Elemental: Fire

Chapter 3

As the other teams played, the others were allowed to take a shower in the locker rooms, and since Scarlett was the only girl in the first match, she had it all to herself.

From the wooden shelf, she grabbed a bar of soap and cleaned herself. When she finished, her hair was still wavy. After changing, other girls had yet to come into the showers, which was disappointing because the Air elements usually dried her hair after activities like these.

The old fashioned way, I guess, Scarlett accepted and began to toss her hair around, letting the natural air dry it. When she had tired out of it, she patiently waited on a bench as they piled in.

"Need help with that," a girl with grey eyes and jet black hair requested. Her name was Everly, and she usually helped Scarlett with her enormous mess of hair.

"Yeah," Scarlett laughed.

Everly swished her hand, and forces of wind began to circle Scarlett, becoming smaller as they reached her hair. They kept circling and circling, lifting her hair up. Scarlett admired it, as she really couldn't do these tasks with fire. In just a few seconds, her hair fell dry around her shoulders, still naturally curly but neater than it was this morning.

"There you go. I have no idea how you can breathe with all that hair," Everly exclaimed.

"Honestly, me neither," Scarlett laughed, shaking her hair a bit. They bid each other goodbye and exited the locker room as Everly stayed to shower.

Scarlett exited the locker room to find not very many boys out yet. Everyone was seated in the bleachers since they played in the official school field. She settles on a bleacher with her satchel, sipping at some water. People began gathering around her, but she couldn't help but feel someone stare at her.

Scarlett knew to usually avoid turning to them, but the feeling became so intense that she turned back to see nothing.

No, I know something's watching me, she thought.

Scarlett looked passed all the students, the bleachers, and some trees. Something was there, lingering in the shade. She squinted and saw it was a little light, golden, moving in quick movements. All of a sudden a feeling came through her, and her mind went blank, except for one thing.

Scarlett was surrounded by a destroyed land: trees on fire, barely any grass. Her face had scratches on it, and her clothes were torn. She looked down at her hands and screamed. Not in agony or fear, or more releasing emotions she held in for a long time. Then she fell down. With a loud 'thud', Scarlett landed on her knees.

Scarlett snapped out of the vision and stared at the same place where the light had once been. She caught the last seconds of it before it whisked away into nothing.

"What?" She looked around and saw people leaving. Fastening her satchel, Scarlett walked off the bleachers and to the academy.

Her next class was finally Elemental Practices, where she could show everybody her fiery ring from earlier. Striding through the corridors, Scarlett reached the classroom fast. She was greeted by Professor Nova, a very intelligent teacher at the academy that always surprised everyone with her knowledge.

She was one of the few Aether elements, her eyes being of a dark violet and her golden blonde hair in a braided hair crown and a bun. The professor wore a white Goddess himation dress with gold trim and a gold vine bracelet. Professor Nova actually looked like a goddess. The only thing that was out of place was that the bottom of her dress was slightly brown when usually it was stark white. Her skin tone was of a natural honey color, and yet had no blemishes.

"Welcome, welcome," she greeted the students as they entered the ornate classroom.

The room was rectangular, but in the center was an oval shaped where you descended to by stairs, and chairs were lined all around the edge of it. Everyone took a seat on a bright white seat. Scarlett rested next to another one of her comrades, also a Fire element. Roman had reddish brown eyes and champagne red hair, almost like Scarlett, but she had, well, scarlet hair and red hazel eyes.

"Heard about your Kutomun victory," Roman randomly mentioned.

"Did it really spread that fast? It's not that important."

"I don't know, but Finn seemed pretty mad," he responded, highering his voice at the end.

"Finn?" Scarlett inquired, although she already had an idea of who he was.

Then, the boy who had challenged them entered the classroom.

"Speak of the devil," Roman muttered.

Oh, so that's Finn. Explains why he would be mad, she lightly thought to herself.

Just as she had finished that thought, Finn turned his head and saw her, but Scarlett was talking with Roman, both of them showing off their fire skills.

Professor Nova started to commence the term, and Finn scurried to a seat in the oval. The professor began the lesson in her strong feminine voice. She often sounded as though a public speaker, even though she was merely teaching a class of students.

"Today, we work on 'Self Accomplishments'. How much have you improved? What can improve? What have you completely excelled at? Share it with us! We'll go around the oval, and each of us will answer the questions to the class and show us something you're most proud of. Understood?"

Everyone eagerly nodded, surely having something they'd like to share. The professor went first, showing an example of what to do to avoid anything like 'what was the question?' or 'what do I do?'

I can't wait to show my ring of fire! It's gonna be so cool, Scarlett anticipated.

She thought out how she would present it.

I should act casual, as though it's no big deal. That'd make look better than I actually am, Scarlett imagined.

People presented all sorts of stuff, like making their element last long in their hand or make it release with more power.

Hurry up, hurry up!

It kept going around and Scarlett slouched a bit, making herself look cooled.

"Alright, Scarlett! How much have you improved?"

"I think I improved immensely because I guess I've been practicing more," she announced.

After the other questions, she finally got to show her skill.

"Alright, show us something you've completely excelled."

"Um, alright," Scarlett focused, not wanting to mess up. Gracefully unfolding her palm, the ring was made, the shape glimmering in everyone's pupils. Even Professor Nova widened her violet eyes in surprise. After it settled for a few moments, Scarlett closed her palm, and it flourished into nothing.

The professor whispered something under her breath, still entranced in her own mind. She finally shook out of it and continued the process of questions and actions. But however much the Professor focused on the children, there was one thing on her mind.

I was correct.