Chapter Text
The plan was simple. Caitlyn and Vi would both take the elevator into the undercity at the same time and stick together through the first district, before swiftly splitting up to go in opposite directions. Caitlyn figured Silco would have his goons watching them both, with extra eyes on her since it made sense for Vi to act as a decoy due to her knowledge of the levels and its people; Vi'd be better at leading them around in circles if they were all under the impression she was the only one between the two that actually knew where she was going. They’d be anticipating Caitlyn being the one to head to the actual destination under the assumption that she likely believed they wouldn’t be watching her as heavily because she wouldn’t be able to get around as easily or speedily as a local could, nor would she know of as many hiding spots or secret passageways. It was a predictable idea for Vi to be the distraction in such a scenario, full expectation for all attention to be on her-- which is why Caitlyn knew there wouldn’t be.
This fact is precisely why it has to be Vi to go to the Firelights; she knows how to disappear in the Lanes. Less eyes will be on her because only one of Silco’s thugs would even be able to really keep up with her, able to navigate the levels at nearly the same haste and strength and still keep themself hidden. Sevika.
Speaking of whom, the second in command was betting on something like this happening, but there was nothing she could do except lag behind in the shadows. She wasn’t as agile as she was bulk, but she was better than any of the other idiots Silco had under his belt. This kind of job was a Jinx one, which was very ironic considering this was all to find Jinx.
Sevika cursed under her breath, landing on her feet more roughly than intended while following behind a parkouring Vi. She hated this kid. Hadn’t she been locked in a cell for the past six years? Seven? Sevika didn’t understand how the pinkette wasn’t out of practice for this kind of movement, but quickly came to the conclusion that both of Vander’s daughters were actually just monsters and it was useless trying to apply reason with either of them. Singed, with all of his abominable experiments, could never hope to achieve anything more menacing or destructive than those two sisters.
While Vi is doing her part, Caitlyn is making sure to do hers as well. She wasn’t going to jump from rooftop to rooftop like her partner in crime, but she was still athletic enough to keep her pursuers on their toes. Confusion rose in the henchmen as they started to pick up on where exactly Caitlyn was leading them.
Straight down to the Last Drop.
Dozens of little thoughts and whispers swarmed around Jinx’s mind, buzzing like a mob of bees trapped inside her brain, stinging every so often. Vi is standing there. Vi, who left her twice, had come back again. Jinx was tired of getting hurt by this, but despite everything, she stayed. She didn’t really know why.
To Jinx, the Firelight base felt restricted and suffocating, even with how free the whole place and its people were. It wasn’t something she was familiar with, and that made it seem like the walls were closing in around her regardless of how spacious it actually was.
The feeling only worsened with Vi’s arrival, which caused the bluenette to become a little fidgety as the brawler approached closer and closer. Even though they were in an open area, Jinx felt caged. It was nauseating.
Ekko stood between them as the unlucky mediator. Honestly, standing up against a Chemtank alone without a weapon seemed a lot less intimidating than this. Leader of the Firelights, taken down in a dispute between two estranged and violent sisters. What a way to go.
Vi was the first to speak up, idly messing with her hand wraps as she stared at Jinx with a pleading expression. “Powder, I never meant t--”
“Jinx.” She corrected through clenched teeth as tension practically radiated from her body, “I’ll give you a pass this one time because I know you get hit on the head a lot and are bound to let a few things slip from that thick skull of yours, but if you wanna keep talking to me, then I think you should start trying really hard to remember that Powder is dead and never coming back. Not for you, not for anyone.”
Ekko couldn’t help but wince at the ice in her tone. As much as he wanted to say something, he kept his mouth shut. He’ll intervene when/if he needs to. Right now, it’s important for both sisters to say what they need to say to each other and for him to simply be there for them.
Vi shook her head, lowering her sad gaze to the ground, “I-I can’t... I can’t call you that other name...” For someone who used to seem so big and invincible, she looked very small and vulnerable right now. It was uncharacteristic and witnessing it was downright unnerving. It was hard to ignore the pain in her words with all the regret oozing off of them like that.
“You had no problem doing it before,” Jinx scoffed. Really, this display of weakness from Violet was pissing her off more than all the bad memories that resurfaced at the sight of her face or the sound of her voice. It wasn’t like her at all. Jinx found that aggravating.
“I know, I...” The brawler paused to release a shaky breath, defeat and dread and guilt constricting her lungs. She raised her eyes once more to meet Jinx’s angry blues, “I never should have called you that. I never should have hit you, never should have walked away from you!”
The smile that spread across Jinx’s face was sour. She huffed, though there was no humor behind it. “And yet, you did all of those things! Some of them twice! Too late to take it back now, huh?” She looked away, some of the past hurt slipping out and creeping its way into her voice and expression as she muttered under her breath, “It doesn’t matter how much you cry and whine about it, it’s not going to change...”
Ekko doesn’t know what happened between Jinx and Vi, but from hearing what vagueness he has of it, he can kind of see how Jinx ended up on the path she did. Broken and abandoned, having lost a second family, what kid wouldn’t cling to the one person willing to pick them back up again? As much as Ekko hated the guy, Silco did take care of Jinx this entire time, albeit in his own twisted way.
However, that doesn’t mean that Vi is to blame for how everything turned out. She was just a kid too, she lost her family too, she was hurting too. While Ekko doesn’t know the exact details of her supposed desertion of Jinx, he does know that Vi would never just up and leave her sister, especially not after something like that. Regardless of what went down between them, Vi loved Powder. Still does, even if she’s having a hard time coming to terms with the fact she’s Jinx now.
This situation is ridiculously complicated and shitty for both parties.
“You’re right. I can’t take it back.” Vi took a step forward, a new kind of determination emanating off of her. “I wish I could, but I can’t. I get it if you can’t forgive me or don’t want to, but I still want you to know that I’m sorry. Not a day has gone by where I haven’t thought of you, where I haven’t kept myself up all night desperately wishing I could have done things differently, where I haven’t missed you so bad I could feel it in my bones-- wondering where you were, what you were doing, if you were okay, if you were even still alive... I love you so much, Pow. All I want is for you to be safe and happy.” Tears were silently falling down her face and she just let them, “You’re always going to be my baby sister. Nothing will ever change that.”
Everything that comes out of Vi’s mouth, all the sadness in her eyes, the tears soaking her cheeks and dripping off her jaw, the hurt in her voice-- it made Jinx feel sick. It was too much. She didn’t want to be here anymore.
So, she took a deep, steadying breath before glancing over to Ekko and saying, “Let me out of here. I want out. I want to go back home.” She desperately tried to ignore the sight of her sister’s expression crumbling in her periphery.
Ekko frowned sympathetically, “Jinx--”
“Don’t!” She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, brows furrowed as she shook her head. She spoke up again, more softly this time, “Don’t try to ask me to stay again. I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to do this right now. I just want to go home.” Bleary blues peered open, the look in them almost begging, “Let me leave.”
Vi’s head was down as she remained quiet. She’d already said all that she could think of, anything more would likely just be a repetition and she’s sure it’s not going to help. It was obvious she wasn’t getting her sister back today. A bond as broken as theirs is going to take more than a few passionate words to fix. They’ll work it out eventually. Hopefully.
Ekko, on the other hand, was overwhelmed by how much he wanted to say. Although, he couldn’t manage to force any of it out of his throat. He just nodded wordlessly, his body leading him away on autopilot as Jinx followed behind.