Items of Lasting Value

We’re at what you take to be a flea market or a swap meet or an open air market. Something like that. The wind is cool but the air is warm. Maybe even hot? It’s up to you, babe. I’m wearing something cute and flowy that’s supposed to look totally dressed down and casual but costs a fucking arm-ana-leg. Everyone knows it, but people play the stupid fucking game anyhow.

I wonder why? I think.

If you can read my mind, then you hear it and can respond if you want, then skip the tent scene. I put a divider down there to make it easier on you, bae.

If you can’t read my mind yet, I sigh and take you by the hand, lead you over to a multicolored tent.

Unless you’re smaller than I am, you’ll have to bend over a bit to get into the tent—cos I do.

I sit in the center cross legged facing the entrance flap.

You can sit across from me, back to the flap.

If you don’t like that, I frown and wait for you to change your mind.

Should you not change you mind, we sit however you want.

I take a deep breath, close my eyes, then take two more big breaths. After that, my breathing is silent. You can see my chest moving a bit, so you know that I am breathing, but you cannot hear it.

“Follow along,” I say.

You do, if you want.

“First, make your mind like the earth, you know, the ground.”

You might not get it.

So I say, “The ground doesn’t care if you pour honey on it or perfume or piss. It’s just the ground. Try to make your mind be like that. If you cannot, then try simply letting it be like that.”

You wonder what to do if you can’t do either, maybe.

“Then just breathe. Don’t sweat it, babe,” I say.

You do what you do.

“Now, breathe in a way that refreshes and invigorates the body.”

You do, if you can. If you cannot, you breathe however you breathe or hold your breath—whatever you choose to do.

“Okay,” I say. “Put a guardian at each gate.”

You might not know what that means.

So I say, “Imagine a guardian, in whatever form you wish, protecting the gate to each of your senses. So you have one for your sight, for sounds, for smells, for bodily sensations, and for mentation. Each guardian is like a bouncer or a gatekeeper. They can let through things you want, but easily turn away the things you do not want to come through the gate.”

What if my guardian can’t stop something and it gets through anyway? you might wonder.

“Don’t sweat it. Let the guardian handle it.”

That either makes sense or it doesn’t.

“Now, instruct your guardians to keep out everything but the sound of my voice. Do that now, gently. Be gentle in your instruction but be sincere and whole-hearted about it.”

You do it, or you don’t.

“Stay like this for a moment, listening to my voice in your mind, and allowing it to flow through your being. Take in what it feels like to have my voice inside of you. Notice where you feel my voice in your body and what changes, if any, it has on how you are feeling.”

I am quiet for a moment.

“Now you are going to instruct the mind guardian to let my thoughts through.”

Again, I am quiet.

“Did you hear what I thought?” I ask.

If you did, skip to the end of this scene. If not, keep reading.

“Now, you are going to instruct your sound guardian to not let my voice through. So I will continue to speak and give instruction, but you will not hear them because your guardian will simply say to you: ‘A sound as made contact at the ear.’ And that will be all that enters your mind from that gate. But from the mind gate, you will hear my thoughts,” I say.

Do you understand?

I smile, then, we sit there for awhile, me smiling with my eyes closed, and you however you are.

Dismiss the guardians, I think.

Then I open my eyes, exhale loudly. I stretch my arms, then wiggle my legs, toes, and feet. I stand up and offer you my hand.

We exit the tent, and I think, You can read my mind now.

Back in the market proper, we look around the various shops and stalls.

I point to one and get you to look there.

“Here we have three things,” I say. “Three items. But are any of lasting value?”

You look and see:

A pearl.

A diamond.

A coin.

Play procedures

• You may now read my mind.
• If you could already read my mind, you may now read the minds of other characters (except for certain ones, like Nikki or Alithea), and you can easily communicate with me telepathically. You can also subtly implant suggestions into the minds of others, but I recommend not doing this. It causes a lot of trouble down the road. But you do you, babe.
• If you remain unconvinced that you can read my mind, simply count this chapter as 3 chapters toward unlocking telepathy.
• You may add any or all of the three items—the pearl, the diamond, or the coin—to your inventory. You can pay for the items if you have money. If not, you can trade something of equal value from your inventory for whichever or all of them. Failing any of that, I can buy them for you and will gladly do so. But if you get any or all of them, be sure to also notate how you acquired it. I suggest using parentheses, but you do it how you want.
• You may add any or all of the three songs to your song grimoire.