First Session: Ashton

AxelAsh

AxelAsh

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Ashton listened carefully as Valli spoke, twiddling his thumbs together. "Yeah...I guess that makes sense. My anger didn't become an issue till mom passed. She was super Zen and real Bohemian. Able to calm a storm before it even began." he said, smiling. "She was too pure for this world." he whispered.

He hummed. "She passed when I was 11, and shortly after was when I lost control. Well...wait no." he said, thinking. "I'd had minor issues with my powers before, but nothing so severe. Usually if I was scared, or surprised or excited. My anger was...not much of an issue. And my father was never brought up till when she was dying." he said, propping his chin on one of his hands.

"He didn't even come to see her before she passed....I was all alone with her and she kept asking for him. I would have done anything to find him but I didn't even know. The one thing she asked for before she died, I promised I'd get it for her and she asks for HIM!"

And just like that, the fire reappeared but this time it simply ignited the cushion of the chair that was next to him. Although right now, it didn't really phase him.

"And because of him I was stuck with those fuckers in that living hell for 5 years and no one came for me!" this time, his hand slammed on the arm rest. That fire slowly began to grow hotter and hotter before sparking up a little with an electric discharge. As Ashton heard those "zaps" he quickly tried to calm himself.

"Shit! I'm sorry!" he gasped. "I-I didn't realize I had gotten so lost in thought!" he cried out, attempting to put out the fire now.
 
Romi

Romi

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A huge part--probably the biggest part--of being a good therapist was being a good listener. Being a good listener meant not interrupting unless it was extremely important. It meant hearing everything, digesting it, and then giving feedback.

It meant being understanding.

That said, being understanding went on a brief hold when, in the middle of listening to Ashton talk, a cushion caught on fire. Making sure no one got hurt--whether it be him or Ashton--was priority one, and everything else was priority two.

Valli jumped out of his seat, bending down to retrieve the mini-extinguisher as Ashton started to apologize. Thankfully it did work, and he carefully extinguished the little fire, staring down at the mess and wondering who he was going to have to summon to get it all cleaned up after.

"Don't worry about it," Valli said firmly, squinting down at the fire extinguisher and wondering if it was good for another go. "Although I think, if it's alright with you, I'll suggest we have our next session in one of the power practice rooms to minimize disruption. It can't be good for your mental health having these sort of interruptions."

With that said, he finally did sit down, cradling the extinguisher in his lap.

"Have you had any contact with your father since then?"

 
AxelAsh

AxelAsh

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Great. Day one and he was already making the worst impression imaginable. This guy probably thought him a mess and it was so embarrassing. When he mentioned their next session, he nodded his head slowly. "Y-Yeah...that's probably a good idea." he muttered.

He looked up and shook his head at Valli. "No, I don't even know his name. I've never met him before. Mom once told me that we relocated so he couldn't find us because apparently he was married to someone else already. And she didn't want to deal with that. " he sighed.

"I mean...I want to meet him. See what kind of person he was and see why my mom fell for him. She never talked about anyone the same way she did my father. She said I looked a lot like him, mainly with my eyes." another sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I want to meet the side of my family I never got to know but I don't even know who all to go to or where to begin finding them."
 
Romi

Romi

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Well, all things considered, mother was the other woman was fairly low on the scale of reasons people could have a missing parent. Especially with demons. Valli didn't discriminate, but he was well aware that the hells often ran by different rules than the rest of the world.

"I have a lot of people I see who have never gotten to meet their parent - whether it's a godly parent or a demonic parent, I'll give you the same advice I give them. It's important to remember that the only thing your father did for you is help make you. They didn't raise you. They're not your father - they're your biological father. It's unfortunately common for people to build up missing parents as something they're not."

It wasn't quite don't get your hopes up, but it was pretty close to manage your expectations.

"Have you considered reaching out to the Demonic Student Union? They might be able to put you in touch, or help you identify you father.

 
AxelAsh

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"I-I know it's a simple case of 'deadbeat dad" syndrome and all but I just...I wanna know for the sake of knowing. I guess it's considered closure?" he said, more in a question then anything. Though when the other mentioned the Demon Student Council, he perked up.

"There's a council for this kind of thing?" he asked, looking confused, shocked and a bit excited. "I just got here so I didn't know the details of all that's offered at the school or the island in general." he hummed, looking up in thought. "Well....it might help. Maybe someone has an idea where to find my dad..." he muttered.

"Do you think anyone could help me with my powers?"
 
Romi

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"People often seek closure, yes," Valli noted. "It's just important not to be too fixated on the idea of closure. Sometimes you'll never get it, and it can be quite disheartening." The last thing he wanted was for someone to set their sights too high and end up shot down. People often assumed that the worst thing that could happen was finding a loved one dead, but Valli knew that dead was vastly preferable to missing presumed dead. At least dead gave closure. Dead let you have a funeral. Dead let you move on.

"It isn't quite a council," Valli clarified. "More like a student club, or a special interest group. It's run by a student and invites demons of all kinds to join. I often refer people to them who aren't yet comfortable with their demonic heritage. You might also find people there who might have similar powers, simply due to shared lineages. If you feel you're underserved by power classes, you could also ask your teacher for extra lessons, or a referral for a tutor."

 
AxelAsh

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Ashton was now smiling, and that was good. When Ashton wasn't happy it was very obvious. He was a very expressive young man and if he wasn't happy, no one was. He hummed in thought, thinking.

"That might be helpful..." he muttered. "I didn't get as good at dance on my own, I had a teacher and a tutor to help me get to where I was." he tapped his chin with his finger in thought. "Yeah...yeah I can see how that would help!" he said with a grin.

"Plus it'd...be nice to have friends near my own age for a change. Growing up it was just my mom and a few people she knew and that was it."
 
Romi

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It was nice to deal with someone who was so expressive, assuming it was all genuine. Ashton seemed to wear his heart on his sleeve, which made getting a feel for him easy as pie.

"I would strongly recommend it," Valli noted. "They're a very welcoming bunch. And because many of them have been on the island longer than you, they'll be able to help you adapt to life on the islands itself. Having good support is important when it comes to mental health."

Even so, Valli did have to bring the conversation around to something less pleasant.

"I assume you're no longer in contact with your grandparents?" He doubted that they would have moved with him, but Valli simply wasn't clear what the state of Ashton's guardianship was.

 
AxelAsh

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He nodded. "Yeah...I'll have to do that." he smiled. However, that smile dropped when his grandparents were brought up.

"No...I haven't. I'm actually a ward of the state currently. It's why I want to find my father...maybe he'd help me get away from that. I don't...like it." he rolled his shoulders again. They were so stiff, sore and terribly bruised.

"I...I don't know what really I should do." he whispered, simply staring at his hands. "Beside's I might destroy that home too like I do everything else."
 
Romi

Romi

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And there was the point where Valli wished he had a more complete profile. It would help save him from a lot of questions he had to ask, but he supposed he might very well have asked them anyway, just to find out how Ashton felt about things.

"Are you living with a dorm parent? Or with a foster family? If you're living with a foster family, it might be worth moving into the school. Dorm parents are well equipped to handle power outbursts, and rooms in the school can be easily fireproofed."

 
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