As the monitor hummed to life, Edith adjusted her glasses and leaned back in her chair. She couldn't help but stare in awe as the footage from Fii's recent battle played out on the screen.
The girl's abilities had always shown promise, but it seemed she had taken a significant leap overnight. As she watched Fii manipulate objects with her power from afar, Edith couldn't help but wonder what had changed. Was it the stress of the fight? The music? The adrenaline? The fact that she was facing another metahuman? Or perhaps some combination thereof.
The footage played on as Edith glanced at the metrics scrolling by on the side of the screen. Fii's heart rate and brain activity were both elevated, but that was expected given the circumstances. What interested her more was the readings from the suit. The sensors within the garment were designed to analyze the kinetics and gravitations of Fii's powers in real-time, allowing Edith to indirectly track the ebb and flow of her abilities as she fought.
And by analyzing the data, she had determined exactly where Fii's range of influence extended to—two meters around herself.
But according to the numbers, Fii's range had increased tenfold from the beginning to the end of the fight. Twenty meters, all in the span of several minutes. Such an extraordinary advancement in power was unheard of, and even Edith had trouble believing her eyes.
Edith tapped on her keyboard and cross-referenced Fii's current power level with the past, searching for signs of any kind of pattern in her growth. Any change at all might be relevant. Anything to figure out why or how Fii had made this drastic jump.
After some digging, all the records indicated that she had exhibited greater control over her ability since fighting against the Neon Viper leader. But Kasumi wasn't a metahuman.
If that was the case, then could that mean...?
Fii entered the training room, clad in her bodysuit. She looked over at the observation window and waved at Edith, who returned the gesture. She had called Fii over earlier to test her powers and run more tests on her abilities.
"You've made quite a lot of progress since yesterday's spar, haven't you?" Edith asked as the younger girl approached. She motioned to the video feeds displayed on the projector on Fii's side, replaying various clips from her most recent fight.
Fii nodded excitedly. "Yeah, I guess so! The feeling during that last part, when I pushed my range out? It was incredible. And I just felt so strong. Everything around me seemed malleable and responsive. Honestly, it was overwhelming at first, but it felt natural. Almost like an extension of myself. I didn't want to stop at all!"
"Hm. Did you feel any strain on your body? Your TFSI readings were stable at around 0.382 at the peak of your output."
Fii scratched her nose sheepishly. "Eh, maybe a bit at the beginning? But moving those bats around and picking things up after that point didn't feel much harder than before, and my headache afterward was more like a hangover than anything serious."
Edith nodded to herself. Those results coincided with the previous tests.
"Now, how about trying to replicate that in this chamber? Give me a demonstration, Fii." She leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand.
"You got it!" Fii responded enthusiastically.
Fii assumed her usual pose as she concentrated her power.
Various training tools and weights levitated around the room. As she lifted more and more items, Edith noted Fii's posture and stance: Relaxed. Comfortable. Casual—a stark contrast from the girl's rigid and awkward stance from her past trials.
Meanwhile, the digital readout of Fii's TFSI stabilized around 0.255, well within the safety limits.
"Can you move them around?" Edith asked as the objects floated freely above the floor.
"Easy." Fii casually maneuvered the equipment around the chamber. She made the floating objects revolve around her, creating complex patterns and trajectories while maintaining a consistent TFSI throughout.
"Anything else you'd like me to try?" she asked after several minutes passed. Her voice held a hint of smugness as she spoke.
Edith smirked in response, typing rapidly on her console. "Oh, I can think of a couple of things. But first, was there anything else different or peculiar that you experienced during the fight with Kenzo? Aside from the increase in control and range, I mean."
Fii rubbed her chin, considering the question carefully. "Well, there was this weird 'sixth sense' I had, I guess. Like...there were these faint ripples surrounding the things I was affecting? Maybe?"
Edith perked up at that statement. Sixth sense? Ripples?
"Could you describe the phenomenon further? As precisely as possible, if you can," Edith asked.
"Hmm...it's hard to put into words, but...okay, here's what I mean," Fii answered. She pointed at a single dumbbell floating in front of her. "Right now, I can kinda see something like...a ripple in the air around this. It's like a heat haze during the summer, but much fainter unless I'm focusing on objects."
As she waved her hand around, the dumbbell followed suit, drifting along with her movements. She continued, "The ripples tend to flow in one direction—down to the ground. I'm guessing that's the direction of the Earth's gravity. When I focus, those ripples shift to whichever direction I want the object to move."
Fii directed the dumbbell to orbit around her, tracing a slow, steady path in a circle.
Edith's eyes widened.
Fascinating. So Fii had developed a visual cue that helped guide her manipulations? Could she have created this herself, or had this sensory capability all along and not noticed until recently? Regardless, this discovery was astounding.
There were very few metahumans in the database that possessed sixth senses associated with their powers. For Edith to add another specimen to the registry would be a significant advancement in her research. She jotted the notes down on a tablet before addressing Fii again.
"How about the range of your power, Fii? How does that affect your awareness of those ripples? What is the effect on your body if you push yourself to expand your range?" Edith probed, watching Fii's movement and expression. She needed to assess whether this phenomenon affected Fii's physical state and vice versa.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Well...let's see..." Fii muttered as she resumed her exercises. She placed her hands on her hips and closed her eyes in concentration. The dumbbell circled around her a few times faster as her brow furrowed. She gradually raised her hands as the weight began to spin faster, accelerating to a blur.
The readout of her TFSI only increased to 0.283, still well within the safe range.
"My head's starting to hurt a little. Nothing serious though," she explained. "The training room is kinda small so I don't know if I'll be able to push my limits here. Oh, yesterday I tried pushing further out, but I just sorta hit a wall at twenty meters. I think the ripples start to fade out around that range too. I don't see them as clearly anymore."
Edith typed in her observations, making special note of the discomfort Fii described. Her assumption on the range was interesting. Perhaps the sensation of 'noise,' as she described it, faded when her control over the ripples grew less precise? Was that the factor limiting her range, or did she lack sufficient energy to sustain her powers over longer distances? Or something else entirely?
A twenty-meter limit did seem disappointing. But with such a substantial increase, she had already come leaps and bounds beyond what Edith had estimated her to be capable of. Perhaps some aspects of this power relied on instinctual guidance, rather than conscious effort. And perhaps in time, Fii could learn to fully unlock the potential of her power.
That last thought intrigued her. Twenty meters was probably just another soft limit—a boundary to be pushed further as her power evolved.
Some metahumans in the upper echelons of the power spectrum had a similar growth pattern as Fii, but the circumstances of their growth varied considerably.
Edith's eyes flickered to the journal article that lay on her desk, tucked beside her keyboard: 'Metahumans: The Unfinished Genome.' She drummed her fingers on the edge of the table, lost in contemplation.
Eventually, she sighed and cleared her throat. "Very good. That's enough for now, Fii. I want to run a few more tests later, but I need you to recover for the rest of the evening. Be sure to relax and maintain a balanced diet. Take whatever you want from the fridge and call me when you wake up tomorrow."
Fii let out a long yawn, stretching her limbs before waving at the observation window. "Alright, alright. Goodnight, Edith."
The objects floating in the air drifted back to the floor as she exited the chamber.
Edith continued to stare at the screens, mentally reviewing the gathered data. She jotted down the key points and attached them to the log files. Tomorrow, she planned to observe the power again with fresh eyes, paying closer attention to the sensory phenomena Fii described.
No equipment she possessed could measure or detect whatever 'noise' the Fii referred to. Even when Edith first detected Fii's ability, she only identified obvious gravitational fluctuations within the facility.
She had to make do with what she had. No prior research existed for Gravikinesis, and even scientific research on gravity itself hadn't advanced beyond trying to unite Einstein's general relativity and quantum mechanics. The detection of gravitons remained an impossible dream.
Nevertheless, Edith had a hunch Fii's ability worked on a scale beyond simple manipulation of that fundamental force of nature.
As the data collection concluded, Edith powered down the system and rose from her seat. She felt satisfied with the progress they made, but she knew she wouldn't find any answers tonight.
For now, a hot bath and a stiff drink sounded quite appealing.
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The late afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows as Fii curled up on the couch with a book. She had spent the past few hours buried in a classic fantasy novel, wrapped in the comfort of its story. It felt good to escape into a world where she wasn't being chased or fighting thugs, where she didn't have to worry about keeping her guard up every second of the day.
In the quiet of the Gilded Library, she found solace. Here, she was free to sink into the pages, letting her imagination carry her far away. Textbooks about Newtonian physics and Calculus sat untouched, replaced by fictional tales of magic and adventure.
Her favorite genre was epic fantasy: stories set in imaginary worlds filled with dragons, elves, and ancient prophecies. The richly woven storylines drew her in, transporting her to a world beyond the dreary slums.
And the characters! She loved imagining herself as the plucky protagonist, traversing the wilds and battling evil with her sword.
On the table, her pile of novels grew steadily. Every time she finished one, she'd immediately find another, scouring the shelves for anything that caught her attention.
As she flipped through the pages, her mind wandered to her own life—the life of a superhero.
So far, the only foes she battled were low-life gangsters and thugs. Although she relished the feeling of triumph she earned over every victory, she wished for something more meaningful. She dreamed of a true nemesis.
'Cobra' Kasumi was the closest she got to a rival, but even that meeting left her frustrated. Granted, Fii barely won that encounter, but if they were to meet again, Fii knew she'd come out ahead. After all, she wasn't the same girl she used to be. Not anymore.
As she closed the book, Orion hobbled over to her, clutching a stack of comics in his hands. His eyes twinkled with amusement as he flashed a wry smile. "You're a fast reader, aren't ya?"
Fii grinned sheepishly as she gazed at the mountain of books piled on the table. "Guess so." She had gotten a bit carried away, but she couldn't resist.
"So, what have you been reading?" Orion asked, pointing at the worn covers. He propped his cane against the armrest and lowered himself onto the couch opposite her. He winced as he moved, clutching his lower back.
She grabbed the top book from the pile and handed it to him. "Mostly fantasy stuff. Have you read this?"
He took the book, examining the cover and flipping through the pages. "Yes, yes, I have. A great read, I must say. Did you enjoy it?"
She nodded vigorously, taking back the book and setting it aside. "I loved it! I'm so hooked. It's really neat that you have all these books in the library. Most of the kids in my neighborhood can't read. I wish they could experience this too. Stories can take you places, you know?"
Orion stroked his beard. "That, they can. The best adventures start with a single step. Or a page. Heh, heh, heh." He chuckled to himself, his eyes distant with recollection. After a moment, he turned to Fii with a curious look. "You could try and teach them, you know. You could teach them to read, like what Dr. Edith did for you."
"What?" Fii blinked at the suggestion.
Her? Teaching others how to read? The idea hadn't occurred to her before, but it made sense. Fii didn't just learn to read by herself. Edith taught her how to read and write properly, instead of her typical streetwise approach.
The only problem: She still had no formal teaching experience whatsoever. Would she be any good at it? Orion seemed to think so.
Fii considered the thought, tapping her fingers against the armrest. "That sounds...like a nice idea. But how am I supposed to do that? I don't even know where to start!"
"Well, you have time. And this library can provide the material. Dr. Edith can provide some pointers. It'll be fine. I'm sure you can manage it," Orion reassured her. "You're a smart young lady, you'll do fine."
Fii exhaled deeply and relaxed. "Well...okay. I'll give it a try. Can I bring them here for the lessons?"
"Sure, that's fine with me. I have a spare room out back that you can use as a classroom. But don't let them break anything, okay?" Orion said, chuckling to himself as he wagged a finger at her. "If they do, you'll be responsible for fixing them."
Fii pouted, resting her head against the back cushion. "Fine, fine. I can do that."
She mused to herself.
Teach someone how to read and write. A new task, a new challenge. She didn't need to be Axion for this, either. Just Fii.
It was nice to do something different and not have to worry about protecting her identity or saving the day. Being Axion gave her purpose and excitement. But just being herself allowed her to pursue other things she enjoyed doing. Things that didn't involve violence or heroics.
Plus, it was something useful—something that could improve people's lives for the better outside of using her powers to solve problems.
That last thought brightened her mood. If she wanted to do something bigger, being Axion wasn't the only way to accomplish that goal. "I'm gonna head back for the evening, Mr. Orion. Thanks for the books."
"Not a problem, young lady. Take care of yourself." Orion winked, giving her a two-fingered salute. "Be careful, now. Stay out of trouble, you hear?"
"Thanks, and don't worry, I will." Fii waved goodbye and exited the library, descending the steps with a bounce in her stride.
Teaching might be really fun.
Ah! Maybe I could get Quinn to help!