Chapter 370: Caitlyn's Fury, Jinx's Deadline
Jinx stood in the middle of a Piltover street, chaos blooming in her wake. In one hand, she clutched a piece of paper covered in a crayon-scrawled diagram so chaotic it was utterly indecipherable. She would occasionally glance from her crude blueprint to a distant statue, then back again, before casually firing another rocket from Fishbones.
Hearing the renewed screams of panicked citizens, Jinx bit her lower lip. She tilted her head, her expression one of a discerning art student finding flaws in a masterpiece. After a long moment of contemplation, she shook her head, pigtails whipping through the air. "No, no… If that's supposed to be a flower bed, then this whole area is way too crowded… Eh?! Why are they so fast this time!"
Just as Jinx was lost in her destructive critique, the roar of an engine and the screech of tires tore through the air.
She whipped her head around just in time to see a powerful motorcycle charging straight for her, a woman with a familiar, determined set to her jaw at the helm.
Jinx's eyes went wide. "Vi! You big donkey! Are you trying to run me over?! Too bad you can't catch Jinx!"
With a manic grin, she aimed Fishbones at the pavement. The rocket launcher's maw glowed, instantly converting into a powerful thruster.
Caitlyn, seated behind Vi, let out a shout that was shockingly devoid of her usual composure. "Vi! Catch her! Don't let her get away!"
"You got it!"
As the ignition device under Fishbones flared with increasing intensity, Jinx cackled, her voice echoing off the surrounding buildings. "Hahaha! Big Donkey! And Cupcake! You'll never catch me! Liftoff!"
With a deafening blast, she shot straight up into the air.
Caitlyn gritted her teeth, her face a mask of fury. "Jinx! Stop right there or I'll shoot! Ah! Vi! After her! Full speed!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You wanna go fast?!"
"For justice and the law!"
"Alright! Haven't had a good race in a while! Let's go!"
The remaining police officers on the street swallowed nervously, watching the two enforcers tear off in a cloud of exhaust.
One officer, still holding his rifle, muttered blankly, "Um… Officer Caitlyn and Officer Vi seem especially… unhinged today…"
"Mm-hmm," the others murmured in unison.
High above the city, Jinx was soaring through the sky, idly wondering how to handle her "official business" when she sensed something closing in on her from below.
She glanced down and nearly tumbled off her rocket-propelled weapon in shock.
Down on the streets, Vi was driving like a woman possessed, weaving through traffic and blasting over sidewalks in relentless pursuit. Behind her, Caitlyn was glaring up at Jinx with an expression of pure, murderous intent.
Jinx was genuinely spooked—or more accurately, she was spooked by Caitlyn.
The Sheriff was famous throughout Piltover as the police force's ice queen, a paragon of impeccable manners and unshakable etiquette. To see her face twisted into such a feral snarl was deeply unsettling.
"Wow…" Jinx muttered to herself, "That woman really did hit menopause early… This is terrifying! Scarier than that lunatic Kure Raian!"
As she was talking, she suddenly noticed that the motorcycle was gaining on her. Fast.
Jinx glanced down at her rocket launcher, then slapped her own forehead with a groan. "Crap! I forgot to refuel! If that's the case… then it's time for a detour!"
Without another thought, she bailed, leaping off her rocket and plummeting into an adjacent residential district.
Vi was on a motorcycle; there was no way she could follow her through the tight alleyways and over the rooftops. Jinx was sure she had escaped.
When she landed with a light thud, her theory seemed to hold true.
She began to walk leisurely, swinging her long blue braids, a triumphant smirk on her face. But then, she heard a terrifying, high-pitched whine—the sound of an engine being pushed far beyond its limits.
Jinx swallowed hard and turned her head, her eyes widening in disbelief. A motorcycle was sailing through the sky, having launched itself off a rooftop.
Caitlyn and Vi had just flown over a block of houses. Weren't they afraid of crashing?!
The motorcycle landed with a deafening crash, metal screaming against pavement.
Only then did Jinx realize that at some point, Caitlyn had taken over driving. Vi was now sitting behind her, arms wrapped tightly around the Sheriff's waist.
Just as Vi was about to say something, there was a series of sharp, cracking sounds. Her mouth twitched. "Whoa, whoa… No way…"
Jinx took two cautious steps back as a pile of metallic parts rolled to a stop near her feet.
Caitlyn's face was smudged with dust, but her expression was fixed. Vi, however, looked completely stunned, staring at the heap of scrap that had once been her beloved motorcycle.
"My bike! Jinx!" Vi roared, pointing an accusing finger.
Jinx, who had been thoroughly enjoying the spectacle, quickly held up her hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Big Donkey! The menopausal lady broke it! Why are you yelling at me?!"
A muscle in Caitlyn's jaw twitched.
Early menopause? She was only in her early twenties!
Caitlyn raised her hextech rifle, the barrel aimed squarely at Jinx's chest. "Jinx," she said, her voice a low growl.
"I'm not moving!" Jinx chirped.
"Without that man here to protect you, how do you plan to run now?!"
Jinx blinked, then threw her head back and let out a peal of laughter. "Hahahahaha! Caitlyn! I almost forgot you existed until you brought it up! You guys still need the Chef to deal with you! Hahahahaha!"
Indeed, Jinx had, over the past week, upgraded Ren from 'that bastard Chef'to simply'the Chef'. It was a huge improvement, at least in her mind.
Caitlyn gritted her teeth. "Jinx! Be serious! Tell me! How do we get there?! Why can't I open that door anymore?!"
Jinx casually swung one of her braids. "Because the shop wasn't open for the last few days, duh. Are you an idiot?"
"A few days?" Caitlyn's voice was dangerously low. "Are you mocking me?! Are you telling me you were only gone for a few days?!"
Jinx bristled at the accusatory tone. "Yeah! I only stayed for seven days! Got a problem with that?! You're a big donkey, too!"
Vi clenched her massive gauntleted fist. "No one's gonna believe that crap! You've been gone for almost eight months! Piltover was about to hold a festival to celebrate!"
"One day on the Chef's side is one month here! So, no problem!" Jinx shot back matter-of-factly.
Just as Vi was about to argue further, she saw Caitlyn slowly nod. "That… would explain it."
"Caitlyn! You actually believe her nonsense?!"
"I believe her," Caitlyn and Jinx said in unison.
Caitlyn took a step forward, her rifle never wavering. "You're back. Does that mean we can go over now?"
"Idiot," Jinx sang. "The Chef only finished his competition today. It's a family dinner night, so the shop's closed."
"So, you mean it'll be open tomorrow?!" Caitlyn pressed, a flicker of hope in her eyes.
Jinx turned her head away with a sniff. "Yeah. But what are you going to the shop for? I'm the one who paid for your meals! You big donkeys don't carry any money, do you?!"
Vi shot Caitlyn a strange look. The Sheriff had the grace to look slightly awkward. "Who carries money on a mission?! Will it still be that optician's door tomorrow?! Is there a special method I need to use?!"
Jinx thought for a moment, tapping her chin. "I only blew up one statue today. Tell you what, let me go, and I'll tell you. I can't stand staying in this place much longer anyway! How about we call it even from now on?"
"Deal! But where are you going?"
"I'm moving over there," Jinx declared. "Compared to that world, Piltover is like… like heated shark meat dipped in blue cheese mixed with durian!"
"What are blue cheese and durian?" Vi asked, completely lost.
"Food from over there. You wouldn't get it."
Vi felt a growing sense of unease. The way the two were talking, they almost sounded like old friends catching up. If Caitlyn's rifle wasn't still aimed and ready to fire, she might have thought this was all some elaborate joke. And the things they were saying… could they actually be true?
Caitlyn nodded sharply. "Fine! Never mind the food! Tell me how to get there!"
Jinx's manic grin returned. "Listen up! I'm only saying this once! If you can't catch me next time, you'll never see me again!"
Though she said it with a smile, her tone held a rare, startling seriousness. Even Vi was taken aback. Had Jinx's personality completely changed? Caitlyn, however, simply nodded, her expression equally grave.
Jinx's voice dropped, becoming low and clear. "Every night, as long as you picture the Chef's shop in your mind, just find any door. Open it, and you'll go over. You can bring friends, and anything that can be used for trade can be used as currency! That's it!"
Caitlyn stared at Jinx, searching her face for any sign of deception. "You're not lying to me?"
"Lying about this is less exciting than blowing up a treasury vault!"
Caitlyn held her gaze for another long moment, then abruptly lowered her rifle. "Enforcer Vi!" she barked.
"Jinx is escaping towards Main Street! After her!"
"Huh?! But…"
"The suspect is resisting arrest! Move! Quickly, quickly, quickly!"
As Jinx watched Caitlyn drag a bewildered Vi away, a strange, unreadable expression crossed her face. She sighed, a soft whisper escaping her lips. "Two big donkeys… in a box… If you can't catch Jinx next time… you'll never catch her again…"
She turned and walked away, hands clasped behind her head, her two long braids swinging with each step. The source of all chaos and the two top Enforcers, walking in opposite directions under the Piltover sky, leaving behind a scene of indescribable strangeness.
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