[Main POV]
The day I awakened my individuality—I can only describe it as the most painful and bizarre day of my life. Today marks one week since that fateful moment, and the pain I felt still makes me shudder. I think it always will, for as long as the memory remains. I can only describe the pain as monstrous, in every possible sense.
I remember sleeping peacefully when I was suddenly jolted awake by a searing pain that tore through my entire body.
It was so intense I started screaming and writhing in agony. I was terrified—completely clueless about what was happening—and for a brief moment, I genuinely thought I was going to die again.
The pain was relentless, coursing through every one of my muscles, blood vessels, and even my pores. Every inch of me felt like it was trapped inside an iron cage made of nothing but pain and suffering. Time itself seemed to freeze, suspending me in a twisted reality where all that existed was that torment. It felt like an eternity.
And just as it had come—without warning—pain, that ever-present companion from the beginning of our lives to the end, vanished just as suddenly. No signs. No explanations.
After it was over, my parents told me the entire episode hadn't lasted more than a few minutes. But to me, it felt like it had stretched on forever. The pain had been so unbearable that the moment my individuality fully awakened, I passed out cold—falling straight into Morpheus's arms.
When I finally opened my eyes, still groggy and with my body heavy as if I'd run a marathon in my sleep, I noticed something strange. Something I had secretly feared might happen. My arms were green.
Not just a small patch, not a faint greenish hue. A solid, vibrant green—like my skin had been completely dyed.
Panicked, I jumped out of bed, my heart pounding, and stumbled to the nearest mirror. And when I saw my reflection, shock gave way to disbelief.
I was completely green. From head to toe, my skin had transformed into a deep, emerald tone that somehow seemed to both absorb and reflect the light around it.
My eyes had changed too. They now glowed a vivid, fiery red—like embers—giving my face an almost alien, hypnotic appearance. The contrast was so surreal that it took me several seconds to accept that the figure staring back was actually me.
My hair, once a familiar shade of brown, had turned a dark mossy green. It fell in messy strands around my face, blending with the new color of my skin. To top it off, my ears were thinner and longer, ending in soft points like the elves in fantasy stories.
I stood there, staring at myself for what felt like forever, until a strange thought crossed my mind—and, oddly enough, brought a bit of relief.
"At least I didn't end up looking like Martian Manhunter…"
Honestly, my new look was way closer to Beast Boy than J'onn J'onzz. And you know what? That wasn't so bad. Beast Boy may be green, but at least he's got a cool, youthful vibe—and, most importantly, he has hair. I instinctively glanced at the top of my head and sighed with relief. "Thank God, I'm not joining the bald club."
In the middle of all that weirdness, being able to find one small silver lining made me laugh—nervously, sure, but it was a laugh. Because in a strange way, that reflection in the mirror… it was the new me. Strange, yes. But still me.
And that wasn't even the biggest surprise.
Apparently, I had awakened my individuality. I wanted to test it out right away, but my mom insisted I shouldn't. The process of awakening had taken a serious toll on my body, and she begged me to rest and recover before trying anything.
So that's how I spent the past week—lying around, being pampered by my parents. It wasn't a bad time, really, but I was dying to play around with my powers. I could've snuck in some practice, but Mom was right—I had no clue how they worked, and it was probably better to be fully recovered before experimenting with something I didn't understand.
All week, my mom barely left my side. She still looked really worried, and I did my best to comfort her whenever I could.
[Ana's POV]
After that terrifying day, I couldn't bring myself to leave my baby's side for even a second. I never imagined I'd go through something like that—not even in my worst nightmares. After the episode, when Isaac finally fell asleep in my arms, my husband and I considered rushing him to the hospital. But before we could make a decision, something extraordinary happened—something that made us hesitate and rethink everything.
While he slept, Isaac's body began to undergo a remarkable transformation, as if nature itself were reshaping him into a new version of who he was—right before our eyes. It started with his skin, which slowly began to take on a vibrant, almost otherworldly green hue, as if light was flowing beneath every cell. Then, his ears subtly elongated and tapered into gentle points, like the mythical beings from ancient stories. And almost like magic, his once curly brown hair started shifting color, turning a rich, luminous green—like fresh leaves glistening with morning dew.
The metamorphosis happened incredibly fast—just a matter of seconds—but it was enough to leave us speechless, frozen somewhere between fear and awe. It felt like we were witnessing the birth of something one-of-a-kind... something extraordinary.
I remember looking at Chris, and he looked at me, and we silently agreed to call a private doctor instead of rushing to a hospital.
We did it for his safety. People whose powers are linked to mutations are often targeted or discriminated against. I wanted the chance to explain what was happening before exposing him to a hospital full of strangers who might look at him with suspicion—or worse, say something they shouldn't.
I know the weight of discrimination all too well, and I won't let my son go through that. After a quick discussion, Chris and I called our trusted doctor—the same one who looked after me during my pregnancy and even helped deliver Isaac.
After examining him for a while, the doctor concluded that Isaac was fine—just extremely worn out from everything his body had endured.
Following a long, deep sleep—which, to me, felt like another agonizing eternity—my little prince finally woke up. His eyes, now red, blinked open slowly, still heavy with sleep, and met mine with a mix of confusion and innocence that broke my heart. I had always known this moment would come, but knowing didn't make it any easier.
With all the tenderness I could gather, I began explaining what had happened while he slept. I told him that his body had gone through a transformation, that he now looked different from other kids, with features that might draw attention. But I made it clear—firmly—that his difference didn't make him lesser, or less worthy, or inferior in any way. On the contrary—he was special.
I looked him straight in the eyes and, in a calm but unwavering voice, told him that if anyone ever dared treat him unfairly because of how he looked or who he was, he should come straight to me—or to his father—because we would always be there to protect him, to defend his dignity, and to show the world just how incredible he is.
I knew that one day, I'd have to have that conversation. Because as Black people in a racist society, the subject of prejudice would inevitably come up. But even knowing that, I still wasn't ready. If the day Isaac awakened his powers was the scariest of my life, today was without question the saddest—the day I had to talk to my child about the existence of prejudice.
And I didn't stop there. I also told him there was a good chance he'd be a target of that prejudice.
It was a strange day, because as I was speaking to him, he reached out and held my hand—as if trying to comfort me. It was almost funny. I was the mother. I was supposed to be the one offering comfort, not the other way around.
I snapped out of my thoughts when I looked to the side and spoke to my husband, who was walking next to me. We were heading toward Isaac's room, and I was a bit on edge, lost in thoughts about the past few days.
"Chris, are you sure everything's going to be okay?" I asked, hesitant. Today was the day Isaac was finally going to test his powers, and I was nervous. I had no idea what could happen.
I had made him promise to wait a bit before using them, since he still wasn't fully recovered. After I asked the question, Chris responded:
"Ana, my love, it's going to be fine. We're here if anything goes wrong, and we even called Dr. Fukuyama to be on standby, just in case Isaac gets hurt." I heard what he said and simply nodded, choosing not to respond so we wouldn't end up in another disagreement.
[Main POV]
I hear the door to my room creak open, pulling me out of bed where I'd been lying. A moment later, I see my mom and dad stepping inside. As soon as I spot them, I run straight into their arms and hug them tightly.
"Mom! Dad! I missed you so much—I love you!" I say in my small, childlike voice, still clinging to them after the hug. My dad is the first to speak.
"Hey there, champ. How about we give your Quirk a test run?" he asks, smiling down at me. The moment I hear that, I light up—after waiting an entire week, I'm finally going to try out my powers. I answer, practically bouncing with excitement:
"Yes! Let's do it now! I've been dying to try it!" I say to them, and they both smile, clearly happy to see my reaction.
Over time, I've really come to see them as my parents. They're kind, caring, and always doing their best to make me happy.
A soft voice pulls me from my thoughts—it's my mom speaking to me.
"There's no step-by-step guide for activating your Quirk," she says gently. "So unfortunately, we can't exactly teach you how to use it. Quirks are very personal—everyone has their own unique way of discovering and controlling them. While you try to figure yours out, we'll be right here by your side. And if you ever want any advice, just ask, sweetheart."
I felt a little disappointed that there wasn't a clear tip or trick for how to use my Quirk. I guess that's part of their training style—after all, they were the strongest heroes in their countries. Their training methods must be super intense.
I may not know how to use my Quirk yet, but I do know how Martian Manhunter used his powers—and I understand the logic behind them.
With that in mind, I start trying to use my own...
To be continued…
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[N/A] If you've read this far, thank you! And since I'm terrible at handling compliments, please, insult me instead!