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FEFERI: Sea, t)(e problem is t)(at w)(en t)(e subject of troll reproduction is broac)(ed, our overly obsessive troll fintellects finstantly assume t)(e most fingratiating posture of admiration imagfinable.

FEFERI: W)(ic)( makes it )(ard! )(ard to give it proper academic focus I mean, because of )(ow great it is.

FEFERI: But we will do our best to understand regardless.

FEFERI: )(umans only )(ave two reproductive fis)(tems. W)(ile you've grown past gendering it, t)(ey are fishtinct and different t)(ings!

FEFERI: And t)(oug)( we consider t)(at a clamplicated subject, spanning a wide range of emotions, s)(oalcial finventions, and implications, it is ultimately... pretty identical to )(ow trolls reefproduce, on all accounts.

FEFERI: Troll reproduction fishtems are a w)(ale-kept seacret. Jade blood unions would keep t)(ose details )(idden from t)(e laytroll to protect t)(ese caverns, but t)(ere's no one around to keep t)(at seacret anemonemore, and w)(ale, it was all written down anyway!

FEFERI: Troll reefproduction is actually *less* complicated t)(an )(uman reproduction!

FEFERI: T)(ink aboat it, w)(o wants to keep a captain's log of every )(uman of reproductive age, )(ow t)(ey reproduce, w)(o t)(ey can reefproduce wit)(, w)(o t)(ey s)(oaldn't reefproduce wit)(, and all that flotsam and jetsam, w)(en you could only keep track of matriorbs!

FEFERI: In many ways, trolls are considered to )(ave two sexes as w)(ale.

FEFERI: It's actually similar to Sollux's interest of c)(oice, bees! 38)

FEFERI: W)(ile you humans understood bees as eit)(er "male" or "female" using your own limited fis)(ion of gender, it's per)(aps moar )(elpful to understand t)(eir societal rolls.

FEFERI: T)(ere are not two, but t)(ree kinds of bees - t)(e drones, t)(e workers, and t)(e queen )(erself.

FEFERI: It's t)(e same wit)( trolls - t)(ere are t)(e workers, like me and Kanaya )(ere, and t)(e matriorb itself.

FEFERI: That's right!

FEFERI: I mean, it could, if you're stupid. 38D

FEFERI: It's just like )(uman gender, silly.

FEFERI: If you'll notice, I mentioned trolls )(ave only two sexes, and I called t)(em t)(e worker and matriorb, boat...

FEFERI: T)(is is w)(ere I reely got caug)(t up, and I reelized I )(ad to fis)( up everyfin I could on t)(e matter: t)(e books I could scrounge up call t)(e matriorb "t)(e parasite".

FEFERI: Mot)(er grubs don't actually come up t)(at muc)(, finnily enoug)(!

FEFERI: Any living species could serve as a )(ost for a matriorb.

FEFERI: It seams like t)(e species of grubs c)(osen was primarily because t)(ey take best to a matriorb's clamversion process, in terms of producing trolls.

FEFERI: Once t)(is process starts, a matriorb builds its reef.

FEFERI: It overtakes its nervous fishtem and finduces a form of w)(at we call "brainrot", w)(ere it will only t)(ink about making new trolls!

FEFERI: Most sources say t)(ese trolls are born in batc)(es of around twelve, but after just a few batc)(es, t)(at can be )(UNDR--EDS of trolls.