Firefox

Stoking the Flame

Solar Year 193

"Do you really think I should do that, Dad?" Rei asked, sat across from their father at the dinner table.

It had been about a month since the mass combustion event that Rei was caught up in. And just as long since Arko had brought up joining the Special Fire Force to Rei.

"In the end, it's all up to you, hon. But, you have an ability that not many people have," Arko pointed out, "The Lieutenant said he would keep an eye out for you if you want to apply. But, I also think that, you're strong enough for it; your heart is."

The remainder of that dinner was fairly quiet while Rei was in thought. Since he was thirteen, they would be old enough to start at the Fire Force Academy.

It wasn't long after that Rei was filling out an application for the Fire Force Academy. And, as per Lieutenant Pan, it didn't take long for Rei to get a letter saying they'd been accepted.

The day Rei was meant to leave, they stood in front of the door with a backpack and heavy heart.

"I know you're gonna make me proud, Rei," Arko said with a warm smile before opening his arms for a hug.

Rei accepted the hug, breathing in their father's scent.

"I'll be rooting for you."

"Thanks, Dad," Rei said softly.

The soft moment didn't last long, though.

Rei noticed their father stiffen up in their embrace, and they could hear a soft sizzle.

"R-Rei, I'm s-sorry," Arko stammered out.

Rei pulled back slightly from the hug, only to see their father breaking out into flames.

"Dad, no," Rei nearly sobbed out as they stepped back from the hug.

Another person they cared about was turning infernal.

"R-Rei," Arko almost gasped out, "Please."

They knew what he was trying to ask.

Rei and their Father hadn't really been people who followed the teachings of the Church all that closely, Arko seeing and teaching Rei that the Sun was the fire that gave us life, rather than some God.

So, to Arko, he probably wouldn't have wanted anyone but his child to be the one to lay him to rest.

Rei drew a deep breathe as they screwed their eyes shut, quickly pulled off their shoes, and lit their ignition ability. A tail of fire bloomed near the base of Rei's spine, their hands and feet became covered in fire, and their ears were cupped in fire as well.

"Látom, Dad," Rei muttered softly before thrusting their hand forward towards their Father's heart, piercing his forming core.

The infernal that Arko became seemed to have enough semblance of self left that, before crumbling, he reached a hand out to cup Rei's cheek; a gesture to thank his child.

As the infernal crumbled around Rei's hand, they stopped their own flames, but did not move, instead only sobbing. Rei folded forward, their hands clutching their shirt just over their fresh scar, wailing at the loss of their father. He was the last person they had who believed in them; cared about them.

And every one of the people that Rei had been close to, were all unpowered; consumed by the flames that spared Rei.

Understandably, Rei ended up being late arriving to the Academy.

"There you are, Kāneko," Lieutenant Pan greeted, "Your father not seeing you off?"

"No, sir," Rei said in a hollow voice.

Lieutenant Pan gave Rei a confused look.

"He, um, he went infernal; right as I was leaving," Rei admitted, their eyes misting anew.

Lieutenant Pan's eyes grew wider for a moment,

"Do you not live in our jurisdiction? I don't recall just getting a call."

"Didn't make a call," Rei admitted, "I, laid him to rest myself."

The Lieutenant was silent, but his hand did come to rest on Rei's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Kāneko," Lieutenant Pan said softly, his hand shifting to guide them inside, "Let's uh, let's get you settled, then."

As Rei went into the Academy and got started, they not only kept to themself as they tried to process their grief, but that there were also a large percentage of men in the Academy; which made sense.

"Alright, Ito, you're gonna spar with Kāneko. Hand-to-hand first, minimal use of your ignition abilities," Lieutenant Pan instructed before gesturing to the open space in front of the group of recruits.

"Don't worry, Kāneko," Ito started as he strode to the open space, "I'll take it easy on you."

Rei didn't say anything as they took their sandals off before dropping their stance slightly, bracing to fight Ito.

"Come at me, little girl," Ito taunted with a smirk.

Rei rolled their eyes, but they sparked their ignition ability for only a moment to give themself a push forward. Immediately, their right hand seized Ito's left wrist, catching the male off guard. He took a step back, only for Rei to land a hit to his stomach, their hand curled into a paw and striking with the heel of their hand. They turned their hand an laid in another hit before hooking their left foot around Ito's and pulled it out from under him, knocking him to the ground.

Rei held onto Ito's wrists as he fell. Once Lieutenant Pan blew his whistle, they released their hold.

"Thanks for taking it easy on me," Rei said sarcastically before going back into line, the guys chuckling at Ito for getting beaten so easily.

And, while in drills Rei was a model recruit, their questioning nature was being noted in their file.

"Is there any way you can tell someone will be a second or third gen?"

"How come we haven't managed to figure out some way to at least predict Spontaneous Human Combustion?"

 "Why do the other Companies have such a hard time working together?"

"Why do honestly good people have to combust, but someone else who's terrible doesn't? "

"Why does the Church teach people both to be fearful of Combusting, but that they should seek shelter within a God of fire?"

"How do we know that every person wants a prayer when they're put to rest?"

"Why do all orphans have to go to a convent or monastery? What if they don't feel a 'calling' to devote themself to the Church?"

It made Rei's three years at the Academy long and lonely. Their stand-offish front put most people off from them; usually being the one to beat them up in spars didn't help, either. There were only a few people who armed up to Rei enough to get past their stoic exterior they'd formed.