Chapter 2 – Angélique

Estimated reading time: ±8 minutes

Gabriel and I arrive near Tim who is a few meters from the young man who has a problem with his bones. I observe him for a moment. He has spikes that have started to grow along his spine, a little blood is flowing since it had torn his skin, the young one was crying because of the pain. I wave to Tim to walk away with Gabriel who was watching Tim with two heads less, Tim was a giant next to him, hard to say if he admired him or was afraid of him.

I approach the young man and begin the conversation.

Wamien: Hi, I'm Wamien, I'm here to help you.
The young man: If you want to help me, kill me, it hurts...
Wamien: I'm not gonna kill you, but I can neutralize your power so you stop suffering.
The kid: Go ahead.

I take out an inhibitor mask and put it on his mouth. He breathes as he watches me do it and the spikes start to shrink and the wounds close quietly. He sighs with relief to feel the pain go away.

Wamien: You see? You feel better, don't you?
Young man: Yes, thank you, sir.
Wamien: You can call me Wamien, and what's your name?
Thomas: Thomas, Thomas Unif.
Wamien: I would like to propose something to you, I have founded a group of people with powers who wish to use them to do good. We could train you and help you master your powers, if you don't mind.
Thomas: What if I want that power taken away?
Wamien: We can't do that, but we can help you know how to use it or not.
Thomas: Okay then, I want to come with you.
Wamien: Perfect, Tim will accompany you to the car that will take you back to the guild.

Thomas stands up and looks towards Tim and Gabriel.

Wamien: Oh and Gabriel, you'll stay with Tim so he can drive you to the car too.
Gabriel: Why? I want to help.
Wamien: We're almost done here, it won't help if you stay.
Gabriel: Well... okay.

Gabriel crossed his arms and sulked a little, he was the age of a young teenager so it doesn't really surprise me from him. I went to the last place where there was a young girl whose power was activated, however, it's not dangerous so it might be easy to talk with her. The two new ones left with Tim to join all the others.

Wamien arrives at the address in question and rings the doorbell. A woman answers.

The woman: Yeah?
Wamien: Hi, I've been contacted to say that your daughter has seen her power activated.
The woman: Oh, it's you, come in.

Wamien enters the house and looks around him, it was undoubtedly a fairly wealthy family. Wamien followed the woman to the living room where her daughter was sitting on the couch, her body was well covered with a sheet and her head was low.

Wamien: What is its power?
The woman: My daughter knows how to emanate light strong enough and she can't control her power.
Wamien: I'll see what I can do.

I approached the young woman and sat down in front of her. I see light emanating from her face, which was not hidden by the sheet.

Wamien: Hi, my name is Wamien Mata, I'm here to help you with your power. You want to tell me your name?
The young lady: Angelique.
Wamien: Well Angelique, how are you feeling now?
Angelique: I'm afraid...
Wamien: The fear will be gone soon, believe me. But tell me how you feel with your power, it's hot, it's cold, it stings?
Angelique: I feel as if sand caresses my skin, it gives me chills, a little.
Wamien: Okay, so I want you to try to concentrate your shivers and that feeling in your left hand, you think you can do that?
Angelique: Yes I think so.

She tries to concentrate and shakes a little.

Wamien: Don't force your body, it must be natural otherwise it will be useless, take deep breaths.

Angelique nods gently and concentrates. After a few seconds, her face stops being illuminated and the light is in her hand. She looks at her hand and smiles.

Angelique: Wow! It's easier than I thought!
Wamien: You'll see, you'll learn a lot about your power, that's how it is for everyone.
Angelique: Everyone?
Wamien: We are more and more to have powers, I am part of it in addition to several friends of mine, we formed a guild where we live and we train to better use our powers, more we go on mission from time to time to help people who have problems.
Angelica: Like superheroes what?
Wamien: We can see it like that yes.
Angelique: What is your power?
Wamien: I can control everything electronic, it's like a brain connection between me and the metal.
Angelique: Can I have a demo?
The woman: Don't ask her ridiculous things...
Wamien: You won't worry, but I have to warn you, it can be scary.

I removed the artificial color from my skin so that my metal components could be seen showing that I was largely covered with metal. The woman steps back a little.

The woman: Are you a robot?
Wamien: No, a cyborg is different. I was 100% human before, but I had an accident that hurt me a lot and then I had an operation to keep what was still intact in my home and put it in a special body that I can control.
The woman: That's what a robot is...
Angelique: No mom! A robot is something that's not human, but Wamien was human before, so he's a cyborg.
The woman: It's complicated for nothing.
Wamien: It's no big deal.

I put my artificial color back on by smiling at Angelique.

Wamien: So I would like to know one thing, if your mother agrees, you would come to the Guild for a few days to train and if you don't like it, you go back to your family.
The woman: My daughter is not leaving with strangers!
Wamien: Or if your mother doesn't want to, we can always try to train you at a distance.
Angelique: What if my mother comes too?
Wamien: She can, there's no problem with that.
Angelique: So? If you come, it's okay, right?

The woman was thinking, she was a little hesitant to change her mind when she saw this option as well.

The woman: It can be arranged.
Wamien: Perfect, I can give you an address and ask members to prepare your arrival, if we can welcome five new members, we can welcome one more. Take the time to prepare.
Angelica: Five?
Wamien: Yes, five young people including you, we had their power just today.
Angelique: And that's a lot?
Wamien: Enough, yes. All right, I'll let you get ready.

I go to the mother and write my number on a piece of paper with the address.

Wamien: Call me when you leave, I'll send someone to guide you after the change of kingdom.
Woman: What kingdom is it in?
Wamien: The kingdom of Mahinu.
The woman: Okay, is this a safe place?
Wamien: Yes, as safe as a government building.
Angelica: It's starting to get hard keeping the light right in my hand...

I turn around and come back to her.

Wamien: We'll do something very simple in this case, you'll keep the concentration in your hand and then send it on me, in my hand. If you let the light go like you're throwing a balloon, it should bring out the extra light.
Angelique: Okay, I'm trying.

She closes her eyes, inhales and exhales and throws the ball of light at me. I grab it with my hand and the light slowly stops emanating from Angelique, she managed to get the surplus out.

Angelique: How did you know it would do that?
Wamien: A member of the Guild, Kameron already had problems with a similar power and then one day he had excess energy and his body caught fire. He sent a fireball into the sky and then it calmed down.
Angelica: Oh!
Wamien: All right, I'll let you get ready.

Angelique's mom drives me to the door and I go back to my friends.

Sarah: Where's the last person?
Wamien: They will come later.
Sandrine: They?
Wamien: Yes a young girl, Angelique and her mother, they will come for a few days and if her mother agrees, Angelique will stay at the Guild, otherwise they will go home.
Gabriel: I know a girl named Angelique, she stays at 472 Genest Street?
Wamien: Yes.
Gabriel: What power does she have?
Wamien: Power over light.
Gabriel: Cool!

The car leaves and we all go back to Guild headquarters.