A blizzard of hope

Noelle decided that it was time to go out into the city. She wanted to buy some new clothes anyway, and she felt like getting out of the academy for a time. She had walked, and was a in a more secluded path, sort of a back-road. She played with her snow, hovering an unusually large snowflake above her hand. She sighed. She hadn't met anyway very cool here yet, as a matter of fact, she hadn't really met anyone at all. There was her secret giftie, and she was cool, but they hadn't hung out since the event was over. 'To bad I haven't met any cute available guys, I could use some male companionship.' Noelle had never been in a relationship before, mostly because for the longest time, she treated every guy as if they were all like her brother. Ah, her wretched brother. Her family still hadn't heard from him. She wasn't even sure if he was still alive. 'Scumbag probably is, burning down more houses and making people miserable. I hope he's happy for bringing "this".' "This" was what she called her attitude. She was once the sweetest little girl, playing with her snow, her blue hair bouncing up and down, but then, he just turned on them. She changed, becoming quieter and more secluded, what her parents called "icy". 'Meh, it doesn't matter, he was never a very good big brother anyway.' Why should expect him to have changed now? 'Actually, I don't. His fire has probably been fed, and he's more of a jerk than when he first left.'

She stopped. When she was little, she never thought she would think of her brother that way. In anger, and resentment. As a matter of fact, she never thought of anything important when she was little. Well, except growing in her powers. She was a pretty busy child, with school and power training, but her parents always left her enough time to play. It was then that she experienced things on her own, and learned to stand on her own two feet. Her parents wanted her and Sam to be independent in their powers, to control them and have much knowledge about them. 'I suppose that's the difference between child-hood and teenage years. Not caring about a thing, and then learning in a span of few years, the facts of life.' Everyone would agree that Noelle was more mature than most people her age. She was kinda forced to grow up fast, due to Sam's choices, and she had to help around the house, and school. Before she had left for Starlight Academy, she had been a a tutor and teacher. Even students older than Noelle couldn't control their elements as well as she could. her parents really had given her the best of training.

Noelle snapped back to the present. For a second, she thought she was back at home, walking to the school for a tutoring session. She threw the snow in the air, causing it to explode, and slowly drift down towards her. They snowflakes landed on her eyelashes, and wavy blue hair. She smiled. This was what she loved best. The cold, the snow, and being able to use her powers without any limits. If only she could find some one her shared her love for snow and ice. Surely some one else was able to control such amazing elements. She was sure there was, and she was determined to meet them. Almost as determined as she was to meet a cute boy. She giggled quietly, something she rarely did, at the thought of finding her significant other, here on the island. The path led to the right more, and as she reached the end of it she smiled. There she was, the city. Ahh, she couldn't wait to start shopping! She was only sure on one thing she wanted to buy so far, a dress. A very elegant and beautiful dress. She never had need to wear dresses back at home, and the thought of being able to buy one here was exciting. Her Aunt Nancy and Uncle Greg had sent her sixty dollars as a going away gift, and with the thirty she had to spend, and the forty her parents gave her, she was sure she would have enough to at least buy a nice dress. She didn't really care where it came from. 'As long as it's nice, it come from a second-and store for all I care,' she thought excitedly. She wished she had some one to advise her and what to get though. Sometimes it was nice to have a second opinion.

Still slightly out of the way, Noelle brought more snowflakes up in the air, making it snow on her. She blew around some cold air, and put some ice on the ground. 'There, now I have nice little storm.' She felt a strange feeling. Something she hadn't felt in a long time. A sorta happy thought, that things were going to get better. 'No, is not a storm it's a blizzard.' She walked forward throwing her hands in the air and walking confidently. She talked aloud, not caring if anyone heard. "A blizzard of hope!"

Noelle frowned when the voice of a man interrupted her. She jumped a little, startled, not aware of anyone around her. Why was a random stranger bothering to talk to her?

"Is that a new show or something?"

Noelle wanted to burst out laughing, but it would probably seem rude. Wait, when did she ever care if she said sounded rude? She let out a few chuckles, and turned to the man, keeping her cool- literally and figuratively. "No, I just said it because I made a little blizzard here, and it kinda represents hope to me. You wouldn't understand. Who are you anyway? Do you regularly talk to strangers on the street?" She felt a little fire in her, and it felt good. But she wasn't going to go insulting the man. Just the basic questions, that was all. She looked at the ice she'd made around her. Slip on it? Her? Never!

"I'm about as sure-footed as they come, and I never slip on my own creations. But, if you're worried about slipping on it, I may go through the trouble to retract it." She swirled her hands around, pulling the ice above her head, and threw her arms wide. The ice poofed in the air and vanished and Noelle nodding in satisfaction. She hovered a small amount above her hands, as it was hard for her to go a long tine without producing some kind of ice. She listened as the man talked, but kept her eyes fixed on the small ice form.

Noelle wasn't sure whether this man was part of the school staff, or maybe just a citizen, but she was sure she'd find out sometime. The man seemed friendly enough, not to much of a creep either. But, if he was, she'd always have her powers to help her.

"I'm Jacob and yes, I do sometimes like talking to random people! Especially when they're a pretty girl with ice powers."

Noelle nodded. So, it was normal for him to talk to strangers. She was a little thrown back about his comment on her looks, but she decided to respond the most innocent way she could.

"You know, most people in my situation would take that in a wrong way. But, since I feel convinced that you are not a creepy stalker, I will agree, and say thank you." 'Besides, I can do a whole lot of damage if anything should happen,' she added in her mind. Of course, Noelle knew her powers were awesome, but she never though anyone thought she was awesome. Except her students, of course. Ah, he was a teacher at the Academy. Noelle felt a little better, but a little worse at the same time. She wanted to show the man that had had power, and she wasn't afraid to use it against anyone. "Yes, i am a student. Maybe I can show you strong my powers really are sometime." She kept her voice tone pretty normal, with a hint of strength, just enough to get her message across. Her parents always told her to be careful, and she refused to let anything happen to herself, if she could help it.

"Well, that's a relief to hear," she said with a slight roll of her eyes. But on the inside, she was smiling. She felt pretty safe around this guy, because he seemed to have a parental sort of air to him. She wondered what kind of a teacher he was. By the way he was acting, she doubted he would drone on and on, although there really hadn't been any teachers like that at the Academy. Nonetheless, they still had to learn the same old stuff, and Noelle didn't enjoy to much of it. Except history. She did enjoy history, although sometimes she made it seem like she didn't.

"Sounds like we got a bit of a braggart here! What if I asked for a bit of proof of your abilities, Miss...?"

"Noelle, although I consider myself an ice master and or queen. What kind of demonstration would you like? I could freeze your feet to the ground, or dump lots of snow on you head, or make icicles dangle from you hair... or maybe you'd just like to get blasted?" Stuff in action he said. Well, he'd probably never seen anyone with her power and talent before, if she did say so herself, and, of course, she did. She had no problem admitting that she was talented in her powers, and certainly had no trouble showing them off. Of course, she'd have to be careful, she didn't want to hurt the poor man. She didn't usually hurt people though, but then again, there was rarely anyone around when she used her powers. Except for her students, which had seen her in epic ice battles, sneak attacks, and using it to create art.

Noelle looked around as she crossed the street. There were some people milling around, running errands and doing some afternoon shopping. As she stepped onto the park sidewalk, some pigeons lazily flapped away from their warm resting spots. Noelle loved birds, someday she wanted to get a canary for a little companion, a pet. She was by far able to control her powers, and her hands weren't always cold. Only when she made them. "No, I suppose I could do a demonstration on something else," she said with a little laugh. Being a work day, and having work get off, most people the place were in stores shopping and working, or in cars driving. It was February, so it wouldn't shock anyone as much to see sudden snow and ice caused by a teenager.

"Now then, please stand back, as I shall need all the room I can get. I've decided to make a mini ice castle. After I freeze the trunk of that tree", she said pointing to it, " and then take the ice away." She pushed her hands in the tree's direction. Shoom! It was covered in ice. She pulled her hands back, and it was gone. Next, she needed steady concentration to make something beautiful. She started layering ice onto the ground. Thick and strong, in a boxish shape, but, it was hollow. Next, she added some stairs to the inside of the little castle, which was about seven feet high. She added a floor the meet where the stairs climbed up too, and added a railing, and an ice bench for the second level. She created a table on the first floor, shaped an ice bowl, and filled it with snow-not ice- snow. Then, she took away some of the snow on the wall facing her, creating a finely shaped window. "Now the finishing touches" she said,happily. A ring of snow around the castle to represent a moat, and a drawbridge laying flat down. She walked across it, and ducked into the door. She added a pointed roof, a tower for just decor, not to go into, and even a little flag. She walked up the mini staris, and sat on the bench. She added a window next to the bench, an open one, and packed out at the Mr. Jacob. "You like?" she asked hopefully.