Breella

Gwen could see that Brian was having terrible trouble writing things down. She made note of his slow careful writing and then she noticed it. Small problems with his letter use and position. She made a mental note of it and looked at his file. There was no mention of it, maybe it was just stress. Either way she noted it and looked up at the frustrated teen. Sure, lets go get a drink. Gwen replied, grabbing her tablet and putting it into her bag. Not because she was worried about thief, Summers had assured all her property would be safe here, but because it was habit. Gwen stood up and pushed some braids over her shoulder so she could write a note. The motion made the edge of the base flower of the vines visible at her neck. Today it was a wonderful golden yellow with small purple spots on it. Gwen moved towards the door and held it open, taping the note to the door.

Gwen's shoulders fell as she watched Jeena sit at another table and realized what had happened. Gwen seemed to could over as Zach explained and the vines reflected the girls mood as they blossomed storm grey and ivory white flowers against her tanned skin. "I'm sorry, I..." She trailed off knowing that she was better than what had just happened. "I have been disconnected from people for far too long. I need to remember how to conduct myself in front of others." Gwen stared down at her plate. She wasn't hungry anymore. The large base flower on her shoulder sent out a tendril and rubbed her ear gently. Jeena angry, you sad. Sad Jeena is angry? they asked. Yes, very sad. Gwen replied.

Gwen snorted, laughed, then choked on a piece of chicken. Her eyes watered and she cleared it, continuing to laugh. When the fit passed she smiled at Jeena. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be overcome with laughter like that. She picked up a napkin and dabbed at her eyes. "A windmill is a building used to harvest wind energy to power various farm equipment. Tilting is a fencing reference. It's an Old English phrase meaning to fight things that are not actually there, or can not be visually perceived, such as wind." Gwen looked at Morgan. "I believe he was getting at the habit many people have of making something out of nothing."

Gwen blinked at Morgan. The last person she'd heard say that was a wildlife protection enforcer who had used it in reference to fighting the poachers in a small countries in the middle of Africa. Gwen smiled at him, she had the enforcer explain the remark to her and she had always liked the imagery that had gone with it. Windmill? the question lingered in her head. It was before you came here. I will explain later. she told the vines. She turned to Zach. "I'm not saying that there aren't bad, selfish people in the world. I've met a few in my travels. What I am saying is that it is what I do, and how I think everyone should conduct themselves." Gwen looked down at her plate again.

Gwen frowned at Brian. "Look over those notes again." Gwen brought up a page on her tablet for Brian to look over and set the tablet up on a stand she pulled from her bag also. She settled in her seat across from Brian and grabbed his textbook from the pile. Flipping through it Gwen began to take small post-it tabs and began marking pages. She rummaged through her bag again, pulled out a yellow highlighter and began to mark important passages on the pages. She looked up and over at Brian's notes, Gwen balked. Whoa! she thought, noticing how scarce and sparse the notes were. We're going to have to start with proper note taking also. Have you thought about audio-recording your classes?" Get comfy, this is going to take a while. she told the vines.

Gwen smoothed her skirts around her legs and shook her head as if to settle her hair. She looked at Zach "I don't tolerate bullying, at all. Gwen took her seat again and started eating in silence. No fight? the vines asked her. No fight. Gwen replied. She was glad that there wouldn't be a fight. She had not gotten into many fights, but she had been the target of bullying before traveling the world. Kids in school didn't much like the girl who not only talked to her lima bean project, but also had the fastest growing, best graded sprout in the class. In an afterthought Gwen added "Doing the right thing should never be a matter of 'owing' people anything. It should always be simply because its right.

Gwen caught herself "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to move." she mumbled, still lost in the conversations between the vines and the plants around her. Gwen was so enthralled by them, the differences. The vines were trying to explain the hard clay deserts of Australia to a plant that had lived in a deciduous forest its whole life. It was like describing art to the blind. Art-- the thought brought her back and while the word 'capture' was herd by Gwen she didn't think much of it. "I do not know what you mean." She looked up at Renee who was deep in thought with his work. She thought about it for a moment. "Yes, we are 'together' in a sense. I do not think they could exist outside of me, not right now." and I don't think I could live again without them. Gwen thought to herself.

At first Gwen smiled, Brian seemed to be stumbling on his words. However when he got to her heart sank. He really did live up to the jock reputation that. She was hoping that it wasn't as bad as the lady in the tutoring office had made it out to be. We know Bacteria, We know Virus! the vines chirped in Gwen's head. You also have spent a year studying these things with me. Gwen reminded them. They started going through things they had learned from Gwen and she put their voices to the side. "A baseball and a tennis ball are also small things, but they're different aren't they?" Gwen opened up her messenger bag and took out her tablet computer opening it up fully and tapping away at the screen.

Listening to Morgan's words Gwen took a step back but did not take her eyes from the brute. She kept herself still firmly placed between Zach and the larger of the boys. She relaxed her fists and opened her fingers, letting the blood flow freely. She sighed but kept her eyes on the teen still, she was scared of what he would do if she looked away before he did. Gwen felt like a giant cat locked into a stare down with a rival. She knew in that case whomever looked away first was the clear loser and Gwen disliked being the loser, she disliked it very much. No fight! the vines chorused. He scared! and More water now? followed it up. Gwen knew she'd have to appease them sooner or later.

Gwen had finally settled in and had everything unpacked. She had gone to see the student resource office about possible jobs around town that would match her skill set. After some exploration into Gwen's background it was finally decided that she could be a tutor right here at the school. It worked out well for Gwen who was without a transportation power, which she had been learning many many other students here possessed some form of self transport or another. Gwen also doesn't drive. Gwen had been assigned her first case today, Brian Harris and biology was not his strong point. Gwen had dressed moderately, her favorite red t-shirt, blue shorts, and her favorite green sandals. She had decided to partially braid her brown-red hair. She walked into the building and gawked at the sheer volume of it. Gwen was always well read, her parents made sure she always had books on the road but she had not been in a proper library since she was small. She had grown custom to the small airport bookstores and didn't realize how much she loved the smell of old books. "Excuse me, I'm Gwen. I have a tutoring session today with a..." Gwen checked the paper again but before she could find the name the librarian pointed her to the closest soundproof room. "Uh, Thanks." Gwen smiled at the librarian and hurried off towards the room. She opened the door, all 5 feet of her barely came half way up the large glass windows. Hi, I'm Gwen. You must be Brian?"

Gwen looked up into the eyes of the bully. He may have been taller than her diminutive 5ft nothing, but everyone who was over the age of 10 was taller than her. Gwen was very used to that fact already and it had no effect on her. She felt the vines inch around her wrists and they were excited. now? they begged her. No, not yet. Not unless he moves first. Gwen clenched her fist and changed her stance. "Whats it going to be big boy?" she asked the large teen.

Gwen thought about what Renee had said, "The Fates" he had called them. She pondered this idea for a moment. Fate. Maybe it was fate that had brought her here, away from home. Home, she felt a pang of guilt about that. Home was never a place but rather where her parents had been and they weren't here now. She was so far from home. Why sad? You not alone! Have us! Yeah! Have us! they chimed in Gwens' head. "Fate..." Gwen muttered out loud and her hand fell slightly from its position.

Man ask many questions. The vines were starting to feel unsettled and it showed in their flowers. The star shaped blossoms changed from purple on white to black spots on red backing, the shift was like a shimmer of water across their surface. Easy, please don't scare him. Gwen asked them. But he ask many questions! Gwen smiled at Renee. "I would like to see more of Amsterdam's plants. Maybe make a stop in Iceland. She got a little unsettled about lying but she didn't want to give too much away. As nice as Renee seems she still didn't know who he really was. "What about you? What brings you to America?

Gwen posed and moved as Renee asked, she could feel the vines basking in the glow, and they had even struck up a conversation of sorts with the local trees explaining the wondrous things they had seen while traveling the world with Gwen. "Anyway, could you tell me a little about yourself?" she could hear Renee ask it, but she was admiring the vines extensive vocabulary compared to those of the other young plants in the field. While young plants are often most eager to talk they lack both the large vocabulary and self awareness that older more mature plants had. "Oh?" Gwen looked as if she was coming out of a daze. "Sorry, there are so many conversations going on around us, I got a little lost." The vines stopped their conversation. Careful!, Danger, Shhhh. They told her in their voice. I'll be careful. "I was born in a jungle, next to a waterfall... Gwen went on, omitting specifics like names, dates, or other minutia that could possibly give her away. "I'm just passing through, checking on the forests and local plants."

Gwen saw the commotion out of the corner of her eye while she was mid motion with another spoonful of lentils. She sighed, put down her spoon and slid her chair back. Be ready. she told the vines and felt them retract from the cup they were basking in. Gwen saw Zach struggle both for the words and for an explanation. She gathered her skirts and approached the squabble. "He said put the kid down and you won't be seeing the nurse." Gwen's tattoo began to shift their positions, weaving down her arms until she had thorn covered vines draping down to her wrists. If he moves, grab him. she told the vines, their childlike voice echoed in her head o0! Starting trouble! they giggled. No, Finishing trouble. she corrected them.

Gwen smiled around at everyone, "Hello, I'm Gwen. Now if you'll either follow me or excuse me, I don't mind either but pick one!" she hiked up her skirt in her hands so not to trip on it and made a bee-line for the layout of food. She in not time at all she had piled a plate full of food, plenty of greens, beans, fruits and an almost perfectly sized portion of chicken. Gwen also took a giant cup of water and a spare cup. "Please excuse my appetite, I have been living on jerky, protein bars and whatever the aboriginal people were cooking for the last four months, which while it tasted good it was hard to stomach the sight of." Gwen set some of the water aside in a cup just to the side of the table and onto the floor, hoping that no one noticed her. She picked up her knife and fork and went to town on her plate. Thank you! sung out in her head and she could feel the vine trailing down her leg and off to play in the cup.

Gwen had half been expecting Vicky to grab her up and teleport them to the cafeteria. Thankfully it did not happen that way. The girls enjoyed a nice walk across the quad. Gwen's hair flowed behind her freely, she thanked all goodness that she had a hair straighter again. As much as she loved being down and dirty in a field or greenhouse it felt amazing to be just a girl again. Gwen quickly realized that she and Vicky were the last to the Cafe. "Better late than never." she shrugged and noticed another teen among the three. She curtsied to the new boy among them. "You must be Jeena's brother. Pleasure to meet you."

Gwen looked around to be sure she wouldn't be disturbing any higher plants. She found a spot and directed the vines towards it, they crept down her arm and spread out in the grass. Another vine drifted down her leg and split off around the knee. Both drifted across the grass and flowered giant purple and white star shaped flowers. Several more vines joined the first two, they weaved around each other until Gwen appeared almost rooted to the spot. She smiled at Renee. "Again, I would be honored to be painted by you.

Flora is down for anything that is less likely to kill her.

"Oh!" Gwen squeaked out. "It has been such a long time, and it was in a very small village." A vine peeked out from around Gwen's shoulder. Speak bad! they said in her head. No telling! another chided her. Gwen shook her head slightly. He's just so easy to talk to. she replied to the vines. Hurry! Want more pizza! Gwen smiled at Renee. "We should get started, I may have other events to tend to." She reached up a hand and petted the peeking vine. "My friends will need to root soon for their nourishment, and I promised a small collective of berry bushes I'd come tend them today."

That must be pretty handy, coming and going as you please Gwen was talking to the vines when her thought was cut off by a puff of violet smoke APPEAR! The vines cheered in her head as Gwen jumped again and there was a chorus of APPEAR! AGAIN! AGAIN! like the cries of an amused child. "At least one of us finds it amusing, The vines seem to think you doing that is hysterical." Gwen brushed her hair from her face and pushed it behind her un-pierced ears. "Jeena has already left for the cafe, we should probably head over there now." Gwen looked at Vicky and had this sinking feeling in her stomach. "You're not going to--

Gwen thought about that. Scenery, She'd seen some of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth. She gazed off thoughtfully before turning back to the man."I have always believed that art should be the artists choice. I am not particular about anything." Gwen looked around clearing then back to the man again. "Where would you like me to sit? Or pose? or..." she stopped herself when she realize her nerves had her babbling. "Sorry, I have not been painted in a long while."

Gwen blushed, the color rose to her eyes. "Madame is so formal, please call me--" Gwen thought for a moment, what should he call her? She hadn't thought this through, he surely couldn't call her Gwen. Flora! The vines chorused in her head and chanted it over and over. Flora, Flora, Flora! It beautiful, you beautiful, you be Flora! Gwen smiled. "Sorry, they--" she pointed to the vines who were now vibrating their excitement and peaking through her skin. "--They got excited at the thought of being painted." She peeked at the easel. "Wonderful work! You can call me Flora and I would be delighted to be your subject." Gwen liked this guy, he reminded her of Bo'koomakoome, an artist from her birth village in Venezuela who had painted her several times over the years. She smiled again when she realized that.

The room may have looked good, Gwen noted that she could always suspend a hammock if she didn't like the spring mattress. Better than that however was that the shower had felt amazing, Gwen had been using rain water for far too long. How long were we in Australia for? Four months! The voice piped up. Very good! Gwen swelled with pride at the things the vines were learning. She had chosen a pale green tank top with a darker green floor length skirt. Gwen laced the gladiator sandals up her thigh. She despised shoes and could remove these to run in the grass. Her pin straight brown-red hair now fanned out around her like a curtain. Stay somewhere pretty, where you can see and be in the sun but don't move too much ok? Gwen pointed to a spot on her wrist and the vines trailed down her shoulder, where the base flower blossomed a beautiful crimson and the vines trailed down her arm ending in a bracelet at her wrist. She knocked on the bathroom door for Jeena. "I'm finished, I'll check on Vicky while you dress."

Gwen blushed. "I travel the world, I do not have a place of my own. The vines however, they are not part of me no. Gwen thought about that for a moment. "They have their own life, it is more of a symbiotic relationship. They live in me." she handed the man his brushes. "What brings you out to the forest today?"