All Seer

The Beginning
For some reason, it drew me, National Park. Just a strange calling in the back of my mind drew me to the park in the dark of night. I felt my neck prickle and instinctively raised my hands to protect myself. I saw no one, but kept on alert just in case. People were dangerous, mutants even more so. I reached the center of the entire park and noticed someone standing there.

"Hey." she said, tilting her head. I felt something on the edge of my mind.

"Hey..." I felt something try to enter my mind and I shoved it away. "Hey! Stay out!"

Her eyes widened. "You could tell?"

"Yeah! And I like to keep my thoughts to myself, thank you very much!" She raised her hands.

"Sorry, can't help it." There was an akward pause.

"So," I said. "Why're you here?" She stepped towards me.

"I'm here for you. Do you know how long I've spent searching? My entire life. So what can you do?" She was starting to scare me, but I kept calm.

"I- I don't know..."

"Well, nice to meet you Caelia. I'm Talia."

"First, it's Cal. Second...you know my name, how did you find out my name?"

"A method I formed in case someone could lock me out. If the brain is processing information, it has difficulties holding a protective wall." I made a note of that. Just in case. "I can usually read anyone's mind. So I figure whoever's mind I can't read must be a mind reader as well. Maybe that's your gift. Go on, try, I won't guard my mind." I had to admit, she was good. Then again, the barriers I usually held in place were not exactly the best; they were mostly for myself, so I wouldn't transfer my mind into another being again. I shivered at the thought, then pushed it away, mostly because if she found out...

Concentrate. I told myself. Waiting till I was sure I had no more interferring thoughts, I tentatively brushed her mind.

Don't get pulled in. I reminded myself. Don't get... I should have known better; it was like everyone else was a black hole, pulling me in. Immediately my eyes snapped open, breaking the connection. I realized I was breathing heavily.

<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;">"I can't. It's just......I can't." <span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;"> She stared at me with what reminded me of pity. Something I wasn't too familiar with.

<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;">"You'll have to let me in. I can find out who you are and what you can do."

<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;">I sighed and nodded weakly. Let her find out and decide to destroy me like everyone else. I could just feel her on the edge of my consciousness when the sound of footsteps broke both our concentration. Three men dressed completely in black were walking down the sidewalk as though they were completely inconspicuous. Listen, Talia whispered in my mind. ''Those guys hunt down mutants to experiment on. They say they're curing us, but they take away our gifts. We need to run since you don't know your powers and can't fight with the only advantage we have. Now, just start walking casually and when I say, run.''

<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;">

<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;">He stood on a thick branch next to a girl, watching the two mutants, Caelia and Tailia, back away from the men. He grinned as the men pulled out their guns and the girls started running. The girl next to him unfolded her wings, but he pushed them down. "We're testing them, remember? People who take tests don't get help."

<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;">"People who take tests also get prepared." She retorted, turning to face him. He shook his head.

<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;">"Caelia doesn't know her power and Talia hasn't had the proper training. I think this will be a good experience." She raised her eyebrow. "Fine, I'll help them... a bit." Lazily, he pointed his palm towards the men, creating a black hole and sucking them in. He tapped the girl on the shoulder. "Time to go.." He watched as she spread her wings and flew off, then turned back to the new recruits. They looked confused, making his smile grow wider, when one of them noticed him. Ah well, too late... He thought. Raising a hand, he waved once and disappeared. <span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;">He reappeared next to another mutant, nodding slightly. <span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px;">

"Another test is in order..."

"Who was that?" Talia frowned. I shrugged.

"I dunno." She thought for a moment.

"We should go."

Once again, we were walking, an awkward sort of silence between us. Whispers nagged at my mind, forcing me into a dream-like state to evade them. Suddenly, something snapped me back to reality. A single presence, which utterly confused me.

"Run!" Talia shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me along with her. I stumbled, mind still struggling. There were five policemen... but only one presence? It didn't make sense... While I muddled through this, Talia dragged me around in a maze of turns and backtracks trying in a desperate attempt to lose them. It didn't seem to matter, they kept up all too well. I felt myself being pulled to a stop and reluctantly left my thoughts to see what was going on. Talia looked panicked, and we were in a dead-end alley with the policemen advancing at an even pace. Then they stopped, parting to let through a teenage kid wearing a dark suit and sunglasses.

"Well." He clasped his hands behind him like an adult. "That was easier than I expected..."

"Who ARE you?! And why are you chasing us with illusions?!" I shouted angrily.

"Illusions..." Talia muttered, sounding as confused as I had been.

The kid smiled, the policemen disappearing into smoke. "Very good, you figured it out. It took you long enough."

"Listen you..." Talia growled.

"Or what? You'll attempt to enter my mind?"

"Who said anything about attempt..."

"Talia..." I muttered. Something wasn't right...

[other stuff, boring boring, OH, A COOKIE!]

Illusions
He floated over the lake, seeming, to anyone happening by, to be standing on the surface. Another boy poked his head out of the water.

"Don't you get cold in there?" He asked, to which the other shook his head.

"How was the mission?"

"It went.... according to plan," he said with a huge grin. "We should get back to HQ, shouldn't we?" He turned into a huge blackbird, the other boy, leaping from the water, being carried off by the bird-boy. They flew to HQ, going through the magical barriers.

The girl was waiting for them, watching while they landed, the bird transforming back to a human. Lazily, he walked  to a door, scanning his hand and walking in the room when the door slid open. The other two followed. Already inside were a group of mutants, sitting at a table and talking amongst themselves. Everyone grew quiet.

"...Jake!" the girl shouted.

"What?" he asked, yawning and leaning back in his chair.

"You need to call the meeting to a start!"

"But that's the Leader's job." He examined his hand.

"He's on a mission. You're second in command, remember?"

"Oh.. right, I call this meeting to a start." He waited, staring back at everyone's blank faces.

"Jake!"

"Oh right! We have tracked two mutants down. Their names are Caelia and Talia. Talia can read people's minds, and the other one is very strange. I felt a strong aura in her. Almost as strong as mine, which is the highest. Except for the Leader. I don't like the scent of Caelia's aura. It's...special. Luke?"

The lake boy, Luke, was already searching the database. Jake appeared behind him. "Describe it?"

"The aura color was grey-ish... silver maybe? And the scent was strange, I can't really describe, it.... changes. One second it smells like nutmeg, the next, burnt stuff, and others."

"Hmm..."

"Well?" he appeared back in his chair, tapping his finger impatiently on the table.

"Nothing's coming up," Dylan said. Jake sighed.

"Anyways, we need to test them again, the men and illusions weren't enough. Maybe... the Sand Worm?" A collective murmer sounded, and everyone nodded. "Very good." Silence accompanied stares. "Ugh, do I have to say EVERYTHING? I call this meeting to an end!"