Behind Closed Doors

[BlackAkuma]

It had been a long, irritating morning for Alyssa Crowley, for one reason and one reason only: she had to spend it cleaning, of all things.

When she’d set up her office in LAW’s facilities, she had been under the impression that their janitorial staff would handle such issues promptly and routinely. It was only now, mere hours before her first appointment, that she learned this was not the case and that they would only be coming by weekly to ensure that her quarters were pristine. A week was enough time for dust to accumulate, for smells to linger, and perhaps even for insects to make themselves at home.

Unacceptable. Simply unacceptable. Alyssa took pride in her workspace and strove to create a harmonious, comfortable environment for her patients. They were wrestlers in one of the most visible and popular promotions in history, facing enormous amounts of stress, and it was paramount that they find themselves in a welcoming area. So, with that in mind, she had no choice but to take up the task herself.

Or, more accurately, she had to sweet talk a man from LAW’s stage crew to do it for her, some poor fellow named Blake. Or was it Jake? She hardly recalled. He had been gone for about five minutes now and not a moment too soon. She had some final preparations to make.

She kept the room dim but not so much as to make it hard to move through, knowing how the soft atmosphere could put a mind at ease. Her study books were lined along the shelves, guarded dutifully by her small army of stuffed animals - her personal touch, showing off her collection to help show off the human element. ambient music played in the background, dark and haunting, the sort that stimulates the alpha waves and puts the mind at ease, perfect for a conducive session. Alyssa struck a match as she rounded her desk and lit a single candle near the edge, letting its wooden wick crackle and its red flames spread through the gloom. Finally, her chaise lounge was dusted and pristine, a perfect surface for her patients to lie along and relax.

Appealing to every sense. Perfect.

Alyssa breathed deep, taking in the growing scent of vanilla as it wafted through the frames, and strode back towards the other side of the desk with brisk steps. She sat down and fiddled away on her laptop while the other brought a cup of chai to her lips, something to sip on while she waited. If her timing wasn’t off - and it never was - she wouldn’t have to wait much longer…

[lyannapelon]

Barely five minutes had passed before there came a knock upon the door as Natasha Loclear had arrived for her scheduled appointment with the newly hired therapist for LAW. She had inquired with the staff a while back during her search for a new therapist, unsure if LAW had one on retainer like other sports groups tended to do, and while at the time they were in between doctors it hadn't been more than a few weeks before staff got back to her with their new hire.

She waited outside the office door for a moment just in case the doctor needed her to wait outside, but when she didn't hear anyone telling her such a thing Natasha pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Once inside the Frenchwoman performed a quick scan of the room to get her bearings, the dim light hiding some corners from her but otherwise she was able to see well enough to recognize this was indeed the office of a therapist...if perhaps one quite unlike her previous doctor judging by the stuffed animals guarding the shelves.

"I didn't know we would have such fluffy company~" Natasha joked as she closed the door behind her and strolled over to the desk. The doctor would see a woman in her early twenties, her long blue hair brushed to perfection and gently swaying behind her as she walked, though already a few locks of hair were rebelling by curling outward. Her clothes were form fitting to show off her figure and yet beyond one slit down the right side of her ankle length blue skirt, revealing a pale thigh which led down to a tall black boot, they showed little skin. She seemed to be wearing some kind of black top underneath as it covered her midsection, but a blue and white coat with golden buttons covered the rest of her from the navel to her neck.

"Course I do hope I have the right place, you would be doctor Crowley I assume?" Natasha stood on the other side of the desk with her hand outstretched towards Alyssa. "I believe I'm your first patient, Natasha Loclear."

[BlackAkuma]

And there came the knock, as if on cue. A good sign. Ms. Loclear was a punctual woman, and that always went well with Alyssa. ”Come in.”

Leaning back in the chair, she watched Natasha enter and took a moment to scan the woman over as her eyes adjusted to the darkened surroundings. While she had, of course, seen her on clips before when she was taking notes in preparation, there was a marked difference between watching someone on her computer screen and meeting them in real life, things that simply could not be translated over the medium. The presence one carried with them, the way they moved in casual company, the manner they carried themselves when millions of people weren’t taking note of their every move, the clothes they choose to wear when there wasn’t a camera around, to name a few. Though their session hadn't technically begun until Natasha took a seat, Alyssa took note of such things, even now, filing them away in her mental folder, more data for the equation.

Alyssa smiled at Natasha’s little joke, a genuine one, though she said nothing at first, merely looking her patient over. A strong woman, yes, but she had come in casual. There was an easygoing air about her, one that Alyssa rarely saw in wrestlers her age, showing experience beyond her years. And she had no qualms showing off her body, though this wasn’t surprising given the division she specialized in.

She sat there with tented fingers for a moment before she nodded and stood, extending her hand over the desk for a shake. ”Correct on both counts.” She kept her voice low and dark, almost to a whisper, yet it still managed to carry throughout the quiet room, well over the soft hum of her music. “Alyssa Crowley, delighted to make your acquaintance.” She nodded back to her stuffed entourage. ”And, please, forgive the decor. We all have our hobbies.”

[lyannapelon]

Natasha found herself leaning a few inches forward over the desk as Alyssa spoke, the woman's voice not so soft that she couldn't understand her and yet she felt drawn in by its soothing nature. "The pleasure is mine and worry not for there is nothing to forgive, I appreciate such cute company." A playful smirk crossed her lips as she nodded towards the stuffed book guardians, pulling back her hand after oner last gentle squeeze of Alyssa's hand. She then reached down to smooth out her skirt as she took a seat across from the raven haired doctor.

"Besides there are far worse hobbies one could find out their therapist has, yours is at least cuddly." Natasha commented as she got comfortable in the chair, not a difficult task given the comfortable nature of it and the relaxing music currently playing. Her gaze remained fixed on Alyssa now that they had gotten past the introductions, her hands resting in her lap as she just soaked it all in. "I will admit to having been a tad nervous about seeing a new therapist. My previous doctor has been seeing me for years but commuting to his office in Paris and back isn't really practical anymore since I moved here." Natasha paused her explanation to let out a soft but slightly nervous chuckle, her hands idly tapping against the top of her skirt. "But change can be good right?"

[BlackAkuma]

So well-spoken, this one. It was small, but Alyssa was used to the younger women being far more curt than she would have otherwise liked. The current generation was in such a hurry, so used to their cell phones and streaming and having the world ready to serve them at the single touch of a button. She had grown used to accepting it but was always glad to experience exceptions to the rule. She had only known Natasha for ten seconds, hardly enough time to draw a complete picture, but early prospects were promising. She reminded her a good deal of Alyssa herself at that age.

She took careful note of her patient as she sat down, paying particular attention to what she was looking at with those big blue eyes of hers…and what she wasn’t looking at. The first time people saw her, their gaze was usually drawn to Alyssa’s chest, and it would return there often if it ever left. Not so for Natasha, as you would expect from an experienced hentai wrestler, one so accustomed to having the entire female form across from them.

”It can be, yes. Sometimes.” Alyssa eased back in her chair. ”Other times, less so. I’m sure the dinosaurs didn’t care much for the changes to their world when the asteroid hit. Change can be a violent process.” She leaned in, elbows on the table, and tilted her head ever so slightly to the side. ”I’ve been to Paris. Lovely city, but different from Tokyo in many ways beyond the obvious. How has the change been for you, Ms. Loclear.”

[lyannapelon]

Natasha hadn't been sure what to expect of doctor Crowley when she received her name from the staff at LAW. It had been a simple task to look up what degrees she had earned and from where but what they could tell her was limited, Natasha able to gleam that Alyssa was accomplished and likely twenty years or so younger than the sixty something year old doctor she had been going to before now but that had been about it.

Now that she sat across the desk from her Natasha realized she never would have been able to guess just what kind of woman doctor Crowley would be, especially not when it came to her undeniably amazing figure or the goth vibes she was now feeling. She was funny too, Natasha giggling at the dinosaur joke Alyssa had managed to work into her metaphor about change. That humor likely helped with getting patients to open up or so she figured given that it was helping her feel more at ease.

"Well I feel better about it than the dinosaurs did or so I imagine." Natasha knew that wasn't much of answer but she hadn't been able to resist playing off the previous joke. "Since you've been there I suppose you can understand some of the...cultural challenges that came with this move, though it helped having a basic understanding of the language already." There was a momentary pause as she thought over just what to say next, Natasha sighing softly before resuming. "In all honestly the city has been great. Sure I get odd looks when I'm out...being quite obviously not from around here...but as I am sure you can relate I am rather used to getting long looks anyways."

[BlackAkuma]

A warm smile came over Alyssa as she recalled her time in Paris. 2000? 2001? She couldn't quite recall. A family vacation, one of her last, during the summer. A hot, breezy time with wonderful food, a trip to the Eiffel Tower, a tour down the River Seine, to name some of the highlights. The people were a bit rude, as she recalled, not thrilled with tourists, but perhaps she’d just come across a bad bunch. The present company was exemplary, after all.

”Bien sûr.” She held up a finger. ”I only recall a little of my French, don’t try to talk to me with it, you’ll embarrass me.” A little joke, just lightening the mood and building more rapport. She felt they were off to a good start, already. ”I can certainly relate, though I’m glad you’ve found Tokyo amenable. You’ll settle well, I don’t doubt it. People in this area are accustomed to a wide variety of individuals from all over the globe.”

With a good base built, she leaned back and relaxed, letting herself ease into the moment, a must for the next part. ”On that note,” She crossed her legs and began to swivel to the side. ”That variety produces a problem for LAW. As you’ve undoubtedly noticed, management has been quite liberal with who they let through their doors, and it’s caused some issues in the past. Namely, hiring individuals who are, frankly, dangerously psychotic. Not a word I bandy about lightly.”

She sighed and pointed back to Natasha. ”That’s the purpose of our session today. I’m merely assessing you, creating a profile of your mental health, a small snapshot. Enough to spot any warning signs. After this, we can part ways and never see each other again, save for the occasional awkward hallway encounter.” She swept her arm out, letting it cover the vastness of her room, and took a deep breath. ”That being said, my door remains open, if you ever feel the need to dig deeper. Call, and we can set up a session and discuss particulars. Are we understood?”

[lyannapelon]

Hearing the word of French leave the doctors lips Natasha went to reply in kind, only to be stopped by the sight of that lone finger. She smiled warmly back at the woman and shook her head at the thought of trying to embarrass the older woman. "Wouldn't dream of it. You've been a most welcoming host after all, much like Tokyo itself." She interjected before Alyssa set up just what to expect out of this first session, Natasha raising a hand to make a gesture meaning "just a little bit" at the mention of some LAW members being of less than upstanding moral character...or even being in their right mind. Other than that she sat quietly and listened to what the doctor had to say.

At the grand sweeping gesture Alyssa made with her arm Natasha followed along and looked about the room, noticing a couple details she hadn't seen before now that her eyes had fully adjusted to the dim lighting. Once her gaze returned to the doctor Natasha took a moment to consider those words, casting her eyes down at the desk while running a hand along its edge, though this lasted but a few seconds before she looked back up into the face of Alyssa.

"While I know I don't have to make a decision on future sessions until this one is done, I quite like what I've seen already. So lets get you that snapshot and we can discuss when to meet next once we're done. Sound fair?" Natasha put the question back to the doctor while smiling warmly, leaning forward with her elbows resting upon her edge of the desk. If she had been wearing something with any cleavage shown Alyssa would be getting quite the view now, a sign of just how used to this sort of thing Natasha was.

[BlackAkuma]

And still on good terms, excellent. Alyssa didn't like saying things in such blunt terms, but she liked even less not being honest and forthright with her patients. LAW management urged her to be discreet with the full breadth of their inquiries, and with the ones who seemed more volatile from the onset, she might well have to be. Natasha was certainly in a different number.

”More than fair. Thank you for being so amenable, it makes this all the easier.”

Alyssa pulled her desk drawer open and pulled out her notepad, along with her favorite, a silver, gleaming one that made the most of what little light it could find in the room. While most in her profession preferred to use electronic means for notetaking, and she would be transferring them to her computer later, when it came time for the actual session, she had grown to prefer the feel of a pen against paper. The tactile sensation of it, the metal between her fingers, and the permanence of ink, forcing her to consider everything she put down. Old-fashioned, perhaps, but she would never claim not to be.

”Let’s start with the basics, build a foundation. Tell me about yourself, as you’re willing - about France growing up, how your home was, what drove you to wrestling, et cetera, et cetera. Divulge as much or as little as you’re comfortable with. Freeflow.”

[lyannapelon]

The last thing Natasha had any reason to be with the good doctor was difficult, that would have been true for any therapist who seemed even half as qualified at their job as Alyssa had shown herself to be. Perhaps that would have been different if she hadn't been well used to seeing a therapist every few months already, or if Alyssa came off as someone purely in this for a paycheck, but for her this just felt rather normal. The only real difference for her was how easy on the eyes her new therapist was, even Natasha finding herself unable to resist sneaking a glance downward while Alyssa brought out her pen and notepad.

She had had a few seconds to appreciate the view before having to refocus her gaze upward, smiling same as ever while listening to Alyssa go over her starting questions. "Ah the getting to know you part of therapy, right right." She chuckled at the novelty of starting over with a new therapist and then uncrossed her legs to get more comfortable before continuing on.

"Well I'm not sure how much of my background was told to you by LAW, if any, but I grew up as the heir to a rather wealthy and influential family in France. Going into the family business would take some time but hopefully it'll suffice to know our main business is shipping, so from an early age I grew used to traveling to all sorts of far off places. My childhood was busy sure but I have no complaints. My parents were always good to me and no matter my newest interest they made sure to hire someone who could teach me all about it, including my various martial art phases. Wrestling didn't even enter my radar until I attended a boarding school in my mid teens, thats uhhh also when I realized I didn't find boys nearly as interesting as other girls."

Natasha took a short pause then as even she wasn't immune to the embarrassment that came with recalling one's more awkward formative years. "It wasn't until college though that I realized wrestling with other women could lead to something...well something more. I experimented with my fellow wrestling team members, then branched out to local indie events, and when those got shut down I just moved onto the next one. Thats what I was doing when I found out about LAW and signed on. Sure theres a job waiting for me at the family company but I love wrestling and its not like I'd get anywhere near the same thrill back home." Her expression had grown more neutral as she went over her history but that bright smile returned when she described the thrill of her current job. "I assume you have questions?"