i knew you were tribble when you walked in

[69problems]

Who| The Signless and Kankri; The Signless and ANYONE WHO WANTS A TRIBBLE.
What| Signless and his past life are sad together and Signless realizes if everyone had a small soft friend to comfort them things might be marginally less terrible.
Where| D5, D12
When| The thread with Kankri is backdated a little, the tribble giveaway is happening now.
WARNINGS| Nothing; will change if anything comes up.

[For Kankri]

If he's taking Karkat's disappearance hard then he knows Kankri must be too. Whatever their relationship was or was not, Kankri and Karkat were close. With that in mind the Signless makes his way down to District 5, his tribble Friend tucked under his arm. He's had his time to grieve and now he's more than ready to take care of someone else while they grieve -- and even if Kankri isn't as distraught as he thinks he might be, visiting his past self is something he feels he should do more of.

With all that in mind he knocks softly on Kankri's door.

"Kankri? Are you there?"

[For Everyone Who Wants A Tribble]

Within the next few days signs pop up all over the tribute center in all the common areas and inside the elevator. They're all a little different from each other, as though whoever made them either couldn't find a copier or didn't know copiers were a thing. They all look basically the same, though:



The Signless is now in possession of a lot more tribbles than he was just a few days ago. Between Friend, Sekhmet and Tribble Will Smith all having healthy appetites he now has a healthy stock that range from bright white to deep black (and a good deal of colors in between) in plain or stripes or spots. He's gathered them all in the District 12 common room where they cover the couches and chairs and spill onto the floor. The combined cooing isn't so much a gentle murmur of sound as it is a dull roar.

He's set up another hand-written sign by the couch that says TRIBBLES HERE and there is a small stack of cards on the table that he made by tearing up larger pieces of paper. They're each labeled with Tribble Care Instructions and the only thing written on them is DO NOT FEED underlined several times.

It just seems to him that having a small, soft thing to hold when he feels particularly horrible always helps. Logically it follows that it might help other people too, and since tribbles are so easy to multiply there's no reason not to offer. He sits back amongst his herd of puffballs and waits (and desperately hopes someone shows up, because being stuck with this many tribbles is not something he exactly wants).

Comments

[dingadong]

The man that stride in the door seems to be in his early twenties, with pale blonde hair styled in an elaborate pompadour. "Hello!" he calls. "I saw the notice about the 'tribbles' and I was intrigued, as indeed anyone should be when free goods are being proffered. Are you the breed--"

He stares at Signless.

"Are you the breeder?" he finishes after a moment's gawking.

[69problems]

After over a year in Panem the Signless is now adept at being able to tell who's new simply by their reaction to seeing a troll. Staring usually means they very recently arrived, since trolls are common enough that it's hard to go any length of time without seeing one.

And, well, technically the answer is no, he got his tribbles from Pasha Checkov back when she was still around and available, but he did breed these ones and with her no longer in the picture it's probably easier to just say:

"Yes, more or less. My name is Signless, and I don't believe I've seen you before?"

[dingadong]

It takes a few more seconds for Ringabel to stop his gaping and make a sprightly little bow to Signless.

"They call me Ringabel," he replies, "and I have not been long in this city, which is probably why we have not come across each other before, as I think I would have remembered someone as... individual as yourself. Your animals are very fluffy."

[worldsaway]

The posters had not gone unnoticed to Thor, though he hadn't come to D12 with the intention of taking claim of one. He was here to find Stark, but instead he happens upon the common rooms abuzz with happy creatures. He really ought to keep moving, but the urge to inspect them is a little too intense to resist.

He sticks a foot out to nudge one, relenting finally to bend over and take it into his hand. When he stands, he'll turn to lay his eyes on Signless and feels almost as if he's been caught in the act. He stoops his head into a small bow of acknowledgment, but he seems to have no intention of releasing it.

"Good day." He greets, like he didn't just walk in and pick up a small, vibrating ball of fur. "This is quite the collection you've amassed, my friend."

[69problems]

"I wanted to be sure there was enough for everyone," he says, as though he could possibly run out when he has at least twice as many tribbles as there are tributes. Best to plan ahead in case people want more than one, right?

[rediscover]

Anna of Arendelle, certified Disney Princess and lover of things small and soft, has never actually heard of a tribble. But from the posters she's been seeing all over the Capitol, they sound sort of nice--whatever they are. So on a free day, she finds herself taking the elevator all the way to the top floor of the Tribute Center, traipsing into the commons with a curious look on her face. She feels awkward being in here, and it shows, but only until the moment she sees the pile of tribbles, and then her eyes light up, and she rushes forward to kneel down next to the pile, cooing softly.

"Oh, my goodness." She's already piled two of them into her arms before she glances up at Signless. "They don't have these where I'm from." She nuzzles her cheek into a spotted one. "Did you make them?"

[69problems]

See, this is exactly the sort of reaction he was hoping they'd get. What good are small soft round things if they don't make people light up with joy?

"Not the original ones -- those were given to me by a native friend -- but these are all ones I bred recently, yes. I've enjoyed having mine so much that I thought others might like to have one or two as well."

[For Bucky and Signless]

[tasermaiden]

Darcy saw the sign in the elevator on the way down to try to train (or, more accurately, watch other people train and listen to music while realizing how totally outmatched she is in the Arena). And the idea of having her own pet Tribble is actually super cute. It's while she watches Bucky train that something hits her: yeah, having her own pet Tribble would be great, but Bucky having one to try to lessen his crazy high intensity could be even better.

She would interrupt him, but that seems like a terrible idea based on past experience. Instead she waits until he's done and follows him to the elevator, blocking him when he tries to press the button to his floor. "Nuh-uh, we're going on a little field trip."

[tookthewheel]

He knew she was there behind him of course but Darcy didn't speak up so neither did he. Bucky saw no harm in her following behind him, thinking it just likely just coincidence she chose to use the elevator at the same time as him.

It seems he was wrong on that one.

"Field trip?" he knows the term. "Where?" No immediate refusal, that's probably a good sign.

[wizardplease]

It was the hand written sign that had caught his attention. In a place like this, where everything was perfect and polished and impossibly over-designed, something hand drawn and stuck to the wall with tape stuck out. And once he was looking at it he was reading it and wondering just what the heck a 'tribble' was.

It would gnaw at him if he didn't actually go and look. So up to the District 12 suites he goes. "Aah, is this where...." And he can't even finish the question, for the giant fuzzy pile of cooing creatures in the middle of the common room answers it nicely. "Oh."

He should probably turn around and leave, having satisfied his curiosity, but he isn't quite done staring in surprise yet.

[69problems]

"It is, yes. I assume you've never seen one before? Most people haven't." Especially not when 'one' means 'one in a gigantic cooing pile'.

"You could take a closer look if you wanted. They're very docile and enjoy being handled."

[privilegecheck]

Kankri tries to put up a good face in public. He doesn't want to give these people the satisfaction of his misery, especially when he knows that's exactly what they're after, taking Karkat and Kurloz away like this. Karkat's loss bites more, and so he tries to stay as quiet on the subject as possible.

But when he opens the door to see Signless, he knows what it's about. (They never even had the chance to tell him they'd worked it out, he doesn't even know, does he?)

"Come on in," he says softly, stepping aside. "I'm sorry I didn't come see you sooner."

[69problems]

"Don't be. Looking after yourself comes before looking after me." He ignores the joke there, what with the two of them being technically the same person. Instead he steps inside and sits on the edge of the bed, placing his tribble next to him. It chirrs softly.

"Are you-- how have you been holding up?"

[letthemburn]

Iskierka's got absolutely no idea what a tribble is. She can tell what the design on the sign is, but it looks like absolutely nothing hat she's familiar with. It's curiosity that does the rest of the work in getting her to the District 12 suites. Well, that and the fact that they're something that she won't have to offer anything for in return, unless she's horribly misjudged the definition of the word 'free'.

(She doesn't think she has, but she's not about to rule out the possibility.)

So it is that in time she does show up, unconcerned about the fact that most people would likely consider a dragon to not be the best person to care for any pet, even one as low maintenance as a tribble.

"This is the place in the signs, yes?"

[69problems]

For the first time in a long time it's the Signless's turn to look visibly taken aback by the appearance of someone else. Not that he isn't aware of Iskierka; she's been around quite long enough that he's seen her on playbacks and there's even a blur shaped a little bit like her in his jumble of memories from the tail end of the fog arena. Still, it's very different to be seeing her up close and in his right mind.

"I believe so, unless there are other signs I haven't seen. Were you thinking of adopting a tribble?" If more trolloid species could benefit from them, why not dragons?

[fight_like_a_girl]

Steph has seen the signs around the building and prominently displayed in the elevator, and she has to admit she's curious. The posters are illustrated balls of puff that don't resemble any sort of animal she's ever seen, but with them very clearly stating not to feed them, she assumes they are indeed living creatures. Maybe? It still seems kind of weird.

Which is why she's coming up to find out.

She definitely hears them before she sees them and doesn't connect the sound with the tribbles until she walks into a literal pile of them. Man, that is a lot of small fuzzy things.

"Woah." She's doing her best not to step on any of them as she comes in to the common room but it's an obstacle course. "There sure are a lot of them."

[69problems]

"I wanted to be sure there would be enough," says the person who is most likely looking after the sea of puffballs, since he seems to be right in the thick of it.

"And I admit I didn't realize exactly how big their litters were." The Signless just knew that to get more you fed them. He didn't realize they reproduced like a Mother Grub on steroids. "But I suppose that just means people can take home more than one if they want, so it works out."

[sizeofyourbaggage]

All right, Sam's curious. He'd spotted the sign, and while he's not entirely sure he wants one of his own, free or not, he mostly just wants to know how the heck someone even has Tribbles to be giving out.

So he heads up to the District 12 suite, eyebrow raising a litte at just how many of the fluffy things there are in there.

"Where'd you even get all of these?"

[69problems]

He looks a little sheepish, as anyone should who's about to say what he's about to say.

"I, ah. Fed them. On purpose, to be sure I would have enough to give out, but this is why you shouldn't if you're thinking of keeping one."

[a_minute_younger]

Gary has no idea what tribbles are, but aside from a natural curiosity to find out what, he has never been one to pass up free things. Free pets are all the better. Gary privately hopes that he'll be able to take one home with him, once the Capitol decides to let him go back after the Arenas end--and if they bring his friends and family here, instead, they'll have a fuzzy friend to keep them company! Surely there's no way this can go wrong.

The teen wanders his way to the District 12 common room, peeks in from the entry. His eyes light up instantly. Signless is ignored for the moment as Gary stumbles in, silently shuffling his way into the writhing, rumbling mass coating the floor. Let him die here.

[69problems]

By this point Signless is used to being ignored in favor of people attempting to fully submerge themselves in tribbles; Gary certainly isn't the first and he probably won't be the last today.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asks over the chorus of trills and coos.

Comin room

[knifewithnoname]

Pruna has seen tribbles before, the pathetic cooing creatures. But never has she seen so many of them in one place.

The moment she walked in Duck began squawking, adding to the noise of cooing and she frowned, tapping his beak to tell him to be quiet.

She isn't all that surprised to see Signless in the middle of it all. "How did you be finding so many?"

[69problems]

"I made them," he explains. "In case anyone else wanted one, since Pasha is no longer selling them."

Pruna's been back for a little while but it's still always good to see her. She was one of the very first people he met all the way back in the sixth arena and she was one of the constants in Twelve for a good long while, he's just used to having her around at this point.

"It doesn't look like your quackbeast likes them."

slides in late

[plushaeusrumpified]

Bro's curiosity is officially piqued. It's not often you see advertisements for a little ball of fluff that just happens to be alive- but not only that, it doesn't need to be fed? How can somebody not be curious about that? Especially somebody like Bro, who had many a pet "run away" to "find food" during his childhood. It also helps that Dave got a bird recently, so he feels inclined to get something of his own because he's competitive like that.

So he follows the signs, growing increasingly amused as he reaches his destination. His mind is going pretty wild with the reasons they shouldn't be fed- the warnings seem quite obvious. Do they turn murderous? Will they attack their feeder? Will they aggressively shove themselves up your nose like demonic cotton balls? We just don't know.

When he gets there and actually sees them, he doesn't even hesitate before speaking. "I'll take ten." Because they're fucking precious, okay. He's also extremely curious as to what they even are because they're unlike anything he's ever seen before. He casts a glance from the tribbles to their owner, before raising an eyebrow. "Well you're a big one."

And he means that in the sense that Signless is the first adult troll he's met so far. Definitely not in the tall sense, however.

never 2 late

[69problems]

No one could ever mistake the Signless for tall-- except perhaps a hobbit, but he hasn't met any of those yet. It doesn't help that to give him the illusion of having more shape than your average cardboard box his stylist has been depending on loose, flowy, overlarge shirts that give him the impression of being even smaller than he is. So, naturally he's a little confused by the comment, until it catches up to him what the comment before it was.

"Ten?" He doesn't seem surprised; in fact, he's excited. Ten is ten less tribbles he's going to wind up having to sort of gently shove into the corner of his room because there's nowhere else to put them. "Really?"