Girl on Fire

Chapter 21

"I think I was the best on that mission, personally!"

A couple of us actually groaned out loud.

We must have been flying for hours. Alix was right about the new group, they were a bit boisterous.

"No, I fought off that tiger!" another one with a dog as his symbol practically yelled.

"Really?" Ivy said admiringly. "How did you do that?"

"Oh, it was easy really, I just shifted into an elephant, one of my forms..." and he went off on another tangent.

I liked Ivy, but I had noticed that she wasn't very loyal, and seemed to attach herself to the person who was most in charge. First it was me, then it was Tefia, and after these kids had come in, she had practically ignored us.

"And then, I trampled my feet so that I could scare it away. So I think that I should get some credit for that!"

"Yes, but I-"

"Oh my god, just shut up." Ryker groaned. "I never thought that I would find people who actually talked more than me, but it looks like I've done it."

"Why should we listen to you?" one of the younger kids said.

"Oh you shut up, you barely even spoke at the beginning of the mission, you're just copying me." another snapped.

I plugged my fingers into my ears and sighed heavily, looking over at Tefia.

She smiled at me, and walked over to sit next to me.

"What do you reckon? Are they worse than me?" she said with a grin.

"No..." I said, looking up at the ceiling innocently.

She laughed, "Was I really that bad?"

I smiled, "You weren't exactly Miss Sunshine."

I opened out my palm in front of me and ignited a tiny fire on my palm. It danced around and leapt up into the air at my command, and then dived back down again, gently warning my hand. I kept repeating this, and actually found it to be quite calming.

Tefia watched it with fascination. "Does it not hurt at all?" she said. "What does it feel like?"

I thought for a moment, trying to decide how to explain it.

"It's like something tickling my hand, and it warms it up a bit. It doesn't hurt at all, but fire that I don't create hurts me. It always has hurt me, and I obviously never really thought about it before." I laughed harshly. "But when we were in science at the temporary training centre using Bunsen burners, I got burnt on my hand, thinking that the fire wouldn't hurt me." I cringed at the memory and put the fire out.

"Ouch, you must have felt quite stupid."

"Well, I was stupid. I shouldn't have done it without checking. I was being an idiot and showing off, but I only ended up looking dumb. Injured by my own element."

Tefia chuckled, "Wow, that is pretty stupid. I mean, what kind of idiot would do that?"

"Me kind of idiot." I sighed, noting that Tefia was being a bit mean again.

"Hey, do you wanna PLAY?" one of the little girls said, thrusting her face into mine.

"No," I said grouchily, "I need to sleep, it's been a long week."

"But you were just talking to her!" the girl protested, pointing rudely at Tefia.

"Come on, Ash!" Ivy joined in.