6738 Miles

What Conquers Fears

Friendly warning to all my buggy-buddies out there:

IF YOU ARE A KNOWN ENTOMOPHOBE (ARE AFRAID OF BUGS), PLEASE EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN READING THIS CHAPTER! THERE IS SOME VAGUELY DISTURBING BUG-IMAGERY IN IT!

So please, please, PLEASE, don't hurt yourselves.

Now that that is out of the way...Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long. School's been busier than I thought, but I really worked hard on this one for you guys. Since I haven't worked on this story for a while, I want to make sure you all are still enjoying it as much as you possibly can and I will have some questions for you after the chapter, if you want to shout out any recommendations, comments or reviews. 'Cuz I'll gladly take any opportunity to improve this story for you guys.

Thanks for all your continued support, everyone!

On with the chapter...but one last quick warning: CONTAINS BUGS!!!!!

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"Aaah!"

Adachi rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Raphael, it is only plastic."

Raphael was crouched down in the corner, hugging himself. His eyes were comically wide and he looked scandalized.

A smirk lit Adachi's face. He held the plastic bug out to his student. Raphael shrunk back as much as he could. Adachi's eyebrows furrowed. Enough was enough.

"Raphael, take the cicada."

Snout wrinkled in displeasure, Raphael plucked the object from Adachi's palm and held it by one of its spindly, plastic legs.

"Place it on your palm."

"I don't wanna."

Adachi sighed and rubbed his temples. "I marvel that your father is still in full possession of his patience."

Raph smiled. "I wouldn't say full possession..."

"Lotus position. Lay it flat on your palm."

Sighing, Raph grudgingly did as he was told.

"Close your eyes."

That elicited a flat, unyielding stare from the student.

"Uh-uh. No way."

Adachi glared.

"The second I close my eyes you're going to replace it with a real one. I know how this works. My brothers have tried it dozens of times."

"Very well. If you can complete your daily meditation with your eyes open, be my guest."

"What? You expect me to meditate with this thing on my hand?"

"Yes," Adachi answered, heading for the dojo door, "Have fun."

Raphael glared and mocked Adachi. "Have fun," he echoed, in his best impression of his teacher. When Adachi was gone, he looked over at the plastic cicada and swallowed. He glanced back at the door. Nothing. Raph lifted the plastic bug from his hand and was about to set it on the ground—

"Raphael." Adachi's voice chided, warningly, from the other side of the sliding screens.

Raph sighed and put the cicada back on his palm, accepting his fate.

Everyday for the following week, Adachi had Raphael close his eyes for daily meditation and placed a plastic cicada on his palm. Each one was different. There were smaller ones and bigger ones, made of different materials and with different textures. Raphael didn't really know how the heck it was supposed to help him overcome his fear of bugs, but after the first couple days, he relaxed enough that he was able to close his eyes for longer than two or three seconds. The fourth and fifth days, he was actually getting used to it, but there was still a strong undercurrent of anxiousness in his aura.