The Elementai

Chapter 2

Lexa followed Commander to his fancy, glass office. It was H-U-G-E, like pretty much all the buildings at the camp. He led her into the waiting area, when Mr Benedetto Pascal, the head Philosophies teacher, walked in. "Sorry to interrupt, Commander," he said in his kind, pleasant voice, "But may I have a word? It is quite urgent." He glanced at Lexa, giving her a smile. All she could manage was a half-hearted smile that looked more like a grimace. All the Philosophers freaked her out. They went really deep into the subjects of improving powers and studying the Elementai and Lupusi. Not even the Scientists did that much research.
Commander and Mr Pascal went into another room, and Lexa sat down. After about ten minutes, Commander walked out with a neutral expression, but distress in his eyes. He told Lexa they would talk another time and went back in. Rolling her eyes, she walked to Fighting/Protection. He had wasted her time, and now she was late. Well, she was always late, but still.
"Hey, Lex," a boy bumped her shoulder as she walked into class. She bumped him back.
"What's up, Ex?" It always struck her how eerily blue his eyes were. His hair ended just above his collar, a tangled mass of brown. It was soft and wavy; they often joked about him one day becoming a hair model.
"How's the special Lupus training going?" she asked him, punching the punching bag he was holding.
"Oh, you know, it's a walk in the park, waking up at 4 every morning, rigorous training, then settling down for a delicious broccoli soup," here he gagged.
"At least you're becoming as wild and untamed as your hair," Lexa smirked, just as someone passed, bumping her. "Hey, watch it!" she said, and turned to see Alexander Carter. He ignored her and walked on.
"Jeez, that guy is a jerk," Ex said as Lexa landed another shot. "Ow! Not so hard, dude."
"Tell me about it. All I hear about him is bad things. Maybe he's a Dakai," she lowered her voice. Ex shushed her, wide-eyed.
"Don't say that, Lex! It's a serious accusation."
"I know, I know, but I mean no one knows anything about him. It's a possibility." They looked over at him. His ash blonde, black-streaked hair flopped over his forehead as he punched a bag, his dark eyes focused. Dark, serious and rude, it was easy to mistake him for a Dakai. Dakai were beings that controlled forces darker than Elementai, such as Poison, Darkness and Black Energy. And they weren't exactly jolly good sweethearts.
Far from it.
Suddenly he caught Lexa's eye, giving her such a cold, hard look that she looked away. "He gives me the heebie-jeebies," she said, hitting the bag.

Next they had their first lesson of Philosophies. Lexa had always avoided it like the plague. Her and Ex met up with Axel, and sat down at a table. Lexa noticed Alexander Carter sitting in the darkest corner, and resolved to avoid him like the plague instead. "Welcome," said a woman with a crazy look in her eyes and a dreamy voice. "I am Ms. Felicia. For some, it might be the first time in Philosophies. We will be tapping into your potential, improving your powers. There is so much to learn." She looked at each of them closely. "I will set you up into pairs." She started reading out a list of names until she arrived at, "Axel Thatcher and...Lexa," she said, eyeing her. Lexa looked down, sinking further down her chair. "No surname?"
"Nope," Lexa muttered. She hated bringing this subject up.
"Why?"
She looked up. " I didn't know my parents. But it's no big deal, carry on." The woman scrutinised her. "Go on, Ms Felicia," Lexa urged.
"Alexander Carter and Xavier Fletcher." Lexa snickered and Ex gave her a look. Yup, Ex was actually Xavier Fletcher, but nobody addressed him by his full name.
"Alright, everyone move next to their partners. You too, Mr Carter." She beckoned for him to sit next to Ex, as he was making no effort to move. He strolled over, shooting emotionless glances at each of them before sitting down. They were told to ask each other questions and 'tap into their full potentials.' Whatever that meant.
"So, Axel, do you like pie? What would your full potential of eating pie be?" Lexa asked, stroking her chin, acting serious. "What kind of faucet would you use to tap into your potential?"
Axel rolled her eyes, lightly shoving Lexa and Ex grinned, overhearing them. "You got a problem, Carter?" she said, seeing him staring at her.
"I'm surrounded by idiots," he muttered in his quiet voice. Lexa narrowed her eyes and he stared angrily, none of them wavering, until they heard a gasp. Ms Felicia stood at the edge of their table, staring at them as if they had done the unbelievable task of wearing socks with sandals.
"You, you two," she said to them, "You have the connection."