Network: Leave Me Here, Burning With You

[bloodalwaystells]

Who: Andrew Jaeger
Username: a.jaeger
Warnings: cw: fire damage/injuries, mention of death




Hello. For those who don't know me, my name is Andrew Jaeger and I'm involved in the Investigation and Security divisions of ADI.

I wanted to make the group aware of some work I've been doing on a string of fires. Due to past incidents involving the Desolation, I've been keeping an eye on reports for arson and other suspicious fires, matching them to the modus operandi of the Avatar we know as Pyre. These recent reports caught my eye, particularly as they seem to be moving toward Massachusetts from the original incident in New Haven, Connecticut.

Specifically, the situation is this: the popularity of "fire shots", or lighting a shot or cocktail with high alcohol content on fire, has led to injuries and four deaths in the area, and reports of a patron ordering several fire shots and then vanishing. One bartender has claimed that she witnessed a man drink a still-flaming shot right in front of her.

Right now this is unfortunately spotty, but I want to keep an eye on it. The proximity, the spectacle, and the unfortunate fatalities are worth noting. I'm happy to accept any questions, comments, or other information for my file- if I can make a concrete case for further investigation, I'll submit it for action. Otherwise, it will be filed with ADI as a case to be watched, since Pyre is still unaccounted for and a credible threat.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

[canofmanji]

it is. everything im use it is several hundred years out of date

[bloodalwaystells]

That sounds like it would be difficult to get used to, then. Hopefully you're making progress.

[canofmanji]

somewhat. some days are harder than others. like when people make me text on these stupid glass bricks. [He's not actually upset; seeing as he didn't have to respond to this. He's just a bitter old man in his late twenties.]

[bloodalwaystells]

[Oops. Sorry, Manji, except not really.]

It does take some getting used to, I imagine. I grew up in a world very similar to this one and I still get frustrated at times. In some ways, it's very convenient and in others it just complicates things terribly.

How long have you been here?

[canofmanji]

few months. no closer to getting back. [Did Andrew ask that? No. Is Manji so bitter about this he'll sneak it in everywhere? Yes.]

[bloodalwaystells]

[Andrew didn't ask, but he's not particularly surprised, either. It's perfectly reasonable that some people would still be trying to find their way back...no matter how futile it might seem.]

I wish you luck with that. People have disappeared, but we have no way of knowing if they were returned to their own worlds, or simply vanished. It would be a good thing to have an answer to.

[canofmanji]

or if adi decided they werent useful to them anymore and locked them up in their basement. [He may be talking from experience.]

[bloodalwaystells]

Given the danger presented by potential Avatars-in-the-making, I can't say I would be completely surprised. ADI hasn't exactly made a secret of the possibility and the threat is very real given the influence of the Powers.

[canofmanji]

yeah so better to use us until they cant control us anymore before throwing us away.

[bloodalwaystells]

That's a rather cynical view, but unfortunately I can't promise that you're wrong.

I believe that ADI means well, but that doesn't mean I trust them.

[canofmanji]

in my experience? those who lock people away underground in secret? they dont mean well. they only want to gain more power.

[bloodalwaystells]

It's a hard call to make. We don't always have a lot of options when it comes to controlling those that are truly dangerous. Execution isn't particularly agreeable, either, but there's a lot of hard necessities in the world.

[canofmanji]

And who says they need to be controlled? Maybe all they're really doing is trying to break free of the ADI.

[bloodalwaystells]

When they are gaining their power by torturing and murdering people, that's usually a pretty good indicator that they need to be stopped.

I don't think ADI is always right in their approach, or how much information they keep from us, but I fought things very similar to Avatars in my own world and have seen the horror they can inflict.

[canofmanji]

Maybe they wouldn't have to go to such extremes if ADI didn't treat abilities as trouble before even giving them a chance. [Truthfully? Manji can understand ADI's stance on not allowing people to use their abilities. He knows how tired and lethargic he often feels when he tries not to 'feed', just like how he knows the only way he can make that exhausted feeling go away.]

[bloodalwaystells]

Normally I might agree, but I come from a world where certain types of magic are incredibly corrosive, and seeing the influence the Powers have on those of us that do have extranormal abilities is very sobering.

It may just be the way this world is, unfortunately, but I understand their concern given the price of magic here. There's some room for discussion for some of us, I think, but most every Avatar we've seen so far has been consumed with their need for inflicting pain and fear. There is a point of no return.

[canofmanji]

And what might your power or ability be?

[bloodalwaystells]

I'm a trained combat mage, with some minor spiritist and divination ability.

[canofmanji]

so what? you see ghosts or something?

[bloodalwaystells]

Ghosts, sometimes. Also the natural spirits of places, what most would call something like elementals.

[canofmanji]

elementals? like people made of fire? or that dark chick?

[bloodalwaystells]

A little bit, maybe, but not quite. The spirits I'm used to are a natural part of the world. Souls of things like water, trees, even cities to a degree.

Here, the whole idea seems to be...twisted, corrupted. The spirits I've been able to see have all been warped and incredibly violent.

[canofmanji]

i know some people back home who would be pretty happy to hear theyre not nuts for believing everything has a soul. but dont know if im sold on the idea yet. cities seem to be a bit far fetched. at least a tree is natural.

[bloodalwaystells]

Cities are full of the energy of the people who live in them, the things that happen there both good and bad, so it does make a kind of sense if you look at it that way.

[canofmanji]

That's the people in the city living their lives. That's not something spiritual as it's own separate being.