Focus….Focus….See the shape of it…Focus….

!

Soon, I felt that something tingling within me, and as I opened my eyes, I felt a jolt of energy coming through my fingers. Soon, a visible blue and white arc appeared, while fizzling sparks were seen and heard. Bright sparks jumped between my fingers as the arc between them connected and a buzzing sound was heard. As I looked at Dianne however, her face was something else entirely.

She looked on in amazement, confusion, fear and bewilderment as my fingers lit up. She was definitely thinking of something.

"So, were you really expecting this kind of surprise?" I asked, not really wanting to find out.

"Holy…Holy crap…You…can't be serious, no way!" Her voice was soft at first, but it changed to her normal tone, but with confusion and happiness as she looked at me. "How in the world are you doing that, is this… Is this even real?! I mean, how! This can't be happening, but I see it! I can hear it!" She shook her head once or twice. "I can see and hear it, for real. That's not just an act! That's actual electricity! But that's impossible! It can't be real, it just can't be!"

As my fingers continued to pulsate and I stretched them a little, an arc of electricity went between them. I said, "Yea I know, I thought so too until I figured out how it worked and how to control it. Well somewhat."

She looked at me in the eyes and said "I want the truth from you first. Can you do that well enough yet?"

I grimaced at the thought, shocked and surprised at her first question. I said hesitantly, "Not to a fine degree yet, but this is all I can do right now. Not anything dangerous for a long while yet. Nothing to worry about at the moment, it will be fine."

Her voice got soft, "Does it…I mean…Does it hurt? It doesn't look very pleasant." Her face had an expression that spoke of fear and awe, like she was looking at me through a see-through wall, but afraid to touch the glass.

I thought on this for a few seconds before replying. "It does a bit of tingling. But not too badly, not to the point where your thinking of" I replied, reassuringly.

She nodded slowly as her face looked as if she was thinking, and shakily she said, "Ok. You can stop now."

I nodded and released the images in my mind and thought for a few moments. Seal it, stop the flow. Put a cork in it. See it slipping back into the jar….There! The electricity around me stopped and dissipated, as I saw a relieved expression on her face.

"Well, now do you believe me when I told you I had a surprise?" I asked, as I looked at her with nervous eyes, while my fingers tingled a bit from the electrical juicing they had.

"I just didn't think it would be like that. To have it be that kind of a surprise, of all things, of any things!" Her voice steadily rose as she spoke. "That's unheard of here, Pete. It's downright unthinkable! It's impossible, but it's there! What did your doctors say; can they even figure it out? More importantly, how long were you planning on keeping this from me?!

"I didn't plan to keep it from you for long. Just until I could learn it myself and not hurt anyone with it. The doctors from here can't figure it out until the doctors from Academy City told me about it and explained it. I just don't want you to be hurt."

She had a straight look to her face as she murmured, "You didn't want me to be hurt..." Her face had then turned soft with a thoughtful look as a smile hit her face while she crossed her arms at me. "Hmph, I can handle anything you throw at me! Besides all that, you still owe me, you jerk!"

"Wha…" My face had a confused look on it.

She walked up to me while slightly flicking me in the shoulder. As she walked past me, she sing-songed the words "Oh where, oh where, oh where is my stupid Pete-e. Oh where, oh where can he be? He's a big klutzy idiot who can't always win and so yet another one for me."

I turned on her after a few seconds of it finally kicking into my brain, as she stood there smiling deviously at me. "You're such a big idiot, sometimes!"

She let out a laugh in response. "Hey I got to have fun messing around with you when I can still enjoy it." I turned away from her with a sigh as I suddenly was jumped on from behind as Dianne hugged me around my neck. I tried to grab her legs to support myself from falling over. "Besides, even if you might be strange, your still one of my friends. And I refuse to back out on you anytime soon, got it?" I looked at her face on my left side as she had a genuine smile on it.

I sighed again as I smiled and said, "Thanks Dianne" as she gave me a squeeze and put her head on mine, much to my irritation after I let out a growl while she just sat there chuckling. Sometimes she was downright impossible to deal with, while other times she was the kindest hearted person I knew. She got down as she slugged me in the shoulder. "Hey hero, next time you need something or just want to talk, you know I'll always be there, ok?"

I smiled back at her. "Alright, you win." She smiled at the statement. "I'm going to head home then, text you later?"

"Sure and I always win even if you don't want me to. Just don't be klutzy on your way home now, ok?" I nodded as she said, "Good then, bye klutzy." She giggled at me after I spit my tongue out at her. She turned to walk away as she started that blasted singing again. "Oh where, oh where, is my good friend Klutzy, oh where oh where, can he be. His name is Peter, and he's just lost to me. Oh where, oh where can he be?"

Dianne POV

As I walked away from him, humming and turning up the road at the end of the school parking lot, one thought kept racing in my head.

Why did that idiot keep this from me, and what the hell do I do now!? It's not like this is something I can brush off and wipe away. Heh, brush off, heh heh, yea as if. Doesn't he know he can trust me! That I won't go back on you like a piece of trash!

As I walked down the block, it became more apparent as I mulled over the conversation.

That asshole! Why does he do this to me! Sure we may not see eye to eye on everything, but geez! And now he's leaving and there's nothing I can do to stop him?! Why in the fuck didn't he tell me sooner!? Arggggghhhhh, I want to punch that blockhead in the face! Be better til I figured it out for myself, my ass!

As I walked, my phone chirped at me. Grabbing it from my pocket, I unlocked it and read the incoming text.

Pete 6/12/15 03:12PM said: I hope ur not mad at me for this, I just didn't want you to be hurt is all Reeses. I did plan on telling you, that is the truth. You're also my friend, and I won't just up and leave when we fight. After all, who else would be there to give me and Darren our "life lessons" when we act dumb? I'm sorry if I made you mad, I just hope this doesn't cause something between us.

Reading the text gave me a smile. That jerk...you'll always be a fool, even if it makes me give you a little hurt in the process. But at least you know that I care. All I want is to see you happy, and if doing something like that makes you happy, who am I to say no? I just hope you know that you can trust me more now. I may not know everything, but I won't abandon you just because you carry something like magic inside you.

I shot back a reply.

So long as you understand that I don't care what happens, as long as you're safe and happy, that I'm happy too. Even when I have to beat you up to make you see it. We're been friends for quite a while now, so don't expect me to just up and leave you when the going gets tough. The same goes for you too, you lunatic. Sometimes I wonder just what it is you're always trying to prove. I'll tty when i get done with homework and stuff later, so bye for now. Oh where, oh where, is my good friend Pete-e... :p

Hehe, that ought to make him smile. I approached an intersection, crossed, and was then four blocks from home. Man I love these walks now, but come winter no thanks.

As I had got to my driveway, I hummed a little more, thinking of how everything played out. After tonight things could only get better, and now I had a reason to fight, to which I started smiling. I will protect you, even if you carry a power in you that I can't comprehend, and I will make sure you know you have people in your corner who will keep you safe. I may be idiotic for rushing headlong into this, but if it keeps you happy, that's enough for me. Tonight though, you'd better be ready for more humor torture.

Yes, this was going to be fun after all...

Peter POV

After I got home, I had a good thought in my head, thinking of Dianne's actions before. She's just so damn overprotective sometimes, and I'm grateful she is.

While sitting at the desk in my room thinking, I decided to look over my confirmation paperwork for Academy City. Couldn't be too thorough, plus it wouldn't hurt. After I had finished that, I grabbed my passport from the desk drawer, confirmed that it was still valid, then tucked it away for now.

Man this is going to be so different. So many things at once. How am I to choose with less than a week before I leave?

Flying to Academy City next Thursday night was kind of short notice honestly. The Governing Board member, Teijo Satoru, sure was a sweet talker though when he showed up to the front door a month ago to deliver the application and paperwork.

May Eleventh, Four PM, Scott residence.

The doorbell rang as I sat on the couch watching an old re-run of Batman from the seventies on TV.

"Peter can you get that, please? I'll be right up" my dad's voice carried from the basement.

Getting up off the couch while putting the TV on mute, I walked to the front door, and sneaked a glance through our front window to the person standing there. It turned out to be a man in a business suit who carried a briefcase.

After unlocking the deadbolt, I opened the inner door, followed by the outer door to talk to the man, who had a polite look that sported a smile on his face, but his eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

"Hi there sir, can I help you?" I asked while I looked at him.

The man removed his sunglasses and pocketed them, his face having the textures and characteristics of someone from Japan. "Yes, if you may" while he gave a bow to me. "My name is Sotaru Teijo. I am a representative from Academy City's Governing Board of Directors. Am I speaking to a member of the Scott household?"

My father had come up by now and had walked up the man, looking at him. "I am Stan Scott, sir. This is my son. May I ask your reason for your visit?"

The man bowed and said, "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Scott. My name, again, is Sotaru Teijo. I am a representative of Academy City and it's Governing Board of Directors. Is your son's name Peter by chance? If so, I am here by Governing Board request. This request is per his "special circumstances" from the report by your state Medical University. If I may come in and speak to both of you about this, please?"

My father looked him over carefully before nodding, as he stepped aside to allow the man to enter.

As my father closed the doors, he said "So what is it that we can help you with Mr. Sotaru?" as the man stood by the couch for a moment, before my father gestured for him to sit.

Teijo spoke and looked at me and my father. "To answer your question Mr. Scott, I am here to formally extend an invitation to young Peter in hopes of coming to Academy City and enrolling in our academia studies. After the Governing Board and a panel of our best medical staff in the city spent a few days reading his report, we feel the best choice for him is to enroll. This review and proposal was prompted by your states Medical University after they had reached out for assistance with the matter of your son's unique case."

My father and I nodded at this, noting how confused our doctors were with my situation. One they didn't like not knowing at all.

"Anything regarding Peter, you will have to clear it with me and my wife first. You understand, I hope? All I want is for him to be happy and this medical circumstance isn't putting my mind or our doctor's at ease."

"I understand your concern, Mr. Scott, and I applaud your efforts at making your son's well-being above all else. As unfortunate as the results from the doctor's and the University are, Peter is a highly gifted and spirited young man. We in Academy City feel that he might flourish and do well there under our tutelage and care while we are working to see what his powers exactly are. This could be a very big breakthrough for him and your family if you allow it. It is an environment where young Mr. Scott can learn, grow, and develop his powers and abilities in a safe, controlled, and conducive matter. The need for control of the abilities that ability users, or Espers, refer to is so they can be safe and confident in using their abilities, even unconsciously, without placing themselves or those around them at undue risk. Without control in place, it can spiral downward quickly and grow to be uncontrollable and possibly dangerous to the individual utilizing it.

My father spoke. "I understand the need for control and what not. Exactly what kind of tutelage and what forms of instruction will be provided? You're not turning my son into a pincushion, I want him safe."

Teijo shook his head. "No, no Mr. Scott, you misunderstand. As you may think that Peter's circumstances have placed him in a position where we would hurt or harm him to see what makes him special, that is not the case here. Just as we place in their path the pursuit of knowledge, ability, and growth to all students from elementary to university level who enter the Power Curriculum Program, Academy City values the safety and health of our student's as a city-wide top priority. We have multiple advanced, top of the line safety and security measures to ensure their safety. Our city public safety officials, we the members of the Board of Directors along with our Chief Directorate Board comprised of the city's donation members and suppliers who we report to, ensure it through a very scrutinizing process of checks and balances so no stone is left unturned. Academy City is also committed to ensuring our students protection at all times against anyone who would want to cause harm or ill-will to them, either non-scientific or otherwise, because of their unique powers. As for his education; we offer the world's most comprehensive curriculum, ranging from preschool arthritic to doctoral level aerospace engineering, providing students an opportunity to fully explore their talents and passions to their fullest. Academy City consistently places number one in all leading educational benchmarks and our graduates have a ninety five percent success rate for gaining employment in their chosen profession within six months of graduation."

Dad nodded then asked, "Alright, that sounds all fine and dandy education wise, but if your medical staff made this recommendation, then why should I believe them over our doctors and let this happen to Peter?"

"It is because of the nature of the medical status of Academy City that the request by the panel was made. Our science and technology, along with our medical staff and scientists, ensure that we are always providing the best medical care in the world to those who enter the city, and continually improving the medical and scientific research in the world. The things that your Medical University could do in a month, would take us less than a week."

My father looked at Teijo for a few moments with his hand on his chin, thinking. He then nodded again. "Well, what is you would like from us then?"

Teijo pulled three papers from his suitcase and handed them to my father. "I have come with a letter from the Board of Directors around the idea of young Mr. Scott's enrollment and the results that we will be able to find through testing and such. It continues to say that this will allow us to assist in finding the cause of his ability, as a panel of our best doctors, physicians, neuro-biochemistry and physiology specialists have reviewed the case report from the University with the Board and have given their suggestions and recommendation to allow him to enroll given his situation.

My father and I glanced at the letter in question. Dad then looked at me. "Peter, are you up for it?"

I thought for a minute before speaking. "I'd like to think it over for awhile, if that's alright Mr. Sotaru."

Teijo looked at me and said "Yes that would be the safest course of action for you to take, and is quite alright."

"I will have to review this with my wife. If we are interested, may we simply fill the application out and return it?" My father said.

Sotaru gave a slightly better smile with a nod of his head. "Yes Mr. Scott, perfectly acceptable." He stood up, as did myself and my father. Sotaru then reached into his jacket pocket and handed us two business cards. "If either of you should have anything else, please, don't hesitate to contact me at any time." He extended his hand out and we both shook it. A very nice firm grip from someone who resembled a 35 year old of slight Asian descent, as he picked up his suitcase and made his way to the door with my father opening it for him. "It will get better, just know that we are here to help if you should want it."

I nodded at Teijo and said "thank you, sir" as he stepped outside and returned to his car, my dad locking the door behind him.

Hehe Teijo sure smooth talked his way past my dad though, without much of a struggle. I just wonder if it'll be that simple when I leave.

Well, only one way to find out now.