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They walked along in silence watching the storm rip through the horizon. The leaves were showing their backs and the world was ripe with blue-gray, the air felt thick and wet.
For a moment they paused but then walked on, the wind picked up an edge, biting and cold.

"Does it have to be so damn cold?" J said, wincing against the wind.

"No! But it's nice, isn't it? I mean, wow, you can really feel it!" V exclaimed.

They stopped and turned to each other, the wind whipping past them, harbinger of the rolling clouds ahead of them. Bits of dirt and grit began to sting against them when the wind gave in a little, but the storm progressed even so.

"What is this place?" J asked, not having to shout now.

"It's ours, what's it matter?" V replied, shoving his hands into his pockets.

J shrugged and looked after the storm, "Are we just going to stand here in this?"

V smiled, "I think it'll be sort of a baptism, you know?"

J frowned, "What?"

The wind howled again and they had to stand closer not to yell, the rain was coming down harder now and the storm was almost on top of them.

"Where are we?" J pressed, crossing his arms against the cold.

"You don't know?" V smiled wryly, "'Wha Jasia'," he laughed.

J studied the looming clouds, "They'll stop you," he said to the wind.

"What?" V yelled over the howl.

J turned back to V, "Why did you bring me here?"

"Because it's still unstable, this whole fragment. I need your help, you're a better shifter than me and you know it."

"Sounds more like you want to make sure I'm with you on this," J fired back.

The clouds consumed the sky above them and a torrent of rain came down on the two, curtains of rain set the scene and the lightning seared day-bright, contorting their faces.

V looked up despite the rain and raised his arms, shielding his face, the rain began to pour away from him as if he'd raised some bubble around himself, the fury of the storm pounded against his translucent enclosure but ceased to fall on him. He lowered his arms, wiping the water from his eyes, "You get it, J? This is all ours," he grinned, impish, "try it."

J turned slightly, hesitating, then, balling his fists, "Rain harder."

And it did.