One-Shots [Boboiboy]

Never Like Him

"If there's anything we can do, please tell us," he whispers, voice barely reaching from the sound of the wind. "We can't bear to see you go."

Thunderstorm's gaze was cast aside, his form glitching in sparks of electricity. Though he never spoke about it, his condition was loud and clear for the others: deformation. Sometimes elementals were too far forgotten to be salvaged, and it's because the user no longer has use for them.

"I can," he whispered. "You're needed here. I'm not, Earthquake. Everything will be the same once I'm gone, maybe better. Blaze went before, right? This isn't the first, but maybe the last."

Quake fell silent at his words, for he was correct. Blaze was indeed the first one to go, as there were no more battles to be fought, nor worries to be stressed over. They were devastated over their first loss.

Now they were going to face the next.

"It's best if you all just never forgave me for whatever horrible thing I did to you," Thunderstorm continued, a bitter smile rising onto his expression. "At least you won't feel as sad. I don't want you all to cry over me."

Tears sprung to Quake's eyes, as there were no more miracles to give. This was the final time that Thunderstorm was going to speak to him.

Gently, Thunderstorm took Quake's hands into his. "Please, just don't forgive me."

Quake shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "I-I can't," he croaked. "You're part of us, and that will never change."

He clenched Thunderstorm's hands tighter, but his hands phased right through his flesh, as if they were mere projections of light. Quake looked up to him, alarmed, but Thunderstorm's face was neutral.

As he started to fade into nothingness, Thunderstorm smiled at him; a final, genuine smile of serenity, before he disappeared right before Quake's eyes.

* * *

However the way things turn out, there was indeed another fight to be tackled with. This reacquainted old emotions, and sparked new interests.

Stress and anger. They were returning, which meant they would return to. Two old faces that they hadn't seen in some time.

Thunderstorm was the first to return.

He manifested in the living room, like all the other elementals did, and fell to the floor, adapting to his new form. At the time, Thorn and Solar occupied the couch, and they nearly fell off their seats from the new elemental's arrival. But it wasn't a new element at all.

"Thunder!" Thorn cried, shooting to his feet. The book in his lap fell, but not even Solar paid any mind to the fallen papers. "You're back!"

The new electric elemental shirked from their enthusiasm, though Solar approached him with more wariness.

"Yeah… Please don't tell me I'm going to be living with you people," he groused. "So, you're the older elementals here?"

Solar instantly noticed that something was off. "Well, yes." He put his arm in front of Thorn, ready to protect him. "And you are?"

Despite being an exact duplicate of their old Thunderstorm, this version was more serious and less kind, though he never appeared to be anyway.

"My name's Storm," he scoffed. "Stay out of my way, got that?"

"Yeah," Solar grumbled. "Whatever you say."

Without further ado, Storm crossed his arms and strode towards their living quarters, with Thunderstorm's old room door lighting up with his new insignia, the doors opening with no hesitation. After Storm entered, the door slammed shut, signalling that their owner is occupying the space.