Phi cracked her knuckles and rotated her head a bit, causing more cracking sounds.
Arche stared at her, "Please don't hurt me," He said flatly.
"That entirely depends on how much you screw this up," Phi said with a smirk, "Now, let's get started. Sit on the bed over there," She pointed to the bed.
Arche walked over to where she pointed and sat down. Phi sat next to him.
"Now, your first lesson will involve sensing emotions. This is crucial to learning how to use your Morphogenetic abilities. The heart is where emotions are constructed, and the brain processes it. You need to close your eyes and feel your heartbeat, as well as mine. I need to do the same," Phi explained and placed her hand on Arche's chest.
"Um, what are you doing...?" He said, caught off guard.
"Feeling your heartbeat. Weren't you listening?"
"Yes, but I thought you meant by using my mind to sense your heartbeat or something. Not this..." He replied.
She sighed, "Ugh, stop being a baby and let's just do this."
Phi slid her hand into Arche's palm and placed his hand on her chest.
"Your... heart rate got faster," She observed, "You're not thinking of anything perverted, are you?"
"H-Hey, you're the one that's randomly groping my chest! Besides, yours got faster, too," Arche protested.
Phi looked away briefly, "Let's just resume..."
He sighed and they continued, both of their hands on each others chest.
Phi took a deep breath, "Close your eyes and take a deep inhale and exhale. This will help you focus and untether your mind from your surroundings. Focus only on my heartbeat. Slowly breathe in and out... focus only on me."
The two sat there quietly, blocking out any distractions from their mind, their senses in tuned to their heartbeats. Arche could feel the faint rise and fall of her chest, her intimate breathing, the warmth of her chest against his fingers.
Phi spoke softly, "We are both connected. Our hearts and emotions intertwined. Don't just feel; understand, empathize and focus on our connection. Listen to my voice and decipher the beats of my heart. What am I feeling? What lies beneath the surface of flesh and bone, hidden away from the eyes of outsiders?"
Arche kept his eyes shut and focused on her heartbeat. The rhythm of her heart, the pauses and rests, her breathing and tone of voice... who is Phi? What does it mean to be her?
"There is no one else," Arche spoke up, his voice peculiarly wooden, "Just you and me. Two lone entities connected to each other. Phi... let me in. Show me... what lies within!"
Suddenly, with his eyes still closed, he saw a very faint flash of light within the darkness. And soon after, he heard a somewhat muffled voice:
"It's all my fault..."
"Ah!" Arche pulled his hand away from Phi.
"What is it? What happened?" Phi asked.
He stared at her, "Did... Did you talk to me just now? Telepathically, I mean?"
"No, I didn't. You heard my voice, huh? What did I say?"
He paused for a moment before answering, "It's all my fault."