Powerplay

[Rasp]

Anthony stepped through the doors into the sunlight. A warm tropical breeze whispered through the jungle trees beyond the complex, jungle that was mercifully held at bay by a curtain wall. It was good to feel the sun and the wind, to smell the outside. It had been more than two weeks since Tony had been outside and he hadn't really realised how much he missed it until this moment.

"Mr. Jenkins?" The woman, whose badge stated 'Brendan, Ms.' queried his sudden stop.

"Just, enjoying the outdoors," he said simply, "it has been awhile."

He could see the training facility just across from his position, but he was in no hurry to get there. Anthony strolled slowly over to he building, the sign outside proclaiming it 'The Valley of Shadows' and detailing the trials and tribulations that new mutants were expected to undertake.

Anthony read the list carefully.

It sounded like alot of work. But then nothing worthwhile was ever achieved without a little hard work. Anthony walked on in.

Inside the place was divided into a number of rooms and booths that could be adjusted to suit the needs of the trainee. Tony allowed himself to be guided toward one where a pair of white-suited staff waited with clip-boards to record their findings.

Anthony was pretty sure he was looking forward to the discoveries more than they were. He lifted off his cap, mopped his brow and gave them a grin.

"So," he said jovially, "where do we begin?"

[Rasp]

Two weeks elapsed. Two weeks of training that both exhausted and delighted Anthony Jenkins. By the end of the first week he'd learned to pin down that elusive wave of energy that bounced around in side him and direct it. Just a little at first, influencing small changes on the environment around him, and never for very long.

The focus required was astounding, and most evenings he would emerge from the facility exultant but exhausted having discovered some wondrous new facet of the gift he had been given. It was a little bit like being a God.

There had been accidents too, but nothing to the scale of his first awakening.

He'd never imagined the force of friction had such a massive influence over the world around him. It was like being back in science class. And always the white coated observers scratched away at their notes, giving praise and criticism in equal measure. Often they suggested things that never would have occurred to Anthony on his own.

Like the wall climbing. That had been a very good day.

Mr. Southland, his name tag had said, suggested that increasing the surface friction of a wall should allow it to be climbed almost effortlessly. Anthony had looked doubtful at first; the smooth metal surface having nothing even remotely resembling a hand hold. But he had put it to the test anyway.

To begin with he had simply hurt his head, attempting to increase the surface friction of the entire wall had been too much, too soon. Instead he focused on increasing the friction directly beneath his hands and feet. Small concentrated patches.

And it had worked.

He'd scaled the wall.

It was when he'd reached the ceiling he'd had a problem. He'd turned and laughed in victory. And lost his concentration. And then he'd fallen, as normality reasserted itself.

Fortunately he only managed to knock himself out. The moment of panic caused him to increase the friction of the air through which he was falling, slowing his decent considerably. He'd still landed hard though and woken up in a medical bed.

Mr. Southland had been there to remind him of the importance of focus, but also to praise him for the instinctual use of his powers to save himself. It had almost been an unconscious action.

Anthony had smiled and thanked the man and had been back at the facility the following day to continue the exploration of his skills.

A bump on the head was nothing to worry about.