Terrance was cooking dinner when his head felt like it exploded, and he immediately collapsed to the floor groaning. Tessa rushed over to check on him. Terrance was an expert at migraines and this was worse than any he had ever had. The pain also felt like it was spreading down his neck now. As he lay on the floor not even able to hear what Tessa was saying, he wished that he could just go unconscious. The pain was not spreading through his arms and chest. Terrance couldn't focus on anything else that was happening as he lay convulsing on the floor, his whole body now racked with pain. Every nerve in his body was on fire at this point. He could only ride through the pain for an interminable amount of time. At the same point, it started to ease up and Terrance could actually hear Tessa saying something.
"Oh god oh god oh god" Tessa was muttering while holding Terrance and crying.
"Water," Terrance managed to croak out.
Tessa quickly got up to fetch a glass of water and helped Terrance sit up to drink it. The pain had subsided but Terrance was still feeling lightheaded and weak.
He couldn't explain what had just happened, but he thought it was related to the changes happening on Earth-256. It had been nine weeks and six days since the portal to the multiverse appeared. Tessa and he had both been expecting some kind of power awakening at the nine-week mark.
He looked up at Tessa, who was still beside him and saw a look of concern on her face.
"I'm okay, Tessa," Terrance said weakly. "I just need a moment to recover."
Tessa nodded and helped him to the couch
As Terrance sat there, he couldn't help but wonder if he had just gained a superpower. He had heard stories of people undergoing some pain before gaining a power, but he didn't want to get his hopes up. He looked over at Tessa, who was still watching him with a worried expression. He suffered from migraines, but they had never been like this, and he didn't think it lined up with a seizure either.
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"How are you feeling now?" she asked.
"A bit better," Terrance replied. "But I don't know what just happened. It felt like my brain was being rewired or something. I know what we both suspect."
Tessa looked at him thoughtfully. "That maybe it's related to your power. Maybe it just awakened."
Terrance nodded, "I can't tell what the power is though, but that lines up with what we have seen online. There hasn't been any more news of people awakening their powers in the last few days though."
"I don't really know how to help. My power was kind of obvious when it started working, so I knew what it was. Getting it under control was its own thing. I know one person from my Earth who might could help, Dr. Elizabeth Hart. She is the leading expert in superpowers, as new of a field it is even on Earth-255. She was working on comprehensive tests and training methods to help people with troublesome powers reintegrate into society. She may be able to help you figure out what your power is if nothing happens," Tessa offered.
"I felt something through the pain for a very brief moment right when the pain was letting up, but I have no idea what it was," Terrance said dejectedly
Tessa looked back at where Terrance lay and squinted while thinking. The oven timer went off and Terrance nodded at her. She went to cut off the timer and take the food out of the oven and gasped.
"Uh Terrance, the casserole isn't a casserole anymore. I think you did this," she said. She brought over the casserole dish and showed Terrance. Instead of a casserole, there was now a casserole-colored crystal.
"It kind of looks like quartz," Terrance said contemplatively.
"I don't think turning things into quartz is going to be on the same level as what the most recent power awakenings were. I'm definitely going to contact Dr. Hart and see what she says." Tessa replied with obvious concern. Tessa was worried about Terrance, while Terrance couldn't help but imagine if Tessa had been the thing that accidentally turned into crystal.