Madness

by Mochas Dungeon

Toffee Brulé Interview

The alarm blared, waking him from the best sleep he’d had in weeks. With a smile he rolled out of his bed and placed his hooves on the floor. He trotted to the window in his room and opened it, resting his forelegs on the sill and sticking his head out.

“The perfect morning. This’ll be a great day. The last two interviews,” he said pulling his head back in and trotting merrily to the bathroom, “and then a day off for paperwork. Wow, even that’s not bringing me down, yay mania,” he smiled looking into the mirror before disrobing and showering.

---

“Go~od morning, Miss Mend,” he sang as they met outside the cafeteria on time.

“Well, somepony’s in a great mood.”

“Woke up on the sunny side of the bed,” he grinned, gesturing for her to enter first.

“Well, I’m glad to hear it. Your patient today is also quite chipper, so it should work out nicely.”

He nodded and glanced at her tail as she passed.

“So, Doctor Star… What’re you looking at?” she asked, knowing the answer.

“Gah, uhm, n-nothing, just, ah, a spot on the floor,” he said pronking past her and landing with a stomp and an awkward grin, “yup, just a spot, gone now.”

“...Right,” she replied with a suppressed giggle at how cute he was acting, “leave those to the janitors to clean, let’s eat. And I mean food, Doctor Star,” she replied coyly, cantering slightly so her rear was away from him.

Well, damn that infatuation back, he chided himself as he groaned.

---

“Well, that was one of the most awkward meals I’ve had in… years,” he said quietly to the orderly that was always guarding him.

“Well, Epic Start,” the yellow earth pony orderly dressed in white stated flatly, looking to the sides for any threats, “there are many things that happen when one gets caught peeping at a mares plot.”

“Mister Toes!” Star growled, “we do not speak of such fine mares in such a way. Furthermore, my name is Doctor Star; they haven’t changed my paperwork yet.”

“Sure thing, doctor,” the orderly replied with a hint of scorn. With a harumph from Star the rest of their walk and admittance through security was kept in silence.

“Doctor Mend, it’s an honor to see you again.”

“Yes, glad to see you’re looking into my eyes, this time,” she smirked with a wink as he looked to the side. “Well, your next patient is Toffee Brulé, a self harming case. We know the deal, so away with you, naughty colt.”

He looked at her and frowned. “The repressive medicine wore off, that’s the only reason-”

“Hush,” she said placing a hoof to his lips, “I didn’t say no.” She turned and trotted happily around the corner leaving him and his orderly slack jawed watching her leave.

With a firm poke to the side of the orderlies coat Star glared at him. “What was that about checking out mares?”

“Uh, nothing, Doctor Star, sir.”

Nodding in approval Star moved to the door and knocked, waiting to be let in.

---

He smiled to see a normal looking mare sitting on a cushion, passing her time nervously. Her flanks were covered with gauze that were slightly reddened from blood but not seeping through. A good sign she was healing nicely.

He smiled to her as he entered the room and took a pillow a few paces away before sitting.

“Miss Toffee, I’m Doctor Star, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hi doctor, always a pleasure to meet a new face. So, we both know why I’m here,” she started and winced as she moved her rear legs to get a little more comfortable, “so, how do I get out?”

“Well, Toffee, may I call you Toffee?” she nodded, “I can’t just answer that question. You’re here for a reason, and that reason is that you hurt somepony very special to everypony you know.”

The corner of her eye twitched as he finished his sentence. Normally nothing to concern oneself about, however as he looked into her eyes a chill went through him.

“Doctor, I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about,” she said sweetly.

She’s smiling almost too sweetly.

He suppressed the shiver as best he could. “Well, Toffee, I mean you. You’re the most important pony in your life.”

She smiled warmly to him and blinked. “Well, I know that. You’re silly. What I guess I wanna know is what you need from me.”

“I can’t answer that, and I am sorry. Just like any friendship, we have to get to know each other before we can tell others what we think of the other, with honesty.”

She looked to her hooves in thought. “I guess that makes sense. So, what’d you like to know?”

“Tell me why you hate your cutie mark,” he said.

“It’s stupid. Scales, really? Really?” she shouted before stopping and closing her eyes, counting to five silently. “I don’t want scales, or balance. It’s a stupid destiny! I wanted something that would make me stand out, not blend in,” she snorted in frustration.

“And I understand your feelings, truly. When I got mine I was far from impressed. Look,” he turned to show her, “a book I was reading for fun at the time on psychology turned out to be my cutie mark.

“After the party, the celebrations, the end of school, and my apprenticeship; I was stuck.” He looked almost sorrowful for a second at his cutie mark before looking back to Toffee. “I know I could have taken a writing job or a job in research, but I chose working with ponies because I thought it would be more fun.”

She looked at his flank narrowing her eyes before looking back at him. Glancing between the two she shook her head quickly and sighed. “Well, anyway; I’d take almost anything, even being an adult blank flank over these. The world has enough accountants and lawyers.”

“Cutting them off isn’t the way to deal with them, though.”

“I. Know. That,” she hissed, “I’d expect more from somepony like you, I’d hope you’d understand.”

He sighed and returned to his sitting position. “Toffee, I apologize if I’ve insulted you, I’d like to help you get out of here as quickly as possible. To do that, let’s just talk. Where are you from?”

“Prancing-Trot, it’s a nice enough village,” she shrugged smiling casually again, “large enough for herd families but still small enough so ponies at the far end of town still know your family name. It’s quiet, peaceful, and a place I hope to live to again, with my sisters and brothers.

“My parents are great too, I love them all.”

“Ah, I understand. And,” he swallowed, “what about your missing mothers?”

She glanced at him in such a way that he felt the urge to lean back in fear. “What about them?” she asked innocently.

“W-well, they’re missing. I understand you have a close family, so I was just wondering how it affected you.”

“Well, they’re not around to help me with my cutie mark, so I guess that’s a bonus,” she said waving a hoof dismissively.

“I understand. Were they,” he softened his voice, “trying to make you love your cutie mark?”

“Yes, they were. But,” she smiled, “not, any~more,” she sang.

“Well, good for them, and you,” he emphasised, “there’s no pony that can make you understand that thing better than you. And, if it comes to it, maybe we can help find a way to change your mark.”

Her eyes widened to him in shock. “You know how to change my cutie mark?”

“Well, not quite like that, but I have a couple ideas on what to do.”

“Like?” she asked with interest.

“Zebra don’t get cutie marks, but they still have marks, right?”

“Yeah! They have tribal markings to identify their land of origin as well as place in the tribe, job, and associated responsibilities, as well as rank in their class of training from no marking, for youth, to full markings that cover most of their legs.

“However, the markings may differ from side to side as a result of the individual zebra that creates the marking and changes to position in the tribe.”

“Wow,” he blinked to her, “that was really impressive. My thought might have already been through your mind, then.”

“If you know a shaman that can change me, than I’ll take it,” she looked at him hopefully.

“Well, I know a couple and they helped me when I needed it. I’ll have to write a letter and it’ll take time, but if you’re willing to hang out and talk with me, I’ll let you know as soon as I get a response. And I promise that,” he insisted before she could retort, “no matter where you are and what time of day.

“The minute I get that letter,” he said sternly and intently, “I will have you before me within the hour and we’ll read it together. Okay?”

She looked at him and sighed. “Okay, I trust you and I promise that I won’t hurt myself.”

“That’s all I ask. I was supposed to rechedule to see you next week, but I’ll push it up to later this week,” he smirked, “are you free friday?”

“Oh,” she huffed and looked at her hoof, “I’ll have to see if I can pencil you in, but I might be able to move a few things around.”

“It’s been an hour, and I wish I had more time, but I have to see other patients.”

“Yeah, I know. And I have to see them too,” she giggled. He rolled his eyes and chuckled.

---

The door sealed closed behind and he looked for Mind Mend in the hallway, only to see the orderly that usually guarded him.

“Where is she?!” Star asked loudly.

“She just left for the restroom, sir.”

Star turned and galloped down the halls, turning each way he needed to, ending at the mares room. He pushed open the door and trotted in.

“Doctor Mend?!” he shouted, the echo making his ears flatten to his head, followed by the scream of a shocked mare.

“Doctor Star, what in tartarus are you doing in here?! It’s the mares room!” she shouted from behind the closed stall door.

“She’s a sociopath! She may have killed her own parents and she’s a genius as well, we have to, oof-”

“Sorry, ma’am,” the orderly shouted as he and three others wrestled Star out of the room.

“Shut up and get out!”

Comments

[deltablaze22]

um... yeah id just stay away from her...