Advanced Hextech made anything that much more straightforward. The Pulsefire Agent mused over the small unit standing on the palm of her hand. Barely bigger than a ring, the device held endless years of precious information.
The past.
A past that was ultimately not her own. Ever since she had stumbled on this digital archive, Caitlyn had hesitated. But eventually, the agent had settled on visiting her story. Or what was known of it. Caitlyn breathed in and launched the download. Her pupils turned a light shade of green while the data was being processed. Silent moments passed by, before green hues gently faded back into dark blue. Caitlyn blinked slowly, her hand closing around the unit. Nowadays, technology allowed for people to download limited amount of data directly to their cerebrum. Caitlyn rose and placed the unit on the table.
"LeBlanc" was the only word written on the storage device.
—
Feeling the wind in her back, Caitlyn let the portal close. There was no mistaking it. She was on track. And yet her legs felt weak, barely capable of holding up her weight.
Left. Right. Left. Right.
Against her better judgement, the Pulsefire agent took her first steps in a time that was not hers. On a quest that could potentially disrupt the continuum. If that ever were to happen, then she would have to close the loophole and delete this timeline. The timeline that she was in.
Caitlyn shook her head. That would not happen. She couldn't let it end. Not like this.
And so she set out.
—
"Have we met?"
The streets were crowded. People flooded past them in a blur. And all Caitlyn could do was stay frozen in place, mouth slightly ajar in awe. She was there. In front of her. Despite having carefully planned out their meeting, Caitlyn couldn't help but just stand there. A stream of inseparable emotions struck her, forcing her to take a step back.
"I do not believe we have."
The other woman observed her with incredible orange hues. She was ever so silent. And eventually, she offered a smile.
It was so different.
"My apologies. I was under the impression that we had."
"Not at all." Caitlyn had so much she wanted to say, so much that she had to hold back. "Jane Whitebourne. A pleasure."
LeBlanc stared at the extended hand. For a moment, it looked as if she wouldn't take it. Caitlyn lowered her arm.
"LeBlanc. The pleasure is all mine." Caitlyn felt the warmth of her hand and was slightly taken aback.
How could she have missed something that she had never experienced for herself? Was it possible to be so emotional over another's story?
Caitlyn wondered what the "her" from this timeline was like. What she had lived and what she had done.
Squeezing the petite hand, she bowed her head. "I have heard so much about you."
"I feel even more embarrassed to not know who I am talking to then."
"There is nothing to know about me. I… I simply wanted to meet you."
Orange eyes narrowed. "Is that so."
"I had to. Before I leave."
"How far are you going?"
"Pardon me?"
The tension in the air disappeared. LeBlanc let out a chortle.
"Aren't we rather mysterious? A bit over dramatic, but there is nothing wrong with that."
"You would know that better than anyone."
"Indeed." LeBlanc shuffled and threw her scarf over her shoulder. "You sound like you won't be back for some time."
"That is probably the case. I…" Caitlyn paused and smiled sheepishly. "Travel a lot. It is difficult for me to visit a same place twice."
"Ah, but is that not the charm of being an explorer? I sometimes imagine myself as the one on the road. Sadly, I am shackled here. What a cruel fate."
The Pulsefire agent gave an uncertain smile. Evaine was lying. Never would she let the Black Rose fall. Never would she leave LeBlanc. "A shame indeed."
"I am a very good listener, you know."
The Deceiver's interest was piqued. Maybe Caitlyn should consider herself lucky that the mage was very obviously bored of her to-do list. Caitlyn slipped her hands in her pockets and allowed herself a question. "You seem… rather relaxed. Why? Trust does not come easily."
Evaine LeBlanc gave a shrug, frowning for the first time since they had started their conversation. More people pushed by. LeBlanc took a step forward.
"You are familiar. You obviously know me. And I can't help feel that I know you."
"And you are not threatened?"
"No." The answer was simple. Caitlyn gave a sigh of relief.
"Like I said, there is something very familiar about you. You are very much like someone I… used to know." The slip up was barely noticeable but there was no apparent change in emotion. Caitlyn wondered how their story had come to an end. How LeBlanc and the Caitlyn from this timeline had parted. She pondered all the possibilities, but in the end gave up.
"Do I resemble them physically?" The Pulsefire said, going the Deceiver's way, wanting to hear more of a story that had already ended.
"It's your voice. Your mannerisms. If not for the very subtle differences, I would have pinned you as the same person. But I know better. I know that she is leading her own respective, if not slightly deluded, life. Never would she give up all that she has fought for to merely travel. That prospect is ridiculous. And inconceivable."
"And is that why you trust me? Because I am much like her?"
LeBlanc shrugged and looked sideways, her eyes getting lost in the crowd. Her gaze was vague, as she wasn't eyeing anything or anyone in particular. Maybe Caitlyn had lost her interest. She was about to open her mouth when the Deceiver gave an answer of her own.
"Yes. Call it foolishness or call it a weakness." Her eyes turned to meet deep blue again. "I feel at ease with you. I lack the answer as to why, but I have come to the conclusion that you are here, Caitlyn."
The Pulsefire agent faltered. Had she made a mistake? She was sure to have been careful while talking to the Matron. Time travel was not a matter that could be taken lightly. And more often than not -apart from ending in diagrams- the very notion of it sufficed in creating an anomaly in the timeline, as it posed many questions. It was a difficult and delicate subject at best.
"That is ludicrous. You said it yourself. She and I are not one in the same. We are different."
"Yes. I am aware of what I said." The tone turned hard. "However there are many happenings that cannot be explained or fully comprehended. And one would be foolish to delude themselves into thinking that there is a logical answer to everything."
Caitlyn said nothing. Orange eyes softened and LeBlanc resumed her pleasantries.
"But that is a long and tedious subject. One that is not meant for goodbyes."
The Pulsefire agent looked up.
"You have come to say goodbye, have you not?"
"Was it that obvious?"
"No. I simply know you more than you would like to admit." LeBlanc smirked and closed the gap between them, popping Caitlyn's privacy bubble. Not that the latter minded. Somehow, she wasn't bothered by the mage's invasion. It was something she felt like she had got used to a long time ago.
Offering a genuine smile, she held up her hand one last time. LeBlanc looked at it and took it, while adding: "Are you satisfied with our meeting?"
Caitlyn laughed and gave the petite hand a light squeeze. "I am more at peace. Despite having not completed the mission I had first set out to do."
"And that mission was?"
"I had been hoping to discover a lot more about the dangerous character that is LeBlanc. But I am satisfied with this encounter. In this timeline, at least."
Evaine did not further question the agent and instead went in for a kiss. Gently brushing her lips on the agent's cheek, she pulled back as quickly as she had leaned in, a cryptic smile illuminating her features.
"Goodbye Caitlyn. Have a safe travel back."
