Sun and Shadow

Learning & Explanations

The rest of the school week was fairly anticlimactic after that first day for Jude and Connor, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing as far as Jude was concerned. The guys who had been under Rachel's spell all were treated by telepaths at the school who broke her hold over them and allowed them to realize what had happened. Donnie, the metal guy, obviously really didn't like them though even though he was grateful to be out of her clutches. He liked being known for his strength and getting knocked out with one punch by Connor had really pissed him off. He had claimed to his friends that her charm had handicapped him and that if he had been in his right mind it wouldn't have been the same result. However Jude and Connor knew that Connor had already tested past his strength levels naturally and while Jude was not as strong normally, when 'supercharged' by Connor he was also stronger, but they refrained from saying anything out of sympathy for the guy.

Douglas came to see them with his sister Danielle, the girl who shocked Rachel, and he was very embarrassed about the whole situation. He not only apologized for attacking them, he was grateful that they had broke her hold over him. The two of them didn't suddenly sit with their group at lunch or anything, but they were very friendly and Douglas was really curious about Jude's shadow traveling and how come his sonic powers hadn't worked there. It turns out that when Jude pulled people into the shadows, most of their powers didn't work. It was like he had his own little detention room. Powers that were focused on the user were the most likely to work so Connor could still fly and was super strong in the shadows, but his solar powers were cut off.

Mikos and Caleb had been kind of standoffish about what had happened, but by the end of the week they had become a lot friendlier. Both of them talked to Connor about joining a school group called "The Elementals" which was made up those students whose powers were connected to earth, air, fire, or water. It wasn't anything serious, but they did put on some really cool displays of their powers around the whole "bending" thing from that TV show. Connor didn't really fit too well because while he could create flames, he couldn't do much beyond shooting them in a straight line or bursting like a bomb in all directions.

The classes they had were interesting and Jude particularly enjoyed the ethics class as he had a lot of really practical questions about using his powers and he ended up being added to a group made up of mostly telepaths in figuring out what to do when their powers let them know something that they weren't supposed to know. Professor Sampson had told Jude that his secret knowing powers were in a passive receiving state which meant that the information just came to him without any real control. Instead of trying to block it out, Jude had to learn how not to use or reveal that information.

"I don't understand" Connor had said one day while Jude was talking about it during their free period when they hung out on the grounds. "So you just know things people try to hide?"

"Sorta. I mean I don't know everything going on with someone or anything. It's strange because unlike telepaths I don't hear everything someone is thinking or their memories or such. Melissa, she is a senior and a level 4 telepath, she said when she doesn't user her powers to block it all out, it's like she is standing in room filled with radios all playing different songs at different volumes. That's what it's like for her being in a room full of people. For me it's like someone whispers in my ear and everything is really quiet so I hear just that tidbit. But it's not all the time either. Sometimes I don't pick up anything" Jude tried to explain.

"So, got anything from me?" Connor asks smirking.

"I'm not supposed to say remember? If I were to say, it would make people uncomfortable" Jude said with a laugh. "But, honestly? No. You must not be hiding anything" he added.

"Nope! I'm an open book there is nothing you don't know" Connor said smugly.

Jude looked at him surprised. Talking with Melissa and how she had to deal with people's thoughts, Jude was fairly certain Connor was not being 100% honest even if he didn't realize it. But he could prove it. "Really?" Jude said looking thoroughly unconvinced. "Are you saying that there is nothing that you have said or done or thought about that you don't want me to know?" Jude prodded.