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A chill crawled down Chen's spine. Usually, when the "Jinx" persona flared up, it was a temporary defense mechanism—a chaotic fire that burned out once the danger passed, leaving a dazed Powder behind.
But this was different. Jinx wasn't just a passenger anymore; she was in the driver's seat.
Chen locked eyes with her. For a split second, he thought he saw the "real" Powder drowning in those manic, violet pupils. "Powder... please. Bring her back."
Jinx tilted her head, her lower lip jutting out in a pout that was more dangerous than cute. "Why? Why do you only care about her? That weak, useless little crybaby?"
Her eyes flashed with genuine hurt. She stood up, planting a heavy boot on the chest of the dead Shimmer-beant. She expertly racked a round into her pistol with one hand.
"When we were in deep sh*t, who stepped up? Me. When those punks at the junkyard tried to touch you? Me. And just now? Me again. What is it about me that's so inferior? Why do you love her and hate me!"
She leveled the gun at Chen's head.
First Vander, then Silco... I guess it's my turn to face the music, Chen thought. He leaned his back against the cold stone wall, staring straight down the barrel. He didn't blink.
"You are Jinx," he said, his voice steady even as his ribs screamed in pain. "And you are also Powder. You're the same soul, just different sides of the same coin. I don't care about 'her' or 'you' separately. I care about you as a whole. You are the most important person in this world to me, regardless of which one of you is holding the gun."
It was a last will and a confession all rolled into one. Chen closed his eyes, waiting for the "Grey Screen." He'd bet his life on saving her, and if this was how the playthrough ended, so be it.
But there was no gunshot. Instead, he felt a warm tear hit his cheek. Jinx leaned down, her breath hot against his ear. "Looking forward to seeing you next time, handsome~"
The weight against him shifted. Chen opened his eyes to find the manic energy gone. Powder was nestled in his arms, her head resting on his chest, sobbing quietly.
I wish I could hold you forever... but...
"Powder! Sweetie! Get up! Broken ribs! You're literally crushing me!"
The Aftermath and the Potion
Ekko and the other kids, who had been waiting for the "all-clear," rushed back into the room. Ekko's face was a mask of exhaustion and burning anxiety when he saw Powder draped over Chen.
"Are you guys okay?" Ekko asked, though his eyes were fixed solely on Powder.
"Do I look okay?!" Chen groaned. "My ribs are basically puzzles now. Someone get her off me before my lungs collapse!"
Ekko didn't need to be told twice. He quickly helped move Powder aside. Chen took a ragged breath, his mind already racing. He couldn't keep suppressing Jinx. "Prevention is better than suppression," he muttered. Keeping Jinx locked in a box was like shaking a soda can and hoping it wouldn't explode. He needed to find a way to let her out "to stretch her limbs" in a controlled way.
Besides, he needed her. He was a tanky support with a turtle shell and a stun, but he had zero kill pressure. Ekko was still in his "early game" phase—he wouldn't be a carry for years. Jinx was his only win condition.
Ekko pulled a glass bottle filled with a shimmering red liquid from his belt and tossed it to Chen. "Drink. It's the good stuff."
System Notification: Obtained Health Potion x1.
Chen didn't hesitate. He chugged the potion. It tasted like cherries and battery acid, but he could feel the "Health Regen" kicking in immediately. The dull ache in his chest began to fade as his HP bar ticked upward.
"You said they all turned into monsters," Chen said, wiping his mouth. "Why was there only one?"
"I was in the infirmary," one of the girls explained. "They all started convulsing—veins turning purple, muscles bulging. But only that one guy was far enough gone to break his restraints and go on a rampage."
Chen followed her to the medical room. The survivors were quiet now, their feverish skin cooling.
"Rejection reaction," Chen concluded. "In this world, Shimmer is a coin flip. If you fail the save, you mutate. If you succeed, you develop antibodies. Luckily, they're fighters."
A Dream of Blue Braids
Exhausted, Chen retreated to his tiny single room next to Powder's. He fell into a deep, dreamless sleep—or so he thought.
In his dream, he saw Powder. But she wasn't the girl with the straight bangs anymore. She'd combed her hair back, leaving a sharp, diagonal cut on one side, and her hair was braided into two distinct, shorter twin-tails. It was the "Young Jinx" look—the transition phase.
Chen bolted upright in bed, heart racing. "Just a dream. Thank God, just a dream."
"What did you dream about?" a voice chirped from the darkness.
Chen nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned his head to see a girl sitting on a stool by his bed, swinging her feet.
It was her. The dream had manifested. Powder's straight bangs were gone, replaced by the twin-braid style. She looked more like the "Loose Cannon" than ever, though her hair hadn't reached the floor-length braids of her adult self yet.
"I dreamed about you..." Chen whispered.
"How do I look? Do you like the new style?" Jinx smirked, blowing a stray strand of blue hair out of her eyes.
"It looks... it looks great. Really," Chen said, trying to find his bearings. "But how are you here? I thought Powder—"
Jinx shrugged casually. "She's asleep. Being stuck in her boring, buzzing little brain all day is a nightmare. I needed some fresh air."
She lifted her foot, resting it on the edge of Chen's bed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Besides, you were just professing your love for me back there. What? Now that the 'good girl' is napping, I'm not welcome anymore?"
Chen swallowed hard. He was officially on a date with a disaster.
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