Video | UN: sorey_not_sorry

[notevensorey]

WHO: Sorey and all of you!
WHERE: Network
WHEN: 2/22
WHAT: It's an intro! Say hello to another POKEGO person!
WARNINGS: Probably language, but I'll update if something else comes up!

[There's a new face here on the app. He seems to be in a half-unpacked room at the moment. Despite looking like he just got out of an interview, he seems pretty cheerful.]

Hello, everyone! [That is definitely a British accent like you'd hear on BBC News.] I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. ...And for looking a bit more business-like than I should.

My name is Sorey Shepard, or you can call me Dr. Rosewood if you want a bit of distance. I work with POKEGO as a psychologist. More specifically, I research any psychological effects the Spirit Gates have on people, so that I can use that knowledge to inform any therapies I perform.

[He leans back a little from the camera.]

I understand that we, as an organization, have lost a lot of trust. I'm certain my colleague has already fielded many of your questions, but I'm also willing to share what I know and answer questions to the best of my ability.

[A pause for a beat.]

Oh, also, I have a question of my own for all of you. Is it normal to have the app download onto your device and then suddenly grow scales?

Comments

voice; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

[He cannot fucking believe this.]

They sent the shrink?

[notevensorey]

[Oh! It's that one nerd he thinks is cool! Not that he's actually seen Mikleo before.]

They did! I mean, granted, I could've said no, but I wanted to come here and help, especially when they said they were sending someone else out here!

video; un: riftdancer

[thavnairian]

[Putting aside the matter of POKEGO being extremely untrustworthy after everything, Amal has one very important question.]

What the hell is a psychologist?

[notevensorey]

[A question he's more than happy to answer! Sorey's heard that some off-worlders are here, probably from some time before psychology as a science was born.]

A psychologist is essentially someone who studies mental health, mental illnesses, behaviors, and other things of that nature. Some of us are more focused on the research side of it, but I'm one of the ones who uses that research to help work people through their issues. Be it from managing their sadness or grief to whatever trauma they've endured.

UN: hikari-vi

[whiteshroud]

[Another POKEGO member and this time a psychologist.... Jun is suddenly having regrets about making that pact with Mikleo]

...No, Dr. Rosewood, usually people don't develop scales upon the download of the app.

[notevensorey]

[Sorey can't imagine why! Well... actually, he kind of can, but he's chalking it up to saying he's a psychologist.]

That's good! I was kind of worried it was cursed.

[It's definitely cursed, but in a different way than he thinks.]

voice; un: floresdemayo

[senorita_perfecta]

Does this mean that you read people’s minds as part of your job, Dr. Sorey?

[notevensorey]

Oh, no, I don't read minds! Even if I could, I'd feel quite uncomfortable using it on anyone. I'd rather it come out during a session.

voice

[crystallinememories]

[Raha understands the mistrust of POKEGO, but frankly it seems pretty clear that not everyone was in on what Willow was up to. And besides--]

A psychologist? Honestly, we could probably use one of those around here.

[he sees you running away full speed amal.]

And... no, I would not consider that normal. Though Kaisou is something of an epicenter for unusual chances, we've been discovering.

[notevensorey]

[Nice, someone who doesn't flinch at the word go from a psychologist! Sorey has a feeling there are way more troubled people here than he thought.]

I'm happy to offer my services to anyone who wants or needs them! With their consent.

[Ethics, laws, and all of that are very important to abide by.]

It's certainly become that way. I can't say that was how it was when I visited my grandparents here, but perhaps I simply couldn't see it all those years ago.

un: silverrose

[fionnuisce]

If any group needed a psychologist, it's this one. [says the also british accent we're pretending lucien dodge has] As to the scales, sounds like a curse. Not uncommon, but not standard either. Professor Waver Velvet, pleasure-

[hold on a sec]

...Wait, do you all have plant codenames?

[notevensorey]

[We're also pretending Robbie Daymond has a British accent here. Thank god, someone else who spells correctly.]

The pleasure is all mine, Professor! To answer your question, trees are our theme, actually! We have a Professor Oak working for us, too. Still, I must admit to being a bit worried about the scales being a symptom of a curse, but I suppose I'll just have to live with it.

text | un: blackbirdtarot

[drewthetower]

you guys have a fucking therapist

and Willow STILL turned out like that??????

[notevensorey]

We had an entire cohort dedicated to psychology, actually. Unfortunately, I'm one of the very few left. We were small to begin with, but we were essentially decimated when Willow enacted his plan. They're either facing reparations or they lost their lives.

[Friends and colleagues both. He won't deny that it's been hurtful, and that he's still recovering emotionally from it.]

[dawnsdarkness]

+1 TEAM SCALIE!!!

[notevensorey]

There's another of us, is there? Excellent! I won't have to be alone in having scales!

un: violetsmoke; video

[infezione]

Therapy... Are you offering?

[It's maybe a bit hesitant, but, hey, he's not immediately turning and running the other way!]

[notevensorey]

[Oh. Sorey's going to have to be a bit more serious, then. He gives Fugo a reassuring smile.]

I am, as it happens. Free of charge for any who use Libra, if you're concerned about that.

[At least to him, he's not going to charge anyone on the app. Not after what POKEGO has done. It's the very least he can do.]

video; un: teasweets

[lapislamine]

Hello, Dr. Shepard. Did the scales appear immediately after the app downloaded? Do they look something like this?

[And golden scales spread across her skin, accenting her forehead, cheekbones, and chin. She also sprouts a pair of dragon wings from her back.]

If they hurt or itch at all, or if you suddenly grow wings, I've been tending my own since May and have healing abilities - I'd be happy to help you manage them. After about a week, I was able to control if mine were present or not. The wings came a month or so later.

[notevensorey]

Indeed, I did!

[Seeing those scales, he nods and moves his shirt collar just enough so she can see pristine, white dragon scales at his shoulder. Sorey then straightens his shirt collar.]

Remarkably similar, though I've not gotten wings. I'd greatly appreciate any help in managing them. This is quite new for me.

UN: Velvet | Video

[gotbadblood]

[Velvet wanted to stay far away from this post, but Fugo said he wanted therapy. And like hell was she's going to let the kid do this by himself.

So here she is, in all her menacing glory.]

I got a question. You taking new patients?

[notevensorey]

[Sorey meets the scary lady the only way he knows how to meet anyone. With a smile on his face!]

Certainly! As long as I have their consent. I'm also lending my services to Libra's users for free. It... Wouldn't have felt right otherwise.

video: UN: trienemybest

[droptheious]

[Varian has the vaguest of understanding of what therapy actually is, and that's largely thanks to Snow talking about hers. It makes him a little more cautious than he already is with the whole POKEGO thing.]

I'm not completely sure what your job is other than you help people with...stuff? [Eloquent! ] Like...emotional stuff? Is that right?

Those changes have been happening to a lot of us lately, I've not seen it happen quite this fast before, but I guess there's a first time for everything.

[notevensorey]

[Sorey hums softly in thought.]

That's part of it, yes. We also study different mental disorders, what triggers them either from life circumstances or biology, and how to effectively help them. Whether it's anger management, grief, or trauma. Some of us take a more scholarly approach rather than practice, while others like myself use their research to better understand where we can improve or how to better help our clients take their life back.

[It's a simplified way of putting it without getting way too technical and clinical. While he's certain Varian is a smart young man, Sorey's aware that this isn't a field to talk about with other people using clinical terms.]

Oh, wonderful. I look forward to more such changes with bated breath.

[Sorey sounds resigned, but the small smile makes it seem more like he's not terribly bothered by the development.]

video; un:dragnvindr

[burntilldawn]

[Well that's another to add to the list. Not the shit list, the furry scalie transformation effect list. Diluc didn't come in till way after the nonsense with Willow had calmed down and this person seemed to care about making up for it so credit where it was due.]

I didn't grow scales, but not long after the app appeared my eye and hair color changed to what you see now. [Said with a gesture towards aforementioned features. The only reason he opted for video was to demonstrate that.]

[notevensorey]

[Sorey blinks in surprise and then nods.]

That must have been extremely disconcerting. The color looks lovely on you, but I doubt that makes up for what it was.

video; un: zapbamboom (im. im sorry.)

[incendiarize]

You're a magic therapist? So you want to hear the fucked up shit? 'Cause I know how dying feels like five different ways. And counting. Among other stuff.

[...this is. One way to gauge character? I guess?]

voice

[drewthetower]

Arthur.

[He is the chill one but also. Dude.]

video | un: deadpeopletea

[four_quarts]

Oh, thank fuck, we finally have someone who's actually trained to deal with this sort of thing. Most of the people here would rather fight a god or Santa than talk about their problems, even if they sorely need it.

[crystallinememories]

[bless you ghaleon]

Video; un: Opera_Ghost

[not_a_possum]

Oh yeah, that happens all the time. After the app downloaded itself onto my phone I turned into an imp, and I've seen other people get wings or have their hair change color.

[notevensorey]

Oh, goodness.... I don't think it necessarily answers my question of whether or not this app is actually cursed, but that's certainly... something!

voice; un: thorn

[poisontippedcure]

The app downloading itself is par for the course, though I'm not sure that's also the case for the scales.

Regardless, you mentioned you were a psychologist. Is that some sort of healer?

[notevensorey]

A strange coincidence, then. Maybe.

[Sorey doesn't sound like he actually believes it's a coincidence. Coincidences are hard to come by really.]

In a manner of speaking! Rather than helping to heal the body, we help heal the mind or even relationships, whether with significant others or family. We help get them into a better place mentally, and guide them into developing coping habits that are healthy.

un:noxxed

[sassery]

oh wow uh
holy shit
sorry you sorta got fed to the wolves here
yikes on bikes tbh

[STARES AT ARTHUR, AND AMAL, AND FUCKING EVERYONE ELSE. Christ on a cracker he has a teacher meeting for a good chunk of the day and THIS is what he misses? Sheesh.]

i can say that the scales part is probably something from the latest bs with Kaisou
definitely not normal

[notevensorey]

Oh, please, don't apologise!
I did expect some of it given the combination of my profession and affiliation to POKEGO.
A healthy amount of scepticism and distrust are more than reasonable.
However, I hope that nobody thought that I'd take abuse or attacks to my person lying down. :(

[Like... dang. Sorey has his lines.]

Wonderful....
One person has suggested a scale care routine, but I'm always happy to have more ideas on keeping them healthy.

[Voice; Un; Deja Boo]

[schrodingersghost]

Psychologist, huh? Well I can't say that's not needed around here.

And yeah. That's normal. For what qualifies as normal around here, which is everything.

[notevensorey]

So I've... seen, but I'll refrain from further comment.

[Woof is all he'll say.]

I'm certainly getting the sense that the strange is far more normal here than it typically is.