The hivemind is conquering for me?

Opening my eyes, I felt the urge to stretch and allowed myself to do so. Despite being ’safe’, the pressure of being outside my Mindspace tolled heavily on me. After finishing helping everyone get back into their Mindspace’s, so they weren’t stuck in the Psionic plane, I had expended a great deal of Psionic energy and would need a bit of time to recover.

’I don’t know how my cute little agitators do that all day everyday.’ I couldn’t help thinking. I also couldn’t help thinking that Miss Duvile’s protection was not perfect when used on a group as the ominous sensation of being watched loomed over me a few times too many.

”Ugh, my head feels heavy.” I heard to my left. Mithra was rubbing her temples, clearly unused to straining her mind for so long. ”It will pass. My advice? Eat something with a lot of nutrients when you get back and avoid the craving for fatty food. It will only make it worse.”

”Noted.” She said and rubbed her temples some more before continuing. ”So, are you also done for the day? How long was that class for, two hours?”

”Mmmh, about two hours yes, but all we did was sit around waiting for the most part.” I then noticed on the desk in front of me two small disks, similar to the one I received from Hailey this morning. Clicking the button on both of them, I nodded my head in satisfaction when the two techniques showed up. The plane walking and the... Cultivation technique.

”Oh, To answer your question, I still have one more class that starts in twenty minutes.” Mithra then stood up and laughed. ”Oof, I do not envy you right now, what class do you have?”

I went to answer Mithra, but suddenly realised something. ”Huh, I don’t actually know? The woman who invited me to participate, Hecate, didn’t actually tell me what she does? She just told me to attend her class- and why are you looking at me like that?”

Mithra’s eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets as she asked. ”You... How... Lady Hecate asked you to participate in her class? You? A first year? Who is... You?”

”I can’t tell if you are insulting me or not? I will stay positive and assume you are just surprised?” I said with a smile on my face. Mithra just continued to look at me for a moment ”I-I can’t process this right now, have a nice night. See you tomorrow.”

She then stood up and hastily left the room. I shrugged my shoulders, not sure why she acted the way she did before turning to Janine who was pretending to sleep on my shoulder.

”Are you going to go straight home now? Janine? I know you are awake, your breathing pattern is different.” I said, prompting a silent. ”Fuck.” To escape her mouth. ”You and your stupid hearing. I was comfy... Yeah, I might as well head back now, I have nothing else to do while you are gone.”

I smiled. ”Good, I trust you more with the house than I do with the others anyway. Go make sure it hasn’t been burnt down, I need to stay behind for a few minutes as Duvile wants to talk to me.”

Janine smiled back as she stood up. ”Ok, but don’t forget, I still owe you a kiss for being sweet, so be prepared to fall in love with me again~” She said playfully before she too made her way out of the room.

A few more stragglers stayed behind talking to Duvile for a bit so I just made my way to the side of the room and waited with Nerissa until they were all done. ”So, how was experiencing the Psionic plane without a Mindspace present to protect you Apollo?”

”Not a fan.” I replied instantly, prompting Nerissa to laugh softly. ” I also do not enjoy it, I would have entered with you today, but my form does not turn into an energy state like yours would, I just appear as myself and that would naturally draw attention- why are you looking at me like that?”

I then explained what happened when I raw dogged the Psionic plane earlier, prompting Nerissa to look me up and down. ”Intriguing... You are not a Psionic entity. I have observed you and performed enough scans on you to determine without a doubt you are only Psionically gifted. I wonder what makes you unique in that regard that you also would appear just as yourself? Most intriguing?”

Nerissa then fell into deep thought, ignoring my question about these ’scans’ of hers. She was then saved as an impact hit my leg and began crying. I immediately became bewildered as Miss Duvile, who I thought didn’t like me all that much due to the incident with Janine at the start of the class, was hugging me tightly and crying. Not just sniffles, but full on bawling her eyes out.

My decision making took a vacation in that moment as I became overwhelmed with indecision and confusion. Completely dumfounded, my arms just acted on their own and began patting Duvile on the back.

”Uuuuh~ There there?” I said, comfortingly, but I was so confused. I looked to Nerissa for help, but she was either deeply focused on her current thinking, or was purposely ignoring the situation... I suspected the latter.

After thirty minutes of crying and squeezing, I felt the need to check if the woman was alright. ”Miss Duvile? Are you-”

”-No!” She suddenly stepped away from me and yelled, her cheeks stained with mascara. ”You will not call me that! You call me Beth, Or aunty Beth, do you understand? You poor sweet child.”

I looked around the room, confused. ’Is this a bit?’ I couldn’t help thinking. But was hastily brought out of my thoughts as the woman jumped up, grabbed my head and pulled me down to her height as she brought my head to her massive chest and began stroking my head in a comforting manner.

It would have actually been comforting, her breasts were like pillows after all, but my confusion was still at its peak. ”S-” Just as I was about to speak, she then positioned herself once more, her hands were like a vice locking my head in place as she forced me to look at her.

She looked angry, incredibly angry as she began. ”In my nearly two hundred and fifty years of life I have seen nothing as barbaric as what I have seen today. It took my everything not to feel this sadness inside the Psionic plane, but Apollo, you poor thing, Your Mindspace Barrier... Who would do that to you? It looks like you have been tortured for years constantly on the verge of breaking, then healing, then on the verge again over and over. No wonder it is so hardened... Who did it to you! Point me in their direction and your new favourite aunt will take care of them for you!”

’Ok, something weird is happening. What is with people and declaring they are my family and best friends all of a sudden? Is there something in the air on this moon?’ I thought for a moment before I realised something.

’She can tell what type of Training I have undergone by my barriers structure? That is terrifying and insanely cool!’ My thoughts didn’t linger on this for long however, before realising Miss Duvile was serious, there was a look in her eyes that was screaming for justice.

”I think there has been a misunderstanding Du-” I suddenly felt danger and quickly corrected myself ”-Beth. I have not been tortured. My Mindspace is simply the result of training since I was very young. Something I have consented to time and time again.”

Elizabeth then grabbed my head harder and looked directly into my eyes for what felt like an eternity, her gaze was piercing. Eventually, her eyes softened and she shook her head. ”Unacceptable. Even if you consented, no one in their right mind should allow a child to go through that type of training. There could be lasting effects due to whatever was done to you. This is unacceptable. As your newly appointed care giver, it is my imperative that you come to me for actual Mindspace training that while dangerous, Is much safer than what you were doing. Now, hold my hand, we are going to speak to your mother this instant and rectify her mistakes.”

”My m- Valerica? She isn’t responsible for this? She has only been my mother for less than a year. Also, I am late to a class, so I need to go.”

”Yes, I heard. Hecate’s class? I will be having words with her as well. Lets kill three birds with one stone as I guarantee Valerica will be there as well. Now, I will not repeat myself. Take hold of my hand and let’s get going.