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The evening was filled with a sense of anticipation as Aurelia, Nickolas, Selena, and Gallus made their way to the Luminary Cinema. This wasn’t just another night out; it was their first double date, a significant event in their journey at Elemental University.
The Luminary Cinema was a magical place, known for its enchanting ambiance that reflected the diverse elemental powers of its patrons. The walls were adorned with posters of legendary elemental battles depicted in various films, and the air buzzed with the chatter of students discussing everything from elemental theory to the latest movie releases.
As they approached the cinema, Nickolas glanced at Aurelia, her golden hair glowing softly under the cinema’s neon lights as she basked in her first movie theater experience. He felt a flutter of nervousness but also an undeniable excitement. Tonight was not just about exploring their feelings for each other, but also about sharing a common experience that would test their elemental compatibility.
“So,” Selena started, breaking the ice. “Hands up if it’s your first date.”
Aurelia was the first to raise her hand. “Never been out, never been on a date.”
“And yet somehow she’s the playgirl…” Nickolas remarked, a smile on his face. “It’s not my first date though.”
“And yet he seems the most inexperienced…” Aurelia retorted. “Life’s funny that way, huh, Nicky?”
Gallus raised his hand as well. “I was close once, but I had a fever on that day… we planned too much in advance.”
“Huh, and here I felt like we planned today’s date too late.” Selena replied.
“Alright, let’s get the tickets,” Gallus said, leading the way to the ticket counter. They decided on a popular action film featuring elemental battles, a genre that appealed to all of them.
Once they had their tickets, they headed towards the theater. As they walked down the dimly lit hallway, Aurelia couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. The walls were lined with murals depicting famous scenes from elemental films, each one glowing with its own unique light.
Inside the theater, they found their seats in the middle row, the perfect spot for viewing. The room was filled with a sense of anticipation as the lights dimmed and the screen lit up. The opening credits rolled, and the cinema was filled with the sound of the film’s epic soundtrack.
As the movie progressed, the friends found themselves engrossed in the plot, their elemental powers reacting subtly to the on-screen action. Every now and then, they would exchange glances, their eyes reflecting the flickering light from the screen.
The movie’s narrator began with a solemn tone, “During the darkest days of World War II, a terrible weapon was unleashed. The United States, in a desperate bid for victory, detonated a nuclear device of unprecedented power upon Japan. The explosion was cataclysmic, its shock-waves reverberating across the globe. But it was the aftermath that truly changed the world.
The nuclear fallout, instead of bringing about destruction, had an unexpected effect. It imbued the survivors with extraordinary abilities, powers beyond the realm of normal human capabilities. These powers varied greatly, from control over the elements to manipulation of time and space. The world was no longer the same; it had entered the age of the ‘Elementals’. Such as you and I.
The discovery of these powers brought about a new era of exploration and understanding. Scientists around the world raced to study the phenomenon, their efforts leading to the development of ‘Radioactivity’, a field dedicated to understanding and harnessing these newfound abilities.
However, with great power came great responsibility, and not all were ready to wield their abilities wisely. The world had to learn to cope with this new reality, navigating the challenges and opportunities it presented. As society rebuilt itself, so did the caste system, based off of one’s element, which is passed down from generation to generation, a random three elements for each person.”
Selena glanced at Gallus, who was glued to the screen like a fly on flypaper and took a bite of popcorn.
“The Noble Leaders: At the top, we have the Noble gases (excluding Radon, considering its radioactivity). These elements are stable, not prone to react, and hold a ‘noble’ status. This caste also includes the noble metals such as gold, platinum and palladium.”
Aurelia and Selena, seated beside each other, shared a quick glance, feeling proud of their elements, while slightly feeling nervous, wondering if the fictional bearers of their elements were worthy of their titles as the Noble Leaders. They even wondered if they themselves were noble enough.
The Life-Givers: Next, we have elements like Carbon and Oxygen. They are essential for life as we know it, forming the basis of organic compounds and life processes. These people generally grew to become doctors and healers in society.
The Alkali and Alkaline Earth Nobles: Then come the Alkali metals and Alkaline Earth metals. They are reactive and eager to interact, symbolizing their willingness to give and maintain balance.
The Transition Warriors: The Transition metals, versatile and adaptable, are the warriors of the element world, capable of multiple valency numbers. They are the craftsmen, jack-of-all-trades section of society.
The Metalloid Artisans: Metalloids, straddling the line between metals and non-metals, are the artisans, adaptable and versatile.
The Halogen Workers: Halogens, such as fluorine, chlorine and iodine, always ready to gain an electron, formed the hardworking class, striving for stability.
The Radioactive Outcasts: At the bottom, we have the radioactive elements. These elements are unstable, often shunned due to their radioactivity, symbolizing the outcasts of society. However, a radioactive also possesses the most power out of the other castes.”
Gallus grinned at Selena, feeling a slight tinge of pride for his element. Yet, he never really liked it.
As the four friends continued to watch the movie, they couldn’t help but feel that somehow, they resonated with the plot.
As the movie reached its climax and the main radioactive villain began to exercise her power, the tension in the theater was palpable. The friends were on the edge of their seats, their eyes glued to the screen. Suddenly, a particularly intense scene caused Gallus to jump, his hand accidentally brushing against Selena’s. The unexpected contact sent a jolt through them, their elemental powers reacting instinctively. A spark of selenium and francium flickered between their hands, illuminating the space around them.
Startled, they quickly pulled their hands back, their eyes meeting in surprise. The spark had been brief, but it was enough to draw the attention of their friends. Aurelia and Nickolas turned to look at them, their expressions a mix of surprise and curiosity.
“Did you guys just…?” Aurelia began, her voice trailing off as she gestured between Gallus and Selena.
“I… I think we did,” Gallus replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He glanced at Selena, who was looking at him with wide eyes.
“You did take the tablet, right?” Nickolas asked, a hint of concern in his eyes.
“Yeah, so I should be safe. The movie didn’t switch off, right?” he replied, jokingly.
Nickolas smiled. “All right, then. Let’s just keep watching.”
As they kept watching the noble-metallic, silver-haired hero on screen smiled at the polonium-wielding villainess, they all couldn’t help but keep munching on popcorn and exchanging glances, comparing the characters’ fights to their own.
“It’s not too late, Polara. We can still end the madness. We could be friends…” he said, extending his hand to the radioactive, who slapped it off, causing a sharp jolt in his veins.
“No… no… not now. Not here. You can’t do this, Argento… just while I’m about to win.”
The tension in the room crackled like a broken fuse. Polara’s eyes, glowing with a green, polonium-induced luminescence, bore into the Argento’s. Her skin, once porcelain, now shimmered with a faint radioactive glow. She was beautiful in a dangerous way, like a supernova on the brink of collapse.
The hero clenched his jaw, the metallic fibers woven into his flesh humming with suppressed energy. He had seen too much destruction, too many lives lost. But there was something about her—the defiance in her eyes, the vulnerability beneath her hardened exterior—that stirred a different kind of heat within him.
“Why?” His voice was a low rasp, barely audible over the distant sirens wailing outside. “Why continue down this path? We could change things. Together.”
Polara’s laughter was bitter, tinged with the taste of decay. “Change? You think we can undo what’s been done? The world is broken, Argento. Irreparably so. And I am its reflection.”
He stepped closer, the air thick with charged particles. “You’re wrong. There’s always a choice. Redemption is possible.”
Her lips curved into a half-smile, and for a moment, he glimpsed the girl she used to be—the one who dreamed of stars and whispered secrets to the moon. “Redemption? Perhaps. But not for me.”
He reached out, fingers brushing against her cheek. The contact sent sparks flying along his skin. “Polara, listen—”
She leaned into his touch, her eyes closing briefly. “Don’t make this harder than it already is. We’re two sides of the same coin. Yin and yang. Light and shadow.”
Argento traced the jagged scar on her wrist, a relic from a past she refused to share. “We could find balance. Rewrite our stories.”
Her gaze bore into his, and he saw the fractured soul behind those radioactive eyes. “Or we could burn together, hero. A beautiful tragedy.”
He pulled her close, their lips inches apart. “I choose redemption.”
Aurelia, ever the seven-year-old, frowned slightly as she watched the disgustingly beautiful scene unfold, while Nickolas watched, unfazed by the kiss. It seemed unrealistic to him that the hero and villain would ever fall in love, but then again, the fact that he himself confessed to Aurelia was just as unrealistic, let alone having fallen for her in the first place.
And now it was the turn of another radioactive pair.
“Gallus,” Selena said, turning to face him. “Something feels familiar in all of this.”
“What, a radioactive who loves a noble? Yeah, I see it every day.”
“No, I mean…- wait, what?”
Gallus’ eyes widened. His heart skipped a beat, the sarcasm dying on his lips. “I mean, it’s not every day you see a story like ours unfold in real life,” he said, his voice softer now.
Selena’s eyes searched his, a flicker of hope igniting in their depths. “Our story?”
He took a deep breath, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. “Yes, our story. You and me, Selena. We’re like two isotopes of the same element—unstable alone, but together, we find balance.”
Her expression softened, the corners of her mouth turning up in a hesitant smile. “Gallus, are you saying—”
“I’m saying that I’ve been a fool,” he interrupted, his gaze intense. “I’ve been so focused on the reactions, the explosions, and the chaos, that I missed the most important thing.”
“And what’s that?” Selena whispered; her voice barely audible.
“The chemistry between us,” Gallus confessed, closing the distance between them. “It’s undeniable, Selena. And I don’t want to spend another second of my half-life pretending it’s not there.”
Selena’s breath hitched, and she reached out, her fingers brushing against his. “Gallus, I—”
He clasped her hand in his, the connection sending a jolt of energy through them both. “Let’s write our own story. One where the noble and the radioactive don’t just coexist—they thrive.”
And in that moment, amidst the backdrop of a fictional world’s drama, Gallus and Selena found a truth in their own narrative—a spark that could ignite a love story of epic proportions.
[On the way back home:
"You know," Nick commented, as he kept snacking on the popcorn he snuck out of the theater in his hoodie, "It's too bad Darth Vader died early here. I know this movie isn't canonically Star Wars, but..."
"Nicky, not to burst your bubble, but no one's listening." Aurelia deadpanned, stealing a few pieces of popcorn out of his hand. "Okay I'm just kidding. That was totally to burst your bubble so you would SHUT UP! I like Star Wars but... that's enough of it for one lifetime."
"Aurelia, chill. You're gonna wake Selena... who I think is still fantasizing about the silver guy." Gallus said with a small, tired sigh.
"What makes you say that?" she asked.
Gallus simply gestured with one hand (the other was on the steering wheel) to the sleeping girl, muttering and sighing. "Looks like someone has a crush..."
"On YOU!"
"What happened?!" Selena woke up, startled by Aurelia's sudden yell. "Did you finally tell Nick you like him for reals?"
"Someday, Selena... now go back to bed." Nick replied, laughing.
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