(A/N) Element is one of my favorite stories. I can't seem to write it very well, though. It's a post-apocalyptic place where some people have power over various things in nature.
Stuff that'll help this make sense: shadows, or the Shadow Tribe, are mostly not very nice. They're usually the enemies in the story. The Light Palace people keep them from causing too much trouble. They usually don't get along very well.
So, here you go! Hope it's not too terrible!
I run as fast as I can. Nowhere specific. Just away. Away from her.
I don’t want to be seen, I don’t want to be heard
Why did she show up at that moment? I’d kept my secret safe for so long...
I don’t want you to see any part of my hurt
I finally collapse, gasping, against the side of a building. I can tell this isn’t a very nice area, but I don’t care. I can handle worse.
I’m just a shadow, I walk alone
I blink back tears. I ran into some bandit types. I guess I seem like a good target, no weapons or anything. They didn’t expect me to cut them off with their own shadows. I remember they’d just run away, screaming. I didn’t hurt them, didn’t need to. But I hadn’t realized someone was watching.
“Ray?” I heard a confused voice call my name. I turned to see Aria, watching as the darkness settled back into place. I didn’t wait to see what she thought. I just ran for it.
In light there were others, but now I’m on my own
Coming back to the present, I realize my shirt collar is soaked. Geez, I’m pathetic. I don’t even know for sure that she’ll reject me. Well, really, I do. Nobody wants to be friends, or even acquaintances, with a shadow.
I didn’t choose my path, it was chosen for me
For the most part, I don’t mind. But it gets lonely sometimes... and Aria is – was – the first friend I’d had in a long time.
But this is how I was born, so this is how I’ll be
I hear a noise and look up. It’s Aria. Why did she follow me?! I stand and turn to run, but she catches my wrist, stopping me.
You know that I’m different? That I can’t be the same?
“Ray, don’t run away,” she pleads.
“Why shouldn’t I?” I ask, trying and failing to pull away. “I’m a shadow, why would you want me around?”
“I don’t care if you’re a shadow!” I freeze.
Are you the one who will take away my pain?
“You don’t?”
“Of course not!” She pauses. “If I let go, you won’t run away, will you?”
I’m silent a moment. “No.” She releases my wrist, and I turn to face her, rubbing some feeling back into my hand. Her grip is insane.
“I want to show you something.” She cups her hands and focuses. A few seconds later, a glowing ball appears.
I am the shadows, you are the light
My eyes grow wide. “You’re light palace?” She smiles slightly and nods. “Then why are you even talking to me? We’re enemies! You should hate me for being Shadow Tribe!”
“I need more reason than that to hate such a great person.”
It’s a strange thing to happen, but somehow it’s right
“That’s nice of you to say, but...”
“I mean it! Ray-” She’s cut off as thunder cracks nearby. Rain starts pouring on us.
Aria shrieks and clings to me. I resist the urge to laugh and pull us into the building next to us. “You okay?” I ask her. She’s still clinging to my arm.
“Y-yeah. I just don’t like thunder.”
You light up my heart, I’ll hide you from fear
I sigh, sitting with her on an old bench and pulling her close. “Fine, I’ll stick around until it stops raining.”
“Are you going to leave after that?” She looks at me worriedly.
I think for a moment. “Not if you don’t want me to,” I reply.
She smiles and takes my other hand. “Then stay.”
“Okay.”
I know I’ll be happy as long as you’re near
