The next morning, Ashley awoke to silence.
She blinked up at the ceiling, disappointed. No alarms. No explosions. No orders.
For a moment, she thought she'd finally gone deaf from her own fire.
Then—
"DO YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR EYES OPEN?"
Ashley jolted upright. Her palm instantly lit with blue-ice fire, freezing the air around her in a perfect death-ring.
Cleo stood at the foot of her bed with a notepad, eyes wide, mouth open.
"Noted!" she said quickly, scribbling furiously. "Threat response speed: 0.7 seconds. Power color: Blue! Oh! What does that one do? Freeze burn? Soul chill? Frostbite of justice??"
Ashley stared at her, murderous.
Sera, brushing her teeth in the bathroom, called out flatly, "She's been up since five. Reading your wiki page."
"I edited her wiki page," Cleo corrected.
Ashley groaned and flopped back on the bed.
---
They gathered in the kitchen fifteen minutes later.
The campus had sent them a welcome package with snacks, clean uniforms, and a flyer titled: "NO CLASSES TODAY — GET TO KNOW YOUR ROOMIES!" with a cartoon heart and smiling sun drawn in crayon.
Ashley incinerated her copy.
Sera tossed hers in the trash.
Cleo hung hers on the fridge.
---
As they sat on the couch, Cleo produced a list titled:
"Questions For The Coolest Hero Roommates In The World!"
Sera sighed. "No."
Ashley: "No."
Cleo beamed. "First question: What color is your most dangerous fire?"
Ashley didn't even look up. "Black."
"Ohhh," Cleo whispered, shaking. "You've never used that in public. What does it do?"
Ashley sipped her coffee and said nothing.
Sera smirked. "It eats things. Like your curiosity."
Cleo paused.
"…Hot."
Ashley almost choked.
---
"Next question!" Cleo chirped. "Are either of you straight?"
Ashley looked up slowly. "What kind of question is that?"
"An honest one," Cleo replied. "The people demand answers."
Sera shrugged. "I like women."
Ashley rolled her eyes. "Bisexual. Don't care. Don't ask me to kiss anyone."
Cleo nodded, grinning. "I was just wondering because, y'know, your vibes are very burn-me-while-we-make-out, but also stab-me-and-leave."
Ashley blinked.
"…You have problems."
"I contain multitudes!"
---
"Alright, last one for now," Cleo said, flipping a page.
Sera leaned back on the couch. "This should be good."
"If you were a villain," Cleo asked, wide-eyed, "what would your villain name be?"
Ashley didn't answer immediately.
Then she said, quiet and honest:
"Wildfire."
Cleo stopped writing.
"…That's kinda perfect," she whispered. "Scary. Beautiful. Unstoppable."
Ashley stood up, stretching. "I'll probably end up using it someday."
Sera narrowed her eyes.
Cleo looked concerned.
But Ashley just smiled and walked toward the window, the sunlight reflecting off her eyes like distant fire.
Sera lounged across the couch like she owned it. Cleo sat cross-legged on the floor with a fresh page titled:
"ROOMMATE ABILITY DECLASSIFIED—TOP SECRET (Not really)"
She looked between the two with stars in her eyes.
"Okay!" Cleo said. "Since we're gonna live together, it's only fair we tell each other our powers. Right? No secrets!"
Ashley raised a brow. "Says the one who hasn't said a damn thing about hers."
Cleo gasped. "That's because mine's the most boring!"
She tapped her notebook dramatically. "You go first, Sera!"
Sera yawned. "Fine."
She held up her left hand, and the rings on her wrist spun—then clicked.
In a blink, her entire left arm turned see-through like glass, then shimmered into glowing circuitry.
"My ability is called Circuit Breaker."
Cleo scribbled furiously.
"I can convert my body into an energy grid—like a walking power circuit. Once I sync with a machine or tech-based ability, I can manipulate it, short it, or amplify it. I also store charge in my body, so I can punch like a truck."
Ashley tilted her head. "Neat."
"I'm immune to tasers," Sera added with a smirk. "I've tested that way too many times."
Cleo squeaked. "Oh my god you're literally a walking Wi-Fi killer. That's SO COOL."
Ashley looked unimpressed. "Your phone must hate you."
---
Cleo sat up excitedly. "Okay—me next! But remember: no judgment!"
She stood up, pressed her hands together, and whispered something under her breath.
Then—
Three other versions of Cleo appeared around the room.
Each one wore a different outfit. One had a lab coat. One had a sword. One had bat wings.
Ashley's eye twitched. "No."
"YES!" Cleo beamed. "My ability is Multiperself! Every copy has a slightly different personality trait and skill based on a version of me from an alternate timeline. They're kinda dumb, but super loyal!"
The bat-wing Cleo flew into a wall.
Sera clapped slowly. "So. You're five annoyances, not one."
Cleo pouted. "Rude!"
Ashley muttered, "If I ever see ten of you, I'm using Black Fire."
---
Cleo turned her attention to Ashley. "Okay, your turn!"
Ashley stretched lazily. "You already know mine."
"But we don't know how they work. You have like, eight different fire colors. That's gotta be complicated."
Ashley rolled her neck. "Fine."
She held out her hand, palm up.
A flame burst to life—red, pulsing like a heartbeat.
"Red is my normal. Hot enough to melt titanium. Easy to control."
She snapped—blue fire swirled around her arm.
"Blue is ice fire. Freezes matter by burning its heat away. Hurts like hell."
She summoned green fire that flickered warmly. It gave off no heat—just light.
"Green heals. But it costs a lot. Bleeds me dry if I overdo it."
Then—white fire, like a miniature sun, glowed between her fingers.
"Light fire. Blinds, burns, and purifies. Kills shadow creatures instantly."
Cleo whispered, "How many do you have?"
Ashley's voice darkened slightly. "I stopped counting."
She waved her hand and the flames vanished.
"But the worst one… is Rainbow."
Sera looked curious. "That the one that—?"
Ashley nodded. "Lets me absorb powers. If I kill someone with Rainbow Fire, their ability becomes mine. Forever."
Silence.
Cleo's copies vanished without a word.
"Don't worry," Ashley said, cracking her neck. "I only use it when people really, really deserve it."
Sera didn't speak. Her eyes were calculating.
Cleo exhaled, then said brightly, "...I vote we never make her mad!"
Ashley smirked. "Smartest thing you've said all day."