195 A Happy Little Accident

Tampa, Florida, February 27th, 14:54.

Humming to himself as he makes some breakfast, a simple ham sandwich, Jinx considers his dear friend Madness and her current situation.

They talk fairly regularly, sometimes for business but mostly just because she likes to hear the sound of her own voice, and he's willing to listen. Though, he's pretty sure that the only reason it's him that she calls instead of one of the 'kids' is because she likes talking about her more... adult activities.

As much as she might like to pretend otherwise, that woman  does actually care what they think of her. Maybe she didn't care at first, he's pretty sure that when they first met, she wouldn't have cared if she saw James die in front of her, but now?

Well, she cares, and she doesn't want them knowing all the details about her more shameful acts, because as fearless as she is, she's also a massive coward at heart, this, Jinx knows.

Why else would she always be so fervently chasing greater stimulation?

She never told him about her life before they met and after her trigger, but he did a little digging of his own and found out, and he's noticed a trend.

When she is faced with a problem she cannot solve, an emotion she does not want to feel, her default response is to run away.

First she killed her mother, then she immediately ran to a different city and jumped headfirst into the world of capes. No planning, no end goal. She just needed an escape from her guilt.

Then Jason happened, and a week later she sets up one of the biggest cape fights in recent history and runs away to New York. 

She could have stayed there,  should have stayed there. She had May and Clara there, as well as her cordial relationship with Uppercrust, though Jinx is still unsure if the guy knows about Clara and her relationship, but that couldn't be either.

And he knows why too. She told him about her 'dance' with The Butcher, described in great detail how 'magical' it was. But that was exactly the problem. She was faced with emotions she didn't understand, so she ran away again.

And then again and again, she jumps into these wild scenarios, all so that she can be chock full of enough stimulation that she never once has to simply stop and  think.

So, she's got issues, and Jinx doesn't really know how to help with them. Granted, laughing at her because she has to sleep with a sleezeball like Heartbreaker isn't exactly therapy, but at the same time, he does think that it genuinely helps her to make her the butt of a joke.

Because she's willing to accept that, and it gets her to think about the people around her, more than just as our value as tools.

At the end of the day, Jinx doesn't really know what he's doing. 

Enabling her, maybe. Probably.

He spends so much time working behind the scenes to facilitate all of her plans, being the one who actually has to talk to people for her and communicate the plans and deals she wants to make.

But whatever, that's what friends are for, right?

Besides, it's not like he's really suffering, all things considered. His power is mostly calm these days, mostly just being an annoyance instead of actively trying to kill him, and it  is fun to laugh at her for having to uphold her own bets.

Honestly, Jinx finds constantly having work to do pretty fun, more so than his old life of an alcoholic at least.

With a sigh, Jinx returns to his hotel's living room and collapses back into a sofa-chair, closing his eyes and ignoring the sound of the chair breaking and falling an inch to the ground.

And he was just saying nice things, too.

But before he can even enjoy the first bite of his sandwich, Jinx is interrupted by a sudden knocking on his door, right as his mouth was open and ready to bite down.

With his sandwich hovering in his open mouth for a moment, Jinx considers putting it down to answer the door, before deciding that it's probably not important, just room service or something, and biting down.

Of course, that's when the door is rather rudely kicked open, contrary to hi wishes of simply enjoying his meal.

It can never be easy, can it?

===

Lucky is a lucky guy. Born with the genetic lottery on his side, he's never suffered acne, nor any disability, with natural good looks and silky blond hair.

But over the past few months, Lucky has been growing increasingly irate.

It's been just over four months since his boss, Bastard Son, ordered him to find an 'old friend', so as to teach that cannibal psycho a lesson in meddling in someone else's business, and finally, finally he has found him.

Strolling into the hotel room without a care, Lucky pretends to be disinterested in the startled Fool sitting in the middle of the room, holding a sandwich in his hands and watching dumbfounded as the four men Bastard Son lent Lucky surround him, each holding a random object of their own.

If Bastard Son's power was less random, perhaps they would be more uniform in their arms, but he can only grand god-like skill in the use of a random object, rather than getting to pick. So the men each have a stop sign, a desk drawer, a folding chair and a picnic blanket respectively.

As silly as it might look, Lucky knows that the skill each of them posses with their 'chosen' arms is more than enough to make up for any lacking style.

Finally, after strolling further into the room, Lucky comes to a stop before Fool, or as he better knows him, Jinx.

"Long time no see, old friend." Lucky says in greeting, his tone more sardonic than polite. "How've you been?"

It takes Jinx a moment to recognise Lucky, on account of them not having seen each other in years, and when he does, his eyes widen in marginal shock.

"Lucky? That you? Damn, I'd really hoped you'd died. Don't tell me you've come all this way just to repeat that old song and dace, have you?"

Lucky's fists clench slightly at the reminder.

They used to be friends, once upon a time, or maybe frenemies would be more accurate. After all, they would fight quite often.

At least, Lucky would  try to fight.

But the problem is, their powers are just polar opposites. 

Jinx spreads his bad luck to those all around him, while Lucky's power is like a slot machine. Every time he hits someone, a metaphorical wheel spins, and wherever it lands, that's how strong the strike is.

Unfortunately, every single time he tried to use his power while Jinx was around, he'd roll a zero, and his punches would have exactly no kinetic energy, allowing even a toddler to brush off a punch from him without a worry.

It is incredibly aggravating to experience.

But Lucky doesn't easily give up, so he would come back and try again to punch Jinx's teeth in, but every time he tried, his punches would land as soft as a feather.

It's why he ended up leaving Columbus and moving to the opposite side of the country, where Bastard Son found him, because he was so sick of being around Jinx.

And now, here he is, once more before him. Only this time, neither of them are a pair of nobodies.

"If one of us was going to die, don't you think it'd have been you? How the hell are you alive anyway? I know what your luck's like, I thought you'd have been struck by lightning or something at this point."

His question only gets a relaxed shrug out of Jinx, who clearly isn't all that concerned about the muscle around him, as he takes another bite out of his sandwich, speaking even as he chews because he knows it annoys Lucky.

"Well, I lived in a bar for a bit." He pauses to take another bite, chewing until he can speak clearly at the same time, "just lived in there and drank away my sorrows, you know how it is. But then things got a little crazy, and honestly, I have no idea how I'm still alive, I've exceeded my own expectations. You want a drink?"

Rolling his eyes at the offer, Lucky makes a gesture with his hand that has a pair of his men move up to Jinx, grabbing him by his arms and hauling him to his feet.

Jinx tries to fight back, but a desk drawer to the gut puts an end to his resistance, leaving him wheezing slightly as he's forced to stand.

"No, I do not want to  drink. I'm not here to play games nor am I hear to  chat." Lucky says getting in close to Jinx's face as he speaks, his voice low and threatening.

"Oh," Jinx responds once he gathers his breath, "then what are you here for, because if you're selling something, I'm not finding myself feeling very convinced to buy."

"Don't be stupid," Lucky says as he rolls his shoulder, "I'm here to teach a lesson, on behalf of Bastard Son."

Visible confusion grows on Jinx's face. "The fuck have I done to him? I've never even met the guy?"

Shaking his head, Lucky lets out a soft chuckle. "No, not you. You're little friend, Tear." Jinx freezes up slightly at the realisation that he's in this situation because of Lusia, but Lucky goes on regardless, "see, in The Elite, there is a way of things. And the way of things, is that Bastard Son is the sword, the tip of the spear. When a city needs softening up, it is him who The Elite calls upon."

Raising his hands in the air as if to question God, Lucky walks in a small circle, seemingly appealing to an invisible crowd. "Yet, when the time came to convert Denver into Elite territory, who was it that softened the place up? Was it Bastard Son? No! It was Tear, hired by  Uppercrust of all people, like he has the  right to decide who does Bastard Son's job."

But as he's ranting, he doesn't notice the way Jinx's eyes widen slowly, realisation dawning in his mind.

"And so, he sent me after you. Because going directly after Tear would be too much trouble, but he won't accept nobody getting punished for stealing his job."

A small, wry and resigned smile grows on Jinx's face as Lucky keeps talking.

"So here I am. But don't worry, I'm not here to kill you, not any more at least. But Tear  does need to be taught a lesson, so I'm definitely going to  hurt you."

Lucky once more comes to a stop right in front of Jinx, who returns his scornful look with an unimpressed, if amused, look of his own.

"Listen, Lucky. This  really isn't a good idea, trust me. Beating me up won't even make her mad in the first place, she'll just laugh at me. It'd be best for everyone if you just went home, please?"

Letting out a huff, Lucky scowls at Jinx. "Don't act so oblivious, anyone who knows anything knows that you're her right hand. If you're scared of a little humiliation, you can just say so."

But where Lucky sees fear, Jinx only feels worry. Not for his pride or health, but because he thinks he's figured something out.

"Now then," Lucky says, raising a hand to poke Jinx in the chest, "I suppose we should get started, no?"

But, unexpected to all but Jinx, who only realised it all too late, that simple poke does so much more.

With a  bang, Jinx's body is  launched backwards, knocking over both of the men holding him, and flying until his back impacts the far wall with a  thud.

Lucky looks at the scene in shock, moving his gaze down to his finger in confusion, not understanding why his power is suddenly working at full force when it's never so much as managed to scratch him before.

But Jinx? As he slides down the wall, he can only let out a chuckle at his thoughts.

I get it now, he thinks to himself as he lets out a pained grimace, feeling blood welling up in his mouth from his lungs, punctured by his thoroughly shattered ribs.

The reason everything has been going so well recently. It wasn't that his power was letting off, no, his power is just as much of an asshole as it has always been.

It was just playing the long con.

Let everything build up, let things go well, let him have some hope, make some friends.

And then, just tear it all down.

He supposes that he can see the logic in it now. His power has always wanted to cause as much misfortune to as many people as possible.

So the only question left to ask is, how much misfortune will his death cause?

Or, more accurately,  how many people will Lusia kill?

Jinx lets out a smile at the thought, even as he can feel his life slowly drifting away, a bone-deep  tiredness overtaking him, filling him with lethargy like he has never known.

But he manages to move with the last of his strength, just enough to turn and stare Lucky dead in the eyes, giving the man a wide grin, full of bloody teeth. "You, are so...  Fucked."

And so, with a painful chuckle, Jinx closes his eyes for the final time, his last thoughts of Lusia, and the Madness she brought into his life before drifting off into endless sleep.

Thank you. It was fun.

I'm sorry. Try not to run away this time, you still have plenty of people around you.

And don't rush to join me.

Goodbye, Lusia.

=================

A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!

oh my fucking god he fucking dead ψ(._. )>  ○|￣|_ 

This was probably not as dramatic as I wanted it to be, but I'm really feeling that burnout now. Legit stopped writing this chap at the cut point and went to bed, then got anxiety about not keeping my promise with chapters and brought my laptop to bed and wrote the rest here over an hour.

So.. yeah, Jinx is dead. He was poked by Lucky, and his shard made him roll a 100.

Also yeah, Jinx's Shard is a dick. It was part of the reason the Clowns have grown so successfully so quickly, cuz it's technically global and it was manipulating things (only to a small degree) in the background to ensure smooth sailing, all so that it could build something up and turn it against something else.

Wonder how Lusia's going to react huh? It's a shame that we won't really know, since she likes to avoid her feelings, something I made sure was explained this chap. If only there was, say, an empath or something that was due to meet with Lusia right about now, such that we may get some actual insight into how she feels about this situation.

If only that could happen... waaaaiiit a minute!!

Also, show of hands, how many of you thought Jinx was gonna die, cuz this development was kinda predicted, but y'all seemed to think it'd be Clara's head on the chopping block lol.

(5+)Advanced chapters with the links below!

pat/reon.com/user?u=41732867 (get rid of the first slash or check the description)

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