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The room was dim, the faint glow of flickering candles casting erratic, distorted shadows along the table. The air was heavy with an unsettling mix of wax, rust, and something sickly sweet that made Vi’s stomach churn. Jinx leaned casually over the grimy table, her face alight with an unhinged grin that only deepened the pit of dread in Vi's stomach.
"I paid your girlfriend a visit this morning," Jinx purred, her voice teasing, every word laced with mockery.
Vi's heart slammed against her ribcage as the words registered. Her body tensed against the rope binding her to the chair, her palms slick with sweat. She could feel the tremor in her breath as she forced the words out.
"What did you do...?"
Jinx’s grin widened, her eyes glinting with twisted amusement. She said nothing at first, dragging out the silence as she reached for the dish covered with the silver lid. With deliberate slowness, she lifted it, the sound of metal scraping against metal making Vi flinch.
"I made her a snack," Jinx announced gleefully, biting her lower lip as if sharing some delightful secret.
The smell hit first—a putrid stench of copper and decay, sharp and nauseating. Vi's breath caught in her throat, her body instinctively recoiling before her eyes dared to look. But when they did, the sight made her stomach lurch violently.
Sitting on the plate was Caitlyn’s severed head, grotesquely displayed. Her once-bright blue hair was matted with blood. Her lifeless eyes, wide and glassy, stared into nothingness, and her pale face was defaced with crude, colorful smears of paint. A jagged smiley face had been drawn across her cheeks and forehead in red and yellow, twisting her features into a distorted mess.
A guttural scream clawed its way out of Vi’s throat, raw and agonized, before dissolving into a choked sob. Her chest heaved violently as nausea surged, bile burning her throat. Turning her head away from the sight, her body rebelled, convulsing uncontrollably. Vomit spilled onto the floor, the acrid stench mixing with the iron tang of blood in the air. Hot tears blurred her vision, spilling down her cheeks as a broken gasp escaped her lips.
"No... no, no, no..." The words tumbled out in a desperate chant, as if saying them enough times could undo the nightmare before her. She fought against the ropes biting into her wrists, the rough fibers chafing her skin raw., Her mind raced, caught in a chaotic storm of disbelief and horror, clinging to the hope that this wasn’t real—that it was some sick illusion designed to break her.
Her breath came in ragged, shallow gasps as the room seemed to close in around her, the grotesque tableau on the table searing itself into her memory. Memories of Caitlyn’s collided violently with the image of her defiled head. A gut-wrenching sob tore through Vi, her body trembling with equal parts grief and fury.
Jinx watched with growing amusement, her grin slowly returning as Vi broke down entirely. She tilted her head, her voice playful yet cold.
"What’s the matter, big sis? Can’t handle a little blood? I thought you were tougher than this!"
Vi’s sobs echoed through the room, each breath a painful, ragged gasp as Caitlyn’s mutilated head haunted her.
The room seemed to close in around her, suffocating her, pressing the weight of grief onto her chest until it felt like she couldn’t breathe.
Jinx, unfazed by the breakdown unfolding before her, tilted her head. She glanced at the head of the table, where Silco sat bound. His calm, unwavering gaze remained fixed on her.
With a sigh, Jinx hopped onto the table, sending cutlery and glass scattering across the floor.
She crossed her legs casually, her gaze flicking between the two empty chairs beside her—one marked “Jinx” and the other “Powder.”
“Now, where should I sit?” she mused, tapping her chin with exaggerated thoughtfulness. Her gaze flitted between the chairs, a teasing lilt in her voice. “Eh, I’ll leave it to you, Vi. After all, you’re the one who’s…” Jinx’s words trailed off as she pressed her lips into a playful pout, her sharp eyes narrowing. “Hey! You’re listening, right, Vi?”
Vi’s face was pale, her body trembling, but she could barely hear her sister’s words. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her eyes locked on the floor, desperately trying to block out the horrific scene in front of her. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to speak, despite the crushing weight of grief and sorrow pressing down on her chest.
Finally, she looked up at her sister—no, the person who used to be her sister. The girl she once called Powder was gone. This person—this twisted creature before her—was nothing like the little sister Vi had once known.
The knot in her chest tightened, unbearable. How could her sister—her little sister—become this? How had she fallen so far into the abyss, so deep into madness, so completely lost to the girl Vi had once tried to protect?
"You killed her..." Vi managed, her voice barely a whisper, cracking with the rawness of her pain. The words stung, and the weight of Jinx’s cruelty cut through her like a blade.
She couldn’t believe her baby sister had murdered Caitlyn.
"You're sick..." Vi’s voice trembled, taut with anger and sorrow.
Jinx chuckled darkly, the sound dripping with mockery as she leaned closer to Vi, her grin wide and unrepentant.
“And you’re soft,” she sneered. “Seriously, crying over a dead Topsider? Come on, Vi. I did what had to be done. Necessary, you know? She was your girlfriend, sure, but blood comes first, right?”
Her smile twisted cruelly, her eyes glinting with malice. “Now that she’s gone... it’s just us again. Like it should be.”
Vi’s fists clenched at her sides, her thoughts spiraling into a storm she couldn’t control. She kept her gaze pinned either to the floor or on Jinx—anywhere but Caitlyn. She couldn’t bear to look at her, couldn’t let herself feel the weight of what had been lost.
Vi’s eyes burned with hate as the words sank in, her anger rising again. "Y- you... you killed her..."
She tugged at the ropes binding her once more, her muscles straining as she yanked with all her might, desperate to break free, but she was powerless. Each pull sent shocks of pain through her arms, the ropes biting into her skin, but still, she fought, every ounce of her being consumed by the urge to get to Jinx, to make her pay for what she'd done.
Jinx watched her with twisted amusement
"You—"
Vi cut herself off with a shudder, unable to bear the sight of her sister sitting there so casually. She turned her face away again, the tears flowing freely now, her sobs hitching in her throat.
Another weak tug against the ropes, but it was futile. Vi could feel the lump in her throat choking her, and her breath came in shaky gasps.
Jinx leaned in closer, resting her chin on her fist as she looked down at Vi, her eyes gleaming with cold amusement.
"What’s the matter, Vi? Feeling emotional?" She mocked, her voice dripping with derision. Then, as if savoring the moment, she placed a hand on Vi’s chin and jerked her face back to look at her.
Vi flinched at the touch, her jaw clenched tight, her eyes squeezed shut, refusing to meet Jinx’s gaze. She let out a shuddering exhale, fighting the overwhelming surge of emotions threatening to break her.
"You're a monster," she whispered, her voice hoarse, broken.
Jinx raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. She pulled her hand away, scoffing. "A monster? Pshh, that’s a little hurtful."
Standing up, Jinx walked behind Vi, placing her hands on her shoulders. She leaned in close, her voice hushed but venomous, speaking directly into Vi’s ear. "Not the kind of compliment I was hoping for."
Vi tensed under her touch, fists balling tightly against the rope. She refused to look at Jinx, her eyes glued to the ceiling, her breath ragged and uneven as she fought to stay still.
" You killed her..." The words came out quieter this time, still furious but now heavy with grief. The last word was barely a sob, a quiet crack in her voice.
"Yeah, I did," Jinx replied with chilling indifference as she walked back over to the table and casually placed the lid back over the plate where Caitlyn’s severed head rested. The bloodstained trophy of her cruelty was covered once more, but the image was seared into Vi’s mind.
"And I’d do it again," Jinx continued, her expression hardening.
"She was the one getting between us."
Vi’s anger boiled over, her fists straining against the ropes, her knuckles turning white as she fought for any semblance of freedom. The ache in her heart only grew, tearing her apart from the inside.
"You didn’t have to," she hissed, her voice trembling with fury and grief.
Jinx’s grin faltered, her eyes narrowing as she leaned in, her tone shifting, sharper now.
"Didn’t have to?!" she scoffed, her voice dripping with disbelief.
"I did it for you! For us!" She took a step closer, her eyes wild with mania. "And you—what, you hate me for it now? For killing a Piltie?"
Tears continued to roll down Vi's face, her chest heaving with the weight of emotions she could no longer hold back— but not from sadness . No, this was pure, unrelenting rage .
For a long moment, she said nothing, her breath ragged, her gaze fixed on the ceiling as if it could offer her some reprieve. The silence between them was suffocating, thick with unspoken words, with everything she wanted to scream but couldn't. But then, through the storm of her fury, the words broke free—trembling but undeniable, her voice thick with both anger and grief.
"I loved her," she said, the words heavy, like they carried the weight of everything she had ever felt, everything she had ever lost. They hung in the air between them, thick and raw, like a thundercloud ready to explode.
Jinx’s grin faltered for a fraction of a second, but only a fraction. Her eyes, dark and unreadable, flicked to Vi, but she said nothing in response, her fingers tightening around the handle of a weapon at her side.
Vi’s heart burned with the truth of it, with the depth of the love she had for Caitlyn. A love that Jinx had shattered without a second thought. But it wasn’t just the loss that consumed her now—it was the betrayal, the suffocating guilt that churned within her. How could she ever forgive herself for what had happened? How could she let this madwoman keep twisting her life, her choices, her heart?
The fury that had simmered inside her finally reached its boiling point, and she let out a low, guttural growl, her entire body trembling with the force of it.
"And you took her from me."
Jinx’s face twitches. Vi notices the way her eyes flicker with something—something sharp and burning. Jealousy. It was almost a relief to see Jinx’s vulnerability for once. Almost.
Vi keeps her eyes trained on the ceiling, but her mind races. She wasn’t expecting Jinx to understand, wasn’t expecting her to care. But she had to say it. She had to say it for herself. Jinx’s voice breaks through her thoughts, mockingly sweet, cutting through the raw grief that still tightens Vi’s chest.
"Me, huh? Do you love me too, Vi?"
Vi turns, Her chest aches, the weight of the betrayal, the agony of everything she’s lost. Her voice is low, but the venom in her words is unmistakable.
"No," she spits, every syllable sharp, filled with disgust and heartbreak. "How could I possibly love someone like you?"
Jinx’s smile falters—just for a moment, but long enough for Vi to see it. That cruel, confident mask slips, and the pain is palpable. A cold satisfaction coils in Vi’s gut at the sight of it. That is what it feels like, Jinx. To be torn apart.
Jinx recoils as though she’d been struck, but the smile, twisted and desperate, returns to her lips, as if she’s trying to convince herself she doesn’t care.
"Of course you don’t. Heh, that'd be silly, yeah?"
Vi almost felt guilty for delivering the blow so coldly. Almost. But the sight of Jinx sitting there, laughing in her face, the memory of her killing someone Vi had cared about—it consumed her. Every trace of guilt was swallowed whole by an overwhelming tide of rage and pain.
"Yeah," Vi says, voice taut with fury. "It would be."
The reality of her own words cuts through the space between them, and she sees it—just for a moment—the mask cracks completely. Pain. Real pain. Jinx’s eyes widen, and Vi can hear the hitch in her breath.
For a fleeting moment, Vi almost feels a pang of guilt again. It’s brief, just enough to make her hesitate.
But then she remembers what Jinx has done, what she’s taken from her. She remembers everything—the betrayal, the death of her lover. She remembers that the woman in front of her is a murderer. And with a sharp breath, she shakes it off.
"Sister of the year, huh?" Jinx taunts, a cold frown twisting her lips
"I have no sister," she says firmly, voice cold and final. "Not anymore."
The words land like a final judgment. The silence that follows is deafening, heavy with the truth. Vi can almost see Jinx’s heart break. Can see the way the fragile little girl she used to know wither beneath the weight of the coldness Vi has cast over her.
Jinx’s head drops, her body trembling now, and for the first time, Vi sees her truly unsteady—broken.
"No sister?" Jinx says, voice small, cracking, a quiet whimper escaping from her lips. "What? You choose her over me? Your little girlfriend, over your own flesh and blood?"
Jinx pulls back, raising the gun by her waist , pointing it at Vi’s head with shaking hands. The gun trembles in her grip, but the anger, desperation—it’s unmistakable. Vi doesn’t even flinch.
"Yes," she answers sharply, her words slicing through the rising chaos. "How could I ever love someone like you?"
The words hit harder than anything. Jinx stumbles back slightly, her whole body shaking now. The gun wavers in her grip, and Vi can see it—the shock, the betrayal. She’s trembling, as though the weight of Vi’s rejection is too much to bear.
Jinx stares at her, disbelieving, unable to comprehend what Vi is saying. The words hit harder than any bullet, and for the first time, the mask doesn’t just crack—it shatters completely.
The gun, the threats, the lies—it all means nothing. Vi’s choice is final. Her heart is hardened, and nothing can change it.
"Yeah," she says softly, voice low but firm. "You’re a monster, Jinx."
The trembling in Jinx’s hand grew worse. Her lip quivered as tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision.
Vi watches in silence as Jinx's trembling finger slowly moves toward the trigger. The cold barrel of the gun presses harder against her forehead, and for the briefest moment, everything feels still. The tension in the air is thick, like a storm waiting to break. Vi’s heart is numb, detached from the world around her. If Jinx pulls the trigger, so be it. If she dies, it would be an end to the torment, an escape to a place where the pain might fade, where Caitlyn might be waiting.
Jinx’s breathing becomes more frantic, her body shaking violently as she battles the weight of Vi’s words. The tears that fall from her eyes only seem to add to the confusion and chaos inside her, like the storm inside her own mind is tearing her apart.
“Mfhhfhhg.”
The muffled cries of Silco barely reached Jinx’s ears, but the sound sliced through the thick tension that clung to the air. She wiped the tears from her eyes, the coldness in her expression returning, but it wasn’t aimed at Vi anymore. It was for herself.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Jinx muttered, her voice strained.
She turned away from Vi, her steps shaky as she moved across the room, her mind swirling with voices she couldn’t silence.
You heard her, she doesn’t love you, you’re just a jinx!
Jinx flinched, eyes darting around the room as the voices clawed at her thoughts, louder, more insistent. She clenched her head with both hands, her fingers trembling, but the voices wouldn’t stop.
She’s gone. She never cared.
"Shut up!" Jinx screamed inside her head, but the words slipped out involuntarily, her lips trembling. Her fingers twitched around the gun at her side, slick with sweat, desperate for something to control.
Her heart hammered in her chest as the madness gripped her. Without thinking, she pointed the gun wildly, pulling the trigger with a sharp, deafening bang. The sound echoed through her skull like the only thing that could silence the storm in her mind.
For a moment, silence—temporary, fleeting—settled over her.
Her breath ragged, she stumbled over to Silco, reaching for his hand with a trembling, desperate grasp.
“What do you want to say, huh?” Jinx spat, the words sharp, breath shallow, as her hands shook. she couldn’t explain. She was sinking, but he was the anchor, and it terrified her to feel herself drawn in.
Her hands shook as she unclipped the gag, her breathing erratic, the anger and fear mixing with something darker and deeper that she couldn’t name.
He’s just like the others.
“Shut up!” she shrieked.
They all leave you. He will too.
“You’re not a monster, Jinx,” Silco’s voice broke through, firm and steady.
He’s lying. He’ll betray you.
Her wild eyes locked onto his, filled with a madness born from the pain, from the betrayal she had felt her whole life. “Why does it matter?” she spat, her voice venomous, but underneath it, there was a twinge of desperation. “You lied to me before. You’re going to hand me over to those Piltover pigs, aren’t you? I’m nothing to you.”
Her mind screamed.
You’ll never be good enough. They’ll all leave you. They’ll all betray you.
But Silco’s gaze softened, his words slow but unwavering.
"I never intended to hand you over," he said, his voice steady, like a rock amidst her crashing waves. "Everything I’ve done, all the choices I’ve made, were for you."
Jinx’s eyes widened, but the voices still echoed.
He’s lying. He’ll betray you, too.
Her breath hitched as she looked away, the inner turmoil clawing at her chest.
"You’ve lied to me before," she whispered, her voice cracking with the weight of it.
"How can I know you’re not lying now?"
The voices screamed, loud, merciless, but beneath it all, the smallest flicker of hope dared to rise. It was so small that she almost dismissed it, but it was there. And it hurt.
Silco moved closer, his hand firm on her shoulder, grounding her. "I swear to you, Jinx," he said, his voice full of sincerity.
"You are my daughter, and I will never abandon you."
Jinx’s breath caught, her eyes darting to his, her heart pounding in her chest. The sincerity in his eyes overwhelmed her, and despite herself, despite everything inside her telling her to pull away, the walls she had built cracked.
Tears spilled from her eyes, hot and furious, as they streamed down her cheeks. She felt herself breaking. The voices wouldn’t stop. They wouldn’t stop until she surrendered.
Don’t listen to him. He’ll leave you. Everyone leaves you.
“I... I don’t know,” Jinx whispered, her voice barely a breath, as if the words were too heavy to say aloud.
Silco’s thumb gently brushed a tear from her cheek, his eyes filled with sorrow, and something deeper—something that went beyond words.
"I would never lie to you about that, Jinx. I would never betray you."
The voices in her mind screamed, louder now, urging her to run, to trust no one. But Silco’s words, his touch, started to dissolve the years of doubt and pain she had buried deep within herself.
With a choked sob, Jinx threw herself into his arms, her body shaking with the weight of it all.
“Don’t leave me... please,” she gasped, her voice breaking
Silco’s arms tightened around her, holding her close as her sobs wracked her body. The weight of betrayal crushed her chest, suffocating her every breath. Her sister had abandoned her—again. This time, it seemed like Vi had chosen the Piltie girl over her, leaving Jinx to drown in the ache of being discarded once more.
For a moment, the world blurred in a mix of tears and anguish. She had been so desperate for something to hold on to, for someone who would stay, someone who wouldn't leave her in the wreckage of her own mind. But Vi... Vi had gone, just like all the others.
And yet, in the cold silence that followed her outburst, Silco's presence grounded her. For the first time in a long time, Jinx allowed herself to believe that maybe—just maybe—there was someone in this world who wouldn't abandon her. Someone who truly cared, not out of obligation, but because they wanted to.
She pulled herself closer into his embrace, the warmth of his body offering a semblance of comfort amid the storm in her heart. "Y- you won't leave me too, right?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Silco didn't answer immediately, but his grip tightened, a silent promise that spoke louder than any words ever could.
Vi woke with a jolt, the air around her thick and suffocating. She had no idea how long she’d been left there—minutes, hours, days?
Every breath she took felt shallow, ragged, as if the very air was too thick for her lungs. The pain, the anger, the guilt—they all churned inside her, wrapping around her chest and squeezing tight, suffocating her. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t process the reality of what had just happened. Everything had turned to ash, and there was nothing she could do to stop the fire from spreading.
Her legs were unsteady, like they no longer belonged to her, but somehow, she found the strength to push herself to her feet. She swayed slightly, grabbing onto the table for support. Her eyes, though heavy with tears and exhaustion, were drawn to a covered plate sitting in front of her. A dark, ominous stain seeped from beneath the lid, pooling on the floor in a way that made her stomach lurch. The sight made her nauseous, but her hand moved toward it, almost as if it were the only thing she could focus on.
And then she heard it—muffled cries. Familiar cries.
The sound struck her like a physical blow, sharp and jarring. Vi’s heart stopped for a moment, and for the briefest of seconds, she wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her. But no. The cries were real. They were there, cutting through the fog of confusion that clouded her thoughts. She moved instinctively, stumbling toward the sound.
She didn’t know how she managed to stand or walk, but she found herself heading for the back of the room, her feet moving of their own accord.
When she reached the door, she could hear mumbles coming from the other side, muffled but distinct. Her hands were trembling as she reached for the knob, the cool metal biting into her skin. With a shaky breath, she twisted it, pushing the door open with a soft creak.
And then she saw it.
There, tied to a wheelchair, was Caitlyn.
Vi’s mind couldn’t comprehend it at first. Her eyes flickered over the figure, her breath catching as she took in the sight. Caitlyn’s face, pale and battered, was twisted in pain, her eyes wide and searching, but alive. Alive.
Vi’s knees gave way beneath her, and she collapsed to the floor with a quiet sob, her hands reaching out instinctively, as if she could reach her, hold her, make sense of this broken moment. Her breath was ragged, her chest tight with emotion.
It was really Caitlyn.
“Caitlyn…”
Vi’s voice was hoarse, trembling as she whispered her name, the tears spilling freely down her cheeks. She crawled toward her, desperate, her hands shaking as she touched her face, feeling the warmth of her skin, the subtle rise and fall of her chest with every shallow breath. This wasn’t a dream, a cruel trick. It was Caitlyn, and she was alive.
Jinx finished scrawling the last words of her letter, her pencil pressing so hard it nearly tore through the paper. She stared at it for a moment, her emotions swirling in chaos. Folding the note with a trembling hand, she placed it deliberately on the table.
Her gaze shifted to Vi, asleep and unaware, her chest rising and falling in a rhythm that grated against Jinx’s nerves. She approached silently, pulling out her gun and leveling it at her sister. The cold weight of the weapon felt almost comforting in her hands, her finger hovering over the trigger.
But she couldn’t.
Her hand shook as the reality settled over her—she wasn’t ready to kill her. Not yet. Jinx wanted more than a quick end. She wanted Vi to feel it, to suffer like she had. To feel abandoned, betrayed, and completely alone.
With a sharp exhale, she lowered the gun and took a step back, the sound of her boots scraping against the floor breaking the silence. Her eyes flicked to the table where the plate sat, its lid covering what Vi thought was Caitlyn’s severed head.
Jinx smirked bitterly, remembering the effort she’d gone through to pull it off—the dyed hair, the distorted features, even the crude makeup she’d painted on the dead girl’s face to mimic Caitlyn. It was almost perfect. Almost.
But now, standing there, it felt hollow.
She wanted Vi to believe it, to think Caitlyn was gone for good, leaving her with nothing and no one but Jinx. To force Vi into a choice—her or nothing. To prove that Jinx was all she had left.
But Jinx realized the truth. Vi didn’t see her as her sister anymore. That bond—the one thing she clung to—was gone.
Vi would rather be alone than be with her.
The thought cut deeper than she expected, and for a moment, Jinx’s expression faltered. Anger bubbled up, mixing with the pain in her chest, but there was no satisfaction in the destruction she’d caused. Not this time.
She kicked a gas canister across the room, its metallic clatter echoing in the silence.
“Fine,” she muttered under her breath, forcing a smirk back onto her face. “If that’s how she wants it... fine.”
Turning on her heel, Jinx stalked out of the room, leaving behind the letter, the lifeless body, and the fragile remnants of what once was.
Vi,
I thought... I thought that even though I'm different now, you'd still love me, like you used to. But no. You chose her—the damn enforcer—over me. I guess Mom and Dad would be proud, huh?
I must’ve been stupid to think I was still your sister.
I don’t want to be your sister anymore, either. Not after this. If you can throw me away so easily… then I guess that’s it.
I really thought you’d choose me.
But I guess I was wrong.
Here’s to the new us.
-Jinx