Ill Omen's Light (Lux/Jinx)

Chapter 2: Homecoming

Moon-shadows ghosted over the black skin of the river Pilt. A sharp white curve like the blade of a demon's sickle, that moon faded the stars to fickle pinpoints. Its reflection gleamed on the oily, polluted waters of the catchment. Still and unmoving.

"It's been a while. Sorry 'bout that."

The moon's pale light cast the bare, tattooed shoulders and back of the thin stick-figure bent near the waters paler still.

"Yeah, I know."

A slim finger trailed the water's surface, watched the way it made the moon wobble on the black.

"I dunno, I kinda like it," rasped the voice, "Big ol' sideways grin in the sky, just for me."

She turned her head, smirking. Bright eyes flayed the dark of all its secrets.

"Moon's saying it's tonight. My skin's pricklin'. Tonight feels like it. Feels right."

The smirk twisted into a sharp, sour scowl. Her head jerked to one side, to empty air.

"...Oh, you think I will, do you? You think so, huh?"

Leather and steel hissed together. A shot rang out, an electrical flash bursting a trash-can painted with colorful scribbles in the shape of a sneering face.

"No. I didn't hide in the dark all that time for nothin'. I'm done. You're done."

She took a deep breath as the last echoes of the shot faded. The ripples, too, leaving the water black and glassy and blank as the void.

Almost, from the depths, she thought she saw it.

A red ring, redder than fire, redder than blood, red as the end of his cigar, staring up at her from the deep.

With love. Unflinching and unconditional.

She closed her eyes and fought the shudder of her shoulders, the trembling press of her lips.

"You'll take them for me, won't you?" she whispered, "Even if you're just bones down there by now."

She curled her wet fingers.

"Bones for the fishes. The ones you loved. The big one's down there, isn't he? He'd catch you if you fell deep enough..."

A little chuckle broke from her.

"...and you did, I know you did, because I weighted you down good. I did it right. For you. Didn't want you floatin' back up all bloated like they do. Wanted better for you."

No body for them to gloat over. No proof you're really gone. Just vanished into dark waters, into myth and legend, into the story of Zaun. Where you belong.

- no. No! It's wrong! You belong with me! Here with me -

-but I ruined it-

-I ruined you-

-because I ruin...

Eyes squeezed shut, snuffing their amethyst lamps into darkness.

"Guess he found you down there after all. S'what you wanted. You never told anyone any such thing, but I know."

Lightning flashed, somewhere far-off over the sea. The pale girl laid her gun down with the others and turned to the two dismal corpses by her side, bound with rope and heavy stones, just-right.

They might not have needed them, now she thought about it. They weren't made of flesh, after all. Metal and leather and cloth and bits of junk. One life-sized, the other much smaller.