everything's on fire

[krasnaya_vdova]

who: Everyone!
what: The residential building is on fire
when: ~2am, August 23rd
where: The Residential building
warnings: Fire, destruction of property, injury, general warnings for crisis situations



It's a reasonably quiet night, pleasantly dry with a slight breeze. Almost nice, for those that enjoy the hours after midnight long before dawn starts to creep on the horizon. Right until it isn't, when the air changes, and there's the scent of heat that promises smoke. In most places it starts with a flash of blue light that arcs from floor to floor as energy pulses through the building, and there's a crack of sound that follows. The power dies for a moment, and if you're one of the unlucky ones, the light that follows is a literal spark in the dark, burning to life in bright orange-red, yielding heat and smoke and trouble. The energy surge doesn't just hit the lights, but sparked flames that burst to life, and they catch quickly, spreading.

The worst of it starts on the ninth floor, where the smoke and the beginning of heat starts moments before the surge. The fire spreads faster there, people starting to startle awake and realize what's happening as the flames crackle. Eventually there's an announcement on the Network, both alerting people to what's happening and trying to organize both those that are willing to help and those that need it.

Some areas are untouched, while others are ravaged badly, reduced to ashes and crumbling ceilings, so watch your step. There's chaos, but through it there's people doing what they can to help each other, and the official fire services show up to help control the blaze. After that, it's just a matter of repairing the damage that's been done, rebuilding and putting things back together, seeing what's been lost and what was saved.

Even later, people start putting the pieces together, and there's the official investigation into what might have caused a fire like that in the first place.


[ooc: As promised, the residential building is on fire! OOC plotting post is here if anyone wants to work out some last minute plans before diving in. Plotting post also includes the relevant details. Elsewise, just top level and mingle. Try not to get burned too badly. :) Good luck!]

Comments

b

[seductless]

It's the coughing that draws her attention and it doesn't take long for Grace to track the sound to it's source. The man looks terribly pale and getting worse and though she isn't certain what it is he's arguing against, she can be fairly sure that nothing is going to change his mind. Not with an expression like the one he's currently wearing.

She moves slowly so as not to startle, ignoring the dark look as she crouches down in front of him with her wings tucked in tight against her body. "You don't have to go anywhere," she tells him gently, and holds out a hand. "But I can help you, if you'll allow it."

[ragnarsson]

Ivar turns his fierce gaze on the woman, hands automatically grasping for weapons that aren't there. He'd left so quickly that he hadn't time to grab any of them. Oh, if he loses the axe Loki enchanted, he is going to be so pissed off. He's got the bearing of a warrior, even with legs that are all but useless.

There's something gentle in her expression, and after the latest coughing fit, he hasn't quite noticed the wings yet. He's very tempted to tell her to fuck off, but she doesn't seem like a typical medic. So he rasps out a single word. "...how?"

[seductless]

She recognizes the reaction, of course she does, but Grace barely blinks at it. She's known too many fighters to be put off by the sort of response that can come from startling them.

Instead, she takes his continued coughs as an agreement, and keeps her hand outstretched as she quietly murmurs the incantation under her breath. He doesn't seem too injured, aside from the apparent trouble breathing, so it's only a heartbeat before she releases one of her lesser healing spells into him, letting the warmth of the magic sink into his chest.

[ragnarsson]

His eyes watch her closely, a suspicious look on his face. Then he feels a warm sensation in his chest, almost like the feeling he's gotten before after drinking hot soup. It feels surprisingly nice. He wonders why she did that for him. People never do things for him out of the kindness of their hearts.

Ivar takes one experimental shuddering breath and then another. He's no longer in pain, his lungs trying to work past the damage caused by the smoke. He looks up at her, head cocked to the side. "How did you do that?" No words of thanks. Not yet, anyway. Ivar's never been one much for expressing gratitude.

[seductless]

"Healing magic," she says easily, letting her hand fall once it seems that the spell has taken effect. He breathes easier, at least, and as that had been the main goal, Grace will consider it a job well done. The lack of any sort of gratitude barely seems to phase her, but then she wasn't expecting much.

Still, it doesn't hurt to be certain. "how do you feel?"

[ragnarsson]

"Huh. Of course." He takes that answer in stride. Coming from a culture that believed in ancient gods capable of great feats, magic was the answer for a lot of things that couldn't otherwise be explained in his world.

Her question has him experimentally taking another breath. There doesn't seem to be any damage or pain left. He just feels exhausted and a little light-headed, the latter of which will be fixed up by getting in some fresh air instead of the thick black smoke that's still pouring out of the top of the building. "Are you a witch?"

[seductless]

"I'm not," Grace says with a quiet laugh. She's not particularly surprised by the question, especially not since she's found that magic seems to work very differently here. Or at least people's ideas of magic seem very different, which is as close to the same thing as she's likely to find. Belief can do many things.

"I'm a priest," she adds, though she can't help but wonder if that's another thing that will require explanation. It's not something she minds, but it may not be the best time for it. The man does seem to be feeling better, if the questions are any indication.

[ragnarsson]

"I've never heard of a priest that could heal people before. At least not in my world." He supposes it must be different in other places and is very thankful right now for that fact. Ivar would be very bad off if it wasn't for this woman's kindness.

As he looks her over, he notices a fact that had escaped him while he was distracted by pain. "Do you have wings?" Kind of an obvious answer to that question, but he was still a little addled.

[seductless]

"I do," she agrees, not without a flicker of amusement. They stretch out behind her, opening to their full width before Grace pulls them back in again to tuck up against her back.

"And it's rather common in mine. Someone has to be able to mend the body." Almost as if it's a reminder, she glances over him quickly. "Are you feeling improved?"

[ragnarsson]

Ivar is unfamiliar with much of the Christian mythology, so he's unaware of any resemblance Grace may have with a demoness with her bat-like wings. He just looks suitably awestruck at the sight of a beautiful woman with a pair of wings outstretched like she does.

At her question, he takes in another deep breath. "Yes. I am feeling much better. Thank you for your kindness." Ivar's unused to such treatment from people. It's a continuous surprise and he often wonders if they want anything in return.

[seductless]

"You are most welcome," Grace says with a smile, either not noticing or not paying attention to his awed expression. "And I'm glad. You may always contact me if you feel you need anything else. That was only a low-level spell." It does seem to have done it's job, but Grace is no expert on injuries. Only healing them in the moment, an emergency aid.

[ragnarsson]

"I will keep that in mind. I have a talent for getting into trouble here." He smiles, a little mischief in his expression. It was mainly due to his own actions. Ivar could never sit still for long and his preferred form of dealing with situations tended to be violent.

"What is your name?" He asks curiously.

[seductless]

"You do seem the type," she agrees with a quiet laugh. Someone that ready to fight anyone who would assist him could almost certainly be expected to want to fight anyone else as well.

"I am called Fall-From-Grace."

[ragnarsson]

She definitely had him pegged right off. Ivar was a Viking through and through, loving to get into battles whenever he could.

"My name is Ivar Ragnarsson, sometimes called Ivar The Boneless." The fact he hadn't once attempted to stand up during their entire conversation gave a clue as to why he had that particular nickname.

[seductless]

"A pleasure to meet you then, Ivar-The-Boneless." Without so much as a blink at the name. Grace has heard far stranger in her days.

As she straightens herself up, she gives him one last searching look. "Do you need anything else while I am here?"

[ragnarsson]

"No. I think I'll be fine now." Her healing had done its job on him. Ivar was back to his surly, sarcastic teenage self. He was a bit miffed at having been woken up out of a sound sleep and manhandled down the stairs, but he was going to be just fine.

"Perhaps we shall see each other around the city." She seemed like a nice woman. Ivar needed more nice people in his life.