Rainclouds

Michael's feet stepped out onto the rain cloud, the wind in front of him carving out a plateau on the top of it for him to walk on. The dark grey billows had no right to support his weight, but the thick sheets of water contained within were easily manipulatable. He could hear the bottom layers falling to the ground far below, sudden and powerful bolts of lightning occasionally leaping from ground to cloud. He was so close that there was no hesitation between lightning and the deafening clap of thunder.

The skyline in front of him was a vivid red, up on the top of the clouds. It was a stark contrast between that and the grey that made his horizon. He enjoyed seeing those kinds of differences. It was why he would go places like this. Up, away from civilization, he could see things in a different light. He could see the world in black and white, as they said. He didn't have to meddle in the dull grays of reality in these places.

He approached the edge of the clouds and looked down over the side, bending down to get a better look. Below he could see the bright lights of the city burning through the falling water. Even from up here he could swear that he could hear the sounds of honking horns, people fighting, and other such discomforts of the average human life.

"How boring," Michael murmured to himself. "I truly do not understand how those people can be satisfied with such... abrasiveness." He shook his head and stood up straight, backing away from the edge. He looked forward towards the opposite end of the cloud he had boarded. The path had almost fully been flattened for him by the wind. "Nature is such a wonderful beast. It is a shame that so few can be out to enjoy it like I can."

"Yes, I suppose it is," came another voice from behind. Michael looked back, surprised, to see a woman approaching him on the cloud. She seemed undeterred by where it was they were traveling. He wasn't sure how she had arrived there, but it was apparent that she had similar powers to his own.

"I was unaware that there was more than one of us," he called out to her. "Who are you? And how did you find me?"

The woman smiled and came up beside him. "My name is Miranda," she explained. "And it's pretty hard not to notice the terraforming of a cloud."

"Not really accurate to call it terraforming when there's no earth to form, is it?"

Miranda waved her hand in dismissal. "You get the point," she said. "So tell me. What is it exactly that you control?"

Michael blinked, confused once more. "What I control?" he asked. "What do you mean?"

Miranda sighed and shook her head. "You have to be kidding me. You use these powers without even understanding them? The element. What element do you control? I'm assuming it must either be water or air, given that you're standing on a cloud at the moment."

Michael shook his head in return. "There is no single element," he explained. "Water, wind, earth, fire... I can move them as I need to."

Miranda was taken aback. "I hardly believe that."

Michael looked down at his hand, thinking. "Don't believe it all you want, but it's true. No wonder I hardly ever see any others. I don't stick to one place for long. Not when there's so much to see."

A breeze of wind passed by, catching Michael's attention. He looked up, seeing the paths of the wind, calling him away. "It looks like my time here is up," he informed Miranda. She didn't say anything in return, head tilted to the side, not understanding. "I guess you're not one of the wind, then," he said. "It's telling me to move on. Rainclouds are cool and all, but they only last you so long. Water's gonna be too thin to support your weight, soon. I suggest you get moving."

Just as a thunderbolt crashed below, Michael leaped off the side, disappearing below the folds of the cloud. Miranda rushed to the side to watch him fall, but he was already gone, caught by a gust of wind and carried away.