[Shenandoah]

((More than fine. I've had my own issues to deal with.))

Titus had had his own rough time dealing with training a few of his younger cousins how to even play with the flame in a fire pit. They were young and still in elementary school. The idea of playing with fire excited them and it took everything that Titus had to keep them from burning down the training grounds. No wonder his Grandmother had turned them over to him. They were all pyromaniacs from the get-go and Titus was probably the only one that could reign them in. His grandmother had to whip the same tendencies to burn everything in sight out of him as well.

Needless to say, he was glad that he had a free moment. It had been a while since he could clear his head. He grabbed his phone, his wallet, and his keys and headed out the door. It was time to get on the road.

On impulse, he messaged Kali before he turned the engine over.

"You free? If so, where are you?"

It was a shot in the dark. Most of the time, she was busy with one of her aunts. She had intimated as much with him about her whacked out training regimen and what she suspected her aunt had suspected... if that made any kind of sense to him, which it had. He knew that there was a chance the aunt knew. Titus himself had snuck off to her house to see if he could catch a glimpse of her without being seen. He had managed, but there had been a few moments where he had been nearly spotted. It was interesting to get a peek into the inner sanctum of the water mages, but at the same time it was a bit worrying.

He had no doubt that they were tough to go against, but he also knew that if he could spy with that kind of ease, if one was truly serious about it, one could divest more secrets than how the poses were formed and what holes were in each form. And that was a fairly serious secret to find out. Knowing how an enemy moved was a near sure-fire way of beating said opponent.

[Tadhana]

Kali was still sitting by the edge of the river, having her toes nibbled by small fish when her phone vibrated. She had it attached to a strap which she wore on her wrist when she was outside so she can be easily accessed by family whenever there need be.

As she read his text, Kali can't help but smile a little. It seemed that Titus was free tonight as well. It's been a while since she had seen that veritable hothead. Training really had been brutal for the both of them, it seems. Chuckling to herself as she imagined him in training and probably training his younger relatives (seems like the type to barbecue them on the spot, she thought), she immediately replied to his text, not as if she had anything better to do at the moment.

"Yeah. I'm just here by the river outside town."

And sent. The fish splashed happily around her feet as she wondered where he is and what could he possibly want. Perhaps it's nothing, perhaps it's something important. But no matter. Right now she was bored and the entertainment of the night presented itself in the form of a text from a certain redhead.

[Shenandoah]

Titus received the message and smirked slightly.

"Cool. Where exactly on the river? Pier Park?"

Pier Park was essentially a small park that had a fishing pier going out into the water with a rail around it to keep the more adventuresome out of the water. It featured many things, including picnic tables, benches, and a small play area for children. It was actually called Pier's Pointe Park, but everyone called it Pier Park.

With that, he began driving that direction. At least it was in the general right direction. It'd take a bit more to pinpoint her exact location.

[Tadhana]

With another vibrate from her phone came a new text from Titus. Reading the text, Kali considered her current position for a while before replying.

"No. I'm more upstream. You coming here?"

Sure, Pier Park was nearby, about 10 minutes away from where she currently was. She could walk there, but from what she can see and hear from afar, there was a huge crowd there and she didn't particularly care for crowds right now. Why they would construct such a monstrosity by the river, she'd never know.

Besides, she thought while taking a look at her surroundings, she was easier to spot here by the riverbank. She was the only person for yards and there was nothing but grass growing around her. It'd be much easier if she stayed put where she was right now instead of squeezing and forcing herself into the crowd.

[Shenandoah]

Titus flicked his eyes over the message and didn't reply. Instead, he took the quick jaunt out to the area where she said she was and proceeded to turn down the small dirt road no more than a path for fishermen to more secluded areas than Pier Park. He figured she'd be more up this direction anyway. Pier Park was across the road. He pulled the truck off to the side and shut the door behind him, locking it up.

He pulled the phone out again and texted a single word to her.

"Marco"

[Tadhana]

Kali could have sworn she heard a vehicle pull up somewhat near where she is right now. A slam of a car door confirmed what she heard at first as she looked around and saw the silhouette of a truck parked not too far in the distance. It must be him, she mused as her phone vibrated again and she checked it for a new message from Titus.

A gleam of amusement lit up her eyes as Kali stared at the text on her phone's screen. Marco? She didn't get it for a second or so, but as she understood she almost wanted to laugh. It can be a game if he wanted it to be, she thought as she replied to his one word text with something just as eloquent.

"Polo. :D"

[Shenandoah]

Titus actually got vocal at that point and chuckled. "Kali! Come out, come out where ever you are!" he called out in a sing-song tone that he layered with a bit of playful menace. He had a moment of inspiration and thought about what he'd do when he did find her. Grinning more widely, he called out rather than texting: "Marco!"

[Tadhana]

Kali stood up, her ankles submerged in the water. She can already see a little bit of movement and Titus' figure as he walked towards the general area of her position, still quite a distance away. She stiffled a chortle as she heard him call out to her in such a childish tone. Never knew he could sound like that, she thought, clearly amused as she stood still in the water.

She decided to let him find her. It was only a matter of time before he did, anyway. Hoping against hope that the hothead wouldn't do anything rash if he did find her, she hollered back to him, laughter ringing out in her voice.

"Polo!"

[Shenandoah]

He followed the sound of her voice and found her standing in the shallows of the river. "Found you!" he grinned at her, walking over. "Why are you in the water? I know water mages are pretty good at controlling currents and all that, but you never know if your control will slip and you get carried off down river."

Internally, he wondered if she'd hose him from the river. They hadn't really messed around with their powers around each other as if by doing so, it would confirm that they were actually from opposing houses. Not that Titus hadn't really cared whether or not she had seen his magecraft up close and personal. It was actually more along the lines that they had always been in a somewhat public area before and, therefore, incapable of using their magic. Too many chances of an incidental sighting.

[Tadhana]

Kali smiled and waved at Titus as he approached her. In reply to his question, however, she just shrugged. "I don't know. I just like water," she answered, adding in impishly "It does run in the family, you know?" She stood still in the water, feeling the river rushing around her ankles. Perhaps the current was a bit strong at the moment, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Hopefully.

She did seriously contemplate on soaking the redhead with her magecraft, but she considered it a triffle too dangerous. What his reaction to getting wet could be, she didn't exactly know. But as his element is fire, it could probably be a very violent one. And she wasn't in the mood for violence.

She contented herself with playing a bit with the water and her fishy friends splashing around her feet. Making water spirals in mid air nonchalantly as if there wasn't anyone to see, she asked him: "So what have you been up to lately?"

[Shenandoah]

He watched her play with the water in fascination. Something about it was... well... enchanting, if one didn't mind the pun. "Not much," he said. "Training the heathens. Granted, I could be called the same, so I'm in good company," he joked.

Titus walked up to the edge of the river to watch her a little more closely, mindful of the soft earth as he didn't really want to fall in. He, unlike Kali, didn't have the ability to stay stationary in a current or be able to leave the water without being totally drenched on whim.

"And yourself?" he asked.

[Tadhana]

Heathens, huh? She imagined the supposedly infamous Titus meeting his match in little kids and can't help but to crack a smile. She certainly can't imagine how a bunch of kids can be called heathens. But then again, her own younger cousins weren't angels themselves, so she can relate a little.

"Huh..." she started off, spacing out a little as she tried to think of how to answer his question. A lot of things have been happening to her lately. "My 18th is in a week, so that's something. I suppose." she said offhandedly. "And a lot of training. Training. More training."

As she spoke, she let the threads of water surround Titus in a slow spiral, not a drop touching him since she thought he wouldn't want to get drenched. It had an unworldly effect. But then again, magecraft was for the most part out of this mortal world for her. "See? I've been practicing." she said, grinning as she did.

[Shenandoah]

Her little stunt and statement reminded him of something he had been planning when he had gotten out of the car. Her water spiraled around him and he reached into his pocket. Granted, what he was about to do didn't really require the lighter he pulled out, but it certainly made it easier.

The burnished steel Zippo flipped open and he made it light. "Well, I certainly practice myself," he said as a flame billowed up away from the lighter to rest in his palm. With a flick of his hand, he spiraled his flame around her water, creating a even more otherworldly effect as the liquid glowed from the fire snaking around it. With a little pull, he separated the snake of flame into balls that quickly reformed into tiny flaming ponies that 'ran' along the spiral.

[Tadhana]

"Of course you would, you showoff." she said, smirking. Her eyes were transfixed on the tiny prancing ponies, their tails flickering around her own water spirals. The water reflected some of the light from the flames, setting off a warm glow around his person. The final effect was something eerie, almost otherworldly.

This was actually fun, she thought. She had never used her magic for fun or to goof off. Then again, she didn't exactly associate magic with fun given the intense training that she undergoes on a daily basis. Her aunt basically sucked all the fun and enchantment out of being a water mage.

She didn't know what it is with Titus, but she felt like she could relax when she's around him. She didn't feel like she had to fight or prove her skills. But right now, she didn't want to be outdone. With a small twist of her wrist, the spirals of water dispersed, only to regroup into what looked to be small ballerinas dancing on top of the ponies.

[Shenandoah]

Titus blinked, watching the ballerinas and the steam that was occurring from the contact between them and the flames. He flicked his hand and vanished the flame. "Now, how about coming out of the water?" he asked, still surrounded by water ballerinas and was not looking to get wet at the moment.

[Tadhana]

"Huh?"

Her, get out of the water? The thought of it made her break her concentration, making the water ballerinas break up as well and fall outwards and to the ground in a flurry of droplets. Amazingly, hardly a drop touched him. if hardly meant being lightly sprayed in the face.

"Oh gosh, sorry," she said as she stepped out of the water. She felt the dirt stick to her feet and slightly winced, wishing that she had brought slippers instead of her school shoes which she can't afford to get wet. "I...uh...lost my concentration," she finished lamely. Which was true. While having improved drastically these past few months, she was still miles away to being a master of her magecraft. She only just hoped he wasn't too mad at her.