4 Chapter 4 : Figuring things out

Author note : Special thanks to my patron HSG 1999.

And here's a new chapter. In the original draft on pages, the script written using his ink had a special typeface but I can't use it here. I'll just put it between {}.

You can read more of this story and my other ones on my Patréon page. Search for Cathbel on their website or use this link (replace * by e) : https://www.patr*on.com/user?u=66371596

Squib who became Iron Lad : up to 10 chapters ahead.

Marvel : the Author : same.

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Enjoy !

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I look around at my mom's study and wonder again how that could be considered a psychologist office. There's no couch ! Instead, there's a comfy rug with pillows on it, a coffee table a little out of the way, with incense burning on it, and a teapot on a tray with cups around it. My mom was sitting on her own pillow in front of me, cross-legged. She gestures for me drink the tea…

« Ok, mom ! » I say, still anxious.

She didn't exactly explain what she planned to do. Best I can guess, she wants to hypnotize me… But I don't see a watch or anything with which she could do it. Drinking my tea as I continue to observe her 'office', I enjoy the sweet taste of it for a while.

Then, it happens. I feel dizzy, the colors and world around me turns weird. Warping, changing into indescribable things. My mom's eyes bulge out of her face, her forehead elongates and when she opens her mouth, it's like a gaping hole is about to swallow me whole. Only her words ground me :

« Take a deep breath, son ! Do not panic ! »

I do as she tells me and realize that it was the tea… And perhaps the incense. Some kind of hallucinogenic drugs, probably. And then, I can't think anymore. In fact, I'm not even aware of my own existence. I'm only sensations and feelings. Time seems to stretch infinitely before I finally become someone again. I'm a Portuguese slave fighting for my freedom. Then, a French Historian and writer on an archeological dig. I feel connected to the world like never before and I finally understand the extent of my powers…

And it's all gone. My vision focuses back on my mom and I don't notice right away the ink on my fingers, nor the paper I scribbled on, on the coffee table.

Finally coming to, I ask my mom :

« Was this… sage ? » I look at the tea and the stick of incense still lit. It seemed not a lot of time has passed, despite me feeling like it did. My mom smiles :

« You know of it ? Yes, it was, among other things. My own special blend, meant to induce an hypnotic trance. Obviously, it's not something I use with my clients… Mostly. It opens the third eye for a moment, allowing someone a deeper look at themselves. Their subconscious. Their soul. With an appropriate guide, we can focus this moment of clarity on something. Look at what you wrote ! » She points at the piece of paper.

Obviously, I've written this with my fingers, in a strange and yet remarkably neat handwriting. I read aloud :

« Word. Rule and Command. Meaning. Define. Animate. Symbol. Change. Empower. Image. Program. » Silence. I ponder out loud : « What does this mean ? »

I gazed at my mother and, still with a slight smile, she explains :

« It's what your power can do. The ink related one, at least. I haven't asked anything about your body's mutation, since you don't seem to like it very much… Which I completely understand ! We still need to study the words and what they mean but… They no doubt hold a great deal of power. » She seems to hesitate for a while before she adds : « We'll stop here. We both need to think about it for a while. I don't want to presume anything and I'd rather not give you false information about what it means. You should rest for a bit. Seeing in yourself so deeply can be quite exhausting ! »

I nod, indeed feeling a little tired. I yawn as I get up, waving at my mother. She chastises me a bit :

« Cover your mouth when you yawn, young man ! »

« Sorry, mom ! »

Then, I leave. My mom resumes staring at her notepad, tapping the back of her pen as she mutters :

« Those words… I feel like he could be an Omega level mutant. A good thing we've concealed the energies coming from our house. Otherwise those nosy guys would have… » She doesn't finish and moves onto something else : « Guess I'll have to whip him up some kind of charm for when he leaves the house ! »

* * * * *

It's been a few months since I came home. Mom and dad still keep wringing my brains out cramming as much magical knowledge as they can inside it. According to dad, I'm pretty advanced as a sorcerer now. I'm no longer an apprentice, but I'm not a master yet. He says that, although my talent is average, I make up for it in hard work… As if they'd let me rest !

However, mom says I have a talent for witchcraft, especially enchanting and spell crafting. The former was made even easier because of my mutant power… When I learned about runes and glyphs and compared mine against my mom's, we both agreed that my own were probably amplified (or empowered) by the use of my ink. Thankfully, being what it is, it can be used on any surface and I just have to take certain measures for it to stay for a long time.

Aside from magic and my more normal studies, I've started to draw more. I haven't stopped writing or working on my calligraphy of course, but I've decided to finally become an artist. The reason… Well, with what mom had me realize a few months back, I realized that my ink isn't limited to just the words I write. In fact, my words aren't limited to stay as they were : they can change !

Like on my first experiments in the sewer, I'd made the ink disappear from the walls. Given proper (written) instructions, my ink can either change color or hide itself from the eyes of anyone I want, and more importantly, the ink can move and change into other words and forms. As long as it stays on a flat surface.

I won't lie, I was a little bummed that I couldn't create construct like a certain ninja character from a manga I liked in my past life, by drawing them on paper. Though, again, I'm still discovering new things about my powers to this day. Although I don't think I'll be able to do things like Saï, I'm pretty confident that it can still be used to defend myself.

I mean, I've already created a few symbols I defined on a notebook, and now, every time I use those symbols, I can produce… Well, magic. For example, I have a simple one : an almost completely filled out circle with only a part of it left in the middle. It allows me to boost my strength. It's not Hulk level or anything, but it can give thrice as much as I have usually. In time, I hoped it would get even better.

Another one, a cross between a teardrop and a flame, allows me to create fire. This one was a little tricky at first. Like an idiot, I'd forgot to put some kind of delaying effect on my definition and almost burned myself. Now, I use a five second delay.

Moreover, those defined symbols, coupled with what I understood of the program and change parts of my power, could potentially be remotely activated. I'm currently testing it now as I draw a simple stick-man on a blank piece of paper then start writing :

{The stickman moves from the left to the right side of the paper}

Nothing. Hm… Maybe I need to define what is a stickman. Grabbing my notebook, I quickly write it. When I look back on the paper, the stick-man was indeed on the right side of the paper. I smiled, then continued with something else…

{The stickman leaves the paper for the desk}

I smiled when I saw it leave. It's too bad that it was not animated though. The drawing just slid off the paper and onto the table. I haven't figured that part out yet… But I will ! It would be amazing to make my own animated character on paper ! Finally, I write, still smiling at my discovery :

{The stickman disappears as does the writings on this paper}

Feeling smug, I look at the once again blank piece of paper, pen in hand.

« This… This will be useful ! »

Deciding to try something else, I drew another stick figure. I then start the commands while laying my hand flat on the side of the paper :

{The stickman moves to the right of the paper and continues until he reaches the user's hand on which he climbs}

Seeing the stickman making its way to me and sliding onto my hand, my grin widens and I continue :

{The stickman becomes the strength symbols}

Along with the definition, I had them all named, and I hoped it would work… Indeed the stickman folded on himself and became the black circle with a dot in the middle. Now, onto the next test…

Underneath my desk, I retrieved the heavy dumbbell and started exercising with them. Normally, I can easily do a set of 15-20 but under this symbol, I could reach more than 60 without straining too much.

« 59. 60. » I counted, not even winded.

I looked at the 'tatoo' and grinned. This mean that I can use my symbols, even from a distance. Moreover, the ink could travel from one surface to the next as long as they were in contact. I wonder if it could slide from a ground to a wall and vice-versa… one more thing to test !

Pumping my arms in the air, I exclaimed :

« This. Is. Awesome ! »