hm weird me....hell yes (open)

Jemma:

Sara told me over and over that it wasn’t my fault, they all did. But they were just trying to make me feel better. I could have done so many things to change it… I should have been there for him, I shouldn’t have let him push me away. I shouldn’t have gone with Adam, I should have been there for Kai to protect him, then I wouldn’t have owed Adam anything. So much I had done wrong… And I had failed to fix it. For the first time, I had made things so much worse than they were without me.
Every vivid detail stuck in my mind. The image of him with all that blood... It seemed to be permanently burned into the backs of my eye lids every time I closed my eyes. I remembered screaming at Adam to do something, but there wasn’t anything that could be done at that point. The bruises from the force Adam had to use to pull me off of Michael lasted on my arms for weeks. I remembered Sara dragging me into the shower, helping me wash the blood off…
It seemed like a week before I could even get out of bed. What finally got me up was Sara coming in to tell me Demi had gone home. She said Demi had announced she was going then just shimmered away. I looked for her for a while, but had to accept that she wasn’t coming back.
Then I had the fight with Adam. It had gotten out of control. He was furious with me. And I blamed him in part for what happened to Michael. But he had my back against the wall, and I just snapped. Before I knew it, my pocket knife was four inches deep in his chest. It would have killed a normal person. But Adam healed in a matter of seconds. And he promised me I wouldn’t see him again, ever, not even if I needed help. It upset me more than it should have.
For the next month I didn’t do much of anything. It seemed like Sara was taking care of the group more than I was. Occasionally I would try to work up the energy to get something done, but it always ended in a failed attempt and spending the rest of the day in the bathtub.
I overheard Kai and Sara talking about me. Sara was worrying as usual, and Kai was telling her that I was strong, and I would be fine. After that I tried a little harder to keep it together, just to show him that he could still have faith in me.
~*~
A couple months had past since I had lost Michael. I missed him more than anything, I couldn’t go a day without thinking about him. And Demi… I still didn’t understand who she was to me, or how she could exist. But I loved her, and her absence made everything else darker. I even regretted what had happened with Adam. I couldn’t help but think that the way he turned out was my fault too. Maybe I was just bad for people. I thought I was doing something right, but thinking back on it… I had broken a family apart for my own benefit, and I had driven two people crazy. And who knew what else I had done.
I was doing better now though. I spent most of my time alone so as not to ruin anything else. Today I had found a short pier that looked out over the ocean. I had been sitting on the bench just watching for nearly two hours. I had a sun hat that covered my hair and shaded my face. I didn’t want to be noticed.

???:

I watched the girl that had been the last one to be with my brother alive. I tapped my chin thoughtfully, before shrugging absently and slipping through the shadows. My mission was to get into the group, to be a spy, to be a show of power for the school when they needed me to. This group was to be an example to those at the school. That they could find you, that your best friends that you escaped with could just be a spy for the school. It was brilliant, and I was the one chosen for it. I released the shadows, and walked towards Jemma, the hood I wore obscuring my face. I brought the shadows out to cover my face, so even if she looked into it it would be impossible to see my face. I stretched absently as I walked before clasping my hands behind me as I stood next to Jemma at the end of the pier.

"Beautiful view, but a little plain." I remarked as I stood next to her, a small smile on my face. I didn't look at her, and thankfully I had inherited my brothers ability to shrug off powers. It was more natural for me, but it was stronger for him. He could have actually repulsed and suppressed others powers. I could just make it so I wouldn't be able to be focused. Either way, I made sure that I wouldn't get attacked by her powers.

Jemma:

I glanced at the person who spoke then crossed my legs away from them and tilted my sun hat to hide my face on that side. Most people didn’t try to talk to me, occasionally there were the talkative strangers like this one, but they usually left me alone after I was cold and unresponsive.

???

I chuckled at her cold, unresponsive reaction. I leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Would Michael want you to be so cold?" I grinned to myself and started walking.

Jemma:

My lips parted in surprise. I would have punched him if I hadn’t been so shocked by what he said. I jumped up and hurried to get in front of him. “Who are you?” I demanded sharply.

???:

I tilted my head, grinning. "That question has many answers." I said my voice showing my amusement. I moved to the side and moved around her, as I said. "Come walk with me."

Jemma:

I stayed posed to fight if I needed to, also to take off. But I still followed him. “What? What are you doing here? Who are you? How did you find me? Why did you find me?” I asked keeping my distance from him even though I was walking with him.

???:

"All in due time." I said with a soft chuckle. "Do you like stories, I know I do. I grew up with them." I continued not pausing to let her speak. "Once upon a time, in a messed up kingdom. The nobility saw people with special talents as slaves, to do with as they pleased. Some rebeled and left, some rebeled and fought. Some made it out, some didn't. The kingdom it not afraid to take families and split them apart. To kill one to strengthen another. The kingdom created soldiers, it created great things, advancing all life." I took a breath. "Some times though the kingdom pushes too far and it reduces its subjects to little husks of their former self. The very powers they gave their soldiers driving them to madness and ruin." I paused and turned to face her. "I dont blame you for Michael's death Jemma. And I think from your face, you dont forgive yourself though."

Jemma:

I looked at the ground and swallowed the lump in my throat. I wouldn’t cry in front of a stranger. I barely even cried in front of my best friend. It seemed like this person was putting the blame on the school though, which was understandable, but even if it was there fault, I still could have stopped it, I could have fixed it… I crossed my arms looking away from the person next to me, my hat shading my face.

I moved on to hop off the pier into the sand, I looked back up at her. "You know, your rather pretty, but sad doesn't look good on you."

Jemma:

“Just tell me who you are and why you found me.” I said dully, looking out over the water.

I hopped easily back up to crouch at the end of the pier. "I will tell you if you play with me." I said grinning. If I had let my tail show it would be wagging. I was excited for this.

Jemma:

I sighed. I was curious, but I wasn’t sure I was that curious. Besides, I had been gone for a few hours now, it was nearing the point when Sara came looking for me. “Play what?” I asked, glancing at him doubtfully.

???:

"Well, tag sounds fun, besides I promise that Sara and the others would cheer up a bit about you if they saw you doing something active!" I said excitedly, a grin showing through.

Jemma:

“You’re from the school. Did they send you? Did they send you to check up on me?” I asked with narrowed eyes.

I chuckled softly. "Did you learn nothing from my story? Michael went down one path. I went down another, either way I dont plan on going back to the school anytime soon. Besides, I know more about Michael than you do." I taunted readily. "Play with me, and you get to know who I am, and if you want me to be, I can be your slave."

Jemma:

I thought it through for a moment. The want to no more, to find out who this person was and why they were here, was more powerful than the urge to blow him off and head home. “Fine.” I said a split second before I lunged toward him. All I really had to do was catch him and make him tell me. If he wanted to think of it as a game, well then let him.

I flipped neatly off of the peer into the sand. "I cant have it that easy. But for being that close, I will give you a hint of who I am. I was closer to Michael than you ever were."

Jemma:

I spread my wings and fluttered down to the sand. “So what. You knew him at the school.” I assumed. “So were a lot of people I’m sure. Kat being one of them.” I wasn’t near him but I took a couple slow steps to be closer.

I shrugged. "Kat had a sad existance. I hope that she has more hope with you guys." I said dashing forward to neatly jump and flip over her and to take off running.

Jemma:

I jumped up and caught myself with my wings flying after him. I landed in front of him and kept my wings out to block him. “Kat’s fine.” I said shortly. “Tell me how you found me.”

???:

"I followed you." I stopped in front of her and her wings, I tilted my head consideringly before smiling at her. "Well you played and from this point I cant strategize a way to win without giving up a power, so...time to see what happens if I do this." I stepped up to her so my face was close to hers as I pulled down my hood, a soft smile coming to my face. "My name is Alex, Michael was my brother."

Jemma:

I stared at him in disbelief. Several things shot through my mind. Lair, trap, hallucination. All of which had a high possibility of being true. I backed away slowly, my wings folding in. He looked similar to Michael, the ears for one.. My heart ached.

I dropped the guard around my mind. "Check my head if you don't believe me. Michael has a birthmark on his hip. He is prone to being quiet. He likes jerky." I said tilting my head as I let my tail flick out of hiding. "He loved you Jemma, but he was also my older brother. He protected me as he could, his shape shifting was meant for me, they meant for me to take that ability. But instead he volunteered. And you know how rare it is for people to do that at the school."

Jemma:

I couldn’t take it. I turned and took off running. I tried to fly but my wings didn’t seem to work, like they were numbed. A shell caught my bare foot, tripping me. I fell to my knees and collapsed. My hands splayed out in the sand as my eyes blurred with tears, I couldn’t help it.