FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The Life of Another - Chapter 13

© Jake Atkinson

P.O.V. - Roger - Ms. Thurlington's office - 9:00 am Saturday

The counselor was busy writing when I first entered her office and it gave me a chance to take a closer look at her, as well as her workspace. The Canine's purely black and white marbled markings spoke of Arctic Fox parentage and her lithe frame and shining fur made me wonder if she was really old enough to have finished all of the advanced degrees adorning the wall behind her desk. I always found such displays egotistical but I gave her the benefit of a doubt in that maybe she thought it would instill her charges with a sense of confidence in her abilities.

She rose to greet me. "Good morning Roger, thank you for being so punctual. Please, have a seat."

She gestured towards the upholstered Chippendale chair next to me and I settled into it before typing a response. "Thank you Ms. Thurlington, I realize this must normally be a day off for you. My throat is well enough to talk in a short phrases but I'd prefer to use the tablet for lengthier conversation."

She sat with perfectly balanced poise, her thin fingers at the ready with a Montblanc Meisterstuck pen. She replied "I'm glad to be here Roger, and that's quite understandable. Please use whichever medium you find most comfortable. By the way, I received the cafeteria receipt you left yesterday. How was your lunch?"

Oh god, let's keep it true but simplified. I tapped at the screen to say "It was ok. I found a seat next to Nick and a couple of his friends."

She nodded and responded "Oh do you mean Nick Russell, one of your roommates?"

I simply nodded which caused her to add "What did you talk about?"

I arranged my thoughts and swiped a response. "Chris. He's a dorm rep. and I guess he had a hard morning related to Kyle's departure."

Her head bobbed and she jotted at the paper on her desk while saying "Oh yes, I take it you mean Kyle McGill? How do you feel about all that?"

I feel like I really hate talking about my feelings! Gah! Fine, at least this doesn't require me to talk about a past I know next to nothing about. I tapped at the device to say "I'm conflicted. I mean it was wrong what he was doing and I know that what I did wasn't the reason he had to leave, but still... I feel guilty about it. What I did was wrong too, maybe I'm just feeling guilty for that. I dunno."

She scratched at the paper and asked "When you say what he did was wrong or what you did was wrong, what do mean? Can you phrase it a different way?"

It _'__ s so tedious typing all this stuff out! I can't wait until I can talk!_I angrily pecked at the screen and responded "He was bullying Josh. He had him pinned up against the wall and was really scaring and humiliating him. As for me, I overreacted. I knew security was coming and should have waited, but I didn't. Jumping in like I did could have really escalated everything and people might have gotten hurt."

She finished writing and looked up to say "Just now, while you were describing what Kyle had done, did you notice anything about your fur?"

I focused on the gray fur along the top of my muzzle and then at my shoulder but it seemed normal as I rasped "No" and typed "Was I glowing? That's so embarrassing. Do you know a way I can stop doing that?"

She smiled sympathetically and set her pen down while she talked. "Yours is a rather unique situation Roger. I'm sorry but I don't know how you can stop it, or if you even can. Perhaps, in time, you'll learn to work with it during your Talent Training class. Or maybe we'll discover a method in future conversations."

I looked dejectedly out the window and the counselor splayed her ears as she picked up on my silent response. "Yes" she said. "You were glowing, just a little. But only for a moment or two. Everyone expresses their emotions, whether it be by the way we fold our ears, wave our tails or hold our eyes. You just have an added element, which isn't a bad thing. It's part of something that makes you an individual. I'll make a note of it so we can discuss it more at another time. Right now, I'd like to focus on other areas."

I nodded and she continued. "You seem to have some strong feelings about bullying. What kind of experiences have you had with that?"

All of these open ended questions, she's good. Just my luck, I get a counselor who actually cares. I didn't start typing right away and caught myself chewing on my lip. I steadied my thoughts and wrote "I guess most people have had to deal with bullying at some point, especially people with obvious differences. I've gotten some flak for my tail and stuff."

Her ridiculously expensive pen played across the paper before she responded with "Roger, I feel as though you're holding back. Please remember that everything you say here is strictly confidential. I'm not going to be making any reports to family members or other staff."

Damn, this is going to take some delicacy. Roger's Mom is a likely candidate with verbal abuse at the very least. Even so, Roger doesn't strike me as the touchy-feely type. I used the tablet to respond "Ms. Thurlington, I don't mean to be difficult but I'm not really used to talking about stuff like this. You must have access to my file. Can't you just get that kind of information from there?"

She flicked the pen, causing it to spin neatly atop her knuckle before falling back into writing position.

Hmm, I've seen guys do that pen flipping trick but never a woman, first time for everything. I wonder if she's a little miffed? Oh crap, she's talking and I missed the first part.

"...like we did last session, but this time I'm going to use my talent to facilitate things." She stopped speaking and I realized she was waiting for a response.

In my raspy voice, I quickly muttered "Uh, ok." and smiled apprehensively.

She rested her right elbow on the desk and raised her hand so the pen dangled freely from her fingertips while her left hand stayed out of view in her lap. Although it was clear she was holding her pen by the top, it gently swayed in a way that seemed to defy physics, spinning slow circles at the tip asynchronously with her hand movements. She focused her gaze intently on me and said "Roger, I want you to look at the pen. ... That's good, now imagine putting some of your inhibitions into this pen."

I followed her instructions at first, feeling a lightening of spirit. Then it hit me. Wait! She just said this happened last session but I don't remember anything like it! Panic overcame me in my less inhibited state and I jumped to a standing position, my heart thumping with raw fear.

She pushed back from the desk, startled in her own right, and dropped her pen. But it was only a moment before the counselor regained her composure and furrowed her brow with concentration as she locked her eyes with mine. She danced her fingers in an almost meditative way and her voice was tight with focus as she said "Roger, I need you to calm down, right now. You are in control of your emotions. You're safe."

Her talent was clearly pushing at me in some emotional way but it was meeting resistance from my own mood based connection. She wasn't able to tamp down my lack of inhibition adequately and unchecked terror had my mind in overdrive. F#ck! She could find out everything! I gotta get outta here!

The Fox keyed the intercom on her phone. "Mrs. Patterson, I need you and Mr. Burwell in here, right now!"

There was no response however. It was Saturday and the office was empty.

Despite realizing she was alone, she continued to address me in a strained but calm manner. "Roger, it's ok. You can control this. I need you to calm down and trust me. You need to let me help you."

Where can I _run to? Anywhere! She's right though, I gotta calm down._Reflexively I tried to detach from the emotion and failed, exclaiming hoarsely "I can't!"

The counselor had risen from her chair and was trying to maintain her poise, but I could hear anxiety in her voice as she spoke. "Roger, you can. You can do this. Think about something else. Roger, where's a safe place for you? Where do you feel safe?"

I grunted in a tight voice "The cabin."

"Ok," she said "tell me about the cabin. What makes it safe?" As she spoke, her fingers continued to knit and weave a repeating pattern but her methods seemed to have little impact.

Fighting to keep myself under control, I rasped "I gotta be alone, right now!"

My gray fur strobed with blinding blue-white light and Ms. Thurlington apprehensively retreated and held up a hand to shield her eyes.

Suddenly, I remembered what happened with David I thought to ask "Anyone above us? Is the building empty?!"

The Vulpine's fingers stopped moving and she answered shakily. "Yes, it should be empty but I don't know for sure. Roger I'm..."

I focused at the ceiling straight over head and let myself connect. My heart flooded with energy. Unlike last time, it was already pounding so fast that it didn't cause an arrhythmia and I was able to compress the power and channel it into a tight beam. The force surged out of me and the fur on my entire body glowed continuously with such intensity I had to shut my eyes. Finally free of the initial rush of fear, I managed to get myself under enough control to concentrate and wind down the connection. Down... down... that's it... i __t's getting dimmer... o_ k..._ there.

I disconnected as my heart rate neared normal and opened my eyes to see the cowering form of Ms. Thurlington pressed against the back wall.Crap, I didn't have time to think it all through! I forgot to give it spin. I wonder what would have happened had that hit someone?!

The Fox stood motionless long enough to make me worry that I had affected her metabolism, but then she blinked and closed her mouth.

I realized the tablet had fallen to the carpeted floor and squatted to pick it up before taking my seat. The device seemed intact as I swiped at the screen to say "I'm sorry, are you ok? If so we should check the floors above. I tried to aim my release straight up and it can affect people through walls."

She bent to retrieve her pen just as quick steps preceded the door flying open. I turned and leaned around the cushioned chair-back to see Dr. Tamner.

The Lioness had obviously been running. "That was AT LEAST an 8.5! Is everyone alright?!"

The counselor had recovered enough composure to reply. "I think so, but we should check the building."

Heavier steps sounded and Jack burst into the room, pushing past the doctor. The muscular Wolverine was wearing nothing but jeans, and doing a damn fine job of it. He looked from me to the Fox and back to Dr. Tamner who spoke up. "It's over now but we need to check the building for any people that might have been affected."

I started to rise but Jack motioned with his hand and said "You and Sarah should stay here."

Ms. Thurlington flicked her tail with irritation. "MISTER Ward, I would appreciate the use of my last name when I'm working. Now, Roger specifically said to check the floors above but I think it would be prudent to check the whole building."

Jack rolled his eyes at the reprimand and nodded before saying "We'll start with the rooms directly above and then do the rest. It should be empty though, they do the cleaning at night."

He turned and exited the room with Dr. Tamner and, in his haste, left the door ajar. Through the opening, I was able to make out their departing conversation. "Doc, why'd you call me out of bed for this? You knew it was my turn at patrol last night."

She fired back defensively "I told you! I felt a strong event coming from this direction and Roger mentioned his appointment for this morning when he stopped by last night. You know what could have happened. Get the key from that drawer under the counter."

I heard a drawer slide open and shut as he replied. "Yeah yeah, I know where the damn key is."

The counselor rose from her chair and clicked the door shut with an exasperated sigh before returning to her seat. With her hands clasped on the desktop, she said "Roger, I'm sorry. You may not realize it but that was entirely my fault. No one is perfect no matter who they are or what position they may be in, and I just proved it. Much like a psychiatrist uses medications to help people with anxiety, depression or compulsive behaviors, I use my talent to assist students with their emotions and issues. I made a couple of errors and I want you to know that so you don't feel guilty or ashamed about what just happened."

I nodded and typed "I feel kinda sick. Would it be alright if I got a glass of water and took a couple minutes to regroup?"

She smiled. "Yes, I think that's a good idea for both of us. There's a cooler and some paper cups just out the door and to your right. Help yourself and come back in a few minutes when you're ready."

"Thank you" I said huskily and stepped out for a drink.

I stood near the cooler, lapping at the cup in my shaking hand, and used the time to imagine which drawer Jack pulled the master key from. That could be all sorts of useful! With these weekend appointments maybe I'll have a chance at it another time. So what was Dr. Tamner going on about with feeling an 8.5 event? If she can sense things like that why didn't she notice what happened with David? Hmm, this could lead to problems. I better have some answers ready, or a diversion. She's pretty smart, better to go for a slight deflection than a full on block.

P.O.V. - Ms. Thurlington

Roger closed the door softly behind him as he reentered my office and I leaned forward in my chair, greeting him with perked ears.We really need to update that Wolf's file! I thought as he settled back in. Right after I removed some of his inhibitions he almost completely blocked me when he became frightened. I've experienced interference with emotion based users before, but nothing like that. Was that really an 8.5? When did he learn such control?! He could have put the whole building into cardiac arrest, or a coma, or worse! Laura and I will have to talk after this and compare notes. For now, I'll concentrate on pushing his inhibitions back to their previous level as soon as he gets relaxed enough for me to get through. As much as that may lead to other problems at least he, and everyone around him, will be safer. I jotted down my thoughts, finishing just as Roger picked up his tablet from my desk.

I sat up straight and raised my coffee cup to lap gently at the lukewarm contents before speaking. "I'm glad you're back. We still have some time left and there are several things to go over. As I was saying, I was assisting you with being a bit less inhibited so we could better communicate but I didn't realize the extent of the emotions being held back. Had I not done that, or had I taken the time to properly clear those before lowering your inhibitions, none of this would have happened. I'm sorry for the distress this has caused and I'm hoping I can earn your trust again. In the spirit of that, I'd like to get your permission before I raise your inhibitive functions back to their previous level." I fully intended to raise them with or without his permission, but I hoped the gesture might give him a sense of control and rebuild his trust in me.

He nodded tensely and I picked up the pen. It served as little more than a distraction while I gestured with my other hand, hidden below the desktop. After experimenting with several focus methods I had settled on hand and finger gestures. It was rarely the first choice for emotive connectors like myself but it suited my purposes best. Approaches like music and meditation were more common but were too cumbersome in a therapeutic setting. I cleared my throat and said "Roger, all we're doing is putting it back where it was when we began. The main down side to this is that you'll have a harder time expressing yourself. Here we go, ok?"

His ears flicked back apprehensively and I could feel greater resistance from his anxiety as he nodded.

Little did he know, I had already finished before even asking for his approval. I went through the motions anyway and wobbled the pen while staring at him intently. The deception gave me a pang of guilt but I reminded myself it was in everyone's best interests because, without it, I would have met with more interference.

"There," I said "you're still the same Roger as before. Just remember, you'll need to push a bit more to express yourself and I DO want you to do that. Ok?"

The Wolf simply nodded and I started to have second thoughts about the level I had set. Hmm, maybe I went too far. Before he was typing out whole sentences, now he's just nodding. If he bottles everything up, that could get explosive. I'll have to fine tune it as we continue. I smiled and tried to appear relaxed by leaning back in my chair, hoping it might put him at ease before I spoke. "With all that's gone on today let's take a momentary break from heavier things and discuss something lighter. What club have you chosen?"

His ears went down and his tail curled.

Wow, this kid's complicated! How can we ever get to the point of overcoming things like the accident or the death of his father if the choice of a club is this traumatic? Alright, THIS TIME I'll clear the other emotions first, THEN lower his inhibitions a little at a time.

Just as I was about to start, I heard soft steps and then a knock at the door. With a less than patient sigh, I called out "Come in."

The door opened and Laura stepped forward to say "I'm sorry for interrupting. I just wanted to let you know that we searched the building thoroughly and everything is ok."

Exasperated by the demanding session and constant distractions, I struggled to keep my voice friendly as I responded "I'm relieved to hear that and thank you. Despite it being a day off, would you be free about an hour from now?"

The Lioness rubbed at her muzzle thoughtfully and replied "Yes, I'll have some time before lunch. Send me a text and we'll go from there."

With a forced smile, I said "Fine, if you see Mr. Ward please thank him for me."

Laura lowered her hand to the doorknob and turned to go as she said "I will. Oh and Roger, I'm glad to hear you talking, but don't over do it. If you talk too much it will irritate your vocal cords and they'll take longer to heal. In fact, scar tissue could form and then you'd end up sounding like a mumbling superhero the rest of your life. As cool as Batman may sound in that new movie, I don't think it fits you."

Roger turned in the chair to face Laura and faintly nodded.Yes, definitely going to have to make some adjustments.

P.O.V. - Roger

I turned from facing the departing doctor and brought my attention back to the Fox again. She was busy scribbling at her page though, and my mind wandered.Ugh, is this meeting ever going to end?! Maybe I should drop the whole G.L.A. thing and just go with the Anime clu __b._ I can be gay without being all_ ' __loud'about it.

Several seconds went by before she finally stopped scratching at the paper and looked up. "I'm sorry, I know these interruptions make it harder. So, what clubs are you considering?"

I noticed I was feeling more cavalier and debated with myself. Joining a club isn't being 'loud.' I __t's just not hiding. Screw it, I did the whole hiding thing for a lifetime. Was I happy? F#ck no! Then let's do it! B_ esides, how could I face Nick if I bailed on the idea now?_ My mind made up, I typed a response. "I've given it a lot of thought and I want to join the G.L.A."

She blinked and a definite pause caught in the air before she spoke. "Roger, I... do you mean the Gay & Lesbian Alliance?"

Hearing the full title felt more daunting than the acronym and my resolve faltered momentarily before I nodded.

She picked up her coffee mug and lapped at it before responding. "Roger, there's nothing in your file about your sexual orientation. Why do you want to join the G.L.A.?"

Because I'd REALLY like to blow Nick and I can't stand sushi? No, I better not say that! My mood lifted as I imagined saying it anyway, causing the Fox to spit out her coffee in surprise. Ok ok, seriously... it's a safe bet Roger's mother, at the least, is a total homo-phobe. I'll just pretend I've been hiding it because of her religious beliefs. By _what I've gathered from Sue, I'm sure it's true. Ms. Thurlington is gonna have a field day with this!_I swiped at the screen and the tablet intoned "My mother has some really strong feelings about a lot of things. If I join this club, will she find out?"

Her gaze seemed momentarily distant, but she focused quickly and replied "Sometimes clubs require permission slips for potentially hazardous activities, like skiing or snowboarding, but I don't believe the G.L.A. does anything along those lines. Other than that, we generally don't notify parents about club activities."

I tapped at the tablet and responded. "So if it ends up in my file that I'm gay, would my mother or Aunt Sue find out?"

She seemed ready this time and quickly said "The school doesn't make an active effort to report things of this nature but it's important to understand that, sooner or later, it's possible it will come to light. Roger, you still haven't answered my original question. Why do you want to join the G.L.A.?"

I considered the risks of coming out. What if Roger's Mom flips out and thinks the school turned her son gay? She'd yank me back to Phelan in a heartbeat! Aunt Sue... I'm not so sure what her take would be, especially after last night. Still, she's not my guardian... at least for now. Gah! Why didn't I consider all this stuff before?! The Fox's voice broke into my line of thought.

"Roger, your fur is starting to pulse with light again. Let's take a step back and talk hypothetically. We'll pretend that you join the club and whatever it is you're afraid of, happens. But nothing bad comes of it, everything turns out ok." She started looking through me more than at me and my apprehension faded.

So what if she finds out? She probably shipped Roger off to this school because he was a deviant and didn't want the embarrassment around her church friends. If she finds out her son is gay, all the more reason to keep him at the school where no one from that circle will find out. I gotta stop worrying about everything so much and learn to deal with life as it comes. My mind seemed made up until my mood took an unexpected turn, causing my concerns to rise again as I typed out "Hypothetically, I'd be worried that if my Mom found out I was gay now, she'd blame the school and pull me out. I REALLY don't want that to happen." The possible reality of it seeped in and with my raw voice I blurted out "She might even stick me in one of those conversion therapy camps! If they try that sh#t with me I'll f#ckin' drop 'em all!"

The Fox's fur puffed out and she dropped the pen to start gesturing excitedly with her hand. "Roger, you're getting agitated again. It's ok to have these feelings but you need to learn to be aware of them and how to work with them."

We both took deep breaths, strained from the emotional session, and then she continued. "Please realize, none of that can happen now. Your mother is not in a legal position to do any of those things. Until the matter of your guardianship is resolved, you'll be staying at this school. And once it is, it's highly likely you'll end up under your Aunt's care and I've spoken with her personally. She has a very different mindset than your mother. Let's wind down before we continue. Earlier you mentioned a cabin. I want you to use the tablet and tell me about the cabin. What makes it a safe place?"

I noticed my aura pulsing from the top of my muzzle and considered her words.I can't just keep shooting my talent off every time I get upset! S __omeone's bound to get hurt eventually. My way obviously isn't working, what do I have to lose by trying it her way? Ok, but I have to keep Nick's cabin a secret. I'll just describe a generic one that she can believe is something from Roger's past.

I started typing "I'm alone there and no one is around to judge me. I can just be myself and finally let my guard down. I can sit on the front porch and listen to the wind through the trees, feel it rustle my fur and smell the pine." Hey, I'm starting to feel better. All this time I've been trying to shut emotions down like they have an on/off switch. I never thought about swinging to a different mood! I guess that since my connection to the energy is now through my emotions, I can't just d __etach from them like I used to. __Hmm, t_ his is going to take some practice._ Ok, a lot of practice, but at least I have a direction now.

Ms. Thurlington called my name. "Roger? You seem a little distracted but you're looking much better. Your fur isn't glowing any more. What were you thinking after you finished typing?"

I noticed her right hand was back on top of the desk, pen at the ready but her left was still in her lap out of view. I decided there was no need for misdirection in this matter and swiped at the screen to say "I finally realized what you were getting at. I've been trying to turn my emotions off like they have a switch. I never thought to redirect the energy. Using the imagery from the cabin really helped. With practice, I think your idea could make a real difference."

Her ears perked and her tail wagged. "I'm glad I've been able to help Roger. We've covered a lot of ground today and we need to start wrapping things up. That said, I'd like to spend more time with you before you start classes on Monday. Would you be willing to consider an extra session tomorrow morning? I know we had planned on the one at five in the afternoon, but I feel very strongly that the extra session is needed."

I quickly tapped at my screen and the tablet intoned "I have plans to go shopping with Nick at ten-thirty that I'd really like to keep. Can we be done in time for that?"

Ms. Thurlington looked up from her writing and said "That shouldn't be a problem. Why don't you come at eight-thirty in the morning just to be safe? That way even if we run a little long you'll still have plenty of time before your da... meeting with Nick."

I nodded and she added "I'm a little concerned though... when you say shopping, do you mean going off campus?"

Again I nodded but filled in some detail with the tablet. "We were just planning on taking the bus to Penny-Mart. Everything I owned got destroyed in the accident. I've been living off items from the donation room but there's a few things I need that I couldn't find there."

The Vixen scratched at the side of her muzzle. "I'm sorry but an unsupervised, off campus trip is not an option right now."

I felt devastated. Damn, I forgot what it was like having so little control over my own life! I think Nick really wanted to go too, this sucks! I slumped in the chair and stared blankly at her desktop.

The Fox's ears flattened and her voice took on an apologetic tone. "Roger, I hope you don't see it as a punishment. I'm just concerned for everyone's safety. Maybe you and Nick could hop on the internet and buy what you need online."

I continued to stare at nothing for several seconds before slowly typing out "I don't have a credit card or anything like that to pay for stuff online with. I only have cash. Twenty-six dollars to last three weeks."

She lowered her hand from her muzzle and dropped it out of view beneath the desk before tipping her head in thought. "Hmm, I think I might have an idea. I have an online account with Penny-Mart. I'll create a new sub-account for you under my name and link it to my credit card. It will get delivered to my home but I won't open it, I promise. We'll have an understanding that you'll pay me in cash for whatever you buy. I subscribe to their free, two day shipping service so it won't cost you any more than if you went to the store."

My mood seemed to lighten, but I was still disappointed. That's a nice gesture but I guess I was really looking forward to the time with Nick more than getting better underwear. I tapped my finger idly at the edge of the screen, unsure what to say.

Ms. Thurlington's hands stayed out of view as she asked "Roger, you seem awfully quiet. What are you thinking?"

I can't just blurt out that I wanna hang with Nick. Then again, why not? My hand almost seemed lighter as I typed out "I really just want some time with Nick. There's not much privacy in a dorm. Not that a bus and a store are private but... it's different."

Her ears perked and her hand emerged from under the desk to pick up the sterling silver pen. "Oh, I suppose that's true. I'd have to look into to it, but if I can get the ok... how would you feel about using one of our meeting rooms? I think if I could arrange for someone on staff to be nearby and if you left the door open... yes I don't see a problem with that."

Well that sounds... awkward. Maybe we can just shop in the dorm and then go to the cabin, hmm. I chewed my lip subconsciously and replied with the tablet "I should probably ask Nick. Can I email you later after I get a chance to talk with him?"

She stopped writing and her hand disappeared under the desk again. The pause seemed out of context but she recovered after a moment. "Yes that's a good idea. My address is listed in the school's main directory. Roger it's time to go. But before you step out, would you mind telling me how you're feeling at this moment?"

With little hesitation, I typed "I'm disappointed about the trip. Thinking about that was a nice distraction from... other stuff. But I guess I'll get over it. Now that I think about it, I appreciate the gesture but I don't want to bother someone to come in on their day off to chaperone so I can get underwear. Maybe I could just buy the items? I can pay you in advance."

The Fox looked frustrated and distracted before she refocused and said "Ok, but I feel as though I can trust you with the money Roger. There's a printer in the rec. room. Just print a receipt and bring that and the money to our next session. I'll email you with the account info later today."

I nodded and she rose from her chair looking more than a little frazzled and exhausted. "Thank you for coming Roger, and for working so hard at this. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning at eight-thirty."

I swiped a quick response. "Thank you for everything. I hope you get to enjoy the rest of your day."

P.O.V. - Ms. Sarah Thurlington - Dr. Tamner's house - Saturday 11:10 am

I settled into the corner of Laura's living room sofa as she took a seat nearby. The leather recliner she chose reeked of conditioning oil, new foam and packing plastic. It was enough to make my eyes water as I commented "Thanks for finding the time. Considering what happened this morning, I thought it would be best to compare notes. ... Umm, is that a new chair?"

The Lioness smiled and said with a hint of displeasure "Yes. Mike's been dying to get this and I finally relented. He's so enamored with it that he won't let the cubs touch it. I give it a week and they'll be all over it."

She smiled politely and crossed her legs, sitting stiffly at the edge of the chair. It was almost as if she were afraid to touch it herself. After a moment, she added "So what happened with Roger this morning? I probably would have felt that from here!"

The fumes from the new chair were burning at my sensitive nose and I had to fight the urge to cover my muzzle. I wish I had a tissue! That monster must have just been delivered! I cleared my throat and said "Roger is shaping up to be the most challenging case I've ever come across. We both have emotion based connections and Roger generates a lot of interference when he gets worked up."

Laura's tail tip thumped softly against the diamond weave pattern in the beige carpet as she asked "Did the interference deflect one of your adjustments and cause an unexpected change?"

I wiped at my bleary eyes and said "I'm sorry, but do you have a box of tissues nearby?"

The cat jumped to her paws. "Oh of course! It's the stupid chair isn't it? It was delivered yesterday and the fumes have been giving me a headache ever since! They must be killing you!" She stepped out of the room and returned moments later with a box in hand. "Why don't we sit in another room?"

I stayed seated and accepted the box, dabbing at my eyes and nose before replying. "I won't be here long. It'll be alright. Getting back to your question, since Roger and I are on the same connection it's like we're both trying to have separate conversations with different people on one phone line. It's not an intentional block on his part. Our words just get in the way of each other, metaphorically speaking. When he gets emotional his pressure goes up, which is normal, but his frequency is tied to his heart rate, which is not. Even when he's calm, the constant pulsing is much harder to work with than the continuous flow most people have. Emoters generally connect like a hose. The stronger the emotion, the higher the pressure. And it goes up and down like someone turning the handle at the spigot. Roger pulses. It's like someone turning the water completely off and then back on again very quickly. The faster his heart beats, the faster it pulses. And the stronger his emotion, the greater the force of each pulse. The only time it was continuous was during the event that you felt. Interestingly, I noticed a total pause that lasted several seconds before that. If I hadn't jumped in then I'm sure he would have gone even higher. I started pulling him down but when he let out with all that, I couldn't come close to containing him. Not only does he have an extraordinary capacity to condense the energy but he's able to focus when he releases it. I was frightened so my metabolism was up but I don't think he influenced me at all despite only being a few feet away. If someone had been on the floors above... can you imagine if that happened during regular school hours?"

Laura's tail danced thoughtfully against the floor. "I don't think I want to. At this point we have to consider the safety of everyone at the school. Perhaps we should sedate him or put him on mood stabilizers."

Physicians, always so quick with medications! They never consider the side effects and trade-offs! I patted at the end of my muzzle with a fresh tissue and replied "No, I really don't think it's necessary. Despite how it may look, it wasn't his fault. He was having a hard time expressing himself so I lowered his inhibitions. I did that in our first meeting, albeit surreptitiously, with excellent results. Perhaps that's why I was so quick to try it again. The only difference was this time I did the pen trick. I thought he was catching on to my abilities, at least to some degree, and I decided it would build trust if he saw me being open about it."

The Lioness exclaimed "Sarah, I thought you decided to drop that routine?! Kids today are way too knowledgeable to buy that."

I growled subtly to myself. "I didn't do the old carnival hypnotist shtick! I was just holding the pen to give him something to focus on instead of me. Anyway, I was able to adjust his inhibitions down. But then, out of nowhere, he panicked. His frequency and pressure shot up and I wasn't able to get in to fix it. With his inhibitions that low, he had no way of reigning in the fear. That's when everything spiraled out of control."

Laura pulled at the front of her blouse to straighten the neckline and said "You really should keep a syringe of ketamine in your office."

I lowered my ears momentarily and said "I doubt lunging at him with a syringe would have helped matters! And what about the side effects? When that wears off it can cause agitation and hallucinations. I could end up right back where I started."

Laura's tail flipped with irritation. "Let's not get into a debate about that now. I'm just trying to help. So, do you really think he's safe to start classes on Monday?"

I blew my nose and replied "I think so. I used the rest of the session this morning to practice my talent with him. I'm afraid that, with all the interference, my actions weren't very accurate. I kept pushing either too far or not far enough. I was so afraid he'd go off again that I overreacted every time he'd fold his ears or twitch his tail. For a while there I had him shifting mid-sentence."

The Feline rose from her uncomfortable perch at the edge of the recliner and took a seat at the far corner of the sofa, drawing one paw up under herself while the other stretched to the floor. "So how did all that work out?"

I turned to face her, assuming a similar position, and responded "I think... I think that Roger has a lot on his mind right now but he'll be alright. I've set up two sessions for tomorrow, after that I'm confident he'll be safe to begin classes. Starting Monday I'll probably see him every other day. My influence usually lasts two to three days so we should be alright with that schedule. Oh, I just had a random thought. During one of my -ahem- less successful adjustments, he yelled a couple sentences. His voice sounded awful and he was repeatedly swallowing for the rest of the time. Is there anything you can prescribe that might mitigate the damage?"

It was clear the Lioness was upset but she pulled her ears up after a moment and replied "Just when he was able to start talking again... I hate to say it but, beyond extending the use of the inhaler I already prescribed, nothing will help more than not talking. I guess an NSAID like ibuprofen would bring down the inflammation and pain but I'm worried that if it doesn't hurt, he'll talk more. Do you think you can convince him to stop talking even if it doesn't hurt? If so then let's give him some of that too. If you don't mind my asking, what got him so upset that he was yelling?"

I took a breath to collect my thoughts before replying "Well, again, it was my fault really. I pushed something too far at the wrong time. Despite the mistake, the information was very helpful. It turns out, on top of everything else, Roger is gay."

The Lioness' jaw dropped slightly and she blinked.

I continued with a slight smile. "Yeah, I had about the same response. Now that I've had time to reflect, I can see that it really does bring a lot of the pieces of his puzzle together though. I asked him to join a club to help him socialize and, after much trepidation, he blurted out that he wanted to join G.L.A. If I hadn't been pushing his inhibitions around I'm sure he would have chosen something else. Even with all of my help, he was barely able to say it. Considering the environment he was raised in, I foresee a lot of work ahead for both Roger and myself but I really do think he's going to be alright. I THINK he might even have a crush, but it's purely conjecture."

The Lioness smiled. "Really?! Well if he can find someone why can't you? Now that you're finished with school it's high time you at least went on a date or two!"

I tossed my tail and replied "The Arctic Fox population in this town isn't high to begin with and my unique fur patterns don't exactly bring them running."

Laura kept up after me. "Oh just broaden your horizons. I practically trip over all the Red Foxes that live around here."

I sighed patiently, having heard all this before. "Yes, that's true but... I'm just not wired that way. I dated a Red Fox some years back but it never worked out. The feelings just weren't there."

The doctor nodded. "I suppose you're right. I never considered going out of my sub-species either."

Laura smiled and I rose from the couch to say "I'd better be off before I deplete your tissue supply any further. I'll email you after tomorrow's sessions if anything extraordinary happens."

She nodded and stood to walk me out. "Alright, I'll call in the prescriptions for Roger. Sorry about Mike's chair being so hard on you."

"Oh it wasn't so bad." I said as I opened the door. "I hope he enjoys it... and the cubs too!"