2.5

10:24 AM, 30th of March 1989.

Location: A Cafe.

I agreed to meet Fleur here and there she is, promptly.

"Good morning." She said, slipping into a seat opposite me. She was wearing a thick set of sunglasses and her face was different, probably from cosmetics.

"So what brings this meeting on so urgently? My encounter with the fishpeople?" I smiled. "Nice disguise by the way. Wish I had that skill." I'm trying to ignore the occasional camera flash from outside the cafe and the booths.

"I can teach you, if you would like… for my job fading into the background is a requirement at times." She responded. "But as fascinating as the strange creatures that attacked you are, we have a different reason for contacting you. Recently we found yet another 'meta' as you call them. We… and by that I mean the government… would like to request your aid in recruiting them. The problem is that the 'meta' in question is a rather timid girl and we are having difficulties getting her to open up her door. Never mind actually cooperating."

"Okay. I'm a public figure and maybe she'll prefer me to some random person who hasn't had powers." I leaned back. "I assume I'll be paid for my services, as a consultant."

Fleur nodded. "Ten thousand upfront. More if you can convince her to use her abilities for the good of the nation, even if it is only as a consultant like yourself."

"I can only try. It might be that her powers are simply dangerous or she fails to see their usefulness. Or it could be a personality problem. But I can feel her situation out and see if I can find something useful." I shrug. "I suppose even simply having someone who can contact 'metas' on common ground would be useful."

"Her name is Louise Bisset, 17. She came to our attention when she generated an energy wave to defend herself in an armed robbery, she was caught on camera and seen fleeing the scene." Fleur frowned. "Her attacker suffered some burns, barely third degree and was rendered comatose for five hours."

"Interesting powers… doesn't ring any bells. Probably a local that keeps their head down when things heat up in the future or was cut down early on. Let's see if we can't bring her round to the side of the angels." I smirk. "Well, our side anyway. Angels according to a very biased source are quite unhelpful."

"Bye the bye… your sea people seem to have a rather nasty history with local fishing boats according to legend. A closer inspection of their capabilities and possible bases would be useful should hostilities commence." Fleur added.

After some small talk and pastries I head in the indicated direction, south. A town not very far from the border with Italy called Gap. I had to use a map, which must have looked amusing to see: random touring superhero, with a road map open flying past.

The town itself was actually situated in the alps, the highest prefecture in France, located seven hundred meters above sea-level. Very pretty, spread out in a shallow valley.

Once I knew where I was on the map, locating her home was quick. I landed on her doorstep and glancing around noticed a man reclining nearby with a gun who nodded in my direction. A French agent, huh. No one else in sight… good.

I knocked.

"Just a minute..." The voice called out.

I waited, to be rewarded by a slightly short, cute girl with curly brown hair finally opening it.

"Hi." I said, raising a hand. "Louise?"

She froze for a moment before slamming the door in my face.

"Well… that was rude." I remarked, but I waited anyway.

"Is that really Bubbleboy?" She asked from behind the door.

"I am the one they call that, which is quite annoying… I wanted to be called Metal Storm." I replied lamely.

The door creaked open. "Why are you here?! Did I kill that man?! I'm sorry I was desperate and..."

"Calm down, he's fine. In prison, but fine. No, I'm here to talk about you. Can I come in?" She jerked the door wide open and stared nervously at me as I entered. "Can I offer a warm drink?"

"Yes please, it is a bit chilly around here." I agreed, entering a passageway of her small house. "Do you live alone?"

She nodded. "I have since Papa fell ill. He's in the terminal ward at the local hospice."

"I'm sorry. That must be a burden, is it being handled by insurance?" I asked entering a kitchen/dining area that was slightly unkempt. The girl blushed and cleared the table of her fresh laundry before offering me a seat.

"It is… difficult. I have been forced to work extra shifts at my workplace to keep the water and power on. Schoolwork has suffered." She replied placing a kettle on a gas stove.

"So… correct me if I'm wrong… you are a magic user?" I asked, on a hunch.

She jumped at the question. "Nnn...no."

I frowned. "I'm not going to judge unless you're summoning demons or something equally idiotic. Magic is mostly just a tool."

She seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "No, I'm a conjurer not some demented Demon lover. Nan left me her books in the will and I've been studying them. Mostly I use my magic to make things or give normal things temporary effects."

"Such as that energy blast you used on the robber, which burned and left him comatose for five hours?" I asked.

"That… was mostly panic. I used a general spell against evil, coupled with as much sleep effect as I could." She paused. "I'm surprised it lasted so long, really. To even hurt him, he must have been quite bad."

"So, how would you like a stream of revenue? Enough to see your dad gets the best care possible from experts and secures your future? All you would need to do is study magic as much as you can and to teach and explain the principles and tricks you know to people the French government would send to you?" I explained. "Magic has been all but forgotten and France needs that edge back. For your help, I'm sure you can ask for some very liberal rewards."

"Not everyone can learn the higher principles and apply them..." She began.

"I know, it takes bloodlines with talent. But you are the first magic user I've met. Your skills are rare and many who could use your skills are simply ignorant. Many more have no idea magic is even real. Blindly trying to learn magic without any help tends to kill the user." I shrug. "Besides, it is an opportunity. Just yesterday I stumbled across a race of fishmen armed with magic charged electric spears. If we come into conflict France has no defences at the moment against even the most basic of magical attack. Are you a patriot, Louise Bisset?"

From the way she firmly looked me in the eye, I had talked her into changing her life.

"In that case, please call me Victor." I said with a smile.