Heroes & Roses (X-ray and Vav)

Chapter 9: Practice Time

It was a few days after my haircut when Geoff came up to me, explaining that it was time to start practicing using my powers.

"It'll just be me, Gavin, and Griffon there to help you," he explained, "We want as little distractions as possible,"

Later in the day, we all went down to the labs. Geoff said that if I can't summon my powers myself he might be able to 'raise' them to the surface so it'd be easier for me to use them. Geoff was there to keep my powers under control, Griffon was the teacher, and I guess Gavin was there for moral support. Geoff set me in a glass room with Griffon and shut the see-through door behind us. I look to her, wondering how she was going to help me. She gave a reassuring smile and stood by me, nodding to Geoff.

"Okay guys, whenever I had rays powers I could see through shit, kinda like X-Ray vision or something, do that's what we're going to test first," Geoff hit a yellow button, and a large cement wall separated the glass room right down the middle. "Ok, now Ray, tell us what's behind the wall," Geoff said as if I should already know.

"Well how the hell am I suppose to know that?" I ask. Geoff shrugged through the window and Gavin gives a small smile. I sigh and look to Griffon for help. She moved me to the middle of the separated half of the room.

"Ray this will be easy, but you have to trust me, and you have to stay motivated, got it?" I nod lightly, even though I wasn't all that motivated now. She moved behind me and to my left, staying relatively close to me. "Now stand in a tripod stance, it gives you more stability," I give her a questioning look, "like this," she moves her legs so one is a bit behind her and one was in front of her. I mimic her movements. "Now this is the part what you see through that wall," I turn to look at her but she moves my head so I'm looking straight at the cement wall.

"Okay, you're the smart one here, how do I do that?" Griffon stood close by me for what I guessed was suppose to be comforting, and it oddly was. She had a calming effect about her, like she knew how to be patient with people and make them feel comfortable for a living. "Are you a mom?" I ask curiously, but also use it as a distraction. She smiled and nodded.

"Yeah I am, have you not met Millie yet?" I shake my head. "Huh, well that with have to change! Now stop distracting yourself," I sigh and look at the wall again. "Now, concentrate. Focus everything you've got on that wall. Got it?" I nod, trying my best to do as she said.

"Now imagine something you've always wanted is on the other side of that wall. Imagine the best possible thing is behind that wall, and all you need to do to get it, is see it through the wall," Something I've always wanted? What the hell do I want more then anything? I think hard, trying to imagine something. I couldn't think of a damn thing. I suppose everything I wanted was here now. I mean peace in Texas would be better for everyone would be best, but in this moment, right here in this building, I had everything I wanted, so that's what I imagine. I imagine everyone I've met here ask squished on that green couch, playing some game on X-Box, yelling and messing with each other. I focus on that, how what I really wanted was to keep my life here. With Gavin and Michael and Geoff and the rest of the gang. I look at the wall, concentrating my best on the image in my head.

"You got it?" Griffon asks. I nod once again. "Ok, now just focus on that image, and see through the wall. Focus," I strain my eyes trying to focus do much. I sigh and blink. This isn't working. I look at Griffon and gasp, seeing as that I could see through her, past her, right to Geoff, through Geoff! I quickly look to the wall I knew the wall was there, but I could see right past it to the apple on the other side.

"An apple? Is there an apple on the other side of the wall?" Griffon looked at me before disappearing, not sure to my new found vision. She actually disappeared in an instant. I look back to the wall, where not only did I find the apple on the other side, but now a overly-happy Griffon. "Wow, how'd you do that?" She was gone again!

"It is!" I nearly jump out of my skin whenever she suddenly appeared next to me again. "Teleportation, being a mom I kinda need to be able to be in two places at once don't I?" She explained, still smiling brightly. It was now I realized I couldn't see through objects anymore, everything was solid again, and it made my chest heavy. I was afraid I was imagining the whole thing, but the excitement on Griffon's face, combined with Gavin's smile and Geoff's anticipating look confirmed that it was all real. Which means I would be able to do it again. Griffon have a thumbs up to Geoff.

"Ok Ray, what's behind the wall now?" Geoff pushed another button and nodded to me. I look at the wall and Griffon places a hand on my shoulder and smiles knowingly. "Do exactly what you did last time, feel exactly what you did last time. You'll be fine," I swallow a bit and look at the wall. Exactly how I felt last time. Peaceful, happy, even content I suppose. I focus on the wall and try to feel the same, which was difficult but not impossible. I let out a small gasp. There it was, I could see through the wall again! Behind it was nothing more than a lamp.

"A uh- it a lamp," I inform Griffon. Griffon have the thumbs up to Geoff and the object behind the wall changed again.

"A beach ball,"

"Bowl of popcorn,"

"A candle,"

"Pillow,"

"Some black boots,"

"Gavin? You dumbass!" I could hear a light chuckle from behind the wall. Before I knew it the ground was sucking up the concrete barrier and I could see the British man standing behind it. I was taken by surprise whenever Griffon pulled me into a tight embrace.

"I knew you could do it, I'm proud of you Ray," She whispered in my ear. I smile broadly and hug her back before she let's go. Then I suppose it was Gavin's turn to hug me, since right after Griffon let go he swooped in for the kill. He held onto me longer then necessary but I don't refuse the hug. After he lets go I can see his cheeks have turned a light shade of pink.

"Good job, lad! That was incredible!" Gavin stated.

"Alright, alright, come on guys, let's go upstairs and celebrate. Good job, Ray," Geoff smiled through the glass and opened the door for us to get out. I expected this whole session to be a disaster, but everything turned out better than expected. It was Griffon mostly, I would have to thank her personally later.

After years of thinking I was useless, thinking nothing could stop the Mad King, and not believing in miracles, I come to find out that I can help. That I have powers like the new found friends I've surrounded myself with. In a world of heroes and roses, it looks like I'm finally on the better side.

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Hey guys! I am so, so sorry it's taken so long to update! I've just been really busy :( I'll try to update every Saturday if not sooner! Thanks for reading everyone, I hope your enjoying it!

**Chapter 10: Bevs**