Ending the Cycle || A Timebomb Fanfic

II

"Always with you, sis."

Jinx's voice trembled, but her words carried a resolute finality. She meant every syllable, the weight of her love for Vi infused in that brief phrase. Her pale fingers clung desperately to Vi's gauntlet as they dangled precariously over the edge of the metal structure in the Hexgate Tower, the chaos of the battle aftermath raging around them. Below them, the wind screamed, and the metal beam groaned ominously under the weight of their struggle.

Vi's grip was ironclad, her bruised and bloodied hands refusing to let go of her sister. Vi screamed in pain as her strength faltered, her voice cracking with desperation. Tears streaked her dirt-smeared face as she struggled to pull Jinx up. But even Vi's enhanced strength wasn't enough to overpower the force pulling them down.

Behind Jinx, the snarling claws of the beast that had once been Vander dug into her waist. Warwick—or rather, what had become of their father—let out a feral roar, the guttural sound vibrating through Jinx's body. She could feel his claws tearing into her skin, the heat of his breath on her back. She knew there was no escape.

Jinx looked up at Vi, the chaotic storm in her mismatched eyes softening for the first time in what felt like years. She wasn't Powder anymore—she hadn't been for a long time—but for just a moment, that little girl, the one who adored her big sister more than anything in the world, resurfaced.

Jinx's heart shattered at the sight of her sister's anguish. She wished things could've been different. She wished she hadn't become the monster she saw in herself, the one everyone else had seen too. But wishes wouldn't save them now.

She closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. Her free hand reached up, trembling, and unclasped the arcane power source from Vi's gauntlet. The moment it fell, gravity seized Jinx, pulling her downward.

"No!" Vi's scream pierced the air as she lunged, but it was too late.

The world seemed to slow as Jinx fell, the wind rushing past her in a deafening roar. Yet, for the first time in years, she felt a strange, almost serene sense of peace. She looked up at Vi, her sister's anguished face growing smaller and smaller. Jinx's chest ached, not from fear or regret, but from love—a fierce, protective love that made this moment bearable. This was the only way. Vi deserved peace, and maybe, so did she.

As she fell, a familiar voice echoed in her mind. Silco. She knew it wasn't real, just another cruel hallucination conjured by her fractured psyche, but his words rang true nonetheless.

"Jinx," the voice murmured, steady and calm, "the cycle only ends when you find the will to walk away."

She closed her eyes as the memory of Silco's face flickered in her mind, his fierce gaze softened in a way it never had in life. She thought of everything—the chaos she had caused, the people she had loved, and the sister she had failed time and time again. Letting go felt like the hardest thing she had ever done, but for the first time, it felt right.

The deafening roar of her father—or what was left of him—cut through the air, chilling and primal. Jinx twisted midair, her body weightless as she faced the monstrosity below her. Her breath caught in her throat as she locked eyes with the beast. This wasn't just Warwick, the mechanical terror infused with bloodlust. This had once been Vander. Her father. Her protector. The man who had carried her on his broad shoulders and made her laugh when the world seemed like it was falling apart.

Now, all that remained was this twisted husk. His face, once gentle and lined with love, was now unrecognizable—covered in coarse fur, his mouth distorted into a snarl, and his glowing, animalistic eyes filled with rage. But as she stared into those eyes, Jinx thought she caught a flicker of something else. Something familiar. A ghost of the man he used to be. She clung to that hope, fragile and fleeting, because she needed to believe that he still saw her.