“Kane. You know that this isn’t the end, right?” The woman who claimed to be Kane’s mother asked with a sullen tone and piercing eyes, which Kane did not try to match with any emotional expression of his own.

“You can no longer keep me. I’m going to Sanctuary. Bertram already pulled some strings to get me into the academy there.” Kane stretches his arms over his head as he speaks, before turning to leave without a response.

“Kane Baelirus, just because you’re-”

Kane slams the door to the office behind him, and begins walking down the hallway towards the exit. He half expects to sense his self-proclaimed mother trying to chase after him, but isn’t surprised when she doesn’t. Ultimately, he knows he’s in this situation because of his father, his real one, not Jack Baelirus. He knows he shouldn’t blame that woman for anything that has happened in his life.

“Still…” He mutters to himself about many of the stupid things the people in this family, including himself, have done. He lets his rage boil into his mouth as he walks, finally erupting in a near-triumphant cry, “MOTHERFUCKER!”

“I see you’re still energetic, master.” Bertram’s calm voice from behind the exit door immediately silences Kane’s anger.

“Thank you. Are we ready to go?”

“Almost, master, but your gear isn’t packed, should I wait for you to go-”

“I won’t be bringing it with me. I want to leave that all here.” Kane looks back down the hallway, at all the doors leading to various labs and meeting rooms, and shuts it behind him unceremoniously. “They can figure out how to torture some other kid.”

“As you wish, master.” Bertram begins walking down the metal grate stairs towards the waiting vehicle, and Kane follows him slowly. “By the way, I hope you do not expect me to join you in Sanctuary, but in case you did, please accept my formal rejection to do so now.”

“I didn’t plan to drag you into my life, Bert. I want this to be a fresh start. No family ties or experiments holding me down.” Kane steps into the car door held open by his loyal butler, and eyes all of his possessions on the other side of the car. He sighs as he realizes that his entire life can be packed up in a mere two suitcases set on folded down car seats.

“Is that why you want to go to the academy? Outside of it being Lucy’s school, at least.” Bertram’s tone indicates that he doesn’t really want to know, which Kane appreciates. After starting the car, he continues. “Rock or blues today, master Kane?”

“Neither… Country, and keep it on low, we should just talk until we get to the airport.”

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Stepping into the apartment for the first time, he notes how much smaller it is than his room back ‘home’ was. Kane supposes that even if he was more of a lab rat than an actual child, the Baelirus family probably wanted him to have at least technically have a life befitting their status.

Therefore, the bare walls, kitchen with only a microwave and fridge, empty main room, and singular bedroom with no actual bed in it are both incredibly disappointing and incredibly welcome. He doesn’t plan on bothering his so willingly discarded family for money, so he muses to himself that beyond his previous stuff, this place will be quite bare for a while.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The closet has two things in it already, only one of which surprises him. The Sanctuary Academy for the Psychically Gifted, or SAPG, as the navy blue uniform so abbreviates, evidently decided to send him a gift. The uniform was a given, of course, but the information packet will give him something to do until his first day tomorrow, which he greatly appreciates.

Not having much else to do, and not wanting to unpack, he decides to try on the uniform now. The blue Khaki pants fit perfectly, even if they do restrict his movement more than he’d like. Kane remembers that the girls uniform had a skirt and leggings, and honestly believes he’d prefer that, just to be able to sprint comfortably. The thick dress shirt with the academy logo and abbreviation on it fit ok enough, but he does wish he’d gotten a taller size. Sure, it fits, but tucking it in like a proper dress shirt is uncomfortable. He’d rather have a size up.

It’s a good thing the uniform is technically optional, though Kane decides that he won’t forgo it for his very first day, especially not when Lucy will likely be greeting him. If anything, that’s all the more reason to make sure his appearance matches the photographs of model students as much as possible, just so he isn’t berated for it.

It is only after a solid hour of messing with getting his uniform just right that he bothers to check the blue-wrapping paper covered box the information pamphlet had been left on. After opening it, Kane curses to himself, and breaks out laughing as he realizes an incredible folly he has made. The chocolate bar inside the box has a note attached, detailing a set of directions and signed with ‘- Lucy :p’. More importantly, it’s his only food for his first night in the city.

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Kane does his best to keep his head up as he takes his first few steps into the main entry hall of the academy. The presence of so many psychics in one place adjusting to his new aura… Is what he wished was going on. In actual fact, it isn’t hard to see that everyone is visibly unnerved, and a couple of the more sensitive ones look visibly sickened. He doesn’t make it to the stairs before he can hear the first few bits of gossip pointing him out as the source of whatever it is they’re all feeling.

He doesn’t bother listening, but finds it mildly alarming that even with powerful psychics walking through Sanctuary all the time, his aura specifically still has that sort of effect on his peers. Kane tries to convince himself to just let it be the way it is as he makes his way up the stairs and around the corner to the left, the set of directions Lucy’s note. Just to occupy himself, he tries to keep track of as many of his peers as he can.

None of them jump out as being powerful per se, but there’s a girl in what looks to be a Psitech lab with an active barrier technique, a blonde guy with an openly broadcasted charm technique everyone is carefully ignoring, and so on. Seeing so many people openly flaunting their own powers is comforting, in a way. Or, it would be, if all of those people didn’t visibly shiver the moment Kane walked within several feet of them.

Eventually though, he reaches the stairs heading up labeled ‘roof access: maintenance only’, and suddenly his odd set of instructions clicks. The moment he reaches the top, and sees Lucy’s unmistakable aura and brown ponytail, he speaks.

“Manage to get yourself a girlfriend yet?” Kane flinches as he watches her aura flair up, sparks visible between Lucy’s fingertips for a moment, before she calms while turning abruptly.

“Five. Years. And that’s what you have to say to me?” Kane thinks she sounds different, and not just because her voice is deeper. He’s not sure, but isn’t given time to ponder. “Well?”

“I’m back. And I’m here now. How’d you know I was coming? I told Bertram to let it be a surprise.”

“A friend of mine has access to the records, and told me she recognized your name. And before you ask, she’s not my girlfriend.” Lucy sticks her tongue out at him, which only gets him to laugh a little, content with at least that not changing. Kane stops laughing and winces internally at her next question. “Are you going to suppress your aura?”

“I am.” Kane admits solemnly, and walks over to the fence, looking out at the courtyard Lucy had been watching when he’d arrived.

“That bad, huh?”

“Yeah.” Kane answers curtly, before becoming briefly intrigued by the outdoor sparring field, and the match going on there.

“Jake Sullivan and Marty Ross. Mid ranked. Jake has potential, but nothing exceptional.” Lucy informs him before he so much as looks at her, which is appreciated, but prompts a question.

“This place ranks us?” Kane turns to look his old friend in the eyes, before turning back after getting a small nod. “What rank are you?”

“Five.” Lucy gets closer to him, and prods him in the rips with her elbow. “Want to see why?”

“I saw you consider blasting me when I greeted you, I think I know why.” Kane lets his mind wander to her particular ignition technique, silently comparing the one he saw to the one he remembers from so long ago.

“Yeah, but I also want to see what you’re capable of now.” She takes a step away from him, and Kane turns to face her again. “Plus, I want to show off, and not just for you.”

“Fine. But you owe me lunch after. I… haven’t eaten anything.”