I12DT: You'd Better Mind Your Training

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 11:32 pm

Astrid knocked on Mike's door, just a few minutes early for her tutoring session.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 12:29 am

"The door's unlocked, come in."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 12:38 am

Astrid opens the door and steps inside, closing it behind her.

Good morning. It's nice to see you again, Professor Asters.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 1:27 am

"It's good to see you too," he 'said,' sliding a cup of coffee across his (empty) desk to her. "How's the first few days of school been treating you?"

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 1:39 am

Thank you, Astrid says, taking the cup, It's been good so far. Everyone seems very kind.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:23 am

"I'm glad to hear that."

"And have you had any problems this week? Or recently, even, if you like?"

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:35 am

Astrid frowns, Nothing specific. I still...take stuff from people by accident if I'm not guarding myself though.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:22 am

He nodded, getting the sugar for her without her asking. "I know how that feels. The best defense I've found is to train yourself to be focused in your thoughts, so that things you pick up are... background noise, I suppose?"

"It's something people don't like to hear when they're not telepathic. Telepathy is just like having eyes or ears or a nose. You're going to use it. As long as you can block things out, you just need to get good at not paying attention to things that you pick up without wanting to."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:26 am

Makes sense.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:51 am

"It's easiest when you're not alone. If you have someone to focus on, you can block out any other thoughts, particularly if you're actively blocking their thoughts."

"This is all just general issues, though, if there are any specific things I can help with...?"

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:15 am

Astrid smiles nervously, It's difficult to talk about.

Awkwardness. Frustration. Discomfort. Anxiety.

I know it's probably impossible, but I would like to find out where everything in my head comes from. Where it comes from.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:19 am

He sat back, considering her for a moment. "It'll be difficult for a couple reasons," he told her. "First, because we have to identify which bits aren't yours. Some will be obvious. Others probably won't. Particularly after all this time. After that, though, it'll just require some time and effort. It's a lot like tracking down the origin of anything physical... if you have a good lead, you can manage it. Some things we might manage. Other things... only vaguely. And... there are other things that need considering before we undertake it."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:20 am

Like what? Astrid asks, I'm willing to do whatever it takes.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:24 am

"There might be enough bits and pieces to keep you tracking them down literally for an entire lifetime, even if you devote all of your time to it. Which obviously I don't recommend. First thing is that you need to content yourself with the fact that this might not be a job that you can ever fully complete."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:27 am

Astrid frowns but nods, I get that. Anything else?

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:36 am

"It's very, very easy to get lost in other people's minds. You probably know that better than most telepaths. Even more important than doing this, I think, is going to be finding any bits of 'you' that might have gotten lost three years ago, and ever since then. Moreover you're going to need to find a very strong sense of self, if we're going to be immersing ourselves in that many memories. I know the signs of someone who's getting too deep, I'm going to pull the plug for while if I see them in you."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:40 am

I understand. Don't worry, I'm totally willing to follow your lead on this, Astrid says, At the same time, if I feel like we're going too deep or things get uncomfortable, I'll make sure to let you know immediately.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:45 am

"Good. We're also going to have to help you learn at the same time how to keep those memories separate from your own. It's... going to take a lot of discipline, I'm not going to lie."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:48 am

Good, Astrid sits back in her chair a little, I could definitely use some discipline.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:02 am

"It ought to also help you blot out stray thoughts you pick up here and there. So it will help you every day in the long run."

"We could start now, if you like."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:04 am

I'd love to. What should I do?

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:06 am

"All right... do I have permission to enter your mind?"

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:12 am

Astrid relaxes, letting her defenses down.

Come on in.

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:22 am

The change was obvious, though it might not feel AS strange for her to feel another person's mind inside hers as it would for other telepaths. "Now... close your eyes. I want you to picture a setting for us. Someplace you can feel safe, so long as it's someplace that you can identify as yours. Then let it form around us so that we can get to work."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:26 am

Astrid concentrated for a moment and slowly her dorm room at XU formed around them.

For some reason, the lights were dimmed. Weird.

Astrid sighs, Is it messed up that this is the only room I really consider 'mine' at this point?

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:32 am

Now that they were projecting into an astral room, Cassiel relaxed and let himself seem to speak more normally. "I'm sure it seems that way to you. But you'd be surprised how often this is the setting people pick in their minds, particularly here." He smiled a bit wistfully for a moment, and an equally old-fashioned room, adapted into a dorm, although decorated as you might expect about a decade early, seemed to overlay her room for a second before vanishing.

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 1:41 pm

"So, you went to school here too?"

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:01 pm

"Well, we were in New York then, but yes," he said. "Back when Professor Xavier was running the school."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 10:38 pm

"What was it like back then?"

by **Michael Asters** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 11:14 pm

He had to think about this one for a minute. "It was... simpler. Lines were easier to draw, sides were easier to take. We all thought we were going to grow up like the X-Men, save the world, make it a better place, and end all the problems mutants have."

He chuckled quietly. "Then life happened."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Tue Sep 10, 2013 11:20 pm

"You don't want to save the world anymore?" Astrid asks, sitting on the bed.

by **Michael Asters** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:10 am

He sat down in the chair at her desk, turning it to face her. "Oh, of course I do. It's just that reality sets in. By now... we figured we'd have sorted everything out. Be the big heroes, everything would be great. The world's always going to need saving, and there's no age of enlightenment coming any time soon. What you can actually do is carve out a place for you and yours to be happy and try to keep the rest from ripping each other's throats out. Sometimes, that has to be enough."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 2:04 pm

"I don't know if I could be satisfied with that," Astrid says.

by **Michael Asters** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 6:25 am

"You won't be," he agreed. "But that's why it's a process that you don't give up on after a few years."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:37 pm

It looks like that answer doesn't satisfy Astrid, but she doesn't pursue the point, "So, when you're in my head like this, how much do you know about me?"

by **Michael Asters** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:53 am

"Well, I could call up anything," he admitted. "But being in here like this, openly, with you aware of me? You'd know that I was doing it. Right now the honest answer is 'whatever you want me to know.'"

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 2:03 am

"Well, that's good," Astrid says, "It'd be embarrassing if you knew everything I was thinking."

by **Michael Asters** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 2:14 am

He smiled at that. "If we weren't focusing our thoughts into avatars right now, that might happen. Right now, the most that will happen is that you'll think something too loudly and find that you accidentally said it. It's easier to keep a tighter control on what you think like this... but when you slip up or unconsciously decide to make something known, it's a lot more obvious. If that makes sense."

by **Astrid Ambramovic** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 2:22 am

"So, what do we do next?" Astrid asks.

by **Michael Asters** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 2:47 am

"Think of the strongest memory that you have that you know isn't yours. Think of it and give it form. We'll keep it isolated in here while we try to track its source."

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