The days seemed to blend to the point of driving Rina mad. While she understood she needed to lay low and not risk the Psychos learning she was still alive, it didn't make her any less restless. The time on the simudeck didn't help all that much with the cabin fever, either. No matter how realistic the illusion was, it was still an illusion. She was still stuck on the astro megaship.
The only upside to the situation was not having to worry about her allergies getting kicked up or overheating while out with her friends. But damn, she would endure all of that if it meant actually feeling real sunshine and wind. There was only so much a person could do while staying locked up on a spaceship and, quite frankly, she was starting to feel something like a prisoner.
It was during one of the times her friends were down on Earth, the promise to bring her up some real food from the Surf Spot cheering her up a little, that she decided to try some meditating. She'd done this a few times since Zhane had 'attacked' her and it had helped her keep from feeling quite so restless. One of the places she found it easiest to do so was in Zhane's room. There was something about the space that just felt relaxing.
The ghost of a smile flitted across Rina's lips as she entered the currently unused room, remembering the joke the silver ranger had made about her using the space while he was away. He'd made the same joke when first going away with the rebels, though she got the sense he was also serious on some level.
A soft sigh escaped her lips as she sat down on the bed, kicking off her shoes as she pulled her feet up to sit cross legged on the mattress. She ran her hands across the blankets under her, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath and slowly released it. Sometimes, when she did this, she swore she could faintly feel Zhane's presence.
Of all the locations on the ship, it was this space that she felt safest. She felt she could let her guard drop enough to allow her to meditate. Why, she didn't know, but it did.
Maybe it was because Zhane had always made her feel welcome in what should've been his personal, private space. Maybe it was because his scent was so infused into the silver colored blankets and futon-type mattress. Maybe it was even a combination of the two or the fact that she was missing him so deeply. She might never know and overthinking it wouldn't help any.
Closing her eyes, she gently closed her hands around the topmost blanket. Her breathing slowed, matching the rhythm of her thumb slowly rubbing against the fabric in her hand. She allowed her mind to clear, focusing on nothing but the feel of the blanket, the sound of her breathing and the way her heart beat. It was almost ritualistic and felt like she was going into a trance.
The first time it had happened had been jarring and she had snapped herself out of it quickly. The more she did it, though, the more comfortable she became. It helped to pass the time when she was alone. Nothing against Alpha and D.E.C.A., but they didn't make for good company.
Something about being in a meditative trance made her feel less lonely and less isolated. Most of the time, she felt like she was just floating. Other times, she felt like she was someplace else. Someplace dark, yet having a light of its own. Someplace warm and inviting. Sometimes when she was here, she would feel as if someone else was there with her. A familiar presence. A presence that gave off the feeling of warmth, affection and security. A presence that reminded her so much of Zhane.
/Rina?/ A voice seemed to call out from the darkness.
Before she could try to answer, Rina was pulled out of her meditative trance by the sound of the ship alerting her that the others had returned. She couldn't help but smile to herself, though. That voice had sounded familiar, filled with hopefulness. Zhane's voice.