AN: I'm terribly sorry for the long wait, but I was feeling uninspired. However, I did manage to put this up before March, which is the deadline I set for myself. So, apparently I can stick to a schedule. Expect the next chapter probably by June.

Much thanks to my reviewers. You all rock. Virtual cookies for everybody.

Oh yeah, and Mio might seem a little OOC. But really, after what I've put her through, she's bound to snap sometime.

Disclaimer: If I owned Suikoden, do you think I'd be living in an apartment without turning on the heat in order to save on the electric bill, and living off of mac-and-cheese? I don't think so.

Session 10: Techniques for Anger Management

As soon as she entered the therapy room, Mio knew it was going to be a rough session. Borus and Billy were already glaring at one another. As was usual lately, their weapons had wisely been confiscated. Not that they couldn't damage each other with their hands and feet, but it made Mio feel a little safer, anyway.

"Good morning," she greeted them pleasantly. She seated herself and glanced at her clipboard. "How are you all today?"

Billy scowled, Borus glared, and Hugo fidgeted. Mio sighed and turned to the Karayan.

"Did you manage to practice any of those techniques I gave you?"

Hugo shrugged. "I didn't really understand most of them. I tried one or two, but then I…forgot." He did not add that he had been hoping he would not have to return here.

"Well, which ones did you try?" Mio asked.

Hugo flushed and stared at the floor. He mumbled something, too softly to make out.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Mio prodded.

"Thinking of a happy place," Hugo repeated, cheeks red. Billy predictably burst out laughing. Hugo glared at the thief, his hand twitching, but he managed to look away.

"Oh, that's a good technique to use," Mio gushed. "In fact, I think you all should try it. Close your eyes and try to envision everything exactly how you want it to be. It should be a calm place, soothing and welcoming. Go on, close your eyes."

After a moment, they all obeyed. Mio let a few minutes pass before she prompted, "Billy, tell us about your happy place. Without opening your eyes."

Billy cleared his throat. "Well, I'm surrounded by treasure. Gold and silver and statues and stuff."

"Is that all?" Mio pressed.

Billy opened his eyes. "Yeah. Is that a problem?"

Mio shook her head wordlessly before turning to Borus. "What does your happy place look like, Borus?"

"Well, Lady Chris is there."

"What else?"

Borus screwed up his face, thinking hard. "Um…it's just the two of us. I'm her champion. Uh…I just defeated that annoying blond Harmonian."

Hugo burst out laughing and Billy joined in after a moment. Borus opened his eyes to glower at the two. "Hey now! Nobody laughs at me," he announced. He stood, but paused to look from one to the other, choosing his target.

"Sure they do. I am, ain't I? You gotta admit, you're pretty pathetic," Billy retorted. Borus lunged at the thief, missing his face by mere millimeters. Billy responded by sweeping the knight's feet out from under him. The blond crashed to the floor, his armor ringing. He stood with a groan, taking an attack stance.

"That's enough," Mio declared. Standing suddenly, she whacked them both on the back of the head with her clipboard. "You're acting like a pair of vicious beasts. This is why you are here, and I won't put up with it any more! Now sit down!"

For a moment, all three patients stared in shock. Borus sank slowly into his seat, rubbing at the back of his head before he snatched his hand down. Billy chose to scowl for a moment at the diminutive nurse, and received another smack with the clipboard. Once he was seated, Mio retook her own seat, pasted a pleasant smile on her face, and turned to Hugo.

"Now, Hugo. What does your happy place look like?"

Hugo glanced briefly at the other two patients before resolving to ignore them. "Well, it looks a lot like Karaya before it burned. I'm on a hill where I can see the village. It's sunny and warm, and I'm lying in the grass next to Fubar. And my friends are all there: Lulu , Sgt Joe, Aila, Jimba, Mua, Hallec, Thomas, and everybody else. And nobody is fighting, and the air smells like summer instead of blood." His voice was wistful as he spoke, and his eyes were locked on something far away. For a moment, the Flame Champion had looked paradoxically innocent and wise. Then his face took on an angry cast. "And none of my friends are dead because of stupid ironheads and their stupid white hero."

"Hey you! You're not allowed to disrespect Lady Chris like that!" Borus shouted.

Mio sighed and hung her head. "This seems to be getting in the way of your therapy for obsession. From now on, you, Hugo, are not allowed to say the words 'Lulu' or 'ironheads.' And you, Sir Borus, are not to say 'Lady Chris.' Is that clear to both of you?" She paused to wait for their abashed and stricken nods before continuing. "Now, for the most part you did very well coming up with a happy place. Now that you each have one, you need to learn to summon it whenever you're feeling angry."

"Yeah yeah yeah. Let's just go on to the next technique so we can get out of here," Billy grumbled. Mio sighed but did not protest.

"Okay. Another technique is to take deep breaths until you calm down. Why don't each of you try taking three deep breaths? Breathe in until you can't take in any more air, hold it a moment, and then let it out slowly. Go on."

Each attempted to follow her instructions. Billy inhaled and exhaled loudly, causing Borus to mutter something about oafs who couldn't even breathe quietly. Billy retaliated with a comment about wasted oxygen. Mio broke in to force them to stop and try again, reflecting that she had not expected them to have this much practical need for her techniques so soon. Meanwhile, Hugo was depriving himself of oxygen in an attempt to exhale slowly.

"Alright, stop," Mio ordered. "This does not appear to be working. That's okay, because not every technique will work for every person." She glanced down at her clipboard, drawing a bold line through 'deep breaths' on her list. "Sometimes, it helps to put yourself in the other person's shoes."

"I don't get it. Why would changing footwear help?" Hugo asked, tilting his head.

Mio shook her head. "No no no. I mean, try looking at the situation from the other person's point of view. To take the present example, Billy, why do you suppose Borus is angry at you?"

"Because he's a self-righteous bastard with a stick up his butt," Billy replied promptly.

"Hey now!" Borus protested. Mio raised her voice to talk over him.

"Billy, at least try to do this properly, please. Try to see it from his side."

"I don't wanna see anything from his side. He's a prick."

"Yeah, well, you're an ignorant, unscrupulous, scoundrel," Borus retorted.

"What'd you call me?" Billy demanded, clenching his fists and rising to his feet. The knight stood to match him.

"Boys!" Mio cut in. "Both of you, stop and count to ten. Right now!"

Borus turned away, crossed his arms, and started counting quickly. "One two three…"

"Slower, Borus," Mio chided.

Billy muttered for a minute and then began counting also. "One…two…three…four…five…seven…"

"You missed six," Hugo pointed out helpfully.

"Dim-witted moron can't even count to ten," Borus remarked snidely.

Billy threw his hat at the knight, who dodged it. "Can't throw, either. What can you do?" Borus taunted.

"I'll rip you to pieces and then burgle your fortune," Billy roared, throwing himself at the knight.

"That's enough!" Mio shouted, standing and throwing her clipboard at the wall. "You are two of the most troublesome, inconsiderate, insensitive, bigoted, pair of men I have ever had the misfortune to meet! I've had it. Both of you, get out before I arrange to have you teleported to the middle of the ocean!"

After a moment, they turned and stomped out, shoving at each other to get to the doorway first. Mio dropped back into her chair, put her head in her hands, and sighed. Hugo stood uncertainly for a moment, shifting from foot to foot, and then followed the other two out the door.

After the door shut behind him, Mio took a deep breath and began to count. "One…two…three…four…"

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