driftfleet | Mingle Post for Solace

[As soon as they're on the ground Mikleo straightens up and hastily steps away from the hoverboard, dusting himself off, fixing his hair, tapping his heel against the floor- little habits to regain his composure. Thank goodness, though. They won't be getting him back on that thing if they pay him. He's walking home.

With a cough he turns back to them, hands on his hips.]

Alright! Ready to begin? Anyone need a drink or a snack, first?

[/moms]

[It was a very smooth ride, and Sora is willing to suspect maybe Dezel might have something to do with it- being a wind seraph and all that. But all too soon it was over and they had reached their destination. Even if it's a boring site, Sora still gives it a few look overs- but there's really nothing interesting here.]

No, I'm alright for now. [What a mom. His nerves would make it hard to eat anyway, now that he can't just ignore them] So what do you guys got in mind?

[Dezel is fine, so he's not about to hold anyone up. He curls a hand beneath his chin.]

... I think the idea was to get you accustomed to your limits, so you're not afraid of your powers anymore.

[He glances at Mikleo, hoping their intrepid captain has a bit more to say.]

That was my thought, yeah. So, to start off, what specifically in the past has caused your powers to activate? Disregarding what happened with your augment, since that was apparently out of the ordinary...

[He crosses his arms, thinking]

Hmmmm...emotions, really. Like when I get really scared or angry or sad...that's when they go off.

Do they ever go off when you're happy?

[If it's just negative emotions, then it truly is tied to fear and not just a lack of control.]

Edited 2017-01-30 06:38 (UTC)

[Mikleo tilts his head curiously in Sora's direction. Actually, he's been wondering that as well.]

If you can remember anything more specific than just the emotions, that might help.

[He shakes his head] No, never when I'm happy. Even when I try to make it happen.

[He thinks some more]

I dunno. I just...stuff happens that makes me feel that stuff, and it feels really strong until suddenly it- goes off. Almost like... I dunno, something bursts or overflows? Does that make any sense?

Yeah... sounds like you're afraid of it.

[It was kind of like that with Rose's resonance, too.]

I agree. And if it's happened so sporadically, or only in moments when you're upset or scared, then it would create a natural association between those negative feelings and your power. That sort of thing can create a mental block that makes it harder to control it freely.

[He shakes his head]

No, it's more than that. I mean- yeah, I am kinda afraid of them, I'll admit. Who wouldn't be?

Maybe I'm not explaining right. [He sighs] But it's almost like...the powers are part of the feelings? I mean, they change based on what I'm feeling. Like if I'm sad, stuff gets heavier. If I'm jealous, powers can get switched around.

If I was just afraid of them, it'd be the same kind of power going off every time, right?

[That's... not something he's used to dealing with. Fuck, this is so far out of his element he might as well be a goddamned water seraph.]

We're not ridiculing you for being afraid of them. It's just that people who don't want to acknowledge something can make it harder on themselves, even if they don't mean to. We've seen it happen.

[He crosses his arms and leans on one leg.]

It's all mind stuff... I'm not sure I'd call those things separate and different powers.

That's true. Much like power over a single element can manifest in multiple ways, a power fueled by the mind can act as unpredictably as the mind itself.

[He drums a finger on his chin thoughtfully, pacing back and forth a couple of steps.]

I wonder why nothing happens when you're feeling more positive emotions, though. Is it because your abilities don't seem necessary in those times? Or is it something else holding them back?

So...same power, but comes out in different ways?

[Is that what they were saying? He uncrosses his arms so he can rub the side of his head. ]

I dunno...maybe I'm not strong enough? I never really questioned it.

[Since you know, knowing your happy feelings aren't going to set off freaky powers sure is a nice reprieve]

Edited 2017-01-31 06:29 (UTC)

Yeah. Just like controlling the air means more than blowing stuff over.

[There's storms to consider, flying, breathing, circulating the air-- lots of things.]

If it's anything like the rest of you, it's probably not a deep mystery.

Mm... well, first of all, I don't think outright controlling your emotions is going to work. It's not as if you can stop yourself from feeling things. However, there are ways of channeling what you feel into a different emotion. That might help to decrease the amount of damage your abilities can cause.

Hey! [He puts his hands on his hips, looking up at Dezel with a half-glare] C'mon! I could be mysterious!

[No, no he can't. But it's the principle of the thing!!!]

[Then he looks back at Mikleo]

There are? [Ways, he means]

[Dezel tucks his hat down as if to silently disagree, but he's smiling a little nonetheless.]

Yeah. It helps if you have a... goal or something to work toward.

[He'll be the first to admit he's not great at managing his emotions, but that's what happens when you replace everything in your life with the thought of revenge.]

Sure, there's that. You can also use those negative emotions and spin them into a positive- it doesn't change how you feel, but it can change your perspective on those feelings, instead. For example, jealousy is an outward emotion you feel when someone has something you don't have. The focus is on their success. You can use that feeling to encourage your own self-growth: turn the thought of "I want that" into "what can I do to achieve what that person has?"

Sort of like a competition the other person doesn't know they're in. The intent is to better yourself, rather than resent the other person.

Huh.

[He mulls that over, both their answers. Sure, he could think of a few goals: to find his friends, get home, explore new worlds. That's easy enough. And the shifting his emotions into a positive perspective? That actually seems like a good way to look at it. Something he could do]

Alright, I think I get what you're getting at. I do like competitions.

What about fear and sadness? How do I change perspectives on that?

[Mikleo's always been better with words than... like... half their party, so Dezel just nods along in agreement.]

Think about getting stronger, maybe?

That might be oversimplifying it, but... it's a start.

[Hmm, hmm. Those are trickier- there's a reason he'd started with jealousy.]

For fear, it's good to think critically about why you're scared. What are you afraid of? What makes you scared of it? Is it a rational fear, or is it something you can't help? And finally, what can you do for yourself to either make the source of your fear go away, or get yourself away from the situation?

I mean... technically speaking, a power that attacks an enemy when you're in danger isn't wrong, or even bad. But it's important that the attack happens because you want it to, not just because you instinctively make it real.

That's...a lot to think about when you're feeling scared, but I guess I could give it a start. At least maybe start with the things I know I'm afraid of?

[He looks at Dezel]

Don't you need a reason to get stronger?

Yeah. Baby steps.

[He unfolds his arms and rests them on his hips.]

It's not hard to find a reason. Maybe you want to learn how to survive on your own. Some people want strength so they can have recognition and power. Some want to support others, and some want to protect.

If you just want to improve yourself, I think that's good enough.

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