Megan Morse floated a few inches above the ground, following a slender, silent auxiliary robot that guided her through the wide corridors. Her large green eyes scanned the reinforced walls, the energy ducts pulsing with controlled plasma, the armored doors that opened with a soft hiss. "Wow…," she thought, impressed. "I have no idea where he found the time to build all this. While he was in a coma? Or before?"
The robot stopped in front of a double door that opened automatically with a blast of pressurized air. The smell of ozone and hot metal filled her nostrils. And there, in the center of the enormous training room, was Erick.
He lifted a massive iron bar laden with absurdly heavy weights—each side weighing over three hundred kilograms. The muscles in his arms, shoulders, and back bulged beneath his slightly greenish skin, veins protruding like green rivers. He completed another slow, controlled repetition, his face furrowed in pure concentration. Then, with a low grunt, he slammed the bar to the ground. The crash was deafening, echoing off the walls like a cannon shot.
Erick turned his face, still breathing heavily, and his eyes met hers.
Megan felt a strange tightness in her chest. Seeing someone with green skin, even a subtle green, was like looking at a distant reflection of home. It wasn't the same as hers—his color was more human, more mixed—but it was enough to make her Martian heart beat faster. "He looks… familiar. Like a part of me is there."
Baymax, the giant inflatable robot, stood in a corner, arms crossed, vigilant. His round eyes blinked once as he registered the presence of the Martian.
The Doctor suddenly materialized in front of Erick, a perfect hologram, his white lab coat impeccable.
"Sir, I believe your strength has increased exponentially since your transformation." Knowing that the two were not alone in the room, the Doctor added with a quick glance at Megan, "thanks to your meta-human condition, your body already possessed extremely high strength, as we recorded last time. However, now it seems to have taken an extremely high leap, allowing you to lift even seven hundred kilograms despite your low body mass."
Erick lowered his arms, feeling his muscles burn with pleasure. He looked at Megan and Baymax, who were approaching.
"Megan, thank you for accepting my request."
"Oh, really," she replied with a gentle smile, floating a little closer. "It's always good to be able to help a friend."
He returned the smile, dry but sincere.
"Doctor, we'll continue with the test later."
The hologram tilted its head and disappeared in a flash of blue light.
Megan tilted her head, curious.
"So... how can I help you?"
Erick ran his hand over his chin — a habit she noticed for the first time — and began to walk slowly around the room, his bare feet touching the cold floor.
"Well, apparently the use of the blood you provided has changed much more than we imagined." He paused, turned to her. "I'd like your guidance to see if I can unlock some Martian abilities. Apparently, it wasn't just my skin that changed, but my morphology… some of my characteristics have changed. For example, my brain and my cells. I'd appreciate your guidance, if you're interested."
Megan brought her hand to her chin, thinking. Her large eyes blinked slowly.
"No, it's alright. I think it's a great suggestion." She floated a little closer, analyzing him carefully. "First, I'd like to better understand what you already feel. But let's start with the basics. You mentioned that your brain has been altered. Do you want to know if it's really possible that you have some telekinetic or telepathic ability?"
"I don't even know where to begin," Erick admitted.
Megan smiled patiently.
"Well, basically it's something natural that we Martians have. It's instinctive. We're born with this ability. That's why it's so common. Martians don't even use our voices to communicate most of the time. We only use our minds."
Erick frowned.
"So you wouldn't know how to teach someone who wasn't born with it."
"It's difficult," she confessed. "Think about it: it's like you're asking me to teach you how to speak, how to make noise, when you have vocal cords. Even a deaf child can make noises, sounds, cry. Does that make sense?"
Erick lowered his head, reflecting. Then he raised his gaze again.
"Yeah... that makes sense. I had a minor surgery, I removed the implant I'd had in my head for a while. I'd like you to come inside my mind and see if it's like the mind of a Martian or a human."
Megan hesitated for half a second, then nodded.
"All good."
She floated until she was just inches from him. Erick felt the air around him cool slightly. Megan reached out, lightly touching his temples. His eyes closed.
The instant she entered, Erick felt a warm, green presence, like an otherworldly breeze invading his skull. Megan navigated the corridors. It was unlike anything she had ever seen in human minds. There was a latent psychic power there—strong, dense, almost Martian—but the "texture" was strange, as if it were a mixture that had never existed before. Green energy pulsed in veins that weren't exactly her own.
Megan withdrew her hands, opening her wide eyes.
"Well... apparently you really do possess some kind of psychic energy." She smiled, excitedly. "While I found some similarities with my homeland, with my countrymen, it's unlike anything I've ever seen."
"What do you mean?" asked Erick, intrigued.
"Psychic power is an appendage of a person's mind. While it's similar to all…," she made air quotes, "telepaths, all people with psychic powers, it's also different, each representing the user's mind. To me, it's reflected as invisible probes. When I use my telekinesis, it's as if invisible hands are interacting with the matter I want to move. It's complicated to explain because everyone sees this power differently. Simon, if I'm not mistaken, has a very distinct way of doing it. He basically tried to use his mind as an invasive energy that would force the target to follow his directions, influencing and destroying the mind until submission. So each telepath, each user of psychic power has a distinct characteristic. And you might have to find yours."
Erick crossed his arms, absorbing every word.
"But I can give you some specific exercises," Megan continued. "Exercises that can help you exercise your mind."
"I would greatly appreciate that."
Megan floated a little higher, lost in thought.
"I would also like your guidance to know if I possess or can acquire any kind of latent power. Some alteration in my physical body."
"Well, I can't tell just by appearances. You say your cells have changed. If they truly resemble the power of a Martian, perhaps you really do possess that kind of characteristic."
"How do you other Martians use this kind of ability?"
Megan gave a somewhat awkward smile.
"It's instinctive. We're kind of born this way, there's not much that can be taught. Of course, we train, but it's like every child can modify a small part of their body. As you get older, the ability gets stronger. There are some people like my uncle who have a colossal level in this type of technique. Well… there's no way other people of our race can achieve the same, but my uncle is my uncle."
Erick put his hand on his chin again.
"And how should I basically perform this type of skill?"
"As an incentive, perhaps you should actively try altering your form. You should try that, shouldn't you?" Megan lowered her head, deep in thought. She stared at the ceiling for a moment. "Perhaps you should try using your psychic power, employing it as a catalyst for your mind."
Erick raised an eyebrow, confused.
Megan gave a sheepish smile.
"All I'm trying to say is that you should basically use your brain to try and control your entire body in a more active way. The telepathy and telekinesis exercises I'll give you might help you interact better with your morphology, thus allowing for alterations and transformations."
"Hmm... okay. So how do these exercises basically work?"
"Primarily meditation. You have to enter your mind and be able to feel this energy, which may be something you've never felt before. And that's why it might be easy for you to find it. Because it's something you've never had in your mind. So, since you now have a new energy in your mind, perhaps this will allow you to find it very easily and thus awaken, unlock your Martian powers."
Erick nodded slowly.
"Legal."
Megan smiled broadly, her eyes sparkling.
"The first exercise will be this: you find that energy." She paused. "I can also help you guide it, I just don't know if you'll like me mentally intruding on you for such an activity."
Erick thought for a few seconds, reflecting on the risks, on trust, on how quickly he needed to grow up. Then he looked directly into her eyes.
"I accept. You will help."
Megan smiled, relieved and excited at the same time.
"Great. So... let's begin."
The training room seemed to grow quieter. Baymax remained motionless in the corner, vigilant. The Doctor watched from somewhere unseen. And Erick, his slightly green skin glowing under the lights, felt for the first time that the Martian blood within him was no longer just a tool.
It was the beginning of something alive.
And he could hardly wait to find out just how far this new species could go.
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