"Care to explain, Miss Neeko the Big-Tongue?"
Duke's face was dark as a burnt pot bottom, eyes blazing as he glared at Neeko. Even though he understood why she ran away from home, that didn't mean he was just going to let it slide.
The little troublemaker ran off without a word. If he hadn't called at just the right time, he would've still been in the dark.
"Neeko didn't run away! Neeko left a note!"
Neeko huffed, tail flicking defiantly as she protested. Duke raised an eyebrow. "So now I'm the one at fault?"
"Exactly!"
With arms crossed in confidence, Neeko puffed up her chest. Duke yanked at her colorfully painted cheeks. "Exactly my foot!"
"You've learned to run away from home now? Do you want me to punish you?"
"Neeko didn't run away, Neeko went to make new friends!"
Even while Duke was stretching her face, Neeko kept chattering on. Duke rolled his eyes. "If I hadn't planted a tracker on you, Tahm would've had to search every corner of Runeterra!"
"Neeko really did just go make new friends!"
Neeko puffed out her cheeks in frustration. Duke narrowed his eyes. "...Cheesecake?"
"Where?!"
Her eyes lit up as she immediately looked around. Duke snorted. "You scared Orianna half to death and you still want cheesecake?!"
"Three days. No cake for you!"
"Nooo! Neeko loves cheesecake!"
"Then apologize to Orianna properly."
Duke dialed Orianna's comms. She picked up immediately from faraway Piltover, worry in her voice. "Did you find Neeko?"
"Found her. She's with me now. I had Tahm pick her up. Don't worry."
"That's good... That's really good."
Orianna visibly relaxed. Duke followed up, "By the way, Neeko said she left a note. Did you see it?"
"I only found this on her bed."
Orianna held up the "farewell note" Neeko had mentioned, scrawled crayon doodles all over a sheet of paper. Amidst the mess, one could vaguely make out two stick figures in a house, one larger, one smaller. A tailed stick figure stood outside, pointing toward a bunch of distorted stick people.
"This note… only ghosts could understand it."
Duke twitched at the corner of his mouth and shoved the tablet into Neeko's hands. "Go on, apologize properly."
Just then, a gust of wind blew into the tent, flapping the entrance wildly. Nidalee and Katarina narrowed their eyes, focusing on the opening.
Amidst the swirling wind, a blue bird slowly morphed into a radiant goddess, veiled in silk with flowing hair, Janna.
Floating midair, Janna opened her eyes and looked at Duke. He nodded. "Need a favor."
"No."
"Don't be so cold. I'm your chosen one, aren't I?"
Duke held up the bluebird amulet around his neck. Janna floated over, face-to-face with him. "You've got some nerve. I've never seen a chosen one summon their deity like a servant, and you don't even pray! You give me zero faith energy!"
"Even Orianna gives me more!"
Duke shrugged. "Can't help it. I'm swamped. I've got nothing left to give."
He believed only in himself. Relying on others? Please.
That just wasn't who he was.
Still, Janna had come, which meant he held some weight in her eyes.
"Enough grumbling. I just need you to locate a Ysu'Olae village hidden in Ixtal."
"Just one village will do."
"Fine."
Janna rolled her eyes. Duke handed her several beacons. "Just place these in any city or village you find. My drones will take care of the rest."
"Got it, got it!"
Janna took the beacons, who knows where she stored them, then glanced at Neeko. "This kid's really something. Where'd you find her?"
Duke shrugged. "Planted a tracker. Had Tahm sweep Ixtal's waterways until he found her."
"Luckily, someone saw her heading into the Ixtal jungle. Otherwise... who knows how long it would've taken."
"That demon again?"
Janna clearly disliked Tahm. As a goddess of order and kindness, beings that fed on negative human emotions were her natural enemies.
"Oh, right. Camille says the Hexgate experiment succeeded. She wants you to pick up the pace."
"Exactly why I called you here."
Duke put his hands together and winked.
"So, please, dear goddess!"
"Hmph!"
Janna shot Duke a glare and vanished. Once she was gone, Nidalee finally let out a breath.
"Who was that?"
"Spirit of the Storm. The deity of our city. I'm her chosen one. I asked her for help."
"You can command gods?" Katarina stared at Duke, stunned.
"Correction: I ask for their help."
"And besides, shouldn't gods answer their followers? I'm her chosen one. Would she rather help you?"
Duke waved her off. Katarina studied him. This guy… who was he? He could call on demons and summon gods?
At that moment, a furious roar shook the camp.
"No!!!"
It was Rengar.
Duke quickly tapped into his magic to check on him.
Clutching a mirror, Rengar stared in horror at his mane. His proud fur, now rainbow-colored and curly.
Unacceptable. Absolutely not.
He dropped the donated mirror and stormed into Duke's tent.
"You can kill me, but this is beyond insult!"
Furious, he tore off his hood to reveal the full rainbow waves. Katarina snorted. Nidalee turned away, shoulders shaking with laughter.
He was... adorable.
"I told you, it was punishment. You tried to hunt me, I had to get some payback."
"I'd rather die than accept this humiliation!"
"Then next time, I won't go so easy."
Duke smirked. Rengar's rage faltered slightly. Failure he could accept, but not this disgrace.
He'd survived countless failures as a cub, but this?
This was worse than Duke beating him to Kha'Zix.
"One more failure, and I'll neuter you."
Duke made a snipping gesture. "What do you think?"
"You bastard!"
Rengar lunged, but vines shot up from beneath the carpet, binding him like a cocoon.
"You can't hurt Duke!!"
Neeko, hugging the tablet, glared fiercely at him. Rengar froze in terror.
Vastaya did have magic, sure, but Neeko was exceptional. Far beyond someone like him, who was born magically deficient.
"Behave, big kitty!"
Neeko flashed her teeth, then turned to Duke. "Can Neeko have cheesecake now?"
"Heh, Neeko, you did great."
Duke praised her, then flatly denied, "No."
"No cake for three days."
"Meanie!!"
Neeko yelled, calling him a villain as she dashed out of the tent with her tablet. Duke turned to Nidalee. "Mind checking on her?"
"I will, but promise me, don't torment hunters like this again."
"That depends on his attitude."
"You can kill me, but not humiliate me!"
Rengar struggled, still trapped. Duke stepped over with a lit cigar, looking him in the eye.
"Let's compromise."
"You're allowed to hunt me."
"Though you won't succeed."
"I will. One day!"
Rengar roared. Duke clicked his tongue. "Keep yelling and I'll really neuter you."
"Hmph!"
Rengar growled. Duke offered a deal.
"Every time you attack me and lose, you obey one of my commands, for one day."
"First time, one day. Second, two days. Third, three. And so on. Sound fair?"
Rengar glared, then closed his eye.
"Restore me."
"If you behave, I'll fix your mane, and give you more. Weapons, gear, armor, anything you need."
"Well?"
Duke held the cigar out. Rengar stared, then muttered, "You'll regret this."
"Deal sealed!"
Duke popped the cigar into his mouth. "This is your first day."
"Fine."
Rengar took a puff, only to start coughing violently, spitting the cigar out.
"Don't waste it!"
Duke snatched it midair and shoved it back. "This stuff's expensive!"
"I'm not used to your human crap."
"You'll get used to it."
Duke smiled.
"Very used to it."