Players:
Summary: Dr. Parker-Mayfair is called in as a specialist to talk to a special case.
Date: December 28, 2009
After One Became Two
Rating: PG
Ravencroft
It's been a while since the last time Venom was in the headlines of New York City, the symbiote's long filled hatred of Spider-Man had fallen down a path of failure when the symbiote was ripped from it's host, leaving Eddie Brock unconscious and susceptible to a less secure environment. Eddie Brock was transported to Ravencroft, and after some time, a specialist was called in to examine Eddie Brock as he was going through the withdrawal process. Though the institute is a correctional facility, the interior of the asylum doesn't have the daunting look that a prison would have. A reception area that almost looks like a hospital, a secretary dressed in a set of scrubs sits in front of the secured entrance to the main building. She files her nails as her day has been relatively quiet today.
As far as Jericho knows, this is a standard evaluation, to see if Eddie Brock has recovered enough, or seems to have. He's here, at Ravencroft, to view the patient. Hopefully, the man has restructured his mind. Though, he doubts it. With the strangeness he's been through, very few Psychologists can tell the deep rifts. Even he, who works with powered individuals on a day to day basis may not know. As he enters the building, he moves towards the secretary, pulling out his credentials. "Dr. Jericho Parker-Mayfair. Here to evaluate Eddie Brock." He says simply.
"Of course, Doctor. I have your badge right here." She offers before placing a temporary identification tag on the counter in front of her. "You'll be in room 5. The patient will be in there after your arrival." She offers, before pressing a button underneath the desk, buzzing the doctor in. In the section of the institute that Jericho is in, the place seems quiet, though not too far from the meeting rooms, some of the facilities more 'colorful' guests are going about their day, some rambling on, some being violent. Eddie himself is being prepared for his evaluation, being placed in restraints, due to his violent nature. "Dr. Parker-Mayfair, welcome to Ravencroft, on behalf of the Director, I'd like to thank you for being able to come on such short notice." A tall, black-haired man offers at the other side of the door to the corridor. An escort to the room it seems, though he looks as if he is not a security officer.
Clipping the badge on, Jericho nods and begins his walk. "It's not a problem. My students were easily able to accomodate an altered schedule." He says, with a nod. "Is there anything I should beware of? Or will this just be a standard evaluation? Well… standard for what -I- deal with on a regular basis." He's not really taking the time to look around, just following to where he needs to go. He does carry a file folder and a pen, but nothing else.
"Standard, yes, but this patient of course, is not standard, as you know. We've never been able to study someone like him before. But he is dangerous, even without his powers." The escort says, opening the door to the evaluation room. A two-sided mirror hides the camera that will be recording their conversation. "Here we are, do you need anything before I leave?" He asks, inside, a plastic decanter filled with ice water and two plastic glasses on the table, along with two chairs, one across from the other.
"I have my pens, my paper. That is all I need. I have the strength to handle him if he does get violent or dangerous. Without the other powers, he can't really affect me." Jericho says simply. He's no Doc Samson, but… he's no slouch either. He moves to sit down at the table, opening his folder to read over a few last things before Eddie arrives.
"Alright then, we'll be watching in the other room." The man says, before leaving and entering Eddie Brock. A tall, muscular man, he's daunting looking, as if a cornered animal. The security agents let him in and the ex-supervillain sits down, looking at Jericho, not saying anything yet. Just measuring up the Doctor.
"Mr. Brock? How are things?" Jericho asks, looking up without a smile. He knows the man's history. He's no Carnage, but he's no innocent either. "How are you doing, on your own?" He cuts to the chase of the matter. He looks at Eddie casually. He doesn't bother measuring or even seeing what the man might be able to do. Sure, he's a big guy, but so is Jeri.
"I'm not in a plastic bubble anymore, so I guess that's good." Eddie says, still looking at Jericho. "You mean, without my other?" He asks, sounding angry and dissapointed. "Being without it is like having a piece of you ripped from you." He informs. "I can still feel it. As if it were there." Brock says.
"But how are you dealing with that loss? I'm sure it hurts. I have students that require the support of each other, unable to live without the other. I do understand how necessary it can be. But you, Mr. Brock, lived without the symbiote for years. Therefore, you should be able to live without." Jericho explains, watching telltale motions in the man, as he leans forward in his seat. "I'm sure it eats away, but how does that affect you, as a person?"
"Dealing with it? There is no dealing with it, we were powerful, we HAD Spider-Man in our grasp." Eddie says, looking up, shifting in his seat. "Or we could be one again." Eddie says, referring himself as we again. "As a person? I don't know. I just feel pissed off."
"Good. You can feel on your own. Anger is better than having no feeling." Jericho says with a nod. "But, they still have to break you of speaking in second person. You're only one man, Mr. Brock. And that's the best way to be. For any of us." He explains. "And, why do you believe you're no longer powerful. Yes, you don't have the symbiote. But you're still a large, powerful man."
Eddie looks to Jericho again. "We, were one." The man says, before looking down at himself, hands and feet bound. "Cause I can't bust through here. I have no job, no wife, and I'm stuck in here, thanks to Spider-Man." He says, still blaming Spider-Man and Peter Parker for all the wrongs in his life.
"You can still be powerful. You just have to find yourself in all the leftover parts. After you lose everything, then you find it all." Jericho explains. "At least, that's how it was for me. I had everything ripped away by Genoshan Magistrates. But that's me. And we're not here to talk about me. We're here to talk about you. If you were released today, Mr. Brock, what would you do?"
"What would I do? I'd…" He stops on that question, not knowing what he would do, he's been so focused on his hatred of Spider-Man. "Okay, so apart from finding Spider-Man, and getting revenge, there's not much." Eddie Brock seems to have much of that on his mind, revenge, and Spider-Man.
"Mr. Brock, there's no sense in even continuing with this evaluation. You're still obsessed. You're still too tied to the idea that Spider-Man is the root of all of your problems. You've obviously not made any progress." Jericho says, pulling all the papers back together.
"Just cause I've never thought about it before doesn't mean I'm obsessed." Eddie says, looking at Jericho. "Well. Maybe it does. I dunno. What the hell else am I supposed to do here? Just take being treated like some lab rat?"
"You talk to people. You learn from people. You try to get your mind back to yourself and stop obsessing over Spider-Man. Try to find out who Eddie Brock is. What goals Eddie Brock has. What Eddie Brock wants to be. Who he wants to be. Rather than deciding how to have revenge. You need to learn to be you again." Jericho explains, pausing the paper-gathering.
Though Eddie's expression does not show complete willingness to accept these terms, but he's not completely shut off from the idea. "So…think of me, and not us." He says, easing back in his seat.
"Exactly. Figure out who YOU are. Figure out what you want to be." Jericho says with a smile. He runs a hand through his own graying hair. "If you're ever going to hope to get out of here and live on your own again, that'll be theonly way. Prove it hasn't taken you completely."
Eddie's not exactly, the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's understanding what Jericho is getting at. "Alright, I guess I can try that." He says, before looking straight into the two-way mirror. "And what about the lab-rat thing, just keep going on with it?"
"That's not something I can help with. They want to know how you bonded so well with the Symbiote, I assume. But yes, try to find yourself in the leftovers of the combinant mind. And when you can do that, you'll be well on the road to recovery. You… do want to recover and be whole again, right?" Jericho asks.
"Well, I guess. Yeah." Eddie says. "I mean, the only alternative is to just keep being locked up in here, injecting me with medicine every time I don't feel like being a robot for them."
"Unfortunately, for now, I cannot recommend your release. However, I can recommend you for enhanced discussions. Now that you're seeing what we need from you here, to prove yourself." Jericho says with a nod, making notations. He does feel as though he's made some progress that others haven't, though he hasn't a clue why.
It may be because Jericho is somebody that challenged Eddie, instead of acting in another way. Or it may all be a rouse. "What's an enhanced discussion?" Eddie asks, looking to Jericho again.
"Discussions with people that actually have more of a clue what you're going through than state issued mental health professionals. It's not to say that they don't know how to deal with mental issues, but some of us have more training in particular types of mentalities. Myself and Dr. Leonard Samson are some of the best for superhuman mental issues." Jeri explains. "Nothing wrong with that. Just that we might be able to see what you need better than they can."
"Oh." Eddie says. His face starting to turn back to it's original look. "I guess you're done with today, right?" Not that Eddie's wanting to get back to the boring ranting and screaming of the crazies back in the block.
"Perhaps with trial and effort, you can move yourself up and out of the… area you're in. As you work towards a goal, we'll know, and we'll suggest they get you away from others." Jericho offers. "Today, there's not much more we can do."
"I get it, I give, and they give back." He says, standing up slowly. Eddie's tall and huge form is certainly intimidating. "Thanks for not being like the others." He says, before some security people come in, and look at Jericho.
"Whether they believe it or not, beneath what's happened, you're still a human being. Why would I treat you differently. You should easily be able to overcome what people think you are or have done, regardless." Jeri says, rising from his seat and offering a hand to Eddie. "Thank you for actually listening to what I have to say."
Eddie cannot reach out his hand very far from the restraints on his body, but he does firmly grasp Jericho's hand. "You got it, Doc." He says before the guards take Eddie by the arms and start directing him back to his cell.
Jeri takes his papers, and scribes a quick, "Hopeful" on the cover sheet. That's a good thing on it's own. Hopefully, it'll help matters in the future. Maybe Mr. Brock can get the help he needs.
