Chapter Text
It had been months since a certain young pit viper’s inconveniently-misplaced fang grew back where it belonged, and yet it did nothing to stop his mother from insisting on double doses of reptile calcium in his cricket juice before he left early that morning.
“You’ve still got plenty of room to grow, Gary,” said his mother, light blue serpentine body curled up in a way so that she could brush the top of her son’s head with the tip of her tail. “I know you’ve always been the healthiest among your siblings and cousins, but we still need to keep an eye on your shedding progress for a few more months.” She straightened out his black sleeveless sweatshirt and dusted it off as best as she could, then placed a folded red scarf in his pack. “Before you go, just know that… you don’t have to forgive him if you don’t feel like you truly want to.”
Gary briefly curled his neck around his mother in a hug. “I’ll be fine, mom,” he assured her with his usual optimistic smile, “I promise.”
It was bright outside in Reptile Ravine, with the humidity levels made just right by the addition of trees and other vegetation that were better suited for the current climate, whose dense layers of leaves dappled the sunlight. In the front yards of some houses whose roofs were being patched up, he noticed that some of the winter solstice decorations from long ago had been removed to make way for new ones. On other lawns, rows of snakefolk in strawhats and sunglasses were basking under the sun in their specially-made curved lounging chairs, which had evidently withstood the test of time. This reminded him; he needed to set aside some time to bask with his family more often when the sun was out. When Gary waved, many of his neighbours waved back with their tails or tipped their hats as he passed by.
Gary had not ventured far out of the neighbourhood when a wooden car that wobbled on its wheels whooshed right by the cobblestones. The door flew open with a kick, and Gary started upwards as he quickly covered his eyes with his tail to protect them from the barrage of wood chips that rained down on him.
“Rise and shineeeeeeee!” Nibbles Maplestick hollered boisterously. She patted at the seat next to her, wood dust and splinters flying everywhere. “Sorry for the mess by the way. Come on in when you’re ready!”
Gary breathed out a sigh of relief as he quickly shook off the dust. After the episode consisting of him and Nick and Judy together on Nibbles’ channel went viral around the time Reptile Ravine was reopened, he’d promised Nibbles that he’d join her on another one by himself. This would be positively nerve-wracking for anyone who’d never done anything like this before, and truth be told, as little pressure was placed on him by his family and the rest of reptilekind on his nonexistent shoulders, Gary was no exception. But a promise was a promise. Tentatively, he slid onto the floor of the car first, before hauling himself into the seat. “I’m ready whenever you are,” said Gary cheerfully, though he winced when a splinter or two pricked him in the scales.
“Then we’re all set and ready to rumble!” With a push of the handbrake, the car puffed along as Gary tried his best to make himself comfortable. Surely it would be rude to start ejecting the contents of his stomach over a short ride to Marsh Market…