Doused in masked darkness, the forest swayed with the soft breeze; anticipating something grievous. Reclined against a tree–tangled within its own large branches–Ivy grazed her hand against the grass until she felt something puncture her skin and drew out blood. Wincing slightly, she grabbed the sharp piece of wood and examined it with bitter curiosity. It was long, rugged, and dangerously sharp at its end; an idea instantly appeared.

Ivy raised it up towards inches away from her chest. No hesitation, no reluctance, no second thoughts. Entirely prepared to finally pierce away the feeling that plagued her soul, creeping like a shadow inside her through every moment of her very existence.

A sudden yet swift force interfered with her desired motion, having her to struggle desperately to proceed with the action. She was so close! And frankly couldn't be any less ungrateful. She was given her second chance and concluded with this as her ultimate decision.

What the hell is stopping her now!

Defeated, she gazed up with narrowed eyes brimmed heavy with the tears that slowly fell down her face. With a blurred vision gradually clearing up, those emerald eyes eventually made contact with ones that seemed it could reflect the longing view of the ocean itself.

“Dallas?” she questioned, loosening her narrowed expression to one more perplexed. He had a tight grip on her arm, holding her back to keep her from committing...

“Ivy wha-what are you doing?” He asked as though he wasn't already aware.

“Nothing,” Ivy replied, remembering her situation. She then shifted her head away from his concerns and lowered her arm, ”Just, let go of my arm now.”

“No.”

“What do you mean, no?!”

“I'm not going to let you do something stupid. That you'll regret.”

“Excuse me?” Ivy countered, raising one of her eyebrows. She wasn't stupid.

“Look, Ivy, I know we haven't known each other for very long and to be honest it's really hard to approach you because of your...barriers. But even so, what you're doing isn’t going to help you.”

Ivy’s eyes drifted to the ground for a short moment, collecting what he said. She wiped the cold tears trickling down her cheeks. It almost appeared that she genuinely acknowledged him before tossing it all away and allowing her mind subconsciously flick into a more sardonic mentality. She laughed humorlessly, yanking herself away from the raven-haired boy.

“Well isn’t this a spectacularly awkward situation we have here, ” Ivy replied with her notorious sarcasm revealing itself on display. “A suicidal girl and some kid who thinks he knows what he's talking about.”

Dallas was taken aback on how quickly she managed to switch from utterly distressed to borderline arrogant in only a matter of minutes. Emotions are quite confusing and almost made Ivy appear...human to him. Unfortunately, it was a sight for a second. He shook his head, remembering she had responded with something? Something quite offensive actually.

“Kid?” He repeated, raising a brow and tilting his head enough for his black hair to drift slowly to the side a little, “I-I'm pretty sure we're around the same age.”

“Oh look, it's how little I care, ” Rolling her eyes, she scrambled up to her feet. With specs of dirt scattered over her now faded clothing, she neatly dusted them off before marching off passed him. “Now will you leave me alone, I don't need any help.”

“Says the girl who was willingly going to stab herself...with a stick, ” He replied almost matching her sarcastic attitude yet held a little more sincerity as he followed. “Actually… help might be an understatement.”

“Haha wow, Dallas, ” she chirped in the most forced “valley girl” voice she could manage, “Is that sarcasm I detect? How fitting...”

“You know, you're making this a lot more difficult than it has to be.”

“No, I'm not, ” she retorted, defensively through the high-pitched sound surfacing in her voice. The quick pace in her strides instantly stopped as though ice suddenly engulfed her and her body was frozen from shock. She shifted herself around with a sharp turn of her heel to face him. With no reluctance, she approached all up in his personal space, poking her index finger onto his chest. “You're just budding into business where you don't belong.”

He pushed her hand away and cocked his head to the side, “So...should I say that I'm sorry for being concerned about someone minutes away from placing a sharp wooden object through her heart?”

Ugh! So annoyingly persistent! She clenched her fists, wanting to bash hand or her head into something but wasn't fond of damaging those few brain cells that allowed her to tolerate this situation, to begin with. I can't believe this. Irritated, she turned away from the boy, swaying her silky, chocolate hair along with the movement. Ivy slid a hand down through her scalp and gave out a long dragged out sigh until her tension dissipated. “You're not… going to go away...are you?”

Dallas shrugged giving her a sheepish smile, “We did come here through the same way, and besides, I just want to, at the very least, understand your situation.”

Um...What?

Seriously?

Moreover, exactly why was she still enduring this again? Her legs worked perfectly fine, she should merely dismiss his insists and ventured off elsewhere. Whether they came here the same way or not. However, she continues to respond. Granted, talking to someone capable of tolerating her notorious attitude was, dare she admit, amusing but Dallas still annoyed her.

Why is he so sickeningly...nice?

Hardly ever fazed by her sarcasm. People usually got agitated and ignore her. All in hopes to shield their feelings from being mutilated by the verbal torture her mouth would spill out at the very sign of vulnerability. Deeming her a specific way, until she no longer heeded their opinions. But here he was in hopes to...understand her? That is especially nonsensical, and absurd, a...and foolish and- more synonyms gathered up in her mind to search for the best term.

It was rare...

Definitely rare.

Tch, and besides, “I doubt it's something you could even try to understand, ” She voiced her thoughts.

“What makes you say that?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She walked around him before leaning her back against a tree, “Maybe it's because you grew up in a happy–go–lucky environment with two super wealthy parents who probably never allowed their son to see a bad day when it surfaced.”

Dallas rubbed the back of his neck, biting down on his lower lip, “ I wouldn't call it…‘happy–go–lucky’ ...”

“Well, then educate me, how would you describe a privileged childhood?”

“Well…” he paused, unable to construct any words to describe his upbringing. Not that it was bad, in fact, she wasn't...entirely wrong but... “Ugh… you can't just assume something like that.”

“And why not?” Ivy scoffed. Wait, did I...actually hit a nerve? She raised a hand to her mouth and her shoulders slightly bounced in amusement as though stifling a laugh. “I know it’s true.”

“Because it's not all like tha–” He sighed before he could unintentionally raise his voice. He noticed how Ivy tilted her head allowing green eyes to wander off almost uninterested and as though she proved her point. “Ivy?”

Ivy subconsciously caught a leaf from the tree with her fingers then placed it back on the branch. She crossed her arms and legs simultaneously, then shifted her attention back towards the raven-haired boy, “What?”

“Why do you act this way.” He asked, mostly intending to change the topic instead of genuine curiosity.

“In what way?”

“Like you’re above everyone else.”

“I don’t…” She started glancing away as though remembering her behavior, “...act like…I’m above anyone.” Her heart nearly dropped at those words and the croak in her voice proved it. What superiority could a girl who's fallen to the darkest of minds possibly have?

"Then, why are you always so...rude?" He blurted out nonchalantly, immediately regretting it afterward. Maybe he should have worded that differently or...just better.

"I'm not rude!" she retorted defensively, prying herself off the tree and straightening her stance. She inched closer, decreasing their distance yet remained at arm's length.

“The way you talk to Camden and especially Sera, is that not rude?” he deadpanned.

“No, it's sarcasm.”

“But sarcasm is mockery.”

“Your point?”

“It's still a form of being rude.”

“Well technically–” she began, intending to give a proper definition of sarcasm until she noticed Dallas’ uninterested expression, one of which she didn’t know he had. She gave out an annoyed sigh, “Okay, fine. You want to understand why I ‘act this way?’ It’s just because I don't like dealing with unnecessary …nonsense.”

“So, in that case, is everything nonsense to you?”

“In fact, yes!” She admitted with an authentic passion lingering in the tone of her voice. “This conversation? Nonsense. Meeting you people and the whole element thing is nonsense as well. Just yesterday, I wasn't even going to be here, and now I’m supposed to bring balance to the world? Ugh–”

“-What do you mean you weren't going to be here yesterday?” he asked, swinging the conversation back to the original topic, which happened so abruptly it surprisingly caught Ivy off guard.

“...That’s...not what I meant–” Ivy started in a soft tone that didn't sound of the nonchalant one of her own. Fortunately, before she could find the right words to continue her sentence, she was rendered interrupted by the rustling sound of leaves and twigs scraping against one another from a nearby bush.

Curiously, the two teenagers whipped their heads around towards that direction. Two animals, Sinopa and Fynn peaked their head out of the bushes before jumping out gracefully like the majestic animals they were.

"Ivy! How that was reckless of you, " Sinopa hissed, "I am fully aware of your sis—Oh Dallas your here too?"

"That I am...unfortunately," Dallas answered glancing at Ivy before looking away. Luckily Ivy caught the glare quick enough for her to roll her eyes and Sinopa to laugh under her breath softly.

"I see, " Sinopa then shifted her attention back towards Ivy.

"Are we ending our lesson now?" Ivy asked catching the Fox's disappointed gaze on her

"It only seems appropriate. We just have to try again tomorrow. Let's go"

"Hmm, a teenage boy and a teenage girl…." Fynn started exchanging quick glances between both teens, "alone…in the woods…during a setting sun...is this not a really bad sign?"

"Don't worry, I'm not into cliques, " Ivy remarked, whipping her body around to follow the small fox out of the woods.

"Wait? Is she talking about the situation or you?" Fynn turns to Dallas, trying to make sense of everything.

"When it comes to her, I have no idea…and frankly, I don't want to know."

***

As all the element began to wrap up their strenuous and, for some, yet to be effective training lessons, within the cold, frigid atmosphere of the infirmity, Stellina remained confronted by the two councilwomen.

“Oh, Hi!” Stella greeted them with a sweet and obviously unwillingly but welcoming voice,” Isn't this quite the unexpected visit. So, what brings you here to speak with me.”

“Stellina I am more than certain that you are exactly aware of why we came. So let us cut the act,” Cassiopeia responded, the violent tone in her voice progressively rising.

Slowly Stellina’s smile began to fade, now displaying a face of worry and anxiousness. The two council members looked upon Stellina with intimidating eyes and the obvious ambition to only speak of the utmost importance.

Stellina aimlessly looked around the room avoiding eye contact with these women. She already felt drained and nervous as she was, confrontation with them only made her even more extremely uncomfortable. Especially, when they met up with her all so suddenly.

An unwilling sigh escaped Stellina’s mouth and she shifted her head away from them. Her eyes, seeming to look far into the distance, several thoughts piling and piling in her brain.

Finally, she spoke,” I assume you have both came to question my health, well to be more precise my elemental abilities in general.”

“Partially yes, but I’m afraid the reasons for our presence stretches far beyond merely that,” Lyra answered truthfully, as she sat down it a nearby chair. She then looked directly at Stellina. Even with her head turned Lyra eyes still managed to somehow pierce through her soul. “Stellina, it would seem that you have been lying to us for some time now–”

“–For some time now? That is an understatement Lyra, it’s been beyond decades. And might I add, what a disgraceful thing to do, giving us, the council, all a false sense of security when it's clear you have no idea what–”

"–Cassiopeia,” Lyra interrupted all while gesturing for her to stop talking completely.

“If we're speaking of my barrier, I wouldn't exactly call that lying..." Stellina glanced away twiddling her thumbs, "...I’ve never once said that it felt great to contain it for all these years.”

“That is true–“

“–But not speaking of the truth is just as horrible as lying. Both actions place us all at the same dangerous risk. This should call for some sort of penalty or possibly a–” Cassiopeia demanded.

“–That won't be necessary, Cassiopeia.”

“But–”

“Her existence as it appears to be nothing but tribulation, I believe there is no reason to further enhance that.”

“Thank...you?” Stellina said despite her confusion. Was she just helped or insulted? She genuinely could not tell. Again she sighed, “But I guess you could say that. Trust me, with each passing second of sustaining that barrier, I grow weaker and drained of energy. It’s like enduring a living hell.”

“Well, why haven’t you said anything until now,” Cassiopeia asked, completely unmoved by Stellina’s story of pain.

“Because I don’t like people to worry.”

“Worrying is how people stay alive, Stellina!” Cassiopeia yelled,” Life, as we know, would never be if people didn’t worry. If we have known about your problems far earlier we could have avoided any arising problems, but now we’re all placed at a disadvantage.”

“But–“

“–Your barrier is fading and we all have absolutely no clue of what Adriana has been doing all this time. For all we know she could be preparing for an ambush the minute our protection is gone. Our forces are low and-“

“Speaking of, how is your sister?” Lyra asked, once again interrupting Cassiopeia.

“I don’t-”

“Lyra would you quit interrupting me.”

“Cassiopeia, the reason for why I came here was only to ask questions and discover the truth to all of our problems, not to scold Stellina.”

“Ugh, She definitely needs to be scolded too,” Cassiopeia argued, folding her arms and facing away from the both of them.

“If that is your only reason for coming then you might as well see to your exit and leave,” Lyra suggested with a demanding manner.

“Excuse me?” Cassiopeia said clearly offended. However, before she could respond Lyra spoke again with a disappointed sigh escaping her mouth.

“You’re just like Orion. Both flawed in your methods as council members. Only wanting to yell at or punish someone for their actions without taking even a second to figure out why they did it or how to properly prevent it from happening again. I would consider that far more disgrace than anything Stellina has done, but I guess not all stars arrange properly do they.” Lyra insulted yet all with a composed attitude. She directed her attention back to Stellina with her eyes glowing.  “Now I ask you again because I know you are well aware of the answer, how exactly is your sister?”