Tides of Zaun

XX

The clatter of boots on metal platforms echoed through the labyrinthine depths of Zaun. The familiar damp stench of the undercity, with its rusting pipes and glowing green chemtrails, filled Jinx's nose as Sevika carried her over her shoulder, navigating the tight alleyways and darkened corners. The sounds of the chase still reverberated behind them—Ekko's footsteps, persistent and relentless, as he followed close behind.

Jinx's body felt heavy, like she was floating just outside of it, disconnected. Her hair, now uneven and choppy where Ambessa had severed her braids, swung wildly against her back with every step Sevika took. Everything was a blur. She could hear Sevika grunting with the effort of carrying her, but Jinx's mind was somewhere else, teetering on the edge between reality and the chaos she'd always embraced.

Her arms hung limp at her sides, still shackled and sore. Her entire body ached from the bruises left behind by the enforcers, but none of that pain registered fully. She was numb. The public humiliation, the weight of Ambessa's blade cutting through her hair, the sensation of the crowd's eyes on her as they watched her every move—it all felt like a dream, one she couldn't wake from.

"Keep it together, kid," Sevika muttered under her breath, her voice a low growl. She didn't slow her pace, but there was a sharpness in her tone that cut through Jinx's fog.

"Why?" Jinx whispered, her voice barely audible, weak from the exhaustion that had built up inside her.

Sevika didn't respond at first, dodging a loose pipe as they ducked into a darker tunnel. The sounds of pursuit were distant now, but they both knew it wouldn't be long before Ekko caught up, or worse, before the enforcers found them. Still, she kept moving, her focus locked on their escape.

"Why are you helping me?" Jinx's voice came out louder this time, though her words trembled, cracking under the weight of her confusion. Sevika was no hero, and certainly no friend. She was a survivor, loyal only to herself and, once upon a time, Silco. This wasn't supposed to happen. Jinx was supposed to die today.

"Because I'm not about to let those Piltover rats get the last word," Sevika finally answered, her voice hard as steel. "You're still a Zaunite, Jinx. And I'm not about to stand by while they put one of our own on display like some trophy."

Jinx let out a dry, hollow laugh. "Since when do you care about me?"

Sevika tightened her grip, her voice lowering to a growl. "I don't. But Silco did. And that's enough."

The mention of Silco's name stung, cutting through the numbness for a brief moment. Jinx's mind flashed back to the last time she'd seen him—the way his lifeless body felt in her arms, the silence that followed after her rocket had changed everything. She'd thought she could make it right, thought that by fighting, by creating chaos, she could find peace. But it never came. Only more destruction, more guilt.

And now here she was, a fugitive again, running from the very people she'd once terrorized. Ambessa had humiliated her in front of Zaun and Piltover alike, stripping her of her pride, her identity. Even the comfort of her long blue hair, the one constant through all the madness, had been taken from her. She felt stripped bare, vulnerable in a way she hadn't felt in years.

They reached a narrow hideout, tucked away behind a series of scrap metal doors and hidden tunnels. Sevika kicked the door open, and the two of them stumbled inside. Jinx was practically thrown onto an old, rickety bed, her body slumping like a rag doll.

"Stay here," Sevika ordered, glancing back towards the door. "I'll deal with whoever's tailing us."

Jinx lay still, staring up at the ceiling, her mind swirling with thoughts she couldn't control. Her body ached in a way that had nothing to do with the bruises or the cuts. It was the weight of everything, pressing down on her like a suffocating fog.

Ekko's face flashed in her mind—his eyes filled with a sadness she couldn't bear. She had seen him in the crowd. She had seen Vi too. The look of disbelief, of horror on their faces had been worse than any punishment she could've received from Piltover. They had looked at her like she was already dead.

Sevika's heavy footsteps faded as she moved outside, and for a moment, Jinx was left alone in the dimly lit room, silence filling the space where her chaotic thoughts usually screamed. Her hands itched to grab her gun, to start another fight, to blow something up and drown out everything. But she was exhausted, physically and mentally drained.

Her hand reached up, absentmindedly brushing against the uneven strands of her hair. It was shorter now, jagged where Ambessa's blade had sliced through it. The silky blue locks that had once been her signature now lay scattered on the streets of Piltover, a cruel reminder of what she had lost.

Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them back. She couldn't cry—not now. Not after everything. Crying was for the weak, and she was anything but that. But the shame, the humiliation, the guilt—it all burned inside her, threatening to spill over.

In the distance, she could hear shouting, the clash of metal and voices as Sevika likely fought off Ekko or anyone else who had followed them. It was only a matter of time before they caught up, before everything fell apart again.

And Jinx wasn't sure if she wanted to be saved anymore.

After running to Sevika's best hiding place, Sevika slammed the door shut behind them, locking it with a heavy bolt. The hideout they'd reached wasn't just some dingy corner of Zaun—it was hidden beneath a brothel, one of the few places Sevika knew the enforcers wouldn't dare search. The dimly lit, smoke-filled room was a stark contrast to the blinding lights of Piltover's stage.

Jinx slumped down onto a threadbare couch, her body still aching from the chase and the lingering weight of the execution. The noise outside, the roars of the crowd, and Ambessa's shouts had faded into the distant background. Here, in this moment, they were safe.

"Stay put," Sevika muttered as she kicked a nearby chair into place, its legs scraping across the floor. She grabbed a glass of something strong from a counter, taking a long drink before leaning against the wall, her sharp eyes trained on the door. "We'll lay low here. No one's stupid enough to come looking for us."

Jinx's hands trembled as she brushed her fingers through her chopped hair again, the strands now uneven and jagged from Ambessa's ruthless cut. She couldn't help but trace her fingers along the missing lengths, the remnants of what was once hers. 

"They won't find us here, right?" Jinx asked, her voice small, almost lost in the dim light.

Sevika didn't respond immediately, taking another swig from her glass before answering. "Not unless you start blowing stuff up."

Jinx gave a dry laugh, though it lacked any real humor. Her eyes wandered around the room, taking in the red velvet curtains and worn-out furniture, a strange contrast to the chaos outside. The brothel's hums of soft voices and footsteps above their heads served as a reminder that life in Zaun went on, even as everything around her crumbled.

Her body ached, every muscle and bruise a reminder of the fight she had endured—not just today, but for years. She wondered if Vi was still out there, if Ekko had given up the chase. The memories of their faces in the crowd, the shock and sadness in their eyes, weighed heavily on her. She had been prepared to die today. She had even accepted it. But here she was, alive. Broken, but alive.

Sevika finally moved closer, her mechanical arm whirring as she sat down across from Jinx. "We'll wait it out. Enforcers will get tired of hunting soon enough, and when they do, we slip out. Back to Zaun."

Jinx nodded absently; her eyes still fixed on her hair. For now, she didn't have the energy to do anything but sit and wait. She'd been a prisoner for so long—both to Piltover and to her own mind—that the idea of safety felt foreign. But in this smoky, dim hideout, she allowed herself a brief moment of peace.

"Thanks," she muttered, almost too quiet to hear.

Sevika just grunted in response, leaning back in her chair as they both listened to the muffled sounds above. For the first time in a long while, Jinx wasn't running or fighting.

And for now, that was enough.