Arcane: World Two - AU (Non-binary reader)

You feel warmth as the shower touches your back. Your hands are pressed against the wall as the blood falls from you. You can't stop thinking about what could've become of Powder: "I brought them here, this was my fault" You speak to yourself, nobody but Silco, Vander and Sevika could speak to you without thinking about your actions.

You finally step out of the shower and dress yourself. You leave the bathroom and enter the bar, heads turn to see you but most quickly loom away. Vander tilts his head to imply that you should come talk to him. You sit at the bar and he pours you a drink, you take a sip silently. Vander breaks the silence: "You did what you had to, they'll realise"

You don't care for what they believe your motives are: "I need to kill them, stop them from the source" Your grip on the drink tightens.

Silco sits next to you: "You can't, y/n. It's too dangerous"

You sigh: "I need to try"

***

In Batsor, the leader of the Orange-Cloth gang sits in his wooden stable. Their main base was a town they'd pillaged. He cleans the barrel of both his revolvers.

While he dips the silk he is using into some oil, a gang member who is missing a nose runs through the door and crumbles on his hands and knees in front of his leader: "B-boss!  It was horrible. One minute everything's good, we've got a hostage, their strongest is knocked out and the others are too afraid to move"

The leader's voice is grizzly: "Then what went wrong?"

The gang member hyperventilates: "It was like a ghost, they rose from the ground and... oh god..."

The leader's voice becomes stern as he slams his fist on the table next to him: "Say it, Srave!"

"They lifted Roman in the air, and tore him in half" Srave has a shake in his voice: "They said they're coming for you"

He throws the barrel back in the gun, he grunts: "We'll be ready"

***

You're plotting your course to their town on a large map. You know they're expecting you but that makes no difference in your plans. You're going to put bombs under their floors so if they don't agree to your terms, they can't hurt your family anymore.

The door opens behind you: "Jesus, turn a light on in here" Mylo says as he pulls down the string, lighting up the room. Your eyes squint slightly as they readjust to the sudden influx of light. For the last few days, your only light source was a lamp over your desk and whatever seeps through the door when people, usually Silco and Vander, bring you food. "Vander uh, Vander asked I come to check up on you"

You're gaze is still fixed on the map, you have strands of red string linking their routes from place to place: "You can tell him I'm fine"

Mylo wants to accept your answer but as he reaches for the doorknob to close it, he feels he has to make sure: "If you need to talk about it, I'm here" You appreciate what he says but don't have time to think about it. He closes the door behind him, leaving you to your solitude.

You have notes to make sure you know what you're up against: "Saldon, 5 foot 9, female, double barrel shotgun" You read one of the many sheets, taking into account the necessity to stay far from this one: "Jackie, 6 foot 2, male, mace" You read another and another and another until you know exactly what weapons and strategies will be the most effective.

***

Vi had begun fighting for money, she felt like she didn't do enough when the gang member grabbed his sister. Powder, Ekko and Claggor watch as she wraps bandages around her fists. The crowd roars for her and her opponent, bets are placed on either side. People watch in awe as the fight begins.