"Ignoring pain isn't the same as not _feeling_ it."

[hazlogs]

Editor's note: Despite what's shown in this log, fire damage is aggravated. I'd thought so, but... there was some confusion due to Alicia acting on something another wizard (now retired) had done with her when teaching this Gift. I'm posting this log anyway 'cause I like it. Nyeah.

It is currently 19:25 Pacific Time on Fri Nov 28 2003.

Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (32% full).

The Sept Compound

Sweeping branches of trees form a sort of natural roof overshadowing most of this clearing, no more than an open space of grasses and beaten earth in the heart of the forest. Some pains have been taken to keep wear and tear on the area to a minimum, so the firepit tends to shift from time to time. The firepit, several sawn logs polished from use, and a stack of firewood discreetly piled up at the base of an old spruce under a tarp, are the only signs of constant occupation.

A faint trail leads off to the east, and a bit north.

Salem looks only a little haggard from his excesses of the night before, though he's certainly not in as cheery a mood. Hands folded into his coat pockets, the Walker leans against a tree near the edge of the compound, looking at nothing in particular.

Making her way into the compound, Alicia looks a million times better then she did last night. After sleeping off nearly the entire day and getting a warm shower, she's bounced back from the hangover from hell. "Hey boss."

"I'm not your boss," Salem replies, automatically, and gives her a thin smile. "You look chipper."

"Yer always boss ta' me." Alicia says with a grin, giving him a bop in the shoulder. "Thanks. You don't. Whats wrong?"

Salem snorts. "Nothing in particular. So." He straightens up from his lean against the tree. "Feel like playing teacher?"

"Definitly. I was hoping ta' find ya actually." Moving inwards to the compound, Alicia takes out a box of matches from her pocket, kneeling down next to the fire pit.

"Good." Salem takes his hands out of his pockets and follows her over toward the firepit, cracking his knuckles absently as he does so.

"Ah'm ganna teach ya exactly the same way Adam did me." Striking a match, she lets it flip end over end into the fireplace where she set up dry leaves and kindlin earlier upon a pair of logs.

The Glass Walker nods, murmuring an easy, "All right..." He cocks his head, favoring his good eye as he looks at her.

Motioning him to sit, Alicia settles down upon her knees and leans over, lightly blowing on the flame to fan it some. "Pain is like anything else that is recognized by your brain." She explains. "Like temperature.. heat an cold. Its all upstairs. Ya'know? Its how your body talks to your brain. You feel a pin prick, it takes a half thought to reach your brain. Well.. this gift is all about turning that stuff off. To will yourself to be numb, to feel nothing." With that, she thrusts her hand into the fire once it sparks and burns up bright, then yanks her arm back, blowing across the bubbled flesh, fingers flexing for a moment.

That's right up Salem's alley; it's amazing he hasn't learned this Gift before now. From his seat across the fire from her, he listens and watches... his jaw tightening slightly in sympathetic pain when she deliberately does a flambe with her hand.

The Gaian doesn't even flinch or glance down to her hand as it has begun to blister. "The only draw back is sometimes you don't know how bad you are off. Like when I got shot in my head. I shoulda been.. flat lined, ya'know? It saved my life, but I also could have bled to death or got brain damage." She nods her head. "The gift is useful and one I rely heavily upon, I just know that its going to get me in trouble one day." She says with a grin. "Before you start sticking yer hand in there like the idiot I am. I want you to focus some. Clear your mind. Blank everything out, and just simply imagine what its like to life in a life without feeling. No pain, happiness, sorrow. No cold, warmth.. nothing. Just the sound of your heart beat and every breath you take."

Salem nods once or twice. His elbows rest on his knees, hands clasped together loosely between them. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, his eyes closing. Slowly, his scarred face goes blank.

With that, Alicia relaxes a bit and nurses her hand, shifting her arm up to Glabro to let it begin knitting back together. With a cant of her head one way, then the other, she simply remains as silent as a whisper, allowing the Walker to do the soul searching he needs to find that inner focus.

After several long moments, Salem murmurs, his eyes still closed, "...All right."

Alicia nods her head slowly and softly says. "Alright. Pop your hand in there. Don't let it linger. Jerk it back the second you feel pain. Keep that focus and that concentration."

Salem opens his eyes and nods. His expression abstracted and solemn, he shrugs out of the heavy black coat (no need to risk singing the leather) and pushes up the sleeve of the grey sweatshirt underneath. He frowns subtly at the fire, then takes a deep breath. He extends his spread hand into the flame -- and then pulls it back almost immediately, with a grimace.

Alicia dips her head slowly. "No one makes it on the first try, Salem." She says with a slight tug of her lips. "Just gotta have your brain tell your body, that you can't feel it."

Salem opens and closes his hand. "Mmn, yes. Ignoring pain isn't the same as not _feeling_ it." He narrows his eyes at the fire and prepares to focus himself for another try.

"You could be here for hours doing this. Don't burn your arm off in one night. Just take it slow." Alicia instructs with a nod of her head.

Salem grunts. "Slow, yes." The Glass Walker takes longer this time in clearing his mind, and when he does place his hand back into the fire, he manages to keep it there for, perhaps, a fraction of a second longer before he has to withdraw.

"Mmm.. don't force it. Turn your body into playdough. The hard part is just allowing your body to get used the feeling of shutting off its nerve endings." Alicia says softly as she lets you concentrate. "After your body recognizes it, its simple."

Salem grunts again. "Like most gifts. Once you learn the trick..." His manner is quite calm this time, his expression distant; the faint furrow in his brow could be for a mildly complex and only vaguely interesting mathematical problem.

Two plus two equals four. Lets hope he can solve the problem. Alicia leans back some and feeds some branches to the fire so that it stays up, not wanting it to die down just yet.

In this way, Salem makes several more attempts, but while he's got the theory, the practical application's a little elusive. By the end he's starting to get irritable with it, and eventually sits up and pulls down his sleeve. "Almost, I think. But not _quite_."

Alicia nods her head and grins. "Took me a few weeks ta' get it. Don't worry bro. Its just mind over matter."

"I'll keep practicing," the Glass Walker promises, dryly.

Alicia nods her head. "Good. Maybe try with knives. Those heal up faster."

Salem gets an odd look on his face suddenly, then utters a curt, tight little chuckle. "Indeed." He gets up and pulls his coat back on. "Going to take a turn around the Bawn before heading back."