In Time | The Flash

Chapter Four | Trillium

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way--things I had no words for."

- Geogria O'Keefe

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CHAPTER FOUR

>>> Trillium's P.O.V. <<<

When Barry and I arrive at the scene, in the street in front of the Boulevard Building, the area is barely recognizable. Blocks of concrete are thrown everywhere, steel and iron beams are swirling above our heads, debris and dust surrounds us like a twister. In the dark ash of the building, I see the figure of my sister, Aspen. Her eyes are glowing emerald, her fists are clenched at her sides, and I can see her mumbling something in a foreign tongue.

Barry sets me down on the ground, and I pull out my brushes from my overall pockets. I always have them with me, in case of emergency. My reddish skin is covered in black and red Navajo tribal paint, a kind of disguise that credits my ancestry. Barry looks to me as I push the colors through my body and into the brushes, using the power of imagination. "That's your sister?"

I nod my head, looking uneasy. "She's usually much more behaved, I swear." I sigh. "I didn't know she was a Meta. She never told me."

"Are you good?"

I nod. "Super. I just hope she's still in there somewhere. And that this isn't Thawne's doing."

"Either way, we have to stop her. She's gonna kill people. Are you--?"

"--I'm good, Sparky," I interrupt him. "Let's do this."

Cisco's voice rings in our ears. "All right, you two. Looks like she's one bad Meta. You're gonna have to sedate her with the syringe I gave Barry."

Caitlin joins in. "It looks like she's using the elements to her advantage. Wind, earth, fire, water, you get the idea."

I dodge a piece of flying debris, and Barry pulls us away from the tornado that is the Boulevard Building. "Yeah, no kidding, Cait." I turn to Barry. "Can you get in close enough?"

He looks at the tornado that's growing in front of us. "Not with that wind. I'll need to slow it down."

Cisco says, "You could run in the opposing direction. The tornado would die down long enough for you to get in close and zap her."

"I'll need a distraction."

I grip my paintbrushes tightly. "On it."

I cross my arms in front of me, paintbrushes pointing upwards. Desert colors flows out of them, swirling around me and settling in the shape of wings on my back. They stretch widely, shaped like the wings of the mythological Thunderbird, and have a translucent appearance when hit by the sunlight.

Barry takes off running, going the opposite direction of the wind my sister is creating, and I fold my wings back and point my brushes forward. "Hey, sis!" Aspen's glowing eyes swerve over to me. "Come and get me!"

Aspen starts walking towards me as I use my imagination to picture a range of red and oranges flowing from my paintbrushes. They form the shape of a bear. It constructs in front of my eyes, roaring to life. I tell it to run towards Aspen, and it obeys my command. The bear charges Aspen, picking up speed through the wind, unaffected. When it gets to Aspen, she merely lifts her hand and the bear dissipates into thin air.

My eyes widen. "Okay, that's never happened before." I press my com, taking to Cisco. "Uh...guys? I need some help. She totally just made my colors disappear. What should I do?"

"Have you tried the Rain Dance?"

"I haven't. I don't want to hurt her."

"You might not have a choice," Barry chimes in. "This wind isn't slowing down. I need help, Tril."

"Okay, okay. I'll do it. Just keep running, Barry. On my mark, go for her."

I place my brushes in my closed fists, standing firmly on my feet before I start to dance the dance of my people. It's called the Rain Dance because my ancestors used it to call upon the rain in dry summers. I was taught it as a young girl living in New Mexico. My tribe, the Navajo people, have taught everyone this tradition. I remember sitting by the fires with my family, learning about our history and culture. It's something I never forgot. Somehow, this dance fuels the creative side of me, even after I got my powers.

I step lightly on my feet, circling the ground, arms out to my sides. I close my eyes, tapping my feet on the ground. I can feel the power collecting in my hands. I raise my brushes towards the sky after a few moments of the dance. I open my eyes, look to the sky, and imagine the clouds above me filling with the bright hues of the Southwest deserts. The clouds start to turn the colors of the sunset, and I redirect the brush towards my sister. The colors rain down in a waterfall of power, following where I tell it to do.

The wave of color crashes into Aspen. She's knocked off her feet. Her eyes close, she groans in pain, and the wind halts for half a second. Barry takes the opportunity to stop running and inject her with the syringe. Aspen stumbles, but Barry catches her. Her eyes open, and they're normal again. She looks up at him, then passes out.

I sigh in relief as the police arrive at the scene. "Let's get her back to STAR Labs," I tell Barry through the com, spotting the dreadfully familiar face of Julian Albert, a co-worker of Barry's and a former...something of mine. "Julian's here."

"Oh, great," Barry groans. I see him take off with my sister in his arms. "I'll be back for you."

"No need. I got a ride." I turn to look at Julian Albert, who's staring directly at me, then open my wings. "I don't feel like hanging around with him anyways." I bend down, gathering momentum, then spring into the air on wings made of pure color. "Just make sure my sister's safe. I'll be there in a few minutes."

As I place my brushes into the pocket of my denim overalls, I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. I pull it out, seeing a text from Julian.

Julian: We need to talk, Tril.

I move my fingers swiftly in a reply.

Tril: Wow, you wanna talk? Too bloody late.

I wait a few seconds, flying over the edge of the buildings and into sight of the Lab.

Julian: I saw your sister with the Flash. Is she a Meta, too?

Tril: Not now, Julian.

Julian: I know how I treated you was wrong, but you have to understand that I was shocked. I didn't know you could keep that a secret.

Tril: I'm not the only one keeping secrets, Alchemy.

Julian: Just meet me. Please. The usual place? Any time.

Tril: Not today, Julian. I'm sorry. Maybe later.

Julian: Is your sister all right?

Tril: Goodbye, Julian.

I turn off my phone and place it in my back pocket with a sigh, landing at the front door of STAR Labs. My sister needs me; it's not the time to be thinking of ex-boyfriends and how badly we both screwed up what we had.

END CHAPTER FOUR