One
The fun was not in the setup, though a proper show could not take place without a proper rehearsal. Even still Jhin's blood didn't start pumping until he rested his cheek against the stock, staring down the scope, the retical bouncing around in his site.
Steady.
Steady…
He could see her, silly girl that she was, filling this party with her tasteless music. Men and women alike stood about the room, listening to her as she played. What fools they were. How could they claim to know refinement when this was the entertainment they sought? No, no, no. The true performance was but moments from starting. Jhin could not disappoint neither the adoring crowd nor her.
A low chuckle left his lips, before he started to slow his breathing, hot wet air went from his nose blowing up into his mask. The first shot was always the show stopper, so to speak. It had to be perfect.
The target, he settled on the man standing amongst a few woman. He was smiling, laughing, the glass of red wine in his hand would pair so nicely with his insides. Yes, he would do.
Jhin's fingers went to the bolt, tugging up and then out before his finger came to the trigger. One last breath blew up against his cheeks as he pressed in.
Two
Recoil and results were not simultaneous. First the man in his scope went down, the first note, then the recoil against Jhin's arm, then the crowd took notice.
Sona, stopped her playing, her face twisted in shock as the man's blood and brain matter leaked and spread across the floor. Atta girl, silence suited her best.
Then the screams started, ah that lovely chorus to accompany his entrance.
Again.
Loaded, bolt, press, watch.
Again.
Loaded, bolt, press, watch
Again!
Loaded, bolt, press, watch!
Four fell to his song, with a few additional casualties, not that he was complaining. The more that felt the performance in their bodies, the better.
Now people were running, shoving for doors. Ah, ah, ah, no one was allowed to leave in the middle of his show. He made certain of that.
Jhin's eyes scanned the room, bouncing from person to person, counting. 16 left. That was a good number.
Three
As painstaking as the set had been his gun was dismantled and back at his side in but a few moments. His adoring a fans should see him up close and personal. Jhin's gaze went to the rope tying off the large curtains for the windows. Well...he did have a flare for the dramatic.
He unwound the rope and gripped it tight, looking down below this balcony and seeing that the girl had spotted him. Her fingers pressed into that instrument of hers, a few notes slicing at the banister beside him. She missed, ha! Jhin backed up and took off running, swinging himself over the railing and then sliding on to the floor.
Sona attacked again, another slice, this one barely evaded. For a girl with so much skill, if he dared to call it that, she was missing an awful lot.
Jhin pulled a pistol from his side and fired four rounds, putting down another four guests with each crack. The room was almost suitable now, though he was careful to step over and around his own red paint.
Another four rounds.
One, two, three. The girl played another note and cut the gun from his hand. Jhin laughed, his voice booming inside the mask. "You've lost your touch, my dear."
Only she and a young woman were left standing. Sona left her instrument then, she went off script, and stood in front of the woman, arm's out, shielding her. Another low chuckle as he pulled a knife from behind his back and held it to her throat. "You were a lovely opening act, my dear. But I'm afraid we all know the main event will always outshine everything else."
The knife dipped behind her then, sinking into the body of the girl she was protecting. One last shriek, a final note to his piece and she went down. Sona looked behind her, her eyes wide, her body shaking. Slowly her gaze returned to Jhin. It always returned to him, as did his knife. "She made such a lovely sound. What about you? Won't you sing for me Sona. I want to hear what lovely songs you sing when you're hurting."
Her face scrunched up into a snarl and she reached, not for his knife, like he anticipated, or his guns, a last ditch effort in self-defense. Instead she tore the mask from his face, throwing it to the floor, tainting it with blood and gore. And then the cowl was yanked back.
He was revealed.
Four
Something in his eyes shifted then and the knife fell from his hand. She grabbed his face and brought him down to her level, staring him down. Sona shook her head before arms locked around his neck.
Jhin stood there a moment, his eyes tracing his painting of blood on the tile. The bodies, the girl hugging him.
Oh.
His arms settled around her. So he'd done it again had he?
Sona tapped out a soothing beat on his shoulder.
One
Two
Three
Four
And again
One
Two
Three
Four.
And again…
The rhythm echoed through him, suddenly a held in breath that he hadn't realized was there was let out.
The girl pulled back and shook her head again.
You cannot do this. Her hands raised to her chest, signing.
"I…" He said but let her cut him off.
I've been gone only two months and you got out the mask and hunted me down. Jhin, she signed, her hand wiping down her face. That was his name. The first time he saw it he thought he meant the mask he wore, but only in recent times had he realized that she was actually referring to him taking it off. Jhin if you mean to hunt me whenever I leave your side then what would you have me do?
Jhin's eyes went to the mask on the floor. He could never rid himself of that other him in his head. As Sona's instrument found her his mask would find him.
"Keep me with you then."
There was nothing, then a nod. Then we will return home. Clearly you're not ready. She walked away then, back to her instrument. I will smooth thing over here.
"Sona—"
She shot a glare over her shoulder and once again shook her head. Go home my love. I will return to you shortly.
He nodded then, his eyes falling to the floor. "Very well…" he answered.
He'd done enough damage for one day. Jhin went for his tainted mask brushing the blood from its surface. Seeing it dirty made his skin crawl...or maybe just the mask itself was having that effect. He glanced at sona. This would never end well...but he didn't say that. He picked up his weapons and left the way he came, through a window, when no one else had been there.