WHITE | ELEMENTAL

Ertha: I think Alice has great potential.

Ertha years later: I never want Alice to win an award again.

Alice isn't so good with painting. As anyone could clearly see.

"No no. You're doing it wrong! Try again, Alice!"

It's the lines not being noticeable when working with water colors. It's the way she sometimes uses the brush like a color pencil.

If she had to describe her former student's daughter in one word it would be... really little. Alice can be really submissive.

But Ertha won't lie. She thinks Alice is a sweet little girl. But she thinks she needs work on her art skills. Here in this fine Mentos school. There is room for students who want to be professionals. Ertha sees a lot of skills in Alice. And she's sure that she can become an amazing painter like many did before her. Ertha has seen a lot of young painters before. And Alice is no different.

There is room for improvement.

She stared at the upset mother in the corner. And she even seemed to be grumpy as well. Ertha wondered if she was taking out her frustrations on her own daughter. What a shame. She has more confidence in Alice than Ghibli has on her own daughter. Ertha went back to looking at Alice's sketch. Another Koi Fish. Again.

"Alice why do you always draw Koi fish? Hm? Don't you ever get bored of the same thing over and over again?" Ertha asked.

Alice shrugged.

"They're really pretty. They're very scarce to Fire people too." She said.

Ertha shook her head.

"His tail seems to small. And I can barely see what that's supposed to be." Ertha commented.

Alice nodded.

Ertha studied her student closely. What is that beyond her eyes?

"Are you crying?"

She quickly wiped her eyes. Yeah, she was defiantly crying.

"No." She responded.

Ertha shrugged her shoulders at the kid.

"Are you sure you even want this?" She asked.

Alice slowly nodded.

Ertha stared at the photo and then back at her.

"Because from what I see. I don't see any actual effort being put into the work." Ertha admitted.

Alice nodded as she heard the critique.

"Stop crying and get back to work." Ertha ordered.

Alice took the sketch book and turned to a new page to get started.

"Ertha can I speak to you for a minute?"

Ghibli's voice sounds a little weird. What is wrong? Does she need water? Ertha nods in her direction and then walks with her.

"What's going on?" She asked as soon as they were in a place away from Alice.

Ghibli doesn't look the same as she used to when she was thirteen. Did she gain weight or something? Did she cut her head? The Ghibli Ertha knows is more lanky and scrawny. But it seemed like a new person just spawned and took her place.

Ertha shrugged.

"I don't know. Are you sure you are a great painter? Because if you trained your daughter then I am so disappointed in you." Ertha claimed.

Sometimes, she doesn't like the way Alice is being raised..

"I'm pretty sure if one of my paintings could be brought into a museum then I can teach my own daughter to paint." Ghibli cockily stated.

Is that bragging Ertha hears?

"You were bragging when you were thirteen. You still brag. But at the end of the day, I'm the teacher and you're the student. And now your daughter is the student. So she needs to pay attention to me, got that?" Ertha commented.

Ghibli didn't respond and simply brushed back to go to her child. Ertha feels bad for that little girl.

She said something to Alice's ear and she nodded. She put away her art tools and then started to walk out.

Ertha was shocked. This is her art class. How dare she?

All of a sudden, she heard a cry come from Alice. She stared at the thirteen year old girl who had tripped over a chair. Ghibli seemed scared for a moment. But let out some sort of sigh of relief.

"Are you okay, honey?"

Ghibli and Alice both stared at her. Like she was speaking in another language. At some point, Ertha meant it.

Hey, if it gets Alice to forget all the mean things she said earlier. Then it works for her.

~~~

The art competition is tough. And right now Ertha is looking at Alice to win. Why you may ask? The kid needs to work on how she outlines. But at the end of the day. She's not that bad.

"Alice, come here." Ertha said to a Ghibli and Lake smothering their child.

Bad idea. Baby your child never works. A good job is enough.

Alice nodded and walked to her. Ertha sighed and met her eyes.

"Hey, it could have been any of the other kids who could have been chosen for this painting contest. But instead I chose you because I know you can pull through." Ertha encouraged.

Alice began to smile and nod...

"Even if your lines may suck." Ertha admitted.

Ertha noticed Alice's smile drop and she seemed on the verge of tears and but nodded and left to see her mothers.

"Even if some people are living through their daughter."

~~~

"And in First place............ Alice Ripple with Koi Fish!"

Gaia sighed in disappointment as she heard. Because the painting that Alice made was not first place worthy.

As they got back at the bus Ertha looked at Alice who eagerly looked at her. She held her first prize in her arms and laughed merrily.

"So Ms. Ertha... did I do good?" She asked.

Ertha cringed.

"Umm, that has to be the worst painting you've ever done." She said.

Alice's smile dropped.

"But my-"

"Eh, I don't care whatever your raggedy mother thinks." Ertha zipped her mouth.

Alice disappointedly looked at the painting to tried to see what Ms. Ertha saw wrong. But her parents (Who were professionals btw) both nodded in applause that it was flawless.

So what is wrong? Alice must have done something wrong....