Archived Roleplay:Main Forum/General/Merlin and Alex RP

RP- The Campfire
Courtland: Courtland was sitting on a log near the campfire site. It was the middle of the day and cold outside, so there were very few people in the campfire area. Courtland had on a long sleeve blue shirt and jeans and was wearing a brwn jacket. He was moving around the ashes in the fire pit with a stick, drawing pictures in them. He drew a picture of stick figures fighting; he wasn't the greatest artist. He sighed as he put the stick down and began to meditate on the log.

Benny: Preparing for another day at Camp Half-Blood, Benny saw Courtland sat near the campfire. It was barely lit, so few people were there. He decided to sneak up on him. "Guess who?" He smiled softly and sat on the end of the same log. "I thought I'd try and surprise you.." Repositioning himself, the son of Hebe took the stick and began to doodle in the mood. "How are you?"

Courtland: Courtland kept his eyes closed, as he wasn't done meditating, but smiled as he answered Benny's questions. "Benjamin, I would assume, based on your voice. And you are correct I am quite surprised. Very few people are ever in this area of camp during the day unless there is an event taking place." Courtland paused a second before answering the next question. "I am... less than content. I'm currently attempting to readjust my body and mind, in order to once again balance my yin and yang."

Benny: "You're good...." He giggled. The son of Lyssa was definitely strange but he was a nice enough guy. It was good to see him meditate and be relaxed. "Um yeah, I just got back from Florida. I spent Christmas there with my dad and my boyfriend Tyler." Benny shrugged his shoulders. He idly started to draw the yin and yang symbol in the muck. He'd heard a little about it, but not enough to try balancing his energies or anything. "Oh. Have you got too much of yin or yang? If you draw them, they look like little fishies."

Courtland: "You did? I have never been to Florida, but I wish to go someday." Courtland's eyes were still closed. "I have more yin than yang. I always do, unless I attempt to adjust my spiritual energies daily." Courtland smiled at the fish comment. "That they do my friend. That they do."

Benny: "Mhm. I spent the summer there too. I like being near the beaches. We never had them in Georgia." He said, feeling pensive. Courtland always had a strange effect on his personality. It didn't make him feel angry or mad, but he tended to think about home a lot. "Oh. Could you teach me to do it? Alex taught me a little bit but most of it was about using my powers and learning how to survive. Him and Dad never really believed in anything spiritual. I only just found out I'm a Pisces."

Courtland: Courtland let out a slight laugh. "You would be a Pisces. And it is unfortunate your mentor didn't believe in anything spiritual. The soul is an immense source of power. And so it would be my genuine pleasure to teach you to balence your energies. But one cannot learn to balence themselves, until they have found themselves by letting go of their surroundings, their desires, and their suffering. Detatching oneself from the world is the first step to Nirvana, the final resting place of the soul, when it can finally be at peace."

Benny: "What do you mean?" Benny shrugged his shoulders. "He was a Hecate kid. I miss him. He had problems but I owe him a lot. He taught me how to channel my feelings and energy into abilities. Hebe powers can be a bit strange to grasp sometimes." He smiled sadly. "So I'd have to detach from my feelings? Wouldn't that make me less powerful? Uh, I mean my friends make me stronger..."

Courtland: Courtland laughed again. "You have much to learn, Benjamin. Emotions are a manifestation of your energies. Channelling your emotions is like treating the symptom of a disease. It works for now, but if you delve deeper, to the core energies that control those emotions, you can highten your strength even further. And yes. Detatch yourself from your feelings. It will only make you less powerful if you let it. But if you let me guide you, it will put you in touch with the core energies that control your emotions. I am not telling you to get rid of your friends, or the care you have for them, but rather asking you to stop focusing on them temporarily, and focus in on yourself for a while."

Benny: Scratching the side of his head, Benny listened patiently. "Uh, it sounds a lot like Dad's work with his patients. He says that it's important to understand why and how our minds and emotions work, so that we can understand ourselves better. I guess it's pretty much the same thing, just with a lot more spiritual stuff." He smiled cheerfully. "Uh, we could always use my room if you wanted. I make a pretty good blanket fort and I have snacks or we could go to the woods and find the waterfalls." He offered, wanting to make Courtland more comfortable. "It might help me figure things out."

Courtland: "I advise we go where you feel the most comfortable. The most at home environment will allow you to consentrate on yourself, and reflect on you own thoughts and emotions." Courtland picked up his comic book from the ground and stood up. "So, where are we headed to?"

Benny: Benny smiled thoughtfully. "Is my cabin okay? I have the lieutenant's room so we have loads of space. I'm right next to the courtyard, so there are nice fountains and everything." He said, already thinking about how he could make a nice little fort for the both of them. "I'll put a sign on the door."

Courtland: "Yes, the sound of running water can be quite relaxing. Very well then. Your cabin it is." Courtland began to leave the campfire site in the direction of the Hebe cabin. "And a sign won't be necessary. In fact, if someone intrudes, I will simply have you ignore them. Being able to tune out the world around you and focusing in on yourself as you let distractions pass you by is important in meditation."

Benny: "Okay. That's fine. Tyler and Theo would walk in anyways." He led Courtland in the direction of the Hebe Cabin. "I'll bring some snacks and pillows so we're both comfortable there." Benny opened the door for Court and lead him into the room. It looked as it was described. The room was bright, as sunlight streamed through his bay windows. Birds could be heard chirping in the background, near the fountains. "Will this do? Make yourself comfy."

Courtland: "This will do just fine. Thank you." Courtland saw a blue and yellow rug in the middle of the room. "Alright, sit on the rug there, cross-legged." Courtland sat on the other end of the rug cross-legged and closed his eyes. "Do as I do. Close your eyes, as if you were resting. Not too tightly though. Take a deep breath... In through your nose, and out through your mouth." Courtland spoke softly and sloly, as if consoling a child. "Breath is the key to life, and controlling one's breath is the first step towards controlling everything and anything in one's life, from your physical health to your emotions. Again. In and out..."

Benny: "Alright. I think I'm ready to practice." Making himself more comfortable, Benny sat on the rug and crossed his legs. He closed his eyes and did his best to focus without giggling or fidgeting. He followed instructions. "One.... two...." He took a series of deep breaths, taking light inwards with every breath. "Like this?"

Courtland: Courtland opened his eyes to observe what Benny was doing. "Exactly. But try not to count. Counting is only a way of maintaining temporary peace of mind, because it is a sequence, with a beginning and an end. Instead, try a cycle. Try in and out. Fill and release. Expand and Contract. Undertanding these different cycles, these balences, are crucial to understanding how your mind and body are connected. Concentrate on your breath. Chose a cycle and repeat it to yourself, on the inhale, and on the exhale."

Benny: Benny nodded his assent and closed his eyes. He listened to Courtland speak and timed his breaths to coincide with his words. The sunlight through the window warmed his skin, and he did his best to phase out any distractions- difficult for someone with his level of attention deficit. "Okay. I'll keep going. It's like my training." ''Inhale. Exhale. Expand. Contract. Young and Old. Sun and Moon. Rain and Snow. The world is full of cycles, constantly shifting and changing. ''

Courtland: Courtland smiled as Benny struggled not to fidget. "Alright, now as you inhale this time, acknowledge your thoughts. Whether they be good or bad, ackoledge them, picture them floating above you, as if one a cloud. Then on the exhale, picture them passing by, floating away, and move on to the next thought or desire. Acknowledge its existence, and watch it pass by. In and out. Acknowledge and release."

Benny: It took him a while to let the images pass by, without grasping at them. He thought about Tyler for a brief moment, interrupted by the image of clouds, before he switched back over to thinking about Wil, and Laz too. He tensed up a little. "Acknowledge it. Okay. He exists but I'll find him..." Benny took another breath and moved on, towards happier thoughts.

Courtland: "Now that you have had time to acknoledge your deepest thoughts, I want you to attempt to clear your mind. Clear it of all worries, all concerns, and needs, all wants. Simply be. Remember, in and out. Expand, contract. Breath is everything." Courtland began pacing around the room, inspecting all of Benny's Disney paraphanalia and his weapons stash.

Benny: It takes a while before Benny can successfully get rid of his memories. He closed his eyes once more and tried to focus on his breathing, rather than anything else. What did Courtland say? He had to practice detachment so that he could be free, but it was difficult to see himself as one person. It was the people around him who made him, well him. "I'm trying... it's hard to let go of everything. How do you manage it?"

Courtland: "I know. I know it is. Just try to relax. I want to try something else. Open your eyes." Courtland was now standing above Benny, looking down on the son of Hebe.

Benny: Benny opened his light blue eyes. He was relaxed but frayed on the edges. Looking up to Courtland, he scratched the side of his head in confusion. "Umm, what are you doing?"

Courtland: Courtland sat down next to Benny. "You are worried about someone who you have lost yes? You seem to have an anxiety for this person which is slowly becoming frustration and anger. You need to manipulate these emotions. Find a positive emotion more powerful than your anxiety, to balence your spirit out once more. Think hard. Whether this emotion be love, or happiness, or garatitude. Find it, and hold it dear to you insted of letting it free. Use it to balence your spirit." Courtland grabbed Benny's hand. "You're tense. Relax. Let me help you." Courtland used his ability to drain a significant amount of anger from Benny, absorbing it himself. He had only done this as X-24, and this only knew that he had the power to do this easily, but had no idea what effects it would bring to the sane side of his mind.

Benny: Benny sat up and thought to himself. "I guess I'm scared about losing someone else. When Lazarus went, I thought that he left to avoid hurting me, or that maybe I cause trouble. But there's nothing I can really do about it. All I can do is make my family and friends proud, and live for those I lost." He clenched Courtland's hand, close to his and thought about his friends. "I want to see the good in people. I mean, my friends aren't perfect. Theo's a thief, but they're on their own journey I guess. Maybe, I just need to take some time for myself. Thanks Courtland." Closing his eyes, he felt a trickle of his own energy. He channeled his energy and sent it to Courtland, wanting to create a circle of energy.

Courtland: "My pleasure." There was a long pause before Courtland spoke again. "I lost someone once. I was ten. It changes you." Courtland clenched his fists, as he became increasingly mad with himself, thinking back and blaming himself for Ben's death. Courtland realized his build up of anger, and summoned a vial of rage energies around him, for no other purpose but to get rid of the rage he had built up.

Benny: "Yeah it does..." He sighed. "I'm here if you want to talk about it Courtland." Benny said, holding his friend's hand a little tighter. He could feel that the son of Lyssa was uneasy, whether it was his empathy or a side effect of Court's powers. "If not, that's fine also. You're here now and that's the important thing. We have to live for them, the best life we can."

Courtland: Courtland gave Benny a sad smile. "Thank you. But it can be hard to think like that when you are the one who took their life in the first place. That is why, ont he first day we met, as a told you, I don't get to have the luxury of friends."

Benny: His eyes widened. "Um, I'm sure it was an accident. Alexander doesn't let in anyone bad." Benny smiled sadly. "I felt like I killed Alex. We got attacked by a manticore and he was too injured to teleport us away. I tried to heal him but it was too late. That's when Laz took me to camp."

Courtland: Courtland gave Benny a forced smiled. "Sure. Right. I'm sure it was too." Courtland said, as he thought back to the worst day of his life, when he attacked Ben for no reason other than the fact that Ben was trying to help him. Courtland knew it wasn't an accident. But he couldn't bring himself to tell Benny. Or anyone at Camp-Half-Blood. "I don't get the luxury of having friends." Courtland said crypticly, just as he had when he and Benny first met weeks ago.

Benny: At that turn of phrase, Benny felt sad. It must be awful to feel like you were actively hurting the people closest to you, especially as part of your godly-given powers. "I'm sorry, we'll finish up for today." He blushed, then had an idea. "Umm, is it okay if I give you a hug? I think it'd make me feel a lot better." He smiled, shuffling closer to him. "I mean we're friends, right?"

Courtland: "I promised myself, my mentor, my mother, and my grandmother that I wouldn't risk the lives of anyone else while I was here. In order to do that, I must keep to myself. But I guess, in a way, we are. I went back on my word. I am sorry grandmother, I have failed you." Courtland got up and began to head for the door, realizing that he had done multiple things today from befriending Benny to using his abilities in Benny's presence that placed Benny's life at risk.

Benny: "Wait Courtland...." He jumped up to his feet. "I don't want you to go. Please stay, I'll get some candy and we'll... um, watch Disney Movies or something." Benny awkwardly shuffled around. "You can't scare me. I'll be okay, no matter what happens." He leaned forward and spontaneously gave him a hug. "You're safe here. I can be strong for the both of us."

Courtland: Courtland stopped in the doorway and turned back towards Benny. "It isn't me you should be scared of. It's X-24. Although you don't know it, he almost killed you today. I kept him down though. But he'll be back. He always comes back. Bruce Banner can only surpress the Hulk for so long. I am the same way." Courtland waited for a responce. He didnt move back towards Benny, but didnt leave either. He just stood there.

Benny: He tilted his head, a little bit confused. "Um... I don't understand. But I still think you're wrong." Benny crossed his arms over his chest. "Does this mean that we can't be friends anymore? I want to see you again, but I think we both need space."

Theo and Benny's Talk
Benny: ''I don't have the luxury of having friends. ''Benny pondered Courtland's words the following evening, as he sat near Theo's door. He didn't know why, but something about them made him feel sad. He couldn't imagine grieving over someone without any friends. Hopefully talking to Theo would help him figure out what to do. He was worried.

Theo: Theo was wearing a T-shirt and jeans and playing with a ball of string he had conjured when he walked out of his room to see Benny sitting outside him room. The boy looked sadder than usual, and as if he was thinking about something. Theo appraoched Benny, and sqatted down next to him. "What's wrong kid. Something's up. It's all over your face."

Benny: "Um, can I stay over?" He tried to make a brave face but failed miserably. "It's about my friend Courtland. We were talking in my room, like about what happened to Alex, and then he said that he killed someone in some accident, and that we couldn't be friends anymore. He was talking about something called X-24 too." He blurted out, like he tended to do when upset.

Theo: Theo smiled at the boy. "Sure kid. come on in." Theo walked back into his room, and sat down on his bed. His expression and tone of voice suddenly became a lot more serious at the mention of Alex's name. "Alex? You told him about Alex? Who is this kid anyway?" Theo was concerned now, knowing how sensitive a topic Alex was for Benny.

Benny: "Um yeah, we were meditating together." Shrugging, Benny jumped up on the bed and shuffled next to Theo. His clothes were still slightly damp from waiting outside in the cold. "Court's a son of Lyssa, but he's really nice and cute. I've been trying to show him around." He blushed slightly. Theo was no doubt judging him. "We were talking and it just came up. I still think about him sometimes."

Theo: "You? Meditate?" Theo said, laughing. Theo's expression all the sudden returned to a straight face onc more. "You know Lyssa kids are ticking time bombs. They all have anger management issues. You should know better than to talk to them, let alone befreind one of them and let them into your room. And it just came up? How exactly does Alex, just ''come up?" ''Benny was right in that Theo was judging him, and Theo wasn't afraid to show it. But little to Benny's knowledge Theo was acting this way out of concern for the kid; he didn't know how else to react.

Benny: "Yeah, it was nice..." He said defensively, looking down to the floor as Theo ranted at him. "I...I... Everyone deserves a chance at Camp. He didn't have any friends so I thought I'd talk to him, and he said that he could help me meditate and get over any problems, but I was really nervous so I told him that I'd be scared of losing my family or someone like you who's my big brother... and then I explained about Alex and he told me what happened and it made me really confused and sad." At this point, Benny started to cry, caught off-guard by Theo's words. "Sorry. I'm being a dumb kid."

Theo: Theo sighed. "Benny, did you ever consider that maybe he has no friends for a reason?" He put his hand on Benny's shoulder. "Look kid, crying isn't gonna solve anything. If this kid has the unstable power and ruthlessness to kill someone, crying is definately not the way to fix this. It sounds like he shooed you away because he didn't want you to get hurt though, so who knows, maybe this kid is different than the other Lyssa kids. Maybe you should find out what happened to him yourself. Take some weapons just in case, and confront the kid. I've talked to the kid once or twice. He strikes me as the kind of kid to respect a challenge. Why don't you challenge him for your friendship? I feel like he's the kinda kid who'd respect that, ya know?"

Benny: Benny paused and dried his eyes. "Yeah I know. It just makes me really sad. He said, glancing towards Theo. He was completely sincere. "He deserves to have friends. If I have to fight to prove that I'm strong enough to look after myself I will. I mean, I'm almost a man now. I can handle myself sometimes." Playfully, he nudged Theo in the ribs. "Thanks Theo, it's hard but I think it's gonna be okay."

Theo: Theo laughed. "Benny, you're only like 14. As far as I know, that's still a kid." Theo nudged Benny back before getting serious again. "You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

Benny: "Boys in Sparta became men at the age of 15. Isn't that also like a Jewish thing?" He scratched the side of his head. "I don't know. It might be safer, but I think I have to do this myself."

Theo: "Yeah. It's called a Bar Mitzvah kid. But you aren't Jewish, are you? And also, as far as I'm concerned, you are a Greek demi-god, not a Roman one." Theo conjured a string and manipulated it in his hand, to satisfy his ADHD.

Benny: "Hey! Dad could be Roman for all I know. Plus, Sparta is in Greece, silly." Benny giggled and gave Theo another nudge, this time with a pillow. "No, I think Dad didn't believe until he met mom, and the rest of my family was pretty Christian. They are fairly okay though." He shrugged.

Theo: "Whatever. I hated geograohy class anyway. Mr. Litchtman was a real b***h. But nonetheless, your family still isn't Jewish, right? Benny, you're not winning this arguement. For all you knwo this kid is like a serial killer and you are poking a deadly sleeping beast."

Benny: "No they're not. But I have a feeling that he's a good guy." He paused. "Sometimes you have to take chances and go with your intuition. Laz could have been a serial killer but he wasn't, you could have been one too for all I knew." He replied, blissfully unaware of the irony. "Theo, you trust me right?"

Theo: "Benny, you do realize that it was trusting this kid that put you in this situation in the first place, do you not?" Theo said, avoiding the question. "And honestly, how do you know Laz isn't a serial killer? Technically, he is. I mean, all us demigods are. We go around running rampant killing monsters. It's just some people don't think there is that big a difference between monsters and other people."

Benny: "How do you know I'm not? I've killed a lot of chocolate bunnies during Easter." Sticking his tongue out, he pondered for a moment. "That's different. Monsters are made to attack and kill us, and that's what they do. It's all self-defence. But people are different, they'll surprise you." Benny swung his legs up and down. "I'll be okay."

Theo: Theo just stood there, not sure how to respond. "Fine. Go. But don't come crying, again, to me when you lose, and then, you actually are worried. Not only for this other kid, but for your own life."

Benny: Silently, Benny walked out of the room. He came back a couple of moments later, with a rainbow shell in his hand. "Umm, I sent him an Iris Message to ask whether he was okay and see if he could talk." He sat on the end of the bed and admired it. "Thanks for being worried. It means a lot to me. Umm, can we forget about it and throw a movie on?"

Theo: "Hardly. You're going over there. Now. Or I am. You choose. Don't ask, he's already said no to that. Just go and do it already." Theo began to make way for the door. "No problem kid."

The Strawberry Fields
Courtland: Courtland needed some space, even more than usual, after the events that had just taken place with Benny. He had decided to venture to the end of camp, all th way to where the strawberry fields met up with the forest, and sat at the forest boarder, meditating for hours. Athough Aaya was Hindi, Courtland found Chinese meditation and philosophies to be just as effective. Courtland was focusing on balencing his chi, to keep X-24 from coming out again. He managed to meditate for two straight hours, without any interuptions.

Benny: Following the golden string, Benny wound it around his hands. "A little to the left, and now a little bit to the right..." His eyebrows narrowed while he concentrated. The golden thread would lead him towards his destination but the user had to focus. Theo had given him it to light his way. A few moments later, he arrived at the strawberry field, drenched in his own sweat. "Courtland... I.....I wanted to see you."

Courtland: Courtland ignred the other boy. He continued meditating, focusing all of his energy inard, away from Benny, but still listening to the boy.