Monster (Chaelisa)

08|Confrontation

Later that night, she was skulking along the corridors, brooding even harder than usual with her thoughts running amok because of a certain blonde when she happened to look out the window that overlooked the parapet as she walked past and caught a glimpse of unmistakably long, flowing blonde hair, gleaming as it caught moonlight.

Curious, Serpentine watched closely, wondering if Catalyst was running away but instead, Catalyst held out her hand and lit a fireball, making it slowly grow in her palm. 

When it was the size of a melon, it suddenly sparked out and died. Catalyst threw her hand in obvious frustration then once more held out her palm and conjured another fireball, but the same thing happened: it sputtered and fizzled out once it grew a certain size. It was a far cry from the powerful fireballs big as buses that she used to fling at Serpentine with the ease of throwing a lemon.

"Having trouble?"

Catalyst whipped around in alarm, relaxing when her gaze settled on Serpentine standing a few paces away. "Hi. I was um...practising a bit so that uh, I can take off soon." She gestured around them. "Hope you don't mind? My power's been feeling a bit off, I didn't want to risk any accidents inside."

Serpentine suppressed a smile. Thoughtful as always.

"It's fine. Good thinking actually. We do have a special gym room that Jennie and Jisoo converted so you can use that if you want as well. It's military grade reinforced, can withstand nuclear blasts, so you'll be fine. Just ask Jennie."

"Really?" Catalyst said brightly. "Jennie didn't show it to me during the tour earlier."

"Yeah well, we don't go about parading our secrets to just anyone but you have my permission now. I'll let Jennie know."

"Thank you," Catalyst said softly.

Serpentine grimaced, moving swiftly to change the topic. "What seems to be the problem?"

"I don't know. I can't sustain my fireball like usual," Catalyst said dolefully. Serpentine had never seen her this frustrated before, and she didn't like it. Pity tugged at her heartstrings but she quickly banished away all such poisonous thoughts.

"You've been through a lot. You were poisoned and starved and tortured. Your healing factor is still rebooting too. Give it a few days. It will get better. Trust me, I know."

She immediately regretted the words that slipped out of her mouth like water as Catalyst's eyes widened, brimming with gratitude but also curiosity.

"Don't," Serpentine warned when Catayst opened her mouth. "Just...don't."

"I was only going to say thank you."

"I'm already tired of hearing thank you's. One thank you is enough," Serpentine grumbled. She started when she heard a little chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Catalyst said, making an effort to pinch her lips together but little gusts of amusement still escaped her.

Serpentine's eyes narrowed, before she got an idea and smirked. "I'll wrench out the answer from you one way or another."

"With your shadows? Were you going for my greatest weakness AKA tickling?" Catalyst said, casually lighting up a fireball and swatting away a shadow tendril that had been innocuously creeping towards her. The shadow quickly snapped back to join the foggy mass that always swirled around Serpentine's feet. "How very unsporty of you. You could always...say please?"

"Hell no, I am not going to say 'please' to you," Serpentine growled. She spun on her heel and was about to shadow-form and launch herself back up to the window in fury when Catalyst spoke again.