Came flooding in through Firetown
This is my first Fanfiction based on Disney/Pixar's new film Elemental. When I first saw it, I gave it a 10/10 because it was so beautifully well down. (Plus, I'm a sucker for a good romance film)
Anyway, Wade Ripple was my favourite character in the film. He was just so sweet, funny and the way he loved Ember just warmed my heart. Which is why this story is based on him.
Takes place during the events of the film when Wade and Ember first met from Wade's POV.
What was going through Wade Ripple's mind when he first laid eyes on Ember Lumen after getting sucked into the pipe that lead him to the Fireplace? What was he doing before the water took him there? (Warning: May contain spoilers)
Hi, my name is Wade Ripple and this is the story of how I got sucked into an old pipe that lead me to meeting the love of my life. Looking back at it now… it was the greatest day ever.
It all started in City hall. At the time, I had been working there as a city inspector for only a few weeks but I was struggling to find my flow there.
Don't get me wrong, it was an okay job, I got along great with everyone I worked with, including my boss Gale, and being a city inspector meant I got to see more of Element City itself. Plus, I couldn't afford to lose another job. I've lost so many over the years since my dad died.
And if that wasn't bad enough, I was already on probation for causing an accident with the local city crew. It may have involved me knocking over three tons of cement dust on them, which then turned them all solid. It wasn't so bad… I mean, they were all fine afterward and half of them eventually recovered.
But, I guess you could say they had some "hard feelings." *Chuckles* Because they reported me to Gale right after the incident.
Fortunately, my luck turned around when Gale came up to me one morning and gave me a new assignment that took place in the outskirts of Firetown.
Gale: Hey, Ripple, do you have a minute?
Wade: Gale, hi. Uh, sure, what's up?
Gale: I need you to head downtown to search for a leak. Apparently, there's been reports of a mysterious one occurring in this general area. It's been forcing water into the pipes and it's causing the buildings to flood. Thankfully, there's been no reported injuries, but it's still causing a lot of damage and no one can find out where the fluff'in thing is coming from.
Wade: And you want me to look into it?
Gale: Yes, can you do it?
Wade: Uh, sure. Yes, I can look into it. I can head down there right now and see what's going on.
Gale: Good. Because if you can manage find the source and get it fixed before the Windbreakers game tomorrow, I might consider revoking your probation.
Wade: Really? Ah, thanks, Gale. I really appreciate it. I'll see if can get it done before the big game tomorrow. I hope to see you there. Toot Toot!
Gale: Toot Toot! Good luck, Ripple.
Once Gale handed me the file, I left the building, took the train downtown and set out to find the source of that mysterious leak. From what I read in the file, the floods had been occurring in-between the Earth and Firetown district.
That's not all, based on where each incident occurred, the water was somehow connected to the main canal. Which was odd because there hasn't been water flowing down there for almost 18 years.
You see, years ago, a dam burst in the Earth District and it flooded Garden Central Station. The building went completely underwater and had to be shut down. After that, the city installed gates in the main canals to prevent anymore floods. Yet, one of them must have been broken because that what was probably causing the leaks. And it was now my job to find it.
I went down to the empty canals to search for anything unusual. I checked the doors for leaks, but there weren't any. And there were so many to check. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. And Gale wanted me to find it before the day ended.
Eventually, I found a puddle that shouldn't have been there. I took a taste to see where it came from and it tasted like rust with a hint of motor oil?
Before I could investigate further, this Whoosh of water came out of nowhere, picked me up and then it sucked me into a filtering system! I tried yelling for help, but nobody could hear me. I finally stopped when I hit my head against a blockage in the pipe. But then I heard this loud explosion coming from up top. It almost sounded like someone was screaming.
The next thing I know, I found myself in this old basement that was now flooded. I had no idea where I was or what caused that explosion. Oh, man, if Gale found out, I would've gotten fired for sure.
Before I had a chance to resurface and ask for help, I spotted this fire-girl sealing the pipe I burst through with her flame and she was able to stop more water from coming in.
Which lead me to believe that the mysterious leak I was searching for somehow brought me all the way from the other side of the river to this building in Firetown.
It also looked like the water had gotten to that poor girl too because half of her face was extinguished. Luckily, she took a bite from a wooden stick and was able to reignite herself.
And once I saw her full face… Let's just say, I'm a water-guy who can breathe underwater, yet when I saw her for the first… I felt like I was drowning because… I thought she was the most beautiful element I had ever seen in my life.
I don't know how to explain it but I just knew in my heart I'd never find anyone who shown so brightly as she did. Not even if I spent the rest of my life looking.
I was about to get out of the water so I could say hi and maybe ask for a way out when this old photograph floated right in front of my face. It was this adorable picture of a little fire-girl (roughly the same age as my nephews) with her parents, and she was lighting the candle on her birthday cake. They all looked so happy. It hit me so hard in the feels I started crying.
Wade: *Crying as he was making his way up to the surface and still holding the photograph* What a happy family. Is that you and your dad? I love dads. *Gasps* And it's your BIRTHDAY! *Proceeds to cry, causing his tears to sprinkle on the fire-girl*
Fire-girl: Ugh! Who are you? What are you doing here?
Wade: I don't know. I was searching for a leak on the other side of the river and got sucked into… where am I, exactly?
Fire-girl: You're in my dad's shop, The Fireplace, in Firetown.
Wade: The Fireplace? Oh, man, this is bad I can't lose another job. I just can't seem to find my flow.
When I stood up, I discovered that the pipe had squished me all out of shape. It made me bulkier, taller and all disoriented. Even the girl agreed because all she could say was, 'Dang.' Once I shook off the extra water, I was back to my old self. Feeling so much better. The girl on the hand, not so much.
Fire-girl: Dude, just get out of here. I gotta clean this mess up before my dad sees what I did.
What she did? She caused the explosion that burst the pipe? Oh, no. if that was true, then I had to do a thorough inspection and then report it back to city hall.
She looked pretty mad when I wrote her that first ticket because the pipe wasn't up to code. She was equally upset when I told her I was a city inspector she ironically sucked me into her pipes.
Fire-girl: I sucked a city inspector into our pipes?!
Wade: I know. Ironic, right? (He says as he begins taping the pipes with his pen)
Fire-girl: Stop messing that!
Wade: I'm sorry, but I need to make sure it's solid.
Fire-girl: Yes, of course it's solid. I should know because my dad rebuilt this place himself.
Wade: Wait. Your dad did this?
She then told this moving story of how her dad found this very building in ruins and then repaired every fricking board with his own bare hands. All without a permit. Which forced me to write that down too.
It was not the best start to my day. I mean, first I got sucked into a pipe, encountered a beautiful fire-girl who was clearly getting annoyed with me because all the citations I had to write down were going her father's shop shut down!
I didn't want to, but if I didn't have a report of any kind for Gale, then I would have been fired. It was a very difficult decision for me to make and I did feel really bad about it, but I had to send in all those citations over to city hall before my shift ended. Which was in 20 minutes, so I had to get out of there right away.
The girl tried grabbing the tickets from me, but I was too quick for her and because she was blocking my way to the stairs, I had to slip out through the basement window.
I then discovered that the Fireplace was located right across the street from the subway. I took the first train to Element City and hopped on. Once on board, I stayed standing because city hall wasn't far from the first stop. So I simply waited.
Then all of sudden I felt my hand boiling. Which only happens when I'm near something hot. When looked down to see the cause, there she was trying to snatch the citations from my hand again!
She followed me onto the train. I was able to keep them on my person, but that woman was most definitely persistent because she chased me all the way from the train to city hall!
Granted she encountered more obstacles then I did along the way. She had to avoid the crowds, pull out her umbrella and fly over a group a school children before it burned out. Which was impressive I might add.
I then tried losing her by squeezing through a teeny tiny gap between these two buildings, but she was also able to squeeze through that too and continued to chase after me until we reached city hall.
I was inches away from the door when once again, she popped out of nowhere, fully enraged and tried to block my path by using chili oil to turn herself into this great wall of fire.
Fire-girl: COME ON, GUY! YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH THIS! SO IT IS TIME TO HAND THEM OVER!
Unfortunately, for her, she didn't count on the rain drain in front of me, which I easily slipped through until I was on the other side and finally made it to the door. Ready to deposit the tickets. However, it wasn't until after I sent them up to the processing department… I realized I made a mistake.
I turned around and saw her sitting outside and looking so upset. And then… her flame let out this incredible glow that reflected off the walls. Like when water reflects off walls. Except, this was different. What her light was doing was making everything around her seem more beautiful. It was unlike anything I had ever seen.
Then came the part that really punched me in the gut. She explained to me how the shop was her dad's dream, how she was set to take over for him, but because of what just happened, it would've broken his heart, he wouldn't be able to retire and she wouldn't be allowed to take over. If she had just told me that earlier, I never would've written those tickets.
I know, it sounds like I was being a little naive but, gosh, the way she talked about her dad and not wanting to let him down really got to me. I mean, speaking as a guy who struggled to connect with his own dad, I really symphonized with her. And so, I felt like I needed to help her.
It was too late to tear up the tickets but I offered to take her to Fern from the processing department so she could plead her case. On our way there, I took a moment to finally introduce myself and learn her name. I couldn't keep calling her, her or Fire-girl forever. That's not how I flow.
Wade: Say, um, I don't think we actually had a chance to introduce ourselves earlier. I'm Wade. Wade Ripple.
Fire-girl: *Sighs* Ember Lumen. Now, are we almost at the processing department?
Wade: Uh, yeah. Yeah, we're almost there. We just have to keep going straight through this hallway.
'Ember Lumen.' Wow. Once I learned her name, I never wanted to stop saying it. Anyway, Ember and I finally made it to Fern's office. Now, he doesn't always come across as the "emotional-type," but I was certain that once he heard Ember's story the way I did, then he wouldn't want to turn the tickets over to Gale.
Except, Ember didn't want to tell Fern the story because she said it was too personal. I Insisted on telling him myself, but it only made Ember angrier and she kept trying to shut me up by either covering my mouth or throwing things at my head. And when that didn't work, she started to turn into a bright shade of purple.
I was only trying to help her. I felt Fern needed to know the importance of Ember's dilemma of not wanting let her dad down and destroying his lifelong dream. Before I could even got the part where it all would have been Ember's fault if her father couldn't retire, she full on exploded!
She burned everything in Fern's office to a crisp. Including Fern himself. He was fine, of course, but it was probably going to take a while for all of his leaves to grow back. Not to mention, Ember's sudden outburst really didn't help with the situation.
In the end, Fern sent the citations over to Gale and then he told Ember that her shop would be shut down within the week. And because the tickets were my fault, all I could to say to her was, 'sorry.' (Again)
Okay, so maybe Ember and I's first encounter didn't start off so great. But I'm still calling it the greatest day ever. Granted, I didn't think I was ever going to see her again. I mean, how could I? I was the guy who intended to get her families' shop shut down.
But then, by the time I went home, I tried getting my mind off everything that happened that day, and I thought the best way to do so was by getting ready for the big Windbreakers playoff game tomorrow.
I had almost everything I needed. My team shirt, yellow satchel, phone, keys, wallet and most importantly… my passes. Which I soon realized I left them behind at work. Luckily, the Cyclone Stadium wasn't far from City hall either, so I could've easily picked them up on my way to the game.
Turns out, that was the best mistake I made because if I hadn't forgotten about my passes, I never would've seen Ember again. I wouldn't have found her waiting outside of Gale's office, let alone invite her to the game so she could talk to Gale about the shop and figure out how to save it.
And thus beginning our great beginning love story. Like I said before, regardless of how it happened, getting sucked into the pipe and bursting into Ember's life in a flooded old basement was greatest day ever. And I wouldn't change it for anything.
Hope you guys enjoyed this story. Thank you for reading and fill free to comment. xoxo.