META THETA PI

Episode 101: "Rush Week"

Xander Peirson drove his used car into the parking lot, parked and stepped out. He then took a good look around at where he would be living for the next four years: Gordon University. This would be his first time away from home for so long. He was a little scared, but also excited. He looked over the dormitory. It didn't look too bad, from the outside anyway. Xander took his duffle bag out of the car and carried it into the dorm. He found his room and knocked at the door. A moment later, another guy answered the door.

"Hey. I'm Xander."He told him as he held out his hand.

His new roommate didn't accept the handshake and looked Xander over instead. A slight look of relief then apeared on his face. "You seem normal. Good. I'm Kyle."

"What did you expect? Some freak show with crazy hair or something?" Xander asked. He walked into the room and sat his bag onto the bare bed.

"Believe me, I've heard some horror stories." Kyle replied. "My older brother's been here for a couple years already."

"Ah." was all that Xander said.

"I probably won't be here for long anyway. I'll be enrolling in his fraternity." Kyle told him.

"Cool." Xander said. "I'm staying. I doubt that I'm frat material."

---

Johnny's Pub was nearly empty since it was only lunch time. But Xander didn't care. He chose to have lunch here anyway. Kyle had told him that this place was one of the main hangouts of students. But that wasn't until evening, for the most part. And the place currently showed it. Not only was there a lack of customers, but the bar was rarely tended as well.

Xander finished his soda, then decided he'd rather have a beer. It surely wouldn't be his first, even though he wasn't quite 21 yet.

Xander approached the bar and waited. But after five minutes, no one had come. Xander grown impatient. He then looked around t omake sure no one was looking. Xander calmed his mind, then concentrated. A moment later, the minifridge under the bar opened all by itself. Then a bottle of beer floated out and landed quietly on the bar. Xander then looked around again, dropped a few bills on the bar, and returned to his seat with the beer.

Xander hadn't used his telekinetic powers in a while. Even though they had been passed down from his father, he had told him only to use them in emergencies. Maybe now that Xander was no longer under his roof, that could change. He smiled.

A man stood from the somewhat-crowded table in the corner and walked up to Xander's table. Had he seen what Xander did? He sat down across from him.

"We need a talented guy like you." he said. "Chris Rogers. Meta Theta Pi."

"But.. you don't even know me." Xander told him.

"I already know all I need to." Chris replied. He then looked around and lowered his voice. "I saw what you can do."

"I--" Xander began.

"No need to explain." Chris interrupted. He then handed Xander a small business-sized card.

"Meta Theta Pi." Xander read to himself. "Orientation." Then a date, time and address followed.

"You'll fit right in with us." Chris told him. He then stood and returned to his table.

Xander stared at the card for a few minutes, deep in thought. What did Chris mean by fitting in? When he finally looked up, he was suddenly awe-struck by a beautiful girl at the other end of the room. She was staring directly at him and sat near Chris' table, but Xander didn't recall her being at the table -- or here at all -- before seeing her just now. Where did she come come from?

A group of people barged into the pub with a racket at the front door. Xander looked toward the door, then back at the girl. But she was already gone. He looked all around, but she was nowhere to be found.

---

That evening, even though he was unsure about it, Xander showed up for Meta Theta Pi orientation. If anything, he'd be able to make some new friends anyway. He walked in through the open front door and fell in with the small crowd gathering in the living room.

It was then he saw Kyle sitting on the couch. What was he doing here? And as Xander walked over to sit down, Kyle asked exactly that. "I should be asking you that." Xander replied.

"I'm rushing here." Kyle answered. "You too?"

"I guess so." Xander said. "Someone just invited me." A thought came to Xander. Could this be a fraternity for those with unusual powers? He had been invited after using them after all. If so, that meant Kyle had a power too. Xander then wondered if Kyle was wondering the same thing.

Both of them had stopped talking. Then just when the silence between them became deafening, Kyle spoke up. "My brother's looking for me. Gotta go."

And before Xander could even mutter an "okay", he was gone. Not like his mystery girl, but close. And there he went, thinking of her again. She had been so beautiful... and had been staring right at shiny, flowing brown hair, those deep blue eyes... but why had she been staring at-- "Ow!" Xander's train of thought was broken upon the stomping onto his foot.

"Watch your feet, kid." the guy said.

"Watch my feet? You were the one walking." Xander replied, while standing up. He could tell the next words out of this guy's mouth wouldn't be nice.

"Lay off, Victor. You wouldn't want a relationship with a future frat brother to start off so sour, now would you?" a girl told him as she approached us, cutting off whatever Victor was about to say. Victor just resigned and walked away. The girl then turned to Xander. "Nice to meet you. I'm Cassie, Chris' sister. And likely to be yours too, soon." She smiled.

"Xander." he replied, smiling back. "Women can join Meta too?"

"Definitely." Cassie answered. "Men aren't the only one with.. power."

"Of course." Xander said as their eyes briefly met.

"Hope you pass the test." Cassie told him, then turned and walked away.

"Wait. Test? What test?" Xander asked. But it was too late. Cassie was already gone.

Not long after that, Chris walked up the stairs a little, using it as a stage. "Attention, please." Everyone in the room turned and looked at him. "Welcome to Meta Theta Pi, a very special fraternity that is like no other. This week, many of you will pass the test and begin on your way to becoming full members. I hope you all can take on these great responsibilities."

Responsibilities? Xander wondered what he meant by that.

"Return on Thursday night to be evaluated. Only the best shall be the ones who join us." Chris told everyone.

---

Kyle decided to stay at the frat house a little longer. Xander, on the other hand, was getting tired. He made his way back to the dorm on foot. He let out a small yawn. What did Chris mean by a test? I guess we'll all find out on Thursday.

Xander reached the last cross walk on the way. Just then, an older woman ran past him and began across the street. Oh no. Xander noticed something she did not. A car was coming. Fast. And he could tell the woman wouldn't be able to make it across in time.

Crap. Xander had to do this fast. He concentrated quite possibly the hardest he had ever done. Then he used that power to telekinitically lift the woman into the air. It looked as if she was being held in the arms of a very tall invisible man. The car sped by underneath her, music blaring. The driver didn't even mind stopping.

Xander then gently placed her on the sidewalk at the other side of the street. The woman straightened out her clothes, then looked over toward Xander. He acted like he was just as surprised as she was by what had just happened. Without a word, the woman turned and ran off down the sidewalk. Xander almost laughed.

Xander crossed the street and made his way up the steps to his dorm. But upon feeling a strange sensation, he stopped and turned around. The beautiful mystery girl who Xander had see nat the pub earlier was now standing not to far off in the lawn below. She looked up at Xander and smiled.

"Who-- Who are you?" Xander asked. She didn't reply. And then she suddenly disappeared in the blink of an eye. Literally. All Xander did was blink and she was gone.

Xander looked all around, but could find no trace of her. How does she do that? Could she be a Meta too?

---

Hours later, Victor finally made his way home. Only now, it was beginning to rain. Victor hated rain. But he had walked there, and now he had to return on foot as well. Luckily, his rich parents had bought him a house not too far away from campus. It was nothing like his real house, but it wasn't bad.

Victor was really looking forward to joining Meta Theta Pi. His father, who had once been a member himself, had told him stories about what he and his friends had done back then. And Victor was excited to follow in his foot steps.

The rain began coming down a little harder. Victor began walking a little faster in reply. All of a sudden, a strong bolt of lightning hit the electric pole not far in front of him. The transformer exploded in a shower of golden sparks. Victor jumped back in shock.

It was then that he noticed the man underneath the power lines, his hands up over his head in defense. Victor looked up at the power lines. They wouldn't hold for much longer.

Victor ran as fast as he could. "Run!" he yelled. The power lines disconnected and began to fall. Victor reached the man just in time and grabbed a power line in each hand. The man started to run away as Victor concentrated and began absorbing the energy so that it wouldn't shock him either.

Oh no. This was too much power. Victor had to find a safe way to expend it before-- It was too late. A super-powered bolt of electricity escaped from Victor's body and struck the running man in the back. His body stiffened in place, then he fell to the ground lifelessly.

Victor threw the power lines aside in the safest direction possible, then ran to the man. But it was too late. The man was dead. He was about to stand when he came up with an idea that might just work.

Victor rubbed his hands together, mimicing defibrulator paddles as he charged them up. He touched the man's chest with them, then quick;y pulled away. The man's body convulsed a little upon the action. But nothing else happened.

He tried it again. Nothing happened.

Another shock. Nothing happened.

"Crap." Victor muttered. He stood, looked around, then finally gave up and ran away.

---

Across campus that night and into the next day, the Meta pledges were tested using challenges specifically planned to each power they possessed. Some passed. Others failed. The following night, they would meet and discover who was successful...

---

Meta Theta Pi members of both current and future once again met to welcome those who passed their tests. Of course, no one knew for sure that they had already done the test until Chris confirmed it just moments ago.

Xander got himself a soda and started mingling. He avoided the nervous-looking Victor and headed toward Cassie instead. But Chris stopped him before he had reached her.

"How's our new member?" Chris asked.

"I'm in? Really?" Xander replied. After discovering that icident the other night was a test, he was pretty confident that he was.

"Well..." was all that Chris said.

"Oh, is there a female Meta member with the power to.. disappear quickly?" Xander asked. "I've seen this girl a couple times and she just disappears."

"Hmm... No, I don't think so." Chris replied.

"Oh, okay." Xander muttered. "Thanks anyway."

Chris then went directly to the stairs and joined who looked like his father. "It's now time to welcome our new brothers and sisters." He said loudly. "Would this year's pledges please stand forward at the bottom of the stairs."

Xander, Kyle, Cassie, Victor and a few others left the crowd and stepped forward, then Chris started. "Cassie Rogers. You're my sister. But in the course of your test, you have made me proud in an entirely new way. You may now join your new fraternity brothers and sisters. Hope you don't forget about me." Chris added with a small laugh. A few other small laughs were echoed in the crowd, then applause followed.

"Kyle Taylor." Chris redirected his gaze toward him. "You used your powers of invisibility to hide a girl and confuse her abusive boyfriend long enough for the police to arrive. Congratulations. You've been accepted."

Another round of applause erupted. Kyle smiled.

"Xander Peirson." Chris turned again. "You lifted the woman into the air with your telekinetic ability to save her from a speeding car, rather than just shoving her aside and possibly causing a lesser injury. Excellent job. Not only did you get accepted, but you're the best performer this year."

The crowd once again applauded. Xander smiled as well, then muttered "Wow."

Chris moved on to a few other pledges before finally reaching Victor. "Victor Chambers. You tried your best to save a man from downed power lines... but you failed. A man died and you ran away. Therefore, you were not accepted. At least no one really died, since all of the events only happened in your minds, thanks to one of our gifted sis--"

"No!" Victor screamed. "It was only an accident."

"I'm sorry, Victor. The decision is final." Chris told him.

"No!" Victor screamed once more. Only this time, the lights flickered. "My dad is expecting me to follow in his footsteps and become a Meta. And I want it too." The lights again flickered slightly.

Chris' father stepped forward. "But Victor, after your father left here, he went on to use his powers for evil and personal gain." he said. "Do you really--"

"No, you're lying." Victor said. He then quickly grabbed onto a lamp and concentrated, drawing the power into himself. As he did so, the lights began to flicker once again.

"You don't want to do this, Victor." Chris told him.

"Yes. I do." Victor said. While still holding the lamp, he raised his other hand and pointed it at Chris. Just as the electric charge left Victor's hand, Cassie jumped into its path. She was hit by the bolt, convulsed, then fell to the floor. Chris then ran and fell to his knees next to Cassie.

Victor seemed surprised by what had just happened. Xander began to concentrate, preparing to attack. But before he could, Victor was pushed up against the wall and couldn't move. An older Meta member left the crowd and walked up to Xander's side, with one hand aimed in Victor's direction.

"I'm Max Taylor." he told Xander. "Let me take care of this one, rookie."

But while Kyle's brother was introducing himself, Victor managed to move his hand enough to attack. A bolt of electricity left his hand and hit Max. He fell to the floor. With Victor now freed, he began to run. Xander then concentrated quickly and lifted Victor into the air before he had a chance to get away.

"Let him go, Xan." Chris said.

"Why?" Xander asked.

"Just do it." Chris replied. Xander let Victor go and he took off running out of the house. "Josh? Where's Josh?" Chris stood and called out.

Someone about Chris' age came out of the crowd and kneeled next to Cassie. He quickly put his hand on her and concentrated. And as he did, his hands began to glow. A few moments later, Cassie opened her eyes and slowly sat up.

"You didn't have to do that , you know." Chris told her.

"I know." Cassie paused to breath. "But I did."

---

Victor ran down the street, collecting energy and throwing it out again in a fit of rage. Car after car exploded, then burst into flame.

"I will have my revenge." Victor muttered.

---

"Are you alright, Cassie?" Xander asked as he kneeled down next to her.

"Yeah, I'm getting there." Cassie replied, then smiled at Xander.

Xander gave a smile back. He's only just started to get to know her, but he was still relieved that Cassie was okay.

"You could've been hurt, Cassie. Or worse." Chris told her. "What if Josh hadn't been here to heal you?"

Cassie only rolled her eyes in reply to her big brother's worrying. Xander then helped Cassie to her feet. "Why's everybody just standing around for?" she said. "The drama's over. Let's party."

Xander Peirson surely wasn't expecting this much out of college, and classes haven't even started yet. But with these new friends, he had a feeling that he would be enjoying his time here more than he ever thought he would.