Tag: ts2

“So, uh, what is this thing?”

“It’s a device to detect your deepest troubles. The more progress we make in helping you, the more progress you’ll make into growing from a seedling to a sprout, then a flower… maybe you’ll make it all the way to a tall tree!”

“… I don’t think flowers grow into trees.”

“Oh the things I can teach you, dear.”

“So what do I do?”

“I need you to answer this one question: are you really happy?”

“I already told you, I feel fine.”

ZzzzZZAAP!!

“Gah! What the hell was that?”

“That’s the machine detecting that your inner troubles are being suppressed.”

“Ah, my head!!”

“Just be open and honest this time, dear.”

“Well, my head hurts, for one thing.”

“Mmhm…”

“And I’m frustrated I have a long way to go to get on testosterone.”

“Hmmnn….”

“And just talking and being outside is really draining.”

“See, wasn’t that easy? No zaps this time!”

“Here we are! The right room this time!”

“I’m going to ask you a few questions, and I’d like for you to answer as honestly as possible. Is that doable?”

“That seems pretty easy. I’m in!”

“Now, would you say you’re happy right now?”

“Right now? I’m… fine, I guess?”

“That’s a common response, but I have the perfect device to help you really tap into all your inner troubles!”

“That computer on your desk?”

“No, silly! That’s for Top Level readings. Since you’re just a little seedling, we need something a little… louder.”

“Welcome! Renee, is it?”

“Yeah, uh, for now, I guess.”

“I am so glad you saw that flyer at your school and thought to contact me! You have a bright future ahead of you! Imagine your name in lights! Real or stage name, we can make it happen!”

“Well, it wasn’t just the flyer. My new psychiatrist–”

“Oh hush about those people! I’m going to show you how you, yourself, can make everything happen!”

“Well, who’s gonna get me T?”

“I’ll make you some tea! Come on inside and we’ll get started! Follow me, please.”

“I want to thank you for opening up to me as much as you did. Next month I’d like you to bring your mother, if that’s okay.”

“Great! And then I can start T next month, right?”

“Um, about that…” 

“Hm?”

“You know the saying ‘Monte Vista wasn’t built in a day,’ correct?”

“Yeah…?”

“It will be a while, a long while, until I have enough information on your case to prescribe you with anything. This first session was a great start, but I can’t just hand you a referral to an endocrinologist until we’ve gone through all the steps required.”

“An endocri-what?”

“An endocrinologist. Someone who is specialized in hormones and hormone treatment.”

“So you wouldn’t be giving me testosterone anyway!?”

“I’m afraid that’s the case.”

“So what am I supposed to do until then?”

“Maybe find some way to pass the time? Like an activity of some sort.”

“Well, my friend Connor always wanted me to join him in a school play…”

“That’s a great idea! Which reminds me, I know someone who holds acting workshops on the weekends. Ever heard of a woman named Erin Beaker?”

“Yeah! Her name’s on the flyers outside my school!”

“Maybe pay her a visit sometime. Tell her Pascal said hi, too. Though she hasn’t wanted to speak to me for some reason…”

“Alright, can you tell me about why you’re here?”

“Well, I kinda was hoping here was where I can get started on testosterone.”

“I’m afraid we’ll have to do a little more before we can make a decision like that.”

“Yeah, I figured it wouldn’t be that easy. So, uh… what are those things I need to do?”

“Well, for starters, let’s start with some questions…”

“Hello! You must be Renee Broke?”

“Yup! Sorry my parents dropped me off. Dr. Curious, right?”

“You can call me Pascal if you like.”

“And you’re, like, gonna make my life not suck, right?”

“I can certainly try, but remember, this is just our first meeting.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot.”

“And don’t come back again!”

“Another day chasing off cultists?”

“You know it!”

“What do they even want from you?”

“To fit their crazy agenda in my next scifi movie! Despite me telling them I want nothing to do with them!”

“Well, they left, didn’t they? Come on, Ronan made breakfast. Hopefully those crazies will find someone else to bug. Someone who will actually listen to them so they can leave us alone.”

“Well, I spoke to Heather this afternoon.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. She came over and I made some tea, introduced her to Nathaniel, the works.”

“She’s feeling better now, I take it?”

“That’s the thing. She seemed fine, but… I don’t think there’ll be such a thing as ‘feeling better’ for her. And that… That scares me.”

“That… That must be hard. I can’t imagine what it must be like for her, or for Martin. Wait, does… Does Martin know?”

“No, and that was what scared Heather the most. We did have a talk and she said she’d tell him what was going on, but there’s just so much more to this than telling Martin.”

“We’ll get through this together, and help Heather and Martin along the way.”

“I don’t want to lose my best friend, Sam.”

“I know, Brittany, I know…”