"Remember that energy you felt before the straps caught fire?

Basil groaned.

They'd been at it for weeks now, but try as he might, Basil just couldn't will himself to do anything. It was frustrating, knowing you have all these earth-shattering abilities and not being able to feel them, let alone use them. He just wished he could take a pill and magically be, well, magical.

They were standing in the courtyard today. With an audience.

"Well, try to bring it back, but without the help of the device. Look deep into your mind and will that feeling to come back, and then set the chair on fire. simple."

"You've been saying that for weeks now, and nothing has happened." BAsil walked around the chair, "Why don't you put me in a vat of acid, that'll give me superpowers for sure."

"This is isn't something you just come by." Nyla said, "This is already inside you. You've been harboring these abilities for years, they want to be let out. You just have to open the door."

"Well, where's the fucking door?"

That gave Nyla an idea, "You're right. Let's try something different. Close your eyes," Basil did so, "Okay, now imagine your standing in front of a door. It's a nice oak door, with beautiful brass handles and wonderful carvings-"

"Why are you focusing so much on the door?"

"Don't question the process, alright. Now, are you seeing the door."

Basil sighed but nodded nonetheless, although he had changed the details of the door, not that he'd tell Nyla that.

Instead of Nyla's beautiful classic oak door, he was imagining a giant pair of grand doors, black, with a beautiful golden lions head knocker in the center.

"Okay, now open the door."

Basil did, and what he found behind that door was nothing short of beautiful. It was Ms. Ruth, wearing a powder blue dress. It was what she was wearing the day he had moved in, he remembered it like it was yesterday. Especially when he met his eccentric roommate with an affinity for sleep and adventure. It was a bittersweet memory

"Hi, you must be Basil? Welcome to my home. We're happy to have you."

Basil didn't say anything as the old woman moved to the side to let him through. He walked into the massive mansion and noted the crystal chandelier in the foyer.

"This way," She said as she led him up the spiral staircase and into a bedroom at the end of the hall, "This is your room. You already have a roommate." She opened the door to a decently sized room with two beds opposite each other. One bed held nothing but folded sheets and a pillow. The second bed, on the other hand, held a plethora of pillows and stuffed animals, so much so that Basil wouldn't know there was a human being there if it weren't for the steady rise and fall of giant Winnie the Pooh.

"Phillip?" No movement, "PHILLIP!"

Phillip shot up out of the sea of pillows, hair shot up in all directions and drool down his chin, "I'm up. I'm up." Phillip looked at Ms. Ruth through bleary eyes, "What did I miss?"

"Nothing, baby. Just wanted to introduce you to your new roommate," Phillip perked up at that, "Phillip meet Basil. Basil, Phillip." Ms. Ruth past Basil, "I'll leave you two to it."

"Hi," Phillip said with a smile on his face.

Right off the bat, Basil could tell how bubbly he was.

Basil ignored him and went over to his bed and sat down.

"My names Phillip but I prefer you to call me Pip. So how many homes have you been before this? I was at two before this. Been here for five years now. What about you?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Oh, okay. Well, I'm sure you'll enjoy it here, It's the best place ever."

Basil scoffed, "I don't plan to be here long."

"Oh, are your parents getting you back?"

Basil laughed, "I doubt it."

Pip sat gingerly on the end of Basil's bed, "Then how are you so sure you'll leave here soon?"

Basil sighed, annoyed with Pip's presence, "I just am." He believed he would have a long few weeks ahead of him, with this one around.

"Oh, well I think you'll change your mind." Pip got up and went to lay down to go to back to sleep, "Hey Bay, cool if I call you that?"

Before Basil could answer his question with a definitive no, Pip was already on to the next topic,

"Anyway, wake me up when dinners ready, will you. Thanks."

And with that Pip turned over and promptly fell asleep.

"Wow," Present-day Pip's voice cut through the memory. Basil opened his eyes, the bush he'd been trying to set on fire was just that.

Pip was looking at Basil like he'd just saved his life. Basil found he liked that look. He liked it a lot.

"What happened?" He looked to Nyla.

"Well, after I told you to open the door, and you smiled like an idiot for about a minute before-"

"Before your arm lit up like a Christmas tree and then you shot fire out of your hand!" Pip practically shouted as he bounded over to Basil to grab the said arm, "So cool. Your arm is so hot." Pip was fascinated.

"Since when did you get a tattoo?"

"What?" Basil asked.

Basil looked down at the spot in his wrist Pip was rubbing. Right there, overtop his veins was a glowing gold tattoo about the size of a card, glowing lines swirled around his wrist, and they were growing by the second, traveling down his arm to his elbow, twisting and circling themselves as they went.

"What the" Basil looked towards Nyla, "What is this?"

Nyla smiled, "This is great. You don't have to worry about anything, we all have one." To prove her point Nyla lifted her pants to show a glowing white tattoo that looked very similar to his own, but it was much smaller, and the lines didn't move like his, "It signifies our ability and how strong it is."

"Why is yours so much smaller?"

"Well isn't it obvious? Your ability is much greater in strength than my own." Nyla dropped her pant leg.

Basil smiled, "So does this mean our training is over, we're all good?"

Nyla laughed, "Oh dear heavens no. You may have your powers, but you don't know how to use them. Which reminds me, we haven't, hmm. let's call it, unlocked all of your abilities." Basil groaned, "But it's a start."

Pip giggled, "This is so cool. I wish I was magic."

"You could have mine if you want."

"Oh," Pip laughed, "God you're so lucky."

Basil didn't feel all that lucky about this.

Up until Pip started grazing his arms. Then he felt really lucky.