Argonaut - The Apprentice (Part II)

Chapter 1 - Solitude

Chapter One – Solitude

22nd April 9:25 AM

“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate them exactly,” I explained quickly, “but monkeys just don’t seem to appeal to me anymore, not since the Wendigo…”

The couch was actually quite comfortable; strangely it was one of the reasons I had been able to be so open here.

“That’s perfectly natural” Monica replied, taking a note in her therapist’s pad “Though I doubt you came here to discuss childish phobias. Is something wrong David?”

I chuckled, “It’s not a phobia; I just don’t like them. And aren’t you supposed to not belittle the feelings of your patients?”

Doctor Greene looked at me questioningly over the rim of her glasses, “David.”

“Ok” I admitted, “that’s not why I’m here. I’m actually feeling pretty ok, more than I have been in a while. I just came to say goodbye, you’ve helped me through some rough spots and I appreciate it.”

She smiled, “You never really needed my services David, and from what you’ve told me over the time you’ve been coming here I think I know what your problem is.”

I raised my head from the couch, “You do?”

“Yes, you’re lonely. You just needed someone to talk to, there’s nothing actually wrong with you.”

I laughed, sitting up “Trust me doc, there’s plenty of things wrong with me. And how can I be lonely? I have friends.”

The therapist rolled her eyes, “Friends you can only see when their war allows, what you really need is someone to bond with.”

“Serena’s not good enough?”

“Long distance rarely works David, and since Serena’s off hunting the Niphal remnants most of the time it’s not like you can just swing by whenever you want.”

“Then what do I do?” I asked, “Get a dog? I can’t go back to living in Valhalla doc; it’s not an option for me.”

“Well then you’re pretty much screwed David” she smiled sourly, “either you do something more to make it work or it’ll die; just saying.”

I sat up on the couch, scowling “I came here to say goodbye, not to ask for relationship advice.”

“Have you thought of asking her to come live with you for a while?” she asked, chewing the cap of her pen thoughtfully.

“I’ve thought about it” I replied, “But I don’t think she’ll agree. This is the first time they’ve ever actually had them on the back foot, she’ll want to stay with the others. Kronos’s death left the Niphal in disarray; and the Archaeans are pushing their advantage as far as they can.”      

“It would go faster if you helped them out” she noted, “they have yet to find another Kinetic, am I correct?”

“No. I killed before out of necessity, I had a reason. This is a war I have no part in; making myself into the Archaeans’ executioner isn’t something I plan on doing.”

“And?” she asked, knowing there was more.

“And if I destroy the remaining Niphal so quickly the Archaeans might forget that they’re mortal and decide they don’t like the humans either, and if they start another war I don’t know what side I would choose. Better to let them handle their own problems than intervene and possibly make things worse.”