Chapter Thirty-Five - Introductions

Chapter Thirty-Five

Introductions

500 Cycles A.E.

         The Old One walked down the road. He sensed he was being watched by someone in hiding. He bolstered his barrier and closed his power and essence. He used the Collective to replenish his essence in case he would need it.

         He zoomed in on the one watching him. He felt her curiosity and the reason why she was there.

         You can come out now. I know you have been watching me. What do you want? I have no exchange. Please come out so we may meet, called the Old One.

         A Young One looking near the age of completion came out of the dark building and came up to the Old One. Thank you for coming out to meet me. I am called the Old One. I am new to this town. You appear to be knowledgeable regarding the town, could you walk with me so I don't get lost

         Instead of talking, she nodded soberly.

         Thank you. What may I call you?

         She replied very quietly, Jaz.

         Well met, Jaz, the Old One said politely, Would you like to get started?

         She nodded again.

         Jaz, it is alright if you talk with me. I won't get upset. or scold you for talking, he offered. I bet you have a pretty voice. Can you talk to me, please?

         Jaz looked at the Old One pensively.

         The Old One thought for a moment then used the Collective to create a tighter bond with Jaz.

         Hello Jaz.

         The little girl looked around for the voice she heard. After she saw no one was around, she looked at the Old Man.

         Yes, it was me who talked with you. Nobody can listen to or interrupt you when talking. I am a Tutor. Have you started being with a tutor?

         I can hear you now. I don't have to guess what you are saying to me. I heard you!

         That's great Jaz. I am sorry I didn't know you were partially psychically deaf. I would have tried this a bit earlier."

         That's o.k. What were you saying a little bit ago?

         I asked if you could walk with me because I don't know this town. Now that we can talk, we can talk so no one hears us.

         Oh, yes. I know this place. If you need to rest, I know of places you can do that. Some places will let the smaller ones hide for free.

         That sounds like a nice person. Are there other places you can hide?

         No. People don't like helping us. I don't know why.

         Well, when I rest, you'll rest? Deal? {/linespace
}
         Oh, yes. It's a deal! Jaz said enthusiastically.

.          Let's get going. If you need to talk with me, just start talking

         How far is it from the other Old One?

         It will be a bit. Not a long time, though.          

         How about I tell you a story as we walk?

         You will? I have never heard a story before. I have seen picture scripts. No one has told me a story, though.

         Then we will get started and I will tell the story.                    

         There once was a man named Sazt who loved to help people. He would do any odd job that needed to be done. He helped them so much, that the people would be angry if he ever got sick because then nothing would get done, Now, for all the help Pokl did, he seldom received any money or goods for what he did. Sometimes this upset him because he needed to eat. However, Sazt loved helping people so much, that he didn't mind getting paid.

         Then something happened that would change everything.

         What do you think happened, to Sazt?

         I don't know. Did something happen to Sazt? Maybe he got hurt?

         That was a good guess, and I liked your question, said the Old One.

         One day as Sazt was working in an orchard picking lien sticks, he noticed a new neighbor walking down the road. It was a female Sazt had recognized.

         Jaz asked, Why was she walking down their road?

         I think she wanted to meet Sazt. Maybe she had work for him to do, replied the Old One.

         When the girl came to where Sazt was standing on the other side of the fence, she introduced herself. 'Hello, my name is Pokl. What's your name?'

         My name is Sazt. A pleasure to meet you.

         My, you are such a polite young man. Gesturing around the houses nearby, Do you work for all these people?
         Oh, Hydranous no. I work for only nine of them.

         Nine? that's a lot of work. At least you get paid a lot.

         No, they don't pay me. I do it all for free. Oh, I've asked them for pay, especially for the harder jobs, but they never do pay me.

.          Why Sazt, they are taking advantage of your goodwill. Have they ever done anything nice for you? When is the last time you had a good home-cooked meal?

         Let me think a minute. As Sazt was thinking, Pokl was looking at him. She decided he was a handsome, hard-working young man. However, he hasn't noticed her.

         Well, the meal sounds like paradise. Do you need help making it?

Max 'indent' = 10No Sazt, this is for you. You cannot help me. But you can come early and talk to me while I make it.

         That would be great. You are so easy to talk to. Not like the other girls I know. They never talk to me. They say I talk funny.

         Well, I do not think so. You sound perfectly normal. I believe it is almost time to eat. I need to get back home and start making supper. You go clean up and come over.

         Sazt went right home, cleaned up and changed, and then walked to Pokl's house. Using her directions, Sazt made it there in time. He knocked on the door.

         When the door opened, Pokl answered it. Sazt didn't know what she did, but she was beautiful. Prettier than all the other girls he had seen, and he told her so.

         I have never seen a girl prettier than you. You are beautiful.          

         Thank you very much, Sazt. You are very handsome

         Nah, I am not. You are being nice. No one has called me handsome. Except you.

         Have you seen yourself in a mirror? Ever notice you are more muscular than others your age? Or the girls may be looking at you, but are afraid to talk with you because they do not want to be rejected.

         Why are you saying all these nice things to me? No one has given me a second look except the people I work for. And now you.

         Because I like you. I have liked you for years but have been afraid to tell you. I moved into this house to be closer to you.

         I do not know what to say. I have liked you too but been afraid to talk with you because I did not feel worthy of you.

         You are worthy. I am worthy. I love you, Sazt.

         I have loved you since the first time I saw you, Pokl.

         So what do we do now?

         We become bound and live happily ever after.

         And they did.

         The moral of the story is everyone has worth to someone. They will help you see your worth in yourself.

         Jaz clapped her hands in pleasure, That was a wonderful story.

         I am glad you liked it, the Old One said.

         As they continued, Jaz asked a question.

         Can I be tutored? I have not had any tutoring before, and I am on my own, so I have no currency. Is that important?

         Currency is not important to me. How old are you
Jaz?

         I don't know. I don't remember too much of my prior life.

         May I look at your memory? It will not hurt, and you won't even know I am there.

         It won't hurt? Jaz asked.

         I promise it won't hurt. I also promise not to look into your thoughts.

         O.K. I'll close my eyes because I do not want to watch.

         The Old One began looking into Jaz's memory and her subconscious to determine what happened. As he was looking, he saw how she went deaf. As a newly unattached Young One, she began exploring her surroundings. She met some more mature Young Ones. The Old One became shocked and appalled by what he saw.

         The older Young Ones began pushing and hurting Jaz. It went so far that they performed psychic screams over and over in her head. When Jaz screamed in pain, the Young Ones left, leaving her to bleed and cry, psychically partially deaf.

         The Old One skipped ahead and sees an older Jaz, she is already in the street begging for food or money. She didn't hear people talking to her or warnings. On more than one occasion she was knocked down and hurt. She was taken advantage of frequently and used by people pretending to help her. No one came to her rescue.

         When he met her, Jaz was very upset and wanted to be One with the Planet.

         The Old One decided he was going to do something for her. He opened a wider conduit to the Collective. With the extra power and essence, he brought focus to her psychic hearing loss. He immediately saw what happened. Each receptor zone was damaged by the psychic screams to the point where only very loud noises could get through. Through her memory, he got the names of the guilty ones. He went back to her receptor zones and began to repair the old damage. Due to the age of the wounds, repairing them took time. He noticed Jaz was getting tired, He took off the shawl he was wearing and made a small bed for her to sleep on.

         There. He was done repairing the receptor zone and they were working as they should. He went back to her memory and took the worst memories out. He then repaired that too. It was in short order he had made her whole again.

         When Jaz woke up, she was startled by her newfound hearing. She looked everywhere, finding a new sound wherever she turned. She was beyond thrilled. She knew the Old One did something but didn't know what. Right at this time, she did not care. When she was becoming more accustomed to sound, she went over to the Old One and gave him the hardest hug Jaz could give. While hugging him, she began to cry.

         He spoke softly so as not to startle her, What is wrong Young One?

         Nothing is wrong. I am just very happy. I feel lighter than before. When you healed my hearing, I think it makes me happy. Now, when I am back on the street, I will hear where the free food or shelter is at. Thank you so much!

         You need to find a tutor. You are missing out on your training for Adulthood, said the Old One

         Where do I find a tutor? Do I need money to go? Who is a good tutor, I don't want a mean one.

         The Old One began, you need a tutor and I need a pupil. The average time it takes for a pupil to finish coincides with their creation date. Because we don't know yours, we will follow the cycles. Normally, training takes approximately a cycle. It is an intense time in your development and education. My job is to get you on your feet and ready for your creation date anniversary. Yours will be on the date we begin your cycle training. Your part is that you study hard and do as I say.

         Here's the deal: I will tutor you. The length of time will depend on how fast you pick up what is being taught. This will help you learn about your race, our society, the hierarchy of skills, and the use of your powers when they become available. You will travel with me and we can work as we go around the land.

         The Old One waited for a couple of minutes for everything to sink in.

         Do we have a deal? I tutor you and you study hard and learn. he asked.

         Deal. I do have one question, though.

         What is it, he asked.

         What shall I call you? The Old One or the Supreme High One?

2090 WOrds