[OTA] Trick of the light

[living_proof]

WHO: Liv Moore
WHERE: 6I Fountain Park
WHEN: 3 July, eveningish
OPEN TO: OTA
WARNINGS: Nothing yet

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So, about a week after I emerged ever-so-gracefully from the village fountain, there was a seminar-thing on native plants. I did not go to this seminar. I probably should have gone to this seminar, because hey, knowing what will and won't kill you is always a bonus. But I didn't, and I think saying it was only about a week after I arrived is really all the excuse I need.

Now, Ravi is friends with the plant guy, so I know more than I really honestly want to about a lot of these local plants by osmosis. You hang around Ravi, and the information just comes whether you like it or not. I think maybe he mentioned the flower that generated electricity, but who really knows. I just know that through a series of honestly pretty boring events, I picked some lilies to help perk up my sad, dinner-for-one bungalow, and now I'm basically Thor.

Things did not go great right away, I will admit. My house doesn't have electricity. Ravi's house has electricity, but apparently I was on the naughty list this year or something, which... Okay, fair. I think it's a natural inclination in that context, that when one discovers they can conduct electricity, they try to get the lights on.

I now would not have my lights on even if I did have magic electricity like Ravi, because I blew out every old-school bulb in the house. Gold star, self; you tried.

Leaving the place I sleep at night in one piece seemed like a good idea after that, and that's why I'm outside right now, sitting on one of the benches that surround the new arrival vomit fountain, playing with the little fizzles of light between my fingers. I'm here on purpose: If I catch myself on fire, I can at least cannonball back whist I came and put myself out.

Trying something a little bigger, I aim toward a branch nearby — The weather's been on-and-off crappy, so there's plenty of flotsam tossed around that I'm sure some good citizen who probably isn't me will tidy up. Focusing, I gesture the way I want to electricity to go, and—

A massive bolt leaps from my hands and across the courtyard, where it effectively saws a tree in half. Eyes wide, I stare as the tree wobbles, crashes back into the forest and then lays there, smoldering.

Comments

[underpinnings]

His second brown paper box had been a little more foreboding than the first, especially coupled with his assignment to retrieve the mossy cure. The filter mask is by no means comfortable, and the momentary comfort of its return had been undercut by its very real necessity. Mark's supply of puff-pod antidote is nice in theory, but he'd rather not come down with a case of drowning in snot while rooting out new patches.

So he's strapped the familiar mask over half his head, broken down the package for kindling, and wandered out into the damp woods to make sure there aren't any new logs incubating slow death for the unawares.

The sun is more or less up, the clouds are far enough south. When the air prickles like lightning, he has no reason to expect it--and the blast that knocks him back puts him far enough for the falling tree to only catch him with its upper branches. There's a very black, very empty moment, and then a series of hideously familiar discomforts. At least this time, there isn't a roof to break through.

His ears ring, there's a burnt smell even through the filter, and the shifted straps dig badly into one ear. His chest hurts, and it takes a minute to realize it isn't from the weight of a branch over him--that's just the icing on the cake. After the minute it takes to get his bearings, it's another to get his fingers close enough to pull the mask from his mouth.

"Please tell me someone is there this time," he calls. "And that you aren't a fucking badger."

[zomboligist]

It's been nice having a new part of his daily routine to keep up. Sure, he's not really offering any help or contributions when he goes to see Liv apart from his charming company, but he also doesn't think he needs to undersell the charming, because it is pretty impressive. When he's on his way to visit today, though, Ravi nearly gets zapped to death by...

"Liv!?" Ravi yelps, when a tree nearly collapses on top of him. He's used to zombies roaming the earth, he has seen the horrors of the Seattle PD morgue, and yet, his life has flashed before his eyes, earning him a gaping goldfish look. "I know I'm not exactly swimming in brains for you to eat, but that's no reason to try and kill me just because I can't make miracles happen!"

Honestly, Ravi's just pleased he didn't actually piss himself from the fear of a giant tree collapsing nearly on top of him.