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Skadi was often distant and aloof, and anyone on Rhodes Island who had spoken with her for more than a few minutes would attest to that.
The Aegir was an enigma to most who met her, and so it came as no minor surprise that she had taken it upon herself to collaborate with those of her kind foremost. Whether the likes of Gladiia or Specter or even Mizuki, there was none she felt more comfortable with than her own people — those she considered understood her more than anyone else.
And yet…
Amiya looked up from her clipboard, turning her head this way and that. Something was off. Something was… amiss.
She was being watched.
The CEO of Rhodes Island turned around, spotting no one.
No Kal’tsit. No Blaze. No Doctor. Only the stillness of the room. The four walls that surrounded her.
“Huh…?”
Amiya blinked. Then she turned back around.
Skadi’s unblinking gaze was all that she could see. And so she shrieked.
“Amiya. Stop screaming. I have a question.”
Amiya did, in fact, stop screaming. She clenched her fists with worry, shaking them in front of Skadi’s face while she made her humiliation clear as day.
“S-Skadi! What are you doing? You scared the heck out of me! What’s wrong…?!”
Skadi tilted her head as she looked at Amiya. She looked like she was searching for something. A hint of a lie? It was difficult to say with someone as secretive as Skadi.
“I heard that Gravel was feeling ill,” said the Aegir. “Is this true?”
“H-huh?”
Skadi took a step closer. “The operator known as Gravel. The Doctor’s personal bodyguard. She’s fallen ill, or so I’ve heard. Is this true?”
“Y-yes?” Amiya furrowed her brow, suddenly worried about wherever the heck this was going. “She’s, er, she’s got a cold, so she’s been relieved of her duties temporarily. Did you want to pay her a visit?”
“No.” Skadi put a finger to her chin, blinking slowly. “If the Doctor doesn’t presently have a bodyguard, then I volunteer myself to take Gravel’s place.”
“Wh—”
“Permanently, if possible,” she added.
“That’s—okay.” Amiya put her hands up. “Thank you, Skadi, really, but we’re fine. Someone already filled the role until Gravel feels a lot better.”
“Really now.” Skadi narrowed her eyes. “Who took the position from me?”
“From you?” Amiya smiled anxiously. “I, uh, wasn’t aware you were really interested in that sort of thing, Skadi. But the position, um… well…”
Mudrock was often distant and aloof, and anyone on Rhodes Island who had spoken with her for more than a few minutes could certainly attest to that.
The Sarkaz was an enigma to most who met her, and…
… we’ve been here before.
Here and now, the armor-wearing Sarkaz stood a lone vigil outside of the Doctor’s office, wielding her reliable sledgehammer with a particular grace that made it seem so much lighter than it really was. The woman stood unmoving. Statuesque in demeanor; in her assignment to ensure that none disturbed the Doctor — her Doctor — while he worked as hard as he always had. Evidently, the man needed his space to determine the most effective way to consume instant noodles. If Mudrock would turn around and open the door, she would see a man determined to witness just how much seasoning he could snort up his nose holes.
The finest specimen of a man there ever was.
None could presently see it — through all that covered Mudrock from head to toe — but she was utterly elated to be in a position like this. She was happy that she had jumped at the opportunity to take Gravel’s place as the Doctor’s personal bodyguard. There was not a chance in hell that she was letting someone else get to that spot. It was her spot. All hers!
“Mm… Is it someone…?”
Mudrock turned her head, and through her helmet, she could spot someone peeking at her from the far end of the corridor, around the corner hallway. She spotted two eyes and a stylish hat leering from around the bend. The eyes didn’t look particularly happy.
“Hmm…”
Mudrock narrowed her own eyes. That was Skadi, was it not? She wondered what the Aegir woman was doing here. e. Mudrock knew of Skadi — specifically, the destruction that the hat-wearing woman often left in her wake — and so instinctively, Mudrock hunched her shoulders.
And watched.
And waited.
A hot-blooded stare-down. The air grew heavy between them; the tension was palpable. Neither one of them moved an inch from their positions as they matched the other’s staring. And then… just when Mudrock thought the very air around her would reach its boiling point…
The door behind her opened, and the Sarkaz immediately turned around in place. “Doctor,” she announced, “Is everything alright?”
The Doctor of Rhodes Island nodded, smiling at Mudrock through his own hood and helmet. “Of course. Everything’s fine, Mudrock. Thank you again for doing this for me.”
“Ah… You’re welcome, Doctor. I am available for help anytime that you need me. Do not hesitate to call upon me.” She clenched her fingers around her sledgehammer to keep them from trembling as much as they were.
The Doctor looked past Mudrock and raised his hand in greeting. “Ah, Skadi, good afternoon.”
Mudrock bristled. She turned around again, and as if she’d been there the entire time, the Aegir woman stood front and center between both the armored Sarkaz and her Doctor.
“Good afternoon, Doctor.” Skadi pinched the brim of her hat as she smiled ever so slightly. “I need to discuss something with you.”
“Oh?” The Doctor stood with his hands behind his back. “What did you want to discuss?”
“It’s… something that… must be discussed… privately,” Skadi murmured.
Mudrock scowled. Fortunately — or perhaps, unfortunately — neither Skadi nor the Doctor could see her expression through the front of her helm.
“Well,” said the Doctor, “can it wait? I was about to have lunch in the cafeteria.”
“Were you?” Skadi didn’t know it, but she was playing with a lock of her ashen hair. “Interesting. I suppose now would be a good time to mention that I have yet to—”
“I’ll escort you,” Mudrock chimed in. “We can leave whenever you’re ready, Doctor.”
“Escort…?” Skadi frowned. “Perhaps you should stay here, Mudrock. I have no problem with escorting the Doctor myself on your behalf.”
Mudrock shook her head. “Unnecessary. As the Doctor’s bodyguard—”
“Temporarily,” Skadi felt the need to add.
“—I have no problem assisting the Doctor with his duties.” She paused. “Or his lunch.”
“Actually,” said the Doctor, “I already have lunch plans, Mudrock.”
The Sarkaz and the Aegir both looked at the Doctor. “You do?”
“Yes!” The Doctor raised his forefinger as he made his exclamation. “Ensia and Enya have invited me out to lunch. Business discussions, surely.”
“Business discussions…” Mudrock considered it dubious.
“Operators Cliffheart and Pramanix,” Skadi added the names to her mental hit list. “D-Doctor, wait…”
“Hm?”
Skadi frowned, and she ran a hand through her snow-white hair as she cast her gaze aside. “I thought you should know. I like… lunch. Perhaps we could… one day…?”
“Ah, no need!” The Doctor waved dismissively. “I’ll bring you something from the cafeteria. No need to fret!”
“B-but…” Skadi’s shoulders slumped as the Doctor turned and walked off.
“I’ll be seeing you two later!”
And with that, The Doctor left, leaving a confused Mudrock, and an irritated Skadi behind.
Thus began Operation Win His Heart. What could go wrong?
“What did you just say?” Grani gawked, her eyes wide as saucers as she tried to process what Skadi had just told her.
“You heard me,” the Aegir replied bitterly. “Tell me what I can do to win the affection of another person. I never ask for help—”
“I know!” Grani clenched her fists and shook them with eagerness. “That’s why I’m excited to really help you here!” Grani didn’t wilt beneath Skadi’s piercing gaze. If anything, she grew more entertained with the circumstances at play here. “So~ Skadi~ Who do you like?”
“That is none of your business.” The Aegir scowled. “It’s irrelevant to my request.”
“Of course it’s relevant! Everyone’s different! Depending on what they like and don’t like, you can have an easy or a hard time winning them over, and proving to them you’re not a psycho.”
“I am not a psycho,” Skadi insisted. Grani smiled nervously.
“Well, sure! But you know what I mean.” The Kuranta scratched her chin thoughtfully with her gloved hand, looking up at the taller bounty hunter who had caught her in the hall.
“Are you certain that there is no one method that works on all men?” Skadi asked.
“Well,” said Grani, “they say that the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach! Maybe you could try that?”
Skadi made a face. “That’s a lie. The quickest way to a man’s heart is through his chest.”
“No, Skadi, no…” Grani sighed, shaking her head with an amused smile. “I mean that if you really like someone, cook something for them! Make them something nice and yummy, you know?”
“Cooking. Of course. Consumption… It can be intimate,” she thought aloud.
“Yeah, exactly! Exactly.” Grani crossed her arms and nodded. “Now you’re getting it! So what kind of food does this person like to eat?”
“A lot of unhealthy and stupid foods,” said Skadi.
“Well… Okay!” Grani gave Skadi a thumbs-up. “Then you should make something really unhealthy and stupid! I’m sure they’ll love that. Or, you could just make something that they won’t understand. Really surprise them; throw them for a loop!”
Skadi blinked. “Grani… Have you ever had a partner you could be intimate with?”
“H-huh? Of c-course I have!” The small Kuranta smiled anxiously, and she fidgeted with the flaps of her jacket. “W-why would you even ask me that…?!”
The Doctor tapped away at his keyboard with deft fingers. In all the time he’d spent on Rhodes Island since his reawakening, it thrilled him to learn that he could reach his old typing speed. Anyone who took notice would see that the Doctor’s hands were a blur on his terminal, as he worked diligently and tirelessly to finish the documents that were forwarded to him.
The sooner they were over and done with, the sooner he can go back to playing Blue Archive or something like that. Being a Doctor was rewarding, but sometimes, it was just as invigorating to wear the hat of a senpai — or even a commander, if he had the time.
Knock knock knock.
“Come in!” The Doctor looked up from his desk, just in time to see Mudrock come into his office. He was immediately suspicious. Mudrock was holding two sledgehammers.
“Doctor.” Mudrock closed the door behind her with her foot, and she broke its hinges. “Oops.”
“It’s okay, Mudrock, that door breaks at least twice a week.” The Doctor waved dismissively. “How can I help you, Mudrock?”
“Mm. No. It’s me who’s helping you, Doctor.”
“Come again?”
Mudrock held one sledgehammer parallel to the Doctor’s desk. “Doctor. I’ve gained another hammer.”
“Really?” The Doctor rubbed his chin. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“We can match now, Doctor… We can have matching hammers. Doesn’t that sound nice? I thought it would be a gracious gift for you,” the Sarkaz claimed.
“Well, thank you Mudrock, but, em…” The Doctor blinked with surprise. “What’s the occasion for such a gift?”
“Kinship.” Mudrock tilted her head, staring at the Doctor through her helmet. “I want to be closer to you, Doctor… Now, we will both be strong.”
“Mudrock…” The Doctor leaned back in his office chair. “I don’t need to be physically strong if I’ve got you as my bodyguard, right?”
Mudrock dropped the sledgehammer right on the Doctor’s desk with an ungodly CRASH, creating a fresh hole in its wooden surface and utterly crushing the man’s laptop computer. The Doctor recoiled, nearly falling out of his chair.
“Oops…! Ahh! Doctor!” Mudrock whined. “It slipped out of my hand, Doctor!”
“Mudrock!” The Doctor stood up with a pained wince. His precious laptop was smashed to bits. He had so many pictures of Suzuran there!
“I’m sorry, Doctor…!” Mudrock put her hands over the surface of his workstation, examining the destroyed wooden frame. “Erm… I can fix this, Doctor. Blemishine and I, in the workshop, we can… we can fix it.” She heaved a heavy sigh through her helmet. “I’m sorry, Doctor. I’m—”
“Incompetent?”
Mudrock turned around. Skadi stood in the doorframe now, making her appearance in the same manner that she always did. She smiled faintly, as if she took some amusement because Mudrock just made an egregious error.
“Skadi… Hi there,” The Doctor put his hands on his hips as he looked down at his ruined workstation and the giant sledgehammer that was presently sticking out of the rubble. “You’ve caught us at a bad time, I’m afraid.”
“Oh, I disagree.” Skadi approached the Doctor from the other end of the room, pushing past Mudrock. “I think I’ve come at a great time. You look like you need some help, Doctor.”
“Ha, well…” The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. He figured he might as well try, however, and so in the presence of both operators, the Doctor rolled up his sleeves and grabbed the handle of the sledgehammer, giving it a stern and vigorous pull.
No dice. No chance. Not a single budge. The sledgehammer wasn’t stuck, but it was much too heavy for the likes of the Doctor to wield without breaking any of his bones.
“Doctor, wait. Let me handle it. Just sit back and relax,” Mudrock claimed, only for Skadi to shake her head sternly.
“You’ve helped enough, Mudrock. This calls for someone like me to handle the mess with style and grace.” Skadi swatted the Doctor’s hand away before she rubbed her hands together, and then she wrapped them around the handle of the sledgehammer.
“Mm.”
Skadi heaved back and pulled the entire sledgehammer out of the Doctor’s desk.
… only to swing it right through his potted plant with a discordant KA-THONK!
“EEK!” The Doctor squeaked in a panic. “My begonias!!”
“Uh. Oops.” Skadi blinked lazily, and she hefted the sledgehammer out of the Doctor’s destroyed potted plant, leaving only dirt, shattered pieces of clay, and decimated flowers behind. “That was an accident, Doctor. I guess I don’t know my own strength…”
Mudrock sighed. “There you go again, breaking things without meaning to. I have to wonder if destruction is all that you are capable of?”
“Me? I did not break the Doctor’s desk or computer,” Skadi accused, blowing a strand of silver hair from her face. “You had better not harm the Doctor. He’s far too important for—”
“Ugh…” The Doctor rubbed his temples, drilling his fingers against his head to soothe himself. This is where those Suzuran pictures might have come in handy, or perhaps a computer game that everybody loved.
But this was Rhodes Island, and the Doctor knew not but suffering.
“Umm… Doctor?” Skadi dropped the sledgehammer with a loud thunk! and turned to face the bewildered tactician.
“Yes, Skadi?” He asked.
“I made something for you. In the kitchen,” she clarified. Perhaps now would be the most ideal time to show it off…
“You cooked something for me?” The Doctor was well and truly flabbergasted now.
“Mm-hmm… Umm… Here it is. I hope you like it.”
Skadi removed a sealed box from her satchel, and she held it up to show the Doctor. Mudrock had to admit, even she was a little curious. Both she and the Doctor approached as Skadi popped open the lid of the box and revealed what she had made for the Rhodes Island tactician.
“Interesting. Um…”
The Doctor gave pause.
“Skadi, what is this?”
“Beef stroganoff,” said the Aegir.
“Is that what this is?” The Doctor took a step back. “It’s moving.”
“Don’t be afraid. It’s just shy.”
“I am not eating that.”
“Oh.”
By the next day, the Doctor had already had a fixed office door, a fixed office desk, and a fixed office plant. Minus the destroyed laptop (which had to be replaced outright), it was almost as if the entire thing had never happened.
Mudrock hummed to herself as she tidied the Doctor’s things, organizing documents into one of three stacks according to their urgency. He couldn’t help but notice, however, just how difficult it was for her to handle those papers given her gloves and how cumbersome her armor was overall.
“Mudrock,” said the Doctor, “I think it would be easier to do your work in this office if you didn’t wear your armor, you know?”
Mudrock glanced up suddenly as if the Doctor’s suggestion had surprised her. “D-Doctor… Really? Are you sure?”
“Sure!” The Doctor smiled through his hood. “I mean, maybe I sound like a hypocrite right now… But hey, I think it would be a lot better for the both of us if you lose that armor, you know? You’ll handle the papers a lot better, at least…”
The Doctor could hear Mudrock audibly gulp. “I see… Umm… Do you want me to… Expose myself to you?”
“Yeah!” He gave her a thumbs-up. “Get your armor off and relax a bit, Mudrock! It’s not like there’s any danger in here. We’re alone, so… Why don’t you do this for me, at least?”
Mudrock took a deep breath before conceding. In no time at all, she settled on undressing for the Doctor, just as he had asked of her. The helmet was the first thing to go — the Sarkaz set it onto his workstation, revealing her snow-white hair and pale face to him just as she had occasionally before. She smiled bashfully as she removed her gloves and set them aside, and now her slender fingers were unobstructed.
“Perfect!” The Doctor pumped his fist. “It should be easier to work now!”
“Huh…?” Mudrock blinked, tilting her head to the side. “Doctor… You don’t want me to take any more clothes off?”
“No, of course not! Why would I want that?” The Doctor blinked. “I just want you to be comfortable while you work! Now you feel a lot more comfortable, don’t you?”
“Erm… I…” Mudrock paused, and she pushed her pointer fingers together meekly.
“What’s wrong, Mudrock?” The Doctor looked at his temporary bodyguard with concern.
“Umm… Doctor… I thought… maybe… you would want me—”
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
“Come in!” The Doctor called out towards the door, prompting Mudrock to step back with embarrassment.
In came Skadi, who regarded the scene before her with disgust and worry. "Doctor," she said, "I felt something was amiss. Is Mudrock bothering you?"
"What?" Mudrock was stunned. Her jaw fell open and tensed, and she looked at Skadi with clear disdain in her eyes.
"Bothering me? Oh, no no no." The Doctor shook his head. "No, Mudrock was just undressing for me. It's no trouble at all."
"Undressing for you?" Skadi scowled. More than anything, she didn’t want that Sarkaz to show her up with winning the Doctor’s affections.
So, she intends to play dirty, is that it…
Skadi cleared her throat before gesturing to herself. “I’ll undress for you as well, Doctor.”
“You will?” The Doctor leaned in interestedly. “How come? Are you feeling uncomfortable too, Skadi?”
“Yes. I’m deeply discomforted by what I’m seeing,” she announced, before taking off her hat and tossing it onto Mudrock’s helmet as it sat on the Doctor’s workstation. The Sarkaz narrowed her eyes as Skadi continued, plucking the buttons on her bounty hunting attire.
“What do you think you’re doing? Don’t you dare do that…!” It was easy to see just how flustered Mudrock was getting, now that she didn’t have her helmet on. Her cheeks became flush as Skadi undid all of her buttons and slid off her jacket until she stood in the center of the office with nothing but a bra from the waist up.
“Kyaa!” The Doctor pressed his hands against his cheeks. “Skadi!”
“Doctor,” Skadi moaned softly as she hugged herself, “Is this satisfactory for you?”
“Don’t answer that, Doctor…!” Mudrock followed suit by stripping out of hers, removing the rest of her armor, and unlatching everything from the neck down. Now the Sarkaz stood in only her underclothes, standing beside Skadi as she held her hands meekly behind her back.
“Whoa…!” The Doctor trembled. “G-Girls, wait, I don’t think…”
“Doctor!” Mudrock exclaimed, taking a step forward, “Is this okay?”
“Doctor…” Skadi took a step forward herself, pinching the string of her bra. “Are you satisfied?”
“Doctor.” Kal’tsit walked into the office. “Have you finished that report on—”
The Feline looked up from her clipboard and saw the nonsense that was happening in front of her. Her eyes went from Mudrock to Skadi, and then finally to the Doctor, who sat behind his desk and shook with worry.
“... What is happening in here?” Kal’tsit clenched the clipboard tightly in her hand, and her eyes started to glow. “Doctor, you had better have a good explanation for this.”
“K-Kal’tsit!” The Doctor pressed his hands together. “You don’t understand! I just wanted to make sure that Mudrock was satisfied!”
Kal’tsit summoned Mon3tr immediately after that, and the Doctor’s desk was destroyed once more. Fortunately for everyone, there was no shortage of desks on Rhodes Island.
Mudrock was at a loss. She hadn’t the slightest idea what to do.
Utage told her that if she wanted to secure a man, there was no greater proclamation of love than to start stripping immediately. Mudrock had to tell her it only made things worse when she tried.
Sora suggested singing a song for one’s beloved. Mudrock tried to sing until Sora covered her ears and begged her to stop. Please, God, stop.
Blaze remarked on how easy it was to get someone to fall in love with you once you put them in their place a few times, citing GreyThroat as an example.
But none of these were really her. She didn’t want to cause any more trouble for the Rhodes Island tactician, and so with that in mind, Mudrock decided to face her problem head-on. She entered his office one more time.
As soon as she did so, the Doctor put his hands up defensively. “Please,” he told her, “don’t strip again! Kal’tsit will have my head if you do.”
“I won’t, Doctor,” she assured him, feeling a pang of guilt from yesterday’s events. “But, Doctor, I, um… I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“What is it?” He was almost afraid to ask. “How can I help you, Mudrock?”
The Sarkaz wrung her hands together nervously. “I was wondering… if perhaps… you wanted to come with me to the Convalescence Garden today?”
“Oh, are you tired? Did you want a break?”
“Er… n-no, Doctor.” Mudrock shook her head, taking a shaky breath. “I just… I wanted to… spend more time with you, that’s all.”
“Oh?” The Doctor seemed puzzled. “But we’re spending time together right now, aren’t we? I don’t really get it…”
Mudrock blinked.
Let’s try something else…
“You’ve been working too hard lately, Doctor… Why don’t we go for a walk to, um, clear our heads? Would you like that?”
“Oh, you’re worried about me?” The Doctor paused. “I guess I could go for a rest, yeah.”
“Great!” Mudrock sighed with relief. “Let’s go!”
The Doctor’s head immediately slammed down on the desk, and he started snoring.
Mudrock flinched!
“... Huh?”
She hadn’t ever seen anything like it. Walking closer, Mudrock reached out and poked the Doctor’s head, and all the while his snores filled the very room they stood in.
“Doctor?” Mudrock asked, worried.
Suddenly, the Doctor picked his head up from the desk, and he stretched his arms up. “Phew! That was a good nap! What was that, Mudrock? Ten, eleven seconds? I feel refreshed already!”
Mudrock gulped. “I really don’t think that’s enough sleep, Doctor…”
“Oh, that’s right. You said you wanted to go somewhere, isn’t that right?”
“Umm… Doctor… never mind…”
They had almost given up. They were at the end of their respective ropes. Mudrock and Skadi sat side by side, having elected to concede, given the circumstances.
“He’s frustrating,” Skadi mumbled.
“His head is as hard as a rock…” Mudrock sighed.
“He’s infuriating and much too lax.”
“He’s so clueless…” Mudrock paused. “Or…”
“... Or maybe we’re just bad at this.”
Mudrock and Skadi bowed their heads and sighed, feeling sorry for themselves. They wallowed in self-pity there for a few long minutes until the Doctor had walked by and made his presence known to them.
“Oh? Look at you two.” The Doctor leaned in with curiosity. “Are you spending time together?” Skadi stood up at the prospect, and surprising even herself, she reached out and grabbed the Doctor by the wrist, scowling straight at him through her blood-red eyes.
“Doctor,” she told him, “go out with me.”
Mudrock looked up at Skadi with surprise. “H-huh?”
“Go out with you?” The Doctor didn’t move away, he simply tilted his head to the side. “Go out where?”
“You know…! Out…!” Skadi stammered, gripping Doctor’s wrist much tighter now. So tightly, in fact, that he made a noise of discomfort.
“W-whoa, Skadi, ahh…!” The Doctor tried to free himself by prying his wrist free, to no avail. “Y-you’re squeezing me really hard…!”
“Doctor…” Skadi growled. “You’re making this so difficult for me…! I’ve done so much. All I want is a moment of your time. You can abide by that, can’t you?”
Mudrock stood up and, seizing the opportunity, she reached out and grabbed the Doctor’s other wrist, easily latching her fingers around him to keep him in place.
“Doctor…!” Mudrock rasped, tugging the man closer to her, and further away from Skadi. “It’s me you should go out with! Not her, but me…!”
“Go WHERE?” The Doctor couldn’t make his distress more apparent. “Where are we GOING? Ngh…”
He was pulled tightly by Mudrock, and then yanked harshly by Skadi. Whenever one girl pulled, the other would try to pull even harder. If this continued, the Doctor was going to be split in two!
“Hey now, just hold on a minute…!” The Doctor struggled against both Mudrock and Skadi, realizing internally that he wouldn’t wish this fate upon his worst enemy.
“Doctor!” Skadi exclaimed.
“Doctor…!” Mudrock cried out for him.
“Now, now, what’s going on over here?”
Everyone turned around. Coming up the hallway was none other than Enciodes Silverash, who raised an eyebrow at the scene unfolding before him.
“SilverAsh!” The Doctor squealed. “I’m saved!”
“Good afternoon, Doctor.” He bowed his head respectfully. “What’s going on over here?”
“I don’t know! I think I’m being attacked?” The Doctor wasn’t too sure. “These women are being hysterical, SilverAsh. I need your help!”
“Hmph.” SilverAsh smiled smugly. “Gladly, Doctor.” The Feline held his hand out towards Skadi and Mudrock. “Unhand the Doctor at once. This behavior is unbecoming. Release him, or face the might of clan Silverash.”
Mudrock immediately let go of the Doctor’s wrist. Skadi narrowed her eyes, but after a long pause of deliberation, she followed suit and let go of the Doctor too.
The Doctor walked over to SilverAsh and hid behind him, almost completely hidden behind the Feline’s long black cloak. “Come now, Doctor, now’s not the time for fear. That comes later,” he warned. “Until then, I would advise you two,” he turned back to Mudrock and Skadi, “to conduct yourselves properly moving forward.”
Mudrock and Skadi blushed furiously as they stared at their feet, thoroughly humbled. With nothing more to say on the matter, SilverAsh kindly escorted the Doctor away from the scene, holding the hand of his business partner while they avoided the likes of Mudrock and Skadi. After they’d gone out of earshot, the Doctor couldn’t help but with relief.
“Thank you so much for that, SilverAsh.” The Doctor bowed his head thankfully. “I thought those two were going to tear me apart, for sure. I don’t know how I’m going to repay you for this one.”
“Oh,” said SilverAsh, “I can think of a couple of ways you can repay me. As a matter of fact,” said SilverAsh, “I was just looking for you before those harlots came in to harass you.”
“You were looking for me?” The Doctor asked. “Why?”
“There are a pair of cats on the landship that I wanted to show you,” SilverAsh claimed. “Lonely, broken little things. Desperate for attention, just like they ought to be.”
“Cats?” The Doctor perked up. “You have cats…?!”
“Mm-hmm. I had just left them in the dorm room. Would you like to see my cats?”
“Would I!” The Doctor pumped his fist with excitement. “Show me, show me, show me!”
“Very well,” said SilverAsh, smiling as he walked ahead. “Right this way now, Doctor.”
They didn’t have to walk for much longer. Eventually, the Doctor of Rhodes Island was led to a room that SilverAsh had immediately opened up for him, and then he gestured for the Doctor to walk inside.
The Doctor did just that, blinking in surprise to see none other than operators Cliffheart and Pramanix waiting for him, dressed lightly and staring with a glint of evil in their eyes.
“Huh?” The Doctor paused. “What’s going on here?”
The door closed immediately behind the Doctor, who whirled around and saw that SilverAsh had not joined him. In fact, it sounded much more like SilverAsh had pressed something up against the door to keep it closed.
“What? SilverAsh? Hey, SilverAsh…!” The Doctor tried the doorknob, to no avail. Just as he thought, it seemed as though the door was barred from the outside. “SilverAsh? Hey! I was promised cats! Where are the cats?!”
That’s when the Doctor felt a pair of soft hands on his shoulders, and he stiffened. Pramanix leaned in to whisper right in his ear, her voice deeper than he’d ever heard it before.
“Meow…”