Elemental Academy

Phoenix Hathaway

"'Congratulations, out of all the elemental schools across the realms; you have been enrolled into Silver Crow Academy. All your stationery requirements are on the detachable parchment in the envelope.' That can't be much of a surprise for you guys by now. Alister said I'd get in."

Phoenix readjusted herself so that she was sitting with her legs cross on the cement bench. The warm autumn sun beamed through her fiery red highlights and her tears. A light breeze swayed a bunch of dried leaves passed the two head stones. One read 'Bryan R. Hathaway' and the other, 'Francesca Smith Hathaway.'

"I miss you guys so much," she wept weakly while wiping away more tears. "The past ten years have felt like my world is spinning out of control. Alister said the fire wasn't my fault but I still could've put it out. Or at least, tamed it."

Her friend rested his hand on her shoulder, "Phoenix, don't..."

"I didn't come here to complain about the past! I came here to tell you guys that I will do my best, I'll study hard and I won't let success stop me from having some fun. If that's what you were afraid of. I wish you could see my school. Yeah I've lived there for ten years but, it's still pretty cool."

A bell started ringing from a distances making both Phoenix and her friend turn towards the source. "Come on, love. Time to go."

"I'll come back soon, I promise!" She stood up then allowed Alister to guide back to his car. The two drove back towards Silver Crow's campus for lunch.

The drive back locked Phoenix inside her mind.

Ten years ago, she was woken up by the sound of her parents arguing. 'They've been that a lot around that time,' she thought to herself. She tossed the blankets off her little body then went downstairs to her parents. That always ended their arguments, every time.

'That night was different. I was walking down the stairs and I felt my powers awaken.' She pried herself into her mother's arms and her father turned away with his head behind his neck. He turned back, clearly furious but before he reacted, a huge explosion came from his side.

The force blew Phoenix and her mother into the kitchen. Phoenix plunged into the refrigerator but her mother was impaled to broken wine bottles. The flames grew as Phoenix tried to find her mother. When she did, she was dead but her father was still calling out. When she found her father, he led her out the house, over a collapsed part of the ceiling. Unfortunately another part of it fell and killed him.

She's lived with Alister on Silver Crow's campus ever since. Alister was friend -even if he was old enough to be her father. He was her father's best friend and Phoenix loved him like a father. "Phoenix," he hummed gently as he noticed her blankly staring into the distance. He grazed her knuckles that were sizzling hot. "Phoenix, calm down."

"I'm sorry," she stated while still staring straight ahead.

"It'll be alright. You love school life here; you've seen first hand how the kids here love. Come on."

She got out of the car and felt the homey feel of Silver Crow's faculty quarters. Alister wasn't a teacher; he was the school guidance counselor. He -and Phoenix- lived in a homey apartment complex on campus. However, come tomorrow night, Phoenix will be registered in the student dormitories.

Most of the faculty and grounds staff that lived permanently on campus were in the dining hall eating lunch. Others ate in the comfort of their campus apartments. Alister and Phoenix were seated near the rear end of the hall and ate silently as light conversation was exchange amongst the staff.

Phoenix Hathaway:

Powers: fire

Pets: none

Character: like fire, Phoenix is unpredictable. Throughout middle school she was considered a 'wild card' and she still is. Silver Crow's faculty -the ones who know Phoenix- generally consider her a charity case but because Alister is her guardian, most of them don't make much of it.