160: Clap
“Hey, aren’t you going to check here?” Rafaelia asked Beatrice when she saw the succubus go straight to the third floor without stopping at the second floor, where two of the four rooms rented by Ember were supposed to be.
“Waste of time,” Beatrice said as she went further up the stairs. “I have a feeling I know why Ember booked so many rooms and in such specific locations.”
Beatrice got up to the third floor of the Wholesome Inn and walked down the dim hall to the very last room on that floor. The floor did have several windows, but what little sunlight could get in through the recently-cleaned windows was mostly blocked by the ugly buildings built on top of one another, right next to the Inn.
And, true enough, when Beatrice turned the round handle on the last door in the hall and pushed forward, she saw Ember’s and Olivia’s backs right in front of her. Ember was barely far enough away to not get hit by the opening door. And knowing Ember, she was not simply lucky to be standing just out of reach. But something was up. Olivia did not react to Beatrice’s arrival at all. Not even so much as turn her head to see who came in. The ninja girl was in a combat stance, completely still, focused on something in front of her.
Ember turned her head and looked at Beatrice with a subtle smile. The freckled redhead then put her index finger to her lips, signaling Beatrice to be quiet. She then looked at Olivia’s back, raised both her hands, and… Clapped!
A whoosh of air followed Olivia’s arm that moved suddenly and with purpose. Nearly instantly, Beatrice heard something hit the wall. A second later, a little thud notified the succubus that something fell on the wooden floor. In a blink of an eye, it was over, whatever it was.
Olivia quickly turned to Ember and with a proud grin shouted, “Beat that!”
“Was that your best?” Ember asked, not worried in the slightest.
“What the hell,” Beatrice walked into the room, followed by Rafaelia, and quickly figured out what was going on.
An empty wooden mug laid on its side on the floor at the leg of a table, with a kunai lodged halfway through it.
“Speed contest?” Beatrice asked.
“She seemed convinced that she could beat my flames with her little toothpicks,” Ember shrugged.
“How do you plan to figure out who wins without a precise measurement?” Beatrice asked.
“My point exactly!” Ember concurred. “I suggested that we simply aim at each other to see who dies first without even launching their attack, but your little ninja pet chickened out.”
“Because unlike you, I’m not a psycho who would kill over a simple bet!” Olivia raised her voice in anger.
It’s way too easy for Ember to get under her skin, Beatrice noted.
“Oh, don’t worry, I promised Beatrice that you’d still be in one piece by the time she got back, so burning you to a crisp would be out of the question,” Ember enjoyed toying with Olivia. “I would simply burn your hands to a boiling point. No biggie. All you’d have to do is spread your legs for Beatrice and she’d heal you right back up, right?”
“You…” Olivia ground her teeth.
“Ember, what did I say about not doing stupid things?” Beatrice asked.
“I was just killing time while you were having fun,” Ember explained with a chuckle. “Besides, you managed to heal a broken back! That kind of power opens a lot of doors for potential fun and torture!”
“A broken back!?” Rafaelia asked with shock.
“I know, right?” Ember said with great enthusiasm, though Beatrice feared it was for all the wrong reasons.
At least something impresses her, Beatrice though.
“Your turn,” Olivia said to Ember through grit teeth.
“Oh, right, right,” Ember laughed playing an airhead. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Olivia clapped instantly, the moment Ember finished the sentence, before she even closed her mouth, taking the cocky redhead at her word.
Ember responded in kind and snapped her fingers as Olivia’s hands just started to part after the clap. The wooden mug that laid on the floor burst in flames instantly, as if it was doused in gasoline beforehand and ignited by mere sound.
Olivia’s mouth opened in shock while her ego visibly deflated.
“I win?” Ember asked with a grin as if the answer wasn’t obvious.