Element Academy

Testing Day...Crystal

The moment Sonya calls Crystal's name, her heart beats like a humming bird's wings. Due to fear that she might throw up she walks as fast as she can into the room. She is happy that Page is now an official "camper", but she has her doubts on if she will have the same results.

When the wooden door closes behind her. Candles lining the room ignite; only they are in a pattern of light blue, dark blue, green, and red. Crystal assumes they are symbolic for the four elements taught at camp. She is captivated by the inscriptions on the floor and the carvings on the walls. She doesn't understand the pattern or inscriptions on the floor, but they give her the impression of being very ancient.

Crystal gulps as one of the women sitting at a stone table in the shadows motions for her to stand in the center of the floor design. As she is instructed, she pours her water into the bowl in front of her. With ease she repeats the technique that Sonya taught the group. To her dismay she is only able to raise a small amount of water. It is maybe half the size of a tennis ball and Crystal fears they can't even see it. She completes the move to at least show them she can.

"I am so sorry for wasting your time." Crystal bows and turns to walk away. "You can keep the water I don't deserve to keep it."

She waves her arm behind her with sorrow, fighting back tears. When she does all of the water flies out of the bowl and into the depressions in the floor. The water begins to glow and quickly fills the pattern on the floor. The flames flicker wildly and before Crystal can register what is taking place the woman at the far end of the table lifts the water off of the floor and back into the canister around Crystal's waist. Crystal's confusion is reflected in the faces of the women at the table. The water bender standing up clears her throat.

"Thank you." She says with what seems like forced calmness, "...We look forward to seeing you grow as a water bender here at the Academy."

Crystal, too in shock to know what to do nodded and walked out of the room. The candles all extinguish when she opens the door, but maybe it is because the door is opening. With the weirdness of this place, it could be anything.

Page greets her as she exits. She is still so in shock that she surprises herself that she is able to say that she made it. Crystal notices Talula scoff at the notion of her passing and she can't blame her, even she is surprised. Did they pass her because she moved the water out of the bowl or that the floor glowed? Did it do that every time the water from the coy pond made contact with it? So many questions are swirling around in her head that she feels like she is going to vomit.

"Um Sonya, may I go to the room and lay down, I think my nerves have gotten to me. I'm not feeling too well." Crystal says.

"I would say yes, but once we are done here we are going to gather up those who do not make it from our group and give them a little farewell ceremony before sending them off to Camp." Crystal nods in understanding, not wanting to risk vomiting. "But you are welcome to go sit by the coy pond. They say just by meditating or sitting near it it can heal even the worse of inner battles."

"Inner battles?" Page asks before Crystal can, but Sonya only smiles. "Come on Crystal, let's heal those inner battles of yours."

With that Page drags Crystal down the hallway and out to the square. The hallways lining the square are buzzing with activity, but the square is deserted. The sound of the coy fish swimming around already begins to put Crystal's mind at ease. She leans against the pond's wall as Page goes on about how awesome the summer is going to be now that they are both going to learn how to be benders. Crystal nods and tries her best to listen, but she keeps getting lost within the sound of the coy fish and the bubbling of the pond.