Post by Sword_of_Aeons on Mar 12, 2006 22:45:54 GMT -6
Alkesh ended his meditation by thinking about his mission. Not fully, just the edges of it; letting his subconscious take a look. He did this both as a way to bring himself from his meditative trance, and because he wondered if any new insights would surface. His mind felt so refreshed and his head no longer hurt. Instead, he felt awake and calm. When he opened his eyes, the sun was not where he expected it to be at all. Still relaxed from meditation, he took in the scenery and noticed the map book open on Virose's lap.
The hero wasn't looking at it, but had a finger upon the line that was their route. The marks on the map next to his finger indicated that they should be in a forest, and indeed they were.
That was a source of additional calm for Alkesh, though Virose looked exceedingly bored.
"I apologize," said Alkesh. He spoke in a gentle tone, but Virose still gave a small jump- which they both pretended never happened. "...I see we are well on track. That is most excellent!"
Virose replied uncharacteristically fast. "All that coffee wasn't enough?"
Alkesh blinked and tilted his head slightly to the side before he could reprimand himself for doing such a thing. "I don't..." he started.
"... To keep you awake," Virose clarified, though his attempt at clarifying actually cause Alkesh more confusion.
"Awake?" he asked. Though, when the only reply he received was a smirk he added, "Well... I was meditating."
Virose shrugged and went back to looking at the scenery. "That's a new one," he said. "Most people just claim they were 'resting their eyes'."
Alkesh was able to hold back the head tilt this time, though he felt more confused than ever until he realized that Virose did not know how to meditate. Or even what meditation was.
That seemed odd.
The Order always taught patients to meditate even if only for a few minutes a day. Faster healing, calm, focus... Then again, the Order also taught people to talk about their lives- yet another skill Virose had not quite learned.
Choosing to smile at the misunderstanding, Alkesh placed himself into a cheerful mindset. "It's actually quite a useful skill for relaxation and focus," he chimed, pleased when Virose turned to look over at him, though the look on his face was strange.
"Here, I can show you." He faced forward again, with his spine straight and the backs of his wrists on his knees, eyes shut. "You sit like this and clear your mind. You can focus on your breathing, or a steady noise, but keep your mind clear."
He picked out the gentle clip clip of the horses hooves. "If you start thinking about something, let that thought go. Let your senses and subconscious explore the world around you while your conscious brain rests. Just breathe in through your nose... and out through your mouth..."
The fact that he did not hear a second breath along with him caused Alkesh to peek through his right eye, to see that Virose wasn't following any of his instructions.
He wasnt even paying attention and had hopped off the cart to stretch his legs.
Alright. Meditation was out. What about talking?
"So," Alkesh started. "What had you hiding behind the blacksmith shop?"
Virose caught the word 'hiding.' "I was trying to avoid certain people."
Alkesh made a mental note that Virose was more honest when there were no witnesses. "Oh? Who were you trying to avoid?"
"Stubborn lizard priests looking for mercenaries," came the reply with an ironic smile that seemed to gain its energy by stealing if from Alkesh. He felt his crest flatten and his heart sink.
"...Oh." Alkesh blinked, his tongue flickering in and out of his mouth, and faced forward. 'The academy,' he decided, 'does not teach meditation, talking, or manners.'
--They see a town in the distance eventually, backlit by the setting sun. Virose glances at it and then refuses to look again. This is just the catalyst moment for his distraction. This may also be the point where Alkesh enlightens him on the mission, could have Virose ask just to stop Alkesh from talking about the town. At that point, he learns the mission and freaks out, only to be threatened in return. It is as Cillesh suggested, in that Virose responds to the threat with obedience. Particularly the threat about being eaten. He can't focus after that, and doesn't notice they are being followed. He might suspect it, but think that is his own panic. Panic attacks are terrible and painful, so he tries to calm down- a difficult task- and telling himself they are not being followed is part of calming down. Alkesh can see the distress and tries to retract the threat, and suggests they pull off the road. Virose is still distracted and Alkesh attempts to apologize- now legitimately worried the hero will run off. When Virose climbs down from the wagon, the bandits are waiting.
--
Freaking out in a night terror. Virose tells Alkesh that what he just saw is the reason Virose knows he is not capable of being who Alkesh needs him to be.
The hero wasn't looking at it, but had a finger upon the line that was their route. The marks on the map next to his finger indicated that they should be in a forest, and indeed they were.
That was a source of additional calm for Alkesh, though Virose looked exceedingly bored.
"I apologize," said Alkesh. He spoke in a gentle tone, but Virose still gave a small jump- which they both pretended never happened. "...I see we are well on track. That is most excellent!"
Virose replied uncharacteristically fast. "All that coffee wasn't enough?"
Alkesh blinked and tilted his head slightly to the side before he could reprimand himself for doing such a thing. "I don't..." he started.
"... To keep you awake," Virose clarified, though his attempt at clarifying actually cause Alkesh more confusion.
"Awake?" he asked. Though, when the only reply he received was a smirk he added, "Well... I was meditating."
Virose shrugged and went back to looking at the scenery. "That's a new one," he said. "Most people just claim they were 'resting their eyes'."
Alkesh was able to hold back the head tilt this time, though he felt more confused than ever until he realized that Virose did not know how to meditate. Or even what meditation was.
That seemed odd.
The Order always taught patients to meditate even if only for a few minutes a day. Faster healing, calm, focus... Then again, the Order also taught people to talk about their lives- yet another skill Virose had not quite learned.
Choosing to smile at the misunderstanding, Alkesh placed himself into a cheerful mindset. "It's actually quite a useful skill for relaxation and focus," he chimed, pleased when Virose turned to look over at him, though the look on his face was strange.
"Here, I can show you." He faced forward again, with his spine straight and the backs of his wrists on his knees, eyes shut. "You sit like this and clear your mind. You can focus on your breathing, or a steady noise, but keep your mind clear."
He picked out the gentle clip clip of the horses hooves. "If you start thinking about something, let that thought go. Let your senses and subconscious explore the world around you while your conscious brain rests. Just breathe in through your nose... and out through your mouth..."
The fact that he did not hear a second breath along with him caused Alkesh to peek through his right eye, to see that Virose wasn't following any of his instructions.
He wasnt even paying attention and had hopped off the cart to stretch his legs.
Alright. Meditation was out. What about talking?
"So," Alkesh started. "What had you hiding behind the blacksmith shop?"
Virose caught the word 'hiding.' "I was trying to avoid certain people."
Alkesh made a mental note that Virose was more honest when there were no witnesses. "Oh? Who were you trying to avoid?"
"Stubborn lizard priests looking for mercenaries," came the reply with an ironic smile that seemed to gain its energy by stealing if from Alkesh. He felt his crest flatten and his heart sink.
"...Oh." Alkesh blinked, his tongue flickering in and out of his mouth, and faced forward. 'The academy,' he decided, 'does not teach meditation, talking, or manners.'
--They see a town in the distance eventually, backlit by the setting sun. Virose glances at it and then refuses to look again. This is just the catalyst moment for his distraction. This may also be the point where Alkesh enlightens him on the mission, could have Virose ask just to stop Alkesh from talking about the town. At that point, he learns the mission and freaks out, only to be threatened in return. It is as Cillesh suggested, in that Virose responds to the threat with obedience. Particularly the threat about being eaten. He can't focus after that, and doesn't notice they are being followed. He might suspect it, but think that is his own panic. Panic attacks are terrible and painful, so he tries to calm down- a difficult task- and telling himself they are not being followed is part of calming down. Alkesh can see the distress and tries to retract the threat, and suggests they pull off the road. Virose is still distracted and Alkesh attempts to apologize- now legitimately worried the hero will run off. When Virose climbs down from the wagon, the bandits are waiting.
--
Freaking out in a night terror. Virose tells Alkesh that what he just saw is the reason Virose knows he is not capable of being who Alkesh needs him to be.