Experimenting With Powers

So, after learning all this you should understand why I was heading to the industrial district. However, I couldn't go dressed as I usually do. A T-shirt and jeans confirm that anyone who can see me train can see my face and wearing a sweatshirt in the summer would draw attention. Luckily, I had my gym clothes that were a little more inconspicuous and wearing a sweatshirt while exercising is a thing thus having a hood to hide my face. They also have the benefit of facilitating exercise.

My power allows me to create various energies based on biology.

The two ways to utilize those energies are imbuing my body with them and creating constructs out of them. Each energy has different effects and properties.

I discovered that with strained use my energies' properties would increase in strength and effectiveness. This would result in the specific properties of my various imbuements increasing in power. It would also allow more/larger constructs with similar properties or enhanced constructs of the same size.

The limiting factors on imbuing my body with the energies are that I could only imbue my body with one energy at a time and that switching between energies takes time. However, I felt like with time, training, and experience the first could change and the second would lessen.

The limiting factor on my constructs was that while I could have multiple constructs at the same time, each construct could only be one energy. I felt that this would never change no matter how much work I put into that.

One of the limited downsides to my ability is that I light up like a Christmas tree when it's in use. This seemed like something I could fix with sufficient control; however I was a long ways off from that level of mastery.

Another of the limited downsides was that my constructs could only originate from my body or other constructs. This seemed like a hard limit that could not be overcome.

The stark white energy was based on the permanence of bone. Its constructs inherited the hardness of bone but also the brittleness. This made the constructs great for creating weapons, tools, and barriers. When imbued the energy grants increased resistance to all physical sources.

The crimson red energy was based on the vitality of blood. Its constructs inherited the liquid state of blood. This made the constructs great for non-lethal takedowns. When imbued the energy grants increased regeneration.

The bubblegum pink energy was based on the strength of muscle. Its constructs were mildly durable cords with great pulling force. This made the constructs great for creating artificial muscles and bindings. When imbued the energy grants increased strength.

The electric blue energy was based on the conductivity of nerves. Its constructs were fairly fragile cords with great conductivity and electrical output. This made the constructs great for expanding my influence around the field as they were light and could send my energy across them much faster than any other construct. It also allowed me to create areas of denial around the field using its electrical properties. When imbued the energy grants increased cognitive speed and speed in general.

The vibrant yellow energy was based on the insulation of fat. Its constructs were made soft and rubbery insulating. This made the constructs great for creating insulating barriers that were great at taking blunt attacks. They would be helpful for surviving adverse conditions and I suspect they will also help defend against a lot of strange and niche abilities from other metahumans. When imbued the energy grants increased resistance to all non-physical sources.

The last energy was something I would hopefully never have to use. It was an abomination, an aberration. Where all my other energies were based on how biology helped organisms, my last one was how biology hurts organisms. It was the embodiment of nature's wrath.

It was rot.

It was gangrene.

It was viruses.

It was cancer.

It was venom.

It was poison.

It was time.

It was hunger.

It was injury.

The energy was a color that has no name, as no mortal mind could conceive it. I would say its black but black is the combination of everything, both positive and negative. This color was just the negative, the sum of all of nature's negatives.

Its constructs were various animals, monsters really. The thing was I had no control of them after they are given a target and released. They were a shotgun aimed at anything that exists that I don't like.

It was also special in the fact that it did not need training if another power increased in strength so too would it. As a result, it would always be my most powerful energy.

I have no idea what imbuing the energy would do to me, except this. I know in the same way I know the sky is blue that if I were to ever imbue the energy there would be no going back. It would irrevocably change both myself and my powers.

What all this meant is that I had a growth-type annihilator ability. Now one or the other would result in an increased threat rating and heavier recruitment. Both meant that almost every group, including the Protectorate, would have a join or die mentality.

At the end of my first day, I had a couple of muscle strands, a puddle of blood, a couple of bones, and a small glob of fat. It was not much, but it was a start.