PulseFire [Fan-Fiction]
Caitlyn huffed. This timeline was disgusting, old and belching smoke. Of course he'd choose to hide here. Her boots squelched, and she took a moment to pause, curling her lip. Whatever she was currently standing in was not discernible now. Even though this era's hextech had advanced enough to help her blend in, they still couldn't manage the simple feat of keeping streets clean.
She was the poster child of PulseFire, both recruiter and bounty hunter. But mostly, she was a fixer. Once you joined, you didn't leave -- and when you did leave, your timeline was closed. It was a simple solution to a complex problem.
This timeline refugee had stolen something from PulseFire. He was so close to becoming a recruit, too; it was such a shame, but orders were orders. And stealing? Now that was something Caitlyn couldn't forgive. Perhaps not such a shame, after all, Caitlyn thought, moving on. She had tracked him here, to the old Piltover. Technology was flourishing, although it was still heavily dependent on steam and magic. This was the age known as the "turn", however -- older tech was being replaced much faster than before, and while magic still breathed in the land, it too was being replaced.
Continuing down the small alleyway, Caitlyn took a sharp turn. The main street of Piltover, bustling and fairly gleaming, sprawled before her. It was boisterous and loud, a good way to blend with the crowd. The chrono refugee could hide, if he wanted, or he could run. Neither option would lead to a good end.
A bob of yellow hair appeared in the crowd. Trademark leather jacket and goggles? Check. Caitlyn smirked and started forward again. It seemed that luck was on her side today, or the Rememberancers, at least. They had been correct that the chrono fugitive would be here today; the why they couldn't discern, but it was no matter. Caitlyn was going to handle the problem.
With a simple solution.
Obviously, she couldn't brandish her gun here. For one, it was too high-tech in appearance. While Caitlyn herself could easily pass, her gun could not. At the moment it would have to remain hidden, neatly squared away in her pack slung over a shoulder. And on the other hand, she would be quickly apprehended by Piltover's law enforcement. While quite obviously advanced, her gun was still a weapon.
For now, she would have to follow her target. Not a hard feat for one such as herself.
It was mid-afternoon, and the chrono fugitive still was wandering the main street. Caitlyn grit her teeth. Sometimes operations took much longer than she had originally planned. She would always be back home within an hour of her departure, of course. Pulsefire jumping was funny that way. Caitlyn could spend weeks away, and yet when she returned, barely any time would have passed.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. It wouldn't do to be caught off-guard. While the chrono fugitive had no clue about proper use of PulseFire tech, he still had a powerful suit at his disposal. And, while the Rememberancers had told her that this was his first pulsefire jump since he had stolen the suit, he still could've had time to train.
No, she musn't get upset. Yes, this was taking longer than anticipated, but Caitlyn could wait a few hours more, and be back in time for supper. And a delicious cupcake, she thought.
Finally, her target turned off into a small alley. It dipped downwards, heading towards... Zaun? Caitlyn frowned. This would have been much easier had he gone into a more deserted part of Piltover. Adjusting her pack, giving him a few moments' headstart, she followed as discretely as possible.
He paused, and quickly Caitlyn ducked into a sidebuilding. Testing the front door, Caitlyn found it thankfully unlocked, and she made her way inside. A deal -- he was supposed to make a deal of some sort today. Perhaps that was why he was visiting Zaun of all places. Many Zaunites would pay a pretty price for such advanced hextech. Caitlyn was willing to bet that he wouldn't be giving up his pulsefire suit anytime soon. That was his ace in the hole, his ticket between timelines. No, there must be some other reason for the deal.
Stealthily making her way upstairs, Caitlyn unslung the bag from her shoulder. It seemed to be an unused office building of some sort, perfect for her needs. On the third floor, she made her setup. A standing PulseFire rifle. Breathing deep, she took aim, waiting. Watching. With a steady hand, she breathed slowly, getting a bead on her target. He was sitting on some old crates in the center of the alleyway. It met four other alleys here, and was a bit roomier. A good spot nestled between Piltover and Zaun, hidden away and perfect for quite literal back-alley meetings.
Caitlyn could've taken the shot then, but she waited. Something was nagging her; no one was appearing for the meeting. It didn't seem right. Watching her target through the sights of her gun, she noticed the small smirk that appeared on his face. He waved at no one, and then stood, turning as if to leave.
It was now or never: time to take the shot. "Boom," Caitlyn breathed, squeezing the trigger.
She had... missed? But that wasn't possible -- Caitlyn never missed. Gritting her teeth, Caitlyn found her target again, a meter to the left of where he had been just a few scant seconds before. Caitlyn hadn't missed -- he had blinked out of the way just as she had fired. The jig was up. Quickly lining up her second shot, Caitlyn fired again, only to have the chrono fugitive disappear again. This time, scanning the alley, she couldn't find him. Dread settled in her stomach.
"Hello, Caitlyn." The voice came from behind her. Quickly, Caitlyn turned, and came face to fist. Ezreal's fist, that was, pointed at her. Normally, a gesture so benign wouldn't warrant fear, but with his PulseFire suit...
"How did you know?" was all Caitlyn asked, warily eyeing Ezreal. He had been all too aware of this meeting. Too knowing.
He grinned lazily. "He who controls the past, wins," Ezreal said. And then he fired.
It wouldn't kill Caitlyn. That much was obvious. She had a temporal stasis placed on her wherever she jumped -- if she was caught in a sticky situation, she would be able to leave scott-free. Mostly. Failing a mission wasn't taken lightly by PulseFire.
Ezreal turned, going down the stairs and leaving the building -- and Caitlyn's rifle. It was no good to take it. Tied to Caitlyn's temporal signature, it would simply appear with her whenever, and wherever, she appeared. Ruffling his hair, Ezreal sighed. For him, this would only be the first of many meetings. "Back to the future with you," he commented, strolling away.
Edited for minor grammar. I wrote this bone-tired at 3 AM last night. Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Feel free to leave comments, questions, or feedback below. I'd appreciate it!
This is a personal take on the new "pulsefire" skins and potential lore. The new login is phenomenal, and I got inspired to write! :)