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Fire Belly Newts (15) : Pranks are common this time of year, and what’s funnier than a little arson? A lot of things, actually, but for some reason there are frequent reports of small fires being set and abandoned all throughout the city. Most of the time, these fires burn out before causing much damage, but things are escalating and it’s only a matter of time before things start getting dangerous–especially with how dry it’s been, and all these dead, fallen leaves. But, it’s worse than just flammable debris. Sometimes, there are small patches of boiled pavement. Melted metal–guardrails, lamps, fire hydrants. Destruction is rampant, and no one knows why. But you do. You saw one of them. A foot long, black newt, with a bright-red belly that glowed brightly when it spat up real, liquid flame right in front of you. Lava pooled from its round little belly, ignited like a match to oil. It darts through alleys and storm drains, too fast to catch. At least you tried.
Ezekiel still had to show his face at home on the days his family demanded. It was still so... Strange to p[ay lipservice to his grandfather to stay in the old man's goiod graces when - well. His father knew where Zeke was living. He liked the Courcels too. Yolie seemed at least to like what she heard. It was a barbeque, ironically. Hadrian wanted his brood to show their faces for fall, at least, for the ewarly poortion for socializing and grilled food and Zeke looked about lazily sipping a glass of the beer provided, a small, local brew prepared with birch and hints of what tasted like anise. Maybe nutmeg. It wasn't all too terrible really and Zeke watched his younger copusins. Of course, not everyone arriv4ed yet.
Zeke looked to aee his Uncle Aloisus, sipping a beer and talking to his Uncle Lucius and Uncle Matt. His two remaining aunts were chattering to one another happily discussing some seasonal reciupes, the younger cousins ran abvout. Leaning on one wall was Phanes, giving her own twin Emitt a hard time. His aunt Song was baking in the kitchen, he'd noted. Zayne wasn't theere but Zeke watched his father arrive with a cooler, Zeke approached his father, grinning cheekily.
"
Game or meat market, Father?" Zeke asked cheekily. Vincent looked surprised - he was adjusting to his son's cheek - and smiled faintly.
"Meat Market." Vinmmcent admitted to his son. Zeke nodded, and Vincent paused to offer a one-arm,ed hug awkwardly before walking to greet the family patriarch. Phanes rose from her perch, and approached Zeke with the practiced grace of pride and confidence she possessed, and motioned to him.
"Uncle V said you're crashing at someone else's plkace." Phanes remarked. "About damn time you made a bloody friend. Or someone in this family that doesn't have --"
"Thank you Phanes." Zeke sighed. "And - yeah. I have two. Siv's the onme less likely to take Zayne and string him up." Zeke shook his head. Phanes shrugged.
"I mean." She snorted. "Someone should. Nothing wrong with a good twin fight if it's good natured by Zayne's been downright insufferable. I'd watch him. Anyhow so. Siv. Is she cute?" Phanes teased. Zeke grunted.
"Phanes. No. I'm not dating someone as much a sister as Yolie is. Especially a sister someone in this family didn't oops into existence. Besides. She's nice in general. And.. I like her family."
"Yeah. I heaqrd through the grape viune the Courcels at top notch people. Won't like. I'd date onme. Grandpa's glad at least one of your friends meets his definition of sane." Phanes chuckled, and paused. By now the air was smokey - smokier than a typical barbecue, and boith Zeke and Phanes looked to spy a foot long black newt spitting liquid fire on Hadrian's fence, and immediately Zeke froze, eyes widening. The world slowed, almost to a stop. Emitt leapt away from the burning plank trapidly, eyes narrowing. Aunts gasped and moved away. Uncle Lucius was shoving his two closest brothers behind him -- ereven Aunt Song was looking out in horror. Zeke felt his pulse as his father spun to find an extinguisher beside him, and suddenly like lightening itself, Phanes rushed and chased the newt, expression curled in a snarl. Zeke inhaled. He couldn't power upo. Not here. Not around his family.
His mind flicked to the face of Yolie's father aftyer a youma slew him then, and suddenly, without powering, Zeke moved in sheer, unbridled instinct.
Zeke lunged, and threw himself into grabbiung the plank. He kicked dirt into a small pool of lava, listening to it cool and hiss rapidly. He moved, stamping out the plank, as it crackled. His coat swept off his frame and he moved, smothering the flames with the coat and his body, depriving it of oxygen as Phanes swore and yelled, but as the flames died, Phanes stormed back, burned but alive.
Silence fiulled the air as, to Zeke's surprise, Hadrian closed the distance to Phanes and hgrabbed her arm, examining her palm before applting a cold can. Phanes hissed, but hewwld it to quell to burn as Vincent finally moved. He moved like he was back in the army, looking at the damage. Then he looked at Zeke, lips parting in surprise, then twistedm forming a smile of priude and nodding.
"Well done, Ezekiel. Very well done." Vincent murmured. Zeke blinked. Praise. His father praised him. Zeke slowly nodded, stunned.
"Thank... Thank you, Father. I merely wished to... To prevent spread." Zeke murmured. Phanes grumbled even as Emitt rushed to her siude.
"You did better than me, Zeke." Phanes murmured. "I lost track of it."
"And chasing the anomaly was not your place." Hadrian snapped, scolding her. "The intention was good,. Phanes, but you must needs be more careful in this day and age." He approached, examining his fence, then looked at Ezekiel. Zeke expected chiding for the fence, but Hadrian looked down at the fence once more, then the ashes. The divet left from cooled lava, still cooling. The burned and destroyed plank, and then Zeke. It was as if Zeke could see what would have happened had he not acted. Fire dpread to everything. Danger. Fear. Hadrian nodded.
"I agree, Vincent. ERzekiel. Well done."
Zeke almost fainted. PRaise from Grandfather Hadrian.
A rare,. if simple reward enough.
