Domino's Therapy Session
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Marvel Comics. This is purely for fun.
Author's Note: This is not intended to fit into any continuity. It's just something silly I came up with one day.
The Xavier Institute
Two members of the X-Men stood in front of a one-way mirror. One was a brown-haired slim man, wearing a blue costume with yellow trunks, boots, and gloves. Around his waist was a yellow belt with several pouches on it. It also connected to a yellow Y-shaped harness on the man's chest. His eyes were covered by a yellow visor with a red line across the front.
Cyclops. Real Name: Scott Summers. Birthplace: Anchorage, AL. Affiliations: (Currently) X-Men. (Formerly) X-Factor. Physiology: Mutant Human. Powers and Abilities: Eyes constantly fire beams of concussive energy (Requires special glasses or visor with ruby quartz lenses to control), spatial awareness, energy resistance. Expert pilot, tactician, and combatant.
The man next to Scott was taller, with white hair in a high-and-tight, and stubble. He was very muscular, wearing a light blue costume that left his arms bare. His right eye glowed yellow, with scars around it. His right arm was cybernetic. He wore a gray chestplate, shoulder pads, and black boots. A belt with pouches crossed his waist, and a futuristic laser rifle was strapped across his back.
Cable. Real Name: Nathaniel Christopher Charles Summers. Affiliations: (Current) X-Men. (Formerly) Avengers, X-Force, New Mutants. Physiology: Cybernetically-enhanced Mutant Human. Powers and abilities: Telepathy, Telekinesis (Note: Cable is infected with a virus that turned part of his body cybernetic. His mutant powers are focused on controlling the infection). Skilled combatant, soldier, and marksman.
"Again, Dad. I am sorry I didn't say anything." Cable apologized sincerely.
"You should have said something." Scott reminded.
"She told me this in confidence. I didn't want to betray it." Nathan reminded.
"I understand, but still..." Scott sighed. "So why didn't she say anything, then?"
"I think she was embarrassed." Cable surmised. "I mean, considering all she has done and seen, you would never expect her to have a fear of chickens." [Author's Note: Established in Deadpool #13 (September 2013)]
"Boy, did I have fun explaining that craziness to Farmer Brown." Scott groaned. "And how in the hell did she get a flamethrower?"
Cable blinked. "You're asking me?!"
"You are the weaponeer around here."
"I don't normally use flamethrowers." Nathan jerked his thumb at his rifle. "Ol' Blasty here is all I need."
Scott couldn't help but chuckle. "Ol' Blasty?"
"...Neena named it."
"Ah." Scott smiled. "That's sweet."
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess it is." Cable smiled back. He turned to the mirror, where he stared at Domino inside.
Said woman was lying with a frown on a couch in the room. The light shined off her pale white skin, which made a contrast to her dark jet black hair, and the tattooed spot over her right eye. She wore civilian clothing: A purple-and-black sleeveless shirt with a pair of blue jeans. She also wore brown cowboy boots.
Domino. Real Name: Neena Thurman. Birthplace: Unknown. Affiliations: (Currently) X-Men. (Formerly) X-Force. Physiology: Mutant Human. Powers and abilities: Can subliminally psionically affect probability in her favor. Enhanced agility and reflexes. Skilled markswoman, assassin, martial artist, and acrobat.
Stupid Cable. Stupid Cyclops. The pale woman rolled her eyes. Not my fault that incident went down. Don't they know those feathered monsters are spawns of Satan?! I knew those clucking devils were up to something. With the beaks and the feet and the wings. Ugh, the beaks...
"How did she get this fear of chickens exactly?" Scott asked Nathan.
"I have no idea." Cable said. "I personally think it was something in her childhood."
"She was a child once?" Scott cracked. Nathan rolled his eyes.
"We all were at some point, Dad."
But I showed them... Domino smirked. I showed those beaky bastards...with their beaks. Their evil beaks of death. I showed them I knew what they were up to!
"...What is she smirking about? Is she proud of herself?!" Scott facepalmed.
"Has Doc Samson arrived yet?" Nathan asked.
"I'm not sure." Scott put his hand to his head. Jean, is he here yet?
He just arrived, Scott. Jean Grey answered through their telepathic link. He's on his way to the room now.
Great, thanks. He looked at Nathan. "He's arrived."
"Good." Cable nodded. "I hope he can help. I heard he's really good."
"He's one the best when it comes to superhuman mental issues." Scott explained. "He wasn't the first, but he is one of the premiere names."
"Hello, gentlemen." A friendly voice greeted the two men. The Summers men turned and saw a tall muscular man walk up to them. His green hair was slicked back and in a ponytail. He wore a white lab coat with a red shirt and black tie with a golden lightning bolt on it, and blue slacks.
Doc Samson. Real Name: Leonard Skivorski, Jr. Birthplace: Tulsa, OK. Affiliations: None. Physiology: Altered Human (gamma radiation). Powers and Abilities: Superhuman strength (level varies with hair length), durability, knowledge of psychiatry and psychology.
"Thanks for coming, Doc." Scott shook Samson's hand.
"We really appreciate it." Nathan added, also shaking Samson's hand. The green-haired psychologist looked at Domino, who blew a bubble thanks to some gum in her mouth.
"I take it that's the patient?"
"Yeah, that's Domino." Scott nodded. "Cable here led a group of X-Men to investigate a possible mutant incident at a farm alongside the FBI. And it turned out that Domino there was gallinophobic."
"Galla-what?!" Nathan repeated.
"Fear of chickens." Samson explained.
"Oh. Why didn't you guys just say that?"
"Anyway, she freaked out and nearly killed several of Farmer Brown's chickens. She did manage to shoot his prized Rhode Island Red in the backside."
Nathan sighed. "It was a lot of fun explaining things to the guy. I felt terrible for that poor agent. What was her name?"
"I forget, I'm afraid." Scott sighed. "Then I had to step in."
"Why not just call Professor Xavier to help?" Samson asked.
"He is out having lunch with Black Bolt and Medusa in Attilan. I gotta remember to thank them for that birthday card they sent me last week. It was very nice." Scott reminded. "And that set of golf clubs. Going to take them to the links this weekend."
"I didn't know you golfed." Samson noted.
"Neither did I." Nathan said.
"Eh, never hurt to try." Scott shrugged with a smile. "Besides, I want to try out the food at that golf course. I heard it was delicious."
"It's a restaurant, Dad." Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose. "You could have gone there without having to golf."
"Still, would like to try it." Scott said. "And as long as the golf course is there, and I have clubs now, I can go golfing."
"Gentlemen, as fun as this conversation is (not to mention a fascinating look into your minds), I do believe you called me in because one of your members need psychological counseling?" Samson reminded.
"Ah, right." Scott nodded. "She's in there. I take it you remember what we told you?"
"And I take it you remembered to make sure she had no weapons?"
Cable raised his hand. "I took care of that. I checked her very thoroughly." This made Scott frown.
"Was that a sex joke?"
"...no."
"It better not be."
Cable started to chuckle. "...Did Jean exile you to the couch?"
"...you've been hanging around that clown Wilson too long."
"I'm stuck with him on Providence, so something was bound to rub off." Cable then winced. "That came out wrong." He facepalmed.
Samson laughed. "If I knew you X-Men could be this funny, I'd come over more often."
"Yeah, we're a big ol' comedy troupe." Scott chuckled. "Domino's in there. Good luck."
"Thank you, gentlemen." Samson snickered as he walked into the room. "Miss Thurman, I'm Doc Samson." He held out his hand to her.
She stared at the hand before slowly reaching hers out and shaking it. "...Domino. It's just Domino."
"Okay, Domino."
"...Should we be doing this?" Nathan asked.
"Doing what?" Scott responded.
"Watching this." Nathan said. "I mean, this is private stuff..."
"Eh..." Scott frowned. "On one hand, I agree with you, but at the same time...we should keep an eye on Domino, just in case."
"So, I understand there was an incident regarding a farm?" Samson asked, taking a seat on a chair. He pulled out a note pad and pen.
"...this is about the farm thing, isn't it?" Domino realized.
"Yes. Your teammates were worried about you after that."
"You weren't there. You wouldn't understand." The pale woman facepalmed. "God, I sound so cliché..."
"Well, help me understand. Tell me about it. I want to hear about it from your perspective."
"Let me put it to you like this." Domino sat up. "You ever see a chicken? I'm not talking tenders, or nuggets. I'm talking a living chicken."
"Yes, I have."
"You've seen them, right? They are evil. They are the most evil things in the entire animal kingdom. Their beady little eyes and their pecking beaks and the feet. Oh, they seem harmless, but they are evil. They peck the ground, waddle around, and cluck, but they are plotting. They are plotting to destroy us all." As the pale woman spoke, Nathan slowly facepalmed, and Scott's cheeks inflated as he tried not to laugh. The time-traveling mutant cyborg glanced at his father.
"Are you laughing?"
"No."
"You're going to laugh."
"I'm trying not to. This is not helping."
"No, it is not." Nathan said.
"I see." Samson wrote this down on his notepad, under another note: X-MEN NEED TO GET OUT MORE. "So, what convinced you that the chickens are evil?"
"You would not believe it." Domino scowled, crossing her arms. "I would tell you, but you'd think I'm crazy."
"I'm not here to judge, Domino." Samson assured her. "I'm just here to help you out, and hear your perspective."
The pale mercenary glared at the green-haired psychiatrist for what seemed like a long eternity. "...fine. It started when I was six. I grew up in a Church-run orphanage, you see. It was a nice place. One day, a farmer brought over some chickens to show me and the other kids. I was so naïve then."
"...I think this is the most I ever learned about Domino's childhood." Scott looked at Nathan. "You knew her longer than I did. Did you..."
"She was rather quiet when it came to her past." Nathan recalled. "I knew about the orphanage, but that's about it."
"...oh God, we need to get out more." Nathan groaned.
"No kidding." Scott agreed. "I literally cannot remember the last time we X-Men just went out and had fun like normal people."
"They seemed normal..." Domino continued. "Little did I know. The farmer invited us to pet the chickens. After all, they were just chickens, right? But then it happened."
"What happened?" Samson asked.
"...those evil chickens. They got me to lower my guard." She shook her head. "I reached out to pet one, and...it and its friends started pecking at me."
Samson blinked. "My goodness."
"Somebody threw feed at me." Domino explained. "Those chickens saw it and they went at me."
"I don't think they intended to hurt you, Domino." Samson said.
"Holy crud." Nathan blinked.
"Kids can be cruel. I should know." Scott frowned. "I spent time in an orphanage myself. After my parents presumably died."
"They came at me." Domino shuddered. "The beaks. So many beaks. Evil evil beaks."
"Ah, I see." Samson nodded, writing in his notepad. Phobia caused by childhood trauma. X-Men really need psychiatrist on staff. "Domino, would it be alright if I tried a little something with you?"
"Uhm...okay?" Domino answered reluctantly.
"I'll be right back." Samson got up and left the room.
"Where's he going?" Scott asked.
"You want me to tail him?" Nathan offered.
Scott shook his head. "...not right now. I doubt he's going to just up and leave. Not unless he's mind-controlled or something. And in this business..." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's actually likely."
"I'm going to tail him."
"Naw, he's coming back." Scott noticed Samson returning, holding a small object in his hand. "What's he got there?"
"It's alright, Miss Thurman." Samson reassured as he held up the stuffed toy. "It's only a plush toy. It's not real." Domino blinked nervously at the small stuffed toy.
"It's...not?"
"Of course not. It's only a toy. It's hardly alive." Samson smiled. "Go ahead. Touch it."
"What is he doing?" Nathan blinked.
"I think it's some kind of immersion therapy thing." Scott shrugged. "Maybe he's trying to expose her to chickens so she can slowly overcome her fear or something."
"So, why a stuffed toy?"
"I have no idea." Scott scratched his head. "Maybe it's preliminary. Let her get comfortable with stuffed toys before introducing her to the real thing?"
"Makes...sense, I guess." Nathan said.
"It's alright, Domino." Samson encouraged. "It's just a toy. It cannot harm you."
"...you sure?" A nervous Domino blinked.
"I'm positive." Samson reassured, a smile on his face. Domino blinked at the small plush toy.
Could he be lying? Chickens are sneaky... The mutant mercenary slowly pushed a finger towards the small toy.
"You think it's working?" Nathan asked.
"A little early to ask that, don't you think?" Scott pointed out.
Domino gave the toy a poke. The chicken did not react, as it was an inanimate stuffed toy.
"See, Domino?" Samson smiled. "It's just a toy."
Domino blinked and poked the toy again. No response.
"Huh." The mercenary carefully poked the toy again.
"You can pick it up if you want." Samson suggested.
Domino just blinked at the toy and reached out to poke it again. The toy chicken fell over on its side. Her eyes widened. The pale mercenary screamed and whipped out a gun.
"Holy-!" Samson yelped, leaping out of his seat.
"What the-?!" Scott exclaimed.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
"DIE!" Domino screamed as she shot the stuffed chicken (as well as the table it was on) to pieces. "DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIEEEEE! DIE EVIL FEATHERED SPAWN FROM HELL!"
Scott whirled angrily on his time-tossed son. "You said you checked her for weapons!"
"I did!" Nathan insisted.
"Then how the hell did she-!"
"I don't know! If I knew, I'd tell you!"
Domino panted as she glared at the toy and the table it was on. Which was now a pile of fluff and shattered wood. She turned her face to Doc Samson, who had not moved.
"It...it was just a stuffed toy..."
"IT MOVED!" She screamed at him. "IT MOVED! YOU SAW IT! IT MOVED!"
Insane... Samson thought. These people are utterly insane...
Thanks for reading!