Boboiboy: Elemental Tales

Return to Us: Hope

I'm back, bringing with me a longer-than-average chapter to make up for my absence! (Though admittedly, in this case, quantity does not equal quality.) If you spot any plot holes, feel free to let me know so I can plug them up! It's rather easy for them to pop up in this part. Otherwise, enjoy!

***

It wasn't till several weeks later that Ice realised something about the hated glass tubes, and even then it was only thanks to the temperature-orientated nature of his power that he noticed.

As a means of cold resistance, his body temperature was always lower than that of the average human being. Of course, he'd lost that particular aspect of his powers along with all the rest when they were blocked by Pemberontak - which brought him to his next point.

The block presumably had to be lifted whenever Pemberontak wanted to use the elemental powers, which was probably another reason Ice was always unconscious during those periods. But Ice had noticed that for one moment, as he passed over the tube's threshold - just one split second - his body felt familiarly cold. He'd concluded that a forcefield spanning the interior of the tube blocked his powers until he was unconscious, and another object did the same when he was outside, but on the threshold - the bridge between inside and outside - there was nothing.

In other words, for one split second, he was free to use his powers.

His third point: one day, in a fit of boredom, some guards had taken to jeering and teasing him. They didn't realise it, but from their cruel taunts he had gleaned one crucial piece of information: the object that blocked his powers was the black collar around his neck. Therefore, if he could get it off (via the lock at the back), he would be free to use his powers again at all times.

And the key point that brought it all together: when he was still with TAPOPS, Ice had learned to freeze water inside keyholes to create an exact replica of the corresponding key.

Pun not intended.

***

One small advantage Ice now had was that the guards no longer watched him as closely as they used to, thanks to his (reluctantly planned) lack of recent escape attempts. It meant that he could get away with more - 'more' being hopefully enough to pull off his plan.

As Ice was led to the now-familiar room for the umpteenth time, he reached a hand up to the back of his neck, as if to absentmindedly scratch at it. He stepped as slowly as he dared into the glass tube to hopefully increase his time.

When he was exactly halfway through the opening, he felt it - a gentle, almost unnoticeable rush of coolness throughout his body. Having previously angled his hand to "scratch" while hiding the lock from view, he summoned water that completely filled the keyhole and then froze it. Step 1, the most difficult part, complete.

Ice turned exactly half a circle to face the doorway, as was the position required by the guards. His hand and the keyhole were now facing the wall. Disguising it as another scratch, he twisted his fingers to turn the icy key, and felt a light pop with no small amount of satisfaction. Step 2, complete. Time to wait.

He brought his hand down, keeping the collar around his neck as if nothing had happened, and the guards moved in to do his restraints. The key would melt naturally while he was unconscious; when he was released, no one would notice it amidst the usual frost.

Relieved and elated that his plan had worked, Ice allowed the darkness to claim him.

***

A few nights later, when for once no one was around to see, Ice gently pulled at the sides of his collar. It came off with a small click, and suddenly welcome cold was rushing through his body again. He had never been so happy to sneeze snow before.