Oh, We Can Be Heroes

Chapter Four

Tommy was known to space out a lot, it was something he hated but just couldn't fix. He'd already created an entire world in his head, one that he thoroughly enjoyed and never wanted to leave or fix. The first day his body forced him into what he called his 'Mind Palace' (when he heard the term on Sherlock, he automatically took on the name) it was his third day with Phil. He had arrived on Friday, the 11th. The day after, the 12th, was a peaceful day in the house. Tommy didn't leave his room, only to go outside with the dogs. Phil didn't push him, but always reminded him that the others in the house were there too.  That night for dinner they had steak tacos. The 13th, he was forced into his mind palace.

Phil noticed that day that even the dogs couldn't reach him. That day was the day that Phil knew he could get another lead to what Tommys ability truly was. Mind Palaces were not just a Tommy thing, they were yet another ability thing. Your ability in itself would manifest as a room your brain would create to cope with it. Dependent on your ability, your room would change. Phil figured with the amount of times the flashlight (another way people's abilities would manifest itself) had turned on and off the last three days, the brain needed a moment to cope with it.

"Is Tommy staring at the fish again? Why don't we just move it to his room?" Techno asked, standing next to his father.

"I think he's in his Mind Palace. Probably all messed up from me attempting to figure out what it is. Just leave him there, I'm going to create the lesson plans for this week. Where's your brother?" Phil sat down at the kitchen table, pulling out his laptop and his school papers.

"He's in the Mind Palace, too. Him having a hissy fit at dinner probably tired him out. I'm going to go buy some more of those tea bags I like. Need anything else while I'm out?" His father replied no, and the boy left his house.

From the outside, Tommy sat on the couch, staring at the fish tank. To him, he stood in his late fathers study. There, his fathers blackboard was filled with mathematical equations. His bookshelves were filled with books about animals. He was at peace, and he quite liked it. Weirdly though, on the desk sat a flashlight. He ignored it, and sat. He read his books on the animals he had memorized, in peace.

Phil watched from the outside world, as Tommys face went from concentrated to just peaceful, as he was when Techno played the violin.

Wilburs was quite different. His consisted of his old music room, and so many instruments he lost count months ago. He sat at the room's piano, and played slow songs. His flashlight usually was right next to him, but it currently sat on the other side of the room, forcibly turned off. The sound of the piano sounded just off, it didn't resonate in him like it usually did. Music would feel like it was the air he breathed, it completed him. This noise was just that, noise. It was another thing to occur, and it felt wrong to play it.

Later that night, when all had returned home (both physically and mentally), Phil had began to prepare Tommy for his first day at his work.

"Tommy, were you in school when you were on your own?" Phil asked, pure curiosity in his voice. He knew he was smart and educated, his vast bank of fun facts was proof of that.

"Yeah, It was online classes though. I would probably have to do a placement exam, in all honesty." He ate his dinner quietly (Phil decided to make soup).

"Well tomorrow when we get you signed up and everything, we can talk about that with them. Depending on the situation, we should be able to get you into classes as soon as possible. Sound good?" Tommy responded with a nod. Silence fell between them, and decided now was the time. "So, earlier you seemed a little out of it. Can I ask what you were thinking about?" Tommy shifted uncomfortably, and looked down into his bowl.

"Uh, sometimes I just kind of drift into this room? I don't know why, but it's my dad's old study and I just sit and read. It's quite nice, honestly. My dad was big on me knowing everything I possibly could, so I guess the room became that." The father smiled, nodding in understanding.

What power includes studying and books? Maybe the books are a metaphor for something?

"I have one room like that too, and so do the twins. Maybe everyone has one?" Phil questioned, though he knew only certain people did. "My room is an office, with tons of files and a presentation on a screen. I guess my happy place is having information," He humored. "Technos is the forest during the winter. He says it's snowing and you can just watch how pretty nature is, I don't know. I think every room is hard to explain because when you're there it's just home. You're not constantly on edge, so you don't analyze it."

"Other people have them? I thought it was just me, last time I mentioned it to someone they called me crazy." He laughed, getting up and putting his bowl into the sink.

"I don't think you're crazy. Maybe that's a sign you belong here? Maybe we're the only couple people who also do that." Tommy looked at him and shifted his head in question, and Phil felt his power turn on. It lasted only for five seconds, then was off.

"Maybe, who knows. Hey, can I ask what you teach at the school? I don't really know anything about that."

"I teach World History," Phil responded. "I start at the Indus River Valley Civilizations, then move on from there. Right now we've just finished Ancient Rome and are moving onto the Germanic Empire and creation of Islam." Tommy watched as his eyes glowed, and he almost felt the excitement radiate off Phil.

He really loves his job, huh?

"You should take my class, Tommy!" Phil looked at the boy, who shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not the best at History, big man. I'm good at math and science, things like that." Phil rolled his eyes and scoffed, not believing the boy.

"Tommy, I'm literally the teacher. I can help you with all of it. I'm not going to let you cheat or get you off easily, but I have tons of books you can read and things like that. I really think you should consider it. Not to brag, but everyone does love my class."

Techno walked in and grabbed a bowl from the cabinet, "He's not wrong. Everyone loves his class and takes every level of it they can. I only took two semesters because of the History graduation requirement. It's a good class, Toms. You might enjoy it if you take it."

Everyone with abilities took Phil's class, it was necessary to find out their ability. Phil could offer multiple scenarios and see how the person's ability reacted, letting him narrow down the list of potential abilities. He'd rather now sooner than later with Tommy, since he was quite older than when the twins found out theirs.

All we need is Tommy to be a reality manipulator and mess all of the Earth up.

Tommy grabbed a water bottle and began to walk to his room, Henry following him (as always). "I'll think about it."

Once he walked away, Techno turned to his dad. "He's totally going to take it."