It's Okay To Feel Sad

[mooninthewater]

Who: Anyone!
What: Introduction to the new building, and some ~prompts~ in the comments (TBA)
When: After the mini event.
Where: Therapy building
Warnings: the usual Mizuki warnings apply.


[ Here's your all-express tour of the therapy building! In more detail because there's a lot going on. Welcome! Buckle up! Or don't!

the lobby

The lobby consists of a lot of very comfy chairs, cots, and stuffed animals. There's a table in the middle with handheld gaming devices. According to the sign Mizuki placed at the table, these are his and he will take them all away if even one gets broken. Be gentle!

There are six doors throughout the lobby that lead to different rooms.

the physical room

No, it's not a room where you get your physical. Rather, it's a room entirely covered with rock climbing walls, and the floor is entirely made from trampolines. There's no safety equipment, though, so be careful! It's great for getting out physical energy, though, and Mizuki insists that exercise is a great form of therapy. He potentially just asked for it so he could jump on the trampoline...

the sensory deprivation tanks

Surely not wanting to feel anything at all like your floating through the infinite vast of nothingness and becoming one with the universe is exactly what you wanted, right? Being alone with your damning thoughts and nothing else as there's absolutely no light and the body temperature water that leaves you floating feels somehow like nothing and also like... you?

...

There's four tanks in the room. Have fun!

the paint room

An entirely white room from floor to ceiling with a plethora of different colored paints in buckets in the middle of the room. There are paintbrushes as well, but it's highly encouraged to just throw the buckets around or start slapping your paint-covered hands on the walls. Make a paint angel! Go nuts!!! Just don't eat the paint. Or do, I guess?? I'm not your mom.

Upon leaving the room, it resets to the state it was in when you walked in initially.

the library

This room is... exactly what you expect, actually. There's a bunch of books in here. Most are self-help, but there's some artsy books like origami folding and coloring books, along with colored pencils. There's a sign that states "you can bring the books out to the lobby to read, just remember to put them back when you're done."

the rage room

All ye who enter this room will be CURSED to be MAD for all eternity!!!!! …Just kidding. Entering the room reveals a very homey looking room with plates and vases and tables and chairs and counters. It could be a small, one room house in here alone. All the furniture does look pretty cheap, though. There's a sledgehammer on the wall that some force seems to not allow you take it out of the room, but there's a sign above it that says "Get your anger out! Go nuts!"

Upon leaving the room, it resets to the state it was in when you walked in initially.

the office

This room is locked. Mizuki and the Shopkeeper both have a key. On the outside, there is a form on a clipboard you can fill out. You can write your name down, a brief blurb about what you want to talk about, who you wish to talk to, etc. etc. and slip the paper under the door.

Inside the room, it's set up to be very earthy. Greens and blues to invoke both calm and creativity... aaaand maybe also remind one of the sea or forest. There's a lot of potted plants (no flowers, oddly-) and a comfortable couch and separate chair. There's a desk in the corner. ]

Comments

[The Office theme plays]

[mooninthewater]

[ Mizuki is still working on making sure the place looks nice, so maybe you're in for the rare time the office door is wide open so Mizuki can move furniture easily. He's currently distracted by a windchime he's brought inside. He could put it in the office to play with and make that pretty sound, but... it's a windchime. It'll be nice to put outside, surely...

.............

Mizuki's not making a decision. He's just playing with it. Is now a good time for a therapy session, or- ]

[succiduous]

[Gnosis, who has been asleep in the sensory deprivation tank for an Abnormal Amount Of Hours, looking frazzled...]

Do you need help redecorating?

[His hair is wet and he looks like... you know when you just wake up and there are bags under your eyes and you kind of mutter? He's that right now. He doesn't sleep.]

[mooninthewater]

Mister Gnosis!!! No, I'm just trying to figure out how to make this room feel more comfortable, I guess. I know there's no breeze or anything in here, but I feel like windchimes are just naturally so calming? Maybe that's just me???

[ Ding ding ding- okay, he'll stop now. ]

Are you exploring? Do you like it~? I'm excited about what we've got so far.

[succiduous]

It's reminiscent of some of the facilities on Rhodes Island, [he states, in a vaguely-approving tone,] with far less of the caterwauling. So, yes, I find it acceptable.

[...]

I did fall asleep in the sensory deprivation tank, so that should tell you all you need to know. [what is sleeping]

[mooninthewater]

Ehe, I take "acceptable" as high praise from you, Mister Gnosis~.

[ His eye bags are looking mighty refreshed- ]

That's good! If that's the case, then I highly encourage using them more often.

[succiduous]

I highly doubt their intended purpose is for sleeping, but thank you. I have a lot to do.

[No you don't!!! Why are you always like this.]

I'll be in the library more often than not. Something to read would alleviate some of my boredom.

[mooninthewater]

Oh, it's not, but you often seem tired, Mister Gnosis. I think it could do you some good to find some rest. Especially if you're bored, that means you're not doing anything better, right?

[succiduous]

It simply means that there's nothing I can make meaningful progress on researching. I've stagnated on the photographs ever since the journal was discovered, though I'm still idly collecting them from people as they occur. It would be ideal to investigate the fog wall, but I have no tools on my person...

[Sigh.]

I plan to ask the Trader for some help with that, and I've informed Felicity that once resources are acquired, I'll make her an Arts unit to try and facilitate her magic better. We don't need her bad luck mucking things up further.

[mooninthewater]

Miss Ydalir. [ He corrects, then nods. ] That sounds good, though. Still, I think getting your rest is very important. It can help you come back to a problem with fresh eyes.

I think maybe the photographs might have something to do with the fact that we lived past lives here, though, and nothing more than that…

[ Just drops this lore like everyone knows it right now— ]

[succiduous]

[Faintly disgusted noise—]

That would explain a lot. [Maybe his past life was the timeline where his family wasn't accused of murdering Olafur and Elizabeth. Wouldn't that be nice.] And it would explain why everyone here knows us.

[mooninthewater]

Do they? I've had to introduce myself to quite a few people... Well, I mean, aside from the siblings.

[succiduous]

To clarify, by "everyone here" I meant the merchant siblings, and apparently that creature in the forest that knows us as well. [This is pre-Zahliya but they came up in the family meeting, so.] I'm sure other entities here know our names and portions of our histories. A place like this, secluded from the outside world as it is, has to have other things living within the fog.

[mooninthewater]

The journal Elsword had seemed to suggest as much. However, I don't think whatever thing is in the forest will allow us to breach the other side. Plus, there's the weird stuff that's going on with the moon… Do you suppose that's just an illusion?

[ Sky's fake again— ]

[harmacy]

[Add has just wandered in, not completely sure what this building is about... but he has stopped by the office, holding the clipboard of forms like he might be interested in therapy (he is not) (do not let him escape).

He glances up when he hears Mizuki's windchimes, though. With a dose of professional skepticism,] Is this your office?

[mooninthewater]

[ He will not escape. Mostly because Mizuki is a clingy bitch then anything else. How fitting that the two heroes both have come to scope this place out. To explore and make sure things are in order, no doubt, but he hopes they're happy with it. "What a good idea, Mizuki."

No one's ever said that before, though... ]

Doctor Add!!! [ !!!!!! ] Yes! I mean. Sort of~? I intend to share it with others as needed. The Shopkeeper said he'd be interested, after all. But I figure it'll also be nice for other people interested in doing psychotherapy!

[harmacy]

Psychotherapy...? [repeating it like it'll make more sense that way... unfortunately, actual therapy doesn't exist in Elrios because they keep sending the kids off to war instead of funding the education system. Add frowns, looking down at the clipboard again.]

Like... brain surgery? No, there's no equipment for that here... psycho-therapy... hmm...

[mooninthewater]

No, no. Therapy usually helps with the healing process of certain things, it doesn't usually involve surgery or anything like that. I'm not nearly so smart as to be able to do anything like that or… really anything you can do, Doctor Add~.

But, I do know all sorts of psychology stuff. The human brain is absolutely fascinating to me. How people think, how they feel, why people react certain ways to certain things, what gives a person resilience, a will to live, a want to keep going, having goals, dreams, fears, pain, and how they react to each other. There's really nothing more exciting than that, for me~.

Oh, but, I'm rambling. Would you like to give it a go with me? It would really help me out, I'm still learning, so it'll be nice to have some practice with a friend.

[ He's asking, but there's a tendril that's already shutting the door, so is it really asking… ]

[harmacy]

Ah, I see. [! he gets it now. it's so obvious—] Manipulation of human behavior... so, that's also a topic you're interested in?

[he... sort of(?) gets it.

even if all the rooms still don't make much sense to him... maybe it's just a very experimental kind of science? who knows what kind of fucked up stuff you could do to someone will a room full of stuffed animals.]

Kukuku... I'm afraid I can't let you into my mind, but I'm curious about your methods. What sort of techniques do you use for this "therapy"? Healing process... do you plan to manipulate others into letting go of their troubles? How noble.

[mooninthewater]

Manipulation… I guess maybe… a little bit? It's more a… intense guidance, I think.

…

That just sounds like manipulation, too, though, doesn't it— [ Uh- ] I would say it's a little less forceful, I think. Psychotherapy is usually just done by talking with someone. Asking them questions, having them tell you about things that are bothering them, giving them advice or making them realize things about themselves that will help them make adjustments to their lives to suit themselves for. So I suppose "manipulate others into letting go of their troubles" isn't too far off.

Like, for example, when I met with my therapist back home for the first time, she would generally lead with broad questions like "What are the things or people in your life that are causing problems for you?" or "How would you define the biggest challenge for you right now?" and then go into more specific stuff after.

[harmacy]

So it's done just through talking? Hm...

[... well, it's not that much different from how he's "manipulated" the El Search Party, isn't it? So he can respect it as a valid science. He's never thought about using it like that, though. Maybe it's because his logical mind is already so good at figuring these things out himself, he has a hard time seeing things from a lesser, non-scientific perspective?

He nods along with his own train of thought. Yeah, that's definitely it. He's too smart, so he just solves everything with logic instead...]

So you ask questions... and then what? You phrase them in a way to manipulate their next answer? That seems... hrmm. [He doesn't want to be manipulated, but how else can he see it in action? Truly a dilemma. He frowns, struggling with the temptation to be psychoanalyzed by a jellyfish.] It's difficult to analyze without seeing the brain activity, but I can see how that might work... if you know all the right questions to ask...

[mooninthewater]

Ehehe… I don’t think you quite grasp it yet… Maybe I’m just not very good at explaining things…

[ He takes a seat on his chair, gesturing to the couch for Add. ]

Let’s start with something simple first. What’s been on your mind frequently as of late, Doctor Add?

[harmacy]

[There's something subtly terrifying about that innocent question. Add stares for a moment, hesitating... but now his curiosity is too great to simply ignore it.

Try and manipulate him, will you...? He cracks a smile, edges sharp. Fine then. He'll show Mizuki the power of his infallible, impenetrable logic...!]

There are a lot of things on my mind. [taking a seat, his Dynamos arranging themselves neatly on the back of the couch.] A doctor such as myself is always busy. My primary concern would be my patients, of course.

[mooninthewater]

[ He's not had a grand total of two whole clients! How exciting. (Are they clients if he's not getting paid? Hm.) Mizuki gives Add a very patient smile, unaware that he's taking this less as a therapeutic thing and more as a challenge. If he did, though, Mizuki would point out that hyper-competitiveness is likely a symptom of something more. ]

I see. Would you say that this concern brings you any unwanted anxieties? Would you say your clients, any individually or as a whole, bring you an unusually high amount of stress or just the right amount of stress?

[harmacy]

[he's being paid...... in exposure!! the most valuable currency of all.]

If they were unwanted anxieties, I wouldn't choose to be a doctor, don't you think? Though I do wish Elsword would be more careful sometimes. I'm sure you've noticed by now that he's a handful, kuku.

I'll admit it's a stressful job, but I don't mind it. I enjoy the challenge of the work and the satisfaction of helping others. That's all I need, really.

[he is calm. relaxed. unflappable. totally in control. he's pretty sure he's winning right now (at therapy).]

[mooninthewater]

[ He might be relaxed and calm, but he totally brought up Elsword completely unprompted and Mizuki sees you, Add. ]

I can't say I have noticed. Would you mind elaborating a bit more on that?

[ He can't just let the slide, please— ]