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The cafeteria was abuzz with the usual midday chatter when an unexpected power outage plunged the room into darkness. Some students’ elemental abilities flickered to life, casting an eerie glow across the faces of those gathered. Amidst the confusion, a dangerous electrical surge began to crackle through the air, threatening to ignite a disaster.
Aurelia, her powers akin to the luster of gold, became a beacon in the darkened hall. “Stay calm, everyone! I’ll consult Mr. Cooper about this mishap,” she declared, her voice a steady drum above the chaos. Approaching the head chef, Mr. Cooper Carbonate, she found a man whose past in electrical engineering was as evident as his current culinary devotion. His copper-infused senses immediately diagnosed the issue—a blown fuse.
“It’s a blown fuse,” he confided in Aurelia. “I could mend it, but I have to control you all.”
“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll handle it.” Aurelia assured him, her words a soothing balm.
Grateful, Mr. Cooper exhaled a weary breath and ventured outside. A peculiar splotch, followed by a squeak, made him stop for a second. Lifting his foot, he discovered a curious stream of light gray—unlike any ordinary water, which quickly fell off his boot. Puzzled but determined, he pressed on, the stream seemingly in pursuit, a silent, fluid companion as he made his way to the site of the blown fuse.
The stream, however, followed him around, haunting him like a ghost. “Weird… is this milk or something?” he asked himself.
Suddenly, the stream began moving faster, as if taunting him, saying “Come and catch me!” He began running after the stream, but by the time he had reached the place with the broken fuse, tired and exhausted, he saw a boy with dark brown hair standing there. His gray eyes were focused on the circuit. Mr. Cooper observed as the boy’s gray eyes lit up slightly, and within a few seconds, he heard the sound of cheering from the cafeteria.
“Well, I’ll be.” Mr. Cooper said, impressed. “What’s your name, kiddo?”
“Gallus Siliconson,” he replied. Also… you kind of stepped on me back there…”
“My bad…” he said, sheepishly. “Gallium and silicon gave you the powers… it makes sense. Well, great job, kiddo.”
Gallus smiled. “Thank you, sir,” he replied, and liquefied himself again and flowed back to the cafeteria, as if he was never there.
When he went inside, he found the real center of attraction.
It was Aurelia Oxide, a girl from his Mathematics class. She was the teacher’s daughter. While Dr. Aurelius was not biased towards her; she still answered every question and was good at studies. And now, as he had found out, she was also very popular. They weren’t cheering because the power was back, they were cheering because she lit up the room, literally and figuratively, using her powers, entertaining everybody using her helium powers, giving people helium voices. She managed to dazzle everyone with her powers.
Gallus reformed from his liquid state at the back of the cafeteria, his eyes immediately drawn to the jubilant crowd encircling Aurelia. She was basking in the glow of adoration, her golden aura both a literal and metaphorical spotlight. Gallus’ contribution, vital yet unseen, was already forgotten, eclipsed by Aurelia’s shining moment.
He watched as she laughed and waved, her powers not just illuminating the room but also the faces of those around her with joy and relief. Gallus felt a twinge in his chest, a mix of admiration and a growing sense of injustice. “Why is it always her?” he thought, a silent frustration brewing within him.
As the applause continued, Gallus’ hands clenched into fists at his sides. He had been the one to avert the crisis, yet there he stood, invisible in her shadow. It wasn’t just the recognition he craved; it was the acknowledgment of his worth. And as he slipped out of the cafeteria, unnoticed once more, the seeds of resentment took root in his heart.
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