Fireball

1. Belle continues to man (woman?) the ship as long as that is needed.
   
   Once she is not needed to fly the ship, she will report to whomever is in charge at the moment and offer her excellent marksman services as a gun on the ground.
   
   But the ship is out of sight of the Grimnoir on the ground (for if it were not, it would be visible to the enemy) and therefore, you won't KNOW when it's no longer needed!
   
   Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to leave the rings behind ... the Grimnoir communication spell will still work without a ring but it's much more difficult, such that only an expert spell-weaver should even attempt it.
   
   Which is why it's a relief when Van Cortlandt's angular face and oddly European goatee appear out of a swirl of dust motes in front of Belle.
   
   "There's shouting in Japanese. I think we may need you here very soon, but watch out! Don't get shot down, as you're our only way out."
   
   
   
   Kaze slips out the back of the building, faded, and quickly reports to the group:
   
   "The team we met before is there... with a student healer keeping Richter alive. Barely. They are on to us, but before we were noticed, the Tattooed One mentioned that the San Francisco team is all right."
   
   Janet fades out as well, but takes a slightly different way back to the group, to hopefully trys and confuse anyone that might try and follow her and Kaze. When she get's there she adds "And they know we were snooping around, so what every we're going to do we better not doddle about it."
   
   Kaze adds in a listless tone... "And one of the New York crew is a traitor..."
   
   Sky draws both his pistols and runs toward the hangar.
   
   Kaze catches a sudden flare of fear in Lauren's eyes, just before Lauren ignites everything around her.
   
   Kaze was warned by Lauren's reaction, and so has Faded. Janet is just very quick to react tonight, and Fades as well.
   
   Van Cortlandt, Tojiro, Victoria, Angie, Sonny-boy, Michael, Nick Voinovich, and Christine, however, are not so lucky.
   All of them are washed in flames, their hair and clothes burning before they know it.
   
   Nick puts himself out with an effort of Icebox will. The others flail about, out of control.
   
   Lauren, knowing that her teammate Victoria is a Massive, gestures at Victoria and enhances the fire around her to white-hot intensity. Victoria resists, but finally drops, glowing red-hot.
   
   "Fire steals your oxygen, doesn't it, Vicky?" Lauren says softly. "I always knew I could take you down if it came to it."
   
   Van Cortlandt heals his burns. But he's still on fire, so his skin and hair burn up again. He makes strange signs with his hands, focusing his effort to heal himself as quickly as the fire scorches his flesh away ...
   
   ... until he runs out of magic.
   
   Seeing he's going to lose the race, Van Cortlandt uses the last of his magic to heal Christine, Sonny-boy and Michael, who have by now fallen unconscious from the pain. Their burns have also gone out, so once they're healed, they're fine. although still in shock from the sudden agony.
   
   Lauren turns, seeing the two Fades unharmed. Behind her, Christine, Sonny-boy and Michael are recovering their wits, but she can't see everywhere at once.
   
   "Everything needs air," Lauren snorts. She sets the grass at Janet and Kaze's feet ablaze. In a heartbeat, Lauren stands in a sea of rippling yellow sparks and smoke, as she sets all the grass between herself and the Fades on fire. They can walk toward her without harm, but if they solidify to attack, they'll get burned.
   
   "Everything but me," Lauren adds. "With what Hitomi's given me, I can burn all day and never get out of breath. But you gals .. you'll be gasping for more magic in a few minutes, and eating smoke in a few more."
   
   Lauren walks backwards, into fresh fuel. The grass will be all gone in minutes. All unknowing, she is backing towards three conscious Grimnoir ...
   
   Or four, actually. Because Kaze rushes at her. She passes through Lauren, solidifying long enough to ram a steel fork through the base of her spine.
   
   "You should recognize this position," Kaze remarks. "And as for your burning grass, your master himself remarked: we become used to pain."
   
   Lauren falls, astonished and dead.
   
   
   
   Meanwhile, Sky Masterson was so quick off the mark that he wasn't within the range of Lauren's fireball. Lucky break, really.
   
   The wall of the hangar buckles open, collapsing on itself. The Iron Guard Torch and Mover are there, seeking targets. The Torch hesitates, but the Mover cocks his head, sending wrenches, chains, nuts, and bolts showering across the lawn toward Sky. Fortunately for Sky, they're heavy enough that he can see them coming. It's not like dodging bullets, which can be harder than it looks.
   
   
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