shiishii's discoveries: the sequel

lonesome flats

(for future reference, lithium is 15, rubid is 18)

Rubid and Lith were waiting in the clinic's waiting room for a doctor to arrive. They barely chatted, since they didn't know each other, and Lithium was younger than her, by about three years. Rubid took a closer look at Lithium; he was a light grey Dubstep with pastel orange hair in a low ponytail with baby blue eyes. He had bite marks all over his arms, including scratches and bruises there and everywhere. There were a few deep cuts, one of which on his cheek, and the blood coming from it had mixed with his tears so the blood was smudged all over one side of his face. A nurse was kind enough to give him a blanket and a cookie because he was shaking and didn't make any eye contact. He had only nibbled at the cookie. Rubid suddenly felt responsible; Lith was a child, and she was an adult, and both of them have experienced trauma in some way.

"Lithium," said Rubid softly.

He slowly turned his head to look at Rubid.

"Well done," she said. "You escaped and told us about home, and now everyone knows to stay here where it's safe."

"But what if i couldn't escape?" Lith said quietly. "What if i-"

"Lith," said Rubid, putting her hand on his shoulder. He flinched from the sudden contact.

Dr Moonbloom emerged from her room (i don't watch TTBGO so bare with me i only know what she looks like yet i headcannon her as a country troll 😰) and stared directly at Rubid and Lith. Lith, intimidated, curled into a ball and hid his face.

"Rubidium and Lithium?" she asked.

"Yes, that's us," said Rubid, nodding.

Once Lithium was on Moonbloom's examining table, she got straight to work. While bandaging Lith's left arm, she declares that he has to stay overnight because he needs to be under close observation. Lith didn't go against it, but he didn't say or do anything after that, even when Moonbloom gave him a lolly for him to eat while she talked to Rubid. He just stared at it tiredly.

"He will heal, none of the cuts and bruises are bad..." she began.

"But..." Rubid prompted her.

"He's been traumatised, it'll take possibly years for him to get remotely back to normal."

"Yeah," said Rubid, spinning around to show Moonbloom the scar down her back. "I know."

Moonbloom went silent. After coming to her senses, she asked,

"Does he have any family here?"

Lith shook his head, then his eyes started to fill with tears.

"Hey, hey, hey!" said Rubid. "Don't cry. You have a friend here remember? Sol?"

"I just miss them," croaked Lith. "My parents."
Then tears poured out of his eyes.

"They were the trolls who attacked me," he said.

"How did you not get hit by the bomb?" asked Rubid.

"Men's room," replied Lith blankly, with a slight blush.
Rubid decided not to prompt him anymore, he deserved a rest.

Leaving the clinic, there was a different atmosphere in the air now; everyone was so on edge and scared, and the Techno and Dubstep trolls that came from their original homes were upset that they couldn't go back home, especially after that attack on Lithium.
Rubid spotted her little group, and she could tell that Lithium's attack had taken a massive toll on them: Trollex was looking at the floor with his arms crossed, Amdrix looked scared, Synth was fidgeting with his hands and Venice was trying to comfort her sons, but they weren't taking any notice. Rubid went in front of Trollex and said, "You're making that face, your thinking face."