"At that point, Chain's regular therapist arrived. Out of breath and disheveled. "Sorry! Sorry. There was a thing with a herd of Cleaners and some knomira Dereggers and a kid with a lollipop... and... an accordion..." ze trailed off. "Oh. We're going to need tea and smooth carob and the big soft room."
Well. At least there was a foreseeable moment in which they would all laugh about it later."
Ok, NOW both Chains, the security officer, and therapy assist Threemoon Gudboi just HAD to hear this.
@internutter/challenge-03851-j199-the-wolf-at-the-door -- Anon Guest
[AN: Once again, I am on record as saying that Noodle Incidents are far more powerful when left up to the audience's imagination]
Aromatic tea with a calming scent and an appealing flavour. Smooth carob made for the enjoyment of all present. Set on the one solid object in a room full of pillows. Big pillows, little pillows, some that could double as a bed for a single cogniscent.
The most important thing was the time to become accustomed to the company.
"I suppose you want to hear the story," said Therapist Redd, holding her cup in both hands. "I should begin with the lollipop..."
Once upon a tram car...
"You need to give my baby that lollipop!"
"Do I?" said the Parental guarding the kid with the lollipop. "Babies shouldn't have sugar at all. A child of two might be permitted sugar in moderation, as per the Human's Everyday Health Advisory." The Parental theatrically looked around. "Where is your baby?"
"Are you blind or stupid? They're right there!" the angry Knomira swept their arm towards another passenger.
The 'baby' in question was a spotty tween deeply involved with something annoyingly and repetitively loud on their datareader. Uninterested in anything else.
"Oh," said the Parental. "That's not a baby at all. Babies are pre-verbal and have yet to form permanent memories as part of their development. Or is your child -uhm- having extended difficulties?"
"How DARE you insult my baby! I demand reparations! Give me that lollipop!"
The kid with the lollipop stuck the entire thing in their mouth.
The doors opened, and in walked a Cleaner Handler playing a specific tune on an accordion. This lead a herd of Cleaners, pied piper style, into the carriage.
"Pick up all your important items, folks. Cleaners will eat any small object left on the floor. Apologies for the inconvenience, but the usual service tunnels are out of commission. I'm keeping 'em together as best I can. Just... pick up your important things off the floor. Thank you, thank you. Uh. Young mx? You should pick up those shoes?"
The knomira's kid had taken off their shoes while playing and remained fixated on their datareader. There were other small items near their feet that had seemingly rained around them like snow. Some of the bags were from rather expensive shops.
"Don't you DARE tell my baby what to do! I know my rights! We have the right to do as. We. Please!" The knomira Parental made a grab for the lollipop stick.
That was the point that Therapist Redd pressed the button to summon Security and stepped forth in a calm and reassuring manner. "I think it's a wonderful thing that you know your rights," soothed Redd. "I'd like to ask you if you can recite some of the responsibilities you might have to go with them."
"I have the right to not have responsibilities," said the knomira Parental crowed, proud of themself for breaking the system. "I have the money to pay for that."
"Uhm. Young mx? There's a Cleaner eating your stuff?" said a bystander.
The screaming tantrum that resulted from this knowledge stopped the entire tram until Security and the ERT could sedate the knomira, then their child, then acquire statements for all involved.
"And that's why I was late for the meet and greet," said Redd.
[Photo by Praveen Gupta on Unsplash]
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