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The head shrinker; Doc Samson
Topic Started: Aug 23 2009, 01:03 AM (369 Views)
Alexander Legard
Unregistered


August 12th
Afternoon



Only crazy people see psychologists. Alex, being the enlightened young man that he was, knew that wasn't true, but that's all he could really think about as he lounged on the couch in his shared living space, waiting for the good doctor to arrive. Now, if SHIELD had decided to do a psych profile on say, the Maximoffs and Lorna, he could understand that. SHIELD would naturally be a little curious about the whole loyalty situation, getting an expert to get a look inside their head only made sense. Wasn't right, but it made sense. Doing a mental checkup on the whole team was just insulting.

What sort of vigilante club did the government think that Alex was running here? Sure, they weren't technically professionals, but that didn't mean that Summers was just grabbing any bum with the X-gene up off the street and giving them some silly codename and a license to dispense some citizen's justice. Alexander and his co-workers were picked because they had what it took to deal with and protect the people of mutant town. Now, those weren't exactly very high standards, but they were standards none the less. If SHIELD wasn't going to take the mental competence of the boss man's team on faith, then Legard didn't really see a very trusting relationship developing between the mutant vigilantes and SHIELD.

That's not to say that Legard expected that there would be some sort of mutual respect or understanding involved in SHIELD's takeover of X-factor. Why would there be? Alexander wasn't going going to go blow up any police stations Kentucky bomber style, but he wasn't naive. Or at least he didn't think he was. He knew how people with guns and badges were, whether those badges said 'police' or 'SHIELD' it didn't matter. Power corrupts and all that. And power was something that SHIELD had in aces, just look at their giant floating headquarters and the shock troopers who were always on the news. They were practically a corporation. A big, greedy, all consuming, power hungry corporation.

You could say Legard has some issues with SHIELD. Maybe that's what he'd talk with Doc Samson about. Or maybe not. Truth be told, the aerokinetic was sweating what he was going to talk with this Samson character about. He had to play his cards pretty close to his chest. If he could steer the conversation away from SHIELD he'd be aces, but that seemed highly unlikely. If Alex made some offhand remark about SHIELD, which, face it, he was bound to do, the shrink would probably want to trace that problem back to the root, because that's what they did, wasn't it? The root was where the real heart of the problem lay. He didn't have much against SHIELD, other than the militaristic authoritarian way they operated. What he really didn't like was SHIELD joining hand in hand with Mutant Town's favorite protectors, because then registration was just a few steps away. And that came with its own problems for Alexander Legard.

His whole ill-conceived avoidance strategy was the reason he had chosen to situate this little rendezvous in his semi-personal living space. It was private enough for Doc Samson to be able to actually conduct his 'examination', but there was always a chance that his 'roommate' Alix might show up, so it wasn't like they were actually in private. Which hopefully meant that SHIELD's psychologist wouldn't pry to deep, since they weren't exactly by their lonesome. Legard had this all planned out, at least this far, what happened next was really up to the good Doctor.
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Doc Samson
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Legard, Alexander, an anomaly in the mutant community. A mutant from a mutant family. The Legards worked in diplomatic avenues and so might have been able to get most of their records expunged... But Samson worked with SHIELD. He could get whatever information if he wanted if he used it properly. But, while he wasn't planning on discussing the other members of his family, he was interested to see if being raised in that sort of environment gave the young man a different outlook on life than those who had grown up in an less supportive environment. Legard was also the youngest of the X-Factors... X-Factorites... Hmm, double check on what they called themselves... at any rate, the young man was definitely going to be an interesting interview. His choice of venue was also meaningful, let's see what that meaning was, shall we?

Samson knocked on the door, because, as the appointment was set up in a private living area, he was not at liberty to just walk in. Perhaps that was the point. Alexander would have the home court advantage and Samson would have to play by his rules. It was a very common tactic though, and the green haired adonis that had once been a 98 pound weakly, was more than a pretty face. Unlike the Hulk who had supplied the means of his transformation, Samson had not lost his intellect when he gained his strength.

He knocked again.
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Alexander Legard
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At the time, Alex had thought it a rather fortuitous move to schedule his 'appointment' with Dr.Samson when he had. The ideal time slot really, not right in the beginning so he wouldn't know what to expect, but not at the end when Samson would have more time for each individual 'patient'. Alex had been very proud of himself at the time. But that pride turned to nervousness once the interviews actually started in full swing. Turns out, Alex was more of the 'rip the band-aid off quick' kind of guy, and just the waiting and knowing of what was to come was killing him.

It wasn't his fault really. He just couldn't help himself not get worked up about the looming interview. He knew, deep down knew, that it wasn't really going to be anything memorable. This SHIELD schmuck didn't really have a real reason to care about the team's mental well being or history, besides whether they'd go postal while SHIELD was responsible for them. Besides, from what he'd observed so far the rest of his team had faired their meetings pretty well. Why would he be the exception?

Maybe because he had more to hide? Possibly. X-factor was a pretty motley bunch of misfits, but at least most of them were open about their troubles. Everyone knew Jet had an evil sister and had been kidnapped a bit a go. Julio used to be a mercenary. Alix never spoke, and Legard always assumed that it was some sort of neurosis made manifest, he'd never heard of someone born mute. Christ, even the Maximoffs and Lorna were out in the open about their parentage. What more did any of them have to tell some shrink that they hadn't made known to the rest of the team, and sometimes to the world at large?

Alexander, on the other hand, only really had one secret that didn't matter to anybody but him and the government, and he erred on the side of not telling people. Did that even him out with his teammates stress wise? That he didn't really have some sort of horror story childhood, but that he had to keep certain information very quiet if he didn't want his family to fall apart, financial at least? It'd be really nice if he could talk about this whole situation with somebody. Like a psychiatrist maybe. Speaking of the devil.

With a little applied will the little pockets of air in the door's lock expanded and contracted as Alex wanted, popping open the door for the good doctor. A light breeze opened it all the way. "Come in" the aerokinetic said from his seat, lounged across the room's couch. "Have a seat anywhere."


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Doc Samson
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The display of power was unusual. Most of the others had shown no sign of their mutations outside of general appearance or a periodic flash in anger. For Alex to blatantly demonstrate his abilities was interesting to note. Was it because of his confidence with his powers having been brought up in a mutant household, or was it, like Jon Harper, a need for shock value? 'I demand you accept me,' so to speak.

Samson entered, a man large enough that he had to slightly turn to enter, the old building that had been converted into a superhero headquarters having the thin door openings common in older buildings. He ducked his head slightly and looked around the meager room. The living quarters weren't the ritz, around here, definitely not, but they weren't the ghetto either. Fitting for this slightly offbeat team.

Legard lounged on a couch, casually, practiced repose, and generously offered a seat anywhere. Of course, that left a rather small chair or the bed for Samson, neither of which put him in a power position. Clever clever boy. Samson chose the chair and smiled as if it was his own choice, "Hello, Mr. Legard, thank you for seeing me. Before we begin, I want you to know that nothing you say will be reported to SHIELD. This is a preliminary and standard assessment to see how we can more easily make this adjustment so that the sponsorship of your organization will go smoothly. That being said, I will be making a report to Director Hodge and recommending further sessions if I feel warranted, and I have been doing this job for possibly as long as you've been alive. I'm very good at what I do, and I've done it very good for a whole lot of the superhuman community."

He clapped his hands on his knees and said, "So, disclaimers all out of the way, is there anything you like to begin with? How you feel about SHIELD's involvement with your team? Your relationship with your team mates? What about Alex? How comfortable to you feel allowing him to take a position of leadership so soon after being instrumental in nearly destroying the world?"
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Alexander Legard
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In all honesty, Samson was a pretty intimidating guy once he got up close. Legard had of course spotted him around the headquarters these past few days, the SHIELD shrink had kept himself plenty busy. Sure, even from a distance and without sizing up the guy you could tell he was pretty big, and the hair was a bit of a surprise, but whenever Alex caught the doc in the corner of his eye between sessions he didn't really give off that dangerous vibe. Having him one on one however, was a horse of a different color. That color being green, of course.

Samson took his seat graciously and didn't waste time with any pleasantries, going straight into the speal. Legard could barely contain a rather impolite snort of suspicion as the doctor assured him that he wouldn't repeat anything back to SHIELD. Just because Alexander was the youngest person on the team didn't mean he was naive enough to believe that Samson would do anything of the sort. Of course he'd report back to SHIELD, that was pretty much SHIELD's deal. Gather information on 'superhuman' threats and asses ways to deal with them, that was straight out of their play book. Well, Legard assumed it was. He had never actually had all that much to do with SHIELD, but still, he read the blogs, he had seen the sentinels. Those didn't really send the message that SHIELD was a trusting friend to the mutant community. So Alex took Samson's reassurance with a grain of salt and a raised eyebrow.

Despite all of the green haired doctor's assurances, Alex still didn't feel anymore comfortable around the guy, and he didn't see himself really opening up to him, that was for sure. The word 'superhuman' raised a little twitch of Legard's mouth. It was funny, he'd never once before thought of himself as a member of the superhuman community. He didn't even really know there was one these days, and that alone pretty much proved how outside of it he was. But he guessed he was what people would call 'superhuman' and he did sometimes do heroic things. Was that all he had to do to qualify? That's dumb.

"We can talk about whatever we need to so you can be sure I'm not going to cause any problems during the transition and you can give me the all clear, doc. You mind if I just hit up those points you laid down?" He made sure that was alright before proceeding. "To be honest with you I don't like how SHIELD operates, and I certainly don't like that they're going to be calling the shots around here for the foreseeable future. I mean, I think I understand why Summers had to buy into this whole sponsorship situation, but that doesn't mean I like it. But I guess his hands are tied. And you can't really blame Alex for what he did. I don't know what you were doing while Apocalypse was happening, but I was right here, I saw what he was doing, what he was doing to people that I knew. He killed a woman in my arms man, he just murdered her. So don't think I'm being soft on the guy when I say this, but I really don't blame him. Do I think he should be in charge so soon? Maybe not. But he couldn't just be another one of the team, he's been our leader for too long. If him and Jon could, like, joint lead, that'd be ideal I guess. But who knows if that'd work. That answer your questions?"
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Doc Samson
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"You're the first one of this team to mention any of Havok's acts as War," Samson revealed to the young mutant, "The first one to actually show some response other than blind forgiveness. A lot of firsts for you, Mr, Legard, to be honest. Very interesting indeed."

Samson folded his hands around his crossed knees, "You were raised in a mutant household. Have you any idea of the rarity of that? There are few known instances of mutations running in families for more than one generation. Magneto and his children are a notable exception, of course, and there is a family from Kentucky with several x-factor positive children, but other than that, most of our knowledge of hereditary mutantism comes from the study of twins, which have a higher incident of evolving into homo sapiens superior, than any other category in our admittedly developing census. I understand the sensitive nature of your parents' identities so I'm not going to speak of that, but I'm curious. How did your upbringing affect your development as a young mutant. So many others, including most of this team, suffered great losses and tragedies on their way to becoming to the people they wish to be. This team was formed as way for redemption, but I see nothing in your history that you need to be redeemed from."

Looking carefully at the boy, Samson said, "What brought you to X-Factor, Alexander Legard? Why did you leave Xavier's school for this organization? Where's the appeal in this ramshackle operation as opposed to the better equipped and run X-Men?"
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Alexander Legard
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"Wow really? That seems...hard to believe." Normally when ever Alexander said something was hard to believe it was just a figure of speech, he didn't really not believe it. Except for this time. It wasn't that he assumed Samson was saying nothing but lies and poisonous words, but it just seemed very far fetched that none of his teammates had brought up the fact that their current leader had, just months ago, played host to a horrible mass murdering nanobotic entity of death. Wasn't that the sort of thing you were supposed to talk with your therapist about? "I mean, we all know it's not his fault yadda yadda yadda, but comon. I know a lot of those guys weren't around to witness what he was doing first hand, but enough of us were. I understand forgiving, but I don't think we should ever forget. But I don't really know I guess, that's just me."

The next point of interest stopped Legard's heart cold for a beat and sent a chill down his spine. It was how casually Samson had brought it up, that was the the worst. One of his greatest fears, just tossed out in conversation like it was nothing. They knew. He knew at least, which meant they all knew, all the ones that mattered anyways. Oh god, how long have they known? If SHIELD had known the whole time, then it wouldn't be so bad. But if Alex had put his family in the spotlight, if he had put them at risk somehow. Well, that would be the worst case scenario. How was he supposed to live with guilt like that? But he was jumping to ahead, panicking. He would talk to Samson about this, but at the end of the session, not right now, he didn't want to be responsible for turning the conversation completly about his parents. He'd just keep talking for now.

While all this inner turmoil was ravaging inside Alexander, the only outward sign of his strife were a few sharp breathes after Samson had casually mentioned what SHIELD knew about his parents. Of course, those weren't the only signs, and a skilled psychoanalyst like Dr.Samson would probably pick up on any of a dozen, but the aerokinetic was satisfied with how well he had controlled himself. He just needed to keep it up. "Uh, I really couldn't tell you how being raised by mutants affected me. I don't really know what I'd be like if my parents weren't X-factor positive. I guess it'd depend on how tolerant they were I guess. I mean, if they were bigots and kicked me out of the house at 14, I'd be a pretty different person than I am today. Uh, one difference I guess I've noticed is that I'm not so much 'us vrs. them' you know. I've always kind of been taken aback by the whole 'homo superior' branding. And mutants wonder why regular people feel threatened. See, there's even that. Calling them regular people. We're just as regular as they are. A lot of other mutants, not that I'm calling them bigots or anything, a lot of other mutants don't really see it like that. I guess because they don't see themselves as normal, while this is the only normal I've ever known. Sorry if I sort of rambled there." But there was no rest for Legard, because another question was asked in lightning succession. This Samson character was really milking the time they had for all that it was worth.

"Hmm, I guess I left Xavier's because that's not what I wanted to be doing with my life. After spending a few years really emerged in the mutant community, I couldn't stand just leaving it, but I didn't want to end up being one of the X-men. I don't know, I guess they just didn't seem to be really living up to what I wanted them to be. I mean, what did they really accomplish? Sure, they fought Magneto a bunch I guess, but what about the other 11 months of the year? What about putting out fires and rescuing people, things that they could do with their mutations. That's why I joined X-factor. Because they actually seem to give a damn about the problems in the world that don't involve men with stupid helmets.
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Doc Samson
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"For the record, Legard, I agree with you," Samson said, calmly, "About the forgetting and forgiving. They are two different things, and it is strange how often that is confused. I think, perhaps, your team is so hyper aware of the possibility of something like this happening to any one of us, that they automatically forgive and try to forget. Like I said, your experience is quite different from most of theirs. It might be the reason why you can see things in a more objective manner."

The boy did not like the idea of talking about his family though, and there were clear signs of a barely hidden panic emerging. Samson held up one hand, "Mr. Legard, please, your family's genetic status is not of any concern to me, and it's not an important part of this discussion except for how it affected your development and socialization as regarding your own mutantism. You're an anomaly amongst mutantkind, which I am sure thrills you to death," Samson smiled at the young man.

"Your outlook on human/ mutant relations is very progressive, I think, and your involvement in this organization makes a lot more sense when you put it that way. One last question, I think, and then we can probably call this interview at an end." Samson leaned back in his chair, "How do you think SHIELD is going to affect this hands on approach to X-Factor's modus operandi?
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Alexander Legard
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"Well, I mean, that's kind of silly of them. These sort of things really don't happen that often. Just to him. I don't know, I don't get it. It seems like none of them really want to look into it too deeply, I think they just all really look up to the guy, and don't want to believe that he has some sort of flaw. I mean, being a target for mind control isn't really a personality flaw, but I just don't know how that fits into him leading the team." It felt nice to get some of his concerns about Summers of his chest for once. Most X-factorites were so loyal, anything that sounded critical would be interpreted as mutiny. But the doc's insight didn't end there. Saying it aloud and hearing the doctor put it out like that, Alexander guessed he might be right about his upbringing. He had never really thought about why he seemed a bit more open minded about intergenetic relations than most other mutants he ran into. The wonders of psychology.

The good doctor's words weren't exactly reassuring, in fact it was a little upsetting to Alexander that Samson had known what was going through his head so quickly, but it at least put Legard at ease for the moment. He had been preparing lines and lures to get the SHIELD Dr. of the topic of his parentage for a few days now, it was almost nice not having to worry about dodging the issue or trying to psyche out the psyche. Just bam!, and Samson had tossed the issue out into the open and dealt with it in the space of a minute. It was also pretty terrifying, but the aerokinetic was trying not to focus on that right now.

For a government spook who had probably looked deep into the soul's of some of the worlds hardest criminals, this Samson fellow seemed like a pretty nice guy, all things considered. Alexander had never really looked at his views as especially progressive, but really, they were pretty liberal all things considered. No one had ever told him that before, or really talked to him much about it. It was kind of nice really.

But of course, Samson had been holding onto one of the harder questions for last. How was Legard supposed to answer? He didn't think very much would actually change around the place in action word or deed, but there was a lot more to X-factor than what they did. As corney as it sounded, they stood for something. For something that SHIELD didn't. How much would just knowing they were a government run organization change things? He really asked the hard hitting questions for a guy with flowing green hair.

"Really, as much as I'm not down with this whole government takeover, I don't really think much is going to change around here. Physically at least. I think we'll still do all the same old stuff as before, but I think we'll definitely see some changes around the town. Like with how the people interact with us especially. I think a lot of our local support comes from the fact that we aren't the government. I mean, how will people trust us if those Sentinels end up back on the street again? I don't know, it just seems like we'll be sending some mixed signals is all doc."
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Doc Samson
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Samson listened to Legard's concerns about the message that SHIELD was sending and he said, "It could be taken like that, yes. Siding with the enemy, and forgetting the travesties of the Sentinel Program. You might be considered sell outs, and traitors to the people you stand for. Or, this might be a chance to have mutant representatives in the government sector. Since Henry McCoy resigned from his Washington Post, and Charles Xavier disappeared off the face of the planet, there have been no mutants speaking to the public and to the grand high muckety mucks. The X-Men, forgive my speaking against them since they do an awful lot of good for the world in general, are not very forthcoming, and regard the human run politics as suspicious at best. X-Factor might be able to bridge this gap. Don't you think that could be a good thing?"

He spread his hands, "But honestly, I have no real say in any of this, Mr. Legard. I'm not considered a mutant, despite the fact that I have been mutated. I'm still, for all public opinion, a human, just now a highly powered one. I'm something different, and still I am accepted as something natural. Ironic isn't it? You and your people are the truly natural adaptations and yet, it is those of us with unnatural evolutions that are accepted. A shame really."

Offering his hand to Legard, he rose and said, "Hopefully what the world will see is what X-Factor projects, and it won't be the other way around, X-Factor changing their policies to mimic what the world believes you to be. Have a good afternoon, Mr. Legard. If you have further questions or concerns, my door is always open, and as you can see, I have very broad shoulders to bear the weight of your fears." He smiled, and with a nod of his green head, he was gone.
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