The Flare

[Doughguy]

As Kira's smile returned to returned to her face Greg smiled as well, happy that his words had had the desired effect. But when she mentioned other people's reactions and that smile began to fade away so did his own. She seemed to get caught up in her own thoughts for a bit and Greg thought about what her life must've been like. It was obvious why she wore the gloves now, if every handshake could turn into a short film of the person's life. And if every bump walking down a corridor was accompanied by a flash of memories you didn't own. Then to be caught between telling people and risking their anger or hiding the contact and dealing with the guilt.

But to react badly to an accident, that wasn't who he was. And it wasn't who he would want to be. He made up his mind that he would be Kira's friend. Even if the other scientists in the settlement were uncomfortable around her he would be someone in Base-1 she could rely on. And hopefully he'd learn to be able to to talk to her for an extended period of time without blushing wildly. Or have her chocolate eyes on him without getting flustered. And avoid his parents or others getting the wrong ideas again and turning him into a bumbling fool. This might be more difficult than I imagined he thought to himself, just imagining those three scenarios, especially the second one, was enough fro him to feel like he was blushing. He could only hope time would allow him to relax.

As she apologised he smiled at her again, "I-It's really ok." he mentally cursed himself for still stuttering a bit, "It was an accident. You're forgiven." He realised the metal pieces were still spinning in his hand and he floated them over to the bench where they dropped onto its surface. "I'm glad to meet another person with a unique magic." he continued sincerely, "It's a very interesting power. I'd like to know more about it sometime, especially about the monsters in the wastes ... o-only if you want to talk about it." He didn't want to force her if she was uncomfortable with the topic, or if it brought up bad memories.

"It's pretty amazing that we managed to meet, isn't it?" he asked Kira, looking directly at her and doing his best to act like a normal person in conversation, "I thought you looked familiar but I couldn't make the connection earlier. I-I'm a little glad you saw that memory. I'm glad you survived." he realised how dumb that last sentence was and immediately shut his mouth. He blushed gain, knowing she'd sense his embarrassment. This might be impossible he thought to himself.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira's expression warmed up distinctly as Greg went on with reassuring her that everything was alright. "I-It's really ok." He stuttered cutely, though she could tell that he wished that he wouldn't. However, bit by bit, she could feel him growing more comfortable around her. At the very least, he was trying to. "It was an accident. You're forgiven." He assured her once more as he put the spinning metal pieces to rest on a nearby bench. "I'm glad to meet another person with a unique magic." He began again sincerely, which made Kira smile. "It is pretty refreshing," she admitted with her warm beam, her chocolate brown gaze softening. It was a little odd, for the originally thought she'd feel lonely upon leaving the Training Center. Her underlings were over there, after all. However, here, she met another rare mage.

That was a treat all on its own.

"It's a very interesting power. I'd like to know more about it sometime, especially about the monsters in the wastes ... o-only if you want to talk about it." Greg began speaking to her again, expressing his interest. She didn't mind talking about it at all, for he'd ultimately have to know about it eventually. If he was glad to meet another person with rare magic, then she was almost positive that he was one of the only few in Base-1 that possessed some. Certain elemental magicians can be taught to use their magic in an offensive manner to fight the mutants in the wastes, but not all were willing to learn. Besides, they were the most useful in the towns. Kira now understood why people mainly used their elemental power to fortify civilian development rather than use them for combat purposes. Productivity.

Before Kira could go on to explain it a bit more, though, Greg went on with speaking. She didn't mind listening to him. In fact, she was beginning to appreciate the fact that he was attempting to look directly into her eyes a bit more. "It's pretty amazing that we managed to meet, isn't it?" He began as their gazes met, "I thought you looked familiar but I couldn't make the connection earlier. I-I'm a little glad you saw that memory. I'm glad you survived." He stated, and this made Kira giggle softly under her breath. That statement could be taken one in a million ways, and Greg seemed to realize that. An all too familiar blush began to spread over his cheeks again, and this only made Kira giggle a little bit more. This guy is too chaste for words, she thought to herself with a sweet shake of her head.

Deciding to simply take that statement as he was glad one of his old schoolmates were alive, Kira nodded over at him gratefully. "Thank you, Greg," she spoke, her voice a little softer and gentler than before. She gazed down at the ground in an almost dreamy fashion, as if she was getting lost in her own world. In all reality, she was thinking about how glad she was that she was the one chosen to go to Base-1. For once, her combat skills led her to something more than just epic battles and new trainees. Now, it led her to someone who could actually become her friend and stand on the same ground as her; an equal. Sure, he didn't have nearly as much backbone or confidence as Kira did, but that was refreshing in its own way. Kira was beginning to appreciate Greg's presence more than he'd probably ever realize.

"If its you, I'm sure I'm already comfortable enough to tell you more about my powers. Ultimately, you'll most likely have to know, anyways," Kira began, turning her sweet brown gaze back Greg's way. "When it comes to feeling emotions from afar, it can be quite useful when tracking the mutants of the wastes. They're filled with very strong emotions of hunger - sometimes things like frustration, hate, and malice. I can feel these emotions, able to sense when they're close by. The stronger I sense them, the closer they most likely are." Kira explained, sending Greg another one of her winning smiles, almost as though she was proud. Her ability was quite useful when it came to staying safe out in the wastes, after all. "I can do more things with my gift of empathy, as well," she began again, turning her gaze back forward.

"Back when someone went missing, I was the one that people would call." Kira stated as she hopped unto one of the counters in the lab, sitting down on top of it. She elegantly crossed her right leg over her left, resting her hands on the smooth counter surface as she went on. "If someone goes missing, I can take one of their personal belongings and track them with it. My memory sight isn't limited to living beings. In a weird way, objects have a memory bank, too. All of the people who touched or used the object, I can see, and I can also see the last thing that they did. People would come to me and give me the last object that the person was seen with, and it helps in finding out where they went. I'll feel what they felt as they used it, and I'll see all that they did with it in their possession." She explained with a small nod.

"Most of the time, people will give me a note that they read. Runaways normally leave those behind for their families, if they have any respect for their feelings at all. These make it the easiest to hunt someone down, for I can feel what they felt as they wrote it. Most of the time, I can sense where they wanted to go, for most normally think of it while they write their goodbyes," she stated, letting out a sigh as she finally finished her little explanation. "My power doesn't have an off switch, though, sadly." Kira spoke as she gently nibbled down on her bottom lip. It was a slightly nervous tic of hers. "No matter what I go, I always feel emotions, and I'm always at risk of looking into people's memories and hearts when I touch them. It has to get to the point to where I've seen all I can see for the flashes to stop." She shrugged.

"It's a hassle sometimes," she stuck her tongue out playfully, as if trying to make light of it.

 

[Doughguy]

Greg felt a little relief as Kira took his words in the least embarrassing way they could be taken. Her giggles at his reaction brought a smile to his face and it was a like a realisation came to him. It was nothing major, but his mind quickly flashed through everything that had happened so far that day, mostly her reactions to him. She had been so nice in everything she did and said, not even his parents, when they weren't actively embarrassing him, enjoyed his shyness as much as she was. And she was here doing the same thing he did for the settlement, protecting it. He hoped that they'd be able to spend more time together, he was really looking forward to her being his friend.

He wondered what she was like when she was focused on security or around other military people. He tried to imagine her standing bolt upright, looking imposing and ordering a squad of other soldiers around, but he couldn't. She was too nice, too excited and every time he thought about her eyes he could only see that sweet, bright, fun-filled look she kept giving him.

As she began to speak about her power those same eyes were back on him and he gave her his full attention. Her sensing ability was very interesting and he could see how useful it would be. He almost blushed as she flashed another smile at him but it was overridden by a small thought of fear and curiosity. The way she described the emotions of the creatures they sounded very unpleasant and he saw the reason why she would need to be so protective of her skin. Feeling the memories of a monster who knew nothing but pain and hunger for years, he couldn't imagine what that would do to a sane person. He tried his best not to think about that now, not wanting to worry her.

As she hopped onto the counter and crossed her legs Greg noticed them for the first time. And he very, very quickly unnoticed them before he made a fool of himself, throwing all his attention on what she was saying. Her power was very cool and very useful. They hadn't had many runaways at Base-1 but they'd never found any of those who had run alive in time. She was a real lifesaver. But it was harsh on her and he could see why. People ran away because they had no hope left, they ran off to die where ti wouldn't affect others. To have seen all these emotions and still have her attitude, he really respected Kira.

When she finished speaking and stuck out her tongue Greg gave her an empathetic smile, "You sound like an awesome person, I bet everyone at the training centre is glad when you're around." His smile shrunk a little bit but it was still there as he continued, "I'm sorry you have to be so careful. But we've only had our powers for a short time. We're always discovering new things, especially here. One day you might learn to control it, or someone here might be able to make something that lets you turn it off temporarily. Because you've got a really cool power." His smile grew a bit again.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira looked over at Greg, noticing how he was giving her his full attention. This made her feel a bit more comfortable as she spoke about her powers, for he didn't seem to be showing any hint of displeasure or harsh judgment towards her. If anything, he seemed intrigued and captivated by it all. She soon noticed that he seemed intrigued and captivated by something else, too. As she hopped unto the counter and crossed her legs, she noticed his eyes wandering to them for a second. She raised her brows at this, and she had to stifle a laugh, but she chose not to say anything against the boy. I can only wonder how he would have reacted if my legs were bare, she thought to herself as she continued to hold back her giggles. She was wearing brown tights underneath her khaki shorts, so he didn't have to worry about any nakedness.

After she explained more about her powers and playfully stuck her tongue out at Greg, he returned her gesture with a warm, sweet smile. "You sound like an awesome person, I bet everyone at the training centre is glad when you're around." He stated, his smile shrinking ever so slightly as he continued speaking. "I'm sorry you have to be so careful. But we've only had our powers for a short time. We're always discovering new things, especially here. One day you might learn to control it, or someone here might be able to make something that lets you turn it off temporarily. Because you've got a really cool power." He reassured her kindly, and this brought a bright and joyful smile unto Kira's soft, pale pink lips. "Thank you, Greg," she spoke, her smile spreading up to her twinkling chocolate irises. "I really appreciate that."

She allowed her gaze to linger upon Greg's own for a moment, but soon she turned it straight ahead to the lab walls before them. After a while of contemplating, she decided that it was about time for him to show her more of the interesting Base-1. "Let's make use of the daylight while we still can," Kira began as she hopped off the counter with grace. "Why don't you show me more of Base-1? The sun will be setting any moment now, so let's finish the tour before it gets dark." Her tone was as chipper and friendly as ever, her entire aura welcoming and warm. Kira was just the type of girl that people felt they could be themselves around. It was another reason why she was one of the most popular commanders at the Training Center. People always preferred her over the other hard-ass officers. She was strict, but soothing.

She made her way over towards the entrance of Greg's lab, gesturing her arms forward in a playful, silly manner.

"After you, sir~ Lead the way!"

 

[Doughguy]

Greg's smile became even wider as Kira's grew and he responded to her twinkling brown eyes resting on him with a friendly, warm gaze of his own back to her. It felt like she was feeling a bit more comfortable around him and he was happy for that. "You're welcome Kira.' he replied to her thanks. He'd also missed her raising her brows as she noticed him looking at her legs, having been too busy concentrating on not looking at them. She was wearing tights, but they couldn't hide the shape and for the young man that was enough to catch his eye. The lack of people his own age and his own closed off nature had limited what he had seen and she was something to see.

After a small moment of quietness between the two which Greg felt was a comfortable, mutual one, Kira hopped off the bench and asked to continue the tour. Keeping his eyes on her face this time Greg nodded at her request. Her tone was chipper again and she was acting like she had been before her explanation which Greg was glad to see. The aura she seemed to give off when she as happy could cheer up anyone if they spent a few seconds in her company. "We can head back up to the surface and go see the lake. If we can get there before the sun goes below the walls you can see the light sparkling off the water at dusk. Then you could go see the mayor afterwards to report. It should be dark enough after that to see the crop lines looking their best. In the early evening the last of the sun's light robs them of some of their show." He chose the last word deliberately though he hoped it didn't build it up too much.

As Kira gestured Greg through her another salute and a "Yes ma'am.". Following her lead with her arms he took two very emphasised and silly looking marching steps forward, then immediately started walking normally again because he felt like the biggest fool in the world. Blushing brightly at his own action he led the way in front until he felt his cheeks cool down a bit and dropped back to walk beside Kira. He really didn't want her to think he was trying to get away from her, but if she had of seen his face in those moments and giggled he would've been flustered all over again.

He led her through the base and back up the stairs to the bunker. Walking out the heavy steel door he peered ahead and could see that the water level was quite high at the moment which meant he wouldn't disappoint her with the lake. The sun was also completely above the wall so there was plenty of time to get there. "Looks like we'll make it." he said to her happily and continued walking. It wasn't too far of a trip from the well to the bunker, about half the distance they had walked from the wall to there. And when the lake had been drawn up into existence it was an even shorter walk to its edge.

As they reached it they could see a few water mages on the other side emerging from within. They had been drawing it up from the well and it was best to do it from the base where they could purify as they went so nothing was missed. The water itself was a sparkling blue and quite clear. Near the edge the smooth stone walls of the lake bowl were visible, it prevented any dirt or chemicals seeping in from below and was a product of the earth mages. "Here it is." Greg said, "Our uh, Lake ... as you can tell the scientists named it with the same imagination the named the settlement. I'm surprised they didn't call it Lake-1 in truth."

It was late afternoon and the worst of the sun's heat had passed yet it was still quite hot as always. Since the Flare it felt as if the sun had permanently increased its temperature and many of the scientists had tried to theorise why. Few could say anything conclusive however. Crouching down Greg scooped up a handful and took a drink, wetting his lips so they wouldn't dry out. "On days like this you sometimes find people swimming in it, especially when its nice and cool from just being drawn up. But I think its too late for most people." He stood back up and looked at Kira with a smile, curious to see her expression.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira's eyes glistened with excitement as Greg suggested their next move. "We can head back up to the surface and go see the lake. If we can get there before the sun goes below the walls you can see the light sparkling off the water at dusk. Then you could go see the mayor afterwards to report. It should be dark enough after that to see the crop lines looking their best. In the early evening the last of the sun's light robs them of some of their show." He proposed, and Kira was definitely all for that plan. "That sounds wonderful!" She exclaimed excitedly. Her smooth cocoa gaze was shimmering with delight, and her smile was as bright as ever. As she and Greg performed their playful, silly skit, Kira couldn't help but giggle at the scene. His dramatic, awkward steps, along with his salute and "Yes ma'am," were all too perfect.

As they walked, Kira noticed that Greg remained a few steps ahead of her. She could feel his feelings of nervousness and embarrassment, so she was pretty sure she knew why he was doing so. He's probably blushing his brains out right now, she thought to herself as she stifled a giggle. She pressed a curled index finger against her lip, keeping her laughter at bay as he slowed down to meet her. With a sweet smile, Kira kept her gaze forward as they made their way back to the surface. Once they were there, the sun was still decently high in the sky. "Looks like we'll make it." Greg said as they began walking towards the lake. Kira nodded over at him, looking forward to the beautiful view he described to her earlier. She hadn't seen a lake in quite a while, so she was definitely excited about visiting one again.

Soon enough, they finally arrived. "Here it is," Greg began, "Our uh, Lake ... as you can tell the scientists named it with the same imagination the named the settlement. I'm surprised they didn't call it Lake-1 in truth." He cracked a small joke, that of which did genuinely entertain Kira. She let out a soft bit of laughter before settling her chocolate brown gaze unto the dazzling water. "They should name it Crystal Lake," she suggested with a warm smile. "The surface looks like diamonds shimmering in the light. It reminds me of crystals." She stated, her irises reflecting the gorgeous view before her. After a moment, Greg went on with speaking. "On days like this you sometimes find people swimming in it, especially when it's nice and cool from just being drawn up. But I think it's too late for most people."

With that statement, Kira's eyes brightened up immensely. "We're allowed to swim?" She questioned, her entire expression lighting up with smile. Her pearly white teeth could be seen with how wide her smile was becoming. "Oh, that's too awesome! It's never too late to go for a swim!" She exclaimed as she took off her hat. Now, her long brunette locks fell gracefully over her slender figure. Because she hasn't cut her hair in years, it draped down quite far. Her ends flowed elegantly just above her thighs. It tumbled down in loose, subtle waves, though it was closer to being straight than curly. It just wasn't as straight as a pin, especially because it was kept up in her hat for so long. After shaking her head back and forth a bit, allowing the silken strands to settle along her body, she turned her gaze back over to Greg.

"You might want to shield your eyes, shy boy," Kira spoke as she shot him a playful, almost mischievous wink. With that, she removed her gloves, setting them neatly on the ground. She then began unbuttoning her shirt, revealing the white tank top she was wearing underneath. Once it was completely unbuttoned, she took it off and also set it aside. Next up was her khaki shorts, which she didn't even have to unbutton to slip off. Her waist was quite slender, and she had lost a little bit of weight since The Flare. She still looked fit and healthy, though, thankfully enough. Once that was done, she glanced back at Greg, letting out a small bit of laughter as she anticipated his reactions. Deciding not to torment him with a slow strip tease, she quickly removed her tank top and leggings, leaving her in only her undergarments.

"Cannon ball!" She shouted as she jumped into the lake without hesitation. She hugged her legs, getting into the classic "cannon ball" position as she leaped into the air. Soon enough, her slender figure collided with the cool water below. It was so nice and inviting, and the increased heat that came with The Flare made it all the more refreshing. After a while of remaining underwater, Kira finally resurfaced and took in a deep breath. "Oh, wow!" She exclaimed joyfully. "This is great!" She laughed like a little child receiving their favorite toy for Christmas. Without a single care in the world, Kira began swimming about the lake, enjoying every bit of it. After a small bit of marching to the beat of her own drum, she turned her chestnut gaze back to Greg's figure. "Are you coming in? The water feels wonderful~" She stated, motioning over him as if inviting him over.

"Or, are you too scared of a girl in her underwear?" She teased, sticking her tongue out playfully as she winked towards him once more. She was sporting nothing but her white and cream colored lace bra and panties, but, in all honesty, it didn't cover anything more than a bikini would. Kira didn't think of the two sets of clothes any differently. What's a polka dot bra and panties compared to a polka dot two-piece bathing suit? One and the same, in Kira's eyes.

"What'cha waiting for? The water feels wonderful!"

 

[Doughguy]

"Yeah you can-" Greg began, just as Kira took her hat off and let her hair tumble out. He was a little stunned by how much she managed to keep up in there, he hadn't though she had long hair at all with the hat on. "Oh wow. I didn't realise you had so much hair." He didn't think he'd seen anyone with hair that long in his life let alone after the Flare. She obviously took good care of it as it looked silky and smooth.

As she recommended he look away his brain didn't quite put together why he would do that and the fact Kira wanted to swim. Instead he ended up looking directly at her with a confused expression as she started removing her clothing. The poor boy's eyes went as wide as plates as she quickly stripped down to her undies in front of him. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her body as she undressed, she had a great figure. And of course his eyes got stuck on her legs as she took the leggings off, this time he was unable to not notice them.

And then he felt something absolutely horrible happening. The blood was pounding in his ears, his cheeks were burning furiously, but worse was his lower regions began to make themselves known. He could feel his underpants suddenly grow tighter and knew without looking down that there was going to be a visible bulge. As Kira ran and cannon balled into the lake he was desperately trying to think of a way to cover up his sudden predicament. He was wearing fairly loose shorts so it might not be too bad but he didn't want Kira having any chance of seeing it at all. Yet he was paralysed, it was as if so much of his blood was being taken up in his cheeks, ears and well, predicament, that he couldn't use any to move his limbs.

He could hear Kira having a great time in the lake, then he felt her looking at him and heard her speaking. Yep. Yep I think I am a little afraid of a girl in underwear he thought to himself. He was looking at her as she spoke and that wasn't helping. She was very feminine and he could feel his eyes being drawn to her body rather than her face where he was trying to look. No no no bad eyes. Face, face is good, not the other wonderful parts of her, stop it. She was poking out her tongue and winking at him and he just knew she knew what was going on. Even someone without her power would.

The he had a thought that contained the possibility of saving him and he latched onto it. He knew the water was nice and cool, if he got in it might cool down his face and make his blush less noticeable. And if he got into the water the natural refraction of the light as it hit the surface along with the movement of said surface would cover up his lower region and make it impossible to see any bulge. It was the perfect plan. He'd deal with the fact getting in the water would put him close to Kira later, for now he was dealing with the immediate problem.

Breaking his paralysis he grabbed the bottom of his shirt with his hands and began pulling it up over his head. Before the Flare he'd always been of average build, not skinny or fat and not muscled. Since then, like most people, he'd lost some weight and though he didn't exercise his work was physically demanding. He had the hints of a six pack on his stomach though nothing truly defined. As he struggled with pulling the shirt over his head, his arms moving in jerky movements, he had the smart idea to kick off his things at the same time. The first one flew off to the side with no trouble, but with his head covered by a shirt his attempt to kick off the second did not go as well. It was stuck on his foot and he had to shake it to remove it. As he kicked his leg with some force it did fly off, but he also lost his balance. As he was falling he very calmly thought Not again.

Very unceremoniously Greg tipped right over and cartwheeled into the lake, landing in it with a large splash. After a few seconds of struggling a very red face broke the surface, freed from the shirt that had been trapping it.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira couldn't help but laugh out loud as Greg became a flustered, bashful mess. While she was in the water, she could recall all of the emotions she could sense off of him as she undressed. They were still there even after she got into the water, too - feelings of embarrassment, nervousness, and even arousal. Even Kira could feel a small bit of blush coming over her cheeks, for thinking that someone found her that attractive was quite flattering and embarrassing all on its own. Greg is such a silly boy, she thought, and far too innocent for words. She shook her head, shutting her eyes happily as she giggled. Her smile spread up to her eyes, giving them a charming little crinkle at the corners. She gracefully pushed her wet hair back, it tumbling down her back and flowing with the water around her.

After swimming around for a small moment and teasing Greg with her words, Kira settled her chocolate brown gaze on his figure, as if awaiting for him to come join her in the refreshing water. He seemed almost paralyzed, though, and she could feel his arousal seemingly peaking. Hmm? She wondered in question, which is when she noticed a hint of a bulge in his shorts. Seeing this, Kira's eyes widened for a split second, though her surprise soon turned into immense amusement. Oh, my! Was it that nice of a sight, Greg? She thought to herself, not able to get the words out through her small fits of laughter. Even she was starting to blush a little bit, but the warm hue reflecting off of the water concealed that well enough. She gently hooked some of her stray brunette locks behind one of her ears.

"The water will help you cool down," Kira stated as she suppressed her laughter. It seemed he got the same idea, for he began fumbling to get off his shirt. While doing such, he kicked off his shoes, though one seemed to be stuck. "Are you alrig--" she began to say, but then Greg lost his balance and began falling towards the water. Kira watched the scene unfold, and she put her arms up as a shield from the incoming splash of water. His impact caused a few waves, and Kira couldn't help but let out the sweetest of laughter at it all. "Oh, wow! That was great!" She exclaimed between the giggles, her smile bright and wide, and her chestnut irises twinkling with happiness. She was enjoying herself immensely, and she found herself really liking Greg's awkward, innocent, and shy personality.

"A-Are you alright?" Kira began, her voice cracking due to the fit of giggles she was currently experiencing. She swam over to him, deciding to help him remove his shirt. She was fairly careful to not touch his skin, however. Gently, she took the fabric from him, and then she swam over to the edge of the lake. She wrung it out, freeing it of as much moisture as she possibly could, before laying it out to dry upon the grass. "There we go," she spoke as she turned back to look at Greg. The evening light made Kira's skin appear to glow, as did her silken brown locks and alluring cocoa eyes. As she smiled over at him - a small, modest, and sweet beam - her entire face seemed to light up angelically, and she let out one last bit of soft, lighthearted laughter.

"I've never met anyone as sweet and innocent as you, Greg," Kira decided to admit as her expression grew warm, "but I'm really, really glad I did."

After a small moment, her expression went from angelic to slightly mischievous.

Playfully, she splashed a small bit of water his way.

"Take that!"

 

[Doughguy]

Greg felt like the goofiest of balls. He stood there in the lake, dripping water from everywhere, his glasses knocked askew by the fall, and looking mighty red. He had heard Kira's giggling while he had been watching her and attempting to get into the pool himself and knew she knew for sure. How was he ever going to live that down? He was tempted to sink below the surface again and try to hide there. The water was nice and cool and he put his wet hands to his burning cheeks. The feeling was wonderful.

Kira was sweetly laughing at him and smiling and he took a small pleasure in the fact she liked it. "Maybe I should join a circus." he said jokingly as she came over to him, giggling as she went. As she took the shirt from him he was very careful and held as still as he could so there wouldn't be any accidental contact. Up close things were even more difficult as she was right there, almost touching and very unclothed. His situation was certainly not going to resolve itself any soon no matter how embarrassed he felt. "I'm ok. The water stopped me before I hit the stone thankfully." he replied to her question.

As she went to the edge of the shore to wring out his shirt he stood up slightly and looked around in everywhere but her direction. It didn't look like anyone else was around, even the water mages had disappeared. But when she spoke again he spun around and looked at her. The image took his breath away. With the sun behind her illuminating her skin and highlighting her against the dusk, her smile and those eyes looking right at him it was as if an angel had descended to earth in front of him. She was beautiful. His mouth even dropped open slightly at the sigh. He half expected wings of light to emerge from behind, or for her hair to twist into wings and flair out. He was reminded of a time before the Flare, when people had time to do what they enjoyed. They'd had painters and artists who dedicated their lives to the pictures they drew. He had never understood why and he had never enjoyed art as a thing. Now he had a clue why they did it.

He was further stunned by her compliment about him. He wouldn't lie to himself, he knew that she was enjoying spending time with him, but he hadn't expected such words from her. It was a very nice thing to hear and lit up his cheeks like Christmas lights. "I-I-I-," words turned against him as he tried to reply and he swallowed and tried again, "I-I'm g-glad I met you t-too." For all the embarrassment of the day it was the most fun he'd had since the Flare. Survival had been the focus since then and fun wasn't something that you could normally spend a whole day on.

Her sudden splash caught him by surprise and hit him right in the face. Like a real slap it knocked him out of his thoughts and he put on a surprised hurt expression. He playfully splashed right back at her with a big smile on his face. "Take that right back!" he said with a laugh.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira couldn't help but giggle as she thought back to when Greg stated he should join a circus. He'd probably be the most endearing addition, that's for sure, she thought as she heard his words. However, she decided against speaking them out loud. It was more of a subconscious thought, though it was indeed something Kira genuinely believed. Everything about Greg was endearing; his voice, his actions, as well as his reactions to the things that Kira does. All of it made her smile, and she felt nothing but gratitude towards him. I'm really glad I came to Base-1, Kira thought to herself as she grinned happily. It was then that she chose to express to Greg just how glad she was to meet him, paying him a compliment in the process. As she halfway expected, Greg became quite flustered, and this only made Kira giggle once more.

"I-I-I-," he began to stammer, tripping over his words. After a moment, he swallowed and tried to speak again. Kira offered him her full attention as he did so, her alluring eyes of chocolate twinkling over at him as she listened. "I-I'm g-glad I met you t-too." He continued to stutter, and Kira couldn't help but beam brightly. Everything about Greg was refreshing, and she sincerely hasn't met anyone like him since The Flare. Feeling carefree and mischievous, also while getting in touch with her inner child, Kira went on to splash Greg. For a moment, he put forth a mock hurt expression, though she could tell that he wasn't truly wounded. She stuck her tongue out playfully, which is when she could feel an equally playful vibe emitting off of Greg. She braced herself for the splash she was anticipating.

"Take that right back!" Greg stated with a wide, bright smile. "Oh, you!" Kira exclaimed as she tossed another bit of water at him. It almost seemed to sparkle while in midair, looking like little crystals raining down over them all. The sight was reflected in Kira's irises, making them appear to be shimmering even more than they were before. Her expression seemed to light up like a child's on Christmas morning, for this entire scenario felt like a wonderful gift to Kira. It was a present she had been practically dying for, and most definitely deserved. Oh, this is great, Kira thought to herself as she continued the water war with Greg for a bit longer. After a few moments of tossing water at one another, though, Kira decided to take a small break. With a content, calm expression, she began swimming away from him.

After moving through the water with the grace of a mermaid, Kira resurfaced. Like a woman some probably have seen in movies, she came up and cocked her entire body backwards, causing her hair to flip up and away from her face with the most enchanting charm. "Ah, this feels wonderful," she thought as she gently stroked her hair, moving her hand from her forehead to the back of her neck. Her extensive brown locks stuck to her skin like glue, except for when it met with the water around her. From the surface of the water down, her hair floated around her in beautiful twirls and swirls. "I haven't gone swimming since before The Flare," she stated with a soft smile. "I'm glad I finally got the chance to here." She let out a single, soft laugh under her breath. Her entire expression seemed to warm.

With that statement, Kira began floating on her back, just drifting through the water with ease.

"The sky looks beautiful, too," she thought as she looked up at the warm hues.

"As always."

 

[Doughguy]

Having a water war with Kira made Greg feel like he was ten again at the pool, frolicking with other children. It was a moment of innocence brought from the past into the new world, something it was sorely missing. He could see the same feeling in Kira's expression as her face glowed in happiness like the sun was just below her skin. He could tell she was truly appreciating this moment. He didn't care what he looked like or if anyone else in the settlement was watching as they battled. And as an added bonus the innocence of the playing took his care of his situation and he began to feel more confident again.

As Kira gave one final splash and began to swim away Greg moved back and rested against the wall of the lake watching her in the water. She had a way of moving that made everything she did seem deliberate yet at the same time perfectly natural as if she didn't think about it. Even as she emerged from the water, cocking her body so her hair flew up it looked like a movie scene. The sun going down below the wall certainly helped the scene. She moved with a grace that made every action seem deliberate yet.

"It's a luxury." he replied to her, not entirely sure if she could hear him, "It's only because of everything we've done here that we can afford something like this." He hooked his arms over the lip of the lake to anchor himself to dry land and let his body's natural buoyancy raise it to the surface. He realised his shorts were completely soaked and he'd be walking back to his house very wet. He didn't mind, though Kira would probably enjoy his awkward walking it caused. He caught himself as he almost laughed at a reaction he thought she might have at his own embarrassment. That was something new.

At Kira's comment on the sky he looked up as well, seeing the orange glow from the sun mingling with the deep blue of the night. A few of the brightest stars could be seen already. It was indeed quite the sight. He let out a deep breath and his eyes closed. It had been a beautiful day overall. When Kira laughed he smiled, "Everyone should be able to come here and have a day like this." he said. Leaving his eyes closed he lay there in the water enjoying its coolness against his skin. The sun had not been up for long enough for it to have warmed such a large body of water. He let his body sink a little bit back in

It was about half a minute later that he felt something press up against his side. Thinking that was odd he opened his eyes and they then widened further in horror as he saw what it was. Kira's head and shoulder had pushed up against his side, their skin in direct contact. He froze as he realised that in order to push her away he'd have to touch her bare skin. In a desperate bid to escape he threw himself to the side trying to break the contact.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira listened to Greg reply to her, as well as comment in response to some of the things she said. Though, for the most part, she just focused on the lovely sensation of the cool water kissing her skin. With each subtle ripple and wave caused by the two's movements, Kira's slender figure gently bounced and floated about. She had her chestnut irises locked on the sky burning hues of bright orange and pink above, though she allowed them to close after a moment or so. She decided to just take in a deep breath, enjoying the sweet moment while it lasted. The sunset was gorgeous, all was peaceful, and she had never felt more at ease. Everyone does deserve a day like this, she thought to herself in response to something Greg had stated before. She hadn't had such a peaceful day in a while, and it was quite the treat, indeed.

However, the peaceful sensation she was savoring immediately disappeared upon her skin brushing up against Greg's.

W-What the--, she thought, her mind going completely blank as flashes began to play before her eyes. The skin contact between the two lasted a bit longer than their cheeks touching earlier did, which made the vision she was seeing all the more vivid. She could feel her body slowly sinking underwater as the visions played, for they were much stronger than before. Her extensive brown hair probably resembled a swirling flower as her body seeped under water. Her breath was held, though a few bubbles of air escaped from her as she fell deeper. While she experienced these visions, she lost control of her body quite a bit. It was as though everything but her mind shut down, and all she could focus on and see was the memory playing before her. All she could feel were Greg's past feelings, all she could see were his memories.

And, this time around, it wasn't a pleasant little walk in their old high school hallways.

It began with feelings of confusion, as well as a hint of desperateness. Greg was looking for someone, and he ended up in the infamous Forest of Bones while doing such. After a while of wandering, he came across a few mutants, those of which were all of the weaker levels. Most were mere D, C, and B tier - as the Training Center liked to level them due to their strengths, how much radiation they've consumed, how much they've evolved, and how much of a threat they pose - so it didn't seem too bleak of a situation. However, something felt off. They all were standing still, as if waiting for something, or as if frozen in some sort of fear. Kira could feel Greg's confusion as the view of the vision shifted, for he concealed himself behind some sort of tree. That was whenever he found the person he was looking for.

Only, he wasn't in the best of situations at all.

His limbs were trapped by some sort of saliva, that of which Kira knew well. All those of B tier and above were able to produce the slime, that of which was able to slow down it's prey and ultimately trap it. The man he was looking for ended up caught, and he gazed upon the scene helplessly. It was then that Kira felt a sudden ping of fear in Greg's memory, and with good reason. An S tier revealed itself, which explained why all of the other mutants were lying in wait. It was large, and its limbs were stretched out at an impossibly long length. Its skin was a sickly, pale green, and Kira didn't even want to go into description of its face. The best word she could use to describe it would be absolutely grotesque, but.. What happened next was far worse than the appearance of the monstrosity alone.

It used some sort of tube-like shape at the end of its limbs to slice and pierce into the man, and it thus began drinking his blood directly. Its round, bloated body seem to enlarge as it drank, and drips of blood began running down its stick thin limbs. It didn't even bother to brutally murder the man like the lesser tiers would have; in fact, it drank in a slow manner, slicing up the man bit by bit, enjoying every last drop of his blood. He screamed, he squirmed, and the entire scene sent shivers up Kira's spine. She could feel Greg's feeling of panic, disgust, and complete and utter fear, and those feelings soon became Kira's own. Even though she's seen many S tiers in her time as an officer who led trainees out into the wastes, she had never seen an S tier that bothered with such a torturous, slow killing.

It was almost as though it could really think.

Once the vision played though, Kira came back to her senses, and all of the air she had pent up in her lungs erupted out of her. Large bubbles rose to the surface as she exhaled underwater, and she soon broke through the surface once more. Coughing and gasping for air, her heart began to race. She placed one hand over her chest, as if trying to steady her heart's rapid beating, meanwhile her other hand moved from her forehead to the back of her neck, giving herself a soothing stroke.

What the hell was that? She wondered as she attempted to regain her composure and catch her breath.

It was times like this that she really hated her gift of enhanced empathy.

She could feel herself getting woozy.

 

[Doughguy]

Greg plunged below the water as he threw himself away from Kira. In his panic he hadn't prepared for where he would end up and the first breath he took filled his nose with water. His arms flailed out and one hit the edge of the stone basin hard, but his fingers caught it. Pulling with all his strength he managed to break the surface with his head. His mouth opened wide and gulped down a greedy breath as his feet found purchase on the ground. With another push he was now standing up in the lake. He'd lost his glasses in the dive and the world in his short range vision was now a blur. He saw a skin coloured shape next to him, just below the surface of the water and panic began to take over again.

He reached out to grab the figure but his hands suddenly froze before they reached her. His heart pounded furiously as adrenaline entered his system and fear exasperated it. It had been their skin touching that had caused this. What if touching her again in an attempt to help just made it worse? He could only touch her where she was clothed safely. And he couldn't touch her where she was clothed. Despite the desperation of the situation he felt a small blush on his cheeks as his mind ran through those courses of action he could take and he cursed himself for reacting in such a way. He didn't have time to be embarrassed, he had to act.

Thankfully the need for him to make a decision was taken away before he made a choice. Kira broke the surface with a gasp and stood up next to him. His hands were still outstretched towards her but he pulled them back as she moved her own, avoiding any contact. Relief swept over him life a wave of the lake's water. She was ok, he hadn't killed his new friend within a day of meeting her. He stood watching her for a few seconds trying to make out how she looked. Her face seemed a bit paler than the rest of her skin but he couldn't make out her features properly. Though he didn't make any moves towards her he kept his body tense, ready to catch her if she fell again.

He tried to use his own power to send one of his gloves over. But without proper anchorage to resist the magnetism on one of them they both rolled away from each other slowly rather than one flying over to him. And without his glasses he couldn't tell where the shirt Kira had taken off him was.

"I'm so sorry Kira!" he said, a small amount of panic still audible in his voice and making him speak very fast, "I didn't realise how close you were. I would've moved. And then I didn't want to make it worse and touch you again. Are you ok? I can't see properly sorry. Do you need to get out?"

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira allowed her chocolate brown eyes to shut, and she began taking in deep, slow breaths. Her heart rate was incredibly high, and she could hear the sound of its beating echoing in her ears. That vision was incredibly vivid and grotesque, and she was in slight disbelief that Greg had witnessed such a thing. She pursed her pale pink lips together, trying desperately to regain her composure. Perhaps she lost it so easily due to the fact that her guard was completely down in her moment of peace, for she normally was always steady and sure. Her visions, no matter how disturbing they may be, never shook her up this much. It's probably just because I was caught off guard, she thought to herself with a soft sigh. Slowly, but surely, she was beginning to calm back down. You're alright, Kira. You're alright.

As she was breathing softly and slowly, she could hear Greg beginning to call out to her. "I'm so sorry Kira!" He began, his voice showing a hint of panic. "I didn't realize how close you were. I would've moved. And then I didn't want to make it worse and touch you again. Are you ok? I can't see properly sorry. Do you need to get out?" He continued to speak to her, his statements rapid, his tone showing genuine concern. After a moment of catching her breath, Kira looked up at Greg and shook her head at him. With a slightly weak, but warm smile, she beamed towards him. "I'm alright, Greg," she spoke out to him in a kind and reassuring fashion. "You don't need to worry. I was just caught off guard, that's all. Ah, this empathy thing can be a bitch sometimes," she let out a soft chuckle, though her voice quivered.

"This time.. I saw--" She began, shivering slightly. "Greg, that was an S tier mutant.. To think you saw one out on your own and survived, I can't even--" She could barely finish her sentences as she thought back to the disturbing sight. She took a step backwards in the water as she felt herself falling over, and she felt something rub up against the side of her foot. Looking down, she could faintly make out the shape of glasses through the crystal clear water. It was then that she noticed why Greg couldn't see properly. With a small smile, Kira went back under the surface to retrieve them. Once she felt them in her grasp, she resurfaced, and she held them out for Greg to take. "Here you go," she spoke as she handed them to him. "I think you need these," she giggled softly under her breath, feeling herself calm down more.

With that, Kira took in one last deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay, I think I'm alright now. I'm sorry about that, Greg. I also should have watched where I was going," she bashfully hooked some of her damp hair behind one of her ears, her gaze looking down at the water beneath them in a slightly ashamed manner. Once again, she peered into his memory without his permission. Not to mention, that was quite the grotesque memory. She was sure it was buried away deep, and she was almost positive it wasn't something he wanted to actively remember. "I'm really sorry," she apologized once more, gently nibbling down on her bottom lip. She placed her hands on the sides of her neck, her head arched downwards. For a moment, she couldn't bring herself to look Greg in the eye. What she saw was quite terrible.

"You shouldn't have had to go through that."

 

[Doughguy]

Though Kira's reply gave Greg a reason to stop blabbering it didn't calm his worry for her. He could only barely make out she was smiling, but he could hear the shaking in her voice. He wasn't going to relax his posture anytime soon. As she began to speak about the memory she had seen he realised that he hadn't even given thought to what would have passed between them. He didn't know what she meant by a S tier mutant, but he knew enough about video games and grades to realise what the letter meant. Cycling through his own memories, remembering what he had seen in the wastes, it was easy to figure out what memory it was. He hadn't gone out very often and most times he only saw the weakest type of mutants. Twice he had seen what looked like slightly more evolved mutants from a distance and only once had he seen something truly beyond the norm.

It was a sight that had haunted him for half a year after the encounter. But it was not the monster itself that kept him up. It had been what it did to the man. How it had used him with such cruelty. During those nights he had prayed it was only some animal instinct that guided its methods and not thoughts. His natural curiosity had almost driven him mad, forcing him to analyse every aspect of the memory to figure out which it was. All that had accomplished had been keeping it in his mind for far too long. But even that drive had failed with time and it had slowly drifted to the rear of his mind where he never looked for it again.

He snapped back to reality as Kira began to tilt to the side and his arms rose to catch her. Fortunately once again she was able to save herself and his arms dropped back down. Any relief he felt that she could catch herself was overridden by the worry he felt. And then she suddenly went below the water. "Kira!" he called out in a panic and made to dive after her. But then she was up again with something in her hand, holding it out for him. Very carefully taking the object from her hands he lent backwards against the stone wall, trying to calm his heart's rapid beating. "Th-thanks." he managed to stutter out as he put the glasses back on his face. Instantly the world came back into focus and he could see Kira's face and her lovely eyes again.

He was glad to have his sight back at that moment, as Kira apologised and very cutely hooked her hair behind her ear. She continued to act cute as she nibbled her lip and looked away. Combined with her words it was like the final straw alongside the bale of everything that had happened today, and Greg felt his heart breaking for her. It took all his will to stop himself hugging her, he was beyond embarrassment for the moment. He couldn't even grab her shoulders and give her some words of comfort. The inability to use physical connection seemed to rob any gesture he thought of making of its true effect. All he had to use was his words, so he tried, pushing himself off the wall and moving to stand in front of her, hoping he wasn't just repeating himself.

"I-It's ok." he started, "I-It's not your fault. I wasn't watching either. I should have been, I was careless. I'm sorry you saw that. I'm fine now though, I've put that memory behind me." He took a breath to steady himself, "What if you saw everything? Do you still get shocked like that when you touch someone whose entire life you've seen? Would that solve it?" He held out his hand towards her in an offer, his own shyness overcome by his wish to help Kira.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira was taken a bit by surprise whenever Greg dived down soon after she did, and she could tell by the rushed nature of it all that he did it out of concern. As she resurfaced, though, so did he. "Th-thanks." He offered a small stutter of gratitude, though Kira could still tell that he was awfully worried about her. She could sense it strongly off of him, and, for a moment, she sensed a small bit of longing. She couldn't tell why he felt such an emotion, though. Perhaps he was holding back from doing something, though she had no idea what that could possibly be. This caught her attention, though, so she locked her enchanting chocolate brown gaze unto him. Soon after, he began offering her some reassurance. "I-It's ok." He began, still tripping over his words slightly. "I-It's not your fault. I wasn't watching either. I should have been, I was careless. I'm sorry you saw that. I'm fine now though, I've put that memory behind me." He stated, and she nodded over at him gratefully.

"I'm glad," Kira began with a warm smile. Greg was lucky enough to catch Kira in one of her rare moments of vulnerability, whenever she showed her more soft and gentle side, rather than her usual, overwhelmingly confident, and contagious reckless side. As if on cue, Greg also seemed to change his persona a bit, as well. Without a hint of hesitation, like he had normally shown before due to his shy nature, he held out his hand for her to take. "What if you saw everything? Do you still get shocked like that when you touch someone whose entire life you've seen? Would that solve it?" He offered her, and she could sense his want to help her. It was sincere and genuine, and it almost made Kira blush. She had never felt such pure emotions before, and it indefinitely warmed her heart. Her chestnut irises twinkled up at him, showing but a hint of her surprise. "A-Are you sure?" She caught herself stammering, and it took all she had to not blush a bit due to it. She nibbled on her lip.

"If.. If you do that, I'll see everything. From your memories as a child to any recent trauma you may have. Everything, Greg. Things you're ashamed of, things you've suppressed, things you don't want anyone to know.. I'll see it all." Kira thought it was right to warn him. Her gaze met his hesitantly. It was almost as though they had traded places. "If I were to see all of your past, then yes.. It wouldn't be as shocking to encounter flashes anymore, and physical contact would feel more natural. It'd definitely be more bearable, but.. I don't want you to feel like I'm invading your personal space. You won't be able to hide anything from me, Greg. This empathy thing.. It sees everything." She lightly scratched and rubbed at the back of her neck, that of which was one of her few nervous ticks. Biting down on her bottom lip was another one, which she was also currently doing. Her entire figure glowed alluringly in the evening light, that of which was fading with each passing minute.

"It may help later down the road, but.. I don't want you to do this if there's anything you don't want me to know."

 

[Doughguy]

As Kira stuttered slightly Greg felt like he was looking at himself talking to her. It was like their roles had reversed for a few minutes. Even her eyes upon him, twinkling beautifully and showing some of the surprise she felt, didn't make him feel nervous as they had all day. He had set himself upon this path and was putting all his strength into it. He couldn't allow himself to falter here.

He listened carefully to her warning about what would happen if she took his hand. It would be a very large price for the reward, he doubted he could truly comprehend what he might be paying to help her. For someone to know everything about him, it was impossible to imagine. And it was a gamble if what she said was true. Memories faded in one's own mind, memories could very much be suppressed. What he could recall himself was barely a fraction of what Kira would see. Could he say there was nothing he had ever done in his life that if she saw, would end their friendship? Was there anything that she could know that he could not bear another person knowing and still being his friend? He didn't think so. But he couldn't be sure.

And he worried about the price she would be paying. It sounded like she had done this before with someone and that she knew what was coming. But the way she had acted from the time they had touched just briefly before worried him. Would she have a seizure if she held onto his hand for too long? He would have to be very careful and make sure she was ok.

If he took her hand and their friendship ended because of it, it would hurt. And he would be seeing her a lot around Base-1 from now on. But if their friendship continued this act could only make it grow stronger. That was the choice he was facing. It was a very large price for a large reward, or for a large punishment.

Despite his will to do this his hand did shake slightly as he continued to hold it out. He looked down at it, then back up at Kira. He was struck again by her beauty in the evening light. There was an innocence to her he saw, in the way she acted while she was nervous. The little habits she seemed to have of rubbing her neck and biting her lip. He looked right into her eyes as they stood, only a small distance between them. His hand grew steady once again as he made up his mind. He'd take the risk, the gamble, and it would turn out for the best. This friendship had grown so strong already in only a day. He would believe it would last for much longer into the future.

He nodded at Kira, "I'm willing to let you see it all. To know everything. If it will help you I'll do it." He gave her a warm, open smile and lifted his hand a little higher, making it clear he was ready. "If you're willing to go through with this and see it all I'm ready."

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira could feel the internal debate emitting from Greg's being, and she noticed his hand shaking. He's definitely not sure, she thought to herself as she pursed her pale pink lips together. However, just as she was about to back away from him, calling it all quits, his aura changed. His hand grew steady once more as their gazes met, and he seemed to put forth a more steadfast expression. Kira, a little surprised at this, found herself unable to remove her sweet cocoa gaze from him. "I'm willing to let you see it all. To know everything. If it will help you I'll do it." He assured her once more, showing her a bright and welcoming smile as he lifted his hand a little higher. Her stare flickered between his palm and his face, for now she was internally debating. She had done this will all her officers and sparring partners, but never an actual person she can see herself becoming true friends with. With them, it was all apart of the job. However, Greg was doing it simply to help her.

"If you're willing to go through with this and see it all I'm ready." He stated, and Kira felt herself relax. Upon taking in a deep breath, Kira shut her twinkling chocolaty gaze, letting out the air filling up her lungs slowly. "Alright, then," she began, turning her gaze back towards him. Her expression was calmer now, for she was mentally preparing herself for what was to come. It was a tad overwhelming to view someone's entire life story in one go, reliving all of their memories in a single shot. Even the ones they might have suppressed deep away, Kira's power would drag out. She'd see and feel everything they felt; it was like becoming the protagonist in a movie, and she was living entirely different and unique characters with various experiences each time a flash came flowing her way. Sometimes, it was quite invigorating when she was invited in. However, if one shared a fair deal of past trauma and hardship, it could be quite unnerving. She swallowed roughly.

"Here goes nothing," she spoke, letting out a breathy sigh as she shut her eyes. After a moment, she finally gathered up the drive to take Greg's hand into her own. As soon as she did, her grip went from hesitant and cautious to firm and strong, for she was almost holding unto him as though he was her last piece of reality. Seeing another's memories practically sent her into another realm, or so was what it felt like. Her brows furrowed slightly, and her balance staggered as each vision of his past played one by one. At first, they were random and rushed, and she couldn't make out a clear image. It was a tad incoherent, but it became clearer and easier to understand as she focused. All of it began flowing like a gentle stream, and though it was all playing in real time for Kira, an hour of what she saw would only feel like seconds to Greg from where he stood. It all began with his childhood, and slowly it began working into his teenage years. Kira tried to rush through quickly.

I don't want to pay too close attention. Just show me everything so I can get this over with already, she thought to herself, focusing with as much steady determination as she possibly could. However, the moments that had the most impact on Greg, or moments when he felt intense emotion, played through no matter how hard she tried. She could see him as a child, attempting to make friends with the other kids. However, a good majority of the time, it mainly ended in rejection and failure. She felt his sadness and loneliness like it was her own, and she almost felt the urge to cry. It didn't stop there, though. She could even see a bit of his high school days, giving her a good reminder of how Greg looked at Kira with such admiration and longing. She could still detect that hint of jealousy, as well, which she now understood. She had plenty of acquaintances in high school, and not many students gave her problems. It was the exact opposite in the case of Greg Farran.

She even saw the moment when he shared his first kiss with a girl. She could feel his joy, nervousness, and innocent embarrassment. However, soon after, the girl began to ignore him. Kira could feel his confusion and sadness, and even a sense of what she could only describe as worthlessness. Oh, Greg. You're not worthless. She was just a bitch. Kira thought to herself as more and more of his memories played through. Soon, it was already during the times soon after The Flare occurred. Kira could see Greg whenever he first discovered his power; his amazement and wonder. However, he almost hurt someone accidentally with it, for he didn't quite understand how to control it just yet. She could feel his worry and apprehension, as well as a small sense of guilt. Afterwards, Greg practiced like no tomorrow, eventually gathering a better hold on how to control his new gifts. A small smile crossed Kira's lips in Greg's time, for she enjoyed watching those memories.

Soon, though, things took another turn for the worse. Now, Kira was seeing the times whenever Greg first ventured out into the wastes. He didn't have nearly as much combat experience as Kira did, neither before nor after The Flare, so he was quite intimidated and fearful. However, whenever he returned safely, everyone of his acquaintances congratulated him with proud hearts. She could feel Greg's happiness, relief, and joy, and this brought another warm beam to her face. You made it, Greg, Kira thought to herself as some of his most recent memories began to play through. His days spent looking out over the gates and reading, as well as his nights spent looking upon the alluring lights of a few of Base-1's features. Some of his more relaxed times reassured Kira, giving her a break from seeing all of the horrible things he had to go through. Soon enough, she had seen all there was to possibly see, and her chestnut irises slowly began fluttering open.

About a minute or two had passed in real time, though Kira felt like she was among'st her flashes for hours upon hours. After it all, she staggered a little bit, though she soon caught her balance on her own. "Wow," she thought as she let go of Greg's hand, moving her palm over to her forehead. She had a small headache, and her chest felt a bit heavy with all of the emotions she took on, but she had made it through without fainting. She felt quite fatigued, though. Reporting to Mayor Greene now is going to be such a drag, she thought to herself, letting out a gentle, breathy laugh. "You've been through some messed up things," Kira couldn't help but point out, though Greg would probably say the same exact thing if he knew half of what she's had to go through. Her main hardships were after The Flare, however, not before. In fact, her life before all this was quite peaceful, easygoing, and fun. Greg seemed to get the shit end of the stick in both times, unlike her.

"Thank you," she began, showing him a warm, sweet smile, "for showing me all that."

Kira gracefully hooked some of her dampened hair behind one ear.

"Thank you for trusting me."

 

[Doughguy]

As Kira prepared herself to take his hand Greg stayed steady, keeping the smile on his face. He didn't allow any nervousness or indecision to attack his choice and break it. As she took his hand, her own warm and soft, in a strong grip he returned the same strength. He wasn't sure how things worked for her but if his grip could act as an anchor to reality he would do his best to make it so. He saw her brows furrow and she began to stagger slightly. With his free hand he reached out and held onto her arm to steady her and make sure she didn't fall. He was slightly tempted to pull her into a hug to keep her balanced but he knew he couldn't do that. Instead he kept a firm hold of her through the entire process.

As they stood there, hands joined, Greg felt nothing just like the two previous times. He kept his eyes on Kira's face and waited for her eyes to reopen and indicate it was over. As he did he saw her face go through a range of emotions. First it seemed she would almost cry and Greg squeezed her hand, hoping to give her strength. He wondered what it was she was seeing. Then her face relaxed slightly but she still looked sad. That expression soon changed into a small smile which he was glad to see. The smile quickly grew into the beaming face he had seen many times today and he smiled himself. It was good to know not all his memories were bad to see.

The sun was quickly disappearing below the wall and taking most of its light with it as Kira's eyes slowly opened. Greg let go of her arm, feeling a bit awkward at the contact now, though waited for her to take her own hand from his grip. When she did he took a step back to give her some space. She looked very tired and he suddenly worried that they should have done it at another time, like anytime after she did her report to the mayor. He hoped that she would be ok soon. The laugh she let out gave him a little confidence that she would be.

He shrugged in response to her first comment, "I doubt as much as you have been. And no more than anyone else here really." he replied with a small smile and chuckle. He assumed she was talking about the events after the Flare. It didn't occur to him that she might be including his past before then in that statement, that had just been life, nothing out of the ordinary. As she thanked him for the act and smiled at him he felt a small blush climb onto his cheeks. It seemed now that it was over the confidence he had been running on was sliding away, no longer needed. "You're welcome Kira. I hope it wasn't too boring of a show." he chuckled softly again, smiling wider.

A glance behind her reminded him of how late it was getting and that she still had to speak to the mayor. And they'd both need to dry off before then. There was a little bit of panic in his voice as he spoke, "Oh! We should probably get going so you aren't late." He quickly climbed out of the lake and back onto dry land. But then he turned around, putting one knee on the ground and holding his hand out to Kira still in the lake. "C-can I help you out?" he asked her, blushing a bit more. It was such a normal gesture, but it was the sort that had had to be avoided up until this point. Now he wanted to do something, even if it was very small, for her to cement what they had done. To make it real and show the results.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira smiled and gently shook her head as Greg shrugged at her, responding to statement with a mere, "I doubt as much as you have been. And no more than anyone else here really." She got the feeling that he didn't quite know that she was mainly referring to both his life before and after the Flare, but she didn't understand that there were many people out there who have gone through much worse. It didn't change the fact that the things he went through could do quite a bit of mental damage to someone, whether it faded with time or not. Right now, Greg seemed to hold himself together quite well. He didn't seem depressed or unstable, and, minus his adorable blushing fits of bashfulness, he seemed pretty together. Knowing this put Kira at ease, and she allowed a soft, gentle smile to cross her lips.

"You're welcome Kira. I hope it wasn't too boring of a show." Greg responded to her thanks, to which she shook her head at once more. It wasn't boring. I'm glad I got to know you a little better. She thought to herself, though she didn't speak those words out loud. Instead, she simply allowed her expression to soften with gratitude, and her sweet eyes of cocoa began to wander about the dimming sky. "Oh! We should probably get going so you aren't late." Greg spoke out, his tone reflecting a bit of panic. Kira laughed at this, but she did agree. Quickly, Greg climbed out of the lake and returned to the dry land. "C-can I help you out?" He stammered out in a sweet, innocent offer. He stuck out his hand for her to take, and, this time around, Kira didn't need to feel any hesitation as she reached out for it.

"Thank you," she spoke as she gently clasped his hand with her own, allowing him to help lift her slender body out of the water below. She gently brought her hair over her shoulder, twisting it so she could wring out any liquid trapped within the strands. Now, her and her half naked self was completely revealed, but she wasn't embarrassed like Greg was. She was comfortable being in such a way, for she saw it as her just being in a bikini. Her white and cream lace undergarments accented her skin nicely, and they fit her well. They sported a cute little pink bow, too, adding to the sweet femininity of the pieces. Kira didn't pay much attention to these facts, however, as she began gathering her clothes and smoothing them out. She draped them through the air, patting off any dirt that may be latching on.

"There we go," she spoke aloud as she began to get dressed again. Her underwear dried fairly quickly, so it didn't dampen her clothes too much as she put them back on. After quickly slipping into her dark brown leggings, her khaki shorts, and her white undershirt, she finally began buttoning up her short sleeve blouse. Once she was all dressed, she put back on her brown boots, and then she put her hair back up into her favorite officer hat.

"Mind leading me to the Mayor's Office, then?" Kira asked, showing Greg one of her signature, alluring smiles.