Ice Bear and Post-Trauma

[Ice Bear]

He slept for several months and still felt upset about what happened. The trauma he went through was no laughing matter. Normally he'd shrug it off - but something about the fight with the evil tree... shocked him to the very core of his being.

Another haunted dream. He was alone, on an Iceberg floating towards the open sea, away from all the loved ones. As he tried to yell for help - he was silent yet he put all his force into it. He then turned around after a hand dropped onto his shoulder. It was the man who raised Ice Bear - Yuri - but he opened his eyes, and fire was in them.

"You failed Yuri!"

Ice Bear woke up screaming. His brothers rushed to his aid, hearing his screams. Panda quickly arrived.

"Grizz! He's having another nightmare!"

"Oh no, calm down bro, we got you, we got you!"

Ice Bear was rolling back and forth screaming.

"He's locked in... quick, get Dan and Bob!" Grizz said, trying to hold Ice Bear down.

Panda opened the door with haste, screaming for the bear couple who were working in the yard. The two came over quickly. The saw Ice Bear rolling all around, screaming for mercy. Dan quickly picked up Ice Bear, holding him tight in a restraining move, and Bob splashed water on Ice Bear's face. Ice Bear blinked and looked around.

"Ice Bear... had nightmare."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Panda was reluctant to approach Ice Bear, but he felt like he needed to say something for Ice Bear's sake.

"Bro, you... you need to see someone about this... we can only help so much."

Grizz was shocked. Panda of all people rarely goes to other people for help... so if Panda thought that, it must be serious.

Ice Bear just slumped his head in shame.

Bob and Dan stood by.

Grizz finally said his mind.

"Look, bro, we know you're scared. We're scared too - ever since that fight with the tree, you've been traumatized. There's no shame in getting professional help over this. We don't want you to suffer anymore."

Dan and Bob nodded.

Bob went over to Ice Bear. "Look, you need to see someone. I can give you the name of a therapist. His name is Jeffery, he handles crisis situations."

Ice Bear shrugged. He really didn't want to appear weak... he felt seeking help would make him weak. However... he was all ready weak. He hadn't performed his duties in a long time. Guu had given him a referral for counseling, thinking he could handle it... he shrugged it off... but now, he needed it.

A knock on the door was heard. Panda went to the door and opened it. It was Rina, the ninja friend Ice Bear had made.

"He still having bad days, huh?" Rina said, looking concerned.

Ice Bear looked down and started crying.

"Oh no, I didn't mean to make you cry! I... I just... I'm worried about you Ice Bear. You never come by... and... I miss you. I want you back..." She started crying... she rarely cried, so it was serious.

Ice Bear had made one of his best friends cry. At least, that's how he viewed it. He decided to take the referral paper and he walked out the door, turning towards his friends.

"Where does Ice Bear go?"

[Ice Bear]

Ice Bear, Panda and Grizz were in the waiting room of the clinic in town. Rena, Dan and Bob waited back at the bear's house, cleaning up the mess Ice Bear made upon rolling out of the freezer and knocking stuff over. It was the least they could do to help Ice Bear.

The clinic specialized in crisis trauma, and with Guu's referral, he was able to get in pretty damn quick. Ice Bear looked at a magazine called "Ambrosia People" and it had just a bunch of pictures of ambrosia and surrounding areas, and interviews with stars and folk from around the area.

"Ice Bear thinks this hut looks good" he said, showing Panda a picture of a basic hut someone made yet had all the necessary things to live inside, and was self efficient.

"Wow, it has solar panels!" Panda said. That's impressive... I hope it holds.

Grizz was reading another magazine called "Reee". The magazine was a political magazine. Grizz was not as interested in it.

"Bah, just a bunch of grumpos! Even the people I agreed with ended up being insane!" Grizz said, tossing the magazine aside.

"Ice Bear?" a mild mannered older man in his 40s said, from a secure door.

Ice Bear motioned for his brothers to come with. They walked and followed him into his office.

"My name is Jeff, Ice Bear. I assume these are your roommates or something?" Jeff asked.

"Brothers of different mothers" Ice Bear said as he walked towards the office. The seats weren't big enough, so Ice Bear, Panda and Grizz all sat on the floor.

"Well... Ice Bear, is it safe to say... you want your brothers to be a part of your treatment plan?"

Ice Bear nodded.

"So, what happened?"

Ice Bear kind of clenched up.

"Um, Ice Bear... if I may?" Grizz asked.

Ice Bear nodded.

Grizz spoke up. "Well, Ice Bear was on a mission with Guu while we started work at the TV station... while we don't know the exact details, something really scared Ice Bear into having nightmares, he rolls and walks in his sleep, and he's unresponsive most of the time. Since then, we've had to have our neighbors check on him... he's not been able to work, so we've been working at the TV station whenever we can so he can recover, but it's gotten to the point we had to seek professional help."

Jeff nodded. "So he works to protect the city... makes sense. Any amount of things could have happened-"

Ice Bear interrupted. "It was a tree we fought."

Ice Bear stopped crying. "It was a wicked evil tree... it had... mental and emotional tormenting abilities... it was elderich."

Jeff looked at Ice Bear. "I see..."

Ice Bear continued. "... have any of you been to Siberia?"

They all shook their heads.

"Ice Bear's home. There was man. Yuri - he took Ice Bear in and kept me in. Made Ice bear earn keep for food and shelter. Did chores around the house...

One day, Yuri got angry at Ice Bear for... sculpture. Sculpture made when Ice Bear found picture of his family. And then... poachers came for Ice Bear. Yuir... saved Ice Bear by cracking the ice with his axe. The ice flow and the axe drifted away with Ice Bear on it. Yuri looked back... last time Ice Bear saw him."

Panda and Grizz were shocked. They never heard about this from their brother.

"It's always been Ice Bear's fear - if Ice Bear makes people angry, they will leave Ice Bear..."

Panda spoke up. "We've known you for years man, you never mentioned this."

Ice Bear raised his voice. "That's just it Panda... Ice Bear never told anyone about this... and this tree KNEW about it. It knows your secrets... your deepest fears... and it manifested them as Ice Bear chopped it down. Ice Bear put more mental strength into fighting it..." Ice Bear tensed up.

Jeff spoke up. "That is certainly bad. However... it explains alot. You wanted your brothers to know this in a controlled environment."

Grizz smiled "it doesn't change how I view you bro. We'll get through this."

Panda nodded.

"It sounds like Ice Bear... you're still fighting the battle. Inside your head. Has the tree been defeated?"

Ice Bear nodded.

"It's visions still haunt you though. I think you talking about this will help in the long run... but there's something I think you need to do. Tell those vision's who's boss. You're not gonna get better until you confront this dead on. I recommend whenever you have these thoughts to talk it out... and if it gets worse, we can always put you in hospital for a few days... no shame in it."

Ice Bear nodded. "Ice Bear doesn't want to lose family. Especially after family finally came back."

Ice Bear stood up, looked out the small vertical window.

Jeff stood up "What kind of support do you have outside your brothers?"

"There's Rina, Dan and Bob... oh and Guu... but Guu's been away for a while. Dunno where she's at." Ice Bear turned around. "Ice Bear also knows of this person... works at the cafe. Name is escaping Ice Bear."

Jeff nodded. "Well, maybe you should talk about it with them... most people would be understanding. Especially if others were there to back what you saw up. It's not uncommon for magical creatures to exist that do malicious things in these woods."

Ice Bear shrugged. "it's not a matter of belief. Ice Bear simply wants rest ."

Jeff said. "Well, let's try some things going forward. Talk about your issues - try to calm your senses when these things happen... and understand if you need professional help again, it's not a sign of weakness."

Ice Bear nodded. "Ice Bear is thankful. Ice Bear will try."