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| The Sanity Clause; Guido vs Doc Samson | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 13 2009, 02:21 AM (381 Views) | |
| Strong Guy | Aug 13 2009, 02:21 AM Post #1 |
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Date: August 11 Time: 3 PM Mandatory schmandatory. Guido wasn’t exactly sure why there was this mandatory sit in with a screwball shrink, but he didn’t really dig it too much. Actually, he wasn’t sure if he’d heard the word ‘mandatory’ per se, but it did seem that he was being pressured for his couch time with Sigmund. Man, if this guy starts spoutin’ off about how I wanna get it on with my mom I’m gonna pop him one. By Guido’s estimation, he was one of the most balanced individuals out there. He never cut on himself, didn’t abuse prescription narcotics, didn’t watch Desperate Housewives (much), and definitely didn’t zip around the city in long johns busting a cap in reality talent show judges heads or blowing up midget rappers. Yup, he’s gonna think my cheese slid off the cracker for sure… Feeling a little unsure, Guido stopped outside the door and almost turned around and left without entering. He put his hand up, retracted it, put it back up, pulled it back again, reached up and made a fist. Shave and a haircut…two bits. Without waiting for permission, he burst through the door. Inside he saw an unfamiliar face. Not a bad build, but compared to Guido most looked half a man at best. The thing that threw him off was the green hair. Thinking of Lorna, he wondered briefly if it was a relative. “Eh, what’s up, doc?” Spotting the couch, Guido took in a deep breath and made his way over to it, avoiding any real eye contact at all costs. He lay back and folded his hands on his chest, staring at the ceiling. Half a second later the couch legs gave way and it fell heavily and loudly to the floor. Guido seemed not to notice. “It all started when I was born,” he began in a far away and reflective tone of voice. |
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| Doc Samson | Aug 13 2009, 09:30 AM Post #2 |
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The reception he had had here was not what he expected to be completely honest. Samson had worked with teams before and the dynamic here was far different than most. There was no true structure or hierarchy, though, no ranking order. Havok was the team leader because he founded the group solely, and because the other members of the team seemed to work to maintain him in that position. The second in command, Jon, seemed to have been promoted to that rank because of training that was actually given to a previous version of himself. The co--founders of this group were an impatient and bad tempered gypsy and his scattered and loosely hinged twin sister. The team was filled with misfits and odd balls, and frankly Samson wondered how they managed to do as well as they did... ... until he realized that that was the exact reason they did so well. Mutants, by their very nature, were odd balls, genetic anomalies, most of whom had allowed their mutation to dictate their personalities as well. That was a common syndrome in the powered community, but with mutants it was almost a rule. Perhaps there was a theory to be developed along that route. Hmmm, already a hypothesis was forming about the obviousness of a man named Doom becoming a dictator, there had to be related lines of thought. Shave and a hair cut sounded on the door, and Guido Carosella, the one member of this team who could never hide his mutant nature, entered, promptly breaking the couch before starting in on his story. Samson sat back in his chair, and said, encouragingly, "Go on." |
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| Strong Guy | Aug 13 2009, 02:30 PM Post #3 |
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Heaving a heavy sigh, Guido had to admit he was a little disappointed. Wasn't this guy a trained professional or something? Here he was pouring his heart out and all the guy could say was 'go on'? Rolling his eyes sideways he took a gander at the dude from behind his thick tinted goggles. Was that a notepad? He was probably just making a grocery list. Yeah, that's it. Bananas, crackers, nuts. Talk about your Freudian slip. But the dude wasn't going to say anything more. He just sat there completely immobile, staring at Guido expectantly. The only sound that filled the room was the ticking of the clock on the wall. Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick... "Well, I don't really remember much about tha birth part," he admitted for lack of something more profound to say. Tick tick tick tick tick... Guido stared up at the ceiling again. Was he doing it right? Was he supposed to start talking about his deepest darkest secrets or something? Guido wasn't really sure what they even were. He was pretty much an open book. The kind with lots of pictures. At last he sat up, his knees up to his chest because the couch was on ground level now. "Well, that was good," he said. "Thanks doc." Was he still awake? |
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| Doc Samson | Aug 13 2009, 08:02 PM Post #4 |
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Guido sat up and seemed to consider the session over and Samson glanced at the clock on the wall. "We still have some time left." He lifted one enormous hand and said, "I can't wear a watch anymore. The bands don't come in my size anymore. Quite annoying, actually, you'd think with the rise of superpowered beings the world would adapt quicker to accommodate our unique physiologies," he lowered his arm and smiled, "I imagine I'm preaching to the choir though, aren't I? It's difficult to be an extra-ordinarily large individual, isn't it. You seem to cope well, though." He leaned back and said, "How does it feel, Guido, to be the muscle around here? I imagine there's plenty of times when it can get in the way, but likely many times when it's quite the benefit. Do your team mates treat you with proper respect? Or are you dismissed as all brawn?" Looking at the ruins of the couch, Samson allowed his mouth to quirk up at the corner, "I'd think they'd be more cautious of your special physical needs, and reinforce the legs of the sofa, but maybe I'm just projecting my own experiences with negligence on the part of those I work for on your bossman, as I've been told your team mates like to call Summers. Do you call him that? 'Bossman?' Do you consider him a good leader?" |
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| Strong Guy | Aug 15 2009, 02:40 AM Post #5 |
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Guido studied his own wrist while the doc started talking. "Yeah," he said in a faraway voice. "Can't remember tha last time I wore a watch." He had thought offhandedly of bringing back that old fashion faux pas from the eighties where you wear a really big clock around your neck with some gold chains. Just for kicks. "But my cell phone tells tha time," he said happily as he showed off his iPhone. "And unlimited texting if my fingers weren't tha size of polish sausages." He thought a second on the next question. How did it feel to be the muscle around here? He shrugged his massive shoulders. "I dunno. I can...open pickle jars and stuff. Chicks dig that." Do they treat me with respect? Guido had to honestly and truly think about that one for a couple seconds longer. "I think so," he said at length. He nodded. "Yeah, they do. They're good people. Even Pietro," he said quietly behind his hand. The couch ground against the floor as he shifted his weight and took a look at it. What the doc said actually made a little sense. Seems like they would have at least kinda reinforced some of the stuff around here by now. Guido didn't quite know what to make of that. "You ever tried to get in one of those little hybrid smart car jobbers?" He asked with a smirk. Last time I tried I popped out tha back window with my hiney." Funny thing. Some of his teammates no longer asked him if he wanted to go for a ride with them after that one. Guido's smile fell just a little. "Alex? He's okay. I think I embarrass him." |
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| Doc Samson | Aug 15 2009, 06:11 AM Post #6 |
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"Even Pietro," Samson smiled, "I haven't met with him yet, but I'm looking forward to it... I think. He's going to be a tough nut to crack." He chuckled, "His sisters' are lookers though, aren't they? In fact, none of X-Factor's girls are hard on the eyes, are they? Must be nice. I'm surrounded all day by soldiers and Hodge... believe me, Hodge in spandex? Not an appealing prospect." Guido shared the funny story about trying to fit in a hybrid and Samson last. "Right after my gamma accident, I tried to open a stuck drawer in the kitchen and ended up embedding half the counter in the far wall. And, that wasn't even rampaging. Don't make me angry, Mr. Carosella, you wouldn't... well, you know the rest," he winked, cheerfully. But then Guido seemed to get a little glum when pondering Samson's question about his leader, and he admitted he felt Alex was embarrassed about him. "How so? I mean, you're strong, you're capable, you're well liked, what makes you think Havok is embarrassed about you? Does it upset you to think that he might?" Samson looked around the office, at all of Alex's things and said, "There's a lot of pictures in here, his family, his friends. I see you in quite a few, you, and Jamie, and Jon, your whole team. You seem like a family. Where does that put you? Are you the black sheep then? Or are you an equal member of this team?" |
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| Strong Guy | Aug 16 2009, 11:17 AM Post #7 |
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Guido chuckled softly at the thought of Hodge in spandex. All in all the spandex and tight fitting stuff was a good trade off. Most of the chicks he knew in the superhero business were in pretty good shape, and the spandex broadcast that information fairly well. The trade off came the fact that the guys wore the stuff too, and broadcasting some of that information was a little more than he signed up for. "Gamma?" Guido was suddenly very interested. "Like tha Hulk? You know, fightin' tha Hulk wouldn't be so bad, except every time I take in that much energy..." He clutched at his heart. "It's a little rough on the old ticker." Doc Samson was proving to be all right in Guido's book. He started probing into Guido's offhand comment about Havok being embarrassed by him. It was uncomfortable, but as far as probing went it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as say anal probing. "Yeah, I get tha feelin' I'm liked well enough," he said with a slight grin. "And I don't think it's nothin' to do with how I look or anything. Just..." He scrubbed a hand across his mouth. "Sometimes I think some of tha stuff I say might embarrass him." Guido shrugged. "As far as that goes, I guess I can't blame him. Ever since I was a kid I've been a bit of a cut up." Glancing over at the pictures, Guido squinted his eyes as he looked at some of him. He wasn't in as many as some of the people on the team, mainly for the fact that he was one of the newest members on the team. "This is my family," he said with some pretty heavy emotion laced in his voice, looking back at the doc. "And I ain't never seen a family where there wasn't some kinda strain and drama between everyone. I don't feel like a black sheep," he said as he actually thought it over. "I feel tha love." But that brought up a whole other area for him. "Sometimes I miss Lila, though," he said. He knew there would be more probing, but something about the doc seemed to draw the stuff out of him that he never talked about to anyone. "Cheney? She, well, we...sometimes we were...and now nothing...you know?" He wasn't getting any. |
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| Doc Samson | Aug 16 2009, 10:16 PM Post #8 |
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"I see," Samson said, "It's your personality... your gregariousness that you think might cause Havok some embarrassment, but you see no need to rein yourself in? One might think that if your words were a source of discomfort, you might try to monitor them more carefully. What is it that makes you reject that, do you think? Is it a need to stand out, like it is for Jamie, a 'bad attention is better than no attention' situation, or could it be a shock value thing, like Jon uses his humor, to keep people off guard so they don't have time to remember what he once was. These are very common defense mechanisms, and they are very valid, but perhaps, the mark of maturity is to know when to drop the defense. Something to think about." Guido's thoughts were on something else though clearly, as he mentioned Lila Cheney. His... well, relationship was not really the right word, though Samson couldn't think of a better one, with Miss Cheney was mentioned in his SHIELD file. Samson smiled, "A more common problem in the superhero community than you might think, Guido. One might think that the good guys get all the chicks, but the fact is it's a rather difficult situation for a power to have a steady relationship with a non-power, especially if secret identities are involved because a relationship with a foundation of lies is simply no relationship at all. But conversely, when two superpowers meet and begin a courtship, the ego clashes can often be cataclysmic. The one steady marriage I have seen in our community is Reed and Sue Richards of the Fantastic Four, and that's based on a love that developed before their powers did. I myself... well, let's just say, there's been far more nights spent only in the arms of theories and hypotheses." Looking over at the man on the broken couch, he said, "Your situation is unique in many ways, because your powers are not hidden, not easily at any rate, and one would assume Lila knew of them. So, why has it been so long? Is it because of your job here at X-Factor which, to take your words, is 'hard on the ticker' in several ways?" |
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| Strong Guy | Aug 19 2009, 04:44 AM Post #9 |
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Guido leveled a look at the doc. "Look at me," he said flatly. "You really think I got some kinda need to say somethin' that might make me 'stand out'? When he was standing he was easily several feet taller than the average bear...and probably twice as thick if not more. That fact combined with the other truth that his legs looked like they hadn't quite caught up with the rest of him made Guido stand out everywhere he went. Shaking his head, he pursed his lips. "Nah, I don't know why some of that stuff comes outta my mouth. Pretty much always been tha class clown, even way back when I was tha half pint nerdy kid that other kids picked on." He wondered if maybe the doc was right though. Maybe all it boiled down to was some kind of elaborate defense mechanism. Maybe the only reason he cracked jokes all the time was because he was afraid of being serious or some crap like that. Try as he might, Guido couldn't quite buy into that one. "You ever think that maybe sometimes stuff's just funnier when you say it out loud?" Who didn't like to laugh anyway? After Guido confided in so many words that he wasn't exactly getting any female attention (wink wink nudge nudge, know what I mean), doc tried to make him feel better by pretty much telling him to 'join the club'. The picture he painted was pretty bleak. Unless you were Reed Richards, that is. Maybe it took a genius to figure out how to make it work when you had super powers. Maybe he should just stick to Girls Gone Wild. The conversation drifted to Lila, and in the typical psychologist kind of way the doc started prying into why he might have left her in the first place. Guido sighed, resigning himself to go ahead and get this one over with. "Well," he said, drawing out the word very slowly, "Lila kinda likes things to be...her way. You know, rock star? She sometimes didn't like things that I mighta said, or did or something..." He got very uncomfortable all of the sudden and opted for vague. "...and when that happened she tended to teleport me somewhere...without my clothes." The last part he said very quietly. |
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| Doc Samson | Aug 20 2009, 02:36 AM Post #10 |
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"Look at me," he said flatly. "You really think I got some kinda need to say somethin' that might make me 'stand out'? "Actually, Guido, I do," Samson returned, a serious look on his face, but a smile in his eyes. "I believe you speak your mind because you realize that all eyes are on you, that everyone is going to look at you and see your size, your strength. You're an imposing figure and one who might be frightening if you didn't speak, if you didn't open your mouth and say something humorous, something non-threatening. Better a buffoon than a bully because who doesn't love the clown?" He tapped his fingertips together and then spread his hands, "I could be wrong though. I have been known to be now and again." His description of his interaction with Lila amused Samson, though he tried to hide the smile that wanted to crack across his face. "Sounds like she was a handful. Of course, she's a celebrity, and you know they aren't quite like the rest of us. Watch TMZ or read People someday, and you'll be glad you just have Magneto to worry about. I've had a few celebrities as patients, and believe me, I would rather interview mutant super powers any day of the week." Remaining in an open posture, Samson leaned forward enough to convey interest, and said, "How does being a superhero compare to being the right hand man to a rock star? Do you feel that what you're doing is important or do you think it's a burden?" |
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| Strong Guy | Aug 20 2009, 03:48 PM Post #11 |
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Actually, the doc hit the nail right on the head. Very disconcerting. Guido didn’t know whether his ensuing headache was because of all of this deep delving into the psyche of Guido Carosella, or if it was because he was the nail that was getting hit on the head. “Those kids from that Stephen King book didn’t like a clown very much.” Ever since that, and the movie that followed, clownophobia was definitely on the upswing. He didn’t say it out loud, but the doc was right on the money. People usually looked at him with that fearful kind of look in their eye when he came lumbering into view. To top it off, he usually had this sort of demeanor about him that almost looked angry. He knew he did it. The first thing he'd do is make some kind of cracks to try and lighten the mood. For the most part it worked, but Guido didn't like it when people would continue to look at him like he was seconds away from pancaking them. But the doc was already switching gears. "Damn skippy it's important," Guido said without hesitation. "It's kinda tha same job," he said reflectively. "With Lila I just had to guard one body. (And what a body it was)" he said under his breath. "With X-Factor it's more like bein' a bodyguard for any and everyone." But was it a burden? "Not really," he said. He squinted his eyes. "Any job's got it's times when you'd rather be doin' somethin' else, but the pay is good, the reason is good, the women are good and the food is aight." Then Guido looked at him. "What about you, doc? You ever feel like it's a burden?" |
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| Doc Samson | Aug 21 2009, 12:34 AM Post #12 |
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“Those kids from that Stephen King book didn’t like a clown very much.” Guido pointed out and Samson laughed, a good laugh. "I stand corrected, Guido, everyone loves a clown unless it's a Stephen King fan. Did you read Cell? Scarred me for life. Every time I am in public and I see someone with a cell phone my first thought is 'if he goes insane, can I take him?' Luckily, at this point in my life, I'm relieved to think I probably can." Samson smiled. Guido was already answering about his job though, already saying basically that he was acting as a body guard to the world and Samson nodded, as the question was shot back at him. "I do find it a burden, Guido, but one that I take willingly. The world is a hard place for humans, or mutants, or those of us stuck in between. If we can help, I think it is our place to do so, but then, I have no doubt I am preaching to the choir here." He looked at Guido, seriously and said, "Do you know why I work with SHIELD? It's not for any love of government policy, believe me. It's because I believe this is the best way that we're going to get this peace. If we understand each other better as a people, then our respective races mean nothing. We're all just citizens of this planet and if we don't get together, we're going to destroy the world. I'm not willing to die in a war because it scares me that someone can lift a car over their head." He stood up, and offered his hand to Guido, "I think that's good today, but if you want to talk to me more, I am more than available to make this a regular thing. For the record, though, Guido, I think you're neither embarrassing nor frightening. I think you're a passionate, good man, and both Lila and X-Factor are very lucky to have had you on their side." |
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| Strong Guy | Aug 21 2009, 01:31 AM Post #13 |
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"I used to be quite a bookworm," Guido confessed to the doc. "Never read Cell, but you know what? I think it's time to dust off an old hobby." He was pretty sure he could find it at a local Buns and Noballs. It'd been awhile since he'd stepped foot in there for anything more serious than the compilation graphic novel of The Tick, but he was sure he'd muddle through somehow. Guido listened respectfully while the doc recounted why it was that he worked for the government. It seemed more or less to be in line with what Guido'd just said. To tell the truth, before today he hadn't seriously given any thought to doing any government work. Now? "I thought it was for the snazzy suits, the dark sunglasses and the memory eraser thingajigs," Guido joked. Now he might just be willing. And at the end he was standing up and brushing himself off. It was a long haul from the vantage of the broken couch near the floor, but Guido managed to heft his girth up and even shake hands with the doc warmly. He wasn't really sure about this whole thing when he was going in, but it really had felt pretty good to talk it all out after all. "Nice ta meetcha, doc," Guido said. He grinned. "And for tha record, I'd love ta see you heftin' a car over your head someday." With a pat to the doc's back, Guido made his way out the door. |
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| Doc Samson | Aug 21 2009, 03:16 AM Post #14 |
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"Nice ta meetcha, doc," Guido said. He grinned. "And for tha record, I'd love ta see you heftin' a car over your head someday." "Maybe some day I'll show you my mad skills," Samson chuckled, flexing a muscle in a joking boast. "Very nice to meet you too, Guido, very nice indeed." The larger man slapped him on the back, and had he been any smaller, he would have been through the far wall. Guido left and Samson went over to the couch, lifting it up above his head with one hand. He screwed the four legs carefully back into their sockets, having been the one who loosened them in anticipation of this meeting. He set the couch carefully down, giving it a slight shake to make sure everything was as it should be. Samson smiled to himself. He was a therapist who worked with the some of the most damaged and secretive people on the face of the planet. He understood that some had special needs and he was not above using whatever tactics he could to do whatever it was he could to get them to talk. He turned back to the desk, jotting a few notes down about Guido "Strong Guy" Carosella, before tucking his notebook into his pocket and readying himself for his next appointment. All in all, it was a very good session. |
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