Chapter 2-Time Passes
It's been roughly four years since I first became conscious as my new identity, Mars… I mean, Andrew Mathers. I'm now 5 years old. I've kept up with my practice of senjutsu and can continuously circulate my chakra throughout my body. I can tell it's not really about enhancing my chakra at the moment, but rather refining and nourishing my body with my own life force. I've had a few of what I'd like to call, 'breakthroughs', where a bunch of impurities left my body. The best way I can describe it is that it's like taking a huge dump, but through the pours of your skin.
It has apparently done wonders for my body, because I look extremely healthy. Like, way more than any normal person should. I'm also much stronger than the other kids my age. Not like superhuman or anything, but visibly stronger in the way that I move and lift things. With regards to my looks, I've got black hair and amethyst eyes. Unlike my previous life, it looks like I'll be fairly attractive when I'm older.
Aside from practicing senjutsu, I've been busy with other things. Regular old meditation was one. I recall occlumency being a thing, but I have no idea how to perform it. The only thing I have to go off of is that it's about clearing your mind so others can't read your thoughts. I've also read fanfics about people creating a mental world, but that's probably just AU stuff. There's also the fact that regular meditation is shown to improve focus, which is pretty important for magic.
Next, there's magic itself. I don't have a wand or any spells, so that leaves me with few options to practice. No, I'm not weightlifting with my mind. I basically just put a small rock on the ground and try to move it. I've stared at the bastard for countless hours, but he's a stubborn one. I've managed to get it to wiggle a couple of times, but I honestly question if this is worth the time. It does seem to wear me out mentally, so maybe it'll get stonger with time.
The most important thing that I've done thus far aside from senjutsu is to start learning, or rather, re-learning. I started reading shortly after I began speaking. I want to take full advantage of my situation and to do so I'll have to show the caretakers that I'm built different from the others. That way they'll be more willing to assist me with certain things like skipping grades or allowing me certain freedoms when I'm a bit older. For one thing, I actually want to complete my non-magical education if only for the sake of keeping my future prospects as open as possible. The other reason is that magic bends reality, but still obeys certain rules. I believe that having a better understanding of various fields of math and science will only add to whatever I'm able to do with magic.
To some extent my plan has already been working. The caretakers have already noticed that I am in fact, built different, and am much smarter and more mature than other, if less social. This led them to taking me to the local library and allowing me to pick out books every now and then. I asked the librarian what subjects people were expected to know at what age and started going through the material. Most of it was review, but some of it was new. In particular, anything having to do with things that are specifially taught in the UK. As a former American, I can only say that some things are similar and others are different.
My knowledge of math and science was already decent, this is pretty much all refresher. In my past life, I was one of those 'gifted kids' that got through high school near the top of my class and never had to properly study. I decided I wanted to study mechanical engineering, got into a program, and got my arrogent ass handed to me. I got through my maths and sciences alright. You know calculus, differential equations, physics, and chemistry, but then came the actual engineering classes. For those who've never taken an engineering class, I'll give you some insight. Remember in your primary schooling where you're homework was like 10-20 questions that were mildly challenging, but took like an hour at most. Well, the engineering courses were different. The professors would give like 4-5 and you'd have a week to do them, but they would each takes several hours and some scratch paper to do them. Thermodynamics, I'm looking at you. I never quite figured out how to study and eventually dropped out of engineer and went the accounting route. Good pay, less headache.
This time around I'd like to learn things properly and go much deeper than before. Things like organic chemistry, discrete math, and even thermodynamics. Not just for my future magic, but for my own sake. That I am capable of learning it, I just didn't know apply myself properly the first time.
Anyways, I have been brushing up on all the subjects that I'll need in my non-magical education and have made great headway. The real challenge will start once I get to new material. I'd like to pick up an instrument this time around as well, but I doubt I'll be able to do so until my financial situation improves.
Once the caretakers allow me more freedom, I plan to venture a few blocks around the orphanage to look for some odd jobs. This is the early 1960's, it isn't child labor it's picking yourself up by your bootstraps. I've got to make the most of my new Boomer identity and what better way than to walk right up to a business owner and ask them for a job. Ah, such a simple time. All things considered, London is still recovering after the bombings during the war. Sure, the rubble's been cleared and new building have gone up, but a lot of people died and many businesses are only now starting to fully recover. Most places need all the help they can get. With that in mind I make plans for future investments.
I also planned to start exercising. Yes, senjutsu enhances my body, but it doesn't grow my muscles. The best way I can explain it is that it raises the upper limit of what my body is capable of as opposed to permanently making me stronger. I can still temporarily enhance my body with my vitality, but I need to actually do strength training without the enhancement if I want to maximize my benefits. I also plan on trying to manipulate my life force in nee and useful ways. Can I pull off water walking? Look out Britain, here comes wizard Jesus!