I woke up this morning to the annoying ring of the alarm clock. I fumbled with the switch to turn it off, or rather that’s what I would have done if I hadn’t of smashed it with a flick of my finger.

    Surprised, I leaped from my bed. Literally. What was meant to be a short hop from out of the covers turned out to be a leap that crushed my head against the ceiling of my ramshackle apartment. The scary part was that after contacting the roof I stayed there.

    Somehow I was defying gravity, but I was not in control of it. It was as if gravity had reversed and was instead trying to fling me from the planet instead of hold me against it. I slowed my breathing, concentrated, and gracefully fell to the floor. Hard. Yet somehow I was uninjured.

    Carefully I picked myself up from the floor. I gingerly sat upon the edge of my bed, pondering my situation. Apparently I had developed the ability to fly as well as great strength and invulnerability. I wondered if any other abilities had manifested.

    I decided that it would be best to leave my apartment before damaging it further. I changed my clothes quickly, with a speed that could scarcely be believed. Within moments I was finished. Heading out the door, I paused to grab a hat. I put the cap on and reached for the doorknob with my paw.

    My paw?! Where had that come from? I looked at a small mirror in the corner. The image reflected at me was that of a large brown bear. Normally I would have been quite alarmed at this development, but seeing as how I had already discovered new abilities this was just another one for the list.

    Figuring that it would be best that my landlord not see a bear exit from my apartment, I swatted at the hat with my paw. After a couple of attempts the cap fell to the ground, and the brown fur of my paw reverted to the pink skin of my hand. Somehow the cap had been responsible for my transformation. I put it back from where I had gotten it and decided it would be best if I went bareheaded, no pun intended.

    As I made my way down the stairs I tried to decide the best way to get to the park. I visualized the most secluded spot I could think of, where I could be alone to try and catalogue my new powers. I reached the bottom of the stairs, and as I completed my descent my foot touched down in a pond.

    I blinked the golden flash from my eyes as I removed my foot from the water. I had instantly transported myself to the place I had pictured in my head. Teleportation could be added to my list.

    By this point I began developing a theory, and I put it to the test. Reaching in to my pocket I removed my keys. I slid them from the ring, then chose a target, a tree thirty or so yards from my current position. Aiming for a specific branch approximately seven feet from the ground, I hurled them, one after the other in rapid succession. I raced after them, easily keeping pace with them. I watched as they impacted the exact spot I had aimed for, the keys forming the corners of a perfect square.

    After retrieving my keys, I thought of another possibility. Once again mentally picturing what I wished to do, I initiated another transformation. I quickly grew, my skin changing to green scales, the wings forcing themselves from my back as talons grew from my fingers. A tail protruded from my spine and a great heat burned within my chest. I had assumed the form of a dragon, this time without the aid of any headwear.

    I resumed my original shape with ease. I jumped for joy, landing in a handspring that I followed with a double back flip. My agility had increased immensely, and I realized that, improbably, I had performed all of my tests without feeling the slightest bit fatigued.
I performed a few more tests to be sure, but my hypothesis was confirmed.

    And now here I am, lying in wait outside of the Lair Mansion. I listen in to the conversations inside. It would appear that the entire team has been magically replaced with younger versions of themselves, more specifically their past selves on their sixteenth birthdays.

    I have battled the Lair Legion in the past. They never took me seriously, always laughing at me and disrespecting me. Well, here’s where I show them that sixteen isn’t so sweet. They’ll rue the day they ever crossed paths with the Birthday Bandit.

    To be continued…