Deep, in the heart of the sister cities, and down into the sharp cliff edges of Zaun… there was a flash of light and a splash!

And despite the the overflowing population of the undercity, there was no one to see or hear it… well, except for a certain blue haired girl who had been in the middle of getting shit-faced.

It happened in the cold fishing harbor of the abandoned bay –which incidentally, also doubled as the secret entrance to her lair– and had Jinx trying to squint her bleary eyes, narrowing them in an attempt to get a good look at the floating blob in the Stillwater lake.

Aaaaaand… nope, still blurry as fuck.

Not that the late night -and constant overcast of Piltover blocking the moon- helped any.

Giving up with a sigh, she searched her belt for her telescope, busting out the 5x lens to see what had dropped in the waters.

And what she saw was… well, what may have been a corpse. It had… purple hair(lavender?), a brown long coat, red undershirt, shiny boots, and a belt across their chest. Hmms... well, that told her absolutlely nothing. Funnily, she couldn't quite tell if it was a man or woman dead in all that muck. Likely a man, though the long wave locks were throwing her off a bit. But hey, at least she now knew that was definitely a person in the dirty waters below and not just a sack of potatoes tossed from the upper city, getting her hopes up.

Because fool her once...

Now the question was… who was it? And what schmuck was tossing cadavers into her "front yard"?

Because you don't see a whole lot of floating bodies these days, especially once Silco put his foot down on the Chem Barons just dumping whatever they fuck they wanted in the river.

But if her peepers were working right... and she wasn't just losing her marbles –a real possibility if she was being brutally honest with herself– Jinx could've sworn ol' Purple head over there appeared out of thin air with a pop, before falling headfirst into the gulge. She had only been around by happenace, having briefly emerged from her home to oil up her vault door, tired of the god awful grinding noises it kept making.

And then… bang! Boom! Plop!

Like a hero out of legends, Mr. Corpse over there appeared in a flash of light and a splash of water, anouncing his precense to the world!

Or maybe he didn't, she thought humorously, looking at the half empty bottle of liquer she had been indulging in before all this nonsense started.

More likely... he just fell off the edge of Piltover after a night of drunken partying. And in her drunken haze, just didn't notice his screaming until it was too late. Very possible, especially since he did look like some topsider owing to his fancy boots and all. And honestly, wouldn't be the first to take an unfortunate tumble off the edge of Piltover due to the city's aversion to installing guardrails.

But Purple over there just being some party boy was so boooooring. He had to have a better story than that! Especially after interrupting her night with his dying.

Maybe she could make up a better story for him? Speculate the events that led up to the human raft over their untimely demise?

That could be fun! May even help her kill twenty minutes as she polished off the rest of her drink. It would, the very least, be more interesting than doing house maintenance on her door.

So… new activity in mind, Jinx sat criss-cross on the ground, pulling a long gulp from her bottle as she looked through her telescope, trying to fish out additional details for her potential stories.

Taking in his fine clothes –despite them being covered in the grime of the river– she considered that maybe he was some unfortunate gambler, neck deep in debt he couldn't pay and ended up getting whacked. Or how about... he was some kidnap victim! Who's... rich parents wouldn't or couldn't pay for the ransom... and the criminals, being way in over their head, decided to cut their losses and toss the extra baggage off the side? Nah, that was stupid, they would have at least cut off a finger or ear as a warning first! Oh, oh! Perhaps this was a star crossed lovers' suicide? Two people forced apart due to circumstances… and the only solution in their hormone addled mind was to end it all and be together in the afterlife!

Jinx shot back another mouthful of alcohol as she considered that last theory again.

No… that can't be it, since there was only one body out there. Wait, no... Jinx could work with that. How about... the girlfriend just chickened out at the last second, letting him drop a hundred feet by himself? It could be... he was a jilted boyfriend who couldn't take the pain of seeing his lover in another's arms?

Ah, the possibilities were endless!

Although, as much as she liked that last one -and in her heart of hearts, loved the absolute drama of it-another problem presented itself. Such as... how Purple managed to not turn into a bloody splatter on impact, due to that pesky thing called surface tension, poking some logic holes in her made up story.

But what if... the giant water splash she saw was something else? One of the many sewage mutated fish creatures that called Stillwater home? And... maybe this unfortunate idiot just floated down river?

All possible... especially since being drunk did make you see wild things sometimes.

Then again… Jinx once threw a guy off a roof for criticizing Silco during an undercity rally, and the fool somehow lived. He had been some brave but stupid social reformer or other, and –despite the seemingly astronomical odds– that guy survived the impact to the asphalt. From four stories up! Sure, everything below the waist was a pulpy mess now, but he lived to continue being a menace to society, so that was something.

But she digressed…

Because how he appeared wasn't really the most important question in her mind right now. No, she was done speculating on the imaginary love life of Purple. Because -as most drunk people tend to do- her mind jumped from one interesting topic to the next, almost as fast as it took the teen to swallow another mouthful of booze.

And her current conundrum?

Whether or not it was worth the effort to wade through the dirty waters... and drag the corpse to shore so she could loot it. It was kind of a far swim (dirty too!) and she didn't really have a fishing hook to drag her prize any closer. Buu~uuut, these Pilties tended to have all sorts of goodies hidden in their pockets –money, jewelry, a monogram handkerchief– that was just ripe for the taking. And considering trench coat might have been some rich socialite, there was just no telling what she could find!

Jinx's curiosity had to be sated!

And like most people who couldn't see three feet in front of them due to binge drinking, a bad idea... just began to make more and more sense, till it was the only logical thing to do.

Plus, she hadn't gone grave robbing in a while.

It was an old habit of hers as a kid -and admittedly, a hobby of many other inhabitants of the undercity- to search through dead bodies just to see what they could find. Although, for most it was to find anything useful rather than curiosity, espcially for the urchins. You learned fast growing up in the Lanes, not turn your nose up at chance for free stuff, even if all you got for your efforts was scrapes and pocket lint.

But for her, it was more like an especially fun –if very morbid– treasure hunt!

Because once in a while, if you were lucky, you might hit a jackpot.

Hell once as a kid, Jinx even found an uneaten apple on some dead Shimmer fiend, only slightly rotten too!

That had been a good day.

And wouldn't you know it -just as she was in the middle of having her internal debate- the currents of the water shifted ever... so... slightly. Tilting Purple on his side just enough for her to catch a glimpse of a sword handle in all its glory. My oh my… well, that certainly settled that! The teen always wanted one of those! It wasn't something she would ever use for a fight -finding it way easier to just shoot her opponents in the head- but there was just something so romantic about the potential of a bladed weapon. You really had to get so up close and personal with it, practically seeing the whites of your enemies eyes, feeling the blood drip away as you stabbed them.

Soooo intimate.

Not that she would ever admit her fascination out loud, lest she give that ogre Sevika another thing to be a smug bitch about.

Because really… who cared that the woman had a retractable sword in her arm!? Jinx certainly didn't! What did it matter that it could fire laser beams and set stuff on fire! That shit wasn't even that interesting or cool! Nuh-uh… not her at least. And no, the inventor never once was "staring" at it, despite what that big fat liar might say…

That being said, maybe she could start a sword collection in secret?

That'd be cool.

While Jinx could have made a sword, or three, for herself in her workshop… just making one for yourself just seemed so mundane. Almost cheating because they were so brand new. Plus, the teen wasn't that interested in the archaic weapon to waste an afternoon learning metallurgy. And forget breaking her back trying to fold the metal! No… way more convenient to just loot them off of unsuspecting corpses that crossed her path.

Case in point…

Thankfully despite her drunkenness, she was hit with a bolt of inspiration! Jinx didn't need to go wading through the cold water to get her prize… she could just fish it out! Cause you see… just because the teen didn't have a fishing hook on her right now, didn't mean she could make one.

The perks of being a... genius inventor!

"Don't go anywhere." The mad bomber said cheekily to the corpse, snapping her fingers and pointing at the body in faux warning as she skipped back into her lair, muttering to herself. "I need something like a hook, twine, and a reel… do I even have any of that?"

And for a moment, all was quiet in the world.

Bang!

The lair door was slammed open… and Jinx came trudging back outside, spinning something in her off hand.

Finishing in record time -she had been gone for just five minutes- and reappearing with a grappling hook. And despite her inebiration, manage to cobble it together using some scrapes around her lair. Prize in sight, the dead wind of Zaun taken into account, the water trajectory calculated… she pulled the trigger, watching as the rope arced and dropped… and slam meatily into the corpse.

That made the teen wince a little.

'Ooph! Well, it's a good thing you're already dead Purple, otherwise I might have to pay your medical bills.' Jinx thought jokingly, already clicking the auto reeler on her gun to pull the swordsman to the shore. After struggling a little to drag the -surprisingly heavy- corpse up the beach gravel, the inventor dropped the rope and turned to look at her prize… and of course, the body it was attached to.

Young –maybe a teenager as well?– broad shouldered, evidently muscular even with his body hidden under the fancy long coat, and on his head a bowl cut with parted bangs in the middle. A stupid style most of the time, but Purple somehow made it work for him.

'Aw... he's pretty thing, almost like a princess!' Jink thought humorously as she gave the corpse a slight kick. This one that should have stayed at home and in their cage, instead of getting mixed up in whatever killed him.

But weirdly, not a single visible scratch on him…

'Oh, well.' She thought, as she crouched down to unclip the sword belt on his chest. 'I hope you weren't anyone important.'

And as far as she could tell, he wasn't.

He wasn't any Zaunite she knew, didn't look like any notable Pilties' that Silco had in his pocket… but maybe he was some Ionian dignitary visiting? A bodyguard perhaps? He did kind of look like one of them –although some features and coloring were off– and that would explain why he was walking around with a sword on his back…

Nah, that was stupid.

And not a mystery she was going to solve tonight… so fuck it. If she was still curious tomorrow after she woke up, and wasn't dying from a hangover, she might dedicate some brain power into solving that mystery.

But until then...

Mind made up, Jinx decided to get back to the task at hand, putting some elbow grease into rolling Purple's fat ass to the side so she could finally get at the sword.

And there it was, finally free, and all hers!

Snatching it off the ground, she couldn't stop the bubbling glee in her stomach, the anticipation. With hands trembling a little, she gripped the handle and slowly unsheathed the sword.

And what a beauty it was!

Quickly dropping the scabbard, she lifted the blade high with both hands to get a better look…

Three feet of shimmering but clear steel, artful patterns and curves inlayed into the body, a contrast to the straight razor edge –she didn't even need to touch it to know it was impossibly sharp, she could sense it– all nestled in a deceptively simple, yet quality made handle and crossguard.

That being said, Jinx was a little disappointed at how… perfect it looked. Not a single scratch or blemish on the blade. Which was… a downer to say the least. She had been hoping for a battle hardened weapon, one that was used to see blood and carnage. Nine-tenths of what made a sword interesting was the morbid backstory it had, the bodies it sliced and diced.

After all, what was the point of having a weapon if you weren't going to use it for it's intended purpose?

'Meh, maybe the next one.' Jinx thought, already over it, because… honestly? The teen was starting to feel a little sick, all the activity doing unfortunate things to her belly ful of alchohol, and wanted nothing more than to go to bed. Ready to crash, she resheathed the blade and slung it over her shoulder, before doing a quick pat down on herself to make sure she didn't forget anything… idly wondering if she should shove the body back into the water.

She didn't want scavengers circling her yard in the morning.

"Eughhhh…" The not-corpse managed to rasped out next to her, nearly causing the teen to jump out of her skin. "H-Help me…"

Clutching her chest a little, trying to will her heart to slow down before it killed her, Jinx took another look at the swordsman… and holy shit, he was breathing, albeit shallowly.

"You… talking to me Purple?" Jinx asked somewhat rhetorically, because who else? But still… she wanted to play dumb a little in case he noticed his sword on her back, and tried to lunge at her. But when he didn't answer, she gingerly nudged him a little with her toe, her hand on her pistol in case of any more surprises. And instead of saying or doing anything, his head lulled to the side, eyes shut tight. Only the unsteady rhythm of his chest showed he didn't just croak it trying to get those last words out.

Jinx let out a low whistle, pretty sure she just watched some kick the bucket.

But just as she was ready to sneak back into her lair, another ragged grasp for air... once again the shit of of her!

'Fucking A!'

"...my pocket… give me… one of the vials…" He managed to say, his hand flopping a little in a sad attempt to do it himself.

Wow... a hundred feet drop, somehow kicking and breathing... yet still fiending for the next hit! What were the chances?

"Look you princess, back to the land of the living… and not a hair out of place." She couldn't help but tease, leaning over, hands on knees to flick a lock of hair off his forehead. Yet, on the inside, utterly fascinated by the wannabe fighter's survival despite the impossible odds. "What happened? Late night partying with Shimmer? Maybe a dare to jump off a bridge? I could never tell what you Pilties consider funny."

The teen only got a pitiful groan in response.

All thoughts of sleep were gone due to that little double scare, the sudden spikes of adrenaline to her brain making her body she was wired up! And with it came a somewhat clearer mind… such as the fact that she forgot to search the not-dead man's pockets for loot!

What an oversight!

Kneeling down fully next to the swordsman in order to ratify her mistake, she couldn't help but grin as she slapped him in the arm and said. "Just so you know… this isn't me robbing you or anything. Technically, I saved your life! You owe me one." She reached over to begin pulling off his boots, the usual "hiding" spot for most people. "I'm just getting my "hero's reward" as they say. The sword's a good start… but you know, what's that compared to a human life? Not a whole lot, in my opinion."

He grunted something that she chose to interpret as a tacit agreement.

Rummaging around, Jinx found a metal container hidden in his right coat pocket. When she opened it, it had a series of colorful vials. "Ah-ha! Really? Drugs young man? I'm confiscating this for your own good." The teen couldn't help but mock a little, even as Purple made a weak grab for the box. The teen lightly smacked his hands away, tutting as she shoved the box into her back pocket. The swordsman made another slow swipe at her, forcing her to straddle him and trap his hands beneath her knees so she could "collect" her rewards undisturbed.

And then she saw it… a glowing light just under the coat –almost circular in shape– and right above where his heart would have been.

The inventor didn't know exactly what the shiny circle was, the closest approximation she could think of were those strange blue gems she had as a kid. Those blew up, yet this bit of glowing skins seemed safer… warmer… almost inviting.

She may not know what it was, but she knew she wanted it… finder's keepers' and all that.

"Hey now…you've been holding out on me muscles? Is that how you treat your savior?" Jinx joked, already reaching to grab whatever it was that he had hidden under his shirt. And in that moment, the helpless warrior seemed to know what she was aiming for… because his body still and his eyes widened. But before he could say anything, her finger touched the edge of the glowing circle.

And light engulfed the world.