#silika lillit

[razzle-zazzle]

1178 Words; Gamzee Lalonde AU; 13 years pre-SGRUB

Ariane looked at the egg she was in charge of as the incubator housing it beeped.

The egg had pipped, a long cut in the shell allowing the grub inside to stick its nose out and breathe lest it drown in its own embryonic fluid. Trolls were like reptiles in that way.

And indeed, a small gray nose was already poking out, snot bubbles forming as it took its first breaths.

It was a shame Ms. Lalonde couldn't be here—the egg was technically placed under her care, but she was off on maternity leave with her two month old daughter. As a result, Ariane and Serril had been trading off watch duty.

The egg shuddered, the tear widening further. Unlike most reptiles, who might not come out for a full twenty-four hours after pipping, trolls were much faster in hatching. And indeed, right before Ariane's eyes, a small grey head was forcing its way out, chirring and honking softly as it went.

Ariane sent out an alert to Ms. Lalonde and the other personnel in charge of this egg. Within moments, the room was abuzz with activity as researchers took readings and prepared equipment for the new hatchling. Normally, who—or what—ever delivered the eggs delivered them in batches; not only was this egg the first to arrive in years but it was delivered alone, with only a name, a sign, and a honk horn.

Ariane didn’t ponder on the mysterious benefactor for long—it was much better to let such a detail go unquestioned, so long as eggs kept being delivered and none of the trolls were taken away. But she did glance over the file for the critter, taking note of its name and sign: Gamzee Makara, Capricorn.

Ariane only stuck around long enough to watch the little creature wriggle out of its shell, leaving once the nurses moved in to clean the grub and give it a physical—it wasn’t Ariane’s job to supervise, and she didn’t particularly care for grubs.

Out in the hallway, away from all the noise, Ariane leaned against the wall and took a breath. Her hands were still shaking, though, and Ariane fumbled through her sylladex for a stress ball.

Fuck, she needed her moirail.

That was about the moment that Serril—perfect, pitiable Serril—showed up, likely eager to see the newly-hatched grub.

“Ariane!” Serril immediately took in the situation and came to a stop in front of their moirail, one hand already gently papping between the bases of Ariane’s horns. “Too many people, huh?”

Jade eyes met cerulean. Ariane smiled, cupping Serril’s cheek in one hand. “I’d say I held out pretty well, this time.” She leaned forward, touching her forehead to Serril’s, which had the wonderful benefit of touching their horns together.

Serril chuckled. “Wanna jam?”

“You should go see the grub first.” Ariane said. “I’ll be fine out here for a few moments.”

“You sure?” Serril leaned back, taking Ariane’s hands in their own. “I can always go back to look at it later.”

Ariane shook her head. “You came all this way to see it, and you didn’t even get to watch it hatch.” She nodded towards the door. “Go on. I’ll be fine.”

“Alright,” Serril giggled, “But if you’re not fine when I come back out then I’ll have to pap you out of existence for lying to me, okay?”

Ariane snorted. “Just go!”

<+><+><+><+><+>

“Serril Roscor, reporting for duty!” Serril grinned brightly, standing at attention.

Roxanne Lalonde giggled, passing off her infant daughter for Serril to hold. They immediately started cooing at Rose, eyes alight with delight and adoration.

Roxanne nodded, and began walking down the halls, Serril close on her heels.

“It’s a shame you couldn’t be there for the hatching, Ariane told me that Gamzee was quick to crawl out. And he’s a real cutie, too!” Serril rambled, “You really lucked out, getting chosen as his primary caretaker. Especially since his egg was the only one we’ve gotten in years.”

Roxanne nodded, taking note of one of the groups they passed in the hall—Diantha Watterson and Silika Lillit, with the six youngest wrigglers following after them. Daycare service. Serril gave the group of four year olds an adoring glance, but remained at Roxanne’s side.

One of the children toddled up to Roxanne anyway, and she paused to smile at him. Arkhal Poiple grinned up at her, fins fluttering. “Is it true that there’s a new grub?”

“Yes, dear.”

“And you’re gonna be its foster momma?”

Roxanne nodded.

“Arkhal,” Diantha called out, “Let’s not distract Ms. Lalonde from her job, okay sweetie?”

Arkhal nodded and returned to the group of wrigglers. Roxanne and Serril continued along their way.

“God, wrigglers are always so cute,” Serril gushed, “And don’t get me wrong, I love working at the lab full time, but oh do I wish I could be stationed at Site B and work with all the little ones in the community sometimes, they’re all so cute~.”

They came to a stop in front of door C491, and Roxanne fished out her keycard to unlock it.

Serril shifted Rose in their arms to hold her better as they entered the room. “Aw, but you already know all of this, don’t you? Because you’re an A-Class researcher and all. And it's not like I haven't rambled about children before.”

Roxanne nodded, and they were approached by two of the nurses: Vera and Dreska.

“Ms. Lalonde.” Dreska greeted, nodding his head slightly. Roxanne returned the greeting with a nod of her own.

“May I see him?” Roxanne asked. Vera nodded, leading her over to the bassinet.

Inside, curled up and asleep, was a small indigo grub. Roxanne lifted Gamzee gently, smiling warmly.

“Hello, little one,” She cooed, recalling the data she’d been given upon arrival. A fully healthy grub, from the indigo caste; thirteen inches and nine pounds; no outstanding or more subtle health conditions; and, most peculiarly, this egg had been delivered alone, with no eggs in the months between arrival and hatching.

Gamzee yawned, shifting slightly in Roxanne’s arms. The little grub—and oh, he was so tiny, were all newly hatched grubs this small?—blinked open violet eyes, honked—

And bit Roxanne’s finger, drawing a few tiny beads of blood.

Roxanne snorted. “Oh, so that’s how you’re going to be.” She teased, carefully prying her finger free from Gamzee’s mouth. Dreska took Gamzee from Roxanne while Vera grabbed a bandage.

“Here,” Vera said, “Let’s take care of that.” Roxanne waited patiently as Vera disinfected and bandaged the cut.

Roxanne looked towards Gamzee, who had been placed back in the bassinet and was honking his protest. Serril had moved to stand over the bassinet, and grinned. “Sorry buddy, but if you do the crime then you gotta do the time.”

Roxanne chuckled, looking down at her new charge. Gamzee wouldn’t actually be leaving the labs for the first six months of his life, so daily visits would be required to familiarize him with her and Rose.

Roxanne could tell that she would enjoy caring for them both quite a lot.

[ceabu]

Hi, Original Gamz Lalonde Anon here. I definitely agree with changing the subject from whatever that fuckery was, so have something I slapped together that still isn't the piece I originally promised. But it's cute, and has a lil extra worldbuilding, so it all balances out.

“Serril Roscor, reporting for duty!” Serril grinned brightly, standing at attention.

Roxanne Lalonde giggled, passing off her infant daughter for Serril to hold. They immediately started cooing at Rose, eyes alight with delight and adoration.

Roxanne nodded, and began walking down the halls, Serril close on her heels.

“It’s a shame you couldn’t be there for the hatching, Ariane told me that Gamzee was quick to crawl out. And he’s a real cutie, too!” Serril rambled, “You really lucked out, getting chosen as his primary caretaker. Especially since his egg was the only one we’ve gotten in years.”

Roxanne nodded, taking note of one of the groups they passed in the hall—Diantha Watterson and Silika Lillit, with the six youngest wrigglers following after them. Daycare service. Serril gave the group of four year olds an adoring glance, but remained at Roxanne’s side.

One of the children toddled up to Roxanne anyway, and she paused to smile at him. Arkhal Poiple grinned up at her, fins fluttering. “Is it true that there’s a new grub?”

“Yes, dear.”

“And you’re gonna be its foster momma?”

Roxanne nodded.

“Arkhal,” Diantha called out, “Let’s not distract Ms. Lalonde from her job, okay sweetie?”

Arkhal nodded and returned to the group of wrigglers. Roxanne and Serril continued along their way.

“God, wrigglers are always so cute,” Serril gushed, “And don’t get me wrong, I love working at the lab full time, but oh do I wish I could be stationed at Site B and work with all the little ones in the community sometimes, they’re all so cute~.” 

They came to a stop in front of door C491, and Roxanne fished out her keycard to unlock it.

Serril shifted Rose in their arms to hold her better as they entered the room. “Aw, but you already know all of this, don’t you? Because you’re an A-Class researcher and all. And it's not like I haven't rambled about children before.”

Roxanne nodded, and they were approached by two of the nurses: Vera and Dreska.

“Ms. Lalonde.” Dreska greeted, nodding his head slightly. Roxanne returned the greeting with a nod of her own.

“May I see him?” Roxanne asked. Vera nodded, leading her over to the bassinet.

Inside, curled up and asleep, was a small indigo grub. Roxanne lifted Gamzee gently, smiling warmly.

“Hello, little one,” She cooed, recalling the data she’d been given upon arrival. A fully healthy grub, from the indigo caste; thirteen inches and nine pounds; no outstanding or more subtle health conditions; and, most peculiarly, this egg had been delivered alone, with no eggs in the months between arrival and hatching.

Gamzee yawned, shifting slightly in Roxanne’s arms. The little grub—and oh, he was so tiny, were all newly hatched grubs this small?—blinked open violet eyes, honked—

And promptly bit Roxanne’s finger, drawing a few tiny beads of blood.

Roxanne snorted. “Oh, so that’s how you’re going to be.” She teased, carefully prying her finger free from Gamzee’s mouth. Dreska took Gamzee from Roxanne while Vera grabbed a bandage.

“Here,” Vera said, “Let’s take care of that.” Roxanne waited patiently as Vera disinfected and bandaged the cut.

Roxanne looked towards Gamzee, who had been placed back in the bassinet and was honking his protest. Serril had moved to stand over the bassinet, and grinned. “Sorry buddy, but if you do the crime then you gotta do the time.”

Roxanne chuckled, looking down at her new charge. Gamzee wouldn’t actually be leaving the labs for the first six months of his life, so daily visits would be required to familiarize him with her and Rose.

Roxanne could tell that she would enjoy caring for them both quite a lot.

aww okay thats super cute lol thank u anon

[razzle-zazzle]

557 Words; Gamzee Lalonde AU

@ceabu

“Again.”

Gamzee pushed himself off the mat and pouted at Ariane, whose expression remained as even and mildly unimpressed as it always was.

Picking up his clubs, Gamzee grumbled complaints as he faced his opponent again. Ariane remained unperturbed, jade eyes regarding the seven year old impassively.

Ardaxx smiled at Gamzee, “You’re getting better, kid! A little more practice and you might even be able to match some of my other students.”

Gamzee groaned. “But practice is boring!”

Ardaxx chuckled. Ariane clicked her tongue warningly.

Gamzee growled, but moved forwards to attack. Ardaxx blocked his first hit, but Gamzee ducked out of the way of the counter.

Swing, dodge, duck, block, swing again and score a hit—

Gamzee hit the mat again, both of his clubs flying from his hands. Ardaxx chittered reassuringly as Gamzee once again picked himself up off the mat. “Good work, but you left yourself open with that last attack.”

Gamzee grumbled. Strife training was boring and painful and he wanted to be done. He looked over at Ariane pleadingly.

Ariane regarded Gamzee impassively. “Again.” She stated, posture ever stiff and perfect, arms folded behind her back.

Gamzee groaned emphatically, and picked up his clubs.

<+><+><+><+><+>

Silika frowned down at the mug in her hand, thoughts oddly sour considering what a beautiful morning it was.

She’d been working with wrigglers for as long as she’d been able, teaching them and caring for them and all of those things that made her fins flutter in satisfaction. She and Diantha both.

But for the past four years…

Well, she had taken up other hobbies in those four years. Knitting, reading, baking—there was plenty still to do, even in the small enclosed world of the Community.

But.

There had been no new eggs for four years after Batch H-116, and then no new eggs after Gamzee.

Thirteen years with no new eggs. Sure, there were still the few human children whose parents lived on site, but they weren’t in big enough groups to justify daycare service. At least, not to the extent it used to be.

Even the youngest group above Gamzee had outgrown daycare service years ago—they were all on the cusp of adulthood by now.

The lack of new eggs was a fact that the Community was well aware of; it hung over everything like a sodden cloud. The Community could not continue to grow without new eggs being delivered—and oh, if only the mysterious benefactor had given them a matriorb—it could only shrink from this point, as the warmer-blooded members grew older and succumbed to death. And eventually, the colder-blooded trolls would follow.

The Community had never seemed so small before. Never seemed so constricting until new members were no longer forthcoming, new faces no longer a possibility. An impatience had descended upon them all to integrate with human society as fast as possible, but the humans in charge of the project remained firm that the populace at large was not yet ready for the introduction of trolls.

The oppressive feeling that encircled the Community—that fear that they would never get to really experience the world outside Site B—was only exacerbated by the lack of new faces.

It felt like an end was approaching.

Silika took a sip from her mug. No use dwelling on it now. There were things to be done today.