<div class="floatright">(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_et9ttl8zdzQ/TD_-vwBMOGI/AAAAAAAAN5E/eP7JumXuE2M/s1600/1a3f651e06434edab4aee510aaf9f5b6.jpg)</div><br/>Michelle wandered her way over to the waterfall, taking a seat nearby to stare at the shimmer of the sunlight pouring down the cascading rush of angry river.  Even though she'd always felt at least some degree of connection with nature itself, it was something that her father had only discussed a handful of times, and her mother not at all.  She remembered some of the playful jokes where her father had explained just what a tree was, which brought a grin out of her even now.<br/><br/>She rested her back against one of the palm trees as she let herself think back, wondering how he'd think of her actions so far.  More than anything, she wanted him to be proud of her, but sometimes she had absolutely no idea just what he wanted of her.  Even if she doubted that he wanted anything more than for her to fulfill her own destiny, and she knew that he would never actually tell, it didn't sate that little nibbling curiosity that stayed close to her heart.<br/><br/>The water looked so cool, so serene.  She wanted to go swimming, but she wasn't wearing a swimsuit and she didn't have any idea when everything would start.  A quick dip would absolutely help with this flustering heat that was starting to bother her.  America was called the Sunshine state, but she remembered how the Aztecs saw the sun as an angry, oppressive force that needed to be placated.  Somehow it seemed more apt the closer she got to the equator.<br/><br/>She couldn't help but grin, slipping off her clothes into a vast pile next to the palm tree until she wore only the lucky necklace, which she tied more tightly in a knot to ensure its grip upon her body before she splashed into the river.  Her body moved with sinuous grace, strong enough to keep up with the rushing current with only what looked like minimal effort upon her part, rapidly pushing forth in an attempt to see if she could somehow manage to force her way up to the cascading water.