star_kingdom | [Video] Chess

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[Video] Chess

[The heartless have been getting to quite a few people lately. It's hard to tell at first whether Ami is one of them. She's inside, seated at a small table and playing chess against herself. Masters of the game would note the arrangement of the board as a very famous end game maneuver. She's testing it again, noting its weaknesses and the ways to defend against it.

It's keeping her mind off the shadows, and the things that always seem to not-quite-be-there when she looks. It's keeping her mind off the doubts, the worries, the insecurities. But there's very little of her usual gentle smile despite the seeming calm. She has a perhaps not-so-incongruous question.]

What are the things you do to relax and unwind your mind?

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Try again. Just like I told you.

[Ami gives a small sigh, but complies, shutting her eyes and settling back again. There is no fear, at least, of her falling asleep during the process.]

[He waited again until her breathing steadied before sitting up and moving to sit before her, knees inches away from hers while he watched. If she started getting distracted again, he would know.]

[Even with her eyes closed, she can tell he's come a bit closer; it distracts her a little, but she tries to remind herself to keep her attention on the train of thought she's trying to encourage.]

[He's watching her for a moment until finally speaking.]

An easier way can be thinking of something and shortening it to a word that can describe it. If you're thinking about your friends, you can use words like 'safe' or 'home'.

[She tries to think of what words to use; then she realizes she's going about it the wrong way, perhaps, and lets her mind relax and simply focus on the girls to see what thoughts that produces.]

Happy. [She can imagine them smiling.]

Happy. [Okay, good.] Now concentrate on peace. Happiness is a positive emotion, peace feels like anything you want it to feel. Happiness can bring people peace. Incorporate this.

The two don't always go together, I'm afraid.

This is your time. You can make any possible.

I can have happiness and peace both? [But though the tone makes it a question, a small smile suggests it's a comforting thought, even right now.]

Yeah, sure. This is your time, you can have anything you want.

[But who was he to say these things. It's what meditation was for: let you have your peace.]

It's a little like simply using your imagination. [Like a child might, she doesn't say - and she wouldn't mean it as disparaging anyway.]

Don't just think it, you have to believe it too.

Believe it? I don't know if someone can make themselves believe something.

Yes you can. Technically you can make yourself do whatever you want but in this case, you have to believe instead of doing an action.

Concentrate. [And your hair is in the way, Ami. He's moved to grab a clip from his pony-tail to pull your hair back. There you go. Better.]

[Ami freezes at the gesture, and her eyes open.]

Kanda...? [She reaches up a hand to touch her hair, and finds the clip. Ah.]

You're hair was in the way, it was annoying me.

[What? He do something wrong?]

[No; not wrong. It just...]

It just surprised me. [Ami finds a slightly nervous smile.]

[He responded to her nervous smile with a frown.]

You're not concentrating enough, close your eyes. Do it again.

[Feeling a bit like a scolded student, Ami does as bidden. She closes her eyes, and tries to focus on her friends again.]

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[Video] Chess

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