You could see it, a vibrant glow on the horizon drawing ever closer. The smoke dirtied the air, a ruby hint not unlike the skies over some hellish dimension. Perhaps Asmodeus was real, watching the forest burn for some foul contact he’d negotiated. Streaks of red and orange plumes became clearer: burning trees. Dark lines vanished as branches were incinerated. They were almost there.

One of the Air Force sergeants seated on the other side of the helicopter’s cabin frowned as Devon turned away from the sight. He knew his black eyes reflected the raging inferno painted across the sky. A faint smile and a nod went to Sveta, whom he was so thankful to be working with. Not only was she a calming, friendly voice but together they could help in a way Devon could not. Beyond the helicopter to the west – from where they were coming – the heavy cumulonimbus clouds followed the front Tempest had engineered. Every few minutes he checked to ensure it still carried as desired, the effort weighing on his concentration. It would get more difficult soon.

Eyes bled back to blue as he rolled his shoulders in the navy-style flame retardant suit they’d been given. Tempest was practiced, especially with intense heat and flame considering Calcifer’s idea of training, but any protection was good, especially with Muse traveling with him. She would be relying on his protective winds and to carry her safely along. It too was on his mind.

“Sergeant, you can take us down,” Devon said into the microphone of the headphones he was wearing. “I don’t want your team caught in a sudden updraft.”

“Very well,” the man replied, tone gruff.

“I apologize for putting you ill at ease,” Devon said, gesturing to his eyes.

“Doesn’t matter, Mister Hadden, we’ve a job to do,” came the disciplined reply.

“Agreed, God willing,” Devon bowed his head.

The helicopter went down, but did not land as they’d been warned. They gestured and Devon scooted out and caught himself in the short jump. He raised the mask and headpiece (comms) for his breathing and communication back to Ranger and the team. Then he held out his gloved hands for Sveta as she exited. With a bow of his head, Devon touched a hand to his chest and watched as the Sergeant took his team away to the south.

“Home,” he called on @leesmith coordingating back in the city and then to Ranger leading efforts at command, “Alpha team. Omega team is on the ground, but not for long. Temperature is reading 31 Celsius. Beginning appraisal of the westward line. Over.”

Svetlana had done a lot of work for Haven in the past months, but this still felt like her first actual mission. In a way, it reminded her of the few times she'd worked with the X-men, or the one time when she first met Devon, breaking up a blizzard above New York City. There was a well-coordinated team behind them, people doing their jobs to the best of their abilities, trying to get a raging forest fire under control. Without mutants, it would have been a near impossible task, barely contained and hoping for the best. With Haven (and the X-men pitching in), they had a fighting chance. That was a rare enough occasion to be special.

Sveta looked at the horizon as the helicopter took them to the drop point. If she did not know Hadden she would have said they were in over their heads. The whole natural disaster looked both incredible and threatening from above, especially with the knowledge that people were in danger. Once they lowered down, Sveta jumped out of the helicopter after Devon. She didn't take the hand offered; there would be plenty of touching later that he had to handle, and she was capable of sticking the landing on her own.

Devon checked in with the rest of the team, and Sveta adjusted her own headset and mask. If everything went well, she'd stay at Devon's side the entire time; but she knew better than to count on everything going well.

"Ready when you are" she noted, looking around. Things looked less overwhelming from the ground, but not less dangerous.

Svetlana needed no one, but he was darn glad when she chose to have people in her life. That she knew, trusted, and worked with Haven and him especially brought Devon pride. If ever the day came he saw shame in her expression…

Instead of an immensely powerful blizzard there was fire in all directions, burning and consuming all in its path. Beneath them it burned up old growth and accumulated detritus. The roots were burning the ground from within as old growth trunks fell and hills became a sea of flame. It could take months for such a fire to end, often with prolonged maintenance and observance considering that even if the fire seemed to die, it might still smolder and grow again from beneath. One must be vigilant against such dangers.

Thankfully they could get involved and help. This was bigger than any political fight, or at least Devon thought so. The military, the X-Men, and volunteers of all sorts had to come together. He had some faith that America could do that again, but it was getting difficult to see past the darkness.

>> "Ready when you are"

Devon’s eyes reflected that void of oblivion as she encouraged him.

>> ”Roger that Omega. Alpha Team has the keys here at command. Monitoring all channels and changing conditions. Over.”

“Good to hear the teams are active and working. From what we reviewed, it looks like we should begin a break here as this is the driest spot where both paths would converge,” he explained, eyes monitoring the increasing temperature and the heavy clouds they’d brought in with them.

“I’ll begin,” he warned, taking a few steps away as he inhaled deeply. As he exhaled there was an obvious change in the air as the errant breezes produced by the intense heat were countered. Tempest focused and raised his chin, looking above as the first drops fell. The smell of ash became clear against the starkness of the rain, but it was refreshing and cool. Still, it made the heat at his back as he turned to watch the hum of the red-orange glow.

“We should let it rain here for at least twenty minutes,” he said gently as he moved back to Muse. “If you’d like, I can keep the rain off of you.”

They checked in with the others; Haven was working like a well planned operation. Everyone was where they needed to be, doing what they could do best, whether it was search, rescue, or support. But wherever they were, they all looked up to their leader. If anyone could put an actual dent into the forest fire, and the destruction it brought, it was Tempest.

>>“Good to hear the teams are active and working. From what we reviewed, it looks like we should begin a break here as this is the driest spot where both paths would converge. I’ll begin,”

He stepped aside, and Sveta let him. There would be more need for her powers later. She felt the air change, and the first drops of rain fell, bringing a touch of coolness into the inferno. Watching Devon use his powers was still impressive, no matter how many times one witnessed them.

>>“We should let it rain here for at least twenty minutes. If you’d like, I can keep the rain off of you.”

"I'm good" Sveta shrugged; honestly, being out in the rain was soothing. For now. There was an eerie silence around them, as most creatures had already fled from the fire, but there was a rumbling in the distance as the flames ate through the underbrush. A rustling came from a few steps away, and Sveta's eyes narrowed, but it turned out to be a startled raccoon, rather than an actual threat. "We should have someone on animal control..." she mused, as the rain began to pick up pace and volume.

Tempest nodded slowly as she shrugged off the rain. If there was anyone who could roll with the punches, it was Sveta. Well maybe Sveta and Noel. They were amazing, strong women and good friends. Strange to think he’d only introduced them a year ago. Things were calmer things, weren’t they?

>> "We should have someone on animal control..."

He sighed. Yes, excellent point. “You’re right,” Tempest said quickly. “Derek Menes would have been incredibly helpful.” He’d been away for almost a year now. His focus returned on the rain as the drafts from the fire against the storm threatened rising winds. They shifted; they stopped. He watched as steam and smoke coiled to the east.

“Do we have anyone else who could help? Maybe the X-Men do, otherwise someone with mundane training. I don’t know if that young man Luke would be able to help there. His form is animalistic but I don’t believe he has any affinity to speaking with them from what I recall of his dossier,” he ruminated, though he didn’t turn back to Muse. His weather eye was keenly aware of the false calm around them. A danger burned in all directions beyond.

“You want to call to Ranger the suggestion? It’s a good one. If no one here then maybe @leesmith can radio and get someone,” he added and glanced back, “Thank you for helping and being here. We should start in however.” He gestured eastward where the fire raged over the trees and hills.

>> “You’re right. Derek Menes would have been incredibly helpful.”

Sveta nodded. She missed Derek. They were not close friends or anything, but he was a good person, and good to talk to. And definitely would have come in handy with the animal control side of this mission. The raccoon stared at them for a moment, then shuffled off, no doubt looking for a safe route away from the flames.

>>“Do we have anyone else who could help? Maybe the X-Men do, otherwise someone with mundane training. I don’t know if that young man Luke would be able to help there. His form is animalistic but I don’t believe he has any affinity to speaking with them from what I recall of his dossier. You want to call to Ranger the suggestion? It’s a good one. If no one here then maybe Lee Smith can radio and get someone. "

Rain fell, clouds milled above them. Sveta nodded, glad to have something to do, and touched her comm.

"Alpha Team, this is Omega. We're on schedule. Could you see if we have someone available for animal control? Maybe the authorities already have people on it, but if we have someone with powers to help, it would be great. Ask the X's too. Over."

Hopefully @leesmith or Ranger managed to rustle someone up. Stopping the fire and saving people came first, but it did not mean they couldn't make an effort for other ways to help as well.

>>"Thank you for helping and being here. We should start in however.”

Sveta nodded, falling in step with Devon as they moved on.

"How are your powers holding up? Do you need a boost?"

“Hm,” Devon said softly, watching the raccoon run off.

Its skittering felt like a last reminder they were leaving safety as a video game might as it triggered a save. The soft sound of the rain, the eerie silence ahead of them, the whispers of smoke trailing on the air, the orange glow… It was a new challenge and chapter starting. Where was the get amped anthem from beyond?

Sveta called in the idea and Devon focused on the path ahead of them. They had a walk ahead to reach the actual fire line. They’d feel it before they saw it.

>> "How are your powers holding up? Do you need a boost?"

“I’m okay. You?” he glanced aside, his eyes returning to normal. “Things are stable and this rain will give us at least some western boundary. We’ll likely need to fly for a large portion of our initial survey. I can protect us easily though some assistance to better manage the storm simultaneously, let alone seeing things more clearly will be very much appreciated.” He smiled, “First a blizzard and now a firestorm, though-”

Devon half-chuckled, sighed, and shook his head.

>>“I’m okay. You?”

"I'm fine" Sveta nodded. She had not really done anything exhausting yet; she wasmerely following along, being ready in case Devon needed her powers, which he eventually would, if the weather was any indication. Even he could not take on a forest fire alone.

>>“Things are stable and this rain will give us at least some western boundary. We’ll likely need to fly for a large portion of our initial survey. I can protect us easily though some assistance to better manage the storm simultaneously, let alone seeing things more clearly will be very much appreciated... First a blizzard and now a firestorm, though-”

"Yes, it seems you might have a knack for severe weather or something" Sveta chuckled, fidgeting with her gloves "Just let me know how much of a boost you want. I don't thing people around here would trade the fire for a hurricane."

“Yeah, one disaster should not beget another,” Devon agreed. “Just made me think of something.”

---

The heat and smoke were worse but as darkness reigned with Devon’s eyes, the Tempest provided cooler air and gentle rains. Frequently a breeze stirred up, but he quieted it. Over half an hour of occasional adjustments and controlled focus was truly a test of stamina however. Sveta was ever the hero here, not him. Of course all participating were helping. It was a team effort.

“May I have your hand again please?” he asked, a touch of weariness in his voice. Was the fatigue now dawning as the brightening light of the fire at the perimeter encircled them? “It’s probably sad that I’m considering how odd it will be to touch someone’s hand and not feel my understanding and ability expand, isn’t it?” He chuckled and shook his head, “I was reflecting on how rare it is for me to actually touch someone.”

The dark-eyed young man grimaced as he made so-called eye contact with his peer, “That’s probably a bad sign, hm?” Though it felt like better a topic than discussing the devastation to the forest around them or how high the temperatures were getting. They’d have to get airborne soon.

>>“May I have your hand again please?”

The whole thing was a show of power that people could not understand, even if they watched Devon do it. He made it look easy, the complete focus and the attention to the slightest changes to the atmosphere. Sveta held his hand, allowing her powers to kick in. It required no effort on her part, but it was still good, to be a part of this, and do what she could to help without risking her going out of control. As she watched the skies change, it felt like she was doing it too.

>>“It’s probably sad that I’m considering how odd it will be to touch someone’s hand and not feel my understanding and ability expand, isn’t it?... I was reflecting on how rare it is for me to actually touch someone. That’s probably a bad sign, hm?”

"Probably. But you are talking to the wrong person" Sveta smirked. She barely touched anyone, ever, unless they were adapteds, and that did not exactly work out great recently either. "Touching someone and not feeling my powers affecting them is rare for me in general, so I know how you feel. Maybe we are just not really touchy-feely people, hm? It is what it is..."

Sveta graced him with her touch and the world opened to him. A weave of energies crisscrossed the sky and while the fire was dangerous, harmful it too was part of the natural world. Its light and heat shone. He also felt the ability to pull together moisture, to encourage its manipulation was easier. Instead of drawing up a bucket from a deep well he was ringing out a wet towel. The rain strengthtened.

He joked how rare touching was and then thought better of his words. Sveta knew and she agreed, commenting the same.

>> "Touching someone and not feeling my powers affecting them is rare for me in general, so I know how you feel. Maybe we are just not really touchy-feely people, hm? It is what it is..."

Devon smiled, “Maybe I’m talking to the right person.” His eyes caught sight of the sudden coolness of the rain and the spike of heat. The tree was burning from the inside.

With a swift gesture, a column of wind rose from the ground and a snap announced the falling of the tree. The column caught it as Tempest narrowed his dark eyes and brought the tree down away from them. He inhaled slowly and focused his thoughts, his attention. “Sorry for the surprise. I’m tired enough there’s no way I would have caught that so quickly without you.”

“And that’s what I mean, you’re the right person,” Devon spoke as he looked around them in a slow 360 even as they moved forward. It was almost like they were dancing as the spun slowly while drifting across the now wetted burnt underbrush and leaves. “Maybe we’re more touchy-feel than others. You have a great care and consideration for others; I’m a psychologist. You truly do inspire others and not just through your power. I’m guarded personally because I get invested in others easily and want to help them, which I’m proud of. So what if we’re careful about who gets this close. It’s not like we are cut off, simply wise about the boundaries we need to live with what works for us.”

He chuckled, “Or maybe I’m just trying to rationalize it.”

In the middle of their philosophical conversation a tree came crashing down, jolting Sveta back to attention and effectively reminding them that they were still in a dangerous zone of forest fire. Devon handled it like a pro, and no harm was done, but it was still a sign that things were busy falling apart around them. In more ways than one. Sveta took a deep breath.

>> “Sorry for the surprise. I’m tired enough there’s no way I would have caught that so quickly without you.”

"Well, that's why I'm here" Sveta smiled, keeping a hand on his arm. They would both need sleep after this.

>>“And that’s what I mean, you’re the right person. Maybe we’re more touchy-feel than others. You have a great care and consideration for others; I’m a psychologist. You truly do inspire others and not just through your power. I’m guarded personally because I get invested in others easily and want to help them, which I’m proud of. So what if we’re careful about who gets this close. It’s not like we are cut off, simply wise about the boundaries we need to live with what works for us... Or maybe I’m just trying to rationalize it.”

"Well, you are a psychologist" Sveta smirked at him. Devon was a complex person, and also very self-aware, which was a rare thing for someone in his position in life. She didn't necessarily agree with all that he was saying, particularly about her inspiring people, but she kept that to herself.

"I wish it was as easy as trust, though." she added, keeping an eye out for trees and flames "I trust you, but if I kissed you, you'd still obliterate the mountainside. Some boundaries I just have to live with."

Mental facepalm

"... Not that that was an actual example."

>> "Well, you are a psychologist"

And he wondered how good of one was he really going to be? How much helping people with themselves was he really doing versus helping connect people? Help them spend money? Help them feel better in what way? He wanted to do so much, be there and involved, and… It was like this forest fire.

You couldn’t do everything. Heck, Devon couldn’t even do his one task alone. Thankfully, there was Sveta. Devon smiled as she smirked at him.

>> "I trust you, but if I kissed you, you'd still obliterate the mountainside. Some boundaries I just have to live with."

“Oh? I-“ stammered suddenly, turning his attention back on the flames that were dwindling with the rain.

>> "... Not that that was an actual example."

“Right,” Devon laughed but nodded. Embarrassment was still clear in his tone even if the flush of his cheeks wasn’t purely from the flames’ heat, “I wish I could help with those boundaries. Maybe you’ll find an Adapted individual one day whom you’ll like and it won’t be of issue?” His query held the air only a moment, “I have considered the levels of your abilities and how I should be prepared to work with you in that case. In a dire circumstance a kiss might be our sudden, last plan or resort. Maybe it happens on accident?”

He shrugged as he inhaled and then exhaled, a focused gust clearing the debris ahead of them. His eyebrows shot up as he slammed down on the gust, ending it forcefully and then they eased as the rain gathered once more. He breathed slowly. “You help me see more than I ever have, and I mean that not just because of your ability. Anyone who truly works and talks with you knows what I mean. You give perspective, you inspire our thoughts, and you certainly inspire action,” he nodded.

“You bring connection to the earth that I dreamt of when I lived… outside,” his voice caught momentarily, “Yes, outside for a time. When I was homeless and just trying to get away. I eventually spent more time studying the clouds, the air currents… I got some perspective and some rudimentary control. But I longed for a better connection, better understanding. It’s like seeing the ocean or swimming in it. How do you learn not to drown? You learn to swim, how to hold your breath, to respect it and your connection to it.”

Devon smiled as he let go of her hand only to slowly move as if to embrace her with one arm, a side hug as it were. The other arm went out, the hand shifting as he slowly turned it in a circle. “We should fly over now, if I may hold your hand from around. It’ll be easier to lift us initially,” he explained, waiting for her to accept his hand before moving his arm closer to her.

The breeze around them spun outward but another spun counter. It kept the rain from turning horizontal much. He wanted to avoid crosswinds. But oh that warmth and the conflicting currents – easier to see with help – gave lift and urged them up into the air with slowly stronger gusts from beneath. His control ensured she felt no buffeting, no pressure, no loss of breath, and certainly no temperature impact. Juliette had helped him train to fly…

“My friends have lifted me up. Through my connection to them, I am more. And you are certainly even more than most,” Devon grinned and then chuckled. “Mountains better watch out! Forest fires too!” he shouted and then shot up suddenly, stretches of vast red and orange flame below them. He pushed and the temperatures cooled as the rain surged down. “We won’t let it win… but it is even more terrifying from this vantage point,” he nodded.

Good going, Sveta. Casually talking about kissing the boss. Excellent tact.

>>“I wish I could help with those boundaries. Maybe you’ll find an Adapted individual one day whom you’ll like and it won’t be of issue?”

Sveta winced at the suggestion. Too close to home. Devon probably didn't notice, but it was still a fresh wound, what happened with Matt. Apparently, being an adapted did not guarantee that someone would also be a good match. Even if it felt that way at first. Luckily, Devon did not push the matchmaking subject.

>>“I have considered the levels of your abilities and how I should be prepared to work with you in that case. In a dire circumstance a kiss might be our sudden, last plan or resort. Maybe it happens on accident?”

Sveta arched an eyebrow. Of course he'd considered it. He was a planner, that was why all this worked, worked better than the X-men ever had. But an accident?...

"No one I've... met have ever been able to handle that much power." she noted. Devon had great control, but even he could not deal with the fallout of a kiss. She had seen chaos one too many times to believe that.

>>“You help me see more than I ever have, and I mean that not just because of your ability. Anyone who truly works and talks with you knows what I mean. You give perspective, you inspire our thoughts, and you certainly inspire action,”

Sveta blinked. She was at a loss of what to respond to that, or whether Devon expected any response at all. The way he talked about her, it sounded like someone else... ironically, Muse had never considered herself an inspiring person. Devon saw the best in people, always. But still, all she could do was turn red and look away with a small frown. At least one person thought like that.

>>“You bring connection to the earth that I dreamt of when I lived… outside. Yes, outside for a time. When I was homeless and just trying to get away. I eventually spent more time studying the clouds, the air currents… I got some perspective and some rudimentary control. But I longed for a better connection, better understanding. It’s like seeing the ocean or swimming in it. How do you learn not to drown? You learn to swim, how to hold your breath, to respect it and your connection to it.”

Homeless? Sveta turned to look at him again. The richest guy in town, or one of the richest anyway. It was hard to imagine him like that. But he had a unique take on her powers, something others did not tend to think of. People either feared her ability, or wanted it too much; Devon found something else in it, something to admire, but not because how powerful it was. Maybe that was it. Maybe that was why she felt loyalty to him, and Haven, that she had not been able to muster before.

Devon put an arm around her, and she tensed at the contact.

>>“We should fly over now, if I may hold your hand from around. It’ll be easier to lift us initially,”

"Sure, yeah, let's... whoa!"

And they were off. Sveta barely had time to wrap her head around the idea of flying without an airplane, and it was even stranger that Devon managed to manipulate the air around them so it barely felt like flying at all. The view of the mountainside and the forest fire panned out below them. Sveta thought about the fact that she was being held up by Devon's powers alone, and that in itself was both awesome and terrifying.

>>“My friends have lifted me up. Through my connection to them, I am more. And you are certainly even more than most. Mountains better watch out! Forest fires too! We won’t let it win… but it is even more terrifying from this vantage point,”

"Well" Sveta noted, being the less inspiration-inclined of the two of them, and also prone to masking her awkwardness with deadpan comments "Looks like we've got sh*t to do."

“Looks like.”

Tempest and the Svetlana Sergeyeva could waste little time – or energy – in fighting the fire. More than once he asked for her hand to help gather what little moisture was fleeing into the ground or burnt up into the higher atmosphere. It was so hot but he kept it manageable. Sometimes the air hurt a little to breathe; they took small detours to catch their breath.

It wasn’t only them. They’d partnered with anyone willing to help, especially members of the Haven and the X-Men. It took more time than they’d realized, fighting for the better part of two days. There were people to save and even hints of danger. Had someone set this blaze? Had someone been setting up mutants? Devon had thought, wondered maybe it was something try to blame Cal but he knew Cal was busy elsewhere.

There wasn’t time to worry about such things. He could barely keep his eyes open by the time they returned to base camp. He felt like he was flying with his eyes half closed as he made sure Muse got down safely. They had to walk the last mile or so in. Thankfully Ranger had well control of everything.

Maybe it was an emergency that brought everyone together, but at least they came.