The name's Jinx

Hey everyone,

I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to let you all know that, unfortunately, I was recently involved in a car accident while getting food. Thankfully, both myself and the other driver are fine, but my car needs some repairs, and I'm in need of a bit of support to get it fixed. Well more like I want to help my mom with the expenses.

I'm still going to continue the story, and it will remain free—no Patreon or anything like that! However, if you'd like to help out, I do have an art Instagram account (Syl._.art), and I'm currently open for commissions. Even if you can't commission a piece, checking out my portfolio or sharing it with others would mean a lot to me.

Thank you all for your support, and I can't wait to continue the story with you!

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Ruby groaned as she woke up, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. A dull ache pulsed in her skull, and she instinctively reached up to clutch her head, wincing as the pounding sensation refused to fade.

As Ruby became more alert, she noticed an unfamiliar sensation against her face. Moving her hand down from her throbbing head, her fingers brushed against cool metal. A mask.

Before she could process it further, a playful yet mocking voice cut through the dimly lit room.

"Ohh, you awake now, princess?" Jinx taunted, stepping out from the shadows with a grin, her mismatched eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Took you long enough," she continued, stepping closer, closing the distance until she was just inches from Ruby's face. "I was starting to wonder if you were worth the trouble."

Before Ruby could muster a response, Jinx backed off, spinning around with ease and strolling away, hands clasped behind her back.

"So, you up to answering my questions now, Red?" Jinx said, turning a full 180 to face Ruby.

The nickname caused Ruby to flinch, as the last time anyone called her "Red," it led to them dying and a psycho chasing her down all over Remnant—and even another realm—for revenge.

Ruby could feel the apathy inside her wear off as her aura began to come back, as if it was an effect of going into the void. 'Perhaps it's like the apathy Grimm,' Ruby thought, taking in her surroundings as she considered the blue-haired girl's questions.

There were items chaotically thrown around, which Ruby was familiar with, as she often did that when upgrading Crescent Rose at Beacon, before she got scolded by Weiss and forced to maintain a clean workstation.

The memory of Weiss was like a physical punch to the chest. She flinched, and the ache in her heart deepened.

"Can you kill me?" Ruby suddenly blurted out before she even realized the words were leaving her mouth. Her breath caught in her throat. What the hell was she doing?

Jinx burst into laughter, the sound wild and manic, her grin widening with excitement. "You're funny, princess," she sneered, stepping forward with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "Why would I waste the fun of watching you squirm? It'd be way more entertaining if you stick around a little longer."

"What I'm interested in is that glowy hole thing you came out of. Are you a mage?" Jinx asked, her voice light with curiosity, though her movements were erratic. She poked Ruby's face with a finger, appearing as if she was teleporting around her trying to test whether poking her would cause magic to spark.

Ruby blinked, caught off guard by the term: was she part of Salem's minions? No she couldn't be none of Salem's minions followed them to the ever after aside from Her. "No," she replied evenly, her voice hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Jinx's lips quirked as she processed the response, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Huh. Are you a filthy Piltie, then?" she asked, practically spitting the word like it was a curse. "I heard they were building some kind of gate."

Looking at Ruby's baffled expression, Jinx's face faltered for just a moment before she shook her head, dismissing her own theory. "No way a Piltie would act like you. They'd be all 'Oh, take me back to Piltover this instant,' full of themselves and useless. You're not like them." She scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "No Piltie would want anything to do with a Zaunite even for a second."

Jinx's manic grin returned in full force, and she suddenly grabbed Ruby's arm with a crazed, playful force, yanking her forward.

"Come on, let's have some fun," Jinx said, dragging Ruby out of the hideout, her steps erratic. "I don't really use this place anymore, so it doesn't matter if you know where it is. But hey, you're more fun than the usual lot. Let's see what kind of mess we can make today!"

"I'm Jinx by the way it stands for Jinx " The blue haired girl announced proudly as she tugged Ruby through the winding streets of Zaun, her grip firm as she pulled her along with manic energy. 

"What's your name? I can't call you princess forever," Jinx said, though she definitely could, and likely would, call her anything but her real name. Still, curiosity got the best of her again.

"I don't know who I am anymore" Responded Ruby quietly as she let Jinx drag her regardless if it was a trap or not. If Jinx wanted to kill her she would already be dead. 

JInx looked at her understandingly before looking forward and muttering "Huh, guess I'm not the only one" unsure of how to respond further she continued to walk forward silently.

Ruby's gaze flicked to the strange, industrial landscape around them. The area they were in was unlike anything she had seen, even in the darkest corners of Remnant. The sheer amount of filth, decay, and desperation in the air made her uneasy. 

Noticing Ruby's looks Jinx jumped in to defend her home "Zaun's got its charm, you know? You just gotta look past the filth, the gangs, the drugs, and the bodies lying around." She paused, giving some thought to what she said before adding more. "Yeah, I know it's not a great defense... but it's the truth. It's my home."

Ruby felt a wave of nausea wash over her at the thought of seeing a body—an innocent person—discarded like nothing. She wasn't sure of who she was anymore, nor her resolve as a Huntress, but one thing would never change: her need to protect those who couldn't defend themselves. 

As they continued walking, a loud crash echoed from a nearby building. Jinx's expression shifted from playful to serious in an instant.

"Stay close, Red," Jinx whispered softly. "We've got company."

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How long should Ruby be lost about her identity since she didn't go with the blacksmith? I know I don't want it to end to fast but I don't want to drag it out as well.