Title - Puck : File 1

PART ONE

     Erik hid a grin as he calmly walked away, hearing outraged shrieks
behind him coming from the home economics classroom's doorway. I
wonder why they're so upset, he chuckled to himself, Robbie hadn't
morphed the long-distance pictures TOO much. His friend Jason had
taken them when there had been a pool party this year's summer at the
home of the stuck-up Jennifer. Some bursts of laughter told him the boys
at least appreciated the summer pictures of her and her friends' altered
forms as winter holidays were almost at hand. He swung into an empty
classroom where his fellow pranksters were muffling their laughter.
     "Mission is a success, Commander?" the red-headed Rob
chuckled.
     "Most definitely," Erik replied formally, making the two crack up
again. He had a way of making anything he said sound funny or deadly
serious when he chose, and he was doing the latter now. "The payload was
delivered without a hitch and the enemy base is in complete chaos." He
grinned. "Not to mention spitting nails of the titanium variety."
     "Jennifer will not be pleased if she finds out who did it, as if she
didn't have a good idea already," Jason warned but Erik waved the worry
away.
     "Nobody knows your long-distance hobby and I don't know anyone
else with that sort of camera. Besides, everyone knows I don't do two
things like this two days in a row." He smiled smugly as if saying they
were fools to think he'd let himself be that predictable. "I've always waited
at least few weeks before the next joke. I can protest that someone else
did it as I walked by to frame me. After all, it's crude and not my style at
all." 
     Rob chuckled. "What isn't?" he commented wryly. "And get away
with it as usual. Haveta admit, Erik, you liven things up around here."
     Erik shrugged innocently. "Someone has to," he said before turning
around towards the door. "I'd better look at the 'heinous act' before anyone
comments on my absence." He waved and left to the sound of their
chuckles.

     Erik calculated things correctly and he didn't get blamed for the
prank. Jennifer and her Snoot-Group had torn the pictures off before he
reappeared on the scene, asking what was going on. A few people HAD
seen him do it but he knew they had no love for Jennifer and her crew.
She had accused him, but his return sally that it wasn't his style at all
stopped the blame from touching him. They never did find who did it,
much to the black-haired Jennifer's ire. Nevertheless, she kept up
continual vigilance for proof that he was the culprit.
     This was Erik's last year of high school and he was wondering
what he should focus on in University as the winter holidays came. He
was intelligent, nobody argued with that, had slightly pale blonde hair, sky
blue eyes, and an average face and body. He wasn't buffed but kept in
decent shape. His personality was his best asset, as most of the girls he
had dated occasionally told him. He had a wry wit and made them feel
special even if he didn't stay with one for long. 
     His parents wondered whom he had got the sharp humour from.
His father, Donald Clay, was a police inspector who was methodical in
everything but didn't share his son's humorous streak, he did chuckle
occasionally and look bemused at some of the stories of his offspring's
antics. He didn't think it was criminal behaviour; Erik was too intelligent
for the criminal class he usually dealt with and had his father's morals
deeply ingrained in him. No one really got hurt, and his victims were the
ones who deserved it most, or so Donald eventually found out in the end. 
     His mother, Amanda Clay, was a potterer/sculptor and the
basement had a room dedicated to her work. The irony of her acquired last
name didn't escape her. She was sunny in disposition and cheered his
father when work depressed him, his father never failed to be amazed at
how his gloom never wore her down - it seemed to make her more sunny,
as if to counteract his discouragement with the legal system. 
     But unlike him, Amanda suspected she knew where Erik had
gotten his wit from.
     She loved Shakespeare. And at an early age, she had read A
Midsummer's Night Dream to her young son. He hadn't liked it overmuch
but for one character: Puck. Amanda had said the Puck had a clever mind
and a taste for doing good, if in his own mischievous manner. Erik had
taken that to heart, as some things will for children. Not to be the Puck,
but to emulate him. He'd forgotten that event being too young to recall the
specifics, but Amanda hadn't and she marvelled the effect that event had
had on her child.
     And due to Fate, it would have an even more powerful effect on
him on New Years day.

     Erik yawned as he got into the kitchen just before noon, he'd come
home late after a friend's party for the new millennium. To his surprise,
both of his parents were glued to the television, watching CNN. Puzzled,
he came over to them.    
     "What's up?" he asked. His father turned a grave face to him.
     "Something terrible happened in a North Dakota town down south
and killed thousands of people, or so the media says. Nobody's quite sure."
     "Look!" Amanda gasped and Erik turned to the television. The
screen was showing the town now as it was being evacuated. What had
made his mother gasp was the giant, grey dome that appeared to have
swallowed most of the buildings. The thing was enormous! Erik stared
and gulped.
     "What could've made THAT??" he asked, but both parents shook
their heads mutely. The phone rang and he numbly went to answer it.
"Hello?"
     "Erik! Man, have you turned on the tube?!" Robbie's excited voice
babbled from the receiver.
     "Just now, yeah," he confirmed. "That thing looks damn spooky to
me."
     "You ain't heard the half of it! The guy who did it posted a really
large post to the newsgroups on the internet. I even got a copy of it before
the government managed to wipe it off. This guy was seriously cracked,
Erik. What small part I could understand says he tried to enlarge his soul."
Rob sniggered. "He did THAT alright. Jesus! Took out most of that town
with him too!"
     "The dome was made because he enlarged his soul?" Erik said
sceptically. Erik's parents looked at him, startled, when he said that.
"Yeah, this guy was cracked. Give me a copy of his post later?"
     "Sure thing. Man, this is so sci-fi it's scary."
     "As long as it doesn't turn into a B-class horror flick," Erik
retorted, getting nervous silence in reply. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rob.
We're both going to be busy today, I suspect." He agreed and Erik hung
up. After he had told his folks what Rob had said, Donald Clay turned
back to the television.
     "Whatever this scientist did, it definitely had an effect," he
commented.
     No one could deny that.
     
     They were glued to the television as the town was evacuated and
remote cameras set up. It was a media event like the Gulf War had been,
save this was much more close to home than most would have liked. More
friends called for both Erik and his folks all day. His father was called in,
just in case some nuts tried anything, so only he and his mother saw what
happened around ten o'clock that night.
     The remote cameras instantly relayed the sight of the dome
vanishing. The effects were quickly felt on the equipment at the site as
nothing but vacuum remained. When the closer cameras were destroyed,
the station automatically switched to the ones further away. We stared
numbly as what remained of the town was flattened by a massive
implosion. After a few seconds, it made a sound like a thunderclap as a
violent windstorm was created.
     "Dear Lord," Amanda whispered.
     Erik just watched numbly as events unfolded, but he started feeling
a prickling sensation all over which he eventually could not ignore. He
tried scratching but it didn't help, neither did rubbing his skin. His mother
noticed and looked at him in concern.
     "Is something wrong, Erik?" she asked him.
     "I don't know," he replied with a grimace. "I feel pins and needles
all over me all of a sudden." He blinked and looked at the TV. "Maybe
that thing did it; making some people itchy. You think?" She looked
scared and worried so Erik tried to reassure her. "It'll probably pass, like
static or something similar. I'll take a shower and," he yawned, suddenly
tired, "go to bed. I'm still recovering from the party." Amanda stood and
hugged him for comfort before he left. She stared after him, feeling an
odd dread and...
     Expectation?

ERIK'S VIEW...
     
     I hated the prickly sensation on my skin and the shower only made
things worse somehow. But I was tired and collapsed on my bed. I was
very quickly asleep, surprising actually, considering the feeling kept going
and should've made relaxation impossible.
     I would've had even more trouble if I had known what I would
wake up to the next morning.
     Later, Mom and Dad told me events before the discovery. Dad had
come back around seven a.m. the next day, tired and beat even if nothing
had really warranted his attention. He was told by Mom, who had stayed
up all night, about my itchiness and he became concerned. They both went
upstairs to my room to get more information from me about the itch, but
when they came into my dark room and turned on the bedside light, they
got the shock of their lives.
     I normally sleep on my back, which made the changes easy to see.
My hair had grown long, a little past my shoulders, and changed to a
brighter, more vibrant yellow. The face my parents knew so well was now
more angular and slightly leaner with arched eyebrows. Hawk nose,
reddish lips that were slightly thinner, and higher cheekbones. When Dad,
shocked, pulled the covers off of me he saw that I had grown a few more
inches in length and my frame slightly thinner; my PJs were short on me
now. My hands were long and elegant, and skin now milk white, rather
than my usual dusky rose. To top everything off, when Mom brushed my
hair out of the way they saw my ears were pointed like a Star Trek
vulcan's would be but more delicately.
     Their activity stirred me at last and I blinked, showing intense blue
eyes. The stunned expression on their faces made me frown.
     "What? I wet the bed or something?" I growled, not being an early
riser. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, then frowned deeper. "What the
heck...?" I muttered, still not awake yet but feeling a greater drag on my
head that shouldn't have been there.
     "Son, maybe you should..." Dad started to say but he was too late.
     With now widened eyes, I felt my longer hair with shaking hands
and brushed my altered ear. I gulped and traced the points I now
possessed. Then I took a better look at my hands, flipping them over and
over, hardly believing that they were mine. I swallowed.
     "I guess that itch was a little more serious after all," I said with a
weak voice. "What do I look like?" I asked my parents.
     Mom sat on my bed, and brushed a trembling hand through my
silky hair with awe and fear in her eyes. "An elf, Erik. You look like an
elf."
     I may have been not a little terrified but I was damned if I would
panic like most people. "Better than a troll," I said, forcing a chuckle. "I
wonder if I'm not the only one," I wondered, trying to take my mind off
my own problem. My Dad's face grew grim as I said that. Even as
concerned as he was for me, he realized the problems this would cause for
others more likely to panic than I.
     "I hope not, son. I pray not."

     After I had stared into the bathroom mirror for a time, digesting
the change that had occurred, we soon found out from the news that I had
been far from the only victim. People all over had experienced changes of
an unusual nature, and not all the same way as one reporter on CNN
summarized:

               "To those who have just tuned in, I will recap the
     last few days amazing events. After a terrible tragedy in
     Hardpoint, North Dakota, there have been people all over
     the world reporting strange powers and changes in their
     bodies. It seems no coincidence that these people all felt
     something at almost the exact same time the enormous
     dome of Hardpoint vanished, leaving a crater behind.
     These reports are more frequent nearer the town, but all
     nations seem to have been afflicted in some way.
               "Some who haven't changed at all can do things you
     would expect a stage magician to do; these are the most
     frequent. Next are those who seem to flicker into another
     body entirely before returning to their normal state, these
     people claim to be able to do this in an increasingly longer
     duration now than their first time. These are rarer than the
     first group. Then there are those who actually changed
     physically." My family and I paid closer attention to this.
     "The changes are not extreme for most but all have had
     their appearance altered to some degree. These people also
     seem to be developing abilities as time passes but the final
     strength of those powers is unknown. All appear to have
     some measure of increased strength. This group appears to
     be the rarest yet."

     "Boy, I guess I'm lucky then," I muttered. Mom hushed me.

               "The people afflicted are totally random. Race,
     profession, intelligence, or place of occurrence, nothing
     appears to have made a difference. It is this reporter's
     opinion that the police will have a lot to do over the next
     few months to calm things down. Edward Daniels, CNN,
     signing off." 

     Dad turned off the TV so we could assimilate the new
development.
     "You know," I said, musing. "I do feel something. Kind of a
feeling in me, growing. Really odd."
     "Puck!" Mom blurted. Startled, Dad and I turned to her and stared,
she in turn was staring at my features. "I've always privately thought that
the Shakespeare story, A Midsummer's Night Dream, that I told you when
you were young had influenced you a lot, especially the character of
Puck," she explained.
     I blinked as that vague memory returned to me. "You think that's
why I look like this?"
     "Could be," my father mused thoughtfully. "What did you
personally think Puck was like?" he asked me.
     "I think I confused him a bit with the King of the Elves actually." I
grinned at Mom's resigned expression. "I was into comic book heros at the
time so I'd made him into something of a mischievous, magical hero that
could do a lot to villains. Using his wits, magic, and mighty sword to
defeat bad guys and all that. It didn't last long."
     "It appears to have been long enough," Dad mused, looking at my
elvish form. I had to laugh.
     "Beware, vile villains! I am the magnificent Puck! Alakazam!" I
cried, thrusting a palm up. The puff of fire and white smoke that burst
from it frightened me as much as my folks. "Okay," I said slowly, "I guess
more than my body changed." My laugh was more nervous now as I
turned my palm to stare at it.

     Mom wanted to take me to a hospital but I flatly said no. I finally
convinced her when I asked her if a hospital could really do anything for
me at this point in time. She had to say no but looked so worried that I
hugged her to reassure her. Gently, after the initial start. That reporter was
right about increased strength; Mom had squeaked a protest the first time
when I put more pressure on her than I realized.
     "Sorry," I apologized. 
     "That's all right, Erik." She sighed reluctantly. "I suppose it means
you're still in good health."
     Dad kept his own opinion on the hospital matter, but I think he
agreed with me. I also think he realized, as I did, that going to the hospital
meant possibly undesirable media attention. What he suggested instead,
practical and methodical as ever, was that I try to control whatever powers
that I had gained before I did something accidently that I would regret
later.
     So for the next three days I stayed in the house, mostly trying to
find some way I could leave without attracting attention BEFORE I
attracted attention by NOT leaving. Rob and Jason called me often on the
phone, fortunately they were too excited by what was going on in the
world that they were glued to the TV and Newsgroups and they didn't try
to visit. I did the same as I was more involved in the matter and kept
myself informed. For all those afflicted at New Years, their powers were
becoming stronger. It was happening at different rates but everyone
agreed on one point, they were increasing. I felt it too and told Dad
everything that I could.
     But whatever occurred, I couldn't say I didn't enjoy the power I had
gained. Everything I tried came from what I had imagined of my old hero
Puck, but it tired me while astonishing myself and my family.
     For I could fly! Well, it was more like floating at the moment; it
took a lot of concentration to get even a few feet off the ground. 
     My strength increased as well; I could lift Dad without too much
strain, but reports were coming in of others doing more.
     Also, an... awareness came to my attention. It occurred when I
tried doing that fire and smoke trick again and faintly sensed my energies
flowing when it occurred.
     Which led to an exploration of my, hopefully, greatest ability:
spells.
     I tried doing all sorts of things but I couldn't manage them; it was
beyond my power and ability - for now. But the one thing I COULD do
was illusion, and that I began to explore with great enthusiasm, seeing its
potential. Minor illusion spells didn't take a lot of power, just
concentration and practice.
     My mother soon found me in the kitchen, seated on one of the
chairs and frowning at two apples on the dining table.
     "Erik? What are you doing?" she asked curiously, still getting used
to my new body. I smiled up at her.
     "Working on an experiment. Could you pick up these apples?" I
said offhandedly. Mom tried, but her hand passed through the first one she
reached for. She jerked it back, wide-eyed, like it was a snake but she saw
me trying to suppress my laughter and relaxed into an angry state, directed
at me.
     "Erik!" she scolded. I dropped my amusement under her glare and
gave a sheepish shrug.
     "Sorry, Mom." I sighed in frustration as I returned my gaze to the
false apple. "Actually, I'd hoped you would appear to grab it." Mom shook
her head and came closer to me, peering at the fruit twins.
     "They don't look the same," she offered.
     "Oh, I already did that," I explained as I turned at her, "but I'm
working on differences and realism now." Mom gasped as something
occurred to her.
     "Could you make yourself look," she hesitated, "normal?" 
     "I tried, Mom," I ran a hand though my long hair, "but I'm not quite
strong enough for a illusion that big yet. Maybe in a few days I will be."
Then I frowned again, with a different thought.
     Mom saw this and became concerned. "Erik? What is it?" I looked
her with a seriousness in my eyes that I doubt she'd seen often. Despite my
changed appearance, I could tell she saw Dad's solemn eyes.
     "Dad's been worried for days, and I just realized why." I paused as
Mom drew closer. "I had thought that people would cause damage with
these powers in the initial first week, but they can't if most are still weak
like I am. It will be perhaps two to three weeks before any start to be able
to do much real damage." My face turned grim; I was a policeman's son so
I had a fair idea what people on the wrong side of the law might do with
suddenly acquired powers. Mom looked concerned and afraid, for my
father will be facing those who do. I reached a decision but didn't tell
mom about it, instead I started another topic. 
     "I do need help with clothes though," I mused.

AUTHOR'S VIEW...

     The trio who arrived at Erik's house on the morning of the fifth
were understandably puzzled. Rob and Jason could understand
themselves, but Erik had asked them to bring Anne, Robbie's older sister,
along, which puzzled them to no end.
     Anne was a even tempered sort of person and was on good terms
with her younger brother. The unusual request was a curiosity that she
ruefully knew Erik had counted on to lure her here. The reason was
probably to do with her passion for making her own clothes; she did a lot
of unique designs for others that paid well. But her brother's friend had
sometimes asked for unusual details about clothing and her help in
making some rather bizarre items for their pranks. Erik wasn't a dumb kid,
she thought amusedly after remembering the completed pranks in their
entirety, you couldn't call him that.
     As it was winter, she used her car to get them all to Erik's house
and was greeted by the blonde's smiling mother. She said her son was in
the basement on the computer and waiting for them as they kicked off
snow and untied shoes.
     Erik's basement was mostly a large room with a separation
between it and the smaller pottery, furnace, and laundry rooms. His
computer was located on a desk at the far end. As the three stomped down
the stairs, spying a figure seated in the computer's chair, Jason said, "Yo,
Erik! We're here, so what's with the mystery already?"      
     The figure in the chair swivelled around with a grave air. Rob and
Jason froze, bug-eyed, while Anne gasped aloud and covered her mouth
with her hands as she stared. Erik broke out laughing as they stared at
him; the sight of an elf in robe and slippers must've been something.
     "I'll give you three guesses, Jason, and the first two don't count!"
he chortled, then sobered a little but still kept his smile. "That dome thing
hit me pretty hard appearance-wise. What do you think?" He stood and
spread his arms gracefully for their benefit.
     "Hooooooly shit, Erik," Rob said, stunned as he looked at Erik's
new body, "is that really YOU??"
     "No, I'm the Easter bunny in disguise," Erik shot back, irritated,
"and I've come for all the eggs you stole." He strode to stand in front of his
friend and mimed a couple of slaps to Rob's face. "Yes, it's me,
numbskull!" He turned to bow at Rob's still-staring sister. "And oh, thanks
for coming, Anne. I need help big time. My clothes don't fit anymore and,
while the robe and slippers ARE fetching," she giggled at his arched
eyebrow, and Erik's new appearance made it much more effective, "I
prefer pants."
     "My God," she whispered, looking me up and down, "you really do
look like an elf. This is unbelieveable." Then a kindled fire began to shine
in her eyes. "I've never made clothes for elves before; this could be
interesting." Erik couldn't believe it, she actually licked her lips at the
notion.
     "Uh oh, Sis," Rob groaned. "You have that 'experiment with
clothes' look in your eyes again."
     "Do you blame me?" she retorted, not stopping her studied
examination of the new elf's body.
     "Nooooo...." he admitted slowly. "Not really. I just hope you know
what you've done, Erik."
     "I'll survive," Erik said dryly. Jason spoke up then for the first
time. He didn't bother commenting on Erik's new look.
     "Why did you call us all here, Erik, besides for Anne's help?"
     "I had to show someone, guys, as school's tomorrow. I'll hopefully
be able to make an illusion to make myself look normal but I wanted you
to know."
     "Illusion?" Jason asked with interest, then smacked himself. "Oh
yes! All those who changed on New Years have powers. I forgot."
     "I doubt you will later," Erik said ominously. The three looked
apprehensive now. "I wouldn't worry about myself, but those who were hit
were hit RANDOMLY. That includes people you wouldn't want to HAVE
powers, and while mine aren't much right now, they're still growing. I
estimate a few weeks before some people decide to 'play around,' unless
the power growth stops, but I'm not taking bets on that. Life is far too
unfair for that to occur."
     "Wait a minute," Jason said, looking at me as if I was crazy. "You
aren't going to actually try and FIGHT these people, are you?! Your dad
won't let you do that!" Erik sighed, walked up to his friend, and calmly
picked Jason up with both hands at the waist. He let his startled and
slightly shaken friend down after a moment had passed.
     "Jason, my parents are the ones who gave me my morals, and I
stand up to them, even if they are in my own way. I won't do anything
unless it becomes obscenely obvious that the police can't handle matters."
Erik grinned. "Besides, some afflicted may be in the police department so
I might not need to at all. But no one is experienced with this, guys. So
that makes those who practice the most the experts."
     Rob spoke up. "Er... I have a personal theory as well." Everyone
looked at him so he went on. "Does it sound reasonable that the most
common type of afflicted will have the weakest powers, while the rarest
have the strongest?" Erik looked thoughtful.
     "Perhaps. That does sound sensible, but I suppose we'll see." He
looked startled when Anne produced a tape measure and started checking
his measurements. She grinned impishly up at his bemused glace
downwards as she started at his waist.
     "No time like the present, milord."
     "Puck," he corrected, "not 'milord.'" That made her stop.
     "Puck???" she exclaimed in disbelief. "As in Shakespeare? THAT
Puck?? Also known as Robin Goodfellow??" He shrugged.
     "When I was I kid I sort of did the usual kid hero-overpowering
with him after my mom read that story. That's my theory why I look like
this." Anne looked pained, she'd liked that play, and resolutely went back
to measuring the elf.
     "Never mind," was her flat comment. Rob and Jason shrugged at
each other, confused. 
     Erik kept quiet as she measured his chest, but his grin said it all.

ERIK'S VIEW...

     I'd never been this nervous going to school before, but as I walked
into my first class I relaxed as no one noticed anything odd with me. Anne
had done a rush job for a shirt and pants and I was greatful for them. My
shoes were a little tight right now but I managed. Rob and Jason were
surprised at my normal-looking appearance and suppressed their chuckles
when I winked at them.
     Of course, the main gossip at the school was what had happened at
New Years. Winnipeg was one of the closest major cities to Hardpoint,
thus a higher concentration of people in one place, which had been near
the border, and it appeared to have affected more people in my city and
others nearby than anywhere else in the world. Perhaps the dome's effect
had been drawn to the North Pole. Who knew?
     In any case, people were talking about others who had gotten small
powers, people able to change into another body with powers for a few
minutes and then back, and the rarest of all, a change of the person
him/herself and then stuck with it. I kept an interested, but normal face,
though all this. However, I did make a sour face at one piece of news.
     There was no justice in the world. Jennifer, leader of the Snoot-
Group, was one of the ones who could become another form for a time.
Oh well, at least they wouldn't pick on others who could now, I thought.
Sadly, this was not the case I found at lunchtime.
     Well, I HAVE been wrong before. Rarely, but it happens.
     Rob, Jason, and I walked into the school cafeteria to find a crowd
around a grade ten girl by the name of Cathy. I knew who she was because
I'd played a trick on a girl who'd been verbally sniping the short, cute, and
very shy girl with short red hair and freckles. The problem was that her
red hair was now long, curly, and completely unable to hide the long
sheep horns that grew high on her forehead and curled around the sides of
her head. It made her quite attractive really, in an exotic sort of way
perhaps, but those horns framed her head rather nicely. She looked a little
thinner too, but the red on her face was pure embarrassment as she tried to
eat her lunch.
     "Hey, Miss Sheep! You look like you need to be sheared!" one of
Jennifer's crew jeered. Cathy hunched deeper and I decided to break
things up before things got ugly. I wedged my way through the crowd, my
friends following close behind.
     "All right, all right, sarcasm crew's here. Break it up," I told
everyone when I reached the clear space around the girl's back. My own
reputation was well established in the school and people started going.
Jennifer wouldn't let it go that easily though.
     "What's your problem, Prankman?" she sneered, using a nickname
for me I didn't like much and she knew that fact well. 
     "Ease off, Jennifer. I hear you've changed too, so why pick on
Cathy here?" I saw the girl turn beside me to stare at Jennifer, who had
flushed, in surprise.
     "At least I don't look like a sheep when I change!" she retorted.  
     "That's ewe, sheep is plural. Get your insults right at least." My
curiosity got the better of me then. "What DO you change into?"
     She smiled wickedly and her body shimmered for a half-second,
then stabilized into a semi-naked form. Christ, she wore only a toga and
sandals, which showed off her even more shapely form to devastating
effect. Her straight, raven hair went down to the middle of her tanned
thighs. The face was still hers, but there was something about it that made
it appear she was probing your very soul. She smirked as she posed,
throwing her hair back.
     "How do you like THIS? I..." her voice died and she stared at me in
combined shock and surprise. "I... can tell if someone is lying to me or not
when... I'm like this." The males of the room were drooling at her but she
kept her eyes on me, and I had a sinking feeling why. She shimmered back
to normal, still staring at me in disbelief.
     "Hm," I said calmly. "Must be fun. And for MY demonstration I
call apon my able, or is that unable, assistant Robbie!" Rob hammed it up,
bowing, people cheering him as they laughed. I whispered in Cathy's ear
and she reluctantly stood up to stand face-to-face with Rob, who was over
a foot taller than her. I nodded and she gripped his waist with both hands. 
     And lifted him with a little effort.
     Needless to say, my audience was a little surprised. "In case you
people haven't heard," I said dryly as Cathy kept the grinning Rob in the
air, "those people with their bodies changed always get a sizable strength
increase. Er... Rob gets airsick easily so you'd better put him down,
Cathy." There was more laughter as she just dropped him in her hurry and
he stumbled a bit from the fall. "C'mon, guys, let's monopolize this pretty
girl's conversation."
     "But... but..." she said weakly as I gently led her back to her seat
and we sat all around her. "But I look freakish," she finished quietly.
     Jason snorted. "Well, at least you've got better equipment to fend
people off."
     "I don't know, Cathy," I said, "people have worn fruit bowls on
their heads, and gotten away with it. Now THAT'S weird. Besides," added
thoughtfully, considering her profile, "they make you look more attractive
in a way." 
     "Huh, you're right, Erik," Rob agreed after a few seconds study.
     "You... really think so?" she asked timidly. Our emphatic nods got
a warm, stunning smile out of her and I think she claimed Jason's heart
with that smile for he just stared at her when she did. She noticed and
ducked her head with a blush.
     "Say," I said to Rob with a grin, "did I see a guy with wings and a
bow and arrow just pass by?" Near-oblivious Rob just blinked at me in
confusion while Jason and Cathy blushed together this time. I chuckled at
their reactions.
     "I guess not."

     Cathy didn't know about the power she had until later when she
played her flute in the school band, or so I heard from Jason. Her playing
seemed to come a little more naturally to her now, and the whole band
seemed to feel the same way whenever she played. The music teacher was
confused about all this until only the flutes played and he eventually
winnowed the cause down to a very surprised red-head. Poor Cathy was
tired after class for her power, while subtle, was weak still. 
     Still, she was happier what her 'curse' also had a gift, and one that
she liked, and liked a lot.

AUTHOR'S VIEW...

     By herself, Jennifer cornered Erik after school on his way home.
She knew his usual route and when he turned into a back lane, there she
was. And with a unusually determined look on her face.
     "All right," she said, looking directly into his eyes. "Why did you
look the way you did?" Erik sighed; his illusion hadn't been good enough
to fool her other form's power.
     "Not everyone shows off, Jennifer," I said quietly. "Even though I
would've been quite the splash with my new look, wouldn't I?" I smiled
crookedly at her wide-eyed surprise that I had actually admitted it. "No,
I'm waiting. Because other people in this city who are far more unsavory
than you or I ALSO have our growing powers, Jennifer. I'm being
cautious, and if you CAN hear and see the truth in your other form I'd be
careful too. Some people don't want the truth known, Jennifer," I said in
total honesty, "so be very careful."
     She was pale, now understanding a few of my reasons for hiding.
"Maybe I'll go public as myself later, but only if I feel ready. For now..." I
concentrated and floated around her with a cheshire smile. "The Puck is
just getting ready for our changing world. See you tomorrow, Jennifer."
     Erik walked away with her staring after him, the raven haired girl's
thoughts whirling in confusion, the hidden elf's words making her
suddenly unsure of herself. At least Erik hoped so, if she became more
cautious...
     All the better.

PART TWO - PUCK IN PLAY

ERIK'S VIEW...

     Damn, damn, damn, and DAMN!!!
     My worst fears were tossed out the window and replaced with
even graver ones. Around eleven days after the initial changes, my power
levels jumped, and jumped a lot to my dismay. I heard similar stories at
school with those who had a second form and with Cathy, who was the
only one in my city area who had changed like me. The first, least
powerful group stopped their power increase at that time.
     But Jennifer could stay in her form for almost five hours now,
instead of ten minutes! And she confessed to me secretly that her powers
of truth seeking had grown as well. With her increased power, Cathy
could now play in band practice without fear now; her ability now
appeared to help students learn music at an increased rate so the music
teacher, and the entire band, were very happy with her. She and Jason
were starting to become a fast item as well. Those horns of hers made me
think of the 'randy as a goat' phrase and I wondered about those two. 
     As for myself...
     I could actually, truly fly now. Mom and Dad were a little startled
when I woke up one morning and felt strong enough to fly to breakfast. I
didn't realize the jump until I woke up fully and told my father about it.
     "I don't like that piece of news one bit," he sighed, and I agreed
with him.
     I could do more with illusions now as that 'sense' of mine was
stronger and allowed for more control. I even made myself invisible, but
when I moved my shape rippled like a Predator cloak. It obviously needed
more work. I also began experimenting with more than illusion too,
expanding my abilities. One priority was a protection spell to shield
myself or others. I felt I would need it.
     I was sure I was around the power level I had imagined for Puck in
my youth, but it was like that was merely the starting mould which
expanding as my power grew.
     As it did for others.
     For the incidents I had been expecting began happening.

     Minor note: Winnipeg weather is not conducive to 'crime fighting,'
I thought on the fifteenth as I shivered. I stood on a ledge of a building
during one of my fair city's cold snaps. And a record-breaking -42 degrees
celsius as well. While my body was more durable now, I thought my
pointy ears would fall off as I stood in the getup Anne had made for me.
     I had to admit, she did good work. And the cape was a REAL plus
at the moment.
     "Heat spell," I muttered, "Next time I practice, I make a heat spell.
Don't forget the damned heat spell."
     The cape was a dark blue and just the right weight. A gold
stitched, slightly lighter blue shirt with tasteful and rather beautiful
designs matched well with the matching, and rather snug, pants. The high
black boots she had dug up were a nice addition. Where Anne had gotten
the belt, he didn't know, but the silver and golden metal that was twined
made it look very expensive. The dark blue gloves helped with the chill
and I wore the cloak's hood over my head. It was created more to fit my
elf appearance than to fight crime with but I figured it would do. After all,
I wasn't planning to go full time on this bit.
     The action below was heating up though. An apparent twobody
person had shouted his intentions to blow up downtown with his new
powers an hour ago. Nutcase. Unfortunately, his power was anything BUT
nuts as his body became a silvery metal form, T-1000 style, and projected
beams of not inconsequential power from his eyes. Bullets bounced off
that reflective skin. I didn't want to become a vigilante if I could help it so
I watched, wincing at times, as the confrontation went on.
     The police had some people change on the force too, however, and
one had just arrived on the scene. My eyes were keener so I saw him
become a... cowboy?? Good grief, was my bemused thought.
     However ridiculous, he materialized a lasso and tossed it with
uncanny accuracy and speed towards the felon. It slipped around the guy
perfectly and the grinning cop started dragging him in.
     He should've ducked behind an object or something. The villain of
this drama tried breaking out of the rope but couldn't, even his eyebeams
couldn't hurt it. The cop-cowboy was another matter; a beam hit him in
the shoulder, making him cry out in pain and the rope vanished as he
collapsed. The silver guy laughed crazily as he had freed.
     "Stupid cops! You cannot defeat the RAY MAN!!" he screeched in
a tinny voice.
     "Ray Man?!" I muttered disbelievingly. "You've GOT to be
kidding." I shook my head sadly. "Our education dollars at work here." I
sighed and raised my hand. "I just CAN'T let a stupid asshole like this guy
win." My hand crackled with energy and I let fly a lightning bolt towards
him. My aim was a little off: I hit his foot. 
     Well, maybe it wasn't off by THAT much. Ray Man???
     "Arrggghhh!!!" the idiot screamed in pain after my bolt left his
shiny foot smoking a little. He hopped and clutched it in his silver hands
as he cursed. To give him credit, he recovered fast and sent a beam to the
spot I had been standing at a few seconds ago. Like many people would
say, I'm not stupid. This guy also tossed beams around like nothing, he had
to run out of steam soon. 
     As my previous position exploded, I launched another bolt.
     To the other foot. 
     He screamed again and was literally hopping mad, or, more
accurately, hopping AND mad. I'm sure the police must've been enjoying
this since he had injured one of theirs. I had gone back to my old position
to loose the bolt but he must have seen my distorted form as I left. His
retaliatory beam hit me in the lower arm and hurt like fucking hell. My
yell of pain accompanied my fall to earth as my concentration for flying
was shot. I made an attempt to slow before I landed and so I was only
winded when I hit a car roof, denting it. My cloak spell was a self-
sustaining spell so it was still going.
     "You fucking bastard!" the so-called 'Ray Man' spat hatefully.
"You hurt me, you shifty fucker!"
     I slid off the car roof in some considerable pain and decided to talk
for a moment to catch my breath. I dropped the cloak spell and stood up
straight. I then pulled back my hood with my good arm and the guy
gratefully acted startled. "If we're going to be calling ourselves names you
may as well call me Puck," I said as calmly as I could.
     "Puck?? PUCK??!?! HAHAHAHAHAH!!!" he laughed loudly,
amused at my choice of name. "Stupid name for an asshole who looks like
a sonavabitchin elf!"
     "If you READ you'd know it makes perfect sense," I shot back
sweetly and smiled as a semi-transparent sphere surrounded me.
     "Fucker!" he cried angrily and shot a beam at me but the shield
spell held. Energy diffused wildly from the hit location, much to my
satisfaction and his increasing rage.
     "Now 'Ray Man'..." I mused, as if to myself. "That has such a lack
of... intelligence about it." He screamed and fired again, twice, but I
sustained the spell which would have collapsed otherwise after the first
beam. Smiling grimly, I raised a crackling hand. "That's three times. I'd
better even things up, yes?" I slammed three lightning bolts into his
stomach, left shoulder, and right kneecap in quick succession. It left him
falling on his face in screaming pain before reverting back, unconscious,
to his human form. He just didn't have the energy to sustain his 'other self'
anymore, but he sure had to have had a considerable store at the
beginning. I looked around and saw shattered glass, concrete, and cars and
shook my head at the waste.
     I stayed where I was in case he was playing possum. I doubted it,
but cunning sometimes made up for intelligence. Finally, I dropped the
shield and went over to him. Turning him over I saw that his lightning
burns were no longer there. Handy, I thought, feeling my own painfully
throbbing arm. I waved to the police and they rushed over to handcuff the
unconscious guy as I backed away to give them room.
     "I highly suggest someone find out how to prevent him from
changing and doing this again," I suggested as they lifted him up. "Like
holding his face in a position that will hurt himself or hurt nothing, and
with something that won't change with him like his clothes do." One of the
officers, the cowboy I realized, came up to me and looked me over.
     "Nice work, son," he said in a drawl, looking rather regretful, "but
we'll need you to come with us. If you'll change into your original body,
please?"
     "Why do I need to come with you? And you ARE looking at it; we
don't all switch and heal instantly, you know," I said, a little more frostily
than I intended; my arm HURT! He looked surprised, then sighed.
     "Sorry, son. I didn't realize. But we do need to know who you are
and your statement."
     "Look," I began, "I'm NOT a 'super hero.' I helped out because I
was EXPECTING this to happen sometime. It was BOUND to happen
with all the different kinds of people affected, and some of those will be
tempted to USE it destructively. After tonight I can hope that they realize
they just can't do that and I can save myself injury." I winced as my arm
throbbed. "I realize now that I couldn't let that guy just keep going until he
ran out of juice because that would've meant others could do the same
thing, police or no police. This is the first case of this sort in Winnipeg,
and maybe in the world. You have enough to book him, and KEEP him
booked. That sets a precedent, so make it stick for that nut or there'll be
even more trouble than what will happen now.
     "And realize this: we are still increasing in power, the first level
has stopped, but I don't know when YOUR level will be. The first was
eleven days, yours may be longer or shorter, and then I MAY experience
another increase of power." The officer's eyes widened at this. "I just don't
know, but that's my best guess. I want to keep order in the city, officer.
But you'll have a hard time of it, damage and life-wise, without more
backup. Most offenders will be the first and second levels because there
are far more of them than the rarer third."
     "And what do we do if a third level like you goes rogue?" he asked
me.
     "After a second power increase? I'm not sure," I admitted. "But I'd
keep the possibility in mind." I hopped up and hovered in the air in front
of the now-amazed officer. "And pray," I added before gliding into the
sky, cloak ruffling behind me, and, with a ripple, vanishing.

     I got yelled at when I got home, all of it Mom as she quickly
pulled off my shirt to look at my painfully throbbing arm, tears of worry in
her eyes. Dad wasn't there; he was still out because of that idiot.
     "WHY did you do this, Erik?!" Mom cried as she applied
disinfectant to my extremely burned forearm, me wincing at the sting.
"This was just plain STUPID!"
     "You're right, it was," I sighed. "If I'd put a shield up I could've
kept blasting him till he dropped without a scratch. Unless he had hit the
supporting wall."
     "This whole business was stupid!" Mom cried at me.
     "I had to show those people with the power that OTHERS with the
power could and would fight them if they did something like this, not just
the cops. Some still won't care. Mom, if someone like him had appeared
in a crowded mall and killed everyone there, how would you feel if I was
one of those killed in the crowd? I went and acted because I had to." I
paused. "And also because of that name. 'Ray Man'??" I shook my head
again at that title. "Personally, I hope I don't have to, but I doubt it."
     Mom looked at me for a long time, biting her bottom lip. "I just
don't want to lose you, Erik," she whispered as she finished bandaging my
arm. I slowly hugged her and she wrapped her arms around me tightly.
     "Hey," I said with love, "the Puck never loses."

AUTHOR'S VIEW...

     Erik found that he healed more rapidly as his arm repaired itself
several times faster than normal. Another blessing.
     The incident, 'Ray Man', and Puck made the newspapers the next
day, causing considerable uproar. Some crazy photographer who had
actually stayed close to the action even got a photo of Erik flying off.
Cameras weren't affected by the illusion so it was clear, something to
remember. The cop-cowboy had even repeated my arguments to the
reporter so as to get my words to the general public. I heard from Dad that
the cowboy got in a little trouble for that.
     The hubbub around school was considerable, there was even talk
of the school going around to the affected and recording what they could
do. However, anything that was to be done would take months to even
begin. Erik and Jason weren't terribly worried about Cathy, her music
talents were purely educational and non-harmful. Erik jokingly told
Jennifer to be careful not to be drafted into jury duty and got a frown
back. With that talent of hers, that old O.J. Simpson trial probably
would've ended in a few days rather than a few months. It was kids like
that fellow who used a water controlling power to drench some girls that
people worried about.
     The first level powers could be worrisome too. Some burglar had
been going around the city and opening normal house locks at will,
literally. He got too cocky and got caught, but it was a good example.
     A far grimmer one was Toronto. Seventy-eight killed, over four
hundred wounded by shrapnel when a lunatic like Ray Man who could
blow up objects at a distance went on a rampage. Police finally shot him
when they found him; his face had no mouth in his second form, and,
unlike Ray Man, he wasn't bulletproof. Thus it was discovered the hard
way that if you died in your second form you died period.
     Erik, with a warmth spell, often went flying invisible over the city.
It was good practice as his power steadily increased. It was semi-rare, but
sometimes he actually found crimes being committed.

     "Come on, you whore!" a brown-skinned, burly man shouted as he
slapped a heavily made up, crying woman in a short skirt and leather
jacket. She was on the snowy ground below the angry man with three
other men around him in the shadowy, sheltered alleyway, breath frosty in
the cooling night air. "I know you're the one so don't you fucking hold out
on me! Fucking shifter, think you too good for me?"
     "I c-can't!" she protested weakly. "N-not like..." She was cut off in
mid sentence by another slap.
     "Ah, hell with it," one of the standing men said. "Let's just our
rocks off in her and leave the..." A chilling laugh made him stop and he
whirled to the alley's exits, his fellows pulling out guns while he took out
a knife. "What the fuck was that?" he whispered tensely.
     A form silently, eerily, shuffled out of the darkness, wearing a long
black robe and holding a pole with a long, curved blade. The head rose
and the men around the woman felt their neck hairs stand on end. For it
was a skull looking out from the hood.
     The Grim Reaper.
     Death.
     The men shot at the figure in panic but it didn't even slow the thing
down as it advanced. The woman began to scream as the man on her leapt
off to back away in a panic. Then the Reaper shifted his hands' positions
and gripped the scythe tightly in it's bony grip. It made a few, deadly silent
swings of the gleaming blade.
     That did it, the four men ran in terror out of the alley while the
woman scrambled away from the Reaper in frightened horror.
     "Well, that worked well, didn't it?" a voice laughed out behind her
and she whirled her head around to look. She gaped at the person who
called himself the Puck. "Okay, Reapie," he chuckled, "disappear." The
spectral apparition vanished instantly making the woman gape even more. 
     Erik knelt by the woman and looked her over. "You okay?" he
asked, concerned. She nodded, wide-eyed. "You want to get out of here
before those shots attract attention?" She nodded again, more frantically.
"All right then," he said and before she could protest, he picked her up and
then FLEW straight up to land on the roof before she could even scream.
"What's your name?"
     "G-Gail," she stuttered, then realized the air around him was toasty
warm. "H-How do you keep warm like this?"
     "Heat spell. Need it for this cold when flying." 
     "Thanks... thanks for the rescue, not many would care to save a
hooker from rape," she said a little bitterly. Gail was loosing her chill
from the ground as he kept holding her in his arms. "Dumb bastard didn't
realize I couldn't shift for him."
     Erik was startled at that. "Shift? Why would he care about that?"
He noticed she was looking at him quite carefully now and beginning to
smile. She was starting to feel that now-familiar, and delightful, sensation
again as the Puck held her. Gail knew full well what it meant.
     "Because he's a man, if a scumball. Are you?" Gail teased and
reached up to trace his suddenly sensitive ear, making him start.
Something was making him feel aroused but didn't think it could be Gail,
well, she wasn't unattractive but it was hardly the place to make out.
     "Ah... I'm more elf now I guess."
     "Oh?" She smiled widely now. "Then our meeting is perfect."
     "Eh?!"
     Her form shifted and suddenly Erik found himself holding a naked
woman who was radiating a sensual fire that made his blood suddenly
pound. Her form was voluptuous and lips sinful as she smiled at his
startled look. "I can only shift if I'm with a male... I... like!" she said,
slowly and teasingly tapping his straight nose. "And that's why I call
myself Nymph." She giggled as she caressed his ear again and this time
the delightful sensation from the touch was increased.
     "So... er... your power is... uh... pleasure?" he asked as he lay Gail
on the snowy roof, making her squeal in shocked surprise and delight
from the cold. She wrapped arms around him and kissed Erik deeply. He
was beginning to respond when she broke off the kiss.
     "That's right, elf," she breathed, placing his gloved hand on one of
her soft breasts and smiling.
     Erik smiled back, figuring it was the right place after all, and cast
heat and illusion spells around the two of them. "Guess resisting is a lost
cause," he commented as his eyes drank in her beauty. She eagerly started
to help him take his clothes off.
     He had never known just how much his endurance had improved
until that night.

     All over the world, more incidents happened as people began to
discover, and become more confident in, their abilities. Those affected in
warring third world countries began fighting amongst themselves,
believing this new power was to help decide their conflicts. Casualties
escalated when powers clashed.
     Within a oil-baron's slave harem, one mistreated lady decided to
leave and left her footmarks on her former owner. Literally, for she was
living fire at the time. On the flip side, another sheik quickly found out
about a third-level woman who could shape shift into any female form she
wanted and asked her to marry him. She accepted. A good deal for the
sheik for she was a one-woman harem, and from all reports the two
eventually fell in love with each other.
     A new Jack the Ripper surfaced in London, a first level who could
hide in fog, at least until he met a certain prostitute with a feline cast to
her features. Things got messy; after the incident the woman complained
about the blood on her painted, three-inch-long fingerclaws, which were
razor sharp and able to cut through steel.
     Some transformations were not all pleasant, especially for some
who had permanently changed bodies like Erik. One man gained so much
muscle he could barely move, and there was a woman with a similar
problem with stiff skin like flexible marble, but it seemed to be getting
easier for her to move as her power increased while the man kept bulking
up.
     Things in North America heated up, sides formed for control or
freedom of those affected. As it involved people in all walks of life it was
a difficult issue. There was at least one in all nationalities, all races, and
all political parties. It was natural for people to panic, these events were
slowly adjusting the normal lifestyle of countries.
     Erik's presence in Winnipeg helped, but he couldn't go out of town,
and he knew he just didn't have the near the power to do so.
     Until February the 2nd. Groundhog Day.
     That was when the next increase of power happened.
     It was like the difference between the firsts and the seconds. One
day Erik was on par or slightly greater than the seconds he occasionally
fought to keep order, the next it wasn't even funny. And people noticed
when on next day he creamed a lightning throwing maniac. He'd got hit,
but it merely stung a bit. His own unintentionally powerful retalitory bolt
blinded some people and overloaded the poor idiot into unconsciousness.
Spectators noticed Erik's surprised and startled look at his hands before he
left.

ERIK'S VIEW...

     This was getting scary, I thought as I lay on my bed at home. I took
down that second level fellow far too easily. I knew that I had gotten
stronger, but now I'm like a second-level fighting a first! I suppose the
second form people will stop increasing their growth now, which is a
relief. But the thirds... At least there are fewer of them, but these new
power levels might make things difficult.
     Not only that, I had still gained power after the first boost, slowly,
but it was a sizable amount.
     Ten days for the firsts.
     A little over twenty days later and the seconds finished at thirty-
some days total.
     If the pattern continued, it meant the thirds had over forty days
more to go; over a month. Over a month to become even more powerful.
     Life was not easy, I mentally sighed.

     Things settled down when the fact that the third level affected
could usually trample a second level head-to-head now got around. I
certainly would do so if anyone went nuts. Mom was happier now at least;
if a lightning bolt that could shatter stone couldn't hurt me much, neither
could the average bullet. 
     I had improved my invisibility even before the boost so there
wasn't much change there. I flew much faster and if I carried anyone I
made a shield for wind protection. My shields I learned to shape and could
make them unseen, while becoming more powerful. As for spells and
illusions... I tried to expand my knowledge of spells beyond the few I had
created for battle with seconds. As I fiddled with transformations, mostly
because of the inclusion of that in Shakespeare's play, I found I had a
talent for it. My illusions were getting better and more complex. Jennifer
couldn't even see the real me anymore. 
     A new thing that came to me was that I started sensing those who
had power as well as my own. Compared to Cathy, who didn't seem to
have the same ability, and myself, Jennifer was a small campfire to our
raging bonfires. As for the red-head, the increase of power only made her
and the band better, making the music instructor almost bowing before her
in worship. It didn't go to her head, bless her tender heart.
     The leader of the Snoot-Group seemed to be subtly pursuing me
for some reason. I guess I knew why, I did look handsome as an elf and
my power WAS growing pretty strong. It might also have something to do
with the fact that she now had a pretty good idea when someone was lying
to her, even in her normal body. I was usually honest when it came to her
and her friends still weren't, that must've grated on her nerves something
fierce.

     Trouble occurred on the tenth. 
     The three of us guys and Cathy had taken to walking home from
school. A couple of blocks away from it however, two odd-looking people
were waiting for us. Unfortunately, we knew who they were for, like
Cathy and most others, they were thirds who had revealed themselves to
the public eye. I, being more involved with matters and my Dad's
information, knew even more.
     One was Jonny 'Chain' Steel, age 22. African, afro cut, slightly
paler than most, he had been a happy, relatively fit young man a few years
ago. Now, he was an unsatisfied negro who had been dealt a bad deck
when his folks were killed in one of the few but bloody inter-gang
shootings that had occurred in 1998. With the loss of his family, he had
fallen into depression, then bouts of rage that surfaced with more and
more frequency. One such had cost him his job as he dropped out of
University. New Years had stuck him like the final blow of a long series
of blows when his hands enlarged to three times their normal size. But his
mood improved as his power emerged. His grip was unbreakable, such
was the strength in his hands and he could crush metal and bone with
equal ease at this point. His overall strength was better than the average
third as well. On the first boost he found he could create energy chains in
his hands and could control them with his will very well.
     The second was Oscar Polinski, age 54. Prematurely white hair,
and slightly wrinkled face on a wiry frame before his change. Despite my
disbelief, he was a postal worker. Average life, average job, until January
1st. I was surprised he was here at all. The change had hit only the man's
eyes at the time but I noticed he looked ten to fifteen years younger than
he should, they now held only energy swirls, dizzying to look at so he
wore shades all the time. I wasn't sure what his power was, but it usually
matched a person's physical changes. (Suddenly materializing a gun and
shooting everyone in sight, perhaps? No, no, no... Be serious, Erik.)
     Both were ignoring us guys and staring intently at Cathy, who
shyly ducked behind Jason after a moment. The black third looked us over
disdainfully and waved one of his huge hands.
     "Get out of here, punks. We only want to talk to the girl." 
     Cathy gripped Jason's arm in fright. I stepped back and took Rob
with me.
     "Uh... We'll see you in a bit, Jason," I said, and only my long time
friends and fellow pranksters Jason and Rob heard the subtle message in
my words. I ran away, Robbie following me around a fence corner into a
back lane where he almost rammed into me. "Get to a phone and call the
police, Rob," I told him. "I'm going back as someone a little more
famous."
     "Gotcha!" he said quickly before running off. After I made sure no
one was looking, my own form vanished.
     Nothing had happened in my absence. Jonny was upset at Cathy's
insistence to keep Jason around, Oscar looked uncertain on how to deal
with it.
     "I said GO, kid!" Chain said angrily and pulled a massive hand to
slap my friend away. That got a surprising response from the short red-
head as she moved to block the slap.
     "Don't you DARE!" she shouted furiously, eyes blazing. Her curled
horns started vibrating with a high pitched hum that surprised everyone
save Cathy, who was glaring at the man who had threatened her boyfriend.
I noticed a wavering in the air above her head and suspected anything she
butted with her horns wouldn't be lasting long. The ominous hum made
Chain back off so she calmed down and her horns went back to normal.
She looked surprised.
     "I was wondering when you'd show a red-head's temper," Jason
murmured quietly to her. "Thanks, Cat."
     "Very well, let the boy stay," Oscar decided and Jonny backed off,
"this won't take long to say."
     "Oh good," I said as I dropped from the hover I'd been in and
quickly reappeared, using an illusion of my usual Puck get-up. "I get so
bored with long speeches," I said flippantly, walking closer to my friends
as everyone save Jason stared at me.
     "How did YOU find out about this?" Chain demanded, to which I
responded with a thin smile.
     "With MY broad range of spells?" I scoffed. "Easily. Especially
since I suspected something would happen after our second boost in
power. You were the most likely, Mr. Steel, to do something." I was lying
through my teeth but I figured they'd buy it. While I should have, it's not
my job to babysit others with powers all the time.
     "Easy, Jonny," Oscar soothed, placing a restraining hand on
Chain's shoulder. "At least we don't need to find him." He turned to
address me and Cathy. "Jonny and I have been thinking of organizing
some kind of group composed of those changed like we four have been.
You've seen the news, people doing horrible things with these powers and
normals," that sounded alarm bells through me, "have started to become
afraid of our kind."
     "'Our kind'?" I said. "We're still human, even if," I coughed politely
since I was the most obviously inhuman of the four, "some don't quite
look it anymore."
     "Yeah?" Chain sneered. "Well, I don't want to be part of the
'normal' society! Look!" he said forcefully and those glowing golden
chains formed in his big hands. "Is THIS fucking normal? Oscar and I, we
want to band together and get some kind of system going before the damn
normals start slapping laws down on us. The ones who got only them
wimpy powers and didn't change, people don't care 'cause a lot got hit that
way. The seconds they worry about but less than some terrorists who blow
up some bus or something. They can still look normal all the time if they
want. Us, on the other hand, don't have a choice! We're gonna be the most
powerful of the bunch and most, like me and the girl, can't hide that. We'll
be the minority with superpowers so we'll be the ones most feared."
     "Not unless we give them reason," Cathy murmured softly. But I
frowned, predicting the response to that.
     "Girl, people don't NEED reason to fear something," Chain said
forcefully. "They'll turn, oh you may be hot stuff now, but they'll turn
against you in the end."
     "Except we're not much of a minority," I commented, "and the first
and second level affected will fight something like what you fear. And so
will their families and friends. Too many people in too many areas of
society have been hit and they won't want those kinds of laws. If we try to
band together into some kind of elite group this early we will create
EXACTLY the focus some people in power, who would fear us, need to
turn the public against those who changed and didn't have a choice. It is
far too soon for anything like that and I would be very opposed that kind
of band."
     Chain snarled and whipped one of his glowing chains at me,
intending to wrap me up in it. It only wrapped around the close shield I
had erected around myself. I had been fighting people with powers for
weeks so I had been ready, he hadn't. I pointed at the ground beneath him
and it exploded with considerable force, fire erupting from below Chain's
feet. It was enough to toss him high with a howl of pain and his chain
vanished from around me.
     Oscar didn't approve. His power manifested and the world spun
dizzyingly around me and I collapsed to my knees as my balance became
shot to hell. I heard Cathy and Jason moaning too as Oscar didn't have
much fine control yet and affected everybody in front of him. I managed a
lesser lightning bolt, hoping to stun him, but it veered crazily around the
man's body. Apparently, he distorted matter and energy around himself for
his own kind of protection.
     Fine, I thought, resisting the urge to hurl as I closed my eyes,
which helped immensely. Two can play this game. I cast a very large and
powerful illusion over the area where we were and I didn't need to look
for this one. But I did when I heard startled and frightened oaths from two
men.
     We all stood on nothing, saw nothing save stars, and everything
was black. Space. I myself saw the real world imposed on my illusion but
everyone else saw only my illusion which I controlled with my will.
     "Hard to disorient someone when they can do the same to you, isn't
it?" I said as I 'stood' in their eyes. They were wobbling as all visual clues
were substituted with few, new, and unhelpful ones. We were in an empty
park area so no one else was bothered by the effect. I helped a frightened
Cathy and Jason up and turned to the lurching men, grimly.
     "Join, or else? Not a wise choice to give to one who named himself
after a trickster, guys." I pointed at the two and 'space' seemed to start
swallowing them whole. It wasn't real and they managed to struggle
successfully as their power rendered them more immune than normal
folks, but it was unnerving all the same. My grasp on physical delusion
was shaky but for this is was sufficient. "My specialty is illusion, and
while it may not sound like much, it can be devastating is done properly.
And I've been practicing." My voice turned cold. "You've made your
message very clear, so now hear mine: forget this group idea for a while.
Maybe others will try elsewhere, but I hope not in Canada. And if I hear
you trying in the next year, ESPECIALLY 'persuading' others like you
tried here, I will be very, very angry. This is not a threat. This is a fact.
Good day," I finished curtly and I turned to help my friends leave the
illusion's area of effect, ignoring the two third's cries for help.
     Eventually, we got out and the two with me sighed, relieved, to be
free of the illusion of space. Cathy hugged Jason, lightly, and turned her
head to me. "Thank you."
     "No problem for a friend, Cathy," I said, and grinned as I
shimmered back into my old self, putting my illusion back up. Her jaw
dropped and her eyes widened as she realized who 'The Puck' really was.
"Rob went to phone the cops so we should expect company soon." Jason
nodded, then sighed in relief.
     "Thanks, Erik," he said and winced when Cathy hugged him
tighter but in shocked irritation this time.
     "You knew?!?" she demanded.
     "Hey, it's HIS life, Cathy," he pleaded as she frowned up at him. "I
hoped he would tell you though." He relaxed as Cathy released him and
she looked down, embarrassed.
     "I'm sorry, you're right," the red-head murmured, red-faced. Jason
rolled his eyes in exasperation and hugged her in his turn.
     "I never thanked you for defending me," he said softly in her ear.
She blushed harder and wrapped her arms around him in return. He lifted
her head up with a soft sigh. "You should look up more, Cat."
     "What? I thought you liked the horns," I commented with a grin.
They gave me a glare and I merely smiled.
     Turning back to themselves, they looked into each others eyes and
their faces drew closer together, lips ready.
     "Randy as goats, I'd say, but the second set of knockers don't
match," I remarked. I'd meant to think it but it slipped out. I slapped a
hand over my mouth but it was too late. Cathy's eyes snapped open and
she released Jason instantly, turning to me with that red-head's temper
showing on her face again.
     Uh oh.
     "Errrrrriiiiikkkkk!!!" she growled, stamping towards me as I
backed up nervously. People had walked into the park so I couldn't simply
disappear and fly away.
     "It slipped out!" I protested weakly as she advanced on me. "Slip
of the tongue! You know, that sort of thing." She wasn't listening so I
turned and started running around the park, Cathy hot on my heels.
     The sight had Jason whooping with laughter as the cops came.

     Later that day...
     "WHAT are you doing NOW, Erik??" Jason exclaimed with
extreme disbelief as he stared at me. He had come into my basement to
find me hanging upside down, wrapped with the cord that I hung from.
     "Still can't get that darn Indian Rope Trick right," I sighed as I
swung gently from side to side. "Could you untie me?" He came up to me
and placed a hand on my rope-encased side with a bemused look.
     "Mind telling me how? Hey," he frowned, "you can get out
yourself, can't you?"
     "Quite right."
     Jason started violently when the real me spoke from behind him.
He looked back and forth between me and the illusion with a comical
look. He patted the fake me then hesitantly came over and poked my
chest. "Glah??" 
     I laughed and my other self vanished. "Sorry, Jason, I needed to
test my new illusion. It makes you think you actually touch it instead of
passing through. Works better than that stunt with those two earlier today.
Uh..." I looked at Jason nervously. "She's not mad at me still, is she?"
     "A little," he admitted, "but she knows you have a warped sense of
humour at times, and saving her from that confrontation helped a lot too.
It wasn't a nice thing to say, Erik," he said evenly.
     "I know, I know," I admitted with a sigh. "I really am sorry about
it. I know what she means to you," I eyed him, "even after a month and a
half." Jason rubbed his head.
     "Yeah, surprised us too," he admitted in his turn. I grinned.
     "I just hope you can keep up once you do get to that certain...
stage." He flushed but he turned worried. "Oh, don't look like that," I
groaned. "If you have problems, come to me. Maybe I can whip up a spell
for you or find someone who can do it better. If I'm right, don't worry
about it." He nodded with relief.
     "Thanks, Erik," he said gratefully. "And what about your love life?
I hear Jennifer's on your tail and she knows about you."
     "Well... She does look nice," I admitted, "but it wouldn't last long.
We think too differently. Oh yeah, did you hear the recent news?" I
snickered a little.
     "What news?"
     "I checked on the alt.hardpoint.facts newsgroup when I got back.
Apparently some studies have been going on with the two-form people.
You know that their power forms don't transmit damage to their original
bodies, right?" Jason nodded. "Well, the same goes for germs and sex. The
germs can enter their bodies, but don't effect them and get destroyed when
they shift back. Women can't get pregnant in the second form or get
transmissible diseases. Behold!" I cried as a stunned Jason digested the
news. "The birth of the ultimate contraceptive! Even if they have a disease
in their old body, it don't appear in the second, germ-free one. Driving the
scientists crazy." I smirked. "And doctors panting for knowledgable two-
form assistants for really hazardous illnesses."
     "What about the thirds?" Jason asked, but I shook my head.
     "Hard to tell with that change. Almost all our skins are too tough
to be sure, our powers make things difficult, and there are far fewer
willing to spend weeks in a hospital being a guinea pig. Good luck
stopping them too." I looked up and mused my thoughts aloud. "I suspect
we may be at the very least more disease-resistant, or totally immune
disease. Sex... We'll have to see, but we might still be able to have kids
because our bodies aren't the energy forms of the seconds. What they'd
look like is a big if. Though," I added, trying to dispel Jason's worries
again, "in my case I may have half-elves for kids."
     We had a good laugh at that joke.

AUTHOR'S VIEW....

     Chain and Oscar didn't want to tangle with Puck again, but after
being arrested, and to boost public opinion of thirds, they offered to help
the police with rogue two-bodies. The police accepted them as trial
deputies and they did well since the rogues couldn't match them in raw
power reserves. Erik welcomed the help and the other five thirds, not
including Cathy and himself, in Winnipeg didn't bother to comment.
     More tales around the globe arose as the days passed, too many to
tell. Some seconds and thirds could fly as Puck did. Mental powers,
elemental feats, strength, and more were part of the variety of abilities.
Puck was rare in that he was a third and had the potential to do many
things with his spells, he only needed time and experience to expand his
capabilities. 
     Erik and his friends began getting ready for university. They didn't
want to separate so they decided to all go to the faculty of science. Rob
naturally planned to go with Computer Science. Jason decided on
Chemistry, though he was thinking on transferring into Engineering. Erik
himself was uncertain because of his changes, he made hazy plans for
Physics or Biology because of his involvement with both. Plastic surgery
was also an option as his newly long fingers were very precise and could
have a very delicate touch when he wanted to.
     Recruiters from some of those departments had started visiting
schools, as did some companies. While Cathy was still in tenth grade, she
was offered a scholarship for the Music school, as if she was going
anywhere else. Erik, while invisible, overheard some of the recruiters
talking. Those few from companies hoped the kids with powers would
speed up some sections of research and development. Since some kids had
amazing abilities they were probably right. The kids affected would be
more adaptable and at ease with the powers they had gained as well.
     On the other hand, the political war raged on over the
consequences of all the new developments. It favoured the afflicted, for
even with the few rogues, many were neutral and an equal few eager to
help. And that help was considerable. A politician in the States had
spoken on focusing on issues most normal people couldn't do to prevent
job loss. Bright idea. One third even had a strange appetite for radioactive
waste, and with the sheer amount of it he could eat happily till the cows
came home. A few seconds and thirds would take to work underwater
perfectly with some training, that is, if they couldn't continue with their
old jobs in some way.
     Otherwise, life went on. No third had gone amuck in North
America yet, probably because of the painful examples of the seconds.
They really didn't need to, with their powers they could find work
SOMEWHERE.
     Erik did not have to go out much now, Chain and Oscar were able
enough to handle most trouble makers. So he practiced his powers and
went on with school as usual. Jennifer became more persistent, especially
after finding out about her other form's immunities, and the fed up Erik
finally told her privately the reasons why they shouldn't date. Even with
her growing inability to read him, she could tell he spoke the truth as he
knew it. She grudgingly acknowledged this, but still asked him to date her
for a few weeks. To his puzzled confusion, she smiled and said:
     "I'm curious. Dating an elf should be an experience."
     So they started going out on the first week of March, which
puzzled the whole school since for most of high school the two had been
on two opposite sides of the fence. Needless to say, when they were in
private Erik often showed her the results of his practice, much to her
delight, as well as... other things.
     Jennifer was not disappointed.
     Erik waited for the middle of March like most thirds, expectant for
their period of growth to end.
     Then March the sixteenth passed.
     And Erik was rudely nuked with a surprise bombshell.

PART THREE - GODS ARISE

ERIK'S VIEW...

     Son. Of. A. Bitch!
     I had gone to bed anxiously for all the boosts had occurred in my
sleep and was expecting my end of growth any day. All thirds would be
doing the same.
     For myself and a few others, I was dead wrong.
     For when Mom came up to me to nudge me awake she stopped
and gasped, I had boosted again, incredibly, and she could tell. I hadn't
changed, and I wasn't glowing with light from my newly increased power,
but Mom felt my Presence with a capital 'P' like I WAS glowing. And it
made her want to touch my face in awe. It was no wonder people called
my true group 'Gods' after the first year.
     For I wasn't a third.
     I was a fourth.
     Even when I first woke up I felt the difference and bolted upright
in shock to see Mom still staring at me. My big bonfire of power had
become a forest fire. My senses were severely fucked and I tried
desperately to adjust to them. As I had used spells, I could feel their
energies more and more, enabling me to instinctively manipulate them to
the results I desired. That had become even worse; I could feel Mom's
aura, sense other things that I had no idea about, and my other augmented
senses were not helping me at all.
     "Oh... my... God..." I whispered, Mom ran out of the room at the
sound of my compelling voice, then I froze. Did this happen to other
thirds?? I thought in a panic. I picked up my phone and dialled Cathy's
number.
     "Hello?" she answered sleepily.
     "Cathy? It's Erik," I said quickly. "Has your power stopped
growing yet?"
     "Uh... yes!" she said more alertly as she realized it herself. "That
why you called?"
     "Oh God," I whispered.
     "Erik? Erik, what's wrong?" she said in a concerned voice.
     "Mine hasn't," I choked.
     "So?"
     "Cathy, I'm not a third, I'm a fourth." I got puzzled silence. "I
boosted again last night."
     "What??" she gasped.
     "Mom even felt the difference. Christ, she ran out of the room
when I talked," my voice was cracking with suppressed emotion. "You'd
think I'd feel invincible," I laughed hollowly. "It's all so disorienting
though, my brain's trying to adjust to my heightened senses. Oh, Jesus," I
groaned, closing my eyes but it didn't help much. "C-could you call the
other guys and come over? I think you'd be least effected until I control
this, if I can." I swallowed.
     "Sure, I'll be right over," she said quickly. "Stay calm, okay? We'll
be there soon." She hung up and I slowly put the receiver back before
laying back down.
     I lay there for a few minutes before I heard Dad running up the
stairs. "Holy!" he near-shouted when he saw me, astonished, but when I
opened my eyes he looked like he was in a real panic, and not because of
me. Totally uncharacteristic of him, he grabbed me and sat me up in bed.
     "Dad, what..."
     "Erik," he said quickly, "you're my only son, and I hate to ask this
of you, but I don't have a choice. I can tell you boosted last night, how
could I not?? But someone else in Edmonton did as well, and she's going
berserk because of it." THAT got me out of my funk as I stared at my
father. "Her power is fire, and she's started burning the city down. They
need your help there BADLY."
     I'd been practicing transformations for weeks, but with my new
might it was a simple matter to change PJs into my usual costume. I ran
over to the window, opened it, and, as I turned invisible, flew out the
opening with an audible whoosh of wind.
     "God speed, son," Donald Clay said as he closed the window.

     There was a distance of around 1500km involved between
Winnipeg and Edmonton on the road. Less as the crow flies. I don't know
how I did it but I arrived at the burning city in an hour and a half. I had
relatives in the city so I'd been here many times and knew the general way
to get there. Unfortunately, the ominous smoke had helped.
     I found her standing on an empty street, screaming into the sky.
She was TALL. Well over seven feet, tanned, and muscled like a female
bodybuilder. I could tell because she didn't have any clothes on, likely all
burned off. She had long, wildly disarrayed black hair and her irises were
crimson on her aquiline face. 
     Around her everything was on fire and the smoke swirled around
my shield as I dropped behind her cautiously.
     "Lady!" I shouted. Bad move.
     "GET AWAAAYYY!!!" she screamed as she turned towards me.
Fire exploded from her in a raging torrent aimed straight at me. I got a
little singed before I increased my shield's strength. She was STRONG I
found out as I strained to match her power, pushed back all the while.
Finally, she stopped and I rose from the crouch I had been in, shocking
her.
     "You... withstood... me?" she said, stunned.
     To prevent further damage I placed a shield around her without her
noticing. "Yes, I did," I replied acidly. I could feel the same presence in
her that I could feel in myself now, she was a fourth all right. "You
weren't the only one who boosted and got severely disoriented. What the
hell are you doing?!?" I demanded, waving angrily at the burning
buildings around us to show what I was talking about. 
     "Go AWAY!" she yelled. It was like she hadn't heard me. Her eyes
were wide and her hands were in tight fists by her sides; she looked
terrified of something. Or herself. 
     The woman put fists to her forehead and screamed. I was not
prepared for the immense pressure of the holocaust she released then. The
shield held for a second as I watched with amazed eyes at a half-sphere of
roiling reds, oranges, yellows, and whites, before it collapsed, releasing a
wave of plasma that rolled over me like a white-hot tsunami. With my
personal shield gone after a too-brief moment, I screamed in pain as my
clothes crisped and hair burnt, and was thrown fifteen feet away to slam
against, and through, a brick covered wall, landing in a heap on the other
side. I wrenched my shoulder, but my lightly burnt skin was my biggest
concern as it covered most of my body.
     The firestorm she had unleashed must have been incredible to burn
my skin in my more powerful self, but then, she was just as powerful and
more of a fire oriented specialist. I lay still for a second, rallying myself,
before getting out of the pile of brick and concrete rubble I had become
mixed in with.
     "Oww..." I groaned standing up as my skin felt raw. The costume
was about gone and I was almost as naked as she had been. Most of my
hair had been burnt off too.
     The worst part about the mess was that it didn't seem like she had
really strained herself doing it. She was just blasting everything in sight,
like her new power had driven her over some limit to what she could cope
with. I thought about illusions but she would just blow up again and I
definitely didn't want that. The smoke had cleared from the hole and I saw
her running away down the street. A glowing crater marked her position
when she had blasted me, and more buildings had collapsed from that
event.
     I wasn't at an advantage here. Her raw power allowed greater
offensive capabilities at this time while I had yet to make any spells that
would take advantage of my greater capacities. My shields weren't good
enough to hold her and even if I could, which I wasn't sure of, I didn't feel
right about killing her. She was frightened crazy...
     A strange mood came over me then. Why, I don't know, nor did I
know the cause. Maybe I got slammed through the wall I little too hard. I
snorted, chuckled, then started laughing loudly.
     "Well now, Lady, 'tis crazy ye want, 'tis crazy ye get!" I cried with
a wild whoop and with a lunging hop, forgetting my injuries, I flew out
the hole.
     I never thought this might be my own delayed reaction to the
shock of power, delayed and triggered by the shock of battle.

AUTHOR'S VIEW....

     Valerie Decelles stopped running two blocks from where she had
blown off more of the power that was driving her mad. She wasn't even
winded but hardly noticed as her disorientation was as bad as ever. Her
senses had been enhanced like Erik's but in place of his mystic senses she
felt heat sources all around her. Her eyesight was a mix of normal vision
plus infra-red. The added part of the spectrum made looking at things
highly confusing, and the other changes to the other four senses didn't
help.
     "Why ME??" she yelled/wept.
     The other contributing factor for her current maddened state was
that before New Years Valerie had been a 23 year-old fashion model, and
attaining that had been a goal of hers since puberty. She had been 5' 10"
then, thin, good looks, and climbing her way to the top.
     The ruin of her life had started on January second. After waking up
she had screamed, startling her roommates who had rushed in to see a
shaking Valerie whose white skin had become slightly tanned, but couldn't
disguise the new traces of larger muscle underneath. When she stood up at
the stunned prompting of her friends, she found she had grown three
inches taller, her eyes become red!
     And ravenously hungry. She tore through a week's worth of food
before the hunger was bearable. Oddly, while she gained weight, it didn't
show more than her already changed self did. Then she had started crying,
while her friends started wondering what had happened to her. 
     It didn't take long to find out Valerie was not an isolated case, a lot
of people had changed to one degree or another. Not that it consoled the
stricken model, who locked herself in her room, miserable. She tried
ignoring the spark she felt growing inside her, but couldn't, not after the
first boost.
     She woke up one day to find the spark in her had grown
immensely compared to what it had been like before. Stifling a cry she
found that she had tanned more and looked even more leanly muscular.
Four inches she had gained, putting her at 6' 5", and the hunger had come
back, forcing her out.
     Her manager had finally come that day after getting almost two
weeks of stalls from Val's roommates. He had just arrived when she
emerged and his jaw dropped at the much taller woman in the short robe
that used to fit her. He threw a fit when recovered and called her freakish.
     Val discovered her power of fire then in her angry response, and
very nearly barbecued him as a burst of flames flew from her to singe his
hair. It had been close; her startlement and desire to stop the flames had
saved his face from receiving nasty burns. As he ran away, frightened, she
yelled at him that he wasn't her agent anymore. Swallowing, she almost
broke down then but her friends were extremely curious and cautious
about her power. They also told her she'd better control it.
     So it was a useful distraction for Valerie to find out what she could
do. She found she could create and shape fire, even make little fireballs in
her hands. Oven mitts were not needed for her, and cool air around her
warmed quickly when she wanted it to; it saved on heating bills so she did
it often. 
     But an article in the paper said that another person who had
changed and called himself Puck expected another of those 'boosts' to
happen again. Val dreaded that, but her roommates were fortunately
sympathetic and promised to let her stay until the changes were done.
     As expected, the next boost came, and she grew five inches this
time, putting her at 6' 11". More tan, more muscle, and more power. But
she couldn't do anything big in the apartment to test it. The new sense of
knowing where heat sources were was a little unnerving but she got used
to it. Val rearranged the furniture often, all that muscle was useful for
some things. When one of her roommate's boyfriends got too persistent,
she threw him out into a snowdrift 10 feet away from the door. Flora, the
concerned friend, appreciated the changes a lot more then.
     However, Valerie was not at ease with herself, everything was
changing so fast for her and she was walking a tightrope to stay calm. She
would have adapted eventually, but then, impossibly, she boosted again.
     This time was different. Her senses had become too sensitive, she
saw differently, and her power enormous. Val almost hit the door frame as
she had grown six inches, making her 7' 5". Flora dropped her purse as she
stared wide-eyed at her friend, the power created an unseen aura around
her and it sparked awe in those who sensed it. Val had trouble recognizing
her with the heat image overlaying everything and stumbled around her.
     It was too much. Valerie ran naked from the apartment, running as
if she could escape her change as people stared at her. Faster than a
normal human could run she went, until she was stopped by two cop cars.
The police knew what a third could do, but they were unprepared for Val's
aura and her now-near hysteria.
     "Okay, lady," one with a mustache said carefully, "could you
please come with us?"
     "LEAVE ME ALONE!!" Val shrieked, and fire bloomed around
her. The cops immediately pulled out their guns.
     "Would you please calm down, miss?" the same cop said. "We
don't want to have to hurt you." He didn't know if she was bulletproof but
he hoped the threat would make her think.
     It didn't.
     "GO AWAY!!"
     No one knew how powerful Val was, she'd never experimented
much in the apartment. But when she glared at a cop car, everyone got a
damned good idea. The massive horizontal stream of plasma she created
threw the car back a few feet before the middle of the car splattered into
molten metal, and continued across the empty street to hit a small grocery
store's window, melting through like a hot knife. Everything inside,
including the clerk and two shoppers, was burnt beyond recognition. It
almost went through the back wall but it held, barely, since most of the
blast's fury had been spent.
     Further down the streets, people who had been curiously watching
started running in a panic to escape. The cops behind the car had jumped
away but had severe burns by the beam's scorching nearness and groaned
in pain. The other two, stunned for a second, shot at Val. They pushed her
back a little but didn't hurt her.
     She ignored it as she realized that people had been in that store and
they were very likely dead now. NO! she thought in a mental wail. I... I...
I... Val closed her eyes and grit her teeth as emotions tore at her. Fire
around her began to build again as her inner conflict built higher.
     "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"
     The two cops saw and realized what was coming, they ran for the
two downed men and tried pulling them away but it was far, far too late.
Val's power exploded outwards as an expanding, massive dome of plasma.
It would be the most powerful example of her force that day. All four
policemen died as they were so close as to become vaporized, as were
their vehicles. The heat and shockwave completely destroyed buildings up
to four blocks away and minor damages beyond that point. Around four
thousand died, many more injured.
     Val, after climbing out of her crater, continued to walk towards
Downtown, blowing away the occasional car or building.           Then
she met Puck.

     Val hadn't recognized him until now, there had been something
distorting his heat image and it had made things fuzzy. But recalling the
outfit and pointed ears brought forth recognition. Not that it mattered, it
looked like she had burned him away like everything else. She wasn't
excited by that, she only felt hollow inside. What else could she do save
keep on blowing things up until someone killed her? Still, the guilt ate at
her, creating a growing hollowness inside.
     Like she had killed others today, the thought flashing across her
mind. For the first time since waking up, tears flowed down her cheek.
     "Greetings!!"
     Val stumbled back in shock as Puck's grinning and slightly sooty
face suddenly appeared before her.
     "Ah, thy bonfire's burning bright, in the buildings of the night," he
said exuberantly, whirling around and making his restored cape rise
behind him. "'Tis a time for fun an' games. Circle 'round the Lady of
Flames." With a wild grin he snapped his fingers and six more Pucks
appeared around Val. Stunned, she saw his elven features clearly on the
duplicates for they radiated no heat.
     They all started dancing around her in a low but fast Russian
dance, crouched low to the ground and kicking their legs out. All with a
silly, slightly insane smile on each Puck, crying, "Hoy, hoy, hoy, HOY!
Hoy, hoy, hoy, HOY! Hoy, hoy, hoy, HOY!!" On each 'HOY!' they would
jump up onto their heels like jumping jacks and face her directly,
grinning.
     She was about to shout angrily at them when they stopped and she
felt strong arms wrap themselves tightly around her firm waist.
     "Going my way?" Puck chuckled and, before she could react, flew
straight up with his cargo. She was heavier than he but managed to get to
a formidable clip.
     "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" Val screamed
in horror as wind whistled past them, the two leaving the ground ever
further behind. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?" she yelled.
     "What? Don't like the view?" Puck asked her curiously. "Funny,
and here I thought ye'd like to see the party from the bird's eye view." He
twisted in the air and Val saw.    
     The devastation was plain, especially from their height. Fires
burned in a semi-straight line, originally starting from a large, circular
depression where her first and major blow-up had been. Val stared,
realizing the scope of the destruction she had caused.
     "Urban renewal! The quick and easy way!" Puck commented
cheerfully. His passenger started shaking from internal emotions. "Tsk. Ye
do not have barf bags on this flight ye know."
     "Shut up!" she sobbed and her dam burst. The tears flowed freely
and she started crying in a severe way. "Oh God! Oh God! You should
drop me!" Puck considered that.
     "As ye wish," he said, and let go of her.
     Val screamed a second time as she was unexpectedly dropped. The
ground was a long ways down and she started tumbling as she flailed,
finding out she really didn't want to die but getting her wish anyway. She
kept screaming, wide-eyed.
     Then something hit her underneath mid-way and arms stopped her
rotation as they cradled her body. Val whipped her head around, half
dreading to see the crazed Puck again, but saw someone else, a woman.
     A woman with white wings. 
     She wore a white halter top that must have been specially made for
her, and a pair of blue jeans on her legs. Her feet were bare and her form
was a dancer's body. The woman had shoulder-length, golden blonde hair
and her heart-shaped face held a pair of sky-blue eyes that seemed full of
compassion.
     Val thought she had died until the blonde woman spread her wings
and gently stopped their descent, saying, "Are you all right?"
     "Y-yes," Val managed to stammer, then broke down again and
started crying in the angel's arms. "I should die, but I don't want to die,"
she sobbed.
     "Shh," the stranger soothed, and Val felt a curious peace come
over her. "I was confused this morning too. You just had a harder time of
it than me."
     "'Tis no reason to blow up a city, winged one."
     Both women looked up and saw the floating Puck calmly
regarding them, arms crossed on his chest. The angel-like woman frowned
at him.
     "Did YOU drop her?" she demanded. Puck whirled around once in
thought.
     " 'Oh God!'" he said in near-perfect mimicry of Val's voice, "'You
should drop me!'" Puck shrugged. "I but did as she asked, nothing more."
He laughed crazily, unnerving Val and taking the new arrival aback. "And
who might you be, woman with the wings o' white?"
     "Betty Forrest," she answered him. The elf grinned.
     "A flying Forrest. How droll. I wondered where those flying
squirrels came from." He laughed again and spun head over heels.
     "He..." Val swallowed and tried again, whispering to Betty, "He
didn't sound like this when he first came. I blasted him and he came back
crazy."
     Betty looked at Val, startled, then peered at Puck's spinning form.
She nodded slowly. "His soul aura is disturbed," she said, confusing her
passenger. "Maybe I can..." Betty murmured to herself and stared at the
laughing Puck.
     Slowly, the elf went from laughing, to a chuckle, then a low
murmur before it died completely. His face, that had held a unnoticed
tension before, relaxed and his eyes drooped. Suddenly, he jerked wide
awake, eyes wide as he stared at the two in front of him.
     "That's better," Betty said, nodding.

ERIK'S VIEW...

     It was like a fog had been lifted from me as I looked at the angel-
like Betty, thinking clearly once more.
     "I..." I started to say, then shook my head. "I... Oh, boy," I sighed.
"I hadn't realized I had lost it that badly. Thanks... um... Miss Forrest. I...
er..." I had a hard time looking the fearful and confused fire woman in her
arms. "Ah... sorry for dropping you. I guess I wasn't in a stable frame of
mind myself to try stopping you, huh?" I ran a hand through my long hair,
nervously. Losing one's mind is NOT a pleasant experience and I was a
little unnerved about it still. 
     "I'm not one to blame anyone," the woman said bitterly, not
looking at either of us. "God, I don't... How many I killed..." She closed
her eyes in pain.
     I sighed. "The courts will likely accept temporary insanity. Christ,
I would." I was beginning to become uncomfortable with her nudity so I
concentrated on making a blanket using the air around us. Which I
covered her with, getting a surprised look from both. "I'm working on
transformation spells," I said roughly, defending myself. "So I got
uncomfortable, alright?"
     "Fine. What do you think we should do?" Betty asked me.
     "Well..." I hesitated, then frowned. "Am I seeing things, or is there
one damn big bird coming our way?" Betty turned to see herself.
     There was a bird, I didn't recognize the species, but it's size was
enormous. It's wingspan was in the kilometer range and I actually saw
small lightning bolts racing on the wing feathers. The bands of colors on it
shifted but it was usually a cloud grey or forest brown. It was almost upon
us when it imploded, slowly so there was no noise, into a man. A native
indian to be exact, but his manner of hovering was blurring his features.
He hovered much like I did and I flew over to him. I cleared my throat.
     "And you are...?"
     "Pillan will do," he said brusquely. He looked down at the burning
city. "Do you want rain for the fire?" I nodded.
     "If you can do that, it would be helpful. Yes, please."
     After eyeing me carefully, he nodded back and flew up. He
became a huge bird again but this time clouds trailed behind him. I could
sense his power reaching for rain clouds and moisture and the partly
cloudy sky above Edmonton began to darken. I flew back to the others.
     "Whoever he is, he said he'd make it rain," I told them. "I'm going
to try stopping the bigger fires. Anything you can do, Betty?"
     "I can heal people and soothe them. I think I'll be needed." In her
arms, Val lowered her head in pained shame.
     "Look," I said, trying to break the unfortunately valid grief she was
feeling, "if you have fire powers then you might be fire resistant. Are
you?" The cradled woman took a shuddering breath and nodded. "Great,
then you can help get people get out of the burning wreckage." I held up a
hand, stopping her protest. "I KNOW you were the cause, but do you want
to LEAVE victims in the fires like that?"
     "No," she whispered, shaking her head.
     "Then perhaps you can start making amends that way." I suddenly
laughed without humour. "Christ, like I'm an authority on righting
wrongs!"
     "You can at least learn to protect with your powers, rather than
destroy," Betty told the distraught woman. 
     I had to smile as it seemed that last comment stopped the self-pity
in the blanket-covered woman for the moment. She even looked slightly
determined as she made some kind of personal decision. I flew close and
tapped her on the nose, getting a startled look from her. "Remember,
you're not alone."
     "That's right," the winged Betty affirmed.
     The raven-haired giant looked at us both, saw Betty's smiling face
and my own grinning one. I think the glint of determination in Forrest's
eyes must have been in my own for the fire woman relaxed a little.
     "Let's go down," I said and flew down to the burning section of the
city with the wing-carried pair behind me.

     Valerie wasn't well received when people identified her as the
cause of the disaster. There were angry shouts, even bricks thrown, by
people who had lost loved ones and friends. Forrest, who was getting not a
few stares remained close by the depressed Val. 
     The bricks were totally ineffective on any of us, but I was getting
annoyed so I grabbed one in mid-flight and casually crushed it. When that
happened, the bricks stopped flying.
     "Do you mind?" I said loudly and sardonicly. "Besides, they might
as well be Nerf bricks. And if you're thinking of mobbing us, go right
ahead!" Everyone, including Betty and Val stared at me. "Sure! Why not?
Go ahead and set her off AGAIN! She's scared, she's frightened, and
probably didn't WANT her power! So she went temporarily nuts when she
became more powerful, would most of YOU handle it!? All she wants to
do is help save those who survived! So let her do it!" I stopped ranting and
glared at the crowd. They listened mostly because that aura 'presence' of
mine was still affecting others, the same with the other two. My voice had
a compelling quality to it that was hard to ignore once I had distracted
them. A sooty fireman and a cop cut through the crowd and faced us. They
stared at us but they were too rushed to let it affect them.
     "Does she really want to help?" the fireman asked.
     "Yes," I said more quietly, "I don't recommend her using any
power. Her natural fire-immunity and strength would help you a lot." I
saw their eyes glaze a bit so I had to snap my fingers and they started.
"And the third damn boost is making us look a little too alluring. We don't
know how to control it right now so please try resisting it."
     "Can you and... uh... the lady with the wings help?" the policeman
asked, obviously making the effort to overcome the awe our increased
powers were generating.
     "I can heal and soothe," Betty replied.
     "I have shields that I can contain fires with and I've mucked around
with water, ice, and cold spells," I said.
     The fireman nodded. "Okay, Patterson, you escort the wing lady to
those we've rescued. Ask the doctors to locate the worst burned and go
from there. You two," he pointed at Val and myself, "come with me."
     "Er... Just a moment," I said as Betty, getting red-faced at the
stares she was getting, was quickly led away towards the recently injured.
I turned to Valerie and looked her over her towel-covered form carefully,
then took a walk around her.
     "What are you doing now?" she demanded. I merely grinned and
gestured. I wasn't a fashion designer, but the white t-shirt and jeans I
transformed the blanket into shocked her. It also surprised the crowd
because now her full height, muscles, and well-developed body were fully
revealed.
     "I don't think a towel would be very useful to walk around in," I
said with a smile. Disbelieving, she gripped the new clothes, then
frowned. I guessed why. "Ladies underwear I wasn't confident enough to
make," I said hastily, though it was more like comfortable and not
confident. She reddened under the stares of everyone watching so I
quickly motioned her to follow the fireman and we talked with him.

     To be honest, I'd forgotten all about that guy who'd called himself
Pillan until the downpour started. Like all of us, he couldn't focus things
perfectly yet for such a large scale effect so all Edmonton and the
surrounding area got well soaked. His motives were unclear but it
definitely helped.
     Before that, Val and I had separated to help fight the fires. There
were several major ones blazing and spreading swiftly. Initially uncertain,
Val started running through roaring infernos with ease that ordinary
firesuits couldn't handle, dragging two gushing fire hoses in either hand I
heard later. Her clothes didn't survive long, much to her embarrassment
when she first came out.
     Me, I preferred fighting fire at a distance, even though I didn't
mind the heat. Fires died quickly in my force fields as the oxygen ran out,
I never had to use any other type of spell for fire. I did help airlift some
volunteer firefighters around and the few watermain breaks I found were
quickly frozen solid.
     Also, I rushed one very badly burned man over to Betty. She stood
with wings spread and I felt the aura of relaxation she was emitting. She
looked tired, I was just beginning to feel pooped myself, but she still
concentrated as she touched my passenger. The power she had was
amazing, third and fourth degree burns faded away as he relaxed from
unconsciousness into a peaceful sleep.
     We worked for five hours, all in all, and the fires died out before
then. Despite my trying to avoid fire, I had become slightly dirty and
singed as I stepped into the tent that had been set up for us. Both women
were there, Pillan wasn't and, as the rain had stopped, I suspected he
wouldn't be. Poor Betty looked worn out and Val seemed depressed again,
she wore a fireman's yellow jacket for meagre cover. They looked up at
my entrance.
     "Pardon me while I collapse," I sighed as I slumped onto a cot and
closed my eyes.
     "Puck..." I heard Betty say and I opened my eyes to peer at her. She
told me Val's story then finished with, "What do you think will happen to
Valerie if she gets arrested?" 
     "She flipped out because of something that she really didn't want
but got anyway; a muscular, tall, and powerful body. Excellent case for
temporary insanity, which I recommend you plead since it's true." I shook
my head sadly. "Personally, the system will not have a choice right now."
Val frowned.
     "What the hell do you mean by that?" she demanded.
     "If you DO get convicted, where would you get sent?"
     "Prison."
     "And how would they KEEP you in prison?"
     "They'd..." she said but her voice died as she realized the problem.
Her eyes widened and I nodded, seeing she'd figured it out.
     "Right. They CAN'T do it. You blitzed an area the size of a normal
prison already, and could do it again. And in a prison, SOMEONE would
push you too far, eventually." I sighed. "It's just not feasible. It would take
one or more people of our new power level to do that, plus having the
right powers to do so, and I don't think there'll be many of us in the first
please." I regarded her. "It's fortunate you were repentant. None of us have
truly mastered our full powers, especially me."
     "You?" Betty inquired, puzzled. "You seem as in control as the rest
of us."
     "Have you noticed how BROAD my powers are, even with my
power level the same as yours?" I replied. "Shields, lightning, flying,
transformation, ice, etc etc." I shook my head negatively. "And that's just
what I've created so far. I don't know anything about my full limits,
perhaps I couldn't do anything as majorly fire oriented as Val, but I might
be able to come close. My spellcasting powers make me a jack-of-all-
trades. It will take a lot of time."
     "But what about me?" Val asked. "What should I do?"
     "People know who you are; you can't escape the public," I said
sadly and she drooped a little. "And we can't hide these damnable auras
we have at the moment, I suggest we try or we'll never be able to walk
around without more notice than usual."
     Betty nodded. "My kids looked at me pretty strangely before I
left." Val and I stared at her as she looked to be only in her mid-twenties.
"I got younger," she said, responding to our disbelief with a blush. Then
she looked thoughtful. "Actually, that seems common among the older
changed." I nodded at her conclusion as I remembered Oscar and a few
others. "After I rest, I'd better go home."
     "Actually, I look a little older," I thoughtfully murmured quietly to
myself. I forgot we all had better hearing and now it was my turn to be
stared at.
     "Pardon me??" Val demanded. "You look twenty, MR. Puck. Just
how old are you? Eighteen?" I hesitated.
     "Er..." I stopped when they looked at me with gaping mouths. "So
what's wrong with that??" I demanded irritably.
     "Nothing, I suppose," Betty said, but her lips were twitching as was
Val's.
     I glared at them before grumbling something inarticulate and
wrapped myself up in the cot's one blanket. The model started laughing so
I stuck a hand out and transformed her clothes once more. There was
sudden silence, and I heard Betty gasp.
     "I thought you couldn't do ladies underwear," I finally heard Val
say in a strangled voice, as if she was trying to hold her temper at bay. I
wondered why; I suppose black leather and rubber could look very stylish
if done right, but then, I didn't know how to do it right.
     "Motivation does wonders," was my muffled and sour reply before
I fell asleep.

     When I woke up the next day I felt refreshed. Then Val, who was a
natural early riser, sat on me heavily and demanded more decent clothes.
After a clear look, I hastily agreed, and she now owned a deep red jogging
outfit that fit her nicely.
     Like she had promised, Betty left after hugging both of us goodbye
and flying away. That left us two to explain everything, but a sober Val
shook her head when I said so, surprising me.
     "No," she said, "this mess is my fault. Thank you for coming and,"
she chuckled a little, "for the clothes, but you have your own life.
Besides," she said soberly before I could speak up, "I NEED to do this on
my own. Please?" I nodded reluctantly, this sort of thing would be hard on
anyone.
     "I don't own you," I sighed, then grinned up at her much higher
face, "but I won't miss the neckaches." Val giggled at my wry look. "Still,
let's see what we can do with controlling these aura's of ours, otherwise
you'll need to explain over television or risk charming everyone. I can't go
anywhere myself unless I do."
     Valerie nodded in agreement and we tried over the next few hours
to damp or contain our power auras. It wasn't easy, we learned best by my
watching Val struggling to do it using my Sight, as I was beginning to
think of my energy-sensing ability. I would comment on her state as an
indepentant observer and she would try to correct it. I would copy her and
offer my own suggestions.
     When the police officer who first talked to us came in, he noticed
the difference in us. He still blinked at our uncanny presense but it was
reduced. "I see you've started working on stopping that weird effect," he
said and I nodded.
     "Damn hard though," I said, some sweat on my forehead from our
trial and error efforts. "It'll take time to do this automatically." I sighed as
I glanced at him. "Come to take the prisoner away?" 
     Officer Patterson nodded slowly. "Sorry, miss, but I have to take
you in," he said apologetically to the model. 
     Val swallowed, glanced at the floor, then firmed her reslove and
stood. "I understand."
     "You DO realize there's no point locking her up," I asked the
policeman. "She could break out anytime if she wanted to."
     "I... just realized that," he said slowly as the towering and powerful
Valerie stood before him, trying to be brave. "I suppose an armed escort
will do, if to satisfy the public at least."
     I nodded and we left the tent. There was a crowd of reporters and
photographers behind the disaster control area reserved for the police and
firemen. Val saw my sudden nervousness at the obvious interest, all my
previous encounters with the media was them arriving as I flew away, and
grinned.
     "Hey, I'm used to being looked at, how about you?" she said with
humor.
     "I think I'd better go home," I replied, not rising to her bait. She
turned to me and leaned down to hug me. "Be careful, all right? Don't let
them streamroll you from public pressure," I whispered
     "I'd melt the streamroller first," she whispered back and released
me with a smile. 
     I nodded and rose into the sky, slowly at first but accellerated.
However, I wasn't immune to a little prank so I circled around, gaining
speed, and blasted off with a final sonic boom above her area. I laughed
inside my force globe.
     Yes, I could go DAMN fast now. I adjusted my shield into a more
aerodynamic shape and headed home.

     When I reached Winnipeg, I slowed to sub-sonic speed, became
invisible, and whipped by houses to reach my home, entering my unlocked
bedroom window when I did. My noisy arrival got my mom's attention
and she rushed into my room, crying, "Erik!!", and gripping me tightly as
she cried with relief. I wrapped my arms around her, feeling a little guilty
at making her worry.
     "Sorry, Mom," I said in a low voice as she sobbed. "Maybe I
shouldn't do this kind of thing anymore."
     She looked up at me with teary eyes and saw that I was serious.
"No," she said reluctantly, "if you didn't you'd tear yourself apart. I'm your
mother, and I know you too well, Erik Clay, to think that you could. But,"
she smiled tremulously, "I appriciate the offer."
     "Thanks, Mom. I'm working on that strange presense I have now as
well." She nodded as she looked at him.
     "I noticed," she said dryly, wiping her tears from her eyes, "but you
still need to work on it." 
     We both laughed before we went downstairs to talk about what
had happened.

     I got several visitors later that day who rushed to the basement
when they found out I was back. Rob, Jason, and Cathy rushed down and I
turned in my chair. My older friends stopped dead in their tracks as they
stared at me, Cathy turned and frowned at them.
     "What's the matter?" she asked. I raised my eyebrows; she didn't
feel my aura.
     "H-He's..." Rob stuttered, "...radiating! Christ, what are you
DOING, Erik?!"
     "He's what??" Cathy said, looking at me in startled surprise.
     I shook my head, sighing. "Side-effect of the third boost, guys, I'm
working on it but I'm not that good yet. THIS," I released my control and
even Cathy could feel it now for her eyes widened. My other two friends'
jaws dropped before I forced it back down again, "is the full effect. I can't
go anywhere unless I can turn off the charm more, so just bear with me for
the moment."
     Jason tore his eyes away from myself and looked instead at Cathy.
"I heard you went to Edmonton on the news this morning. Somebody who
changed went berserk or something?"
     I sighed, remembering about Valerie's problems, and nodded. "She
boosted again, like me. She hadn't liked the change much and it was the
last straw on her back because she got taller every time she boosted. She's
well over seven feet tall now." I rubbed my forehead as I looked down at
the floor, remembering. "I didn't take it very well myself, I got more than a
little disoriented and almost did the same thing she did." I felt a small
hand on my shoulder and I looked up, surprised, at the gently smiling
Cathy.
     "You've helped a lot of people, including me, Erik. Don't let what
happened get you down, and let us help YOU." Cathy was normally shy,
but she had a firm belief in the goodness of people and she let it show
now.
     I stared at her face, topped by her horns and red, curly hair and saw
that she meant what she said. Looking over at Jason, he gave me a 'what
she said' nod at Cathy. Rob gulped when I looked at him, then grinned
when I gave him an arch look.
     "Hey, just how powerful ARE you now anyway?" he asked me.
     I considered that, looked at them all, my friends. That included
those not with me. Mom. Dad. Rob's sister, Anne. Jennifer, who was
becoming more bareable. Valerie and Betty, two others who were as
strong as I was. I laughed, it was a happy laugh, and stood up, my clothes
shifting into my elven gear.
     "Let's find out," I grinned.

AUTHOR'S VIEW...

     Washington, D.C. Center of the American government and home
to many of the States' agencies. Here, trouble for Erik began brewing.
     A tall, stern man with greying hair in a grey suit strode into an
office and slapped a folder onto the surprised, older man's desk. "Well,
here's yet another problem, Everett," the slightly younger man said with a
disgusted look on his stern face. "We got more information about the
incident in Canada."
     "Tell me the bad news first, Chander," the older man sighed.
     "The woman went temporarily crazy because she had another
power increase," Chander said bluntly and his superior shook his head
sadly. "That's how she was able to do more damage. There seems to be an
even rarer sort among those who physically changed who have even
greater power than they do." He waved at the folder. "This has the
information on those who have shown some indication of that in North
America, about seven including those who appeared in Edmonton, we're
working on finding out if other countries have them as well. "
     "And I thought things would have settled down somewhat," Everett
said, groaning at the thought of people with even greater powers.
     "Even worse, there are none of this new fourth group in any known
US government branch. We have a fair number of the other three but not
this bunch." The door opened and Chander raised his eyebrows. "Speak of
the devil. What do you have, Stone?" he asked the new arrival.
     "Morning, Walter, Tom," the white haired man replied casually.
He was obviously one of those who had physically changed; very pale
skin, snow white irises, which made looking into his eyes unnerving, and a
slim physique. If you stood by him long enough you would start feeling
cold; that was his main power, ice and sub-zero cold. He had taken the
change in stride and even enjoyed it a little, for the forty-five year old man
now looked like he was in his late twenties and a bad leg he had received
when he was shot once was cured. "Just came back from the egg-heads.
Some of them are excited as hell, still, so I had to wait a bit before I got
anything coherent from them." He casually sat in one of the chairs and
Chander belatedly did the same.
     "They have any solid theories?" Everett asked his agent, who
nodded.
     "A few. They make sense actually." He paused for a moment, then
went on. "They think that what powers were gained was affected by pre-
adolescent desires or experiences." Chander leaned forward, interested.
     "Really?" he said, and the frosty haired agent nodded.
     "I used to love snow and the cold, more than most kids. Used to
visit an uncle up in Canada a lot and skied. Most people they've tested can
recall these things, a few can't," the irritated gesture he made showed his
annoyance, "but that's more a recollection problem with those people. As
for the level of powers," he went on, "some of the bigger brains think it
has more to do with an individual's affinity to whatever happened at
Hardpoint. The bigger the affinity, the more power a person has and the
bigger the change. The least powerful group who can, say, make a flame
like a cigarette lighter with a finger," that got a few chuckles, "never
changed physically because their bodies didn't NEED much changing to
handle the power. The second stage, those able to change into a second,
more powerful body, are caught somewhere between; they have greater
powers, but can fully use them only if their body isn't their purely human
one. Otherwise, and they'd burn out. They just didn't harmonize enough
with the power for their bodies to change." Everett interrupted him.
     "Just WHERE does this power come from?"
     Stone shook his head. "They haven't a clue. Dr. Young was the
only one who likely did, and everyone agrees he had seriously cracked.
Problem is: his theory DID do something and he was the only one who
understood his own work. The smarter eggheads get only a glimpse of the
whole picture from the document Young sent and they say it's a higher
dimension of physics than anyone had ever conceived of. You'd have to be
insane to almost understand it."
     "Better and better," his superior sighed, rubbing his temples. He
waved for Stone to continue.
     "The third group combine power and their bodies. Changes
happened literally overnight, like myself, with no noticeable tiredness
despite some radical changes in some cases. In some, the change
continued to happen during the increase of power but all changes are
different to some degree. As power went up, our bodies were forced to
become tougher and more efficient to handle the increased energy that
facilitates these changes. Some common, some different. For differences,
say myself," he said and held out a hand palm down. Cool mist suddenly
surrounded it and drifted to the floor, "I can handle extreme cold far better
than the average person who changed physically. Heat I can take too, but
not as well as those same average changed could. Similarities are
youthening and disease resistance." He hesitated, and frowned.
     "But this new fourth group is something else. These are people
who harmonized so well they increased to a new level. They seem to
possess 'auras' that practically enchant the normal citizen, but affect the
changed to a lesser degree depending on power level. And they will
become even more powerful if their cycle matches the same pattern as the
others. The scientists give them another ninety days to add to their power,
possibly giving them added power equivalent to the total amount of a
second or third level, if not more as it's hard to say. There is one theory
about them that I find very disturbing," he added, looking straight ahead.
     "They could be becoming, or have become, archetypes of ideas in
the group human consciousness, something I would have laughed at until
this happened."
     "What the hell does that mean?" Chander demanded of him.
     "A woman of fire, an angel who can heal, an indian becoming a
thunderbird, and a elf who has the name of a trickster," Stone stated. "All
notions related to ideas and concepts that races and religions have created.
Not only did they resonate particularly well, their current personalities
must've been close to these archetypes in order to go to this fourth level."
He started ticking off fingers.
     "Valerie Decelles, fashion model. Fiery personality, beautiful, a
new boyfriend every month indicating a strong sexuality, all excellent
qualities for a goddess of fire."
     "Goddess?!?" Everett exclaimed. "Are you mad?!"
     "It was just a comparison I was told!" Stone cried defensively, and
his boss settled down. "Like I said, something like one would expect a fire
goddess to sound like.
     "Betty Forestt, divorced mother of two. Married late as she was too
shy to marry someone and was somewhat plain, though everyone seems to
like her a lot for she apparently possessed a very caring personality.
Currently lives in a small house and everyone nearby would immediately
jump to help her, like they did when she changed. All agreed that her new
body fit her much better now than her old one. Caring, healing, protecting,
the qualities of an angel.
     "Pillan is still a relative unknown, but the indians believed in
thunderbirds bringing lightning, thunder, and rain, or if not a thunderbird,
then some other kind of rain spirit. Mythology is full of those type of
beings.
     "But the Puck, while we have more information about his powers
than the others, bothers me the most."
     "Why?"
     "He might have chosen the name to be misleading. For all we
know his personality is more in sync with Oberon than Robin Goodfellow,
and Oberon was much more powerful than Puck being the King of the
elves. Imitating Puck would fit the type. If he IS like Puck, then he is a
trickster, which is present in many myths. Teaching others a lesson or
doing mischief that he believe is right. He brings one too many archetypes
to mind and I don't like it."
     "Remember, you said it was only a theory," Everett pointed out,
but frowned along with Stone and Chamber. "But it sounds too much like
the truth to be comfortable. So what is our current situation on those four,
Chambers?"
     "Miss Decelles is still awaiting trial in Canada. Mrs. Forestt
returned home to her children and is trying to adapt. Pillan, who remained
a thunderbird, vanished from radar before entering US airspace but I
reserve judgement on whether he stopped or became invisible to radar.
The Puck stayed with Decelles for a little longer before leaving,
presumably back to Winnipeg where he has not reappeared since. He flew
too low for radar. He and Decelles seemed to have begun controlling that
aura before he left."
     "I see," Everett mused, then focused his gaze on Stone. "Stone,
while I have been assigned to be the head of a new agency dealing with
those changed," Stone blinked, this was news, "I feel that I will need
agents who can meet those people who turn criminal on equal terms. That
is why I will recommend you to be my second in command while
Chamber takes over my current position. I'm proposing that most of the
changed government employees be reassigned to this new agency."
     Stone leaned forwards. "In that case you'd best create some kind of
science program, with that many people with powers you'll be getting
requests from the military and NASA for our people's assistance in project
development."
     Everett nodded thoughtfully. "Good idea, best get friendly with
those with the big budgets. It's not likely more changed will appear."
     Stone sobered quickly. "There's one more thing I haven't
mentioned yet."
     "Oh?"
     "There is a CIA agent who changed into a third level and she
seems to have the ability to be an accurate oracle." Both of the other men
stared at him. "Her prophesies are dead-on and pretty clear when the result
is totally inevitable, like a hurricane, and changeable and obscure when
not. Here is the one that she made on her own and I think you will like it
much." He inhaled and started with:

     "Change has struck the world of blue and white,
      But once is not to be,
      For the Cycle of Change has now begun.
      The greatest was first, 
      But the lesser shall come,
      For every new year's birth."
0
-    Stone looked at his two colleagues. "It's guessed from the oracle's
words that this will happen again on every New Years, but to a lesser
degree than the massive burst this year."
     "Are you saying MORE people will change each year?" Chander
said, astonished.
     "Not nearly as many, but it's likely. Needless to say, I hushed this
up in case it's wrong, but if it is... we need to get a handle on things as
soon as possible."
     "How so?" Everett inquired.
     "It's simple; as soon as it's possible," Stone said grimly, "we go
after the vigilante, Puck."

                ---END FILE ONE---