Welcome to Gaia! ::

Miache heaved a heavy breath when he reached the cavern. Finally! A spot of luck! The cavern looked......filthy....but safe enough for the moment. It was....oddly peaceful. Of course, it was just that peacefulness that simply put him on edge. It didn't help that sunlight was streaming in. He blinked furiously and backed himself closer to the wall. It was bright....too bright for his tastes. He felt like he should be back in his hive nestled safely in his recuperacoon...not playing around with fungus and algae.

Another look at the sun and he paled, remembering his time in the swamp with Keionx, fighting off the horrors of the undead. To be on the safe side he quickly sprayed himself off with the daywalker spray, glad he'd grabbed it as a 'just-in-case'. There were few ways to properly explain how little he wanted to deal with those monsters again. Bending down he let loose the gerbil for a final run, maybe poking up some more mushrooms for his hunt. The cavern had proven a rather profitable venture, almost more so than the rest of his excursion all together. Hm....a rather painful thought. He doubted his haul would be the most impressive.

She loved the festivals. Quoqui twirled in her brand new dress, flipping the skirt a bit as she pranced between the stalls. The switched up every year, but she loved watching them, seeing the excited, triumphant looks of those that successfully wrestled a snoutbeast. The comical pained curses that often followed a successful find of a pin as it lodged into someone's hand. She wished she'd been able to partake of the sweep's adventure (apparently something to do with hunting mushrooms....how exciting!) but she'd been too late to join in on that. But....she didn't mind partaking in just watching. The trolls setting out excitedly in different directions, grabbing all their equipment and wrestling the gerbils into their pockets.....oooh she was jealous!

Briefly stopping to pick up another grub-on-a-stick (delicious and crunchy!) she continued walking through the crowd, looking back and forth between the stalls. She knew it was nearing her FAVORITE part of the evening but she wanted to soak up as much of the festivities as she could before it came to a head. The lanterns were so gorgeous, the floats so colourful....but she knew neither could shine as bright and dance as beautifully as the sky would.

The first explosion rendered the air, causing everyone's heads to snap up. She beamed her excitement as she ran through the warm bodies. She knew where she had to be! The tealblood NEEDED to be closer to the sky! As close as she could get to those beautiful lights of the night. She puffed and panted as she ran up a hill, far from the booths as the fireworks thundered in the sky. Quo clambered excitedly up the tree, eagerly grabbing branch after branch. She had to get higher, see MORE! She wanted the best view of the fireworks and would settle for nothing less!

As the lights burst in the sky she shuddered, feeling the thunderous boom all the way down to her core. She could feel her insides quake with each crashing explosion above her. Oohhhh how she wished she could be IN the sky with those lights! Dancing amidst the stars and fireworks. Quo shook as she held the tree almost loosely, as if contemplating leaping out to touch the beautiful lights. Without a doubt it was the most wonderful part of the night. Perhaps someday, if she aided the Empress and took her spot in the army she would have the honour of being in the stars, close enough to touch those beautiful lights.

Nervit sat away from most of the revellers, carefully re-wrapping her foot. It had come undone in the chaos of the fair and the events. She shouldn't have come really, but. But it'd been a while since she'd interacted with other trolls past doing courier work for people. She'd never admit it, but she'd been lonely. And hey, maybe there'd be some challenges at the fair, some things to test her mettle - that's how she'd justified it to herself.

And there had been.

She still shouldn't have come.

There were too many wigglers around for anything truly fun to be happening.
(there were too many lusii and it hurt.)

With a sigh, Nervit flopped backwards onto the lush grass of the plains, eyes turning heavenward. It was a beautiful night tonight, the moons hung low and full in the sky, and even the stars seemed brighter than normal. She scanned them absently, watching the play of light across the sky. It was weird in a way. Trolls had conquered the stars, opened up the universe and then extended their rules across it for generations.

And now, she mused, they were stuck here. It was almost funny, in a way. Some grand cosmic joke. She cracked a grin to herself, but it was as fake as some of the stallholders smiles.

Maybe if she’d been able to leave she could leave the memories behind.

Almost unwillingly, Nervit’s eyes caught on a particular constellation, The Lusii.

The Lusii were a twinned pair of stars in the system over from Alternia, shining with a bright white light. Viewed from most other directions, they acted as a homing beacon for Alternia, brighter than Alternia’s own sun, and more visible over long distances. You could use them as directional stars as well to guide you if you were navigating across Alternia.

And of course there was the legend surrounding them.

Nervit tore her eyes away, looking back at the fair momentarily, debating whether it was worth getting up. But the roar of the crowds seemed distanced now. And after all, there were worse things than recalling legends, she reasoned.

(It was like tonguing a loose tooth. It hurt, but you couldn’t stop.)

It is said that the first Lusii (barring the Empress’s who was eternal) fought bitterly for the right to raise grubs, that the competition was fierce. But in the end, there were two. What forms they took have long been lost, as have the blood colour of the trolls involved.

(Nervit remembers liking this myth because you could imagine a lowblood as a hero for once.)

One took their grub to the mountaintops. “I will raise my child fierce and strong!” One took their grub to the deserts. “I will raise my child canny and smart!”

And so they raised their charges by these vows, making sure they were the best they could be, in their own, different ways.

But each year, both lusii took their children to the sea, where they could pay tribute to the Empress.

And each year the children grew, became better. Stronger. Smarter. Their gifts grew more impressive, and the Empress was pleased, and granted them boons so they could grow her empire. And so the empire grew, and the trolls left their lusii behind.

And the lusii again chose grubs.

One took their grub to the mountaintops. “I will raise my child fierce and strong!” One took their grub to the deserts. “I will raise my child canny and smart!”

And so again the lusii, slightly older, slightly more scarred, raised their charges to be the best they could be in their own, different ways.

But each year, both lusii took their children to the capital city, where they could pay tribute to the Empress.

And each year the children grew, became better. Stronger. Smarter. Their gifts grew more impressive, and the Empress was pleased, and granted them boons so they could grow her empire. And so the empire grew, and the trolls left their lusii behind.

And the lusii again chose grubs.

One took their grub to the mountaintops. “I will raise my child fierce and strong!” One took their grub to the deserts. “I will raise my child canny and smart!”

And so for the third time, the lusii did their duty, raising a grub till they were excellent trolls in their own way.

But each year, both lusii took their children to the spaceport, where they could pay tribute to the Empress.

And each year the children grew, became better. Stronger. Smarter. Their gifts grew more impressive, and the Empress was pleased, and granted them boons so they could grow her empire. And so the empire grew, and the trolls left their lusii behind.

And the lusii again chose grubs.

But it was different, now. There were many more grubs, many more trolls. And the lusii were old. But they did not pause. They picked their grubs and carried on.

It is said that this cycle carried on for generations, till the lusii grew old and rickety, till blinded eyes at last shut, that wheezing lungs at last gave in. But they did not suffer, they did not sorrow. For they had raised generations of strong, smart, fierce and canny trolls. They had fufilled their duties.

They had fulfilled them so well that the Empress had taken note, and it is said she cast their souls into the sky where they were immortalized as stars.

Let the Lusii guide you home.

(Nervit rolls over. Buries her face in the grass, and doesn’t, doesn’t cry.)

It is said that their souls watch down on lusii still, blessing those who raise strong trolls, fierce trolls, smart trolls, canny trolls.

It is said that if you think of your lusus and you make a wish when they’re bright in the sky it’ll come true.

(Nervit quietly makes a wish.)

(Nervit stands, and in her head Pyredad whispers.)

Let the Lusii guide you home.

(It’s not a bad direction to set off in, at least.)

(She goes.)

"You're wrong you're wrong you're wrong!!"

Her voice was shrill, tiny shoe stomping on the ground. Objects on the walls and the tables and the floor were rattling; temper tantrums weren't unusual in this hive, not by any stretch of imagination, but it didn't make them any less unbearable. Not for Duckmom anyway. It was better to just... let her ride these things out. Trusci was a wicked flame, but all fires smoldered down to cinders eventually.

"I bet— I know you're lying! I know it! This is just—!" the yellowblood threw her hands up, "P-P-Propaganda!"

There was a visible trail of yellow running down her chubby cheeks as she stumbled over the big word. Duckmom looked tired, offered no more scolding, and somehow that just pissed Trusci off more. She didn't have time for this. Baby booties echoing an angry rhythm through the halls, she stomped off, deciding to direct her energy into something more constructive. There was a book clenched tightly in her hand, Tales of Siralo P. printed dully on the front. Stupid stingy highboods didn't even use her title. Whatever. Title or not, Trusci, at least, knew of the Vainglory.

The door slammed behind her, she was grateful to see her shared room was unoccupied. This was good. Uninterrupted, she made for the desk, fishing out a label gun. This would do nicely. If the queen thought she could erase this name from history, she was wrong. The Vainglory was strong, incredible, immortal. Explorer extraordinaire! She wasn't afraid of anything, and when they tried to stomp out her fire, she fought back. Trusci's eyes were sparkling, and it wasn't just the tears. She cracked the book open.

She was greeted with lines of text alongside myriads of colorful, cute pictures. Each illustration accompanied a paragraph or so of verbiage, depicting Siralo's story. At least they used her title inside of the book. "The Vainglory was a despicable villain, well known for her actions against the crown and her misguided cult following... wrong!"

The hand label was clicking like mad in her hand. Well, it wasn't completely wrong, but she definitely wasn't a villain. H-E-R-O was more like it. She smirked to herself as she printed-stuck-applied the word into the book, its raised surface masking the old word beneath. Before she knew it, the clicking fell in rhythm with the background.


"She was proud, fierce. The Vainglory was commanding but respectful, her crew was the best of them all~! But her inner council was the most formidable—seven in total plus her incredible hibernationbeast lusus, Dhubhe. They instilled fear in the hearts of their enemies dumb highbloods!! And brought a message of hope to their followers."

Trusci nodded, that sounded good! "Alckor was her most trusted partner, her confidence, her balance..." she murmured out loud as she rewrote over lines of text, raw nose sniffling. "...Naasch, her favored general, renowned for his tactics. Maezar wrote the speeches..."

She flipped a few pages, a little bored with the nitty-gritty already. What irked her in the first place was the ending. "The overwhelming forces of the military hardly acknowledged The Vainglory, and when it came time for her campaign to end, defeat and death came swiftly." She clicked her tongue in disgust. "Her name was branded in mockery onto the first planet they conquered. It became known as a last stop for all the prisoners and degenerates who simply didn't deserve the verdict of death. Abundant in natural minerals, prisoners were often forced into slave labor. In time, the overwhelming wealth there made it an immediate asset for Alternia and the demand for its resources increased so exponentially that thousands of innocent warmbloods were forcibly sent to aid in harvesting the valuable commodities."

"Ugh, this is so disgusting..." Scribble scribble scribble.

Without really looking up from her work, she shuffled towards the light switch on the wall, flicking it on.

...

click

...

The dark ceiling of the sky was aglow with delicate lanterns, but her eyes were trained straight up, far beyond them. A brilliant white star greeted her gaze, the world seeming to revolve around it.

"Real heroes never die, huh?"

Trusci was never really one for constellations, nor was she especially fond of space, but there were a few things about it that brought her comfort. Hands tucked into her jacket, she nestled down into her bandana, expression curious. Actually, it almost felt childish now, but she could still make out the shapes in the stars: four long claws, extending from that white supergiant in the center. She smiled, remembering how it went. Even for a wriggler's story, she knew it well.

"Vainglory was never captured. When it became apparent escape was impossible, she bought enough time for one final council. The vote was unanimous."

"She took you guys down with her. Talk about loyalty." Her eyes glimmered. "'Course, she held true to her word and followed."

The Vainglory was strong. In her final moments, she offered her circle a choice. Die at the chopping block, or die by her hand. Her idea of a perfect world was one free of bias. There would be no persecution in her utopia. Trust me and I'll take you there. Though pride was her downfall, in the end her strength and tenacity allowed her to triumph over the impossible. In fact, it was said her determination was so immense that she became immortalized in the galaxy above, with her council branched out under her—each one a claw of the bear. Dhubhe was the mascot, after all. Lusa Major in all their glory.

Yeah, it was coming back to her now. She could almost repeat it along with the memory of her younger self, "Her devotees, so resolute, followed in Vainglory's footsteps to the new world. The Queen, feeling mocked, decided to build a ship that could sail the skies." There was an armada, she finished silently to herself, but no matter how far they ventured, no matter how expansive their tech, they never could reach her. It was as if the universe revolved around her star, shimmering brightly from light years away, taunting the Empire. Eons passed, attention turned to planetary conquest, and the Vainglory held victorious. What was it like up there, she wondered?

Her smile faded a little into thought. For as anti-highblood as Vainglory was, Phecda was a blueblood and was part of the inner council. They couldn't have run with the campaign without their wealth; Vainglory herself was a brilliant maroon, her moirail, Alckor was orange, and the rest of her advisers were painted in warm hues... Was she only using the blueblood? Trusci guessed she wouldn't be surprised, but what about that trust she preached in their tale? And anyway, she did get her name from, well, being vain. Was she completely right in her actions? Legend had it that she struck down lowbloods in her way, too; anyone who supported the queen was an enemy, despite the tolerance she preached. Well, it wasn't like pacifism would get them anywhere, but...

...but those were the tiniest of details, anyway. The fact of the matter remained, Vainglory was awesome. Did Trusci wish for her powers of intimidation, her control over fear? Hell yeah she did! No one was perfect... she could aspire and learn from Vainglory's mistakes. Maybe that was the secret to reaching her star, having the same heart and desires that she did. It was hard to tell, no way of knowing unless Trusci went up there herself.

And that was scary, real scary. The prospect of being a helmsman always worried her. Her biggest nightmare was being a slave to space, an object for highbloods, engine or battery. She actually shuddered at the thought, and Trusci rarely gave into her fears. Maybe though... Maybe if she was up there like Vainglory, making her own impact like Vainglory, maybe it... wouldn't be so bad, would it? Does she watch over and guide all the trolls that still believe in her? Does she care? Maybe she does; maybe she's here with Trusci in spirit at this very moment.

And at that, the yellowblood laughed. Gettin' caught up there, huh Trus? she thought idly to herself, even her mental voice filled with a drawl. She was the one that changed the legend in the first place anyway, so it wasn't like it was true. Then again, it didn't mean she couldn't believe in it. Wasn't anything that said otherwise, right? Just a bunch of highblood lies and bullshit, like there always was.

Hell, say it was just a bunch of tall tales Trusci was re-spinning... nothing was stopping her from starting her own legend. She'd pave her glory into the stars too, and it wouldn't be just a myth! "Trusci Modsat, the incredible yellowblooded phenomenon! End quote".

Yeah, she liked the sound of that a lot.