Lotus Tansy D11 {done}

Short legs dangle from the branch as a tiny, short arms wrap around the truck of the tree holding herself up. Light brown eyes lock on the ground judging the distance deciding if it was safe to fall. A gentle breeze rustled her long, thick, curly auburn hair hanging over her shoulder in a lose braid created by her mother. The corner of her tiny pink lips twisted into a large smile flashing her crooked, yellow teeth for only a moment before inhaling and allowing as much air as possible to fill her lungs. Ants crawled along her dirt stained cracked fingernails. Dirt covered almost her entire body, yet she was one of the happiest girls alive. Lotus didn't have much, but in her mind she had the world. Body order radiated rapidly from the pores of her body from the lack of shower. Only on special occasions did she bathe, yet she took as much time needed to survive in the world. The outdoors was her home, and Lotus enjoyed every single second of it. Using her tiny body to climb high into the trees gathering the oranges nobody else could reach.

Lotus stands roughly five foot tall and weighs around eighty to ninety pounds. Many nights she goes to sleep with her stomach growling begging for a bite to eat. Every time she closed her eyes she wondered if it would be her last. But she did many things to keep herself distracted. During the calm nights, Lotus gathered her family together for a night of joy and praise for surviving another day. Her soft voice echoed through the sky as words fell from her lips in a song taught to her by her parents. The bottoms of her dress twirl around let legs. It was only a moment yet it made her forget about the world she lived in. Slightly dark skin covered her body from the many days standing in the sun working for food. Only when she sang Lotus found the true meaning behind the dancing and ways of life. Fragile toes hold her frail body on top of them as she twirls with her arms spread wide. District eleven didn't have much to offer, yet it offered a chance to view the world differently instead of only black and white.

Yet in the blink of an eye it all fell apart crashing down as her lungs tightened making it hard to breathe. A dust storm ran through the district almost suffocating her, yet the quick hands of the healers saved her. Any time of vigorous exercise triggered the tightening of her chest and lungs. Yet she carried on dancing. Taming her legs to do as she wanted, and soon her lungs cooperated a little more each and every time. But the heat and humidity made it hard. When beads of sweat stuck to the side of her face, Lotus leaned forward with her hands pinned against her legs fighting to open her lungs. Through all of it, Lotus prevailed and turned into a strong being. One laced with joy and pride. One who didn't care what others thought of her looks. Because behind the slab of skin, and visible ribs was a heart of gold waiting to help anyone who was in need. Her love was for her family, and many times she went without so her younger siblings could survive. During the harsh winters when the icy chills crashed through the shattered windows, Lotus stayed awake making sure they were warm by tending the fire. Heavy bags sat awkwardly under her eyes, but it was worth the pain because nothing mattered except friends and family.

When Lotus was a young girl, before the birth of her youngest sister, one of her friends had suffered a devastating loss. Her parents vanished from the face of the earth without a trace. It didn't take long for Lotus' parents to welcome her into the family. For a while Lotus had trouble adapting since she realized her friend was a part of her large growing family. The bond between the two quickly turned from a friendship into sisters despite having no relations with one another. Together they danced around the campfires singing songs their families wrote in the past before passing them down from one generation to another. And together they gathered plants needed for food. Lotus had a wonderful father loving enough to show her the differences. It became a mission. A snack. A place to survive as the world turned into a horrible storm around them all. With the hope the three victors brought came great sorrow. Yet Lotus didn't give up. As long as her lungs allowed her to breathe, hope flickered inside her. All she wanted was the chance to save the lives of those who saved her.

Time and time again Lotus traveled from the tiny house into the district looking for anything to help. Every stray animal she caught running in front of her, she'd take home as a pet hoping to raise it away from the cruel world. It broke her heart into many pieces when any creature died. Many times tears fell from her eyes as she did all she could to save the dying cat across the street. But Lotus wasn't a god - she wasn't worthy of being called a god because miracles weren't performed by her hands, and her life was filled with sin. Sometimes the rotten fruit just looked too good to throw away. It was better than starving to death at home while nobody did anything to stop it. Even from a young age, Lotus realized how important food was, but stealing from the Capitol wasn't worth the consequences. She wasn't a mean person, and she didn't want to break the law, but harm her family, and the consequences didn't matter. The keepers of peace could reprimand her any way they wanted as long as her family was free of harm.

Her family was her life. The twin brothers, her two younger sisters, and even her adopted sister. Lotus did everything for them. She worked hard in school to keep her education going even though she hated going because of the many bullies at school. At one point Lotus almost quit completely because it wasn't worth the time going and trying hard while others made fun of her. It was a shame, really, knowing everyone came from the same place just different backgrounds. But she made the best of it by refusing to acknowledge any of them, and eventually they stopped because the attention they once received was gone. Yet the moment she arrived home it was straight to work on the orange orchard her father owned. It never brought in a lot of money, but it was always enough to keep her mind off the horrible future lingering in front of her. Shortly after turning sixteen her mother became ill, and suddenly passed away. The cause wasn't known and remained a mystery to this day. Her world turned upside down until she found an escape in reading and sharing stories and memories with the younger members of her family.

It was during those dark hours Lotus found a friend outside of her family. A man by the name Tobias Miristioma. During school she stayed by his side talking and learning more about him and his family. And after classes when the harvest wasn't taking place, they'd walk together through the district telling stories. It took a lot for her to build up the courage to trust him because of the many times she had been hurt, but soon it was easy. A simple word turned into a sentence, and now she was able to dive head first into a full conversation without any problems. Secretly, Lotus has feelings for him, yet the fear of falling in love right after losing her mother kept her from revealing them. It was shortly after Kirito won the games. Shortly after the district eleven fell into a trap of holding onto too much hope. During school it was taught that every good thing must come to an end eventually, and Lotus knew that first hand, but she never expected the reality to come from the death of her friend's younger brother. Lotus kept her distance because the death of her mother was still so fresh, yet the feeling of knowing Tobias lost his brother in order to smash the hope shattered every bone living inside her. But she was there for him like he was there for her and she wanted to return the favor.

Putting it all aside, Lotus loved cooking. All it took was gathering enough rotten oranges and some dandelions and smashing them all together before mixing it with some boiled water. It definitely wasn't the best tasting stuff in the world, but it was always enough to get them through the day. One meal was all she ever received, and then it was only small portions. But even then the cries of her youngest sister echo through her mind as she begged for something more to eat. After the meal finished, and everyone had a portion to eat, Lotus wrapped her youngest sister up in blankets and sung away any pain and misery. Singing was a distraction. It was something so much more than a hobby because it allowed her the chance to forget about the world for a moment. It even became a ritual. When she woke up in the mornings, Lotus made her way to her youngest sister's room first. Her dirt stained hands ran through her hair sweeping away all the tangles before sending her into the kitchen while her sister from another mother helped with the twins. Lotus had lived a tough life, but she held to hope and prayed that one day she'd have a brighter future.