if I have to

JACK

A fire has broken out at one of the warehouses near the beachfront in Haulani. This wouldn't usually be enough to bother Jack, given that he doesn't really give a fuck about most things. But this warehouse has some of his shit in it, and that obviously makes it more important than anything else he's got on today.

In recent times the smuggler has become lackadaisical with hiding his magic, mainly because lol, did you know there's a war coming, and also even if people know he can fuck around with air and water, they still don't know he can fuck around with their thoughts. And so as he falls to a halt outside the blazing warehouse, he soon calls on his talents for help.

It's not directly in view of everyone, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if someone did walk past. Either way, arcs of water aim to douse the flames while he tries to draw air away from the blaze, hoping to smother it.

you wanted perfect, you got your perfect
but now I'm too perfect for someone like you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Deimos

The Sword’s wanderings through Torchline weren’t without reason – nosiness, to see if anything had been altered or changed in its climate since the last time he’d been here, and strolling through the market, intending to snag at some manta crystals for inevitable swimming trips. He was dismayed to find the former still the same – a chill to the wind that would be far more welcome and inviting in Halo, the brisk alterations amidst the waves. Bartering for the latter had been much easier, and within a moment he’d had a small collection placed in his pockets.

But then came the familiar smell of smoke, and because of who he was, he followed its scorching layers – like a moth to a flame.

Not remembering the warehouse, and knowing it hadn’t been his fault this time, he stepped forward, recognizing Jack from earlier exploits amidst caves and makeshift shelters. Jutting his jawline towards the inferno, and addressing the smuggler in a deeper rumble, the inquiry sauntered forth easily. “Do you know if anyone is inside?” Immediately thereafter, his own Mastered Fire rose to the occasion, but rather than ensuring the debacle hastened onward, he intended for control and persuasion, attempting to contort the conflagration into smaller, condensed variants.

you're all bronze and bite
all venom and fistfight

JACK

Jack almost turns and directs his efforts right at Deimos when the Sword's thoughts drape about him - half out of surprise and half because the last time he caught this particular psyche in front of a burning warehouse, the circumstances were very, very different. Holding his tongue (and his magic) - just about - he nonetheless stiffens as the other man steps up beside him, the captain's eyes firmly on the blaze.

"Not that I know of," he mutters, forcing his shoulders to relax. This is man who yeets squidlings, he reminds himself. "Cool trick," he adds as he nods at the fire, a jet of water corralling about the flames as if to aid them in chasing Deimos's direction.

you wanted perfect, you got your perfect
but now I'm too perfect for someone like you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Deimos

Deimos and buildings had a longstanding tradition of fire-related issues – but at the very least he was aiding in minimizing this current malady. The lack of people inside, as far as Jack knew, made the situation less disconcerting and dire, resisting the urge to run along the edges or beneath collapsing fringes and check.

Not expecting the compliment, he arched his brow, but continued in de-escalating the situation, snagging at flames and reducing their existence, or immersing them beneath the stretch of water. “Thank you.” Snagging at another portion, he twisted and turned the embers and flames back into themselves, suffusing their urgency and energy. “Do you know how it started?” Perhaps arson was a regular thing in Torchline, or some other multitudes had snagged and caught.

you're all bronze and bite
all venom and fistfight

bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones.

---

You've encountered the OG random event! This allows you to skip one levelling requirement with the character in this thread. (Unfortunately does not count for characters over level 10, how sad.)

JACK

Yeah, Jack knows - though thankfully, not to a detailed extent. And it will happily remain that way for now, as Sword and captain work together to try and keep the flames away from any stock that might have survived thus far. Oh, and the people, he supposes. Anyway, good job team!

While Deimos manipulates the fire and snuffs it out into nothing, Jack continues to soak the ground wherever possible, weaving a thread of air manipulation into the more problematic areas as well to suffocate the flames. "'Fraid not. Could've been an accident - stray cigarette butt or whatever. Equally as likely it was on purpose though," he grunts, inching closer now that he blaze is dying.

"What's brought you to Torchline this time, anyways?"

you wanted perfect, you got your perfect
but now I'm too perfect for someone like you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Deimos

As the flames dimmed, he swept out another meticulous semblance, searching for any stray embers, any tossed and kindled sparks remaining amidst wooden frames and timber presences. The answer caused him to tilt his head, brows furrowed slightly, refraining from the slightest bit of laughter that might have coiled on the notions of purposeful - he’d know all about that.

His own mission certainly didn’t have anything to do with fire, but here they were just the same. “Was snagging some manta crystals,” swimming endeavors in the near future, “and was curious to see if the climate had changed back to its original state.” Clearly not, by the way the winds chilled and the press of cold wound its way along the coast. But the Notice Board had secured some more knowledge and sagacity on that part. “Has anyone found the shrine?”

you're all bronze and bite
all venom and fistfight

JACK

Whilst Deimos snuffs out any remaining embers with his control over the flames, Jack ensures that the fire can't continue within or without. Giving everything a thorough soaking, it appears that they're able to stop the spread of the fire regardless of the origins of their magic. How quaint. "Mm? Nah, everythin' is still chilly," he mutters, sounding bitter about it. As for finding the shrine?

"Oh, sure. But destroyin' it is another thing entirely. It's buried deep in Rae's Fingers. I put up a big ice wall to block it, so you know if you're nearly there. It bites back." He's seen this man against harmless squidlings though, so who knows? Maybe he's got a trick or five up his sleeves.

you wanted perfect, you got your perfect
but now I'm too perfect for someone like you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Deimos

Another search signaled no other embers or cinders, dimmed to nothingness; and so the surge and rapacity in his veins cooled as well. The bounds of control slipped along the knife edges, and he was content to listen for a moment, head tilting vaguely at the information.

He’d never been to any shrine destruction – despite hearing about the potentials and possibilities. Brows furrowing slightly, eyes narrowing to points, thoughts roamed elsewhere, beyond warehouses and variables of the here and now. Taking estimations and presumptions at face value, former warnings along other parameters from the Lullaby, his piercing gaze remained on the blackened, charred ends of timber and frames. “You were injured?”

And thereafter, because a restlessness had already begun to stir, he jutted his jawline towards the mass of building – scorched and burned, but not completely broken. “Need anything else?”

you're all bronze and bite
all venom and fistfight

JACK

Deimos lets his magic go and Jack does the same, reining it all in until there's nothing but a charred (and yet wet) warehouse in front of them. Grumbling to himself - he's going to have to go through all of the stock to see what's ruined - he's somewhat distracted by the sudden, sharp thoughts that ripple across the Sword's consciousness.

Jack being Jack, of course he takes a subtle yet noticeable step away from Deimos, raising an eyebrow up at him. "Mm, it rained down ice on me. Packed a punch, too. So, y'know, if you're thinkin' of punchin' it or anythin', best to keep that in mind." Because he seems like precisely the crazy sort of guy to go after something like that.

Stretching his arms above his head, Jack is already meandering towards the warehouse, shaking his head to Deimos. "Nothin' else," he says, deciding not to say didn't need anything to begin with. "I'll see you 'round."

And that's that. For now, anyway.

~FIN

you wanted perfect, you got your perfect
but now I'm too perfect for someone like you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!