three, text;;

[fridgeflower]

Do you think that it's possible for people to be inherently bad? Not all the way, necessarily, but like maybe there's a bigger chance of messing up if you come from something bad, or like you've got some kind of latent seed planted deep that could burst someday.

I don't think that's true, if you look at it objectively. It still makes me really nervous sometimes, though, so I wonder if some part of me thinks it's a real possibility. I can't shake it off, so I get frustrated with myself sometimes.

I'm sure other people must feel like that. I'm sorry if you do.

Comments

[slightlyoffchilt]

You didn't want to feel alone. Again.

[fridgeflower]

Maybe? I didn't think too hard about the reason.

private.

[slightlyoffchilt]

Often decisions aren't consciously untangled before they're performed. Since our last session, in fact, I have been concerned about what you might be repressing.

private.

[fridgeflower]

Oh. Really?

Is that bad?

private.

[slightlyoffchilt]

I hesitate to qualify it as "bad" or "good". Simply "evident" should suffice.

I can't help but wonder if our session was a factor in your need to discuss this philosophical matter.

private.

[fridgeflower]

I don't know that, either.

I got mind controlled and I did some stuff. That's mostly what did it.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

What kind of stuff?

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[fridgeflower]

I made a boy jump off of a building. I think he just got up and walked away.

I got into a fight with a talking raccoon, too, because my powers didn't work very well on him. I tried to make him jump, too, though.

private.

[slightlyoffchilt]

It could have been worse, Laurie. As unfortunate as your situation was, you understand that you were not fully in control.

Did you seek forgiveness from them?

private.

[fridgeflower]

Oh. No. Not yet. I never really met them before, and the boy told me some stuff that was kind of bad. I didn't know if I should talk to him again or not.

The raccoon had a gun and was very angry. I'm a little scared of him, too.

private.

[slightlyoffchilt]

Then it seems that, even in the worst case scenario, you are not totally unjustified in the actions that had befallen you. If you can call that the depth of your evil (circumstantial evil, mind) then it isn't all that bad. Is it?

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[fridgeflower]

No. Maybe not.

What do you do when somebody confesses a crime to you? Does it count here if it was in another world?

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[slightlyoffchilt]

I work under a strict confidentiality technique. My patients come first.

[It depends -- the words he didn't say.]

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[fridgeflower]

Oh. I meant more of a general 'you.'

If somebody told ME they did something, I mean, what should I do about it?

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[slightlyoffchilt]

Well, you are a civilian and hardly obligated to conduct any professional service. I would suggest that you contact law enforcement as soon as possible.

private.

[fridgeflower]

Yeah. I don't know why I didn't. Maybe I thought it wouldn't count. He couldn't have lied about it, though.

He's still walking around. I don't know if he's hurt anybody in this world.

I felt bad about trying to kill him. That's all.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

Guilt is a complex response to variables often beyond our control. People prefer to blame themselves rather than accept how powerless they really are.

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[fridgeflower]

I don't want to accept how powered I am, personally.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

It's part of who you are.

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[fridgeflower]

I don't want to be who I am.

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[slightlyoffchilt]

You wouldn't say that if you were allowed to maximize the beneficiary capabilities of your powers. You could help so many people, Laurie.

private.

[fridgeflower]

People say that sometimes, but it still feels like this mysterious goal that I'm never going to reach.

I don't know if there are many situations in which I'm any good at all.

private.

[slightlyoffchilt]

I can think of a few. In fact, if you were so inclined to partake in a few (small) group therapy sessions, I think your power could greatly relieve a few patients.

private.

[fridgeflower]

I could try, if you really think it would be good.

They wouldn't get mad?

private.

[slightlyoffchilt]

Not if I disclosed the information to them privately, beforehand, ensuring their consent.

[Which he would not, if their testing population was a locally born one. Because what do they know??]