Elemental

Chapter 6: Finding the Source

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Coal and (Y/n) entered Firetown, heading to Coal's shop.

"You didn't have to walk me home, you know." He reminded her.

She shrugged. "I know, but it's the least I can do considering me and Wade caused you quite a bit of stress over the last couple of days. Plus I like you."

Coal glanced to her with a surprised look. She said it so casually, like it wasn't a huge deal for her to say she liked him. But for Coal it was a huge deal. He was surprised with how different she was.

"Uh...yeah...J-Just stay out of sight okay? It'd be a whole thing." Coal warned her.

"Now there's water upstairs?!" They heard Bernie yell from inside.

The two of them ducked by the window and saw Bernie ripping apart a part of the wall upstairs to reveal another leaking pipe.

"I don't understand. I fix one pipe and another one leaks. Water!" He yelled.

"How could it be worse?" Coal asked.

"Now that the water's back, the pressure is forcing it up to all of your pipes." (Y/n) told him.

Coal looked worried. "We gotta find the source. How did you and Wade end up here?"

"Well, we were in the canals checking the doors for leaks when we found some water that shouldn't have been there. Then there was this whoosh of water and we got sucked into a filtering pipe. But then, there was this explosion, and that's how we ended up at your place." She explained.

Coal's eyes widened in realization. "Oh flame! My temper caused this. So, we're searching for water somewhere in a canal? Those canals go everywhere."

"It's why tracking down that leak has been so dang hard."

Coal glanced up and saw something that would help. "The roof."

...

Up on the roof of the shop, Coal used his fire to break the top off the giant pipe sticking out of the roof. Then he grabbed a giant cloth and connected the two together to form a hot air balloon.

"You might wanna step back." Coal suggested.

He stepped into the makeshift basket and used his fire to lift the cloth up, making the balloon fly.

(Y/n) looked up in awe. "Holy dewdrop!"

"Shh! Get in!" Coal whispered.

She climbed into the balloon, and started looking around in the canals. (Y/n)'s gaze shifted over to Coal who was focused on keeping the balloon in the air.

She smiled softly as she watched the flames roar off his body. Glancing down, she saw her arm was staring to boil and evaporate slightly so she had to take a step back.

"There!" She exclaimed, pointing to a grate in the canal. "That's where we got sucked in."

They saw a fork in the canal and the right side and small puddles of water in it. "There, more water. Go that way."