[Story] A Story from Dragonkitty

[Mel Dragonkitty]

A short word doodle based on the idea of cubi finding jobs based on their feeding preferances.

A GOOD JOB

As the small, rather rotund hedgehog waddled his way up the rough granite stairs marking the rather grandiose front of St. Brutus Hospital he heard his name being called, "Brother Thomas. Brother Thomas, thank goodness you're finally here."

Puffing to a stop at the top like an old steam engine Brother Thomas adjusted his cassock around his girth as it had ridden up during his climb before looking upwards at the tall swan nurse who was addressing him. "Who is it today, Miss Laura?" He favored the swan with the gentle smile and twinkling merry eyes he was famous for.

The head nurse of the hospital cancer ward answered, "Two of them. That sweet little Flower is barely holding on. Her family is beside themselves with grief."

"And the other?"

"Mr. Green."

The nurse didn't elaborate but the tone of her voice told everything. Wilfred Green had been a local slumlord for decades. When people weren't dying from his neglectful maintenance he was putting them out in the street so he could charge people more for even less. Loathed by everyone except the city officials he had paid to look the other way he had recently discovered that the cancer ward of St. Brutus was somewhere you couldn't necessarily buy your way out of.

Brother Thomas nodded, as if coming to a decision. "Flower has her family around her, one more will not be noticed. Mr. Green has not had a single visitor since he arrived. I will sit with him in his final moments."

The swan shook her head, "You're a fine and patient man, Brother Thomas. But if you can spend five minutes in that room you'll be the first. Even those of us who need to tend to him can't take more than that. None of the volunteers will even go near his room." As the pair approached the wing for the terminal patients the nurse's voice dropped to a confidential tone. "He threw a book at the book cart volunteer you know."

Brother Thomas clucked his tongue, "Poor man. How he rages at the first obstacle he hasn't been able to overcome in his long life, which is also the last. He needs support far more than that poor sweet child with her family around her. So gentle and thoughtful even as her tiny life pours away before our eyes. No, no. It is my duty to support those with no one. I will see to Mr. Green first."

As the door to the ward opened before them the aura of pain and despair was intense. This place always had the smell of death clinging to it, but with two people about to take their final breaths it was particularly strong today. The little hedgehog shuddered but didn't break his determined, if waddling, stride until he got to the door of the little raccoon girl. The sobs and moans caused a momentary faltering in his steps, but he kept going to the biggest private room at the end of the hallway.

Inside the room the first thing Brother Thomas noticed was the grateful look on the face of the large bear doctor. "Welcome, Brother Thomas. Please do come in. Your warm touch will certainly be more appreciated than my bedside manner."

With that the doctor fled the room, leaving the hedgehog alone with the frail, almost transparent grey rat who was the source of all this dislike. "Mr. Green. I'm Brother Thomas of the Monks of St. Faye. I'm here to be your spiritual councilor."

"Beh," whispered the man, despite the fact that he was obviously fighting for each breath. "You religious types... only know how to... beg for money."

"I assure you, I am only concerned with the state of your soul," answered the smiling hedgehog as he closed the door, then pulled the privacy curtains around the bed.

"It's too late, far too late to... change the fate of my soul," the old man wheezed.

Brother Thomas smiled, very sweetly at the rat as wings sparkled into view on both head and back. "I'm certain I can convince you to join me."

Tom paused and tasted the fear. The dying old man wasn't able to shout for help and because of his previous behavior it would be a long time before anyone answered the bell he was ringing. In fact the room was tidied back up and the sweet and helpful Brother Thomas was saying a prayer over the dead body before a nurse, a little bobcat this time, appeared. "No need to hurry, my dear. I should have turned the bell off. The last spasm of the dying man pressed the button."

The young nurse looked very apologetic, "I'm sorry, Brother Thomas. But that darling little raccoon girl just passed. We were very distracted. Can... can you go to the family. You always calm them down so well."

The hedgehog waddled his way towards the intense feelings of grief, tugging his cassock down yet again. He really needed to see to getting some larger ones. He was getting quite fat on this assignment. His classmates at SAIA always thought he would starve to death. Tom had a preference for fear and anger and grief but because of his small size and rather comical appearance had been unsuccessful in creating those feelings in victims. With a little lateral thinking he just found himself a place where the emotions were already available and just gulped them down without any effort on his part. The occasional soul, such as the one he had just consumed was a delectable bonus. Yes, hospital chaplain was a job custom made for a lazy cubi.

As he approached the room that had been the little girl's he reminded himself not to gorge on the grief inside. He had been asked to act as chaplain at an execution at the local prison tomorrow. He needed to leave some room for all the lovely anger the prison always contained.

Schooling his face into a suitably solemn look sweet, innocent Brother Thomas, beloved by all who met him, went to comfort the bereaved family.

[Cogidubnus]

I've already told you how much I loved this story, Mel. Very nicely done, and a very entertaining read. 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Now that's a lovely story.

The way the Cubi get fat off the emotions? Nice touch.

[Tapewolf]

The way the Cubi get fat off the emotions? Nice touch.

Yeah.  That probably would happen if they don't get much exercise, since emotions seem to be a full substitute.  Shapeshifting the fat away should work though, but note how Jakob avoids eating 

The story was a bit darker than I would have preferred, that's my only negative comment.  That said, 'Cubi attending (or carrying out) executions to get the emotional kick is something that I've played with (albeit not used).

[Aisha deCabre]

A very interesting story, Mel and quite well-written.  Great job!

[Tapewolf]

Because it's so good, I've given it a quick re-reading, and I have a few more comments:

It's interesting that he seems to be prefer the despised for his, er, meals.  While I can't say I approve of even that, I suppose it's in some way preferable to eating innocents.

Out of curiosity, does his method of comforting the bereaved work by force-draining it from them?  According to Amber, that takes more energy to achieve than it actually yields, but if a 'Cubi is genuinely eager to help comfort someone it can be useful for that side-effect.

What would be interesting to see is more stories referencing Demons and Angels doing the soul-stealing thing, because I don't think it's specific to 'Cubi - they just have the reputation for doing it.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

I started with the thought that a hospital is a place with a surfeit of every type of emotion. A lazy cubi wouldn't even have to hunt, just wander the halls absorbing the emotional energy of the place. And thus was born Thomas, the incredibly lazy cubi. My idea is that his grief counseling is mostly conventional and that he would only exert himself to greater effort for people he had come to like.

The soul stealing would be very very rare for him. There would not really be many unattended deaths in a hospital for him to profit from.

[Tapewolf]

I started with the thought that a hospital is a place with a surfeit of every type of emotion. A lazy cubi wouldn't even have to hunt, just wander the halls absorbing the emotional energy of the place. And thus was born Thomas, the incredibly lazy cubi.

That may not be uncommon, particularly with 'Cubi who never find out what they are.
One thing that does bug me slightly that I forgot to ask before, is how he'll handle the fact that he doesn't age.  Unless they are in a particularly demon-tolerant region, he'll probably have to switch identities and hospitals at some point...

My idea is that his grief counseling is mostly conventional and that he would only exert himself to greater effort for people he had come to like.

Ah.  Even that would be a good deal easier with his empathic powers...

The soul stealing would be very very rare for him. There would not really be many unattended deaths in a hospital for him to profit from.

Also, if someone died each time he was alone with them, questions would be asked, even when the patients were terminally-ill.  (That and it may be possible to tell if someone's been soul-swiped)

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Ah, so the reason he's stolen the soul from the despised person is not like or dislike, but availability.

Dressing it up for public consumption, I think, is the phrase. ie, he's making a good excuse for it so everyone can see how nice he is and keep him on. ;-]

And, of course, give him the same option next time...

[Tapewolf]

Dressing it up for public consumption, I think, is the phrase. ie, he's making a good excuse for it so everyone can see how nice he is and keep him on. ;-]

Except no-one knows he's doing it.  There'd be hell to pay if they did.

I'd be rather interested to see a hedgehog 'Cubi - I can't quite visualise how the wings would attach to a back covered with spines.  Unless, like Equidna, he doesn't really have spines in the conventional sense.

[Cogidubnus]

Also, if someone died each time he was alone with them, questions would be asked, even when the patients were terminally-ill.  (That and it may be possible to tell if someone's been soul-swiped)

I don't think he does steal a soul from every terminally ill patient.

Just the ones that won't be missed. 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Dressing it up for public consumption, I think, is the phrase. ie, he's making a good excuse for it so everyone can see how nice he is and keep him on. ;-]

Except no-one knows he's doing it.  There'd be hell to pay if they did.

Well, that's why he's providing a good excuse for why he's in the room alone with the dying person - just so nobody catches on that he's doing it.

"He won't be missed" is the usual summation - as Cogidubnus is so good as to point out. ;-]

[Gabi]

Interesting and controversial story. I think all may have been said by now.