Chapter Text
When you're falling, it feels like your insides are about to burst out through your mouth. Not the best feeling in the world—and yet, you crave it again and again.
At least, that’s what Jinx used to think as a kid.
But falling with claws tearing through your belly and your face about to explode? Yeah, that wasn’t even in Jinx’s top ten things she’d ever want to relive. Luckily, she wouldn’t have to.
At least, that’s what Jinx thought right now.
They say your life flashes before your eyes before you die. But Jinx had almost died so many times, she doubted there were any moments left to see. Maybe that’s why she remembered the first time she’d jumped from a balcony to the roof as a kid. She’d nearly fallen that day. Vi grabbed her arm at the last second and yanked her back to safety.
Lucky me.
Jinx sighed and closed her eyes. Exhaustion burned through her veins faster than Shimmer. She was tired. So tired. Like, reeeeally tired. But it didn’t matter. Everything would be over soon. Finally. She greeted Death like an old, resentful friend. Soon, the blissful silence she’d craved her whole life would swallow her. No more voices. No more mindless chatter. Yay!
But… that was weird. Such a big moment, and her demons couldn’t even be bothered to say goodbye?
What’s the matter, Mylo? Nothing left to say? Dumbass…
Hot air seared her cheeks. Jinx held her breath. Her fingers no longer clutched Vander’s body—or maybe she didn’t have hands anymore. In a second, she wouldn’t exist at all. Jinx smiled.
…And then someone yanked her up by the arm.
What? What the—?!
Her eyes flew open. The blinding sun scorched her vision, a merciless blue sky stretching endlessly above. Jinx groaned, squeezing her eyes shut against the dizzying pain.
“Powder?”
“Is she dizzy?”
“Pfft. Told you so.”
“Mylo!”
“What?”
“Shut up. Powder, are you okay?”
Jinx looked up—and stared straight into Vi’s face. A very young Vi. With that stupid slicked-back hair, no scar on her lip, no tattoo on her cheek, no lines on her stupid, stupid face. “Powder?” Vi reached for her, but Powder staggered back, eyes wide with terror. Vi frowned.
Powder clamped a hand over her mouth, breathing hard. Her blue eyes darted frantically, sweat beading on her forehead. She looked like she’d seen a ghost.
And then she threw up—right onto the people below.
Well. Things couldn’t possibly get worse, could they?
***
Jinx trailed behind everyone, not watching her feet. She walked along the ledge, one hand braced against the wall, ignoring the bickering of her sister and brothers. Her very much alive brothers. Which, she had to admit, was… strange.
She’d never experienced anything like this — not even on Singed’s operating table, pumped full of Shimmer. Sent back to the past? The day her life had plummeted into the abyss? Was this some new form of torture?
"I'm going. Are you with me or not?" Vi asked, glancing at Claggor and Mylo.
The boys exchanged looks, and Mylo shrugged.
"Vander’s gonna kill us," Claggor muttered, shaking his head.
"Yeah, but only if we screw up. So don’t screw up." With that, Vi vaulted onto the balcony below, confident the others would follow.
Jinx bit her tongue. Maybe she should stay here. Wait for Vi and the others to finish ransacking Jayce’s apartment and return home peacefully.
"Powder? You coming?" Her sister’s muffled voice drifted up.
"Chickened out?" Mylo chuckled, fiddling with the lock.
Jinx gritted her teeth and jumped down, ignoring Claggor’s outstretched hand.
Whatever this was, it felt too real for a dream. Too vivid. Even the sour taste of vomit in her mouth. And aside from minor details, everything was unfolding exactly as it had that day—like following a script. Viktor’s tricks? Or had Ekko messed up his miracle-time-machine and sent the multiverse spiraling?
Or maybe Jinx had finally lost her mind. Who knew?
"Powder, grab only what looks valuable. And fast—before Mylo fills the bag with junk."
"Hey!"
"Shh!"
Jinx clicked her tongue and nodded. But far more intriguing than the trinkets was the massive blackboard covered in formulas. Last time, she hadn’t understood what she was looking at. But now? Now she knew exactly what Jayce had been researching here.
Hmm… wouldn’t the world be better off if Hextech had never seen the light of day?
A grin split her face. Oh, yes. Just imagine the look on Piltover’s golden boy’s face when he came home to find his precious crystals gone—along with all his research notes. No crystals, no end of the world. Everyone would owe her.
Whistling to herself, Jinx slipped into the study. The room was just as she remembered—books and papers strewn across the floor, blueprints and tools scattered about, and a sandwich on the desk. Mm, yammy!
Munching on the best sandwich of her life (what did it say about her life that this thing still topped the list? ), she flicked open the heavy blue chest with her free hand.
The sight of the crystals made shadows flicker at the edges of her vision. The world blurred. A dull buzz filled her ears.
Jinx shook her head. Not the time to lose it (ha!). So, how to get rid of them? Six crystals—enough to level Piltover. Tempting, but maybe later.
Fine, she’d figure it out later. For now, the priority was taking crystals out of Jayce’s hands. And not blowing up his apartment in the process (unfortunate, but necessary). No explosion, no evidence. No evidence, no case.
She carefully tucked the crystals into the pouch on her belt. Good. World saved, no one dead. Success!
"Powder, we gotta go!" Vi’s tense face appeared in the doorway.
Someone was pounding on the apartment door. Jayce was home.
Jinx ran after her sister, not really thinking about what she was doing. She dashed onto the balcony, leaped onto the railing without slowing down, and grabbed the ledge with one hand. To her surprise, pulling herself up was harder than expected, but Jinx managed.
As she caught her breath, staring mindlessly at the clouds and airships drifting by, the others climbed onto the roof.
"Let's go, let's go!" Vi whispered, adjusting the bag on her shoulder and waving her arms.
Jinx rolled her eyes, pushed herself onto her stomach, and sprang to her feet. Why does she always have to boss everyone around?!
The journey home was much quieter this time. That’s what happens when you don’t blow up houses in Piltover. Boring!
Jinx trailed behind, hands laced behind her head. Now that she had six super-explosive magic wonder-stones in her purse, she needed to figure out what to do with them.
Make a big boom? Been there.
Make a weapon? Nah.
Sell them? She could build a mansion fancier than Miss Cupcake’s—but what for? And who’d even buy it? Jayce Talis? Ha!
No, she couldn’t keep it. As much as she wanted to. Too many people she cared about had died because of those damned stones. Enough was enough.
She had to hide them. Somewhere no one would ever look. Where not a single soul—not even Jinx herself—could find them.
But where?
Jinx sniffed and immediately grimaced. The stench of rotten fish and algae in this part of Zaun was suffocating.
Hmm. Now there’s an idea.
"Vi! I’m gonna dip for a bit—gotta check something! Go home without me!"
"What? Wait, Powder! Where are you going?!"
"Love you, sis! Have a nice trip home! Everyone except you, Mylo!"
"Powder!"
Jinx veered into an alley, slipped through a hole in the fence, descended a rickety staircase, and found herself back at the docks. The same spot where she’d dumped that bag of loot last time.
Ironic that I’m about to do the same thing now.
She scanned the area carefully. No witnesses. Once sure she was alone, Jinx sat on the creaky wooden deck, swinging her legs over the edge. The setting sun bathed everything in a murky orange glow. The salty sea air was thick and foul, but Jinx inhaled deeply anyway.
Even if this was just a dream conjured by a dying brain, she didn’t mind. The chance to fix her mistakes—even in a dream—was more than she deserved.
Jinx unclipped her purse and stared at the blue crystals inside.
"Bye-bye, little blue hellions," she sang, tossing them one by one into the filthy water.
Plop. Plop. Plop. Plop. Plop.
She held the sixth stone aloft, watching the sunset through its translucent blue depths. The light fractured, scattering prismatic shards across the pier.
"Adiós!"
With a squint, she hurled the crystal as far as her skinny arm could manage. It sailed nearly fifty meters before hitting the water with a loud splash.
Jinx sat in silence, swinging her leg, watching the clouds drift. The weight in her chest—the one that had choked her for years—finally lifted. Drowned alongside those stupid rocks.
"Alright. Now that we’ve saved the world, what’s next?" she mused, crossing her arms and wrinkling her nose. She mentally ran through every past mistake, trying to recall what else had gone wrong last time.
"What was it, what was it… Oh, right! Revolution!"