The pain had subsided for the most part, though she was still incredibly warm. Without thinking about it or even saying anything, Michelle unbuttoned her blouse and began pumping her shirt for air. Anything to stay cool right now is exactly what she needed.

How bad can get these backlashes get, Clarice? She inquired, unsure of the validity of her question. She really got worried when Clarice trailed off mid thought.

Unless...What? Why do I think I should know this? I've always been one to ask the tough questions. That's because I want the tough answers. She said, a look of determination on her face.

"You don't need to know how bad they get. As long as you remain in control, you'll be fine, Michelle."

She knew stopping mid-sentence would make ehr worry. She rubs her enck for a moment before looking at the woman. Though her blouse was un-buttoned to give her relief it had of coruse caught Claire's attention for a moment. She shakes her head to try and get herself back on track.

"I've only eben managed to combine my mana with Kanoe... because we love each other. We must be unison in order to take every burden off each other and... that's why I hesitated... you'd have to get extremely... extremely close to me in order for me to help to such an extent."

If we get as close as you speak of, will it help me gain some control over what is happening to me? If it will, I'm willing if you are. Michelle said, completely unaware that Clarice had been staring at her chest a moment ago. She was obviously worried about how Clarice would react to her last statement though. She had been flirting with the woman just minutes ago, after all.

"I know I can relieve you a bit. Maybe if you had less mana to work on at the moment then you can slowly learn to gain more control. Your mana levels always return to 100% so even if I did take some it would restore itself.

But the way I see it, this will be difficult because I love someone already... very dearly at that and I do not think I can love you as much as I do her. That's inhumanly possible to love someone the same as the other."

She knew what she said would possibly hurt Michelle, but it was simple fact. the woman expected her to just willy nilly throw her emotions at her and she couldn't do that. Kanoe and herself shared a very deep bond, have been through a lot together... it wouldn't be easy to get that close to someone you've known for five minutes.

"That's the only way I know how. There could be other ways but I do not know them. We'd have to be in... perfect sync or it won't work and it could possibly hurt us."

Ah. I understand now. I would not want to come between you and Kanoe-sensei anyhow. It would not be right. I suppose that I will have to deal with this one. Just you being here and willing to help me however you can is a great encouragement to me. Thank you. She said, the spike beginning to subside. It seemed to come and go at random, which was probably peculiar. Michelle felt fine for now.

It seems that I'm okay now though. I would like to learn all you have to teach me. Will you become my teacher, along with Kanoe-sensei? She said, a gentle smile on her lips.

"I already said I would help you. Becoming a sort of tutor was inevitable to be called, Michelle."

Seems the woman was fine for now. That made things less stressful if she saw the girl suffering. Though there was nothing she could do for that issue she figured that she could help her slowly gain the confidence to control her energy levels.

"So what did Kanoe teach, Michelle? Channeling? Performing magic? I'd like to start off where she left off or if you're having an issue with something she last taught you. Do you have any... perks to a particular element?"

Michelle sat and gave careful thought to not forget any of the training that she had received from Kanoe before. Kanoe had covered, channeling and a touch of casting, but not enough of casting to call it a lesson.

Kanoe-sensei covered channeling and mana vision, but she told me that talking with you was better since you have better experience with my element of fire. I don't think I have the knack for any other elements, however. I'd like to try though.

It had to be fire. That reminded her briefly of the deal she made with Keemari's friend... that fire salamander from his summoning was now her own partner... yet he was of course a very perverse creature to deal with.

"I know the fire element quite well. It's quite difficult to get a hold of because even if you mess up just a little you can get a burn backlash... like I've had to go through from time to time. Fire is wild, out of control, angry if you can put it like that. You... almost have to get angry to use it. It's not hard for me because monsters on the island enrage me easily. Can you think of something that would well, make your blood boil?"

Hearing Clarice's description of fire, she thought to herself. Just my luck...a wild and out of control element...

She then heard Clarice ask about something that would make her blood boil. Giving some deep thought to it, she could think of a few things for certain. Like someone hurting her friends, someone picking on defenseless animals, being raped...again. Just coming up with those things began to anger her.

Oh, yeah. There are a few things that would enrage me. Someone hurting defenseless animals. Something hurting someone close to me and being raped again are just a few, but I know I could think of more. I'm already getting angry just thinking about how mad they get me. She said, gritting her teeth, trying to keep her temper in check.

"Well that's good, ebcause you need to hold onto that if you want to control fire. Fire isn't just about rage, it's about knowing when and how you can control your anger to control the fire. It takes a lot of concentration. Here, allow me to demonstrate..."

Wisps of words lutter from her mouth in an unhearable dialect. He rpalm stretched in front of her. For a moment nothing happened until a sudden smoldering orb of fire erupted from the palm of her hand. It ate at the air for life around it, fluttering this way and that. The orb began to fluctuate until it was as if Clarice had a campfire starting in her hand.

"Right now I'm thinking of all the times Kanoe was hurt, injured, and abused... but I know that somehow... some way... I've managed to keep her from falling into the abyss of thinking she is nothing more than a slut. Know I have helped her... helps me maintain control over my rage and thus the fire does not dissipate or explode in my hands. Your magic is very very close to your feelings. You understand your feelings, channeling will be easier for you to control. But that's why it's so har... a human can;t control their emotions too we-" she was cut off as the fire in her hand imploded with a loud bang. The effects were only that blast, a small wisp of smoke coming from Claire's hand was the last part of it in existence until that too dissapeared. A small red mark sears itself into Claire's hand, causing her to to take in a deep inhale of pain.

"See... I let my anger control me so the fire hurt me for it... it's... really difficult to explain how to control magic when kanoe and i are still trying to feel around ourselves. We're notnearly strong enough to deal with monsters... hell we can't even channel together without some form of backlash.... especially when we try to attack."

Michelle watched in awe as Clarice conjured a ball of fire and did it much easier than Kanoe had. Michelle stretched out her hand and began to think of all the times that Lillia was picked on in school for being different. Her rage begins to build. A small flicker appears. She thinks about the boys that had beaten her dog to death with a skateboard, and the flame grew a little more. Thinking of monsters attacking Clarice, Kanoe and herself caused the flame to erupt into the same size fireball as Clarice had conjured, but she needed to keep her rage in check.

Taking deep breaths, she thought about the people that cared so much for her. Her attachment to her first lover filled her mind and the feelings they shared and the flame stayed the same. She let go of all those thoughts and the flame fizzled out, leaving a small burn in the palm of her hand as well. Michelle had some burn cream in her dorm room, just for when she would get sunburnt.

That looks to be a pretty bad burn. I have some ointment in my room. Come and I will put some on that burn as well as on my own. I wouldn't want them to become infected. Can't fight monsters like that, right? She said, offering a smile. Her heart was pure, for now at least.

"Point taken... but I would try to any ways," she replies back before rising to her feet. A burn was nothing new to her, but the dorms did sound like a much safer place. She would also be able to get a better feel of the girl then simply talking to her out in a forest.

"It's starting to get dark out any ways. This is the last place I would want to be caught alone... even with someone else."

She offers her un-burned hand to the woman before they began their trek back to the dorms. Despite having been caught a number of times there, it still felt safe to her.

"I hope I won't be intruding if you have a roomate, Michelle."

I actually have the room to myself for now, so you're more than welcome. I know what you mean. I don't like being out here either this late in the day. She said, taking Clarice's unburned hand with her own unburned hand. The two of them began a walk back to the dorm, though the trip was actually quite short.

After only a few minutes filled with no real conversation to speak of, the pair of them reached Michelle's room. Sliding her keycard, she opened the door and allowed her guest to enter before she did. She had always been polite that way. The room definitely had a Japanese feel to it, but considering her background it wouldn't come as a surprise.

Please make yourself comfortable while I get the ointment. Please forgive the mess. She said, though it was hardly a mess. A few books sat on the desk in the far corner of the room, but other than that it was a rather well-kept room.

She nods her ehad in response to her polite gesture as she enters the room. The japanese feel wasn't that much of a surprise considering Michelle's physique. She msot certainly didn't have a problem with it at all.

Taking a seat on the woman's bed, she waits patiently for the woman to return with some medicine to help relieve the now annoying tinge of burn in her palm.

"I'm surprised that you have a room to yourself, Michelle. Must be nice... but don't you... I don't know... feel lonely in such a large room by yourself?"

She actually never met a girl who was by ehrself. possibly trying to stay in numbers, she found it strange the woman would just stay alone in here. She meant no offense, but she would be pretty easy pickings even with a few new tricks.

Michelle rummaged around in the a drawer in the kitchen until she found the burn cream. It stung a little, but it was good for keeping the burn from infecting. Grabbing a roll of gauze and some bandages she walked over to Clarice, getting on her knees in front of her, taking her burned hand.

My last roommate disappeared. Her name was Sable. I have friends that come by every so often, but yes, I do get lonely. Like tonight will be lonely if you leave. Just a warning, this is going to sting a little. She said, right before putting the bandage that she had already applied the ointment onto Clarice's burn. Making sure that the bandage was secure, she wrapped some gauze around it to keep the bandage from falling off. Then she did her own, showing no signs of the stinging. She must have a high pain tolerance.