Chapter Text
Drip…drip…drip…
She needed to fix that faucet.
Scratch…scratch…scratch…
That was a wrong stroke. Now she has to erase that.
Kaw! Kaw! Kaw!
She was not alone anymore.
Jinx made her way towards the cobbled window, waiting for her feathery friend to land. Its brilliant black remiges glided in the air, inviting her to join its flight; a ridiculous thought she often used to humor herself when the tower suddenly closes in. Who else was there to hear her jokes other than the mirror in the bathroom?
As her companion lands on her arm wrapped in fresh bandages her father gave her in his last visit, it stoops its head forward to receive its customary petting. Secured in its beak was a shiny cog that she previously added on her blueprint.
“You’re getting ahead of me, huh?” the girl chuckled bitterly, picking off the metal. “‘Wish I was as clever as you then.” as if to reply, the crow cawed at her.
Back in her work station, across her table were several sketches of machines she had read from the books given to her once in a blue moon. Equations, measurements, and remarks were scribbled upon the blueprints as a reminder of her purpose. It was impossible for someone to comprehend solutions to unfinished queries, but not for Jinx– if there is a will, there is a way. She prides herself for that matter, and yet she does not have an audience to applaud for her.
Kaw! Kaw!
The crow drew her attention again. At least there was one to witness her talent, she thought.
Whenever her father stopped by, she was always met with questions on how her projects were going. Nothing in the world sounded so satisfying for a child than someone taking interest in their creation, even if the parent does not have a single idea of what it is. Silco was the only one praising her for her skill, even though he would leave in a hurry along with his second in command after dropping off her necessities.
Perhaps her dependency on praises surged a rift between her own being and an obedient daughter. But alas, she made it count and she will hold that dear in her heart.
Jinx settled the bird on its makeshift perch, courtesy of the tower. Eighteen years living in the barren tall tower promised her nothing but echoes of what it once was. Evidence of previous tenants were still there and markings of their lavish lives lingered, for it used to be a chateau complete with its water mill that never stopped working. How funny that the whole residence crumbled down over the years, and yet the tower stayed? She felt like a prisoner more than a guest at her own home.
The bird caught her attention again, wanting a snack after a long flight. Listening to its squawks was better than drowning in her own thoughts. Besides, the tower needed some noise other than the broken faucet.
She made her way towards the counter full of condiments and ingredients. Flies were abundant and flew above the rotten fruits in the basket that she forgot about. Her appetite was no stranger to putrid food. It had been the case after losing track of time and sleep ever since she started working on what Silco had asked her to do. Luckily for her little friend, she saved up enough crumbs for them.
“Eat up, before the maggots do.”
The clinking of the small metal plate on the table alerted the bird the moment she placed it down. She watched as the bird flew it way to her direction. It looks easy…flying until they get to their destination.
A month has passed since Jinx took the poor bird in and healed its wing after she found it lying on the window sill. She considered stuffing the corvid for dinner, but declined. If it could speak, it would stagger and say ‘how did you do that with your hair?? And are you seriously going to eat me?!’ Oh how she wished her hair could grant sentience, maybe then she would have another human besides her caretakers to chat with for hours.
Her father had warned her about the outsiders: they were greedy, selfish, and violent, eager to take advantage of someone like her. The concept of violence was not alien to her. In fact, the books she had read from Sevika’s haul exhibited great amounts of gore and hostility. The older woman claimed they were recorded events from history and war, something she was profound of as she took part in her own battles. Silco will not let her hear the end of it, serving as a testament that danger is inevitable, especially for her.
Jinx wasn’t afraid to get hurt, not when she was prone to accidents. It was a matter of trial and error– that was the fun part of experiments! Soles and fingertips begrudgingly tell her to stop when pieces of upside screws and scraps of metal tear away her flesh by mistake, but no plea would convince her. She supposed it was the reason why her father never wanted to cut her hair, despite it being approximately longer than the said bridge between the twin cities. Was it longer than the bridge, or was it shorter?
How was she supposed to know how long it was if she had not seen it herself?
The bird cooed under her hand, delighted at the shower of affection. Upon closer inspection, the girl noticed a distinct scent from its feathers: smoke and gun powder. She had encountered this distinct stench before. When she pestered Sevika about it, she only grumbled in response and slammed a book in front of her. Her loss– now she has a chance to annoy her with facts.
The book contained information on how to build explosives and ammunition, just right up in her alley. She planned to thank the woman by showing off her latest invention, for old times sake. But among the findings she saw, she gathered that gun powders were also used in ‘fireworks’...an interesting name for such a discovery when she was a child.
Colorful explosions that painted the night sky, disguising as one of the stars. She could not explain how it made her feel the first time saw them. The rush in her veins and the pounding of her chest was very addictive, and she was desperate to find that high again. It did not help that it appeared once a year on the same night, according to her calculations. And if they were correct, that event is near. She guessed that the bird got caught up from the explosions mid air. Poor thing, but it was funny to her regardless.
Images of fields where she could practically reach the stars and see those fireworks up close exclusively happen in her walls. Her imagination encased between a concrete and a brush as she strokes the colors across the surface, forming her vision. This is the only taste of freedom she was allowed to digest. She tried recreating them, however, it demystified her curiosity and she never seemed to grasp their original magnificence when she fired her failed experiment out the window.
She took another glance at her companion– it was still nameless. Although its feathers were dark, specks of light illuminated their structure individually, making it seem like it doused itself in glitter and dust. Calling it by its namesake and hue would not do it justice, not when it acted as her assistant for weeks.
“How ‘bout…Ignis?”
The bird survived from a fire, might as well celebrate it. As if on cue, Ignis looked at her with curiosity and chirped.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
…
“Jinx! Let down your hair!” called from below.
The girl yawned and rubbed her eyes the moment she heard the person calling out. Charcoal and pastel markings stained her hands and face, suggesting it had been over two hours since she was knocked out from exhaustion and was stuck in the same position. A slight panic washed over her, realizing who it was.
“I haven’t got all day, my girl!”
Jinx scurried to her feet, nevermind the pricking needles as a result of stiffness in her sleep.; she didn’t anticipate his return that was too soon. She looped the short end of her hair on the wooden hook and let the rest fall to the ground. Once she felt her hair tugged and weighed heavier, she began pulling.
“Welcome home papa!” Jinx greeted, but not before dusting off her striped skirt. Silco stepped on the window sill and folded her hair neatly as he entered the tower. In his hand was a basket filled with treats she had asked for weeks ago, along with produce of his own choosing, occupying her with unbridled excitement. She extended her arms wide to embrace him.
“There you are.” Silco reciprocated the invite and stroked her hair gently. “I hope you were using your time wisely for me to wait longer than usual.”
Jinx pulled away from the hug shortly after he replied. “I-I was busy with the thing you asked me.” Wavering eyes shook lightly as he stared into them. He may have one working eye, but it serves its purpose well to see right through people. The way her fingers instinctively fiddled blue strands of hair from her bare shoulders suggested anything but certainty. He sighed.
“So… they aren’t with you?” In hopes of getting rid of the current topic, she immediately went to her station and pretended to organize her blueprints. Her invention was displayed beside her table, barely finished and crudely put together.
“They have important matters to attend to.” he said, careful not to step on his daughter’s hair as he hangs his coat in the nearby chair. “I have told Singed to hold off on your check-ups.”
Relief poured over Jinx, but a series of unpleasantries found its way to cause itch under her bandages. The piercing pain from which the syringes left their mark on her skin was unlike any other feeling she wished her hair to mend. Heal it does, but the experience was always fresh in mind. The dried stains on her purple sleeves did nothing but to ground those memories. She cringed.
“I had also told Sevika to tend to you while I'm away.”
Jinx never wasted a moment to spend what little time he had in his visits, for it was the one of the events she looked forward to. To hear him suddenly announce that he was to leave just after he arrived crushed her.
“You’re going away again?” her voice tried its best not to tremble.
“I’ll only be here for the night, Jinx. After all, it will be a pleasure to know how the project is going.” he reassured. A sigh of contentment escaped her lips, allowing her to resume her work. “Any advancements?”
“Still working on it!” She answered, scribbling modifications on her current draft.
“Good to hear. However…” he trailed off, picking the dust off from the dining table and observing the rotten produce placed in the middle. Generally, the whole tower was covered in cobwebs and mites. “I’m concerned that you took too much priority on your work over your chores.” he rubbed the dirt away between his fingertips.
“Yeah, about that–” she strived for another excuse, but was cut off.
“I expect you’re capable of taking care of yourself while we are away, yes?” Silco gesticulated. “But if you are engrossed with your own inventions, I suppose I could tell Sevika to tend to your needs for as long as necessary.”
“What? No way! That ogre could barely clean a dust bunny with a blow torch!” She protested.
“Then do lend me a hand before we start supper.” he rolled up his sleeves and collected the unwashed dishes scattered on the table. Jinx felt a strain in her head that pestered her incompetence. She quickly got up to get the broom and started sweeping.
…
The warm glow of the fireplace illuminated the tower, adding comfort to their shelter for the night. The sun set half an hour ago, but living in a place surrounded by thick forest has already dimmed their surroundings prior to the day’s retirement. The molded fruits on the table were replaced with fresh ones, along with cooked meals.
“I see you have taken interest in painting.” The man complimented, taking a glance at the walls. It was about the only highlight of this dreary place.
“Been a while, actually.” Jinx mumbled as she bit into her food. “You should’ve seen Sevika’s face right after a bucket of paint fell on her head!” She snickered, hoping to get a chuckle from him. He nodded instead.
“Have you been reading the books I have sent you?” he asked again, carefully cutting the cooked veal he managed to afford.
“Yup.” She swallowed, struggling to utter a word. “I’d read them all if she hadn’t given me boring stuff to re– hak! ” She coughed. Bits of morsel fell on her dress, making her father grimace at the state of her clothing. He previously mentioned that he considered getting her a new dress and a handbook on how to act properly, seeing her awkward upbringing would not benefit her at all. Nonetheless, there are a lot of aspects she lacks.
“Child, please chew your food thoroughly.” he reminded her, which she complied wordlessly. Silence went on until their dinner was concluded, putting away dirty utensils and plates before resuming their respective duties.
As Jinx pumped the water to the basin, the bright outlines of her paintings diverted her attention. Fireworks…she always asked her father where exactly they come from, but he never answered directly. While he rarely restricted her from recreating experiments from books, he was very adamant about fire hazards and her safety. There was also the issue of gaining materials, which was strongly supervised from the harmful ones; no gun powder, no explosions. She peered at her father across the room who was busy rearranging the books she carelessly tossed aside.
“Hey, pa?” she called out. “Can you brush my hair later?”
She saw him halt, appearing to be contemplating without looking at her. “Aren’t you too old to be pampered?”
The girl pursed her lips. “Mmm…you don’t come around often?” She nervously tittered. Figuring he will not accept the plea, she added. “Your eye needs fixing.” The moment she saw him slumped his shoulders, she knew he had to abide.
“Very well.” he simply answered. “Wash the dishes now, will you?”
Her mouth curled upwards, looking forward to quiz him.
…
“Do you not brush your hair often?” Silco frowned at the tangled locks in his hand. Her back facing him while she sits on a stool. Beside them was the fireplace, reflecting on the brilliant azure hair guiding him in order to not hurt her scalp. He could have sworn the brush was nearly detached the more he ran it through her hair.
“Does finger combing count?” Jinx pouted.
“I suppose.” he returned to untangling the knots. Back when she was a child, he looked forward to the activity; intended to put her to sleep or to attempt to completely heal his eye. If he remembered correctly, she would be rambling her thoughts as he progressed.
It didn’t take long for her hair to glow pink, flowing its glimmer from her roots down to the strands. A sign that she was content. Slowly, the man’s damaged eye began to glow the same hue, returning its original state from necrosis, albeit slightly. She took this as a quick opportunity.
“You know those things that appear in the evening?” She said, feeling the relieved lock of hair pooling to her side.
“Be specific, child.” he hummed.
“They’re shiny. Sometimes they’re big or small.” she vaguely cited with a pinch of humor.
Silco never doubted his daughter, not in the slightest. But to hear unintelligible mumblings from her despite his efforts of educating her was unbecoming.
“Use your words, Jinx. You know how I feel about the mumbling.” he managed to hear a faint ‘sorry’ from her. “You were given the whole day to converse–”
“I wanna see the fireworks.”
Words abruptly sprung out of her, earning a suspicious look from her father. Eerie silence bathed the tower once again, making her sweat bullets on her forehead. Surely, he would understand– he was benevolent after all. The discomfort ensued in her chest until he spoke.
“I can have Sevika bring you one–”
“No! I–” she immediately shut her mouth as she realized her tone. Twisting herself to face him, she was met with narrowed eyes. It was the very thing she hated the most. “I-I was thinking maybe I could–” but she was cut off by his sudden respire.
“I see what this is.” He leaned back on his arm chair, putting down the brush beside him. “Must we discuss this again?”
“No, papa. Listen–” Jinx bargained, panicking as she noticed the familiar creases forming in between his eyes. It was never a good sign, but she was determined.
“I told you before that the outside world is dangerous. There is no reason you should wander beyond the woods.” he reiterated, but there was no stopping her.
“But you can take me with you! And I can take care of myself!–” she pleaded.
“Jinx…”
“I just wanna see what’s out there–” she fully turned, nevermind her hair wrapping around her.
“Jinx–” he gripped the arm rest, restraining himself.
“I’m old enough to be alone!–”
“Jinx!” He stood up from his seat.
“WHY CAN’T YOU TRUST ME?!” Her voice cracked.
“JINX, LOOK AT YOU! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW UNPREPARED YOU ARE?!” He heaved. “NOT A SINGLE TASK WAS DONE WITHOUT MY HELP, AND YOU EXPECT ME TO ALLOW YOU TO ROAM FREELY?” Without a warning, he violently threw the brush among the burning wood. The roaring of the fire increased, startling the girl.
Silco towered over her; his silhouette blanketed half of the room due to the blazing embers from the fireplace. His daughter, on the other hand, looked nothing more than a scared mouse. Shivering form quivered her lips as her teary eyes locked on him, terrified and stunted. Regretting what happened, he gently crouched down to her level and held out his hand.
“Jinx…” he softly wiped a tear as she silently whimpered and bowed her head. “We’ve provided everything you need, and we’ll keep at it.” he propped her head up to look at her, purple eyes shimmered in lacrimal fluid. “I don’t want you to put yourself in danger.” But she only sniffled at his comfort, failing to register his words.
She was useless and fragile, none of those protagonists in the epics he read when she was little. Useless…just utterly useless…
“Please understand– only I can protect you.” Her weary expression softened upon reassurance.
She finally looked at her father, cleared of tears, and hugged him. A simple response she indulged in sparing her from his disappointment.
“I know. I’m sorry.” Meekly, she rested her head on his shoulder, craving more affection but he pulled away to lecture her. He placed his hands on her shoulders to adhere his insight within her.
“Trust no one.” He sternly bid her
“You told me a million times.” Despite her swollen eyes, she still has the nerve to roll them in annoyance and focus anywhere but his glare.
“They will find a way to use you. You can not show weakness, not even in these walls” he held her chin with his index and thumb. “You have to stand by it.”
“I will.”
With that, Silco embraced her one last time and kissed her forehead.
“You have done quite enough. Wash up and rest.” He lifted her up and sent her to her quarters. He quietly watched her stride towards the stairs, a train of blue following her.
“Oh, and Jinx?” he called out.
“Yeah?”
“Don’t ever ask to leave this tower again.”
“Sure.” She dryly replied without turning to him.
…
There were days where she truly wanted to jump out of the window.
This was one of those days. Or rather, night.
It was a perfect idea; her body shrouded in darkness and thorny vines from below the forsaken tower engulfing her– it was an instant ticket out! What hinders her is her father’s disappointment. It was never ending. How can he contain it if she kept fucking up every single thing she does in her life? It was clear that she was born wrong. A Jinx. The universe will cease to exist before it stops to justify it.
She tossed around her bed, having trouble sleeping from the humiliation she inflicted upon herself earlier. She should have gotten used to it by now, putting herself in an awkward situation was a skill best second to her ingenuity. It prevented her from eating regularly as Singed prescribed her.
Ah yes…her “illness”. It was a shame, really. Succumbing to it would mean she’ll render useless, a waste of space. Her only purpose being that of an engineer, and unfit one at that.
‘He thinks I’m weak.’ a thought echoed in her head. ‘It’s a round trip. I could make it back anytime!’ she retorted.
‘I’m not stupid.’
And yet if she proceeded with her escape plan, chances of her own hair strangling her was great. Not the best idea…although it can be if she lives another year in this tower. But it would not help her when her frustration wants to tear it off from her head.
She kicked the blanket off her, heading her way towards the shelf and mindlessly throwing any books that bore her. Scouring through an untarnished book, her eye caught something from a particular page, signed by someone important. It contained an illustration of a stone; a rough spherical shape in color blue and was said to be used as a power source. She read further that it contained enough energy to last for decades, and powerful enough to fuel machines used for mining or building. Jinx’s eyes lit up.
Silco was asleep in his chair, covered in his own coat since the fire died down hours after their fight. The light source that brightened her path was the moon outside, taking the window’s shape. Tip-toeing her way towards her station, she quietly grabbed writing materials all while peeking at her father, fearing he might wake up.
She hurriedly sketched on the paper after she got back, not letting her idea slip fast. What he asked, he will get it. She just needs to ask him one final time.
‘I’ll show him. Oh I’m gonna show him.’