A Guide to Reading Minds
Summary: It's years after the Kingdom of Science brought the world back from nothing. Gen feels inspired to write another book, but it ends up being nothing like his first publication. Actually, the first draft isn't even what he planned this time around. What is his motivation for writing? What is it like for a mentalist who avoids vulnerability at all cost to engage in an inherently vulnerable activity? or Gen experiences writer's block, stares at a wall for a bit, and subsequently enters flow state. 1.5k words
"When a person is feeling vulnerable, they might show it with their body. Crossed arms, unusually poor posture, or even nervous fidgeting can tell you that someone is either considering putting their emotions on display or trying to avoid it… But in truth, we're all vulnerable sometimes. It's the way of the human mind" (Magic Psychology by Asagiri Gen, p. 43).
Gen stares at the blank paper on his lap. He sits curled up in his new bed, a near-replica of the ones that were mass manufactured so many centuries ago. His paper rests on his inclined thigh. He's slumped against the head of the bed with his neck in an unnecessarily painful craning position, chin smushed against his chest in what could either be interpreted as an attempt to make himself as little as possible or a physical unwillingness to remove himself from this uncomfortable position as if he's powerless against the gravity that got him here in the first place. This isn't his first time writing a book. He wonders what kind of supernatural or scientific force must be withholding the words from him.
Magic Psychology was admittedly a cheap way for Gen to capitalize further off of his popularity. Slap some words on a piece of paper, and if your name is already out and about in the world, people will buy, whether they believe you're credible or talented or nothing worth anything at all. They'll do it to feed their curiosity. To satiate their need for consumption, and in this case, their need to be able to read minds.
Everybody wants to be telepathic, whether they recognize the burden it would pose or not. Middle schoolers want to know what their friends at school really think of their outfit. Office workers wonder if their coworkers hate their job as much as they do. Plenty of people pretend they already possess that power, and their results often show the worst case scenario. Gen's Magic Psychology might give that make-believe session a little bit more of a solid foundation. And, on a similar note, plenty of people want to read the minds of celebrities. That's why they go out of their way to see what certain famous folk post on social media or write about in their own books. That's why they purchase Gen's writing. Or, well… purchased. Gen's writing that doesn't exist anymore aside from the small fragments of it that remain floating around in his mind.
The words and sentences that he wrote before were easily crafted. They rolled off of his fingers and onto the keyboard the same way a white lie or snarky quip would roll off of his tongue. It's different this time.
He twirls his pen mindlessly between his fingers, staring at the dimly illuminated page (courtesy of a single lightbulb) before letting his eyes drift to the ceiling like the words he's looking for would be imprinted in bold letters up there. This ceiling is much more modern than the one he lived beneath less than a decade ago. It's smooth drywall, a simple structure, something he didn't expect to ever see again when living under Tsukasa's jurisdiction. This reminder of their rapid, exponential progression makes the paper seem unnecessary. He could easily go on social media now and spew whatever he wanted into the void of the internet.
That wouldn't make him too much money. Ryusui was the one who encouraged him to write again after they spoke and considered how much profit Gen got off of it in the old world. His public influence has only grown, too, so whatever he decides to put out, there's no doubt it'll help him bring some drago in.
"Well, the book did take me a while, captain… And I would have to find a way to publish it. Resources like that aren't exactly abundant just yet. Are you sure it'll be worth it?"
"Of course!! I'm sure you could make a hefty profit. And besides, we need people who experienced the first steps of humanity's revival to share those experiences. It doesn't have to be a perfect timeline or a textbook entry. Just write about how it affected you. The whole world desires that knowledge!! You'll be swimming in drago and you'll have contributed a work to the archive of the Kingdom of Science. That's our history now, and your part in it was essential. Am I wrong?"
He taps the pen against the paper. An idle habit.
He could always try to rewrite Magic Psychology. That's not a horrible idea.
Ehh… actually…
"Yeah, that other book of yours was ten billion percent shit. Try writing something technical and practical this time."
Of course Senku dearest would say that. The problem is that there's really nothing practical about mentalism. Nothing more than little social experiments and ploys and worthless tricks.
Gen stares through the ceiling. The lightbulb flickers.
Worthless tricks.
He turns, deciding to lay on his stomach. He sets the paper flat in front of him and bores holes into it with his apprehensive gaze. His hands are still. As is the pen. Until the upper left-hand corner of the page pulls the utensil toward it, reeling it in closer and closer until the tip of the pen makes contact. As soon as that first microscopic spot of ink appears on the page, Gen's hand starts to fly. The words have never come easier.
Time seems to stop while he writes in a way that's too familiar. No other concept exists. He's in a world of pure darkness, the only visible thing being the dream-like colors and shapes that you might see behind closed eyelids, his body as still as stone all except for his writing arm. Another 3,700 years could pass and he wouldn't notice. He's in a state deep in his mind, somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness, somewhere between eternal life and eternal sleep. Somewhere between worthless and meaningful. Between his pen and the page. There's no escaping this space between until every word that has been fighting to escape his mind is finally released with a celebration, stretching and rejoicing and finding their rightful place on this piece of parchment. Each word trusts wholeheartedly that he'll be able to set them free of the stone.
After an insane number of hours, Gen has a complete rough draft. A rough draft is better than nothing. Spelling errors are negligible.
He sits up, stretching his arms and yawning. His back betrays him. With a quiet complaint, he deflates down once again, laying on his back this time, looking up at the blank ceiling. His body is sore and his mind is empty. For once. The page is proudly covered in ideas that spill over the edges and meddle with each other, but it's coherent enough. He can polish it later.
A Guide to Reading Minds by Asagiri Gen, 5765. Rough Draft!!
"We're all vulnerable sometimes. It's the way of the human mind.
There are plenty of situations in which vulnerability is forced out of us, and this is its most common reason for occurrence. While it's usually defined as the conscious choice to share our true thoughts and feelings, many times, it doesn't present itself like a choice. It seems to be drawn out of you without your willing participation. Frankly, that can be scary. Vulnerability is scary. There is inherent vulnerability in that fear. By curling up and hiding, you're showing the people around you that you are afraid to express yourself. So really…
It's inevitable.
What do you do when this happens? When you don't want to be vulnerable, but you're exposed regardless?
You have to embrace it. You can choose to continue hiding from yourself, even if that doesn't mean you're hidden from the world. Or you can choose to let it happen.
Because you can try to read as many minds as you want to, but if you can't read your own, telepathy is just a worthless trick.
When you do learn to read your own mind, everything changes. It might start with a friend who understands you a little too well or a moment where you realize you can do so much more than you thought. Maybe it starts with some azy-cray event that you knew you wouldn't emerge from as the same person you were before. It'll probably end with you writing a book about it. All of this is to say that when you come to understand your own tricks, they're not worthless anymore. Your vulnerability becomes so much more than just fear of itself. It becomes an agent that helps you preserve every important moment. It makes you enjoy the journey. It strengthens your relationships and your sense of self. Your self-esteem. Your tricks become tools that lift others up.
The petrification event is under research by geologists, chemists, all kinds of analytical scientists. I encourage psychologists and sociologists to study it, too. Everybody was influenced differently depending on where they ended up, who they were revived by, so on and so forth.
This is how the petrification affected me."
