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“Anything?” Virgil asked, his eyes squeezed closed.
There was a pause that told Virgil everything he needed to know. “You are making good progress,” Logan said.
He opened his eyes to see his hand glowing faintly which was still nowhere near the light beam he was trying to make. He didn’t even get any sparks this time.
“Why am I so fucking stupid?” Virgil groaned.
“You aren’t stupid, Virgil,” Logan said, and Virgil shot him a glare. “This isn’t a simple thing.”
“That book,” Virgil snapped pointing at the open book on the workbench next to Logan, “is for grade-schoolers and we’re on the first fucking chapter.”
“These things take time,” Logan replied calmly. He was always so calm about this and part of Virgil wished he’d just call him stupid and cancel this training thing because it was useless if Virgil was going to be so stupid, but, instead, he just stood up and walked over as Virgil let the glow fade. “Virgil,” he said when he was in front of him, but Virgil just stared at his feet with his jaw clenched. Logan sighed and set his hand on Virgil’s shoulder. “Your light manipulation powers developed in unprecedented ways. The way you have utilized your powers in the past is all but the exact inverse of how most light manipulators wield them. It will take practice to do something so different from your usual methods. Much like how different muscles in the body push verses pull and you must train both of them, you have much practice with pushing light and not much with pulling. Which is why…” he tapped the bottom of Virgil’s chin and Virgil begrudgingly looked up at him, “we practice.”
“Practice sucks.”
“Hmmm,” Logan said. “Does that mean we’re done for the night or would you like to try again?”
He sighed. “I’ll try again.”
“Alright,” Logan said squeezing his shoulder. “Remember you’re pulling your powers in a different direction than usual.” Virgil nodded. “Also,” he patted Virgil’s cheek, “if you call yourself stupid again, I will tell Patton.”
Virgil hissed lightly and Logan patted his head before reclaiming his seat.
“Try again,” Logan said.
Virgil took a breath and closed his eyes. Pull don’t push. Pull don’t push. What did that even mean? He materialized a shadow slowly and thought about how it felt and then just as slowly made it fade away. It was kind of like pushing. He kind of shoved energy away from a space. So, he just needed to do that but backwards. He reached out again like he was getting ready to make a shadow, but paused, feeling where the energy was and instead of pushing it away he pulled it in slightly. It was a lot harder, but he could feel it work a bit. He took a deep breath and yanked as hard as he could.
“Hmmm,” Logan said thoughtfully. “Interesting.”
Virgil opened his eyes and yelped. “The table’s on fire!”
Logan was peering at said aflame table with interest. “So it is.” He adjusted his glasses and squinted at it.
“Shouldn’t we like, make it not be on fire or something?!” Virgil asked.
Logan waved off his concerns with a flick of his hand. “The fire was originally more intense than this wood would normally produce on its own, but it’s color indicates it is cooling to a more typical temperature now that you are no longer focused on it.”
“Logan, we’re in the house! Where’s the fire extinguisher?!”
Logan waved his hand again, but this time it actually did something productive. The fire went out instantly.
“How’d you do that?” Virgil asked.
“I removed the oxygen from the surrounding area.”
“You can do that?”
Logan glanced over at him with a small smile on his face. “With practice.”
“You could not push your practice agenda for five and a half seconds.”
“But look what you did with practice,” Logan said pointing to the now destroyed table.
“Property damage?” Virgil grumbled.
“You started a fire!” he said gleefully.
“I wasn’t trying to start a fire,” Virgil pointed out.
“But you did!”
“You are far too excited about arson.”
“You have achieved use of an entirely different power set, one often related to light manipulation true, but still a distinct power. If we count your shadows as a separate one, that’s three powers. It’s very impressive.”
“But it’s wrong,” Virgil said with a frown.
“It isn’t wrong,” Logan insisted. “It’s different.”
Virgil scowled at him.
Logan just grinned. “Virgil, do you know why I’m so interested in your powers.”
“Because you’re a nerd?” he snarked.
“Exactly,” he agreed without pause. “Have you heard of The Monofacultas Theory?”
Virgil shook his head.
“It’s a theory about how superpowers work and why people have certain powers. You’ve likely heard some form of the Disterminate Theory of powers in your life. There are three divisions of powers: physical, metal and energy. Telekinesis would be considered a physical power while light manipulation is an energy one. The Disterminate Theory states that people have a power in one and only one division, but The Monofacultas Theory postulates that all powers are originally one power and that they develop with different characteristics based on factors in early childhood. Thus, under the correct circumstances, one could have powers in multiple power divisions.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Virgil asked.
“Your shadow powers are a form of light manipulation, an energy power, but they’re also somewhat physical. Enough even to stop a bullet with focus. Which means you are one of the few people who prove the theory is valid. One of two confirmed instances I know of.”
“Who’s the other one.”
“I myself have exhibited signs of low-level mental powers.”
“You have?” Virgil asked curiously. “Like what.”
“I have an ability to sense thought patterns, especially of those people I am closer with. Though, I in no way can read minds. I did at one point in a state of panic hone in on Patton from across the entire city. I also am fairly certain I could succeed in mind manipulation if I so chose, but I have not felt the desire to practice such things.”
“Wow, that’s cool.”
“Yes, people who have powers that cross multiple divisions are rather ‘cool.’”
“Yeah… hey no sneaky compliments!”
Logan chuckled. “Very well,” he said. “You are an incredibly powerful individual and not just in your abilities though they are reflections of that strength. You have the amazing ability to not only find whatever meager light exists in the darkness, but to grab ahold of it and mold it into something tangible. It is very impressive in many ways.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Virgil squeaked.
“Well then you should learn to be more specific.”
“I’ll practice at that,” Virgil said sticking out his tongue.
“See that you do,” Logan replied with a smile. He looked at his watch. “Dinner will be soon. I’d say with that quite impressive accomplishment, we end training for the day.”
“I still can’t make a light beam,” Virgil mumbled.
“You will figure it out,” Logan said. “I’m sure of it. You’re smart.”
“‘m not,” Virgil argued.
Logan clapped him on the shoulder as he walked by him towards the stairs. “I’m telling Patton.”
“No!” Virgil whipped around to chase after him. “Logan no. Please no!”