Matilda, Child of Fire

TSoT/MMV: Pretty Little Pyro Practice

21 TSoT/MMV: Pretty Little Pyro Practice

"There's a place that I know/It's not pretty there and few have ever gone/If I show it to you now/Will it make you run away?/Everybody's got a dark side/Do you love me? Can you love mine?"

-Kelly Clarkson, song "Dark Side"

7:30 am, Three Days Later, 88th Floor, Alcove, Purgatory Corporation (PC), One PC Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The elevator doors swung open as Matilda stepped out onto the pearlescent marble-floored hallway, coffee thermos, personal belongings, and all. Her olive green dress fluttered this way and that as she walked toward the minimalist-chic waiting area in front of her and sat on one of the cubic leather seats, her hand fidgeting around the key that Persephone had left on her desk two afternoons ago, encouraging her to try her hand at pyro-target practice in the building's fireproof basement. Day one of Wyatt, she thought to herself, thoroughly dreading it.

Upon seeing Wyatt waiting in the alcove feet away from her, she stood, nodded a curt hello, and strode past to summon the elevator once more, which opened almost instantaneously. They both stepped in, and the elevator doors shuddered to a close, as she pressed the button that would take them both to the basement.

7:38 am, Elevator, Purgatory Corporation (PC), One PC Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Wyatt began to utter niceties, but Matilda sharply cut him off. "Listen, don't talk—" she hissed, staring straight ahead as they descended downward, whizzing past each floor with dizzying speed. "I'm keeping things professional. Call me "Val" in front of others and I will end you. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," he responded, barely above a whisper, not daring to move a muscle lest Matilda scorch his freshly pressed linen shirt.

7:50 am, Basement Target Practice Room, Purgatory Corporation (PC), One PC Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The elevator landed with a single reverberating echo, opening to reveal a nondescript door further up ahead. Walking a few steps, Matilda stopped just short of the entryway and shakily twisted the key into the door, which swung open to reveal an equally-plain slate-colored room made of what appeared to be cement, but which was likely enchanted due to its advertised fire-proof, bulletproof quality.

She entered the minimalist space, followed by Wyatt, which was empty save for a smattering of Dutch Pulk design brand pieces on one end of the room, consisting of a Shunan coffee table: a circular flat black piece of iron atop four stool legs that intersected in a perpendicular fashion at its bottom; and several Plus Hexagon gold-colored hexagonal velvet pillows piled in a corner of the room alongside a couple of Plus Rectangle royal blue-colored pillows. Atop the Shunan coffee table was a Rare crystal beaker-shaped decanter as well as two accompanying angular Radiant crystal water glasses and what appeared to be a simple candle stick.

7:55 am, Basement Target Practice Room, Purgatory Corporation (PC), One PC Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Matilda faced the opposite end of the room, her back to the various Dutch pieces. How was this supposed to work? She made as if to remove an earring entirely, but Wyatt called out. "Not that way, Val!" She sighed.

"Then how?" In response, Wyatt, with a pop, orbed directly to the candlestick, then popped and appeared feet away from Matilda herself. Showoff, she thought to herself, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Loosen an earring and light the candle wick on fire," Wyatt said calmly, and Matilda did so, tweaking her earring back about a millimeter precisely. She glanced at the flame and back at Wyatt. Seriously? This was too easy. "Ok, next, make the flame leave the wick and hover in the air unsupported."