The Academy: Ashland

Alterations

            Never watch Top Gear and Mythbusters with Seth and Jack. They yelled corrections and ideas at the T.V. during every episode and, when they weren't doing that, they were discussing cars and ideas. Finally, at the threat of being tied to a chair with duct tape on their mouths, they shut up.

            “How'd you do it?” Kelsey whispered as she sat on the floor in front of the couch.

            “Do what?” I asked as I pulled myself away from an episode of Mythbusters.

            “They are sitting quietly. Not yelling. Not correcting anything. Just sitting there and enjoying the show,” Kelsey said.

            “I threatened them with duct tape and rope,” I said.

            Trip laughed, pushed my feet off the couch and sat down next to me, “I love you,” he said. “Marry me.”

            Kelsey laughed and I smirked, “I'd like a sixty-four carat diamond ring,” I said.

            Trip and Kelsey laughed, “You are not cheap,” Kelsey said.

            “And I'm still debating on getting her the ring anyway,” Trip said.

            I tossed my head back and laughed, “I hope you can cook cause I can't.”

            Trip laughed, “I burn water.”

            “I can't turn on the cooky thingy in the kitchen,” I said.

            “She wins,” Kelsey said.

            “Shh you can flirt later,” Jack said.

            I laughed, “How smart are you?” I asked. “Cause I know everything going on with our conversation and the show.”

            Jack threw a pillow at me and repressed a smile, “Shut up. Your disgusting heterosexual flirting is annoying.”

            I looked over at Seth, “Do you find it annoying?” I asked as Trip started to play with my hair.

            “Slightly,” Seth said.

            “You're quiet,” I commented.

            “Is that a problem?” Seth asked.

            “Just noting it,” I said.

            Trip kept twirling my hair between his fingers.

            Jack laughed at the exchange between Seth and myself, “Despite her flirting with Trip, this is my new favorite person,” he announced.

          “That's wonderful. Now would you like to explain why your favorite person and Seth haven't trained today?” Taven asked from the doorway behind us.

            “Hey Taven,” I said, turning and grinning.

            Taven gave me a smile, “Hi Ash.”

            “We were in the lab and we lost track of time,” Jack said. He gave Taven these puppy dog eyes that made Seth, Trip and Kelsey laugh, “Sorry.”

            Taven sighed and smiled at Jack, “You always lose track of time,” Taven said as he walked over to the couch and ran a hand through Jack's hair.

            Jack grinned at Taven, “I'm sorry, but Ash is really good with... well everything. She made some stuff blow up.”

            I laughed, leaned over and looked at Seth, “They're...”

            As I wiggled my eyebrows and nudged Seth, he smirked and nodded, making Jack toss a pillow at the two of us, “Nosey little brat,” he said with a grin.

            “And proud,” I said with a half grin half smirk.

            “So you are human,” Taven said.

            “Shut up,” I said, laughing as I grabbed the pillow Jack tossed at us and tossed it at Taven, who smacked it with his hand, sending it across the room. The pillow made a small dent in the wall where it hit.

            My jaw dropped and everyone in the room turned around to gauge my reaction, “Whoa, have you been hiding the good drugs from me?” I asked Taven.

            Everyone laughed nervously, “Uh... no,” he said. “I've been altered.”

            “That stuff you shot me up with is gonna do that?” I asked.

            “It does it to all of us,” Trip said.

            “What else does it do to you?” I asked.

            Seth grinned at me before disappearing.

            “When he first got his powers, he disappeared uncontrollably for months and he never noticed,” Taven said.

            “I can manipulate shadows and make force fields too,” Seth said into my ear.

            I reached behind me, grabbed Seth, pulled him over my shoulder and to the ground in front of the couch. “Gotcha,” I said, holding onto his wrist. I looked at everyone else, “What about you guys?”

            “Kelsey can heal people. Taven's really strong and Jack's invulnerable. Trip can manipulate molecules. Justin can stretch himself out and Amber communicates with animals,” Seth said as he reappeared.

            “Damn,” I said as I watched Trip put his hand through a pillow. “And I'm going to end up with something like that?”

            “Yup,” Jack said.

            “In a few days you'll start to manifest,” Taven said. “You won't be able to control it so try to avoid getting mad.”

            “Remember that one time?” Jack asked Taven. “Tori got so mad she lifted the whole place off the ground.”

            Taven laughed, “I can't believe Chris blamed us for that and I thought he was going to kill us.”

            Trip looked over at me, “I never asked you, are you happy to know your dad's alive?” he asked, changing the subject.

            I shrugged, “I'm not really sure.”

            “When you meet you dad officially, you'll understand why he did what he did,” Taven said.

            “When I meet my dad, I'm going to kill him,” I said.

            Seth, Jack and Taven laughed, “Have fun with that,” Jack said.

            Kelsey and Trip smiled at me, “I'll help you,” Kelsey said.

            “Me too,” Trip said, nudging me. “And we'll have a lot of fun.”