Web of Blessings: Chapter 7
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Summary: Sier is surprised to find an enormous arachne, Vanelope, hiding out in his greenhouse. She intends to raise her clutch of spiderlings inside over the cold winter, but they have to elude detection first.
Chapter 7
Sier had to be up bright and early the next morning to check on Vanellope. He had to go discreetly, at a time where no one was loitering around the park. After the stressful night that preceded this, he was dog-tired... and he still had his university classes to attend.
But he had to check on Vanellope. And her kids. This situation could escalate far out of control at any second. He had to keep regular tabs on Vanellope. Most importantly, he had to go ahead without his sister; Jennie had enough on her plate without getting wrapped up in this business.
"Vanellope? It's me, Sier!" He called out into the greenhouse, sticking to the trails. "No one else is here right now, but I gotta open up! Can we talk?"
He paused, waiting for a response. He was met with the sound of skittering, the rustling of tree branches above. From the trees above, Vanellope made her appearance... with her clutch of eggs in tow, nestled in a webby egg sac.
"...I am here." She commented. "After you left, it was... quiet. Uneventful."
"Th... that's good to hear." Sier sighed. "There's been enough craziness to last me for one day."
"My children are... somewhat unsettled by the change of scenery. I could feel them stirring at night." She muttered, raising a chitinous hand to the sac she carried upon her abdomen. "I had to sing to them a melody to soothe their worries."
"Ah, I... I'm sorry to hear that." Sier grimaced. "Are they going to be okay?"
"I think so." Vanellope nodded. "This biome has no natural predators... not apart from your kind, you said?" She turned to Sier.
"Well, we get people visiting during the day. Couples and such. Y-you might have to lay low during the day, when there are families about."
"...I understand." Vanellope frowned. "Honestly, I... feel a bit cooped up in here, staying in the same place. Perhaps it would be best for me to leave and go hunting, but... in this strange environment, it's... difficult, to anticipate what may become of my children." Vanellope soothingly stroked her eggsac. Sier cocked his head to the side, noting how the eggs seemed to shift all on their own.
"So I must maintain a watch here. I suppose it is for the best—I am used to the isolation." She sighed to herself. Sier could detect the sadness in her voice, and grimaced empathetically.
"...W-well, I have some free time before I go back to the university. Perhaps I could show you around a bit more?" Sier smiled invitingly.
"...'University'?" Vanellope cocked her head to the side. "Is that... what is that? Is it a parallel universe...?"
"Eh? N-no, no, nothing like that, i-it's a school. Like, to get a degree, and hold a job, and..."
"...School? Degrees?" Vanellope cocked her head the other way. She was still rather puzzled by the deluge of information.
"A-ah, um... you go to learn things. So you can work in society, and make money, and... be secure for the future." Sier prodded his fingers together.
"...oh. Ohhh." She nodded. "We don't have such... things among our kind. The strongest and the most clever of us simply get ahead. It is... rather cutthroat, you could say."
Vanellope explained, rather guarded in her tone and posture. Her eyes, black as ebony, wandered around the greenhouse.
"...Perhaps it would be good to simply walk and talk. Yes. Let's." She nodded, her spindly legs stepping forward as she folded her arms. Sier stared at her marvelous, powerful body for a few moments too long, before finding his feet and hurrying to her side.
"What do you learn at this... university?" Vanellope wondered.
"Oh, I'm, ah, majoring in entomology. That's, um, the study of insects. And bugs, and... their relationships with... well, everything." Sier prodded his fingers together. "I-I hoped to study pollination behaviours, a-and apply what I learn to this greenhouse."
"...Is that all?" Vanellope cocked her head to the side.
"Eh? Is... is that not enough?" Sier's hand fell from the back of his head.
"Don't think I haven't noticed the way you've been oggling my legs." Vanellope smiled wryly. "You've had this giddy look on your face the whole while every time you've so much as glanced in my direction."
"...you, uh... I mean, um..."
"I'm a hunter, Sier. I'd be dead if I couldn't pick up on details." Vanellope folded her arms. "If I didn't know better, I'd figure you were eager to dissect me..."
"N, no! Not at all!" Sier exclaimed. "I-it's just, well..." Sier blushed furiously. "I-I just... think bugs are adorable too, that's all..."
"...I'm adorable, too?" Vanellope slowed her steps, her torso turning in his direction. "I can't say I've had someone say that about me before..."
Vanellope's front legs tapped against the walkway anxiously, her chitinous fingers scratching against her arms. The way she behaved seemed somewhat far removed from the cool swagger she went about with the night prior.
"Um..." Sier detected that something was on Vanellope's mind, and decided to change the topic. "I guess you... got to meet some of my family last night. Jennie's my sister, and back in town my mom, my dad... grandpa Lyle too."
"Ah, you... still keep tabs on your family." Vanellope nodded. "Humans are... very particular about their familial bonds. Your sister didn't seem none too happy to see me, so... perhaps it's for the best we remain distant."
"N-no, no, she was just... worried about me. I'm sure she'd warm up to you, with time..." Sier attempted to reassure Vanellope. It seemed to fall on deaf ears, however.
"I suppose you're wondering about... my family. Perhaps it's better you didn't know, I'm... rather envious of you, Sier." Vanellope admitted, quietly.
"Eh? ...Wait, I think I might..." Sier recalled some of his entomology studies, but in time shook his head. He looked up to Vanellope. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing terribly out of the ordinary. So few arachne ever reach adulthood; our kind must venture out alone at birth, fend for ourselves, rely on generations of instinct..." Vanellope explained, her eyebrow twitching. "...I never knew my mother. I never knew any of my brothers or sisters. No one."
"...That... that must have been a terribly lonely life." Sier nodded.
"It's the way of our kind to keep to our own nests, to avoid each other on principle. It's a barbaric, lonely cycle. I've never cared for it..." Vanellope shook her head. "I... I hope to be a better mother for my young. Better than my own mother was to me."
She maternally rubbed her egg sac with a sad look in her eyes. Sier looked onward with an empathetic look in his eyes.
"Vanellope..." He stared for a spell, lowering his head. "That... that's such a noble dream, I..."
He clenched his fist, looking Vanellope in the eye. "I want to help! However I can! I, I'll make sure you have a home here! I swear it!"
"...ah?" Vanellope blushed slightly. "W-where did all this... this raw enthusiasm come from??"
"You wanted to give your kids the best chance at life, yeah? You can stay here as long as you need! Until winter passes... e-even after winter passes, we'll-" BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP!
"...a-ah shoot, class starts in 15 minutes." Sier trailed off, rubbing his forehead.
"...y, you're leaving already? It's so soon, I mean-"
"I-I'll be back later, okay? I'll be back in the area around 6pm, when the sun's starting to sun, and we'll see each other again, okay?" Sier bowed, and made his way for the door.
"...A-ah, Vanellope, you really ought to hide too!" Sier exclaimed.
"What? Is someone coming?" Vanellope's body snapped to attention. "N-no, this is around when the sprinklers come on!" Sier hollered.
"Ah, that's... t-thanks for the warning!" She scurried off into the foliage. It seems both of them were in a rush to avoid each other. There was some tension about the situation, between Sier's concern for Vanellope, and her pangs of loneliness. Perhaps today would be the first of many more lonely, stifling days in the greenhouse.
Still, Vanellope watched from above as Sier ran off. She hoped he'd be back soon. Though this greenhouse was well-secured, it did nothing for her yearning for companionship...
---
Later that day, Sier was back in the classroom, desperately trying to stay away. A classmate he knew very well leaned closer, whispering into his ear. "Big party last night, Sier? Y'look like shit." Mei whispered. "Like, worse than I usually do."
It was Mei again—the barista from the campus cafe. Sier grunted noncommittally, trying to peel his hand off his face.
"I know some tea brews you can try to give you a little extra zip. The secret is to add a bunch of sugar!~" Mei advised with a big smile.
"M'fine... just a busy time at home..." Sier groaned.
"Hmmm... hey, I know what'll perk you up! A nice relaxing dinner!~" Mei perked up. "You, me, on the town, wining and dining-"
"Is this about that couples discount all the Main Street shops are advertising lately...?" Sier perked his head up, turning to Mei with a quizzical look.
"Yeah! You wanna come with?" Mei smiled.
"But... you're a lesbian." Sier blinked.
"Eh? How'd you figure?" Mei cocked her head to the side.
"Weeeeeeell, you keep asking me to hook you up with my sister. So there's a start." Sier rolled his eyes.
"I can't help it if she looks cute in a pilot uniform!!" Mei pouted. "C'moooon, we never get to do anything together and tonight's the last night! You gotta take me out, if I don't get some quality grub inside of me at a cheap price I'm gonna explode!"
"But... but I already made plans, and-"
"PLEEEEEEEEEEASE??" Mei leaned over with those pleading eyes that wouldn't be out of place in a fuddy cartoon. Sier grimaced.
"M... maybe a night off would do both of us some good. Even for a... fake date." Sier rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah! Way to come in clutch, big guy!~" Mei punched his shoulder gleefully.
Sier smiled, and buried his nose back into his textbook. He hoped Vanellope wouldn't be too upset if he ended up a little late to see her. She was a woman. She could keep herself busy...
Sier could only hope... he did promise...
