What ifs

[GhostSpider]

Hannah, if I had thought you were a "weak little girl", I would never have taught you how to handle a blade. Think on that.

[Ron Caliburn]

Wait, you were teaching her . . .


Why does everyone want to turn my daughter into some kind of ninja/commando?

[Grace]

She'd make a good hitman or assassin.

Just saying.

[Ron Caliburn]

Probably safer than the road she sees headed down.

[Hannah]

Well that's why I'm working so hard to be prepared.

Kind of hard with all the first year compulsories I have to get out of the way, but I've still managed to score a course on world mythology and an intro course to Greek and Latin.

The archery practice isn't as involved as I thought. The other girls are only trying to get into the Nationals and have a shot at the Olympics. I have much more important things in mind than they do, so I already out practice them. This means I have a bit more time than I thought. So not only do I have Krav Maga on Mondays and Wednesdays and Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I've squeezed in 30 minutes of Tai Chi every morning and classes at this cool Kickboxing place cross town Friday and Saturday nights. Sundays I keep for cool down so I only do my Tai Chi in the morning and my run at night.

Hannah

PS: I think I scare my roommate.

[Doctor Boggs]

What matters is you aren't overdoing it and really enjoying the college experience.

[Hannah]

Yeah I am. The kickboxing place let's us spar full contact if we want. Last week this one really cocky guy knocked down three other guys in a row, but I think I'm faster than him and he overcommits to his kicks, I'm gonna try to show him up.

Hannah

PS: I hope it works, I'd hate to try to do the latin homework with a concussion.

[Doctor Boggs]

Good luck with that kiddo

[Hannah]

It totally worked. Guy had 10 inches and 145 pounds on me and I still made him look like a chump.

Unfortunately I got kicked out. When I ducked under his kick I did some of the moves Darcy taught me instead of kick-boxing stuff.

Hannah

PS: They didn't like my explanation that I made a point of stopping before I broke his leg.

[Grace]

Rules are for those who are afraid of a fair fight.

That having been said, I'm not a half bad kick boxer myself but like with most things my Da wouldn't let me compete in case I got noticed.

It might be just as well kiddo. Sometimes it's better if folks around you don't know what you can do. At least, until you need them to.

And it doesn't sound like they were in your league anyway. Playing with amatuers will only make you think you're better than you are.

[Hannah]

Apparently I did get noticed. A guy was waiting for me outside of my intro Psych class today. He was a smaller fellow, was kinda hard to read his age, but he told me I had potential and gave me a business card with an address and an appointment time. He said it was an opportunity to see where that potential would go.

Hannah

PS: Why do the weirdos always find me?

[Grace]

Because you do things to get noticed.

[Ron Caliburn]

Too many such things.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

The term “what if” has always been a little warning flag in my mind, because there are so many “what if’s” out there. In a proper context, they can be very helpful. Left unchecked, it can drive one mad.

In cases like that, it’s a good thing I can’t drive.

[Hannah]

Hey Wie,

You were always good at driving Dad crazy

Anyway, so I checked out the place on the card and met this feller who reminded me a lot of Shang Li, back when he was still old. He talked a lot about potential and cherry blossoms and typhoons and mountains and stuff.

I got kind of sick of it and asked him to skip to the point.

He bristled a bit about this and started going on about patience.

I told him patience wouldn't get me on the cross town bus on time.

So he tried to whack me in the head with his cane.

I had one of those moments Shang Li likes to talk about, when everything slows down. The same thing usually happens to me right when I vault off a big ledge or am about halfway up a four story building.

I casually bent my head back out of the way of the blow. I can remember being able to count the growth rings on the end of the stick he lashed out with.

As the fellow brought his stick back across his chest with the follow through I reached out with my mind, grabbing the air. I pushed my hand forward and released it right at him.

The blast of wind struck the fellow square in the chest and knocked him tumbling backwards to the wall.

Time returned to normal as I stood up. "I don't know what sort of potential you are looking for, but it belongs to me, not you, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to change that."

I walked out of there and caught the cross-town. This was a fake out as I only live about 10 blocks away, I just didn't want to be followed.

Hannah

PS: Dad, I got your latest care package. I'm not allowed to have those things in my dorm, you'll have to come get them because I don't have the licence to mail them back.

[Doctor Boggs]

Well, that's... interesting. Was that old man you knocked into the wall okay?

[Hannah]

Hi Doc,

I suppose so, he's come to me with a few offers in the last few months, but I won't have anything to do with them.

I seriously think I was born under a sign that read "Weirdo Magnet" or something.

I actually haven't done much on the site here the last few months in part to try to do this 'normal' thing people keep talking about.

It didn't work.

So, instead I made dad take me with him to check out what was happening in the Blight during that eclipse on the solstice. That was a ride and a half to say the least. Maybe I'll tell you folks about it sometime.

Hannah

PS: I got kicked out of my dorm (don't ask, I'll just say that someone found out about dad's care packages) near the end of the semester, but I've found a place so I won't miss any school.

[Slendy Hunter]

I don't know anything about a lot you folks are talkin' about here--like who Khavik is or how this Shang Li guy "used to be old", unless he's just ancient, now--but here's what I know about what ifs.

They're fine for worrying about when nothing's going on. They're fine when you're working out a plan you're thinking of putting into action. They're okay when the plan you're going into is still just starting, so you can mentally prepare yourself for the different things that could happen.

But if you're still letting 'em worry you after you've decided to put a plan into action, all you're doing is setting yourself up for failure. You're gonna make yourself nervous. Maybe paranoid. Put yourself into a state of mind where things are going to go wrong.

So there's one of two things you can do when you realize you're about to go into a nasty situation and you're still worrying about the "what ifs". First thing is you can back out. Just turn around and walk away. If you're that scared of failing, maybe what you're planning to do just ain't worth it. Second thing is you can stop for a minute, take a deep breath and put it out of your head. If you're gonna do something, you need to keep your head on straight when you're doing it or you're gonna screw yourself up.

And that's an old trucker's two cents.

PS: "Shang Li"? Is that Chinese?

[Shang Li]

Yes, the name is chinese.
Hannah writes clearly and plainly, I was old, and now am young.

[Slendy Hunter]

Can I call you Egg Shen? Or Wang?

Kidding, I'm kidding.

[Shang Li]

If you so wish.

[Slendy Hunter]

It's a joke, Mr. Li. Sorry if it was a bit obscure. It's a reference to "Big Trouble in Little China". You should watch it, for the amusement of how people view sorcery, if nothing else.

[Shang Li]

Do not worry, I was not offended. The sorcerers in that movie were amateurs, playing off of their reputations and people's fear far too much. To be able to walk among the populace, seen but unnoticed, to be subtle of word and deed.... possibly the greatest "power" a sorcerer can have.