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!

[reenforces]

[He's such a ray of sunshine that even Mikleo finds it hard not to relent. It's just frustrating being told "hey, you're on your own", when the organization could actually help, and instead they send someone who can't even fucking see him. (That he knows of.)

It's infuriating.

One can almost imagine him rubbing his temples, and ignoring the fact that a therapist dealing specifically with spirit gate trauma is kinda perfect for a guy who just lost a friend to Willow's disaster.]

... Welcome, I guess. Though you'll note that I'm doing just fine by myself.

[So much for not lying. (This is different.)]

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]

[If Sorey's even the slightest bit bothered by the less-than-warm welcome, or Mikleo's general crankiness, it's not heard in his voice.]

Oh, does that mean you found yourself a partner?

[Right for the jugular.]

[reenforces]

[Motherf-]

I'm handling it.

[THAT IS NOT A YES]

[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.

[notevensorey]

[Don't give Sorey sass if you're not willing to take it back, Mikleo.]

I see. Then, I'd say your "handling" it quite admirably!

[All joking aside, however....]

You're certain you're doing well? I can't imagine the journey was terribly easy for you.

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.]

[reenforces]

[If I were not a sacred spirit I would beat you senseless. He scoffs audibly, which is about the best Sorey can expect from a guy who has already decided he's a waste of time.]

None of this has been easy for me. However, the people here have been generous enough to extend their hand. Try not to do anything to jeopardize the delicate trust they've placed in us.

At any rate, it sounds like you have your own issues to deal with. [You should see a real doctor about that.] Scales? Really?

[whiteshroud]

No, but it sounds like you are.

It might be the [A beat as he almost considers using another word, but nah-] furry transformation symptoms that been happening lately. We're not sure why though.

[thavnairian]

[Amal visibly wrinkles his nose. Elves are traditionally allergic to therapy. It is known.]

Hahah, wow, that's... really cool! [So much sarcasm.] I'm suddenly feeling like I need to be somewhere else. Good luck!

[AND HE FUCKING HANGS UP]

[notevensorey]

[Sorey pretends to have not heard that.]

I wouldn't have expected it to be easy for you. Honestly, I'm sure you had your own problems in POKEGO without being relocated here. [There's a sound of him shuffling something.] I'm also fairly certain that I, personally, am making them uncomfortable by virtue of being a shrink.

[Sorey says that matter-of-factly. People who run away from their problems tend to be mistrustful or down-right terrified of interacting with anyone associated with psychology, after all.]

Mmhm, scales. Reptilian of some kind, if I had to guess. They certainly weren't there when I first arrived in Kaisou, but they did spontaneously appear after I downloaded Libra.

voice; un: floresdemayo

[senorita_perfecta]

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

Text; UN: sorey_not_sorry

[notevensorey]

[Sorey just got a whole book's worth of read's from that one interaction, Amal. He sends a text.]

I apologise if I made you uncomfortable, but I wanted to reassure you that I'm not going to be your therapist without explicit consent.

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.

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]

Wouldn't surprise me. I did fall off a castle wall as a teenager.

[SOREY....]

Furry transformations, you say? I'd argue this is more along the lines of scalie. So this is somewhat common in Kaisou? I thought I was hearing whispers about it, but I wouldn't have known it by talking to my grandparents.

[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.

[fionnuisce]

Don't worry too much. Curses around here are usually just tremendously inconvenient, so far as I'm aware.

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason for the theming or is it just one of those peculiarities of joining an organization?

text;

[thavnairian]

[YOU WON'T DRAW HIM IN, YOU FOUL, GOODHEARTED TEMPTRESS. He's spent twenty six or seven years running away from his problems like one flees a falling bomb and he's NOT STOPPING NOW.]

no offense but i'd rather chug broken glass

you can't tell me anything i don't already know anyway

[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.

[senorita_perfecta]

Oh phew! That is good to know. I never met a psychologist before, and honestly, I’m pretty relieved to realize that many Zodiac users could appreciate the help of a psychologist right now.

(And honestly even Isabela might need Sorey’s help at some point due to her family disappearing from Kaisou in multiple times. That poor lady has been through a lot.)

Uh oh, does this mean you got a transformation curse too? My sister is among the people affected by it too.

[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.