Scene 11(CF:7) – Group Session – 21:30pm
Keyscene triggered – Group session
Mike and Thomas somehow arrived at the front of Dr. Dallans office. Eventhough Mike is eager to leave this place, he is curiuos what could be found there.
As he attempts to open the door, he hears an familiar voice from behind.
Mr. Ed:”So guys, enough playing around. It is time for your group session!” Mr. Ed plays with his equipped Basebat, making it very clear that he does not tolerate discussion.

Mike:”Weee Group Session, here we go!”
Mr. Ed just gives a grunt as a response to that.

Mike and Thomas are following Mr. Ed.

He brings them into a room with horrific pink wall paint. Filled with pea-soup green chairs and flickering fluorescent lights, it is a maddening space.

Two unknown men, woman, Thomas and Mike are seated into the circle by Mr. Ed and other orderlies.

As all were seated a door opens and a strange, loud little Caucasian man dressed in a pinstriped suit enters. His bald head and fastidiously kept grey spade beard make him appear comical.

The orderlies lock the doors behind him.

Man in pinstripe suit:”Welcome everyone! I’m Dr. Maximo Friend. Who do I have the honor to work with today?”

Friend goes around person to person, allowing each a moment to identify themselves.

“Dorothy Yale”
“Mister Wilde”
“King Bael”
“Thomas Wright”
“Mike DiGiovanni”

Dr. Friend:”Great! You all should know we are here to heal hearts and minds. I will go now and ask you some questions. It is imperative to answer truthfully, if you want to archive a quick recovery.”

Dr. Friend is scanning the circle of patients. His understanding demeanor is giving place to the sight of an eagle searching for its prey.

And the prey today seems to be Mike!

Dr. Friend is stepping in front of Mike. The cotton-candy room suddenly morphs into a huge, European royal court of the 19th century, complete with throne, red carpet, and lanterns.
Black banners hang from the walls, emblazoned with a strange occult sign. The same sign Thomas once painted on the inside of the box of donuts.

Dr. Friend suddenly wears the sumptuous clothing of a noble. He sits upon a golden chair next to an ornate, decidedly empty throne. His whole demeanor is that of a haughty royal, speaking a foreign language that sounds European. When Friend addresses Mike, Mike still understands him perfectly. Friend seems also to understand what everyone else is saying.

Dark Die from the unnatural against Insight and Stress > 5 > Insight and Stress rises by one>

Mike begins to sweat and his chair becomes unbearable uncomfortable as Dr. Friend begins with his questions:
Dr. Friend:”Do you enjoy activities of your own choosing?”
Mike:”Of course!”
Dr. Friend:”Do your past failures still worry you?”
Mike:”I try to have my sight geared towards the road in front of me.”
Dr. Friend:”Are you sometimes considered by others to be a spoilsport?” > Is he? > 50/50 > Exceptional No
Mike:”No! At least never ever said someone like this into my face.”
Dr. Friend:”Describe a time when you were certain the world wasn’t real.”
Mike:” You mean like right now?”
Dr. Friend:”I’m asking the questions! Did you ever believe someone or something was out to get you?”
Mike:”I have the feeling you might.”
Dr. Friend:”I’m only here to heal through the truth! Let us continue! When did you first encounter the play The King in Yellow?”
Mike:”The what?… Thomas told me about a play he found in a bookstore.”
Dr. Friend:”Interesting. Who was the most exceptional person in your life?”
Mike:”Thomas took me under his wing when I started at the police. He always drove me to be my best self.”
Dr. Friend:”Okay. What did the Phantom of Truth tell Cassilda?”
Mike:”The Phantom of what? What are you talking about?”
Dr. Friend:”You know what I’m talking about! What do you think the world felt like before you were born?”
Mike:”I have no idea. The same, but may be a little different?”
Dr. Friend:”Have you seen the Yellow Sign?”
Mike:”If you mean this weird symbol, Thomas showed us the symbol once on a donut carton.”
Dr. Friend:”How long do you think it will be until the end of the world?”
Mike:” I have no idea, what is the porpuse of those silly questions.”
Dr. Friend:” Concentrate, please! Have you received an invitation?”
Mike:”An invitation for what?”
Dr. Friend:”Do you make an effort to get others to smile?” > Does he? > 50/50 > Yes
Mike:”If I can brighten the day of a person, why shouldn’t I?”
Dr. Friend:”Have you found your bottle?”
Mike:”I’m no alkoholic!”
Dr Friend:”Do you often think about death, sickness, pain, and sorrow?” > Does he > 50/50 > Exceptional Yes >
Mike:”My Mother died of cancer. That keeps you up at night.”
Dr. Friend:”Have you heard that the last King is come?”
Mike:”I really do not know who should wear this outfit I’m wearing Dr. Friend.”
Dr. Friend:”I heard enough!”

The room morphes back to it’s horrible pinkness. But suddenly two man grab (1-3 Mike, 4-6 Thomas = 3 Mike) Mike under his shoulders and are dragging him off, with no chance of escape.

He is strapped to a gurney and rolled to a strange room with green paint and a star on the door. Dr. Friend shows up with an enormous, old-fashioned hypodermic syringe. It is empty and its plunger is fully pressed. “This will take only a moment,” he says, and aims the needle at Mike’s left eye socket.

Dark Die against stress > 5 > Stress up by one >

What Friend extracts is not blood or vitreous gel but appears to be a red liquid like oil. Friend can be heard talking with Mr. Ed, noting, “The patzu is extremely potent.”
After a while Mike is released, apparently none the worse for wear. Dr. Friend brings him back to the others, pets him on the shoulder and says:” We made really good progress today. Group Session is done for today!”

Corruption is reduced by one.