"This way! I know someone who can help us!" Ienzo yelled, dragging Lea through corridor after corridor by the hand, the latter astounded by the intense pace. "Who could possibly help us decipher the Co-"
"Shhhh! Don't say that name!" Lea blinked at the harshness of the command, stunned but legs still moving to keep up. "You share your name with an Aethyr, a little ball of flame! And your friend is ice. This has to mean something important! And it's not that book he needs to know about." The blue-haired boy soon slowed his pace, breathing through his nose to steel himself despite his desperate need for air after their sprint. Sensing something dark and powerful coming from the room ahead, Lea followed suit, cautious eyes darting over the heavy steel door blocking their view. "What's-" This time Lea was silenced with a glare and a finger pushed against lips from the smaller boy, instead of the prior tone. "What? Who's there?" came a voice like stone from behind the door, cold and uncaring, it's sheer menace causing Lea to panic and shake in fright. His hand was squeezed gently for support, and Ienzo hesitantly put his free hand to his mouth. "I-it's me, Even." Even through the door he could sense the creased brow and disapproving eyes in a frown. "Are you alone, boy?" he snapped, voice now like daggers frozen with contempt. "N-no…" he admitted worriedly, and he heard the shift of fabric and heavy sigh as this "Even" got up and hobbled to the door. "I swear, if you've brought one of the guards again-"
"He hasn't!" Lea yelled despite himself. Ienzo jumped and gave him a look between loathing, hurt and fear, causing Lea to cringe in response. "What?! Who is it, then?!" The door was opened with surprising ease and both boys gulped at the presence of the older man, half-hunched and half-leaning in the doorway, cold eyes calculating the distance between them before scrutinizing the new boy after a quick disapproving glance at Ienzo. Heaving another great sigh, he stood aside and motioned for them to enter his lab. "Follow my lead and keep your mouth shut; let me do all the talking." Lea silently gave a small nod at the other boy's whispered command, eyes never leaving Even's face, but never meeting his gaze.
The blond scientist glowered at Ienzo, his gaze making up for his lack of heat with its force. Lea kept his own gaze a neutral frown, aiming for impassive as he studied his situation. He could sense his new friend's desire to squirm under the cold intensity, as he himself felt, but was amazed at his determination. Ienzo was still nervous beyond imagining, he could tell, but he knew how to avoid trouble, so Lea kept quiet. "It would appear you've made a friend." The bluenette nodded in response, still unable to meet his eyes. "Tell me about him, if he won't answer me." This time the boy flinched, nibbling his lip as he contemplated his best course of action and fought his own fear for the sake of his only friend. Finally, he answered. "Neither of us are sure how he got here, but he needs help." Even frowned further, watchful eyes flicking to the boy in question before back to the bluenette. "What kind of help?" Both boys gulped at his tone, Lea unsure of which emotions to place behind it. "Um… Well… You remember that research we did several months ago? When we all… experimented… to see what was possible on the topic of gaining powers?" Even frowned harder and nodded slowly, eyes flashing in recognition. "W-well… I proffer a new theory, one where the tests would only work on those whose…" he stopped, eyes going skyward, searching for the words, Even hurriedly motioning for him to continue, apparently intrigued. That's something to watch out for – scientific curiosity is the only proper emotion I've seen on him so far, and it's as scary as the rest of him! "…names were… somehow connected to that topic…" Jade green eyes frowned, glinting with malice, his voice barely warmer. "Yes? Well, what does this boy have to do with it?" Inhaling to steel himself for his next statement, Ienzo spoke softly. "This is Lea."
What a bleak town Isa mused, frowning softly as his guide pointed out landmarks and tents, strange buildings and decorations. Radiant Gardens was prettier. "Now, Kid! What's on ya mind? You're spacing out more than you were!" Isa shook his head, softly shaking a light blue fringe into his face. "No, it's nothing. I'm just worried about my friend…" Captain Justice nodded solemnly, placing an overly large hand on the boy's shoulder in understanding. "Well, let's go find him! If ya got separated, he can't have gotten far!" Shrugging the hand off, Isa took a step forward, halting immediately when the thought struck him. "Um, actually, do you know of a quiet place where I could read alone? I just remembered something vitally important!" A little stunned, Captain Justice stepped back before nodding once, moving past him to lead the way. "Follow me!" With a curt nod, Isa followed, eventually being led to a small, yellow-green tent. Stepping inside, he gasped; it was as though he was led into yet another world. The brunette woman sitting to the far corner of the tent stood, carefully placing her book down on the small wooden table next to her and extended a pale, slender arm. "Jane, and you are?" Gingerly taking the disheveled but pretty woman's hand, Isa shook it, nodding in approval. "Isa." The woman nodded in return, grinning largely. "Another reader, huh? They seem to be so rare these days…" Again, the bluenette nodded, releasing her hand and bowing at the waist slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet another reader, especially one such as yourself." She smiled gently, sweeping her arm out to gesture a chair on the other side of the table. "Likewise. Now, you wished to continue reading?" Sitting down carefully, he returned the smile, sighing happily as he opened the book.
Even mumbled to himself as he tightened the bolt, hard jade eyes relentlessly staring at his experiment. "There, that should do it." Lea flexed his hand, watching the new rust-red gauntlet follow the movements of his hands. "What's that thing in the middle do?" he asked, staring at the large, pale sphere lodged in the centre of the back of the hand. "Ah! What keen eyes you have. Excellent, they should serve you well in your next life." Next life? the redhead thought worriedly, risking a glance at Ienzo for confirmation. Said boy shrugged, quickly averting his gaze as he seemed to shrink in on himself again. He does that a lot… "That, dear boy, is a spirit burner." Lea widened his eyes at his assumption of the meaning and Ienzo smiled gently and patted his arm, evidently withholding a fit of giggles. "Not what you think – it burns strong liquids," he whispered, the redhead nodding in response. "Now, I'd like to explore my hypothesis," Even continued, unaware of the interruption. "Please hold your hand out, aim it over there," he points to a large paper target set twenty feet away, "place your free hand over the back like so, and picture a ball of flame bursting from your palm towards the target." Lea did as instructed, concentrating hard enough to bring sweat to his brow that wasn't caused by fear. The bluenette snaked a small hand out and wiped his forehead with a practiced motion, withdrawing it before Lea noticed. Still focused on his task, the redhead yelped and flew backwards, a ball of fire the size of his head bursting into embers in front of where he'd just stopped. "Fool! I didn't tell you to throttle the silly thing!" Lea flinched, gritting his teeth and glaring at the air. Though stunned, Ienzo chipped in as Even began to snarl at his friend. "Leave him alone, Even! In a way, he succeeded! Take it or leave it, but today we proved that it is possible after all! Let him eat and have a bath and rest the night, tell the guards we have your express permission not to hurt him! Let him refine his abilities in the days to come, but don't you dare start lecturing him. He's done more than most would have expected from just a street rat, and may I remind you that he's succeeded where we have failed?" Glaring, Even's frown deepened even further, more-so than Lea thought possible, but he could sense a mix of emotions below the cold exterior even more intense and dangerous than his emotionlessness. "…Very well," Even managed, shaking with suppressed rage, obviously fighting to keep his voice level. "You may give him special care, but for tonight only, no longer." Ienzo nodded gratefully, rushing forward to grab a shocked Lea's unarmoured hand and they left, racing through the halls again but for a different reason.
A/N: I had fun with the whole Spirit Burner thing. I had seriously thought something related to the supernatural when I first heard it's name over in the lab, but then it's all like "…used to burn strong liquids and alcohols, as opposed to the 'gas only' Bunsen Burner." Still had a great time, though ^_^ R&R if it suits you!