Researching the Power

Barbara Gordon sat at her workstation in Oracle's base, the glow of multiple screens casting a soft light across her face. Theo Promet stood before her, a mixture of apprehension and curiosity visible in his eyes. The room was filled with the low hum of computers and the occasional beep of notifications, creating an atmosphere of focused concentration.

"Alright, Theo," Barbara began, her tone professional but encouraging. "Let's get started on understanding your abilities better. We've seen you use Psychometry, Know-How, Intent through Items, and Potential Unleashed. Now, we need to dig deeper."

Theo nodded, his dark, messy hair falling slightly into his eyes. "I'm ready. What do you need me to do?"

Barbara adjusted her glasses and tapped a few keys on her keyboard. "First, let's revisit Psychometry. I want you to hold this item." She handed Theo a small, ornate dagger. "Focus on it and tell me what you can discern."

Theo took the dagger, his fingers brushing the cool metal. After a moment, his eyes narrowed as he concentrated. "I'm getting images of a warrior from an ancient time. The dagger was used in many battles. It's... it's a symbol of leadership and power."

Barbara made notes on her tablet. "Good. Now, let's test Know-How. I'll give you a series of different items, and I want you to describe how each one functions and its historical significance. Ready?"

Theo nodded, and Barbara presented him with a collection of objects: a vintage radio, a medieval sword, and a modern wristwatch. Theo examined each item in turn, revealing detailed information about their uses, mechanisms, and historical contexts.

"Impressive," Barbara commented, clearly intrigued. "Your knowledge seems to come from the items themselves. Now, let's move on to Intent through Items. I need you to identify the intentions of these objects' previous handlers. I'll give you a set of tools used in various criminal activities."

She handed Theo a few items: a crowbar, a pistol, and a pair of handcuffs. Theo touched each one, closing his eyes briefly. "The crowbar was used for breaking and entering. The pistol... it's tied to someone with a violent streak. The handcuffs were used to restrain victims, likely for extortion."

Barbara's eyes widened slightly. "Your ability to read intentions is remarkable. Finally, let's explore Potential Unleashed. Use this batarang and see what you can do with it."

Theo took the batarang, holding it up. He concentrated, and the batarang seemed to shimmer, multiplying in Theo's mind. Suddenly, the room was filled with a swarm of batarangs, each one made of the same material, turning into a flurry of sharp, bat-like constructs.

Barbara watched in awe as the batarangs danced in the air, their movements precise and controlled. "That's incredible! You managed to amplify the batarang's potential beyond its usual function."

Theo lowered his hand, the batarangs dissipating into nothingness. "It felt like the item just responded to my thoughts and imagination. It's like I can push it beyond its usual limits."

Barbara took a deep breath, her mind racing with the implications of Theo's powers. "Alright, Theo, we've made significant progress today. Your abilities are more versatile than we initially thought. We'll need to keep experimenting and refining our understanding, but you're on the right track."

Theo gave a small, relieved smile. "Thanks, Barbara. I'm eager to see what else I can do."

Barbara nodded, her gaze thoughtful. "We'll keep pushing the boundaries. The more we know about your powers, the better we can utilize them in our operations. Great work today."

As Theo left the room, Barbara continued to make notes, her excitement about the potential of Theo's abilities evident. The journey to fully understanding and harnessing his powers was just beginning, and she was determined to uncover every facet of his extraordinary abilities.

***

The next morning, Theo awoke feeling a blend of exhaustion and exhilaration. The previous night's mission had left him physically drained, and the burden of carrying all those batarangs had taken a toll. As he pondered the inconvenience of his gear, an idea struck him—what if he could use his powers to create an inventory? With a focused thought, Theo envisioned a storage space where he could keep his batarangs and other items. To his delight, the batarangs vanished from his hands and appeared in the imagined inventory.

Eager to share his discovery, Theo made his way to Oracle's base. Barbara Gordon was already immersed in her work, her eyes flickering across multiple screens as she monitored various feeds. Theo's excitement was palpable as he approached her.

"Barbara," he said, barely able to contain his enthusiasm. "I've figured something out. I can create an inventory and store items in it."

Barbara looked up, her expression one of disbelief and curiosity. "An inventory? Are you saying you can just store and retrieve things at will?"

"That's right!" Theo replied, nodding vigorously. "I imagined the inventory, and it worked perfectly."

Barbara's eyes widened as she processed the implications of Theo's new ability. "This is incredible, Theo! We need to test this further. Put more items in the inventory. Let's see how much it can hold and how well it functions."

Theo set to work, retrieving various items from his room and placing them into the inventory. Tools, gadgets, and even a few pieces of clothing were added. Barbara watched with keen interest, her mind racing with the potential applications of Theo's powers.

When the testing was complete, Barbara turned to Theo with a grin. "Alright, let's see if you can use this inventory for changing outfits. Try pulling out some clothes and changing into them."

Theo nodded and focused on the clothes he had stored. As he imagined retrieving a set of casual attire, the transformation occurred with a burst of light and color. The sudden display of bright, flashing lights and swirling colors accompanied the change in clothing. Barbara's laughter filled the room as she witnessed the spectacular wardrobe transition.

"That's amazing!" Barbara exclaimed between fits of laughter. "It's like a superhero costume change. But we'll need to work on reducing the light show. It could be a bit conspicuous."

Theo chuckled, brushing off the remnants of the light show. "Yeah, I guess it could use some work. But I'm just happy I can change outfits instantly now."

Barbara nodded, her amusement fading into a serious expression. "We'll refine this ability to ensure it's practical for missions. But for now, this inventory is a huge asset. Excellent job figuring it out."

As Barbara began setting up additional tests for Theo's inventory capabilities, Theo felt a renewed sense of confidence. His powers were evolving in unexpected ways, and with Barbara's guidance, he was starting to grasp their full potential. Though the road ahead was uncertain, Theo was ready to face the challenges with newfound determination.