[PCA] REMEDY HOUR

[skinstealer]

[image id: a younger maes is standing in front of a backdrop of stars, planets, and galaxies, all with a retro pulp styling. their back is to the camera.]

MAES: Good afternoon, Papaya.
 

Maes looks a bit more optimistic this week as they take their seat, leaving Charon room for his spot. The dog in question scoots into position and gives the construct a small wave.

Papaya sets aside their paperwork, audibly shuffling.

PAPAYA: Made it right on the minute.
PAPAYA: How are you doing after our last session?
MAES: It was...admittedly rough. I struggled for the first few days.
PAPAYA: Seemed like it was, what ended up happening exactly?
MAES: Flashbacks and nightmares, mainly.
MAES: Judgment was here to help the entire time, and we talked through it when we could.
 

They reach over to take Charon’s hand.

MAES: After some time passed, it got easier.
MAES: I started to feel a little more confident about things- even if the prospect of opening up in the eventual future about the lab on a public level is still terrifying-
MAES: I feel like...these sessions are going to help me figure out how to phrase things.
PAPAYA: Really hope so, worst thing would be to put you through revisiting trauma for nothing.
MAES: At first, I was worried that's what this would be.
MAES: I'm glad to see I was wrong.
PAPAYA: Mm... I try to keep things safe for the sake of everyone involved.
MAES: I'd still like to take today a little slower, if that's alright.
MAES: I've got another topic in mind, but it definitely has a more positive modern result to it.
PAPAYA: Of course, what are you thinking about tackling?
MAES: I've mentioned my friend Synna before...I'd like to talk about that, especially since we've been reconnecting more lately.
PAPAYA: Mm, the pockitt working in robotics?
MAES: Have you met her yet?
PAPAYA: We talked a little during lunch. Continue?
MAES: Let's put the headset on first.
PAPAYA: Mm, Charon?
CHARON: Of course.
 

The dog gently applies the adhesive onto Maes's temples.

Maes takes a deep breath.

You’ve done good so far. Just keep going.
This is a lighter one.

MAES: We met not long after Melanie's passing.
 

The room shifts toward a fairly neutral state, conditions evocative of the lower parts of the lab.

PAPAYA: Mm.... known each other a long time, then.
MAES: We were just children, both of us.
MAES: Pockitts were often "chosen" to be trained and work as staff- similarly to the karacels that were obtained and engineered for the Devil's Advocacy project.
PAPAYA: Specifically pockitts?
MAES: There were some exceptions here and there, but that became the main focus, especially when Anya was able to create her own identical ones in the lab.
MAES: ...like fodder to her.
MAES: Something about symbolizing Spit eating the god who made pockitts, though I’ve been…reluctant to dig into her personal “lore”, that she followed.
MAES: Synna was one of the last ones to be obtained from an orphanage, instead of one of the engineered pockitts.
 

Papaya lets out a long sigh.

PAPAYA: Can I be honest, quickly?
PAPAYA: Finding it increasingly difficult to stay polite when Anya comes up.
PAPAYA: I may get blunt about her at some point.
MAES: Please, don't hold back.
 

The corner of their mouth briefly twitches up.

MAES: If anything, it'd make me feel more at ease.
PAPAYA: She sucks, and everything about her makes me wince.
MAES: I unfortunately don't have anything that'll improve that opinion.
PAPAYA: I don't think you could.
PAPAYA: You could tell me she built twenty orphanages and that still wouldn't be enough.
MAES: If she built any, they'd be for her own purposes more than anything.
 

They lean back, giving a sigh of their own.

MAES: Synna was young, though.
MAES: Too young to remember anything from before the lab, and we met when we were just barely teenagers.
MAES: This was all either of us knew- and she was set to become my "assistant", according to my mother.
PAPAYA: So what happened from there?
MAES: She was tasked with helping me with my duties as a student and surgeon in training.
MAES: With Melanie gone, it was set in stone that I'd be trained as my mother's successor.
PAPAYA: Taking charge of the lab.
MAES: Yes.
MAES: Many have accused me of obtaining this position through nepotism, which...is...true, I suppose, but it was never a role I particularly wanted.
PAPAYA: It isn't an easy one from the sound of things.
MAES: It's more one I take out of necessity than anything else.
PAPAYA: Is that why you're the one testing this process first too?
MAES: Very much so.
PAPAYA: I think that speaks volumes about how you operate then.
PAPAYA: Have to respect that.
MAES: It's...appreciated.
PAPAYA: Continue, though?
MAES: ...we met when we were young, as I said.
MAES: She was my study partner and picked up a lot of things about bodies and anatomy while working together, which is part of what got her interested in assistive technology.
PAPAYA: What did you end up doing together?
PAPAYA: Both professionally and socially.
MAES: Professionally, a lot of research.
MAES: She helped me keep my numbers straight, and helped me memorize things.
MAES: ...sometimes, it felt like she was even better at it than I was.
 

They can't help but smile, just a little.

MAES: Socially, we made up stories together.
PAPAYA: What kind of stories?
MAES: Science-based ones, mostly.
MAES: It's what we had to work with.
PAPAYA: How would the process work?
MAES: Well, I was...not very good at character writing.
MAES: So she'd handle that part- I'd handle more overarching stories and details about the world...I really liked getting granular with it.
 

Charon can’t help but chime in.

CHARON: You've never mentioned this before, how come?
MAES: I-!
MAES: I guess I haven't really thought about it in years…
CHARON: You should tell me about it.
MAES: ...are you sure?
MAES: They were just silly kids' stories…
CHARON: I'll trade with you.
MAES: ...you made your own?
CHARON: Mm.
MAES: After the session, then.
 

There’s the faintest hint of excitement on their face.

CHARON: Of course, sorry to interrupt.
MAES: No, it's...thank you.
MAES: Having you say you're interested makes me feel a bit more confident...
CHARON: I'm glad, looking forward to talking more tonight.
 

Maes gives him a pleased nod before turning back to Papaya.

MAES: Synna would make characters for us- usually ones based on whatever comics she could bribe the other staff members to give her.
PAPAYA: What kind of comics?
MAES: Stuff about robots, aliens, space…
PAPAYA: Sci-fi concepts... and now you both make those real.
MAES: ...the robotic part, anyway.
PAPAYA: Robots sound fake.
MAES: You're-
 

Maes can't help but smile more.

MAES: Very funny.
MAES: ...I just wish she didn't have to go through as much as she did when working with me, though her fate probably would have been worse otherwise.
PAPAYA: Does she do anything to take care of her psychiatric needs?
PAPAYA: Sounds like she has her own fair share of traumatic history too.
MAES: I think she has...some kind of online thing?
MAES: ...Possibly medicated as well.
MAES: We haven't really talked much about it.
PAPAYA: Mm, it's good that she's doing something.
PAPAYA: It can be hard to seek it out.
MAES: She's...happy I'm here. And doing this.
MAES: Almost didn't believe me at first.
PAPAYA: You should give yourself credit for taking the leap. It's understandable.
MAES: It's...
MAES: If I can be helped by this, so can the others.
PAPAYA: That's the whole point of testing this after all.
MAES: It's not as relevant to helping the residents, but...I...would like to help mend things with Synna, as well.
MAES: I don't know if it's something we could take on here, but-
PAPAYA: We can still talk about strategies you can use to improve things.
MAES: ...let's do that, for a bit, then.
 

They smile again, this time less restrained.

MAES: I miss her.
MAES: And I want to get back to being her friend.