Leaping, dodging, and vaulting, Jinx parkoured across the rooftops, taking her own unique path back to Zaun. In the background, for a split second as she jumped, a fleeting image of 'The Scream' flashed behind her.
Ren followed close behind. He could have been faster, but he chose not to be.
He didn't run beside her, but instead kept a small distance, silently watching the precious girl ahead of him.¹
As he passed by a large section of piping, Ren paused for a moment.
Up ahead, Jinx sensed it. Her shoulders tensed slightly, and she turned back with a grin, urging him on.
"Hurry up! Can't keep up? No dinner for the kid who gets home late~" With that, she took off again, racing toward the heart of Zaun.
Ren didn't linger. He followed after her, but just as he pushed off, he cast an empowered version of his Mark spell deep into the pipes.
He had felt a jolt as he passed it. Using his Perception skill, he had discovered the 'person' inside the pipe—an aura of warm, cheerful green surrounding a core of burning purple fire.²
Ren had his suspicions, but right now, the girl in front of him was what mattered most.
The calm river water reflected the faces of a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman. Ren and Jinx waded through the water, which came up nearly to their waists.
As before, Jinx was in the lead, with Ren following her.
She chattered happily, telling him all about the past few years: helping Silco with his eyedrops, building weapons for him, blowing up his enemies for him, and on and on.
Ren listened quietly, chiming in with support every now and then, like a comedian's straight man playing to the audience.
Jinx talked endlessly about all the fun and funny things she'd encountered. Finally, she arrived at the heaviest memory of all—the chaos in the lanes.
Her voice choked with unshed tears, but she still recounted the entire story in detail, from her friends going to Piltover to Vander's death.
When she finished, she stood silently in front of him, her head bowed, her hands gripping her own arms so tightly her knuckles were white. She looked like she was awaiting a final judgment.
Ren walked past her and stood with his back to her, and began to tell her his story from all those years.
How he was taken, what he did as a pirate, the magical wonders he'd experienced, the death of Gangplank—he told her everything, just as she had for him.
When he was done, he turned to face her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, gently making her look up so their eyes met.
"Everyone changes," he said softly. "Or rather, they grow up."
"But no matter how I change, I'm still me. I'm still Ren."
"And you're still you. It doesn't matter how much you've changed, or how different the things you've done are from when we were kids."
Ren moved his hands up, cupping her cheeks.
"Whether you call yourself Powder or Jinx, it doesn't matter. You are you. You're my family, the person I'm closest to in the world."¹
Her hands shot up to grip his, and tears finally spilled over, streaming down her face.
Ren used his thumbs to gently wipe them away. "Don't cry. You're the best."
Jinx gazed at him, and Ren gazed back. They stood in silence for a long time.
Suddenly, Jinx pulled his hands away from her face, surged forward, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his.¹²
Ren was surprised for a brief moment before he hugged her back just as fiercely, returning her desperate embrace.
Professor Heimerdinger and the little troublemaker, Fizz, made a pact: next time, Fizz would bring all his new friends over to the professor's home for a visit.
Afterward, the professor took Fizz and Twisted Fate on a tour of the various Progress Day exhibits. When Fizz got hungry around noon, the professor led them to a nearby snack shop.
Jayce soon came over to join the professor. Mr. and Mrs. Kiramman, having heard about the professor's 'kinsman,' came along as well.
The shop owner, seeing so many important figures gracing his humble establishment, happily declared that their meal was on the house. When they politely refused, he insisted on sending over several of his signature dishes, no arguments allowed.
Mel Medarda, passing by, was intrigued by the novel combination of people. She and her aide, Iola, joined them. The shop owner, his grin threatening to split his face, rushed to bring over another table to connect to theirs.
The professor took the lead, making introductions all around.
Mel turned to Twisted Fate, her curiosity piqued. "Mr. Twisted Fate, what sort of business is your employer in?"
"A little of this, a little of that," Twisted Fate said with an easy smile. "I've never asked for the specifics. I don't really care."
"After all, I just need to do my part."
Mel noted his evasiveness but remained polite. "Well, then, you must introduce me to this mysterious boss of yours when the opportunity arises."
"It would be my honor, Lady Medarda."
As he finished speaking, Twisted Fate noticed Mrs. Kiramman had been watching him for a moment. He quickly asked, "Is something wrong, madam? Is there anything I can help you with?"
The kindly Mrs. Kiramman smiled. "Oh, no, it's nothing. I'm sorry to bother you. It's just that you look a bit familiar, as if I've seen you somewhere before."
Beneath the table, Twisted Fate's fingers twitched. He forced a laugh and raised his glass. "The honor would be all mine, madam. I only wish I'd had the pleasure of meeting you sooner. After all, House Kiramman was one of the most important forces in building this great City of Progress."
*(Translator's Note: Back before Graves was thrown in prison, he and Twisted Fate pulled a massive heist in Piltover.)*³
By the side of the Piltovan river in Zaun, Ren sat perfectly still on the ground, wearing a hooded jacket. The hood, pulled over his head, was adorned with blue graffiti on one side and pink on the other.
"Heeey~ a-and… just a little longer, almost done."
Jinx was crouched behind him, using his jacket as her canvas.
A cloth was spread out on the ground before them, littered with empty food containers. It was clear their picnic was over.
Soon, Jinx's masterpiece was complete. The back of the jacket was a chaotic, beautiful weave of blue and pink paint.
She launched into a professional-sounding critique of her own work, peppering it with heaps of praise. To put it simply: this part was good, that part was good, blah blah blah, basically everything was perfect.
Ren just sat there, humming in agreement. "Mhm~ yep~"
Finally, she delivered her conclusion. "This piece of graffiti has an incredibly unique personal style! The artist who could create something like this must be an absolute genius! So, who is this super genius?"
One second she was asking the question, and the next she was throwing herself at Ren, flipping over his shoulders so she was hanging upside-down in front of him, her face beaming. "That's me!"
Ren couldn't help but laugh. Seeing this, Jinx playfully poked his face with the tip of one of her long braids.
Just as they were messing around, a group of people approached them, led by Sevika.
"Jinx, it's time to go back," Sevika said, her gaze shifting to Ren. "You too. Silco wants to see you."
Ren looked at Jinx's troubled expression and gently scraped the back of his finger along the bridge of her nose. "Come on. We have to meet him sooner or later."
As they were about to leave, Ren used his ability to make the cloth and food containers vanish into his storage space. One of Sevika's men looked confused. "You could just leave that stuff. Why bother putting it away?"
"I don't want to litter in Zaun," Ren replied.
The man scoffed. "Zaun is full of trash. It's been that way for years."
"Things have to change," Ren said, his voice serious. "And I hope it starts now."
His words made Jinx look up at him, her big eyes blinking, impossibly cute.⁴
It wasn't just Jinx. Sevika also gave Ren a long, appraising second look.
The Last Drop, the liveliest place in the Black Lanes, was an iconic landmark in Zaun.
It was the headquarters of the current Godfather of Zaun. Years ago, it had also been the headquarters of Zaun's former leader. The fact that it had served as the base for two successive "Leaders of Zaun" gave the tavern a legendary status.
As Sevika led her men toward the tavern with a stranger in tow, whispers broke out among the onlookers.
"Hey, who do you think that guy is, the one trailing Sevika?"
"Doesn't matter who he is. He's finished."
"What do you mean?" others asked, turning to the drunkard who had spoken.
"Hic~ Look at Sevika's crew," the drunk slurred. "They've got the kid surrounded. Obviously to keep him from running."
"And if you look closer, the one 'escorting' him is Jinx!"
"For Silco to send both Sevika and Jinx… that guy must have really, really pissed him off."
The crowd listened to the drunk's rambling analysis and found it made a strange sort of sense. Their agreement seemed to delight the drunk as much as another full mug of ale.
Soon, the crowd dispersed, except for the drunk who was now passed out on the ground and a burly man smoking a cigar, who took one last drag before heading into the tavern himself.
Inside the office of The Last Drop, Silco watched the young man sitting across the desk from him. Sevika sat on a sofa near the entrance.
Jinx was perched on the desk, her legs hugged to her chest, facing Silco.
"Pfft~ Shoo~" she hummed, playing with one of Silco's eyedroppers.
"Jinx?"
"I'm here!"
"I'd like to speak with Ren for a moment."
Under Silco's steady gaze, Jinx huffed and gracefully vaulted up onto one of the overhead beams, settling there.
"It's been a long time, Silco… Uncle."
"It has been many years," Silco said, his voice smooth as silk. "I don't know what happened to you back then. And I don't know why you've suddenly returned. Would you care to share?"
Once again, Ren recounted the story of his lost years. The only difference was that this time, he had a partner.
Jinx leaned down from the beam, chiming in to support Ren's story, sometimes even jumping ahead to tell parts of it herself.
In the end, Ren told about seventy percent of the story, and Jinx told the other thirty.
Silco listened, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk. The tapping grew more and more frequent.⁴
"Hah… you've certainly had a rich and varied life these past few years. You became a mage… and you killed Gangplank."
"I have my mother to thank for that. As for Gangplank? Luck, I suppose. I doubt I could pull it off a second time."
"The result is what matters," Silco said, pausing for a beat. "You're alive, and he's dead." He added, "Your mother was a good woman. Your father, too."
Ren smiled faintly before his expression turned serious. "On the way here, I saw many people in the dark alleys with… physical mutations. From what I've gathered since I returned, I assume it's because of Shimmer."
Silco sensed where this was going and his own posture straightened. "Yes. It's all because of Shimmer."
"Because of Shimmer, they become addicted. Because of Shimmer, they fall into poverty. Because of Shimmer, they become… those things."
Silco's voice grew harder, more intense. "Because of Shimmer, we can now earn vast sums of money from Topside. Because of Shimmer, our chem-tech has advanced by leaps and bounds."
"Because of Shimmer, people can gain power that transcends the limits of the flesh. Because of Shimmer, our military strength is greater than ever before!"
"Because of Shimmer, we might still lose to Topside, but now… now we have the ability to fight back!"
"We will not be lambs to the slaughter again."
"Silco, your goal in developing Shimmer isn't the problem," Ren countered calmly. "But your method of using it is wrong."
"Developing our strength is the right move. Using it to smuggle goods and profit off Piltover is fine. But why use it on Zaun itself, and in this way?"
"Temporary sacrifices are necessary for future victory," Silco retorted. "I need to maintain my current position to consolidate Zaun's power."
"Child, even now, Piltover refuses to see us as equals. United, we have a chance. A divided Zaun has no future."²
Ren picked up a glass and took a sip, tapping his index finger against it. "Your idea is sound. I also agree that we must gather all our strength."
"But the 'strength' you speak of… does it not include those people in the alleys? Or do you believe the Chem-Barons are the only 'strength' that matters?"
"Ren, when we charged the bridge all those years ago, why did we lose? The gap in power was too great. They had guns. What did we have?" Silco's voice was strained. "I thought developing Shimmer would close that gap. But who could have predicted that some boy from Topside would create Hextech?"
"With the Hex-gates, the gap is only growing larger. In technology, in economic power, in every conceivable way."
Ren glanced up at Jinx, giving her a subtle, reassuring look before continuing. The gesture did not escape Silco, whose eyelid twitched.
"Those barons are nothing but parasites," Ren said, his voice laced with contempt. "They only know how to exploit their own people. They're the first to rush in when there's a profit to be made, but what about when there's danger?"
"When you finally make your move, how many of them do you really think will stand behind you?"
"I'll ask you one question, Silco. When we charged that bridge… were any of those barons there?!"
"They will act. They must," Silco said, taking a sip from his glass. "What I have given them, I can also take away." His one good eye gleamed. "And now you've returned, haven't you? The Mage of Zaun." He smiled, an invitation and a challenge. "Come, Ren. Help me."
Ren met his gaze. "That is my intention. But I have a slightly different idea of how it should be done."
"Help me, Silco. We stop the production of addictive Shimmer for Zaun. The smuggled goods for Piltover can stay."
Silco let out a dry chuckle. "Ambitious. You want to be the boss yourself. All this talk is making me sleepy. Any other grand visions to keep me awake?"
Ren was not provoked. He continued speaking calmly, and at this, Silco gave a nearly imperceptible nod of approval.
"We purge the Chem-Barons. We solve Zaun's environmental and air pollution. We find unique products for Zaun to develop a new core industry."
"Is that all?" Silco swirled the liquid in his glass.
Just as Ren was about to continue, he heard a commotion from outside. Silco noticed it too.
The main floor of The Last Drop had been converted into a nightclub, and the music was deafening. For the noise to be audible in the office meant it was serious.
Sevika had barely gotten to her feet when the sound of a gunshot rang out, followed by cries of pain and the crash of breaking objects. The sounds were getting closer, the intruder was already in the hallway.
Ren stood, swiftly equipping his obsidian gauntlets. Silco also rose, drawing a pistol. Sevika ripped off her cloak, and as Shimmer pumped through her veins, the gears in her mechanical arm began to whir. Jinx was already at Ren's side, aiming her minigun at the door.
A voice from the hallway yelled, "Don't be scared, brother!"
Hearing that voice, Ren quickly shouted, "Everyone, hold on! Don't shoot!"
But before he could explain, a furious roar from outside the door cut him off.
"I'M FUCKING HERE!!!"
The office door burst inward, shattered into pieces. A body flew through the opening, and Ren caught it.
Through the broken doorway, the others saw Graves, who had just been in a throwing stance a second ago, now charging in, leveling his shotgun at the person closest to the door—Sevika.
"Move and you're dead!"
Translator's Notes:
The original text here uses language that's very tender and emphasizes a familial, protective love from Ren toward Jinx. I've aimed to capture that deep, non-romantic affection.
The description of the aura Ren senses (green and purple) is a strong hint toward Ekko, whose aesthetic is defined by his green Z-Drive and who embodies Zaun's fiery spirit. The line from Silco, "A divided Zaun has no future," is a direct quote from Arcane, highlighting his core motivation.
The author included this parenthetical note to remind readers of Twisted Fate and Graves's criminal history in Piltover, which explains TF's nervousness around the Kirammans.
The detail of Jinx's eyes "flashing" or "blinking" and Silco's fingers "tapping" are small but significant character beats in the original text that I've kept to show their reactions to Ren.
The original text describes the embrace as Jinx "pasting herself onto him" and kissing him. It's written with a sense of desperate, overwhelming emotion rather than simple romance, which I've tried to convey.