Ally... Friend... but not a monk
Continued from here >>
The Monks were powerful, in body and mind. There was definately something to be said for studying the discipline they deployed, but anyone underestimating the strngth they held within their fighting style, would find themselves quickly becoming untied by the monk's overwhelming force.
Things started small for Winston, of course. A leaf that seemed to float just a little too long. A pebble that rolled uphill. A teacup that slid across the table without being touched. He used his Alchemy to create small trinkets that deployed the techniques, his goal being a straw that blew and sucked things toward and away from him. Even this though usually resulted in failure. With each failed attempt, he grinned, cleared his workspace and started again, learning from the attempt and in each case moving closer and closer to a working prototype.
While he was attending the classes for endurance and combat, his true love remained the intriguing abilities the Monks showed with their telekinetic use of Sovereign.
The realization hit him one morning during meditation. He'd been sitting there, eyes closed, trying desperately to "feel the energy" or whatever it was Helen kept nattering on about, when he felt something... shift. It was as if the world had suddenly come into focus, but not with his eyes. It was a little voice inside his head that said "You are not a monk..."... it was a odd kind of realisation, but a sharp one for the inventor of things.
Ricket meanwhile had adopted the clothing and ways of the order in ernest and was spending more time now mimicking the monks and talking to the teachers then he was spending time doing anything else at all. Meanwhile, the other people they had saved were beginning to feel the benefits of a few trials respite. One had decided they would stay with the monks and another had made their own way off with some help from a local monk. That left four, including Ricket, remaining that were in various stages of recovery, both mentally and spiritually. One was an ex-slave in fact and all were interested in Winston's stories of Isonomia and Beacon.
The head monk had been observing silently throughout Winston's stay. Watching how he cared for the people they had saved. Listening to the stories he told and sharing his own, watching for the spark of kinship in the ferret's gaze. The ferret was clearly a pasafist and if the Monk was any judge of it, it was no pretence, though his reluctance to fight even in the face of danger was about as absolute as he had ever know. Even the pacifists among the Clam Waves deployed the Calm Hand in defence of others.
Over the next few trials, Winston colluded with the
Of course, Winston being Winston, he couldn't resist putting his newfound abilities to use in his inventions. The monastery soon rang with the sounds of singing as he worked his craft and worked his Alchemy with a song. He created a fan, that cast Expel. It was a simply enchantment, long with some wat-resistance for good measure. But he was very pleased with it nonetheless.
"Winston," Hellen sighed one trial, watching as the ferret directed a complex dance of circle and glyphs with nothing but a chalk and a happy song. "Don't you think you're missing the point of all this? Telekinesis is supposed to bring inner peace, not... whatever this is."
Winston looked up from his work, his fur slightly singed and standing on end. "Inner peace? Helen, me dear, dis ES me inner peace. Yuh find tranquility en meditation, me find et en creation. We're just taking different paths to de same destinashun." He explained with a grin.
Helen opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. She had to admit, there was a certain logic to Winston's words and perhaps in calving his won path, he would open ways that had never before been trodden. She couldn't deny the joy that radiated from the little inventor as he worked.
As their time at the monastery drew to a close, the head monk called Winston, Ricket and Helen to his private chambers. The room was as sparse as the rest of the monastery, save for a single, exquisitely crafted fountain in the center.
"You have both made remarkable progress," The monk said, his eyes twinkling. "But I sense that your journeys are far from over. Winston, you have found a unique way to channel the energy of Sovereign and while you do not adopt our 'Hand', I feel your spirit is one with our own. Your inventions, while... unconventional, have the potential to bring great change to the world and your spirit, great good." If only half the stories the ferrert told of his adventures to date were true, then he certainly had already done a great deal for the world.
Winston puffed with a dismissive and jolly wave of his hand, attempting to deflect the compliment.
The monk turned to Ricket and bowed slightly. "You show great promise young one and your path, should you wish to share it with us, can start here totrial a youngling of the order." The Rat Cadouri's face lit up with excitement as he almost poped with joy. "OH! Can I? Real... *cough* I mean, yes, Master. That would be a great honor." He said, sounding no less existed but using the right words this time.
"Our door is always open to you young ferret and if ever you consider yourself ready to join the Calm Waves, then you will be welcome. But for now, perhaps go in piece, a friend and ally, of the Monks of the Calm Waves, should you ever need our aid, you can consider us at your side." With that he gave a deep bow, which all present mirrored, before he waved and they all politely filed out.
As they prepared to leave, packing their things, not to mention people, back into Chest, the ferret and Hellen discussed the way to the shore, where they would finally meet the ship and return home. "Yuh know, 'ellen," He said as they crossed the bridge back to the mainland, Chest trundling along beside them. "me think me going tuh miss dis place. Don't suppose we cun convince them to install a few workshops, cud we? A partal ar two, per'aps? Liven the place up a bit?"
Helen laughed. "Somehow, I don't think that's quite in keeping with their philosophy, Winston. But who knows? Maybe your telekinetic inventions will revolutionise monastic life." She admitted with a bright smile.
Winston's eyes lit up. "A telechenitic teakettle! Me almost forgotten about dat! Yuh know, wid what we've learned, me bet me could make et sing while et brews. Imagine, Helen - a choir af self-brewing, singing teakettles!"
As Winston launched into an enthusiastic description of his latest invention idea, Helen smiled to herself. Some things, it seemed, would never change. And as they made their way back through the jungle, she found herself looking forward to whatever crazy adventure Winston would drag them into on his return.
After all, life was never boring with a telekinetic ferret inventor around.
The Monks were powerful, in body and mind. There was definately something to be said for studying the discipline they deployed, but anyone underestimating the strngth they held within their fighting style, would find themselves quickly becoming untied by the monk's overwhelming force.
Things started small for Winston, of course. A leaf that seemed to float just a little too long. A pebble that rolled uphill. A teacup that slid across the table without being touched. He used his Alchemy to create small trinkets that deployed the techniques, his goal being a straw that blew and sucked things toward and away from him. Even this though usually resulted in failure. With each failed attempt, he grinned, cleared his workspace and started again, learning from the attempt and in each case moving closer and closer to a working prototype.
While he was attending the classes for endurance and combat, his true love remained the intriguing abilities the Monks showed with their telekinetic use of Sovereign.
The realization hit him one morning during meditation. He'd been sitting there, eyes closed, trying desperately to "feel the energy" or whatever it was Helen kept nattering on about, when he felt something... shift. It was as if the world had suddenly come into focus, but not with his eyes. It was a little voice inside his head that said "You are not a monk..."... it was a odd kind of realisation, but a sharp one for the inventor of things.
Ricket meanwhile had adopted the clothing and ways of the order in ernest and was spending more time now mimicking the monks and talking to the teachers then he was spending time doing anything else at all. Meanwhile, the other people they had saved were beginning to feel the benefits of a few trials respite. One had decided they would stay with the monks and another had made their own way off with some help from a local monk. That left four, including Ricket, remaining that were in various stages of recovery, both mentally and spiritually. One was an ex-slave in fact and all were interested in Winston's stories of Isonomia and Beacon.
The head monk had been observing silently throughout Winston's stay. Watching how he cared for the people they had saved. Listening to the stories he told and sharing his own, watching for the spark of kinship in the ferret's gaze. The ferret was clearly a pasafist and if the Monk was any judge of it, it was no pretence, though his reluctance to fight even in the face of danger was about as absolute as he had ever know. Even the pacifists among the Clam Waves deployed the Calm Hand in defence of others.
Over the next few trials, Winston colluded with the
Captin of Floaty
via their Holo-com
, one of Isonomia's Briggs, regarding their trip home to beacon and he continued his training, attending lessons in everything, even if only for academic interest, he still aquired a few tips and tricks. He took to Sovereign like a fish to water, once he stopped tryign to force his magic to follow the channels of others and allowed his creativity to flow through his craft.Of course, Winston being Winston, he couldn't resist putting his newfound abilities to use in his inventions. The monastery soon rang with the sounds of singing as he worked his craft and worked his Alchemy with a song. He created a fan, that cast Expel. It was a simply enchantment, long with some wat-resistance for good measure. But he was very pleased with it nonetheless.
"Winston," Hellen sighed one trial, watching as the ferret directed a complex dance of circle and glyphs with nothing but a chalk and a happy song. "Don't you think you're missing the point of all this? Telekinesis is supposed to bring inner peace, not... whatever this is."
Winston looked up from his work, his fur slightly singed and standing on end. "Inner peace? Helen, me dear, dis ES me inner peace. Yuh find tranquility en meditation, me find et en creation. We're just taking different paths to de same destinashun." He explained with a grin.
Helen opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. She had to admit, there was a certain logic to Winston's words and perhaps in calving his won path, he would open ways that had never before been trodden. She couldn't deny the joy that radiated from the little inventor as he worked.
As their time at the monastery drew to a close, the head monk called Winston, Ricket and Helen to his private chambers. The room was as sparse as the rest of the monastery, save for a single, exquisitely crafted fountain in the center.
"You have both made remarkable progress," The monk said, his eyes twinkling. "But I sense that your journeys are far from over. Winston, you have found a unique way to channel the energy of Sovereign and while you do not adopt our 'Hand', I feel your spirit is one with our own. Your inventions, while... unconventional, have the potential to bring great change to the world and your spirit, great good." If only half the stories the ferrert told of his adventures to date were true, then he certainly had already done a great deal for the world.
Winston puffed with a dismissive and jolly wave of his hand, attempting to deflect the compliment.
The monk turned to Ricket and bowed slightly. "You show great promise young one and your path, should you wish to share it with us, can start here totrial a youngling of the order." The Rat Cadouri's face lit up with excitement as he almost poped with joy. "OH! Can I? Real... *cough* I mean, yes, Master. That would be a great honor." He said, sounding no less existed but using the right words this time.
"Our door is always open to you young ferret and if ever you consider yourself ready to join the Calm Waves, then you will be welcome. But for now, perhaps go in piece, a friend and ally, of the Monks of the Calm Waves, should you ever need our aid, you can consider us at your side." With that he gave a deep bow, which all present mirrored, before he waved and they all politely filed out.
As they prepared to leave, packing their things, not to mention people, back into Chest, the ferret and Hellen discussed the way to the shore, where they would finally meet the ship and return home. "Yuh know, 'ellen," He said as they crossed the bridge back to the mainland, Chest trundling along beside them. "me think me going tuh miss dis place. Don't suppose we cun convince them to install a few workshops, cud we? A partal ar two, per'aps? Liven the place up a bit?"
Helen laughed. "Somehow, I don't think that's quite in keeping with their philosophy, Winston. But who knows? Maybe your telekinetic inventions will revolutionise monastic life." She admitted with a bright smile.
Winston's eyes lit up. "A telechenitic teakettle! Me almost forgotten about dat! Yuh know, wid what we've learned, me bet me could make et sing while et brews. Imagine, Helen - a choir af self-brewing, singing teakettles!"
As Winston launched into an enthusiastic description of his latest invention idea, Helen smiled to herself. Some things, it seemed, would never change. And as they made their way back through the jungle, she found herself looking forward to whatever crazy adventure Winston would drag them into on his return.
After all, life was never boring with a telekinetic ferret inventor around.
All template credit, love and admiration goes to Pyrre Ej'qy
