Elementalists (completed)

Chapter 10

For the rest of the day we just play around until dinner and bed. We talk about what we think the next day will be like.

The teamwork round. Last time they had the teams build buildings together and the best ones stayed.

Anemos stands up, "Well, I'm going to bed. Good night."

"Good night." We chorus back and Anemos gives us a smile before walking over to his bed and settling in.

We stay up for a couple more minutes before Neve passes a yawn around and we decide to head in for the night.

. . . .

I wake up to hear Neve quietly crying. I sit up and squint through the dark, waiting for my eyes to adjust. Once they do I move over to Neve's bed, putting my hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I whisper soothingly.

Neve sniffs and I wrap my arms around her.

"I....I just....miss my mom." She says quietly, sounding as though she's about to cry again.

I don't know how to respond for a minute. I'm not very good in these situations, but then I decide on hugging her. I wrap my arms around her and Frost pokes her nose out of Neve's hair, yawning widely, showing her tiny, razor sharp teeth. I pick the ferret up and set her in Neve's lap. Neve starts to pet the small creature.

"My mom gave me Frost....." Neve sniffs, scratching behind Frost's ear. "I was so excited...." She continues. I hug her a little tighter. "She gave me Frost right after my coming ceremony. Then the Harmony Games came and I was chosen and....." Her voice cracks a little and she lets out a sob. I just hold her as she calms down. "I never got to say goodbye." She whispers. I nod into her fluffy white hair. Poor girl. She is younger than me, but not by much. I'm surprised she even knows how to control her element yet.

"It's okay." I breath. I didn't have it as hard. I got to say goodbye. I can't even imagine not being able to. "We're going to get through this and then your going to go home and see your mom. It's not like your never going to see them again."

I hope that isn't a lie. I don't really know.

"What's going on?" Kin's voice floats over to me, followed by a yawn.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep." I whisper, but Kin sees Neve crying softly and crawls over.

"What's wrong?" Kin coos to Neve, taking the small girls hands in her own. "Why're you crying?"

Neve doesn't answer, just bury's her head into me.

"She didn't get to say goodbye to her mom." I inform Kin, feeling bad for the younger girl. Kin looks at Neve with sad grey eyes, "I'm so sorry Neve!"

The metal girl thinks for a minute. "Do you have a favorite story?"

Neve stops crying for a minute. I can't see her face but I feel her shift slightly.

I'm a little curious. A favorite story?

"I like...." Neve whispers in a watery voice, sniffing, "I like the story of the first Shinju."

Kin and I smile knowingly, sharing a look.

The Shinju story is everyone's favorite story. Through every child's childhood, they are told the story many times over. It's full of good memories and happy places, bringing a comfortable, warm feeling with it.

Kin chuckles quietly, "Well, that's everyone's favorite story, now isn't it? How does it start? I haven't heard it in so long!"

I relax. I haven't heard it in a while either. Not since.....not since my brother died.

"It starts with the Elementalists!" Neve exclaims excitedly, snuggling into me and holding Frost against her chest.

"Oh yes!" Kin says, her eyes twinkling.

"What's going on?"

I look behind Kin to see Anemos sitting up. He gropes in the dark for his glasses and when he finds them he sticks them on his nose and blinks at us.

"Why are you all awake?" He asks, his voice sounding loud in the quiet darkness.

I put my finger to my mouth but it's too late.

"Wha.....?" Nero sits up, looking confused, "What's happening?"

That wakes up Ignis and Terro, who shoot us curious looks in the dark.

I sigh, but Kin smiles, "We're telling the first Shinju story!"

"Oo! I love that one!" Nero exclaims, gripping his blanket excitedly, all signs of tiredness gone.

"Since we're all awake, why not?" Terro says, leaning back on his pillow comfortably. Ignis does the same.

"Okay." Kin decides, completing the matter, not that anyone would object. I make myself comfortable, holding Neve tight, and Kin begins.

"A long time ago, before all the cities, the streets, the markets, the cars and all those modern inventions lived a family."

I squeeze Neve and smile in the dark, excited to hear the story again.

"They lived at the end of the world, cut off from civilization. They lived next to a waterfall that spouted emerald green water. Every day, the family would go on a morning stroll. One day, the father slipped and fell down the waterfall. The mother tried to catch him but couldn't. They fell to their deaths."

I hear Nero gasp quietly and grin, closing my eyes. I can almost hear Dad's voice telling it to me. Me and my brother. It's been so long since I last heard it. Three years, to be exact.

"The oldest brother saw this and asked his six little brothers to climb down with him to go bury the body. It took them 5 weeks to get down there.

Luckily, every time they had a sip of the Emerald water, they wouldn't be thirsty, wouldn't be hungry, wouldn't be tired. When they finally got there, they found the bodies preserved by a coffin made of a beautiful stone, created by the water. They all went next to the coffin that held their parents, tears in their eyes, and the youngest, who was twelve, kissed it. Suddenly, the sarcophagus started shining yellow, and bolts of electricity went into the deceased, who woke up. They opened the coffin for them as the oldest touched another stone, making it turn brown. All the children, Lightning, Earth, Wind, Metal, Water, Ice, and Fire, tried it and all received their element. The parents used a little bottle to keep some emerald water in. They decided to call the stone "Shinju" which meant "Resurecting rock" in the old language. Noticing they couldn't go back up, the water elementalist helped the family to swim across the sea. On the other side, they explained to the citizens what their powers where actually and showed them how they conjured and dart and warp, pouring the last remaining Emerald water onto the ground. There arose a mighty mountain of Shinju. When the citizens asked how they came across this stone they told them the story. From that point they created the seven cities, gave kids their Shinju's and elements at age twelve, after the youngest boy, and created the Harmony Games to remind us that all elementalists are a family. To this day they are known as the Elementalists, the beginners, the originals."

There is a full two minutes of silence before anyone moves, and when we do, it is to silently get to bed.

I fall asleep quite easily.
******************
GUYS, I AM FULLY AWARE THAT THE FIRST SHINJU STORY IS NOT THE BEST, IT IS A WORKING PROGRESS. However, if you happen to be good at this kind of thing, you can PM me one that you made. THIS IS NOT MANDATORY (obviously) but if you're bored it would be greatly appreciated.

IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED DON'T READ THIS.

It needs:
a.) how the Elementalists got their Shinju's
b.) a pulse. It needs to sound cool. I tried to do it up there....but, well, you know.....
c.) to be long enough

That's it. I will give you credit.

WARNING:
a.) I may not like it
b.) you may be rejected
c) IT'S NOTHING PERSONAL

Okay, that's all I wanted to say.
Thanks!
XOXO
Rascal