Project Earthbound part 18

"Sleepover,"

"A sleepover?" Luke questions confused with a tilted head.

"Oh, I guess you've never had one before," Nicholas says. The two were still sitting poolside as the birthday was starting to die down and parents were taking their children home. Talia wanted to swim a bit more and Lauren wanted to make sure she didn't drown anyone or get water all over the place. "Well it's pretty self-explanatory. It is in the name dude, it's where you sleep over at a friend's house. Well, not really sleep, more like hang out until you feel so tired you have to go to sleep."

"I see…but I don't really sleep. Does that mean I can't sleepover?"

Nicholas chuckled at the other boy. He ruffled the boy's dark hair, "Well I think we can make an exception just this once. It's only gonna be Lauren, Talia, you and I."

Luke is surprised, "Oh, so it's a sleepover for family."

"Yep."

"But…I've only been in the family for a few weeks. Is that okay?"

"Do you think it's not okay?" Nicholas counters with his own question. Luke looks at the boy before staring at the water.

"Honestly, no I don't," Luke responds. "I'm just some…thing, you shouldn't even know about me. It is very conflicting what I feel. Is that what being human is like?"

"You think way too hard on this stuff…" Nicholas groans leaning against Luke in a mock showing of exhaustion. "I can't answer every question ya ask ya know. I'm only a kid, and you're kid too right?"

"Well my age is that of-,"

"Exactly," Nicholas cuts off straightening up. "Just have fun, and don't sweat the details. If it makes things easier, we can even tell Talia about you."

"You're going to tell a high-profile political figure who is very pro-PSI about me, a living weapon used to target PSI wielders?" Luke asks incredulously. "I don't see that going well at all."

"Well when you phrase it that way sure. How about you think of it as a someone who doesn't have a choice in what their country does or doesn't do. She's family Luke and you're a good person."

"I'm not a good person Nicky…"

"You already said you'd never hurt me or Lauren. You even spooked her pretty bad apparently. So, there must be some good in you, you haven't like cut open anyone here, and you haven't threatened anyone. I think you've had someone tell you how bad you are, but you really aren't as bad as you say you are."

"You haven't…I…there is something about me that I recently learned. Something that I don't know how to talk about. Honestly, I am scared, would it be okay if I talk to you and Lauren about this?"

"Obviously, but we should include Tailia. She's eccentric I know, but she's got a good heart. She wouldn't tell her dad if we asked her too, and you two had a moment earlier I can tell. She's there for you because whether you understand it or not. We are family, it doesn't matter you were adopted or created in a test tube or whatever. Besides, you took a bullet for me, so you can't be all that bad or at least as bad as you say."

"Such a thing is deadly to you, but only an inconvenience to me. Of course, I would take it for you."

"Did you have to though?" Nicholas counters.

"…Well given your parents, your healing abilities, and how involved Professor Jeff is in your family. No, I didn't have to…" Luke seems to furrow his brow at coming to that realization. "Huh, I didn't have to, did I?"

"Nope ya didn't. But you wanted to protect me, just like I wanted to help you when you were sick. I don't see why everything needs this big thought out reason to why we do the things we do."

"Because I might be erased if I don't!" Luke snaps. He flinches back seeing Nicholas look at him confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I shouldn't say more…"

"Come on, I want to know. Especially since I won't let anyone do that to you."

Luke wanted to ask why Nicholas felt that way but snuffed that question. He only sighs as he admits, "That's the thing I want to talk to you about. And the reason why I gave Lauren that vial and why I think getting to know me is a mistake. We can discuss this at the hangout slash sleepover where no one sleeps."

Nicholas chuckles, "You can just call it a sleepover."

"The sleepover, okay then. But until then can I ask you not to…well…"

"Well…" Nicholas eggs on as he noticed Luke stopped talking.

"Can you promise you won't hate me?"

"Why would I hate you?"

"Because… I don't like the idea you hating me. I've never made connections with anyone, I've never known friendship, family, or fun. I like all of this, even if it will be for a moment, but if the worst does indeed happen. I want to know you won't hate me for what I may or may not do, as incredibly selfish that makes me sound."

"That's vague as all hell dude. I can promise I don't hate you now, and when you tell us what you want to tell us," Nicholas takes a pause as if being dramatic or trying to be. "I will not hate you. As long as you be honest with me at least. You're my new little brother after all!" Nicholas throws his arm around Luke's neck.

"I thought I was a cousin?" Luke questioned confused.

"Ugh dude, cousins are like siblings. I swear I've told you this already."

"Ah, I guess that's right."

"Yo Nick!" called a voice. The two boys look over to see a group of boys staring over. "We need you to settle a bet!" one of the boys called over.

"Ugh, those guys are so needy…" Nicholas mutters but in a way that was clearly in a joking tone. "You wanna come over?"

"We'll have plenty of time to sleepover, so I don't mind."

Nicholas at first wanted to correct Luke but decided against it as he pulls his feet from the pool to walk over to his friends. Luke watches after him a moment as he joins his friends as they start talking about who the fastest runner is. Luke didn't want to be rude so he intentionally tries to tune out the conversation. He wonders what it would've been like to be born a normal boy, with abnormal PSI powers like Nicholas, but in a world that begun to see it as normal. To be able to grow up in a world with loving parents, with a lovely home, and endearing friends.

Although if Luke was being honest with himself, even though he started to live life rather late. He's already begun to obtain these things. He gained himself a loving family, a small group of friends, and even a home of his own with his own room and everything. Although he couldn't hold them too close to his heart, as they could be taken away from him as soon as they had been given to him. At least, that's what he thinks based on the faint memories that nip at the back of his mind. A constant reminder of something he doesn't remember or recognize; however it calls for his attention all the same. The only clues to this mystery is a girl, the girl's form comes to him in two ways. Her happy smile with chestnut hair and a sapphire dress.

The other is her mangled body with his hands covered in blood…

Who knows what kind of terror those memories hold? Besides, should he even delve into that point in time? The moment he went undercover as Jeff Andonut's son, a new world had opened to him. One that was completely by accident considering how it all began. None of this was supposed to happen. He was never meant to be at a pool party having fun with other kids, he was meant to be an assassin, a killer, and a weapon that just so happened to look like a child. He was told that his appearance was the result of his genetics that couldn't be helped, that as much super science was available it was impossible to age him up a bit more, so site BlackBound worked with what they had. Even given his age he could still do what no human could, taming the alien substance known as a symbiont, and harboring a monstrous amount of PSI. With these tools in hand he could be capable of who knows what, but here he is soaking his feet at two thirteen-year old's party. He couldn't help but snicker at the idea, even if he could see the humor in it all, it didn't subtract from his worries. It's times like these he really wishes he could hit something, fighting took much less thought then all of this.

Luke pulls his feet from the pull to stand to his feet. He sees his three cousins busy with the partygoers so he decided that a moment longer alone would be a blessing. He looks through the window of the house to see Jeff within the clutches of his friends and it doesn't look like he'd be getting away anytime soon. So Luke ventures out to the yard moving to the other side of the house. He approaches the front of the house but pauses upon hearing voices.

"I told you I didn't want to come here…" a woman's voice growls.

"I know honey, but we have to keep up appearances. They may be freaks but they're still influential figures," presumably the women's husband says as he walks his family over to their car. Honestly, they were quite far from earshot for a normal person, but Luke could hear them as if he was standing next to them.

"Does that mean I have to keep pretending to like Lauren. She always talks like she's above it all, its so annoying." their daughter groans. Luke recognized her as one the people Lauren had called friends. Luke sticks his head out a bit more to focus his eyes to get a better look at their faces. The parents had two children, the daughter being a bit older based on build a budding teenager possibly fourteen or fifteen, with a boy with them seemingly around 12 or 13 himself. The boy remained silent while the family spoke on their disgust of the Shorts family. How they paraded around their abilities, refusing to pull their children from school, and even throwing this terrible party in the midst of the bad press PSI was getting.

Luke found himself rather astounded. The Shorts are good people, there is nothing in his mind that could argue against that fact. Nicky and Lauren accepted him as family when he is even less then human. Yet, these people came into their home and now speak such ill of them. As if they were better than the Shorts, as if the Shorts themselves were less human than they themselves. A feeling began building in Luke's stomach. A feeling of rage and disgust. Humans always surprise him at every turn. If not their compassion for others but also their belittling of others. The belittling of struggles, of pain, and of suffering. These people were comparing the shorts to some, thing, like him, he should be talked down on, he should be the one they are disgusted by, HE should be the freak they hate, and to compare a monster like him to the Shorts is something he absolutely loathes.

The sound of cracking snaps him out of his thoughts. He notices his fingers sunk into the stone base of the house cracking it under his hands. Luke begins shaking a bit before taking a breath. He's not used to having to regulate his own emotions without the symbiont. It's a struggle he isn't used to, still he should probably get some distance. Exposure to humans always makes him so anxious and emotional. So, he decided the best place to stay secluded for a moment is next to the Shorts' garage. He walks around the other side satisfied with his separation, he sits and focus his hearing to ignore the sounds around him outside of his personal bubble. It was a trick he learned while in his room at BlackBound. Often the noises of the facility would make it impossible to relax or on days when he needed to recharge his Earthbound core, by sleeping, so he learned how to dull his hearing. Go deaf to the world around him so that he can find peace within his own mind, even if just for a few minutes.

He sat down and closed his eyes. The outside world fading away into a faraway whisper. This time however felt different from every other time he's done this. The outside air tingled his nose, the wind brushes against his skin, and the feeling of the sun shined on him through the leaves. Luke believes this what meditation is supposed to be like. The ability to push away everything around you and focus on your inner self. Although Luke didn't believe in such things, seeing as he felt there was nothing within him worthy of being noted or worth being looked at. Although, at times, he did hear voices, they sounded far off in the distance, but the whispers of their words rang through.

"…Soldier…"

"Giga…"

"PK…Love-

"Take a Melo-,"

"Brother…"

The most frequent one has been that technique. PK Love. He was able to spark it to life one time, after only muttering the words. The incantation brough forth a strength unlike any Luke had felt before. He felt the vastness of power the technique was capable of just from a few sparks, but the feelings it brought terrified him. He was never comfortable enough to use it in battle, but in moments where he is alone. When he calls upon it, the warm energy puts him at ease, and the soft glow is pleasing to the eye. As if someone far away whom he may never know or ever met is saying something to him. It was an insane thought but its what Luke felt on the inside. This feeling made him question everything about himself. Luke raises a hand muttering a quick PK Love. A light blue color that dances in his palm. The color is so comforting and calming. His normal PSI attacks are all white, devoid of any real color. None of them felt like this, none of them brought comfort like this, or felt like such raw emotion. Luke dispels it quickly not wanting to alarm the PSI sensitive individuals within the house. He closes his eyes allowing his sense to be dulled for once so that he could focus on himself for a moment and calm his nerves. The moment felt to him like it may have been minutes, maybe even seconds, it's always difficult to tell when the world disappears from view. He feels a new presence approach him calling his name. He opens his eyes to look to see Lauren, she's changed out of her swimsuit into shorts and tanktop.

"Luke?" she questions as if she had been calling his name for quite some time.

"Is something wrong?" Luke responds turning his head to her.

"I don't know you tell me, I was sitting her calling your name for a few seconds here," she says moving to stand next to the boy.

"Sorry, my senses can be so sharp that I need a moment to dull them to…relax…"

"Oh, like how you had to listen to music to drawn out some of the noise back in Summers," She says with a nod.

"Well, the party ended and Uncle Jeff was starting to worry about you. We hadn't seen you in like an hour…"

"Ah, I should go see him then," Luke says standing to his feet.

"Wow, you must've been really in deep thought," She notes glancing as his barefeet seeing them perched on rock and gravel. "You even left your hat at the pool," She says presenting the bucket hat.

"Thank you," Luke says talking the item to place it on his head. It was a little moist but nothing to worry about. "Hey Lauren," Luke speaks suddenly catching the girl's attention. "Some of people here…why is that…nevermind I should probably stop asking you and Nicky such complicated questions."

Lauren is quiet a moment looking at Luke. "You're probably confused about how other humans can treat other humans like crap right?"

"How'd you know?" Luke asked stupefied.

"I know some of my so-called friends, aren't really my friends," Luke clearly shows his surprise on his face given the chuckle Lauren gives. "PSI remember, we may not have mind reading powers, but we can feel emotions. When something someone says doesn't match up with how they feel it's really easy to tell. Making friends really becomes a challenge like that."

"How so if you can deduce someone is lying so quickly?"

"People lie for one reason or another, so its unfair to judge everyone based on that. Sometimes a person may hate you at first but begin to really become your friend," Lauren chuckles. "One of my really good friends puts on the biggest air for her folks. She even gets a kick out of texting me what she says!"

"So, does that mean those who truly wish to be your friend could grow to hate you?" Luke asks.

"Its possible, but I don't think it's the end of the world. Anyone who wants to stick around are free to do so if they want," She responds in a flippant tone. With that she moves to walk back to the house. Luke digest those words as he follows behind her. Once they reached back at the pool, Luke can see the only remaining people are people who are considered family. It seemed that the kids had changed into normal clothes in his absence. With Nicholas wearing a black shirt and kahki shorts that reach his knees and Talia in a green tank top with black girl shorts.

"Ah there he is!" Ness exclaims. Jeff quickly turns toward Luke rising to his feet as he approaches Luke.

"Are you alright? Did something happen? Did one of the kids say something to you? Are you sick?" Jeff asks in quick succession. Luke couldn't help but notice the faces of the other adults to see them clearly finding the whole thing humorous.

Luke decides to answer the questions in order, "Yes I am alright, no nothing happened, no one said anything to me, and I am not sick."

"Ah, why did you wonder off?" Jeff asks relaxing a bit.

"Just needed…some quiet I suppose," Luke responds rubbing his arm. "I apologize for doing so without permission I won't do that again."

"No, no, its fine. You don't need permission to do that," Jeff says placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Well Jeff, he's back in one piece," Paula says in clearly teasing tone. "There was no mountain lion that gobbled him up."

"They are native to this area my fear was not irrational!" Jeff exclaims turning sharply to the woman pointing a finger at her.

"Honestly, I feel sorrier for the lion," Ness adds.

"Anyway, Luke I left your change of clothes in the car. Nicky told you about the sleepover right?" Luke nods in affirmation. "Okay, the adults are gonna go hang out or whatever that means. You and your cousins will most likely be here for the rest of the night, is that okay?"

"Yes, that's fine."

"Okay, call me if there is any issues okay, no matter how small you think it is."

"Well at least we can cancel the amber alert," Ness says standing to his feet. Ness grabs a bag walking over to hand it to Luke. "I took the liberty of getting your things for you."

"Thank you, Mr-Uncle Ness," Luke says giving a nervous smile as he seems unsure of meeting Ness' eyes. Ness couldn't help but smile at the boy.

Ness' heart warms hearing Lucas call him uncle, "Sure, thing kiddo," Ness says simply. He turns to the rest of the adults, "Alright so whose driving?"

"Oh my god he's not is he?" Angelea questions concerned.

"No, he isn't," Paula answered before Ness could. "Kids you know the rules and you have our numbers. Also, we have a sensory radius of 100 hundred miles, we'll know if there is any PSI funny business, got it?"

"Yeah mom," Nicky and Lauren reply flippantly.

"Not to worry dear Aunt, I shall make sure there is not any funny business!"

"No doubt…" Paula responds sardonically. As the adults were getting their plans together Luke suddenly felt a shift in the air. His body stiffens, he could also tell that he was not the only one who noticed as the others who are PSI sensitive flinched at the change as well. Luke about faces turning behind him feeling a presence approach…two presences. A boy pokes his head around the corner. A boy in a red cap very similar to the one Nicholas normally wears, it was appeared to be a messy style that is barely contained in the cap he wears backwards. His blue eyes scan the backward a bit shyly before he beams.

"No way!" Nicholas exclaims as he rushes over. The other boy reveals himself fully with a large smile. He wears a blue shirt with yellow strips, denim shorts and blue converse. "Double…" Nicholas says raising his hands overhead.

"Trouble!" the other boy exclaimed clapping his hands with Nicholas. They then follow up with a very synchronized handshake that seemed very well planned considering how well it was executed.

"Joey…" Paula mutters her voice cutting out sharply. While Nicholas and the other boy with joyously laughing a man walks from around the corner with two boxes in hand.

"Whoops, looks like I missed the party, my bad," the man says with a shrug.

Ness's face falls in shock but he is still able to utter one word through it all, "Ninten…you're here…"