Josh looked up as Nick slid into the seat across the table. The other Australian bore an expression which could only be described as cheerfully sombre. Grunting a muted greeting, Josh turned his attention back to his breakfast cereal.
"He's back, isn't he?"
For a fraction of a second, the spoon froze on its path towards Josh's mouth. If Nick hadn't been watching for it, he probably would have missed it, as the spoon quickly resumed its original course. With a mouth full of late afternoon breakfast, Josh managed a garbled "Huh?"
Nick said nothing, but merely continued to stare at the top of his compatriot's head. Eventually, Josh glanced up, caught Nick's eyes briefly, then looked back down, murmuring, "How'd you know?"
"Marching around the palace in full combat armour? Blasting doors apart? Coercing droids at gunpoint? Now, I would have to say that that isn't the most wonderful application of appropriate force I've ever seen. So, it seemed like a reasonable guess."
"That obvious, huh?"
"To me, sure. To everyone else? I doubt it. They'd probably just chalk it up to you being a little rattled lately."
"Coming unhinged, you mean."
"You said that, not me. Finish your cereal. I want to show you something."
Josh looked up from his cereal again. Nick had that characteristic gleam in his eye, the one that usually indicated a scheme to make his and Yarg's corporate holdings even more profitable. Whatever Nick had in mind, it was almost guaranteed to be interesting. 'Interesting' was not always a synonym for 'healthy'.
Nick almost bounded up the last of the stairs, emerging on to the top of the central tower of the Mendellian Royal Palace. As usual, he appreciated the long climb required to get up here, as it meant that very few people made the effort.
Once up there, he gestured for Josh to move past him towards the parapet. His longtime friend glowered at him. "This is what you wanted to show me? The view from the tower? I have seen it before, you know."
"Maybe. Maybe not. Tell me what you see."
Josh glared sullenly at Nick. "You do know how infuriating you are when you get like this, don't you?"
"Why yes, I believe you've told me that several times. Now tell me what you see."
Josh sighed. Oh well, at least he now had some idea what Nick's barely suppressed grin was all about. "Fine, have it your way." He turned away, looking out from the parapet.
The setting sun gleamed in the cloudless sky, casting long shadows out to the east. Beneath him, the Palace reared up, still managing to dominate Mendel City, below. The city spread out, and around, away from the cliffs beneath the palace, curving down towards the docks, and the quiet coves holding the private yachts of many of the Mendellian nobles.
The sight was certainly beautiful, but one that Josh had seen many times before. "OK, it's Mendel City. Looks like it always does."
"It does, doesn't it? Tell me what you see."
"You know, I'm going to hit you if you keep this up." Despite the mock threat, Josh turned again to take a look at the city below. His eyes narrowed, as he started picking out small scenes that his perch high above the city let him observe.
"I see a woman walking away from the Aragar Markets, purchases in one hand, a child holding the other."
"I see a half dozen children playing hopscotch in a courtyard."
"I see men on the construction site for Mendel City's first skyscraper. If the palace doesn't count."
Josh continued, looking for more and more scenes of a simple, straightforward life. A life as little like his own as he could imagine. And he relayed them all, describing them to Nick, who leant with his back against the barrier encircling the top of the tower.
". . .and I see Kristy walking through the Palace gardens."
"What? She's back?" Nick quickly turned around, his eyes scanning the Palace grounds.
Josh leaned over, and whispered softly in his ear "Gotcha!"
Nick grunted, and turned back away from the view. "I don't know. Try to create a bit of an introspective mood, and people start playing nasty tricks on you." His broad grin took any possible sting out of the words. "So, are you at all interested in my point, or would you prefer to keep playing mind games?"
"Oh, since you've gone to so much trouble, I'm sure I could cope with hearing you out."
"Much obliged. Anyway, you saw what I was hoping you would see. Ordinary people, doing ordinary things, just living their lives. Now, I'm quite happy with the life I've got, but I can see the appeal of something a bit more sedate, too."
"OK. There's more to life than what people like us get to see of it. I'm not seeing the profound wisdom yet."
"Let me finish. One of the reasons other people get to live the lives they do, is the fact that we live the lives we do. Not better, not worse, just different."
"You know, this is awfully straightforward coming from you. You're normally far more cryptic and convoluted. And no, that's not a compliment."
"You still don't know where I'm going, so there's still plenty of room to work in a bit of Zen. Now, the better we are at we do, regardless of our motivations, the more secure they can be in what they do." Nick's hand gesture was intended to encompass far more than just the occupants of Mendel City.
"Your revelations are earth-shattering. Please excuse me while I go re-evaluate my life."
Josh's deadpan expression failed to raise an answering grin from Nick. The underlying bantering tone disappeared as Nick continued, "Being the best we can be means knowing who we are. What we can do and what we are willing do." He locked gazes with Josh, drilling every last word home, "If we don't know where our emotional limits are, how can we effectively set our rational limits? If we don't know, really know, what we are capable of doing, how can we know how to control it?"
Nick paused. Raising his arm, he clasped Josh's shoulder. His expression remained intent, as he finished, "He's a part of you, Josh. You already know that. But denying him again isn't going to work. Next time you're stressed, or angry, or whatever, he'll come charging right back to your defense. Just remember, while you're working this out, you don't have to do this alone. Remember that."
Nick slipped away quietly down the stairs. Josh gazed after his friend thoughtfully, before turning to rest his arms on the battlements. He no longer really saw the vista in front of him, as troubled thoughts flickered behind his eyes.