Psy Prep

Hallie

Mikhail returned to the room, but Hallie remained still, not looking at him at first. When he spoke, she peered over, but he refused to look her right in the eyes. There it was, the turned down gaze, the usual excuses to leave. Hallie put on a dark smile and nodded. "Sure...whatever."

She waited for him to leave, watching him closely. He was just like the rest then, just temporarily nice, faking. Hallie turned away, grabbing a blanket and staring down to the fabric. Teeth tight, she wondered what this sudden emotion was. It was her own, she could tell...but how strange...

Mikhail nodded, then started for the door. Before he left, though, he turned and smiled, a little sadly. "If you managed to feel my emotions in the bathroom, I apologize. I'm not normally like that. Normally...I have those sorts of things under control. I just need some distance right now. I'll catch you later today, okay?" He waved at her, his smile a little more genuine this time. He felt bad for leaving her like this, but he thought it was best for both of them.

He crossed the hallway to his own room. Flopping on his bed, spread eagle, he stared at the ceiling. His roommate wasn't inside, so he began talking out loud to himself, switching from English, to French, to Russian. "What was that all about, Mikhail? What's wrong with you? You need to get a grip!" He laid there for a bit, staring at the ceiling. After a few minutes, he pulled himself out and went to the bathroom. He needed a cold shower.

Locking the door behind him, he began to undress. He left the glove for last, and paused, looking at it. He sighed, not sure what to do. He started to pull it off, but changed his mind halfway and kept it on.

The shower did the trick. As he got dressed, his mind had calmed, and he had found a new purpose for his morning. Pulling out his computer, he opened up Google and typed the name: Anton Vladimirivich Petrov.

Hallie

Hallie could sense him until he disappeared into his own room. With all of her concentration, she managed to block him out completely at such a range. Flopping down she wondered what he meant, "sorts of things," what did that mean? Was there more to his abilities than he was letting on? He was a strange dude, and Hallie wondered if she should trust him. She knew she didn't at this point. She didn't trust anyone. But would he be useful, amusing, or a liability? Already she was confused about his affect on her.

She turned over, feeling her eyes sting. Her ability was beyond irritating. Her emotional quota was spent. She needed to rest.

Pushing Mikhail from her mind and focusing on a logic puzzle on her phone, she lay until sleep found her.

6:45
Adrien
"It's an illusion is it not?" "Why not just...think of something else...?"

Anna asked while her hand was on his chest, then his ear, and then his cheek causing his arousal to go higher. His heart started racing, it seemed like Anna was looking for something sexual, but Adrien wasn't ready for anything like that too fast. "U-um, well thinking of something else isn't really going to help, because this illusion is animate, so right now it is an actual towel, I mean it will disappear eventually, I just don't know when." Adrien said wondering when it would disappear. He definitely didn't want to be seen in front of Anna naked again but he did want to get to class. "Stupid powers!" Adrien thought, and as if in retaliation the towel disappeared and he was right in front of Anna naked with an erection, while she felt his chest. For about three minutes Adrien stood their without realizing the towel was gone, when he did, he freaked out and rushed to his clothes covering his groin with them. "Um... I'm gonna change. We should get ready for class," he said blushing madly. "Maybe thinking of something else did help" Adrien stated.

As he contemplated the answer, Anna absorbed the thoughts and emotions he was enjoying. The feeling was overwhelming, though she didn't need powers to know he liked her. Coyly she stepped back as he dashed to gather his clothes, giving him a soft smile.
"I told you it would work, she said as she sat on the bed, pulling her knee high socks on, with her uniform laying next to her. Glancing over to him she gave him a smile, and her attitude seemed to change. "Adrein, will you walk with me to class...and sit with me...You're the only person I know... Though she bonded with Adrein through touch, she didn't intend on allowing too many others that experience. After pulling on her uniform she slipped on her gloves once more. Her books were sitting next to the door, as was her bag and shoes.
As she stood next to the door, she extended her arm hoping he would accept the invitation. Based on his dress, she thought him quite the gentleman. "Remember...what happens here is our little secret...okay?"

Mikhail scrolled through the search results, 99% of which was completely unrelated, and the remaining 1% unhelpful. As he stared at the computer screen, though, he looked without reading. Instead, his mind was indulging in a memory. A sweet one. One smelling of croissants, vanilla, and smoke. One with a high apartment, and a balcony with food and billowing curtains. A woman with brown hair, brown eyes, but the same lithe figure as him, held him tight against her thin nightgown. A photograph of a man bearing a striking resemblance to the current Mikhail stood on the shoddy nightstand. Two hands, one smaller than the other, held out breadcrumbs to some curious birds. French words were spoken in his ear, and an Edith Piaf record played at the same time as a Tchaikovsky, harmonizing almost perfectly.

Mikhail sighed and withdrew from the memory. He looked at his watch. Nearly 7:00. He closed his computer and packed a bag with a couple notebooks and some pencils. Slinging it over his back, he walked out of his dorm room. Other students were leaving for class. He paused when he saw the 6 on the dorm across from him. Locking his door, he went across the hall and knocked on the door three times.

"Hey. Hallie?" he called brightly, the thoughts of his earlier discomfort pushed to the back of his mind, "It's time for class."

Hallie

A knock from the door woke her from the light sleep she had managed to keep. If it was James, she was going to be angry. But as she rose to her feet, she sensed Mikhail's calming thread. He called inside and she paused, considering. She did have to go to class, well maybe. No she did. Pulling on socks, a long sleeve shirt, and a hoodie, she opened the door and nodded to Mikhail once then locked the door.

She nodded to her clothes. "This place is not Hallie friendly."

6:50
Adrien
Adrien saw Annabel smiling at him as he covered his less decent area with his clothes. He blushed wondering why she was smiling, though he gained more experience with social indulgences, he was still quite new to it. Maybe she found his embarrassment funny, maybe she genuinely liked him, maybe he wasn't "large" enough down there, who knows what she could be thinking. Adrien felt another new sense of insecurity about himself mentally and physically.

"Adrein, will you walk with me to class...and sit with me...You're the only person I know..."

Anna extended her arm hoping for Adrien to walk to class with her. Eager, Adrien forgot he was in a room all by himself and changed in front of Anna, realizing what he was doing his eyes widened. He stopped, his underwear sliding down, leaving him naked again and he blushed. Regaining his senses he covered his lower front side up again with clothes and ran to the bathroom not knowing he exposed his butt to Anna in the process. He changed blushing "Gosh, I'm such an idiot," he muttered to himself under his breath. Once he was changed he went back out side and wrapped his arm around hers.

"Remember...what happens here is our little secret...okay?"

"O-of course" Adrien said blushing, remembering everything that happened. With that they walked to class together, eventually finding their way their after 5 minutes.

"So...where do you want to sit?" Adrien asked, the memories of today and yesterday night replaying in his mind repeatedly.

Mikhail laughed at Hallie's remark. "Is there a place that is Hallie-friendly?" he asked teasingly, shouldering his bag. "I wonder what that place would be like?" The two walked down the hallway, but it wasn't long before Mikhail started feeling disoriented. "I think you will have to lead us. I'm terrible with directions. I could honestly get lost in a paper bag," he joked, smiling. He made a serious face shortly afterwards: "But seriously, you need to lead." His stoic expression was undermined by the smile that was playing on his lips and his sparkling eyes.

He couldn't help noticing how short she was compared to him. In fact, how short she was in general. "Dude, how tall are you?" he asked, "You're like a walking arm rest." He playfully rested his elbow on top of her head and leaned against it, adjusting his gravity so that his weight wasn't pressing too hard on her. "Ahhh...much better...you know, I could get used to this." He peeked down at her, grinning widely like a cheshire cat, teeth bared.

Hallie

Hallie leaned away from Mikhail's elbow, laughing a little. "I'm not that short!"

Of course he didnt stumble, with his gravity-ness. He kept grinning toothily as they traveled to class. As they made their way into the classroom, Hallie leading of course, they searched for seats together.

"Oh...I didnt bring my pens..." she mumbled, but shrugged and took a seat in the back. She probably wouldnt be able to focus much anyway. Already her headache crept under her forehead. Eyes closed and tangling her fingers in the edges of her sleeves, she leaned on her elbows, covering her face. Each new arriving student bringing more emotions into the room.

Arian heard the bell ring and grabbed her bag. She waved at James before walking to her next class. There were so many people around, so much opportunity. She sighed and walked into the classroom, sitting in front of a girl who seemed to be loosing her mind. What the hell? She sat down then turned around, placing her hand on the girl's arm. "Hey, are you okay?" She said in a quiet tone. What have I got myself into? She stared at the girl sympathetically, she didn't look like she was handling the day very well.

Mikhail laughed as Hallie pulled away. "No, but you're still pretty short," he teased as they walked into the classroom. He followed Hallie to the back, taking the seat next to her. As he pulled out his notebooks, he heard her mumbling about forgetting her pens. As he searched for the pencils he had thrown in his bag, he saw her close her eyes and cover her face. He noticed the students filing in, and realized that what had happened in the auditorium might happen again. With a gentle smile, he reached over and circled his gloved fingers around her hand.

"Hey," he said, "If you need to, you can, you know, tap into my focus or something. So you don't get sick again."

6:51
They stepped into the classroom, her arm linked in his, and her delicate white gloved hand dangling from wrist. Her bag hung from her shoulder, with books tucked away, and a notebook she kept as a journal as well.
"So...where do you want to sit?"
Anna smiled up at him, and gathered her courage. Her gaze traveled to a pair of seats in the center row, in front of another pair who had taken seats in the back. Raising her hand she pointed, "Let us sit there Adrien, " as she walked up the aisle and took her seat at a cherry-wood desk. Turning, she placed a black ink pen on the white haired girl's desk, then turned back to Adrien as she continued to placed her things on her desk.
"Adrien..do you think the others will like me, such as you do?" Her voice was low, in a hushed whisper as she glanced back to the girl behind her.

7:00
Adrien
"Let us sit there Adrien,"

Anna took Adrien over to an aisle close to a girl with white hair, and a guy with blonde hair, who both seemed nice and a girl with short blonde hair who seemed more mean spirited. Adrien took a seat next to Anna and turned to her smiling.

"Adrien..do you think the others will like me, such as you do?"

Adrien chuckled slightly. "Of course Anna, you're great, one of the best people I've ever meet really." Adrien said, remembering how much Anna put up with him in her life and how they actually became friends.

A teacher walked into the class room, she had black hair and red eyes and was wearing gothic styled clothing.

"Hello, my name is Ms. Marquez, I'm your teacher for today." Ms. Marquez said scowling. "Alright everyone, good job on finding your way here, those who didn't are pathetic and will be punished. Now, allow me to first give you a tour of all the rooms you need to know about," the teacher said. She took all of the students out putting them into lines and showed them around the school. Eventually she brought all of the students into a gym. "Now if any of you wimps forget anywhere I showed you today there are maps being sent to your room, they'll be there once you get inside," Ms. Marquez said, hints of doubt in her eyes. "Now, normally your schedules will consist of three hours training your powers and three hours of formal education. However, today we're spending the whole day training." Ms. Marquez smiled deviously, she knew this was going to be fun. "Now to see how good you all really are with your powers we're going to do six hours straight sparring, so choose a partner and begin."

Adrien looked at every location that they were shown, the school was fascinating and he loved it. When Ms. Marquez talked about sparring Adrien gulped and blushed. Lately, his powers have been a bit defective, mostly causing him to end up naked, not something he wanted to do in front of the whole class. So, he waited for someone to offer to spar with him, hopefully no one would.

Zoe

During the tour even Zoe couldn't help being amazed, this school was really awesome, she loved it. Then, out of the blue the teacher talks about them having to fight. Zoe did NOT want her powers to go crazy. She had to pick out the person who seemed the weakest. Eventually, she spotted a boy with bronze hair lounging around. She walked up to him. "Do you want to be my sparring partner?" Zoe asked dreading this whole situation.

Hallie

Mikhail tried to comfort her, a girl asked if she was okay and someone had provided a pen. Many emotions were flooding around, all close by and loud. Hallie squeezed Mikhail's hand, going dizzy even with her eyes closed. She swayed. So confused.

They seemed to be acting nice, though were self-involved as most teenagers. Hormones churning. Wanting to fit in. Wondering about crushes. Mikhail appeared a bit concerned, but calm as before.


James

James entered the classroom smiling, right behind the girl with the tattoo, Arian. He sat with her, casting a grin over. he did notice Hallie in the back looking pained, a blonde boy at her side. He wondered why he cared about her, she'd been missing hardly thirty minutes. What had happened in that time?

Did he care though? James glanced to his flirting friend with a carefree shrug. "When are we gunna start doing stuff? Like honing our abilities...having some parties in the dorms." Poking Arian in the side and chuckling a bit, he lounged back, hands behind his head. "Where's the teacher?"

Arian heard the teacher's request and moaned. How the hell am I suppose to find a partner in this situation? She thought about using her powers to summon someone into being her partner but the teacher would probably notice. Great, here I am, going to be left alone. This is embarrassing. She watched the other people teaming up, wondering about everyone else's powers and how harmful they could be. Arian didn't use her powers much and could control them for the most part. She just didn't like the feeling of being in control of someone's mind and after a while, it almost over took her.

Arian chuckled at James. "Well, you could start by being my partner. Unless you're too chicken of course."

The teacher seemed....odd. Mikhail couldn't quite put his finger on it, but she sure wasn't very happy. Her choice of words for those who were directionally challenged (like himself) seemed a bit harsh. Pathetic? Really? Mikhail rolled his eyes. Were all American's like this? At the very least, she could have picked a different word choice than pathetic. Idiotic, perhaps.

The tour was interesting. The school was quite big. There were libraries, classrooms, labs, lounges, etc. It was almost like a university. Of course, Mikhail had no idea where they were going, or even how he was going to get back to those rooms. He'd probably have to depend on a gps, rather than a map.

They eventually stopped at a gym. Apparently they were to be training all day. Interesting. Was it training only pertaining to their abilities, or was it wider spread? Without the gravity manipulation, he was a fairly good fencer, and even more importantly, knew how to dodge. There were also those standard martial arts sort of things, required by his employer. When dodging failed, knowing how to flip someone twice your size onto their back was pretty helpful stuff. He stood around when the teacher called for them to find a partner. He immediately thought of partnering with Hallie, but then wondered if that was the smartest thing to do. Perhaps he should let both of them branch out and try their powers on someone else? Still, familiarity always helped. He decided to ask just in case. He lowered his head to Hallie's height and muttered, "I don't suppose you'd do me the favor of partnering with me?"

Hallie

Partners...she still wasnt sure how her ability could be used as a weapon of sorts, keeping her on the offensive. Thought she hadn't really thought much about it. She nodded to Mikhail and they took positions opposite each other to the side of the gym beside the wall. Hallie swallowed and focused her mind on Mikhail, his emotions, the threads. This proved difficult with everyone else in the room, but this was training. This was why she came here. She had to control this so that she could exist normally, like she used to, before horny guys thrust their attractions onto her brain, or peer pressure literally took over her movements.

Hands fisted, feet planted to the ground, she waited for him to make the first move, sensing his calm. He was nearly amused. What could she do against him? Think you freak! Hallie narrowed her eyes and watched as Mikhail took offense.


James

Two girls asking to be partners? James debated as he stood straighter. "Three of us?" he asked, implication made with a twitch of his eyebrow. The crystal on his chest warmed, reading the girls. He had nothing outside of trying to read what their fighting styles were, if they had any at all. He himself had taken karate when he was 9 until 13. He remembered most of it, but was terribly out of practice.

Or were they just practicing their powers on each other? James wondered why he immediately jumped to fist on fist combat. They were psychic kids, they should battle with their brains.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hallie and that blonde kid partner up. She seemed tired, struggling. He shrugged it off though, reading that she was in control. The blonde guy, now what he glimpsed from him was strange...women...a dark area. Hard to discern if it was a tunnel or not...flirting...computers beeping...metal cylinders...no...fingers?

James shook his head and stared. Then remembered the two girls before him.

Putting on a grin he said, "Shall we begin ladies?"

Mikhail reached into his pocket and took out his matchbox. Sliding it open, he plucked out a single match and clamped his teeth around it, all the while keeping an eye on Hallie. As he chewed the match, he pondered on what to do. He didn't want to end the fight early--which, honestly, would be too easy--but he didn't want to let her walk all over him either. Maybe he'd just resort to physical combat, rather than psychic? Still, even though he knew what her ability was, he didn't know exactly what she could do with it. He still needed to be careful. But not too overpowering. Not yet anyways.

As he thought, he noticed others around him starting their fights. Was that the correct term? Fights? Sparring? Training? Whatever. He noticed the bronze-haired guy from yesterday looking at him weirdly. What was up with him? Before Mikhail could return the stare, the guy had turned away. Whatever. Mikhail shrugged. Might as well get this started.

"You know, I'm not sure what to do with you," Mikhail said out loud to her as he walked towards Hallie, "I usually play to win, but I don't want to beat you up too badly." He sighed, as if truly in a dilemma, moving closer and closer to her. About an arms' length away, he stopped. His expression changed into a sly grin, and his eyes glinted. "So, let's start off small..." At the end of his sentence, he flattened his hands as he strengthened the gravity under Hallie, pulling her to the ground.

Arian smiled at James and glanced at the girl next to her. "Sure, I'm okay with that. I'm Arian and I can control your mind." She said with a spooky flare wiggling her fingers in front of the other girl's face and chucking. She observed the people around her and saw a mixture of mental and physical fighting. She hadn't gotten into too many fist fights, but she knew how to throw a punch. I don't even need to fight. I could probably end this in a matter of seconds. That would be too easy though. Arian planned out her attack and smiled.

Looking directly at James, Arian focused her mind on his. Staring into his eyes, she found the center of his mind and locked onto it. First, I'm going to have some fun. "James, are you a good dancer?" She moved his legs into a moonwalk and started to laugh. "I think you're wonderful."

James

On their own accord, James' legs began to tense then quickly rotated him to the side, sliding him backwards in a dance. A moonwalk. He couldn't help himself. He started laughing uncontrollably, Arian's mind controlling his limbs to no end. He thought he saw a slight smile on Zoe's face as well.

"Oh yeah, I'm even more epic than I thought I was," he laughed, hand going to the crystal on his chest. He flashed a grin over to Arian, still enjoying herself. His mind's eyes sorted through images and numbers, floating words and ribbons of color. He searched her, even was he was moved back and forth ridiculously across the gym floor. Sneakers working their magic, his smile faltered and he blurted, "Your sister died."


Hallie

So, let's start off small...

The ground came closer and Hallie fell to her knees, bracing her fall with her hands. Wrists screaming, she refused to show weakness. So, he wanted to play? Hallie drew in a sharp breath, lungs heavy, and roped her thoughts around Mikhail's emotional wavelengths, trapping his amusement and teasing into a ball. She carefully let down her walls, sucking such into herself. Unfortunately, all the emotions in the large room fell upon her in a heap of crackling fire flames. She cried out, but concentrated on Mikhail, taking his confidence, calm, control... Head splitting she took in all the emotions, all of them, balling them up.

Mikhail watched Hallie struggling, wondering what her next move was. She was doing pretty well under the increased gravity...Mikhail was about to up the ante when he suddenly felt a sort of draining...He couldn't quite pinpoint it, but he suddenly had no desire to play or joke around. It was like his humor had suddenly been sucked up, leaving him serious. As he struggled to find a reason for this sudden change of emotion, he found the seriousness slipping as well, along with other emotions that he had depended on his whole life. Within instants, he suddenly began to doubt his abilities. He began to panic...to feel helpless. The gravity lessened on Hallie as Mikhail staggered backwards. With the third step, he suddenly realized what had happened, and smiled. Forcing those emotions to return, little by little, he looked at Hallie, smiling toothily.

"That's it! That's what I'm talking about! You're doing great. Now just keep at it," he exclaimed. I wonder, though, he thought, how her ability holds up to physical stress. Without another word, he sprinted towards Hallie and grabbed her waist. Within the next second he had flipped her onto her back. Not hard enough to inflict injury, but hard enough to hurt.

A strange rush had started to take hold of Mikhail. As he had strained to bring back the emotions Hallie had taken, new ones filled in, ones that he had been keeping a strict hold on for much of his life. Emotions that, if kept unchecked, could spiral rapidly out of control.

Although it wasn't apparent just yet, Mikhail was beginning to get aggressive.

Hallie

That's it! That's what I'm talking about! You're doing great. Now just keep at it

Hallie's breath left her, head hitting something hard, hands on her waist. Mikhail's wavelength was getting out of control. What she had taken had slipped away, but what she sensed now was fiercer, hardier. More violent.

She twisted her gaze onto his expression, cast in a shadow of his own mind. So many things passed behind those brown circles that she couldn't fathom. A fight was still going on though.

Walls down again, she glared up to him, accepting these new emotions fully into her mind. She tried not to focus on her shaking limbs or the blood trickling down her nose. She was beyond feeling pain. Blackness bordered her sights. She could feel others as well, James distinct with his carefree air, the girls different, but discernible. Even the teacher was there, passive.

Mikhail still held her down, struggling with the emotions Hallie felt as well. Where did it come from? Why was he like this?

Without thinking, she eased it inside of her own mind, freeing him from his burdens. He was nice. He didn't deserve it. He had been nice to her without wanting anything in return.

Had her skull split? She couldn't tell.

Arian laughed with the people around her. This is the most fun I've had in a while. She placed the image of 'the worm' in her mind and sent it through James'. Then James said something that totally broke her concentration. Just three simple words she thought she would never have to deal with ever again. Your sister died.

She felt her eyes widen and her control on James' mind shatter into pieces. She hadn't thought about her sister Danielle for a very long time. Arian was pretty sure she had blocked it out from her mind entirely. Danielle was the reason she didn't like using mind control. She was the one person Arian couldn't help. She couldn't control the sickness. There was nothing Arian could do about it.

She raised her head to James. Maybe I didn't hear him right. Then Arian noticed the glowing gem. She hadn't payed much attention to it before, but it was shining brighter now.

"What did you say?" Arian's voice was shaky, and her mentality even more so.

Mikhail stared at Hallie, pinning her down on the ground. He felt different. He was different. A different he wasn't sure he liked. He tried regaining control, but Hallie had taken that. Would she take these emotions too? Sweat dripped down Mikhail's forehead as he tried in vain to keep himself in check. His hold on Hallie had tightened, and he was almost certain that he'd end up breaking one of her bones on the next flip. He was anticipating it.

He wanted it to happen.

Before he could act, he felt the same strange draining sensation. Within seconds he felt nothing. He saw nothing. His expression went slack, and for a moment, everything was black. Then, a refreshing, cool, calm swept over. His default emotion had returned. His speeding heart rate had slowed, his breathing returned to normal, and he was back to his regular self.

Then he noticed the blood on Hallie's face.

He immediately let go of her, wondering why he had been holding her so roughly. Concern turned into a contained panic, tinged with fear, when he realized she wasn't responding. "Hey. Hallie? Hallie!" He shook her shoulders. "Hallie! What happened? Did I hold you too hard? Did I hurt you? Talk to me!" Forcing himself to remain calm, for both his sake and Hallie's, he checked her pulse. "Come on, Hallie. Don't do this. Be strong."