Jinx

Rin stuck his hands out over the blazing fire before pulling them back immediately, as it had roared up in a crimson inferno of heat. He glared at Jinx. “What was that for!?” Jinx shrugged and said something in Draconic, the skeleton patterns on her scales flashing to show what she was saying.

“It was not funny, okay? You almost took my hands off!” At this, Mocha howled with laughed, and Ophelia spoke (through the crystal she had round her neck, which was a beautiful purple with white mist swirling around it). “Cut it out, Jinx. I don’t speak Draconic well, so use your crystal to talk before I decide I want to shatter it.” Her voice was calm, a slight trace of anger in it.

Jinx raised her claws and tapped her own crystal, which was a dark blue with cracks all over it. Inside was the tiniest bead of white fire. Immediately, her cheerful, laughing voice sounded. “Come on. You got turned into a dragon and Rin’s first charge into a raven-wolf monster, pretty sure you know my language.”

Mocha growled and yapped something in Wolf indignantly, her black wings fluttering and her claws scraping at the dirt. Jinx grinned and gave it a bow. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to offend you.” Abruptly, Rin leapt to his feet and twisted around, noticing a gang of dragons and someone leading them. And they were coming in their direction. Judging by what he could see, this was another bounty hunter.

A click of Jinx’s claws, the fire vanished and left behind nothing but charred wood. A little zap of Ophelia’s Shade-cursed magic, and her Shadow Soldiers came to life, prowling in the darkness around them. Mocha, terrified, hid behind Rin, who slipped on his gas mask and black leather gloves. He was ready for battle- itching for a fight, really. But the terrain was unfit for dragon duels, he noted. And who would notice if he died?

Whoever it was had better not be here to pick a fight…

Jinx nodded. "So me? I was a dragon from the start. Our family was a traveling circus, we performed for whoever would watch. We'd cast human illusions and pretend to be like you guys, y'know? I was the pyromancer- I controlled the fires, I blew up bottles with careful shots from a bow and arrow. It was my gift, my calling. And one day..."

"They found us. Dragon hunters. Killed everyone I knew and loved, so I blew them up. Every outpost in a fifty mile radius, gone! Hah!" Tears were beginning to slide down her face. "And then Rin found me, bloody and dying in the wreckage with shards of wood stabbed through my throat. He rescued me and gave me a crystal so I could talk."

"On his 100th mission, he had one of the Saint's Vessels give me the skeleton markings to speak Draconic with. And that's how I'm here now! That's my story for ya. Sorry it wasn't more sunshine and rainbows."

Something felt lighter in her heart now, like an iron box filled with titanium in her chest had been lifted. Her wings felt like they were made of air now, and she felt... powerful, free as a bird.

"Thanks for listening. Ophelia, Mocha, wanna tell your stories?" They shook their heads as the first cups of tea arrived.

(sure, fine by me)

Ophelia finally broke free of Jinx’s grip and tackled Mocha, who shoved her off with some strength and started running again. Rin snapped his fingers, dissipating the Eye watching Liberty, and watched the drama unfold before roaring “JINXLIA FOREVER” and chasing after Ophelia, who was chasing Mocha.

Jinx just sat there eating biscuits and thinking. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.