[FIC] Definitions of Sanity, part 2 (short finale)

[dd]

Sousuke sat quietly in his chair, politely waiting for Dr. Wakinabe to resume his testing. Kaname kept flicking glances his way, as if she was embarrassed by his condition. His hair and shirt were still damp from her soft drink. His black shoes were scuffed and asphalt marks streaked up and down his trousers. There was a superficial abrasion high on his left cheek.

She wondered just how Sousuke kept getting in so much trouble.

“So, did the two of you enjoy you stroll outside. Did the fresh air relax you?” The psychologist chided himself. This was serious business. He shouldn’t be enjoying himself.

“Invigorating, doctor.” Kaname looked very happy.

“It was nothing unusual, sir.” Dr. Wakinabe’s smile was forced. Nothing unusual? No wonder the principal had been so insistent. I’ll have to keep my eye on the newspaper for mention of Jindai Highschool. Then again, the disasters need not be exclusive to that building, would they. Should I ask them if they were anywhere near the area where those snow-removal tractors caused so much property damage earlier in the year? Or that mysterious explosion at the chemical plant used by those gangsters? No. Let’s not resort to flights of fancy.

“Glad to hear that. Let’s move on to the Rorschach Test, then. First off, have either of you taken the test before, had the results explained to you, or read about it on the internet? If so, that would invalidate the results.”

“No.” Kaname’s look begged a question: Why would I EVER want to learn anything about THAT, and do you think I have ever been in a shrink’s office before?!

“No.” Sousuke was simply being factual.

“Very good. There are only ten real Rorscach inkblots. Attempts are made to keep them secret. There are a lot of fakes going around. As I implied, it is important that your responses be spontaneous. Your reactions may reveal valuable clues about your personality. Some of us view it as a cardinal tool, while others feel that it is hopelessly unreliable. Taken in context with other things I have learned about you Sousuke, I should be able to tell whether your answers carry any significance.” Dr. Wakinabe reached into his cabinet and withdrew an large Manilla envelope.

“Doctor, does the environment matter? Should the subject being in a familiar or common setting when he responds? If so, we may need to take those inkblots with us into the middle of traffic, a gang fight, a smoke-filled gymnasium, or a war zone!” Kaname was only trying to be helpful.

“No, Miss Chidori. I assure you, we’ll be fine here. I’m curious though, what would Sousuke’s usual environment be?”

Kaname was too stunned to answer. She did not find the joke to be funny in the least.

Sousuke’s mouth twitched. He came perilously close to grinning. He suddenly had the urge to salute Dr. Wakinabe.

“Now, I am certain that you may have questions about the process, and about the cards themselves. The things you are supposed to know, I will tell you. The things you are not, I will not. That is standard procedure, not any reflection of my personality. I’ll need to pull up a chair and sit behind and to the sde of you you while you read the cards. I’ll hand you one card at a time. While there are answers that are fairly common, there are not necessarily ‘right’ answers or ‘wrong’ answers. Don’t be afraid of anything that seems too obvious. Just tell me what comes to mind.”

“Is there a correct way to look at the cards, doctor?” Sousuke was a stickler for protocol.

“Yes, you numbskull, with your eyes open!” Kaname laughed, unconcerned that nobody joined in her laughter. “I have to tell him everything. Sheesh.”

“You may hold the cards however you like. It’s up to you.” Without letting Sousuke or Kaname see, the psychologist slipped his shirt sleeve off of a “tickless” watch. He was prepared to take shorthand notes of everything that was said.

Kaname pulled her chair over until it rested against Sousuke’s.

This should be very interesting, Dr. Wakinabe thought. [/i]It’s OK for him to be highly original, as long as he can justify what he sees. There’s nothing wrong with originality, creativity, or unique intelligence. I hope he doesn’t use non sequiturs, or images that don’t fit the blot. I really hope I don’t see any signs of psychoses. And, he should see more than one thing on each card. I’m not anxious to find any signs of neuroses. I need to see how long it takes him, as well.[/i]

“Here, Sousuke. Ink blot A.” Black ink. A roughly triangular shape, point down, suggesting a braod foxlike face with pointed ears.

Sousuke held the card the way it was handed to him. His answer came almost immediately. “A bat. Or, perhaps a butterfly or a moth.”

Good answer, young man. And very quick.

“Doctor, should there be any sexual connotations to these as well?” Sousuke sounded a bit sheepish asking.

“Yes, there may very well be. Do you see any in that blot?”

“Uh. Ah. Yes. The round shapes near the top could be taken for breasts.”

“Please, Sousuke. What would you know about breasts anyway. They are not military issue. They don’t have centerfolds in Jane’s Defense Weekly or Arm Slave Quarterly. You probably haven’t even tumbled to the fact that I have breasts. Two of them. Hmmmmppff! Kaname grabbed the card out of Sousuke’s hand. “Besides, this is not a bat. A bat? It’s a spooky mask, or maybe a jack o’lantern. Butterfly? Maybe I should buy some potpourri for your bad wittle weapons bag.” Her laughter was loud and obnoxious.

That answer is OK. But in some circumstances it might indicate paranoia.

“Oh, you notice the breasts, but you don’t say anything about the woman in the center. Of course, I can see how you could miss that! Pour thing looks like she’s trapped. Probably makes you feel guilty.” Kaname tossed her hair. “Yes, that IS a poor woman trapped by circumstances beyond her control.

Hmmm. The description of the central image is often a projection of the subject’s own self-image. “You mean that looks like a woman, or could be a woman. What it is, is an inkblot, Miss Chidori.”

“I REALIZE that, doctor. I’m not a nutcase, you know. Not like him!” Kaname thumbed her hand in Sousuke’s direction.

“I see.” More note taking. “Sousuke, this is inkblot B.” Black and red ink. Two dark-gray splotches suggesting dancing figures. Red splotches at the top of each figure and at bottom center.

Again, Sousuke’s response was quick in coming. “Two people. Perhaps women, or maybe clowns or mimes. I did not se a sex image off hand. Is that a problem, doctor?

Another excellent response. “No Sousuke, only mention the things that come to you without too much thought. Do you see such an image, though?”

“Uh. Ah. Yes. The red area could be umm. A woman’s private area.”

“Vagina, Sousuke. The word is vagina. You won’t burst into flames you know!” Kaname grabbed the card. Where are there any mimes??? I don’t see any people. A couple of funny looking statues, maybe. Get with the program, soldier.”

No people? Just statues? She may have some difficulty relating to people at times. And what is her issue with mimes?

“Sousuke, here’s ink blot C.” Black and red ink. Two obvious figures facing one another. Butterfly-shaped red blot between the figures. An elongated red blot behind each figure’s head.

Sousuke was about to pen his mouth, but hesitated.

“Is there a problem, Sousuke?”

“No sir. It is just that I saw one thing first, but then looked at it from a different angle and saw something different. Both figures have breasts, so I thought they must be women. But then, the red made me think of blood and battle, and I noticed that each figure had obvious maleness, and could instead be soldiers.”

Well, had he said the figures were both male and female, some old examiners would have suspected he was gay. But, that interpretation is out of vogue. No, he noticed it separately, in different contexts. His first response was the correct one. And Kaname’s input?

“Sousuke, you bastard. You got one right. Don’t go getting my hopes up like that.” Kaname was holding the card now.

Blots D, E, and F went well for the two students.

“Have a look at blot G, Sousuke.” Black ink. A U-shaped blot. Each side of the U resembles a female figure in a narrow-waisted dress. This is the mother card. Sousuke’s response to the father card indicated a feeling of uncertainty and loss. I suspect this one will as well. Kaname had positive feelings for her father. What is her relationship with her mother?

“It looks like two women, doctor. They look like they are fading away out of view. I can’t say much more about them.” Sousuke’s voice had a touch of sadness.

“Here, Sousuke. Let me check up on you again. A gold star for Kaname’s bright boy! It does look like women. And they are going away. It’s not fair, but that’s just the way it is. It will probably effect the men that we don’t see in the picture.” Kaname’s voice was loud, insistant. Her eyes welled slightly with tears. “But, you missed the thundercloud. That‘s to be expected, I guess. Everywhere you go, there‘s some kind of cloud. Before, during, or after.”

Dr. Wakinabe marked down his observations. Thundercloud? That would be a sign of anxiety.

Blot H was interpreted well by Sousuke and Kaname. Blot I would be a telling one.

“What do you see in ink blot I, Sousuke?” Dr. Wakinabe handed the next to the last card to the young soldier. Green, orange, and pink ink. A very irregular upright rectangle. Orange at the top, protruding green areas at the center, and pink at the bottom.

Kaname was standing now, looking over Sousuke’s shoulder at the card.

Sousuke struggled with this card. He turned it a number of ways, and then back again. “Perhaps I am too used to battle. But, all I can see is an explosion. That, and…” Sousuke shook his head and looked again.

“Yes?”

“Monsters, sir. Orange monsters or men fighting.”

This is a hard one to find a definite image on. Explosions was an appropriate answer. Monsters though, and men fighting, those are classic signs of poor social development. No surprise there. Any time now, Kaname should be grabbing the card. She’ll probably bump into Sousuke in the process.

“Sousuke, give me that! Hey, next time move your head out of my way.” It took her a while as well. “I don’t see any monsters fighting. But, if you hold the card this way, you can see a man’s head. Or if you hold it this way, it looks like that bad modern art rendition we saw in the museum---before you set off the smoke grenade, when you saw the old man with a large umbrella under his trench coat.”

After the tenth and final card was done without any untoward responses or happenings, Dr. Wakinabe put his pad down and put the ink blots away. He stretched his arms out and moved his neck in a circular motion. He cracked his knuckles.

“I envy the two of you your youth. That was a rather long session. Sousuke. There are definitely some things from you past---and from the fact that you entered your profession at so young an age---that are affecting you greatly today. I must say, you are holding up better than anyone might have suspected. It may well be that therapy sessions could help make your life easier for you. I cannot say, however, how the changes might impact your effectiveness as a warrior. My report to the school will be favorable. They should not expect anything further. If you are interested in sessions, or in taking further tests, please do not hesitate to call me.”

“Do it, Sousuke. I will pay the bill for you. Or, You Know Who probably will.” Kaname was serious.

“Kaname, the ones we will not name have no reason to pay. You did not ask. I had no reason to ever tell you. Their specialists have met with me in the past.” Sousuke nodded his head politely to the psychologist. “I thank you for a thorough examination, and for some thoughtful analysis. You are a true professional.” He shook Dr. Wakinabe’s han and started to walk from the room.

“Finally. I can get out of this place. I can’t believe he didn’t see just how wacked-out you are, Sergeant Psycho! Walk faster, I don’t want to stay here a minute longer.”

“Miss Chidori,” Dr. Wakinabe said, casuing her to stop and turn around. “Sousuke is free to go. I would like for you to stay behind for a couple of minutes. We should try and find a mutually convenient time on both of our schedules.”

“Doctor???” Kaname’s heart sank. Her pulse rate jumped up. Suddenly, her mouth felt dry.

“There are a number of tests I would like to have you do. I think you would benefit greatly from some therapy sessions. I will be writing that down in my report to Mr. Ichibara.”

Kaname froze.

Sousuke had to carry her from the room.

[HELLFIRE]

ROTF

I ALWAYS thought Kaname could use a few sessions with a headshrinker...
now was that before or after Sousuke came to Jindai?!








Regards

[Belisarius]

That was a good one.

Kaname going to see a shrink. The shrink's in trouble.