~*~Author's Note~*~
Hey all. Sorry about the shorter last chapter. I had to end it there. It's..it's a creative thing. It just wouldn't have felt right to me if I had written more. Oh well. Take care all.and PLEEEEEEEEEASE, PLEEEEEASE, R/R! You know it's the responsible thing to do.anyways.back to the story.
The night came and went quickly, as one might expect. Neiva awoke to the nearby clock flashing 8:03. Stretching her neck somewhat, she looked around. For a moment, she wasn't sure where she was. Realization took over when she became fully awake. She was at the oracles. With yet another sigh, she got out of bed, and went out of her room, down the hall, into the kitchen. The smell of bacon wafted through the air. The only person in the kitchen was Sametta, who was tending to the bacon. Without looking up, she spoke.
"Morning Neiva. You're up late, I see."
"Am I?"
"All the others are in the living room. You hold tight here, and I'll have your breakfast ready in a moment." Neiva sat down on a chair nearby, and yawned. The smell of the bacon was making her salivate greatly. She hadn't smelt anything so good for as far back as she could remember. Sametta slid the bacon onto a plate next to the stove with eggs and toast on it already, then brought the plate over to Nieva.
"Eat up, kid. You're going to need it. It's going to be a long day for you." Nieva nodded, and began to eat. The bacon was cooked just right-a little crispy, but not too much. The eggs were great, and the toast was a golden brown. This was a regular feast in Neiva's eyes. Eating greedily, it took Neiva all of 10 minutes to eat it all, and down a glass of orange juice.
"My, you certainly can eat." Sametta grinned, as she took the plate and put it in the dishwasher.
"I was hungry." Neiva said, getting a little defensive.
"I wasn't insulting you, kid. Just commenting. Now. It's time to get started on your training. Let's go." Sametta began walking out of the kitchen, and Neiva followed close behind. They went down the hallway to a room near the end, and stepped inside. There was nothing in the room, and the walls were painted a bright white. Sametta closed the door after Neiva stepped in, somewhat blinded by the walls.
"What is this place?" Asked Neiva, shielding her eyes slightly.
"This is the training room. Don't worry Neiva. Your eyes will get used to it eventually." Sametta said, noticing Nieva shielding her eyes. Nieva nodded meekly, and sat down on the gray carpet.
"So, what do I do?" She asked, looking at Sametta.
"First off, nothing."
"What do you mean?"
"Just what I said. Nothing."
"How do you do nothing?"
"By doing nothing-it's an easy enough concept to grasp, kid." Sametta said, her tone hardening slightly.
"Alright, alright. I'll do nothing then." Neiva said, noticing Sametta's tone. Neiva laid down on her back, and exhaled deeply. Closing her eyes, she wondered what the whole point of this was.
"Quiet your mind, Nieva." Sametta said, her vice soothing. "Try not to think of anything." Nieva nodded, and exhaled again. She focused on the darkness about her, imagining it to be a void of nothingness. Travelling into the void, Sametta's voice penetrated the little world, speaking soothingly still.
"That's right Neiva. Keep going." Obediently, Neiva continued her journey into nothingness. Suddenly, Neiva was aware of another presence in her mind, and began to panic.
"Easy Neiva. It's just me. I'm going into your mind to find out what's going on in there. Stop panicking-it shuts me out." Neiva nodded, calming down slightly. The presence seemed to move around at great speed. Neiva, forgetting to travel, followed the presence's path through her mind with great interest. After a while, the presence began to fade, until it was gone completely.
"I'm done, kid. You can open your eyes now." Neiva's eyes flickered open, and she sat up.
"So, what did you find?" She asked.
"You already know."
"I do?"
"Yes. I found your mind. You knew that I was searching through it."
"That didn't make sense."
"It wasn't supposed to."
"I see."
"Anyways. It's given me a better idea of what to do with you."
"Are you going to tell me more about this?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"You ask far too many questions Neiva, when you should spend more time looking for answers."
"That is what I would call a shut out."
"It was."
"Ah. I was right. You just told me to butt out."
"Yes, I did. Now, are you going to let me help you?"
"Sure, why not? I don't have anything better to do."
"Sarcasm will get you nowhere kid. Be a little more open."
"Lesson one."
"Very good.you're a perceptive one, aren't you?"
"Actually, I don't know." Neiva said with a smirk. Sametta returned the grin, and shook her head.
"What will I do with you. Come on kid, let's get started." Sametta went out the door, and returned a moment later with some paper, a pen, and some blocks.
"Alright kid. Go at it." She said, putting the things down in front of Neiva.
"What do you mean?" Neiva asked, confused.
"Just do it. Interact with the objects I've given you."
"Alright." Nevia replied warily, picking up the pen. She began to doodle on the paper. Vines wound themselves around the page, courtesy of Neiva's hand. Blossoming from the vines were not flowers, but every-day objects, like plates, books, pencils, and spoons. After Neiva had filled the page, she went to the blocks. She picked one up, and it instantly felt familiar. She recalled the lesson that Cassidy had taught her, and she closed her eyes. She began feeling the block, knowing it. It became easier, because she already had a little knowledge of what a block WAS. When she was ready, she inserted the vines into it, sending out as many as she could control. Pursing her lips, she began to lift. The block lifted a little ways out of her hand, and she opened her eyes. The block was hovering an inch above her hand. She tried to make it go a little higher, but the block wobbled, and fell back into the palm of her hand. Neiva dropped the block, disdained, as Sametta looked on, interested.
"You got cocky." She said, simply.
"But how could Cassidy get cocky about her own abilities, and yet they work for her?" Neiva asked sharply, recalling Cassidy giggling over the blocks.
"Cassidy has a natural gift for levitation. It comes easily to her, and she doesn't need to focus as much as you or any of the other kids in order to get the blocks up. You and the others have to maintain perfect emotional balance-a happy medium between unsurity and cockiness." Neiva nodded.
"Then what's my gift?"
"Your inquisitiveness."
"What?"
"Your inquisitiveness. Your ability to ask questions-to want answers. To wonder about things. That is your gift."
"What kind of a gift is that?" Neiva asked, a little upset.
"It's a new one, I'll admit. I haven't seen that before in any kid that's come through here."
"Great. My gift is questions." Neiva said, gulping back a tear. She had expected something more. Something greater. Something you could see. Like Cassidy and her blocks.
"There's no point in continuing today. You've lost the readiness and willingness to learn." Sametta said curtly. Neiva was taken aback. She wasn't used to hearing Sametta speak this way.
"Fine then." Neiva said, hardening instinctivley. The streets had taught her that much. If in doubt, harden. Never show weakness. Neiva stood up, and left the room, and went into her own. If Sametta wouldn't teach her, then what was the point of being here? She went to the closet of her room, and found a bag. Stuffing all that she could get her hands on in it, she tied it up, and hid it under the bed. Tonight, she'd leave. And there was NOTHING anyone could do about it. Not Sametta, not Cassidy, not anyone.
Hey all. Sorry about the shorter last chapter. I had to end it there. It's..it's a creative thing. It just wouldn't have felt right to me if I had written more. Oh well. Take care all.and PLEEEEEEEEEASE, PLEEEEEASE, R/R! You know it's the responsible thing to do.anyways.back to the story.
The night came and went quickly, as one might expect. Neiva awoke to the nearby clock flashing 8:03. Stretching her neck somewhat, she looked around. For a moment, she wasn't sure where she was. Realization took over when she became fully awake. She was at the oracles. With yet another sigh, she got out of bed, and went out of her room, down the hall, into the kitchen. The smell of bacon wafted through the air. The only person in the kitchen was Sametta, who was tending to the bacon. Without looking up, she spoke.
"Morning Neiva. You're up late, I see."
"Am I?"
"All the others are in the living room. You hold tight here, and I'll have your breakfast ready in a moment." Neiva sat down on a chair nearby, and yawned. The smell of the bacon was making her salivate greatly. She hadn't smelt anything so good for as far back as she could remember. Sametta slid the bacon onto a plate next to the stove with eggs and toast on it already, then brought the plate over to Nieva.
"Eat up, kid. You're going to need it. It's going to be a long day for you." Nieva nodded, and began to eat. The bacon was cooked just right-a little crispy, but not too much. The eggs were great, and the toast was a golden brown. This was a regular feast in Neiva's eyes. Eating greedily, it took Neiva all of 10 minutes to eat it all, and down a glass of orange juice.
"My, you certainly can eat." Sametta grinned, as she took the plate and put it in the dishwasher.
"I was hungry." Neiva said, getting a little defensive.
"I wasn't insulting you, kid. Just commenting. Now. It's time to get started on your training. Let's go." Sametta began walking out of the kitchen, and Neiva followed close behind. They went down the hallway to a room near the end, and stepped inside. There was nothing in the room, and the walls were painted a bright white. Sametta closed the door after Neiva stepped in, somewhat blinded by the walls.
"What is this place?" Asked Neiva, shielding her eyes slightly.
"This is the training room. Don't worry Neiva. Your eyes will get used to it eventually." Sametta said, noticing Nieva shielding her eyes. Nieva nodded meekly, and sat down on the gray carpet.
"So, what do I do?" She asked, looking at Sametta.
"First off, nothing."
"What do you mean?"
"Just what I said. Nothing."
"How do you do nothing?"
"By doing nothing-it's an easy enough concept to grasp, kid." Sametta said, her tone hardening slightly.
"Alright, alright. I'll do nothing then." Neiva said, noticing Sametta's tone. Neiva laid down on her back, and exhaled deeply. Closing her eyes, she wondered what the whole point of this was.
"Quiet your mind, Nieva." Sametta said, her vice soothing. "Try not to think of anything." Nieva nodded, and exhaled again. She focused on the darkness about her, imagining it to be a void of nothingness. Travelling into the void, Sametta's voice penetrated the little world, speaking soothingly still.
"That's right Neiva. Keep going." Obediently, Neiva continued her journey into nothingness. Suddenly, Neiva was aware of another presence in her mind, and began to panic.
"Easy Neiva. It's just me. I'm going into your mind to find out what's going on in there. Stop panicking-it shuts me out." Neiva nodded, calming down slightly. The presence seemed to move around at great speed. Neiva, forgetting to travel, followed the presence's path through her mind with great interest. After a while, the presence began to fade, until it was gone completely.
"I'm done, kid. You can open your eyes now." Neiva's eyes flickered open, and she sat up.
"So, what did you find?" She asked.
"You already know."
"I do?"
"Yes. I found your mind. You knew that I was searching through it."
"That didn't make sense."
"It wasn't supposed to."
"I see."
"Anyways. It's given me a better idea of what to do with you."
"Are you going to tell me more about this?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"You ask far too many questions Neiva, when you should spend more time looking for answers."
"That is what I would call a shut out."
"It was."
"Ah. I was right. You just told me to butt out."
"Yes, I did. Now, are you going to let me help you?"
"Sure, why not? I don't have anything better to do."
"Sarcasm will get you nowhere kid. Be a little more open."
"Lesson one."
"Very good.you're a perceptive one, aren't you?"
"Actually, I don't know." Neiva said with a smirk. Sametta returned the grin, and shook her head.
"What will I do with you. Come on kid, let's get started." Sametta went out the door, and returned a moment later with some paper, a pen, and some blocks.
"Alright kid. Go at it." She said, putting the things down in front of Neiva.
"What do you mean?" Neiva asked, confused.
"Just do it. Interact with the objects I've given you."
"Alright." Nevia replied warily, picking up the pen. She began to doodle on the paper. Vines wound themselves around the page, courtesy of Neiva's hand. Blossoming from the vines were not flowers, but every-day objects, like plates, books, pencils, and spoons. After Neiva had filled the page, she went to the blocks. She picked one up, and it instantly felt familiar. She recalled the lesson that Cassidy had taught her, and she closed her eyes. She began feeling the block, knowing it. It became easier, because she already had a little knowledge of what a block WAS. When she was ready, she inserted the vines into it, sending out as many as she could control. Pursing her lips, she began to lift. The block lifted a little ways out of her hand, and she opened her eyes. The block was hovering an inch above her hand. She tried to make it go a little higher, but the block wobbled, and fell back into the palm of her hand. Neiva dropped the block, disdained, as Sametta looked on, interested.
"You got cocky." She said, simply.
"But how could Cassidy get cocky about her own abilities, and yet they work for her?" Neiva asked sharply, recalling Cassidy giggling over the blocks.
"Cassidy has a natural gift for levitation. It comes easily to her, and she doesn't need to focus as much as you or any of the other kids in order to get the blocks up. You and the others have to maintain perfect emotional balance-a happy medium between unsurity and cockiness." Neiva nodded.
"Then what's my gift?"
"Your inquisitiveness."
"What?"
"Your inquisitiveness. Your ability to ask questions-to want answers. To wonder about things. That is your gift."
"What kind of a gift is that?" Neiva asked, a little upset.
"It's a new one, I'll admit. I haven't seen that before in any kid that's come through here."
"Great. My gift is questions." Neiva said, gulping back a tear. She had expected something more. Something greater. Something you could see. Like Cassidy and her blocks.
"There's no point in continuing today. You've lost the readiness and willingness to learn." Sametta said curtly. Neiva was taken aback. She wasn't used to hearing Sametta speak this way.
"Fine then." Neiva said, hardening instinctivley. The streets had taught her that much. If in doubt, harden. Never show weakness. Neiva stood up, and left the room, and went into her own. If Sametta wouldn't teach her, then what was the point of being here? She went to the closet of her room, and found a bag. Stuffing all that she could get her hands on in it, she tied it up, and hid it under the bed. Tonight, she'd leave. And there was NOTHING anyone could do about it. Not Sametta, not Cassidy, not anyone.