I let out a low chuckle, stepping back just enough so that I was out of the camera's line of sight. My eyes flickered toward the hidden camera, hidden well enough that most people wouldn't have noticed it. But I wasn't like most people. With a quick snap of my fingers behind my back, I sent a pulse of my electrokinesis through the device, frying it instantly. No one would be watching this showdown.

Sophia's eyes narrowed as I turned back to face her. "You think you're smart, don't you?" she sneered, taking a step closer. "But I know who you really are. You're not Greg. You're hiding something. And I'm going to figure out what it is."

I grinned, amused by her confidence. She thought she was a master detective, piecing together some grand mystery. In truth, I'd been playing her the whole time, letting her think she was on the verge of a revelation. But it was time to drop the act, just enough to keep her on edge.

"You're right," I said, my voice calm, almost playful. "I'm not Greg anymore. I haven't been for a long time." If I wouldn't be able to send this crazy gal to therapy soon, then I'd be ashamed!

Sophia's eyes widened, and I could practically see the gears turning in her head. She thought she was onto something big, something that would give her the upper hand. But she had no idea what she was really dealing with.

"So, who are you then?" she demanded. Her voice was laced with triumph as if she'd already solved the puzzle. "You're not just some random kid. I knew it. You're hiding something… something big."

I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms and letting the tension build. "Oh, Sophia, you've got no idea," I said, my voice low, almost a whisper. "You think you're playing Sherlock Holmes, don't you? Uncovering some grand conspiracy, figuring out my 'real' identity." I smirked. "But the truth is, I've been right here, in plain sight, the whole time."

My words were all meaningless rabble, but Sophia took it as something deeper. I've come to hate bullied, Lucifer included. If there was going to be a bully, it would only be me.

Her eyes flashed with excitement, thinking she was about to get her big reveal. "So, what is it then? Who are you?"

I took a step closer, lowering my voice. "I'm the King of Hell!"

Sophia blinked, her expression faltering for a second, but she quickly masked it with a smirk. "Right," she scoffed, clearly not believing me. "The King of Hell? That's the best you've got? What, are you some kind of demon cosplayer now?"

"Yep. That didn't work," I muttered to myself, shaking my head in mock disbelief. I figured I'd try again, this time with a different tone. I straightened up and, with the most serious expression I could muster, I lowered my voice to a deep, gravelly tone and declared, "I… AM BATMAN!"

Sophia blinked, staring at me like I'd lost my mind, which, honestly, wasn't too far off. She looked both confused and aggravated, her mouth twitching like she wanted to say something but couldn't quite figure out how to respond.

"Are you serious right now?" she snapped, the irritation in her voice clear. "You're not funny, and I'm not in the mood for games." She clenched her fists, her body tensing like she was ready to attack again.

But that's exactly what I wanted. Phase two of my little plan was already in motion. I needed her to push her powers further, to reveal more of what she could do. That hidden camera I'd set up on the second floor was going to capture everything. Positioned perfectly, it would see Sophia's every move without me being in the shot. I had stayed intentionally still, careful not to give away my position in relation to the camera.

I grinned, stepping back into the shadows. "Come on, Sophia, show me what you've got. Use those powers of yours. Or are you too scared to really let loose?"

Her eyes narrowed, and I saw the flash of anger I'd been waiting for. She was on edge, and pushing her a little more was bound to make her slip. I could practically hear her mind whirring, deciding whether or not to escalate things.

"You really want to test me, huh?" she growled, her voice low and dangerous. "Fine. You asked for it."

Before I could react, she dissolved into her smoke form again, moving faster than before, the dark tendrils of shadow swirling around the area. She was moving more actively now, her powers in full force. But I stayed where I was, leaning against the wall, knowing the camera upstairs was getting every second of it.

I had one goal in mind: aggravate Sophia to the point where I could study her parahuman abilities in action. The longer she used her powers, the more I'd learn. The crimson smoke surged from my flesh, thick and reeking of brimstone. It wasn't like I could just fly around freely in my smoke form—this body, my vessel, was still a prison in many ways. But lately, I'd discovered that I could shift into this form directly, without leaving my human shell behind.

As soon as my smoke form collided with hers, it felt like we were entangled in a battle that went deeper than flesh. Her dark, swirling shadows met my infernal crimson, and for a brief moment, I felt every flicker of her essence. I know how it sounds—like some kind of twisted intimacy—but trust me, it wasn't anything like that. This was purely academic, and nothing kinky was going on.

Her smoke was slippery, evasive, but I tried to press forward, attempting to infiltrate her essence, to break through whatever defenses she had. It should've been easy. In theory, her being in this state should've made her vulnerable to my infernal powers. But something—no, someone—was already inside her, blocking my intrusion.

I was unsure whether it would be something or someone.

"Interesting..." I whispered, more to myself than to her. My form surged again, trying to penetrate whatever was protecting her core. "You're more protected than I expected. I wonder... what exactly are you hiding in there?"

Sophia's voice echoed through the smoke, strained but filled with defiance. "Get out of my head!" Her form wavered as if she was struggling to maintain control.

"Oh, I'm not in your head," I replied, amused by her misunderstanding. "But you are blocking me from something. What is it, Sophia? What's inside of you?"

After five minutes or so, Sophia returned to her original form, her shadowy smoke dissipating as she re-solidified into her human shape. What she didn't realize was that I had managed to slip into her mind during the tussle, not completely, but just enough to remain inside her—like how I usually am when possessing a vessel. Except this time, I wasn't controlling her, just observing.

She groaned, rubbing her temples, clearly feeling the strain. "Ugh... my head," she muttered, the beginnings of a migraine taking hold. She had no idea what had just happened, no clue I was still inside, quietly watching, lurking.

I remained there for the rest of the school day, biding my time as she carried on with her routine, completely unaware of my presence. My consciousness explored the recesses of her mind, probing cautiously. I could feel her thoughts, her emotions, but deeper down, I sensed something else—something foreign. It wasn't part of her, not exactly. It was like... a separate entity, residing somewhere deep within her brain, distinct from her identity.

"What are you..." I whispered inside her mind, my curiosity growing. Whatever this thing was, it was ancient, powerful, and—more disturbingly—silent. It felt almost dormant, yet there was a pulsing energy to it, as if it was waiting for something, or someone, to wake it.

Sophia continued through her day, oblivious to the fact that I was mapping her every neural pathway, piecing together the puzzle of her mind. This was more than I had expected. Whatever was inside her, it was protecting her... and possibly hiding from her.

I'd have to play this carefully.

It seemed Sophia had also forgotten our fight, which worked in my favor. No suspicion, no questions—just another ordinary day for her. But for me? It was anything but. After so much prodding, I made a terrifying discovery: her powers were alive, sentient even. They had a mind of their own, and they were more than just an extension of her. It was like she was hosting some kind of parasitic entity that had its own agenda. Creepy as hell.

I pondered the bigger picture for a moment. If Sophia wasn't the only one, then superpowers weren't just gifts or genetic quirks—they were the new monsters, lurking inside people, silently controlling them. I was in deep now, deeper than I wanted to be.

Suddenly, I felt a ripple of nausea as Sophia's body reacted. I could sense her getting sick. Perfect. I needed to get out before things got messier. With a quick flick of my consciousness, I triggered her gag reflex, forcing her to rush to the girl's bathroom. She vomited into the sink, but no one was around to witness the scene, which gave me the perfect window to make my escape.

In my smoke form, I slipped out from her body, swirling through the cracks in the tiles as she hunched over the sink. Once I was sure I was clear, I drifted down the hallway and into the men's bathroom. Once inside, I reformed into my physical body, gasping for air as I felt the weight of my own flesh again.

"Damn," I muttered, leaning against the sink for support. "That was close."

The sensation of being inside someone's mind always left me feeling disoriented, like I was swimming in someone else's skin. But this time was different—there was something much darker lurking inside Sophia than I'd anticipated.

Dad picked me up from school and drove me home in the usual quiet. He didn't ask about my day, and I didn't offer any information. It was our routine. Dinner was the usual boring affair—something microwaved and eaten in silence. I worked on assignments for a while after that (one good deed a day), not that any of it mattered much in the grand scheme of things. Schoolwork was trivial compared to what I'd been dealing with lately. But the routine helped me keep grounded, at least for now.

I loved routine and paperwork for a time.

Once my homework was done, I went to bed early, though sleep didn't come easily. It never did anymore. In the gaps between actual sleep, that was when Crowley stirred. The real me. The demon inside, making idle deals with those foolish enough to summon him. It was almost like sleepwalking, but far more sinister. Crowley would wake up and go about his business, bargaining with souls in exchange for power, revenge, or whatever twisted desires they had.

When I woke up the next morning, it was Saturday. No school. The sunlight streamed through my window, too bright, too cheerful. I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, wondering what new horrors the day would bring. Would Crowley stir again today? Would Sophia finally put two and two together? Or maybe someone else was out there, summoning the demon, looking for more deals.

I got up and stretched, trying to shake off the heaviness that clung to me.