Therian Shifters

Chapter 22: Akira's New Therapist:

As Akira walked with the woman, she saw that they were going into the forest room.

"Mr Tolfree has explained that you've been through a lot of things a child your age shouldn't go through, especially as a Therian Shifter like yourself." The woman explained as Akira nodded to indicate she was listening. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what kinds of things happened?"

As she asked the question, Akira started trembling. She saw flashbacks of her classmates hurting her and her anger outbursts as she started hyperventilating in panic. "B-bullying, I saved my friend from his abusive foster parents, some of my classmates saw my form and beat me up, I was flung into a tree and that's how I got my scar, I got captured by hunters-"

The woman stopped her, placing a gentle hand on hers in empathy. She sighed and gave Akira a hug. "I figured you needed one. That is a lot more than I thought." The woman exclaimed but in a calm manner.  "Since nobody is in the room, may I see some of your scars on your torso?"

Akira nodded, as she lifted up her shirt slightly. The big scar from the thorn-covered stick was there, wounds from her wild outbursts, and the dots from when Chase hurt her with his football boot. Akira pulled her shirt back down gently as the woman covered her mouth in shock. "You poor thing. How long has this been going on?"

Akira hesitated. "S-since I enrolled in September..."

The woman sighed. She saw Akira's eyes glistening with tears and hugged her once more, as Akira cried into her shoulder. The woman sighed softly once more as Akira looked up at her with a red face and glazed eyes. She could feel Akira trembling in fear and sadness as she stumbled backwards. Akira then turned to her form. Her ears flattened as she flopped onto the cushions. The woman then came and sat with Akira on the floor.

"Such a beautiful form." The woman said, stroking Akira's thick, silky mane. "Just like a malamute's pelt."

Akira then started to purr, her eyes shutting in comfort. Her purr sounded a bit deeper and louder than an average cat purr, as she started to pant, her tongue hanging out. Akira flopped her head onto the floor as she bellowed. She then turned back to normal.

"Who are you, again?" Akira asked.

The woman smiled. "I'm your therapist, Dr Adeline." She smiled. Her smile was friendly and welcoming, as she helped Akira up off the floor. As they sat down face-to-face, Akira started to talk about her problems more, feeling a bit more calm talking to Dr Adeline about the situation. After the session was finished, it was the 3rd lesson.

Akira looked at her timetable. She sighed in relief as the 3rd lesson read 'English, Mr Furlow'. As she happily walked towards his classroom, she heard yelling and screaming. She shut her eyes and listened to find where the sound was coming from. It was coming from the corridor next to science. She power-walked to avoid getting into trouble for running and when no teachers appeared, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. But as she came to the area, she couldn't believe her eyes. Tyler and Chase were being held back by students as both of them looked distressed. Oh no, it's those kids again! I gotta do something. Akira thought as she deliberately ran into one of the students who held them back.

"Hey, what's your problem, Autist?! I told you to go away!" Dylan shouted.

Akira then shut her eyes. As she opened them, everything slowed down like on her first day. She ran towards the bully, who was in slow motion trying to catch her. She went behind him, gave him a wedgie and faced him towards the lockers. Next, she did the same with the others and faced them towards the bully, as she grabbed Tyler and Chase. She then shut her eyes and heard the lockers bash and groans as Akira laughed as they held their backside and tucked their boxers back in.

"Akira, that was awesome!" Tyler laughed. "They're holding their backsides like they're on fire!"

Akira smiled. She had faced one thing that was the first baby step towards her mental recovery. She went with Tyler and Chase to English as the lesson went well.

The next day, Akira knew she would be in trouble with the boys who hurt Tyler and Chase but she knew that something she did would come back to her. As she got to school, her thinking was right. The boys stood inside the gate with angry faces. As Akira entered the gate and her father had driven off, they grabbed her.

"We know your traumas, Autist." One of them said with a menacing grin. "Hmm, what should we do first? Fling you into that tree or tie you up?"

Akira widened her eyes. How did they find out? Akira started panicking as they dragged up into the forest area and tied her against Three Trees. As they did, Akira panicked and started getting flashbacks. The laughter, the feeling of confinement and helplessness, it all came back to her like a punch to the face. She gasped for breath, she squirmed and struggled, her throat was hoarse as she struggled to breathe as Dylan had tied a seriously tight knot.

She could feel it getting tighter and tighter. She could see the blood circulation being cut off as her arms, legs and face went purple. As she gasped once more, she passed out.

She awoke with an almighty gasp for breath. The rope was untied and Akira laid helplessly on the floor with a wheeze in each breath. Her torso felt like her ribs had been crushed. They weren't but she had that feeling of her whole body tied into a knot like a balloon. Her vision was blurred, but all she saw was a blur of dark grey and yellow change to a person as she shut her eyes again.

As she awoke again, she was in the forest room.

"I-I s-saw..." Akira's words were clear but croaky as she spoke. "S-someone s-saved m-me..."

"It's fine, Akira. Dylan's been expelled for assaulting another student. He'll be transferring back to his old school."

Akira sighed in relief. But as she did, she felt pain. Shade realised that from the rope, Akira had been winded, as she struggled to breathe. Shade then ran to Akira's bag and got her water bottle.

"Here, drink some. When you're winded, a drink really helps."

Akira then took the bottle gently from Shade's hands and had a few sips. Soon enough, she could breathe normally. She sat up, rubbing her head as she had a mild headache from all the ruckus.

Akira has now got a new therapist, but will that improve her daily school life?