"Hey!" My eyes snapped open as I heard Bobby's voice screech at Oleander. "No one actually finished! You normally don't shut off the connection unless someone does!"

"Someone did." I looked over toward Oleander, who gave a knowing smirk. His eyes were directed straight toward me as he pulled a small little item from his pocket. "Congrats maggot, you finished this faster than I thought anyone could." He extended a clutched fist toward me and gestured for me to do the same. I complied quickly with an open hand before he then dropped a small badge into my palm. "Your Basic Braining is complete." I couldn't help but smile proudly as I pulled my hand back to look over the little patch.

My first major step to becoming a psychonaut. I did it! I really did it!

"There's no fucking way!" My proud smile disappeared off my face as I shot a glare toward Bobby. "He's the new kid! Fresh meat! Just a stupid-!"

"That's enough out of you, Mr. Zilch." I grew wide-eyed as I looked up toward the new voice that had joined us in Oleander's little tower. "It should be obvious that this young man is not new to these got of things." I watched in awe as the man took a couple of steps closer to me.

Holy shit holy shit holy shit.

I swallowed hard as I took in the cool and relaxed figure that was before me.

My idol from all the True Psychic Tales. The man I looked up to, who was only second to my father in my mind.

I fought the urge to move my goggles from my eyes as I wanted to get a better look at the man before me, but I knew it was all too soon for me to show my eyes.

The one and only Sasha Nein.

"What's your name, boy?"

"Razputin!" I swallowed hard once more and cleared my voice as I tried my best to not come off as too eager to introduce myself to him. "I mean Razputin, sir." I laughed a little to myself as I felt a little nudge into my side.

"Sorry, Sasha, he's a bit of an eager one." Sasha gave Lili a small nod as it was obvious he'd been tied to the young girl for a while.

"Nothing wrong with being eager. Being eager to learn is one of the best qualities to have within this field." Sasha adjusted his glasses for a second before giving me his full attention once more. "If you're wanting to learn more outside of what we have set up for basics and things, you're always welcome to swing by my lab." I couldn't see the man's eyes, but I could tell his smile was knowing as his tone shifted ever so slightly. "I bet I have a lot to learn from you as well." I swallowed hard as that knowing smile had been used on me more than once in my life. That small little acknowledgment that they could tell something was unique about me.

He can't possibly tell I'm an Aquato, can he? Coach doesn't even look phased by me completing the course and no one has threatened me just yet. I can't sense any malice from him. More just... A hidden curiosity.

I rolled my shoulders a little as I tried my best to make it seem like I was weighing the idea in my mind.

Maybe he's just curious about the new kid? The new student that shows good potential? If Lili's right, I'm the first new kid here in several years. Not many people come here, I guess. I wouldn't put it past him to try and see whatever I'm made out of to make me want to come here.

"I might be interested, yeah." I shrugged my shoulders a little as I looked over toward Lili. "But is it alright with Lili comes along? I bet I'll still be wandering around lost without her at the moment." I gave her a small smile, and she just smirked in reply.

"Yeah, Raz will be like a lost puppy without me." I looked back toward Agent Nein as she slugged me in the arm, just hard enough for me to whence a little, but not enough for it to actually hurt. Nein seemed to be used to this kind of behavior from her, though, as she just rolled with it without question.

"Sure thing." He put his hand in his jacket's pocket before producing a button from it. "Just use this whenever you get to my secret lab."

"A button?" I took it curiously as he just gave a small nod.

"A kid like you should be able to figure it out quickly." He adjusted his glasses once more and then placed his free hand behind his back. "Nice to meet your acquaintance, Razputin." Without me saying goodbye, the agent turned on his heels and started making his way out of the tower. I instantly looked toward Lili as I figured the agent was out of listening range.

"Secret lab?"

"It's not really a secret." Lili just shrugged as I put the button in my jacket pocket. "Everyone has been there once or twice at the very least. It's his way of running experiments and tests on child psychics and things without HQ breathing down his neck." I swallowed hard and it was obvious Lili picked up on my sudden change of heart. "Oh come on! It's not that bad. Just get to explore your own psyche and all, ya know?"

"So I can go into my own mind?" She smiled as my voice had a little bit of hesitance in its tone.

"Scared of yourself there, Razzy?"

Scared of what scars my mental realm could have, honestly.

I tried my best to shake the thought out of my mind as I tried to steel myself.

From what I could see out of my own mind growing up, it's not that bad. Just... I know there are things hiding in there. Things that I know are what people expect from the spawn of Maligula's bloodline. I was always too scared to travel too far within my own mind. Too scared to travel to the deeper darker parts which I knew were there.

Most of all, I was too scared to see if I had a Maligula of my own.

"You alright there?" I snapped back into reality as Lili was giving me a curious look.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I reached up and pulled my goggles up so that they could rest on my head. "Just was thinking."

"Well, don't be thinking too hard, alright? I'm sure some training with Sasha will be fine. You don't have to do it if you don't want to anyway." I smiled a little as it was obvious Lili was trying to suppress her concern. "Or whatever. Whatever you wanna do."

"I might then." My smile widened just a little as I decided to tease the girl still sitting beside me. "You'll be there stuck with my lost self anyway."

"Cause you need a girl to hold your hand around the camp I know." She smirked as I tried my best to not make it known that my cheeks flushed at her words.

"Keep saying stuff like that and that kid you were talking about is gonna get really jealous of me."

"Again, in his dreams." I chuckled as I got up onto my feet.

"Well, might as well get a move on, huh?"

"You wait just a damn minute, Raz the Spaz." I rolled my eyes as Bobby's voice filled my ears again.

"Oh, how may I give you my time, oh great and powerful asshole?" I let sarcasm drip from my words as I turned my attention toward him. "If you didn't just hear Agent Nein, I got some personal training to do."

"You think you're so cool don't you?" Bobby snarled as he took a step closer to me. "Like some kind of badass." He growled out the word as I just smiled smugly in return.

"Well, I did just kick your ass in Basic Braining on my first try so." He narrowed his eyes as I saw his hands curl into fits.

"You're dead meat, Spaz." He lowered his voice as he leaned forward. "Dead. Meat." I gave him a smirk as I leaned in just as much as he did.

"A lot of people would like that, ya know." I gave him a wide smile that I saw caused a chill to run down his spine, but he wasn't going to break his tough-guy stance. "You're not the first to threaten that either." I leaned back as I adjusted the goggles on top of my head. "What's your problem with me anyway? I know why others have threatened me like that, but you?" I chuckled a little as I crossed my arms over my chest. "You just seem to have a problem with me in general."

"Alright, maggots." Coach stood up from where he was sitting and came over toward where Bobby and I were. "If you two keep at this, I'll have you both on drills till your bodies collapse! Know to leave your differences at the door!" I nodded at Oleander as Bobby gave a small snarl in return. "Don't give me that look, Slowy." I stood up onto my feet and looked over toward Lili before looking back to Oleander.

"I'm just gonna take my leave before things get worse here, sir."

"Best to do that, Spaz."

"It's-." Oleander just turned as he pulled Bobby along with him. As if to make sure there was no more conflict between us. "Raz." I gave a small sigh as I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"He barely listens. Don't take it personally, Raz." I shrugged as I looked over toward Lili, who was now standing beside me. "But hey, I can show you the way to Sasha's lab. I can show you the lake area too if you want?" I felt my face light up at the thought of going toward the lake. Lili seemed to notice as she just giggles a little in reply. "You just lit up like some kind of dog at the notice of a walk."

"Hey!" I smiled wide as I took a step closer to her. A small whisper as I continued speaking. "Us water psychics are very happy at any chance we get with water."

"I bet." She just smiled wide before taking her hand off my shoulder to knock it a little with her knuckles instead. "Now come on. If there was one thing I learned about Sasha from over the years, you don't keep him waiting." I smiled wide as she started making her way toward the exit of the little tower.

Might already have an enemy, but at least I also have a friend.

My smile grew slightly as I did my best to catch up with her.

And I'm very thankful for it. More than I ever had before, honestly.