is his. No one has her at their back, massaging his shoulders as they talk. Even if it's mocking.
No one else has Jinx.
"Ummm?" Jinx leans in to speak into his ear. "What's wrong?" she whispers huskily; she licks behind Viktor's ear and her hands slide down his chest covered in blue fabric.
Viktor turns to kiss her on the lips, ramming her into the bed, her long legs tangling around his hips. Jinx moves her pelvis, rubbing against Viktor's crotch, caressing his back and pulling his hair. Viktor moves down to give her kisses to her neck, collarbone and start sucking one of the round breasts.
Jinx laughs watching the claw come out of her back, caressing the base and biting her lip. Viktor ripped off her pants and underwear, throwing them aside, leaving her in only stockings.
Viktor doesn't know self-control. Not when they're in bed.
It's evidence of what mixing her blood with Vander's did.
Viktor's senses are more sensitive and his libido is much higher. Wanting to bite and draw blood at every opportunity. Jinx allows it, it excites her. Her vagina gets wet and burns waiting for her partner to continue with what he wants.
Let him fill her with bites.
Let him sink his fangs wherever he wants.
Let him caress her inside with his long fingers, giving her constant blows with magical energy.
Let him not limit himself to this plane, caressing her in the astral plane and traveling from one to the other without control.
Jinx exclaims and sticks her tongue out for a moment, filled in one thrust. Viktor's claw gripping her neck and him, staring with his suddenly golden eyes. Jinx caresses her abdomen, bulging with the cock filling her vagina. She gives a long, high-pitched moan, writhing a little.
"I came." Jinx purrs. Viktor grabs her hips and pulls back, pulling out his long, bulging cock.
With a huge ball at the base.
The soft, squishy flesh of the girl's pussy enveloping him with each thrust. Jinx moaning shamelessly, legs spread and drooling unconsciously.
Her fluid glistening, filled with Shimmer just like her sweat. Viktor grits his teeth and growls more as his own climax approaches and Jinx cries out, curling up when the knot is inside her. Trembling in admiration of its change.
That slowly turns into that gigantic and ethereal figure inexplicably, sitting on the bed. Jinx tilts her head, seeing the penis raised and longer and thicker than before. She crawls up on top of him, kissing the mask, leaning on the long, thin body. Her breasts pressed against the rough chest. She licks the mask and hands on her back, making her laugh.
It's Viktor.
They all look like Viktor.
The one massaging her breasts.
The one kissing her mouth.
The one licking her vagina.
The one biting her thighs.
The one biting her neck.
Viktor watches the robots move, having a mouth only for this. With Jinx's mind altering them to look like him. Denying that they are near her if it is not like that.
Her mind became a true kaleidoscope, where the images repeat themselves uncontrollably.
Stared at by golden eyes, sitting on the erect cock, bouncing on it and still having the constant attention and pampering. Some have seen this. There is no such thing as privacy enough and there is no limit to where Viktor will want to do it. Sometimes here, sometimes in his temple, sometimes in the waterfall behind the commune...
He would do it in the middle of Zaun if he could.
Then he would kill those who saw.
But they would die knowing that Jinx is his on every possible level.
Even the spiritual one, where he can take as much of her soul as he wants and enjoy her in every possible way.
"Viktya, my pussy is so full…”
Jinx shivers, still held. Legs spread wide exposing her quivering, full flesh, cum leaking from her vagina and her swollen abdomen. Viktor slides his hand to her belly, pressing it a bit and Jinx moans with her tongue out.
He doesn't know if she's fertile.
He doesn't know if he himself is fertile…
But it would be one more bond to put in place. One more claim of ownership…
He wants it.
He wants it.
He really wants it…
Jinx vibrates at the curious sound coming from Viktor. She takes his face again and licks his mask. "Fill me more" she moans to the selfish herald who is determined to fulfill her request.
Just like her: Viktor only sees Jinx. It's the only thing that is reflected in his mind, broken by the greatest whim, having the most beautiful image that Viktor doesn't want to stop looking at.
Honestly, I think that if Viktor lets Jinx stay with Isha, she will stay with him without any problems, since Vander and Vi are not that important in the long run for her.
Heya. you probably got tired cuz i spotted a few tiny mistakes in here. you keep repeating the same name in this part:
They push each other, and eventually Isha climbs onto Isha’s shoulders, pulling at her hair. Jinx shakes herself off, backing away, and a few people see the small tower wobble. Viktor frowns, tightening his grip on his staff.
and
"Let's try the other arm and don't move." Jinx says softly and Jinx snorts.
also, thanks for the new chapter. i love viktor and his obsessiveness so bad. im a miserable fellow for depending on your fics for viktor/jinx tag. dont forget to rest btw, author and thank you again for your hardwork. (๑・ω-)～♥”
I corrected it, thank u uwu I didn't notice before HJBASBHJBHJAS
my mission these days is: make as much Jinxtor as my imagination can offer. At the moment, I have seven other fics in progress, all of them with a similar dynamic... Viktor being a possessive and obsessive piece of shit :D
Kiding, Jinx is that too xd
DJdjakko on Chapter 1 Sun 12 Jan 2025 06:19AM UTC
Comment Actions
Baka_chan on Chapter 3 Fri 24 Jan 2025 05:49PM UTC
Comment Actions
RepulsiveRabbit on Chapter 4 Thu 30 Jan 2025 06:19PM UTC
Comment Actions
Kuma_Kuroko on Chapter 4 Thu 30 Jan 2025 06:56PM UTC
Last Edited Thu 30 Jan 2025 06:57PM UTC
Comment Actions
RepulsiveRabbit on Chapter 4 Thu 30 Jan 2025 07:09PM UTC
Comment Actions
Baka_chan on Chapter 7 Fri 07 Feb 2025 03:24PM UTC
Comment Actions
naberiuz on Chapter 7 Thu 13 Mar 2025 01:14PM UTC
Comment Actions
Kuma_Kuroko on Chapter 7 Thu 13 Mar 2025 11:25PM UTC
Comment Actions