Barnaby woke up from his dreams, once more reliving his past at Hero Academy. Most of his dreams were simple repeats of events he had vague recollections of, with slight alterations. His friendship with Inola, his crush on Jeremy, often were the sections that had changed, though with each passing day he slid closer and closer to his year gap between going to Hero Academy and graduating high school. He wondered how much of his year abroad would be altered, as Maverick had only been there for some of it, but that didn't mean he hadn't changed things later.
He pressed his hand against the lid of the oxygen chamber, releasing it so that he could climb out. Dr. Saitou was waiting, as always, at the foot of the chamber, clipboard in hand.
"Morning Barnaby, what day is it today?" The little man asked, pen poised to take notes.
"October 29th, NC 1979" he answered with a slight hesitation, having to take a few moments to recall when he had gotten into the chamber. Upon saying the date a pit formed in his stomach. His birthday was three days away and he had no one to be with. He wished he could go see Kotetsu, but he refused to put the other man into a state of worry over his mental health. Kaede deserved a childhood, deserved to have the best father in the world (save his own of course). He let out a small sigh then smiled at Dr. Saitou, no point dwelling on it right now.
"Any changes since last time Doctor?" Barnaby asked tilting his head to the side a bit, his glasses catching the light, masking his weary eyes.
Saitou turned and started walking towards his work terminal, Barnaby rushed forward to keep pace, any distance and he would never hear the smaller man's answer.
"Well, since your first visit here four nights ago there hasn't been too drastic a change, however, I do see regions of your brain lighting up that weren't before, and other ones are dimming slightly. I believe we are making a slow and easy progress towards recovery. You are waking up less and less groggy with each visit. Your vitals are also more stable than the first few visits," Though the little man spoke softly, he spoke swiftly, Barnaby struggled to keep up.
"So the chamber is helping, I definitely feel a lot more rested" Barnaby said with a bit more of a real smile on his face. "I also feel like I can tell the real world and the dreams apart a bit better."
Saitou nodded at this news, flipping through different charts on his screen. Barnaby watched the screens flip by, not absorbing most of the information, but he did notice one chart in particular. "Wait, can you scroll back two charts?" Barnaby asked pointing at the screen. Saitou did as he asked. "What does this indicate?" he asked motioning to a hormone level reading chart.
"That is a readout of your overall hormone production over the last four visits. The purple line is your first visit, blue is second, red is third, green is this one," Saitou said motioning to each with the monitor display pointer.
"So what you are saying is that my hormones have raised each time I have come in, which ones specifically?" Barnaby's gaze became intensely focused on the screen as he asked this.
"Oxytocin is the main hormone change, the others are related to the rising levels. It appears getting a proper rest has raised your happy hormones back up to a respectable level, the first day, the purple line, shows you well below average, more along the lines of someone suffering from depression. However, with the sudden increase I don't believe it was a true depressive episode, but rather a symptom from lack of rest for your mind. There has also been a significant drop in the fight or flight response hormones in your system, which may also have allowed your body to produce the correct amount of oxytocin it needed," Saitou spoke rapidly, his tiny voice hard to hear, Barnaby struggled to understand the little man. As he spoke he had indicated a second chart showing a slow steady decline, almost the exact same chart from before but inverse.
"That means… I don't have depression?" Barnaby tried to clarify.
"Precisely," Saitou said adjusting his glasses with a grin.
"okay, that is good I guess. If I keep coming here I should start to feel even better then?" he asked, feeling hopeful for the first time in almost a year.
"Well eventually your levels will even out, the tank can only do so much, it has helped reduce the stress from the dreams and allow you to rest, but until they are done for good you will still be affected by them," Saitou said before turning back to his charts, starting to type away at his computer. Barnaby had experienced this before, that meant "I'm busy now, go away" in Saitou speak.
Barnaby left the lab then, pulling his cell phone out, he called his therapists number. He felt much more optimistic lately, perhaps he would give her another try. Stephen answered on the second ring.
"Apollon Media Medical Clinic, Stephen speaking, how may I help you today?" his voice, as usual, was the perfect mixture of professional and robot.
"Hello Stephen, this is Barnaby Brooks Jr. speaking I was hoping to make another appointment with Dr. Hajran if possible," Barnaby didn't know why but he felt like he had his hackles up as soon as he heard Stephen's voice, he had to control his tone and not let any of his dislike show through.
"Of course, let me look at her calendar," there was a pause on the other end for a moment before finally "yes, well she has Tuesday this week at 2pm, she has Wednesday at 1:30pm and she has next Monday at 2pm, those are the only later day appointments she has currently."
"Actually a later appointment isn't necessary, does she have anything available earlier in the day?" Barnaby had to contain the smirk he felt rising to his face, for whatever reason he felt very accomplished being able to say that, was it because he had been late last time? He wasn't sure.
"Ah, well that changes things greatly," came an enthusiastic reply, Stephen's usually rather monotone voice raised slightly in pitch, and he spoke a little more rapidly. "In that case I can get you in anytime tomorrow between 9am and noon, Tuesday I can get you in at 11am or the 2pm, or there are morning appointments for the rest of the week as well."
"Can I take the 9am tomorrow, that would be great," Barnaby wanted to get in before his birthday, wanted to sort through as much of this as he could before he turned another year older.
"I have you pencilled in, is there anything else I can do for you?" came the once more monotone reply.
"No, that is all, thanks" with that Barnaby ended the call. Tomorrow then, now to go back to his apartment and review what he had dug up so far on any Ouroboros that were still lingering in Sternbild.
Barnaby made it home and sat in front of his wall monitor. He had taken up researching Ouroboros again. Since getting some proper rest he felt motivated to get some vengeance on behalf of himself but also all the countless others Maverick had altered the lives of. He hadn't found many leads that weren't already under investigation by the police, but that didn't deter him, he had found leads the police had missed many times before.
He spent the rest of his day sitting in front of his computer whiling away the hours, a few promising leads coming up, he filed them away for further investigation.
The next day, leaving Apollon Media's Lab he made it easily to his appointment just 16 floors up from the basement level he was in. The elevator ride was quick, and he stepped off with a solid fifteen minutes until his appointment time. Stephen was sitting behind his perfectly arranged desk and greeted Barnaby as he stepped into the office waiting area.
"Good morning Mr. Brooks, you look well rested," came the cordial greeting, though the robot like tone was still in place.
"Good morning, yes I feel much better than the last time I came here," Barnaby admitted, his frazzled state the last time he came here still an embarrassment in his life.
"Dr. Harjan is just getting ready, she will be able to take you soon. Please, feel free to take a seat for now," Stephen motioned to the lavender coloured overstuffed chairs to the side. Barnaby smiled and nodded taking a seat. He took out his phone and continued reading a newspaper article he had started earlier.
A few minutes passed and a small tone sounded on Stephens desk. He stood and motioned towards the door. "This way if you will Mr. Brooks, Dr. Harjan will see you now," he was holding the double doors open for Barnaby once more. Barnaby stood and made his way over walking behind Stephen to the office of Dr. Harjan. Stephen left him with the same message as before "have a nice session" before making his way back to his desk.
"Welcome Barnaby!" Dr. Harjan said with her husky smokers voice, standing from behind her desk. Her black hair wasn't curled today but lay limply on her shoulders, she wore big pink puffy kitten slippers on her feet and Barnaby was pretty sure the "cardigan" she was sporting was really just a moth eaten housecoat, it was pale pink, not originally, but from being worn too many times. Under the housecoat he was also fairly sure she was wearing heart print pajamas. He felt his face heat up with a blush slightly, why had he come back to this quak? She was obviously in need of therapy herself if she came to work like that.
"I'm sorry, did I set the meeting too early?" Barnaby asked, unable to help himself, he had a bit of a sneer on his face as he asked, completely embarrassed and appalled by her total lack of professionalism.
"Not at all! take a seat, you want a coffee?" she asked already heading over to her little machine to get a fresh cup, one of her oversized mugs already in hand, her pink kitty slippers flopping on her feet as she walked.
"Sure…" Barnaby had signed up for this insanity, may as well play along with the locals. Besides, her coffee last time had actually been very good.
"A little sugar and a splash of milk," she said as she set the same "stay lit" mug down in front of him, the little sun with its sunglasses smiling at him.
"Thanks.," he mumbled picking up the mug and taking a small sip, dark, strong, and a hint of macadamia nuts. He let out a small sigh, crazy nutter she may be, but damn was that a fine coffee.
She smiled and sat down across from him, a pile of papers on the coffee table caught his eye. She started shuffling the papers into a neater pile before scooting them off to the shelf beside her. He glanced around the room and noticed something he hadn't last time. She didn't have a computer in here. In fact she only had a phone on her desk, the rest was just stacks of teetering papers.
"Why don't you have a computer?" Barnaby asked as he eyed the mountains of papers, she must have all her files done by hand, and obviously lacked any kind of sorting system.
"Oh, I thought you would ask me about my pajamas before anything else," she said with a laugh.
Barnaby blushed a bit at her response, "then, why are you wearing pajamas?" he asked giving in to her teasing.
"Because it is comfortable, why else do people wear pajamas?" she said so nonchalantly that it left Barnaby stunned. He was sure she was going to say something snide like just because I knew it would bother you, obviously!
"Oh… well I suppose that is true, they are comfortable but… this is a place of work," he said feeling uncomfortable with this topic. He shifted in his seat taking another sip of coffee.
"Yes it is indeed a place of work, you aren't wrong there. However, I think the real issue is, why is it such a big deal that I am wearing Pyjamas? I didn't sleep in these, in case you are wondering," She gave him a wink after that saying, quite crassly "I don't wear pyjamas to bed."
Barnaby felt his face heat up at that, and looked away from her looking at her messy stacks of papers. "I suppose it doesn't matter what you wear then, I should be glad you are wearing anything at all," the remark slid out of his mouth before he had time to rein it in.
"Ha! Isn't that the truth," she barked out before taking another big gulp of coffee. "As for your question about the computer, I have a lot of issues with technology. I'm a NEXT, and my power is electromagnetism. I fry almost all computer systems if I get too close. My phone is specially lead coated to avoid the feedback as much as possible. So basically I have to do everything by hand, makes it really easy to not have anyone hack into my files," she said with a shrug. Barnaby liked the idea that no one could get into her files off site, but looking at the piles of papers he frowned.
"How do you… organize this?" he asked, lifting a brow slightly.
"Oh, Stephen keeps trying to break in here and file it all for me, but I like it this way, I know where everything is," she set her coffee down. "So, why did you want to speak to me? Any new developments you needed to get off your chest?"
"Actually the only developments are that I am actually feeling a lot better lately. Dr. Saito, here at Apollon, figured out how to keep the dreams from disorienting me when I wake up. Even on nights where I dream I still wake up relatively rested.
Barnaby went on to describe his physical experiences, less drowsy, more coherent, feeling more like himself. Even mentioning that he had started looking into connections to Ouroboros again. Dr. Harjan had nodded and jotted a few notes down, after asking if it was alright if she did so. He appreciated her asking if she could document their conversations.
"Barnaby I noticed in your file that your birthday is coming up. Have you made plans to see friends? Now that you are feeling more like yourself I'm sure you are excited to get back out there?" she asked, as she stood from her chair taking her mug with her for her third refill of coffee that session.
The pit in his stomach came back at the mention of his birthday and lack of plans. The only person he could think of that he could possibly want to celebrate it with would be Kotetsu, as they hadn't had a chance to properly celebrate either of their birthdays together yet. "No, I don't generally celebrate my birthday, it has never been something I look forward to," he wouldn't say because it reminded him of how alone he was, of how much loss he had, that with Samantha dead he had literally nothing left for family.
"Hmm, maybe you should try and make new traditions, it's a good idea to try and branch out of your comfort zone. Besides I mentioned before that it would be a good idea to start making new memories, to counteract the pain of having all your previous ones being lies. You know for sure all the ones you make from now on are your own, what with Maverick being a pile of ash and all," once again her nonchalance was a little disconcerting.
"I'll keep that in mind doctor," Barnaby spoke softly while looking down at the floor, thinking over her words.
After leaving the session Barnaby let out a sigh, maybe she was right, if he phoned any of the Heroes right now he was sure they would be overjoyed with the idea of celebrating his birthday. The idea of a big party wasn't something he was looking forward too though. Maybe he could phone Rock Bison, the only Hero that knew he was in town, unless Antonio had spilled his guts to everyone else already.
Barnaby acquiesced to the idea of making plans for his birthday. He would phone Antonio and see if the older man wanted to get together for Saturday, he wouldn't mention that it was his birthday this Wednesday. Taking out his phone he called Antonio's cell, fairly certain the other man wasn't out on a Hero call right now.
The conversation had been simple, Antonio had agreed easily to the plans, no question as to the occasion, just agreed and recommended they meet at the same bar, the one Karina used to sing at.
Barnaby had hung up the phone feeling somewhat excited at the prospect of having birthday plans even if no one else knew they were birthday plans. Somehow he felt more normal, a little more like himself, and a little less like Maverick's puppet.