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]

...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.]

[bestestfurrend]

[Uh oh. The thing about kittytrolls?

Disciple isn't the only one in the room.

As the tiny green grub squeaks in delight and strains towards the balls of light, Nepeta cannot help herself from pouncing at them, grub in her arms and all.]

[zelda_hylia]

[The balls do have a little substance to them - they're fuzzy and puffy, not unlike a dandelion ready to burst. And that is exactly what they do when pounced upon.]

Goodness! I did not know that you were so catlike.

[bestestfurrend]

...oops. I guess I get it a lot from Mama! And from Pounce too of course.

[She watches the little fluffy bits floating off, Digrub cooing happily as she stares after them as well.]

[zelda_hylia]

It's certainly not a bad thing. I have a friend who is rather catlike himself - he likes to nap in warm places and laze about in the sun. I think cats are a fine animal.

[One of her favorites, in fact! Cats and birds are her most loved animals, followed up by horses for practical reasons.]

[bestestfurrend]

Oh, they are! They are the bestest creatures ever!

[There will be no objections from Nepeta on that score! Kitties are far and away her favourite animals.]

[zelda_hylia]

[She's getting familiar with troll culture to an extent, so if Nepeta likes cats so much...]

Was your lusus a cat?

[bestestfurrend]

Yes! She was! How did you guess?!

[She looks delighted that Zelda has managed to deduce that about her. Talking about Pounce always cheers her up.]

[zelda_hylia]

Trolls seem to share some behaviors with their lusus. For example, Gamzee is rather gangly and eats everything in sight, and Equius and Darkleer both have some horse-like habits.

[She hasn't weaseled anyone else's lusus out of them yet, but three people is still a pattern enough for her to notice it.]

[bestestfurrend]

That's true! It's very purrceptive of you to notice it, uh huh!

[zelda_hylia]

Do you think so? I confess I feel a little lost at times when it comes to Alternian culture.

[If she's going to be in a part time quadrant with the Grand Highblood and Darkleer, she feels like she has a long way to go.]

[bestestfurrend]

I do think so! And that's okay, I know it can be very different from other cultures. If you want to ask me anything at all about it I can try and explain!

[zelda_hylia]

I think that I will be fine for now. Though... typically grubs are not cared for by other trolls at all, correct? How does one choose a lusus?

[bestestfurrend]

Oh, we don't! Our lusus chooses us once we crawl out of the caverns!

[zelda_hylia]

I see. Why do they do it, does anyone know?

[She can't really see the benefit for the lusus in this situation...]

[bestestfurrend]

It's just what lusii do...but it works both ways, you know! Once a troll is a bit older they start taking care of their lusus as well.

[zelda_hylia]

I see! So it is a mutually beneficial relationship. Do they have some sort of telepathic ability to be able to communicate with trolls, or do they simply teach the troll their body language?