Discovery

Slowly opening his eyes, Sherlock looked around him. He was currently sitting on a couch that gave him a very familiar sense. He was in a dimly lit room with the curtains completely covering the windows, without any indication of whether it was day or night.

He was sure that this was his study room in the apartment at 221B Baker Street. The unfamiliar familiarity brought about by being in this room was very welcome after living a few lifetimes' worth of time on that machine just drifting in nothing but images and colorful mist. He could tell that this was his room all the while not his own.

There were things that were supposed to be around in the room but missing and things that he had never seen before were present in their place. The place was also a mess with the placement of the furniture, books, and trinkets not being what it was in his own world. At a glance, he could tell that this was the room of a much younger Holmes.

The idea of meeting Mrs. Hudson, Lestrade, and his dear friend Watson once again even if they weren't the same did really excite him. He was sure that his friends in his own universe have already passed on and an entirely new cycle with an entirely new Holmes and his friends had already started there to keep the inspirations running.

Thrilled at the prospect of meeting himself and his friends from another reality Holmes started to look around while calling out, "Watson! Mrs. Hudson! Anyone here?" Walking into his own bedroom, he saw the cape and coat just hanging by the door so he was sure, his other self must be around somewhere here. As he walked toward the bed he caught his own reflection in the mirror and was shocked.

The face he saw in the reflection was none other than himself but a much younger self. For all the intellect he had, Sherlock couldn't believe what he was seeing and thought it was the light playing tricks on him. He quickly walked out to the study with the mirror in his hand and cranked up the lamp while staring at the image in the mirror which did not change.

"Oh my! Sherlock dear, are you admiring yourself after one of your 'experiments on effects of wild mushrooms' again?" While Sherlock was in a daze Mrs. Hudson who looked to be in her mid-40s walked into the room and teased Sherlock. "Do you need me to get the book of compliments we compiled during your last 'experiment'?"

Sherlock was still processing the new developments regarding his appearance and had no time nor desire to reply to Mrs. Hudson's teasing. 'Maybe the blending of the energies and myself together during the travel here changed my form.'

As Holmes was making a preliminary hypothesis. Mrs. Hudson went up to the curtains and opened them while speaking, "It's already noon Sherlock. Why don't you ever open these curtains and let some air and sunlight into this stuffy room."

'But where is the time machine? Did it get blended into me as well? What exactly happened after I passed out?' Holmes needed to figure out the situation fast and he needed information. So he asked Mrs. Hudson, "How long have I been staying in the apartment for Mrs. Hudson? When was the last time I went out?"

Mrs. Hudson replied with a worried look, "Oh dear, you don't even remember that? You should stop taking those foul things, they're clearly not good for your health, Look at yourself so pale….. " Sherlock cut her off, "Mrs. Hudson"

"Oh alright, alright. I was just worried about you. You haven't left in three days ever since you met your brother Mycroft for tea downstairs." Mrs. Hudson replied clearly annoyed.

"Mycroft…. And have you seen me with a metal contraption the size of a normal carriage without wheels during this time?" Sherlock asked once again while looking at the expression of Mrs. Hudson that was clearly saying 'Are you for real bruh?'

"No. I would have noticed." Mrs. Hudson deadpanned.

Sherlock thought of something and said, "Thank you Mrs. Hudson. Could you get me a cup of Darjeeling?" Mrs. Hudson just nodded and walked towards the door when she suddenly looked back and said "You should eat something. You look starved. I'll get you biscuits for now."

Sherlock gave a slight nod and went back to the couch with the mirror still in his hand. He was organizing all the information on hand. Based on the state of the room, the cape, and the statement of Mrs. Hudson it was clear that the other Sherlock had not left the room which only indicates that he himself had replaced the younger Sherlock.

While this sounded impossible, Sherlock had seen much more fantastical things to be shaken by this information. Now what he needed to do was to get things in order and see what changes have happened and find the time machine. A machine like that in the wrong hands could mean doom.

Carefully checking his own body, he didn't see any obvious changes other than being younger. Although he didn't have muscles he was quite healthy for a shut-in drug experimenter in his mid-20s. He tried moving around, jumping, lifting things and all sorts of other movements to test his body and the conclusion was not what he expected.

He found that his body was much stronger and more agile than it should have been in that condition. Even in his skinny body with a clear lack of food and the presence of drugs, his body felt almost the same as when he was in his prime.

The biggest change that he could feel however was in his mind. He could think multiple times faster than before. Although he already had a very good memory, now his memory was perfect and he could recall the tiniest detail as if looking through a picture book.

While he was focusing his mind in a daze, the papers on the floor started to flutter and slowly rise above the ground. And in front of the very surprised Holmes a few dozen papers kept floating in place. He focused a little more and the papers started circling him while Sherlock had a smirk on his face.

'I might have awakened as one of those mutants as I saw in the ideaverse. Maybe I can even read minds like that bald guy. He did have some inspirations from me.'

Bam! "Sh… Sher..Sherlock! Wh-Whats happening?" As Sherlock was lost in thought, Mrs. Hudson had walked in and was scared stiff with the Darjeeling tea now all over the floor.