Elementals

The Funeral

Pietro's P.O.V

We take the Quin Jet to Seattle. The flight is long and we don't really speak to each other. Piper just looks out the window. Her eyes full of amazement and sorrow. 

 From where the jet lands a black car is waiting for us, but theres no driver. Which means oneof us has too. I offer since I know Piper is especially sad, she makes no objections. But just like the jet trip me and Piper don't talk. She has her earbuds in and mostly stares out the window. 

I follow the GPS to the location of the funeral, and for a second surprise today, the parking is at the edge of a forest. I park and turn off the car. "Were here." 

Me and the blond girl get out. We both take the provided umbrellas since it's raining, which is fitting for the event.
I follow Piper into the woods and along a dirt road that winds through the forest. She walks ahead of me, her head tilted up, observing the misty serenity of the forest. But I also see that she sheds a couple of tears along the way.

Eventually the path off into a clearing where many people dressed in black have gathered. Piper hesitantly goes up to them, I stay a little behind.
As they notice her she goes around and hugs members of her family. I see her give a long hug to a woman with light brown, but graying hair. She must be her mother. I wonder where her father is?
A woman walks to the head of the group, she has light brown hair and a round face that's deeply tear-stained. She clears her throat, silencing any previous chatter.

"Today we are here to mourn the loss of Alex Stilner. No eulogies will be given, and there will be no casket carrying. We will do what the departed asked in her surprisingly early made will. We will mourn her internally and in the peaceful sounds of the forest. Thank you."
The woman steps down and no one says a word for a very long time.
—————
The funeral doesn't last very long. The vow of silence eventually ends and the quiet talking resumed. And it was announced that people could now leave. At that point much of Pipers family began to file out of the woods. But Piper doesn't move. She waits until everyone is gone, including her two other cousins who stick around after all the others leave.
After all family members depart the forest, me and Piper stand silently in the rain. She sheds a few tears but doesn't sob. I glance over at her and notice that the water droplets around her are freezing, she's not getting wet.
The girl drops her umbrella and walks over to her cousins grave. She kneels down next to it and removes the gloves. I know she's not supposed to, but I don't stop her. Pipers hand touches the stone and a light frost covers it, making a beautiful pattern. The candles left near the grave have been put out by the rain, Piper re-lites them. A kind gesture. She looks over the grave and puts the gloves back on. Piper walks back to me and picks up her fallen umbrella and closes it.
"Did you know there's no body in that grave." It was a rhetorical question. She turns around and heads back to the car.
When we reach the parking spot Piper gets in the drivers seat.
"Do you want to drive?" I ask, Piper says nothing. She removes one glove and sticks her hand out the window. Freezing my feet in place as she begins to back to car out of its spot.

"I'll come back in an hour or so. If you can break free then feel free to explore the city, but be back here when I arrive again or I will leave you on the other side of the country."
Piper rolls up the window and drives away, loud rock music following her.
—————————
Piper's P.O.V

I'm not really why I left Pietro there, I'm normally never that cold hearted, (no pun intended. Who I'm I kidding. Intend your pun, coward). But all I know is that I'm angry that my cousin is gone, furious even, and I don't want to go back to that containment room!
So as I blast Nirvana, I drive around Seattle in attempts to find something that makes me feel better. And I quickly find just the thing.

I walk into the art filled lobby and smell paint, and disinfectant. I walk up to the tattooed clerk,
"Do you take walk ins? I'll pay in cash."
He looks a little startled but soon obliges.
"Um, yeah, what would you like?"
———————
An Hour and a Half later....

"How do you feel?"

"Fine. A little sweaty to be honest, but fine."

"Good. Here is a list of ways to keep it clean and not infected."

"Thanks" I say taking the paper from the artist.
I go up front and pay what I owe. I exit the Tattoo parlor with a small but memorable tattoo, and two new ear piercings. I let out a breath of fresh air, feeling much better then when I left the funeral.
"I should probably go get him" I say to no one in particular.
I locate the car and drive all the way back to the forest entrance. Pietro still stands there trapped in ice. He looks upset, and I now feel horrible.
Idiot! This is why we don't things like this! The feeling you have now, it tears you apart! Scolds my inner voice.
I sheepishly roll down the window and unfreeze Pietro's feet.
He walks up to the car and sternly says
"Get out"
I do as I'm told hop over to the passenger seat. As Pietro drives he asks.
"Where did you go?"
I don't answer. Since I've been alive I've found it best not to talk when you're sad or angry, or in my case both. The reason for this is because if you talk you're afraid your guard will come down and the strong emotion will go away. So I don't speak. It may be a rude gesture, but I am going through some bullshit right now and the least he could do was cut me some slack. 
——————
Me and the blond boy arrive back at the compound late that evening. When I exit the Jet Pietro speeds away and out of sight. I have a feeling he's still mad at me. When he's gone I slowly walk back to my containment room. And I find that Tony is once again waiting outside.
"So, can I ask you why there's 120 dollars missing from my bank account?"
He says with a irritated but yet sarcastic tone. I may have forgotten to mention I used Tony's money.

I don't answer him as a wave of sadness and guilt comes over me. I just walk past and through the open glass panel.
I remove my gloves and begin to sob. I cry for a long time, I don't eat, I don't shower, I don't play chess with Bishop, I just sit on the floor and I cry out all the tears and emotion I have. I keep the glass fogged to no one can see me, and I can't see them.