The Adventures of the Abelins
Meeting the Gang
"Do you have a name?" She spoke in a calm voice as you sat on the strange pelt that she referred to as a "rug". She led you to one of the large metallic trees that people lived in, but they were hollowed out and bigger than most trees you've dwelled in. She called this big trees "hives". The words flooded your mind and made you smile. To hear one of your own kind was enough for your amusement, even though you could barely understand or speak the words. When she tried to tell you about hives, you could barely form the word. The way she moved her tongue to produce those sounds made you confused, so it was simply easier to nod or shake your head.
"NA-ME, do you have one?" She again spoke the word name but it meant nothing to you. She seemed confused by that aspect alone, so you simply nodded again, hoping that was the right answer. Your response gave a smile to her lips as she waited for another response. What else were you supposed to say?...Or nod in your case. You nodded again, to which her head tilted in confusion. "Do you know what your name is?" Your thoughts traveled again to the word name. It seemed that a name was something of a title but you do not have a title. "Ok, let's try this. My name is Aradia, your name is?..."
Aradia was her name; you took that in at least. She was the first of your kin to meet you, besides the two brutes that had been harassing her. You learned quickly enough that she was specifically like you, considering her horns, shape, and sound of voice. Hers was soft and spoke words whilst yours was deeper but you never spoken words, only growls and whines. She took you into her hive, sat you down, called a "friend", whatever that meant, and began to question you. You just nodded most of the time, not knowing the words, but you soon grasped the concept of the word name.
A long time ago, you remember a man speaking to you and called you two strange words. "Derzet Abelin" he said, and today you still don't know what it means...Until now at least. Is that your name? It sounds like a title, but you can't quite take your mouth to form it. You try to remember what the man had said and used your own lips to say it. This is your first test in your new world and you have to pass it. Come on, you can do it. Derzet Abelin, Derzet Abelin, Derzet Abelin!
"D-D-Dessert Apeland."
That's good enough you suppose.
Aradia seemed to giggle at your attempt for pronouncing your name. Obviously, it didn't work to the full extent but got the idea across. "Well, Dessert, my friend Feferi is gonna be over here soon to help me get you in...Appropriate attire. Don't move, I gotta get the bath ready." Of course you didn't exactly register what she as saying, but the word "bath" stuck to your mind. It almost sounded fun, you wondered excitedly about what this bath might be and waited for the return of Aradia and her friend Feferi.
You were fucking wrong, oh god there's water everywhere. The scrub hurts like a motherfucker Jesus Christ get that soap away! No, not the shampoo, no, no, no, NNNOOOOOO!
You were now sat upon the rug once more, however you are now wetter than before as well. Your kin had deceived you and forced you into that god awful tub, but now you appeared to be cleaner, and you did feel better about it in all honesty. The girl Feferi was now drying you off with a warm towel, which at first you growled at but now you accepted the fate of being dry. It was better than going back into the water. Oh, the horrors in that room, the horrors!
Feferi was different from Aradia and yourself. Whilst she had horns and gray skin, you had strange fins on her along with gills similar to that of fish. She was coherent though, speaking the same language as your other friend. They babbled to one another in that tone while you sat on the rub with your lusus wrapped around you and the towel you wore. They mentioned setting you up in clothes and possibly calling another over, Kanaya. Aradia waved the idea away, saying that the FLARPing crew was coming and she didn't want Vriska and Kanaya alone together. So many words that you don't understand, yet they still made you smile. A smile of ignorance, albeit, but still a smile.
Soon enough more people came into Aradia's hive, two boys this time and one had fins similar to Feferi's. Two girls more as well, one with glasses bright red and the other with an eye of 7 pupils. They all went to Aradia immediately, not noticing your own presence. Once they had though, a small gasp went through the room while some others of the group laughed at you. Whether it was the fact you were just here or that you were naked, you couldn't tell. What you could tell was Aradia coming to your side to defend you. The boy with the horns of a bull said hi and introduced himself as Tavros. The boy with fins asked if you were target practice for today's game. The girl with red glasses wondered what your blood would taste like and guessed akin to that of a blueberry. The girl with 8 pupils smiled and wondered if you were a gift for her lusus to eat. You, in all honesty, were a bit frightened and kept yourself near Araida for safe keeping.
"Guys, stop. He's my friend. He saved me from some others and his name is Dessert." The others laughed at her, commenting on how she couldn't even defend herself from two weaklings. They laughed at her for bringing a filthy troll to their game day. And finally, they laughed at you, at how stupid you were and how you might as well be thrown right back outside.
"Look, the land-dwweller has a little dog too."
"You should have just left him."
"He's got a dumb name even, Dessert."
"What kind of name is Dessert?"
"Oh what, is he gonna cry now?" You do know why, but water streamed down your face as if you were hurt. But you weren't hurt; you just sat there as they made fun of you. You didn't know what to do other than take it while Aradia pleaded with them to stop. The boy named Tavros and Feferi tried as well, but still the others laughed and laughed and laughed.
"Dessert the blue blood!" That's not your name.
"Dessert the stupid!" That's not your name…
"Dessert..." That's not your name!
"STOP!" Your scream made the whole room quiet and even made Aradia look down at you in shock. Your lusus was up and ready to pounce at nothing as you yourself rose. It took a moment, but soon you were up on your feet completely, standing though slouched. You looked over at Aradia and wiped the tears away, looking at the others. "N-Name...D-D-Derz-zet Abel-l-lin...Derzet Abel-lin...Derzet Abelin." The others looked at you, some scared, some smiling, and with Aradia giving the biggest smile of all and a pat on the back.
Your name is Derzet Abelin, and you don't know why that name brings such a big smile to your lips.