Therapy Group A

[Cody]

Malakai sat in a comfortably padded chair, in a not-so-comfortably padded room, waiting for his charges to arrive. He was finishing up a disciplinary assignment for a student, and simply had to sign his name to legitimize it. He almost hesitated to do so, but, remembering his responsibilities, he quickly signed 'Malakai Marcellus' in a flamboyant, hand-written script.

As he tore that sheet from his clipboard and set it aside, he checked the next order of business on his schedule; the reason that he was in this room to begin with. As he read the names of those in his therapy group, he said the names out loud to himself.

"Dakota Darin. Tess Marie. Darren Ruchman. Joshua Whitford. Hmm." He said the names with a great lack of excitement; group therapy was far from a barrel of fun. As he spoke, his voice would have sounded entrancing, hypnotizing, and also commanding, had there been anyone but him in the room; he had always been an elegant speaker, capable of moving even the toughest crowds. He was very pronounced, and was proud of his intelligent-sounding speech.

There was no clock that he could see in the room; the way the rules of the Institute worked, the kids were to stay in the therapy room until such time as they were very confident in their insanity, and only then would they be allowed to leave; it seemed that time stood still in this room, as if events outside flowed by, while this room remained frozen and solitary. But, Malakai supposed that such was the way of therapy.

Many of the kids didn't seem to like Malakai very much; perhaps because, unlike many of the other staffers at Hollowcove, Malakai had the capability to cancel out the powers of the students in his vicinity; he doubly enjoyed using their own powers against them, and showing them the effects of their 'insanity'.

Malakai had been working hard on utilizing the abilities of multiple students at a time, but so far, the closest he had gotten was being able to quickly switch between the gifts of individuals; it certainly was frustrating; he wondered why he could negate multiple powers, but could only take one; certainly a confusion for another time.

Currently, there were no other students in the room, causing him to become somewhat aggravated. The worst part, perhaps, was the waiting; either he waited for all the kids to arrive before starting, and he had to tolerate the whining of the students who arrived early, or he started early, and had to deal with the complaints of those who were last to arrive; not that many did complain; nobody really enjoyed therapy, even Malakai; and, supposedly, this was all for a greater victory in the end, despite students' frequent attacks on teachers; he had heard stories of a couple who had recently been removed from employment due to injury.

Malakai thought to himself as he waited for his students, What's the point in a greater victory if one isn't around to enjoy it?

[` Ixchel!]

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

Today was the day I had to face my nightmares. I wouldn't like it one bit, infact, I wouldn't acknowledge it. I would show up, sit in a chair, not listen, and then leave. Simple.

I had on the normal uniform Hollowcove enforced upon us. Instead of the normal sporty headband over my hair, I had a handmade headband with daisies around the band. It was deffinatly "hippy". I had on my favorite white Converse, and knee-length daisy patterned socks. In one hand I clutched my strength-bringing book -my favorite, How To Kill A Mockingbird- and in the other, the slip I was to give Mr. Marcellum.

I had heard to much about Mr. Marcellum to be comfortable. It wasn't the simple fact I had heard about him manipulating you or anything, it was that little fact he was a male. I had never liked males, atleast, not since I had that little charade with one, sadly my brother. So, as I walked -taking my sweet time- towards Room 10, I felt something heavy setting across my shoulders. I was about to do what I had so long pushed away. I had specifically asked the head person of the Institute if I could please have a female therapist at all meetings.

Clearly, my begging was ignored, and here I was, about to walk into the demons layer. The gender I hated, despised, and shied away from at every chance. I wouldn't talk to him, unless completely forced, and I wouldn't look at him out of fear he would give me that stare like my brother did everytime he walked into my room. Please, God, help me through this!

I stepped infront of the door, taking slow, very unsteady breaths and quietly sobbing on the inside. I reached towards the door knob, grabbing the metal that felt so-so cold against my bare palm. An electric shock coursed through me, and I stiffled a cry, turning it slowly. It opened quietly, flowing easily over the carpet and then stopped, too wide for my liking.

I looked in, seeing the man I had been fearing to see this whole week, and here I was, doing exactly what I told myself I wouldn't do, cry. A little tear grazed over my cheek, behind it a glistening trail. It dropped from my chin and landed on my uniform. I wipped my cheek and stepped into the room, though I was coming apart at the very seams.

Immediatly, I was looking down. Dont make eye contact, dont look to see what hes doing. I quickly walked up to him, then held out the small slip I was told to give to him, looking at my feet and not once up at him. "H-here you are... Sir." I croaked, my voice breaking as I called him something formal, the brute un-deserving of such a nice name. In my eyes, no man was deserving of a formal name. No man.

I turned around, walking quickly -and with little grace, as always- to the back seat and sitting down. I stared down at my lap, hoping he didn't have seating assignments or anything. Please, please, please!

word; 526
muse; medium
puppet; Tess Marie[/size]

[Saiph]

Just as Josh walked into the corridor the therapy room was in, he caught sight of a girl at the other end going through a door, and the amount of fear she was giving off hit him like a mental sledgehammer. His eyebrows raised and he stopped walking, but she disappeared into the therapy room and the feeling was gone. What room am I in again? He looked at the slip of paper he was holding as he walked down the corridor, and stopped outside the door the frightened girl had gone into. Well, of course she's frightened. This might actually be fun. He opened the door and walked in, flashing a grin at the two occupants and automatically reading their emotions, barely conscious he was doing it. The girl was a quivering wreck. And the "teacher" seemed bored, frustrated. Not very much emotion there at all. All the tension in the room was coming from the girl at the back - like a fireplace compared to a candle.

[Cody]

Malakai witnessed two people walk into the therapy room; one a shy, fearful girl who appeared to be on the verge of a breakdown, and the other a bright, smiling young man. The girl walked up to him, almost as if afraid, and handed him a small slip of paper. On it was just the basics; her name, age, and... ability; an illusionist. Interesting. "Thank you, Tess. Please, have a seat," he said, motioning to the multiple chairs around the room, though, she automatically went to sit down, before he was able to get the words out.

"And you," he stated, staring straight into Josh, "You were also sent with a slip of paper I assume. Hand it to me, if you would, please." Malakai was relatively new to Hollowcove, and so he assumed that the students would be far from happy to meet him; still, he was hoping that his negation of their gifts would not incite any sort of violent frenzy; though, the girl looked like she would faint, and the boy looked too happy-go-lucky to do anything remotely violent.

Waiting for Josh to walk the distance of the room and hand Malakai the slip with which he had hopefully been sent, he took a clipboard and marked off Tess's name on the sheet. At least 2 of the 5 had actually shown up; once the young man was seated, the 'therapy' could begin, and the other children would hopefully soon join them; they would be given a tardy, certainly, but as long as they showed up, there was really no problem.

[` Ixchel!]

you'll know when your fine
cause you talk like a mime
and you fall on your face
you get back up yeah your doin fine
"a considerate clown a preachy preachy machine"

My eyes jumped to the boy who had walked in. He was deffinatly handsome, like one of those young actors you saw in the movies. It made me even more nervous, noticing the way he seemed to stare at me like I was the most interesting thing in the whole planet. He just eyed me, a curious smirk across his pale face, deffinatly cute though. But, there was this feeling like he was... inside of me. Like he knew how I felt, knew what was going on inside my head.

I glanced at Mr. Marcellus, then towards the boy again. I felt myself shudder quietly, gripping my hands together tightly. I closed my eyes and held back a whimper, instead sighing and taking slower breaths. Steady. No ones going to hurt you. I heard those words the first day I came here. Everythings going to be better when your gone. those were the words my mother had spoken to me before I was taken to Hollowcove. I was hurt by this, but not as much, since we weren't even close in the first place. My mother and I were just two people there, who happened to be connected somehow. I scared her to much for her to even consider me blood related. In a way, I was better off here, and she was better of there without me. I didn't have to hear her crying in the middle of the night, I didn't have to worry about how my emotions would react that day.

Well, I couldn't say that. I always worried about how my emotions would go today or tomarrow, who would see, what would happen. I could only just pray I didn't freak alot, lose myself and end up in temporary isolation, which only happened once when I had dug needles into every student in the class. They were illusions, of course. But it was enough to scare me and present company. I didn't know if anyone remembered that.

I turned away from those thoughts and back to the two males. I opened my eyes slowly and took slower breaths, so slow it was like I wasn't even breathing. I turned my hands and hugged my waist, biting my bottom lip and praying they weren't remotly interested in me. But I knew that was near impossible, my energy was hitting the ceiling compared to theirs. This wasn't an ability, this was just a feeling, everyone could feel when someone is on the verge of busting at the seams.

well i confess you were too much stress
id have a heartattack at best
so now i breath it out i breath it out
what am i spitting out spitting out
something we never talk about
its called my PRIDE

word; 429
muse; low-medium
puppet; Tess Marie
background music; Say It by Blue October[/size]

[Saiph]

Josh took one step towards the therapist and stop dead, staring sightlessly at the man. What just happened?! It was as if he had suddenly lost one of his senses. He stood rigidly, his arms and legs tensed as if to run away or attack, until the teacher's voice snapped him out of it. He uncharacterstically mumbled Um, yeah before giving his slip to the therapist and sitting down. He gave the teacher one last distrustful glance before turning to look at the nervous girl again with a confident grin. I'm Josh.

[Cody]

"Now that you've both been properly seated," he started, "We can begin our therapy for today. I don't believe that I've had the... pleasure... of meeting you two, or any of your group-mates. So, if you'd like to briefly stand, state your name, and tell me a bit about yourself, that would be simply... wonderful." The way he spoke to them was bordering on condescending, but it was the deep, punctuated, almost disjointed tone that would probably disarm the two.

Malakai's outward appearance was very solid and straight-faced, revealing no particular emotion. He wanted his charges to feel at least slightly safe before he began working on them - working 'with' them, he said to himself, almost cracking a smile on the outside.

When silence echoed from every padded wall, Malakai rose from his comfortable, high-backed leather seat. "Perhaps, to break the ice, I ought to introduce myself first. You've been introduced to me by other members of the staff as Mr. Marcellus, I am sure. My full name is Malakai Marcellus, and, to keep formalities outside, refer to me as Mr. Marcellus, or Sir; however, in this room, we are entirely alone, and you may call me Malakai."

Malakai knew, as did the other staffers, the multiple hidden cameras in these rooms; but the students, he was told, were unaware of this; perhaps those watching from behind the scenes would pick up on his subtle methods, and learn from them; even the experts of Hollowcove didn't know it all.

"To tell you a bit about myself, I am a scholar. I enjoy writing especially, and studying the human mind; psychology, sociology, all manner of neuroscience, which partially explains my reason for being here; you will very likely also have me for Language Arts, but I'm sure we'll get into that when the time comes. As you know, I am relatively new here, and I'm hoping that you will show me the same respect that I show you, and I look forward to working with you, both in a group, and individually."

Malakai sat back down in his chair, his expression having changed little the whole time. "It's that simple, just a small introduction is all I would like; after all, therapy goes by more quickly and far more easily if we all know a bit about each other. Let's start with you, Tess, since you arrived here first."

[` Ixchel!]

you'll know when your fine
cause you talk like a mime
and you fall on your face
you get back up yeah your doin fine
"a considerate clown a preachy preachy machine"

Despite the mood I was in, I couldn't help but smile the slightest bit when the boy sat near me, then turned to me and spoke his name. Josh had that same curious, closely observent gleam in his eyes, but his smile was overly curagious and full of charm, and a tad of determination. To do what, I wasn't sure. Part of me was afraid of the answer to his confidence.

"Hi Josh." I breathed quietly, blushing lightly. "I... My name's Tess." at the sound of Mr. Marcellus' voice, I jumped, gulping air and then letting it out immediatly. I listened cautiously to every word, careful to note everything for future discussions we might have. He paused, looking around at us. I knew he was holding back a smile, he had that pinched look to him some people get when their trying not to laugh. I kind of smiled to. He was a charming older man, clearly the way he seemed to act ment he had much wisdom to share, and the way he talked about who he was added to that. In someway, I felt like I could trust him... maybe.

"Let's start with you, Tess, since you arrived here first." If I could curse, I would. I bit my bottom lip, clearing my throat and slowly, very slowly, standing up. I glanced from Josh, to Mr. Marcellus then back to Josh. One thing I was never good at, speeches or anything involving me talking infront of someone with their full-undivided attention on me. So, I pried my lips open, only a small squeek coming out. I closed them, clearing my throat and looking down at my hands. I tried again, this time looking directly into Mr. Marcellus' odd eyes, which I now saw clearly.

Starting by the most entrancing blues coming from the iris, then fading into almost a chocolate brown with light flecks of grey. Impossibly understanding, patient, and aged. From them, there was this wave of confidence that seemed to push the words from me. I blinked, resting my hands on the chair infront of me.

"Well, I... Im too young to be anything with that big of a title like 'neuroscientist'"-I stumbled over the word, mispronouncing it so much I thought about retrying that, then decided not to-"unless they have something for 'student'. I-I love music, and..." I stopped, not sure of what really to say. He said something simple, and I didn't want to tell my whole persona when its supposed to be "simple." so I tried something else. "I've been here for a year... and I-I don't really know anything about communication or anything." I stopped finally, brushing a lock of red hair from my forehead and looking at Mr. Marcellus for alittle more support. I came up with this for my conclusion; "Yeah."

Then, I sat down, and prayed I didn't make myself into an entire fool.

well i confess you were too much stress
id have a heartattack at best
so now i breath it out i breath it out
what am i spitting out spitting out
something we never talk about
its called my PRIDE

word; 485
muse; low-medium
puppet; Tess Marie
background music; Say It by Blue October[/size]

[Cody]

Malakai listened intently to Tess as she talked, noting how nervous she was the entire time; she really did seem to be on the verge of crying if pushed even slightly too far. Unknown to the students, the teachers weren't actually at Hollowcove to help the students; they were there to study them, develop them, and convince them that, they truly were insane. Even so, Malakai couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for Tess, knowing that the other staff members here probably weren't treating her nearly as well. Perhaps, and this was a big perhaps, he could actually help them along, little by little. It would be difficult; although, even though there were cameras in the room to monitor possible activity, to his knowledge there were no microphones; that certainly opened up possibilities.

"Thank you, Tess. Hopefully, with your time in here, I can teach you a bit about communication, and we'll see if we can't get you speaking like a champion." The tone he used was so soft, so soothing, the words simply seemed to float out of his mouth, drifting throughout the room, permeating every inch of air, like freshly sprayed perfume. "And, if you don't mind me asking, I was wondering as to what kind of music you like. Perhaps we could have some music playing during our next session, if you'd like."

After he said that, he briefly turned to Josh. "And, Josh, if you'd like to stand up and get ready to tell us about yourself, I would really appreciate it. I look forward to getting to know you; you seem like a very nice young man." He broke his stare from Josh, switching a few times between both of them. "And, really, I do hope that you won't just see me as another teacher, or a new therapist, or a neuroscientist," he said, looking at Tess, "but as a friend, and as a confidant; someone that you can talk with whenever you wish, even outside of our sessions."

For the first time since therapy had begun, he broke out a half-smile momentarily, before returning to his usual straight face. He was waiting patiently on Tess's answer, and then he would have Josh answer; the odd thing about the young man, though, was that he didn't seem like someone who would be here. He didn't seem to be the least bit insane.

[Saiph]

Josh leant back in his chair and listened to Tess and Malakai, his face expressionless except for a slight frown. He couldn't pick up anyone's emotions, and he blamed the therapist. I felt Tess's fear in the corridor. But when I came in here it disappeared - although it's still obvious she's afraid. Her face shows that much. He was listening carefully - although it didn't show on his face - trying to pick up on the vocal cues that he usually ignored. Friend? Confidant? Don't be stupid. There's no such thing. When it came to his turn to speak, he stood up slowly, still tense. "I'm Josh. I guess you could say I'm interested in the human mind too. Humans... not so much." You want to know more, you're fighting for it. He sat down again, nudging his chair closer to Tess's as he did so, and making the movement as obvious as possible.