(Outside knowledge: Joe had a Dog Catching service in Season 7 so I thought, what if he trains Service Dogs?)
(Content: 3rd Life mentioned, only minor descriptions of injuries, brief mention of suicidal thoughts and self harm.)

Joe didn't know exactly why the forms were flooding into his office.

He ran a dog facility last season and occasionally did outside training for people out of the server but now? A whole bunch of Hermits were looking to his services.

He was now back in the dog facility, reviewing forms and such. There were old forms for people outside of the server who had gotten a certified service dog from him. They all said they were doing fine with their furry friends and that it was a big help. Originally, the only Hermit with a service dog was Doc to help alleviate his stress to stop him from blowing up constantly (ah, the life of a half creeper man) and to help if any of his systems malfunctioned and left him unable to care for himself. But now, applications were coming left to right.

Joe had to figure out what was happening.

---

"Alright, Impulse, take a seat." He closed the door to his office and sat at his desk. The other Hermit seemed nervous but he listened. "I see that you filed an application to have a service dog?" Impulse nodded his head, looking down at his hands. Joe didn't know him too well but whenever he saw him with Zedaph and Tango, the man was talkative and outgoing. This was just... weird. "What kind of service dog? There is different training procedures that go on with them so I need to know what would best suit you."

"Uh..." Impulse dug into his pocket, pulling out a crumpled note. Taking it, Joe read over it. He had seen this type of note other times he had interviewed someone for a service dog.

"So, you have PTSD?" He asked, voice softer. He didn't want to be pitying Impulse because that would just make the situation worse. He could at least be a bit sympathetic.

"I-it's embarrassing, I know." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to look directly at Joe.

"It's not embarrassing, and you shouldn't feel that it is." He wanted to reach across the desk and at least pat Impulse's shoulder but he knew it would be a bad idea. He didn't know the extent of his PTSD so touching him might trigger something. "PTSD happens, lots of people have it. You aren't alone. I don't know what happened to cause it but it wasn't your fault. Is there any sort of triggers that I can help the dog identify to help with this?" Impulse pulled out another document, this one in a folder in his bag, looking less crumpled and more professional.

"Clocks?" Joe asked after reading through it. Impulse looked even more embarrassed than before.

"It's s-stupid-"

"It's not stupid, if you get triggered by it then it isn't stupid. It has caused some severe anxiety when seeing one and that is a your need that should be addressed properly." Joe looked through the document more. It wasn't much after that, most of the PTSD coming from a glance at a clock. He could easily fix this, have a dog identify the sounds of the ticking and then have it lead Impulse away or get rid of the clock in some way. Not too hard to train. "Let's talk about the fun part now." He introduced the idea that he had formed in his head, briefly going over it then talking about what dog Impulse might want. Specific dogs could help in specific ways like a large one could lay across the person having a panic attack as a weighted blanket and ground the person. Even a small dog could help with being in reach and small enough to hold and pet during an episode.

By the end of their session, Impulse came more out of his shell, talking about which dog he might want and even suggesting some training that Joe can use. He decided on a medium sized dog, one that he could carry but could also reach a higher spot to help take away clocks or hide them. Before he left though, Joe had to quickly take a clock off the wall that was above the doorway. It would bring him personally back to square one with trust between him and Impulse.

The Hermit waved, watching as his third client of the day walked away.

---

The next unusually appointment walked into the doors.

This was an off server meeting, someone that Joe had no clue about. The man walked in, a cod mask over his face and neck. He seemed confident in the way he walked but his hands shook like crazy.

"Good afternoon, have a seat and we can get started." Joe greeted, gesturing to the chair. The man sat down but he couldn't seem to sit still. Joe looked down at his notes. The files were sent in before he arrived and there was no mention of the mask. "Is the cod mask a comfort item? Like you don't like people seeing your face?" He asked the man. The other laughed.

"No no, I'm fine if p-people want to see my face and I don't mi-mind taking off the mask. It's more so for others-others than for me." He said, waving his hand around. Although he stuttered, this man didn't seem to be fearful at all. He seemed the opposite.

"For others?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, it makes others uncomfortable l-looking at my face."

Joe smiled softly, "You could take it off if you wanted to." The man nodded his head and brought his shaking hands to his mask. He pulled it off and Joe tried not to flinch.

However, it was extremely hard.

Underneath the mask was a man with burn scars and major damage. His eyes were milky gray, looking like they were originally blue and part of his left ear was gone. But his smile,

Joe had never seen a smile so sincere and joyful in his life.

It wasn't one that regretted his life or hated anything that happened. It wasn't a smile that had underlying hatred and fear. It was one that loved life and wasn't going to take it for granted.

"M-my name is Jimmy Solidarity, by the way." The man held out a gloved hand, Joe shaking it.

"A pleasure to meet you." And so they began.

Joe started off, asking basic questions like what he needed the service dog for.

"I have some h-hearing and seeing problems. I got caught in multiple-multiple explosions so it has affected those severely. I also got these b-burns that sometimes flare up thanks to the explosions. Luckily, it hasn't really a-affected me mentally. As-as you can also tell, I-I'm really shaky and I can't con-control it." Joe was surprised that none of this affected the man in front of him. He seemed to take it in stride.

"I'm guessing the shaking makes it harder for you to hold things?"

"God yes." Jimmy groaned, making Joe laugh. "I swear, m-my bad buildings isn't because-because I struggle to build, it's because of th-these dumb hands." He held them up, showing his inability to keep them still.

"Okay, a service dog that can help carry things that you can't, also qualified in being a seeing and hearing dog. I'm curious, what made you want to get one in the first place? I know it is hard but I've been getting lots of appointments recently." Joe said, putting down the file. Jimmy sighed, fiddling with the cod mask.

"I was able to dea-deal with it for a few months but it has been becoming unbearable. I can't hear w-when someone sneaks up and everything is just a blurried mess. I keep bumping into things and-and-and I can't hold buckets of cod for very long without dropping it. I decided that enough was enough and decided to look for one. That's when G-Grian recommended me to you." Joe's eyes widened slightly. Every appointment was talking somehow of Grian whether it be an offhand comment or a small mention. However, it was strange to hear from someone off of Hermitcraft knowing who Grian was.

"Grian recommended you?"

"Ye-yeah, he blames himself. He th-thought if he figured out a w-way to help then we c-could be even. It wasn't his fault." Joe raised an eyebrow. This was the most anybody had talked about their experiences so far. Something was up.

"For what?" He asked, but suddenly Jimmy turned slightly nervous.

"I-it's not in my-my position to tell y-you." Joe studied him for a second.

He might just have to do that.

---

The third day of interviews was going well.

Joe was reading over the next files for the next person. He heard cursing and fighting outside. Before he knew it, the door slammed open with Doc, Keralis and Pearl leading in an uncooperative Bdubs.

"I don't need help! I'm prefectly fine!" He snarled as he was shoved into the chair by the half creeper hybrid.

"Alright, then manage your anger better!" Doc argued, using his robotic arm to keep Bdubs sitting.

"Everyone gets angry, asshole!"

"Enough, enough," Joe ordered, trying to descalate the situation, "let's just calm down for now and we can get started."

"I don't need a service dog, I'm perfectly fine!" Bdubs continued to fight, the chair creaking from his movements.

"Oh yeah?" Doc said, unamused before he whistled. In ran his german shepard. She put her muzzle on Bdubs' lap, the Hermit starting to calm down. Joe watched silently as he was slowly let go and interacted with Gracie. Doc looked up at Joe as if to say 'see what I mean?'

"Alright, this seems to be helping. Why has this only now been brought up?" Joe started filling out a form already, he knew the perfect fit.

"We don't know." Joe looked up at that, searching the three Hermits surrounding the one in the center.

"What do you mean?"

"I only got called about his anger management problems like three days ago." Doc shrugged. "Keralis and Pearl were attacked by Bdubs after he got angry. He almost broke Keralis' arm." Joe noticed the sling that was around the Hermit's arm instead.

"Don't worry, It's just a little twisted. Can you help Bubbles?" Keralis asked, waving the worry off.

"I think I can. This is a bit more serious though if he is causing harm to other people." He opened his drawers until he found another form he hadn't had to use in ages. It was a form that he would have to have people watch out for the person if they were causing harm to themself or others. He only had to use a couple times years ago when somebody could handle their anxiety well and ended up hurting themself in the process. "I need to inform X about this immediately and everyone needs to be wary. I don't think he will cause harm to the dog but I need people to watch out for the dog as well. Is there any reason why he has gotten so angry?" Joe would usually direct his questions to his client but Bdubs was preoccupied with the Gracie.

"He keeps mentioning how he has to follow orders or something? It's strange." Pearl noted quietly. Joe nodded his head.

"Alright, I would like a chat with Bdubs."

---

Currently, the chat was going well even though half of Joe's office was destroyed in the process.

Bdubs was sitting in the corner, losing steam from his anger. He had managed to give information. Information that Joe needed to confront Grian. Bdubs was the last person Joe expected to get help from but it was easy considering the man was eager to leave.

"Alright, you said a golden doodle, right?" Joe asked from his spot on the floor. He had his clip board next to him on the floor. He has done this before with other clients who are just too scared to sit at the desk with him. The floor in the corner was patted and soft so it was better to sit on rather than the hardwood floor.

Bdubs nodded his head slowly, looking tired.

"Is it okay if I ask someone to bring you home? I know it's not ideal for you but I want to make sure you get home and rest." Bdubs sighed.

"Alright but not Doc." Joe laughed at that, nodding his head.

"I wasn't going to invite him anyways. I was thinking X might be the best bet." Bdubs shrugged with indifference. Joe heard a knock at the door, knowing it was the admin. "Time for you to go." He offered his hand to pull Bdubs up. Getting up, the made it to the door. Xisuma was there, helmet on his head like always.

They talked for a bit, Xisuma nodding his head at what Joe had to say. Before long, they were ready to leave. Before they did though, Joe leaned in close to Xisuma.

"Bdubs has anger management issues and can't control it when it comes to the safety of other people. People need to be wary of him. Also, I need a chat with Grian." Joe slipped Xisuma the two notes, knowing that Bdubs was too occupied to have listened to their conversation.

"Alright, bye Joe." The two walked out of the office, leaving Joe to clean up the mess.

---

Joe could tell that Grian was nervous.

He was fidgeting in his seat, looking down at his hands.  He seemed to know what this meeting was about.

However, it wasn't going to be exactly that.

"Let's start this off by prefacing that I have signed you up to get a service dog." Grian looked away from Joe.

"I don't need one." He whispered.

"By everything that I've gathered from others, you think you don't deserve one." Grian huffed, shaking his head. "Grian, nobody blames you."

"They do! It's my fault that everyone is now so messed up that they need therapy and doctors appointments and have PTSD! I messed up the code and I need to pay for it!" Joe nodded his head, scribbling notes.

"From what it sounds like, you developed a Demise like game but the code failed." Grian bit his lip and nodded his head in agreement.

"I didn't know if the code was fine yet I sent everyone in like it was. The worst was Jimmy who still has to live with his injuries."

"Jimmy was the first one to die and you had no clue that it was broken. He doesn't blame you and he was sure to tell me that." Grian was shaking, probably from the emotions going on in his head. "I talked to Scar and he said you tested the code out after that. On yourself." Grian pulled his left arm close to himself, as if to prove Joe right.

"Yes but I screwed up the code to protect everyone's mental states in the process. I didn't catch it in time. It's the reason Jimmy is fine mentally but not physically and everyone else have no physical injuries but have a lot of mental baggage." Joe looked over his notes again, eyes trying to ignore the last point on the page that he had yet to bring up. But looking up at Grian again, he knew he should.

"Grian, you killed yourself in the game, right?" It was silent. Just the two staring at each other. The only sound was the ticking of the clock.

And finally, Grian huffed a watery laugh. "Yes, I did." Joe knew it wasn't that significant on the server since they had infinite respawns and no repercussions from injuries. However, if he were to leave...

"Have you... had thoughts of harming yourself since then?" Joe didn't want an answer. He prayed for one but knew it was leaning towards the other.

"Do I have to tell you?"

"Is that an indication what your answer is?"

"... yes?" Joe put his clipboard down and went to the other side of the desk carefully. He sat on his desk, trying to look less tense than he felt.

"Grian, I know we don't talk often but please know I am here for you along with a bunch of other people. Nobody from that server has any remorseful thoughts about you. They knew what would happen. They joined with their own freewill. I'm here just to talk or sit around doing nothing. It is way better than the latter." Grian nodded his head slowly. Joe offered a kind smile, Grian returning it with his own.

They talked for awhile before Joe had to send him back to Boatem with Mumbo fretting over him.

He smiled, he knew these people would be okay.

---

Sometimes, Joe can just walk around the server and see the impact he has had on his friends' lives.

He would wave to Doc who has Gracie by his side. He would pass by Impulse who was sleeping under Mumbo's treesa with his service dog laying ontop of him. Even Bdubs was smiling a lot more with more joy than Joe had seen the man have with his dog beside him.

He even got a few videos from Jimmy and his dog, running an empire on a different server. The golden retriever dog would be leading Jimmy while holding a bucket of cod in photos.

All of Joe's photos lined his shelves and walls. Every single person sent him a photo of them thriving and having a good time with their service dogs.

And then, there was Grian.

Sometimes, he would just silently walk into Joe's office, with his service dog, Maui walking behind him. Joe would glance up with a smile before getting back to work. It might be silent the whole time other than Grian whispering to his dog or Joe mumbling about messy paperwork. Other times Grian might talk about how he was feeling, Maui on his lap sleeping.

And by the end of the day, Joe was feeling like a better person.

Words: 3030
Written: Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, 11:10 am
Edited:
Originally Posted: Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, 11:16 am

Note:
Gracie is the name of Doc's cat, Maui is the name of Grian's cat as well. They aren't random names. Also the golden retriever that Jimmy has in the story is because my sister and I think Jimmy acts like a golden retriever. Gracie is a German Shepard because Doc is German, get it?

Its stupid, I know.

I got tired at the end lmao