Hubris from Revelation: the Social Engineering of Ultimate Truths [Monday, Period 2]

[atreideslioness]

The class met in the Danger Room today, which was set up into a series of different rooms. Most of them were full of very heavy furniture. The last one was full of low tables with tea kettles resting on top.

"Your professor asked me to come in and discuss my time in Afghanistan when I studied under one of the magi and learned the Tao," Biff said, smiling at Ghanima. "I might have forgotten to mention that Josh learned about the Tao. I learned about feng shui, which is dependent on something called qi, and then the rest of it I ignored because I was being taught by beautiful Chinese concubines and I got distracted easily."

Ghanima, meanwhile, was sitting in the back of the room. To any outside observer, she looked quite studious and duly interested in what the guest teacher was saying.

To anyone that actually knew her - Biff included - she was actually dying of amusement.

He pointed at a series of small brass scales on a nearby table. "What I do know is that the qi in all of those rooms is totally screwed up. You take these brass scales and someone who looks good at lifting heavy objects and start moving things around until the qi is balanced again. When the little brass scales balance, you've completed the task. When you're done, come back and have a cup of tea and I'll tell you more about the Tao as I read from the Book of the Divine Elixirs or the Nine Tripods of the Yellow Emperor."

He certainly hadn't messed with the tea, as a subtle manipulator of the elements might do. Except for how he had.

[OOC: Major props to the always-awesome nojesusfreak for humoring my request. OCD is up, and see the OOC note.]

Comments

Re: Activity: ...

[atreideslioness]

"Raven." Ghanima knelt near the girl, but didn't make a move to touch her and kept her tone low and soothing. "Breathe, dear one, it's fine."

"The Tao tells us 'Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe.' You're safe here, with us. Simply be. Deep breaths."

"You wanted to learn to defend yourself. Consider this your first lesson, then, and repeat after me."

"I will not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. I will face my fear, I will let it pass through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

Re: Activity: ...

[trigons_child]

It was a good thing that it was Ghanima who approached Raven and not Biff, since she knew and trusted her teacher. She was already struggling against her panic by focusing on what Anakin had taught her -- fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering -- and now she added Ghanima's words to her mental chant. She knew Ghanima would not do anything to harm her students, that this had to be some sort of lesson, and after a few moments she was able to start to control her own fear better as well as begin to get her shields back in place to block out the emotions of the other students.

Still, being unable to move was a world of do not want.

Re: Activity: ...

[atreideslioness]

"That's right. Focus past your fear," she soothed, continuing to repeat the Litany softly. "I know you can do this, Raven. Find your control."

Re: Activity: ...

[trigons_child]

Raven wanted to tell Ghanima that it wasn't just her own fear, but what she was picking up from some of the other students, but as she was paralyzed that didn't work too well. She latched on to Ghanima's calmness, and her mental hyperventilation eased. She wouldn't let her fears consume her.

She was also starting to feel a bit foolish about panicking as she had, but the paralysis had been unexpected and triggered her control issues.