[b]Character you have created:[/b] [img]http://i.imgur.com/2DN9izJ.png[/img]

[b]Alias:[/b] Jaden Maxwell

[b]Speech Color (Actually say what you're using):[/b] Aqua

[b]Character Alignment:[/b] Hero

[b]Identity:[/b] Secret

[b]Character Personality[/b]: Jaden is for all intents and purposes a rather easygoing and calm individual. He enjoys life for what it is and tries not to worry too much about the future. Growing up with his Aunt and Uncle bestowed on him the values of hard work and independence, as such when he commits himself to something he tends to see it through, regardless of the consequences. Being a fanboy of anything related to anime or video games, when he runs into someone who shares what he is into, he can get surprisingly passionate and ecstatic, to the point that he briefly stops acting his age. 

Inspired by the comics he read growing up, he has a strong sense of justice and morals and tries to see the good in people along with being willing to stand up for those who can't do so for themselves. He does not want to see anyone else suffer the tragedy of lost loved ones, but that does not mean he is blind to the real world either. He is aware that unfortunate things happen regardless of what one does in life but does not see that as a reason to do nothing either. 
 
He does have a fun-loving side to him too, sometimes using his power to pull off jokes or pranks on his friends all in good fun. 

[b]Uniform/costume:[/b]  Back when he was human, his appearance was that of a young fair-skinned man with jet black hair in a crop cut with brown eyes and weighing around 200 pounds. He stood about 5 foot 10 inches and typically wore clothing that fit the climate, such as tank tops and shorts during warmer months and baggy pants and sweatshirts during the fall and winter.

Thanks to being transformed into a living plant, Evergreen is capable of morphing himself into a wide range of plant-based appearances. Here are a few examples:

[hider] [img]http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/0/05/407Roserade.png/250px-407Roserade.png [/img] [/hider]

[hider] [img]http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/2/21/549Lilligant.png/250px-549Lilligant.png[/img] [/hider]

[hider] [img]http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/kamenrider/images/1/17/Utsubokazura_Kaijin_concept_art.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150105195246 [/img] [/hider]

[b]Origin Info/Details:[/b] Jaden had, for the most part, a normal upbringing growing up. He was born to a loving Mom and Dad who took good care of him for the first few years of his life and he had an Aunt and Uncle who thought the world of him that he frequently visited on the weekends or during the holidays. However, when he was about 7 years old...tragedy struck. 

One night, he was at his Aunt's place watching cartoons when the phone rang. His Aunt went to answer it only to drop the dish she'd been drying in horror at what the police man on the other end had told her. Mr and Mrs Maxwell had been on their way home when a drunk driver slammed into them, killing both parents at once. Needless to say, it was like Jaden's entire world had come crumbling down in the course of just one night. 

After the funeral, Jaden was taken in by his Aunt and Uncle and it quickly became evident that despite the fact that they treated him well, that life was not going to be easy since both relatives were in their elderly years and they did not have too much money. As such, Jaden had to learn at a young age to pitch in and be self-sufficient, helping his folks around the house and gradually learned skills such as cooking, cleaning dishes and even pulling weeds out of the garden. It didn't help that they ended up having to move twice even before he got into high school.

Life was difficult but it wasn't bad by any means as the young lad excelled in his classes and enjoyed helping others with their work. He took on a part-time job at one point to help his folks too. Of course, he sometimes let himself get lost in video games and anime as he got older. Eventually, he graduated from high school to the delight of his Aunt and Uncle and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him.

However, that's when his life took a most unexpected turn. During one summer, he took part in a field trip set up by a club he use to be part of that were planting trees in an area that had recently been decimated by a wildfire. During the program, Jaden caught sight of a bear cub that had slipped into the water and was now heading down the stream towards a waterfall. Without thinking, he risked his life to save the cub and return it to its family. Despite not thinking much of it, someone else took notice of his act...

That night, he was visited by a voice in his dreams. The voice introduced itself as Gaia, Spirit Of The Earth. It had watched the man's act and, despite its usual indifference towards humans, had been intrigued by his selfless act despite the fact he had risked his life and got no reward out of it. He explained that he didn't do it for a reward but because it was the right thing to do and that he didn't want anyone else to endure the pain of lost loved ones. 

Growing ever more intrigued with him, the spirit handed him what she called the "Seed Of Gaia" and that she would give him the chance to prove to her that humans and the Earth could co-exist together. With that, the dream ended...Jaden thought no more of it.

One night though, he was in his room, doing some reading when he heard a commotion downstairs. Going to check, he saw several men in black suits ransacking the place while holding his Aunt and Uncle at knife point.

For a brief moment, he felt like a small boy all over again, like history was about to repeat itself...but not if he had anything to say about it. When the men saw him, they shot the young man on the spot...only for his wound to heal up within seconds, causing all those present to freeze in shock. Anger fueling his actions, Jaden's power activated and vines broke through the windows and floorboards, disarming the men and slamming their bodies against the walls over and over again with enough force to shatter the plaster.
 
However, just when it looked like he was ready to do the unthinkable and take their lives...his Aunt and Uncle's voices brought him back to reality. He collapsed to his knees, sobbing and wondering what he had become. His folks consoled him as the would-be murderers were taken into custody, likely traumatized for life by the ordeal. The police asked questions but nobody was in the mood to give the actual story.
 
After having some time to calm down, and being reminded that his Aunt and Uncle still loved him, it was decided that he needed to learn control since the world was likely not ready for an individual like Jaden. As such, the next week or so saw him practicing with his new abilities and growing quite adept at them. His body underwent more changes until he instinctively created a new identity for himself to go with his new form. 
 
It was around this point that an event happened that awoke his inner hero and made him realize that his powers were meant for bigger things. A powerful Fae had come to his town by the name of Glastig and, true to the myths surrounding her, went about luring in unsuspecting men and draining them of their blood, leaving lifeless corpses in her wake, meant to gather strength as her followers constructed the pieces for a gate that would open a way to the Fae Realm and allow her army to come through.

After several close calls, and having his family's lives endangered, Evergreen cornered and exposed Glastig, in the process destroying the gate and closing one of the links to the Fae Realm for good. One lengthy battle later, Glastig was defeated. Evergreen refused to kill her...but that didn't mean he or Gaia let her off the hook either. 

In an event that still haunts him, Gaia, manifesting physically, transformed Glastig into a plant entity...and then Evergreen transformed the fallen Fae into a tree for the rest of her days. Victory was his...but at the price of never again reclaiming a normal life.

For a time, things went well. Jaden kept his identity a secret. He used his powers to secretly bring life and prosperity to neighboring farms and communities, sometimes travelling further to places that needed him. Of course, he always felt like there was more he needed to do...

Gaia heard his wish and informed him of more places with potential gates, namely a place called Lost Haven that was emitting huge amounts of magical energy. So, with his family's blessings and using a cover of a Herbs and Medicine shop, Jaden left his town behind and headed off to Maine...

What changes to the world will he bring as Gaia's Champion? Only time will tell...

[b]Hero Type (Select one):[/b] Elemental

[b]Power Level (Select one below):[/b] World Level (Potential for Cosmic Level depending on development)

[b]Powers (Be Specific):[/b]

Plant Manipulation: The power to control any and all plants and forms of flora within an area. The uses for this power are vast and varied, giving it immense versatility and almost unrivaled destructive power if misused. His abilities are broken down into Passive and Active:

[hider Powers List] Passive:

Plant Physiology: Has an entire body made of plant matter and as such is unbound by physical limitations that humans face. He is capable of, even without enhancing himself, throwing punches and kicks that would break every bone in a person's limb, can run as fast as humanly possible indefinitely, and being a plant means he regenerates from wounds at a an amazing rate. He is capable of even going without food, drink or sleep for extensive periods.

High Resistance To Mental Attacks: Another benefit of his form is that his brain matter is distributed through his entire biomass, meaning attacks that try to effect his mind face a massive amount of resistance. He can still be hurt by said attacks or have his thoughts swayed but it requires the attacker to be of a high skill level and with considerable psychic power to boot to have even a slim chance of succeeding. Otherwise, the most these attacks will do is irritate Evergreen.

Enhanced Strength: Is physically superior to the standard human as his transformation has left him without bones to break, meaning he can pull off the kinds of near-superhuman feats that would require immense adrenaline and a high pain tolerance to pull off, such as lifting cars off of people or punching through concrete with one's bare hands.

Healing Factor: Evergreen's entire genetic makeup has been rewritten, and as such, they have been granted remarkably potent regenerative  capabilities. They are capable of reattaching severed limbs and surviving having a hole blasted through their heads. They heal so fast that gunfire is  practically useless against them unless it's of a special composition. 

They are even capable of coming back from being blown to pieces though it should be noted this takes quite a while and uses up enough energy that they'll need to rest and replenish before they can join the fight again. 

Enhanced Mobility: Evergreen has no bones or organs meaning they can move and react much faster than average humans, being able to keep pace with a speeding car or scale the sides of buildings by running up the side. They can also jump, flip, grapple, climb, and slide with remarkable ease, pulling off the kinds of acrobatic feats that even an experienced parkourist would have significant trouble with. 

Enhanced Endurance: Having no real bones or organs to worry about means Evergreen can continue to function even under the weight of  incredibly strenuous activity for hours longer than an average human. If they have access to some water or even sunlight, they can operate almost indefinitely unless something interferes. They can continue to operate even after having limbs removed. 

Enhanced Durability: Evergreen has also been shown to shrug off injuries that would often leave the normal human either as a pile of broken bones or at death's door. He can take a fall from multiple stories and land without a scratch and withstand a large concrete block to the chest while leaving only a small indent as proof of the impact, along with a punch from an augmented human or even a supernatural creature will do little more than stagger him.

Pain Suppression:  A side effect of his heightened durability and self-healing,  Evergreen has shown little to no signs of reaction to the injuries he has sustained, including being stabbed and shot in the chest several times or even having part of his head blasted off. Even when he takes damage, it doesn't seem to do much more than annoy him.

Plant Sonar: Due to their connection to nature and the Life element, Evergreen seems to have their senses tuned to being able to automatically  detect where plants are within a general area, and they will automatically follow his command. The sonar is powerful enough to extend to within the lengths of a city block and can even trace plants that are buried beneath concrete and steel. 

Immortality: A rather vague term but it is believed that, since there are plants known to have lived far beyond the natural lifespan of humans, that Evergreen shares this feature and, as long as they keep themselves properly sustained, they will not suffer from the affects of aging and decay and
will remain as they are. This, coupled with their ability to shrug off most forms of damage, means they're perhaps as close to being immortal as one can get.

Active

Transformation: An extremely versatile ability. Evergreen has the ability to morph their body into all sorts of shapes and configurations, giving them an incredibly flexible fighting style and being able to adapt on the fly. He has honed this ability enough that he can modify said configurations
on the fly or use more than one at a time.   A list of what he can do includes, but is not limited to:

Claws: Sharp enough to shred through solid steel
Blade: Shares the same sharpness level of Claws and packs more power but is harder to wield as a result.
Hammer: Incredibly destructive but rather slow and grants a limited attack range.
Drill: Can be used for tunneling and has just as much power as Blade while being more precise, but can be taken out by flanking.

Whip: Can be used for dealing with large crowds of foes and can be combined with other abilities to greatly increase their attack range. However, its maximum effectiveness requires a price of less mobility. 

They can also change their entire form into various creatures to help them in battle. One tactic they use is transforming into a swarm of insects to bypass a normally lethal attack and then counter with a barrage of bites in the shape of a storm before reforming. That said, some transformations
require him to split his consciousness between multiple hosts and as such, the sensory overload means he can only use them for a very short period before returning to his normal shape.


Flight: A side effect of his transformation power. Evergreen has learned to sprout functional wings which they can use to achieve a maximum flight speed of 100 Km/h. They can also transform into a cloud of leaves and use the air currents to achieve the same result. 

Golem Creation: Evergreen has complete control over all forms of plant life and can thus morph them into various constructs like wolves, swarms of flying insects, serpents, turrets, and so on. Although said golems are not indestructible, they have enough durability and strength to weather several
rounds of gunfire and an explosive or two before showing signs of breaking apart. A good comparison is a living suit of armor. 

These golems also share a portion of Evergreen's Healing Factor, although it is much weaker than his and without access to water or sunlight, they will remain splintered apart and eventually decay. That said, Evergreen can use the remnants of destroyed golems to reinforce and strengthen those still standing.

Size Alteration: A side effect of his power over his own density. Evergreen can alter his own size to varying degrees, building up increasing bulk and strength as he does so. He achieves this by shedding plant matter and then controlling the remnants like one would a remote. He can use this to squeeze into places
he couldn't normally go. He can also achieve the opposite by gathering plant matter and growing larger. 

It is believed that he can turn into a giant capable of smashing buildings and perhaps go even larger. It should be noted though he would only ever go this far if faced with City-Level threats or higher. 

However, the side effects include the time necessary to gather plant matter, and the fact the larger he goes, the more his mobility suffers. 

Evergreen also has total control over their own density, allowing them to pull off feats such as:

Nigh-Invulnerability: One of the uses for his Density Control is being able to reinforce the durability of his body and/or limbs to the point that he becomes almost indestructible. No form of blunt force trauma can get through his exterior in this state unless it comes from someone who is top-tier in terms of physical
strength and most types of bladed weapons will break on contact. It would take a constant pounding from energy-based weaponry to have any sort of actual effect. 

He also takes advantage of the heightened density to release far more devastating physical strikes and to serve as a shield for his comrades.

Water Walking: Evergreen can also lighten his density to be able to to walk or even run across water without worry of sinking. 

Color Change: A rather surprising use for his powers but is still valuable. Evergreen can alter his color scheme, or that of his creations, to anything he desires. He can use this to either disorient his enemies, blend himself and his creations into the surroundings for stealth purposes, and a number of other things.

Sonar Creation/Super Hearing: Can take advantage of his connection to plant life in order to listen in on distant conversations or track the movement of an enemy. As a result, he is capable of continuing a fight and countering attacks even without relying on his eyesight. 

Cyclone Creation: Another unorthodox technique, Evergreen has shown some control over wind in being able to transform either his limbs or his creations into giant wind turbines that he can then use to generate powerful cyclones. These cyclones have been shown to be strong enough to knock people off their feet, toss trucks and even pin down a powerful metahuman like Tristan for an extended period of time. 

The following ability is one of his most dangerous and he tends to reserve  only for the worst kinds of people.

Poison Attacks: Since there are many types of plants that emit poison, Evergreen also has this capability in that with but a single touch he can apply a poison that can infect his target and cause them great pain over an extensive period, even leading to death if not treated with an antidote. However, what keeps this ability from being unstoppable is the need to not only physically touch the target, but that it tends to work only on living creatures whom have exposed skin.

 [/hider]

[b]Attributes (Select one at each category):[/b]
[indent]Strength Level: 10 Tons (When using constructs, can go up to 100 tons)
Speed/Reaction Timing Level: 80 MPH
Endurance at MAXIMUM Effort: 4 Hours.
Intelligence: Above Average
Fighting Skill: Trained
[/indent]

[b]Resources:[/b] Average

[b]Weaknesses:[/b] Despite the enormous power and potential at his disposal, Jaden has a number of weaknesses, mainly related to his new physiology.

Element-based Weaknesses: Extreme Heat, Extreme Cold, and Lightning-based attacks are all quite effective against Evergreen, to the point they can even inhibit his Healing as long as he remains too close to the source of the attack. They are also much better at destroying his constructs than simple slashing or shooting. Even being in the general vicinity can make Evergreen quite uncomfortable. Lightning is particularly bad as it tends to leave him paralyzed for a short while afterwards. 

Some of his abilities are only effective on creatures that are alive and have exposed skin. If Evergreen were to, say, use Poison on a machine, it would be useless since it is not an organic creature.

Supernatural creatures seem to have an innate resistance against things like poison and could likely expel it if left alone long enough though still be left very uncomfortable. 

Sun and Water Dependence: Although Evergreen is powerful, much of his strength derives from his link to the natural world, namely the Sun and Water. Although he can operate for an extensive
period without them, he still needs to keep hydrated and so, being kept out of the light or away from water for a long enough period will start to slowly strip him of his strength and will to fight. His
constructs become easier to break and he heals only half as fast as he normally does.

Morality: Evergreen, being an extremely moral individual, does not enjoy using the more dangerous aspects of his power, even if they would make jobs easier, mostly due to risk of turning
into the very thing he wishes to stop and the chance of massive collateral damage. As such, fighting him in a populated area means he is more likely to hold back than he normally does.

[b]Supporting Characters:[/b] Adrian Maxwell: Jaden's Uncle. Runs a store tailored to the maintaining of anything garden-related. A
rather tall, well-built man who at first seems rather imposing but actually has a big heart and values his loved ones and his work.

Laura Maxwell: Jaden's Aunt. A kind, sweet woman but at the same time not somebody you want to cross and more than willing to put her foot down if she feels something is going too far. She was even the one who taught Jaden to fight for what he believes in. Despite the changes happening, she and her husband trust Jaden to do what is right and make a difference.
 
Gaia: The spirit of the Earth itself and the one responsible for giving Jaden his powers and mission. She watches over and protects all life but in recent decades her power has started to wane due to pollution and humanity's wasteful ways and as a result she has begun to lose her faith in them and distance herself from them and their affairs. Despite this, she is willing to give Jaden a chance to prove her wrong.
 
[b]Do you know how to post pictures on RPG boards?:[/b]
 
What do YOU think? XD

Sample Post:

[hider]
My name is Jaden Maxwell. I wish I could say I'm writing this down for archival purposes...but I'm not. To be honest, I'm writing this more for myself and to hold on to some shred of my sanity after all that craziness that has happened in my life over the past couple of weeks. I don't know if anybody aside from me is going to ever read this but my Aunt says this might be theraputic so I'm not gonna argue with her. Trust me, arguing with her on anything is a bad idea. 

Now, there's a lot to cover so I'll try to summarize as best I can. It all started one summer about a year after I had finished high school and had been laid off from my job working at the grocery store. I didn't blame my boss though and it wasn't any fault on my part either. It was just...well, the economy was pretty lousy at this point and so the store I worked at needed to "cut corners" if you will, and guess who was among said corners? 

Anyways, I needed something to occupy me over the summer so I decided to contact one of the clubs I used to work with and found out they were going on a week-long trip out near where a wildfire had recently destroyed a sizable chunk of the local habitats. We would plant some trees, gather some notes, and then create a presentation that would hopefully better educate people on the dangers of leaving fires unattended. 

Now, before you go accusing me of being a hippie, I'm not. In all honesty, I enjoyed a good steak or piece of fried chicken as much as the next person. I mostly went cause it meant I got to hang out with some old classmates and cause I was bored as all get out.  So yeah, I went on the trip and it was pretty standard stuff as you might imagine, and I thought it would stay the way...

It would've too...if I hadn't chosen to make one fateful decision...

We were just beginning to pack up for the night when suddenly, I heard a loud yelping. I blinked and looked up from the bag I was packing, "You guys hear that?" The others shook their heads and I decided to just shrug it off and continue packing...only to hear said yelping once again, only louder this time, and closer, "Ok, I know I'm not imagining things now!" 

"Oh no, look!" One of my friends, Jennifer, called out while pointing to the river. I took a closer look and...there was a bear cub yelping as it tried to frantically paddle through the water, but the current was strong...too strong, it seemed.  On the other side of the shore, I could see two larger bears, likely the mom and dad, roaring and trying to follow along.

For a brief moment...I felt like that small boy from so long ago...the one who could do nothing as the world took away two of the people I loved. I couldn't let this happen, so without thinking, I hauled off my coat and started making my way down to where some rocks were. Despite the protests of the others, I managed to hop over to one of them, nearly slipping into the water as I did so. The bear cub sniffling as I used my coat to catch the poor animal and keep it warm as I headed back to shore. I dropped the cub off and let it return to its family, safe and sound.

Needless to say, I got quite an earful from the others when I got back on what a stupid, irresponsible thing I'd done. Did I listen? Of course I did...but I didn't regret it either, as at least now this meant one less family would be split up. I went to sleep that night feeling pretty good about myself...that's when SHE appeared though. 

She came in my dreams. A female voice that spoke to me, "Greetings, Child Of Man...I am Gaia, Mother of the Earth."

"Umm...hello there?" I said in return. Hey, if someone greets you, it's only fair you do the same in return.

For a moment, I swore I heard a faint giggling, "Your confusion is most understandable. After all, it is not everyday that I choose to make contact with one of your kind..." I then thought I heard her sighing, "In all honesty, it is difficult for me to even remember the last time I was even capable of doing so..."

"I'm...sorry?" Ok, in all honesty I was getting more confused by the minute. 

"Do not worry yourself over minor details," I got the impression of someone giving a dismissive wave, "I speak to you now because I wish to thank you for saving one of my children...and to also ask you why."

I found myself tilting my head, "Why?"

The impression of a nod reached my mind, "Yes. I have watched your kind for a long time and I see them growing increasingly concerned only with their own needs and wants. They destroy everything I create in the name of progress and wage their wars over what they think belongs to them and them alone. I have endured this for such a long time that my power is beginning to fade...and that brings me to my question. You risked your life even knowing you got nothing out of it to save one who is not of your own kind...Why is that?"

I winced and felt myself lowering my gaze, "...Well..It wasn't for anything fancy...I just...I thought it was the right thing to do...because I know how it feels to lose someone you love. If I see somebody in front of me suffering and I have the ability to do something about it but choose not to...well, I don't think I'd be able to live with myself."

"Hmm...you do realize that even if you save one family from being split apart, that does not mean you can save all of them, correct?" It wasn't accusatory. She was just asking.

"I'm not stupid, Miss Gaia. I know I can't solve everything on my own..." I shook my head, "But that doesn't mean I should just stand by and do nothing either....even if it seems hopeless...you have to try, no matter what."

"Hmm...." For the longest time, the voice went quiet, as if pondering something. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, it spoke again, "I see...you intrigue me, Child Of Man...and as such, I will charge you with the task of being my emissary among the humans..." With that, a bright green light appeared before me, "Take this...the Seed Of Gaia...use its power and prove to me that both humans and the Earth can co-exist together some day."

"Huh? What are you-" Before I had a chance to finish, the light went into my chest, causing me to wince, "H-Hey!!"

The dream started to warp, "Our time together is almost up...the rest is up to you, my champion..." With that, the dream faded...

I awoke from my sleep and for the next couple days, nothing happened, and before long, I had, for the most part, put the experience behind me...at least until I returned home. The moment I went into my Aunt and Uncle's garden, something just felt...off. You know that feeling you get when you're on stage during a concert or a show and you got everyone's eyes on you? Well, that's kind of what I was feeling...only it was happening while I was walking among the flora in the garden. Yeah, it was a pretty creepy feeling, to the extent I imagined that plant monster from Little Shop Of Horrors was gonna appear and try to eat me. 

Shuddering, I turned and headed in doors...but not before I caught, for a split second, one of the plants slightly turning, as if watching my every move. Trying to keep my head on straight, I went to my room and dug out one of my old Superman comics and relaxed on my bed for a bit. 

Just as I was fishing around in a bag of potato chips though, I heard a loud smash downstairs. Curiosity getting the better of me, I crept down the stairs and peeked into the living room...only to see a sight that made my blood turn cold. Several men were surrounding my Aunt and Uncle, the latter of whom was lying against the wall with a bloody noise and one of the men was restraining my Aunt despite her putting up a fight. 

"Alright, that's enough!" One of the burlier guys cried as he pulled out a gun, "Don't make this any harder than it has to be! Just give us what we want already!" 

Seeing the phone lying on the table not far from me, I cautiously crept towards it...only to suddenly feel someone grab me from behind, "Hey boss! Look who we got here!" I found myself dragged out into the living room and upon seeing me, my Aunt's face went as white as snow, "It appears we had a rat ready to tattle on us!"

"Oh? We can't have that now, can we?" The supposed leader of the group remarked as he turned his gun on me.

"W-Wait!" My Uncle groaned as he wiped the blood from his nose, "I'll give you whatever you want...just don't hurt my family..."

The man chuckled, "Good man. That wasn't so hard, see? Come along now...you guys bring the old hag and the other guy." We found ourselves being dragged towards the fireplace where an old portrait lied on the wall. My Uncle removed said portrait to reveal a small safe set in the wall. With a gun at his back, my Uncle input the combination and opened it up before being roughly shoved aside as the man grabbed all the money inside. 

"...Aunt Laura.." I whispered in her direction, "...How long have you had that much money...?"

My Aunt was quiet for a second, looking away as if ashamed of herself for some reason, "...I'm sorry, Jaden...we wanted to tell you sooner...but we were saving that money up so you could go to a good college..."

For a moment, my heart seemed to stop beating. They...they had always been thinking about me, and now we were all gonna die...why was this world so unfair? First, my Mom and Dad were taken from me and now this? No...No, I wouldn't accept this! I would never accept a world built on such cruelty! 

[i]You don't have to...[/i]

I looked up. Did I just imagine a voice in my head? "Keep your head to the floor!" I yelped in pain as I found myself smacked upside the head and knocked to the floor. 

"There!" My Uncle finally found the courage to speak up, "You got what you want, now please leave my family alone! We won't call the police either!" 

"I have no doubt you won't..." The leader remarked with a nod before glaring over at me, "But I'm not so sure of the little snitch over there...in fact, I think we should make an example of him...pick him up, boys!" My relatives screamed in protest but were unable to do anything as I was picked up and restrained. I tried to fight only to get punched hard in the chest several times. Was this really how it was all gonna end for me? 

The leader of the men raised his gun...and I heard a loud gunshot...as a bright red spot formed on my chest. Complete silence reigned over everything as it seemed like the world had come to a stop. I should've felt everything going black...I should've slumped over and accepted the inevitable...but for some reason, I refused. 

[i]No...I'm not dying...not here...[/i] I forced myself to stand and as I did, the guys holding me backed off, looking as pale as ghosts. One look down revealed that the hole in my chest was rapidly closing up. "B-Boss! What's going on?!!" 

"I-I...kill him! Kill that freak!" The boss and two of his men fired upon me. I noticed nearly a dozen holes open up on me...and yet I felt hardly anything. I walked forward as the wounds closed up even faster this time. I didn't care what happened to me. I just wanted these monsters, these pathetic excuses for human beings to pay for their crimes.  I took off at the leader and slammed into him with enough force to knock him against the wall and hold him up with one hand. 

"Boss!" Two of his men, briefly regaining whatever courage they had, went on the attack, trying to pry me off him but I simply threw them aside with as much effort as swatting a fly. I casually tossed the boss over my shoulder and he crashed into the wall hard enough to shatter some of the plaster. "You demon!" One of the men got in the way and managed to stab me in the chest with a knife...like the guns, it did jack squat and I sent him flying with a swipe of my arm.

I advanced on the boss once more who looked ready to wet himself as he backed up against the wall, scared so much I swore he might have a heart attack on me. "I...oh man...dude...it...easy there...it was all a joke, ok? I'm sorry...listen, you can have the money back and hey, I'll give you even more money! I...I'll turn over a new leaf, I promise!" 

Before I could reply, the goons all jumped me at the same time...but I could take no more. The rage boiled over and the floorboards exploded as giant vines and roots shot out and pinned all of my foes to the walls. It would've been so easy to just snap all their necks right now and end their scourge upon the world...

"Jaden! Please stop!" But a familiar pair of voices brought me back to reality. I turned to see my folks standing there, huddled together, yet still staring me down, "...Please...this isn't you..." My Uncle remarked, trembling, "You're not a killer....you're better than that, and you know it.." He held his wife close, "Come back to us...please..."

The words I heard managed to give me clarity. I let the men fall to the ground as the vines retreated back underground. The power faded...but it didn't disappear. I found myself collapsing to my knees and looking at my trembling hands, unable to comprehend what I'd just done, "I...I...oh god no...I...what on earth am I...?" I was too hysterical to even think straight, and the rest of the night passed in a blur. The police came and took away the would-be murderers into custody. I stayed in my room with my Aunt who did her best to console me.
 
I explained to my Aunt and Uncle what had happened and what we were going to do from here. It was quickly agreed upon I needed to learn control as if I blew up in a public place and couldn't keep my new powers on a leash...yeah, it was NOT gonna go over well. So yeah, the next couple weeks passed and with each day I found myself gaining greater control and discovering new aspects of my power....which both excited yet scared me. Plants grew when I wanted them to, or I could cause them to revert back to seeds. I could change the properties of fruit and veggies, trees bent to my will, and so on. Of course, as I had found out that first night it was very VERY difficult to deal any sort of lasting harm to me...as long as it wasn't fire but I accidentally learned I could amplify my healing with some water.
 
My powers grew by leaps and bounds, and even my own body was changing, becoming closer to a plant than a human. I found this out when I accidentally made flowers bloom out of my own arm. Needless to say, I felt like a mix between Green Lantern and Plastic Man...which is exactly as terrifying as it sounded.
 
Before long, I was putting my powers to work, revitalizing dead crops and bringing life wherever I could. It was small steps but it was something at least.
 
Lately though, I been hearing reports about...well, people showing up dead with all the blood drained from them, leaving nothing but husks. I'm not gonna lie, I'm likely to have nightmares about that for quite a while. Something about this isn't right, and I intend to get to the bottom of it any way I can. First thing tomorrow, I got some investigating to do.
 
To those of you who somehow found this, thanks for listening. This is Jaden Maxwell, alias Evergreen, signing off for now. [/hider]