Free Web NovelChapter 142: Chapter 141 - Trust
Point-of-View: Dietrich Engel
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Damn it...why can’t I figure this out!? I’m getting a headache, this technique is impossible...how in the world has Petra already mastered it?
I can’t afford to waste any time...I have to master this as soon as possible, no matter what. Who knows what she’s going through right now...I hate to even imagine it.
I did ask Neo to get me someone who’s mastered this technique so that I could get some pointers, but the higher ups apparently refused, since they don’t know who could be a traitor.
There’s apparently only three pairs in Harmony who can use it, so six people...according to Neo, all three of those pairs have strong connections to each other, and struggle to use Thought Communication with those from the other pairs.
What exactly am I doing wrong here? I need to figure that out so that I can fix it...come on, focus and-...suddenly, I was distracted as someone knocked on my door.
Damn it, go away, I need to concentrate!
I closed my eyes and began to refocus, before grimacing as they knocked again. Just ignore it, they’ll go away soon en-...I let out an irritated growl as another knock rang out, clenching my fists in frustration.
I specifically told the others not to bother me for anything, who the hell is it!? I don’t have time to deal with anyone else’s problems, it’s been two weeks since we found out that Eden moved their Outliers, I can’t afford to take too much longer, damn it!
I stood up while seething as they knocked again, stomping towards the door and swinging it open with a glare, feeling like I was about to explode with rage.
"What!?" I snapped, as I opened it.
"Yikes, chill out, kid," Came the response, looking a bit taken aback.
It’s that X woman...what does she want?
"Can I help you? I’m busy," I remarked irritably.
"Actually, I was thinking that maybe I could help you. I thought back and jotted down everything I remembered Petra saying while she was working on mastering Thought Communication. Interested?" She replied with a grin, holding up a her phone.
"Oh, uh...yeah, thanks, that sounds useful. Uh...sorry about snapping at you," I responded apologetically, feeling kinda bad.
I shouldn’t be taking out my frustrations on her, it’s certainly not her fault that I’m struggling so much with this...
"It’s cool, I know you’re just worried about your sister. Mind telling me how you’re trying to master the technique?" She inquired, as she entered my RV.
"Well, I’m following the instructions in the book...’imagine the other person in detail and clear out all other thoughts, and then visualize sending your thoughts to the other person. If successful, then you should feel a connection extending out from your subconscious, and if the other person does the same, a link will be formed’...I’m struggling with the whole ’visualize sending your thoughts’ part. There were a few times when I felt the connection start to extend out, but then loses control and cuts off. I have no idea what I’m doing wrong, I’m certain that I’m imagining Petra just fine," I sighed in frustration.
"Hm, I see...I think I remember her saying something similar at some point," Nodded X thoughtfully, after mulling it over.
"Really, she did!? How did she get past it!?" I exclaimed, grabbing her shoulders before I could control myself.
"Easy, kid, relax. Let me think...it took her a couple of months or so to figure out, but I remember how thrilled she was when she did, and she said that it seemed so obvious once she realized what she was doing wrong. No, wait, she said something more along the lines of that she hadn’t been doing enough, not that she was doing something wrong," Recalled X, after a brief pause.
"And? What else did she say?" I inquired with a sense of anticipation.
"It’s about the connection thing...if I remember right, she said that she imagined forming a...hole? No, that wasn’t it...what’s the word I’m looking for, it’s on the tip of my tongue...she said something about how watching a YouTube video about how to make a phone using plastic cups and string gave her the idea. Um...oh, right, a tunnel! She said that she imagined forming a long, winding tunnel between her mind and your mind, something like that!" Exclaimed X, after agonizing over trying to remember it.
A tunnel?
"I’m not quite sure exactly how that helps..."
"Well, she said something like, before she used that method, the connection would sometimes start but then abruptly fade away. But this helped her figure out how to direct the connection. Right, it’s all coming back to me now...the tunnel thing works as a visualization for guiding the connection, otherwise it extends out without any real direction. She said it was as if she’d been trying to throw her thoughts to you before, but after the tunnel visualization, it was more like she was letting her thoughts simply flow towards you," Surmised X, after taking a moment to think it over.
As she explained, something clicked...yeah, what I’ve been trying to do so far really has been more like I’ve attempted to throw my thoughts at her. Yeah...yeah, I think I get it now...
"Woah...is it really that simple?" I remarked in surprise. ƒrēewebnovel.com
"Actually, she said it was kinda tricky to pull off...maintaining clear visualization of you, suppressing all other thoughts, AND clearly visualizing the tunnel was difficult to get the hang of. If she lost focus on even one of those aspects, the entire technique would fall apart, just like that. It was another two whole months before she fully mastered it after that," She explained, as she sat down on my bed.
"I see...but still, it feels like I’m on the right track now!" I said, with a sense of renewed motivation...finally, I can start to make some real progress, "Still, I wonder why this wasn’t included in the book?"
"Yeah, she wondered the same thing...but it’s easy enough to explain. For starters, some people master certain techniques using different processes, it’s actually rare that someone will figure something out in the exact same way that another person did.
And another thing, usually when two people try to learn this particular technique, they often start by trying to communicate with it while, say, in the same room, or even while sitting right next to each other, and then slowly but surely work on it at longer ranges. But you two have been attempting it at extremely long ranges right from the get-go," She pointed out objectively, before adding, "On top of that, both users typically have a general idea of where the other person is, so that’s a factor too. But you two have no idea where the other is, so that’s working against you too."
"Huh...yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I see now...so, that’s why. Okay, I’ll give this a try...," I muttered, as I closed my eyes and focused.
Okay, first, picture Petra...her dark blonde hair, longer than mine, her red eyes, her face...her torso, her limbs, her skin, her birthmarks and moles, every last inch of her body...now, hold that image in my head.
And now, imagine a long, winding tunnel, extending from my forehead...growing longer and longer, towards her.
Finally, send my thoughts through the tunnel, directed at her...something simple for now, just a ’hi’...
It’s...it’s working, I can feel it, it’s-...! In my excitement, my focus wavered a tiny bit, and just like that, the technique abruptly cut off.
"Did it work?" She asked me, as I opened my eyes, a smile spreading out across my face.
"The connection snapped halfway through, it failed. But...that’s the longest I’ve ever maintained it, and I’ve never extended my thoughts out that much before. It really is tricky, to stably maintain detailed visualizations of multiple factors, but that said...I can do it. I can pull this off...I can definitely do it!" I declared excitedly, barely able to contain myself.
"Nice, good for you, kid," She replied, as she held her palm up.
"Thanks a lot!" I grinned, as I high fived her, before asking, "Hey, um...not that I’m not grateful, because I really, really am, but why go out of your way to help me like this?"
"Huh? Well...this might sound selfish, but it’s for my own peace of mind. I’ve been feeling guilty about escaping Eden without Petra and Adelmira, the other Outlier I befriended. I didn’t have much of a choice due to the circumstances, but still, I feel bad that I escaped alone. So, yeah, I wanted to help at least a little bit...I wanted to contribute to their rescue. That’s all there is to it," She replied, as she averted her gaze.
It’s almost like she’s trying to avoid any praise or gratitude, as if she doesn’t think she’s as nice as she actually is.
"You’re really kind, aren’t you...I’m glad my sister met you, I’m thankful," I remarked gratefully.
"H-huh? I’m really not, though! Like, I’ve killed a lot of people, enjoyed it even, and I always prioritize myself above all others. Sure, maybe I’ve softened up a bit after befriending your sister and the other Outlier, I might not even have bothered to help you at all if I was the same as I used to be, but at my core, I’m still the same person deep down," She replied, a slight, bitter and regretful smile on her face.
Huh, feel like she just contradicted herself, but I think I get what she’s trying to say.
"People can change, you know. It’s not always drastic, it could be something small and seemingly insignificant, and the parts of you that you consider to be your worst aspects may never change, but then, so what?
Be it on their own or thanks to others, change can happen...and while changing won’t undo the things you’ve done, why should that stop you from making an effort to be a better person? And if you do something that you probably wouldn’t have done in the past...that’s clear proof of change, isn’t it?" I pointed out.
"Huh...that was unexpectedly profound. You sure you’re just seventeen?" She grinned as she ruffled my hair, after initially looked surprised and taken aback.
"H-hey, cut that out..."
"Aw, you sure? Petra said you liked this," She laughed in response.
"Wha-...w-well, if it’s her that’s doing it, sure, but not other people," I mumbled, as I felt my face heat up in embarrassment...damn it, sis, how much did you tell her about us?
Huh...the fact that she did tell her at all probably means that she trusted X. She even told her about her progress with her mastery of Thought Communication...well, that was probably her just venting and complaining to get her frustrations out, but still.
Harmony’s members definitely don’t trust X, and some of the other Outliers probably don’t either. But, you know what...I think that she can be trusted. From my perspective, there’s nothing suspicious about her at all. All I see is a kind, and kinda awkward about being kind, person in front of me...
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