Purple Pixie Prescriptions

Posted on Tue Jan 13th, 2026 @ 9:31am by Commander Sayori Summers & Lieutenant Jade Celes-Johnson

886 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Licking our wounds
Location: Counselor's Office

ON

The red uniform still felt a little snug around the neck. The proverbial noose tightening. Or maybe it was just poorly tailored, or needed to be broken in. Time would tell.

Thankfully, Sayori knew what to do when such imagery crossed her mind. She was no stranger to loss, and no stranger to feeling down, even if her usual attitude implied otherwise. So when she felt those shifts into darker territory, when the pain and loss increased faster than she was prepared to handle, her first call was always to the Counselor.

She chimed her office door, hoping that she wasn't with a patient right now.

“Come in” Jade called as she sat organising her appointments.

"Sorry to bother you, Counselor," Sayori said right away as she walked inside. "But it's happening again."

Jade motioned Sayori to a seat as she put down her PaDD and gave Sayori her full attention. “Sit and tell me all about it.”

Sayori hurriedly took the offered seat. "It's everything. All of it. This war we're suddenly in. The fact that we lost so many people and not only did I survive but I got promoted for it. I didn't mean to survive it's just how it worked out how did I become First Officer now am I better at it than Commander Douglas and--" She took a sharp breath in, having run out of air from the run-on thought that was starting to take over her mind.

“Okay, okay… take a breath and slow down” Jade offered a calming smile. “Now let’s clear up that statement, you didn’t mean to survive.” She paused. “You were one of the lucky ones, like me, who didn’t lose their lives. No one means to die, living is a blessing so to start with stop blaming yourself.”

Sayori stopped herself and took the deep breath, guided by the counselor, and listened to what was being said. She had heard it before. She was lucky to survive, not to blame for it. That others died instead...that sort of thing just happened sometimes.

It was one thing to hear it. To remember it. It was quite another to internalize it.

Especially when she got a promotion because of it.

"I feel like I'm wearing someone else's clothes," Sayori said. "Like, that I'm only where I am because Commander Douglas died and I didn't. And now I have his office and his uniform and his rank pip."

Jade nodded. “I understand, you feel like you’re under his skin so-to-speak, that you didn’t really earn your position.” She paused. “If my husband didn’t think you were the right person for the job, he wouldn’t have promoted you. You deserve your position Sayori, whether it’s because a man died or not.”

“That’s…that’s good to hear,” Sayori said, trying to keep her breathing level. “And yes. I can do the job.” She stiffened her back. “I deserve it. But it’s just so hard not think about.” Her breathing picked up again. “Counselor, do you think we can re-evaluate my meds? I know I came off Trazodone a few months ago, but…”

Jade nodded. “If you feel that you need those meds again, then I can issue you a low dose. It would be enough to take the edge off your anxieties for you, but anything higher would require the doctors approval. I’d rather it be a low dose, that way you can continue with your duties during treatment.”

Sayori nodded a few times in rapid succession. “That sounds good to me. Thank you.”

“I’m happy to help, but in the long run I want to get you functioning without reliance on medication” Jade offered. “For now we’ll carry on with regular sessions.”

“That sounds perfect, Counselor,” Sayori said. She already felt relieved, knowing that she’d have the help of both Counselor Celes-Johnson and stabilizing Trazodone. “You’re the best.”

“Thank you” Jade grinned. “It’s nice to be appreciated.”

“Aww, I’ll always appreciate my favourite Counselor!” Sayori had turned around a bit more quickly than was comfortable, but maybe just the reassurance and familiarity was more helpful than she’d expected. “Can I give you a hug?”

Jade was surprised at the request but nodded anyway. “I don’t see why not.”

And so the counselor was pulled into a tight hug. “Thank you!”

Jade grinned as she returned the hug. “My pleasure, I just hope you won’t end up getting fed up of seeing me.”

"Never!" Sayori said. "I'll report to sickbay after my shift is over for my first dose and go from there. But I need to get back to it. I feel a bit better having talked to you, which is a pretty good sign I think. I should be okay to finish my afternoon stack of paperwork."

Jade smiled. “Well you know where I am if you need anything.”

"See you for our next appointment then, Counselor!" Sayori said. She gave her a little wave with her fingers and skipped out, having turned around completely from the conversation -- the speed of which would also be tempered by the medication she'd seek later.

But first: the paperwork pile, which never seemed to shrink.


END

 

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