calling all grubs

[onlyasign]

[The video shows a much happier, more content Sufferer than the network has seen lately. In fact, he almost looks like Signless again. Over his shoulder, the video catches a cat-troll, one who could easily be mistaken for Disciple except for her shorter hair and blue kitty hat, sitting on a couch and cuddling something, with two kittens bounding around her. The audio catches the occasional giggle, purr, or squeak.]

Hello! It seems we're under another curse. I'm unaffected by this one, but many of my friends are not. If anyone finds someone who looks like this, please bring them to me.

[He holds up a picture of a... well, it looks like a giant, smiling maggot baby. Which is basically what it is. This is an Alternian grub, everyone.]

My assistant Nepeta and I will take charge of him or her for the week, if you aren't interested in caring for them.

[OOC: answers can come from Sufferer or Nepeta or both!]

Comments

[bestestfurrend]

Probably squishy! But lets put some of each in their pile with them and see which they choose, okay?

[Nepeta leads Zelda over to a mound of pillows piled up in a high circle to try and keep the grubs somewhat contained in the middle. They're there taking naps or playing in other cases, one enterprising one even seeming to be busy eating his way out of the pillow pile.]

No, no! That's not good for you. Come here. [Scoooping him up!]

[zelda_hylia]

Most of them seem to have regressed mentally as well... one did not, though. I believe his name was Eridan? He made a posting earlier despite being a grub.

[Zelda moves carefully into the middle of the room, setting out the toys. Nepeta treats them like kittens, Zelda brings them dog toys. Poor grubs.]

[bestestfurrend]

[Nepeta scowls in an uncharacteristic show of bad temper.]

Yes, I saw that he did. Complaining as usual! It would serve him right to get squished.

[Hey, back home they'd be tossed into the caverns to go through trials that determine whether they live or die. Being coddled and treated like adorable pets is already a step up.]

[zelda_hylia]

[It's one thing to see the grubs over a video, but once they come to investigate the new items, Zelda can't help but notice that they kind of... skitter. She's a little wary, keeping an eye on them.]

Oh, I don't think he deserves to be squished. Perhaps turned on his back and tickled a bit. He seems like the sort of person to be embarrassed about that.

[bestestfurrend]

Squished to pieces. He's mean and was mean to Tavros.

[The skittering doesn't seem to bother Nepeta, as she scoops up an olive green hued grub and nuzzles her, waving a teething ring in front of her tiny face.]

Look, it's for you! The pretty lady got it for you as a present!

[zelda_hylia]

[That one is familiar at least, she's fairly certain she recalls Sufferer introducing it as Disciple. Once Nepeta picks it up it looks cute again - really, it's their faces that are cute! Their bodies still have that ready to burst look like... well, grubs.]

I hope you like it.

[bestestfurrend]

I think she does!

[Or at least she's sure she will once she stops trying to chew Nepeta's sleeve and takes the teething ring instead.]

[zelda_hylia]

[Zelda reaches out to pet Disciple's back gently, wondering if she's slimy or not. Most grubs are, right?]

[bestestfurrend]

[She's not! She's quite smooth, and rather cool to the touch, but there is no sliminess and she seems to be very happy to be petted, cooing softly at it.]

[zelda_hylia]

Oh! She's rather softer than I expected... more like a caterpillar than anything else.

[Looking at it that way, the skittering of the grubs is less disturbing. They'll pupate and become lovely trolls, either way.

Or literal butterflies in the case of Summoner.]

[bestestfurrend]

Do you want to hold her a bit yourself too?

[zelda_hylia]

Would that be all right, Disciple?

[Zelda holds her hand out flat cautiously near Disciple's perch on Nepeta, waiting to see if she'll crawl on.]

[bestestfurrend]

[Nepeta stays still, letting Digrub make up her own mind if she'd like to crawl over or not! She's a cuddly yet independent little grub.]

[zelda_hylia]

[Zelda giggles a bit when Disciple finally decides to check out the new person. Those little legs tickle!]

It's a shame there isn't a Mother Grub here in Vatheon. I think it would be nice to see them around after this curse.

[That, and she knows that there are many trolls here who are dead back in their own world. The fact that one aspect of life is forever cut off to them here is a little sad.]

[bestestfurrend]

It would be! Although I don't know if there are enough adult trolls here for a proper slurry anyway...

[Not that she really knows how it works, she needs to ask Dolorosa about it some day.]

Ohh, look, she likes you! [And Digrub has indeed made her way onto Zelda's shoulder and is trying to nuzzle her face, making a clickety little purr sound.]

[zelda_hylia]

You'll all grow up eventually too, won't you?

[Oh no, the clicking purr is too cute! Zelda attempts to imitate the sound back at Disciple like she does if a bird chatters to her. She has quite the vocal range herself, so the imitation is rather good.]

[bestestfurrend]

...I guess so?

[She seems rather distracted as Zelda plays with Digrub - the thought of herself and her friends getting to grow up and have grubs of their own is simply too strange and something she'd never considered.]

Minor threadjack!

[feralfanatic]

[Oh my, she was not sure what to think of this not-troll, but the noises she makes noises. Familiar noises. Safe Noises.]

Nurrr...!

[Excuse the much more active Disciple-Grub, as she begins to climb all over you, Zelda. She has just deemed you safe to explore.]

[zelda_hylia]

[Zelda knows for a fact that Signless has given the bucket talk to the bubble, so it doesn't occur to her that Nepeta might find the idea strange. Zelda's a bit frightened of sex herself, but the idea of having children is perfectly all right with her. Obviously she has to have heirs!

She starts singing a quiet little tune to the Digrub, a bouncy song that she had heard ringing throughout the Lost Woods.]

[bestestfurrend]

[Pailing isn't the problem! The thought of grubs is. Even if Alternia still existed and they got to grow up there, they'd never actually have anything to do with looking after and bringing up grubs. It's simply a novel idea.

And that thought is derailed as Digrub starts climbing all over Zelda, making Nepeta laugh.]

[zelda_hylia]

A-ah, wait, my ears are ticklish...!

[Zelda can't take that! She starts squirming and flailing a bit ineffectually, being careful to not hurt the grub even though she's about to jump out of her skin.]

[bestestfurrend]

Uh oh!

[She dashes in to save her, scooping Digrub into her arms again and tickling her tummy for getting into trouble.]

She does that sometimes.

[zelda_hylia]

It's quite all right, she couldn't know that a Hylian's ears are sensitive. You haven't met one before me, have you Disciple?

[Able to compose herself now that she's not being molested inadvertently, Zelda smiles at the little grub. She then glances around and leans towards Nepeta.]

They're a bit like horns like that.

[bestestfurrend]

I don't think she has!

[She pets Digrub gently, ruffling her hair for her as she does seem a bit upset to be taken away so abruptly from her new friend. Nepeta can't bear to see those tiny green tears on her little face, and makes a great fuss of her until she's smiling and cooing again.]

Like horns?! Oh dear... [Whoops, Nepeta knows very well how sensitive horns are. No wonder Zelda had flailed so badly.] It's okay now, there there Mamacat. She'll hold you again, but no more crawling, okay?

[zelda_hylia]

No hard feelings.

[Zelda has trouble handling the tears too, even if the baby is a completely different species from her own. It's quite a relief when Nepeta gets her calmed down again.]

Cat...? Hmm.

[She knows something cats enjoy! Zelda calls on her magic to make some little floating balls of light. Cats go crazy for that sort of thing.]