∆∆∆∆∆∆∆Sammie's POV∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Alex tried to get Sammie to stop her evening jogs, saying she needed to rest for work tomorrow. Not that she could ditch training, but she really needed to go. She had a few, not so nice, words for Samuel.

The clearing on the west side of the forest had been compromised, so she had been instructed to head to a new spot by Samuel via text.

Buttface: head to the old ghost town, then head up the road til you hit a old camping site. You should see a totem pole. Meet you @8pm

It was a clearing deep in the forest, near the edge of the old abandoned town of Misatora, just north of Misaburn. Misatora was the main town before it went up in flames. Moriin, small neighboring town, is where everyone went to when it was destroyed. It was renamed Misaburn in honor of the old town. The old town of a population of 10,000 people burned to the ground, and no one knew how. It was before her time, a good thirty years before her birth, so she never really thought of it too much.

When she finally got to her destination, she felt shocked that her legs weren't even tired. It was much further but she just wanted to get it out of the way.

The first thing she saw was the totem pole. Five animals on top of each other, almost in a fight to be the one on the top. The tired looking bear was on the very bottom, it was the only one not fight the other to be top animal. The antelope was second to the bottom, trying to stand but it was still under the others. The fox and wolf seemed to be tied for second to top their front legs wrapping each others in attempt to win the other. The top animal was a huge raccoon that seems to happily sit on top, it's carved eyes looking at the two under it fighting.

She saw Samuel sitting innocently in the center of the clearing, and felt a sudden wave of terrible emotion hit her at the sight of him. She was so used to fearing him, hell she even felt pity for him.

But never anger..

“Hello, samitch!” Samuel happily greeted, as Sammie stepped out of the trees. “You're looking well. That was something, huh?”

When she didn't respond, he tilted his head to one side. “Samitch? Sweety, are you-”

“Why don't you just shut up?!” She spat, glaring down to Samuel. He looked at her with interest. “You did that on purpose, so spare me your damn bullshit!”

His smile wilted, she normally would would have been scared, but her anger made her brave. “What? Why, sweet samitch, I just wanted to watch the sparring. You're the one who lost your head.”

“Because you frightened me!” She yelled. Samuel was right, and that was the worst thing.

She had been the one to hurt her own sister, through her own lack of control. She was a danger to everyone around her. Why did she have to even have magic?

She never wanted to use her magic ever again. She wanted to break something. She wanted to sleep for a hundred years. Anything but live this pathetic game she now called her life.

Now that the shock had drained out of her system, now that she had rested, now that she was standing here in this place with this person…

Her magic started to build again, a bubble about to break the surface, and it was all she could do to hold it down. Not that it ever worked for her before..

“Sammie,” he said, “it's unattractive to go blaming your fuck ups on someone else. It's natural to feel guilty after what you did, but you need to own up to your mistakes.”

Sammie stomped down hard enough to hurt her ankle. “Shut up! Shut up, you horrible little nasty fucker!” She felt a shiver crawled up her spine. It must be her sins.

Samuel rolled his eyes. “Name-calling, now? How mature of you.”

“You listen to me,” Sammie hissed, carried by only her anger, redirected guilt and building magic. “You stay away from them from now on. They got nothing to do with this. Leave them alone, or I swear-”

“Or you swear what?” His mouth opened strangely, his smile made her spine tingle. “Giving me orders, Samantha? Is that a good idea?”

“I don't care!” She lifted her arm, the flame on it flickering excitedly. She didn't remember summoning her magic. “Break my arm, if that's what you want to do! I got through it burning. Just do what you have to.”

Samuel could break every bone in her body, kill her on the spot. Anything, as long as he didn't hurt anyone else.

She could take it.

She would take it.

It would be no worse than what she's put her only sister through. If it meant everyone would be safe, she'd do it over and over.

She shook, expecting the blow to fall at any moment, but she stood her ground. No more running.

Angela would be proud.

☆☆☆☆☆☆Samuel's POV☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

This was shocking!

Samuel couldn't keep the excited grin down.

Here she was, his favorite toy, practically boiling over with rage. That was progress leaps and bounds beyond his expectations.

She was already armed with her magic! Summoning her flame with ease, no hesitation what so ever. She even had dared Samuel to harm her!

He wished he had some kind of candy to give as a treat. He wanted to reward such outstanding improvement. He'd been starting to wonder if he'd pushed sweet Sammie a little too hard last time, but it looked as though the tiny girl was starting to get some steel in her spine.

Finally.

It didn't take much prodding to get their sparring session underway. One smart comment, and she was all over him. Sammie, for once, was ready to go in for the kill, and Samuel was more than happy to oblige.

The events that had transpired at the sister's home had drained a lot of Sammie's energy, however, and so it wasn't long until she was put on the defensive, dodging and running from his attacks.

She kept coming right back, though, snarling frustration and throwing her flames around him. She even got the trees to fall onto him once. He was ecstatic. The strong shift in her demeanor was extremely satisfying.

This sweet girl dressed in pastels wanted to hurt him.

Even if only in this moment of anger. Even if only in the knowledge that she couldn't really do anything serious as burn him. The intent alone represented her reborn.

A real breakthrough. She has reborn again for him. He felt touched.

“You're slowing down,” He pointed out, after less than an hour of playing. “You wasted too much energy on that tall bitch of a sister.”

That seemed to throw some fuel on the fire. Samuel could have gleefully kept taunting her until Sammie dropped from exhaustion. Words couldn't explain how much fun he was having! Much better than having to discuss, and force her to do what he wanted.

He stopped short when he caught the muffled but distinct music of Sammie's cell phone ringing. It was playing The Ballad of Mona Lisa.

“Ah,” he said, threw her into the ground.  “You should probably answer that.” He laughed, and let his flame die down. After all, it'd be rude to ignore it.

Sammie glared at him, but even she was smart enough to realize that he had been indulging her little tantrum. She fished her phone from her bag by a tree.

“..Yes?” She masked the tension in her voice well. So many improvements! He was truly impressed with her.

Angela's voice came over the receiver, thoaty and loud. “Sammie! I knew you'd still be awake. Heh, so I guess you showed me, huh?”

Samuel drifted closer, the better to listen in. Sammie made no move to prevent this, not that she could have anyway. She seemed to have temporarily forgotten that he was even there. Her brown eyes stared at nothing as her rage bled away, all her attention on the voice coming through the receiver..

Her lifeline.

“Ang! Are you okay?” Sammie was back to her typical wet-blanket self in an instant. Fantastic. Just when things were going so well, too. “I'm so sorry, I know there's no excuse but-”

“Aw, c'mon. Don't start crying about it! I'm so proud of you,” Angela went on. “The only thing I'm pissed about is having to stay in bed for a few days.”

Sammie flinched, Angela might as well have been yelling. Samuel couldn't help but be impressed that she didn't give away what was happening to her sister yet. He wrapped his arms around Sammie, who didn't even flinch.

“I'm really sorry,” Sammie continued, meek as a mouse.

“Oh, don't you worry,” Angela said. “I know just how you're gonna make it up to me.”

“Anything!” Sammie exclaimed, nodding.

Samuel scoffed. What a dumb thing to say. A lesser person would have taken advantage. Great, she's getting that people-pleasing look in her eyes again. Looks like she hasn't learned anything yet.

“I was hoping you'd say that. I'm going to be laid up for a few days, and I need someone to gather the reports to bring them here for the week. Guess who that someone is, sissy?”

Well, now, this was interesting! Samuel actually let out snort. Sammie frowned, whether it was at him or her sister, Samuel didn't know. He leaned his elbow on her head since she was much shorter than him.

“Is that really appropriate, sissy? Not that I'd say no,” she added quickly, “but I'm not a cop.”

Angela let out a deafening boom of laughter. “Seriously? Everyone knows you there, miss-I-put-fireworks-in-bouncey-balls. It's not going into the line of fire, it's getting my file folder every evening, and dropping it off here."

“Okay,” Sammie agreed. “If that's all it is, then I'll do it.”

“Good! Look,” Angela yawned, “I'm pretty beat. I honestly just wanted to check up to make sure you weren't crying too hard, or anything. I'll call tomorrow and tell you what you need to do.”

Sammie muttered her agreement, and the two said their good-nights before hanging up.

“Well!” Samuel said, treasuring the fact that she jumped. “All's well that ends well, right? You even got a opportunity to spend more time with sissy out of this.”

Sammie stepped away, more disgusted than fearful. He ate it up, his favorite toy was getting some backbone. She was truly something.

“You don't care about her at all, do you?” Her posture betrayed that fear was still on the table. Yet her eyes betrayed her anger, something he wanted her to unleash on him again.

Samuel smiled. “I care about you, samitch!”

He swung his arm around her shoulders, keeping her from pulling away any further from him.

"Aww, sweety, don't be like that,” he whispered, shaking her when she fought to turn away from him. “I'm only looking out for your interests. I said you were going to make you stronger; this is your first opportunity to show that you're more powerful than anyone in this damn town. Hell, this whole world even.”

She didn't speak, glaring out at the trees surrounding them. He shrugged. If she wanted to give him the cold shoulder, that was fine. He didn't need her to talk, only to listen.

“You're stronger than anyone that I ever trained with, magic or not. Soon you will be at your peak.”

“I don't want to be at my peak,” She said, her voice quiet.

“Yes, you do.” Samuel tightened his arms around her subtly. “Look,” he said, “I know I ask a lot of you, but there's a very good reason why I drive you so hard. One day you'll understand, and you'll thank me.”

Samuel could almost hear her teeth grinding together. He laid his jaw on the top of her head. Her hair smelled of cinnamon. Hmm.

“Are we done? Can I go home now?” She said, her voice the only give away that she is still mad. Her face was blank, she was getting better at hiding her feelings.

He sighed. “Yes, I suppose,” he said. He moved his arms off her, and let her go. He watched as she stalked toward the trees. That attitude had to go. For tonight though, he would be flexible. Besides, she was amusing and adorable when she was riled up. Like a cute puppy. “Oh, samitch?”

Sammie stopped, her back stiffened. She didn't turn around. “What do you want?” she snapped. She really was sassy today. He grinned.

“I'll have some thing important to tell you about why the monsters are even showing up to begin with,” he replied. "but I'd better tell you later. So here is your warning.” He laughed, throwing his head back. “I'd hate to scare you again, sweety.”

She walked away, he could have sworn that she walked much faster this time around.