Flashf0rward

Chapter 13: Rest and Recuperation

Ivy

Since the both of us were on horses now, it allowed us to make up for lost time. We covered a lot of distance and eventually made our way out of the forest and into the rolling hills and plains of Seattle. Holding onto the reins, I looked back at Connor who was managing to keep up with me, and I smiled a little. "Horse treating you well?" I shouted back as he nodded and held on tighter.

Soon, the sun began to set, and the yellowish-orange glow of the sky shone over us, signalling that it was time for us to set up camp for the night. Looking around, I wasn't sure where we could go, then Connor whistled and motioned to a small willow tree that was close to the remains of a wheat field.

Cantering over there, we tied our horses to the branch, and I gave each of them some carrots I'd managed to bring along from the trip. "Looks like your new friend is starting to like you." Connor brushed some dirt off of his jacket and glared up at his horse. "He better be. He tried to buck me off at least 5 times back there." I laughed a little. "Well, if you really want to know, I can teach you how to ride him properly."

Connor sighed. "I...wouldn't mind that." I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Thought so." I motioned over to the field. "There should be plenty of wheat and grass left over there. You mind collecting some so we can start a fire?" Nodding, he went over to grab the supplies, and I pulled out the small box of matches that I'd brought while laying out our bedrolls.

After Connor returned, he placed a bundle of twigs and wheat into a pile, then I struck a match and placed it down onto it, starting a small smoulder, but nowhere near an actual fire. "Crap...not enough." Connor shook his head. "Hold on." Raising his hand, he moved closer to the pile of sticks, and suddenly the smoke burst into a much larger flame, allowing us to add a bit more fuel. He looked at me and sat back. "Gave it a bit more oxygen. Enough to start something bigger." I nodded, slightly impressed. "Not bad."

As the sun went down, we sat around the fire, heating up our pieces of jerky and eating them, seeing the firelight flicker in front of our faces, making our shadows dance behind us. The silence was getting to me, so I said the first thing that popped into my head. "So...quick question. We've met before, haven't we?"

He appeared confused by my question, then slowly realized what I meant. "Oh. Yes, we have. But I was much younger when we did, and you were unconscious." I frowned, placing my cheek on my hand. "What do you mean?" Connor rested his hand on his knee. "I was one of the metahumans that was in Reservoir. When your brother was attempting to get you out, I helped him carry you up to Tobias's chamber."

My eyes widened. "Oh. Well, thanks for that. Sorry, you just seemed slightly familiar to me, and I just couldn't put my finger on it." Looking down, Connor tapped his fingers on his knee. "That was back when I'd just started to gain my own will again. Reservoir had been telling me what to do for so long, and now I was finally free."

I winced when I remembered what some of the metahumans went through while training with Reservoir, or at least what my brother had told me. It wasn't pretty. "Was that how you lost your eye?" I said, motioning to it. Connor paused, and I thought that I had taken it too far, but he simply shook his head. "No. That was later."

Not wanting to push any further and make it worse, I changed the subject. "So, what other things can you do with your powers?" Looking back at me, Connor sat cross-legged. "Well, aside from making things move, I can make the air pressure change, as well as make it more difficult to breathe. I've never done that to anyone before, though."

The thought of being suffocated from Connor's ability didn't sound like a good way to go. Then, I thought of something else. "Wait...can you fly?" Connor's eye narrowed. "Why are you asking me all these questions?" I shrugged. "What? I gotta start conversation somehow." Connor sighed. "Then ask me something else." I laughed a little. "Why are you avoiding it? It's a simple question."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Connor spoke. "Alright, yes, I can fly." My eyes widened in excitement. "Really? Show me!" He shook his head. "No. I haven't done it in a while, I may not be as good at it as I used to be." I gave him a fake pout. "Come oooon, just a little bit? Please?" Connor gave me as much of a glare as he could with one eye. "No."

I sighed dramatically and rolled my eyes. "Fine, Mr. Grumpy." I ate some more of my jerky, and Connor ran his fingers through his hair. "You know, I wouldn't have come if I knew all you were going to do was ask me questions." I looked back at him. "Well fine, ask me one then. It's only fair."

Thinking to himself, Connor stayed silent for a moment. Then, he turned to me. "Why do you trust me?" I frowned. "What kind of question is that?" He shrugged and gave a hint of a smile as he drank from his canteen. "You wanted me to ask one. Your job to answer it." Sighing, I blew some hair out of my face. "Fine."

I considered what I should say for a moment, then I spoke. "You...don't seem like the kind of person who just beats up random people for fun." He raised an eyebrow. "Even though that's what I've done before?" I shook my head. "That's not what I meant. What I'm saying is, I think you have a reason behind the ways you act. The things that you do."

Putting down his canteen, Connor leaned forwards, putting his hands on his knees, a bit more interested now. "So why does that make you trust me?" I sighed and thought to myself. "Because you and I have the same thing. I do things sometimes that I'm not supposed to, but I always have a reason behind it, something that makes me do them. I don't just do them because I can, there's always a purpose. That's why you don't seem dangerous to me."

Connor looked at me with a strange expression, and I laughed a little. "What?" Connor blinked. "What?" I smirked. "You were looking at me funny." Frowning, Connor stretched his arms above his head. "I was? Hmmm." Narrowing my eyes, I pointed at my eyes, then at his. "I'm watching you, mister." Rolling his eyes, he sighed. "I'm sure you are."

The sun had dropped behind the horizon, and I could see the stars beginning to come out. "We should turn in for the night." Connor said as he conjured a gust of wind to blow out the fire. Climbing into my bedroll, I sighed as I closed my eyes, thinking about whether or not Connor agreed with me.