"Oh! Hey, big guy! Whatcha doing?" A chirpy, mania-induced voice sounded through the air, causing Mundo to turn around to see who it is. The voice belonged to none other than Jinx, who was staring up at him with interest in her pink eyes, her rocket launcher, Fishbones, hefted on her shoulder as always.
"Ah, Jinks!" Mundo gave his usual smile as he set the box he was holding down, arching his back as he stretched, unwinding the tension in his back. "Mundo is just setting up new bizness!"
Jinx raised a brow as she leaned in, gazing up at Mundo in her usual Jinx way. "New business?" She asked. "What new business?" Mundo gave his usual laugh, looking proud as he said his next sentence. "Today, Mundo becomes...a tharapise!" Jinx's brow arched further. "A therapist?" She stood to her full height, but she was more than a few full heads shorter than the purple man. "Whatcha becoming a therapist for?"
Mundo looked proud of himself as he recounted the story that led him to becoming a therapist. "Lass month, when me was treating patient with kryotharapy, patient kept screaming and crying." Given Mundo's version of cryotherapy, it wasn't that surprising to many that the "patient" would scream and cry before coming to a sad and painful end. But Jinx, being just as insane as Mundo, if not more than, only looked more interested. "So then what happened?" She asked.
"Mundo reelised that in world, patients suffer more than disease and injury. They suffer in mind and heart." His voice took a sad tone as he remembered how his "patient" had died without finding any closure for his "sadness", but he quickly perked his head up and stuck his chest out proudly. "But that changes today! Today! Mundo is still Doctur Mundo, but now, Mundo is tharapise doctur!" Some other champions looked over in the Madman of Zaun's direction as they walked past before turning back to their business, murmuring to themselves about the probability of Mundo's "therapy" succeeding.
Jinx, on the other hand, seemed impressed, and let out some giggles as she set Fishbones down and clapped excitedly. "That sounds amazing, big guy!" She commended. "Fank you." Mundo replied, looking rather pleased with himself as he picked the box up and began to move to the empty room. "Mundo must go now. Office won't set itself up." Jinx followed him inside, carrying Fishbones with her as she looked around at what was around. The room was obviously an old room that has been unused by the Institute. The walls had cracks on them, the old, blue paint was peeling, the lights were barely working there was dust everywhere, and Jinx even saw one or two cockroaches around.
Still, her entire life in Zaun, coupled with her insanity, made her nonchalant to these things, and she gave a wolfish whistle as she span in a little circle, taking the whole place in. "Sweet place you got, purple." Mundo gave his short laugh. "Fanks." He set the box on a table, the only table in the room that was somehow intact, rather heavily, causing dust to fly everywhere and making Jinx sneeze. Mundo walked behind the chair and tried sitting down on it. It broke and caved under his weight immediately, and he soon found himself sitting on the floor, specks of dust flying everywhere and causing Jinx to sneeze again.
He grunted as he got up. "They don't make chairs like they used to."
He looked around at his new "office", heaving a sigh as Jinx continued sneezing. A feeling of hope flared in his chest as he looked over the dusty floors and cracked walls.
"Mundo is going to do lots of good."
oooooooooo
Diana arched a brow as she scanned the paper that was practically being shoved into her face by a certain bluette. "Mundo's Therapy Service?" She read quietly, looking down at the words written in big bold letters. The rest of the paper contained a messy marker drawing of Mundo, who looked buffer than he was in real life, and some incomprehensible scribbles all over the white sheet.
"Yeah!" Jinx waved the paper in Diana's face, blissfully unaware to the fact that she was stepping into the Aspect's personal space. "It's the new biz the purple guy's trying out, you should try it!"
Diana suppressed a shudder, remembering the one time she had Mundo on her team. The mutated man was sloppy, ugly, and smelly. "I-" She didn't get to finish as Jinx cut her off, continuing to ramble on about Mundo's "wonderful" therapy.
"And he was so patient when I told him about the time Fishbones wrecked the entire lab. I mean, would it kill people to be a little patient these days?" The word "patient" sent a shudder down Diana's spine, remembering how Mundo had tried to make her a patient in the middle of said match. It had involved electricity, wild goose chases around the whole Rift from her own teammate, and hundreds of prayers to the Lunari gods to wash her mind of the memories of the "treatment" she suffered from Mundo.
"I don't think-" She was once again cut off when the Loose Cannon began jabbering again, this time even gesturing with her hands wildly. "I'm telling you, you won't regret your time!" The girl said excitedly. "Mundo is really good at this thing! And for someone as dreary and dull as you, he's the perfect guy to turn to!"
Diana blinked, unsure of how to feel and respond at Jinx's description of her. Should I feel offended and insulted?
Jinx continued rattling on, obviously disregarding the Aspect of the Moon's discomfort and confusion. "Come visit us! I'm the assistant!" She said that as if it would bring Diana some comfort and actually encourage her to visit Mundo's new therapy service. It did not. It only further discouraged the white-haired woman from going.
However, Jinx didn't seem to take any notice of Diana's silent commitment to not go, and slapped the paper into the taller woman's open hands. "Come visit us soon! We'll turn that big ol' frown of yours upside down!" With that, the girl skipped away, humming a merry tune as she did so. Diana looked down at the paper in her hand, wondering what she had done to deserve this. And why was my hand open? She wondered. For a brief moment, her eyes turned from the paper to the garbage can nearby.
"Accidents" could happen, right?
However, before she could carry on with her plan, a soft, gentle voice spoke up behind her. "Diana?" The Lunari turned to see the Starchild, Soraka, standing behind her, her expression curious. "Hello, Soraka." Diana greeted, an uncharacteristic gentle smile spreading across her face. She tolerated many champions in the League, but Soraka was one of the few she actually liked. "What brings you out here?"
Soraka gave a small sigh, and Diana saw the weariness in the other woman's expression. "You know, some fresh air to clear my head." Diana nodded empathetically. Healers like Soraka were often in great demand in the League. And unfortunately for the Starchild, there weren't many healers in the League, and that resulted in her having to be cooped up in the medical bay, treating injured champions and/or summoners. And in the League, injuries, either intentional or not, were very common. "I see."
Soraka tilted her head inquisitively, her eyes darting to the paper in Diana's hand. "I saw you conversing with the Loose Cannon of Zaun just now. May I ask what you two were talking about?"
Well, for one, the conversation was more of a one-sided one, Diana thought, though she didn't bother to voice it. "Jinx was just telling me of this new therapeutic service Mundo has opened up." She replied, holding the paper up for Soraka to see. "Apparently, it's supposed to be one of the best therapeutic services in the whole of Valoran, as per Jinx's words." Soraka looked at the paper inquisitively, then held a hand out, silently asking for the paper. Diana was all too happy to give it to the Starchild, but she kept her contentment to herself.
Soraka studied the paper with interest, her eyes taking in the big, bold words and the messy drawing of Mundo. "Interesting..." She murmured quietly, flipping the paper to see that the other page was blank. The flyer was somewhat adorable, but it contained no details of where this new therapy service was, or any way on how to contact Mundo. It just contained the big bold words and messy scribbles that were incomprehensible. "Where can I find this office?" Soraka asked. Diana raised a brow, slightly struggling to comprehend why the purple woman would even consider attending Mundo's therapy.
"I'm quite sure if you wander around the lobby, you can find it fairly easy." Diana raised a brow at the other woman. "Are you actually considering attending?" Soraka smiled slightly. "Everything deserves a chance, and it would be nice to try talk to someone about my workload." Diana's skeptical expression turned into one of slight confusion. "Don't you have any close friends that are more trustworthy than him?"
Soraka gave a small coy smile as she began to walk off. "They are often busy with matches on the Rift, so there isn't really anyone I can consistently talk to about what I feel about my work." Diana nodded as the Starchild began to walk off. "Tell me about it when you're done." She called out as the purple woman got further and further away. Once Soraka was gone, Diana shrugged and turned to walk off to her own destination. She had to admit that she too was slightly curious about Mundo's new therapy service, but she wasn't curious enough to be the first to attend like a sacrificial lamb.
oooooooooo
Jinx looked up as she heard the door open, and she grinned wildly when she saw Soraka enter. "Yay! Our very first customer!" She yelled as she got up from her chair and approached Soraka, the other woman in the midst of taking in the office's untidy and dirty condition. "Hey! How you doing?" Soraka startled at the Loose Cannon's loud voice, and she turned to look at the girl. "Uh, hi." She greeted awkwardly, giving a little wave. She was used to seeing Jinx in her usual outfit, but the Loose Cannon now wore what looked like a nurse's outfit, with the uniform having neon and pink doodles all over. Akali wouldn't approve.
Jinx took no notice of the Starchild's confusion, and continued firing off questions at a rapid speed.
"So, have you come to make an appointment?" Jinx asked, her eyes and grin wide. "Uh...yes." Soraka replied quietly, looking around at the place around her. It was dusty, the walls were cracked, and the furniture looked ready to break at any moment. Not the best place to conduct therapy sessions.
"Great!" Jinx turned to a door at the side and hollered, "Oi, big guy! We have a customer!" Soraka heard some shuffling, crashes, and then a heavy thud. She was beginning to doubt her decision to come here. Soon, a deep voice, undoubtedly Mundo's, called out from inside the room. "Mundo's ready!"
Jinx grinned and turned to face Soraka again. "The doctor will see you now." Soraka nodded at Jinx nervously before stepping to the door where she had heard the sounds come from. Taking a breath, she turned the doorknob and gently pushed it open. Inside, there was a worn couch that was situated next to a desk, on the desk was nothing but a big box, and behind the desk was Mundo himself, his face having its usual grin. There was little decoration in the room, and it looked more of an asylum room to inspire fear than to comfort people.
Come to think of it, what had possessed Soraka to come here in the first place?
"Ah! Sorara!" Mundo greeted joyfully, gesturing towards the old couch with a hand. "Please, sit!" Soraka did so hesitantly, observing Mundo. To his credit, the Madman of Zaun had changed his outfit to look like he was a genuine therapist, but his hulking figure still caused his new white shirt to tear, and although the circularly rimmed glasses he wore did make him look slightly professional, his messy hairdo and his habit of sticking his tongue out of his mouth overall ruined his chances of trying to appear professional.
Still, despite her increasing doubts and second thoughts, Soraka decided to proceed with this session. Maybe Mundo would surprise her.
As she sat down, Mundo took the box on the table and began rummaging through it. "So, how you feeling?" He asked. That's a good start, Soraka thought, her hopes lifting slightly. "I'm feeling fine, just a little exhausted from work, I guess." Mundo nodded, not looking up at her from his box. "Good, good." He mumbled. "Have you been sad lately from work?" Soraka shook her head. "Just exhausted."
Mundo paused, and looked up from his box to Soraka. "Are you sure?" He asked. Soraka nodded, even smiling to reassure the big man that she wasn't lying. Mundo arched a brow. "Mundo think you in denial."
"Oh no, I'm really fine. Just tired, that's all." Mundo just looked more skeptical. "There's only one way to be sure." He said, pulling a clipboard out of his box. "Answer this." He said, as he reached over the table and offered the clipboard to Soraka. When Soraka took it, she saw a piece of paper on it. The paper had the heading 'Sad-O-Meter', and contained only one question that asked, 'Ar yu sad?'.
Soraka quickly took a pen nearby and write 'No' on the paper, passing it back to Mundo. The purple man took the clipboard and looked it at closely, as if examining a complicated specimen when all he was looking at was a simply piece of paper with a simple question and a simple answer. "Very good." He murmured. "So, why have you come to visit Mundo, Sorara?" Soraka drew a deep breath. "I've been feeling stressed lately from my work, and I'm wondering how to curb it." Mundo placed his chin in his hand, looking thoughtful. "Hmmm, Mundo may have solution for this." With that, he began digging through his box again, and Soraka briefly wondered what the purple man would pull out.
"Aha!" Mundo exclaimed triumphantly as he pulled a knife out. "Stress medicine!"
Soraka blinked a few times as Mundo offered the knife to her. "Take this two times a day. Then come back and tell Mundo all about the progress!" Soraka tried to speak up, but Mundo just looked so joyous and proud that she couldn't bear to dampen his spirits. So instead, she quietly nodded and walked out of the room, and soon the office, staring at the knife in her hands.
Well, that was something.
oooooooooo
Sona blinked a few times, confused at the knife in Sona's hand. She played a note on her etwahl, the tune of the note conveying her confusion. Soraka sighed.
"I know, it's strange and all, but on the bright side, Mundo didn't try any "treatments" on me." Sona played another note, this one sounding skeptical, even insulting. Soraka gave a look at her fellow healer. "Sona! That's not nice!" The Maven of the Strings grinned cheekily as she floated off, playing a note that further emphasised her skepticism. Soraka sighed at the blue-haired woman's cruelty with her words and thoughts. "He's not that bad of a therapist, Sona!" The other woman didn't bother to respond, continuing her way out of the room.
Once she was alone, Soraka sighed and looked down at the knife that Mundo had given her. On one side, the therapy session didn't go terrible awry, and Mundo seemed to be doing his best to help her with her stress issues, in his own way, of course.
She sighed and set the knife down and sat at the table of the med bay. Maybe things would go better during the next session.