01 | Video

[talktothedoll]

[The video feed cuts on, revealing a small psychiatrist's office. It's neatly-kept, and degrees can be seen hanging on the wall behind the man who connected his computer and a webcam to the network. It's an act of trust on his part; with what he's about to say, he's guessing an open video transmission will lend a bit more credibility to his offer. He will offer a small nod of greeting before beginning to speak.]

I suppose there's no better way to jump into things than to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Mort Yokugawa. I'd...well, I'd like to help, if I can. I've looked over some of what's been going on here, and I can imagine it's difficult to deal with for some of you.

For what it's worth, I'm a psychiatrist. I can't claim to have a complete understanding of what's going on here, but my office is always available to anyone who needs to talk.

Comments

[video]

[skickpowered]

[Heeeey a familiar face!]

Hi Doc! Didn't know you'd be here too!

[video]

[talktothedoll]

Al!

[Mort knows Al and his family quite well; to see the boy there on the network isn't exactly making him happy.]

How have you been handling all of this?

[video]

[skickpowered]

Well, it's been pretty strange for the past few weeks, that's for sure. But I'm doing fine so far!

[He's being honest here. Though of course, his sudden display of swordplay was something, but he's not telling him that one yet.]

text; phone

[controlsdesire]

[Casual scrolling through the network didn't seem so easy today. As soon as Shuji had passed the other's post and watched the video, one of the sensations in his chest flared up in response. It had caused him to drop his phone and take a few moments to recover, wondering exactly what had brought that on. Was it tied to the feeling that he knew someone and was forgetting them... or the unpleasant feeling he'd had since the art gallery? The mysterious chest pain he couldn't place...

The first thing he wanted to ask was who the man was, but he'd already introduced himself and none of that meant anything to someone who wasn't a long-time resident of the city.]

That's kind of you.

[While he just wanted to move on, there was certainly more of a pull towards this man than there had been to anyone else he'd encountered on the network -- aside from his cousin. Shuji would force himself to make small talk for now.]

[Text]

[talktothedoll]

It doesn't seem fair that such a thing might be going on in a way that would deny people of being able to get all the help they need. I'm glad to be able to do it.

[That's what drove him to become a psychiatrist in the first place, after all, that desire to help.]

[controlsdesire]

You should be more careful.

[After a minute, another message follows, in Japanese. It's a shot in the dark, but he wonders if maybe they ran into each other, somehow, in Japan at one time or another.]

Do you speak Japanese?

[handwritten]

[darkhourdear]

[whoo child's scrawl!]

Psychiatrist?

[Video]

[talktothedoll]

[Oh, man, just how old is this kid? Mort's staying on the video, just so he can try to give the child a reassuring smile.]

That's right. That means I'm a doctor who looks out for people's mental health.

[Video]

[darkhourdear]

[oh, you're an actual doctor! so it's ok if you see his face, right? switching to video now... have a ten year old.]

That's really cool! So you help people a lot, right?

text;

[reapsthewind]

THANK

FUCKING

GOD

I'm probably OK myself right now, though I'm getting robot memories, but seriously some people are not doing so well so YEAH

HELLO WELCOME TO CRAZYLAND thanks for being a head-doctor we needed one

thanks to whoever is behind this for recruiting (?) a head doctor?

whatever

hi

I've been here since day 1 so you can ask me shit :V

text;

[talktothedoll]

Robot memories? That has to be strange, but I'm glad you seem to be doing well. Please don't hesitate to contact me if it gets worse.

I'm aware of some of what has happened, I think...certainly the business with that poor boy that was killed. Is there any pattern to the changes and memories people have been experiencing? It all seems quite random from what I've seen.

[Voice] (let me know if this is ok or if I should change it! c:)

[depolarized]

Expanding into the shrink business, Dr. Yokugawa? I didn't think you'd be here.

[Voice] (it's all good \o/)

[talktothedoll]

I wouldn't call it an expansion as much as it is an extension of my normal duties.

[He's trying to place the voice, and he hasn't quite succeeded yet.]

I'd be more surprised if anyone had expected me, actually.

/o/!

[depolarized]

Playing guidance counselor for a lot of strangers is going to be a lot of work. [Not really a bad thing, though, and so his tone of voice conveys.]

Guess not. I don't think there's any pattern on who's getting these numbers yet.

[testsonseashells]

Interesting. Dr. Mordin Solus, genetics and medicine. Good to meet you.

[talktothedoll]

Good to meet you, as well. I'm relieved to see that I'm not the only medical professional here.

[testsonseashells]

One other - Dr. Strider, runs LSR clinic with me, in Dead District.

[Text]

[shiromadoushi]

[[...oh for the love of...]]

You work for the high school, don't you?

[Text]

[talktothedoll]

They've been known to call me in on occasion when they require a psychiatrist's services, so I suppose you could say that. Why?

[Text]

[shiromadoushi]

[[Yep. It's the over concerned shrink. Goddamnit...]]

Thought you looked familiar.

text;

[hollowleg]

headshrinker huh? Good. I think that's probably something we need around here!!

text;

[talktothedoll]

So it would seem.

Are you handling everything okay? Any concerns?

text;

[hollowleg]

well, no. I mean, definitely there are some concerns, like apparently the world might be coming to an end and a bunch of weird stuff is happening to people without any sort of explanation. But there's really nothing I can DO about it, so I guess I'm taking it in stride?

[ text ]

[fatherssins]

You should be careful offering a service like this, I imagine you'd be inundated with people asking for help.

Nothing makes people more exhausted than helping others and having no one to talk to themselves.

[ text ]

[talktothedoll]

That's something you take into account when going into a profession like this. Don't worry; I can handle things.

[So he thinks, after all. He hasn't had any weird memories surface...yet.]