Ms. McManus' Office - September 3rd

by **Chloe Grant** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:25 pm

"Do you think that eventually, we'll have to shift in tandem?" Chloe said, clearly worried about that.

by **Jessica Temple** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:29 pm

"That could be.. awkward."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:33 pm

"I think you may be able to learn to shift individually again, but at the moment it isn't quite your default anymore."

by **Jessica Temple** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:36 pm

"So.. we need to practice." Jess said, looking at her sister

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:45 pm

"The difficulty I believe you are having right now is likely psychological."

"Both shapeshifters and telepaths need to be quite aware of a concept known as the ego barrier. For most people without these sorts of powers it isn't that much of an issue. Their ego develops as they age and understand the boundaries between self and not-self. Shapeshifters naturally have a somewhat amorphous ego barrier as they have to expand their sense of self to include forms other than human. The reason telepaths need to be wary of the strength of their ego barrier is that this doubly functions as the barrier between 'my mind' and 'your mind' and helps to prevent receiving or projecting stray thoughts."

"The ego barrier's strength is determined by how firm your notion is that you are yourself and no one else, that you are unique."

"The two of you understandably have had recent reasons to question that."

by **Chloe Grant** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:09 pm

"So, subconciously we think that we have to shift at the same time because we are, for all intents and purposes, identical?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:12 pm

"Not exactly. However, the telepathic link has been formed now, and for all intents and purposes it's blindsided you at a time when your concept of self has taken a bit of a blow. Your ego barriers can be strengthened again, which will be key to relearning how to shift individually."

"But yes, it certainly does have to do with the shock of suddenly finding out you have a twin. Most twins grow up together, and thus have their egos already compensating for that knowledge as they develop."

by **Jessica Temple** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:22 pm

"So... what do we do?" Jess asked, greatful her sister at least seemed to have some idea what Ms McManus was talking about.

by **Chloe Grant** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:23 pm

"It might help to shift togehter more often."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:25 pm

"I think it couldn't hurt initially. It would get you used to the sensations of the link."

"Talking about what makes you different from each other may help as well, as it can help firm these notions up in your minds. Certainly the fact that you seem to have settled on the same hairstyle purely by accident can't be helping your sense of individuality."

by **Jessica Temple** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:27 pm

Jess chuckled at that, amused at a memory.

"Confused someone enough that he didn't even we sound completely different, even if we look alike."

by **Chloe Grant** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:39 pm

"I've been thinking of getting a haircut." Chloe replied, touching her hair absently

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:43 pm

"Little things like that can bolster your sense of self in the short term, buying you some time for the long-term adjustments you'll be making mentally from discovering that you're twins."

by **Jessica Temple** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:49 pm

"I have too..." Jess said. "Maybe we should go together, make sure we get something different done?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:50 pm

She chuckled.

"That might be best, or you might be chagrined to be in synch yet again."

by **Chloe Grant** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:53 pm

"Were you thinking of a short bob?" Chloe asked, looking at Jessica nervously

by **Jessica Temple** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:56 pm

"We should definately go together." Jess said, actually looking a little relieved.

by **Chloe Grant** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:01 pm

"You don't think that'd look good?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:02 pm

Ms. McManus chuckled.

"Anything more I can do for you today?"

by **Jessica Temple** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:11 pm

"It's not that, I think it'd look great. Just, short hair isn't 'surfer', yanno, I couldn't quite understand why I wanted that style."

by **Chloe Grant** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:12 pm

"Sorry" Chloe said to Jess, before adding to Sam, "No ma'am. Unless Jess has any questions."

by **Narrator** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:15 pm

Samantha feels a mental message, somehow couched extremely politely across the psychic link.

"Excuse me, Samantha, this is Denise. Lumis would like to know if you are available to speak with him."

by **Jessica Temple** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:17 pm

"Not right now."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:19 pm

"Alright, then. Let me know if you need anything else."

"You know, I am available by more... conventional means. I'm in my office if he wants to stop by, though."

by **Narrator** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:20 pm

"Lumis prefers that I contact people psychically unless they object. If you'd rather I not, I will call you next time. He is already on his way, I believe."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:21 pm

"I'd prefer if we reserved telepathic contact for emergencies."

by **Narrator** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:27 pm

"Understood. I'll be sure to call you next time. Have a lovely day, Samantha. Or would you prefer Ms. McManus?"

by **Domanic Taylor** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:30 pm

Lumis arrives, and waits outside of Samantha's office.

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:47 pm

"Ms. McManus will be fine."

She waited for her office to clear out before inviting Dom in.

by **Domanic Taylor** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:51 pm

"Zai jain, Wu." Lumis hangs up his cell as he walks in to Sam's office. He smiles. "Hello Samantha."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:18 pm

"Hello, Dom. What can I do for you?"

by **Domanic Taylor** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:23 pm

"Well, on one hand, I miss talking to you, and I haven't seen much of you since the students arrived, since we've both been busy. But since we are both busy... I'll get to the point."

Lumis takes a deep breath, steeling himself. "I came to you because I..." he considers his words. "because, I need some help."

He takes another breath. "You are the only person who has any experiance as a counselor that I trust. So I was wondering if you had time to help me. I imagine it won't be fast, and I apologize in advance for being difficult to work with, if you do take me on, because I am at least self-aware enough to know that I am a very difficult man sometimes."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:26 pm

She sighed.

"Dom, I'm not qualified to do this, and even if I were licensed, our personal history would be a significant conflict of interests, aye?"

by **Domanic Taylor** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:28 pm

"It's not exactly a counseling thing. I just want someone who has a least a little experience in that area because I am sure that my emotions are bound up in my problem. But what I want is your psychic expertise. I need to get more control over Shadow, and I have reached a point where I can't make any more progress by myself. In fact, I am losing ground."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:45 pm

She frowned.

"You know what feeds him."

by **Domanic Taylor** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:49 pm

"To some extent, negative emotions do, but my power does as well. He can tap into my energy storage as well as I can."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:01 pm

"He's associated with taking and keeping, aye?"

by **Domanic Taylor** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:03 pm

"He was, and there's still a lot of that there, but honestly he is a complex entity now, with his own real psyche. He has gotten subtle over the years."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:43 pm

"Because you've let him fester, and you've fed him more than a little."

by **Domanic Taylor** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:45 pm

"I won't deny it. Will you help me?"

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