Countervail

Chapter 2

Another thing that bothered her about living with so many people was that the family's head was rarely around, leaving Dakedei, the Motion Elemental, as the primary leader that Meo became familiar with. Although she had overheard a few members comment that Drag had been around more than usual, it was still abnormal to her, considering he had only been around the house perhaps four times in the past six months. She had heard it was rare for him to come around more than seven times a year. If he was the most powerful Elemental, why wasn't he ever around? Most of his visits had been centered around her, making sure she was practicing and getting used to her Element as well as her seventeen house-mates. That alone had made her nervous and embarrassed at being the center of attention, but things had finally calmed down with the excitement about her arrival. She didn't like being thought of as "the replacement", and she still felt like she was intruding. That was why she still had a hard time including herself in the daily activities everyone seemed to participate in and why she mainly stayed alone somewhere in the house, occupying her time with menial hobbies or small practices of creating small spheres of Ice.

She heard a door behind her open but didn't bother to turn and see who it was. She was terribly shy, even though she had known these people for six months and shared the hallway with six other people. Frantic footsteps and giggling chased each other on the floor below her and it only reminded her that these Elementals had all known each other for years. Humming met her ears, and she instantly recognized it to be the voice of the youngest member, Emilia.

"Hello, Meo!" the girl kindly greeted, coming to stand right next to her and prune her violets.

Meo smiled in return, admiring the thick, wavy, strawberry blonde hair the girl had. Her mane of hair seemed so puffy and thick that surely it was constantly tangled, yet somehow Emilia managed to tame it without deflating its body. Meo turned to watch the plants react to the little girl's presence. She had the Element of Earth, and so she had the natural ability to grow plants fruitfully with hardly any effort, no matter the season or temperature. The leaves and stems seemed to bend towards her fingers, aching for her attention and affection.

Emilia was one of the gentler, kinder family members, with numerous plants, pets and adorations that seemed to just swarm around her. She had a knack for stopping arguments started by other members and for keeping calm in any situation despite her young age. Meo had only seen a small extent of her power, but she knew it could be treacherous—especially when combined with certain other Elements. Plants weren't the only thing the brown-eyed wonder could handle and manage; she could intensify Leiko's Element, Metal, she could diffuse Simple's Health and she could snuff Nitrous's Fire. She had many talents and she knew how to use them.

She and Simple were like sisters, just like how Ryu and Kiriaki were, just without the romance part. Simple was another peculiar oddity, with a single black eye that had no iris, pupil or white, just a pure black orb of an eye. However, her other eye was as normal as normal got, with a bright blue iris. The girl was known to always dress in the fashion known as gothic Lolita, and was nowhere as kind as Emilia, a bit more frantic, worrisome and sharp with her tongue. The graceful blonde kept careful consideration for all things around her, from how she walked about to the things she said to others. She didn't get along with most people, but that didn't stop her from taking up her role as "doctor".

"Why aren't you outside?" Emilia asked, returning Meo's smile. "It's such a nice day. And it looks like those leaves are getting a beating." She giggled, glancing at where Mitchell and Judas were now trampling through the thick layers of crimson, vermillion and brown leaves that had fallen from the trees and settled like russet seas upon the ground.

"You know how I am." Meo responded, knowing she could confine in the girl. She'd keep her lips sealed if anyone asked, and never broke promises or told of anyone's confessions. She and Simple were both like that. "Besides, I don't much want to get in Mihael's line of sight." Mihael seemed to be the only member having trouble adjusting to her presence, even though Dakedei had assured her he was just still upset. If it wasn't a death glare, it was just the way he stiffened around her, naturally making her want to avoid him. She didn't know the full story about this Gallissy everyone had mentioned at some point, but she knew it had to do with Mihael in specific.