The dreams didn't come, and Barnaby wasn't sure if he was happy or sad, he truly did want to just get this over with, if having the dreams was the only way to do it, he wanted it done. He got up and made coffee; standing in his kitchen in nothing but his underwear he tapped his toes against the cool tile of his kitchen. He looked at the time, only a quarter past six. He heard the coffee machine beep and got out a cup, pouring the dark liquid into his mug he got out a bit of milk and sugar and stirred it in before walking out to his living room, mug in hand. He sat down in his chair pulling out his journals. He hadn't bothered last night to write down the memories. He had been too tired, too emotionally spent to concentrate on them. He took the time now to write them out, with as much detail as he could muster.
It was nearly eight-thirty and three cups of coffee later when Barnaby was finished writing. He set his pen down massaging his right hand loosening the cramped muscles after writing for so long, the blue stain in place once more.
He picked up his cell phone and looked at the names, he could phone Mr Lloyds, he would be in by now, or he could phone Dr Saitou. Who would he feel more comfortable talking to about his memories? He suspected Dr Saitou might have a more clinical approach whereas Mr Lloyds was bound to give him the old stiff upper lip type of speech.
He hit send on Dr Saitou, perhaps the D. had some kind of insight into how to speed up or nullify the dream process. He waited for the ringing, holding his phone in front of him with the speakerphone option on. He had learned long ago not to hold a phone anywhere near his ears if he was talking to Saitou over any type of technology.
The phone connected and the booming voice of Dr Saitou came through.
"BARNABY! AGNES TOLD ME YOU MIGHT CALL, SAID THAT YOU WERE HAVING DREAM ISSUES LIKE THE REST OF US HAD A FEW MONTHS BACK. HOW CAN I HELP YOU?" the small man's voice, amplified a million times by his boom mic, carried across Barnaby's room, he pressed the volume button down several times to get Saitou into a comfortable range.
"Yes, Agnes told me you and a few others experienced the memory dreams. I wondered if you had any insights on the phenomenon or if you had a way to stop them?" Barnaby wasn't sure he wanted them stopped, but he also wasn't sure he wanted to keep having them. The more he learned about his life, the more he felt the extreme loss of his own free will, his own choices.
"AH, AS FOR MAKING THEM STOP, I HAVE NO NEWS ON THAT. HOWEVER, I CAN RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE THE OXYGEN CHAMBERS I BUILT. THEY WILL HELP EVEN OUT THE HORMONES AND OTHER IMBALANCES YOUR BODY GOES THROUGH WHEN YOU ENTER THE DREAMS. I FOUND THE "HANGOVER" FEELING I GOT FROM THE DREAMS TO BE GREATLY REDUCED. COME IN AND USE IT ANY TIME YOU WANT," even with the volume turned down Barnaby still found himself holding the phone at arm's length away from himself. Dr Saito's lack of volume control was both endearing and annoying.
"Really? There are hormones involved? Have you run tests?" Barnaby was intrigued now, what else did the doctor come up with.
"OF COURSE, YOUR BODY GOES INTO A FORM OF SHOCK WITH EACH DREAM SEQUENCE. YOUR MIND IS CONTRADICTING MEMORIES BELIEVED TO BE TRUE, THE BODY SECRETES FIGHT OR FLIGHT HORMONES BECAUSE OF THIS AND FLOODS THE SYSTEM WHILE YOU SLEEP. WHEN YOU WAKE UP YOUR BODY FEELS SLUGGISH AND WORN OUT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIGHT OR FLIGHT FOR HOURS WITHOUT MOVING. THE OXYGEN CHAMBER HELPS PREVENT SOME OF THAT; GIVES YOU A BETTER REST. THE OTHER OBSERVATION I HAVE MADE ABOUT THIS IS THAT PEOPLE WITH SPOUSES OR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS ALSO SEE REDUCED STRESS, I SUSPECT IT HAS TO DO WITH BEING COMFORTED BY THE PRESENCE OF ANOTHER." Barnaby was nodding along as the doctor spoke, it made sense, it made total sense. That's why he felt so lethargic, why his muscles felt cramped; his body was trying to fight back against his subconscious.
"Well that is good to know, thank you Dr is there anything else you know?" Barnaby asked, somewhat hopeful to get an idea of what else to expect.
"NO, ONLY THAT EACH PERSON WHO WAS AFFECTED HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE AFFECTED DREAMS BEFORE THEY WENT AWAY, AND THAT THE OLDER THE DREAMS THE MORE THEY BECOME INCOHERENT, THEY JUMP AROUND A LOT MORE. ALL OF MY DREAMS WERE IN A BACKWARDS TELLING OF EVENTS, SOME OF THE OTHERS I SPOKE TO AS THE YEARS BACK HAPPENED THEY BECAME INCREASINGLY OUT OF ORDER, THINGS FROM TEN OR FIFTEEN YEARS AGO MIXING WITH MORE RECENT ONES. I'M SURE THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU?" Dr Saitou asked. Barnaby felt sweat break out on his face. There were others who had ten or fifteen years' worth of life events changed and were already done healing? Barnaby wasn't even back into his teenage years, maybe only eight or so years ago and he was still experiencing them relatively in order. Maverick had obviously done more to him than anyone else, but how much more? How much more would he have to endure?
"What happens when they began going out of order?" Barnaby asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
"I BELIEVE IT WAS WHEN MAVERICK MADE MAJOR CHANGES TO THEM THAT ALTERED YEARS AND YEARS WORTH OF THEIR LIFE ALL AT ONCE, IT COULD ALSO BE THAT MAVERICK HAD TO MAKE MULTIPLE ALTERATIONS TO THE PAST." Barnaby sighed, maybe that meant Maverick didn't alter things over and over, other than his parent's murder. Maybe he only made one change at a time.
"Who all do you know that was affected by Maverick?" Barnaby wondered if Saitou had a more extensive list than Agnes.
"THERE ARE A FEW EXECUTIVES FROM APOLLON THAT HAD EXTENSIVE MEMORY CHANGES OVER THE YEARS, I BELIEVE ONE IT STILL SUFFERING FROM THE DREAMS QUITE OFTEN. THE OTHER THAT HAS HAD ISSUES IS ACTUALLY ROCK BISON." The name caught him by surprise again. Why Antonio?
"Why Antonio?" the question slipped out of him before he could stop himself. If Antonio was heavily affected, was Kotetsu? Had Maverick been altering their memories for years? He felt like he was spinning out of control, what if everything Kotetsu had done for him had been Maverick pulling the strings?
Before he could spin out further Dr Saitou replied. "HE HAD ALMOST 20 YEARS WORTH OF MEMORIES ALTERED IN ONE GO, EVERYTHING ABOUT TIGER WAS ERASED AND REPLACED WITH FALSE MEMORIES. HIS DREAMS ARE UNLIKE ANYONE ELSE'S, MORE LIKE NIGHTMARES WHERE THE ALTERED MEMORIES, AS WELL AS HIS OWN MEMORIES, SURFACE AND LEAVE HIM UNSURE. YOU SHOULD SPEAK TO HIM YOURSELF FOR A BETTER EXPLANATION." Barnaby felt terrible for feeling better about it only being Antonio, but still felt awful for the guy, Maverick had caused possibly permanent brain damage, would Bison ever stop dreaming the fake dreams? Though he had never been close to the other Hero, he felt obligated to check on the older man, Maverick had been his problem and he had dragged everyone into it with him. Also, Antonio was Kotetsu's best friend, perhaps with Kotetsu out of town, he too was in need of company.
"Thanks, Doctor I think I'll take you up on the offer to come to use the oxygen chambers," Barnaby shifted the phone from his right hand to his left, preparing to end the call.
"ANYTIME BARNABY, COME TEST OUT MY NEW SUIT DESIGNS WHILE YOU'RE HERE." Barnaby chuckled at that, of course the Dr would need someone to be a punching bag; Kotetsu wasn't around to be tortured anymore.
"Will do, bye," Barnaby ended the call and set his phone down on the counter, letting out a sigh. Maybe later in the day, he would get ahold of Bison, but not right now. Right now he needed to process, have something to eat, clear his head.