Stepback Tempo

• × Chapter Seven: Matchstick, Part 1 × •

"Something I can't lose?"

The young boy inquired. The trio was leaving the large dining room and stepping out back into the main lobby. Glancing around, Chancellor walked ahead of them and started heading for an elevator. Ensley gave a furrow of his brows, yet followed with the adolescent at his side. "Indeed," Chancellor spoke. They made it up to the machine's metal sheen, and the gambler pressed the door to open it as they waited. "Unchained to anything, that gem becomes easy to lose. How do you suppose you found it lying around?" He shifted his head over to the shorter, as with a ding did the elevator open, and they stepped into the small space. Jack stayed near the elder Oculatum's side, looking at Ensley's cane as Chancellor pressed a button and the doors closed shut, dust coming from the floor. "I understand what you mean. But... what will happen to it?" He questioned. In response, Ensley answered. "Most likely, if I'm correct, it'll be turned into a piece of jewelry you can wear. Therefore, it won't-"

There was a sudden silence. Ensley's brows furrowed once more, and he dipped his head back until Chancellor looked over. Eyes widening, Jacques heard the other sputter curse words as he stepped over to the Englishman, the elevator rising. "Don't you dare fucking sneeze! This is all metal!" Chancellor griped, and the boy watched as the two struggled. What did he mean by metal? Ensley soon clasped the back of one of his hands over his mouth, cane clattering to the floor of the elevator. He stumbled, the other hand rampantly finding purchase on a metal rail, and made a shaky breath. The other spirit watched uneasily, and Jack could see his body tremble. Stepping forward, Chancellor barked. "Back up, boy!" He spoke loudly, Ensley soon sneezing loudly. All of a sudden, Jack's gaze widened in shock and he stumbled back to the corner of the elevator. A gigantic plume of smoke and flames escaped the Englishman, filling the tiny room with dark smoke. Coughing, the others covered their mouths as the elevator hissed to a stop. The metal doors, not melted but hot to the touch, slid open and the giant plume of haze escaped into the halls as Jack sputtered to breathe. Chancellor grabbed his hand and kneeled down, shielding the boy from the rising puff of smoke as it disappeared above into the conditioning vents. Before the doors shut, the gambler hastily leaned his hand into the elevator and grabbed Ensley's cane, pulling it out as the doors shut once more. Fanning the smoke from his face, Ensley wiped the soot from his eyeglass and turned around in apology as Chancellor handed him the chrome staff. "Out of any time you had to sneeze, it was in a tiny room with a twelve year old." He spoke, standing up. The two were eye level as Jack got over his coughing fit, the Englishman frowning. In his eyeglass, there was the reflection of a low, blue flame. "It was unintentional. I did not mean to do such a thing." He commented, sucking in a low breath to clear out his lungs. Jacques however, looked up at Ensley and saw the man, his shoulders up still covered in a light dusting of soot. "What was that?" He spoke, wiping his nose on his sleeve. The chestnut-haired male looked up at the other with crossed arms, then exhaled a breath of smoke from his nose. "It's an add-on to this form. You can call it an ability, but I call it a curse." Ensley spoke as they started walking. Chancellor explained, walking in front of them once more and leading them down the hall. "You do know Ensley died by fire, correct?" Jack walked behind them listening and seeing a large puff of smoke in response from the shopkeeper. "I have not told him yet, Chancellor."

"Hm." Chancellor hummed languidly. "Well... as I suppose he already spoke of my death to you, he died years ago by accused witchcraft by his old spouse, and-" The man was suddenly cut off as Ensley stopped, holding his cane."I was burned alive, at the stake." Hearing the lack of footsteps behind him, Chancellor stopped as well, turning his head back and listening in. "My wife was..." A hand gripped at his chrome cane, and the elder grew uneasy. "...Being killed by flame, I was given the curse of it. Breathing from my nose tends to create smoke, and exhaling from my mouth creates flames."

"That means whether he coughs, sneezes, shouts or anything that requires him to breathe, he's going to burn things around him if he is not cautious." The other finished the explanation. Nodding silently, Jack understood. He had more questions about it, yet something about the flame spirit was off after the conversation, and he no longer brought it up. Silently, the trio kept walking, leaving the topic behind. Eventually, the boy spoke once more. "Chancellor... what about-"

"We're here." He interrupted, and Jack silenced himself once more. They came up to a wooden door, and the manager rapped at its surface and called. "This is Chancellor. I'm here to visit." He spoke, eyes watching the surface of the doorknob as he stepped back. After a moment, there was the subtle shuffling of feet, and the door unlocked and pulled itself open. A woman stood at the door, dressed in crisp business wear and a skirt that went down to her knees. Jack felt a warmth and looked up at her face, only to see... a head of flames. "Hello, you two." She curtly invited them in, her voice friendly and light. After a bit, she glanced down and the boy could almost feel eyes on him. "Oh? And... hello there to you as well. Who is this?" The stranger replied, as Ensley stepped into the room with the click of his cane and Chancellor followed behind. "We'll explain soon."

"Oh..?" She glanced at him, as the boy walked inside and glanced around. The woman closed the door, and Chancellor turned to the group in the room. "Jack, this is my friend Matchstick. Matchstick, this is Jack. He has a Perception Gem we need fixing."

"...Wait, what? This young?" She inquired. The large room they were in was nearly bare with a couch, a lamp, and a television, yet there was a door leading to another room that sat in the small space. Ensley had sat down the couch's plush surface, throwing a leg over the other and closing his eyes. Chancellor gave a nod, and watched as the woman looked over back at the young boy. He could see no face within the flames, but the possible outline of one. Jack suddenly clicked back into attention, taking his curious gaze off of the new stranger and handing her his gem. However, when he handed to her and stepped back, she stayed the exact same. Surprised, he looked over at Chancellor as Matchstick pulled open the door in the room, and walked inside with the gem. "She has no human form." He spoke lowly, brows furrowed. Hearing clutter, the gambler replied. "She doesn't simply need one. Oculatums carry the gift of not only being able to disguise themselves as humans, but to choose not to completely. Meaning, even other people can see her flame."

"Oh."

The boy mumbled, receiving a nod in response as Chancellor soon walked to the door. "Stay in here with Ensley. We'll come out when the stone is finished." He calmly ordered, and stepped into the room with Matchstick, shutting it as Jack watched. The shadow under the door's frame disappeared. Waiting, he eventually moved over until he sat down next to the other and relaxed into the couch with a sigh. It had been a very long day as is, and nonetheless did he need some rest. Sinking into its leathery sheen, Jacques eventually became comfortable, and fell asleep.