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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 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 long brown coat, a red undershirt, shiny boots, and a belt across their chest. Hmms... well, that told her absolutely 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 happenstance, 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 legend, Mr. Corpse over there appeared in a flash of light and a splash of water, announcing his presence to the world! Or maybe he didn’t, she thought humorously, looking at the half-empty bottle of liquor 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, at the very least, be more interesting than doing house maintenance on her door. So… a 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 heads, 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 who were 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 the 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 monogrammed handkerchief– that were 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. However, for most, it was to find anything useful rather than curiosity, especially for the urchins. You learned fast growing up in the Lanes, not to turn your nose up at a 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 enemy's 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 offhand. Finishing in record time -she had been gone for just five minutes- and reappeared with a grappling hook. And despite her inebriation, managed 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 slammed 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 a pretty thing, almost like a princess!’ Jink thought humorously as she gave the corpse a slight kick. This one 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, and 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 to solving that mystery later. 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 inlaid 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 its 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 full of alcohol, 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 rasp 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, sort of glad she didn't just watch someone kick the bucket. But just as she was ready to sneak back into her lair, another ragged grasp for air... once again the shit out 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 in her brain making her body jittery. Damn, 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 fully next to the swordsman in order to ratify her mistake, she couldn’t help but grin as she slapped him on 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 skin 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 stilled and his eyes widened. But before he could say anything, her finger touched the edge of the glowing circle. And light engulfed the world.

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Soul bonding. One of the great mysteries of the known universe. It was a barely understood branch of spiritual magic, one that even the Supreme Kai’s –the great rulers and arbitrators of the divine realm– would be hard-pressed to describe to you what it even was.   Not that you could blame them, it was… a one-in-a-trillion event, and that was lowballing it. But the basic concept –or at least, the one understood by most people– was that it was a spiritual connection of the animus, the inner self. A conjoining of multiple souls, binding them even closer than two subatomic atoms… an intertwining of fates. Two halves of one whole… a destined encounter, if you will. That... theoretically, when two people who are meant to meet, regardless of time and space… finally make contact, the primordial forces of the universe conspire to bind their lives together… forever.  Where the many became one… a soulmate. However, a lesser-known fact about soul bonding –fairly esoteric knowledge, sadly hidden among the dusty scrolls of the Eternal Library– was that the connection didn’t necessarily need to be a romantic one. Oh, it was certainly the most common type, and the one most spoken about in legend and half-remembered myths, but not the only way to cause the spiritual connection to happen. Because at its core, it could happen to anyone who may inadvertently follow the principles of the “Four Loves.” A standardized description defining the four… well, loves you may experience throughout your lifetime. And a common theme among soulmates was that the bonding only happened if you had one out of the… three out of four of these relationships. Romantic, of course… that was obvious enough. Familial… typically a connection between a parent and child, but in general could encompass other family ties as well. Friendship… but only the ones so deep, the individuals were siblings in all but name. Unconditional… a constant, general, and freely given love for those around you, regardless of circumstances. Yet, the only “love” never to form a soul bond like the other three… but even stranger, it was also the one with the most proof that the spiritual arts could be shaped in nonlinear fashions to fit a need.   This one originally wasn't meant to be taken so literally when it was conceived –it was more of a high-minded concept, like good and evil, than something physical– but ended up being the most researched, and thus, weaponized. Like… one of the Kais of Trunks’ old world made a technique called the Spirit Bomb, which allowed you to physically throw that metaphysical energy and kill your enemies by exploding them. The how and why of its creation was a mystery… but it worked.  And that wasn’t the only instance of the soul being used to kill someone intentionally. Hell, in another world, an alternate timeline Trunks once used the same esoteric energy to create a mystical blade of light, which he then used to slice an immortal god in half. That last “love” was a weirdly lethal one. Anyway…  Soul bonding was a very precious and unique thing, the result of pure love, that theoretically… should embody these principles. A truly beautiful thing. What Trunks and Jinx had, however… was none of the above. Mainly because none of that love nonsense was actually needed to create a bond. A false causality, one might say. Their forced connection was the result of an incomplete soul-bonding ritual by the Time Witch Towa. One of the many enemies that the Time Patroller had faced off against in his duty to protect the Xenoverse. An old foe that had given him trouble as a young man, but had hardly been on his radar in recent years… mainly due to him facing increasingly more dangerous threats to the multiple timelines, requiring his attention elsewhere. Not that the swordsman was intentionally negligent in his responsibilities, and leaving Towa free to run amok… but protecting the multiverse meant facing one constant crisis after the next, each one more dire than the last.  It required an unfortunate level of mental calculus to be played.  Did the Supreme Kai of Time send Trunks, her most powerful and experienced fighter to deal with Towa, a universal threat? Especially when she had platoons of junior-time patrollers to face her instead? Or did she send the Saiyan after someone like… let's say, Mechikabura, one of the Ancient Time Lords whose very existence caused the destruction of timelines? Who’s master plan was to destroy the Eternal Library –which housed the time scrolls within– rewriting all of reality in his image, and killing the known multiverse in his wake? And that wasn’t even taking into account the dozen other battles taking place across the timelines. The answer had seemed simple in the moment, especially since the demon goddess had been neutralized with minimal loss. In hindsight, that was a mistake on their part. Because this witch was a crafty one, as most magic users tend to be, their abilities were a constant unknown variable. In the end, Towa’s plan was both an old and new one. While capable of fighting when needed, she was no warrior –had neither the inclination nor temperament for it– thus, leaned on mind-controlled soldiers to do her dirty work. And it just happened –with the recent destruction of her personal forces, due to the failed raid on Tokitoki City– she was in the market for a new enforcer. And who better to fill that role than the Z Fighter, the constant obstacle to her –and many others– ambitions?  Why… turn one of her biggest problems into a solution, and get her revenge? Nothing would make the witch happier. Only… her typical methods wouldn't be enough for Trunks, he was too powerful to capture through conventional means. His god ki alone would tear through most magical bindings, never mind the mechanical ones. She would have to get creative if she wanted to mind-control him. But the Time Witch had never been negligent in her research, and knew she simply had to dig deeper, exploring the paths that none before her would ever dare. After all, as an immortal, she had all the time in the world. And eventually, she had her solution. 
Spiritual magic.
 Almost nobody used it due to how little it was understood, to cowardly to push into unknown territory, but that also meant most could defend against it either. And the best part? Towa didn’t even need to create a ritual from scratch, because a proof of concept had already been created for her. The long-dead wizard Bibidi had used it to enslave the pink blob monster Majin Boo, but more importantly… his son Babidi, had used it to successfully control a Saiyan.  At least for a short time. But Towa was confident she would succeed where they failed. Fix what was wrong with the ritual and improve what wasn’t. After all, how can you compare the powers and the knowledge of mortals to a goddess like her?  Time would pass, and new battles would be fought, but she never relented on her research. Until one day… she was ready. Towa finally had the means to create an artificial soul bond, one that would bring the Saiyan under her control and dominion.. Needless to say, the ambush to capture the Time Patroller… hadn’t quite gone the way she had planned. Trunks had defeated her before she could finish her attack, cutting through her magic with the Key Sword, and imprisoning her in the Crack of Time. Unfortunately, just because Towa didn’t finish her ritual, doesn't mean she didn’t succeed with her magic, after all... the glowing ring on his chest was proof enough. But like most experiments, the unexpected tended to happen... such as the sudden influx of her experimental soul magic clashing with his ascended god ki. The two mighty forces breaking the assortment of time-related artifacts on his body… and distinctly not mix well. But like most unstable energies that collide together… it caused an explosion –truly, it spoke volumes about the Saiyan’s constitution that the three opposing powers didn’t just outright kill him– the sheer force of it sending the warrior hurling across time and space. Through multiple dimensions… until he landed in the cold waters of Zaun. All this, Trunks and Jinx perceived in less than a second –the soul brand imprinting the witch’s memories and knowledge into both of their minds– the moment the blue-haired girl touched the ring on his chest. Their own minds, filling in the blanks of what had happened after the dark goddess had been sealed away. One might wonder… why would Towa want to share her memories with Trunks? Detail every painstaking motivation and method she went through to entrap him? Potentially provide him the knowledge that he might use to reverse the situation and break free of his bonds? Because like most villains… she wanted to gloat, to be petty and break him with the knowledge that she got his ass, even if it ultimately hadn’t gone the way she had envisioned. Fortunately, the witch was trapped between Eternity and Nowhere, so the warrior didn’t have to look at her smug face.  Unfortunately, he did have a front-row seat to Jinx’s sharp grin as she kept glancing at her ungloved hand and him. That… was not the look of a girl who had good intentions. Even worse, a… strange trickle of emotions started entering his mind –he didn’t need three guesses to know who it was from– an odd gambit of curiosity, excitement… fascination, of all things. And from the way her blue eyes flickered up to meet his own, there was no doubt that whatever he could feel from her, she could probably feel from him too.   Hopefully, she couldn’t read his mind.  Her smile grew wider by the second –a little too knowing, a little too amused – as she moved her palm flat against his chest as if trying to match up the mirrored symbols. “Hey… Trunks.”   
‘Oh… crap baskets…’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jinx blinked her eyes hard, trying to fight the sudden (and excruciating)headache. It felt like someone had taken an axe to her melon, then decided to seesaw it for good measure… and not in the fun way.  But even that was secondary to the pain in her right hand, which felt like someone had just put a bullet through it… and then a second, and then a third. Still, despite herself, she was kind of impressed by the trap that Purple set up… some type of touch-sensitive flash bang? Because that was some outside-of-the-box thinking! Especially with how dangerous that was, because it took a lot of balls to keep a bomb near your chest – near all squishy organs that could get fucked up – even if it was the non-explosive kind. Because… really? A flash grenade under his shirt? That was new… and dare she say, creative.  But also, oddly… a little too custom-made for her specifically. Especially, since it was really a one-in-a-million chance someone would touch that strange light, just cause… but, basically a guarantee that she would, purely out of scientific curiosity and greed. This begged the question… how’d he know she had a bad habit of putting her grubby mitts on anything that glowed? And who was providing this insider information about her? More importantly, who stood to gain from this potentially botched attack? Sevika… No, no that was unlikely, as much as Jinx wished it was true. That thug of a woman was irritably loyal to Silco and his cause, and would probably chew off her one remaining arm before doing something that might cause unintentional harm to either one. But then who? Was this… some ridiculous assassination attempt by one of the Chembarons? Maybe she offended someone... but which one? Was it because she asked Smeech if his fifth “limb” was mechanical too? When she told Finn his hair gel was dripping on the ground, and she almost slipped? One too many nose jokes at Renni's expense?  If so… jeez, sensitive much? Maybe it was the Firelights finally stepping up their game after one too many dead friends? Jinx supposed it would have been a long time coming, you don’t drop bodies like she did and not expect someone to take revenge… but nah, the Boy Savior and his goons were too chicken shit to try her even on her worst days.  Although, admittedly… this night was shaping up to be just that. Perhaps a disgruntled Zaunite whose restaurant she once dined and dashed at? Pfft, it wasn’t like she wasn’t going to pay them… just not now… or in the near future, but eventually. Her credit should be good everywhere!  But no, even among all the likely candidates, the whole setup was way too elaborate for any of those chuckle-heads… because really, who pretends to be a corpse in the water, all on the off chance she'd fish them out? And… the fact that she wasn’t already dead kind of scrapped all those theories. So maybe just a… series of unfortunate events? Heh. Possible. Likely even. “Alright… I’ll give you that one Purple, you got me.” The teen managed to chuckle out to the boy beneath her, huffing into his chest a little as she tried to collect her loose thoughts, one hand already groping for her gun to get some payback. “Credit where credit due, that trap was pretty slick… but stupid. Don’t you know nine-tenths of violent crimes happen because the “victim” resists?”  She felt the need to say her thoughts out loud if only to verbalize the words and harden her resolve as she planned her revenge. Because nobody got the jump on Jinx and walked away unscathed! (Or at least, not without a little bit of mental scarring.) But, hmmm… would a beating be enough? No… no it wouldn’t, that was too pedestrian. And a creative trap earned an equally creative comeback. But what could she do?  Force him to run around the city till his feet bled? No, this musclehead might take it as a chance to get fit… well, even fitter.  Maybe make him eat some spoiled food till he shit himself into a coma? Ugh, hard pass, because not only was that a lot of work (where would she even get a dozen expired pies at this hour?) it was gross. More like a punishment for her, than for him. Perhaps she could take his clothes and force him to walk the Lanes in shame? Nah, the last person she did that to enjoyed it a little too much.   Well, maybe just a light beating then? Open palm? Smack him around a bit for now, go chain him up somewhere in her lair…. and then take a quick power nap to sleep off the pain in her head and hand? Figure something out in a couple of hours? That could work. Plan in mind and gun in hand, she pushed off his chest to get back unsteadily into a sitting position– And then, it hit her all at once… memories.  Memories of a crazy space alien/ Time Witch that filled her brain with ill-gotten knowledge. Magic (like the Hexgates… but it came out of your fucking hands!), aliens (turns out they weren’t just small green men with big heads, who would’ve thunk?), time-travel (that opened so many questions, she could barely think!), and more… much, much more. It was a lot to take in – almost too much! – and her psyche started to burn… burn …. burn! But just as she began to struggle, feeling the edges of her mind expanding till it was almost painful… it was over, in less time than it would’ve taken to snap her fingers. She was perfectly fine. Well, that was embarrassing. But without the foreign invasion into her mind, Jinx now… knew things. That though an accidental twist of fate and circumstances, had cheated her way into knowing the deep and mysterious secrets of the universe.  No… the multiverse.  It was crazy, it was overwhelming, and would take time – weeks, months… maybe even years – for her to parcel through every bit of information that had just been seared into her brain. But one thing she understood immediately, the centerpiece of all those memories… she was sitting on her new best friend. And wouldn’t you know it… he was looking right at her.  “Hey… Trunks.” Jinx said with a grin, liking the way his name rolled on her tongue – like she had said it a thousand times before – as she placed her palm on his chest, mesmerized by the sudden feeling of him in her head. It made her skull feel overstuffed… almost as if there were two brains in there now, fighting for room. But weirdly comforting as well, like sharing a blanket with someone on a cold night. For a long moment, the Saiyan just stared up at her – his feelings of trepidation and anxiety bleeding through their bond – before finally saying. “Hi… Jinx.” Gods, why did she love the sound of him saying her name so much? “Well, isn’t this exciting?” Jinx joked cheerfully, slapping his chest before leaning over slightly to get a better look at him. It was so crazy to think he was some time-traveling… warrior… alien thing! Realizing she was still sitting on him, she rolled to the side and stood up – the pain in her palm and head, a dull throb now – offering him a helping hand. “Did you see what I saw?” “I think so…” He said cautiously, eyeing her speculatively as he slowly sat up and took the offered help.  Once he was back on his feet – standing tall and looming over her – Jinx realized… he looked surprisingly a lot healthier. He wasn’t struggling to breathe as much, his movements seemed more sure and deliberate, even had some color back in his cheeks. It was as if their little soul-bonding episode was just the ticket he needed, it seemed to help him deal with all that spirit magic that had been fucking up his insides. Hell, she could feel him getting better by the second! His presence in her mind felt like it was growing bigger bit by bit, practically thrumming with energy now, like a miniature sun that only she could see. It was weirdly intoxicating… all that power.  Well… good for him, she thought, trying to not get lost in the sensation and focus back on the man before her. This was perfect actually, Jinx didn’t want her new partner in crime struggling to survive like some day-old kitten. And she didn’t think she really had the skill, or patience, to nurse him to health. They had so much to do! “I never had a soulmate before, so I got some first-time jitters!” The teen said excitedly, giving him her best wide-eye and innocent smile… hopefully gaslighting the warrior into forgetting she had been in the middle of mugging him only ten minutes ago. “Does this mean… like we're married now or something? Is that too simple? That sounds too simple.”  “No, that’s not really–” Ignoring him, the teen started brushing the sand off her body, then walking around him as she started brushing the grains off of him too, pretending to be helpful. Jinx tried to force some color into her cheeks, putting on an act that she was blushing as she touched him, making sure to shoot him the occasional skittish glance to drive it home. What boy didn’t like the “shy maiden” character? “I mean… how does this even work?” She started up again with a “giggle”, trying to think of the silliest and most love-struck thing she could say, throwing as much of the fake emotions as she could into their fake bond to trick him. “Like, who does the cooking and cleaning? Do I move in with you… or you move in with me? How do you feel about kids? You know what? What am I saying?! Don’t answer that question… let's just get to know each other first!” Hooking an arm around his waist – ignoring how he stiffened uncomfortably – she tried to guide him towards her lair, before saying cheekily. “Although, I feel like I’ve known you my whole life!” None of the above were the questions she really wanted to ask. But honestly, she couldn’t, Not when their soul bond was so new and fragile… and more importantly, incomplete. Because what she knew, and what Trunks didn’t, was that when they received Towa’s memories… her side did just a bit more than just explain what had happened. It came with an instruction manual.   Surprisingly, it was a little cheat sheet with notes the Time Witch had made for herself – because even a goddess needed a way to keep track of all the crazy things she did – it was an immaculate notebook of plans and ideas on how to finish the ritual once she caught the Saiyan. Maybe she should feel a little more concerned that the witch had inadvertently seared a guidebook into her brain… but eh.  If she was already willing to accept the Saiyan's confusing existence, then what was a bit more craziness? “Hey! Slow down for a moment.” Trunks began, standing firmly in place, even as she tried to ineffectually tug him along with her. “Look, I know this is a lot to take in, and I’ll try to answer any questions you might have… within reason. But we need to break this connection between us as soon as possible. Magic is unpredictable even in the best of times, and it affects the mind in strange ways, so there no telling what–” “Why would we do that!?” Jinx interrupted in surprise, acting like she was horrified by the mere suggestion, taking the opportunity to layer on some guilt into their “relationship”. It’d make him a lot easier to control if he felt obligated to her… after all, she was just some “innocent” girl who got caught up in his intergalactic/time-traveling shenanigans. “Trunks… this is a soul bond. You don’t just get rid of it off a whim!” Stepping closer to him till they were practically touching, she grabbed the lapels of his coat and – biting the inside of her cheek until her eyes watered a bit – she said imploringly. “I mean… yeah, we had a terrible first meeting–” “Look, just listen to me, the magic is–” “ –and I’m probably not the kind of girl you imagined spending the rest of your life with–” “Hold up! That’s not what I meant–” “ –but I believe this soul bond is proof that we're meant to be together–” “It’s not a real one! It was created to–” “ –so if you just gave us a chance, I’d do everything in my power to make you happy.” She finished pitifully, making sure to wrap her arms around his middle – clinging to him like she was desperate for him not to go – and burying her face into his chest, struggling to hide the smile that threatened to split her face over how ridiculous she was acting. If Jinx had tried this with anyone else in Zaun, they’d be running full tilt in the other direction, afraid that she was setting them up for a trap… which to be fair, they’d be absolutely right. But Trunks didn’t know her like that… even better, he was one of those “hero” types that probably couldn’t resist a “damsel in distress”. And the reason for her theatrics… Turns out, mind control… not a real thing, at least not in the way one might assume. You could persuade someone – and heavily push their decisions in your favor – but push too far, too soon, and they start to fight back. And that was especially true if they didn’t like you. Apparently, free will wasn’t just an ideology, it was an actual force of nature. And the more antagonistic the “victim” was… the harder they resisted their bindings. A hard lesson that Towa learned when no less than three of her former servants had broken out of her control, attacking the witch at the very first opportunity.  You'd think she'd learn her lesson by now. That was the worst-case scenario, but the Mad Bomber did not fancy her chances if Trunks decided he wanted to kill her – she did, after all, watch a memory of him killing about a thousand people in a space battle – which was why she was trying so hard to play off his hero-complex, even pretending to be in “love” to tug at his heartstrings. Hard to hurt someone you feel responsible for. And obviously, Jinx needed time to comprehend the rest of the information – she embarrassingly didn’t know a whole lot about magic – and come up with a more concrete plan of action. And as much as she wanted to give Trunks a slap on the ass and tell him to go kill her enemies, she couldn’t order him to do anything that drastic… not yet.  Thankfully, the teen only needed to do two things in order to achieve that. The first plan was to keep him near her, letting the bond strengthen over time naturally, the power of Towa’s ritual working its magic till Trunks was so deep in the hole that every word out of her mouth was practically gospel to him.  But who knew how long that might take? And she was impatient for results now.  And that's where her second plan came into play… she’d make him fall in love with her. While Towa’s research proved that love wasn’t what caused the soul-bonding to occur, the emotion did help strengthen it, allowing the individual's spirits involved to grow stronger and latch onto each other. She figured, after a week or two of pushing his buttons in just the right way… she’d have the warrior eating out of the palm of her hands. Although… that second one might be a lot harder than she had assumed, noting as the seconds dragged on forever, and Trunks still hadn’t wrapped her up in her arms and tried to comfort her... Now Jinx was feeling a little irritated and honestly surprised by his reluctance to… do something for her.  It’s been like a minute!  She had been expecting some soothing words, maybe even an apology for his insensitivity over her “feelings”… but no! He was just standing stiffly there, like… like, some fucking golem! What was his problem? And the bond didn’t tell her anything, it still had him feeling cautious and anxious like before. She had to do something!  Maybe another hit of “love” and “sadness” through the bond? No, she already tried that, and another dose might send him the wrong message. Like, make him think she was some pushover who was going to let him walk all over her? The loyal little wife at home he could count on to always be there, ready and waiting. But what else could she try? Desperation? Fear? Anxiety? Maybe she should– Gradually, Jinx felt him awkwardly pat her on the back. “Look, I’m… sorry for being so brusque. So… please stop crying.” Trunks said slowly, hesitantly raising his arms to hold her, before sighing and speaking into her hair. “I’m not gonna go anywhere, alright? So let’s just get out of the open for now, and I’ll take you home, then we can… talk.” He tightened his hug, resting his chin at the top of her head, and asked softly. “Is that okay?”  Jinx let the silence drag on for a moment… then another, and another … enjoying the way his anxiety seemed to grow the longer she didn’t say anything. Eventually though, she decided to finally put him out of his misery… plus she was getting kinda cold in the late night/early morning air. “I’d… like that.” Jinx said “demurely”, liking the way his body physically relaxed at her words. But even then, the two of them didn’t move for a while – he was too nervous to upset her again, while she was taking a moment to silently gloat to herself – both collecting their thoughts over what just happened. It couldn’t last forever though. And soon enough the teen was leading the warrior towards her lair – his coat now over her shoulders to fight the night’s chill – dragging him by the hand as they walked past her vault door, a hidden smirk on her lips. 
‘Got him.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Well, it was official… Trunks did not know what to do. He closed his eyes reluctantly, taking a break from looking at the gears on his time machine, and its endless problems. Hunched over on his stool, he rubbed his face a little... wondering what on earth he was supposed to do now. The ship had been his last resort – and hope! – to get off Runeterra and back to Toki Toki City. Had things aligned right, he would have been off this planet and back into space the very first day he crash-landed. And the problem?  It was because… well, for one he didn’t have enough BBS fuel to jump dimensions, already a non-starter. On top of that, he couldn't even turn the machine back on! And it wasn’t because Trunks forgot to fill up the tank, or somehow neglected his usual maintenance checks… because didn’t! He always made sure every day! But the gauge showed, in painful clarity, that the liquified tachyon particle had completely evaporated. Couldn’t even refill it because the backup canisters were somehow missing too! Even worse, under the hood of the time machine was an absolute broken mess of ripped wires, bent metal, and shattered parts. It was almost like someone had taken a big hammer to his ship and started smashing everything they saw with no regard for the consequences. Hell, the inside was such a veritable death trap of sharp and jagged angles, that if it had anybody else reaching into the vessel… he was pretty sure that they’d pull out a bloody stump for their troubles. His only consolation was that at least the metal frame was fine... But still, another dead end. And with it, his dreams of getting back home before… uh, certain problems became too hard to ignore. Such as the overly clingy teenager who thought she was in love. “I’m taking this one,” Jinx announced boldly from behind him, almost as if on cue. “Huh?” Trunks said somewhat stupidly, his thoughts a million miles away, having momentarily forgotten the other person in the room. The two of them were in one of the many carved-out caverns of her lair, near the lower levels of a giant but defunct turbine engine, hidden among one of the Zaun's numerous clifts. It had been Jinx’s little hidey-hole for when she needed time to think or vent, and didn’t want any snooping eyes finding her even among those few who knew where her base was. It used to be a lounge room for the old mine workers who… apparently, once upon a time lived down here. Men and women who had done some 18 hours of hard labor, and were usually too exhausted to drag themselves back home before having to start work the next day.  Or in her words… a bunch of hapless fools who spent their years cutting into the planet looking for new ore, only to then depressingly give up all their hard work to their Piltie overlords. Trunks could sense there was a lot of unresolved baggage there. She also explained that like most projects in the undercity, once profits – or in this case, rare metals and gems – dried up… the funding got cut, personnel subsequently fired, and the large equipment left behind to rust. Such as this mega-drill she lived on. It was an isolated death trap for most… home sweet home for a certain preteen who had stumbled across it. This room had been one of her earlier attempts at making a living space for herself – it had a beaten-up couch, a few chairs, a table, a mirror, even a ratty mattress, etc – but gave up on it when she realized what a hassle it was for a 12-year-old to climb down the cavern walls all the time. Still, it had its purposes, such as being a somewhat convenient storage/hiding spot for stuff she stole, broken, or was too lazy to actually throw away… a veritable mess. And now it was Trunks’ room. Not that anyone would know it, with how often Jinx stayed down here. Half turning to see what she was up to, he saw her standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by piles of his clothes, holding up his old Capsule Corps jacket – light blue leather, front pockets on each breast, the double C logo emblazoned on the left shoulder – and pressing it against her chest in front of a wall mirror, as if already imagining herself wearing it. Not a very practical choice, he thought, since – even with the shortened midriff – it was about three times too big for her skinny frame. Then again, it was about two sizes too small for him now, so he wasn’t going to be wearing that particular one anytime soon. And considering he had about a dozen spares in Toki Toki City, all resized to fit him better… “Yeah, good choice… it’s yours.” Trunks said absentmindedly, somewhat grateful she was at least distracting herself – even if it was just because she was stealing his stuff – still remembering how the teen tried to “help” him on the first day. How could such a smart girl be so god-dang clumsy?  He practically had a hernia whenever she came over to help, only to accidentally spill whatever food or drink she had been snacking on into the gears. Or the two times the teen had inadvertently kicked his capsule box off the edge of the propeller, the delicate instruments inside nearly smashed to pieces before he flew down and caught it. And the less said about the incident when she somehow forgot one of her monkey bombs in the cockpit of the ship, the better. It was just one thing after another with this girl… Even days later, he was still trying to clean her gum out of the control panels! Putting it out of his mind, the warrior turned back to his time machine to reopen its side panel and fiddled with the wires inside, hoping against hope to get a spark. As he maneuvered through the complex circuitry, he tried to consider his options. Could he... perhaps, scrape some of the fuel from the exhaust and potentially reuse it? Maybe ignore the ancillary wiring… and just focus on navigation? How important was life support really... if he just wrapped Jinx up in a ki barrier for the trip? After all, it was a single jump for two people, with the ship only needing to hold out long enough till they got back to headquarters. Hmm… a possible idea. It’d be dangerous, but it was better than just sitting on his hands and waiting for a rescue that might never happen.  Especially since most of his other equipment was broken or useless. It was… potentially another unexpected consequence of Towa’s soul magic damaging his Time artifacts, the battle destroying the temporal energy inside them or causing some type of leakage, making them useless. Why about half his capsules weren’t working properly or missing from their slots. Although… truthfully, he didn’t actually know if that was the reason for certain, having based his theory purely on what had happened to his body. It was basically just a working hypothesis… but the best explanation he could think of at the moment. And, as good as any reason for why his Patroller Gauntlet was on the fritz, not even able to tell him where he was, let alone being able to send out an SOS. He could still summon the Key Sword at least, but while effective in combat, it was largely useless– “Thanks! I think it matches my hair.” Jinx joked, unintentionally interrupting his thoughts as the subtle noise of skin on cloth filled the room – no doubt organizing the jacket into the ever-growing pile of his stuff she took as “rent” – before the sound of footsteps reached his ears as she walked towards him. “Why so glum chum? Got some indigestion? A bad smell wafting in the air? If so, that’s just the typical Zaun aroma… you’ll get used to it. ” He could practically hear the grin in her voice as she tried to say the next part nonchalantly. “Maybe your fancy time machine not working quite like you want it to?” Before he could say anything to her obvious joy at his failure, she stood next to him, slinking an arm around his waist – fingers trailing over his spine – and reached over to give his hip a squeeze.  Trunks hated how the Jinx was able to just sneak up on him whenever she wanted – which she did with alarming frequency in the few days they’ve known each other – that outside her constant presence in his head, his senses and ki barely even registered her as a separate person anymore… like she was some messed up extension of himself. The Saiyan nearly had a heart attack the first time he turned around and saw her standing just inches away. Unaware of his inner grumblings, the inventor casually rested her head on his shoulder – ignoring his pointed look as where her hand still was – curiously watching him work. But as the second passed and she just stayed there, thankfully not letting her hand stray lower – another thing she thought was okay to do because of that soul bond – he relaxed, deciding another lecture about personal space wasn’t worth the effort. It wasn’t really her fault anyway -and if he was splitting hairs, it was kind of his - thus, couldn't really be blamed for any of her actions, not when she thought she was in “love.” If he did, at best it'd be victim blaming... Besides, Trunks actually liked hugs – a consequence of having grown up in a post-apocalyptic world, where human interaction was rare – just… so long as it was kept pg. “You know… you don’t have to sound so happy about it.” Trunks groused to the teen, idly wondering if he should just take apart the whole ship and build it back up, before busily hitting some buttons to test out their response. “Me? Happy?” Jinx said with faux innocence, a hand pressed to the top of her chest as if she couldn’t believe the audacity of his words. And it would have been almost believable if it wasn’t for the slight curve of her lips, the twinkle in her eyes. “I’m absolutely devastated for you Purple… nobody likes seeing the ones they love fail at anything. Me least of all! So I resent your implication that I take any pleasure from it. That shit cuts me deep.” She crossed an X over her left breast, emphasizing how much his word “hurt” her, before giving him a cheeky shoulder shrug. “But you gotta admit, with another failure… it's almost like the universe is trying to tell us something." She tapped her chin idly as if waiting for him to take the bait. "Hmm… I wonder what that could be?” Grunting a little, Trunks chose not to answer as he checked over his work – trying his best to ignore her knowing laugh – before noticing there were parts missing from the ship too. How did that happen!? Not for the first time Trunks wished he could psionically reach out to the Supreme Kais and beg for help, have then just open a portal back home… but he knew that was wishful thinking. Mainly because the last time he tried, instead of being able to contact them - or even what passed for this world's celestial government – what he got was… well, he didn’t want to say barbarians … but the entities that responded… maybe weren’t as “hyper-developed” as he was hoping for. A lot of colorful words had been thrown his way during that brief contact. While the Saiyan didn’t expect a full-on governing body like what the Supreme Kais had, truthfully most non-Super Universes didn't really  (civilization took time, after all) the sheer disorganization was– “So, what was the problem this time, anyway?” The teen asked innocently, once again unintentionally interrupting his wandering thoughts. Reaching up to give his ear a light flick – ignoring his sullen look as he rubbed the injured spot – she started walking around the time machine in fascination, hands behind her back as inspected the marvel of science. “Let me guess… another broken space doohickie because bullshit magic A clashed with bullshit magic B… causing bullshit magic C to go crazy?” Well… when she said it like that his theory sounded stupid. “Maybe. Possibly.” Trunks said stubbornly, standing up as he busily wiped his hands on a rag, before crossing his arms in annoyance. He watched the girl tap her fingers along the metal haul in rhythm, evidently enjoying herself and not at all feeling as concerned as he was about their situation. He wasn’t used to people not taking his warnings seriously.  “It’s honestly the only thing that makes sense.” “I’m not saying you're wrong … just maybe reaching a little, it could just be all one big coincidence.” “Too big of a one." He countered, unable to shake the feeling that something was going on, he just couldn't see it. "Okay look… we know the energies fought each other in my body, damn near killing me. So it only stands to reason that it could’ve happened to my capsules too, being… less sturdy than me.” he ignored her smirk as his awkward attempt at humility. “And now the insides of the ship are ripped to shreds – almost like a bomb went off – even worse, the BBS fuel is just… gone. Nothing but space dust where it used to be. Backup canisters and all. Which, I’m thinking… it probably means that it imploded or evaporated because of the unstable energies–” “Sounds terrible.” Jinx cut in apathetically, giving a dismissive flick of her hand in the air, having heard all his various theories before… and was just as uninterested then as she was now. Finishing her trip around his ship and standing in front of him with her hands on her waist, a big grin splitting her face as she said cheerfully. “But to make a long story short... I guess you gotta give up now, huh?”  “Well… I wouldn’t say that …” Ignoring his weak words, she started walking towards him, crossing the short distance between them and giving her hips a little more sway than he thought was strictly necessary. “It’s a tragedy Purple, I know…" The teen began, sighing dramatically like she wasn't over the moon at the idea of him being stranded in her world. "But if it’s a lost cause… well, let's not shed tears over things we have no control over. Let's put it behind us and look towards the future!” Stopping just in front of him, she reached down to take both his hands in hers, before looking up at him for a long moment, as if trying to find the right words to say. “Which means… we should probably have a serious conversation about this weird roommate situation we have going on. Because I’ve been thinking, this whole… separate bed arrangement we’ve been trying out… it’s starting to feel a little ridiculous–”  “It’s not a lost cause!” Trunks said quickly, not even wanting to hear how that last sentence was going to end. Turning away from her, he started pointing out  “Look, it… just ran out of fuel, and the insides are a bit messed up… so yes, the time machine as it currently stands, isn’t going to work.” Kind of an understatement, since he still hadn’t finished diagnosing what parts were smashed or missing. “But the overall structure is still good, which means I basically just need to replace the navigation to get us to HQ… and fabricate more fuel, of course. It’ll take a while, maybe a long while since I gotta make everything from scratch, but if I start working on it now–” He cut off when he noticed the hard glare Jinx was giving him, her hands squeezing his' in a death grip, a hard twist on her mouth… That little bundle of her emotions in his head... was like a fireball of anger and disappointment. But before he could say anything, and wonder what he did wrong, she blinked hard - her feelings suddenly muted - giving herself a quick headshake, before forcing a smile back on her face. “O-Oh wow, you know how to do all that huh?” The teen asked with strained casualness, looking down as she rubbed his hands soothingly, almost as if in an apology… her unexpected anger gone as fast as it came. “Why… aren’t you just a smart fella! Smarty-smart!You must make your mom so proud!" Her smile started to strain a little as she looked off to the side, almost glaring at the ship. "I guess not even a broken time machine was going to stop my big strong Saiyan from getting home if he wants. Hahaha. Hell, from the way you describe it… it was barely even an inconvenience.”  Those last words... were forced out behind clenched teeth. Letting go of his hands, she pulled him into a big hug… squeezing hard as she pressed her face in deep. “I’m just… so happy for you Trunks! So darn happy.” She said with exaggerated pip, before leaning back to look at him with big eyes. Still holding onto his shoulders, she tilted her head to the side and asked in unconvincing cheerfulness. “But you said it might take a while… so spill, how long are we thinking? Days… weeks? Give it to me straight Mister, because I want to know how long I–… uh, we have… before we see Toki Toki City of course! It's so exciting. ” Despite her jovial tone, she wasn’t happy, that much was beyond clear. Pretty obvious, especially since she made it very apparent she was against the idea of him trying to break their soul bond… but at least she was making a token effort to be mature about it, putting aside her own personal feelings. Surprisingly selfless of her. It was… honestly very appreciated after the last couple of stressful days. “Months potentially if there's no hiccups, but a year and some change would… probably be more than likely.” Not a terribly long time for a time traveler, but for most people... “Oh, is that so? How… interesting…” “But that's just off the top of my head because it… could be longer.” Trunks admitted reluctantly, underselling it by a large degree... already dreading the sheer complexity of trying to replicate his mother’s unique equipment. Especially since she built everything using the most advanced facility in the world… while he might have to, quite literally, invent computers from scraps just to get the ball rolling. But evidently, it was the right answer, because Jinx’s painted smile morphed into a more genuine one when she heard his timeframe. “I still need to do inventory first, make a list of what’s broken and missing, before I start setting any firm plans though.” “Of course, of course! Makes sense… gotta do your due diligence…” Silence as she stood there with a grin, arms crossed as she studied him intently. “What?” The warrior asked, starting to feel a little nervous as she kept looking him up and down as if trying to come to a monumental decision. But for a beat, she didn’t respond… barely even moved really, only biting her lip a little as she watched him consideringly. “You know what? We should take a break and go out.”  “Pardon?” “Yeah, like… we’ve been stuck in my lair for three days, Trunks!” Jinx said suddenly, pointing one finger in the air for emphasis, nodding to herself as if that explained everything. Giving him a playful smack on the chest, she strolled quickly to the pile of clothes on the other side of the room. “Spending all our time hold-up in your dank-ass room, twiddling our thumbs and thinking in circles without any rest or sunlight!” Leaning down to pick through stacks, she started pulling on shirt and pants after another, tossing them onto his bed, before elaborating. “All work and no play is gonna burn you out Purple, and turn my brain into jelly… and not the delicious kind, either.”  Turning suddenly, she held up one of his black tank tops in front of her, one eye closed as she tried to match it to his frame and imagine how it looked… before scoffing and tossing it aside with the other shirts on the bed, promptly digging back into the piles on the floor.  “What are you doing?” He asked curiously, watching as she made a laundry worker’s nightmare of his room. “Getting you a change of clothes, of course! Or at least a different shirt.” “...what’s wrong with mine?” Trunks asked in confusion, staring down at the red t-shirt he had been wearing. It was what he usually wore these days under his officer’s coat, being light, comfortable, durable, and  – what he had thought — very stylish. “I just changed it like an hour ago, it’s clean.” “Not the point.” “No?” “Yeah… because if it wasn’t obvious, you look like a giant walking strawberry,” Jinx said bluntly as she kept looking through his things to find something more her style. “And I refuse to be seen hanging out with a piece of fruit. I got a reputation to uphold.” Straightening up for a moment, she waved one hand up and down her body, indicating her own outfit, before giving him a sardonic look. “Plus, it doesn’t really fit my theme, you know? And a couple’s gotta match! Otherwise, what’s the point?” “Not a couple.” He reflexively muttered, but without a whole lot of heart in it… not after days of her looking at him like he was some monster whenever he tried to set the record straight. “Sure, sure.” But watching her scramble around, he couldn’t help but feel amused, her sudden burst of energy was infectious, welcome even. And truthfully, he was curious to see what the under-city was like, his wanderlust demanding that he go explore. Unfortunately, the Saiyan had to be practical. “C’mon you know I’d love to… seeing new places is one of my favorite things to do as a Time Patroller, but I should really stay focused–” “Nonsense! We got a whole… what did you say? Year? Practically a lifetime if you ask me!” The inventor called over her shoulder, putting a stop to his arguments before it even began. Pulling out another black tanktop and looking it over with a critical eye – What was the difference? It looked exactly like all the other dozen he had. – she nodded to herself in satisfaction, this one apparently passing inspection. Grabbing her (his) new jacket, Jinx sauntered over to him, one hand on her hip as she pointed a finger in mock reprimand. “Look, if we’re in it for the long haul, then you might as well pace yourself… which means, come have fun with me in Zaun!” The teen tossed his shirt at him expectantly, the matter settled and closed, in her mind. Trunks couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, rubbing his eyes a little as he wondered how she did it… making a minor suggestion like a night on the town actually sounded good. Like... it was the most important thing to do right now, despite the mountain of work he had to get done in order to fix the time machine. She didn’t even give him a good argument, barely putting in the effort to persuade him!  It basically boiled down to her saying “Because I said so”, before flashing him the biggest smile he’s ever seen, confident that she was going to get her way. But maybe that spoke more of how cooped up Trunks felt?  The growing, almost irritable need to just stretch his legs a bit perhaps? After all, being a Time Patroller, there were hardly days he spent in one spot before traveling to the next battle or conflict. He really did need a change of scenery from the gloomy darkness that was Jinx’s lair. Some fresh air would probably do him wonders “You know what? Let’s do it.”  “Yeah?” Jinx asked hopefully, looking a little surprised – but greatly pleased – that he was agreeing with her so readily. “Yeah.” Trunks said simply, changing his shirt quickly, trying his best to ignore how the teen was watching him with a sly smile on her face. “Well, no time like the present… pun not intended. You ready?” “Since the day I was born.” She said cheekily, shrugged on the Capsule Corp jacket, before stepping boldly into his personal space. But suddenly the mood changed as she bit her lip and looked away shyly, an air of demureness that was in contrast to her usual self. Her arms spread out in front of her, almost like she wanted him to pick her up and away, before asking bashfully. “...can we fly?”. That surprised him… over the last three days, Jinx never once asked him about his powers – didn't even comet on the few times he flew around – almost like she couldn’t give two shits about them. But maybe she was just holding herself back?  Feeling the sudden urge to mess with her, he only hummed ambiguously, taking a long moment to consider. Pretending like it was a hard and life-changing question he was about to answer and didn’t want to get it wrong. Eventually, Trunks gave a dramatic sigh and shrugged his shoulders noncommittally… before putting a hand on Jinx’s shoulder, enjoying the look of confusion on her face. “I’ll do you one better.” And he teleported them up to Zaun.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Casually strolling along in the early evening, Jinx led Trunks through the side alley of the Lower Streets, just off the main road of “Fisher’s Lane” (very creative) – it was more like an oversized alleyway that saw a lot of foot traffic, than a proper road – and, despite it not being too far from her Lair, was stuffed to the brim with people. Which, incidentally – or maybe because of – also doubled as an open ware and food Night Market, essentially becoming the trading hub for the more “law-abiding” citizens of Zaun.  The place where every creature with two hands and feet in the city,  and not on the cut, congregated. Hell, one could even argue that… when compared to the Last Drop – the de facto center of crime in Zaun – this market was the real heart of the city. On her left was a plethora of pop-up food carts, selling everything from native undercity soups and stews. Scattered about, were a few imitation dishes from Piltover… all “authentic” styles of bread, cheeses, and meats… all displayed to look super posh and pretentious-like. Only slightly moldy from whatever dumpster they had scavenged it from. Off to the side, there were even a few foreign city-states' cuisines – all attempts by the owners to stand out from their local competition.  There were the usual  Ionian noodles, a tried and true staple of the lower city, artisanal bread from Demacia, or those weird Freljord-themed ice creams wrapped in waffled cones.  On her right were rows upon rows of vendors and make-shift stalls, the peddlers who gave the street its famous name. It was a series of merchants and sailors selling fish, crabs, clams, turtles… basically, any creature the locals could grab out of the river/lake that made up the Stillwater. However, there were the occasional fruit, vegetable, or accessory stands that dotted the aisles, adding some flavor to the endless sight of dead sea life. And per usual, it was quite a sight to behold. a buzzing beehive of human activity and entertainment. Sort of like an… impromptu festival of sorts, where everything was overpriced, the food was made in the most unsanitary of conditions, and it was pretty even odds that somebody was getting scammed of all their life savings somewhere. But hey… as long as you ignored the occasional stabbings or kidnapping, it was where you could find all sorts of fun. The perfect place for a first date.  “First thing first… you hungry?”  “I could eat…” “What’re you in the mood for?” Jinx asked Trunks, waving an arm wide to encompass the view before them – occasionally pointing out something interesting – giving him a… rather unorganized tour of Zaun. But he seemed to be enjoying it… the fresh air seemingly doing him wonders. And more importantly, it kept him distracted. Because whenever he wasn’t looking directly at her, she made sure to throw a glare at every pissant that she caught staring too long at the two teens. “That is… you know, if you freaky alien types eat regular people food.” He scoffed a little, giving her an amused smirk as they walked along the street – people dodging out of their way because of the warrior’s size and her “famous” reputation – before giving her a faux serious look, as if he was really considering her words. “Well… I might’ve eaten an insect or two in my day.” He answered casually as they crossed the busy street, playing along with her ribbing, obviously trying to gross her out. The joke was on him though… Jinx used to have a bug-eating phase. “Surprisingly nutritious… and if you cook them just right, they even taste halfway decent.” They really did, but not wanting to spoil his teasing, she made fake gagging noises, watching him snort as he added. “But just in case you try and take that as an excuse to shove me into an anthill…” Funny, that did cross her mind. “I’m joking. And yes, I do eat regular food… prefer it actually.” “Pfft could’ve fooled me.” She said flippantly, but enjoying the fact that he seemed so relaxed, enough to even engage in a little banter now that they were out of the Lair. Forcing him to come out and get some… uh, “clean” air, was definitely the right choice. “I’ve literally spent days watching you inhale those disgusting ration bars of yours… so I’m pretty 50-50 right now.”  “Don’t knock them till you try them. They’re surprisingly filling, it… just has an acquired taste, is all. ” “I’ll take your word on it.” Jinx agreed easily enough with a dismissive wave of her hand, casually hopping over a sewage puddle in her path. Stepping back a few paces in order to shoulder bump him, she added mockingly. “You know you don’t have to play tough guy with me Purple. If you want to go digging for some worms… I won’t stand in your way. Hell, I’ll even help you out!” Grinning at his chuckling, she continued. “And as you’re stuffing your face, getting mud all over my boots… I’ll only judge you a little.”  She kept her tone light, the jokes flowing…  But also made sure to keep a sharp eye out for any busybodies that may have been watching them.  The downside of going to such a public spot for a date was… there were a lot of people going about their business – both store owners and customers alike –  all getting ready to enjoy the nighttime rush and activities. Unfortunately, it also meant there were a lot of eyes on the two teens. And like clockwork, the odd couple was drawing unwanted attention as they walked – her being the (in)famous Bomber of Zaun, and Trunks, the only one who… funny enough, walked with confidence in his steps, instead of skulking about like everyone else – but most onlookers wisely averted their gaze once they realized who they were looking at, not wanting to get involved with whatever mischief had caught her fancy. Jinx didn’t mind overall people looking – would, in fact, encourage people seeing to couple out and about – but had to be vigilant for the one-in-a-million jackass that wanted to make a name for themselves. Because in the undercity, that one-in-a-million… was more like one-in-a-dozen. While the teen genuinely wanted to show Trunks a good time – him enjoying spending time with her was part of her Ten-Step plan to trick him into saying he loved her – she knew better than most how unfriendly Zaunites could be towards outsiders. That, despite her standing right next to him (which, should have been more than enough of an endorsement, in itself) some loudmouth punk was going to try and test the warrior just to prove a point.  It was part of the reason why she had the man wear his tank top (the smallest in the pile)… because even the most reckless fool was gonna think twice when they saw arms like that. All the bravado in the world wasn't going to get past the fact that the Saiyan’s biceps were bigger than some people’s heads!  There was stupid … and there was suicidal.  The other reason was… well, because she just wanted something nice to look at… it was supposed to be a date, after all. And may~be show off a bit for the sheep… feeling a weird mix of pride, humor, and even satisfaction whenever she caught some airhead staring a little too long at the fucking cleavage Trunks was showing off. Their gobsmacked faces, becoming a new treasured memory. Hmmm… maybe the warrior was on to something when he said the magic was affecting her brain?  Nah, that was stupid… she just liked seeing people envious, is all. Showing off Trunks to everyone was like showing off a brand new pair of shoes from Topside… you wanted everyone to look and be jealous. But overall… between her and the “guns”, hopefully, it’d scare away any troublemakers. Not that Jinx was really concerned, per se… in all seriousness, the idea of someone actually trying to hurt the Saiyan, likely breaking their fists in the attempt, would have been hilarious to watch.  And any other time, she would have sat back and enjoyed the disaster unfold… But she was on a date! And if Trunks accidentally caved some idiot’s chest in for stepping up to him, she was pretty certain the evening would be over. She’d be damned if that happened before she even got a kiss. “How considerate of you.” Trunks said sarcastically, as she led them deeper into a side street, cutting left until they were suddenly hit with the full force of the the morning’s catch. Ah, dirty river fish, baking in the sun for hours, their stinky aroma wafting in the air… it really got the appetite going! “But I think I’ll give that a hard pass, and stick to human food.” Twirling a finger to indicate their surroundings, he asked. “What do you usually eat?” “Depends… “ Jinx said with a lackadaisical shrug, casually looking off to the side and pretending to be distracted… before oh so casually letting her hand reach out to grab his. Turning to look at him with a grin, ignoring his surprise at getting caught off guard again – and pitiful attempts to sneakily pull his hand away – she countered. “What do you like?” She met his unimpressed look at the sudden hand-holding… with an even bigger grin.  “Depends… ” He echoed after a moment, glancing down at where she was already intertwining their fingers, a slight look of consternation on his face… before he sighed and let it be, pointedly looking away. Small victories. “But usually anything… and everything.” He admitted noncommittal, giving her a head tilt as he glanced curiously around, taking in the sights. “I’m not that picky, to be honest… but I do want to try something local, so I’ll follow your lead.”  “Ah, dealer’s choice then.” She said enthusiastically, the teen nodded sagely at her own words as she waved one finger in the air for emphasis. “Well, you're in luck! Because you're looking at a tried and true Zaunite girl. I know where all the best places for rice, noodles, bread, beans, and everything in between!” The teen finished with a theatric flare, listing off the carbs as if they were the most exciting thing to happen in the past century. Not giving him a chance to say anything, she patted him on the stomach, adding cheekily. “But don't get too excited fatty, because these places only sell human-sized portions.” He gave her a flat side eye... all while trying to fight the smile off his lips. “5/10 for delivery… 3/10 for the humor.” Trunks snarked back, before lifting his chin in mock pride, giving her a smirk. “And I’ll have you know… that’s a goddang eight-pack you’re smacking, you brat.” Pulling her closer to him by her hand, he said in a low “threatening” voice. “Don’t think I won’t take off my shirt, and embarrass you in front of everyone here, just to prove a point.” Jinx almost wanted to snort at him thinking that was in any way threatening. Half the idiots in Zaun already walked around topless… what was one more? “Oh, but you’ll do it in private?” She asked casually nonetheless, letting their conjoined hands swing playfully between them, flutteringly her eyelashes “coquettishly”. “Well, well… that’s certainly an interesting tidbit–” “Hey, that’s not what I–” “-and here I was thinking, I’d have to wine and dine you–“-look, it was just a joke and a bad one, at that. So forget–” “-more of a third date kinda thing–” “-would you listen? It’s–” “-maybe we should just skip the whole night? Go back to the Lair for some–” Suddenly, she felt Trunks change directions, pulling her into a side alley and out of sight… her back against the wall. “Whoa, whoa…” Jinx said in surprise, blinking stupidly at the maneuver… her brain immediately fired on all pistons, and wondering excitedly at what he was about to do. Who knew all it took was some kinky words to get him going? “Getting kind of adventurous aren’t you Purple? I’m not usually that kind of girl, but if you’re that impatient–” “Stop that.” He cut in, giving her a flat look, tugging his hand out of hers and crossing his arms as he loomed over her. “Do we need to have another lecture about boundaries? About how this…” He waved a finger between the two of them. “Isn’t real? That what you feeling is just a byproduct of–” Oh… it’s one of those talks. Well, that certainly ruined her mood. “So you say,” Jinx said flippantly, crossing her own arms and giving a shrug, feeling a little deflated now that she knew this wasn't what she had thought it was going to be. Just another half-hearted lecture on why “romance” wasn't on the table for them… because of reasons… and reasons… and other reasons. Bleurgh. Still… she wasn't going to let a little bit of disappointment stop her from using the situation to her advantage. “But where’s our proof that it’s even fake?  “Don’t do this.” Trunks said firmly, a hard set on his brow as he took a deep breath, getting ready to argue.“Don’t try to talk your way around this, Jinx. You said it yourself, that you saw Towa’s memories too. So you know exactly what she did… what the evil woman was trying to do. How this...” He tapped a finger on his left chest, right above where the soul-mark was. “Was just some messed up attempt of her’s to try and control me. We can't trust anything that she’s done… her magic, least of all.” For a long moment, the two teens just stared each other down, neither moving an inch. “And I agree,” Jinx said simply with a short nod, watching him blink in surprise at her unexpected answer. No doubt, having been ready to lay down the law on her and put a stop to their burgeoning relationship. Pfft, as if. “I’m 100% behind you… we can’t trust anything about her.” It was a little sooner than she had planned, having wanted to enjoy the evening before she got down to business. But if they were already going to have a “talk” about the soul bond and what that meant going forward, here and now in this dirty alleyway… then she might as well start Steps 2 and 3 of her Plan. Time to nudge his thoughts in the right direction. So, while Jinx was outwardly amicable… inside, the teen was getting ready to gaslight the fuck out of Trunks.  “T-That’s great! Perfect even, because I–” “Towa is a crazy… evil … space witch.” She started slowly, interrupting him as she listed off the descriptors of Jinx’s… uh, “benefactor”? Stepping into his space, she idly began tapping one finger on his chest as she got ready to poke holes in his logic. “Who… by your words, can’t be trusted in any way, shape, or form.” Lifting her hands up by her shoulders, she gave him half a shrug and asked. “So why… are we just trusting a bunch of memories that she put in our head… and treating it as fact?” It was a basic ass argument and one that wouldn’t have been enough to convince him in the best of times. It was all made-up conjecture, after all. But thankfully, when it came to her, the Saiyan wasn’t working with a clear head. She… had something of an unfair advantage when it came to making Trunks see things her way… Case in point, as the teen let those words sink in… she took a moment to enjoy that tingling sensation in her hand, the way his face scrunched up in confusion as the magic infected his brain, … the bond working overtime to put just a little more weight behind her words, making them just a little more convincing to the Saiyan.  Making the bullshit she was about to spout seem logical… almost reasonable.  “What– I–” Trunks tried to say, no doubt a million counter-arguments at the tip of his tongue… but all of them, starting to seem less concrete than he would have hoped the longer he thought about it. Or at least, that’s how she assumes it was probably happening in his head… she only really had his expressions to go off of.  “I’m just saying… spirit magic is apparently so unpredictable, not even your “gods” use it,” Jinx said, speaking sweet poison in his ear, planting the seeds of doubt. “And soul-bonding? A one-in-a-trillion event – a borderline mythical one at that – but somehow she managed to figure it out? Seems kind of extraordinary… almost a stretch of imagination…”  “Don’t underestimate her…” He said slowly, but firmly, knowing he was right but unable to articulate why.  “We have the marks as proof.” “I’m not saying you're wrong Purple.” She said consolingly, looking up at him as she began massaging his chest and shoulders soothingly… weirdly liking how firm they felt under her fingers. It kinda reminded her of her childhood, when Vi would show off some “new” muscle she had been working on, and had Jinx squeeze it. “But maybe we should take the crazy space witch’s words with a grain of salt. Just because it’s the most obvious answer, doesn’t mean it’s the right answer, you know?” Even at the teen’s gentle motions - probably a contrast to the typhoon of contradicting thoughts going on in his head right now - she could see he was starting to subconsciously fight the mind control. Could feel it even, from the way that little sun in her head started beating erratically, almost angrily. Well... that was disappointing. While Jinx already knew she couldn't abuse the bond indiscriminately... a small part of the teen wanted to toe the line and push further – to force the idea that the soul bond was real and demand he says he loved her – but knew too much, too soon would snap him out of his haze and realize something was wrong.  Ugh, free will.   For a moment, the Saiyan just blinked at her uncomprehendingly… before he started to hesitantly nod in agreement. “...yeah… I guess that… sort of makes sense…” “Right! We should be open to other possibilities…” Jinx encouragingly, easing off that little fireball in her head that was Trunks’ presence. That was good enough for now… no need to accidentally crack the egg before it was fully cooked, after all. “Other reasons for why we're connected now.” Titling her head and giving him a noncommittal shrug, she said “casually”. “How does that saying go? “If you stare too hard at the tree… you miss the forest”? So maybe we should brainstorm–” She cut off at his sudden chuckle. “Not this again," Trunks began,  – his gaze, once again clear and focused – giving her a semi-disbelieving smile, yet hilariously unaware of the sudden shift in his mood. Unfortunately, now that he was thinking clearly, his hands had reached up to stop hers when she began… unknowingly massaging a little too aggressively along the flat planes of his body. “We're not soul-mates... hell, we're not even from the same universe! It just wouldn't make any sense. ” Aaaaand just like that, he was back to his old self. Well, it was nice while it lasted. “Hey… it’s a better explanation that you're crazy, demon, god, witch doing the impossible.” She countered, before glancing down a bit and idly noting that the warrior hadn't let go of her hands. Ah, progress. Step 1 of her Plan was starting to bear some fruit… he was finally starting to get used to touching her, no longer trying to politely but firmly, set physical boundaries. That was good… she didn’t think she could put up with a sexless marriage. “I’m not gonna press you on it, but it’s food for thought. So, keep an open mind and consider the… very likely possibility that we’re meant to be together.” She leaned up, tiptoeing a bit in order to whisper into his ear. “Hopefully before you make too much of an ass of yourself, and I decide you're not worth it.” Jinx dropped back down on her heels and gave him a grin.  “If … it's real.” Trunks said flatly, even as his eyes seemed to flicker uncertainly. “If… when… eventually…” She said casually, looking off to the side and giving him a shrug. Her hands still in his, she wrapped her fingers around his thumbs, and pulled them closer to her chest, before stepping around the Saiyan and walking backward out of the alley, tugging him along “Now what were we doing? Food right? Well, luck for you… Jericho’s just down the road.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Ah, Jericho, my big fishman! What’s the special of the day?” Jinx asked enthusiastically as she leaned an elbow on the counter. She had a bright smile on her face as she pretended to ignore the grumblings around her, making sure to punctuate her words with a jaunty slap on the flat surface. “Pretend” because she had, quite deliberately, pushed her way between a young couple trying to share a meal, intentionally causing a ruckus.  It was both to flag down the chef... and loudly announce her presence to the other diners, hoping to strike a little fear into their souls.  And potentially clear some seats for her and Trunks. Because… sheesh, full house at 6 pm already? Not that Jinx had much of a choice, really… because when people saw her, no matter what she intended to do, they usually had only one type of reaction. And right on cue – and in almost hilarious contrast to her bombastic attitude – the casual and festive atmosphere of the tiny restaurant took a decidedly sour turn.  There was a pregnant pause, and then – like someone had snapped their fingers and caused the whole planet to fliched –  time tripped and slowed, practically crawling till it seemed to be moving through molasses. But not to say there was complete silence, or even stillness, because that just wasn't a thing in a bustling city. No, there was a sudden electricity quality in the air, an overbearing tension, smoke in your lungs.  That inexplicable feeling of impending dread, its icy fingers taking hold of the small group in the shop.  And slowly but surely, almost as if they had prepared beforehand, all heads turned hesitantly towards the teen in unision. Some looked in naive curiosity, others in sheer disbelief, but most… most were in stark fear, having recognized her voice. Honestly, on any other day, Jinx might’ve laughed at their reactions…  But this time, she had company, so the teen carefully watched Trunks in the corner of her eye, wondering a little apprehensively if he might try do or say something. Surprisingly, he did neither.  Another pause, another beat… and undeniable realization dawned on all the customers that, yes… she wasn’t just some drunken figment of their imagination… she really was standing there.  There was a sharp intake of breath, a few choking sounds, a curse or three – one person may have even had a two-second heart attack – and all hell broke loose! Like a cord had snapped, there was a furious symphony of scrapping stools and metal coins hitting the table as people frantically tried to get out of Jericho’s, the dozen people scattering pathetically as they ran from the teen. (Ah, to be the strong in Zaun!) And in record time – the owner barely having time to turn around –  the entire food stand was empty except for Jinx and her date. To his credit, Jericho hardly seemed fazed by what just happened, probably too used to the “gangsters eating at his shop and causing mayhem” thing.  Which was fair, as 1 out of 5 of the citizens in the Lanes were part-time criminals. Although, truthfully, she doubted any of the typical Zaun shenanigans would cause him to blink twice. But Jinx supposed, when you were a 200-year-old fish man who’s been around the proverbial block a few times – things like gangs, crime, murder, and the general mayhem of the Uncercity – everything just seemed uninteresting or unimportant, at least compared to running the best food cart in the Undercity. But she digressed. So, when the giant green vastaya stopped his chopping of dilapidated vegetables and meats of questionable origins, he turned around to see the commotion. And it was with an ever-present smile, cleaver in one hand, arms wide open, belly straining his apron. The man did not so much as flinch at the sight of her or glance at the people running, his toothy grin (as always) 100% genuine and welcoming. Amazing customer service this one. “Ikada!” The big fish greeted Jinx happily when he saw her, quickly swiping the coins and leftover dishes off the counter. Jericho was already rattling off the special of the day in that strange, only half-understandable language of his before pausing in startlement at the sight of Trunks standing next to her. The vastaya blinked once, he blinked twice before looking down and eyeing the way the two teens held hands. One beat and an amused snort later, a wide grin split his fishy face before he gave her a suggestive eyebrow wiggle, pointedly looking at the Saiyan and laughing loudly to himself. “Vish stampa! Eleko excee nal! Hahahaha!” Hmmm… Now, had this been anyone else besides Jericho, Jinx might’ve given them a beating for laughing at her, even if it was just a bit of lighthearted teasing.  It was just her instinct to do so… to really cement that she was not to be fucked with, even in jest.  And, in said scenario, she might’ve even spent the next two months terrorising the offender just to drive the lesson home. Make them think twice before even daring to laugh at her expense. After all, in Zaun, if you let yourself be the butt of one joke… what’s to say you won’t end up being the punchline of another? Or the one after that?   And one after that?!   And the next thing you know, every side-character with a chip on their shoulder might start thinking they could push her around– No, no, no… she wasn’t going to let her thoughts spiral like that, thinking in hypotheticals, assuming worst-case scenarios, thinking everyone was out to get her, talking to shadows with faces… not again. Because that’s what a cra~azy person would do. A very paranoid one at that. And she… was not insane, thank you very much, no matter what people on the grapevine said about her. Jinx just had to remember… the voices weren’t real… dead people don’t come back to life… Sevika was a half-troll whose parents abandoned her in human society…  And more importantly, Trunks probably wouldn’t be happy to have a crazy girlfriend who talked to herself. Well, at least she assumed the last one was true. And the less said about Silco trying to “bench” her because she had been acting a little more erratic lately, the better.  So, focusing up on the present and taking a deep breath, the teen instead matched Jericho smile for smile, stubbornly trying to ignore the sudden heat near the tips of her ears and blush on her cheeks as she took her seat in the corner, away from street view. Dragging Trunks into the seat next to her, she raised a couple of fingers and said. “We’ll take a couple of your specials, a few plates of wontons to snack on, and… some of those sticky rice/mango treats if you got them still. After that, we’ll play it by ear.” Making a show of it, she looked down at the conjoined hands, even fiddling a little with the Saiyan’s fingers like it was the most interesting thing in the world. And then, almost like an afterthought, she gave an idle shrug and said as casually as she could. “Also… we’ll drink whatever you have on tap.” Head down, the teen sneakily glanced up, seeing if maybe this time she might get away with it. But all that got an unimpressed scoff and a raspberry blown her way, her weak attempt at underage drinking unappreciated. Still, grinning a little more wryly, the big vastaya reached under his counter to pull out two bottles of goddamn juice. He uncorked them with a quick twist, ignoring her sour look before placing them in front of the couple with aplomp. Even making sure to, pointedly, place a straw in hers. “Vastama nil ocala,” Jericho said with a smug smile, tilting his head towards the drinks, fully confident he was going to get his way. And, without another word or room for argument, the fish turned away, scooping up two bowls of soup from them and placing it near the drinks. With a satisfied nod, he left with a laugh to go prepare the rest, already humming happily to himself as he began cooking. Arguments, open and closed, it seemed. Irritated, she grabbed the bowl roughly, lifting it up to drink from the lip as she glared at the chef’s back with as much– “I don’t know what he just said…” Trunks began, a light smirk on his face as he silently watched the whole thing, evidently very amused by what he just saw, before pulling his own drink closer to sip on. He grabbed his own bowl to sample a bit of the green soup himself, lifting it up to drink, taking a moment to savor the taste as he said cheekily. “But I can guess… and I fully agree with him.” Letting go of her hand, he turned in his seat to face her fully, asking sardonically. “More importantly, though… do I even want to know what all that was about?”   He jabbed a thumb in the general direction of the long-escaped diners.  Huh… funny, she kind of forgot about them. “Why? Does it bother you?” Jinx asked casually, if a little anxiously, feeling a bit apprehensive over what he was going to say, if she was going to get another lecture. “I… try not to judge on situations and circumstances I know nothing about.” He said reasonably, surprising her a little before giving her a noncommittal shrug. “Trust me, I’ve done the opposite enough times over my career to know that… most of the time? Acting without thinking tends to bite you in the ass.” Giving her a friendly smile, he nodded differedly to her. “You're the local, and I’m just the tourist. I’m sure you have your reasons to do what you do… even if I may not agree with them.” Bobbing his head a little, he added idly. “Although, if you wanted to talk about it… I’m all ears.” It was good that they were soulmates, that Jinx had that little fireball in her head telling her he was being 100% genuine. Otherwise, she might’ve thought he was trying to pull a fast one on her. “What’s there to say? It’s a tough city, I’m a tough girl.” The teen said simply, using her premade excuse before giving him a indifferent shrug of her own, matching his earlier action. “It’s survival of the fittest in Zaun, you know? Here, you live and die by your reputation. Anything less, and you just might find yourself a cold corpse in a dark alley somewhere. Not exactly my fairytale ending.” Taking another gulp of the hot soup and taking a moment enjoying the feel of the warmth in her stomach, she shot the Saiyan a grin. “So, as far as the busybodies here are concerned… I’m danger incarnate.”   It… was a bit of an act Jinx was putting on, pretending to be apathetic to her actions but making sure to stress how necessary they were. How justified. It was a part of another multi-step plan of hers to explain why she was one of Zaun’s biggest criminals. Because she knew, no matter how much gaslighting and mental gymnastics was involved in her bullshitting, there was no way to completely justify every stranger’s reaction to her. At least not in a way that made her look particularly good. Like, what excuse could she possibly give as to why some children hid when they saw her coming? Or the sudden begging and praying of the adults whenever she happened to sneeze in their general direction? And forget trying to rationalize to him why people ran away from her in fear, like she was the devil personified.  Not that they were far off, admittedly.  And it was just going to be straight-up impossible to try and hide it from the Saiyan, since, unless the two teens decided to become mole-people in her Lair, he was going to hear all the gossip, eventually. Because for some strange reason - and despite her being out of the public’s eyes most days - there was always some odd rumor or two about her floating around. Admittedly, they weren’t all bad. Jinx’s favorite was one that came from the ophan scavengers in Hollow Square… that if someone said her name three times in a mirror, she’d kidnap the poor fool and force them into eternal servitude. Heh, classic. But that also meant she had, like… two days, tops, before the warrior heard every rumor there was about her in the Undercity. One of the downsides of such infamy.  Both were obvious dead ends, so instead, Jinx chose to go with option 3… get ahead of it and nip it in the bud by pretending it was no big deal. To have the couple casually hanging out in the city like it was just a typical day and to roll with the punches as they came. Act like she had nothing to hide and play it off when something came up, pretend like people running in fear wasn't strange in the slightest.  That… hell, it was rational even. It was a trick out of Silco’s playbook: be indifferent and apathic but reasonable, making people feel like they were crazy for kicking us so much fuss over something so… minor. But stress how needed it was, till they felt too ridiculous for even complaininng in the first place. “Fair enough, I suppose.” He agreed affibily, lifting his bowl for another drink, yet still looking at her curiously, like he was considering something but wasn’t sure how to ask. “But you never get any mixed feelings? Regret? Guilt? Anger? Maybe all of the above?” Although, Trunks being so… reasonable and tolerant right from the jump certainly threw her off balance. He said it all conversationally, trying to make small talk with her instead of trying to stand on a moral high ground, like most people outside of the “life” might’ve. Hmmm, maybe she underestimated him?  “At what? A few no-faced strangers getting spooked? If that’s the price I gotta pay…” She trailed off teasingly, letting the silence drag on as she enjoyed how he hung on to her words, waiting and interested. But inside, she was still feeling a little shocked at how… accepting he was being. And just why did that make her so unreasonably happy? “Well, that’s just them breaks, I suppose. Because I’ve chosen not to be another statistic of this stupid city.” She reached over and gave him a jab in the chest with a finger, saying smugly. “Besides, I like it when people run… it gives me life.”  Now, it was a risk revealing her more… “socially unacceptable” thoughts, potentially scaring him away. She had originally planned to ease him into it, eventually… had to really, especially if they were gonna spend the rest of their lives together and have kids at some point. Couldn't have mommy and daddy fighting, after all, just because daddy wasn't aware of mommy’s peculiarities. But ideally, it would’ve been just a little bit this, minor bit that till he got used to her… uh, “unique” individuality.  At that point, she’d hit him with the big stuff, like the whole… being the daughter of a crimelord… talking to the voices of her dead siblings… her toenail collection. Well, after she secured the soul bond, of course.  But the longer they talked, the longer he looked at her with a sweet smile instead of the general disgust she usually got - plus the knowledge that, eventually, he wouldn't be able to leave her, no matter what he may personally feel - the more… suicidally confident she felt that she could open up to him about these things. It made her impatient to push the envelope and see how he reacted… an impulse to see how far she could take it. It was also just practical. Because all the bombs, rockets, and knives in her Lair were impossible to hide and explain away – even with her half-assed excuse that she was a “mercenary” for hire and part-time inventor – especially on that first day before Trunks had passed out on her couch from exhaustion. Surprisingly, he hadn’t mentioned them once in their few days together… but that didn't mean her wasn't going to eventually.  But depending on how the date went, maybe she wouldn't even need to lie to him about all of that, either. Thankfully,  her gamble seemed to pay off because instead of looking at her like she was crazy for saying that…  He laughed! “You know… for some reason, I feel like I should’ve guessed that.” Trunks said jokingly, cracking a smile before he glanced down at the label on his drink. “Gives her a rush, she says…” He half-echoed to himself in a whisper, as his thumb moved slowly over the paper edge, giving her the impression that he was remembering something. “You know… you and my father would’ve gotten on like a house on fire.”  Well, that certainly caught her attention. “Oh? Should I take that as a glowing endorsement then?” She asked cheekily, her back immediately straightening as his words piqued her interest, the little tibits about his past… but immediately scolded herself for being too eager.  It was a fine line… Jinx wanted to know more, but she didn’t want to come off too needy or obsessed.  But she couldn’t help it! While Towa’s memories and notes told the inventor a lot about “Trunks the Time Patroller” – time traveler, warrior, hero – she knew next to nothing about the other teen outside of that context. Like, what the hell was a Saiyan anyway? Where did they come from? Who invented space travel? How did he get his powers? Through a magical book? Crazy science experiment? How’d he start time-travelling anyway? Since when was there an organization for it?  Bigger questions… what were his hobbies? Favorite foods? Books? Color? (Blue, hopefully.) Heck, when was his birthday? He mentioned a mom before, and now a dad… were they still alive? How about extended family? Friends? Companions?  ‘Lovers?’ Jinx thought suddenly and bitterly, having begrudgingly wondered on more than one occasion the possibility. And, as per usual, a spike of irritation shot through her, the emotion eating at her core whenever she imagined a pair of feminine hands touching what was hers. And that wasn't just hyperbole, she had the circle on her hand to prove ownership. ‘Stupid space sluts.’   Trunks’s very existence was an enigma that needed unwrapping, a creature that created more questions than answers… Because really? A time-travelling cop/space warrior/ multiverse guardian/plant-destroying alien?! “Eh, it’d depend on who you asked… and what he was getting up to at the moment.” Trunks joked cryptically, a smirk on his face as he didn't elaborate, silently enjoying his inside joke. Finishing off his bowl and placing it down, he looked at her with faux seriousness. “But if you're anything like him – and I kinda got this inexplicable hunch you might be – for my own safety and sanity…” Learning closer to her with a twinkle in his eyes, he asked conspiratorily, pointing a finger behind him. “Should I be running with them?” She almost bit her lip off trying not to smile so widely. Like his dad, huh?  Not bad. It wasn’t quite the same as if he had said she was like his mom… but she’s take whatever comparison she could get, as long as it was positive. “You could try… but I’d chase you down,” Jinx said “sternly” instead, twisting in her own seat with brows furrowed, wagging a finger in mock warning. She took advantage of the moment he laughed again to sneakily scoot her stool just a little closer to the Saiyan. The teen let her eyes casually trace over his relaxed face, committing the image to memory before finishing her joke. “And oooohhhh, once I got my hands on you… big trouble.” In the background, that damned easdropper Jericho laughed. “Haha! Scary, that’s exactly what he would’ve said… although, I don't think he wouldn’t have been joking.” “Who says I am?” She said haughtily with a smirk. "Also something he would've said... wow, you are three for three." He said disbelievingly with a chuckle, taking another pull of his drink. “Great, now I’m liable to have nightmares because of you. Hell, my daydreams might not even be safe anymore.” Theatrically, he closed his eye for a second, nodding to himself as he said teasingly. “And yup, there you are… coming at me with a knife, blood all over your face, and him egging you on in the background.” Furrowing his brows and mimicking what she assumed was his father’s voice, he said. “A Saiyan does not cry, boy! I don't care what she did to you! That’s an extra hundred push-ups for every tear I see!“ Chortling lightly as he rubbed his face, he grabbed his drink, raising the bottle to her in a mock salute. “Well, I guess thank you for all my future sleep deprivation.”  “You're welcome. It’s what I do, living in people’s heads rent-free.” The teen said with some cheek, biting on her straw as she gave him a sharp grin. Twirling a finger to indicate their surroundings and the people walking in a wide arc away from Jericho’s shop, she added with some faux arrogance. “I’m practically an idol for these city slickers.”  “Oh, I bet.” Trunks agreed sarcastically, giving her a condescending nod of his head. But before she could answer with something devastatingly witty in return, the both of them were momentarily distracted by Jericho arriving, the big fish man serving up their plates of wontons. Watching the vastaya retreat, they dug into the hot appetizers, and as they chewed, she let a more genuine smile curve her lips, silently patting herself on the back.  Who would’ve thought?  She, Jinx! Terror of the Lanes! The Loose Cannon Zaun! The Mad Bomber of the Undercity! … the master of flirting?  And to think… Sevika said she had no game! Hah!