Harbinger

Acai had been hunting for branches and twigs and other such things that were potentially usable for her crafts. She had already found a couple of limp flowers, crushed and dead from the heavy snow that had been piled on them for months. However, they were still decently recognisable and she bundled them in her basket anyway. Her basket was half-way full of ferns, twigs, small branches, dead and dying flowers, and a few pretty pebbles she had collected along her way.

Spending hours outside in the chilled forest made bumps on her arms prickle up, making her look a bit like a startled animal. She didn't mind the cold, though, and her fingers reached out to brush against the low-hanging branches that dripped with the melting snow.

She heard something rustling up ahead, and thought nothing of it. Most noises and shuffles came from the local animal population. Generally, she left them alone and they returned the favour. However, this time the animal noises sounded like the creature was in distress. Cautiously approaching the noises, Acai made sure to stay downwind of the thing, to avoid startling it. The last thing she needed was to get injured in the middle of a strange forest. Stopping a short distance away from the animal, Acai crept slowly, pulling branches away from her line of sight. What she saw startled her. It was seemingly a man, an octopus ...man? He had black worms bursting from his body, and they writhed with an unnatural energy.

A clean forest spirit, her nature told her that this thing was wrought from other spirits of an evil intent. Ignoring her instincts, Acai listened to her more human nature, and timidly emerged from her spot. Quietly hyperventilating, she watched this thing silently. Was she supposed to speak to it? It looked human, but did it even understand the language she had learned? Would it understand her native language if she tried? The potential outcomes of each question fought for her attention, and she decided to try a simple greeting. "H-hello...?"

Nikki had been dying to stretch her legs after class was over. Sitting still all day was not good for this girl. It was what her mother called one of her "weaknesses" Most of the other ones, she knew pretty clearly. As soon as she pushed the door open, and the brisk cold air hit her, she was gone. Clocking it at 45 mph she zoomed off the school grounds and into the woods. Or maybe the woods were still considered school grounds, she didn't know, but she didn't really care either. She wanted to practice her speed zig-zag running, and the trees were the perfect things. She went left and right around them, nicking some, but it didn't bother her. When she was pretty deep into the woods, she felt as if some one else was in there, and as she ran she looked to her left, and saw a guy. Wait- with black tendril like things. She was so shocked as she whizzed by, that she smacked into a tree, and feel to the forest floor. She stood up rubbing her forehead, but her endurance made it easy for her to stand up and continue.

She raced back the the scene, not as fast, and slowed herself to halt, only after she'd passed the guy by a few feet. He seemed sick. Very hot, a little dizzy, and he had black things that looked like vines from a plant coming out his side. As she walked to him, she had to remind herself that this was not a normal school. People that were different, like her, came here to learn. Some of these people really were different. She walked up to him, but noticed a young adult woman, standing there as well. "Dude! Are you okay?" She frowned a bit. That kinda broke the quiet polite greeting the young woman used, but Nikki was just to surprised to say anything. She stood a few feet back, waiting for the person creature to say something. Or would he do something first?

Acai shuddered when another body came onto the scene. Gross, another person that she potentially had to deal with. Well, this person was in trouble, so it might be better with more people to help. The girl jumped, mildly frightened when a voice loudly demanded that they stay back. Fine with her, no issues with that command. She hadn't realised that she was in fact, backing up to the nearest tree. The energy around this person felt tainted. Diluted and it just tasted ... Dark. Wildly uncomfortable, she noticed that there weren't any animals nearby either. They could probably feel the energy, too. Acai squirmed, her heart and mind bothered by this foreign presence in her mind.

Torn, she didn't know whether she wanted to face the thing or run far away. The thick black snakes were attacking the trees now, and she felt her heart cry for her trees. She did not cry, but made a faint whimper instead. Her hand went out, almost as if to stop the things. Of course, she made no move to step closer. Slowly, her hand fell back to her side, and she watched mutely as the stranger eventually quieted, and the writhing black snakes hit the ground, stilling as if they were listening for something.

Her hand curled into a fist as she tried to infuse bravery into her mind. She had never been a brave person, but this person did appear to require assistance. Stepping closer, Acai might remind one of a timid deer, slowly inching forward with wide eyes. Her voice came out in a cautious whisper, as she stopped short in front of the curious things that sprouted from this man. "I ... Are you okay...? What are you?"

Nikki understood that when black tentacles were coming out of your body, you wouldn't want to be disturbed either. "Sorry, that was a dumb question" she said so quietly, that no one but her could hear it. She jumped a few feet back at his command, watching the things make their way around the forest. Was he some creature who got lost, and strayed of from his natural habitat in the -Forbidden Forest? Although she was new, she had heard about such a place, it seemed more like the place for this to happen. But, she supposed he had no choice. She wanted to take a close look. The tentacles seemed to wrap around some trees, pulling off the bark. 'Their killing the trees" she whispered to herself. She hated to see the state this guy was in, and the poor trees as well. She wanted to get a closer look though, see the whole picture. She breathed out, and ran from tree to tree, quickly observing each situation, but dashing before anything could happen. The tentacles could attack her, but she figured she was fast enough to escape . Once she had done a very fast full inspection of the trees, she came back to where she was.

The other person, the young woman asked if he was okay. Nikki sighed. 'I'm pretty sure we already established the fact that he isn't' she thought to herself, careful not to say the words out loud. Even though she though it, she was sure to mentally tell the girl she meant no offense, but now it was time for different questions. Well, this whole situation was rather awful. The poor trees were being killed, and this guy seemed to be in a lot of pain. She took a step closer, next the young woman. "it's okay, but is there anything we can do to help, or heal or get or something?" she felt that she need to spring into action and help, but she wasn't sure what to do quite yet. She didn't want to get in the way, or worry the guy, he didn't know her, and that she did a good job of taking care of herself.

Acai recoiled at this stranger's tone. He appeared to be highly offended at the question of 'what.' The tentacles rose back up, looking like snakes poised for an attack. Acai didn't think she believed him when he said he was a man. She had never met any kind of men with a patch of tentacles sprouting from their bodies. Still rather doubtful about the status of his species, Acai decided to save that thought for another time. In retrospect, she supposed that asking such a blunt question would probably not have been met with welcoming arms.

"Monster? Are you believing you are a monster?" He did bring up the word, and Acai couldn't help but wonder if that's what he thought he was. The area around him was destroyed, pieces of trees and grass were flung about, limp in their dying moments. Her hand reached out, a faint white glow emanating from her palm. She didn't know if he needed anything to be healed, but it was always worth it to offer. "Are you in need of heal...?" She wouldn't be able to heal anything major, but she could probably take away some of his anxiety or other mental worries. Though, she never did look forward to taking on mental issues. Those were always the worst to handle.

Nikki was new here, but she thought that all sorts of people were accepted. And by accepted she meant not shunned. Wasn't that why they were here? To educate themselves in regular school and in their powers? So this guy may need tutoring, but she didn't think he was a monster. she felt bad for the guy. did he view himself as a monster. it must be hard to think of yourself as harmful to others. Although the trees would probably protest, it was an accident, just like the time she literally knocked a seven year old girl down in the grocery store, running to fast. If the tuna in those cans weren't already dead, being rolled to death after flying the air would have done the job. But, she was getting better at stopping, it was just so much practice to do. "I don't think you're a monster. You probably just need to go to class and learn about your power, and how to control them. That way you don't assault the trees anymore." She added a smile to the end of her sentence. "Actually, I mean that in the best of way." She frowned a little. She kinda sounded like an idiot. But, then again, did she really care?

Right now, this guy had black tentacles out his side, that were bent on the destruction of trees, and the other young woman was trying to help. She highly doubted anyone cared that she sounded like an idiot. She watched the girl step closer to him her palm glowing. Nikki was amazed. was she a human flashlight or something? Wait, she asked if he need healing. Maybe, healing was her power or something like that? She wasn't sure, but it seemed like a better theory than a human flashlight.