Reformation

Chapter One- Burning Bridges

"Cattleya labiata..." Nova reached out and caressed the soft, sunset purple satiny petals. "Papaver Rhoeas..." Little raven-haired women twirling in crimson dresses. "Camelia Rosa..." The hot pink of a sun rising. "I've missed my girls." Nova murmured, drinking in the scent of the flowers blooming around her.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned back against the iron wrought chair, content to simply soak in the last rays of the sun. Shouting reached her ears and she sighed, annoyed that her sanctuary never stayed safe for long. The owner of the "secret" garden was fighting with her husband again; in a moment she would come out to seek solace among the flowers. In that, Nova sympathized with the woman. But their similarities ended there, and the next words out of the woman's haranguing mouth shot arrows through Nova's heart.

"This is the latest you've gotten home, Carlos, and I draw the line at seven! You reek of alcohol, what am I supposed to think...."

Nova shot upward. "Seven!" She whispered, horrified. She was late.

Nova spared a glare for the misleading dropping ball of molten fire, and skittered across the tiny balcony. She scrambled, catlike, across a narrow railing and threw herself onto the thick trailing vines spanning the length of the building. With little heed for her hair or clothing, she shimmied down the green ropes, scraping her skin against the rough clay in her haste.

Once on the ground, she hurried down the cooling streets, sticking close to the shadowed walls.

"If I'm home late again, Mother Mariana will whip me herself." Nova worried aloud as she wove through alleys and ducked around the homeless of Brazil's finest city, fitting in perfectly with her well worn clothing. She looked like one of the urchins haunting the city for scraps and pocket items, but that was alright with her, it kept her safe from the desperate criminals lurking in city corners.

That is, if I'm not a desperate criminal myself yet. Nova pushed the thought away irritably. I don't steal. No, I just sneak into people's gardens and smell their flowers.

Nova fought a small grin, pushing herself faster. She made sure to keep her hood low; she would not make the mistake of letting strangers see her face again. Last time she was foolish enough to walk around the city without a covering, a rare well-meaning well-off woman asked her if she needed medical attention. That was more embarrassing than the constant teasing she received at the orphanage.

At last she arrived, but before she entered, she stopped across the street. Nova paused to collect all of her wits, to gather any stray emotion from her mind and lock it away. She paused to slip on the impenetrable mask that was a necessity in this hellhole, and to bury her heart deep within iron walls.

Then Nova crossed the street, glancing up at the sign that said Babies for Adoption!, and slipped into the side door. She ghosted past the kitchen door, finding it was getting easier to resist the smells. She gave up long ago on the feeling of a full belly. Once past the kitchen and dining hall, she was home free. All that remained was to-

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." Drawled a familiar voice.

Nova slowed, closing her eyes briefly and holding in a groan. "Don't you have anything better to do than torment every person passing by?"

Gustavo grinned, a nasty, malicious look that he always saved just for her. He knew she was easy prey, since the mammoth boy was only interested in taunting those who were smaller than him. "I'm just a concerned fellow orphan... I mean, anyone would be concerned if they looked at the hideous sores on your face, concerned that it might be contagious!" He guffawed as if he was the funniest thing in the world.

Nova sighed inwardly, watching as an audience slowly gathered. "I've lived here all my life. You know they aren't."

Gustavo snorted. "Why don't you just do us all a favor and burn off your whole face?" He spat, urged on by the mini wannabe bullies.