[We're off to see the psychoguy.] * Kaede clenches his fist tightly, gritting his teeth behind Satoshi. "She's so..so...she seemed sane at first but now she's just so...infuriating!" He smacks a nearby convenient wall. [Kaede's hand now hurts a lot.] * Kaede shakes his hand off. He's used to it. He does it enough after all. * Katie puts a hand to her face. "She's just angry. She doesn't understand. It's okay." She sounds like she's trying to convince herself more than anything. She was just responding to her helplessness in the only way she knows how. Yelling at people. Yeah. That helps a lot. Alienate the people you want to have help you. She just watched a friend get hurt, and couldn't do anything to help. Like we were any less helpless. Just because we're...different doesn't mean we're immortal." * Ryuji closes his eyes and says calmly. "You can't imagine the look of horror on her face when Saki went over the side of the building." Doesn't she know what Saki's capable of, though? * Kaede sighs softly and slows down a little, closing his eyes. "I can, actually..." Doesn't make you less scared. * Taki nods. * Ryuji opens his eyes and nods to Katie. "Precisely. Saki, too, is not invincible." She seems to think she is. I don't think she'll ever ask for our help. No. She won't. Well, how were we to know that guy was going to go psycho when he went up there? By the time we *could* do anything, most of the damage had already been done. Saki has lived for seventy years all alone. Asking for help does not come easy to her. * Kaede sighs heavily. "He was going to go psycho no matter what we told him. It was just a matter of when and where." * Taki speaks quitly, "because he attacked us last night...and was looking for a fight?" I could've read him, I guess. I didn't even think of that. * Katie hugs herself, looking down at the ground, but still avoiding any obstacles that come her way. "Did what I could. Doesn't matter." [Chikako catches up!] It does matter. Cool! I caught up! Hi! * Kaede goes over to Katie and puts an arm around her shoulder. "You did what you could because you care." You... * Taki falls silent when Kaede speaks. I'm your girlfriend remember? I should know. * Ryuji nods and bows to Katie. "On behalf of Eriko and Saki both, I thank you." * Satoshi chuckles softly. * Kaede takes his arm away as he says that, not even cracking a smile, just pushing up his glasses. * Taki manages not to glare at Kaede. * Katie lets out a snort, then a giggle. She looks up at Ryuji. Yeah, she's definitely been crying. "Thanks. I mean, you're welcome." And then she turns. "Chikako!" Katie! Is everything cool? 'bout as much as always. Going to see me off to the doctor? * Katie wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand. Uh huh! Cool. Well... I don't suppose my presence is needed here any longer. If you'll excuse me... Wait... * Ryuji starts back, but stops. "Please try to understand Eriko's and Saki's frusterations. I know it isn't easy, but it's for the best, for all our sakes." * Kaede walks a bit towards Ryuji and pushes up his glasses, sideglancing at him. "Errm. Thank you." * Katie nods. * Ryuji nods. "Hopefully, everything will work out in the end." Then he leaves. * Satoshi says, quietly, "I hope so, too." Goodbye. * Chikako waits until Ryuji's out of earshot, then giggles. "Wow, Ryuji Hazuki is so cool!" Yeah, he is. I suppose... He can say the right thing at the right time. * Katie falls silent, still walking to the doctor's. Unlike the rest of us. Okay, unlike me. * Kaede looks a little sheepish. How come you're going to the doctor, Katie? Are you sure everything's cool? You arn't the only one, Kaede, not by a lot. * Satoshi looks over at Kaede. "It's not just you. Trust me." Far from it, even. That's... That's good to know, really... * Kaede hangs his head a little and goes silent for a bit. I- um- Things haven't been cool for a while, Chikako. You know that. * Kaede shakes his head. "Not 'cool' at all." * Chikako frowns. It was only a week ago. Two... maybe. * Taki looks at the ground directly in front of her feet as she walks in silence. Let's get ice cream sundaes! It'd be so cool! ... * Kaede looks up slowly. "...god, I wish it were that simple to fix." * Satoshi really, really wishes it were just that simple. * Katie smiles sadly. "Okay, but I have to see the psych anyway." * Taki blinks at Chikako and then turns to Katie, "Do we have time? If not we could stop afterwords...Like Haruko said, it's important to do things just for the fun." We'll save some for you then, okay, Katie? How about tomorrow? Would that be cool? I got scared and sad a few days ago, and I scared my parents, and I'm always scared, and... * Katie blinks, then nods. "Yeah," she says distantly. "That'd be cool." Very cool. * Satoshi looks at Chikako. "Can we all come along?" * Kaede grins. "Cold even. It IS ice cream after all." * Taki lightly puts a hand on Katie's shoulder, "for right now, we're with you, and you don't need to be." I guess. * Chikako looks at Katie. "Is that cool with you?" * Katie looks up at Chikako, then nods. "Cool with me." I'll bring my cowboy hat. * Satoshi smiles. "Awesome." Do I get one? Very * Chikako grins. "Cool! I'll bring mine!" * Katie giggles. I can bring a hockey helmet, but it's the closest thing I've got. Sure. [You get to the psycho's office.] * Katie stops and looks at the building. "Um... this is the place." * Kaede stops too. "Are you alright going in?" Can- can somebody go with me? * Taki manages to not crash into anybody, "We can wait here, or in there, or at our own homes." Sure. I will! * Katie hesitates, then says, "I don't want to go by myself. And I guess there should be a waiting room, or... something." There isn't anybody here who wouldn't. * Kaede shakes his head. * Katie heads over and opens the door, peeking in. [It's an unimpressive looking building with an unimpressive sign out front. "Psychological/Psychiatric care office. Dr. Hajime Hayasaka PHD." Inside is a small waiting room with a receptionist behind a counter.] * Katie goes in. She heads to the desk. "Hello?" * Taki follows Katie. [The receptionist looks up and smiles. She's a not-really attractive woman in her late 30s. "Hello. Name?"] Katherine Andrews. * Chikako follows in. She looks around the room, then sits in a chair. "Comfy! That's so cool!" [The receptionist checks a list. "Have a seat. The doctor will be with you shortly."] * Katie nods. "Okay." She goes to do that. * Satoshi sits near Katie and Taki. * Taki takes a seat near the aformentioned names and waits, it's comfy. [Some time passes. A lot, in fact.] * Katie is curled on the chair at this point, pad out and sketching away. They'd probably have issues with her pulling out a knife. * Taki has pulled out her homework, but isn't getting anywhere, mostly because she's watching Katie draw. * Chikako hums to herself. [Shortly, the receptionist says, "Ms. Andrews? The doctor will see you now."] ( "I see." "Alright, when would you like to scheduel your next appointment?" ) * Katie starts, looking up from her picture. "Okay." She stands, closing her sketchpad and putting it in her satchel, then looks to Chikako. * Taki looks up, "I... Good luck Katie. We are here for you if you need us." I know. * Chikako gets up! But the receptionist says, "I'm sorry, ma'am, but you'll have to wait outside." * Katie pauses, then takes a breath. "Thanks." She looks to the receptionist. "Does she really? I... um..." What? That's so uncool! Why? Receptionist: "The nature of these visits are such that it's best to not have any outside influences. You may wait in the waiting room." * Katie swallows. "But-" She looks helplessly at Chikako. * Chikako looks back, then turns to the receptionist. "Aw, come on! This is so uncool." "I'm sorry, ma'am, but you'll have to wait." Can I please come in? Can't she come? Please? "I'm sorry, but no." Please? "No." Pleeeeeaase? * Taki stands up and gives Katie a light hug, "Even if she doesn' say anything?" "No." * Katie nods earnestly. "She'll be quiet." (We're awesome.) "It isn't up to me, ma'am." Might I ask who then? "The doctor himself." Okay, then I'll ask him. [The doctor comes out. "What's taking so...? Oh." He's middle-aged with black hair, a short beard and squinty eyes, hidden behind glasses.] * Katie bows. "Hi. I'm Katie. I was wondering if my friend could come to the appointment." * Taki lets go as Katie bows. [He looks everyone over. "... Well, I suppose there's no harm in it. Which one?"] * Katie points at Chikako. * Taki nods and takes a step back. * Chikako steps forwards and salutes. "It's me! Cool!" * Katie coughs, fighting the urge to laugh. She succeeds. The doctor rubs his beard. "Yes, well... come along, then." He disappears into his office. * Katie glances back at Taki and the others, gives a hesitant thumbs up, then heads after to the deep, dark recesses of the psych office. * Taki returns the thumbs up and then flops onto the chair she was on. * Chikako follows! [You walk down a short hallway, the doctor talking as you go. "Now, Ms. Andrews, as this is your first visit, I can't help you with your problems until I know what they are. For today, I'm going to turn you over to an assistant to analyze your problems, whatever they may be."] * Katie looks puzzled for a moment. "An assistant?" "Oh, don't worry. He's quite an able young man." * Katie looks briefly frightened, then settles into a more neutral expression. "Credentials?" [The doctor opens the door. "He's a college intern, but very bright. I think you'll find him quite... interesting, to say the least." Behind the door is Masaru Uehara. He's busy scribbling down something busily on a clipboard. He's wearing a white doctor's coat, but otherwise looks as weird as ever.] (o_O) * Katie looks at him for a moment, then immediately turns to the doctor. "So, you're saying that you're turning me over to an intern? Someone with no degree whatsoever? Not even a bachelor's?" "We all have to start somewhere, Ms. Andrews. Good day." He closes the door as he leaves. * Chikako peers. "His hair is so cool!" * Katie glares at him, then the door. This is followed shortly by her kicking the stupid door before storming over to the seat, sitting, and folding her arms as she glares at Masaru. All the while, she's figuring out how to sue the doctor for malpractice. Yeah, this is off to a good start. [The room, by the way, is a fairly large, nice looking room with a couch, armchair, desk, coffee table, TV (it's not on) and a table. There's a plant in the corner, too.] * Masaru keeps writing. "My my... I can see we need to get started on you right away." You can't tell me that's how these things are usually done in Japan. It's bad enough that everyone thinks I'm crazy. It's bad enough that I might be. * Katie pauses, then sighs. "No offense, Masaru. Or whatever you want to be called today." * Masaru scribbles, scribbles, scribbles. "Well, that's what we're here to find out, hmm?" He walks over to Katie and hands her the clipboard. "How's Neinhalt for you? Oh, and please pick one of these." He indicates on the clipboard. Written at the top of the sheet is "Are you crazy?" Choices: "Yes, no, maybe, probably, I don't know, I'm not sure, are YOU crazy?, I don't need to be here, go away, can I have a roast chicken, 011001, and how's the weather? (avoid the question)." * Katie takes it, numbly, and stares at the clipboard. Neinhalt reminds me of a video game. Does it? Yeah. A fighting one? I heard people talking about it once... * Katie gets to the roast chicken answer and giggles a little. Hmmm... How about Arnulfo? Hmmm... I can't say I recognize it. So we'll compromise and go with Seigfried. * Katie takes the pen and circles "are YOU crazy?", then hands it back. "Long as it's not Sigmund." * Seigfried takes the sheet and nods, 'mmming' critically. * Chikako stands there quiet-like. Alright.... Let's try some word association. I'll say a word, you say the first word that pops into your head. Don't think about what you're saying. Ready? Sure. Um, Chikako, you can have a seat. * Chikako sits down in the armchair. She smiles nerviously. Ready. Go. Okay. * Katie curls into her seat. "No." Why? Not? Because. So. What? Cool! * Seigfried wags a finger at Chikako. "Quiet, you." * Katie grins. "That." She waves for Chikako to be quiet. Oh. Yup. And? But. Dracula. * Katie snerks. "Blood." Mystery (Katie wouldn't say 'Club', sadly.) Machine. Kirby. Food. Arcana. * Katie has a sharp intake of breath, then she says, "Pain." She's looking more troubled now. * Seigfried nods and scribbles something down on a paper. * Katie watches him do that. * Seigfried then flips to a blank page and tears it out, handing it to Katie and the pencil, as well as the clipboard. "Here. Draw something." * Katie looks down at the paper. She doesn't take it quite yet. "What?" Draw something. Anything. Do it quickly. Don't worry about making it look good. * Katie takes it, and the pencil, and scoots over to the table, looking at it. She has a seat, then looks around before she gets to sketching. "Yeah, okay." * Seigfried scribbles something down in his notes. * Katie makes quick work, finishing in under five minutes. She twists the pencil in her hands afterwards, nervously. "Okay." * Seigfried adjusts his glasses and goes over to look. * Katie doesn't meet his gaze - almost like she can't - moving the page so he can look. It's a song sparrow if Masaru knows these things, or just a bird if he doesn't, that looks like it's in quite a bit of pain with one wing bent at an unnatural angle. A hand's reaching down from above, though it's hard to tell if it wants to help or hurt the little thing. The sketch is very rough, but anatomically correct, to Katie's credit. * Seigfried nods to himself and writes more stuff down. * Seigfried points to the couch. "Go lie down, make yourself comfortable." * Katie looks at him for a moment, then sighs and gets to her feet. She walks over to the couch, sets down her satchel, and kicks off her shoes. "At least you're not one of The Band or something." Rubber Band? No. Arcana Band. * Katie lies down and waves one hand in the air. "You're working on a psych degree, Seigfried?" Psych/Art/Law, yes. All three at once? I was thinking of doing two, if I live that long. * Katie pauses. "Law's graduate school, isn't it?" Or is it prelaw? * Seigfried nods. "Oh yes. It's prelaw. I'm preparing." * Katie smiles faintly. "Neat. I know a little bit about law, but I wouldn't want to make a living out of it." Why don't you tell me about this Arcana Band? Oh, well. * Katie sighs. "I understand one of them died. Another one likes to control women and... pretty much rape them. Another sympathizes with him. A fourth was controlled by him. A fifth seems to have some sort of problem with us. And on." Two of them kidnapped a couple friends of mine. Only I wasn't around to help or anything. Do you regret it? * Katie winces, then says more quietly, "All the time." Why? Because I was dying instead of helping them. Haven't you seen the news? * Seigfried moves behind Katie's head so he can't see her. "If you could get rid of your powers, would you?" * Katie falls silent for a moment, then says, "I don't know." Explain. * Katie thinks. There was a time... when... I was sure I was normal. Just a normal person caught up in a lot of madness. Just a normal girl who moved to Japan. I felt out of place, but it wasn't a strange kind. Then someone attacked me with a spear. Then I saw someone... eating another human. I saw things, and there were powers, and I had to think differently, and it was horrible. But I was sure I was normal. (Meanwhile, Chikako's listening and going, "This is uncool.") (And Taki isn't listening because she didn't think to ask for the earhelpers) Even after I got powers, I still hung onto that idea. It was my last bit of... something. I don't know. My boyfriend turned out to be an obsessive, very scary person, and I thought he was normal. I wished I was normal. But... If I was, I wouldn't have a lot of the friends I do now. I wouldn't have them to hang onto. If I was, I wouldn't have almost died. Someone wouldn't have pretended to be me. Chikako would still be my best friend. If I was, I would never be able to try to protect them, as little as I can. If I was, I wouldn't be here. So, I don't know. I'm not?! * Seigfried wags a finger. "Quiet, you." * Katie giggles a little. "You're my best friend, Chikako. Always. Shush." How important is being 'normal' to you? It doesn't matter. I say it does. Answer the question. * Katie sighs. "Depends on what you call 'normal'." What do you call normal, then? There's a lot of different ways to put it. ( I'm normal! ^_^_v ) (Hehe!) I have time. At first glance, you're not normal, and I am. You look strange. You call yourself weird names. I look normal but dazed, and I have a scar now, but still, I look more normal. We're not, though. We both have powers. We both have lives we're tied to. Right now, I want to say you're more so, though. Why? * Katie speaks, distantly, "Because you're not broken." And you believe you are? That obvious? Answer the question, please. I kinda did. Yes. I am. How do you think you should go about repairing yourself, then? I don't know. That's why I'm here, isn't it? I... * Katie sniffs, and tears trickle out of the corners of her eyes. " I see her. I see her, every day, every night, I'm back there, and I- I can't do anything. I can't. I don't do things the same anymore. I don't think the same way anymore." Who is this woman? I thought I was going to die someday, but never anything like this. Never, ever anything like this. She's me. She's not- but she is- she looked like me. She tricked me, she cut my throat, she locked me away... I... I screamed, I clawed, and I couldn't get out. I couldn't get out! And nobody heard me. She took my life, my parents, my friends... * Katie drops into a half-whisper. "I was going to die. I was dead." But you're not dead. I was. Sometimes I think I should be. It was all luck. Then I wouldn't be- I wouldn't be like this. Do you think that would be better? I don't know. You're not sure whether you would rather be dead or alive? * Katie puts her hands to her face, then turns, looking away from the ceiling and towards the wall. "I don't know." What are the pros and cons of being dead? * Katie laughs bitterly. "Well, on the plus side, I won't be here anymore." If Christianity is true, I'm probably headed to heaven. I think I've been a good person, overall. Not existing in the world is a pro? Sometimes. When? When is it appropriate to not exist? It's not nonexistance, Seigfried. It's another kind of existance. Only if Christianity is correct. Although you are correct in that your corpse would be left behind. Have faith. * Katie pauses. "On the minus side, my friends and family will be sad. Angry, disappointed. I love them. I don't want to do that to them." I want to help them, and I know I can do that from here. I don't know if I can from up there. Or below, whichever I head to. Simply suppose for a moment, that there is no heaven or hell. That when you die, all that is left of you is a body that no longer works. If this were the case, would you be better off dead? No. I'd have to stay. It's not even about me. For the time being, it is. So... You would rather live unless there is an afterlife, in which case you are not sure whether you would like to die or not, correct? Not really. Masaru, or Seigfried or whatever. You know what they say about love being a willingness to die for a person? I can't say I do. However, if that were true, then the only people who would inhabit the earth would be those incapable of love. Don't you agree? Possibly. Though they're likely saying that in the sense of sacrificing your life so they can live. That kind of thing. But if two people sacrifice their lives so the other can live, you wind up with two corpses. Romeo and Juliet. You see? * Katie says, practically on reflex, "Romeo was on a rebound relationship and Juliet was a stupid rebellious teenager who read too many romance novels." She shifts, taking in the room and likely Chikako. Her cheeks are tear-streaked, though she isn't crying at the moment. What makes you say that? You don't believe it was love at first sight? Have you seen the play? I've read the script, then made the play up in my own mind. It amounts to about the same thing. Look more closely, and a little more cynically, and you'll see what I mean. * Katie pauses, then says, "It's a nice play, though." Cynically... Do you look at everything cynically, Katherine Andrews? * Katie laughs. You sounded just like Kaede. Have you ever thought, perhaps, that somethings are better if they're not examined in depth, but are simply left at face value? Sometimes, I'm jealous of that. Why? Are you incapable of doing so yourself? * Katie sighs. "Are you?" We are not discussing me, Katherine Andrews. I'd like to know. Then perhaps I will tell you at a later date, but for now answer the question. Okay. * Katie takes a breath. "How do I put this." Once, I could look at things that way. Not a lot of things, but some things, I could. I've always wanted to know how things worked, or why they did what they did, and it just doesn't... fit with that sort of way of thinking. I like learning. But people... kind of people. Like I didn't think someone could be cruel and hateful for no reason. * Katie pauses, then continues, "But I moved to Japan, and about a year later, I discovered I was Arcana. Things got trickier. I couldn't afford to see things that way anymore." And then I met her, and I found out what hate really is, and that people... real people... could do something like that. So, yeah. Cynical? I guess you could say I am. I try to hang onto hope, but it's almost not there. Yet you were telling me just moments ago to have faith, no? I said almost, didn't I? It sounds to me like it's strongly there. You're simply having trouble finding it. Maybe. But if I do? Then what? Then we should try to fix that. Hope is what gives people the will to continue. * Katie pauses for a moment, then says, quietly, "You know, when I first met you, I didn't like you." That's unfortunate. I think it is. I have no idea what you thought of me. I guess I didn't care at the time, as long as you weren't going to kill me. If I were? Then I would have tried to stop you. As well you should. * Katie chuckles faintly. "But..." I think I didn't like you because it looked like you were trying too hard to be different. Too hard. A natural reaction. Yeah. I like you more without the fake accents and the different names. Masaru's a nice name. I like it. [The theme from Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers plays as a ringtone from somewhere.] We are out of time. * Katie snerks. "Power Rangers? Which one's your favorite?" She sits up and fixes her hair. The rainbow one. Makes sense. * Katie rubs at her eyes, then snatches a tissue and blows her nose. So, what'd you find out? ( "You're screwed up in the head." ) ("Well, I knew that.") I can some it up in one sentence of advice. As long as you're alive, there is always hope. * Katie cocks her head to one side, looking at Masaru, then smiles. "Thanks. Is it okay if I call you Masaru? In a non-professional fashion, I guess." Feel free. But my name is Seigfried. * Chikako chuckles. "That name is so cool!" * Katie laughs a little. "Yeah, it is pretty cool." She gets to her feet. "I'll see you around, maybe?" Possibly. * Chikako gets to her feet too. * Katie nods. "Maybe next appointment. I don't know if I can go to the Tower Reversed again." Eventually, perhaps you will. Yeah. Thanks again. You're a pretty good guy. And cool! * Katie grins. "And cool." [And End!]