FloriAlice 1 âFire and Iceâ: A Scorching Rendezvous
(Note: Finally I have my first entry in this little florialice/floriali prompt challenge thanks to @ficsbyvesper who everyone should check out btw! Bless Vesper fr. Anyways, this one was inspired by Florian's S-tier essence story and one of the recent product lines where Alice looks as if she's in a world of snow and ice.
This is kinda long so grab your snacks and drinks, folks.)
Flurries danced in the air, swirling down to earth gently as if they were figure skaters locked in a dance. They joined the already gathered snow laying on the hardened cold ground and would remain there for what would feel like an eternity.
This was nothing new to Alice who stood in the middle of this winter wonderland, but what did take her by surprise was the sight of a fox staring back at her from the shadows of a few trees. It wouldnât have been too strange a sight if it hadnât been for the fact that Alice was on her way to a museum that was just up ahead.
The path leading up to the museum was somewhat condensed with trees, so it shouldn't have been that unusual to see a fox here. Yet, Alice had couldn't recall ever hearing about foxes being in this area. Not to mention, it was a fox that appeared to be badly injured as half of its face appeared to be burnt away which in itself was cause for alarm for another reason:
Fire simply didnât exist in this world.Â
Long ago, it may have existed, but the witches and warlocks who studied magic had sought to eradicate such a destructive force in a world where ice and snow reigned. Ice and fire simply didnât mix and everyone had agreed it would be better to be rid of the infernal power before it truly burnt their icy world into a flood that would wipe them out.
Alice had never seen fire herself as they had achieved their goal many years ago. Yet, she had read plenty of books about it with some showing her images that captured the fiery phenomenon that seemed to not only be a source of heat, but provide a warmth she had never experienced, and a source of light that electricity could easily replace...and yet, she felt it wouldn't feel the same.
Still, Alice couldnât even imagine fire being a need in their world because even though they were cast in a neverending winter, it didnât bother any of them. It never felt cold per se, it was justâŚcomfortable and familiar.Â
It was all she had ever known but Aliceâs curiosity was never satiated and she always had wondered if it had been right to destroy the very existence of such an important element such as fire.
And now, something that shouldnât exist was staring right at her and was now walking up to her gently. Its paws treaded lightly across the snow and she caught her breath as she realized with a start that it left tiny sparks of flame with each step it took, melting the snow slightly as it did so.
Then it reached her and almost as if by magic, she suddenly noticed in its mouth, an envelope sealed by a symbol that was vaguely familiar to her.Â
Despite being captivated by such a creature and possibly seeing what appeared to be fire for the first time ever in her life, Alice still couldnât help but speak up:
âHello, is this for me?â the fox allowed her to take the letter from its mouth and let her read who the addressee was. âAh, I suppose not, but Iâll deliver it to her because Iâm actually on my way there now.â
Alice was never one to overstep othersâ personal boundaries but this was such a surreal encounter, she wanted to be sure this moment, this fox was real.
And so, she reached out and decided to see how the melted snow felt like. Yet, she wasnât sure if it was by her own miscalculation or if the fox misunderstood her intentions as it shifted its position at the same time, but her hand ended up mistakenly grazing one of its paws.
Still, that was enough for her hand to draw back in surprise. The warmth that had zapped her upon touching its paws caused her to gasp and step back a bit.Â
It was a heat that she had never felt before and coursed through her veins in a way that made her body temperature rise. Even if it was just by a degree, it was enough for her to feel that difference between her cold body and this foxâs fiery essence.Â
The fox, for its part, seemed slightly concerned which Alice found a little funny because she had never before encountered such an expressive animal before but for some reason she found it touching all the same.
âI'm alright, but I must go now. Thank you, Iâve never experienced anything like that and may never again. Oh, thatâs right!â how could she possibly forget about her camera.  Given such an incredible experience she nearly forgot about her trusty companion.Â
She brought it out and despite feeling a little silly, still asked, âMay I take your picture? I want to remember this moment.â
To her shock, the fox seemed to understand as it seemed to nod its head. It then sat a bit more properly, its tail curling around it making it look completely at ease. Alice couldn't help but wonder if she was a fox whisperer because she never took herself to be good with animals like this.
For the fox's part, it didnât seem to care which side she captured though it seemed to be aware of Alice staring at itâs injured side in a moment when her better judgement faltered. It tilted its head, its ears twitching almost as if it was a little amused by her hesitation.Â
Seeing this, Alice decided not to dillydally any longer and after adjusting the camera to her preferred settings for the shot, she took a couple of pictures.Â
And when she looked back up from her camera to thank the fox, it had disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. Even when Alice glanced around for it, all traces of the fox had gone including the melted snow that had already been replaced with freshly fallen flurries. No, waitâŚthere was one thing the fox had left behind.Â
Alice looked down at her gloved fingers and saw scorch marks left behind from the foxâs hot touch. While it had hurt in the moment, the lingering touch of the fox almost felt comforting in a weird way. It suddenly reminded her of the sun, an entity in the sky that was rarely seen in the ever grey skies of this world. The foxâs touch was like the briefest kiss from the sunâs rays before the world became hushed to the tones of snow and ice.
âşââ âď¸ ââşââşââ âď¸ ââşââşââ âď¸ ââşââşââ âď¸ ââşââşââ âď¸ ââşâ
âA fox you say?â the museum owner, a rather stout woman with tiny glasses, was saying as she pushed them up to squint at the envelope Alice had delivered to her.Â
âYes, it was a rather intuitive little creature,â Alice was about to say more about the fire and flames and everything but realized it may not be wise especially when it came to a woman like Miss Keigan Keogh. Instead, she adjusted the spare glove she had thankfully brought with her that had replaced her scorched one. It never hurt to be overly prepared.
âHmph, Iâve heard rumors about a fox delivering calling cards such as this from that thief,â Miss Keogh told Alice matter-of-factly.
âThief?â Alice repeated curiously.Â
Keigan looked over at Alice a bit disapprovingly. âHave you not heard of that thief, Spirit Fox? I thought your paper had reported on his latest crime. Are you not in the know?â
Alice felt a slight flush of embarrassment that she didnât let show on her face. She had just recently joined her paper so she was still a newbie but that was still no excuse to be ignorant. Though, she thought somewhat tersely, her colleagues were all men who didnât believe a female journalist would make it in such a field so there were some things they kept from her.Â
The reason she was here at this museum in the first place was because it was a rather easy interview assignment, or really supposed to have been if it wasnât for this new development.
âWell, I suppose that thief isnât worth wasting words on. The papers donât want to give him the attention he craves so he sends these calling cards to announce when heâll strike next,â Keigan was saying.Â
âAnd he does so by sending a fox?â Alice pressed. She desperately wanted to know more about this thief and his fox, but did her best not to give away her anticipation.
Keigan scoffed and responded, âHis so-called fox must be a demon from another world then as it is said to spew flame which is a power that hasnât existed for centuries, as you very well must know, Miss DeRossâŚâ
She looked over at Alice pointedly who nodded her head. Best not to argue or debate the facts, Alice thought to herself as she gripped her camera, thinking about the picture she had just taken of the fox.Â
With their conversation hitting an impasse, the museum owner turned back to the envelope and opened it after obtaining a letter opener on her desk. After perusing it, she harrumphed and tore it into pieces before throwing it into the garbage bin.Â
âMay I ask what it said?â Alice couldnât help herself and had felt a bit of herself be torn apart as well.Â
âJust some nonsense about stealing one of the museumâs most prized possessions, a grimoire we obtained from a generous anonymous donor about a month ago. I couldnât help but read a bit of it before putting it on display and I must say, it was very enlightening,â Keigan thought over her words a bit in a brief moment of clarity. âPerhaps we should reinforce our security a bit.â
âWhen is a planning on stealing the grimoire?â
âTonight,â was the curt answer back.
âTonight?!â was the shocked answer back.
And so it was. Alice followed Keigan around in a bid to at least accomplish her purpose of coming to the museum to interview her as the museum owner went around enforcing strict measures and gathering her security. While it was hard to interview in this way, Alice was still able to accomplish her mission.Â
But at the end of the day, naturally, her curiosity got the better of her and she decided to spend a night in the museum because a bigger scoop at landed in her lap.
But how to do that was a bit of a challenge because Alice was no thief nor was she used to staying illegally in public places but here she was, using her recently gained knowledge of how the security works at the museum to find a space she could take refuge in until the time came.
Fortunately, after saying her goodbyes to Keigan and feigning leave from the museum, Alice was able to recall a handy supply area that held inventory of museum collections either yet to be displayed or taken down from being exhibited. Not many wandered here and Alice could only hope this wasnât the one instance someone would come by to check. And what was more, it was near the room where the grimoire was held.
Unfortunately, while Alice had taken notes of where the security cameras were, there was still a huge chance sheâd be caught. Perhaps as she sat here and waited, she could come up with ways to figure out how to knock out the cameras if need beâŚ
Oh dearâŚmaybe she was in a slight predicament. But anything for the truth, right?
Time passed and Alice stayed alert, keeping an ear out for any movement or signs of noises of forced entry. Yet, nothing came for the longest time. Thus in order to tamper her patience, Alice cracked open her notebook and started writing down all she knew about this thief:
Had a very clever fox delivering his calling cards
Goes by the name âSpirit Thiefâ (for reasons Alice had yet to know)
Was still not too known yet but reaching prominence
Seemed to have no set motive in what he takes
Despite how unimpressed Keigan was, this thief has been successful in all his operations thus farâŚ
Seems to act alone besides his trusty companion fox but rumors abound that he is seeking companions
And most importantly, he is tied to an element that no longer exists. Does that mean fire is
Alice stopped writing and looked up from her notebook sensing a shift in the air despite all remaining quiet. She stood up, for she had been sitting down by some paintings, and perked up her ears and listened closely.
It took a few moments of only hearing her own breathing, but there! It was a soft pitter patter sound that one could mistake for the fallen snow which usually got heavier at night, but this sounded like footsteps. Yet, Alice was perplexed. This sounded more like a foxâs footfalls than a humanâsâŚ
At this, her heart beat a little faster and she quickly gathered herself and her belongings to pursue the noise. She just had to first get herself out of this room which was locked. No problem, as she had learned how to pick locks because in her line of work it came in handy forâŚreasons. Certainly for honest reasons, of course.
Regardless, she was soon out of the room and carefully made her way to the room where the grimoire lay in wait to be captured or not to be. The museum was dark and naught a peep was heard as she tiptoed to her target. Alice remained calm and while the sound of footsteps had ceased, she knew her thief was somewhere nearby.Â
Alice remained so focus that she nearly missed her turn, but upon seeing a light suddenly flood the hallway that she was in, made her snap back into reality. Oh yes, one of the security guards should be passing by right now and while she had been keeping track of their timing, her thoughts made her miss her cue.
She was about to be found and she barely had time to hide herself before the flashlight swivelled in her direction. Â
But providence was on her side as a sudden commotion, not from the grimoire room as one would suspect, but from the nearby gallery caused the flashlightâs owner to swivel away from her to the new disturbance. Alice didnât hesitate and took her chance to head into the grimoireâs room.Â
Once inside, she could let out a sigh of relief before looking around swiftly to see if anything was out of place, including the grimoire. But, it appeared it was still safe and sound. Actually, this room looked as if it had remained untouched since she was in here earlier with Miss Keogh.
Alice cautiously approached the grimoire and peered at it closely. It did seem as if it was the real one for you never knew if the thief had already been here and replaced it. Yet, it seemed the same as ever as it rested within its glass case, humming with a dark energy that made Alice slightly cringe back a little.
She had heard rumors that the grimoire promised to grant oneâs deepest desires but on the caveat that one must sign a contract with the devil. Alice found the thought a tad amusing though. Only because the devil was traditionally tied to fire which didnât exist in this world. Which made her wonder about this thiefâŚ
Yet, when she thought about that fox from earlier, she hadnât sense such malice or devilry but it had brought fire and thus, Alice had to get to the heart of this or sheâd never forgive herself.
âPardon me, am I intruding?â a sudden cheerful voice pierced her ears and with a start she jumped back a bit.
Her eyes met the fiery eyes of a face that was half burnt away as if fire had marked this individual as its own. At first, she had the briefest thought that this was her fox from earlier, but then she realized it was a human face she was looking at exceptâŚone of his eyes didnât look like his at all, but that of a foxâs. That, and he was upside down.
This new stranger was outfitted all in white with splashes of orange reminiscent of the flames that seemed to be wavering behind him.
No, wait, as Aliceâs eyes adjusted to this manâs appearance, for it was rather flamboyant (to put it nicely), she realized with a start that those flames were tails. Even the orange covering wrapped around his neck, covering a part of his chest wasnât a scarf like she had thought but a fox that looked almost exactly like the one she had met this morning. Except it's burnt mark was on the other side of its face. Was it real?Â
Her eyes mustâve betrayed her dismay for the stranger glanced down at the fox then looked back at her. âAre you worried this is real? Donât be. Think of it as my guardian spirit.â
âYouâre the thief,â Alice stated, for once her brain was racing to keep up with everything was happening.Â
Spirit Fox nodded, a wide grin emerging on his face. Alice noted that he had rather sharp canines similar to an actual fox and this intrigued her further because as she took an even more careful look over of him, he appeared as if he was more of a fox turned human than an actual human being.
But what really got her was the fact that, âYouâre on fire,â she couldnât help but blurt out. âBut fire doesnât exist anymore.â
Spirit Foxâs grin became a bit more mysterious as he finally flipped himself down onto the ground and landed in a way where his pose resembled a predator about to pounce on his prey. Thankfully, he seemed more good-natured than that as he stared at her more closely as he stood up properly.Â
âIt is difficult to destroy something that should naturally exist in this world,â he said sounding neither bitter about it nor upset. He turned his eyes to the grimoire. âBut this. This does not belong in this world and must face conflagration to reveal its truth.â
Conflagration? As in a huge fire? Alice frowned wondering what he was saying would even be possible but she quickly perished the thought. Just being in such close proximity to him made her sense a burning heat that radiated from his very being. She worried he would combust right then and there.
Seeing her expression, his tails shook in delight as he took a step toward the grimoire. âYou donât believe me?â
âIâŚâ Alice hesitated, taking in this strange thief again. When she locked eyes with him, a sudden familiarity overtook her as she was reminded of this morning. âIs your little fox going to help you?â
She gestured towards the faux fox wrapped around his shoulders that resembled him in a way.Â
The thief tilted his head in another familiar gesture and then broke into laughter that was almost infectious if Alice didnât feel a bit slighted.Â
âApologies,â the thief quickly discerned that he had upset her and reached out his hand to her. âWhy donât I show you?â
Alice hesitated once again. Should she really trust this weird fire-wielding strangely dressed fox-like man? Still, his two eyesâone fox-like, the other humanâpeered almost pleadingly into hers and she rather quickly gave in to her curiosity.
Alice gingerly reached out and felt her fingertips brush against his. And almost instantly, the same zapping sensation she felt from this morning alighted in her, except it felt more controlled and spread throughout her like a blanket of warmth filling her with a sense that she would be okay. She would be alright and she whole-heartedly believed it. Â
She almost stumbled from the sudden sensation of what she could only assume was the power of fire, but the thief drew himself away as soon as he saw her become unstable.Â
âIâm sorry, Iâm not used to showing this power in front of humans. I still am not sure how much I can share that would not cause you harm,â he confessed looking both concerned and apologetic.
âYouâre not human?â Alice questioned, noticing his choice of words.
He gave her a soft uncertain smile. âPerhaps.â
It was the only answer he was willing to give as he glanced at his wrist, âAh, I have enjoyed our conversation so much that I nearly forgot the time. I must go.â
At this, Alice couldnât help but look over at the glass case and was shocked to see the grimoire was missing. Since whenâ
âBut before I leave, I want to remember this moment.â
Alice was even more flabbergasted when he pulled at her cameraâHER CAMERA, since when did heâand swiftly took a picture of the two of them together. But his words and gestures still sunk into her like a distant memory.
This morning truly felt like a world away now and in a sense it was, because she could never go back to being the Alice she had been when she had woken up this morning. Not after the encounters she had had today.
Meanwhile, Sprit Fox was apologizing to her (again) and handed back her camera. Certainly, he wasnât called a thief for nothing.Â
âUntil we meet again, miss~â he turned to leave, but Alice who was looking down at one of her gloved hands, now scorched in a similar manner like this morning, couldnât help but speak up.
âDonât you want your picture?â she asked.Â
âNo need. I did it more for show than anything,â he responded back with a sort of cheekiness that seemed on par with her vision of a phantom thief. âAnd besides, I sear every memory in my mind for even fire cannot erase my most precious memories.â
She wasnât sure howâd he escape this room but if how the fox disappeared earlier this morning was anything to go on, she feared this would be the last she saw of him.
âNo,â she called out before he melted into the shadows. At this point, she could only see his tails, all aflame, swishing back and forth. But they had stopped and before he could say anything Alice continued, âOnce theyâre developed, Iâll give them to you. Just promise to meet me again in the snow..." she couldn't help but pause for effect to emphasize her point, "just like this morning.â
The tails pricked up a bit as if she had actually surprised him. Then they settled down again as he partially turned to look back at her. It was his fox eye burning with an emotion she couldnât place from where she stood that met her gaze again.
At first, it just stared at her, taking her very essence in before seemingly glancing down at her slightly scorched fingertips.Â
âI promise.âÂ
(Note: A little clumsy especially with Alice sneaking around the museum but don't worry Florian helped her intentionally and unintentionally as the staff will find out that their cameras have mysterious stopped functioning entirely as if the very footage had been wiped from existence. Fire magic mayhaps?
Anyways, I had fun with this one despite having some difficulties at first. Stay tuned for three more prompts at least!)













