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mav·er·ick
ˈmav(ə)rik/
noun
1.
an unorthodox or independent-minded person.
"a maverick among Connecticut Republicans"
synonyms: individualist, nonconformist, free spirit, unorthodox person, original, eccentric;
2.
an unbranded calf or yearling.
adjective
1.
unorthodox.
"a maverick detective"

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"I've been reckless, but I'm not a rebel without a cause."

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The man stood on top of the table with his foot resting on top of another man. He had a pair of woman's underwear resting on top of his head, and he was in his boxers and shirt. He held a stick in hand and waved it triumphantly in the air. "Captain Manuel has successfully vanquished Spirit the Spineless!"

Spirit grunted under his friend's weight. "Manuel, you can get off me now."

Manuel looked down. "Oh, yeah." He said, stepping off him.

"Thank you."

Manuel hopped off the table and pulled he underwear off his head. He then tossed it aside. Spirit stood up and stretched out his back. "Manuel, you need to lose some weight."

In response, Manuel waved his finger and sent Spirit sailing into the air. Spirit was flung right towards the door, only to have it open. His eyes widened when he saw another man standing there. He looked up, and when he saw Spirit, his eyes widened. Neither of hem had time to react, because in only a split second Spirit was on top of the guy, his head spinning.

The other man shoved Spirit off of him. "What are you doing you buffoon?" He shouted, standing up.

"Oh, poor Aaron. His ponytail seems to have fallen out." Spirit cooed.

Aaron scowled at him. "If you keep talking I'll set your lips on fire."

"Such a flirt."

Aaron only narrowed his eyes in response. He stood up, and fixed his hair before walking into Manuel's room. Spirit followed, wincing at the ache now present in his muscles.

Manuel looked up as he pulled on some pants. "I pray you both finally kissed. Such tension."

Aaron let out an exasperated sigh. "This is what my life has come to!" He proclaimed, throughout his arms into the air.

Spirit shrugged. "Ain't so bad, fire ball. 'Least you don't have to fight in the war."

The other two men nodded. Then, Aaron grinned. "Which, we've almost won. All of Allium's citizens are almost gone. There's only one battalion left, and compare that to all of the nations fifteen hundred battalions? They stand no chance."

Spirit felt his heart sink. Manuel clapped his hands. "That's great! Finally we'll be relieved of those who oppose us!"

"Yeah! Totally!" Spirit said half-heartedly.

But, on the inside, he was hurting.

After all, they were talking about his people's downfall.

♧•♧•♧

Sam stood at the door to the room. He gently knocked on the door. "Nate? It's us. We are back."

Nathan, however, has trying to hold back the bile. He was currently in the kitchen staring down into the bucket that held their trash. He looked up weakly. "Sam?" He called, his voice weak and wobbly.

Immediately the sound of the doorknob being fumbled open was heard. "Nathan? Where are you?" Sam called.

Nathan only responded with hurling. He heard footsteps and then someone started patting his back. "I got you," Sam murmured.

Nathan looked up and saw two people who looked scarily familiar. He noticed their eyes widen slightly. The man stared at Nathan.

"Spirit?"

Nathan blinked. "Huh?" He said, his voice hoarse.

Sam shook his head. "This is Nathan, the fifth Element I was telling you about. Don't know who Spirit is."

Nathan covered his mouth with his hand as he turned back to the garbage and released another mouthful of bile.

Sam grimaced. "What'd you eat?"

However, Nathan couldn't respond. His head was pounding and he was owing conscious. Sam grabbed him and tried to get him to say something. Nathan couldn't, and only responded with closing his eyes as he fainted.

♧•♧•♧

He opened his eyes, blinking in the harsh light.

"Oh thank god, Nathan! You're alright!"

He squinted in the light to see a blond headed boy looking down at him. He frowned.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice scratchy.

The boy frowned. "It's me, Sam."

He blinked before standing up. "Right, Sam. Never heard of you before."

The boy, Sam, frowned. "Nathan, are you okay?"

He crossed his arms as he looked up at Manuel and Venus. They had their hands clutched together, and Manuel was slightly in front of Venus. They were scared.

"I doubt you'd understand, Sam. But-"

"Oh please."

He turned to the voice to see another blond kid glaring at him. "Nathan, we don't need this. You need to be serious in front of the Priest and his wife."

"Priest...?"

Manuel nodded, eyeing him carefully. "I'm the Priest, Manuel."

He looked towards Venus. "And you are his wife?"

"I am. Venus."

"Nathan."

He frowned after saying that name. It wasn't his. It was the other kid's name.

"It's nice to meet you, Nathan." Venus said, nodding quickly. Manuel gently wrapped a hand around his wife's. They were wary of him.

Not good, not good at all.

He crossed his arms behind his back and straightened his posture slightly. He was different now.

Way different.

"Same to you, Madam."

The teens in the room glanced at each other, and Sam gave him a worried look.

"Nathan? You absolutely positive you're alright?"

"Of course I am, Sam. Why wouldn't I be?"

A boy with flame red hair walked towards him. "Other than the fact you were just puking out bile a moment ago, and then suddenly you are acting like a servant and addressing people as 'Madam'?"

He shuffled slightly. Already this was getting out of hand. He cleared his throat. "Right, sorry. I'm not completely sure why that happened-" you do know "-and I figured since they are the Priests I should be formal." No you didn't.

He hated that little voice. It was such a nag.

Carefully he removed his hands and looked down at them. They were so small and not as rough as he remembered his own hands. He sighed before looking up. Manuel caught his eye.

He watched as realization dawned on Manuel. He knew now he was in a bad position. Why Alexis thought he could do this was beyond him. He'd already failed.

Manuel started to raise his hand when a brown haired girl jumped in front of him. "Nathan, you sure you are okay? 'Cause if I'm being honest, you really don't seem alright."

Her clothes were so fancy. She was rich, and presumably an element. Hatred seeped into his pores as he looked at her. He looked up at the other three who dressed like her and knew they were this generation of Elements. He could barely contain the scowl that threatened to break free.

"I'm fine." He said, his voice deep as he tried to keep his teeth stuck together.

She frowned, but turned away. That's when the blast of air hit him.

He was flung back against a wall. His eyes widened as his breath was knocked out of him. Then, all the oxygen was sucked away, and he couldn't breath. He was choking.

Sam turned to the rude blonde boy and yelled at him, but he only replied with a confused and an offended look on his face. Manuel stepped towards him, a look of hatred on his face.

"It's you."

He couldn't respond.

"You are alive."

He made a gagging noise.

"How?"

He attempted to move his hands, but they were slammed right back against the wall.

"You should be dead."

A wet substance began to creep up his legs. His eyes widened and he looked down best he could to see water crawling up his legs. Venus walked forward, her eyes filled with malice.

"It's been a millennia since we've seen you, why are you back?" She shouted.

Suddenly, a bit of oxygen began to fill his lungs. That blonde kid was fighting back. Another girl was trying to pull the water away.

If only they knew.

Sam crept up behind Manuel, a lamp in hand. He raised it above his head slightly, and then sent it crashing down onto his head. Manuel tumbled to the ground, unconscious. Venus screamed something at him, but the brunette knocked her out with a huge book.

He tumbled to the ground. He took in huge amounts of air as he laid there. Sam bent down and picked him up. "Nathan! Are you okay?"

The brunette walked towards him and tried to help him stand, but he jumped out of her touch. He sent her an icy glare as he back away. He hated them. Elements. They never trusted him.

Except for her.

The guy with flame red hair walked towards him. "Nathan, why are you mad at Ashlee? She helped you. If you should be mad at anyone, it'd be me. I did nothing to help you."

Ashlee nodded. "Though he couldn't really. Fire wouldn't help in a situation like that."

So he was fire. That made her...

He tensed up. Just remembering her made his heart beat madly. But then again, he had someone else now. Even though he could never be with her, she was still there. Waiting for him. He shook his head, clearing those thoughts from his head.

"Nathan, something's wrong. What is it?" Sam asked.

The blond kid nodded. "Dude, tell us."

"Wesley, be nice!" The girl who controlled water said, elbowing his side.

"Lela, I'm simply trying to persuade him by speaking in terms he can understand."

He scowled. Damn rich kids. Always thinking they're better just because they can control an element.

Well, he wasn't powerless now. At least, Nathan wasn't. He was, but the table had finally turned.

"Nate, you looked royally pissed right now. You okay?" Sam asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

So short, he thought. Why was Nathan so short?

"I'm fine." He growled out, crossing his arms.

Sam frowned, but didn't fight back. Good.

Suddenly, he felt a bit light-headed. He knew what that meant. He rubbed his head. "I think the oxygen deprivation is getting to me. I need to lie down."

Immediately Sam ushered him to the couch and laid him down. His eyes began to droop, and he was passed out before anyone could say anything.

♧•♧•♧

Nathan opened his eyes. He was so tired. He blinked at the harsh light. Since when was he out into the couch?

He sat up, only to be pushed down. "Nathan! Don't get up! You need rest!"

"Sam..." He groaned.

"Don't even try that. You need to stay down, kiddo." Lela said, looking at him. "Especially after that whole ordeal."

Nathan chuckled. "Guys, I just felt a little sick to my stomach. I feel fine now."

They stared at him. Sam frowned. "Do you not remember when Manuel and Venus attacked you? And they are Elements too, apparently."

"What?" Nathan screeched. "When did this happen? Why was I unconscious?"

"You- you seriously don't remember, Nathan?" Ashlee said, blinking.

"What would I even have to remember? Nothing happened. I just threw up, right?"

"No, you started acting strange. Then, Manuel and Venus attacked you. We knocked them out and you got light headed, so we put you on this couch and you conked out. Then, you woke up, acting weird again!" Sam said, throwing his arms in the air

"I'm sorry, the last thing I remember is seeing who I assume is Manuel and Venus, then throwing up a bunch, and then blacking out because I was so nauseous. I don't remember any of that."

Ashlee blinked. "You acted like you hated us. Do you?"

"What? No!"

A groan came from the ground. Sam sighed. "Looks like someone's awake."

A man sat up. He assumed it to be Manuel. He turned his gaze to Nathan. "You." He growled out, standing up.

Nathan's eyes widened as he tried to scoot away. He could see the hate in his eyes.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Sam cried, pushing Manuel away.

"What have you done to these poor kids, Spirit?"

Nathan frowned. "Spirit? My name is Nathan."

Manuel stopped. "No, it's Spirit! You murdered everyone that night, Spirit! Including Marie! Why? I thought you cared for her!"

Nathan frowned. "Who?"

Manuel scowled. "Stop lying!"

Nathan cried out I felt fear as Manuel pushed past Sam. However, Nathan felt his powers rising again. He looked at Manuel dead in the eye and used the ability he frowned upon using.

Manuel stiffened and then fell over unconscious. Nathan felt his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he fell over backwards, spiraling into the deepest fear of Manuel.

♧•♧•♧

Hello.

It's me.

What's up? Sorry for the long waits between uploads, I have been very lazy lately.

School is difficult. Seriously.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Adios!

-Paige