Fandom Fire Station, Friday 2: the Friday Boogaloo

[designateddadfriend]

Travis was excited by the snow! Until, you know, he actually got out into it.

"This entire town's teeth are going to rot out," he grumbled. Maybe the sign today should be a reminder about dental hygiene.

He grabbed the letters and the ladder, and was just taking down the previous sign when he heard what sure as hell sounded like shots being fired. Or maybe fireworks?

"How much do I want to bet that either way, someone's getting themselves killed?" he grumbled, and started climbing down again.

It was, as far as he was concerned, a fairly typical Friday in Fandom.

[open! And expecting two -- like, eventually -- for a bit of plotty!]

Comments

[flamesburned]

Liz had woken up and both her phone and her computer told her it was Friday and she was really confused because it was supposed to be Saturday. She decided to head out and see if she could figure out what was going on and found herself near the fire station.

She felt rather uneasy being this close to the fire station but maybe she could find someone who knew what was going on today?

[designateddadfriend]

Travis offered her a smile and a nod. "Morning."

[flamesburned]

“Good Morning,” she said with a smile and debated for a bit, “um…this might sound weird but have you noticed anything unusual happening today?” she paused, “I mean more unusual than normal?”

It was Fandom after all she felt the need to add that.

[stykera]

This morning had started off strangely in that in had been identical to yesterday, down to the marshmallow snow, and his phone seemed to think it was yesterday again even though it ought to be today and Stark was thoroughly confused. Stark was also still upset about yesterday's events and it had taken him a while to work up the nerve to actually venture outside. Armed this time. Just in case. There was a reason he'd bought his pulse pistol.

If it was yesterday, again, then maybe yesterday hadn't really happened. But he had remembered things happening that had ended up not happening for everyone else before so maybe it had happened and it was going to happen again and he had to be sure so he made his way over to the fire station so he could be sure.

And then, of course, he just stopped and stared at Travis for a long moment before blurting out "you're alive!"

Was that unusual enough for you, Liz?

[designateddadfriend]

Travis turned to him, blinking. "Um. Yes? Should I not be?"

Those bangs were still going off, and getting closer.

"Does that sound like gunfire to anyone else?"

[flamesburned]

Liz blinked a bit, not really sure what was happening, “Is …um …I thought … it was supposed to be Saturday today?”

Then she froze, turning in the direction the sound was coming from, “I think that is gunfire,”

[stykera]

"It is Saturday," Stark said firmly. "Or it should be even if it isn't because we don't need a second Friday the first one didn't go well." A bit of understatement, that.

"And it is gunfire and everyone should go inside," he continued, looking longingly at the door and letting his hand drift to pulse pistol under his coat. "Away from it. And of course you should be alive, Travis, and that's why...just go inside. Please."

[designateddadfriend]

Travis was all set to ask questions -- it definitely was not Saturday, thanks -- but then he spotted someone coming around the corner of the alleyway and those really did sound like gunshots and his training kicked in.

He shoved the door to the station open with his hip and madly gestured to the two of them. "Right. Let's go. Inside, and keep low."

He was already following his own advice, staying in the doorway just enough to keep the door open for Stark and Liz.

[flamesburned]

Something was wrong.

A familiar sensation that happened whenever she was about to have an episode.

A prickle of fear as that gunfire got closer.

“Nononono,” she gasped as blue flames started to erupt from her body. “Not again!” she stared helplessly at Stark and Travis, “you need to run!” she screamed.

[stykera]

Stark froze just inside the door, watching Liz in complete confusion then glancing over at Travis who was, at least, still alive and that was something even if none of this was making sense.

"What?!"

[designateddadfriend]

Holy shit, this girl just spontaneously combusted. Travis didn't know that was a real thing!

"Stay calm," he said, sounding way more calm than he actually was. He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "It's going to be alright, ma'am." He quickly scanned the lobby, letting the door swing shut on the gang members or whatever who were shooting up the street. He spotted his turnout jacket and grabbed it. "I'm just going to -- put you out, okay?"

He rushed forward, jacket held out, ready to wrap it around her to smother the flames.

[flamesburned]

Liz screamed as her flames completely enveloped her, “you need to stay back … run! Oh god please run!” she sobbed, “I …I can’t control it!”

[stykera]

"What is happening?" Stark asked, sounding a little desperate as he reached for the door in case running was needed. It seemed like it would be.

Liz was clearly on fire. That part was obvious. Liz was also clearly not being consumed by those flames and that didn't make sense. Neither did being on fire in the first place but when had this island ever made sense and today was making less sense than usual.

[designateddadfriend]

Travis’s turnout jacket caught fire. Which wasn’t entirety unheard of, but definitely a rarity. Enough of one to warrant the “shit!” that came from Travis’s generally PG rated mouth.

And then his uniform caught fire, and he stopped making noises that were identifiable words at all.

He jerked back, crashing into his desk. Which also caught fire. Much faster than one might hope a fire station desk would.

[flamesburned]

“AAAHHH!!!” Liz screamed and then lost control completely and the flames went everywhere.

[stykera]

Stark hadn't gotten very much past the doorway. Turning around and getting the frell out of the building before he ended up roasted wasn't that hard.

Of course, then he had to stand outside, on the street, staring at the building in horror when he wasn't immediately followed.

"Nonononononono." It was worse. How had it gotten worse?

[designateddadfriend]

Dumb (bad) luck, mostly.

Stark wasn’t entirely alone making it outside. A small shape also darted out as the building’s fire suppression system kicked in. Probie, recognizing a Distressed Civilian, hurried over to him to offer puppy comfort.

Even as her owner could be seen dissolving into another burst of sparkles inside.

[flamesburned]

Liz could only stare in numb horror at the destruction she had caused, why had this happened again? She collapsed to her knees before the uncontrollable sobbing started … she had killed another person … she had killed someone in Fandom … with her powers … this was supposed to be a fresh start, returning to a place where she could be safe … where she didn’t have to hide …

She started heaving and found herself throwing up the contents of her stomach on the ground. There was more sobbing and she half collapsed on her side, drawing herself into a fetal position, her arms protectively going around her knees and gripping them tight.

How could she have done this again?

[firstofitskind]

Two of the Troopers had (reluctantly) been out on patrol when they saw the whole thing go down.

"Ma'am," one of them said. "You're going to need to come with us." It had been a while since Fandom had seen any crime, but they were pretty sure arson counted.

[stykera]

Stark had, at some point, simply sat down on the ground and was hugging the dog and talking quietly to her. Sorry, Probie. You were an emotional support puppy for the night.

He ought to have gone over to Liz. He knew that. But he also knew he'd felt his friend die, wrongly, twice now.

[flamesburned]

Liz barely registered the troopers talking to her, she let out a whimper and continued to hug her knees tightly.

This was Pittsburg all over again.