<-- Back to the accidents rp
<-- Back to What? Practice?

---

Elson snapped awake about four hours later, but couldn't think why. Blowing it off to some kind of dream he settled back down to try and sleep, but after a half hour of laying there he realized it was useless. So he picked his sketchbook back up and began finishing the sketch he had started earlier.

---

The dark door of the Other's hide out thumped dully from a knock that didn't seem too eager to be there, but firm nonethe less. Tank had almost missed the house, and would have, had she not been looking for it. For some reason, it was hard to see, even though it was two stories and practically Victorian. A man in denim jeans, a white t-shirt, and black shoes stood beside her, smiling comfortingly. Tank did not look so calm, that is, she was frowning.

Regardless, Ren, inside, nodded her chin to the door and the black creature from earlier scurried to the peep hole. Ren saw, in her mind's eye, the new man of about 20 and very short cut brown hair as well as the girl she knew. Tanker. Raising an eyebrow, she gave the barest of nods and the creature opened the door a crack and scuttled away to vanish into the shadows.

Tank, a bit surprised, only opened the door a bit further and stepped inside when the man beside her gave her the barest of presses on the back. "Hello?" she called quietly, then stepped further in. A glance in the living room made her do a double take and the dark red head there raised an annoyed eyebrow.

"What?" she half snapped.

"I.. I wanted to talk with you.." Tank said carefully, stepping further into the room. Ren continued to glare.

"I can see that."

---

In Elson's room, the hissing rattling sound could be heard again and two shining but dark eyes looked at him from the darkness. "Ren needs you down stairs... An Accident is here..." the creature rasped slowly to him, trying to pronunciate, then the eyes closed and it was gone.

Elson's mind was a blur, had they found Hannah? Worse yet, had the girl come here for some insane purpose, thinking she would be safe? Not knowing what else to do, Elson descended to the room Ren was in, weaponless, hoping it wouldn't get violent, and was surprised to see a different girl standing there. "You called Ren?"

Tank jumped a little, startled at his arrival, but Ren did not appeared threatened in anyway. She wasn't afraid or angry, so that was one more reason for Elson to think it wouldn't get violent.

"This girl wanted to talk to us," Ren said slowly, regarding Tank with something between annoyance and curiosity.

Tank nodded quickly. "Yes!- I'm Tanker, Tank though, and I.. that is.. we need to talk.. The others.. the ones fighting against you that is.. won't talk reasonably so I came on my own-"

"Smart girl, in a logical sense."

"-And well.. we need to understand each other and see if we are all fighting for what we really want to be fighting for." Tank suddenly frowned, then seemed to almost scowl at the floor. "I still think this is all crazy.Any time you want to wake up Tank.." she prompted herself.

Elson glanced at Ren. This girl... he had had his doubts about what was really going on... and then she shows up... And Ren... She didn't look threatened or anything... like she had known this girl would show up, but then again, that was just Ren... Finally Elson decided he didn't know what to think or say at the moment, and opted to keep his mouth shut.

"Seems like you are the one who wants to know if she is fighting for the right side," Ren told Tank pointedly and the younger girl scowled.

"I don't fight! This whole thing is ridiculous like high school clubs!" She froze suddenly as Ren was giving her an odd look.

"There's someone else on your side, isn't there? Someone else who seems to want to come to our side.." Ren said slowly and Tank's eyes widened a little.

"Well.. Yes, but that's not-"

"Quiet," Ren told her curtly, and Tank obliged instantly. "Well enough, I can't tell you everything, I'm not a recruiter, not that I would anyway. I could get Schao to talk to you, but I'm not sure he's allowed back yet. Elson," She looked at him. "Do you mind keeping an eye on her while I see if Schao can talk to her?"

"W-what?? N-no! I don't, not your god. You. I came to talk to you," Tank said quickly. She didn't want to meet Ren's god. Anyone on the dark side couldn't have a kind guardian and she didn't feel like dying just yet. She had to get back to Hannah. "Well, that is, Hannah and I-"

Elson stepped in front of her and cut her off, he wanted to talk to her anyways. "Ren, send one of your.... creatures for me once you're ready, i'll be in the backyard." He motioned sternly for Tank to follow and began to walk to the backdoor.

Ren gave the barest of nods, but it was firm. She was in a lot more pain than she was showing.

Tank followed gratefully. Ren made her nervous, but Elson hadn't killed Hannah even though he had clearly had the upper hand. She felt safer with him.

Elson walked through the house and out the backdoor and sat down in the grass cross legged. Once Tank arrived, he began, "You are either the world's biggest idiot, or you're extremely smart and I missed something. Why are you here?"

Tank sighed and followed his suit, sitting cross legged in front of him on the grass. "Elson.. Why are you fighting with these people?" she asked him, ignoring his question completely.

Elson answered quickly and effortlessly, "To live. Now tell me why you're here."

"To ask questions," Tank answered in the same tone before continueing normally. "If you didn't fight, you would still live... So honestly, why are you fighting? How do you think fighting will help you live?"

Elson shook his head, "I see where this is going." He laughed a bit before continuing, "Do you honestly think that your friends are going to quit fighting? Specially after I killed their leader? For me to quit fighting would be total suicide."

"Why did you kill their leader?" Tank asked him, purposely using 'their' instead of 'our'.

Elson shrugged, "Orders... personally, I had nothing against him. Hell, I'm not even sure who he was."

"Why do you follow orders from someone you don't even seem to have loyalty to? What do you have here you would not have on their side?"

Laughing again, Elson held up a hand giving her the wait a minute sign. After the fit wore off he answered her question. "I killed their leader days ago. What would I have with them at all?"

"I'll answer that in a minute," Tank said, brushing the question away for the moment. "Why, before you killed their leader, did you side with these people-" she motioned to the house "instead of saying 'no'?"

"I don't know, I was approached by a man that knew of me, and what I am, and told to come here. So I followed." It was the best answer he could give, and it was short. The girl was starting to get on his nerves a little bit.

"I see.." Tank said, noticing his annoyance and wanting to back off of it. "And they would forgive you, I think.." she said, answering his previous question. "They may hate you but.. they would accept your help if you were truly helping their cause. This isn't about friends. It's about choosing your cause..." She paused a moment before looking at him. "You're very strong. I can see it you know." Her last words were emotionless, a fact, as if letting him know that if he had questions for her, she would answer, and the fact that he was strong was one things she was willing to tell him about.

"One gains more strength when one strives to attain it, instead of it being freely given." She knew nothing of his past, the addiction that had nearly killed him, but also given him a second chance at life. However, he was curious, and glad that she had backed off of their previous subject. "How do you know that?"

"I can see it," she said again, stressing this time. She was looking him up and down, but not in an appraising way. More like one would a bar-bell.

"I worked hard for what I have." He looked down at himself, "Just a reminder of what I can do when I want something bad enough."

"You can do better," Tank reminded him gently. "We all can, possibly less for you, since you work so much harder than us..." She paused and thought a moment before asking, "What's your god of?"

"What?" The question caught him off guard, and he had no idea what she was talking about. "My god is the One True God, Christ Almighty. Isn't he yours?"

"No, nor was he ever," Tank answered as if it should have been obvious. "And as far as I know at this moment, he doesn't exist." She paused and thought another moment. "Wait.." she said finally. "You don't know who your god is?" She seemed surprised.

Elson shook his head, he wasn't even sure he knew what she was talking about.

"Well.. what can you do?" She was looking at him curiously.

Holding up his hand he morphed the chain around his wrist into a guantlet then morphed it back. "That"

Tank's frown was deep. "There is no metal god that I know of..."

"Well no kidding," He smiled widely, "There's only one God."

"I can't believe it," Tank said, now to herself. "I'm dealing with a Christian in a war of gods..." She muttered something to herself, shook her head, then looked at Elson again. "Do you want Hannah to be on sides with you?"

The question took Elson completely by surprise, and after a couple seconds he realized his jaw had dropped. Quickly pulling his face back to nuetrality he asked his own question, "Why would I want her on my team?"

"You're friends with her, are you not?" The question was blunt, as if she really didn't doubt their friendship, was even willing to put a little money on his liking her as more than a friend or ally.

"If we'd met under different curcumstances, I'm sure we could have been, but that was a one time deal." I thought. It was a thought, but he felt sure she could read it on his face no matter how hard he tried to hide it. And besides, she wouldn't desert her friends just to come to his side, it was insane to believe so. It had be a trap of some kind. That or she was going to try to talk him into going to the other side again.

"You two are friends," Tank said bluntly. "Circumstances don't change feelings." She remembered how the street urchin had ended up in her home and now how they were, in her opinion, only somewhat together. She didn't let her show on her face, unlike Elson's thoughts. "She wants to talk with you all."

Elson shook his head, "Not a good idea." His thoughts drifted to Ren, "Ren won't believe she wants to come to our side, if that's what she's intending." At least he didn't think she would, but he didn't see how that would help his cause. Bringing Hannah here could be a very bad thing. Expecially if Ren turned her out after finding out he had been fraternizing with the "enemy".

"I don't know what she's intending," Tank admitted. "All I know is it's stupid to fight in ignorance, or at all really.. How can you fight for a cause, if you don't know what the other option is? What does this side fight for?"

Elson was quiet for a moment, thinking back to what the man had told him the fight was about before directing him to the house behind Tank. It's a fight for existence. He hadn't said who's existence, so Elson had assumed it to be his own, and he would tell the girl the same thing. Looking up from the ground he gave his answer. "For existence. Why do they fight?"

"Balance..." The response had been meant to be firm, but hearing the word from her, the successor of the god of balance, made Tank waver. "Who's existence?" she asked, wanting not to dwell on who, or what, she was.

Again, he was put into a corner where he found himself rethinking what he was told and what he believed and so he decided to be straightforward. "My own I assumed."

"We all know what assuming does," she replied frowning. "And this really isn't the kind of circumstances you make assumptions about is it? They seem kind of crucial to know the details about..."

Elson shrugged, "I've made it through life on instincts and assumptions."

"There will come a day when that'll get you killed and I think it's drawing pretty near. I mean, you can't really expect GODS of all things to tell you the whole truth."

"Gods? What the hell are you talking about?" His confusion showed easily on his face.

"Gods! People who run this place?" She motioned around at their surroundings, insinuating Earth. "What the blood hell do you think Schao is? The God?"

Elson looked confused, "The thought had crossed my mind..."

Tank made an exasperated 'Ahhhggh!' half-yell and fell back on the grass, her dark hair with it's striking streaks splaying about her head. "You don't seem the Christian type, or Catholic or what ever. Though, who am I to stereotype." She sat back up and looked at Elson, a leaf or two stuck in her hair, unheeded. "You think that THE God chose you along with a very select few others to fight for the forces of 'good' or whatever the corny line may be, but who do you think the others are? Satan recruted them?" She held up a hand. "On second thought, don't answer." Her hand shifted to point at him. "Looks like you need to figure out the facts before joining the debate. S'why I'm here anyway.." She shrugged and let her hand fall to her lap again.

Elson coulndn't help allowing himself to get a bit sarcastic, "And what else would you have a person who has, from his earliest memories, had this ability oh great one?" He absent-mindedly morphed the chains back and forth again.

"I'd have you been open minded. I mean, really think about it. If you have powers, well, God doesn't give powers does he? Except for Moses, who had to save the jews, and his supposed son Jesus. But those guys were on their own, and on a mission for a very LARGE good. You're on a team. It's more likely this is a covenant or the world is really a magical place, like Harry Potter or something."

"You just contradicted yourself... If God gave powers to Moses, then why wouldn't he give them to us?" Elson swept his arm in a circle indicating the world. "It's a lot more dangerous place these days, maybe more firepower is needed to fight... maybe we're God's chosen, and they're satan's followers?" He knew he was bordering on religious fanatacism, but it was his way to figure things out, to speak the abstracts and the facts. Get every possible thing out there and then drop what didn't fit.

"I did not just contradict myself!" Tank shot back at him, more impatient and offended than annoyed. "You just said exactly the same thing I didn't. God believes in his people and wouldn't make an ARMY of humans, no matter how small. He finds one man to work his will through, and you think that nowadays is more dangerous than when Egypt had thousands of Jews or whatever enslaved? Now, it's sort of like everyone against everyone else, teams of one, every man for himself. God wouldn't chose us because he gave us free will. He would have ASKED us, not forced us into it as we have been. Clearly, if there IS a God with a capital G, he is not the one behind all this."

Chance laughed, "No need to get angry, I was just throwing stuff out there." He became serious again, "So what exactly are you trying to tell me then?"

"I just want everyone to see how silly this is before turning it into some kind of cult war," Tank said with mild exasperation. "Know your cause before you fight for it, or else you're a useless soldier."

Elson shook his head, "No soldier is useless, just... I don't know... maybe confused is what you're trying to say?"

Tank shook her head. "No. If you don't know your cause through and through, if you don't know the opposing side just as well, you're bound to question your motives at some time and you can't fight to the best of your abilities for something you don't believe in." How the girl talked so long without running out of breath was anyone's guess.

---

Spark walks in the front door. She heaves a small sigh of releif. Once she collects her self a little more she strightens and walks into the kitchen setting the bags on the counter and putting things away. After finishing she throws away the bags and decides to check on Ren. See if she needed more water or food. So Spark walks to the living room and at a loss for a door to knock on speaks instead. "Ren,Would I be disturbing you if I came in?" She asks softly not quiet to the living room itself but close enough for her question to be heard.

The soft murmuring that had been taking place on the other side of the door ceased as Schao called for Ren, "Come in Spark. It's all right." Schao sat relaxedly in a chair across from Ren as the girl still lay on the couch, resisting the urge to show how much pain she was in. Schao looked a bit worried.

"Ren how are you? Do you want me to change the bandages or get you some advil? I know it isn't much I can do to really help you. Schao... anything?" Spark asks inclining her head to him. She picks up Ren's empty water glass. she pushes her glasses up. She knew there was something important taking place. she knew something had changed since she had left.

"No, thank you, I'm fine," Ren said quietly, her voice had a soft rasp to it and Schao frowned like a worried parent, but there was also something else in his eyes. He looked at Spark and shook his head slightly.

"No, but thank you for offering. Please, Spark, come have a seat. Your input could be important." Schao waved his hand to an empty high back chair near him, offering it to Spark.

Spark purses her lips but sits down with a nod. She still wanted to get Ren a drink. she didn't know what they were talking about yet though. She would give what input she could. After all she may not like Schao but he was the boss. And Ren listened to him.

"Ren-" Schao started, but Ren interrupted.

"There's a girl here who wants to know about our cause," she said and Schao frowned deeply at her in a dissapproving way. Ren, however, didn't seem to notice. "We were just discussing if that would be wise."

"It depends on what she wants to know. But more importantly what you want her to know. The truth is hard to take. Lies are easier more beleivable but often found to be what they are... lies. Do you wish her to know the truth?" Spark asks tilting her head just slightly looking at Schao first and then Ren. ONly to look back at Schao.

Schao opened his mouth to speak, looked at Ren, then turned back to Spark and answered her in an 'I don't know' kind of tone. "If she's who I think she is, she's not going to take sides, she's going to try and balance them. If she knows our cause, she'll tell the Accidents, just as I'm sure she would tell us their's, if she knew that is. I don't think we should tell her, at least not all of it."

Spark smiles. "Then only tell her enough to satisfy and not create more unneccesary questions. I am going to make you some tea Ren. And bring more water for you." Spark says standing. "Are you sure you want nothing Schao?"

Schao nodded. "I'm sure. Thank you, for both the offer and the advice."

"It is all I can do to serve you." Spark says before walking out of the room and back into the kitchen. Preparing to make real chicken noodle soup. with celery, carrots, home made noodles and cooked ham and the broth.

---

Elson said nothing, there was truth in her words, but they were still trying to figure out things about their opponents, they weren't blindly fighting. Elson himself had closely watched Hannah during their fight, calculating weaknesses and strengths.

"I guess..." Tank said after a moment. "That you are all really good fighters, and quick learners maybe, but that doesn't mean that whoever wins, will want the spoils of war." She pulled up blades of grass as she thought, watching the frail green plants break from her tugs.

"If it's a war for existence, then whoever is alive at the end already took the spoils of war." Thinking that maybe she thought he was going back to his other view he added, "You haven't contradicted me on the point that it's a war for existence."

"I never said it wasn't," she pointed out. "But who ever said that if you fight, it's for your own exhistence? I don't think it is. If it was, why would we fight at all."

"People fight for their own existence every day, they work, make money, and those less fortunate like the homeless literally fight for survival daily." It was a weak point, barely related and he knew it. It seemed as if she would win this small debate, though he woulnd't jump sides yet. He still had a lot to figure out on his own.

"Now, I'm not saying what ever this side fights for is a bad cause," Tank added, not really taking note of his weak point. "But.. I mean, you don't get plain vanilla ice cream instead of chunky monkey just because your mom says it's better for your health do you? No, you find out what's in the other kind and if you have any sense at all you choose the chunky monkey. Why? Because you like it more. Well how can you choose a cause without knowing your options? I mean, vanilla's nice, but I mean... Hello, Ben and Jerry's??"

After chuckling for a few moments at her reply, he held up his hand, "I get your point. The fact is, we all just arrived here, and we're still trying to feel things out." He looked her dead in the eyes. "Just becuase I'm here doesn't mean I know what's going on with my own side yet... everyone's kinda... secretive..." He glanced towards the house, "Especialy Ren."

"The girl on the couch." It wasn't really a question, Tank was just saying it to let him correct her if she was wrong. "She doesn't look like much of a threat you know. Why do you seem so... tentive, about her?"

Elson thought for a moment, "She was the first one here, she kinda took the lead, and... there's just.... I don't know... something about her... a kind of aura if you wiill..." He shook his head, "I don't know."

"An aura?..." Again, she didn't want an answer. "One that makes you feel... threatened? Or.. just.. intimidated? What?"

Elson stared off towads the house as he thought, then eventually spoke, "Of... control... power... like she can do pretty much what she wants and no one's going to stop her." His gaze returned to her face. "I don't know... maybe I imagine it."

"What can Ren do?"

Elson laughed, "Not sure, really. I know she has these shadow things she's been using lately to summon me to her since she's incapacitated(sp). And I think she's a telepathic I believe, but other than that, I haven't seen."

"Shadow things?..." Tank thought a moment, then seemed to realize something. "Wait, telepathic? You mean.. she could be reading my mind??"

Elson nodded slightly, "If she's concentrating, which I doubt she is."

Tank nodded. "So... she just... has dark creatures... and.. can read minds... Odd combination. Have you met her god?"

"Dunno," After thinking for a moment he spoke again, "There's this guy that pops up every once in awhile though. He's kinda weird. And his names Schao."

"Elson I.... So you are here. you must be Tank, the Chosen for Balance." Spark says from the back door.

Elson looked up to see Spark standing in the door to the house, and heard her address Tank, and decided to keep quiet. He might be able to gleam some info on what was going on.

"Perhaps another time when you two aren't busy discussing good and evil and what it means, or what side means." Spark asks having easily grasped that much. she pushes up her glass.

Tank frowned, but nodded at being addressed. "That I am. I didn't catch, who are you?" She wasn't being curt, more curious.

Elson wasn't surprised that Spark had known what they were talking about. Even if she hadn't overheard them, she would have probably known anyways. It seemed to Elson like she had a knack for what was going on.

"Not important right now. Would either of you like some chicken noodle soup?" Spark asks stepping out of the house. HEr sleeves rolled up and flour now obvious on her clothes.

Elson was slightly let down that there would be no discussion at this particular time, but he was still optimistic that they would eventually have a discussion. "I am a little hungry I suppose. Might as well eat so your cooking isn't a wast." He smiled warmly as he got up, and being an honorable man, offered his hand to Tank.

"Good you can cut the chicken." Spark says softly showing her hand that was already bandaged from multiple cuts from the blade she had been using to cut the noodles.

Elson laughed and shook his head, "I think I just may do that."

"I certainly would appreciat it." Spark smiles. "You want to help Tank?" Spark asks looking down at the young woman.

Tank nodded as she accepted Elson's hand to stand up. "I'd be happy to if you want me to," she told them with a small smile.

Elson found it odd that they were being so nice to her, well... that the others were anyways. He himself, didn't see her as a physical threat, so he found it easy to get along with her, along with the fact that she had challenged him mentally, as much as he didn't want to admit it. "Isn't there a guy here with you somewhere?"

Tank shook her head. "He couldn't stay," she replied, leaving no implication of explaining further. The new girl, she thought, would get it, and so could Elson if he took in what Spark had just said. She looked at the other girl. "What would you like me to do?"

"Finish cutting the noodles. In a decent bite size fashion. Elson I'd like you to cut the chicken into a little smaller then bite size, easier to chew that way." Spark says handing them aprons once they walked inside the kitchen. "Wach your hands first." she says walking over to the stove. everything was set out it just had to be cut.

Elson thought about the man that had been with her as he cut the chicken into smaller peices. His features hadn't been noticable, or his clothes for that matter. If he had talked to anyone in the house Elson didn't know since he had been outside with Tank. He tried to remember the face, a cowlick in his hair. Anything. But the man had been so unremarkable.... so... nuetral. Then it struck him. He was a GOD. It was so obvious when he thought about it. No wonder the neutral looks. He was the god of... what had Spark said? Balance?

"This is an interesting way to make chicken soup," Tank noted as she cut noodles. "I've never done it this way..." She cut for another minute before speaking to the other girl, "I'm sorry.. miss? You still haven't told me your name, but judging by the way you know things, your god... is it knowledge?"

Elson heard and it fit, so he didn't question it; instead he questioned who his God could be possibly be and why he hadn't been contacted by his. Tank had said that she didn't believe there was a god of metal, so that was out of the question. But he had no other talents that could be applied to godlyness. "So then... You're... Balance," He pointed to Tank then looked to Spark, "And you're knowledge.... What am I?"

Spark stays silent for a few moments watching the broth and adding what was cut into the large pot. "It is an old recipe I once found. "My name is Spark, I am the chosen of the god of knowledge Kazban. It is obvious for me Elson... the way you melt down those chains and change their form. I will tell you your gods name but nothing else... Saled is the god who chose you." Spark says softly pushing up her glasses. she had a sort of serene smile.

Elson stared for a moment. That didn't help him. He needed his... element.

"Saled... melting... Wait-Fire?" Tank guessed, looking at Spark, now that she knew the girl's name.

Spark turns and scoops up the noodles that had been cut and tosses them into the pot with the celery and carrots she had chopped earlier.

"But I have no affinity to fire..."

"Oh yes, because I have an affinity for balance," Tank said sarcastically, her punkish clothes and streaked hair a dead give away for an almost 'bad girl' look. "Have you ever tried fire?"

"If you did not have an affinity you would not be here trying to convince us we should stop fighting." Spark says softly. "Nor would you have left the trully save haven of your side to come here to persuade any of us." She says taking the knife from Tank and cutting the noodles since the other girl had stopped. about the third slice she hisses and pulls her hand away. Another cut on another finger.

Tank half scowled, took the knife back from Spark, and tapped the other girl on the back of the hand. She pointed at Spark. "No," she said firmly as if chastising a small child before taking the noodles back and continueing to cut them. "I didn't come here to convince you to stop fighting. I just came here to find out what side I was to be on, and to make sure everyone knew they were on the right side. After all, you should want to be on the side you are supposed to be on, so if you are on the wrong side, the god is decieving you and you'd be a sacrifice basically.... At least, that's what I think." She shrugged and went on cutting the noodles.

"We choose which side we wish to fight on. Wether we wish to be a sacrifice or not. There is no wrong side. There isn't a good and an evil here. It's simply... our differences against your differences." Spark says washing her cut and getting another bandaid. She was starting to look like a mummy from her wrist down.

"But you of all people should know you can't make an educated choice without knowing all the facts," Tank countered, frowning with a little confusion. If anyone was going to change her mind about how she thought, it would obviously be Spark, but that didn't mean that Spark saw it the way she did either. And why did they always think she was on the side of those others? She hadn't chosen a side. Hadn't she said that already?

"Tank... No one knows all of the facts. And the facts we get from the gods are the god's perspective of what happened. tehre are many gods... therefore there are many stories. Fact was lost long ago about why this is happening. I can only stand behind the decisions I make. you may end up choosing neither side to fight on. and continue to try and pursuade others but that might make you the sacrifice as well." Spark says giving Tank a long stare before turning back to the soup and gathering what noodles the girl had cut putting them back into the pot.

As Spark turned away from the pot, Elson made a brash decision and walked up to the stove, sticking his hand quickly without thinking onto the burner. He was extremely surprised to find that it didn't burn, and simply stood there, staring at his hand.

Spark had stopped breathing for a moment before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Elson... I want you to leave the kitchen now." Spark says in a deceivingly soft voice.

It... doesn't burn. There was a slight warmth where the burners were, but other than that, it didn't seem to be affecting him. He probably would have stood there for hours if not for Spark's voice snapping him out of his reverie. "Oh... sorry. I'll be up in my room if anyone needs me." Besides, I need to figure out what I can do with this. After nodding to Tank, he turned and left the room.

Tank, surprised by Spark's words and actions, watched Elson leave then looked at the elder girl with a slightly raised eyebrow, awaiting an explanation.

Spark smiles softly. "It's highly disturbing to me to see someone do something that should cause harm and have nothing happen other then a creepy smile." She says softly picking up the knife and starting to cut the chicken he had left behind.

"So.." Tank tried to comprehend. "For your comfort.. you sent him to his room, where he could possibly do worse things than experiment under our watchful eyes? Couldn't he burn the house down or something?" She lowered her voice with worry. "And no offence meant, but he doesn't really look like the preacher's son, you know?"

"I did not send him to his room. I am not his mother. I simply did not wish to see that while making dinner." Spark says softly. Was it so wrong to be human and creeped out by the fact the man stuck his hand inside of blue flames and nothing happened. More then ever Spark was trully feeling the stranger even in the world of those with strange powers. Spark sighs. "If he thinks or experiments he will find outside to be the better choice for his experiments."

"But do you honestly think a man who just learned flame won't burn him by sticking his hand in the flame of a stove burner isn't going to think to take his experiements outside?" Tank asked rhetorically, giving Spark a look.

"It is not my business." Spark says not saying anything else on the matter.

Tank half scowled. The girl may be bright, but she was by no means logical. She looked out the window and saw Elson. Curious, she went to him.

"Fat lot of help that was to me." Spark scowls pushing her glasses up with her shoulder. she still had the rest of the cutting to do. And the cooking.

---

After reaching his room, Elson went directly to his bed and pulled out a small box from underneath. In it was a collection of little things, things to remember his family, his friends, and even one symbolizing the life he had created for himself, and then eventually escaped. An ordinary zippo lighter. He couldn't count how many times he had used that lighter to heat up his fix before putting it in a syringe and shooting up. He flicked it open and spun the wheel, creating a spark, which in turn ignited the lighter fluid vapors and created a warm orange flame. He watched the flame bob back and forth for a few moments before applying it to his wrist, again taken surprise by the fact that it didn't burn.

After a few minutes, he took the lighter away from his wrist, amazement showing on his face. Ok... this is awesome.
He watched the flame for a while longer, and then, feeling completely stupid for even having the thought, he decided he was going to try something else and began concentrating on the flame, not really willing it to do anything. The flame jumped, quickly getting big enough to nearly reach the ceiling, causing him to drop the lighter from the shock. As it fell to the floor, the flame returned to its regular size. Noticed that he dropped the lighter, quickly bent down and picked it up. A small brown mark could be seen where the flame had touched the carpet. "Maybe next time I should.... Think more specifically?"

"Ok, I wanna see what I can do for real." He glanced to the door, then grabbed a couple unused notebooks and went outside. Arriving in the back yard, he placed the notebooks in a sqaure and lit them all on fire with the zippo, then quickly placed the zippo in the center still lit. After thinking for a second, he took another look at where everything was and began concentrating, forming a mental picture. When he opened his eyes he couldn't help but cry out in joy. It had worked. The flame from the notebooks was stretching through the air, meeting the flame that flared up from the zippo, forming the a picture of himself, he concentrated a bit more, and made it form into the fiery form of a wolf running on imaginary ground. Changing his thoughts again, it turned into a replica of his tatoos, a triple peaked mountain, the middle peak standing higher than the others. "THIS IS SO FREAKIN SWEET!"

"What're you doing?" Tank asked, coming up behind him. She used to help in a garage, she wasn't afraid of flames.

With Elson's concentration broken, the flames went instantly back to their original size, burning the notebooks to ashes. "Testing my powers. What's up?"

"Not much Pyro but I'm thinking Spark's already cut herself again by now..." Tank said offhandedly, looking at the ashes of notebooks. She reach up and rubbed her head as her eyes met Elson's. She tilted her head as she looked him up and down.

"What? And don't call me Pyro, it sounds like some cheesy comic book name." He walked over and picked up his lighter. "Spark's hasn't started the cooking yet?"

Tank gave him a look. "We're a bunch of teens with powers given to us by gods and we are fighting for exhistence... We ARE a cheesy comic book," she said pointedly and looked back at the house. "And I suppose she has started... I'd say we should help but... One, I don't think she'd like you in there, and two, I don't feel right being alone with her... I don't want to be mean, but I think too much exposure could result in my saying something rude."

Elson thought for a moment. He supposed they were the comic book, but he still didn't like being called Pyro. "She's not bad really, just really quiet, and frank. You kinda get get used to it after awhile."

"Perhaps.." Tank said, actually thinking on it. She looked at Elson again, giving him that same 'sizing up' look up and down him. She stopped after a moment to look at his eyes. "You're lucky to have an 'active' ability you know."

"You don't?" Elson was kind of surprised. He had assumed everyone had control of something, or something like what Hannah had. Before Tank could answer his phone began ringing so he held up his hand, giving her a hold on a second sign before looking at his phone. It was a number he didn't recognize, but he answered it anyways. "Hello."

"hi!" came the very happy voice of Eva. "You'll never guess where I am or who i've got lying unconcious...." she said happily.

"How are you on a phone?" Last he had heard, she had been tied up in the base of their enemies.

Eva laughed. "That stupid girl with the blue hair, that does the water tricks thought she do a good deed and let me go...as soon as she did I knocked her out. So i'm standing in their base with her tied up wondering how I should kill her, thought maybe cos you hated her so much you'd wanna do it."

Elson's voice became suddenly cold, "Let her go. She and I had a deal."

Tank frowned, worried, but dared not interrupt. She put a hand on her stomach. She had a bad feeling but couldn't place what had caused it.

"A deal? What sort of deal?" Eva asked sounding interested. "And why are you striking deals with the enemy? You should be happy that I could kill one of them right now."

"We had a deal... for your release. She was just upholding her end of the bargain. Don't stain my word. Just leave the place." Elson was beginning to get angry with her questions, and afraid Why afraid?? that Eva would kill Hannah anyways.

Eva began to laugh. "Your going soft Elson....the other day you'd be more than glad to dispose of this girl...I guess i'll just have to do it alone. See you later..." She then put then phone down.

Elson dropped the phone, motioned to Tank, and began walking while he talked. "Come on, we have to go."

"Go where?" Tank asked as she followed him. Something was irritating her and she couldn't pinpoint it.

"You're base. Hannah did as I asked and released Eva, but Eve didn't know about our deal, and now she's going to kill her." He felt guilty it was his fault, and so he would have to take care of the matter. "I can't have Eva kill her and taint my word. It's almost all I have."

The story coninues in To save an enemy