To My World and Back Again Chapter 10
Spirit Energy
By Ghost
"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an
uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit."
-Helen Keller
"Our mind is capable of passing beyond the dividing line we have drawn
for it. Beyond the pairs of opposites of which the world consists, other,
new insights begin."
-Hermann Hesse
May 9, 2006
10:55 AM
Jenny's Clothing Store
"I tell you. It really is the strangest thing." Michelle showed a slight grin. "Lucca said that you could read minds. Now, isn't that strange? What do you think she could possibly have meant?"
Patrick pretended to actually give thought to this question. "You know, Michelle, I have no-"
"And remember. I can tell when you lie to me, Patrick Simmons." There was something in her voice that said "If you don't tell me, I'll tell Miss Ellerbee on you."
Mind Reader Patrick thought. He looked back at Lucca with a scowl, wondering how she could have let the cat out of the bag so early, but there was a time for questions and a time for answers. Now was a time for answers. He then smiled a bit as he nodded his head to Michelle.
"Okay, you got me," he confessed although his lips did not move. It was the power of telepathy. The four were very shocked to see he could actually put words into minds.
"Hold on a second," Michelle burst out with a look of astonishment. She put her hands over her mouth, realizing she had practically yelled. She lowered her voice as she said, "You actually can have mind powers?" She looked to Crono, Marle, and, finally, Lucca. "I knew Lucca was hiding something when she was trying to deny this whole thing, but I didn't think she was serious!"
Patrick nodded again, actually smiling. There was something inside that felt relieved she knew his secret. He no longer had to hide it from her anymore. "Well I suppose you have some questions about all this."
"You bet I have questions," Michelle said, her voice still carried her astonishment and she counted the questions on her fingers as she asked them aloud. "Like, who taught you to do this? How is it even possible? Can anyone else do this? How about-"
Patrick cut her off. "Hey, hey, one question at a time, okay? Sheesh, I never knew a person could have so many questions out at once." He thought a moment. "Well I guess I need to answer them don't I"
Michelle gave a slight nod, curiosity keeping her quiet."
"Good." He cleared his throat, ready to begin. "It was in the year 1991 that Miss Ellerbee first introduced me to Stephen Maddux, my sensei, by having me mow his lawn. Some meeting don't you think?" It was a rhetorical question so she didn't answer. "This was after you and Chris left the orphanage. I had started to earn a bit of an allowance by cutting grass." He grinned. "And it's not the type a person smokes, I assure you."
"Will you get on with it," Lucca interrupted, "We don't have all day, you know!"
"Be patient, will you, Lucca?" he said as he glared at her from over his shoulder. "I'm going, alright?" He turned his head back around, saying under his breathe "Man she can be annoying."
"What was that!"
"What was what?" Patrick asked innocently. He decided to continue.
"Guess it was better than nothing. Sensei Maddux was the one that taught me martial arts. And if I remember correctly, it was five years after I started training. He gave me a test to see if I was ready to learn this power."
"What type of test?" Michelle asked.
Patrick scratched his head. "Honestly, I can't remember it. I know it had to do with testing my determination, but I can't remember at the moment. Oh well. Next, I'll tell you how it's done."
"Please do." Michelle said, eager and listening with attentiveness.
Patrick began to walk toward the men's shirts where Crono had been earlier. He made sure Michelle was following him, not really caring about the other three since he had told them the story, and rather not wanting to meet Lucca's gaze. "Now, as far as this mind reading and moving objects with thought, it is possible for anyone to do this, but many people can not. They have to have the determination and inner strength to learn, so you can guess I'm not the only one to have these powers. You see, I have used the term 'mind power' as a name for the telekinesis and telepathy; however, that term is only half correct in meaning." "Half correct?" Michelle repeated. "What do you mean?"
Patrick leaned up against a circular rack of blue long-sleeve shirts. "What I mean is that the definition is not correct. It is true that the mind is used in focusing and all that, but the mind is not the true source of the ability. The true source is your energy."
"Okay, I am officially lost. If it's not a mind power why call it just that?"
He cleared his throat, letting it all sink in before he continued with the big stuff. "Well your mind is one of the most important parts of the body. It regulates your temperature, blood pressure, sex drive, heart rate, and etcetera. What it also can do with practice is help you control your spirit energy."
"Wait! Spirit energy? I've heard that term…it's from a game right? I remember hearing a kid talking about it before." She smiled her smile. "Actually, he really reminded me of you. Almost sounded like you to."
"Sure." Patrick crossed his arms "Now let me see. Well, spirit energy is energy from within. That's all really. I mean, how much energy do we actually use in our lifetime? Gigawatts? Terrawatts? The Chinese have another name for this energy. They call it 'chi' and believe it to be located in the abdomen. That's actually not far from the truth. I mean, in martial arts, the stomach muscles are the most important due to the kick power and punching power. A lot of energy used in running comes from the abdomen."
"Wait, so 'chi' is just another name for spirit energy?"
"Exactly! With practice, a person can use it to surround an object or person to be used to move it, also known as telekinesis. It can also be used to act as a conductor between minds. Basically, telepathy. According to sensei, with enough mastery, a person can fly and use some special attacks. I'm not all to sure about that part. I mean, even sensei can't fly; at least, I don't think so."
"Learn to check your sources," Lucca butted in.
"Will you just shove it! You're starting to annoy me!"
"Make me, soul man!"
Marle walked between the two, arms stretched out. "Come on, can't you two do that later? Michelle really wants to hear all of this."
"Fine," the two said in unison. Michelle and Marle giggled at this.
Michelle waited, probably for an uncomfortable silence between the two scientists before she asked the fated question.
"So do you know anyone else with this power?"
Patrick didn't think as he answered, "I do."
"Anyone I know?"
Patrick froze for a moment, instincts bringing him on guard. He cleared his throat, and looked at the shirts around him. "It doesn't really matter. Now, would you like to see a demonstration?"
Michelle nodded her head giving an okay, not sensing that Patrick, like many politicians, evaded the question. Patrick made sure to look around a bit before he even thought of doing anything. There was not a soul around which was strange for a clothing store. Patrick, though, made the best of it and quickly thought of a way to show Michelle the power that he had been hiding from her for years.
"Okay then, gather close to me." The four did as they were asked to.
Patrick closed his eyes and calmed his spirit, focusing on the clothes around him. There was a moment when Michelle actually thought the whole deal was a joke. That was until ten shirts levitated themselves from their racks and began to float around the four in a circular motion. He then reversed their direction, giving the impression that the shirts were dancing.
Michelle stared in awe as well as the other three. Crono, Marle, and Lucca had experienced his telekinesis, but they never saw anything to this extent. Michelle let out a breathe of air. "Is this for real? I never knew anyone could do this."
Patrick was able to keep the performance up for a few minutes, pleased the others were enjoying the performance and finally hung the shirts back up. When Michelle looked away from the shirts and to Patrick, he was breathing hard as bent his legs a bit with his hands on his knees. Sweat dripped off his forehead.
"Strange," he breathed, "never kept it up for that long before." He took in another deep breath.
Michelle had walked to Patrick and looked to him. "Hey, are you feeling well?"
"Sorry…it's just that always takes a lot out of me. I feel like I just ran a ten kilometer race in record time."
"Well, record time for you, but I'd beat you to the finish line," came the familiar insulting voice."
Patrick stood up, still breathing heavily from his little demonstration. "John? I didn't think you liked shopping. You aren't turning pink are you?"
John grinned at that as he replied, "No, not me." He turned his attention away from Patrick. "Hey, Michelle, you aren't on a date with this guy are you?"
Michelle pushed her brown hair behind her ears. "No, John, I'm just taking a few friends shopping. Do you mind?"
John acted as if he's been shot, "Michelle, you don't realize how much that hurt. I just wanted to ask you out for dinner."
"Well, I'm sorry John," she said, looking him eye-to-eye, "I have other plans."
John shrugged, "Oh well, I had to try. I'll see you around Michelle." He then stared into Patrick's eyes as Patrick stared right back. "Showing off, Patrick? It's not becoming of you." His lips did not move.
Patrick responded the same way, "Just demonstrating a bit of energy usage. Nothing more. Besides, I didn't tell Michelle, she found out."
John's lips became a smirk, "Sure, like you didn't tell one of your new friends. See you at the finish line, Patrick."
Before Patrick had a chance to respond, John turned around, offering a backward wave of his left hand. Patrick, though drained, clenched his fists. It was not anger, he kept telling himself, it was just frustration.
11:24 A.M.
Outside the clothing store, Patrick sat on a bench by a simple fountain, littered with all types of change in the wishing of luck, under a partial glass sunroof which allowed the warmth and light of the soon to be noon sun to fill the area. Patrick had thrown a few quarters in himself, wishing for the luck he would need for his visitors.
It wasn't but a few minutes ago that Lucca had gotten on his case when Michelle went to pay for the clothes. Michelle had insisted and Patrick did not refuse. Once her mind was made-up, not even Armageddon would change it. Michelle took this time to take a seat by him as she placed her twp shopping bags of clothes under the bench.
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah, but misery loves company."
Michelle put a finger to her lower lip. "This doesn't have to do with John does it?"
Patrick let out a breath of air. "I can only wish. It's Lucca. When she saw you use a credit card, she asked me what it was. I explained it to her, and she got all upset that we would use such a form of money that could be so volatile. I don't know what's with her. Maybe it's just that you paid, but I'm wondering if it's just that time of the month."
Michelle gave him a stern look. "Don't go all stereotypical and blame everything on 'that time of the month.' Maybe she's just upset."
"Okay okay. I was just joking. What would she be upset about? Credit cards? I doubt it." Patrick looked around. "Speaking of the devil, where is she?"
Michelle could see there was going to be some times between the two, "She and the other two went to get some ice cream. Marle seemed to really like the idea."
Patrick let out a chuckle. "I'm not surprised. That girl loves ice cream as much as a little kid. It is like she's a grown up, but she doesn't act like it until she needs to. Wish I were that lucky."
Same
"Ooh, I can't wait! What flavor do you think I should get, Crono? Vanilla? Chocolate? Maybe there is even a flavor here that we don't have in Truce."
Marle was as enthusiastic as ever, almost skipping down the mall. She lead the way as she looked for the ice cream shop Michelle had told them about. Crono was behind her to the left, hands locked behind his head, smiling as he watched his love in her usual ecstatic mood. He kept thinking about a perfect time. Lucca was behind Marle, but to her right. Together they formed a perfect, practiced delta formation. Lucca had her arms crossed, a scowl chiseled on her face.
Crono kept on smiling as he replied, "Well, with what Michelle gave us, we should be able to get you whatever flavor you like. I'll even get you a triple scoop."
Marle squealed with delight.
Crono looked to his sister/friend. She had been upset since early morning for some reason or another. He couldn't figure it out, but whatever it was, it was really bothering her. "Hey, Lucca. What flavor do you want?"
Lucca mumbled something before unfolded her arms and replied, "I'll just take a chocolate."
"You feeling okay?"
"Just upset at the male population on this planet."
Crono nodded, and it made sense. "Upset at Patrick, I see."
She turned to him, stomping her foot as she continued walking. "No, no, I'm not upset. I'm just furious. That pig-headed jackass came into the bathroom this morning while I was in the shower! He didn't knock or anything. Then he had the nerve to use the restroom and flush the toilet. I'm just glad the toilets here don't work as they do back home. I would have fried."
"Wow," Crono confessed, "I was sure it had something to do with that little debate the two of you had the other night. You two seemed to really go at it."
Lucca shook her head, "Nope, that was science. That I love. What I'm talking about is ethics, and Patrick Simmons does not seem to have any."
Crono tried to sound convincing, "Look, Lucca, it was just a simple misunderstanding. If you just tell him why you feel this way, it'll be over faster than I can chug a soda."
Lucca crossed her arms again and thought bad thoughts about the male race.
Marle, who had been constantly looking for that ice cream place shouted a cheer and started to run. She had found what she had been looking for. "By Guardia, Crono, there must be a thousand flavors here."
Crono looked at the long list on the wall. He then turned to the woman at the register, wearing the orange and green company outfit. "Okay, I'll take a scoop of chocolate in a cone-"
"Would you like a waffle cone, a pancake cone, or small, medium, or large regular cone?" she asked with a smile.
Crono was caught off guard. He didn't know what she meant. The woman saw this and pointed to a display with the different types of cones she had.
Crono nodded. "Okay, I want a scoop of chocolate in a medium regular cone, a scoop of vanilla in a medium regular cone, and…" he looked toward Marle who was still looking at the list. "Marle?"
She nodded, about to say something when her eyes lit up in joy, and she turned to the woman behind the counter. "I know what I want! I can't believe you have it, and I want three scoops!"
11:41 A.M.
"They sure are taking their time," Patrick said, glancing at his watch. "Marle must be ordering some super scoops or something."
"That may be true, or maybe they're just looking around. This is a new world for them, you remember?" Michelle looked to the ceiling. The sun was almost directly overhead.
"Yeah, I know. I'm just worried. I mean they are my responsibility. I am going to have to be the one that shelters them and feeds them…I'll let Marle handle the cooking. I'll just shop."
Michelle took a moment and thought about what he had said. "Will you be able to afford it? I mean, that's a total of four people in one little house, and you've been earning a single man's income from SROC."
Patrick gave a wide smile. "That is not entirely true."
She turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "So you've been keeping something from me, have you?"
"Let's just say that I have invested well during the course of my lifetime. I'll be okay for the while. The problem I'm facing is how long my 'guests' will have to stay."
Michelle nodded. "You seem to think of time a lot seeing how you work with time travel and all that. What does time have to do with anything anyway?"
Patrick crossed his arms much the way Lucca had earlier, "Well, I can't keep them inside, you know. I have to let them out into the world. The problem usually is keeping them entertained and having identification if needed. I mean, if the police came over to my house one day with some sort of report, then we all would be in trouble since they don't even have a social security number or birth certificate for the least."
Michelle sighed as she fidgeted in her seat, "I can see what you mean. That would be hard to explain."
"What's hard to explain?" Marle asked. Her right hand held a waffle cone with one and a half scoops of remaining mint chocolate chip ice-cream.
"We were just going over certain scenarios," Patrick offered, still sitting. "You can never be too prepared."
"Always the boy scout isn't he," Michelle said with a smile.
"Well, I have to try," he laughed. "By the way, Marle, what type of ice cream is that?"
Marle had stopped mid-lick to answer. "Mint chocolate chip," she said with a smile. "Mint is my absolute favorite flavor. The chocolate part was unexpected, but it's super."
"Ah, well, you must love mint a whole lot."
"Sure do," she said with a nod. Her hair bobbed with it. "And you know, there's been something that I've been wondering."
"What would that be?"
Marle took another lick of her ice cream. "Well, we have seen some cool things while we've been here, but there doesn't seem to be anyone with hair like yours? I mean, there are some people with blue hair, and even green, but it looks too fake to be real."
There was a silence in the air that lasted several seconds. Crono, Marle, and Lucca all had their eyes to Patrick. Michelle already knew the answer he would give and just kept her eyes to the trio. Patrick, on the other hand, thought about how to exactly answer the question.
"I guess that is easy enough. The blue hair…well, it's a genetic mutation that I had from birth."
"Genetic mutation?" Crono asked.
"That's about it," Patrick said with a smile. "I was born this way, and I'll die this way." Patrick grabbed his bags and stood and made a few steps to the exit.
Lucca had thought about the way he had said this, "So basically, you are a mutant."
Patrick froze in place. Crono and Marle were looking to him, unsure of his reaction. Lucca had no worries at all. She just made a scientific statement as far as she was concerned.
Patrick didn't look over his shoulder as he continued to the exit. "A mutant? Yes, I guess you could say that. That's technically what I am isn't it. I mean, how many people do you know with blue hair?"