//------------------------------// // Skaydi // Story: Dr. Bobtail // by DarkStarWolf53 //------------------------------// A few days later, Bobtail goes back to work. Not looking forward to this. Today's patient has a history of violence. I better stay far away from her. A small pegasus-like filly is waiting in his room, on high alert. She has more feathers than a normal pegasus would and her forefeet are talons rather than hooves. She has snowy owl like markings in her white fur and feathers. Bobtail sits rather far away from her. "Ehm, Miss S-Skaydi, what is bothering you today?" "I want revenge." "Not on me, I hope!" "Nope. On that pony-bucking, black-hearted-" The filly starts in on a long tirade of swear words. Bobtail goes red with shame. He still isn't used to this filly's language. "Excuse me a moment..." He leaves the room and hides in the bathroom for several minutes, then he returns to his office. "...Sombra," finishes Skaydi. "Please, miss, withhold your more colorful language! This is supposed to be a professional environment-" Skaydi raises her head and glares at Bobtail with fiery yellow eyes, flicking out her sharp claws as her ears go back in anger. "Easy, Miss Skaydi, easy. Please put away your talons." "Why should I?" "Because 1) weapons are not allowed here, and 2) I do NOT want to be on the wrong end of those things!" "Hmph..." She sheathes her claws, though she keeps her ears back. "So you say you want revenge. But as I have said, violence doesn't solve anything." "Unless you kill the one who wronged you. Then they can't cross you again." "That is not a good way of thinking." "Works for me though." "But I doubt it will truly be successful." "It's kept me alive this long." "Uh huh... What makes you think you should act only violently?" "Because not being violent has nearly gotten me killed." "Care to elaborate?" "My parents were a hippogriff and a pegasus. Both of whom had been exiled from their homes and had to fight to survive. Which they also taught me. Then they got killed so I stayed with the Viking Caribou for a while, who of course have to fight or they will die. And eventually, I got lost in the Northlands. I was saved by the crystal ponies, but then the Dark King found out. I saw the ponies were submissive and as a response, the Dark King beat them and forced them to work in the mines. So I decided to fight back. The Dark King tried to bind me, but I fought him savagely. Nearly won, but he used some kind of magic to knock me out. When I came to, I was chained. The enemy tried to torture me, but I fought so fiercely he finally decided to stay away from me and not hurt me." "I see. But still, violence isn't a good idea. And it's not good to have a desire for revenge." "Oh, but that desire will go away once I get revenge on that devil." "As I said, revenge is not good." "Really? I know I'll sure be satisfied when that demon's taken care of." "But how will your enemy feel?" "Oh, he'll be dead. He won't feel anything." "And leave the Crystal Empire without a ruler?" "That devil is no ruler. He's a blood-crazed, pony-bucking, black-hearted-" She starts swearing again, and Bobtail backs away and then hides under his desk. After several minutes of cursing, Skaydi goes quiet and glares at Bobtail, who is currently cowering under the desk. The filly leaps from her seat and comes over, biting down hard on the unicorn's back leg. "OW!" "Come out of there. I'm not paying you to hide." "You're paying me? I thought you were broke." "I 'borrowed' some jewels from one of those jewel shops before I came here." "By 'borrowed' you mean 'stole', don't you?" "How else was I supposed to get the money to pay you?" "Hmph." Bobtail comes out from his hiding place. "Anyway," he continues, "as I said, it's not good to 'get' someone for revenge. Regardless of if it turns out well for you or not. You see, just because you get revenge on one enemy, you might lose the next fight." "No I don't see, actually. You sound so pony-ish." "Uh, I am a pony..." "True, but I mean really pony-ish." "I have no idea what you mean." "Oh, everyone in the Wildlands knows you ponies are about the worst excuse for fighters that the realm has ever seen." "Are all the Wild-Kind so specieist?" "You can't deny that you ponies aren't exactly fighters." "That is because we are pacifistic-" "No, the deer of Cervina are pacifists. They prefer nonviolence, but if in a corner, they can fight and defeat deadly enemies. You ponies, when cornered, simply have no chance." "Tell that to my husband. He saved me from Discord." "But from what I gathered from those I spoke to, he's half-deer, not pure pony." "Yes, and?" "That's probably why he's a good fighter." "Hmph. Shall we change the subject?" "Sure, why not?" "As I have stated before, you should not use violence, or go after revenge. It only results in pain." "Oh yes, but for which side?" "Both sides. Even if you get your revenge on the Dark King, it won't be satisfying." "Oh, trust me, it will." "And what makes you think you could defeat him?" "Once I get my claws on that devil, I'll break all four of his limbs. He can't focus on his magic when he's in pain." Bobtail shudders at the idea, but tries to remain somewhat calm. "Broken limbs heal, and then he'd doubtless kill you." "Heh, he wouldn't have the chance." "Care to explain?" "With that demon crippled, I'll be able to finish him off!" "Oh-kay, we are obviously not making much progress, are we?" "Aren't you curious as to how I'll finish him?" "Not exactly..." "Too bad!" The horse-hawk smirks and Dr. Bobtail finds himself feeling very uncomfortable. That look in her eyes is worrisome... He scoots his chair back quite a bit, and glances around for escape routes, going pale. "Once that devil's been crippled, I'll just rip him open with my claws and devour his still-beating heart. Even he won't survive that!" Her grin grows wider and she shows her unusually sharp teeth. Bobtail's face turns a lovely shade of green, and he proceeds to bolt out of the room. "Hey, I haven't paid you yet!" "Mail it!" The unicorn races out of his office, leaving the secretary to just sigh. Skaydi trots out of the office, and the secretary shakes their head. "Miss Skaydi, you really shouldn't traumatize him like that." "But I thought you were supposed to be honest with psych-whatevers." "While that is true, he'll probably be in hiding again for several days. And this isn't the first time you've terrorized him." The horse-hawk smirks again. "Oh, but I'm just an innocent little filly..." "I have to disagree. Especially with the 'innocent' part- an innocent foal would not be so murderous." "I know, I know." She takes a gem out of her saddlebag and gives it to the secretary. "What is this, Skaydi?" "A bribe of sorts. To persuade you not to bar me from coming in here again, and persuade the other workers to do likewise." "Hmm, this gem is worth an awful lot. Suppose I'll take it. But next time, don't scare Bobtail so badly. It's so annoying when he flees like that." "I'll try not to." Skaydi leaves through a trapdoor and heads back home. Meanwhile, Bobtail is under his bed. Again. "Bobtail?" asks Sagebreeze. "What happened this time? Why are you under the bed again?" "I had that homicidal horse-hawk as a patient again today." "Say no more. I'll let you stay hiding til you calm down, and whenever you do, let me know." "Cuddles tonight?" asks Bobtail, looking out at Sagebreeze with 'puppy-dog eyes'. "Of course!" "Yay!"