I was born to conquer

One hour after Pyro had left RED base, and their argument was still fresh on Sniper's mind, her accusations cutting him to the quick. Truth be told, he couldn't put his loyalty to her into words, couldn't formulate just how he felt about her. He could repeat her words to him, but they were apparently meaningless to her if they weren't his own. That didn't mean they didn't accurately portray how he felt, but she wanted more- more than he knew how to give her at that moment.

Two hours, then three, and he had still been sitting on the top step, his stewing having simmered down to nothingness as he realized she wasn't coming back. Her absence left him hollow, both himself and the house not much more than shells, the space filling with an unnerving silence without the sounds of her in the kitchen, in the bedroom, speaking to him. He'd still have been sitting there, waiting at the fourth passing hour had he been alone in the house; however, he wasn't. Teriyaki was the one who dragged him from his vigil, scratching at the door for his afternoon walk. RED had sighed, stood, and obliged. He still had a job to do for someone.

Four days after her departure, and he'd taken the dog and was staying at his townhouse, deciding he didn't want to be there when she came home. Anger had taken hold of him, bitterness festering in his chest from the wounds she'd inflicted. He'd tried his best to show her what she meant, to be a better person for her, and look at the thanks he got! She hadn't even pretended to be happy to see him, jumping right to accusing him of everything under the sun, from leaving her entirely to infidelity. He'd brought her a gift— not something he'd pulled out of someone's yard, but a real gift, one he'd put a lot of effort into— and she'd had the gall to claim he was gallivanting about.

It was a slap to the face, and one he considered a wake-up call. He didn't need her. She'd said he was trying to be something he wasn't— which admittedly he was, but he was trying to be someone better, someone who acted the same way he felt, someone capable of making her happy— and now she was the one out doing who knew what with who knew whom. Just the thought of that burned him, fires in him stoked with jealousy.

Six days after her exodus, he and Teriyaki took to the woods; embittered wrath had become a creature he could no longer control, manifesting itself in a tantrum that left his townhouse in shambles, furniture shredded, coffee table kicked on its side and bearing long marks from his knife. He'd convinced himself he didn't need her, nor did he need anybody. All he needed were his weapons and the wilderness that surrounded the city, the uncivilized forest closer to home than the tall buildings and concrete walls of Paradise. His dog went with him, always at his master's call. They would watch each other's back. That was their shared job, now.

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It was over a week since the start of their separation when he saw the fire. It hadn't drawn his attention at first, the distant crackling easily mistakable for the wind pushing dried leaves. The smell of smoke was what caught him, his eyes turning to the town- the buildings were surrounded in a thick, black cloud, an ominous orange flickering a second telltale sign of what was happening within. He'd been told she tried to burn down the city once, but he couldn't find it in him to care to find a reason now. Probably because she was a Pyro- creating fire came naturally to her, was something she needed every now and then. It was like the hunt for him, the absolute need to get away from the caging walls of the city. She needed it, but she didn't need him, and he didn't need her. That was how things should have been from the start, he told himself. Distance. No attachment. It complicated matters.

It was with seeming disinterest that he tore his gaze from the sight, going back to his work, carefully tying vibrant green feathers to his modified rifle. He propped the gun on his knee, taking a moment to rub some of the stiffness from the joint. That simple act made him reconsider- from his knee to the hand that rubbed it, the ache pushed through him, memories brought back from the sensation. He paused, looking at his hand, once-broken fingers now back in place, injuries fading with those who knew what caused them. Not that Sniper would ever forget that masked vigilante, appearing out of nowhere, demanding his weapons and treating him like a criminal—

He was upright in an instant, gun in hand, realization hitting him as he turned to the burning city; the shadows of the trees before him reached toward his feet like tendrils, trying to pull him closer. He'd been beaten to a bloody pulp for simply aiming among civilians, despite the fact he never intended to actually fire. Someone actually lighting the town ablaze was not only going to attract attention, but would inevitably bring trouble. If the masked man was still in Paradise, there was no way he'd let her get away with what she'd done... and certainly not alive.

He'd lost track of the days since he'd last seen her, yet Sniper was tearing back toward the city as fast as his limbs could carry him. Teriyaki followed until RED called back for him, ordering the pup to remain at the camp- and stay he did. He was a good dog, one with the qualities Sniper admired, but were so lacking in his fellow man: he was loyal, obedient.

And so was his master, though his loyalty was to another. RED choked back pain from his knee as he scaled a tree with record speed, drawing his gun once he'd reached the top. Setting the scope to his eye, he scanned the burning city, skimming along the tops of buildings, trying to find anyone- namely her or him. The flames that licked the sky blocked his view; he was never going to find her that way. He holstered his gun again, sliding down the branches to the ground. That left only one option.

With his hand on his knife, he entered into the city's walls, headed straight for the chaos. He'd died by fire just before he'd been brought to Paradise; however, the flames were no longer what terrified him. Far worse was the thought of losing her, that he could have protected her and did nothing. That was something he could not let happen, for her sake and his own. The anger that had swallowed him was gone, unadulterated trepidation left in its wake. They needed each other, even if neither party would admit to it.

Loyalty, obedience. These were qualities Sniper had more than he knew.

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The moment the Sniper gets back within the city, there's a small beep from his 3Step. Checking it will reveal a text message for every 5 minutes since the fires started, all saying the same thing.

[Text]

Sniper, where are you?

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[RED looked at his phone, snorting as he turned a corner, heading toward the flames.]

I don't got time for this, Miss!

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If you're concerned about Pyro, then it might be in your interest to listen to what I have to say.

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I don't need your help. I've got this.

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And what are you going to do?

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I'll figure that out when I get to her.

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I really don't think this is a good idea Sniper. She's not in her right mind at the moment; I don't think she'll hurt you, but I don't think she'll listen.

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Then I'll make her listen.

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She doesn't like it if you try to force her to do something she doesn't want to do.

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You think I don't know that?

[There was coughing on his end, the air around him irritating him.]

Look, I might be the only one she'll listen to, and I'm not about to let someone attack her because she's causin' trouble. I can handle this.

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...

[She sighs on the other side.]

I'm not going to be able to convince you to not go, am I?

Keep her safe Sniper, but please take care of yourself as well. Don't over-exert yourself.

[She can't exactly tell him not to do something stupid when he was already halfway there.]

If you need assistance, please call me. No one's come up to attack her yet, but she's hurt a lot of people and destroyed a lot of property. There's going to be a consequence for this, whether from the residents, or the gods.

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[Her warning was met with a moment of silence on his end of the line, displeasure at her words rising in him.]

I'll keep an eye on her. I'm not going to let anything happen to her, got it?

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Pyro's biggest enemy was herself that night. She didn't know it yet, but by the time the sun would rise she wouldn't have the chance to.

Taking every step with ease, she didn't regard anything around her as a threat. She was stronger then everyone. What could harm her?

The only thing that didn't run away from her was her beloved pet who hopped behind her while holding up her 3step in it's little tentacles. He squeaked as happily as ever and it was enough to make her smile.

(You'll never be scared of me, will you?)

I hAvE nO REaSON tO bE. PyRO Is MoTHeR.

(That's right. I'm taking care of us. When I'm done here, everything will be for us. Nothing bad will ever happen again. There will be no worries.)

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The smoke in his eyes left his vision blurring; his lungs burned from the run and the ash in the air, every breath growing more painful. Still, he ran for the center of the flames, following the trail of destruction until Pyro came into sight.

He tied his knife at his waist as he neared her, showing he meant no harm by emptying his hands. "Pyro!"

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There was a voice she could remember fondly calling out to her. Yes, that was her name. Not Momo. Was he realizing that now?

Turning her head over her shoulder, Pyro wore the mask that Sniper had prepared for her. The way he had suggested she used it hadn't been taken lightly. All decked out in RED with skull head and horns made her look devilish.

Without hesitation, she responded in her muffled voice.

(Go away. I'm not of your world anymore.)

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"I can't understand ya with that mask. You know that."

Met with the face he'd given her, she was a fearsome sight, a being fitting of the flames that danced around her; however, Sniper didn't back down, walking toward her instead. He didn't understand what she said, but he knew one thing as he watched the buildings around them for any sign of the masked man- he was not about to let anyone touch her. He would do what he had to do to protect her from everyone, including herself.

"I have a feelin' I know what you're doin', pumpkin. With all this." He gestured to the chaos around them.

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Sigh. He never did understand her be it with the mask on or off. Why should she push it up to speak to him? Fine, she'd humor him.

Pushing it up so it rested on her head, her face was covered in soot and fresh burn scar going all the way over her right eye. When she blinked, she felt the way it pained her. It made her shudder with delight.

"You don't know what I'm doing.

You don't understand anything about me.

No one really does. The closest anyone ever got was Sensei."

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His eyes trailed her scar, expression unflinching.

"You do it because you have to. It's a part of who you are, isn't it?"

Perhaps he understood more than even he realized until that moment.

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The smoke did little to make her cough. She was too used to it by now. "... I saw my mother. I saw what she did. She can do it too, better then I can--yet all these years, I've been treated so unfairly by her. I was told never to show off, that I was born unnatural. Why was I given an existence where I can't do as I please? If I can't do what I want, I don't want to be alive."

Edited Date: 2012-04-30 07:18 am (UTC)

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"Life's not fair sometimes," RED said, lowering his voice, eyes dropping in tandem. "If there's anyone who knows that, it's the two of us."

He took another step toward her, stifling a cough, the burning air making his throat itch more and more. "You're not unnatural. You're not crazy, and neither am I. Ya are who you are. Who you choose to be."

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"I'm sorry, but it's too late now. We can't talk anymore... probably never again, Sniper. Even if I somehow miraculously survive all of this, I doubt I will be welcomed.

I've come too far. You can see that."

Motioning at the destruction she had caused, she placed a hand back on her mask. She still had to be cautious of Sniper, he could be trying to pull a fast one on her.

"My only wish now is to live alone with Jell-O. To do so, I have to kill everyone. That's the way this is going to work. That's the only way I'll be accepted as normal.

Go away now. Kill yourself. Find some way to go home. These are ny last words of advice for you. I'm already too much of demon, I might turn this flamethrower back on any second and kill you."

Edited Date: 2012-04-30 07:32 am (UTC)

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He was motionless as she spoke to him, threatening the deaths of everyone around them, and likely herself included... and yet, she was going to let him walk away. She was sparing his life, only to damn him to one without her. It was a lose-lose situation in his eyes.

His body tensed as he choked back another cough. "Then go on with it! Ya act like livin' without you is somethin' I wanna do! It's not, got it?"

That coughing fit finally escaped him, forcing him to catch his breath. The wind blew, spreading the fire from one building to the next, cutting off paths of escape with every passing moment.

"I came back to this godforsaken city to find you and watch your back. That's my job, and that's what I'm gonna do. If I can't do that— can't make sure nothin' happens to you— then what good am I for? I might as well be dead."

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