Challenge #02608-G051: A Real Sweetheart
They had been fighting anxiety their entire life. While they did their best to handle it, there were times when, even with medication, they were overwhelmed. When they got their support animal, it was a bit of a learning curve, after all people expects skitties or dogs, not winged reptiles. They wore a special pair of glasses that, when their life-signs showed anxiety levels rising to the point where medication would not assist, and there were no dangers in the area, the words You are safe would slowly show in a corner, and the animal would softly begin to groom them, calmingly, to ease their fears. However, going aboard station, when others saw the monstrosity on their shoulder, well, sometimes they had to calm others' fears about the creature they carried.
This prompt is because I've a friend who has severe anxiety and their companion animal is a pitbull. The dog is gentle, well-trained, and wears a vest to tell others it is a therapy animal. And yet, many times, they've had to explain that it's a therapy animal, even pointing out the vest, when places try to force them to leave because it's a pittie and people immediately assume that means "vicious". -- DaniAndShali
[AN: True historical fact - Pitbulls were once known throughout the United States as "Nanny Dogs" because of their gentle and temperate nature with children, as well as their ability to protect said children from wild animals, strangers, and other hazards. Pitties are sweethearts with a very bad reputation. There are no bad dogs, just bad owners.]
Trust a Deathworlder to trust a Deathworlder. -- Galactic Alliance saying.
It was a Breknath Dragon. It was wearing the bright red of Medik Assistance, and on a leash. It was attached to a Human with Offensensitivity goggles and a Lifealert add-on attached to their datareader vambrace. The Breknath Dragon perched neatly on the Human's shoulder like a terran parrot and had a muzzle embellished with artificial flowers and bows. It also had protective, colourful covers on its claws. So of course, the first reaction by Customs and Imports Officer Threq was, "Do you have a license for that?" Followed shortly by, "You have had its venom sacs removed, right?"
The Human, who was doing meditative-style breathing, ran their bare hands over the reptilian life-forms flexile spines. The creature responded by flexing a wing over their head and nuzzling their temple. There was a musical, trilling purr from the beast. "This is my assistance animal, I do have a license and removing the venom sacs is harmful to their health, so I milk him as part of the daily routine. It's part of my income via Medik Central. I'm a licensed dragon-milker... but for only one dragon." They brought out a kit from their carry-on. "This is the milking kit, I can demonstrate, but there won't be more than maybe five millivu's[1]."
"Please do not take the muzzle off of that thing," said Threq. "I cannot tell if it will go wild and bite me." Any minute now, this Deathworlder was going to claim that it was a sweetheart, really.
The meditative breathing increased in pace, as did the dragon's nuzzling and purring. "I have heavy anxiety, and coming here to gain better treatment is... stressful enough. Please don't insult my Baby. I hatched him myself and I worked with therapists and counsellors to make him my therapy animal, and he's really a sweetheart."
Oh Powers protect hir. It was a sweetheart. "I react very badly to Breknath Dragon venom, so please keep it restrained. Thank you."
Text scrolled across the Human's Offensensitivity goggles. Threq, who had come to learn to read backwards text, could discern the words, "You are safe" and "Don't panic" in large, friendly letters.
"I can... I can do that. Baby? Necklace. Make a necklace."
The dragon, with its wing still extended, lowered the rest of its body and curled around the Human's neck so that it could, with the front of its muzzled mouth, hold its own tail. The resultant living ouroboros watched Threq with apparent concern, its colourful nail guards kneading at the Human's clothes.
"Thank you," Threq saw the multiple alert on Human... Zae's passport and Medik plat. Therefore, ze called for a crew of assistant therapists to help ease Human Zae's passage through Decon. "I am doing my utmost to ease your passage, thank you for making my day less stressful." Then, according to the Layperson's Guidelines that just popped up on hir screens, ze added, "You are doing very well, properly trained personnel are on their way to assist you and your... pet... through Decontamination. In the meantime, I must ask the standard questions. Honest answers are the best answers and you will not be in trouble for those answers."
The breathing slowed down, though the dragon emitted occasional coos and trills despite its grip on its own tail. "Thank you. You know... it's only because of dragon fighting that Breknath Dragons have the reputation they do. They're normally very affectionate and trusting animals."
Who also happened to be venomous, thought Threq. "All the same, I have good reasons to keep my distance from yours." Once the therapists arrived to help Human Zae with Decon, ze breathed a lot easier. "Go into Customs Security," ze muttered quizzaciously, mocking hir mother's words when ze was a juvenile. "You couldn't get safer work."
[1] One-one thousandth of a Standard Volume Unit(SVU). Roughly equivalent to a millilitre.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / AlgolOnline]
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All the pitties I've ever encountered were awesome fun times. And they're so cute with their smooshy faces XD
People on the other hand I could do without some of them.
I haven't had the opportunity to meet a Pittie yet, but I know enough to keep an open mind when doing so.