Elson, still only a couple blocks away from the arcade heard screaming and turned around, instantly detecting the faint orange glow of a nearby fire. "Shit..." Quickly deciding that innocent people were there he ran towards the blaze. When he got to the fire he found that it was the arcade he had been in earlier. Most of the people were outside pointing and talking in hushed voices. "Grr..." Not knowing if anyone was inside or not, he jumped through the flames in the doorway. Inside was chaos. Everything from video games to tables was alight, and it was going up fast. Elson hurredly searched the building, as thoroughly as possible, but found only one person, the girl he had passed near the park. She was pinned beneath a pinball machine in the far corner, unconcious. Knowing that no one else was in the building to see him, he pushed the flames back and picked up the pinball table, tossing it to the side.
Moments later he jumped through the doorway again, this time with the girl in tow, carrying her fireman style. After stopping for a second, he decided that he didn't want to be seen by the fire department or police again and took off, intending to go to the house, grab a change of clothes and take the girl he was carrying to the hospitol.
Ren was watching TV quietly in the living room when she heard the front door open. She, Eva, and Spark had had dinner and now they were doing each their own things. Frowning she looked to the doorway when Elson passed. She was more surprised by the girl he had. Risisting the urge to say something like 'that desperate huh?' she called out, "Who is she?"
Elson shrugged, "Don't know, I saved her from a fire." He walked to the sofa and laid the still unconcious girl down. He turned to the TV as he heard the newscaster mention the fire, but lost interest quickly. It didn't concern him. "Did you guys cook any food?"
Ren nodded and gingerly stood from her plush chair. "Sesame chicken stir fry," she replied as she walked smoothly to the kitchen. The only reason she was moving with such grace was to avoid aggravating her wounds. "Why did you save her?" It wasn't rhetorical. She went to the sink and poured a glass of water.
Elson followed behind her. "She was in trouble. I was there. She's not the enemy." It was simple and to the point becuase there had really been no other motives. He went to the fridge and pulled out the leftovers, then grabbed a plate from the cabinet and piled the food on then stuck it in the microwave, setting the timer on one minute.
"You shouldn't save anyone." Her voice was surprisingly soft, like a mother explaining that you 'can't save everyone'. She set her empty cup down by the sink and nodded her chin back to the TV in the living room that showed a helicopter view of multiple fires in the city. "You're hard to find you know."
Elson turned and saw the TV and the view of the fires. "Your work?" He shrugged, "All that to find me? I'm flattered, but next time, try to do it a different way please. Hurting people needlessly isn't what I'm about."
Ren half smirked, half smiled. "I thought you might say that. That's why I sent them to only do abandoned and condemned buildings. It must have seen you to set a building with people in it on fire. I knew you would come to the rescue, as you did with that woman, and come back here before the police could see you and accuse you of setting the fire. Don't worry, I'm sure no one was killed."
Elson grinned, "That's good." After thinking for a second he turned, "Wait? Am I
THAT predictable?"
Her half smile hadn't faltered. "To me," she replied simply.
At that moment the microwave decided to chime, indicating that his food was done so Elson went to retrieve it. He grabbed a spoon and fork then sat down at the table. After taking a bite, chewing, and swollowing he looked back at Ren. "Damn... I'm going to have to work on that... This is really good by the way." He took another bite and chewed and swallowed again. "Who cooked?"
"I did." Simple words. Again Ren could not bring herself to use words like 'thank you' and 'you're welcome'. "Don't worry about being predictable to me, and probably Spark, being who she is. Worry about being predictable to... Eva." Her smile became more of a smirk.
Elson didn't miss a beat. "Oh I'm pretty sure she doesn't find me at all predictable." He got up to get a glass of water. "Why'd you want to find me anyways?"
"It was less to find you and more to keep you away from more accidents, I suppose," Ren replied, the word 'accidents' could have been the people or the thing, but it was Elson's guess. She continued to stand, leaning in front of the sink, her hands on the edge. She hadn't moved, even as Elson had obviously come to get water.
Elson stopped beside her as his heart missed a beat, but he didn't show it on his face. He simply stood there. "Ummm, can I get a glass of water?"
Her brown eyes looked into his and it was a solid stare that didn't search, even though she could. She could mess with his mind, but she didn't. "If you must," she said calmly and swept past him. She smelled of soap, not enjoying the smell of perfumes. She took a seat opposite his at the table and pushed her copper hair behind her ear, exposing her three silver ear piercings. Her eyes were downcast, looking at the table and she leaned on her elbows of her crossed arms.
Elson got his water and returned to the table, noticing as he sat down Ren's mood. He almost reached out and nudged her arm but pulled back, afraid of offending her. "Hey, why the sad face?" His food was ignored for the moment, as was the glass of water.
Kohana stired on the couch. Her eyes still closed she could hear the voices. "Momma??" She called out in a horse voice. "Momma?" She said again and then had a coughing fit.
Ren pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'd hate to have to knock her out again..." she said. The only reason she would hate to is because it would make Elson unhappy. That, she could handle, the downcastness and whining she could not. She removed her hand and looked at Elson. "I believe I'm going to need to have a rather long discussion with you. Finish your food and we'll go for a walk."
Elson nodded and began eating. Few minutes later he stood up and took his plate to the sink and rinsed it out then put it away. "Ok, ready." He turned around and walked to the doorway. "Where we going?"
She didn't answer, only paused in the living room doorway to look at the new girl. One of the others would take care of her should she awake fully. Ren grabbed her brown leather jacket from a hook near the door, stepped outside, and began walking, knowing Elson would follow. It was getting late and the street lights had come on in the dark.
Kohana sat straight up and got dizzy. "Where the hell am I?" She looked around the room feeling very confused.
Elson followed along beside her, knowing that she would talk when she was ready. Besides, he didn't want to pressure her and was truly interested in what she might have to say.
"Elson," she started once they were about two blocks from the house. "Can you create fire, or only manipulate flame?"
He shrugged, "As far as I know, only manipulate what flame's are already there." He held up his zippo, "I improvise on the creating part."
"What are you going to do if the lighter fluid runs out during a fight?" Ren asked and stopped in front of a condemed house. The entire street had been evacuated and was to be cleared to make new homes. They were far from the house now.
"Haven't really thought about that..." He scratched the back of his head as he thought, "Probably just keep using my chains, or try to find a nearby source..."
Ren nodded. "That's right," she said and smiled a little. "I, like you, work with fire because it's effective, but I can't manipulate it, just start it. I have to look for opportunities.
" She motioned for him to follow her into the house. "It's important to know how to look for potential. You should be able to sense where the fire start is..." She pointed to a wall where the wall paper was already peeling. She touched the tip of her finger to the wall and a three inch diameter circled out from the tip decayed quickly as if with age and through the new hole in the wall there was exposed a couple of wires, the protective coating ripped and melted. It sparked. "You see?"
"Yeah, but it's not fire yet, exactly." He scratched his chin for a moment, "Hold on, let me try this. Please take a step back."
Ren did so, smiling softly. She was glad she could help improve his distructive power.
He stood there for a moment, studying the spark, finding the electrical pulse's inherent rythm, then focusing on it. Once the rythm seemed a part of him, he pushed power to it while an open spark was present. At first he didn't notice a change, then about thirty seconds later smoke appeared, followed by a red orange flame that quickly spread to the ceiling. "Hey! Check that out!"
"Good job," Ren said, and although her tone was amused as she watched Elson and the flame, her tone was lightly sarcastic. "You set a house on fire.. The one we're in, to be precise."
Elson looked at the wall again, "Ha! Sorry," He chuckled lightly as he controlled the flame, eventually extuingishing it. "Thanks. I'd never thought of doing that. I only thought about actual fire as a source since I learned of this."
"Well fire doesn't just exist does it? It has to come from a reaction, and things have 'warning: flammable' labels for a reason," Ren smirked. A piece of the now burnt ceiling cracked and fell in a fist sized piece just in front and to the left of her. She didn't flinch, her brown eyes still on Elson's. "Keep your eyes open, ok?"
"Yeah, of course." He put his hands in his pockets, not in a nervous way, but in a comfortable relaxed way. Ren put out an aura of... hostileness... not quite right, but close. But it hadn't bothered him from the get go. "So, what're we going to do now?"
"We should probably return before-" She cut off immediately as a larger chunk of the ceiling gave way and grabbed Elson, pulling him tight to her as the ceiling fell behind him with a thudding crash, right where he had been standing. "That girl wakes up," She finished calmly, her hands releasing him gently, odd for such a girl.
Elson flushed slightly at the closeness of her. "Ren, I believe that I am the first person I've ever seen you touch... well... at least not to hurt."
"That's because you are," she answered, as if it should have been obvious. She turned. "Come.. We should go." Her voice was just as ever, no change, but her eyes were soft whenever she didn't face him. She refused to admit that she had wanted to save him.
Elson smiled, "Shoulda figured. Thanks by the way, maybe sometime I can return the favor." He walked to the door, turning to face her, "Home I presume?"
Ren nodded. "And don't try to return the...favor." She tried to narrow her eyes at him, but they did the opposite as she felt a support beam crack. "Go!" She pushed him hard out the door and they fell onto the front lawn as the house collapsed most of the way, looking as if something like a large ax had struck the roof in the center. Ren rolled onto her back and propped herself up on her elbows, glaring at the house. "Not funny!" She yelled at it.
He tried to stifle it, tried his damnedest, but he couldn't. There on the lawn, lying next to Ren, he broke down into luaghter. If she hadn't screamed at the house he probably would have been all right, but now he was laughing and couldn't stop. "The... house... HA... doesn't... HA... like us!" He calmed his laughing a bit, "Maybe it didn't appreciate," He snickered slightly, "Being burnt." He looked at her, waiting for her reaction with a grin plastered to his face.
"It's not the house!" Ren yelled, still glaring at it. She back-hand waved her hand at it in frustration. "It's-" She had turned to look at Elson, her hand still in the air, and froze. Wow... "Wow..." Damn it did I just say that aloud? Her eyes widened and she quickly dropped her hand and returned to glaring at the house.
"Oh?" He was still grining, "If it isn't the house then what is it? Please continue." This was something new. Usually Ren knew exactly what she wanted to say. She had also touched him twice, if only save him. He was intrigued.
She pointed in irritation at the top two windows of the house where, lit by moonlight, were two featureless black faces, but something about them was grinning with delight. "And stop grinning, you look like a fool." She hadn't even looked at him.
Looking at the window, Elson saw what he would normally miss without her direction. Her shadow creatures were sittin in the window. And they somehow looked... not looked but he felt, that they were... having fun? No not exactly. More like... OOOOHHHH His grin did drop from his face then. "Your friends are... mischevious..." He couldn't believe it. Were they really trying to... He'd never thought of it before, but upon looking, he did find her attractive, even her attitude didn't ruin it, it was just the way she was.
"Only so," Ren told him. "And don't worry, they weren't trying to kill us. They can't kill me, and they won't kill you... At least not with me around. They are under strict wishes not to attack Others." She looked at Elson and she found that he was quite interesting to her. She had never been attracted to anyone, so she couldn't call it that. He did interest her as no one had before, however. She tucked her hair behind her ear. "They were just playing, but I wish they wouldn't when I'm trying to talk to you." She frowned and her eyes became unfocussed, but then she came back and smiled, the kind of smile that said she was hiding a laugh. "They're jealous." She shook slightly, her giggle trying to escape but she wouldn't allow it.
"Yeah? That's playing." Glancing back to the window he shook his hands in front of him in a "no way" gesture, "Then I don't want to see them angry." His eyes traveled back to Ren, "What was the frown about? More to the point? Why are you shaking?"
"What? Oh, they were talking to me," Ren explained, looking up at the creatures then back at Elson. "As for the shaking.. I find them amusing, that they would attack you because they are jealous that I'm spending time with you. Do you not find that funny?"
Ahh, so they weren't doing what he had thought, but were mad that him and Ren were hanging out together. If that's what it was, considering she had brought him here to teach him. "I hadn't thought they could be jelous, or that they'd have a reason to be jealous." He watched her face carefully to see how she's react to his last words.
"Jealousy leads to much chaos. They can feel anything that results in disorder," Ren explained. She stood and dusted her self off. She didn't answer the second part. "They typically only feel freedom though... a disregard for the rules."
"I see." It was a short answer becuase he was thinking. Thinking he was a fool. She hadn't answered the second part, probably to save him embarrasement. He had been foolish to think that Ren would think of him like that. For one she was the leader. Second, she was very self sufficient. She could probably survive in any situation, and alone at that. "So what now? Anything else you would like to teach me?"
"To have a little more tact when trying to ask a girl if she likes you," Ren replied, looking at Elson. Yes, she had picked up on his question, and she was quite obviously trying to fight a shy smile. Damn this boy for getting under her skin.
Elson couldn't help laughing. "I've never really been very good at that, but since we're being so straightforward, do you?"
There was an actual minute in which Ren thought about that. Did she? He wasn't hard on the eyes, and he was a pyro... He wasn't too stupid to talk to. "Yes. Yes, I suppose I do," she said finally.
Elson grinned again, "Well, that's good, considering I find you attractive, and I'd feel forever akward after this if you didn't find me likeable." He stood himself, dusting his bottom off quickly. "So, then what should we do about it?" It was a rhetoric question, but he wanted to hear the answer all the same.
"Nothing, if by attractive you mean you only find my physical appearance pleasing," Ren replied, following his example and returning to her feet. She dusted off her own bottom as she continued to explain. "Another lesson Elson, never leave yourself open for attack, as you just did."
"Ouch. Lesson learned. And no... not just your physical appearence. You're intelligent." He held his hands out in front of him as far apart as possible in a this much gesture, "That's almost enough itself, the appearance is just a plus."
Ren put a hand on her hip and leaned on the opposite one, giving him a 'you better not lie to me' kind of look. "If I was ugly, would you still like me? After all, you just said that my intelligence is 'almost enough itself'." Her eyes were locked on him, but something about it said she wasn't going to attack him.
He had a feeling that he had said something wrong, or she was testing him, and the hand on the hip in his experience was not a good sign, "Well, maybe," He paused, "I'm not shallow... but there has to be some physical attraction..."
Ren smiled a little. "Good answer. At least you were honest." She let her hand fall. "Come on, we should get home before that girl gets up, if she isn't already." She walked past Elson, keeping eye contact till she had passed him and started toward home, obviously very comfortable with her figure.
Elson kept eye contact for as long as possible, but couldnt help but drop his eyes to her hips once she passed. The girl had sway when she wanted. Shaking himself Elson began walking quickly catching up to her with his longer strides. "So... I'm not really sure what to do with the girl. I was going to take her to a hospitol somewhere in case she needed treatment for smoke inhilation or in case something fell on her head."
"If she has woken up, it would be best not to take her to the hospital until we talk to her a bit. I'd rather not have her die on us, but it would be necessary..." Ren sighed. "Maybe Spark would be kind enough to help us learn about her..."
Elson shook his head, "There's really no reason to talk to her, she was unconcious when I found her. She didn't see me use my fire abilities or anything."
"I'm sure she didn't get rescued by you randomly," Ren pointed out. "All of this, the leader of the Accidents saw all of it before it happened. In this war, nothing happens by chance. It's all written down somewhere... It can all be seen somewhere." One of her shadow creatures brushed past her under her hand, recieving a stroke as a large dog may before it past in front of them and out of sight. "I wish I could see it, but I can't, so we'll need to ask Spark if she can figure anything out."
"That would be a great help to all of us. If both sides could see it..." It probably sounded strange to her so he elaborated, "Then, we would know the outcome already and we could just skip all the fighting. Nobody would die either... well..." He had killed their leader. So that was unnavoidable, but more killing would ultimately be in vain if both sides already knew who would lose.
"The answer would be formulated by the events that lead to it, and fighting is most of those 'events'. If we didn't fight, and people didn't die, then things would not end as they are written to." She looked up at him. "You've never thought this out have you? You just live for the moment."
A grin flashing on his face Elson nodded, "Yah, but no one's ever pegged it that fast." He gave her full on smile, "Nice." He then shrugged, "It's how I've lived most of my life, and I'm still here, so I see no reason to change, yet."
Ren looked at him. Just.. looked at him for a moment before stating, rather plainly, "You have a disarming smile." It was a fact to her, not resulting in a reaction that she couldn't stifle. "I see no reason for you to change either... The way you live that is."
Elson grinned, "Well that's good. People have tried to change me before. I've forgotten every single one." It wasn't a threat, just a simple fact. He wouldn't change, and couldn't stand people that tried to change him. It was like telling a turtle to fly like a dove. Perfectly impossible, especially with him. He could be quite stubborn when it suited him. "As for my smile, you're the first to call it disarming." He laughed, "I never thought there was anything special about it."
"I believe it takes an attraction to something in order for it to become anything of notice," Ren told him, her eyes roaming over his face. She had stopped, now that they were talking again, on a path through the park. It would be shorter to get home this way, and there were no people to question why they were out so late.
An eyebrow raised in question, "Oh, that's all you're attracted to?" He smiled again, "What about my shining personality, or even my genuis intellect?" He raised his arms in mock exasperation, before dropping them back to his sides and lowering his head, in exaggerated sadness. "And here I thought I was the total package..." He lifted his head, again. "So I guess I can take that I brush and floss enough?" Instantly the smile returned to his face as he talked.
"You do." She tilted her head slightly. "And I didn't say it was your only attractive trait."
Suddenly Elson found himself looking at her lips, then found himself looking into her eyes. Then on impulse he began leaning slowly towards her, hoping that she would move forward also.
Ren did, but paused before they touched. Seeming to throw caution to the wind, she closed her eyes and kissed him and she felt instantly that his power was well suited.
Elson hadn't had many girlfriends for the simple fact that most had seen him as the big ogre, and never got the chance to know him and find that he was actually a fairly intelligent individual. Therefore, he hadn't had many chance's to have moments like this. Out of the ones he had had however, this one was unique. He felt... many different things. Incredible power, tenderness; needed, but not urgent, strength, anarchy. All of it rolled into one simple moment of contact, allbeit a totally addictive one.
Ren broke the kiss when she felt her knees would give way and looked into Elson's eyes. "I.." She never could say she was sorry, and in all honesty, she never was, and certainly not now. Elson had a fire that made her heart feel like it was going to explode. She wanted to tell him she had never kissed anyone, but something in her wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Putting herself in a place of submission like that would not be a good place to cause chaos, so her body simply wouldn't allow it. "Wow." And that was all she could manage.
As soon as she broke the kiss, Elson began smiling. "I couldn't say it better myself..." He motioned towards the house, "I think we should go now..."
"Yeah. Race ya." Ren took off toward the house, but she wasn't as fast as she could have been, her chest hurt so much.
Elson took off, catching her quickly, which was odd. He figured she was faster than that, so he turned and ran backwards, not really paying attention to what was behind him as he faced Ren. "How's your chest?" Becuase he wasn't watching where he was going he tripped on a branch and fell hard on his butt.
Ren stopped and didn't miss a beat laughing at him. It wasn't a cruel laugh, like one might assume Ren would have. It was pretty and amused like a small child. "I'm sorry," she said in breaths and wiped a few tears from her eyes. "But you should be more careful or you will get hurt like me." She held out her hand to him, smiling. "My chest is better than before but not as good as later."
Elson took her hand and allowed her to help him up, quickly dusting himself off. "I prolly should watch where I'm going." He looked at her for a moment, "You have a pretty laugh." He again gestured up the path, "Shall we continue? Maybe a bit slower this time?"
"Good idea. Maybe this time you can stay on your feet instead of falling for me," Ren teased lightly and started to walk with him back home.
Smirking, Elson mimed falling again, "But falling for you was so much fun!"
"I would think it would be painful," Ren replied with amusement. "Whereas I am glad falling for you isn't." She turned to the house and opened the door.
Kohana stood up and walked around the house. I .. where am I... I though I was in the arcade..... There was a fire... OH my .. Is this heaven??? It looks dingy.
Ren opened the door and stepped inside to find the girl from earlier rather awake and seeming in good health. Her smile had left when she touched the doorknob in case someone was inside, and she had been right. "Hello there," she greeted pleasantly enough. "It's good to see you are awake."
Kohana jerked around towards the voice. "Who... Where...? Whats going on??" She sounded scared.
Elson stepped in behind Ren and gave her an answer, "This is Ren, I am Elson, you're at our house, and you're here becuase I rescued you from a fire." Purposefully he left out the fact that Ren's creature had started the fire. He didn't know anything about the girl and was afraid she may think them insane, which wasn't a big deal, unless she decided that she had been kidnapped. People did, after all, have a habit of mentally blocking near death instances from themselves.
"The fire..." Her voice trailed off and she looked to the floor. "I.. I couldn't see and... the arcade.. I got trapped..." she looked up at the two. "Was anyone hurt? I couldn't save myself. The pinball machine fell and hit me from the side. I never saw it comming or I could have gotten out of the way." Kohana was rambling. She took a breath and sank to the floor on her knees. "How long have I been here?"
"Everyone else got out fine. And you've only been here maybe an hour or so." Elson went to the kitchen and got the girl a glass of water. He returned moments later and offered it to her. "Here, your throat's probably raw from the smoke."
She nodded and drank it down. "Thank you." She placed it next to her. "Are you the one that rescued me?"
"He said he was," Ren replied for Elson, not letting a single tinge of her annoyance at the slowness seep into her words. She was probably still groggy from the fire, no reason to be annoyed. "What is your name?"
"Oh sorry. I am still alittle out of it. Kohana is my name." The girl replyed sweetly.
Elson nodded, and then looked over to Ren. He didn't know exactly what she wanted to talk to Kohana about, and if he had he would have had no idea how to go about it.
"Kohana is a nice name," Ren replied. "Would you like something to eat?"
"Umm.. Really I dont want to be a bother. I should get home." The young girl stood up. "Could you point me in the direction of the park?"
"You wouldn't be a burden, besides we hardly ever get guests here." Elson gave her a warm grin. "And other than that, I'd rather you stay here for a bit so we can make sure you don't need to go to a hospitol."
"Oh no need for a hospital. I am quite fine really." She walked towards the door. "Honestly I think I should be getting home now." She looked frightened.
Ren gave Elson a narrow eyed look. "Stop scaring her." She didn't mean it, but it didn't look or sound that way. She looked at Kohana more kindly. "The park is down the road," she pointed, "take a right at the stop sign, then a left at the next intersection. Elson can help you if you want."
Kohana looked back at the two. What are you doing? Its like your not greatfull. Least you can do is stay and thank him and her for letting you stay for a while. "Do you have a phone? I should really call my mother. It would be okay then I am sure."
"Of course," He pointed to the hallway, where a phone sat on a small stand near the kitchen door. "It's in the hall on your right."
Kohana bowed and hurried off to the phone.
Elson watched her leave then turned to Ren and whispered, "I wasn't trying to scare her... Am I that scary looking?"
"No you're not scary looking," Ren said without looking at him. It sounded off hand, but not like she didn't mean it. "And I really couldn't care less if you scared her." She was herself again. Careful not to let Kohana hear her, she looked at Elson. "We need to know if there is anything about her.. if she's an Accident or an Other or.. something else. Everything happens for a reason and I just know she isn't a normal girl.. I just don't know what she does." Her brows furrowed and lifted slightly in the center and she bit her lower lip slightly. She was confused, but she would never look so much so around anyone. Well, except Elson now. "At least we have her name... We can ask Spark later if she'll be kind enough to look her up..."
Elson nodded, "OK, then we just play host and hostess for a bit until she leaves right?"
"That's the basic plan," Ren said with a slight nodded. She leaned out a little to see Kohana on the phone before going to the kitchen to warm the food. If the girl's mother was anything like she was, she would stay. In any case, she was hungry herself. Good thing she had made two sets, enough to feed eight people.
Elson went up to his bedroom to change into a rarely seen longsleeved black thermal shirt before going back downstairs and into the kitchen and getting a drink.
Kohana looked back just as Ren walked into another room. "Okay.. yes mom... Love you too... I will clean my room when I get home... Promise... Bye.." She gently hung up the phone and walked out into the room. Standing there for a moment she walked to the one Ren walked into. Ah the kitchen.. "Mom said it was fine if I stayed. She likes that I made friends. I havent had many since we moved."
"You're new in town?" Ren asked curiously as she set two plates of the stir fry on the table. "I hope you like sesame chicken stir fry," she added.
Spark comes out of her bedroom then. Still wearing her skirt and shirt her hair was far more tussled and she looked tired. But other then that, she walks down the stairs into the kitchen to get a snack. Stopping in the doorway. "Ren... Elson, and I see our guest is awake." Spark says softly. Just a little surprised. Spark seemed to be lagging just slightly.
Elson smiled as Spark walked in then took a small drink, "Been sleeping I see?"
Spark shakes her head no. and walks to the sink pulling down a cup from the cupboard. Filling the glass and taking off ehr glasses to rub her eyes. "My... Studies are taking a turn I had not expected... I've come to a complete dead end in the feild I'm examining." she says softly. Basic Spark translation is she couldn't find anything and actually hadn't slept for nearly two days.
Seeing a break in the conversation Kohana answered Ren's question. "Yes been here for less then a year. I have been in America for quite a while but this area is new." She sighed. "Its hard to make friends here." She looked at the plate Ren set in front of her. "This looks great."
"Don't let her fool you. Ren is amazing at whatever task is before her." Spark says softly before putting her glasses back on. "I'm Spark by the way." She says softly before turning to walk out bumping into Elson and then the chair. she was frowning at ehr own actions and blinking a lot.
Elson began grinning, amused at Sparks actions. Quickly he set his drink on the counter, then walked over behind Spark and put his hands on her shoulders and began steering her towards the steps in the entryway, "You really need some sleep. Go sleep for and relax for a day, then get back at your book with a clear mind."
"Yes but..." Spark argues softly before yawning and covering her mouth. "Perhaps a short nap then to restore the order of my mind and the orginazation of priorities." She sighs softly making her way up the steps.
As he walked back to the counter and leaned against it he shook his head and laughed. "Such a work-aholic. I wonder if she even knows how long it's been since she's slept?"
"I know the feeling," Ren told Elson, looking at him with a frown before she turned back to Kohana. "If you want a tour, we'd love to show you around. Not a lot to see, but some things might interest you."
She nodded and took a bite of the stir fry. "MMMMMMMMHHHHHHH" Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. "This is amazing!!" She said when she finished the bite. "Where did you learn to do this?"
Ren smiled softly. "My mother taught me. She was a chef. I'm very glad you like it."
Elson, hearing the softness in her voice when she spoke of her mother, decided to remember to ask Ren about her later. Other than that though, he just stood there listening.
"This is so amazing! You should serously think about doing a cookbook or a show or something." Kohana took another bite. "Your mom was amazing she taught you well." She looked up at Ren. "Honestly, this is better then in Japan."
Ren chuckled softly. "I will be sure to tell her her work has a fan," she said. "So... you used to live in Japan?" Ren asked as she took another bite of her own serving, wanting to change the subject.
Kohana nodded. "I lived in Tokyo, it was really pretty there and very fashion foward. I miss it but we had to leave." She took a small bite. When she finished she added. "I rather not talk about it just now." She looked up at Ren and then over to Elson. "What about you were are you from?"
"I am from Detroit." He grinned easily, "Not the greatest or easiest place to live."
"I would have never taken you for a car city kind of guy," Ren remarked to Elson before looking back at Kohana. "I'm from London."
"My attitude didn't give me away as a big city kind of guy?" Laughing he started walking out of the kitchen. "I could go for a shower, I'll be out in bit."
Kohana ate a little more and nodded to both when they spoke. "What made you come here, Ren?"
Once up the steps Elson went straight to his room, grabbed some clothes, a pair of baggy carpenter khakis and a black cut sleeved Disturbed, then headed to the shower. A half hour later he stepped out, free of soot from the fire and feeling a lot better. He took his time drying off, making note of the black rings in the tub as he did so. Once dried and dressed he rummaged around under the sink for a moment until he found some bathroom cleaner then grabbed a washclothe out of the nearby cabinet and quickly cleaned the mess he had left.
"A couple of years ago I got tired of the game," Ren replied with a gentle smile. "Always having to try to be the best dressed and well known in a popular capitol of the world. My mother.. she refused to cater to critics in her restaurant, so she never really got noticed for anything other than her mystery and what actual customers thought of her work. My mother said it was better to be the best and unnoticed, than to live a lie, because they simply couldn't judge everyone, and it wasn't right to judge people in the first place. I wanted to live like that, and I just couldn't in London. I didn't know Japanese, so my only other option was here in the Americas."
"Gotcha." Kohana had finished her food and sat back observing Ren. "So do all of you live here or something?"
Ren nodded and took their now empty plates to the sink. "Yes along with one other girl you haven't met yet. I'm not sure where she ran off to."
Kohana nodded. "My mother would never allow me to stay with guys. Shes what you might say conservative." Kohana laughed.
Elson went to his room after cleaning, intending to sit down and rest. Once he sat down however, he realized how totally tired he was and was asleep in minutes.
Ren laughed a little. "Then my mother could be her evil twin. She was such a liberal." She placed the dishes in the drainer and looked out the window, then at a clock. "Oh my.. it's so late..." She turned to Kohana with a worried face. "I'll have to get Elson to escort you home. I don't like the idea of people going out alone... Well, he'd have to come back alone wouldn't he? We'll just have to both escort you."
"Well thank you but an escort is not needed. It is only just a few blocks down from the arcard.. or what used to be the arcade."
Ren continued to frown. "If you're sure...."
Kohana saw her face and knew she would worry. "If it makes you feel better you can walk me home... Where are we anyways?"
"Not far from the arcade," Ren answered. "You'll see when we head that way. Where do you live anyway?"
"Broad street. Its about four blocks from the arcade. Its... The little run down house between the two fancy ones." Kohana dropped her head.
Ren smiled at her. "I know the one. It's one of my favorite houses in the entire town." Why hadn't I burned it down yet? "It looks cozy." It sounded like she was trying to comfort her, pointing out that Kohana's home wasn't that bad. After all, the house she stood in currently was rather rundown itself. "I'll just get Elson and then we can go, ok? Best not keep you too long, I'm sure your mom would worry." She gave Kohana another soft smile before she silently left the room and went upstairs. She took a moment to find him then struck his door a couple of times with a single knuckle.
The knock was light and did little more than cause Elson to turn over in his sleep and mumble a bit.
"He's sleeping." Spark says softly from her doorway. Rubbing her eyes. the shower had woken her and then the knocks on his door roused her. Spark still looked tired but more awake then she had been.
Ren frowned at her. "Did I wake you?" The word 'sorry' seemed to be understood. "I didn't mean to." She looked back at Elson's doorway. "I need to get him up. I'd hate to walk in on him half naked, but I'm not sure that outweighs how much I'd dislike to enter his mind."
"He isn't naked. And you didn't wake me I was already up..." Spark yawns affectively cutting off anything else she might say. She was having a ahrd time seeing without ehr glasses but she had taken them off somewhere in her rooms and she wasn't sure where.
Ren looked at her with concern, knowning the extent of it wouldn't be seen. "Go back to bed. No one is of any use unless they are rested." She raised her hand for Elson's doorknob, but stopped and looked at Spark again. "But.. if you find you have nothing else to do, would you look up Kohana in your book? I'm not sure what she does."
"the girl downstair's? I will do all that I can." Spark says softly turning heading for the giant dark blob that was her room. Spark needed to find ehr glasses before she could do as Ren had asked. She would sleep after she got the information and wrote it down for Ren.
Ren watched her until she had gone, then opened Elson's door, closing it silently behind her. Her silent footsteps carried her to his bed where she stood, a couple of feet away, and tried in a loud whisper, "Elson!"
ELson's head snapped over and his eyes were wide awake. He wasn't a light sleeper, but once someone entered where he was sleeping, he was wide awake. A habit he picked up from his days as a junkie in Detroit. After seeing it was Ren he spoke, "What's up?"
"Not you," she pointed out seriously. "Get up. We need to take Kohana home. Spark woke up. I've asked her to research Kohana." She stood there, arms crossed, looking down at him. Behind her frowning face the shadows on the wall seemed to ripple lazily. She was thinking of something that wasn't who she was looking at.
"No rest for the wicked." Quickly, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes then stood. "What are you so serious about?"
Ren shook her head as if to say 'don't worry about it', then uncrossed her arms. "Come on, I'd like to go out tonight without Kohana." She turned and started to leave. She hadn't realised what that sounded like.
A quick laugh was followed by, "Don't you mean walk her home?" Elson walked behind her through his bedroom door, closing it as he walked out.
"I meant after we get her home. This house is not the place for me." Ren half scowled at the walls. When they reach the bottom of the stairs, she went to the kitchen and smiled at Kohana. "Ready to go?"
So, Ren wanted to go out. He must have done fairly well then, considering he'd never even thought what was happening possible. Elson decided it wasn't needed for him to enter the kitchen, so he instead waited silently by the front door.
"Umm... sure but its really not nessary." Kohana replyed sweetly. She stood up and bushed her hair away from her eyes. She quietly walked back into the room with the couch were she awoke. "Thank you for everything." She said to Ren with a smile. She then turned to Elson. "Thank you very much for saving me. I dont know what would have happened if you didnt." She gave him a hug.
Elson returned the hug lightly, he had never been a hero in any aspect, so he didn't really know how to deal with it. "No... No big deal..."
She let go of him from the embrase feeling that he was uneasy with it. "Yeah It was a big deal. I owe you my life. If there is anything that I can help you do. Let me know. There is more to me then meets the eye." She gave him a mysterious look and walked out the door.
Elson looked to Ren, motioning for her to walk out so he could lock and close the door.
Kohana had already walked down the path and onto the sidewalk. She looked both directions and realized she had no clue what way to go. So instead of getting lost and confused she waited for Ren and Elson.
Some where in the city, two men died of heart attacks, three stray dogs were hit by cars, and 5 apartments were lost to a mysterious fire: All Ren's doing. She was jealous, but her kind smile didn't fade and she didn't seem tense. She would never admit it. She had never been jealous in her life, so this was new, and she didn't want to call it jealousy. She was angry at Kohana, angry that she thought she had the right to flirt with Elson. She was nothing compared to him. No where near their level. She chuckled with amusement. "Best not to get ahead of yourself," she told Kohana as she caught up to her and pointed to their left. "This way." She started down the street.
Elson watched Ren walk by, then closed the door and folowed, a couple steps behind, in earshot if they needed him, but otherwise staying away so they could talk. This would most likely be the time, if any, that Ren could get some more information out of Kohana about herself, and therefore, he didn't want to be in the way.
"Thank you." She followed slightly behind Ren and kept her head down watching the ground as she walked.
They traveled in silence back to the arcade, so Kohana would know how to find them, then she headed to Kohana's house from there. It wasn't long before they were standing in front of the small home. Ren smiled at it and to those who didn't know her it looked like she was remembering an innocent pleasant memory. "Well, here we are. Feel free to come back any time," she offered and looked at Kohana.
Kohana nodded. "Ren could I speak to you... alone?" She looked over at Elson.
"Um.. sure," Ren said, looking uneasily at Elson before walking down the sidewalk a ways and giving Kohana a questioning look. "What's up?"
"Well..." Kohana looked up into Ren's eyes. "I just wanted to let you know that I do not like Elson in any way more then I am thankfull he saved me." She looked back at him. "I felt both of your uneasyness when I touched him." Looks back at Ren. "I am sorry."
Ren was raising an eyebrow at her in a 'what are you talking about?' kind of way. "Kohana... You hugged him. It's not like you slept with him, not that I would care about that and I don't want the details about it either if it should happen-" Not to mention I would kill you. "-You were mistaken about the uneasiness. Try not to apologize for doing nothing wrong." She smiled softly at her.
Kohana nodded. "I just though there was something going on between you two." Kohana looked into Ren's eyes. "Is there?"
"No. Why are you asking?" Ren countered. She sounded pleasant, but inside she was itching. Why was this girl bugging her so much? Why did any of this matter?
"Oh no reason." She smiled. "I just though maybe there was because you live together. Maybe we will see each other around sometime thank you for your help." And with the last words she walked into her house. "Bye Ren, bye Elson." Shutting the door behind her she sank to the floor. GOD is he cute.
Outside, Elson waited until Ren and Kohana parted before walking up to her. "So, what was that about?"
"The very reason I hate people," Ren replied. Her lips had not moved as she turned from the house and started walking away. She hadn't actually entered his mind. She couldn't see anything in there. She had simple... 'given' him the thought. Once they were a safe distance away, she told him allowed, "I hate when people think I don't know what they are thinking. I don't have to read minds to read her." She seemed miffed.
"Was it the hug?" After a moment a thought struck Elson in the face like a freight train. "Wait... she... doesn't... you know..."
"Yes, she does," Ren told him. Her annoyance and.. saddness? was flooding to him. It was the easiest way for her to explain what she was feeling. She hated to say things aloud. "She wanted to know if there was something between us, saying she hadn't meant to hurt me. She hadn't hurt me. I wish she hadn't touched you, but she hasn't hurt me. She lied though. That's not why she wanted to know. She wanted to know because she likes you." She was practically grinding her teeth as she wandered aimlessly down the sidewalk.
His face showed that he wanted no part of it. "Well, you have nothing to worry about, trust me." After a second he added, "And it may have something to do with the fact that I saved her, so she's all... I don't know, but I know there's a psychological term for it."
Her emotioned vanished, and she was the first Ren he had met. Unsocial and uninterested. "I'm not worried," she replied curtly. "I just think she's an idiot. Her motives, her feelings, are so blatantly obvious it sickens me. The fact that she thinks or at least tries to pretend they aren't is what bothers me. Oh how I dislike dealing with her kind." The shadows around them in the night settled and shrank back, although it had not seemed that they had enlarged. "I pray she is an Accident, so I may kill her and remove her existence from the suffering of mankind."
A slight chuckle escaped his lips as he got a bit closer, daring to take her hand. "So, what do you want to do." He was hoping to keep her mind of the other girl, as it so ovbiously annoyed her.
Ren looked at their hands, her initial reaction to pull away in disgust. She gave it a second, however, and decided to simply not think on it. She continued walking. "I had planned to visit the club on Eighth Street."
"Sounds fun." He had never been clubbing in his life, and therefore, knew not what to expect, but he was willing to give anything a try once. "Good place?"
"Good enough to not burn down," Ren replied calmly as she turned a corner and down the street, within sight but across a small intersection, was the club she was talking about. Music could be heard, if dully, and a decent line had formed outside. A big man stood ready at the door, choosing who went in.
"I don't suppose you're a regular?" He eyed the bouncer then eyed the line. Elson was a patient man, but standing in line for a club seemed a bit... ridiculous.
"He doesn't even know I've ever been here," Ren said and pulled Elson along. The guard seemed to look through them at the line as she pulled him into the club. "I simply block myself from their senses. I did it for you too this time. Don't worry. You could pass any of those people out there in the supermarket tomorrow and none of them would recognize you." She rolled her eyes, seemingly at the simple mind of humans and entered the main room full of pounding music and flashing lights. It was mostly dark and she grinned quite evilly at that fact. So much potential lay in this room.
With his arms crossed snuggly across his chest, Carl Smithson leans sideways against a wall. He stands on the outskirts of a small gathering of people, seeming to be a member of them, though he isn't participating in their strained, over-the-music chatter or their poor excuse for dancing.
Elson grinned, "That's quite effective. You could use that on the enemy?"
Ren shook her head. "No, at least.. not a couple of them. It's kind of like... 'No Entrance Allowed' is posted in their heads. I can't see anything. I suppose I could talk to them.. or enter if I really forced it..." She trailed off as her eyes landed on Carl and she nodded her chin at him. "'No Entrance Allowed'. A God's chosen him."
"Which?" He asked quietly while giving a glance around him.
Ren pointed directly at Carl. It was easy for Elson to tell who she was talking about now, but there was no way Carl could tell she was pointing at him. "I can't tell you which god though. Another question for Spark I suppose. I can't even tell you which side he is on."
"Well," The Ls in the sentence were slightly drawn out as Elson thought, "Should we approach him?"
Her attention had strayed to another boy in the room. "Do as you wish." She released his hand and left him to approach the slightly irritated looking guy. Her body language was casual, not flirtatious, and she was giving him a frown that said 'I can't believe he said that about you.' She was obviously 'up to no good'.
For a few moments Elson watched Ren walk off before focusing again on the man she had pointed out. "Well, here goes nothing." He muttered to himself as he started in the other man's direction.
As he drags his unamused gaze over the rest of the club, Carl
pauses momentarily on Elson, having just missed Ren's attentions toward him. He straightens, rolls his shoulder and repositions himself, his back now lazily against the wall.
Nearly halfway there, Elson suddenly realized he has no idea what the hell he's going to say. Under his breath, "Shit..." but he continues towards the man regardless, and stops in front of him. "Hey. Um, that person I'm with noticed you and said you looked interesting." He nearly slapped himself in the face after the words were out, but refrained in order to keep from looking like a total nut.
Carl gives Elson a 'what the hell...' look. 'I look...interesting? Your friend the president or sumthin'? Sending out the huntsman to make nice with the masses?'
Instantly forcing himself to relax, Elson cleared his head and started again. "No, a friend of mine. She thought you looked cute, and I decided to come over here and tell you while she was off doing something else."
'Uh-huh. So she...sends her best guy-pal over to tell me that?' Carl shakes his head and takes a good, long look at the fellow engaging him in conversation. He is a pipsqueak compared to Elson. 'I'm not averse to chattin' up chicks, but that's...weird, buddy. No offense er anything.'
Chuckling lightly Elson put his hands in front of him in an "you got it wrong" gesture, "No, no. She's quite shy, she doesn't know I'm talking to you. We actually just got here ourselves, supposed to meet some friends here, but we didn't see them when we came in."
'Uh-huh.' Carl wrinkles his nose, trying to make odds or ends of this interaction. Since he can't seem to be bothered with the teenybopper issues of the 'friends' with which he came to the club, he decides to give this person the benefit of the doubt...'The shrinking violet type. I dig.' He nods distractedly, taking a quick glance beyond Elson to see if he can locate this mystery woman. 'You and your platonic, wall-flower female friend go clubbing a lot?'
Elson motioned behind him, then turned and began walking, looking for Ren as he did so, he spotted her fairly close to where she had been moments ago. "Nah, I'm usually too busy with work to get out much, but I'm pretty sure she's a regular here." He turned his head to look at the man a moment, "See, she drug me out here cuz it's her birthday and said I wasn't allowed to refuse, so yeah. Anyways, she's right there." He pointed Ren out of the crowd so the man could get a look.
Whoever Ren had been talking too had left a few minutes ago, and Ren was trying to follow him through the crowd with her eyes, straining to see, but with no luck. When she saw Elson, she pretended to have been looking for him and smiled lightly, giving him a little wave, looking every bit the normal teen girl at a club. When she saw Carl behind him, she frowned, confused, but inside she knew Elson was bringing him over so the two of them to talk. How he had convinced him to follow however...
Prior to following, Carl cuts in to the group, indicating to one of his friends he is going elsewhere. He then takes a couple of long strides to catch-up to Elson. Carl nods as the supposed situation is explained to him, his mouth curving into a half , 'not too shabby'-type smile as his gaze settles on Ren. 'Tonight wasn't a total wash, then. Funny, though...I came out for a friend's birthday, too.'
Elson resisted the urge to smile at Ren's wave for fear of blowing his cover and instead continued the conversation in the short time until they reached Ren. "Oh really? That's coincidental. I'm geussing that's the group of people you were standing with?"
On to Drinks on the House-->
Back to The Accidents Rp
Stumble!