[08th July 2007]

[RDS Arena, Ballsbridge, Dublin]

Not being able to drink was annoying to say the least, but one had to soldier on through what essentially a big drinking session without I found as I sat listening to the crowd outside and drink a Soder Cola. Gods above I missed Coke and even Fanta after the disappointment all those years ago of discovering the brand didn't exist; yet somehow Cadet Softdrinks had somehow. Weird that. It'd been a busy enough day, and good fun too, with even the youth committee meeting interesting enough for once.

Though I think that was because they all basically let me write half the manifesto of course and let me pretend that I had a smidgen of influence...even if I didn't in the least of course. Couldn't even vote in the 'adult' committee leadership either due to my technical age; decades of memories and abilities and as was I couldn't drink or vote. I snorted in amusement at my own mental complaints; after all here I was meeting with a government minister and acting like the worlds against me somehow. Well perhaps it was good I couldn't drink as I glanced at the dozing form of Tadhg off in the corner after his all night drinking session...and all day one today. Wasn't even nine o'clock and he was all tuckered out?

Even after my herbal help?

When I was his age I'd have...or well when I got to his age...

'Ah screw it, I'd still be up and about and able to function, damned lightweight' I mused to myself before I turned back to the doorway as voices neared that I recognised. Moments later it shoved open fully as Senator jumped-up-county-councillor TJ entered with Minister of Defence Oscar O'Mahon and his aide Paudi, pints of Guinness in hand and talk off tally figures out of their mouths. Fuckers getting booze and I'm stuck...

"Ah see, there just as I told ya they'd be Oscar, me lad Sean holding down the fort and Tadhg sleepin' off the night before!" TJ announced cheerfully in the thick country accent of his. I'd never really picked up the full Cork accent in this lifetime thank the Boss even if I'd not regained those of either past iteration of life "Oscar, Paudi, this here is Sean, Sean this here is Oscar O'Mahon and Paudi Cottar"

I shook hands with the both, the minister's a big bear grip of a thing with a cheery grin while the other fella's was more relaxed with a glance over myself. Perhaps he'd been expecting a Harry Potter or Merlin cosplay version of a wizard?

"I'm very pleased to meet Minister O'Mahon, Mr. Cottar" was all I could state in a polite and friendly tone as they waved our little group back to site on the fold up chairs and table here in the rather messy and empty meeting room. Seemed the day's worth of various talks and workshops had yet to be cleaned away but I'd serve my purposes somewhat so I wasn't going to complain as I retook my seat.

"Ah Jeysus lad yer a polite one aren't ya? But TJ and young Tahdg over there have naught but praise fer ya and your unique...abilities...as they put them" a friendly reply but an enquiry as we I think as I nodded back confidently. Confidence was key here or it was back to waiting and figuring another route to get training and resources.

"Ah well me Mam trained me well Minister is all I say for that..." I started with a small laugh and getting a chuckle in return as I continued on "...but in regards my abilities, or hocus-pocus as Tadhg and the others call them...Yes I do possess a smattering of what we'll just call magic till someone comes up with a more scientific way to describe them. As I said to TJ..." a nodded to the man trying to loom over me as if to hear every word more clearly "...I can provide proof of this here and now, and undergo any testing you would want at a later date of course"

"Straight to business eh? Well since you brought it up why don't you confirm some of these skills of yours...as long as they don't wreck the place of course..."

It was almost an effort to resist the urge to take on some sort of showmanship as we talked through various lower end spells and cantrips after a few years of selling to those around my age or at various agricultural shows. Of course I wasn't calling them low end but really these were just basic cantrips and first level spells beyond one or two second level ones. Prestidigitation and a little magical cleaning, Dancing Lights and the room was like an overly bright disco, Mage Hand and a fold-up table chosen by Minister rose into the air and was moved to near us, Reduce Person and Tadhg got to be reduced to half his size for a little while. And still never woke up through it either. Bloody lightweight. Disguise Self and I became past human-me in my twenties and a bit taller for a short while. And finally Arcane Lock and the door couldn't be opened by them but by myself till I ended its effects.

All in all it took about an hour and while TJ had wandered off to collect another round, after waking and taking Tadhg with him, of drinks the other two sat quietly looking contemplative they looked at the one or two enchanted items I'd managed to produce. A very basic strength enhancement on a pair of work gloves and basic cure wounds potion demonstrated by cutting, and then healing, my palm. An investment of time effort that might pay off as O'Mahon looked across at me.

"Well lad, good show and ye have me convinced of the truth of your claims" a glance to his right "Same with you Paudi?"

"Indeed Sir, just as the report said and most convincing in person..." the other man replied stroking at his chin in thought as he focused on me "...though considering you have these abilities, actual magic at that, I'm surprised your coming to ourselves and not trying to make money from them or try the whole superhero scene. Revealing yourself would..." he motioned at me questioningly.

Or magical supervillain thief or trickster either was left unsaid I guessed. Not really said but I figured it was likely implied somewhere at any rate. Still he was right in that many who got such abilities tended to run off and grab colourful underwear and such so they could wear them over their 'hero clothes' and emulate the Justice League. Not that there was a huge number as yet but there was a number across the world even if the news never mentioned anything other than the dudes in Mount Justice. Still the whole vigilante thing...was somewhat unlawful in my view and not exactly the best idea in the long run in a modern western democracy, or for that democracy. Then again...this was the reality with Cadmus and Comic Book Logic towards the US government so maybe there was that. Still I preferred to work within the law in my second home where possible, or at least work the slightly corrupt system anyway. It was the grease that made local government work after all.

"Yes I know, the whole going it alone, punching dudes and secret identify thing is rather common isn't it?" I shrugged "But really it'd be much easier to help people through proper channels I'd fine. Me and the Health Service don't get on you'll find, so even when I'd like to try heal someone in serious condition as I can't get in the door in most cases. I'd like to keep my name out of the public..." because damned if that hadn't made my childhood lonely enough in rural Cork till we moved to the city "...but I'd rather have official sanction to be able to do things behind the scenes. Plus, honestly, I want to get training and things like that which I can't exactly do on my own as the teenage son of an upper middle class family. I've looked into it but there's only so much of an education I can access on certain things in truth so I figured I'd come to a fellow Munster man for help on the matter"

Like the only two nearby (well England) magic-users that I could learn from were Jason Blood and John Constantine. The first being bound to a demon and the second one...well,l I'd prefer other options if I could find them. Or at least have official backup if things went to shit if I had to use either. There was always a danger a higher level demon, or a local deity, would recognise what I was and that would cause...problems...I expect in the aftermath. Other than that I'd looked up local Irish magical rituals and was starting to assemble a little library...but again resources and access were an issue as always. Becoming a magician on this Earth was doable for most people but getting organised access and training was really damned hard. No formal education on the mystic arts, or on super-engineering here sadly. Atlantis supposedly taught magic but like Themyscira I wasn't going to get access to that place anytime soon. I was looking at engineering this lifetime but I wasn't a natural at it sadly, nor had I been one in either previous iteration so super-duper engineering marvels seemed out my reach on my own. O'Mahon was only Defence Minister as well, not very high in Cabinet in Ireland, but ambitious too evidently so a better bet than trying any of the others.

"Hahaha, a fine choice lad, and can see what benefit you'd get when you'd put it that way. Though Sean me boy the only units we've got with any sort of training the like are the Army Ranger Wing, and the Gardai's ERU, and that's mostly on how to handle meta-humans that might drift over from England or the continent t cause trouble than proper training"

I nodded at that "Yeah, but really I'm just a baseline human in truth with some small..." alot, but let's not tell anyone that unless we have too "...abilities yeah, ones I want to grow, but you never know what crazies are out there after all and might come around..." both nodded at that "...and in terms of paying for it I can start to enchant the ARW's gear for instance given a year or two, and I can ward off mind control attempts so I can of use to the government there as well. I know some countries are making use of others with such skills, or I'm pretty sure they are..."

O'Mahon made a distasteful face "Ey' don't we know it. We got screwed on the last trade deal with Bialya and while we can't prove it everyone's full sure that might behind it. So that's something my collegues in the foreign office will be interested in. Though be strange bring a young fella like..."

I hold wave a hand as he looked for my answer "As shown I can do decent enough magical disguises, I'll just be another security guard or the like. Truth be told I'd prefer to keep my real face out of the news or the eyes of others at all. At least not till I'm older and can defend myself, and others, properly..." I probably could right now but no need to take unnecessary risks "...from the likes they have over in the States. I've done my Junior Cert, and I could drop out now and try figure it out on me own, but I'd rather work for and with the government in regards helping folks where I can"

It was the aide now Paudi who interjected after finishing the dregs of his stout "Well you've made a good pitch Mr. O'Neill I do believe, hasn't he Sir? I think working out a deal between us will be possible though your parents..." I nodded that I was fine with that. They would agree after all the talks we had about it "...okay so how do you envision your future, and this arrangement?"

"Honestly I'd plan on finishing my Leaving Cert in two years, but that'd be alongside any duties and training I can get. What I'd like to do is have my records hidden official while doing things, or to use an alter ego of some sort, and to use your office to help find others who could help improve these abilities or something similar. I know you say the ARW, but even some basic training and self-defence would help me alot if someone came after me and I can't use my...abilities. That and fire arms training I suppose, can't really enchant them if I don't know how to use them and..."

Some might say firearms aren't really needed when you've other powers, but my view was the more options and tools you had the better. That and if I could actually help get the country have something resembling a response unit capable of meeting threats of at least some level with lethal force. Would certainly me feel safer if some abomination or crime against nature happened by and started to destroy things. Or caused collateral damage when the 'good guys' arrived to fight them. There was so much to do and yet so little time...

--

ARW - Army Ranger Wing - Wikipedia

ERU - Garda Emergency Response Unit - Wikipedia

I'm making the assumption that every nation has 'up-gunned' their riot and counter terrorism forces as best they can, and made plans for meta-humans on Earth-16. Most of the are basically useless for anything but the most low level one though.