Chapter 10: Helping Ben!
I made a plan to heal Ben just days after I finished absorbing energy from the cosmic storm. He had a connection to the Earth, a dominant one at that. He didn't have any idea how to control it hence he couldn't change back. So I used a time capsule which increases the rate of flow of time in it. I was just using it to produce beverage for Alfred's bars. Yeah, I gave him the idea and after much persuasion, he agreed. He needs to have another source of income. The Time capsules increased time passed in it only 2-3 times in a living being's case, the non- living stuff can handle more. The capsule, or room actually was laid with rocks and dirt infused with earth affinity directly transferred from the ring of Gaia. This should help him faster. I casted an illusion on myself to make me look like an otherworldly being made out of light and dark. Then I teleported Ben in through a portal to let him wake up.
*Ben's POV*
Life has been in the rocks for me now. Literally!
As much as I like people being a little less scared of me being a man made out of rocks, it is still difficult. But I don't regret transforming back into this …Thing if I had to save my friends life.
Today I was meeting a kid named Alexander Knight. Kid was the youngest billionaire of the world yet never came into the limelight. Heard he went to a coma after an accident that took his parent's life, and even after he woke up, he never came out in any way. Tony Stark just announced he has healed and that was it.
Apparently he was a good friend of Sue and Johnny, like a younger brother. I was a bit worried to meet him, was he gonna be one of those rich snot-nosed brats. Maybe he still hasn't recovered from the shock of losing his parents? He is still a kid after all. But hearing him make Johnny shut up let me know I will have no problems getting along with him.
Both he and his butler Alfred treated me like any other normal human and I was glad the did. Same was the case of Stark and his assistant. He was a bit eccentric as the media said, but was in a good way and we got along well. Especially when making fun of matchstick.
Alfred gave the look of a strict bodyguard and a stern Butler. But he was very kind and caring. He even ordered a custom made cup for me just to serve tea. It was a bit much but I was really thankful because the tea was extremely good. The kid was a genius foe his age, it was clear from the conversation he was having with Stark, Reed and Sue. Reed told me but I didn't think this smart for his age.
I just carried matchstick who had passed out to bed and rested in one myself. Even this bed was custom made for me, strong and big to not break and just the right size.
I was asleep when I suddenly felt like were surroundings suddenly became comfortable, but the change woke me up. I woke up to find out, myself in a room full of rocks. Was this a joke? I felt as if these rocks were giving off some sort of energy.
"You feel it don't you?", I suddenly heard a voice behind me.
"The energy in the stones is very much like the one you possess Mr. Grimm.", the.. being behind me said. He looked like he was made out of light and shadows. It felt real yet unreal at the same time. Maybe he was like me? Made out of those two unlike rocks.
"Who are you?" I asked cautiously.
"... I don't really have a name, but that's not why I have called you here Mr. Grimm"
" Then why did you bring me here?"
"Have you wondered why you, of the four couldn't transform back to your human self?"
I felt my mind blank out. Why was I like this? Was there a reason for it? If so, what is it?
" The answer is simple Mr. Grimm, only by a mixture of both power and control can one call the power theirs."
"So that's what I lack, control?" I asked. He seemed to know much about my condition, could he help me?
"I cannot help you Mr. Grimm. I will only guide you to learn how to control them. Your power stems from the element of earth. I will give you instructions to meditate and feel the Earth around you. When you reach the first stage of understanding your powers.. Are you ready?"
I had a complex emotion on my face. First anger, then enlightenment and lastly resolve. I agreed and the being sent me the ways of meditation directly to my head. Now that I think about it, He had been answering me as if reading my thoughts.
I didn't waste any time and begin meditating, after what felt like hours I was finally able to feel both, energy inside the rocks and inside me. I wasn't able to control the one in the rocks but after some time I was able to turn the chaotic energy calm enough to control. It seems the nature of my energy depended on my emotions.
But I still wasn't able to control my body to turn human, when suddenly I found myself standing on the bridge I first ran to when I woke up in New York. Then I suddenly heard his voice.
"You are right now in your mindscape Mr. Grimm. You will have to look around to find what his holding back your powers. As for how, this is your mind, so you have to find the answer yourself." he said.
At first I started looking around streets aimlessly, but the I saw the Baxter Building and started making my way there. When I got there, I saw my human form bound by chains and rocks in front of the Baxter building and I rushed ahead without any second thought. I started breaking the rocks and chains but they were really tough. I focused all my will and suddenly they all broke. I found myself back at the Rock room with my entire body in pain. The rocks starting grinding and falling off and after that I turned back to my human form. It still hurt like hell though.
" The pain will stay for a few times when you transform since you are new to it so I suggest you try transforming back and forth now rather than later", he told me.
I got up and started transforming back and forth from human to rock giant and back to human. It hurt a lot on the first few tries but the pain lessened later. Now I only have slight discomfort doing it.
"Thank you very much this means a lot to me.", I said crying.
"I did what I should. This may not be my place to advise you but if your lover can never accept any other part of you then it was never love to begin with. You have spent a lot of energy so sleep for now, think about what I said later. You will still have some super strength in human form so be careful around others. Good night Mr. Grimm." he said as drowsiness took over my body and I passed out.
The next day I woke up nearly at noon and shot up from my bed hoping it was not a dream, to find myself in my human form. I rushed to the bathroom to check and found it custom made. The whole room was as if especially made if I ever visited. I checked myself in the mirror. I didn't notice I was crying. I found a note stuck on my clothes... where did these clothes come from?
The note was from him reminding me of my super strength and warning not to transform with clothes on, then the note vanished as if never existed. I was really grateful to him.
I returned back to my room to find Johnny yelling from outside, "Hey sleeping beauty, wake up.* door opens* finally I-", and he just stood there with his mouth open. I just laughed at him and headed downstairs with him finally coming out of shock and chasing me still speechless.
The rest were in shock as well when they saw me. They knew I wasn't able to transform back.
The kid only raised his eyes for a second then smiled at me. I guess messing with Johnny is one of the few times his expression changes. It is really fun to do so, can't blame him. They asked how I reverted back and I explained my dream, they had a hard time accepting it though. Well except the kid and Alfred, is there anything that can face them. I can actually imagine him smacking Doom in the head to shut up.
Others accepted after I told them about my clothes. Tony was like I turned his world upside down. Johnny was still calling me delusional. Alfred bought out food for a party on my recovery. I swear he's prepared for everything. Even Reed and Tony's face were just blank. Apparently Pepper had to leave because of her job early.
I actually noticed people having some sort of... aura? There was this faint feeling I was having. Reed, Sue and Johnny's were bigger than others. But what I was surprised was the feeling Alex was giving me. It felt like it turned everything around him into a comfortable atmosphere. I will learn about my powers later.
* Stay tuned for more.*
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone