Avery was standing in the Hanson's living room, in front of her parents and various other family members. Her fuzzle, Jade, sat on her shoulder, nuzzling into her neck soothingly.
"So... ummm, I guess I should explain why I've called this family meeting of sorts."
Taylor & Walker
"Take your time," Taylor insisted, sitting on the floor with his arms around his knees.
Walker sat back into the lounge with his arm around his wife.
Avery
Avery paced a bit, reaching up to pet Jade. The fuzzle bounced happily on her shoulder, careful not to fall off.
"Well, as you guys know, I went up the the Station yesterday. And I went to see Tanya about... well about everything."
She took a deep breath.
Isaac and Zac
Zac resisted the urge to make some lame joke, as was his tendancy with loaded silences. He figured that standing up in front of the family was hard enough as it was.
Isaac nodded, his eyes not leaving Avery's face and hoping to encourage her to say... whatever she needed to say.
Avery
"We talked a lot about... me killing the Eye and stuff," Avery went on uncertainly, not really sure how her family was going to react to her just saying it. She hadn't really talked about it properly with anyone. Sort of with Taylor, but she didn't tell Taylor the things she told Tanya.
It would probably always just stay between herself and Tanya, but her family had the right to know there was something going on there.
Walker & Taylor
"Go on," Walker encouraged.
Taylor shot him a look.
Avery
"Well, I mean... we knew that there was something up, like I was a potential Master because I ended up getting the collar off him," she began, scratching Jade gently.
"And the fact that I had a fight with him - and won - well that kinda confirmed it."
Avery paused for a moment, trying to find a way to word her next phrase.
"Well, it turns out... I'm not just a Master. I... I'm going to progress to Grandmaster level."
Taylor & Walker
Taylor's eyes immediately lit up.
"Did Tanya confirm it?" he asked straight away.
"Yes, did she?" Walker cut in.
Avery
"Well, yeah, she was the one who told me."
Avery gave a little shrug.
Zac and Isaac
"Sounds like a qualification to me," Zac grinned.
"That's quite impressive," Isaac said. "You're just walked into the Ultra Rare level of Telepathy. Do -"
"Ike?"
"Yes Zac?"
"You're taking this power researching of yours way too seriously."
Ike poked his tongue out at Zac and turned back to Avery.
"But seriously, that's quite cool... You think it's cool, right?" he inquired.
Avery
Avery shrugged again.
"It's interesting. I mean... powerwise, it's opened up a lot of doors. At the Station, I can still hear you guys, just faintly."
She paused.
"You guys are pretty much always in my head now, like background noise. And I'm fairly confident that I could break through your shield, Ike."
Isaac and Zac
Isaac grinned.
"Well, it stands to reason, since you're a grandmaster and Tanya's just a lowly master," he replied, half joking.
"I don't think I would describe Tanya as lowly to her face," Zac replied.
"No... that probably wouldn't be wise."
Taylor
"She'll find it in your head anyway, your ass is fried," Taylor chuckled.
Their father cleared his throat.
"Sorry," Taylor tried to hold back a laugh.
Avery
"He's not," Avery said. "You should hear him."
She sat down cross legged on the floor and played with Jade.
"So Tanya's going to train me up to Master level, and from there, I have to train myself. Next up, world domination!"
Zac and Isaac
"Yes!" Zac exulted. "I knew someone would come around to my way of thinking sooner or later. So, Avie, wanna start with the Carribean?"
Isaac shook his head and laughed.
Avery
"Yes, yes I do," Avery grinned.
"We'll start off small, and work our way up."
Zac and Isaac
"Marvellous," Zac said, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "I'll get us some intel on the Carribean situation and -"
"I believe Avie said the world domination comes after she finishes training herself," Isaac pointed out.
"And what better teacher than experience?"
"She has to finish training with Tanya first."
"Oh, yeah. Drat. But that doesn't mean I can't get a head start!"
"Uh huh."
Avery
"And plus, what if I decide to smote you, once I have reached my potential?" Avery joked.
"I may decide that I no longer want an accomplice."
Taylor & Walker
"Well we've had long talks about it, and we decided that if you successfully take over the world, we're ok with losing a brother," Taylor nodded, "for the greater good, you know."
"Getting back to the topic at hand," Walker looked between his boys for a moment, "will anything need to change for now? Speaking of your training, and such."
Avery
Avery shook her head.
"Right now, training will stay the same, it'll just pick up a bit. More full on, really."
She shrugged.
"I'm thinking of moving back to the Station."
Isaac and Zac
"It would save extra travelling," Isaac replied. "Not that we don't want you around, of course."
"Says you," Zac replied, "you're not the one that she wants to kill."
Taylor & Walker
Taylor chuckled under his breath.
"Have you spoken with Tanya already?" Walker asked.
Avery
"Yeah, like I said, we talked about it."
Avery shrugged.