ORIGIN

Bacchus was by the garden, but not quite at it. He was near where he had planted the first chrysalis of Red Pearl, made with Anubis's magic. He would have to space these new ones, so they would not consume each other.

First was a stone he had received from Anubis. Not the stone from Anubis himself's gem, just a side-effect of one of Anubis's many experiments. It was from some sort of greater gembound. He was curious to see if this one would take.

Curious if this aquamarine was destined to be one of his children.

Yet it shattered. It seemed this one was not to be.

He moved on, dismissing the shattered stone. It was not meant to be, so it was not. Next, however, was the stone Luna, the curious moth, had given him.

This one had taken some subtle convincing to acquire once he had provoked the moth's curiosity, but he had high hopes for its success.

It was a jagged piece of turquoise. Really, it was rather stunning, as had been the creature that Luna described.

The magic was strong in the stone, even if his own magic was weakly attached to it. It began to live. He placed it an appropriate distance from the red pearl chrysalis.

The last stone he had with him today was one he had simply discovered by luck, but he had high hopes for it, despite its unknown origins. He focused his magic upon the Tiger's Eye.

His magic was as weak as before, but the stone was strong. It took to life, blossoming like the sprouts he tended.

It seemed he had chosen well with this one. He double-checked the spacing for the chrysalises, then left them to grow, a pleased purr rumbling from his chest.

How could he not be pleased, with two more children on the way?

[Exit]