Hashim almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. He was back on the ground, because he didn't have the same ability to compress things as Xavier did, so no one noticed his momentary consternation.
The whole situation was ridiculous. Xavier thanked someone for an insult?
Then again, that someone was Corpse, and he supposed Xavier's logic was sound. After all, Corpse would usually use much more colorful words.
Toon broadcasted a memory as well as amusement, and Hashim winced. The memory was of the one time when Toon and Corpse had worked together to form a list of new insults.
With Toon's intelligence and knowledge, and Corpse's bad attitude, they were able to create quite... interesting combinations.
Hashim sighed. Well, as long as he was in control, he might as well get some important things done. Xavier broadcasted a sense of astonishment and dread, and Hashim chuckled. It was true, these days, they didn't get much done. But they had until their first class to meet with all four of the people considered "too dangerous" for their plan to work properly, and a list of others that Toon had prepared as they had time. Which, judging from the central clock tower, was about three hours.
Jake?
Not enough time for proper acquaintances, Jake thought. But I'll see what I can do.
Jake! That was almost five syllables! I'm impressed! Toon thought. Hashim sighed yet again. Toon was smart, but he often used that intelligence to tease, insult, or prank other people. He sometimes set tests for himself, then ceded control of the body to someone else to see if they could get out. The punishment for failing was sometimes a jar of paint or a water balloon, or toxic slime. Something like that. Mostly goopy things.
Hashim carefully transferred control to Jake, making very sure not to let Xavier get it, and waste more time staring at girls.
Staring at girls? I'll have you know...
At once Jake, Hashim, Toon, and even Corpse sighed loudly, inside their head. There were no excuses, it was just the way it was. Simple fact. Xavier couldn't argue against it on any semblance of a firm foundation. And was it really so horrible?
Well, yes.
Relationships were time-consuming, unwieldy things, and they got in the way. Besides, no one could know about their condition. The fact that they weren't all the same person.
What about that girl? The cute one with the glasses. Xavier thought. True, she had seemed to take it well. Jake paused. Although they really could do without the descriptors, maybe...
How are you even considering this? Hashim thought. There's no way we let Xavier be alone with a girl.
We'll just need to keep him in check, Jake said. Ignoring both Hashim and Toon thinking "Easier said than done," Jake continued, Think about it. She could help us. She's probably a genius, with how little energy she has. She can't have an ability over third tier. So she must have gotten into this place by brains.
Actually, he's right, Toon thought, though reluctantly. We could use someone like her.
That's what you're for, Hashim thought. He didn't want to rely on another person. He thought they were enough. But they weren't, not really.
Everyone needed people. He knew that, even though Hashim refused it.
What a strange reality they lived in. Jake reached out and touched the world.
His ability was twelfth tier, approaching godlike proportions in power release.
But it didn't do anything truly useful. All he could do was this.
Jake grit his teeth against Xavier's amusement. It was impossible to have proper abstract thoughts around these people.
I know, right? Toon thought. They're all...
Drop it. Jake wasn't feeling like a debate right now. In fact, he was feeling very not like a debate.
He wished everyone else would just shut up. Hadn't there been a time where Hashim could...
CAREFUL.
Jake winced. Too quick, too fast. Memories were slow. And so he needed to be.
He was sure that everyone around him could feel his wrongness. His ability was so powerful that it didn't even have a true power signature, it was just there. A thing. No one really knew what, and it didn't do anything tangible, but it was something.
Everyone around him would feel a sense of uneasiness, like they're missing something important, or like something monumental is about to happen. Sometimes he felt it too. Something just below the surface, ready to come up and matter.
But not right now.
Right now, he was normal.
And normal was useless.
How unfortunate. He would have to go and meet with Summer on his own.
Summer Class, a ninth tier ability user. Toon had accessed the official records, and for some reason, there was neither information on her ability nor a picture. All he had was a basic description. From Toon's estimation, and Toon's estimations were never to be taken lightly, she was probably some form of illusionist.
Most likely some sort of perception magnification or manipulation, Toon thought.
Jake nodded. That would make the most sense. Well, it must be powerful indeed, if she wasn't allowed to use her ability on campus.
Xavier broadcasted amusement. Hashim sent annoyance in response. And Jake agreed. Couldn't Xavier go ten seconds without looking at a girl?
I'm not that bad, Xavier complained. Of course, the complaining was just for show. All of them knew he was that bad, even him.
I lasted for a whole half a minute yesterday evening, Xavier thought indignantly.
Right, Jake thought. Because you were thinking about them...
Now Xavier broadcasted annoyance, and Hashim broadcasted amusement. Jake smirked, and he and Hashim did a mental fist bump. Insulting Xavier was always a good time. All in good fun, of course. Xavier had, in fact, gone for at least ten minutes the other day, writing on a piece of paper. Somehow, though, he had blocked the rest of them from viewing it, and from feeling his thoughts. Probably was about some girl anyway.
Jake winced as Corpse broadcasted a thought.
Couldn't the guy at least say something halfway decent?
Technically, he did, Toon thought. He called us idiots. Which, as has been noted, is not very polite, but since it is him, it will be taken as severe improvement.
Jake conceded that. After all, hadn't even Xavier thanked him? And Xavier never thanks anybody sincerely.
Yes, I do, you just don't acknowledge it, Xavier thought indignantly.
Jake rolled his eyes. There were very good reasons for that, and even Xavier knew them.
Summer? Toon prompted him. Jake almost facepalmed. Of course, he had forgotten what he was doing. That happened far too often. It was a good thing that they all quieted down when one of them was doing something important or concentration-intensive.
He looked around, and wished he had Toon's ability. Only problem was that Toon was terrible at moving through a crowd. Couldn't take one step without bumping at least three people. And he hadn't even been able to stand still yet without bumping someone. Jake didn't even know how he did it. It was like he had a secondary ability.
Of utter lameness? Xavier thought. Jake hesitated, but then agreed. It certainly wasn't how he would have said it, but... Yes. Something like that.
Toon broadcasted a twisted sense of amusement and offense. He was insulting them by implication.
Of course.
Xavier noticed a slight pull in the crowd's attentions.
How is there always a crowd everywhere here? Hashim wondered. He had a point. It really was almost supernatural the way that every moment without classes the field would be cluttered with students.
To Xavier, though, the crowd was his workplace, his canvas, his stage. This was where he worked his magic.
Hashim and Jake had to strain to push him back into his place. Abstract thoughts were dangerous for them. It caused imbalance in power.
I am an imbalance in power, Jake admitted. His ability was twelfth tier, and it did nothing useful. Maybe someday it would. More likely not.
But was imbalance really that bad? Imbalances were what made this world work, after all. Imbalance between prey and predators. Something in the Deep Consciousness stirred, and Jake shied back from that line of thinking. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't want to find out.
Probably just Bunny, Hashim thought, dismissing it.
Jake nodded. That made sense. Bunny probably was learning to disguise the feel of his mind.
Void... Corpse whispered. Jake paused, then shrugged. It was more than likely the start of some inane joke anyway. Well, he wouldn't bite.
Now, where was Summer Class?
Jake glanced at the clock. Only two hours left until their first class.
Actually... Xavier started hesitantly.
Jake's stomach dropped. What?
What did you do? Hashim thought. He was clearly scared. All of them had seen the more... questionable class choices...
It isn't that bad, Xavier thought. Everyone else got to choose a class! Why can't I?
Apparently, you did, Hashim thought. What is it?