Faded Rose

Chapter 4

"Rose!" I hear someone call my name, then shuffling as they push their way towards me. Turning, I catch a Peony in my arms, she's trembling. The fire had gone out when I caught hold of her, so we are surrounded in darkness yet again. 

"Peony. It's okay, long as we all work together we'll be okay." I whisper to her, holding her close. "You're shaking." I tell her.

"I know, I'm trying to calm my panic." She replies, cuddling closer to me.

I hold her tighter. Then speak to everyone. "Ummm, I know this is a weird question, but does anybody here know they have special powers or abilities?"

There are a few yeses and I can feel the confusion, like thick fog on a chilly morning. I think very hard at the mindreader, 'Would you mind explaining, Mr. Knows-A-Lot?'

"My name's Shadow." He mumbles before starting his explanation, and I light another fire in the palm of my hand. "So, we believe that the school is collecting those with special abilities. We do not know for what purpose they are doing that, but being here like this makes us believe it isn't for the best reason." A few people murmur at this. "Well, all I know is how they pick the kids who will attend the academy. To figure out who has these 'special capabilities' they send a powerful mindreader to check each person on the list. Okay, well, one mindreader doesn't do all the work, there were three of us. Well, before they decided they didn't need me anymore." At this he growls, or something, but it definitely makes him angry that they just threw him in here like one of their mutts. "All I know is that their leader is a powerful person, with a powerful ability. I know, I know, sounds like the stuff they would feed a five year old. But that is all they ever told me. Aaand I am done being in the spotlight." He sits, grumbling about having to talk to people.

"We still need your help igniting everybody's powers." I tell him, making him growl. This boy likes to growl, it's mildly annoying. "If you wanna get revenge. Of course if you try by yourself, they would probably just throw you back in with us and keep an even closer eye on you. Making it near impossible for revenge." I smirk, and that is what gets him going.

"Fine. But I'm going to take a nap afterwards." He stands up, taking a hard look around, and his gaze lands on Peony in my arms. "You, Peony." He sticks his hand in my fire, making a weird pained noise as he did so. Peony's eyes widen with concern as he pulls his hand away, a burn visible. 

"Why did you hurt yourself?" I snap at him, and he silences me.

Peony gently takes his hand, careful not to touch the burn. She stares intently at it, and it starts healing, smooth skin rippling over the ravaged tissue on his hand.

"Wowww." Coo a few of the nearby people, watching as the hand heals, miraculously.

He quickly moves on to the next person, not seeming to care for anything but awakening their powers. Within the hour he had awakened most of our powers, each one different from the other. It is truly an interesting thing to watch, each person staring at themselves in wonder.