Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 7

7 years later...

Jinx has been keeping me a secret from everyone else for the past seven years. Not even Silco knows that I'm staying with her because I built me a sort of a net just below the propellers in her room and every time, he comes in I just jump down onto the net. I also told her about my ability to turn into a phoenix which hasn't been easy since I lost my arm. It's a lot harder to fly now since one of my wings is replaced by a metal one. I don't know exactly how that works but I'm just happy that side of me is still here. Right now Jinx was busy building new grenades then she would go help guard the shimmer shipment at the Hexgates "are you sure I can't come with you?" I asked her and she laughed "no you need to stay hidden. You're my little secret remember?" She asked which caused me to groan in response "here" she said giving me a few grenades "throw them down there if you're so bored" she said and hugged me "see ya later" she said and left through the door. I pulled the pin on one of her grenades and threw it down into the black abyss. Hearing the satisfying sound of an explosion. I sat on the edge of one of the propellers before my head hit the cold metal "bored, bored, bored" I said out loud before throwing another grenade down into the abyss. I sighed and waited for about two hours before she came through the door "there you are. I was getting bored and about to go for a walk" I said and she sat down beside me before getting a few of her grenades "it wasn't her..." she said pulling the pin out one of her grenades "it wasn't..." she said kicking it into the abyss "I know just some wannabe street trash..." she said. I guess she's talking to the voices in her head...again "I got confused that's all. Now he thinks I'm weak" she said with a sigh sitting up "I'm not weak!" she said looking at the couch before looking back at me "...and I'm gonna show him. Oh, I'm gonna show him, you'll see" she said and grabbed my hand basically dragging me out of the room "Jinx where are we going?" I asked and she giggled "we're just going for a walk. Oh and you'll need this" she said handing me my mask which she scribbled on "thanks" I said and she dragged me further "now come on! I want to get there as soon as possible" she said and I shrugged "sounds good to me" I said as we made our way to Piltover. Once there we made our way towards a large tent in the middle of the square "wanna blow it up?" I asked and she giggled before handing me a few grenades "let's put them up there so we can get those enforcers distracted" she said pointing towards the roof and I smiled "anything you say" I said and we attached the grenades to the roof and she started a small fire which soon became bigger as she got the enforcer's attention before the grenades exploded and killed everyone inside "you never fail to impress Jinx" I said as we made our way inside the building. Once there, Jinx took a bunch of papers before drawing all over the room and lastly she took a Hextech gemstone and put a toy on the anvil in the middle of the room that said 'happy progress day'. Back in her room she was busy building a device for the new gemstone while I was sitting on the edge of the propellers where I sat this morning. The music was playing loudly and we were both dancing to the music when I saw the door open and Silco's shoes, I quickly fell down on my net before he fully entered the room "Jinx!" he said but knowing Jinx she was probably ignoring him "Jinx!" he said again but nothing "Jinx!" he said and still nothing until he slammed his fist on the table with the music player causing it to stop "Jinx!" he said again "that's me!" she said and I had to stifle my laughter "half a dozen enforcers! Dead! Enforcers! Dead!" He said and she laughed "oh yeah" she said "a building blown to pieces!" Silco continued "that wasn't entirely my idea" she defended "do you have any idea what you've done?!" He asked "actually...I do" she said calmly before it was silent, and I heard her giggle before she pulled a switch "Happy progress day!" she said and our fireworks went off before there were sparks everywhere that burned the net I was sitting on 'uh-oh' I thought as the ropes snapped and I fell down. When I was far enough down to not draw attention to myself, I transformed into a phoenix and waited for Silco to leave and after a few minutes Jinx looked down "Ash?" She asked and I appeared behind her "I did not think that through" I said turning back into my normal self and hiding behind the couch and getting my spare clothes on nearly scaring the poor girl to death "I'm sorry" I said and she caught her breath "was he mad?" I asked her and she giggled "a lot until I showed him this" she said showing me the gemstone "just like I said he would" I said and she rolled her eyes "yes mom" she said and I looked back at her "stop it" I said with a smile "I wish you and Silco could get along. You'd make a great team" she said and I looked down into the abyss "yeah me too but we can't" I said "what happened?" She asked and I sighed. I knew she would ask me why I don't trust Silco "I was about ten years old at the time when I first came to Piltover. That's when I met Silco and we became fast friends before..." I said looking down "before what?" she asked eager to know what happened "before he sold me and my family out to the Noxians. That was also the last time I saw my parents. After about 10 years I escaped and made my fortune in Piltover and I never looked back." I said and she looked conflicted at the story I told "I'm sorry you had to go through all that alone" she said and I smiled "you can't change the past right? So now you know why me and Silco will probably never see eye-to-eye again...except when it comes to you" I said and put my arm around her shoulder and she put her head on my shoulder "come on let's get some sleep" I said seeing her yawn and we stood up going over to the couch and she waited for me to sit down. This was usually the only way I could get her to sleep but only for a few hours. When I sat down her eyes closed and she dosed off "what did I do to ever deserve you?" I asked out loud before taking a strand of hair out of her face and I hugged her one last time before falling asleep myself. A few hours later I woke up to a scream only to find it was Jinx. She was having another nightmare "come on Jinx. Wake up" I said shaking her and she jumped up and looked around frantically "hey it's okay, it was just a bad dream" I said and she started crying "I'm a jinx" she suddenly said and I grabbed her shoulders to look at me "you are many things but you're not a Jinx okay? I don't want to hear you say that ever again" I said sternly and she hugged me "you're like a daughter to me. I won't let anyone or anything ever hurt you again, understand?" I asked and she nod her head before I heard her snoring softly meaning she fell asleep again. I sighed and put her head on my lap before I felt my eyes slowly close again. The next morning, I woke up to see Jinx was busy at her desk busy with the device she was building. I made my way over to her as she looked around and smiled "good morning sunshine!" She said and I smiled back at her "good morning. Sleep okay?" I asked and she nod her head "yeah slept like a rock thanks to you" she said and I sat down next to her "you're welcome" I said and she smiled before going back to work "I think I'm done with it. I'll test it out later though. After I visit Silco. So you can go out if you like but only if you promise to be back before I am" she said holding out her pinkie finger and I took it without a second thought "I promise" I said and she hugged me before leaving. I decided to go to my hideout since I sold my manor in Piltover the day after the events at the cannery. I put my mask on again before leaving Jinx's room. When I arrived, everything was full of dust due to me not being here in ages. I grabbed a broom and started sweeping. After about an hour I was done and went to the market to get a new net since mine was burned and pretty useless at this point before going back to Jinx's workshop to see she still wasn't back yet. I shrugged and tied a rope around my waste before jumping off the propellers and tying the net to the machinery below before I heard the door open and close again shortly after that. I decided not to reveal myself in case it wasn't Jinx "Ash?" She asked and I sighed with relief "down here" I said and she looked over the edge of the propellers "you kept your promise" she said smiling "of course I did. I never break any of my promises" I said and she hugged me "I thought you'd leave me for sure" she said and I furrowed my eyebrows "why would I do that?" I asked her and she shrugged "that's what everyone does eventually" she said looking down "well I'm not going anywhere, okay? I promise" I said holding out my pinkie this time and she took it "we'll see if you keep that" she said and that kind of hurt but I didn't let it show. Jinx has lost everyone dear to her and I can tell she's scared to lose someone else. I would be too if I were in her shoes.