Day 54: Group Therapy Room 1 [Second Shift]

[damned-nurses.livejournal.com]

The idea that therapy was still going to go on even after everything that had happened at breakfast left the nurse feeling pretty anxious. If the patients she was due to talk to today were even aware enough to make it to their session, chances were all they were going to do was ask her a lot of questions about what had just happened... even though she'd barely had anything to do with it. Yes, it was her job to sedate patients who got out of control, but she'd hardly had that chance with the way those brutes had been acting.

Everything was just a mess at this point, and she couldn't say that she wasn't stressed out at this point. Still, she'd been told the that show had to go on, and so there she was, arranging chairs in an empty room as she waited for a pair of patients who might be too out of it to even speak to her.

She only knew the basics about the two. They were about as different as could be; one female, the other male. One an adult, the other a child. While that wouldn't necessarily be a problem, chances were this session wasn't going to accomplish much if only because of the context that it was in. If only the patients hadn't decided to do something like that today of all days...

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[monkeyboy]

The only thing that saved Goku from drowning in his own mucous and other bodily fluids was the calming effect from the sedative that buffered his anxiety levels. He was still running like a faucet from every opening, but there was hardly any struggle in him as his nurse guided him to the bathroom so he could be washed off and given a new set of clothes.

His eyes were red and glassy with unshed tears, but he didn't complain, despite the constant coughing from an irritated throat and nose. He looked tired more than anything, and his nurse wasn't sure if he was fit enough to sit through a group therapy session. If only because his delusions were so severe, she led him to his next appointment. He was given a box of tissues and a rub on the back that he hadn't the energy to move away from.

"All you have to do is just sit, Billy, and please behave. Answer the nurse's questions as best you can. None of the officers will be in there with you, so no one will hurt you, okay?" With one last encouraging pat, the monkey boy was ushered into the room, where he struggled pathetically to climb up on the chair, keeping the tissue box squarely on his lap. His legs barely dangled over the cushion of the seat.

It was another white witch, he noticed, that sat in front of him. Strangely, no emotions flooded through him with that observation. He had no motivation to retaliate right at this moment. It was weird, and he wasn't sure if he liked it. Heck, he wasn't sure if he could even muster any emotion for disliking that no emotion came to him! No, Goku definitely did not enjoy this feeling of apathy. His mind might be vacant most of the time, but the spark of life had always been there, flickering. Now, it had receded because of the strange liquid he had been shot with.

[willing-sheath.livejournal.com]

If it wasn't for the fact that she knew she wasn't that important in the grand scheme of the universe, Tomoe would have sworn that there was some sort of mass plot to keep her from getting any full information from her husband. There days. Three days it had taken her to finally manage to sit down in front of him again without fighting her blasted nurse or having reality turn even more upside down and what happens? Some idiot decides to stage a coup with breakfast food--and the rest? Well...

She had been so busy gagging and choking that she was barely even aware of the fact that Anna had reappeared and started hauling her back to her room to try to clean up after the fiasco. She didn't even see what happened to Kenshin--couldn't have even if she wanted to with the way her eyes were watering along with... everything else.

She wanted nothing more than curl up in a corner and lick her proverbial wounds, but the moment she'd gotten her clothes changed her nurse was dragging her off yet again--this time talking about 'group therapy' while muttering about the 'excess of force' used that morning. Regardless, Tomoe wasn't about to engage in the conversation--not when she could still barely see or breathe.

With a less than chipper "Here you go, I'll be back to pick you up for lunch, dear," her nurse quite literally dumped her off in the room, standing uncomfortably inside the door, looking at the other two occupants while still trying to blink the sting out of her eyes.

[damned-nurses.livejournal.com]

The first one who was led in was the boy named Billy -- or Goku, as he thought of himself -- and the nurse watched in slight horror as the child was dragged over and placed in a chair, clutching onto a box of tissues. He was heavily sedated and quiet, and she didn't know if she had the heart to put him through something like this when he was in such a state.

But the nurse who'd escorted him in gave her a look that made it clear that they had no other choice; the two of them were left alone for only a second or two before Miyuki then showed herself. She was not as fast to come take a seat, but it was clear that the gas had also gotten her, if not the sedatives.

"Ahh, Miss Miyuki," the nurse eventually spoke up. "I'm sorry that we're being forced to do this at a time like this, but please feel free to take a seat. We'll try to take this nice and slow."

She then looked to Billy, holding back a sigh at the very sight of the boy. He seemed miserable -- honestly, a child being treated in such a way didn't sit well with her. She was going to glare at the soldiers extra hard the next time she saw them. "I apologize for what they put you through. I obviously had no part in that decision, but still... it's terrible."

wow this sounds so wrong, sorry

[monkeyboy]

Goku's eyes clearly glazed over once the witch began speaking to him. He wasn't sure what an "apologize" or a "decision" was, but he knew if he just ignored the fact that someone was trying to communicate with him, the problem eventually worked itself out in the end.

His attention was eventually captured by the long haired person that strolled in after him. This Miyuki was obviously female, but females here seemed to have a tendency to be evil, like the one sitting in front of him. He couldn't trust them not to tag team him. Not that he'd mind, he was still frustrated over not being able to finish his fight this morning. Another training exercise would have been appreciated. So, turning to look up at the other woman, the monkey boy asked, "Are you a witch, too?"

pfffffffffffffffffft I lol'd

[willing-sheath.livejournal.com]

Tomoe remained where she was by the door for a long minute, not particularly keen on walking headlong into whatever this was. Her first thought when she saw the boy was one of slight horror--they had children in this place!? Drugged children from the look of it. It made her stomach want to turn over on the spot.

She finally moved forward with a lingering degree of hesitation, perhaps curiosity, or even worry, for the child in the room driving her steps more than any placating words from the nurse. She took a seat in the chair next to the boy, her eyes more or less locked on him at the same time he turned to her. She blinked at him a couple of times at the question, but it was the most outward reaction she gave.

Of course... given the circumstances it didn't necessarily seem like that odd of a question.

"No... I'm not a witch..." she answered coolly, finally taking her eyes off him and looking back up to the nurse.

[damned-nurses.livejournal.com]

While she didn't get any direct response from the boy, that was probably to be expected. She wasn't one of those soldiers, but she still had a whole arsenal of syringes at her disposal. Not that she had any intention of using them, but... a lot of the patients considered them the enemy, and she had slowly been forced to accept that.

Still, Miyuki did make her way over, which the nurse was relieved about. Even if the two were mainly talking amongst themselves (about witches, of all things), they were still talking to each other, which was a step in the right direction.

"Ahh, well," she interrupted awkwardly, "now that we're all here, did you two want to do some introductions? Unless you've met before, but..." Judging from the question that the boy had asked the woman, that didn't seem likely. "Also, I'm sorry again that we have to do this today of all days, but..." She didn't really have a good reason for why it couldn't be postponed, and so she trailed off there.

order switch per Claire's request <3

[willing-sheath.livejournal.com]

Tomoe couldn't help the prickle of irritation that ran along her spine as this nurse began speaking again. The strange calm she had felt--if that was at all the right word at all--she had found at dawn was gone again. Being bombed with tear gas had that sort of an effect on a person after all. The other woman could apologize to her heart's content, whatever was happening in this building if someone didn't have an obnoxious yellow smiley face on their chest she was assuming they had something to do with it.

"What exactly is this supposed to be?" she asked flatly, overlooking any sort of polite niceties. She wasn't going to introduce herself by the false name and she wasn't going to be berated for using her real name either.

wow I actually feel bad for the nurse

[monkeyboy]

Goku stared at the white witch as if she were speaking another language all together. He understood "now", "you", "two", those kind of words, but all together in one big sentence, he was at a loss for what to say. His head leaned to one side as if looking at her from another angle would help his comprehension skills.

It didn't.

Goku then looked to the other person beside him as she began to speak, but it seemed she was just as confused as he was. Well that was kinda nice! Rarely was there ever another person on his side of "what the hell?". The monkey boy nodded in agreement to her question and added on his own. "And is there food?"

[damned-nurses.livejournal.com]

As had been expected, these two patients were being slightly difficult. It actually wasn't as bad as the nurse had expected, but the woman was suspicious and the boy was so out of it that he clearly wasn't focusing well. How was she supposed to get a meaningful conversation out of them this way?

Still, she decided to answer Billy's question first, giving a small frown before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, no, though you'll be allowed to have some lunch after this." She wouldn't be surprised if these two patients hadn't been able to eat, seeing how the food had been thrown more than ingested at breakfast. (She held back a sigh. Honestly, was this kindergarten?)

"I can see about asking for snacks to be provided for next time, though." Granted, the nurse didn't know if group therapy was going to be more or less common as time went by, nor was she certain that her request would be acknowledged, but...

"Anyway, this is group therapy, which means all three of us will be trying to talk together. It's a way to make you feel a bit more comfortable in therapy, along with allowing you to get to know your fellow patients." She glanced from one patient to another with a slightly strained smile.

D| I'm sorry for the silent treatment!!! *sob*

[willing-sheath.livejournal.com]

'Group therapy'. Based on that description it was a more... personalized method of brainwashing? In all reality if it hadn't been for the fact that Kenshin as her concrete proof was physically there she could see herself falling for this. The whole reviving from death was still such an impossibility that being convinced her life was a farce could have worked. But the fact of the matter was that Kenshin was her confirmation of it all.

She straightened a bit more in the chair, her expression (despite the still reddened and watering eyes) going colder. She may have played along for a few minutes that morning just to ensure she was finally able to sit down with her husband, but he wasn't here now and there was no real reason to cooperate--and further more she didn't see the point in giving any satisfaction for actually speaking. Rising to any sort of bait seemed just as bad as playing along with the lie to begin with.

She did hazard another glance at the boy. What was the purpose of bringing a child into this? She was tired of seeing this sort of thing happen to children.

This poor nurse XDD

[monkeyboy]

Goku was a firm believer in instant gratification, but snacks later were better than none at all. This witch wasn't so quick to denounce his needs like the regular vulture that circled him and he appreciated that, even if it couldn't be gleamed from his wet, snotty face. The tissues his nurse had given him sat unused on his lap since.... he had no idea what they were. They weren't thick enough to be towels, so Goku was at a complete loss for any other guesses.

Sniffling in a vain attempt to open his nasal passage, Goku leaned over his lap to stare at the woman beside him who was in turn staring at him. He cupped a hand over his mouth and began whispering loudly. "PSSST! Hi! I'm Goku..." The monkey boy didn't want the witch to know who he was--Oh, but! But how was he going to get his snacks if she didn't know?! Oh crap! Think fast!

"I-I'm Goku!" He shouted again, just so the other woman could be included into the conversation, and to secure his food supply.

[damned-nurses.livejournal.com]

Well, she had one patient who refused to speak to her and another who was dripping all over himself and oscillating between whispering and yelling. The boy clearly hadn't learned about inside versus outside voices just yet.

Still, she'd gotten a name, even if it wasn't the correct one. She smiled at the boy (once again, it was a bit strained, but could she be blamed?). "It's nice to meet you, Goku." While they were all told to use the patient's real names as much as possible, she thought she could make an exception considering the circumstances.

Seeing how the boy wasn't having much luck using the tissues, the nurse carefully stood from her own chair and moved forward to grab a few from the box. She set one hand to the side of Billy's head and then gently rubbed at his nose and mouth with the tissue to clean him up. More than that, she did it without even a hint of disgust on her face; she was quite used to bodily fluids, with her line of work.

*pets her* ;o; she seems so nice too...

[willing-sheath.livejournal.com]

Tomoe didn't outwardly react to Goku's shouting, though it was admittedly a bit jarring--but then again just about everything was jarring so that wasn't a particularly big shock. Still keeping her eyes on him and not the nurse she answered him quietly, "My name is Tomoe." In the last two and a half days she had to fight with herself to give her name to just about anyone she spoke with, but dealing with children was different than dealing with other adults.

Her eyes snapped back to the nurse again as she moved, watching her owlishly as she moved in closer. Tomoe said nothing as the woman took a few of the tissues and wiped the boy's face (and admittedly there was a silent 'oh' because she, like Goku, hadn't realized what the tissues were there for either). The gentle treatment was noted... but she still couldn't convince herself that it wasn't an act.

[monkeyboy]

Goku saw her coming. He saw her coming and his body refused to react to the threat. The beat of his heart quickened, but the monkey boy remained stuck in his seat as if life had been paused. By the time she had plucked a few tissues from the box and leaned over him, he had accrued just enough coordination to open his mouth and stare.

The first touch received a yelp as he tried to wiggle away, but he soon realized the witch wasn't hurting him, even though it was within her power to do so. And this one promised food, so... perhaps she wasn't completely evil, but she wasn't giving him the food now. Yes, Goku remained skeptical. But at least his face was no longer sticky.

"Hee hee!" His stubby hands patted the clean skin of his cheeks. "Thanks!"

[damned-nurses.livejournal.com]

Even if the boy tried to wriggle away at first, he did end up letting her do her work and thanked her for it afterward. That was certainly a step in the right direction. Smiling, she pulled back and nodded. "That's better." With no trash can near by, she tucked the dirtied tissues into the pocket of her uniform.

Taking her seat again, she nodded to Miyuki, relieved that she'd at least given her fake name. It was better than complete silence. "Now that introductions are out of the way, is there anything you guys would like to talk about?" Her tone was somewhat uncertain, mainly because Billy seemed too drugged to construct more than simple sentences while Miyuki was being terse in general. But she had to try...

[willing-sheath.livejournal.com]

Tomoe closed back off again almost instantly. She was willing to converse with the boy, but the nurse was another matter. She had a soft spot for children, even if the rarely had a soft spot for her.

However, her thoughts did wander back to Kenshin--and more importantly to the fact that she hadn't seen what happened to him... and with the treatment the military figures had been shelling out it didn't exactly promote any sort of ease of mind. "Do you know what happened to the other patients?" oh it was difficult not to spit that last word. "I was speaking to a man with red hair and a cross-shaped scar on his cheek--" she didn't expect referring to him by name (at least his real name) would get her very far (and she couldn't even remember his false name), "Is he alright?"