Welcome to the family ( Invite only)

[The Izzack]

"I understand this must be hard, but I am glad that you still have a will to continue on, Tony!" Dimitri said with a warm smile. "Now, if you will, please walk with me. I would like you to meet the man who helped me, when I stood where you are standing, a long time gone. he continued before he began to walk towards his therapist's, towards John's main office. The man held absolutely no remorse for leading a suicidal youth towards the doctor. To the contrary. Dimitri saw it as one of the best things he could possibly do for this boy. After all, it was the same doctor who gave him a sense of belonging, a place to call home, and hope for his own life. Why wouldn't he send anyone he saw as vulnerable to such a great man? It was with this confidence that Dimitri walked, certain that the boy's problems would soon be over.

[Yuki]

Zero just simply nodded as he let Dimitri guide him to the home of the doctor. This had been the easy part the harder part was yet to come, Zero was going to have to fully embrace his life as Tony. As they walked Zero had no real expression as if he was to out of it to really have one and kept looking down at the ground.


The crowed that had formed watched the whole thing and few of them of course had called the cops, Eric who had been there the whole time started to follow Zero and Dimitri. Staying far enough behind so not to be noticed, and even if he ended up being noticed he would just say he saw a guy just try and kill himself and just wanted to make sure he would be ok. Off in the distance though the sirens of the police could be heard.

[The Izzack]

"Ah, we are finally here! It was a long walk, but I hope that this has not discouraged you, Tony! This is the office of the man I owe much to." Dimitri held out his arms wide, as if presenting a palace, instead of the small, square, gray building in front of them. "I have let him know that you would be coming with a texted message on our way here, so I am sure he is waiting inside." he assured the boy as he held the door open for him to enter. "If you are worried of first appearances, I can go with you, but you can trust me. He is a good man. He does not like to make smiles, and he seems like he is not nice, but his heart, it is made of gold."

Meanwhile, John was sitting in his office at the opposite end of the small therapist's clinic. This was just one of his many buildings of the like in Aster city. Well, technically the building belonged to another, a subject of his who had "hired" him to work at this small place, but it was his building all the same, merely with the added benefit of him not showing up as suspicious for owning too much.

Johnathan had been waiting for some time now. After all, he was not about to show up late for a meeting with an unfortunate soul. No, he had himself driven here nearly instantly after he had received the message from Dimitri, and had busied himself with necessary paperwork while he waited for the two to arrive. That's where he was at this moment, sitting patiently at his desk, awaiting this Tony to come through his doors.

[Yuki]

Zero kept his head down a bit as they walked, though he made sure to memorize his surroundings just in case. Zero heard the sirens and just hoped the cops would not ruin anything.. But thankfully they had walked a ways away now and it seems no one really followed them besides Eric. When they came to the normal but old looking house Zero looked up at it as Dimitri spoke of the doctor and said he was most likely here after sending him a text. "That was fast.." Zero thought to himself as he stared at the building. Zero blinked a bit when Dimitri offered him the choice to ether see the doctor alone or with him and saying the man had a stern face but had a heart of gold trying to comfort him a bit. Zero stood there a little bit as if thinking about things before saying, "C.. Can you come with me?" He asked with a nervous tone. Zero was mainly doing this to show he trusted Dimitri but was uneasy. Zero also kept his hand over his dislocated shoulder trying not to move it much just how long was he going to have to deal with this shoulder? Hopefully not to much longer.

[The Izzack]

"Of course, young Tony! I understand the feelings of unease. Just remember! The doctor is a much nicer man than you may first assume!" Dimitri promised as he opened the door to Johnathan's office. The man sitting at the desk was slim. Compared to the imposing bulk of Dimitri, the doctor seemed almost like a skeleton. He was still preoccupied with paperwork as the two entered, fixing each letter on the page with such an intense stare that it would be easy to assume that whoever wrote the papers was trying to trick him with the fine print. As soon as the newcomers crossed the threshold to his office, however, that same intense stare focused in on them. First, he looked at Dimitri, then 'Tony', then to the youth's shoulder.

"Your shoulder, what is wrong with it? Dimitri, get some ice." the words were carefully measured. No urgency showed through his cold, calculated cadence, and if he had not immediately sent for some form of aid, it certainly wouldn't seem as though the doctor cared at all for the young man's discomfort. Dimitri certainly made up for John's apparent lack of care, however. The large man, it seemed, had just noticed Tony's injury this very moment. In a whirlwind of frantic apologies to the boy, and assurances to the doctor, he exited the room. "He will return shortly. How long have you had this injury? I assume it was caused, in part, by the...incident that occurred earlier?" John asked, not seeming squeamish at all in addressing the suicide attempt that the youth in front of him had attempted only a short time ago.

[Yuki]

As they entered the house Zero kept his gaze to the floor and as they walked to the doctor's office. When they entered Zero looked up just enough to look at the good doctor before looking away as if unable to bring himself to look at John. It did not take long for the doctor to take notice of his shoulder and told Dimitri to get some ice. Zero did not hear any real caring in the mans voice however. Zero looked up at Dimitri the man saw he was hurt and started to apologies and left the room to get ice. Zero stood there as if he was unsure what to do or say when Dimitri left. When John asked him about his shoulder all Zero did was a nod in response as he kept is other hand over his shoulder. " So this is John... Yeah does not really seem the caring type.. But Dimitri sure seems to hold him in high regard". Zero thought to himself keeping his eyes to the floor.

[The Izzack]

For a short moment, Johnathan was silent. Perhaps he was waiting for the youth to speak, perhaps he was merely thinking of something. The silence did not last long, however. So." he began, "It has been made apparent to me that you are in a difficult place, currently. Please, tell me about it. I promise you, I shall do my best to help you." he promised. Despite his stony demeanor, or maybe because of it, he seemed genuine, even determined in his promise to aid Tony in any way possible.

It was at this point that Dimitri reentered the room with a small ice pack. "Thank you, Dimitri. I suppose your little injury there, Tony, is a good place to begin. Can you please tell me the circumstances that lead up to you...hurting your shoulder?" Johnathan asked as the large man gingerly placed the ice pack against the boy's arm, suddenly very conscious of how his strength had harmed Tony earlier.

[Yuki]

When John spoke again asking Zero to tell his story the seemingly young man looked up a bit at the doctor he started to open his mouth to speak but that is when Dimitri reentered the room with ice. Zero moved his hand so the large man could place the ice bag on his shoulder giving a weak smile Zero thanked Dimitri though he was still in pain. What he really needed was his shoulder to be popped back in place.. But at least the ice would help numb it. Now John decided to ask about Zero's shoulder and what lead up to it. Zero looked down at the floor again breathed in and exhaled as if readying himself. " Well... When I woke up this morning .. I did not even want to get up I had no motivation.. After what felt like hours I forced myself to get up... I then decided to head out for a walk and after a while came to that overpass.. I stopped and stared and just.... Just decided to end it and jumped.. And Dimitri caught me." Zero said in weak voice as his eyes started to tear up but he wiped them away,it was at that time Zero's cell phone rang again jumping and wincing a bit Zero took the phone from his pocket and this time turned it off and placed it back in his pocket.

[The Izzack]

"So. You're telling me that this was a sudden decision, not one planned ahead of time?" John's voice did not betray any belief or disbelief at the boy's story thus far. Instead he seemed merely...intent. He appeared to be taking in every word the boy spoke. "If this is the case. What, I must ask, was it at that moment that drove you to this rash decision?"

Dimitri, meanwhile, seemed more concerned with Tony's physical well-being. He couldn't quite tell that the shoulder was dislocated, with the way it was being held, but he was obviously ready at a moment's notice to run and get more ice, should the need arise. As it was, he felt absolutely horrid, seeing as how he was the cause of this. Well, sure, he didn't know if he was the cause, but John said that Tony hurt his shoulder when he jumped, and Dimitri had always been a big man, and...oh, he felt absolutely dreadful for what happened.

[Yuki]

Zero kept looking down the floor as his tears got bigger and started to fall to the floor as the doctor asked why he decided to jump at that moment. " It was a sudden choice I made....I just wanted to end it all... I'm in dept, going to be kicked out of my apartment in a week... I failed in collage.. I'm just a loser with no hope... I'm a burden for my little sister.. I just thought it would be best just to die.. I.. I just don't want to suffer anymore.." Zero said in a teary tone as he removed his hand from his shoulder and covered his face with his hand as he cried.

[The Izzack]

"Suffering, you'll find," John began, "Is ultimately a choice, young Tony." the man seemed unmoved by the boy's sorrow. Perhaps he didn't care, or perhaps it was more likely that years upon years of similar cases simply eroded his ability to express empathy for such a sorry state of affairs.

"We all find ourselves beset by hardships in our lives. Those without the will to move forward ultimately need help, lest they succumb to the desire to escape from the pain." he nodded briefly towards Dimitri, who seemed to glow in the joy of recognition. "You were fortunate once, but you cannot trust that you will be saved from a self inflicted fate every time you decide on a whim to throw away the only thing that truly matters, your life. I can help you, of course. These problems you speak of, they ultimately do not matter. Debt can be erased, new homes can be found, and familial bonds can always be reforged, even if you were to 'burden' your sister to the point of alienation." John still seemed rather cold, as if he was looking down on Tony, like a person would look down on a stray dog. "The problems you list are not a difficulty to solve, but the question is, 'do you even care'? I would not sacrifice time, money, and commitment to a boy who would rather kill himself anyway. So tell me, Tony, if I help you, will you help yourself?" he asked plainly, those piercing eyes of his not leaving the lad for even a minute.

[Yuki]

Zero continued to cry as John spoke, suffering was a choice huh.. Zero listened as the man went on saying how easy it was to fix everything that was going on. The seemingly young man lowered his hand from his face but did not look up just yet. Zero stayed silent as if thinking over everything the doctor had said. He then looked up his eyes where starting to red and puffy from all the crying he had been doing. Zero took in a deep breath and exhaled before speaking, "I.. I do care.. I did not want to admit but... As soon as I jumped I regretted it.. Even though I was rude to Dimitri I was happy he stopped me.. I was just to angry with myself to want to admit it. This depression I have been dealing with it for years... It got worse after my Mother died... But I wanted to make her proud by following my dream but ended up failing.. My sister has done so much for me only for me to let her down and fail.. I.. I want to get better I just don't know how.." Zero said in a weak tone.

[The Izzack]

Johnathan listened as Tony spoke, and began writing something as the youth showed his resolve. "This is very good, Tony. You are at a crossroads in your life, and I feel that you have taken your first steps towards the path of redemption." the man said simply, not taking his eyes off of the page he was writing. "Now tell me, if you so feel, what is it that you need immediately in order to quell this despair within you? I speak of course of housing, tutoring, aid in erasing debt, or other such amenities. Now, regardless of what you ask for, or if you ask for nothing at all, I am going to require that you sign up for some therapy sessions with me. Once weekly, though I will allow you to choose the day and time that works best for you." he continued, his speech seeming smooth and practiced, but not seeming as though it was a stock phrase he gave everyone that walked through his doors.

[Yuki]

Zero blinked his eyes a few times when John offered to help him with the needs that where causing him such despair. Like he was surprised the doctor would even offer to help with those. But in return He would have to have therapy sessions with John. The seemingly young teen gave a small nod to that as he once again looked down at the floor as if thinking. " I um.... Would Friday's at five o'clock pm work?" Zero asked just giving a random day and time as it did not really matter much to him. Though he stayed silent a little longer as he thought of what he needed right now to help him get back on his feet. "I.. If its not to much to ask... A place to stay..." He said as his voice faltered a little as if he was unsure if that was to big of a thing to ask for or not.

[The Izzack]

"I shall make efforts to clear my schedule for you, Tony. I doubt it should be too difficult." John began, opening a different book on his desk and writing a few notes in it. "And as for accommodations, I will find a group of people to have you stay with. Until then, you may stay here. It is not much other than the office, but there is a room that we can set up to be tolerable for the time being." he continued as he gave a nod to Dimitri. The large man, after bowing slightly, left the room once more. "I will say this, young Tony. I am afraid you will not stay with Dimitri for long. While he does want to help, I am afraid his methods aren't exactly subtle, and he tends to do more harm than good, and I can't have someone who is...in your position staying around him for long. I do hope you understand." His tone clearly put across that, understanding or not, Tony would be unable to make John budge from this decision.