Late for my interval as usual!

Nobody successfully killed me, so that's a plus!

I'm trying to get these out ASAP, so no GT skit today.

Comments!

MidnightBunnyy: I would never ignore Dex. That's a crime against humanity committed only by *cough* Shannon Messenger*cough*. Siberia just popped into my head.

Abubble124: Shunning authors about cliffhangers only makes them want to write them more, Encouraging them also does that. Basically, you can't stop us.

A very obsessed fangirl: Your shady black belt protection squad came to my house, but all they did was ask me for cookies and ask me if I wanted to see their pog collection. No idea what that's about.

MarellaIsTheBest: Wait, he didn't seem relevant already? I need to try harder!

I am working and working and working for you guys! Also taking a lot of breaks to watch cartoons and Agents of Shield.

Now, on with the story!

Nineteen

Sophie was speechless. Incapable of thought. Everybody remained in silence, until Dex broke it.

"So, I can understand I need to do some explaining."

Nobody interjected, everyone in the room still speechless.

Dex cleared his throat. "A couple years ago, I wanted to be a telepath. That obsession faded over time, but, somehow, I manifested completely by accident."

"During the attack on Everglen a few weeks ago, I was trying to surprise attack one of the Neverseen, the Psionipath I think, so we could get to them. He noticed me, and I grew extremely panicked. Just as he was about to open his mouth to warn the other Neverseen, I wished with all my might that he would be silent, and when he opened it, no sound came out."

Tiergan stuttered nervously. "That's some v-v-very advanced telepathy for the first t-t-time."

Fitz intervened. "I know. A couple days later, Dex came to me, and told me what had happened. He didn't want anyone else to know. It was hard to agree, but I kept his privacy, and we tried to figure out how powerful he was. After putting him through the tests we got the results, which were-"

"Level 3." Dex said shakily.

Tiergan looked like he was about to have a stroke. "You can't be serious!"

"We used the gauntlet."

Tiergan turned white. He attempted to speak, but it was too much for him, and he collapsed in a dead faint.

Fitz quickly turned to Sophie. "If you were wondering, telepathy is measured in levels. Level 1 is minor telepathy, such as simply being able to read unprotected minds. Level 2 is what you're at, where you have extremely strong telepathy, can break any barrier, and keep yourself completely protected, with increased telekinetic strength to boot. And level 3..."

Fitz didn't finish that thought, letting it hang in the air, imagining what that could be like.

Fitz continued. "The gauntlet is the rock-solid telepathy test that determines it. There's no fooling the gauntlet. If it says Dex is a level 3, he's a level 3."

Sophie found the strength to speak. "This is a whole lot to digest. Does anyone else know?"

Dex jumped in. "No one else, not even my parents. I was afraid, and unsure. We were just waiting for the right time, but it never seemed to come."

Everyone remained in silence, the information processing in their heads.

Lord Cassius was the first one to come to. He cleared his throat. "Well, let's move Tiergan off the ground, shall we?"

Everyone was trying to make themselves busy, and return to a sense of normalcy, but it clearly wasn't working. Linh had her finger on Keefe's neck, monitoring Keefe's pulse, considering he could wake up any minute, but Linh kept squeezing her hands randomly, and Fitz had to intervene to prevent her from choking him. Marella tried to organize the vials on Elwins desk, but her hand kept bursting into flames, and setting off the concoctions. Jensi was just staring at the wall, not even trying anymore. Biana looked like she wanted to murder Fitz for keeping the secret from her, but she kept getting distracted before she could throttle him by Dex, who was guiltily trying to revive Tiergan. The only people who seemed relatively normal were Lord Cassius and Wylie, who were trying to find Elwin for when Keefe woke up. Sophie really didn't know what to think or do. It seemed like the reality she thought she knew was falling to pieces in front of her eyes, and she was just too tired to pick up the shards.

As soon as Fitz managed to get Linh to let go of Keefe, he immediately rushed over to her, and squeezed her hand. He looked her in the eyes. "Sophie, I'm really sorry about keeping this from you. It's just that... I just wanted to respect Dex's wishes. What happened to him was something huge, something that I never know even could happen."

Sophie sighed and looked over the her side. "I forgive you, Fitz. I understand. It's just that, well, if you had told me a couple months ago what has happened in the past couple weeks, they would think you had gone insane. But now, here we are, and it seems that nothing is as it seems. It's going to be great to get Keefe back, but at what price? Judging by what has happened recently, I wouldn't be surprised as soon as he woke up, Dex suddenly turned into a pickle."

Fitz looked at her curiously. "What's a pickle?"

"It's a plant you eat."

"Is it a fruit or a vegetable?"

"I'm... not entirely sure."

Fitz took a deep breath. "You know, there's something I've been wondering about that would happen when Keefe woke up."

Sophie let go of his hand. "What is it?"

"Well, what was the one thing that got in the way of our relationship in the beginning?"

"The alicorns, and... Keefe."

"Exactly. We managed to get back together, but only when he wasn't around. And since then our relationship has-"

Sophie finished his sentence. "Never been better."

"Right. So if he wakes up..."

He let the unfinished sentence hang in the air.

"Fitz, he's your best friend. He wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

"Of course not. But still, I am worried."

Sophie pecked him on the cheek. "Don't worry, Mr. Paranoid. We'll deal with whatever comes our way."

Fitz blushed adorably. "Thanks, Ms. Impulsive. I'll keep that in mind."

Sophie glared at him. "How do you know that nickname?"

Fitz simply grinned and glanced over at Dex.

Dex sheepishly waved at them,.

Sophie sent a death stare at Dex. "I am going to kill him for that."

"Good luck with that."

"Mr. Paranoid and Ms. Impulsive, we make a pretty good team, don't we?"

Fitz smiled. "Yeah, I guess we do."

Dex finally finished reviving Tiergan, and he groaned and got off the ground. "That floor was not comfortable."

All of a sudden, Linh yelled as loud as she could. "Guys! Guys! He's waking up!"

Everybody crowded around Keefe's cot as fast as they could.

After a moment of silence, Keefe's eyelids flew open, and he immediately sat up, and promptly barfed. After a couple seconds, he weakly sat up, looked around, and grinned. "So, what did I miss?"