Extraordinary Measures (Serio Katsuya)

[Hei]

A burst of lightning lit the sky as thunder shook the earth. Sapphire raindrops fell from the sky and clashed violently upon the ground. Powerful winds broke trees. Another bolt of lightning hit a skeletal tree and crowned it in flames, the shadows dancing around the gleaming inferno. Perfect weather for Bartimaeus Winter. The center of calmness and serenity, he sat crosslegged upon a boulder on the edge of the peak, his eyes closed, oblivious to the clamor around him. His steady breathing did not betray any inkling that he was aware of anything that was occurring. He raised a single arm up to the flashing thunderhead above him, a finger pointing upwards. He opened his glowing orange eyes and smiled softly. A neon blue fork of lightning struck his finger, illuminating the scene for a split second before everything fell dark once again. The tall invoker was left sitting there, the heated plasma churning within his arm, glowing a bright violet. Sparks flew from the metal in his arms and arced between his plates of armor. "More." He stood and looked up at the sky, the rain splashing on his face. "More!" The clouds began to shift, gathering at the point above him. All was silent for a moment before a great beam of lightning burst forth through the sky, sinking into the man's chest. He let out a bestial roar which was cut short by the enormous sonic wave that resulted from the lightning. When the light died down, Bartimaeus stood there with sparks running along his veins, his armor glowing cherry red. He sat down once more, the storm calmed. Now only a light rain fell around him, and he began to meditate.

[Serio Katsuya]

Serio was strolling about the woods, looking at the scenery as beautiful as it was, and noticed the storm cluds rolling in. She was curious as to what was going on because today was beautiful just a few moments ago, but she wondered if someone was training. The blue lightning is what made her the most curious. Serio smiled and she thought that she had a pretty good idea about who was making such a ruckus. From a stroll to a run, she followed the clouds and the sounds. It was loud and training was usually quiet, but she thought about the other possiblities. She heard a guy yelling "More," "More!" She couldn't wait to see if she was right. Hoping it was Bartimaeus, Serio came to a tree that looked pretty burned and such. She smiled as saw the guy standing upon the boulder as the sparks came off his armor. It was most definitely Bartimaeus. She walked as quietly as she could up to the boulder, while he was meditating. Serio wanted to surprise him, but he would probably hear her, but she would try.

[Hei]

Bartimaeus waited until Serio was just behind him before he turned suddenly, bringing his face so close to hers that their noses almost touched. "Boo." After hearing her squeak of fright he smiled and began to laugh. "My dear Serio, I could smell you coming a mile away, even when distracted and in the rain." He put his hand on her cheek and allowed the sparks to flow freely, tickling her where his hand lay. "It is so good to see you again, dear friend. It has been much too long." He removed his hand, repressing the lightning coursing through his body. The glow subsided, though his eyes retained an ethereal energy. He glanced at the now roaring inferno of the burning tree and snuffed it out in an instant by removing the oxygen surrounding the area. "Please. Sit." He pressed his hand on the boulder upon which he was originally sitting and turned a small patch of rock to soft sand so that it was comfortable to sit on. "I believe we have much to talk about." He could barely suppress his childlike excitement for being reunited with his long lost and oldest friend

[Serio Katsuya]

Serio squeaked as he turned suddenly. She blushed when their noses touched. She scrunched her nose when the sparks tickled her face. "I hate that you are able to do that." She pouted a little. "I have missed seeing your face and hearing your voice. Yes it has been much too long, my friend." She said, with a tad bit of shyness in her voice. She had butterflies, but ignored them. Serio was always impressed that he could remove oxygen, or anything for that matter, from things. She sat in the sand as she was told, and sat cross-legged in the soft sand. "Indeed we do have many things to talk about. It's been a long while, so I'm sure you've had more time to recover old memories and what not." She said with a huge ear to ear grin across her face. "I have much missed your stories. I hope you haven't missed me too much." She said with a giggle.

[Hei]

"I missed you more than I could express." His smile subsided as he sat next to her. "To be entirely honest, it felt as if something was missing from my life after that incident... I still never apologized for losing control as I did. I nearly killed you." Bartimaeus' eyes grew sad and forlorn. "I have not forgotten that night and it has haunted me so." He blinked, suffocating the tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "But that is in the past now. The important matter is that you are alive and well and have rejoined me. And this time I shan't let anything get in the way of that." He smiled weakly, showing that he did not really believe what he had just said- the guilt of what had almost happened had worn on him for quite a long time. "I know that you are quite fancied with my elemental abilities, but you also know that you can learn them quite easily. You also know how good of a teacher I am. So... if you would so choose, I may act as your trainer in these forms of mine. I can teach you to control the very earth you and I stand on as well as its surroundings. Catching lightning is but a mere parlor trick." Bartimaeus supposed that this would be his way of alleviating his guilt- by protecting her through giving her the ability to better protect herself.

[Serio Katsuya]

"I have missed you too. And I am so gla that I found you again." She said as she watched him sit down. As he told her how badly he felt about the night he almost killed her, she smiled. "Bartimaeus, it's ok. I wasn't killed, I was a little scared, but I have no idea where you went that night. I was only scared because I lost you. I looked everywhere. I was lost that night more than anything." She explained to him. Serio smiled her silly smile. "Never doubt yourself. Never." When he explained to her how he would teach her the elements that she thoughts were amazing. Serio hoped that he would offer to teach her, and when he did she nearly tackled him. She was so happy. Though Serio was doubting herself. She didn't think that she had the ability to learn. She wasn't sure if her shapeshifting would let her learn, though she hoped that it would make things easier for her to learn. Bartimaeus taught her about the lycanthrope way and she enjoyed it, though it was quite painful. "Bartimaeus, you have nothing to feel guilty about. Everything that happened that night, happened for a reason. I am sorry it took so long to come back." She said, with a sad expression.

[Hei]

"That doesn't matter. I'm just happy that I found you again." He placed his hand upon her cheek once more, smiling softly. "It was difficult for me every day because I thought I had made you fear and hate me for what I was. It consoles me to know that you were just as worried as I was." His warm hand pulsated with soothing energy, calming and refreshing Serio. "All is as it should be. Do not be sad. This is a moment for rejoicing." The flutter of his heart returned with his close proximity to the shapeshifter, which always struck him as odd considering he had no heart beat. "I know you do not have much confidence in yourself, but you can do this. I know you can. And to prove it, I will teach you something very simple." He looked her in the eyes and smiled wider. "Breathe. Just breathe. That's all you need to do. You'd think it would be more difficult than that, but it's not. Air is its own being, and to breathe is to become one with it, to feel it fill you up. So, breathe. And relax. I will help you with the latter."

[Serio Katsuya]

"I will never ever hate you, Bartimaeus. There is no possible way that could ever happen." She said as he placed his hand upon her cheek. She felt calmer and refreshed, almost as if she had just woken up. "I am always happy when you are around." Serio said with a smile. When he looked into her eyes and smiled, Serio also couldn't help smiling. "Oh how I have missed that smile of yours." At this point, Serio couldn't concentrate on anything but Bartimaeus. After he told her to just become one with the air, she relaxed. She closed her eyes and began to breathe. In through her nose, and out through her mouth. Deep in, and deep out. She very quickly realized that she had done this all the time. She was already one with the air, but she would learn more. At least that's what she assumed. Serio loved being in Bartimaeus' prescence. She was like a young child who had been given their first toy. Excited and with many butterflies. She couldn't relax no matter how much she tried. Serio never felt angry or sad while he was around, and not just because he could simply control her feelings either. Guess she considered him the first of anything she ever had. Friend, companion, crush. She giggled at the thought, and hoped that he didn't get that one out of her mind. But she continued to breathe.

[Hei]

Bartimaeus didn't need to have his animal instincts to know how Serio was feeling at this moment because he was experiencing the same thing. Only her presence made his heart beat again. "You can feel the purifying air taking your troubles bit by bit with each and every breath. The air only wishes to cleanse. With each breath, you make yourself more attuned to the atmosphere because you and it are one and the same. It's coursing through your body, purifying it and giving you life. Just reach within yourself and make yourself aware of it... once you are you will feel yourself having some control over the air around you." Bartimaeus' unblinking eyes rested on his companion's face, taking in the familiar and yet still oh-so-exciting sight. He became very aware of everything about her, especially her exotic scent. He silently leaned forward, bringing his face an inch away from hers and tenderly pressed his lips against hers, closing his eyes. After a few moments he pulled away, slightly embarassed. "I apologize for breaking your concentration. I couldn't help myself."

[Serio Katsuya]

She felt everything in the air. It did seem to cleanse her. Serio felt clearer, and calmer than she usually(>.< idk if that is spelled right... Looks wrong...) was. Her heart beat lessened, her breathing slowed, and her concentration was much stronger. This was probably the most concentrated she had ever been in a long time. Serio mostly thought about Bartimaeus and what he was up to. She was really glad to find him. She felt the air shift a little near her face, and she hoped she caused it. But after Bartimaeus pulled away, she was confused. She blushed a deep red color, but smiled at the same time. "I-it's ok. It was nice." She said. "I'm glad you did that. Means I don't have to make the first move. I am just joking, but what was that all about?" She asked, hoping not to make this situation turn awkward. Serio's blush was redder yet. Her butterflies were back, but she repressed them. "So, about the air thing? What would be the first thing I'd have to do in order to begin moving the actual air itself?" She asked, hoping to avoid any awkward silence. Though she did hope that something might spark from moments before.

[Hei]

He looked down and withdrew a bit. "My deepest apologies. I have missed you so and I felt that was the best way to show my affection." It disconcerted him that he could smell her confusion. He was having immense difficulty reading her emotions and understanding what she was feeling, but he was also very unsure of himself. "Uhm, well, first you can imagine the air as an extension of your breath. When you breathe out, will the air to become more forceful, as if you were trying to put out a fire with your breath. The air shall respond to your need and move with urgency. Basically, you shall create a small gust of wind. That is the first step to understanding how to control wind and use it as an extension of your own being." He looked back up and blinked, his simmering orange eyes betraying no emotion. His heart beat was erratic now, and his hands were shaking ever so slightly. He could feel the elements raging within him, and his nervousness was creating an opening for them to break through.

[Serio Katsuya]

"Bartimaeus, there is no need to apologize. I must be honest with you," She said with a sigh. Serio looked down and played with her fingers. "I believe that my own affections toward you have grown. Not just our friendship, but I think that smething else grew right along side the friendship." She said. Serio was nervous to see what Bartimaeus' reaction, hoping that he wouldn't be too freightened. She kind of spaced on what he said about the air, but she heard something about being able to put out fire, which she thought was pretty awesome. All she focused on was what Bartimaeus would say about what she basically just confessed to him. She twiddled her thumbs while she waited. So she sat with an empty, but open mind.

[Hei]

Bartimaeus stared unblinkingly at Serio for a moment before speaking. "My dear shapeshifter... what makes you think that the same hasn't happened to me?" He smiled and brushed her hair off her cheek. "There is something about you which makes my dead heart beat. I know not the reason why, but it excites me and concerns me because it has stopped beating over two centuries ago. I want to understand exactly what you and I are feeling." The air around the two was rapidly changing temperature- between gusty to calm, sweltering hot to freezing. Bartimaeus noted what was occurring and tried to rein in his powers but was so emotionally unbalanced that he was having tremendous difficulty keeping them in check. His orange eyes also began to change color with the atmosphere, from orange to blue to red to gray and to silver. His calmness was what gave him control- and now that he was excited and nervous, he was beginning to lose it.

[Serio Katsuya]

Serio's head fell to one side when he said that his 'dead heart beat again.' She was so curious as to what had happened in his past. Serio was afraid to ask him though, so she continued to be curious. "Bartimaeus? What exactly are you trying to say then? How in the world does that work? I'm just one person.... I have no such power as to make one's heart beat again." She said, very confused. Though she did smile when he moved the hair from her cheek. Serio was quite curious why the air temperature kept changing, but she assumed it had something to do with the way Bartimaeus was reacting. She heart fluttered and her mind filled with smiles. "Bartimaeus, this is really giving me butterlflies, and I am kind of freaked out by the air temperature change. But yeah, I'm a little nervous. And so what are we going to do about this?" She asked. She rambled on. It seemed as though, when she became nervous, she talked a lot. After she quit talking, she hoped that didn't scare Bartimaeus at all, and if it did, she would at least try to stay friends with him.

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