ORIGIN

Fungus had started growing around the fire opal chrysalis during the half-cycle it had sat there, but it would quickly find its surface disrupted by a violent shiver and a sudden shattering as a head, crowned with a horn and antler, bust out of the top. "Huh?" came a woozy bleat, confused and disoriented as September blinked sleep away and took stock of the situation. Gemini, white, debris, some burned shit nearby...hm....

Oh. Right!! It was coming back to him a moment later, like he'd just woken up from a lucid dream. They were burning fungus! Him and some...cat. Right! He hadn't even asked her name before he'd dove to save her from the collapsing ceiling. Huh. Wonder why that happened. But it didn't really matter now, did it? It had happened, he'd saved her, and he'd paid for it in time. He looked down at the chrysalis he was still half-within. And that's when he saw the mane.

Jaw dropped, his heart jolted in his chest. He was suddenly scrambling to free himself all the way, because what was that? There was more cracking and crashing and finally, he was freed, turning around and over himself over and over. He was...he was so different! Brilliant red mane and other wisps of fur, sparkling under the light, scales that gleamed gold, a longer tail, whiskers, a lither form...

He suddenly remembered what cave he was in and scrambled to look himself in the mirror. Oh. Oh. He was.... "Beautiful!!" he threw his head back and crowed to the ceiling. "Oh hohoho, I am gorgeous! Wow!" He had never felt so giddy and joyous in his life! The deer preened in front of the mirror, observing himself from different angles, toying a bit with his tail, moving his head around to observe the thick lion-like mane, et cetera, et cetera.

This heroics thing had really turned out magnificently!

For a little while longer, September continued to appreciate the new form, the sparkles and scales and even the long whiskers! Beautiful! But then movement in the mirror caught his eye and he turned, blinking at where a wisp had suddenly popped into existence. Was there somebody here? He hadn't seen anyone...

But then he spotted gren among the blues purples and whites and realized what he was looking at. First reaction - mild irritation. What, was Tectus going to hound on him to get back to work in Eridanus? The fires had died down already - not his fault that they hadn't removed all the fungus in one go! Second reaction - curiosity. Was the Overseer checking on him? Making sure he was alright? Sweet of her. Or maybe the moth was here on her own.

The click of its hooves echoed as it stepped forward to get closer. "You, you're uh, Tectus's pet moth right? Glad to see the fires didn't roast you. To be honest, I was a little worried they would." It wasn't said with any tact, but it also said without any venom or weight to his tone. His head tilted curiously. "Were you waiting for me?"