audio:

[charring]

Well, this looks familiar.

[Charlie's voice is even, calm. Kind of lacking in much, emotionally, but there's a valid reason for this. Pay attention.]

So far, it seems as though all of these sparks and rockets and things are brought on by high emotions. That's something I know a bit about.

[Read; a whole fuckton about.] See, my ability? My pyrokinesis? When I was a kid, it'd flare when I got upset or felt a really strong emotion and that's all kids do. Emotions are Huge. It took me years to get that sorted and even now I sometimes have the occasional bit of trouble.

[A pause, imagine she shrugged.]

No one's perfect. Your best bet for today so no one gets seriously injured? Work hard to remain calm. Put some serious effort to it and I know that somehow sounds counter-productive, working hard to relax, but trust me on this.

[And he feed ends.]

Comments

[beifongbandit]

I feel like jumping in the ocean until midnight.

[charring]

Oh, Toph. I'm sorry. This isn't an easy curse, from what I can tell. Do you need me to come into the shop and handle things? I'm not cursed.

[beifongbandit]

Maybe you better, or the next guy who tries to shortchange me is going to get a surprise.

[charring]

[Laughing.] And this is different from other days how?

[beifongbandit]

Because bruises heal faster than burns!

[charring]

Good point. I'll be there in ten.

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[awildhulkling]

[ With interest. ] You're a pyrokinetic?

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[charring]

Yes, I am. It's something I was born with.

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[awildhulkling]

Like the Human Torch?

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[charring]

Who?

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[awildhulkling]

Uh. He's a superhero. From my world.

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[charring]

Oh. Uh...[A shrug.] I don't know? I've met others with the same ability but there have always been variations.

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[awildhulkling]

Is it a whole body thing? Or just like your hands?

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[charring]

My hands and whatever I focus on.

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[awildhulkling]

Ah, so not like the Human Torch then. That still sounds cool though.

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[charring]

Why, thank you. I'm Charlie.

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[awildhulkling]

Teddy, it's nice to meet you.

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[charring]

Pleasure to meet you, too. Welcome to the City. I'm guessing you're new?

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[awildhulkling]

Yeah, I came with visitor day or at least I think that's what people called it.

text | anonymous!

[uprouse]

All it takes is a strong effort—is that the idea?

text | anonymous!

[charring]

Pretty much. And patience.

[uprouse]

And yet you seem like one of the very few to achieve it!

[charring]

What makes you say that?

[uprouse]

If you're making a post about this, then you must have already seen the number of people afflicted with today's curse. Yet you're one of the few to propose this idea. Isn't it odd that all of the others could have missed such a simple solution?

[charring]

Sometimes it's easy to miss a simple solution when things don't make sense and you're stuck in the middle of it.

[uprouse]

How very true! And yet—should I ask how your success rate's coming?

[charring]

Probably better than everyone else? I was born with my ability so I've had plenty of time to learn control.

[uprouse]

Isn't it rather self-centered to assume that I was asking about your personal details...? Really, it's the cursed that concern me. If you're defending your advice based on your unrelated experience, you must have gathered some proof already that it'll work as well for everyone else.

[charring]

A bit. And I didn't mean to come off as self-centered. As far as I've seen, in regards to this curse, when people get angry they shoot off fireworks. Not entirely the same as my ability in regards to what happens. However, why it happens seemed familiar to me, hence my advice. If it works, wonderful and if it doesn't, then at least people tried.