The Academy: Ashland

Discussions over lunch

A/N: This story is #624 in Science Fiction!!!! *happy dance*

Kelsey and Camron made lunch while Ash, Seth and Trip sat at the kitchen table, talking about Justin.

“I’m just saying. What if Amber got Justin to help her?” Trip said. “They spent a lot of time together.”

Kelsey looked over at Ash, Seth and Trip, “And Mara,” she said. “The two of them spent a lot of time with Mara.”

Camron sighed, “Erikka won’t talk to me,” he said. “But I know she’s been spending a lot of time with them. You should probably add her to your little list.”

“Justin went to see Mara,” Ash said. “Wouldn’t the Captain have realized that they’ve been working with those guys?”

Seth shook his head, “The Captain doesn’t like using his powers on us,” he said with a smirk. “Something about hormonal teenagers and being disturbed for the rest of his natural life. Also, they could have found a way to block the Captain.”

Kelsey and Camron started handing out bowls of pasta, slices of bread and cups of juice.

“Is that possible?” Ash asked.

Seth nodded, “The Captain’s not really that strong, but he hasn’t had a problem with people blocking him before. Unless he’s looking for the block he wouldn’t notice. Ian can straight up sense when someone is blocking him or when someone has immunity to mindreading. The Captain can read most of our minds, but he can’t tell if he can’t or not.”

“He can’t read my mind,” Ash said with a smug smile.

“You’re stronger than him. You have a natural immunity,” Seth said.

I sighed, “Should we tell someone about Justin?”

Seth shook his head, “Not until we’re sure. We don’t want to waste their time.”

Ash sighed and poked at her pasta with her fork, “This is my fault.”

Seth looked at Ash for a moment, “What?”

Ash twirled her fork, “All of this is my fault. If I wasn’t here, none of this would have happened.”

Seth pushed Ash’s bowl away, wrapped his arm around her and leaned closer to her, “Don’t say that,” he said. “Don’t even think it.”

“But it’s true,” Ash said as everyone else started to eat. “I don’t belong here.”

Seth pulled Ash closer and pressed his chin into her shoulder, “No, it’s not. You belong here. It’s literally in your blood. Amber wasn’t born here and she doesn’t belong here.”

“But she wouldn’t have gone if I grew up here or if I never came at all,” Ash mumbled.

Seth turned Ash’s head so she was facing him and rested their foreheads together, ‘Don’t think that,’ he thought. ‘Please don’t. If you weren’t here, we would all still be thinking Amber was still adjusting. We would never see Camron and I would barely be sleeping. We need you here and you need us. You have to understand that. Do you?’

Ash took a breath, “I get that. I was just saying it, everyone’s probably been-”

“Shut up,” Seth said.

“Have you talked her out of that stupid idea yet?” Kelsey asked.

Seth nodded and played with the edge of Ash’s shirt, “I think so.” He placed Ash’s bowl in front of her, “Eat.”

Ash sighed and smiled, “Sir, yes sir.”

Kelsey grinned and, after a moment, Camron looked over at Ash, “So how far does the whole morning reading thing go?” he asked.

Ash pulled her fork out of her mouth and shrugged, “I haven’t really tried anything. It’s unsettling.”

“My dad said you were reading his mind earlier,” Seth said.

Ash shook her head, “I felt him. It’s like everyone’s mind has a certain feeling.”

“What does my mind feel like?” Trip asked.

“Permanent excitement and happiness, like super bouncy balls in an enclosed space,” Ash mumbled. “And a tiny bit sad, like petrichor.”

Kelsey raised an eyebrow and Trip smiled, “Cool. What’s Markus “feel” like?”

“Concern, mild annoyance and disapproval,” Ash said.

“So like a parent?” Seth asked.

Ash shrugged, “I guess.”

Kelsey laughed, “What about Cam, Seth and I?”

Ash looked at Kelsey, “You’re warm, like concern and sympathy, and happy, but less than Trip.”

Camron laughed, “Sympathy? Kels? Yeah right.”

Ash poked Camron, “You’re happy and cool, like calm or something.”

“What about Seth?” Kelsey asked.

Ash stared at Seth for a moment, then shook her head, “I don’t know. I can’t feel him. It’s like there’s a-”

“Block?” Seth asked with a smirk.

Ash nodded, “Not very strong, but it’s keeping me out of any major present thoughts, but not much else.”

“Present thoughts?” Kelsey asked.

“I see and hear other stuff. Memories and side thoughts, but not much else.” Ash poked Seth, “You suck.”

Seth grinned, “Sorry, I don’t need you pee-a-booing into my mind. I’ve got private thoughts in here.”

Ash laughed, “Well that sucks.”

“Poor you, you’ll just have to figure out what I’m thinking by asking me. The very idea must be killing you,” Seth said.

Ash nodded, “It is.”