Asshole telepath protection racket

[telepathicignorance]

Type: Text
Sender ID: 🖕nunya🖕 (Sidestep)
To: Public
Subject: Lessons
Warnings: Mind reading, swearing, mouthiness? Will warn if things get worse in individual threads.


I guess the cat's basically out of the bag at this point anyway: Does anyone want lessons on how to shield your mind from telepathic intrusion?

Free for people I like or have to work with regularly. 100 dubloons for everyone else.

Comments

Text; un: wherethereislight

[wherethereislight]

[...That is useful, but there's something a little more pressing on his mind.] Are you well?

Private

[telepathicignorance]

...You saw.

(Shadow wouldn't ask unless he had a reason.

How much do they even want to tell him? They're shocked he hasn't come and beat their door down for working with the guy that hurt Turo. In their deeply distorted mind, that practically makes things their fault even if they're the one who betrayed Ganon to get Turo out of there.)

[wherethereislight]

Yes.

Are you well?

[telepathicignorance]

I'm not dead anymore, I guess.

(They're not even sure how to answer that question.)

I've got a new scar.

(Talking about their feelings? They don't think Shadow would want that any more than they do, and they don't want to do that at all.)

Turo doesn't know. (At least, they're pretty sure he doesn't. It's probably for the best. They don't want him to hate them.)

[wherethereislight]

[...He's heard whisperings, about how death doesn't work as it should in this world. Now he's witnessing it first hand. Puts the whole "deal" he's made with Sonic concerning Eggman into a new annoying light. That also means they haven't seen the last of Ganon. Ugh. But that is a separate issue unrelated to the current discussion.]

Is this your way of repenting?

[telepathicignorance]

(They should be repenting, but this still hits like a slap in the face.)

Do you want training or not?

[wherethereislight]

[...Hmph.] Name a meeting place.

[telepathicignorance]

(Fuck. They didn't plan this out. Can't just do this stuff at the Conservatory and their home is a cramped one room hole. It takes them a few minutes to respond.)

You familiar with the abandoned courtyard in(They give a location.)?

[wherethereislight]

[There's a pause.] I will see you there. [Well that may as well be a yes. Unless there was more to it, he'll be making his way to the designated location. Presumbly he would be the first there, but Chris may not spot him immediately, perhaps only sensing his presence.

Shadow isn't going to put himself out in the open. He is uncertain what Chris will do after everything, or if they're expecting him to do something.]

[telepathicignorance]

(Well, they guess they're doing this now, then.

Shadow is, of course, way faster than them, so even if they had started heading there before they told him where to meet--they didn't--he's still gonna get there first. They walk out into the open in the middle of the courtyard, looking around.)

You know, even if I'm not reading your thoughts I can still tell you're there.

[wherethereislight]

[There isn't a response. Instead, there's a flash to their left. A grumpy dark hedgehog now appears, standing at arm's length from them.]

[telepathicignorance]

(They start a bit, but don't leap back: they can tell there's no attack coming.)

If you want to mask your presence entirely, you'll want to stick to crowded areas with lots of minds. Even better if they're excited or freaked out or something.

[wherethereislight]

[He crosses his arms, remaining quiet. He seem to be studying the kid for a moment.]

And if one were to find themselves on their own and didn't have that option?

[telepathicignorance]

(And well, they frown a bit.)

That's harder. You don't have any psychic powers of your own, so your best bet would be to maintain distance and hope that makes you less noticeable. Approach when they're distracted or tired and vulnerable.

Wanna get started?

[wherethereislight]

I've had my fair share of mind intrusions and overcame them. Psychic powers or not. [He is not referring to Chris. Just like those previous times, he'll overcome this too. His brows furrow.] I'm ready.

[telepathicignorance]

(They blink.)

I was intending to coach you on how to have even better (They have to admit he's one of the people who manages not to project everywhere, but they bet there's still a few tricks he could learn.) control of your thoughts and spot more subtle intrusions before the possibility of actually simulating one came up, but if you want to start with that...

[wherethereislight]

I be more concern with yourself, if I'm unable to repel you. [A warning that he may respond violently as a means of self preservation.

There's a reason he reacts strongly when it comes the tampering of his mind. Be it things he does not want others to see, being manipulated, or have his memories reprogrammed entirely. It took him as long as did just to be able to trust what his mind percieves around him.]

Instruct where you feel it necessary.

[telepathicignorance]

What, like you'll just automatically lash out and kill me?

(Oh, there's that snappishness. Someone's still pissy.

A part of them wonders: does Shadow really intend to kill them if they poke around in his head, or is he afraid he's going to freak out and kill them for accidentally poking into his head?

...It doesn't make much of a difference, they suppose. Especially since-) That doesn't work anyway, remember?

(They sigh.)I'm not even interested in your secrets.

[wherethereislight]

No, but I could make you wish for death. [There are worse things than death as one could say. He crosses his arms. In quiet consideration.]

Whether it is or not, what memories I have are important to me. I...simply do not want them to be tampered with again.

[telepathicignorance]

(They scoff.) I doubt you can top what's already happened.

(That's not even a matter of ability so much as them being pretty sure Shadow has standards.

They sigh.)

I can't actually tamper with memories anyway, just read them. (This is, for the most part, true. That part of their power is blocked. It's possible they might be able to do it if they dove all the way into his head? But that leaves them like, completely vulnerable... and they haven't actually tried something like that since arriving here.

...Probably it'd just give the both of them brain damage.) And even if I could I don't want to. Is it really so hard to believe that I'm capable of not being a complete piece of shit, or do you just assume other people will treat you like a toy the moment you let your guard down? (On the offensive, now. Running their mouth. Picking at a perceived weakness.)

[wherethereislight]

I'm here, aren't I? [He taps his foot impatiently.] Are you going to provide those lesson you mentioned or not?

[telepathicignorance]

...

...

...Alright. (So incredibly sullen.

They are absolutely mad Shadow didn't take the bait even if picking a fight with him is incredibly stupid.) You ever meditated before?

[wherethereislight]

[Maybe if he was younger, he would have fallen for the brat's attempts to egg him on.] ...A few times. [Does brooding count as meditating though?]

[telepathicignorance]

(They have no idea how old Shadow is or how that compares to human age.

He's right to think they're a brat, though. They're chronologically like, 19-20?)

Alright. Let's see how fast you can get comfortable and clear your thoughts.

[wherethereislight]

... [He takes a deep breath. For the first time since arriving to the meeting place, his gaze moves from Chris. The challenge of trying to relax, is not letting old haunts creep up on you. He always has to be doing something, because if he's not, his mind tends to wander. What should he be doing, what can he do better? What could he have done? A question that often eats at his mind. There's also the fact he's standing in front of someone he isn't completely sure he could fully relax in front of.

But that's always been the case with anyone. Letting his guard down is just asking to be taken advantage of, controlled.

...But if he thinks about being in a field of lavenders, the plant room on his boat, he can reach some state of calm. Physically, he does appear relaxed. His mind creating a space that makes him feel calm, but there's still a lingering wariness.]