Pride and Joy

by Melody Song


Brave Little Bug

Apex giggled as he chewed on his rubber duck. He smiled and squeaked when he felt a familiar muzzle nuzzling him. Apex looked up, beaming. Thorax was smiling down at him.

“Heheh, come on my little hyper sprite, lunchtime.”

“Yay! Can we have ice cream too?” Apex asked, springing up.

“Heh, of course my little hyper sprite.” Thorax replied, scooping him up.

Apex giggled and hugged Thorax, who chuckled. Thorax carried the little nymph to the cafeteria, where they met up with Pharynx.

“Hey Thor, grub.” Pharynx greeted

“Uncle Pharynx!” Apex leapt down to hug him. Pharynx chuckled and hugged back.

“Yeah yeah, hey grub.”

Apex nuzzled him, then was lifted up and placed on a chair by Thorax. Pharynx sat beside him while Thorax got their food. He returned with some steak for Pharynx and Apex, as well as a baked potato for himself.

As he ate, Apex noticed that one of his teeth was hurting. He shrugged it off, assuming it was his fangs still growing and continued eating.

“Done! Ice cream now Papa Thorax?” Apex asked, looking up at Thorax pleadingly.

“Heh, of course sweetie, come on.” Thorax stood and lifted up their empty plates. Pharynx rolled his eyes and stood.

“I’ll come with you.”

“Why? You want ice cream?”

“Wh-What? No…” Pharynx said unconvincingly. Thorax chuckled and nuzzled him.

“You want some raspberry chocolate ice cream?”

“...Yeah… that’d be nice…”

“I wan’ jus’ chockit.” Apex said, bouncing up and down a bit.

“You’re already hyper enough.” Pharynx teased lightly, smirking.

“Heh, alright Pharynx, let’s just go get the ice cream.” Thorax said, smiling. He trotted off, leading Apex-and Pharynx-to the dessert table.

Pharynx got his ice cream first, and began eating it eagerly. Thorax smiled, nuzzling his brother, who shooed him away. Thorax giggled, leading them a little bit away from the dessert table so they could eat without being in the way.

“Me nex’ Papa Thorax!” Apex reached out his forelegs.

Thorax chuckled, then levitated Apex’s chocolate ice cream down to the nymph’s eagerly waiting hooves. Apex beamed as he brought the treasured icy treat closer. Then, he took a bite.

Apex froze, eyes widening. He lost his grip on the ice cream as his face scrunched up. He whimpered in pain, it felt like his teeth were cracking.

“Apex, honey, what’s wrong?” Thorax asked worriedly, stepping around the fallen ice cream.

Apex felt tears coming to his eyes, then he wailed. His hoof moved to his jaw, gripping the left side of his muzzle. He cried loudly, hunching over. Thorax scooped him up without hesitation. Apex cuddled against Thorax as he cried, clutching his jaw. Thorax rocked him back and forth.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay sweetie, I-I’ll get you another ice cream, alright?”

“N-No!” Apex pressed closer to Thorax. “N-No’ more!”

“Grub?” Pharynx stepped forwards. “Thorax, what’s going on with him?”

“I-I don’t know, he just ate some ice cream…”

“He’s got his hoof against his jaw…”

“I know…” Thorax nuzzled Apex. “Apex, what’s wrong?”

“H-Hur’s…” Apex whispered

“What? What hurts?”

“M-My m-mouth!” Apex exclaimed

“Come on Pharynx, we need to take him to the infirmary.”

“Right behind you bro.”

Thorax rushed down the hall, still cradling Apex. Pharynx followed fast behind. The two raced into the infirmary.

“Stinger!” Thorax called out, and the unreformed changeling in question trotted up.

“I’m here, what do you need?”

“I-It’s Apex.” Thorax set Apex down gently. “H-He had some ice cream and then just started crying.”

“Ah. I think I know what this is.”

Stinger picked up the nymph and carried him to a bed. Thorax and Pharynx followed worriedly. Stinger grabbed his medic bag and dug through it, producing two slim metal instruments, one with a mirror at one end.

“Pharynx, hold Apex’s mouth open.” Stinger instructed.

Pharynx nodded and obeyed, gently forcing Apex’s mouth open. Stinger carefully maneuvered the tools to look into Apex’s mouth. He nodded.

“Just as I thought.” he pulled back and Pharynx released Apex, who hugged him.

“What is it Sting?” Thorax asked worriedly, as Pharynx rubbed Apex’s back gently.

“Little Apex there has his first cavity.” Stinger explained.

“C-Cavi’y?” Apex whimpered, rubbing his cheek. Stinger nodded.

“It’s when buildup from your food eats away at your tooth. I know Thorax makes you brush your teeth but it’s still possible to get them.”

“Bu’ i’ hur’s when I e-ea’ed ice cream…”

“That’s because the cold ice cream was reacting badly with the sensitive tooth. But don’t you worry, I can fix it.”

“H-How?” Apex asked, pressing against Pharynx.

“Well…” Stinger reached into a few of the cabinets, putting some gloves on over his hooves as he spoke. “First we need to inject a numbing agent into your mouth, so you don’t have to be in pain from that ice cream, and so you won’t feel what comes next.”

“N-Nex’?”

“Yeah. Next, I’ll have to drill a small hole into your tooth, to remove the decayed area. Then I use something called a ‘filling’ to seal it up.”

Apex whimpered. “P-Papa Thorax!”

Stinger turned around. “Apex, it’s okay. You won’t feel a thing, I promise.”

“N-Nu-uh!” Apex reached for Thorax, who picked him up and hugged him. “I-I don’ wanna!”

“Apex, shh, it’s okay my little hyper sprite.” Thorax kissed his forehead. “Sweetie, you need to be brave or else your tooth will keep hurting. You want it to stop hurting, right?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Then you need to be my brave little nymph, okay?” Thorax nuzzled him and set him on the bed again. “I promise, I’ll be right here holding your hoof the whole time. But you have to be brave for me. Can you do that?”

“O-Okay Papa Thorax…” Apex rubbed his eyes, wiping away tears.

“Alright…” Stinger stepped forwards. “Just lie back for me and open your mouth, okay?”

Apex nodded and laid back, opening his mouth as asked. Thorax took his hoof as promised, holding the small nymph’s hoof tight. Stinger held up the shot, and Apex flinched.

“It’s okay Apex, it’ll be really quick, medic’s honor.”

Apex screwed his eyes shut and nodded, leaning against Thorax. Stinger nodded and placed the needle onto the inside of Apex’s left jaw. Apex yelped slightly as Stinger injected it.

“There you go, you should be completely numb in a few minutes, okay?” Stinger said, stepping back and grabbing a few more things. “Now…”

Apex shifted and curled up slightly, whimpering.

“Apex, it’s okay.” Thorax nuzzled him. “You need to keep your mouth open for Stinger, okay sweetie?”

Apex whimpered but shifted back into place. Stinger nodded to Thorax gratefully, holding a tool that looked like a small drill. Apex yelped slightly. Pharynx pushed past Thorax and laid a hoof on Apex’s shoulder.

“It’s okay grub, it doesn’t hurt, your mouth is too numb for it.” Pharynx assured him.

“H-How d’you know U-Uncle Pharynx?” Apex asked, mumbling slightly due to going numb where Sting had injected the shot.

Pharynx sighed and nuzzled him. “I-I just do, okay?”

Stinger and Thorax both glanced at Pharynx, but he ignored them. Pharynx kissed Apex’s forehead briefly.

“It’s okay Apex, I promise, it’ll be over soon.” Pharynx assured him.

“O-Okay Uncle Pharynx…” Apex murmured, letting Stinger come closer.

Stinger approached and held out the drill. “I know this looks scary, but the drill is designed for this. It’s not dangerous, it’s only powerful enough to make a tiny hole in your tooth like it’s supposed to, okay?”

Apex nodded, whimpering. Stinger leaned in and placed the drill on the tooth. Thorax flinched and looked away, but he still held Apex’s hoof. Pharynx clenched his jaw and kept his hoof on Apex’s shoulder, watching Stinger.

Stinger then stepped back. “Alright, now we need to put in the filling. Almost done Apex, you’re doing great.”

Apex whimpered and nodded. Stinger revealed a small piping that was leaking a white-ish paste.

“This is the filling, okay? It’ll mold to your tooth. It doesn’t hurt in the slightest, this is the easiest part.” Stinger promised, moving closer.

Apex opened his mouth, closing his eyes. Thorax looked back over and kept his eyes on Apex. Stinger then reached in with the piping and after a minute or two, stepped back. Pharynx sighed slightly in relief and nuzzled Apex.

“All done grub.”

“Pharynx is right, we’re done.” Stinger smiled softly. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Apex shook his head, clambering over to Pharynx, who picked him up. Thorax nuzzled Apex gently.

“Oh sweetie, you were so brave. That’s my little hyper sprite.”

Apex giggled slightly and looked at Stinger. Stinger smiled, having just removed the gloves and washed his hooves.

“You’ll be numb for a few more hours, okay? But that filling will hold. It’s really only meant to last you until your next molt.”

“Wha’ happe’s the’?” Apex asked, nose scrunching slightly as he realized the numbness was affecting his speech.

Stinger chuckled at his reaction. “You see Apex, once you molt, any injuries go away. That of course, means that the filling will disappear with the molt. You’ll have your whole tooth again.”

Apex smiled and snuggled into Pharynx, who chuckled. Stinger chuckled and trotted over to a cabinet, pulling two things out.

“Heh, usually I’d give you a lollipop, but your teeth are still going to be pretty sensitive for a while. So…” Stinger held up a bottle of love extract, as well as a small basket of toys.

Apex gasped softly and reached out. Stinger chuckled and set the love extract in his hooves.

“Go ahead and wash out the taste of the filling with that. The filling itself isn’t harmful, it just may taste a bit bad.” Stinger then shook the basket. “Once you’ve done that, I’ll let you take a couple of these, in place of the lollipop.”

Apex gulped down the love extract, smiling. Thorax giggled and nuzzled him.

“Slow sips sweetie, you don’t want to get the hiccups.”

Apex nodded and slowed down. He still finished the drink quickly. Stinger chuckled and offered up the toy basket. Apex beamed and reached into the basket. Stinger shook it around a little until Apex grabbed two things. Thorax nuzzled Apex gently as Stinger smiled.

“Wha’ ‘re they?”

“Heh, that one’s a little squirty fish, you’re supposed to use it in the bath.” Stinger pointed to the colorful rubber fish.

“Heh, your duck will have a friend now Apex.” Thorax said, and Apex giggled.

“As for that other one… ah, I remember, I put a couple of those in there.” Stinger chuckled as he looked at the thing.

“A game?” Pharynx raised a brow.

“No, it’s shaped like a little game console for effect. See the rings sitting in the water? You press on the little buttons and it sends water waves to lift the rings up. The goal is to get the rings on the targets.” Stinger explained, tapping on the ‘screen’ to show the small spikes on the inside.

Apex giggled and pressed one of the buttons, watching the rings float up. Thorax chuckled and nuzzled him.

“Do you want it Apex? You can pick a different one.”

“Nu-uh, I li’ i’.” Apex said.

“Heh, okay then.” Thorax smiled, looking up. “Thanks Sting.”

“No problem.” Stinger smiled before turning to put the basket of toys back.

Apex looked up at Pharynx as he carried him out of the infirmary. “Un’ca Pharynx?”

“Yeah grub?” Pharynx glanced down at him.

“How come you knew i’ woul’n’ hur’ me?”

Pharynx blushed and looked away. “No reason…”

Thorax chuckled and nuzzled him. “Phar, come on, you can tell us.”

Pharynx sighed. “W-Well… I knew it wouldn’t hurt because… I used to be scared too…”

“Wai’ really? You, Un’ca Pharynx?” Apex asked, holding the toys closer.

“Yeah, me. I got my first cavity back when I was around thirteen… I mean, I pretended like I wasn’t scared, but I was…”

Apex giggled and nuzzled him. Pharynx chuckled and nuzzled back.

“Y-Yeah… I was scared to get a filling, but… well, I faced it, and I made it out. That’s how I knew it wouldn’t hurt. And how I knew you could take it. You’re a toughbug, like me.” Pharynx nuzzled him, making him giggle.

“Mhm… bu’ why coul’n’ Papa Thorax hel’ you?”

“Well, I was pretending I wasn’t scared. He didn’t know.” Pharynx said, looking at Thorax, who chuckled and nodded.

“Mhm. I mean, I had a suspicion, but I didn’t want him to get mad at me…” Thorax said, and Pharynx glared at him. “What? You were scary back then…”

Pharynx rolled his eyes, then looked down at Apex. “Heh, anyway, I also knew you’d be able to handle it because you had someone there for you. And I was right, it didn’t hurt, did it?”

“Nu-uh.”

“Heh, it’s because we’re warriors, grub.” Pharynx nuzzled him. “We’re tough.”

Apex giggled and nuzzled him. “Can we go play wid’ my toys?”

“Of course we can, my little hyper sprite.” Thorax said, nuzzling him.

Apex smiled and giggled as Thorax kissed his forehead. Pharynx chuckled and shifted his hold on the nymph. Apex cuddled against him. Pharynx smiled at the nymph, before letting Thorax take him.

“Thanks.” Thorax whispered, cradling Apex. Pharynx smiled and followed them to Thorax’s room.

Apex giggled as Thorax set him down. He rushed over to his duck, setting the water game aside and putting the squirting fish by the rubber duck. Pharynx chuckled.

“I’m sure you’ll be soaking wet when you give him a bath tonight, Thor.”

Thorax glared at him. “It won’t be that bad! Besides…” Thorax smiled at Apex softly, watching him play, “As long as he’s happy, it’s fine.”

Pharynx chuckled and leaned against Thorax, smiling. Thorax put a foreleg around Pharynx, and he didn’t pull away. The two watched Apex playing with the new toys, placing the duck and fish on top of the water game. He was giggling and smiling, happy again.