June 03 20:05:15 107 PA - A Flickering Flame

From Chronicles

Ash is currently stepping out of one of the buildings, taking a look around with a casual sweep of his gaze. He then opens the door and calls something into the domicile before he shuts and locks the door behind him. He reaches up with one hand to idly rub at his cheek, leaning against the wall by the door he folds his arms across his chest while waiting... for what, remains to be seen, but he's waiting for something.

Flare comes out of one of the apartments. She looks a bit distraught and tired. She cocks her head to the side and looks around. She spies Ash and dips her head.

Ash lifts his chin when he catches sight of Flare, at least a little recognition there. A hand soon follows in it a wave, "You doing ok?" He asks conversationally curious, "You're looking kind of strung out around the edges."

Flare almost jumps at his voice, flames licking up her arms for a moment and then she stares at them and starts to back towards her apartment. The flames die away as she looks to be staring at them hard. She looks at Ash, "I have been better." she says softly, "Long story."

"I heard you went up in flames during that whole Alibi thing." Ash says, eyeing the flames that went up on her arms for that moment. "You must be... all sorts of jumbled up to be losing control so easily..." He notes simply, "Especially for it to come on this late in life. I thought you had good control before."

Flare looks at him, "I had control, but hard to concentrate, to focus, when you can't meditate or sleep well." she shakes her head a bit and then sighs softly.

Ash raises an eyebrow, "Why having such a hard time sleeping or meditating?" He reaches up to scratch his chin, "You're not being hunted by some shadow guy too are you?"

Flare looks at him for a moment, "I am being messed with something. It is affecting my meditation and abilities. And have bad dreams." she shakes her head a bit and sighs. Hard to explain what is going on.

Ash considers, "Did you touch the Mobius artifact?" He asks, how he would know about that is beyond casual guessing, but he asks it just the same.

Flare blinks and then looks at him for a moment, "And how do you know about that?" she asks, a bit wary.

"Because Ahriman's been screwed up by it too, and he's taken to trying to enslave people in order to get answers about it. He seems to think that if he takes it to a ley line or a nexus he'll be able to recharge." Ash says with a slight roll of his shoulders in a shrug. "Seems to me that if it messes up magic, and is some powerful hoodoo, could mess with psychics as well. Don't know much about it, the lizard at the alchemy shoppe didn't think it was the Mobius cuz he said it according to legend didn't do that. All I know..." Ash says as he folds his arms across his chest, "Is that this 'mobius' thing is supposedly in kingsdale, it supposedly screws up magickers something fierce, and because of that it's interfering with my life through round-about means."

Flare watches him for a moment, "Something like that, though there was some recharging for some of the people." she shakes her head and looks around a little and shakes her head, "Sometimes things go wrong." she says softly and stutters a bit.

Ash nods, "You're telling me. Now I got a friend whom Ahriman has tried to enslave upon pain of death if she didn't serve him. All because of this Mobius thing, and because Ahriman's an evil bastard I guess." One hand rakes through his hair, "Being the poor little mundy that I am, with no magic nor psychic powers to speak of... that's really all I know, and that is due to proximity."

Flare blinks and then bites her lip, "Who is this person? I think I need to have a talk with Ahriman." she says softly. She seems a bit pissed and flames lick up her arms again.

Ash considers the woman for a long few moments, then decides to say anyways, "Isabeau. I don't know if you know her. I'd be very upset if you told Ahriman I'm watching out for her, and that we're here though. I don't much fancy going head to head with him as it is, so right now, trying to hope the cops do their job and we can stay away from him until this gets worked out. Otherwise... we'll have to leave Kingsdale."

Flare looks at him for a moment and nods, "You both are staying in this building?" she asks as she looks at him for a moment, "Doesn't matter, Ahriman needs not to be doing that."

"I agree completely, but being as how he's evil and more inhuman than even you or I, I don't think he really cares if he should or shouldn't be doing that." Ash says simply, "So, if you go talk to him, or confront him... just please, keep where we are on the down low?" He asks, almost a plea really. Of course quick-flex or not, the idea of going up against a supernatural shadow mage type thing can't be resting easy on him.

Flare nods, "I will talk to someone else and then we both will talk to Ahriman." she shakes her head a bit and sighs, "I am not really up to taking him on, just need to stop him."

Ash nods, "Yeah, I know the feeling... Been burning what money I have left to keep us hidden here." He gestures around. "We told the cops but... don't know if they're going to do anything..." He sighs a bit himself, shrugs, "All else fails... I guess I'll use what money I've got left to have Vargus send us somewhere nice."

Ash looks around, "You don't have to... you know, it's not really your fight. I mean as it is, he's told Isabeau that he'll come for her when he's ready to... if people go confronting him over it, he might come before I've had a chance to get guns that can punch through spells that stop all energy."

Flare looks at him for a moment, "He is affected by the same thing I am. If I have to I will get one of Tirzah's fire orbs and use it on him and then supercharge it." she shakes her head a bit, "I don't like doing that, but if I can napalm a dragon like that, I can napalm him."

Ash shrugs, "Unless he has that spell or something that makes energy do nothing at all. I've heard mages can do that, make themselves impervious to all energy..." He frowns, "Kinda why I am getting projectile guns now."

Flare nods, "We will see it might not come to that." she says softly, "THe other person and I might be able to come up with something."

Ash asks, "May I ask whom this other person might be? Cuz if it's Tirzah... I heard he calls her Little Sister or something. Kinda why I haven't talked to her about this yet... and Ahriman was saying if Isabeau tried to kill herself or something like that, he'd have her brought back to life so even death wouldn't be an escape."

Flare shakes her head, "That has to do with the fact that she is a warlock." she shakes her head, "Elementals refer to warlocks like that."

Ash raises an eyebrow, "So he thinks he's an elemental?"

Flare shrugs, "I don't know what he is. I just know he isn't human."

Ash nods, "So, is Tirzah the one you were going to talk to then? If there's nothing really friendly there... then maybe I shoulda talked to her when this all started."

Flare nods, "I will talk to her, or you can, even if there is a little, he might listen to her." she shrugs a bit. She sighs softly and then rubs at her head a little, "I just want to be able to sleep soundly and meditate."

Ash nods, "You talk to her then. I've only met her a couple of times, she'll probably listen to you more than I if you know her well. Maybe she can help with this problem you're having too." He smiles a little. "Couldn't hurt."

Flare shakes her head, "we have tried to fix the problem I have, I can't recharge from a ley line like the magical folks can." she says and shakes her head. She looks at him, "Tirzah and I are friends, both beings of flame."

Ash nods, "Wish I could help... Isabeau tried to heal Ahriman... that's how he lured her in to his trap. She couldn't do anything for it though. It's not something within her power to do." He frowns again, "See, just goes to show, some things are better left undiscovered..."

Flare nods, "Well I will do what I can to help her, Though it might not be much." she says softly and isn't totally sure what she is going to be able to do.

Ash nods, "It's ok... don't put yourself at risk. Whatever 'he' is, it's evil, and dark... so just... don't put yourself at risk for us and don't tell him where we are or where you spoke to me."

Flare nods, "I won't mention anything." she looks at him, "It doesn't matter if I put myself at risk. Might be that maybe I can do some good before I burn and fizzle out."

Ash smiles wryly, "You know..." He says conversationally, "You and I think a lot alike in some ways. That's exactly why I am helping Isabeau. I may be practically worthless, just a street rat, but... I don't have enough friends to just abandon them. Maybe... maybe I can do some good before my time is up."

Flare looks at him, "They might not be able to fix what is wrong with me, which means I will lose that, which makes me me." she shakes her head, "Putting it good to one last use..." she shrugs and then smiles at him.

Ash asks, "Have you.. tried to meditate while holding this mobius thing?" He tilts his head to the side, "Maybe... it just needs to be in your possession while you meditate now, if that is what makes it so magic types can get their energy back?"

Flare shrugs a bit, "I don't know can try, but it was that thing that caused my problems in the first place." she shakes her head and sighs a bit.

Ash nods, "I know and understand that, but for whatever reason, Ahriman thinks he can regain his powers if he does that... I don't know if it's working that way for anyone else, but it'd be worth a shot if you could get hold of it no? At least until they find something or someway to fix what's wrong?"

Flare nods and shrugs, "The problem is that I am not magical." she shakes her head, "I will talk to Tirzah and see." she shakes her head a bit and then sighs.

Ash smiles, "Think outside the box a little is all. If it has the power to mess up your abilities, maybe it has the power to let you get your energy back too. Doesn't matter if it's magical and you're not, it's still affecting you negatively, so it might be able to affect you positively as well." He shrugs a bit, "Don't give up, gotta try everything before things get that bad."

Flare looks at him for a moment, "Sorry I haven't been sleeping well so it affects my thought processes." she shakes her head. She looks at him for a moement, "Can't hurt to try."

"Can't hurt." Ash agrees, "Anyways... thanks for sticking your neck out, if you're gonna. I hope that my idea works for you. Don't know why Ahriman thinks it'll work for him but... can't hurt." He smiles, waves again, "Have a good evening."

Flare dips her head to him and seems to be considering going back into the apartment at the moment.

Ash heads back into his building as well, after opening the door a crack and apparently checking to see if it is 'safe' to go back in for whatever reason that drove him outside in the first place.