Quickened footsteps pattered across marble floors which resembled a lifeless ocean. The floor was a deep somber shade of grey with cracks of dark navy blue and specks of brown and emerald. The colors had been purposefully selected so their darkened tone wouldn't conflict with the rest of the room's bright collection of colors and sights. A woman came to a stop and glanced around the large circular theater. This had been her home for the past twenty-five years. It knew secrets and it knew lies, and for that Gardenia was thankful that buildings were unable to gain sentience and talk about their inhabitants. The pink haired woman turned around in a full circle, her light colored eyes unable to locate the person she was fervently searching for. "Father?" She called out. Even though she was twenty-five and by all accounts capable of living on her own, she felt it impossible to lave the lavish place she called home.

Gardenia and her father lived on the outskirts of the large city and they lived without relying much on the technology around them. Simplicity was an art they continued to practice while the rest of the world coveted convenience. While other families clung to their devices and drones and robot servants, Gardenia and her father enjoyed cooking for themselves and cleaning up their own messes. Gardenia found it relaxing and her father claimed that doing honest hard labor enabled his own inventions to prosper. His inventions were in the opposing direction of today's society. He worked hard to bring back the magic of old, magic that gave nature life. All trees and insects were synthetic, only harnessing artificial life. It was soulless despite being considered revolutionary and splendid.

The place she called home was a rather fantastic stone castle, situated near several speedy highways. While cars now able to go and on off the ground at will, the highways by their home weren't often frequented. And even if folks did stumble upon her safe haven, they would see nothing but a collection of unimpressive piles of metal and iron. Her father, a true visionary had been able to bend both space and time to allow for those who were unable to use old world magic, to only see piles of materials. Gardenia almost pitied those blinded by science, those would count not see the magic that was really in front of them. Scientists had long ago given up interest in botany and zoology. Animals and plants were now created in a lab, able to function by wireless power and cues. And yet at home, Gardenia could freely interact with animals and tend to plants that were natural, full of actual life and potential.

The circular theater's long floor to ceiling windows were framed by bright red drapes. There were many suspended ribbons and bars all meant for people to play with and yet Gardenia had been left to entertain herself many nights while her father toiled away in his laboratory beneath the castle's ground level. Gardenia had been waiting for friends, those who could relate to her desire to see old magic make a true comeback. Her father had gone out to retrieve those three souls she longed to meet. As a teenager she would go down to her father's lab and beg him to let her look at their files. Her father had selected kids after his own test on Gardenia had gone well without any hiccups. Gardenia fawned over the files and fantasized about her future friends and what sort of dazzling spectacles they could create to win the world over.

But now she had to wait for her father to arrive. The Visionary had kidnapped three children when he had been able to spot them out and about without supervision. He had been able to detect and disable the nearby cameras so he could get the child alone and insert a colored shared into their forehead. The shard would act as a rod to absorb all of the child's magical power and channel it into an element that had become lost in time. The children were only gone for under twenty minutes and for the most part barely remembered it had even happened. If parents did take their magically stunted child into a doctor, the shard would be undetectable and go unnoticed by current medical sciences. Gardenia's own two shards were now active and a light black glint, as well as brown one, could be seen in her own forehead as she dashed back between the rows of plush red velvet seats and went back into the rest of the house.

Back in the sprawling bustling city, Hale Westlake had just exited a woman's penthouse, having just finished a consultation on a new headpiece. He had talked her into some pastel colors which were different from the muted whites, greys, blacks and browns that most people wore. To people fashion was superfluous and lacked any sort of personal taste. Hale loved looking at old books and videos that showcased how people once dressed, how clothes were one a personal statement as opposed to a means of dull conformity. Hale rounded a corner and felt an arm grab around from behind. Another arm came around and injected him with a needle filled with a murky substance. Before he could recognize the danger he was in, the blond twenty-two year old went limp and was soon carried off to a large white van where four other unconscious bodies were stashed.

The Visionary, a man in a black tuxedo sporting a white lab coat and tall top hat, got into the driver's side of the van and hurried back down to his humble abode. Gardenia stood in front of the stone castle as an unmarked white van began to appear in the distance, rumbling closer to the mythical structure. She greeted her father with a customary curtsy and helped carry the people inside. The three people were taken back into the heart of the castle, the large theater. They were settled into the front row of center stage seats while Gardenia went to go get changed. Her father made his way back out to the foyer of the home which served as a lobby of sorts for his private venue which he intended to show off during his first broadcast. But for now, introductions and of course training, were in order.

Gardenia reappeared in a black and aqua pinstripe blazer and black top hat. She had on black pants and had on bright golden heels. As the five guests began to stir a lively tune filled the large room, its walls etched in gold carvings. Raising her arm, her black shard sparkled as she was lifted up in the air by a stone pillar. The pillar then detached itself from the glossy marble floor, which remained untouched and pristine, and levitated the pink haired woman in the air. "Welcome everyone to the first show of many to be held." She spoke clearly, though there were butterflies in her stomach. She only had her father as a faithful spectator until now. Sure, she preformed in coffee houses for a laugh but never had she shown off her rock powers to anyone before and she was eager to make sure to make a solid impression. As far as her beastly powers were concerned, she wanted to wait before showing that off.

Blinking, Hale looked around him and saw he was no longer on the street but instead someplace much more...lavish. He looked up and saw a large dome shape as opposed to a typical shade of grey. All homes were plain and basic, never keen to show of individuality but as he felt himself gathering his wits, he heard a loud voice call out to him. Hale suddenly noted that he was with a few other people as well. He felt his legs far too heavy to lift him out of his seat so he sat and turned his attention to the woman in front of him who raised a black baton made of rocks. "Wh-where are we?" He asked, trying to find his voice. He coughed slightly, his throat feeling rather dry and in need of some sort of refreshment.

Gardenia waved her wand of sorts and five chunks of rock broke off from the rock carrying her around the stage. These three rocks were directed above the heads of the audience and flew back into the depths of the castle. They soon flew back and hovered in front of the three guests, each rock balancing a golden goblet of ice cold water. "Where are my manners? It's an honor to meet all of you after so long. They say patience is it's own reward but if you ask me, magic is a reward time has simply turned it back on!" She declared. Hale looked at the rock. He had never seen a real one before. All the rocks he had seen were just for show, usually hollow. Buildings were made of metal and iron and other sturdy elements, nothing natural. It was odd but also intriguing. He waved his hand under the rock and took the offered drink with the other.

"I'm sorry," He paused to drink. "Have we met before?" He asked her. "Who are you? Where are we exactly and how are you doing this?!"

Gardenia jumped off the levitating rock, doing a flip in the air before landing safely. She peered down at the three souls. "My name is Gardenia and my father and I have been eager to meet and train you for almost ten years, give or take depending on who you are." She didn't want to get into silly details though. "You're all at our estate, my father a true visionary, has selected each of you and bestowed upon you a magic. This magic is a privilege to have and it is with that, that we will reawaken this slumbering world of robots who have forgotten to live with purpose, with flair!" She raised her hands above her head and then dropped them, clenching her hands together. "You all may have fretted about not not fitting in like your peers but we assure you, you are very special and very talented."

"Woah woah woah. Slow down there um-"

"Gardenia."

"Yeah. Right." Hale sighed. "Can you slow down?" He asked her.

The woman pressed her lips together, not happy about how things were going so far. She glanced off as the music faded away. So far she didn't think she was making a great first impression. "Sure, Hale." She tried to collect herself before she rewound slightly. "My father gave you all shards, like mine." She pointed to her black one which glittered when light hit it. "These give you magical powers that haven't existed for thousands of years. His hard work paid off and it is with your help that we show the world what magic can do. That magic doesn't need to have a purpose in order to create something." She said. "You have all endured much shame and sadness and isolation but that struggle is about to pay off. We are part of a new era. You Hale, you can make water. Real water! It's not clouded by other chemicals, it's pure water!"

She then turned to the others, "Luca, you have a fluid magic found in air, you can do so much with it. You can create winds or float, gravity no longer restrains you. And you can also bring life to real plants and flowers and vines. It's a truly beautiful spectacle. And you, Katya have the gift of fire, a temperamental skill but one that is why humans are still here on Earth." There was an immeasurable sparkle in her grey eyes as she spoke. She hopped off the marble stage and onto the matching marble floor, now closer to them. "As you can see, I rule over rock, a very formidable talent. I also control animals, beasts but that is for another time." She smiled to them. "If you decide to stay and train with us and be in our show, you are free to live here and we'll take care of you and everything else. We're a family. We're connected." She looked to them nervously.

Hale cleared his throat, it was a lot to take in.

"So...how do we use these powers?"

"We just have to unlock your shards and begin training." She replied, grateful he was being more receptive. "The day is nearly done, we can start after dinner if you'd like." She looked to everyone, eyeing their faces trying to gauge their reactions. "If you do wish to leave, you walk away from a life of wonder and acceptance. The world is cruel and it has forgotten what made it so warm and compassionate..." She said quietly. "Our world covets those who conform and ridicules those who show a sign of individuality. My father and I wish to show the world that magic can be different, that magic is something that can unite and entertain us, not simply be a means to an end like building a house." Gardenia concluded. "If you need more time to think about it or ask questions, dinner should be done, I can show you all to the dining room." She offered.

The blond in the glasses looked to the others before he gave Gardenia a smirk, "I had enough time growing up to decide what I want. I'm tired of being misunderstand and mocked. You can count me in for whatever crazy show you have in mind. I'm pretty interested to see what I can do. Maybe I can even design some costumes." To learn he wasn't born without a talent, to learn he had potential and didn't deserve mockery, meant the world to him. Hale wanted to see if he could move beyond what society dictated. And since paying rent was becoming difficult to cover, as he suspected his landlord was hiking up his rent because he didn't have any magical skill. Hale thought a change in venue and now even a change in career, might be what destiny was actually had in mind for him.

"Hope you have a nice day!" Luca gave a slight wave to the young girl who ran out of the small shop he worked in, ignoring the disapproving glances from her parents. He was used to that by now. Many people distrusted the bread and cakes made by human hands, rather than manufactured by robots.

Having worked and help run this place for four years Luca could safely say they made the best baked goods. Most didn't understand it but bread made by hand, fresh out of the oven and nurtured, was just better than the carbon copies robots made. It was the enticing smell of this very shop as he had passed it in his last few years of school that had made him consider it as a career. He enjoyed it well enough if he made himself focus entirely on it. Wasn't exactly lucrative, though. He couldn't even afford his own apartment and had to live with his older brother (his parents wouldn't have him).

"You can take your break now, Luca," his co-worker, Kieran, walked out to the store front. With the power to manipulate the more useless element of Scandium and being a bit of the odd person the man had decided to be a baker instead of having to find a niche job. It suited Luca to work here.

"Sure thing, boss," Luca gave a slight smile, wiping his hands on his apron as he headed to the back. On his way to the smaller room he checked on the in progress dough just to make sure it was proving properly. With no visible problems he made his way into the break room, humming merrily to himself. Today was a good day. They'd gotten a few customers and he'd finally figured out how to make some fancy bread he'd only seen pictures of before. The new product would be sold from the next week - a very exciting prospect! And he'd only gained a few odd looks when he had been jogging to work. It was looking to be a nice day indeed. For once he could ignore the fact that he was a societal reject.

Not one to sit still, Luca hopped up and went to stretch on the floor. He had always enjoyed exercise - it gave him a great way to channel his near boundless energy. He knew his parents had never particularly approved but, as his brother put it, he was less of a pain and less annoying when he was tired.

So caught up in what he was doing he didn't even notice someone entering before he blacked out.

---

It had been a slow day for Katya, mostly comprising of reading in her flat. With the job she had she was often left with nothing to do during the day and would only be out in the evenings. It wasn’t something that she liked or enjoyed in any way. Not that she expected to find enjoyment in life. Her chance at that was as non-existent as her ability. She kept herself fit and had always loved dancing, but it wasn’t making her any money.

And there was only so long she could put up with old men trying to touch her while she was performing in bars.

Sighing softly Katya got up from the chair she was sitting in. May as well go for a walk, what with nothing else to do. Some fresh air might do her some good and clear her thoughts. Making up her mind she grabbed a coat and headed out.

She hadn’t gotten far when someone grabbed her arm, pulling her around a corner and injecting her with something that made her pass out.

---

When Luca came to in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people, he couldn't help but look around with a certain amount of fear. Why on earth was he here? Why would anyone want to kidnap him? He doubted it was for his baking abilities. Most people didn't kidnap to get some free bread. He couldn't think of any other qualities he had.

There was something appealing about the room they were in; bright and colourful it was so unlike the drab homes he was used to. He liked it. The colours were energetic and that suited him just fine. Then the woman, dressed in clothes as wonderful as their surroundings, started to move rocks as if it was an everyday occurrence. Luca's jaw dropped as his mouth formed a small o shape. Real rocks were another new thing - nevermind controlled by someone. He took the water gratefully and chugged it with the arms he could just now move, sluggish from being drugged.

Gardenia, huh, that's a nice name, the dark haired boy mused as she introduced herself and he tried to keep up with the conversation. He didn't get all of it but his mouth only furthered widened, along with his eyes, as he listened.

He could control air. Not only that, but also plants! He had not one power, but two. It wasn't a normal one but something more exciting. Imagine what he could do with it! The thought of being able to fly appealed to him. He'd always liked climbing and high places, there was a certain thrill to them. Now he had a power to enhance that.

He barely heard one person, a glasses wearing male, agree to join and another.

"I can't wait to start! Getting to unlock the shards and try out the powers would be nice... you have a really nice theatre here, I really want to try some of your trapeze bars. I really love sport and acrobatics, also climbing, so they look perfect," Luca started rambling animatedly, eyes lit up with excitement. "This is all so exciting. Though dinner will also be good, I can understand wanting to wait until that. Don't want anyone to pass out on an empty stomach. How do you make your dinner? Do you do it yourself. I don't imagine you have any robots around here... I was a baker so I can help with making bread and pastries and cakes! They're pretty good and fun to make. I wonder if I can-"

Luca cut himself off, realising that he had just been talking whatever came into his mind in front of five others who were essentially strangers. He hoped that they would become friendly with each other if they worked together but that was a big step. Most people didn't like to just listen to someone talking about themselves.

"Uh, sorry, I got carried away," Luca sat down, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "What I meant to say is that I'll take part."

Katya, on the other hand, didn’t seem quite so impressed. She had listened through what Gardenia was saying with a raised eyebrow, then what the two other victims said. While it was appealing, she had always wanted a job on the stage, she wasn’t in a rush to just believe some stranger. She was too cynical for that.

“I’m sorry, but why should we trust you?” Katya folded her arms, eyes fixed on Gardenia. “As much as it sounds fantastic to be part of something how can I know you’re telling the truth.” She narrowed her eyes. “And if you are, does that not mean this shard thing is the reason we never had normal abilities in the first place?”

If she joined then she could dance – properly, unlike the kind she was doing just now. But controlling fire did not sound like the safest thing. Not to mention that it was the shard for that which had caused her life to be so miserable up until now.

Gardenia's focus moved from Hale to Katya who remained silent and observant, seemingly distrusting of the whole situation she found herself in. Gardenia knew this was a massive amount of information to take in so she wanted to go at whatever pace each individual required. Luca spoke up and began to prattle off which was a delight. Gardenia grinned and placed her hands on his shoulders once he sat back down, needing to feel his excitement as it was endearing and entirely refreshing to have someone see the same vision as her. "You understand! This place is rustic, you won't find many modern-day amenities like robotic servants or camera surveillance systems. We make all of our food ourselves so I do hope dinner is a delight for your senses. I shiver at the thought of having to eat such processed bland food day in and day out."

Stopping herself, she stood back and looked to Katya who expressed concern. Her smile faltered as she cleared her throat. "I understand you wanting to be careful and...placing blame in us for your...hardships in life..." She said carefully, her arms circling to cross and press against her chest. "It is of course your choice to participate, no one is by any means forced to stay. But to turn down such a fun life seems like a missed opportunity. That said, if you truly refused, we could attempt to remove the shard but such a procedure has never been attempted before...so its success remains an unknown likelihood. It's possible the shard's removal would render you unable to use any magic whatsoever."

"With the outcome being so tentative, my advice would be to keep the shard unlocked and to walk out the door right now. That would be your best course of action I'm afraid." Gardenia concluded simply with a shrug. She could see why Katya was on the fence about the whole revelation. Her attention focused on her still, "Because we understand no one has outright consented to the shards being implanted in the first place, we understand the risk of unlocking a shard and having one of you just walk off into the sunset. You could use that power and exploit the world around you, become some kind of pretty little murderer if you so desired." She stopped herself from getting too ahead of herself.

"It is our ultimate intention for us all to reach a beneficial relationship that suits us all. We wish to put on a wonderful show, simple as that. You wish to train your new talents and maybe make a life change, that's hopefully what you'll come to want. You have all been given wonderful talents and you may either abuse them, ignore them or...you can hone them and take the world by storm. The spotlight is thirsting for something that has been long forgotten. You all have shards that give you powers not even the best storytellers from centuries ago could not employ." It was baffling to consider some might be ambivalent to such a simple and enthralling concept but she had to consider the monotony of the daily grind probably beat out any desire to be individuals.

Hale glanced to the others and got up, stretching his arms above his head before looking to Gardenia. "So you'd prefer us to just leave now if we're not interested in working for..er with you?" He asked wanting to get the bottom line if it would help move things along. "But otherwise after we eat and get to know each other, you'll unlock our shards and we start training. If at some point we decide to leave...we're free to do so?" He asked her.

"Y-yes, of course!" Gardenia nodded to him.

"Do we have to sign any kind of agreement or contract?"

"No, no we don't wish to keep anyone like some sort of prisoner." She shook her head. "I know this is a lot to take in and I understand the anger anc confusion."

Looking to Luca and then to Katya, Hale put his hands on his hips, "It sounds crazy but I think we should give it a go." He smiled. Gardenia looked to him, wearing an appreciative smile.

"I understand your trepidation but you do have some time to consider even unlocking your shard or not. Over dinner I encourage all of you to ask whatever questions are needed." Gardenia said before bowing her head. "I believe dinner is about ready, please follow me." She said as she moved to the back of the theater and into the grand foyer of the mansion. She took a left and led the group down a wide hallway, the purple walls were decorated in thin white lilies which had been stenciled onto the walls. There was gold crown-molding and the floor was a rich hardwood oak. Everything was lavish but careful to embrace a true feeling of cozy nature. While other homes would be simple in taste and design, the five strangers were now surrounded by may colors and textures.

They finally arrived at a long table which had several dishes spread out. There was fresh sliced bread, boiled and salted potatoes, honey glazed ham, roasted carrots and asparagus seasoned with butter and garlic, and red wine. "Everything here is grown on site so please eat carefully, your bodies may respond differently to natural foods but I assure you it is very safe to consume and we believe healthier than the foods normally consumed in the outside world." She said. Normally food was bland, only meant to serve as fuel for getting through the day and getting necessary vitamins and nutrients. Like fashion and media, the idea of eating for enjoyment had been one long scoffed at.

"This looks amazing! I've never smelled something so inviting." Hale took a seat and noted it was padded and quite comfortable. "So will your father join us? He is the man who set all of this into motion after all."

"He is quite tired so I'm afraid introduction to him will have to wait until tomorrow."

Nodding, Hale began to serve himself, not wanting to let the food get cold. He couldn't believe there were people like this, people who still seemed to cling to old lifestyles. He had only thought the future was the direction to look but he was beginning to consider that the past had much to offer. His eyes traveled to Gardenia's attire, enjoying the bright color of her dress as well as her hair. He wasn't sure how much he'd be able to contribute but he decided there wasn't much he had to lose. He had so much to gain. He looked to Luca who seemed to be on the same page as him. "This is all pretty strange and wonderful, isn't it?" He commented as he passed Luza a warm dish containing the tender potatoes. "My name is Hale Westlake and I hope this is the start of something extraordinary." He smiled.

"Controlling air sounds really cool, I'm jealous you probably get to fly!" He commented to the other male.

Sitting down herself, Gardenia looked to Katya, wanting to ease her mind as best she could but she also didn't wish to bother or annoy her. Gardenia knew she had to select her words carefully and try to gain the girl's trust. "I must say, your element seems to suit your personality quite well. Katya. I mean it. You're beautiful but fireless. Your tenacity has truly carried you through life and I on wish for you to feel empowered by these shards. I know it was an unwanted gift and my father had no right to do what he did but you still have an opportunity to shine brighter than anyone you'll ever know." She said.

Luca excitedly listened to what Gardenia had to say about the place, a wide grin stretched across his lips. How exciting! The thought of eating real food, unlike what they normally had, appealed. Even the bread that he baked was made from the bland ingredients provided to them. It tasted better than normal food but was hardly a delight.

Katya raised an eyebrow as Gardenia turned her attention her from the boy that seemed all too excited about this. Still, she listened to what the woman had to say while thinking about it more. She could understand where she was coming from but that didn't mean that she entirely trusted them. She wasn't quite open enough to trust strangers.

"I will wait and see how this shard works," Katya eventually responded, tilting her head slightly. "But I'm not agreeing to anything yet."

Luca, on the other hand, didn’t pay much attention to what was said regarding not working with them, or leaving with the shards unlocked. He wasn’t planning to leave. When he thought about it, something that he hadn’t really done up until now, he could understand the other’s trepidation. These people had kidnapped them years ago and again. And not everyone wanted to be in the spotlight. Luca didn’t care much for that, he had no wish to be famous or anything of the sort. What appealed to him was the thought of the performance himself; he could practically feel the exhilaration from it. As a young child he had dreamed of doing something like that, until his parents had thrown away what they classed as a silly notion.

Luca’s mouth fell open once again as they arrived at the table, staring at the food before him. It looked and smelled amazing. He could already feel his stomach grumbling just looking at it.

“Wow,” he couldn’t help but let out a contented sigh as he sat down beside Hale. He couldn’t wait to dig in – it would be hard to hold back if anything. He’d try to head Gardenia’s warning, though. It would make sense that they wouldn’t be used to these kinds of food.

“It really is, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Luca smiled at Hale as he thankfully took the warm dish, serving himself a generous portion of the potatoes. “I’m Luca Corvi, nice to meet you, Hale. I honestly hope so too. Imagine what we can do! I can’t wait to start.”
The dark-haired male picked up a piece of bread, munching it while nodding in response to what Hale said in regards to controlling air. He waited until he’d swallowed to respond – it wasn’t exactly polite to talk while eating. “I’m really excited about it. The thought of flying… well, it’s amazing. I wonder how long it will take to learn our new powers. I doubt I’ll be able to do something that impressive straight away.”

Luca paused as he served himself some more, continuing to eat. The food was just as good as he’d hoped. He’d never tasted anything like it. “Water is pretty cool too. I bet you’ll be able to breath while underwater or something, that’s a pretty neat trick to have. You’ll never have to worry about getting soaked when out in the rain again!” Luca tilted his head as he glanced around the room they were in, looking at all the others before continuing. “I wonder if I can use air to bring things to me. That would be handy. And I could reach high places I couldn’t get to before!” Now that Luca thought about it there were so many mundane uses for their powers.

“I don’t know about you, but I’d definitely be content with a life here,” Luca shrugged, not stopping talking now that he’d started. He hadn’t been able to just chat with someone without being judged for such a long time. “The food tastes good, everything is so bright and colourful… and being in a show is more fun than baking all day. And there’s people to talk to.” He grinned widely. “I hope we can all be friends.”

Katya had been the last to sit down, observing Hale and Luca as they served themselves before taking her own food. She wasn't entirely trusting of the food either but she hadn't had time to eat yet that day, and it did look delectable. She had just started to eat as Gardenia spoke, turning to face her slightly. "Thank you, I guess." It was sort of a compliment, really. She sighed softly and gave a nod as Gardenia stopped speaking. She didn't seem like a terrible person, at least. "I understand that. It is not that the thought of being part of something like this isn't interesting, but it seems unrealistic to me. The rest of the world doesn't really want to see it as much as you may believe it does."

She decided to leave the whole not trusting thing to the side for now.

Breathing under water wasn't something Hale considered until Luca pointed it out. "I suppose you're right. That would be pretty neat." He nodded, enjoying the image of him becoming some handsome underwater entertainer. Then there was the notion of perhaps warding off water come the next rainfall. That was another interesting concept and it seemed the more he conversed with Luca, the more creative ideas began to take root in their minds. Hale nodded once again, "I bet you could use the wind to bring things to you, or even create some kind of small cyclone that delivers things to people, kind of what Gardenia did with her rocks." He considered. "I bet you'd be able to float and never have to bother with new shoes." He joked a little.

"I could see myself living here, contributing to whatever I can." A renewed sense of purpose was what Hale was looking forward to embracing and it was all the more reassuring to know he could could rely on Luca to take the leap of faith with him. For the most part, everyone was enjoying the opulent meal as it contrasted drastically with anything that they had in the past.

Gardenia understood Katya's apprehension and knew there was little she could do to further attempt to win her over. All of her cards had been laid out on the table, so to speak. And their choice had to be their own to make. If they were to commit to staying, it was one to be taken seriously and it was a choice some did not want to rush. "I do understand your doubts." She replied to Katya. "I wish there was a way for me to provide some comforting promise of easy acceptance but please try to understand that these people sitting right here, will always support you. We are connected." She said but decided that may seem a bit weird to say so she tried another tactic.

"While society requires conformity and compliance, my father wishes to provide people with the ability to be themselves without having to sacrifice their own identity. I know it sounds idealistic to thin that through a simple circus performance that the minds of people can be swayed but that is his intention. Progress needs free-thinkers, not just those with skills but those with ambition." She continued. "The world has forgotten what makes it so unique. It had forgotten that laughter even exists. People have practical skills, sure they can mold metal but they haven't pushed themselves beyond their limits. They're scared and comfortable with their lackluster limitations. We aim to change that, to show it's possible to change."

She shook her head, knowing Katya and the others didn't need to hear such impassioned babbling.

"I...I'm sorry. Please excuse me." She smiled to Katya apologetically before leaving.

The blond with the glasses let out a thoughtful hum as Gardenia soon returned with a blackberry pie and went around to serve those who felt like they could stomach a bit more to eat. While everyone began to finish their dessert or bits of food left on the table, Gardenia felt herself growing more anxious with the choices that awaited those around the table. "I suppose this is where you take us off to unlock our shards?" Hale commented as he wiped his mouth on the white cotton napkin before setting it atop his empty plate where food and pie once sat. "And then anyone who wants to leave can...?"

Getting to her feet, Gardenia gave a wide smile, "Yes, if you'd all like to follow me, we can begin the processes right away and do a bit of training before it's time to retire for the night." She explained. The woman pushed in her seat and walked out of the dining room and headed back toward the theater where they were previously. Now in the middle of the elevated stage was a simple solid podium comprised of solid coffee colored rock. She walked up on the stage and gestured for the others to follow her. On the rock was a simple device which resembled a wooden wand. Gardenia picked it up and rolled it between her thumb and index finger, trying not to appear as nervous as she was. The unlocking of the shards would be rather quick and easy but she still wasn't sure how many of them would agree to take part in their extravagant spectacle.

"Okay! Everyone stand in a straight line and we can begin." She directed, waving at them with her wand. Once everyone was lined up, standing side by side. "So I'm going to unlock your shard, it is painless. If want to leave before it's done or after...tell me and I can escort you home." She then gripped her wand and placed it against Hale's forehead, a suddenly glimmer of sapphire.

"It tickles." Hale chuckled as Gardenia went on to do the same to Luca, Lola, Cynthia and William.

"See, not bad at all. Give your powers a try but be careful, your energy has been dormant for a long time so it might come out in a rather...big way." She warned. There was no way to safely rid them of their pent up magic but being more skilled at using her rock abilities, she was confident she could prevent any sudden display by shielding the others or confining the magic within a rocky tomb. "Close your eyes and do the first thing that comes to mind. Each of you controls a different element so I cannot direct you individually, however I can help with the basics as well as other tricks, but for the most part, your power is entirely in your hands." Gardenia said quickly, her eyes set upon the group as she awaited what sort of things may finally spring to life. She was anxious to let them finally embrace something new and original.

Hale cleared his throat and stepped away from the line as he placed his left hand out in front of him. He concentrated but nothing happened. He decided if forcing it wasn't working then he had to consider how water behaved, it flowed, it moved freely, nothing stopped water's progression. Suddenly ribbons of faint blue water began to weave through his open fingers. "Woah! It works!" He exclaimed as he looked up and took a deep breath and released an energetic stream of water from his mouth. Gardenia laughed and quickly conjured up a basin made of rock to quickly collect the water before it threatened to ruin the seats of the theater. Hale looked around to the others, his body practically trembling, now able to do something no one else could. He could make water. He wasn't useless or meant to fade into the background.

"This is incredible!" Part of him had been dubious but that tiny part was now utterly silences as he began to blow various sizes of bubbles around the stage.

"You guys, I finally feel like that missing part of me has been found..."

Luca was enjoy talking to Hale, nodding excitedly at what he said. Not having to ever get new shoes was certainly an interesting idea! That would save him a bit of money. Though he wasn’t sure if that was something he was going to need anymore. There was so much he could do. It was nice to suddenly be able to use his imagination for things, to think up anything to do with his power. And the fact there were other people who would be there with him along the way, like Hale? That was even better.

Katya listened carefully to what Gardenia said – she tried to think properly about it, she really did. She could see where the woman was coming from but she really didn’t believe it. Was it really possible to change? And wasn’t the connection between them all false and forced? She didn’t get a chance to respond to everything, though, as Gardenia went away and came back.

“Oh, I can’t wait to unlock them!” Luca practically jumped to his feet as Gardenia did, unable to keep the spring out of his step as he followed back through to the theatre. He was more than happy to follow her orders and getting into a line with the others, going to stand beside Hale. Katya hesitantly followed.

Katya frowned slightly at the tickling feeling, glancing over at the others. She decided to wait until they tried out their powers before going for hers.

He couldn’t help but laugh slightly as the wand touched his forehead, eyes widening at the white glow. His eyes moved down the stare out his hands as he listened to what Gardenia had to say about trying them out. What should he do? He had so many ideas! Too many, if anything. What did he really want to do? The answer to that was obvious. The thing he wanted to do was fly. That seemed a bit too hard to go for first.

Well, he didn’t have to completely fly the first time.

Luca stepped away from the others, moving just a bit to the side so he wouldn’t crash into anyone if something went wrong, and took a deep breath. He moved his hands downwards, trying to push himself upwards. He imagined that he was manipulating the air around him, creating a breeze from it. After a few tries a small breeze pushed out of his hands and moved him just a few centimetres off the ground. It worked! He could control the air.

“Did you see that? I just- ah!” Luca had at the beginning of what was bound to be another excited rant when he suddenly launched up, wind left in his wake. He felt so light as he lifted up, swivelling around so that he could look down at the ground. Then, he was falling back towards the others. Shit! Panicking, he pushed his hands out again to shot another blast of air just before he hit the ground. It was enough to let him flip around and land awkwardly on his feet, collapsing backwards as soon as he did. “Wow, that was so cool! It was scary, but amazing. I was almost flying!”

The relatively short man was grinning widely as he bounced up, acting as if he hadn’t just almost fallen from a height that would have broken a couple of bones. Gardenia had said it would possibly come out in a big way so he was sure that it would be fine now. He careful concentrated on shifting the air around him, once again moving up of the floor to reach one of the bubbles that Hale had created and popping it. His landing was lighter this time used more air to soften it. From what he could tell if he actually wanted to fly that would take a lot of practice. But he couldn’t definitely use the air to get way higher than anyone else.

“Hey, Hale, those bubbles are amazing!” He chimed cheerfully, while sending a small gust towards the blond to mess up his hair. It hadn’t taken him long to feel confident around the other person at all. He was sure he would get along with the other three too if he talked to them! “I can’t believe it actually all works!”

Katya let out of a soft sigh, even though she couldn’t help but smile a bit at the excitement of the other two. She stepped well away from them to try hers. Fire didn’t seem like something she could safely just blast out. She didn’t want to risk harming anyone, of course.

Carefully she held out a hand, trying to conjure up a small flame. It came out as a roaring fire and she narrowly avoided singing off her own eyebrows as she accidentally threw it away. Thankfully it was in a different direction from the people.

“Well, uh, that’s something,” she mumbled, trying again with a little more success at keeping it small.

Luca continued to bounce about with the air, before remembering that Gardenia had said he had another power to. “You said I could control vines or plants or something too, right? I’m not quite sure how I’m supposed to try and use the other one…”

As much as Hale was excited for his own potential to take shape, he was also eager to see Katya and Luca's powers come to life too. He looked to the others and then back to Gardenia as she unlocked their shards. Though as noted, Luca had two glistening shards to unlock but that didn't seem any different from the others. Hale grinned as he watched his new friend try to summon some kind of mighty winds. He held her breath, somehow hoping that would help. That maybe the unused air would be given to Luca instead. "You were bouncing more than anything." Hale smirked at Luca. "That was great." He said more seriously.

"Well done." Gardenia nodded, still a bit worried for Luca. Still keeping her fingers metaphorically crossed that none of them got into any danger. Of course she was keeping an eye on them, ready to act if necessary.

At the small gust of wind, Hale shook his own head, trying to subtly fix his hair. "You watch it, kid." He chuckled.

All that was left was for Katya to give her powers a try. Gardenia watched and as she created a large burst of fire and threw it away, Gardenia quickly secured it in a tight round structure made of rock. The fire was quickly soothed and no harm had come to anyone nor the stage or room itself. Gardenia looked back to Katya, nervous about how she might be emotionally connect to her powers and if her trepidation might impede her somehow. She hoped that wasn't the case of course. "Very nice, Katya." She smiled when the girl seemed to quickly correct the scale of her next attempt. At Luca's remark, she looked to him.

"Yes..you and I share actually share two types of power." She said softly.

"It may be possible for you two to get secondary powers as my father furthers his research." She informed Katya and Hale, not wanting them to feel left out or something like that. She then looked back to Luca. "So it'l be harder for you to perfect two abilities simultaneously but soon it will become second nature." She told him. "Think of it like using either side of your brain. When you have a problem you can look at it from several different perspectives." She said. "Your mind can connect with two ideas: to make wind or two make something beautiful. You just need to practice those skills individually before being able to do...well something like this."

The pink haired girl then magically rose from a rock pillar and conjured a thin ring made of stone. She held up the ring as a lion jumped out of it. The lion roared and jumped from the air down to the stage and paced around. It was real, made of soft fur and strong bones. "His name is Charlie and he's quite tame." She assured the three. She jumped down and onto the lion's back as she waved her ring again and a flock of ravens flew out. At the same time, she used her other hand, flinging it upwards as small stone made perches were formed and allowed the birds to settle and stay in the air, looking down patiently.

"Real birds? Not made for food or from scrap metal." Hale muttered. "Books don't doe your creatures justice..."

Hopping off the lion, it followed her obediently. "So it's a lot to take in I know..." SHe started to say. "But what do you all think?" Mostly her worry was with Katya and her choice, as it seemed fairly clear that the boys were interested in her father's mission.

“Bouncing is close enough to flying!” Luca chimed back in response to Hale, somewhat cheeky grin on his face at the comment after he’d blown wind at the other male. He was already having fun – he’d been sold on the idea before but now even more so. And he’d already basically made a friend, which was a first in a long time. “I’m afraid I just can’t control it very well, so I may blow some wind in your direction now and then.”

Katya was still trying out her ability, conjuring a small fire in both hands now. It wasn’t too hard to do something like that once she got the hang of not burning everything down. “Hmm.” She didn’t give much response to Gardenia’s smiled words. They’d all done just as well as each other. Though she still wasn’t as energetic as the other two she couldn’t entirely ignore the small amount of excitement in her chest.

Maybe this would actually be a way to change her entire life. After all, there wasn’t any kind of lies about these powers. She could control fire – dangerous as it may be.

Luca listened carefully to what was said about him having two powers, trying to comprehend how exactly that worked. So he could control plants to and he just needed to concentrate on a different desire he had. He was sure that was something he could do if he tried. He just needed to figure out where to start. He didn’t think right now was the time to do that.

Really, he was astonished when he saw the live animals that she summoned. He’d only ever heard of them in the few books he read. And now to see them? That was amazing. Everything here was amazing.

“I think this is all great!” Luca perked up, though he knew he’d already expressed that. But he just couldn’t say enough how excited he was. “I can’t wait to get started and show all this to the rest of the world.”

Katya gave a slight sigh, knowing that what Gardenia was really waiting for was her answer. Both Hale and Luca were clearly on board. “I will give this a shot. If it works out I’ll stick with it.” And if not she would bail. Really what did she have to lose? She didn’t really have anything back in the normal world. Maybe here she could let herself dream again.

“That doesn’t mean I fully trust you, though.”

Luca just seemed even more excited when Katya said that she would give it a try, a wide grin splitting his lips. It already felt like they were on their way to beginning this all.

“When do we get to start?”