The Betrayal - Arcane (Season 2 in progress)

Chapter 9: The Monster You Created

With a groan of pain, I slowly open my eyes. There's a stinging pain in the back of my head that only seems to get worse the more I move. A low sigh escapes me as I lift my head up, waiting for my vision to focus again. I can feel a rag in my mouth. It takes me a moment to realize I've been gagged, and if I've been gagged, that means I no longer have my mask on either. My eyes widen at that. I quickly try to move, but I am restricted by what seems to be a rope holding me in place. A small moan escapes me as the pain in my head increases substantially at the movement.

I close my eyes, willing the pain to go away. Once it does, I take a moment to figure out where I am. At least, to the best of my ability. All I can see, however, is the dark. I can barely see what I think to be a table in front of me due to the dim glow of my suit. I slowly begin to notice someone's muffled voice across from me. I slowly look over to the faint outline of someone. I furrow my brows at the figure, my vision still blurry. I go to try and say something to them when Jinx's voice catches my attention.

"Really thought I buried this place." She says. I look around, unable to find her even as my vision finally clears up. "But I should have known better."
"Powder?" I hear Vi ask. "Nothing ever stays dead." Jinx continues, ignoring Vi. I can faintly hear metal being tossed around before Vi speaks once more. "Are we alone?" She asks. "For now. Maybe forever." Jinx answers. "Wanna know a secret? Silco thinks he made Jinx, with all his rants and his hard-won lessons. 'Exercise your doubts, Jinx. Be what they fear, Jinx.' Like everything was the same as when Vander left him. But he didn't make Jinx. You did." Jinx says.

"I'm sorry, Powder. I never meant to leave you." Vi says. "You never left. I always heard you. Shadows in the streets, prickles on the back of my neck. Your voice. Pushing me. Picking me up when all the colors were black. You and Blade are the reasons I'm still alive." Jinx responds. "I spent so many nights in that shitty prison. On the freezing floor, hungry, blood, counting the hours. The only thing... The only thing that kept me going was the thought of getting back to you." Vi says, and a small silence fills the room. "Are we still sisters?" Jinx asks hesitantly. "Nothing is ever going to change that." Vi says.

"I always knew you'd come back." Jinx says, lighting a torch, lighting the room a small amount. "What's going on?" Vi asks as she's turned around in her chair. Jinx moves over to the table, ignoring her and throwing the torch across it, lighting a bunch of candles. With the room now lit, I can finally see who the figure is. My eyes widen as I realize it's Cayden. It looks like he has been gagged as well. What is he doing here? He should be at his place in Piltover, safe. I continue to look around. To his left is and empty chair labeled, "Powder," and to his right are Jinx's Claggor and Mylo dolls sitting in chairs. Silco being on that end of the table and Vi on the other. To my right is an empty space, and to my left is a chair for Vander and then one labeled, "Jinx".

A small "No" escapes Silco as Jinx continues to speak. "He took everything from us. Right here, he stabbed Vander in the back. Just like he planned to do with me. All the time saying you abandoned us when he knew the truth." Silco mumbles a little behind the gag. "Liar," Jinx says. "Mm. We're missing someone." She declares, walking away. My eyes widen. Don't tell me she got Caitlyn too. Vi finally takes a moment to look around, her eyes landing on Cayden and I. It's only seconds later when Jinx arrives wearing gauntlets and carrying a tray, dropping the tray on the table in front of Vi.

Jinx drops the gauntlets to the floor, getting ready to uncover the dish. "I paid your girlfriend a little visit this morning." She tells Vi. "What did you do?" Vi asks fearfully. "I made her a snack." Vi gasps and looks back to the platter, her breath speeding up substantially. I shake my head, trying to tell her that Jinx wouldn't go that far, but it seems she's too caught up in her head to notice. "No!" Vi says, looking away as Jinx suddenly uncovers the dish to reveal a pink cupcake with the Hextech jewel on top. "Sheesh. I'm not that crazy." Jinx exclaims, tossing the lid elsewhere. She walks away again, this time bringing back Caitlyn who is also tied to a chair. Jinx wheels Caitlyn over, putting her in the space to my right and hitting the girl against the table roughly.