The Finest Little Honky Tonk on Skalga [12]

Thank you to u/SpacePaladin15 for the universe and thanks to the other fanfic writers for giving me the inspiration for this little masterpiece of nonsense I have cooked up. Thank you to u/rookamillion and u/Roddcherry for the artwork! Can’t forget, also got an awesome ficnap from u/Heroman3003

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I also made a profile post with a synopsis for all four of my stories and each chapter with individual links to everything! If you haven’t caught up with Honky Tonk in a while or want to read the other series, that’s the place to start!

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Intro: Our boy Halin has been working hard at the Honky Tonk, and unfortunately that has led to a bit of a separation between himself and his parents despite living in the same house. Luckily, the times have aligned, and Halin now has a day off from work that lines up with dear old Dad Harvid. A bit of Father and Son time ahead.

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Memory Transcription Subject: Halin. Venlil Manager at Little Branson. On Paid Time Off.

Date: [Standardized Human time] January 25, 2138

I follow closely behind and watch as her tail sways back and forth while she walks down the garden path to the hovercar. The door opens to a rarely full vehicle packed with our coworkers for the band and a few for the restaurant. I hold the door open and give her tail a quick twist with my own as she enters the cabin and finds a seat. Stepping back in front of the open door, I offer a meek tail and paw wave towards the car’s occupants, and they quickly return the gesture. Her beautiful blue eyes seem to glitter as she gives me a quick farewell.

“Thanks for helping me in Halin! Good luck at your appointment this paw! See you after work!”

“Thank you, Tiltva; I’ll be sure to message you how it goes. Enjoy work, everyone!”

“Bye, Halin! Good luck!”

Bye Tiltva, love you.

Shut up. Shut the brahk up, brain.

Why? Why shut up? Ray has been saying that she likes you too. How wrong can he be?

Oh yeah, the guy with a million cameras has no proof of her ever mentioning anything like that.

Okay, but have you considered that she licked you during the party? Or what about scratching your head? What else could-

“Halin, son, are you going to come back in?”

I look around me to find that the hovercar is long gone, and yet I am still standing alone in the garden. I turn back to the front door to see Dad leaning against the door frame with his tail swishing around in worry behind him. With a shallow sigh, I will my sore feet to move back towards the house and my parents.

“Yeah, for sure. I was on my way in, Dad; it’s fine. Just a bit.... Distracted.”

“Sure, distracted, if that’s what you’re calling it. Anyway, your mom has first meal ready, and she’ll be pretty upset if you let it go cold, let alone not share it with her. So get in here.”

The thought of fresh-fried and sugar-coated melroot flows through my mind, and as I reenter the house, I can smell the sweet caramelized sugar on my tongue. I step past Dad and he gives me a hard tail thwack on my back as we walk side-by-side back towards the dining room. Sitting down at the carved heartwood table, I take the teapot and pour all three of us cups of Colian Bitting tea, and not even giving it a moment to cool, I take a deep sip of the fragrant, oily drink.

It’s fine, it really is, but compared to coffee? Not a dark-sider's chance on the burning wastes.

In just a moment, Mom walks in from the kitchen with a full platter of her cooked melroot and sits it down between Dad and I then comes around the table to sit next to me. As soon as she plops down in her chair, I quickly flick my ears in thanks and grab the tongs to serve myself a portion of the dish. Soon Mom and Dad follow, and we are quietly munching through our starchy breakfast first meal. I notice a bit of movement to my side and then I suddenly feel a weight on my shoulder. I focus an eye over to see Mom leaning against me as she chews away.

“Mom? What’s going on?”

“Am I not allowed to cuddle with my pup? I feel like I never get to see you anymore with that human work schedule Ray makes you follow!”

I guess I don’t mind it that much. A bit hard to lean against though so I don’t topple and 'pup' is for sure a stretch at this point.

“Your Mom is right, Halin; humans may have the endurance for that, but it’s not natural for Venlil to be worked that way. Don’t give me that look. I’m not saying that for any other reason besides you’re my son, and I know these things because of my position at the hospital.”

Again with the hospital administrator flexing. Doesn’t mean you’re right about everything.

“Dad, Mom, it’s fine! It really is! Ray doesn’t have a choice in the schedule because of his other two jobs and travel schedule. And besides, the coffee he makes for me really makes it as easy a walk through the garden—nothing at all, really.”

“Halin, pup, but what about your leg? Spending all that time there walking around isn’t right either. Don’t think that because the doctor’s follow-up approved you to walk without the boot that your dad and I haven’t noticed the way you still favor your uninjured leg.”

“That’s fine too! It’s just… getting used to it again, that’s all.”

“What do you even do there that needs that much walking? I thought he just had you working management-type things?”

And sometimes helping with the meat vats.

“Well, it’s that in the office, but also occasionally things like the inventory at the restaurant or surveying the grounds for future development. Also, sometimes Tiltva and I will spend time with Thyla to keep her entertained on her homeschool paws.”

“Restaurant, that restaurant. And you say that there’s no meat served there?”

Yeah, no, not talking about that.

“And besides Thyla being a fun little menace, I… I-I sometimes take the time to go and listen to Tiltva as she practices her songs.”

“Oh, Tiltva, huh? This job sure has been a great opportunity to spend more time with her. What’s that you mentioned about you guys having the company car to yourselves sometimes on your way home and back?”

Nope. No way. Not having this convo either right now.

“Oh, would you look at the claw! Cab should be here; time to go! Come on, Dad, don’t want to be late. Love you Mom!”

“Oh, is that how it’s going to be, Halin? You can’t hide from your Mom forever. Be safe, good luck, love you!”

With that, I quickly get up from the table and hobble walk back towards the front door while frantically signaling to Dad to hurry up and follow. With a groan, he gets up, grabs his pack, and joins me in walking out of the house. At the end of the path, an obnoxiously painted Mirror Lake Cab Company car is parked and waiting, but surprisingly, this time there is no driver. Dad takes a moment to pause and tilt his ears before realizing what’s going on.

“Oh, Halin! Is that a driverless cab?”

“Sure looks like it, unless of course the driver bailed and tucked tail at the sight of us two coming out.”

He laughs with a whistle and again slaps the back of my shoulder.

“Because we’re some real predators, the two of us, huh?”

Getting to the cab, I flash my pad across the door and open it to the one-size-fits-none seats typical of big city cabs. I take a reluctant spot on the hard but clean vinyl seat and watch as Dad, again grumbling, gets in and sits down. With the door closed, the electric motors whir to life, and we start down the subdivision roads towards the hospital. I notice as Dad’s eyes go from out the window to me to the window and then back again. I flick an ‘Okay?’ with an ear, and he then fully turns back towards me.

“Don’t think I don’t know you’re trying to avoid talking about that job of yours and Tiltva.”

“Y-yeah, listen… I…”

“Nope, if you don’t want to talk about it yet, don’t. I’ll worry over you because you’re my son, but you’re also a grown man. Take your time.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

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After only a quarter claw or so of travel, the cab finally pulls itself into the outpatient center at Mirror Lake Grand Central Medical. The doors unlock, and as I step out and look back for Dad following behind me, I instead see a rather nervous man has replaced him in the backseat of the car.

Is he scared? What is he scared of? I don’t even see any humans nearby.

“Dad? You good?”

“It just hit me that I’m back at work on my off paw. Stars above, I hope no one ties me down to my desk chair when I try and get in and out of my office.”

“You don’t have to come inside if you don’t want to. Just take a walk to the park and I’ll call when I’m done.”

“No, it’s okay. I want to be here for you. Also, I do need my water bottle, which I forgot in my mini-fridge.”

He steps out, and together we limp walk inside the center, and at Dr. Dausa’s office I stop at the lobby door and give Dad a bop on the back as he takes off down the hall to his office in the main medical center. After a quick, nervous gasp of air, I open the door to a surprisingly busy waiting room. I quickly make my way to the desk and make sure to stand tall as the receptionist brings their attention to me.

“Good paw, sir, here for an appointment with Dr. Dausa?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Perfect, just tap your pad and fill out any and all relevant information in the form, and Dr. Dausa will see you shortly.”

With an ear flick for confirmation, I pull up the documents on my pad and make my way over to an empty chair in the corner of the room. Though it only takes me a moment to fill out all of my information and new insurance policy from Ray, a steady stream of other patients comes in and out of the office, as presumably we are all here for the same thing.

I knew uncure and genetic fixes were getting more popular, but this place is getting almost a bit too crowded even for herd standards.

With only a little bit more tedious form filling, I send the file back to the receptionist, and nearly instantly a pink Iftali nurse opens the door and calls my name. Waving my tail to get his attention, I join up with him as we walk down the hall of examination and procedure rooms.

“Good paw, Mr. Halin, how are you feeling?”

“Perfectly well, thank you!” 

“Just to confirm, you are seeing Dr. Dausa for a Skalagan gene fix?”

“That’s correct.”

“Wonderful, just enter this room and take a seat on that examination chair. The doctor will see you shortly.”

As the nurse closes the door behind me, I take a quick moment to survey the small room. A sterile paper covers the chair and there's a small desk with a set of cabinets with a sink fills out the other corner of the room. Beside the chair, a classic QuickView imaging arm is stowed. neatly away. I settle myself ionto the crinkly paper of the chair and spend only a moment before a knock sounds on the door.

Okay, I’m ready. Let’s do this.

“Come in!”

The door clicks and slides open to reveal a rather gray Zurulian woman excitedly hurrying into the room with a small cart. She greets me with her tail, and I readily flick my ears back in ‘Hello’. Despite that, she decides to greet me again anyway.

“Hello, Mr. Halin! Here to feel more Skalgan?”

“Well, not myself feeling Skalgan, but if I have any pups, I think they’d appreciate the upgrade.”

“Oh, of course, of course! I can say with confidence that all of the new Skalgan Venlil pups I’ve been seeing here at the hospital are already much healthier! They sleep and eat with ease. Almost as easily as a Letian joey! Very nice on new parents. Now just hold still for a moment, please.”

She then pulls the cart alongside me, steps onto a stool to get to nearly my height, and then in a quick motion she takes a needle off the cart and jabs my arm. With her motions so fast, I barely have time to register it all as it happens. Stepping off the stool, she goes to my knees and begins quickly feeling up and down the joints and muscles

Oh man, when is the second shot coming? Oh Stars, I don’t know if I’m ready…

“Mr. Halin, you only wanted a gene reversal, correct?”

“Uhh, yes. Why?”

“Good, because if you wanted the knee correction, you’d be out of luck.”

Uhhhhh. Whar?

“W-what do you mean?”

She takes another look at the accident damage on my leg and pokes hard at it as pain shoots up and down the nerves.

“This is recent trauma, yes?”

“Yeah, a city crane fell on me a few herds of paws ago now. Rushed to surgery here at the hospital and then had a while of recovery with a mobility boot.”

“So then why don’t you have your mobility boot on?”

“I was told by Dr. Luakim that it was ready to come off and start walking normally.”

“Dr. Luakim is nearly a Sivkit in his medical knowledge! You should have it on still! Stars, you should’ve been wheelchair-bound for recovery. Here, let me show you what I am feeling.”

Dr. Dausa then takes the QuickView, positions it over my bad knee, and then shows me the feed on her pad. As she points to various points in the image.

“See, right here is scar tissue and bone damage from improper healing procedures and overstress. Now, normally this would be caught long before it was able to deteriorate to this condition, but it’s nearly too far gone now. We could get you in for an operation to attempt correction, but I can’t say with certainty that it’d leave you off better than you are now.”

Too far gone? This is permanent?

“Brahk me!” 

Dr. Dausa startles and takes a quick few steps back before recovering and coming back to my side.

“Sorry, sorry for yelling like that.”

“Don’t be sorry, dear; you have every right to be upset. What I recommend going forward is to reequip your mobility boot for permanent usage.”

Noooo, not the boot…

“That… that kind of sucks, ma’am. My boot is loud and annoying to use.”

“Then just get a better model? Have you looked at your insurance coverage? It’s pretty damn good; it could get you one of the advanced slim Earth models. One thin enough to cover with false fur or a boot or whatever color you want.”

“And how long do I have to wear it again?”

“Forever, unless I’m incorrect in that you’re having trouble getting around.”

Forever? Forever?! Brahk, brahk me… I’m a double-crippled Venlil…

You still have your leg! Be grateful!

Quiet me; I’m allowed to complain a little bit, right?

We’ll see how much complaining you do when the real gene treatment starts.

“Thank you, doctor, for your help. Now when do we do the gene reversal?”

“Mr. Halin, what do you think the shot was for? Were you expecting something else?”

I feel my face bloom bright orange as my tail wags in relief for my bits not having to be stabbed.

“Oh, that’s right, thank you again.”

“Of course, now you have a good rest of your paw and make sure to eat plenty this paw and the next. The edits need a lot of energy to get you fixed up and ready for any future Venlil pups!”

I sign a quick and embarrassed goodbye and exit the examination room, back through the hall, out the waiting room, and to the hallway to see Dad waiting for me while staring at a mixed-variety drink vending machine. 

“Hey, Dad, thinking of getting a walking beer on our way to find something to eat?”

“Yeah, but I don’t want anything heavy. How does a 10% Ittel Sweet sound?”

“Sounds great, actually! Grab me one as well. Apparently I need the calories.”

He makes a quick tap of his pad on the machine, and we watch and wait as the little platform grabs the cans one at a time. As we walk down the hall and back to the outside street, I enjoy the familiar crack and hiss of the cans as we enter the near-permanent sunshine and lake-chilled air. With a vague idea of where I want to eat for second meal, I shoulder bump Dad and start our way down the city streets. I notice as Dad takes his recovered water bottle out and pours his beer inside, making sure to toss the can into the next trashcan we pass.

“So, how’d it go?”

“Ehh, not exactly great.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“The gene edit went fine and was actually just in the form of a quick shot, but Dr. Dausa said my leg didn’t heal right and I should probably be in a mobility boot for life.”

Dad’s ears and tail make a rare break in emotion and jolt in worry before he takes a paw and rubs the worry off his face.

“Brahk, I’m sorry to hear that, Halin. I know I should’ve had you assigned to a better surgeon. Wool-brained waste...”

“On the sun side, Dr. Dausa said that my new insurance covers a high-end, Earth-made boot that’ll fix all of the problems I hate about my old one. Oh, speaking of sun side, Ray showed me this song a few days ago. Take a listen.”

“A few days ago? Halin…”

“Paws, sorry, here, just listen”.

Myself trying to ignore the results of my appointment, I hit play on the song on my pad and let it play quietly as we walk down the streets. Hopefully quietly enough not to disturb everyone else as we walk by. Luckily for my leg, we don’t walk for too long before we find one of the staples of my childhood when I’d come to see Mom and Dad after school while they were still at work. The Gem Place Diner.

Ah, it looks just as comfy as ever. Just standard Venlil fare like Dad likes.

We step inside and are quickly guided to an available table by a blue ‘vacant’ light above a far booth. Sitting across from each other, we each grab an ordering pad off the table shelf and flick through the options available. After a bit of searching, I decide on a simple bunt leaf salad with fire fruit dressing and hit order as Dad makes his choice at about the same time. For the first time in a long while, we just kind of stare at each other, myself with a smile on my ears, and at first Dad has one too, but I can see a crack behind his eyes.

“Dad, are you okay?”

The facade drops for a second as worry floods his eyes but is quickly pushed down by now obviously false confidence and positivity.

“I’m fine. It’s fine.”

Now that’s unusual.

“That doesn’t sound very ‘fine’.”

His eyes uncomfortably flick around for a second before landing back on me, and his ears and shoulders slump as he puts his elbows on the table and leans into his paws.

“Halin, I’ve already told you once this paw that you can talk to me about things when you want, but if you can, would you humor an old man to vent for a moment?”

I-I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him like this.

“Of course, Dad, you can always talk to me.”

He takes a deep sigh and looks straight into and then through me.

“It’s been many cycles since you and Tiltva met, and when you first did, Etlena had already passed at that point and Tiltek was raising Tiltva alone. Now, don't get me wrong, Halin, I enjoy my coworkers at the hospital, and of course I love you and your mother more than anything else in this universe, but Tiltek… was my only just regular friend. Someone outside of my life as a father, as a husband, and unrelated to my career at the hospital. Someone that could share just a moment to allow each other to vent...

When Tiltek died in the raid last cycle, Tiltva lost her last blood family member, and we had to be there to support her, but I’m not sure if I have ever taken the time for myself to mourn as I don’t want to intrude on Tiltva’s grief. You have Tiltva and that human boss to keep you entertained and even some of your old university friends, but I’m not really sure if I have any friends outside the house anymore. I guess it’s a consequence of getting old, but I still feel… lonely, almost?”

I wasn’t there for Tiltva properly, and only now I realize I wasn’t there for Dad either. Of course he’d miss his best friend…

“Dad…”

“I know, I know, it’s a bit selfish to grieve Tiltek as a friend when Tiltva lost a father but-”

“No, Dad, I didn’t know you were feeling that way. Why-why don’t you try and find a new group? Someone new to hang out with?”

His ears suddenly fold back as he scoffs.

“Like who? Humans like yourself and your mother? Y-you know I still have trouble…”

You really are going to need to get over that at some point.

“It doesn’t have to be humans. There are still plenty of people here on Skalga, and we live in one of the nicer cities on the planet. I’m sure you can find something. If you want, I can sit down with you sometime and search for groups on MyHerd or Bleat?”

“I’d appreciate that, Halin. Thank you.”

At that moment, the waiter robot wheels up to the table, to which Dad and I readily grab our plates off of its tray and begin digging in. As I chew through my salad, another idea comes to mind, and I quickly open my pad to find the listing.

Dad is going to flip speh when he sees this place, but after that lake paw with Ray, I think we I really do want something like it.

I quickly find the property and reach my tail across the table to tap Dad on the shoulder as he brings his own tail to swack mine away.

“Halin, get a hold of yourself! I thought I taught you better than to reach your tail across the table! What do you need, son?”

I turn the pad to him, and his eyes haze over in confusion, with his ears falling flat before realization sets in and his ears rocket back up with a fury in his eyes.

“Halin! You cannot seriously be considering buying a lakefront foreclosure. This needs at least its worth in renovations and, and it’s nearly right on top of the water!”

“Dad, please. Even if you double the cost in renovations, it’d still be cheaper than a house in Foggy Cove. Not only that, it’s still pretty close to you guys and a bit closer to work for our commute.”

Ohhhh, nice slipup there, me. Surely Dad won’t notice.

“‘Our’ commute? Halin, son, I think there’s another thing you’re forgetting before you can say ‘our’ in context with buying a house. For example, maybe a few special words in a certain order combined with a little something that so happens to be sewn of your wool and a certain someone’s cream-colored wool.”

You said you wouldn’t force the issue on me!

“Anyway, anyway, the lakefront is actually part of why I want it. Ray showed me that despite living my whole life here, I never had a clue that the lake was so peaceful and enjoyable to be in and around. I think you’d like it as well. I mean, Stars, we now know we only don’t like lakes because of the Federation Archives.”

“Halin that’s fine and all for yourself, but… I-I just don’t know if I can do things like that…”

“You’ll get used to it. Oh! Maybe Ray can have you join all of us at the cove to sit in the hot springs runoff to start out?”

“Maybe, maybe…”

Taking advantage of the silence to finish our meal. I activate another cab request on the app, and we soon stand up out of the booth and exit to the awaiting car in the street in front of the diner. Again we get a driverless model, and I open the door with my pad, but this time I let Dad get in first. As we settle in with the cab taking us back home, I am suddenly strongly gripped around my shoulder, and my face is buried into thick, warm wool.

“Dad?”

“I love you, Halin. Thank you for putting up with me despite my reluctance to this new world.”

I quickly wrap my own arms around Dad and squeeze back as hard as I can.

“Love you too, Dad. I love you too…”

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