Sunset over Zaun

There was once a time where if something were to happen, she would know what to do in the moment. Every problem had an obvious solution. For every test, there was a way to overcome it.

However, one of the major issues she would have was when something unexpected was tossed in. Something to catch her off guard, make her rethink the approach she was taking. Even worse when such a thing was being hidden from her.

Such assumptions were what led to her going down the path she took… and what led to where she was now. She thought that with this, she could move forward if those who asked her to join their cause were straight with her from the beginning.

The attack on the cargo vessel taught her otherwise.

The moment Sunset landed back in the Undercity, she chose not to return to the hideout as quickly. Multiple thoughts were on her mind, trying to process all that happened. Everything in the intel was right from the shipment to when it was supposed to happen, but in the end, everything went completely wrong. Ekko, Scar and her were the only ones who survived.

All because of one variable. Something they could not account for… and for some reason, Ekko knew about them.

But that could be asked about at a later point. Right now, Sunset had to find out more about who this assailant was. For if they were with Silco, she needed to be better prepared for someone that was that unpredictable.

Carefully moving through the sidestreets, she found herself back at where this started the day before. Back at the pawn shop, where she first got the tip. The proprietor might not be available, but there was still another friendly face.

“Welcome to-”

The kid from the other day, Zeri, was a bit taken aback. She honestly did not expect anyone right now, nevertheless one of her customers that was back so soon. Though, there was one thing that was different from yesterday with today’s meeting. And unfortunately for Sunset, she only realized this after the fact.

“You… look much different from when I saw you yesterday.”

A single look in the glass counter had Sunset realize that she forgot to use the spell she cast the other day. The one that helped her blend in with the denizens of Zaun. It must’ve escaped her memory on the mad dash to get as far away from that as possible.

“Aw shit. Look, I’m-”

“So you’re a Vastayan as well? Like Madame Verask?”

That was… not exactly how she thought the conversation would go, but Zeri’s curiosity seemed to afford her a way out of having to give a much longer than necessary explanation. After all, it’s what the owner of the shop believed as well when they met for the first time. Might as well just run with it.

“Y-yeah, but I'd rather keep that to myself. Very few people know about who I really am and I would like to keep it that way, if you don’t mind.”

“Say no more,” the assistant shopkeep replied, before moving out from behind the counter, “So, what exactly made you hurry over here so quickly that you forgot to… well, hide this?”

“There was something I wanted to ask about. Not an item, but information,” Sunset replied, “Though, since Madame Verask isn’t here, I can just come back later-”

“She’s probably going to be out for the rest of the day,” the girl replied back, before pulling out a chair and taking a seat, “Besides, I was born and raised here in Zaun. If you have a question about the city, then I can certainly try to give you an answer.”

Despite all personal reservations for not wanting to rope this kid in on what she and the other Firelights, Sunset wasn’t sure if there were any other options. It was either ask Zeri or try her luck at some place like The Last Drop, which was full of chempunks that probably worked for one of the Barons or Silco. She needed an answer and then got out of here just as quickly.

The choice was clear… though, it didn’t mean she had to tell her the full story.

“Earlier today, I was with some others. We were minding our own business, and just as we were having fun… this one girl shows up. Long blue hair, tied in braids and dressed like she was part of a circus. Do you know of anyone like that?”

Immediately, Zeri’s face looked like any color that was in there was flushed out. She seemed to be herself when Sunset first started talking. But as the question was asked, any sort of thought she had was gone and only one immediate question was answered in return.

“You ran into the Jinx? How are you still alive?”

Sunset was unsure how to think of her response. Part of her was somewhat relieved that she knew who she was referring to… but the way she answered the question made her concerned.

“The Jinx?”

“You haven’t-?” Zeri paused, before letting out a deep breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose. It looked like there was more she wanted to say, but chose to set that aside to answer the question, “The Jinx is someone that no one wants to run into down here. Rumor has it that she was once one of the kids that was raised by Vander before things went off the deep end. Now, it’s believed that the Jinx is somehow tied to Silco. Which I personally wouldn’t be sure as to why, all things considered.”

“Okay, that… makes some sense,” Sunset replied, trying to process this in her mind, “But what was this about me still being alive?”

“Because anywhere she goes, bodies are left in her wake. Picture this, you and your friends are working as guards protecting something and your employer happens to have gotten on Silco’s bad side. Your employer might have all the best people, yourself included, protecting that thing, but if the Jinx shows up, then there’s no chance you’re going to remain alive.”

The living embodiment of an actual Jinx. Dear Celestia, that’s horrifying to think about.

“Though, that begs the question,” Zeri narrowed her eyes, “What the hell were you doing that would involve The Jinx being there?”

It was at this moment Sunset realized she might have fucked up… badly. There was no telling how much this girl knew about her previous dealings with the owner of the establishment. Hell, she probably didn’t even know that she was talking to a Firelight. So, the only course of action that she could take was to try and answer her question with one of her own.

“How much did Madame Verask tell you about me?”

“Outside of your visits to the shop, not much. If anything, she made you sound like someone who would just mind their own business. How does that even relate to-?”

Sunset let out a slow breath, before looking at the girl. “If I am going to tell you the answer to your question, then you need to promise me that we keep this between us. No one else needs to know and if anyone else finds out, there’s going to be trouble for not just the two of us, but Madame Verask as well. Are we clear?”

Silence drifted across the small shop. Zeri, unsure of what to make of this, just stared back and raised a confused eyebrow. “Okay, this is getting weird. But sure, I guess.”

“Good, because you’re going to see why in just a moment.”

As Sunset raised a finger, the same cyan colored magic she was all too familiar with circulated at the tip. Motioning her finger, she moved it through the air much like a painter would carefully glide a brush against a canvas. It did not take much effort, but what she was creating was immediately recognizable as it took the shape of an hourglass.

And when she was done, things began to finally click into place.

“W-wait. You’re… a Firelight?”

“Mhm,” Sunset nodded, before swiping her hand and having the symbol disappear instantly, “Unlike some of the chempunks associated with the barons, we rather not attract attention to ourselves. Which is why Madame Verask has been rather helpful and also rather discreet about the business we conduct.”

“So wait, my boss knows that you’re with them?”

A small chuckle from the Firelight could be heard as Sunset nodded, “Indeed. Funny enough, she was able to read me like an open book the first time we met.”

“And what does she provide?” Zeri now asked, baffled with the information that she was learning, “It can’t be just antiques and rare finds-”

“Oh she does provide that, but more to conceal the rest,” Sunset explained, “She passes along any rumors and word on the street to us.”

It took the girl a rather quick moment to wrap her head around what she was just told. But even with such information, it did not answer the burning question that started this particular exchange between them. “And this relates to the Jinx because-?”

“Because when we tried to follow through on a tip provided by Madame Verask this morning, things went completely wrong when we realized that the Jinx was there. It was something we couldn’t prepare for and a few friends of ours lost their lives because of it.”

Silence echoed throughout the shop as Zeri stared at her, the realization sinking in quickly. “Oh shit.”

“Yeah,” Sunset exhaled, deeply as she looked back at her, “I’m lucky to still be here. But, considering who I work with, I came here wanting to know more about the Jinx just in case we encounter her again. That way we could be better prepared for her.”

“If I have to be honest, I don’t think any amount of preparation would have prepared you for her. If her trail of destruction is anything to go by, she fits the definition of a loose cannon.”

“Still have to try at least,” The Firelight said, before turning to the door, “I have to go. Remember what we agreed?”

The girl in the shop nodded, a brief flicker from the lights above her head. With a deep breath, Sunset channeled her magic as the spell encased her current form and shifted it back to what it was once before. The human appearance that was seen when she met Zeri the first time. But before she could even open the door, the Firelight… hesitated.

“Thanks again, Zeri. I really appreciate it.”

Some of the color that had disappeared from Zeri’s face before had started to now return as she nodded. “No problem. Just… stay safe, alright? Madame Verask would chew me out if something happened to you.”

The Firelight nodded, stepping out of the shop as into the streets. Only to have a figure that brazenly walked past her, bumping into her shoulder. Turning to look back, she could only make out the sight of a woman who was only a few feet taller than her. Pink hair, blue eyes and a red jacket that looked to have recently been taken off of a clothesline. Right ear pierced as the figure only turned to glance at her briefly.

Brief enough to see a simple tattoo under the right eye. With a single word that sent a brief shiver down Sunset’s spine.

VI

The second she saw that, a splitting headache ravaged her mind. Images- no… memories that were not hers flooded her mind. Trying to comprehend what she was seeing and not get lost in it as she staggered into an alley.

There was the sight of an apartment. Running through the streets on Topside from Enforcers. Various images in quick succession, with one of them oddly looking like a younger version of Ekko in the same pawn shop that she just left, playing through her head at rapid speed. The last one that she could remember was the side of a warehouse, smoke on the air and interior up in flames. With a blue haired girl crying and asking a single question.

‘Why did you abandon me!?’

‘BECAUSE YOU’RE A JINX!!’

Immediately, Sunset snapped back to reality, forcing her down onto the ground. She felt the overwhelming urge to throw up as she had trouble trying to catch her breath.

“The buck was that?” she wondered, looking down at her hands. Her magic had never acted like this before. So why was it doing so now?

No, that didn’t matter. First, she needed to get back. Then, she can figure that out.

Sitting at the desk in his workshop, Ekko was trying to focus his attention on anything else right now. While the mission up on Topside was considered a success, their victory came at a price. Five of their companions, including a close confidant named Eve, lost their lives and Sunset had not been seen since they escaped the docks. Scar insisted that he told her to run, but Ekko couldn’t help but worry that she might’ve gotten herself into further trouble. If it wasn’t enforcers, it could be the barons or Silco.

His concentration was interrupted once more from the project he was working on as he heard a knock on the door. Setting his stopwatch and tinkering tools down, Ekko walked over to the door. He already had to talk to several people about what happened and who was not coming back, and in the back of his mind, he thought this was the same thing.

Though, much to his own shock, he found none other than Sunset herself waiting at the door, “Holy shit, you had me worried. Where-”

Before he could even finish, Sunset welcomed herself in and looked directly at him with a fierce glance in her eyes, “We need to talk. You got a moment?”

Immediately, Ekko closed the door and locked it, before following Sunset as she dispelled the magic that was used to disguise herself. Some of the paint and injuries from the battle earlier stained her fur as she looked straight at him. Unsure about what it is that she wanted to discuss and why she looked this way.

“Sunset, where were you-?”

“After we split off, I didn’t want anyone that would possibly pursue me to be led back here. So, I went into town,” she replied, folding her arms, “While I was there, I found out a bit about the girl that attacked us. The Jinx.”

The moment the name was said, Ekko tensed up. In Zaun, any mention of the Jinx, no matter how small, was a bad omen. Encounters with her always led to carnage and bloodshed, leaving almost no survivors and those who did live just emphasized the point to avoid the Jinx at all costs.

“Look, I’m sorry if I didn’t tell you about her. I don’t think when we boarded that ship that anyone expected her-”

“I understand that. But I can’t help but think that there was more that I could’ve done to help. That way, we didn’t have to put extra faces on the mural,” She paused, taking a moment to compose her thoughts. “There was one moment during that encounter that still doesn’t make sense to me.”

That had Ekko pause, “What do you mean?”

“You remember when you told Eve to light the torch, right?” The question was answered by a nod from Ekko, which Sunset took as a sign to continue, “Well, there was a moment where the Jinx just… froze after she knocked off her mask. And she called her by some name.”

“What was the name?”

“She said something along the lines of… ‘Vi’.”

Immediately, Sunset watched as Ekko’s eyes widened for the briefest of moments. A sign of recognition that was immediately extinguished as he shook his head. “No, that wouldn’t make sense.”

“You know that name?”

The boy sighed deeply, before looking back towards her, “I do. She was one of the kids that Vander raised and one of my friends growing up. Bravest among all of us and knows how to throw a mean punch, but there’s no way that she’s around now. She vanished on the night that Vander died. Many of us assumed that she died alongside him because she was trying to rescue him from Silco.”

At that moment, something clicked in Sunset’s brain. Even though they were talking about two separate people, Sunset couldn’t help but focus on one detail that was the same with what Zeri told her and what Ekko was saying now. That this ‘Vi’ and the Jinx were both raised by the same person.

Then there was the woman she bumped into on the way out. The one who had the same name as a tattoo on her cheek. And what happened afterwards

“There’s… something else that happened on the way back. Something that I am still trying to process and I was hoping you can help me make sense of it.”

“Um, okay?” He said, confused by the request, “What sort of thing?”

“Well, I was coming back from finding out more about the Jinx from the same place I found out about the ship that I bumped into somebody. And when I did, my magic went… I don’t know if haywire is the right term, but it definitely reacted in some way. I kept seeing memories or something that weren’t even mine. I think I even saw a kid that looked like you at one point, just much younger.”

“The fuck?”

“I know, it’s bucking weird,” she retorted, “I don’t know what happened, but my magic has never acted this way before in the time I’ve been here.”

At this, Ekko started to scratch the back of his head. “I don’t really know, but maybe it depends on something else? What did this person look like? Do you remember their appearance?”

“Blue eyes, pink hair that swayed to one side while part of her head was shaved. Some tattoos, red jacket, bandages on her hands,” the mage recalled, trying to not forget a single detail, “The one thing that stood out was one of the tattoos under their right eye… was the exact same thing I heard the Jinx say on that cargo ship. Vi-”

The door immediately burst open catching the two of them off guard as Scar was in the doorway, “Chief, we’ve got a problem in town.”

Both Sunset and Ekko looked back at one another, beyond confused. Both of them were extremely careful finding their way back, so what the hell was going on now? “What kind of problem?”

“Someone just stormed into the Last Drop and picked a fight with Sevika.”