The moon hung low over the clouds as Jhin walked towards the town. Mist swirled around him and his confederate as they crossed the threshold. His footsteps clicked on the stone path as he approached. His mask was gone, his hair was brushed and styled backwards. Under his arm he held a painting based on the sketch he made a day earlier. He turned to Jinx and raised a hand to stop her.

She continued walking past him. "This place looks creepy with all the mist." She remarked.

With a sigh he walked to catch up with Jinx and put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Wait a moment, I—" He stopped short as Jinx whirled around and planted Zap in his face. He froze, not even breathing.

Jinx's crimson eyes focused a bit, then she put her gun away. "Sorry about that, my shoulder is a no touch zone. Reflexes ya know?"

Jhin stared and took a large step backwards. "I need you to stay here."

"What? Why?" Jinx protested. "There's a creepy village here and you want me to just sit here instead of going inside and ghostbusting?"

"Ghost…" Jhin decided to get to the point. "Look, I need this area to compose my latest masterpiece. Do you recall the amusement park? How you turned it into a work of art? It is my turn now. This is the moment I have dreamed of."

Jinx only stared. "If you think I'm going to sit on a bench and sketch then you've got something else coming, mister!"

Jhin held up a placating hand. "I only need a single set piece for this composition, a healer named Soraka. Once I make her art, you can have the rest of the town to do with as you please."

Jinx pouted and leaned against a tree. "Just hurry up before Fishbones tells me to blow everything sky high."

She then pulled out Fishbones and talked for him. "But Jinx, you're always the one telling me to blow things up. I just want to try new things and to open a 401k."

"Yeah but he doesn't know that. Now shut it." Jinx snapped back. She turned to Jhin and smiled. "Good luck."

Jhin turned and walked into the town, down the quiet streets and towards the home of the healer. As he walked, he took a deep breath. And now, my performance begins. He buried his Jhin persona under the optimistic, awkward, and emotional artist that was Khada.

Khada arrived at Soraka's door, and knocked once, even as Jhin lay beneath the surface, going through a mental checklist to make sure everything was perfect.

After a few minutes Soraka opened the door, rubbing her eyes. "Hello?" She murmured through a yawn.

Khada tried to look into her eyes, but their amber brilliance made him look away. But looking away tempted his eyes to gaze at her modest nightgown. His attention suddenly drifted to the painting he had under his arm. White like the robe she wore in his dream, his mental rehearsal. There was no more doubt in his mind. The time to immortalize her was now. "I hope I have not come at a bad time."

Soraka shook her head. "No, you're fine. What's going on Khada?"

Khada cleared his throat nervously. "I want to show you a painting I made, if that's not too much trouble."

"Oh, it's no trouble." Soraka reassured. "You know I admire your art."

Khada took a deep breath and said, "Can I show you on that hill? The moonlight will complement the color choices nicely."

"Sure." She said, a smile brightening her face. "Let me just put my traveling robes on."

"Oh, that's not necessary." Khada insisted. "It will only be five minutes. I would hate to inconvenience you any further than that. I show you my painting and you can go straight back to bed. I promise it won't take long."

"Well…" Soraka looked around. "Nobody's up at this hour, so I suppose I don't have to change. But let's make it quick."

Together they headed for the hill, not at a run but not quite walking. Soraka quickened her pace as she approached the hill. "Careful!" Khada reached out for her to steady her. "It's harder to see rocks on this hill at night. I would know."

"It's alright, I have better night vision." Soraka said over her shoulder. "Come on, just follow me." With that she reached for his outstretched hand, clasping it to pull him along.

Khada's heart skipped a beat at the gentle warmth of her hand against his. At some part of his mind he knew she was only leading him to quicken his pace, but he liked to imagine otherwise.

In no time at all, they reached the top. The moonlight broke through the mists, in silver streams. "Wow." Soraka breathed. "I love this place at night. So serene and beautiful."

"It is a good place to find inspiration for art." Khada agreed. He pulled out the painting and handed it to her upside down, so she had to flip it over to see. "This took me a very long time, but I am pleased with the results."

"Way to build it up." Soraka teased as she flipped it over. She gasped.

Soraka gazed at the lifelike painting of her face in profile. The image was smiling, the gentle smile that showed the deepest compassion and care. Her silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, a fascinating mix with the color of her robes. The color of her lavender skin was emulated perfectly, and her perfect amber eyes drew attention every time one looked at the piece. She looked closer, and she could see and feel every bit of heart that was poured into every stroke of paint. The beams of moonlight cast a beautiful aura of silver across the image, in an effect that could only be described as breathtaking.

"It's…" Soraka could scarcely breathe. "It's beautiful Khada."

"It's how I see you Soraka." Khada said from behind her. "Every time I would get injured in my quest to paint the perfect piece, it would be worth it because I would get to see your face. When I close my eyes and think of beautiful landscapes to paint, I always picture you in them. I can't deny my feelings anymore Soraka. What I feel for you."

Soraka's heart pounded in her ears as she saw the painting for what it was, a declaration of love. After some thought, she realized that at some level she had looked forwards to his visits. "I… Khada… This is all…" She stammered, trying to make sense of her words and her feelings at the same time.

Khada reached into a nearby bush and pulled out his mask and Whisper. He held it reverently in his hands and turned to face Soraka's back as she tried to talk. "You're a beautiful woman, Soraka. The most beautiful I have seen in a long time." He said, silently checking Whisper's ammunition.

Soraka blushed at the compliment. "T-thank you." She tried in vain to calm the heat that rose to her face.

Khada pulled out most of the bullets and left one inside, the one labeled Spring. He spoke to cover the sound of clicking the pieces back together. "I knew that when the moment I saw you, I had to capture your lovely visage in art. But it's imperfect. Flawed."

"No, no it isn't." Soraka laughed lightly even as her heart pounded faster. "It's one of your best works. I think it's perfect."

Jhin ignored her. "Fear not, my lovely blossom. I have the way to immortalize your beauty forever." He placed the mask over his visage, discarding the persona of Khada completely. "Get on your knees, my star."

"What?" Soraka turned around, utterly confused. "What happened to your—" Her voice caught in her throat. A cold hand of fear grabbed her throat in a vise, forbidding speech. She knew of the serial killer that stood before her from her travels many years ago. She had seen so many wanted posters, had even seen a victim.

"Everything is going according to script." Jhin said matter-of-factly. "Now, get on your knees. Or I will recruit others from your village, and make this a collage of screams."

Tears fell from Soraka's eyes as she dropped helplessly to her knees before him. "No! Don't hurt them, please." She pleaded, her voice hitching.

"Good, good!" Jhin said, elation in his voice. "Your tears, of sorrow and vulnerability! It's perfect!" His one visible eye widened in its madness. "Hold that pose, and I will give you the perfect death you have earned." He raised Whisper to her head.

"What's taking you so long?" Jinx pouted as she walked into view. "I've been standing down there forever." She complained, dragging out the final word.

Soraka's eyes shifted to the newcomer, and Jhin's voice cracked like a whip. "Look at me!" Soraka cowered, her eyes snapped back to his. Jhin sighed. "I don't mean to be harsh, but you were doing so well until you almost ruined the entire thing. I need you to look at me, the audience. It pulls the entire piece together."

"Is that a goat girl?" Jinx asked. "Oh so that's what you were drawing!" She looked at Fishbones. "Told you they were real."

"Not now Jinx." Jhin said, his voice a deathly calm. "I am about to create art."

Jinx shrugged. "Whatever, just hurry it up."

Jhin rolled his eyes, and looked back to Soraka, who by this time had wet streaks that trailed down her cheeks. His eye twitched in annoyance, he had waited too long. He needed the tears to be fresh, just like in his dream. I will just have to touch up the work afterwards. He thought as he raised Whisper to Soraka's head, just below her horn.

Caitlyn looked at the town shrouded by mist and frowned. "I know we're low on supplies, but couldn't we have waited until we reached the next town? This place unsettles me."

Shen looked at her. "Strange, in Ionia mist is seen as beautiful and a sign of life, not something to fear."

"I personally blame Zaun." Caitlyn muttered. "The 'mist' there is actually chemical smog, but the one thing that mist and this mist have in common is that they can hide threats."

Akali walked ahead of them. "The only thing in these mists to fear is us."

"Don't worry." Kennen piped in. "This is a peaceful Ionian village."

"I know Ionian towns are more likely than most other places to be peaceful." Caitlyn said as she stepped over a mushroom. "But I can't just turn off my wariness."

"We never said you should." Shen remarked as they drew close enough to see individual houses. "We are only saying that you should—" He suddenly stopped speaking, and cocked his head as if he heard something.

Kennen stopped as well. "You hear it too?"

Akali was frozen, predatory muscles tensed. It's coming from that hill. Someone is speaking. A young woman.

Caitlyn walked towards the hill, keeping an ear out. Soon a voice was discernable, and a chill crept through her. "It's Jinx." She whispered, quickly loading tranquilizers into her rifle.

"And that other voice." Shen said as he crept closer. "It's Jhin."

They were close enough to break through the mist that clung to the ground, and Caitlyn could see Jinx and Jhin, both standing over… "They have a hostage." Caitlyn whispered fiercely. "I can't shoot fast enough to drop both of them before they kill her."

"That isn't necessary." Shen said stoically, as his hands moved in complex patterns.

Jhin pulled the trigger, and watched as Spring lept through Whisper with an explosive crescendo. It flew towards Soraka's forehead, ready to paint the sweet color of death across her features. Then it stopped short, colliding with a purple energy shield that suddenly materialized and surrounded Soraka.

Neither Soraka nor Jhin breathed. Soraka's eyes opened again, and she looked around, bewildered by what had saved her. Jhin nearly dropped Whisper. He knew who was responsible. And he had an overpowering urge to run.

"Woah." Jinx said, impressed. "Goat girls can make shields! That's another 10 bucks Fishbones! I told you they could do that!"

The shield faded, and in its place stood a ninja, clad in dark violet armor. Eyes burned violet from behind his mask. "Khada Jhin." He said, without emotion. "You and your companion are under arrest."

Jhin could only stare, horrified that his perfect show was falling apart around him.

"A ninja copper?!" Jinx said disbelievingly. "Okay Fishbones, we're even on bets then." She then pulled out Pow-Pow. "Ninja copper, blue copper, they all have one thing in common!"

"Jinx don't!" Jhin exclaimed, realizing her intentions.

"THEY EAT LEAD!" Jinx shouted as Pow-Pow spat bullets towards the ninja.

A glowing sword appeared next to Shen, and a bright violet circle appeared on the ground.

Bullets traveled at several times the speed of sound, but inside Shen's Spirit Refuge, inside the zone where he allowed the spirit world and the real world to blend together, they moved much slower. They moved a little faster than a tossed ball. He swung his blade in every conceivable direction to block, slice, or redirect every bullet that came his way. He made sure none passed him to harm the vastaya behind him.

Jhin watched in mute astonishment as Shen looked like he grew eighteen arms and half as many swords while moving in twice as many directions to stop every bullet that Jinx sprayed him with. "Jinx it's no use! We need to run while he's busy!"

Jinx either didn't hear him or didn't care to listen. She probably couldn't hear him over her hysteric laughter as she emptied Pow-Pow into the really fast ninja.

Soon a loud click sounded from the minigun, and Jinx lifted it to her face irritably. "Great, Pow-Pow's out of teeth." She looked at Jhin. "What was that?"

Jhin turned and flew down the hill, and into the forest. Jinx ran past him, seemingly with little effort. He wanted to ask how she was moving so quickly, but he needed every bit of oxygen to run.

They ducked and weaved through the foliage, and Jhin chanced a look behind to see that Shen was nowhere to be seen. He started to relax, and then a figure clad in green leaped out of the trees to tackle Jinx to the ground with a crash.

He looked back to see Jinx struggling with what looked like a ninja of the Kinkou order, then he ran into a tree. Dazed, he fell onto the ground and looked up shakily at the purple tree. Then he saw the "tree" for what it really was.

"You won't escape this time." Was all Shen said.

Jhin gathered himself from the ground, chuckling. "Well done, Shen. My rival playwright has finally stopped one of my shows while the curtains were up. But you will not stop me ninja, I cannot even stop me. This mask is not just my face, it is also my—"

His monologue, and his vision, were obstructed by a fist flying towards his face. He hit the ground hard, and in a few moments, his mind sinking into the murky depths of unconsciousness.