The Dark Matter Sage

Tony lounged on the couch, reveling in his recent mastery of water creation. It felt like a milestone, but Roomie had other plans.

"Your progress with water is commendable, Tony. But now we move to fire."

Tony sat up, blinking. "Fire? Like... actual flames?"

"Precisely. Controlled fire requires precise molecular manipulation. To begin, you will create white phosphorus atom by atom."

Tony's excitement faltered. "Atom by atom? That sounds... complicated."

"It is," Roomie said evenly. "But necessary. White phosphorus is volatile and reactive. Mastery of its structure will teach you control and precision."

Tony sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, Professor Roomie. Let's get started."

Tony sat cross-legged on his living room floor, his hands resting lightly on his knees. Roomie's glowing projection shimmered before him.

"Visualize the phosphorus atom," Roomie instructed, projecting a detailed image into Tony's mind. "Its nucleus contains 15 protons and 16 neutrons, with a surrounding shell of electrons. Begin by assembling these components."

Tony took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing on the vibrations of the surrounding particles. He guided protons and neutrons together, forming the nucleus, then added electrons one by one until the atom was complete.

"I've got one phosphorus atom," Tony said, opening his eyes. "Now what?"

"You will build four of these atoms and arrange them into a tetrahedral structure. This is white phosphorus."

Tony nodded, concentrating. The second and third atoms came together more quickly, their vibrations aligning with the first. But as he began to connect the fourth, the structure wobbled, and a sharp pulse of instability rippled through his awareness.

"Whoa!" Tony yelped, pulling back. "What was that?"

"White phosphorus is highly reactive," Roomie said. "Its bonds strain against one another. This volatility is what makes it dangerous—and why precision is critical. Construct a containment field to isolate it."

Following Roomie's instructions, Tony formed a sphere of water, its interior free of oxygen. He then slowed the outer layer, freezing it into a smooth, airtight shell.

"There," Tony said, his voice tight with concentration. "Safe and sound."

"Now, resume building the tetrahedron within the bubble," Roomie said. "The containment will mitigate its instability."

Tony returned to the task, carefully aligning the phosphorus atoms. The structure stabilized briefly before collapsing again, the bonds unraveling in a chaotic burst of energy. The water and ice bubble absorbed the reaction, preventing it from escaping.

Tony groaned, leaning back. "How many times do I have to do this?"

"As many as it takes," Roomie replied. "Each attempt improves your control. Continue."

Over the next several hours, Tony built and dismantled the white phosphorus tetrahedron dozens of times. Each attempt brought a new challenge—atoms misaligned, bonds broke too soon, or the entire structure collapsed. The containment bubble held firm, but Tony's patience wore thin.

"This is ridiculous," Tony muttered after another failed attempt. "It's like trying to balance a house of cards in a windstorm."

"And yet, you are improving," Roomie said. "Observe how your failures diminish with each attempt."

Tony grumbled but kept going. Slowly, he began to anticipate the points of instability, adjusting the atoms' positions with greater precision. By the end of the day, he could form the tetrahedron and hold it steady for several minutes.

"Finally," Tony said, slumping back with a satisfied grin. "What's next?"

"Now, we ignite it," Roomie said. "The reaction will be intense. It is unwise to conduct this experiment indoors. Let us relocate to a safer environment."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "What, like the parking lot?"

"Precisely. Find an unused portion where no one will interfere."

Tony sighed, grabbing his keys. "Alright. Let's go freak out the neighbors."

Under the cover of darkness, Tony stood in a quiet corner of the apartment complex parking lot. The faint hum of traffic in the distance provided a surreal backdrop to his work.

"Alright, Roomie," Tony said, creating another water-and-ice bubble. "Let's light this thing up."

"Begin by introducing a controlled amount of oxygen to the phosphorus," Roomie instructed. "The reaction will generate heat and light. Maintain focus."

Tony visualized the oxygen molecules entering the bubble, their vibrations aligning with the phosphorus atoms. A sharp pulse of energy rippled through the structure, and suddenly, the interior of the bubble erupted into a brilliant flame.

The fireball burned fiercely, its heat radiating through the ice shell. Tony stared, a mix of awe and pride flooding his senses.

"I did it," he said softly. "I made fire."

"Indeed," Roomie said. "Observe its behavior. Control the intensity by adjusting the oxygen supply."

Tony experimented, adding and reducing oxygen to make the flame grow and shrink. The process felt intuitive, like fine-tuning an instrument. After several minutes, he extinguished the fire, the bubble collapsing into harmless steam.

As Tony walked back to his apartment, his mind buzzed with possibilities. He had created and controlled one of the most primal forces of nature. The potential was exhilarating—and a little terrifying.

Back inside, Jay raised an eyebrow at him. "What were you doing out there?"

Tony grinned, forming a small fireball in his palm. "Just learning to wield fire."

Jay stared at the flame, her jaw dropping. "You're insane."

"Maybe," Tony said, extinguishing the fireball with a flick of his fingers. "But I'm also getting pretty damn good at this."

Jay shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Just don't burn the place down, okay?"

Tony chuckled, pulling her into a hug. "No promises."