* A LIFE I NEVER CHOSE, marcus

[NELL DOE DALE]

Nell’s tongue sticking out between her lips, a straw hat perched upon her head, she focused hard on the plant in front of her. ”C’mon baby,” she said in a strained tone of voice. She was squatting down, arms up in front of her as if cheering it on. The mulberry tree was trying its darndest to actually look like a tree, but it looked more like a gnarled, creepy hand. She was trying with the thin tree first because she thought it wouldn’t require that much effort. The branches were not too thick, and neither was the trunk. It was pretty consistent throughout, and she thought the only thing she’d really have to worry about was the berries themselves.

Maybe I’m not as strong as I thought I could be. At least she was comfortable with trees now, as long as she was growing them and not using them for anyone else. She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to use her element in her defense again after what happened in America, no matter how strong she’d gotten. Nothing like that would ever happen again, she thought, and even in her mind she used vague terms. Like ‘what happened in America’ and ‘what I did to her’. She still couldn’t admit to herself the horrible truth—the one time she even acknowledged it out loud, she’d completely broke down, wouldn’t come to school for days because she didn’t even know what what to do.

No, maybe she’d never be strong enough. Would she be happy with that? She didn’t really know. She wanted to be powerful, to not be a doormat, but…there was just too much. It would certainly help with Jane around, she thought bitterly. She just needed to avoid pissing her off when they were together, was all. The woman wouldn’t hurt her with León around, but Nell knew that she couldn’t control what little anger she had whenever Jane brought up Mia or Tilly or something else she used to break Nell. And the Earth girl was strong, just not physically or elementally. What did that even count for?

But she couldn’t let her spirits go down. She was an optimist, and so she looked at the tree with determination. She focused on the berries now, not caring that the tree itself looked…sickly. And when the black little berries started to form, she let out a cheer of triumph. Now…to test out how they taste. She took the hat off her head, and started picking off the berries. She had to lightly touch them so the juices wouldn’t get on her finger and she piled them all up in her hat. Should I wash these? She decided that she wouldn’t get sick from eating just one, and popped it into her mouth. And they were reasonably…good. They didn’t taste like other mulberries, but that was okay for now. Now if her element only allowed her to create fireworks for her success.

[asia]

Each steps seemed longer than the one before it. The prints left in the earth were a reminder of where he had been and it only made Marcus was faster in the opposite direction of school. Today hadn't gone as planned. the interview had been ruined, his attendance grade in class had reduced to a B- all due to being late a couple times, and now he was slacking in training. What was going on? Normally, Marcus was not one to fail. Hell, he was barely one to slack in the least bit. He was an excellent student, great grades, perfect attendance, and quick to learn. But what was going on with him lately? Lifting his hand, he eyed it, noticing that the bruising was slowly going away and the swelling was almost gone completely. He sighed, placing his arm back at his side as his steps reduced to a steady pace.

The air was crisp, cool as usual, and it seemed that most trees were turning their normal fall colors already. Most remained green but he couldn't wait for the change. He enjoyed it immensely. Most earth students thought of fall and winter as a sort of death for plants and flowers, but to him, it was just the earths way or starting over again. Just like everyone else, the earth needed a rebirth, an undisturbed growth into something new. Everything and everyone needed a new start every once and a while and Marcus knew he could use one now. The thought of his attempt at a job interview earlier was embarrassing. He had wanted the job more than anything, but he had also known that the chances of him scoring it would be slim and of course, he had been correct. Stopping at a nearby stump, he took a seat, sighing and pulling his jacket closed a bit more. He hadn't exactly dressed perfectly for the weather but he had done his best.

Pulling on the scarf, he glanced around, almost sensing someone else nearby. He was not sure but he thought he could hear something. After a few moments of silence and assuring himself that he was crazy, he looked back to the ground. Picking up a small stick, he began to draw in the dirt, careful not to disturb any small plants sticking up from the earth. Just as he felt himself calming down, the sound of a cheer came from nearby. It was not too loud, but he had been able to pick it up and he stood slowly, looking around quickly. No one was on the trail but they could be anywhere out here now that he thought about it.

Trudging through the vegetation and still making sure his feet steered clear of any life, he stopped shortly nearby a large maple tree. A young girl, probably a junior or senior from what he could guess, squatted at the base of a small tree. He could tell that she was practicing her element and from the looks of it, she was an earth girl. A small smile met his face and he continued to watch, wondering if maybe he was a bit creepy for doing so. Carefully pushing closer, he cleared his throat so to make his presence known to her. She was pretty to say the least, long brown hair down her back and a soft complexion. She looked familiar, as if he had seen her around somewhere but he couldn't be sure. He needed to get around her to get a good look at her face.

Stopping in front of her, he rose an eyebrow and let his smile linger on his lips for a moment before speaking. "You know...if you close your eyes and keep your breathing even, it is a lot easier to get it to do what you want. Almost as if letting the plant do the work." he said softly. He knew he shouldn't even be telling her how to practice seeing as how he didn't even know if she was a student or a graduate, but he could tell that she was still trying to get a hold on her abilities. For earth students, it was constantly a struggle to maintain a connection with you and the subject because the earth was living as well. Though not many people realized it, the plants and flowers were their own beings and it would take both forces working together, not one over the other. He slid his hands into his pockets as he glanced to the tree, realizing that it was a mulberry bush really and he suddenly figured out just what she was doing. Spotting the hat in her lap, he held back the large smile that wanted to spread on his face and spoke again. "Sorry, you are probably wondering who I am. The name is Marcus. Marcus Peters...and you?" he asked softly. "I am a sophomore...graduated from the academy a couple years ago." Watching her carefully, he waited for a reply and hoped that his advice hadn't struck a cord.

[NELL DOE DALE]

Nell—no longer focused on growing her mulberry tree—was a lot less jumpy than she would have been if she were otherwise concentrated on something. It was usually when she was studying that she gave a noticeable reaction to being disturbed, having been jolted out of her faults. But as she tasted the berries and heard the throat clear behind her, she turned her head with an exuberant smile. She may have been more paranoid about certain things now since Jane was in Canada, but she wasn’t going to scream and throw her hat into the air in fright whenever someone randomly appeared in the woods.

And it turned out that she didn’t have anything to worry about—at least, in her mind. The guy was dressed in a scarf, and judging by his smile he had no foul intent. Of course, Nell was one to give people the benefit of the doubt and trust a little too easily. But she didn’t want to think badly of someone who might have just been wandering around the woods. After all, it could have been considered suspicious for her to be there. In the moment that she peered over at him, she took in his green eyes and the dirt on his hands as if he’d been doing something in the dirt, before he even spoke his first words.

”Hi there,” she greetpleasantly, her eyes crinkling with the smile that spread across her lips. She loved meeting new people, especially in a place like this. Her mind was running wild with questions about what he was doing out here, and who he was, but she wasn’t going to cover him in her word vomit. She understood how overbearing and annoying it could be. With her little experience in the real world before she left The Bronx, she was a lot more cautious with what she said and did, but after close to a year of being free—if you could call it freedom—she’d found herself a comfortable balance. She was always genuine no matter what, though, even if she never talked about herself.

What came first out of his mouth was advice, which surprised her, but not unpleasantly. She turned back to the tree, her friendly expression now mixed with one of consideration. ”Eyes closed and breathing even, huh?” she murmured, before shutting her eyes, feeling the ground under her feet, treating it as if it were a part of her body. Don’t be scared of the roots. It was such an absurd thing to be frightened of, but it was what she’d used in her terror to defend herself from her mother, and even when she wasn’t trapped in a corner there was always the fear in the back of her head. But she let her influence grow as she told herself that they were only small roots, that they couldn’t damage anything and that she needed them to help the gnarled looking tree. She was working on the emaciated branches, focused on growing them out, making the berries fuller, concentrated on the overall health. Her brown eyes fluttered open, and she let out a soft sound of delighted surprise. Even the color of the bark looked healthier, a darker brown than the almost pale hue it had before. She turned back to the mysterious interloper. ”Hey, thanks for that,” she chirped. ”I guess I’m still gettign a handle on things, but it’s really nice. It means there’s still a lot to learn.”


Before turning back to reap what she sowed, he introduced himself and she tried to get a feel for him. He seemed, well, friendly, otherwise he wouldn’t have even approached her. And definitely softspoken. ”Nice to meet you Marcus,” she said languily, rocking on her heels and exuding her usual friendly demeanor. ”My name’s Shepherd, Nell Shepherd.” She held up her fingers in the universal gun pose, hat being balanced in the other hand. The Earth girl couldn’t resist a corny joke. ”Sophomore? I fear I’m only a twelfth grader, so it’s nice to have some assistance from a higher-up.” Nell was one to like her independence and she didn’t know how to ask people for help. It was part of the reason why she didn’t reach out before—her mother had told her over and over again that the world was a scary place and that she didn’t deserve help, anyway. Plus, if her father hadn’t helped her, why would anyone else? Even she didn’t realize how low her self-esteem was because she was too focused on others. Like Marcus here, who she was very curious about.

”So what element are you in?” Nell asked, tilting her head in her usual ‘I really want to know more about you, but don’t feel pressured to talk’ gesture. Even with questions about elements, she was pretty careful. She understood how people could be personal. Some things that may be normal for others weren’t for her, and vice versa. She wasn’t consciously putting in effort, since her friendliness was just natural. Motioning her free hand toward the tree, she said, ”Earth elemental, obviously. Us flower children sure love the wilderness.” She finished the statement with another easy chuckle. And the gardens, of course—it was where you most often found their kind.

[asia]

The smile never left his lips as he watched her glance up at him in interest. The girl seemed kind, a little young, but knowledgeable none the less. She soaked in his words before looking back to the tree in front of her. As she closed her eyes, he watched in earnest, hoping that his trick would work for someone other than himself. He had never actually learned that trick in class, but he had stumbled across it during a difficult test his freshman year. When it proved to be successful to him, he decided that maybe he had just found a new way of mastering his abilities. He paid attention to the way her lips quivered as if she was speaking to herself silently. He knew that her thoughts were purely on the plant as she sat, quiet and content, hoping to get the tree to do as she wished. Suddenly, the changes caught Marcus' eye and he watched, pleased, as the tree began to extend, its color and over all look changing to what she must have imagined in her mind. A grin spread across his face but lessened a little when he realized he was doing it. He was not one to show full emotion. Normally, it would be a bit too awkward for him.

Her eyes fluttered open and he could hear the excitement in her voice as she stood and looked at it happily. Glad he could help, he began to turn to leave after saying a short 'your welcome' but she began to speak again. She introduced herself as Nell Shepherd and he smiled a little again, having heard her name around a bit. Apparently, she was dating a fire student which wasn't completely unheard of but it was a little out of the norm. "Nice to meet you too," he said, careful not to seem to happy but truth was, he was. For one thing, his trick had proven a success with someone other than himself, and he had also had the pleasure being able to meet someone other than his professors. He was not one to usually make small talk but he was willing to answer if someone spoke to him.

Placing his hands into his pockets, he listened as she spoke again and laughed a little, shaking his head at her comment of being a sophomore. He had been right, she was young. Still in high school but she was not as young as he had assumed. He appearance did look more her age now that he thought about it but the voice was soft and it had definitely caught him off guard. Keeping his thoughts to himself, he shrugged and answered softly. "Eh, don't worry about it. You learn a lot more once you graduate though, trust me. I just figured that a pointer might help you achieve whatever it was that you were attempting here." He could see the interest in her expression and he had a feeling that questions would be asked soon. Sure enough, one emitted from her lips the second his thought had finished and before he could answer, she did so for him. "Yeah, I am. I came out here for a walk to sort of get away, you know? Figured I would be the only one out here because of classes going on and such." He wondered why she herself was not in class but didn't find a point in asking. Besides, that was a little personal and he didn't want to come off as a creeper or anything. Besides, he had already showed up on her unexpectedly and it was all a little unlike him to still be here talking. Lifting his fingers carefully, he watched as a nearby branch twisted and curved itself into a "U" shape before he walked to it and took a seat slowly. The small leaves and branches on it still swayed slightly from the movement and he leaned back against the branch, one foot up and the other dangling above the ground. "So you come out here to practice I take it?" Might as well sit down, who knew how long he would be out here.

[NELL DOE DALE]

Nell continued smiling at him in her usual smiley-demeanor. She was actually enjoying company, because she despised being alone. People liked to be alone to think, but she didn’t like to think about her life. If she did, she got to deep into her head and there were things she didn’t want to explore. Others distracted her from that. She rarely thought about herself because she was just more interested in the people around her. So she was glad to have Marcus here, talking to her. He seemed affable, really, and since she was a trusting person with the utmost faith in human nature, she decided that he would be very decent company. Even though he did just come out of nowhere in the middle of the wilderness. Of course, she couldn’t judge, and she never really did. She wasn’t the sort to do that.

And Nell could quite admire Marcus for his experience, even though she wasn’t really one to idolize people. ”Hmm, I certainly hope so,” she said contemplatively. Don’t think, Nell, don’t think. But it came with conversation of the future, the feeling of fear she got. She didn’t have a future, not right now. She didn’t want to mull over what would happen if she lost the trial and was convicted of murder. All she wanted to do was live in the present right now, enjoy the last months of her tenuous freedom that she had claimed for herself as an illegal alien, a fugitive. ”You did help a lot,” she said enthusiastically, as if it was the best thing anyone has ever done for her. With this freedom came new experiences, and the kindness of strangers was something new for her. Actually, not necessarily. There were the librarians, but she’d never taken advantage of their kindness. She just sat behind the shelves in a secluded area even though she would have loved to talk to others, nursing a haphazardly stitched wound.

She realized that her words were taken the wrong way, but didn’t mind at all. ”Oh, I just meant myself,” she amended. ”But I was guessing at you, since you did have such a good tip.” But it’d probably be good for other elementals, too. Universal advice, really. She catalogued it in her mind for future used. After all, the girl absorbed information like a sponge. Or rather, fragments of information, like quotes and dates to attach to them. Words like Marcus’ word good for how her brain functioned. ”I understand,” she said, a laugh lacing through her words. ”We all need a break sometimes.” Even though when she did take breaks, she was practicing her powers in some way. Growing the plants in her apartment, weaving rings of flowers, doing whatever she could in nature to both be close to it and become more at peace with an element she could have very near feared thanks to what she did to her mother with it.

She watched as he used his powers to manipulate a tree branch, her brown eyes growing large with excitement. Not fish-eye large, just wider with intrigue. ”Yep, yep, but I try to practice everywhere,” she told him, looking at the trees around her. The first time she really came out there was with Josh when they’d first become study buddies. The topic had always remained strictly on school, since then the only things she knew about him were the fact he was bilingual and vegetarian. She had come up with a lot of goals then, goals she planned to accomplished. She looked down at her hat as if noticing it for the first time. ”Oh, I’m being rude!” Nell said lightly, standing up a bit straighter. She held up the straw hat in her hands so that it would reach him, filled up with berries. ”They taste…okay.” With a small inclination of her head, ‘okay’ could be taken for almost anything. But they really were decent, better than a lot of things she’d made in the beginning of the year. Hopefully, soon enough, she’d be able to grow her own food. She’d enjoy living off the land, actually. It was healthy and well…it was food. Any kind of food was great for her. Except okra. That was a special exception.