ORIGIN - Baby Steps

Gabriel had pulled slightly ahead of Thomas and was paddingdown the tunnel. Surprisingly, the tunnel here was better lit than Orion had been, glowing mosses lighting the narrow path ahead. The sweet scent that this tunnel held was almost overpowering whenever it lifted its muzzle to sniff the air. After a few moments, Gabriel came to a halt and turned back, ears perking as it once again looked back to make sure it was still being followed.

"This tunnel is narrow. Are you quite sure you can fit?" Gabriel asked, turning around fully and settling back on its haunches. It was quite sure they could, of course; but jokes were a good way of getting into Gembounds' good books, weren't they? It was beginning to learn the ways of the emotional Gembounds of the caves, although its 'joke' voice held no indication of anything different. As a result, it would be hard to tell if Gabriel meant it or not.

"Bright here, isn't it? At least when compared to Orion."

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts looks like this."

tags: @Thomas
notes: here

Thomas was instantly captivated. Not only by the new scenery, but the dim glowing moss that surrounded the bases of the walls and the floor. The smell overwhelmed him and caused his nose to feel ticklish and slightly sore. He twitches the end of his muzzle and flicked his small, oval shaped tail. Thomas stopped and moved as close as he could to the wall on his left. He bent his head down and began sniffing the moss. The softness of the plant tickled his nose, and so he shot his head back up. Gabriel's words reached him, and he shot his head back towards the pup whom was now sitting down.

"I can fit," Thomas replied with a stifled chuckle. He didn't pick up on the pups humour, but he did think the question was silly. "Of course I can!" he added with slight hints excitement. He moved back towards Gabriel in a few quick strides. "It's much prettier here. I can actually see." Thomas looked towards the mosses once again. "What color are they?" he asked with widened, curious eyes.

ooc; --
tagged; @Gabriel
talk
think

Gabriel raised itself back onto its feet as soon as the fawn caught up, quickly beginning to move again. Soon, it was trotting away down the tunnel, ears flicking to attention. It grinned as it heard their voice speaking back in response to its little joke, smiling back at them without explanation nor cue. It seemed it hadn't mastered it's skills in etiquette and mimicry just yet, so it decided that the logical thing to do would be to just go with it. "That's good to hear, for I haven't found another way to Polaris just yet," it said, trotting ahead before once again slowing to wait.

"Yes. Well, take this as foreshadowing for the room at this tunnel's end. it's far bigger, far brighter, with far more lights. It seems logical that you will be quite impressed." The pup curiously glanced back as they questioned it on the colour of the mosses. Did that mean that they were colourblind, or that they simply did not know the word? Perhaps being born in darkness could have more of an effect on one's growth than Gabriel had previously thought. How fascinating. "Green. The moss in this tunnel is green. Can you see it?"

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts looks like this."

tags: @Thomas
notes: here

Thomas
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Thomas continued to be mesmerized by the glowing moss and fungi that lined the walls. He was captivated by the sweet scent that flourished around them. I wonder how many paths lead to everything he thought. Thomas thought the world around him was beautiful and enchanting. Each and every step he took offered up a new smell, scent or feeling. The longer they traveled through the tunnel, the more he enjoyed the lights and bright colors.

Thomas turned to listen to Gabriel's words. He clicked his hoof down in excitement as he did a little skip. "Brighter and bigger?" he repeated gleefully. "I cannot wait to see Polaris! The more you share with me, the more I dream of what it will look like!" He dipped his head towards the ground and to his left as he passed a larger patch of glowing moss. He thought the plant to be absolutely beautiful, which thrilled him even more about Polaris. All the lights and colors; I think it will be amazing! he thought as he once again trotted with a skip in his step. The pups question of green drew Thomas to slight confusion. He pondered for a moment before reply with soft words. "I can see green," he said. "But I never knew green could be so bright. I thought that maybe it had another name for it's glow." Thomas looked back towards Gabriel and tilted his head slightly to the side. His small, round tail flicked once.

talk // think
tagged; @Gabriel
notes;

The pup's deep red eyes reflected the light back as a sheen of crimson, piercing and blood-coloured in the peaceful tunnel. "Yes. at the moment, it is the only place as well lit as it is. It was quite unfortunate that you emerged into this darkness." Gabriel seemed amused by their sheer excitement. "One day, perhaps all the caves will be as bright as Polaris. It was when I emerged alongside my brothers." Gabriel wasn't one for reminiscing, bit it really was quite fascinating just how much the absence of light affected the cave.

As the fawn skipped a few steps forward, the pup picked up its own pace, once more galloping forward. At this pace, the pup knew they would reach Polaris soon; this tunnel wasn't that long to begin with, and they weren't taking too much leisure with this journey. Gabriel was a purpose-driven being, after all. "Hmmm... interesting." it responded with some consideration. "I don't believe there is. Not that I know of... 'Glow', 'light'... words of that sense seem the most appropriate, but I don't believe that green light has its own term."

Gabriel was beginning to see the light growing stronger around them- casting more shadows and beams of more than just green. Gabriel knew that upon emerging they would be met by a new myraid. It would have to study Thomas' reaction closely upon emerging into the cavern. The tunnel was beginning to widen around them. "We are almost there."

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts looks like this."

tags: @Thomas
notes: here

Thomas
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Thomas thought of how the world might have been if he had emerged when there was still light. "I wish I had emerged in light. I think that it would have been nice to see the beauty of the caves." He kept a good pace with Gabriel and made sure he was following right behind. With every step he knew Polaris was growing closer, and it made it hard for the young elk to keep from running. "You have brothers?" Thomas asked. "I thought only one gembond could emerge from a chrysalis?" He scrunched his nose in confusion and his left ear twitched in response.

Thomas was somewhat disappointing that glowing colors didn't have their own unique words. "Maybe someday I will discover a unique word for every color that glows," he said cheerfully. He could tell that the tunnel was opening up and he became thrilled that they were almost in Polaris. "I cannot wait!" he said aloud. "The lights are going to be beautiful," Thomas added with a softer tone. It took a lot to hold back the excitement that ran through him. The journey wasn't long, but soon he would finally be at the place he always wanted to be. He was thankful Gabriel led him, and he was prepared to pay back the favor whenever asked.

talk // think
tagged; @Gabriel
notes;

"As gloomy as it might seem, I think that emerging in darkness is a good thing. When the lights return, it makes you appreciate it all the more," Gabriel reasoned. Would the glowing moss really have been this spectacular in the brightness? Would the thought of Polaris really be this exciting to them? Gabriel didn't know, but it would be fascinating to observe a child born in the light for comparison. "Brothers-in-arms..." It explained with a smile. "Our Chrysalises formed together, and together we emerged. Because of this, it seems logical that we be bound together somehow."

Gabriel knew that there were infinite possibilities for anything in this world, including language itself. The caves extended far beyond Gabriel's tiny library of knowledge. "Perhaps you will. Time will tell!" The pup spoke cheerfully, not seeming swayed by the fact that it was not very knowledgeable yet. That would come with time, research, and meetings with the more experienced of its kind. It picked up the pace in response to their excitement, tail wagging high over its back. The tunnel loomed around them, a blue glow engulfing them. The opening to Polaris loomed around them, with the cavern visible beyond.

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts looks like this."

tags: @Thomas
notes: Finish up in polaris?

Thomas thought hard about Gabriel's words. Perhaps it was right; maybe he would appreciate the light more once it returned. "You're right," he agreed. "Even though I am not fond of the darkness, I think once the light comes I will love it all even more." Thomas looked beyond where they were walking. His eyes had adjusted greatly since they first started their journey, but he could still see so little. But, in the distance, the young elk swore he could see a large mass of glow. He grew excited, but was soon grasped by the pups words. "Brothers-in-arms," he repeated as he scrunched up his nose in confusion. Thomas didn't quite understand the concept of gembounds emerging together, but he brushed off the thought and decided to leave it alone. He didn't feel the need to push into Gabriel's personal things.

Thomas almost missed the blue glow that engulfed the pair. It caught his attention, and he stopped in place. "Gabriel! he cheered. "This is it! I can see it!" The young elk's wide eyes finally relaxed and his tense body loosened up. I can see he thought. All the rocks and stones; the different plants. I can see them all! Thomas glanced down at the pup with a fast look. He was wasting no time. Picking up speed, the young elk began a fast trot towards the entrance to Polaris. And with one quick glance back at Gabriel to see if the pup was coming or not, he left the tunnel. He was now in Polaris; the place he was most excited to see.

-exit Thomas-

ooc; of course! (on mobile)
tagged; @Gabriel
talk
think

Gabriel nodded, pleased that its logic made sense. When creatures had different aims or views, 'logic' could vary between them. So if the fawn wanted to insist on being upset that the lights were off, then so be it. After all, Gabriel did want to study as many varying views from the emotion-driven as it could.

When Gabriel looked up, it had the sudden realization that the fawn had broken away from it, and was trotting ahead, its strides much longer than Gabriel's own. the pup had to pick up its pace and break into a bound just to keep pace, tongue lolling out of its mouth.

Together the duo passed into Polaris, their journey's end.

-exit Gabriel-

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts looks like this."

tags:
notes: