Debrah opened the door of her office, gently taking a half step out and scanning the room. She was relieved to find it as she had left it. Speech therapy was a stressful process and her next client was Doctor Chaos, a supervillain with a bad habit of, perhaps unsurprisingly, causing chaos. She had accidentally left him waiting five minutes once to step out and see the room reversed, the furniture somehow stuck to the ceiling as it was a floor. Doctor Chaos himself hadn’t even noticed and remained sitting upside down when she called for him then.

Today however, she was fortunate enough to catch him in a better mood. The room remained normal when she called for him. “Loyd, I’m ready for you now.” He was a tall and thin man of German descent. With a graceful flick he shut the magazine with his mind and neatly placed it on the coffee table, standing up in the process. “Thank you, Debrah. Are you sure real names are best here? It feels unnatural.” He asked with plain discomfort.

Debrah smiled softly, “Yes, Loyd. I have found the therapy progresses easier if we can see ourselves as more human and less super.” He sighed in resignation. “You’re the professional I suppose. Shall we?” He gestured into her office. “Yes, please grab yourself a cup of water and we’ll have you sit in the usual place.”

“Excellent.” Loyd nodded as he walked towards the water machine and began filling a cup. “You know I-“ was the last thing he remembered saying. Debrah, or Mindseer, as people most commonly knew her always found it easiest to start the hypnosis when the patient wasn’t expecting it.

It was never permanent, she both lacked the power and the wish for death that would ensure. At least nothing undesired. It simply was a means to an end, a way to safely proceed with the therapy without risk of her insides accidentally becoming outsides. All of the clients knew of the agreement when filling out their paperwork.

“Sit” she commanded.

“Of course” he said, taking his place on the white armchair as she pulled a stool in front of it.

Tell me Loyd, Debrah spoke with her eyes now pure violet instead of a vibrant green, “What is troubling you now? I have already helped you from feeling the compulsion of telling your nemesis the master plan while he can still prevent it from happening. We also helped with your articulation. What more can I do for you?”

Loyd droned in a lifeless stare, “My stuttering. I am a doctor. I have a PhD too, it’s not a meaningless name like some.” A tint of anger slipping out as his water changed to some kind of black oil.

Debrah squinted and raised her hand, pink ethereal tendrils surrounding it. “Focus, Loyd.” His expression reverted back to emotionless.

“I keep stuttering when I get nervous. When it’s just the supes and I have no issues. As soon as there are citizens trying to record the fight on their phones though I get so anxious. I know my speech is going to be posted all over the internet and people will make fun of me. What kind of supervillain am I if people laugh at instead of fear me?”

Debrah was used to this. Supervillains were some of the most anxious people in the world. Fortunately for her, the fix was made rather simple and easy.

She simply looked deeply not at his eyes, but within him. “You will no longer feel anxiety while being recorded. You will not stutter.” That was it. It was draining, but easy and quick.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “Wake.” Her green eyes returned with Loyd’s consciousness.

He looked at her hopefully, “And it’s fixed now?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you, Doctor! Oh thank you!” He beamed.

“You are very welcome. Call my office if you have any further issues.” She said gently.

“Of course, of course!” He said smiled as he strolled out of the room, new confidence in his step. The door clicking shut behind him.

Debrah rested for an hour, gathering herself. She likes to read during this time normally but would take to meditating when her next clients required her degree and discretion more than her power.

She was ready when the appointment time was upon her.

She opened the door again, “Hello. Glad you could make it.” She always felt awkward leaving out her name. “Do you have a preferred name you would like me to call you?” She asked hopefully. The whole world knew and feared “Mr. Mayhem”. The trouble was “Mr. Mayhem” had much rather be “Ms. Mayhem” but lacked the voice to publicly proclaim it.

The girl looked up nervously from her phone and felt a wave of shame run through her and sighed. “No. I guess Adam is still fine for now.” She said with defeat.

Debrah tried to hide the sadness in her smile when she spoke, “That’s okay. You’ve only been transitioning six months and finding a perfect name takes time. There is nothing to be stressed about with me, we both know who you are inside and names are just a formality.”

Adam’s mood improved slightly as she stood up. “Right. Yeah. Thank you, Doctor.”

“Debrah is fine.”

“Right. Thank you, Debrah.”

Debrah motioned towards her office, “Now, let’s get you comfortable and see what progress you’ve made since our last vocal coaching.”