Get'R'Done[Domino]

[conduit]

They'd gone over the basic theory of the vision quest. Quieting the mind, seperating from the things that lull the senses into a comfort zone, taking time to listen. There would be a long period of time when Rayen would have to be alone, separated from Neena with only water as her companion. This would come after some fasting and contemplation out in the woods. If Rayen saw the things she wished to see on her vision quest, she would try again to separate she and Lorna, with Neena's help.

More than anything Rayen was glad Neena was coming, purely for companionship. The first time Rayen had left society for the reservation, she hadn't stepped foot back into the city for seven years. She knew she had a predisposition towards isolating herself away from her problems, her fears. Taking Neena along would remind her that people outside the mountains and quiet acreage of the reservation were waiting for her, counting on her.

She'd packed what little she planned to take with her, and walked down the hall to Neena's room. Her knuckled tapped on the door.

"You ready?"

[Domino]

To some, it might seem strange that Neena was gallivanting off on a vision quest with some girl she barely knew (or, more accurately, one girl she barely knew and another she didn't know at all). It was a little odd even to Neena. Thankfully, she had something, whether her power or a simple calmness in the face of strangeness and trouble, that had made the whole thing at least feel normal.

For one thing, she tended to gravitate toward hopeless cases, both because she was something of a bleeding heart (when it came to wounded women, at least) and possibly, she thought, because her power could sense where it was most needed. Either that or she had an overdeveloped sense of survivor's guilt, which was perfectly likely. But they all added up to the same thing: it was natural, in a sense, that she should accompany Rayen on her vision quest. The girl had another person stuck in her head in a very unique way, and Neena specialized in very unique solutions. Some values of two and two were five.

"You ready?"

That still didn't help her decide how you were supposed to pack for a vision quest. She could do survival packing, but she didn't like it. She'd gotten so used to heels and carefully understated jewelry that it was stranger to not be wearing them than it was to set out on a vision quest with two unknown quantities.

"Born ready," she called through the door anyway, swinging a backpack over her shoulder and opening the door with a cheery smile. It wasn't strictly a survival bag - survival didn't involve toothpaste, deodorant or a cell phone - but it was close, with little in the bag but clothes, quarters for the hope of laundry and needlenose pliers. (Survival gear for Neena was a little different than survival gear for most people.)

Horribly, she also had the Aviators down one of the pockets, just in case they needed to slip through somewhere unseen. She really hoped they wouldn't become necessary. She hated those things.

"So," she said conversationally, "what happens if you do die of exposure? I don't think anyone's going to be very happy with me if I get back and you've been eaten by coyotes."