ORIGIN

Its love, its hopes, its dreams were dissolving before its many eyes. Walls of pure ink lost all integrity, collapsing into so much Oil. The viscous fluid pooled around Karambit's mangled upper body, a rising tide which threatened to swallow it whole. Already the sickening substance forced its way past mandibles, causing the insect monster to choke upon the cloying taste of rot. Air was banished by its slick touch as it oozed over face and thorax alike.

Try as they might to move, limbs could not propel themselves against the growing muck; normally full of buzzing vim and vigor, Karambit could muster no more to push its way toward freedom. All disappeared at the sight of this masterpiece falling apart, glorious imperfection becoming utterly shapeless. Infatuation, deep affection—it mattered not what the emotion had truly been. Without its source, why bother fighting against the flood? Why continue on and burden one's malformed soul with the failure to help a dearest friend?

Dim as its wits were, imagination was sharp: days would be emptier, more bloodless than before. Forever it would wander in search of a passion akin to these encounters, only for each venture to be discovered lacking. And Creo, beloved sibling, would level an empty stare at it as always, silent and judgmental of how little good had been accomplished in this single crucial moment. Ultimately useless to all it cherished.

What was this bitter sensation, so different from sweet pain? It preferred not to know. Better to let sleep come and purge it from the brain.

Ruby gleamed in the blackness—first a blanket to cover its shivering form, then a cocoon to fend the guilt away.

Just as when it'd been born, Karambit's reawakening would be announced by an orchestra of disharmony. Cracks developed in the black-streaked surface of the Ruby nestled amongst pieces of jawbone. They rubbed against each other, squeaking, as the monster contained within stirred. Squeaks grew to ear-piercing squeals, whines, as the stone shook in place. Familiar buzzing forewarned what came next—developing shards shivered and exploded apart. Oblivious destruction had been released once more into the caves, but this was where the similarities ended.

Though freshly healed, pulverized thorax knitted back together and legs broken no longer, what greeted the outside world was weak and lethargic compared to the creature of before. Karambit stood on quivering limbs. It made noise, yet was quieter than usual. In fact, one might hazard to say it was contemplative as it twisted this way and that to take in the graveyard and garden formed during its restorative slumber.

Antennae twitched, vertebrae clattering at the slightest movement. When it spoke, its voice was muted, the normal screech reduced to a hushed rasp.

"Frrr...iend?" Mandibles clacked together, and the tentacles at its tail tip reached out and caressed bone. The structure recognizable even when robbed of flesh and brushed in dried Oil, an emptiness pooled inside the meat insect. An overwhelming sense of events repeating kept any seed of hope from sprouting, the sight reminiscent of another loved one. It tried again to pry out a response despite suspicions of where the attempt would lead.

"Frrrriennd?" it repeated. "Krrrrrm... it's me. Rrrrrememberrrr?"

Blatant refusal. Neither a snarl nor a bite answered its prodding. And dread once more nagged at Karambit as history ran in a loop.

True to form, mind reached out to a nonexistent one, seeking that which could not be reproduced. The succumbing of another to cold, eternal silence was confirmed as no sign of emotion reached back. It sagged in place, lanky form coiling in upon itself. Limbs hugged against squelching meat, a singular comfort in Leo's jungle.

Beauty could not be observed in the dark flowers affection had spawned. It could only wail into the day, the weather ever sweltering and indifferent to its loss.