Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - [Interlude] Eyes of Fire [Fin]

[z-Infinity]

May 22nd, 2027

Infinity was pissed. She trudged along the trail, shaking with anger. It wasn't so bad, she tried to tell herself. She had a map and enough money to use a pay phone - if she could fucking find one in the middle of bum-fuck Montana. The issue was the Motherhunters. If they got wind she was out here. A team coming after her would be the end of her, no way around it.

I'm going to fucking kill Thrust. The spatially powered nova had once again decided that she was a project; a problem to solve. It didn't matter that she'd long ago decided that she wasn't going to force her powers by putting herself in bad or dangerous situations. It didn't matter that she'd told him no or that he knew Puck and Norman would be pissed. No, he had to try. He had to try to force her personal eruption: the apotheosis.

Her expression softened as she considered that dream: Apotheosis. Just the word sounded important, like it had the weight of the world on it. Like it had the power of the universe in it. She'd dreamed of what it would be like, to have that kind of power.

And now, she was walking back to New York. "Fuckin' Thrust," she snarled, hugging her flannel shirt around her. The first thing she'd done after the warp closed was shape her dress and shoes into some hiking gear. According to the map Thrust had left, she had about twenty miles to get to the nearest phone. "I'm going to fuckin' kill you," she seethed.

[Ling]

Ling was a restless wanderer of sorts, while he enjoyed working on long term projects he was partial to that of being a vagabond. So when he would be bored, or just plain out of whim, he would open a wyrmhole and just jump on through without any knowledge to where he was going. Today's foray led him to the wonderful state of Montana, big state, a bit of nothing, but there is beauty in nothing. He shaped his eufiber, removing his jacket and shirt, trinkets still dangling in the wind ashe flew slowly, enjoying the cold wind on his skin. He suddenly had a thought and spun like a top before shooting the stratosphere, gazing at the earth below, it was beautiful. His home, baselineshome, other nova's home, he wondered why they fought so about who's what. It's best to have fun together. He pondered once more, a little ice forming on his tone muscles. Doing a small flip and dive, he rocketed to the earth.

He stopped swiftly and abruptly just above the ground, this as a side effect kicked up a massive gust which blew past Infinity. As an expected result the young Terat gripped her arms tigthly with a shiver, "fuck fuck fuck!" While the gust was gone in an instant the effect remained as she continued up the path angrily stomping her feet.

Ling looked up from a large rock as she entered the clearing, the sun glistening off the moisture that remained on his tone chest and abs. His amber eyes met those crimson orbs and a small smile began, he remembered.

[z-Infinity]

Infinity paused as she saw the strange nova. He was cute, with pretty golden eyes and a lanky build that appealed. The wings were pretty sexy, too. Infinity had always been a sucker for a pretty set of wings. However, she was very much alone; if he was a motherhunter, she was so far beyond dead that she shouldn't even be breathing right now. "Fuck," she hissed as she considered her own mortality.

Slowly, she approached the smiling man. He looks like he recognizes me, but I'd remember him. Oh, this is so many ways not good, she sighed to herself. "Hi, there," she said, waving at him. "I don't supposed you have a spare four-by-four Jeep hidden somewhere so I could get back to civilization, do you?"

Look at that chest. Yummy.

Focus on survival - you can think about fucking later.

[Ling]

Ling continued his usual shit eating grin so to speak, "why would you want to go back, the world out here is quite nice." He spoke genuinely it seemed deceptive, who the fuck is this nice without a motive. "Those eyes, like rubies they shine, just like that night at the Rainbow Room," He looks Infinity over, "a diamond in the rough, to be Aladdin about it." He hopped off the rock and gently flapped his wings as he floated inches off the ground, "I could easily get you away from here, be the hero, they call me Wong."

He floated closer, his glistening chest and abdomen rising and falling as he spoke and breathed. There was something malevolent about him, in a good way, if that ever existed, he was sensual without being overwhelming. Warm and inviting he offers his hand, "and your name is?"

[z-Infinity]

Usually assassin's didn't offer their hands to shake or their names, so either he didn't mean to kill her or he was playing a longer game. She noticed that he was Chinese; that wasn't that uncommon, but after her few run-ins with the Triads, she had learned to be a bit wary. "I'm Infinity," she said, watching him for a reaction to the name. She didn't see anything beyond the usual reaction to an unusual name. "And I don't want to bother you. If you have a phone, I'll just make a quick call."

Wait, is he flirting with me? If he wasn't, he was talking about her eyes like jewels... Shit, I've seen this movie and I like having eyes!

[Ling]

Ling pulled his hand back and slid it in his pocket, "sorry, fresh out, you seem tense, would it help if I kept my hands in my pockets?" He smirked and set both feet on the ground, "I am not one to harm anyone really, so you're safe, I did want to meet you, but you seemed preoccupied with a pair of unnaturally handsome individuals." He thought a moment, "I understand this situation seems, arranged, but I assure you, I randomly warp places just to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, a fortuitous event I think." He smiled offering an insufferable yet sexy pout, "if you can avoid thinking me some crazed stalker."

"I'd like the pleasure of your company for a little bit, or I could just fly or warp you to the nearest phone, if you would trust either of those, if not I would gladly walk you there." He offered her a smile, he was sincere, but circumstances were against him.

She's gonna think you for a murderer, just play it cool and maybe she won't go crazy and run away screaming.

[z-Infinity]

"You're a nova. Hands in your pockets means only that you will give me less warning before you do something." Infinity's words could seem rude, but she has a wry smirk on her face as she took a small step toward him. "However, you don't seem like you want to hurt me." He could be lying, but Infi had long ago learned that people with nefarious purposes for you tended to act on them rather than talking to you first. Where she being chatted up in bar, this might be a case where she was being sized up for badness. In this isolated situation, badness would have happened immediately.

Or so she'd tell herself to not fall into a screaming panic.

"So what's wrong with the big city?" Infinity asked, tilting her head to the side. "You aren't a drooling feral, the bat wings aside."

[Ling]

"Hmph," he took a step forward, body moving fluidly, he was much taller than her, he leaned down, still maintaining a little personal space, of course at this angle, his abs looked amazing. "I carry the wings and lineage of dragons, or so my father said, but he believed much in the old traditions and myths, although with how things have turned out in the world, the myths are starting to be a touch believable wouldn't you agree?" His tone was sultry and playful, his fangs visible in the toothy grin.

"Now, as for the city, hrm, well, quite frankly, it just can't compare to what wonders that have existed on this planet for eons," he smirked, "don't get me wrong, dancing in the flashing lights of a club with music driving your body is good too." He studied her eyes a moment, "what brings you out here, a long way from the city life without a reliable way back?"

[z-Infinity]

Infinity snorted in clear irritation. "It wasn't my idea," she said, crossing her arms and looking pissed. Her eyes fairly snapped with outrage as she said, "A 'friend' decided that the way to help me develop rapid transit powers was to dump me somewhere I'd need rapid transit from." She stomped an irate foot. "Clearly, it doesn't work like that."

"Lousy friend," Ling noted.

"Yeah, no shit." Infinity sighed unhappily. "So, anyway... you out here finding the wonders that have existed on this planet for eons? Or just fulfilling your draconic nature by finding virgins to eat?" She paused and quickly said, "I'm not one. Just... so you know and shit."

[Ling]

"Aww, here I was hoping for a snack, maybe I can make an exception to the virgin rule just this once," he grinned devilishly at her and licked his lips slowly, "or maybe I just want a taste." He chortled, "or I could just be enjoying life, I know it sounds crazy, but villian's honor it's true." He held out the peace sign, his nails proving to be pointed, but at least not so much that they'd cause more than a sexy tingling across the skin...

[z-Infinity]

Flirting Infinity understood. With a slow grin, she purred, "Well, depending on where you wanna take the taste from, we might be able to arrange something." Puck was the furthest thing from possessive, so Infi wasn't worried about him being upset. He might be put out that she wouldn't share, but perhaps that could be arranged if Ling swung both ways. Or if not, Puck would pout but understand. Or try to seduce him.

"So, villain's honor?" she asked, smirking a little, noting the nails with a quiet shiver of delight. "I've not heard that one, and I'm a Terat. Of course, only Utopians call us villains. Are you part of the movement?" She didn't know everyone in the Teragen, after all, though she always liked meeting new people. Particularly cute people...

[Ling]

"No," he said shortly, "I really don't pay attention to such world politics, I am who I am, just your average draconic visage of amazing," he looked at her with devious eyes. "I will actually be playing a villian in a movie here soon, quite the amusing thing for someone not so outrageously beautiful it hurts others to just, do on a whim." He smirked, "like Bombshell, who I am working with, seems I had to close my eyes on that audition."

He smiled and flexed, as he turned slightly, "care to walk, or have me carry you a bit of the ways, perhaps take a longer route, to get to know each other better?" Ling licked his lips, "oh, and a taste test."

[z-Infinity]

Ok, he'd better mean in the fun way rather than than the culinary way, Infinity thought, though the look on her face didn't fade or show her uneasy thoughts. "I can't walk out of here," she said simply. "Not more than a few miles. My physique isn't enhanced by quantum." That was the truth, and left out the fact that none of her was enhanced by quantum. She wasn't looking for a pity-fuck tonight.

Which brought her to, why was he interested in her? Did he have a low self-esteem? Or was it something else? Infi had no idea, and so she was going to play it casual until she knew. "But we can walk for a bit. If that's what you were planning on doing. After all, you're the hero here - I'm just the one in distress." She gave him a wicked grin.

[Ling]

"Then a small walk it is, curious though..." he shook his head, "never mind, those questions might be something for later, but for now, how about things like, what do you enjoy doing?" He motioned for her to walk with him, offering a wing to protect her from the wind, he stepped gracefully with her throughout the forest, at a slow and leisurely pace, listening intently to her words.

[z-Infinity]

"Hah, nice, you sound like we're on a date," Infinity remarked as she accepted the shelter of a wing. "I enjoy sex a lot," she continued, not really letting him downplay the idea of the date. "I like to party and I enjoy concerts. And just so I don't sound like a complete bimbo, I like to discuss philosophy with my friends. Especially the philosophies that have arisen from the Nova Age." That was a subtle way of finding out whether he was a fan or enemy of Teras. He could be neutral, she mused to herself, but that was much less likely. Her beloved Mal's philosophy was either loved or hated - it rarely just was.

[Ling]

"Sexually liberated, that's a philosophy on it's own, I really don't pay attention much to the current Nova Age philosophies, seems most people are still trying to figure this all out." He nods letting her hold onto his wing close to her, "if we look at old myths, honestly it looks as though this sort of thing happened before, and wide reaching much like today." He grinned, "dragons in all core world histories, no coincidence, gods, and they all took root in our old societies, imaginations run wild, perhaps, but seeing what has occurred in the now, how can such an ideal be discounted."

Ling took a few chances to look at her eyes, they were pretty after all, "but one does have to wonder, if this happened before, where did they go, how was it dealt with in the past, did they just leave, is that what the past tells us the future may hold?" He paused and licked his lips, "knowing the past is as good as our future I think."

[z-Infinity]

"More importantly," Infinity asked, "what happened to the traces of them? Look at the impact that novas have made on the modern age. There should be signs of that, things that baselines couldn't accomplish. Don't start going on about the Baghdad Battery. That can and has been built by baselines. And imagine what the bones of someone like Geryon would like after a millennium. It's nice to think about but there's really no way to prove it. It's just as easy to believe that baselines have always dreamed about us, or that they have something in their genetic code that requires them to have exalted beings to look up to and worship."

Ling quirked an ebony eyebrow at her. Infinity shrugged. "I'm not saying we should let them worship us. I'm all for making my own path into this wide universe instead of being fawned over by lesser creatures. But even if we don't let them, they seem to need to worship us. Look at the masses that fawn over Bombshell. The unquestionable loyalty of the elite troops of the Congo. Hell, even a feral who can't put together five words without threatening to stab someone in the face has a cult around her. Humans need the divine in their lives, and we're physically a lot closer to them than God."

[Ling]

"It's possible that they took what wonders they made with them, or their wonders were more baseline than what we would expect." He gave her a grin, "they were primitive in nature when they would have erupted, if like the first Nova's of this age." He thought a moment, "the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence." Ling nodded, "I'm sure you were wondering, it's your eyes." he says simply and smiles at her. Infinity blinked and began but was cut off before she could speak, "as for worship, I wouldn't mind that provided there is treasure and tribute, I am a dragon after all, I must have a horde."

[z-Infinity]

"A horde? A horde of what?" Infinity asked, grinning at him. "Chocolate, beer, women?"

"Yes," Ling told her gravely and though he was smiling, Infinity wasn't sure if he was joking. Ling seemed to be one of those guys who was heavily touched by his particular twist of quantum. And that was okay with Infinity; it just made him all the more beautiful to her. It would be awkward if he tried to add her to his horde, but she'd deal with that if it happened.

"Have you started?" Infinity asked, winding her arms around his and pressing against his side. "I'd like to see it. If that's allowed, I mean."

[Ling]

"I don't see why not, could be fun," he pulled her close and enveloped her in the wing, his other wrapping around and clasping with the other claw. He was quite warm, all that energy and quantum had to make some mark other than wings.

"I hope you weren't asking because you wanted some chocolate, beer or women, that is something I am fresh out of, well, I may have a woman, at least temporarily." He winked and chuckled, "of course I wouldn't think of keeping a real person there, that would be cruel, and I wouldn't get to take her out anywhere, she'd probably be grumpy about being left in a cave."

He looked at her and smiled, it was warm, like his body, which smelled amazing.

[z-Infinity]

"Yeah, I imagine she would be," Infinity laughed, not adding, Especially if she's me. This was like some kind of weird dream; she'd been dropped in the middle nowhere and then rescued by a dragon-nova. "So is your cave nearby? Are we walking there? Or are you stalling to have a bit more time with me first?" The last was asked without a sign of unhappiness at the suggestion.

She wondered how long he'd play around with her; she sensed that, for whatever unknown reason, he wanted her. Infinity didn't understand that, at all. For now, she was willing to play along, maybe get some sex.

[Ling]

He replied simply enough to her questions, "nope, nu huh, and is it that blatant?"

Infinity smirked, "quite a bit."

Ling nodded, "it's actually in China, flying there at my current speed especially with someone in my arms, would still take hours; I was thinking about a minute to set up a warp." Dragons were usually quite honest in legend, after all, why lie when you are that powerful. "I could stand to keep walking with you of course, stalling for more conversation." He winked at her, that big grin all over his face.

[z-Infinity]

You had to smile back when he grinned like that. I wonder if he and Puck will get along. The thought left her struggling to stifle a giggle; she could see the dragon trying to add Puck to his collection. He'd have value just because of how much other women wanted the pale nova. Talk about a collectible.

"Alright, that's fine, though... China?" Infinity frowned as she peered up at the taller nova. "I have heard that China isn't very friendly toward novas. Why would you make your home there? I'd guess from your name that you're Chinese, but why wouldn't you move it somewhere else?"

[Ling]

"I have lived there since I was little, it's always been safe for me," he spoke as if the political side of his sovereign nation never crossed his mind. "I still live there in fact, I guess if I flew in it would be an issue, but for the most part I just warp there and keep a more human profile when in my home." He pulled her in a little reassuringly, "I wouldn't let a thing hurt such a treasure," he said warmly, his finger running down her jaw to her chin sent shivers. "If you would prefer to avoid such a place still, I will respect that." His tone was serious, like some white night, and yet, he was the dragon in the situation, a funny concept to think about seriously.

[z-Infinity]

"A more human profile?" Infinity asked, quirking a slim black eyebrow. "Do you hide your wings and other signs of your nova-ness?" She really hoped not; that would be unspeakably sad. Also, things like that made her angry, mostly because he shouldn't have to hide who and what he was. It was wrong to cloak his beauty in the trappings of a human body. The human form was so ordinary, so common, that it was anathema to the young woman. Sure, it could be beautiful, such as Bombshell or Puck or Darrik, but Infinity had always seen something special in those novas who broke the human-form into something new.

[Ling]

"Perhaps I should have said humble as opposed to human, I live a quiet life when I'm there, could call it a get away." He smirked, "I do not hide my wings, nor can I, but who the hell would want to hide sexy wings like these?" His smile never left once, he scratched his nose with his clawed index finger, she was interesting to say the least, a strange Nova, no powers known, but the taint is there, at least the mark of it was.

[z-Infinity]

This was great. Infinity didn’t get to often have discussions with someone like this nova. Many novas were insane with their own power, or talking and thinking on a level so far above Infinity that they might have well been insane. Others were just egotistical monsters. Wong appeared to be more like herself – mentally closer to human than to nova. Infinity wasn’t particularly proud of that, but it did make it easier to talk and relate to him.

“Humble? The mighty dragon?” she gently quipped. Her finger ran down his arm lightly. “And you’re right – there’s no reason to hide those beautiful wings.” Excitement curled in her gut, making her mind start churning with the possibilities of this meeting.

[Ling]

Ling looked her over, a clawed finger lightly traced up her back, "I could be more, feral if that's what you seek." His silvered tongue spoke promises of something more, "or I could be the philosopher, I can be whatever you desire." He mused and spun her about and dipped her, producing a wide grin before bringing her back to her feet. Ling walked along with her, "any decisions on where we're going now?"

[z-Infinity]

“I want you to be you,” Infinity told him somberly, her smile tugging lightly at her lips. Her red eyes were utterly serious as she explained, “Too many people are false or play at being who they think you want them to be. So few people act like the people they are, even among novas. They think there’s an image they have to maintain and they pretend.

“And for the rest – I want to go wherever you want to go.”

[Ling]

Ling grinned, she was intelligent, and nice to talk to, not every day you pick up a girl in the middle of nowhere. "I got a place, it will take a few warps to get there, just hang on tightly."

Infinity nodded and clutched at him tightly hiding a smile as she felt the definition of his muscles.

"Open sesame!" he snickered as a black hole formed in front of them, pulling air and dirt through it, and quickly enough, them. They appeared over a bay, fishing ships and other small vessels moved through the water going about their day to day, "wrong place."

"Wai-" Infinity sputtered as her feet dangled and he opened another gate pulling them through again. They appeared this time over a beautiful blue ocean, a pod of whales coming closer to the surface could be seen. Her eyes widened as she realized they were a lot closer than they should. The whales surfaced, and exhaled their blowholes over the both of them, covering the pair in seawater and whale breath. "This is not plea~"

"Porting again." Another black hole another kawoosh and they were now over a jungle. "And one more thing," he grinned and this time, they were in pitch blackness, Infinity clung to him shivering, as lights turned on with a snap and a slightly developed cavern-scape opened up before them. Adorned with many amenities a normal home would have, albeit not the best, there were trinkets strewn about, some in meticulous collections of similar items. The walls had random pieces of art and tapestries. Furniture was oddly abundant, but random, there were a couple beds, one king, the other a twin, a couple couches, a few chairs, all of shiny quality, a couple tables, and even a kitchenette was visible from their vantage. "Lair sweet lair." He grinned, it seemed his thing.

[z-Infinity]

“That was not nice,” Infinity said sharply. Despite her hard words, her tone was playful.

Ling responded in kind. “You didn’t seem to be into nice,” he told her bluntly.

The pale-skinned nova flushed hotly but didn’t argue with him. After all, he wasn’t lying. Red eyes wide, she looked around the room, focusing on all the art. “Wow, this is quite the collection,” she said, pausing to peer closely at a statue of a dragon. The smaller form under it was a woman, and it was hard to tell if it was a piece of erotic art or a large reptile about to enjoy dinner. The woman’s face could be conveying terror, or in the midst of a big O. Her lower half was covered by the dragon, but her breasts were clear through the rent in the clothing. It was rather suggestive, or it was to the young woman who was far too aware of the draconic nova behind her. “Do you live here alone?”

[Ling]

Ling stepped closer and pulled her in, his strong arms holding her tightly, a clawed finger tip at her chin. "I do indeed, but not in this moment," he said with feral undertones, "admiring a certain statue hm, I thought that one was quite, interesting." His words rang closely in her ear, and she could feel his breath upon her.

[z-Infinity]

"My interest was interesting? What does it say about the man who owns it, then?" Infinity turned her head, challenge in her eyes as she looked into his draconic orbs. "And to warp in so close it? Trying to get me to notice it?" Their faces were very close to one another's and Infinity's eyes dropped to his lips. She wasn't a shy girl but today, she let him be the hunter. It seemed more appropriate.

[Ling]

They were close, and he held her, he was in control, and she liked it that way. He kissed her out of feral desire, his strong arms ensuring the embrace. Stopping after such a powerful kiss, "believe what you want to." Leaving no room for words, he let the tension melt into feral lust, taking her in his lair, leaving rationality for pleasure of the flesh. They gave themselves to their passions for a time, long enough to almost break a few items before settling in on a large alpaca fur blanket, she was winded, while Ling proved to be the model of stamina.

[z-Infinity]

Of course he's not winded, Infinity sighed to herself. She ran her hands up and down his body - it was perfectly sculpted, naturally. These were the times that she really hated being the 'zip with a node'. She would have liked to have kept 'flying' with the 'dragon'. "Mmm," she sighed as she leaned against Wong. "That was fun," she murmured, stifling a yawn. "You're fun."

This morning, she'd had sex with Puck in New York followed by a swim in the Aegean Sea with friends after lunch. Now she'd just had sex with a dragon in China. Being a nova was awesome.

[Ling]

"Likewise," he smiled and moved stray strands of hair from her face, those eyes, he was fascinated still. "I have to say though, we just had sex, and we haven't known each other long, I think I'd like to know more about you." He kept her close, the option there for her to take it, but he didn't push the tired nova before him, unless of course she tempted at it. "Where do you come from, where did you learn that thing you do with your tongue?" He snickered lightly, "or we could go with the canon questions of what is your quest, your favorite color and the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

[z-Infinity]

Infinity grinned. She'd only seen that movie last year, when some of the other nursery kids had demanded to see it. They'd all been mostly disappointed; it had been made for another time and the quality of the film was far below their usual standards. Some of the jokes had been amusing, though, and Infinity was pleased that he'd heard them too. "I am going to elect to retain an air of mystery," she said softly as she trailed her fingers over his bare chest, "and not tell you where I come from. That thing I do with my tongue? I learned it from a gay man." She winked and added, "Not direct instruction of course. I'll let him know you appreciated that tip, though."

She didn't linger on Ling's tips that she might appreciate; instead she said, "My favorite color is silver, I have no idea about swallows - or at least not ones that fly - and my quest is to find ways to help my people, novas, live to their fullest potential." Her tongue ring clicked against her teeth for a moment before she asked, "Your turn to answer the same... well, I know you're from China. So how about color, quest and so on?"

[Ling]

Ling chuckled as he always did, she was amusing, and kept up, so rare. He thought a moment, "well, you already know my favorite color is red, something about such a ruby crimson, gets the old soul going, gold would have to be a close obvious second." He snickered, "as for my quest, hrm, I wish to ensure that mankind including those who have stepped beyond, live in peace," his tone suggested perhaps he wouldn't quibble with how. "I suppose so on, well I would like to collect even stars someday, what kind of gem would they make, a paultry dream, who knows if I inherited the longevity my apparent lineage suggests."

[z-Infinity]

"And now I know why you brought me here," Infinity said with a grin. "Though there are novas that have more red than I do. Bigger eyes, red skin and so on. Though you haven't met any of them today, so I have an edge." The smile was said without any self-deprecation, just simple fact. "So you want to collect stars? Can you get one for me?" She cuddled a little closer and murmured, "Just a little one, a blue one. Or maybe one of those red ones." Her voice had a sleepy edge to it, but she was clear-eyed as she peered up at him, blinking red eyes at him.

[Ling]

He offered her a smile and traced clawed fingers along her back, "you do have a certain edge, and now a more comfortable familiarity." Ling looked into her eyes, "perhaps one of each, depending on how things go." He chuckled, "interesting, a literal promise of the stars to a perplexing girl." He bit her lip and smiled, "let's hope it's really deliverable."