"So," Quake breathed, stretching her arms, "what do you know of your powers?"
Thunderstorm stood stiffly, the dried leaves under her feet crinkling and snapping. Shadows of forests basked her in a blanket of shade, fragments of sunlight donning onto her tanned face like gold.
She stared at her empty palm, her dormant abilities choppy and unstable within her veins. "They're lightning," she said dumbly. She expected a sigh, or the shake of a head, but Quake did neither. Instead, she listened intently, with the patience that Thunderstorm could only imagine. "And they can make swords, increase my speed a little for a short while, and stun enemies."
"That's it?" Quake pursed her lip. She tilted her head, curious of the new information that might be lacking despite her ignorance.
Thunderstorm's face burned. "That's it." She was grateful that they chose a secluded forest that no other human could see, or she'd be a laughing stock. Quake had created a special barrier so humans wouldn't be capable of seeing them.
The geokinetic chose not to reply, instead turning towards another end of the clearing, her fingers cracking as she prepped for her first training.
"Well," she said softly, turning to Thunderstorm vaguely for a smile, "here's your first lesson: survive my attacks for twenty minutes."
Without any further warning, clumps of earth gathered on Quake's arms, and she slammed her fist onto the ground.
Spikes emerged as the floor rumbled, sprouting in Thunderstorm's direction. Alarmed, Thunderstorm raised her arms to defend herself, but the pillars scraped her forearms as it sent her flying towards the one tree. The tree shook, bringing dead leaves down, but the attacks never stopped.
With no other choice, Thunderstorm's eyes glowed unstably; like a broken headlight in the dark; and she threw her body to the right, dodging the earth spikes as they impaled the poor tree.
Thunderstorm regained her balance, and she broke into a run. The spies pursued her, and Quake stood amongst it all, at the center of the destruction. Was this destruction? Or was it creation? She creates to destroy. She is of both worlds.
As potent her powers may serve, they were untrained and raw. Her powers refused to cooperate, her speed breaking apart within untimed intervals. In the heat of the moment, her head run with questions. She now saw the problem to her abilities. She had yet to master her powers.
Twenty minutes later, the training exercise stopped, and Thunderstorm was left bruised, exhausted and bleeding. Her legs shook with exhaustion, but her heart was still rattled with fear and understanding: she was inexperienced.
The spikes entered the ground like roots descending to its cave, leaving nothing but the void of grass. Only rich, brown soil remained, of which will house new life once more.
Quake knelt and offered her hand, her knuckles calloused and red from her attacks. Her forehead was moist, though she appeared to contain more energy than she expended.
"You see your problem now?" she asked.
Thunderstorm took her hand, now hauled up by her mentor. "Yeah," she said breathlessly, mind spinning. "I just don't know how I didn't see it before."
Quake ruffled her hair, mixing dirt and grime into her black mass of hair. "That means you're improving," she encouraged her. "You did well. Compared to our first time, you did better."
Our first time. The battle on the golem, the fight for the city. It was also the war that was set against Thunderstorm, led by her former allies.
Her expression darkened, shoulders slacking at the mere thought. An unrecognized anger bubbled in her chest, bearing the thought to destroy all the liars once and for all.
It was strange, for to Quake, nothing was changed. Thunderstorm's expression didn't budge, all that changed was her determination and motive, the one thought that drove her to become stronger. She was the element of lightning, the passer of judgement with no hesitation.
"Thank you," Thunderstorm said flatly.
"Alright." Quake shrugged, flexing her shoulders. "If you go to the right, you'll find Ice somewhere. She'll teach you... whatever she teaches. I don't know about that girl." She ushered her towards the direction she was mentioning, but all Thunderstorm saw was more fields with no one in sight.
Thunderstorm followed her instructions, with no questions bearing into mind. She could trust Quake, she could trust them, couldn't she? They were the ones that were there for her.
After a few steps, she heard the crackle of ice, the shattering of frost. Surprised, she turned backwards to check on Quake, but all she saw were more fields, and no Quake nor her powerful earth powers.
Huh, she thought, but not anymore. She continued walking on, until she could see a slender figure moving daintily, shooting arrows of ice with grace and class. Ice may be gentle, but the power she possessed was not to be trifled with. Create to Destroy. That was their pattern.
Ice was beautiful, and so were her creations. Her golems, her glaciers, her bow; they were all beyond description. And beyond those beauty was the cold truth, the merciless façade of one that destroys.
As Ice shot the final arrow she conjured, she slid the bow over her back, Captain America style, and turned towards Thunderstorm. There was frost spreading all over her body, her skin, but her right arm was made totally of ice, translucent like a crystal.
"You survived Quake," she said. "That's nice." She crossed her arms, as if expecting Thunderstorm to display some overpowered skills of her own.
Thunderstorm suddenly felt like a toddler watching professionals work. She felt raw in her own skin, like a shy child asking their parents for help with their grammar homework.
"You're amazing." Thunderstorm looked away, insecure of her own abilities.
Ice said nothing, but her cold eyes were on another direction too.
"On the battlefield, there's no time for self-doubt." Ice raised her icy palm to the sky, and a figure began to sculpt itself out of ice, like a snowman building itself. "Find your rhythm and confidence."
Thunderstorm drew a sharp breath. The ice sculpture looked exactly like her.
Ice folded her hands behind her back. "Quake's level was just to get you ready. If you can't defeat yourself, you're going to be stuck with me until you do."
Thunderstorm looked at her and back to the Icy Thunderstorm, and gulped in fear.
This was going to be a long day.
YOU ARE READING
How To Be Me (boboiboy galaxy)
Fanfiction"You say you want to save people, but you can't even save yourself." Thunderstorm looked down to her hands, but all she could see was red.
