Chapter Text
It all happened so fast.
One moment he was with friends, the next thing he knew he was as tall as a bottle of booze.
He looked around the alleyway, trying to make sense of the world around him…from a new lens?
Or perhaps from a new height?
He could have sworn he always walked with two feet instead of four. Panicking, he crouched as his instincts told him to move forward. His backside shivered from detecting possible danger. He could feel the hairs on his body standing up as he tried exiting the alley.
Outside of Babette’s brothel, a hoard of people passed by, but no sign of Scar or the two Firelights he was with. He could not place the blame on himself though; it was all unprecedented, and he also couldn’t blame his comrades for leaving him. They probably do not even know where he is. He assumed it was already quarter to noon, judging by the smoke coming out of the chimney from a run down restaurant that appears when preparing lunch.
Strutting by a wet patch of ground, he saw his reflection in a lone puddle. He was undoubtedly a tabby brown cat, complete with dark stripes and a white ‘M’ shape on his forehead. The most distinctive feature was the white tuft of hair sprouting on top of his head.
He was… very fluffy.
‘By Janna…’ he thought, ‘How the hell did this happen?’
He wanted to scream, but it was impossible to call for help from a human. His thoughts overflowed with a myriad of questions. Looking back, he felt a weird sensation at the back of his throat after drinking the alcohol offered at the brothel. It was advertised as the best in house, complete with a fancy bottle and packaging. Lem, one of the Firelights who tagged along, accepted the drink to “let loose” for one night. Ekko knew that the statement was directed towards him, judging by their funny looks.
He exhausts himself too much from making sure their quality of living was secured. People who walk by his workshop always knock to check up on him, yet he declines any sort of leisure time in favor of serving them. Perhaps it was the fear of missing out that got to him, pressured by their teasing that he would die a virgin if he kept denying off-time. Not that he cared about dying untouched, but he did not want to seem like a killjoy.
He vaguely remembered that the bottle was reserved for him, seeing that the three were already in their second fill. He was not much of a drinker after all. Still, he thought it was weird that he was the only one that got affected. Ekko shook his head and decided to go back to the brothel to get more answers.
But as soon as he stepped out the alleyway, he was greeted by giant footsteps and quaking ground. His little ears folded and tail lowered, guarding himself. Surprisingly, his tiny cat body was agile enough to get him out of the busy street and allowed him to sprint towards the brothel.
The moment he reached the building, one of the female entertainers scared him off with a broom, preventing him from entering the front door. Luckily, the stack of crates and the pipes installed on the concrete side wall lead to the highest window. He immediately made his way to the top, careful not to put much weight on his paws to avoid falling.
The small window at the very top of the building revealed a red room. The contraption hanging on the ceiling that could suspend an adult and the leather bench were the two most prominent odd-looking furniture he could count. The sheer curtains did not hide what was in store for esteemed guests, and the faux luxury decorations supposedly imported from Ionia were gaudy. While the interior was atrocious, it did not matter to those that pay for extreme pleasure.
Ekko shook his head and silently went inside, landing softly on the polished wooden floors. His sensitive nose quickly caught a whiff of a musky scent mixed with cigarettes the further he pranced. It was a very unpleasant smell that can be compared to a fish, and he as a cat did not appeal to him at all.
It did not take long before a pair of cleaners entered the room to do their job. Ekko quickly hid under the bed and waited for them to get distracted. A field of dust and cobwebs peppered the entire floor, coupled with empty vials of shimmer and opened packs of contraceptives. His feline senses were overwhelmed by the surge of smells coming from the rubbish scattered around him.
While waiting, he bumped into a toppled green bottle that was oddly similar to what he had last night. He rolled it to the side until he saw the label pasted on its surface. It had a silhouette of a cat printed on the paper.
[Felixir (750 mL)
Dopamine and Serotonin booster
Orange-flavored Gin
36%-50% ABV
Must only consume 50 mL.
Maximum consumption of 250 mL in 24 hours
Overconsumption may yield unexpected results
Drink responsibly]
‘Well, fuck…’ he grumbled, or rather purred. By the looks of it, the whole product was sketchy. It did not include specific labels or warnings. At least he was not dead from overdose, he thought. He turned the bottle again for any clues on how to reverse the spell.
[If unexpected results are met, effects will wear off after 72 hours.
For an immediate solution, drink 20 mL of concentrated shimmer to dilute the effect.]
Ekko scowled at the word “shimmer”. He would rather wait for three days than drink any amount of the vile concoction.
“Hey, get out of here!!!” yelled one of the janitors as he peeked under the bed.
Ekko quickly scrambled before they brought their brooms to his bum, causing him to crash clumsily into the massive porcelain vase in the corner of the room. The window was shut, forcing him to find another way out. Drunken customers and barely dressed entertainers screamed as he bolted through to find the exit. Several people threw bottles at him, accidentally injuring his front leg as he stepped on a few shards while running towards the exit. He kept running until he found a quiet space to rest.
He limped in the alleyway and took shelter behind a giant tire, trying to figure out a way to patch himself. Unfortunately, his paws could only do so little. Even if it was possible, he had no means or resources for him to use, leaving him to bleed slowly and succumb to bruises. Despite it, he humors himself at the thought of proposing a project to protect animals if he ever returns to the base.
Thirty minutes passed, his body gave out and prompted him to rest. He felt his stomach grumble along with the throbbing bruises. His feline instincts kicked in, making him yelp and groan out of pain. The mewling sound only served to mock his situation. Thirty-five minutes in, his eyelids threatened to shut. To put a cherry on top, rain began to pour and water pooled around him, inviting potent infections from the mud mixing with his wounds. He moaned even louder to signal anyone his distress.
The cold feeling of humiliation started to spread from his neck down to his spine. While dying unceremoniously was not far from reality, it hurt to think he will go out in the most degrading way possible; not a friend in sight, and not even a creature to witness his demise. His breaths slowed down as exhaustion finally caught up.
Somewhere at the far end of the alley, a silhouette of a young scrawny woman in a cloak strided quietly.
“Hm?”
Her ears perked up at the faint sound of meowing. She followed the noise until it led her to an unconscious cat hiding behind a worn tire. She kneeled on the muddy ground to take a closer look at the brown striped cat, poking it to see if it was still alive. It moved, albeit raggedly.
“What a stupid cat.”
Without hesitation, she took the cat and shielded it under her coat.
The last thing Ekko remembered was a faint smell of gun powder and candy.
…
Ekko yawned as he stretched his body, feeling a warm blanket underneath that aided him. Although it wasn’t the softest, it served its purpose to comfort his aching body. His eyes were still shut and chose to sleep in, considering he was safe in his room all this time.
It all had been a dream; he was back at the base and tucked in his bed. He was comforted that his friends went back to save him from trouble. Maybe later, he could show them his gratitude by fixing their—
‘Wait…’
After opening his eyes, it adjusted to the sight of soft brown paws in front of him. One of them was wrapped in a small fresh bandage.
‘No…no…’
He looked down in horror, realizing he was still in a cat’s body. As he adjusted to his surroundings, he realized that he was taken to a shelter. He was laid on top of a makeshift blanket bed on an old dusty couch. Above him were glowing lamp lights of many colors that were reminiscent of the ones that hung outside of Benzo’s shop. A small drawer and a crate was placed near the couch, presumably containing personal items as some of clothing were spilled between the gaps. A thin curtain surrounds the area to conceal whoever wishes to sleep inside.
Suddenly, he heard someone humming outside. It was familiar— very familiar.
‘Oh gods no…’
His eyes widened in horror as the figure approached the curtains. He flinched when it bodaciously flipped open to reveal the girl who had been terrorizing his Firelights.
“Hey, little buddy!”
Jinx beamed at the small cat, giddy at the sight of it being in good condition after hours of stupor.
“How you feelin’? Still out of it?” She kneeled in front of him to keep an eye-level. “You almost became a road kill back there.” She chuckled as she lightly poked his furry chest.
Ekko froze as if he was being examined by a predator. Jinx’s face up close wasn’t unpleasant to look at, but something about the way she stares at him, especially with those unfocused bug-eyes, was unnerving. He scooted an inch away from her, hoping she wouldn't pounce on him. It dawned on him how small he actually is compared to a short woman.
“Come on, cat got your tongue? HA! Get it? Because you’re a cat?” she mumbled and laughed to herself. Was she expecting him to reply?
Could she actually understand him?
“I’m not a mere cat, you crazy woman!”
He said…but all that came out was a string of meows and purrs. Jinx blinked.
“Oh my gods, you can respond? YEEEE!!!” Ekko flinched at the sheer squealing. “What else can you do? Can you roll over? Can you high-five? Can you play dead?”
Her face was closer than before, causing him to back away. He could smell the smoke and soldering iron from her hair, mixed with a sweet scent he couldn’t put his finger— paw on.
“Oh, my bad.” she leaned back, giving the poor creature some space. Her voice became quieter, but did not spare a grin and a chuckle.
“Still shaken up, are ya? The doctor did a decent job in patching you up— even though I had to monitor him in case he performs taxidermy on you.”
His pupils constricted to her words. He had heard of the infamous doctor that works for Silco, but he overlooked how he was the root cause of why the city’s decay continues to accelerate. There was no doubt that the reason why most critters don’t appear anymore was largely because of his unethical research.
He eyed her intensely, desperately waiting for her to leave him be. She averted her gaze, dawning her strange action.
“Wow, look at me. I’m talking to a stray kitten.” she scoffed.
“I’m not a kitten! I was a fully grown man hours ago!!!”
He meowed back, but he only got a pat on his head.
“You’re lucky you’re so cute~” She scratched his chin, involuntarily making him purr. “‘You hungry? I don’t have cat food, but I have rats all over my lab. I could use a little help ‘round here since they keep biting my scraps.”
Ekko gagged at the implication of rodents as part of his diet. Jinx tapped her chin and hummed in wonder.
“Hm…I don’t really keep pets. The last time I did, I had a crow, but…” She paused, shifting her head to the direction of her work table. Ekko followed her gaze where he saw black feathers peppered on the table and on the floor. Few of them were used as bookmarks and decorations.
“I may or may not have shot them point blank when I had an episode— oh welp!”
His blood ran cold. She was the last person to have a moral compass over the vulnerable. Her gun gives her unfair authority, leaving people and all beings incapacitated and at her mercy. Unfortunately, his stomach grumbled again, gaining her attention.
“Huh, you really do need to eat.” She lifted his paw. The protruding ribs on his torso were too prominent to ignore. “Those lines are not doing you good, squirt.”
The cat retracted his arm and hissed on instinct. He swore he didn’t hiss on purpose. Jinx was taken aback and laughed.
“Pardon me, Mr. Snootypants. You’re lucky I got you help, otherwise you would have been rat food.” She laughed at the cat and scratched the back of his ear again. “I guess I have to go out and get some grub.”
Right before she left, Jinx mumbled:
“I rarely get any snacks for myself. I guess I have a reason now…” and then shut the door. The impact of the metal door echoed throughout the laboratory, making his ears flinch.
Ekko stayed in his position for a while before deciding to explore the place. One thing to note about her hideout was the vast darkness that surrounds the area from top to bottom. He noticed the path towards the workshop from the couch where he was sitting; it looked like a giant fan blade.
Using whatever strength he has, he pushed himself up and navigated her lounge area. It wasn’t much to look at, aside from the several creepily hand-made plushies and a sculpture that looks like her late adoptive brother. Something about the Mylo-dummy haphazardly tossed to the side did not sit right with him. He would be lying if he said he did not feel all of his fur stand up at the sight of it. As far as he could remember, Powder doesn’t mourn viscerally, or at least that was what he thought.
They are not similar in any way— not anymore, at least. The stinging sensation of her palm landing on his cheek after rejecting his help concluded that assumption. The girl he once played with was often scared of the dark, and this place has no means of accommodating her at all. Jinx made it clear to distinguish herself apart from the child she once was. It was all evident by the way the place was decorated, on top of keeping a replica of a deceased loved one.
Leaving the lounge, he trotted towards her workbench. The whole area was a mess; messier than the couch, and illuminated by blinding neon lights. Every corner was occupied by spare parts and unnecessary knick-knacks, typical for a person like her. Blueprints were scattered, as well as torn pages from her notebooks that fell off between pages. Smeared crayons and splattered ink decorated the surface, mixed with some kind of glitter that has gotten on his fur. Some of the crows' feathers molted over time, contributing to the mess.
Ekko sneezed at the heap of dust and iron shavings covering nearly half the desk. He always thought the girl had no sense of organization and his inspection concluded his hypothesis. He found it hard to navigate with all the upturned screws and nails without injuring his paws.
He figured it was a good time to scour any information about Silco if she kept any. The best he could find was a small log book for airship schedules that had a piltover insignia in it, suggesting she might have stolen it for hijacking. There was also a map for Piltover Academy’s ventilation system, marking the spots in the area where she planned to infiltrate. For someone who operates outside of Silco’s commands, he had to applaud her careful planning before executing it in a very Jinx-way.
Moving to her splayed blueprints, the first thing he noticed was the use of crayon and oil pastel in her drawings with such precision. It would have been professional-looking, if it wasn’t for the use of unconventional materials to illustrate her idea. Despite that, it had a solid foundation and decent understanding of complex engineering, something even Piltover has not made a breakthrough for.
Suddenly his ears twitched, sensing large boots stomping towards the door. He immediately went back to the couch and pretended to sleep.
“I’m back!” Jinx announced, loudly closing the door with one foot.
Ekko pretended to yawn and stretch, anticipating her return. He could hear the subtle shuffling of a paper bag and the intense aroma it exuded feet away from him. He wondered if this is what Scar experiences everyday; heightened senses and all. He wondered if he could also smell his bullshit whenever he yearns for…someone.
“Come on, squirt. I see you~” she smirked as she approached the couch. “I got foo-ood~”
He sat up and watched the girl sit on the floor and facing the couch, bringing out the takeaway from the bag. He knew it was the marinated fried fish that he usually orders with his Firelights after a busy day of patrolling. He could smell the spices used to enhance the flavor of the meat, causing his eyes to dilate.
“The good ol’ Jericho’s Specialty.” she opened the cover to reveal the delectable meal Zaun could offer. He thanked Janna for protecting their only source of good meal in the midst of the crisis.
“I told him to put extra raw slices, in case your skinny furry little butt wants to nibble on the classic.” she said, popping a small greasy piece in her mouth before pushing the box near the cat. “Go on. Don’t be shy.”
Ekko hesitated at first, but his hunger surpassed his intuition, digging in to fill his empty stomach. Somehow, he got to appreciate the flavors more as a cat than when he was a human. He noticed that his palette was drawn to the raw fish, but he didn’t protest.
In fact, he was worried that the raw fish was mixing with the cooked ones in one container— then again, it’s Jinx he was talking about.
‘Who knows what else she puts in her mouth?’ he shrugged.
They ate quietly, with the girl observing the cat intently. For her, it was intimate to see someone or something eat near her, mainly because only a few could stand her presence when they do a mundane task. The purring and nibbling sounds coming from the stray creature was oddly comforting. The last time she held a cat nearly scratched her and ran away. She propped her head against her knuckle on the couch and continued watching her new pet eat.
“You’re an odd one.” she commented. “I oughta name you if you’re gonna stay here for a while.” scratching his ear to get his attention. Ekko looked at her inquisitively.
“It better not be something stupid.” he meowed.
She stared at the makeshift ceiling and began thinking of good names: “Sir Wincelot? Hmm nah. Brownie? Y’know, because your coat is brown.” She pet him again, basking at the softness of its fur. “But you do have that weird white tuft sticking out of your head…”
Ekko flicked his ears when she started listing names. Safe to say he was displeased.
“Why can’t you stick with normal ones? -_-”
“Hmm…how about Teddy? Tom? Oliver Twist? Simba? Figaro? Maximus?” She kept tapping her chin.
“Those names are asking for infringement.”
“No, those won’t do.” She thought hard and deep, mainly basing off his appearance. “As a matter of fact, you kinda remind me of someone…”
Ekko perked up, hoping he could finally be seen. “Could she tell—?”
“Yeah…” she furrowed her eyebrows to see an angle. “You look like Ekko. Should I call you that?”
He meowed in excitement, as if he met his victory. If he was going to be stuck as a feline for three days, he might as well be called by his own name.
“Actually, nah. Too pretentious.” she shrugged.
“Excuse me, what—”
“I don’t want my cat sharing the same name as that doofus.” she huffed.
“Oi—”
“No matter how chiseled his stupid jaw is,”
“Wha—”
“Or how big his biceps are–”
“Wait a minute—”
“Probably even hiding a slutty six-pack,”
“Hold on—”
“I am not gonna give my precious baby his name! I need a name that screams ‘Jinx was here’!” she declared and looked around for inspiration. Her eyes landed on one of her hair casings. “I know– Bullet! Because you came right through my heart~” she happily announced.
Meanwhile, Ekko was baffled at the strange insults she just hurled at his good name. He wished to rewind the moment to hear them all again from her pretty mouth.
“Could you repeat that?!”
But alas, all that came out was a series of meows, in which Jinx mistakes him agreeing to his new identity.
“Bullet it is then! It’s short and bold.” She grinned and continued petting him, clearly amused by its cute meowing. “So smart. You’re a better friend than that jerk.” she smiled sickeningly sweet, more sinister than her staring at his soul.
Somewhere in his brain, he felt a crack. He wanted to scream at Janna for putting his soul in this surreal predicament.