"Why didn't I try this sooner?" Jinx mutters to herself under her breath, stepping behind a beam just in time to miss this round's security check.
Sneaking onto the airship had been shockingly easy, given the recently boosted security surrounding all forms of transportation in Piltover. Sevika and Hammer Boy working together to bridge the gaps between Zaun and The City of Progress, get ahead of the new sumpgangs springing up with the previous generation all gone, blah, blah, blah. All Jinx had had to do was cause a teeny, tiny, explosive distraction, pointedly missing her signature graffiti, knock out and steal the uniform of a Piltie guard who was meant to go along on this expedition as security, and voila! Infilatration mission: complete.
When Jinx had stowed away in disguise, she'd had no idea where the airship was going, except for, well, away. She learned quickly their destination was Bilgewater, and whatever was left of Powder inside of her could've squealed with delight. A childhood dream, instead of a nightmare, come true.
Truthfully, Jinx didn't think she could've chosen a better place to disappear to.
She ditched the Piltie grunt uniform shortly after take off, figuring that if it came to it, she'd be able to fight her way out of anyone determined enough to create a confrontation. There seemed to be enough rich folks, at a high enough altitude, that any curiosity about a vaguely familiar stowaway was quickly dissuaded with a threatening glare. Tensions were running high after the recent battle, and nobody wanted to risk getting thrown off the deck.
Jinx kept to the shadows as much as possible during the short stay, pilfering food and expensive- or interesting-looking trinkets from passengers' pockets. She was delighted to hear whispers about her when she whipped around past corners, about how the specter of Zaun had followed them aboard to haunt the skies and the sea. Leaving a monkey face hidden here and there on the ceilings and walls, she figured it wouldn't hurt to add to what Jinx hoped was an air of mystery surrounding her story. If they were gonna talk, may as well give 'em somethin' to talk about.
She'd snuck out to the top deck on sunrise of the third day, the smell of salt filling her nostrils. Jinx had never left the Twin Cities before, and was enthralled by the idea of how far they'd been from any land at all. Now, though, with the sun climbing drowsily up over the horizon, the outlines of ships on the sea start to materialize. Despite the early hour, the port town is busy, bustling, nearly bursting with sound and energy.
"I think I might like it
around here."