Elemental Academy: Rushing Waves (Silver Year)

Chapter 17: Solution

"I love you, Pacifia."

"E-eh?"

"Sorry if this came as a shock to you. Though, this is how I feel, and I just had to tell you."

"But I—"

"Don't tell me. I just wanted to let you know how I felt."

I woke up. It was a really odd dream. I looked at Flow under me. He was sleeping calmly, if you can call sleeping over the blanket "calmly." Does anyone do that? I mean, the blanket's there for a reason.

I got out of bed. Sleeping was something I just couldn't do tonight, not with that crazy dream. I didn't know who they were. I mean, they seemed familiar, but I couldn't make them out. I walked towards River's bed. I sat down on her bunk and started poking her shoulder. "Ugh... come on... let me sleep." I continued poking her. "Nngh... Pacifia?"

"Hey there Rapids. Not sorry to bother you, but do you have time to talk?"

"Well, I guess, since you just made time for us to talk!"

"Wonderful!" I sat closer in. When talking with River I can spend up to an hour and a half. This'll be fun...

"I had this dream that made me wake up..."

"Was it a nightmare?"

"Well, not in that sense..."

"Well, why did it wake you up?"

"In that dream, someone told me they loved me."

"Who?"

"That's the issue. It sounded like someone I knew, but I couldn't recognize them."

"That isn't really that bad, if you think about it."

"Yeah, but there's some things my friends have been through..."

"Angel and Zap?"

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Eh. Angel's got friends. Her friends have friends. Their friends have friends. Some of them are friends of mine. It's a little pathway that leads to here."

"That's interesting."

"I understand why the idea of love is just unsettling for you right now. They seemed inseperable, didn't they?"

"Anyone who knew their past would say they were inseperable. Though I guess things just happened here and there, and they just couldn't take it anymore. I feel bad. They seemed really happy together."

"That's love for you," River said. "Those Love Elementals, not even they have it all down. It's so complicated, I might even daresay not even the Lord of Love has even had it all. There's always that one mysterious force that affects love."

"A mysterious force?"

"Something of the sort."

"Do you think an... actual force can affect love?"

"It's likely."

"So..." I coughed. "Hypothetically, if there were these random figures with dark energy, could they manipulate emotions and love?"

"Hypothetically, yes."

"Realistically?"

"Maybe."

I thought to when those figures could have done something. We don't know what happened to Zap, though he seemed as normal as ever. So what could have affected those two?

I'm not thinking straight. Maybe they were just getting frustrated at each other. But I don't think that's right. I know them. I know that they loved—no love,—each other a lot, and it must have been manipulation that changed their relationship.

💧 Dark Zone 💧

One more thing. Four thirty in the morning.

"Angel."

"What?" She let out a yawn as she stared at me.

"Had those figures ever touch you?"

"Well, I think during our first fight one of them got me, but it was only slightly, and I hardly even noticed it."

"I think that it has something to do with—"

"Can we talk about this later? I'm still a bit... tired..." she laid back down. "Good... morning?" She went to sleep. Meanwhile, I ran to the Electric Zone.

💧 Electric Zone 💧

"Brutally harassed."

"Seriously?"

"No, but it was a tough fight. I finally managed to strike it enough so that it left me alone. It was a good chunk of time, and by the time you two came to me, it was just coming back, and so I, you know, saved you two. I only said to go quickly because I didn't want either of you to suffer. Though it did get a couple of hits on me. It felt odd afterwards."

I felt great. I felt like I knew exactly what happened. I quickly said, "Thanks, Zap! You're the best!"

"Um... okay."

That last sentence may have been unnecessary, but I was in a good mood.

Maybe I can get them back together!