Chapter 26

"Right. We're trying to meditate."

~*~

Deliah looked at the news on the tv, trying to wrap her head around how to settle the information in her head.

"Reports are saying that Senator Cook has physically assaulted Vice Prime Minister Spark during a dinner party. Witnesses say they were having a discussion about integrating Others into society when Mr. Cook suddenly turned and struck Mz. Spark in the face. Mz. Spark has reportedly decided to press charges against Mr. Cook," the news lady said with a professional coolness.

"That must be hard, holding the highest seat of government and being the highest representative for Others. I wonder what was being said to bring around such a strong reaction," her co-host commented. "I hold nothing against Vice Prime Minister Spark, she's got a hard job to do,"

"Senator Cook has been known to be anti-Other," the news lady adjusted her papers on her desk and faced the camera, not losing her professionalism even if her co-host was taking a more casual tone. This was the evening news, not the morning news, after all. And a national channel, not a local talk show. "He ran most of his campaign on the notion that Others should not be given the rights that other people are born to. As it has been reported, Mz. Spark is proceeding with pressing charges, we will update the story as it progresses."

A commercial came on the TV and Yuzuki hit the mute button. "Heck if I let them pollute my head with catchy jingles," she said, leaning back on the sofa. "Crazy stuff, don't you think? A leader in the Oldways party, probably wishes we still had the monarchy, and he punches the Vice Prime Minister. What for? Because she's an Other? I've seen her at a rally, she's a strong woman who won't be silenced. She was probably standing up for herself and-"

"I wonder if Seneca's mom has anything to say about it," Deliah ponderd out loud.

"I... have no idea? They didn’t report that the Prime Minister had anything to say about it. I feel like she would have said something if it were important or particularly divisive. I just hope it doesn't start a riot or something. Others may get upset at the action and take to the streets,"

"I wonder if Seneca has anything to say about it, since his girlfriend is an Other," Deliah said, quieter than last time as a bright commercial blinked on the screen promising to buy your car no matter the condition.

"I'm sure he'd stand with his girlfriend if things got strained. He's a strong Others advocate, from what I hear and how he talks about Gloria. I don't know what could weaken their relationship, but this won't do it. It'll only make it stronger. Man's committed,"

Deliah stared at the TV and thought.

~*~

"I find the best way to tap into your power safely is to be at peace with yourself," Midshore said as she welcomed everyone into the cabin. It was a regular cabin, but Gloria saw there were a few things from home. Midshore had brought her meditation stool and had brought others for the three students. "We're going to first meditate, then we can move on from there."

"Meditation is the key to your power? I've barely meditated a day in my life, and this is supposed to help me?" Alex asked as he sat down on the stool.

"Alex, would you stop being such an ass and realize that she knows what she's talking about for once? You really could learn something from her. You're choosing not to," Aquila snapped in a knock it off way.

Alex shot her a look the same way a child would and he closed his eyes. Gloria slipped off her shoes and sat down on the stool and took her familiar position. It felt so good to meditate again. She hadn't meditated much at the fellowship even though she thought getting away from everything else would have given her more time to focus on her own pursuits. She'd instead found that pulling away from the general populace had made her crave the attention of her new circle.

The cabin smelled like damp carpeting and rain. The wood in the fireplace was damp and would undoubtedly smoke up the room if they lit the logs.

"Meditation is simple," Midshore introduced. "Simply try to clear your mind. It's hard to do at first, but it gets easier the more you keep at it. It can take some time to achieve good meditation, and sometimes we want to examine why we think of things, but that isn't our intention right now. Right now, we want to calm our hearts and our minds. Imagine... nothing," Midshore breathed, trying to set the minds of the mood of the activity. "We'll do this for ten minutes."

Gloria hadn't meditated in a while and it took longer than she would have liked to clear her mind, but it eventually worked. She felt the little mouse in the wall on its way home to its nest. She felt the wind beating against the southern wall of the cabin, the planks of the walls vibrated against each other like old friends keeping warm in the cold. She felt Aquila trying to keep her posture straight while also being comfortable, and it wasn't working well, but it was working better than Alex's attempt.

Alex.

Gloria changed her mind, set it to something else. Alex could break her concentration, all she had to do was think about him without a shirt on. Wait, no, put the shirt back on! Don't imagine him without pants! No, put his pants back on!

Gloria couldn't get control of her mind, she'd lost concentration as soon as she remembered a man. Maybe Midshore and Everstar had something going on with the whole no-men thing up at the greenhouse.

We don't have men because we are lesbians, Midshore's voice said in her head.

You said you wouldn't enter my head without permission again, Gloria tensed her jaw. Not since I was young,

Your mind was being very loud, I could hear it without trying, Gloria felt Midshore smile in a motherly way. Love, I'm going to help you with this one, I'll put his clothes back on,

And suddenly Gloria's mental image of Alex had his clothes back on, no longer in his birthday suit. Good thing she hadn't imagined past his underwear.

If you're very quiet, you can hear their thoughts, Midshore whispered in her mind.

Gloria imagined a clear horizon on the sea, her favorite place to imagine to clear her thoughts when she was having a hard time. She could feel Alex and Aquila's presences in the room with her, as if they were flames but they emitted emotion and thought instead of heat. They feel like TV static and amorphous, Gloria said.

Then tune your TV, Midshore said, and Gloria felt her leave her mind. Tune her TV? How did someone tune a TV? At Grandma's house she sometimes had to move the antenna wires to get a good picture, was that what she meant? Gloria had to tune in? Like an old radio?

Not wanting to think about Alex again, Gloria focused on Aquila. She sensed the scent of lilies and sunshine, and the more she focused, the more the feelings and sensations coming from Aquila were becoming more clear, like focusing a projector or telescope.

Suddenly, Gloria was in Aquila's mind. She could see the place Aquila had erected to calm her mind, and Gloria had to commend her for it. The space was calming, warm, and beautiful. Sun shone down from the sky and water gurgled along a stream. Mist caught in the sun and formed rainbows in the rays. It was a bit more rainbow than Gloria thought it'd be, but it was still fitting for her.

Seeing Aquila start to turn her head, Gloria removed herself from the scene before she was seen.

Where did Gloria imagine when she wanted to be calm? The warm sands of the Islands came to mind, with their warm, washing tides and the bright stars at night, the incredible silence at night and the sound of seabirds during the day. Brindelton Bay was nice, but the winds and waves were cold half the year, unlike the Islands.

Gloria imagined being on her home island, seeing the greenhouse on the larger island where Midshore and Everstar lived with their two kids.

She felt alone here, peaceful. Home was never peaceful, it was always chaotic with her little siblings and the countless meals and snacks and crying and laughing. But now, there was no other sound. Her family wasn't home, and it felt alright.

But she wasn't as alone as she thought. She turned around, and she saw Alex standing on the sand. He looked confused and in awe, looking around the scene.

"The stars have never felt so close before," he breathed, looking up at the sky.

"My mom used to be afraid of falling into them if she looked up too long," Gloria smiled. "Alex, how did you get in here? You've probably never meditated a day in your life, and seeing someone else's mind is... that takes skills few have,"

"I... I felt like I was invited,"

"I don't remember inviting you into my mind," Gloria smirked.

"This is," Alex whirled around, taking in their surroundings. "Is this where you grew up?"

"It is," Gloria said, closing her eyes as she tried to continue meditating.

"It's... small. Don't you have a bunch of siblings?"

"Only three of them had been born by the time I left, now there are two more," Gloria said, not opening her eyes. "We're trying to meditate, aren't we?"

Alex didn't say anything. He paused, then walked into the water next to her, looked at her for a few moments, then out to the horizon. "I-" he chewed on his words, trying to think before speaking. He balled his hands into fists at his sides. "Right. We're trying to meditate."

He reached out to take her hand. Soft, carefully, tenderly-

-but the shock between them was stronger than the last time they'd touched and they both immediately woke from their meditation with a shout, disturbing the others as well.

Hey hey, my dear readers! How ya doing? Holding in there? I hope you're all doing well.

I can't wait for that family expansion pack, it's going to be so nice! It feels a bit ambitious, seems there's a lot of stuff in there, but it looks very promising!

As promised, here are some bloopers for ya!

^Here's Gloria with her little brother, Robin! I should have more Robin content, but I can't seem to come up with anything...

^ For Peat's sake, Gloria, how could you possibly be affraid of the water?! I understand that this is a new save file and your past life didn't count, for your code, but you grew up on this tiny island! You taught Blake to swim!

Maybe it's because you were nearly drowned? IS that why you're afraid of water? I guuuesss I could make that work...

^ Awkward hugs persist!

^ I like to think that Anwyn is giving Gloria a pep-talk. She doesn't know what's wrong with Gloria, but she says that she's a good person and it'll work out.