I was finally into my room, I sighed, going to the drawer and changing out of my clothes and putting something comfortable to sleep.
I sat on the bed, the little container in my hand, today it didn’t feel like I progressed for the first time in a while, and I didn’t expect much from those pills as well, but I also didn’t have anything to lose and it might be fun.
I opened the lid, putting one of the cold slimy balls into my palm, there were three, each one color, pink red and yellow, I didn’t ask Swordjuice which was which but it also didn’t really matter.
The one on my palm was the red one and I put it into my mouth, it popped, reminding me of the times I had boba tea. This one had no taste though, just the feeling of my power activating and a sensation of potential flowing through me.
Almost immediately I could tell this one was the ‘Boom’. Again, my power separated neatly the concept, seeming like it remembered from how it did it with the sharpness, I felt some more modifications on my matrix though which made me wonder, was it getting anything else from it?
The concept of a bomb had the potential for the explosion, the energy and damage that it would cause, neatly contained, it affected my whole body, I could tell that a strong enough impact would settle off a blast of force from the point hit.
I meditated and observed my power as I waited for the effect to wear down. After a while, I felt it leaving me and I took another pearl immediately, throwing the yellow one at my mouth, this one was the ‘Wham’.
It was the heaviness, or maybe the momentum even, that a blunt weapon held. It was a weapon that relied on crushing and breaking after all. This one was really weird as well, I wasn’t any heavier, but I could tell that my movements carried more force, as if I were heavier. This thing could really make me pack a punch.
Again, I felt my core taking some modifications, understanding how to take different concepts and integrate them, it seemed like being repeatedly in contact with the same power did have its merits, by repetition or by slight variations I didn’t know, but I felt my understanding that had been brief of how to separate concepts and properties expanding into a completed whole.
I took the last pill, the pink one, this one was the ‘Bang’, it held the same feeling of potential than the Boom one, in a different format though, instead of releasing a blast I could imbue an amount of extra force to something I threw, and it could be anything.
It'd pair nicely with a heavy thing. I think, although it can't be too heavy as well, because it didn’t imbue the velocity that the thing would be launched at, like a bullet, but the force. So, too heavy and it wouldn’t go too fast.
I felt much more satisfied after taking the pearls after all, like now I could see things a different way, I felt at my matrix, it was much bigger and more complex than when I got my powers, layers and tendrils moving about, I had more ways to use this, like how I could tug my transformations into action, I could also direct this eager learner of a power.
I didn't need to be so passive, only waiting for things to happen, I had to also make my moves. Thinking that, I slowly drifted to sleep.
The other I woke around the same time going down, resolved to test my powers again, I hurried my pace hoping that Araphel hadn't gone away yet.
The table was the same as every day, with the addition of Araphel I noted relieved, not everyone was awake this early, Spotlight and Spyglass missing like always but this time Payback also wasn’t present, Victor wouldn’t wake up so soon I guessed but LED was talking with the veteran, Swordjuice and Glassmetal a little more distant to not interrupt them.
I approached the table greeting everyone, and moving to sit close to LED and Araphel, they stopping their discussion as I did so.
“So, you all better, Joseph?” Araphel asked me with a friendly smile.
“Yes, actually.” I nodded, massaging my neck with what I had hurried to do in mind “And I wanted to ask you to use your powers on me again.” I smiled at him and looked at Swordjuice gesturing at her with my head.
“Yesterday she gave me a bit of encouragement and it turned out to work pretty well, so thanks, Swordjuice.” I nodded in her direction with a smile.
“Don’t mind it” she shook her head, her bluish locks swinging about, with a smile looking relieved that I was happier. “I’m glad you’re better.”
“So, now I think I can really get something. What do you say?” I looked at Araphel again, waiting for his response.
“It's no problem, it's not like I lose anything.” He said, shrugging. “I’ll be leaving really soon so it's good you showed up now.”
I nodded, imagining that would be the case. “Yes, you all went straight away to do a meeting, that’s why I wanted to find you this soon”
“Yeah, we top dogs are really busy as always.” He laughed. “Just like yesterday?” He asked his hand getting the shadowy look of his transformation.
I nodded awakening my powers, expanding the tendrils of metaphysical feelers, a wave going through the surface of the matrix in preparation.
He put a hand on my shoulder, in a very similar move to the other day, the electricity entering my body, I felt the now familiar power, knowing a lot about it already, I did what I had planned with my new realizations.
If I couldn’t create energy or transform myself, why couldn’t I take the concept that I could feel and take it to use for my own purposes?
I felt the energy flowing through my body, mutated to resist its effects so it didn't do any harm to me, and used the tendrils from my matrix to involve Araphel’s power, concentrating on the way it felt all those times I used Swordjuice’s abilities, finding the parts that took concepts and used the them to enhance something.
Also taking my experience with Thunder’s lightning, that I mutated to be able to use to enhance myself, using the little pointers about manipulating concepts on myself gotten from Spotlight’s power.
I combined all of them.
A puzzle coming together in my mind, the matrix transforming in a fluid motion, accommodating all these bits and pieces in the configuration I felt would work, and then it clicked.
My adaptation to resist lightning receded as my skin got dark, taking a shadowy look to it, I felt my powers using the extra energy to enhance myself with the paths LED’s overall enhancing power left me.
I felt a huge grin form on my face, opening my eyes to see the astonished face of everyone
“It worked” I told them
Araphel stopped channeling patting my shoulder. “I’m glad for you. So, feeling good now?” he asked seeming unconcerned. “Told you it was a question of time.”
“Sure, but you meant more time than one night.” I said still smiling
“True, got me.” He laughed. “You grow fast, take care to not alert any giants”
I nodded, serious, knowing the danger if it happened.
“I knew you could do it!” Swordjuice said pumping a fist.
“Congratulations as well” Glassmetal said to me.
“Think you going to be able to use that in our fight today?” LED asked me smiling as well.
Oh, so that was today. I had forgotten completely.
“No, sadly.” I said as my arms went back to their normal color. “It needs the energy generated, but now I know that I might be able to use any type of energy thrown my way to only grow stronger.” I said, the grin still on my face.
“Ah, I see. If we make some mission together one day, I can charge you up, see what’s the limit.” Araphel said in good humor.
“Seems like a good idea.” I said to him, he shook his head amused.
“But I'll be going now then.” Araphel said, getting up. “You got your mission, LED.”
LED nodded at him and everyone said their goodbyes. Araphel gave a last “see you” to everyone, simply walking to the elevator.
“So, that fight was today huh” I said to LED. “Is Payback going to be there as well then?”
“Sure, you can try your new fancy tricks on getting anything from his powers as well”
I smiled at him “I can't wait.”
He matched my smile but I could tell it was more for expecting a fight than about my powers.
We continued having our breakfast, Swordjuice and Glassmetal approaching now that Araphel was gone. Not long after Payback arrived, with him was Spyglass, both of them approached us, sitting at the table as well, reaching for the laid-out breakfast on the table.
“Up so early Spyglass?” I quipped at her, smiling.
“Yes, you see; I heard someone would get a beating today, I wouldn't miss it.” She smiled at me, smugly.
“Ah but I wouldn’t be so sure, I have some tricks up my sleeve now” I said in mock confidence.
LED laughed at me “Yeah, I can't wait to see all of them.”
“You two sure are eager to get into this fight” Payback noted, shaking his head.
“I'm looking forward way more to what happens after” I told him matter of faclty
“Sure, the cooldown’s finally off.” Payback told me “Just don’t get your hopes up too much, you always get gloomy after” he gave me an apologetic smile
“I don't do that” I shook my head.
“You sure do” Spyglass confirmed, nodding. “Wear every emotion on your sleeve.”
Everyone on the table nodded along, even Swordjuice that I was sure was more expressive than I was. I huffed, taking a bite of my sandwich. After everyone finished eating, we went to the training and shooting grounds, it was time for some action.
