Shimmer and shine

Violet=Violent

Jinx arrived back at the brothel, barely making the cut off.

"You should be earlier next time." Mira scolded her as she wished her hair.

Jinx nodded and worked to clean her skin while her hair was scrubbed.

"There will be more attendants than usual as it is extremely busy tonight." Mira continued.
"The customers choose, and you may need to share tips if they want several attendants."

Jinx hummed in understanding, even if she had to split what she earned last night it would still be a decent profit.

"If people overstep it'll be dealt with, security is usually circling and they will throw rule breakers out."

She hummed again. "It was two fingers on my neck or throat in clear view of the security for help right?" she asked, vaguely remembering the silent signal she'd been told they watch for.

Mira nodded. It wasn't often that they were needed here, this was the most reputable brothel in the undercity afterall, but this was still the undercity and dangerous people were everywhere.

She held her breath as more cold water was dropped over her. It was a relief to climb out and bundle up in a warm towel immediately after. Her teeth chattering as she sat on a stool for Mira to start drying her hair.

"Why do you help me this much." Jinx asked quietly.

Mira hummed, "I'm training under Babette to one day become a madam also. You're my trail run."

Jinx blinked in confusion. "what?"

The other woman looked at her in the mirror and smiled, "one day I might be running a place like this, with a large number of girls, me being able to help and guide you is a test on my ability before that."

"I'm the kiddy pool instead of the ocean."

Mira chuckled, "Basically."

"so you're my boss then?" Jinx asked with a grin, getting a shrug in response.

"more like your manager. Babette's word still overpowers mine, but unless she says otherwise, you're answering to me."

Jinx watched the woman work at settling her hair, now relatively dried.

"I brought something today." She said with a smile, "I had to go into Piltover for it."

Jinx grimaced at the reminder of her former home but nodded at the other's enthusiasm, smiling lightly as she pulled a delicate looking crystal bottle from the pocket of the robe she was wearing. "it's light and floral." She smiled, "with a little citrus."

Jinx blinked at the perfume, she'd seen it in plenty of shops topside, had also seen the pricetag attached to it.

She frowned as Mira sprayed it into her hair.

"what?" jinx screwed her face up in confusion, "Why are you spraying me." Though she had to admit it saw a beautiful scent and it's placement in her hair made it feel like she was walking through a subtle cloud of it.

"It's demacian."

"It's yours." Jinx countered, "I've seen the price on those, you don't need to waste it on me."

Mira laughed, "We'll see if it's a waste or not later." She laughed, "some of the girls choose to take a signature perfume. You'd be surprised by how many people return on a whim because they caught the scent on someone passing by."

Jinx scoffed again, "I doubt anyone down here is wearing this. So that strategy is stupid."

Mira shrugged, "no. but it's still nice. Now. We need to get you in tonight's outfit of choice."

--

"Where the hell have you been?"

Ekko blinked at the explosive pink haired woman as she stalked over to him the moment he stepped through the entrance to their base.

"I got a tip off. Why, what's your problem?" He frowned, his annoyance at her demanding tone triggering him slightly.

They might have been friends, they might fight for the same cause, but they clashed a lot. The downfalls of being co-leaders to the firelights. They constantly stepped on each other's toes, and Vi thought, that just because she was older than him, that he should automatically yield to her.

Even when she was being an impulsive, hard headed, fists before words, idiot.

"It's Powder."

Immediately his blood chilled in his veins, his mind flashing back to the blue haired woman from the brothel.

"It's Jinx."

He startled from his thoughts at the unfamiliar voice, immediately on guard as he cast his gaze over her.

"It's Powder." Vi refuted immediately, "That's the name our mother gave her."

"Jinx is the name she chose."

"Who're you?" Ekko interrupted the brewing quarrel, casting a glance to Vi who shrugged.

"Someone who knows Powder."

"I'm Jinx's sister." Caitlyn offered, "I've come to find her."

"then what?" Vi scoffed, "take her back to Piltover. She doesn't belong there Cupcake."

Caitlyn looked away. Unable to refute the claim. If she took Jinx back, there was no guarantee that they wouldn't pull something like this again. "We could leave. Get on an airship and see where it takes us. Jinx always wanted to go on one, but we never had a reason to."

Vi blinked at her, "You'd leave everything behind and take her away."

Caitlyn shrugged, "I'm already here aren't I?" she asked, "if it keeps her safe then that's all that matters."

Vi went quiet for a moment and seemed to shrink in resignation.

"Tell us everything." Ekko ordered, reaching out to grip at her shoulders, "Where was she all this time, why's she suddenly back here, where do we find her?"

"Calm down little man." Vi soothed, prying his hands of Cait's shoulders, "but seriously, what brought her back?"

Caitlyn grimaced. "From what I heard, the council tried to trade her for peace. She ran, threw herself off the bridge and swam to the undercity banks. I need to make sure she's okay."

Vi was vibrating with rage, "TRADE her! To who?"

Caitlyn shook her head and shrugged, "To whoever runs this place."

Vi and Ekko shared a glare, "Silco."