Rose's Fall and Aftermath

Lil self promotion but if you guys are interested in art you should head to my Instagram syl._.art where I post all of my artwork. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and if anything sounds strange let me know, Grammarly messed with the wording in the last chapter and I didn't catch it until I posted it.

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*Ruby after falling into the pit*

For the first time in Ruby's life, she felt nothing. No overwhelming urge to move, no hum of energy urging her to race through the world. There was no rush of thoughts, no battle between her impulsive desires and the disciplined focus she tried to maintain. The world felt as if it were far away as if she were no longer part of it.

Her semblance—always buzzing at the edge of her consciousness, urging her to act, to move—was gone. This silence, the stillness that enveloped her, was something she had never known before.

Usually, Ruby's semblance had kept her going, her boundless energy constantly at odds with the need to slow down. The feeling of perpetual motion had been part of her for as long as she could remember. Even in times of distress, her semblance would be there, forcing her to move, to fight, to keep up. She couldn't remember a time when it didn't feel as if she were fueled by sugar. Even in her darkest moments, when her mind should have been weighed down by doubt, her semblance had kept her moving forward.

Now, there was only nothing. A stillness so profound it felt like the entire universe was holding its breath, waiting for something—anything—to happen.

She couldn't see anything. Not the faintest light, not even the outlines of her own body. Darkness, endless and crushing, stretched out before her like an eternity. It wasn't what she'd expected when people spoke of the afterlife, a place of peace or judgment.

Should she be thinking this much? Her mind tugged at the thought, but it came out of nowhere. Was this how it was supposed to be? Was there supposed to be nothing, or was it just... her? Maybe it didn't matter.

For the first time, she found herself not running from her thoughts, not distracting herself with something else to do. The only thing left was silence and the weight of her consciousness. It was heavy, suffocating, and yet strangely peaceful. What could happen to her in this void?

Before Ruby could finish that thought, the void shifted.

There was a sudden crack, a violent rupture through the emptiness. Then, the air itself changed, grew thicker and heavier, as if the very atmosphere had begun to warp.

Something that made her body tense, as if her muscles could finally feel again. The change was so abrupt, so forceful, that Ruby gasped—but no sound came out. The moment her body reacted, it was as if the world had pulled her into its orbit. And in that instant, her consciousness was flooded with sensation—too much, too fast.

A violent tug. Then, the air felt thick, as if it had substance. It crushed down on her chest, dragging her consciousness back to her body with a snap. Every part of her wanted to reject it—the air, the pressure, the overwhelming stench of metal and decay. The sensations slammed into her like a tidal wave.

Her lungs, burning, gasped for air—but the weight of it was suffocating. It felt wrong. The air was too dense, filled with something toxic, thick with the stench of chemicals and rust. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't get enough air, but no sound left her lips.

*Present*

Jinx continued to watch the girl from her perch, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Zaun's toxic air usually triggered some kind of reaction from newcomers—gasping breaths, coughing fits, maybe even convulsions. But the silver-eyed girl remained still, her gaze fixed on the fogged sky above, unbothered by the polluted air that clung to the city like a second skin.

Jinx tilted her head, tapping her fingers on her gun absentmindedly. She could feel her patience thinning. This wasn't right. People didn't just exist here without reacting. Zaun had a way of breaking things down, breaking people down. It was the city's charm.

She sighed, finally deciding to close the distance between them. Her boots scraped against the broken roof as she moved, stepping lightly as she approached the girl's motionless form.

When she got close enough, she kicked the girl's boot. Just a little nudge, a harmless push to see if she'd flinch.

Nothing.

Jinx frowned, crouching down to inspect her more closely. The girl's breathing was shallow, almost imperceptible. 

The silver eyes stared back at her with an eerie emptiness. No fear. No anger. No recognition. Just blankness.

"You alive?" Jinx's voice was laced with curiosity. She tilted her head slightly, her wild blue hair bouncing with the motion.

The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, making Jinx's temper flare up even more. She hated being ignored—it reminded her too much of Powder, the quiet girl who was weak, pushed aside, a nuisance, it was something she couldn't stand. And now here was this strange girl, treating her in that exact way.

Jinx scowled, her fingers tightening around the handle of Pow-Pow. She aimed it casually, but the barrel was pointed in a way that said she was ready to fire if need be.

"Hey, princess!" Jinx's voice cut through the stillness, dripping with sarcasm as she waved Pow-Pow threateningly. The massive gun in her hand glinted in the dim light, looking more like a toy than a weapon. "You're in the wrong city to be wearing that type of clothing."

No reaction.

Jinx's eyes twitched, her patience running thin. This girl had to be faking it, right? No one in Zaun was this indifferent. No one just laid there like an idiot, unprepared for any attack.

"Come on!" Jinx huffed, pacing around the girl. "You could at least scream or something! You're making this boring!"

She stopped in front of her, waiting for something—anything—a twitch of fear, a yelp, a flinch, even a snarky remark would've worked.

But it didn't happen. Instead, the girl's eyes, blank and lifeless, moved for the first time since Jinx arrived. They weren't panicked or alert, but they were focusing on her as if her presence was just now being acknowledged.

Jinx froze for a moment, her irritation bubbling over. That wasn't the reaction she expected.

She leaned in closer, her voice low and almost amused. "You're really testing my patience, princess."

Once again, no reaction. Tired of the charade, Jinx decided to walk away. There was no benefit in saving a broken girl. It was ironic, really—Silco had saved her once, but that doesn't mean she should go around saving other broken girls. No, she should just leave her here. If the fumes don't kill her, someone else would.

Her thoughts swirled, but before she knew it, she had stopped walking away. She stood frozen for a moment, caught between impulse and uncertainty.

"Ugh. You're gonna be annoying, aren't you?" she muttered, frustration bubbling up again. With a huff, she walked back and lifted the mysterious girl into her arms. She slid an extra gas mask over the girl's face—one she kept in case she ventured deeper into Zaun for supplies. Without another word, Jinx turned and walked into the darkness, her steps echoing in the hollow streets.