Chapter Text
During the next six days…
Moving through the shadows of Top City wasn't easy for Vi and Ekko. Vi had not yet gotten used to her now limited vision and depth perception, which made parkour a challenge. She kept flubbing jumps that she could've done in her sleep in the past.
They had to take extra precautions as the Enforcers, who had been more watchful and aggressive since the news about Vander's death, finally reached Topside. This was in response to an influx of people from Undercity who showed up in Topcity to cause havoc in retaliation. The city was a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.
Reaching the Academy grounds was complicated because it was deep into the city, and the travel from the hideout had proved long and tiresome. But the ruckus from rebelling people in the lanes acted as a perfect smokescreen. Despite the challenges, Vi and Ekko pressed on, their determination unwavering.
While Vi kept an eye on their surroundings, looking for her sister, Ekko went on a stealthy mission to gather supplies and tools to help the people at the hideout. Vi's role was crucial, too, as she helped carry the loot, which included a lifeline for their survival, like food, blankets, crafting tools, and kitchen utensils, among other things.
On the morning of the seventh day.
Vi and Ekko were cautiously moving through the rooftops of a residential area when they passed by a small avenue full of food markets. Most of them were imported foods from other nations; hence, Piltover had barely any production of its own.
They stopped at the top of a tall building to gather intel and determine the continuation of their path toward the Academy. While Ekko took route notes using his handmade telescope, Vi observed the avenue below.
All the stores were full of all kinds of food; it was a non-ending abundance.
Vi clicked her tongue, annoyed, “Look at all that food… while they swim in wealth here, most people of the lanes have to fight for scraps…” The contrast was stark, and the abundance of food was a cruel reminder of the social disparity in Piltover.
Ekko huffed as he continued to write his notes, “I bet they don't even eat all of that,” he said calmly, taking a snicker out of Vi.
After a few more minutes of taking notes, Ekko was ready to keep going, but Vi interrupted him. “Wait! Look, look!” She pointed at a store that sold fruits.
“No way!” Ekko blurted, surprised.
There was Powder; they'd finally found her. They felt relieved that she was doing well, and a heavy weight fell from their backs. All the hard work looking for her was worth it. Vi, especially, felt a surge of emotions at the sight of her younger sister.
Although her look had changed drastically—she looked like a topside kid—her face and hair were still recognizable to Vi and Ekko. Her once alert and mischievous eyes now held a hint of something else, something that Vi couldn't quite place. She was casually leaving the store with a paper bag in her hands.
Vi's relief from seeing her sister didn’t last long. She felt something different; it wasn't just Powder's pampered topsider look. A sense of unease crept over her, bringing tension in the air.
Ekko was eager to run and get Powder back to the hideout as fast as he and Vi could, but when he was about to move, Vi swiftly grabbed his shoulder and held him by the right arm.
"Wait," she said dryly, not taking her eyes off her sister.
"Vi?! What are you doing? Powder is right there! Let's go get her!" Ekko said, impatient.
"No, wait, something is off!" Vi said harshly to get her point across. Taking the hint, Ekko stayed put and silent, but not without giving a quiet huff and crossing his arms.
To much of their surprise, Powder was accompanied by another person, Viktor; to them, he looked like a topsider with the casual outfit he was wearing.
“I can't wait to try them out!” Jinx told Viktor as she looked at the fruits inside the bag, her eyes shining with curiosity.
Viktor giggled, “Do not eat them all at once, okay? They were a bit expensive.”
Vi and Ekko were sure something wasn't right there; Powder looked too comfortable walking in broad daylight in Topcity and along a topsider.
They followed them in the streets through the rooftops, hiding from the sight of the people below and inside the buildings as best they could while keeping their eyes on Powder.
It was easy to follow since Viktor had a slow pace, even though Jinx was a kid full of energy; she would anxiously walk around him often or get distracted by something curious.
During a moment, Powder took some distance from Viktor; he yelled, “Jinx! Don't get too far from me!” and she returned to him without question.
"Jinx?! What the…?" Ekko said, confused until he recalled why that sounded familiar.
He looked at Vi, and she looked in utter shock. She knew where that name came from; she'd called Powder a jinx that night at the harbor, and now she was calling herself that. The guilt couldn't have weighed any heavier on her shoulders; at that moment, Vi felt the hope to bring her sister back starting to fade away.
Vi wanted to scream and cry, but she had to hold steady and swallow it down for now, or else Ekko could be the next to be hurt by another of her inconsequential actions.
But then, two Enforcers got in their sights. Vi and Ekko swiftly hid, but they kept watching the duo below.
A move from Jinx called Vi's attention: when she noticed the incoming threat, she quickly approached Viktor's left side, and he held her by her left shoulder while the Enforcers passed by his right side.
Once the two officers passed, Viktor looked back to give them a subtle glare. On the other hand, Jinx looked worried and didn't let go of Viktor’s shirt as they continued walking.
Vi and Ekko exchanged surprised looks. “Did you see that?” He said, bewildered.
“Yeah… That dude doesn't act like a Topsider,” Vi said with a suspicious look.
They continued their stealthy chase after Jinx and Viktor; whenever Enforcers approached them, Viktor continued to discreetly hide Jinx from them.
Minutes later, they entered a residential building. Vi and Ekko stopped by a rooftop in front of it.
Luckily, it didn't take long for Jinx to appear, opening a window on the first floor. Vi and Ekko sighed, relieved, so they wouldn't need to search the entire building for her.
Later…
The sun was starting to rise high in the sky. Vi and Ekko had eaten the snacks they had brought to regain their energy and keep going with their stealthy parkour. But they were still waiting for a new move from Jinx.
Finally, Viktor appeared in the same window from earlier to close it; now, he was wearing a different outfit.
As Vi and Ekko observed Viktor and Jinx leave the building, Ekko commented, “That uniform… It's from the Academy!”
Only Vi's side look was enough to ask Ekko, ‘How do you know that?’
“Oh, I…” he stuttered, slightly embarrassed. "I used to help Powder get the Academy's magazine.”
Vi hummed, visibly bothered; her sister never shared that intellectual side with her. However, Vi always had a hunch she liked subjects like engineering since she was always trying to create weapons, and only she knew how to fix the machines from their favorite arcade.
Jinx looked excited about something. She followed Viktor the same way as before, anxiously going back and forth on their path.
Due to the distance, Vi and Ekko couldn't clearly understand what they were talking about, especially Viktor, who naturally spoke in a low tone, but a word or two would hint they were talking about the Academy.
They followed the duo for about ten minutes, cautiously navigating the rooftops. But then, Ekko took one wrong step on a loose shingle; he would have fallen from a five-story building without Vi being swift as the wind to grab him by his left arm.
Viktor quickly looked up from where he heard the crack sounds, but from his angle, he couldn't see Ekko or Vi—for much of their luck.
Jinx hadn't heard the sound, but she did notice Viktor stopped walking. He was staring at the rooftops, his expression clear of suspicion.
“Viktor…? What's up?” Jinx asked, her worry growing as she saw Viktor's tension.
“I thought I had heard something; it must have been a bird or the wind,” Viktor gave her a weary smile, hiding his real feelings. “Let's keep going, or we'll be late.”
That reassured the little girl, but Viktor had an unusual feeling of being watched. He knew he had to be careful, as he knew Jinx's brief story with Silco. His head's machinations were already making plans in case something terrible happened.
Long minutes later, they entered the Academic Grounds. Vi and Ekko finally had a clear route to reach that place. Unfortunately, they couldn't keep following Jinx close because the large open area had Enforcers everywhere surrounding the entrance. They hid in the middle of the vegetation decorating the place.
The Academy building was shiny and imposing, at the top of the city like a crow's jewel, standing out from the rest of the town. A bitter taste formed in Vi's mouth, imagining what people from the lanes sacrificed for Topside to have such a magnificent trophy.
As they watched Jinx and Viktor reunite with some other people, Ekko realized he was right, but he wished he wasn't; indeed, his friend was in the Academic Grounds, but not as he and Vi expected: Jinx wasn't hiding in there; instead, it seemed she had a free pass to come and go as she pleased because of her Topsider friend.
"Oh shit…" Ekko blurted, scared.
"What?" Vi asked, visibly concerned.
"That tall buff guy over there…" Ekko pointed at a guy talking with Jinx, his hand slightly shaking from his fast heartbeat.
"He's…Vi, he's the guy from that apartment you raided!" He explained. “Jayce Talis… if I remember right.”
"Oh, no…" Vi said, worried, but then realization hit her, "Oh shit! See the two fancy women with them? That's counselor Cassandra and counselor Mel!"
"He's friends with counselors?! Shiiit, now it makes sense why the Enforcers had gone mad." Ekko said, smacking his hand on his head in realization.
"He's a bigger fish than we imagined…" Vi whispered, tension evident in her voice.
"Hey, Jinx. Mel and the Kiramans would like to meet you!" Jayce said with the softest voice he could muster.
Jinx couldn't hide her face of surprise. Not one but two council members had their eyes on her now, and she couldn't help but freeze out of fright.
Seeing her nervous demeanor, Viktor whispered, "It's okay; just follow me."
Jinx nodded, but her demeanor didn't change. The energy the two imposing women gave off made their essential status in Piltover evident.
Aside from the two women in front of her, something, or more so someone, caught her attention. Standing by Cassandra’s side was a girl with dark blue hair. Jinx thought she was Vi's age; she also believed that a younger topsider might not be as scary to interact with as the adults, but she quickly held down the idea. She decided to wait for Viktor's input first.
"She's still a bit frightful; all of this is very new to her," Viktor explained, waving his hand to the Kiramans, Mel, and the area around them.
"I have faith she will accommodate soon. Kids adapt fast," Cassandra said with a smile.
Despite her attempts to reassure herself, Jinx was consumed by fear. The dread of making a mistake drowned out her logical thoughts, and fear paralyzed her once more. She swiftly hid behind Viktor, avoiding the counselors’ sigh and taking concerned looks from the group.
"It's okay, Jinx. I'm here," a gentle stroke on her back accompanied Viktor's comforting words. Though she moved away from behind him, Jinx still found solace in his presence, but her eyes continued avoiding the counselors.
"Give her time. This place is the opposite of what she was used to, right?" Tobias said with a subtle smile.
Viktor smiled back and nodded, knowing that wasn't the real reason for Jinx's shyness.
"Jayce said you don't want her to enroll in the school. Will she be homeschooled instead?" Mel asked, her curiosity genuine.
"Yes. As you can tell by her visible fragile mental state, and I imagine Jayce already told you her story, I'm not risking her suffering even more because of possible school bullying." Viktor replied earnestly.
‘Fragile mental state’—these words hit Vi in the stomach like a punch. She silently took all the blame for her sister’s current situation. She wasn’t talking, but Ekko could feel her tension.
"Bullying? But from what?" Tobias asked, confused.
"The other kids won't leave her at peace once they discover her origins. Trust me, I know." Viktor said with a deadpan tone.
"If you are bullied even from coming from a high status…I can't imagine how it would be on her side. It's nice what you're doing, Viktor." Caitlyn commented, her ending statement sounding very honest.
Viktor smiled and thanked Caitlyn. Such an empathetic comment caught Jinx's attention, and Caitlyn noticed the little girl's curious look at her.
"With that said, I was wondering if you have entrusted someone for her to stay with while you work?" Cassandra asked.
"I never said she would stay with someone else. She will have a desk in the hextech lab. A place she'll always be in my sight," Viktor stated.
His words shocked all except Jayce, to whom Viktor had already posed the idea. In his opinion, having a kid in such a dangerous environment sounded like a terrible and irresponsible idea, but Viktor hadn't given him much room to say no.
"Hextech? What is that?" Ekko said, curious.
Vi didn't answer, but it indeed sounded like something big. Those academics were up to something, and her sister was apparently about to get involved.
"You must be kidding! You'll put a kid in a laboratory?" Cassandra said incredulously.
“She'll do just fine!” Viktor responded using a reassuring tone. “Jinx has shown remarkable engineering intelligence for her age. After some training, I believe she will become a junior assistant at the Hextech laboratory.”
“He's right! Heimerdinger himself witnessed her finishing a hydraulic arm without blueprints. He's really eager to take her to the Academy!” Jayce added, his admiration for Jinx's talent shaking off the worry from his face.
Ekko audibly gasped in shock, his eyes getting teary, and Vi's heart pounded in her chest in panic. The blood vanished from her face. In their eyes, the Topsiders were taking Jinx to their side; they would use her intelligence in their favor.
Cassandra and Mel exchanged surprised looks. They knew a young kid displaying such skills was rare, even in the most brilliant academic families.
“Well, then there's no better place than the Academy for her,” Mel said, smiling as she looked at Jinx.
Jinx, taken aback by the unexpected praise from the topsiders, blushed. She couldn't believe she was being acknowledged in such a manner, especially by those she least expected it from.
Vi's heart pounded as she fought to rush in and rescue her sister. She knew that with two counselors present, the Enforcers would pounce on her like rabid hounds.
For a fraction of a second, Vi saw Ekko getting up. Her instincts told her he was going after Jinx. But gladly, her reaction time was still sharp, even without an eye to guide her better; she managed to grab Ekko by the back of his shirt and pull him behind the tree again.
Ekko let go of a loud grunt on his impact against the ground, cracking leaves and small twigs, which were noises many people heard.
Enforcers were fast to move near their place, just as Vi suspected they would act because of the counselors.
“Are you nuts?! Look at all the Enforcers there!” Vi scolded Ekko, holding her voice to the maximum she could not yell.
“Who's there?!” An Enforcer shouted.
Vi's and Ekko's hearts nearly jumped out of their mouths out of fear. That place was far more dangerous to them than they could have imagined.
There was no safe direction to run. Any path they chose would be under the watchful eyes of the Enforcers.
Vi quickly calculated the quickest route; she grabbed Ekko by the arm and swiftly leaped out of their cover, surprising the Enforcers.
From the distance they were, neither Viktor, Jinx, or anyone in the group could see how Vi and Ekko looked as the trees shaded them.
“Come back here!” an enforcer shouted, and others immediately joined him on the chase. Others approached the counselors and began to guide them inside the Academy building, and the rest of the group followed.
While they followed the counselors, Viktor was sweating cold. He was sure now that someone was watching him and Jinx, and it could be goons from Silco.
By feeling Viktor’s fast heartbeats through his hand, Jinx was hit with the realization that even though she was in Topcity, she still wasn't safe from Silco. She tensed entirely, and her grip tightened.
Jinx's tension snapped Viktor out of his thoughts. He then softly stroked his thumb on her hand, a gentle signal of reassurance that helped Jinx calm down, but only for now.
Nighttime, the same day - Firelight's hideout.
The communal dinner was being served, and kids and older adults had priority. Ekko already had his portion of food while Vi was waiting for her turn.
“What can we do, Vi? The Topsiders have taken Powder,” Ekko's worry for his best friend was visible in his face and voice. His nervousness was so intense that it hindered his ability to eat.
Vi was thoughtful, pondering what could have happened; her sister was weirdly too comfortable around that odd topsider, Viktor.
“Vi?!” Ekko tensed, waiting for Vi's response.
She audibly clicked her tongue. “I don't know, Ekko… The whole situation was so weird!”
“Are you talking about that Topsider with the cane?” Ekko asked.
Vi sat by Ekko's side and sighed. “Yeah… Why would Powder just stick with an Academic like that? She wasn't even pretending; you know how bad she's at acting.”
A tense and pressing silence dropped on them as Vi wondered what could have happened. She knew now that her sister wanted to enroll in the Academy, so maybe that's what was happening? But how and why now? Out of all times, why exactly now?
The last time Vi saw her sister before all of this, she was running away from Silco's thugs… right after she had punched her.
Suddenly, guilt heightened on Vi's shoulders again, but this time with a breathtaking pain like a punch in the stomach. Perhaps Powder wasn't pursuing her dream; instead, she was trying to hide from Silco and her—she thought.
Vi brought her hand to support her forehead and hide her teary eyes because she may not only have hurt her sister physically but also scared her away.
“Vi?” Ekko's voice cut through Vi's loud thoughts.
“I… I need to find a way to talk to Powder…” Vi's voice was weak and trembled with nervousness.
“Then I'll go wit-!” Ekko couldn't finish his sentence before Vi interrupted him with a harsh and cold “no,” shutting down his eagerness.
Vi sighed, disheartened. “Ekko, listen, please... " She gently grabbed his shoulder and looked him directly in the eyes. “We can't simply approach Powder anymore in broad daylight. I don't want to risk putting you in trouble with enforcers as well… Do you understand?”
Ekko wanted to help bring Powder back home, but he knew Vi was right: They could both get caught if they attempted a stealth approach to a Topsider.
He looked at Vi, his head low, his eyes full of tears already. “I understand…” His voice was low but tense.
“Thank you, little boss,” Vi told him from the bottom of her heart.
Through the next three days…
The chaos on the bridges became so dangerous that the Enforcers had to resort to physical aggression, increasing the tension to catastrophic levels.
The security by the river's area had to be intensified, making it even more challenging for Vi to enter Topcity and even harder for her to reach the Academic Grounds since the Council was there, too.
To make things even worse, Vi's sense of direction wasn't the best. She had to rely on the map and notes Ekko made while moving through the shadows.
She couldn't get near the Academy, so she decided to attempt an approach at the building Viktor lived in.
Night of the third day.
Vi threw a rock and broke a lamp post to distract an enforcer. That brief minute she got was enough for her to lockpick the window of the living room of Viktor’s apartment.
“Thanks for that one infodump, Milo…” Vi said under her breath as she slowly stepped inside the apartment and carefully closed the window again.
The blackout curtains and carpeted floor helped her stealthy invasion; hence, another of her most significant weaknesses was being silent and stealthy.
One of the doors had a faint light coming out; she knew her sister didn't like to sleep in absolute darkness, so that had to be where she was asleep.
Cautiously, Vi entered the room, and to her surprise, it was a well-made bedroom for a kid. Everything in it looked rather expensive, with high-quality furniture they would never be able to afford. The room was bathed in a soft, warm light emanating from a small lamp on the bedside table.
“Powder?” Vi whispered, the air getting tense with each step closer. “Powder, it's me, Vi,” she said a bit louder, but she got no response.
A hint of suspicion got her as she remembered her sister being a light sleeper. She poked her, but it felt too soft. Then, she pulled the blanket to reveal pillows piled up to look like a kid in a sleeping position.
“What the-!” Vi's confusion was interrupted by the familiar ‘click’ sound of a gun's hammer being pulled, followed by the sound of static electricity right behind her head.
“Put your hands up and turn around,” Viktor's voice came from behind the static noises, sounding colder than ice. "I knew we were being followed, but I wasn't expecting to be a teenager,” he commented when he saw Vi's face, keeping a stone-cold demeanor. He wore cozy pajamas, but his well-awakened face told her he was waiting for her.
Vi was genuinely surprised to see an academic holding a gun. It didn't seem to be any ordinary weapon; it was an electric gun, smaller than the usual gunpowder ones, something she never saw, even with enforcers.
Viktor's expression was completely different from what she had seen before. His emotions were locked shut, and she was sure he would pull the trigger at any wrong move.
The sweat trickling down Vi's neck made her fear clear, even in the dim light. Her eyes darted back and forth between Viktor and the gun, a sign of her disadvantage in this situation.
“This gun is not lethal if that's what you're sweating about,” Viktor commented after noticing Vi's nervousness. “But it can drop you unconscious, though.”
“T-That's still a problem for me… you stupid piltie,” Vi stuttered; the electric gun was less than half a foot of distance from her face.
Viktor's eyebrows twitched for a second. He didn't like being compared to a Topsider, but he was aware that he indeed looked like one, so he could do nothing about that.
“You should have thought of that before invading an ex-undercity citizen's home, darling,” his line ended with a hint of sarcasm.
Vi's eye widened as her eyebrows raised, “So that's why you're an odd topsider!”
“Indeed… but with a little research about the Academy's members, you would have found that out earlier,” Viktor's stone-cold demeanor was starting to soften. “So, I assume you're not part of Silco's goons.”
“I would never join that snake's side!” Vi's anger slipped through her words.
Viktor was about to ask another question just when Jinx took a peek inside the room.
“Powder!” Vi said, relieved.
“Vi?” Jinx asked, confusion evident in her voice and face
When Viktor heard Jinx's voice, his cold facade melted instantly. He hurriedly put the gun down and deactivated it. “By the stars! Why didn't you say you're Violet earlier?!” he exclaimed.
Vi didn't hesitate to respond, “Maybe because I was scared with a gun in my face?!” She sounded angry, but she was astonished at Viktor's behavior.
“Fair enough,” Viktor responded deadpan.
Jinx slowly entered the room; her eyes had a mix of confusion and fear painted on them. “You… you were looking for me?”
“Yes…! Yes!” Vi's eye was tearing up at seeing her sister looking well.
Jinx instinctively stepped back as Vi stepped forward, her fear for her sister etched on her face. Her distress was so intense that it was almost tangible.
That was like a shot through Vi's heart; she was right; her sister was afraid of her now.
Jinx hurried and hid behind Viktor, looking so scared at Vi as if she was an Enforcer.
The words hardly made it out of Vi's mouth, “Po-Powder… I…!” But Viktor interrupted her, “Jinx.”
Vi looked highly confused at him.
“Her name is Jinx now,” Viktor said coldly.
Vi continued to stare at Viktor, trying to process his statement. Why the name change? And why exactly “Jinx”?
“Why do you wonder?” Viktor responded to Vi's reaction. “She told me everything. You named her a ‘jinx,’ didn't you?”
Vi's blood boiled, not at Viktor, but at herself. She had called her sister a jinx, and now she was calling herself that way.
“Why are you here? To hurt her again?” Viktor asked, stone-cold.
“What?! NO! What the hell, man?!” Vi responded in the same instant.
“Look at your sister and tell me if this is not what she's thinking!” Viktor's tone was slowly becoming a scolding.
Jinx was hidden behind Viktor, but she continued to stare at Vi. Indeed, her fear of getting hurt by her sister was stamped all over her face.
Vi couldn't hold steady anymore, and tears spilled from her eye while she held back her sobs as best she could. All the words she came up with to explain, to clarify what happened, even though she knew that would never justify her actions, were gone from her head.
Tears of guilt streamed down Jinx's cheeks as she recalled the monkey bomb explosion. The words she uttered felt like shards of glass cutting through her soul. “You were right, Vi… I'm a ‘Jinx,’” she confessed, her voice trembling with sorrow.
“No! No—I… I shouldn't have said that… I'm so sorry, Pow-pow!” Vi said between sniffs.
Jinx's despair was evident as she struggled to speak through her sobs. “I'm a walking disaster. It's always me… Whether I'm pulling the pin or not, everyone around me suffers…” she paused, her voice choked with tears—”...or dies.”
Viktor supported his cane on the bed and then gently embraced Jinx. He wrapped his left arm around her thin frame and stroked her head with his right hand.
Vi was hurt to no end. She wanted to be the one comforting her sister. She was willing to hug her but was too afraid of Jinx and Viktor's reactions.
Jinx continued talking without making eye contact with her sister. “Vi-Viktor said he could help me and that I could use my skills to build instead of destroy.” She looked at Vi only then and said, “I’m sorry, I don't want to return; I… I want to stay.”
Vi was overwhelmed with guilt and sorrow. She felt responsible for her sister's plight. She wanted to speak, to comfort Jinx, but her voice failed her. All she could manage was a broken record of “I'm sorry” amidst her tears.
What hurted her even more was that her sister practically ignored her there. Jinx wasn't letting go of Viktor.
Suddenly, Vi leaped towards Jinx and tried to pull her by the arm to take her from Viktor; Jinx screamed, scared, and consequently scared Viktor.
Viktor instinctively punched Vi on the nose, making her release Jinx's arm. He didn't manage to break her nose, but he surely disoriented her.
“What the hell are you thinking?!” Viktor blurted incredulously, his eyes wide open because of the scare he took as he tightened his embrace around Jinx, shielding her from Vi.
Vi didn't respond. Her legs were so weak that she fell on her knees, crying nonstop. Meanwhile, Jinx was breathing raging, trying to recompose herself while tight hugging Viktor.
Quickly, Viktor constructed a plan to deal with that situation. He let go of Jinx and supported his hands on her shoulders, “Listen, dear. Can I talk with your sister on your behalf? My head is in a much better place than yours.”
Jinx didn't need to think much and nodded to Viktor, “yes, yes… Thank you,” she said lowly.
Viktor guided Jinx to sit on her bed and told her to wait there. Then, he grabbed his cane back and offered a hand to help Vi get up.
Disoriented by the situation, Vi accepted the help, and Viktor took her to the living room. He turned the lights on and told her to sit on the couch while he went to get something to treat the infection in her face.
Just when Viktor was returning with a first aid kit, Vi realized what had just happened. Startled, she turned to look at him; he widened his eyes, surprised by Vi's quick move.
“It's okay…I just want to help you,” Viktor said, his voice filled with genuine concern, as he showed Vi the kit.
Vi was visibly shaken but still so shocked by the previous situation that she didn't question it. She stood quietly on the sofa while Viktor began to take care of the wound on her face.
“How'd you get this?” Viktor asked as he started to clean the wound.
After hissing in pain, Vi responded, her voice sounding defeated, “Silco…”.
Meanwhile, Jinx was sitting on the ground, hugging her legs, by the side of her slightly open bedroom door, silently listening to the conversation. The apartment was small, so hearing anything from the living room or kitchen was easy.
“I… I was going after Po-...” —she paused to think— “...Jinx. But we crossed paths and thought I could beat him,” Vi continued.
Viktor was silent, waiting for Vi to add more.
“SHIT! If it wasn't for that fucking enforcer, Marcus!” Vi almost spit saliva on Viktor out of so much anger. “He tried to arrest me, and I lost my sister's sight.”
“So you tried to go after your sister, then…” Viktor commented in a soft and calm voice.
“Of cou-” —she hissed in pain— “...of course! All this time I've been looking for her! I shouldn't have hurt her like that!”
Viktor stood quietly, calculating his following words carefully. He was aware that Vi would wreck him if he angered her.
“So why did you lash out at your sister?” Viktor asked, his voice calm but now with a hint of scolding.
Vi stuttered, searching in her mind for the same explanation she intended to give her sister, but nothing came out of her mouth.
Viktor cut through Vi's mental storm, keeping his calm and collected demeanor, “You were your sister's safe haven. She needed you at that moment and what did you do?”
Vi was silent, her mind consumed by the memory of her violent act against her sister. She tensed entirely and tightly held her hands together, signaling her overwhelming guilt.
“That question wasn't rhetoric,” Viktor looked at Vi's eye without moving his head.
Vi felt her following words as if she was puking daggers, “I… I punched her.” Her guilt was a heavy burden, evident in her every word.
A deep silence fell upon them for a few minutes. Vi's sniffs and sobbing echoed in the living room, only interrupted by when she cringed in pain.
Meanwhile, Jinx was crying, too, in her bedroom. She hid her face on her knees to silence her sobbing.
“I'm… I'm so sorry…” Vi stuttered nervously, breaking the silence.
“Don't keep dwelling on the apology, Vi. Instead, focus on becoming a better version of yourself,” Viktor advised, looking her in the eye.
Vi's sorrow was quickly replaced by confusion once more, and her face reflected the inner turmoil she was experiencing.
“An apology is just empty words if you don't work for a change for the better,” Viktor explained himself. “So, what are you planning to do about it?”
Vi didn't know how to respond at that moment. She hadn't thought of that. All she wanted was to apologize to her sister and bring her back to their new home.
As Viktor finished the bandages, he said, dead serious: “Jinx already decided days ago that she wants to stay and enroll in the Academy. Also, Heimerdinger is helping me with the adoption papers so that she won't stay up here ‘illegally.'”
“WHAT?!” Vi shouted incredulously.
“Don't give me that look; this is part of the consequences of your actions… or you thought your sister would come back to you with open arms after you shoved your frustration on her?!” Viktor's words pierced through Vi's heart and soul.
Vi jumped out of the sofa, scared and lost in thoughts. She knew Viktor was right; her sister trusted her, and she simply shattered their bond like thin glass.
“But don't you worry,” Viktor said as he got up. “She still loves you but lacks the maturity to understand what happened. " He handed her the almost full bottle of the medicine he had used.
While Vi grabbed the gift, Viktor continued, “...and I want to help her. She'll have no support whatsoever in Undercity for her current mental state. Trust me, please.”
Vi stared at the medicine briefly, finally understanding that Viktor didn't want to take Jinx from her but to help them reunite later. “But how are you going to do that? Don't the high-ups all know you're from Undercity?” Vi asked, genuinely curious but visibly concerned.
Viktor smiled and said confidently, “I did not spend almost my entire life up here dwelling in a lab like a caveman. I had learned how things work here.”
His confidence reassured Vi; she couldn't help but think of Vander at that moment and gave a weary smile.
Then, Vi noticed Viktor looking behind her; she turned and saw her sister’s head peek out of her bedroom door briefly before she hid again from her sight.
Viktor could imagine how heartbreaking that must be, especially after all the stories Jinx told him about Vi. They were really close, but their trouble with Silco turned their lives upside down.
“Give her time. She'll be back when she's ready,” Viktor tried to comfort Vi as he held her by the shoulder.
Vi sighed, her heart broken into a million pieces. “I better… make my way out then.”
The moment Vi moved to turn toward the window, Viktor put a subtle pressure on her shoulder. “Through the front door, yes?” His voice had a very different energy. It was calm but threatening, oddly sending a chill down Vi's spine.
“Ye-yeah…,” Vi responded, a bit nervous. She had invaded his home, so that was probably why the terrifying tone.
As Viktor opened the door for her, he said, sounding genuine, “You and Ekko will always be welcome here.” He paused as he changed his slippers for shoes. “And please, next time, take your boots off; it has dirtied all my carpet.”
Vi rapidly examined the tiny shelf from where Viktor took his shoes. Her sister's shoes were there, too, so he was angry at her for walking with her boots inside and not for her invasion in the end.
Later - Firelight's hideout.
Ekko and a few of his comrades were apprehensive because Vi took much longer than expected to return. Ekko was two inches away from forming a search party to pursue her.
But then, the entrance door began moving, and for everyone's relief, Vi passed through.
Ekko was the first to get up and run towards her, but his excitement was cut short when he saw Vi closing the door.
“Where's… where's Powder? You couldn't reach her again?” Ekko asked, his voice trembling with fear of the answer.
Vi's gaze met Ekko's for a brief moment, her eyes revealing how hard her heart was broken. She took a deep breath before responding, “I'm sorry, Ekko. Powder isn't coming back… she doesn't want to come back.”
That answer was far worse than Ekko had expected. His eyes grew teary at the exact moment, his body trembling with the weight of the news. “B-But why?” His voice shook with nervousness.
“Viktor will take care of her now. He has much better ways to help her than us down here,” Vi said dryly, her voice full of hopelessness.
Ekko didn't know what to say. His words were stuck in his throat, and tears rolled down his cheeks as he tried to speak.
Vi sighed again, disheartened and exhausted. “I can explain better in the morning. I need to rest now…”
“Bu-But...! Are you going to leave her there?!” he yelled at Vi, his sadness mixed with anger.
Vi was so tired that she nearly snapped at Ekko, but she remembered what Viktor had told her and held her temper the best she could. “Look, she's safer with Viktor. I saw that myself. Okay?”
She passed by Ekko, holding her tears, “And don't you dare sneak out! We'll talk about this better in the morning.”
But Ekko didn't move and was too shocked to say anything.
“Ekko, please!” Vi's voice trembled with her sorrow and fatigue.
“Okay! Okay…,” Ekko responded as he let go of his tears. But his eyes had a shine of determination in them. He couldn't believe his best friend would simply leave them like that.
Early next morning.
Vi woke first before everyone; she was stiff and still mentally tired. All night, she had nightmares about the conflict at the docks with Silco, reliving the fear and chaos of the battle, the sight of her friends and family in danger, and the guilt of not being able to protect them.
After changing clothes, she went after Ekko; oddly, he wasn't in bed. She then looked at every corner and tree branch. The few people who had woken up by then hadn't seen him, either.
When Vi noticed the entrance door slightly opened, it sent a shiver down her spine: Ekko indeed went after Powder.
Vi rushed her way out of the hideout after Ekko. She assumed he used the same route as on all the other days, so it should be easier for her to catch up.
While she ran, she recalled what Viktor told her last night:
As Viktor guided Vi through the building’s corridor, he warned her, talking low, almost whispering, “Listen, Vi. Whenever you want to see your sister again, please! Do not sneak in on the Academy .”
Vi had a hunch about why such a request was made, but she asked anyway, “Why? Enforcers?”
“Exactly,” Viktor's eyes visibly showed his worry. “The Council is right there, so the Enforcers are a pain in the ass. Even a trespassing child will get in trouble.”
Vi swallowed nervously. She could imagine the mess that could happen in such an important place, and the thought of the potential consequences was terrifying.
“By the way, if you need anything, you know where to find me.” Viktor's sincere smile helped give Vi more peace of mind, but she was still rather worried for her sister; it was as if she was in enemy territory.
Meanwhile…
Ekko managed to arrive at the entrance of the Academy much before the hour the academics usually entered. He hid inside the vegetation around the open area, just like last time, and again, Powder was there with Viktor and the other Academics and Counselors.
“No… you wouldn’t leave us just like that,” he whispered in denial; he didn't want to believe his best friend had done that.
Everywhere he looked, it had Enforcers; indeed, it was because of the counselors Mel and Cassandra there. He was aware it was a suicide mission if he tried to take Powder at that moment.
While Ekko was trying to devise a plan to remove Powder from there, a loud shout calling for Jinx and Viktor came from the other side of the Academy's gates; the voice sounded very much like Heimendinger's.
Everyone turned, scared, and saw the elder yordle running out of it, looking excited. He was holding a letter in one hand.
"JINX! There you are, child!" He yelled happily when he got closer to her. "Here! Here!" he exclaimed as he handed her the envelope. Unable to contain his giggles of excitement, he clapped his hands euphorically.
Jinx looked at the envelope's wax seal, which had the Academy's emblem. Apprehensively, she looked at Viktor, who responded with a smile and nodded, telling her to open it.
The group quickly became curious. Jinx gently opened the delicate envelope, hesitant to damage such fancy-adorned paper. She took a deep breath and then began to pull the letter inside with great tension.
Once the paper was halfway out, her jaw dropped, followed by a broad smile cheek to cheek. Viktor's eyes went wide with surprise as he caught a glimpse of the text, causing a smile to adorn his face.
"Yes! YES! HAHAHAHAHA! YEEEEEEESSSS!" Jinx's joy was infectious, spreading joy among everyone present.
Heimerdinger then took a card attached to a lanyard from his pocket and told Jinx, "And with this! You are officially welcome to the Academy, child!" and handed her the card; it was her Academic ID, and she was now one of the academics.
Ekko was devastated after Heimendinger's words. His worst fear had come true. Powder had changed sides and was with the Topsiders. He felt abandoned and betrayed; Powder had left him and her sister to join the Academics.
"LOOK! LOOK! VIKTOR! LOOK!" Jinx proudly showed Viktor her ID, jumping up and down so energetically that he had to hold her arm steady to read the card.
Viktor gently took the ID from her and put it around her neck as if he were giving her a gold medal. She puffed out her chest proudly, her eyes shining with pride. She didn't hold the pose long, though, as she began laughing happily, jumping and tip-toeing excitedly.
Everyone's eyes widened. Such deeds were few and far between, if not impossible, for someone of Jinx's age. However, they all still congratulated Jinx on being approved into the Academy.
"Hey, oh! Congrats, little one!" Jayce yelled happily and raised his hand for a high five, which Jinx high-fived.
"Holy sh-! How old is she again? Like what? Ten?!" Caitlyn exclaimed, astonished.
"She's such a progeny! What a little star you found, Viktor!" Heimerdinger said happily.
Jinx couldn't believe she was receiving compliments from not one, not two, but three counselors—one of them being the Academy’s Dean—Piltover's highest authority. She'd never felt more accomplished in her life.
"Ho ho ho ho! That makes you the second academic child in this Academy's history!" Heimerdinger said with a bit of pride in his tone.
"Who was the first?" Jinx asked, genuinely curious.
"Your father!" and he pointed at Viktor with a smile.
Jinx's eyes widened in surprise and then filled with warmth as she looked at Viktor. She couldn't believe that she was unintentionally making the same footsteps as him. She smiled at Viktor and then leaped at him to hug him, her heart filled with a new feeling of pride in herself she had never felt before.
"Progenies attract each other, it seems," Heimerdinger said, followed by some giggles.
That was another stab in Ekko's chest; Powder not only left them but had already got another family, just like that. The hurt he felt at being left behind broke the dam of the tears he had held all this time.
"No…" he murmured.
Ekko didn't want to believe his best friend would leave them that way. "POWDER!" he shouted, his voice echoing through that sizeable open area while he leaped from behind the tree he was hiding.
Both Jinx and Viktor froze, surprised and scared simultaneously. Viktor schooled his expression, and Jinx otherwise appeared visibly nervous.
"Powder!" Ekko screamed again, tears rolling down his cheeks. He called the attention of everyone in the area, including the Enforcers.
Jinx slowly turned back to look at him, her eyes wide, scared at the image of Ekko right there. Viktor grew apprehensive because he knew who that boy must be. Viktor was aware that, since Ekko probably had no idea of the cover he'd fabricated for Jinx, he could unintentionally get all of them into unimaginable trouble. The tension in the air was heavy, each second taking an eternity.
Jayce remained quiet but recognized Ekko. He remembered him as the boy who had sold the illegal equipment the morning his workshop was destroyed.
"Powder! Let's go home!" Ekko cried as he slowly approached Jinx.
"Do you know him, Jinx?" Jayce asked, pretending he didn't know Ekko.
Viktor, afraid their cover would be blown, put some pressure on Jinx's shoulder. She looked up at him slightly, and he nodded discreetly. Meanwhile, Ekko grew increasingly uneasy at his friend's silence.
As the enforcers closed in on Ekko, Jinx realized the gravity of the situation. If Jayce recognized Ekko, it would only be a matter of time before their cover was blown. She had to act quickly to protect him from the impending danger.
"No…" Jinx dead-panned. "I don't know him…He must be mistaking me for someone else…"
Ekko's heart stopped. Betrayal and abandonment overcame him; the Topsiders took his best friend. She was gone, very likely brainwashed, as he feared. The weight of his emotions was crushing, threatening to consume him.
An enforcer took the first step and moved towards Ekko, but Viktor quickly got in front of him, "No, no, no! You don't need to take him by force!" and the enforcer halted.
‘Where’s Vi?’ Viktor thought, his worry taking all his thoughts.
While Viktor talked to the Enforcer, Ekko and Jinx stared at each other. Ekko couldn't stop crying while Jinx looked at him with a face of grief. Then, without verbalizing and out of view of the rest of the group, Ekko could read her lips: "I'm sorry."
That was his last straw; she knew what she was doing.
But then, Vi suddenly appeared from the vegetation area. As she approached the group, she yelled angrily, "EKKO! Don't run away from me like this!".
Jinx was shocked to see her sister again. Viktor's heart pounded when he recognized Vi. Her appearance added more tension to the situation, and the chances of everything going downhill increased each second.
"V-Vi…" Ekko murmured in sorrow while Vi grabbed him by his arm.
"That's not Powder! I told you!" Vi said. “She just…Looks like her…" She said that as she turned to look at Jinx. The moment they made eye contact, they both remembered their last interaction of the previous night:
While Vi was walking past the building, Jinx opened the living room window in a hurry, scaring her that was just a few feet away.
“Vi! You will see! I’ll become an awesome scientist who will help Undercity!” Jinx yelled, her voice filled with determination, and tears ran down her cheeks.
“JINX! Don’t yell like that this late!” Viktor’s voice could be heard from the other side of the living room.
While Jinx apologized to Viktor, Vi stared at her, surprised and finally believing in Viktor’s words.
Once Jinx looked at her again, she smiled proudly, “I know you will!” Then Jinx smiled back at her.
"Hey! Aren’t these two the same kids from the other day?!" one Enforcer yelled, breaking through that instant of Vi and Jinx’s flashback.
Viktor's schooled expression started to break as he became apprehensive. He looked at Vi, who looked back at him. "Get out of here, now," Viktor whispered so low and worriedly to Vi that she had to read his lips to understand.
But gladly, Vi understood Viktor's signal, but Ekko didn't see it; he was still staring at Jinx. She nodded, thanking Viktor, and pulled Ekko by the arm so they could escape.
Vi and Ekko managed to run away as the enforcers gave chase. The tension in the group began to ease as they watched the duo vanish over the hill.
Caitlyn couldn't help but squint a bit her eyes in suspicion. Something was going on because of all that weird staring at each other, but she couldn't tell what it was for now. Mel also had the same suspicions.
Despite her outward composure, Jinx was torn inside. She longed to return to her sister and Ekko but knew she had to embrace her new life at the Academy. Her heart ached as she watched them disappear, but she steeled herself for the journey ahead.
Viktor then turned to Jinx. "Let's go. I believe Heimerdinger wants to give you a tour of the Academy, right?"
"Yes! Yes! Let's keep going! There's a lot of stuff to show!" Heimerdinger said enthusiastically.
Jinx gave one last look behind her. From up there in the Academy, the bridges in the river were visible, but she couldn't see Vi and Ekko anymore. She cleaned her teary eyes and looked forward confidently, accepting her new life with open arms as she passed through the towering gates of the Academy of Piltover.
Meanwhile, Vi and Ekko were still running, returning to Firelight's hideout.
Ekko was crying about losing his best friend, someone so dear to him, who was abruptly gone. Vi had a determined look, but inside, she was in absolute chaos. She had to figure out a way to explain what happened to Ekko to help him handle the situation, but she also had to start thinking about how she could improve herself as a person and sister.
However, knowing that her sister, now named Jinx, was safe and sound, she could focus on the trouble Vander had left for her: Silco.
End of Act 1.