What Ails the Mind - Part 1
After what feels like forever, life finally gave me enough time to myself to finish this little brain-child of a story, which I've had to cut in two for length reasons. I hope that you all enjoy, and that I can keep writing for you guys in the future!
Yana was having troubles with public speeches. Naturally, her roommate, Jen, had a suggestion.
It was just another day, passing her time on the couch, watching the TV, trying her damnedest to get her mind off of work. Yana was a hard-working komodo dragon, doing her best at a stuffy office job out in Brooklyn. If she were to be honest with herself, she hated that job; she'd rather something a bit more open, with less stress and maybe slightly lower standards. As it was, she got worked to death; but with her workplace expecting more productivity over the summer, she wasn't exactly sure just what to make of things. Her boss had been pressing her to do an oral presentation of her project, in front of him and her co-workers and associates. The only problem was...her heart stops in front of groups of people. There was just something about all those eyes, staring, expecting something profound, that flat-out paralyzes her. He wanted it done within the week, at the end of her summer work break, and Yana just wasn't sure what else she could do. She continued to flip through channels on the TV, flicking her clawed thumb across the controls lazily.
A knock on the door caught Yana's attention, and she sluggishly peeled herself from the couch. "Just a minute!" She shouted toward the door, flicking the channel remote a couple more times. She left it on a re-run of Doctor Who, since there wasn't a lot on right then and there. She opened the door, to the sight of her two housemates: Jennifer, but always insisted people call her Jen, and Nolan, her cousin who had moved in to help Yana and Jen financially; of course, Yana's a bit more of the breadwinner than Nolan, but she'd dare not say it. The foxess squeezed Yana's shoulder, giggling. "We're back, cutie!"
Yana scooped her lover up and hugged the fox tight. "Sup, Jen? How was the cafe?"
"It was alright, I guess..c-could you not squeeze me so hard?" The komodo blushed, then put Jen down. Jen crossed her arms, looking idly off into the distance. "Coffee sucked, but watching Nolan strike out was pretty fucking funny."
"Gimme a break, Jen," Nolan countered. "I was just chatting with her about the chemical structure of coffee beans. It was going well, until she fell asleep..."
Jen was unable to contain the cute snort that came from her when she laughed at Nolan's comment. "Right, because science techno-babble just makes all the bitches wet."
Nolan rolled his eyes. "Oh, hardy-har."
"Hey, guys?" Yana interjected. "I have this..problem. Co-"
"Ut tut tut! Say no more." The vixen put a finger to Yana's lips, then walked over to grab some coffee from the pot. Yana had brewed it for herself earlier, but Jen wasn't picky; she'd easily drink cold coffee. Slurping a mug-full down, she finally spoke. "Okay, shoot."
"My boss is pushing for me to make a report on my project, and...well, I'm terrified."
Jen giggled, walking over to Yana and wrapping an arm around the komodo. "Sounds heavy. Why's your boss even making you work on this over what's supposed to be your break?"
Yana blushed again, continuing. "D-do you think you guys could help me?"
Nolan put his hat on the coat rack, and rubbed at the spiny points on his chin. "Not sure, cousin. I could help you write something out, if you wa-"
"It's not _writing _it that's the problem, lady-killer," Jen interrupted, smirking. Nolan rolled his eyes, and the vixen squeezed Yana up against her even tighter. Jen whispered into the reptile's ear, snickering. "I don't think he's the best person to be asking, he still wears a ballcap to try and look like he knows a single fucking thing about sports.."
"Damnit, I can _still _hear you, Jen!" Nolan shouted angrily.
Jen merely shrugged it off. "Whatever, look, the point is," She turned Yana towards her to face her directly, staring her down, "I love you to death, Yana, but you're too timid. The kinda job you're working, you can't afford to be shy about shit. Luckily, your favorite fuck-buddy knows someone.."
"Who's that then?" Yana asked in genuine curiosity.
"He's a doctor, damned good one too. Licensed hypnotist and some shit. He knows a thing about how the brain ticks, and he might just be able to give you that liquid courage you need to ace your presentation."
"Oh_ooh_ no , Jen. Fuck. That." Nolan pulled his cousin away from Jen, looking at the both of them in turn. "I'm not letting some nutter screw around with Yana's head, it's just not happening."
Yana sighed, knocking him aside to stand next to Jen once again. "Nolan...I'm an adult. I can make my own decisions."
"I'm tellin' you, Yana, hypnotists are bad news," Nolan stated in rebuttal. "They can make you do some scary shit.."
She shook her head, and kissed Jen softly on the cheek. "Nolan, if she says this man can help me, I'm willing to trust her. Can't you?"
"Hah!" Jen fist-pumped victoriously. "Jen: 3; Poindexter: Nada."
The komodo-man growled to himself, muttering. "You two better promise me I don't have to break out an 'I told you so' later."
Jen gigged, dragging Yana to the door comically. "We won't, just keep the bed warm for us until we get back!"
"I'm not your servant boy, Jen," Nolan said as he flopped onto the couch.
"Well, you're no man, so you could've fooled me!" Jen's quip even got a laugh out of Yana as the two giggled their way over to Yana's car. Nolan simply sighed, laying back into the cushions.
"Y'know, one of these days, they're gonna stop taking the piss out of me...eh, who am I kidding? Who am I even talking to? ...I need a girlfiend."
The two enjoyed an otherwise silent ride, until Yana looked over to Jen, who was driving her to the clinic where this Dr. Erwin character was. It's surprising to Yana; she does a lot less driving with her own car than her lover. But that wasn't what was important to her at the moment. She had questions, legitimate ones, ones about the doctor she planned to be meeting. She bit her lip, but then spoke. "So, what's this Dr. Erwin like, Jen?"
"Oh, he's a sweetheart. He recently broke up with his mate, but the guy's taking it pretty well." Jen hit a rather beefy traffic jam just a few blocks short of the clinic, which left her and Yana with some time to talk.
"No, Jen, I mean...what're his sessions like?" She asked nervously. "I mean, if he's gonna be doing stuff with my head, I wanna know what I should be expecting."
"Legal stuff, I guess." Jen pulled the handle on her seat, adjusting the back so that she could lay back whilst speaking to Yana. "He assures it's all standard practice, but it's hard to remember enough of what happens to totally believe him on that..."
"So, just what _does _he do?" Yana asks.
"You deaf? I just said, it's hard to remember." Jen frowned when Yana recoiled slightly at that remark. "Sorry. It's just, after he sets me into a trance, I just...well," she shrugged her shoulders, "to be honest, when I go under, my thoughts get a bit hazy; it gets difficult to focus on what's going on during the whole session. All I know is, by the time it's done, I feel plenty-refreshed. He helped me get over a few nasty memories when I was a kid."
Yana was surprised. She didn't take Jen to be someone hiding skeletons in her closet. She had always been this confident, strong-hearted kind of gal, it's one of the many reasons Yana fell in love with her, but the idea that Jen was trying to repress memories was confusing, and alarming. She smiled softly, leaning over next to Jen. "Well, you have me, right?"
Jen nodded. "Eyup. And you're the best memories I'll ever need." Yana leaned closer to leave a peck on the cheek, but Jen wasn't going to settle for that; she turned to meet lip-to-lip with the komodo, a shy blush flushing across Yana's face, as Jen pulled her closer into a loving kiss. Yana eased into it, with Jen taking charge as she normally would. The sly vixen slipped a furred hand below Yana's blouse, cupping and playing at one of the lizard-lady's breasts. Yana let out a soft, cute moan, melting more into the lusty kiss. Perhaps a minute went by like that, before a loud 'HONK!' from behind them pulls the two back into reality. Jen pulled her hand away from Yana, bringing her seat back up, then hit the gas. "Shit-shit-shit! What sort of traffic jam clears up that fast?!" Another 'HONK!' from behind caused the foxess to roll down her window, to shout at the impatient driver behind her. "I'm already moving, you dipshit! Keep your fucking panties on!" Yana couldn't help but faintly giggle.
Jen drove the car into the clinic's parking lot, shutting it off and unbuckling, with Yana following shortly behind. Something important came in into her thoughts at that moment, and she let out a cute shriek. "Wait, Jen! Don't we need an appointment!?"
"Relax, Yan, Dr. Erwin doesn't get a lot of patients to warrant appointments. You walk in, he's usually free to see you." Jen wrapped an arm around Yana's shoulders, walking her inside. "Just be cool, ya' silly lizard. We'll be in to see the good doc faster than you'd think."
"HOW MANY PEOPLE?!"
Yes, it appeared that the clinic was filled with more than the usual amount of patients; apparently, a Cub Scout trip-gone-awry into the local woods left the troupe of scouts...a little more than traumatized. After all, seeing your scoutmaster trip and fall down a cliff, with their only means of breaking their fall happening to also break their skull straight in two, tends to cause more than a slightly unsettling image. Dr. Erwin was with one young scout, whom he just finished treatment on. "You head home with your parents, young man." The child, in a shockingly contrasting display, smiled cheerfully at the doctor, before running out to his parents' car. The clerk woman at the desk read off the name of the next patient, and the scout and her parents stood up. Jen waved to Erwin as he led the young charge through the doors, and the doctor waved right back with a respectful nod. Yana got a good view of what Dr. Erwin looked like; a basilisk, wearing a pair of dark-tinted glasses, who didn't look much older than his 30's at first glance. Jen led Yana over to the empty chairs over at the far corner, next to some magazines and tabloid articles. Yana avoided the tabloids like the plague; she always hated the idea of people profiting off the misery of celebrities.
"Well, I guess it won't be as quick as we thought, hon'," Jen said as she picked up a magazine and skimmed across some modern science articles. "Holy shit, this looks cool, Yan. Take a look at this.."
The two read through the articles for a while, as each scout, one after another, went to see Dr. Erwin, and came out looking worlds better than the neurotic wrecks they entered in as. Yana glanced up every now and then, and she just felt unnerved; it was almost unnatural how those children, who before looked like they saw a ghost, were walking out with their parents with...such a serene look on their faces. It was as if whatever happened never did. The basilisk waved the last scout off, which left Yana and Jen in a relatively empty waiting room. Dr. Erwin walked over to the duo, reaching out to shake Jen's hand. "Ah, the lovely miss Jennifer, such a treat to see you here in my offices again. Have you come for another session?"
Jen politely shook the doctor's hand, shaking her head. "Nah, here for a pal." She pulled Yana up next to her, patting her on the shoulder. "This here's Yana, my friend I told you about."
"A pleasure to meet you, Yana." The doctor extended his other hand to Yana, who half-reluctantly met the handshake. "From the way Jennifer speaks of you, I assumed you more than just 'friends' in that manner of speaking..."
Yana blushed. "Oh, w-we are...but, uh, I'm just here for an, uh...a-appointment, Dr. Erwin."
"Please, no need to be so formal." He waved for Yana to follow along, and she and Jen walked with him out of the waiting room. Yana was surprised when they finally reached Dr. Erwin's office; it didn't look like any traditional doctor's office, but looked more like a cozy, inviting living room. There was a couch, a swivel-chair sitting next to it, and assorted knick-knacks and the like dotted around the entirety of the shelves and walls. There was even a television, propped up on the middle shelf in the room. Yana smiled softly; this didn't seem so bad.
"So, miss Yana, some questions before we get started?" He asked this as he picked up a clipboard, jotting down her name. "I just want to know some basics about you before we begin with the treatment. For starters, perhaps just what I'll be treating you for."
Yana tapped her fingers together, wincing away. "W-well, I have a work project I need to give an oral presentation on later in the week, and..."
"And you're looking for a confidence-builder." Dr. Erwin could read Yana like a book, page-for-page; she wasn't his first case of a nervous woman, and she certainly wouldn't be his last. "Anything else? I'll only pry as far as what you're willing to talk about, nothing more than that. Bear in mind, of course, the more I know about you, the easier it'll be for me to help you." Yana took note of that; he seemed very interested in her, to a point she felt a slight degree of unease. Still, she trusted Jen's judgement: if she thought he was a good doctor, then clearly Yana had nothing to worry about, right?
"Oh, well, umm...I'm 22, I have a few allergies..." Yana continued to list off the basics about herself to the doctor, who jotted down every detail in order. He began to draw conclusions on how to approach her treatment based on what he gathered, and smiled as he set the clipboard to the side.
"Splendid, Yana. Jennifer, would you be so kind as to wait outside as I work with your friend?"
"You got it, doc. Treat her well, I need her back in one piece." Jen walked out as instructed, leaving Yana to Dr. Erwin's treatment. He begins by ushering her to an actual chair, rather than the couch she was on, and started adjusting it to comfort her best. He made certain his patients are well-treated in this manner, as they deserve the best. It also made it easier to lull them into a state where he can work with their thoughts. He then turned slowly from Yana, removing his glasses for a brief moment to polish them.
"I'll have to ask that you not panic, Yana, during the treatment." Dr. Erwin set his glasses back on when turning around to face Yana directly, adjusting them. "The key to my hypnosis is not to fight it. If you go in with a skeptic mind, your brain will ultimately reject it. If you become frightened, just tap the side of the chair twice." He took a chair opposite to the one he instructed Yana to sit in, sitting in front of her with one hand to his red-tinted glasses. "Now, Yana...are you ready?"
The komodo swallowed, nodding softly. "Yessir."
With that, the basilisk took his tinted glasses off, opening his eyes to stare directly at Yana. Her gaze met his piercing, yellow stare, the unnatural hue and glow of his eyes distracting her thoughts. Almost instantly, she could feel a strange stiffness to herself, every muscle in her form going limp and statuesque. It was both terrifying and enticing. The world around her started to go black and empty, as her mind became hazy, drifting, unfocused. It was like her brain became an untuned television, where the only channel it picked up was white static. She understood this to become stronger the more she lost herself into the basilisk's eyes; his cold, stone-like eyes. Very faintly, her mind followed his words.
"Relax your mind. Let your breathing become natural; do not think about it, merely let it be. All you really must do is focus on my voice, and the words my voice creates, as I instill upon your mind some basic truths."
Instinctively, Yana felt herself relax, further and further into Erwin's voice. It felt so simple to just give into it, to let it into her thoughts...but something, like a red flag, began to rear itself in the back of her head. No matter how much she tried to force it away, it became stronger, stronger still, to the point that she couldn't ignore it any longer. In a jolt of reflexive action, her arm not only taps the side of the chair, it practically slams into it, twice, to convey to stop the treatment. Dr. Erwin sighs, but nods respectfully, closing his eyes and donning his tinted glasses once more. He snapped his fingers sharply to bring Yana back into reality, and she started with a shiver. "I-I'm sorry, I got worried, and-"
"It's fine, Yana. You're not the first to end the session prematurely." the doctor stood up, looking over his clipboard, and jotting down notes. Subject became unwilling to continue with her first session. Will work on making her more subjective to the treatment. Finishing, he sat the clipboard back down, and gestures for a handshake. "I must apologize for frightening you. We can attempt this again another time, if you wish."
Yana nodded respectfully. "I-I'll think about it, Dr. Erwin."
"Please, call me Richard," the basilisk doctor replied. "I prefer to be on a first-name basis with my more adult patients; it improves my ability to work with them."
"W-well..thank you, Dr. E-I mean, Richard." Yana gave Richard a dopey smile, trying her best to be calm around him with her frayed nerves. She finally met his handshake, realizing that the man has quite a firm grip to him; not something she expected at first glance. She walked out of Dr. Erwin's office, to the comforting voice of her friend, Jen.
"Hey, hot stuff. He was pretty quick with you, I see." The fox wrapped an arm around Yana's shoulder, squeezing it tight. "Or did you chicken out?"
Yana blushed, slinking down into herself. "I, uh...chickened out."
Jen shook her head, smiling. "Tsk tsk. C'mon, Yana, if you wanted this so much, you gotta be on-ball about it!"
Dr. Erwin walked out of his office for a brief moment, hoping to catch Yana's attention. "I apologize, before you go..I must ask for your E-mail."
"Huh? E-mail?" Yana countered in confusion.
"Merely to help keep patient-to-doctor communications." The basilisk adjusted his glasses as he spoke in that professional tone of his that he does so well. "We can better discuss the terms of your treatment and how to better-tailor it for your psyche, without the need of us having to be in my office for it."
Yana looked at the doctor, skeptic, before nodding. "That sounds...reasonable, I guess." She gave him her E-mail address, down to the numbers, as he wrote it down. "Thanks, uh, Richard."
"You're quite welcome," the doctor replied with a courteous smile. He then left Yana and Jen to walk back out to Yana's car, where Jen had something interesting to add:
"That's weird. He never asked me for _my _E-mail." She put the car out of park, reversing out. "And he rarely ever goes by a first-name basis.." Yana heard Jen muttering to herself, and she started to have similar concerns. Was the doctor, in his own, creepy way...hitting on Yana? Perhaps a thought to leave reserved for another time. For now, it was time to head home.
The next day, Yana got a message from Richard from his address, asking to partake in some conversation about her treatment and each other. After having gotten Nolan to go the fuck away for a minute, and stop bothering her about his eventual "I told you so" that he kept insisting _would _happen, she finally got a chance to talk with Richard one-to-one. She was still worried about the potential idea that Richard's flirting with her, but she felt she had to stop being paranoid like her cousin; he's her doctor, nothing more.
The two held a converastion via text-chat, as Dr. Erwin's mic was broken:
YaYa24: I want to, I'm just terrified. RichErwin: And you shouldn't. I have a license for this for a reason. Yaya24: It's not that, it's just... Yaya24: I'm scared of not thinking. RichErwin: You're going to have to elaborate on that. Yaya24: If I don't think, things go bad, Yaya24: if things go bad, I'm to blame... RichErwin: That's a silly concern. It would only be during your treatment, and what could you possibly be blamed for then? Yaya24: But..it's not that simple, it never is! RichErwin: Is that it then? Guilt? You mustn't be like that, you're a smart woman. Yaya24: Am I? I don't know you, why would YOU think that? RichErwin: You have to be bright to hold an office job like yours so well. RichErwin: They don't give those out to just anyone who asks, after all. RichErwin: And you haven't proven me otherwise, either. ;) Yaya24: lol RichErwin: But to be serious for a moment now. RichErwin: You do honest work, and I want to help you achieve more of it. Yaya24: I know, but.. RichErwin: No buts. Buts are for sitting. Yaya24: I think you're missing a T there.... RichErwin: Nevertheless, I have the means to help you with your plight. RichErwin: But you must LET me help you. Yaya24: I know, and I'll try. Thank you. RichErwin: You're very welcome. I'll see you at my office later.
Damnit, _Yana thought to herself as she decided to play a few games to get her mind off of the whole situation. _I don't know who to trust here: my paranoid cousin, or a doctor I hardly know. She eased herself back, getting into a few runs at that weird blob game everyone had fallen head-over-heels for. She didn't understand the appeal to it; after a few attempts, she just felt frustrated and unsatisfied. She sighed. People play the dumbest things..
After having dragged Jen out of bed, the lazy foxess wanting to sleep in late that day, Yana dragged her over to the car, and Yana started it up to head to the hospital.
"You look pretty deadset today, hon'," Jen asked from slouched back in the passenger seat.
"Just looking to get it done and over with," Yana sharply replied.
"Look, just chill about it, Yan." Jen lazily groped for the handle to adjust her seat, moving it up to face Yana a bit easier. "I know he's a bit weird, but Dr. Erwin's a good guy."
"If you say so.." the Komodo responded.
"I _know _so. You forget, he helped-"
"-you as well, I didn't forget." Yana was being surprisingly aggressive about the matter today, which surprised Jen. Maybe Yana didn't need the doctor's help after all? The reptile swatted at Jen's shoulder, giggling. "Sorry, fly. But yeah, I know what you're trying to say, and..it's not that I don't believe you, it's just he..."
"Feels like he's trying to get in your pants?" Jen snorted and bro-punched Yana in the arm.
"Exactly."
"I don't blame you for thinking that; I was thinking it too at the time." She rests herself against the glovebox, staring out her window. "But then again, poor guy just suffered a divorce, I doubt he means to come off like that intentionally."
"And if he _does _mean to?" The question Yana posed as they turned the corner into the clinic's parking lot.
"Then we just burn that bridge when we cross it, I don't know what else to tell you!" Jan unbuckled herself, walking over to Yana's side of the car to wait on her. "Honestly, he should know he has no chances with you anyway; he knows we're a thing, and you're not interested...right?"
Yana blushed at that remark. "N-no, of course not! He's just my doctor, I barely even know him!"
"I'd hope so," Jen teased, slapping Yana's ass, making the shy komodo let out a cute squeak in surprise. "At least make sure to tell him that ass there is all mine."
"I-I'm not having sex with him, Jen!" Yana snapped, blushing even harder.
"So it's only reserved to blowjobs, then?"
"Oh, would you shut up!?" Yana elbowed Jen as she got out of the car, hooking the keys to her belt loop and locking the car door behind her. Jen wrapped an arm tightly around Yana, walking inside with her.
"You _know _I'm just joking with you, sweetie," the foxess said in a polite tone.
Yana looked away, stuttering. "Y-yeah.."
"Richie, what's up!" Jen shouted as the brought Yana with her through the doorway, the dalmatian receptionist not looking too pleased with Jen's loud behavior and gave her a stern look, setting a finger to her lips. "Oh, uh, sorry ma'am."
The good doctor walked out from the back room, bowing his head respectfully to the two. "Yana, Jennifer, pleasant seeing you two so early."
"M-mutual," Yana blurted out in nervousness. She swallowed, composing herself, and began to speak. "I'm ready for my next session, doctor."
"Very good." Dr. Erwin, pulled out a clipboard, handing it to Yana. "I'll need you to fill out a space on this check-in sheet, to mark you were here and at what time. standard procedure."
"Yessir." She jotted her name down with a little shake to her hand, and the entering time. The doctor took the clipboard from her, nodding.
"Excellent, thank you." He turned to the dalmatian running reception. "Edith, when did the shipping say they would bring over my package?"
"At about 12:30PM, sir," the receptionist, apparently Edith, responded.
"Good. Now then, miss Yana," Richard politely took Yana by the hand, directing her to the back door, "would you please step this way with me?"
"O-of course, s-sir," she answered hesitantly.
"Treat her good, doc. Don't mess her brain up _too _much, alright?" Jen quipped, letting loose of Yana and tapping her on the elbow, giving her a wink. This only made the already-nervous komodo turn a shade of dark crimson across her face. The sly foxess giggled to herself, sitting down to read at the magazines in the corner. "Ooh, Reader's Digest."
"Alright, Yana, I've been going over the notes on our last session," Dr. Erwin stated, tapping at his clipboard with a pen, "and have tweaked the treatment slightly." He ushered Yana over to the patient chair. "Kindly take a seat."
Yana nodded. "Of course."
She was still skeptic, in a way; she's obviously still willing to go ahead with the therapy, and hopefully have the courage she needed to face her audience head-on at the presentation. But she was unsure of her doctor; Jen said she trusted him, and she trusted Jen, so shouldn't she feel at ease? No, Yana was letting her silly cousin get to her; he was being paranoid, and so was she.
"Yana? Are you certain you wouldn't be more comfortable postponing the session for today?" Dr. Erwin asked.
She blurted out: "No! I mean...I'm just fine. Please, let's get started." Yana wore a half-confident smile.
The doctor, reluctantly, nodded. "...very well then.."
All but similarly did the procedure go, the doctor taking his rose-hued glasses off to the endless, golden abyss of his eyes, which laxed Yana into a deep state of contentment. Those same, familiar words pierced her mind, prying it open like a crowbar.
"You have nothing to fear, Yana. No need for worry, doubt, or guilt. Simply follow my words, as I speak them, and understand that every word I say is immediately recognized as truth. Let my words become your thoughts as you relax deeper...deeper for me..."
It was instinctive, and far more accepting than before. Slowly, her brain fell into a subconscious haze, everything feeling so blurry and unfocused, save for the doctor's words, echoing through her being. The words overpowered her thoughts...no, they were her thoughts...they seemed too natural, so perfectly belonged on her head. The room around her swirled in a mix of blending colors, reds bleeding into blues, yellows into whites, it all felt like the world around her was melting...all except for the doctor, taking his eyes closer to her, as she felt her entirety become lost in the radiant, yellow glow.
"Now let us see if you're paying attention. Nod."
Yana followed the command, doing exactly that.
The doctor smiled. "Good girl. Now, listen closely..." Yana stared blankly, with rapt attention, as the basilisk spoke. "When you came here, there was a young, confident woman, in need of a certain push. She was deep down, yearning for her chance to flow free. You may not know it, dear Yana, but you were never in need of help at all. Even before, you were strong-willed, independent, and more than a match for any desk jockey in your workplace."
This didn't sound right to Yana; but, why would she lie to herself? After all, these are her thoughts...
"You know, deep down, that this is true: you are confident, you are ready for your presentation, you are not willing to back down from this. You can stand amongst your coworkers, proud of yourself, knowing that as you speak, they will listen. You command attention with your voice. You have nothing to fear, not even fear itself..."
These words would continue, imprinting into Yana's mind, sticking with her. Without a doubt, this had to be true! She could ace that meeting, no problem! She could-
A snap of the fingers rang out, sending Yana's mind crashing back to reality. She awoke with a flutter of the eyelids, the komodo feeling so very refreshed. The doctor sat opposite of her, his rose-tinted glasses adorned, "So then, how do you feel?"
"Hmm?" Yana motioned in curiosity. "I feel great, thank you. But, I really don't feel any different, though..."
"That so, hmm?" Richard Erwin slowly stood up, smiling. "What are your thoughts on your presentation, by the way?"
The komodo laughed. "What, that? Why would I be worried about-" she stopped herself, grinning like a dope, and ran over to hug the doctor. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Ahahah, steady now, Yana!" The basilisk barely was able to say as Yana jostled him around in her arms. "I'm only doing my job, after all."
Yana blushed, embarrassed, and put Erwin back down. "Sorry about that. I'm just so excited!"
"As I would be too." He grabbed his clipboard, giving it to Yana. "Pen?"
"Oh, sure!" She took the blue in pen from him, and jotted the essentials. "There you are."
"You really must tell me how it works out, I would love to know." The doctor took his clipboard back, setting it to his side.
Yana hurriedly rushed for the door, waving. "I absolutely will, thank you so much!"
"Anytime, Yana; I'm here to help." He could hear the young woman cheering outside with her friend, Jen, as he jotted down his notes for today:
Subject finally receptive to trance. Her real treatment will begin soon...