In an unknown location between Piltover and Zaun, a secret meeting between the world's largest chemical and cybernetic corporations was taking place. These included Ferros Industries, led by Camille Ferros, known as the Shadow of Iron; Quintech Factories, led by Renata Glasc, the chemical baroness; Heimer Tech, founded by Professor Heimerdinger, which is a partner of Hextech Factory, founded by the young prodigy Jayce Talis; and finally, Machine Realm, a company with questionable stocks but extremely influential, led by Viktor, who calls himself the Herald of the Machines. The chemical and cybernetic magnates met to discuss a common problem, known as Jinx, the unbridled trigger. This woman was a terrorist who was destroying their factories and enhancement shops, causing great losses. She threatened not only their businesses but also the people of Piltover and Zaun.
— So, gentlemen, what's the plan to deal with the cyber psychopath Jinx Kinnie? — Renata began in her sarcastically cybernetic voice. — Becuse, my traps still work very well.
— No, because there's no way to predict her next actions, which makes it very difficult to devise a plan to deal with her! — Jayce exclaimed in frustration before addressing the gray-haired woman. — But I believe Madame Ferros might have something in mind. — He observed Camille's thoughtful expression.
— You're a perceptive young man, Mr. Talis. — Her cold, mechanical, monotonous voice echoed through the room. — I met someone, and I believe she can help us with our little problem. — She smiled confidently.
— Oh? And who would this person be who you say can solve our problem?
— She calls herself Vi, a bounty hunter with a history with Jinx. Because of this, she knows exactly how criminal she is and how she thinks and acts, which is why I'm absolutely certain she can capture her. — Expressing her confidence in this Vi, her smile fading.
However, there was one person who didn't like the idea: Viktor, who clenched his metal fist tightly. He already knew Vi, and she had been interfering in some of his "business." He stood up abruptly from his chair, aiming his laser at Camille. Not only that, but he demanded that she hand Vi over to him immediately, threatening to shoot her. However, he was restrained by Orianna, Camille's bodyguard, who pressed his head against the table and pointed a pistol at his head. He had no choice but to surrender. After this minor incident, the meeting proceeded without further ado, with everyone's problems being resolved. Jayce and Heimerdinger talked after the meeting; they had their own solution for dealing with Jinx before something worse happened.
On the top floor of one of the Ferros Industries headquarters buildings, Camille observes the bustling city below, occasionally glancing at her watch, waiting for someone to arrive. At the reception desk, a tall woman with short, vibrant red hair and wearing enormous gauntlets walks through the door and walks past the receptionist as if she weren't there, stopping in front of the elevator. With a quick flick of her wrist, she detaches one of her gauntlets, which falls heavily to the floor. Now with her hand free, she calls the elevator, needing to press the button to go up. The receptionist, completely ignored until now, calls out to the woman, who, sighing impatiently and irritably, puts on her gauntlet again and turns to look at the receptionist with coldness and indifference. — Hey, sweetie, could you shut up, please? — Her voice and expression were frightening; the coldness in her gaze and the indifferent, threatening harshness of her voice made the receptionist instantly shut up and shrink. Entering the elevator, she pressed the button for the top floor. As it ascended, she stared at the panoramic view of the elevator, reminiscing about the past, clenching her fists tightly, making the handles steer. When the elevator doors opened, she snapped out of her memories. Before her lay a long, ruddy corridor lined with numerous works of art, which, at a glance, were incredibly expensive. At the end was a room, and behind the doors, Camille sat at her desk with her usual imposing posture, staring at the door with her robotic, unnatural smile.
— Quite punctual, Miss Kinnie, please come in. — Camille greeted.
— It's Kiramman, not Kinnie, Madame Ferros. — The red-haired growled at being called by a name she had abandoned long ago.
— Oh, yes, I'm sorry about that, my mistake. But do you know why you're here? Why I called you, right? — She asked in her mechanical, monotonous voice.
— Of course, Jinx is disrupting your business, and you want me to capture her, am I right?
— Exactly. I want you to get her off the streets as quickly as possible, and of course, that shouldn't be difficult for you.
— Is she that much of a nuisance for a woman like you to hire a mercenary like me?
— Yes, unfortunately she is. Since, thanks to her, the enhancement market is suffering major losses, I will pay you a generous sum for your services, as I expect a lot from you.
— And of course, Madame Ferros, I will make her pay for every one of her crimes. — The brute affirms confidently.
Vi notices a smug smile on the face of the woman in front of her. Camille gets up from her desk and walks over to her. She knew the contractor was a tall woman, but she hadn't expected her to be so tall. Camille was an intimidating woman, standing at 7'3" (2.29 meters) tall, compared to Vi's 6'5" (1.98 meters). Camille holds out a chip containing data on Jinx's latest attacks before sliding over to the large window to observe the city below. Vi turns to leave; however, Camille calls out to her.
— Oh, and one more thing.
— Ma'am?" She turned, thinking about whom she wanted to talk about.
— I hope I can count on you to escort an honored guest. — The madam's request surprised the young red-haired.
— And is this guest someone so important? — She wondered internally what kind of guest this person would be.
— Yes, being a princess from a noble family in an allied kingdom.
— I'll charge more, you know that, right? — She smirked.
— Money isn't an issue, Miss Violet. — She smiled sarcastically as he watched Violet enter the elevator.
As she prepared to leave on her motorcycle, Vi glanced toward Camille's office. She wondered why she was bringing a noblewoman, when she had a problem to solve. But she quickly dismissed such thoughts, since she wasn't paid to think, but to punch a bum in the face. Then she revved her motorcycle and turned left, continuing straight for a few blocks before merging onto the main highway, weaving through cars and trucks. Turning onto one of the exits that led to one of the residential districts in the wealthy part of Piltover, she took the first right and continued to the end of the street until she reached a large mansion. She was greeted by guards, who ordered one of them to guard her motorcycle. I walked to the door, entered, and announced.
— Cait, we have a job!
Meanwhile, in Zaum, Jinx was planting a bomb in one of Renata Glasc's factories. As she was preparing to leave, she was spotted by security. Before the guards could do anything, she went "pow-pow," transforming them into human sieves. As she raced through the corridors, she thought she would escape without any further unwanted encounters. However, as she rounded a corner and climbed onto a walkway, she saw that the lower level was swarming with guards. Since finding another exit would take time, she decided to jump on them, as it would be quicker and more fun that way. She landed, shooting and throwing bombs everywhere, causing considerable damage. But she couldn't waste any more time there, no matter how much fun it was. So when she saw a gap between the guards, she threw a smoke bomb to cover her escape, successfully escaping. A few minutes later, Renata arrived at the scene, but before she could enter to assess the damage, "boom!" the building almost completely exploded. The explosion knocked her to the ground. She looked at her burning factory, stood up, clenching her fists and trembling, raised her head, and screamed.
— Jiiinx! — Renata roared, enraged.
Jinx watched from afar, laughing. But something caught her eye in her peripheral vision. She noticed a yellowish glow. Quickly getting up, she ran toward the light. In an alley, a young blonde woman found herself surrounded by four young Zounite delinquents. They said they were just going to play with her for a bit. But in their eyes and words, malice could be seen and felt. She was frightened and completely surrounded and didn't know what to do. When a memory of her brother Garen came to her: "I know you shouldn't use your magic, but when you're in danger or have no way out, you must use it, because your safety is more important than your social standing." Then, she closed her eyes and raised her hands toward the delinquents. A golden aura formed around her body. When she opened her eyes, they emanated an intense golden glow. Immediately afterward, a beam of light shot from her hands, not strong enough to kill them, but strong enough to knock the delinquents unconscious. After the intense glow dissipated, she fell to the ground, sitting down. Fear had finally overcome her, making her legs weak. As she considered how to get back to Piltover, she was startled by a hysterical laugh. She looked around but saw nothing, then turned her eyes upward to see a woman sitting on the edge of the roof.
— Haha, sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, but that was fucking amazing. — The smiling stranger woman said.
— W-who are you? — The stranger asked, preparing to fire again.
— Wow! Easy there, sunshine, I'm not a threat. — The tall, blue-haired stranger replied, smiling, her hands raised. — Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself. — She jumped from the roof to the ground. — My name is Jinx Kinnie, a cyber psychopath known as The Unbridled trigger. Um... hi?
Still processing what she had just heard the stranger say so proudly, the young blonde barely noticed when Jinx moved closer than necessary.
— Oh, yes, Jinx, right? I am Luxanna Stemmaguarda, princess of the ducal house Stemmagurda of the city-state of Demacia. — She said, stepping back a little.
— Wow, a princess, and an honor to meet you, Your Highness. — She gave an exaggerated curtsy.
— Why do I feel like you're mocking me?
— No, never… — Luxanna stared at her. — Okay, I'm mocking you. — Jinx smiled mischievously.
— It's not nice to make fun of people — she stood up again — especially someone who was almost attacked."
— But it wasn't, so why don't we leave before they wake up? — Jinx pointed at the delinquents.
I didn't know that from the moment I held her hand, my life would change completely and permanently. That night I couldn't go back to Piltover, so I had to stay at Jinx's "house." Even though I didn't trust her, I didn't have much of a choice. I couldn't just wander around. Walking those dark alleys alone would have been a stupid idea, but I can't believe she's a cyberpsychopath. She's too sane and normal to be one of those cybernetic freaks. And yet she's too cute to be as dangerous as the rumors say. No, I can't be fooled by a pretty face; she might be leading me into a trap.
— Where exactly are you taking me? — I asked.
— Didn't I tell you before, we're going to my apartment? There's something more specific than that. — Looking at me confused, she said it as if it were something normal.
— Hey, Jinx, if it's not too much trouble, could you tell me what that bang was earlier?
— Oh, that? I blew up a building.
How can someone say they blew up a building so casually? They certainly have no common sense. After a while walking through dark alleys and lanes, we reached a busy avenue. Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and pulled me into her arms, preventing a bicycle from hitting me. Looking into my eyes, she said. — Don't move away from me; it could be dangerous. — I don't know what came over me at that moment, but I felt an impulse, a desire I couldn't help but fulfill, this strange urge I felt, so I kissed her.
— S-sorry, I-I, I didn't… — I pulled away from her, trying to apologize, but shame took my voice.
— Hahaha, wow, I didn't know noble girls were so aggressive. — Jinx laughed, seemingly oblivious to what had happened. — Why are you so worried, Sunshine? Here in Zaun, you're free to make your own choices without anyone judging you, so get out of here.
I lowered my head, and an awkward silence followed. She sighed deeply, observing my reaction. When I looked up at her again, she was smiling. She grabbed my hand again, but more firmly, and began dragging me through the crowd on the sidewalk. I realized in that moment that Jinx was just a normal teenager with a radiant smile, but with a sad, deep look in her eyes that made me want to care for and protect her. I didn't know what I felt at the time, but I assure you, I've never felt as good as I did that night. Being dragged away by a techno-maniac who everyone on the street avoided like the devil from the cross, I recognize that our first encounter wasn't like a fairy tale. However, it is one of my most cherished and treasured memories.
— We're here! Welcome to my humble residence. — Jinx said, looking proud of her messy "home".
The place she called her "humble residence" was a propeller from an abandoned power plant. In the center was a workbench with various tools and materials. Additionally, there were parts scattered across the floor, a bed at one end of the propeller, and a trunk, which I assumed was where she kept her clothes. The walls were covered in neon pink and blue graffiti, which I must confess was readable. She dragged me to sit on a sofa near the workbench; she'd asked me to wait a bit. After a few minutes, she returned with some clothes, a miniskirt, and a red crop top. I asked her why, and she replied, somewhat sarcastically, that walking around in an expensive dress with gold earrings and bracelets wasn't flashy at all. I understood her meaning, but I still wonder if the sarcasm was really necessary. However, she was right; I should wear more ordinary clothes if I wanted to get out of Zaun in one piece. I got up to change, but she continued to stare at me with those shallow, dark, deep blue eyes. I had a strange feeling when I turned around and there she was, just a few feet away, staring intently at me. So I politely asked her to move away a bit and turn her back, as I was too embarrassed to change in front of someone. But, in truth, I was scared. I know I should at least give her a vote of confidence, but in that situation, being in an unfamiliar environment with an unfamiliar person, it was a bit difficult. Maybe it was because she was a criminal, or maybe it was because she was a stranger, I don't know, but I decided to think about it another time and enjoy her kindness, which I didn't know when it would end. After changing, I felt a little cold, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. I called out to Jinx, who quickly turned around, smiled, and said I was very "hot." I think it was a compliment, but I still don't quite understand why she said that. Furthermore, I was about to say something else when I suddenly felt dizzy and everything went dark. I guess I shouldn't have used magic without complete control. The last memory I have of that day is Jinx's look of despair and hearing her scream my name. I regained consciousness some time later, waking up lying in bed with Jinx beside me.
— What? How? — She was so close, I almost kissed her again.
When that thought crossed my mind, it suddenly didn't seem like a bad idea. Then, driven by a completely new and inexplicable impulse, I leaned over her and closed my eyes, but when I was just inches away, I pulled back. I wasn't going to take advantage of an unconscious and defenseless woman to satisfy my curiosity.
— Wow! — a voice behind me exclaimed. — I thought you were braver, but it seems you're still very shy, aren't you, Miss Stemmaguarda? — Jinx scoffed.
— Since when have you been awake?
— The whole time, I just had my eyes closed.
— Oh, by Kayle's wings, how embarrassing. — I hid my face in the pillow.
— Hahaha… don't be embarrassed; I thought your attempt was cute. — I don't know if it was a compliment or not, but I felt a little offended.
— I'm not cute. — She started laughing. — Hey, stop laughing at me.
I don't know why, but every time I look at her, my heart races. The incomprehension of my feelings made me uncomfortable, but it wasn't like I disliked the feeling. It was a warm, pleasant sensation, like a summer morning; it's something that makes me feel good. I think it was because of this feeling that I started to trust Jinx so much, even though I only met her last night. Is that what my brother called love at first sight? It can't be, right?
— Hey, Sunshine, here you go, you know what they say? An empty bag doesn't stand up. —Jinx hands me a tray with a glass of juice, some bread, and fruit, with a beautiful, mesmerizing smile.
Shit, I think I've gotten myself into a really complicated situation. I fell in love with a criminal at first sight. Kayle, how in the world did this happen? The smile, which previously didn't affect me at all, is giving me butterflies. But it's too late to turn back. Should I talk to her? Will she think I'm weird? What do I do?