Hashim had never been considered a model student.
This new school would be no different. All of them advertised some form of "help" for students. None of them worked. Sure, they would try. Sure, they might think it worked, for a while.
But in the end, who would come out on top? His latest "home" had been searching for a "facility that would understand him" for three years. Naturally, they were trying to fix him. Everyone did.
"Oh, it isn't your fault."
"Oh, you poor dear."
"Oh, how awful for you."
"I'm so sorry."
What wasn't his fault?
That he was broken? That he had people in his head? That he couldn't control their actions?
That his parents had...
Stop it.
He wasn't broken. He knew that much. There was a balance, an agreement. Strong come before weak. It was a struggle, sometimes. The environment mattered. Different places, different things, made different minds stronger.
Human brains were strange things. Toon had been studying them on the side. Toon thought they were an interesting subject. Of course, Toon thought everything was an interesting subject.
Humans are an interesting subject. Don't you want to know how they work? What makes them tick? How to wind down the clock?
No. No, he didn't.
Are you sure? I can feel your curiosity.
Toon wasn't real. That's what they all said. But if he wasn't real, then why did Hashim hear him?
I am real. You're not crazy. Just because someone doesn't believe you...
Shut up, he mentally ordered. Surprisingly, Toon listened. It had been a while since one of them had obeyed him. Back since....
NO. Don't think about it.
Xavier had been taking over more and more often. Probably something to do with this new university. Apparently, they had been all-girls for a few years before opening up to everyone.
Yeah.
Needless to say, Xavier wasn't exactly the best influence. Jake was better, much better, and he handled social circumstances well. But Xavier refused to really go away. Hashim knew that he didn't really want Xavier to go away. After all, if nothing else, he was a patch to stop Bunny. A drain of sorts.
This school was supposed to be "The foremost training ground for young minds and their abilities!", whatever that meant. To Hashim, anyway, it meant problems. People asking questions.
At a school for "bright minds", people would always have questions. Somehow he had gotten through high school, though he couldn't seem to keep one school, or one family, for more than a year. Hashim's parents had died a long time ago. He didn't think about it. He hardly saw his family anyway. His foster parents always seemed eager to send him off to a boarding school, then forget about him.
Right now, he lived with an old lady that acted very calm with him. It wouldn't last long. She had adopted seven children, and hadn't lost a single one so far.
Well, it was too bad she had picked Hashim. He hated to be the one to break her streak.
I'm old enough now to not need a guardian anymore, though, he thought. She can just say that I've grown into a 'fine young man', or whatever it is parents tell kids they're actually proud of, and then send me off to live on my own.
He never actually thought like this around her. She was a nice woman, and she tried so hard. Even Xavier and Corpse didn't contradict his actions around her. There were few times that they all agreed on anything, but Hashim was more whole around her. Just like with his parents...
DON'T.
They were gone. He had to look ahead, to his studies, to his job,
To the parties....
Shut up, Xavier. He heard Xavier laughing at him.
Why should I? Bunny doesn't listen when you tell him to shut up.
This isn't about Bunny.
Xavier was skeptical, clearly. It was true that Hashim spent a lot of time trying to control Bunny, but that was because of his personality. Bunny didn't think about anything other than what he wanted. Xavier might be annoying...
Hey!
But Bunny was so much worse.
Hashim heard a faint call from the deep consciousness, the place where they put the worse personalities. Or the useless ones, the ones that weren't whole. There were some whose only redeeming trait was that they were good at gambling. Hashim had tried hard to create the perfect personality for that, and had ended up with Xavier. True, he wasn't unnaturally lucky, like some of them were, but he was good with cards, and had a wicked sharp mind, as well as an uncanny ability to charm and manipulate almost anyone.
Hashim sighed, and tuned out the annoying buzz as best he could. It was a sign of one of the deep consciousnesses trying to communicate. Probably Bunny. The guy always had something to complain about. Maybe that was why he was so good with people. As Xavier always said, nothing made friends quite as quickly as common evils.
With a concentrated effort, Xavier and Hashim silenced Bunny to the back of their mind, and then as a thanks for his help, Hashim let Xavier take over.
Of course, Xavier immediately pushed himself up into the air with his ability, and scanned the crowd of students for that girl from earlier. His ability was fourth-tier, and it allowed Xavier to condense things, making them more dense, heavy, and also slightly smaller, though for unknown reasons, things didn't always get smaller, only sometimes.
The most showy way he'd discovered to use it so far was to pack air into a small enough space that it would support him like it was solid, which allowed him to walk, or even just float, above the ground.
Using it to support things other than himself was difficult for him, though, so while he could theoretically take someone on a joyride without a vehicle, it would strain him much more than just doing what he was doing right now, which was floating above the ground and being the center of attention.
People who had abilities that were too showy, or "destructive", as it was called officially, weren't allowed to use their ability anywhere, though the damage capacity rating of this university was pretty high, so "too destructive" didn't include many, though to his knowledge, there were four even with the lax regulations.
Toon kept careful track of them. He kept track of a lot of things. All Xavier was trying to keep track of was that girl who he had talked to. She had reacted quite strongly. Maybe she would go drinking with him later, if he asked nicely.
Yeah, right, Hashim thought. "Nicely".
I don't know what you're talking about, Xavier responded mentally. Ah, there she was!
She wasn't that bad looking, despite her reclusive personality. He bet he could weed that out pretty quickly.
Bunny started coming up at that thought.
Insufferable pest, Xavier thought to the group. He tuned out Bunny's buzz, and smiled to himself. That would keep the idiot busy for a while. He couldn't try to take control when he was annoyed.
He scanned the crowd of people, and noticed a few boys gravitating to her. Xavier made a mental note of each of their faces. If she was as shy as he thought she was, he would need to pay them a little visit to make sure they didn't decide to "take the initiative".
Not everyone is a scumbag, Xavier, Hashim thought at him. Just Bunny. And don't think I didn't notice you planning to protect her. You're not as bad as you think.
Xavier ignored Hashim, and watched the girl. She was decently pretty. She had red hair, and freckles, and wore her glasses like she was afraid of people noticing them. Her uniform was neat and well-groomed, or at least decently so. She was clearly not the sort of girl that messed around. Certainly not what anyone would call beautiful with her bashful manner, but not bad at all.
The buzz came again.
Shut it, Bunny, Xavier and Hashim thought at once. Xavier smiled. Sometimes Hashim wasn't so bad, despite his absolutely abysmal social skills. He was better when he was playing a role. Hashim was good at playing roles, but he still preferred that Xavier did the smooth talking.
Xavier felt annoyance broadcasted from Hashim, and smirked, acknowledging his point. Of course, Hashim didn't like most of the smooth talking that Xavier did, but that was only because there was usually a girl on the receiving end.
At least I'm better than Toon, Hashim thought indignantly. Xavier just rolled his eyes. Toon was so bad, he couldn't even be counted as a person in that regard.
I am not that bad, Toon thought. You are simply assuming that your way is the only way. That is not my fault, that is your fault.
Xavier rolled his eyes again. At this rate, he would lose track of the girl. If only certain people would stop saying such stupid things.
You're the stupid one, Hashim thought. You just refuse to admit it.
You're all idiots, Corpse thought.
...
...
...
O...kay? Hashim thought hesitantly. The confusion thrust him back into control, but he was also disconcerted.
Uh..... Thanks? Xavier thought. After all, it was a step up from his usual comments. And what else was he supposed to say?
True, was Toon's response.
Hashim shook his head. He really needed to figure this place out quickly.