Web of Blessings: Chapter 4

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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.

[Story Listing]

[First Chapter]

[Previous Chapter]

Chapter 4

There was work to be done. Sier made his rounds, doing a lap around the greenhouse. Wherever the cobwebs were most pronounced, Sier went in to take them down, throwing them into a compost bag. It was a sticky situation, quite literally, but it had to be done; Sier had to proceed as if nothing had changed if he was going to protect Vanellope and her children from prying eyes. 

Sier and Vanellope made a strange pair as they wandered down the greenhouse's pathways. Neither of them seemed to be entirely in their element; each of them seemed tense, their eyes wandering around. 

Vanellope's long, narrow spider legs clicked against the stone walkways, slowly and cautiously. Her eyes drifted around, one of her chitinous arms reaching for the egg sacs that clung to her abdomen. Her eyebrows furrowed, a look on her face as she studied the bushes. 

Sier wasn't faring much better; Sier could see himself getting gored by this monstrous-looking woman, one who towered over him in stature, with terrifying ease. The element of danger was palpable...

...But in Sier's eyes, she had that alluring look to her as well. It was hard not to sneak looks at how her arachnid legs curved, how her hips married so perfectly with her abdomen. The element of danger added an extra zing of electricity.

"You grow... flowers here?" She muttered idly, her eyes drawn to the colourful palette of foliage. She was the one to break the awkward silence. 

"Ah! Yes, that's..." He swallowed silently, visibly stressed in his own way. "W-We try to foster a diverse array of plants, but we try to maintain a... um, tropical climate here."

"...I see. I don't recognize many of these." Her mouth flattened. "It's a strange feeling, like... like something unfamiliar is preparing to jump out at me." 

"Eh?" Sier turned his head sharply. "It, it's only us in this building, you don't have to worry about... getting ambushed."

"...mm. Right." She bit her lip. "Forgive me for feeling a little... exposed. On the ground like this. I'm accustomed to traversing from tree to tree."

"Ooh, like a monkey!" Sier raised a pointed finger. "...Maybe a spider monkey..." Sier rubbed his chin, a cheeky smirk rising to his lips.

"Eh? What's that? I never... oh." Vanellope's mouth flattened. "Right. Spider. Ha ha."

Her eyebrow perked up, giving Sier the same sort of look that one would reserve for roadkill on the highway. She folded her arms, her chitonous fingers clicking against her arm. The muted reaction got a snicker out of Sier.

"S'just a joke, Vanellope. You're safe down here. You and your... your babies." Sier sideeyed the large egg sac she was cradling. 

"I would hope so."

Silence hovered between the two of them. Work proceeded slowly, very slowly; Sier often had to take it slowly and stop what he was doing to check up on Vanellope. Despite Sier's reassurances, Vanellope didn't look any more at ease. 

"Then... there is no local fauna?" She turned to Sier. 

"No, no, nothing like that. There's actually a koi pond we maintain to the northeast, it's... picturesque, rather nostalgic." 

"I see, I see." She nodded. "Perhaps I should indulge myself in a snack. It has been a long trip."

"Wh-" Sier blinked, turning to the spider lady. "You, you can't eat the fish! They wouldn't taste good anyway...!"

"...Whatever do you mean, Mr. Fleurs?" She tilted her head. "I understand humans have taken to raising animals for consumption. Cows, pigs, chickens and other kinds of poultry..."

"It's not a farm, it... it's a display! They have sentimental value..." Sier tried to explain.

"...Ohhhh. They're pets." Vanellope's eyes narrowed, before drifting aside. "...I knew a few other arachne that would take on human pets." 

"...is... is that a fact." Sier's face went pale. 

"Heh. Don't look so grim. I don't do pets." She smiled wryly. "I don't have time for pets. I got rather accustomed to living alone. When resources are scarce, it's difficult to provide for yourself, nevermind your children."

"...Are you planning to go vegan?" Sier wondered. "I-I know spiders are carnivorous, so..."

A realization crossed Sier's face, and he turned sharply to Vanellope with a pointed finger.

"No eating visitors either!" He gestured assertively. Vanellope looked at him with a befuddled look, before rolling her eyes.

"I already said I wasn't planning on... whatever. I already ate." She scoffed. "I'll go hunting at night. I'll be fine. It's my children that need to huddle up and stay warm..."

Her eyes drifted to the egg sac she carried with a somber expression. Sier turned to look as well. 

"Do they... have a father? It must be difficult raising them all alone." Sier commented. 

Vanellope didn't answer right away. She stared, biting her lip. Fidgeting, her chitinous fingers and knuckles clicked together. 

"...He's... not around anymore." She muttered. 

"...What?" Sier wondered what she meant by that. She opened her mouth, as if to elaborate...

BANG BANG BANG! 

Sier turned his head towards the front doors. Someone was causing a commotion, banging on the door! 

"I-I'm not expecting anyone, I..." Sier stammered, tensing up. "Vanellope, you need to hide, I'll go-"

Vanellope was already gone. Sier glanced up into the canopy that lingered above; between the darkness of the branches, a pair of eyes looked down at him, red and glowing in the darkness...

...Other, smaller eyes opened all around them. They resembled those of a spider. There was a distinct air of menace to them, the chittering of her legs clutching the branches above. She stayed perfectly still... watching.

"Just... just stay up there, I'll go-"

BANG BANG BANG!

"Siiiiiiiiiiiier! It's Jennie! Open up!" 

"Jennie!?" Sier exclaimed. That was his older sister! He shot one more look up into the canopy. Would Vanelope be safe? Would Jennie be safe? He'd have to try his best to keep the situation under wraps...

Sier took a deep breath, and ran for the door. He swung it open, forcing a smile.

"Jennie! So nice to see you!" Sier exclaimed. "What're you doing here?"

Jennie was a cute and spry young girl; it was nippy at this hour, so she wore her blue jacket down to the greenhouse. It seemed she was in a bit of a rush—the pair of pilot goggles she let rest above her eyes looked somewhat askew. She ran a hand through her light red hair, her wide mahogany eyes looking Sier over.

"Ah, good, you're here! Sier! What's with the customer service treatment?" Jennie cocked her head to the side. "Why're you still here? You know how late it is??"

"It's late? I mean, I..." He rubbed the back of his head. "I guess it is. I-I was almost done here, but... y-you really didn't need to come out and check up on me."

"Ahhh, y'know how Grandpa gets. He worries more than he lets on. He thought that you were in trouble or something." She tilted her head, a beleaguered smile crossing her lips. "It's just basic upkeep stuff, right? You should've been back hours ago..." 

"A-ah, well... something... something came up." Sier tried to come up with something more convincing, but his imagination failed him. Jennie responded with a mild grimace. 

"Something came up...?" Jennie frowned. Her eyes were studying him intently.

"L-Listen, I'm almost done, I just got one more thing left to do." Sier reassured Jennie, gesturing with his hands. "Can you wait here for me? I'll be five minutes, just five minutes."

"...Oooookaaaaaaaaaay." Jennie's eyebrowed furrowed. She eyed him suspiciously, folding her arms. "I'll be here."

"Thanks. Five minutes." Sier insisted, before zipping back into the greenhouse. 

Sier sprinted towards the center of the greenhouse, where the trees' canopies were thickest.

"Vanellope! Where are you??" Sier cupped his hands, hollering.

"Here." Her voice hissed. Sier cocked his head up, seeing her enormous body scuttling out of the darkness. Her legs clung to the tree as she folded her arms. She stood perpendicular to the length of the tree; the only indication that she wasn't in some kind of zero-gravity field was how her hair travelled in streams down below her. 

"Who was that, Mr. Fleurs? Should I be concerned...?" She wondered aloud.

"No, no, not at all, don't worry yourself." Sier gestured with his hands, trying to ease her worries. "Listen, I need to go. Can you take care of yourself for the night?"

"Take care of myself??" Vanelope scoffed, wearing a proud smirk. "I'm a strong, independent single mother. What do you take me for?"

"I-I wasn't doubting that, I just can't stay here!" Sier glanced towards the front door. 

"...You know it's unbecoming to leave a lady to her own devices, yes?" She muttered, an eyebrow perking up.

"I, I don't live here, is the thing. I'm out in the suburbs! I'll be back first thing in the morning to check up on you, and-"

"Oh my god, Sier, you horndog!~"

A teasing voice rapidly approached him from behind. Sier's face went completely pale. Vanelope was out in the open! His entire body jerked to face the newcomer.

"JENNIE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" Sier hissed. 

"I overheard you talking to a giiiiiiiirl!~" Jennie cooed. "Is this your dirty little secret you've been holding out on us?"

"IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT!" Sier blustered, flailing his arms. "Jennie, listen to me, you need to go-"

Sier kept an eye on the canopy above. He looked all over for Vanelope, but she had vanished again. 

"Jeez, Sier, what's with you?" Jennie frowned. "This is great! You're finally dating! I just wanted to meet the lucky gal, face-to-face."

"Be careful what you wish for..."

Jennie froze up, feeling an icy voice against the nape of her neck. Sier backed up a step; Vanelope had descended from above, a strand of strong silk stretching taut from her spinnerets, disappearing into the foliage above. 

"...eh?" Jennie turned to face her...

Vanelope pounced on Jennie, her arms wrapping around her. A blackened clawed palm pressed tightly against Jennie's mouth, muzzling her. With a single fluid motion, Vanelope ascended, pulling herself and the prospective victim upwards into the darkness afforded to her by the canopies. Sier watched them disappear so quickly, Jennie couldn't even scream. 

"VANELOPE! PUT HER DOWN!" Sier hollered, more frantically this time.

"She's seen too much, she can't be trusted!" Vanelope hissed. "Just let me take care of her!" The canopy rustled with movement.

"SHE'S MY SISTER, VANELOPE!" Sier cried out. "SHE'S FAMILY!"

The rustling stopped. 

"...Family?" Vanelope uttered, astonished. 

"YES! Can you just... just put her down? We need to explain this, carefully!" Sier urged her. 

There was a moment of silence. There was an unspoken tension in the air. Sier watched the branches carefully; soon, they rustled once more.

A writing white mass slowly descended from the tree tops, suspended by a thin line of silk. Sier squinted to make it out, before quickly realizing what had happened.

"Jennie!? I-It'll be fine, don't... don't shake so much!" Sier tried to offer well-meaning advice. He was astonished; in a matter of seconds, Vanelope had wrapped up Jennie, head to toe, in ropes of spider webbing. Her face was exposed, her hair matted back in the webbing... and her mouth was covered in the stuff, preventing her from crying out for help. 

"MMPH! MMMMMMMPH!" Jennie only struggled more to escape, despite Sier's objections.

"If you are protecting my family... I suppose it is my duty to protect yours." Vanessa sighed, descending from the tree upon another thread. 

Sier breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you..."

"...Even if you two look nothing alike." The inverted spider lady rolled her eyes. "Seriously. How was I supposed to surmise that?"

Sier paused. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"I... I guess you have a point there..." He grimaced. 

Jennie shot him an incredulous look that radiated outrage. Their eyes met. Sier's eyes drifted to the side. He had a lot of explaining to do...

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