There is Power in Death

Chapter 7

The fact that we can just make food appear is very convenient. There is a choice to go downstairs to the restaurant, but I'm usually to lazy to walk as soon as I wake up. I choose the ingredients for pancakes and start making them. They come out light a fluffy, the best that I've ever made. Once I've finished eating I brush my teeth and take a quick shower. I walk back into the kitchen and hear the doorbell. Benji is standing outside my door.

"Hi Alex! I figured that since we're both neighbors, we should go to our mentors together! Of course it would be inconvenient if they were on different floors. The room below mine is Maddy's. That's my mentor's name. What floor is Talan on?" they're a little too energetic for seven in the morning.

"Same floor as yours. I think his room is farther down the hall. Let me just grab my M.I."

I run down the hall and get my M.I, which currently in the form of a cross body school bag. I meet Benji and close my door. We make our way to the elevator and pass a few other Phanters on the way. They avoid me, I guess that's only expected. Most of the Phanters are reluctant to talk to anyone associated with him. The elevators opens and Benji surprisingly hasn't said a word, which is weird for them.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well, I've never been in Maddy's room and she can get scary if you say the wrong thing. Not as scary as people say Talan is, but scary."

"I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I guess you're right. Oh! We're here!"

Benji knocks on the door and Maddy opens it a few seconds after. She sees me and them and starts staring me down.

"You're Talan's apprentice. Can you answer a question for me?" she asks, taking me a bit off guard.

"Oh, sure. What's your question?"

"How scary is Talan really?"

"He's not scary at all," it's the truth, he just has a lot of emotional trauma.

"I assumed so. Can you introduce him to me? I've tried talking to him but he never paid much attention to me."

He probably taught himself to block people out. That starts happening if you isolate yourself or get bullied for a long period of time. You learn to depend on only yourself, although Talan did say he would've made friends if it weren't for the incident.

"Sure, I'm heading over there right now."

"My name's Maddy by the way, but I'm guessing Benji already told you. He's a big chatterbox."

"I am not! I don't talk much!" Benji tries their best to defend themself, but just proves Maddy's point even more.

"I'm Alex, and Benji did tell me your name."

"That means you're the one that teleported my M.I last night. I just assumed it was a higher up. I definitely didn't expect a newbie that's only been here a day! I'm surprised. Thank you though."

"It's no problem. Oh! That's Talan's room." I point to the room at the end of the hall.

I ring the doorbell and Talan is very confused when he sees Maddy and Benji. He grabs me and pulls me inside, closing the door behind him.

"Who are they? Why are they here?"

"The blue haired one is my new friend Benji They use they them pronouns just so you know. The girl is his mentor Maddy. They wanted to meet you, so I brought them here."

"Oh, okay. Sorry," he opens the door and apologizes to them, inviting them in.

"This is a nice place you got," Maddy observes as she takes a seat on Talan's arm chair.

"Y-yeah, I guess," Talan shrugs. He's probably not used to talking to several people. 

I didn't calculate it, but the only communication he's had in the past fifteen years was with Mr. Silvia. Talking to three people at once might be harder for him. 

"Sh-should I put on some tea?"

"I would love some!"Benji exclaims, scaring Talan with their ecstasy.

When Talan goes to make tea, Benji and Maddy talk about how shy Talan seems. During the entire conversation I think of how wrong they are and make a plan to show them what he's really like. He walks back into tho room, holding a tray with steaming cups of tea. 

"H-here. It's green tea."

"Thank you, Talan. Hey I have a question about Animorphs."

Talan's eyes sparkle and he starts going on about the series, obviously forgetting about my question. I sit back and sip my tea while Maddy and Benji stare at him in awe. 

After ten minutes Talan realizes that Maddy and Benji are still in the room.

"Well, we have to go. I still need to teach Benji how to teleport large things. Join us for dinner tomorrow at the restaurant at six. Don't be late."

Maddy and Benji walks out as Talan just stares. I burst out laughing.

"Well I guess I found you some friends. It was an accident that I met Benji though, so blame fate."

"How exactly did you meet?"

I tell Talan about the events of last night, up until I met Maddy, "And that's pretty much it. So what am I learning today?"

"Oh, right. You're able to teleport items that you have previously teleported away to you. It doesn't matter how long it's been since you first teleported that item. It's very useful."

"Hey, Talan?"

"Yeah?"

"How old were you when you died?"

"I was seventeen, why do you ask?"

"I was just curious. You look older than seventeen."

"I got that a lot, back when I was alive. How old are you?"

"I just turned seventeen last week. Hey, that means you, me, and Benji were all the same age when we died."

"Well, nobody's age really matters here. When we die, we're just eternally that age, so people don't pay much attention to it."

"I see."

"Okay, so to teleport something to you, just think of the item and imagine appearing near you. It's as easy as teleporting something away from you."

We continue the daily lesson. I don't learn much, but it's fun.

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