(Round 2, baby. Let's go ! Sera's pronouns are She/Her. Men, Minors DNI)
TW : Discussions of Past Trauma, Anxiety, Drugging, Kidnapping, Violence
Chapter 1 Revamped
Sera POV
"The sister. She's back." Sevika's words rang in my head like a cruel mantra, cycling over and over without any hint of stopping. 'How ? Why now ? What does she want ?'
Those questions - among countless others - echoed in my mind as I tried desperately to conceal my presence from the two standing below me.
Once Silco managed to somewhat regain his composure, he ordered Sevika and every thug at his disposal to track Vi down, along with a young enforcer who was apparently accompanying her.
She was evidently the one who had wrecked Sevika's arm, but that meant nothing in comparison to the threat Vi posed. For my part, I had been trying to keep my breathing even for several minutes, hoping that no sound was loud enough for Silco to hear.
It was like walking a tightrope, my lungs & heart balancing precariously between a dangerous feat and certain death. Thankfully, Silco stood, grabbing his coat and quickly leaving the office. He mumbled something about the sheriff, but I couldn't make out everything.
The stillness in the air grew more suffocating as the seconds dragged on. I half-expected the door to slam open again with Silco and his goons yanking me down from the rafters and unceremoniously killing me.
However, as one minute became five, then ten, it seemed that I had avoided an early death. The door then slammed open, and my heart dropped into my stomach. 'Welp, I'm dead. I leave everything to Jinx, and I regret nothing.'
I heard a lighter pair of footsteps than usual, which immediately caught my attention. I cautiously peered over the support beam I'd been laying on and spotted Jinx slouching in Silco's office chair. She had her usual aloof grin, twiddling an enforcer ventilator that she'd clearly painted.
"I know you're there.", She suddenly called, and I jumped, startled at her effortless detection. Nonetheless, I fully looked over and met her gray-blue eyes, a soft smile forming on my face.
"Hey.", I greeted, twiddling my fingers at her. She twiddled hers back before her face morphed, a sense of determination now about her.
She stood, grabbing various parts that were scattered throughout the office as she quickly assembled a makeshift gas-trap, although I couldn't figure out why.
I chose not to ask, opting to simply observe as she secured a trip-wire into place before walking back to the chair & sitting down. She suddenly tossed another ventilator up at me, which I managed to grab just in time.
"Soo, are you gonna tell me what you're up to, or am I gonna have to guess again ?", I asked, to which Jinx smirked. 'Guess again it is.'
A series of heavy footfalls suddenly grew louder, so Jinx gestured for me to be quiet. I nodded, slinking back into the ceiling as she spun the chair away from the door.
Sevika burst in a few moments later, slightly out of breath. "They've lost her.", She panted, not knowing who she was actually addressing.
Jinx swiveled around, lightly clutching a clipboard as she asked, "Lost who ?" Before Sevika could say a word, her foot nudged the tripwire, activating the trap that began quickly filling the room with a green fog.
Sevika tried to cover her mouth as she made a run for the desk, but Jinx remained unbothered, attaching her ventilator as I did the same.
The chemicals quickly did their work, knocking Sevika out as she slumped onto the desk. With her now dispatched, Jinx stood and opened the main window, allowing the room to air out as she cleaned up her little contraption.
I jumped down from the raptors, landing with a deep THUD. As I rose to my feet, Jinx started cleaning up her little contraption, so I lugged Sevika onto my shoulder, throwing her into the office chair.
Jinx produced a rope, and we thoroughly bound Sevika, flourishing it with a dagger being thrust into the bionic arm's shoulder. I spun the chair around out of boredom, letting the weight make it turn over and over.
Eventually, the gas wore off, and Sevika groaned, so I stepped back to let Jinx do whatever it was she had planned. She opened the conversation by slapping Sevika awake, linking her fingers and donning a rather cheerful grin.
"I feel like we got off on the wrong arm. Maybe we should try the other one ?", She said, yanking the dagger out and running it along Sevika's collarbone. She rested the tip against Sevika's other shoulder, the one that would definitely hurt getting stabbed.
Sevika flinched, but she quickly steadied herself. "No need. Your sister's back. She's looking for you.", She quickly said, a smirk growing across her chapped lips as the information took effect.
I pretended to look surprised, but Jinx was totally taken by surprise. She inhaled sharply, her arms instinctively clutching her head despite still gripping the dagger.
Despite this, Sevika apparently wasn't done revealing information. "Actually, she's looking for both of you.", She added, relishing the apparent panic attack that Jinx was having as she pointedly looked at me.
Her words hit their mark, and my vision went out of focus as I struggled to keep breathing naturally. 'Vi is looking for us ? For me ? Why ?', I asked myself, trying to frantically reconcile my confusion with any form of rational explanation.
"She's with some girl enforcer. It's not what you think. I guess she replaced you.", Sevika continued, driving the verbal knife even deeper. Jinx growled, stabbing her dagger into thechair, mere inches from Sevika's ear. "You're lying !", She said, her voice quivering slightly.
"Why bother ?", Sevika scoffed, "With her back in town, it's only a matter of time before you implode, and Silco finally realizes that you're about as good for our cause as you were for your family, Jinx."
"Achoo !", Jinx fake-sneezed, kicking the chair as her persona slid back into place. "Ten outta ten, toots. I think I know the perfect way to deliver that message.", She said, grabbing the chair's back and throwing it into a spin while chuckling.
As it spun faster, Sevika's eyes rolled into her head and she slumped forward, the chair toppling over in response. Jinx chuckled again, then turned to me, and her smile quickly faded.
She clearly saw that I was still a bit rattled, my hands still quaking, and she instantly shifted gears. She cautiously approached me, gently grasping my hands.
"Hey, it's ok. Deep breaths for me, okay ?", She spoke, a calmness in her voice that seemed so foreign, yet so welcoming.
Her thumbs gently ran over my knuckles, a soothing touch to ground me as I tried to level my breathing. Seconds dragged on, the ringing in my ears slowly dulling as I inhaled & exhaled repeatedly, training my heart to beat in rhythm again.
After maybe a minute, I closed my eyes, letting my equilibrium fully restore itself as my breathing came back under control.
My eyes slowly opened, meeting the gray-blue orbs of the only person who truly mattered to me. "What do we do now ?", I asked, my voice surprisingly even. For once, Jinx didn't smirk, letting her true self shine for a brief moment.
"We find Vi.", She replied, leading me by the hand out of the office. I didn't let go, too afraid of what may happen if we were separated.
She paused, turning to face me as she lowered us to the ground. "I'll be right back, okay ? I promise.", She whispered, waiting for my nod before disappearing back into the room.
A disjointed series of bangs & thunks followed, with what sounded like a rope being pulled at one point, but it was not even five minutes later that she appeared again, shutting the door with a resolute THUD.
She extended her hand to me, a wordless 'Are you coming ?' As much as I feared reopening old wounds, I would sooner die than leave Jinx all alone.
I grabbed her hand, letting her pull me up before we left the bar. The air felt unnatural tonight, like even nature itself was holding its breath for whatever we did next.
We made a brief stop at our hideout to collect a few things, namely Jinx's mini-gun and the flare that Vi had given her all those years ago. As it came into view, I realized what Jinx's plan was ... and I was scared.
I think she knew it too, sending a look of sympathy my way before intertwining our hands, leading me back out of the chasm.
With our tools collected, we started scouting for a good location, eventually finding the perfect spot for our plan. It looked like it used to be some sort of outdoor viewing platform, but time and rust had eaten away much of it.
As we climbed the stairs that led to the highest point of the structure, a knot slowly formed in my stomach. 'Would Vi even come ?', I thought, running through every possible scenario in my head.
Was this all a fantasy ? Possibly. Am I crazy for hoping she actually does show up ? Probably. What about the girl enforcer ? Wild card there. How would either of them work with Jinx ? Good frickin' question.
Jinx looked over the edge, staring down at the vast expanse of The Lanes that laid before us. She seemed hesitant, and for a moment I honestly thought that she wouldn't go through with it.
My doubt passed quickly, as she produced the torch that held the key to an unwritten future. She looked at me, a fear in her eyes that I'd never seen before, and I grasped the handle.
"Whatever happens next, we do together.", I said, and she nodded. Our trepidation morphed into confidence, and she gripped the release. "Ready ?", I whispered, and she nodded.
She pulled the pin, hoisting the torch to the sky as the blue flame ignited, the smoke trail quickly rising into the night sky. I felt a shudder pass through me, like a presence had joined us that I couldn't see.
It felt foreign, yet familiar somehow. I looked at Jinx, and she nodded, clearly feeling it as well. She closed her eyes, and I did too, letting the memories flow. Mylo's smile, Claggor's laugh, Vander's warmth ...
They passed like streaks of light, a fleeting presence that was just out of reach. A warmth rested on my shoulder, almost like a guiding hand, and I couldn't help the gasp that left me in response.
The torch's hissing slowly faded away, the last memories of our friends projecting themselves in my head. Seeing them walk out the basement door, a determination in their eyes to rescue Vander, it made me feel like we were invincible.
And then they died. And I lived. I lost my brothers, my father, and there was nothing I could do. I let the built-up tears flow, wanting at least one moment where I didn't have to pretend anymore.
The presence seemed to grip my shoulder slightly, and I let all of my walls crumble, the mask of Sera falling away completely. I was too weak, I failed to protect my family. I'm sorry, Mylo. I'm sorry, Claggor. I'm sorry, Vander ...
The presence vanished, and I sighed, wiping my tears away as I opened my eyes again. The torch's hissing rang in my ears, but it sounded more hollow now, like it was running out of time.
As the torch sputtered, almost like it was coughing, a bitterness slowly grew within me. With a last gasp, the flame died out completely, leaving us all alone again with the jarring silence left by our beacon of hope.
Vi wasn't here. She hadn't come. It was all a lie.
Jinx screamed, throwing the now-dead torch over the edge, a series of CLANKs echoing as it tumbled down into the abyss. I frowned, feeling the brief glimmer of hope be firmly extinguished.
We looked at each other, content to put the matter to bed as Jinx pulled out the gemstone we'd stolen, but a voice suddenly called to us, "Powder ? Seraphim ?"
'That voice ... Could it be ?', I dared to think, the both of us turning to the other side of the platform, where a woman now stood. Her distinctive pink hair blew lightly in the breeze as she tried to catch her breath, a small yet visible VI tattooed on her right cheek.
I gasped, feeling tears rapidly building up again. Jinx voiced my thoughts, "Vi ?" I didn't want to believe it, but it was true. All this time, she was alive.
Vi surged forward, wrapping both of us in a hug, her warmth instantly disarming me. The tears fell, plopping gently against her jacket. I heard something land near us with a TINK, but I was too preoccupied to care.
Jinx hugged Vi back, linking her other arm around my shoulders as the three of us let all of our bottled up emotions finally release. It felt ... euphoric. Finally ... we could be free.
Vi had been blubbering about being arrested and how sorry she was, but it went in one ear and out the other. She was here, that's what mattered. "Are you real ?", Jinx asked, shattering the gentle moment.
Vi backed up, looking both of us in the eyes as she affirmed that she was in-fact real. "Things changed when you left. We changed.", Jinx said, her voice cracking as she gripped my hand.
Vi nodded, "I know, Pow Pow. I know. You did what you had to do to survive." She turned to look at me, and for the first time in almost eight years, I gazed into her brilliant eyes, ones that held such love and such strength.
She felt like home, like comfort. I felt my heart flutter, and my cheeks suddenly burned, but I tried my best to not let it show. "Seraphim ...", Vi whispered, almost like my name was too sacred to utter.
Forgoing any pretenses, I surged into her arms again, sobbing into her chest properly. "I'm sorry, Vi. I'm so so sorry. I should've been there for you, for everyone." , I rambled, pouring out my heart to her.
How often was it that you got to apologize for the biggest mistake of your life to a person who you thought had been dead for so long ?
I debated the question as I laid my heart bare, sobbing into her jacket and just absorbing the blissful knowledge that she was back. "I missed you so much, Vi.", I whispered, leveling my breathing enough to pull away and look her in the eyes again.
She smiled, gently wiping a few stray tears away. "I missed you too. What matters now is that we're together.", She firmly said, but sadly, all good things must inevitably end.
As the three of us hugged again, I heard a set of footsteps rapidly approaching, so I glanced over and spotted the same pair of cerulean orbs from the night we'd stolen the gemstone.
Jinx must've noticed as well, since she wrenched herself free while grabbing her weapon, aiming it right at the newcomer. "Who is she ?", she pointedly asked, and Vi raised her hands, now very nervous.
The girl bit back, a noticeable accent in her voice, "Who are you ?" I rolled my eyes at her diplomacy, but Vi tried to play peacemaker, "It's ok. She's a friend."
Those three words snapped me out of whatever float-y feelings I'd been marinating in, and my survival instincts immediately returned. I drew one of my concealed daggers from my boots as I squared up with Jinx, the two of us prepared for whatever came next.
"Sevika wasn't lying ? You're with an enforcer ?", Jinx asked, a pain now coating her words. I felt the same, after everything we had been through - not even counting the fact that her & Vi's parents had been killed by enforcers.
"Vi, explain. Now.", I growled, no longer in the mood for lovey-dovey nonsense. The newcomer apparently had her own epiphany, "Your sister is Jinx !"
My eyes shot over to her, now very skeptical of her presence. "And you are ?" I bluntly asked, but Vi jumped in, her hands still raised. "Caitlyn, wait. I can explain.", She said, desperately trying to keep the peace that had already abandoned us.
"This is a trick, you're playing me !", Jinx said, her voice rising as her pupils shrank. She suddenly gripped her mini-gun, aiming it right at Caitlyn, "Shut up ! I'm in no mood." I felt a new sense of dread, seeing the telltale signs of her hallucinations.
"We didn't say anything.", Caitlyn snobbishly replied, and Jinx snapped, "I wasn't talking to you !" I sheathed my dagger, raising my hands as Vi had while slowly entering her field of view. "Hey, Jinx ? Look at me, okay ? Just you and me.", I carefully said, hoping she'd listen.
Vi chose then to reinsert herself into the conversation, "Powder, it's okay." I sighed, already feeling things take an even worse turn. "Stop calling me that ! It's Jinx now. Powder fell down a well.", She said, waving her gun around slightly.
Vi attempted to keep going, "You're not a jinx. I never should've-" Jinx cut her off, shoving her mini-gun into Vi's face. "Stop talking to me like I'm a child !", She snapped, and I had to hold my breath, hoping that she wouldn't fire.
"Was that why you came ? For this stupid stone ?", She asked, giggling manically as her eyes darted over to the previously discarded orb. I glanced over as well, catching a brief hint of movement in my peripheral that came from Caitlyn.
Apparently she was quite tense herself, and when we locked eyes, something clicked. I felt myself unable to look away, and it seemed that she couldn't either, since we both just stared at each other, like we were trying to converse with our eyes but we were speaking two different languages.
Vi's shouting broke us out of our stupor, and we both broke our gaze to look over at them as Vi pushed Jinx's gun away, gently resting a hand on her arm. Jinx paused for a brief moment, but then she curled into herself, "Everyone shut up ! I need to think."
She gripped her head, but suddenly sprang up and cocked her weapon. "Did you hear that ?", She asked, and for a brief moment, I wondered if she was still hallucinating. I glanced around us, listening to the groans of old metal, the light dust blown by the breeze, and the crow cawing loudly.
The latter was sat on top of a shaft of metal, but from behind it, a figure emerged. A green glow emanated from his hoverboard, a club in his hand, and the unforgettable white owl mask over his face. 'Shit.'
As soon as Jinx saw the leader of the Firelights, she opened fire, but he was faster. He swerved cleanly around the spray, dodging and weaving like he'd done so many times before.
Unlike this morning, he had a far greater advantage. More Firelights shot out of the pipes, putting everyone on high alert. Vi & Jinx squared up, which left Caitlyn & I to fend for ourselves.
I spotted the orb between Vi & Jinx, but before I could move to retrieve it, the Firelights swarmed us. They stirred up the lingering smoke cloud from Jinx's torch, coating their approach and quickly sewing chaos.
I could hardly see anything, let alone try to fight back, but the spray from Jinx's gun illuminated the area, bright flashes firing almost every second as her cackles grew louder and louder.
I heard a nearby hiss, and I turned just as a Firelight in a crow mask disappeared within a black smoke cloud. When it had cleared, the crow was no longer there, but I didn't see Caitlyn anywhere else. 'Shit, that's not good.'
I scanned the area, but I couldn't find the orb either. 'That's really not good.', I panicked, but the fight wasn't over yet. I glanced over at Vi & Jinx, both of whom were still engaged in spats, the former punching a Firelight down while the latter whacked another Firelight with the body of her gun.
A third Firelight flew by, distracting her, so she shot at them, hitting the board and sending them careening off. They recovered quickly, landing on the platform and sprinting off again, dodging bullets all the while.
The Firelight who'd been knocked down by Jinx moments before sliced her leg with a spear, and she screamed, knocking him down yet again.
Vi had apparently been knocked unconscious, which just left me, Jinx, Owl-Mask, Bat-Mask, and the guy who was facing the business end of Jinx's mini-gun.
Bat-Mask was about to stab Vi with a spear, so I threw myself at him, slamming into his gut with everything I had. He stumbled back as I squared up, ready to take him on.
Sadly, it seems I had forgotten to check my six, since a swift blow to the back of my head sent me falling to the ground. My cheek hit the floor as the pain soared through me, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't keep myself awake.
As my eyes forcibly shut, I heard a hiss of smoke, and as the black cloud enveloped us, I tried to lift myself up. A second strike to my head nipped that in the bud, and as I felt my body shut down, an agonizing "NOOO !" echoed in my ears. 'I'm sorry, Jinx.'
(Woo, that was quite a doozy to rewrite, but I hope you enjoyed ! Comment or send an ask if you'd like to be added to the tag list.)
