The Flare

[Doughguy]

"You're welcome." As Greg helped Kira out of the water he was treated to another full view of her body with very little clothing. As soon as she was out of the water he quickly looked away, not wanting a repeat of what had happened last time he had seen her like that. He definitely didn't see the pink bow or the way they accentuated her skin either as that would've required looking right at her and probably would've resulted in a 'boing'. Instead he rushed over to his own shirt and began patting it down, trying to wipe the dirt off it. Being wet though some of it was rather well stuck on and he had to scratch it off as best he could. Even so there were still patches here and there when he put it back on.

Next he ran over to where his gloves had ended up, a dozen metres between them, and picked them up. The dust easily came off of them as they were largely metal and he put them back on. Finally he did the best he could with his shorts, squeezing them out without taking them off. Unlike Kira, whose clothes dried quick, he had a feeling he'd be feeling wet until he got home and changed, which he planned to do as soon as he could. By the time he was done and returned to where Kira was standing she was also fully clothed as well to his great relief. He could look at her without becoming embarrassed, even if his brain kept bringing up the image of her in her bikini whenever he did look at her.

"S-sure thing." he replied to her as she smiled at him and asked to be led to the mayor's office, "It's just back down in the lab." He started walking back to the lab, leading Kira onwards. The last rays of the sun were disappearing from the sky and the fire mages were now coming out in force. A few of them headed towards the crops to energise the irradiated metal however most spread out through the settlements streets. They sent small orbs of fire up into the sky in strategic places to act like street lights to light up the dark settlement. Unlike the crop lines these were not as concentrated and generally faded to nothing by about midnight when everyone was sleeping. Until that time though they provided a good amount of light for anyone still moving about.

Many of the scientists were also now leaving the lab as the work day was over. They streamed out of the lab in a giant group and the babble of conversation could be heard from far away. They would likely be dispersed by the time Greg and Kira reached the entrance however. As the pair walked Greg turned to Kira, "How are you doing?" he asked her. He was a little worried about how she felt after seeing his memories and wanted to make sure she was ok if she was going to speak to the mayor.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira nodded in response to Greg stating that he'd lead her to the mayor's office, letting out a sweet stammer and stating that it was back down in the lab. Oh, I remember him telling me that earlier, she remembered, wondering why she had forgotten that for a moment. He said Mayor Greene liked overlooking the projects and whatnot. She nodded to herself, beginning to walk with Greg back to her destination. As they walked, Kira took note of the darkening sky. However, the settlement only seemed to start glowing with a different light as the sun took its leave. Fireballs, courtesy of the fire mages in Base-1, lighted up the sky along with the few stars peeking out overhead. Kira allowed a sweet beam to spread across her lips as she looked up at them. The fire mages in the Training Center did similar things, so it reminded her a little bit of her other home. As she walked silently by Greg's side to their destination, she soon heard him calling out to her.

"How are you doing?" He questioned, grasping Kira's full attention once more. For a moment, she was going to ask what he meant, but then she realized that he was probably worried about the aftermath of her seeing his entire life story with her enhanced empathy. With a reassuring smile and a soft shake of her head, Kira insisted that she was alright. "I'm okay," she began, easing some of her stray strands of brunette hair back up into her hat. "I feel a little dizzy still, but I'm sure it'll fade by the time we reach the mayor's office. It's not as bad as it was when I got the random flashes," she shrugged, turning her twinkling cocoa gaze up towards the dimming sky above them. Now, the sun was almost completely set over the horizon, only a hint of its light left at the very ends of the sky. She was sure that, by the time she finished speaking with the mayor, there wouldn't be a trace of the sunlight left. However, that'd make the lights Greg spoke about all the more noticeable.

Soon enough, and a little too soon in Kira's eyes, they reached the mayor's office. She could hear the buzz of scientists leaving the lab, but the main crowd had already dispersed by the time of their arrival. "I guess I'll see you whenever I'm done?" Kira began, turning to face Greg before making her way inside. "You're not allowed to come with me this time, for some of the things I'm due to report are classified information of the military." Kira shrugged, giving Greg a small smile in condolence. "Would it be alright if I saw you after? Is there anywhere you'd like me to meet you? Preferably somewhere you've shown me, so I know how to get there," she stated, letting out a small, lighthearted laugh under her breath. "That way, you can lead me to that little light show you told me about earlier. I'd still like to see that with you, if you're up for that," she admitted, gazing over at him with her alluring, chocolaty gaze. She stuck her hand out, offering Greg a shake.

"Until then?"

 

[Doughguy]

"That's good." Greg replied as Kira answered his question. She did seem fine compared to how she had been in the pool. They were moving along one of the main walkways so there were plenty of lights to see by and he could see her face didn't look pale. She was walking without faltering as well and he decided he could probably relax and assume she would be fine now. He guessed she'd learnt to bounce back quickly from things like that since it was something she lived with every day. He was also glad for the lights which gave off a bit of heat. It took away some of the wetness that was still covering his body. He was definitely getting changed while Kira was at the mayor's office.

Soon enough they were at the entrance and down into the labs themselves. They had managed to miss most of the crowd and could get down the stairs rather than being blocked by a human ocean. Greg led her through the centre of the area to the opposite end of the large room where the offices were. He led her down the steel hallway to the door at the very end where the mayor's was located. To either side were a few more offices as well as many more labs, all currently closed for the night as most people had gone home.

"I understand." he replied to Kira as she told him he couldn't come in. He had known as much and was glad now. "Of course I'd still like to show the lights to you." he said. He thought about where would be a good place to meet her afterwards. There weren't any easy to spot landmarks in the crops themselves as they were simply organised into sections and ordered by rows and column. And there wasn't even a gate on that side, only the occasional ladder that allowed access to the top of the wall. Plus it would be dark. "Meet me at the north edge of the lake, where we just came from." he said, returning her smile, "We can take the road straight from there to the wall." Without any nervousness this time he took her hand and shook it. "I'll see you soon."

When Kira entered the mayor's office Greg left the lab, climbing the stairs back to the surface. He headed west through the streets to his own home. He was old enough that he no longer lived with his parents which he was thankful for. Their place was filled with little inventions, 90% of which didn't currently work. It made it difficult to move around the rooms and find places to sit. His own house was small but large enough for his needs. He had a living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. The living room had a few chairs and a large bookcase filled with books. Entering it he quickly made his way to the bedroom to get changed.

Getting out of his dirty shorts and shirt he looked through his wardrobe and suddenly froze. Is this ... did I invite her on a date? His eyes went wide as the thought spun around in his head. He had just been going to change into some more normal clothes, but did he need to put on something nice? Was that what he had done? Should he put on a suit, something formal? Was that too much? Nooo, nooo, we've only known each other a day, it's just me showing her the sights, right? People went on dinners for dates, they went and saw movies, they were just going up to the wall to ... to view all beautiful lights together. His hands rose to his hair and he tugged on it, so confused about what to do.

Eventually he managed to get changed. He still had no clue whether he'd accidentally invited a girl on a date or not though, so he'd put on some nicer clothes. Nothing formal but not as casual as he had been wearing before. It was a nice white, button up shirt and a pair of nice jeans for the colder night air. He'd debated a tie but thought that might be too much. Feeling very worried he headed out to the north edge of the lake to wait for Kira. Along the way he tried to think of excuses if she asked why he was dressed as he was. He gave up halfway there when he remembered she'd be able to sense he was lying. Instead, he started praying she just wouldn't ask.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira nodded in response to everything Greg told her, taking into account that their meeting point was to be the lake. "Alright, I'll see you then." She stated as she showed him a small wave of farewell. After that, she turned and made her way into Mayor Greene's office. He was sitting at his desk, that of which was made of refined cherry wood. The place smelled of roses almost, which was when she noticed that he had a few white ones resting in a vase upon his desk. "I like what you've done with the place," she walked in casually, showing the middle aged man a small smile in greeting. "Ah, Officer Fier. Welcome," he began, standing up and offering her a salute. She did the same, following standard procedure before the Mayor offered her a seat. "Please, get comfortable." He gestured to the seat in front of his desk, and Kira obediently took it. Afterwards, Mayor Greene arranged a few folders and papers around his desk before turning his attention to Kira.

"So, tell be about how things were in the wastes."

Kira cleared her throat as she sat up straight, putting on her serious face as she began her report. "Upon my travels, I noticed quite a few things. S tiers are more common now, as are A tiers. I believe that, upon finding some sort of radiation source, they evolve and develop. They grow stronger, faster, and.." She remembered what she saw in Greg's memories, noticing that the mutant he encountered almost seemed able to think. "They might be developing some sort of intelligence," she admitted, and the mayor's brows rose slightly. "They're still weak during the day, however. Their skin is vulnerable to the sun's rays, and those at the Training Center have discovered quite a few of their weaknesses. I was one of the main trainers over there, so I've been in and out of the wastes quite a few times. You can count on me, I assure you." She stated, and the mayor nodded in response. "I have no doubt in your abilities, Officer," he reassured her kindly. He then turned his dark gaze over to her.

"So, is there anything you require of us? I'm sure you wouldn't want to roam about the wastes by yourself." He stated, and Kira let out a sigh. "It doesn't seem like you have many people here with fighting experience. Most are scientists, which is not a bad thing at all. You're all making wonderful progress, I must say," she stated, putting a curled index finger against her lips in contemplation. "Would you mind if I called back some of my soldiers from the Training Center? If not, do you have a few people here that have some experience with weaponry and mutants?" She questioned, and the mayor then went into contemplation. "I don't think it'd be wise to risk your underlings travelling all the way over here by their lonesome, unless you believe them to be that capable without a leading officer," he began, and Kira nodded solemnly in response. She wouldn't want any of them to get slaughtered. "How about Greg Farran?" He suggested, and Kira's brows raised.

"He's been out into the wastes a time or two, and he's one of the only rare mages we have in this town. Other than him, there are three others I know of that are good with weaponry. There's Candice Moore, Nathan Williams, and Jason Gates. Candice is an earth mage, though I hear she has great survival skills and can handle a knife pretty well. Nathan used to be in the military, though he was dishonorably discharged for alcohol abuse and violent outbursts. I hear he's calmed down these days, so if you can crack him, he should be a strong addition. Jason is a great sniper from what I hear, and he has a pretty friendly personality. I think the three of them would be fine working with you," Mayor Greene stated, and while Kira had her doubts about Nathan, she decided to go ahead and give the three of them some thought. "Alright, I'll see what I can do," she stated. With that, she stood up and prepared to take her leave. However, she stopped right in her tracks.

Shit, where am I going to stay tonight? She wondered, and, as if he could tell by the way she froze in her tracks, Mayor Greene let out a laugh. "I had a feeling you didn't have a place to lodge yet," he stated, and Kira rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I didn't pack many things with me, either," Kira remembered that she had forgotten many of her things. Because she was in survival mode, all she brought with her was some food, water, and her weapons. However, she ran out of food and water just before she arrived at Base-1, and she had to leave behind a few of her throwing knives and one of her guns while travelling. Things got really bad in the middle of the night, and she had to abandon a few items so they wouldn't weigh her down. All she had with her now were but a few knives, one of her automatic pistols, and her favorite crossbow. She missed her sniper rifle and her other pistol, but apparently there was a sniper in town, so there was hope to find another.

"Well, we don't have many places to stay in Base-1. As you can tell, many people have found sanctuary here, and many have grown situated. I do know that the boy you were with before, Greg Farran, happens to live alone. Perhaps you can lodge with him until we find you a better place to stay?" The mayor suggested, and Kira almost laughed out loud in the anticipation. Oh, brother. That boy is going to burn crimson when I tell him this. She thought to herself with a shake of her head. "I'll let him know," she began as she gave the mayor a casual wave. "I'll tell you more after I venture out into the wastes around here," she stated, "and I'll find those three you mentioned tomorrow and see what they can do." The mayor nodded in approval of Kira's words, returning her wave. "We'll speak then. Have a good night, Officer Fier." He spoke, and Kira flashed him a bright smile. "You too, Mayor Greene." She spoke, thus walking out of his office.

Kira, being the reckless and slightly forgetful girl she was, only thought of bringing sustenance and weapons with her on her travels. I forgot to bring extra clothes, too, she thought to herself with a soft sigh. Shrugging helplessly, she decided to go ahead and make her way over to where Greg said they would meet. After a while, she arrived, and she could see Greg approaching from the distance. "Hey, over here!" She called out as she waved over to him. From this distance, she couldn't quite tell exactly what he was wearing, though she could tell that he was in different clothing from before. Lucky duck, she thought to herself with a soft smile and sigh. Her expression seemed to say, "Oh well," though she was completely comfortable as she was. Her eyes of sweet cocoa gazed over at his figure, awaiting for him to reach her. Once they made their way over towards the crop lights, she decided to go ahead and ask him if she'd be able to crash at his place.

I can picture his expression now, she thought to herself with a lighthearted laugh.

Hopefully he'll still let me stay, though.

 

[Doughguy]

Greg saw Kira was already waiting from him at the spot they had agreed upon. He had been hoping it would be the other way around, now he had to walk towards her while he was all nervous. She also spotted him from far away and waved him over so she was watching him for a long time. He let out a ragged breath and kept his eyes down on the ground, only occasionally glancing up at her to see how close he was getting. Don't say anything about the clothes please, don't say anything he thought to himself in a silent prayer. She didn't seem like a clothes person, especially the way she had acted around the po- he stopped that thought. Jeans were very bad cover for things, he couldn't afford to let his mind stray anywhere close to those memories.

After what seemed like an eternity of walking he finally arrived in front of her. He could feel her big, brown eyes on him, as he had for awhile, and now they were close looked up and met their gaze warmly. And nervously. Just two friends seeing some lights. Doesn't matter what gender they are, nothing unusual. He noted she was wearing the same clothes as before still, of course. She hadn't brought much in with her, he had only seen her arrive with a few weapons and that was it. So that was no help to his worrying mind. "W-would you like to go and see the lights now?" he asked her, stuttering a little and indicating the road they would take to the east.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira could feel Greg's nervousness and even a tad of insecurity, though she couldn't pinpoint why he felt that way. What's he insecure about? Is he uncomfortable? She couldn't help but wonder, and then she noticed his choice of attire. It wasn't much, but it almost appeared as though he got dressed up a little to see her. It was then that Kira managed to put two and two together. With a pleasant expression, Kira placed a curled index finger against her beaming lips. How cute is that? She shook her head softy, allowing a single giggle to slip through her mouth. After a small moment of silence, Greg finally stuttered out a few words. "W-would you like to go and see the lights now?" He questioned, and Kira nodded with the sweetest of smiles. "Absolutely," she responded, following along with Greg to the eastward way he gestured to. She didn't know exactly where they were going, for everything looked a little different at night, so she allowed him to take the lead.

"You look nice," Kira decided to go ahead and point out. She wouldn't ask why he wore such attire, for she didn't want to embarrass him further, but she figured that she'd go ahead and compliment his choice of clothes. "I didn't bring any extra clothes with me, so that's why I'm still wearing the same thing. I don't suppose you know any people my size with some spare sets of attire?" She questioned, her chipper tone lightening up the mood a bit. She didn't want Greg to feel tense, and she found herself wanting to help him be comfortable as much as possible. He did so much to help her out today, and she really wanted to return the favor. However, she had no idea how to go about it. She had a feeling that, no matter what she did, she'd end up making him nervous or embarrassed in some way. I wonder how I could make him feel more comfortable? She thought to herself as she turned her sweet cocoa gaze straight ahead. She contemplated as they walked side by side.

"Hey, um.. I was wondering," she began, debating whether or not she should tell him about the mayor recommending that she stay with him until they found her a place. She didn't know anyone else in Base-1 that lived on their own, and she considered herself to be friends with Greg. It wasn't that big of a deal, right? She's slept out in the wilderness before; a floor or a couch wouldn't be bad at all compared to that. If need be, though, she wouldn't mind just sleeping underneath a nice tree. "I spoke to Mayor Greene about a few things, and one of them was where I was going to lodge while I stayed here. He actually couldn't find any open places, so he suggested that I stay with someone I know," she stated, turning her brown gaze upwards to him as they walked. Modestly, she hooked some stray strands of her brunette hair behind her ear and up into her hat. "You're the only person I know, and he told me you live alone. Is that true?"

 

[Doughguy]

With Kira's confirmation Greg started leading her along the east road. It would be a long walk to the wall, as long as their trip to the lake from the north entrance had been. The settlement was as close to circular as could be expected from a few dozen earth mages working together. The road below was only dirt with rounded stones to either side to mark its boundary. The mages hadn't wanted to bring up a large amount of stone so close to the crops lest they accidentally damage them. Instead they had compacted the earth to make it harder, preventing any seeds from taking root in it. And the crops to either side prevented too much dust building up in the area providing a clean walkway. Those crops glowed brightly to their left and right illuminating the path without need for the firelights above. However the metal lines were obscured by the growing plant matter and little of them could be seen beyond the orangish light they gave off.

"T-thanks." Greg replied to Kira's compliment on his clothing and his dread began to grow. But she quickly moved on to clothing for herself and he felt a calmness return. That was one obstacle past him now. "There should be some people who are your size." he said nodding and appreciating her lighter tone, "I can ask my mum to speak to some of her friends to try and find a few spare sets." Clothing was something that Base-1 had yet to focus on with any intensity. They grew some plants that could be harvested for material, but pragmatically only produced enough to keep everyone with what they needed. I could also trade a favour with one of the earth mages for some extra clothes for Kira Greg thought to himself, it would be nice to help her out.

For awhile it seemed like Kira was going to be quiet for the rest of the trip there. And the she started speaking and dropped what was a bombshell (to poor Greg) on him. She wanted to stay at his place. As in at his home. A girl, in his house. Living with him. He froze in his tracks, thankfully he had just completed a step and wasn't left with one foot floating in the air. A girl, who could sense whatever he was feeling form a short distance away. In his small house. Whose doors didn't have locks because, well, no one's doors did in the settlement. What if one of them walked in when they were changing! What if he just plain forgot to put pants on! A bright blush crept up onto his cheeks as his mind raced through these thoughts.

Swallowing he managed to find the strength to unfreeze and look at Kira. She was looking right at him and he felt very nervous. He swallowed again. "You uhm, that uhhh, I mean ..." Words were not being his friend right now, he was so flustered. He knew what he was going to say, as embarrassing as it was he wouldn't turn her away, she was his friend. But going from thought to word was a big jump. He coughed to the side to clear his throat and tried again. "You could uhh, I do live alone, yeah, that's uh, true. And umm, if you have nowhere else ... you could ... live with me ... if you wanted." His gaze dropped to the ground as his cheeks burned even redder.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira could tell how uncomfortable the talk about Greg's clothes made him, so she decided to let the topic completely die. Instead, she listened as he informed her that his mother probably knew someone who could offer her clothes within Base-1. To this, she smiled and nodded gratefully. "That'd be nice," she spoke in response, and then they remained in silence for a small while more. It was after that moment of silence that Kira decided to finally ask Greg if he could spare some room for her at his place, and she suddenly felt a flurry of his emotions hit her. It was like a bag full of bricks, and it made her freeze just as he did. Holy--, she thought, her brows raising slightly in surprise. She knew he'd be embarrassed at the thought of it, but she wasn't expecting that strong of an emotional response. At first, she was left in awe and shock, but then she felt the urge to burst out into a fit of maniacal laughter. "You uhm, that uhhh, I mean ..." He tripped over his words, and it took all she had not to giggle.

She watched as he attempted to clear his throat, turning his head to the side and letting out a cough. She pressed a curled index finger against her pouty bottom lip, letting out a small, "Pfft~" sound as she refrained from letting out a flurry of giggles. "You could uhh, I do live alone, yeah, that's uh, true. And umm, if you have nowhere else ... you could ... live with me ... if you wanted." He finally spoke out, and Kira's face began to warm with gratitude. I really admire how he pushes past all of this discomfort for my sake, she thought with a gentle beam. I can see us becoming very, very good friends. She nodded in approval at that thought, and, with a pleasant sigh and wide grin, she began to take the lead in walking once more. "Have I told you how insanely adorable you are, Greg?" Kira decided to compliment him in an endearing, yet teasing manner. She looked back over her shoulder at him, her chocolate brown eyes twinkling with the slightest hint of mischievous intent.

"I've never met anyone who gets as flustered around me as you do," she began, finally letting out a small bit of the lighthearted laughter she was restraining. "It's really refreshing, I must say." She shook her head back and forth, a smile plastered across her pale pink lips all the while. "I really appreciate you letting me stay at your place," she began once more, stopping for a moment so Greg could walk beside her again. Once he caught up, she turned her shimmering eyes of sweet cocoa back upwards to meet his own. "I'll try not to impose too much, though I'm not quite sure when Mayor Greene will be able to find me a place of my own. I'm looking forward to being your roomie, partner~" She spoke in a tone cheerful and chipper, and she playfully brought her gloved hand up to poke at his flushed cheek. Once she did that, she decided to go ahead and lock arms with him, walking with a slight bit of pep in her step. Being around Greg made Kira feel quite joyous, she couldn't deny.

Being here in Base-1 is going to be the funnest adventure of mine yet. I can feel it.

♥

 

[Doughguy]

With his gaze on the ground and his cheeks burning brighter than the Flare itself, Greg didn't notice that Kira had started walking away. It was only when she spoke again and she sounded more distant that he noticed she wasn't beside him. His head shot up to look right at her and his feet stumbled forward in what could only loosely be called walking. Her compliment about his adorableness turned his cheeks into a Flare's worth of brightness each, and he wondered how everyone around him was not blind or burning. He felt a little light headed himself, probably due to the lack of blood to his brain as it was all in his face. He thought it might be thanks to the compliments words itself though, adorable was not something he had been called since he was a baby as far as he knew. He caught the look of playful teasing in her eyes and managed a smile, but wasn't ready to speak yet.

He managed to get his legs back under control as they walked and followed Kira along. He started thinking it was probably a good thing she hadn't met anyone else who got flustered like him. If lots of people did then nothing would ever get done, people would be too busy hiding in their embarrassment. The thought made him laugh a little on the inside. By that time she had stopped and he was able to catch up to her so they could walk side by side. "You're welcome Kira, anything for a friend." he said to her, only a little louder than a whisper, but without any stuttering. It was quiet, but Kira would be able to tell it was a happy tone to his voice and it was just his flusteredness making him quiet.

"I-I'm s-sure you'll be no-" Greg began, trying to be a little louder, when suddenly his cheek was poked. The sudden touch was, considering his current mood, very surprising. It was like Kira pressed his mute button and he couldn't speak anymore. And then she wrapped her arm in his and started walking along like that. His eyes went wide as he was half dragged half walked along. Had he been right all along? Was this what happened on dates? People held hands right, and put their arms in each others? And they walked together and went and saw pretty sights like the lights or Kira's bod- NO, bad brain! he stopped himself. Those thoughts would just not do.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira couldn't help but find Greg's embarrassed silence to be more and more endearing by the second. He finally broke it as soon as he caught up to her, though. "You're welcome Kira, anything for a friend." He stated in a voice just above a whisper. If she wasn't right at his side, she probably wouldn't have heard him at all. With a sweet grin, Kira nodded in response to him, going on with her statements. Before he could finish his response to her, though, she finished her gesture with poking his cheek. "I-I'm s-sure you'll be no-" he began, though she silenced him with her playful poke. Adoring how sweet his surprised reaction was, Kira couldn't help but link arms with him and walk with subtle pep in her step. However, it did seem like she was mainly dragging Greg along this way. After a while, her lighthearted and soft laughter stopped, and she looked back towards Greg as she halted walking. Her smile grew smaller, but it was still present over her pale pink lips.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" She couldn't help but ask as her irises of sweet cocoa flickered between their linked arms and Greg's eyes. She could feel his flurry of emotions even more vividly now, for she was very close to him. Perhaps I'm embarrassing him a little too much? She wondered as she took a good look at his burning cheeks. They did indeed contest with the heat and brightness of the Flare, for she could notice them even in the darkness that surrounded Base-1 currently. With a warm and understanding expression, Kira decided to remove her arm from around Greg's, giving him a little space. "Sorry, I guess I was a little too excited," she began, soon starting to realize that she went off and marched to the beat of her own drum again. It was a bad habit of hers, for she did so without considering how others felt sometimes. Even though she could tell Greg enjoyed her company, perhaps she was beginning to push him too far? Kira wasn't sure.

"We're almost there," Kira stated as she pointed to the lights before them. All they needed to do now was climb on top of the wall and enjoy the view. Deciding to let Greg lead the way, Kira did that playful gesture of hers that she had done earlier that day. Swaying her arms in front of her as if to say, "After you," Kira flashed Greg a welcoming and reassuring smile that spread all the way up to her twinkling irises of milky chocolate.

 

[Doughguy]

"I-its just you know ... me being me." Greg replied to her first question. He supposed it was true, that she was making him uncomfortable. But it wasn't necessarily the bad kind that he would want to avoid. It was obviously the actions of a friend and any socially normal person would be fine with it. Greg was just Greg, and he wasn't socially normal. He hoped she wouldn't take that the wrong way, and by her warm expression as she let go of her arm it seemed that she understood. He let out a breath and felt himself recover a bit. The cool night air was helpful in that regard and felt very good on his cheeks. He would've hoped for a breeze but this close to the settlement wall there was no chance of that happening.

"It's ok." he said hurriedly to her next statement, "I'm just not used to ..." talking to a girl, being near a girl, touching a girl in any way, linking arms with a girl, being out alone with a girl on something that might be a date or not, having friends. Greg finished the sentence in his mind. He really enjoyed spending time with Kira, he truly just wasn't used to it all yet. She was so full of life and fun, one day he hoped he'd be able to keep up.

He was grateful when she offered to let him take the lead for the rest of the way as short as it was. He could hide his burning face a little for now. He quickly crossed the short distance to the wall and started climbing the ladder there. It was all made of stone of course, carved directly into the wall to make it as secure as possible. When he had first emerged from the shelter below climbing one of these would have left him a little winded at the top, after all the wall was a little over thirty feet high. But he was in better shape now, though he wouldn't call himself muscular. He did what he could to make sure he would be ready for an emergency if he needed to go outside the walls but it was hard to kick old habits like reading all day.

Arriving at the top of the ladder he moved to the side and allowed Kira to climb up after him. "Don't look, cover your eyes." he told her as she got to the top, nervously offering his hand out to her, "I'll lead you to a good spot." He was feeling a little more confident after the climb, the physicalness had given him some focus. Once she had followed his instructions he led her to the right for awhile until they were in a spot where the crops stretched far to the left and right without the road taking up a chunk of space. "You can look now." he then said, letting go of her hand.

The metal lines were used to give the crops light during the night, and one might assume they simply glowed brightly like a torch or old electric bulb. They would be wrong though. When a mage infused irradiated metal with their power it was not casting a spell onto the metal that performed a certain task until the energy ran out. They were putting magic directly into it and storing it there with instructions for how it should be used. The metal lines did not glow with light, they flowed with fire.

Even from this distance the rolling, shifting pattern of yellows, oranges and reds could be seen in the lines. Each was like a miniature river of fire flowing through the crops, contained in a cage that it rebelled against. Orange light spilled from them, shrinking and then growing in brightness as the fires within changed, and illuminated the crops. The shadows caused by the leaves of the crops seemed to dance on the ground as if the darkness too was enchanted by magic.

"What do you think?" Greg asked.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira listened to Greg, only offering nods in response as they began their climb up the wall. Once up, she listened as he spoke out to her again. "Don't look, cover your eyes." She began, raising her brows in amusement. "Oh? Okay," she began, using one of her hands to cover her eyes. Before her vision was completely shielded, however, she watched him hold out his hand in offering. "I'll lead you to a good spot." He promised, and she let out a sweet giggle. With a small smile, she took his hand and covered her eyes with her free one. Upon a few steps, she could feel Greg coming to a halt. "You can look now." He stated, releasing her hand afterwards. With eagerness and excitement, Kira uncovered her eyes.

The sight she witnessed was magnificent, at the very least.

"Oh, wow!" She exclaimed, her entire face lighting up with smile. Kira looked down at the lights beneath her, immediately noticing that they weren't mere electric light bulbs. There was literal fire running through the metallic lines, offering light and heat to the crops below in place of the absent sun. "My, that really is gorgeous," she spoke, her voice soft and affectionate as she gazed upon the lights below. Her face glowed slightly with the subtle shine beneath them, their simmers burning within her own irises of sweet cocoa. Her smile was wide and highly amused, and it's happiness spread all the way up to her eyes.

"What do you think?" Greg questioned, and Kira turned to face him.

"It's beautiful!" She responded without a hint of hesitation, flashing him a brilliant and grateful beam. "Thanks for bringing me here!" She spoke, her tone coated with sincere delight and gratitude. "There's definitely nothing like this in the Training Center, I can tell you that. I'm really glad I was able to see this," she began, turning her gaze back to the scene before her. Casually, she sat down on the space beneath her, draping her legs over the edge of the wall lazily. She allowed her ankles to rock back and forth, gently tapping against the wall beneath her with each return. With a seemingly everlasting smile, she gazed upon the controlled flames before her.

"They're enchanting."

♥

 

[Doughguy]

Greg sat down beside Kira, feeling very happy and with a large smile plastered on his face. He had been worried she wouldn't like it, perhaps that it would have seemed mundane after she had seen the lake and the lab. It was good to know that line of thinking had been incorrect. Even after seeing it himself so many times it was a still a beautiful sight which he enjoyed. "You're welcome Kira." he replied to her multiple thanks, "I'm glad I can show it to you. People are too busy here and well, I don't talk to many of them." On top of that he always felt like asking someone to see them was a weird request that they'd brush off lightly and he preferred to avoid that sort of rejection.

He'd discovered the lights not long after they had been implemented at the base just a year ago. Back then there had still been some worries about putting irradiated metal near a food source. Especially if you were pumping that metal full of magic and making it give off energy. So they had started with a small crop away from any other ones. It had been on one of his patrols during the night that he had spotted it. As one of the defenders of the settlement it was his duty to man the walls on some nights. He'd seen the small crop and been entranced himself the first night. In a way, he thought that the small crop was better than the larger ones as the patterns the shadows made had been more distinct. But in the end they couldn't match what the size of the lines brought now that they covered the entire area.

"They are enchanting indeed." he replied, his own eyes traveling the crops as hers were. The Flare had done a lot of bad things, but the powers it had brought along with it could do a lot of good. And humanity seemed to be on its way to using them in that way. The thought brought a smile to his face, everyone had banded together in this new world and it was nice to see. Unlike all the apocalypse films he had seen when he was younger it seemed altruism prevailed. At least it looked that way to Greg. But all he had to go by on that was how things were in Base-1 and the few representatives from the other settlements he saw when they visited. In truth the world could be a very different place from what he imagined, he just didn't know.

"What's the training centre like?" he asked her as they sat there, "I've always imagined it very orderly, steel and concrete everywhere, all the available space put to use. Nothing like it is here."

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier​

Kira simply smiled and nodded along as Greg spoke, mainly enjoying the view before them. In a weird sense, she thought of it like looking at the stars. Nothing really changed about the sight, but it was still wonderful no matter how long you stared. In a weird sense, she saw the crop lights of fire as streams of stars, similar to how she used to view cities. A city scene at night is like walking among'st the stars, and this felt similar to that. It was as though all those magnificent lights that normally lit up the sky above were now at everyone else's level, and that was quite the comforting thing to know. Kira couldn't help but smile at it all.

She was taken out of this trance, however, whenever Greg spoke out to her again.

"What's the training centre like?" He questioned, and Kira slowly turned her gaze of sweet cocoa towards him. "I've always imagined it very orderly, steel and concrete everywhere, all the available space put to use. Nothing like it is here." He stated, and Kira let out a small laugh in response. "You imagine it like that?" She asked, letting out a couple more giggles in response. He wasn't exactly wrong, but he wasn't exactly right, either. "It does have an orderly feel to it, I suppose. You'd see a lot of people marching around in uniform, almost as though you're in some sort of military school or something." She shrugged, turning her gaze back forwards.

"There are more people who adapted to the rare side of magic there," she began, "and most are officers like myself. There aren't many, but there are probably more there than there are anywhere else. Most of the time, you'll see people sparring or training. Everything is made with durable materials like concrete and steel like you imagine, but we do have normal wooden and brick places, as well. Mostly, those are the buildings where people lounge," she stated, flashing him a small smile before returning her chocolate brown gaze back to the enchanting lights before them again. "All in all, it really is similar to boot camp or something."

Kira let out a laugh, amusing herself with how homey she felt towards the Training Center. Now that she was describing it to an outsider, she realized that the place would probably seem like a nightmare to those who didn't like the military. Kira always had a thing for it though, so she supposed that was why she got used to all of it quickly. Now, she actually felt a little lonely. The trip to Base-1 took a good three days and nights, so this was the fourth day she's been away. It wasn't that long of a time, but it felt like forever to her. She let out a small sigh at the thought, continuing to swing her slender legs back and forth against the wall.

"It was a little strict at times, but I always managed to make people loosen up a bit. It may be a tad weird to others, but it was still home to me."

 

[Doughguy]

As Greg listened to Kira's explanation of the Training Centre he found his thoughts running on a parallel to hers. It did sound like a bit of a nightmare to an outsider. He wasn't a naturey person, it was hard to be one in this environment anyway, but he enjoyed the freedom and openness of his home. As long as he did enough work to contribute to the settlement's advancement no one cared when it got done. He tried to imagine the Centre again with this new information, picturing a his previous design but with a military school and boot camp layout. Mentally adding in a few wooden or brick buildings he felt he had a good idea of what it was like, but it was hard to tell how correct he was without a comparison. He wondered if he would ever visit the Centre and see for himself. It sounded like a place where he could learn from others like himself, but he didn't think he'd fit in very well with the sort of people that would be there.

He returned her small smile and watched her for a few seconds after she looked back to the lights before returning his gaze to them as well. "I don't think I'd like it much there then." he confirmed out loud after Kira laughed, hoping she wouldn't take offense. "Boot camp and its instructors are the stuff of nightmares. Or at least, they were once." he paused for a second, "Nope, they still are." he joked, chuckling at himself. Not truly, the Flare had brought enough nightmares with it to fill his sleep for many years to come, but dreaming of being in boot camp would probably still ruin his night.

He turned to look at her again after her last statement and its accompanying sigh, noting there seemed to be something sorrowful in her voice. "A few of the people here could use some loosening up. Do you know how long are you going to be here with us?" he asked her, "Are you only here to make sure our security situation is as good as it can be, or is it a more permanent position?" He didn't know what the specifics of Kira's mission were, only the general facts. He didn't even know if she'd be able to tell him this sort of thing. How strict were the people in charge about information? He hoped she could at least tell him she'd be here awhile.

 

[Elixir]

Kira Fier

~Time Skip~
((2 weeks later due to absences))​

Kira woke up just before dawn, as she always did. It was barely five in the morning, and, while the sky was lightening with the anticipated arrival of the sun, it was still a dim blue shade. With a sweet stretch, she threw her arms above her head and sat up in the bed the was laying on. For now, she was staying in Greg's bedroom, that of which was already starting to look like her own. She was reluctant at first to take the bed, for she was more than happy to have a couch to sleep on, but Greg insisted. So, now she was situated well in the bedroom, meanwhile Greg made the living room his new sleep space. With a small sigh, Kira threw her legs over the mattress, her moves swift yet silent as she stood up and grabbed a towel. With ease, she opened the bedroom door, tip toeing her way through the living room and kitchen areas. Greg was still sound asleep on the couch, though he did wake up around the same time Kira did. If he had managed to sleep early the night before, he'd probably be rising at any moment.

With a small smile, she leaned over the couch and gazed at him, giving his hair a gentle ruffle before making her way to the bathroom.

She then began her morning shower. She stripped down and out of her night clothes, allowing her now bare body to be welcomed by the warm water now raining down over her skin. She began humming a soft tune, as she always did when she showered. As she hummed away, she began washing her hair and body with the products that others in Base-1 have provided for her. She didn't like mooching off of what Greg had, so she now had her own. It was nice how hers had a small vanilla scent, for some of the earth mages and other scientists were beginning to extract things just as modern society had done before. It wasn't as luscious as Olay, Dove, Pantene, and other old products that Kira once knew well, but it still did the trick. Once she was squeaky clean, she made her way out and dried off her dewy skin. Once she wasn't dripping wet anymore, she wrung out her extensive brunette hair, bringing it over one of her slender shoulders.

Without a care in the world, she wrapped the towel around her torso, gathered up her night clothes, and made her way out.

She didn't know whether Greg was awake or not yet, nor did she really pay attention. As she always did every morning, she had her toothbrush in one hand, her clothes in the other, she made her way over to her new room to drop off her clothes, and then made her way back into the kitchen. As she brushed away at her pearly whites, she looked in the fridge for something to eat, hoping that Greg had gotten used to the sight of her in a towel by now. She did this practically every morning, for it was simply a habit that was hard for her to destroy. She loved lounging about in a towel after a nice shower, regardless of whether or not guys were present at the time. "Hey, Greg," she called out to her new roommate. "Are you awake? What do you want for breakfast?" She questioned, her voice slightly muttered because of the fact that she was brushing her teeth at the same time. With her toothbrush still in her mouth, she turned to look over into the living room, flashing a brief smile.

"I'm starved~"