Chapter 68

chapter Sixty Eight

*Ariya*

Ivan left to go get us food and I had an idea. I wanted to see if Keo and I could progress our communication through our link and see if we could try to open the door to be able to switch. I tried to pull Keo's consciousness to me. I thought of how he walked and talked. I thought of how he stood and how tall he was. I thought of the details I could remember of him as I pulled at his mind.

*Ari, is that you?* Keo asked me.

*Yup. I'm trying to see you.* I giggled.

*Is Ivan there?* Keo laughed.

*Nope. Trying to figure this out before he gets here.* I laughed with him.

*Devious. I love it. Give me a second. Let me tell Drake so they don't freak out if I suddenly drop to the ground. I think I know how this works. Try doing what you were doing again in 15 seconds.* Keo told me.

*Let's try something else instead of severing the connection.* I told him.

*Oh?*

I pulled at Drake and Caleb's mind in the same way that I pulled at Keo's before we were able to talk. Caleb started to appear before me in the same way that he had when I had fed on him after I turned.

"Caleb!" I jumped excitedly and ran to him.

"Ariya! It's so good to see you again! Are you ok? How has everything been? Have they done anything yet?" Caleb asked, hugging me tightly.

"I'm ok, Caleb. They haven't done anything too crazy. I get the feeling that Boss is going to start getting impatient soon though. I miss you!" I laughed.

*How did? What? Are you and Caleb face to face?* Keo asked.

Caleb and I looked up when Keo spoke. It sounded like a voice overhead. We both looked at each other and started laughing.

"That's so crazy! Keo, you sound like you're on an overhead speaker. But yes, we're face to face." Caleb called out.

*We can hear you like normal, Caleb.* Drake laughed.

"How do we get you both in here?" I asked.

*Try doing what you did again. Caleb was the only one that seemed to accept it. We're going to sever the connection for a second so we can put up a barrier just in case. But try it again.* Drake told me.

"Do you know what's going on where you're at right now? Are you aware of your surroundings?" I asked Caleb.

Caleb put his hand on his chin and looked at the ground. It was like he was trying to get in tune with himself.

"Vaguely. I have to really focus. Ariya, is it safe for you to be doing this right now? Where's Ivan?" Caleb asked me.

"He's getting food. I just wanted to try it. Let me see about bringing Keo and Drake here." I held my arms out in front of me and once again I thought about pulling Drake and Keo to me.

Drake and Keo started to materialize in front of Caleb and I. Caleb jumped back, his eyes wide.

"That is so crazy!" Caleb said.

"How are you doing this, Ari?" Keo asked me, his eyes wide in wonder.

"Didn't you feel the difference this time, Keo?" Drake laughed.

"It was a pull instead of a push." Keo said, making the connection.

"I think there's a lot more we can do." I told him, "If we both pull I think we can swap places. But if I push myself to you, I think I can possibly make a projection of myself. I'm not completely sure. It's just a thought but I don't know how we actually take over. Right now all of you are in my mind."

Drake walked over and hugged me. I stood there, shocked at first but then hugged him back.

"Not sure what I did to get a hug." I said, awkwardly.

Drake laughed, "You are you. More than I ever thought. I thought when we all reconnected and you and Caleb were back that you both would somehow be different. I kinda expected you to be a lot different than you used to be just because of who you've been around. But I'm so happy to see you as well, you."

I cocked my head to the side, confused, "I mean don't get me wrong, there's a lot that's happened. But I'm always going to be me. I choose who I am going to be. Not anyone else."

"True, but people can influence you and to see you still so inventive and creative and just being devious like you and your brother always have been. It's good to see." Drake told me.

"He's right, Ari. I was a little nervous as well. We've all been apart for so long. But even Ivan seems to still be Ivan." Keo said.

"Seems to be? Are you expecting us to change?" I laughed.

"Not even a little bit." Keo laughed, coming over and hugging me as well.

"Ariya, I think you can make it to where we can see what's going on where you're at, I think you just have to focus." Drake told me.

I put my arms out in front of me once again, trying to think of seeing what was going on around me. I thought of it like a movie that everyone could see. My energy manipulation formed a huge rectangle just like a projector screen in front of all of us. After focusing a bit more the image appeared on the makeshift screen and we could all see what my eyes could see in real time.

"That's amazing!" Caleb gasped.

"Are we able to move around and see around you or talk to anyone that is there?" Keo grinned.

"I'm not sure honestly." I laughed.

"I think only one person can be the one that controls your body at a time, Ariya. I also don't think Caleb or I could do it. I think it has to be you or Keo. But we might as well give it a shot." Drake said.

"So we need to create a spot that basically is the place where whoever is on that spot is the one that's in control of movement and hopefully speech? The rest of us can watch like we're watching a movie?" Keo asked.

"Something like that I'm sure." Drake said.

I tried making a platform which failed. Keo tried, but failed. We tried a few other ideas which all failed. When I was about to give up for the moment, Caleb interrupted.

"Ariya, how did you bring everyone here?" Caleb asked.

"I just thought about how you all looked and details about you and tried to pull you here." I told him.

"Was it the same with you bringing yourself here?" Caleb asked.

"Pretty much. I thought of the area that I wanted us to be in. I just figured a plain room. It made it easier to think of the details of all of you. But when I was thinking of bringing myself here I just did the same thing as I did with all of you." I told him.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Keo said, looking at me grinning.

"Probably something close to it." I laughed.