#a literal genius and prodigy PSI-user

[trouticecream]

"I'm supposed to be protecting you."

↪     ᵗʰᵉ 𝑫𝑼𝑺𝑻𝒀 𝑻𝑶𝒀𝑩𝑶𝑿: @pktearsoftazmily

[ Under most sets of circumstances, the disguised alien tended to be rather –independent in his exploration of various areas (and separate worlds entirely even, within and beyond this universe itself).  It was just better that way and more often than not, spared him the trouble of having to play a role that admittedly (even though it’s just pretend) never fails to hurt his pride, even if only in a marginal amount.  But this time, the more efficient approach–one which effectively kills several ‘birds with one stone’, as the human saying goes, somewhat–was to obtain a guide for an especially rugged, broken-down, and maybe dangerous (read: a touch more exciting, if only for the astronomically tiny challenge it would provide) area.  The Drago Plateau situated on Mt. Oriander.  There was a supposed shortcut there that he had wanted to see–for the experience itself if nothing else–and upon parsing through several people inhabiting Nowhere islands, he had gotten the Chosen One, Lucas to agree to assist him.  An optimal outcome.  This way, he can explore and document his various observations and findings of the area while observing Lucas a little more closely.  A ‘win-win’ scenario as many humans would exclaim.

From that, soon enough the two of them were in a notoriously dark cavern system named ‘Murki Cave’ with Lucas leading the way and Gregory himself dutifully following behind, just a few steps behind.  Lucas had to be the one in front.  He was the guide and the one who would protect the disguised alien from any threat posed within it.  And accordingly, the journey progressed smoothly for the first half of it or so, until just after crossing the threshold around said ‘halfway point’... the Psion noted movement from something under the guise of a rock.  While Murki cave was considered to be dark… for Gregory himself, it was as clear as day; an innate ability granted to him by what he is… though even without it, he had already long since psionically detected that there was more to this… thing (a ‘Crag Lizard’ if his recollection is correct) than superficial appearances would otherwise imply.  A movement perhaps so subtle that it had not yet caught Lucas’ attention.  A definitive precursor to something much sharper.  And so, right as the Crag Lizard jutted out of its position in an abrupt strike laden with violent intent, Gregory perfectly times his counter move and proceeds to rather roughly grab the back of Lucas’ shirt–a rather blunt and rigid ‘Move’ uttered in-between–and jerk him straight out of the attack’s trajectory, taking a few steps back himself as he does so.

From a somewhat safe distance from the Crag Lizard, the disguised alien rather intently observes it crash into a cave wall before seemingly deciding that the two of them aren’t worth the effort and waddling off into a deeper part of the cave.  He then turns to Lucas so as to assess his physical condition, but before he can do anything of value, the human decides to say something first.

"I'm supposed to be protecting you."

‘Protect you’.  Hm.  That alone causes his mouth to twitch, almost dipping into a definitive downward curve, before instead flattening itself out into a straight and rather rigid line.  ‘Protect you’.  It’s so odd to have such a statement be made about him.  Odd because he has never existed as something to be protected.  At worst, others have needed protection from him.  It’s just a role that he had elected to play here in order to advance his own goals.  And so, the sentiment feels unwarranted.  Like a lie.  But it isn’t.  Not for Lucas.  The human is being genuine and admittedly, though this interaction is purely transactional on the Psion’s part, it does mean something, even if just a little bit.  Small hands bunch up together just a little tensely–allowing a beat to pass to devise an appropriate response rather than simply relying on his first instinct–before he rather stoically responds, expression blankly neutral yet somehow sincere in its own way.  ]

—-‘I know.  But, I do not want to be an inconvenience.

It would be… –‘wrong’ of me, I think, to otherwise do nothing when I could be of use for a given situation.  It is unnecessary for you to be harmed when such an outcome is entirely avoidable.

I hope that you understand.’