inferno

“I can definitely imagine!” Mia nodded, knowing how much those articles seemed to say was going on. She couldn’t even fathom having to go through something like that herself. But of course that was her reality now so maybe she needed to get used to it soon. “That’s fair, maybe we’re in purgatory or something.” She pointed out, mostly as a joke but then she started to consider it and frowned. She really hoped that wasn’t the case, cause that would suck. “If you were to move away, would you wanna go back to New York? I’ve always wanted to visit, but you know. I didn’t get a rich foster dad like Annie so of course that didn’t happen.” She joked.

“Maybe you’re right. Who knows?” Kira chuckled softly and let out a sigh. “One thing is for sure, though. None of us asked for any of this, and yet we still learn to control our powers and we actively choose to be part of the supernatural world and fight long battles and save lives. It’s kinda strange, if you think about it.” The kitsune shrugged casually. This was her life -- full of ups and downs and things that seemed to come straight out of storybooks and movies. She never asked for it, but she also didn’t mind it. She glanced over at Mia. “Honestly, I don’t know. I kinda want to spend some time in Japan, though. I might have some family members I’ve never met who could also be kitsunes. I could learn a thing or two from them. How about you? Where would you wanna go?”

Things were starting to happen very quickly after the man interrupted. Lydia couldn’t tell what was going on specifically but she knew that Charles was probably starting to realize this wasn’t real. He looked almost like he was convulsing but Lydia was sure Kira was showing him a memory from Eichen where he was chained. Obviously he was trying to break the chains. For a split second he stopped but then Lydia watched as Charles got up from the bench. “No, this isn’t real!” Lydia’s eyes widened as she jumped up and tried to push him back down. She needed to hold him so he didn’t do anything to hurt Kira but he was much bigger than Lydia and holding him back was almost impossible. Lydia pushed as hard as she could but eventually he pushed back and Lydia fell to the ground. She looked up as he stared there for a moment and Lydia knew that it was over. “What the hell did you just do?” He screamed, but Lydia only focused on Kira as she looked at her friend and just prayed that she was okay and would come back. 

As Charles continued struggling in the hospital bed and finding a way to escape from Eichen House, Kira did everything she possibly could to keep him in the mindscape -- having the doctor repeatedly hold him down, the drill still being pointed to his head, locking the door of the room, increasing the intensity of the single light bulb and releasing sparks, tightening the restraints, even sticking the bed to the floor so that it wouldn’t move. But nothing seemed to work. While Charles kept fighting back, everything in the mindscape kept disappearing and Kira constantly had to rebuild with her imagination. She could feel herself reaching her limits when Charles realized that what he was seeing and experiencing wasn’t real. As soon as he broke free and woke up, the mindscape suddenly turned into a black void once again. A dark, blank canvas -- nothing to create, nothing to destroy. Kira couldn’t think or feel anything now. She didn’t know what was happening anymore. No thoughts, head empty.

Lost somewhere in between the real and the unreal, with her eyes still closed, the kitsune fell off the bench and collapsed to the ground.

Mia immediately nodded and grinned at the mention of the Beacon Burger. “Yeah, I’ve been there! I say yes, they do have great food. And the shakes are also pretty great.” She started to walk in that direction, hoping that they were going the right way as she glanced at the kitsune. “So I guess you guys have been through a lot here, right? I saw all of the news articles. You know, about the whole blizzard thing. And the food shortages and random fights breaking out at a dinner and stuff.”

“Ah, yeah...we’ve been through a lot.” Kira inhaled sharply and nodded. “Well, I haven’t gone through as much as the rest of my pack since I came to Beacon Hills later, but it’s still more than I can ever imagine.” Many of the things she saw during her time here so far didn’t seem real at all, but it was. All the battles she fought alongside her friends were completely real and clear in her memory. Looking back, Kira realized how much she had learned and grown over the years. “It doesn’t seem like these kinds of things will end anytime soon, though. It’s like an endless cycle, but I’m sure this will all be over someday.” Her lips curved up into a small but hopeful smile.

Lydia wasn’t sure why but she could tell exactly what memories he was being put through just by his reaction. The way beads of sweat were dripping from his forehead and he closed his eyes to flinch, it was all too similar to Lydia in Eichen- right before the put the drill through her skull. Lydia couldn’t help but flinch herself. Even the mere thought of that day had her anxiety spiking. Regardless, she watched closely but suddenly she heard someone coming from across the street. “Charles? Hey, buddy! Lunch is over. They’re looking for you inside.” Lydia heard another Doctor say and she looked at him quickly. He looked like he was coming towards them. “He’s meditating!” Lydia yelled back, the only explanation she could think of. Charles didn’t look so good and he was absolutely out of it so there was really no excuse. The Doctor didn’t seem to buy it and he was still walking so Lydia got up. “He’ll be right there! Go!” Lydia yelled again, this time more demanding and he finally took off. Only when she turned her attention back towards Charles it looked like he was almost out of the trance. Lydia didn’t know what was going on anymore but he was definitely close to being back to reality. She just hoped Kira was okay. 

As Kira continued watching the scene unfold from a distance, she was sure that things were going according to plan, until Charles suddenly opened his eyes and rapidly shook his head. “This isn’t real...this isn’t real!” he exclaimed, trying to find a way to get out of the room. After a few moments of struggling in the hospital bed since he was strapped down, he eventually broke free, the straps disappearing into thin air. No no no, this can’t be. How is this happening? Kira thought to herself, frantically trying to do whatever she could to stop him from leaving the mindscape. Using a little more of her energy, she made the doctor forcefully shove Charles back onto the bed, strapping him back down and the drill pointed straight to his head. “We don’t have time for this. You need to trust me. This is for your own good,” the doctor calmly instructed, their voice booming and echoing off the walls. “What do you mean? I don’t even know what the hell you’re talking about! You’re crazy! Let me out of here!” Charles yelled back. Before he could notice, Kira quickly changed the straps from leather to steel, tightening them around his wrists and ankles, doing anything to hold him down.

Mia was glad to hear that a lot of them dealt with that same fatigue as well. It made her feel a lot less weak as she nodded and smiled at the kitsune. “I’m still finding out what I can even do, so it’s just a lot to figure out. I’ll get there it’s just.. gonna take awhile.” She sighed, hating that but knowing that she had no option. She was just gonna have to suck it up and pace herself with everything. She was thankful that Kira wasn’t annoyed by how she was rambling so much, and took a deep breath as she started to walk, not sure where they were going but deciding she’d look at the restaurants nearby to see what sounded good as they talked. “No, I usually drink like three coffees a day. It can be a meal replacement if you drink it right.” She teased, laughing softly as she looked down at the stain on her dress. “This wasn’t drinking it right, so I definitely need something to eat. I’m not really sure what’s around here, though. I’m still getting used to town. What do you wanna get?”

Kira’s eyes suddenly widened in surprise. “Wow, three coffees in a day? That’s so much! One is enough for me. I’d be way too hyper if I drank more.” Of course, she knew of some people who drank more than three cups of coffee a day, which both amazed and shocked her at the same time. She always wondered how those kinds of people could handle so much caffeine at once, or maybe they were simply just really tired. Then again, Kira was more of a tea person, the herbal flavors and aromas keeping her calm. As she continued walking alongside Mia, with no particular destination in mind, she noticed that the diner was just a couple blocks away. “How about the Beacon Burger? It’s not too far from here, and they have really great burgers and fries and milkshakes.”

Lydia was watching both Kira and Charles as closely as possible but she was paying more attention to Charles. At the end of the day, Lydia trusted Kira’s abilities- the man was the one she knew she wanted to watch out for most of all. There was not a single part of Lydia that trusted Charles and she just needed to make sure nothing happened to Kira in this situation. The second she felt like Kira might’ve been losing control, Lydia would do something to end this. Her eyes were furrowed on Charles as she noticed him start to make a few movements. His breathing was getting heavier and he was mimicking the motion of collapsing. Lydia recognized his actions immediately and it wasn’t hard for her to figure out that Kira was taking him through the memory of the night she had been attacked by Peter- the night where everything started for her. Even though Kira wasn’t there that night, she knew enough to be able to put Charles through the same trauma. And this seemed like a good place to start for sure. Lydia quickly took her attention off Charles for a moment just to make sure no one was coming, because what was happening definitely looked kind of odd. When she was sure no one was around Lydia went back to watching the scene closely.

With a simple swipe of her hand, Kira erased the scene and immediately began creating a new mindscape. She moved forward to a time that was a little more familiar to her, and she hoped that it would be shocking for Charles as well. Charles, who remained in Lydia’s form, was now in Eichen House. It was quiet, but it was not the kind of quiet that brought someone comfort. However, Charles didn’t seem to be distraught by the whole situation, trying to relax as he leaned back on the stretcher and stared up at the single yellow light hanging above him. He occasionally lifted his head up and looked around at the room he was in, the moldy, unsanitary walls looking back at him and the concrete floor greeting him coldly. While awkwardly tugging on the fabric of his hospital gown, a strange figure stepped into the room. Kira could hear his heart rate instantly getting faster. He was quite nervous, which seemed ironic considering that he worked in a hospital. Shouldn’t he be used to things like this? Kira thought to herself, but she continued crafting the memory. The figure now held a drill in their hand, turning it on and slowly walking towards Charles. As the whirring sound became louder and closer to Charles, beads of sweat started forming on his forehead as he realized what was happening -- he was about to have a hole drilled right into his head. Charles was almost afraid to breathe, shutting his eyes tightly as he braced himself for the incoming pain.

In reality, Kira could’ve sworn that she heard a loud creaking sound. Perhaps Charles was now gripping tightly onto the bench, but again, she couldn’t tell.

Mia reminded herself to go back and read her notes on everything again, since it sounded like there was quite a bit that she’d missed. There was just so much information and it seriously felt like studying and she just didn’t have the motivation for it with everything going on. She felt way too on edge about controlling herself to focus on sitting down and reading something. As the wildlife started to bloom around them, though, she slowly opened her eyes and tried to stand up. It took holding onto the light pole for a few seconds before Mia finally wasn’t so dizzy anymore as she frowned, but then when she realized that it had worked, a smile spread on her face as she laughed softly in disbelief. “Holy crap..” She mumbled, pausing when Kira told her not to do so much as she nodded. “That’s the one problem I’ve been running into whenever I try to do anything. I just.. kind of get lost in it and before I know it I feel all weak.” She even passed out when she was with Malia out in the preserve, but she had a feeling that was because she’d messed with something she shouldn’t have. Genuinely she didn’t think Kira would be any help given her past experience with accepting help, but the kitsune just had a way with words and such a friendly attitude that made her easy to listen to. “Do you.. maybe wanna go get some lunch? I think this is a mix of me doing too much and also being starving. And I’d love to learn more about you.” She paused when she realized that sounded weird as she got flustered and shook her head. “Not in a creepy way.. Just in like, a friendly way?”

“It’s okay. A lot of us are like that too, so don’t worry too much and just do the best you can,” Kira replied with a friendly grin. She understood exactly how Mia felt. “I know you want to get ahead and figure this all out now, but you also need to know your limits and when to hold back.” The kitsune had seen similar things happen to her friends more than enough times, watching them take things too far and going past the limits of their abilities. There were times when that was necessary, like saving innocent lives and fighting off the supernaturals that were especially strong and powerful. But there were also times when it was too much, and it would lead to draining all of their energy and becoming weak, spending the next few days at home resting and recovering when that valuable time could be used to be more productive. Kira perked her head up and chuckled lightly at Mia’s question. “Sure, I’d be happy to. I guess coffee isn’t enough to keep you going, huh?” she teased, referring to the earlier mishap.

Mia couldn’t help but furrow her eyebrows at Kira’s explanation as she thought back to the list of information that Lydia gave her. “So do omegas have blue eyes because they all have killed people? Sorry, I.. guess I’m just still getting the hang of all of this. The notes that I have are kind of a lot to read through at first glance. It feels like a whole other class to study for now.” She admitted as she rubbed the back of her neck and nodded, knowing that researching on her own was as good idea, even if she had to be careful. “I just don’t know what all is spells that I have to say out loud and what isn’t. Honestly it’s all super confusing.” She admitted, frowning as she listened to Kira continue before looking down at the grass and nodding. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then reached down to physically touch the patch of dead grass when she still wasn’t feeling anything. Just connecting her hand to it was enough for her to feel the dead energy though, and she tried to focus on reversing it as she imagined the grass becoming green again. And before she knew it, all of the patches of dead grass near them began to revive again. Flowers grew on top of them that were stepped on before and had died, and the tree that had rotted its bark also repaired itself as she tried to focus on all of it. When she opened her eyes again, she nearly fell over from how dizzy she was as she grabbed onto the nearby tree and blinked hard. 

Kira nodded. “Yeah, I think so. The whole ranking system for werewolves is interesting and complicated, and there are a bunch of different situations and rules for how they can move up or down a rank, but...we’ll save that for another time.” The first time Kira learned about werewolves felt like stepping into another dimension. It was a completely different world that she wasn’t familiar with, and even now, she was still continuously discovering more and more about them all the time despite the fact that they were a common species in Beacon Hills. Turning her attention to Mia, she watched as the other girl calmed herself down and began focusing on the dead grass beside them. The next thing she knew, Kira saw their surroundings slowly come back to life. All the dead grass was now a bright, vibrant green with blooming flowers, and even the tree that was once rotting was alive and thriving. It was almost as if the world finally woke up from a long, deep slumber, and the kitsune couldn’t help but smile like a child in a candy store. “You did it! That was amazing!” she told Mia when she finished, but she also saw that the girl was losing her balance. “But hey, take it easy. Don’t try to do so much at once. Focus on one thing at a time, and then you can work towards doing more, okay? This is a really great start, though. You're already doing so well!”

Lydia could tell that Kira was as disinterested and annoyed by the conversation as the banshee had been. It was kind of comforting to know that her friends who met Charles also had the same distaste and Lydia wasn’t completely crazy. She was right next to Kira ready to add to the conversation or step in- whatever Kira needed. This was completely new to Lydia and she figured she’d be learning on the go. She just hoped that nothing went wrong in the process. Her eyes were on Kira very cautiously and she noticed the shift in Kira’s movements, which led Lydia to believe she was about to get started. Lydia sat up straighter and paid close attention. She wished she could see what was actually happening but Lydia trusted Kira too. Her eyes shifted to Charles as his head hung low and his eyes were closed slightly, which gave Lydia the indication that at least something was working. 

As soon as Kira entered the mindscape, she made herself disappear so that Charles couldn’t see her. She safely watched from above as she began turning the empty void into a lively atmosphere -- the night of the winter formal at Beacon Hills High. Kira had seen glimpses of this memory from the one time that she had gone into Lydia’s mind a few months ago, and thus decided to recreate it here. Charles had now transformed into Lydia, stepping into the building with the same exact dress and makeup, down to almost every single detail. He didn’t seem to be surprised by the situation that he was placed into, and Kira could sense that he thought he was dreaming. So far, so good, she thought to herself. Fast-forwarding to the part when Lydia was attacked outside, the kitsune now sensed that Charles was in pain as he collapsed to the ground. He was breathing heavily, trying to make sense of what was happening as he desperately grasped onto whatever last bit of life was left, or so he thought.

Meanwhile, in reality, Kira felt a slight kick to her shin. Charles must’ve flinched or something, but she couldn’t tell since her eyes were closed. It wasn’t anything drastic, though. She was still fully in control.

Mia was surprised to hear that thunder kitsunes were even a thing. She’d never even heard the word before, but that sounded pretty cool. She’d have to go Google it when she got home, if Google even had the correct information. So were all movies about supernatural creatures based on the real thing? Were articles even accurate? She had no idea how to navigate any of this, and every time she tried to she just gave herself a big headache. “Your eyes glow like a werewolves do, though.. Sorry, I’m just.. trying to process all of this, I guess.” She listened to Kira’s words and froze for a moment when she realized that was probably true. It couldn’t be any easier suddenly having anger issues and not being able to control yourself under moonlight anymore. But she still felt hopeless, even if she truly wanted to believe Kira’s words. “I don’t even know what my powers are, if I’m being honest with you. I know they’re related to death, and I know I accidentally brought a dead deer back to life the other day, but I don’t know how I did it.. Someone told me I could practice on plants but I don’t know what to even do. It’s all just.. feelings, I guess. I think there’s spells, too, because I’m technically a witch.” God, this sounded crazy saying all of this out loud.

“Yep, but orange eyes aren’t a thing for werewolves, as far as I know. They only have red for alphas, gold for betas, and blue for omegas,” Kira explained. “I know this is a lot to take in, but this will all become muscle memory for you soon. You can always do more research on your own, but not everything you find is true.” She knew that all too well, not only from researching her own species, but also doing any kind of research related to the supernatural. Everything she found always seemed to be questionable or contradict one another. Kira nodded along as Mia continued speaking. “I think practicing on plants is a good place to start. And you’re right -- a lot of it is feelings and using your senses. Spells are likely an extension of that.” The kitsune pressed her lips together and thought for a moment. “Maybe you could try with this small patch of dead grass here. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing for a while. When you’re ready, open your eyes and reach out with your hand. Try to connect with the grass. Touch it if you need to. I don’t know what exactly happens after that, but maybe you’ll get some kind of tingly feeling in your hand, and then you do whatever you need to do to bend the grass to your will and make it come back to life.”

Mia had no idea what the hell a kitsune was, but she knew that she was overwhelmed in that moment. Every day felt like there was some new discovery for her, and her world was just turned completely upside down at this point. She didn’t know what to make of any of this anymore as she furrowed her eyebrows and slowly nodded. “A… thunder kitsune. Okay.” There wasn’t much else to say, since she was a little frustrated as she nodded at Kira’s words. She believed the girl, since she mentioned being in Scott’s pack, but she was still hesitant about accepting help. None of it seemed to really be working much. Not in the way she wanted it to. She just wished she had full control already, but clearly it wasn’t going to happen like that. “How, though?” She huffed, pausing when she realized how rude that was. “Sorry, I.. I just don’t know if it’s even possible. I haven’t had great luck with it, clearly.” She pointed to the grass and sighed as she looked back up at Kira. “If you can somehow get rid of this, I’m all ears.” That was genuinely what she wanted, but again she knew it wasn’t possible.

“Yes, a thunder kitsune. I can control electricity, among other things,” Kira told her, giving the shortest explanation possible. She could ramble on and on about all the other kinds of kitsunes and all the abilities she had, but she figured that she would save that for another time, or that Mia would learn about them eventually as they got to know each other better. For now, Kira was happy that Mia was gradually starting to believe and trust her. “That’s what all new supernaturals think. They’re scared and overwhelmed by what they can do, and they don’t think they’ll ever be able to control it.” Kira knew exactly how Mia felt, as she had gone through those same feelings herself. “But I can assure you that it’s possible. It takes time and practice, but you won’t be like this forever.” The kitsune glanced over at the dead grass beside them, grimacing slightly. “I mean, I can pull it out and throw it away, but I can’t bring it back to life. That’s not one of my powers, unfortunately. It’s one of yours though, right?”

One thing Lydia knew about Charles was that he loved talking about himself. So she figuring bringing up how he went to medical school was a great way to get him comfortable. It seemed to be working, since he leaned back on the bench with a wide smile on his face. He scooted a bit closer to Lydia and she immediately shifted casually to the side again, all while doing her best to remain smiling. “Wasn’t that hard for me.” He shrugged as though he was trying not to be arrogant- even though that was written all over his face. “I’m very smart.” He added and Lydia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She just hoped Kira was almost ready because Lydia didn’t know how much longer of this she could take. “Where in New York did you live? Personally I lived on the upper east side. Still have an apartment there if you guys want to come check it out one day.”

“Ah...I see. I guess you must’ve been one of the top students in your class when you applied to med school. That’s great,” Kira replied, pretending to still be interested even though she couldn’t be bothered to care anymore. She couldn’t stand people who were arrogant and bragged about themselves. At the same time, she was mentally preparing herself to get into Charles’ mind. She could tell that he was almost fully relaxed. Lydia needed to hang in there for just a little longer. “I lived right in New York City, in the middle of all the hustle-bustle of the city life. I haven’t been there ever since I moved here, though. Maybe I’ll swing by your place the next time I go back, if I get a chance.” Kira grinned, but she definitely didn’t want to visit his apartment, ever. “What’s it like over there, anyway? Must be nice and cozy, huh?” The kitsune could sense that Charles was completely relaxed now, and before he could get a chance to answer her question, she immediately intercepted his thoughts and connected with his mind. Both of their eyes were closed now, their heads hanging low as Kira began setting up the mindscape. It was now up to Lydia to keep watch in the real world and make sure things didn’t get out of hand.

Mia immediately looked over to the cars, and was thankful to see both of the drivers getting out to assess the damage. That could’ve turned out so much worse, and she barely even knew how she did that in the first place. It was just.. a feeling she got when her fists clenched. A powerful feeling, for sure. She took another step back when Kira came towards her, but before she knew it the girl grabbed her shoulders and made her eyes glow bright orange. It took everything in the blonde not to yelp, even if she was now aware of the supernatural. She still wasn’t used to any of it by any means, and she had no idea what this girl even was. Her guess was werewolf, but who even knew at this point. She took a shaky breath and shook her head slowly as she looked down at the grass and frowned. “What are you?” She asked, the fear pretty evident on her face as she unclenched her fists and just tried to let herself relax. It was getting harder and harder recently, but thankfully she managed it as she took a slow breath and looked up at Kira again. “I don’t know what you are, or even who you are really.. But you can’t help with this, trust me.” She may know Kira’s name and where she was from but that was about it.

Kira let go of Mia’s shoulders once she finally managed to relax, her eyes flickering back to normal as she let out a sigh of relief. What are you? The question rang through her mind. It was a question that she was all too familiar with, too used to getting, asked too many times. It became the norm for her -- she was one of the rarer species, after all. “I’m a thunder kitsune, your brother’s friend, and a member of the McCall pack. I’m one of the good guys. Please believe me when I say that I’m not here to hurt you or anyone else.” Kira immediately cut to the chase. It was frustrating to beat around the bush every time she came across someone else who was supernatural. “And I know that you’re a necromancer, just like Nate. You can communicate with the dead, which explains everything that just happened. I might not know everything about necromancers, but I can definitely help you learn how to control your powers,” she said, her words ringing true. “I was once new to all of this too, just like you. But, over time, I got better. So, I’m asking you again -- let me help you.”

Lydia felt sick to her stomach having this conversation with Charles. The very last thing she wanted to do was pretend to be nice to a guy who creeped her out so much and had hurt her in the past. But she knew that she needed to do this in order for their plan to work- Lydia didn’t want anything to go wrong that could potentially put Kira’s life in danger. “Nice to meet you, too. Did you girls want to have lunch with me?” Charles asked as he looked between the two girls and his smile grew even wider. He sat back down on the bench and motioned for them to sit with him. Lydia took a deep breath and smiled through her hatred. One thing about Lydia was she wasn’t a very good actress when she disliked someone; it was always written all over her face. “Sure.” Lydia replied back and sat down, though she made sure to keep her distance. “You know Kira here is from New York. Didn’t you go to medical school there?” Lydia asked, just wanting to make him comfortable enough around Kira. 

Kira could tell that Lydia was highly uncomfortable with this whole situation, but they needed to keep going if they wanted their plan to go through. “Of course,” the kitsune replied to Charles, sitting on the other side of him while maintaining a safe distance. Even if he tried to hurt her now, she was sure that she would be able to fight him off and protect herself and Lydia. When the banshee raised her question, Kira was genuinely surprised. “Oh? You went to med school in New York? That’s impressive! I’ve heard that it’s really hard to get into the program.” She could never imagine herself becoming a medical student and being in that kind of environment. She already dealt with enough from being involved with the supernatural. Adding medical school on top of that would only multiply the pressure and stress.

“I just.. I dunno, I never really knew her, ya know? So it’s just one of those things where I’m not sure if I’d even get closure from it or not.” Mia pointed out, before realizing she was gushing to a stranger yet again. She had a bad habit of oversharing, so she forced herself to just stop talking about her mom as she shrugged. “I have my dad now though, and he seems really nice. It’s definitely a lot nicer than the foster homes I’ve been living in.” The Sinclair’s clearly were wealthy, so she felt pretty well taken care of. It was relieving, after how she’d grown up. She was going to continue, but then Kira pointed out the tree and she glanced at it and frowned, knowing that it was her that was doing it. And the thought alone started to send her spiraling as she stepped backwards and some more grass underneath her feet wilted. “I’m.. Yeah, I don’t know.” She stammered, furrowing her eyebrows as she shook her head and closed her eyes tightly, trying to will it to stop. But the more she thought about it, the worse it got as she continued to shake her head and clenched her fists at her side. “Just stop..” She mumbled to herself, but it wasn’t working. Before she knew it, a wave of energy felt like it left her as a car nearby swerved and crashed into another one. It was only a fender bender, but still. Mia could tell she was the one who caused it. Her eyes widened when she opened them and then she took another step backwards. “I’m sorry, I don’t really.. I don’t know why that happened.” She tried to lie, but she was a terrible liar.

As Kira watched the tree continue to rot, its bark turning wrinkly and black as it began peeling from the trunk, she noticed another strange thing happening out of the corner of her eye. The grass at Mia’s feet was slowly beginning to die as well, and the next thing she knew, two cars crashed into each other out of nowhere. Kira was literally watching life being sucked out of their surroundings in real time, and she didn’t know what to do or how to explain it. It was in that moment that she saw the way Mia was reacting to all of this, the way she suddenly shut her eyes and clenched her fists tightly. It was a big indication of what was truly going on and a confirmation of what Kira had been thinking the whole time -- Mia was definitely a necromancer like her brother. Based on the way the girl was responding to the situation, Kira could tell that she was new to all of this and didn’t have much control over her powers yet. As Mia stepped back and tried to lie her way out, the kitsune shook her head, refusing to believe her. “Mia, look at me,” she said as she grabbed onto her shoulders, staring straight at her with her now brightly glowing orange eyes. “I know we only just met, but I’m sure you and I both know what’s really happening here. Please...let me help you.”