Northern Female 1: Mitchie Carmichael:

Dropped Out.

~~~

Northern Female 2: Ashlynn Lyssa

Fear, though perhaps a mere trickle, crawled up and down Ashlynn's spine, resounding in a hissing whisper, over and over again in her ear. She tasted the brooding sensation with a fresh, unknowing tongue; for it was only a stranger, yet one that knocked relentlessly on the door. But her home was safe, it had always been- what would fear truly emerge to be? Would it be a predator with pointed claws and teeth, preying on Ashlynn like a cat on fish? Encase her from behind with wings, feathers created from knives?
It would be when Ashlynn's mouth was filled with popping liquid, and her stomach burning with the same substance. Fear was something that would ice her veins, when the glimmering liquid was setting blazing infernos through the blood that ran through them, and she shook on the ground for unending minutes, hours. When her DNA was twisted beyond former recognition, marred so that Ashlynn could scarcely call it her own, and only a ghost of her previous self remained. For she was now a girl who could summon quivering bursts of flames, glowing on her palm.
The scientists held a seed of fear. Ashlynn's pride hid away from acknowledging the petty pieces of small fear that the scientists had instilled in her. Who, if they could fashion together elemental powers beyond human nature itself, had indubitably fabricated this otherworldly forest- careful thought with fantasizing thought. Heedful ideas born from imagination had placed the endlessly twisting paths and utterly unpredictable underbrush; flawless execution performed by a skilled hand had put together the picturesquely shining fruits that dangled from flourishing emerald trees, and the sparkling clear streams. The place the scientists deemed the play-arena for a "riveting game of Capture the Flag". But the cameras whirring in the trees, the hauntingly ominous sense of watching eyes- they never left Ashlynn's lurking subconsciousness.
There were shadows, too. Shadows that swooped violently under Ashlynn's feet and danced fiercely across her pale skin, yet the blue skies were wholly clear, the foliage brushing her arms free of moving creatures... The shadows leaped from unseen crevices of darkness, and seemed to hiss with harsh voices. Shivers grasped her legs, her arms, her torso, not from cold, yet an unshakable sense of unease.
It only caused the other sounds- of birds and wind and other people- to seem foreign. Ashlynn felt as if she were miles from another being, a hollow feeling budding in her stomach.
And miles from reaching the telltale scarlet flag she seeked.
She swallowed a lump that had lodged firmly in her throat; something she despised. It would portray her fear like paint on a canvas, and that was a weakness. Weaknesses were to be banished, smeared wholly off her expression- for every streaking trail it left was a calling to be preyed on by the air and ground elementalists.
Suddenly Ashlynn stilled, feeling a certain coldness seep into her. As if snow-frosted fingers played across her neck, leaving icy imprints wherever they touched. And it was not the glowering shadows that so aroused her new alarm, eyes glimmering with suspicion, ears hypersensitive for every change of noise. Somewhere in herself, she knew what had cried out as danger to her, she knew it, but it remained behind a glass wall draped with a cloak. She tugged, but the cloak would not fall; and it was the fear of the unknown that pierced her.
Fire, fire, I need fire. Ashlynn shut her eyes to darkness, and conjured tongues of fire in her mind. She envisioned the exquisite orange light, so bright and real... She opened her eyes, and the flames danced on her palm. The sensation gently tickled her skin, in the soothing way of an old friend. Yet as Ashlynn watched the curling wisps of delicate grey smoke disintegrate into nothingness, the backlash began to creep into existence, a throbbing ache in her temples. Still she stroked the fire until it submitted to her will, taking the form of a flaming ball.
A snap of a twig behind her, swallowed by the shadows. Then a severe string of indistinct words, erased as it flew into the sky. Dirt, kicked up from the ground as Ashlynn spun wildly on her heel... Panic, striking together with itself, a thousand chords banging inside her as she suddenly found her feet scrabbling for a hold in empty air.
The fireball flew with a useless aim, sputtering out of existence before it had even hit the ground. Ashlynn summoned a weak flame through the shocked terror flying through her; but an invisible forced seemed to battle with it, and soon her power had vanished.
She needed to be calm- even if a mere facade, a fabricated veil long folded within her. So Ashlynn searched for the jagged pieces of the charade, knitting them together with hands once experts, yet had been rendered weak. But a slight fear of heights roared, the fear of plummeting to a horrible death, and a painted serene expression could not obscure the whirling emotion. She was floating higher, higher and higher; perhaps the air elementalists had somehow cut off her oxygen, perhaps it was why black spots dotted her vision, or perhaps they were simply the shadows. It was impossible to differentiate, impossible to weave between the mist that fogged her thoughts.
A single crimson spot wavered in the emerald foliage, strangely free of the looming shadows, perhaps like a flag... and it became evermore solid as her height continued to elevate, and frantic thoughts rushed to each other through the fog, a rapid succession of sudden adrenaline. Ashlynn blinked and squinted; it was the red flag. Perhaps her opponents' teammates had moved the flag without their knowledge of it and they did not know, perhaps it had simply slipped their minds. But it was Ashlynn's stroke of luck, a burst of colour painted through her initial frustration and fear.
"Ashlynn?"
She looked downwards, in an area concealed from the air elementalists by thick berry bushes. A pale, skinny boy had whispered her name, one of the water elementalists from the northern states. Ashlynn felt a genuine smile spread thinly across her lips as she pointed to the flag, and flashed a look that she hoped contained reassurance. She turned around in the air- heart pulsing rapidly through her chest- and watched the alarm creep into the air elementalists' faces as something like realization registered. And she felt the adrenaline rushing through her body, enveloping her thoroughly as she raised her hands- fire blooming readily from each, spreading to the ground.
Quickly, Ashlynn started to succumb to gravity's power. The air elementalists that had been holding her had either tired, or they were to tag her, and she would go to the makeshift prison. If she was not killed first.
How high had she been taken?
Ashlynn crashed onto the grass and felt twigs open wounds in her skin. She felt intense pain rebounding over and over again in her limbs and her head, piercing like knives. But she could not see her fire- only feeling a slight sensation like feathers brushing against her skin through the agony. She did not see the immense lines of fire, zigzagging in an intricate image of a heart. A heart that was broken through the middle. She only saw the darkness of the pain that savaged on her, and felt her heart pounding wildly, adrenaline utterly drained. She could not fight against the horrible pain, the looming mystery of unknowing, the inevitable darkness...
... And Ashlynn knew that she felt fear.

~~~

Northern Female 3: Rye Kingsley:

Three days ago, you had been given a serum and unlocked elemental powers. Three days ago the chase to the countries new super solider had begun. Three days ago you had entered a whole new world, one focused on water and the swirling depths of secrets beneath the waves. But now, you were entering the first test, you were starting the first assessment. Before had merely been a time to settle in to your new role to adjust to the sudden change of ways. Now, the real battle begun. Though even this, you suspected, was just practice, an insight into the true fight that was beckoning ever closer with each passing hour. Perhaps this was why she was not allowed to kill yet, as this was just a stepping stone to see if it would actually work.

You turn, looking into a mirror, then look below at the water filled sink. You had a short time to get ready, and you were not just checking yourself out. You close your eyes and spread out the fingers of your hand, and then you say, calmly and clearly, "Thanos." The switch flips, and the water waiting to herald the call opens. Power thrums through your veins, and you lift your hand, bringing the water with you, into you crumple your fist and with the force of the water roaring and howling like wild beasts you smashed it into the mirror. Then you relax, the tension in your muscles gone as you watch water droplets dripping off the mirror. Practice, made perfect.

It had taken you a while to choose Thanos as her trigger word, for want of a better word. It was a simple gesture but it carried meaning behind it, it was a word that, when the pressure was mounting would not take long to say and would not be easily forgotten. However, Thanos was a god of death, though not that you believed in such things, it would be very interesting to watch the reactions of the others. when you shouted a word linked immediately to death and poured your heart and soul into it, with a tsunami of water coming from behind. It was a word that carried a whisper of morbid tidings and warning of what is to come without giving much away about herself nor hindering you in anyway. Focusing your energy and thought into a single word would be trigger enough.

You check your watch, and realise it is time. Yesterday they had revealed that there would be a test today, but that no one would be lethally harmed. They hadn't revealed the full details however, though you imagined most subjects of the experiment would be pacing, nervousness coursing through their veins. It would be interesting to observe.

You turn and leave, making your way to he gathering room. You glance at the others, wondering what balance of power they'd managed to bring over their own abilities. Some seemed to be visibly shaking, seeming to have bitten into more than they could chew with this venture, while others where playing it cool, acting as if they were prepared for anything. Something which you doubted was true, for the human mind was set up to obey these emotions. Fear was a primordial instinct you were sure no one could escape. Indeed, you yourself had brushed with fear once or twice in your life. Fear was a basic emotion that gripped the body and forced you to obey, it's icy tendrils a menacing force on any being. It's affect was like that of a rabbit caught in headlights, and it's

A voice in the speakers above crackles to life, noise blaring through the speakers on the wall. "Welcome. Your first task is a test designed to test your control and full extent of your power. Under no circumstances must someone be killed. The game is a variant of Capture the Flag. You will be divided into teams, Fire and Water would be paired together as woo Earth and Air. You must capture the other teams flag before they catch yours. Good luck." The voice fizzles up, and people begin to break off into teams. Clusters forming together around a point.

Interesting, you thought, to be pairing Fire and Water together. Elements that are directly in combat; water quenches fire, after all. Pairing them together seemed like a deadly conundrum. However, Air vs Fire was perhaps more of a deadly fight, less one sided. Fire needed air to burn, yet Air could blow out fire with a single huff. Water was more like the easy champion of Fire, for fire couldn't effect water yet water could obliterate the dancing flames of temptation and destruction known as fire.

Earth was less of a fiend, but it was still vital. Fire took the earth as fuel to burn upon, while water could weave a pathway through it, yet it could crush both water and fire, given the right moment. Air could be taken as a fuel for water as well, if a storm grows strong enough it can cause a Tsunami, after all.

Enough psyche evaluation for you, however. It was time for your team to enter the arena. You glance around your group, watching, observing. Names were never your good spot but you recognise a few, Troy, Kian. However the faces and reactions upon them were far more interesting. A few fire elementals appeared disgruntled by being paired with water, while others seemed excited at the prospect of a fight, and a few looked slightly bored. Your fellow water elementals seemed to be portraying an equal reaction, a mix of nerves, excitement and annoyance. A door opens before you, and you step in.

The world turns and shifts; revealing a seemingly innocent and picture perfect forest. You stand on a pillar, above a lake. The shimmering water, reflecting like a mirror in front of you appears comforting, yet you notice a few frowns upon the fire users, but peeked eyes at the endless supply of firewood in the forest. Your feet hit the pillar, and you turn to your teammates.

"Obviously, we should win this. But we can't do that if we are a disorganised rabble. Most water elementals should stay here and protect the flag, myself included. The fire users should go and take the other teams flag, burn the whole forest to the ground and turn it into a bunch of blazing embers if you have to, I don't care. But find their flag. Are we understood?" You notice a couple grim nods from the others and turn away. The task would be won and all would be over, in time for the real battle to begin and the beautiful craft of death practiced to its weary end.

"Thanos." You day to yourself, and lift the shimmering water below up, crafting a staircase with a twirl of your hand. The water rises, glimmering and shining, a beautiful mirror glazed across a watery surface. Running water thrumming to itself, the best of the waves echoing within your heart. Thanos, Thanos, Thanos. You picture death and screaming banshees in that moment, and turn.

"For god's sake, Hurry up and stop gawking like fools. This isn't child's play any more, find the flag and win." They nod and cautiously step on your crafted masterpiece, and you hold it up with the weight of your hands. Rushing water beating the earth until a corpse lay beneath, the thrumming of a power greater than anyone would ever know.

The last fire user steps off the stairs and you pull your hands away, and the moment shatters into a thousand pieces. The Mirror of perfection and beauty shattered, the swirling depths beneath rising. You sensed that this simple arena had more to it then it seemed, and you turned, waiting for the first wave to come roaring down the forest with death in their lungs and delusions of victory in their minds.

Before you could ready yourself, however, the ground lurched between you and the world split and turned. You dig your heels in, watching the sky unravel like a thread and turn below you, the water hanging to the ceiling. Startled faces looked around, and the trees peeled away from the now upside down earth, strips curling into long runs.

"What the hell?" Shouted one, his fingers digging in to the pillar. "How is this even possible?" You turn, a smile flickering on your lip as you whisper Thanos to the cold open air.

"Welcome, to the real test."

It was certainly creative, you had to hand it to them. The world was spinning and proportions had been lost, the world morphing and twisting into some sort of hybrid forest, turning upon itself and giving away like strips. The world shattering like Obsidian glass, breaking into tiny pieces and then building itself up again. You turn, and gravity readjusts itself for you, so you wouldn't go flying off into oblivion.

You grin, your eyes wild in the sights before you, of the never ending kaleidoscope of fresh green grass and dark green pines painted against rowan tree bark and dark, murky brown soil. Hues and paints blending into this illusion and fantasy, the spinning world Beyond her wildest dreams.

The world beneath lit up, fire surging from the recovered elementals. Bright golden and red hues surging through the land, a dancers weaving pattern making its mark and spreading to the sky below them, staining it in the first Reds of sunset and setting their entire world ablaze.

You spot two earth users below, doing their best to make the earth an even more triply place. It would take years to wrap your head around the blizzard transfusions happening here. Rainbows spiralling out of control and trees flattening into 2D. It was a minefield of creation and destruction, mingling together to create something far more damaging, a work of beauty but also despair and danger.

You bring up your hands, The word Thanos lying on your breath as you bring up waves as a shield, and push against the flying forces of rock. They shattered upon touching the watery shield, breaking off into thousands of dark ebony black glass and disintegrating into dark dust. The water itself, also shattered, a mirror ripping itself apart and falling to the ground.

Beneath, the earth users were trying to attack as a group, churning the earth and furrowing beneath. Water erupts in your veins, screaming and roaring, and you concentrate your energy into your hands, splitting the waves and sending Roaring phantoms of water upon your victims. The baying call of the hounds as they wished for their food to come tore down the hill tops, as the hounds disintegrated with a piercingly eerie howl that rocked the forest to its core, and left rippling paler behind on the wind.

The earth users regrouped, working as one to lift their way towards the flag. You turn to the others, and you channel your energy together, and push forwards, a screaming wave of blood and death swallowing their rock pellets whole.

The fight rages on in a world ripping Kramer apart and bending the realities of the forest. Then an earth user appeared before you, using the rock to build itself up and appear before you. Dark brown hair and triumphant eyes and he reaches out towards the flag, and you take the water and stuff it down his lungs.

You throw it at him, making him eat gallons of water, water turning a thick black and gooey, choking him and drowning him. You stop, remembering the rules, that no killing must be done. His eyes are startled, fear at its greatest height betrayed in every flinch, every worried blink, every turn or widened eye. You take your water and toss him from the pillar, not enough to kill him but enough to safely knock him out. As the world spirals again, you look below for any glimpses of the red flag working its way toward you, but all you can see is a storm of raging golden fire and blood, swirling and mixing in a deadly race to destroy the world below, as it unfurls upon them, twisting and curling and shaking them.

The lake lurches yet again, and you find yourself hanging on either all your might, heart pumping in your veins. The world rocks and screams at you, a banshee begging to be let out and let loose on this world. The pillar turns, turning onwards upon itself and lying in the calm of the water for a few seconds before lifting upwards, almost shattering into glass and being destroyed. Tearing itself to shreds, like they would soon be tearing each other to shreds.

Then you see something, a stray fire user heading towards the pillar, something wrapped round his arm. You smile to yourself, and turn back to the earth users.

It was time to give them a real show, to distract them while the others secured the net. You slid down, letting the water carry you gracefully to the finish, and turn towards them, a gleam in your eye.

You lift your arms behind you, and shout with all your might, all your heart and soul. "Thanos!" You scream, the word ripping your ear itself to shreds, power thrumming along the open wound caused by that word, and the water shoots it like spears around you, hitting the earth users right in the middle of the chest, you lift the water behind you in an arc and smash down, like a fist hammering the weaklings into a bloody pulp.

You notice one lying still on the ground, the beautiful crimson oozing liquid bleeding heavily from his nose, but still breathing. Thankfully, he was only knocked out. You turn to the others and smirk, crafting behind you a masterpiece.

Your body thrums with power, the reek of burnt embers and decaying wood not bothering you, the lurching dizziness of the spinning ground only a whimsical distraction from the grande finale. The earth being used against you is only a taste of what's to come, a sip on the deadly wine that the creators were testing out.

You grin, and the water latches around them, the force and speed of it startling them beyond repair. It grabs them, and holds them in position, the swiftly coursing river becoming a sticky chain as you carefully rearrange the squirming opposition to read the word 'Die'. A flourish that was sure to impress the sponsors, but what could she say, she had a flair for the dramatic. She let the water rise and pull herself up to the top as it released the others and they ran off, fleeing for their miserable lives.

"Congratulations. The earth and air team has lost and the Fire and Water Team has won. This concludes the test. You may now return to your quarters." The voice once again goes dead, and a wild grin lights your face.

Human nature was so interesting, the flash of fear and the bewilderment at the marvels of technology. They were changing with this power, morphing into other creatures, Ines with different feelings and emotions that would change with time. You turned, wondering if your had done enough, but the delicious taste of tantalising death had been ever so close, and it was nearing the time when she could finally take that ever-promising bite.

~~~

Southern Female 1: Melina James:

Sometimes we forget how cruel and unfair the past has been to us, we repeat the mistakes of before; it's a broken record on a constant repeat. I understand that and I have come to the conclusion that it must be normal, yet normal is such a vague word to describe this repetition. I would have known volunteering for something like this would be dangerous, but the me of yesterday could not come to that conclusion and I put myself at risk. I put everything at risk and I can never take it back.

They march me along the unending hallway, at only seven I mimic the steps of a perfect soldier while conforming to unspoken rules. We're in a line spread out by clusters of guards, the numbers depending on the physical size of the volunteer and it's not surprising that only two trail at my side. I'm young and small and female, it doesn't surprise me that I've already been pinpointed as a weak link in the volunteers. What they don't know is that I am ready to use my newfound abilities and their assumptions based on appearance alone, only make me stronger. The guards halt and so do we, I take this as a moment to study the details of their placid expressions. When I look at them and I don't see people, I see only shells of who they were before they turned soldiers. Every movement stiff and robotic as they follow orders blindly their personalities wiped away by years of protocol. I find myself wondering if I'll end up like that after the experiment, a mindless killing machine. Up ahead the first volunteer two unnaturally large metal doors begin to slowly open, releasing a drawn out groan as they are forced to reveal an expansive room.

We trickle in like water out of a faucet, dressed in almost identical outfits that were given while stuck in the private rooms. Fitted black jumpsuits made of thin material, the sleeves have a color that has to represent something. The stripes on my outfit is a dark green and from what I can see, there is only three other colors. Red, blue, and white. Perhaps it has something to do with the abilities that had been gifted to me, but was everyone so fortunate.

My body leaves the floor for a millisecond as the double doors slam shut when the final volunteer made their way in. How terrified and frail I must look, and the sympathetic looks sent in my general direction. Inwardly, I smirk. This is too easy like taking candy from a baby. "Good day volunteers, today you will be playing a simple game of capture the flag; where you will be surveyed by our team of scientists." Her voice is feminine and powerful, it demands a certain respect. I can conclude that whoever it is, she is in charge of this experiment. "You will be separated into two distinct teams red and blue versus white and green, if you haven't realized the colors along your arm determines your team." She pauses to give a heartless chuckle, the sound sends a shiver done my spine. It makes me wonder if she is even human and to an extent, I don't know what to think. "On either side of the room, there is a single flag that measures two by five feet. Red and blue, please make your way over to the right side of the room. Green
and white, please make your way over to the left. Make haste with your planning when the bell sounds and the doors open, the competition will officially begin." I could almost see the smile that must be tugging at each side of her lips, a breath exhales from my lungs and I join the rest of my team as we make our way over to the left side of the room.

One foot ahead of the next which releases a small echo with each step, one of the oldest reaches down to grab the flag that is folded neatly in a perfect square. Tension and unease builds into an uncomfortable silence, aren't we supposed to work together? I don't think they quite understand the point of a team activity,I let out a throaty chuckle at the mere thought. Picturing each of us trying to work alone, yet failing as I can see the other team is already deep into planning. I must have been louder than I thought as a few of the other participants give me looks, I just shrug my small shoulders. I owe no one an explanation of my thoughts, my team included.

They begin to speak in hushed tones and I listen avidly, I might as well know what the plan is even if I don't plan on listening. They don't need to know what I am capable of. Why are they hiding the flag in a tree, wouldn't it be easier to put it lower to the ground in a bush orsomething along those lines. It would not only be easier to hide, but easier to defend against the other team. I keep my lips firmly shut together and decide to fiddle quietly with the end of my sleeves. Stretching the material before letting it sit still. This plan may work offensively, but our defense will be lacking and so I speak up for the first time since being here.

"I'll stay behind to protect the flag." Someone laughs and a few hold back smiles, you can practically see the lack of faith radiating off of them. In a way, it makes her want to take them on and be on the other team. They would probably do the same thing, and I hate it. I am not less and I will prove it to them. Twice as hard to be half as good. I have to put in a hundred and one percent into this. Let them doubt and when they see me fight, they will be shocked and I will be proud. Everyone will know that I am powerful, better than what they think I am. They go back to planning with two others staying back with me while the rest go out looking. I don't like this at all. We can't win with just offence.

The sound of a buzzer echoes through the room and then there is silence as another set of double doors open up to reveal a thriving jungle of life and I realize this will be a benefit to me. I could try and describe the jungle as green, but there is not enough words to describe every hue you see. Along the ground, towering above in a dense trees that create a roof of leaves. Flowers brightly colors find their way into this unique landscape and release a fragrance sweeter than anything I have ever smelled. It mixes with the scent of fresh fallen water that sticks to the air and creates a heavy blanket of humidity. Threatening to frizz my naturally straight hair and cause it to curl up at the ends. The heat is normal for me as I come from the South and we all know how hot it gets down there. I can feel the life radiating from every plant and the soil they have taken root in, I feel power surge through my veins and assault my senses. The tips of fingers ache as they feel the need to release the power within. My heart races to pump adrenaline through my veins and an urge to use the newfound abilities becomes even more potent. This is where I belong, deep in the jungle hidden from judgement.

The others begin a slow jog as they make their way into the trees and I follow suit, our paces quickens as we leave the sight of the other team. My slight frame and light muscle making it simple to not only catch up to the rest of the team, but to overtake a few. The one who was leading us comes to a stop and I try my best to stop on the dime like everyone else, but I don't and when I come to a halt with my feet skidding in the damp mud. I have already bumped into a much larger volunteer that towers over me. How do I even compare to them in size, not well. I am not only the smallest, but probably the weakest in physical abilities. Perhaps I don't stand as much of a chance. The abilities give me an edge, but it's probably not enough.I intake a deep breath and take two small steps back, my inner child terrified and it manipulates everyone
just the way I need. They need to fall for this as it's all I have left. What am I going to do? I am going to try my best. The volunteer who has taken charge of the situation hands me the flag and I grip it tightly, looking up at them with these huge eyes. "Why are you giving me this?" They give me a smile and I let my eyes flick downwards to the ground, a little smile trying to find itself onto my lips.

"You're the lightest and can probably take the flag the highest without the branches breaking." I nod and look around to find a tree that could probably only bear the weight of someone small. Someone like me, the ones who are left in the dust in most situations. One towers well above the others, but the branches are somewhat thin along with the first branch being at least five feet above my height. It's perfect and I point it out with my slim finger.

"If someone gives me a boost, I can probably make it another ten to fifteen feet. It'll just be able to hold my weight, so anyone bigger would have quite the challenge ahead of them." The leader like volunteer nods and I move to stand underneath the lowest branch. They walk to stand at my side and folds their hands together, lowering enough for me to step onto their palms. I do so easily and place my hands on their shoulders to
help keep me balanced as they slowly rise me higher into the air. Finally I am so close and I go to reach out, and yet I am so close and so far at the same time. I sigh and try to stand on my toes, my body moving off balance. Why does nothing turn out like it should? "I need just a little more height. Throw me and I'll just make it." The volunteer does not take it as an answer and goes to lower me, I shout out, "No! I can do this!"

"I'm not risking it, you could get hurt and that would be useless for everyone. We gave it shot and-" I will not take and I shake my head furiously.

"No, we did not do everything we can and we can give this a shot. Not halfway. Throw me and I'll make it. I promise." He just looks before nodding and I know what I have to do. I have to make it or I will look like such a fraud. Time to prove myself. I wrap the flag around my neck and nod downwards in his direction. He bends his knees to help give enough momentum to send me flying, this is what I have to do. I uncurl my fingers and ready myself as I feel myself being lifted much faster than before, yet it all happens so much slower like slow motion. My feet just leave his hands as I push myself up and I move through the air, my entire body feeling lighter than before. I can see the branch move closer and my hands reach up to it, I almost have it. What if I miss? What if I fall and we lose because I couldn't hold on? I am almost there and my fingers curl around the branch. I made it and then all my weight assaults my hands. They blister against the rough wood and I almost let myself drop. I don't as I hear those cheers ring out quietly from below, the cheers for me and what I have done.

I exhale deeply and hoist myself up onto the branch, the flag still securely fastened. I take a seat and catch my breath for a moment, I did it. I knew I could and no they know it too. I look up and while using a branch to balance myself, I begin a slow climb. I just keep going until I feel the first crack and take a seat right there. I throw the flag over the highest branch I can reach from my place and look down. "Is this good?" My voice is innocent and higher pitched like a soft soprano. The one who helped me up, gives a thumbs up to me.

"Perfect." I nod and smile, a proud feeling have built up within me. I think I may have proved to them that I'm not entirely useless. I begin a slow decent down, but stop once I reach the same branch that I had used to get onto. This has made everything so much easier.

"I think I'm gonna stay up here and fight from above. Hide in some branches and surprise them." He gives me another thumbs up and the offensive team jogs out of view, leaving me and two others who both have white stripes. They have to mean something, I know it. Mine is green and I have powers relating to earth. Green equals earth, but how does the others play in? Earth is the planet we live on, it is one of the four elements, it is a necessity- it's one of the four elements! That makes sense. White equals air which is another one of the elements. Red equals fire and blue is water. Everyone has a stripe, so everyone has an ability. It makes perfect sense now! Crack, I hear it before I see the source. Someone has found us or has just stumbled upon where we are, but the game has only just started. The other team must be closer than I thought. Using my left hand as a balance, I lift my right and hold it out. My palm facing downward, I still haven't figured out how to trigger these abilities I have been given, but now is as good a time as any. We have to learn somewhere. I wait until I can see the whites off their eye and the stipe on their arm. Fore bender. I exhale deeply and concentrate on a pulling a wall up from the ground, from the earth; nothing happens. I let out a low growl and focus solely on the wall and still nothing happens. Why isn't it working? I flick out my wrist and still it does not work. I splay out my fingers in a quick motion and still nothing happens. I try everything my mind can think of and still nothing happens, they are going to get away. I need to figure this out now.

Boom! The beat of my heart echoes within the drum of my ear as blood rushes. Boom! I don't think I can do this, but I need to try. I need to prove myself. My eyes slip shut and I picture the wall raising itself, the color of mud and dirt. Boom! My eyelids peel back and I raise my hand once again with my palm up, letting the power take over. I hand over the controls and let what happens, happen. I let go for a moment and give two small clicks of my tongue, letting the earth raise into a wall that blocks them off. It grabs the attention of the other watchers and I feel pride, its small and relevant like me. The fire bender is quickly forced away and we stand taller, he will come back with more.

I look down at the ground below, I didn't exhert myself too much and I let myself slip off the edge. I am in free fall for a second and then I am back on solid ground. The air bender looks down at me and smiles. "You did good." I smirk and look at the wooded area ahead.

"I can do better." Then there is a group coming towards us, a lot of them. I feel air rush around as the other two get right to work and I begin my own battles. A water bender comes towards me and I know she doesn't have much on me. Not enough water, but there is plenty of earth. They underestimated me and only sent her, when I know I can do so much more. I smile and let her get within a few feet of me before I let my tongue click exactly twice. She doesn't stop and my foot hits the mud, sending it up my leg. From the place of impact, comes a long crack that heads her way. Quickly and powerfully, I feel exherted now. My head is whoozy and my footing is a little off, but she's down for the count.

"Attention volunteers, the red and blue team have lost their flag. White and green team wins!" Its over like it never began, yet the tiredness within proves that it did happen. I can barely stand and I guess that's okay. I did what I had to and it's a simple as that.

~~~

Southern Female 2: Aeryn Lowe:

Dear Ana, and Gwen, and Oliver, and Thomas, and Elie, and Heart, Ana, I hope you're keeping the others safe. I'm sorry I haven't written home sooner, but the scientists in Central State were keeping us under wraps while-I'm sorry, I can't talk about it here. I'll tell you when I get home.You all have been good, haven't you? Don't give Mother and Father too much trouble, and if you need help, ask the Mellards. They promised me they would watch over you guys.You all would have loved what we did the other day - especially you, Oliver. You love playing outside, and that's kind of what we did, except it was so much prettier than our little copse of trees back home, and funner, because now I get to use my new powers. After the scientists changed us, we spent a few days alone, learning how to use our new abilities, and then they rounded us all up and brought us to this strange place outdoors. It was nothing like Southern State - it was so much greener, and the trees were huge. They towered over me, and I'm one of the oldest there - some are no older than you, Elie. We were divided up by our new abilities, and I found myself with six boys and five other girls. They were mainly between my age and Oliver's age, though one little girl reminded me of you, Elie. She was maybe a bit older, but she had the same sweet eyes.Our team was given a flag that had a gorgeous design on it in the middle of a red sea of fabric - a pretty swirl that represented air, and a beautiful dark stone that represented earth. We were against the water and fire team, and they had their own flag, but theirs was blue.We've played this game before, I know - me, Elie, and Heart against Ana, Oliver, and Thomas. Our flags were smaller, just scraps of clothing, but you all know the game, and I felt like I had more experience than most with capture the flag. Still, this was a whole new playing field. I didn't know what the other team could do.I barely knew what I could do.I let someone else take charge - I'm not that much of a leader when I'm not mothering you all, as much as you hate it. One of the boys, a brooding blond, organized the team - he put a few people to hiding the flag, another few to guarding it, and put me in a team with the "runners" - we would try to capture the flag of the water and fire team without getting caught.I didn't want to make trouble, but you know I'm used to guarding the flag, not running for it. I didn't want to switch out, though, because that little girl was in my group, and I was afraid she'd get hurt if I left her alone, so I stood next to her as the hiders figured out where they wanted to put the flag."Hi!" I said gently. "I'm Aeryn, Aeryn Lowe. You remind me of my little sisters."She beamed at me, but her eyes were what caught my attention - stormy gray, with thick eyelashes that jumped when she blinked, they were like a rainstorm just waiting on the horizon. "I'm Melina. I'm an earth elemental.""I'm air. Have you tried out your new powers yet?""Yes!" she squealed, her smile growing. "They're really cool. It's funny how your name is Aer-yn. And you control air. Isn't that funny?"I had to laugh - she was so sweet, just like Heart when she finds something new. I love your little excited face, Heart. "It's really funny. Are you excited for the game? I think they want us to use our powers. I can't wait to see them.""Me neither! I'm going to crush those water elementals."She was so sweet, it was almost a shame when the boy who'd put himself in charge announced, "OK, spread out across the white line they gave us. The flag is hidden, but none of you runners can know where, or else they might torture it out of you."Someone gasped, and I frowned at the boy. "Don't scare the little ones. They wouldn't really torture us."His face softened as he glanced at the smaller kids, who were looking scared, except Melina. "All right, not torture us. But we're gonna win!"I cheered along with the rest of them, getting in position carefully at the border where I couldn't see any red or blue water uniforms. They had us all in colors that showed our element, so we couldn't switch sides trickily. Mine was white, and I was a little afraid that it would get dirty, but the earths didn't have that issue in their deep forest green.It only took a few seconds for the whistle to blow, and then we were off! I was sprinting as fast as I could, but since you've all grown up, I haven't had to watch you so closely, and most of the little ones were beating me. Still, I was making good time, until I came face-to-face with one of the fire elementals, a girl only a few years younger than me who had a quick smile on her face.She wasn't going to play around - she seemed to have the same competitive streak that you do, Thomas, and she immediately sent a stream of fire at me. I dodged it quickly, raised my hands, and hesitated - I hadn't ever used my powers much before, and certainly not to fight other kids. Still, I quickly summoned the air around me into a small ball and blasted it towards her.It should have been enough to knock her down, but she was stronger than she looked, and she summoned more fire to shoot at me in quick, tiny balls that I couldn't possibly have dodged. I managed one and summoned an air shield, which took away the oxygen of the fireballs before they could get to me. She kept shooting and stepping closer to me, finally getting close enough to my air shield that I was worried it was going to take away her oxygen, too, and I dropped it to create another air ball - bigger this time - and push it into her stomach, making her stumble. An oof came out of her mouth as I ran past her, feeling the heat on my back as she summoned more fire, but the attacks seemed to have tired her out, and all I got was the heat. I was tired, too, though, and I crouched behind a shrub to rest and breathe - using my abilities took energy out of me. It was exhausting, but I had to keep going.I jogged through more trees, dodging quick attacks from water elementals and fire elementals. None of them seemed very interested in me, though, and they let me going once I started sprinting and shooting air at them, but I was exhausted."Hello!" came a chirp from behind me, and there stood Melina, looking tired too, but she was younger, and full of energy. She grinned at me. "It's Aeryn the air girl.""Hi! Have you found the flag yet?"She nodded seriously. "It's on a pillar in the lake, and there are some fire elementals on the shore and water elementals in the water, so we can't swim to it. It'll be hard to get to. You'd have to be able to distract the fire elementals and then fly to get to it!"I grinned at her and squatted down again. "I know someone who can fly. And I know someone who could probably use her powers to distract the fire elementals. Want to try?"Melina nodded, eyes gleaming brightly with a fire that was older than her years. "I distract them, you fly to the flag, then fly it back out to shore.""It's a plan. I'll climb a tree near the shore and wait for you."I didn't have to wait long - soon enough, the little girl was out throwing fist-sized chunks of dirt at the fire elementals and building her own little fort from the ground up to hide in. Once most of them had turned to look at her, I launched myself from the tree, summoning all my powers to fly out.I was scared, too, that I would sink into the water, but I managed to bob above it as I propelled myself towards the pillar, snatching the flag off and finding a balance on top just as the fire elementals spotted me. Melina was jumping up and down, waving, shouting, but as I sat on top, I realized that I was too tired to fly back out, and I had to think of a new way out, fast.I pushed myself to a standing position, balled the flag in my hands, and threw it as far as I could, earning shouts and laughter from the other team as they watched it fall, but Melina was the one who started laughing as I controlled the air around it and made the flag fly itself back into her waiting hands, despite the attempts to catch it. The little girl flashed me a grin and started sprinting, bundling the flag into her uniform as she darted between the trees, back to our side. I only hoped she would get there before the other team got our flag, but all I could do was wait on top of the pillar for the whistle to blow.Five minutes later, we won.I can't tell you guys how much fun it was to be something special, to have such incredible powers, but I would have given them all up for the chance to play with you guys.When I get back, I promise.Kisses to you all, and give extra to Heart if she has nightmares,your big, loving sister Aeryn.

~~~

Southern Female 3: Aviana Carson:

You wake up in an unknown place. You try and remember what happend yesterday.

It was the same routine like all other days. You woke up got dressed and then went to find the lab room where a scientist was paired up with you to do a series of test.

After that everything is blury.

Standing up you realize that there are more people. All weraing the same clothes. Some jeans and a black shirt. The only thing they do not have in common is that some have earth on their shirt while others had air.

Besides you there were eleven other people. All from different age groups and genders. More people were starting to wake up.

A light breeze hit your face causing you to stumble a bit. Looking around you see that the other people had the same expression as you had.

Confusion.

Some even trembling a bit.

A light, soft, sweet melody surronded you. A hint of sadness mixed into it. After it finished you saw a familiar face. Not infront of you but up in the sky. Now you had been used to suprises since your trip but this was something exceeding your expectations.

On top of the trees in a clear picture all scientists stood proudly. Scientist Arianna Storm stood besides Scientist Greg Colemon while the others were busy on the computer.

"Good morning everyone. I hope you have had a good nights sleep because now the games have officialy began. Although nobody will die each of you will be given a chance to show your strenghts in front of us judges." Scientist Arianna nodded and Scientist Greg Colemon continued where she left of.

"This is a round to test how far you have gained control over your element. All you have to do is capture the flag from the other team.The air and earth elemnts are teamed togethor while the fire and water elements are teamed togethor. You have all the time needed think wisely." Scintist Greg ended with a nod towards the camera. Then all of a sudden the picture went away.

You look around the arena. For the first time you take in its beauty. The Arena is on a floating island. A flag is on a tiny island on a pillar. A waterfall is behind it forming a rainbow making the flag stand out pureposely catching the attention of whoever looks that way.

You hear hushed voices and you look in the direction where a group is starting to huddle. A female no older then fifteen is calling everyone in the circle. Her eyes fall on you and she faintly smiles calling you in her direction.

You reach the the group only stumbling twice on a tree branch.

A boy is talking to the group. "Ok we will go in two groups. One group will gaurd the flag while the other group will go after the other teams flag." Everyone including you agrees to that. The boy now proceeds to tell you who will go where. He points at you to guard the flag.

----

You and five other people have been chosen to guard the flag. In the group there are three boys and three girls.

All of a sudden it gets quiet. To quiet. You look around and see everyone tense. Then you see eight figures. You try and warn your team mates but the other team is to fast. They sprang into action out numbering you by two.

One member of the other tema comes to each of you. A boy from the other team comes running straight towards you. The badge that had the elemnt symbol is cut of so you can't see what their element is.

However, it doesn't matter becasue soon with a flick of his hand fire surronds you. You run towards his direction throwing pieces of dirt at him to distract him. Your plan fails when the dirt gradually catches on fire. You catch his eyes and see fire in them.

Smirking he runs towards you. His hand grabs a stick and it insteantly lights on fire. You wearily eye the stick as he comes towards you.

The fight is going on besides you and it looks like your team is fighting a lost battle. The boy starts circiling you until he hits you with the stick.

The fire consumes the edge of your pants.

The boy moves away giving you space like he wants you to extinguish the fire.

After trying for five minutes you are able to die down the fire. The boy comes at you again reapetedly hitting you with the stick over and over again.

Blood is starting to form at the edge of your forehead.

You think this is the end. You can't possibly hold on any longer and the other team is close to getting the flag.

Then all of a sudden you are not in the forest anymore. . You are in a small cottage. You see two fimialiar faces.

They face a girl in anger and disgust. They yell at her, they hit her, mock her, and make her do dirty chores. It doesn't take you a second to figure out who they are and who the girl is.

Anger courses theough your veins. Feeling new extoridanry powers at your fingertips. You let out a huge scream.

You see nothing but darkness for few seconds before you realize your eyes are closed. You slowley open them and see the ground split in half. The boy in it uncounciouse but alive.

You are standing on a small mountain of dirt.

Cheers break and you see that your teamates have captured the flag and have successfully won.

This challenge was finished bit you realized something which will lead you far in life. You can't get anything in life with love. Hate has to be involved one way or another.

~~~

Western Female 1: Junji Galaka:

No Entry.

~~~

Western Female 2: Nina Walford:

No Entry.

~~~

Western Female 3: Aurelie Gilland:

No Entry.

~~~

Eastern Female 1: Dakota Castella:

Dropped Out.

~~~

Eastern Female 2: Melody Shimizu:

Dropped Out.

~~~

Eastern Female 3: Apanie Leong Yue Ting:

Picture this.

You've been separated from your family and your home, then injected with some freaky power juice that gave you the ability to manipulate water with your mind. So you spent a whole three days trying to master the technique but ended up being hit in the face by countless sealed water jugs and wet sponges. At one point, you even managed to pull water out of the sinkhole, only to have it enter your mouth in a sourish propulsion.

That's what I had to go through. If that isn't difficult enough for a thirteen-year-old, I don't know what is.

But wait, there's more! I had to participate in a stupid game of capture-the-flag. I'll describe it to you and see how you feel. Maybe you're more stoic than I am or know how to face boredom for a longer period of time. I'll let you decide, but I'm telling you, it isn't the prettiest.

___

Bumps pepper the old track to the location of the game, every one of them jolting the train like a mini earthquake. Some of the sections had expanded somewhat, making the train squeal and vibrate at least four times a minute and causing your eyes to jiggle annoyingly in your sockets.

You sit near the window, not staring out of it like some cliché music video, but instead watching the other kids. Only a handful of them are older than you. Most of them are children, looking out their windows, their faces blank and refusing to acknowledge one another.

And so the train continues to move forward into a beautiful forest. Not the type with the huge coniferous trees, though. These are gigantic. With the widest berths a tree could have. The canopies of leaves cast shadows over most of the ground, making it nearly impossible to see a hundred metres forward. This is a tropical rainforest.

As you turn your attention to the world outside the train, you think you see a pterodactyl flying alongside the train car before disappearing into the forest.

Now, that really freaks you out. Dinosaurs? You think, you mean the scientists managed to mutate frickin' dinosaurs?

Not only that, but you see others too. Others that you're certain didn't belong to the same era, and definitely didn't originate from the tropical rainforest.

You aren't the only one, though. Around you, the other subjects are sitting with their jaws agape, and you realise you are too before snapping your mouth shut. There's only one little boy—one of the youngest—with a shock of flaming red hair, who's actually enthusiastic compared to the others' terror.

"Are those dinosaurs?" He marvels at them for a second. "Oh, man, this game is gonna be awesome!"

Awesome, you think, it's gonna be absolutely amazing to get eaten by an old chicken.

But then again, you can't help but admire his positive attitude. Well, not so much positive as much as ignorant, but at least it's better than wetting your pants over it, as you can smell some people have—

SQUEALLLLLLLL.

The train lets out the longest, highest, most ear-piercing squeak yet, and shudders to a stop, the inertia planting your face into the seat in front of you.

You peel your face off the cracked leather and sigh. This day...you moan internally as you stumble towards the exit.

Around the train, a few of the scaly reptiles have gathered, looking confused, they probably heard the stopping squeal and mistook it for a mating call and are now wondering, where hot lady dinosaur?

A group of assumed referees dressed in black leads the subjects to the middle of the forest. For some reason, the dinosaurs give you a wide berth, like the stench of impending failure is potent around you and they don't want to get infected. Nothing like a sunny day in the tropical rainforest with extinct animals avoiding you to make you relax!

The referees stop abruptly and turn to face you. As you're way at the back, you don't realise this until...whoopsies! You fall onto the person in front of you and the entire line topples like a row of huge dominoes sabotaged by the idiotic one at the back.

The line gets up, groaning, then turns to give you the stink eye.

You try your best to melt into the shadows. I wish I were extinct. Wait, I'm not even a species, you think, then look around you at all the prehistoric creatures and realise that being extinct won't get you anywhere (as you'll probably be resurrected in a laboratory. Hooray.)

"Capture the Flag!" a woman in the of the group of referees flamboyantly announces, in a miserable attempt to get you interested. The subjects just look disgruntled, occasionally murmuring a few profanities. Her fluorescent-coloured lips stretch into an uncertain smile and she tones it down a little...a lot.

"So that's all you have to do, capture the other team's flag. No rules...except no killing or maiming, of course. We still want you alive and well for the test, after all!

If not for the test, you probably wouldn't care, you think, ignoring that annoying, politically correct voice at the back of your head, nagging at you to "look for the best in people". Sometimes, you really wonder whether that voice will ever help you.

"You will be split into two groups," her neon orange lipstick is starting to get to you. It looks like she's trying to eat a life vest. "The Waters and Fires in the blue team, the Earths and Airs in the red. If you get into any sort of trouble during the game and need help, just press your injection point thrice—there's a transmitter under you skin—and we'll be there to assist you, after which you will be pulled out of the game to check for injury." She pauses for a moment, then adds, "You'll be given fifteen minutes with your team to discuss strategy and look for a spot. The game starts when the horn sounds and our friends here—" she gestured to the dinosaurs, "—get to do...whatever they want. Any questions?" She doesn't even wait for a reply. "No? Then here are your flags."

Two members of the black-clad group step forward and pass the nearest teammates your flags. Considering the scale of the game, the flags look unimpressive, just the colour and the symbols of the respective elements in each team.

"Your time starts...now!" she yells, before the group pulls their hoods up and disappears.

"Follow our flag, Blues!" One of the boys from your team leads you a few metres from the initial assem9bly area into a small clearing. As you stop to avoid another domino incident, you think you hear trodden grass behind you. You whip around, and naturally, there's no one there.

"Okay, guys, we need a plan." The boy looks a lot younger than you, maybe nine, but he speaks with the persuasiveness and confidence of a leader. His dark brown eyes are unusually bright with mischief. "Where are we going to put the flag?"

Murmuring, then...

"I saw a lake not far from here," a girl steps forward and all attention instantaneously turns to her. You recognise her as the girl who somehow was able to control her element—and her emotions—way better than the rest of you. "There's a pillar in the middle of it. The lake isn't clear, so I suspect it's muddy and full of kelp." You don't know how she pays so much attention to this kind of detail when there are so many other things to take notice of, namely the dinosaurs, but you keep listening.

"The kelp would probably trap whoever tries to swim through it. The pillar would also be hard to scale after being covered in mud. Putting the flag on top of the pillar would be perfect." She sounds like she's giving a report. "The only problem would be how we're gonna get it up there."

You have about ten minutes left. So you and your team head to the lake while brainstorming ideas.

"Maybe we could set the top of the pillar on fire..." the boy with the flaming red hair murmurs to himself as he absentmindedly slows down. You don't know how or why, but he has a foam shark's fin strapped to his back.

"The flag would probably catch fire," you say, because you're the only one slow enough to match his pace at the back. "But that was a good idea, though, if the pole weren't made out of wood..."

This aspect of his reminds you of your brother, Alford. He has great ideas, but they often fail because he forgets one important factor and the entire thing comes apart. Take the day you were sent away, for example. Alford's costume made him look nearly identical to you, but the guard stopped him because when he spoke, his voice crept into falsetto...

"But the lady said there are no rules besides no killing or maiming," the little boy argues, snapping you out of your reverie. "We have to stop them from getting our flag, right? Why not just burn it so we can all go get their flag together without worrying about them finding ours?"

Damn, you think, this kid is smart.

A silent chuckle escapes your lips, silent enough for you to hear a nearly simultaneous one, right behind you.

Both you and the little boy stop and turn, just in time to see the likeness of a pair of boots from the top of your vision. You blink, and the boots are gone.

"You saw that, right?" The boy asks, more intrigued than afraid.

"Maybe it's just our nerves, " you say, "I've read somewhere that fear makes you see things."

He doesn't look convinced. "I'm not afraid of anything. Besides, we both heard that laugh."

The team stops before you can answer and you look up to see the lake.

Compared to the darkness of the shadows cast by the leaves and branches in the undergrowth layer, the brightness of this tree-less place hurts the back of your eyeballs.

The lake is huge, with cloudy greenish-brown water. When you look closer, you see that there are indeed strings of kelp floating upright in the murk, which should be impossible, since it looks like anything should have withered and died the moment it touched the water.

Smack in the middle of the lake is a pillar. You can't help but think of Rapunzel's tower as you gaze at its narrow structure, its enormous height. Its walls are sheer, so whoever tries to climb it will drop after about two seconds. Unless, of course, you're a water elemental.

"Waters! Could you come here for a second?" It's one of the Fire girls, the one who always converses animatedly with that girl who noticed the lake in the first place. Compared to her friend's calm and composed demeanour, she's like an active volcano. "So the plan is to create a staircase made of water so that one of us can go up and place the flag on the top of the pillar. We need you guys to work together because apparently you all haven't mastered the technique yet." She crosses over to the little boy standing right next to you. "Since you're the lightest one here, you'll be the person who puts the flag up there. Just don't vaporise the water with your fire, all right? What do I call you?"

When the boy responds, you can detect a little bit of irritation in his voice. Maybe he just doesn't like getting orders from anyone but himself. "My name is Shark Finn—"

"Your name is Shark Fin?" the girl interrupts incredulously.

Shark Finn, you think, whoever gave you that name must've given you that floating device.

"F-I-N-N," he sighs, "and I'm a water elemental."

"Okay." The girl shrugs. "As long as that doesn't stop us from winning."

And so the set-up begins not-so-smoothly.

This is gonna be crap, you can't help but tell yourself as you line up with the water elementals, I'm probably going to end up (bad pun alert) drowning Shark.

The first part goes well enough. Four fellow water elementals manage to fashion a wonky staircase with little help from you. That's only the easy part.

The moment Shark steps onto your creation, however, everything goes haywire. The water wants so desperately to let the little boy sink into the murk, and it's all you can do to stop it. After approximately six seconds of work, you can't take it anymore.

Maybe your muscles became so tired, they started putting in more energy than they should, but the cause doesn't matter, because the liquid staircase turns to ice.

The next few moments are a blur as you recover from your momentary exhaustion. You only know that Shark managed to set the flag fine, and that the Fires melted the staircase before the game started and the Waters were instructed to defend the flag while the Fires went on offense.

It doesn't take long for you to realise that something is wrong, because the sound of footsteps makes your exhaustion fade rapidly.

Here's the good news: the sound was Shark's heavy running. The bad news?

"One of the other team sneaked past the defense!" Shark doesn't sound worried. He sounds—and looks—excited. "It's the same guy who was behind us on our way here! I recognise his boots!"

"What?" By this time, you're already on your feet and heading towards the lake.

You spot him immediately. Well, frankly, he's a little hard to miss. What with the floundering about in the murk, a steady stream of profanities—and lake water—pouring out of his mouth. He looks like a drowning chicken.

"I'll distract him. You take him out, like, make the lake freeze over or something," Shark whispers, and dives in. Apparently he forgot that if he were also in the water, he would become frozen Shark meat.

"Wait!" you call out, "Stop! Shark! SHARK!"

The drowning chicken freezes, and you can see his head turn very slowly towards the foam shark's fin gaining on him.

Apparently, this kid's brain really is that of a chicken's, because he doesn't know that a shark couldn't possibly survive in such a disgusting lake.

As you watch with resigned awe, he shoots up thirty feet from the cloudy waters in a spurt of humid air. For a while, it looks as if gravity is debating whether it should pull him back down. It finally does and he plunges straight down. Idiot.

Your mental abuse towards him is interrupted when the horn sounds again. A few moments later, your teammates charge out of the trees, smelling suspiciously like they just finished fighting a forest fire. In their hands was a red flag.

"How did you get it so quickly?" asks Shark, who had climbed out of the lake and is now drying himself with a towel.

"The flag was in a tree," the volcano girl says, slightly breathless and covered in soot. "So we just shot some fire towards that branch and it just fell down. The Airs tried to put it out but the oxygen just made it stronger.

"Well, we do have an airhead here." You nod in the direction of the boy, who is now dripping wet at the side of the lake, receiving grudging consolation with his stony face.

Together, you and your teammates brandish the flag, looking like the wettest, dirtiest, most anticlimactic rebellion in the world.