Lightning and Starlight

Pulling Away

Neera laughed as Vincent blasted the wall with his starlight, missing her by a few feet. "That sucked."

Vincent huffed, smiling. "I know, I know."

He stared at his hands a moment before looking back at Neera. "Why don't you try to hit me and I'll work on defense. I think my powers are...sore? I don't know."

"We can," Neera replied, shaking her head. She felt the familiar thrum of power coursing through her veins, collecting just under her skin. "Ready?"

"Well, as ready as I'll be."

Neera was nervous about using her powers against him, but over the weeks they'd been training together, she was getting more and more comfortable with it.

Neera stepped back and let her power loose. She aimed at the ground by Vincent's right foot, making him jump. "Gah!"

Neera laughed. Vincent mocked her laugh and gave her a playful grin. Neera shot toward the left of his head, and he bolted right. Before he could register another attack, Neera send a light-energy bolt directly at his stomach. It hit him straight on and he few back a few feet.

Neera laughed again as Vincent groaned and stuck his pinky finger up, his body still resting on the ground. Neera cocked her head in confusion until it hit her. He just gave her his version of the middle finger. She died out laughing, falling to the ground. Vincent pulled his head up and gave her a look.

Vincent got up and walked to the fridge to grab some water. Neera watched through her laughter and tears as he approached her with another bottle. He cracked it open, and her laughter slowed. Something in her melted, and she—

Vincent upturned the bottle on her head. She sputtered and grabbed his legs, making him hit the floor with a loud groan. She wrestled his bottle away and opened it, laughing uncontrollably. He protested as she got off of him and wiggled the bottle around. She stood close to him, watching as he stood slowly.

Something in the back of her mind was happy that it wasn't pure water, but she pushed the thoughts away. Koen would not ruin this moment of revenge for her.

"You want to be that way?" Neera said, smirking. "Then be that way. But I'll retaliate."

She surged forward with the bottle, and Vincent ran. She stood still, almost shocked at his reaction. He stopped running when he reached the opposite side of the gym, but that didn't stop Neera. She willed her energy to form into something new.

And then the open water bottle was soaring towards Vincent, propelled by crackling energy in the air. Vincent dove for the ground, but it didn't save him. Water soaked him, and he stood slowly.

"Oh," he said, smirking. "You're dead."

Vincent's eyes and hands glowed with starlight, and for a moment, Neera was entranced by the beauty. Then it blasted the ceiling.

Vincent backed up. "Uh oh. Um, Neera? Not to alarm you, but I think I accidentally got it out of control. Like, seriously. How do I fix this?"

Vincent sounded alarmed, but Neera was laughing too hard to help him. The result of her not helping him was another uncontrolled blast. This one sailed right for her.

She didn't notice it because of her intense laughter, and the starlight hit her straight on. She braced herself for the inevitable energy load it would give her. Vincent cursed in an archaic way and shook himself slightly, the light dimming from his eyes and hands.

Pure white overcame Neera's vision. She gasped as incredible amounts of energy shot into her system. She collapsed, breathing heavily. Vincent rushed to her side, placing a hand on her before ripping his hand back and cradling it to his chest.