[ARCANE] Would've, Could've, Should've TimeBomb [EN]

Chapter 3

When Powder wrote the letter to her family, pretending she was going on a trip, she never imagined she'd end up anywhere other than Zaun or Piltover. Yet, as she stepped off the boat, the salty air and bustling sounds of the port enveloped her from all sides. She owned nothing but the clothes on her back.

She stood frozen on the dock, lost and unable to decide her next move. She could board another ship, but how long would it take her to get anywhere? And where were her sister and Ekko now? Maybe in Piltover, or perhaps on the other side of the world. Was anyone even waiting for her anymore?

A wave of anxiety swept over her, and her eyes filled with swirling colors. She heard laughter, indistinct voices, and felt her eyes pulsing as if they might burst from her skull. She groaned in pain, and after a few moments, the voices faded. She had never experienced anything like it—like something within her was stirring, intent on causing her harm.

Before she could regain her composure, a man bumped into her in the crowd, pushing her a few steps back. Her hood slipped off her head, falling onto her shoulders. Immediately, the crowd stepped away, forming a circle around her as if afraid to come too close. Murmurs rose among them, and one word kept surfacing: "Jinx."

Quickly, she pulled her hood back up and hurried away, weaving through the throng. She wandered aimlessly down streets lined with red wooden houses, keeping her head low and avoiding the gaze of anyone she passed.

'What the hell is going on?' she thought, clutching her cape tighter despite the oppressive heat.

When night fell, Powder had a plan. She was navigating an ocean of uncertainty and chance, feeling lost in an almost overwhelming confusion, but she refused to let herself be discouraged.

She had to return to Piltover. It was her best chance of finding Vi and Ekko in this world—or at least some trace of them, or someone who could guide her.

Taking a boat was too risky. She had managed to stay unnoticed on her way here—whatever "here" actually was—but now, people seemed to recognize her, and not in a good way. It was possible that some might still be searching for her there. So, she decided to try her luck with an airship. As a child, she had always dreamed of flying in one of those balloons. Somehow, they seemed remarkably fast, soaring through the skies at extraordinary speed, aided by a glowing blue portal.

And so, Powder hid inside an empty wine barrel, concealed by the darkness of the night in a metal hangar that sharply contrasted with the serene architecture and pagoda-shaped rooftops surrounding it. Fortunately, a shipment seemed to be preparing for Piltover, as indicated by the signs on the crates. She didn't have the money to board legally, and besides, it wasn't the worst hiding spot she could have found.

She waited for what felt like an eternity before her barrel was finally hoisted onto the airship.

Cold sweat ran down her back as she heard the workers' footsteps approaching. She held her breath when a man grabbed her barrel, but he didn't seem to notice anything unusual and carried it along with the others.

In the darkness of the airship's hold, Powder eventually emerged from her hiding spot. She felt sticky, and the stench of low-quality wine clung to her clothes. Grimacing, she pulled off her cape and hung it on a protruding nail in the wall. Taking a moment, she tied her hair back—it was now much longer than she remembered—before sitting down in a shadowy corner.

She had no idea how long the journey would take, but at least she wouldn't run out of alcohol if she got thirsty.

In the dim light, shadows seemed to shift, whisper, laugh, mocking her. Powder closed her eyes, desperately trying to push away the demons that haunted her.