The Butterfly Girl: A Star is Born

#124 It's All in Your Mind

[Apollo]

Apollo began to dream once more, but didn't realize he was dreaming at first. He felt numb, and opening his eyes revealed nothing. Conscious, but not completely awake. It felt... odd.
Really odd.
But very soon, his conscious self began to grow and realized he was surrounded by darkness. He could hardly see it himself. His first instinct was to light up his surroundings and he held out his right palm.
But nothing happened.
No burst of light. No heat radiating from his skin. Not even a spark. Apollo shook his arm around, but nothing continued to happen. Out of curiosity, he held up his left arm and tried to let it freeze over. Hoping the frost would grow over and find a path he could follow.
And was even more surprised when nothing happened.
The temperature around her didn't rise or fall. Not a single snowflake.
He tried to force it out, shaking his arms vigorously until something happened. But nothing did. Apollo didn't understand what was going on. Why weren't his powers working? It didn't make any sense.

A voice rang out within the darkness and Apollo froze. Looking around to see who it was, but he saw nothing. And endless darkness that led nowhere. He swore he heard something.
"A....." something echoed again. It... almost sounded like it was calling to him, but he didn't understand what it was saying. Within the darkness, he began to hear whispers. As if whoever was calling to him was still trying. But there was no one in sight.
"I can't hear you." Apollo responded. Turning in circles, but his eyes focused upon nothing. In a fit of frustration, Apollo tried his powers again. Throwing his arms up and down. Trying to summon ice and lift him off the ground or reach towards something he couldn't see. Trying to make fire breathe through his palms once more and light up his surroundings.
But nothing continued to happen.
"What the hell?" Apollo stared at his palms before sinking to his knees. Was there anything he could do? The whispers were starting to get irritating. He didn't understand what was happening.

"A..... listen........ focus on me..."
"...What?" Apollo lifted his head, the whispers beginning to cease and the voice around him becoming clearer.
"Focus with me... listen to me. Your powers aren't gone, but they won't work for you anymore. You've been using two halves of a whole. The more you use it, the longer it takes to regain that strength. Stop trying to prove you're not weak, that only strains it further. You're already strong."
Apollo sensed he wasn't alone. Another presence, but it felt distant. As strange as it felt, he couldn't help thinking that the voice sounded somewhat... familiar. Why did it sound that way? He didn't even recognize whatever this person was.
"You're not weak. You're not the only one going through this. You have all the support you need and you're doing just fine. I'm sorry I can't be with you much longer. But if you really want to prove that you're strong then stop using two halves of a whole power. But those powers aren't what make you strong. That need you feel to help and protect others will drive you forward, but don't let it burn you out. Listen to me and focus. I need you to focus, can you do that? Look... your friends need you now more than ever. Your best friend is in serious danger and you need to find her fast. But stay calm. Stay calm and concentrate. Bring that halved power together. Don't control it, let it flow."
Apollo didn't understand what that meant. The voice was all around him now and he tried to focus on its words. Just stay calm and focus...
He began to breathe deeply and listened carefully to the voice, and himself.
"Just focus, but let it flow. Feel it."
Apollo began to concentrate. Imagining his right arm getting warmer... getting warmer. His left arm growing numb... getting colder. He closed his eyes and tried not to think, continuing to concentrate and try. His right arm beginning to get hotter, glowing like a dying ember. His left arm turning blue, a cold mist seeping from his skin. He slowly lifted them both, closing his palms ever closer to each other.
"That's it, that's it. Don't think, just feel it. You can do this, you're almost there." the voice guiding and comforting him with words of support. The fire within growing hotter, the cold around him beginning to freeze.

"Don't control it, let it out! Don't hold back any more! Let it out, let it out!"
With one last push, Apollo brought his palms together and a bright purple aura burst forth and surrounded the area in a hazy mauve mist. A strange weight inside him suddenly felt lifted and he began to breathe heavily, looking at his arms and seeing ribbons of violet waving and coursing through his veins and surrounding his entire body.
"What the... what is this? What just happened?"
The atmosphere being consumed in a glimmering lavender. Apollo began to steadily float off the ground. His blonde hair waving behind him like a cape as his wings began to expand and shimmer in an iridescent, violescent hue.
"What's happening to me?!"
"I'm sorry I can't stay with you any longer. I know you can do this, I believe you can. And don't worry, you'll figure it out. It's been within you this entire time. Just remember to focus, you're stronger than you think. I believe that. And so do they. You can do this."

The bright purple atmosphere burst once again before collapsing and returning to darkness.