workthroughit | Treatment Plan [For Samael]

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Treatment Plan [For Samael]

The office is on a quiet side street of the otherwise bustling Commercial District, tucked between a pharmacy and a glassware shop. It's easy to miss; in fact, it's not uncommon that someone looking for the practice wouldn't even see it until they walked past it once or twice. And good luck noticing it at all if you aren't seeking the good Dr. Hill.

There is no waiting room; the front door opens right into his office. Floor to ceiling bookshelves, an old fashioned victrola softly playing Bach, stained wood filing cabinets, paintings of a distinctly religious (possibly demonic) baroque nature, a desk identical to the one that had been in the Nexus upon their first meeting. There's the banker's light, the metronome, along with an embossed silver nameplate and a handsome little stone statue of a black panther.

Regardless of how quick she may have travelled or the fact she did not see him in passing, the doctor is standing at the broad and bright window on northern wall. A window that should be facing nothing but a brick wall, had she paid attention to the orientation of the street and building before entering. But soft, yellow sunlight filters through and there is the distant sound of traffic. He appears to be watching it with mild interest by the time he hears the door open.

"Ah! So glad you could make it. Please, have a seat, and we can begin."

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"Not much."

A heavy sigh.

"It's all a little... complicated"

Reborn but incomplete, she hadn't much of a chance against the young teen who had previously been her 'mother'. Of course this was all information she wasn't sure if she was ready or willing to share with the doctor.

"Making sense of complicated matters is my business, Lady Samael! An interesting name, that." He taps his pen against paper for a few moments, pressing his tongue to his cheek for a moment in thought.

"Yes, an iiinteresting name. We spoke of Job earlier, did we not? He comes up again in The Ascension of Moses, one of the Apocrypha. His soul, in particular. It is implied his time has come and his spirit is to be fetched by a terrifying being from heaven. Something great and fearsome to look upon. A beast of staggering size and many eyes named...Samael."

Dr. Hill chuckles softly, as if this was a completely harmless and everyday observation to make. "Quite the namesake you have."

"I suppose it is." A chuckle. "Lets just say I had a very brief visit with my 'mother', and it didn't go well."

She finally glances away from the window to look at the Doctor. She has a strange smile upon her face.

"Hmm, well I have grown quite fond of the name. I think it suits me."

"Issues with the parents! Well, that's always a common one. How did this visit go poorly? Please, elaborate. I must imagine she's quite interesting to give her daughter such a name."

"Oh she didn't name me, and well... I guess she did kill me."

Now how will the doctor take this news?

He's surprised by it, but seemingly to a mild degree only. Like she'd dropped the fact her mother actually was her stepmother or something profound, but otherwise innocuous or common. Dr. Hill's eyebrows go up and he makes an interested "ah!" as he tilts his head to one side.

"Well, that's certain to make family reunions awkward, isn't it? Hahaha." He chuckles softly at his own joke before scribbling down a few more notes. "Do you think that's what preceded your arrival to the Nexus? Death?"

A shrug, "I don't really do family reunions."

A soft chuckle.

"Most likely. It wouldn't be the first time I've died."

"But it's the first time you've woken up looking like you do now. Correct?"

The clock against the wall chimes softly, just once, and the doctor waits for the sound to pass before continuing.

"So! Where do we go from here. What is the solution you'd care to find, moving forward? A way back home? A way back to your former self? A way back to your mother?" For reasons he'll leave her to determine, of course.

"That is correct."

She pauses in thought.

"I really have no use for mother any longer I suppose... so my former self. I'd like to restore myself to my true form."

"Excellent! It's always good to grow and distance yourself from toxic family members, after all." And that totally sums up an admission from a living person saying their own mother killed them, right? Right! He cheerfully jots down another thought or two before looking up once more, smiling expectantly.

"And what does that entail? What needs to be done to become yourself again?"

"She wasn't really toxic, just no longer useful."

If anything she would be the toxic one, not that she'd admit that.

"That's where I become unsure. You see, I've never had this problem before."

"Well, let's work backwards then."

He shifts in his seat, getting comfortable, straightening his back, crossing his legs. Tilts his chin up as he looks inquiringly down his nose at the young lady.

"What were you before?"

She leaned back in her own seat and folded her hands in her lap.

"I thought I told you. I was a god, well to some, to others I guess I was more... demonic?"

A laugh.

"I guess it all depends on how you look at me."

"Well, as our conversation in the Nexus included, sometimes gods and demons can be a little..." He scrunches up his face, rocks his hand in a so-so gesture, "...interchangeable. One man's devil is another man's patron!"

Dr. Hill sits back a moment, eyes drifting up towards the upper panes of the window, thinking to himself for a time before glancing back to Samael with a smile.

"There are some things that strengthen gods. Offerings. Worship. Prayers. Sacrifice. Would pursuit of these seem like something constructive?"

"Exactly."

She sighs heavily, and plays with a bit of her hair.

"But would the usual work for the unusual problem?"

"You never know until you try!" is the cheerful reply. Then he sets aside his pen and paper to stand, pacing around the office as he thinks a bit further. He turns back to Samael with a raised finger.

"How do you think you'll present yourself to the Nexus? Lost girl? Kind angel? Trapped god? How you approach this may very well shape how we proceed."

"I suppose. Perhaps a sacrifice would be in order then? But it seems like that's not really possible here, is it?"

She placed her hands under her chin in deep thought.

"Well, I suppose I should try to keep from making too many enemies. Perhaps I should just keep my distance for now. Watch for a while, then decide how to portray my new self."

"Not in the conventional sense, no. But you'd be surprised what could be considered a sacrifice. It doesn't have to always involve blood and death. There are workarounds."

And regarding her second answer, he nods. "Gods aren't unheard of in the Nexus. Neither are people who are a little, ehhh, ambiguous as to what they exactly are. You should hear the speculations on me! Hahah."

"But it may not be as potent that way!"

A chuckle.

"I would like to hear about those speculations. As far as for myself, until I know how people will respond I'd like to remain more... private."

"Not as potent, no, but perhaps more plentiful. Imagine if you asked for little things. A lock of hair, a drop of blood. How quickly that would add up, were you to offer favours or blessings in return!"

As far as hearing about speculations on himself, that seems to only prompt an enigmatic smile before continuing onto her decision of disclosure. "A wise choice. Have you told any aside from myself that you're a god? Please, be honest."

"Such small things are worth nothing to me."

"I have told only one other. She is but a doll though, and will cause me no troubles. In fact so far she has been quite useful to me."

"Oh! The Doll. Yes, I've met her recently. She is someone I have a profound interest in as well." As well as a sad, sick sort of kinship, but no need to divulge that just yet.

"I think you severely underestimate the power of parts of self given freely! Why, fragments of another being, no matter how small, can be building blocks to rebirth and creation. But I will let you determine how you care to proceed."

"She is quite lovely, isn't she?"

A tilt of her head.

"Small building blocks may build magnificent towers, but it takes much longer. I'm not sure I have that kind of time."

"What does a god have if not time? You'll outlive us all, won't you? Or are you afraid of your mortal body failing you before you reach your goal?"

"I told you, didn't I, that I fear nothing?"

Or so she'll say.

"I just have better things that could be done with my time."

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