Step Three is Profit

[defrostedpride]

Characters: Even, anyone who volunteered to help/wishes to show up.
Content: Munnygrinding is so much less boring (and hazardous) with a group. Well, considering the group, maybe not less hazardous...
Location (including world): First District et al, Traverse Town
Time of Day: Early 'afternoon', the day after this.
Warnings: ...Even.


Even waited by the ersatz world exit with as much patience as he could muster, which wasn't much. He just wanted to get this over and done with, ideally with enough seed money to buy potion ingredients and the most basic equipment. He hadn't spent a full week outside of the lab in years, and even then it had been under duress.

However, it was better to wait than to encounter a horde of Nightmares with no support. Accordingly, Even tapped his fingers on his crossed arms and waited.

Comments

[skysmirror]

Xion had been about to attack the Nightmares on the ground when Aqua beat her to it with Mega Flare. In another situation, after a moment of surprise and then adjustment, she would have been impressed. As it was, due to the sudden fire, Barkley had leaped into action of his own that required her attention.

Granted, it required her attention because, while at least he wasn't running, he'd decided the safest thing to do was jump into Xion's arms. Which meant she suddenly found herself with an armful of very scared Meow Wow who seemed determined to bury his face into her shoulder. She'd have to calm him down before she could do anything. Luckily, the fire was short lived. "See, it's okay, the fire's gone now."

[defrostedpride]

Even's shield clattered to the ground and vanished as his world was consumed by fire.

No matter that the Mega Flare spell didn't so much as singe him; he felt the flame blistering his skin, felt the pain as it devoured his body. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to run, no way to fight - he was exhausted, backed into a corner, no way out and no way back, nothing in the world but that smile -

Even staggered back against the wall with a thin scream. His hands upraised as though to block some incoming blow, frost feathered out where his back struck the stones.

[wavesinherheart]

Much as Aqua had intended, the first wave of Nightmares proved to be all but gone, in the wake of the flames. The other results were entirely unexpected - Aqua had no real experience with the Spirit versions of Meow Wows and though she was aware that irrational fears were something that often bothered people, she wasn't really sure if that was the reason behind Even's scream of terror.

There wasn't any time to ask, either. For every action there was an equal and opposite reaction, and it was just as true in magic as it was in other things. The magic sang in her veins as it came rushing back through her, like air rushing back into the vacuum. Once, she'd thought it odd, that powerful magics could have such powerful effect in their aftermath, but that was before she'd learn that any prolonged casting could have similar effects and that there were significant benefits in learning to channel the wild magic that came rushing back in to fill the spaces left behind. She was ready for it this time, and it took little more than a moment of concentration to channel the echo of the fire into something more useful.

Only then did she turn back towards Even, apparently unconcerned about the fact that she'd picked up a fiery red aura in the process.

"Are you alright?"

[skysmirror]

Really, Aqua couldn't be blamed for any unintended effects of her spell. She hadn't known, so she couldn't have guessed what would happen. The important thing now was settling down those who had been upset by the sudden fire.

Xion had heard Even's scream, but her hands had been so full with Barkley that she hadn't been able to do anything about it until he was settled. When he finally agreed to be put down (cowering behind her legs once he caught sight of Aqua's aura), Xion could focus on other matters.

"Even?"