Lighting the Sky With Flames

[Quinn Wiley]

Quinn wasn’t a big fan of the training field but where else could he throw out fire in all safety? He didn’t feel the need to have a trainer around however. It was so easy, he could do this on his own. All he had to do was to make sure he coughed up the acid up towards the sky so the fire would come as a column and not try to burn everything in sight. Because he was not immune to fire and had no desire to burn into a crisp.

He didn’t mean to get there this evening but he started to get some heartburns and he knew what that meant. Why was greasy food so good? He should tone down the burgers and fries. At least he was not eating those lard toasts they suggested he took if he wanted to use his power more. That sounded positively disgusting. He might be a teenager but he was not stuffing just any food in his mouth.

It annoyed him to get there as he was hoping to make some photographs while there was still some sun up. He could be discreet, it made it easy for him to get nice pictures of people while they expected it less. Not that he was going for the million-dollar shot like a paparazzo but he liked to capture people while they aren’t posing. That will have to wait now, and he better not lose all the light because of this.

By the time he reached the training field, he was already coughing. He ran to the center of it. Coughing meant vapors about to get out, meant acid soon following, meant him burning the ground instead. He couldn’t burn the ground. Now that he was there, he exhaled some of that vapor. Like a chameleon about to send its tongue against its prey, his head back and he spat, not a tongue, but acid, that burned the acetone and elevated in the air into flames. Again, he exhaled a few more vapors and another cough of acid. He recalled how he felt like it was a bit like throwing up at first. Disgusting. But necessary in his case, vital even.

He did it two or three more times until his body started to shiver. The process would always lower his body temperature and the air suddenly seemed cool against his skin. At least he took care of that. He didn’t want to think what it would be like if the acid and acetone were to meet in his body. He wasn’t sure it was possible but fear didn’t need logic to take someone. Now, maybe he’ll be able to go back to what he wanted to do.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe had been waiting in the fields, staring up at the sky and contemplating life. She often went to strange places, usually outside and out of the sight of other people. Despite all her attempts to find her inner strength, and despite all the attempts of other people to pick her up, Zoe still found herself wanting to shy away from people and the uncomfortable situations they so often brought with them. Which often meant heading out during the evening for pleasant walks, as often as not alone. She'd brought her camera along with her, as she felt more comfortable with it hanging around her neck.

This proved to be quite fortunate, as she heard someone coming. Zoe let out a soft little yelp that certainly couldn't be heard from this distance, nearly scrambling to get hidden, not wanting to be found. She'd barely started when she heard the coughing. This caused her to shift, wondering if she should say or so something. She didn't have her phone, as she never took it on these lonesome walks. It distracted. As she watched though, a great gout of flame shot out. Zoe's eyes went wide, but she yanked her camera up, catching the next few bursts, hearing the electronic click of the more modern camera she happened to have brought along this time. She lowered it, not quite believing what she'd managed to capture.

Then she saw it pause, and she thought she saw the figure shivering. Zoe swallowed hard, moving her fingers, working up the courage to call out: "Excuse me, but are you okay?" and was proud that her void only warbled ever so slightly as she did so.

[Quinn Wiley]

Quinn came here for one reason only: it ought to be the best place to throw some fire in the air without setting anything on fire. Because they might tolerate people like him but Quinn had the feeling if he set the whole woods ablaze, or burned a student, or destroyed school property with his ability, they might not like him as much. Shouldn’t it be criminal even? It was weird sometimes to hear them say it was alright because they could buy it again, rebuild or had healers to take care of someone. Still, as much as he didn’t like people, Quinn had no desire to burn them into a crisp. Being alone, away from anyone or anything he could damage, it was the best solution. And since he was used to the process, just didn't like the heartburn or the feeling he was vomiting, he saw no reason to warn a trainer for them to come with him.

It was also why he did not see Zoe. He knew the girl, vaguely. He knew she was from his photography club. He might not talk a lot but he observed. She ought to be the only one beating him in terms of quietness. Although he didn’t have her nerves, which, of course, he considered a good thing. The rest there was to say about her, of course, Quinn was entirely in the dark about.

He flinched when he heard her talk to him. He really thought he was alone. In a way, seeing it was only Zoe, he kind of relaxed. She seemed way too harmless for him to worry about her. He could go back to more important things. Such as the fact he should have brought a vest or some hot drink to help him with the temperature drop. It did come to his mind to check her and notice the camera she had in hand. He shouldn’t say anything, he had one as well, but he was not taking pictures of her. Was she taking pictures of him? In a way, it felt nice on his ego. Not to add he had no idea what he looked like when throwing fire. Maybe, he could have a look?

“I’m fine, it’s just... a little cold right now,” he said, unable to stop the shivering. He wrapped his arms around his chest, hoping to get a bit of warmth like this. He nodded towards her as he made a few steps in her direction. “What are you doing here?” he asked. It kind of felt weird to him to almost start a pleasant conversation with her and his state only seemed to add to how weird it was. He rarely chose to talk to people on purpose. He preferred being on his own.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Cold? Zoe stopped and blinked, wondering why---ah, it must be his power. He let out all that fire, and now his body temperature had dropped. That made sense. Zoe pawed at her own clothing for a moment. Per usual, Zoe overdressed. Even she wouldn't normally have opted for long sleeves and tights in the summer. Her power though, it sort of took that choice away from her. Sadly, she didn't think she had anything she could give him, at least not that would fit.

"I was, um, just over there," she said, flushing, pointing toward the stands. She had to remind herself to stay strong, like everyone kept telling her. She didn't need to hide; he wasn't going to do anything. In fact, now that Zoe was closer, she recognized him from photography club, though she couldn't recall his name. She fidgeted. "I, well, I like to be alone to... think, and this is, um, a good place for it."

Zoe fidgeted again, looking back at the young man, again noting his shiver. "There are towels around here, I think," she said, turning. "And maybe a blanket? It would probably be put out fires or what have you, but, well, um, we could maybe cover you with it?" she just didn't like seeing someone shiver, not if she could. Were her power different, she might have even offered to hug him, warm him up that way, though that would've taken quite a lot out of her, their being strangers and all.

[Quinn Wiley]

As Quinn admitted he was cold, he didn't think it would sound weird considering it was a relatively warm day. Who the hell would be cold under such weather!? Well, he could. He also knew wrapping himself in every blanket he can find would not help as much as you’d expect. He was cold from the inside. It would be better than the light clothing he had on right now. It wasn’t like Quinn took the time to go to his room and get a coat or something.

He looked at the stands as she pointed in that direction. “I... I didn’t scare you?” he asked. Not that he really cared but he barged in here assuming it was empty and started blasting fire up in the air. It might have been a little startling. He had a brief nod when she said it was a good place to be alone. He knew that, he came here on occasion for the same reason. “Unless someone comes here for training,” he pointed out though. Then again, he doubted there would be one who’d come at this hour. Maybe a team of whatever sport, that could be logical. But there was no one today it seemed. Except for them.

He pointed his chin in direction of her camera. “You always bring it with you when you want to think?” he said, his tone a little incisive. He shouldn’t talk as he had his camera with him as well. But he was not the one nervous trying to justify his presence here.

He looked around, as if the towels and blankets she mentioned would magically appear before them. He thought going to a closed space might help, but there would probably be A/C or a fan, that wouldn’t be any better than here. “I’m shivering that much?” he asked. He could feel that he was but of course, he couldn’t tell just how violently he was shivering to another one’s eye. At least his teeth were not chattering but he couldn’t really stop the shivering. The blanket might be a good idea after all. “Where did you see them?” he asked.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Scared? "What? No, you didn't---you were just---blowing it into the air," Zoe gestured. "It was rather pretty, actually," she lowered hands, feeling a little silly for it. "I guess I just, well, people do things like that here and--" and she'd been photographing it for months now. Hard to be too scared when she'd actually asked pyrokinetics to pose for her. When you told someone they should try and make a shape with their fire, you sort of lost the fear for it in general.

Now, if someone with a gun came barreling through or, even worse, someone tried to talk to Zoe, then she'd probably freak out.

What was he? Oh, her camera. "Um, yes, a lot anyway," said Zoe, fingering the device like the talisman it had become for her. the gloved hands moved along the various knobs and buttons with familiarity, practically going along grooves. She was soon nodding, then biting her lip, thinking she shouldn't have nodded. Felt rude. The guy didn't seem to care though, was even asking about the blankets and such.

"I think they keep the towels in bins," she said, turning and pointing toward the sidelines. "And, um, there's probably a cabinet somewhere for the blanket." Zoe paused then, fidgeting again, shuffling her feet and chewing on her lip. "Did you... should we go look for it?" she gestured lamely, before adding: "If you want to, that is. That would be okay with me. I don't, um, mind." Wow, that almost made it worse, didn't it?

[Quinn Wiley]

Quinn didn’t need Zoe to tell him he blew fire into the air. He knew what he did. It was not like he meant to blast it to the ground or towards the stands. Processing the fat into flammable gas inside of him might rise his body temperature this was about as much heat he could endure. He could burn, just like anybody. He had no desire to set the field on fire and trap himself there. Somehow, he doubted death by fire was that great. Must be terribly painful. He’d rather avoid the pain.

He paused, staring at her, when she said it was pretty. “Does that mean you took pictures of it?” he asked. He never thought it would be pretty. Impressive, a bit scary, maybe. Then again, he found those pyrokinetic ones a lot more impressive. They could generate fire whenever they wanted. It was not his case. He needed the right conditions for it to happen and clearly he overdid it right now otherwise he wouldn’t be shivering this much. He should have thrown only one ball, maybe two at the very least, not empty his whole body of the gas and acid in it.

He was wondering however if she caught him on camera. He didn't mind actually, he was just curious to see. He didn’t want her to know that however and try to act as if it really was nothing, like he was being photographed every day doing that. He noticed as she held her camera that she was wearing gloves. He did seem to recall hearing something about her, like she couldn’t touch people or something. He wasn’t sure. He might listen and look around without taking part in anything going on, he was not omniscient.

He knew he had been told about the towels and blankets before but Quinn never seemed to retain that information. Too important for him to care apparently. He stared back at Zoe when she asked if they should look. “You don’t have to if you prefer to stay here and think,” he pointed out. He didn't want to sound snotty but he knew he couldn’t help it. He didn’t see why she wanted to be so helpful yet sound so nervous about it, as if she didn’t want at the same time. She could stay here if she wanted, Quinn left to fetch a blanket. It was a rather big one and as he wrapped himself in it, he felt ridiculous. The blanket was over his head and his hands kept it pretty tight to his body, making only a small hole for his face to show through and two legs to come out at the bottom. Ridiculous. “You’re in the photography club, right?” he asked her. He was certain that she was and not only because of her camera. Anyone could have one, didn’t mean they knew how to use it.




((OoC: by the way, just wanted to say I love Zoe’s priorities. A crazy guy with a gun is clearly not as scary as one who wants a chat with her xD))

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe looked down for a moment, shuffling her feet and scuffing at the ground a little. "Yes," she admitted, "just a few," because that was what she did. True, normally Zoe did ask for permission or what have you, but, well, this had been a little bit of a different circumstance and all. She supposed that talking right now technically counted... right? She hoped so. She felt like it should.

The young man moved; Zoe watched him. He went for the blanket, seeming to use it to cover up. Zoe took a few more steps closer, hesitating. He did seem to be more or less okay, or, at least, capable of taking care of himself. So maybe she could just go hide somewhere now, which was actually preferable to actually attempting some kind of conversation. He even said that she didn't have to stay if she didn't want to, which Zoe took as pretty much permission for her to turn and go.

Just as she'd seriously considered doing so, however, she heard the question. It made her pause, turning back to the young man and blinking. "um, yes?" she said, her voice warbling again. "I, um, haven't missed a meeting. Well, there was that one," shortly after she'd been shot, "but there was a good reason... are you... you do look familiar, so I suppose you---?" that was sort of a real question, right?

{hey, she's dealt with being shot at before; she handled that shit. people talking? totally terrifying}

[Quinn Wiley]

It wasn’t that Quinn was upset she took pictures of him. Unless she seriously pissed him off, he wouldn’t mind at all. And she had yet pissed him off. He didn’t quite understand her, she was a ball of nerves yet was there talking to him and trying to be helpful without him even asking that out of her. At most he’d pity her but she was no threat to Quinn.

He was actually curious since she admitted taking pictures of him. But he didn't want to downright ask her to see them. It would have been hard for her to ask him if she could take a picture of him while he blew fire. Anyway, he rarely asked permission when he took pictures of people. Because he took them for only himself to watch. That sounded more creepy than he meant for it to. But yeah, he rarely cared asking if he could take someone’s picture or something. He captured a moment. If he asked, that moment would be lost. Better take the picture and if they noticed, ask then if it was alright.

He’d rather now have her taking a picture of him now though. He must look really silly right now, with his face being the only thing you could see. He could feel some of his hair in his face but he didn’t want to move the lock away. It was fine where it was and he had the blanket too tightly for it to move on its own. Her answer barely made sense but at least he understood she was from the photography club. “So am I. Didn't really want to join a club that would tell me what to do but I was strongly suggested to and besides they leave us enough space,” he told Zoe. He wasn’t quite sure she had been trying to ask him if he was from the club too but he figured he could tell her as much. It was not like she couldn’t find out at the next meeting. “I wanted to take some pictures but I kind of lost the light now,” he added, looking away. He knew they invented flash for that particular reason but it wasn’t the same. Not to add that he wasn’t really in a state to take any picture right now.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

So that's why he looked familiar. Zoe recognized most of the faces from the club after all; she just didn't generally know the names that went with those. That would require actually talking to people, having conversations or something akin to them. Definitely not something that Zoe felt comfortable or confident in doing.

"Yes, it is fading," she said, looking around at the settling night. "I was lucky because you were producing light. That's what made the shot so appealing: the contrast of the brilliant light coming from you and the encroaching night, almost as if you were attempting to fight it off in one violent burst, even though you knew there was nothing you could do..."

Zoe trailed off, her hands rubbing at her camera for a bit. She bit her lip then, lowering her head and feeling slightly abashed once more. "I'm sorry, I-- I get a little, um, into my photography and such," and she'd just essentially gone poetic on a near stranger. No wonder people didn't want to talk to her.

[Quinn Wiley]

If Quinn knew Zoe’s name, it was more because he heard someone mention it than because he actually talked to the girl before. He was keeping up very much to himself, like her although for very different reasons. Quinn was not exactly shy or anything. He just knew people always tried to make him smile and be happier and if he even gave him the smallest of chance to do that, they would later leave him in the middle of the process of changing, making it all in vain. It was better to be on your own. You can’t leave yourself.

Quinn understood what she meant about his fire. It produced light, making it possible to take him without too much of a flash. She might have said it in a much more poetic way than he ever heard though. He even stared at her as she did. She was one odd little creature this Zoe girl. “I wouldn’t have put it like that but I guess you’re right...” he said, rolling his eyes as he talked. He didn’t think he was fighting the night or the darkness or whatever else other than heartburns and the possibility to blow up. And imagining himself doing such a vain fight... a good thing it was all figurative.

He did like to hear she was really passionate about her photography. Then surely she wouldn’t mind for him to see, right? “Can you show me?” he asked, nodding his chin towards her camera again. Sure she was strange but Quinn wanted to satisfy his curiosity. Then he could call her a weirdo and get away from here and from her.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe flushed as Quinn pointed out that he wouldn't have put it like that. Who would? Besides Zoe, obviously, since that was precisely what she'd done. Still, he hadn't sounded... bad, and he'd said she was right. Plus, Zoe was willing to bet that when he saw the finished product, when she printed the picture via the school's computers and worked it over artistically, he'd appreciate it.

Though it seemed he wanted to see the product before then. Zoe looked at him, wondering why he'd even asked before she realized that she had the digital camera around her neck. She flushed, reaching for the strap that kept the camera in place around her neck. "Um, yes, you can, actually. Sorry, I'm just... well, I had a much older camera but it... broke. I'm not quite as used to this one yet," which was why Zoe was now frowning down at the camera, her gloved fingers pushing various buttons.

"I think---well, they're here," she could see that, could also see that she had several hundred pictures on the machine. Zoe chewed her lip, poking through things. She looked up at Quinn, giving him another apologetic look before focusing as much of her attention as she could on the device in her hands.

[Quinn Wiley]

Even though her way of expressing herself had Quinn consider her strange, it also had him almost appreciate her. She was different. Her nervous nature might get on his nerves at some point but he doubted he’d stick around long enough for that to happen. In fact, he took that only as further proof that she was an outcast. And Quinn considered himself one as well. The fact he was the one who separated him from the rest of the world was irrelevant here. What mattered was that he might actually tolerate this girl, despite her hands having a language of their own.

For a moment, he took her silence as an attempt from her to find an excuse and not let him see. He wasn’t too fond at showing his work either. He didn’t take critics so well. He could hardly blame her for feeling the same. But it was not the case. Apparently, she just didn’t realize she took the picture with a digital camera. He actually felt for her when she said her camera broke and she now had this one. Since his meant a lot to him, he could understand how important it might be to her. “I’ve got some relatively old camera too. There’s one that I’m looking at but the great ones are so expensive,” he said. He was surprised he said so much to someone. That was just two sentences, said one after the other, with more than three words each. It was kind of unbelievable coming out of him, although Zoe probably couldn’t tell.

Quinn scooted closer to her so he could look at the small screen from above her shoulder. He was not interested in her other pictures and didn’t mind skipping them. They might be two artists about to view one’s work but they were not sharing their secrets or experiences or whatever. “You’ve got a nice technique,” he admitted as she looked at the photographs. Quinn was not complimenting others often. And he had to compliment one who had no idea what it really meant coming from him.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

"Indeed," said Zoe, visibly relaxing as the conversation drew toward cameras, "I could never have afforded something like this on my own. My family sent it to me, and I've been using it until I can at least get enough money together to afford the repairs," Zoe took another breath, telling herself that it was going to be okay. Quinn struck her as having a very familiar vibe, almost as if she conversed with a kindred spirit, someone who understood what it was like to mostly stand outside of life and look in, wondering at what happened and how people could be so different.

Which meant that Zoe barely even squirmed when Quinn moved closer. She noticed, because of course she did. Hard not to notice when he leaned over and looked as she flipped through. She just didn't have quite the extreme reaction she might've had. There might have been some mental reassuring involved, but she held at least.

"Thank you!" said Zoe, nodding. "I've been doing this for quite some time. I'm hoping to go to university and hone my photography skills before I really delve into it. I, well, I was going to put together a show here..." she bit her lip, fidgeting. so much had happened lately that she wasn't sure that was even feasible at least, not any more...

[Quinn Wiley]

He could understand why Zoe wanted to bother with repairs. Most people would tell her to buy a new one but of course they didn’t get it. After a while, you get used to one camera, you know exactly how it works, how to position it to get exactly the effect that you want. He didn't think it dumb to save money to repair it. “When they bought a digital one, they gave me the older model. I’ll get a better one but it’s not with allowance that you can afford that,” he said. They noticed he seemed to like photography a lot. It became a hobby of his, his aunt even decided to pay his some lessons in the hope it would get him to open up more. She was also the one who pushed him to join the photography club here. He dared not admit that he liked it. He didn’t like admitting people had good ideas.

Quinn didn't really care that he made Zoe uncomfortable while moving closer. In fact, he didn't even notice it at all. He just did as he had to if he wanted to look at the pictures. And she agreed to show them so she should expect him to move closer. Besides, he was not trying to flirt with her. He only wanted to look at the pictures. Of course, the fact this reason alone might have her uncomfortable totally eluded him.

“Yeah, it is interesting. With everyone taking selfies these days, they all think they know how to take good pictures. They don’t seem to understand it’s meant to tell a story,” he told her as she mentioned wanted to go to university and learn more. That could be a nice thing to do. He wasn’t quite sure that he could make a living out of it but it was a passion of his and he didn’t want to let it go just because he couldn’t get too much money with it. In fact, the more people would tell him things like that and the more he’d want it. “Was? You’re not anymore?” he asked. Not like he cared. Well, alright, he did. A little. He did like the idea of having one of those pictures of him shown to others, even if it was not exactly the same as showing his own work. But she sounded like it was not going to happen after all.