Kat and Kassia's sessions had gone all right, but Kassia had a feeling she wasn't really getting anywhere. It wasn't surprising, she realized. After all, Katianna was not exactly a normal person with normal problems. She also knew how the therapy game worked. Sometimes, with people like that, you had to do the unorthodox. And one think Kassia had had great success at was her unorthodox methods of treatment.
So on this day on her session with Katianna, she told Katianna they were going on a field trip for their session. She lead the Tanzaran through the station and to Holo Pursuits. Katianna looked at her questioningly as they walked to her holosuite and Kassia initiated a program, though Kat didn't know which one. And she couldn't read Kassia's mind. She was blocking her mind off for the moment.
"Now what?" Katianna asked.
"Go inside," Kassia replied with a gentle smile.
"What program is it?" she asked.
"That would be telling. You'll have to find out when you get inside," Kassia replied.
Katianna already didn't like this game. She knew that whatever program was in there it wasn't going to hurt her because the safeties were sure to be on, but it was the fact of walking into the unknown. She hesitated.
"Do I need anything?" she asked as she looked at Kassia, her green eyes showing her discomfort.
"You'll find out when you go inside," Kassia answered, with a gentle smile.
Kat took a step toward the door then stopped. "Why are you doing this?"
Kassia shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I want to see how you respond to uncomfortable situations or to see how you cope with stress . . . Or maybe I just thought we would have a change in venue for our session. I don't think you're the type where talking things out in a room with someone helps all that much."
Katianna sighed and rolled her head on her shoulders. "I hate this, you know," she said. "I like to know what I'm stepping into . . . or at least some idea of what I'm stepping into."
"I know . . ." Kassia replied.
Kat took another breath, shook out her arms and legs for a moment and then finally watched the holosuite door open. As she stepped through, she found herself in her Joan of Arc program. Immediately, she shifted her clothing into Joan of Arc's armor. The scene before her was chaos. She quickly picked up a sword on the ground just as she was charged by two English Soldiers. Suddenly, she was in her form. She blocked their trusts and managed to gut one easily. As one man went down the other came after her with even more vengeance. She gathered all her strength and swung her blade so that it decapitated him.
She was a bit self-conscious as she saw Kassia watching her from the shadow of a building. She felt almost as if she were being evaluated somehow. As she was attacked by more soldiers, she quickly countered with moves that were swift and deadly. For a few moments, she forgot everything except that it was her and the enemy. She had downed 12 soldiers by the time she heard Kassia call for the program to freeze.
Katianna stopped and looked around. She was taking in a few deep breaths as she planted her sword in the ground. As Kassia came up to her, Kat looked at her questioningly.
"Okay, so what was this about?" she asked. "You can access my Joan of Arc program? Big deal."
"How did it feel to walk in here, without knowing what you were going to face?" Kassia asked calmly.
"How do you think?" Kat asked as she glared for a moment at Kassia. "Sorry," she added quickly. "Edgy. I don't like going into situations where I don't at least have some idea what to expect."
Kassia nodded. "And yet you adapted very quickly to your surroundings."
"I saw where I was and knew what I could do," Katianna replied.
Kassia nodded. "You adapt very quickly, Katianna. No matter what's going on around you or what you think or fear. Once you are in a situation you adapt to it and handle it quickly and concisely.
Kat shrugged. "I try."
Suddenly Kassia called for the program to change. The setting around them changed to a beach dotted with what looked like a type of Palm Tree. The sand was white and clean. The water was a beautiful, clear blue.
"Thought we'd do some talking here," Kassia said before the question was asked.
"This is your homeworld?" Katianna asked, knowing without being told. "It's beautiful."
"Thanks," Kassia replied with a smile. "You know, we've talked a little about why you have been pushing yourself to the limits in this holosuite, Katianna, but I don't think you've told me everything."
Katianna was silent as she looked out at the water, almost trying to disappear into the depths. She didn't want to talk about it. Not even to Kassia.
"I know you don't want to talk about it," Kassia replied. "But giving voice to it will get it out of you. You won't be bottling it up anymore . . ."
"And you think that will help?" Katianna replied, turning to face Kassia. Confusion, anger, and pain displayed themselves in her green eyes. "Sorry . ." she quickly amended softly. "This is just seriously stressing me out. I mean, how would you feel if it was up to you to somehow fight two demons and save the universe?"
Kassia nodded. "I understand," she said softly. "But there's more under that. Isn't there?"
Kat kicked at the sand before she picked up a shell and tossed it toward the water. She watched as for a moment, it skipped on top of the water before it was eaten by a wave. She then sighed and sat down in the warm sand.
"You're not the first person I've told this . . . But . . . I'm responsible," she said as she hid her face behind her arms and knees. "If it weren't for me Jovan wouldn't have gone after Laurissa. IF he hasn't have gone after Laurissa he wouldn't have relied so heavily on his powers . . . Kalimar might not ever have gotten a hold over him and . . ." She held back a small cry. "And I wouldn't have killed him." Tears had misted her eyes and she wiped at the tears as she looked out at the sparkling water.
"Kat, what happened was meant to happen," Kassia replied. "You couldn't have stopped it, even if you wanted to."
"I thought you didn't believe in preset destinies," Kat said, gaining some of her composure. "Did you tell me that the future always changes? Maybe when that was the future, I could have prevented it from happening."
Kassia shook her head. "I don't think so. Not this time . . ." She said as she gently sat next to her friend and put a hand on her shoulder. "The prophesies are there for a reason. Kalimar was meant to appear. But what happens from here is up to us."
"What do you mean up to us?" Kat replied gazing with concern at Kassia. "You can't help me with this. The prophesy was clear. I have to do this. I'm suppose to somehow be the champion."
"Just because it says that you are the key, doesn't mean that you can't have others to support you," Kassia replied. "And you know I can take care of myself. I'm the best help you have against the forces you face. But there is something else at work . . . The Light, if you will . . . It has a purpose for you. You have to trust the Light."
"Kassia . . . I'm not real big on trust right now. Not even in myself . . . and I am not going to let anyone die for me!" Katianna said. "I have already gone through this with Paul and with Lee! I refuse to watch Kalimar kill my friends! I already saw him slaughter The Order of the Light! You mean to tell me that was in The Light's Grand Plan??"
Kassia could hear the agitation in Katianna's voice. "I can't answer that. I know certain things happen for a reason. Maybe that was to strengthen your resolve."
"Along with breaking my heart! Sure! I swore I was going to kill Kalimar! With my barehands if I had to . . . But honestly . . . What are the chances of that?" Katianna said, tears misting her eyes.
"Katianna . . ."
"He is going to kill me and my children and then everyone else and I won't be able to stop him!" she cried.
Instantly Kassia pulled Katianna into her arms. "It's all right . . ."
"No, it's not . . ." Kat replied trying to pull herself together. "The universe is counting on me to save it and I can't save myself . . ."