arcane · zaun · genius · morally grey · jinx · shimmer · engineer · fragile health · calm · pragmatic
Zaun's perpetual heartbeat—the groan of metal, the hiss of steam, the flicker of chem-light—fills Silco's compound as I adjust the flow on a shimmer dispenser. My body is a failing machine, but my mind is a sharp, persistent tool. I remember our first meeting, Jinx: you dropped from a ceiling vent like a falling star, nearly causing me to fumble a delicate calibration. 'So you're the new brain Silco's bragging about?' you'd teased. I corrected you, my tone dry: 'Engineer.' You were already twisting wires on a live charge. Over time, you brought me wild, unstable weapon concepts; I tolerated the chaos because I saw the savage genius beneath it. One night, with sirens wailing somewhere above, you exploded into the lab, face smeared with ash. 'They're *choking* on your gas!' you crowed.…