Song: "I Made It Through The Rain" by Barry Manilow. Represents how the "rain" (fear) controlled Linh's life and stopped her from controlling her Hydrokinetic powers. The "rain" is cleared when she meets Sophie and her friends, allowing her to see from a new perspective. 

I am the Girl of Many Floods.

I've caused many accidents due to my ability. It frightens me how much power I have.

I've had a rough childhood. My parents are ashamed by me and my twin, Tam. The Lost Cities frowns upon twins, or anymore than one child born at a time for that matter. My father always tried to say that Tam and I were a year apart, but Tam would always cut through his lies. I would try to stay quiet. I didn't want to cause trouble.

When I flooded Atlantis and was banished, I begged Tam not to come with me. He needed to live his life, without the burden of a twin to follow him. He could go along with what my parents said and pretend he was an only child. It was a desperate attempt and I knew he would never agree, but I could still try. My parents gave the same speech to him, though their words were much harsher than mine could ever be. But it didn't scare him.

It was Tam's idea to melt our registry pendants. He said it was to show that we didn't need our parents. For me, though, melting my pendant was to remind me of what happened when I loose control.

I don't believe our parents truly cared for us. We were shameful to them, a sign that they weren't noble, not normal. Perhaps if we were actually a year apart maybe they would truly love us. 

Or maybe if I didn't have such a destructing ability.

When asked, my parents always said it was completely my fault for the flood in Atlantis. However, it was theirs as well. They were irresponsible to bring a recently-manifested Hydrokinetic to Atlantis. Not only was my ability new, but I had no idea how to control it.

I can control the water much better now. But even as I train and control, the water still can beat me.

That's the thing people don't realize about being a Hydrokinetic. Water is extremely powerful on it's own. It is meant to roam free where it chooses, not be contained and manipulated. An elf may try to control the water, but the water can always control the elf.

Water can persuade me, like it did in Atlantis. It calls out to me. That's it's trick. It lures you, then, if not handled correctly, it can destroy your defenses. All your self-control leaves, and suddenly, you're under it's spell.

But you can also befriend the water. Become one with it. You have to trust the water and in return it will trust you. That's what I didn't understand for the longest time. The water seems to change moods, like people. In fact, each droplet is like a different person. One may trust you, while the other may not. No one understands when I talk about this. To me, water is more than just an element; it's a part of me.

I'm sorry, I think I got a little into all of this, all the talk about water.

I guess I could talk about something else now. Perhaps I should start with Sophie Foster?

Sophie and I, we are similar in many ways. Both of us are considered outcasts and sometimes praised for destructing abilities, while others do not like our power. Though my parents have shunned me, while hers love her very much, loving her for all she is, flaws and all. Sometimes, I find myself jealous of her, but I know it's wrong to think that way. She has been through way worse things than I have, and she's stronger than I will ever be. When you compare our lives, hers has been way harder than mine has been. 

When we first met and we removed our hoods, I didn't expect Sophie to be so nice. In Exillium, none of the Waywards we were nice, but then again, before Sophie, the rules were strict. Most of the Waywards had tough backgrounds. It was the one thing most of us had in common. Sometimes, we are there because of our abilities, and other times because we have committed a serious crime, like I did. Obviously, flooding Atlantis is a serious crime, regardless of the fact that I was newly manifested.

The thing about Sophie is that she doesn't see things like most elves do. She grew up with a different perspective than the rest of us. In the Forbidden Cities, there is no such thing as Bad Matches. Twins, triplets, and even more multiple births are common, and are seen as normal there.

Perhaps that's what makes Sophie a powerful elf. Not the strength of her abilities, or her family status, or the things she knows, but the way she sees things. She's like a drop of water in our dry world.

I still see my ability as dangerous and destructive, but I've also learned to appreciate it. When I met Sophie and her friends, they made me see that my ability is not completely horrible, that beauty can come from things reckless. It just takes the right people to see things that way.

I'm learning to think that way, and maybe others will as well.

*

Yes, the second to last paragraph is a Keefe reference, and kind of Sokeefe. (Beauty can come from things reckless. It just takes the right people to see things that way.) One of those people is Sophie. This line links with Sokeefe.

If you've noticed through this chapter, the wording is a little more sophisticated. And that is because I always imagine Linh to talk and think sophisticated. I don't know why.

It was really interesting to write this chapter, as I tried to talk about water as Linh does.

I hope everyone enjoys, ~Kirs.