The Fundamentals (Accepting)

David Baker-Air

Erupting in fire would of been scary if I hadn't seen Elijah doing shit in the background.Anthony Cove calmed Alice down but I went to speak to Rory who looked as though she was contemplating attacking the group of fire fundamentals but her common sense and ability to count was getting in the way of that idea.

"Bitch" Rory said quietly shaking her head.

"Ah what do you expect she's made herself a fire fundamental rather than a fundamental" I said

"What do you mean?" Rory asked

"She's looking at us as though were the enemy because were not fire fundamentals. Really we should be making bonds no matter what element they control especially with air" I said

"Why air" Rory said

"Air carries oxygen and every thing needs oxygen, even fire" I said and Rory shrugged.

"Not earth" she replied

"Damn I thought you wouldn't notice that" I said and smiled.

"You read that book yet" I said pointing at the moves book she had clenched in her hands.

"Not yet you" She replied and I shook my head.

"Nope but I'm going to now"

"Early night?" Rory mused

"Nope lots of studying that and I kind of want to get out here before some one else has to show they're melodramatic flair"

"Sounds like a good idea" Rory said.

"You coming then?" I said

"Not with you and not yet" Rory replied

"Felt that one" I said sarcastically before leaving. I found my room with the help of one of the staff that wandered the halls. I went into my room and sat down on the bed I opened the book and began to read. Some people didn't like to study but I had always found it relaxing.

Natalie McKenzie- Air

I picked at my food. Well, not really picked but, I think I totally tore it apart. Alice was staring at me as if I were crazy.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked with great interest. I looked up to her.

"Oh, um, I'm not really hungry. I usually do this before I eat, to see if there's anything...wrong," I said slowly. Alice tilted her head as if she didn't understand. I opened my mouth, then closed it.

"Did you find anything interesting in the book?" I asked her. Alice began picking at her food.

"I only saw the pictures," she answered. I nodded. Based on what she asked that woman inside the conference room, I totally understand. I start to wonder what goes on in her head.

I begin to put my BLT back together again, and took a long sip of my drink.

"So, how did they do your suicide?" I ask. Alice widened her eyes, so I immediately shake my hands. "I don't mean it like that. I mean, how did they make it seem like you died?"

(Hope this is okay!)

Elijah Woods, Fire

I laughed at the look at Alice's face when she jumped up in horror. That Arween girl just gained major cool points with me. She walked back towards the table and I folLowed her. Three people from a differnt people from a differnt table were heading towards us, two Waters and an Earth, but I wasn't worried. They couldn't touch me.

"That was a dirty nasty trick," Antony yelled at us. I stared up at him with a sly smile, just like Arwen. Mister cool water yelling? What a surprise. I opened my mouth to spit out a witty retort when adopted a look of surprise and backed away. Aurora was on us now and, before she could even start, I stood up with my plate.

"I don't care," I said simply. And with that I went to dump my plate and started off to find my room. I was tired and really didn't feel like being told off by some stupid Earth. I felt bad for leaving Arwen at the mercy of Aurora, but she was a tough girl, she could handle it. For now, though, I was going to sleep. If they expected me to wake up at 10:00 A.M I was going to need all the sleep I could get.

Alice Belltris - Air

Everything was so confusing. Arwen, the fire girl, walked away laughing, leaving me in tears of fear. Ant came over soon after, telling me that I should calm down because it was just a stupid prank. Why would someone do that? These people were twisted. My big brother never did things like that to me no matter how many times I hid his cell phone or put mustard in his shampoo. That joke wasn't very funny at all.

I sat down, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, and tried to eat again. I looked over to talk to Natalie but found that she was picking apart her sandwich.

"Why are you doing that," I wondered out loud. The sandwich looked torn apart, like a sad sandwich. Natalie had a sad sandwich. I looked down at my sandwich, it was a happy sandwich before I bit it. Now it's a sad sandwich too... I looked up again and saw that she'd just finished talking. Oh, I wasn't even listening.

"Did you find anything interesting in the book?" I poked at my sandwich, suddenly not hungry.

"I only saw the pictures," I told her. I would probably never read the words, I could follow the steps easy enough if I tried. They were kinda like the illustrations I had to follow in my ballet class, easy enough. I was going to miss ballet, now that I think about it. My ballet teacher, Miss Pin, was like the mother I never knew.

"So how did they do your suicide?" Natalie's questions caused me to snap my head up quickly. My eyes got wide in a whole new type of horror. I don't understand, I thought I wasn't dead! "I don't mean it like that! I mean how did they make it seem like you died?"

"Oh, they hung the doll thing person from a rope on the ceiling."

"Oh, they hung you?" I smiled at her and nodded before standing up with my food.

"Yeah, they did." I turned to go and dump my food. I didn't want to make my sandwich any sadder. I was going back to the table to talk to Natalie while she ate but a loud noise stopped me.

Attention Fundamentals, please report to your bedrooms. It is now 12:00 A.M. Please remember to report to the roof of the Headquarters at no later than 10:00 A.M. All Fundamentals not in attendance at the directed time will be left behind.

By the time the announcement was over I was back at the table.

"If we don't go there at ten will they let us go home," I asked Antony. He looked back up at me before standing and shaking his head.

"Home? We're dead, Alice. We don't have a home anymore." He sighed, pat me on the head, and walked away. I looked down at Natalie for conformation but she nodded too.

"Oh..." I swallowed and bit my lip. "Well that's umm... goodnight." I didn't know what to say so I just left. I made it two minutes into the hallway before I realized I was lost.

"Oh crap," I hissed, looking around me widely. I sat down on the floor, my back against the wall. I was there for only a few seconds before my eyes started to drift close. I didn't matter where I was, if I was sleepy I was going to sleep, no matter where I had to do it.

Natalie McKenzie- Air

I threw out what's left of my sandwich, and made my way back to my room. I stopped short when I remember Alice. She couldn't make her way to the Cafe by reading the signs, so how could she go back to her room? I backed up slowly and found myself back in the cafe. I guess I'll start here, I thought to myself.

I turned by every corner in search of Alice. I crossed my arms and looked up. Think. Where would you be if you were lost? I asked myself. I hit myself in the head. Lost in the hallways! That's where you are right now! I turned around and began walking towards my room.

I suddenly heard a light sound of snoring. It seemed familiar. I then rmembered Alice dozing in the Conference Room. I quickly followed the snoring to find the other Air Fundamental. I sigh and began shaking her.

"Alice. Alice. Hello?" I repeated. Alice slowly woke up, startled at first. When she saw my face, she calmed down a bit. I look at her with a stern face.

"Where's your room?" I asked her. She shrugged. I sighed, and helped her up. We bagn walking until we stopped in front of my room.

"If I'm an Air Fundamental, and this is my room, then yours should be somewhere near," I said.

(Hope this is okay!)

Thuake Brooks - Earth

Eli was shouting after me, I had no time for teenage tantrums of that kind so I decided to ignore her. She was an odd girl, I didn't like her at all.

I took another sandwich and sat down next to another boy with a grey chain on, he must be one of the other Earth fundamentals. We both ate in silence, a few more people joined the table. Just as someone cleared their throat to start a conversation I got up and left, I had had enough of social interactions for a day.

My room was close to the cafe, I got into the room as soon as possible as I didn't want to talk to anyone else. It was time to study this weird manual we were given about our powers. I had to make sure I was fully prepared for tomorrow, the immortal realm would be a far more dangerous place, I had to keep myself alive not for family but just to meet Karzai.

In time I began to regret the proximity of my room to the cafe, I heard talking and banter. Humph kids, they never change.

The book was interesting, it shed light on some interesting ways to use my power. The book was very clear at the start, the Earth fundamental could have control over a larger variety of things compared to the water, air or the fire fundamentals. This made the Earth fundamentals battle strategy more unpredictable but their reliance on a particular weapon was non-existent making them weak at specific skills.

I laughed at the book, it should know that no-one here would be able to use rocks as a better weapon than me. My thoughts were interrupted by an announcement on the speakers,the old hag's voice filtered through and said, "Attention Fundamentals, please report to your bedrooms. It is now 12:00 A.M. Please remember to report to the roof of the Headquarters at no later than 10:00 A.M. All Fundamentals not in attendance at the directed time will be left behind.".

I ignored the announcement, I was no child and therefore had no bed time. I went back to reading the book.

By the time I had finished reading I could hear snoring mixed in with silence all around me, I turned to the last page and saw one message imprinted in a bold font.

"The final message we can give to you Earth fundamental is that you must Innovate. Being able to control different types of materials gives you the chance to be creative with your offensive and defensive measures. Use this to your advantage and make the element of surprise your strength".

The final message was interesting indeed. I put the book down and without even putting my mind to it lifted a rock from the flower pot and threw it on to the light switch.

I adjusted the position of my cushion to make sure my head slipped into place comfortably and then I closed my eyes.

Liam - water

Well that was interesting.

I had been sitting at my very own table for awhile, merely picking at my food when everything had went down. Not that it was all that exciting. Just interesting. As the call sounded for us to sleep, I felt a bit annoyed at the thought. I didn't really want to, but there was nothing here to really occupy me anyways.

As I reached for my book, I thought of sleep. Thought of resting my eyes and slipping out of consciousness. That would be the logical thing to do. The thing that would give me some peace of mind, if achievable.

But I did not want to sleep.

Getting up slowly, I thought of what would be better for me to do. Maybe to read into my book a bit? That would be good. It wasn't what I wanted to do, but it was definitely better than sleeping. Yes, I would read, and learn if I had to. If I could keep my mind on my work, I'm sure I could do it.

Everyone was leaving now. I wanted to catch up and yet at the same time, I didn't. I want to wander behind in my own solemnness. But friends and comrades would be a lovely thing to. Both options were increasingly appealing. It was rather hard to choose.

But I suppose, choosing was made easy. Nobody appeared to care much for my existence being there at all. I was okay with that, though. When I was necessary, they'd call me. If I was necessary. That all depended on what I could learn tonight.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, a bit exasperated. Things being straightforward made my thought processes easier. I could simply do and be. When given choices, I could hardly settle for even having to choose, let alone choosing. It was all giving me quite the headache.

Of course, a headache meant I still felt something-

I growled, trying to push these thoughts back again. It was done. I would practice my work and that was it. Just stay with that one thought process. I could do that... right?

(Holy. I'm gone for a day and I'm confused xD)

Jerrson Hastings - Fire; Hanna Parker - Water

People were throwing fireballs around? Sweet. Jerr rose to throw one at at Arwen when an announcement stopped him. Te Fundamentals had to go to bed? Damn. He exited the dining hall and walked his usual way back to the room, noticing that Eli was just a bit ahead of him. He ran to catch up with her. "Hey, you'e the firery tempered Fire Fundamental, right? I'm Jerr, the male Fire."

"Hi." She growled, walking faster.

"Hey, slow down!"

She turned to him, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Buzz off."

"No. You need to relax and chill out. How do you expect to make friends if you're so.. closed-off."

She growled, her hands steaming. "I don't need friends, nor do I need you. Go away."

Jerr narrowed his eyes. "Grow up, Eli. We are here, and there's no way out, so fucking accept it. You have to make alliances here, or else. Who do you think would risk their life for you, someone you treated like crap? Hell no."

Eli's fist erupted in flames as she tried to hit Jerr. He dodged her punch and pinned her against the wall.

"You're so beautiful when you lose your temper." He whispered mockingly.

Elijah Woods, Fire

I was more than happy to just get out of that damned place. My two minutes of Alice torture was fun but I was getting tired. I got up adn walked out and was only a few feet down the hall when someone ran up behind me. It was probably Arwen so I stopped and turned around, but what I saw caused me to immediately frown.

"Hey, you'e the firery tempered Fire Fundamental, right? I'm Jerr, the male Fire." I rolled my eyes at him. He said that as if he expected me to care.

"Hi," I growled and walked away, faster this time. Maybe he would get a hint.

"Hey, slow down!" I guess not. I whiped around to face him, anger evident in my every expression.

"Buzz off!"

"No. You need to relax and chill out. How do you expect to make friends if you're so.. closed-off." I growled and felt my body begin to shake. I've never shook this many times in one day? Was everyone's goal to just piss me off endlessly?

"I don't need friends," I shouted, "nor do I need you. Go away."

"Grow up, Eli. We are here, and there's no way out, so fucking accept it. You have to make alliances here, or else. Who do you think would risk their life for you, someone you treated like crap? Hell no."

And that was the last straw. My fist burst into flames and I made a swing for Jerr's face. Had I not been so angry I probably would have connected, but he dodged my punch almost effortlessly and pinned me against the wall. Was I really that bad of a fighter?

"You're so beautiful when you lose your temper," he whispered. I glared at him and tried to move out of his grip but I was pinned. It was then that I realized the situation. My eyes opened wide and I struggled harder, but he was much bigger than me and I couldn't move a single thing.

"Then I must be freaking gorgeous right now! Let me go, Jerr! Or I swear to God-"

"You swear to God what," he asked, still pinning me.

"I swear... I..." I swallowed and closed my eyes. I should have been over that one day, but I still wasn't. It was like I could still hear their voices and feel all of their bodies on top of me. Hands grabbing me... Pulling my clothes...

I opened my eyes again and forced them to meet Jerr's. He was smirking but his condenscending smile melted away slowly.

"Please just let me go," I asked softly before adverting my eyes to the ground. He kept me there a few moments before stepping back nervously.

"Uh, Elijah, are you-" Suddenly I lunged forward and punched him in the gut with all my might. He crumpled to the floor and and I stood over him with my hands on my hips, smiling evily.

"Bastard," I spat. "Try that again and you'll be hurt for a few weeks." He glared up at me and I turned to leave. "Oh," I called over my shoulder, "It's nice to meet you Jerr. Hope we Fire's can get along." With that I walked away to try and find my room. I found it easy enough and quickly went to lay in my bed. I buried my face in the pillow and tried not to cry. After what happened at the football field, the day I discovered my gift, I got my brothers to beat the shit out of everyone that dared touch me that way, but it still hurt a bit when I thought about it.

"Toughen up, Eli," I lectured myself. "You can't always be weak like this." So, with a deep breath I pulled my face out of the pillow and grabbed the fire book. I stared at the cover and started on page one.

Jerrson Hastings - Fire; Hanna Parker - Water

Hanna walked out of the dining hall, feeling cruddy. She had been too nervous to eat. She was so furious at the old woman, the world, and her stupid powers! She wished she was normal, and at home, wih her loved ones. No here, anywhere but here.

She was so lost in thought, she didn't even see Jayk until she bumped into him.

"Sorry." She whispered, moving so there was distance between them.

"Are you okay..?" He asked awkardly.

"No, I'm not." Hanna whispered, turning away from him so he didn't see the tears falling down her cheeks.

Jerrson Hastings - Fire; Hanna Parker - Water

Jerr stared after Eli, shocked. She seemed so angry all the time, and then so sad. She must have had a horrible past. Jerr decided to apologize to her, and to learn more about her. He didn't now why he cared, he never cared. About anyone. But there was just something about her..

Shaking his head, he passed the Fire girls' rooms to get to his own. The door before his had a strange sound coming from it, like someone was crying. But he decided it was Arwen, it must've been her. Eli would never show such weakness. Then again, she was in her room, away from everyone else. That settled it, he had to find out what was with her. Because I hate the sound of sobbing and I don't want to go to bed like this every night. He thought repeatedly, blocking out any other thought.

He entered his room and sat down, exhausted. He could only imagine what tomorrow had in store. Jerr changed into some pajamas and went to bed.

Aurora Clavelle - Earth

Once again David had made a good point and I smiled inside as I watched him head for his room. But on the outside my face was firmly set and I turned to the girls who were making so much trouble. Except that Elijah wasn't willing to stick around. Fine. I would talk to her later. Arwen gave me a look of fierce determination.

"Mind if I sit?" I asked her. She looked suspicious but shrugged, turning her nose up at me.

"Do what you like," Arwen said, turning back to her food. I sat down in the seat that Elijah had vacated and fixed Arwen with a firm stare. At first she ignored me. But then her eyes snapped up, full of fury.

"What's your problem?" she demanded.

"Yourself," I replied in a firm, neutral tone. "Working together is going to be very difficult if you go around upsetting everyone-"

"I didn't - it was only her! Besides, she's such a cry baby and what do you care? You're Earth, it's not like-"

"I don't want to be Earth." These stupid bloody labels! An hour ago anyone in that room could have been friends but now our groups had been decided for us? No. That was not right. "I want to be more than Earth."Arwen snorted but didn't seem to have anything to say. "When you strike Earth, it breaks. Earth is not enough, will not be enough against our enemy. But with Water I can be mud, flexible and impossible to hit. With Fire I can be clay, harder and stronger than before."

"And with Air?" There was a tone of disgust in her voice and I had to agree that my metaphor didn't extend to air. As I had said to David, Earth did not need Air. But Fire did.

"Alone you are a camp-fire. You may spit and hiss but you will always be easily contained. Water will quench you and Earth will stomp you out. But with air, you are a wild-fire and no enemy will stand in your way."

I might have said more but then an announcement came out through the speakers, instructing us to go to bed so I left Arwen with her thoughts and retreated to my room. Once there I began to study the first few pages of the book.

Antony Cove - Water

A harsh ringing pulled me out of my sleep and I sat up groggily. By my bedside was an alarm clock that I don't remember setting or even putting there. I turned it off anyway and swung my legs over the edge of my bed. My head was still swimming with dreams and they wouldn't go away until I had a nice hot shower and a glass of chocolate milk.

I got up stretched, but when I turned around to fix my bed - I always fixed my bed when I got up, it's one of the things my foster Mom drilled into me - there was a set of clothes with a note on top of them. I was a bit taken aback, but not as surprised as I usually would have been. After yesterday it would take much more than clothes popping out of nowhere to wow me. I smiled at the thought and picked up the card.

It's 9:00 A.M. You have an hour, do what you want, but do not be late. Showers are located down the hall from your room.

I put the card back down on the bed and grabbed the clothes. They were folded and I couldn't actually tell what they looked like but something about them was familiar. I unfolded them, waiting to satisfy my curiosity quickly, and saw that they were actually my clothes from home. A white long sleeve dress shirt, a blue tie, and black slacks. I nearly choked up at the sight of them.

I found the showers easily enough, they were more obvious than the cafe or the conference room. I went inside and took a quick shower, wondering if anyone else was awake. Probably, unless they just ignored the alarm. After I dressed and brushed my teeth I started off to find the cafe.

I wondered what happened to the people that didn't arrive on time. Like I told Alice, I don't think we can just go home. Maybe they killed you, but I don't think that was it. They were the "good guys" they wouldn't just kill us for no reason. Maybe we ended up working here like The Informer. Or maybe we became spies for the United States or something! That was a pleasant thought and it almost made me want to miss the meeting time just to find out.

I could smell the food from the cafeteria and was walking faster when something hard hit me from behind. I fell to the ground but quickly got up. Someone from behind was approaching me slowly. I tell who they were because they were wearing a full body suit and a mask that covered nothing but their eyes. In their hands was a long staff.

"Excuse me," I said uncertainly. They just made another swing at me with the staff but I dodged it by falling to the ground and rolling into standing again. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I don't want to fi-" They made another swing and this time I deflected it with the palm of my hands, pushing the staff away. Their eyes narrowed and they brought the staff up and quickly down again to try and hit my head. I side stepped the blow and, just like that, we were fighting.

I was more on the offensive, blocking their shot and trying not to get hurt, but when their foot found my gut when I caught the staff between both my hands I knew I couldn't let this go on much longer. My eyes darkened and a low growl tore through my throat.

"I don't know who you are, but that hurt like hell." Suddenly I remembered something from the book I merely skimmed before falling asleep. Quickly, I used my control over water to remove the excess water from my hair and skin, the water formed around my finger tips, waiting for an order. I willed them to freeze, and they did, turning into daggers with lethal tips. The person stopped in mid swing and watched me with intrest. I smirked and flung the ice daggers off of my fingers tips. They flew towards the person with impossible speed and the masked man had no time to dodge. The daggers tore through his suit and stuck inside his body. I immediately felt bad as he crumpled to the ground.

"Oh no," I moaned. "Please don't be dead." I ripped open the front of his shirt, trying to see if I actually killed him, but something strange stopped me in my tracks. There my ice daggers were, sunk in deep, but there was no blood at all even though one definitely pierced his heart. The person started to move and I jumped back in surprise. He got up and dusted himself off. I stared at him.

"Whaa... What the- What the hell?" The man just grabbed the edge of the mask and pulled it up and off. I literally dropped to my knees at the sight. He only had eyes, no nose, no mouth, no ears, no hair, no anything! He bowed towards me and took off down the hall, the opposite way I was going. My heart was beating in my ears and I got up. It was then I noticed a white piece of paper on the floor where the masked man was standing.

We only have what we need to have. You passed the test. Congratulations and good luck, Antony. I pocket the note and started towards the cafeteria at a steady jog. I need a glass of chocolate milk now more than ever.

Arwen ¬

An alarm blasted a whole in my sleep, my dream escaping me like scattered autumn leaves. I sighed and hit the alarm, rubbing the sleep form my eyes. I noticed a note next to my alarm, on top of some clothes.

I got out of bed and un folded my clothes. My throat constricted as I noticed they were my favourite clothes from home. I pulled on my black skinny jeans, and tank top, with red and orange flames. I pulled the comb through my hair.

I stopped when someone knocked on my door. I sighed irratibly, my fists clenched, expecting it to be that stupid girl from yesterday but ... no.

The staff landed, hard, on my side. I gasped and reeled back. The masked figure came at me again. I dodged, but the staff caught my arm.

"You bastard!" I screamed, and hurled the flames at it. It caught the stick, and tongues of flame ran up its side. I grinned, and kicked the stick. It flew out of the figures grip and shattered. I kicked at the man. He flew backwards out of door and hit the wall outside. Breathing hard, and bent down next to him. I set my fist on fire and grabbed his neck. I smashed his head against the wall. "That's for hitting me, you bitch," I spat. I let go and stepped back. The figure took of the mask. He had no mouth. Or ears, or eyes. I gasped.
"For someone without eyes, you fight well." I smirked.

You have passed. Well done Arwen.

The figure left.

Frowning, I went back into my room and collapsed on my bed.

I wasn't tired, or confused.

I was lonely.

Jerrson Hastings - Fire; Hanna Parker - Water.

Jerr groaned and slammed his fist on the alarm, silencing it. He stood up and grabbed a pair of clothes, strolling down the hall and into the showers. After his shower, he dressed and brushed his teeth, feeling refreshed. He strolled down to the cafe and spotted Anthony. He started to call a greeting when a staff flew towards his face. He dodged the blow and rolled away.

"What the hell?!" He hissed. The masked figure said nothing, only charged towards Jerr. Jerr snaed and dodged it again."

Stop and wlk away now, or you will regret it." He snapped. The masked figure swung the staff and hit Jerr in the gut. Jerr snarled and his fist erupted in fire. He flung a massive fireball at the firgures stomach, burning a hold clean through it.

Jerr ripped the mask off the figure and stared, disgusted, at the blank face. "Fucking tricks." He hissed.

Well done, Jerr.

Jerr scowled and sat besides Anthony. "The hell was that out?!"