(no subject)

[sunbaked_baker]

Sunshine knows she's been putting it off long enough. Her tab has been paid, her room key returned to Bar for safe-keeping, and she's packed what little she has in her shoulder-bag. She'll be heading back home, today. Maybe Axel's Assassins will find something. Maybe they won't.

Nerves had woken her up well before dawn, and sunrise found her in a clear space by the lake. By this time, back home, she's normally in her bakery at the coffeehouse, putting the first trays of cinnamon rolls into the ovens.

But today starts out with a different kind of work. She is practicing making plasma bolts quicker - human reaction time is already at a disadvantage with vampires, so there's no reason not to try to minimize that issue. She forms the plasma bolts, blue-yellow-white between her hands, as she breathes in, letting them dissipate with each exhale. Every so often, she does a quick, gasp-like inhale, to see how well the process can keep up.

Rae has resolved herself to leave at eight, but until then, practice. Though she wouldn't be averse to company as well.

Comments

[777thdegree.livejournal.com]

Oh, really, says Balthazar's expression. Thankfully, he pauses to watch her for a while before dropping the heavy end of the 'pissed off Master Sorcerer' hammer on her.

After a while he decides that her control is decent enough that he doesn't have to necessarily thump her one for practicing without the benefit of a Merlin's Circle.

"Don't sacrifice power for speed - you'll regret it."

[sunbaked_baker]

"Nice to see you too." Sunshine looks over at him, wondering about his ability to turn up out of nowhere.

"Does it matter how hard you can hit, if you don't have enough time to do it?"

[777thdegree.livejournal.com]

"That," He notes, very dryly, "Is what the shield is for." He battles Morganians - he usually only gets a few openings, and he needs to make each one count.

[sunbaked_baker]

"I've been practicing to make those quicker, as well. Vampires in my world are faster than anything over short distances, anything living that is."

[777thdegree.livejournal.com]

Once the circle has been risen once, it rises much easier to the sorcerer that made it - a quick hand gesture, and a circle of flame arises without any further fuss.

"Come on, then." He orders, quietly, standing at the 'Elements' domain circle. The sun's up - he might need the help.

[sunbaked_baker]

Eeeeek.

Rae says something like, "Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... okay," and kicks off her shoes, that she'd forgotten.

She doubts Balthazar would let her back down, and she supposes it's better that it's him and not a vampire. This guy will want cinnamon rolls in the future, while a vampire would have no use for her after he'd satiated himself (though from what Con has told her, the vampire would have enjoyed a few weeks of astonishing power, on her blood).

Rae clears her mind, and pushes at him as strongly as she can, with as little warning as she can.

[777thdegree.livejournal.com]

It's good. It really is. For just a nearly criminally brief period of training and a short lifetime of doing what she can when she can, it is admirable.

It smashes up against his shield, and the noise of it still can't muffle the growing, ominous crackle of plasma that's slowly growing between his hands.

[sunbaked_baker]

Two spells at once is something she'll have to look into. To keep a shield up while preparing another spell would be very useful.

Rae moves to her right around the circle. They're far enough from the trees that there isn't any shade. All is warm and bright. She brings up a shield as she moves, transparent yellow-white, in case she doesn't dodge fast enough.

[777thdegree.livejournal.com]

When he releases the plasma bolt, it's akin to a steam train. It truly isn't wise to get in front of it. He doesn't play nice and pull his punches either - the Circle will keep her from getting crisped, but she won't soon forget it if she gets hit.

[scots_wolf]

Franz needed to go out early, so Urquhart comes by with the dog.

"Morning," he says.

She looks a tad grim.

[sunbaked_baker]

"Good morning, Urquhart," she says, leaning down to give the dog scritches behind his ears. He's been a good running-mate for her morning runs. "And good morning, Franz."

[scots_wolf]

"You want him for a run today?" Urquhart asks.

Going back to bed might be quite nice...

[sunbaked_baker]

"I'm planning on heading home today, I think," she says, ruffling Franz' ears. "Axel... loaned me a few of his followers, and they're scouting out to see if there are vampires moving into New Arcadia."

She hates talking about the Assassin Nobodies as something to be loaned or ordered about, but how else does one talk about them, when they have no names?

[scots_wolf]

"It's good to know you are accepting help," Urquhart says. "I'll be thinking of you."

He'd hug her, if he's think that was welcome.

[sunbaked_baker]

She'd not object to it, to be honest, though she might pretend to.

"Thanks," she says, smiling slightly. "I don't know what the situation is going to turn out to be, back home."

[scots_wolf]

"I know Axel," Urquhart says. "He eats incredibly spicy cookies. But I haven't seen him with followers."

[sunbaked_baker]

"I make Axel jalapeno-sweetcorn muffins, sometimes, and pepper tea. The hotter it is, the more he likes it."

"His followers are... Nobodies, like he used to be," she says, still faintly disturbed by them. "They can sink through the floor and be almost invisible - even when you're looking for them. He calls them Assassins."

[almosthonorable]

In the distance, Ben slows Gabriel from a canter to a trot.

His eyes are narrowed, searching the vicinity for threats, his right hand hovering over the Colt at his hip.

Once it's obvious Sunshine is out here for practice, he relaxes. He approaches, and dismounts a respectful distance away; he doesn't want to startle her.

"Mornin', Sunshine," he says, between bursts of that curious light.

[sunbaked_baker]

Sunshine looks up, having been just about to bring up another crackling ball of light.

"Good morning, Ben," she says, smiling a genuine smile at seeing who it is. "Where've you been hiding? I haven't seen you in forever, it seems."

[almosthonorable]

His smile widens in tandem.

"Not hidin' so much as it's been awhile since I've walked through the door."

He takes off his hat, and tips his head in her direction.

"You're a sight for sore eyes, yourself."

[sunbaked_baker]

"I don't like that situation any more than I like the door showing up later in the same day as I get back, which is what happened last time," she says, wandering over.

"I'd offer you something from the kitchen, but I haven't been baking today. I'm heading back home for a while, to see how things go."

[almosthonorable]

He replaces his hat, eyes crinkling at the corners as he regards her.

"Now I know you're not assumin' I only came over here because I'm hopin' for some of your sweets."

[sunbaked_baker]

She grins. "Yeah, but I like feeding people; it's what I do. Especially for people I like and who like my baking."

"Things going well back home? You've been all right?"

She doesn't ask what he's been doing, just if he's doing well.

[almosthonorable]

"Oh, I've been just fine."

Aggravating the Southern Pacific, as usual, cutting their profit margins with every take.

"What about you?"

His eyes flick to her hands; he's not naive enough to think everything's peachy on her side of the door, especially if there are vampires lying in wait.

[sunbaked_baker]

"I've been... all right. I chanced upon someone here who's decided to help teach me how to do more with my magic than just transmuting, since there's not really anyone who can teach me back home."