Orchestra 31 | Voice

[springforth]

[She wishes they could just post text but here they are with just voice and video. So. Voice it is]

Hi, um, I was wondering if anyone on the train is like. A therapist? Or a counselor or something like that? It's nothing to do with the whole thing that happened recently, it's more that... Well I promised a friend back home that I'd speak to someone about this--thing that happened back home. But there's not really been a way to do that here. And it keeps coming back to bother me.

I guess failing any professionals, maybe just someone to talk to about it.

Um, I don't want to talk about what incident was on here but maybe I could try to explain in private? [Why do you have to talk about things to actually talk about things, this is the worst.]

Comments

[acapriciousthing]

I'm not a therapist... but I'm used to talking to people when they're in a pretty bad situation.

[springforth]

It's not that I'm in a bad situation. You know, in general. Something happened and it kind of. Like I said it still bothers me.

[Silence for a moment] I--um--What sort of things are you comfortable talking about?

[acapriciousthing]

I'm ten billion years old. Whatever it is, I've probably run into something like it.

[springforth]

[Pause. Okay well yes probably. Ten billion]

Can I ask you a few things in person?

[acapriciousthing]

Of course. Where are you?

[It's not like distance is a great concern for her]

[springforth]

[There's a pause and the sound of rustling fabric]

Um--I'm going to one of the quiet booths. I don't really want to do this here. I'll be there in a little bit. The one upstairs with all the flowers or the one to the right.

[voice]

[subcircuits]

[His response is...quiet.] Does this have anything to do with... with what you thought was waiting for you in the Cave of Mind on that temple world?

[In the end, just being able to step towards facing that fear had been enough for both of them to succeed that test, so neither of them had actually needed to confront their fears directly. Whatever her thing that happened back home is, he doesn't know the details-- but he is, at least, aware of how much confronting it had scared her back on that wet world.]

[voice]

[springforth]

[Long pause] ...Yes. It does. A lot to do with that.

[voice]

[subcircuits]

[Still, quiet, almost diffident, the tone of someone who's exquisitely aware he's entitled to no one's pain:] If someone more suitable doesn't step forward, you're welcome to talk to me. Any time.

[voice]

[springforth]

I couldn't--I don't really know what you're comfortable talking about and all. [Her words are rushed, like she's still trying to make excuses to not talk about any of this. Which she kind of is]

[voice]

[subcircuits]

Persephone, I used to be World Guard; I can handle talking about pretty much anything. Even got some mental health crisis training through the Guard. I'm not a therapist by any means, but I can definitely talk.

[fivemilesdeep]

I can't promise I'll be able to help, but I can listen, and I can promise I'll keep it a secret.

[springforth]

I--thank you. And I know I can talk about a lot of things with you, I'm just not sure this...If this particular thing is one of them.

Not that I think you couldn't help, I just don't know if I'm comfortable with it.

[fivemilesdeep]

[He wants to help, but...well. He's getting a lot better at boundaries and respecting them - thanks, Thanatos - and now's the time to do just that.]

Alright.

Let me know if you need me for anything, okay?

[springforth]

OF course! Of course. I just--it's...yeah. [She doesn't want him to feel bad. It's so nice that he wants to listen but explaining why he probably isn't the best choice is about the same as explaining it to him. Which. Defeats the purpose]

[soldier_blade]

Not a therapist, but this post brings up a good point.

Given the collection of people here, I'm surprised there's no one qualified for the task. Pretty sure there's more than a handful of people who'd benefit.

Myself included.

[springforth]

I'm sure there's several people who would benefit. Though I'd hope we have more than one person if we do. One person can't take on a whole trains problems

[soldier_blade]

Another good point.

I knew there were a few people, if not officially qualified, they were capable, but they departed some time shortly after I arrived over a year ago.

[springforth]

I know there were a few people who I could have spoken to about it and they would have listened and been helpful in their way. I just wasn't...in the place to do it back when I arrived.

Gods, it's been almost a year for me too.

[soldier_blade]

That bad?

Couldn't blame you. Was rather a mess myself when I first arrived, but I'd gone through some months of therapy so atleast I had some means of coping.

[video]

[controlsthedie]

[ Oh... Thanatos wonders if she's talking about... what he accidentally saw. When does Thanatos speaks, it's soft, uncertain. ]

I don't know if it would... solve the thing, but sometimes I find talking to Mort helps figure out or at least practice what to say.

[ Mort squeaks up. Persephone is already aware of how the little bean mouse acts like an emotional support and reminder to get out of his own head. ]

Might help to talk to Prosera.

[video]

[springforth]

[When she replies, the screen is dark. But not completely dark, there's a hint of green to the dark, blurs of slightly lighter green. She's clearly grown some plant over the video portion of this ICP, mostly for privacy]

Prosera helps sometimes. [A series of chimes ring out, clear and insistent--then muffled. No companions were harmed, she's simply being held under the same blanket Perse is under]

I'm not sure I want to tell her about this stuff. Other stuff but...[Though Prosera was there when she spoke to Than. And Zag, buried in her bag. Hnn. How conscious was Prosera then? She's been moving and flapping about a whole lot more lately] Though maybe she knows.

[video]

[controlsthedie]

[ Thanatos doesn't mind the video being covered. Most of the time he uses video just because it's a way he knows to activate communications, and it allows Mort to join in now that he's mobile. ]

She'll want to help you, and she's tougher than she looks. All of them are. Just... think about it, all right?

[ He doesn't think Prosera would shy away when her person is in pain. That's not what Persephone needs. ]

[video]

[springforth]

[Quiet and unsteady:] I'll think about it.

[Prosera speaks up, a cascade of tinkling bells almost like a windchime in a storm. Unseen to Thanatos, she flaps up against Persephone's hands, scolding her about worrying about what she's feeling when it's Persephone in pain.]

Okay, okay, I'll really think about it.

[video]

[controlsthedie]

[ He gives a small nod which Mort copies as best as he's able. Thanatos will leave the rest of the persuading to Prosera, not wanting to meddle too much into something he can't help with. ]