Disclaimer: Not mine, please don't sue me, I have no money anyway.
smallvilefanfreak7: Thanks. I always thought that Ashley was the sweetest person ever, and Andros was so sweet when he wanted to be.
Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Yeah, you're doing the same thing, but it keeps me reading. This chapter gives a lot away.
Jenny: Umm . . . do both. Glad you like it.
Chapter 7: Tricks of the Mind
The Megaship - the secret healing chamber
"Dreams?" Andros fixed Aria with a skeptical look, but there was a need to believe her in his eyes. "You saw Zhane . . . I mean, you saw this happen in a dream?"
Aria nodded silently. Andros sighed.
"I need to talk to you," he said, his hazel eyes meeting hers, which were only a shade darker.
He walked into the engine room, and after a moment, Aria followed. Andros was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.
"Are you telepathic?" he asked bluntly.
"Yes," Aria said, almost defensively. "I am."
"Everyone on KO-35 was a telepath," Andros said quickly, before he aggravated her temper. "It's much rarer on Earth."
"So you were normal?" Aria asked bitterly.
Andros glanced at her. "Who did you tell?"
"Justin," she muttered. "Hypocrite."
"Hypocrite?" he repeated.
Aria sighed. "It means-"
"I know what it means," Andros interrupted impatiently. "But why-"
"Because he told me to never tell anyone, and to hide it with the deep, dark secrets," Aria burst out angrily. "And then he starts reading peoples minds for the cheap things."
"Justin's telepathic?"
Andros stared at her in shock.
Aria nodded. "As long as you don't ask him."
"Gabriel too?"
"Gabriel's more discreet than Justin," Aria said, calming down, and sitting down thoughfully. "But I'd say yes."
Ashley tried to slip out of the room unnoticed, but Andros acted on a hunch.
"Ashley."
Ashley glanced at him. "Did you say something?"
"Well, this is interesting," Aria remarked.
"Deca, tell Justin and Gabriel to meet us on the bridge," Andros ordered. "Immediately."
Aria stalked silently out of the room, leaving Andros and Ashley to follow him.
The Megaship-the bridge
Justin and Gabriel had arrived before them, and were sitting in their seats, Justin looking sullen, and Gabriel looking worried.
"What'd I do this time?" Justin demanded. "I have things to do."
"This is more important," Aria snapped. "Stay."
She slipped into her seat, and crossed her arms, looking at Andros.
"Well, you can start talking now," she said.
"Right," he said uneasily, not knowing what he was trying to say. "I've been talking to Ashley and Aria and-"
"-And he's figured out that the whole team is telepathic," Aria finished for him, not having to wait for Justin's reaction.
"You told him?" he cried, outraged. "What's wrong with you Aria?"
"I will not lie to my friends any longer, Justin," Aria said icily. "And don't you dare tell me how much I've endangered you. You'll read someone's mind for the answer to a test. You can't get much cheaper than that."
"Do you know how much you've endangered yourself?" Justin's face was turning an interesting color of red. "Why would you do that?"
"I've already explained."
"That's why you did it?" Justin cried. "You're too damn loyal, Aria, and to the wrong people."
"I think I can tell who the wrong people are."
Justin and Aria were getting dangerously close to coming to blows, and at Aria's last comment, Andros reached out and yanked her several feet backwards.
"Calm down," he ordered. "Both of you."
Aria ignored him and continued raging. "You've convinced everyone that you're honest, that you never lie. Justin, you've been lying to yourself. We're different, and we always have been. Accept it."
"Enough!" Andros snapped. "Sit."
Aria obeyed, still glaring daggers at her twin. Justin sat down only after Gabriel pushed him.
"What's done is done," Gabriel said sharply. "Now we can only trust each other."
"Again with the trusting people," Justin muttered. "You'll trust anyone."
"Quiet," Gabriel ordered. "This isn't just about you."
"Thank you," Andros said, when it was quiet again. "I know that telepathy isn't considered normal on Earth, but on KO-35, everyone was a telepath."
"But we're not from there," Justin objected. "That changes things."
"We're rangers," Ashley spoke up. "We were always different."
Aria was looking thoughtful. "Maybe that's why we were chosen."
"So when our mouths are covered with duct tape, we can still yell for help?"
"Shut up, Justin," Aria snapped. "I'm being serious."
She paused, a light dawning in her eyes. "Maybe that's why we're hunted."
"Because we're telepathic?" Justin asked skeptically. "It's strange, but not . . . wait, you told them that too?"
"Yes," Aria said testily. "I did, and if you have a problem with it, I'll fight you later."
"Aria-" Gabriel began, but she cut him off.
"We have to trust each other, remember?"
The black ranger sighed, defeated.
"Why were we chosen, Aria?"
Aria shrugged. "We'll find out."
"Can I talk now?" Andros asked warily.
"Yeah," Aria said. "Sorry."
"I just wanted to know if it was true," Andros said. "And I'm guessing that it is, so if you will accept who you are, then I'll help train you in telepathy and telekinisis."
"Cool," Aria accepted immediately.
Gabriel nodded. "I'll learn."
Justin hesitated. "Fine."
He stood up and left. Gabriel shrugged and followed him, acknowledging the others with a nod. Aria took the opposite direction that Justin took, leaving Andros and Ashley alone on the suddenly silent bridge.
"How do they not kill each other?" Andros wondered aloud.
Ashley shrugged. "It's how they express their love for each other?"
"Really?"
"They've always been like this," Ashley said. "It's gotten more extreme since we've come here."
"You mean since their mother . . . "
Ashley nodded. "They can't be any other way, but they love each other."
Andros sighed. "I'm going to my room."
Ashley took his hand, and he smiled. "Want to watch another movie?"
Ashley nodded. "Something funny, please," she said.
Andros nodded. "Something very funny," he agreed.
They walked to his room, Andros unable to shake the feeling that he was missing something obvious.