Psychic training with Rosco

[Rudi]

Rudi lay on the floor of the deck, staring up at the boards that made up the ceiling. She kept her ear open for those she held closest to her here in Holdfast, her little pack. But, fortunately, they were safe. She could hear the sounds of conversation and laughter, of light sparring and the general sounds of life that she had missed in the long day the Gauntlet had been going on. She still couldn't believe she slept through it, she chastised herself as her eye caught a insect flying above her head. She just lay there, watching it.

[Rosco Agassi]

Rudi's silence is respected, but her solitude is not. There's an added heaviness to the air as a second body drapes itself onto the floor of the deck.

It's not hard for Rudi to tell it's Rosco - a flash of a red cloak obstructing her vision as he settles himself next to her, a thick thump as he sets his surgical kit next to him and the rattle of far too many pouches and bags hitting the wood. He's not quiet - even when he doesn't say a word.

[Rudi]

She perks up when Rosco settles himself next to her, turning to him and giving a smile. "Nice of you to join me. I've been watching... well, I guess I haven't been watching the clouds. Watching the boards. It's very boring." She was still, internally, musing about the Gauntlet. It probably shows on her face, a brief pensive look before she shakes her head and smiles again.

"I've been meaning to ask something, if you're in a good place today."

[Rosco Agassi]

"The view isn't great," He teases, following her gaze up to the boards that cover the ceiling. It's a nice enough day that the air itself is refreshing, especially after coming out of the stuffy inn. Laying down brings comfort, and it isn't long before his eyes are closing as exhaustion sets in. His body has yet to recover from the all-nighter The Gauntlet provided.

She speaks and it seems to snap him awake. His eyes open and he turns his head slightly to look over his shoulder at her. "'Good place' is a bit of a loaded question. This is Holdfast, after all." He's smiling while he says it, a light-hearted tone to his words. "What do you need?"

[Rudi]

(OOG: Remember how I said I was slow at replying. Yeah.)

Rudi pauses for a moment when his eyes close then snap open. He must have been tired, healing everyone with only Keket's help. "True!" She smiles at him. "It was a simple request. I... want to know how to heal better. Not through magic, but with Psychic." She sighs and looks at the boards again.

"I can't help but think about what's to come and... I want to be able to heal those I care about with my vitality. Patching people up takes time. Can you teach me?"

[Rosco Agassi]

Never one to hide his emotions, Rosco beams at the request. He pushes himself up onto his hands, then against the legs of a nearby picnic table where he promptly dusts his palms off again. The dirt sticks to his red cloak and he frowns slightly. There's no keeping things "clean" in Holdfast, as much as the Halfling in him desires to look his best.

Regardless, the moment of disgust is as short lived as just about any other thought he has. He turns attention back to Rudi. "That's my favourite psychic skill!" He remarks. Most of his psychic training had been working towards it. Now that he has it, he seems more than happy to pass the information along. "You already know how to exchange and impart states, right?"

[Rudi]

Rudi follows his lead, pulling herself off the floor as well and sitting across from him, never minding the dust of the deck. She laughs nervously at his next comment.

"Right, that's on the way, isn't it? I uh.. I can't do that yet, either. Would it be too much trouble to teach me how to do both in one lesson?" She beams at her friend. "Then I'll be able to give people trances to use! Plus, I'm excited to heal people another way. I've given up on magic, honestly."

Putting the effort in to learn how to see magic again was too much effort. Besides, Ardin taught her that skill and, while they may not have been close, near the end he... she shook her head to get the thought out. No sad thoughts.

[Rosco Agassi]

Rosco pauses. He doesn't mind teaching her, but imparting states is more difficult than imparting health - at least to him. Perhaps that's because he cares about one more than another.

"Magic takes....a lot. I don't know I would have it in me to be an earth mage like Ceri." He smiles empathetically at Rudi. He has tried before, many times, but mana is tangible where psychic energy is not, and psychic energy is a whole lot easier to get.

"I like being a psychic, it's a great way to be able to help and part of that is imparting states to other people - like trances!" He grins at the idea. He is still grasping the concept of trancing, it will be a few weeks before he can give that to anyone else.

"It all comes down to the same thing; focus. I like to think about it like a light inside me - purple, like the colour we glow! You close your eyes," he demonstrates, shutting his eyes, though he peeks to make sure Rudi does the same. "Breathe deep, and look for the energy you want - I'm looking to bless someone, so I'll reach for that." He demonstrates again by taking a deep, slow breath. His face scrunches a bit in concentration, then relaxes as he "grabs" what he's looking for. He waits for Rudi to do the same.

[Rudi]

"I don't think i'd have the patience for it, to be honest. I can meditate alright, but that took a whole month for me to do and even now I have trouble sometimes." She lets out a laugh. It's a wonder she has the patience to heal anyone, with how much she wants to move around.

She sits crosslegged when Rosco starts his instruction though, and gets ready to get herself into a meditative trance. Last time she was formally taught psychic, she wasn't... all there. This will be interesting without the use of herbs from any shaman. Right! Focus. Her thoughts, wandering already.

She closes her eyes, taking deep breaths and reaching for the ability within her. Her first shot she just... goes into a trance. Very briefly. Only for two seconds before repositioning herself and trying again. Eventually, she's able to grab it, hold it in a way she hasn't before. She has to remind herself to not use it, like getting ready to pull on a string. "I think I have it this time." She says to Rosco, eyes still firmly shut and concentration etched onto her face.

[Rosco Agassi]

Rosco holds tight to the energy, one eye sneaking open now and again to check on Rudi. It was once impossibly hard for him to stay still and focused, but he's practiced this for a long time now. It comes natural enough that he can even move when he needs to, stretching his neck or scratching an itch. He knows that it's about going with the flow - acknowledging that he needs something, doing it, feeling it and pulling his focus back. That way he never truly lets go.

Even so, it's hard to hold on for the duration of Rudi's search. He can feel hints of exhaustion creeping in - there before, but only growing as so much mental energy is expended. He's almost lost it by the time she speaks, though quickly snaps back to continue teaching.

"Good!" He's speaking softer and slower than usual. "You want to take that energy, reach for the person and pass it off to them. They don't have to be willing, or even know it's happening until it's done. You just have to be able to find somewhere to put it, understand that in a way, you're accessing their mind." He reaches out to touch Rudi on the arm, imparting state: bless. Then he pulls away. "It will take a little more energy than it would to just use the state yourself, but it's worth it."

[Rudi]

Holding onto the energy is hard. She wants to get it over with, to pull the string. But she holds it anyway, her body language clearly showing how antsy she is. It's a relief when Rosco tells her to do something with it.

She pays attention to his, shifting her focus just the slightest bit towards what his energy feels like. She needs to feel what he's doing, and copy it. Rudi nods at him. "Okay." She can feel what he did, the instructions on how to bless herself. She knows she can do it. It's just a matter of... giving him the same thing, but in a trance. Taking a breath, she reaches out to lightly touch him on the arm.

She focuses, giving him the instructions. Whether or not it will take hold is another story. Rudi opens her eyes and gives him a beaming grin.

[Rudi]

OOG: Rest of RP finished up at site.

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