Dorothea stood
in front of the mirror examining her body. Her skin is the color of cinnamon
that's as smooth as flower petals and sparkled like honey in the sun. She was
muscular. Years of training under Captain Hadley will do that to body. But
still curvy and thick. She attributed that to her mother. Voluptuous women ran
all the way down the Martin bloodline. So did the ability to grow and control
nature.
Plants grew
taller and stood straighter when she walked by as a little girl, her mother
allowed her abilities to go unchecked until they awoke one morning to find
their house in a canopy of African Juniper. They lived in the middle of
suburbia in Louisiana.
Her mother then believed her abilities were specialized in plant life. All of
the women could control all bits of nature but some specialized in elements of
plants or weather. After an incident involving a hurricane, Wilma Martin knew
her daughter was more than the regular Martin sort of special.
Soon after they
moved to Chicago, so Dorothea could be enrolled
in Amina Makeda Academy. It is a safe haven for
meta girls to learn to use their powers, when not to use their powers and to
become smart, strong constructive members of society. Or if they so choose,
upon graduation, they can apply for S. L. U. T. Adept membership. After
finishing university, they may apply for Senior membership.
Some girls of
course are exceptions to the rule. Dorothea was one of those. Having proved
herself in the field time and again to be a valued hero and humanitarian she
was awarded Adept membership after rescuing a group of sixth graders while in
the middle of her powerless training from another student's runaway robot who
mistook them for a threat during a water balloon fight.
She grabbed
jump ropes from the gym to trip up the machine then jammed a push broom into
it's head. Not an easy task for a fifteen year old, especially one who was
adjusting to life without her abilities.
Today was a
special day for Dorothea. In exactly one month she would graduate. Then her
mentor, who be assigned to her today, would begin the next phase of her role
inside S. L. U. T. and in the civilian world. She was hoping for Smoque or
Clockwork. But really anyone of the core members would will be amazing. She
felt strongly about her chances of being of taught by one of the Five.
She walked to
her closet and just stared. Despite the large selection, she hated clothes. The
world would much happier naked. Nothing to hide behind claiming self
expression. Or modesty. But they were a necessary evil, so she tried to have a
large variety. Considering the importance of the day, she wanted something
memorable. Something that would help her stand out to her mentor, which she
knew to be just a bit silly. Mentors looked at actions. Not packaging.
So she finally
decided on comfort. She pulled out a flowy light fabric dress. It was brightly
colored and easy to move in.
She hung it up
on the door, not ready yet to get dressed. She flopped on her bed, loving the
coolness of the sheets on her skin.
Dorothea could
not contain her excitement for the day, accidently causing a patch of
sunflowers to grow outside her window.
"Oops.
Sorry little ones. I'll have to repot you later."
During her
conversation with the new foliage a letter was slid under her door.
She grabbed it
with excited fingers. Eager to tear it open but also not wanting to rip it in
her excitement. The envelope was made of thick paper the S. L. U. T. emblem was
embossed in gold on the front, and in a purple wax seal on the back. The school
colors, the colors of royalty, to remind the girls they are queens, with or
without their meta abilities.
She carefully
lifted the wax seal, not wanting to break it, then removed the letter. The
letter paper was of similar quality to the envelope, the school's emblem was
embossed at the top.
Dear Dorothea
Martin,
We are happy to in inform you that in
one month you will be graduating from Amina Makeda
Academy. In the interim,
we encourage you to stay focused on your studies during your apprenticeship
with a S. L. U. T. member.
Your mentor will there to help you decide
if becoming an active member of S. L. U. T. is really your life path. Or if you
would be better suited using your abilities as a civilian.
With the selflessness you have shown in
your years in the Academy by helping others, your teacher's aid credits in your
sustainability courses and your independent nature we have decided that you
would best be suited by having your Mentor
be Serafine.
You will be meeting with her this
afternoon at 3pm in Nefertiti
Court. Do not be late.
Where women rule, a stream runs
uphill.
Sincerely
yours,
Dean
Arwyn Douglass
Dorothea reread
the letter over and over. She wasn't sure how she felt. The anticipation had
stopped building. Serafine. She was the youngest core member. That must be why
she was placed in her group. Relatability. Or maybe it was a test. Serafine is
a fire elemental. Dorothea is practically a forest nymph. Maybe S. L. U. T.
wanted to know if they could find a common ground.
Her mind
swirled with possibilities, but before she could get to far into her daydream,
the fire alarms went off.
