hadriel | oo2. VIDEO

[ It's late at night and another video by Armand pops up. But instead of asking for animal sacrifices this time, he's got a bit of art show horror going on. Armand is pointing the camera in first person view and it settles directly on the oven that is in his kitchen. The oven light is on, but shadows are being cast by whatever is actually sitting inside. Once the camera focuses on the oven window, there appears to be a head sitting on the rack. It will quickly become obvious it is not a human head but one of the Working Joes that occupy the caves. ]

They do not melt or smoulder. It is truly impressive technology.

[ A stark white hand reaches out from behind the camera and turns up the temperature on the oven. He goes back to filming the head for several minutes, nothing but silence that is occasionally interrupted by a dull thumping sound somewhere off screen. It sounds like someone is walking into a wall.

The head does not melt. There might be a bit of a disappointed air as he terminates the feed. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Not really. Suppose it would be possible to have similar effects if one were to use a flamethrower.

[That isn't really the same thing, Rey.]

I confess, I am imagining fire bursting forth from your hands. Am I close?

Close enough. Can do more than that, though.

[ Goddammit, Rey. He wants to be close enough to her to dip into her mind and seek out the meaning of these riddles. ]

You are going to make me beg for this information, are you not?

That depends on why you want to know so badly.

Fire can hurt me, of course. I want to know the scope of such powers.

Technically, fire can hurt most people.

[Unless you're like Rey, who obviously can't be hurt by fire. She has met some who have similar capabilities, though.]

It isn't just fire, though. Can influence heat particles, which can cause minor to severe burns to bursts of flame. [And also bomb. She's sort of a bomb. But we don't talk about that.]

[ Sweating nervously. ]

I have heard of people with powers similar to that.

[ Someday if he became old enough he would too. ]

It must be useful.

[How fortunate for Armand that Rey is the type to opt out of visual communication, or else she'd have picked up on his physical cues right quick.]

Really? Is it anything like magic, psychic, or something else?

[Carlisle seemed to think that Rey's abilities were "pyromancy", even though she does no such thing.]

It can be. Even has some practical uses outside of combat. [As Bianca had suggested.]

Psychic, I believe. Magic does not exist in my world.

[ Not fantasy magic, anyway. ]

Such as lighting a candle?

[ It's a joke but, in all seriousness that would be useful. ]

Oh good. That's way more believable.

[Not that Rey is one to talk, since she knows many things from her world that can't be explained. Things that could probably be better described as ESP or somesuch.

[She scoffs.] Can do better than light a candle. Am able to light up an area with one hand. ["Look, ma!"]

They were special cases. Not just anyone can do what they do.

Then you would be a good ally against these monsters.

No, suppose they wouldn't.

[Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, after all.]

For most of them, sure. Was made for fighting. [Sort of.]

Made? Are you a robot?

[ Awks. ]

Wouldn't have thought you'd even know what that is.

But no.

...

Not entirely.

Science fiction was one of the things I was absorbed in in the late 80s. It was fascinating.

Then I apologize for the robot in my oven. I did not know.

Am presuming that you mean the Twentieth Century 80s?

[Seems that most people here come from thereabouts.]

Um, no. That's all right. Have actually destroyed a lot of robots.

Yes, that is correct.

The same ones as I have here?

Ah.

[Funny. She would not equate the 80s with a "time of peace" as he had claimed before. Or quite a few things he'd described when they first met. What a weird kid.]

Yes, and more from back home. Was tailored to be able to take out machines worse than the ones in the caves. Many of them much bigger, too.

I am becoming increasingly more interested in your story. Care to tell it?

Not particularly.

[At least she's honest.

[...Sigh.] It's a long one. Am not sure how much of it you would even understand.

I would like to understand. I was told there are many interesting people in the cave and that I should meet them. Would you do this for me?

["No."

[At least, it's all too tempting to just flat out refuse. She doesn't make a habit of broadcasting her life story to the network.]

Fine. Just not on here. Hate talking about that shit on these things.

That is understandable. We can meet again if you wish.

That would be preferable. Am near the orchards.

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