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Post by cassandra on Dec 3, 2011 20:36:31 GMT -5
How beautiful the gardens were. Not only were they constantly alive, but every earth student cared for them. At least, so she saw it. She always loved to be in the gardens rather than outside of them, for in the gardens, no one but earth students ever really came in. She loved that fact, for then, the war never entered the peaceful area. She hated the war but she loved the peace and quiet she got here. She knew that the war was not the cause for that, but she was thankful to still have a place to escape from it. She wondered when the peace actually stopped between the elements, and it was strange that wind was involved and split down the middle.
As she pondered on this, she walked around the garden before she sat down on a bench. She smiles as she looks at a plant and she looks at the outside sky and weather. It was still winter, hence the reason she was in some nice warm winter clothes. She loves the change in the weather, it reminded her that Mother Nature was always keeping them all on their toes. She also loved how nothing was ever set in stone. Surprises were a part of life right? She chuckles at the thought before she stands up again and walks over to a rose.
The gardens were always up and she hated to see a withering rose. But the weather messed with everything. Certain plants grew during certain seasons, and winter just was not the season for the rose. She touched the rose softly and she focused on some life going into it. She smiles as she takes her hand away and the rose was a bit darker red, and it looked a bit livelier. But she knows all and well that it will not last, and she accepted that fact all the time. Just like with her family, nothing lasts forever.
words , 325 words
tagged , ashton
notes , finally get to hang out lol
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Dec 4, 2011 13:36:12 GMT -5
Ashton's hands were shaking and cold to the touch as he fumbled with the plant—he'd forgotten to grab his gloves from the dormitory and was now suffering for it in the below zero temperatures. Sometimes I hate winter, he sighed, surveying his creation with dismay. Its leaves had turned brittle and brown, nothing at all like the vibrant green they'd been in the classroom. He was trying to put some life back into it, some colour, but the cold made it much too hard to concentrate. It was for a start of term project, a test to assess how good a student was at handling their powers in a difficult scenario. If he failed, Ashton knew that his position as the male Earth leader could be in danger. A friend had invited him out to lunch but he'd refused—he couldn't go hanging out at Tim Hortons when he had school-work to do.
Whilst the weather outside wasn't exactly what you could call 'frightful', it wasn't pleasant, either. He tried his best to appreciate nature in all its forms but the only thing good about the snow was the fact that you could play in and built with it. He remembered the snowman he'd built with Nell and his lips twitched for a moment, driving away his frustration. Then he remembered something a classmate had told him about the Shepherd girl and it fell again. Murderer, right. He'd admittedly been avoiding her since then. It hurt to know that he'd yet again trusted someone blindly only to have them turn out to be the opposite of what he expected. First Asha, now Nell? Is there any friend I can trust? He thought of Noly and felt bad as he doubted her, too. What if she did something to hurt him, to lie to him? He knew that it was unfair to his other friends to be suspicious when only two people had wronged him but he had considered both as dear friends—Asha as even more than that.
I'm making no progress with this stupid plant. He sighed to himself and left it sitting on a bench in the gardens, not even bothering to brush the snow off the seating area as he wasn't planning on sitting down. He had worked himself into a bit of a dismal mood and wanted to find some sort of way to cheer himself up. Maybe he could run into someone he knew here? He knew a good deal of his fellow Earths due to his friendly attitude and eagerness to meet new people and they made up the vast majority of garden occupants at any given time. He wandered for a while and got lost within the mazes of walls and decorations, realising only too late that he'd probably not know how to get back to his project. I guess I could just ask the professor for a new one, he decided. It might get him into trouble but at least it would be a fresh start, right?
He was glad to finally stumble upon someone that he knew, seemingly having a lot more luck with plantlife than he was. "Cass," he said, enthusiastic and affectionate despite his earlier doubts. He could never stay in a bad mood for long. Such was the blessing of the optimist—though it could also be a bad thing, seeing as it made him trust people far too easily. "Whatcha up to? It's kinda cold out here, isn't it?" He didn't really get why some people thought that discussing weather was lame. After all, it was freezing. Why not remark on this fact? "It's so pretty," he said, gesturing to the flower. "It's a shame all this frost kills our plants. I'll be glad for the spring, won't you?" He most definitely talked a lot but hoped she didn't mind.
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Post by cassandra on Dec 4, 2011 23:06:51 GMT -5
See Cass knew that she had an assignment already, but like usual, she did not want to start the thing. She hated homework, but it ways got done. In fact, she was going to have to ask the professor for a new plant, for the she was given was already dead beyond revival. She knew that she would get lectured but she did not really mind. All the while that she was thinking on that, a nice cold breeze came in and she shivered before she wrapped her arms around her body. Why did it have to be below zero temperatures? Those were the worst for the girl.
She blew some warm air into her hands to try and warm the leather gloves on the outside, but it did not work out very well. She looked at the rose again and saw that it had completely withered and she sighed then. Oh well, the time was coming for it. She turned to grab her stuff and she saw Ashton there. She smiles lightly and walks over to him. Hey Ashton. She shrugged then. Trust me, if I could control the weather, it would not be this cold. she chuckles lightly then.
She looks at the rose again and sighs. It was at least. The cold killed it faster than I would have liked really. There was nothing that she could really so on that part and she could not wait for spring time to return. The gardens were so beautiful then that you would not want the seasons to change at all. Spring time will be wonderful. No more cold weather and just the right temperature for the plants. she smiled at the thought and she looked at him again.
She eyed his plant and she sighs. I do not think either of us are doing any good on this assignment. I do not even have my plant anymore, I have to get a new one. She shrugged then and sat down next to him on the bench. She lived the idea of the assignment, but she hated having to actually try and do the project. It was not the easiest one in the world and she knew that if Ashton wanted to stay the male earth leader, he had to do good on the assignment. She honestly did not know what she was going to do about it. She knew that Caleb failed the eleventh grade so he was there again, and she did not feel sorry at all really, it was his fault. She looked back at Ashton and she thinks on what she should probably say next.
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Dec 6, 2011 18:00:12 GMT -5
The Earth elemental grinned at her comment. Controlling the weather would be nice. He wondered for a moment whether he might like that power instead of the one that he had, but ultimately concluded that he would miss the control over plants and soil far too much in the long run. He always felt so in tune to the earth and the plant-life, he loved the feeling of life at his fingertips or the rush he got when a flower opened under his touch. It gave him a sense of significance and importance that he didn't think he could achieve by just changing around the weather patterns. "Sometimes I regret not being allied with the Fires," he joked. "They might be difficult but I imagine they'd be real useful in this kind of weather!" He was joking of course. As the leader, he understood more than anyone else the importance of the alliances the way they were.
Oh, you understand them, that small and snide voice in the back of his mind sneered, but you don't always uphold them, do you? It was true. Ashton knew better than a lot of people how warm the Fire elementals could be because he'd dated one for a glorious few weeks before their relationship had been brought to a halt. The rumours about the unlikely friendship between Asha Woods and Ashton Raleigh had thankfully left alongside the girl herself but his own memories remained. He did not talk to his friends about her and for the most part just tried to push it out of his mind. She had ingrained herself in it much like the roots of a plant into the soil. To avoid slipping too much, he focused on Cass and how nice it was to converse with a friend. Yes, friends were always a safe subject. "It's awfully rainy during the spring but I don't mind," he said cheerfully. "All the better for the plants, right?"
Sometimes he felt closer to his plants than he did to people—that was saying quite a lot considering how personable and friendly he was. He just felt so connected to the things which he manipulated. When the winter swept in with its cruel hold and strangled the life out of his plants, he often lamented their loss and wished for the spring much as Cassandra was now. "I know, right? It's real tough during this time of year." Sometimes the teachers were sympathetic but other times there was no hope of getting anything out of them. He often thought that full-fledged Earth elementals took for granted how easy it became for them to call upon their gift in any weather, forgetting that their students did not yet have that ease. He wondered, too, if the other elements suffered that kind of misunderstanding. He was very empathetic and often found himself trying to relate to other people. "No chance of reviving it, huh? That's tough."
It was nice to talk to someone that was in his classes. They really understood what he was saying when he complained about a recent project and the friendship he shared with Cassandra also helped. "Apart from the both of us fixing to fail," he said with a wry smile, "how have you been, lately? How was break?" It had been really nice to go home for the month and spend the holidays with his family but it was also nice to return to all of his friends at school. As he spent more time at the Academy than at home, it really was like a home to him. The Earth elementals were his family and the others were like the neighbours that lived a few houses down. It was nice.
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Post by cassandra on Dec 7, 2011 20:36:59 GMT -5
She smiles lightly and heard his comment on the alliances. She shook her head then. I wouldn't. The Fires are always too touchy, and my twin is a Fire and he is not one for peace like we are. She shook her head again and the smile faded a bit before she gathered her mind back to the present. She smiles slightly again then. They are very difficult, but it is fun to live with one at times. Well, not really maybe. Too many fights. She chuckled then and looked at the withered rose. She hated the cold as did the plants and she understood then why she hated the cold so much when she was growing up.
Cass looked at him when he had stopped talking, and it looked like he was probably thinking. But she could always tell differently by the looks in peoples eyes, and a bit of Empathy she seemed to have gotten from Nature itself. She closed the space between them and she placed a soft hand on his arm. Ash, are you ok? She hated to see her friends in some kind of pain, and she would always try to help them. It was just in her own nature. how she was raised, and it was just the person who she was. When he spoke again she smiles and took her hand off his shoulder.
I like the rain though, it reminds me of what good I have done here and what good we all can do for the Earth herself. Yes, rain was probably the only coldness she will handle that comes from Mother Nature, and she loved it. She loved to see how everyone seemed to get together no matter who they were, and they talked and had fun. Of course, she never really saw the Fires then, but that was not entirely a bad thing. She heard his answer on the classes and she sighs and nods.
The ever lasting smile that she seemed to have, disappeared all together then. Sadly, no. There are no chances of revival. Im just going to have to go and talk with the professor. Ill probably get a stern lecture and that's it though. No matter how long she procrastinated on her work, she always got it done, and it was usually always a great piece of work. But right now, since it was her first offense, she was hoping to get off with a lecture. If she got detention, so be it.
The subject changed happily, and she thought on how the break went. She really did not do anything, she did not even go to the dance that everyone seemed to have a blast at. She shrugged then and sighed. She had no family to go back home to, and her brother was at the dance and with all of his Fire buddies, so she was really alone during the break. Well, since the only family I have alive is Caleb, and he was gone with his Fire buddies all break. I really did nothing. I rented out a hotel room and stayed there for the break. It was not that bad really. I practiced on some flowers they had there and read some books I have been meaning to read.
She doesn't remember if anyone other than the school officials, her brother and herself were the only ones who knew of their parents, death, but oh well. If Ash didnt know, he did now She didnt mind telling him though, he was probably the best guy friend she had around this place. She looked around the gardens then and she put a small smile on her face when she saw some roses were still alive and she looks back at Ash then. How was your break? She didnt want to dwell on any topics, she she had asked him. Her mind slowly forgot about the break that she didn't have as she focused back on their conversation.
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Dec 11, 2011 9:54:05 GMT -5
[Er, how could she tell he was upset? All he was doing was thinking to himself :|]
He sighed as she took his comment far too seriously, shaking his head a little. Sometimes he wondered if he should bother joking around at all because he didn't like to say the wrong thing and send someone into a spiel about a topic he'd only been kidding around on. He knew just as well as she did what the Fires could be like but unfortunately he couldn't admit that without also admitting he ran around with a Fire for a while, kissed her, went further than that. God damn it, Asha, go away. He couldn't get the girl out of his head sometimes. Romance was hard to get over. "I was only kidding, Cass," he pointed out patiently. Despite his slight internal exasperation, he didn't sound upset at all—quite the opposite. It would have been very unlike him to get irritable toward a friend. Ashton was friendly ninety-nine percent of the time. He generally only got angry with people who really upset him (like Asha) and that never lasted long. It took a single tear, a single protest, a single 'I'm sorry' to make him doubt the anger. And maybe he wouldn't calm down right away, maybe he'd need a bit of time, but he always forgave. It was a flaw of his; he trusted people far too easily.
He was confused when she asked him if he was alright, considering he had only been thinking to himself and had not really fallen into some sort of real depression. The thoughts still hurt, sure, but they were easier to suppress than they had been at the start. "I'm okay," he assured her, smiling slightly. "Why wouldn't I be?" He was counting on the fact that she knew nothing about he and Asha because he'd never told his friends, except Nell, about what had went on with the girl. It had been stupid to trust Nell, he realised that now, because she ended up being a murderer. He had a horrible judge in people, it seemed. He hoped that Cassandra was not the same. He hoped that they could remain friends and that she wouldn't be one of the people to hurt him in the end. He was a nice guy but he could only deal with so much.
He nodded. "Good luck." He still wasn't sure what he was going to do about his plant. He really didn't like getting detention or getting lectured and so he wondered if he might be able to save it but at the same time knew he couldn't leave it too late. If he tried too hard to fix things on his own and he failed, well, then there would be issues. Then he'd get a terrible mark and a lecture. Oh geez. What should I do? He kept this internal dilemma to himself, as well. He didn't want Cass to worry herself about something like that. She'd seemed concerned a moment ago and he didn't want to give her any real cause for it now. "At least it's the beginning of the year," he said. "The professors go a little easy on us then." 'A little' was quite accurate but at least it was better than nothing. He was worried about adjusting to the harder work level of senior year.
Ashton hadn't been aware of her parents' deaths and he felt a pang of sadness and empathy as he realised what she meant by the only family she had... alive. "What... what happened to your parents?" he asked hesitantly. He sometimes took risks in asking questions that people would not want to answer. He was worried for his friend just as she'd worried about him but if she told him to mind his own business or that she didn't want to talk about it then Ashton would understand. He'd never gone through any sort of real tragedy. Sure, there had been the car accident where his mother had almost died but she was still around, wasn't she? I can't imagine what it must be like for her. "Your brother didn't even stay with you?" It didn't sound fair, at least not to Ashton.
He almost didn't want to answer when she asked how his holidays had gone, knowing that they had likely been a hell of a lot better than hers. Still, Cassandra had asked and he was not going to ignore the question. "They went pretty well," he replied honestly. "I went to the prom with Hannoly and I spent Christmas with the family back in Vancouver." It had been a very rainy winter break back home but he hadn't cared. Having not seen his family since Halloween it had been nice to have some time with them.
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Post by cassandra on Dec 14, 2011 20:29:29 GMT -5
[Sorry, I read that wrong  ]
She looked at him and she chuckles then. Ok, that is good then. She smiles and she ran her fingers over the dead rose in her hand. She smiles a little then and shakes her head. Just need to focus on it a bit more probably. I'll try to revive it before I go to the professor. She decided on that and was pulled out of her mind when he spoke again. Little did she know that she looked like she was probably in a daze. Oh well. She smiles then and takes her hand off his shoulder. Good, because I do not need to pry and have to try my hardest to get you to talk. She chuckles lightly then.
Her mind thought up a picture of her dead plant and she nods lightly. I am going to try and revive it first. Hopefully it works, if not, then I have no choice but to go to the professor. She thought out her plan carefully and nodded again. I hope it works. She nodded then as she heard his comments on the school year and she chuckles. Yeah, niceness might be in their agenda right now. I am more worried about later work though. If keeping a plant alive during the winter is hard, I really do not want to see the rest of the projects. She thought of the imaginations their professors had and she shakes her head.
She smiles lightly then and looks at him when he asks about her parents. Her smile faded a bit, but she managed to keep some of the lightliness there. When i was ten, my father died in a car crash, well, both of the drivers had died. Then, my first day here, my mom died from a sickness she had gotten. She closed her eyes as tears came up, and she willed them to stay back, but that did not work fully. When she reopened her eyes, she had a few tears leave her eyes, but she stayed calm enough to still talk. That was the main reason why I was quiet when I first got here, and why Caleb was in the worst of moods for a Fire. She heard his thing on Caleb and she shrugs.
He wanted to be with his friends, and I really do not blame him. But yeah, I get what you mean by him being away though. She smiled then when he talked about his. Well, that is good. You had fun, and do not worry, I will get Caleb back. She chuckles then and she thinks on a plan. Her mood was slowly going back to how it was a few minutes before, happy and cheery.
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Dec 16, 2011 18:13:22 GMT -5
[That's alright <3 Sorry this took so long, Ashton's muse likes to be stubborn x.x]
He laughed a little at the comment. "Getting me to talk is never hard! It's getting me to shut up that's the difficult bit!" This was actually pretty true but he said it in a joking and light-hearted manner. He enjoyed talking to his friends and strangers alike, something that often spooked the shy or reclusive students of the Academy. It hurt when people gave him strange looks when he tried to be friendly but he'd gotten used to this over the years—it didn't bother him half as much as it used to. He now understood that some people were different and that he really did come across too strong. He would relax his overzealous personality if he sensed that someone was becoming uncomfortable with it and he'd even apologise if he thought that he'd gone too far. It worked occasionally. He understood that he couldn't be friends with everyone, though. "What's there to pry about? I have nothing to hide." Ashton grinned reassuringly at his friend. He felt a bit bad for lying but convinced himself that it was a necessary evil. Asha was the only thing he lied about so that made it okay, right?
Ashton nodded as she explained her last-ditch effort plans. He was about to make a comment on how the professor might appreciate an honest effort when his emerald eyes lit up and he smacked his hand against his leg with enthusiastic excitement. "I have an idea!" he exclaimed, quite unnecessarily. It was not hard to tell that he'd experienced some sort of an epiphany by the way he looked like he'd come across a cure for world hunger or something on a similar scale. In reality he'd just found a (possible) solution to their mutual problem and was eager to share it with his friend. "Why don't we help each other?" Realising that, as it wasn't a group project, outside help wasn't really allowed, Ashton waved his hands a little. "It's not cheating if we just bring them back to life, right? I mean, it sucks on our own but if we combined our powers I'm sure we'd have no problems. Then... then we could just continue our projects and the professors don't have to know!" It felt a little dishonest but hey, it was his leadership position on the line here. He'd never been a goody-goody in terms of schoolwork. A little bending of the rules wouldn't kill them, right? "Want to try?" Even though he was willing, he wouldn't heckle Cass for backing out. He was too nice to do something like that.
His brows pulled together in sympathetic distress as she explained the deaths of her parents to him. Even though it had happened quite a while ago he was sure that the death of a parent was something you'd never forget. He recalled his own fear and worry when Ana had gotten into the car accident and decided that he'd probably feel the same way. It worried him further to see the tears and he hugged her briefly, keeping a hand on her shoulder as he pulled away. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said sympathetically as he looked his friend in the eye. He knew that 'apologising' didn't do anything but there wasn't much else he could do. Though he'd have liked to be able to get Cassandra and Caleb their parents back he was rather powerless against the forces of life and death. "At least you've still got Caleb," he said with a soft smile. It was not meant to be insensitive but rather to find a bright side. He was an optimist, it was knee-jerk reaction for him.
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