Theo sighed as the latest book returned to the bookshelf beside the fireplace.
"Another journey ended.", he said plainly, "I usually don't do cliffhangers, but I feel like the last chapter of that book was hard enough to read to myself."
As the book slid into place, the book on the bookstand had another part of the gem on its cover lit up grabbing Theo's attention.
"Another series down even though it was a little bit short, but what the hey? Two more series and one more novelization left to go.", Theo reminded himself, "Then I can finally get back to where and when I need to be."
Theo looked out into the vast emptiness of Subspace and the foreboding feeling returned. He had tried ignoring it, but lately it had gotten a lot stronger. Something evil was stirring out there and he was running out of time.
"Alright magic bookshelf, where do I go now?", Theo asked.
The fire in the fireplace crackled and flickered as if to try and soothe him and a plate of cookies and a glass of lemonade appeared on a stand near his chair. Theo helped himself to a couple before a book with a cover that looked like a mix of blue and reddish orange slid out and came to his hands. Before Theo opened the book, he felt a stir and as if like magic, the area he had occupied shook like a quake had happened.
"Oh no, its already happening.", Theo said with worry growing in his voice, "I need to get this tale and the rest completed before it gets too out of hand or I'll have a multiversal catastrophe on my hands."
Quickly, he got the book open only to see it was blank and with a note attached. Theo ignored the book and opened the note.
"Opposites attract, but religion can tear it asunder. Yet you're victorious if you have feelings of wonder.", Theo read while looking a bit curious, "Well, this hasn't happened in a while. Wonder what I'll find here?"
As if to answer him, the book warped him away completely ignoring the dark presence that had begun manifesting far off in some dark corner of the plane of existence.
"So Tentacular failed. Just another unfortunate setback. Theo thought he could avoid me back in that realm of altered horrors, but once I can get strong enough, I'll show him what a real horror is really like."
Then the manifestation faltered a little bit and whoever was on the other end wasn't too thrilled.
"Yet another setback I see. Well how fortunate for you Theo, your little team of altered horrors bought you more time. For now."
/
Theo felt a strong fog overcome him and when he opened his eyes, he was standing on what looked like a dock for ships as the fog started to lift in the early morning hours. A sound grabbed his ears and he looked upward to see what looked like a blimp make its way to the city that was emerging from the clouds. Towering skyscrapers with large windmills, buildings with plants growing from them, and high-speed waterways. Sounds of boats and balloons came to Theo's ears and couldn't help but notice those things making their way to the dock. Theo then felt a bit sparky and looked at his reflection in a puddle nearby and saw his whole body was covered in sparkling small stars while his eyes looked normal and wearing what looked like a sweatshirt zipped up to reveal a bolt of lightning across the chest. He unzipped it to reveal a black shirt underneath with another bolt of lightning across the front that was white.
"This is weird.", he thought, "What kind of thing am I?"
Then he felt a wave of heat behind him and he turned to see a couple of short people looking like they were made entirely of fire walking his way. One was male and the other was female with both carrying a couple suitcases and a lantern with a blue flame.
"I think I'll follow them. They might know what's going on here.", Theo said quietly to himself.
As Theo followed the couple to what looked like an immigration building, he noticed air elements coming out of a blimp overhead and when it dropped from deflation, new ones came in and it blew up again. A huge sub came up and opened its front to let a large splash of water which emerged people made of water. Most moved on to the building, but a couple stayed behind.
"I think this is yours."
"Thanks. Have a wetter day."
Theo had taken a couple more steps when a large splash came over him making him flinch and lift his hand. The stars on his hand sparked into larger ones and the splash of water halted and slid down an invisible wall. As Theo put his hand down and calmed down, the remaining droplets fell harmlessly to the dock. As amazed as he was by this, he noticed the couple had gotten ahead. Theo started a dash only to find he had taken a couple of steps before just a few feet behind them where he halted himself.
/
Inside the immigration building, Theo noticed a set of murals above that he guessed was the origin of Element City. The first showed a bunch of Water elements arriving, the second showed Earth elements arriving, and the third had Air elements arriving. There were lines leading to the front where immigration officers were assigning papers. After a while, Theo was at the head of his line with the fire couple in front of their line.
"Next?"
Theo came up to his a little nervous, but tried not to show it.
"Name?"
Theo took a breath.
"Theo."
The officer (who was a Water element) raised an eyebrow.
"Last name?"
Theo looked a bit nervous. He was about to say Thur, but then the officer looked thoughtful.
"How about…Plasma?"
Theo shrugged and the officer took that as a yes as he pressed a stamp on an ink pad and then stamped a piece of paper he handed to Theo.
"Welcome to Element City."
Theo went through the large doors behind the immigration officer and was temporarily blinded by the sunlight before he got a good look at the city that was before him. In a way, it reminded Theo of New York that he had visited when he was in one with a certain singing reptile that he had helped. The sudden feeling of warmth returned and he turned to see the same fire couple from before walking up to him though the male looked a bit curious. He then spoke a language that Theo had a hard time understanding, but as they made their way through Element City, they soon reached a point where they could understand each other enough to introduce themselves.
"So, your names are now Bernie and Cinder huh? Must be quite a change."
Cinder looked a bit unsure though Bernie looked like he took it a little harder.
"Yeah, quite a change."
Cinder decided to change the subject.
"What about you Theo? What brings you here?"
Theo thought fast.
"I'm kind on a right of passage kind of thing. My community select a few of us to go out into the world, find a place and take observations that we bring back. Unfortunately, we're not exactly known in the outside world so finding a residence here might be hard."
Bernie and Cinder looked understanding. Element City didn't look like it had places for fire people to live either. Theo could tell they were a long way from their homeland.
/
As the trio made their way through the canals, waterfalls, and flora, it wasn't easy. Bernie once walked over a short Earth element only for its head to catch flame.
"Oops.", Theo said a bit embarrassed.
Luckily a Water element raised a hand over the Earth element and water doused the flames. The moment it did, the Earth element grew a crop of new green hair. Bernie and Cinder continued on and Theo tried to know more about them. He found out they were from a place called Fireland where things were hot, but had to move when it got razed by a strong sandstorm.
"Oh, my deepest sympathy."
Cinder then clutched her round middle and Theo looked Bernie's way.
"Bernie, is she…you know?"
Bernie nodded smiling.
"Yep, should arrive any time now."
Theo then looked a bit worried.
"We better find a living space fast then."
In their search for a living place, they were traveling on a monorail and Theo was still reeling from the last few places they had visited. One place had an elderly Earth element, but a breeze made some of Cinder's flame up at him and a few of his browning leaves caught on fire. The moment that happened, the element slammed the door.
"Why I never.", Theo said a bit offended.
But as hard as Bernie and Cinder were having finding a living arrangement, Theo wasn't having much luck either. A couple more times, the owner would turn him away for reasons he didn't quite get.
"Sorry, no sparks allowed."
"Not really a bolt kind of person."
"Maybe a week from now."
Theo sighed. Why did people have to be so mean and unable to give him or the couple a shot? He then tried to calm himself when he reminded himself that people judge what they don't understand. He put a hand on Cinder's shoulder as the trio sat on the monorail which wasn't exactly built with fire or plasma in mind. A bump later, a Water guy nearby splashed a bit over Cinder, but Theo held up a hand and a round dome appeared allowing the water to avoid Cinder and drip harmlessly to the vent nearby. Bernie was grateful for Theo's assistance, but gave the Water guy a firm look.
"Water.", he grumbled.
Theo put a hand on Bernie's arm and Bernie simmered back to calm. Finally, after what felt like a couple hours, they exited the Wetro station into an Earth neighborhood, but unfortunately, there wasn't much luck. Just when it looked like it was hopeless, they noticed a run-down house with a For Sale sign near the door. Theo helped the couple over by using his new barriers which he explained as electro-magnetic fields to keep the water off them which they were happy about.
/
Cinder looked a bit uneasy as they looked inside the residence. Bernie however wasn't looking worried cause he was already thinking of ideas of what he could do. The first floor could be a shop dedicated to Fireland and all the traditional food they could sell. As he paced around, his feet caused the floorboards to give way and make him fall into the basement. Cinder looked worried as she and Theo came in.
"Bernie, are you alright?", Theo asked hoping he was.
A thumbs-up came up as if to answer him.
"I'm okay.", Bernie hollered.
Cinder felt relieved about that and Theo helped bring the couple's things inside.
"So, where do we start?"
Bernie said nothing before he came up and then looked Theo's way a bit concerned.
"Mr. Plasma, my wife and I can't afford to pay you."
Theo held up his hand to halt him.
"It's okay Bernie. A good deed is its own reward."
When Bernie took Cinder to another room, Theo got busy rebuilding the walls and cleaning up the floors. It took a while, but with the new electro-magnetic fields he could use, it made the job a little easier. Water was now running outside through cracks in the wall or being used to make some cement he would use to repair the walls. It wasn't much, but at least it would keep out the rain if it ever came to it.
"Well, that should hold for the time being until it gets proper architect's touch."
He then noticed that it was night and raining outside. Theo tensed as the rain was heard outside and saw it dripping down his craftsmanship. After a couple of minutes, it looked like it would hold and Theo felt more than a bit winded from his use of his ability.
"I got to keep myself limited or I might grow soft and not be strong enough to support myself."
That was when Theo heard sounds in the back and headed over there to find Bernie and Cinder were and Cinder was holding a small ball of flame that lit up the room which Theo guessed was a baby since he saw a pair of eyes.
"It's a girl.", Cinder told Bernie in their native tongue.
Bernie beamed.
"She's perfect.", he agreed speaking the same way.
Theo felt his heartstrings tug and tears come to his eyes. He then noticed Bernie take a bit of the blue flame from the lantern and pour it over the new arrival.
"Must be a Fireland custom.", Theo thought to himself.
The baby cooed and then sneezed, but Theo nor her parents minded.
"Welcome my Ember.", Bernie said lifting his daughter up to show her the world outside, "Welcome to your new life."
/
As the next few years went by, Theo helped Bernie and Cinder adapt to Element City and its customs. In return, they helped Theo learn about their own customs and traditions from Fireland alongside Ember. He poured the blue flame into a cauldron while Ember watched with interest.
"Our blue flame holds all our traditions and gives us strength to burn bright.", Bernie had explained.
"Do I burn as bright?", he asked striking a silly pose and then another.
Ember giggled and helped cheer him on as he pushed it into place. Cinder took a moment to take Theo aside.
"Mr. Plasma, thanks for all your help with us. It means a lot to know you care."
Theo blushed making the sparks on his face turn pink.
"Thanks Mrs. Lumen (he found out the parent's last names by now), I appreciate it."
With Theo's help, the shop was soon prepared and ready for its big opening day which would happen in a couple days. Theo helped Bernie and Ember prepare the sign for the place when Theo noticed Ember crafting a small flame in a corner.
"Wow Bernie, that girl's got a gift for glassmaking."
Bernie looked at Ember's work and nodded in agreement. Once they were done, Bernie and Ember stood back.
"Okay Theo, line her up."
Theo focused on his electro-magnetic field and levitated the sign upward til it was over the door and then carefully slid it into place as Bernie gave out directions.
"Little to the left. A little more. Now a little to the right. Perfect, right there."
Once Theo relaxed and caught his breath, he looked at the sign with Bernie and Ember. "The Fireplace" it read which made Theo feel a bit happy.
"This shop is dream of our family.", Bernie said happily before looking Ember's way, "Someday, it will all be yours."
Ember looked up at the sign and burned bright with widened eyes. Theo could tell she was now set on being a good daughter to her parents and strive to take over her father's shop.
"Well, we better do a double check.", Theo put in, "And get ready for the big day."
Bernie nodded as he led Ember and Theo back in so they could get some grub. On the way back in, Theo couldn't help but pause and wonder about that presence he felt earlier.
"Theo? You okay?", Bernie asked.
Theo snapped out of his daze and slapped on a smile.
"Yeah Mr. Lumen, I just…had a flashback to my own home country."
Bernie decided not to press further for his sake and chose to focus on the shop and raising Ember. Theo followed them inside thinking he should make the best while he could.