Point-of-View: Inoka Fonseka
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Talk about frustrating...damn it, why can’t I figure this out? I know how important this is to Dieter, and mastering Dispel will make a hugely significant difference, but no matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to be able to figure it out.
Either nothing happens, or I get a slightly different version of Negate, certainly nothing anywhere near powerful enough to dissipate complex Dark Skill effects.
What exactly am I doing wrong? What should I do different? This is such a damn pain...is it my mindset? My visualization? Or is it sothing else that I’m overlooking entirely?
Okay, I should probably stop thinking about it...agonizing over it like this isn’t going to help at all. It’s not like overthinking it is going to give a sudden cathartic realization that’ll magically put on the right track to mastering it or whatever.
Hm? Oh, looks like I’m at the boundary of the range of the barriers that have been set up...probably shouldn’t cross it. I doubt an enemy will appear out of nowhere or whatever, but just to be safe-...
"Hey! Over here!" Ca a sharp whisper from a few ters away...but most notably, it was a distorted voice...you’ve gotta be kidding , did I just jinx myself?
Right outside the boundary of the the barriers, was Anarchy, along with the blonde, freckled portal user.
"Crap, what are you doing h-...!?" I began to snap, forming a Light Blast in my hands.
"Sshhh! Relax, I’m here to help," Interrupted Anarchy, raising their hands to indicate as much.
"Okay, first off, don’t shush , I don’t like it. And second...I don’t know exactly what you’re here for, but I bet that the only person you’re here to help is yourself," I responded dryly.
"Well, yes, true. I’m doing this because I think it’ll make things more interesting. Also, Eden’s being super boring with this whole ’going into hiding’ crap, so I think it’s ti we removed them from the board. It’ll be a lot more interesting to see the several millions of mbers they abandoned run wild afterwards," Stated Anarchy with a chuckle.
"Huh...I really don’t think you’re lying. But that doesn’t an I can trust you," I frowned warily.
"What? Of course, not! I an, I am soone you know fairly well and, presumably, trust, which makes the fact that I am who I am all the more untrustworthy! Heh, you’re gonna be so surprised when you find out who I am," Laughed Anarchy in amusent.
"Oh, yeah? Whatever, whoever you turn out to be, I don’t really care. Get to the point, why are you here?" I sighed, deciding to hear them out.
If they really believe that helping will make things more interesting for them, then they’re likely to actually help out. And if it happens to be the one thing I really need help with right now, then...
"Okay, the first part of what you said is so not true, I’m willing to bet on that. And as for why I’m here...I believe you’re having trouble with mastering the Dispel technique, right?" They inquired knowingly.
"If you already know that, then stop beating around the bush."
"Uh, I agree, we shouldn’t stick around here for too long, Anarchy," Muttered the portal user anxiously.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. First off, Inoka...can you promise to not tell anyone about this?" They asked .
"Sure, fine, whatever, so long as this ’help’ turns out to actually be useful. If it’s just so cryptic, vague advice that I have to solve like a riddle, then no deal," I responded with a shrug.
"Hm...good enough for ! Now, then...I actually got this idea from you. I’ll use Dispel, and then use Synchronicity on you, so that you can feel what I’m feeling," Ca the reply.
Okay, they’ve definitely been listening in on us.
"What, have you got so kind of listening device or sothing in our campsite?" I inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"Who can say? Anyway, you ga?"
"Yeah, it’s too good an opportunity to pass up. That said, I won’t fully exit the boundary of the barriers. Considering where you’re standing, you’re clearly aware of it too. I’ll just poke my arm out," I remarked, as I extended my right arm outside the boundary.
If they do sothing to my arm, I can just grow it back. And if they try sothing else, I can drag them into the boundary and alert the others.
"Works for ," Nodded Anarchy, taking hold of my hand with their left as their right hand began glowing.
Okay, I can feel it...huh, I think I get it now...yeah, okay, so that’s what I was doing wrong, this is nothing like Negate at all, it’s completely different, it’s-...huh?
Suddenly, Anarchy let go of my hand, the glow in their right hand disappearing. Tch, I almost had it fully figured out too...but I got distracted by sothing else I felt...
"So...you’re a woman, huh?" I surmised with a smirk.
"What? That was only five seconds, how did you-...? Wow, impressive...not sure how you did that, but-...," They-...I an, she...-responded in surprise.
"Oh, it’s simple. The lack of dick n’ balls, plus the slight weight around the chest area, gave it away, of course," I grinned triumphantly.
"...huh, you shouldn’t have been able to determine that so quickly though. Well, whatever. Hope that was enough of a hint for Dispel, because that’s all I’m willing to share," Remarked Anarchy smugly.
"Let’s see...I think it was sothing like-...no, not quite this...," I frowned, as I began to activate the technique, before adjusting it closer to the sensation I felt through Synchronicity, "There we go, I think this was it...yeah, I think I got it!"
Hm, it’s kinda rough around the edges, but I can narrow it down better with so practice...
"Wow, no way...," Mumbled the portal user, wide-eyed.
"Holy crap...how did you...?" Added Anarchy is disbelief, before composing herself and adding, "Yeah, you got it. Should be a few days before you’ve fully gotten the hang of it, but it’s only a matter of ti. That...was quite sothing. Damn."
"Sweet. Alright, then, I’ll be leaving now," I remarked, as I pulled my arm back within the boundary.
"Hmph, you’re welco! Also, don’t forget to not tell anyone about this-...!"
"Yeah, about that...I lied," I interrupted her with a smirk, as I glanced back.
"Heh...I knew I liked you," Snickered Anarchy in response, before the portal user opened and the two of them left, just like that.
Well...that was interesting. And very, very useful. I’ve got it...I’ve finally got it! And now that I know what it feels like...I can say with confidence that I’d probably never have figured this out.
All this ti, I’d been thinking of Dispel as a stronger version of Negate, and while the effects indicate as much, the actual thods are nothing alike. It’s hard to put into words...Negate is like cleansing or purifying a target, but this...this feels more like breaking soone down and then building them back up while leaving out all negative effects.
The visualization requires precision, that’s probably why she said that I’ll need a few days to get the hang of it, I’d say I agree with that estimate.
And the thod she used was fascinating, letting feel it with Synchronicity...yeah, I did suggest using that thod to link Dieter and Neo, but that was for a different purpose.
I didn’t consider that it could be used to help soone learn a technique...hey, I bet it could also be used to help with basic training like Aura and output control, literally give the trainee a feel for it using Synchronicity.
Huh, I wonder if that ans I’ll be able to teach the techniques I’ve learnt to other Light Skill users like Kiyana and Liling?
Not gonna lie, a part of hopes that it isn’t that simple, since that’d make sothing of a prodigy, heh. I certainly like that idea.
Yeah, that’s pretty selfish, but hey, I’m okay with that. I want to have that kind of self-confidence, I want to be special, that sort of thing. And well, doesn’t everyone?
Okay, maybe not everyone, but I bet most people would rather be special than be nothing out of the ordinary for their entire lives.
When soone who’s average sees a genius, they envy them, they find themselves wishing that they had sothing unique or standout about themselves, just like that.
So might say that they simply just admire people who are better than them...but if you ask , admiration and envy are two sides of the sa coin. Sotis one side of that coin might be heavier than the other, but that doesn’t an the other side will just disappear, it’ll still be there.
You can’t envy soone you genuinely look down on...so people may lash out and act like they look down on soone they envy, to quell their own insecurities. Behind envy, is always admiration.
Wait a second...what was I talking about again? Oh, right, I want to be special. Huh...this whole thing doesn’t really matter, does it? Alright, back to training...
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